attempts against us that he may not be suffered to sculk and hide himself like a Snake under Grass And as to the seven Queries which he upbraids us with reproaching us As puting them all off with one general Answer c. as a trick and deceit of ours to hide and cover our monstrous Heresies and a full confession of our Heresies Pref. p. 350. Which being monstrous Calumnies and from which our general Answer to the unprejudiced clears us though we expected it would meet with such ill Treatment and Mis-construction as it hath from G. K. and this Author therefore thought meet to publish the said Answer herewith for the information of others more Charitable and Impartial than this our present Accuser and unjust Judge The said Queries appear to be of so little weight and some of them so indirect and in unscriptural Terms and perversly designed for cavil that I do not think they deserve to be reprinted here The following Answer being positive plain and scriptural as well as comprehensive of what 's necessary to be said to the matters chiefly Questioned And tho' I have long had a more particular Answer to the said Queries ready I do not think my self obliged at present to gratifie such imperious arbitrary Inquisitors as our present Adversaries with the publication thereof but rather for farther information in these matters chiefly Queried refer them and others to these our Books viz. First A Testimony of what we believe of Christ both as he was God and Man c. By G. F. Printed Anno 1677. And Secondly The Christian Doctrin and Society of the People called Quakers c. And Thirdly The Harmony of the Old and New Testament concerning our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ c. With many more ancient Books whereby it may appear that we were not to seek our Faith concerning Jesus and the Resurrection before the said Queries came to our hands G. W. Lon. 3d day 4th Month call'd June 1695. Friend William Lancaster HAving received a Paper of great Objections against us the People called Quakers with seven Queries therein subscribed William Lancaster directed to our Yearly Meeting in Whitson-week 1695. and delivered to some of us very near the conclusion thereof and therefore only read in the said Meeting with not having any further time to consider the Contents thereof or to give any particular answer thereunto It was by the said Meeting left to a few to consider and answer as in the Fear of God and Meekness of Wisdom we should see Cause Wherein we observe is noted great Objections have been made against us by those who have departed from our Communion as by others To which we reply that 't is true and they have been answer'd to which we refer And we observe in the said Paper it s said We would not take an account of you only from your Adversaries c. And we have chosen this solemn Time And again And we have chosen this most proper and convenient Opportunity c. And then states the several Queries and says the Questions may be proposed and their Answer demanded Now the Objections having been publick and our Answers publick we desire to know who the We are that are intended in this Paper that we may apply our selves to them or give such Scriptural Answers as we hope may tend to satisfaction But to repeat Answers in writing or print to we know not who so often as demanded to the same things already answer'd We think it not needful Therefore have herewith only sent thee a few brief Lines being grosly Wronged and Misrepresented in the said Objections and divers of the Queries contain several Questions in them in different Terms and some Vnscriptural so not plain and direct Queries therefore cannot positively be answer'd by our simple YEA or NAY to each Query as designed We therefore at present send this general Answer to the Queries for thy information as follows viz. We sincerely believe and profess Jesus Christ and the Resurrection according to the Holy Scripture Testimony and to that measure of Vnderstanding which God hath been pleased to give us by his Holy Spirit We sincerely believe in Jesus Christ the only begotten Son of the living God both as he is true God and perfect Man our Emanuel and Mediator and as in the fulness of Time he was Conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost Born of the Virgin Mary in Bethlehem of Judea Suffer'd under Pontius Pilate was Crucified and put to Death was Buried rose again the third Day and visibly Ascended into Heaven and was received into Glory and that this same Jesus Christ that was Crucified shall so in like manner come as he was seen to go into Heaven in Power and great Glory to Judge both the Living and the Dead according to their Works at the last and great Day of Judgment in that great Harvest which is the End of the World And that by Jesus Christ there shall be a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Just and Vnjust unto the righteous Judgment of the great Day consequently that the Resurrection is not past as Hymeneus and Philetus said 2 Tim. 2. 18. And that the Dead shall be raised incorruptible Every Man in his own order and that our low Body shall be changed and made like unto Christ's glorious Body The Resurrection of the Bodies of the Saints We Believe shall be Spiritual and Glorious and that the Sons of God and of the Resurrection shall be equal with the Angels of God in Heaven and shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father and yet there is such a great Mystery in the Resurrection as that Flesh and Blood cannot Inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption 1 Cor. 15. The whole Sacrifice of Christ whereof his Blood outwardly that was shed was a part was of great Price with God for Mans Redemption Christ's Blood that was shed without the Gates of Jerusalem together with the whole Sacrifice himself both of Soul and Body was a true Propitiation and Attonement for Mans reconciliation and peace with God for remission of Sins through a living Faith and true Repentance in his Name given and wrought by his Spirit and Word of Power in Mens Hearts whose sincere obedience to Christ and Walking in his Light being required of them in order to experience Christ the Author of their eternal Salvation and to wash them from their Sins in his own Blood For without this true Faith Repentance and Obedience to Christ Jesus Men lose and forfeit the great Benefit of Christs Sufferings and deprive themselves of the Eternal Redemption and Salvation which he hath hereby obtain'd for us Tho' he dyed for all Men tasted death for every Man and gave himself a Ransom for all to be testified of in due time being a true Propitiation for the Sins of the World From thy Friends and Well-wishers John Gratton Samuell Wattson Thomas Lower James Parke John Bowater George Witehead John
Argument from this Adversary against the Light within or our Testimony thereof and 't is far more difficult to make Sense of his Notion of the Light within than of our's For after he has in Words owned and confessed to Divine Illumination or Inspiration of the Holy Spirit as that Enthusiasm or Inspiration of God which is allowed and owned in their Church and that 't is full as much as any sober Quaker can mean by the Light within Pref. from p. 46. to p. 55 56. Another while he 'll have the Light within not Infallible but Fallible because of Men's Mistake who put Darkness for Light p. 173 174. 2d Part. Another while he 'll have the Light within no Light from Isa. 8. 20. placing this Remark upon it No Light George mark that p 251. But he should have observed the Hebrew Note in the Margin No Morning instead of No Light which I may return upon him If they speak not according to this Word it is because there is No Morning to them No Morning Man mark that But is there no Light before Morning pray Now how difficult is it to make Sense of this Man's Notion of the Light within One while with him 'T is a Divine Inspiration another while 'T is Fallible another while No Light So that one while 't is a divine good and certain Light another while uncertain not Infallible another while 't is nothing no Light Thus confusedly and madly Envy and Darkness appears against the true Light This Adversary to prove his false reitterrated black Charge That the Quakers take to themselves the very Attributes of God and make a pretence from this Light within to excuse blasphemous Pride assuming All the Worship due to Christ whom they call this Light upon the account of his or its Inhabitation in them p. 178. He refers to G. Whitehoad's Innocency against Envy p. 18. Sect. 12. in Answer to F. Bugg viz. As to his Charge of idolatrous if not blasphemous Names and Titles given to G. F. How proves he that they i.e. Two Persons in their Letters to him gave and intended those Names and Titles to the Person of G. F. c. This Story in the first part is notoriously false as it affects the Quakers in general The last part is a blind Story as 't is intended for Proof of the black Charge before those idolatrous Names and Titles are not mentioned nor any plain Proof of the exact Copies of both those Letters could we ever have And G. W. has further cleared this Matter in another Answer to F. B. as also in his Just Inquiry from p. 19. to p. 30. And in behalf of the People called Quakers we positively and sincerely deny 1. That they take to themselves the very Attributes of God 2. That they excuse blasphemous Pride as that of assuming all Worship due to Christ because of his inhabiting in them These with Detestation we solemnly deny But this Accuser should have looked at home and at his Brethren of the Clergy what Honour and Attributes do they give to their Bishops when they go down upon their Knees to them as their Reverend Fathers in God with Your Grace My Lord c. Do these import Divine Honour and Divine Attributes or Earthly pray And where did ever Christ's Ministers or Apostles do such Homage to Timothy or Titus or call either of them my Lord Timothy or my Lord Titus and Your Grace c And what thinks he of Godfathers and Godmothers Are not these Divine Attributes and very high ones too And of their being Sureties for Infants for their forsaking the Devil and all his Works c. and keeping God's holy Will and Commandments c. Do they not herein take upon them Christ's Office and Work who is our Surety And what Scripture have they for these Answer directly 'T is a notorious Untruth also That they i. e. the Quakers allow of divine Honour to the Man Christ Jesus on no other account than as G. W. allows it to G. Fox that is because of the residing of the divine Word in him p. 180. We say this is apparently false for on divers other Accounts we allow divine Honour and far more Honour to the Man Christ Jesus than to any mortal or finite Creature whatsoever as in all things Christ Jesus hath the Preheminence and all Fulness dwelling in him and all Power in Heaven and Earth committed to him and were not all the Angels of God to worship him And all Men to honour the Son as they honour the Father Therefore this Opposer's blasphemous Consequences drawn against us from his black Charge aforesaid As worshipping one another with divine Honour and not grudging to apply all the Attributes of God to themselves for the Light within sake c. p. 181 182. with the rest of his Consequences of the same kind are as false as the other We desire ever to walk humbly with God in Christ Jesus in a holy Reverence and Worship to him only to whom all divine Worship Glory and Honour is due In his 13th Sect. Of the Resurrection of the Body This saith he the Quakers do positively deny p. 182. Here he stumbles at the Threshold and deals disingeniously and falsly with the Quakers They deny not the Resurrection of the Body by denying the gross and carnal Notions of our former Adversaries of the self-same carnal and numerical Body of Flesh Blood and Bones no more than the Apostle denied the Resurrection of the Dead by affirming That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption 1 Cor. 15. For proof That the Quakers do positively deny the Resurrection he says That Mr. Penn makes Nonsense of it and worse he compares it to Transubstantiation nay to the Alcoran quoting Reason against Railing 1673. p. 138. which is a plain Perversion and as false as the Charge it self For W. Penn does neither make Nonsense of the Resurrection it self scripturally considered nor compare it either to Transubstantiation or to the Alcoran But T. Hick's gross Belief and Apprehension of a Carnal or Fleshly Resurrection of the self-same Carnal Body and yet that it shall be so changed as to be a spiritual glorious Body like unto Christ's This he compares to the Doctrin of Transubstantiation as the Papists say That the Bread and Wine after Conse cration are so changed as to be the very Christ and yet the Accidents remain i.e. of Bread and Wine so he can't make better Sense of his Adversary's gross apprehension of the Resurrection of the Body being or remaining the same carnal Body of Flesh Blood and Bones that 's buried and yet changed so as to be a spiritual and glorious Body like unto Christ's which was not to deny the Scripture-Doctrin of the Resurrection it self but rather a carnal Alcoran Notion thereof for in the Book quoted Reason against Railing p. 133. And under the same Head take W. P.'s plain Confession of the Resurrection in
R. G. as if I denied Christ to appear in or to have a Bodily Existence or Being I see no just Cause but rather that G. K. does therein as in many other things interfere with himself and his own former Testimony which is directly agreeable to what I have said and more severe and positive as in his Help in time of need p. 78 79. In these words viz. And now whether ye will hear or forbear this I do declare unto you in the Name and Power and Authority of the living God the day of the Lord is of a truth broken up among us and ye shall look till your Eyes fail you and rot within your Eye-holes e're ever you see another day or appearance of Jesus Christ to your comfort than what we the People of the Lord called Quakers do witness come and yet more abundantly coming and if ye will not hear my Soul shall mourn for you in secret places and weep before the Lord on your behalf Quere Was this to deny Christ to have any Bodily Being If G. K. may be cleared herein I may be clear from and against his own Judgment unduly given upon me I see no vehement or any denyal of Christ's being either Bodily or Spiritually at God's right hand as I am accused p. 3. by Questioning the Words and Terms of R. G. What Scripture proof has he for these words That Christ existeth outwardly bodily without us at God's right hand And what and where is God's right hand Is it Visible or Invisible Within us or without us only And is Christ the Saviour as an outward Bodily Existence or Person without us distinct from God and on that consideration to be Worshipped as God yea or nay And where doth the Scripture say he was outwardly and bodily glorified at God's right hand c. These Questions are no conclusions nor any positive determinations and they carry in them the reason thereof namely 1. Our then Adversary's excluding Christ as to his being out of his People and Saints because at God's right hand which has been the common Argument of divers of them 2. Their neglect and opposition to Christ's inward spiritual appearance and saving work in the heart under pretence of his outward and bodily Existence at God's right hand which expressions I did the more Question because of the common and gross sense wherein many are apt to take them as a bodily Being like their own earthly Bodies of Flesh and Blood which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. And because they commonly have opposed his being at God's right hand to his inward and spiritual appearance asserting the one in opposition to the other having expressed very gross and carnal conceits of Christ's outward and bodily Existence at God's right hand thence inferring that the true Christ is not in Men which Argument and Inference I deny the reason whereof may farther appear As for instance John Newman whom G. K. and his Advocate has sided with against me argues thus Christ cannot dwell in Man for Christ is perfect Man as well as perfect God in his Book stiled The Light within p. 61. Again If Jesus Christ be with the Father then he is not in Man and that therefore 't is a feigned Christ and Light within p. 47 66 72. I deny the Argument both of the first Proposition and Consequence Christ being with the Father or at God's right hand is no reason or proof that he is not in Man To which I then Answered J. N. Christ ascended p. 20 21. Doth Christ's being with the Father or at his right hand hinder him from being in his People This is gross Error and contrary to plan Scripture 2 Cor. 13. Know you not how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be reprobates and this is neither a feigned Christ nor a feigned Light as Blasphemously and Scornfully he words it And what doth J. N. think or imagin concerning God his right hand and being And Christ at God's right hand that he thus would exclude limit and seem to confine them out of all Men Doth not this oppose the Infiniteness and Omnipresence of God and Jesus Christ and bring them under the limitation of finite Creatures With much more upon this Subject in the places Quoted I do not find that my Answer to J. N. is a denying Christ's outward appearance at the great day as accused p. 4. But rather a Questioning such a manner of appearance as he and others carnally expected to be seen with their carnal Eyes as having declared that Jesus Christ Rose and Ascended Flesh and Blood and those that pierced him in his Body shall see that Body visibly come again I Answered These are not the words of Scripture but added and for Answer to him I referred to Rev. 1. 7 8 13 14 16. In none of which is Jesus Christ called or represented as a Body of Flesh Blood and Bones visibly to come again c. The words Blood and Bones G. Keith has in recital hereof injuriously left out in his Gross Error and Hypocrisie p. 3. And yet makes use of the place to defame me with unbelief in a fundamental Doctrin of Christian Faith and the same words as Body of Flesh Blood and Bones he has likewise left out in his injurious Citation and Construction in his Nar. p. 17. He has also left out this following Passage on the same Subject Howbeit His Christ's appearance shall be universal seen both to the Joy of the Righteous and universal Conviction and Condemnation of the Wicked who have rejected his Light within and his saving appearance thereby made manifest yea every Eye shall see him both of Good and Bad both those that have waited for his second coming without Sin to Salvation and they also which have Pierced and Crucified him c. Christ Ascended Printed in 1669. p. 22 23. I never heard before That 't is a Fundamental Doctrin of the Christian Faith That Jesus Christ either consisteth of a Body of Flesh Blood and Bones or is in such a Body to come again visibly to Mens carnal Eyes they now have which was the very thing I Questioned in the places Quoted against me by G. K. Light and Life p. 41. Printed in 1668. And Christ Ascended p. 21 22 23. Wherein in the first he has left out the Question Did John see him with carnal Eyes on Rev. 1 And of the glory of the Father wherein the Son of Man shall come Mat. 16. 27 28. Luke 9. 26 27. Is it visible to the carnal Eye left out and in the latter after in none of which i.e. Scriptures Quoted is Jesus Christ represented as a Body of Flesh here Blood and Bones are left out which is very unfair and more unjust to render me an unbeliever thereupon like as if one should deal thus by a Quotation out of G. K.'s Way cast up p. 131. After it being no more a Body to leave out of Flesh Blood and Bones
only measurably This is always allowed by us 3. False again That they deny any proper Incarnation of Christ that is that he was made Flesh. For the Word was made Flesh John 1. 14. And he took not upon him the Nature of Angels but the Seed of Abraham and part of the same Flesh and Blood which the Children had Heb. 2. 14 16. and Christ Jesus is one entire Christ and Saviour We do not divide nor confound Jesus and Christ nor take the Name Christ to our selves but Christians as anointed by him and Partakers of Christ and only so far have an Interest in his Name Power and Life 4. False also That they say not that Christ did carry up i. e. the Body of Jesus with him into Heaven Whose Body then but his own when he was visibly seen to ascend so as a Cloud received him out of their sight Acts 1. 9 10 11. 5. Seeing we confess That Christ is now in Heaven when did ever we refuse to confess that there is any Jesus now in Heaven or any elsewhere This is an absurd Accusation as if we divided Jesus and Christ or denied Jesus to be Christ which is far from us 6. That they know not what 's become of him Jesus is also false He ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and we know him in us by his Spirit 7. That they say there 's no Christ without them is false also 8. No other Christ but what 's within them There 's not Two Christs 'T is one and the same Christ that is without us and within us tho' in different manners 9. That they allow him no other Body but their own is false They allow him his own proper glorious Body in which he is their Head and they united to him so as the Body in general or comprehensively is but one Body even so is Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. 10. That they spiritualize ALL his Life and Death to his spiritual Living and Dying within them which is a reiterated Falshood The same Christ that was crucified in the Flesh without is spiritually within known in true Believers 'T is not another Christ but another Manifestation of one and the same Christ. 11. Our Friend G. F. in the places impertinently and perversly quoted Gr. Myst. p. 210 211 254. does not dispute against saying That the Man Christ that was crucified his Body is now in the Presence of his Father But against their saying Christ is absent from the Saints and People and against their professing a Christ without them and another within them i. e. Two Christs There being but one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8. 6. 12. 'T is neither impious nor blasphemous in the Quakers to affirm That the One Lord Jesus Christ does influence inspire and enlighten us by his Life and Spirit in our Hearts this is the true state of the Case to guide us and that he is the only Christ and Saviour that so doth and that Christ and his Spirit and Light are not so divided Being still but One Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who suffered for us and reigneth both in Heaven and Earth in which he hath all Power committed to him 13. Our Adversary refers to one Rob. Gordon's Authority against us in his pretended Testimony to the true Saviour or Jesus of Nazareth printed 1670. In which there are many Abuses Misrepresentations and Contradictions answered and detected by G. Keith and G. Whitehead in their Book Entituled The Light of Truth triumphing over Darkness Ignorance Error and Envy G. Keith then vindicated us and our Principles against R. G. and other Opposers however he be now declined and turned against us he has not retracted his Answer to the said R. Gordon whose Authority we deny and it will not support our present Opposer against us 14. What he quotes of S. E. 's Challenge What was said of Christ the World was made by him and the World knew him not so it may be said of this true Prophet G. F. p. 232. We the Quakers so called disown the Comparison any otherwise than as it relates to the World knew him not for so far Christ himself allows his own They are not of the World as I am not of the World John 17. And the World knoweth you not because it knoweth not him 1 John 3. 1. 15. His repeated false Charges of making our selves equal with God and preferring our selves before the Man Christ making him and all he did and suffered to be BVT a Type or Shaedow of what is really performed in us by the true Christ p. 233. These Falshoods and Perversions are answered denied and detected partly before in this and in our Just Enquiry and also in an Answer to Dr. Ford Entituled The Christianity of the People commonly called Quakers c. Some of his other Falshoods he quotes and credits out of R. Gordon are viz. 16. Crying up a Light within to cry down the Blood without 17. To preach him Christ as an Example to cast out the Attonement 18. Denying him to have any real outward individual glorified bodily Existence in his Fathers Kingdom 19. That the preaching of a Christ without them they call old beggarly Stuff Adding viz. 20. And those who formerly preacht him as without us though Prophets or Apostles to be low and carnal in their Day according to their Cant which he there repeats p. 235. These foul and odious Lies Calumnies and Perversions he credits and repeats against us which we utterly deny and his Authority also quoted by him as malicious and injurious 21. His next Authority against us is T. C. i. e. Tho. Crisp his Animadvers and F. Bugg's Quakerism Withering both which are fully answered and their manifold Falshoods and Calumnies justly detected and reprehended particularly in G. W.'s Answer Entituled The Counterfeit Convert and T. C. by Edward Pennington As to those offensive Words Your carnal Christ your imagined God we do not affect the Terms neither are they proper to the true Christ or omnipresent God 22. In p. 236. the Snake unfairly cites G. F. in two places Gr. Myst. p. 250. leaving out the very reason of his Reflection upon Chr. Wade his recording himself a Reprobate which was his Ignorance of the Mystery of Christ within him And Gr. Myst. p. 183. The Imputation to a Believer is owned and this Imputation is within for he that believes is born of God and hath the Witness in himself Abraham believed and the Romans and to such the Imputation was spoken in the Belief c. All these Words left out as seems to us with design to render us as wholly denying Imputation on any account which is a manifest Perversion tho' G. F. in the place cited esteems the inward Enjoyment of Christ Jesus and his Righteousness to be beyond any Imputation only in the first Belief as true Believers in Union with Christ are nearer to him than when they first believed 23. 'T is false That the
saying That Blood is not in Being this Advocate will have it that he only gives way to this supposition of the Quakers by way of Concession not as his own Opinion p. 16. 'T is a wonder the Man 's not ashamed to use such a slim come off and false cover for him when 't was a real Confession and not forced from him as a meer Concession for Argument sake why should he compare it then to a price lost And another Baptist Thomas Brown confess'd that the Blood that was shed is not in Being it sunk into the ground Light and Life p. 66. The occasion of my Questioning them so much about this matter was because they seem'd to place the great stress of Man's Salvation upon the outward Blood of Christ and the act of shedding of it as if it were the present agent operating in them Purging sprinkling their Consciences Sanctifying and Justifying without making the Spirit the Operator or Efficient thereof whereas both Sanctification washing and cleansing from Sin Regeneration Justification and so Salvation are more principally ascribed to the Spirit the Grace the Word of God yea to Christ himself than to the act of shedding that Blood or to that Blood it self yet I never opposed that as being a part of the Sacrifice of Christ offered for Sinners in order to a Pacification Attonement and Reconciliation And farther to his comparison between the Baptists declaring the Blood shed on the Cross not in being and the Agonies and Passions of Christ upon the Cross as not now in being I do not therefore dissolve all the merits of his Sufferings or Death to our Justification thereby I do not so Argue as implyed against me that because his Passion was Temporal and Finite therefore not Meritorious for the Merits or disserving on Christ's part is placed upon his Obedience in humbling himself to Death even to the Death of the Cross wherefore God hath highly exalted him c. Phil. 2. 8 9. whose Exaltation and Dominion is for our Salvation if we submit to him as our Leader Commander and King But my distinction for Argument is this Tho' that Blood and Sacrifice were offered as a price in order to Man's Redemption it is the Power and Spirit of Christ that inwardly operates and quickens the Soul to God purifies and sanctifies the Conscience and so effectually saves us from Sin and Pollution The Price is already paid but the Work is yet undone in many we value the Price but must not neglect the Work of our Redemption and Salvation in us for Christ's Sacrifice will not save justifie or acquit any in a State of impenitency or unbelief they must know the work of his Grace and Good Spirit in their hearts unto Repentance and Obedience of Faith in Christ or else they perish in their impenitency and wilful unbelief whereby they make both the Cross and blood of Christ of none effect unto them Except a Man be regenerate and born again he cannot see nor enter into the Kingdom of God And I conceive I am not to be blamed much less ranked among Ranters as G. K. has Narr p. 25. for ascribing the saving work of sprinkling the Conscience sanctifying and justifying principally to the inward Grace and Spirit more than to the Blood shed upon the Cross. I say again I see no necessity of directing Men to the Type for the Antitype to Jerusalem or the Temple p. 17. either for Jesus Christ or his Blood there but that such direction is contrary to what the Righteousness of Faith saith Ro. 10. 6 7 8. compared with Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14 15. Tho' we also Preach Christ as he was Crucified and Dyed at Jerusalem and raised from the Dead and I do not say that 's contrary to Ro. 10. as G. K. wrongs me several times over Narr p. 26 27. But to direct Men either to go to the material Temple at Jerusalem or to look to Jerusalem for Jesus Christ the Antitype of that Temple c. This I deem'd contrardictory to Ro. 10. above quoted but they are to turn and look to the Word of Faith nigh in the Heart where they may Livingly find feel and know Christ in Spirit and Power even in the Power of his Resurrection so as to be enabled both to confess with the Mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in the Heart that God raised him up from the Dead And this word of Faith and of God is confessed unto by G. K. himself to be the Object and Foundation of true Faith and that this is Christ in them and that from the same Scriptures I quoted Deut. 30. 12 13. Ro. 10. 5 6 7 8 9. As more fully appears in his immediate revelation p. 3. p. 64 65. Print 1668. Therefore 't is not to destroy nor allegorize away the Object of Faith to direct People to Christ as the word of Faith nigh in the Heart as the Object thereof nor is it Antichristian Doctrin as G. K. has unjustly accused me in this Point Narr p. 27. contrary to his former confessions And suppose any one in deep distress for want of Christ to free and save him from Sin should earnestly enquire where shall I find him Whither will you direct me to find Christ And one should answer I direct thee to Jerusalem to the material Temple to the Type for Christ the Antitype and should again say I direct thee to Christ as above the Clouds and not to Christ as the Light within and then call the Light within an uncertain Guide as the Baptist did whom I answered in this Case How would this answer the distressed Soul Or agree with the Testimony of Moses or of Paul the Apostle of Jesus Christ in Deut. 30. 11 12 13 14. and Rom. 10. 6 7 8 9. As for what the Righteousness of Faith saith I should rather answer the Question according to the Testimony of Moses and the Apostle Whither shall I be directed to go to find Christ Answer Say not in thine Heart who shall Ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above Or who shall Descend into the Deep that is to bring Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thine Heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach And this Word of Faith will bring thee to know the great benefit and fruit of Christ's Death at Jerusalem for thee and the power of his Resurrection that thou mayest thereby be enabled livingly to confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in thine Heart that God hath raised him from the Dead so as thou mayest be saved by him But I yet say to preach Christ as a remote outward Christ only in opposition to his Light and Word of Faith within as in the Heart is to keep People in unbelief remote from the true Faith and Knowledge of Christ either as without us or within us which opposition ought not to be to
Man's Redemption both outwardly and inwardly outwardly by the Ransom given by Christ's Sufferings and Sacrifice and inwardly by the operation of his Life Power and Spirit which Mystically is that precious Blood that is opposed to all corruptible things which redeems from the vain Conversation from all Iniquity and effectually washeth and clcanseth us from our Sins purgeth and sprinkles our Consciences c. And farther to Answer to Types and Shadows under the Law of shedding Blood and sprinkling c. That God according to his Mercy saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Titus 3. 5 6. And I 'le sprinkle clean water upon them and wash them from all their filthiness saith the Lord. And the Blood of sprinkling which the spiritual believers were come unto has the same effect And if the name of Water be attributed to the Spirit as it is Jo. 7. 38 39. Light and Life The name of Blood may also which is not to Allegorize away or invalidate the outward Blood or Sacrifice of Christ or any part thereof yet the Mystery thereof we may not deny but confess And according to the answers I have given for the Blood of Christ and the Mystery thereof our deceased Friend and Brother Robert Bercley expresly agrees whose Testimony therefore I am the more willing to cite because G. Keith has approved of his Works p. 60. R. B's Testimony in his Works p. 10. follows in these words viz. This Blood speaking of the Blood of Christ that is healing c. is known and felt within to wash and purge the Conscience for Christ as he is within is not without his Blood which is Spiritual even the pure Blood of the Vine and is that Wine of the Kingdom which is inwardly felt to wash and to refresh which he gives to them who know not distinctly the outward shedding of his Blood as it was many hundred years ago and which many are ignorant of who have heard much of the outward shedding of his Blood but know not the Blood as shed and poured forth in them to sprinkle their Consciences from dead Works for it is a Mystery sealed up from all who stand in opposition to his Light within But there mark thy own Words saith he to his Opponent The Plaster must be applyed er'e the Sore be healed Must not then saving Grace be applyed er'e the Soul be Converted or Healed And R. B. treats much more largely concerning the Flesh and Blood of Christ to the same purpose as before cited for the Blood of Christ as 't is Spiritual and Mysterious c. p. 494. 495 496 497 498. upon his thirteenth Proposition of his Apology and in page 494. He has recourse to Agustin viz. § II. The Body then of Christ which Believers partake of is Spiritual and not Carnal and his Blood which they Drink of is Pure and Heavenly and not Humane or Elementary as Augustin also affirms Ps. 98. Except a Man Eat my Flesh he hath not in him Life Eternal And he saith The Words which I speak unto you are Spirit and Life understand spiritually what I have spoken Ye shall not Eat of this Body which ye see and Drink this Blood which they shall spill that Crucifie me I am the living Bread which have dscended from Heaven He called himself the Bread who descended from Heaven exhorting that we should believe in him c. Unto which I further add for Illustration That the pure Blood of Grapes promised to Judah and Israel Gen. 49. 11. Deut 32. 14. was Typical of this spiritual Blood and Fruit of the Heavenly Vine Christ Jesus which truly relieves and comforts the afflicted and sorrowful Soul that comes unto him And also the Milk and Honey the Butter Oyl and Wheat and other Temporal Blessings which were in the promised Land were all Types of Christ and the spiritual Blessings received in him in his Kingdom and Heavenly Canaan And the Oyl and Wine which the Compassionate Samaritan poured into the Wounds of the Man that was wounded by Thieves and left half Dead Luke 10. 34 were also Typical of the healing Vertue Life and spiritual Blood of Christ Jesus which he graciously poureth into many wounded Souls As concerning the word Personality and Personal Existence as applyed to God and Christ I have sometimes questioned as also the word Humane as ascribed to the glorified Body of Christ which is spiritual and also to his Soul or Spirit for these reasons 1. Because imposed on us by some Adversaries without Scripture proof of those terms and not to Question Christ's glorious Manhood for in that sense I admit of and sometime may use the word Humanity either for Man or for the Good Nature and disposition of Man as of the word Trinity for Three being not willing to maintain contest about Words but to mind the thing intended thereby 2. Because false Arguments have been drawn thence against Christ and his Light in Man 3. Because of the carnal Imaginations of too many thereof who under pretence of expecting Christ to come again in the Flesh in the same manner as he was on Earth and to be seen with their carnal Eyes neglect the introversion of their Minds to Christ's inward appearance in Spirit 4. Because whilst Men feed upon such Notions and Imaginations of Christ excluding him out of their Hearts they exclude the living and Heart-purifying Faith of Christ so that their Faith is but Dead and Fruitless whilst such seem to adore Christ as only an outward Christ or as wholly without them and not in them instead of opening the Door of their Hearts unto him to let him in they harbour and indulge their own Corruptions Pride Scorn Envy and Covetousness c. in their Hearts out of which proceed all these bitter Reproches Revilings and Calumnies which we meet with this Day as heretofore In all my former questioning their unscriptural terms who profess the Scriptures to be their only Rule ascribed to God and Christ I never designed to deny his being our Mediator as Man nor to oppose his coming in Power and great Glory in his gloryfied spiritual Body to Judge the Quick and the Dead in the last Day tho I have sometimes shunned controversy on that Point and about the Resurrection and last Day of Judgment Urging not to put the day of the Lord afar off nor to neglect the present day of their Visitation and Judgment of Christ by his Spirit and Light within them The Question how are the Dead raised and with what Body come they forth I have often waved as unnecessary as well as unwarrantable being reprehended in some 1 Cor. 15. 35 26. I being willing to acquiesce in the will of God in that matter to give a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed it s own Body as proper thereunto ver 38. One thing I would be better understood in Not having