am righteous without any corruption I keep the Commandments fulfil the Law answer every demand of Justice without any sin and failing The motions of the flesh do sometimes stir and tempt me to commit sin but they do not at any time prevail so that I commit it I do not any of those things which I ought not to do But if thus thou darest not say of thy self and yet so interpretest St. John's words then must thou likewise conclude from him that thou art not born of God but art of the Devil And if thou wilt say thus of thy self but wilt not affirm the same of every Child of God the newly regenerate and the weakest and the ignorantest then must thou confess that St. John is not so strictly to be understood for he speaks without limitation Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin 1 Joh. 3. 9. And that indeed he is not so to be understood is evident from many places of Scripture which affirm that the regenerate have weakness imperfection corruption and fall into sin and do things which they ought not to do Eccl. 7. 20. There is not a just man upon earth which doth good and sinneth not Mat. 15. 16. Are ye also yet without understanding c. 17. 17. O faithless and perverse generation how long shall I be with you how long shall I suffer you Why could not we cast him out And Jesus said unto them Because of your unbelief Mar. 4. 40. Why are ye so fearful How is it that you have no faith c. 8. 33. He rebuked Peter saying Get thee behind me Satan for thou favourest not the things of God but the things that be of men Luk. 9. 55. He rebuked the Disciples and said ye know not what manner of Spirit you are of c. 22. 24. There was a strife among them which of them should be greatest Ye shall not be so Jam. 3. 2. In many things we offend all 1 Cor. 3. 15. If any mans work shall be burnt he shall suffer loss but he himself shall be saved yet so as by Fire Heb. 5. 12. when for the time ye ought to be Teachers ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the Oracles of God St. John spake his mind plain enough to deliver you from mistake if you would consider his letter and not speak all without Book chap. 2. 29. Every one that doth righteousness is born of him But is every one that doth any one righteous act so born No but as he saith c. 1. 6. If we walk in the light c. Again you may perceive his mind by what he saith a little before the Text in debate v. 3. Every man that hath this hope in him purisieth himself And ver 8. He that committeth sin is of the Devil or which is the same He is a Child of the Devil ver 10. Is every one so that committeth one act of the least sin No but Scripture teacheth us thus They are of their Father the Devil that will do his lusts joh 8. that walk according to that Prince according to the course of this world Eph. 2. that are servants of sin Rom. 6. Again says he after the Text v. 10. Whosoever doth not rightcousness is not of God And c. 5. 19. We know that we are of God and the whole world lieth in wickedness So that St. John by committing sin meaneth such sinning as not to do righteousness not to walk in the light not to purify our selves but to lie in wickedness And as in this aggravated sense we in common speech use the same expression so doth the Scripture most frequently As Heb. 3. 17. VVith whom was he grieved forty years was it not with them that sinned whose carkasses fell in the wilderness You know it means a stubborn people that hardened their hearts for whose great provocations God swore in his wrath that they should not enter into hir rest v. 8. 10 11. I thought every one had known the difference betwixt sinning and sinning sinner and sinner Rom. 2. 9. Tribulation and anguish upon every Soul of man that doth evil v. 12. As many as have sinned without Law shall perish without Law Must all be damned that have an evil thought or word or deed No we read what he meaneth when it is thus written immediately before v. 4. 5 8. Despisest thoss the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to Repentance but after thine hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thy self wrath To them that are contentious and do not obey the Truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath Thus again we read Ezek. 18. 20. The Soul that sinneth shall die That is as it follows The wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him When the righteous turneth away from his righteousness and committeth iniquity and doth according to all the abominations that the wicked man doth he shall die in his trespass and sin Since no man knoweth how oft he offendeth Psal. 19. Since if we know nothing by our selves yet hereby we are justified but he that justifieth is the Lord 1 Cor. 4. Since he is greater than our hearts and knoweth all things 1 Joh. 3. I advise you to pray always Our Father which art in Heaven forgive us our Trespasses And as the Psalmist Lord cleanse us from our secret faults And since our Saviour hath said Ask and ye shall receive And St. John If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins forbear not asking pardon lest you receive it not confess your sins lest God should not forgive them remembring St. James's word Ye have not because ye ask not And what Solomon says He that covereth his sins shall not prosper And know ye that it is better that men reckon us like others to have failings and not to live altogether so exactly as we ought so that we have pardon than that they look upon us as absolutely pure and perfect and we be thrust away from God without it like proud Pharisees W. M. Lament over England p. 17. We freely give Tribute to whom Tribute is due Custome to whom Custome Fear to whom Fear Honour to whom Honour Rom. 13. 7. Now all this doth not belong to Caesar for Fear belongs to God and therefore we cannot give all to Caesar. Tribute and Custome we give and in that with obedience to all his just commands we honour him But it is written Fear God Yes and so it is written Honour the Lord and yet it is written too Honour the King and you acknowledge Honour due to him and give it him So though it be written Fear God yes and more than that I add Fear not Man yet it is written also Ye shall fear every man his Mother and his Father Lev. 19. 3. And Let the VVife see that she reverence 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 fear her Husband Eph. 5. 33. 1
will not forget they word vers 160. Thy word is true from the begining and every one of thy Righteous judgments endureth for ever Vers. 172. My Tongue shall speak of thy word for all thy Commandments are Righteous That what is spoken of the word of the Lord in this Psalm cannot agree to a written and spoken word to such Promises Statutes Judgments Law and that Christ of necessity must be understood I believe you will no sooner prove than that Thou shalt not Kill There is one God Trust in the Lord God forgiveth Sins He will bless thee And the like Commandments Promises and Doctrines were not written and spoken and that they are Christ and they Created Heaven and Earth And that such is the word here is again manifest enough in that David says I will keep it and meditate in it My Tongue shall speak of it For all thy Commandments are Righteous One thing more I will inform you of viz. That Word in several places of this Psalm signifies Gods Promise and particularly to David As vers 65. Thou hast dealt well with thy Servant according to thy word Vers. 170. Deliver me according to thy Word Vers. 49. Remember thy word unto thy Servant upon which thou hast caused me to hope Vers. 38. Stablish thy word unto thy Servant Compare herewith 2 Sam. 23. 5. Although my house be not so with God yet he hath made with me an everlasting covenant ordered in all things and sure And Chap. 7. 25. The word which thou hast spoken concerning thy Servant and concerning his house establish it for ever And that was this Vers. 12. I will set up thy Seed after thee and establish his Kingdom My mercy shall not depart away from him Now is this word Christ Did this Word create Heaven and Earth This I will set up thy Seed c And was it not an outward word spoken by Nathan Ibid. p. 69. Pro. 6. 24. Reproofs of instruction are the way of Life to keep thee from the evil Woman That is the false deceitful Whorish Spirit the Spirit of this World which bewitches the whole Earth That it is a real Woman I am as sure as that any Whore in England is a Woman For the discourse being continued thus it is said Vers. 29. He that goeth in to his Neighbour's Wife shall not be innocent Vers. 32 33 34. Whoso committeth Adultery with a Woman lacketh understanding A wound and dishonour shall he got for Jealousy is the Rage of a Man therefore he will not spare in the day of Vengeance And thus Chap. 7. where the same Woman is spoken of as appears vers 5. She caught the Young man and Kissed him and said I have decked my Bed with Tapestry and perfumed it with Myrrhe come let us take our sill of Love until the Morning for the Goodman is not at home c. Now prove you if you can that the Holy Ghost meaneth by the Whorish Woman in this place a Whorish Spirit the Spirit of error If I should say Heb. 13. 4. Whoremongers and Adulterers God will Judge that is Idolaters I believe my reason would be as good as yours For yours I question not is because St. John in the Revelations speaks of a Whore of Babylon and mine would be because Ezekiel in his Prophecy speaks of committing Adultery with Idols and going a Whoring after the Heathen But then he that readeth what goeth before my Text viz. Marriage is honourable in all and the Bed Vndesiled would wonder at my interpretation So no less may he wonder at yours when he reads what follows your Text viz. He that goeth into his Neighbour's Wife c. Or if this be not the reason of your Interpretation produce what is and I question not but I can give you as good for mine And so likewise for this other Pro. 31. 4. It is not for Kings to drink Wine that is the Wine of Fornication which the Whore of Babylon poureth forth the Doctrine of the false Prophet Ibid. p. 75. The seven Spirits of God are one Spirit Angels are spirits And as it is said of these seven that they stand before the Throne and are sent forth into the Earth Rev. 1. 4. and 5 6. So is the same said of Angles Chap. 5. 11. Heb. 1. 14. Now whether St. John mean by these seven Spirits Angels or the Holy Ghost is to be considered And 1 to say that the Holy Ghost stands before the throne seems harsh and we read not so elsewhere 2 They are called Angels Chap. 8. 2. I saw the seven Angels that stood before God Which refers to the seven Spirits oft before mentioned as standing before the Throne Chap. 5. 6. and 4. 5. and 1. 4. Ibid. p. 6. 7. The Seed and Birth of God is not an Accident but a substance It is not a particle of the God-head but it is of the Heavenly Spiritual and Invisible substance and being that is the most Glorious being and principle in which God as Father Son and Holy Ghost doth dwell and tabernacle and thine forth in the most Glorious Brightness Beauty Sweetness and Majesty that the noblest of Creatures in the highest supernatural elevation can reach unto behold him and have fellowship with him which is the Holy of Holies and the Heaven of Heavens or that third Heaven in which Paul on Earth saw and felt things unutterable And out of these Heavens c. Of your opinion that the new birth is a substance and of that spiritual substance in which God dwells the Heaven of Heavens perhaps I may speak another time As to your interpretation of 2. Cor. 12. 2. 1 Why say you St. Paul was on Earth when he heard the unspeakable words when he tells you that himself knew not for his words are these I knew a Man whether in the Body I cannot tell or whether out of the Body I cannot tell God knoweth Such an one caught up to the third Heaven Which must signifie whether this was really done or whether it was only a vision he knew not 2 But suppose he was really caught up in the Body which for ought any man knows he was how could that be if he remained still on Earth and was not removed an inch from his place 3 And yet how caught up 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 even unto the third Heaven which signifies the greatest distance and yet not removed for according to your Opinion Heaven is as near to us as our own Souls for where the new Birth is there it is that birth being as you say of the same spiritual substance in which God dwells which is Heaven 4 And then St. Paul having that Birth before was in Heaven before he was caught up thither and so is every regenerate man at present So that it is no strange or peculiar thing which our Saviour said of himself viz. that he was then in Heaven whilst he discoursed with Nicodemus Joh. 3. 13. 5 And I would then know how
p. 8. And 1 why not as well All that are in people are in confusion The palpable grosness of the absurdity would not permit this And yet it might as well have been so said as the other people signifying in the Text the same as Tongues Kindreds and Nations and Languáges do 2 Who told you Latin is the Original You might with as much Truth have told the world the Teachers say the Scriptures were first written in English or Dutch Write next time Chaldee Hebrew and Greek 3 The Great Whore sits upon Tongues say you Upon Hebrew Greek and Latin you mean And I ask what this meaneth Alas that you cannot discern what Tongues here signifies when so many words are used to make you understand Nations Peoples Kindreds Multitudes and all that dwell upon the Earth Rev. 17. 15 13. 7. 8. 4 What Scripture saith Hebrew and Greek are not the Original Don't answer Christ is the Original lest I bid you prove it from the Scripture and you being not able to do it become ashamed for I have not read in all that Holy Book that that Divine Person is Hebrew and Greek Which yet unless you take to prove you will be shamed by your quibbles and impertinences G. F. Catech. p. 10. As in the first Adam all Died so in the second Adam are we all made alive I Cor. 15. 22. How Died all in the first Adam and how are we made alive in the second he transgressed so is in Sin out of life in the Death Who be in the first Adam they be out of the light Now Christ is he which quickens from the Trespasses The whole Chapter is of the Resurrection of the Body and not of the Soul of rising and being made alive after this life in the last day and not of Regeneration before our Death And that the present words spake of this last Resurrection the context abundantly shews Vers. 16. c. If the Dead Rise not then is not Christ Risen and if Christ be not Raised your Faith is vain ye are yet in your Sins Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are Perished If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all-men most miserable But now is Christ Risen from the Dead and is become the first Fruits of them that Slept For since by Man came Death by Man came also the Resurrection of the Dead Now follows our Text For as in Adam all Die so in Christ shall all be made alive But every man in his own order Christ the first-fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his coming Then cometh the end when he shall have delivered up the Kingdom to God the Father The last enemy that shall be destroyed is Death Now note these things The quickening by Christ or rising by him is of them that are fallen asleep in him and is such as himself did partake of and such as by which he became the first-fruits and such as they that are his shall receive at his coming even in the end of all things when the last enemy Death shall be destroy'd But now they that are Christ's are already quickned and raised from Sin and such of them as are fallen asleep and are dead shall not receive this quickening at his coming in the end of all things and Christ himself was never so quickened as being never so Dead nor therefore became the First-fruits by this Resurrection and finally notwithstanding this Resurrection Death still remains So manifestly have you erred in Interpreting these words mystically As in Adam all Die so in Christ shall all be made Alive Dear Souls ask your selves whence it is that you make such mistakes Is it dulness of understanding is it carelesness or pride or perversness of mind Do not conceit vainly that every thing that is mystically spoken is excellently spoken Let the Scriptures stand as they do having been so ordered by a wiser than your selves For you can not put upon them greater purity and spirituallity than they have though you should Interpret all mystically which they spake literally And take heed of making void by such Interpretations those Texts which in their literal Sense contein the Chief Articles of our Religion lest others learn of you to do the same and so the whole Gospel be turned into mystery and we have no foundation for our belief of a future Resurrection a Judgment-day Christ's coming from Heaven to judge the World our ascension thither and entrance into that blessed place the Kingdom of God the wicked's departure into Hell and endless Torments good Angels and evil the Crucifixion of Christ c. Ibid. p. 45. What is the higher power to which the Soul must be subjected Is there a power which must not be subjected to What is that power That is the power which did not abide in the Truth which must not be subjected to but that is the higher power which must be subjected to which is above that So this power is above that which did go out of the Truth which spake of himself the Devil spake of himself Rom. 13. 1. Joh. 8. 44. Ibid. p. 119. What is the higher Power to which the Soul must be subject to The higher power is ordained of God and is that which goeth over all Transgressors upon the Earth and over the Devil The power which is immortal that which answers the principle of God in every man G. F. Gospel-Liberty p. 20. Every Soul must be subject to the higher power Mark The Soul is immortal and the power is so When Magistrates acted contrary to the power ordained of God he sent his Prophets to cry against their corruptions Barely to cite the Text is enough to convince others I dare not say you of your error viz. that the higher power there spoken of is not the immortal which goeth over all Transgressors and is above the Devil but the supream Magistrate Rulers Men in Authority Rom. 13. 1. c. Let every Soul be subject to the higher powers you should have kept to the letter which you despise and not have written power for powers For there is no power but of God the powers that be are ordained of God Rulers are not a terror to good Works but to evil Wilt thou not then be afraid of the powers They are God's Ministers Render tribute to whom tribute is due Thus again speaks St. Peter 1 Epist. 2. 13. Submit your selves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake whether it be to the King as Supream or unto Governours as to them that are sent by him for the punishment of evil doers and for the praise of them that do well Certainly if you speak so as you make Scripture speak there is no understanding of you that is if you mean another thing than your plain words signifie For nothing can be spoken plainer than what the Apostle hath written here of the higher Powers which yet you understand not of Rulers but of the
Pet. 3. 2. Ye wives be in subjection to your own Husbands that if any obey not the word they also way without the word be wone by the conversation of the wives while they behold your chast conversation coupled with Fear v. 15. Be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear c. 2. 18. Servants be subject to your Masters with all fear See 2 Cor. 7. 15. Eph. 6. 5. Understand you not the difference betwixt fearing God and fearing men If you do not but esteem the latter unlawful being now excited to use your wits I am ready to instruct you at your request But why will you not look into your Bible and consider the Text which you cite before you write Which if you had done you would have seen that the Apostle Rom. 13. 7. speaks not of God but altogether of men As the first words shew Render to all their dues And the next following Owe no man anything but to love one another Duesberry's Discovery p. 15. Now after the witnesses have sealed up their Testimony the Beast which is thy will that ascends out of the bottomless Pit of thy deceived heart hath made War against the Witnesses Christ in thee and slain them and they lie dead in the spiritual City of Sodom and Egypt where our Lord is Crucified Rev. 11. 7 8. So again p. 33. G. K. Immed Revelation p. 117. Christ's Spirit shall consume this Antichrist that sits in the Temple of God mans heart and rules as Lord there And this Antichrist is not a person or persons particular but a Spirit Joh. 4. 2. and is the spirit of Satan which rules in the children of disobedience In this Temple the heart the Whore Mystery Babylon sits as Queen 2 Thes. 2. Thanks says the Pope I and my Clergy were wont to be branded peculiarly with these ill names but it is now declared by immediate revelation that we are no more Antichrist and the Whore of Babylon than are other sinners and even those among the Heathens for a wicked spirit was in the hearts of men before we ever came to our dominion in the Church and is now in those with whom we have nothing to do as being gone out from us and in Heathens that never were of us and this Antichrist sits in every vitious mans heart and so rules in the Temple of God notwithstanding many of them are contemptible persons and have no authority over others like as we have The Beast hath Seven Heads and Ten Horns which are Seven Mountains and Ten Kings And though it be somewhat odd and I do not understand it yet now sure I am or else Revelation fails that this Beast with all his Power Pomp and Kingdoms is the will of every naughty sinner how mean and impotent soever he be And the woman the Mother of Harlots drunken with the blood of the Saints and Martyrs that sits upon the Beast the will and upon many waters is the Spirit of Satan ruling in the children of disobedience and so this Woman drinks blood in every such Childs heart and whereas one would think she shed the blood of others and those Saints and Martyrs it is only the wicked mans own blood and though it seemeth that blood is really shed and men are literally killed it is in truth quite another matter namely Christ Crucified in the wicked mans heart by lusts which we know may be without the loss of one drop of blood And though the Two witnesses prophesying and being slain hath been judged to signify something acted by men among themselves the faithful Servants of Christ contending for his Truth against a company of evil men and this evil company overcoming them and treating them with all injuries yet it only signifieth what is done betwixt Christ and the Heart Christ speaking there and the will crucifying him there viz. in the deceived heart which is the great City where 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he was Crucified spiritually called Sodom Good Children go on and tell the Protestants from the Spirit of the Lord that that Spirit did not point at our Papal Power in those names of Beasts Antichrist Babylonish Whore I stroak you my Dearest and lay my hands upon you and give you my Blessing Thus glories the Pope But Friends whereas St. John Prophesies of Witnesses and of a Beast and Whore and makes accurat descriptions of these can you think he means no particular persons but only speaks of the common strife of the Flesh and Spirit in men And I would have you consider whether common vitious Persons that neither propagate nor hold Errors and Heresies nor persecute and offer injuries to the Church are called in the Scripture Antichrist But albeit you say the Beast is the Will and Antichrist is not any particular person or persons yet I find one of you and he a great man contradicting telling us plainly that the Pope is the Beast and the Antichrist G. Fox Few Words p. 6. This is clear that the Pope is the VVhore and the Beast that rose out of the Earth p. 8. The Pope saith they can forgive Sins viz. his Iesuits Priests Friars Here is the Beast with his many names the many Antichrists Seeing then some of you say the Beast is the Will some the Pope some that Antichrist is not any particular persons some that he is the Pope with his Jesuits Priests and Friars I had best stop here till you are agreed And truly may some say you might have stopped long ago and even have spared all your pains for any hope you can have of convincing them who esteem themselves infallible they knowing the shame of Recantation and what injury it will be to their Credit and what dammage to their Party But I am not altogether without hope For who knows what the Lord may do However my Labour may not be in vain to some of their Followers who scarce believe what the Doctors so confidently boast of themselves And especially may it conduce to prevent the lapse of others who by reason of their glorious pretence are smitten with some admiration of their persons and their way Besides the instances which I have given of your false Interpretations I can produce near Forty more which I have observed in reading a few of your books By which any one may perceive what sad work you make with the Scriptures But these may suffice to shew that you are far from doing according to what you affirm of your selves as in the beginning I cited your own words viz. That you dare not make use of Scripture but as the Spirit opens dare not speak the words of Scripture in your own Spirit but tie them to the Spirit so as not to use them but by the Spirit do not Interpret Scripture by the fallible mind the things which you write you received by the Revelation of Jesus Christ and you are not fallible