any time troubled in our Consciences we presently called some Promise or other to mind in the Scripture or thought of some comfortable Text and so slighted the light in our Consciences as not to be heeded or regarded as to receive and witness Justification from all sin and trouble in and by it but looked upon our selves as Elected in Christ before the world and that we had known a time when he called us by his Grace in the use of Ordinances and spake peace to us afterward by his Spirit in the Scripture applying some Promise to us and having learned and known these things we believe we can never fall totally for once in Christ and ever in Christ and the Elect cannot be deceived and we believe our selves Elected and Justified by Christ without us before we had committed one sin in our own persons for Justification is but one intire act and is perfect but our Sanctification is gradual and imperfect and Salvation is not works least any man should boast but of grace freely and so we never mind much what is in us we know there is enough in Christ and for our sins they cannot separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus and our holiness or righteousness though we be never so strict commends us not to God for if we be Elected our sins shall not destroy or damne us and if we be reprobated by God our righteousness or strictness in holiness cannot help us or save us and so all our comfort is in a Christ without us and in what he hath done for us already but for any thing in us that is spiritual or for Christ to be in us formed there and to dwell and inhabit there and we to feel him and know his voice and to be silent until he speak in us and to be justified by his Spirit in us and for him to work all our works in us and for us and we to be justified by him who works in us and not for our works is that which we looked upon as legal and dangerous to be led and guided and justified and sanctified by Christ in us the Hope of all our Glory this we thought not spiritual enough nor our carnal minds liked not to have all within but rather to have sin within and Christ without and lusts within but righteousness without and Hell within but Heaven without and vanity and filthiness present but happiness and blessedness to come hereafter but the light which shined in our hearts and lets us see the thoughts and intents thereof we believed not in for that to give us the knowledge of the light of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ but looked to get knowledge faster then that would give us it and surer then the knowledge that came that way by our running to the Scriptures and other good books by reading of them and by setting ourselves to observe what we read there looking upon the Scriptures to be the foundation of Faith and the rule of Life and what we get out there we account true knowledge and by reading of that we can be rich quickly and wise to dispute and to answer gain-sayers and our building is according to that and built upon that foundation but for the light that shines in our hearts to wait upon God in that to be taught by him and to hear his voice and to see his shape is a tedious painful flow and uncertain way of getting knowledge and that which hath no delight in it but is a narrow way and a strait gate to walk in and enter by and takes up the whole minds of those that are guided by it and walk in it that they can mind nothing else and makes them such fools that all wise men scoff at them to see how they walk up and down as if they cared for nothing and were grown strangers to the world and had no fellowship with it but kept out of all its customs and wayes and fashions as if they were redeemed out of it while they walk up and down in it but this way we like not but rather a zeal for outward Ordinances and outward Observances and to be somewhat strict in them we like pritty well so that we may be kept in our wisdoms and understandings which are natural and not have them confounded nor brought to nothing but still remain in that nature in which we can live at ease in the flesh and have felowship with the world and conform to their customs and be made partakers of their honours and flattering titles and have our thoughts at liberty and our tongues our own and this Religion we like well but for to have all within like those foolish bewitched people called Quakers we like not and for their wayes had we thought them to have been spiritual enough and conformable enough to the Scriptures of truth we would not have despised them but we account them fools for being so strict and our selves wise for taking our ease and pleasure while we may have it and yet go to Heaven when we dye before them and for to enjoy any great matter in our hearts in this life we look not for it if we can but keep our Consciences quiet it is enough for us when the Messias comes which is called Christ he will tell us all things and we look for his personal coming and then it shall be glorious times then we shall known all things And so by what I have said thou maist know an answer to thy Query and also to that which thou saist may seem a digression but craves to be favoured in it onely to thy last words of Exhortation in which thou exhorts all to hearken to the voice of Christ in the Gospel in this day of Grace c. I have this to say Christs voice is not heard but in the light nor the Gospel is not known but in the light though Matthew Mark Luke and John's writings may be read and remembred by him or them that are in darkness and yet the Gospel hid and here they may be lost because their minds are blinded in them by the god of this world who hath the glory of this world to give unto men that so he might keep the eye of their minds shut least with it they should see the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ the Image of God and it should shine into them and they be converted and then the Gospel which once was hid becomes the Gospel of their Salvation and Christ Gods Image such comes to know and bear in the world and such Preach not themselves but Christ Jesus the Lord and themselves servants for Jesus sake for God who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined into their hearts to give them the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4.4 5 6. And such know how they come by their knowledge for the light gave it them and they
speak truth plainly and therefore take Thomas Whites words at length as they are in his Book and may it not justly be queried how can those Baptists professe they know God whilst they are denying the light of his Son within in which the Father is revealed and by which that which may be known of God is made manifest in man seeing such hath appeared in opposition to this light both by publike Printing and disputing and if thou James Pope do not own them to be of you declare it publikely that so they may come to repentance and you be clear of their blood And whereas thou sayest the Lord in mercy hath made you to own him to be your life and light who also is leading you in the way to that light which is unapproachable c. I cannot but take notice of thy confusion who speaks like one that hath got a thing by rote but understandest not what thou sayest for is Christ your very light and life who is leading of you in the way to that light which is unapproachable and is not that same Christ that is the light and life also the way and the light which is unapproachable or is there one Christ that is the very life and light and leader in the way and approachable and another Christ that is the way that light which is unapproachable if thou knewest what thou said thou would know that the very life and light is unapproachable but dost thou not in those words manifest thy ignorance of Gods Christ the way to the Father and light of the world and life of men and by thy invention hast found out one Christ to be thy very light and life and is leading of thee in the way to another Christ which is unapproachable so that to one Christ thou art already come who is thy light and life and he is leading of thee in the way to that light which is unapproachable by this thou mayest see where thou art for in the world are Gods many and Lords many but to us there is but one God and one Lord Jesus and we know that an Idol is nothing howbeit there is not in all men this knowledge And whereas thou speaks of holy appointments and Christs Ordinances and who ever denyes them they are they which deny the light c. Thou shouldst speak plainly what those appointments are that thou intendest because you Baptists differ so much among your selves about them one saith Christ hath appointed hands to be laid on and another saith Christ hath appointed the washing of the Disciples feet and another saith anointing with oil is an Ordinance and another saith good chear or love feasts before the supper is an Ordinance and some say sprinkling is enough others say they must be dipped over head and ears and some say the bread must be cut others that it must be broken some say it must be taken and broken by him that eats it others say it must be broken before hand and given them by an officer of the Church and some say singing is an Ordinance and others say no and many other things which Baptists call Ordinances and appointments but which are thine or those that thou calls Christs appointments and Institutions thou hast not yet declared thy self seeing all these are called Christs appointments and ordinances by those who plead for them but I should counsel thee first to be reconciled to thy brethren and agree with them which be Christs appointments and which be mens inventions or mens misunderstanding of Christs words and then I may declare to thee which are to continue and which are at an end the substance being come until then take heed thou deal not with his Ordinances as thou hast dealt with his Name in calling that a plea for truth in love to truth which indeed is but a cover for deceit And you that are called Baptists above some others make it manifest your fellowship is not in the light because you have not fellowship one with another and therefore though you confess to the light yet I may say thou walks not in the light while thou imagines two Christs one to be the very life and light and the other to be a light unapproachable And whereas thou grants that it was the end of the Apostles Ministry to turn people from darkness to light and grants that many at this day tramples under foot the Son of God c. and I doubt not but all in his book that thou hast not answered thou grants and touching the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation thou saist that the people which Tho. White writes to do differ in their understandings of it and therefore shall pass it by c. Truly James thou grants so much and passest by such things that now I do not wonder thou understood not what it was that moved thee to write thy book except to see thy name in Print Art thou ashamed of thy Doctrine of Election and Reprobation how wilt thou avoid the censure of Christ saying Whosoever denies me before men him will I also deny before my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 10.33 And if we deny him he also will deny us 2 Tim. 2.12 And if you that are Baptists do differ in such a fundamental thing as Election and Reprobation how can ye be in the Faith or fellowship of the Gospel seeing it is the Election that obtains and the Reprobation that enters not And if you differ in your understandings about this how can you understand any thing aright seeing no Faith but the Faith of Gods Elect is sound and good nor no Salvation can be witnessed until Calling and Election be not onely known but made sure and yet the Baptists differ in your understandings about it And therefore must ye needs be at a loss and in an uncertain state as to your eternal welfare and happiness and alwayes lyable to be deceived for it is onely the Elect that are impossible to be deceived and therefore no marvel why you are so devided and deceived seeing you differ in your understandings about Election Hast hast hast unto the light of Christ that shines in your dark hearts that that may give you the understanding of Election and Reprobation for now it is evident that while thou and others are differing about Election and know it not your Religion is in vain and Christ the light you do not know and therefore no marvel thou speaks of one Christ that is thy light and life and another light that is unapproachable In thy fourth page thou seems to be displeased with Thomas White for cautioning of thee to take heed of deceit c. Is it not time to caution thee and others to take heed of deceit seeing you differ in your understanding about Election and none are out of a possibility of being deceived but the Elect and you and others differing in your understandings about it is it not time to cry to you Baptists above others
and none can be in the truth and most truely live above the way ordained of God to life neither can any live above the way and yet be in the truth and therefore thy query is an unlearned question and manifests thy ignorance of the mysteries of Christ Q. 9. Whether if those who despised Moses Law died without mercy under two or three witnesses ought not those then that either in word practice or writing despise Christs Law to be deeply humbled and truely repent of so grievous a sin especially if they have taught others so do Answ I hope that is not the English of thy query viz. that thou wouldst have them more sorely punished that deny your water washing then those were that despised Moses Law Those who despise Christs Law ought to be deeply humbled and repent of it and turn from it or they cannot be saved and such are all those who despise the true light with which every man that cometh into the world is lighted and call it natural for Christ is a Law-giver and gives Laws to his children as Moses did to the Jews and his Laws and Ordinances are onely known and read in the true light and he which opposes or gain-says either in himself or others the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man to profit withall is an unprofitable servant unto God though he be found in all the outward practices of the true Church for God is a Spirit and they which worship him aright must worship in the Spirit and in the truth for such God did seek to worship him in the dayes of the Apostles and such God is seeking again and all others shall be discovered and cast out as dung upon the face of the earth and such despisers shall behold and wonder and by their mocking at the true light which lighteth every man that cometh into the world shall their bonds become strong and their punishment become sorer then those who despised Moses Law if they speedily repent not 10 Q. Whether it will be a good Plea at the dreadful day of Christ to say Lord we would not have despised thy Laws if thou hadst made them to our minds and we had thought they had been spiritual enough Answ It will be no good Plea at the dreadful day of Christ neither is it now to say Lord we would not have despised thy Laws if thou hadst made them to our minds and we had thought they had been spiritual enough and of this sort are all those who put the day of the Lord afar off and are of the night and know not the day of the Lord as yet to be dawned nor the day-star to be risen in their hearts but though they draw near with their lips their hearts are far from God and their minds are estranged from him by wicked works though in words they confess him yet they are but in their thoughts and think they stand sure but their foundation is rottenness and built upon the sands like all those who say and do not and hear his words but obey them not and cry the Temple of the Lord and Church-fellowship and Ordinances but hate to be Reformed and to have their conversation ordered aright and so cannot see Gods Salvation while they account that too low and carnal or legal and natural which checks and reproves for sin in the Conscience and accuses for evil and excuses when they do well and reject it and slight it as not spiritual enough and such are they thy Query speaks of had they known that the light in their Consciences had been spiritual and that which came from Christ the light of the world and given them to lead out of darkness and that with which they must come to see themselves lost and undone if ever they be saved and in the sight and sence of their miserable estate to wait for a Saviour and in that light to see him revealed to save when none can help or deliver I say this is the man and the woman that in truth thy Query speaks of that shall say Lord we would not have despised thy Laws if thou hadst made them to our minds or if they had been spiritual enough but the light in the Conscience we liked not because it alwayes bore a witness for God against all our evil wayes and now we marvel not that every one that doth evil hates it because it reproves them all but outward Observances and bodily Exercises we like well and in these Observations we look for the Kingdom of Heaven to come but to give up to be guided by the light in our Consciences and shines in our hearts for that to give us the knowledge of God in the face of Christ we like not but accounted it not sufficient to lead to Christ and that which prejudiced us the more against the light which shines in our hearts and hath long shewed us our evil words before we spake them and our thoughts when they first did arise in us before we consented to them to follow them was because we accounted it common to all men and that which every man had and that though it shewed some sins against the Law yet not all sins against the Gospel as unbelief and therefore slighted it as legal and natural and when it troubled us or reproved us when we had been worshipping of thee O Lord as we thought in breaking bread and drinking wine and preaching and praying and the like which we verily believed had been thy ordinances and appointments and when we were troubled in our spirits and minds after such exercises as these we looked upon it as the temptation of the Devil and did not know it to be Gods witness in our Consciences or his Spirit striving with us to bring us to silence that so we might know the dumb to speak and the Spirit of the Lord to move and stir and guide in us and we in all things to be led by it and so in all we did feel Gods acceptance by the Testimony of his Spirit in us even the Spirit it self bearing witnesse with our spirits that we were Gods Children and the Spirit of truth to lead us into all truth that so by it we might witness freedom from the inward troubles of our minds and spirits and the accusings of Gods witness in our Consciences and so be made free and perfect as pertaining to the Conscience by the blood of Christ which is onely known and felt in his light as the Scripture saith 1 John 1.7 If we walk in the light as he is in the light we have fellowship one with another and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin But we looked on that of God in our Consciences to be too low and of the reliques of the old Adam or something of the Law but we looked upon our selves as not being under the Law but under grace and so judged our selves in Christ and when we were at