Selected quad for the lemma: sin_n
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A42158
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Light from the sun of righteousness discovering and expelling darkness, or, The doctrine and some of the corrupt principles of the people called Quakers briefly and plainly laid open and refuted ... / by H.G.
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G. H.
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1672
(1672)
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Wing G2022; ESTC R31734
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42,467
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Word near in their hearts of whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a true Preacher to turn them to the Light within and how shall they Preach except they are sent to turn people from darkness to Light and surely Brother that Prophet which Moses said God would raise up whom we should hear in all things he preaches in our hearts and we hear his voice and follow him Answ These are the words of your Letter and I shall Answer you but first of all I cannot but take notice what a sad judging and censorious Spirit you are of I thought Sister you durst not have spoken after this manner do you think that none of the Baptists did ever hear Christ's voice and follow him surely you may conclude that some of them did for the Primitive Saints were baptized in Water and so might as well be called Baptist's as any now and yet they I do suppose you think did hear Christ's voice and follow him but do you judge that none of the Baptists now do depart from iniquity doubtless you may have ground to conclude That some of them are as holy Men and Women as any are amongst you though they do not look to be justified by their own inherent holiness We do not believe 't is possible to attain to such a degree of perfection as to be as pure from sin as our Lord Jesus Christ was we see there is need to pray as our Lord hath taught Forgive us our trespasses and that we have need of Christ's Intercession for us it wounds and grieves us because we are attended with such a body of sin and death we find a continual need of a supply of Grace we find when we would do good evil is present with us if you have no evil thoughts nor no need to pray Forgive us our sins nor of Christ's Intercession that you have all strength and no weakness all light and no darkness that you are perfect not only in part but also in the highest degree and know as you are known having no defect in your understandings if these things be so you do excel any of the Baptists but I fear there are evil thoughts weaknesses defects in the best of you and if so you must go to the perfect righteousness of another viz. the Lord Jesus Christ of necessity or else you are undone for ever notwithstanding all your holiness which you above others make your boast of You speak of calling on the Name of the Lord. I know not what such should call upon the Name of the Lord for that are so perfect as some Quakers say they are if they have need of any thing if they are not taken up into the fruition of God they are short of that glorious estate of perfection of which they speak But again you say How shall they call upon him on whom they have not believed and how shall they believe on him Christ the Word near in their hearts whom they have not heard and how shall they hear without a true Teacher to turn them to the Light within Sister you make strange reading of the Scripture there are no such sayings in all the Book of God I observe one thing and that is this you conclude that the very work of a true Preacher is to exhort people to turn to the Light within I shall in the first place make this appear to the contrary and do affirm That none of the true Gospel-Preachers did ever teach such a Doctrine as this is which you speak of and which the Quakers preach namely bid the People turn to the Light within I have carefully examined the Scriptures upon this account and I find David charging and counselling his Son Solomon to walk in the wayes of God and to keep his Statutes and Commandments as they were written in the Law of Moses 1 Kings 2. 3. and in Psal 119. 9. 't is written Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way the Answer and direction is by taking heed thereto according to thy Word 'T is not said by turning to the Light within Now are you clean saith Christ through the Word which I have spoken to you Christ directs his Spouse to go forth by the footsteps of the Flock not to look to the Light within Cant. 1. 8. but to go forth and tread in the same steps that the Saints and faithful Children of God walked in in former times The Prophet Jeremiah also doth not Preach the Doctrine which Quakers do turn to the Light within but bids them Stand in the Wayes and ask for the old Paths which is the good Way and walk therein Jer. 6. 16. and they shall find rest for their Souls Moreover Isaiah that Evangelical Prophet and glorious Preacher of God's mind and counsel to the Children of Men when he came to understand that the People would seek to Deceivers and lying Spirits though they might cry up Light and Power never so much to be in them he straitway sends us To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word 't is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. he doth not direct to the Light within but to the Law and Testimony Also the Prophet Malachi commands and counsels the People to remember the Law of Moses commanded him in Horeb Mal. 4. 4. But again when all the People flocked to John Baptist who was a great and glorious Preacher yea chosen and sent of God if ever any were and when they cryed out What shall we do he did not command them to turn to the Light within but contrariwise pointed to Christ without him whom the Spirit descended and did rest upon You say How shall they believe without a true Preacher to turn them to the Light within Now Sister you may see that none of those true Preachers did preach any such Doctrine But to go on let us see whether Christ or his Apostles which he chose and sent forth as the great Ministers and Embassadours of the Gospel did ever give such counsel unto men or publish such a Doctrine to the world viz. Turn to the Light within Pray observe the Answer to the young man that came running to him asking him What he must do to inherit eternal life Christ sent him presently to the Scripture to see what he read there and bad him Sell that which he had and give it to the poor and follow him and he should have treasure in Heaven and not one word of turning to the Light within Also the Lord Jesus Christ doth not bid the Jews look within but search the Scriptures Joh. 5. 39. But to proceed Let us see what counsel the Apostle Peter gave to those Jews that were pricked in their hearts Acts 2. 37. who cryed out What shall we do he doth not exhort them to mind the Light which was in their Consciences and turn to that and believe in that but said he Repent and be baptized
which was and which is to come the Almighty Also vers 17. And when I saw him saith John I fell at his feet and he laid his right hand upon me saying pray observe it I am the first and the last But may be some will say Who is this Was this Jesus of Nazareth that was crucified for that you are to prove c. Read the very next words and you may see who it is I am HE that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Let such fear and be troubled when they reade this and such like Scriptures who deny the God head of the Lord Jesus or do affirm that Person or Man was not the Christ and Son of the Highest who was slain upon the Cross for what doth more clearly prove the marvellous and mysterious Union of the Humane and the Divine Nature in one Person than these Scriptures and Arguments which have been mentioned 7. I argue again yet further he is the most high God unto whom spiritual Worship or Divine Adoration doth appertain or belong and that this belongs unto the Lord Jesus Christ see Matth. 8. 2. chap. 28. 17. Luk. 24. 52. Joh. 9. 38. Nay further 't is said Heb. 1. 6. And again when he bringeth in his first begotten into the World he saith And let all the Angels of God Worship him At the Name of JESUS saith the Apostle Phil. 2. 10. every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father 8. He who hath power to forgive sins or to pardon all iniquity which may be forgiven unto men is God but that Jesus Christ hath such power is evident Matth. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 6. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts vers 4. For whether is easier to say Thy sins are forgiven thee or to say Arise and walk vers 5. But that ye may know the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins c. compare this with Mark 2. 5 6 7. Luk. 5. 21. 9. He to whom the Saints ought to pray is the most High God but that the Saints do and ought to pray and call on the name of the Lord Jesus it is very clear Acts 9. 14. Rom. 10. 9 10 11 12. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 10. He that hath power to give the holy Spirit and the saving Graces thereof is God but that Jesus Christ hath power to baptize with the Spirit or to give the holy Spirit and all the heavenly Gifts and Graces thereof See these Scriptures Matth. 3. 11. Mark 1. 4. Ephes 4. 8 9 10 11. 11. He that was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God and whom the Scriptures call God's fellow must needs be the Eternal God now that this is said of Jesus Christ is evident Phil. 2. 6 7. Zech. 13. 7. 12. But yet once again He who had power to lay down his life and also to raise it up again must needs be God but that Jesus Christ doth so affirm see Joh. 2. 19. Joh. 10. 18. 13. He who is the Object Author and Finisher of the true Believers Faith is God Eternal blessed for ever Amen but that Jesus Christ is the Object Author and Finisher of the Believers Faith see Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me Joh. 9. 35. Heb. 12. 2. 14. He who can by his own Name proper Power and Authority give power unto others to become the Sons of God must needs be God himself but that Christ doth and can do this is evident Joh. 1. 11. He came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave HE power to become the Sons of God even to them which believe in his Name vers 12. He doth Adopt Regenerate or make others the Children of God by the effectual workings of His blessed Spirit in their hearts by which they are interested into all the Priviledges Promises and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace which none can do save God alone I might urge many other Scriptures and Arguments for the further proof and confirmation of this glorious Truth viz. He is our life Col. 3. 4. See Deut. 30. 20. Moreover he is said to be present alwayes with his People and dwelleth in their hearts by his Spirit c. It was by and through his Name that all those mighty Miracles were wrought he confirmed his Doctrine by Signs and Wonders by vertue of his own Power he raises and quickens whomsoever he will he as it appears to me lay claim to that glorious Title or Name by which God made known himself unto his People of old Exod. 3. 14. I am that I am this is my Name saith JEHOVAH and this is my Memorial to all Generations vers 15. And much after the same manner doth our Lord Jesus speak Joh. 8. 58. Before Abraham was I am As much as if he had said I have my being from none but have it of and from my self and am from Eternity according to that saying Prov. 8. I was set up from everlasting or from the beginning or ever the earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth vers 23. c. Again He is the Almighty the Omnipotent and the blessed and only Potentate Revel 1. 8. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Finally He was own'd and acknowledged of all to be no less than the Son of God The Father from Heaven doth testifie that he was his only begotten Son in whom he was well pleased He is declared to be the Son of God by the holy Spirit Rom. 1. And The Angels positively affirm the same concerning him yea and the holy Apostles I have shewed you have born witness to the same truth Nay those who had a hand in putting of him to death when they saw the Earth-quake and the vail of the Temple was rent they feared greatly and said Truly this man was the Son of GOD. Nay 6. I might add further The Devil himself is forced to acknowledge this thing See Mark 5. 7. And cryed out with a loud voice and said What have I to do with thee Jesus thou Son of the most High c. And now from all that hath been said it may appear to the weakest capacity That Jesus of Nazareth who was born of the Virgin was in very deed a MAN and did partake of the same flesh and blood WHICH THE CHILDREN partake of That he was made of a Woman and of the Seed of David according to the flesh being really man finite weak subject to passion and sufferings as we are and in all things made like unto his brethren sin only excepted and yet also the very eternal God and omnipotent Creator of the same essence or substance with the Father and the holy Spirit and that he had a personal existence or subsistence before he did assume our Nature and that He the Word or second Person of the glorious Trinity as so considered viz. respecting subsistence was incarnate that the Divine and Humane Nature being in a mysterious and wonderful manner united together is that same one Lord Jesus Christ perfect God and perfect Man in one Person subsisting in two real distinct Natures each Nature retaining notwithstanding this glorious Union it s own natural Propertties and Attributes I might now come to Answer and remove those Objections that are brought against what I have said concerning this glorious Truth but because I have been larger already than indeed I intended or thought I should have been when first I entered upon this work I must forbear and leave the Objections to some other season And now Reader if thou hast received any spiritual benefit from what hath thus occasionally been written by a poor worm weakling and nothing Creature see thou dost not forget to return the praise to JEHOVAH who alone deserves it and labour for soundness in judgement and stability lest thou also beest carried away with these divers new and strange Doctrines Remember the Apostles counsel Heb. 13. 9. The times you see are difficult and perilous and ye knowing these things before 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. Beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own Steadfastness but grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be glory both now and for ever Amen FINIS