order to give them a day of Visitation wherein the tenders of Life and everlasting Salvation may be held forth unto them that believing and receiving the Son of God they may be sav'd from Sin and Death in themselves for he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe whose Faith is not a meer Historical Faith of things only done without but a FAITH in the Name and Power of the Son of God a Heart-purifying Faith a justifying Faith a Faith that worketh by Love a Faith that is victorious over the World by which Faith we being justified we have Peace with God and by which Faith we have received Christ in Spirit and know him after the Spirit The Traditional Knowledge Faith and outward Profession of him as meerly after the Flesh will neither save nor justifie The Pope and Papists have as much of these as Robert Gordon who hath only his Tradition and Faith or Credulity for his Religion and Profession Although the concurring Testimonies of the holy Prophets and the four Evangelists and true Apostles and Ministers of Christ concerning his outward Birth Life Miracles Suffering in the Flesh Death Resurrection and Assention we never deny'd nor hereby in the least oppose by treating of the Nature and Effects of Faith in him as the Son of God the Foundation the Power and Wisdom of God the Light Life Salvation Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption of true Believers For he that believeth in and hath the Son hath Life but he that believeth not in him the Wrath of God abideth upon him How then is he or such perfectly justified with God Reconcil'd and Redeem'd at once without them aâ—â—ording to R. G. while the Wrath of God abides upon them and while no Good is wrought in them Is it good Doctrine to say That men are perfectly justified while under the Wrath of God And that thâ—y are perfectly Redeem'd and reconciled and so at Peace and imputatively Righteous while actually under the Wrath of God in themselves Were it not as good Doctrine to say That they are imputatively saved while actually Damned But this is something like the Doctrine of R. G. and his Teachers or Ministers the Presbyterians and Independants under whose Ministry he hath receiv'd what he hath testified which he deceivedly thinks came from the Lord. And whereas R. G. having deny'd that this Light which enlightens every man is Christ in which G. K. and I oppos'd him and to our saying So John Preacht him c. R.G. again answers in scorn Thou should rather have added So G. F. Preacht him and so others among the Quakers And further addeth John or any of the Pen Meâ— never so wrote of Christ neither canst thou show me one place of Scripture wherein it is inserted of Christ that the Light enlighteneth every man that comes into the World is the true Christ. Rep. What is this â—uâ— to deny the Divinity of Christ or to deny him to be that Word or Life which was the Light of men testified of John 1. which Word became Flesh and tabernacl'd in us Was not this still â—â—â—ist that John testified of that was the true Christ that enligâ—â—â—â—s every man that comes into the World Is it not Anti-christian Doctrine to deny this enlightening true Light to be Christ and to scoff at us for asserting it And because I distinguished between Christ the Enlightener and his Gift of Light or Illumination in man R. G. hath judg'd me severely as to be in Self-contradiction for my saying That we affirm a Spiritual Divine Light to be in eveâ—y man yet we do not say that Christ is in every man or that every man hath the Son though still I own the Son to be the Enlightner of every man This he counts a Contradiction but herein he hath but slightly overlookt and censured my words for there is no Contradiction in them any more then in saying Christ the true Light enlighteneth every man so that there is Christ and his Illumination yet every man is not a Child of Light walks not in the Light hath not the Son is not attain'd to the Revelation of Christ and yet hath a degree of his Light and Illumination in them wherein is his power and capacity of believing and receiving the Son of God or otherwise it is sufficient to leave them without Excuse yea the least Measure of Christ's Light is sufficient in each respect although this Opposer most ignorantly sâ—ights the Work of any Law or Light in man or Obedience wrought thereby as not able to deliver him from the Condemnation and Curse of the Law so as to obtain Justification with God theâ—eby pag. 25. Whereas the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ makes free from the Law of Sin and Death and this Law of the Spirit of Life is within this Law is Light this being obey'd thus freeth man from the power of Sin and Death where true Obedience to the Light is sin is not obey'd neither sin nor death doth raign in the Creature but Righteousness raigns within unto Life sin being forsaken the cause of Condemnation and the Curse is remov'd and where there is no Condemnation there is Justification even to them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And is not this a state accepted of God seeing its the Doers of his Will that are just and justified But after this R G. hath oppos'd and scoffâ—d at that saying That this Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World is Christ having deny'd this he in plain Contradiction to himself is forc'd to acknowledge the Truth in these words I also acknowledge that it is said John 1.9 of Christ Jesus that was the true Light which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illuminat enlighteneth every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venientem coming into the World for so it is in the Greek and that every man is enlightened by Jesus Christ as he is the Word that made the World c. pag. 27 28. See here R. G. against R. G. one while the true Light which enlighteneth every man is not the true Christ with him another while Jesus Christ was the true Light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World Do you think this is a trusty man to give credit to let the unprejudic'd Readers judge And further We do not call the enlightening in every man the Christ but the Light of Christ having already distinguished between the Enlightener and the Illumination and between the Giver and the Gift And now as concerning the Law and Nature by which the Gentiles did the things contain'd in the Law R. G. saith This Law or Enlightening thus planted in man'â— nature by generation is by Generation convey'd into every man as he cometh into the World and that it is called by Solomon the spirit of man which is the Candle of the Lord c. Pro. 20.27 Answ. This Law and Light that inwardly taught the Gentiles was
Mary as now imaginary he saith existing outwardly bodily without us Whereupon I ask him If he hath so considered him to be God the Saviour or the Son from the Substance of the Father as some of his Brethren have confessed the Son is And that he Existeth outwardly bodily without us at God's Right-hand What Scripture Proof hath he for these words And then 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 Existenâ— 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 is outwardly and bodily glorified at God's Right-hand Do these termes express the Glory that he had with the Father before the World began in which he is now glorified But did not Mary express a higher Praise and Worship then R. G's and the Multitudes Hosanna to the Son of David when she said My Soul doth Magnifie the Lord and my spirit doth Rejoyce in God my Saviour Luke 1.46 47. And whereas concerning the Law or Light in every man he instanceth Doth not even Nature it self teach either to prove this Law or Light natural as mans Nature insufficient or far below the Teachings of the new Covenant and yet in pag. 31. confesseth That it show'd them to wit the Gentiles that which may be known of God being manifested in them They are left without Excuse saith he and that of God which is manifest in them gave them an Eye to see his Invinsible Power and Godhead to know God and glorifie him as God page 32. A large Confession to his own Confusion And was that of God in them or that which might be known of God in them Natural as of man's Nature or but the form'd spirit of man or something proceeding from Natural Generation Oh gross Ignorance That ever a man should pretend to vindicate Christianity and shew so much Contradiction to himself and so much Ignorance of that Divine Light and Power which gives both to see the invisible things of God and to glorifie him as God surely this is not natural nor of corrupt nature that is sufficient to bring men into this good Estate or to leave them without excuse if they abide not in it retain not God in their Knowledge or glorifie him not as God see Rom. 1.19 20 21 28. How contrary to plain Scripture and Reason hath this man reason'd against the Light of God and Christ within as also ignorant of the Seed within and its being raised and of the Righteousness in the Elect Seed For he calls these New imagined Notions whereof there is no mention made in the Scriptures of Truth pag. 32. I believe they are New to him and such as he is in whom the seed of the Serpent is so highly risen and raigns as so openly to oppose this blessed seed of God where it is raised though they cannot prevail against it for though it be sown in Weakness it s rais'd in Power And yet in contradiction to himself in the same page confesseth That the ingrafted Word which is able to save the Soul which is called the Seed of the Kingdom which in the Children of Faith takes deep root downward and brings forth fruit upwards Neither of which it hath done in this and such like confus'd Gainsayers who can talk much of the outward Birth of Christ but know nothing of his spiritual Birth this is R. G's state but as much as in them lies bury the Seed having crucified unto themselves the Son of God untill by their persisting in their Gainsaying and wilful Opposition against the Light and Seed of God within there remains no more Sacrifice for them though there remains a Sacrifie for them that do not persist in wilful Disobedience nor crucifie to themselves the Son of God or Seed of â—ife and Righteousness in its Appearance within which Appearance being received and believ'd and so the Righteous Seed which abides in him that is born of God taking place and rule within this bringeth forth the Fruit of Righteousness unto Life and Justification and so removes and works out that which is the Cause of Wrath and Condemnation Let him that can receive it AND as to R. Gordon's Part against Gawen Lowry It appears an impertinent Flam and a piece of Cavil much like the rest of his stuff against us He seems to be offended That G. L. should communicate to others his private Letter and yet he himself hath published some Passages of G. L's Letter to him in Print with his own impertinent Cavils and Pervertions Now if he thinks G. L. did not well in communicating his Letter to be publish'd why did he publish G. L's with such cross and peevish Aggravations against him Hath he not herein done that by another which he would not have done by himself Where is his Pretended-love or Friendship or his Equal-dealing As for what could be sqeezed out of his Letter to his disadvantage tending as his words are forc'd to speak to no less then an owning another Mediator then Jesus of Nazareth as he saith But that we needed not do by his Letter it needed neither forcing nor sqeezing to make it worse then it was for we laid down his own very words in it and did write but little to it it appear'd so gross and Antichristian And now because he saith That he is not asham'd of what he hath written it is meet his doctrine should be here inserted again that the Reader may further take notice thereof Some Places of Scripture sent to Robert Gordon by Gawin Lawry John 1. from the first verse forward In the beginning was the Word Chap. 12. verse 46. I am come a Light into the World c. Chap. 15. ver 5. I am the Vine ye are the Branches Rom. 8.10 If Christ be in you c. 1 Cor. 1.24 Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 2 Cor. 13.3 Seeing you seek Experience of Christ speaking in me Tit. 2 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity 1 Joh. 5.12 He that hath the Son hath Life Chap. 4. vers 4. Greater is he that is in you then he that is in the World Robert Gordon's Answer to these Scriptures I have considered the Scriptures thou mentionest and I find that in none of them it is testified who the true Christ our only Saviour is but what he is through the operations of his Spirit in Believers called therefore the Anointing within or Christ within but these Operations of his Spirit within are no where in Scripture called the Lord's Christ our only Saviour And if thou own no other Mediator Christ or Saviour then what is described in these Scriptures thou mentions then necessarily thou disowns the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God c. Thus far R. G. telling us also of the Writings of
that enlightned Man Jacob Behoman as his words are On which the Observation was thus viz. Observe Hear the tenure and tendency of R. G's Answer how antichristian it is He appears here plainly as owning another Mediator Christ or Saviour then that Christ that said I am come a Light into the World I am the Vine c. And we ask Was not he Jesus of Nazareth And of whom it is testified in Scripture Christ in you Christ the Power and Wisdom of God He that hath the Son hath Life Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. But R. G. doth not own this Christ to be the Lord 's Christ or Jesus Christ of Nazareth but he must have some other christ then this Christ that is descib'd in those Scriptures before But dare he say that Jacob Behoman owns his doctrine herein And I add Surely R. G. grows darker and darker to turn from a Behmanist to an Antinomian Presbyterian and Independant For this Christ who is the Word the Light the Christ in Believers the Power and Wisdom of God speaking in Saints R. G. deems but the Operations of the Spirit and not Christ the Operator Saviour or Redeemer wherein he is greatly mistaken and has out-run himself besides any right Aim For Christ as the Word the true Light the Power and Wisdom of God the Redeemer from all Iniquity and as in his Saints the Giver of Life and Victory over the World c. he is the true Operator of God his Operations within cannot be wrought without him the Operator and the Author of Faith the Worker out of Sin the Saviour and Redeemer from Iniquity and so an Operator as such He is given for a Leader for Light Life and Salvation to all who believe in his Light which will shine live prevail and prosper against all the Darkness Dark-spirits and Enmity which oppose it Now let the Reader judge whether R. G's words be not Antichristian and he an Antichrist and Deceiver yea or nay This R. G. represents some of G. L's Letter to him in these words I find thy Mind in this Book abroad gathering in the comprehension what thou fancy'st and hast heard of others so heaps up Confusion and Contradiction What will avail thee or me that we know abroad of things done abroad Nothing at all If ever thee or I come to know true Peace we must come to know the Life that quickens It is not Names nor Things done without but the Life within that redeems that purges that sanctifies that quickens the Soul to God To this R.G. cavillingly answers Now consider what is testified by the Prophets and Apostles concerning the Man Christ Jesus without them a Name and thing abroad The Saints of old believed in him for Redemption they saw and believed and left it upon Record to us and their Report is true that we also who have not seen might Believe and be Blest Thou hast made the Coming Death Sufferings and Resurrection of the Man Christ for the taking away Sin as quite useless as Redemption Justification Salvation as a Name and Thing done Abroad c. No He hath not made void these things by his owning the Life that quickens the Life within that redeemeth that purgeth and that sanctifieth and quickens the soul to God for this answereth both Christ's Testimony and the End of his Coming He hath only signify'd how void and empty R. G. is of the true and living Knowledge of Christ and his Works within As also Accounting that faith but dead which is receiv'd only by Tradition and Report without either sight or sense of Christ or his Power and Operations within as the Foundation and Author and Object of Living Faith which sanctifies and justifies which is contrary to R. G's dead Faith of Names and Things all without while nothing of Life is felt within The Flesh of the Son of Man he hath not eat and his Blood he hath not drunk of so that Life in him he hath not received And I believe that the Name of Christ Jesus his Power and Works have so little place or reception in him that both Christ his Name the Redemption of the Soul Justification and Salvation are all shut out of doors and so but as Names and things abroad with R. G. and so the End and Effect of Christ's Coming and Sufferings and the Power of his Resurrection these also have no place in such as he who do not experience the Life nor the Power of Christ within to redeem sanctifie or quicken the Soul to God neither is his sin taken away from within while Salvation and Redemption are shut out meerly as things abroad but Christ said It is the Spirit that quickens the Flesh profiteth nothing John 6.63 And the Apostle Paul said Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him so no more 2 Cor. 5.16 And did not the Apostle know him to be their everlasting Salvation Justification and Redemption Now that of Jesus the Son of the Highest it s said The Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of David and he shall Raign over the House of Jacob and of his Kingdom there shall be no End Luke 1. Now to this we both confess and assert it But whereas R. G. so very often over speaks of Jesus Christ the son of Mary and that out of the Natural Seed of David is their Saviour c. Now though I grant that according to the Flesh he was born of the Virgin Mary descended of the Linage of David yet he was Miraculously conceiv'd by the Over-shaddowing of the Power of the Highest and therefore was call'd the Son of God not Natural Seed of David that 's not Scâ—ipture He is neither a Natural Saviour nor Carnal Christ as is imported in such like Sayings of Carnal Professors But being the Son of the Most High who proceeded and came forth from God in his Divine Power and Spirit he was and is the Saviour and thereby Raigns over the House of Jacob forever So the Seed which raigns is not Natural nor Carnal but Spiritual for unto the Son it s said O God thy Throne is forever Heb. 1.8 Now I ask Was this a Natural Seed But in that Christ in the dayes of his Flesh said I can of my own self do nothing the Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do that he doth Still I imply and grant that he took upon him a real Body of Flesh though methinks R. G. might have ascribed more Honour to Jesus Christ as being the Son of the Most High then by so often calling him the Son of Mary which he doth so very often as if we deny'd his outward Birth of her but that no ingenious man will judge of us how disigeniously soever he hath dealt by us in this and other things whom I query upon his words Jesus Christ the Son of Mary of the Natural seed
the Immediate Gift of God Christ as the Word being confessed to enlighten every man whose Light is not natural nor by natural generation convey'd as most grosly R.G. words it neither is it the spirit of man which simply knows but the things of a man but it is that Light which lighteth kindleth and stirs up the spirit of a man whereby it is the Candle of the Lord neither is it a Light or Thing form'd or made as the spirit of man is Za. 12.1 but a divine and spiritual Light manifesting the Good-will of God unto the Creature Again It is R. G's gross Error That the Law or enlightening in every man is the form'd spirit in man and yet in contradiction adding enlightened by him that made it pa. 29. So that the Law or Enlightening is not the form'd spirit of maâ— it being the Light of him that made it p. 29. So that the â—aw or Enlightening is not the form'd spirit of man it being the Light of him that made it that enlighteneth man's spirit Thus this R.G. is involved in his own Confusion as one in a Labyrinth Now concerning the nature by which those Gentiles did the things contain'd in thâ— Law R. G. gives this explâ—nation of it viz. As being born of the Seed and after the kind of Man they are naturally or by nature Men so being born of the seed of Man they do naturally or by Nature the things contained in the Law being written in their Hearts c. pa. 29. Answ. I would ask this man Whether this Nature he speaks of was pure or impure corrupt or incorrupt These Gentiles had not the Law outwardly but they had the Law inwardly written in their hearts according to which they should be either accus'd or excus'd in the Day when God should judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ this Law or Light in them was not Natural but Spiritual excusing the Obedient and accusing the Disobedient before God unto which Law the awakened and convicted Conscience doth bear witness and testifie either a mans Condemnation or Peace These Gentiles who obey'd it shew'd the Effects of it they had more of the Life of Christianity in them then many of the Professors of Christianity who are disobedient to his Law and Light within placing Christianity meerly in a dead Faith and Profession of Christ without the Knowledge of his Work of Righteousness within or the Obedience of Faith or Effects of his Law in the heart the Christianity of such is but meerly pretended and faâ—n'd and not real And the Life State and Nature of those Gentiles who obey'd the Law written in their hearts as they witnessed against the Jews outward so shall these Gentiles rise up in Judgment against you Hypocritical and Fain'd Professors of Christianity who are Strangers to the true Life Power and Nature thereof And what Confusion doth this R. G. show in saying That the Law or Light in every man is neither the Light of the Gospel nor the ingrafted Word within that is able to save the soul And yet confess That by it the Eternal Power and Godhead may be known How hath he broke the Neck of his own Cause Is there any higher Power then the Eternal Power and Godhead And can any Law or Light then what is Divine and of a Gospel Nature discover it For the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to all them that believe and it is the Gospel of God show'd forth or manifested by the Light of his Son and Preach'd in every Creature under Heaven And by this Light of Christ within is the Love Good-will and Grace of God to Mankind declar'd and signify'd both in its being so universally given and in its living Testimony in maâ— against sin and corruption and for Truth and Righteousness in order to direct man to Life and Salvation in the Son of God who is the Power and Wisdom of God the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Character of his Divine Substance who proceeded and came forth from God whose Power and Glory is Eternal and Divine seen Spiritually not Carnally his own Royal and Peculiar Off-spring do in his Light beholâ— his Glory as that of the only Begotten of the Father As to R. G. his saying His Apostles and all his Ministers in all Ages all in one joynt Voice pointing to Jesus the Son of Mary this Son of Man with an Hosanna to this Son of David and to none before him or to any ever since Answ. That the Holy Prophets Apostles and Ministers both pointed and testify'd unto Jesus Christ both as man born of the Virgin or to his coming in the Flesh and unto his Divinity and Manifestation in Spirit this is own'd But that they all cry'd Hosanna to the Son of David is a Mistake for it was the Multitudes that went before and that followed when Christ rid to Jerusalem that cry'd Hosanna to the Son of David Matt. 21.9 Mark It was the Multitude that cryed Hosanna to the Son of David Many can now cry Hosanna who never knew his Salvation within nor believ'd in his Power but rather spiritually crucify him And the Scribes and Pharisees could talk of Christ's being the Son of David and some calling him the Carpenter's Son when they neither truly believ'd nor oâ—n'd him that was the true Christ either as the Root or Off-spring of David But Christ ask'd these Pharisees and Scribâ—s who said Christ is the Son of David this Questiâ—n saying What think ye of Christ whose Son is he They said unto him The Son of David He said unto them How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my Righ-hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool If David then call him Lord how is he his Son And no man was able to answer him a word neither durst any man from that day forth ask any more Questions Matt. 22. and Mark 12.35 36 37. Now was not this the true Christ whom David in spirit call'd Lord before he took upon him Flesh or came of his seed And what is Hosanna Is it not Save now I beseech thee And did not David call to and beseech God to save him and to shew Mercy unto him long before Christ as of Mary was born How ignorant and confus'd doth this our Opposet shew himself see Psa. 3.7 6.4 28.9 I perceive he is ignorant of Christ both as the Son of God and as the Son of Man for according to the Spirit he was the Son of God and as the Son of man it s said of him that no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he which came down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven John 3.13 And what if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before John 6.62 But it appears further that R. G's Hosanna and pretended Adoration and claim of Salvation is only to him as the Son of