of Wheat which is raised and brought forth doth not arise out of other Grain but doth absolutely and truly arise out of that very Seed and by the Power of God groweth out of that very Kernel which was sown even so shall it be in the Resurrection from the Dead the Natural and Visible Bodies of those that believe in Christ although they shall not be raised as they are sown viz. vile corruptible natural weak and dishonourable yet nevertheless they shall be raised and though God will give a Body as it pleaseth him clothed with incorruptibility yet he will give to every Seed his own body 1 Cor. 15. 38. and they shall be raised again without all deformity and clothed upon with their house which is from Heaven yea their vile Bodies shall be made like the glorious Body of Christ even a Spiritual Body which Spiritual Body shall arise out of that Natural Body which doth die and is laid in the Ground even as Grain doth arise out of that very Grain which was sown being the same in substance when raised as when sown only raised in a glorious condition sown in a weak and dishonourable And as the Grain doth all arise and leaves not one jot of it self in the ground even so there shall not be left one jot of whatsoever goes to the making up this Body compleat and every way a perfect man but it shall be raised wholly and fully as it is written 1 Cor. 15. 35 36 37 38 42 43 44. Sect. 10 And that all Believers may be fully assured that their vile Bodies shall be changed and fashioned like the glorious Body of Christ according to the working whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 20 21. The Apostle doth unfold this Mystery 1 Cor. 15. 51 52 53 54 55. Behold saith he I shall shew you a Mystery We shall not all Sleep but we shall all be Changed in a moment at the twinkling of an eye at the last Trump for the Trumpet shall sound and the Dead viz. in Christ 1 Thes 4. 16 17. such as lye in the visible Earth shall be raised incorruptible and we viz. the faithful that are alive and remain in this corrupt mortal estate unto that time shall then be changed for this corruptible must put on incorruption and this Mortal must put on Immortality so when this Corruptible shall have put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall have put on Immortality then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written Death is swallowed up in Victory O Death Where is thy Sting O Grave Where is thy Victory The Sting of Death is Sin and the Strength of Sin is the Law but thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ Thus is the Resurrection and Change of all Believers from Death to Life from Corruptible to Incorruption from Mortal to Immortality by the blessed Apostle both Vindicated and Unfolded that every faithful Man and Woman may know that although the Wages of sin is Death yet the Gift of God is eternal Life through Iesus Christ Rom. 6. 28. which God will give unto them all at one and the same time even at the coming of Christ that according to the Word of Truth 1 Thess 4. 15. These that remain unto the coming of the Lord may not prevent them which are asleep in him but although the Lords Labourers are called to work in his Vinyard at the several Hours of the Day of his Grace yet they all shall have their reward together at the Evening Matth. 20. 8. For God hath provided so well for the Faithful of this last Age that though many in former Ages have obtained a good Report through Faith yet shall not they without these be made perfect Heb 11. 39 40. Sect. 11 And although the Preachers up 〈◊〉 the Light within all men do boast of Perfection which they imagine that some of them do attain unto in this life yet it is evident by the Scriptures of Truth that the Perfection in Glory which is promised to the Faithful and the Perfection in Holiness unto which they are exhorted is not attained unto but only in part until the bodies of those that beleeve in Christ the second Adam are raised from the Grave and changed from the corruption whereinto they are fallen by the offence of the first Adam Rom 5. 15 For although in this Life those that believe in Christ are through the Rich Mercy of God even when they were dead in Sins quickened together with Christ Ephes 2. 5. and so renewed in the Spirit of their Mind Ephes 4. 23. that with the Minde they serve the Law of God Rom. 7. 24. Yet alas this Perfection is but in part Paul himself who had attained to so great a Portion of Grace that by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus he was made free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. 2. and though together with this Freedom from Guilt and liablenesse to Punishment for Sin he was so set free from the Dominion of Sin being not under the Law but under Grace Rom. 6. 14. that he did delight in the Law of God after the Inward Man yet notwithstanding he found another Law in his Members which warring against the Law of his Mind brought him into Captivity to the Law of Sin in his Members Rom. 7. 22 23. So that though he had hope of Deliverance from this his Enemy the Flesh which lusteth against the Spirit Gal. 5. 17. and for his comfort had obtained the Gift of God The Holy Spirit as a help to him to war a good warfare and as the Earnest of his Inheritance Ephes 1. 13 14. which is to be enjoyed at the Redemption or Deliverance of the purchased Possession yet for the present such was his Condition that as himself testifieth Rom. 7. 23. So then saith he With the Mind I my self serve the Law of God but with my Flesh the Law of Sin So that although this Renovation of the Spirit of the Mind by the Assistance of the Holy Spirit whereby a Believer knows himself to be a Son of God by Adoption and is inabled to cry Abba Father Rom. 8. 16. be the earnest of the Inheritance a Rising with Christ through the Faith of the Operation of God who raised him from the Dead to the obtaining Forgivenesse of all Trespasses Col. 2. 12 13. yet this is not the Resurrection from the Dead nor the State of Perfection which the Faithfull unto death shall obtain as the same Apostle testifies 2 Tim. 4. 7. I have fought a good fight saith he I have finished my Course I have kept the Faith henceforth there is laid up for me a Crown of Righteousnesse which the Lord the Righteous Judg shall give me at that Day and not to me only but unto all them also that loves his appearing For the obtaining whereof his great Desire was while he enjoyed but the
any one writing against what I charge thee with that is filled with revilings that doth give railing language and put things off with lies c. I shall only receive a sober Antagonist or else expect your renouncing your Errors repenting believing and obeying the Gospel Joseph Wright A TESTIMONY For the Son of Man and against the Son of Perdition CHAP. I. Wherein it is laid to the charge of those that Preach up the Light within all men That they do deny Jesus Christ which is proved by their making no mention of his death for the sins of the world by their not gathering Men and Women into fellowship with him by Faith by their setting up Works for Justification and by their neglect of Self-denial against which is testified the Faith of Gods Elect concerning the Person of Christ his Death and Resurrection and Reconciliation thereby with Faith therein for Righteousness Sanctification and Self-denial Sect. 1 1. THE first thing that I lay to thy chargeâ— whosoever thou art that Preachest up the Light within all men requiring all People to mind the Light which is within them is this That thou doest deny that Christ which dyed at Jerusalem out of every person of man but his own in so doing denyest Jesus Christ come in the flesh and thy spirit is the spirit of Antichrist notwithstanding all thy pretended zeal c. which I prove against thee as followeth Sect. 2 First Because in all thy Preaching Teaching and Declaring thou never makes mention of Christs dying for the sins of the World nor that he tasted death for every man thou art altogether silent in this Doctrine of Christs dying for man in the body of his flesh and out of all other men to Redeem man unto God and to save him from his sins which ought to be taught and preached first of all to sinners and unbelievers to beget Faith in them and Repentance unto life 1 Cor. 15. 3. and 4. But thou dost altogether press every Man and Woman to look to the Light within them telling them that that will shew them all sin and iniquity and will lead them out of it and eternally save them if they be guided by it Sect. 3 Secondly Because as is thy word of mouth even so is thy writings for amongst them all and in them all theâ—e is not one line which teacheth that Christ did die for the sins of the world and freely laid down his life as a ransome for sinners or offered himself a Sacrifice to God upon that Cross on which he was crucified at Jerusalem in his own body and out of every man else thereby to reconcile both Jew and Gentile unto God by his own blood shed in his own body Ephes 2. 13 16. Col. 1. 20 21. which is such a truth of such concernment that whoso preaches it not doth not preach the Gospel of Christ nor lay the foundation which is the true and pretious Corner-stone yea the foundation of all Generations that shall be saved For no other foundation can any man lay than that which is laid even Jesus Christ and him crucified the just dying for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the flesh but quickned by the Spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. who his own self bore our sins in his own body on the Tree that we being dead to sin should live unto Righteousness by whose stripes onely we can be healed 1 Pet. 2. 24. Sect. 4 Thirdly Because thou dost not gather men and women into communion with Christ by Faith teaching them to believe in Jesus Christ him crucified out of them and in his own body for their sins and iniquities by which Faith every true Believer being justified hath Peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ by whom as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 5. 1 2. We have access by Faith into this Grace wherein we stand and rejoice in Hope of the glory of God see Rom. 4. 16. Rom. 11. 6. 2 Cor. 1. 24. But on the contrary thou gatherest by Works never questioning whether thy Proselytes believe in Christ that dyed at Jerusalem by whose Death and Resurrection Believers do receive Reconciliation and Justification I say by Works thou gatherest and not by Faith warning all people to look to the Light within them and they which own this thy Doctrine and walk and work according to it thou ownest and none but such nor takest to be such as are either taught or gathered by thee the which thou receivest although as touching the Faith in Christ Jesus they are as ignoranr as Heathens and are absolute Infidels which I have proved many a time by Discourse with thy followers Therefore in that thou gatherest by Works and not by Faith making them Heirs which are onely Workers and not Believers thou makest Faith void and the Promise to them which do believe of none effect Rom. 4. 14. by which it is evident that thou gatherest not in the Name of Christ nor with Christ and therefore art no true and right Gatherer but a scatterer abroad thou art not with Christ but against him and art led by the spirit of Antichrist Sect. 5 But in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ which died at Jerusalem I affirm against thee that there is no Salvation in any other but in Jesus Christ and him crucified for the sins of the world and that by the merit of his Death and by the power of his Resurrection done and acted out of every other man and in his own Person is Justification and Salvation to be obtained through Faith Rom. 5. 10. For there was a necessity that Christ should suffer and rise again the third day for the Justification of all them that believe in him Luke 24. from ver 22. to 48. And they which do not know this know nothing at all as even Caiaphas the high Priest doth declare as it is written John 11. 49. c. And one of them named Caiaphas being high Priest that same year said unto them Ye know nothing at all nor consider that it is expedient for us that one man should dye for tho People and that the whole Nation perish not and this he spake not of himself buâ— being high Priest that year he Prophesieâ— that Iesus stould dye for that Nation anâ— not for that Nation onely but also that hâ— should gather together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad Behold how ignorant they are that know not thaâ— Jesus Christ ought to suffer death for the People which else had all perished and had all remained scattered had not he gathered together in one the Children of God that were scattered abroad as verse 50 51 52. The loyal high Priest did Prophesie much better than these pretended Preachers up of the Light within c. Sect. 6 But as no sin could be done away without shedding of blood and death really and visibly Heb. 9. 15 22. and 10. 10. So that it is no
of Abraham in the womb of the blessed Virgin his taking part of Flesh and Blood Heb. 2. 14 15. 16. Being for no other end but that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them who through fear of death were all their lives time subject to bondage Sect. 4 And as the Priestly Office of Christ wherein he offered himself to God an unspotted Sacrifice to put away Sin and that Body which was prepared him for that purpose Heb. 9. 14 26. and Heb. 10. 5. is denied by these Legallists that exhort all men to look only into the Light within the work of the Law written in their hearts for their direction unto Righteousness so also is the Prophetick Office of Christ made useless by them for as it is written Deut. 18. 15. Acts 3. 22 23 Moses truly said unto the Fathers A Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your Brethren like unto me him shall you hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you And it shall come to pass that every Soul which will not hear that Prophet shall be destroyed from among the People But do these Seducers hear him in all things whatsoever he hath said Do they teach men so to do No no it is far from them Do they hear him that hath said Mark 7. 21. From within out of the heart of men proceed evil Thoughts Adulteries Fornications Murthers Thefts Covetousness Wickedness Deceit Lasciviousness an evil Eye Blasphemy Pride and Foolishness that say there is such a Light within all men that will lead them out of all Sin and Iniquity and eternally save them if they sink down to it and are guided by it Where hath Christ the great Prophet taught as these men of Belial teach When Christ met him whose eyes he had opened John 9. 35. He said unto him dost thou believe on the Son of God And when the man answered and said Who is he Lord that I might believe on him Jesus said unto him thou hast both seen him and it is he that talketh with thee But how do these pretended Preachers up of the Light direct men unto Christ that making no clear discription of his Person do only advise all men to turn into a so called Light within them which as the Lord hath taught Mat. 6. 23. is great Darkness If saith he the Light that is in thee be darkness how great is that darkness And is not great darkness in them that have no light And who those are the Prophet shows Isa 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony saith he if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them But do these boasters of Light that walk in darkness go to the Law and to the Testimony of Jesus Do they hear Him in all that he hath said there nay do they hear him in any thing that he hath there spoken Is their Repentance such as he requireth Do they confesse their sins and pray for mercy for them They are heard it may be with the proud Pharisee to say God I thank thee I am not as other men but which of them hath been heard to say God be merciful to me a Sinner Do they mourn for their transgressions that seldom or never confess them Do they forsake sin that are servants of sin that not only do despise the Gospel of the Grace of God but also Blaspheme his Name his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven Are these self-exalters captivated into their Curses Is it through infirmity of their flesh and against the law of their spirits that they thunder out their Anathema's like the Popes Bulls against the Worshippers of God and the Followers of the Lamb And as it is evident that they which do not believe in Christ do abide in darkness John 12. 46. So it is apparent that he which hateth his Brother is in the same condition as John teacheth in his first Epist 2. 9. He saith he that saith he is in the Light and hateth his Brother is in Darkness but contrariwise he that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is none occasion of stumbling in him But how can they say they love their Brethren that give them occasion to stumble at the Word that Pure Word which is laid in Sion for a foundation at which they stumble and thereby give occasion to others to stumble by their example See Rom. 9. 32. 1 Pet. 2. 7 8. Can they say they love those whom they delude and being blind themselves lead others that are blind also into the pit of destruction Matth. 15. 14. unto whom instead of giving direction and encouragement by their Doctrin and Example to confess Jesus Christ come in the flesh they do the direct contrary neither making confession of the Person Office or Administrations of Christ not his Person not his Divine and Humane Natures personally united and personally distinguished from the persons of all other men but a Light within all men they extoll Not his Office of High Priest to offer the Sacrifice of Himself for the sins of the World and to give Peace to all that believe in his Name by the remission of their sins Of a Prophet to teach Of a King to rule and govern But a Light within all men which though it be but the work of the Law is exalted and the only Name under Heaven given among men whereby they must be saved is thrown down What he is what he hath done what he hath taught is not regarded his Promises are not imbraced his Threatnings are not feared his Commandments are not obeyed yea the main reason and ground why the holy Ordinances of Baptism in Water Prayer and Laying on of Hands and Breaking of Bread c is denied by those that teach all People to be guided by the Light within them is because they contemn Jesus Christ that gave commandment to administer those his holy Appointments and despising his Doctrine they exalt their own Delusion His Word they will not hear his Work they will not do but have walked after the Imaginations of their own heart Jer. 9. 14. teaching for Doctrines the Commandments of men Matth. 15. 9. Sect. 5 For was it ever heard that any Professor of the Faith of Jesus Christ any Confessor of him to be come in the flesh did deny the Baptism of a repentant Believer in Water in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins which is an Ordinance of so great authority that although there hath been some difference among Professors about the manner of Administration thereof yet few or none have ever been heard to question the Ordinance it self till now of late and it being appointed for so excellent uses as not only to signifie the Burial and Resurrection of Jesus Christ but also the Fellowship of every true Believer in his Death which he dyed unto sin once Rom.
it shall be recompenced unto him again for of him and through him and to him are all things to whom be Glory for ever Amen See Isay 30. 13 14. He that hath an ear let him hear and fear and do no more presumptuously For this their Doctrine supposeth that that which they call Christ is saved by their Preaching and Teaching from a fallen condition which when in their conceit they have raised they salute in their writings which they have Intituled A Salutation to the Seed of God which they suppose is in every man and this they say is Christ in a fallen slain or imprisoned condition till raised up by their endeavours so that Christ is not distinguished by them as a distinct person from all other men nor his death to be declared to be accomplished in his own person but in every man according to their delution every man hath Christ in him sometimes slain and sometimes raised his death is not once but often accomplished and he is slain for himself and raised for himself if raised at all Oh how contrary is this Doctrine to the Doctrine of the Scriptures which teach that Christ hath ONCE suffered for sins the just for the unjust being put to death in the flesh but quickend in the spirit 1 Pet. 3. 18. But now ONCE saith the Apostle in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself he was once offered to bear the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin to Salvation Heb. 9. 26 28. Neither let them think to excuse the matter by alledging that the Name Christ is sometimes given the Church which is men and women united to him by Faith according to the Gospel for when it is so given it is to be taken mystically believers being understood to be the Body of Christ and Christ to be the head of that Body this mystical sence destroyes not the proper sence for Christ as a distinct person from all other persons is described by the Apostle Paul Rom. 1. 3 4. to be made of the Seed of David according to the flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holinesse by the Resurrection from the dead in which flesh he suffered upon the Crosse being put to death and the third day rose again by the Power of the Spirit of Holinesse he was delivered for our offences and was raised again for our justification Rom. 4. 25. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the Tree that we being dead to sins should live to Righteousnesse by whose stripes ye were healed as the Apostle teacheth 1 Pet. 2. 24. Sect. 3 But if man considered as man yea as fallen sinful and wretched man as a Creature without Christ without God c. be not to be Preached unto and if Salvation by Faith in Christ be not tendred to the Creature distinct from the Creator then is there no tender of Salvation nor any thing to be saved for there is not one Scripture which speaketh of any thing else which Salvation is to be tendred unto but man for whom Christ dyed as it is written Heb. 2. 16. For verily he taketh not hold of Angels but of the Seed of Abraham he taketh hold according to the Greek that is he did not take into unity of person the Nature of Angels but he took into personal unity the Seed of Abraham that is the nature of man was taken into personality with his Divine nature that through death he might destroy him that had the Power of death that is the Devil and deliver them that through fear of death were all their life time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. It was the Creature man that was in bondage by sin and in fear of death that hid himself and was afraid Gen. 3. 10. and had been as water spilt upon the ground if God had not devised means that his banished be not exciled from him 2 Sam. 14. 14. It was that sinning Creature man that should have been banished for ever had not God devised means to redeem the man Adam and his posterity For God so loved the World that he gave his onely begotten Son Jesus Christ that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting life John 3. 16. Gods love was indeed to the lost but no part of the eternal and uncreated substance was lost but man was lost the Creature had been cut off for ever for that first sin of Adam by whom sin entred into the world and death by sin and so death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. But God so loved that Creature Man as to give his only begotten Son for his redemption for God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved John 3. 16 17. which life and salvation is to be held forth to the Creature which hath sinned to the race of mankind for they have all sinned and come short of the Glory of God and these that have sinned are upon their repentance and believing the Gospel Justified freely by the Grace of God through the redemption that is in Jesus Christ for God justifieth the ungodly Rom. 3. 23 24. Rom. 4. 5. We have seen and do testifie saith the Apostle John That the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World Not to be a Saviour of his eternal substance but to be a Saviour to the world 1 John 4. 14. I am the Living Bread saith Christ which came down from Heaven if any man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread which I will give is my flesh which I will give for the Life of the World wch world had for ever perished for the iniquities thereof had not Christ Jesus given himself freely to death that he might bring them to God which were without God and without Christ being strangers from the Covenant of Promise having no hope and without God in the world Ephes 2. 12. So that as the same Apostle teacheth they which were sometimes alienated and enemies in their Minds or Spirits by wicked works Yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his flesh through death to present them holy and unblameable and unreproveable in the sight of God if they continue in the Faith grounded and setled and be not moved away from the hope of the Gospel preached unto all and whereof Paul was a Minister Col. 1. 22 23. For as he also saith There is one God and one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time 1 Tim. 2. 5 6. The like is testified by the Angel of God as it is written by Luke in his Gospel And Lo the Angel of the Lord saith he came upon them and the Glory of
the Grace of God through the Redemption that is in Christ Jesus unto and upon all them that believe whose Faith is imputed to them for Righteousness and whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered Thou art a stranger unto which notwithstanding is the Doctrine of the Apostle Paul Rom. 3. 22. and Rom. 4. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9. Sect. 9 Sixthly Thou deniest Christ which died c. because all such as follow after thy Doctrine do not deny themselves as he hath taught they should thou makest a shew of Sin-denial but Self-denial thou dost not practise but Self must be denied and Self-Righteoushess which is of the Law yea when men have done all whatsoever they are commanded they are then to say with humble hearts they have done but what was their duty and that they are unprofitable servants I say to deny our selves and self-righteousness accounting it but dung that we may win Christ and be found in Him not having our own righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith this is the way to true blessedness as the Apostle teacheth Philip. 3. 8 9. But this laying low Self and onely resting upon Christ by Faith thou canst not away with therefore thou art in Self-exaltation in the highest degree only thou coverest this with a fair pretence by putting pretended Sin-deniall for Self-denial and hereby is many a poor Soul miserably deceived by thee but thus saith the Word of the Lord Rom. 3. 20. Therefore by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of Sin And Gal. 3. 10 11. For a many as are of the works of the Law are under the Curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continuetb not in All things that are written in the Book of the Law to do them But that no man is justified by the Law in the sight of God it is evident for the Just shall live by Faith Behold saith the Prophet Habâ—k 2. 4. His Soul that is lifted up is not upright in him but the Iust shall live by Faith Sect. 10 To which Justification by Faith in the Blood of Christ thou that placest pretended Sanctification in the stead and place of Justification art a stranger and herein it will appear that although thou seemest to have a Zeal of God yet it is not according to Knowledge for thou sayest so far only as the Creature is brought out of the filth of this World and to leave sin so far only is he justified before God whereas the Scripture saith Rom. 4. 5 6 7. But to him that Worketh not but Believeth on him that justifieth the Vngodly his Faith is counted to him for Righteousness even as David also describeth the Blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth Righteousness without Works saying Blessed are they whose Iniquities are Forgiven and whose Sins are Covered Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not Impute Sin So that God justifieth the Creature while it is in its Sins in its Blood Ezek. 16. 6. by the pardon thereof upon Repentance and Believing the Gospel which Believing is Imputed to us for Righteousness as it is written Rom. 4. 3. Abraham Believed God and it was counted to him for Righteousness And although Repentance toward God and Faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 20. 21. be requisite in order to every Sinners Justification yet is Justification an Act of God Rom. 8. 33. whereby he freely by his Grace through the Redemption that is in Iesus Christ doth acquit from guilt of Sin the Repentant Believer not Imputing his Sins to him and accounting his Faith to him for Righteousness See Rom. 3. 23 24 25 26. Yea to Believe as a Sinner while under the guilt of Sin and thereby lyable to the wrath of God Rom. 3. 19. Gal. 3. 10. Ephes 2. 3. that God hath received such absolute Satisfaction by the Sufferings of Jesus Christ in his own Body upon the Cross without the Gate of Jerusalem That he that Repenteth and Believeth the Gospel is wholly acquitted his debt discharged fully and freely through his Blood this is the way to be justified before God So that the main ground and reason why we that Believe should be holy in all manner of Conversation in this present evil World is because we are not our own but are bought with a price even with the precious Blood of Jesus Christ Therefore ought we to Glorifie him in our Bodies and in our Spirits which are his 1 Cor. 6. 20. And so ought we to live to him that dyed for us and rose again c. 2 Cor. 5. 15. That seeing Christ dyed for our sins we ought not to live in them but to die to that which he dyed for and as he was Crucified for our Iniquities So they that are Christs do Crucifie the Flesh with the affections and lusts lest they joyn with his Enemies and provoke his anger against them and as the Apostle Peter teacheth 1 Pet. 1. 14 15. As obedient Children not fashioning your selves according to the former lusts in your Ignorance but as he which hath called you is holy so be ye holy in all manner of Conversation Because it is written Be ye holy for I the Lord your God am holy Levit. 19. 2. But Sect. 11 Seventhly In that thou layest aside this God-glorifying Doctrine of Christs free Reconciliation of Sinners to God by his Death out of and without themselves and of Gods Justification of the Ungodly by the Remission of their Sins upon Repentance Faith It appears that with the High-Priests Elders and Scribes of the Law Acts 4. 5 6 10. the Preachers up of the Light within do set at nought that precious and tryed Stone which is the Head of the Corner and the Foundation of all Generations that shall be Saved yea that Rock of Ages upon which the Congregation of the Faithful are built which is not the Rock of these Legallists their Preachings and Printings being Witnesses see Deut. 32. 31. For in as much as the Light within is no other than the work of the Law written in the hearts of the Gentiles Rom. 2. 14 15. It is evident that these Preachers are Preachers of the Law not of the Gospel to which with those Jews and Greeks mentioned 1 Cor. 1. 23. they are such Adversaries that the Preaching of Christ Crucified is to them both a Stumbling Block and Foolishness while unto them which are Called Christ is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God Oh how great and glorious is the Power of God in the work of Redemption by the Sufferings of Jesus Christ Oh the depth of the Riches both of the Wisdom and Knowledge of God which the proud in Spirit know not as the Prophet David teacheth Psal 11 4. The Wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not seek after God
God is not in all his thoughts but as saith the same Prophet Psal 69. 32. The humble shall see this and be glad and your heart shall live that seek God Sect. 12 The humble do see themselves in a lost and undone Estate by reason of Sin which they and all the world are guilty of by the Sentence of the righteous Law of God they are so broken in their spirits finding themselves under the Curse of the Law Gal. 3. 10 That as Christ teacheth concerning the penetant Publican Luke 18. 10. thinking themselves not worthy to lift up their eyes to Heaven do smite their breasts saying God be merciful to us Sinners while the proud Pharisee rejoycing in himself and in his own Righteousness of the Law like those that now Preach up the Light within exalteth himself saying God I thank thee I am not as other men are Extortioners Unjust Adulterers or even as this Publican Oh with what affection doth the Repentant Believer receive Jesus Christ Oh how precious is the Blood of Sprinkling to him Heb. 12. 24. Which the proud Legalist Pharisee Papist and pretended Preacher up of the Light within do trample under their feet Sect. 13 Even as Water is to a thirsty Land Psal 143. 6. or to the panting Hart Psal 42. 1. which being at the point of death except it be refreshed by the Water Brooks doth expire So is it with the poor Believer who finding himself beset on every side with the guilt and burthen of his Sins which he not able to bear flees from but is still pursued with the guilt thereof until he meets with Christ who sets him free from the guilt and takes away the burthen of his Sins giveth him assurance of peace with God through the Satisfaction which he hath made to his Justice by the Sacrifice of himself for all his sins that are past and requiring this late lost Creature now to follow him he bringeth him to his Fathers house makes him a Son of God by Adoption and giveth him the holy Spirit whereby he may both know that God is his Father and be inabled to serve him in newness of spirit promiseth him that his Grace shall be sufficient for him to relieve him in all his Temptations in this world and that by his Mediation with God he will so secure him from the Calumnious Accusations of Satan that he shâ—â—l not be able to lay any thing to his Charge in the Court of Heaven and now requiring him to be faithful to the death assureth him that he will give him the Crown of life Oh what glorious Grace is this Oâ— hâ—w is he that was Sentenced to death and pursued with the Executioners thereof meeting with Jesus Christ and being by him not only delivered from the power of his Puâ—suers but also intituled to Everlasting Life refreshed and comforted who is able to express the consolation of the water of Life John 4. 10. which Jesus Christ gives to refresh the fainting Spirits of those he meets with that while they flee from sin are pursued with the Law Sin and Death and are never able by all the strength they have to deliver themselves from the power of those their Enemies until Jesus Christ interpose with the might of his power relieve them by his grace delivering the poor broken in spirit that are pursued with the guilt power and wages of Sin from the Law Sin and Death speaking peace to them in the pardon of their sins sprinkling his Blood upon their spirits to cleanse them from the guilt thereof and giving them the holy Spirit John 7. 37 38 39. to strengthen them against the Reigning power of Sin and thereby intituling them to life Everlasting and to the deliverance from the wages of Sin which is Everlasting Death Sect. 14 Oh how contrary is the Doctrine of the Gospel to the Doctrine of those that Preach up the Light within all men as that which though it be but the work of the Law Rom. 2. 15. is sufficient in the opinion of these followers of the Romish Synagogue to lead out of all Sin and eternally to save and therefore contrary to the practice of the Apostles who direct unto Christ all the weary and heavy laden with sin with Behold the Lamb of God which taketh away the Sins of the World John 1. 29. These Messengers of Satan lead all such as follow them from Christ to themselves setting up themselves under pretence of the Light within and rejecting that which is indeed the Light viz. the Word of the Prophets of Christ and of his Apostles 2 Pet. 1. 19. which is written in the Scriptures of Truth Dan. 10. 21. they set up that which is indeed the Darkness of this world the Traditions of men the Doctrines of the Romish Harlot and other Adversaries to the Doctrine of the Gospel which they deliver by word of mouth and disperse in their written Books and Pamphlets CHAP. II. Wherein is shewed That the Doctrine of these that call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within all men is not according to the Doctrine of Jesus Christ expressed in the Scriptures of Truth neither concerning the Person of Christ nor the Father Son and Spirit nor the Light nor the Ordinances of Christ nor the Resurrection of the Dead nor the Coming of Christ nor the End of the World Also the Doctrine which is according to Godliness as it relates to these Particulars is here manifested Sect. 1 THe second thing which I lay to thy Charge which teachest that People should be guided by the Light which is within all men is That thy Doctrine is not according to the Doctrine of the Scriptures neither concerning the Conception of Jesus Christ nor the Divine Being of the Father Son and Spirit nor the Light nor the Ordinances of Christ nor the Resurrection of the Dead nor the Coming of Christ nor the End of the World and therefore thou art led by the Spirit of Antichrist Sect. 2 First Because thou dost not confess that by vertue of the Holy Spirit his coming upon and the Power of the Highest his overshadowing that visible woman called Mary that that man Christ Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit and made of the Woman without her knowing of man and that he is the only begotten Son of God both according to the Spirit of Holiness Rom. 1. 3 4. and also as he is a man of flesh and bones and that there is none nor can be any that is the Son of God in that sense that that God-man Christ Jesus was and is the Son of God from and to all Eternity according to the Spirit of Holiness and also in the fulness of time according to the flesh Gal. 4. 4. I say because thou dost not own this Person which I here speak of to be the only begotten Son of God and no other but he in all the world beside Therefore thou art deceived and art a Deceiver for thou sayest
6. 10. that so they may be in his Resurrection also Rom. 6. 5 6 7 8 9. to live unto God that sin reigning not in their mortal bodies in this life they may in their bodies souls spirits reign with Christ in the life which is to come It must needs therefore be concluded that those that deny this blessed Appointment of Jesus Christ do also deny him to be come in the flesh as also all benefit that Believers do and shall obtain by the sufferings of Christ in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1. 22. and that are obtainable through his grace in their conforming themselves to his will in submitting to this his Appointment And forasmuch as the pretended Preachers up of the Light within do usually call the Baptism of Believers in Water though it be administred in the Name of Jesus Christ a carnal thing a shadow without substance empty useless low and such a thing as God is gone out of c. Is it not evident that they think as meanly of him that sent his Servants to Baptize with Water Joh. 1. 33. Mark 16. 15 16. Acts 10. 47 48. as they do of Baptism in Water What esteem have they of the Person of Christ that have none of his Commandement Of what value is the Coming of Christ in the flesh his Death Burial and Resurrection with those that despise his Doctrine and that blessed Appointment of his which not only sets forth the Burial and Resurrection of Christ but also the Vertue and Efficacy thereof upon Believers as is abundantly taught in the Scriptures Therefore saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 4. We are buried with him by Baptism into death that like as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father even so we also should walk in newnesse of life So likewise Col. 2. 12. Buried with him by Baptism into death wherein also you are risen with him through the Faith of the operation of God who raised him from the dead And the blessed Apostle Peter in his first Epistle Chap. 3. 21 22. speaking of the efficacy of Baptism upon true Believers teacheth us to understand that it consisteth not in the bare putting away of the filth of the flesh as the Jewish Baptisms did Heb. 9. 9 10. but it being administred in the Name of a greater High Priest than he whose descent is from Aaron the effect is greater than the effect of those Legal washings or carnal Ordinances which the Apostle excellently expresseth in these words viz. Not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience toward God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead who is gone into Heaven and is on the right hand of God Angels and Authorities and Powers being made subject to him And the same Apostle according to the wisdom given unto him of God answered those Jews that being pricked in their hearts Act. 2. 37 38. said unto him and to the rest of the Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do when he said unto them Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Iesus Christ for the Remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit Is the conscience of any man good while it remains defiled with the guilt of sin Tit. 1. 15. And hath the Lord appointed Baptism in Water in his Name Acts 10. 47 48. to signifie unto penitent Believers the Remission of their sins that being planted together in the likenesse of his Death which is unto Sin they might be also in the likenesse of his Resurrection Rom. 6. 5 14. Whence then is that spirit that forbids Water for the Baptism of the repentant Believer in the Name of Jesus Christ for the remission of his sins He that is of God saith Christ heareth Gods Words Ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God Joh. 8. 47. When the Lord had anointed the eyes of the man that was born blind Joh. 9. 6 7. he said unto him Go wash in the Pool of Siloam which is by interpretation Sent he went his way therefore and washed and came seeing O what riches of grace doth every true Believer receive of Jesus Christ in their becoming obedient to his Word This man had not onely his Eyes opened which never yet had seen but he was made one of the Disciples of Christ one of the adopted Sons of God And what greater envie and malice can Satan and his Instruments express against God and man than to endeavour to hinder men from doing that which God hath commanded that so they may not enjoy that which he hath promised When Sergius Paulus desired to hear the Word of God of Barnabas and Saul Elimas the Sorcerer withstood them seeking to turn away the Deputy from the Faith Unto whom Act. 13. 3. Paul said O full of all subtilty and all mischief thou child of the Devil thou enemy of all Righteousness Wilt thou not cease to pervert the right wayes of the Lord And as this wicked man did endeavour to shut the eyes of the understanding of the Governour that he should not see the light of the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. 5 6. So was he justly punished by the hand of the Lord with such blindnesse that he was not able to see the Sun for a mist and darkness fell on him and he went about seeking some to lead him by the hand A great punishment But his sin was great he sought to turn away a man from the Faith unto which as the Apostle Peter teacheth God Act. 15. 7 8 9. bore witness among the Gentiles and gave to them the holy Spirit purifying their hearts by Faith And as Paul teacheth He that believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his Faith is counted to him for Righteousness he is one of those blessed men to whom God will not impute sin who being justified by Faith hath peace with God through Jesus Christ access by faith unto Grace and rejoyceth in hope of the glory of God having Redemption through the blood Rom. 1. 1 2 3 4 6. of Christ the Forgiveness of sins according to the riches of his Grace Ephes 1. 7. And this is that new and living Way which Christ hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh Heb. 10. 20. For he himself by walking in that way wherein he requireth every true Believer to follow him hath consecrated it a way of Salvation for wherefore was he Baptized but to consecrate the way of Baptism to all Believers as himself testified when John refused to Baptise him Mat. 3 13 14 15. Saying I have need to be Baptized of thee and comest thou to me suffer it saith he to be so now for thus it becometh us to fulfil all Righteousness Therefore Baptism in Water in the Name of Jesus Christ is unto the Repentant Believer the way of Salvation
seeking the blessing from God by lifting up and laying on of hands for hands are not to be laid on except they be first lifted up and therefore the Prayer of Faith is a main part of this Ministration That Jacob when he blessed the Children of Joseph He laid his hands upon them Gen. 47. 14 16. Moses by the Command of the Lord laid his hands upon Joshua in order to his being filled with the Spirit and thereby fitted for his Charge of going in and out before the Congregation of Israel Numb 27. 22 23. Deut. 34. 9. And the Lord Christ himself when he blessed those little ones which were brought unto him He put or laid his hands upon them Mark 10. 13 14 15. Matth. 19. 13 14 15. Now what man or men can say that this is a dead practice which the Lord of Life and Glory and his holy Prophets and Apostles practised without blasphemy against Jesus Christ yea against God the Father Can any man revile that practice of Prayer and laying on of hands which as hath been shewed was used according to the direction of Christ and for no other end than for the obtaining the Spirit of Promise which is the â—arnest of the Inheritance of all Believers Ephes 1. 13 14. and not thereby deny his Word How can they say they love him that keep not his sayings He saith Christ that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings John 14. 24. Is not the Spirit the Seal of Righteousness by Faith After ye believed saith the Apostle Ephes 1. 13. ye were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise This only would I learn of you saith the Apostle to the Galatians Gal. 3. 2 3. being tempted to turn from the Righteousness which is by Faith to that which is of the Law Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect by the flesh What other reason can truely be given why the Preachers up of the Light within all men do revile that principle of Christs Doctrine but this viz. Because the Righteousness which they teach is contrary to that which the holy Spirit seals therefore they reproach that practice whereby Believers obtain the holy Spirit as a seal of their Righteousnesse which is by Faith as the strength whereby they stand stedfast in their heavenly Calling and as the earnest and assurance of their everlasting Inheritance Wherefore cry they out Turn to the Light within Turn to the Light within but because their delight is in the works of the Law not in the hearing of Faith Oh how pleasant is a fleshly Righteousness Rom. 2. 15. Gal. 3 5. unto men unregenerate which because it is wrought by the strength of the Creature which although now since the Fall is only the strength of corrupt flesh yet is it cryed up by fleshly and carnal men that know not what it is to be born of Water and of the holy Spirit as the onely Righteousnesse though it will leave them under the Curse of the Law and never give them the blessing of Abraham the Promise of the Spirit which is not to be obtained by the works of the Law but by Faith in Jesus Christ through his grace Gal. 3. 10. 14. Rom. 4. 4 15 16. Rom. 11. 6. and in the way that he hath appointed in his Word wherein this Service of the Prayer of Faith with the laying on of hands is taught as a part of that way which is the way of life in which the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus is found which maketh free from the Curse of the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. 1 2. Gal. 3. 10. and although it be despised and contemned with other Ordinances of the New Testament by such as whilst they boast of Light do walk in Darknesse yet as a reward of whose disobedience the mist of darkness is reserved for ever 2 Pet. 2. 17. Sect. 7 But like measure ye mete also to that holy Appointment of Jesus Christ viz. the Lords Supper which he celebrated with his Disciples at his departure from them the same night in which he was betrayed and sanctified as a standing Ordinance unto his Church to evidence the breaking of his Body the pouring out of his Bloud with the benefit thereof unto all true Believers yea to set forth his Death and bodily absence until his coming again in his own Body wherein he suffered upon the Crosse for this Ordinance is by the pretended Preachers up of the Light within all men very much reviled and the practice thereof as it is used in the Churches of Christ not only villified but opposed which whether it be not done to make way for that Popish Idol of the Masse because in dispute about this Question the Bread which is eaten in the Lords Supper was denied to be Bread made of Corn or the Wine that is drunk to be the fruit of the Vine by a Preacher up of the so called Light within And how near this Denyal comes to the Harlots doctrine of Transubstantiation the Children of God through his grace will well perceive Sure I am the denial of the Ordinances of Christ manifesteth contempt both of the Person and Power of Christ and whosoever denyeth this Ordinance in particular doth thereby deny that which is set forth by it which is not only his Death 1 Cor. 11. 26. but even his coming in the flesh For therefore a Body was prepared him that his Body might be offered once for all Heb. 10. 5 10. He took part of flesh and blood that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil and deliver them that through fear of death were all their life-time subject to bondage Heb. 2. 14 15. The Death of Christ being of such precious concernment unto his Church the Lord hath in his wisdom appointed this holy Feast which is called His Supper to set forth in his bodily absence his Death until his Coming again in his own body that so the Church might have him in remembrance by whom they receive so great a benefit 1 Cor. 11. 24 25 26. as the Remission Act. 1. 11. of sin of which the Cup is the New Testament in his Blood as the Bread is that which doth shew forth his Body broken and given for them an Offering not like the Legal Offerings nor like the Popish Masse daily offered which yet never take away sin But being once offered doth so take away the sins of them that walking in Faith Hope and Charity look and wait for his appearing that he shall appear the second time without sin unto their salvation Heb. 9. 26 28. It must needs therefore be a mischievious design which is carried on by those that contemn the Ordinances of Jesus Christ which are of so blessed concernment to those that believe in him It is no lesse than the denying of him
to be come in the flesh to deny the Ordinances which he hath appointed to set forth what he hath done in the body of his flesh and it is as much as to deny that ever he shall come again to deny that Appointment which he hath ordained to be used until his second coming or to abuse it with the Papists turning that into a Sacrifice Propitiatory which Christ ordained only to signifie the Propitiatory Sacrifice of his own Body to make that by an humane invention of Transubstantiation to be the very Body and Blood of Christ there present upon their Altar in the hand of their Priest which Christ appointed so signifie his Body as to shew his bodily absence the Bread being present his Body being at the right hand of God in the Glory of the Father This is as much as to deny his coming bodily for if his Body be present how can his Body be at the right hand of God If his Body be come since his Ascention how can his Body be still to come But the truth is so great an harmony is between the Preachers up of the Light within all men and the Doctors of the Romish Synagogue that their Doctrine tends to one thing viz. The denyal of Jesus Christ come in the flesh of Justification by the imputation of Faith in his Blood for Righteousness of Remission of Sins by his Grace of the right use and end of his holy Ordinances yea to the denyal of the vertue of the Death of Christ the essicacy of his Resurrection and the glory of his Coming I shall therefore for conclusion of this Chapter set forth according to the Scriptures of Truth the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the bodies of all men by the power of the Resurrection of Christ the glory of his Coming and the End of the World Sect. 8 For thus saith the Word of the Truth of the Gospel concerning those that shall be saved as it is written 2 Tim. 1. 8 9. 10. God saith the Apostle hath saved us and called us with an holy Calling not according to our Works but according to his own Purpose and Grace given us in Christ Iesus before the world began but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Iesus Christ who hath abolished Death and brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel By his Death he hath destroyed him that had the power of Death Heb. 2. 14. By his Resurrection and Ascension in his own Body He hath led captivity captive He conquered the Grave and overcame it by Death not for himself who knew no sin but for the world of sinners unto whom Death is due as the wages of Sin the just reward of Iniquity Rom. 6. 23. which Death passed upon all men excepting Christ who sinned not because that all have sinned Rom. 5. 12. and are in bondage under Sin and Death the great enemies of the peace and comfort of Mankind for whose deliverance from Sin and Death Christ hath dyed and hath invited the world of sinners to repent and believe the Gospel for the Remission of their Sins and their deliverance from Death from which he will in his due time deliver all those that believe in his Name For he must reign till he hath put all his enemies under his feet 1 Cor. 15. 25. that the saying that is written may come to passe Death is swallowed up into Victory according to the Word of the Lord by the Prophet Hosea ch 13. 14. I will ransom them from the power of the Grave I will redeem them from Death O Death I will be thy plagues O Grave I will be thy destruction Repentance shall be hid from mine eyes And to this end Jesus Christ did give himself a Ransom for all and tasted Death for every man 1 Tim. 2. 6. Heb. 2. 9. that he might bring all men out of the Grave which though it be not yet effected yet he hath payed the Price that so at his appearing he may raise all men from that first death and deliver from wrath to come all that wait for him believing on his Name 1 Thess 1. 10. 1 Ioh. 3. 23. according as himself hath testified Ioh. 5. 28 29. Marvel not at this saith he for the hour is coming in which all that are in the Grave shall hear the voice of the Son of God and shall come forth they that have done good unto the resurrection of life and they that have done evil unto the resurrection of damnation So that it is evident that that of man which goeth to the grave shall be raised again as he hath said I will ransom them from the power of the grave c. But if the bodies of them which are cast into the grave shall not be raised from thence how then is there a ransoming of them from the power of the Grave or a redeeming them from Death How is Captivity led captive or who how will the Grave then come to destruction and not rather be the destroyer And how will the Word of the Almighty Creator be fulfilled and his glorious Power manifested who made Heaven and Earth the Sea and all that therein is and keepeth Truth for ever Psal 146. 5 6. Sect 9 But it is further evident That the bodies of Believers although they dye and turn to dust yet shall they be raised again and live eternally as is testified in the Scripture 1 Cor. 15. 42 43 44. by the Apostle concerning the Resurrection of the Dead It is sown saith he in Corruption It is raised in Incorruption It is sown in Dishonour It is raised in Glory It is sown in Weakness It is raised in Power It is sown a Natural Body It is raised a Spiritual Body By all which how evidently is the Resurrection of that which dyes proved It which is sown and it which is raised is one and the same only the condition wherein it is raised is more excellent than that wherein it is sown They that turn Scripture into Allegories cannot turn this into any nor make an Interpretation contrary to this without making themselves very absurd for if they shall say It is the Seed of God which is thus sown then it seems the Seed of God shall be sown in one condition and shall be raised in another yea they must hold that the Seed of God is sown a Natural Body and raised a Spiritual Body changing its Properties which cannot be No no it is the Corruptible man the natural Bodies of Believers which shall be raised changed and fashioned like the glorious Body of Christ and as is testified in the Scripture concerning that Seed which is sown into the Earth as Wheat or other Grain That which is sown is not sown that Body which shall be for when it is sown it is sown but bare Grain not clothed with any thing but God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him clothed excellently yet to every Seed his own Body And as the Body
earnest of the Spirit and was at home in the body and absent from the Lord 2 Cor. 5. 4 5 6 7. to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousnesse which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith that I may know him saith he and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death if by any means I may attain unto the Resurrection from the Dead not as though I had already attained either were already Perfect but I follow after if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus Phil. 3. from the 8th Verse to the end So that that which truly and properly is called the Resurrection from the Dead is the raising of man from the dead in every part wherein he is dead by reason of sin to be alive again and to live in every part wherein he lived before he sinned For before man sinned he was alive in Spirit Soul and Body Gen. 2. 7. and so should for ever have lived and not have tasted death nor have seencorruption or have returned unto Dust in his visible body had he not transgressed the righteous Law of God for the wages of sin is death Rom. 6. 23. which Law of God Man at first was able to have kept and might and ought to have kept it but he broke it through his wilful disobedience in hearkening to the Counsel of Satan and thereby brought himself and his Posterity to the Penalty therein threatned In the day saith God that Eating thou shalt Eat Dying See Gen. 2. 17. with the Hebbrew in the Margent thou shalt Die. Therefore the Resurrection from the Dead is the Raising of the whole Man from Death in every part wherein he is dead by reason of Transgression to be alive again and to live in every part which was once alive before Transgression This Resurrection is yet to come The renewing of the Spirit of the mind is but the Earnest or Assurance thereof and of Happinesse at that time It is to come and not past as the False Teachers did affirm of whom the Apostle doth give warning to the Saints 2 Tim. 2. 16 17 18. but shun saith he prophane and vain bablings for they will encrease unto more ungodlinesse and their word will eat as doth a canker or gangreen of whom is Hymeneus and Philetus who concerning the Truth have erred saying that the Resurrection is past already and overthrow the faith of some From whence we may take notice That these False Teachers did err in mis-applying the Resurrection of Man for they did not deny a Resurrection wholly but taking a part for the whole or puting the Earnest for the Inheritance said It was past already In like manner those against whom we contend they do not say That there is No Resurrection at all yet in effect they say as much for they say It is past with them and they look for no other kind of Resurrection than what they do now enjoy But this their Doctrine being no better than vain bablings all true Believers are to shun and avoid Sect. 12 And yet they that are thus deceived as to imagine that they have attained unto the Resurrection from the dead think to bring something to bear up their building from Revel 20. 6. where the Spirit of God saith Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the First Resurrection on such the Second Death hath no power c. concluding that the Resurrection is past with those that have attained to their supposed Degree of Perfection but alas they are greatly deceived for the First Resurrection here spoken of is not the Quickening of the Spirit only but the raising up and investing the whole bodies souls and spirits of those Holy Ones there mentioned with Life and Immortality And that this is so appears by the 4th and 5th Verses where John saith I saw the souls of them which were beheaded for the witnesse of Jesus and for the Word of God and which had not worshipped the Beast neither his Image neither had received his Mark upon their Foreheads or in their Hands and they lived and raigned with Christ a Thousand Years but the rest of the Dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished This is the First Resurrection c. Now what part of man is it which is capable of being beheaded Is it not the Body Therefore the Bodies lived though only the Soul is mentioned and it is usual in Scripture to mention a part for the whole as Gen. 46. 27. All the Souls of the house of Jacob which came into Aegypt were threescore and ten but who knows not that their Bodies came also And were it so That by the first Resurrection here mentioned is meant the Renovation of the Spirit of man by rising from sin to newness of Life yet this is so far from concluding against the Resurrection of the Body of man that the Resurrection of the Body of every true Believer may rather be concluded from it as saith the Apostle Paul Rom. 8. 11. But if the Spirit of him saith he that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you and as the Holy Spirit doth bear witnesse with the spirit of every true Believer that he is a Son of God so also that he is an heir of God and a joint heir with Christ of a glorious Inheritance which is to be enjoyed at the Redemption of the Body This Redemption of the body See Rom. 8. 16. 17 23. is that which all Believers wait with patience for and hope to enjoy in their bodies which now are liable to Sufferings for Christs sake and seeing it is in the last times that the Beast and his Image are set up which the Saints refusing to worship or to receive his Mark are by his Followers persecuted to death as a reward of whose Sufferings the First Resurrection shall be given to them and to all other Believers that are asleep in Jesus therefore it will not be accomplished till the Lord himself descend from Heaven with a shout with the voice of the Arch Angel and with the Trump of God and then the Dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thess 4. 16. and this saith the Spirit is the First Resurrection Revel 2. 5. as is also testified 1 Cor. 15. 21 22 23. For since by Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead For as in Adam all dye even so in Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his own order Christ the First Fruits afterward they that are Christs at his coming Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdome to God even the Father when he shall have put down all Rule all Authority
and Power for he must raign till he have put all his Enemies under his feet the last Enemy that shall be destroyed is Death as it is written Rev. 20. 12 13. And I saw the Dead small and great stand before God and the Books were opened and another Book was opened which is the Book of Life and the Dead were judged out of those things which were written in the Books according to their Works And the Sea gave up the Dead which were in it and Death and Hell or the Grave delivered up the Dead which were in them and they were judged every man according to their works So that we see clearly that both the First and Second Resurerction is the raising of whole Man from death or from the grave contrary to the conceipt of such as suppose the renewing of the spirit of the Mind which is but a part of man to be the first Resurrection of man the Dying to Sin and Rising again to Righteousnesse being so far from being the Resurrection of whole Man from the Dead that it is but the Earnest of the Inheritance of the Righteous as for the Wicked they have no part in it though they shall have in the Resurrection for they as Christ hath taught shall come forth of the grave unto the Resurrection of Damnation John 5. 28 29. Neither is it in the dying to sin and rising again to Righteousnesse as it is in the Death of man and his Rising again for Man dyeth and riseth again but when sin dyeth sin ought never to rise again God forbid that any Believer should plead for a resurrection of sin Sect. 13 But as the denial of the Resurrection of the dead or the affirming that it is past already is a Doctrine false in it self so are the Consequences thereof most dreadfull and destructive to all true piety yea of such a fretting and gangreen-like nature that in those that are infected therewith it devours member after member till the whole body of the Faith be overthrown and the Professors thereof divested of the Knowledg of God and reduced to Gentilisme again and not only so for even among the Gentiles were some Principles of Morality but this is not content to stay here but encreaseth to more ungodlinesse till it arrive at that prophane desire Let us eat and drink for tomorrow we die a Conception so corrupt that as Scollars do affirm that are acquainted with the Sentences of the Heathen Poets the Verse of Menander might serve to rebuke it which the Apostle Paul sticks not to mention for that purpose saying Be not deceived Evil Communication corrupts Good Manners 1 Cor. 15. 32 33. And were those that vent those loose Principles followers of them in practice as the Ranters their Predecessors were we should soon see these as unclean in their lives as they and such as cannot now so easily discern the deceitfulness of their Doctrine because of the covering which they put upon it were it uncovered and reduced to Practice it would be abhor'd by some that are now seduced by it But if we examine all Doctrines that are brought unto us apart from the Lives of those that bring them as we ought to do For since Satan is transformed into an Angel of light it is no great thing if his Ministers be transformed as the Ministers of Righteousness 2 Cor. 11. 14 15. we shall find that that Doctrine which denies the Resurrection of the bodies of Believers and of all that are dead in Adam from the grave doth make void the hope of Israel the Doctrine of Faith contained in the Scriptures of Truth and the Resurrection of Jesus Christ himself Sect. 14 For thus saith the Truth concerning the Hope of the Israel of God If in this Life only we have Hope in Christ we are of all men most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. For such are and have been the Tribulations of the Children of God in this Life that if they had not hope of Happiness in a life that is to come after the death and at the Resurrection of the Body they were the most miserable of all men for the Punishment of the first Offence lyeth upon the Godly as well as upon the Sinner Labour and Sorrow both of Man and Woman Sicknesse and Death is the portion of Good and Bad In the sweat of their faces the righteous as well as the wicked do eat their bread untill they return unto the dust from whence if they shall not be raised they are in a worse condition than the wicked for oftentimes the most sincere Believers do tast the deepest of misery in this life whereas the ungodly are in prosperity There are no bands in their death bâ—â—â—heir strength is firm they are not in trouble like other men neither are they plagued like other men therefore Pride compasseth them about as a chain and violence covereth them as a garment their eyes stand out with fatness they have more then heart can wish Psal 73. 3. 4 5 6 7. This is the prosperous estate of the wicked in this life wherein the Godly man is plunged all the day long and chastened every morning Psal 73. 14. Poor Lazarus in this life received evil things when the Rich man received his good things but in the other Life indeed we see a vast difference between them Lazarus is comforted but the Rich man is tormented Luke 16. 25. Which torment is to be understood to be upon the body of the Rich man from his desire that Lazarus might be sent to dip his finger in water to cool his tongue a part of his body and therefore we are to understand the fulnesse of happinesse in the one and misery in the other to be after the Resurrection of the body from the dead by the denyall whereof the comfortable hope and strong consolation which every true Believer hath in this life and even in death when they commend their Spirits with Stephen Acts 7. 59. into the hands of Jesus Christ is made void and of no effect For wherefore have Believers the earnest of the Spirit by the Holy Ghost speaking peace to their spirits but that they might also enjoy the full Inheritance Why are they sanctified in their spirits 1 Pet. 1. 2. Heb. 12. 23. But to assure them that the very God of Peace will also sanctifie them wholly and their whole Spirit and Soul and Body shall be preserved blameless unto the coming of Iesus Christ 1 Thes 5. 23. And why is it said that the Faithfull when they dye do fall asleep in Jesus that they dye in the Lord that they rest from their labours and their works do follow them Revel 14. 13. But that it might be understood that they shall rise again from the dead in their bodies as Jesus dyed and rose again in his body and is therein become the first fruits of them that sleep 1 Thes 4. 14 16. And as the spirits of all wicked men that die in unbelief
are with the Devil and his Angels in chains of darkness reserved unto the Iudgment of the great day 1 Pet. 8. 19. 2 Pet. 2. 4. wherein they shall in spirit soul and body be tormented in the Lake of fire 2 Thes 1. 8 9. Revel 20. 14. So contrariwise are the spirits of all Just men who fight the good fight and finish their course in the Faith of Luke 13. 28. Mark 9. 43. 44. Mar. 16. 26. Jesus Christ 2 Tim. 4. 7. reserved in Paradice unto the Day of the Lord when the Blessed of the Father shall receive the Kingdome and shall in spirit soul and body enjoy eternal Life Lukâ— 23. 43. Matth. 25. 46. and everlasting Blessedness with Christ Jesus who is now glorified in that Body which suffered death rose from the dead and ascended into Heaven John 20. 27. Luke 24. 38 39. to the 53. as all Believers also in due time shall be And whereas it is declared in Scripture that Christ hath led captivity captive that he hath redeemed those that believe from the Curse of the Law that he hath abolished Death and brought life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. All this though it be the sure and steadfast hope of every True Believer Heb. 5. 18 19 20. is made void and of no effect by those that deny the Resurection of the Bodies or flesh of men for as the flesh of Christ wherein he wus put to death 1 Pet. 3. 18. saw no corruption but was quickened again by the Spirit the third day Act. 2. 24 31. So the flesh of those that believe in Christ though it doth see corruption as Davids flesh is said to do Acts 13. 36. shall be raised again incorruptible 1 Cor 15. 52. and therefore God is declared to be the God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob Exod. 3. 15. Mat. 22. 31 32. because the Bodies of Abraham Isaac and Jacob which are dead shall live again and shall therefore be raised up from death because God is not the God of the dead but of the living as Christ hath taught But False Teachers in their denying the Resurrection of the Bodies of the dead do deny that God is the God of the Living a most sad consequence and blasphemous Opinion Sect. 15 But as the Apostle teacheth The denial of the Resurrection of the Bodies of the Faitfull from the dead doth not only deny the Resurrection of men that have sinned but also of Christ himself who knew no Sin it makes the Preaching of the Gospel vain and the Faith of them that confess it it renders the Apostles of Christ false witnesses of God because they have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if so be that the dead rise not It concludeth that those that Christ hath set free from sin are still under the guilt thereof that they that are faln asleep in Chrst are perished and that the hope of Believers is only in this life and therefore they of all men are most miserable 1 Cor. 15. 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. O fearfull Doctrine What a bitter Root is this which brings forth such Fruit so destructive to the health and comfort of all Believers so contrary to that food wherewith the Spirits of the Faithfull have in old time been nourished and to the Hope wherewith they have in all their Tribulations been supported Oh saith Job in his great extremity when his Brethren Friends Servants his own Wife and Young Children despised him that my words were now written that they were printed in a book that they were graven with an iron pen and lead in the Rock for ever For I know saith he that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth and though after my skin wormes destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes shall behold and not another though my Reins be consumed within me Thus was he supported by the hope of the Resurrection of the dead in the midst of his great Afflictions and Tribulations Job 19. 23 24 25 26 27. The like Experience had Paul for the hope of Israel saith he I am bound with his chain Acts 28. 20. I am judged saith he for the Hope of the Promise made of God unto the Fathers unto which Promise our Twelve Tribes instantly serving God day and night hope to come for which Hopes sake King Agrippa saith he I am accused of the Jews Why should it be thought a thing incredible with you that God should raise the dead Act. 26. 6 7 8. So likewise when he was brought before FELIX This I confesse unto thee saith he that after that way which they call Heresie so worship I the God of my Fathers believing all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets and have Hope toward God which they themselves also allow that there shall he a Resurrection of the Dead both of the Iust and Vnjust and herein do I exercise my self to have a Conscience void of Offence both toward God and toward men O what comfortable and sure hope hath every true Believer by the communion of the Spirit of God that raised up Jesus Christ from the dead how are their spirits quickened and renewed after the Image of him that created them Eph. 2. 5. Col. 3. 10. who will also in due time quicken their mortal Bodies also by his Spirit that dwelleth in them Rom. 8. 11. And inasmuch as God intends to raise the Bodies of his Saints again from the dead therefore precious in his sight is their death Psalm 116. 15. They who while they lived in the Body dyed unto Sin their Bodies after they are dead shall be raised again to Life and shall no more be subject to Death or Sorrow or crying for God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes neither shall there be unto them any more pain Revel 21. 4. Death shall be swallowed up into Victory and the Lord God will wipe away tears from off their faces and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth for the Lord hath spoke it Isa 25. 8. Then shall be the restoring of all things which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his Holy Prophets since the World began Acts 3. 21. Then will he make all things new and unto those which have not loved their lives unto the death for the sake of Jesus Christ with all that have believed on his Name God will be a Father and they shall be his Children and shall inherit all things for these Sayings are true and faithfull saith the Lord Revel 21. 5 7. Thus all may see That the denyal of the Resurrection of the Bodies of the Dead doth make void the Hope of the Israel of God There is also that other pernicious quality in it It emboldeneth the Sinner to God on in
those that are brought into such an estate and condition by Christ that Christ is formed in them though they be not of the same substance with Christ in respect of his uncreated but onely in respect of his created substance that those objections propounded and such like are fully answered Sect. 8 But if it be objected That believers have also those pretious Promises given them whereby they may be Partakers of the Divine Nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. To this it is answered that although it be so yet the manner of Believers partaking of the Divine Nature is different from that manner of unity of the Divine and Humane Natures in the Person of Christ in several respects First In the Humane Nature of Christ dwells the fulnesse of the Godhead bodily Col. 2. 9. But in Believers the Godhead doth not dwell bodily Secondly The Body of Christ who was born of Mary was not Conceived that is formed or fashioned in his Mothers Womb but by and of the Holy Spirit the second Person in the Trinity But the bodies of those that are Believers were not conceived in their Mothers Wombs by any such operation of the Holy Spirit God forbid we should once presume to think so For Thirdly The Virgin Mary conceived the Body of Christ of her Seed or Substance by the operation of the Holy Spirit the second Person in the Trinity without her knowing of man Luke 1. 34. 35. But the Bodies of those men and women that are Believers and Saints by calling were conceived of their Mothers not without their knowing of man and without any such operation of the Holy Spirit Fourthly The Humane Nature of Christs Person never subsisted of it self but alwayes was in Personal Vnity with the Godhead and subsisted by it so that in him the Godhead dwelt bodily but it is not so with others Persons though they are Believers and though their Substance be the same with the Humane Nature of Christ yet it doth not subsist as the Humane Nature of Christs Person doth for all Persons excepting Christ do subsist without the Personal Unity of the Godhead but the Humane Nature of Christs Person did never subsist without the Personal Unity of the Godhead Therefore Fifthly That we may understand how Believers do partake of the Divine Nature it is needful to consider what that Divine Nature is that Believers are said to partake of and after what manner they do partake of it The Divine Nature then of which participation is promised unto believers is their attaining unto an eminent resemblance of that blessed estate and condition wherein the Humane Nature of the Person of Christ now is since his Resurrection from the dead and ascention to his Father as the Apostle Paul teacheth Rom. 8. 29. For saith he Whom God did foreknow he also did predestinate to be conformed to the Image of his Son that he might be the first-born among many Brethren for as Believers have born the Image of the earthly so shall they also bear the Image of the Heavenly 1 Cor. 15. 49. That as the Humane Nature of Christ could not be held of death because it was in Personal Unity with the Divine Nature So those that are in Covenant with Christ shall not be held of the first neither shall they enter into the second death not because they are personally united unto the Divine Nature or Godhead as the Humane Nature of Christs Person is but because they as all mankind are of one substance with the Humane Nature of Christ Therefore all shall be brought out of the Grave and such as are also in Covenant with him whose Humane Nature is personally united unto the Godhead shall not enter into the second death for as the Godhead of Christ did quicken that Humane Nature which is in Personal Unity with it so will the same Godhead see Acts 10. 43. Acts 13. 38. Ephes 2. 5. Rev. 3. 14. c. through that Humane Nature quicken also the same Humane Nature in those that are not in Personal Unity with it for the Humane Nature of Christ is so filled with the Divine Nature that of his fulnesse all those that are in Covenant with him do receive and Grace for Grace John 1. 16. It is wonderful to consider what victory the Humane Nature of Christs Person hath obtained with what dignity he is invested and what gifts he hath to bestow upon all his Brethren now since his ascention to his Father He saith the Apostle hath led Captivity Captive Ephes 4. 8. hath abolished death and hath brought Life and Immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim. 1. 10. He is Crowned with Glory and Honour Heb. 2. 9. He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords Rev. 19. 16. All Power in Heaven and Earth is given unto Him Mat. 28. 18. even that Jesus which was Crucified is now both Lord and Christ Acts 2. 36. He that descended into the lower parts of the Earth is the same also that ascended far above all Heavens that He might fill all things And He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ Ephes 4. 9 10 11 12 13. The Divine Nature filled the Humane Nature in the Person of Christ that He might pour out of his fulness to the same Humane Nature in the persons of others the Humane Nature of Christs Person did so perticipate of the Divine Nature that his Conception Birth Life Sufferings and Death was Pure and Holy and therefore of infinite worth in the sight of God the Father that so they whose Conception Birth and Life is polluted and unclean and whose death is the wages of their sins might be set free from sin and from death and entituled unto eternal Life for in the flesh of Christ sin was so condemned Rom. 8. 3. that neither unto the guilt of sin dominion of sin nor unto any punishment due for any sin done by him was he lyable it was to set free the persons of others from the Guilt Dominion and Punishment due to them for their sins that he underwent the punishment he that knew no sin being made a curse that so they which have sinned might inherit a blessing Gal. 3. 13. 14. which blessing or rather blessednesse Psalm 1. 1. all those that are in Covenant with Christ and in that Covenant are faithful unto death Rev. 2. 10. do receive of him who through his Divine Power doth give unto them a likeness of estate and condition unto his own now glorified Humane Nature that so they also truly may be said to partake of the Divine Nature See 2 Pet. 1. 2 3 4. Therefore Sixthly and Lastly Believers partaking of
Glory everlasting Acts 17. 31. The Resurrection of Jesus Christ is that sure sign of the Prophet Jonah for the Substance of Adam being raised from the dead in the Person of Christ it gives assurance of a resurrection to the same Substance in the Persons of others and seeing Jesus Christ doth promise to them that believe the Gospel not onely the Resurrection from the Grave but also eternal Life the Creature man hath good assurance of enjoying happinesse by following his Counsel because the created Substance in Christs Person hath taken possession thereof for as the Apostle teacheth Rom. 11. 16 17. The Branches must necessarily be Holy where the Root is Holy and the Lump where the first fruit So that if men and women will be content to break off their sins by repentance that by Faith through grace they may be grafted into Christ they may be well assured to partake of the Root and Fatnesse of him their Olive Tree that is to say enjoy a likeness of Life and Immortality with the Humane nature of Christ which will be communicated to them from the Divine Nature of Christ by or through his Humane Nature as he himself hath promised Rev. 3. 21. saying To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my Throne even as I also overcame and am set down with my Father in his Throne This is the comfort of Believers in all their Tribulations for the Name of Christ and for the testimony whereof the blessed Marryt Saint Stephen dyed who beholding in Heaven the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the right hand of God was so filled with consolation and assurance that he said to them which did so fiercely persecute him Behold I see the Heaven opened and the Son of Man standing on the right hand of God and in this confidence he called upon God saying Lord Iesus receive my Spirit and Lord lay not this sin to their charge Acts 7. 55 56. The Glorification of the Created Substance in the Person of Christ was that which comforted Stephen when his enemies cryed out stopped their ears ran upon him with one accord cast him out of the City and stoned him to death as a Blasphemer for he saw the assurance of his own glorification in seeing the Son of Man in Glory though Satan was pleading by his instruments against him on earth yet while Jesus Christ in the Created and noâ— Glorified Substance was pleading for him in Heaven he was not discouraged at death it self but was so well assured of his own happinesse and so well instructed in Christian exercise that calling upon the Lord Jesus to receive his own Spirit he prayed unto him also to forgive the sins of those that murdered him Oh how great is the consolation of the Faithful in Christ Jesus upon the account of the Glory to which the Humane Nature in his Person is now advanced full well may they withstand all the Powers of darkness and say with the Apostle Rom. 8. 34. Who is he that condemneth it is Christ that dyed ye rather that is risen again who is even at the Right Hand of God who also maketh intercession for us See 1 Pet. 3. 21 22. Heb. 1. 3. Heb. 12. 2. Believers having such an Advocate and High Priest of their Profession who is first made like unto his Brethren touched with all their infirmities sin onely excepted and now also made higher than the Heavens that Humane Nature by Personal conjunction with the Divine Nature and by what it hath received from it being become so Spiritual that it may be truly said the lasâ— Adam That is the Created Substance in Christs Person is now made into a quickening Spirit so that it may well be concluded that as the Father raiseth up the dead and quickeneth them even so the Son quickeneth whom he will for as the Father hath Life in Himself so hath he given to the Son to have Life in himself and hath given him Authority to execute Judgement also because he is the Son of Man John 5. 21 26 27. And he having suffered by being Tempted and Crucified and being now also made perfect that is to say having broke the Head of the Serpent overcome all his enemies and being in the Humane Nature of his own Person exalted above them he is able to relieve all his Disciples in all their temptations yea to save them to the uttermost that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them And so they that See Heb. 2. 14 15 17 18. Heb. 7. 25 now suffer with Christ shall in due time partake of his Divine Nature that they shall be in like estate and condition with his now Glorified Humane Nature and reign with him in Glory Everlasting 2 Tim. 2. 11 12. Thus it is evident that as the Created Substance in Christs Person is now invested with Glory so the same Substance in those that believe in him shall in due time be advanced to it as those that believe not in him shall be kept far from it Sect. 11 But now if we consider those severe threatnings which by those that call themselves Preachers of and to the Light within c. sometimes are denounced as they say against sin and withal do remember what it is that is the Subject of their blessing viz. not the Creature Man but a supposed Seed or uncreated Substance in man then is it not easie to conclude also what is the subject of their curse viz. not the Creature Man consisting of Spirit Soul and Body but some other thing a contrary Seed and it s likely they will say it is the Devil but let them call it what they will this is evident that it tends much to the imboldening man to God on in his Sin and Rebellion against God and the Gospel of his Grace to suggest unto him that the Devil onely is the Subject of the Wrath of God There cannot be a Doctrine more advantagious to Satan and to the advancement of his Kingdom then such a Doctrine which perswadeth that the Devil onely shall bear the blame and suffer the punishment for all the sins that man doth commit Oh how gredidily will a man that is so perswaded commit all manner of wickednesse but it is not good for any man to trust to the lies of the old Serpent nor to the falshood of any of his instruments for the Word of Christ is directly contrary to the word of Antichrist for the Scriptures of Truth do declare that the Creature Man which obeyeth not the Gospel but liveth and dieth in unbelief shall as being a cursed seed be cast into utter darkness where shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth Mat. 8. 12. Those eyes that have been the windows of vain desire and have not looked up to Heaven to behold the work of God that so they might consider the operation of his hands Psal 28. 5. and turn and repent and believe the Gospel shall
teacheth When that which is perfect is come then that which is in part shall be done away for now we see through a glass darkly but then face to face Now saith he I know in part but then shall I know even as also I am known 1 Cor. 13. 10 12. for then at the coming of Christ Jesus the Lord shall the Spirits souls and Bodies of all Believers be preserved blameless 1 Thes 5. 23. and being sanctified by Christ Ephes 5. 26. shall be found without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14. 5. For when the time of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord then shall their sins be blotted out Acts 3. 16. both sin and punishment for sin shall then be taken away that so they may be made perfect in Glory and Happiness everlasting 1 Cor. 15. 54 55 56 57. And forasmuch as the Perfection of God and of the Divine Nature of Christ is a perfection of a different Nature from the perfection of man God being perfect in his Nature Christ having never acted sin man being imperfect in his Nature by reason of sin which he hath committed if thou that callest thy self a Preacher of the Light within c. when thou exhortest to perfection intendest man in thy exhortation then thou that exhortest another shouldst teach thy self to be obedient to that which the Scriptures teach man to observe in order to his obtaining perfection that is to say to turn from thy dead works thy Legal Righteousnesse acknowledging thy self a sinner say with the Publican with a contrite Spirit God be merciful to me a sinner believe the Gospel of the remission of sins and being cut to the heart with grief for sin committed Repent and be Baptized in Water in the Name of Iesus Christ for the remission of thy sins See Acts 2. 38. Acts 10. 47. Mat. 3. 6. and so walking as Christ reacheth in the Scriptures thou mayest attain unto the perfection that he hath promised but if when thou exhortest to perfection thou intendest God or the Divine Nature of Christ in thy exhortation or the Person of Christ then thou blasphemest against God and against Christ supposing him to stand in need of an exhortation to perfection whose Nature is Pure and Perfect or that the Person of Christ hath sometimes been imperfect whose Divine Nature is perfect being of the same Substance with his Fathers and whose Humane Nature is perfect being conceived in the Womb of the Virgin by the operation of the Holy Spirit in which Nature he kept the Law of God and fulfilled every jot and tittle of it he suffered death for our sins and rose again for the Justification of all them that believe in him and such perfection was and is in him that by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified wherefore the Holy Spirit also is a Witnesse to us saying I will put my Laws in their Hearts and in their Minds will I write them and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more Thus he whose Divine Nature is perfect and whose Humane Nature also hath perfectly kept the Law of God and fulfilled all Righteousness will give unto those whose Nature is imperfect and who have transgressed the Law of God upon their Repentance and Conversion such a perfection through his Grace as whereby their sins shall not be remembred and whereby their Persons shall be glorified for ever and ever Sect. 14 But thou that seemest to be so exceeding earnest in teaching up the Light within warning all men and women to follow after it yet never intendest that they whom thou teachest should be guided by the Light which they have in them before thou beginnest to teach them but that from thee which art without them they should receive that instruction which thou callest the Light within them And to discover thee in this thing as plainly as possible I can I will make use of a Comparison unto which thou art as like in thy actings as to any thing I can find to compare thee withal for thou in thy endeavours to gain poor Souls to thy wayes and to become followers of thy steps art like unto certain Birders which we have in our Land that do go about in the dark night with a Bell Candle and Net to catch Birds of the Air who in this work of theirs do first of all sound their Bell which being of a considerable bigness and sound it doth so amaze and astonish the poor Birds that they wholly lose their senses at that time and cannot tell how to make use either of Feet or Wing to avoid the danger that is beforâ— them the Birder then with his Candle discovering where the amazed Birds do sit he casts his Net over them and having taken them leads them captive by force whither he will and doth with them according to his pleasure Even so thou by thy Preachings and Printings dost make a great sound and noise to deceive the Hearts and to amaze the Spirits of the simple for thou speakest of great things yet art but like a sounding Brass and tinkling Symbal thou callest upon all to wait in silence to stand still to cease from all outward and Scripture-Teaching and from Scripture Ordinances as from Baptism Laying on of Hands and breaking of Bread c. from Preaching Praying and Hearing the Word calling them Carnal Lifeless and empty Ordinances c. not onely perswading men and women to leave all outward Means and Ordinances of the New Testament written in the Scriptures by which they would have the use of their feet having them shod with the Preparation of the Gospel of Peace but also teaching them that to believe in a Christ out of themselves is Carnal and Life-less also and that their Saviour is within them upon whom they must wait in silence even thus thou teachest them that follow thee wholly against believing in the true Christ who died in his own Body that by that one Sacrifice of himself out of every other man he might reconcile the world of Man-kind to himself without themselves or any Righteousnesse done by them the believing whereof is the poor Creatures Wing whereby to flee unto Christ and to rest upon him for Justification by Faith through his Grace and so to escape out of the hands of such cruel Birders from wrath to come So that all thy great sound and noise of Preaching and Printing in which thou cryest out so bitterly and vehemently against all those means which are appointed of God unto Salvation labouring with all thy might to bring men and women out of conceit with them telling them they are deceived in them and exhorting them to Mind the Light which is within them and that will lead them out of all sin and iniquity and eternally save them Even all this thou dost that thou mayest drive on thy design to put poor Creatures into amazement astonishment to make them to doubt of