they hold that as the Sun is appointed in nature to be the light of every man that cometh into the World though shutting our eyes may exclude it So Christ is by office the Sun in the world of grace giving men actually all the gracious light they have being sufficient himself to enlighten all and giving them an illuminating word which is sufficient in its own kind to do its own part though many are blind and for their sin are deprived of the communication of this light why all this we maintain as well as they do they say that all this light within us and without us is to be hearkened to and obeyed why what man did they ever speak with that 's a Christian no Christians indeed say I but too many Antichristians that denyeth it See what a deal of the Quakers doctrine concerning learning only at Christs light is here uttered by these men R.B. I.T. who yet hate the self same doctrine at their hearts when the Quakers teach it also in many other places they teach much more to the same purpose putting men on to attendance to the light yea even the light within every man as p. 40 41. This light usefull for two ends First To restrain men from excesse of sin c. As he gave a Law to the Iewes because of transgression to restrain them or abate punishments so to other people he gave a law in themselves to prevent the extirpation of the Nations by bridling them in their lusts thorow conscience of sin and fear of punishment Secondly Besides this God hath another end that they might be inexcusable who sinned against the light in them and God justified in his Sentence and judgment upon them Observe how this light within is owned by them as the Law of God which T.D. affirming the work of the Law only to be there yet denyes to be in the heathens hearts to the contradiction of these men and of himself also in that other plaee p. 16.2 pamp Where to go round again he confesses much of the holy matter of the Scripture to be written upon the hearts of the heathens and that to be their Rule I say as the Law of God which is spirituall holy just and good and to be obeyed for else transgression of it could not be sin deserving judgment for sin is no other then the transgression of the Law So p. 82.83 they go on thus If the light shine into thy soul from Christ so as any convictions or discoveryes of truth from Christ get into thee and some convictions they confesse all havâ— by the light within take heed thou hold it not in unrighteousnesse nor seek to quench it Rom. 1.18 Wrath to all that hold truth in unrighteousnesse when lust imprisons light no entrance for the light of Christ into that soul there must be a love of the light It s the greatest sign of a man willfully evill when he hates the light and it s a good sign of a man truly good when he can delight in that light mork which discovers his own euills What light is that which discovers a mans own evills but the light within the letter without doth de jure only the light within doth de facto discover mens own evill Christ hath determined this to be the great condemnation that men love darknesse rather then light or else the Heathen could not be condemned say I who have and yet hate the light within for they have no letter without for that 's the sign they side with the Prince of darknesse and men that do truth come to the light that their deeds may be manifest c. The more light is rejected the more purely voluntary any sin is when men are willingly ignorant they are incurably evill c. Each person is to make their use of the light within him so far as it is light and usefull Certainly it concerns every man so far as to look to the light within him mark that he do not as t is said of some Job 24.13 Rebell against the Light which Text in Iob I. O. interprets of the letter but I. T. to the confutation of I. O. truly with us of the Common light within men A mens conscience is so far a law to him that though it cannot of it self justifie which is contrary to Rom. 2. which sayes their inward thought as well excuses the Heathen when they do well as accuses when they do ill and excusation and justification or to excuse clear justifie are all one yet it may condemn him So p 37. they go on thus God hath imprinted in all even the most Barbarous people some relique of light though in some it is so small that may be say we for all have not the same but all some measure of Gods light which these men somtimes call darknesse delusive and dangerous and degrees vary not the nature of the case that it can hardly be perceived whether there be any sense of sin or wrath of duty or reward of God or Devill Heaven or Hell Secondly Some people that never had the Gospell nor the Law made known to them as the Jewes and Christians have had yet have attained to so much knowledge and practice of morall duties Mark morall duties are the main things of the Law and required in the morall Law viz. To do as we would be done by which faith Christ is the Law and Prophets Math. 7. The sum substance and upshot of all and more then all offering and sacrifice so that the Iews failing in these weightiar matters viz. Iudgment mercy faith c. all outward oblations and observations were abhorred that in some acts of righteousnesse temperance chastity fidelity and such vertues they have equallized at least in respect of their outward demeanour toward men if not exceeded not only Iewes who had the Scripture as our Scribes have and search as much in it but also the more shame for the most of you filthy fruitlesse faithlesse Christians the while whom very heathens will therefore judge the most Christians Thirdly And in the knowledge of God though therein they were most defective yet they attained to so much knowledge and right apprehension of him as enabled them to correct the Vulgar errours concerning God See how far beyond our vulgar Christians and very Christian Clergy men that have the letter to boast talk trade on the light within hath led the very Ethnicks that have heeded it by these mens own confession But they go on yet further preaching up the light with the Qua thus p. 84. It will concern those who own Christ as their light to judge themselves and their wayes by his light This act of self judgment is within faith I.O. Seconding that morall instinct of good and evill that is imprinted by God on the Conscience from the innate light therein It is the great benefit of the light that it doth make manifest Eph. 5.13 Thus by the light of Christ the evill
as in many more if they do not Maliciously mis-represent us yet at best they most Miserably mis-understand us not well heeding these things that hereunder follow 1st That the Qua. themselves hold not out as attainable such a Perfection of Holynesse Grace or Glory as to degree here as admits of no addition of a greater degree of it hereafter for of the increase of Christs Image Glory and Kingdom there is no end but such a Perfection only as is without unholiness or committing any Sin or Transgression as whereby there is a perfect Defacing and Destroying in them the Works the Old Contracted Ugly Image of the Devil Anger Hatred Envy Wrath Blood Cruelty Uncleanness Drunkenness and all such like Lustings to Evil which whoever areÌ„ not purged from before can never enter into the Kingdom of God and Christ which is that Incorruption that Corruption cannot Inherit Full Deliverance from the doing of which Evills is a true perfection of Holiness according to the measure of it though not so great a measure of it but that hereafter there may be more as Adam in Innocency had no Sin yet not so much of God Good and Glory but that it might possibly be Augmented The Elect Peter writes to received the end of their Faith the Salvation of the Soul which is from Sin or nothing by him who was manifested a Light into the world to this end even here to Destroy the Works of the Devil 2dly That we hold not out a Condition of full Freedom from Temptation which if any be without he is wise enough to keep it to himself and not to prattle of it to the Priest who for all his Preaching against it can't with patience hear of turning yet from all Transgression And lest any should think of me as more then I yet am I am not yet that man who ere he is that 's free from Temptation but in our several measures what we witness in our selves by the Power of God and Gospel of his Light and Grace viz. a Liberty not to Sin which is that some long for but from Sin and a freedom from following any Lust and an Ability such as we found not while we were where Priests their people are to walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and to be saved from Sinning though not from sins Objecting it self to us and from Transgression though not from Temptation So it is a True State of Perfection and a State of True Perfection or else Christ himself who was often Tempted Matth. 4. yet never sinned was not Perfect 3dly That we hold not as there are some that sillily suppose of us saying the Qua. say they are so perfect they cannot Sin an Impossibility of those mens sinning who while they sin not are Saints for the Denominations of Sinners and Saints do tollere se invicem so as he who is a sinner while such while sinning is no Saint as T. D. dotes and he who is a Saint or Holy One clean from sinning is no Sinner specially not as David was while in his Guilt and Filth of Murder and Adultery as T. D. dreams also for no Sinner is a Saint while sinning nor is any Saint a Sinner while a Saint or Holy One but a Possibility only not to sin as men take heed to themselves by the Word and Light Non posse peccare is one thing and Posse non peccare is another and the Divines can see it so sometimes when they please though they will not own their own Distinctions when the Qua. make them They say men must needs sin while in this world measuring others by themselves who are yet sold under sin and so under a necessity of committing it and falling under the Law of it and because we own them not in their Extream which of the two is fartheâ—t off from the Truth they dream we are in the other so as to say men after they once one the Light cannot sin Thus the Vile Person Churl whose Instruments are Evil destroyes the poor with lying words when the needy speaketh right things for we say that men though they ought not to sin yet may or may not sin according as they heed the Light or heed not the Light which is the Power of God against it by which Psal. 119.9 a young man heeding it May cleanse his way not Must necessarily whether he heed it or no Let him that standeth take heed left he fall To say men must sin is one thing can't sin is another may or may not as the Light is kept to is the Truth 4thly That we Doctrinally hold not out such a full Freedom and Attainment of Poâ—er over Sin per Saltum at once or at the first Step of a Person from the Darkness wherein he dwelt toward the Light so that after once Converted to the Light only and to wait in it there 's a full Deliverance witnessed without any more ado as our National Ministry who are oft more willing to mistake us then rightly to understand us make it out in their muddy medlings against the Qua. before their people but that those that turn to the Light in their Consciences which Reproves and Condemns even the most Secret Sins in the flesh and obey it and abide by it waiting patiently on the Lord in the Way of his Judgments while the Spirit thereof and of burning passeth to the purging away the Filth Dross and Tinn to those only as well as to all those at last Judgement shall be brought forth into Victory over the Sin that 's Judged the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled by the Power of Christ in them bringing it near to such as Thirst after it and Revealing it in the Light from Faith to Faith Rom. 1. And the Salvation of God from sin which shall once come and not tarry to such as thus quietly hope and wait for it Isa. 42.12 13. Lam. 3.26.27 We say not it's the work of meer man nor of a day but the Work of Christ which in due time he will without failing and being discouraged in it perform and bring to passe for the Battle is not ours but the Lords in such as stand still beholding and following him in the leadings of his Light to the Rooting out of all Iniquity and Establishing of Equity in the Earth to the accomplishing of the work of Regeneration or begetting men back from the Image and Nature of the Devil and life of sin through the Death and Blood of Christs Cross which being but begun in the first Act of Conversion to God which our Prieâ—ts to the deceiving themselves and people think is Regeneration enough for them and to serve their turn though their turning to God as they call it be not yet from Darknesse Sin and the Power of Satan to God in his Light neither but from some one empty dead literal Form of Profession or other to another they look for the fulness of as to freedom from sin
of God in that state sinneth not and he that sinneth not is not in a state of Condemnation for he doth Righteousness and he that doth Righteousness is Righteous as God is Righteous Hoâ—y as he is Holy Pure at he is Pure and Perfect as he whose Child he is is perfect and is as so not in the Alienation Reprobation and Rejection but in the Love Acceptation or Iustification And whereas our Divines talk as if that only were perfect to which nothing can be added that 's a false ignorant and blind assertion for as there is a perfection such is that of God which admits of no addition so there is a true perfection that is without any â—mperfection sin aâ—d corruption which is capable of addition to which more maybe added and such is that of man who may be truly said to be perfect and not imperfect yet to grow on to a fuller measure and stature of that divine nature grace and holynesse which was perfect and not imperfect before though not so perfect but that a greater degree in it may be attained as he that thrives in iniquity which is defect and imperfection becomes thereby more and more imperfect Adam in innocency was perfect and so perfect in righteousnesse that he had no unrighteousnesse or imperfection and though not without temptaâ—ion as Christ was not who never sinned yet clean from all transgression Yet not so perfect as to be utterly uncapable of any addition to that glory he then stood in And Christ Iesus himâ—elfe was a perfect child of God from the womb as to the divine nature he was born in yet grew in stature and was one who did no evill in whom was no sin nor was any guile found in him nor was he in a damnable condition and that gift of the grace and wisdome of God that was in him was perfect grace and wisdome and the least degree of grace that any Saint hath is perfect grace a perfect and not an imperfect gift of God according to the Rule and Measure of which as every one walketh he is so far perfect though but a Babe and yet Saints may grow therein from Babes in nature to young men in Stature which of young men though it is not the highest stature in the Church here on earth yet obtains to so much strength as to overcome the wicked one and from thence to be old men of full growth and age more intimately acquainted with God the Father and to the unity of the knowledge of the Son of God the very measure of the Stature of the fulnesse of Christ himselfe And therefore thy saying T.D. that Babes and young men are imperfect p. 18. as I do not and that true grace is imperfect and true obedience and good works are imperfectly good and sin and evill perfectly evill and such like is such a Whim-wham as shewes thy selfe to be yet so imperfect as no Babe in Christ is in thy understanding of the things of God and such a saying as hath nothing in it if I may without absurdity Tune it back to thee in thy own imperfect Tone but perfect imperfection flat falshood deep darknesse and meere confusion So that all true good is perfectly good and all that 's really evill is properly evill all true light of what kind soever in the least degree is in its kind perfectly light and all darknesse properly darknesse and all that 's properly and truly term'd righteousnesse in the meanest measure is as perfectly righteousnesse as all kind of unrighteousnesse and as all sin is really the transgression of a Law for there 's no transgression where is no Law and the least transgression of the Law in the least part is really or properly sin so every act of true obedience to the Light or Law is though but in part and not so perfect a conformity yet truly and properly and perfectly aâ—co fâ—â—miâ—y to it and not a violation of it and such a perfect Act of obedience as is not only not disobedience but so absolutely contrary to an act of disobedience as that it deserves not the reward of an of act disobedience which is condemnation but consequently the contrary which is non-condemnation which can amount to no less then acceptation or which is much at one Iustification from all guilt for there 's none contracted and salvation from that wrath which is to come and which comes upon none for any obedience but on all the Children of disobedience only Thus every thing but sin and imperfection is perfectly what it is truly and thoâ—e works are not truly good however falsly so cal'd that are not perfectly good and what work is truly good is perfectly good And of this sore are all the works of Christs working by his Spirit in our persons viz. as truly and perfectly good in genere if not gradu as those he wrought in the same Spirit and Power in his own who never yet did any work that is evill or but imperfectly good Yea as truly an perfectly good as both the worst and the best that you do without him are really and properly evill and consequenly being contrary to your evill works which merit condemnation meritorious of that contrary reward of acceptation or justification And no lesse then this last dost thou T.D. to the contradicting thy selfe in thy other sayings confesse to us thy selfe in these words evill works which are the violation of the Law deserve damnation Ergo good works which are the fulfilling the Law deserve Salvation and as thou saift so say we we know no good works such but Christs and say I I know no works of Christ that â—re not such and that deserve nor Salvation Whether those that were wrought by him in that single person which was crucified 〈◊〉 Ierusalem or those that are wrought by him in his Saints though thou seem'st to thy self to be so wise whose folly therefore is the more manifest to all men as to know a Christ and as to know some operations and good works and righteousnesse of that Christ wrought by him alone in his Saints and by them received from him and whereof Christ himselfe is the Author which thou art so far from owning any justification by and from esteeming so highly of as they deserve that as to any such gain as iustification deserved for us or derived to us thereby thou disclaimst them utterly as meere dung and losse and filthy rags and absit Blasphemia doom'st them down to hell as deserving no better then your wickednesses and your own miscal'd righteousnesses do the merit of which is neither more nor lesse then condemnation and all this he that is minded to trace thee p. 15.21.22.23 in thy Meandrous talkings to and fro in and out where thou dancest the Hay up and down in the Clouds of contradiction and confusion cannot chuse but take notice of unlesse he be so blind as that his eyes can see no farther then his nose reaches For mark p.
this T. D. confesses it p. 17. ' t is true quoth he that the same Spirit is in Christ and in his Saints but then he hath a double bolt for all this wherewith to shut us out from justification by that Spirit in Christ as in us 1. The Spirit in us doth not conform us to the Law fully quoth he notwitstanding your vain assertion of perfection Rep. I never said that the Spirit of Christ in you did conform you fully to the Law if when thou sayst conform us thou meanst your selves for ye are farenough from perfection to whom it seemes A vainâ—assertion A Doctrine of Devils to talk of or reach it and how should the Spirit conform you to the Law who though you have it striving in you and reproving you of sin yet do in the stiffnesse and uncircumcis'dnesse of your hearts and eares alwayes quench grieve resist it refuse to be led by it and will not walk after it but after the flesh But the Saints and such onely are all those that walk after it and not after the flesh it eitheir conforms them to the Law and that fully too or else what doth it conform them to Partly the Law and partly the Lust Partly to it selfe and partly to the flesh Doth it lead any into any sin which is transgression of the Law Or onely out of all sin all such as give up to be guided by it If any be at all deform'd it is because they conform to the flesh and follow it and stop the Spirit but if any conform to the Spirit and follow it it will conform them fully to the Law and not to the forms fashions foolish fellowships and lusts of the world but transform them from all these by the renewing of their minds and lead them to perfect holynesse in the fear of God thy vain assertion to the contrary in any wise norwithstanding Thus the 1 st bolt is broken but 2ly quoth he if the Spirit did conform us to the Law fully yet were not that conformity the merit of justification Rep. Oh strange that T.D. should deem there 's strength in this to stand out against us by which is far weaker then the former Doth the Spirit working holinesse in our natures and persons not merit justification which is non-condemnation are Christ and his Spirits works of lesse or worse merit in one time place and person then another I judg'd they had been every where and alwayes alike and of like good desert from the dignity of the person doing them or else T.D. lyes p. 15. of his 1. Pamp and especially that their good works which are the fulfilling of the Law deserve non-condemnation 1 justification or else T.D. lyes again in that same page but sith the Spirit of life and works of holinesse in our nature and persons conforming them fully to the Law do not as T.D. p. 15. said before they did from the dignity of Christs person deserve non-condemnation for their conformity to it or transgression of it merits one thing or other good or evill and we use to say no truly good work deserves evill more then an evill work merits good we will take it for granted that T.D. thinks the Spirits conforming us to the Law deserves condemnation and so let it stand that all people may understand the Blasphemy and Folly of it Thus T.D. pulls hard to have his own again but what he can't win by force of false position hee l see if he can beg it back from us in these following fawning Questions I would fain know what or whether precedent holynesse in the Saints merits subsequent holynesse or whether the exercise of what they have is the meritorious cause of what they have not or of perfection especially if the Law of sin intends the corruption of nature as the Law of the spirit of the life does holynesse of nature I would be instructed how a nature in part corrupted can deserve totall freedome and I am sure the first work of the Spirit renewes our nature but in part Rep. If I should grant T.D. in the negative all he asks as he thinks I will my negative or denying or saying Nâ— were such answer to his Questions as he desires but if I should say yea to all his Queâ—yes it dashes him down and denyes all he would have and yet I must say yea to most of them if I say the truth Therefore T.D. I say yea to some and nay to some To the 1st I answer yea that precedent holynesse in the Saints merits subsequent holynesse and to the ad I answer yea the exercise of what the Saints have is a meritorious cause of what yet they have not And sith thou askest what precedent holynesse the Saints exercising of when they have it deserves subsequent holynesse or what they have not I answer all that is the fruit of the Spirit in them and the gift of God to them whether Active or Passive if to merit be to be worthy of a thing by right of promise at least 'T was given to the Saints both to believe and suffer Phil. 1. Yet they were worthy of the Kingdome for which they suffered by beleiving the Testimony of it and suffering for it 2 Thess. 2. 'T was the gift of God by promise to such as fight and ouercome to walk with Christ in white and the gift of God to the Saints that they could sight and by his strength overcome yet they shall walk with me in white faith Christ for they are worthy 'T was Gods gift to do his Commandements yet for all that the doing thereof deserves that they yet have not and without the doing of which they should not enter by Right gives right to enter the Citty and eat of the Tree of life Rev. 22.14 Five Talents and two and one were Gods gift yet as he that did not encrease and improve what he had merited at least the losse of it so they that exercised the 2 and the 5 merited the doubling of theirs and by promise had Right using what they had and being faithfull in few littles to many and to more abundance and to the joy of the Lord Much more I might say but T.D. denyes in this the Doctrine of his fellow Divines who tell that the improvement of 〈◊〉 grace as they call it deserves not the gift of speciall but the improvement of special grace deserves more of that still So that though they deny a meritorious transition a genere ad genus from exercising of one kind of grace say they men deserve not another kind as he that improves riches deserves not righteousnesse Yet a desert say they there is by the exercise of some grace of one kind of more of the same kind as he that is holy deserves more holynesse and he that sowes to the Spirit of life shall have life everlasting as he that sowes to the flesh reaps a crop as all persons are to do suitable to their seed of more
he calls it though insufficient to direct for Iustification and Salvation yet was useful for two ends 1. To restrain from sin 2. Besides this end God hath another that they might be inexcusable who sinned against the light in them and God might be justified in his Sentence and Iudgement upon them Rom. 1.20 that thâ—y might be without excuse who held the Truth Mark how the light in all is called the Truth which men withhold in unrighteousness therefore it must be the Righteousness of God it self that is revealed from Heaven and justifies in unrighteousness and when they knew God glorified him not as God neither were thankful but were filled with unrighteousness though they knew the judgement of God that they that commit such things are worthy of death v. 29.30 Whence it is that Gods judgement is proved to be according to Truth Rom. 2.2 and God found to be true though every man a lyar Ignorance of the law Mark again how they call it the law by which is the knowledge of sin the transgression of which is sin which Paul calls spiritual holy just and good these men all but natural and sometimes no better then diabolical being not to be pleaded by them that sin against the innate light of their own spirits forasmuch as that fact must needs be voluntary which is done against the knowledge and judgement of a mans own conscience Thus far these men of the Light within it condemns say they but cannot save accuses cannot excuse Rep. Monstrum Horendum c. cui lumen ademptum What are our Ministers become Monsters now adayes that take on them the name of Seers for poor people and yet have never an eye to see the Truth withall themselves Is there any Law in the World that being broken brings penalty accusation cursing judgement or condemnation upon the Transgressors that does not as well hold guilâ—less acquit clear justifie and save from the said cursing and condemnation its obeyers and observers 1. Consider its impossible that any light should leave without excuse and condemn a man when sinned against and not excuse justifie and keep out of condemnation when it 's answered for what I wot can condemn that man who walks up in exact obedience to that law or measure of light be it never so little which is lent him in particular to live by Where there is no Law nor Light at all there is no sin imputed Rom. 5.12 where no Law is broken there is no transgression to condemnation for such sin is Anomia no other then the transgression of the Law and that in such particulars only wherein it is made known for to him that knows to do good and doth it not to him it is sin Iam. 17. not to him that never did nor could for if Abimelech had took to himself Abraham's Wife for his own not knowing but that she was his Sister only as she said he had been clear and not guilty nor had sin been impured to him or laid to his charge to condemnation though the fact had been sin in it self yet not sin unto his dâ—amnation Whereupon he pleads when the Lord comes by the Light o the thing upon him Wilt thou slay a righteous Nation In the integrity of my heart and innocency of my â—ands have I done this and God answers Yea I know thou didst it in the integrity of thy heart Gen. 20.4 5 6. Can that possibly leave men without excuse or plea for themselves in their condemnation when God comes to enter into judgement with them that must be understood and believed by them never to have put them by the best improvement thereof and attendance to it as I. O. and T. D. say the light of God in all does not utcunque cui attendatur so much as in possibility of Salvation nor was sufficient had they never rebelled against it to have excused and acquitted them in the sight of God cannot they that have no Light and Grace more then what had they obeyed and answered it would not have rendred them accepted in his sight they being also personally particularly peremptorily predestinated to be damned and to be disobedient to the light that they might be damned as our Divines say from 1 Pet. 2.8 Iude 3.4 when God comes to plead in no other but a righteous way against them and to damn them for that sore appointed disobedience to it and to reckon and reason with them thus Why would you die and not live A I live I had much rather ye should have lived then died but that ye would your selves destroy your selves when in me was help and I would have helped you and therefore sent my Son a Light to lead you to life not to condemn but to save you had you walked in it for hating and want of walking in which alone it is that ye now must be condemned for ever had I not sent you light and spoken to you by my self and Son you had had no sin but now seeing ye knew my Will and did it not in the doing of which ye should have entred my Kingdome but stopt your ears closed your eyes despised my counsel set at naught all my reproof to you this is sin for which he have no cloak plea c. nor excuse or if you have let us hear it I say cannot such plead again Lord it is true thou art out Soveraign and mayest do with thy own as a Potter with his clay and dash us to pieces at thy pleasure but thou art also a God of righteousness and Truth who hast said thou wilt do right as the Judge of all the earth and thou wilt not do that thy self which thou damnest others for doing as thou didst Pharoah for requiring men to make such a tale of brick as they had not sufficiency of straw for and we hope thou wilt not damn us for not doing what thou know'st we never could being never sufficiently impowered by thy self we trust thou wilt not condemn us at least not with the sorer condemnation as accessary to our own death and for not coming to Christ that we might have life and for want of coming to the saving knowledg of thy Self Mind and Will and for not obeying the Gospel of our Lord Jesus and for nor coming to him in his light and not believing in him as our Saviour and for want of improving our talents to the utmost to our salvation for non-improvement of which alone and for non-obedience to which Light and Gospel alone and non-belief only in which Christ thou now tellest us we must perish which Gospel had we obeyed which Christ had we believed in as our which saving knowledge of thee if we had had which talent or talents had we improved to the best we should not have perisht but have had everlasting life foraâ—much as it was told us for truth from thee by these that say they are thy Ministers if they did not lie and however they made us
or accuse according as the Consâ—ience thereby enlightned bears inward witness both of the Ius and the fact and that the moral instinct of good and evil that is within by that is seconded by a self-judgement i. e. an inward justifying clearing and acquitting as it s answered or else a terrifying and condemning as it s transgrest This therefore is another argument of the common Lights sufficiency to save from condemnation such as walk by it from which I may conclude it Arg. 16. That which can and doth excuse its observers does not only serve to restrain sin and to leave he transgressors of it without excuse but also save from condemnation but the Law in the heats of Heathens excuses it observers witness Rom. 2.15 from which place ye are fain all to confess the same where it s said That by the work of the Law which the Heathen shewed written in their hearts their inward thoughts not only accuse but excuse yea very Ethnicks are not left without Plea or excuse by it if it be not sufficient to save as is shewed above asd as T. D. confesses page 40. 1 Pamp. We may suppose quoth he the Heathen might say had we known of a remedy we would have made use of it therefore it not only leaves without excuse when men violate it but saves from condemnation such as obey it That 's a strange unheard of kind of Law that kills as well its keepers as its breakers or that takes vengeance on the violaters of it and cannot keep the keepers of it from the vengeance of it neither yet T. D. sayes page 5. 2 Pamp. The Light condemns the Heathen when they disâ—bâ—y it but cannot save them though they do obey it indeed he adds without Christ and so say I too but that Light is in them from Christ and so if it save them as it does if they obey it it saves them not without him for it s he that saves them by it but our Diviners Divine enough to the contrary to the utter confutation of themselves in this when by their own confession the common Light in the Conscience they more commonly then properly call Natural doth not only accuse such as go from it but also excuse such as keep to and walk by it within themselves for is not Iustification non-condemnation absolution and consequently Salvation from guilt and wrath where excusation is as well as guilt wrath and condemnation where accusation and no excuse Is it possible there should be any condemnation where no transgression but an answering to the Law lent men to live by for sin as before is but the transgression of the Law or Light that every one hath and as where no Law is so where no breach is of the Law where it is there 's no transgression and where the Conscience gives a good answer and the heart by the Light in it that shews Ius and Factum condemns not doth God condemn is there not acceptance boldness and confidence toward him as there is fear terrour wrath and condemnation from God where it doth condemn yea your selves confess it yet the Law in the heart the Light is sufficient to accuse yea and excuse well and ill doing respectively but not to save justifie or give life say our light treacherous Prophets dark Divines and lifeless Leaders Ob. The Letter kills cannot give life Rep. True but why is it but because it s desobeyed and cannot give ability to any to do what it requires The Law or Light and Gospel and All kills such as transgress it I say the Gospel it self condemns but whom is it none but such as hate and take not heed to it that thereby they may come from under the curse and death into the life it calls for else it being the power of God to the Salvation of such as believe in it Life should be by the Light one way more then it could come by by the Letter for the Letter could keep them that keep it from the Curse denounced in it to the breakers of it yet cannot give any an ability to keep it But the light is not only able to acquit justifie clear absolve secure and save from wrath all such as believe in and obey it but al o to enable such as look to it and impower them more and more to obey and walk by it and consequently by the letter which cannot be transgressed by such as abide in the light all such as singly come to it and continue waiting on the Lord in it Object The Law cannot give life if it could righteousness should be by the Law Gal. 5.21 Rep. True the Law in the letter the Old Testament which he there speaks of as in opposition to the New which is the Gospel the Light and Spirit cannot in regard of the weakness of flesh to fulfil it and its weakness to enable any to the fulfilling of it for the Righteousness declared and required therein must be performed or else it utters nothing but accusation and cursing and yet to perform that Righteousness the letter can no wise impower But the Law which is the light in the Spirit that is and comes from Christ into the Conscience is the Law of Life forasmuch as howbeit it taketh vengeance en mens inventions and ministers first judgement and condemnation to the transgressors for transgression and wrath on the evil doer and his evil deeds yet when it hath condemned sin in the flesh wherein it is committed so long till it hath condemned it out of the flesh and brought forth judgement in thâ—se that wait on it unto victory over the sin that is judged it ministers the righteousness and the peace and the liberty from the sin and the Life of God it self it requires calls for and through the Judgement leads too and then justifies those whom it hath this way enabled to perform it In both which respects though the Law of the letter is not so yet the Law of the Spirit of Life which is the Light in Christ and in us from him sith it both 1. enables the followers of it to fulfil it and 2. secures from wrath and condemnation the fulfillers of it who e're they are Iew or Geâ—tile such as have the letter without or have it not that obey it it is not sufficient only to accuse the rebels against it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and condemn them within themselves but also as utterly insufficient to save and bring to life utcunque ei attendentes such as never so punctually observe and perform it as our Preachers prate it is altogether even every way sufficient to save to the utmost all such as come to God by Christ from whom it comes and to Christ in it According to Rom. 8.1,2,3,4 There is now therefore no condemnation to them which are in Christ Iesus who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit For thâ— Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the
for the sin he hath once committed he hath and the sins by which Iohn and they had sinned of old were theirs or else they needed no Saviour nor purging as cursing men possibly might be sins of which Iames and them he writes to could not say we have no such for such and such were some of you saith Paul to the Saints 1 Cor. 6. But now ye are washed sanctified justified by the Spirit c. So that if we confesse he is faithfull and just to forgive and that 's not all though the Priest stops there but to cleanse us from all unrighteousnesse yea the blood of Iesus his Son doth in praesenti cleanse us from All sin If then there be any filth remaining theres not a cleansing from all but if as the Text sayes it was to some it be from all then there 's none at all remaining so as to be committed or acted to defilement though the Saints may be said to have it in and about them so as to be tempted to it while it is fully under them yet temptation to it is not transgression And the same may be said of 2 Cor. 7.1 let us cleanse though Paul himself was cleansed from all uncleannesse of flesh and Spirit then which I know no more pâ—rfecting holinesse in the fear of God who say I commands not impossibilities to the visible Churches in which sundry were who were not clean as Christs Saints and true Disciples are through the word he speakes to them nor cleansing but some waxing worse and worse Ioh. 13.10 11 16 3. Phil. 3.18 19. much lesse doth Christ command no to his true Ministers as fast as false ones hasten to that fruitlesse work if there own doctrine were true in his Name to command what is impossible yet even to the little children in the Church does Iohn write that they sin not 1 Ioh. 2.1 as well as of the young men in commendation that they are strong and have overcome the wicked one and yet there are Fathers beyond all these Next to G. W. mentioning Phil. 3.15 as many as be perfect c. in proof of perfection here T. D. Replyes well-nigh a whole page full of worth nothing which is scarce worth noting on any other account then to shew how 't is worse then nothing to his own purpose 1. He tells us that 's spoken of grown Christians that were perfect in comparison of Babes Rep. That every Babe in Christ is perfect as to the divine nature which assents to no sin much lesse acts it I have shew'd above but if all that are born of God were not perfect yet that some are T. D. there confesses and if but one it proves the possibility of it which we plead against him and he pleads against 2 He tells us that perfect in Scripture is put for upright and these are made Synonimous and of the same import Rep. True Perfect and upright are one and both import no lesse then a man that sins not Eccles. 7.29 Adam in innocency was perfect it 's said God made man upright For while any are upright they are answerable to the Law or Light lent them to live by which sin is the transgression of and so no transgressours and while they transgresse that Law they are not perfect nor upright but crooked and so accounted Whether it be Iob himself whom T. D. so much instances in and insists on p. 10. 1. Pamp. and p. 6. 2. Pamp. or David himselfe or any other Therefore while David stood in integrity and uprightnesse as mostly he did it preserved him and God so accounted him and justified him as an upright man as he did Iob. 1.1 in the same case but where he turn'd aside into the deceit defilement God held him not upright but hypocriticall false filthy and sinfull much lesse did he therein hold him guiltlesse and justifie him as most ignorantly T. D. delivers it that he did p. 38. 1. Pamp. even when he was guilty of adultery and murder in which juncture nevertheless T.D. sayes he was not in a condemned state but in a justified estate The Scripture exempts him from justification so far that it vouchsafes him not that denomination of an upright man in that matter of Vriab but brands him with the name of a pittylesse blood guilty man a secret evill doer in the sight of the Lord a despiser of him and his comandement and a causer of Gods enemies to blaspheme his Name Psal. 51. 2 Sam. 12.6 9 10 12 14. Howbeit this one thing by the way is worth noting concerning T. D. not for any good that is in it or in T. D. as touching his demeanour in it that when he speaks of the Saints good and duty that they do he says that 's not perfect but an unclean thing dung and filthy rags yea that he calls sin and iniquity p. 7. 2. Pamp. They sin quoth he in doing good duties holy for the matter are iniquity for the manner â—f performance but when the Saints as in Davids caâ—e commit Adultery and Murder he pronounces them blessed as having no guile nor guilt in their Spirit but sincere which is the same with upright or perfect see p. 11. 1. Pamp. David quoth he Psal. 32.2 Pronounces the man blessed which hath no guile in his Spirit or sincere which himselfe was at that time though under the guilt of a great sin v. 5. which is by interpreters supposed to be the same sins for which psal 51. was composed Rep. Here 's Doctrine of Divinity with a witnesse when the Saints do the best good they sin their holy things are all as an unclean thing their righteousness is dung filthy rags though T. D. holds also that Paul had no righteousness which was not Christs p. 22. 1. Pamp. nor any righteousnesse but what from Christ he received their performing duty at least is no lesse then iniquity but when they are under the guilt of such great sins as Adultery and Murder oh blessed men they at that time have no guile in their Spirits are in sincerity or to speakin the diminutive Phrase by which sometimes he lessens the foul faults and great sins of the Saints at the worst but under infirmity But be it this or be it that greater or lesse better or â—â—â—se infirmity or iniquity good or evill duty or dung righteousness or rags holy or unclean the upshot of all is this the men are blessed men what ere they do they are never in a condemned but ever in a justified estate and let their works be as they will perfect or not perfect good or duty which they call unclean dung iniquity or filthy rags their persons though thus sinning are ever Saints and believers which together with their works are accepted with God who yet say I never accepted any such works as are iniquity and sin nor any Persons while they are the workers of them And as to the remnant of T. D's talk in answer to â— â— which is
the affirmative both according to the Poets and the Prophets Quis legit haec Per so Isa. 53 who believeth our Report vel duo vel neme few or none Adde to this these considerations in proof thereof If sin be Christs Enemy in his Saints which none denyes then must it be destroy'd in them before not after death for the last enemy that is to be destroyed is death But the 1 st is true therefore this latter Again the perfecting of the Saints is the very end of Christs Ministry to the Church-ward Eph. 4.11 12 13. which end it must accomplish in this life or not at all for it ceases in that to come as Scripture and prophecy and all such mediums do as I.O. confesses being accommodated presenti huic statui to this present world onely Ex. 3. S. 39. and if it be not here attainable and freedom from sin not possible to be accomplished then ye make Christs Ministry as imperfect as your own absit blasphemia the perfection of every thing consisting in nulla alia re quoth I.O. Ex. 3. S. 24. no other thing then in its sufficiency to attain its end And in every discipline that quoth he is to be counted imperfect which sinem propositum suum assequi potis non est is not of force to effect its propounded end Yea not onely the 1 act of regeneration which is all ye count as attainable here but also the 2. Act or Consummation and perfection of it is attainable and is the very end of the true spirituall Ministry of Christ which is his gift and infallible for the Text runs so concerning that Ministryes continuance here which ceases after death till we all come into the unity of the Faith and Knowledge of the Son of God i. e. to know him all alike and to one perfect man even to the measure of the stature of the fulnesse of Christ So that all that are truly born from above of water and the Spirit not Bastards born of flesh into a talk of the new birth that yet know it not into the divine nature of Christ may come up into the measure of his stature to be as he is in whom is no sin to walk as he walk'd in this world 1 Ioh. 2. 6. 1 Ioh. 4.17 or else the end of the Ministry is frustrated And to say that God appoints a means to an end no way attainable I.O. Himself detests that as his principles are and so do all that hold that undenyable maxime that Deus nil facit frustra Again t is the end of the Scripture quoth I. O persicere omniae to perfect All things pertaining to our salvation Therefore perfect salvation from sin is here attainable otherwise the Scripture is not perfect as I. O. sayes it is to its own end sith it ceases in the world to come as he confesses also therefore though he contradict himselfe so as to say the Scripture obtains not its end here yet if his saying that it does obtain its end and its end is saving the soul be true this ad hominem is an Argument out of his own mouth sufficient to evince to the stoppoing of it a possibility of being saved from sin in this life Again they that walk not after the flesh and fulfill not the lusts of it sin not for sin is the fruit and effect of the lust which must conceive be consented and yielded to before sin can be brought forth Iam. 1.14.15 a man must be led away of his own lust before he sins But there be some that walk not after the flesh that fulfil not the lust of it Yea they that are in Christ Jesus to whom is no condemnation which condemnation by the Law is where ever sin is which is the transgression of the Law Rom. 8.1 yea more expressely they that are in Christ are new creatures the old things the old man and his deeds 2 Cor. 5. Rom. 6. Eph. 4. Which is renewed after the Image of him who created him in righteousness and holyness of truth not a meer imputed one a meer computed one an imaginary one a sound of words a talk not a shadowy one not a shew of holinesse where it is not substantially inherently indeed and in truth but a sinning under the name of Saints Yea more expressely yet from Rom. 8. If Christ be in in you the body is dead because of sin and Rom. 6. how shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein such there are in whom Christ is and these are dead to sin and those that are dead to it live not in it it is mortified in such in facto esse not in fieri only i.e. mortifying ever as long as we live yet never dead till they be dead as our dead Divines deliver Ye most expressely of all Gal. 5. they that are Christs and some are his though the pleaders for sin and the Devils dwelling in them till they dy are none of his have in praeterito crucified the flesh not with the actions of it onely but also with the affections and lusts thereof And though there is a time of dayly dying I dydayâ—y saith Paul 1 Cor. 15. in the light which is the crosse of Christ to the caâ—nailmâ—nd to the world and the lust of it which passeth away before him that doth the will of God and abideth eveâ— Yet there is a time of being crucified to the world with Christ and the world unto such which Paul witnessed 2 Cor. 12. And howbeit 14. yeares before that Paul hast a Thorn in the flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him least through many Revelations he should be exalted above measure whence the Ministers of the night and darknesse argue a maâ—â—i ad mâ—nus that Paul sinned while he liv'd much more must others not heeding that his Thorn was but a Temptation to prevent his transgression and therefore noâ— a transgression of itself for Christ was tempted yet never sinned and beside though it lay haunting and attempting him and was not soon removed yet on his prayer that grace was given which was sufficient to support him under it so that he fell not by it yet if it had proved a transgression 't would not have proved him that sine'd 14. yeares ago to have been a sinner now much lesse to have sinned so long as he lived and so to have been an as for example for all seeming Saints to argue from that they may safely and must unavoidably continue sinning to their dying day Therefore salvation from sin is attainable in this life Yea this very conclusion here inferr'd is in plain termes asserted by Peter of the Saints 1 Pet. 1. of whom he sayes that they received the end of their faith the salvation of their souls which salvation I say till is from the sin which slayes and separates it from God or else from nothing Moreover such as walke after the Spirit and in the light and are led thereby these sin not nor do
the deeds of darknesse which are sin For the light and Spirit lead none into sin But there be such as walk in the light in the day in which if a man walk saith John he stumbles not 1 Ioh. Much lesse fallsâ— There be some that walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit and are led by the Spirit and those that are led by it are not under the Law the lash of which they would be under as all sinners are if they transgressed it but under grace And these are the Sons of God those that are born of God whom the world knowes not 1 Ioh. 1 2 3. for they are his hidden ones Psal. 83. against whom they take crafty councel as against an impure generation though they purify themselves even as Christ himselfe is pure whilst such as know neither the Sons of God nor whose Sons themselves are while they sin are that generation that 's pure in their own eyes though not yet washed from their filthiness nor meaning to be so here Who ever walkes after the Spirit and no more after the flesh and lusts of it at it seems by that very Text Rom. 8. some do to whom alone there 's no condemnation because no sin for they are in Christ so out of the transgression in the light out of the darknesse in but one of which a man can be at one time such sin not who ever they be unless T.D. I.O. and the whole Gang of blind guides who tell people that none but that person that Christ appeared in a Ierusalem ever were shall or can be fuâ—ly freed from sinning in this world will being â—ore shooes in that sink of sottishness run ore boots too so as to say the Light and Spirit leads such as follow and walk after it into lust and sin Therefore there are some that live without sinning And this is one infallible Argument from the very letter it self if it were not become now as a Book sealed to the learned lookers into it that freedom from sin was attainable by the power of Christs light and the grace of God which alone even we say is sufficient to that end and was attained by Paul and others then and therefore may be now even in this life in that Panâ— declares concerning Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus the head from whence as the holy ointment it runs down to the Skirts of the Garment and as the unction 1 Ioh. 2. abides in his body teaching all things it had made him free from the law of sin and death of which Law of sin and death he relates in that 7. Chapter that he was once wretched by reason of its carrying him captive to it self of its motions of sin working in him and bringing forth fruit in him unto death of its warring in his members against the Light or Law of God in his mind by which he had the knowledge of sin in the very lust of it as that he should not covet nor lust to envy anger uncleanness c. Which the Scribes and Pharises Mat. 5. and Paul himself while a Pharisee looking into the lâ—tter without only as he did from a child knew not till he turn'd to the light within and came to the Law in the Spirit till he and it came to look each other in the face from which time and not from his looking into the letter he saw the Law in the spirituality holinesse righteousness and goodnesse 〈◊〉 and for all his former formality and strict pretence to unrighteousness profession of a letter ad extra his own meer naughtinesse and carnality as that of one that was still sold under sin and a committer of it in the sight of God from whose wrath that old drosty dunghilly righteousnesse of his own Phil. 3. which was not Christs as T. D. blasphemously belyes it to be p. 22. 1. Pamp. could not deliver him till he witness'd himselfe cloth'd with another even that righteousness which is of God by faith in Christ not imputed onely but imparted also to the true sanctification as well as justification of every one that believeth which passages nevertheless of that 7th chap. to the Romans and that 12. of his 2d Ep. to the Corinthians our senseless Seers have made among others one of their main common places from whence to prove the very contrary even that there is no such freedom from sin while in the body but that of necessity it must be acted by the Saints themselves while they breath upon this outward earth For say they if Paul complained of a body of sin and death while he liv'd and how he was sold under sin and carryed captive to the Law of it and of the Law of sin waâ—ring in his members against the Law in his mind so that he could not do the good he should but when he would do good evill was present with him and also of a Thorne in his flesh a Messenger of Satan to buffet him as he does 2 Cor. 1 2 3. c. and all this after his conversion to his dying day Then much lesse can any other Saints expect to be set so free from sin by what power soever in this life as to live and not sin and such like But Paul did so therefore what man can do otherwise Who can ever live and not sin Thus they argue against Qua. as a damnable sort of Hereticks that deliver a doctrine of Devils because they hold out as attainable that hellish thing as they count it call'd holiness and such freedom from sin in this life so as not to commit iniquity any more not considering all this while that Paul in those terms speakes what he once was yea even after his conversion to the light till sin was wholly subdued by the light condemning it in his flesh and bringing forth in him judgement over it into victory and not of what he was at the writing thereof in which time he sayes the Law of the Spirit had made him free from that Law of sin Not yet heeding at all that the Thorn in the flesh was not a transgression but a temptation with which God exercised him that he might shew the sufficiency of his own grace to support and keep him from transgression even from that sin of being exalted above measure and that no lesse then 14. years before he wrote this and not just then when or while he wrote it much lesse a transgression that remain'd unmortified in him till his dying day One argument more I shall urge from I O's own book thus viz If perfect Salvation from sin be the proper end of the Scripture and it be perfect to that its end and does perfect it and yet does what it does in this present world or nowhere to which it is accomodated only and ceases to do ought into the world to come then that perfect Salvation must be wrought out by it or here or no where at all But
come from the lusts that War in their Members Iam. 4.1 and cannot with good Conscience to God as to Military matters appear in Arms againâ—t any Therefore are we prejudged as not submitting to nor owning Magistracy as we say we do Whereas we do truly own and are subject thereunto Witnesse the Tenour of a Paper given out from among us under many hands some while since in that particular A true Copy whereof is here Printed in the Margent And because we cannot Swear at all but forbear it in obedience to Christ's and his Apostles words who intimating Math. 5. a permission under the Law to Swear so be men did not forswear but perform to the Lord their then lawful Oaths for to Swear by any but God or to Swear by God in ordinary Communications was as unlawful then as now sayes unto us Swear not at all i.e. in such cases wherein men might Swear in old time who then might not in common Communication and above all things Swear not no not by any Oath but let your Communication i. e the whole of it before Rulers as well as others be Yea Yea Nay Nay least ye fall into Condemnation for whatsoever is more than that commeth of evil Mat. 5.33 34 35 36. Iam. 5.12 Therefore are we in some places by well-nigh Scores at once put in prison as persons suspitious of Treachery and unfaithfulness to the present Powers Whereas howbeit we decline all Oaths for the Reasons aforesaid yet as it hath been own'd by the King himself as satisfactory to him as if we did Swear if we can say we are or promise to be Innocent as towards him so we both do and can declare our Present and Promise Future Integrity to Him and the present Government reserving our Consciences to the Lord alone in Spiritualls in all cases of civil Concernment And As our Promise binds us more than their Oaths do them whoâ—make as little Conscience to keep the Oaths they take as they do to take whatever is imposed and for Fear Swear themselves To and Fro into the Favour of every Form of Government as it stands its time upon the Stage So our Practice will Preach out our Performance of what we Promiâ—e and that performance prove our words once passed to be of as much worth and weight to us before the Lord as their Swearings by his Name are who are found utterly out of his Nature And because we talk of an universal Redemption by Christ's coming intentionally to save All men though through their own default All are not but few only actually saved They pittyfuâ—â—y propound us as denying Gods Eternall unchangeable Decree and his Praedestination Election Reprobation and such like Whereas how the universality of his grace appearing and bringing Salvation truly and intentionally to All but that most put it from themselves as the Iews did Act. 13. is no way inconsistent with but rather stablishing Gods everlasting immutable Councell concerning men as to Salvation and Condemnation it 's most clearly demonstrated in the Fourth Exercitation from p. 87. to p. 152. And because we call All men to look to the Light within their own consciences and to take heed to that as ever they intend to enter into Life assuring them that by the leadings of that Light if they will they may come to God and work out their Salvation and escape the Condemnation that is to come They make people believe as if we held that all men in the Fall had of themselves a Free will and a Power of their own without God to save themselves and without any speciall spirituall or supernaturall grace or gift of God even by their own Naturall Light which flowes from the Principles of meer Nature to help deliver and Redeem themselves and as if we did destroy all that free grace great goodness and rich mercy of God of whose mercy and grace only it is and not of themselves that they can be saved Whereas we ascribe all the glory of our own and every mans Salvation to God alone and his meer mercy and free grace which is and alone is sufficient thereunto and not to any man nor any thing at all in man that is of man and not rather the free gift of God to him saying that 't is not in man without the gift and grace of God either to guide or to bring himselfe to Salvation nor in him that wills nor in him that runs but in God only that shewes the mercy And That Light of his in every mans conscience even in the heathens which these men in the cloudiness of their own consciences which come not to the Light that 's in themselves call naturall we say is that speciall gift of Gods own grace every degree of which is sufficient to help heal and save him that takes good heed to it and to lead him forth that follows it as it increases on him that does so to the Light of Life Yea 't is a measure of that Spirit of his a manifestation of which is given to every man to profit withall of that Spirit that strives with all men but that most resist it in their stiff necks and uncircumcised hearts that convinces the whole world of Sin Righteousness and Judgment though all are not thereupon converted by it same measure at least one Talent of which is given to the most unprofitable Servant till â—for not trading therewith it be taken from him 't is somthing of that goodness of God which though men will not know it and few are led by or follow it while it drawes them yet does lead them and though they refuse to return and so fare the worse for it does its own part so far as to draw them to Repentance Yea 't is though in men yet of God and no less then his own Law in their own hearts of which Law the Letter sayes though men till spiritualized by it are carnall and sold under sin yet is spiritual holy just and good whereby every man is a Law to himself before God who wit Judge him and either accuse or excuse acquit absolve clear justify or condemn him in the day when he judges the secrets of men by Christ out of the book of their own consciences once to be opened in which thereby both Jus and Factum Right and Fact is manifeâ—t according to the Gospel that 's preached in it and by it in every creature under heaven as well as to somely mans ministry to all by some outward ministry or other also and is not any meer Naturall Faculty as our Naturalists call it that is as Naturall to men as his mind it self is as J.O. mindlessely asserts it to be for then it must be de Esâ—e homini so Essentiall to a man that he neither is nor can be truly call'd A man without it whereas though Man in the Fall is in indeed so short of the man made at first after Gods Image or of Man restored back again
Slaughter and Eternal Slavery for you not to Try their Talk First Who tell it you for Truth that there is now no Guidance of Christs Own Ministers by Christs Own Infallible Spirit They that Teach that their own Teaching is but Falible may easily draw all their Implicit Followers together with themselves into the Ditch Secondly Talk for Liberty of Conscience while they are under the Lash of others and for Persecution as soon as they can Climb to be Lords over all Thirdly That Affirm Christ's Righteousness Wrought in his Saints Persons by his Power and Spirit Serving to Sanctifie them too to fit them for Heaven to be of no other worth and worth no better Name and worse they cannot give it then that of unclean Dung Losse and Filthy Rags which Doctrine is Necessarily Deducible from T. D's Writing against the Quakers who yet sayes David even while Guilty of Adultery and Murder was not in a Condemned but in a Justified Estate Fourthly That where and while God Tenders Salvation Openly and Universally to All Men He Secretly Intends it but Particularly only to a Few Fifthly That that Light the Quakers Testify to which in Truth is no other then the True Light which the Life is which their own Rule of Scripture sayes John 1.9 Enlightens every man that cometh into the World Enlightens not every one but very few And is an Horrible Figment of the Quakers an Imaginary Christ as to Salvation in all Divine Matters Darkness Blindness it self and many more sayings of that sort under which they Scorn it as J. O. does and other Divines viz. R. B. and J. T. little lesse Sixthly 1. That the Letter of the Scripture is the only Sure Foundation and Rule of all Faith 2. That the said Letter is Variable and Varied and yet 3. That A thing that is Variable can be no Rule neither which is one of the many Rounds the Rabbies Run in Seventhly That Preaching of Perfect Purging and full Freedom from Sin in this world is a Doctrine of Devills so T. D. and Punishable With Prisons and other Paines so I. O. that there 's no Purgatory for purging away the Remnants of it as the Pope Falsly sayes there is in the world to come neither which Perfection of Holiness so far as to deny of all Unholiness and Salvation of Souls from Sinning is the meer End of Christs coming Matth. 1.21 the end of all Ministry that 's of his giving Eph. 4.11 12 13. the end of all the Apostles Writing willings of men to walk in the Light 2 Cor. 7 1. 1 Iohn 1.6 7 8. 1 Iohn 2.1 and of all true Faith or Beleiving 1 Pet. 1.5 And as it 's no Treachery in us to you nor others nor yet in you and us and all men to our selves to Try what 's Truth before we Trust Take and Talk for it much more Obtrude it as that Truth which must Subpaena as so be believed by Ali So it 's no lesse then time for us to Ask and put it to the Question among you Sith both cannot be so who are so Contradictory and if they be Right wee l own our selves to be wrong when once they prove it whether those who in Christs Name Minister the abovesaid Messes for Truth or the Qua. who in their Ministry Minister the very contrary and no less then the Infallible Truth it self be Christs Ministers So having in my time Born my Testimony as a Friend to the Truth against such as Tread and Trample it under Feet and Aâ—k'â— an Answer from that of God in All Consciences to which I Appeal to Judg between the Clergy and the Quakers who are in Truth I Sit down Satisfied in my Own Conscience in the Sight of God holding Love to All Mens Persons and Warr with nothing but Mens Wicked Works not knowing whether this may be the Last Time of Asking After which as to this way of Appearing in Print against the Pervertures of the Parish Priesthood I may for ought I know for Ever possibly hold my Peace Sam. Fisher. A Lamentation over Lost-Souls With a Word of Warning to All Kings Princes Parliaments Powers And People to Beware of Such Priests aâ— Uphold the Devils Kingdome by Pleading Contrary to the Scriptures of Truth A Continuance of Iniquity for Term of this Life A Necessity of Mens Transgressing of Gods Law while they Liâ—e in the World Or have any Abode in the Body IN th' Snare You Are Dear Souls I truly Know it And Wot I't Not yet there is That doth Shew it For First that 's Worst You are Beset with Sin Next Those are Foes without for That 's With in Who Preach yea Teach Yee cannot Live with out it Who Hint Live In 't yet shall Yee Live ne'r Doubt it Such Watchmen Catch men in Sins Snares not Out By Such how Much to take Sin lies at Scout Yâ—u In its Gin You 'l know when th' Light is Heeded Know'â— Now and How Christ Iesus is not Needed To Win from Sin if in it Souls can Thrive To Save from th' Grave if there Souls are Alive I Trow You 'l Know You Cannot Live in Sin When All Dy Shall who Live and Dy there in Wherefore before you Live You ought t' Eschew it Then Must I Trust even whilst you Live or Rue it Read This for 't is a Riddâ—e else in th' Light Heart Read for th' Head herein obtains no Sight It s Wis-dom Is too Dim this Depth to Enter Vn lesse you Guesse by th' Spirit which Dives to th' Center Give Ore no More your selves with Vain Hopes Cherish For Lie and Die in Sin who doth doth Perish But Lay Away all Weights Sins which be set you Abandon And shake off such Priests as Let you And Shun that Run you may with Saints that Race Which Brings with Wings from Sin to th' Holy Place To th' Place where Grace is Perfect Holy Sion The Mount where Count upon 't there comes no Lyon Nor Man that Can work Evil where the Pure In Heart leave Part Alone and their Right 's Sure For While You Stile those Saints who plead for Evil And Them Christ's Members who still Serve the Devil Nor Leave but Cleave to Them the Light ye Flee And Sure ye Pure as Christ is cannot Be. For Hire They Tire You out with Talk â—ut Know Their Words are Swords which will Souls Over throw Their Eyes toward Lyes are set Truth They Be spatter Time Serving Swerving still from God They Scatter They Sooth speak Smooth Charm Dawb Sow Pillowes Flatter Cry Peace where Peace is Not So ends this Matter Sam Fisher. A List of some of the Typographicall Mistakes THough in I. O's blind judgement it seems to Border on Atheism to say the same Fate as to Mistakes hath attended the Hebrew and Greek Text of Scripture in it's Transcribing as hath done other Books yet it seems to me upon that but Running Review I have yet taken thereof that the
filthy rags but that is thy Blasphemy who so rendredst it but we know no such rotten stinking filthy righteousness that Christ hath either in himself or in his Saints Also thou falsly construest and misrepresentest both G.W. and all of us as if we asserted all men to have the knowledge of the Mysteries of the Kingdome of God for we say not that all know them and we know that thou know'st them not but that the Kingdome or Light that only shews them is in all men so that thereby they may know the mysteries of it though they do not Also thou most miserably misrepresentest my saying there are degrees among Believer p. 18. as if I had meant by it according to thy own muddy misty manner of meaning and supposing in that and many other matters that Believers have a mixture of sin with their grace and so ex falso suppositis proceedest to make another meaning of thine own which is none of mine that some persons be justified which never did fulfill the Law personally and rakest up an absurdity and fatherest it on me when 't is thine own for I deny thy imagined mixture of sin with the Saints Graces as a meer non-sensical saying of thy own for Grace and Sin can no more mix together then iron and miry clay then light and darkness then Christs true righteousness and the dung and filthy rags which thou supposest to be his also which can have no communion together 2 Cor. 6. And I deny any men to be justified or any of thy uncessantly ever-sinning Saints in whose persons the Law is not fulfill'd by the Power of Christ. Also how guilty or not guilty thou art found of laying down things in our names which were never spoken by us in such wise as thou ventest them and so of wronging us by adding to our words to be-speak thee in thy own words of thy Epist. to the second Pamphlet let any understanding man peruse thy first which occasioned G.Ws. Reply and he will find viz. that thou art charged not in falshood but truly and justly by G.W. charged of falshood in such passages as have many and credible Witnesses if thou count thy own Witnesses credible attesting them for I shall bring them against thee even as thou thy self hast ranked them in thy own book and stand to that very testimony they therein give as to the tryal of this matter between thy self and me which if it may be heeded more then thy own single testimony against both thy self and all them also I shall do well enough as to one of the Archest Accusations thou makest against me To this purpose consider all people that T.D. on his bare head accuses me S.F. p. 14. 15. of his first Pamp. of affirming and disputing it against him that OVR good works viz. OVR own righteousnesses of which it was of old said and we say the same now not intending by that term OVRS any that Christ works in us as T.D. does but those we have wrought out of him that they are filthy rags are the meritorious cause of our Iustification And in the same place asserts the third Question to be stated affirmed and prosecuted by me in thoâ—e very terms viz. that OVR good works are the meritorious cause c. nevertheless the self-fame T.D. if it be one and the same T.D. who wrote the Trifle call'd A True Relation of the Disputes and that Remarkable Narrative at the end thereof in p. 58. of the same foresaid Pamphlet to the Confutation of himself and in Proof of his falsification of things in that other place not only affirms it himself but also proves it by his many credible Witnesses of whom he sayes in his Epistle to his second Toy they attest the truth and in the Epistle to his first thus viz. The Gentlemen Ministers and others in the Margin are a few of very many Witnesses of the terms of the Questions agreed to by the Qua. and of other remarkable passages and matters of fact who will free me from the suspition of a partial Relator that the terms of the third Question were these viz. Whether good works be the meritorious cause of our Iustification which quoth T.D. was expresly affirmed by them witness in the Margin Hen. Oxenden Iob. Boys Esq Nath. Barry Tho. Seyliard Ch. Nichols Ministers which terms say I are quite diffeferent from the other Good works which are only Christs without that term of OVR added to them being one thing and OVR good works clearly another especially OVRS that are filthy Raggs So what need further witness to prove T.D. to have added to and altered our termes and wronged us by misconstructions for the world has it under his own hand which evinces him to have done so yet he sayes to his Reader T. D. As to false construction of their words If thou thinkest it worth while to compare my false and this mans G.W. true construction either thou seest not with mine eyes or thou wilt see they have no occasion to complaine Rep. To which say I If he see with thy eyes indeed then its like he may see no cause we have to complain of thee for thy eyes are set the wrong way to see any evill in thy self while they are not Zach. 9 as all Israells as one man are towards the Lord in his light which only shews to the evill doer his evil Deeds but are set rather to watch against the Children of it for evill thy eyes are in tuts talpae in alienis linces blind at home and quicksighted the contrary way abroad if they were not thou could'st never spie so many spots among them that walk in the Spirit and so few of those foul faults that are found among thy fellow walkers after the Flesh but if any Readers be minded to see with their own eyes and not thine they 'l quickly see thee to be what thou art with whose weak sore and sorry eyes some of Sandwich whose Seer thou art do see more then with their own so that if thou once say'st thou seest what thou but surmisest and supposest they as I.Os. Juniors are respectively to himward are Extempore stupified into a Satisfaction that they â—ee the same whether they see it yea or nay so as to become Iurats into thy Rasn Iudgment and to sit down with no more then nil ultra quaero plebejus our Minister Teacher or Doctor sayes so or so But indeed as the Papists have been long accustomed to drink all the Wine they drink in their Sacrament with their Priests mouths who impropriate that Element wholly to themselves so that when Christ said drink ye all of this they drink it all off giving the poor people none so our Protestants have been so long accustomed to see with their Priests eyes that they have well nigh utterly lost their own or at least the true fight and right use of their own and T. D. I perceive takes it for granted or else why saies he thou
Commandements and Traditions of men and of the Pope himself in many things still and yet because they did not so much as he appointed them in matters of more moment but were unclean and wicked refusing to walk in the good old way of the Light which was the way before Moses and the letter was turning away their eare from hearing the Law in the heart which is the light were not only vain but abominable in the very best of their Oblations In Preaching therefore in order to Gods acceptance of us and our good works which are not outward worships where the heart and life are yet defiled but where a new Creature created after his own Image of God in Christ Iesus to good works in his nature and by his Power though in it's own person doth perform them is as an utter exclusion of all your own so no fair In-let to any of the Popish Rubbish will worship meer self service and unprofitable devotion for these being only done by man are neither good nor accepted of God But to Teach and maintain and plead for evil works as necessary to be done while we are in this life and Teach down the doctrine of perfecting holinesse and perfect purging our selves from all uncleannesse of flesh and Spirit while we are here in the body which Paul taught up as a doctrine of devils and to deny the possibility of performing this duty of not sinning and make such a grosse state of sin as that was which David stood in when he was guilty of adultery and murder consistent with Gods acceptance of men and their justification before him and that the Saints as some call them in such a pickle while they are in sin up to the ears even in such a case are not in a condemned but in a justified estate and that if the Saints own heart condemn him and his own conscience tell him that God doth not accept him and that his estate is bad in such a bad sinful case and not good it 's defiled and lyes and testifies falsehood to him and leads him into a wrong opinion of himself and that the Saints may be blessed men as David was having no guile in his spirit but sincere upright after Gods own heart though under the guilt of so grosse and great sins when the Scripture saith the contrary viz that David was upright before God saving in that matter of Vriah wherein indeed his very heart was false and rotten and to affirm to the encouragement of men in their imperfections and infirmityes by which name they stile the Saints grossest iniquities as T.D. does contradictorily to himself in other places that the gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience all which and more ejusdem Farraginis is done and utter'd by T.D. and such as own him therein in the 11.19.45.47 pages of his 1. Pamphlet as they were by word of mouth at the disputes This is to strengthen the hands of the wicked that they cannot return from their wickednesse for how is it possible they should do it when 't is preacht and believed as impossible to be done this is to sow soft pillows under their elbowes that they may sleep on securely in sin and take their rest for its all but infirmity and no inpreachment to his justification nor to his standing accepted and in covenant with God that a Saint does and their 's no condemnation to them that are Saints and in Christ no though they be in transgression in which who is say I is out of Christ and not a Saint and though they walk not after the Spirit as all that are Saints and in Christ Jesus do but after the flesh and in a word a very fair In-let to a very worse matter then that whole mare mortuum of the Popes Beggerly observations even no better a matter then the very whole bundle of the Devils own Bag and Beastly Baggage So then I see not hitherto and am perswaded never shall till I come to see as T.D. does in his floting fancy many things with his eyes shut how any Doctrines of the Qua. even such as they and I hold with any more then what we hold flatly against the Popish Priesthood do either conclude my complyance with them or make any way for the incoming and abiding without its own speedier Ruine of their Romish Baggage or how our parochiall Priesthoods preaching and practice too doth any other then uphold the Butt end thereof and preach their own câ—mplyance with those their Brother Ravens in many matters But T. D's Biggest Bolt and weightest Bullet as he counts at least lyes yet behind and that is our doctrine of good works as needful to that use of our justification before God here he iudges that Omne tulit punctum he hath fully hit the white and that this will do if all the rest die and fallen the fault of favouring and fathering the Popish cause upon me as some Iâ—suit if all the other fail Good works for necessary uses viz to manifest faith to be true to sanctify to make meet for the possession c. T.D. and his Associates in words and doctrinally more then practically maintain as much as any but to maintaine good works not only to the use of our sanctification but our justification and to justify not only deâ—laratively in the sight of men but also formally in the sight of God not only to approve a beleiver but absolve a sinner p. 8. not only to fit for but to give right to the inheritance p. 22. not as concurrent and concomitant only but as cooperative and constitutive together with faith and coincident as a cause in the case of our iustification to let good works be accounted not only Via ad Regnum but also carsa Regnandi as your Scools distinguish yea and further yet to dispute it not in these Terms barely of good works but in these Terms of OUR good works and lastly higher yet to rank them so high in order of causes as not only Instrumental with faith but a deserving or meritorious cause of justification This is notorious yea so grosse and Popish that we may well Rank you thinks he among the Papists p. 58. as at least a bringer in of their Baggage yea now quoth T.D. of me p. 14. you shew your self a rank Papist indeed Rep. Ipse dixit T.D. hath said it who of all those Seers with his eyes in Sandwich or else where who giving heed to him from the least to the greatest saying of him This man is the great Power of God have hiâ— hitherto bewitched with his Simonical Sorceries can do any other then believe it to a Tittle This stroke enters with so deep a dint into the thoughts fancies and faith of many that 't is supposed by some we Qua. shall never be able to lick our selves whole of the deadly wound it brings with it both to the doctrines that we maintain as Truth and to our selves also whom we maintain to be no
thus p. 14 15. there is not Par Ratio for the merit of good and evil works and that they are not absâ—lute contraries because our evil works are perfectly evil but our Good works â—aist thou are but impeâ—fectly good yea Isa. 64.6 all our Righteousnesses not our unrighteousnesses onely are as filthy Rags Rep. To this I retuâ—n as followes viz. If by that Teâ—m OVR Good Works thou intendest no other then those of your own which ye call good when thou sayest of them that they are but imperfectly good I yield to it as Truth indeed that your good works and your evil works are not absolute contraries one to another but rather both alike of one and the same sort stamp and general kind that is to say both of them evil works for your evil works being by your own confession perfâ—ctly evil your good works as ye stile them for good they are not while done by the evil-doer that hates the light being alâ—o by confession but imperfectly good and for so far from being truly good that what ever they are in your own in Gods Account they are no better then evil they are really evil too yeaâ— as to the nature done in though not as to their meaâ—ure â—as realy evil as the other and not your unrighteousnes onely but also your own Righteousness being by the like true concession but filthy Rags they are not absolute Contraâ—ies but Con-naturals as your best good and worst evil is for as two evil spirits may be both Devils though not Devils both of one Hair but one a little bâ—nâ—ker t'other respectively somewhat whiter then the other so your two sorts of works whereof ye call one good the other evil one your Righteousness t'other unrighteousness are both alike evil and wickedness though one carries a fairer face before it than the other Neither did I as thou dost pag. 54 that the Gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience then affirm and so G.W. tells thee p. 20. of his Reply to thee who either didst or would'st not it seems understand me so well as he others that imperfect works and the Righteousness which is as filthy Rags do deserve Iustification neither did I ever nor shall I now go about to prove by the Rule of Contraries a contrary desert of your unrighteousness or evil works and of such Righteousness and Good Works as yours are which both you and I acknowledge are but imperfect and so no better then evil unrighteousness and filthy Rags so as to conclude from thence that as your evil merits damnation so your good merits Iustification nay in stead of Arguing about these from Contraâ—iorum Câ—ntraâ—ia est Ratiâ— of contraâ—ies there 's contraâ—y consequence I must say rather Paâ—ium Par est Raâ—iâ— Similium Similis consequentia things that are alike are of a like desert therefore your evil and your good in name differing yet in kind agreeing being evil and filthy Rags both alike do both alike as truely deserve condemnation from him as they are both alike abâ—minaâ—ion before the Lord. But if by that Term OVR Good Wâ—rks of which thou â—ayest they are but impâ—fectly good thou intendest those of Christâ— own woâ—king in and by us and all his Saints of which he beâ—ng the Authour though we in and under him the Actours thereof I said before Vix ea nostra voco I deny any of these to be as thou callest them but imperfectly good and both affirm and shall prove them all to be really good and as so truly contrary to both your confessed evil and but conceited good works which yet really are but evil and not onely so but perfectly good also and in that respect more absolutely contrary to all your own both worst and best workâ— the best of which though cal'd by you at least imperfectly gâ—od are yet at best no better in kind then as perfectly evil as the other saving the baldness of that Phrase perfectly evil which yet being thy own thou maist the better and must however bear it from me In proof of which though it seem but a mad mans mad Divinity to you more mad Divines and possibly a meer Paradox to many more then meer Parish Priests yet let it be considered That every thing that can be truly according to God not after the manner of erring men onely said to be good or Righteousness though so but in part yet is as perfectly so as it is truly said so to be for howbeit all that which is but in part is by our Academical Rabbies who count all plain Countrey Russet-Coats but Rusticks in comparison of themselves counted but imperfect and commonly so called as if in paâ—t and imperfect were ever Synonomous and all one so that in their benighted minds they oft render that place 1 Cor. 13. as T. D. till he was corrected did at the Dispute thus viz. when that which is perfect is come then that which is imperfect whereas that which is in part and but aliqualiter not yet aequaliter or so perfect as the other is is opposed to that which is more perfect to its degree only yet as to its nature which different degrees do never alter for that gradus non variant naturam Rei is received for truth by all that which is truly good Righteousness Light Uprightness Holiness Truth though but some part of that fuller measure that once shall be yet is not onely Really the same but as perfectly the same in suo genere as that which is perfect in degree also is in its kind that is to say as perfectly Good as perfectly Righteousnâ—â—s c. as Good Righteousness Light Grace Uprightness Holiness Truth is in the highest measure Every dâ—am of Grace is perfectly Grace every degree of true Good perfectly Good every grain of Holiness perfectly Holiness as every spark of fire is perfectly fire and perfect fire and every drop of water perfect water as well as the whole Ocean as every Babe as to the nature is perfectly a man and a perfect man as he is that is a man in stature Holiness in the least measure of it is the gift of God and I know no imperfect gift that he giveth who is the Giver of every good and peâ—fect gift and every one of whose gifts is perfect all that is perfect is of God and all that is perfect which is of God from whom no imperfect thing can come and all true Good and Holiness is of God and all Sin Unholiness Unrighteousness Imperfection is of the Devil and all that is imperfect whic his of the Devil from whom no thing that 's good or truly perfect can come and all sin is properly nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgression defect and imperfection it self and whoever sinneth is born of the Devil and he that is of the Dâ—vil while so is not born of God nor in a state of Salvation nor in the Election but in the Reprobation and Rejection and what is born
obedience of Christ within his Saints one while saying one thing of it anon another sometimes that its Christs own wrought by him received from him sometimes their own even that own of theirs which is imperfect dung losse and 〈◊〉 Rags which was theirs long before ere they knew him Sometimes in another sense then that the spirit calls them both their own and his own also somtimes this sometimes that now that it serves for nothing being but imperfectly good unlesse filthy Rags be good for anything then that as very losse and dung as Paul counted his own that it serves him for something viz. to fit for heaven but not to enright to it as the same in himselfe dâ—th and so its tantum but not quantum now that its no lesse then losse of life to expect life upon it then that as imperfect as it is the Gospell gives life upon â— so it somtimes this and sometimes that sometimes himself well know not what Thus that single double righteousnesse whereof man is the Actor but whether himselfe or Christ the Author is scarce distinctly determined by T.D. Heating about in the tossing Cock Bâ—at of T. D.'s brain advanced one while up to the highest heaven and by and by debaâ—ed again to the depths of Hell like men in a Ship that are whiffled up and down in a troubled Sea which the wicked who are never well in their wits nor soundly stablish in the truth are ever like to of whom one may say with the Pâ—â— Iamjam Tacturos Sydera Sumna putes Iamjam Tacturos Ta ta aâ—igra putes and with the Prophet Pal. 107.26.27 They Mount up to the heavens they go down again into the depths They â—eel to and fro and stagger like a drunken man and 〈◊〉 their wits end Never did I read or see in so small a piece of work so many Ringles and Rounds as T.D. makes and runs in except I. O's who in many things makes whether so many or more I cannot yet say but I am sure many as plain round O's and Cris Crosses to himselfe as most men can likely do it that set not themselves to it in so little a compass as his is contained in since I began to dive into the Bottomlesse pit of that thing call'd Divinity or â—o discern the shallow divinations of the so deemed deep Divines CHAP. 4. HAving hewed my way to it throw those craggy contradictions of T.D. to himselfe about it and dispersed and vanquisht some of the dark vapours wherewith he had vailed that Question that lyes between us I shall now vent my verdit on it in a more plain open view and having negatively declared whose righteousnesse and good works justification and life is not given upon and discarded all those of meer mans own as Dâ—ng Losse Rags Imperfect and what ever T.D. falsly charges on us as affirming it or affirms himselfe of life given upon imperfect obedience and meetnesse to inherit it by Pauls own which he renounced of no worth to give any influence into these matters I shall shew whom and whose good works and righteousnesse life comes by and is given upon yea I here positively affirm that by none but Christ alone Iustification unto life can come nor is there either title to the inheritance or fitnesse to possesse it by any other good works or righteousnesse save those of the Lord Iesus only whose only and all whose works even in the very least degree thereof when or whereever wrought are perfectly good when the best of meet mans are as T.D. sayes but imperfectly good which is as much as to say imperfect-perfect things every truly good thing being properly perfect and every perfect thing properly good and every imperfect thing properly evil and every evil imperfect or rather defect and imperfection it self and every perfect thing good for somthing and every imperfect perfect thing without Gods wisdome who orders sin to his own glory and is easily able to bring good out of evill being properly per se good for nothing Yea this stone of Israel Gen. 49.23 Christ which was ever set at nought by you builders who seem to your selves so much to build upon him but are seen more then any to build beside him and stumble at him is now again become the head in the Corner Act. 4.11.12 Neither is there salvation in any other nor any other name under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved then that of the Lord our righteousnesse who is not here in this world simply so accounted as 't is simplicer satis accounted on by our Acâ—demicks and then made to us of God Wisdome Righteousnesse Sanctification Redemption hereafter in the world to come but so ready made to us here and that perfectly too so far as he is perfectly trusted to and hâ—ped in 1 Pet. 1.13 for salvation Salvation from God to such as expect not more the pardon and forgivenesse of what is past then puâ—ging from and power to forgo all sin and all unrighteousness in due time to come who have the witness within themselves of all iniquity to be as they waite on him so truly done away and remited as though they meet with temptation as Christ did which is not transgression if withstood not to be done nor at all committed any more 1 Ioh. 1.7.9 2 Cor. 7.1.119 Psal. 1.2.3 And this peculiar priviledge and high prerogative hath he who is the head and hath as he is well worthy in all things the preheminence over his body which he is the Saviour of purchased to himselfe by his free humiliation and bâ—eience to death even the death of the Grosse to be in perfect power to save to the uttermost all that shall ever come unto God by him Now much if not most of this is in general granted and assented to by all viz. that Iustification to life and Salvation is by none but Christ and by no other righteousnesse but that which is most peculiaâ—ly and properly called his and not mans but still the Question about which subâ—judice lis est viz. what Christ it is for T.D. makes two at least if not more viz. a Christ within and a Christ without and what righteousnesse of Christ it is for T.D. makes two righteousnesses of Christ also viz. one within us and another in him without us by whom and upon which the title to Iustification and the inheritance comes And to this I answer that as I know no other person nor thing that gives us title to salvation then Christ and his righteousnesse so I know no other Christ then that one which the Scripture speakes of that dyed at Ierusalem and was crucified in the great City spiritually called Sodom and Egypt and was an immaculate Lamb slain by the beast from the foundation of the World by whose blood his Saints ever were and still are redeemed and cleansed from all their sins and by the eating and drinking whose flesh and blood they have life in themselves
whom they also as Paul and others did witnesse speaking living working labouring in them comming into them as they open to him supping with them manifesting himselfe to them as they keep his Commandements when not to the world that break them making his abode with them dwelling in them by faith walking in them as they in him formed in them being in them that are in the faith and not reprobate as concerning the faith as some are who dream they have it the hope of glory even Christ Iesus the Son of God the seed of Abraham according to the flesh risen from the dead and alive for ever the second man the Lord from heaven the quickning spirit that shewed himselfe to his disciples comming in where they were the dores being shut appearing to them in what fâ—â—m he would vanishing out of their sight at what time he pleased Christ the wisdome of God the power of God the word of God the righteousnesse of God the sanctification and salvation of God the Image of God the true vine of the Branches the dore of the Sheep the light of the World and by his light in them the judge and condemnation of all that hate it and perfect Saviour of all that come to God by him and to him in it the same that ever he was yesterday to day and for ever the selfe same and not another no changling but numerically the same to them that see him as the woâ—ld does not who are commenting on him but cannot comprehend him guessing at but cannot kâ—n him naming themselves after him but are no kin to him not divided but individually one not one without us and a different thing in us as T.D. dictates â—aying two things are called Christ his person and his operations in us p. 23. but one without us and that same one in us seen to be but one and the same without them and one and the same in them by the single eye of them that are being joyned to him 1 Cor. 6. one and the same spirit in him though â—eeming two Christs to the doubleey that never yet saw clearly any true Christ for he that imagines any more then one Christ knowes not aright that one that is but what ere he thinks unlesse it be some false ones in truth hath truly â—een just none at all And as I own no other Christ but that one by whom life comes to all that beleive in his light so I own the life to come by that one Christ not as withouâ— us but as comming within us and contrarily to T.D. at the dispute who as he truly relates it to his own fuller shame p. 22. being asked by G.W. whether we are not iustified by Christ with in us answered no but by Christ without us which Christ to make but one of him still whom T.D. by his Metonymy Metamorphosyes into two things expressed by that one name his person and operations as without or while without and not come into them is no more to them who when he comes in them are his Saints then he is to all them who are without him in the World whose condemnation he is by his light because they yet beleive not in it that he in whom is life whose life is the light of men by it might come into them and make them partakers of the life Ioh. 12. But as he comes in and men behold he now cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in myriads of his holy ones Jud. 14. to convince all the ungodly of their ungodly deeds and the hard speeches that ungodly sinners have spoken against him so is he made not only their Sanctification to cleanse and make them meet for the pure Lord to look upon with delight as vessels of honour sitted for him to take pleasure in but also even so and no otherwise then so as within and bringing forth his own Image and righteousnesse within them is he their righteousnesse to justification so as to enright and entitle them to the gracious acceptance in the sight of the Lord which by his own holy presence and holy spirit and holy operations in them he hath firstâ— fitted them for And as by him else not as without us but us within us â—o by that obedience and those good works of Righteousness both active and passive of himselfe not as without us only as is blindly beleived by our blind guides and their beleivers but as within us wrought and performed doth he really become our righteousnesse to the iustification of us in Gods sight and an Entitler of us to the inheritance and a Sanctifier and sitter of us for it and also we the righteousnesse of God in him for though whatever he did and endured without in that body that liv'd and dyed at Ierusalem was as truly meritorioâ—s of perfect obedience as to the ends in order to which it was yeilded being the fulfilling of the Law and of all the Types Shadows and Sacrifices that went before him and that whereby he left us an example that should follow his steps c. Yet if the blood of that immaculate Lamb and the suffering and the sacrifice of himselfe by which he purges away sin and that righteousnesse and those perfect good works and holy spirituall operations of his be not witnessed neerer to us in time and place then 1600. years since at Ierusalem viz. within us now as 1 Ioh. 1.7 It avails us not to our salvation And howbeit this true transposition of purifying before pardoning of mens forgoing sin by Christs power in them before Gods forgiving and forgetting it runs in a clear crosse line to your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Cart before the Horse who set iustification from the guilt before sanctification from the filth of sin expecting and accounting among your selves without the Lord while he is silent and before the bill of your accounts be brought in by him ye are iust and pure and holy and good in the sight of God when it s nothing lesse upon the account of somewhat done by another that never knew the workers of iniquity so well as to entitle them to an entrance into Gods bosome in their iniquities as if all scores were quitted between God and you and your sins blotted out 1600 yeares at least before they were by you done and by his witnesse in you as with a Pen of Iron and point of a Diamond written down by Christ and the works of his spirit within yet I absolutely assert that ye can be no further justified then in such measure as ye are sanctified before God nor yet any sooner in order of either time or nature as you speak I am not ignorant of your ordinary School distinctions positions namely that bona opera non praecedunt justificandum sed sequuntur justificatum dant non us ad regnum but only aptitudinem regnandâ— c. That good works go not before in the person that is to be iustified but follow only in persons
and perfected as he shall be by him who is said to perfect for ever all such as are so far as they are for ever Sanctified by him nor yet but that thy senses are sodden so as to Take or rather Rake or Scrape things for granted to thee before they are so given did or do I grant as thou there tatlest sâ—me persons to be justified who never did fulfil the Law personally for though I told thee indeed as thou truly tel'st it again to the world there are but two Estates Iustification and Condemdation and now I tell thee over again that there is no medium between these for every one stands either Iustified or Condemned Guilâ—y or not Guilty before God as his Law which is the Light is broken or fulfil'd by him and he that stands by the Light in his own Conscience by which God Judges him in any Particular Cleared or Iustified stands before God so far uncondemned how ever Judged by man therefore wherein David was clear in himself though clouded with mens false accusations of him he could and did with boldness appeal to God to Iudge and Reward him in that case still according to the integrity of his heart and innocency of his hands in Gods sight and so Abimelech and others see Psal. 25.21 26.1 6.11 18.26 Gen. 20.5 1 Kings 9.4 But he that by the same Light which is no lye in the Conscience of ether Godly or Wicked as T.D. little less then perswades men it often is in both p 19. stands Condemned within himself and so consequently before God whose witness that in him is let him flatter himself as he will let T.D. and all men sing Lullaby and Prophecy as smooth things to him as they can so far as in any Case or Cases he Rebels against the Light is so far inexcusably till he repents and returns to it in such wise condemned by it in the sight of God whereupon even David himself where his heart smote him for iniquity regarded in it and he that does it let him dote the contrary if he dare does I say assuredly so far regard it could stand in no more boldness and guiltlesness in his sight then Adam could after he had fed on the forbidden fruit for which he fled Gods face and where he fell short of that uprightness he sometime stood Iustified in and by before and fail'd so fowly as that flawes fainirgs and falshood were found in him as if ever there were in all his dayes it was in that unjust matter of Vâ—iah and his Wife in which yet even while he was guilty thereby T. D. most impudently affirms he stood with God not in a condemned but in a justified estate there let T. D. lye as he lifts yet David declares when he had done that wickedness in his sight God did not onely speak in wrath and judge him but was worthy to be though himself was justly condemned by it to be justified and cleared in so doing Psal. 51.4 I ay though I said there were but two states in one of which every man is as he does good which since the fall he cannot do but by the Power of Christ or evil at the suggestion of the Dâ—vil viz. Iustification or Condemnation yet I deny any person to be justified in whom the Law which can't be by the weakness of the flesh is not by the Power and Spirit of Christ fulfilled neither do I Imagine as thou imaginest I did a mixture of sin with Believers Grace for though they that drink of the Whores Cup of abomination and fornication which is full of such kind of trashy doctrines and mixtures and medleys which they ministes and measure out to one another supposing I see with such eyes as themselves suppose such a mixâ—ure and suppose I suppose it too yet I neither suppose nor own such mingled messes of doctrine but know that no more then Iron is truly mixed or can cleave into one compositum with miâ—y clay and no more then God and Idols light and darkness Christ and Belial can be mingled into agreement no more mixture is there of the sinners sin which is of the Devil with the Saint's Grace which is of God and so whereas thou thoughtest thou hadst caught me as thou there sayest in a manifest contradiction thou hast but according to thy common custom in that kind caught thy self instead of winding my self out of which contradiction of thy meer coining though thou sayest I replyed not but saâ—e down on the Top of a Seat like a man astonisht and under the Hereticks Iudgement i e. self-condemned yet thou feest I have here so well wound my self out of it as to manifest it to all men that I were never in it and to leave thee in the lurch under the Hereticks Iudgement of self-condemnation for thy folly and fictions about it which are hereby also manifest to all for verily if I were at all astonished at any of the three dayes Disputes thou miserably mistook'st the manner of it it being not at all as the Iewes were at the Wisdom of Christs but as oft as it was at the stupidity of thy understanding and answers Thirdly and lastly From thy foregoing Grant to us which is more then we say and would have thee say That the Gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience let it be well remembred by thee sith it s agreed on all hands that all the obedience that Christ yielded to the Law in that person called Christ without us was perfect and in no wise imperfect that then that imperfect obedience as thou call'st it which the Gospel gives life upon as thou sayest can be no other then that which is inherent in us in ourpersons onely and not his in whom all that is inherent thou darest not on pain of Blaspemy deny but that it was perfect and if so then see how with thy wining to and fro and running up and down round about thou hast at last brought thy Hogs as they say to a fair Mâ—rkâ—â— even till thou hast drawn the dirt of thy fal'd charge of Popery as thou callest that Doctrine of Life upon our imperfect works which thou threw'st at me who never held it by anâ— but Christs perfect obedience upon thy Own indirectly-driving-self so that if any man enquire who is it that holds that Popery of Life Iustification upon Our imperfect obedience T. D. tells it that himself is the man in whose Book p. 45. it is written as legibly to all as if it were branded upon his Bâ—ow as his own Doctrine That the Gospel gives Life upon imperfect obedience â— and if he will take his Term of imperfect and Translate it better by the Term of perfect obedience wrought by Christ in his Saints I 'le give him his word again with all my heart and can afford it for if so he gives me no less then the Question it self which is affirmed by us and not denied if so by himself concerning lifes coming upon
it he is worthy as the right heir one that hath due Title to it accordingly to enjoy and inherit And indeed the very word inherit which is so often-used both in the negative where the wicked are excluded as no unrighteous one shall ever inherit and on the positive and promissive hand where the righteous are included as he that overcometh shall inherit all things doth if men were not praepossest with prejudice against the truth and with blind principles which as its harder to knock an old peg out of its hole then to knock a new one in when that 's out there 's more ado to drive out of them dispossesse them of and draw them from then would be to draw them to own the plain truth if the darkness were once dispeld import no lesse then an entailing the Title of the Kingdome to the good works and fruits of the Spirit in us which are the Termes on which it is promised on any name or thing abstract from these which yet T. D. is so absurd as his fellow A B C Daâ—ians in the School of Christ are as to make in no wise a cause but onely an effect of our justification and of our standing entitled to it on things without us that are nothing to us abstract from these Whereas if that be true as it is in their own Schools that quo pâ—sito panitur quo sublato tâ—llitur effectus c. That upon the being of which the effect ever is upon the not being of which the effect can never bâ— must needs be the cause of that effect it s most uncontrâ—lably true that the good works and fruits of the Spirit in us are not the fâ—uits and effects but the causes of some kind or other of our justâ—fication and as the cause of every sort if it be but causa sine qua non as they speak the cause that gives no influence but only is a meer hangby yet necessarily too as a Cipher is in order of nature evermore before the effect so is our Sanctification so antecedent to our justification even in the sight of Gâ—d that contrary to our Schâ—â—lmens Figments who say justification is 1 st of the two so that God lookes on us as just while unjust before he makes us just I say till our Sanctification is our being counted holy in Gods sight can never possibly be Ob. And though it s said he justifieth the ungodly Rep. I say yea justification is ever of ungodly ones yet never in but from their ungodlinesse as Sanctification and Salvaâ—ion is of sinners but not in but ever from their iniquityes he cleaâ—s the guilty but by no meanes no not Christs blood so Exod. 34.7 as to cleare the guilty while in their sins or hold them guiltlesse as T. D. dreames he did David while they are guilty of Adultery and murder and while they are taking his name in vain crying Lord Lord but not doing what he sayes naming his name but not dâ—parting from eniquity he makes Christ to such as believe in his Light Wisdom Righteousnesse Sanctification and Redemption but what ere some count he in no wise counts him so to any any further then he doth so make him he sees no sin in Iacob nor traâ—sgression in Israel but it is because there it s done away and remitted not by pardon without purging but so as not to be committed any more or if it be there 's new guilt contracted and the sin imputed till again remitted on returning but this Israel to whom he is so truly good are them that are of a clean heart Psal. 73. He will speak peace unto his people and his Saints while they walk in wisdome but let them not return any more to folly for if they do they do they must again hear more rough reproâ—f from him then ever and find him speaking in wrath and vâ—xing in his sore displeasure there is a blessed man to whomâ—he will not impute sin whose iniquityes and transgressions are covered but t is he in whose Spirit there 's no guile Psal. 32.1 So that I marvail what our Priests mean by Salvation Iustification Redemption and such like when they say a Saint or a Sinner what should I call their mongrell seed may be in a State of Salvation while they are in the guilt and filth of their sins for I know but two things Christ saves his people from viz. from their sins and from the wrath which is to come and I know no Salvation at all from the wrath which is the effect till there be a Salvation from the sin which is the cause of it for posita caus a pâ—nitur effectus as well as sublata tollitur and I am sure none is there as yet from the sin where men are not onely in it and it in them but singing loath to depart and pleading for a necessary abode of bâ—th these themselves and sin together while themselves are abiding in the body Yet T.D. so thinks that to stand in sin which is in the Reprobation and yet to stand within the lists of Gods love and Election will stand so well both together that David stood justified in Gods sight in that which if men had seen him in he would not have been justified in their sight who love sin more and hate it lesse then God does and yet all this altogether But T.D. thou hast heard of God onely by the hearing of the ear as yet by hearsay from thy self and sâ—lf blinding Brethren but when thine eye comes to see him and he comes neer thee to judgment whâ—se comming who in sin can abide and who in iniquity can stand before him who is as Refiners fire to the drosse and Fullers Sope to the filâ—h thou shalt for all thy seeming Saint-ship Abhor thy selfe before him and repent thy sâ—lf that ever thou talkedst of mens being in a state of justification before him while under the guilt of sin as purer Saints then thy selfe have done that have thought the same as thou dost in very dust and ashes and that walking in the fruits of the Spirit and holinesse of truth must go before the sight of Gods face in peace and that the sinner shall not see his face and live thy selfe shalt see whether eâ—er thou come to walk holily yea or nay But alas to what purpose is it to tell our Pâ—iests this when they tell in effect the same one to another yet believe not what they say themselves but contradict it out of their own mouths as soon as tâ—eâ— have done like Lâ—â—ards making good plain Prints with their feet in the Sandy ways they run in yet dashing them all out as the go with their long bushy tailâ—s they say no lesse then that Sanctification goes before justification in the sight of God though they see it not while they say faiâ—h which they confesse is a fruit of the Spirit the gift of God a part of our Sanctification is that that as an instrumentall cause of it
goes before â—ustification as that by which we are and without and before which we cannot be accounted â—ust in the sight of God yet by and by again they tell us that justification which is by faith and so not before but after it goes before Sanctification whereof faith they say is a part and that the leadings of the Spirit and its fruits among which justifying faith is reckoned up as one 5. Gal. Aâ—ea fâ—uit and effect of our bâ—ing not under the Lawes penalty that is of our justification from the guilt of sin so T.D. p. 16. Sometimes to escape and slip away from the shame of this absurdiâ—â— and contraction they tell us or at least some of them that Iustification of Saints or sinners for I am to seek still what to call the Creatures they call Saints for if I call them Saints it loaths me to call such sinners Saints as they Term so yea If they be Saints which some so call Then guilty sinners are Saints al And if I call them that commit sin the Servants of sin as Christ did Iohn 8. and not Saints and Children of God they will be ready to loath me I say then they tell us that Iustification of sinning-Saints painted and Saint-like sinners in the sight of God is without and before Faith or any thing else even before sin was or men either from all Eternity and from all sins pastnor present I can't say here because the sinning Subjects of this Iustification are not yet extant in the world but from all that ever is to come and Faith by which the Iustification comes is but an Instrument whereby the Evidence of this long-since Iustification in Gods eye comes in to men and manifests it to their eye whereby the sinners themselves know it and as for other fruits of the Spirit which are all the fruits of Faith too which I confess to be the first in being of all work truly good so that without it 't is impossible to please God and whatsoever is not of it and in it but out of it and out of the Light in which it is if true is but sin these are onely as Evidences to us and to others that the Faith we have is justifying and true c. and not dead and fained and fit for nothing So say they In Gods sight we are justified freely from of Old without Faith or good works that follow and flow from it either this we know and are assured of that Faith is oppâ—sed to it self as a work in the business of Iustification and that Faith is imputed to us as being in stead of a perfect personal righteousnese or that 't is the meritorious cause of our Iustification I utterly deny quoth T. D. p. 24 25. but Faith without works is that by which we are formally justified but the other that is good works that by which we are declaratively justified in Pauls sense who Rom. 3.28 sayes We are justified by Faith onely without the works of the Law a sinner is absolved I wot he means in his own Conscience for I know not when T.D. reckons or whether at all God holds an Elected Saint guilty if not David while he was guilty of Adultery and Murder In Iames's sense Iam. 2.14 who sayes By works a man is justified and not by Faith onely a Bâ—liever is approved ' quoth T.D. p. 8. out of Diodat whose words he useth which approbation of a Believer in his Faith as true is both in himself and before men so as they usually say by good works a mans Faith is evidenced to himself within and others without to be a true living Faith and so consequently his Iustification with God to be surely known which was but could not be seen or known to be before Rep. Now therefore a word or two to the grant of our Antagonists that Iustification is before in Gods sight but it can't be known to be by us or others nor evidenced to us so that we can stand as justified ones or approved in our own sight and other mens till we be sanctified and have both Faith which is a fruit of the Spirit and other fruits of the Spirit which if true that Faith works by as love a pure heart victory over the world temperance peaceableness gentleness and such like Is it so Friends that no man can appear to himself to be approved and justified in Gods sight nor to himself or others be known that he is so till he comes to believe and do other good works of Righteousness which first declare the thing so to be I wonder then how ye dare talk and affirm that to be before good works which before good works ye confess cannot be known so to be will ye ever be in your wills thoughts inventions and traditions intruding your selves into that ye have not seen and confess cannot be seen to be as you say it is vainly puft up in your fleshly minds and entring into and venturing to reveal and vent out Gods secrets which ye say are secret and hidden to man saying they are so and so before the time you say they are first revealed to you in And telling men they are justified before God and loved before they do any good and bidding them believe this for true Doctrine from you that 't is so till they come to do good works and that that 's the onely Evidence whereby you can discern that thing so to be which yet you say is so before either by you or them it is discerned In his own secret thoughts say you and bosome Councels the thing stands so that we are justified but it s not revealed to us to be so neither can we know it to be so that we are justified but from the time of our bringing forth fruits of Righteousness Do not secret things belong to God onely and things that he reveals when he reveals them and not before to you and your children to talk of Are ye not like natural bruit beasts in this that you oft speak evil of that truth ye know not and oft tell that for truth which is not so when ye know it not and even confess it cannot be known to be till evidenced by good works and yet you will say 't is of a truth before any of those good works by which onely the Evidence of it comes to you be brought forth in you 'T is true there be many things in esse Reaâ—â— before they be in esse cognâ—scibili Real before they be visible though this Iustification of yours before Sanctification in Gods sight which ye yield is before Sanctification but Sanctification before it in your own sight and in the sight of all men is not one of those invisible Realities but if may so say an apparent Real visible non entity rather and fancy of your own brain but what things soever are in truth to us they are not so as that we in truth and of a truth can say so or so they are
shall be justified Three or four more of T. D.'s in comparison of what we might expect from him in satisfaction most unanswerable answers to such Arguments as were urged by us in proof of Iustification by the Spirit of life and grace of Christ in us and by his fulfilling the Law in us throw the condemnation of sin both in and cleare out of our flesh and by our walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit as a cause that gives Right and Title to it I shall speak a little to and then dismisse T.D. as to this point till I meet him again in other matters about which he joyns in with J. Owen with whom I must come to joyn again too by and by about the Scripture and the light and some other things least he thinks I am lost in this long bout with T.D. So as to be run quite away and never meane to come at him any more The 4. Scriptures alledged and out of which it was argued in proof of the point above said were I Cor. 6. II. Rom. 8. 2. Rom. 8. 4. Tit. 3. 7. To the Ist. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are santified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Iesus and BY the Spiâ—t of our God whence 't is to be observed that the Corinthians are said to be justified BY the Spirit T.D. Replyes I might say that perhaps that Clause should be referred to sanctification which is in a more appropriate manner attribuâ—ed to the Spirits efficiency as if the words had been but ye are sanctified by the Spirit of our God and he gives his instance for the transposition from Math. 7. 6. give not that which is holy to dogs neither cast your Pearls before Swine least they trample them under their feet and turn again and rent you where turn again and rent you is to be joyned to the dogs quoth T.D. for as Swine do trample under their feet so dogs do â—ly upon a man or teare him down or else justified by the Spirit may be meant of the Spirits application I mean quoth he the 3d. person is the Trinity not of the work of grace whereof we are the Subject Rep. To all which I Reply thus Ist. let the Reader observe how T.D. dances between two and serves the turn of truth against I.O. who blames the Qua. and others for denying the Text of Scripture to be such a certain immoveable stable 〈◊〉 Standard Touchstone of all truth as he contends it to be and for calling it a Nose of wax not infassible because flexible to every mans fancy while the said TD by his twining it which way he finds will fit him best proves it so to be no lesse then practically to our hands yea quid verbis opus est cum facta loquuntur doth not T.D. make a very Nose of wax a Lesbian Rule a meer peice of lead of the letter a Reeling Rule in unstedfast standard when he plucks it to peices as he pleases and makes many meanings of it and then out of them still takes that that best takes with him and makes most for his own penurious purpose for sometimes he turns one Text into two senses and when he hath twatled one Text into two senses and is so betwatled in himself as not to know which of the twain to betake himself certainly to as the Spirits sayes it must be either t'one or t'other or it may be either this or that thrusting out the third be it nere so plain and obvious if it clear the Qua. cause when indeed exclusively of the Qua which is most right and true its neither this or that nor t'one nor t'other witnesse the Text in hand sometimes again gives three senses to one Text witnesse Ioh. I. 9. to which position of Christ that true Lights enlightning every man that cometh into the world he puts three viz. p. 6. 1. Every man that is enlightned 2. Some of every Nation and 3. p. 36. Everyman who is spiritually enlightned to which three I.O. who joyns with T.D. in one of his three saying everyman is not spoken absolutely of all and every man but with Relation onely to the Elect whom he is gratiously pleased to enlighten being not contented with that one single simple sense doubles his Files and adds a fourth sense more nonsensicall then all the rest which as senselessely he serves from that Scripture phrase as 't is in the Greeke viz. not as the Qua. speake Christ enlightens every man coming into the World but thus the true light coming into the World enlightens every man making the participle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to agree with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and not with 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which but that considering the order and placing of the words in the Greek it s far more cleare that way wherein it s construed by the Qua. considering its Analogy as so with the whole scope of the Scripture also might with more colour then now it is be wrested the wrong way as it is by I.O. and be construed as câ—ookedly as 't is by him but as much as he hopes to overtop the truth with standing upon the double construction of a Greek Term yet he cannot by all his taking so much thought about it add one Cubit nor yet an irch to the Stature of his 〈◊〉 talk from that Scripture but rather pulls him self a pegg or two lower if though yet we will not we should grant him his will in his own way as to his double cause both about the letter and against the light For if the Originall Text may be so doubtfull as to be truly construed two ways in one phrase or place How fit such a flexible thing is to be counted the onely stable and infailible guide as he pleads it to be to meet fallible men a more foolish wise man and silly Scribe then I.O. is cannot but seâ— And as to the true Lights enlightning every man which he impleads thereby what gets he if we grant him his own improper exposition for whether we read the true Light enlightens every man coming in the to world or the true Light coming into the world enlightens every man it amounts to one and same still and both are Tanta mount to no lesse then what the Qua. stand for and I.O. and T.D. against viz. that the true light which is come into the World Joh. 3. doth enlighten every man that comes into it So here 's more then a good many viz. 3 by T.D. and 2 by I.O. whereof one is of the 3 and t'other a fourth beast divers like the fourth in Daniel 7. 7. from all his fellows that is to say between them both 4 meanings in all made of one Text which 4 mean all together to exclude the Quakers fift as an odd one though the onely true one that without mincing and pinching in the mind of the Spirit is there intended in the Text by the Spirit
viz. onely and alone their deliverance in him from the sin in which they could never be just or any better then abominable in his sight but not in any that they should be saved from the sin and he by being in them become the Subject of it in their stead that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him and not he the Image of Satan forever in our Room so it s said 1 Pet. 3.18 that Christ once suffered for our sins the just for the unjust not that he might bring us to God only and not bring God to us nor so as to own and count us holy in our sins but to bring us to be Gods children by Nature and Image and not to bring us to be so thought and yet leâ— us like the Devill much lesse to make himselfe by sin like the Devil and that this is the onely end it s said for what the Law could not do in regard it was weakâ— through our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of sinfull flesh and for sin condemned sin in ourâ— flâ—sh that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh as all sinners and no Saints do but after the Spirit Rom. 8.3.4 which is one viz. the 3d of the 4 Scriptures above named I am under the examination of T. D's Admirable answers too which that I may rid my hands on 't while t is in hand and not need to take it in hand any more and also because his answer to it suits so well with what I am here saying not mattering so much order as to tarry till its turn comes I shall take notice of his answer to it and by a briefe Reply take it out of the way as I go Having â—aid no other of the 3d verse then I myself do he grants that the 4 verse imports the end for which God sent Christ viz. that the righteousnesse of the Law might be fulfilled in us so far he is right and runs with me but then he speedily spoils all again adding that by that Term in us is meant not in our own persons but in Christ his righteousnesse imputed to us as if it had been inherent in our selves which I told him then when he uttered it as he relates p. 17.18 was his own meaning but not Pauls to which his yes started up against my no and so it ended for that time But a word or two with thee T.D. about it now Is the sense and meaning of that Term in us not in us but in another not in our persons but in Christ I never heard so much in all my dayes that I know of till I had it from thee and if thou hadst not told me so I should never have believed it to have been so any more then I can believe it now thou dost tell me it is so and that is to say the truth not at all for if this be so that when the spirit of God sayes in us we must understand him as intending not in us but in some other I can't tell where we shall have him nor how to understand him distinctly more then one can understand thee who oft speakst on thing and thinkst another and hast so many meanings for one Scripture somtimes that thou know it not which to take for true nor which of them all to fix upon as the Spirits but hangst thy people up in the aire there to hover with thy self in the Clouds of darknesse till neither thou nor they know well either where ye are or what ye say nor whereof ye affirm But surely T. D. though thou thinkst as all takers of Gods Covenant into their mouths that hate to bereformed and cast his words behind them do that God is such a one as thy selfe Psal. 50. and goest about to make thy more talkt on then well known unity in Trinity a Trinity of vain talkers and meer mockers of men like thy self saying one thing meaning oft another viz. that God offers salvation to all men but intends it onely to a few or at least by thy own confession offers it to more then he intends it though I believe thy words were as R.H. rehearses p. 40. and that twast an usuall thing with Christ to speak words of a doubtfull sense So that his meaning may be mistaken by none but illiterate Anti-Spiritists say I when his words are taken in the most ordinary and literall sense by every man not meaning every individuall but a very few and by all but some and that the meaning of the Spirits words Joh. 9. cannot be as the letter of them doth import ut prius p. 6.7 and so here that by in us they all three mean not in our persons but in Christ and a deal more of such Hoberdipoise but let the Father Word and Spirit which are one be true in their witnesse in heaven and every man a lyar that belyes them as thou doest for there is no such matter as thou intimately of them but the wayes and words of wisdome are all plain to him that understandeth pro. 8. and dark to none but the Children of darknesse and parables to none but such as seeing see not therefore must not see the mysteries of the Gospell which are revealed to Babes nor his secrets which are hid to none but such as fear not him whose secrets are with those that fear him Blind Priests and people hate the light Therefore of truth can have no sight Else how easily might they see that God Christ and the Spirit mean as they say and do not mean by all but a few nor by in out nor here by in us in another or not in us and if this may passe for a current answer to say God by yea means not yea but nay which he that hath his fingers in the fire and will not pull them out at the hearing of 't is almost pitty but he should be burnt This is an easier way to put off truth by then the common Creephole of all the Clergy when they are cronded up into a Corner viz. in aliquo sensu ita est in alie sensu non in one sense 't is so in another not which may serve not T.D. onely who hath more senses to one Scripture then every one hath or he should have though not enough to serve his turn but also the veriest Duncicall Disputant in the World Yea at this rates when Paul tells us that if Christ be not in us we are Reprobates and 't is Christ in us onely who is the hope of glory if I were minded not to admit of such a troublesome guest in my heart as Christ is to all such sinner-like Saints as T. D's Saints are I could easily turn him out into the Stable as they did of old that could afford him no Room at all in the Iune and excuse my selfe in it well enough too by telling him in T. D's distinction that by in us
Paul means not in us but in Christ and so tell Christ he is in us enough to our justification if he be but in himself And as this last sense or senselesse meaning of T.D. who sayes by in us is meant not in us but in another as also that the righteousnesse that is in another i.e. Christ is in a sense too as good as â—on-sense i.e. by imputation Ours and in us for that which is fulfilled not in our persons but in Christ is according to T.D. in that Scripture Rom. 8. Said to be fulfil'd in us as if it had been inherent in selves I say as that distinction of T.D. concerning in us not meant in our persons but in Christ and by in Christ when fulfilling the righteousnesse of the Law is spoken of Ministers Latitude and liberty enough to our Ministers whereby to fence of and save themselves from truth so it lends Liberty and license more then enough to their Priestlike people to save themselves in their sins for what will many care what they do themselves if the Law be not to be fulfil'd in themselves by Christ but 't is enough in themselves fulfil'd to their justification if in Christ for them and as well as if it were inhaerent in them So though the Priests oft preach thus viz. he that made us without our selves will not save us without our selves yet fith they to the contradiction of themselves as oft unpreach it again saying he that made us without our selves will save us without our selves by anothers fulfilling the Law not in us but in himselfe for us their people will quickly cry hang sorrow and care and of their two selfe confusing doctrines cleave to that that 's next to them easiest and most fitting their turns and fall a preaching presently in their works the pleasing things their Priests who do docere faciendo faciendo do preach both in words and deeds he that made us will save us and shew us mercy without any goodnesse of our own If in another in us be and in us in another Wee 'l ne'er be good good deemd are we in this in that ith rather So having wiped out by the way that blot or blurr'd answer of T.D. to my Argument from Rom. 8.3.4 Seeing his answer to what we urge from Rom. 8.2 The 2d of the 4 Scriptures above said is as neer in kind to it for fillynesse as that 2d verse from whence we argue is neer in truth to the 3d and 4. He here make as short a dispatch and round a Reply to that too now I am about it Arg. The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free fâ—om the Law of sin and death saith Paul and say we the Law of the Spirit that is in Christ and in the Saints whereby the Saints are justified is the same therefore the work of the Spirit of Christ in us is the cause of our justification That place quoth T. D's p. 16. but I trow not is much against you for the Apostle asserts the holiness of mans nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law to be the meritorious case of our freedome from sin and death Rep. Thus far is son and not against us I am well assured for 't is no lesse then the very Cardinall truth we plead for against T.D. that the holynesse of our nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law is the deserving cause of justification for conformity to the Law cannot deserve condemnation but non-condemnation and so which is all one justification and if this be not enough on our side T.D. adds more let me add quoth he p. 17. that the Law of the Spirit of life here spoken of is not onely the meritorious cause of our freedom from death but from the Law of sin or obeying sin as a Law In all this I own T.D. whose Answer to my Argument is thus far as answerable that is as yeilding to it as I do desire But then T.D. whose manner it is often to give a thing and take a thing which is the Devils gold Ring as I have heard Children say when I was a Child doth not in all this give the cause to us so much but he thinks he gets it and carryes it away from us again as much in other parts and particulars of that his parti coloured answer But I hope we shall fetch it all again and no thank to him for his gifts and grants sith what he gives he would have it all again if he could tell how and he thinks he plucks much from us again 1st by saying thus viz. mark withall quoth he though I grant you the holynesse of mans nature as a work of the Spirit conforming it to the Law is the meritorious cause of our freedom from sin and death yet 't is not that which is in us but in Christ the Law of the Spirit and so the holynesse of mans nature I and Paul 〈◊〉 of is that in Christ and not that in our persons R. To which I Reply thus 1. What if I should answer T.D. that by in Christ is not meant in Christs person but in us 〈◊〉 ebâ—tlâ—â— â—â—lionis to serve him in his own kind for when we say with Pâ—â—â—◠〈◊〉 4 that the righteousnesse of the Law is by Christ condemning sin in ou◠〈◊〉 to be fulfilled in us he answers us thus that by that Term in us is not meant in our persons but in Christ I might as well say retro that by in Christ is not meant in Christs person but in us adbomiâ—â—m it holds well enough till T.D. recants his own odde distinction of the same kind But as it s as unfound in itselfe as his is so T.D. is not yet come to bear it to be done to by us as he does to us and therefore I must sit him to a better answer 2. Then I Reply that thought the Law of the Spirit of life be in Christ yet not onely in him or exclusively of its being in the Saints but so as that from him and from his being in them it consequently and upon that account is in them also for Christ is not in any as their Righteousnesse in whom his Righteousnesse and the Spirit of life that is in him is not together with him also yea though it will not follow as thou fainest from the Saints being in Christ who were once sinners to their sins being in Christ together with them so the reasons above said where I told thee that men must leave their sins behind them and be by Christ divested of them before they can come indeed to be in Christ to whom no sinners while sinners are or can be united unlesse thou wilt contradict Paul who faith what Concord between Christ and Belial yet if Christ be in Saints who leaves nothing of his own behind him where ere he comes his righteousnesse holynesse and spirit of life is in them also But no more of
wherewith thou standest out Pushing and Warring on in vindication of thy Assertion which looses ground more and more at the tayl of which thou again usherest in thy Conclusion viz. The Iewes silly superstitious sayings and doings which thou minglest with thy own shall we thinks as if thou didst not only justifie and side with them in their Absurdities but also build much as to the Evincing of thy Position thereupon there lacks little to be Replyed as to the Routing of them every one that hath any little solidity in him being easily capable to see and feel the foppicalnesse thereof yet at least I shall do thee so much Right who perhaps placest more in them then many a wise man would do as to nominate them The Iewes sayest thou pag. 169 170 171 173. have a Common saying That to alter one Letter of the Law is no lesse sin then to set the whole World on fire The truth is they are prodigious things that are Related of the Exact Diligence and Reverential Care of the Antient Jewes in this Work Ben Asher spent many years in the Careful Exact Writing out of the Bible Let any consider the things which they affirm to Prophane a Book or Copy One is if but one Letter be wanting and Another if but one Letter be Redundant and shall we think that is Writing it they took no more Care then a man would do in Writing out Aristotle or Plato Considering that the Word to be Transcribed was every Tittle and Iota of it The Word of the great God c. that if any failings were made innumerable Eyes of men owning their Eternal Concernment to lye in that Word were open upon it to discover it c. It is no hard work to prove their Care and Diligence to have out-gone that of Common Scribes of Heathen Authors Even among the Heathen we will scarce think that the Roman Pontifices going solemnly to Transcribe Sybills Verses would do it either negligently or Treacherously or alter one Tittle from what they found written And shall we entertain such Thoughts of them that knew they had to do with the living God in and about that which is dearer to him then all the World besides Let men then Clamour as they please and cry out of all as ignorant and stupid which will not grant the Corruptions of the Old Testament they plead let them propose their Conjectures of Mistakes crept into the Original Copies with their Remedies as Capellus We shall acknowledge nothing of this nature but what they can prove by undeniable and irrefragable instances which as to any thing done by them appears upon the matter to be nothing at all It can then with no colour of Probability be Asserted which yet I find some Learned men too free in granting namely that there hath the same Face attended the Scripture in its Transcription as hath done other Books Let me say without offence this Imagination seems to the to border on Atheism Surely the Promise of God for the Preservation of his Word with his Love and Care of his Church of whose Faith and Obedience the Word is the only Rule require other Thoughts at our hands We adde that the whole Scripture entire as given out from God without any losse is preserved in the Copies of the Originals yet remaining What varieties there are among the Copies themselves shall be afterwards declared in them all we say is every Letter and Tittle of the Word Reply Because the Children of the Letter of the Old Testament nor of the Gospel the Spirit and the New are so sortish and senslesse as to surmise that the bare Copies of the Letters and Points and Tittles and loâ—aes are dearer to God then all the World besides so that its a greater sin to mis-transcribe one Letter by either Alteration Ablation or Addition which change by Deficiency or Redundancy may befal the most Critical Curious Careful Scribe that ever was does prophan a Copy so that it s not the Holy Scripture for Prophane and Holy are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and is as great a sin and a matter of as much moment as the fiâ—ing the whole World and upon such uncircumcised Conceits are men Excrementiâ—ously exact and diligent to very doâ—age and careful of Pins Points Vowels Accents Tittles Iotaes Apices and Letters of the Text ad Extra not Tantamount to the least of the Truths therein contained no not to so â—uch as Tyth while the Law for it stood of Mint Anâ—is and Commin to utter Carelesnesse of the grand Truths and reverentially respectful to their Book as they were of old to their Brazen Serpent of as divine Original and to as divine an end as the Letter is to very idolatry and spending their time in tedious transcribings of every Apex to the very total loss of many years from the more weighty matters of Judgement Mercy Righteousnesse Faith and Truth which the Text doth but testifie of and prodigious to very Superstition I say because that blinded Generation of men viz. the Iewes whom sometimes thou seemest to tax for their undue Veneration of the Letter and over-weenings of it pag. 236. and to set them at nought as men feeding themselves all their dayes with vain Fables addicted to figments profoundly Ignorant Idolatrous full of foolish Contradictious Triflings bewitched with their Dunghilly Traditions doing how seriously of nothing how Childishly in serious things fools sots froth smoke nothing whose sayings and doings are no more to be heeded then that of wick'd blind mad-men c. pag. 236 239 242 243 246 247. do so adore the letter and dote on the Tittles of it must thou needs be foolish and doting and sottish and superstitious and Idolatrous and so Childishly serious in taking up thy Time and Thoughts so totally and piningly after Toyes and Trifles and Iots and Tittles together with them Vin tu Curtis Judaeis oppedere c. Wilt thou sometimes flert at the Iewes Fancies and Fopperies and odde Conceits and over-curious Carriages of themselves in Boyes Toyes and at that which is the fruit of their fidling minds as not fit to be any other then forgotten and yet forget thy self so other whiles as to entertain their vain Thoughts so as to own them as thine own and own them as thy grounds and foundations to frame thy Arguments upon so as both â—o think the same with them and from thence to impose upon the thoughts and faith of others for if thou judg them ridiculous why dost thou alledge them in so serious a Case as thou dost and if thou justifie them art thou not one with them and because thou think'st as they so superstitiously think and from thence thrusts out thy confident Conclusions in that thy wonted Interrogative way of shall we think this and that shall we entertain such Thoughts can it be imagined c. or if positively then thus it is not unprobable it can with no colour of probability be Asserted this or that
must take account of you by and by for besides such inspiration to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of a writing to that end saith he God thought that sufficient which we have therefore we can look upon no more with such regard at we do upon that See T. D's first Pamphlet p. 26 27.43,44 and of his second Pamphlet p. 17 18. The difference quoth he is in Gods arbitrary dispensation so do I give this reason of our true assertion that howbeit the Scripture is profitable and may be useful and called as by it self yet it no where is a Rule as it agree's with the light and spirit where it is not adulterated by mans mistransciptions mistranslations misconstructions Yet the Canon or most perfect and only standing Rule it is not because God did never Authorize or appoint it so to be but to retort back to T.D. in his own vain phrase thought the measure of his light and spirit every one hath from himself sufficient to make a standard of besides whose inspiration of the said Scripture to make a Rule is necessary Gods appointment of a Writing to such an end the difference lyes in God arbitrary dispensation as well as in the excellent preheminence of the Spirit and Light above the Letter who would have that to be the Rule Canon Standard Touchstone which was so from the beginning of the world two thousand years afore the letter was even to this day even the Spirit then which there can be no other designed by him to that end if I. O's words be true Ex. 4. s. 22. who saith Vnicus est 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinus the Divine Canon or Rule is but one not more then which also there is no other mentioned in the Scripture by that name of the Rule but the Light and Spirit as I have shewed above out of those places where the Rule is spoken of and if there be let I.O. or T.D. assign where and hereupon as he saith in the other case so conclude I here in this we can look upon none but the Light and Spirit upon no letter with such regard as the only Rule as we do upon that So then notwithstanding T. D's impertinent unimportant utterly untrue Reply to this Argument That we are to walk by is our Rule but the Spirit is that the Scripture sayes we are to walk by Gal. 5.16 therefore the Spirit is the Rule which Reply runs viz. that phrase denotes the principle not the Rule of our obedience in that place the Argument stands firm over the head of it for though it betoken the principle also yet not only nor exclusively of the Rule but rather the Rule more evidently and much more eminently than the other yea that the Spirit is the principle of all true obedience is professed positively by us who own nothing to be truly done in way of true obedience unto God nor the letter but what is done from the principle power motion assistance and ability of the Spirit of God or that is done without the Spirits in-dwelling yet in that place considered together with the rest above cited it is most clear that the Apostle speaks of the Spirit principally as of the Rule by which we are to walk and the word walk imports no less than the act of proceeding or going on and not the principle original or primum mobile as I may say from which we are to begin to act and move in way of obedience unto God But as unanswerable as T. D's answer is to our Argument yet it serves us very well to prove him a self-contradicter as he and I.O. also are in multitudes of more matters besides and in that it is as answerable as may to his wonted self for let but any reasonable Reader observe as it follows p. 29. of his first Pamphlet what T.D. sayes next of all to this passage of the Spirits being the principle that is the original or beginning of our obedience from which as being the primum movens and Auxilians beforehand moving and assisting we are after to obey and he shall see how he overthrows it himself in his own most immediately ensuing speech for howbeit he sayes the Spirit is the principle of our obedience which is as much as to say that in which we first walk whose assistance must be antecedent to our true walking according to the letter which is not denied by us yet when we say the same with him he unsayes his own saying again rather then he will side with us for whereas I said as his own self there relates that the Spirit is antecedent to the letter so that none tan walk in the letter till they walk in the spirit he replies thus viz. The spirit is subsequent to the letter in respect of the assistance and ability which he gives to obedience and whereas you affirm quoth he That none can walk in the letter till they walk in the spirit if walking in the spirit be meant of special assistance which is as much as to say if by that phrase of walking in the Spirit you mean the Spirits being the prinriple of our obedience t is false for many walk in many things according to the letter without the spirits in dwelling as Paul while a Pharisee was touching the righteousness of the Law blameless Psa. 3.6 in which beside the rounds he runs in and the contradiction to himself above T.D. sayes false for though none walk according to the letter in truth and as to the spiritual obedience it calls for without the Spirits in-being and assistance and power as the Principle from which they must so walk for howbeit Paul walked according to the righteousness of the Law interpreted in sensu Pharisaico according to the Pharisees outside glosses on it who saw not into the marrow mystery and spirituality of it and was zealous of God as to the literal observation of many things yet till the Law which is the light and spiritual came to him who was in his carnal condition and shewed him sin in the lust of which Christ expounds the Law Matth. 5 he kept not the Tetter as to the spiritual import and true intent and utmost meaning of the spirit and minde Christ exprest therein to the spiritual understanding though not to the natural but abstained only from outward grosse acts of sin and in his blind zeal persecuted the Church as ye in your wild-braind zial do at this day The Spirit is the principle from which we are to walke and with ut which we cannot walke according to the letter yet to go round again many walk according to the letter without the Spirits in-dwelling So pervenire ad summum nisi ex principiis nemo potest Pervenire ad summm sine principiis aliquis potest This is the summe of T.Ds. Doctrine Besides if the Spirit be the principle only that men begin to beleeve and obey from and not the Rule according to which they go on in
Paul said no other things then what Moses and the Prophets said should come John Baptist came for a witness to bear witness of the light that all through him might beleeve God sayes If the Israelites observe not all the words of the Law written in that Book of Deuteronomy he would make their Plagues wonderful Christ expounds to his Disciples all the Scriptures in Moses and the Prophets concerning himself bids Search the Scriptures as testifying of him Paul sayes Whatsoever was written afore time was for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope He says To write the same things to the Church is safe John sayes he writes his Epistles to the Saints that their joy might be full Therefore the outward Letter of the Scripture is the onely Rule of all faith and Divine worship and not the Light and Spirit of Christ ye only call to nor any internal Revelation whatsoever ficta vel facta In which of all these Scriptures the Title and Authority of the only most perfect standing Rule of Faith Life and Worship is either expresly or by any true mediate much more any immediate consequence ascribed to the Scriptures who can finde but he 's that not blinde There is but one of all the places viz. Gal. 6.16 where that term Rule is at all expressed by which as I have said and shewed above is not at all intended the Scriptures but Christ the Light and his Spirit and some of them mention expresly neither the term Scripture nor Rule 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and such as have in them terms equivalent to that of the Rule neither express nor imply at all the Letter of the Scripture as that of Psal. 19.7 8. and that of Isa. 8.19 20. and that of Rom. 10 17. and that of Eph. 2.19 20. where by the Law and Commandment and Testimony and Statutes of the Lord rejoicing the heart converting the soul enlightening the eyes making wise the simple is expressed the Lamp and the Light Prov. 6.23 and by the Word in the hearing of which Faith comes the Word hid in the heart nigh in the heart and mouth to hear and do Psal. 119.105 Deut. 30.12.14 Rom. 10.8 The Law in the heart Isa. 5 1.7 Psal. 37.31 The Law in the mind which the Law of sin and death in the members wars against Rom. 7.23 The Law of the spirit of life which is in Christ the life and light whose life is the light of men that made Paul free from the other Rom. 8.2 Which light shines in the darknesse that is in our very Doctors hearts but the darkness comprehends it not The Statutes of God and Judgements to be put into the minds of men according to the tenour of the New Covenant typified by the Old where the Statutes were with Pen and Ink written and engraven on Tables of stone and by the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Eph. 2. Christ the Light as is above declared and not the Writing and Letter and Text in which the internal truth is but ad extra declared and by that sure Word of Prophesie ' 2 Pet. 1. not the Scripture but somewhat within as I shall shew more abundantly by and by and by Moses and the Prophets Luke 16. Writings within as I shall shew anon All which were and were the onely perfect pure right inalterable standing Rule long before any external Text or Letter was and have not ceased so to be by the coming in of the outward writing with which they are since clothed upon nor yet have surrendered their ancient Authority of being the onely Rule by which all speakings and writings and doctrines are to be tryed nor resigned up that their Right to the Writing that testifies to their suprrmacy veracity and dignity above it self to this very day Nor have they submitted themselves that were once the chief Judge and Rule for the tryal of Truth to be now tryed ruled over judged sentenced and ultimately determined authoritatively to be received or rejected as true or false of God or the Devil Divine or diabolical Delusion Enthusiasme Figment Fanaticism and what nick-name men lift to stile them by in their learned lusts by the fallible Transcriptions Translations and Expositions of miserably mistaking men in which ways only and meerly some of that Scripture that was of old written by holy men as the spirit moved them is transmitted downward to these modern ages And as for those Texts that do make express mention of the Scriptures and outward Writings of the Apostles and of Moses and the Prophets and the Old Testament as Iohn 20. ult Luke 1.3 4. 16.29 Acts 1.1 2 Cor. 3.24 2 Tim. 3.14 15 16. do there is not the least considerable much less any cogent necessary or immediate consequence in any of them to conclude the outward Letter of the Scriptures to be the onely most perfect standing Rule Touchstone for all Truth to be tryed by so exclusively as I.O. states them Spiritus verbi Luminis cujuscunque tandem generis interni Revelatienis c. Of all inward Spirit Light Word or Revelation of what sort soever For what 's the vail's being over the Iews hearts in the reading of the Old Testament which Vail is done away in turning to Christ the Light to evince any such matter Doth it not rather evidence the very contrary For if the Old Testament which is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Letter written with Ink or Pen or engraven on stones is as a Vail over the hearts of such as read it as the Iews do of whom I.O. sayes pag. 236. They read it without the administration of the Spirit so that its a dead Letter of no efficacy for the good of souls Which Vail is to be and is done away no otherwise then in Christ the Light and by turning to the Lord that Spirit as Paul sayes it is then doth it not rather appear that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Letter written and engraven outwardly is not the onely most proper standing Rule but Christ's Light the Spirit and the measure and manifestation thereof within given to every man to profit withal And what though Paul to Timothy doth commend the inspired Scripture if yet we shall take that for the outward Writing as profitable to make the man of God who onely knows how to use it wisely more and more wise and to furnish him perfectly to exhort c. and every good work against the gainsayers as I have shewed above that I deny not the outward Scripture so to be to such a one And what though Christ saies in order to escaping the place of torment Let men hear Moses and the Prophets if yet we shall take Moses and the Prophets for their outward Writings And what though John sayes Christ did more then he wrote of him as well he might For Matthew Mark and Luke wrote many things that he did not and others wrote other matters that were written by none of
and admonish others according to Col. 3.16 which Text also thou understandest Ex. 2. s 13. and T.D. too p. 31. of his 1. Pamph. of the Scripture or Letter without and that the Word that Christ speaks to every man in his own heart and conscience whose voice and word and Gods word also his sheep hear and such as are of God when others do not cannot because they will not Joh. 8.43.47.10.26 27. is that which leaves without cloak or excuse in their sins Joh. 15 22. and that the Word that God by Christ the Light and Christ by his Spirit and Light in the conscience speaks is that which who so beleeves in and hears abides not in darkness or errour but comes to know the truth that sets him free from the law of sin and death and brings to life and who hears not or hears and beleeves not or receives not but rejects shall be judged by at the last day according to Joh. 12.46 47 48 49 50. this I do not deny for this is it and not the Letter here as it is sometimes used as the Lights instrument which was never in the heart how much less the letter chiefly only authoritatively exclusively of any other Revelation by the Spâ—riâ— and Light within aâ— thou spitteâ— it out to wâ—ich Letter yet pag. 87.83 86 87. thou â—o 〈◊〉 all those powerful properties which dive into the hearts coâ—scienceâ— and secret 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 of men whether they ever saw read heard or heard of the Letter yea or nay Judges sentences them in themselves convinces tesâ—ifies conquers kills men converts builds up makes wise holy obedient ministers consolation in every condition to whom it is due and as thou sayest intending it of the Scripture which is peculiar only to the Light within the heart the Scripture speaks of guides teaches directs determines judges in and upon men in the Name Majesty and Authority of God also I deny not but the Word of Christ spoken by Christ himself in the conscience is that which is effectual to purge the conscience and cleanse the heart that it may bring forth fruit to God and the way accordin to Ioh. 15.3 where he sayes Now ye are clean through the Word that I have spoken unto you and according to that of Paul Eph. 5.26 who saith Christ cleanseth and sanctifieth by the washing of water through the Word and that of David Psal. 119 9. who saith that the means by which a young man may cleanse his way is by taking heed thereto according to Gods word which Word of God also he sayes vers 11. he had hid in his heart that he might not sin against God which inward Word of God that is so abundantly spoken of as I elsewhere shewed in that 119. Psal. that there is not past two of three among those 176. verses of it in which it is not mentioned as to iâ—s efficacy excellency usefulness profitableness and power under one name or other of either Testimonies Statutes Judgements Precepts Law Commandements c. all sounding out one and the same is stiled for it was not an outward Writing with mens hands he there means vers 72. The Law of Gods mouth and 88. the Testimony of Gods mouth intimating that which came more immediately from God to him in his heart then the Writings of Moses could do even out of his own mouth in him whom he and Habakuk 3.1 and all the Prâ—phâ—ts excepâ— the Word-stealers heard what he would say in them Ps. 85.9 Jer. 23.16 receiving from his mouth stood in his counsel the Light within That that Scripture Joh. 8. is true of Chriâ—ts words in what it speaks of them and the rest that are suitable to it I deny not but that either it or any of them by God or Christs words or saâ—ingâ— intend the Scriptures without at all much more altogether exclusively as thou talkest of the Word Spirit and Light within and the Revelation of minde and will of God thereby immediately in the heart this I utterly deny affirming that the internal Reveation of his minde to men by his own â—oice from his own mouth in their consciences is that which is mainly yea only and altogether intended in them yea and in some not to say all of them exclusively rather of the Scriptures as which indeed are not the Word or Words that are declared to effect those precious things but are only outward Writings of spiritually inspired men who witnessed its efficacy in themselves that declare those precious things which the inward Word effecteth And the like I respectively affirm and deny as concerning that other Text Jer 25.29 of thy own alledging where God saith of his Word it s a fire and a hammer that breaketh the Rocks in peeces denying it utterly to be meant of the Writings of the true Prophets out of which the false ones stole the words they preacht and then ran and said Thus saith â—he Lord declaring in his name when he never spake to them nor sent them when like the Scribes for all their telling things as the Word of the Lord as they read this or that in the Scriptures they had never as any time heard his voyce nor flood in his counsel nor received nor marked his words as coming out of his own mouth and affirming it to be meant of the Word of God ministred immediately by his own voice in the conscience which is said to be accompanied with the like mighty effects in the hearts of wicked sturdy proud haughty minded men that are likened to Mountains and Rocks against which the Lord comes in a way of terrible storms and thunderings which prepare his way 1 King 19 11 12 and to lofty Cedars of Lebanon and strong Oaks of Bashan Isa. 2.12 to the end in Psal. 29.3 4 5 6. c. where it is said The voice of the Lord is upon the great waters or peoples Rev. 1â— 15 The God of glory thundereth the voice of the Lord is powerful full of Majesty breaketh the Cedars divides the flames shakes the wilderness makes the â—lindes calve discovers the Forrests and that its of this and not the Letter which men steal nad call the Word is evident by the verses about it where the Lord declares himself to be against the Prophets that steal and tell and sell what they read in the true Prophets writings which they wrest according to their own dreaming thoughts into sinister senses and to tell lies and dreams and divinations of their own brain for truth which stoln ware though they vent the same word which they read in others writings not receiving and uttering as from Gods own mouth God calls but the vision of their own mouth and the Chaff which is nothing to the Wheat and not the other vers 21. Moreover as to the other of thy Texts I am yet in hand with viz. Jam. 1.2 1 Tim. 4.16 Heb. 4.12 Psal. 119.105 Isa. 55.10 11. All which thou urgest in proof of one and the
prove that general ignorant audacious Assertion of thine Doth any one of them respectively prove the particulars thereof that it is particularly alleadged to Doth Gal. 1.8 because it is said If we or any man or Angel from heaven bring any other Gospel then what we have preached to you twice over let him be accursed prove him cursed that writes more Scriptures of the same Gospel by the same Spirit if so was not Iohn hereupon accursed that wrote more Scriptures of it after Paul was dead by a new Revelation not the same and was not Paul if he wrote any Epistle after to Galatia cursed out of his own mouth by saying though wee bring any other Gospel let us be accursed if that were his meaning ' that no more Scripture must be written is every new Revelation and new writing by way of Revelation of the old Gospel a new Gospel or doth Rev. 22.18 prove there must be no more Scripture nor Revelation within nor new outward Scripture and Revelation of the Gospel by motion from the Spirit after by Iohn because he saith If any shall adde to the words of this Booke God will adde the plagues of it to him Said he therein any more then what was said long before Deut. 4.2.12 ulz. Prov. 30.6 Adde thou not to his words lest he reprove thee and thou be found a liar were all those adders to Gods Word or words and reprobate and liars as they must be if the Scriptures bee Gods Word and the adding of more Scripture be additament to his Word that added all that Scripture which was written after Deuteronomy and the Proverbs and if the Scripture were the Word of God is not taking away his name out of the Book of Life threatned to him that takes away from the words of that Book as well as plagues to him that addes and so ye in that ye discanonize most of what was writ there by the Prophets are discarded from the comforts of the Scripture by the places of you own quotation Doth Col. 2.18 twice over cited and allowed two votes in this Section vote either of those particulars it is cited for Doth the Spirit there condemn Angelorum alloquia alias called by thee Colloquia Angelica s. 28. all conference with Angels or only that worshipping of Angels forbid more expresly as I hinted to thee before in Rev. 19.10.22.9 where I also told thee of the lawfulness of talking with Angels or receiving of Revelation of the truth from Angels unless thou wilt Tax such as received the Law which was given by the disposition of Angels and Daniel and Mary and Zachary Cornelius and Paul and Iohn that wrote the Revelation and Christ himself who all were spoke to and ministred to by Angels were these all guilty of sin and condemnation Look again I.O. on the words in English which thou Greekest out perhaps to the further hoodwinking of Idiots that ken not Greek lest they should finde out thy folly who settest it for a Cypher if rendred in plain Latine which to give thee the reading as they stand in your Translations run thus Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility or worshipping of Angels Is the talking of Angels to men here deeply damned by the Spirit of God as thou dreamest And 2. what 's that Text to prove there must be on pain of cursing no additament of more Scripture or Writing to that Scripture that is in your Bibles with pretence of immediate Revelation of the same Doctrine Truth or Gospel there taught from the same inward Light and holy Spirit which is the second purpose for which it s cited a second time And again as to Heb. 1.2.4 cited Heb. 1.1 3. for thus thou citest that twice to the 2. same purposes with Col. 2. what hath that in it to the evincing the Spirits damning of either all talk with Angels or addition of more Scripture thereof from the Revelation motion or inspiration of the same holy Spirit to that Scripture of the Truth that is now truss'd up as the close of the whole Councel of God that ever must be declared in writing or counted upon as part of your Canon according to the Clergies Councel who first caused that consignation of it by Book-binders within the bounds of your Bibles thus run the words God who at sundry times and in diverse maners spake in times past the Fathers to the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us in his Son who is better then the Angels c. Must not his eyes be out that sees any such things hinted at here as those above the proof of which I.O. intends by this quotation Because Angels are here named inferiour unto Christ therefore Anathematized is he that hears or heeds any thing that shall be spoken to him by an Angel though he reveal the same Truth and not another seeing that truth is already written in the Scripture yea cursed be hee from henceforth even for ever there 's one of I.Os. Concâ—usions who consequently concludes Iohn accursed that wrote the Revelation from thenceforth even after this of Paul to the Colossians and the Hebrews were written from whence forward I.O. drives his execration downward to this day sith the said Iohn had his Revelation immediately from an Angel by whom Christ who had it from the Father sent and signified it to his servant Iohn Rev. â— 1 And because Christ is better then the Angels and God in these last dayes speaks in and by him his only begotten Son the light of the world the great Shepherd and Over-seer of the soul whose own voice his Sheep hear warning all to hear him to hear his voice in all things what ever he sayes on pain of being cut off from among his people therefore the Scripture must have no more writing though of the same truth that is there added to it on pain of damnation for ever there 's the t'other of I.Os. Conclusions from Heb. 1. from which Conclusion I can much more clearly conclude that a cloud of darkness is drawn over I.Os. understanding and that a beam is in his eye then draw such an untruth as that no more Scripture since Iohns time was to be written by the holy Spirits moving and added to that from that Text which tells the truth if I.O. would once heed it viz. that the hour now is wherein God speaks to the Sons of men in and by his own Son whom he hath given to be a Light and Leader to all people wherein the dead must hear his voice before ever they live to God who since God speaks by him and hee by his own light Spirit Voice in I.Os. conscience why doth not I.O. heed him then but scoffe at him in his inward Light and Spirit the Qua. call to as at Christum quendam Imaginarium infallibilem Doctorem nescio quod lumen scu verbum internum nescio quem Deum seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deoforsan quopiam
to blow where it listed Ioh. 3. without looking at any light within without walking in any way or using any other means of knowing God of having or holding fellowship or communion with him which was wont to be only in the light 1 Ioh. 1. but that of the Scriptures on pain of rejection and heavy damnation from God own Spirit in the Scripture In a word That Law and Testimony which alone is to be consulted with in all doubtful cases to which God calls from our seeking and attending Pythonibus aut Aryolis qui pipiunt qui mussitant to Wizards and familiar spirits that peep and that mutter yea that very word there spoken of Isa. 8. which whoever speaks not according to these is no light to him I say the two Texts abovesaid are not only frequently cited and recited in evidence of these various and sundry particulars but also judged by J.O. to be such sure grounds Hercules pillars firm props and principles as are not only satisfactory to mens consciences but sufficient to stand that way he draws them against all mens objections so that relying thereon men have a sure bottome and foundation for their receiving all the other Scriptures so assuredly as the Word of God and consequently all that that it abovesaid that who even from thence even from these Text own them not in that manner as such are left inexcusable in their dammâ—ble 〈◊〉 p. 56. That therefore the utter in â—onsequence of J.Os. deductions from them which are meer non sequiâ—â—â—s may the more plainly appear I shall letting fall J.Os. other trifling Arguments and sidling Replies to what the Qua. urge on behalf of the light of inartificial Arguments as himself calls them draw them into the form of artificial ones and express the manner of his illegal inferences from them which is in such wiâ—e as here under follows We are by that Text in Isa. 8.19 20. sent to the Law and to the Testimony to try what evâ—y Churches or persons speak about the things of God his will worship or our obedience to him who if they speak not according to that Word there is no light in them Therefore 't is evident that the Scriptures are the Word of God and consequently all that that is abovesaid The second viz. Christ Luke 16.31 bids men attend not looking for Miracles to Moses and the Prophets the written Word as the best and most effectual means to bring to repentance and which all faith and repentance is immediately grounded upon Therefore the Scriptures are evidently the Word of God c. Rep. In which two Arguments thou reasonest in Print well nigh as ridiculously as he works in Paint who doth Humano capiti cervicem jungere equinam For the head of the corner is strait sound and sure the body of the building upon it corrupt and crooked weak and rotten That we are sent to the Law and Testimony to that Word there talkt of and intended and to Moses and the Prophets and that that Law Testimony and Word that Moses and the Prophets spake of in those two Texts is that Word that is the true touchstone of all truth a greater ground for faith and repentance to be founded on then that of Miracles and a more sure stable firm fixt stedfast or standing Word then the voice which came from heaven all this I do not in the least deny but that the bare outward Writing which thou falsely callest the Written word and the external 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as at first written much more the present transcribed Copies of that Letter much more yet every Letter Tittle and Iota of it which thou keepest such a tatling for to be no less then the Word of the living God is that Law Testimony Moses and the Prophets or written Word as thou callest it intended in those two Texts or that by these termes in those two places is meant the said outward Scriptures and lastly most of all that it follows by any good consequence from those two places by such sound deduction as will stand against all objections gives such assurance thereof that he is a damnable unbeleever that beâ—eeves not from thence that the said Letter and Letters are infallibly known to bee the Word of God and the rest above said which are the things by thee inferred from them all this I both do and dare deny For the Law that in Isaiah is spoken of is not the literal Copy nor outward legible Letter that thou pleadest for and divinest it is but another Law which I see by thee thou art not yet very much ver'st in nor used to read even that in the heart not the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Letter of a Law of carnal Commandements not the formal Letter or literal form of a writing without but an inwardly written spiritual Law or Light within which is the power of the endless life that Law in mens mindes which is warred against by that Law of sin and death that dwells in their members The Law in the Spirit lusting against that and lusted against by that flesh or evil spirit that is also in men lusting unto envy and all evill the Law of the Spirit of life which is by Christ Iesus that is powerful to that which the Letter or Copy thereof which is figuratively called the Law is weak to cannot do viz. to deliver such as take heed thereunto from that Law of sin aforesaid that leads men captive unto death The Commandement that is a Lamp and not a dark Lanthorn p. 6.23 the Law that is the Light it self that leads to the life it self for so that of the Spirit doth and not the dead Letter that is used instrumentally as a knife to kill but in any wise cannot quicken And that Testimony or Witness is that Testimony of Iesus which they have hear that keep the Commandements of God even the Light in the conscience as aforesaid This Testimony of Iesus who is the true and faithful Witness of God of whom also God himself testifieth and beareth witness is Jesus his own Witness or testimony for God born by his own voice and writing by his own Spirit and light immediately in the heart who there testifyeth what he hath seen and heard of the Father though few such a thou art receive not his Testimony whose light voice spirit speakings and counsel from heaven in their own hearts who so turns away from and hears not in all things is none of his sheep but shall be condemned and cut off from among his people and not the testimony or witness of men in outward Writings or Letters testifying though as moved by him what they have seen and heard from him not that Scripture thou so wâ—itest for and callest the witness of God for that of God is far greater the Testimony of Iesus is a Letter indeed a Writing and an Epistle Prophesie yet not the outward Writings Letter and Copies of the Epistles and Prophesies of
turn away much people saying God is not worshipped in Temples made with hands but within onely in Spirit and Truth talking as if they would teach us as if they heard Gods voice and not we who search the Scriptures and expound the Law and have the Key of knowledge have been train'd up in the Scriptures in reading the holy letters but these we take notice of them that they are ignorant unlearned men yet they say we are unstable and unlearned and wrest Scriptures to own destruction but whence hath this man letters having never learnt at Universities as we have done away with them and their Scripture no more holy Scripture now the Canon is compleated the Standard sealed no immediate motion now no such mission as the Prophets had now no speaking by divine inspiration now no Divine authority in any mans writings now though they write not others but the same Divine truths as of old no extraordinary infallible â—uidance of men by the infallible Spirit of God now and suchlike Thus they said then and thus our wise Ignorants at Athens say now of the same Spirit that then spake in Paul pressing others now to write or speak to them of their woâ—shâ—pping an unknown God seeing their Universities given wholly to Idolatry and thus I.O. one of the sore men against the truth What will these Bablets say and in a manner so they say all But slay friend Gods arm is not shortned neither is the mouth of God more made up now then formerly from making out and manifesting his own mind immediately from himselfe in the minds and consciences of men and women so as that men may without manifest imprudence not to say impudence imagine so ignorantly as in effect I.O. doth that God spake his last to the Sons of men and all that ever he meant from his own mouth to make known of his will to any man when Iohn had at the command of Christ written that pretious Revelatio â—which God gave unto Christ to shew to his servants who was pleased to signifie it unto them by the hand of his servant Iohn and when once in after ages a Syned of some honest men who we know not upon some some mistakes and sailings which weâ— I.O. confesses Tr. 2. c 2. S. 4.5 They were lyable to establish so much as they could get together which was but little 't is like of that much that was written of the transcribed Copies of the holy mens Histories and Apostles Epistles and letters to particular Churches and private persons and canoniz'd it together with the writings of Moses and the Prophets into such a standing Rule of faith and manners for all ages to come that whatever should from thenceforth be found as not a little was even of the Apostles own and some of Christs own writings and whatever should be written after that with pretence as much hath been since then not in pretence onely but in truth of motion from the same holy spirit should be shut out for ever from standing in their Canon sith it came not in at that time to their hands and be ever of so low esteem as not to be own'd among the rest under so much as the name of holy Scriptures with them but as to all ends uses and purposes for which all holy Scripture is written be utterly raced out of the Record cancel'd made void and of none effect while those few they Authoriz'd because of their Stamp of the onely Standard upon them must be had in as high if not an higher Esteem Honour and Authority then the Light it selfe from which directing holy men in the writing thereof they had all the being they have at all as holy Scriptures Let not I.O. in any wise say so for there are yet though himselfe is none of them 7000 of the people of Christ in England that bow not the knee to Baal many of whom as they are under the new Testament i.e. the Spirit and not under the old i.e. the letter where thou yet art have even both men and women the promises thereof made good unto them concerning the gift of the holy Spirit of the Lord and power to prophecy which of old also the true had Mic. 2. and of judgment and of might to declare unto the rebellious house of Iacob and Israel even the Heads and Princes thereof if they abhor judgement and pervert all equity and the Priests and Prophets thereof that Preach for hire and Divine for money and build Sion with blood and Ierusalem with iniquity and yet leane on the Lord and say is not the Lord among us none evill shall come upon us their sins and their transgression And to use thy own words I.O. p. 331.332 to thy self who are much in the dark as thou utterest them to such as are further in the dark behind thy self much more to the same purpose will same of them be found to say when men of outward wisdome and learning who are as they think able to instruct them shall condescend personally so to do Yea of myself I will not speak who by the grace of God am what I am and if the least measure of that grace be imparted to me among other of his servants that I should Preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ it is to one that for ought I know is of all the rest least worthy or rather most unworthy of it but I am bold to say so much and no more then what will stand as truth against thine or any others gain sayings that there are some who do not more professe themselves to be then they are indeed inspired by the holy Spirit whose messages and ministrations whether by voice or writing are so immediate from the mouth of the Lord that your not receiving nor submitting to them on that account but rejecting and denyall thereof with such rigour as ye do doth justify your predecessors in all ages who rejected and slew those that spake to them in the name of the Lord and speakes out in plain terms your imagination to be this that you may with safety to your selves reject them whom God sends yea to go on yet for a while much what in thy own words Tr. 1. C. 3. S. 9 10.11 12 There are some whether they work miracles yea or nay as thou confessest most of the Prophets did not that 's nothing to thee who pretend not to this inspiration falsely but both can and do to youward insist upon this that being 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 divinely inspired their doctrine is to be recieved by you as from God and in their so doing it will be found in due time to be your sin even unbeliefe and rebellion against God not to submit to what they speake in his name as that of his word they receive from his mouth and this is not onely pleaded and insisted on by some but also whether their Testimony be received or not received by you preachers and the
same rule thereof Phil. 3. Galat. 6 Walk they not in the same spirit walk they not in the same steps which that Spirit of God in them treads out for them Have they not that Spirit of Christ And if any man have it not for his Guide Leader Governour in all he doth as well as his Comforter is he Christs He that hath it not dwelling in him infallibly directing divinely inspiring him is he Christs Do not all that are in Christ Iesus to whom there is no condemnation all save such as go condemned in themselves to whom there is nothing but condemnation from God walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Do they not live in the Spirit walk in the Spirit pray in the Spirit sing in the Spirit serve in the Spirit and not in the Letter minister every one as of the ability God giveth from the Spirit not barely from the Letter And so though they may use the very words that are Letter and be well read in the Letter and quote the Letter as Christ did and the Prophets and Apostles did the outward writings one of another and by the Spirit be guided to utter the same words verbatim See Isa. 2. Mic. 4. and be mightier in the Letter then those that are Ministers of no more then the Letter yet are Ministers not of the Letter but the Spirit Are they as well as the Spirit is in them not in the Flesh but in the Spirit Are not all that are not in the night and in the darknesse and the children thereof but the children of the day of the light which is the Lords day in in the Spirit Rev. 1.10 Do they not by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body Are they after the flesh Come they not by walking in the Spirit not to fulfill the lusts of the Flesh but to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Doth not the Spirit of God in them I ust against the flesh Doth not the law of the spirit of Life which is by Christ Jesus deliver them that follow it from the law of Sin and Death that they were once captivated by Doth not the Spirit quicken and give them life Doth it not help their infirmities pray in them with sighs and greanes and because they know not how to aske any thing as they ought doth it not make intercession for them according to God Are they not born of the Spirit and after the Spirit Doth not the Spirit of God bear witnesse to their spirit that are his children that they are so Doth it not reveale the great things of God and by that revelation make them know the things that are freely given them of God Is it not the unction from the holy one whereby they know all the things the Anoynting which was the Canon or Rule of the Saints from the beginning before any Letter was which is truth and is no lye which if they quench not grieve not let it not but let it abide and remain in them will teach them infallibly of all things so that they shall not need that any man teach them and which they abiding in the Doctrine or teaching of do not erre as the wicked world thinks they do but continue in the Son and in the Father Are they not led by it from under the Law and out of the Letter up into the life which the Letter speaks of but it self onely giveth out of the works of the flesh which in and by the light are manifest into the fruits that it self brings forth Doth it not bring all things to the remembrance of such as are led by it as all the Sons of God are that ever Christ spake Doth it not guide all such into all truth and onely into truth and not into any falshood delusion or deceit Doth it not take of Christs and shew it unto them Doth God do all this first or last more or less for all his people and doth none of all this amount to so much as the motion of the Spirit or divine inspiration Are there no spirituall men now in the world and is not every spiritual man a Prophet or more then a Prophet for though all in the Church are not Prophets on such a score and in so high a rank as thou reckonest on i.e. such as have witnessed a sending forth abroad on some service to others the service of some lying yet nearer home and in present reference onely to themselves some like the Sons of the Prophets at Iericho and Bethel 2 Kings 2.2 Kings 6. being yet under the Schoolmaster that leads to Christ in their nonage going as it were to schoole not at Athens nor yet at Oxford nor Cambridge where the Schools are not like that of theirs neither is the waiting in order to the Ministry like that of the Sons of the Prophets at Iericho but rather like that of those to whom it was said tarry at Iericho till your beards be growne which injunction many of our Iunior Academicall Students do not keep neither for howbeit Barbá non facit Philosophâ—m nec cucullus Monachum much lesse do either of these make Ministrum Christi yet severall of them if a good Living can be had before do not abide so long as till they be Masters of either beard or hood but are ready to run out with the shells on their heads and to hasten into their humane work of Prophesie before that time But at Bethel i.e. the house of the Lord waiting at the gates of wisdome it self and watching daily at the posts of her house taking councel at the mouth of God out of which onely cometh knowledge and understanding learning of him in silence with all subjection to his will as in the light it is manifest concerning themselves first in the particular purging their own persons first from youthfull and noysom lusts that they may go forth if the Lord please to send them and say go as Vessels of honour sanctified and fitted for the Masters use and prepared to every good work tarrying at Ierusalem till they he indued with power from on high till of carnall Babes in Christ as they are at first walking as other men having a remainder of strife and such divisions as are seen in children they may proceed Men indeed skilfull in the work of righteousnesse having their senses exercised to discern both good and evil and commence Masters not of Arts but over their own hearts and spiritual or Prophets which are intimated to be all one by the Apostle in the same Epistle wherein he saith some are yet but babes and in a measure carnal and all are not yet spiritual nor Prophets 1 Corinth 3.1 2,3 1 Corinth 12.29 1 Cor. 4.37 yet all to covet the gift of Prophecy as the best of Spirituall Gifts yet inferiour in excellency to that way of love Though then I say all be not Prophets yet all spiritual ones are prophets or more then Prophets and
if they leave the plain paths of uprightness to walk in the wayes of darkness and come not to the light that shines in their consciences sciences and the Law of God which is not far off but nigh in their hearts that they may know and do it but hate and abhor it and persecute the Ministers and children of it and make to themselves crooked paths whatsoever walketh therein shall not know peace yea Iudgement shall be far from them and Iustice never overtake them and they shall wait for light but behold obscurity and for brightness but shall walk in darkness and groap for the wall like the blind as if they had no eyes and stumble at noon-day as in the night aâ—d be in desolate places as dead men and roar like Bears and mourn sore like Drues and look for Salvation but none shal come because their transgressions are multiplied before the Lord and their own sins testifie against them and their transgressions are still with them and as for their iniquities by the light within they know them transgressing and lying against the Lord and departing away from God while they pretend to draw nigh unto him speaking still oppression and revolt conceiving and uttering from their heart words of falshood turning Iudgement away backward and causing Iustice to stand afar off causing truth to fail in their streets and shutting out of Equity that it cannot enter making a prey of him that departeth from iniquity and mocking the Lord and making him believe as far as they can with their flattering words and sained turnings unto him that they love his truth his light and his life yet in truth saying in their hearts to God depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes There are such who blow the Trumpet as of old the Prophets did to the same tune and the like to this that is above whose Trumpet gives as certain a sound as theirs did also and not such an uncertain fallible one as that of the Priests And these Theopneustoi or divinely inspired persons in their writings speakings call for attendance reception and submission not with that Supreme Authority I confess which I. O. as falsly as foolishly both supposes and saves T. 1. C 3. S. 8. Antient divinely inspired Scripture calls for which is quoth he not only in comparison with but also in opposition unto all other wayes of coming to the knowledge of God his Mind and Wâ—ll c. For by his leave or besides it either the Light and infallible Spirit it came forth from may not only well compare with its fallible and falsified self as people now have it transcribed translated twisted and twined which way any unrighteous writers either of it or on it any men-pleasing Praters Tythe-taking Talkers or time-serving Turn-coats are pleas'd to take it and turn it and wrest it to their own present ends and future ruine but alâ—o may well and doe challenge attendance to themselves with far more supream and uncontroulable authority then it can yea as the sâ—â—e and only meanes of coming to the knowledge of God his Mind and Will whom and which all the Scribes and Scripture-searchers in the world nor have nor can know without the light and Spirit any more then the old ones did Ioh. 5. Matth. 22. Or then anyone can see the outward Sun by any light but that which shines from itself Matth. 11.27 1 Cor. 2.10 11 16. And so in opposition to all outward Scripture it self as that which may define God and declare of him and of his mind and will and yet gives not the knowledge of either the knowledge of whose things if we believe I. O. T. 1. c. 1. s. 16 depends wholly and solely on his own pure divine revelation thereof by himself which revelation is so far exprest indeed in the Scripture as that there it is written of but is expresly made onely in the heart where it pleases the Son to reveal the Father and the Father to reveal the Son in men Gal. 1.15 16. Eph. 1. Col. 1.23 I say then not with that Supream Authority which is peculiar onely to the Light Spirit and Word within though ignorantly attributed yea and appropriated too by I O. to the outward writing yet with the same uncontroulable Authority as the letter doth they call for attendance even from their Theopneustia or divine inspiration which To Theion or Power of God that accompanieth them in their ministration is enough to convict I. O. and all the Wolves of these times that bark and howl against the Light and mis-judgâ— the many messages that come to them from the Lord as rejecters of such as God sends and justifiers of them who flew such of old as spake to them in the name of the Lord. Nevertheless as I. O. saith too truly T. 1. c. 3. s. 9. It alwayes so fell out that scarce any Prophet that spake in the name of God had any approbation from the Church in whose dayes be spake so it falls out now to the true Prophets among all the false Churches of these latter dayes from whom they find lesse Approbation and the same Reprobation as the former did from those evill Generations wherein they spake Ier. 47.3 Matth. 5.12 21.33 to 38. 23.29 Luke 17.25 26 27 28. Iohn 9.29 Acts 7.52 24.5 And this comes to passe by reason of the same innumerable prejudices that attend these their givings out of truth either in speech or writing as did the other whose writings are not freed as I. O. fancies from the prejudices that at first attended them but attended with more then at the first writing thereof thorough the infinite alterations mis-transcriptions mis-translations mis-constructions and mistakes of all sorts they have since been liable to by the fallibility and infinite variety of Scribes thorough whose hands they have passed Which said innumerable prejudices that now attend the modern Prophets as did the first arise from the same Root with those that attended them in their respective Ages viz. 1. Partly the supposed interests of them that write and speak by way of Prophecy or immediate motion 2. Partly the personall infâ—â—mities homely appearances stemmering lips uneloquent rude crude indigested unsound non-sensicall sound of words as they seem to unintelligently understanding I. O. Ep. ad lectorem Ex. 3. s. 17. and formes of speech which the Babes vf Christ seem to him to babble in when they drop their doctrine as the dew at the Command of God to the Drunkards of Ephraim not all as once but as it were guttaâ—im Precept upon precept line upon line here a little and there a little Ezek. 21.2 Amos 7.16 Isai. 28.9 10 11 13.2 Partly the mean out-side of most of these inwardly glorious sons and daughters of the King Psal. 45.13 whose cloathing ad extra is not as their own within and the worlds without and its Ministers often is of wrought gold nor yet is it so much of Plush Jippoes Hose behang'd before
Mother-like manner of devotions and meetings together in the ancient Mass-bouses at the tâ—â—ling of the great Bell or the tinkling of the Saints Bell as 't was commonly called more then at the found or true call of Christs Spirit in the conscience who is now calling out of all such dead Devoutryâ—â— together with the large Popish pay of fat Parsonages Vicaradge Blebe-lands Tyhes Augmentations c. much of which for an hour or two's work in a week is by persecution plucked from many poor folks families that in conscience cannot contribute to the upholding and maintaining of such a mess of Merchandise and Den of Thieves I say all this Pâ—pish and Priestly Bag and Baggage must once march after that which is gone before and be sent packing into the pitfrom whence it came before ever this Nation come to know true peace yea wrath is gone out against it from the Lord and those powers that piece and patch and dawb and mend and prop and repair and build up again and plant and maintain and uphold and help and heal the fragments of that old Fabrick and form of godliness where the power is denied which God hath a purpose to lay waste and pluck up and throw down and bring to nought and confound though they say in the pride and stoâ—â—ness of their hearts the bricks are fallen down but wee 'l build with heâ—â—en stone wee 'll reform and square the materials but keep up the same Parish Popish form the Sickamores are cut down but wee 'll change them into Cedars shall find that as they seek to plant the Lord will pluck up and what they build the Lord will throw down and mingle their enemies together in battel against them some before and some behind to devoure till they wholly and throughly turn to him that smireth them and that he himself will cut off branch and rush head and tail even the Antient and the Honouâ—abâ—â— which is the head and the Prophet that reacheth lyes which is the Tail 〈◊〉 dâ—y for where the Leaders of a people dâ— long cause them â—o erre both themselves and those that are led of them are destroyed Iâ—a 9.9 to 17. Be wife now therefore O ye Kings bâ—inst uâ—â— dyâ— Ruâ—ers of bâ—sâ— Nations for they that by often reproofs are forced to â—eild to let Gods Israel go fully free to his own service and then like Pâ—aâ—â—ah are as fâ—â—â—ardâ—â—d into refusals of it when they are going or into a peâ—secution of them when they are gone will undoubtedly know to their own utter over-whâ—lming and destruction that deliverance will arise some way or other to his people that their Chariot Wheels shall be taken off that their drivings on after them in the dark will be but heavily and too slâ—wly to â—veâ—takâ— or bring them back again and that the Lord himself who hath placed between them the Pillar of Fire to be a Light to the one and a Cloud and darkness to the other doth at this day as of old fight for Israel against the Egyptians c. sides with his redeemed and ransomed ones against all whose hearts are turned against them to grutch at the liberty once granted them to go so as to seek to intangle or to reduce them again into bondage For men are now as God himself is in earnest and not in jestâ— about the matters of God and Truth and the Power of the Lord is with them that stand up and are valiant for the Truth and not for the empty shews of it only in this and t'other outward form and God himself is risen and rising in the Saints to be avenged on the flattering foes of his people and really resolved to bear no longer but to break the head and wound the hairy scalp of every such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses and every plant shall assuredly be plucked up which the heavenly Father himself hath nor planted Let us hear then the conclusion of this whole matter into which if I have deviated any thing largely yet that business can plead its own excuse sith it s not meer method so much as matter of profit that I mind who know that though the Prohhesie of smoother and sweeter things is more desirable to most yet Omne tulit punctum qui miseuit utile Amdro He hits the nail on the head more that ministers bitter and rough reproof where need is then he qui miscet inutile dulci who divines smooth ngared bits and sweet deceits as our Divines do to mens undoing and that he who faithfully holds forth the trouble some Truth shall find more favour as with God for ever so with men at last then he who feeds them with lyes and continually flattereth them with his lips And besides by your difficulty to believe that God hath any true Prophets or infallibly inspired messengers of his in these dayes I have been drawn not aside but directly to the proof of it for your sakes I.O.T.D. and such as are deluded by you to whom my love is so great that as ye have by your denying any such Theopneustian divine inspiration revelation motion immediate mission as of old compell'd me to go a mile with you out if it be Out of the way so I have gone along with you or at least over against you no less then Twain And now I hasten to make an end with you altogether Of what hath been spoken then this is the sum there are Prophets and men mov'd led and guided by Gods Infa'lible Spirit that by it are fitted though ye deny it to open Scripture nor was it ever since it was a Scripture more open'd by that Infa'lible Spirit then now it is and is soon to be yet for all this men that have no more then the outward Moses and the Prophets do not believe nor repent because they listen not to the Light within that calls for doing to all as they would be done by which is the Law and the Prophets saith Christ Matth. 7. for want of attending to which they not only repent not at the call of their own dead Prophets dead preachings who are yet living in their trespasses and sins but for the most part also not at the preachings of such as minister from the Life and not the dead letter only who are quickned and made alive again from their trespasses and sins and so not heeding the light here 's no repentance yet though they be warn'd by such as are risen with Christ and sent unto them from the dead CHAP. II. NOw then to make a more full and final enquiry into the cause of that foresaid Grand and Impâ—nitâ—ncy Is it for want of that saving Light of God that is if heeded sufficient to guide all men even to that repentance which is to Salvation that is never to be repented of Nay verily not so neither for all men have from God and Châ—ist a light within them â— measure of that true light saving I.Os. and T Ds. I.
perceive saith Peter Act. 10. 34. 35. and he who is not blinded may perceive it also that God is now no respecter of Nations one above another nor of persons in the Nations so as to give his Statutes Judgements Laws Rule and saving means of Life if the Letter were so to one Nation or Person and not in any measure to another but in every Nation he that feareth God whose fear is to depart from what evil his Light in the conscience makes manifest and worketh righteousness which none do who live not by that and all do who live by it for sin is no other then the transgression of that Law which is the Light is accepted with him Arg. 14. Again let me argue with thee I. O. out of thy own words if others will not answer affirmatively and assent to this as truth yet thou I. O. must who asserts it for truth thy self for this Argument in â—oâ—idem verbis is no other then thine own for with reference to Ioh. 1.9 the very place that we argue the self-same from thou thy self though intentionally against us yet unawares really arguest for us on this wife viz. The Light and Illumination mentioned in this place Ioh. 1.9 are Spiritual without all controversie and pertaining to the Regeneration by Grace not Natural and so pertaining to the Creation for in the same sense in which men are said to be darkness are they said to be enlightned else the Apostles speech would be aequivocal but men are not said onely Spiritually but universally also to be darkness therefore are they by Christ not spiritually only but universally also enlightned And as Contrariorum eadem est ratio so Contrariorum contraria est ratio not only in the same sense in some respects but also in other respects in the very contrary sense to that wherein men are darkned by the Devil are they enlightned by Christ but All mankind is not only spiritually and universally but also damnably darkned by the Devil therefore mankind is not only spiritually and universally but also savingly enlightned by Christ. From what hath been said and shewed above then I affirm that the Grace and Light in the conscience which in some measure or other is from God and Christ given in common to All men is not only universal but saving and though most are by it no more then accused reproved condemned and left without excuse and not â—astified nor saved yet there wants not sufficiency in it to save and that men are not saved but mostly condemned by it 't is only because they answer not the Mind of God revealed in it but love the darkness more then it which they hate to come to as Christ saves because their deeds are evill whereas did they but glorifie him answerably to what he requires of them who noâ— exacts nor expects from any the doing more of his Mind and Will then what he one time or other manifesteth to them to be his Will concerning them in their own consciences they should not be without excuse nor stand condemned in Gods sight but be accepted justified and saved from the wrath which comes only on the Children of disobedience it being the Power of God as sufficient to the excuse and Salvation of those from sin and wrath that obey the measure of it in themselves as to subject those to accusation rejection judgement wrath and condemnation that rebel against it To all the abovesaid Arguments therefore I shall subject this one after the prosecution of which in proof of the sufficiency of that Light to save which is given in common to All men I shall take some notice of R. Bs. and I. Ts. arguings to the contrary Arg. 15. That Light which rebel'd against 〈◊〉 sufficient to accuse and condemn and render a man guilty reprobate or reproved is if obeyed sufficient to excuse clear justifie save from condemnation and render approved But the Light in all is sufficient to condemn all that rebell against it therefore to save as abovesaid such as obey it The Minor is your own the Major I shall proceed in proof of And here since I am so neer it I shall take occasion to refell that foolish conceit and dream of our Divines in which both thou T. D. I. O. I. T. R. B. are all Four found for in most of this main matter of the light ye run parallel and are coincident except now and then a crosse whet each to other concerning the non-sufficiency of the Light to save however improved though yielded to be sufficient to leave excuselesse and condemn for here ye dance between these two Stages still in your stickles with the Qua. against the Light cutting capers to and fro with your legs acrosse and sliding out of one fâ—orry shift into another when they tell you the true Light of God which is but one and that not natural but supernatural though in never so many different degrees in mens hearts is common to All ye yield for ye cannot stand against it that it is so but then it is not saving when they prove it saving ye yield it is saving but then not common which that it is both I have shewed above against you All some words only here as to that absurdity it is sufficient to leave man inexcusable if not obeyed and to condemn him but not to save justifie or render him accepted if obeyed That the whole body of the Gentiles are enlightened and that by Christ thou T. D. dost sometimes confess in Terminis as I have shewed above though at other times thou denyest it but thou addest p. 3. 1 Pamp. not by Christ with the knowledge of salvation alias secundaunte with a light sufficient to save Salvation is of the Iews i.e. among such as have the letter only and by the law of the letter without I speak but thy sense p. 3. 1 Pamp. I. O. also denies this same light however attended to to be sufficient to bring to justification of life or salvation that still he ascribes to his only all sufficient Greek and Hebrew Text and outward Scriptures Ex. 4. S. 17. Lumen hoc utcunque ei attendatur non est ullo respectu salutare sed in rebus omnbius divinis finem ultimum quod attinet mera tenebra caeâ—itas So S. 20. Sufficientiam quidem habet ad Antapologesian ad salutem non-item This Light indeed is sufficient to accuse and condemn but not so to save So T. D. again p. 40.1 Pamp. natural light so ye call it still is to this purpose to leave men without excuse Rom. 1.20 so that they cannot say as we suppose the Heathens might Had we known of a remedy for our misery we would have used it But as for salvation many Ages and Generations neuer had one offer of it and among those who hear the Gospel it is offered to more then it is intended R. B. and I. T. say the same p. 40. The Gentiles light by Nature so
Law of sin and death For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the flesh but after the Spirit Thus then it is evident that the Law of God which is not the letter of it but the light is powerfull and sufficient to save save only that men turn from and transgresse it and that it is universal and in all men is as evident out of Rom. 2.13 14. where it is said that those ye call Heathen who have not the outward literal copy of it do shew the work of the Law written in their hearts which wâ—rk of the Law T. D. who yet grants the Law it self to be spiritual in his meer natural understanding calls natural as if the work of the Law of God which is Spiritual and perfect were not spiritual as the Law it self is which work or effect of the Law Psalm 19.7 8 9. is said to be the conversion of the sâ—ul rejoycing the heart enlightning the eyes cleansing purifying c. and not only the shewing of sin and good and censuring for the obedience oâ— disobedience as T. D. dotes who undertaking to teach G. W. what the work of the Law is and how it differs from the Law it self p. 3.2 Pamp. understands neither what he himself sayes nor whereof he affirms which works of the Law the Scripture there mentions which diâ—covers T. Ds. ignorance of the works or effects of the Law if they be natural I know not what â—s spiritual and yet to get out of that absurdity in proof of it he runs into another saying in the next clause thus viz. the Heathen do by nature the things contained in the Law as if that were corrupt nature in the Heathen that did conform them to the Law when as the nature there spoken of by which they are said to do the things of the Law is that rature after which God at first made man upright and after his own Image in righteousness and holiness of truth before they sinned and run out into their own inventions and so fell short thereof which nature and image is in it self â—are divine perfect in reason and understanding and doing thâ— Mind and Will of God though men mostly become degenerated from that into another swinish brutish nature even the nature and image of the Serpent the subtillest of beasts of the Devil and Satan himself and so of men as they were made become beasts of the field and of noble Vines of Gods planting in his Garden at first and wholly a right seed turning from the light into the darkness of their own vain thoughts and imaginations became a seed of evil doers and a degenerate plant of a strange Vine unto the Lord in which staâ—u corrupto and by which contrary nature not created by God but contracted to themselves the other nature image and glory of God which when man sinned crept inward lies hid and covered in them till by the Light of God which is given to that end they are as by a line or clew led down into themselves and through the laborynth of their own learning and lusts which lies a top of it to find it out again and till by the said light the house be swept and the lost money seen and that swinish nature destroyed and the lost sheep sought out and saved and till the works and image of the Serpent who hath in the dark stampt his own likeness on them be again defaced and till the tares which he hath sowed in the night while men slept in the field or inner world of the heart and that earth which hath overgrown the other and brought forth briaâ—s and thornes weeds neetles thistles c. which is accursed be burnt up and consumed from above that which brings forth herbs meet for the Masters use to which the blessing is by the spirit of judgement and of burning in which selfish nature which is that of Cain and Ishmael and Esau the three Elder that have no acceptance men will be sacrificing serving and glorying in Righteousnesses and Church-works of their own devising which All are abomination with God because done in that same nature still in which they are disobedient sinning and serving divers lusts and so by that nature become as well in their very righteousness as in their wickedness children of Gods wrath Ephes. 2.2 Tit. 3.2 incurring his displeasure by their doing of such things as are not only besides but against the Law or Light of God in the Conscience and contrary to that pure primitive nature by which only as men by the light come back to it as many do without the letter the things contained in the holy Law can be done And this contradicts that grosly absurd sottish false blind and ignorant Assertion of T. D. which as A. Parker related to me he uttered in a discourse with him at Sandwich before many people since those three more publick disputes held by R. H. G. W. and my self with him and his Confederates and Associates against us who yet are at odds amongst themselves some Prclatick some Presbyterian some Independent viz. that it is the corrupt nature by which the Nations are said Rom. 2. to do the things contained in the Law Which is I say the grossest absurdity false doctrine and contradiction to the Scripture that can well-nigh possibly be given for by that corrupt sinning nature by the yet T. D. is not ashamed and blushes not to say men do the things câ—ntained in Gods Law alias keep obey observe conform to Gods Law which is the pure light shining in the Conscience that is spiritual holy just and good that never did nor can pâ—ssibly consent to the least sin or do other then reprove and condemn it in the heart I say by that corrupt nature which men have by the fall from God who made them upright contracted to themselves which is the very enmity it self against God and all good men do and can do no other then sin against God and do the things that are not contained or commanded in but are contrary to the Law and walk in the trespasses and sins in which they lie dead according to the common course and custome of the World while it lies in the wickedness not minding the light according to the Prince of the power of the Air the Spirit that worketh in the children of disobedience and have their conversation in the lusts of the flesh fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind drinking in iniquity as naturally as the beast drinks in water without satisfaction working uncleanness with greediness 1 Iohn 2.1 2 3 14 18 19. and so are by that nature children of wrath But in respect of which said pure primitive nature some Gentiles that have not the letter but the Light
of God and Christ within leading them back into it out of that corrupt one by which Light they are a law to themselves before God are said to perform by nature what things are required in the Law which are as ye say moral duties indeed yet such as saving your ignorance in that are truly righteous and acceptable with God and evangelical being done in Christ though they know not his person whilst done in his light for men may do much by the light that comes from the Sun while they see not the body of the Sun it self and be guided and strengthened to do much by the Light of God and Christ that is his Will and acceptable and good though yet they have not heard of nor known him so much as some that hear and read of such things by the letter as to his appearance in that body of flesh or meer external incarnation Witness Cornelius whose Prayers and Almes were heard and accepted being done by one that feared God and eschewed the evil which by the light he had discovered whilst as yet he had not heard of Christs personal Birth Life Death or Resurrection Acts 10.1.2 c. Yea every moral duty that is done in some obedience to the light that is in the Conscience and not for base ends and glory of men which ends have been and are found more among many Literarists Iews and Christians too then among many that by them have been lighted as Heathens are Evangelical also yea whatever is done from an honest and not selfish principle in the Light or Law in the heart is of the same nature as that both Moral and Evangelical Law is even spiritual and holy and iust and good and all transgression that is acted against the Law is not only against the Light of God and Christ whose Commandment that is and against the Gospel or free Promise of life held forth also therein but also against nature not that corrupt naâ—uâ—e into which men are run for the sin is committed in that but that divine nature or similitude of God or right Reason in which men stood at first til they ran out into a reasonless kind of Reason of their own which is not after God a remnant of whose nature is in man still and his light in the Conscience which is right Reason it sâ—lf leads to itâ— and therefore all sinners who are in the deeds of darkness and out of the true faith of Christ which is in his light are said to do things contrary to nature though pleasing and answerable to the viperous nature they are gone out into Rom. 1. 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32. and to be without natural affection or against nature unnatural and unreasonable 2 Tim. 3.3 2 Thes. 3.2 and wicked for all men that have the true Light in them have not Faith in it I say then the Heathen who have not the letter by the Light of God which is saving are a law unto themselves and do shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Conscience also by the Law inlightned bearing witness within them and their thoughts thereby accusing and excusing one another so that the Law is not only a light and saving but universal also and common in some measure to all men To which may be added as an Argument Ad hominem at least to the stopping of their mouth in proof of the universality of Christs enlightning All men another consideration out of R. B. and I. T. his own Book and that is the need that all men that come into the world have of Light from Christ and the universal necessity of Christs enlightning them all because of that universal corruption and blindness which is asserted by them to be in all men at birth P. 24 25. John 1.9 Where it is said of man coming iâ—to the world must be meant say they of humane birth and accordingly this point is thence say they deducible That every one that comes into the world needs light from Christ which Position say they is true 1. Because every man is boâ—n destitute of spiritual light in the things of God concerning his duty and the way of salvation 2. Because every man is liable to death and trouble and wrath and evil from God as he is born into the world and Christ came into the world to remove both these sorts of darkness and none else can do it These are the express words of these two men R. B. I. T. from which howbeit they most unreasonably conclude against our doctrine saying The former of these overthrows the main Position of the Qua. That every man hath a light within him sufficient to guide him so as that following it he may please God and be saved without the light of Scriptures or preaching of publick Teachers Yet I do and may most truly argue and conclude to the fuller establishing of the said Position from their own words on this wise Arg. 17. If every man that comes into the world needs light from Christ and there be a necessity of Christs enlightning in regard that every man is irrecoverably lost else and not some only then Christ doth enlighten so far at least as to a possibility for salvation every man and not few men only otherwise God were as is abovesaid a most apparent respecter of mens persons as he is not and his wayes were not equal as they are and his words were not true as they are when he sayes he would have all men to be saved unless they will die and to come to the knowledge of the truth and such like nor were his clearing himself and charging of men that perish right as it is when he sayes their destruction is of themselves but in him is their help nor were his Iudgements iust and righteous as they are in condemning men for not believing in the light while they had it when they never had it nor were his pretended great Love rich Grace matchless Mercy to All peâ—ple in Christs birth Luke 2. â— Iohn 3.16 17 18. so sincere as it is but raâ—hâ—r feigned sith else he did not so much as put them all into a possibility of coming out of their mâ—sery but rather left a thousand to one to perish in it unavoidably without remedy nor were his fairest offers of salvation and life to all if they will walkin his light so fair as they are but meer mockage since else he had not given them any measure of any such light as could lead them to it nor were his saying What could I have done more for them that I have not done any other then a lye as it is not since else he had not done so much as was needful yea so absolutely necessary towards their living that it was not possible they should live without it when he both could should and ought in equity by some measure of true light to have made them capable to come to life and see their
them and also millions of men who have the Light in them that condemns and reproves them for their Rebellion against it are not conformable thereunto and therefore they both have and need such a Light within them Antecedent to that renewing and need also to be called upon to turn unto it that they may thereby see how conformable they are to this evil world and non-conformable to that Will of God that they may thereby first know the good Will of God which is manifested in that Light and secondly by obeying that Light be conformed to that Will and no more unto the world but transformed by the renewing of their minds So that whereas they conclude all men ought to be renewed after Gods Image c. therefore All have it not I contrariwise conclude All ought to be renewed according thereunto c. therefore All have a light sufficient to lead them as théy follow it into the Image of God Their ninth is a sottish shameful Tergiversation a Re substrats from the Question into another matter as clear contrary to the subject in hand as light and darkness are to each other yea instead of persevering to prosecute the proof of their Proposition concerning the non-sufficiency of the Light in All men they fall a proving the insufficiency of the darkness in All men to be a sufficient rule to life and safe guide of men unto God at the end of which they entail a most abominable lye against the Quakers saying The Qua. prescribe that unto men as their Rule which God counts their Curse and what 's that Scilicet the thing that of All things the Quak. of all men who call men to Gods Light within do call men out of viz. the counsels imaginations and lusts of their own hearts which men say the Qua. walking in and bâ—ides the Light of God and hearkening to and not to the Voice of God which I. O. confesses page 44. though in his folly he calls it Natural to be Gods Light in every conscience come under the Laws curse and make their own misery great upon them The Aâ—gument is briefly thus To leave a person to hâ—s own imagination lust to walk in his own counsel in his own way which is all one as to leave him to the Light within him is reckoned as the greatest Curse and Iudgement to a man from God for refusing to hearken to Gods Voice as the Text shews Psa. 81.11.12 Therefore the Light within each person is of it self no safe guide Rep. That the Qua. call to the Light within and to stand in the Councel of God which is the Light within which condemns all the lusts of mens hearts and their own vain counsels and imaginations is most true But if ye be not past shame be ye ashamed and blush both at your own blaspheming the Light of God and belying of the Qua. who in your blindness for which Wo is unto you except ye repent Isa. 5. cal good evil and light darkness and cannot see to put a difference between Gods Light and mans lust the Councel Law and Way of God in every conscience which leads to life blessing and peace and the vain wayes and thoughts of man and Law of sin that lusts to envy and all evil and leads to cursing and condemnation And secondly cannot understand the Qua any otherwise then as calling men to their own hearts lusts when they expresly and in Terminis ca'l Ad men to that Light of God in them which makes manifest and condemns every ones own lust in every heart Generation of Vipers where did ye ever hear or hear of any Qua. or any one that 's owned by them in their Ministry prescribe mans own counsel imagination or hearts lust to him as their Rule Do they not as Iohn Baptist did bear witness to that true Light which enlightaeÌ„th every man that cometh into the world Do they not as Christ did call men to walk and believe in the Light while they have it that they may be the children of it least utter darness come as 't is already on your selves so that ye know not whether ye go upon them Do they not with Paul whom ye wot to have received some message to turn men from it speak to men to turn from the darkness to the light from the power of Satan the Ruler of the darkness of this world unto God Do they not tell men with Peter That there 's a sure word of Prophesie for them to which they do well to take heed as to a light that shines in the dark place of their hearts till the day dawn and the day-star arise there Do they not with Iohn tell men That God is Light and in the Light and that in him is no darkness at all and that if men be their form never so fair say they have fellowship with God and walk in darkness and the lusts of the flesh as Papists Pralaticks Presbyterians Independents and other our-side Professors do they do but lye and do not the truth but if they walk in the Light as God is in it then God and they have fellowship together and there the Blood of his Son is felt clearsing from all sin which ye say men cannot be thoroughly cleansed from while they live here and so harden men in their own hearts lusts and is all this of the Qua. a prescribing to men their hearts lusts as their rule Do you understand Christ Paul Peter Iohn and All the Prophets calling to the Light Isa. 2. as Isaiah Come ye let us walk in the Light of the Lord he will teach u of his wayes we will walk in his paths so as ye do us when we restifie the same truth often in their own words as calling men to follow their own wayes thoughts counsels imaginations hearts lusts If ye take us as intending so when we call to the Light why not them If not them why us who say the same Is the word Light more offensive more unsavoury more difficult to be understood more savouring of lust more sounding like lust out of our mouths whom ye superlatively abhor then out of theirs whom ye now superstitiously adore But so it alwayes fell out as I.O. truly sayes page 59.60 61. that scarce any Prophet that spake in the Name of God had any approbation from the Church in whose dayes he spake people being so eminently perplexed with false Prophets in the latter dayes of the Iewish Church especially both as to their number and subtilty speaking lyes against the truth therefore no marvel it is so now in these last dayes of the Church of the outside Christians and as the next Age to that which flew them began still to build Sepulchres in remembrance of them so the time is neer to come wherein ye or your Successors who cast out the name of Gods People called Qua. as evil now shall what ere ye dream be forced to say there 's a Seed among them which sincerely serves
Psalmist they can perswade others from what they have seen felt and handled of Gods Word and his Iudgements which are a gâ—eat deep yet to the rest that live alienated from the Light and by them have bâ—en purged from their filth and warned from the wickedness of their way and of simple been made wise of which precious uâ—e Gods Iudgements are to all that thus witness and know them as Psa. 19. Yea these are that Nation of Israel and not that which is now become a curse and perished out of what ever outwaâ—d Nation or People they are gathered into the one Light and Spirit of whom it s said Who is like unto thee O Isâ—ael â— a people saved by the Lord who rideth on the Hâ—avens for thy help And in that of these mens quoting Deuter. 4.8 What Nation is there so great that hath Statutes and Iudgements so righteous as all this Law which is set before them in the light their keeping and doing of which shall be their wisdome and understanding in the sight â—f those Nations which though now they count them fools shall at last see themselves to have been infatuaated and say of Gods now dispersed and despâ—sed Seed of Israel after the Spirit Surely this great Nation is a wise and understanding people And as for others though as R. B I. T. T. D. and ye all say God hath not dealth so richly with any as he does with them that receive the riches of his Grace and they have not known his Iudgements in such a measure as these know them yet all as they heed the Light in that may know them as in some degree the Heathen heeding the Light are said to do Rom. 1. and degrees never vary the nature of a case neither follows it that because some know not so much as some therefore many neither do nor for want of Light can know nothing of the Gospel or Saving Truth of God at all The 30th from Rom. 7.7 is thus The Light within neither did to Paul nor doth nor can discover sin even the sin of Lust without the Law therefore the Light within each person is not a sufficient guide of it self to lead to God and to warrant mens actions without the written Word i. e. Scripture with them Rep. Why not as well as before the Law was written in an outward Letter at all if by the Law ye will needs understand nothing but outward Scripture for some sure knew lust before Moses wrote the Law But in very deed how deeply soever ye dream in this as ye do in most things this Law without which the Lust is not well known is no other then the Light it self within for the Letter sayes lust is a sin but 't is the Light that shews thy lust to filth envy or any evil to be thy sin within thy self and that Law by which the knowledge of sin comes is that Law and Commandment which Prov. 6.23 is said to be the Light and the Lamp even the wâ—rd that David hid of him that he might see the way of covetouâ—ness that was eâ—sewise hid in his heart and so not sin against Gâ—d by which only the young man in whom lust is strong taking heed thereunto shall come to cleanse his way which is never clean while he hangs only on the lips of Letter-stealers and meer Letter-lauders who lauding the holy life they liâ—e not in are at best but lyars when they preach the Tâ—uth But this being elsewhere handled I shall need to say the less of it here So having done with these two mens thirty Arguments a few words more to their ten wâ—aâ— Reasâ—ns against the true Light in all men and then I have done with them as to that Reason 1. Because what each man conceives according to his Light within him cannot be right and â—rue for one mans conceits do sometimes contradict anothers Nor are thâ— Quak. all of one mind when they follow the Light within them Rep. This is one of your own croâ—ked odd conceits indeed but far from truth and good consequence that the Light or Rule it self cannot be true or right or a safe rule because mens conceits of things to be or not be according to it may be contradictory one to another and so not both true 'T is true contradictoâ—y conceivings abâ—ut one Rule cannâ—t be both true but he contradicts aâ—l truth and common reasâ—n who conceives the Rule or Light it self to be ere the worse or ere the less a true Rule or Light because of that Two men may have contradictâ—ry thâ—ughts and conceits whereof one must needs be false about a piece of Cloths agreeing or nor agreeing with the yaâ—d or measure but it follows nor therefore from any thing but these faithless mens false and foolish fancies that the Taâ—d is not a Yard or no good rule or measure and if this were good consequence R. B. and I. T. but that they are blind still might see it conclude more strongly against their Letters being as they plead it to be the only true Light or Rulâ— then against the Light since there 's as many silly senses misty meanings and contradictory conceits in the minds of them that are Ministers of it almost as they are Ministers of it For whereas they tell us of two Qua. contradicting one another I have told these four men I.O. T.D. R.B. I.T. of contradicting one another many times o're in their books against us and shall do yet a little more before this book I here write be at an end yea â—n truth as I have shewed already before and shall do more behind there 's little else then confusion and contradiction to themselves by our men called Clergy well nigh in all the Doctrines they have to do with besides this reaâ—on rendred by them is not at all against the Light of God but against mens meer conceits which we are more against then any men whatever calling men out of their own conceivings into Gods own Counsel the Light So quid hoc ad rem Reas. 2. Because that which unvariable and alterable cannot be a persons Rule for its the property of a Rule to be invariable and the same at all times Rules Measures Weights Dials Squares and what other things are made if they be varied câ—ase be Rules Rules should be fixt and certain but nothing more variable then mens light in them Rep. Igrant that 's no rule which is variable and alterable and therefore have above from hence concluded and do here again from your own premises conclude the Letter the Rule ye talk for more then walk by not to be that only Rule of Faith and Life as ye would have it but Gods Light in the heart which the Letter came from sith as I. O. teaches us in his Epistle though he will not learn the same lesson himself but teaches in his book as much against it as he does for it that the Letter in the very Original copies of it
As after a long unquiet quarrel with the Qua. who call men to no other at all about the Light and Spirit of Christ as such foolish fires as will lead men into nothing but Bogs and Praecipices page 84. and much more of that sort themselves fall a calling and commending all men to the same in many good words of exhortation specially in the last Sermon of their book which consists of Exhortations to the Light Doctrine or Teaching of Christ within excepting here and there as the manner of most Parish Ministers is a Perenthesis or interpositition of now and then some dirty dashes and filthy flerts against it to sence men off from ever coming too neer it lest it make them wiser then their Teachers and Leaders and so lead and take them off from taking much more heed to the wind of their whiffling words and tangling talk of Truth for Tith So they are principled against the foresaid perfections atainbleness in this life as is evident in other of Baxter's and T s his works Yet in this Book of theirs that I have at present to do with I mind not at present where they contradict it but are found in sundry expressions much rather confirming and preaching it unawares and ministring Mediums in proof of it E.G. p. 12. where they tell us thus R.B. J.T. Christ leads alwayes in the right way so that whosoever follows him Rep. And some do surely these men are not so ignorant sure as to deny that R.B. J.T. Shall be directed aright in his way be guided into the way of peace Rep. That must needs be out of all sin for every sin or transgression is the wrong way the way of wickedness and there 's no peace saith God unto the wicked And p. 13. where they tell us thus R.B. J.T. Christs words have such precepts and revelations as make a man Spirituall Heavenly Wise like unto God Rep. Which if any sinner be and be not rather Carnall Earthly Foolish unlike God and lke the Devill then I am yet to seek and if these sinners and pleaders for mens necessity of sinning while they live and yet call themselves Saints can tell me otherwise let them tell me what a Saint and what a sinner is and p. 1.4 Where they tell us thus R.B. I.T. All that Christ spake Rep. Whose Speeches were and are successefull to accomplish their end among some at least assuredly or else let these men speak it out if they dare that Christ never obtains his end in speaking to any at all to whom he speakes R.B. I.T. It was to ease the burthen Rep. And such the least in is where ere it is whether it be felt or no. R.B. I.T. to direct to God Rep. Whom no sinner in his sins can come to R.B. I.T. to reform the evils in Gods worship Rep. Whom no evill doer or sinner in his sins can worship any more accceptably then Cain whose sacrifice was shut out while his sin lay at the door or then David himself whose prayer would not be heard if he regarded iniquity in his heart and every one does so more or lesse while in the least he commits it or else surely he would not commit it no man doing that he hath no regard at all unto but he who remaines yet under the Devills power taken captive by him at his will having not yet attained to that liberty wherewith Christ euen here makes many free and even here is by him attainable if men with Paul who throw the warfare at last attain'd it be sincere in the same way of pressing after it R. B. I.T. To take men off from Covetousness Hypocrisie and such evills as are Pernicâ—â—us Rep. And if the least motion to sin if assented to not else be any otherwise then so and not in some measure pernicious though some great ones may be more greatly pernicious then other some let that of God in the conscience of these men judge when Paul sayes the motions of sins which warr'd in his members while he was yet under the Law and not in the Liberty of Christ and but in the Combate and short of the Conquest brought forth fruit in him unto death and Iames c. 1. That if lust be but perrmitted to conceive as it does in such a degree as any one is led away after it it bringeth forth sin and sin when it s finished or brought forth e. into its being as it is when lust is but assented to and the mind genders to gether with it it bringeth forth death R.B. J.T. With what ever else might bring nigh to God Rep. Whom all sin even the least in some meaâ—ure though some more then some separates the soul from R.B. J.T. And Alienate men from this present evil world Rep. Which every man is nigh to more or lesse till he be totally taken off and alienated utterly from the corruptions that are in it through lust R.B. J.T. And accordingly so were and are the effects regeneration or new birth Mortification of the deeds of the Body the Salvation of Man Rep. And if these were and are as ye say they were and are not only the ends but also the effects of what Christ spake or speakes then by such as continue to heare his voice and follow him and not such strangers to him as ye are and so some did and now do yea ever all his own shâ—â—p all these things in time even here both were and are attainable and attained also that ye speak which are ipsissima the very things we plead against you for in the point of perfect freedom from sin wherein ye oppose us viz. Mortification of the deeds of the body which is never effected till every sin be destroyed or subdued so as not to be so much as assented to much lesse acted the very least being a deed or member of the body of it and mortification effected no lesse but somewhat more if more can be then a common killing in our common English acceptation of it even a mangling the dead body of it all to pieces Regeneration which however taken by our dimm Divines for the first act of conversion onely or beginning to face about from sin towards God is a real new birh or being begotten back into that divine nature which man in sin is degeneraled from and not onely so but also as taken in its right latitude and consummation not initiation only for the thing or end effected so ye speak and not prosecuted onely the growth up in that image of Christs divine nature in whom was no sin to the very measure of the fulness of his stature Eph. 4. and salvation of man which is not in but from the sin first before ever there be any right rejoycing in God or any true salvation from the sorrows that are entail'd to it by him who came to save his people from their sins Who in this sense mainly is sent forth as a light to enlighten us and raised up
to face each other but when that came then he saw sin was alive in him and he dead and that he was then while beginning to war with it sold under it and captivated by it and wretched by reason of it Rom. 7. but that now when he wrote this the Law of the Spirit of Life or Light in his mind which was by Christ had made him free from thâ—t Law of sin and deaâ—h which warr'd in his members and oft enslav'd him I say when Paul made this and many other modest acknowledgements of Gods Grace and Power towards him in delivering him and how now he walkt not after the flesh but the Spirit and how holily and justly and unblameably he and other Apostles behaved themselves 1 Thes. 2.1 2. 3. c. and should have said as to the same effect he did that they were no lyars nor deceivers nor wicked ones nor hypocrites and 2 Cor. 13.8 could do nothing against the truth as every sin is but for the truth and such like Whether I.O. would have punisht him as an Impudent Boaster yea or no and have put him in Bâ—cardo where besides whippings and other punishments and abuâ—es some of the Qua. have been put if yea see what kind of provision the poor Flock of Christ must expect from out of the silken Snapsacks of these University Shepherds and Overseers if they had the over-sight of all Corrective as much as they have it Directive over Magistrates and all And what a Generation of Godly Ministers as they have been call'd have grown up under pretence of Reformation of late even in old England which has been so long renewing as well as in New-England which is now growing old again where they punish the same seed to deathâ— where however they idolize Christs holy Apostles now they are dead would no less then persecute them were they now alive if nay I would know Quo Iure some Reason if that these Rabbies can render a right one why the Saints that walk and live in and after the same holy Spirit now that leads into all truth and no transgression and witness the same freedome from the Law of sin thereby should for making the same confession to the glory of Gods Grace be so ill used as I.O. would have them as Impudent Boasters any more then them of old What ever the Qua. do and are who by the Grace of God being what they are glory in nothing of their own knowing they have nothing but what they have received I shall here clear many Clergy men more then any men unless some Lawyers be as clear as them from that so punishable crime of glorying and boasting in being free from the least sin or from those fore-named grosser evils either for as if they should be found glorying in freédâ—me from either they would be found lyars one way more then now they are so in truth both those kinds of wicked hypocritical deceitful lyars I mean in plain terms many Priests and some Lawyers who can neither of them live on poor mens labours as many of them do in all lands any longer then while men lye dead in their trespasses and sins are for ought I find so far from glorying in their immunity from those and all other iniquities that like those old Christian Enemies to the Cross of Christ Phil. 3.18 19. whose end is destruction whose God is their belly who mind earthly things and whose glory is in their shame they glory yet in that immunity and freedome they can get from the powers that are intoxicated with the wine of the wrath of their fornications to commit all evil and so continue in those lyes deceits frauds cheats hypocrisies bloody persecutions spoilings of mens goods devouring Widows houses for Tythes and for a pretence making long prayers and much more wickedness and prophaneness which from these Law and Gospel spoilers is long since gone forth into all lands By that little Cloud then which appears dropping from I.Os. pen though no bigger then a mans hand we can see his complexion and what muddy stuff was working what bloody storms of persecution were brewing in I.Os. mind against that more tender and true Tenet of perfect purging from sin in this life and the innocent Asserters of it and so I shall take him till he either takes in again that terrible tale of his or at least till he tells the world that it repents him that ere he told it for a joynt Antagonist to the Quâ— together with T.D. in that point Nevertheless T.D. being the only man that mannages that matter more at large on behalf of himself and many others I shall without more ado let this short Return stand as to I.Os. brief opposition of us in this point of perfection and the rather sith I believe it will be long enough ere it return from him to us again with any solid or satisfactory answer and address my self to deal more down-rightly yet no otherwise then uprightly neither with T.Ds. writing with whom I together with R. H. G. W. and A.P. also once have had to do about it by word of mouth The second Quest. between him and the Qua. as himself relates both it and what little he thought fit which is scarce one word to his ten in such manner also as might best serve his turn to set down of our Discourse with him about it 1 Pamp. was this Whether in this life the Saints attain to a state of perfection or freedome from sin Which we as to the possibility thereof viz. that they may and also as to the necessity that they must be purged from sin in this life or no where there being no Purgatory in the world to come holding in the affirmative T.D. brings in himself replying thus T.D. Your Doctrine of perfection is against the tenor of the Scripture let us hear what you can say for the proof of it And to R. H. urging 1 Ioh. 3.9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin T.D. replyes thus viz. T.D. That cannot be meant of freedome from sin but either there is an Emphasis in the word sin intending under that general â—eâ—m one kind or sort of sin which is spoken of 1 John 5.16 There is a sin unto death Or if not in the Substantive on the Verb Poiei which notes to make a trade of business of sin as 't is explain'd ver 8. where he uses the same Verb for the Devil sinneth from the beginning He hath never ceased to sin since he began thus indeed the Saints sin not but a course of sin is broken off and there is not such a free trade between the Soul and sin as in the state of unregeneracy whereof this is given for one character that cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2.14 Rep. 1. Here thou art in thy old wonted way of scruing the Scripture besides the proper import and ordinary literal sense of the words and true mind of the Spirit in them into thy
it in presenti will it follow that they were Sinners in presenti cuâ—us contrarium c. For as its most evident that the 10. v. is explanatory and expositive of the 8. to him that well heeds the 9. v. that comes between them So if he had not in one of them given out his own mind and meaning not thine about the other yet all that 's spoken in presenti is not as thou judgest spoken de praesenti but not a little of the same nature with this is by the Pen-men utter'd in praesenti in the present Time and Tenâ—e that relates not ad praesens but ad praeteâ—itum to the time past onely as uttered concerning that Iam. 3.8 9. he sayes of the tongue it s an unruly evill full of deadly poison and in praesenti therewith blesse we God therewith curse we men made after Gods Image alias Saints will any man be so simple as to conclude from hence that Iames and the Saints were now at this time câ—â—sers of men or of Saints that bare Gods Image or that he wrote this of himself and them de praesenti as concerning this present time wherein he writes it and not rather understand him as speaking of man as he is in the fall unrenewed in statu corrupto immorigero inconverso of men yet unconverted to the truth which teacheth better fruits then such bitter fâ—iâ—s as these which yet for all your blessing God with the same mouth ye national Ministers are found bringing forth at this day does he not speake it of men as they ly dead in trespasses and sins and so consequently of himself and the Saints as de praeterito concerning the time past who in times past had their conversation among such as Paul sayes Eph 2 2 3 Tit 3 2 So Rom â— 14 Paul sayes in praesenti I am carnall sâ—ld under sin I find a Law in my members carrying me captive into the Law of sin and much more then that in the present tense through that Chapter is any man but he whose own wisdome is all foolishnesse for want of heeding the measure of the light and Gods wisdomâ— in his own heart so foolish at to interpret Paul as speaking of himself and his present state in those words and so as to conclude that Paul while he in the Spirit of God wrote that Epistle to the Romans was carnall sâ—ld under sin enslaved to it carried captive by it led at the will of Sin and Satan as he had once been before the Light or Law in the Spirit and he came together at which time began the war before which war as he was in his contracted corrupt nature howere he thought not so till the Light shew'd it him Sin was alive in him and he dead in it and a servant to it under which war also if he kept not to his watch he might loose ground sometimes and gain it again as he recover'd to his watch to the light and stood arrayed with the Armour thereof in which continuing stedfast at last he obtained the victory of which he speakes in the same place ch 8.2 3 4. so that at praesent he witnessed the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ the light which warr'd in his mind against the Law of his members had now made him free from that Law of Sin and Death which once he was so pester'd with that he cryed out of himselfe ' as wretched by reason of it and witnessed also the Son of God condemning Sin so perfectly in his flâ—sts by Christs power in him that the righteousnesse of the Law was now fulfilled in himselfe and other Saints and himselfe walking not after the flesh but after the Spirit I say can any think Paul such a one but such as sell themselves to Folly not considering that Paul speaks of three states he had experienced one before the Law or Light when he lay dead in sin a 2 under it while he warred against it a 3 in Christ wherein he stood freed from and in full dominion over it but one of which 3 he could possibly be in at once and at this time and that was the 3d having passed the other two as is evident ch 8.2 hath made me free can any but benighted ones that being sold under sin themselves measure others by themselves Judge Paul to be the premises cosidered under the power of sin and unfreed from it at this present and that he wrote of himself as wretched de presenti because he wrote it in praesenti thus and thus I am had he not then subjected himselfe below the Saints he writes to of whom he sayes chap. 6. that even they were made free from sin as well he who were once the servants of it and yielded their members up to obey it as he was and did of which persons yet T. D. in the name of T. Rumsey simply says p. 47.1 Pamp. It cannot be meant simply that they were freed from sin because Paul c. 14.10 sayes not so much by way of condemnation say I as by way of caution to them that they should not judge and set aâ— naught one another for why dost thou there may be by way of memorandum and warning as well Christs how wilt thou and why beholdest thou thou hypocrite to his own Disciples Math. 7.2 3. and as Pauls other why dâ—st thou 1 Cor. 4. â— which was not by way of downright charge and censure but by way of prevention of such things as should not be and hint how it ought to be among them but undoubtedly Paul Rom 7. speakes as concerning how it was with him in times past when he lay under sin and while he passed throw his warfare against it being at present in the state of victory over it which state of victory the Scripture every where speaks of as that the Saints come to here even to the overcoming of the world and the lust of it while they live in it 1 Ioh. 5.4 5. Rev. 2. Rev. 21.7 which our Priests put far from themselvs and their people as a state attainable onely in the world to come Yea Oh the blindnesse that 7. of the Rom. for want of heeding the 8. together with it is made the common place of our blind guides and night-nursing Fathers from whence upon the account of Pauls out-cry O wretched man that I am to nourish up their sinning Saints from fainting under the burden of their necessary infirmityes and from whence to conclude Paul to have liv'd and dyed also without full freedom and perfect purging from his sins and themselves much more to be under a necessity of sinning and living casually while they live Which yet follows no more then it did from that of Iames above from both which it will follow as fully as from that of Iohn I am yet in hand with and that is indeed not one jot at all If we say we have no sin c. Who that hath sinned can say he hath no sin
to this purpose viz. that Paul Phil. 3.12 Denyes any such perfection as is exclusive of sin till that last and bodily resurrection from the dead which he looks not for in this life which answer he is so in love with that he hath it in his 1st pamp p. 10. and also ore again in his 2d Pamp. p. 6. Rep. I shall answer that no other wise then out of T. D's own mouth who as I am as to my self credibly enough inform'd by A. P. in a meeting among many at Sandwich since those publike disputes we had since the edition of both his books being 〈◊〉 the precise time wherein perfect purging is answered when the Soul being passed out of the body is in its passage between here and heaven or to that purpose which is but so and no somer must then be before the resurrection he talks of and if he will not be convinced by his own words that sin is excluded before the resurrection much lesse is it likely he should believe any of mine Adding this however viz. That if ye lye down in your graves with your bones full of sin ye shall rise with them full of sorrow was wont to be the Priests argument to the people to perswade them to a purging from all sin before they dye because no purging to be lookt after death much lesse so long of after as at the resurrection Verbum sat sapienti The next answer of T.D. is to the Argument urged from Psal. 119.1 2 3. which he who renders all we said as weakly lamely and decrepidly as he possiâ—ly can for his own ends repeats not half so much as by the halves for I wisht him him to heed all the 3. verses which were then peraphras'd to him and argued fâ—â—m in such wise as followeth viz. they that are undefiled in the way are not defiled in the way they that walk in the Law of the Lord do not transgresse it they that keep his Testimonies do not break them they that seek him with their whole heart serve him not by the halves not him and sin but him alone and wholly they that done iniquity do not sin they that walk in his way do not walk besides it but there were some or else they could not be pronounced blessed for the Spirit blesses not such men as are not and such now may be for quod fieri potuir potest what was then is possible to be now who are undefiled in the way walk in the Law of the Lord that keep his Testimonies and seek him with their whole heart who do no iniquity and walk in his way Therefore 't is possible that the Saints may be freed from sinning in this life The summe of what T. D. Replyes to all this is that the Phrases are hyperbolicall which is a little better at least but how much I list not here to tell then if T.D. had said they are hypocriticall or as his wonted replyes are when he can find no better as I have shewed above the meaning of the words cannot be as the letter of them doth import the Spirit meanes not as he sayes the Spirits meaning may be mistaken when his words are taken in the most ordinary liter all sense and so it would be if undefiled and doing no iniquity should be meant truely of being undefiled and doing none iniquity indeed p. 11. 1. Pamp. It s meant of having respect to all Gods Commandements in respect of design and endeavour though falling short in accomplishment v. 6. being explanatory of the other Rep. Oh the impudency of this man what have we for all this he sayes against the plain literall sense of the Spirits words whereby to assure us that the Spirit means not as his own words import but onely in that shambling sense which T. D. shuffles them into whose words must be taken T. D's or Davids and the Spirits the very literall sense of which is exclusive of all sin and defilement and strictly expressive of doing no iniquity at all who that is born of God doth not see T. D. to be a strict pleader for loosenesse and endeavourer to uphold the Dâ—vills Kingdom the Spirit pronounces them blessed and no more in whose whose Spirit there is no guilt that do no iniquity walk in in Gods way and keep his Testimonies or Commandements T. D. will bring in a bastard brood into this blessednesse that faâ—l short in the accomplishment of this that must be supposed at least to be ever respecting designing and endeavouring to do that businesse which yet notwithstanding all their respects designes and endeavours they are to believe they must never do it being not possible to be done they must alwayes dwell at the sign of the Labour in Vain and be striving to wash the Blak-More white and alwayes roling Sysiphus's Stone ever purifying never pure ever mortifying their earthly members fornication uncleannesse inordinate affection to the world evill concupiscence covetousnesse Idolatry Anger Wrath Lying Filthy Communication but never while they live obtain to witnesse these so mortifyed as to be no more committed least such an absurdity as this should follow that the Scripture which I confesse is found contradicting these meaning-makers on it be found contradictory to it self for quoth T. D. p. 59. 2 Pamp. all the Scriptures which require repentance and mortification during this life do deny the possibility of perfection For they and it are incompatible We are bid quoth he to mortify our earthly members inordinate desires motions and actions of corrupt â—nature that is constantly endeavour to represse and subdue them And there 's no reason but that Gods Commands should run in that old stile though we are not able to fulfill them Rep. Of all the peices of proof against the possibility of perfection that ever I heard made by T. D. himself or any other This is the most monstrously rediculous draw this rude and crude matter into its own form and the force of it runs ihus That which God requires and commands us to be alwayes doing and constantly endeavouring to do during this life can never possibly be done or effected during this life for if it be once fully done effected and accomplished then we can't be alwayes doing it and so not obey what God requires But God requires we should be alwayes mortifying constantly endeavouring to represse and subdue the actions of corrupt nature during this life Therefore its impossible unlesse we be left uncapable of doing what God requires that we should in this life perfectly mortify and subdue them In short that which must be ever in fieri while we live can't be in facto esse till we dy but we are in fieri to be alwayes purifying our selves while we live Therefore least there be no more work of that kind for us to do we may not lawfully or cannot possibly be pure till we ay Rep. This is even as handâ—ome a shift as if a Debtor promising to owe endeavour
to pay his Creditor 20l. should never pay it him upon the pretence of an impossibility to perform his promise if he do once pay the mony I must ever owe him the monâ—y and stand engaged to endeavour to pay it therefore unlesse I make my selfe uncapable of performing my promise which I am alwayes mindfull of performing I must never actually pay it But now as to T. D's place who would it seems willingly be alwayes in Gods debt during his life but never come out of it till after death ever owing so much love as fulfills the Law but never practising it so as to fulfill the Law I must arrest him for all his shift and deny the minor of his Argument We are not required to be alwayes doing or endeavoring to suppre is and mortify sin so as never to bring the work to accomplishment in th ss life but once to effect it before we dye for As they are blamed that are over learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the Truth So are they as little accepted that are allwayes seeking to God dayly in pretence as a Nation that had a mind to do Righteousness asking of him the Ordinances of Iustice seeming to take delight in approaching to God that they might know his wayes alwayes when the appointed time comes Fasting and Praying humbling and afflicting their Souls for a day and hanging down their heads as a Bullrush thinking that to be a Fast of the Lords chusing and the acceptable day of the Lord yet never loosing the bands of wickednesse nor undoing the heavy burden nor breaking every yoak nor letting the oppressed Seed of God in their own hearts nor without neither go free ever and anon fasting for sin never from it ever reforming never reformed ever running never obtaining alwayes making a shew of mortifying sin never making any true effectuall mortification of it ever warring never overcoming nor quenching the fiery darts of the wicked nor dislodging the vain thoughts that are in them nor coming to the end of the Commandement which is love from a pure heart good conscience and faith unfamed allwayes beating the aire but never keeping under the body nor bringing it into subjection to the power of Truth ever owing that love which works no ill but fulfills the Law never performing any thing but that hatred which breaks the law debtors alwayes to the Spirit but living after the flesh and never by the Spirit mortifying the deeds of the body that they may live to God such sluggardly wishers and wouldens and seekers and respecters and pretenders and striuers and runners fighters reformers and mortifiers will be cast away at length for all their constant endeavours sith they do not so much as look to overtake what they run after nor reach the high prize they professe to presse to in this life which if they do not themselves say also t is to late to effect and obtaine it after death But Qui cupit optatam cursu contingere metam Multa tulit fecitque puer sintavit alsit 'T is good for a man to bear Christs Yoak in his youth sith the Soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the Soul of the diligent shall be made far As for the residue of T. Ds. reply to the argument above as some of it has bin toucht on before so what was not is scarce worth mentioning He tells us v. 6. which talks of respect to all Gods Commands explaines all the other Rep. T. D. sayes so but wher 's his proof beside if it be so a true real respect though such a slender one as he rests in does not stands in a due and true observation of them is he worthy to be respected as a true respecter of Gods Commandements that breaks them T.D. David excludes himself from the blessed Estate if undefiled and doing no iniquity be meant strictly here sith his wish v. 5. and other passages shew he was not free from sin which surely David did not intend because Psal. 32.2.5 he pronounces blessednesse to the man in whose Spirit is no guile who is sincere as himself was at that time though then under the guilt as is supposed by interpreters of his great sin of murder and adultery for which Psal. 51. was composed Rep. 1st some of this dirty stuff I spoke to but a little before the falsehood of which is evident for whereas the Scripture sayes David was not upright in the matter of Uriah T.D. sayes yea he was sincere and had no guile in his Spirit when under the guilt of those great sins 2d as to the rest what if David did exclude himself If he were under those great evills he might well exclude himself from the blessednesse of sincere ones till he came into the sense of Gods Love again to repentance while he pronounced the undefiled ones blessed that did no such iniquity he had reason to take the curse as his own portion to himself and to cry out of himself Talaiporos Anthroyos O wretched man that I am more deservedly then Paul who though in zeal of God shedding blood yet was 't is like never such a deep Adulterer and deliberate Murderer as David was in Vriahs case and as God said to Israel Hos 9.1 so might David say to himself rejoyce not thou as other honest people for thou aâ—t gone a who â—ing from thy God and if that were his case as thou intimatest it was wherein he was so desperately defiled with filth and blind he might well exclude himself from it having no reason to take to himself the blessing of the undefiled or whether he excluded himself or no from it this I am sure for all thy foolish dreams about Davids good Condition Iustification Blessednesse and Vprightness whilst under the guilt of those sordid Iniquities that the Scripture excludes him in that case so far from blessednesse that it concludes him neither upright as thou simply dost not so much as a respecter of Gods Commands which at least thou dorest he was even when he called that all abomination whiles thou Judg him as Indeed thou doest to have respect to Gods commandments that despises both God and him for 2 Sam. 12. as much as thou smoothest over those abominable businesses the better to sooth thy self and some sinful Saints like thy self in your lusts and iniquities as no more then Saints infirmities who have respect to all Gods Commandemets in respect of design and indeavour though falling short in accomplishing yet when Nathan came to him well-nigh a year after he had lyen in that dirty pickle in impenitency under the guilt of those gross impieties he is so far from sowing pillows and daubing with such untempered morter as thou dost and from including him in the lists of sincerity and owning him as one that had respect to all Gods Commands that he convinces him of his wicked hypocrisies and condemns him as one that had despised both God himself and
all the former are asserted abundantly ore and ore again as truth by I O himself Ex 3 5 28 22 Therefore the conclusion is consequently true that its either here or no where Again they all say in opposition to the Pope ther 's no Purgatory in the world to come therefore it must be here or no where unlesse they know any other world between this present world that which is to come which middle world though I have heard some talk of a world in the Moon I am not yet acquainted with There be some therefore that sin not in whom the Law is not transgrest but sin condemn'd and judged in their flesh so that the Righteousnes of the Law by Christs Power is fulfild in them and they walk not after the the flesh but after the Spirit which is the end of Gods sending his Son in the likenesse of sinful flesh and of his sending out his light into mens hearts even that Law of the Spirit of Life which is in himself viz to make men free from that law of sin and death which sometimes they obeyed to condemnation and to condemn sin in the flesh and out of it also by his Iudgment brought forth into victory over it that his Righteousness might be Revealed and the Righteousness of the Law which he fulfilled in himself might be by him fulfilled in us also Many more passages truly there are in T D's and I O's books besides these many that have bin spoken to some of which are worth no more being but confusion then confutation and some of which also are not worth so much and therefore I shall draw to an end making many books and much writing being wearisom but by these men maybe admonished what a meer Fallible kind of guidance they must expect from their University Admired leaders while they hate the Light of God in their own hearts and hang only on their lying lips for their learning the plainSoul-saving Truth of Christ FINIS AN ADDITIONALL APPENDIX To the Book Entituled Rusticus ad Academicos OR The Country correcting the Clergy WHEREIN In somewhat a smaller Compasse and closer Circumference then that of the Volume it alludes to some few of those Rabbinical Riddles which yet are obvious enough in the other to any observant Reader are rendred more conspicuous to the observation of all To the end that all that have Eyes may see and a Heart may understand How the Scribes and School-men are unskild in the Scriptures How the Sun is set upon the Seers How it's night to the Diviners that they cannot divine How the Vision of all is become unto them as a Book sealed How blindnesse has befallen the Babel-Builders How the Race of the once Reverenced and Renowned Rabbies is wrap't up in Rounds in their so much respected writings against the Light How the Doctors are doting on a Divinity of their own The Teachers and Text-men tangled in their own talkings about their Text and the Priests pull'd down by themselves in their own Prate pretensively for i.e. Pro Scripturis but in very deed against both the very Text and the very Truth it talks on How among the Gameliels in general but more particularly among those four choice ones T. Danson I. Owen R. Baxter I. Tombs who as Representatives of the rest whose sense they speak and in whose behalfe they reason are reckoned with in the bigger Book abovesaid Ishmael-like Every mans hand is against every man and each mans hand against himselfe R.B.I.T. sometimes confuting I. O and T.D. and these foure sometimes confounding and contradicting each man himself and in a word dancing the Rounds together in the dark tracing too and fro crossing and capering up down in out and sometimes round about in the Wood of their own wonted wisdom in the clouds of their self-created confusion about sundry Doctrines they concurre in together by the ears against the Quakers Contradictionibus scatet Spiritus Enthusiasticus Vnusquisque asslatum habet ita faedè et apertè inter se aspiritu immundo committuntur ut vix duo eorum in eadem doctrinâ conveniant sed mirè digladiantes adversas et contrarias sententias quotidie venditant etiam in Nomine Dei se aliquotiès mutuò devovent et execrantur Itaque Nihil Certi ab i◠expectare licet The Enthusiastical spirit flows with Contradictions So fowlly apparently are they whifled by the evil spirit among themselves that scarce two of them can agree in one Doctrine but clashing wonderfully they daily vent opposite and contrary opinions often they even curse one another in the name of God therefore there 's nothing certain to be expected from them Quoth Iohn Owen Exer 3. Sect 34. Quid rides O sacerdos de te fabula narratur In Homine Domini ac in Nomine Domini saith the Proverb Incipit Omne malum By S. Fisher. London Printed for Robert Wilson 1660. AN ADDITIONALL APPENDIX c THat flood of Follies and Absurdities that loud of Confusions and self Contradictions which diffuses and shatters it self up and down by plats in sundry showers thorowout the sun dry Pages of these four mens Books Every eye that reads them as they lye at a distance in theirs and in mine by which theirs is more largely answered may possibly not set sight on them easily Therefore I shall cull some few of them only out for the whole number passes my skill to cast account of and clap them a little closer together Not so much to shame them as to honour the Truth which they would shame That they may be the more ready to be read and apparent to the view of every ordinary Reader That any save such as seeing will not see may see the Sword of the Lord already laid on the Arm and Right-eye of the Idol-Shepheard To the drying up of the one and the darkning of the other For perverting the right way of the Lord so that he not only seeth not the Sun of Righteousnesse which he loves not that it should shine as Elimas of old did not for his seeking to turn away the Governor from hearing the Faith Acts 13.10 11 13. nor yet the Moon of so much as common sense and reason but groaps about with him in the mist of his own muddy mind so as to need some to lead him by the hand and to shew him in answer to his Question 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 whereabouts he is and what a shaking sandy ground he stands on Self-Contradictions Confusions and Rounds about Iustification 1. As to the Doctrine of Iustification by Christ and his Righteousnesse within us 1. They tell us one while that the 3. Question debated on at Sandwich and held in the affirmative by the Quakers was stated in these terms Whether Our Good works are the meritorious cause of Our Iustification which is a Lye with a witness witnesse T.D. who tells it P. 14. of his first Pamphlet Otherwhiles to go round again leaving out
reward is the division of their tongues confound and jumble both together into one They tell us one while that truth Christ tells his Disciples Matth. 5. That except our righteousnesse exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees whose lives yet ad extra as to all outward appearance were as exact as they were strict in many Religious observations we shall in no case enter into the Kingdom Whereby they intimate we must live walk and obey Gods Holy Truth and will though by Christs assistance yet personally more spiritually then they Yea they tell us what the Gospel requires from us though it is to be done by Christ in and for us is a more total abstinence from evil and even lusting to it then the Law and so the Gospel to call for more full self-denyall then the Law if ere we live The one saying Thou shalt not commit adultery the other Thou shalt not lust the one Thou shalt not steak the other Thou shalt not covet the one Forswear not thy self the other swear not all the one thou shalt not kill the other Thou shalt not be angry without cause Otherwhiles to go round again They make the Law require more full and exact obedience to God then the Gospel The Law gives not life without perfect obedience quoth T.D. The Gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience 4. Again They tell us one while that is when they preach to their people and see no Quakers among them the same truths the Scriptures tell us concerning God that He is of purer eyes then to behold the least iniquity that God John 9.31 Accepts not owns not hears not sinners says to such as work it and depart not from iniquity Depart from me all ye workers of iniquity I know not whence ye are Matt 7.22 Luke 13.27 And though forgiving iniquity to the penitent when they confesse and forsake sin yet by no means clearing the guilty while they lye in impaenitency under sin Exod 34.7 That if the heart condemn God in greater then it and knows all and what the Light in the conscience speaks in way of that self-judgment that 's placed in us and seconds it to justification or condemnation accusation or execusation there needs no witnesse to convince a man quoth I.O. p 43.45 that it speaks it from God it discovers it's Author from whom it is in whose name it speaks So that if that as it does every sinner holds guilty God whose mind it speaks holds not guiltlesse Yea That he who justifies the wicked condemns the just even they both are abomination to the Lord as Pro 17.15 and much more of that sort i e when the Qua tell the same truths to turn men from all sin which is transgression or iniquity for not the least sin is equity that I know of then in opposition to the Qua they wheel about And Otherwhiles As if God were another manner of God Who because its impossible by the power of his own grace to be fully freed and perfectly purged from all sin here will give indulgency to his sinning Saints to go round again They tell us other tales of him whereby if Pro 17.15 be true they represent him as doing that in the doing of which he must be an abomination to himselfe viz 1. That he condemns the just witnesse T.D. who tells us that here the best works and personal performances of Beleevers and Saints themselves are imperfect sin iniquity dung losse unclean filthy rags though done by Christ in them And yet to go round again That God accepts alias is well-pleased delights and takes pleasure in both these Beleevers and their wicked works Witnesse the Supralapsarian Predestination Preachers who represent God as loving of few only as Iacob hating most men personally with Esau qua sic as men the creatures of his own Creation to shew his wrath power soveraignty over them as the Potter over the Clay of the same lump the Mistery of which matters of Iacob and Esau their meer mans wisdom sees no more into then a Moles eye into a Milstone not onely before they had done either but without reference to either good or evil foreseen to be done in time by either Adam their supposed Representative or themselves and the Sublapsarians also who represent God as by Praeterition at least rejecting most on the Account meerly of Adams single act without a respect to any personall actions of their own The least and best of which two do doctrinally make God a Condemner for ever of Millions of just innocents yea very infants as they blush not to infer for one fault of their Father Adam for whose only eating the sowr Grapes all the childrens teeth must be set on edge contrary to what God sayes now who will have that Proverb used no more but sayes as the soul that sinneth shall dye for his own so every man only for his own iniquity and not the son for the fathers any more then the father for the sons 2. That he condemns not but clears the very guilty justifies the very wicked and ungodly that not from for the Qua know that he justifies many ungodly Ones from their ungodlinesse they repenting not resisting his Spirit by which he would purg them but giving up to become the Godly whom only he hath chosen Ps. 4. but even in the most wicked and ungodly Actions and even whilest under the guilt of most abominable Transgressions so wearying the Lord whom they speak well of sometimes as a God of True-judgment with their evill words of him at other times when they say with the wicked Priests of whom God by Malachi complains ch 2.17 of such as do evil that they are good in the sight of the Lord and he delighteth in them or where is the God of judgement as if he who changes not and said of old Shall I count them pure c. Mic 6.11 did change and become another kind of God at one time then he is at another viz to count men righteous even while such treasures of wickednesse are in the house of their hearts as render them no lesse then wicked scanty and abominable and to count men as I know not that ever he did pure with their wicked ballances with their bag of deceitful weights while they are full of violence and speak lyes and their tongue is deceitful in their mouths Witnesse not only all other his fellow Pillow-sowers under their arms and Soothers up of sinners in their sins and Daubers of Evill-doers with the smooth untempered Morter of their Peace peace when there is no peace saith my God unto the wicked but T.D. himself above all the rest who p. 38. Pam 1. not only sayes but still stands to it and owns it or'e and or'e again as grosse as it is and Iustifies it for truth in his Reply to R. H. who charges it on him Justly as a grosse absurdity which I have above also more at large replyed to that
what they will let earthly Kings set themselves Rulers take counsel together as they will it s in vain if against the Lord and his anointed Christ Jesus his Son in his Saints whom he will set as his King in the Conscience and in his holy hill of Sion But rather kisse the Son lest he be angry and ye perish for ever from the way of your own peace for if his wrath be kindled yea but a little blessed are all they only that trust and hope in him Psal. 2. Contradictions and Rounds about the modern infallible teachings of Gods infallible Spirit III. As to our doctrine of the present guidance of Christs Church and Ministry by his own infallible spirit They tell us sometimes or at least yeeld to us when we tell them that at this day they only that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God that if any have not Christs Spirit and the guidance thereof which is an infallible Spirit and guidance for we know no fallible Spirit that he hath nor fallible guidance that that Spirit hath which leads undoubtedly all men and Ministers that follow it and not the lustings of the flesh against it into no sin out of all errour into all truth being truth it selfe and no lye and that some there are now that are led of that Spirit and walk after it and not after the flesh as then there were Rom 8. Gal 5. By and by they finding themselves erring and contradicting one another and no betier guided in things of God then by their own thoughts uncertain conjectures crooked conceits whereby they crosse one another in their several senses meanings about the one mind of Christ in that one writing which they call their Rule because they follow their own flashy fancies and not the Spirit and measuring all others by themselves To go round again they tell us another thing and make it no lesse then a matter of meer pretence and high presumption not so much as safely to be supposed that a man should be now Theopnuestos divinely inspired or infallibly guided by Gods Spirit in these dayes as it that Spirit did not continue his infallible but afforded only some kind of fallible guidance to his Church Ministry now and led them as R.B.I.T. also say the Light within did the Heathen p. 68. in somethings well in most into crooked and dangerous wayes and that makes these men sometimes bid men Attend and sake heed to it sometimes again cane pejus et angue reject detest and take heed of it as I shall shew more by and by Witnesse I.O. in the places above talkt with where he talks down all Divine inspiration and guidance now a dayes by the infallible spirit as matters but falsely pretended to p. 5 6. 63. 167. c. And T.D. who denys his own Ministry to be infallible and thereby proclaming those to be but fools who follow it accuses the Qua of falsehood with a witnesse for once offering to affirm this truth that theirs which yet is truly Christs Ministry is infallible As quoth he to the infallibillity of their Ministry 3 Jurates of Sandwich will testifie that they did affirm their Ministry to be infallible Which if it were not say I I would yeeld our selves to be as very fools who suffer for it as those would be who also suffer for attending to it Contradictions Confusions Rounds concerning the large love and rich mercy of God to all mankind IV. As to the doctrine of Gods great grace universal love and rich mercy to all men they extoll it in their Proclamations of it one while as an infinite boundlesse bottomlesse Bounty matchlesse Mercy endlesse Large love exceeding rich grace lifting up their voyces among all people to this or the like tune O the rich infinite unexpressible unconceiveable incomprehensible love of God in Christ Iesus to all mankind to the whole world so hath he loved the world a sic without a sicut that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever beleeves in him might not perish but have everlasting life God sent not be Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved he is not willing any one of you should perish but that all should come to repentance and be saved in the acknowledgement of his truth Therefore Ho every one that thirsteth come ye to the waters come and buy Wine Milke but without mony without price God is free of what he hath onely the Priests that have freely received and should as freely give give them their Fees let them have Money and Price and Pay and Augmentations and Maintenance enough God looks for nothing Come unto Christ all ye that labour and are heavy laden here 's rest for all your souls The Spirit and the Bride say come and who ever will let him come and take of the water of life freely Obje Oh but we are sinners will God own us Answ Art thou a sinner then who ere thou art thou art one of those Christ came to save become to save that which was lost to take away the sins of the world Obj Oh but we are great sinners wicked wretches such as never were the like multiplying sins transgressions is there any hope for us Answ If we confesse our sins he is faithful and just to forgive them pardoning iniquity transgression and sin Christ hath received gifts for the rebellious he tasted death for every man he is a propitiation not for some only but also for the sins of the whole world He opens the door of salvation to all His tender mercies are over all his works he delights to magnifie his mercy above all it rejoyceth against judgement Come all and welcome none shall be cast off in any wise that come to him he would have all to come he is not willing that any should perish Behold I bring you glad tydings of great joy to all people a Saviour is borne unto them from God there 's peace proclaimed good 〈◊〉 towards men Though they are enemies to him by wicked works yet God is in Christ reconciling the world to himselfe not imputing trespasses to any that will be reconciled unto him He swears that he hath no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth but had much rather that the wicked should turn from his wickednesse and live and therefore he hath sent his Son a Light to the Nations and so to be his Salvation even to the ends of the earth and this he also declares to men as his good will to them all and calling to all to look to him and be saved universally freely truly without mockage tendering peace to all offering salvation to all men intending no otherwayes then he sayes that every individual that turns to him shall have it and hath wrought in them to will and to do and now would have them will do hath given every one a Talent in which Trading he shall
of our wayes is reproved the wayes of God approved Now this is no small benefit to have the light to discern our errors which without light from Christ we should never have understood A wise Christian will be often judging himself by the light of the Law discovering his Transgressions That mâ—st needs be the Law in the Conscience which de facto shewes every mans own sins to himselfe It will be needfull not only to use the light of Christ to judge our selves by but also to order our actions by I am the light of the World saith Christ he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness There cannot be unsafe walking by Christs light there is no danger when Christ our light goes before walk in the light saith Christ while ye have the light lest darknesse come upon you how many millions are there of souls perplexed and tortured all their life with fears and doubts for want of walking by the light of Christ in Scripture which say I is that in the conscience which the Scripture mainly calls to and chusing rather to walk by a light and sparks of their own kindling alias their own wisdome conceits sences and meanings on the Scripture traditions in worship and such like which they call light which in the end either goes quite out or burns so dim as to leave them in darknesse of spirit and horror of conscience and no marveile since such as neglect the word preached which is that word of faith i.e. which men are to beleeve in unto life which the Scripture testifies and the Apostles preached to be nigh in mens hearts to heave and do it should follow the mares of humane reason the examples customes and dictates of men and in conclusion ly down in sorrow Isa. 40.11 Such foolish fires will lead to nothing but bogs and precipices but Christ the true light when his Gospell is followed which is the light in the heart 2 Cor 4.5 6. guides the feet of men into the way of peace The light of Christ is to be used as our weapons or Tools to defend ourselves or to work with let us put off the works of darknesse and put on the armour of light the truth is light is the chiefest instrument for safety and worke if a man be without light he can neither defend himself nor offend an enemy he that would make use of Christs light must be armed with his doctrine he that would improve the light must be a doing the businesse which the word of Christ directs him to and to that end it mark must dwell richly in him Make use of the light of Christ for thy comfort and rejoycing it is it which removes doubts griefs fears despair in life or death Oh how sweetly might men live how comfortably might they dye if they did make use of it Thus highly do these two men R.B. I.T. speake of the light of Christ within which the Qua preach yea that in the very Heathen though they oft call it naturall yet they recommend it as that which told the truth to the heathen which they holding in unrighteousnesse were under wrath and without excuse before God because they glorified him not as God but were fill'd with unrighteousnesse and did the things which by that of God in them they knew judgment was due to and that they were worthy of wrath Ignorance of the Law being not to be pleaded by them say they who sin against the innate light of their own spirits for as much as that fact must needs be voluntary which is done against the knowledge and judgment of a mans own conscience And yet somtimes to go round again they tell us that when their Saints sin through infirmity only as T. D. judges David did when he was guilty of murder and adultery which when they doe they act against the knowledge and judgment of their own consciences their facts are not voluntary but altogether yea utterly against their wills Yea p. 41. They seem to judge themselves much belyed by the Qua. for denying the light within and set themselves to vindicate themselves from that as a false aspersion as if they were men that do truly own the light within as much as any yea they there make a use of Application of their Doctrine about the Light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the World to justifie themselves against the Qua as owners and honourers of the light within and to warn men that they act not against their Light within to this purpose we may infer say they a plea for our selves against the unjust accusations of the Qua who use to charge publick preachers with denying the light within each man whereas such light is not at all denyed by them each person is to make use of the light within that he do not rebell against the light a mans own conscience is a Law to him c. This and much more do these men when they are pleased to begin of themselves confesse to the excellent usefullnesse and sing out to the praise of the light of God within each man but if the Qua fall in with them in the same work and commend the same light for t is no other but that of Christ the Qua cry up in the same words with the Priests then in enmity against the Qua they set themselves to cry it down with as much indignation and detestation as they cryed it up with approbation and high commendation before Then to go round again they sing a new song in contempt of it to the Time that hereunder followeth inveighing most heavily and bitterly against the Quak for this businesse of warning men to take heed to the Light within to that of God in their consciences calling both it and them no lesse then all to nought witnesse their clamours against the Qua for this very thing in Baxt. Epist. p. 7. Their i.e. the Quâ— great pretence when they dishonour the Scripture and the Ministry is to lead men to a light within them and this is their cry in our Assemblies and our streets hearken to the light and word within you and the sufficiency of this they clamourously defend So p. 6. They i.e. the Quakers assert that there is a light in every man sufficient to guide him to God of it self that it is a Rule to shew duty and sin that there 's no need of other teaching of man that this is one in all that it is the Gospell this is the main prop of the new Anti-christian Religion or frenzy of the Quak and leads them into pernitious courses So p. 41. A mans own light cry they speaking of that of God in the Conscience of all men which somtimes themselves call no lesse then Gods Law in them which is in them but not of them nor naturall but spirituall holy just and good cannot warrant of it self without the Scripture a mans actions to be lawfull which he doth according to that light And
in his name and done great things nevertheless for as much as they departed not from iniquity they shall be doom'd from Christ with Dâ—part from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not 16. Then shall the whole multitude of Transgressors of the Law i. e. of the Light of God in the conscience by which all even those that have not the Law written in an outward letter are a Law to themselves having the work of the Law written in their hearts that the Lamb of God came not to tolerate but to take away the sin of the world and that Iesus was sent not to give liberty to sin but to set his people at liberty from their sins and that in the greatest liberty wherwith Christ freeth his people there is the least licence and that the Father having raised up his Son hath sent him to blesse men they turning away every one of them from his iniquitie that those blessed ones to whom the the Lord imputeth not sin whâ—se iniquities aâ—e forgiven whose sin is covered are such in whose Spirit there is no guile and that there is in no wise any remission of sins unto those who still accustome themselves to a dayly commission of them 17. Moreover the great and terrible day of the Lord now cometh wherein the Light which is risen in the conâ—ciences of men shall dayly more and more clearly shine forth in which also the â—he book of conscience must be opened that â—ut of it all men may be judged according to all things that are written therein where by the Light which is Gods faithfull witness all sin is written down in the sight of God as with a Pen of Iron in which day by the Light God will come night to us to judgement and then the righteousness grace and mercy of God shall be revealed towards all who standing still in his Light wait for him to come as a Redeemer to them from their impieries that they may be saved from the wrath that is to come upon all the children of disobedience by which light the wrath of God shall be manifested from Heaven in their own conâ—ciences against all ungodliness unrighteousness of men who retain the Truth in unrighteousness in which day God will reign down upon the wicked Snares Fire Brunstone and an horrible tempest all which things shall be the portion of their Cup. 18. Moreover in the hand of God there is now a cup and the Wine thereof is Red and it is full of mixture and he poureth one of the same and Iudgment is begun at the House of God and God hath begun to bring evil upon the people upon whom his Name is written and his Nature Image is imprinted they whose portion it is not in such a measure as they have drunk of the Cup of abomination and fornication have drunk also of the Cup of indignation and wrath before they could take the Cup of Salvation and praiâ—e the name of the Lord in no wise therefore shall the wicked go unpunished but the worshippers of the Beast and those that receive his image must drink also of this wine which is poured one of the mixture into the cup of his indignation and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angells and of the Lamb yea the very dregs hereof the top whereof the Children of the Light and of the Day have tasted the Children of the Night and of the Darkness that is all the wicked ones of the earth shall drink and wring them out 19. Wherefore whilst in the long suffering of God opportunity is not wanting unto you whilst the day of your Visitation is neer unto you from God let my councell be accepted of you All and turn your selves to the light of Christ in your own consciences and take councell thereat for ever which seriously and sincerely minding you shall be taught by Christ himself whose Testimony to you from heaven that is to your both externall internall and eternall Peace and Salvation and shall be brought to Christ himself and to see him and his Father from both whom it comes to the saving knowledg of whom there can be no coming any other way whatsoever for as the Sun of this outward world is not seen but by that Light which flows from it self unto us so neither is the Sun of righteousnesse but by that measure of Light how little soever it be that shines from him in the heart 20. For although the Scripture which speakes of the Light and directs to the Light maketh mention of the Father and of the Son so that there ye may read of them and speak of them also according to what ye there read yet this the Scripture it self witnesseth that none can know either the Father or the Son but he to whom the Father and the Son do mutually reveal each the other whose revelation also is made within for that which may be known of God sufficient to Salvation is manifest in men saith Paul for God doth manifest it in them and the Gospell is preached in every creature which is under heaven by the Light of God in the conscience so that they are left inexcusable before God who else would be excusable blameless forasmuch as though they know God yet they glorify him not as God neither like to retain God in their knowledge but knowing the judgement of God that they which do such things as they do are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but have pleasure in those that do them 21. In the mean while we do not affirm Christ himself to be in all men who yet is known to be in all that are not Reprobates as that hope of glory nevertheless all for there is no difference but what is made by different degrees of light which do not vary the nature of the thing have some measure or other of his Light at least one Talent committed to them that they may trade therewith to profit withall which using well and doubling they have entrance into the joy of their Lord but hiding of which and not gaining therewith they shall be thrust out at last from the light they have into the utter darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth This Light therefore shines in all even the heatheâ— in some measure although not in all in the same measure 22. To the measure of which Light of Christ which in you is you will do well to take heed while you have it as unto a light shining in a dark place to give you the knowledge of your Salvation and guide your feet in the way of peace and that you may find true rest to your burdened and wearied souls and lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth nor at what he stumbles 23. This Light is the Law of God for the law is light saith the wise man written not
as an horn of salvation in us his people that we being delivered from all our Enemies among which sin even in our selves is the chiefest and from the hands of all that hate us as all sinners do such as preach to them that unpleasing doctrine of perfect purging from the sins they love might serve him without fear in holinesse and righteousnesse all the dayes of our life For as much therefore as in this book of R.B. and T.D. I find them at present uttering so much as that above and perhaps more but that I hasten that makes for it and yield us Arguments out of that their own Armory in proof of that perfect freedom from sin here which we plead for but nothing directly against it though they are against it I shall therefore having made use of that little of theirs above that is very much to our purpose against them quit these 2. R.B. and I.T. And addresse more directly to I.O. and T. D's Deliveries of themselves as against that Doctrine And as for I.O. I have so much the lesse to say to him by how much 't is but little that he meddles in that matter throughout that whole book of his I have herein had to do with but for as much as that little in bulk is as stark naught as it 's nothing to his purpose he must excuse me if for truths sake I be as blunt with him as he is keen and bloody against the Teachers of it and as plain in opening his contradiction to him as 't is plain that he contradicts himselfe in what he sayes against it in the very sight and open view of all men I confess he dilates not so largely against it as T.D. does but barely and nakedly nibbles about the business Yet he puts forth such a Paw as wherby we may guesse how rudely unreasonably Rampant he would be in his repulses of us in that point if we that hold it were not as much out of his reach as 't is out of the reach of the best wisdome he hath to render one solid Reason at all against it One thing that I.O. sayes whereby we may clearly conclude him to be one who as cloudily concludes there 's no attainment to a perfect purging from sin in this Life is this viz. Having in proof of its perfection from its efficacy to effect its own end spoken above of the immediate end of the Scripture to be direction in our knowledge of God and that obedience that is due to him that doing his will as none when he sins does we may attain salvation which is from sin sure or from nothing and the enjoyment of himselfe and told us that the perfection of all discipline consists in its efficacy to effect its own end so that that onely is to be held perfect which is sufficient to effect its end and that imperfect which is not of force to effect it and how in this very respect the Scripture is a most perfect rule as it accomplishes its foresaid end and telling us also that the use of the Scripture by which this end is effected is only in this present world sith the Scripture ceases as to all its uses ends and purposes in that to come and consequently must either effect that its end even our perfect salvation from sin here or not at all so prove it selfe to be contrary to what I.O. sayes of it viz. no perfect Rule he tells us withall to the utter contradiction of his assertion as to the Scridtures perfection being it semes principled against the Qua. as to the point of perfecting holyness so as to cleansing from all sin and left hee run upon that dangerous rock of runing out of all lust while he lives here that its a most false thing to affirm that the holy Scripture doth or can while we are in this world obtain all its own end in respect of us which end he had said before is our obeying God and doing his will which is not to sin 1 Iohn 2.1 and our salvation which is from sin Thus Incidit in Scyllam c. The man of sin to avoid one extream which he is extreamly against viz. being ruined against the rock of perfection he runs down extreamly into another viz. the gulf of self contradiction and confusion Verbum sat sapienti I need do no more to the opening of this round to wisemen then to set it down before them thus for this is the sum of I. Os. sayings nothing is perfect but what effects its end the end of the scripture is making men perfect this end the Scripture cannot effect in this Life for here 's no perfection nor can the scripture effect this end in the life to come for there it ceases to work and effects nothing at all yet the Scripture the perfection of which can consist in no other thing then its effecting its end which end it never effects is for aâ—l that most perfect What more I.O. sayes in short is this That the Fanaticks so he is pleas'd still to stile the Qua. a seed among whom some at least are the most sincere Saints that are at this day upon the earth are not perfect tâ—eiâ—lyes deceits bainour wickednesses and hypocrisies do testifie to us but in very deed punishments and imprisonments ought to be inflicted upon them that impudently glory that they are free from all these and other sins even the least Rep. I.O. it seems and the rest of his Gang of Ghostly Fathers and godly Gameliels are sentenced already by himself as worthy to be persecuted in such wise as the Qua. have been at Oxford by his means and punisht and imprisoned as Impudent Boasters if ever they shall pretend whilst here on earth to be free from lying and fraud and wickedness and hypocrisie and other sins specially if from the least or from all uncleanness of flesh and spirit all ungodliness and worldly lusts which yet they 'l tell men sometimes in a sound of stoln words from those Texts of Paul 2 Cor. 7.1 8 Tit. 11.12 13. they must cleanse themselves from deny and have nothing to do with in this present world because else there 's no purging in the world to come So that we see what fruits we are to expect from that Fraternity of false Prophets and what little likelihood of peoples being much profited by these stealers and sellers of the Apostles good words when they believe it even impossible that the things they impose in the Name of God themselves or any people here where they say it must be done if ever should be impowred to perform 2. I query Whether if Paul had come to Oxford in the time of I.Os. Vice-Chancellorship there and made the same modest confession to the praise of God no other then which the best of the Qua. ever made which he made that he was once in his own conceit alive without the Law or till he and the Law i. e. the Light came