we will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us c. ver 15. not boasting of things without our Measure that is of other mens Labours but having Hope when your Faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly vers 16. not to boast in another Mans Line of things made ready to our hand And Philip. 3. 16. whereto ye have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Gal. 5. 15. and 16. for in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature and as Many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them By all which note that there was an universal divine and spiritual Rule distâ—…ibuted of God to the true Believers and new Creatures in Christ in whom stood their several Attainments and Growths and this was not other mens Lines nor the Letter wherein they were mutually enlarged nor could the Letter be this Rule for that required Circumcision what then was Paul's Rule for denying it but the Spirit of Liâ—…e the new Covenant the Immediate Dictates of the holy Ghost see Act. 15. 24 28. Heb. 8 9 10. By the Word Scriptures we understand not only Writings in general but particularly all the holy Scriptures contained in the Bible not excluding those many Writings of Prophets and Apostles which are not inserted in the Bible which contain a Plurality of Words of Truth Commands Prescriptions Precepts c. and in that Sense Rules or Directions relating to both the old and new Covenant and to divers States Occasions and Dispensations many of which are abolisht with the old Covenant which therefore cannot properly in the Singular be called the Rule or one Intire full Rule much less the only Rule with Exclusion of all others as falfe as S. S. very blasphemously doth the Chiefest and highest Rule as he unscripturally and erroneously calls them for the Spirit or Light that first gave them forth with its Immediate Illumination Motions and Directions being both before and higher then the Scriptures or Writings how true soever they be So though we confess the holy Scriptures to contain true Words Commandments Precepts Directions and so Rules yet it 's no more proper to call them the only highest Rule and Guide to Heaven and Glory as S. S. doth then to call them the only highest Word Commandment and Light which they are not We can neither call the Scriptures God nor Christ nor the Light nor the Spirit nor the Power of God but Innocently and simply as they term or call themselves owning them in the true Light given us according to the true Intent Purpose and End for which they were first given out from divine Inspiration for which none that are Ingenuous will Blame us for the Word lives forever It 's setled in Heaven It 's also to be known and felt nigh in the Heart and it is the holy and living Commandment of Power which is called Life Everlasting and this is Immediate This Word was to David a Light and Lanthorn to his Paths and therefore his only Way and Rule to Felicity Yea for its Eminency it may be truly esteemed the Word of Words the Commandment of Commandments the Rule of Rules that divine Light wherein consists the Government Rule and Order of the Everlasting Day of Salvation Glory and Life to all the Children of the Day who in order to that Attainment have obeyed and followed the Degree and Measure of this true and divine Light in its Manifestation in them The Scriptures also or Bible contain many various Passages as well Historical as Doctrinal even of the Examples of Men in the fallen State of things done in the time of Ignorance and of the Failings and Weaknesses of divers of things transacted and doâ—…e in a Time and State not sutable to that of Man in the beginning nor to that of the Gospel or new Covenant As for any Man to have divers Wives or many Concubines at once it was not so in the Beginning nor ought to be so now yet such things are recorded in Scripture of divers Therefore 't is both Gross Impious and Contradictory for any to count the whole Bible the Rule of Life and Duty without Exemption according to our Opposer p. 61. Moreover for his Asserting the Scriptures Infallibility and as so being the highest Rule * He neither puts a Limitation of what part of the Scripture or Bible he intends nor yet tells us in what Language Copy or Translation they are infallible for every Rule whether moral or artificial ought to be infallible otherwise 't is nâ—… Rule but therein lyes obscure under Ambiguities Howbeit we may suppose he means according to his Masters the Assembly of pretended Divines Confes. Chap. 1. where having declared that the holy Scriptures are given by Inspiration of God to be the Rule of Faith and Life they add Artic. 8. The old Testament in Hebrew which was the Native Language of the People of God of old and the new Testament in Greek which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediately Inspired by God and by his singular Care and Providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal to them thus far the Assembly From hence it follows that when Steph. Scandret and these his Masters tell us that the Scriptures are the chief and highest Rule the only Infallible Rule to Heaven and Glory or the Rule of Faith and Life and to decide Controversies we are to understand it is as they are in Hebrew and Greek and as in the first Copies as given by Divine Inspiration by which these men still lead people in the dark and in Doubtfulness at a Distance from Life and Glory and Ignorant of the Rule and Way thereto implying this Difficulty that they must first learn Hebrew and Greek and be ascertained of the truth of the Copies as concurring with the first And this must be from their own knowledge not from the Priests Interpretations and various Meanings and yet the Assembly and S. S. still fall short of clearing the matter of the Greek not resolving which is the true infallible Copy there being divers Greek Lections or Copies of the new Testament But further if they could produce or evince the first Copy or that which most agrees with it while they prefer the Writing as the chief or only Rule of Faith and Life they leave people in Darkness and Death in not referring them to the Inward Divine Light or Inspiration of the Almighty as the chief and only Rule which gave forth the holy Scriptures and without which they cannot be truly understood in any Language Moreover concerning the Hebrew W. Tindal of whose Translation we have one ancient English Bible without Verses in
is Light 2. Who can have no Fellowship with him such as walk in Darkness that is Sin 3. Who have Fellowship with him such as walk in the Light as he is Light 4. the Reason why is given because such as walk in the Light are there sure experimentally to feel the Vertue of Christ's Blood to cleanse them from all Unrightcousness Where observe that the Light 's leading out of Darkness that is Unrighteousness is the same with the Blood of Jesus Christ cleansing from all Sin Sin and Darkness and to be cleansed from the one and to be translated from the other is equivalent otherwise a Man might be delivered from Darkness and walk in the Light and not be cleansed from Sin which is that Darkness a thing Absurd and Impossible In short they go together By this 't is evident that the Light being walkt in doth directly lead to God and Fellowship with him who is the Saving Light and Health of all Nations and consequently that the Light leads to Eternal Salvation Many are the Denominations that are given in Scripture to one and the same Being or Condition Christ is called The Word the Light the Saviour Emanuel a Rock a Door a Vine a Shepherd c. A State of Sin is sometimes called Darkness Death Disobedience Barrenness Rebellion Stiff-neckedness Eating of Sowr Grapes And Wicked Men Bryars Thorns Thistles Tares Dead Trees Wolves Goats c. On the contrary a State of Conversion is sometimes expressed by such words as Purged Refined Washed Cleansed Sanctified Justified Led by the Spirit Baptized by one Spirit into one Body Regenerated Redeemed Saved Bought with a Price c. And Persons so qualified The Children of God Children of Light Heirs of Glory Lambs Sheep Wheat And that by which they become or continue thus Light Spirit Fire Sword Hammer Power Grace Seed Truth Way Life Blood Water Bread Word Unction that leadeth into all Truth All which respectively is but one and the same in Nature That is Sin or a Sinful State is so variously denominated from the divers Operations and Discoveries of the Nature of it in Wicked Men. The like may be said of the several Vertues in Good and Holy Men and so of that one Divine Principle which so qualifies and preserves them For as the Primitive Saints felt the Operation of the One Holy Principle so they denominated it to men in Darkness they call'd it Light to such as believed and obeyed It became a Leader and those who witnessed their Sins conquer'd their Lusts cut down their Hearts broken and their Souls Washed Redeemed and daily Nourished they called that Divine Principle a Sword Fire Hammer Water Flesh Blood and Bread and Seed of Life In short The same Heavenly Principle became Light Wisdom Power Counsel Redemption Sanctification and Eternal Salvation unto those who believed in it So that the Variety of Expressions in the Scriptures must not be taken for so many distinct things in kind no nor sometimes in Operation And indeed notwithstanding that Light T. Hicks would have lodg'd in the bare Scriptures exclusive of the Spirit all the Men of the World met together would be confounded to give a true Account of the Matter therein contained if they were not Living Experimental Witnesses For as he is not an Evidence sufficient in Laws Humane that was not an Eye or Ear Witness neither are they Evidences for God and Christ who are not Eye and Ear Witnesses of the Light Spirit Grace and Word of God in the Heart And I boldly affirm the Scriptures speak no more for such as are not Inheritors of that Blessed Condition they declare of in some Measure or other then any Deed of Gift would do for a Person no wayes Nam'd or Interested therein It is time then for T. Hicks and his Partners to look about them lest the Midnight-Cry overtake them and their Professing Lamp be found without Oyl For I must needs tell him in the Beloved Disciple's Language He that saith he is in the Light and 〈◊〉 his Brother is in the Darkness even until now And in my own Language That I take that to be their State who shew so much Envious Displeasure against an Harmless People and those in particular that never yet Offended much less Justly provokt them But would they bring their Thoughts Words and Deeds to the Light in their own Consciences and let true Judgment pass upon them and patiently undergo the Heavenly Chastisements for their Disobedience to and Vilifying of the Light they would come to witness a turning from the Darkness to the Light and continuing therein as that Holy Way in which the Ransomed of the Lord alwayes did do and shall walk through all Generations they would know the Injoyment of Eternal Peace Yea such is the Excellency of Christ the true Light that as He was First so shall He be the Last when all Outward Performances Writings Worships yea the whole World shall be at an End the Use and Excellency of the Light will remain forever as saith John the Divine And they shall see his Face and his Name shall be written in their Fore-Heads and there shall be no Night there and they need no Candle neither Light of the Sun for the LORD GOD GIVETH THEM LIGHT and they shall Reign forever and ever Amen CHAP. VIII An Objection against the Light 's Antecedent Being to Christ's Coming It is prov'd to have been known to be a Saving Light from Adam's day through the Holy Patriarchs and Prophets time down to Christ's from the Scriptures of Truth HAving then plainly prov'd from Scripture 1. That the Light is Saving since the time of Christ beginning with its first Appearance as Manifesting Sin 2. Condemning of It. 3. Redeeming from It as obeyed And that the same Principle which is called Light is the Seed Grace Truth Word Spirit Power Unction Water Way Life Flesh and Blood and therefore not a Distinct Being from that which T. Hicks himself if he will own plain Scripture must confess doth Save I call it the LIGHT OF SALVATION OR THAT LEADS TO SALVATION But there remain yet several Objections to be Answered which done we shall immediately proceed to give Judgment upon the Question Who or What this Light is with respect to all our Adversaries Cavils Obj. Though you have thus far evinc'd the Universality of a Saving Light from the Scriptures since Christ's Life Death Resurrection and Ascension yet that which is the Pinch of the Controversie will be this Where was this before Light Had any this Saving Light they had a Light before it came in that Eminent Manner above One Thousand Six Hundred Years since It is generally believ'd that Christ's then coming benefitted the World with it in case the World universally hath such a Saving Light To which I shall give my Answer both from Scripture History and Reason The first Scripture I shall quote is in the first of Genesis So God created
Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him From whence I draw this Argument That if Man was made in God's Image then because God is Light Adam must necessarily have had of the Divine Light in him and have been the Image of that Light so long as he walkt and remain'd in It Since no man walks in the Light but he becomes the Child of Light And as the Apostle Paul expresseth it of such as were converted to that Light they had once erred from Ye were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord That is Through Obedience to the Light of the Lord. For any man then to say Adam had not Light were to suppose his Innocent State to be that of Darkness and instead of and being God's Image who is and ever was and alwayes will be Light he would have been wholy ignorant of him in whose Image he is said to have been created II. This Moses directed the Children of Israel to when he in God's stead recommended and earnestly pressed the keeping of the Commandment and Word in the Heart as we read in Deuteronomy For this Commandment which I Command thee this day is not hidden from thee neither is it far off It is not in Heaven that thou shouldst say Who shall go up for us to Heaven and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it Neither is It beyond the Sea that thou shouldst say Who shall go over the Sea for us and bring it unto us that we may hear it and do it But the Word is very nigh unto thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that thou mayst do it See I have set before thee this day Life and Good and Death and Evil. From whence I cannot but observe these Three Things 1. That the Commandment and the Word are so called by way of Excellency and Preheminence to all written Commandments or Words 2. That this Commandment or Word is Nigh even in the Heart of Man it self none need plead Distance or Ignorance 3. That the Setting Life and Good Death and Evil was and could only be in the Light within since without the Light how could they have Seen it Set before them And that it was in their Hearts the Lord so set those States before them the Verse immediately follows that wherein the Word is by Moses argumentatively prov'd as well as affirm'd to be in the Heart of Man Now I hope it shall not be injuriously done of me and I know who will bear me out if I say This Commandment is that which David spoke of when he said The Commandment of the Lord is pure Inlightning the Eyes and this Holy Word the same with that Word which he said was a Lamp unto his Feet and a Light unto his Path and not an other Word then what Paul call'd the Word of Faith which he preach't by which the Just live consequently a Saving Commandment Word or Light it was and is to such as Believe and Obey it III. The next Scripture I will urge shall be this For thou art my Lamp O Lord for the Lord will Lighten my Darkness Now if God was the Light and Lamp of that Day to such as regarded the Light cerainly then they had a Light and such an one as was Saving too unless we should Blasphemously Deny God to be either a Light or a Saving One who is most certainly both IV. Wicked Men were not without Light to Condemn them as Good Men ever had Light to Preserve them They are of those that Rebel against the Light they know not the Wayes thereof nor abide in the Paths thereof said Job In which Passage it is very obvious that Wicked Men have Light otherwise it would have been utterly Impossible for them to have Rebell'd against it Nay against THE LIGHT implying that it is the same Light in Nature with that which Righteous Men are guided by answerable to another Emphatical Passage in the same Book of Job Is there any Number of his Army and UPON WHOM DOTH NOT HIS LIGHT ARISE Certainly this Universality strongly pleads on the behalf of our Belief of the Light And if our Adversary would but venture to let it come close to his Conscience I cannot be so Uncharitable as to think he should not make some Acknowledgment to its Universality antecedent to the Coming of Christ. I omit to say much of its Efficaciousness at that time though one would think that Light alwayes gives to Discern a Good Way from a Bad one referring it to another place Only I shall observe how that Job expresly tells us and that when he was in his deep Troubles of Spirit O that I were as in Months past in the Dayes when God preserved me when his Candle shined upon my Head and when by his Light I walked through Darkness where it is most apparent that Job attributes his Salvation from the Darkness which stands both for Sin and Affliction unto the Light wherewith God had Inlightned him And certainly It had been utterly Impossible for those weighty things that are deliver'd in that Book of Job as well from others as from Job to have been known had not they been Inlightned and received very great Discoveries from that Light and Candle of the Lord in their Hearts For in all the whole Book I find not one Verse expresly cited out of any other Writings but what purely proceeded from Immediate Impulse and Inspiration of the Almighty which sayes the same Book gives Men Understanding V. To this Doctrine David was no Stranger who so very often commemorates the Light and the Divine Excellencies of it some few places I shall mention of those many that I might offer The Lord is my Light and my Salvation whom shall I fear the Lord is the Strength of my Life of whom shall I be afraid This weighty Passage of the Prophet is a lively Testimony to the True Light wherein David confessed what John call'd his Evangelical Message viz. That God is Light Next that not only God is Light but which doubtless was most of all to his Comfort HIS LIGHT The Lord is MY Light and MY Salvation As much as if he had said Because the Lord is become my Light I have known him to be my Salvation or him by whom my Salvation hath been wrought In short thus That God is My Salvation as he is My Light or as I have Obey'd the Lord My Light I have witnessed Salvation O! that such Professors of Religion in whom there is any Moderation would but be pleas'd to weigh What was David ' s Light What his Salvation and Who must needs have been his Rule at that time of the World of which he further speaks God is the Lord who hath shewed us Light Thy Word is a Lamp unto my Feet and a Light unto my Pathes I have not departed from thy Judgments for thou hast taught me This made him far
them naturally unto the Rising of the Day-Star which though a more glorious manifestation yet not of another Light Life or Spirit then had ever been for there are not two Lights Lifes Natures or Spirits in God he is ONE for ever in himself and his Light one in kind how ever variously he may have declar'd himself or manifested it at sundry times of the World His Truth is one his Way is one and his Rest one forever But last of all that which greatly joyes is this that the Narrowness of some Mens Spirits in this World will not be found able to exclude vertuous Gentiles from their Reward in the other But maugre all the Heat Petulancy Conceitedness and Fleshly Boasting of Carnal Christians such as fear God and Work Righteousness and are Doers of the Law we are assured shall be accepted with and justified of God in the Day that he will judge the Secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to Paul ' s Gospel and if any man bring another let It be accurst Amen I have here on purpose overlookt many very pregnant Instances both in the Old and New Testament so call'd for Brevities sake in which the Righteousness of the Gentiles hath in several Cases more evidently appeared then that of some of the Jews and which undeniably testifies to the Sufficiency of that Light they had both to manifest that which was Good from that which was Evil and give an Ability to such as truly minded its Illumination whereby they were enabled to do the one and to reject the other Such were Abimelech Cyrus Darius the Ruler that came to Christ and many others which I shall omit to mention more particularly the chief Bent of my Mind being to demonstrate the Truth of my Assertion from their own Writings CHAP. X. That the Gentiles Believed in One God That He inlightned All Men with a Saving Light That Men ought to live Piously That the Soul is Immortal That there is an Eternal Recompence The Whole call'd Gentile-Divinity The First Point prov'd by Sixteen Testimonies HAving prov'd briefly but truly from the Scriptures that the Gentiles in general were Illuminated with a Divine Light I shall now make it my Business to evidence the Truth thereof by most undeniable particular Instances out of their own Writings And because I am willing my Defence of both the Light within and Those of them who obey'd it should turn to the clearest and best Account I will endeavour to resolve the Whole into as plain a Method as the Matter and their Way of delivering it will allow me First then from their own Authorities I am taught to affirm that the Gentiles Believed in One Holy Infinite and Eternal God Secondly That they did therefore so believe because God had imprinted the Knowledge of himself in their Hearts or in our Language that he had Illuminated all Mankind with a Divine Light which as conversed with and obey'd would lead to Eternal Happiness Thirdly That they held and practised high Sanctity of Life Fourthly That they affirmed an Immortality of Souls and Eternal Rewards of Felicity or Misery according to Man's Obedience to or Rebellion against the Eternal God his Creator which Excellent Principles true and clear being the Result of their Discourse on those Subjects do worthily deserve in my esteem the Style of DIVINITY which shall be the Denomination I hope I may without Offence bestow upon them in this Discourse That the Gentiles did acknowledge and believe There was but One Supream God that made all things who is Infinite Almighty Omni-present Holy and Good forever I shall produce some of those many Authorities that aver the same and accommodate it to such Scripture as the Truth of them as well as Practice of very Ancient Fathers will bear me out in I. ORPHEUS as Old as more then One Thousand Two Hundred Years before Christ thus expresseth his Belief of God His Hand reaches to the End of the Sea his Right-hand is everywhere and the Earth is under his Feet He is only One begot of himself and of Him alone are all things begot and God is the First and the Last Hereby not only telling us there was a God but attributing that Almighty Power and Omni-presence which show he meant no Statuary Deity but the God that made the Heavens and the Earth II. HESIOD Of all which do not Dye thou art King and Lord none can Contend with Thee concerning Thy Power This Emphatically proves God to have been but One and Omni-potent in their Belief III. THALES a very Ancient Greek Phylosopher tells us That there is but One God that he is Glorious forever and ever And he openly confesseth That he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HE WHO KNOWS HEARTS Thales being demanded what God was That saith he which has NEITHER BEGINNING NOR END Another asking If a Man might do Ill and conceal it from God How saith he WHEN A MAN THAT THINKS IT CANNOT Men ought to believe saith Cicero in his Name that God sees all things IV. SIBYLLA There is One God who alone is Infinite and without Beginning Again Who can see with Fleshly Eyes the Heavenly True and Immortal God whose Seat is in the Highest of Heaven This Sibyll is Aged above Two Thousand Years The Question implies her Faith that God was a Spirit as Christ himself also testifies V. PYTHAGORAS a Modest but Diligent and Retired Man in his Search after Heavenly things saith That it is Man's Duty to believe of the Divinity that it is and that it is in such a manner as to Mankind that it overlooks them and neglects them not for we have need of such a Government as we ought not in any thing to Contradict such is that which proceeds from the Divinity For the Divinity is such that to it doth of Right belong the Dominion of all Again God resembleth LIGHT and TRUTH In another place God himself inhabits the Lowest and Highest and the Middlemost there is no Being nor Place without God God is One HE IS NOT as some conceive OUT OF THE WORLD but entire within himself as in a Compleat Circle surveying all Generations HE IS THE SALT OF ALL AGES the Agent of his own Powers and Works the Principle of all things One Heavenly Luminary or Light and Father of all things Only Wise Invisible yet Intelligible Which very Pathetical Account of the Divine Being so correspondent with Scripture yet he a Stranger to it I mean the Words only for the Matter in this Point he weightily hits deserves very Serious Consideration and Acknowledgment from all especially those who would not Narrow God's Mercies to their own Time or Party VI. To the same purpose speaks HERACLITUS that sensibly Afflicted Philosopher for the World's Impieties and Idolatrics whose very Sorrowful yet sound smart Expressions show they came from a Mind deeply touch'd In one of his
In short If the holy Ancients had Faith before they had and wrote Scrâ—…pture they had a Rule before they had or wrote Scripture for where Faith is there is a Rule for that Faith And if the Faith be of one Nature the Rule is of one Nature And since the Faith is Inward Spiritual begotten of the Immortal Word in which is Life and that the Light of men and that this Word Life and Light was the Rule then no more Book Writing or ingraving on visible and perishable Matter can be the Rule now Again Such as the Faith is such must the Rule be But the Faith is as before Inward and Spirual therefore the Rule must be Inward and spiritual which no meer Book can be 2. If the Scriptures were the Rule they must have always been a perfect Rule ever since they were a Rule But this is impossible since they were many hundred years in writing and are now imperfect also as to Number How then the perfect Rule That they were not the Perfect Rule before they were written must be granted and that they were many hundred Years awriting must also be allowed and that they are imperfect now as to Number I prove First Enoch's Prophecy is mentioned by Jude but not extant in the Bible the Books of the Wars of the Lord Numb 21. 14. The Book of Jasher Josh. 10. 13. 2 Sam. 1. 18. The Book of Nathan 2 Chron. 9. 29. The Book of Shemaiah 2 Chron. 12. 15. The Book of Jehu The Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans Collos. 4. 16. and several others mentioned in the Scriptures not now extant And lastly Luke sayes That many took in hand to relate from Eye-Witnesses the things most surely believed c. Now 't is taken for granted that John wrote many Years after Luke Some think Luke wrote before Mark However Matthew and Mark were not many and to this day we see no more then those four in our Bibles and therefore many such Writings lost and if lost then the Scriptures not perfect and if imperfect how can they be the Rule of Faith since the Rule of Faith must be perfect 3. My third Reason is this The Scriptures however useful to Edification and Comfort seem not in their own Nature and Frame to have been compil'd and delivered as the Rule and intire Body of Faith but rather upon particular Occasions and Emergencies The Doctrines are scattered throughout the Scriptures insomuch that those Societies who have given forth verbal Confessions of their Faith have been necessitated to toss them to and fro search here and search there to lay down this or the other Principle and then as like the original Text as their Apprehensions are whereas were it as plain and distinct as the Nature of a Rule requires they needed only to have given their Subscription for a Confession Besides here they are Proper there Metaphorical in one place Literally in another Mystically to be accepted Most times Points are to be prov'd by comparing and weighing Places coherent here to allude aptly and not wrong the Sense is difficult and requires infallible Discerning notwithstanding the Brawlers of our times against Infallibility Now from all this with abundance more that might be said plain it is that the Scriptures are not plain but to the spiritual man but as Peter said of Paul s Writings in many things hard to be understood therefore not the Rule which ought to be plain proper and intelligible 4. Again the Scripture cannot be the Rule of Faith because it cannot give Faith for Faith is the Gift of God which overcomes the World neither of Practice because it cannot distinguish of it self in all Cases what ought to be practised and what not it containing as well what ought not to be practised as what ought This was the Case of Christ's Disciples who had no particular Rule in the old Testament Writings for the abolishing of some part of the old Testament Religion on the contrary they might have pleaded for the Perpetuity of it because Christ said unto them Do as they say that sit in Moses ' s Chair more reasonably then many make that a Plea now adayes for their invented Worships What guided them in their declaring void and relinquishing those things For Instance God gave Circumcision as a Sign for ever And Paul tells the Galatians That if they be circumcised Christ should profit them nothing Was not this the Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth that they made the Judge and Rule of their Doctrine and Practices So James and the Assembly of the Apostles when they said It seemâ—…th good to the Holy Ghost and to us c. 5. These very men that say it is the Rule of Faith and Life deviate in their Proof from their Assertion for the Scriptures no where say so of themselves He that flyes to Meanings and Interpretations The Question arises not about the Truth of the Text for that is agreed on on all hands but the Exposition of it If then I yield to that Man do I bow to the Letter of the Text or to his Interpretation If the Latter as manifestly I do is the Scripture or that Man's Sense of it my Rule Nay the Person so interpreting makes not the Scripture his Rule but his own Apprehension whatever he may say to gain Credit to his Conceptions in others then Mine it must needs be I consenting thereto 6. How shall I be assured that these Scriptures came from God I am bound to try all things If all things then Them amongst the rest I would fain know what I must try them with with the Scriptures Then the Scriptures must be the Rule of my Examination and Faith concerning themselves which is improper If with the Spirit that gave them forth that searcheth the deep things of God a measure of which is given to me to profit withal Then is it most congruous to call the Spirit and not the Scriptures the Rule 7. If the Scriptures are the Rule they are so either in their Original or Copies If in their Original that is not extant then no Rule in being for the last of it that was extant was John's History at Ephesus not seen these thousand Years If the Copies must be the Rule it were to be wished we knew which were the nighest to the Original there being above thirty in Number This is undetermined and for ought we see indeterminable And that which makes good what I say are the Variety of Readings among those Copies amounting to several thousands And if the Copies cannot how can the Translations be the Rule so differing from the true Sense of the Copies in many things and one from another Besides I would fain know of those of our present Age who thus contend for the Scriptures being the Rule c. in Opposition to the Spirit upon what foot they receive them into this Place and Authority Is it by Tradition or Revelation I mean
the Internal Testimony of the Spirit or the external Award and Avouchment of Men If the former they inavoidably come over to us for then the Spirit will and must be both Rule and Judge If the latter I ask how are they assured that they are not miserably abused by Carelesness or Design since we see that using utmost Diligence both Translation Transscription and Printing are subject to numerous Mistakes and those sometimes very material against which the Scripture can be no Fence But admit there were no Ground for any such Objection I further demand of our Adversaries if they are well assured of those men that first collected embodyed authenticated them by a Publique Canon which we read to have been in the Council of Laodicca 360. Years after Christ though not as they are now received during which time they had bin tossed tumbled some receiv'd some rejected doubtless many hundred times transscribed and it is not improbable that they were also abused If they miss in their Judgment here they are gone till they come to us I say how do they know that these men rightly discerned true from spâ—…rious Either their Judgment was infallible in the Matter or it was not â—…f it were then there was such a thing as Infallibility since the Apostles Dayes which is a Contradiction to your selves But be it so that they were infallible how came you to be assured they were so Not by Inspiration that is dangerous Doctrine with you Which way was it then Not by Tradition Was it by the Scripture That were to say that the Scripture tells you that those men that collected it for true were right in their Judgment but we are yet to finde any such place and that is to beg the Question I cannot see any other Ground besides your very great Kindness to their Choice which you call Popery and believing as the Church believes in other Folks But if these men were fallible as your own Principle makes them and their own Determinations prove them what then doubtless your Condition will be desperate Now certain it is that some of the Scriptures taken in by one Council for Canonical were rejected by another as Apocryphal and that which was left out by the former for Apocryphal was taken in by the latter for Canonical Now visible it is that they contradicted each other and as true that they both erred respecting the present Belief for your Canon and Catalogue varies from theirs and let me say without Offence from any Catalogue you can produce Behold the Labyrinth of Incertainties you run your selves into who go from that heavenly Gift in your selves by which the holy Scriptures are truly discerned relished and distinguished from the Inventions and Abuses of Men 8. Furthermore If the Scriptures were the Rule of Faith and Life c. then because they cannot be the Rule in their Translations suppose the ancient Copies were exact it cannot be the Rule to far the greatest part of Mankind indeed to none but Learned men which neither answers the Promise relating to Gospel times that is universal nor the Necessity of all Mankind for a Rule of Faith and Life 9. That the Scriptures are not the Rule of Faith and Life is proved from those voluminous Discourses of Cases of Conscience that are extant among us For had the Scriptures beâ—… as sufficient as the Nature of the Rule of Faith and Life requireth there had been no need of such Tracts every man might have read his own Condition laid down in Scripture without those numerous Supplements Doth not your own Language and Practice prove its Insufficiency to that End at what time you both exhort to and go in secret to seek the Mind of the Lord in this or that important Affair Why do not you turn to Chapter and Verse for Satisfaction if the Scripture be appointed of God for a Rule Strange That what is so common in the Mouths of all sorts viz. God direct you that implieth Inspiration and Revelation or immediate Council or Guiding from God should not be known much less acknowledged by you in our Writings but overrun with such scaring Epithetes as Enthusiasm Familism Fanaticism Quakerism c. In short there are a * thousand Cases and not a few occurring almost daily in which the Scripture cannot be our plain and distinct Rule and Guide yet has not God left himself without a Witness in every Boâ—…om for his Grace has appeared unto all Men teaching them that believe in it to deny Ungodliness and woâ—…ldly Lusts and to live sobâ—…rly righâ—…eously and godly in this present evil World And Christ Jesus the eternal Word has for that End enlightened every Man coming into the World viz. to discover reprove and instruct â—…or Faith and Life But it may be and is objected by some Obj. If this Law and Light in the Conscience had been enough what need had there been of Scripture Answ. The same Argument will hold against God Christ his Spirit and Grace all which are sufficient notwithstanding the Use and Benefit of Scripture The Case was this Man's Mind being estranged from the Light and Spirit through its wandrings after visible and perishing things and in as much as the Light became thereby vailed from him the Spirit as quenched and the Law as defac'd God in peculiar Mercy to the Jews according to his Covenant with faithful â—…braham super-added or repeated as Urâ—…n termes it the Law inward by a Declaration of it outwardly that both God might not be without an outward Witness as well as an inward they having so much lost the Feeling thereof And more deeply to strike their Minds by their Senses into which their Minds were gone and to meet them abroad whether they were roving and wandering from the Law and Light within As it is great Vanity and Weakness to infer Insufficiency to the Light from the Imbecillity and Darkness that are in Men occasion'd through their Rebellion to the Law and Light within so from God's superadding Scripture and other external Assistances to Men in that State What would such have God his Light and Spirit appear to and converse with Peoples outward Senses That can't be the one is too Spiritual the other too Carnal for any such thing Or are they Insufficient because they converse with Men through these exteriour things suited to that imbecil State Or tell me if the considerablest part of Scriptâ—…re be any more then the declared Knowledge and Experience oâ—… such as were come to a more improved State in the Teachings of that Light and Spirit which is therefore given forth that others loytering behind might be the more prevailed with to follow them as they had followed the Lord in the Light of his Spirit Certainly it can never be that Scripture should impeach the Light of insufficiency when it is but the Mind and Teachings of the Light in others declared or recorded Does the Declaration jarr or make weak that from
whence it came Or because of God s ondescension for a time to Externals shall they turn the Light and Spirit out of the Office of Rule and Judge by being perpetuated the Rule and Judge Or is it to lay down instituted Religion as some ignorantly talk to press after that which was beâ—…ore and ends those temporary things The Law outward as a Rule was but as Moses till the Son came The Servant abideth not in the House forever The written Law held its place but till the inward rise in more Glory and Brightness oâ—… rather till they became more capable of being turned to it and living with it In those Dayes I will write my Law in their Heart c. They who say otherwise of Scripture do pervert and abuse it for there is nothing more clearly laid down in it from Beginning to End then the Rule and Reign of the Spirit My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in thâ—…ir inward parts All thy Children shall be taught of the â—…ord and in Righteousness shall they be established I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching c. Obj. But if the â—…aw engraven and delivered to Moses was a Rule to the Jews why should not the Law deliverd by Christ and written by his Apostles be the Rule to Christians Answ. Christ left nothing in writing as the Rule that we hear of and it is not to be thought he was less faithful in his House then Moses And doubtless had he intended the Rule of his Followers to have been a written Rule he would have left it upon record with all Punctuality This must be believed and that done on Pain of eternal Death Nor did his Followers write in the Method of a Rule as the Law was written nor did they so call or recommend what they writ But this leads me to my 8th Reason why the Scriptures cannot be the Rule under the New Covenant c. For admitting the Law written by Moses were the Rule A Rule I grant it was to the Jew outward yet Christ the spiritual Leader of a spiritâ—…al Israel writeth his spiritual Law in the Heart as Moses the outward Israel's Leader writ the Law upon Tables of Stone This was God's Promise the Priviledge and Blessing of the new Covenant that as the outward Jew had an outward Law for a Directory the inward Jew should have an inward Law for his Directory And as the outward Jew had an outward Priest at whose Mouth he ought to seek the Law so the Jew inward and Circumcision in Spirit has an inward and Spiritual High-Priest whose Lips preserve Knowledge at whose Mouth he is to receive the Law of Life And this is his Rule who is the Ruler of his People Israel who reigneth in Righteousness and of the Increase of whose heavenly Government there shall be no End The King Ruler Judge Law-giver High-priest Law Rule Temple are all Spiritual so the Scriptures inform us My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in their inward Parts They shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established The Tabernacle of God is with Man He will dwell with them I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace hath appeared to all Mâ—…n teaching c. A Measure of the Spirit is given to all Men to profit withal The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Whatsoever may be known of God is manifest within walk in the Spirit If ye walk in the Light c. Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord. And there needed neither Sun nor Moon to shine for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb was the Light thereof As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and the whole Israel of God c. What Rule Not that of the old legal Creation that passed away but the Rule of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or new Creation as it may be rendred And as Drusius cites one to have interpreted it and Grotius also interprets it which is the Way of Life Isaiah spoak of An High-Way there shall be and it shall be called the Way of Holiness the Unclean shall not pass over it and wayfaring Men though Fools shall not eâ—…r therein There shall be no Lyon there nor ravenous Beast go thereon but the redeeâ—…d shall walk there which Way Teachâ—… Guide Rule Light Spirit andholy Unction that directs keepeth in steady Paths of Truth is Christ Jesus our Lord. Obj. But do you not turâ—… the Scriptures off sor an uncertain unâ—…rviceable Writing and as good as reject and deny them altogether Answ. There is a late Author or two who to depaint us as ugly as their Malice could invent have rendered themselves so ridiculous as so to infer But it is not my Business at this time to medle with particular Controversie that followeth in the second Part and shall therefore attend to answer the general Objection The Scriptures are uncertain upon your Foundation but not upon ours Doth our maniâ—…esting your Faith concerning them to be grounded upon your own Imaginations or human Traditions make void or render uncertain the Scriptures By no means but we would have you come to receive them upon the Spirit 's Testimony and Evidence that gave them forth And though we cannot allow them to be the Rule of Faith and Life under the Dispensation of the Gospel which is Power and Life it self yet are they to be read believed and fulfilled under the Gospel For notwithstanding the Law written upon Stone was not Paul's Rule after the Son of God was revealed in him yet the Son of God taught Paul to fulfil the Righteousness declared by that Law If it were to deny and reject as some Persons enviously say of us yea to vilifie the Scripture because we cannot allow it to be the Rule c. Paul must be said to deny reject and vilifie the Law written at what time the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus became his Rule There is a great Difference in asserting that the Spirit is the Rule and casting away vilifying of Scripture And indeed it is but an old Fetch of the Devil 's to pretend Honour to the Letter that he might the more unsuspectedly oppose the bringing in of the Dispensation of the Spirit which the Letter it self testifies to They that come to be led of the Spirit arrive at the End for which Scripture was given forth the Apostle John did as good as say the same thing when he told them to whom he wrote That the Anointing which they had
as it pleaseth God or that shall inherit God's Kingdom Howbeit As to be Quickened implieth a Death first and Resurrection a Fall before and to be Changed that there was either a vile corruptible Suffering or low Estate before So all that come to know Christ in them and the Body dead because of Sin know the Spirit to be Life because of Righteousness And if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Jesus from the Dead shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8. 10 11 12 13. And this plainly is a quickening unto Righteousness by the Spirit dwelling within which is far from being a Proof of T. H's Opinion though cited by him And as in the first Adam is both the Fall and Death come over all men so in the second Adam who is the Resurrection and the Life all are made alive and that unto Righteousness who first come to see the Body dead because of Sin and the Deeds of the Body mortified Rom. 8. 13. or who come to know Christ and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death these attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead Phil. 3. 10 11. Such do not strive for a Notion thereof but to attain to it As to the manner of Existences or Beings of all men in the World to come there is no Necessity for any to be taking thought or busying their Minds about them it being in the Pleasure and Wisdom of God to reserve all to their due and deserved Ends in an immortal Capacity Our present Concernment is so to know and esteem of Christ as that we may be found in him not only mortified to the Corruptions of this World through the Fellowship of his Suffering and Conformity unto his Death But also interessed in that blessed Resurrection which is only attained to in Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life that he may be magnified in our Body whether by Life or Death To what he saith in his 59. pag. about the Bâ—…dy that was dead about that It which is raised about the Soâ—…l and the Seed of God the Matter is answered else where yet First All that know the Body dead because of Sin having mortified the Deeds of the Flesh and being conformable to the Death of Christ as dead with him shall alfo be quickned and raised up by his Spirit that dwells in them which is Life because of Righteousness and such only can speak experimentally of the Seed of God and the Soul 2dly That there is a Seed of God and a Seed of the Serpent in Mankind according to G. F. Junior's relation he further tells you that they that discern the Body of each Seed are not the Fools which are questioning how the dead should be raised and with what Body for they know that all Mankind will be found in one of these two Seeds By which it is plain he doth not exclude men from a future Being or Immortality nor confound them with the very Being of God though it is by his invisible Power that all are upheld in their respective Existences in Immortality whether they be found in the Nature and Image of the good Seed or of the evil T. H. And since he calls them Fools that is the Apostles and all true Christians that say This Body of Flesh and Bones shall arise pag. 59. Rep. He should have produced his plain Scripture for the Apostles so saying where are these Words to be found in all the Scriptures of the new Testament that this Body of Flesh and Bones shall arise again Doth not the Apostle say the contrary Thou sowest not that Body that shall be And Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God But must we then suppose as some Professors do That these Bodies of Flesh and Bones shall inherit the Kingdom of God without any Blood in them Or that after they are returned to Dust they shall arise again the self same as they are without any new Creation I confess this is such kind of new Philosophy as I have not read of before The man has run himself into such strange Confusion and wholy misses the Sense of the Resurrection and the Life and over looks the true Seed and Root of the Matter while in his vain mind he is imagining muddling and Devil-like disputing about the Body which in Comparison of the immortal Existence and being of Man is but an outside Case earthly Shell or Husk that disolveth Again he saith If this Seed of the Serpent be only Sin and the Seed of Christ only Grace it is only Sin and Grace which shall arise again p. 60. Oh the gross Darkness and Ignorance of this Man He knows not the Seed of the Serpent from whence Sin springs nor the Seed of God from whence Grace and Life flows But falsly supposes that our Principle extinguishes the future distinct beings of Men though it hath been plainly told him that all Mankind will be found in one of these two Seeds As also we testifie from that Sence of Life and Immortality that is brought to Light in us through the Gospel That the Soul whole spiritual Man and spiritual Body shall exist in Immortality yea though our outward Man perish yet the inward Man is renewed day by day and in order to possess an eternal Weight of Glory 2 Cor. 4. This inward Man is neither extinguish'd by the perishing of the outward Man nor thereby deprived of that Advantage which is an eternal Weight of Glory And that God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body or his proper Body The Man would know what this It is shewing his Dubiousness of his own Assertion before viz. That it is a mortal Body of Flesh and Bones whether it shall be raised and go to Heaven with any Blood in it he tells us not and that the Body given it is the same for Substance that is as good Sense as to say the Body of Flesh and Bones shall when it is raised have the same Body of Flesh and Bones given to it whereas it is to every Seed his proper Body which is comprehensive both of the Seed of the Righteous and the Seed of the Wicked of the Seed of God and the Seed of the Serpent and so comprehends and takes in the whole Body of Mankind under those two Relations and Natures not to dissolve or extinguish their Rational Intelligible Beings with the perishing and dissolvable Earthly Outside or Case but that all shall be reserved for their due and proper Ends according to the Seed Nature and Image which their Soul carries with it when it parts with the Earthly Cloathing And whereas it is said that It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body the great Stress is laid on the particle IT which may as well be applyed to Wheat or
suffering Times and se 〈◊〉 Inâ—…erest and Gain hath much stopt you (t) You cannot get them rooted out without the Power of God which only is received by believing in his Light within (v) Your House is not yet purged of them however this was an honest Care to endeavour such a purging better then to excommunicate Persons for owning the Light within (w) Which they are very prone to for Advantage (x) Many more Evils you had nâ—…od now to spread before them But S. S. tells us not whether or no he owns those Books called Apocrypka or any of them as any part of his Rule or Canon or whether he is not of the same Opinion with his Masters of the Assembly where in their confession they say that the Books commonly call'd Apocrypha not being of divine Inspiration are no part of the Canon of the Scriptures therefore are of no Authority in the Church of God nor to be any otherwise approved or made use of then other human Writings Thus farr the Assembly but this general Debasement of these Books we cannot own 1 Sam 28. 11. 〈◊〉 This Contra-distinction is his own or Tutor's Inventing * Mark well pag. 93. pag. 94. pag. 95. pag. 96. * Though they seem to render Adam worse then the Devil who is the Author of sin and Immediate Tempter to it to lay more to Adam's Charge then to the Devil or their own corrupt Hearts and vile Affections which constantly attâ—…nd them pag. 98. Luk. 15. 18 19. pag. 99. To his 10. 11th Argum. pag. 89. pag. 130. pag. 100. pag. 100. The Apostles Doctrine our Opposers Inconsistent * Many more Comparisons instances might be produced to 〈◊〉 how inconsisient our Opposers are with the true Apostles and their Doctrine Object pag. 101. pag. 102. Notewhat Doctrine is here Phil. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Arg. 12. 13. pag. 103. pag. 103. 104. pag. 104. pag. 106. pag. 102. pag. 104. Truth saith not this to Christ but to the Offenders Deut. 27. A Testimony against S. S's Doctrine Isa. 43. 11 25. pag. 104. pag. 104. pag. 105. As S. S. hath pag. 105. Also his Brother T. Dans. saith Christ was not Innocent but guilty of our Sins when he suffered Synops. p. 36 40. pag. 105. pag. 105. Heb. 12. 24. Chap. 9. 14 15. pag. 106. Christ's tasting Death for every Man could not be the same with the full Punishment that 's due for Sin pag. 106. pag. 107. pag. 108. Is not this like the Language of Hell or theirs saing of Christ will he kil himself And he is guilty of death This is something like his Brother W. Haworth his Affirming That the Father poured out all his Wrath upon his Son Jesus Christ and that this way he Satisfied Vengeance which he cals his Justice in his Epistle to their Quaker Converted answered by John Crook and W. Bayly in their Book Rebellion rebuked but the Adversaries of Truth shall finde there 's wrath yet for them if they repent not pag. 109. pag. 109. pag. 109. pag. 109. pag. 110. pag. 110. Object 〈◊〉 Hebr. 9. 23. The Presbyterians or Predestinarians Gospel anti-scriptural The Conditions and Tendence of the Quakers Gospel Scriptural Presbyter Opinion * What soever makes no Exception of either good or bad Actions of men and this is high Ranterism * Note They place it upon particular Persons rendering God a Respecter of Persons * Whereas he dyed for all men and is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World These were of cur Opposers 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Order or Rank 1 Cor. 15. 23. Edom relates to the Earthly Birth Gen. 35. 10. Confession of Faith The Hardness and Cruelty of Pharaoh 〈◊〉 appâ—…ared against the Hebrews witness the Murtherous Intentioâ—… of that King who gave Command to kill thâ—… Male-children Exod 1. 16. their great Affliction Bondage v. 11 14. until the Lord heard their Cry aâ—…ter much Forbcarance pag. 115. * Which is our Sense of the Matter in both * Note the Consequences of the Predestinaâ—…ian Opinion against universaâ—… Grace Pag. 116. 1 Sam. 11. 5 15. 12. 9. Psal. 89 These many do slight and refuse and both resist grieve quench the Spirit in its low and tender Appearance to their own Destruction and Misery when the Love and long Suffering of God is turned into Wrath and Indignation against them * How long before their Conformity to Christ were they appointed Was it from all Eternity or rather in their Age and Time Had not this and all other meer Acts and Works of God a beginning in their time and season considered as meer Acts Could this of his appointment then be from eternity and so far a Preappointment meerly respecting particular Persons and with exclusion of all besides from any saving Grace This is still harsh and partial and unequal contrary to God's Wayes although as the general Fore-appointment and Ordination of God concerning the true Believers and obedient is that they shall be saved So this Predestina ion or Fore-appointment includes or reaches all the many holy Brethren in whom Christ is formed Vid. Mass in Lat. Eng. by Ja. Mountain pag. 121 122 123. pag. 69. Pag. 69. Pag. 70. Pag. 70. Indef Seek pag. 71. The Light within the Rule Pag. 74. Vide Gill's Sermen on Eccl. 7. 19 20. in his Essay * Dialoge 1 Cor. 15. 22 23. 2 Cor. 5. 1. 8. Phil. 1. 21. Acts 17. 30 31. Mat. 10. 15. 11. 22 24. 12. 36. Job 21. 30. 2 Pet. 2. 9. 3. 7. Psal. 102. 25. Hebr. 1. 10 11 21. See also 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chap. 19. 〈◊〉 * He takes It for Idem the Self same Body but where hath he this â—…ither from the Greek or Latine on the place cited Isa. 3. 9. Luk. 20. 35. * T. D. 〈◊〉 Note Pag. 16. * Note Then not the same gross Bodies but as a pure Extract * Which cannot be This 〈◊〉 Flesh. * Not Why are we not then to have as spiritual a Sense of the Resurrection * Nay they shall have far better * A Glory 〈◊〉 that of 〈◊〉 Earthly Bodies * Not only as spiritually qualified but as a spiritual Body * Which excel all Terrestrial Bodies * Concerning the Judgment of the Wiked * Which is not Carnal but Spiritual * And who must make so vile and like Devils * And who must drag the Devils to Judgment then if they must be so officious for Justice * What sad Work 's here * He thinks of a Good Place for himself however * Rather an empty talk to sell at a dear raâ—… * Presbyters are not wont to be so free * Is it so then God did not decree it as his own meer Wist Pleasure 〈◊〉 personal Election and Reprobation * Was he so Good Doctrine But then he did not decree their Damnation from eternity * True then the true light was freely given to them to shew them the Way out of evil * That was their Fault still and not Gods Decreâ—… * What will become of the Covetous Priests and Presbyters then * And so did many of the Presbyters when parish Priests * An Uncharitable Sentence * The guilty Conscience and dâ—…filed Mind is attended with such Imaginations of Torments which though they are not real but Imaginary yet they produce a real Torment and Horror to some and in these things appears an Image of that future Darkness that the Wicked will have their due Rewards in But these frightfull Stories of T. Vincent's do not fright People out of their Sins nor reach their Consâ—… for that End They must be directed to the LIGHT which discovers Sin and disturbeth Men in their wicked Courses as he corâ—…sesseth To this they must come and bring their Deeds whoever escape Damnation or attain to the blessed Resurrection and future Glory From a true Sence and Knowledge of the Terrors of the Lord men may be perswaded from Evil to Good and their Hearts become broken with a sence of his Goodness therein when meer Dreams and Fancies will not fright them to Heaven nor truly reduce them from any Sin or Evil. * Note 2 Cor. 5.
Love of God not to believe every wandring Book or Story that is out against us but hear us before he passeth Judgement against us and then let his Conscience tell if We are not the True Apostolical Christians promoting the Interest of the Pure Spiritual Apostolical Religion For what we believe and assert we Witness We don't Steal nor Robb our Neighbours God has brought it to us beyond all Imitation Our Religion He has made our Own through his internal Operations And against Convictions there is no standing as well as without them there can be no solid Knowledge the want of which makes the World miserable renders us unknown Having thus Historically introduc'd my present Discourse and my Witness is with God the Rightteous Judge of all not out of ill-Will to any but in perfect Love to all that the very Truth of things may be brought to Light in order to a more clear Understanding of that Controversie which is now on foot betwixt the so much despised Quakers and their Adversaries For this let all know I Write not for Controversie but truly for Conscience sake that not empty Conquest but sound Conviction may be the End of all my Labours for the Lord my God who is over and above every Name worthy of Eternal Praises and Dominion I shall conclude with these Earnest Desires in uprightness of Soul to God that Truth Righteousness and Peace may prevail to the more plain Detection of Error and utter Confusion of all Envy and Prejudice THE CONTENTS OF THE First Part. CHAP. I. The Occasion of the Discourse The unhanâ—…some Dealing of T. Hicks with respect to the Invented Weakâ—…ess 〈◊〉 charges upon the Quakers as the strength of their Cause Pag. 1. CHAP. II. The Gross Lyes Tho. Hicks tells in the Name of or fastens upon the Quakers Such Proceeding full of Envy Folly and Ungodliness pag. 4. CHAP. III. That he does not only make us impertinent and Lye But he mannages the Whole prophanely That he who is an Anabaptist has forgot the Scorn once cast upon his own Perswasion Men are not to be mockt out of their Religion pag. 7. CHAP. IV. That a Right-Relish of the Manner of the Dialogue is a sufficient Antidote against the Matter of it His Questions stated His feigned Answer A True Answer to the First What is Salvation To be saved from Sin and Wrath not Wrath without Sin pag. 10. CHAP. V. The second Question stated Particularly what is meant by Light It is more then an Act It is a Principle that discovers the Sate of Man pag. 12. CHAP. VI. That the Light Within manifests Sin yea all Sin That Apostacy or Sin in any is no Argument against the Light but rather for it That the Additional Services of the Jews show No Imperfection in the Light but the People whose Minds were abroad If Insufficiency against the Light should be admitted of because of Rebâ—…llion and Wickedness in Men the same would be objected against the Scriptures which overthrows our Adversary's Assortion concerning their Sufficiency pag. 13. CHAP. VII Another Objection against the Light 's Sufficiency to manifest what ought to be done though it were able to discover what should be avoided It is answered The Light 's not telling 〈◊〉 all it knows or man may know in time to come is no Argument to prove it knows not all things Men know more then they do let them first obey what they know and then what is convenient will be further Reveal'd It is proved from the Reason of Contraries because it showâ—… what ought not to be done From Scripture at large that 〈◊〉 instruct what to do and that there is Vertue in it to the Salvation of all that Believe and Obey it That there is no â—…ssential Difference between the Seed Light Word Spirit Life Truth Power Vnctioâ—… Bread Water Flesh and Blood only so denominated from the various Manifâ—…stations Operatioâ—…s and Effects of one and the same Divine Principle pag. 17. CHAP. VIII An Objection against the Light 's 〈◊〉 Being to Christ's Coming It is proved to have been known to be a saving Light from Adam ' s Day through the Holy Patriarâ—…s and â—…rophets time down to Châ—…ist's from the Scriptures of Truth pag. 25. CHAP. IX Another Objection that though the Jews had it it will not fâ—…llow that the Gentiles were so illuminated It is Answered by several Scriptures In this Chapter quoted to prove that they were not exempted but had a measure of Light some Divine Seed sown in their Hearts some Talent given and that it was sufficient T. Hicks ' s Challenge to give an Instance of one that by the Light within was reprov'd for not believing that Jesus was the Christ is answered Such as believed in the Light and walkt up to it did receive Christ when he came The high Pretenders were they who to Scriptures Opposed and Crucifiâ—…d him The Light from Scripture concluded Universal and Saving pag. 31. CHAP. X. That the Gentiles Believed in one God That he enlightned all Men with a saving Light That Men ought to live piously That the Soul is immortal That there is an Eternal Recompence The Whole call'd Gentile-Divinity The first Point proved by sixteen Testimonies pag. 41. CHAP. XI The second Fundamental of Gentile-Divinity viz. That God hath Imprinted the Knowledge of Himself on the Mind of all Mankind Proved from twelve pregnant Tâ—…stimonies as well of whole Societies as particular Persons Compared with Scripture pag. 52. CHAP. XII That this was not only the Doctrine and Faith of the Gentiles but the very primitive Doctors or Fathers both so held and so exprest themselves Eight Testimonies produced for Proof thereof pag. 60. CHAP. XIII The Third Part of Gentile-Divinity viz. That they were Men of Vertuous Lives and taught the Indispensibleness thereof to Life Eternal Prov'd by Numerous Instancâ—…s pag. 66. CHAP. XIV That the last Point of Gentile-Divinity to wit Immortality and Eternal Rewards is also very clearly and positively held forth by the ancient Heathens Six Testimonies from them to prove it Socrates ' s Great Faith in particular and the lofty Strain of the Pythagoreans pag. 76. CHAP. XV. That the Heathens had a Sight of the Coming of Christ That and not Swearing proves the Sufficienâ—…y of the Light pag. 80. CHAP. XVI It is granted that the Jew and much more the Christian hath the Advanâ—…age of the Gentile yet that the Gentile had enough to Salvation pag. 84. CHAP. XVII A great Objection stated Answered The Light both Law and Gospel not in the same Discovery but in it self A Way to reconcile the seeming Difference about it The Light still defended pag. 86. CHAP. XVIII The second Part of the Objection that Christ was not anciently called the Light Answered And the Contrary proved from Scripture and Reason pag. 91. CHAP. XIX The third Part of the Objection If Christ was enjoyed under the Law as he was If the Light be Christ why was he typified is
this World who had crept into the Outward Forms of Religion then as now and in that employ'd many Emissaries to decry that Pure Heavenly and Invisible Life of Truth and Righteousness which was then and is now begotten in the Hearts of many to the ending of the Idolatries of the Gentiles and Formality and Outward Services of both Jews and Carnal Christians And I affirm in the Name of God and with the Reason of a Man That it is most preposterously absurd for any to charge the Rebellion of Men to be Insufficiency in the Light For if men are Wicked not because they will not be better but because they neither see nor know nor are able to do better How Heavy how Black and how Blasphemous a Charecter doth the Consequence of these Mens Opinion fasten upon the Righteous God of Heaven and Earth since it supposes him Not to have given either Inwardly or Outwardly unto Men Means sufficient to do that which he requires from them and for the not doing of which they are to be sentenced to Eternal Misery But I confess How deep soever this may stick with Impartial Spirits I almost despair of entering our Adversaries whose Souls are pinch'd up within the narrow Compass of a most Detestable Kind of Predestination making the Eternal God as Partial as themselves like some Ancients That because they could not Resemble God they would make such Gods as might Resemble them I say what else can be the tendency of this kind of Doctrine against the Sufficiency of the Light Within then that the Gift of God is not Perfect or able because Men don't Obey it and that the Talent God has given to all is therefore Insufficient for the End for which it was given because Man hides it in a Napkin Again Let them tell me Would it be a good Argument that if the same Corn should be sown in a Fertile and Barren Soile that growing in one and not in the other the Fault should be in the Seed and not rather in the Ground Who knows not how Tradition and Custom have eaten out much of Conviction blinded the World and that it is through Lusts and Pleasures become stupified as to the Invisible Things of God Alas there had never been so much Need of many Exteriour Dispensations and Appearances in reference to Religion so much preferred by the Professors of this Day had not Mens Minds been departed from the Inward Light and Life of Righteousness so that they being abroad God was pleased to meet them there with some External Manifestations yet so as to turn them home again to their first Love to that Light and Life which was given of God as the Way to Eternal Salvation Nor could any of those cleanse as concerning the Conscience wherefore God still by his Servants and Prophets admonished and warned the People of Old To Put Away the Evil of their Doings and to Wash themselves and to Cleanse themselves for that all their Exactness in Outward Services was otherwise but as the Cutting off a Dog's Neck a Sacrifice equally pleasing wherefore the Abrogation of all Outward Dispensations and Reducing Man to his first State of Inward Light and Righteousness is called in Scripture The Times of Refreshment and of the Restitution of all things In short Though there have been External Observations and Ordinances in the World by God's appointment either to prevent the Jews from the Outward splendid Worship of the Idolatrous Gentiles that he might retain a Peculiar Soveraignity over them or to show forth unto them a more Hidden and Invisible Glory this remains sure forever That Light there was and that the Ancients saw their Sins by it and that there could be no Acceptance with God but as they walk'd up to it and were taught to put away the Evil of their Doings by it suitable to that Notable Passage The Path of the Just is a shining Light that shines clearer and clearer unto the Perfect Day What was this Day but compleat Salvation Can there be any Imperfection or Darkness in the Day Surely no What if their Light was not so large Was it not therefore Saving Yes surely But as where much is given much is required so where little is given but little is required If the Light was not so Gloriously manifested before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Flesh less was then required at that time then since yet it follows not that there was Two Lights or that the Light was not Saving before the Visible Appearance of Christ to as many as lived in an Holy Conformity to it And if it be agreed that Blindness in Men can be no Argument against the Light of the Sun neither is the Light Insufficient because the People of any Nation remain Blind through their Vain Customs Nay should any such Doctrine be admitted what would become of our Adversary's Opinion That the Light of Scripture is Sufficient of it self to give Men the Knowledge of God For if those People who have the Scriptures do not so Know Believe and Obey God as T. Hicks says they ought to do will it not follow upon his Principles that the Defect is not in such as if they were Ignorant and Rebellious but in the Scriptures Certainly the Consequence will hold as well against the Scriptures as the Light If then such wrong the Scriptures who so dispute Let T. Hicks I intreat him endeavour to Right the Light and not longer maintain a Position that being admitted would equally overturn his Notion of the Scriptures without Belief of the Light Within CHAP. VII Another Objection against the Lights Sufficiency to manifest what ought to be done though it were able to discover what should be avoided It is answerd The Lights not telling man all it knows or man may know in time to come is no Argument to prove it knows not all things Men know more then they do let them first Obey what they know and then what is convenient will be further Reveal'd It is proved from the Reason of Contraries because it shows what ought not to be done From Scripture at large that it does instruct what to do And that there is Vertue in it to the Salvation of all that Believe and Obey it That there is no Essential Difference between the Seed Light Word Spirit Life Truth Power Unction Bread Water Flesh and Blood onely so denominated from the various Manifestations Operations and Effects of one and the same Divine Principle BUt there is a Second Objection That there seems to be a manifest Insufficiency in the Light For though several things are Revealed by it yet several necessary matters are not nor cannot So that though it should manifest all that is Reproveable yet cannot it Discover all that is Necessary to be either Believed or Done I Answer this is but a peece of the former Objection already considered I perceive the Pinch lies here that because Men do not Do what they should or don't Know
Epistles to Hermodorus his Friend he thus seemeth after a while to address himself to Eutycles and the rest of his Enemies that Impeacht him for being an Enemy to their Stony Gods Thus I shall be condemned of Impiety by the Impious What thinkest thou Shall I seem Impious to them for Dissenting from their Gods If Blind Men were to Judge of Sight they would say that Blindness were Sight But O ye Ignorant Men teach us first what God is that when ye declare us to be Impious you may be believed Where is God shut up in Temples O Pious Men he speaks Ironically or by Contraries WHO PLACE GOD IN THE DARK You Ignorant People KNOW YOU NOT THAT GOD IS NOT MADE WITH HANDS This is a most Clear and Ample Testimony against their Idols mixt with a Religious Derision yet qualified by a kind of Lamentation Surely Heraclitus believed in God yea and that he was Light too and such a one as should never set by whom he else-where says He had overcome the Enemies of his Soul VII ANAXAGORAS esteemed Noble by Birth but more Noble for his Knowledge and Vertue who was Master to Socrates taught thus concerning God That God is an Infinite Selfmoving Mind that this Divine Infinite Mind is the Efficient Cause of all things every thing beingmade according to its Species by the Divine Mind who when all things were confusedly mingled together CAME AND REDUCED THEM TO ORDER Which doubtless is so true that Anaxagoras had no small Share of true Light to give this Account of both God and the Creation And indeed his Memory was Celebrated by the Greeks for having very much improved that Discovery they had concerning God and Immortality VIII SOCRATES that Good Heathen if without Plat. phaed. Offence to the Professors of Christianity I may say it not only confesseth to ONE God but I am of Opinion they will think he gives good Reason why he doth so He first layes down That the Mind which they frequently call God by is the Disposer and Cause of all things Or in other words of his thus God To these Notable Arguments urged for the Proof of a Divine Super-intelligent Being and his Creation and Providence may well agree those Pathetical Expressions of Job the Psalmist and several Prophets Evangelists and Apostles concerning God's Creating the World and upholding it to this day his laying the Foundations thereof his Providence over the Lillies and the Sparrows his bringing forth Fruits in due season his Lights by Day and by Night that the Disciples should take no Thought what they shall Eat and Drink or put on That there is a Spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Almighty gives Understanding and lastly Can any hide himself in secret Places and I not see him saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24 No If I take the Wings of the Morning and flee to the uttermost Part of the Earth thou art there Psal. 139. 9. And by me Kings Raign and Princes Decree Justice saith God Prov. 8. 15 And is every-where Josh. 2. 11 And orders all Wisd. 11. 20. 12. 15 There is but One God and none else besides him Eph. 4. 6 In the beginning God Created the Heaven and Earth Gen. 1. 1 2 3 In him we Live Move and have our Being Acts 17. 21 Thus he Sees and Hears all and is Every-where Psal. 34. 9 10 11. is ONE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PERFECT in Him-self giving the Being and Well-being of every Creature And this he giveth his Reasons for * Xen. memor 1. That GOD Not CHANCE made the World and all Creatures is Demonstrable from the Reasonable Disposition of their Parts as well for Use as Defence from their Care to preserve themselves and continue their Species that he particularly regards Man in his Body from the Excellent Upright Form thereof from the Gift of Speech from Allowance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Soul from the Excellency thereof above others both for Divinations and Praedicting Dangers that he regards Particulars from his Care of the whole Species that he will Reward such as Please him and Punish such as Displease him from his Power to do it AND FROM THE BELIEF HE HATH IMPRINTED IN A MAN THAT HE WILL DO IT professed by the most Wise and Civilized Cities and Ages THAT HE AT ONCE SEETH ALL THINGS from the Instances of his Eye which at once over-runs many Miles and of the Mind which at once considereth things done in the most distant Places * Id. eod That God knoweth all things whether they be SAID DONE or SECRETLY DESIRED * Id. 4. That God takes Care of all Creatures is demonstrable from the Benefits he gives them of Light Water and Fire Seasonable Production of Fruits of the Earth That he hath particular Care of Man from the Nourishment of all Plants and Creatures for Man's Service from their Subjection to Man though they Exceeded him never so much in Strength from the Variety of Man's Sense accommodated to the Variety of Objects for Necessity Use and Pleasure from Reason whereby he discoursed through Reminiscence from sensible Objects from Speech whereby he communicates all that he knows gives Laws and governs States That God notwithstanding he is Invisible hath a Being from the Instances of his Ministers invisible also as Thunder and Wind AND FROM THE SOUL OF MAN WHICH HATH SOMETHING WITH OR PARTAKES OF THE DIVINE NATURE in Governing those that cannot see it Finally THAT HE IS SUCH AND SO GREAT AS THAT HE AT ONCE SEES ALL HEARS ALL IS EVERY-WHERE AND ORDERS ALL. So that here is both Socrates his Faith in God and his Reasons for it drawn from the outward Creation and the inward Divine Sence that from the Divine Instinct or Nature he receiv'd in which he lived and for which he willingly dy'd as afterwards may be related IX TIMAEUS Locrus in his Work of Nature thus Argumentatively expresseth himself in One Principle of all is Unbegotten for In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God the Word was God all things were made by him c. John 1. 1 2 3 4 if it was Begotten then were it no more that Principle but that of which it were Begotten would be the Principle Suitable to this saith CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS Clem. Alex. * TIMAEUS affirms namely Hear O Strom. L. 5. 2 King 19. 19. Mark 12. 32. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Israel the Lord thy God is One and him only shalt thou Serve Thus did he endeavour to Refute the Gentiles and prove the Scriptures out of their own Writings But again That God is and that he is a Spirit De Anim. and that he is the AUTHOR Mund. God is a Spirit John 4. 24. God said Let there be Light and there was Light Gen 1. 3 He is the Father of Lights Jam. 1. 17. of all Light Which how Sober and True it is let the Scriptures
Law finished He that would be justified must first be condemned and who would be healed must first be wounded The Law is as the Sword the Gospel as Balm The one Duty the other Love And that which alone is needful to attain unto the highest Discovery is to be humbly subject and constantly obedient to the lowest Appearance of it The faithful Servant becomes a Son by Adoption Wouldst thou know the Word a Reconciler thou must first witness it an Hammer Sword Fire c. The Way to arrive at Evangelical Righteousness is first to perform the Righteousness of the Law By Law I mean not that of Ceremonies or the External Order of the Jews but that Moral Eternal Law which is said to have come by Moses and is accomplisht by Christ. And there is great Hopes that who Conscientiously keeps the Beginning will compass the End Such as have Conquer'd bad Doing if they be faithful in what they have received of God's Light and Spirit it will inable them against bad Saying till at last they overcome evil Thinking too and witness that Scripture fulfilled Judgment the Law is brought forth into Victory the Gospel He that follows me the Light of the World that inlightens all Men coming into the World shall not abide in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life I make not this Distinction of Law and Gospel to distinguish in Kind but Degree and for the sake of the Weak accustomed to it And if the Son make you free then are you free indeed For as it is a Condemner it may be called the Light that brings Death in that it slays by the Brightness of it's coming into the Conscience the transgressing Nature like unto that Expression the Day of the Lord is a Day of Darkness because of the Judgments and Terrors of the Lord for Sin But to the Obedient it is the Light of Life Thus is Christ as the Word-God and Light of the World through every Dispensation ONE in himself though to Mankind he has variously appeared not by Differing Lights but Manifestations only of one and the same Eternal Light of Life and Righteousness CHAP. XVIII The Second Part of the Objection that Christ was not anciently called the Light Answered And the Contrary proved from Scripture and Reason TO the Second Part of the Objection If the Light in every Man were Christ how comes it that the Jews and Greeks never called it so I answer We do not say that the Light in every Man is Christ but of Christ He is that Fulness from whence all receive a Measure of Divine Light and Knowledge but not that every Individual has the whole or compleat Christ in him such an Absurdity never fell from us nor our Doctrine though the Malice of our Adversaries hath charged it upon both But as the External Sun darts its Light upon the Organ of the Eye of the Body by which it conveyes true Discerning to act how in and about Visibles so doth the Internal Sun of Righteousness shine upon the Eye of the Soul giving it the Knowledge of those invisible Things which properly relate to the Nature of the Soul So that we are the less oblieged to give a Reason why others called not the Light in Man Christ since we renounce all Share in such Belief our selves Which is Answer enough to T. H's dis-ingenuous Inference that because G. W. affirmed the Light with which Mankind was inlightned was God therefore sayes T. H. Every Man his whole God in him or to that Purpose p. 5 6. Yet thus far I will tell those Men that Christ was called Light before ever he was in the World though not before he was Christ. I will give him for a Light to lighten the Gentiles c. Now if any will say that this Light was not Christ let them tell us so in plain words But if it will be allowed then T. Hicks had best ask why the Prophet by the Holy Ghost should call Christ Light even as soon if not before he was called Christ and why in that very State in which he was called Christ he should be called Light Certain it is then that by Him the Light we are to understand Christ which is one and the same thing as if he had said I will give Christ for a Light to enlighten the Gentiles or who is the Christ is the Light or the Light is Christ So that it will follow that the Gentiles were inlightened by Christ which is the Whole of what we understand by our Assertion as to the Light in Man Again John expresly calls that Light with which every Man is inlightned the Word and the Word is said to have taken Flesh If then he that took Flesh was Christ and consequently that Body Christ's Body only as none I think will dare deny but Muggleton and his Credulous Followers it will follow That Christ who took or appeared in that prepared Body is the Light with which every Man is inlightned Further Christ himself sayes I am the Light of the World which is as much as if he had said I have inlightned the World therefore the Light which shines in the Hearts of Mankind is Christ though not every particular Illumination the entire Christ for so there would be as many Christs which were Absurd and Blasphemous But Lastly the Apostle himself calls him Christ before his Coming in the Flesh or that Christ was Christ before his Appearance in that Body at Jerusalem which clears that Point in Controversie for the Stress of T. Hicks's Objection as to this Particular lies here Christ as Christ was not before he took Flesh therefore though I should grant might he say and he doth say as much that as the Word-God all are inlightened by him yet sayes he not as he is Christ before that visible Appearance One would think he were a very Socinian by his Arguing not that I write so in Slight Abuse or Reflection but if Christ was not before then the Manhood that was taken in time must be the Christ and what should materially hinder their Conjunction I know not But I would fain know his Reason for it if it be Lawful to expect what I fear he has not to give however if he darest he would give you his Interest in lieu of a Reason for his so holding but that I shall do for him and with Impartial Minds it will be a Reason against him The Dilemma in short is this If he denies Christ to have been Christ before that Coming he thwarts as plain a Text as the Scriptures have and if he should allow of it his whole Fabrick now a Fortification he thinks would fall like a rotten House about his Ears Well but I will tell him and all concern'd for his base Opposition That since Christ as the Word-God hath illuminated all Men antecedent to his Coming in the Flesh as confesses T.H. J.G. J.F. and many more of them that the Apostle says that the Word
was Christ or Christ was before he came in the Flesh for Christ was in the Wilderness a Rock to Israel unless Christ and the Word are two distinct Beings or that there be two distinct Christs Christ was that Light with which Mankind was illuminated or that Light Mankind was inlightned with was the very Christ and consequently the Light has been called both expresly and implicitly Christ before that visible Appearance at Jerusalem Nor is the Allegation of that Scripture pertinent to the Matter in hand viz. Which none of the Princes of this World knew c. brought by T. H. for that was spoken in reference to the Wisdom which had been hid and not the meer Manhood of Christ But suppose it had deeply concern'd it we have this to say that such as rejected much more those that crucified him in his outward Appearance had first despised and slain him within They were of those who Rebel against the Light and Love not the Wayes thereof And I affirm against all Opposers that it was by that Sight the Light within gave to Simeon Peter Nathanael and all others who believed in him that they Confessed him and Suffered for him such as had not so Out-sinned their Day Defiled their Conscience Clouded their Understandings and Hardned their Hearts as others by Wicked Works had done but through the Light of the Lord had in good measure kept their Consciences void of Offence they received and imbraced him The Light knew its own The Lesser led to the Greater and the Greater Light as naturally attracted the Lesser as we may see Fire do every day To conclude this Particular let me add that they were not the Princes of this World that put him outwardly to Death for it came by the Envious Accusations and most Inveterate Suggestions of the Jews a Broken Conquered People to Pilate but Governour of a Province therefore since I believe what the Apostle saith to be true I have rather Reason to infer that it was meant of Christ Mystically then of that Visible Body However it be that part of our Adversaries Objection about the Light 's not being call'd Christ antecedent to his Coming in the Flesh can be of no Weight to the Matter under Debate since we have so evidently made the Contrary appear CHAP. XIX The Third Part of the Objection If Christ was enjoyed under the Law as he was if the Light be Christ why was he Typified Is proved of no Force The Type and Anti-type in some Respects may be at one and the same time this is proved by 〈◊〉 of Scripture Our Adversaries Oppostion and Cavil Weak and Insuccessful THe Third Part of the Objection and what seems at first sight to carry something of moment against us is this If the Light Within be Christ and the Jews and Gentiles had it from the beginning of the World how can Christ be said to be typified out as not come and Prophesied of to come when by your own Principle he has been alwayes come I answer This part of the Objection is in some respect built upon the same Mistake as was the second namely that the Light within is intirely Christ concerning which I have plainly and truly exprest my self before I will therefore faithfully state the Question for them thus Well but still you say Christ inlightned Jews and Gentiles before that visible Coming if so then was he come by your own Principle whilst his very Coming was typified out and Prophesied of Doth not this seem a Contradiction But to this I say that the supposed Contradiction ariseth from the Mistake of the Dispensations for it takes for granted that there was no Difference in the Degree of Illumination before and at the Coming of Christ after that visible Manner into the World which all must needs confess For as I would be understood when I call the Light before and after Christ's Coming in the Flesh Light to mean but one and the self-same Light in Nature So let none apprehend that we make not a Difference by the Acknowledgment of a more eminent Manifestation of the same Light What follows then Why thus much most clearly That under the Enjoyment of the Lesser Manifestation of Light suited to the then Childish State of the Jews God was pleased to allure them after an Expectation of at least a Belief in higher things by Types and Prophecyes of that far more Excellent and Exceeding Glorious Dispensation of the Light and Love of God in after Ages The End of God's giving the Israelites that outward Prophet and Leader Moses was to bring to the Inward which though they through Carnality and Weakness were not then sensible of him so as to stay their Minds upon him yet Moses prophesied of him and all the External Dealings have been with respect to bring to the Seed within which is able to bruise the Serpent's Head and did so in some measure through all Ages So that in good Reason and Truth may we assert Christ the Light was the Rock that follow'd Israel in the Wilderness who is the Rock of Ages and Foundation of all Generations who ever enlightned all Mankind the same yesterday to day and forever yet a greater Manifestation of that Divine Light might be typically preacht forth under the Enjoyment of the Lesser And that we herein are not without the Suffrage of the Scriptures to our Defence I would fain know of T. Hicks or who else that is concerned against us If notwithstanding all those outward Washings of those Times God did not frequently press the very Substance it self namely a Clean Heart and a New Spirit accounting all short thereof but as the Cutting off a Dog's Neck And whether Christ himself did not with his own Hands give the Bread and the Wine to his Disciples and yet bid them do it till he came Whence it is easie to observe that unless Tho. Hicks and the rest of those Contenders say with the Papists The Bread and Wine are very Christ and so make Christ giving Christ thereby destroying the Nature of a Sacrament and instead of doing it till he come that he should come when-ever they do receive it which Ignorance I will not suppose him or them guilty of I say unless then that they were of one Mind with the Romanists in the Matter of the Supper it must be granted to us that Christ present gave them a Figure of Christ to come therefore to figure out Christ to come destroyes not Christ's being come especially with our most necessary Distinction of the lesser Manifestation from the greater which nevertheless divides not the Light but that remains in it self one Pure Eternal Being of Light and Sun of Righteousness through every Dispensation This that Passage I have already observed from the Apostle Paul in Answer to the second part of the Objection plainly clears to us For if Christ typified out was their Rock or the Rock of that Age even when the Brazen Serpent the Type was
that Illumination God has given me in Moderation the very Truth Weight and Tendency of the Outward Coming of Christ and his deep Sufferings by and for the World And also the Nature of his Inward Coming into the Souls of Men to expel the Darkness that lodgeth there In both which respects I confess him to be the Saviour of the World in general and the Saviour of each Man in particular But that the Benefit accruing to Men from Him as the general Saviour is known and received only where he is witnessed a particular Saviour and that I will abide by For Christ in Man becoming the Hope of Glory and Man's being changed into the same Image from Glory to Glory even as by the Spirit of the Lord is the Salvation and Perfection of every True Christian. CHAP. XXII That Christ is the Light or the Light is Christ. proved from Scripture and so concluded notwithstanding two Objections which are fully answered THat which remains to compleat our Scriptural Discourse of the Light is to pronounce it that which H. H. J. Faldo Tho. Hicks and a Multitude of other Barkers at it despise to call it and don 't a little undervalue both us and It because we do I mean CHRIST Not that the Manifestation of Light in every Conscience is the Intire Christ but that Christ the Word-God is that Light of Righteousness which inlightens all Men for which the Scripture is most express in that so well known but little believed Passage delivered to us by that beloved â—…isciple who best knew what his Lord was and stood in no need of any of their Information how to denominate or rightly character him although they and others implicitely accuse him of Weakness Obscurity nay Error if not Blasphemy too who make it all this and if it were possible more in a poor Quaker for only Believing on pure Gonviction this one weighty Passage THAT WAS THE TRUE LIGHT WHICH INLIGHTENS ALL MANKIND COMING INTO THE WORLD I have so throughly handled this Matter in a late Book intituled the Spirit of Truth Vindicated that I need the less to enlarge at this time to which I refer the Reader for Satisfaction concerning some Objections raised against the place However I will briefly consider it here that our Believing Christ to be an Universal and Sufficient Light and that to be Christ may stand in the View of the World upon so good Foundation as the Testimony of that Divine and well-beloved Apostle Two things are commonly urg'd against our Understanding of the first Nine Verses of John as they respect the Light 1. Some say that the Light here spoken of is not a Super natural and consequently no Saving Light but the Light of common Reason Others call it of Nature decay'd by the Fall and what Conviction ariseth thence is only the Imperfect Remains of that Natural Light which these Men who thus speak grant all to have as well before as after Christ's coming in the Flesh. 2. Others say that this is indeed an Universal and Saving Light but they restrain it to that Visible Appearance and make the ALL to be all those that will believe and the World to be that New Spiritual World Christ came to create by Saving Knowledge which Believers come into I will briefly answer both and therein as well all the pretended Anti-Socinians viz J. Owen R. Baxter T. Danson J. Clapham J. Bunnion S. Eaton J. Grig T. Imner T. Hicks and abundance more who hold the former as those who are reputed Socinians who hold the latter It is agreed by the First in the beginning of this Chapter that Christ's Eternal Divinity is declared by the Evangelist since some of them and particularly J. Owen tells us out of Eusebius that it was written on that very Occasion one Cerinthus then denying any such thing This Word which was with God and was and is God This God the same Person tells us in his first Epistle is Light By Him all things were made among the rest Mankind He then tells us that This Word had Life and from thence descends to inform us what the Word was with respect to Man In Him the Word was Life and the Life the Light of Men as such He was that True Light and not John who only came to bear Witness of that True Light which inlightens all Mankind coming into the World That this Light is Divine and no otherwise Natural then as it is Christ's Nature or Natural to the Word I shall thus prove Man is here supposed to be before he was inlightened therefore what ever was proper and connatural to Man as Man he had before he was inlightened that is he had a reasonable Soul indued with intelligent Faculties and that clothed with a Body fitted with sensible Organs The Latter differ'd him from Inanimate the Former from Irrational Creatures But still the Light with which this Soul is enlightened in reference to God and things appertaining to its Eternal Well being belongs not to Man as Man Surely then this Light must be superadded that is over and above Man's Composition as a meer Understanding Creature and consequently it must descend from above and in this Sense be Supernatural Thus the Word created all things and among them made Man enlightened Man with a Supernatural Light That this Light was not only over and above Man's Nature but is also of a Divine and Saving One in it self 〈◊〉 prove from its being the Life of the Word for if the Life of the Word be the Light of Men here is no such thing as descending to an Effect to prove the Light Divine a that the Life should bring forth a Light and therefore this Light is Divine because the Life of the Word that Product it is so I say without going to an Effect for a Proof of the Light 's Divinity I thus Undeniably prove it from the Life it self for that very Divine LIFE is the LIGHT not that it createth or brings forth a Light as a Cause doth an Effect but is that very Light it self so that unless they will make that Life Natural I mean as they do Created though very improperly for a Divine Life is Natural to Christ they cannot conclude the Light which is not the Product but that very same Life it felf to be a meer Natural Light If then the very LIFE of the Word be the LIGHT of Men unless the LIFE of the Word be NATURAL the LIGHT of Men must be SUPERNATURAL DIVINE and INFINITE as it becomes the LIFE of the WORD which is GOD to be And this roundly checks the dull Ignorance or base Malice of Tho. Hicks who either could not or would not understand G. Whitehead when he said The Light must needs be Divine because the Life from whence it came is so and the Effect is alwayes of the same Nature with the Cause in any other sense then this That because saith Tho. Hicks God is the Cause of Beasts
Neglect as the Imperfection of them is either of his Insufficiency or Unwillingness that made them to do otherwise What is this but to say God expects Homage from Men as their Soveraign Lord and that they live uprightly in the World yet he has given them no Ability in order to do it He pronounces such Miserable who conform themselves not to an Holy Life but gives no Power to avoid the Curse In short though Reason tell us he made none purposely to Destroy them but rather that he might be glorified in their Salvation which he is also said to invite Men to yet that he designs nothing less by leaving any or all Mankind under the Faâ—…ntings of an Impossible Success But as such Dismal Consequences belong not to the Truth what ever share such kind of Calvinistical Predestinarians may have therein so we are well assured that the Light of which we speak has ever been Sufficient to the End for which it has been given in every Age both to Manifest Evil Condemn for it and Redeem by the Holy Inclinings and Operation of its Power those who are the Diligent Disciples of it For it seems most Unreasonable that the Spirit of Darkness should be sufficient to draw into and Destroy by Sin and yet the Spirit of Light not be sufficient to Redeem and Save from it Since therefore we cannot admit of any Insufficiency in the Light within but we must suppose that whilst God would be rightly worshipt he has too darkly discovered the Way how to do it aright that bis Gift is Impotent that Man is required to do what he has no Power to perform and that whilst God requires Man to serve him he hath not so much as shown him what way he ought to do it All which Consequences are most Unworthy of God We rather chuse to sit down contented with this Belief that God who made Man and has given him a Soul Capable of Knowing and Serving his Maker hath also endued him with Divine Knowledge by a SUPERADDED LIGHT AND POWER and enabled him thereby to live subservient to that Knowledge That God's Gift is perfect and sufficient for that Work and that such as are led by it must needs be led to God unto which that Divine Light naturally tends and attracts as that from whom it came which is certainly a State of blessed Immortality In short accept these few Arguments Comprehensive of these two Chapters and indeed most of what goes before 1. God requires no Man to do any thing he has nog given him first to Know and theâ—… Power to Do. But God requires every Man to fear him and work Righteousness Consequently He has given every Man both a Discovery of his Will and Power to do it 2. No Man ought to worship the true God Ignorantly But every Man is commanded to worship God therefore He is to do it Knowingly 3. No Man can know God but He must â—…over it to him and that cannot be without Light therefore every Man has Light 4. This Light must be Sufficient or God's Gifts are Imperfect and answer not the end for which they were given But God's Gifts are perfect and can perform what they are designed to therefore since the Light is his Gift it must be Sufficient The Sum is this Every Man ought to Fear Worship and Obey God No Man can do it aâ—…ight that knows him not No Man can know him but by the Discovery he makes of himself No Discovery can be made without Light Nor this Light give that Discovery if imperfect â—…r Insuffecient in Nature Therefore all have a Sufficient Light to this great End and Purpose viz. To Fear Worship and Obey God CHAP. XXV The 〈◊〉 Who He or They are that obey the Light c Considered and Answered being a Character of a true Quak r. AS I took Occasion to begin this Discourse from the late Dialogue so shall I end so much of it as immediately concerns the Light with my Answer to the third Query made by T. Hicks Wâ—…o this He or They are that obey this Light and in obeying attain Sâ—…lvation ' If I should take his Question as personally directed I mean what Man or Men they be I should decline to answer for the Controversy is not now of Person but Principles I rather take this to be his Meaning What are the Qualifications of those that obey this Light Not what are their Names but what kind or manner of People are they In short what is it to obey the Light I think I have so fully exprest my self already in this Matter that with an 〈◊〉 Adversary I might be saved the Pains of any further considering it But that nothing may be thought to be 〈◊〉 as Unanswerable which is so easy to be answered I tell him and all Men and that not without some Knowledge experimental of what I say That such 〈◊〉 the Light who 〈◊〉 all that it manifests to be Evil and inclines to perform all that it requires to be done For Example When the Light shows that it is Inconsistent with a Man fearing God to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Proud Covetous Backbiting Envious Wrathful Unmerciful Revengeful Prophane Drunken Voluptuoâ—… 〈◊〉 which with such like are called in Scripture the Fruits of the Flesh and Works of Darkness and Persons so qualified the Children of Wrath such as delight not to retain God in their Knowledge c. I say when the Light discovers these things to be Inconsistent with a Man fearing God He who truly Obeyes the Light denyes and forsakes them however Cress it be to Flesh and Blood and let it cost him never so dear Though Relations do both threaten and entreat the World mâ—…ck and he be sure to become the Song of the Drunckard and a Deâ—…ision to his Ancient Companions No he dare not conform himself any more to the Fashions of the World which pass away and that draw out the Mind into vain and unprofitable Delights by which the 〈◊〉 in him had been 〈◊〉 neither to gratifie the Lust of the Eye the Lust of the Flesh and the Pride of Life which are not of the Nature of his Father who has begotten better Desires in him He rejects the Conversation he once had in the World and in the Eye of its Children seems a Man Forlorn and Distracted he takes up the Cross despâ—…ses the Shame and willingly drinks oâ—… the Cup of bitter Mockings and yields to be baptized with the Baptism of deep Tryals Christ Jesus his Lord 〈◊〉 of and was baptized with He is as well taught to deny the Religions as Cares and Pleasures of the World Such as prosess Religion from what they have either been taught by others or read and gathered with their Carnal Minds in the Scriptures intruding into the Practices of either Prophets or Apostles as to External and Shadowy things not being led thereto by the same Power they had he can have no Fellowship with He
Consideration that Men perish for Want of it and can no more arrive at Truth without it then the distressed Mariner can gain his Port who sailes without either Star or Compass I shall begin with an Explanation of the Terms Rule and Faith of which we shall first treat that we may as well express what we intend by the one as what we mean by the other which will be a proper Introduction to the whole Discourse By General Rule c. we understand that Constant Measure or Standard by which Men have been in all Ages enabled to Judge of the Truth or Error of Doctrines and the Good or Evil of Thoughts Words and Actions By Faith we understand an Assent of the Mind in such manner to the Discoveries made of God thereto as to resign up to God and have Dependence upon him as the Great Creator and Saviour of his People which is inseparable from good Works That Men in all Ages have had a Belief of God and some Knowledge of him though not upon equal Discovery must be granted from that account that all Story gives us of Mankind in matters of Religion several have fully performed this Ofold Justin Martyr Clemens Alexandrinus Augustine and others of later times Du Plessy Grotius Amiraldus L. Herbert with many more And indeed the reliques we have of the most ancient Historians and Authors are a Demonstration in the Point Now the Scripture tells us that no Man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him And as none knows the things of Man save the Spirit of Man so the things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God Hence we may safely conclude that the Creating Word that was with God and was God in whom was Life and that Life the Light of Men who is the Quickning Spirit was He by whom God in all Ages must have been revealed consequently that Light or Spirit hath been the General Rule of mens Knowledge Faith and Obedience with respect to God And thus much Pythagoras that liv'd about Six Hundred Years before those Words were spoak or writ laid down for a Maxim viz. That no man can know what is agreeable to God except a man hear God himself that is within for that was his Doctrine To which the Apostle and Prophet thus agree 1. In that whatever makes manifest is Light 2. That whatever might be known of God was manifest within for God who is Light 1 Joh. 1. 5. had shewn it unto them And God hath shewn unto thee O Man what is good and acceptable c. which could not be without his Light shining in Man's Conscience Therefore the Light of God in the Conscience must needs have been the general Rule c. It was by this Law that Enoch Noah Abraham Melchisedeck Abimeleeh Job Jethro c. walked and were accepted as saith Irenaeus Tertullian They were Just by the Law written in their Hearts then was it their Rule to and in that just State Obj. It seems then you deny the Scripture to be the General Rule c. Answ. How can they be the General Rule that have not been General That which was both before and since they were in being must needs be more general then they But that was this Light in the Conscience the Law and Guide of those Patriarchs for the Scriptures began long after in Moses consequently that must be the general Rule c. Obj. But granting that the Light within were so before Scripture was extant yet since the Writing of holy Scripture the Scripture and not the Light hath been the general Rule Answ. That cannot be unless Palestina or Canaan a little Province of Asia was the whole World and the Jews a particular People all Mankind For at what time the Writings were among the Jews other Nations were only left to the Law and Light within This the Apostle confirmeth in that Passage For the Gentiles which have not the Law that is the outward Law or Law written do by Nature the things conteined in the Law which sheweth the Work of the Law written in their Hearts And the Gentiles themselves called it the immutable Law the everlasting Foundation of Vertue no liveless Precepts but immortal a sacred Good God the Overseer the living Rule the Root of the Soul that which makes the Good Man Thus Thales Pythagoras Socrates Plato Plotin Hieron Philo Plutarch as cited And saith Sophocles God grant that I may alwaies observe that venerâ—…ble Sanctity in my Words and Deeds which these noble Precepts writ 〈◊〉 Mans Heart requâ—…re God is their Father neither shall they ever be abrogated for there is in them a GREAT GOD that never waxeth Old More reverent Epithetes then John Faldo and T. Hicks can afford as their Books too openly witness yet would go for Christian-men though manifestly short of Heathens Thus is it evident that the Scripture was not the general Rule aâ—…ter it was given forth Obj. But hath it not been since and is it not now the general Rule c Answ. There hath been since and is now the same Impediment for before Christ's coming in the Flesh and since where the Scriptures never reach d there hath been the same Light And though Nations through not glorifying God as God when they have known him have bin so given up to all manner of Impieties as that their Understandings have been greatly vail'd yet did not the Light within so wholely loose its Ruling Exercise among them as that they lived without any Sence of such thing Therefore still the Scriptures have not been neither are the General Rule no not so much as of any Age since in no Age can it be prov'd that the whole World was furnished with them But had they been so for some one or two Ages as they never were yet the granting it will not reach our Question where the Word General implieth the Nature of the Thing it self respecting Mankind from the Beginning to this Day and so to the End Obj. But is not the Scripture the Rule c. of our Day Answ. If The Rule then the General Rule for whatsoever is The Rule of Faith and Life excludeth all other from being General they being but particular in respect of it self Therefore not The Rule of Faith and Life But besides their not being Cenetal I have several Reasons to offer why they cannot be The Rule of Faith and Life c. 1. If now the Rule then ever the Rule But they were not ever the Rule and therefore they cannot now be the Rule That they were not ever the Rule is granted But that they are not therefore now the Rule may be by some denyed which I shall prove If the Faith of God's People in all Ages be of one Nature then the Rule but of one Nature But clear it is Heb. 11. The Faith has been but of one Nature Consequently the Rule but of one Nature
received and abode in them would lead them iâ—…to all Truth and that they needed not that any man should teach them To deny this to have been the Saints Teacher is to deny as plain a Proposition as is in the whole Scripture and that one Age of Christianity should have one Rule and another Age another Rule that the Spirit we but the Letter is more then any Man can prove yet did John's so writing invalid the Scripture or vilifie his own Epistle Certainly none will talk so idly How then doth our lifting up the Light and Spirit of Christ which fulfils the Scriptures by bringing such as are led thereby to enjoy the good things therein declared reject and vilifie the Scriptures Does our living up to them by an higher Rule make us to deny and reprobate them Erasmus and Grotius think them then most to be valued when men are Witnesses of them see on 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. I do acknowledge they contain an Account of several heavenly Prophecies godly Reproofs and Instructions that ought to be obeyed Obj If so Then how are they not a Rule of Faith and Life Answ. A Rule and the Rule are not one and the same thing By the Rule of Faith and Life I understand the living spiritual immediate omnipresent discovering ordering Spirit of God And by a Rule some Instrument by and through which this great Rule may convey its Direction Such a subordinate secondary and dâ—…claratory Rule we never said several parts of Scripture were not yet the Reason of our Obedience is not meerly because they are there written that were legal but because they are the eternal Precepts of the Spirit in Mens Consciences there repeated and declared Iâ—… is the Tâ—…stimony of the Spirit that is the true Rule for believing and understanding of any or all the Scripture therefore not the Scripture but the Spirit of Truth must be the Rule for mens believing understanding c. Thus held the Ancients Tâ—…rtullian saith Worldly Wisdom the Lord calls Foolishne ss he hath chosen the soolish things of the World to the confounding of Philosophy for that is the Matter of Worldly Wisdom a divine Interpreter of the divine Nature and Disposings Justin Martyr in Exposit. â—…id The Interpretation of the Scriptures is to be a commodated to the Will of the Doctrine of the Spirit and not to human Reasonings Hieron saith The Scriptures musâ—… be opened with spiritual Exposition Epiphanius saith Only â—…o the Children of the holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and cleâ—…r Nor were the most approved Protestants of any sort who have been so reputed in Opposition to Popery of another mind It is the Substance of the sourth Article exhibited against the Lutherans in the Council of Trent as an Erroneous Doctrine they held That to understand the Scripture neither Gâ—…oss nor Comment is necessary but only to have the Spirit of a Sheep of Christ's Pasture Erasmus tells us What Man sets forth by Man's Deâ—…ice may be received by Man's Wit But the thing that is set forth by the Inspiraâ—…ion of the Holy Ghost requireth an Interpreter inspired with the like Spirit and without the Inspiration of it the Secrets of God cannot be known Luther giveth us his Mind thus The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were writ Peter Martyr that famous Italian Protestant teacheth us The Spirit is the Abettor by which we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's Words and a Strangers quoting Christ's Words My Sheep know my Voice and several other places of Scriptures Again The Spirit of God revâ—…aleth the Truth in the Scriptures H. Bullinger Decad. 4. Serm. 8. Men â—…etch the Understanding of Heavenly Things and Knoâ—…ge of the Holy Ghost from NOWHERE ELSE but from the same Spirit John Bradford answerd to the Arch-Bishop of York thus We know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them being thereby assured c. Calvin teacheth thus in his Institutes It is necessary the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophâ—…ts should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they faithfully delivered that which was committed to them of God Beza saith That the Way of understanding Prophecies and referring them to the right Scope must be sought or fetcht from the same Spirit which dictated them to the Prophets themselves and more to that purpose W. Tindal call'd the English Apostle by J. Fox saith It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more then a Turk for any that hath not the Law of God writ in the Heart to sulfil it Bp. Jewel thus against Harding The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharpness of Wit nor to Abundance of Learning Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPECIAL REVELATION Without this SPECIAL HELP and PROMPTING OF GOD's SPIRIT the Scripture is to the Reader be he never so Wisâ—… and well-Learned as the Vision of a sealed Book D. Ames a great Father of the Independents saith upon Bellarmin's wordâ—… The Anointing of the Holy Spirit doth teach the Faithful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles therefore to understand the Scriptures in those things which are necessary to Salvation with more to that purpose Vatablâ—…s on Job 32. 8. with Drusius Clarius and others speak to the same effect G. Crâ—…dock a famous Independent Preacher preacht That the Scripture is a Speechless thing without the Spirit Ch. Goad an eminent Separatist's Works styl'd B. D. of K. Colledge in Cambridge and an Independent Pastor thus taâ—…ght There is no Knowledge of Christ nor of the Scripture but by Revelation D. J. Owen a man of greatest Fame among the present Independents saith The publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of the holy Scripture is HE who is the AUTHOR of them from the BREATHING OF WHOSE SPIRIT IT DERIVETH ALL ITS VERITY PERSPICUITY AND AUTHORITY So that we see upon the Judgment of many considerable Persons the Scripture is no Rule for our believing and understanding of it self therefore not The Rule of Faith and Practice coâ—…cerning the things therein declared I will give a short Instance in Christ's words about Regeneration He taught and strange it was no doubt to wise Nicodemus That unlâ—…ss a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This is as plain a Proposition as can be laid down and may be credited Historically But what is that to any â—…s New Birth that they are never like to 〈◊〉 â—…formed of there Nor can that Scripture be my Rule in that Heavenly Travail respecting the many and wonderful Tryals and Exercises that are to be met with in it neither can any other Writing whatever This only is the Office of that Spirit Word immortal by which I am anew
begotten Who then is my Rule to inform order strengthen and lead through the whole Experience but the same Spirit All Doctrinal Scripture was experienced before written or they had not been true Witnesses who wrote it Now that which was their Rule can only guide us into the same Experiences nor are they to be known before experienced Do my Will and you shall know more of my Doctrine saith Christ. I read the History of such things This saves not Neither can the History be the Rule leading into the Mystery That belongs only to the Spirit that searcheth the deep things of God Consequently the Spirit and not the Scripture is the Rule for so believing and living Obj. But is not this to make void the Protestants Plea against the Papists That the Scriptures are the Rule of Faith and Practice Answ. No such matter For the Question was not Whether the Spirit of Christ or the Scripture was the Rule But Whether the Scripture God's Tradition or Popish Traditions were the Rule to measure the Truth of Doctrines and Practices by We grant that particular Scriptures rightly understood may measure what is agreeable or disagreeable to them that is such Doctrines and Practices as are contrary to that part of Scripture more particularly relating to our dayes are questionable by the Scripture especially since all Parties pretend what they say and do is according to Scripture Yet this concludes not the Scripture to be the General and Evangelical Rule Obj. But if God had not revealed those things that are in Scripture by it to us â—…ow could they have been known by us Answ. They were known by the Light and Spirit of Christ before written from whence they are call'd Scripture Therefore it is said That the Prophets searched diligently what and what manner of Time the Spirit of Christ that was in them did signifie when it testified before-hand of the Sufferings of Christ. Nor are they ever the more reveal'd to the blind and dark Mind because there written The Mysteries of Regeneration are as puzling to Natural Wit and Earthly Wisdom as before Therefore well said Epiphanius Only to the Children of the Holy Ghost all the Holy Scriptures are plain and easie Mens going to hammer out Principles without that infallible Guide and Rule hath been the Cause of that great Confusion that is over Mankind about Religion Obj. But how could you have known those Prophecies to be true for that is not matter of Witnessing but Fore-telling Answ. That is an extraordinary Revelation not falling within the ordinary Discoveries absolutely necessary to mans Salvation but to shew his Power Faithfulness that he is God and can and will fore-tell and bring to pass But therefore must there be an Extraordinary Light or Spirit and not rather an Extraordinary Sight and Seâ—…ne from one and the same Light and Spirit in them Besides That which gives me to believe and savour it to be from the Spirit and not by Imposture is my Rule for believing it Now that the Spirit so doth Calvin and Beza too as before cited assert for me viz. The same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophets must pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they faithfully declared that which was committed to them of God Obj. But this Light you speak of could not tell you which way Sin came into the World That there was an Adam and Eve that they fell after that manner that Sin so entered the World That Christ was born of a Virgin suffered Death and rose again That you ought not to Swear in any case c. if the Scriptures had not told you so Answ. That is boldly said But consider well Moses sayes the vulgar Opinion had that Account above Two Thousand Years after the Creation by Revelation which we find in Genesis Now that there could be no Revelation without this Divine Light or Spirit which is the Life of the Eternal Creating Word must needs be granted For the Spirit of God knoweth only the Things of God and whatever makes manifest is Light And that the Spirit and Light are one though two Names has been sufficiently evidenced If then it was this Light of the Eternal Word that delivered these past things to Moses and gave that Prospect of future things to the Prophets as no doubt it was if Scripture be indubitable then to say the Light or Spirit could not do it is Blasphemous Again To argue because the Light does not reveal every Circumstance of History to each Individual that hath already an Account that therefore it could not is ridiculous Were the History of the Transactions of Christ and his Followers wanting as before Moses was that of Adam and his Posterity and that the Lord saw it needful to acquaint Mankind therewith no doubt but the Light and Spirit which revealed the Account of the Creation above Two Thousand Years after to Moses and fore-told several Hundred Years many of those Transactions of Christ by the Prophets would also have supplyed that Want But inasmuch as an Account is extant and therefore not needed 't is vain to make that Objection Again It does not follow because every man has a Measure of Light to inform and rule him that therefore he must needs know all which that Light knows or is able to reveal to him I return that Argument thus upon our Adversaries They say they have the Spirit of God Then they know all that the Spirit of God knows or can reveal to them If the latter be absurd then the former Again say they The Light within did not reveal Christ to the Gentiles that Christ should be born of a Virgin c. therefore insufficient I return upon them thus The Spirit of God given to the Children of Israel Neh. 9. 20. did not acquaint them that Christ should be born of a Virgin nor much more of his Life and Bodily Transactions therefore the Spirit of God was insufficient The like may be concluded against the Spirit in the Prophets For 't is manifest from 1 Pet. 1. 10 11. that the Spirit had not revealed to all the Prophets the Time of Christ's Appearance and Sufferings was the Spirit therefore an insufficient Rule to them But that which falls heaviest upon our Adversaries is this That the Scriptures by their own Argument are a most imperfect Account themselves of what was done not relating the hundredth part of things therefore as insufficient in not relating what is behind as they would weakly render the Light or Spirit in not revealing to every Individual those things already related Nay they may as well infer Insufficiency to the Spirit or the Light within in that it does not now shew all that shall be to the End of the World which in their proper Seasons there will be a Necessity to know as to reflect insufficiency upon it c. because it did not foretel things now past to â—…ormer Ages or needlesly reveal
a certain Decision and if not a certain one then none to the Purpose Nor ought any Person no otherwise judged that is perswaded of the Truth of his Cause to let fall his Belief upon so fallible a Determination since he not only moves without Conviction but against Conviction And which is worse he is not ascertained of the Truth of what he is required to submit to Therefore of all People they are most condemnable who keep so great a stir about Religion and that sometimes use coercive Means to compass their designed Uniâ—…ormity and yet acknowledge to us they are not certain of their own Faith unless it be those who notwithstanding yield to such uncertain Imposers Since then the Judge must be infallible it will be worth our while to consider where ' this insallible Judge is to be found There is none Good but God said God himself when manifested in the Flesh that is originally or as of himself so truly there is none infaltible but God as of himself yet as the supream Good is communicated unto man according to measure so well sayes Bp. Latiâ—…er is there infallibility Certainty or Assurance of the Truth of things given to man according to Capacity otherwise men should be oblieg'd to believe and obey and that upon Damnation those things concerning which there can be no Certainty whether they be true or false Immanuel God with men as he is their Rule so their Judge he is the Law-giver and therefore the best Irterpreter of any Point that may concern his own Law and men are so far infallible as they are subject to his Voice Light or Spirit in them and no farther for humanum est errare Man is Errable Nor can any thing rescue him out of Error or preserve him from the Infections of it but the sound or certain Judgment God by his Light or Spirit within assists him with Obj. But is not the Scripture the Judge of Controversie Answ. How can that be since the Qâ—…estion most times arises about the Meaning of Scripture Is there any place tells us without all Interpretation whether the Socinian or Trinitarian be in the Right in their differing Apprehensions of the Three that bear Record c also the Homousian and Arrian about Christ's Divinity or the Papists or Protestants about Trans-substantiation If then things are undefined and undetermined I mean expresly in the Scripture and that the Question arises about the Sense of it doth the Scripture determine which of those Interpreters hit the Mark As this is absurd to think so must it be acknowledged that if Interpretation decide the Matter in Controversie not the Scripture but the Interpreter is the Judge Now this Interpreter must either interpret by his own meer Wisdom or Spirit called by the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. II. the Spirit of a Man who by weighing the Text consulting the Intent of the Writer comparing places together gives the Judgment which the Scripture cannot do or from the Spirit of God which gives Understanding as Job 3â—… 8. and as the same Apostle saith searcheth the deep things of God If the first then a Fallible If the last then an Infalâ—…ible Judge I would sain know whether it was the Scripture or the Holy Ghost that presided among the Apostles when they were come together Acts 15. when they said It seemeth good to the â—…oly Chost and to us c. If the Holy Ghost give us a plain Scripture to prove we are to have another Judge now If not then we must have the same and consequently an Infallible Judge Obj. 'T is granted that the Spirit is Infallible But how shall I know that any man determines a thing by this Spirit and does not rather obtrude his own Sense upon us under that specious Pretence Answ. By the same Spirit As well said Gualt Cradock The Way to know whether the Spirit be in us is its own Evidence And that is the Way to know it in others too and the man hat hath the Spirit may know the Spirit in another There is saith be a kind of Sagacity in the Saints to this Purpose Which is also true in the Sense of abundance of Pâ—…otestant Writers For as they held That no man could know the Scriptures but by the same Spirit so consequently that the same Spirit only could assure him of the Truth of the said Iâ—…terpretation And Peter Martyr as before quoted tells us The Holy Ghost is the Arbiter or Judge Also D. J. Owen sâ—…ith That the Holy Ghost is the Only Authentick Interpreter of the Scripture Iâ—… Authentick then Infallible if Infallible then the Judge of the Mind of Scripture is both an Only and an 〈◊〉 Judge But to wave this Does not the same Objection lie agaâ—…st the Sense of Scripture since one sayes this is the Sense and another that To know God's Mind men must come to God's Spirit else Difficulties of that sort are unsurmountable In short It were greatly to be wisht that all men would hold themselves unconcerned in disputing about what they have not received an Infallible Dictamen from the Holy Spirit upon since they beat but the Air and obtain no solid Satisfaction neither can they God never prostrates his Secrets to Minds disobedient to what they do already know Let all practise what they assuredly know to be their Duty and be sparing in their search after nice and unknown Matters Weighty and seasonable was and is the Apostle's Saying Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule where he both limits to the present Knowledge communicated and exhorts to live up to that and if any thing be further necessary God in due time will reveal it by his Spirit that gives to know discern and judge of the things that are of God Obj. But how will this determin the Controversie and allay the Fury of Debates on foot Answ. Nothing like it if man adhere to it and if he does not there is no way left but the Wrath that is to be reveal'd But most Perswasions are agreed about the absolute Necessaries in Religion from that Witness God has placed in man's Conscience viz. That God is That he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him That the Way of God is a Way of Purity Patience Meekne ss c. without which no man can see the Lord Nay they accord in some considerable Matters superadded as some of them speak to wit That God manifested himself extraordinarily in the Flesh that he gave his Life for the World that such as believe and obey his Grace receive Remission of Sins and Life Everlasting Now I say since these things men generally submit to let them live up hereunto and forbear wanton Scrutinies after Things or Notions that gender to Strife and Contention and leave not Mankind better but rather worse then they found them and the World would be soon rid of Controversie Holy Living and not Disputing would be the Business of
Light from Christ Jesus the Way out of the Fall the second Adam receiving the Light they receive Redemption and Sanctification whereby their Spirits Bodies and Souls are sanctified Great Mystery p. 91. Note here still that he plainly distinguisheth between the Soul and him that redeems and sanctifies it so that the Soul or Spirit of Man is neither God nor Christ but as much inferior in Subordination to God and Christ as the Creature Man is to the Creator or that which is saved and redeemed to him that saveth and redeemeth The sum of what 's said amounts to this candid Account about the Soul viz. That the Soul and Spirit of Man is not the very Being of God nor a part of God though the original Life of the Soul which came out from God is immutable and infinite there is a divine and infinite Life in the Soul of Man which we would have you be sensible of This is the Life of Lives the Soul of Souls the Being of Beings by which the Soul of man is made to subsist in its Being and Immortality whether in the Kingdom of Glory or Pit of Darkness although this original or divine Life in the Soul stands clear and free from both the Guilt Torment and Anguish that comes upon every Soul of Man that does Evil. Every Soul must appear before the Lord in its own proper Image and Nature which it hath born been under and received while in the Body having been subject either to the Spirit and Power of God or to the Spirit and Power of the wicked one wherein it s capable of either being a Vessel of Mercy and Love or a Vessel to hold Wrath and Anguish according to what it doth here love and effect and contract to it self whether Good or Evil. Therefore as it s commanded Take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently c. love the Lord thy God with all thy Soul c. and then thou wilt know Christ to be the Salvation of it The Scripture speaks variously of the Soul and as in divers States and Conditions viz. 1. Of the Soul of God which is Immutable 2. Of the Soul of Man and that 1. Of the Righteous which really pertake of the divine Nature 2. Of the Wicked which pertake of the Nature of Enmity And these differ in their Affections the one being to Good and the other to Evil. Mention is made of the Soul as under the Power of Sin Death and the Grave by man's Disobedience and Fall and of the Soul as quickned raised up and delivered or saved by the Power of Christ the living ingrafted Word Sometimes the Soul is mentioned as including the whole man sometimes as distinguished from the Body sometimes it s esteemed as the Life and sometimes the Spirit or Breath of Life and an active Soul inspired and there is a State wherein the Word of the Lord is said to divide asunder betwixt the Soul and Spirit Now if you do not own a divine Seed or unchangeable Principle of Life in the Soul I query of you 1st Do you or did you ever know your own Souls 2ly What the Soul is in it self and distinct from the Body 3ly What and where is that to be known that is to change the Souls and so the whole man's Affections from Evil to Good while man remains in this Life 4ly Do you own the Souls Immortality that it doth not dye with the Body Do not some of you Baptists hold that the Soul dyeth with the Body and sleeps in the dust of the Earth untill both arise together 5ly Whether Man doth not subsist in his spiritual Being and Parts with a spiritual Capacity and spiritual Sences having a Sense of perpetual Gain or Loss when his Earthly Tabernacle is put off 6ly Whether the Spirit of Man doth not return unto God that gave it to receive its Judgment and Reward 7ly Whether Man must not be born again here of an Immortal and Incorruptible Seed in him if ever he enter into God's Kingdâ—…m or enjoy Glory hereafter 8thly Whether it be not more necessary for you to wait in humilily to know this immortal Seed in you and to be born thereof then to puzzle your Brains and to busie your Thoughts either about the Questâ—…on how and with what Body are the Dead raised Or how your Souls shall be invested hereafter If you remain here in the Enmity slighting and contemning the Light within or the immortal Principle or incorruptible Seed within as T. H. doth scoff and ridiculously droll at our Testimony for it you 'll be clothed with perpetual shame and Contempt hereafter God knows how to reserve the Unjust to the Judgement of his great Day to be punished as both Divels fallen Angels and wicked men are reserved You need not question in what Bodies or Vessels for that you shall be vessels fit to hold inevitable Wrath if here in time you repent not But if you repent and return to the Lord God and love and serve him with all your Souls it will be well with you hereafter God will provide well for you And the Glory wherewith his sanctified Ones shall be invested And of that House wherewith Righteous Souls shall be cloathed upon is beyond the reach of humane Capacities Thoughts or Imaginations of men And you who are contending and quarrelling about your carnal Bodies have not had so much as a Vision of the Glory of the Saints hereafter nor of the Gloriousness and Spirituality of their Body who are as the Angels of God in Heaven Sect. XII The Neck of the Baptist's Cause broken by his own Concession to the Light within in which Christ and his Testimonies are effectually received T. H. HOw could you call the Light within Christ if some Scriptures had not mentioned Christ in you that he is the Life and Light of Men Give me an Instance of any Person in the World that never had Acquaintance of the Scriptures that ever called the Light in every Man by this Name If none can be produced then the Scriptures must be your Rule for this p. 22. Answ. Thou hast said enough in not only granting the Light within to be Christ but also in confessing that he is the Life and Light of men which while he is really so to men this is sufficient for them to call him as he is and appears to them Is it not therefore great Ignorance to imply him an insufficient Rule for men to give Testimony of him while he is a sufficient Rule and Light to them for their Supply and Life in him And what if they cannot call him by all those Names by which he is called in Scripture while they feel him in Vertue and Power to be really what he is called according to their Enjoyment of him It s true we having the Knowledge of him as our Life and Light we must needs reverently own and make use of those Testimonies in Scripture which concur with our Knowledge of him
Spiritually minded come to see the Glory of God and Jesus or the Son oâ—… Man at his right hand XIV Of Perfection H. G. WE do not believe 't is possible to attain to such a Degree of Perfection as to be as pure from Sin as Jesus Christ was p. 62. I know not what such should call one the Name of the Lord for c. p. 63. H. G. Contra. We can experience the Power of Christ's Spirit risen in us for our Sanctification and Renovation p. 54. He doth adopt regenerate make others Children of God by the Effectual Workings of his blessed Spirit in their Hearts by which they are interrested into all the Priviledges Promises and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace p. 91 92. Anim. We believe that the Spirit and Power of Christ working in our Hearts is able to sanctifie throughout and his Blood to cleanse from all Sin and that in Christ who is the Covenant of Grace all the Promises of God are yea and amen and that Covenant is both a Covenant of Forgiveness and therein Sin is taken away as God hath promised Jer. 31. I will cleanse them from all their Iniquity Jer. 33. 8. Ezek. 36. 25. All things are possible with God and we can do all things through Christ that strengthneth us Phil. 4. 13. who commanded Be ye perfect as your Heavenly Father is perfect and its possible through his Power Aid to keep his Commands otherwise for what End are they given out to his Church and People and for what End should they pray to take away all Iniquity On whom we believe he does not impose Impossibilities but to such as dwell in the Love of God his Commands are not grievous but joyous XV. The Light within above an Historical Knowledge WHereas to undervalue the Light within which all Men have H. G. affirms that none can make appear that ever any Heathen Aethiopian Moor or Infidel in any remote Parts that never heard the Scripture c. That ever did attain meerly by that Light within to the Knowledge of one Jesus of Nazareth that was crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem that meerly by the Help and Guidance of that Light within came to find out so much as the Name or historical Knowledge of a cruciefid Jesus p. 70. Answ. 1. As an historical Knowledge and Profession concerning Christ and his Sufferings in the Flesh cannot save you so it s very uncharitable in you Baptists to condemn all Nations that have it not meerly for want of the History or that historical Knowledge 2. Though you have a historical Faith and Profession of Jesus as he came and suffered in the Flesh I deny that this Faith will either save you for they have as much Faith at Rome or that you have from thence any real Knowledge of Christ either as in the Flesh or in the Spirit either as crucified as put to Death or as living and reigning It s still your Mistake to count your dark Opinions and litteral Notions the Light of the Son of God Nay if you have no further Faith and Knowledge of him then what 's meerly historical and litteral If you have not a spiritual and divine Knowledge of Christ as inwardly revealed you 'll dye in your Sin and perish for lack of Knowledge And many of those called Heathens who follow the Help and Guidance of the Light of Christ within shall come from the East and from the West and from the North and from the South nd shall sit down with Abraham Isaac and Jacob in the Kingdom as Children of Faith and Heirs of Promise who have believed God and obeyed his Light in them when you and such like litteral Professors shall be utterly rejected unless you return to Christ's Light within and believe and wait in it to know Christ's inward and spiritual Appearance and Revelation 3. In the Gospel preacht to Abraham in whose Seed all Nations should be blessed It was foreseen that God would justifie the Heathen through Faith and accordingly Christ was absolutely promised and given for a Light to the Gentiles to be God's Salvation to the Ends of the Earth that he might say to the Prisoners go forth and them that are in Darkness shew yourselves Isa. 42. and Ch. 49. Now observe that the Promise of Christ both for a Light to the Gentiles and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and himself to speak to the Prisoners to go forth c. it s absolute and not restrained or limitted to the spreading of Scripture nor to any such Condition as to be a Light and Salvation or to speak only to such as get the Bible and have the Scriptures or an historical Knowledge and Profession of Jesus Christ but he is given both for a Light to the Heathen and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and so to call forth the Prisoners where the Scriptures are not he being in himself absolute and perfect and so able to be whatever he is promised of God and this Salvation is absolutely placed upon the Son of God who is given both for a Light a Leader God's Covenant and Salvation and therefore he is to be followed obeyed and depended on for Life and Salvation 4. Moreover It s possible to have both the Sufferings and Glory of Christ revealed by his Light and Spirit without the Scriptures seeing the Spirit of Christ shewed and testified aforehand unto the Prophets of his Sufferings and of the Glory that should follow 1 Pet. 1. 11. to be sure they who first wrote Scripture of these things aforehand had them first discovered or opened unto them by the Spirit 5. And when Nebuchadnezer said Lo I see four Men loose walking in the midst of the Fire and they have no Hurt and the Form of the fourth is like the Son of God Dan. 3. 25. How came this Heathen to have any such Impression or Similitude of the Son of God in his Mind as thus to speak of the Son of God or of the fourth as represented to him like the Son of God And what Scripture could he have for this pray you Or for Nebuchadnezer and Darius to speak so truly and admirably as they did of the Kingdom and Dominion of the most high God Dan. 4. 3. and Chap. 6. 26. Let the narrow-Spirited Litteralists and partial Predestinators who would place all true Knowledge upon the Letter and confine it within the Compass of a few Professors of Scripture consider these things 6. But seeing that Christ dyed for all Men tasted Death for every Man and gave himself a Ransom for all God doth therefore no doubt afford a Way for the universal Conveyance of the Vertue and blessed Effects inwardly of his Death and Blood to Man-kind and that is his divine Light though many have not the outward Description thereof XVI His unlearned Question AS to H. G's Question p. 70. viz. I shall only ask this one Question what things and other Signs were those which Jesus did
Debtor in Prison if his Debts be all paid by the Surety or to suffeâ—… the Surety to wait long soliciting or interceeding for his Pardon or Deliverance Q. 3. Doth not your Doctrine of such Rigid or Severe Satisfaction oppose Christ's Intercession Howbeit we still confess the Man Christ was greatly acceptable and most eminently satisfactory considered as a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God and as the first Fruits Quest. 13. What did the Blood of Christ that was shed bespeak and what is our Sense of Christ's Blood and for what End owned Ans. 1st It did bespeak Remission of Sin past to all that truly repent and believe in him 2dly Our Sense of the Blood of Christ is a living and spiritual Sense of the Virtue and Efficacy of it as through it we receive Redemption even the Forgiveness of Sins 3dly We really own and confess to the Blood of Christ both in the History and in the Mystery as most significant to express his Life which he gave a Ransom and the Value of the one Offering we do in the sight of God confess and own the Blood of Christ both as shed for us and as sprinkling and purging our Consciences from dead Works And this We are come to know by his Light shining in our Hearts which as we walk in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 14. To come to the Blood of Sprinkling which speaketh better things then that of Abel is an Attainment and Mystery only obtained by true Believers in and through his divine Light and Eternal Spirit by which Christ offered himself without Spot to God and by One Offering God hath perfected sorever them that are sanctified whereof the holy Ghost is a Witness to us Heb. 10. 14 15. For if a Literal Knowledge and Application of the Blood could either Sanctifie or Justifie without having the Conscience sprinkled with it then how could it be as the AntiType answering and ending the Type or Pattern under the Law where all the People were sprinkled with the Blood of the Offerings see Heb. 9. and 10. Chap. And the Leaper was cleansed by seven times sprinkling upon hâ—…m the Blood of the Bird that was killed Lev. 14. 6 7. but the Blood of Christ which sprinkles and purgeth the Conscience far excels all those under the Law and therefore as it redeems from the vain Conversation 't is called the Pretious Blood of Christ as opposed to and beyond all Corruptible things 1 Pâ—…t 1. 18 19. Thus in the Blood of Christ there is a Mystery and a spiritual Consideration and Application absolutely necessary beyond the Historical Profession and Faith thereof as well as in the Cross c. as Christ said Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no Life in you Joh. 6. It is the Spirit that quickneth c. The holy Ghost is Witness to us of the Virtue and blessed Effect of the One Offering Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God forever who by his divine Light hath opened our Understandings in the Mystery of Christ Jesus and the saving Knowledge of him which is after the Spirit All these Scriptures relating to Christ's Sufferings as Isaiah 53. Zach. 13. 17. Rom. 8. 32. Phil. 28. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 21. Gal. 3. 13. and 4. 5. Heb. 2. 9. do all intimate God's great Kindness and Condescension in Christ Jesus and his Humiliation and deep Suffering under the Weight and Burthen oâ—… Sin and as by the Grace of God he tasted Death for every Man all which fall greatly short of proving our Adversary's â—…harge against him viz. That God poured down his Wrath or Revenge upon his Innocent Son for Satisfaction to divine Justice in Man's stead that had done the Injury I say all the Scriptures alleged by them can never prove this but rather 1. That Christ's Sufferings were of another kind both as he was delivered up by the Father in his Patience to suffer and bear the Burthen Sorrows and inward Griefs by reason of man's Sin for which his Soul also was made an Offering 2. And as the Reproaches Suffering and Death of the Cross that he sustained from the Wicked Murtherers were temporal or had an End and not as infinite Wrath and Revenge from God due to wicked Men. 3. Yet Christ was rendred a Curse and as made to be Sin This he could not properly be a in his own being for Sin and a Curse in this abstract Sense couldnot strictly relate to his pure and sinless being but so made or reputed with respect to his bearing the Reproach and Sin of many the outward Punishment Crucifying Death and Blood-sheding And all that was in him which in any sense might be said to Suffer was offered and given for the Advantage and Good of Mankind and that which he so gave and offered was called his Life Himself a Ransom and all some times in Scripture comprehended and expressed under the Phrase The Blood the pretious Blood of Christ that redeems from the vain Conversation purgeth the Conscience c. and even the outward part of his Suffering most Innocent Example his Cross Death Blood of his Cross his reviving again were so far from yielding either an Indulgence or justification to men as in Sin and Disobedience that they did very eminently preach and openly proclaim to Mankind both the Condemnation of Sin in the Flesh Repentance Mortification Remission and Man's reviving again to real Righteousness and Justification therein and all to be experienced through Faith in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God in sending of whom the Father's Love was manifest that we might live through him And as Christ's Travil of Soul was inward and so his Suffering inward as well as outward what is more obvious to the spiritual Eye and Mind then that his Travil and Sufferings and his holy Design therein were to have an inward Effect and inwardly to be fulfilled by his Word and Power even in them who receive and believe in the same as that Instance of the holy Evangelist is very plain and pertinent where 't is said They brought unto him many that were possessed with Divels and he Cast out the Spirits with his Word and healed all that were Sick that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet saying Himself took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses see Maâ—… 8. 17. Isaiah 53. 4. And moreover as to Christ's being the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World This taking away the Sins was not only fulfilled by that general Expiation or purging which he made by Way of Sacrifice but also inwardly by his real Cleansing purging the Conscieâ—…ce and purifying the Soul from the Nature and Being of Sin And God's Reconciling us by the Death of his Son whose putting away Sin is said to be by the Sacrifice of
nor the Being of Sin forthwith excluded p. 68. yet by Degrees it comes fully to be effected and Sin put an End to as there is a waiting in Patience and Diligence upon him who hath begun a good Work who will also perfect it That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us on this he thus paraphraseth Fulfill signifies sincerely to obey the Law 1 Chron. 22. 13. that is sincerely to obey every Precept so far as we attain to understand it Thus far he contradicts his pleading for the Being of Sin and Corruptions in the Saints and his denying perfect Obedience to be attainable in this Life yet I assert that Man in his own Will Strength cannot attain sincerely to obey the Law of God but through the Power and Aid of Christ Jesus he may attain to the Righteousness or Substance of the Law to be fulfilled in him being led by the Spirit of Life for the Law thereof in Christ makes free from the Law of Sin and Death But when this Opposer adds Thus in the other World God's People shall attain to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law p. 69. Herein he perverts Scripture and puts Christ's Work afar off who is the End of the Law for Righteousness not to indulge Men in Sin to them that believe and he came to condemn Sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit which State the Apostle did not put off to the other World And if the Gospel or Law of the Spirit of Life free us from the Law of Sin and Death and Christ was sent to condemn Sin in the 〈◊〉 which Words he turns thus viz. Condemned our Sin in him I say First Why should we be subject to the Law of Sin aâ—…d Death or 〈◊〉 believe a Freedom from the Being of Sin when its Power Law and Rule is taken away These are inconsistent Must Men needs subject themselves to that which is brought under by the Power of Christ and Law of Life in him His saying He condemned our Sin in him will not excuse him from being condemned with Sin if he doth not come to find Sin condemned and destroyed in himself and Man's Disobedience to the Law of God within will not be excused by what Christ hath done and suffered without neither will your Application cause you to be lookt on as if from the Beginning of Life to the End to have obeyed the Law as Creatures to have satisfied it as Sinners p. 69. Surely God doth not so look upon you while you continue in Sin and his Spirit striving with you and reproving of you for Sin and Corruption God and his Spirit do not so oppose on another and yet he is Gratious and Merciful ready to pardon and forgive Sins past upon true Repentance and that for Christ's sake who is the Propitiation c. but the Notion of Satisfaction as it is taken in the severe Sense of strict Payment in Law by undergoing the full Punishment It is not consistent with the Gratiousness of God in forgiving Sins past on unfeigned Repentance but sufficient is said to that Point He is offended that we should say to him and his Brethren You plead for Sin he calls this an opprobrious and gross Slander but hath not cleared himself thereof but verified it as appears in this Discourse of his And his saying Who do more call Men off from sinning then we If he had added Who tell People that to come off or be free from Sin is not attainable in this Life and that it is God's good Pleasure not to destroy the Being of Sin in this Life and that he sees good Corruptions should remain in his Saints to keep them humble Then the World might easily have judged how heartily they call Men off from Sin or rather how they impiously plead for Sin as necessary He sayes Their Light without the Scriptures will help to call men off from Lying Injustice Uncleanness c. They should then obey it for then it necessarily calls unto Truth Justice Purity c. and consequently to Heaven Depart from â—…vil and do Good and dwell for evermore We urge Men to the Observance of the Christian Sabbath p. 69. And what is that Christian Sabbath And how do you urge men to Observe it Was not the Jews Sabbath a Type of the Christians Sabbath or Rest And do they not cease from their own Works and Thoughts being not to think their own Thoughts on this Sabbath or holy Day We press to repent of the very Being of an evil Thought in us But do you press it in the Faith Do you believe that the Being of evil Thoughts can be remov'd in this Life else what signifies your pressing to repent thereof Your Denouncing against men's Allowing themselves in Sin Wickedness Your saying It is the Duty of all to be Perfect to Press after it to watch against all even the least Sins p. 70. What avails all this when you press and preach thus in your Unbelief You unsay what you here pretend when you tell people It is God's Good Pleasure that the Being of Sin and Corruption should remain in his Saints to keep them humble What Incouragement do you here give People to press after Perfection and to watch against all Sin when you tell them A Sinless Perfection is not attainable But he brings an Instance for their Encouragement as he thinks viz. If two Companies of Children were to run a Race and one should say to this Company There are strong Men at the End of the Race if you run as strong and as fast as they can run you are to enjoy a rich Inheritance but if not you are to dy By the way observe he very egregiously doth mistate the Case and Doctrine of those called Quakers for they do not propose Heaven and Salvation upon these Terms as for Children to run as fast as Men but that Children may become Men and in the mean time act according to their Abilities beyond which God doth not impose upon them nor require of them but that the Race that is set before us may be run with Patience which ought to have her perfect Work that we may be perfect and intire wanting nothing It is certain that they who have begun in the Spirit and spiritual Journey who are diligent using their best Endeavours and hold out shall enjoy an Everlasting Inheritance And this is not to cut off their Endeavours by Despair as falsly is supposed against the Quakers upon the said Mistating of their Case but your Preaching tends to Despair when you press People after Purity and Perfection and then tell them It is Not attainable in this Life He further adds against us There must be no Sin at all in you and then you shall obtain Salvation 〈◊〉 I must be quite free from all Sin here or burn in Hell to all Eternity pag.
within is not the Rule above the Scriptures as is implyed in his 57th page when I confess it to be that that gives the true Understanding of them and to be wise according to what is written And not to pretend the Scriptures for Proof of what they prove not As for Instance When I am called to answer an Unscriptural Question by such as profess Scripture to be their Rule I think it most meet to answer them in the Scripture-Language which while they are not satisfied with they inquire but to Cavil and for Advantage as my Opposer and some others of his Abettors did As for a more particular Instance when they query about the Resurrection of the Body as desiring I would inform them what Body that is that shall arise again which being the same with that which the Apostle reproves for 1 Cor. 15. 35. it deserves the same Reproof for Answer vers 36 37. Again Though I really confess the Universal Resurrection of the Body of Mankind or of the whole Adam which implieth First A general Fall and Death and that they shall come forth some to the Resurrection of Life and others to the Resurrection of Damnation yet for the very Phrase namely The Resurrection of the Body of Flesh c. I find not in Scripture But the Resurrection of the Dâ—…ad the raising and arising of the Dead c. 2dly Upon my Answer in the Apostle's very words 1 Cor. 15. 35. the feigned Christian saith This Answer Whitehead said is sufficient for such busie intruding Fools p. 57. By which he hath contradicted what he saith before Whitehead answered in p. 54. But then he adds The Apostle calls Fools not they that believed but they that deny the Resurrection of the Body Persons of the same Perswasion with the Quakers in this Point p. 57. That the Corinthians did positively deny the Resurrection he hath not proved But that some questioned like him How and with what Body are the â—…ead raised c. whose Folly the Apostle reproved And this is not Quakers Perswasion thus to question much less to deny the Resurrection in the true Sense and real Mystery of it For so to question With what Body are the Dead raised is not a Question necessary to Salvation nor essential to the being of a Christian who knows a part in Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life Now come we to examine T. H's Meaning upon the Text 1 Cor. 15. 37 38. wherein he proceeds thus Concerning this Mortal viz. That the Body given it is the same for Substance the same that was sown c. only called a Body given to it because it is so changed from its Accidents of Corruption and Mortality Thus far T. H. What reasonable man can make Sense of this piece of Oratory as to say that the Body given to it is the same for Substance Like as if he had said This same mortal Body is the same It which is given it or it is the same It that is sown that is given it self or the same Body for Substance is given to the mortal Body What rare Rhetorick is this And so his Brother Kiffin saith That the Seed that 's sown is the same Body of Flesh c. which shall arise though otherwise qualified If so what is that Body that God giveth to it as it pleaseth him For if it be lookt upon in the Nature of a Seed it must be supposed that it is another Body that 's given unto it as is to every Seed sown according to its kind For it is plain Non-sence to say That that which is sown is the same Body that is given to it Besides that which is not quickened except it dyes which may be spoken of every kind of Seed that hath Life in it first doth not dye beâ—…ore it is sown but after 't is sown as Christ saith Except a Grain of Wheat fall into the Ground and dye it abideth alone but if it dye it bringeth forth much Fruit Now the Fruit or Ear brought forth is the proper Body given to it which is not the very same which waâ—… sown in the Earth But I pray how holds this dying aftersown with these men's fleshly Opinion of the carnal Body in the Grave being the Seed for that being Dead before doth not dye after 't is buried neither do these men intend to be buried alive And seeing every Seed hath its own proper Body what Body can be proper to the Terrestrial Bodies which if every one of them must be lookt upon as the Seed to have each a proper Body given what a plurality of Bodies must there be besides what are And will it not amount to this That every man shall not only have these very Terrestrial Bodies but each a Body besides and so every man two Bodies and those of the same Substance that these are now to wit Terrestrial or Carnal He cites Phil. 3. 21. thus He shall change our vile Bodies Herein he mis-cites and perverts the Phrase For 't is not Bodies in the plural but Body in the singular And 't is to be read thus from the Greek He shall change the Body of our Lowness that it may be fashioned or trans-figured like unto his Glorious Body But doth not this evidently make against him considering that Christ's Glorious Body is not a Carnal Terrestrial or Earthly Body but a Spiritual Transcendent Glorious Body And the changing of our Low Body in fashion to be like his implieth not the same Terrestial or Carnal Bodies or to be of this Fashion and Substance as now they are For Celestial Spiritual and Glorious Bodies are much different from Terrestrial Carnal and Mean Corruptible Bodies Again T. H. addeth from Phil 3. 21. This cannot be meant of a new created Body because such a Body cannot be said to be either vile or changed If then this IT be not the Body which dyed but another how can that be called a Resurrection for that supposeth the same If another then it is more properly a Creation of a new Body then the Resurrection of the Body p. 58. Repl. Mark here 1. He is for a Resurrection of the very same Tâ—…rrestrial Bodies of all men but no new Creation for that opposeth his Thoughts of the Resurrection 2. What a strange Inconsistency is it that the self-same Earthly or Carnal Bodies of all should arise again after they are turned to Dust without any new Creation and yet rise compleat the same they were sor Substance What Sense or Congruity can be made of this Many Thousands being dissolved and turned to as real Dust of the Earth as man was at first formed of how should Living and Compleat Bodies be raised out of that Dust without Creating anew first But if it cannot be a new created Body it is not the same Natural Carnal or Terrestrial Body for Substance after dissolved It is not this very same corruptible Flesh Blood and Bones that is given to every Seed
Neighbour as thy self I am the Lord Levit. 19. 18. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are True whatsoever things are Honest Just Pure Lovely and of Good Report think on these things Phil. 4. 8. Stob. 28. * That 's more then Tho. Hicks seems to do Liv'd at the same time Laert. Lib. 1. c. 3. * Reader this Reflection was not without Light nor this Man void of a very Tender Conscience The Gentiles who had not a Law became a Law unto themselves doing the Things contained in the Law their Consciences bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while Accusing or Excusing Rom. 2. 14 15. To Depart from Iniquity is a good Understanding Job 28. 28. And the Hypocrites Hope shall Perish Job 8. 13. Why do you not rather take Wrong 1 Cor. 6. 7. Stob. 28. Reader these weighty Sayings are very Scripture it self and that as well of the New as Old Testament so called especially where Christ saith SWEAR NOT AT ALL though spoke about 700 years before he came into the World * As Tho. Hicks John Bunion J. Grigg and other Railing â—…eparatists do the Quakers * Which T. Hicks can't do neither to his Wife Family at home nor his Friends much less other People abroad Stob. Serm. 80. Jamblich Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole Matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man Eccles. 12. 13. Pure Religion and Undefiled is to keep himself Unspotted from the World Jam. 1. 27. In this sense I fear we may say that Thomas Hicks has no Light in him Who when he was Reviled Reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. 23. Laert. Plat. Phaed. The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom Psalm 111. 10. He that will deny himself let him take up his Cross and follow me Luk. 9. 23. Xen. Mem. 3. p. 780. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Stob. 218. Reader These sententious Expressions to have every one of them a Scripture would be tedious and superfluous for they are almost Word for Word Scripture it self as who knoweth Scripture may plainly see Xen. Mem. 4. p. 803. Id. Mem. 1. 722. 4. 804. Id. Mem. 3. So saith Christ Mat. 7. 2. 62. 7. Ibid. Apolog. Libanius saith Socrates considered The Pure in Heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8. Clem. Alex. Str. 2. 417. Laert. Stob. 46. The Fruit of the Spirit is Peace Gal. 5. 22. Acts 24. 16. But Godliness with Content is great Gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. Stob. 48. Stob. 114. This answers T. Hicks's Challenge about the Light 's showing that State if Christ had not said so Liban Ap p. 644. Nothing they could do was able to draw him out of his Endeavours to detect the loose Comedians that sought therefore his Ruin 1 Pet. 3. 14. * The word Philosophy hath been otherwise appropriated since those days as many other words have been for it then signified a Love of Wisdom given by Pythagoras which Wisdom was the Way of Holy Living not Vain and Untoward Contests about Inpracticable Things Laert. Suid. in vit Antish Ye are an Holy Nation a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. And you shall be Kings and Raign c. Rev. 1. 6. Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it Luke 11. 28. Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World 1 Cor. 1. 20. Put on the Brest Plate of Righteousness Eph. 6 14. Stob. The Just shall live by Faith Hab. 24. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength Isa. 40. 31. The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Psal. 25. 14. Valer. Max. 2. 10. Cic. pro Bal. Laert. Mat. 5. 34. Cic. de Fin. 2. Rom. 2. 14 15. Laert. Ibid. Stob. The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom Job 28. 28. Laert. The Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord Psal. 2. 2. Stob. The Wisdom which is from above is first Pure then Peaceable Jam. 3. 17. Laert. Id. Psal. 111. 9 10. Cic. Parad. Stob. Id. Theatr. cap. 3. 10. Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Levit. 11. 44 45. Plut. plac 4. 7. Stob. Phys. Rev. 20. 12 13 14. Chap. 21. 7 8. Plat. phaed. 2 Cor. 5 8. * Ad Amph. Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Philip. 1. 21. Plat. Phaed. Eccles. 12. 7. Idem The Sheep on the Right Hand and the Goâ—…tes on the Lest Mat. 25. 31 32 33. 1 Cor. 15. 28 29 30 31. Observe Socrates his Distinction betwixt being Dead Departed Acts 7. 60. H. Mor. Des. Phil. Cab. c. 3. Revel Rev. 22. 5. See Const. Orat. in Eus. Isa. 2. 2 3 4 5. Isa. 7. vers 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Chap. 9 10. 1 John 4. 5 6. Chap. 11. 6 7 8 9 10 11. Jer. 23. Isa. 1. 12 13 14 15. Ezek. 18. 31 32. Objection Mat. 5. 27. 28. Joh. 8. 56 57 58. Helv. Chron. Rom. 5. 9. Gal. 3. 16. Joh. 14. 17. Hos. 13. 4. Hebr. 10. John 6. 51 52. 53 54 62 63. Rom. 3. 25. Ephes 1. 7. Hebr. 9. 14. Rom. 3 25. Hebr. 10. 5 7. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Joh. 1. 9. Joh. 1. 1 2 3 4 9. See Dial. pag. 3. 4. See Origen Chrysostom Greg Erasm Drus. Zeger Cam. Grot. B. Sand. Dr. Ham. John 〈◊〉 Dial. pag. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Rom. 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 6. 1 John 2. 15. 16. 1. Pet. 1. 18. Ephes. 5. 1 Joh. 1. 5 6. Jam. 3. 1 2 3. T. Jenner T. Tayler J. Faldo T. Hicks H. Grigg c. Mat. 11. 27. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Ephes. 5. 13. Rom. 1. 19. Mic. 5. 8. Jren. l. 2. c. 30. Tertul. con Jud. p. 184. Quakerism a new nickname for old Christianity p. 54. 55. Rom. 2. 14 15. Justin Martyr saith That all are Christians who live with Christ as Abraham and Elias and amongst the Greeks as Sâ—…crates Hâ—…raclitus c. See Scultâ—…tus on him â—…ho also saith That some at this day are of his Judgment who have taught that Melchizedecâ—… Abimelâ—…ch Ruth Rachab the Queen of Sheba Hiram of Tyre Naaman tâ—…e Syrian and the City oâ—… Ninive are in the Catalogue of Christians Eusebius Pamph. in his Ecclesiastical History saith That Abraham and the ancient Fathers were Christians And defines a Christian to be one that by the Knowledge and Doctrine of Christ â—…xcels in Moderation of Mind in Righteousness and Continency of Life and Strength of Vertue Godliness towards one only God see Scultetus on him Clemens Alexandrinus saith The Law of Nature and of Discipline is one And Moses seems to call the Lord the Covenant For he had said before the Covenant was not to be sought in Scripture for that is the Covenant which God the Cause of all setteth whence his Name in Greek is derived And in the Preaching of Peter thou mayest find the Lord called the Word or Reason and the Law See
his 1 Book Strom at the end And before pag. 353. he saith The Law and the Gospel is the Operation of one â—…ord who is the Vertue Wisdom of God And the Fear which the Law had bred is mereiful to Salvation And the Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of VVisdom That she that is VVisdom that administreth Providence is Mistress and Good and the Power of both procureth Salvation the one Chastizing as Mistre's the other being bountiful as a Benefactor for on must pass from Darkness to Life and applying his Ear to wisdom first be a Servant then a faithful Minister and so asâ—…nd into the Number of Sons and be brought into the elect Adoption of Sons That the Law works to make them immortal that chuse to Live temperately and justly And Again Evil men do not understand the Law but they that seâ—…k the Lord do understand in every good thing And the whole first Book of the Stromatâ—… is especiâ—…ly to prove the Antiquity of the one true Religion or Philosophy aâ—… he calls it Ephes. 2. 8. 1 John 5. 4. Genesis 17. Gal. 5. 1 2. Acts 15. 28. Ther 's not laid down in Scripture any general Rule how to answer before Magistrates to act in Times of Sufferings Thus said a Baptist in print oâ—… to that purpose John 1. 9. Tit. 2. 11 12. John 18. 36. Isa. 54. 13. Joel 2. 28 Jer. 31. 33. Mal. 2. 7. Heb. 7. 24 25 26 27. Isa. 9. 6 7. Luk. 17. 20 21. Heb. 8. 10. Rev. 21. 3. Joel 2. 28. Tit. 2. 11 12. Job 32. 8. Rom. 1. 19. Gal 5. 16. 1 Joh 1 7. Isâ—… 2. 5. Rev. 21. 23. Gal. 6. 15 16. Galat. 6. 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in this Rule as it is translated Phil. 3. 16. which is spoken of the Measure of Attainment and Grotius saith in the Manuscript Rule is not so it must be understood let us walk in the same Attainment as also in 2 Cor. 10. 13 15. in which three Places that word is only found See Erasmus Vatablus Zegerus Cameron Jaâ—… Capellus and Grotius on those places none whereof can be drawn to the Scriptures Zegerus interprets this Place of Gal. 6. 16. thus They that have â—…ollowed this Form of Life or Rule of the new Creaturâ—… having turned away from the invalid Cerâ—…monies of the Law Peace c. Drusius explains it from Chap. 5. 6. The new Creation i. Faith which worketh by Love Grotius saith Rule here is a Way made as to a Rule that is plainly Right such is that Way of the new Creation which was foretold Isa. 42. 9. And signifies the State of the new Man of which Paul Speaks Col. 3. 10 Eph. 2. 15. Rom. 6. 4. Bp. Rob. Sand. de Regâ—… ConsProel 4ta sect 31. Tertul. de Prescript Heraetic pag. 204. Dell. Confut. of Symps. p. 89 90. Hieron Tom. 4. 70. Bp. Jewel p. 532. Poâ—…ano 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 pag. 150 Eâ—…sinus on 1 〈◊〉 1. 19. Ib. 〈◊〉 1 Cor. 2. Luther Tom. 3. fol. 169. Peter Martyr Com. loc p. 1. c. 6. Ibid. p. 2. c. 18. Book of Martyr 3 vol. p. 298. Calvin Instit lib. 1. cap. 8. Beza on 2 Pet. 1. 19. Tindal works Pag. 319. 80. Jewel against Harding pag. 532 534. D. Ames against Bellâ—…m l. 1. c. 5. Thes. 32. G. Cradok divin drops pag. 217. C. Goad Refr drops pag. 12. Excrcit 2 7 9. against Quak. John 7. 17. 1 Cor. 2. 10. 1 Pâ—…t 1. 11. 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. Ephes. â—… 13. â—… Prelect 4. §. 21 22. Josâ—…phus Wars of the Iews l. 2. c. 7. Philo de spec leg decalog Laeâ—…t Hermip Orig. conâ—… Cels. â—…uint Curtiuâ—… ni vit Alâ—…x H. Grotius on Mat. 5. 34. Book Martyr vol. 3. p. 475. Gualâ—… Crâ—… Divine Drops p. 〈◊〉 Phil. 3. 16 B. Mart. vol. 3. P 577. B. Mart. vol. 3. P. 475. Rev. 21. 3 7. Isa. 54. 13. Rom. 11. 28. 29. Rom 〈◊〉 14 15. 1 Tim. 4. 8. Col 〈◊〉 20 21 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 38 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 16. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 23. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Contradiction Contradiction His 1st Argum. His 2d Argum His 3d. Argum. * That Life which is the Light of men is Divine Unchangeable and Infinite and therefore preferred before is above all Sufferings which are temporary finite His 4th Argum. His 5th Argum. His 6th Argum. His 7th Argum His 8th Argum. * Let the Reader observe this by the Way thou maystremember that the Controversie between us was not whether the Light as in every man be the Christ or no but whether it be a divine Light of Christ which I affirm or but a Creature which I deny this is enough to my Intention Joh. 17. 11. and 14. 19. Mar. 16. 1â—… Luke 24. 36 4. 8. Joh. 20. 19. 23 24. 29 Mat. 28. 9 10. * And so he hath dealt with Acts 1. 11. saying In the same manner p. 21. instead of In like manner * H. G. * H. G. Contrad pag. 94. * This is Mat Caffin's old Story against the Light Mat. 5. 48. pag. 3. pag. 6. ☞ Wisd. 12. 1 2. pag. 18 ☜ * A meer Taâ—…tology Unless at sometime to say that Body of Flesh and Bone doth noâ—… respect its own matter and Substance but some other * Thus far in Answer to his Questions Dialogue pag. 58. Baptist's Excommunication Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom Excom The Marginal Notes are added (a) Some of your Brethren now scoff at the Quakers for bearing Witness to the Immortal Seed within (b) For this Doctrine of Perfection the Baptists now revile us who are called Quakers and furiously oppose it (c) Which Lightning and Revivings do assert the Inward Light immediate Teachings of God now opposed by many of the Baptists (d) And this Strength and Light must inwardly be received but not by them that hate the Light (e) Which are since greatly encreased among you (f) Many of you are greatly guilty of that witness your Railing Pamphlets Sermons against us (g) All these are fallen in upon you because you have refiâ—…ed the Light within which would give the Knowledge of the Power and Life (h) Herein you did own immediate Teaching (i) That Sense and Travel you have yet kept off and despise them that experience it (k) And you are more unsound now then ever neither can you be sound until you own the Light (l) And especially for your Envy and Hypocrisie (m) But now you despise them that do (n) Which kind of Pharisaical Babling is still very customary among you (o) Excepting that you are outwardly dipt but as inwardly corrupt as others and more envious then most Men are (p) And will yet fall more (q) Which shews the great hardnes of Heart that is among you (q) Oh! great Dryness and Withering is come upon you (r) So you have Cause still to mourn much more (s) The slavish Fear of many of you hath greatly appeared in