foolish and groundless distinction that they have borrowed from the Popish School-men The Scriptur telleth us nothing of this nicity yet we do acknowledge the person of Christ. 10. And if by Person they understand his manhood or the man Christ Iesus we believe that Christ is man and a singular man that is to say he is not two or many men but one onely man as also he is singular for the excellency of his nature even as Man 11. So that whatever excellency any other man hath in his nature Christ hath the same and also far greater and more excellent in his who is the heavenly Man or Lord from heaven the second Adam that is a quickening Spirit whereas other men in comparison of him yea Adam the first Man is but of the Earth Earthly So that as farr as the most high heavens do excell the base and low Earth so farr doth Christ even as Man excell all other men and that not onely in accidents as the Popish school-men and the Presbyterian Teachers following them do teach but in nature and Substance And therefore as the Heavens do influence the Earth and make it fruitfull by the virtue that proceedeth therefrom so the heavenly Man Christ Iesus doth influence all other men by his Light and Life that they may be fruitfull in holiness and righteousuess and who remaine unfruitfull it is not for want of the Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man as not influencing them but becaus that by unbeliefe they harden their hearts against his Heavenly breathings and influences And this distinction betwixt the very nature of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as man amd that of the soules of all other men is clearly held forth by Paul according to the wisdom given him of God that whereas the Soul of any other as namely the Soul of Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam is a quickening Spirit who quickens both the Souls and bodys of other men who in faith receive his quickening life and Spirit and whatever virtue the Souls of any other holy men have to quicken others they have it not of themselvs nor yet immediatly of God the Father but they derive it from the heavenly man or second Adam Christ Jesus who hath it immediatly of the Father who is the Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Iesuâ— 12. And this doth manifestly hold forth a substantial dignity and excellency in the nature of the Man Christ Jesus even as a man above the nature of all other men and Angels which the Papists and Presbyterian Teachers do both deny 13. And thus it may appear how much more we do esteeme of the Manhood of Christ Iesus then either Papists or Presbyterians SECTION VIII 1. The fourth accusation is false for we owne no other Iesus Christ but him who was born of the Virgin Mary 2. He was the true Christ of God before 3. That the man Christ Iesus was from the beginning 4. Some Scripturs brought and opened to prove this as Eph 3 9 Joh 6 38. 1 Cor 15 47 48. Joh 3 13. Eph 4 9. 1 Cor 10 3 4. the same proved from 1 Tim 2 5. and 1 Cor 11 3. 5. Christ was anointed from the beginning Prov 8 23. Psal 2 6. 6. The Man Christ before Abraham and John the Baptist. 7. Some more Scripturs opened as Psal. 110 34. Amos 2 13. Heb. 6 6. Rev 11 18. And some more Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning as Gen. 32 24. Gen. 19 24. 8. That the outward flesh and blood is not properly the Man but the Soul or inward man 9. More Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament as Ezek. 1 26 27. Dan. 7 9. 10. Christ his Soul and heavenly flesh and blood from the beginning 11. The Soul Life or Spirit of the Heavenly Man doth as far extend as his heavenly flesh and blood even to all the Saints 12. Though they have not the center or root of his Soul and Life in them but onely a measure ray or emanation of it 13. The Scripture no where saith that Christ did take his Soul but onely his outward flesh of the Virgin and so according to the flesh he was onely the Son of Mary David and Abraham by virtue of his outward conception and birth The fourth Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Iesus the Son of Mary to be the alone true Christ. 1. This is a false accusation We own no other Jesus Christ but him that was born of the Virgin Mary who as concerning the flesh is the Son of Mary and the Son of David and the Seed of Abraham 2. And yet he was the true Christ of God before he took flesh and before he was the Son of Mary or David or of Abraham for his being born of the Virgin Mary made him not to be Christ as if he had not been Christ before But he was Christ before even from the beginning as I shall prove clearly out of Scripture Eph. 3 9. it is said expressly that God created all things by Iesus Christ. Now if all things were created by Jesus Christ then Jesus Christ was before all things for the cause is always before the effect at least in order of nature But to this they object that by Iesus Christ is meant the Word onely in this place whereas the Word onely is not properly the Christ but the Word as cloathed with the Manhood or the Man as united with the Word And so I answer that the Word onely is not properly the Christ without the Manhood but it is the Word made Flesh or made Man And therefore seing the Apostle by the Spirit of God hath declared that all things were created by Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ signifieth properly the Word made Flesh or made Man it is clear that according unto the Apostle the Word was mad flesh or Man even from the beginning 3. And this will yet more appear by comparing this place with other places of Scripture as Ioh. 6 38. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Now Christ spake this not simply as the Word or as God but as Man for as God he had no will of his own distinct from the will of the Father for the Father and the Word have but one onely will whereas the Man or Manhood of Christ hath indeed a distinct will which yet is always in union with the will of the Father And seing Christ spake this as Man it is clear from his own words that as Man he came down from heaven and was Man before he descended to take part of our flesh in the Virgins womb and therefore Paul calleth him the Second Adam the Lord from heaven and that heavenly Man 1 Cor 15 47 48. Also it is clear that Christ himself speaketh in the 6 of Iohn of his flesh and blood that did
Concerning Christ. 6. The second accusation a meere quible about the invented words of mans wisdom but the truth of the mystery is owned by the Quakers 7. Father Word or Sone and Hoâ—y Ghost are three otherwayes then in meere union operation or manifestion towards us onely but not three substances 8. Divers judged pious and learned men of the Ancients denyed and disputed against 3. hypostases and 3. persons as Jerom and Augustin 9. The third accusation a quible and false upon the matter 10. Christ is a singular man 11. Whatever excellency other men have the heavenly Man Christ Iesus hath the same and more also 12. The man Christ Iesus hath a substantiall dignity and excellency above all men in his manhood Nature 13. The Christian Quakers esteeme more highly of the man-hood of Christ Iesâ—â— then either Presbyterians or Papists PAg. 9. to wards the beginning And yet every Article of this that they may for ever destroy the foundations of salvation is by them oppugned and subverted They puting a false Christ in stead of the true Iesus the Son of David our onely saviour denying Christ to be the second person of the Trinity denying Christ to be a singular person denying Iesus the Sone of Mary to be the alone true Christ but affirming Christ to be a common sort of thing to be found in every man as it was in the Son of Mary even the common Light to be found in the mind of every man in the world affirming Iesus the true Christ the Sone of Mary to be onely an ordinary vessell which containeth this Light as the Spirit of eveâ—y other 〈◊〉 man doth and so not onely pulling down our exalted Prince from his throne of glory but putting their false Prophets in his place cloaâ—hing them with the glory of his proper titeles as being Christ as well as he becaus containing the some Light with his 1. Answer Because the Author of the Postscript layeth the whole streâ—s of all his accusations upon what he doth here lay down as the principls of the people called Quakers and for which as supposing all these to be truely alledged which yeâ— are extreamly false he goeth on at an high rate in divers whole pages both before and after these words of his already mentioned alledging that we deny all the Articles of the Christian â—aith strike at name thing of Christian religion thus robing us of the whole Gospell and turning us over into pure Heathenism shuts us out eternally from all access unto God and makes our salvation for ever simply impossible Therefore I have found it sit to sett down word by word these his particular charges which are the alone foundation of his whole discourse And allthough it may suffice to any sober man simply to deny these charges as applicable to us who are called Quakers and to informe the ignorant that they are a meere bundle of lyes and falshoods upon the matter and that this is enough 〈◊〉 overturn the foundation of his discourse and consequently the disâ—ours it self that is built on it seing he doth not bring the least proof for what he alledgeth against us from the words or writings of any of that people but meer blind suppositions and false consequences which doe no wayes follow from our principle yet for the further satisfaction of the sober inquirer â— intend God willing and assisting me by his grace to goe through every one of these particulars and in the simplicity and nakedness of truth to giveâ—â—â—ithfull accompt and declaration of our faith touching every particular which are eight in number The first whereof is that we put a false Christ in steâ—â— of the true Iesus the Sone of David one onely 〈◊〉 2. This is a false accusation for we acknowledâ— no other Christ but the one onely and true Chriâ—â— Iesus the Sone of David our onely saviour 3. And that the soundnes and truth of our faitâ— may appear in this particular let the reader knoâ— that we do most faithfully believe and acknowledâ— Jesus Christ to be true and perfect God and true and perfect man 4. And that the nature and substance of his Goâ—-hâ—ad is not the nature and substance of his Mâ—â—-hood his Man-hood is not his Godâ—head 〈◊〉 his God-head his Man-hood yet the Man 〈◊〉 God by reason oâ— that most wonderfull union 〈◊〉 the two naturs so that as the soule and body of a man are but one man by reason of 〈◊〉 union that is betwixt them although the soule be not the body nor the body the â—oule in like manner but in a more wonderfull sort the God-head and Man-hood of Christ are but one Christ without any confusion or transmutation of the God-head into the Man-hood or of the Man-hood into the God-head And the God-head of Christ is not any inferiour divinity or deity but the very same God-head of the Father so that Christ as God is equall with the Father and one and the same God with him of one nature and substance Again the Man-hood of Christ is a true and perfect Man-hood so that Christ as man hath a true and real soule distinct from the God-head yet forever united with the same in a most immediat and wonderfull manner of which union no other soul or Spirit of men or angels ever were or shall be partakers As also he hath a true and reall body so that whatever perâ—fection the Man-hood of any other man hath the Man Christ hath the same and that much greater and more excellent as may be afterwards shown 5. And thus the soundnes and truth of our faith may appear concerning the Lord Jesus Christ our â—lone faviour where wee agree with all that are 〈◊〉 and in the faith against the Socinians who deny 〈◊〉 true God-head of Christ and who also deny that Christ was before Mary whereas we believe that Christ was and is before all the First and the 〈◊〉 As also against them who deny the true and reall man-hood of Christ some denying him to have a true and real body of the Virgin Mary but onely â—antasticall as is said of the Manichees otâ—ers denying him to have a true reall soule affirming that the naked God-head tooke flesh and suffered in that flesh which is said to be the heresy of Apollinarius as also against them who affirme upon the matter thaâ— there are two Christs and two Sons of God as if the eternall Word or Logos were the one Christ and Son of God and the man Iesus borne of the Virgiâ— Mary the other Christ and Son of God which iâ— said to be the heresy of Nestorius whereas the eternall Word and Man Jesus are not two Christs noâ— two Sons of God but one and the same subsisting in two naturs as the soule and body are one man according to what is already said which example 〈◊〉 soule and body the Ancients have much used to explaine this great Mystery as also they have used another to wit of a red hot
iron the fire in the 〈◊〉 answering to the God-head or eternall Word anâ— the iron it self burning and shining by the vertue anâ— power of the fire in it answering to the Man-hood 〈◊〉 Christ both which examples I judge to be useful and pertinent yet falling exceeding short of thâ— Mystery it self which is so great that is passeth◠〈◊〉 understanding of men and Angels The second particular is that we deny Christ 〈◊〉 be the second person of the Trinity 6. This is a meer quible about the invented words of mans wisdom which we deny albeit the truth of the thing it self we deny not but faithfully believe to wit that Christ as God is the second of the Three that bear record in heaven which three are the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are One as Iohn declared and we believe that these three that bear record in heaven are not three distinct natures and substances but the one in nature and substance not three Gods but One onely God not having three understadings three wills or three powers but one only understanding one only will and one only power 7. Yet they are three otherwise then in meer name operation or manifestation towards us onely being distinct in their relative modes or propertys so that the Father is not the Word nor is the Word or Son the Father allthough he be our Father nor is the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son either the Father or the Son the Father is uncreated and unbegotten the Son or Word from everlasting is uncreated and yet begotten of the Father the Spirit is neither created nor begotten but proceedeth from the Father and the Son from everlasting the Father did not become flesh nor was born and crucified and rose but the Son or Word yet the Father is in the Son the Son in the Father the Spirit that proceedeth from them is was in them and with them from everlasting and is unto everlasting and whatever the Father doth the Word and Spirit do the same being one as in nature so in operation This Father doth all things by the Word and the Father and the word doe all things by the Spirit and yet as they are distinct in the manner or modes of being so also in the manner or modes of operation As the Father is first in the manner of his being so is he first in the manner of operation as the Son is second in the manner of his being so is he second in the manner of operation and as the Spirit is third in the manner of his being so is he third in the manner of operation Yet this priority is not a priority of time but of order for they were three before time even from everlasting and they all cooperat and work together And thus it may appear that we are sound in the faith as touching this great mystery and that we differr not in the matter or thing it self but onely as to the manner of expression which they themselvs grant is not by words divinely inspired as namely a Trinity of persons or three distinct persons Christ and the Apostles who declared of this mystery expressed it not in these termes of three distinct persons nor are these words recorded in Scriptures therefor we are not bound to expresse our faith in these unscripturall termes which the holy Ghost hath not taught nor indeed is there any need of those termes three distinct persons but rather they darken then explain the mystery which have occasioned not onely some of the vulgar but even some of them called the learned to erre grossely in their conceptions about the mystery it self as if the Father the Word and the Spirit were really three distinct substances each having a distinct understanding will and power and as if the word or Son were inferiour in nature to the Father and the Father greater then the Son as Origen is thought by some to have taught and as some do now teach and such although they affirme that the Word and the Spirit are diâ—tinct substances from the Father and that the Father is greater then they yet they do not acknowledg that the Word and Spirit are created or that they have their being from the Father by way of creation but only by way of emanation and they affirme that the Father is onely the most high God and the Word and Spirit inferiour unto him as being God onely by participation from and union with the Father and thus they think to defend themselvs as not being guilty of the Arian heresy whereas it was a branch of the Arian heresy to say that the Son or Word was not equall unto the Father But whither or not they be guilty of the Arian â—eresy sure I am they are in an error occasioned in great part by these unsound and unscriptural terms of three Persons in the Trinity for persons signify substances and not the modes or propertys of one Substance 8. And it is wel known that these words of Three Persons and 3 Hypostases have made great contention in former times and divers judged to be pious and learned men have denyed them and disputed against them as namely Ierome against three hypostases and Augustin disputeth solidely lib. 5. 7. de Trinitate that the words Three Persons are not properly applicable to the Mystery it self although he doth not know what other names to give them and surely it is too great presumption and curiosity in any men to dive further into this mystery then what God hath pleased to reveal or to give names unto it which the Lord hath not given And yet it is more presumption and smelleth rankly of a persecuting spirit to impose upon others these words which the Spirit of God hath not taught nor left upon record in the Scripture and yet becaus we do not own these words of mans wisdom and spirit to cry out against us as blasphemers and as denying the true Christ whereas we believe in and do own the true Christ according both to his God-head and Man-hood more according to the Truth and Testimony of the Scripture then our accusers do as I hope in its due place to shew The Third Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Christ to be a singular Person 9. But this is another quible like unto the former for I ask him What doth he mean by the word Person whether the God-head or both united If he place the personality upon the Godhead it resolveth into the second particular already cleared but the Word or Godhead of Christ is not properly a person but an invisible Power and Life if he place it upon the Manhood as united with the Godhead this is contrary to their own doctrin who teach that the Word did assume the nature of Man but not the person otherwise he would be two persons and thus they distinguish the personality from the nature of man but this is a most
doth clearly hold forth Ioh. 17. verse 23. I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one Observe here an excellent order Christ in the Saints and God in Christ So that as in respect of union God is not immediately in us nor immediatly united with us nor we with him but God is in Christ and Christ is in us And so God through Christ is in us and thus Christ doth declare himself to be the Mediator betwixt God and Man as he is in them Thou in me and I in them here Christ is the midle-man or Mediator as being in the Saints which confuts the gross and most comfortless doctrin of the Prebyterians and others who affirme that Christ as Mediator is only without us in heaven and is not Mediator in us whereas he himself in this place hath declared the contrary thou in me and I in them that they may be made perfect in one So that of all things visible and invisible Christ is next unto God and most near unto him as in regard of union and communion and then the Saints by their union with Christ are united also unto God and he unto them And if Christ be mediator in the Saints then he is Man or the Word incarnate in them for the Word or Logos simply considered is not mediator becaushe is of a nature as remote from us as the Father being one essence or substance with him and indeed it is the Man Christ that spoke these words in prayer unto his Father for the Logos simply considered is God himself and cannot be supposed to pray unto God for that to which one prayeth is greater then he that doth pray and it is the Man Christ or Word incarnate who said my Father is greater then I so that Christ as Man is inferiour to God this is the same Spirit of Christ as Man that prayeth and maketh intercession unto God in the Saints Rom 8. and hath done so from the beginning and by whom the children of men in all ages have received grace from God 4. For the seed of Gods Grace which is the true â—â—â—d of regeneration that hath been sowne in all ages of the world as well before as since Christ did outwardly come in the flesh was sown by the Son of Man to wit the Man Christ Jesus as he hath expressly taught himself Math. 13. 37. He that soweth the good seed is the Son of Man who is the good and friendly Man and therefore he hath been in all ages and places of the world becaus he hath sown his seed in the world and not in some corner of it onely and the seed which he hath sowen is the iâ—grafted Word even a measure of the same divine and Heavenly Nature Light Life that is in himself as he is the Heavenly Man or Lord from Heaven 5. Whose nature as Man is Heavenly and Divine all though it be inferiour to the God head for he said my Father is greater then I nor will his â—mnipresence and omnipercipiency prove that as Man he is as great as the Father for the whole universe of created beings of Heaven and Earth visible and invisible are as the dust of the ballance and drop of the bucket in comparison of God 6. And therefore that the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus his Spirit Light and Life doth every where extend it self into all things will not prove that Christ as Man is equall unto God nor yet confound his God-head and Man-hood it only proveth that the Man Christ Jesus is a great and mighty and most excellent being farre above all and excelling all men and Angells and all other angelicall and heavenly powers and principallitys which is a most certain truth and therefore do all the Angels worship him as they are commanded 7. And this universall presence of his in all things he declared himself when Mary his Mother according to the flesh with her husband Ioseph did seek him among the multitude why did yee seek me said he did yee not know that I must be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the things of my Father Luk 2. 49. and verse 50. They understood not that saing which he spake unto them and indeed many at this day do not understand it which place of Scripture Dionysius of Alexandria brought against Paulus Samosatenus to prove that Christ was before Mary and if Christ was before Mary he was not only God but Man for it is the Man or Word incarnate that is the Christ or Anointed of the Father and not the Word or God-head simply considered His 6 7 and 8 charges are that we affirme Iesus the true Christ the Son of Mary to be onley an ordinary vessell which containeth â—his Light as the Spirit of every other Holy Man doth and so not only pulling down our exalted Prince from his Throne of Glory but putting our false Prophets as he calls them in his place cloathing them with the glory of his proper titles as being Christ as wel as he becaus containing the same Light with his 8. Answ. That these charges are exceeding false and unjustly layd upon us will abundantly appear from what is already said in answer to the former and therefore I need say the lesse onely to let the Reader know that we are so farre from affirming Jesus the true Christ the Son of Mary to be onely an ordinary vessell c. that we both believe and affirme him to be a most Wonderfull and extraordinary Vessel and that both in respect of his Soul and body as having the Center and Spring of that Divine Light Life and Nature whereof we have but the ray and streame And though the Vessels of other men have the Light in them yet they contain it not but it rather contains them for the greater is not contained in the lesser but the lesser in the greatâ—r And thus we do not pull down our exalted Prince from his Throne of glory but acknowledge â—im more exalted then our adversarys do who â—ould confine and limit him to one place and â—â—ltogether exclude him as Man from having any â—â—rone in the hearts of his people whereas they do â—â—knowledge that the Devil is in all wicked men 〈◊〉 and good men also and yet they will not acâ—nowledge Christ to be in all nay not in any good â—en upon Earth 6. And thus they make the Devil greater then 〈◊〉 which is no small dishonour to our Blessed Saâ—iour and they who deny him to be in men even 〈◊〉 the Saints seing he is really in them conforme 〈◊〉 to the testimony of Scripture and the experience of them who know and witness him revealed in them are denyers of him as really as they who denyed him when he came in the flesh 10. Again that we put our Prophets whom he falsly calleth false Prophets in the place of Christ cloathing them with the glory of his proper titles as being Christ as wel as he becaus containing the same
saying no doubt we have marred his influences and have not seconded nor smiled upon his actings upon us But let none mistake me as if I judged that none of the faithfull servants of the Lord did or could feell at times withdrawings of sensible refreshment or could not be under great heavyness at times yea and sense of deadness for that I most readily acknowledge but then such times are not of long continuance where faithfullness is kept unto but the Lord quickly returneth unto them and visiteth them againe with rich and plenteous visitations of his love and life so that they can give frequent testimonies of his living and powerfull appearance in their soules raising them up frequently over all heavyness and though they have sometimes more and some times lesse of life yet they have always some are always in some sense of life unless unfaithfulnes cause the removall of it from them whereas it is manifest that the generall â—raine of S. R. his Epistles in his later years holds forth â—uch a generall and constant complaining and â—nguishing as doth without all controversy â—emonstrate an exceeding great change in his inward condition from better to worse and that not onely for an hour or a day or some days but throughout All which do plainly speak forth to me that this sad and lamentable withdrawing of the Lord's presence from him and this so dark a cloud that he was brought under happened unto him as the effects of his unfaithfulness to the Lord and as a reall judgment or chastisement upon him becaus of his not following on to know the Lord more fully but sitting down by the way and opposing further discoveryes and breakings forth of Light in others yea turning back again and declining from what he once witnessed of this I shall give â—ome manifest Instances 3. First Notwithstanding so many clear and evident testimonys to be found in his former epistles to God his immediat revelations and teachingâ— in himself yet after all this he joyned with the Assembly of them called Divines though they may rather be called Dry-vines and blind Diviners â— Westminster to oppose all immediat revelation and to cry down the former ways of Gods revealing himself to his people as wholly ceased since the Apostles dayes affirming that the whole counsell of Goâ— was committed to writing Whereas in his formeâ— Epistles he plainly declareth that he had the counsell and mind of God in some things not to be found 〈◊〉 Scripture as I may shew afterwards Secondly Although in his former years as his Epistles declare he was exceeding zealous for privat meetings see Ep. 2. part 2. Yet afterwards he complyed with the members of the Generall Assembly at Aberdeen 1640 to make an act against all privat meetings which did exceedingly gratify the profane and sadned the hearts of the sober and as I heard S. R. himself was displeased with the act yet did cowardly comply to gratify the humor of his Brethren without giving any publick protest to the contrary to which I may add Thirdly His so fervent and hot opposing of further discoverys of God in both them called Independents and others whom they invidiously brande with the name of Sectaryes as also upon the other hand Fourthly Although he complaineth sadly of the Prelats their persecuting him for his Conscience yet after when Presbytery got up he joyned very keenly with those who persecuted the Prelats and banished them out of the Nation whereas he was onely confined for some time at Aberdeen where he was very kindly received by divers and this was the greatest persecution he did undergoe by the Prelats of whom he complained sadly And in his Ep. 24 part 2 he regreteth his persecution thus Our learned Prelat said he becaus we can not see with his eyes so farr in a milstone as his Lighâ— doth will not follow his Master meek Iesus who waited upon the wearied and short-breathed in the way to heaven and where all see not alike and some are weaker he carryeth the Lambs in his bosome and leadeth gently those that are with young But we must either see all the evil of â—eremonys to be but as indifferent straws or suffer no less then to be cast out of the Lords inheritance Who seeth not that what strength is in this reasoning as indeed it is strong was as fit against the Prelats being persecuted by S. R. as it was against his being persecuted by them If the Prelats could not see with the Presbyterians eyes so farr in a milstone as their light doth to apply S. R. his words against himself should he therefore persecut them or 〈◊〉 up persecution against them as he did and wrote most bitterly against toleration for Conscience sake And Lastly addunto all this that notwithstanding in the time when Presbyterians were low and under sufferings he wrote thus to a great man Ep. 17 part 1. I am not of that mind that Tumults or Armes is the way to put Christ on his throne yet afterwards how much both he and his Brethren came to be of that mind and to preach up fighting and armes as the way to reforme many thousands yet living do wel know yea that they carryed on their league and covenant by force of armes rather then by that meek way lâ—â—d down by Christ. Again it followeth in that Epistle Or that Christ will be served and Truth vindicated onely with the arme of flesh and blood nay Christ doth his turne with less dinn then with garments rolled in blood But how the word onely cometh into the former sentence I do not understand for it marreth the sense of the discourse altogether I never heard of any professing Christ that Truth was to be vindicated onely with the arme of flesh and blood nay the grosseâ—t sort of Papists will not say so for they will acknowledg that preaching and writing are ways also whereby Truth is to be vindicated if this be not an errour in the printing it seemeth to be fraudulently put in by the Publisher to excuse the Presbyterians so much using the arme of flesh and blood to carry on that which they judged a reformation And how much garments were rolled in blood by the instigation of Presbyterian Teachers the whole Nation was a witness so that many thousands were made widows and fatherless by that warr they stirred up the people unto expressly contrary to the nature of the Gospell These Instances show that S. R. his testimony especially against any further discoverys of Truth has no wieght he being so dark himself and having so palpably contradicted himself in divers things of great weight nor should any think it â—trange that S. R. should misjudge them at Aberdeen to whom he wrot that Epistle he never looked on himself as infallible nor do I think that his Brethren judg all his sayings infallible truths or divine oracles otherwise they may be bound up with Pauls Epistles But let us hear himself Ep. 52. 2 part The
thousands of others 9. And in very truth the Presbyterian Church will never be able to purge her self of the iniquity of the killing of many thousands in the three Nations by the occasion of a most bloody warr raised up through the instigation of the Presbyterian Teachers I am fully perswaded of it that the Presbyterian Church hath as much blood-guiltiness lieing on her head unwashed off as any People called a Church that I know of in the world next unto the bloody Church of Rome And as she hath drunk the blood of many so blood hath been given her to drink and it is to be feared that more will be given to her as a just judgment from the hand of God except she repent and condemn that blood-thirsty spirit that hath too much led and influenced her And I am wel assâ—red of it that a bloody Church is noâ—rue Church of Christ for the true Church of Christ is washed by the blood of Christ fâ—om all lust or desire to shed blood Shâ— can suffer her blood to be shed for Christ but she is white and pure from the blood of others 10. The Lord would not have David to build his house becaus he had been a man of warr and had shed much blâ—â—d O! that the Presbyterians could read the spiritual signification of this If the house of God under the Law was not to be built by a man of blood although in the sheding of the blood of the Lords enemies he was allowed shall the house of God under the Gospel be built by men of blood And who have shed so much of the blood of their very Brethren of the same profession both as Christians and as Protestants onely differing from them as to some small circumstances and worldly matters Surely Nay 11. And if there were no more this one consideration might be enough to peswad any man that believes the Scripture testimony and hath the least â—rue understanding of the nature of a Gospel Church that God will never honour the Presbyteriâ—n party to build his Zion or Gospel Church in â—his Land nay from the Lord God I have seen and do see her rejected from having any part or portion in this honourable work 12. Although I do believe the L'ord will make use of many among that people but it will be after he has washed them and purged from them the spirit of blood and of much other filthyness by his Spirit of iudgment aâ—d of burning that he will make them as stones of his building But I know it from the Lord God by his Spirit in me and from the same I declare it that the Presbyterian Church as such and as holding such bloody and Anti-Christian and otherwayes unsound principles and doctrines shall never be honoured of the Lord to build his true Zion in this Land it is the Word of the Lord God in my heart and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and sealed it again and again in me and their labouring to doe such a thing shall be but as men labouring in the fire and like unto them who essayed again to build Ierâ—cho 13. And this I warned them of from the Lord about eleven years agoe in my book called Helâ— in time of Need printed in the year 1655 whicâ— was a year before their insurrection in the West Yet I most assuredly know that the Lord will builâ— unto himself a glorious Church in this Land and therein I aggree with S. R. What he writs in divers Epistles as Ep. 7. part 1. a dry wind upoâ— Scotland but neither to fan nor cleanse but out of all question when the Lord hath cut down his forrest the after-growth of Lebanon shall flourish they shall plant vines in our mountains and a cloud shall yet fill the Temple Again Ep. 55. part 1. there shall be a fair green young garden for Christ in this Land c. Again Ep. 70. I believe our Lord once again shall water with his dew the withered hill of mount Zion in Scotland and come down and make a new marriage again as he did long since he addes Remember our Covenant See also Ep. 34. and 2 part Ep. 56 and 57. and part 3 Ep. 13. 14. But what means the matter These words of S. R. hold forth a great back sliding and apostasy of the Presbyterian Church according to this great Seer S. R. Otherwise what neeâ—d of a new marriage but let us hear him express his mind more distinctly concerning this so highly commended Presbyterian Church part I Ep. 34. he saith We wo wo be to apostat Scotland there is wrath and a cup of the red wine of the wrath of God Almighty in the Lords hand that they shall drink and spue and fall aud not rise again and part 1. Ep. 43. But this Nation hath forsaken the fountain of living Waters And part 1. Ep. 54. This is a black day a day of clouds and darkness for the roof-tree of my Lord Iesus his fair temple is faln and Christ's back is towards Scotland and part 1. Ep 1. yet more distinctly My heart is 〈◊〉 indeed for my mother Church that hath played the barlot with many lovers her husband hath a mind to sell her for her horrible transgressions and heavy will the hand of the Lord he upon this back-sliding Nation All this and much more might be cited out of his Epistles do prove that S. R. had no such thoughts of the Presbyterian Châ—rch which he calleth his mother Church in the time he wrot those Epistles which was at Aberdeen the best time he ever knew and had great nearness unto the Lord. 15. And whatever faith S. R. had of the Lord his appearing again to reforme the Land by the Covenant yet we find that in his later days his faith was very wavering and uncertain touching the Covenant its being made an instrument of reformation for thus he writs Ep. 70. part 2. I believe he comes quickly who will remove our darkness and will shine gloriously in the Isle of Britan as a crowned King either in a formally sworn Covenant or in his own glorious way which I leave to the determination of his infinit Wisdom and Goodness It seemeth he had some other way in his view as possible if not probable which God would take to reforme the Church then the Covenant that instrument of so much blood Hower this is certain his faith was very uncertain about the matter now in his dyeing days and he speaks not at all as any true Prophet of the Lord in this matter Albeit the Presbyterians generally are still so blind and darke that they positively judg that the covenant will be a main thing that God will make use of to reforme the Land and that both Covenant and Presbytery will up again where as S. R. is unclear in the matter 16. And I could tell them of one of themselves whom they judge no lesse then a martyr for the cause that published his mind in
our necessitys yet we can no otherwayes receive his help but as it comes to us by the conveyance of the Man Christ Jesus our alone Mediator 9. Thirdly My third reason which is mainly for my present purpose and which alone is enough to conclude is because it demonstrats this great blessed Truth to wit that the Man Christ Jesus is really present in and among us and consequently every where I do not mean by his externall or outward person for that is ascended into Heaven but in virtue of his Divine Life and Spirit or Soul extended into us in his Divine Seed and Body which is his Heavenly flesh and blood wherewith he feedeth the Souls of them that believe in him I say Our worshipping the Man Jesus and praying unto him doth plainly demonstrate that he is really present in and among us and with us as his Name Immanuel doth signify not onely as God but as Man for it were a most absurd thing to worship an object that is altogether absent as the Manhood of Christ is according unto these Presbyterian Teachers We know how the Prophet Elijah mocked Baals worshippers with a Godly zeal and indignation on this account as supposing him in their account as an absent God Cry aloud said he for perhaps he is asleep or hath taken a journey As for us God forbid that we should worship an absent Christ or call upon a Saviour to help us in whom we do not believe as really present 10. Sure I am they who pray unto him and yet do not believe him to be present and have not some sense of his presence are real Idolaters for they pretend to worship an object which wanteth a property altogether essential to an object of Divine worship that is real presence 11. Nor is it enough for them to say he is present as God but not as man for if the Man be not present he is not to be worshipped and if he be to be worshipped as most certainly he is then he is present for this is one of the great motives of worship and prayer that he whom we worship and call upon is present to help us as David called him â— present help in time of trouble and we are commanded to come and worship before his presence 12. But again Our praying to the Man Jesus doth imply that he doth really heare our Prayers and is really sensible and perceptive of them and that not onely when we use vocal prayers but also when we pray onely in our most secret thoughts Now it is impossiâ—le that he could hear us and be sensible of our prayers and especially of our thoughts if he were not immediatly present in us and with us For to say that his God-head doth reveal our prayers and thoughts unto the Man-hood doth no wise answere the strength of this reason for hearing and perception are immediate acts of the soul and reach unto the objects immediately or the objects unto them but what is made known by revelation simply doth not so reach and that cannot be properly called hearing our prayers or being sensible of them As suppose that God should reveal immediatly to a man in Persia or China that I am praying here at such a distance that man could not be said to hear me praying or be sensible of the very breathings of my soul as when the Lord revealed to Ananias that Saul who after was called Paul did pray yet who will say that Ananias heard Paul pray at that time Surely this is such a slender and deceitfull evasion answer as the Papists use commonly to give when we bring this reason against their praying unto Saints and Angells to wit that they do not nor cannot hear our prayers every where becaus they are not every where present nor can be becaus of their limited capacity they tell us that they read ouâ— prayers in the mirrour or looking glasse of the Deity or have them revealed unto them immediatly by God which answer the Protestants most deservedly reject for that is not properly to hear 14. And indeed none is fit to be a Mediator but he that immediatly heareth our prayers and hath a sense of the breathings and yearnings of our souls towards God and is touched with the feeling of our infirmitys as Christ Iesus our high Priest really is for said the Apostle Hebr. 4. 15 16. we have not â—n high Priest which cannot be touchea with the feeling of our infirmitys but was in all points tempted like 〈…〉 yet without sin let us therefore come boldly unto the 〈◊〉 of grace that we may obtaine 〈◊〉 and find grace to help in time of need Here observ how he makes this the reason why we should come 〈◊〉 â—nto the throne of grace even becaus 〈◊〉 have an high Preist that is not of so A damantine a nature nor yet so remoâ—e from us as that he cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmitys and therefore he hath a real feeling of them which is more 〈…〉 the Prophets mantle fell and this was a figure of this great mystery for Christ the greatest of all Prophets when he ascended he let fall his mantle upon his disciples to wit a plenteous emanation of his spirituall and divine Body and Life the proper vehicles and conduit of the Holy Ghost and of God himself so that they came to be wonderfully indued with the Holy Ghost and indeed that which Jesus Christ hath left with us of his Divine Body and Life is Gods Throne of Grace or Heavenly Throne on which God sitteth and to which we have access while we are here upon Earth that is of the same nature with that above and one intire being with it the Altar the mercy seat The Cherub on which God rideth as it is Psal. 18. 9 10. He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet and he rode upon a Cherub 〈◊〉 did flee yea he did flee upon the Spirit so the Hebrew This Cherub is the Man Christ Iesus the heavenly rayes of whose Spirit Light and Life are his wings on which the most glorious and most High God doth ride and bring speedy deliverance to his afflicted Saints in all ages And Christ also is 〈◊〉 heavens that God boweth to wit the Heavenly Man that most willingly boweth and obeyâ—â—â— the Fathers commands in all things who is the Man of Gods right hand by whom he doth all things 〈◊〉 heaven and Earth he belâ—g his most immediat and most universall instrument and organ of operation in all things in heaven or Earth or under the Earth and therefore to him must every 〈◊〉 bow whether in heaven or earth or below the earth 15. But I shall more particularly prove that 〈◊〉 Man Jesus even in the dayes of his flesh did knoâ— the thoughts of men from express testimonies 〈◊〉 Scripture Math. 12. 25. and Iesus knew their thoughâ— see also Luk. 6. 8. and John 2. 24 25. But 〈◊〉 did not
a comfortable then 〈◊〉 is a true doctrin that we have the Man Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 near unto us in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul in his Divine Seed and Body extended into us and thus he is the Incarnat Word or Word made flesh â—welling in our flesh and is made like unto us for as we are flesh so he is flesh also but of a more excellent make or creation And thus he is the Brideâ—room and Husband of our Souls to whom we may approach and whom we may kiss and imbrace and handle with the hands of our Soul and whose glory we may behold even the glory of the Word made flesh and dwelling in us Whereas the glory of the Word as it was in God before it became flesh or cloathed it self with the heavenly Manhood no eye of Angel or Saint ever could or can behold for the Glory of the Word simply considered in God out of the Manhood of Christ is God himself without any middle or Mediator 8. And this none hath ever seen or can see no not the most glorious Angels but it is the Word made flesh or God made manifest in flesh to wit in the Heavenly Flesh or Manhood of Christ that is the alone proper and adequat object of the contemplation and enjoyment of the most glorious Angels as wel as of the most Holy Souls as Paul declared Great is the mystery of Godlyness God manifest in thâ— flesh c. seen of Angels Observe here it is not God simply but God manifest in flesh that is seen of Angels and is believed on in the world although he was both seen of Angels and believed on in the world long before he was manifest in that outward body of Flesh which was also a most glorious manifestation and excelleth in glory all the outward manifestations that ever were or shall be but the Angels and Saints did really see him before that nanifestation in outward flesh and the Saints do now really see him although his outward body and external person be not now present for us to behold 9. Yet the Word Incarnate or made flesh and called by Iames the Ingrafted Word we do really see for it 〈◊〉 in us and unlesse it were made flesh or incarnate it could not be ingrafted into us for all ingrafting or implanting requireth some similiâ—ude or analogy of nature and substance therefore we can not graffe an apple or cherry-graffe upon stone or iron or bare earth by reason of the great unlikenesse and distance of their natures and yet the Word simply and nakedly considered in God before it was made flesh is more unlike unto us and in nature more remote from us then an apple is from stone or iron Therefore to the end that the Word may be ingrafted into us and we again ingrafted into it the Word must be incarnate or become flesh as we are for all men are a sort of flesh and so called in Scripture in comparison of God that is purely a Spirit and though the Souls of men 〈◊〉 Spirits yet comparatively as unto God they are as it were flesh And thus the Word is become flesh that is to say hath advanced a step or degree nearer unto us then as it was in God before any thing was made and the Word was first of all made flesh to be the Root and Foundation of all other created beings and for which they are created 10. For it is a more noble creation then all things else and is 〈◊〉 this creation as the Apostle declared expressly Heb. 9 11. the words not of this 〈◊〉 should be translated not of his creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore some think fit rather to call it an emanation from God then a creation to speak strictly which I shall not dispute about for it rather is a strife about words then in the thing it self Now when I say that the Light Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus is not in us as in respect of its Fountain and Center or Spring but onely by way of emanation or participation we deriving it from that Central Light and Life that was in him that was born of the Virgin Mary 11. I do by no means acknowledg or understand that the Deity had onely its Center in that Man and from him doth ray into us for the most Blessed and Glorious Deity properly hath no center and rays distinct by way of emanation but rather is all Center according to that noted saying of Hermes Trismegist God is a Circle whose centâ—â— is every where and is no where circumscribed And therefore the Blessed Deity is as centrally and essentially in us as in the Man Christ Iesus 12. But still as in respect of union manifestation and operation and also in respect â—f communion and fellowship the Man Christ Jesus or Word Incarnate is the onely and proper middle and Mediator betwixt God and us so that whereâ—â— God is immediatly united with the Man Christ Jesus no other men or Angels have or indeed are capable to have an immediat union with God their union is onely mediat with God and so their communion and fellowship with him is but mediat also by the means of Christ Jesus although in respect of other means it is immediat And of this I found needfull once for all to acquaint the Reader to prevent his misâ—â—ke SECTION XII 1. How much more truely we own aud esteeme the Manhood of Christ then the Author of the Postscript or his Brethren 2. A testimony of Luther for the Man Christ his being every where 3. Another Testimony from those who imbraced the Aungustane Confession in that Treatise called Liber Concordiae that Christ as Man is really present with the Saints on Earth 4. The Lutherans grosse errour in the manner of this presence hath given occasion to many to deny the Truth it self becaus they could not understand the manner 5. The manner offered in this Treatise most consonant both to Scripture and Reason and almost to Sense 6. How Iohn saw the Son of Man in the midst of the golden candlesticks after his Ascersion 8. How Christ 〈◊〉 the ladder by which we ascend unto God 8. The Nephesch and Neschamah of Christs Soul distinâ—guished 9. Christ his spirituall coming in his Saints as the Son of Man Maâ—th c 16 ver 28. 10. A Testimony of Calvin that Christ as Man doth sanctify us and give us Grace 11. Some testimonys from S. R. his Epistles that Christ is in the Saints not onely by his Graâ—es but by himself 12. Another Testimony of Calvin 13. That S. R. speaketh of the Man Christ his being in the Saints 14. Many call that hâ—rrid blasphemy in us which they commend in S. R. and others of their own Teachers which is great injustice and partiality 15. Christ his knowing the heart of the Samaritan Woman and curing the woman of Canaan of her issue of blood proveth the extension of his Soul and Life or Spirit
this nature in the said book 10. And certainly this was an immediat sensible appearance and revelation of the power and presence of God accompanying the Ministry of that time which produced such effects and in truth the very same power and presence of God with the very same and the like effects is now again broken forth in our day among the despised people called Quakers and that in much greater clearness so that more sound principles are made known unto us and many things which were letts and snares unto them are discovered unto us from the Lord. 11. And yet is it not a most sad and lamentable thing that Professors who cry up the appearance of God in that time will not owne the same appearance of God in the nature and kind of it although more clear and glorious as to the measure among us now but joyn with the profane rabble to call those unusuall motions which are the reall effects of Gods power and Spirit powerfully seazing upon both souls and bodys of many among us in great trembling cryes and tears the signes of some Diabolicall Possession whereas the same persons by sobriety of life and conversation and by a walk as Christian-like as any of these a fore mentioned in many things exceeding them and also by the savor of the life of Christ in them have evidenced that they were led by the Spirit of God 12. Yea the Author of â—he Postscript is not affraid to impute these unusuall and extraordinary motions that some times appear in the bodyes of some of our friends to a possession of Sathan which if he did as knowingly as maliciously might truely be called a blaspheming against the Holy Ghost But they are judged here by some of their owne prophets for seing it was the Spirit of God that raised these unusuall motions in them abovementioned why should the like now be imputed to the Devill 13. O how like is this generation of hypocriticall professors to the Scribes and Pharisees and Iewes of old who professed to owne the Spirit of God in Moses and the prophets and yet rejected and resisted the same Spirit in Christ and the Apostles 14. And it is observable that this glory of God that appeared among them at that time which was a time of persecution although it continued for some years yet afterwards when the Presbyterians got into the sadle themselvs and turned persecuters of others that dissented from them this glory did disappear and in stead thereof great complaining of deadness as it is at this day among them who have most ingenuity This doth plainly show that they did not follow the Lord in his further leadings but rather went back otherwise this glory would not have departed bâ—t continued yea and increased among them And if some obiect that this glory appeareing unto that people at a communion to wit at that called the Sacrament of the Supper it seemeth to be no small argument to prove that God did owne that externall action as his ordinance although the people called Quakers deny it to be a standing ordinance to the world and doe not practise it 15. To this I answer that it is observable that by the Authors own account the greatest outleting of the Spirit was not on their communion day but on the day after but that God did at times of that externall action of breaking bread condescend unto them regarding their sincerity and gave manifestations of himself will not prove that he commanded that thing unto them or that their minds were not in an error in laying too great weight upon that externall action which was but a figure of the true communion for the same Author doth acknowledge that the Spirit of God did also wonderfully accompany Luther in his Ministry and yet Luther did most grossely erre as in other things so in the matter of the Sacrament teaching that the body of Christ was consubstantiat with the bread and that the oâ—â—ward mouth receiveth the body of Christ. And I believe such as are sober and ingenuous of the Presbyterians will not deny but that the Lord did pour out of his Spirit upon those Bishops in England that dyed martyrs that were both for Episcopacy and the Service-book yet this proveth not that God did owne these things as his ordinances It is the sincerity and earnest desires of mens souls after God that he regardeth although they be in error in some things which he winketh at but doth not owne Yea did not Christ wonderfully appear to Saul while he was going to Damascus to obtain an order to persecute the Saints a very unlâ—wfull action but this proveth not that God allowed 〈◊〉 in the same Many other instances could be given to shew the weakness of that objection and certainly in the darkest times of Popery God raised up some to be ministers of his Spirit that yet continued to hold many Popish errors as not only Bernard and Thauler but even Iohn Huss who disâ—ented little from the Papists in matter of doctrine but mostly blamed their ungodly life 16. A second instance I shall bring out of the afore-said Author is pag. 422. where he giveth as a sixt witness c. the convincing appearance of an extraordinary and Apostolick Spirit on some of these instruments whom the Lord raised up in these last times who as he saith had speciall revelations from the Lord of his mind anent things to come c. But how doth this agree with their confession of Faith that saith the former wayes of Gods revealing himself to his people are ceased since the Apostles dayes and that there are no new revelations of the Spirit but that God hath committed his counsell wholly to writing And of such speciall revelations he mentioneth divers which I refer the Reader to find in the said book 17. A Third instance shall be that which the Author mentioneth of Robert Bruce where I take notice of divers weighty particulars as 1. that his call was extraordinary pag. 429. to wit by an inward motion and pressing of the Spirit and such a call I confess is extraordinary as in respect of the greatest part of those called Teachers which yet is most ordinary yea and most necessary to every true teacher and minister of Christ. 18. 2. He tells pag. 431. that it was the manner of Robert Bruce for a considerable time to keep 〈◊〉 before he preached And yet how do the Professors now blame our silence when even such among us as the Lord hath given a true ministry unto do find it at times their place to be silent a considerable time before they speak and sometimes for a whole diet to be silent as Ezekiel was of old Now I besech them to consider what did this silence of R. B. mean or what was his intent in being siâ—ent so long was it not he waited to receive â—hat he was to speak from the Lord Or at least to 〈◊〉 the Spirit and power of the Lord to assist
15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have nocloake for their sin But may expect to be numbred amongst the enemys of Gods Work It was the commendation of good Men in all ages that they walked sutably to the dispensation of the Lord in their day and this is the great duty the Lord calls for from his people to follow the Lamb whâ—thersoever he 〈◊〉 this will be their commendation before the Lord as Rev. 14. 4. When the life Light and power of God removeth from one dispensation to another to be alwayes a follower of that which is our duty for it is not to be expected that Moses or David if they were alive now would looke to find that life in their sacrifices and externall rites which they found when they were upon Earth no this is only to be waited for in the spirituall way of the Gospell worship And to come nearer if Cranmer Hooker and Ridly who were Martyrs for the Protestant faith in beareing witness against the Idolatry of the Masse thought it no small mercy to have the use of a common prayer booke in English no doubt in that day might feel life in it yet when the Light of reformation encreased it discovered that to be a limiting of the Spirit of God in Prayer and consequently had in it self a tendency to deaden the heart by remaining in that formality If they were living now the Lord would require of them to seek after a more Spirituall Way of worship where the pure life of Christ was more to be found and felt then in read prayers Even so now when the Lord is poynting forth a more spirituall way which is by following the pure motions of the Spirit of life in an immediat way upon the heart in all religious dutys the Lord will have all his people to owne that way both in practice and profession and they that will reject this or refuse or oppose it He will no less reckon them as his enemys now then these that have been refusers or opposers of his work in former generations A 3 Obstruction is Truth hath been for most part loaded by its opposers with many heavy slaunders calumnys and lyes and traduced with the nick-names of errour Heresy blasphemy and delusion yea called devilisme and what else malice can invent so Pauls religion was called heresy Acts. 24. 14. and Christians were a sect every where spoken against Acts 23. 22. Yea Christ himself was said to have a Devil Ioh. 8. 48 53. And what wonder then that the opposers of Truth in this day speake so of Truth as it is now manifested The Professors thereof are said to deny Jesus Christ that was borne of the virgin Mary where as they have often testifyed they owne no other Christ but him to be the Saviour of the world that was crucifyed at Ierusalem and this we can say in the uprightness of our hearts as in his sight that searches hearts Our opposers say wee deny the Scriptures of Truth whereas we owne all things therein being rightly translated to be the dictate of the Holy Spirit and that they containe all the substantialls of true religion and whatsoever is contrary to them to be but delusion yea we are content to have all poynts of controversy betwixt us and our opposers to be determined by the Scriptures of Truth We are said to deny the Ministry and ordinances of the Gospell whereas we owne all the true and faithfull Ministers that are called of God and that function and are not meerely men-made Ministers that are made to be Ministers in the meere will of men only endued with some measure of natural and acquired parts and feel not the power and vertue of the life of Jesus Christ dwelling in their hearts without any sense of which power and life they can pray and preach But we owne all Spirituall and living preaching and prayer As for the ordinances called Sacraments we own them only according to Scripture sense viz. that Baptisme which is by the Holy Ghost for Iohn Baptised with water but Christs Baptisme is with the Holy Ghost and with fire Math. 3. 11. Act. 1. 4. This is that one baptisme Eph. 4. 5. The Bread and Wine that is Elementary we deny as being but a carnal ordinance which are all repealed at the time of reformation under the Gospell Heb. 9. 10. as all rites are which stand in meats and drinks washings or Baptismes as the Greek hath it But we owne the Communion of Christs body and blood according to Luk. 6. 53. compared with verse 63. Our opposers say we lay the whole stresse of justification and remission of sins upon our own righteousness and we declare we owne no meritorious cause of the remission of sins but the righteousness blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ that was crucified at Ierusalem and as it was done and performed by the Man Christ born of the virgin Mary and yet we profess none are justified but such as are in a measure sanctified and actually cleansed from sin so as none are justified in their sins These and many more of the like slaunders asserted with boldness and impudence by malicious opposers are no small obstruction to many simple-hearted people who are but too ready to take things of this nature upon trust without tryall and proofe especially if the assertors be in any repute for a piece of seriousness as the Scribes and Pharisees high Priests who were in great authority and esteem with the people and thereby did influence their slender followers to preferre Barrabas a murderer and a robber to Christ Iesus A 4 Obstruction is that Truth when it comes first abroad is at severall great disadvantages in the eyes of the world as first it seldom hath the countenance of Civil authority but mostly is persecuted and laws and statutes made in opposition to it this is universally known in all ages and throughout these Nations where it first appeared Secondly it hath the opposition of the Nationall Clergy so called and of the most learned of that sort of men who have the greatest advantages of authority to influence the body of the Nation see Ioh. 9. 22. For the Iews had agreed already that if any men did confess that he was Christ he should he put out of the Synagogue Thirdly Truth being a witness against the abuse and superstitions which have through length of time and long custome been rooted and strengthned so in a Nation that it needs no less the the power of God to extirpate people can hardly admit to hearken to any testimony against these things whether they be personal or national customes see Mark 7. 9. and he said unto them full wel ye reject the commandement of God that ye may keepe your own tradition It 's not an easie thing to forsake old Customes this hath been a cause why men in all ages have stumbled at the simplicity of truth
4. Now this gate blessed be the Name of the Lord and to his eternall praise we can declare it many thousands in this day do know and by it they find Christ and do enjoy his living presence dayly who is the bridegroome and husband of their souls and this gate is to wait upon him in the shinings of his divine Light in their hearts being retired and gathered unto the same out of all their own thoughts words and works all their own willings and runnings in the self-will all selfish motions desires and inclinations of self in pure silence and stillness of mind waiting to feel his heavenly breathings and movings which do raiâ—e up in us the true desire and prayer that we may find him and enjoy him and as we have sought him by this gate or after this manner we have never missed in some measure more or less to find him 5. This silent waiting to enjoy the presence of the Lord is a mystery and as a sealed book to Professors generally and seemes to have been little or nothing known to this great Seer as the Author of the Postscript doth call him for I find nothing of it in his Epistles and yet it is one of the most needfull and most profitable lessons and instructions for people to be instructed in and the Scripturs Testimony is plain and clear concerning it even of silent waiting Lament cap. 3. 26 27 28. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly or in silence wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man â—hat he beare the yoke in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him Psal. 46. 10. Be still or silent and know that I am God Psal. 62. 1. Truly my soul is silent unto God from him cometh my salvation Eccles. 5. 2. Be not 〈◊〉 with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty 〈◊〉 utter any thing before the Lord. Zach. 2. 3. Be siâ—ent O all flesh before the Lord. And many more â—cripturs may be brought to prove this so needfull and profitable instruction As also here are manifest â—xamples of this silent waiting in Scripture both together and apart Ezekiell 3 15. The Prophet 〈◊〉 with them of the captivity seven dayes and then 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord came unto him And Esdras sat silent with the people untill the evening sacrifice Esdra 9 3 4 5. And the Prophet Elijah sat in a siâ—ent posture alone upon the top of mount Carmell waiting for the Word of the Lord and the accomplishment thereof casting himself downe upon the earth and putting his face betwixt his knees King 18 42. This is such a posture that if a man should use it in our dayes people would say he were mad or possessed with the Devill such is their ignorance of the way and work of God And again 1 King 19. verse 2. The Lord appeared unto Elijah neither in the wind nor earth-Quake nor fire but in the still or silent small voice to wit that is heard in the stillness or silence of the Soul 6. There is one particular more that I find in S. R. that I cannot omit to take notice of in the same epistle 46. which I have above mentioned either I know not saith he what Christianity is or we have stinted a measure of so many oâ—nce weights and no more upon holynes and there we are at a stay It were good for the Professors to consider this and be convinced of their error whereas they say the holyest Man on earth doth sin dayly in thought word and deed yea every moment and cannot but sin continually Is not this to stint a measure of so many ounce weights or rather of a few grains upon holyness yea altogether to annihilate it For I know not how that can be called holyness which cannot keep the soul one moment from sinning However S. R. although here convinced of this errour yet afterwards did fall foully into it when he joyned with the divines so called at Westmunster in that unchristian assertion that no man by any grace given of God can perfectly keep the commandements of God but doth dayly break them in thought word deed This is a bold presumptuons stinting limiting the power and powerfull grace of God in the hearts of his children without all ground from Scripture yea contrary to it which saith his commandements are not grievous and his yoke is easy and his burden Light 7. Moreover in my fourth Section I referred to some thing related by the Author of The fullfilling of the Scripturs concerning Iohn Welsh Robert Bruce and some others in those dayes which I said will not a little make for the present Testimony of the people cald Quakers Now for proof of this I shall give a few instances out of many more which may be brought out of the said book 8. First The said Author telleth us pag. 416. 2 edition of a very solemne and extraordinary outletting of the Spirit in the West of Scotland about the year 1625. and there after which began in the parish of Stewarton whiles the persecution was hat from the Prelatick party 9. Which by the prophane Rabble of that time was called the Stewarton Sickness and spread through much of that countrey particularly at Irvin through the Ministry of David Dickson of which he writes that few Sabbaths meaning first dayes did passe without some evidently converted and some convincing proofs of the power of God accompanying his Word yea that many were so choaked and taken by the heart that through terrour the Spirit in such a measure convincing them of sin in hearing of the Word they have been made to fall over and thus carryed out of the Church who after proved most solid and lively Christians And says he this great spring-tide of the Gospell was not of a short time but for some years continuance yea thus like a spreading Mooreburne the power of godlyness did advance from one place to another which put a marvellous Lustre on these parts of the country the savour wherof brought many from other parts of the land to see the truth of the same Again he telleth pag. 417. at the Kirk of the shots 20 of June 1630. that there was so convincing an appearance of God and down pouring of the Spirit even in an extraordinary way especially at that sermon Juny 21. the day after their communion with a strange unusuall motion on the hearers who in a great multitude were there conveened of diverse ranks that it was known which he saith he can speake on sure ground near five hundred had at that time a discernible change wrought on them of whom most proved lively Christians afterwards Now that there was a true and reall appearance of God and breaking forth of his power and out letting of his Spirit upon many at that time I veryly believe and my soul hath unity with the testimony hereof and diver other testimonys of