Obedience either to the Law without or Law or Light within they are like to fall short of it because they seek it not by Faith they stumble at that stumbling stone viz. the Lord Jesus Christ and thereby miss of that glorious Redemption once purchased for us by the Sacrifice of the Cross Do not let any so grievously beguile thee as to cause thee to conclude That the Sacrifice of our blessed Saviour's Crucified Body once offered to bear the Sins of many was but only as a pattern or figure of things which must be wrought again and done over in us and so conclude that this Light and Teacher within which you say you know is the true Christ and that there is not another and that thou must by the Power and Means of it attain to the same degree of Holiness and Perfection which was in our blessed Mediatour and so by that inherent Holiness alone wrought in thee place thy hope and confidence fixing thy Faith on a mysterious Sacrifice and Offering within and not having a dependency on that glorious Sacrifice of Christ's Crucified Body without which was once offered to take away sin Heb. 9. 26. By which one Offering he hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. The Atonement is already made Redemption Reconciliation and Justification hath been fully compleated and finished in and by our Lord Jesus for us once for all The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all Isa 53. 6. He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. The Debt is paid and Satisfaction made yet I fear notwithstanding the Teacher which is so near thee of which thou speakest thou still remainest in Prison and Darkness not knowing the way out of thy captivated state which is by the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant How doth Ignorance and Unbelief as chains and fetters bind many in Satans kingdom notwithstanding the glorious Freedom purchased by the Lord Jesus The Price may be laid down for the Captive and yet the Prisoner remain bound the work of Faith with power I have cause to doubt you are yet a stranger to though you speak of very high Attainments your judgment is corrupt notwithstanding your confidence as further may appear Thou sayest That to be a Convert in the way I do approve of will do thee no good at all for there is nothing of the Cross of Christ in it and thou sayest thou seest it vanity Now to convince you of your great mistake and to make appear that I am acquainted with the power of true Conversion and that it is the same that Christ approves of Consider that I do own and approve of that Conversion that is taught by Christ and his Apostles in the holy Scriptures that a man must Repent that true Repentance is a through change of the mind and that it consisteth in these three things A clear sight and sense of sin and of the woful state and condition of lost and fallen Man upon the account of transgression And Secondly Godly sorrow contrition and brokenness of heart in the true sense of the heavy weight and burden of it And Thirdly an utter abhorrence turning away from and forsaking of it And also I do hold and maintain that Faith is required and must be wrought with power in the hearts of the Penitent whereby the Creature turns to Christ and applyes the vertue of his Merits Blood and Righteousness to his own Soul and hereby the Soul is translated out of daakness into light and so cometh to experience the in-dwelling of Christ's Spirit in his heart by which he comes to hate that which formerly he loved and loveth that which once he hated for notwithstanding I do plead for the imputed Righteousness of Christ Faith and Interest in the Satisfaction and Atonement made once and not again to be made by his blood yet do I also plead for spiritual Conformity to him both in his Death and Resurrection and that a man must die to sin and rise to newness of life For though Christ paid the Debt and laid down a Price which the Father accepted of yet till the coming of his Spirit and Grace with power into my heart for the binding of the strong man Satan and killing of my Corruptions my Soul was not brought out of the horrible Pit This blessed Change I through the Grace of God in my measure do experience and this is the conversion I approve of by the power and means of which I am laid at Christ's feet wholly exalting Him and Free-grace who did not only work Salvation for me but hath helped me to apply it having wrought this glorious work of Regeneration in me by which I am made willing to follow and obey him as my King and Sovereign And this is not to be less or more Righteous than what God accepteth and approveth of and it is my trouble and grief thou dost not Is here nothing of the Cross of Christ appearing to you and is this vanity Surely you would otherwise conclude were not your Light Darkness But to proceed Thou tellest me thou dost not say the keeping of the Commandments of Christ is vanity God forbid but to strain the Commandments of Christ to a form of Worship which is not according to the Spirit to Bread Wine and Water which was to be held in practice but till Christ come and Christ is come the second time c. Answ I shall answer thee in this And first if you mean and conclude we strain the Commands of Christ so to the Ordinances of the Lord's Supper and Baptism that we own no other Ordinances and Commands you falsly accuse us for those things you mention which Christ requires we also own namely Love your Enemies bless them that curse you and pray for them that persecute you c. We plead dear Sister for universal Obedience these things ought to be done and the other ought not to be left undone But again who of us go about to strain the Commands of God to a form of Worship which is not according to the Spirit that form of Worship or Doctrine that the Apostle commended the Saints for obeying Rom. 6. and abiding in was not contrary but according to the Spirit of God if you own the Holy Scriptures to be indited by the Spirit of which Form of Doctrine those Ordinances were part which you hint at as these Scriptures prove Acts 2. 38 41 42. Acts 10. 47. Rom. 6. 3 4. Heb. 6. 1 2. And if it be contrary to the Spirit you are led by to own those Commands of Christ which the Primitive Saints did own and were commended for holding as they were delivered you have cause to conclude the Spirit you are led by is not the Spirit of God for God's Spirit doth not guide contrary to the Word and Doctrine of his Son Joh. 16. 13 14. To the Law and
given many times as the answer of their Prayers their Supplications to God for to give it plainly shews it was not in their power of the Apostles to give it Secondly That Baptism which is here intended which our Lord commanded his Apostles to baptize with was the Baptism which after his Ascension they did baptize with and that 't is evident was Water Can any man forbid Water saith Peter Acts 10. 47. that these should not be baptized c. 't is said They went both down into the Water both Philip and the Eunuch Acts 8. 38. Now the Baptism here commanded must needs remain to be practised to the end of the World Because whatsoever is here given forth by Christ is given forth as he is King and Mediatour of the New Covenant and as part of his last Will and Testament and his last Will and Testament stands in full force and vertue to the end of the World unalterable and whosoever brings any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Because 't is the mind of Christ that whatsoever he Commanded them should be taught successively to the Nations And his Spiritual Presence being promised unto the end of the World to all those that did keep and observe whatsoever he there commanded them plainly proves that the practice of all those Ordinances were to be kept up to the end of the World But again To prove that the practice of Water-Baptism doth remain in full force and vertue after the coming of Christ in Spirit I need not go further to make it appear than the second of the Acts. Christ made good the Promise of the Comforter or his coming to his Disciples in Spirit as you may see in the beginning of that Chapter by the help and power of which Spirit Peter preach'd to those Jews that had put Christ to death and many of them being pricked in their hearts cryed out What shall we do Then said Peter vers 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ and you shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit And vers 41. 't is said Those that gladly received the Word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand Souls This observe was after that coming of Christ which you speak of Do you think that the Apostle Peter in the Name and Authority of Christ Jesus would have commanded so many persons to be baptized if he had understood Water-Baptism ceased at the pourings forth of the Spirit or the practice of it was to remain no longer Besides was not the Eunuch baptized in Water after the coming of Christ in Spirit Acts 8. 41 42. and many in the City of Samaria and was not Paul baptized by Ananias Acts 9. and Cornelius and those with him after the coming of Christ in Spirit with many others that I might mention and yet you very ignorantly affirm That the practice of it was to remain no longer than till Christ so came as aforesaid I might now come to Answer another Objection that some of your judgment bring against this Appointment of Christ and then come to examine the remaining part of your Letter 't is grounded from Paul's words 1 Cor. 1. 14. I thank God I baptized none of you save Crispus and Gaius Observe by the way That though this is brought as an Objection against Baptism yet the Objector doth thereby confess the Baptism here intended is that of Water and then by your own confession Paul baptized after the coming of the Comforter or Christ in Spirit But you say he thanks God he baptized no more Indeed too many by them if the practice of it were out of doors before But to return you an Answer take his next words for it he gives you the reason why he thanked God he baptized no more 't is not because the practice then was not in force but lest any should say he baptized in his own Name many amongst them were grown so carnal as to slight or else to idolize their Teachers and ready to accuse the Ministers of Christ with unfaithfulness as if they did that in their own Names which they did in the Name and Authority of Christ Jesus and this was the cause of his speaking those words But 't is objected That he doth affirm Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel Answ Paul doth not intend by his so speaking that he had no Authority from Christ to baptize but rather to show that his chief work was to Preach the Gospel He gives us to understand that to baptize was not the alone and chief business he was sent to do but his great work was to Preach the Gospel This word not is not alwayes used as an absolute Negative for then Christ utterly forbids all outward labour Joh. 6. 27. where he commands them Not to labour for the meat which perisheth c. and by the same Argument we may conclude also that Adam was not at all deceived because Paul saith expresly 1 Tim. 2. 14. Adam was not deceived but the Woman It is clear the Apostle meaneth Adam was not first deceived I might give divers instances of the like kind but this shall at present suffice as to the Answer of this Objection I shall now come to examine the next part of your Letter these are your very words being a Repetition and Reply to some part of that which I formerly wrote unto you Thou speakest of the Body of Christ after he was risen again and sayest That after that he spake with his Disciples and gave them Commandments that then he Ascended with the same Body into Heaven which words are not agreeable to the Scripture Brother be not too wise in thy own conceit for it is no where said That flesh and blood is Christ but Jesus Christ came in the flesh Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. But one in a certain place saith That he first descended into the lower parts of the Earth and he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things Ephes 4. 9 10. Beware at any time thou opens thy mouth against the true Light that lightneth every man which cometh into the World for it is the pure Principle which is owned by the scorned People called Quakers and ought to be owned by thee also Oh Brother come out of your beggarly Elements and turn to the Light which reproves for sin and believe in it and it will certainly take away thy sin Surely he is come yea he is come felt heard and understood c. Answ What I formerly wrote unto you concerning Christ and of his appearing to his Disciples after he rose again from the dead and that he ascended with the same body into Heaven is expresly according to the words of the holy Scriptures And for being wise in my own conceit I have otherwise learned Christ and the wisdom
LIGHT From the SUN of Righteousness Discovering and Expelling Darkness OR The Doctrine and some of the corrupt Principles of the People called Quakers briefly and plainly laid open and refuted Containing a Reply to an Answer of a Letter written formerly by the Author to his own Natural Sister dwelling in the Island of Barbadoes Published for common benefit but more especially for the good of poor weak wavering Christians to help and recover them out of the snare of Satan By H. G. Luke 22. 32. When thou art converted strengthen thy Brethren 2 Pet. 1. 19. We have a more sure word of Prophesie whereunto ye do well that ye take heed c. Isa 8. 20. To the Law to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no sight in them Printed in the Year 1672. Light from the SUN of Righteousness discovering and expelling Darkness My Dear Sister YOurs I have received dated the 22 of the 9th Month 1671 which contains an Answer to a Letter of mine bearing date the 21 of the 8th Month 1670 which was written in tender love and affection to your precious Soul in which I was moved to forwarn and caution you concerning the evil and Soul-undoing Principles of the People called Quakers to whose pernicious Doctrine I had some doubts and jealousies you were ready too much to hearken and incline unto And by this Answer of yours I perceive you are now exceedingly drove away by the stream of their Delusions and have sucked in the Venom of their poysonous Doctrine which is no small grief and trouble to my Spirit to think that you a near Relation of mine and one which sometime since I had such good hopes of should by the subtile Wiles of Satan be in your Old Age so grievously beguiled it wounds my Soul to think you should be so rooted and grounded in their Principles none being more repugnant to the Fundamentals of Religion and the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ I am afraid that these Lines may come too late yet not knowing whether the Lord hath yea or no utterly given you up to blindness of mind to believe lyes that so you should be damned for not receiving the truth in the love of it that you might be saved 2 Thess 2. 10 11 12. I have sent you these Lines as a further discharge of my Conscience and that I may be pure from your Blood in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ and that it might not only be of profit through the blessing of God to you but also to others whom God in mercy may please to recover out of the snare of the Devil in the Island of Barbadoes or elsewhere to whom they may come I have been at the Charge of Printing them And these may certifie you in the first place that I have diligently examined and seriously weighed the chief Heads or most material things contained in your Letter and by comparing them with the holy and blessed Scriptures of Truth and weighing them in that most Sacred Ballance of the Sanctuary I find them as light as vanity being nothing else save the aiery Notions of a poor deceived People by whom your Soul is deluded and most sadly and grievously captivated which by the assistance of God I shall indeavour to make appear before I have done And that I might distinctly Answer your Lines and refute you and others also that are of your judgment I shall begin with the beginning of your Letter which is as followeth Brother G. I Did receive a Letter from thee dated the 21 of the 8th Month 1670. with kind expressions of Love to me both to my Soul and Body as thou hast there express'd which in love to thy Soul I now am willing to Answer for a little strength is administred to me into the Everlasting Kingdom since first I have received the Truth First As to thy Love I do receive as from my Natural Brother and I hope I have not forgot natural affection But as for thy Counsel to my Soul I do faithfully believe that I have chosen the good part which shall never be taken from me I bless and praise the Lord I know a Teacher near me that shall never be hid in a Corner Thou sayest though distance of place and Age drawing on upon us both yet that we may meet together in the Resurrection of the Just As for the Resurrection of the Just I am risen again with Christ yea the Just one is risen in me Glory to his Name for ever Oh! what manner of love is this c Thou sayest There was a time that thou hadst hopes that I should become a Convert of Christ Truly Brother to be a Convert of Christ the way thou approvest of would do me no good at all for there is nothing of the Cross of Christ in it and I see it vanity for there are just men to whom it happeneth according to the work of the wicked Eccles 8. 14. therefore the Wise mans Counsel is be not over righteous 7. 16. I do not say the keeping the Commands of Christ is vanity but to strain the Commandments of Christ to a form of Worship which is not according to the Spirit to Bread Wine and Water which was to be held in practice but till Christ came and Christ is come the second time of which coming no mention is made of Bread Wine nor Water Answ Before I shall repeat more of thy Letter I shall make some Reply to this first part I shall pass by several expressions which serve for little else than to demonstrate the corruption of your judgment And in the first place I shall call into question your confidence about your choosing the better part Sister How dare you conclude you have chosen the good part with Mary whilst you refuse to hear the teaching of the true Saviour Mary gave ear to what her Lord and Master declared and taught she sate at his feet and heard his word it was not only the Teacher or Light within she gave ear to but also to the Doctrine and Counsel of the Man Christ Jesus without whose Disciple and Scholar you must come to be and follow his Counsel and Doctrine as it is contained in the holy Scripture and till which time never flatter your self so as to conclude you have chose the good part Secondly as touching your knowledge of the Teacher that is near you or the Light within which the Quakers say is in every Man and Woman that comes into the World You are mistaken and have not a right knowledge of that Teacher and this I shall evidently make appear for this alas is your grand mistake you speak of this Light more than is true or doth agree with that Doctrine that is according to Godliness You exalt it above the holy Scriptures nay you and others of your judgment make a God and a Christ of it You bid me in one place of your Letter own this
Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. But why dare you say That the practice of Bread Wine and Water was to be held no longer than till Christ came By his coming you intend his coming in Spirit That this is false and contrary to holy Scripture I shall evidently make appear And first I shall begin with the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper which you call Bread and Wine and that the practice of this continues and remains in full force and virtue to the end of the World or until the Second coming or Appearance of Christ in Person and that he is not so come the second time I shall also prove to thee before I have done That the practice of breaking Bread and drinking Wine in remembrance of Christ's Death remains after the coming of Christ in Spirit I prove by these Arguments following First Because the Apostle Paul did receive this from our Saviour as a glorious Appointment and Institution of the Lord Jesus a considerable time after the coming of Christ in Spirit The Promise of the Comforter or Christ's coming in Spirit was performed and fulfilled to the Sainrs some days after his Ascention as may be seen in the second of the Acts and it was some time after this before Paul was converted unto Christ For Paul after the coming of the Spirit according to the Promise of the Father and our Lord Jesus remained in darkness and was a Persecutor of the Saints and yet see I beseech ye what he affirms to the Church of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. 23. For I received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took Bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me and after the same manner also he took the Cup c. Now if Paul received this after that coming of Christ which you speak of as an Institution and Divine Appointment of the Lord Jesus as it appears plainly he did then that which you affirm is utterly false and to be rejected But Secondly The Apostle did not only receive this from Christ after the coming of Christ in Spirit but also did deliver it as Christ's Appointment to the Saints That which I received of the Lord saith he I also delivered unto yon Thirdly I argue further That this Ordinance doth remain in force and the practice of it to be held up after the coming of Christ in Spirit because the Primitive Saints did abide in the practice of it after the pouring forth of the Spirit according to Christ's Promise as appears Acts 2. 42. They continued in the Apostles Doctrine in breaking of Bread and Prayer compare this with Acts 20. 7 11. also 1 Cor. 11. 20. to the end Fourthly Consider The end of this Ordinance doth remain notwithstanding the pourings forth of the Spirit and therefore the Ordinance must needs remain which is to confirm our Faith in the true Saviour and to keep up our Love to him who gave his Body to be broken and his Blood to be shed for our sakes This is to be done to shew forth his Death until he come And these things considered which hath been said 't is plain it cannot intend his Spiritual Coming or the giving forth the holy Spirit the Comforter according to his promise And that he is not come the Second time without sin to Salvation as you seem to affirm doth appear First Because his coming that day shall be visible Every eye shall see him Rev. 1. 7. Secondly Because his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Zech. 14. 4. and he shall come in the same manner as he went up to Heaven Acts. 1. 11. Thirdly Because the Saints which had the highest attainments of the Spirit or to whom Christ was Spiritually come as gloriously as ever he came to any of the Saints did notwithstanding that still expect look and wait for his coming from Heaven See 1 Cor. 1. vers 4 5 6 7. I thank my God alwayes on your behalf for the Grace of God which is given to you by Jesus Christ tht in every thing ye are inriched by him in all utterance and all knowledge even as the Testimony of Christ was confirmed in you mark that So that ye come behind in no gift waiting for his Son from Heaven If Christ was not spiritually come to these who was he come to and yet they waited for his coming The Saints at Thessalonica are said to turn from Idols to serve the true God and to wait for his Son from Heaven 1 Thess 1. 9 10. and unto those that look for him saith the Apostle He shall appear the Second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. The beloved Apostle who injoyed so much of the Spiritual Presence of Christ yet desired and looked for his coming Which clearly shews that his Second coming is another manner of coming than that which you speak of for when he comes he comes with all his Saints and holy Angels with him and when he comes the Graves shall be opened and the Dead shall be raised yea the dead Bodies of Men and Women 1 Thess 4. 16. You say that you are risen from the dead already and Christ is come the Second time but be assured of this you will find another Resurrection Coming and Judgment ere long than this I could wish it were so indeed that thou hadst part in the true work of Regeneration that so in that day thou mightest have part in the first Resurrection for the dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thess 4. which cannot intend any other save the dead bodies of the Saints who are fallen asleep or gone to the dust But because I have somewhat to say in the Vindication of Baptism which you call Water I shall proceed to that for as you and other Quakers deny the continuance of the Lord's Supper so also you affirm that the practise of Water-Baptism was to continue but till Christ came in Spirit Now how false this is may appear First from the Commission Matth. 28. 19 20. where Christ gave forth this blessed Ordinance All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth Go therefore teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded yon and lo I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Now that the Baptism here spoken of is that of Water is evident because the Disciples are commanded or injoyned to be the Administraters or Dispensers of it To baptize with the holy Spirit is the alone Work Prerogative and Office of Jesus Christ and it never was in the power of any Apostle or Disciple of Christ to do it though the Spirit was
which was and which is to come the Almighty Also vers 17. And when I saw him saith John I fell at his feet and he laid his right hand upon me saying pray observe it I am the first and the last But may be some will say Who is this Was this Jesus of Nazareth that was crucified for that you are to prove c. Read the very next words and you may see who it is I am HE that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore Let such fear and be troubled when they reade this and such like Scriptures who deny the God head of the Lord Jesus or do affirm that Person or Man was not the Christ and Son of the Highest who was slain upon the Cross for what doth more clearly prove the marvellous and mysterious Union of the Humane and the Divine Nature in one Person than these Scriptures and Arguments which have been mentioned 7. I argue again yet further he is the most high God unto whom spiritual Worship or Divine Adoration doth appertain or belong and that this belongs unto the Lord Jesus Christ see Matth. 8. 2. chap. 28. 17. Luk. 24. 52. Joh. 9. 38. Nay further 't is said Heb. 1. 6. And again when he bringeth in his first begotten into the World he saith And let all the Angels of God Worship him At the Name of JESUS saith the Apostle Phil. 2. 10. every knee shall bow of things in heaven and things in earth and things under the earth and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is LORD to the glory of God the Father 8. He who hath power to forgive sins or to pardon all iniquity which may be forgiven unto men is God but that Jesus Christ hath such power is evident Matth. 9. 1 2 3 4 5 6. And Jesus knowing their thoughts said Wherefore think ye evil in your hearts vers 4. For whether is easier to say Thy sins are forgiven thee or to say Arise and walk vers 5. But that ye may know the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins c. compare this with Mark 2. 5 6 7. Luk. 5. 21. 9. He to whom the Saints ought to pray is the most High God but that the Saints do and ought to pray and call on the name of the Lord Jesus it is very clear Acts 9. 14. Rom. 10. 9 10 11 12. 1 Cor. 1. 2. 10. He that hath power to give the holy Spirit and the saving Graces thereof is God but that Jesus Christ hath power to baptize with the Spirit or to give the holy Spirit and all the heavenly Gifts and Graces thereof See these Scriptures Matth. 3. 11. Mark 1. 4. Ephes 4. 8 9 10 11. 11. He that was in the form of God and thought it no robbery to be equal with God and whom the Scriptures call God's fellow must needs be the Eternal God now that this is said of Jesus Christ is evident Phil. 2. 6 7. Zech. 13. 7. 12. But yet once again He who had power to lay down his life and also to raise it up again must needs be God but that Jesus Christ doth so affirm see Joh. 2. 19. Joh. 10. 18. 13. He who is the Object Author and Finisher of the true Believers Faith is God Eternal blessed for ever Amen but that Jesus Christ is the Object Author and Finisher of the Believers Faith see Joh. 14. 1. Ye believe in God believe also in me Joh. 9. 35. Heb. 12. 2. 14. He who can by his own Name proper Power and Authority give power unto others to become the Sons of God must needs be God himself but that Christ doth and can do this is evident Joh. 1. 11. He came unto his own and his own received him not but as many as received him to them gave HE power to become the Sons of God even to them which believe in his Name vers 12. He doth Adopt Regenerate or make others the Children of God by the effectual workings of His blessed Spirit in their hearts by which they are interested into all the Priviledges Promises and Blessings of the Covenant of Grace which none can do save God alone I might urge many other Scriptures and Arguments for the further proof and confirmation of this glorious Truth viz. He is our life Col. 3. 4. See Deut. 30. 20. Moreover he is said to be present alwayes with his People and dwelleth in their hearts by his Spirit c. It was by and through his Name that all those mighty Miracles were wrought he confirmed his Doctrine by Signs and Wonders by vertue of his own Power he raises and quickens whomsoever he will he as it appears to me lay claim to that glorious Title or Name by which God made known himself unto his People of old Exod. 3. 14. I am that I am this is my Name saith JEHOVAH and this is my Memorial to all Generations vers 15. And much after the same manner doth our Lord Jesus speak Joh. 8. 58. Before Abraham was I am As much as if he had said I have my being from none but have it of and from my self and am from Eternity according to that saying Prov. 8. I was set up from everlasting or from the beginning or ever the earth was when there was no depths I was brought forth vers 23. c. Again He is the Almighty the Omnipotent and the blessed and only Potentate Revel 1. 8. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Finally He was own'd and acknowledged of all to be no less than the Son of God The Father from Heaven doth testifie that he was his only begotten Son in whom he was well pleased He is declared to be the Son of God by the holy Spirit Rom. 1. And The Angels positively affirm the same concerning him yea and the holy Apostles I have shewed you have born witness to the same truth Nay those who had a hand in putting of him to death when they saw the Earth-quake and the vail of the Temple was rent they feared greatly and said Truly this man was the Son of GOD. Nay 6. I might add further The Devil himself is forced to acknowledge this thing See Mark 5. 7. And cryed out with a loud voice and said What have I to do with thee Jesus thou Son of the most High c. And now from all that hath been said it may appear to the weakest capacity That Jesus of Nazareth who was born of the Virgin was in very deed a MAN and did partake of the same flesh and blood WHICH THE CHILDREN partake of That he was made of a Woman and of the Seed of David according to the flesh being really man finite weak subject to passion and sufferings as we are and in all things made like unto his brethren sin only excepted and yet also the very eternal God and omnipotent Creator of the same essence or substance with the Father and the holy Spirit and that he had a personal existence or subsistence before he did assume our Nature and that He the Word or second Person of the glorious Trinity as so considered viz. respecting subsistence was incarnate that the Divine and Humane Nature being in a mysterious and wonderful manner united together is that same one Lord Jesus Christ perfect God and perfect Man in one Person subsisting in two real distinct Natures each Nature retaining notwithstanding this glorious Union it s own natural Propertties and Attributes I might now come to Answer and remove those Objections that are brought against what I have said concerning this glorious Truth but because I have been larger already than indeed I intended or thought I should have been when first I entered upon this work I must forbear and leave the Objections to some other season And now Reader if thou hast received any spiritual benefit from what hath thus occasionally been written by a poor worm weakling and nothing Creature see thou dost not forget to return the praise to JEHOVAH who alone deserves it and labour for soundness in judgement and stability lest thou also beest carried away with these divers new and strange Doctrines Remember the Apostles counsel Heb. 13. 9. The times you see are difficult and perilous and ye knowing these things before 2 Pet. 3. 17 18. Beware lest ye also being led away with the error of the wicked fall from your own Steadfastness but grow in Grace and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ To him be glory both now and for ever Amen FINIS