which is drink indeed are nourished up to Eternal life so that while some do eat and drink in that Ordinance unworthily and so eat and drink damnation others by faith feed upon the benefits of Christs death and blood-shed and so are nourished up to Eternal life Answ Is there any thing in the fore-cited place that directs to the use of that which thou cals an Ordinance surely in this thy zeal out-runs thy understanding seeing those be the words of the fore-cited place viz. for as often as ye eat this bread and drink this cup shew ye the Lords death till he come for so it is on the Margent shew ye what is here of direction in these words as to the use of an Ordinance as thou sayest let the wise in heart judge but doth not the Apostles words asmuch if not more signifie to the Corinthians that they might forbear their eating and drinking in that wise as they did eat and drink and their unworthiness was in not discerning of the Lords body and for that cause was many sick and weak c. and for that disorder which was amongst many the Apostle reproves them as for their greediness and drunkenness the like and exhorts them to eat at home in their own houses but he never calls it an Ordinance to be ministred once a Moneth or once a week and that alwayes by some men or man appointed by the rest in their wills and wayes some to buy wine and bread and others to break it and deliver to the rest but Christ did not do so for in the same night in which he was betrayed he took bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said take eat this is my body this do in remembrance of me after the same manner also he took the cup when he had Supped and did he bid you do so or do you do so after Supper or can you give thanks as he did or do you know what he said when he gave thanks or do you imitate him in saying his very words in one thing viz. this is my body and do you speak your own words in other things as when you give thanks or do you take a piece of bread and a cup of wine and say nothing at all but eat and drink and if you do it not in the same manner which he did it in is it then his Ordinance or your invention seeing Gods Ordinances must be kept as they were delivered and observed as he commanded them otherwise they are none of his and if not his then but a likeness and if a likeness then that which God hath forbidden and so is Idolatry and he an Idolator that so worships and in that state cannot enter into the Kingdom of God And whereas thou sayest some might eat this bread and drink this cup which is also called flesh and blood unworthily Take heed James of calling a lie a plea for truth in love to truth remember the Title of thy book where is that bread and that cup which a man may eat unworthily called flesh and blood as thou positively affirms in thy query it is surely thou discerns not Christs body for if thou did thou wouldst learn to speak truth are not these the words of the Apostle that thou intendst viz. wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread and drink this cup of the Lord unworthily shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord but where is it called flesh and blood surely this is a gross errour of thine not onely to call the outward bread the outward cup which an unworthy and wicked man may eat and drink flesh and blood and if flesh and blood whose flesh and blood is it not Christs flesh and Christs blood and can an unworthy man and woman eat and drink that surely no if Christs words be true and I must believe him before thee James and he saith John 6.54 whosoever eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath Eternal life how sayest thou then in thy query some might eat this bread and drink this cup which thou sayest is also called flesh and blood unworthily but where is the bread the cup which some may eat and drink unworthily called flesh and blood take heed of slandering the Scripture And then thou drawest up thy query into a short conclusion in these words viz. so that while some do eat and drink in that Ordinance unworthily and so eat and drink damnation other by faith feed upon the benefits of Christs death and blood-shed and so are nourished up to Eternal life and herein thou hast made a good confession that while some in that which thou calls an Ordinance eat and drink damnation others who live by faith and feed upon the benefits of Christs death and blood-shed and are not that which thou calls an Ordinance and yet are nourished up to Eternal life and so of what thou hast spoken this is the sum that some in that Ordinance eat and drink damnation and others out of it feed upon the living bread that comes down from heaven and have Eternal life abiding in them Q. 7. Whether those that deny Church fellowship do not forsake their own mercies seeing Gods children have found by sweet experience that it is of singular use for their building upon their most holy faith it being the place of Christs promised presence where he hath commanded the blessing and life for evermore Answ Those that deny that Church that is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ Thes 1. and that fellowship that is in the light as he is in the light 1 John â— denyes the true Church-fellowship and forsakes their own mercies and that light in which alone all the Saints ever had all their sweet experiences given them of Gods love and tender mercy to them and in that who ever walked and continued in it built up one another in their most holy faith that being the place of Christs promised presence for there he dwells for ever and out of his light none can meet with him or know him and out of that is the false Church and Church-fellowship and Christian outward and baptism outward that onely washes away the filth of the flesh but knows not the answer of a good conscience by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ for from the true light was and is the false Church and fellowship for they went out from us saith the Apostle who had his fellowship in the light Q. 8. Whether they may not most truely be said to live above Ordinances that faithfully wait upon and live to Christ in the use of them Answ They that wait upon and live to Christ in the use of Ordinances cannot be said to live above them for that which God hath appointed and Ordained as the way to Eternal life and happiness none may live above it for the the way and the life are one and he that is in the way is in the truth and in the life also
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
take beed of being deceived Yea take heed you are not deceived in your Ordinanâ—es in your Church fellowship yea and in your Christ too seeing one Christ is your very light and life and another light that is unapproachable is he leading you in the way to And be not angry because Thomas White exhorts you to look to your building least it be pulled down to your loss neither call it judging of the hearts of Gods people any more seeing thou hast made thy heart and what is in it so manifest And for those Invectives which thou saist are so frequent in our papers thou shouldest have named some of them and who were their Authours otherwise now canst thou expect an answer but doth not fear surprize the hypocrite and are not the hypocrites in Sion afraid and cry out do not judge least you be judged not knowing to whom that was spoken Luke 6.37 to whom he spake a parable and said Can the blind lead the blind shall they not both fall into the ditch The blind are forbidden to judge but not the spiritual man who judgeth all things nor he whose eyes are opened to see good and evil and he that judgeth any thing in another that he hath not first judged in himself is a transgressor but he that judges that in another which hath been first judged in himself is no mans enemy though in the time of mans love to his lust he may count him his enemy because he tells him the truth but when he comes to be awakened he will count him his brother because he would not suffer sin to lye upon him nor the Sun to go down in his wrath And thou saist That which you call Church-fellowship you do not miscal it for it is true Church-fellowship according to the Order of our blessed Lord Jesus which he himself hath instituted and his holy Apostles and Primitive Saints practised in which fellowship though contemned by you do we walk sweetly together having his presence with us and his blessing upon us c. And many other words thou useth and applieth to thy self and brethren which are the words of others and the conditions of others and thou appliest them to thy self and thy brethren thou shouldest first have proved thy self and brethren born of the same spirit that they were and led into those things in which they walked by the same spirit that they were and not in the imitation without the same command that they had and leading which they were well acquainted withal as many as were the sons of God for they spake as they were moved by the Spirit and in it did they worship and by it were they guided to know when to go and when to stand still and by it they knew well their own spirits when self spake at any time and in it had they fellowship together and by the same Rule did they walk according to their several attainments but were not of many Sects neither did they cry up their own inventions for Christs Commands neither did thy differ about what were his appointments some crying one thing and some another like Babylons builders insomuch that their languages are confounded and they cannot understand one another what was the Primitive Order and what are now those appointments believers are to be found Practitioners of But one cryes this and another that but all in errour from the Spirit of the Lord who knows not the movings of his Spirit in them nor knows not that Christ the Leader and Christ the Way and Christ that dwells in the light unapproachable and is the light of the world all is but one Christ neither knows Election nor Reprobation but differs in their understandings about them all such are out of the Appointments and Commands of Christ and as yet knows not the Way of his worship as it was performed in the dayes of the Apostles therefore say not Christs Institutions are contemned because mens Traditions and carnal Imitations are not followed all which must tumble down when Babylon the great the Mother of Harlots falls and when that comes to pass it will be no wonder to those that behold her downfal that are come out of her to see many pleasant Pictures spoiled and lofty Cities laid low and Master builders that have rejected the light bewailing the fall of their Towers which they thought had been so high and built upon such a foundation as could not be shaken and of such materials as they thought had been living stones and formed in all things like the Primitive Churches but their attire will be found to be the attire of the Harlot and not of the true Spouse neither her comeliness that which Christ hath put upon her but a paint like Jezabel and a Harlot though welfavoured and though her garments be purple and scarlet-coloured yet not washed with the blood of the Lamb and therefore follows him not wheresoever he goeth And whereas thou saist you walk sweetly together How can that be seeing you differ in so many things and main things too as Election and Reprobation For how can two walk together except they be agreed and yet thou confesses you walk sweetly together and also confesses you are not agreed in Election c. Therefore may I not say there is no light in thee because thou walks not according to this Rule which saith Can two walk together except they be agreed Amos 3.3 Thousaist Thomas White is deceived in that he cautions you of being deceived your selves while you cry out others are deluded you who are joyned in that which you call fellowship by the outward form of washing c. Is not the mistake on thy own part Are you not so joyned If thou canst plead not guilty who else can seeing thou seems to justifie all that are called Baptists For Tho. Whites paper is directed in general to those people called Baptists and what is both spoken in general and to some in particular thou applies to thy self and brethren as either being guilty of all or else taking thy self to be united to all that are dipped in water and so by the tendency of thy discourse thou pleads for all the people called Baptists though they be such as differ from thee in the understanding of the great business of Election and Reprobation as if thou wert especially concerned in that name though there be many others who are not so called and yet do not differ in such weighty matters from thee and thy brethren as many of those people who are called Baptists do all which being put together spels little less then that you are joyned in your fellowship by your outward form of washing because thou pleads for and takes thy self to be especially concerned in all things charged against the washed or baptists which imports no less then that you are joyned in your fellowship by outward washing otherwise why dost thou not deny some of those people called Baptists seeing by your own confession
Christ in his Conscience saying In this thing the Lord pardon thy servant that when my Master goeth into the house of Rimmon to worship there and he leaneth on my hand and I bow my self in the house of Rimmon when I bow down my self in the house of Rimmon the Lord pardon thy servant in this thing Read your selves you that are called Baptists and behold your faces as in a glass how many of such spots Naaman-like have you in your faces is there no house of Rimmon now that you need to beg pardon for bowing in it if not for repairing of it and not onely so but for maitaining those Priests that worship in this Rimmons house And here surely you had need of pardon and in this you exceed Naaman for he onely bowed in Rimmons house but you pay Tithes or maintenance to Rimmons Priests or some not much unlike to them and some of you do hear them and call them good men and therefore leave off any more naming of Naaman the Assyrian except to manifest your own transgressions for had you Baptists in England been faithful to God according to your confessions and judgements had Tithes been this day standing in England and had there been a hireling Ministry in England as it is at this day had you Baptists and separated people been faithful to God but then would you have been still gazing-stocks to many as some of you have bin in years past while you kept your first love and abode in your tenderness and integrity But ah dear people consider your loss what an exchange have you made that loose your acquaintance with God to gain peace with the world and is it not plain in that many of you through the subtile distinctions found out by some of your Teachers can now do those things without remorse which sometimes you durst not do And how do you like Naaman the Assyrian dispence with some of Christs Commands cry up others for commands which he hath not commanded Is not tithe mint and cummin paid while the great and weightier matters are left undone do not say I charge you falsely is not respect of persons forbidden And is not all swearing forbidden Do you not in these and other things not onely respect persons and make God so to be but respect his Commands also pleading for some and neglectieg others Is not this like Naaman after many good words and fair confessions Do you not know that faithfulness in these things would still keep you at the same distance from the world not onely to have been but so to continue as signs and wonders but was it not better than with you then it is now Therefore return to your first love and cry in truth and righteousness mightily to the Lord not like Naaman to pardon you not onely in these things but for all your unfaithfulness to God that in the light that lets you see your evils you may wait to be washed from them by the blood of Jesus Christ and then you need not plead for any heathenish customs to manifest your duty by but in faithfulness to God yield obedience to Parents Masters Magistrates c. which is sufficiently manifest by yielding obedience to all Just Commands and is honour enough to all these and other relations that they have the honour that comes from God onely given to them with which they ought to be contented and not to seek honour one of another nor to be angry because their persons are not respected nor flattering titles given to them Then thou comes to answer Thomas Whites Queries 1. What Command or Commission have ye or any men to Baptize with water from Christ declared in any Scripture which Command did not as well extend to Paul who was an Apostle as to any of you To this thou saist Paul had the same Command or Commission to Baptize with water as any man now hath or any man ever had for the Command to Baptize in water was given to Christs Disciples and was not tied to the Office of the Apostleship but as more Disciples were made successively so were they successively to be taught to observe what ever Christ had commanded them viz. the preceding Disciples and so though Paul as an Apostle was not sent to Baptize yet as a Disciple he had good warrant so to do yet seeing some in the Church of Corinth were ready to Idolize his Ministry and the work of Baptism might as well be done by other Disciples that were not Apostles he thanks God he Baptized no more of them to prevent no doubt any saying he had Baptized them into his own Name This is thy answer and thou sums up thy answer in these words Thus you see Pauls Commission to Baptize with water as good as any mans now and so his Commission and ours also are both good which is a full answer to the Query But such a one as darkens Councel by words without knowledge for it is not doubted but Pauls Commission was as good as yours but it is questioned whether yours be so good as his seeing Pauls Command being good to him makes not yours good to you no more then his Faith being right makes yours right But in this thy answer thou grants that you have no Command to Baptize with water c. But the same belonged to Paul as well as you and to save the consequence which must needs follow viz. that you do that which you are not sent to do saying you have no Command but what Paul had and he saith he was not sent to Baptize and no more are any of you by thy own confession and therefore it is high time to leave it off But thou not being willing to part with it so like Micah art ready to say What have I more and what is this you say unto me what aileth thee Judg. 18.23 24. And therefore saist thou that the Command was given to Christs Disciples and was not tyed to the Office of Apostleship What a slubberly answer is this Was not those to whom the Command was given Apostles are they not called Apostles in Mat. 10 And when he had called unto him his twelve Disciples he gave them power c. and at the next vers Now the names of the twelve Apostles are these c. and at Luke 6.13 And when it was day he called unto him his Disciples and of them he chose twelve whom also he named Apostles So that these were also Apostles as well as Disciples to whom the Command was given Disciples when he called them and out of them chose twelve and when he had taught them what to do then they are called Apostles Disciples when they came to Christ Apostles when they went from Christ and were impowered what to do and Christ calling them Disciples in Mat. 28. doth no more take away the Apostleship then Christ calling them Apostles in Mat. 10. and Luke 6. takes away their Discipleship and therefore to say Paul was
this place is to satisfie his Disciples that murmured about his telling them of of eating his flesh and drinking his blood and to take them off from looking at his outward fleshly presence as if his outward flesh or outward words were that which they were to feed upon or alwaies to expect to hear but there was another flesh to be known and other work to be read in the inward man by the Spirit for that quickneth and those words are Spirit and life but the flesh profiteth nothing so by this may the enlightned understanding see and read plainly the scope and drift of Christs Words and not to be spoken in that sence which thou and others in your vain minds conceive but have a deeper understanding which the children of light are acquainted withal so that the Query yet remains unanswered by thee viz. what then is the flesh that profiteth nothing And for thy answer to the second part of the Query viz. and what is that flesh after which Christ was once known yet henceforth know we him so no more to which thou answerest To know any man or Christ after the flesh it was to know according to the natural line of Abram and so according to the first Covenant but now know we him no more that is not by a natural descent but he that is in Christ is a new Creature and all the old things of the first Covenant are passed away and all things are become new and thou quotes Philip. 3.3 4 5. and saith We will help to clear the sence of this place viz. what is that flesh after which Christ was once known yet henceforth know we him so no more By this answer to the Query thou hast but manifested thy ignorance of Christ after the Spirit for doth the knowledge of Christ after the Spirit teach to deny the natural descent of Christ after the flesh seeing it is reckoned up as one of the Israelites Priviledges viz. of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is over all God blessed for ever Amen Rom. 9.4 5. Or is Christ changed from what he was Or is he the same yesterday and to day and for ever And doth the Apostle Paul teach to forget the Genealogy of Christ from Abram Or hath he forgotten his love to his brethren and kinsmen according to the flesh which he saith Rom. 9.3 he could wish himself separated from Christ for them Or doth he instrust children after they are come to the knowledge of Christ no more to know their Parents after the flesh or natural descent or any other man after any natural line Surely to say so had been crime enough against the people called Quakers then might thou have had some ground to cry out of their disrespect to Superiours and of the neglect of children in not obeying their Parents and subjects in not giving honour to Magistrates and of servants in not obeying of their Masters after the flesh which in thy Book thou seems to blame the Quakers for their remisness therein and dost thou do the same thing Or dost thou go about to interpret Pauls words to such a sence Whereas he himself was so far from denying his natural descent or linage or outward Priviledge that upon occasion he reckons it up again and again and stands upon it and is not condemned for it and doth he write to the Corinthians to know no man after the natural line or descent No not Christ himself What doth Paul make void Matthews and Lukes reckoning up of the natural line or descent of Christ from Abraham Are we no more to know Christ so What do the Christians with it in their Bibles then if Christ be no more to be known so But let us see if the Apostle Paul have one word tending that way in that place thou quotes 2 Cor. 5.16 For he is speaking how the love of Christ constrained them at the 14. ver and the cause of it because saith he we thus judge that if one died for all then were all dead and that he died for all that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves but unto him which died for them and rose again Wherefore from henceforth know we no man according to the flesh for so it is and some translations read it so yea though we have known Christ according to the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Therefore if any man be in Christ he is a new creature old things are past away behold all things are become new And all things are of God who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ c. James Pope what ground is here for thy conceived imagination therefore wait upon the Lord in the light of his Son that thou may be made alive by God by being his workmanship in Christ Jesus and then thou wilt know how the word henceforth in the 15. ver answers to the word henceforth in the 16. ver and then thou wilt see how such inventions and interpretations of thy own brain are some of those old things which then thou wilt behold passing away as thou becomes a new Creation and all things will be of God and in that day thou wilt know the first Covenant and its vanishing by the new everlasting Covenant which is Gods free gift but known to none who are alive without the Law and have their first husband living such must know a bitter cup and a day of death before ever they can be married to Christ Take this in love to thy Soul James Pope for this is the Word of the Lord to thee and is of nearer concernment to thee then as yet thou art aware of And for that of Philip. 3.3 4 5. it proves nothing of thy conceit and invention but rather may serve to condemn thee who art comparing outward circumcision and outward washing together as being fitted to the New Testament as outward circumcision was to the Old but we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh neither Faith in any outward washing with outward water but our Faith stands in Christ alone in whom we are compleat both as to the true Circumcision and to the one Baptism and to the one bread in which we have Communion together in the body and as many as are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit and are of one heart and one Soul and do not deny any of the Gospel Ordinances or plead for the abrogating of them as thou saist the Query seems to suppose but this we plead against will-worship and all likenesses and dead imitations in the worship of God for by the Gospel of our Salvation are we made alive and do not rush into Gods service without fear and the leadings of his Spirit having in times past felt by experience and smarted for having a form of godliness but not sensible of the power and a name to live and accounted as worshippers but were in the
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