the Light within unknown to the Cavilling Baptist. T. H. WHo or what is it that obeyeth this Light and in Obedience of it is saved Or if this Light be the Rule it doth suppose a subject capable of understanding it and of yielding Obedience to it p. 4. Answ. It s placed in the Heart and Conscience of man that he with his whole Soul Mind and Spirit may understand and obey it and come to Life and Salvation in Christ being guided by his Light in the Conscience T. H. What then is the Principle Either the Light must obey it self or Darkness must obey it Answ. Thy Darkness makes thee talk thus darkly and scribble thus nonsensically the Spirit of man is to obey every degree of this divine Light given of God that the whole man may be in Subjection for which End God hath given man a spiritual Capacity and Power to obey by the Vertue of Grace that the reasonable Soul in believeing in the Light and obeying it may find Relief and more Power from God comfortably to subsist in the Way of Life and Peace with him And though it be not a Scripture Phrase to tell of two such Lights in every man as thou mentions p. 14. Yet as the Light of the Body is the Eye which seeth the object of Light and there is a single Eye which causeth the whole Body to be full of Light So in man hath God placed the Eye of the Understanding and Mind and a Conscience in the reasonable Soul which is capable of receiving the divine Light as both the supream Rule and commanding Light and they that are translated out of Darkness into it are become Children of the Light And if thou wert come to this Estate thou needst not question who is the subject of Obedience to the Light whether the whole Person or only a part for the whole man ought to be the subject and where the Eye of the mind is single the whole Body is full of Light and no part dark But for the whole person to be subject to the Light is inconsistent with thine and thy Brethrens Doctrine for Sin and Imperfection during Life Why then dost thou now suppose the whole Person to be the Subject when thou art not real in what thou implyest of the whole Persons being obedient p. 15 16. And thou dost but play the Fool and Caveller whilst thou art drawing such a Conclusion upon us as that by our Principle the Light must obey it self and in so doing be saved this is only inferred from a Fiction of thy own Framing or a Quaker of thy own making to speak as thou pleasest for the Light is given for the Benefit of Mankind that they that truely follow it and throughly obey it with Subjection of both Soul Spirit and Body may know Salvation from Sin here and Wrath herâ—…after And so man in his spiritual being both in Soul and Body spiritual as changed or translated from a State of Mortality may forever enjoy a State of Immortality in Glory hereafter as they who are led by the Counsel of God shall afterwards be received into Glory for man as translated into that Celestial Spiritual State is most capable of the full Enjoyment of Glory with God hereafter Sect XI Concerning the Soul of man as under divers Considerations and States and G. Fox ' s VVords so considered with â—…ight Queries added COncerning the Soul of man thou vehemently accusest us with Fancies Conceits Absurdities Nonsence and Error p. 16. Thy Instance for this is viz. That G. F. mentions in his great Mystery c. p. 68. and 100. That the Soul is part of God and of his being and that it is without beginning p. 91. and also infinite p. 29. Whence thy Inference is viz. Which is as much as to say the Soul is God then God sets up a Light in himself which he himself is to obey and in so doing he shall be saved p. 16. Answ. We cannot expect any impartial or fair Dealing from thee while Prejudice and Envy do possess thee who hast both falsly and ignorantly represented G. F. and both curtayled and perverted his Words and the Sence of them And all these things mentioned by thee he does not speak of the Soul or Spirit of man as made or formed in him though composed of Spiritual Parts nor use these Expressions that the Soul or Spirit of the Creature Man is a part of God without beginning neither was the Phrase part of God originally G. F's but his Opposers only admitted of by him by Way of Question as plainly appears p. 100. with Relation to that which came out from God that immediate Spirit of Life which gives Being Life and Subsistance to the Soul and he doth distinguish between the Soul and Christ the Bishop of it between the Soul and the Saviour of it as plainly appears in many places of the said Book and the Soul could no otherwise be deemed infinite then as Man is said to be the Image and Glory of God namely by a Participation thereof so he speaks of the Soul in a two-fold Sense as First With reference to that which came out from God which is the Original Life or Soul of every Man's Soul Secondly With Respect to man as being made a living Soul by Vertue of the Spirit of Life proceeding from God And so with Relation to the first he questions Is not that of God which comes out from God Great Mystery p. 68. But with Relation to the latter viz. Man he speaks distinctly of the Soul as neither God nor Christ neither doth he confound the Being of man with the Infinite Being of his Creator as is implyed in our Opposers angry Charge for as every Spiritual Being or Existence is not divine so the Spirit or Spiritual Parts of Man are not God though a divine Light and Capacity is placed in them And G. F. doth not only speak of the Soul in a two-fold Sense viz. with Relation to its original Life and with Relation to man in his Spirituality but of the Soul of man as in several States as First Of the Souls being in Death in Transgression man's Spirit unsanctified the Soul being come into Death transgressing the Law c. Great Mystery p. 91. Therein he cannot intend the infinite Essence Being or Life of God or Christ which is immutable and unchangeably pure and holy though thereby the Soul is upheld in its Being and Immortality whether in Comfort or Misery Secondly Of the Soul and Spirit of Man as sanctified living to God in his Life through a diligent hearkening to the Counsel and Voice of God and feeling of his Hand which brings up out of Death and restores the Soul that it may live in Christ the Preserver and Overseer of it to praise God the Saviour being one Soul in that State as they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit As also G. F. adds viz. Every Man that cometh into the World having a
Religion it self What Is he grown so hardy that he can handle Holy Things without Fear and make bold with tender Conscience so far as to abuse it self Is Singularity become so offensive in a Quaker as an Anabaptist must show his little Wit in Deriding it But certainly Reader it can be no small Advantage that both his Bitterness and Lightness give us against a Man of his high Pretences to Religion However our Conquest here will be our Patience Innocence and Truth Not that I will believe he thinks I want Words to whom he more then once makes the having of them Criminal and all that read him may see he hath furnisht me with Matter GROSS enough But I delight not to spend my time upon Invectives did I perhaps I might bestow a Tragick Comedy upon a Railing Anabaptist in return of that Ridiculons Dialogue he disingenuously would fasten on an unconcerned Quaker But my God forbid that I should Sport about Religion or make so much as any Man 's pretended Religious Dissent a Theam for my Railery or Abuse for I think it an ill way to Laugh men out of their Profession as well as I can never esteem that any sincere one which men are Jeer'd into and as Conviction is the most Serious Ground on which to receive Faith so to detract or deal disingenuously with any man may harden but can never Proselyte and this is our very Case with respect to T. H. Yet I would have him know That our so much reproached Light Within he so little concerns the Government of his Life withal incites us not to an Eye for an Eye but teacheth us that Forbearance and Forgiveness which we have some Reason to believe his Principles are wholly Strangers to else what can mean his greedy Endeavours To pluck out others Eyes that never yet assaulted so much as one of his either by Word or Writing Well may we take up the Complaint of God's Prophet of old We are had in Derision daily and almost every one Mocketh us But let the Carnal Christian-Mockers have a Care for though their Cruel Mockings be our Portion in this Life yet also for a Recompence shall their Bonds be made Strong and a Consumption from the Lord of Hosts is determined against them that persist therein Having now rendered with all convenient Brevity my just Exceptions against the manner of the Dialogue and spirit of the Man in general I shall proceed to offer something against the distinct Doctrines of it in my particular Vindication of the Truth viz. The Universality and Sufficiency of the Light Within and Demonstration of the General Rule of Faith CHAP. IV. That a Right Relish of the Manner of the Dialogue is a sufficient Antidote against the Matter of it His Questions stated His Feigned Answer A True Answer to the First What is Salvation To be saved from Sin and Wrath not Wrath without Sin WHat I have already said being duly weighed may be an apt Introduction to what follows For he that relishes the Unsavouriness and Rancour of His Spirit in the Mannagement of his pretended Christian-Dialogue surely can have but little Appetite to feed upon a Dish cook't up with such Poysonous Sauce Enmity and Truth were never Companions and where there appears so great a share of the one as hath been truly observed we may I hope without Offence conclude there can be but very little if any of the other However let us see with Reason and Sobriety whether the Matter of his Dialogue be more commendable then the Manner of it writ with so much Railing and Immoderation For Reader this know I writ not for Conquest but for Conscience sake and what I can grant I shall and what I must oppose I hope to do it with Truth and Meekness being only desirous to approve my self to God who will Reward all men according to their Works and to that Measure of Divine Light in every Conscience with which I shall begin and which as the Lord God shall enable me I will endeavour to maintain against the Angry and Undervaluing Reflections of its Adversaries To overlook then many unnecessary Queries that are set down either to Abuse us to fill up Corners or make the Dialogue glide the better no wayes true in themselves and wholly impertinent to the Matter I receive and prosecute the Main Questions which he propounds thus 1. What is that SALVATION which the Light leads to 2. What is this LIGHT that leads to It and 3. Who this HE or THEY are that Obey this Light and in Obeing attain Salvation Sober Questions I grant and as necessary to be known but I am willing first to set down the Answer he makes the Quaker to return before I give mine own that the Sober Reader may judge how different the Reason of a True Quaker is from T. Hicks's Phantastical one 〈◊〉 Thou runnest into many Words and Carnal Distinctions and wouldst have thy Fleshly Wisdom satisfied but I tell thee that Dust is the Serpent's Food Is this to act the Christian or the Scoffer towards the Quaker 'T is not to be doubted but T. H. knows better and that he hath not herein done to us as he would be done by For all his Pretences to Christianity he is thus far Debtor to and Criminal by the LIGHT he vilifieth But the Truth is he therefore maketh his Quaker to render him no better Reason whatever he knew because indeed it was inconsistent with his Design that he should But I will see if I can supply that voluntary Defect in Rebuk to his Disingenuous Practice on the behalf of the poor Abused Quaker I answer I. By SALVATION we understand as by Scripture is deliver'd to us A being saved from Sin here and the Wages of it which is Wrath to come Whereby we are taught utterly to renounce and reject the common Acceptation of it as the full and compleat Force of the Word viz. barely to be saved from Punishment hereafter In which Security through a vain Expectance of Salvation whilst not really actually sav'd from the Power of Sin and the Captivation of Lusts through the invisible Power of Christ Thousands dye and T. Hicks is one of those that not only is inthroal'd himself but earnestly contends for that Beggarly Faith and Religion to be the most Christian which is so unable to deliver both himself and others that believe in it In short We call Salvation Christ's making an End of Sin Destroying the Works of the Divel Finishing of Transgression Binding the Strong Man and Spoyling of his Goods in the Hearts and Consciences of Men and Women and bringing in his Everlasting Righteousness into the Soul whereby to Cleanse Wash Regenerate Renew and Refresh the Soul in one Scripture-Phrase to Save his People from their SINS These are the Times of Refreshment and this is the Day of Restitution and thus is HE King to Reign Prophet to give Vision and High Priest to Anoint with the
the Priests might shew themselves some of them thinking it to long to wait the Magistrates Leisure turn'd their own Pay-Masters upon Heads Shoulders and other Limbs of Men and Women not distinguishing in either Sex or Age. The Cry of these Innocent People came up to the then Supream Authority but Relief could not be had One Book came out upon another conjuring the Magistrates to employ their Power to the utter Extirpation of these Seducers commanded the People that they should not so much as have any common Intercourse with them but avoid them as the Pest and fly them as Witches Sorcerers It were to irksom to tell the moity of their Stratagems O the Mercys of these Men were Cruelties But yet farther many things were writ by us in Vindication oâ—… our Innocency Some that sought for the Redemption of Israel and the Right Way of God believ'd here there a Simeon a Centurion a Priest a Lawyer a Physitian a Customer Fisherman and abundance of Handecrafts for the Poor receiv'd the Gospel But Alas Neither our Apologies nor grievous Sufferings were enough to allay that swelling spirit of Cruelty nor in the least affect the minds of Priests or Rulers with the Deploredness of our Condition so as to redress all these grievious Sufferings perhaps somtimes a little shew of Favour there might be but usually attended with a more terrible Storm They at last I mean the Magistrates by the detestable Suggestions of the Priests not having any Law in force by which they could justâ—…fie the Rigor of their Carriage towards us enacted first that no Man should Travel on the Sabboth-Day thereby to punish us as Criminals for going to our Assemblies to Worship the living God and next that such Persons as should be found above so many Miles from their own Homes not being able to give a good account of themselves should be whipt as Vagabonds by which Laws they miserably opprest our Friends many Men of considerable Estates being worse us'd then very Vagabonds Thus covering the one over with Devotion for the Day of rest and the other with prudent care for the Good of the Common-Wealth Nor was this all but as if they would out-do the Ages of cruel Popery and degenerated Prelacy they received both the Oath of Queen Mary made against such Protestants as came to decry the Idolatrys and Superstitions of the Romish Worship in the time of their Service thereby to justifie themselves in the Exercise of Cruelty and Revenge upon us for beaâ—…ing our faithful Testimony against their Formal and Hypocritical Preachments and that Oaâ—…h of Abrogatâ—…on of Popery that by the Advantage they took of our not Swearing at all they might the better fasten upon us the Character of Papists as Men Jesuited to that Interest with plain Design to render us odious and cover their own Cruelty Well may I say OUT-DONE when pretended reformed Protestants endeavour the Security of their Religion by the enaction of those Laws which were made by Inhuman Papists against such as in good measure we can say were truly reformed Protestants thereby condemning that in the Papists which they vigorously acted themselves and basely sought to entrap us by a colourable Oath wickedly forecast because they knew we could not Swear at all to punish us for not swearing against the Papists This was their Cloak they had to cover their Malice but it is grown to short scanty and out of date The Bruises Blood-shed grievous Beatings and tedious Imprisonments which followed this procedure are now seen with detestation of almost the very multitude it self and after Generations shall have it in utter abhorrance O what did not the Blood-thirsty Spirit in its Day These were the great pretending Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists Fighting Knocking Kicking Robbing Imprisoning and Murthering an Innocenâ—… People whose whole Business was to Deny the dawâ—…g Doctrines of the Times and to Direct People to a certain Holy Principle in themselves unto which being Obedient they should experience Sin conquer'd and Peace with God preferring this above all the Traditions of Men or utmost Power of Human Ministry But as many of us saw in the Eternal Light that such Obstinacy in both Priests and Rulers to the Heavenly Truth would provoke the Just God to overturn them forever which though we did once and again tell them by Writings and by Word of Mouth they slighted our plain-Dealing turning it upon us that we should vanish in a little while So within very few Years God wrought the wonderfull Revolution and those who had been Inflicters of Heavy Punishments upon us became the Objects of their greatest Dis-pleasure whose Power and Estates they had so long usurp'd I can call it no otherwise for not the Country but Self was wickedly advanc'd thereby Behold the Justice of the Almighty such as refused us our Liberty after their Solemn Oathes to God and Men for the Preservation of Liberties Civil and Religious became destitute of their Own and who spoil'd us were spoil'd by Others and we just now under their Feeâ—… came upon Equal Terms with Our Adversaries At what time though both They and We used our Endeavours to prevent Coertion upon Conscience yet whether they prevailed or no some were in Hopes that the Edge of their Spirits by this Change of Affairs had been so doubl'd as never more to cut or wound a People that had never wrong'd them and that their Retirement would have been rather employ'd in hearty Sorrow for their Abuse of Government in their Unjust Severity towards us as well as others then a Continuance of the same Enmity But thus far such fail'd in hopes their Displeasure against us surviving their Power to inflict it for though it is true that in time of Persecution they would inquire out of their By-Holes of our Well-fare for who had so long reigned shew'd they were most unfit for Suffering and like People upon City-Walls or from other convenâ—…ent standings would diligently observe the State of things and by their Observation or Inquiry carefully acquaint themselves with the Success for our Overthrow had been the End of them and as one of themselves said We were the Bulworks that receiv'd the Shot Yet so unabated hath their implacable Malice been at the King 's first coming in they thought to do great Matters by letting the Powers know they were no Abettors of the Quakers which indeed stood us in great stead least we might have been taken for those Tumultuous Blood-thirsty Covenant-breaking Government-destroying Anabaptists and that they might prove to the World we were not of them No sooner those Storms of Persecution have been over but like forgetful Mariners they have faln to their Old Work of bitter Envying Either some one of their Church leaves them or the Quakers are prosperous in their Labours or any thing else that is next for a Cover to palliate their Emulous Spirit in all its base Detractions from us and the blessed Truth
Q. But doth not this signifie a very Dishonest and Malicious Mind in you He makes us return A. We care not what you think provided our Friends think not so And to conclude his Slanders of this kind hear him once more Q. Doth not W. P. in his Book against the Author of the Spirit of the Quakers tryed manifest great Displeasure against the Man for concealing his Name Suggesting that if he knew it then probably they 〈◊〉 have something to detect him c. I shall omit in this place making mine own Defence but be pleas'd Curteous Reader to observe the Man's Answer which he would have the World to believe was ours A. Whatsoever thou or others may think of our Writings we will give it out that we have both answer'd and consuted our Adversaries and our Friends will believe what we say in this matter which is enough to us O Lyes Madness and Folly Certainly Reader By this time thou canst not but with me believe I had Reason enough to make this General Exception against the Dialogue as neither becoming what I am so tender as to think our bitter Adversary upon more serious Considerations might esteem a Right Christian nor yet that Character of a Quaker which the more Sober Sort of Men carry in their Minds concerning us and in the fear of Almighty God we do appeal to the Consciences of all People that shall ever read us whether we have been treated by this Man in his Dialogue and Catechism with that Spirit of Meekness Righteousness and Truth which is or ought to be the Rule and Guide of Christian-Men in their undertakings more especially in and about the very weighty matters of Religion Indeed we need no other Apology in this case then the Folly of his Answers For all the World will think we had least need of seeking the Good-Will of our Friends which we had already and rather conclude it our interest to care after and not to slight what others say or believe concerning us 'T is true I perceive our Adversary is a great Slighter of Conscience and that Light of Truth which should be the Instructer thereof and therefore no wonder if we find so little of it in his Dialogue but however he sets little by it preferring his most defective Head-Conceits before the holy certain DICTATES of the Heavenly Light in the Consciences of Men as his Unconscionable Dealing with us sufficiently testifies yet is it our Desire to act suitably to that in our selves and to seek the Approbation of it alone in others rather then by a disingenuous way of Writing obtrude our own Fictions for Christian-Faith much less meer Impertinencies and very Lyes for the only and best Answers of our Adversaries CHAP. III. That he does not only make us Impertinent and Lye But he mannages the Whole prophanely That he who is an Anabaptist has forgot the Scorn once cast upon his own Perswasion Men are not to be mockt out of their Religion BUt He has not only made us to say what he pleas'd Impertinently and untruly but he has done it with a manifest shew of Prophaneness by a Light Taunting and Inapplicable Use of those Expressions which in a way of Seriousness and Simplicity may have been sometimes uttered by honest and Religious People Such are these that he makes us to give in Answer to his Questions which we refuse not to render a distinct account of to any Sober Man at any time viz. Thou runnest into many Words and carnal Distinctions and wouldst have thy fleshly Wisdom satisfied but I tell thee that Dust is the Serpents Food To his Answer against the Sufficiency of the Light he makes the Quaker Reply I see thou art a Poor Dark Creature as by thy talking is manifest yea 't is manifest in the Light To the like Purpose Thou art a wicked Creature Blackness of Darkness is reserv'd for thee Thou art a Serpent and the Curse of God is eternally upon thee Again Thou manifests thy Darkness and that thou art still in the Imagination Again Thou lookst for Words but thy Flesh must be silenc'd Again We witness it Poor Creature Thou runst to the Letter what dost thou witness in thy self Again I command thy Flesh to be Silent I bear Witness against thee At other times in Answer to such like Questions Yea Verily Alas for thee These are thy own Dark Imaginations Now thou runst to Meanings We deny Meanings Thou manifests a Perverse Spirit We are dead to Distinctions We deny Dispositions Thou suggests thy own Imagination These Impartial Reader with more of the like tendency he is pleas'd to set down as our Strongest Answers to his Questions several of them such as have receiv'd and yet may very Rational and Satisfactory Returns from many of us However if any such kind of Answers have been given to the Unseasonable Queries of Airy and Entrapping Persons neither is it more Ridiculous then Christ's Immovable Silence to Inquisitive Herod was judged of old Nor did he Manfully to assault our Weakest Part if such he thought it But least of all is he excusable that one who is reputed an Anabaptist the very next in Religion that seems expos'd to the Scoffs of Libertines should take so much pains not only to render a Sober People Ridiculous though it will return upon himself but with the common Taunts of Prophanenists to venture to give their Serious Language in a Jeer An Employment that had much better become a Comedian then a Christian and the Entertainment of Loose then Religious Persons Certainly Reader We must be at a very great Loss for Religion before we could embrace it from such a hand supposing us to be as meer Heathens as he would have others to think us For how can we believe him to have any Sincerity to God who so far seems to have forgotten the Reproach which his own Separation from others hath been attended with as to make that of ours a Subject for his Mockage and Scorn Let him call to mind some of the Infamous Playes of those Comical Wits Sylvester Shackspeer Johnson c. with too many of our own dayes wherein the Preciseness and Singularity of Puritans and others are abusively represented and expos'd to the Life for the Entertainment of Vain and Irreligious Persons If this then be a Crime in an unconcern'd Wit can it be excusable in a Christian for such he would have us think him to be No certainly but will be a great Aggravation of his Account in the Day of the Lord unless it be wip'd out by unfeigned Repentance as well as that it must needs deter all Persons that are in earnest about the weighty Life of the true Religion from countenancing his ungodly Attempts against us And me-thinks it is no small discovery of the exceeding Vanity of his Mind that instead of putting away Foolish Jesting he should entertain base Mockage and Derision and that about
Holy Unction that leadeth into all Truth whose Lips alone preserve Knowledge and therefore is it the Unchangeable Gospel-Rule to Believers And those who are thus freed or saved here from the Power Nature and Defilement of Sin are the alone Persons that are or shall be hereafter saved from Eternal Wrath and Vengeance the heavy Recompenee of Sin All this we understand by that Word Salvation and in this center the Great Glorious Prophecies and Performances of Christ. CHAP. V. The Second Question stated Particularly what is meant by Light It is a Principle that discovers the State of Man and leads to Blessedness THE second Question runs thus What is that LIGHT which leadeth to Salvation and if he pleaseth to give me leave I will add to this Question How doth It Lead to Salvation By Light I understand not the frequent Metaphorical Use of the Word as when Christ said 〈◊〉 the Lights of the World or as the Apostle Speaks Now are you Light in the Lord neither the meer Spirit or Reason of Man but that Glorious Sun of Righteousness and Heavenly Luminary of the Intellectual or Invisible World represented of all Outward Resemblances most exactly by the Great Sun of this Sensible and Visible World that as his natural Light ariseth upon all and gives Light to all about the Affairs of this Life so that Divine Light arises upon all and gives Light to all that will receive it about the Concerns of the other Life Such a Light I mean by That Light which inlightneth every man coming into the World and that leadeth those that obey it to Eternal Salvation The Scripture sayes no less John 1. In the Word-God was Life and that very Life was the Light of Men that inlightneth every man c. But to demonstrate it the most obviously that I can to the lowest Capacities I shall evidence the Nature and Virtue of this Light by the Holy Effects of it which is the HOW or the WHICH WAY it leadeth to Salvation This is so necessary in order to explicate the other that as the Tree is known by his Fruits so the True Saviour by his Salvation If then I can make it appear that the Light as obey'd in all its Discoveries and Requirings is sufficient to Salvation the Debate wil end and T. Hicks must yield to the Efficacy of the Light within I shall then by the Properties of the Light prove it Saving In order to which I shall begin with the first Step towards Salvation namely A Sight of the Cause of Damnation and from whom this most necessary Beginning must be taken viz. The Light within which I thus prove by Scripture CHAP VI. That the Light Within manifests Sin yea all Sin That Apostacy or Sin in any is no Argument against the Light but rather for it That the Additional Services of the Jews show No Imperfection in the Light but the People whose Minds were abroad If Insufficiency against the Light should be admitted of because of Rebellion and Wickedness in Mâ—…n the same would be objected against the Scriptures which overthrows our Adversary's Assertion concerning their Sufficiency THE Light with which Christ inlightens all Men manifests Sin as these Words import for every one that doth Evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his Deeds should be Reproved Implying That if they would have brought their Deeds to the Light the Light would have detected them and tryed them To which the Apostle Paul bears express Testimony in his Epistle to the Ephesians That whatsoever is Reproveable is made Manifest by the Light where the Universality of the Apostle's Assertion shows that nothing that is Reproveable is or can be excluded from the Search or Knowledge of this Light which takes in as well Thoughts as Words and Deeds So that nothing being Reproveable which the Light doth not first Manifest How obvious is it to every Understanding that if our Adversary believeth all Men to have committed Sin and so as that they know it which is Reproveable the Light must needs have been and be in all Men in order to such Manifestation and Conviction It is as much as if the Apostle had said Sin is that which Damns all Men now it could not Damn if it were not Reproveable and it could never be Reproveable if the Light did not Manifest and Condemn it as such So that our Adversaries affirming the Light not to be Sufficient to Discern all Sin is a flat Repugnancy and a down-right giving of the Lye to the Apostle For says the Apostle All things that are Reproveable are made Manifest by the Light But sayes Tho. Hicks All things that are Reproveable are not made Manifest by the Light Sober Reader dwell here a while and after a little paws tell me Who deals most Unworthily with the Apostle and the Holy Scriptures of Truth T. Hicks or the Quakers Obj. But T. Hicks objects with some others If there be that Light in all Men how comes it that all Men are not Convicted of their Disobedience and Duty as the Heathens of old and many Infidels at this day Did the Light in Saul reprove him for Persecuting the Church I Answer That this no way impugnes the Light although it greatly aggravates their Evil that so Rebell'd against it But that there were Heathens who became a Law unto themselves through that Light they had by which they did the things contained in the Law and were preferred far before the Circumcision that kept not the Law The Apostle Paul himself is very express in that known Passage to the Romans Nor are other Histories silent but loud in their acknowledgment of very Divine Attainments which by this Light several Famous Gentiles arrived at and for their Belief of One Eternal Being his Communication of Divine Light to Men and of an Immortality with their Strickt Conformity thereto are left upon Record by Credible Historians and their Praises not a little added to by after Ages even of those called Christians too Such are Reputed Pythagoras Timeus Solon Bias Chilon Anaxagoras Socrates Plato Antisthenes Xenocrates Zeno Antipater Seneca Epictetus and others But what if Jews and Gentiles at any time did Apostatize and particularly What if Saul persecuted the Church of God putting Disobedience for Duty Murder for Service Will it follow that the Light was Insufficient By no means but rather that Saul was Rebellious Stiff-necked Resisting the Holy Ghost as did his Fathers so did he and thus much the Words themselves show for he kickt against the Pricks Then it seems there were Pricks And where were they if not in his Conscience And what were they if not the Light of Christ within him which Manifests Evil and Reproves the Deeds thereof otherwise called that Son of God that to the Galatians he said It had pleased God to reveal in him though Paul knew him not nor his Voice of a long time his Eye being darkened and Ear stopt by the God of
yet cannot we think it good Arguing to infer the Gifts of God's Light and Spirit to the Gentiles that make far the greatest part thereof from these Scriptures that only seem to prove it the Priviledg of the Jews To which I Answer That I conceive I have urg'd those Scriptures already that afford a plain Conviction and Evincement of the Truth of that general Inference but because I am desirous from my very Soul in perfect Love to theirs that shall read this Discourse of removing what Objection I am able to fore-see it may meet with after it shall have past my hand I will endeavour to make appear first from SCRIPTURE and next from the Best Account we have of the DOCTRINES and LIVES of HEATHENS and lastly from REASON That God's Love in the Illumination of his Spirit or Gift of a Measure of his Divine and Saving Light was Universal or that Mankind was and consequently is antecedently to Christ's Coming in the Flesh enlightned with such a Measure of Light as was Saving in it self And to all such as received the Light and obeyed it in the Love of it In order to this I shall briefly insist on a few Scriptures some of which have been already quoted though not so directly to this Matter I. My Spirit shall not alwayes strive with Man Here observe That no one Nation was interested more then another but Man stands for the whole Adam or Mankind from whence I do very truly Conclude that Mankind was not destitute of the Spirit or Light of the Almighty though it might be known in no higher Degree then that of a Convincer and Reprover of Sin yet it follows not But if man had yielded to the Striving of it doubtless he had been thereby redeemed from that Spirit of Iniquity that was the ground of his grievous Resistance which I call Salvation from sin II. They are of those that Rebel against the Light they know not the Wayes thereof nor abide in the Path thereof Here is no mention made of the Jews in this Chapter nor in many foregoing or following it if at all in the whole Book For Job is here giving the Character of wicked Men in general that is not with respect to any particular Nation so that we may well infer neither did he understand the Light whereof he spoke should be limited as to its Illumination or any particular People In short I argue thus If such as pluck the Fatherless from the Breast and take a Pledge of the Poor as the Context relates are those that Rebel against the Light and walk not in its Way then because that Vice was never limited to the Jews but other Nations work'd that Wickedness as well as they it will plainly follow that the Light against which such Offenders Rebell'd also was not limited to the Jews but extended to the Gentiles also unless it should be said That what was Rebellion and Wickedness in the Jews was not so in the Gentiles But because Sin was and is Sin all the World over Light was and is Light all the World over whether Men bring their Deeds to it or not III. But again let us hear the same Book speak Is there any Number of his Armies and upon whom doth not his Light Arise This Question carries in it a strong Affirmative of the Universality of God's Light as much as to say Who is there among all the Sons and Daughters of Men that can say I am not Enlightned by Him If then none can it must needs follow That all are Enlightned as well Gentiles as Jews IV. Thus much these two Notable Parables teach us of the Sower and the Lord that gave his Servants Talents They who believe Scripture must acknowledge them to represent God's Dealings with Mankind in reference to Gift Duty and Reward Observe the first Parable The same Day went Jesus out of the House and sate by the Sea side And great Multitudes were gathered together unto him so that he went into a Ship and sate and the whole Multitude stood on the Shore And he spoke many things unto them in Parables saying Behold A SOWER WENT FORTH TO SOW and when he sowed some Seeds fell by the Way side and the Fowls came and devour'd them up Some fell upon Stony places where they had not much Earth and forthwith they sprung up because they had no Deepness on Earth and when the Sun was up they were scorched and because they had not Root they wither'd away and some fell among Thorns and the Thorns sprung up and choack'd them But other fell in Good Ground and brought forth Fruit some an Hundred-fold some Sixty-fold some Thirty-fold Who has Ears to hear let him hear It is granted by all that I know of that the Seeds-Man is God the Scripture saith the Seed is the Word of the Kingdom which must needs be the Spiritual Word nigh in the Heart suitable to the Heavenly Kingdom Christ said was within other-wise call'd Light that is said to be sown for the Righteous or the Grace that appeares unto all-Men and brings Salvation to them that are taught by it And lastly common Sense tells us that the several Grounds comprehend Mankind for they must either include the Bad with the Good or the Good only must be benefited But the very Scripture expresly distinguisheth betwixt the Good and Bad Ground yet affirms the one to have been sown with the Seed as well as the other Therefore Gods Gift is Universal however Men by Wicked Works may have render'd their Hearts Stony Thorny or otherwise defective and uncapable of bringing forth Fruit. The other Parable is also very weighty and much to our purpose For the Kingdom of Heaven is as a Man travelling into a far Country who called his own Servants and delivered unto them his Goods and unto one he gave Five Talents to another Two and to another One to every Man according to his several ability and straight-way took his Journey Then he that had received Five Talents went and traded with the same and made them other Five Talents and likewise he that had received Two he also gained other Two But he that had received One went and digged in the Earth and hid his Lord's Money After a long time the Lord of those Servants cometh and Reckoneth with them And so he that had received Five Talents came and brought other Five Talents saying Lord Thou deliveredst unto me Five Talents Behold I have gained besides them Five Talents more His Lord said unto him Well done thou Good and Faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will make thee Ruler over many things Enter thou into the Joy of thy Lord. He also that received Two Talents came and said Lord Thou deliveredst unto me Two Talents Behold I have gain'd Two other Talents besides them His Lord said unto him Well done Good and Faithful Servant thou hast been faithful over a few things I will
as that which raiseth up the Soul into a Sensible Communion with God above the World which the Mind of Man is prone to slug or bemire it self withal And adds PLOTIN a Famous Platonist God is the very Root or Life of the Soul Again Man hath a Divine Principle in him which maketh the true and good Man And the Platonists in general held Three Principles to be in Man the first they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mind Intellect Spirit or Divine Light The Second 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul of Man The Third they called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul's Image which say they is her vital Energy upon the Body and the Feminine Faculty of the Soul By all which it is evident though I could more abundantly prove from their many Writings that they believ'd and held Divine Illumination and Inspiration and that such a Principle resided in Man even the Eternal 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Mind which is to say in proper English God Himself by which alone the Soul could become what it ought to be to God VII CLEANTHES the Stoick alloweth not Mankind to be govern'd of right by the Dictates of their own Nature which barely renders them Men but by that Divine Infinite and Eternal Nature which is God universally defus'd or sown through the whole Race of Man as the most sure and infallible Guide and Rule To live saith he according to this Knowledge and Direction is truly to live according to Vertue not doing any thing that is forbidden The Vertue and Happiness of a Man depends upon the close Correspondence of his Mind with the Divine Will of him who governeth the Universe Again saith the same Cleanthes THE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD IS IMPRINTED UPON THE MINDS OF MEN. VIII MENANDER signifying God to be Good saith Every Man hath a good Daemon as soon as he is born an Holy Instructor in governing of the Life as that I may confess him to be an Evil Daemon who hurts the Life of a Good Man Then subjoyns he That a Good God is in all that God is perfectly Good and that he is Good in all Again on another Occasion saith he God who is alwayes near sees this for God is not a God afar off IX PHILO though a Jew born yet a very Serious and Refin'd Philosopher gives us his Judgment in this Particular very positively and to purpose How should the Soul of Man saith he know God IF HE DID NOT INSPIRE HER AND TAKE HOLD OF HER BY HIS DIVINE POWER Again That the Divine Reason we have from God is an Infallible Law not a Mortal Rule given by this or that Mortal NO LIFELESS PRECEPTS WRITTEN IN PAPERS OR UPON PILLARS BUT IMMORTAL being ingraven by the Eternal Nature IN THE MINDS OF MEN. This is an undeniable Testimony to the Law written in the Heart as a more Excellent Dispensation then that which is written in Paper or engraved on Pillars But further X. Nor is PLUTARCH wanting to the Proof of this Assertion on the behalf of the Gentiles Divinity who thus delivers himself speaking of the Principle of God in the Conscience It is a Law saith he not written in Tables or Books but dwelling in the Mind ALWAYS AS A LIVING RULE which never permits the Soul to be destitute of an interiour Cuide Again To debase this Ancient Faith of Mankind and Natural Belief which is planted in all Reasonable Souls is to Overthrow the Strong and Everlasting Foundation of Vertue Doubtless very Peremptory Zealous and Sensible doth Plutarch show himself on the behalf of an Internal Divine Principle XI But be pleased to hear what * EPICTETUS says in this Matter whose Vertue was admirable in its time and whose Memory is preserv'd in great Respect among many who would think themselves much wrong'd if they should not be accounted Christians When you have shut your Gates saith he and made it all Dark Within that is to say are retired to your own Dwelling as alone do not say that you are alone for you are not alone but GOD IS WITHIN What need then is there of outward Light to discover what is done or to light to good Actions who have God or that Genius or Divine Principle for your Light as the following words do further import But above all the Gentiles that have been mention'd I mean in Point of plain and Positive Expression for I will prefer the Life of none before that Self-denying Martyr Socrates let us hear with great Attention what kind of Lecture SENEC A will read us upon the Subject handled truly something very weighty XII The Multitude saith SENECA is the worst Argument Let us inquire what is best to be done not what most usually is done and that may settle us in the Possession of Everlasting Happiness not what is allotted by the Vulgar the worst Interpreters of Truth I have saith he a clearer and more certain Light by which I may judge the Truth from Falshood that which appertains to the Felicity of the Soul the Eternal Mind will direct to that was the Light doubtless Seneca meant Again It is a foolish thing for thee to wish what by thee cannot be obtained God is near thee and HE IS IN THEE The Holy Spirit SITS OR RESIDES WITHIN US the Observer of our Good and Evil Actions as he is dealt with by us HE DEALS WITH US But yet further we have this great Gift saith Seneâ—… That Vertue meaning the Principle or God hath sent her Light before into the Minds of all for even they that follow her not SEE HER. Where observe Reader how he confesseth to the Universality of the Light yet lays the Fault of Rebellion against it not as T. Hicks doth upon the Light but such as refuse to follow it implying their voluntary Rejection of its Heavenly Discoveries Again Wonderest thou that Men go to God God comes UNTO Men nay which is more near he cometh INTO MAN and he makes the Heart of every good Man his Habitation Yet again hear him Nothing is closed from God he is within our Souls and he Cometh INTO THE MIDST OF OUR THOUGHTS And lastly Every Man saith he has God indued with that which if he forsake it not HE SHALL ARISE LIKE GOD. How much more weighty O Sober and Impartial Reader are these inward Doctrines of the Vertuous Gentiles then the Vehement Clamours and Uncharitable Exclamations of Empty Christians against them Men that seem as if they were aâ—…raid of nothing more then inherent Holiness though of Christ's working reputing it a kind of Undervalue of his Blood to feel the Only I mean the Inward Benefit of it accounting us the greatest Hereticks for assenting to the greatest Truth to wit The Sufficiency of his Universal Light in the Hearts of Men to Salvation challenging us to prove it by Scripture or any Credible History objecting the Heathens
their Weakness that he might both keep them from gadding after the Pompous Invention and Idolatrous Worship of other Nations and point out unto them under their great Carnality that more Hidden Glory and Spiritual Dispensation which should-afterwards be revealed to wit The Compleat Redemption of the Soul and Raign of the Holy Seed from the Child born and the Son given to the Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace of the Increase of whose Government there shall be no End So that then we ought and we do by absolute Force of Truth conclude 1. That the Seed which Seed is Christ was in all Ages with Abraham with the Israelites with the Prophets Therefore he was as well before he came in that prepared Body as then and since 2. Yet it is confest That He was not so clearly revealed perfectly brought forth and generally known before his so Coming as then and since but more darkly figured out by Types and Shaddowy Services which though they Cleans'd not Sav'd not Redeem'd not yet did show forth a more Hidden and Spiritual Substance that was able to Cleanse Save and Redeem and did all that received it and were truly subject to it 3. That it therefore is not at all Absurd that the more Excellent Manifestation of Truth should he Typified and Prophesied of under the Enjoyment of the Lesser since the Reason of the Thing and the Testimonies of the Scripture are so express for it which ends our Answer to this Particular CHAP. XX. The Fourth Part of the Objection stated and considered Christ's Death and Sufferings confessed to and respected they were beneficial The Light of Christ within is the Efficient Cause to Salvation HAving thus considered the Third Part of this great Objection I am now come to what chiefly stumbles People with respect to the Light within at least as I apprehend and that is this Fourth and Last Particular viz. But if the Light in every Man be Christ how doth it bear our Sins and are our Iniquities laid upon it and how can we be said to be Justified Redeemed or Saved by its Blood since all these things are spoken by the Holy Pen-men of the Man Christ or Jesus born at Nazareth Surely you wholy invalidate his Life Death Resurrection Ascension and Mediation by this Belief in the Light This I take to be the very Stress of the Matter collected out of the most Forceable Writings of our Adversaries To which I Answer and let him that reads understand It must be considered in this Last Part of the Objection how those Questions can be applicable to the Light and yet be reconciliable with those Scriptures that seem to attribute all to his Bodily Sufferings I hope to make appear that as we exalt the First so we dare not by any means to slight the Last The Light or rather He that is Light in Man for I have alwayes desired so to be understood Light being a Metaphor or word taken from the outward Day and chiefly so term'd because of Man's Darkness which is thereby discovered hath been as a Lamb slain since the Foundation of the World that is the World had not been long created before the good Order of it and every thing therein being envied by the Fallen Angels that Spirit of Iniquity betrayed Man of his Innocency and Sin by Disobedience prevailing the Light or Principle of Life under whose Holy Leadings Man was placed became Resisted Grieved and as it were Slain which word Slain is also Metaphorical that is to say the Innocent Pure Life was as Wounded unto Death through Man's Disobedience and Lamb-like Image in which Adam was created by him through Rebellion lost Thus that Holy Principle which God placed in the Heart of Adam in which was true Light Life and Power bore the Sin was prest under it as a Cart under Sheaves grieved exceedingly and as it were quencht with Iniquity This hath been the Condition of that Precious and Elect Seed Spirit Light Life Truth or whatever Name equivalent any may please to give it ever since that first Rebellion to this very Day And as in Wicked Men God's Holy Light and Spirit or that Principle which is so called hath been deeply Wounded yea as one Slain so in Good Men that have had a Sence of the World's Abomination hath it also born many Burdens and Weights for the Light and Life is One in All. And those who have been reformed by it and joyned to it have been as One Spirit and have not been without their Share of their Lord 's heavy Sufferings from the Ungodly World which was as well a filling up of Christ's Sufferings that were before his Outward Coming as what to this Generation are behind And as at any time Disobedient Men have harkened to the still Voice of the WORD that Messenger of God in their Hearts to be affected and convinced by it as it brings Reproof for Sin which is but a Fatherly Chastizement â—…o upon true Brokenness of Soul and Contrition of Spirit that very same Principle and Word of Life in Man has mediated and attoned and God has been propitious lifting up the Light of his Countenance and replenishing such humble 〈◊〉 with Divine Consolations So that still the same Christ Word-God who has enlightned all Men by Sin is grieved bearing the Iniquities of such as so sin and reject his Benefits but as any hear his Knocks and let him in he first Wounds and then Heals afterwards he attones mediates and re-instates in the holy Image Behold this is the State of Restitution And this in some Measure was witnessed by the Holy Patriarchs Prophets and Servants of God in old time to whom Christ was substantially the same Saviour and Seed bruising the Serpent's Head that he is now to us what Difference sâ—…ever there may be in Point oâ—… Manifestation But notwithstanding the same Light and Life with that which afterwards clothed it it self with that outward Body did in measure inwardly appear for the Salvation of the Souls of Men yet as have often said never did that Liâ—…â—…eminently put â—…orth it self for that End as in that 〈◊〉 and prepared Body so that what he then suffered and did in that transcendent Manisestation may by way of Eminency assume the whole Work unto it self that he ever did before or might do afterwards For doubtless that very Light Life and Power which dwelt in that Fleshâ—…y Tabernacle eminently was the Convincer Condemner Saviour and Redeemer yet not only as confined to that Body but as revealed in the Hearts of Men as he was in Paul who not consulting with Flesh and Blood against the Lord of Glory willingly receive him in to bind the strong Man spoil his Goods and cast him out that He might Reign And that the Divine Life Light Spirit Nature of Principle which resided in that Body was the efficient Cause of Salvation observe the Title that is given from the great Work he was to
do namely To save his People from their Sins there is not one Word of Wrath but consequentially Therefore since that Sin is in the Heart and Conscience of Mankind nothing but a Divine Light Spirit or Power can reach Immaculation into those inward Parts and consequently that must be the Redeemer and Saviour But indeed those who have a Mind to Naturalize that strange Figure into the Language of the Holy Truth I mean to understand that to be saved is to be saved from Wrath and not from Sin whose assured Wages is Wrath may have some Interest though no Reason for their implacable Enmity against an Inherent Holiness But I farther confess that his Righteous Life with respect to its Appearance in that Body was grieved by Sin that the Weight of the Iniquity of the whole World with the Concernment of its Eternal Well-being lay hard upon him nor was his Manhood Insensible of it Under the Load of this did He travel he alone trode the Wine-Press that is All others were then Insensible of that Eternal Wrath which would be the Portion of Impenitent Persons as well as that it was his great Care and deep Travel that the Holy yet Oppressed Seed might arise over the Pressures of Iniquity in the Hearts of Men to bruise the Serpent's Head in all And as outwardly he gave his outward Life for the World so he might inwardly shed abroad in their Souls the Blood of God that is The Holy Purifying Life and Virtue which is in him as the Word-God and as which he is the Life of the World This was it which gave that visible Part the Understanding it had which fitted it for so great an Embassy by whose Power alone it Fasted Prayed Preacht Cast-out Devils Wrought Miracles Lived that most Unblemisht Life Patiently Suffered Death was Raised for an Holy Confirmation maugre all the Military Opposition of the Jews and this it was which accompanied the Ministry of his Followers rendring it Efficacious to Conviction and Conversion So that the Invisible Spiritual and Divine Life Principle or Nature was the Root and Fountain of all which is sometimes asscribed in Scripture to the Body by that Common Figure or Way of Speaking amongst Men the Thing containing which was the Body for the Thing contained which was the Eternal Power Wisdom Life c. Not that we would irreverently rob the Holy Body of whatsoever Acknowledgement is justly due nor yet separate that God joyned though I confess with holy Fear I dare not attribute to an External prepared Being which is the Natural Proper and Only Work of the Divine Light and Life to operate and effect But certainly if some Men in Scripture are intituled Saviours because of the Contribution of their Tryals Travels and Labours towards the Salvation of Man-kind of much more Right is that Honour ascribable to him who had the Spirit without Measure For I do freely acknowledge it to have been in some sense a Co-worker and Partner with the Divine Life in many of its Tryals Weights Sufferings and Travels for Man-kind Yet as it was the Divine Power in them that made them serviceable in that great Work so was it the Divine Power in him which made that what it was and therefore ought we chiefly to appropriate the Salvation to Christ as the Word-God and to the Holy Manhood not any otherwise then Instrumentally or by the same Divine Power in and through it I mean as it was a Chosen Instrument or Vessel in and by which God declared the Blessed Glad-Tidings of Love and his Message of Reconciliation to the World in which he gave the most Heavenly Example of Purity and through whose whole Life Doctrine and Death did shine forth the clearest Evidences of Truth Goodness Mercy Patience deep Travel for the World Self-Denyal Holiness and Triumphant Matyrdom No Wonder then if he be called a Saviour who not only came on an Embassy of Salvation and when come did draw many after him who were struck with the Authority of his Sayings when he allow'd for a time to have their Eyes and Hearts upon him as in that State present with them But afterwards he let his Disciples know of how much Benefit it would be to them that he should leave them How Forever In all Capacities No but as with respect to his outward Appearance that being scattered in that Day to their own Measure of Light Pon er and Life they might know him NO MORE AFTER THE FLESH but witness him come into their Hearts a Comforter who could not leave his true-hearted Disciples comfortless He that is with you shall be in you To be brief that I may yet again express our reverent Sense of Christ's Manifestation so far as relates to that Holy Thing that should be born of Mary take these few particulars in my next Chapter CHAP. XXI A Confession in particular to Christ's Redemption Remission Justification and Salvation I. WE do confess that though the Eternal Power Life and Light which inhabited that Holy Person which was born at Nazareth was is chiefly eminently the Saviour for there is no Saviour besides me saith God yet that it was Instrumentally a Saviour as prepared and choseâ—… oâ—… the Work which Christ had then to do iâ—… it which was actually to the Salvation of some and intentionally of the whole World then and in Ages to come suitable to that Scripture Lo in the Volumn of the Book it is written I come to do thy Will O God a Body hast thou prepared me c. II. That as there was a Necessity that one should dye for the People so whoever then or since believed in Him had and have a Seal or Confirmation of the Remission of their Sins in his Blood and that Blood alluding to the Custom or the Jewish Sacrifices shall be an utter Blotting out of former iniquates carrying them as into a Land of Forgetfulness This grand Assurance of Remission from the Wrath due upon the Score or former Offences do all receive in the Ratifying Blood of Christ who Repenting of their Sins believe and obey the Holy Light with which he hath Illuminated them For Paul's being turned from Darkness to the Light in his Heart was one with his believing in the Son of God revealed in his Heart III. This more glorious Appearance ended that less glorious Service of the Jews the Figures being compleated the Shadows they fell He in that Body preacht and lived beyond those Beggarly Elements He drew Religion more Inward even into the Secret of the Heart and made it to consist in an higher State oâ—… Righteousness called Evangelical and at once became both the Authâ—…ro 〈◊〉 Heavenly Dispensation and therein an Example to all as well Jews and Gentiles sealing such a Common and General Religion to both with his Blood as would forever end the Difference and slay the Enmity that they might be all one in Christ. Thus did he end the Jews External Services
a Witnessing of a measure of the same Light Spirit and Power to appear for Redemption in each particular VIII That Justification came by Faith in his Blood is clear in a Sense for by the Law could no Flesh be justified That is the Law being added because of Transgression certainly the Transgressor could not be justified whilst such by that Law which condemned him for being such Which puts me upon Distinguishing betwixt Justification as it is sometimes taken viz. for Remission Pardon or Forgiveness of Sin past upon Repentance and that Justification which implies an Acceptance with and an Access to God as a Keeper of the Law of the Spirit of Life which is to be made Inherently Just. In the first Sense Since all have sinned no Man can be justified by the Law he has transgress'd Therefore that great Favour and Mercy of Remission Pardon and Forgiveness was only then generally preacht in the Name of Jesus that such as believed in his Message should obtain Thus by the Works of the Law shall no Flesh be justified because all the Righteousness Man is capable of caâ—…ot make Satisfaction for any Unrighteousness he has committed since what he daily doth is but what he daily ows But still such as keep the Law are justified for that a Man should be condemned both for Transgressing Keeping the Law too would be very hard What shall we say then but that Justification in the first Sense since Adam's Day to this hath been God's Free Love upon Repentance and above all that by Christ's visible Appearance and in his Name was Remission Pardon or Forgiveness preacht or held forth to the whole World upon their believing therein more eminently then ever But in the last Sense No Man can be justified but as he is made Just and is found actually Doing of the Will of God That justifies that is it gives Acceptance with and Access to God In this Sense it was that the Apostle said Such as are the DOERS of the Law shall be justified and not from the Guilt of what they formerly did against it by then keeping it for that is the free Love of God alone upon the Repentance of the Creature which hath been in all former Ages but never so eminently held forth to the World as by the Coming of Jesus Christ in the Flesh. So that thus far we can approach the Honester Sort of Professors of Religion or rather we never were at a Distance from them viz. That Men may be reconciled and in a Sense justified while Sin may not be totally destroyed That is God upon their Repenting of past Sins whilst not then clearly purged from the Ground of Evil may and we believe doth remit pardon or forgive former Offences and is thus far reconciled that is hâ—… ceaseth to be Wrath or at a Distance from them as whilst they went on in a State of Disobedience to the Light Yet forever we affirm that no Man or Woman can be â—…ade a Child of God but as the New Birth Regeneratâ—… and the iâ—…vine and Heavenly Image comes to be witnessed through the putting off the Old Man and his Deeds and being baptized by the Holy Ghost and Fire into the one Holy Body of which Christ the â—…maculate Lamb of God is Head and Lord. So that all those who apply to themselves or others the â—…romises due to this State unto that before-mentioned heal themselves or other deceitfuly and God will judge for those things So let all People coâ—…sider with Sobriety and Moderation iâ—… the thiâ—…gs we aâ—…ert are not most agreeable with Scripture and that Light of Truth which is in their own Consciences unto which we most of all desire to be made maniâ—…est IX Nor is this all the Good the Life and Sufferings of that Blessed Manhood brought unto the World For having been enabled so effectually to perform the Will of God Living anâ—… so patiently suffered the Will of Wicked Men Dying therein freely offering up his â—…ost Innocent Life for the World He certainly obtained exceeatâ—…g great and pretious Gifts which as every Man comes to believe in the â—…ight wherewith Christ 〈◊〉 hath enlightned him and to be lead by it he shall assuredly fâ—…el a particular Benefit to him accruing from that general one procured by him who so laid down his Life for the World In short As we cannot but acknowledge him a Saviour in That very Manifestation or Coming in that prepared Boâ—…y who appeared so extraordinarily to visit the World with hâ—…s marvelous Light and Truth to turn their Minds from Error and Darkness and actually converted and reclaimed many and endued his Followers with his own Heavenly Light Life and Power whereby to supply his exteriour Absence with a most lively piercing and effectual Ministry for the compleating the rest from Generation to Generation so must we needs attribute this chiefly to the Divine Light Life and Power that through the Manhood of both Lord and Servants put forth and revealed It self to the Salvation of the World Nor are we yet as hath been often hinted to speak strictly to asscribe the particular Salvation of every Man's Soul to the Appearance of that same Light in Nature in either Lord or Servant albeit many were reacht into their very Hearts and Consciences at that time and great and mighty things were generally procured and Christ in that Manifestation became the Author of Salvation unto many but rather as he is the Light of Men Individually both then did and now doth appear in the Hearts and Consciences of Men unto the awakening of whom and turning their Minds from that Darkness of Tradition Formality and Sin which had and doth overcast the Soul unto that blessed Light in the particular that thereby as to them suffer'd and doth yet suffer so great and tedious an Ecclips â—…say this is the Efficient of Salvation and all other Exteriour Visitations Ministries or Assistants though from the same Light are in respect of the Light in every single Man or Woman but Instrumeâ—…al In this Sense then Man is only a Saviour Instrumenâ—…ly but Christ both whether with reference to his own Bodily Appearance or in the Ministry of his Servants he is the most excellent Instrument and the only Efficient Cause of Salvation as revealed and obeyed in the Consciences of Men. So that it is not the Question Whether do the Quakers deny any Benefit to redound by Christ s Bodily Sufferingsâ—… but Whether the Professors allow and acknowledge the Main of the Work to the Divine Life and Light In short He was the General Saviour in that eminent Appearance at Jerusalem in which he did so many great and good things for Mankind a Particular Saviour as we find him in our Hearts an holy Light shewing Sin reproving for and converting from it into the Holy Nature of the Light to be Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone Thus have I declared according to my Understanding grounded on Experience and
whence it came Or because of God s ondescension for a time to Externals shall they turn the Light and Spirit out of the Office of Rule and Judge by being perpetuated the Rule and Judge Or is it to lay down instituted Religion as some ignorantly talk to press after that which was beâ—…ore and ends those temporary things The Law outward as a Rule was but as Moses till the Son came The Servant abideth not in the House forever The written Law held its place but till the inward rise in more Glory and Brightness oâ—… rather till they became more capable of being turned to it and living with it In those Dayes I will write my Law in their Heart c. They who say otherwise of Scripture do pervert and abuse it for there is nothing more clearly laid down in it from Beginning to End then the Rule and Reign of the Spirit My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in thâ—…ir inward parts All thy Children shall be taught of the â—…ord and in Righteousness shall they be established I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men teaching c. Obj. But if the â—…aw engraven and delivered to Moses was a Rule to the Jews why should not the Law deliverd by Christ and written by his Apostles be the Rule to Christians Answ. Christ left nothing in writing as the Rule that we hear of and it is not to be thought he was less faithful in his House then Moses And doubtless had he intended the Rule of his Followers to have been a written Rule he would have left it upon record with all Punctuality This must be believed and that done on Pain of eternal Death Nor did his Followers write in the Method of a Rule as the Law was written nor did they so call or recommend what they writ But this leads me to my 8th Reason why the Scriptures cannot be the Rule under the New Covenant c. For admitting the Law written by Moses were the Rule A Rule I grant it was to the Jew outward yet Christ the spiritual Leader of a spiritâ—…al Israel writeth his spiritual Law in the Heart as Moses the outward Israel's Leader writ the Law upon Tables of Stone This was God's Promise the Priviledge and Blessing of the new Covenant that as the outward Jew had an outward Law for a Directory the inward Jew should have an inward Law for his Directory And as the outward Jew had an outward Priest at whose Mouth he ought to seek the Law so the Jew inward and Circumcision in Spirit has an inward and Spiritual High-Priest whose Lips preserve Knowledge at whose Mouth he is to receive the Law of Life And this is his Rule who is the Ruler of his People Israel who reigneth in Righteousness and of the Increase of whose heavenly Government there shall be no End The King Ruler Judge Law-giver High-priest Law Rule Temple are all Spiritual so the Scriptures inform us My Kingdom said Christ is not of this World Again The Kingdom of God is within I will write my Law in their Hearts and place my Fear in their inward Parts They shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established The Tabernacle of God is with Man He will dwell with them I will pour out my Spirit on all Flesh. The Grace hath appeared to all Mâ—…n teaching c. A Measure of the Spirit is given to all Men to profit withal The Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Whatsoever may be known of God is manifest within walk in the Spirit If ye walk in the Light c. Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord. And there needed neither Sun nor Moon to shine for the Glory of God did lighten it and the Lamb was the Light thereof As many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them and the whole Israel of God c. What Rule Not that of the old legal Creation that passed away but the Rule of the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or new Creation as it may be rendred And as Drusius cites one to have interpreted it and Grotius also interprets it which is the Way of Life Isaiah spoak of An High-Way there shall be and it shall be called the Way of Holiness the Unclean shall not pass over it and wayfaring Men though Fools shall not eâ—…r therein There shall be no Lyon there nor ravenous Beast go thereon but the redeeâ—…d shall walk there which Way Teachâ—… Guide Rule Light Spirit andholy Unction that directs keepeth in steady Paths of Truth is Christ Jesus our Lord. Obj. But do you not turâ—… the Scriptures off sor an uncertain unâ—…rviceable Writing and as good as reject and deny them altogether Answ. There is a late Author or two who to depaint us as ugly as their Malice could invent have rendered themselves so ridiculous as so to infer But it is not my Business at this time to medle with particular Controversie that followeth in the second Part and shall therefore attend to answer the general Objection The Scriptures are uncertain upon your Foundation but not upon ours Doth our maniâ—…esting your Faith concerning them to be grounded upon your own Imaginations or human Traditions make void or render uncertain the Scriptures By no means but we would have you come to receive them upon the Spirit 's Testimony and Evidence that gave them forth And though we cannot allow them to be the Rule of Faith and Life under the Dispensation of the Gospel which is Power and Life it self yet are they to be read believed and fulfilled under the Gospel For notwithstanding the Law written upon Stone was not Paul's Rule after the Son of God was revealed in him yet the Son of God taught Paul to fulfil the Righteousness declared by that Law If it were to deny and reject as some Persons enviously say of us yea to vilifie the Scripture because we cannot allow it to be the Rule c. Paul must be said to deny reject and vilifie the Law written at what time the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus became his Rule There is a great Difference in asserting that the Spirit is the Rule and casting away vilifying of Scripture And indeed it is but an old Fetch of the Devil 's to pretend Honour to the Letter that he might the more unsuspectedly oppose the bringing in of the Dispensation of the Spirit which the Letter it self testifies to They that come to be led of the Spirit arrive at the End for which Scripture was given forth the Apostle John did as good as say the same thing when he told them to whom he wrote That the Anointing which they had
received and abode in them would lead them iâ—…to all Truth and that they needed not that any man should teach them To deny this to have been the Saints Teacher is to deny as plain a Proposition as is in the whole Scripture and that one Age of Christianity should have one Rule and another Age another Rule that the Spirit we but the Letter is more then any Man can prove yet did John's so writing invalid the Scripture or vilifie his own Epistle Certainly none will talk so idly How then doth our lifting up the Light and Spirit of Christ which fulfils the Scriptures by bringing such as are led thereby to enjoy the good things therein declared reject and vilifie the Scriptures Does our living up to them by an higher Rule make us to deny and reprobate them Erasmus and Grotius think them then most to be valued when men are Witnesses of them see on 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. I do acknowledge they contain an Account of several heavenly Prophecies godly Reproofs and Instructions that ought to be obeyed Obj If so Then how are they not a Rule of Faith and Life Answ. A Rule and the Rule are not one and the same thing By the Rule of Faith and Life I understand the living spiritual immediate omnipresent discovering ordering Spirit of God And by a Rule some Instrument by and through which this great Rule may convey its Direction Such a subordinate secondary and dâ—…claratory Rule we never said several parts of Scripture were not yet the Reason of our Obedience is not meerly because they are there written that were legal but because they are the eternal Precepts of the Spirit in Mens Consciences there repeated and declared Iâ—… is the Tâ—…stimony of the Spirit that is the true Rule for believing and understanding of any or all the Scripture therefore not the Scripture but the Spirit of Truth must be the Rule for mens believing understanding c. Thus held the Ancients Tâ—…rtullian saith Worldly Wisdom the Lord calls Foolishne ss he hath chosen the soolish things of the World to the confounding of Philosophy for that is the Matter of Worldly Wisdom a divine Interpreter of the divine Nature and Disposings Justin Martyr in Exposit. â—…id The Interpretation of the Scriptures is to be a commodated to the Will of the Doctrine of the Spirit and not to human Reasonings Hieron saith The Scriptures musâ—… be opened with spiritual Exposition Epiphanius saith Only â—…o the Children of the holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and cleâ—…r Nor were the most approved Protestants of any sort who have been so reputed in Opposition to Popery of another mind It is the Substance of the sourth Article exhibited against the Lutherans in the Council of Trent as an Erroneous Doctrine they held That to understand the Scripture neither Gâ—…oss nor Comment is necessary but only to have the Spirit of a Sheep of Christ's Pasture Erasmus tells us What Man sets forth by Man's Deâ—…ice may be received by Man's Wit But the thing that is set forth by the Inspiraâ—…ion of the Holy Ghost requireth an Interpreter inspired with the like Spirit and without the Inspiration of it the Secrets of God cannot be known Luther giveth us his Mind thus The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were writ Peter Martyr that famous Italian Protestant teacheth us The Spirit is the Abettor by which we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's Words and a Strangers quoting Christ's Words My Sheep know my Voice and several other places of Scriptures Again The Spirit of God revâ—…aleth the Truth in the Scriptures H. Bullinger Decad. 4. Serm. 8. Men â—…etch the Understanding of Heavenly Things and Knoâ—…ge of the Holy Ghost from NOWHERE ELSE but from the same Spirit John Bradford answerd to the Arch-Bishop of York thus We know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them being thereby assured c. Calvin teacheth thus in his Institutes It is necessary the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophâ—…ts should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they faithfully delivered that which was committed to them of God Beza saith That the Way of understanding Prophecies and referring them to the right Scope must be sought or fetcht from the same Spirit which dictated them to the Prophets themselves and more to that purpose W. Tindal call'd the English Apostle by J. Fox saith It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more then a Turk for any that hath not the Law of God writ in the Heart to sulfil it Bp. Jewel thus against Harding The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharpness of Wit nor to Abundance of Learning Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPECIAL REVELATION Without this SPECIAL HELP and PROMPTING OF GOD's SPIRIT the Scripture is to the Reader be he never so Wisâ—… and well-Learned as the Vision of a sealed Book D. Ames a great Father of the Independents saith upon Bellarmin's wordâ—… The Anointing of the Holy Spirit doth teach the Faithful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles therefore to understand the Scriptures in those things which are necessary to Salvation with more to that purpose Vatablâ—…s on Job 32. 8. with Drusius Clarius and others speak to the same effect G. Crâ—…dock a famous Independent Preacher preacht That the Scripture is a Speechless thing without the Spirit Ch. Goad an eminent Separatist's Works styl'd B. D. of K. Colledge in Cambridge and an Independent Pastor thus taâ—…ght There is no Knowledge of Christ nor of the Scripture but by Revelation D. J. Owen a man of greatest Fame among the present Independents saith The publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of the holy Scripture is HE who is the AUTHOR of them from the BREATHING OF WHOSE SPIRIT IT DERIVETH ALL ITS VERITY PERSPICUITY AND AUTHORITY So that we see upon the Judgment of many considerable Persons the Scripture is no Rule for our believing and understanding of it self therefore not The Rule of Faith and Practice coâ—…cerning the things therein declared I will give a short Instance in Christ's words about Regeneration He taught and strange it was no doubt to wise Nicodemus That unlâ—…ss a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This is as plain a Proposition as can be laid down and may be credited Historically But what is that to any â—…s New Birth that they are never like to 〈◊〉 â—…formed of there Nor can that Scripture be my Rule in that Heavenly Travail respecting the many and wonderful Tryals and Exercises that are to be met with in it neither can any other Writing whatever This only is the Office of that Spirit Word immortal by which I am anew
Mankind What more excellent Judgment can be given then that men quit their Contentions about Notions and Opinions and betake themselves to the Practice of that which God hath already shewn unto them as spake both the Prophet Micah 6. 8. and the Apostle Paul Rom. 1. 19. And if any thing be revealed to one more then another let the rest judge in the Spirit or be silent till God manifest more to them in order to Right Judgment 'T is good to try all things but we must have something to try them by and what ought that to be but the Spirit that searcheth the Anointing that teaches all things which is Truth it self Here Mankind will live in Love having at least Natural Affections now lost by the Bâ—…rbarity of some of their cruel Religions and a Judgment oâ—… things will be made not from the Rash Partial Short sighted a d Froward Mind of man but that eternal Light and Spirit that never erred which however disgustful to some Protestants in this Age was no False Doctrine in the Account of John Philpot and Bp. Latimer two great Founders of the Reformation The first in his Answer to the Bishop of Chichester reproving his Confidence about true Faith in Christ saying These Hereticks take upon them to be sure of all things they stand in Let him doubt saith John Philpot of his Faith that listeth God give me alwayes to believe that I am sure of true Faith and Favour in Christ. The second in his Answer to a Knight objecting the Uncertainty of Man in what he calls Truth thus recorded by J. Fox Your Friends deny not but that certain Truths are communicated to us according to Capacity But as to my Presumption and Arrogancy either I am certain or uncertain that it is Truth that I preach if it be Truth why may not I say so if I be uncertain why dare I be so bold as to preach it And if your Friends be Preachers themselves after their Sermon I pray you ask them Whether they be certain and sure they preach the Truth or no and send me word what they say that I may learn to speak after them If they say they be sure you know what follows if they say they be unsure when shall you be sure that have so doubtful and unsure Teachers Let not Protestants for Shame judge us for owning a Doctrine that is confessed to and confirmed by some of the Worthiest of their own Ancestors viz. That an Infallible Judgment in things necessary to Salvation is both possible and requisite and that God communicates it by his Spirit to the Souls of men The Conclusion TO Conclude Immanuel a word suited not only to that Appearance but whole Dispensation imports God nigh to or with men The Tabernacle of God is with men he will dwell in them and walk in them they shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established And this admits not of any Book or literal Rule or Judge to come between that in-dwelling Light Life and Wisdom of God and the Soul as its Rule of Faith and Life And because it is the unutterable Goodness of God to People in these latter Dayes as the Sum of Scripture-Prophecy thus to make known himself we are incessant in our Cries unto them that they would turn in their Minds now abroad and taking up their Rest in the Externals of Religion that they may hear his Heavenly Voice and Knocks and let him in and be taught of him to know and do his Will that they may come to be experienced and expert in the School of Christ For never Man spoak and taught as he livingly speaks and teaches in the Consciences of those who diligently hear him and are willing to be taught of him the Knowledge of his Wayes The Priest was Outward but he is now Inward the Law Outward but it is now Inward And he is no more a Jew that is one outward nor that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God Which is so far from lessening the Scriptures of Truth that unless this be man's Rule and Judge in the reading and believing of them he can never either understand them or keep the things therein contain'd aright And indeed as before I have expressed I cannot but say That Man whilst unregenerated setting his Wit and Wisdom to fathom and comprehend the Intention of the Holy Ghost in many of those Writings hath occasioned that Confusion Darkness and perplext Controversie that now so lamentably pesters the World In which State for all the External Imitations of the Ancients in some temporary and visible Parts of Worship I am to tell such from the Spirit of the Lord God of all Truth they will never be accepted The utmost of that literal Knowledge historical Faith and outward Religion is at best but the Old Heavens that are to be wrapped up as a Scroul the Old Wine and Bottle that belong not to the Kingdom and Man's holding true Words in an unregenerated and unrighteous Nature where he may cry Lord Lord but shalâ—… never enter into the Rest that is Eternal For under such a Faith and Religion Envy Wrath Malice Persecution Pride Passion Worldly-Mindedness c. may and do live yea and are cloaked as with a secure Cover from the Stroak of God's Spirit insomuch as when any are moved of the Lord to decry such fair and hypocritical Shews of Religion they are reputed Rash and Censorious and presently a Plea must he made on this wise Do not we follow the Commands of the Scripture Did not such and such do so and so Never regarding from what Grounds the Performance springs whether it be according to the Rule of the NEW or OLD Creature buâ—… abuse and vilifie us for making such Distinctions as if the Prayers Preachings Singings outward Baptizings and Suppings c. of Men in their own Spirits Strength and Will were required and accepted of God for Evangelical Worship Thick Darkness and dangerous Presumption Thus are Men out of the Way concerning both Faith and Practice and the true Rule and Judge of them They make the former to lie in an Assent of the Understanding to such Propositions and in the performing of some visible Parts of Religion in their own Spirits and Wills which is far from the Immanuel-State And the latter to be the Scriptures which is but an Account of those Things which others were ruled to and directed in by the Holy Spirit before they were ever recorded or made Scripture and not another Rule or Judge can so regulate For as the Faith and Experience so the Rule and Judge of that Faith and that Experience must be one God by his Spirit begets Faith God by his Spirit rules Faith and governs the Life of his Children for
Light from Christ Jesus the Way out of the Fall the second Adam receiving the Light they receive Redemption and Sanctification whereby their Spirits Bodies and Souls are sanctified Great Mystery p. 91. Note here still that he plainly distinguisheth between the Soul and him that redeems and sanctifies it so that the Soul or Spirit of Man is neither God nor Christ but as much inferior in Subordination to God and Christ as the Creature Man is to the Creator or that which is saved and redeemed to him that saveth and redeemeth The sum of what 's said amounts to this candid Account about the Soul viz. That the Soul and Spirit of Man is not the very Being of God nor a part of God though the original Life of the Soul which came out from God is immutable and infinite there is a divine and infinite Life in the Soul of Man which we would have you be sensible of This is the Life of Lives the Soul of Souls the Being of Beings by which the Soul of man is made to subsist in its Being and Immortality whether in the Kingdom of Glory or Pit of Darkness although this original or divine Life in the Soul stands clear and free from both the Guilt Torment and Anguish that comes upon every Soul of Man that does Evil. Every Soul must appear before the Lord in its own proper Image and Nature which it hath born been under and received while in the Body having been subject either to the Spirit and Power of God or to the Spirit and Power of the wicked one wherein it s capable of either being a Vessel of Mercy and Love or a Vessel to hold Wrath and Anguish according to what it doth here love and effect and contract to it self whether Good or Evil. Therefore as it s commanded Take heed to thy self and keep thy Soul diligently c. love the Lord thy God with all thy Soul c. and then thou wilt know Christ to be the Salvation of it The Scripture speaks variously of the Soul and as in divers States and Conditions viz. 1. Of the Soul of God which is Immutable 2. Of the Soul of Man and that 1. Of the Righteous which really pertake of the divine Nature 2. Of the Wicked which pertake of the Nature of Enmity And these differ in their Affections the one being to Good and the other to Evil. Mention is made of the Soul as under the Power of Sin Death and the Grave by man's Disobedience and Fall and of the Soul as quickned raised up and delivered or saved by the Power of Christ the living ingrafted Word Sometimes the Soul is mentioned as including the whole man sometimes as distinguished from the Body sometimes it s esteemed as the Life and sometimes the Spirit or Breath of Life and an active Soul inspired and there is a State wherein the Word of the Lord is said to divide asunder betwixt the Soul and Spirit Now if you do not own a divine Seed or unchangeable Principle of Life in the Soul I query of you 1st Do you or did you ever know your own Souls 2ly What the Soul is in it self and distinct from the Body 3ly What and where is that to be known that is to change the Souls and so the whole man's Affections from Evil to Good while man remains in this Life 4ly Do you own the Souls Immortality that it doth not dye with the Body Do not some of you Baptists hold that the Soul dyeth with the Body and sleeps in the dust of the Earth untill both arise together 5ly Whether Man doth not subsist in his spiritual Being and Parts with a spiritual Capacity and spiritual Sences having a Sense of perpetual Gain or Loss when his Earthly Tabernacle is put off 6ly Whether the Spirit of Man doth not return unto God that gave it to receive its Judgment and Reward 7ly Whether Man must not be born again here of an Immortal and Incorruptible Seed in him if ever he enter into God's Kingdâ—…m or enjoy Glory hereafter 8thly Whether it be not more necessary for you to wait in humilily to know this immortal Seed in you and to be born thereof then to puzzle your Brains and to busie your Thoughts either about the Questâ—…on how and with what Body are the Dead raised Or how your Souls shall be invested hereafter If you remain here in the Enmity slighting and contemning the Light within or the immortal Principle or incorruptible Seed within as T. H. doth scoff and ridiculously droll at our Testimony for it you 'll be clothed with perpetual shame and Contempt hereafter God knows how to reserve the Unjust to the Judgement of his great Day to be punished as both Divels fallen Angels and wicked men are reserved You need not question in what Bodies or Vessels for that you shall be vessels fit to hold inevitable Wrath if here in time you repent not But if you repent and return to the Lord God and love and serve him with all your Souls it will be well with you hereafter God will provide well for you And the Glory wherewith his sanctified Ones shall be invested And of that House wherewith Righteous Souls shall be cloathed upon is beyond the reach of humane Capacities Thoughts or Imaginations of men And you who are contending and quarrelling about your carnal Bodies have not had so much as a Vision of the Glory of the Saints hereafter nor of the Gloriousness and Spirituality of their Body who are as the Angels of God in Heaven Sect. XII The Neck of the Baptist's Cause broken by his own Concession to the Light within in which Christ and his Testimonies are effectually received T. H. HOw could you call the Light within Christ if some Scriptures had not mentioned Christ in you that he is the Life and Light of Men Give me an Instance of any Person in the World that never had Acquaintance of the Scriptures that ever called the Light in every Man by this Name If none can be produced then the Scriptures must be your Rule for this p. 22. Answ. Thou hast said enough in not only granting the Light within to be Christ but also in confessing that he is the Life and Light of men which while he is really so to men this is sufficient for them to call him as he is and appears to them Is it not therefore great Ignorance to imply him an insufficient Rule for men to give Testimony of him while he is a sufficient Rule and Light to them for their Supply and Life in him And what if they cannot call him by all those Names by which he is called in Scripture while they feel him in Vertue and Power to be really what he is called according to their Enjoyment of him It s true we having the Knowledge of him as our Life and Light we must needs reverently own and make use of those Testimonies in Scripture which concur with our Knowledge of him
and that to evince the Truth concerning his Light to them that pretend a Belief of the Scriptures while yet they are opposing his Light testified of therein As there are those that pretend to believe Moses and the Prophets and think to have Eternal Life in the Scriptures while yet they really oppose that Life and Light testified of in them And such profess the Scriptures to be their Rule while yet they are perverting them against the Life and Light from whence they came and this Hypocrisie many of you are guilty of and therefore with Abraham we refer you to the Scripture Testimony in this Case which if you believe not while you profess them you will not believe if one rise from the Dead The Scriptures are not our only Rule for our refusing to swear our not breaking Bread with you c. for which thou falsly accusest us of arguing against the Institutions of the Gospel p 23. for 1st We stand for the Reputation of Christianity and that Love which injures no man in our resâ—…sing to swear which the Prohibition without us did not bring us to but the Power of Christ when it begat us into that Love wherein we know the fulfilling of Christ's Command 2ly Oâ—…r Experience of Christ Jesus the Living Bread which comes down from Heaven hath shewed us the Uselesness of your breaking Bread as being but a Shadow while we are come to the Substance to wit Christ Jesus the Bread of Life come down from Heaven which if thou knowest him so come as that his Flesh and Blood were thy Meat and Drink thou wouldst not be doting about the Shadow We do not grant that Christ is so come and revealed in all men and yet own some degree of this Light to be in all Thou hast no Reason to accuse us for Lyars in this matter as in p. 23. But thy slanderous Tongue and Pen is at Liberty in this and many other things Thy Malice also plainly appears in charging us of denying the Person of Christ whereas we have fully confest the Man Christ according to the Scriptures both with respect to his Sufferings and Glory Sect. XIII The Baptist's Impious Forgery upon the Quakers about the Scriptures which are in Reality owned and used by them AFter thou hast erroniously accused that of God in us as not sufficient to direct thou proceedst in thy false fictitious Dialogue thus viz. Chr. Is it ingenuous and honest in you to deny the Scripture to be a Rule to others and at the same time you make it though by mis-interpreting it a Rule to your selves Are not you ashamed of this Deceit and self-condemned of plain Partiality And then he most falsly personates the Quaker Qua. Thou mistakest us for when we make Use of the Scriptures 't is only to quiet and stop their Clamors that plead for it as their Rule Reply Who but an Ungodly Man would have brought forth such a lying Forgery as this in the Sight of the Sun as the Quakers Words which is not the Speech of any real Quaker so called but one of thy own making to speak as thou pleasest for thy own wicked ends and thy Lye upon the Quakers is manifest herein Is this the Way thou proposest for our Conviction to make Lyes thy Refuge Was it not known unto the World that we have a better and more serious Esteem of the Holy Scriptures then here thou represents as knowing them to be profitable to the man of God who is come to know that eminent divine Rule of the Spirit which opens them and to make use of them in Subjection thereunto As also our denying that they are the Rule of Faith is no Proof that we deny them to be any Rule at all while in Subserviency to and Proof of the greater we make use of them as the Spirit of God teacheth and for the Information and Conviction of them that have a Belief concerning them for the End still that they may eye that Light and Spirit of Truth which gave them forth and come to know that Inspiration of the Almighty which giveth the Understanding As for Deceit Impudence and presumptuous Conceit which thou T. H. accusest us of thou art highly guilty thereof thy self or else thou couldst never forge such Lyes against us as thou hast done And we wish thou didst in Reality own the Scriptures as feigndly in Words thou pretend'st So far are we from strenuously endeavouring to take People off of the Scriptures as falsly thou accusest us that we desire all might come to know the Righteous Ends for which they were given forth by that divine Light which opens them Much of thy dirty stuff is gathered out of other dirty lying Pamphlets which have been long since answered Sect. XIV His impious Abuse about Revelation Light within Scriptures c. ANd why dost thou quarrel against us for owning Revelation or Perfection as attainable What hast thou against Immediate Revelation Instead of confuting the thing it self thou tellst us of some personal Mistakes or Weaknesses of some particulars as First Of one being mistaken by Paul Hobson's speaking through a Trunk though that was no Quaker who was thus cheated 2ly Of others being mistaken about the Persons to whom they should have declared some Message 3ly Of a notorious Falshood being taken for a Revelation 4ly Of the Opposition of some professing the Light and Revelation p. 26 27. together with several other Stories and Personal Reflections which I have very much Cause not to believe But suppose many of these Stories were true against private Persons Hast thou herein dealt ingenuously thus no inveigh against Principles from personal Failings of such as profest them Is there no such thing as divine Revelation or the Guidance of an Infallible Spirit to be known because some do err or are mistaken that profess them Or no such thing as an infallible Light because some have differed in some particular Cases that have profest it Wouldst thou thus be dealt by concerning thy Water-Baptism or pretended Gospel-Institutions If it should be argued that because the Dippers are greatly divided among themselves and that about Principles and Doctrines and some of them have been grosly corrupt and debaucht in their Lives therefore their dipping or Water-Baptism is no Institution of Christ wouldst thou look upon this as a good Argument Nay further Do you not much differ among your selves in several principal matters As about personal Election and general Redemption and so about the Death of Christ whether for all or some and about Free-Will the seventh Day Sabbath and laying on of Hands and about the manner of administring your pretended Lord's Supper and about the Immortality of the Soul as also some affirming Water-Baptism to be of Necessity to Salvation others not with several other things and yet most of you that thus differ profess the Scriptures to be your Rule If then I should from hence argue that therefore the Scriptures are not the Rule
because you that profess them to be so are so repugnant one unto another thou wouldst readily reflect Absurdity upon me though to the undermining of thy own Cause Why dost thou so much slite the Light within and insinuate against Revelation or Perfection from personal mistakes Weaknesses or Failings of some particulars supposed Nay I may further except against thy Impertinency herein who durst not produce one Argument against the Principle upon this Occasion when thou wast desired for that an occasional Mistake Slip or circumstantial Difference is no general Argument to prove a man a false Prophet or Minister never called of God seeing that An Eli and a Samuel might be mistaken 1 Sam. 1. 13 14. and Ch. 3 4 5 6 7 8. and Ch. 16. Verse 6 7. A young Prophet seduced by an old 1 King 13 18 19 20 22 23 24. A Paul revoking his Reflection Acts 23. 5. A Paul and a Banabas in a Contest Acts 15. 39. A Peter withstood by Paul Gal. 2. 11 12 13 14. Yet these are no Arguments that therefore these men were never called of God nor had divine Revelation to prophesie or preach Neither on the other Hand does it argue that they fell short of Perfection or Infallibility when they came to see into the Depths of Satan and how any of them have been overtaken for through that which is perfect they out-grew Imperfections and Weaknesses I must yet take notice of what thou speaks of a Revelation that came from Paul Hobson who on Purpose to try them spake through a Trunk yet could they not distinguish his Voice from the Immediate Voice of God p. 27. Reply Thou hast herein grosly belyed the Quakers neither were they either thus tryed or cheated howbeit dost thou think that this adds to the Credit of thy Cause Was not Paul Hobson an eminent Dipper or Brother Baptist of yours who when he grew weary of a poor shattered whimsical man in his House who was no Quaker your Brother Paul did feign a Call as from God through a hollow Trunk to the poor man to get rid of him as I have also heard the Story credibly related in the County of Durham Now was not this a horrible Deceit and Cheat of your Brother Paul to presume such an Invention as in the Name of God whether was he the Deceiver or the poor man deceived most to be blamed Let the ingenuous Reader and thy own Conscience judge And so how dully and sorrily thou hast come off to bring this as an Instance either against the Quakers or Revelation How hast thou manifested thy Folly herein And wouldst thou and thy Brethren be thus dealt by to be all reflected upon or disparaged by the Miscarriage of any particular Persons supposed among you thou wouldst be ill pleased if I should speak in earnest behold what Deceivers the Baptist Preachers are seeing Paul Hobson their Brother did so impiously deceive and cheat the poor shattered man And so what Advantage hath thy envious Reflection upon us been to thee or thy Cause Again thou bring'st an Instance against the Light within thus T. H. Above all that eminent Difference may not be omitted between J. N. and G. F. at or after J. N's publick Entrance into Bristol when they called each other the Children of the Devil and departed from the Light A great Party adhered to both in this Opposition of their Lights and Revelations p. 27. Answ. First This is a false Relation the Words were not so between them nor was the Opposition at Bristol 2. Nor was the Opposition from the Light in both 3. It s true that J. N. was witnessed against by several for turning aside from the Light at that time and therefore it is most unjust in thee to cast his Failings upon the Light or instance it as an Argument against us 4. J. N. came by the Light to a Sence of his Loss and repented of it therefore unjustly imputed either to the Light to G. F. or us 5. Seeing there was Opposition between them it is a most malitious Conclusion of thine from hence to call us Cheats and Impostors p. 28. as also in thy 17. pag. thou calls our first fundamental Principle a meer Cheat. Thus thy wicked Design is not only against the Persons but against the Principles whereas our first fundamental Principle is the true Light against which thou hast thus blasphemed for which God will rebuke thee not only as an impertinent but a most malitious Opposer And to prove thy Lye that we endeavour to beget in the minds of men an ill Opinion of the Scriptures thou dost instance my Saying that which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and greater p. 28. But leavest out my Explication viz. as received and immediately proceeding from the Spirit and spoken in the Sence thereof that is in the living Demonstration of the Spirit to the Conscience This I still testifie is of greater Authority then the meer Letter or Writing though containing the same Words so spoken as I did then instance and explain thus viz. As Christ's Words were of greater Authority when he spake then the Pharisees reading the Letter c. But do not you Baptists deem your Preaching of equal Authority with the Scriptures when you say what you preach is the Word of God however intermixt with your own uncertain Meanings In thy 35. pag. to prove thy calling me a Knave a false and deceitful Man thou sayst I give not the least hint of thy Explications of thy Positions whereas I writ thy Doctrines for thee to give thy own Explications least thou shouldst say I wronged thee yet to this Day I must confess that some of thy Positions were so absurd and incongruous that I could not hear thee give the least rational Explication upon them as those mentioned upon Joh. 1. 4. viz. First Of the Light being natural because the Light of the Eternal Word Secondly That 't is divine as in God but natural as in man for this thou didst not shew so much as the least Colour of Reason or rational Explication And must I be accounted a Knave guilty of Deceit a false deceitful Fellow for not writing all thy Impertinencies And yet thou takest the Liberty to leave out my Explication which was most material to my Position for the powerful Demonstration of the Spirit while it was set down in Print before thy Eye Oh! what gross Hyocrisie art thou guilty of thus to rail and revile such as wish thee no Harm when thou hast no Occasion given thee and yet art guilty of that which thou falsly accusest another for An other dark Accusation of thine is of a Servant Maid that should say the Bible is a good honest thing but she lik't our Friends Books better p. 29. If thou hadst mentioned the Name of this Maid and proved the Accusation what is this to the Body of the Quakers Though I suspect this
World began But the true saving Knowledge of whom is spiritual and divine and inwardly received in his own Light and Life within and saving Faith is in his Name and divine Power as inwardly revealed Stephen Crisp's Answer to T. H. THomas Hicks I having seen thy Book called a Dialogue c. and finding my Name mentioned in page 44. and 45. have very seriously taken notice of thy manner of Rehersal of my Words and thy own spoken at that Conference which we once had at Bartholomew-Close and that I know of I never saw a Narrative of a thing past given forth with more Falshood and Hypocrisie then that is and with a known and witting Purpose to deceive the Reader and to abuse me and I am perswaded Thomas thou hast in thy self a Knowledge of it and surely except thou repent and obtain Forgiveness it will one Day be heavy to thee The Business or matter upon which we treated was about our holding and believing Christ to be the Light of the World or that the Light which lighteth the World and every one that cometh into the World was and is the true Christ which was then proved by plain Scripture and whereas I do not intend a Narrative of the Discourse but only to dis-abuse the Reader and to make known the Occasion of these Words of mine thou hast mentioned therefore I shall pass over most of our Discourse and come to the matter relating to Christ. And that thou didst say as thou mentions in thy Book that no Spirit nor Principle was capable of Suffering and being Crucified is true thou didst say so but how faise the matter it self is let the Scriptures be judge Do they not speak in many places of the Sufferings Pressures Vexings Burdenings Grievings and Quenchings of the Spirit and do they not speak of crucifying afresh killing and slaying the Lamb of God the Lord of Glory the 〈◊〉 One from the Foundation of the World in the Streets of Sodom and Aegypt c which Sayings cannot have Relation to that Body that hanged upon the Cross which was not from the Foundation of the World nor was â—…ot in Sodom nor never hanged upon a Cross in Egypt but he whom the Saints called our Lord and the Lord from Heaven a quickning Spirit was capable of suffering these things besides those great Sufferings which he suffered in that Body in which he conversed with men in the Form of a Servant in the â—…arts of Judea and Jerusalem whom the Jews took and hanged upon a Cross without the Gates of Jerusalem who I believe dyed for Sinners and is raised up again by the Power of God exalted therein above the Power which caused him to suffer and sitteth now at the right Hand of God and maketh 〈◊〉 for the Saints and is the Ruler over the true Israel of God who destroyes his Enemies with the Spirit of his Mouth and the Brightness of his coming New this Christ of God thus truely considered I neither said nor thought I knew the Date or Beginning of as thou dost wickedly suggest for I know he is without beginning of Dayes or end of Life and such an high Priest becometh us to have and blessed are they that believe in him and are faithful to him and now having answered what thou malitiously wouldst have the Reader believe which I am perswaded thou thy self dost not believe viz. That it is my Judgment and Belief that Christ hath a Beginning and Date I shall now declare the Occasion of such Words when I was about to prove to thee that this Principle of Light was that 〈◊〉 of Ages in which the Fathers and Prophets believed and that it was that Word which came unto the Prophets and which was known to Abraham to his rejoycing c. thou madest me this Answer That the Names Jesus and Christ were not proper unto any Spirit Word or 〈◊〉 whatsoever either in Heaven or in Earth but unto that Body or Person which was born of the Virgin to which I replyed I remember John Newman hath written so in his Book but I had thought you Baptists had not owned him in it but now I see you do and thou saidst yes thou didst for though thou grantedst that the Word and Spirit was from the beginning yet that was not nor could not properly be called Christ or Jesus but that Person that was born of the Virgin that only was Jesus and Christ where uppon I 〈◊〉 then I know the date and beginning of thy Christ upon which thou criedst out Blasphemy to which I replyed and asked thee if thou thoughtst I did not know how long it was 〈◊〉 he was born as well as thou or another man c. and after that did prove to thee by plain Scripture that the very Assertion was false to say there was no Jesus nor Christ before and did mention the Rock of which the Fathers did drink and which followed the Jews in the Wilderness which Rock saith the Apostle was Christ not is now become Christ but was Christ and the same Apostle saith that God made all things by Jesus Christ mark Thomas if this be so then he was before Mary was or besore he became Flesh or took that Body made of a Woman for the Prophet testified that he that should be born in Bethlehem his Out-goings was from of old I say the more concerning this because thou endeavour'st to cast the Socinian Leven of which thou didst appear that night too full upon me as if I looked upon Jesus Christ as a meer Creature whose beginning and date I knew when as those Words were only spoken with Detestation of and in Testimony against thy corrupt Socinianism that Night uttered who also made a great Stir with me for saying the Eternal Son of God Thy Foundation is manifest Thomas thou canst not hide it this Way and as concerning thy foolish pratling in page 45. that if I knew his beginning then he was not God and if I knew his date or when he ceased to be then he is not man this is not all worth the answering the pretended Foundation thereof being taken away and thou left naked in thy Folly and Perverseness having shewn thy self but as one who makes a Likeness of a man and sets it up and then beats it down again and goes away and boasts of Conquest But for a Conclusion I shall ask thee and thy Reader a Question Suppose that a man should affirm to me that all things come by Nature and that there is no universal Spirit of Life to quicken them and I should answer thereuppon and say Then there is no God I query were this sufficient Reason to charge me that I were an Atheist that I held there was no God or ought it not to be taken as detecting the Atheism of the first Assertor this is my case with thee which I refer to that of God in all Consciences and let that judge in and amongst men and thee I
according to the Scripture though 't is probable not in my Opposers Words and Terms for note that his Charge which I denyed was not that the Quakers deny the raising again of this very Body of Flesh c. but the Resurrection of the body in this general Phrase Is it therefore ingenuous that I should be thus accused in these general Terms And when I cannot in Reason or Conscience own T. H's manner of stating things as my Opinions in his own Words both besides and contrary to what my Words were or are must I therefore be called a Knave a deceitufl Fellow c Whereas my Conscience bears me witness that if he had stated either my Affirmations or Denials in any Case in my own Words Books or Writing I would not in the least have disowned or receded from them as mine but either have stood by them or upon plain Scripture Evidence to the contrary should have fallen â—…nder Conviction and Reprehension according to the nature of the Error or Mistake if truely detected or proved guilty thereof As concerning the Resurrection I am so far from bauking my Testimony or receding from what I have and do hold concerning it that I am intended if God permit to speak further thereof according to the Sence and Understanding given me and that before I have done with my present Opposers But whereas T. H. takes the Liberty to be the Quakers Mouth and to present them as speaking those impertinencies and Falshoods which are meerly his own Forgeries and â—…ever believed nor intended by them Let the unprejudiceâ—… Reaâ—…er judge whether he be not highly guilty of Falshood and Deceit herein as in divers things hath been signiâ—…ed in this Discourse And as for his second Accusation admitting that I did not write down all his Explications upon his Positions 't is no Proof that the Relation of what I gave was false as very sillily he accuses me Neither hath he proved that I have given a false Relation of any one Position of his Besides in some of his Positions the very Substance of his Reason or Argument is therewith inserted in my Paper others of his Positions are so absurd and gross that he could not make so much as the Colour of a reasonable Explication upon them and therefore I did endeavour to induce him upon more deliberate Conside rations to produce what Explications he could for his Doctrines for which these were my Words If our Opposer say we have not inserted his Explications upon his Assertions our Answer is that 's his Work he hath Liberty to do it himself Now if for this he must revile me in the open Street calling me Knave and shaking his Stick at me If the Baptists will prove men Knaves at this Rate about Principles or Opinions they will make all Knaves that oppose them who do not relate all Circumstances of Words as well as their Assertions how impertinent soever Though I am unwilling to reflect upon all of them for this outragious and uncivil Carriage and defaming Language of their Brother Hicks for his Brother W. Kiffin did somewhat ingenuously shew his Dislike thereof openly yet when he attempted to prove it adding thereto against me such Language as this viz. impudent Fellow audacious Fellow deceitful Fellow c. To excuse him herein some of his Companions said it was his Zeal but this Cover was too narrow such hypocritical and false Excuses will not hold up the Credit of T. Hicks and those his Adherents And be it reminded that in divers things he hath both curtail'd and wholy left out my Explications particularly of that Passage cited by him in his 28. pag. viz. That which is spoken from the Spirit of Truth in any is of as great Authority as the Scriptures and greater here he stops and leaves out As received and proceeding immediately from that Spirit and as Christ's Words were of greater Authority when he spoke then the Pharisees reading the Letter as before hinted See here he hath called me a Knave for that which he is more manifestly guilty of and so is condemned out of his own Mouth in that which he allows himself in And I desire that Tho. Hicks may look at home and examine his own Conscience whether he was not in himself detected for that his Passion and Fury towards me I would not have him go on wronging his own Conscience nor withstand that Light in him which in secret would shew him his Infirmity and Evil in this matter of Passion and calumnious Railing whereby he will never gain upon the Spirits of any who are tender and sincere to God But instead of repenting thereof he brings the same Language over again in his Postscript after he has had both reproof and deliberation to have learnt better but it appears he is disturbed and royl'd in his Spirit as a man guilty and therefore shuffles to ease himself by telling us again thus viz. I told G. W. he was a Knave wherefore I did then and do so still esteem him c. really false and dishonest p. 91. To which G. W's reply is the Lord forgive him howbeiâ—… I am at defiance of my Adversary's implacable Enmity and do challenge him and all the World justly to detect me of dishonesty or of acting against my Conscience or to the Injury of any one living knowing my own Peace in the Testimony of a good Conscience towards God and Man I do really defie the Envy of the Devil and all his Agents And T.H. cannot hide his Passion and 〈◊〉 by his begging the Question viz. Doth not that Quaker who wrote that Book called the lying Wonder p. 9. endeavour to fasten these terms of Fool and Knave upon J. G. Whereas his Case was not the same with mine nor is he positively so charged for his Brother J. G. attempting to attest the Anabaptist's lying Wonder out of Lincolnshire upon the meer Credit of his Brother Ralph James the Fomentor of it as having been an Elder of a Congregation many Years from whose Mouth J. G. had the Relation of a great Miracle done by the Prayers of their Church though contrary to their Faith who affirm that Miracles are ceased long since and yet in his Letter to his Elder R. J. to desire a Reason why this great handy Work of God hath been so long concealed from Publication when he himself knew of it some Months before as also Ben. Morley as J. G. affirms to which the Words are added by T. R. thus viz. Whether J. G. be not as much Fool as Knave by his own handy Work let his Brethren judge See here it s referred to his Brethren to judge in this Case which was 1st His deposing the lying Wonder under his Hand from the Credit of the Forger 2. His pretending to desire a Reason of its being so long concealed when he himself knew of it some months before though they have not judged his Folly at least in this but T. H. hath positively called
not that a little degree of the Light Vertue and Knowledge thereof is not saving or sanctifying A small Stream can wash and a little Fire kindle and increase to more and a little convenient Food nourish and satisfie and a little Water quench one's Thirst or a small Seed grow and bring forth great Increase and so a little Light from Christ can increase and shine more and more till it discover the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ the anointed these things are truely known in the Mystery through true Obedience to so much Light or Illumination as God hath given man for he the Glorious Creator hath given a Light to all men sufficient to save or else they could not be left without Excuse but it would reflect upon him for condemning them for Sin if he did not afford them a Light sufficient to guide out of Sin unto Salvation But for our asserting the Light of Christ that is in every Man to be convincing sanctifying and saving H. G. concludes as followeth p. 5. III. The Effect of Christ's Sufferings only known in his Light within H. G. IN this appears your great Darkness and herein you are beguiled and cheated by the Devil to the invalidating of the Meritorious Death and Sufferings of our Lord as if there were no need of his Blood to be poured forth nor of his Intercession p. 5. Answ. Can either Christ's Light within or our following of it invalidate or make void his Sufferings without Or deprive us of the End thereof or of the Vertue of his Blood When they that crucified murthered Christ were turned from his Light within Or can any receive the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings and Blood without or out of his Light within Or are the Sufferings and Death of Christ absolutely meritorious for Man's Justification without any Dependance upon his Light within If so how can any be deprived of Justification for whom Christ dyed Which was for all Men but what Proof hath he from Scripture That the shedding Christ's Blood was the Meritorious Cause of Justification Seeing it was shed by wicked Hands and surely had the Jews and Gentiles obeyed and walked in that holy and just Light that was in them they had not crucified nor murthered the just One the Son of God whose giving up to the Death of the Cross though of Necessity yet it was occasioned because of Sin and Death that was come over all which man must only be convinced and truely sensible of by the Light of Christ within and it s such only as walk in his Light who come to know the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all Sin And there is a certain Congruity and Oneness in being sanctified redeemed and saved by his Life Light Blood Power Arm Ingrafted Word Spirit Fire Water or by Grace these do not oppose Christ as Saviour he being in all the great Workman of God through whom God hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Titus 3. 4 5. These being one in Substance with him and of himself as the Spirit the Water and the Blood agree in one And as his offering up himself being a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World pouring out his Soul to Death and making Intercession for the Transgressors was by the Eternal Spirit so the blessed Effects thereof are spiritually and inwardly received by them that obey and walk in the Light of his Spirit wherein his Life and Vertue of the Blood of the Covenant is received unto Cleansing Sanctification and Reconciliation with God The great Sufferings Burthens and Afflictions of Christ were occasioned by man's Sin Disobedience and turning from his Life and Light within and this brought Darkness and Death over Man-kind and therefore Christ deeply travelled in the Spirit of Prayer and Intercession through all his Sufferings to bring forth his own Life and Light for man's Deliverance out of Death and Darkness that he might see his Seed and the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied And this is the Seed that shall serve him throughout all Ages which shall be counted unto the Lord for a Generation and this serves him in his Light and worships him in Spirit therefore they that oppose this Light of Christ to the End of Christ's Coming Death Sufferings Blood or Intercession as if his Light in Man did invalidate these they are darkned and cheated by the Devil and not these who obey Christ's Light within for Life and Savation in him IV. The saving Work of the Spirit HEnry Grigg observes from John 16. 7. That the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour pag. 46. H. G. Contradiction Till the Coming of his Spirit and Grace with Power in my Heart for the binding of the strong man Satan and killing my Corruptions my Soul was not brought out of the horrible Pit p. 16. having wrought this glorious Work of Regeneration p. 17. G. W. his Animadversion Then it s the Spirit and Power of Christ that effects Salvation through the Work of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. which is not meerly by Christ's outward Sufferings though we cannot believe that Satan is bound in this Man while he is in Satan's Work blaspheming Christ's Light within and belying us H. G. replyes What sober Christian Man can find any Contradiction here against H. G Is not G. W. the Lyar and false Accuser I say the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour or Mediator p. 6. G. W. Answer The Contradiction is very obvious to say the Spirit cannot be the Saviour when it can save the Soul out of the horrible Pit can it save and not be a Saviour Or can it bind the strong Man or kill man's Corruptions and yet not save him And if the Father the Word and the holy Spirit be God cannot God be the Saviour When as Christ's being the Author of Faith giving Power to others to become the Sons of God is a Proof of his being God Light from the Sun p. 91. And Christ said The Son can do nothing of himself c. The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the Works Joh. 5. 19. 30. and 8. 28. and 14. 10. And the holy Spirit where received also maketh Intercession according to the Will of God and by this Spirit Christ prayed unto the Father but to say the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour is also to deny Christ in his spiritual Appearance to be a Saviour and so to confine the saving Work to him only as man or in the Flesh without or separate from us whereas he said I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you John 14. 18. which plainly denotes him to be the Comforter in that Spiritual Appearance wherein he that was with them promised to be in them and as revealed in them his Appearance was another or diverse to his outward Appearance in the Flesh whereas H. G. saith Are there not three that bear Record in
It is a vile and wicked thing to say it is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God the great Prophet God promised to raise up 2. It is a vile Error to say it is the holy Spirit or blessed Comfortor for that Christ sâ—…ith the World could not receive Answ. H. G. should have been so ingenuous as to have cited the Quakers Books and pages first to prove these to be their Doctrines and Principles and that in their own very Words before he had so severely charged their Doctrines and Principles about the Light of Christ in every man which till he doth I must deny him to be either an impartial or true Stater of our Principles and state them in our own Words as 1st We confess that Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightens every Man with his own divine Light or Life which gradually appears in Man and shews it self by Measure but God gave not the Spirit by Measure unto Jesus Christ the great Prophet therefore we do not call every Appearance of Light the whole Christ And according to H. G's Definition of Jesus Christ as consisting of human Flesh and Bone he is not in any Man but we knowing him after the Spirit and that he is God over all he is spiritually in his Saints in Union with them and known to them and his Presence is unlimitted he was in the World and the World knew him not whose Presence enlightens Man-kind with an immediaâ—…e Light from himself which is able to reveal Christ himself as he is only peculiarly revealed in the Saints who have obeyed his Light 2. The Gift Enjoyment and indwelling of the holy Spirit as Comforter is a peculiar and glorious Manifestation of Life only received by those that obey the Measure of that spiritual and divine Light within which is freely given of God to all wherein they thaâ—… wait upon God obtain more Power and Vertue from him who giveth the holy Spirit to them that truly ask him from a Sence of its Vertue and Light within in which they are only capable of receiving the powrings forth of the holy Spirit and abundant Shedding thereof on them as those that receive the Measure of his Discovery or Appearance in them And though the rebellious World doth not receive or accept of this holy Spirit nor see his Glory as an indwelling Comforter yet some enlightning Appearances and Operations thereof do at times reach the men of the World to their Conviction and Reproof often striving with Man to perswade him out of his Sins and Iniquities And if the holy Spirit be God his Spirit is unlimitable filling Heaven and Earth c. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy Presence see Psa. 139. 7 8 9. and his Presence is to Man an enlightning Presence and Thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things therefore thou chasteneth them measurably by putting them in remembrance of the things wherein they have offended that leaving Wickedness they may believe in thee O Lord. 3. H. G. Abominable it is to say 't will cleanse from all Sin and eternally save those that obey it p. 18. Answ. The Life which is the Light of Men is both cleansing saving in the least degree of it to them that obey it and it doth not in the least deny Christ to be the Saviour to say that his Life or Light in Man is saving being divine and that by which the obedient come to know and follow Christ and thereby receive the Light of Life and Power to become the Sons of God and the Kingdom of God which Christ said is within you is compared to a little Leaven a grain of Mustard-Seed which therefore hath a seasoning and growing Vertue in it he said believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light and this Light Men ought to walk in of which it s said as yet ye have a little Light in you as some read it walk while ye have the Light and in walking in the Light the Blood of Jesus Christ is received which cleanseth from all sin 1. Were it not a vile Error for any to affirm that that Life which is the Light of Men is neither Divine nor a Saving Light of Christ or Holy Spirit in any Degree of it 2. And art not thou H. G. vile and wickedly erronious to give out such Language as This Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ that appears blasphemously to reflect upon the Light and Power within as before in calling it a Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ to cry up Light and Power within And now to refuse believing in the Light which enlightens every Man that cometh into the World for Life and Salvation p. 19 though it be the Word which is Christ that so enlightneth every Man XI His sad and impious Prayer against the Light in all which Light is proved of the same Nature or kind with the Witness in Believers H. G. GOd forbid that I should ever own their Principle of Light in all that doth so clearly tend to the racing out the grand Fundamentals of the Gospel p. 52. H. G. Contrad Praises and Hallelujah to God for ever who hath given us that Witness in our selves of which thou 〈◊〉 est p. 54 55. which Witness his Sister spake of was the Light which reproves for Sin to own and believe in the Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World p. 8. and 29. G. W. Animad See what a sad pass these men are grown to and what kind of Prayers they offer to God against his own Light and witness within and how contrary to the Gospel Spirit and Light they are H. G. Rep. G. W. belics both me and my Sister in what he saith here for the Witness she spoke of is not the Light which reproves for Sin which is in every one that cometh into the World though I confess she bids me believe in the Light that reprovâ—…s for Sin which lighteth every one that cometh into the World 〈◊〉 contrary-wise she mentioned the Words of the Apostle John 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself p. 19. To this I answer Let all moderate and impartial Readers both thy Sister and others judge whether I have belyed thee or her in this Matter And how quarelsome and peevish thou art could she intend contrary-wise or another of this Witness of God then of that Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the World Thou shouldst have asked thy Sister if she doth not own the true Light that enlightens every Man and the Witness oâ—… Word which he that believeth hath in himself to be one and the same And hast not thou confest that Christ AS the Eternal Word enlightens every Man which he that believeth hath in himself as having through the Light given received Christ the faithful and true Witness who stands at the door of Man's Heart and knocketh so as in
and your darkness and enmity wherewith its you that are stirring up Smoak and Darkness with prejudice against the Truth the true Light and against us for bearing witness thereto XIV That Scriptural Distinction between the eternal Son of God and the Body Prepared sor him further maintained and the Anabaptist Persâ—…cuting spirit Reviling and Tradâ—…cing the Innocent Reproved AS touching that distinction of the Christ and that Body which was prepared for him which he took up and dwelt in as hinted in a book entitled Some Principles of the Elect People c. p. 116. and 117 which he cites as a proof that the Quakers are found daily denying the man Christ This can be no denying of the Man Christ as in that Body unless either that Body alone was Christ without the Spirit or the names Christ the Anointed or Son of God did originally strickly and solely belong to the meer Flesh or Outside and that the Son of God was not in being before he took upon him that Body which I know none own but such as deny his Divinity and eternal Generation sor that Flesh or Body is sometimes called the Body of Jesus this Temple the Form of a Servant which he took upon him a Body prepared for him and HE Jesus Christ come in the Flesh c. Also in the said Book you are asked what that is which appeared in the Body whether that was not the Christ before it took up the Body after it took up Body and ever p. 117. yet far be it from us to deny Christ being truly Man because we confess his Divinity or to deny him in any of his Appearances either in the Flesh or Spirit for he was truely Christ the Son of God when miraculously conceived and Born of the Virgin Mary and his Name was also called Immanuel God with us now dare you say that all these eminent names and Divine Appellations given to him when in the Flesh did most properly and originally belong to the Flesh or Body and not rather to something more Eminent and Divine therein Again if the Quakers were so notorious gâ—…ilty of horrible Heresies Delusions and vilâ—… impostures as this Opposer saith and that they are found daily in the Sight of all Persons denying the Man Christ Jesus and appearing to all men to be Babylonish rather then H. G. and other Baptists pag. 17 20 21 22. Why then do divers of you Anabaptists and Dippers so fret rage and turmoyle your selves against the Quakers if they be so apparently Erronious and Babylonish in the Sight of all Persons what need is there then of your scribling so many Books and Pamphlets against them in this time of Liberty as if you could not demean your selves quietly unless you see them under Persecution for with that you appear most quieted But still your striving raging and clamouring against us doth imply you have lost ground and you cannot inforce such a belief in people against the Quakers as you would thousands have secretly a Witness for us and a better belief of us then that we are such horrible Hereticks or vile Impostors as daily in the sight of all deny the Man Christ or are Ravening Wolves c. as this old angry Anabaptist would have them believe who also prays in his Conclusion thus viz. The Lord deliver Christ's Poor Lambs from being preyed upon and devoured by ravening Wolves There 's two things to be Considered in this man 's thus praying 1. How This agrees with the Doctrine of personal election from eternity as held by some of his Brethren whether those they all count so unchangeably and particularly elected are or can be in any such danger of being devoured 2. His great Care over these poor Nations in praying the Lord to deliver them from Horrible Heresies and vile Impostures p. 17. as if theâ—…e Anabaptists were so National In their Dipping-Church and Society or as if they were either devout members of the National Church or these poor Nations were mostly Anabaptists or ready to be dipt by them Is it not easie to see these Men's temporizing Hippocritical Insinuations and all in the height of their Envy to persecute and run down the poor despised Quakers if it were possible but the Lord God who hath stood by us in our Tribulations and Sufferings will disappoint their malitious Design and frustrate the Tokens of Lyars and the Pit which they have digged for us they shall fall into themselves As for H. G. his saying He never saw yet any distinct solid Answer given by G. W. to any Book which hath come out against them pag. 2â—… I must leave that to God's Witness to judge of and to those that are free from Prejudice and Partiality against me which I am sure H. G. with some of his Brethren are not who hath little cause to boast of his Answer as any Sollid Piece that so much savours of Envy and Reviling XV. A Warning and Reproof to Hen. Grigg c. Hen. Grigg IT s high time for thee to Repent Lest in thy old Age thou beest cut off in the Guilt of Enmity and Falsehood who hast turned thy back of the Light of Truth in thee which through Judgment would have reformed thee the testimony whereof thou art now turn'd against Repent Repent Lest thy dayes and visitations from God be Extinct in utter darkness and thou have thy Reward therein among Hypocrites and such as contentiously resist the Truth Thou sayest thou art outwardly decayed and the time of thy departure is at hand Light Sun p. 73 74. And concludest Now Reader if thou hast received any spiritual Benefit from what hath thus occasionally been written by a poor Worm Weakling and nothing Creature c. p. 94 95. To all which I say 1st It is high time for thee to be better Prepared for thy Departure by a true and unfeigned repentance of all thy Prejudice and hard Speeches against a People fearing God and their Principle which is on the behalf of the true Light in man 2dly Thou hast entered into a War troublesome and Contest against that which will be too strong for thee and thy Assistant when thou shouldest rather prepare for a Rest. 3dly What thou hast written savours too much of Flesh and fleshly Conceits which are against the Spirit and Light within to afford spiritual Benefâ—…t to the Reader 4thly Occasionally written What occasion to print and publish such a Book so much reflecting thy natural Sister Was a private Letter from her such a great Occasion to print both it and perverse Commentaries upon it against her Didst thou herein do like a natural Brother or didst thou and thy Brethren think this would be a good Expedient to work a Conviction upon her Infamously to notifie her to the World in print for a private Letter wherein was much wholesom Advice to thee Oh shame upon such a Procedure as this of thine against thy Sister 5thly A poor Worm Weakling and nothing Creature What
of Creation thrâ—…gh which his Light gives Men to consider and see God and his eternal Power Rom. 1. and to worship him And this Light and Works are and do preach forth the Power of God and his Wisdom where the Scriptures are not And therefore God affords a Sufficiency even to the Heathens both of Light inward and Evidence outward of his Power c. They that have the holy Scriptures in the Bible may thank God for those good Testimonies in them as his Light within opens their Understandings in them to the Right Use of them Aâ—…d they that have not the Bible have the Book of the Creation to read in and the Light within to open it and to read and understand a Deity and Divine Power through all and over all And they that are born Deaf and Blind shall not be therefore damned God having afforded an invisible sufficient Light to save being obeyed to leave them without excufe being disobeyed And if by the use of Reason the Spirit of God teacheth the Heathen moral Duties as in p. 54. which Duties as he explains are to love and worship God and to love our Neighbours as our selves then have the Heathen First A supernatural and Divine Light to wit that of the Spirit 2dly His Spirit with the Teaching and Reason of it in that degree it is in them is a Rule of Life to them that have not Scriptures who obey it And this confutes and overthrows the greater part of S. S. his Book or bundle of Confusion S. S. Most falsly obtruds upon R. Ludgater this Concession viz. That the Will of God as much of it as is revealed by the Light in every man without the help of Scripture is not the only Rule to Heaven p. 23. And this sayes S. S. fetcht out of the very Heart-Blood of Quakery Epist. This is a gross Abuse and Lye for R. L. hath a better Knowledge and Esteem of the Light of Christ in every man and its own Sufficiency to guide the Obedient to Heaven In him was Life the Life was the Light of Men Job 1. 4. This Life and Light of Christ being divine is therefore a sufficient Rule Also S. S. hath abused G. W. in several places perverting his Words and setting down words in G. W's Name which he never wrote nor spoak and in particular these words about Christ's Coming viz. He hath tarried above Sixteen Hundred Years p. 86. quoting Divin of Christ p. 49. and then to back this Abuse and to lay Judgment 〈◊〉 G. W. brings those Scriptures 2 Pet. 2. 3 4. and Mat. 4. 48. Whereas G. W's Words were quite contrary â—…nfessing both to Christ's Outward and Inward Coming which â—…is Disciples did not put afar off as you do it being above â—…ixteen Hundred Years since they both waited for and receiv'd â—…is Coming Here is no such Word as that He hath tarried so long we refer the Reader to the Book and Page before mentioned to see S. S's Abuse in this as also many more might be instanced where instead of answering he hath wronged and belyed our Words and Books S. S. in p. 32. saith though the Counsels of God's Spirit in Believers Hearts be IN themselves as certainly the Truth of God as are his Counsels in the Scriptures yet are they not to Believers so certainly the Truths of God Answ. What 's this but to tell us that the Scriptures can better ascertain us of the Truths therein then the Spirit that first gave forth those Truths or that the Spirit of Christ is Insufficient assuredly to manifest his own Counsels to Believers which is contrary to Christ's own Testimony He shall guide you into all Truth He shall abide with you forever and the Sons of God are led by his Spirit and hereby know we that we dwell in him and be in us because he hath given us of his Spirit 1 Joh. 4. 13. Chap. 3. 24. Therefore this Spirit is our certain and highest Rule And as to his pudder he makes about Water-Baptism 't is very confused and silly as at the Dispute not plainly asserting whom he would have the Subjects of it whether Infants or Believers yet brings some of the Anabaptists Arguments though we still suppose he intends Infants but durst not tell us whether it be his Practice now So see what a Laborynth and Loss his Work tends to bring People to neither plainly telling them the Subjects nor showing who are the Ministers of this imposed Water-Baptism whether himself or such as he or who and yet injoyns it as a Means of Sanctification a Means of Salvation which we do not believe As also he explains not his terms of the Lord's Supper what he means by the Lord's Supper whether the Shaddow or the Mystery and what is his own Practice therein whether he ministers Bread and Wine as a Figure or the Substance And whether the Mystery or thing signified be attained by any in this Life This is unanswer'd Nor whether Shaddows be essential to the Gospel Dispensation Concerning Justification He hath in some degree granted to truth that the word Justifie the Scripture sometimes useth it to signifie to make Just by inherent Holiness or to Sanctifie Tit. 3. 5 7. He saved us by the Washing of Regeneration that being justified c. Herein he hath assented more to Truth then many of his â—…rethren but 't is much contradicted again in his handling the matter of Imputation of Adam's Sin to those that are not Partakers of it and so of Christ's Obedience p. 96. As if Adam's Sin and Christ's Righteousness were so imputed to them who partake not of them This we cannot own and hath been often answered in our Books and much we have against this his Sense of Imputation as also against their Opinion about personal Election and Reprobation and the Cruelty Partiality and ill Consequence of the Presbyters Opinion therein And against S. S. his shallow and absurd managing the matter whose manifest Contradictions were long since published which we do not understand that he hath made any Publick Essay to reconcile also his work about the Scriptures Baptism and the Supper are more particularly and fully answered elsewhere which there hath not been for some time an oppoâ—…tunity to publish CHAP. II. About JUSTIFICATION and IMPUTATION S. S's Quest. WHether we are justified by the Righteousness of Christ imputed The Question would better reach the Controversie as thus stated viz. Whether Impure that is unsanctified Persons while 〈◊〉 be justified by the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness Thus I stated the Question at first which S. S. evaded with this viz. Whether Justification be by the Works of the Law 〈◊〉 by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith Noâ—…â—…enying the former and granting the latter this Question will not find out the Controversie but rather Whether Christ's Righteousness be imputed unto Persons in a disobedient unsanctisied or unconverted State Or Whether Christ's Righteousness be imputed of Coâ—… to Persons
in himself by the same eternal Spirit by which the Saints were both Washed Cleansed Sanctified and Justified 1 Cor. 6. 11. Through the same eternal Spirit the same Power the same Righteousness the same Holiness the same Faith the same Love the same Patience c. that was in Christ do they partake of who truly follow him and walk in his steps having his Life manifest in them and received the Spirit of the Son which receives of his things and giveth unto them who walk after the Spirit not after the Flesh But Quest. What can we give to God for our Souls proportionable to so Great a Loss to so great Sufferings Sanctification and Holiness or a little Faith and the Works that follow This is likely to do Answ. A groundless Question in the first place no man can redeem his Brother nor give to God a Ransom for him for the Redemption of the Soul is pretious and so pretious as that which cannot be procured without a Price of Infinite Value Christ gave himself a Ransom for all 't is Christ himself that ransoms saves and redeems the Soul to God and that through Sanctification or washing of Regeneration and Christ is made unto us who believe in him both Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption however this man undervalues Saâ—…ctification and a little Faith and though it be the Gift oâ—… God to us and not ours to him and the Saints Victory we have not given to God the Ransom nor the Price he Loved us first and therefore we Love and believe in him and in this was manifested the Love of God towards us because he sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might Live through him 1 Joh. 4. Again though the Phrase Merit of Christ's Blood and Sufferings be not a Scripture Phrase yet the Worth and Value thereof with respect to man's Salvation we never disesteemed since we knew the true and spiritual Application Virtue and Effects of his Blood c. through his Light and Spirit to the purging our Consciences cleansing and justifying which yet is an inward Experience not shut out nor put afar off by the true Church whom God hath purchased with his own Blood not redeemed with corruptible thing but with the pretious Blood of Christ which therefore is incorruptible Act. 20. 28. 1 Pet. 1. 17 18. cited by S. S. But then he egregiously mistakes in saying viz. Let us then with Paul abhor all Sanctification in us all Holiness all Works of Faith whatever is wrought by us in Comparison of what we spie by Faith in Christ. Answ. A very gross Mistake and Perversion an Abuse of Paul and of those Hearers to whom S. S. preaches such impious Doctrine It was not Sanctification or Holiness within nor yet the Works or Obedience of Faith that Paul either abhorred or rejected for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ or that he might win Christ but it was his former Confidence in the Flesh his own self-Righteousness which was of the Law and all those things that had been deemed as Gain to him that he counted Loss for Christ and for whom he suffered the Loss of all those things and counted them but as Dung that he might win Christ which he could not so account of all Sanctification or Holiness wrought by Christ within nor of the Works of Faith Can it be any less then Blasphemy as in this man's Sense thus to present and read Paul viz. I abhor all Sanctification within all Holiness and Works of Faith and I count them but all Loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus and have suffered the Loss of all my inward Holiness Sanctification and Works of Faith and do count them but Dung that I may win Christ c. How unlike Paul odious and gross were it thus to pervert his Words as to say Let us with Paul abhor all Sanctification in us c. neither doth Paul make any such Difference or Repugnancy between Christ's inward Work of Sanctification and the Excellency of his Knowledge nor between being in the Faith or Obedience thereof and being in Christ and his Righteousness but really desired that he might be found in Christ not having said he mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith Phil. 3. 9. so far was he from either putting the Righteousness of Faith afar off or abhorring Sanctification within that he desired to have it and be possessed with it as one found in Christ. For that only doth God justifie us which doth suffice to turn away his Wrath from us and satisfie his Justice for our Transgression but Christ's Sufferings only c. Answ. I deny his minor as it depends on the Word only for then why are not all Men in the World justified for whom Christ suffered and dyed which was for all Men he tasted Death for every Man for the Sins of the whole World And yet he that believeth not on the Son hath not Life but the Wrath of God abides upon him therefore without Faith Repentance and Conversion which are Effects of Christ's inherent Righteousness and Work the Wrath is not turned away nor are Men justified Obj. Let us then place no Confidence in Sanctification Holiness Faith and the Works that follow as if these laying aside Christ's Death on the Cross could turn away God's Wrath c. Rep. Herein he varies from his Argument before which was that Christ's Sufferings only can turn away Wrath justifie c. Note It is not Sanctification Holiness Faith c. only can do it without Christ's Death or laying it aside But while here he implies that Sanctification Holiness Faith c. with respect to Christ's Death can turn away Wrath he hath contradicted his own Argument before of Christ's Sufferings only which also cannot be slited nor his Death made void where true Faith Sanctification in him are enjoyed for therein Christ himself is enjoyed and we dare not preach nor own such Doctrine as to abhor all Sanctification in us nor the having no Confidence in Faith and Sanctification which are wrought in the Soul by Christ Jesus CHAP. IV. Of Satisfaction some serious Considerations farther opening the Doctrine and Sence of our Opposers Obj. GOd will not Justifie us without full Satisfaction to his Justice for our Sin Rep. And what Kind of Satisfaction is it he thinks this Justice requires We confess a Satisfaction or answering his Good Pleasure in and by Christ Jesus but about the Manner of it as supposed and stated we differ See how the man states it He concludes it must be a Punishing our Fall 1st From God's Judgment 2dly God's Truth 3dly God's Will and Purpose Quest. What is his Ground from these see his Answer viz. 1st God hath said in the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt Dye 2dly Cursed is he that continues not
with Intention to leave them without Recovery which though all in curreth the same End as is supposed to a certain fore designed Number of Persons yet the State of the Case as it reflects upon God is as much opposite and contrary as to say God doth absolutely eternally decree Man's Destruction or did reprobate them from Eternity and then that he purposely passeth by and leaves them to destroy or kill themselves whereas his good Will and Kindness and free Proffers of Grace and Salvation to lost Man admits of neither to wit neither of such Cruelty to nor Carelesness of his Creatures his Mercies are over all his Works and his Grace and Mercy in the first place extending to all And that saying He will have Mercy on whom he will is no Limitation to the first extent of his Grace and good Will But that he will have Mercy both by way of Encrease and Continuance to the Upright-hearted even to them that fear him who Love and obey him but those that are destroyed their Destruction is of themselves as it is written But my People would not hearken unto my Voice Israel would none of me Therefore mark the Cause I gave them over to their own Hearts Lusts Psal. 81. 11. and as S. S. in Contradiction to himself saith Nor doth God consume any Man meerly as his own Workmanship but he adds God endureth with much long Suffering unregenerate men and they fit themselves for Destruction pag. 113. See here how the Man breaks the Neck of his own Cause Is his Opinion of God's Eternally reprobating and ordaining partiticular Persons to Destruction come to this That now while he sheweth long Suffering towards them they fit themselves for Destruction that is they rebel against God resist his Spirit and despise the Riches of his Grace and slight his long Suffering and Patience till they bring swift Destruction upon themselves And this God is not the Cause of He doth not unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass Sin and Rebellion in the Wicked and their Striving against him Isa. 45. 9. are come to pass which he is not the Author of Wo unto him that Strives with his Maker thou hast hid thy Face from us and we are consumed because of our Iniquities which God is neither the Author nor Cause of S. S. God's Election is unchangeable he will certainly bring in never finally reject that Soul he had taken Liking to Nothing sect 7 can fall out not Sin it self causing God to alter his Purpose he foresaw all c. p. 113. Answ. His Election and Purpose thereof where made sure and confirmed by his Spirit in his Sanctified ones who are established in his Grace is unalterable But 1st There are Degrees and Growths in a State of Election before Establishment as those to whom Peter wrote his first Epistle were called Elect according to the fore-Knowledge of God through Sanctification of the Spirit unto Obedience c. 1 Pet. 1. 2. These though Elected so far as they were chosen out of the World through Sanctification and Belief of the Truth yet he both wrote unto them to stir up their pure Minds 2 Pet. 3. 1. and exhorted them to give Diligence to make their Calling and Election sure that they might never fall 2 Pet. 1. 10. But what need of this if they were personally elected from an absolute Purpose of God from Eternity Needed or could they make that more sure which God had made so absolute If so then the Exhortation had more properly run thus viz. Brethren believe that God hath made your personal Election sure from Eternity and then what needed he warn or admonish them concerning the Apostacy of those who denyed the Lord that bought them who had forsaken the right Way or of such who after they had escaped the Pollutions of the World through the Knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ which sure was saving Grace yet were again entangled therein that their latter End was worse with them then the Beginning 2 Pet. 2. Did not then their Sin their falling from Grace and so their Disobedience hinder their Establishment and Security in a State of Election or keep from that Diligence in the Spirit whereby they should have made their Calling and Election sure 2dly His saying That Sin it self cannot cause God to alter his Purpose is not only a gross Mistake as in this Case but also gives a great Liberty to Hypocrites who believe they are eternally elect Persons to continue in Sin and Presumption But in Reproof to such and Confutation of the Mistake see what the Prophet Jeremiah saith in the 18th Chapter where having first declared the Power God had over them by the Instance of the Potter ver 3 4 5 6. He further shews his Purpose and the Manifestation of his Power both in Judgment and Mercy and the Condition on which his declar'd Thought or Intention may be alter'd as where he saith v. 7. at what Instant I shall speak concerning a Nation concerning a Kingdom to pluck up and to pull down and destroy it v. 8. If that Nation against whom I have pronounced turn from their Evil I will repent of the Evil I thought to do unto them v. 9. And at what Instant I shall speak concerning a Nation and concerning a Kingdom to build and to plant it v. 10. If it do Evil in my Sight that it obey not my Voice then will I repent of the Good wherewith I said I would benefit them See also ver 11 12. to the 18th Object If any should thus object That these conditional Alterations of God's Purposes did but concern their temporal Conditions not their eternal c. Answ. It may be answered That it is a Mistake they concerned both except Men repent they shall perish eternally Their persisting in Evil-doing and Disobedience to the Voice of God iâ—…currs eternal Condemnation as well as temporal Punishments so contrary wise through true Repentance c. both have been escaped by many and Godliness is great Gain which hath the Promise of the Life that now is and of that which is to come 1 Tim. 4. 8. 6. 6. Again my unanswered Objection was and still is Were it not impertinent and vain to warn Men of Destruction sect 8 eternal Death or Perishing if from Eternity they were secured from any such Danger Or on the other Hand in time to set before them Life and Death that they might chuse Life refuse Death c. as Deut. 30. 15 16 17 18 19 20. If God had particularly designed them for Death and Destruction how should they then chuse Life Were not this to mock them with a dissembling Proffer of Life if the contrary be so unalterably designed for them S. S. After his fashion answers God that decrees their Salvation decrees by such Warnings to work in them his Fear and an holy Caution to keep them in his Wayes that they may be saved p. 114. Rep. What Fear A Fear
of their future Beings or how they shall be reserved for Eternal Rewards There are two things tend to Atheism or to make men Atheists viz. First Some Mens Curiosity in studying and searching into Matters and Things beyond their Capacities and Reason being things of another 〈◊〉 and Principle then they are in Secondly Other Mens Self Confidence in asserting things contrary to Reason and manifest Experience and in particular in their affirming that these self-same Terrestrial Bodies of Flesh Blood and Bones shall be made Spiritual Immortal and Incorruptible and yet the same Matter and Substance as now It is true that Henry Moor had finer and more 〈◊〉 Notions about the Resurrection then many other learned men and aimed at the Truth and Spirituality thereof from the Visions of the Holy Men recorded in the Scriptures but if any should soar after those Notions how fine thin sublime or desirable soever they seem to be to that Aspiring Mind that desireth to feed upon the Tree of Knowledge such are in Danger both to fall 〈◊〉 and miss of the Fruit of the Tree of Life and of the Resurrection of the Just. Therefore Oh breathing Souls retire and 〈◊〉 down to the holy Principle of Light and Life in your selves so as that may both rend the Vail of Darkness open you and shew it self in its own Purity Vertue and Efficacy unto you that thereby you may know Christ revealed in you to be your Resurrection and Life your Hope of Glory and Everlasting Reward your Strength Nourishment and Souls Satisfaction For this is Life Eternal to know God and Jesus Christ whom he hath sent that in him each of you may arise to Righteousness and Peace here and to Glory hereafter And though it appear not what you shall be yet it is matter of Satisfaction Stay and Comfort that you have such Experience of the Love of God as to be his Children and to have his Witness and Testimony in you That his Appearance and Work will be to your Glory and future Felicity in Immortality where we shall have a Building of God an House not made with Hands eternal in the Heavens for in this we groan earnestly c. that Mortality might be swallowed up of Life Now he that hath wrought us for the self-same thing is God who also hath given unto us the Earnest of the Spirit Glorified be his Name forever George Whitehead THE END A Conclusive ADVERTISEMENT Serious Reader THe many Controversâ—…s the great 〈◊〉 of the Press the 〈◊〉 Strivings of our Adversaries and their 〈◊〉 to prejudice and divert the Minds of People with their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and perverse Gain-sayings from the Reception of Truth which required 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and speedy Answers have occasioned the long Delay of publishing this Book after it was writ but I hope it will not be unseasonable at length but of Service to many for the Information of such honest Minds as sincerely seek to understand the Truth about those principal Matters of 〈◊〉 between us and our present Opposers herein unfolded And if the Manner or Method of Wording any Passages of Reprehension c. seems too Harsh or Sharp in the Eye of any who have not known 〈◊〉 been concerned as we are with such unplacable Adversaries let not this disgust or 〈◊〉 them from eying the Light and Manifestation of Truth aim'd at really intended and seriously contended for in the Matter and Substance of these 〈◊〉 Considering also in the reading the reprovable Occasions given us by those 〈◊〉 Spirits we have to deal withal our Zeal being for the Truth as made known to us and that in Uprightness and Simplicity of Heart to God and Love to Souls we have taken this Pains with much more And we must speak and write 〈◊〉 according to our several Gifts and as we see Occasion as they naturally 〈◊〉 and spring even in the Simplicity of Truth received not as Men 〈◊〉 nor to gratifie Men's Curious Fancies and Affections but as those that must give Account unto GOD whose we are Upon perusal of the Answers here 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 meet to give a Hint of these two Passages to prevent some Objection viz 〈◊〉 in pag. 112. there is a Question upon John 12. 35. which is Did not Jesus say There is yet a little Light IN YOU Having made further 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 it I find only in the Old Latin Translation these words Dixit ergo eis Jesus adhuc modieum Lumen IN VOBIS est And whether this might not be 〈◊〉 out of some very ancient Greek Copy not come to our 〈◊〉 is to be 〈◊〉 as being supposed by some However it is a Truth 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 that was with them was also IN them To be with them doth not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in them And whereas in pag. 305. lin 6. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are to dye these Words of S. S' s should have been inserted viz. Another 〈◊〉 say to that Company Though you are not able to run as 〈◊〉 as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as strongly yet if you do your best Endeavour and hold out you are to 〈◊〉 the rich Inheritance I ask which of 〈◊〉 two did speak to the 〈◊〉 of their Companies 〈◊〉 he renders the Scripture-Minister as 〈◊〉 in Opposition to the Quaker How this Passage 〈◊〉 omitted I know not for I am 〈◊〉 it was intended being spoaken to in my Answer as 〈◊〉 pag. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 306. And as for the Errors or Defects that 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Press through any Inadvertency or much Business the Reader is desired to correct or at least not to reflect upon the Author therein seeing the most material Faults are noted in the following Errata and how to be Corrected in the 〈◊〉 ERRATA TO THE SECOND PART HEre are some of the most material Faults escaped the Press which the honest serious Reader is desired to correct as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 read obvious to the Sight p. 8. l. 30. for us read as p. 14. l. 23 for filth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 15 l. 1. r. obliterated p. 19. l. 21. for Saint r. Saints p. 29. l. 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 30. l. 4. r. Manifestation or Principle l. 19 r that the Light is Christ. p 32 l. 10. for good read Goodness p. 39. l. 15. r. comparing it as to its Work pag 45 l. 29 f. effect r. affect p. 48. l. 3 for which r. the. p. 54 l. 24 f principle r. principal pages 66 67 68. in the Titlo blot out Offices 〈◊〉 p. 72 l. 27. 〈◊〉 meerly as a 〈◊〉 without p. 75. l. 22. 〈◊〉 spiritual known r. spiritually 〈◊〉 p. 77. l. 35 r 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p 80. l. 33. f. to be r. will be p. 84. line last deâ—…e lux p. 105. l. 9. f Christ saying r. that saying p. 132. l 6. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 133 l. 16 for he r they p. 142. l. 5. r. strike at p. 150. l. 22. f Body r. the Body p. 151. blot out Body of in the 〈◊〉 p. 152. l. 31. r. on thy
3 One God and Father of all 1 Cor. 8. 6 Now to the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the Only Wise God be Glory c. 1 Tim. 1. 17. The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Thee 1 Kings 8. 27. 2 Chron. 6. 18 What House will ye build me Acts 7. 49 God dwells in the Light 1 Tim. 6. 16 To whom will ye liken God what Likeness will ye compare unto Him Isa. 40. 18 25 God is a Spirit John 4. 24. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 2. Lact. Fals. Rel. 1. 5. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. But to us there is but One God the Father of all of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth read on Job 38. 4 And the Earth was without Form read the Chapter in which is declared God's Making and beautifying Heaven and Earth and all Living Creatures therein Gen. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. and so to the end Thou Lord madest the Heavens and the Earth and all that in them is Acts 4. 24. August cir Del. 8. Tim. de De Anim. Mund. The Pure in heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8. He dwelleth in Immortality no Mortal Eye can approach or behold him 1 Tim. 1. 16. One Thing have I desired of Thee O Lord to behold the Beauty of the Lord Psalm 27. 4 The Things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God but God hath Reveal'd them to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1. 13. Is Christ divided 1 Cor. 1. 13 And I heard a great Voice saying THE TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN. He that Overcometh shall Inherit all things I will be his God and he shall be my Son Revel 21. 3 7. Jambl. * Jamblich * De Anim. Mund. In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John 1. 1. The Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10. 8. I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Isa. 57. 15. Ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you 1 Cor. 2 16. Whatever may be known of God is manifested within for God shews it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Valer. Max. 7. 2. Lay up Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust can Corrupt nor Thief break through and Steal Mat. 6. 20. This Treasure hath God put into Earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. Fear not for the Lord thy God it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee Deut. 31. 6. In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Isa. 63. 9 The Lord is a present Help in the time of Trouble Psal. 46. 1. * Oedip. Tyr. Shall not the Uncircumcision that is by Nature if it fulfil the Law judge thee who by the â—…etter and Circumcision dost transgress the Law For he is not a Jew that is one Outward implying such as keep the Law is one Inward Rom. 2. 27 28. And the Word of God nigh in the Heart shall abide forever Isa. 40. 8. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Plutarch de Gen. Socr. There is a Spirit in Man but the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Job 32 8. 2 Tim. 2. 22 25. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God Rom. 8. 14. * In phaed. God is Light 1 John 1. 5. In thy Light 〈◊〉 we see Light Psalm 36. 10 God is not far from every one of us for in him we live move and have our â—…eing for we are also his Off-sping as certain of your own Poets have said Acts 17. 27 28. One of whom was Arabus whom the Apostle quotes as speaking Truth and imployes it against them to prove a True God and to introduce his Gospel which if it shewed their Apostacy it also implies that there had been Heathens rightly apprehending of God else surely the Apostle would never have cited the Poets Saying for a Confirmation of his own Doctrine * Enead 1. cap. 1. For the Lord God is a Sun a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good Thing will he withhold from them that trust in him and walk uprightly Psal. 84. 11 12. For God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. A Manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all The Lord is Good unto all Psal. 145. 9. Leg. Alleg. L. 1. The Things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. I will put my Law in their Minds and write them in their Inward parts I will be their God and they shall be my People Heb. 8. 10 11. Plut. Dion Prus. Because whatever may be known of God is manifest within for God hath shewed it unto them but because they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them up to vile Affections Rom. 2. 19 26 28. Dis. lib. 1. cap. 14. O Lord thou hast searched me thou understandest my Thoughts afar off Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Psal. 139. 1 2 7. We have a more Sure Word of Prophesie 2 Pet. 19. The Lord hath shewedun to thee O Man what is Good and what he doth require of thee Micah 6. 8. In him we Live Move and have our Being Acts 17. 28. Such as Men Sow such shall they Reap Gal. 6. 7. That was the true Light which Inlightneth all Mankind John 1. 9. * Senec. Epist. 41. * De Benef. c. 17. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men Rev 21. 3. He that dâ—…clareth 〈◊〉 Man his Thoughts the Lord the God of Hosts is hiâ—… Name Amos 4. 13. Wâ—…ite ye have the Light walk in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light God is Light John 12. 26. 1 John 1. 5. * â—…pist 8. * Epist. 31. * If Angry Tho. Hicks will please to inform himself of the Reasons that induced Justin to turn Christian he will find the Light Within acknowledged to be the Efficient Cause thereof for it was the Principle of God in his Conscience that continually pleaded the Christians Cause within him and who at last overcoming Justin Believes in Christ and Dyes for him too Now what Disgrace is this to the Light Within Liv'd after Christ Ann. 123. 1543. years since Apolog. Liv'd after Christ 190. Admon ad Gent. Strom. L. 5. Clem. Alex. in Admon ad Gent. Liv'd Ann. 195. Liv'd about Ann. 203. Liv'd about Ann. 315. De Cult Ver. Lib. de Ira cap. 2. Liv'd about Ann. 325. Athanas. cont Gent. Liv'd about Ann. 3 80. Liv'd about Ann. 393. Liv'd about the Year of the World 3313. before Christ about 630. years which is 2330. years since Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Rom. 2. 21. Love thy
Neighbour as thy self I am the Lord Levit. 19. 18. Finally Brethren whatsoever things are True whatsoever things are Honest Just Pure Lovely and of Good Report think on these things Phil. 4. 8. Stob. 28. * That 's more then Tho. Hicks seems to do Liv'd at the same time Laert. Lib. 1. c. 3. * Reader this Reflection was not without Light nor this Man void of a very Tender Conscience The Gentiles who had not a Law became a Law unto themselves doing the Things contained in the Law their Consciences bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while Accusing or Excusing Rom. 2. 14 15. To Depart from Iniquity is a good Understanding Job 28. 28. And the Hypocrites Hope shall Perish Job 8. 13. Why do you not rather take Wrong 1 Cor. 6. 7. Stob. 28. Reader these weighty Sayings are very Scripture it self and that as well of the New as Old Testament so called especially where Christ saith SWEAR NOT AT ALL though spoke about 700 years before he came into the World * As Tho. Hicks John Bunion J. Grigg and other Railing â—…eparatists do the Quakers * Which T. Hicks can't do neither to his Wife Family at home nor his Friends much less other People abroad Stob. Serm. 80. Jamblich Let us hear the Conclusion of the whole Matter Fear God and keep his Commandments for this is the whole Duty of Man Eccles. 12. 13. Pure Religion and Undefiled is to keep himself Unspotted from the World Jam. 1. 27. In this sense I fear we may say that Thomas Hicks has no Light in him Who when he was Reviled Reviled not again 1 Pet. 2. 23. Laert. Plat. Phaed. The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom Psalm 111. 10. He that will deny himself let him take up his Cross and follow me Luk. 9. 23. Xen. Mem. 3. p. 780. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Stob. 218. Reader These sententious Expressions to have every one of them a Scripture would be tedious and superfluous for they are almost Word for Word Scripture it self as who knoweth Scripture may plainly see Xen. Mem. 4. p. 803. Id. Mem. 1. 722. 4. 804. Id. Mem. 3. So saith Christ Mat. 7. 2. 62. 7. Ibid. Apolog. Libanius saith Socrates considered The Pure in Heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8. Clem. Alex. Str. 2. 417. Laert. Stob. 46. The Fruit of the Spirit is Peace Gal. 5. 22. Acts 24. 16. But Godliness with Content is great Gain 1 Tim. 6. 6. Stob. 48. Stob. 114. This answers T. Hicks's Challenge about the Light 's showing that State if Christ had not said so Liban Ap p. 644. Nothing they could do was able to draw him out of his Endeavours to detect the loose Comedians that sought therefore his Ruin 1 Pet. 3. 14. * The word Philosophy hath been otherwise appropriated since those days as many other words have been for it then signified a Love of Wisdom given by Pythagoras which Wisdom was the Way of Holy Living not Vain and Untoward Contests about Inpracticable Things Laert. Suid. in vit Antish Ye are an Holy Nation a Royal Priesthood 1 Pet. 2. 9. And you shall be Kings and Raign c. Rev. 1. 6. Blessed are they who hear the Word of God and keep it Luke 11. 28. Where is the Wise where is the Scribe where is the Disputer of this World 1 Cor. 1. 20. Put on the Brest Plate of Righteousness Eph. 6 14. Stob. The Just shall live by Faith Hab. 24. Without Holiness no man shall see the Lord Heb. 12. 14. They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength Isa. 40. 31. The Secrets of the Lord are with them that fear him Psal. 25. 14. Valer. Max. 2. 10. Cic. pro Bal. Laert. Mat. 5. 34. Cic. de Fin. 2. Rom. 2. 14 15. Laert. Ibid. Stob. The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom Job 28. 28. Laert. The Rulers take Counsel together against the Lord Psal. 2. 2. Stob. The Wisdom which is from above is first Pure then Peaceable Jam. 3. 17. Laert. Id. Psal. 111. 9 10. Cic. Parad. Stob. Id. Theatr. cap. 3. 10. Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Levit. 11. 44 45. Plut. plac 4. 7. Stob. Phys. Rev. 20. 12 13 14. Chap. 21. 7 8. Plat. phaed. 2 Cor. 5 8. * Ad Amph. Clem. Alex. Strom. l. 3. 2 Cor. 5. 8. Philip. 1. 21. Plat. Phaed. Eccles. 12. 7. Idem The Sheep on the Right Hand and the Goâ—…tes on the Lest Mat. 25. 31 32 33. 1 Cor. 15. 28 29 30 31. Observe Socrates his Distinction betwixt being Dead Departed Acts 7. 60. H. Mor. Des. Phil. Cab. c. 3. Revel Rev. 22. 5. See Const. Orat. in Eus. Isa. 2. 2 3 4 5. Isa. 7. vers 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25. Chap. 9 10. 1 John 4. 5 6. Chap. 11. 6 7 8 9 10 11. Jer. 23. Isa. 1. 12 13 14 15. Ezek. 18. 31 32. Objection Mat. 5. 27. 28. Joh. 8. 56 57 58. Helv. Chron. Rom. 5. 9. Gal. 3. 16. Joh. 14. 17. Hos. 13. 4. Hebr. 10. John 6. 51 52. 53 54 62 63. Rom. 3. 25. Ephes 1. 7. Hebr. 9. 14. Rom. 3 25. Hebr. 10. 5 7. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Joh. 1. 9. Joh. 1. 1 2 3 4 9. See Dial. pag. 3. 4. See Origen Chrysostom Greg Erasm Drus. Zeger Cam. Grot. B. Sand. Dr. Ham. John 〈◊〉 Dial. pag. 2. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 5. Rom. 〈◊〉 Jam. 5. 6. 1 John 2. 15. 16. 1. Pet. 1. 18. Ephes. 5. 1 Joh. 1. 5 6. Jam. 3. 1 2 3. T. Jenner T. Tayler J. Faldo T. Hicks H. Grigg c. Mat. 11. 27. 1 Cor. 2. 11. Ephes. 5. 13. Rom. 1. 19. Mic. 5. 8. Jren. l. 2. c. 30. Tertul. con Jud. p. 184. Quakerism a new nickname for old Christianity p. 54. 55. Rom. 2. 14 15. Justin Martyr saith That all are Christians who live with Christ as Abraham and Elias and amongst the Greeks as Sâ—…crates Hâ—…raclitus c. See Scultâ—…tus on him â—…ho also saith That some at this day are of his Judgment who have taught that Melchizedecâ—… Abimelâ—…ch Ruth Rachab the Queen of Sheba Hiram of Tyre Naaman tâ—…e Syrian and the City oâ—… Ninive are in the Catalogue of Christians Eusebius Pamph. in his Ecclesiastical History saith That Abraham and the ancient Fathers were Christians And defines a Christian to be one that by the Knowledge and Doctrine of Christ â—…xcels in Moderation of Mind in Righteousness and Continency of Life and Strength of Vertue Godliness towards one only God see Scultetus on him Clemens Alexandrinus saith The Law of Nature and of Discipline is one And Moses seems to call the Lord the Covenant For he had said before the Covenant was not to be sought in Scripture for that is the Covenant which God the Cause of all setteth whence his Name in Greek is derived And in the Preaching of Peter thou mayest find the Lord called the Word or Reason and the Law See
Which truly when I have beheld it Grief has overwhelm'd my Soul and a Pitty for their sakes has risen in my Heart that all those Tryals which rightly understood and improv'd would have turned to great Advantage should be as water spil'd on the Ground Many Instances we have had of this since their Descending the Throne of Power Particularly in the Years 1668 1669. which time there being some respit from any violent Persecution of men upon the account of Conscience What preaching was almost in every Meeting against the Dangerous Errors of the Quakers as they pleas'd to traduce them and how were they slander'd upon Several Stationers Stalls we could scarcely walk the Street but our Ears must be disturb'd with the Cryes of the Antidote against Quakerisme the Synopsis of Quakerisme the Damnable Heresie of the Quakers with the like virulent Expressions bestow'd upon us in their Title-Pages to be-speak their Sale more easie with Persons Inquisitive or prejudic'd Nay whilst they commended the King's Indulgence to their own Parties and publickly render'd him their Acknowledgment of his Clemency they sedulous endeavour'd my Imprisonment in particular and did not stick both to character me the most wretched and enormious of Men for a Book they I may in a manner say extorted from me and at that time too when both my Body was straightly imprison'd and my Life greatly indanger'd and as the Completement of their Wickedness they maintain'd the Justness of my Confinement But to pass over this and observe the Consequence of succeeding Troubles The former Acts receiving New Life from one more sharp and Cruel what could we hope but that this Act executed were enough to make these Professors forever out of Love with Persecution who are yet too warm Abettors of it For though their Vain Boasts of Standing quickly vanisht at the Rattling of a few Musquets and that God by his Almighty Invisible Power upheld us through all those Hardships of Bruises Blood-shed broken Limbs tedious Imprisonments and Great Spoiâ—…ing of our Goods enough to melt the Hearts of Infidels And I cannot say but then they would Nicodemus-like give us their Night-Encouragements some Blessing God that we were set to blunt the Edge of Persecution and so be as a Bulwark for them yet so quickly did their Kindness coole upon a Relaxation of such Procedure against us that their Tenderness seem'd to Dye with the Hardness of our Persecutors For no sooner were we out of Prison but instead of Congratulations we were Saluted or Affronted rather with an Imposture from Lincoln and a Lye from Dover the Former stampt by R. James the Latter by T. Hobbs both Anabaptists as they are commonly call'd to their own Infamy and the great Disgrace of their Profession These Beginnings Reader were followed by the pressing Endeavours of Our Dissenters in general whether by Preaching Disputing Writing or other more secret Traducings both in Cities and Country but more especially in London where the greatness of our Sufferings from the Powers seems out-done by the Malicious Practices of Dissenters Nay so Restless are they in their Attempts against us that they will Disturb themselves rather then let us be Quiet and care not whom they molest if the poor Quakers may but be render'd Odious witness among others a Libel call'd The Spirit of the Quakers Tryed A Letter subscrib'd J. G. and a Dialogue T. H. the two Last of the same Fraternity with those before mention'd Behold what Use these Men make of Tolleration with which since Authority hath oblieg'd them their Gratitude or their Pâ—…licy has turn'd the torrent of their virulent Hammer against us whom they daily wreak under their ungodly Hate as if they were resolv'd to interrupt the King's Indulgence with their Persecution and by a kind of Revenge upon us for our Liberty suffer it to be a time of Calm with none but themselves But what makes the Matter worse some Emulous Spirits among them wisht as I heard for an other Storm that the Quakers might but be shipwrackt by it O strange Impiety that Men should lay our Prosperity so to Heart as therefore to wish our Ruin and rather then not effect it run the Bold Hazard of their Own Unless they resolve to keep their Old Haunt of Creeping into Garrats Cheese-loifts Coale-holes and such like Mice-walkes and using more Equivocation to hide a Meeting then a Romish Priest hath been wont to do to conceal his Function Well may we take up a Lamentation for these things that Men should so fearfully rend Religion from Charity and Faith from the good Works of Patience Mercy and Universal Love as if to Quarrel about Religion were to be Religious and to call Names and Jeer a Mark of Zeal and Witt. To Conclude and sum up what I have said This hath been the Misery of almost every Reformation that its Authors have Degenerated from their first Sense which plac'd Religion in a clean Conscience not in a full Head in Walking with God more then in Talking of Him to Self-Promotion and Persecution of all Dissenters from their Establishment and the Cause of it is briefly this a 〈◊〉 from that Heâ—…venly Illumination in themselves setting up their Own Contrivance before they had pull'd down all Contrivances of Men and their Covetousness to advance their own Inventions and Impatience to see them not assented to â—…ave promoted Crueâ—…ty and with this very Cup have the Nations been Drunk as well Refin'd as more Gross Professors of Religion That God therefore firâ—…t Appeared to and Impower'd and Sent forth Plain Men to declare the Plain Truth to turn Men from that Darkness which cover'd their Hearts notwithstanding their splendid Profession to the Light that hath shined therein uncomprehended which obeyed was sufficient to Salvation that they were first Slandered then Persecuted and that by most Sorts But their Persecution not always continuing from the Powers they have been and now are diligently followed by their old Adversaries the Separatists with their Cryes of Heresie Error Blasphemy and the like if possible to make them a Burden upon Earth witness their many printed Books and Impostures particularly The Spirit of the Quakers Tryed The Letter The Dialogue betwixt a Christian and a Quaker Qu kerism no Christianity and The Controversie Ended unto all which from Beginning to End so far as concerns CHRIST THE TRUE LIGHT ENLIGHTNING ALL MEN THAT EVER CAME AND DO OR SHALL COME INTO THE WORLD WITH A SAVING LIGHT WHAT IS THE GENERAL RULE OF FAITH TO CHRISTIANS I here present the World with our plain full Defence having throughly considerd them with what other Objections I thought to carry any weight against Us Which being our Fundamental Principle if prov'd the common Notion of Satisfaction for Sins past present and to come Justification in the strictest Sense without inherent Righteousness their fearful Tale of Predestination and their Pâ—…eas against Perfection will tumbleto the Ground And I earnestly beseech the Reader in the
Wiser then his Teachers in the hidden Life and Mystery of things whereby David had long seen beyond all Types and Shaddows of the good Things to come to the very Substance it self from whence came his excellent Prophecies agreeing with that passage The Path of the Just is as the shining Light that shines more and more unto the perfect Day said the wise Man This strongly implies that David and not he alone but the Just of all Ages were attended with the Discoveries and Leadings of a Divine Light which as obey'd did make Just and alwayes lead in the Way of Salvation unless the Just Way was not the Saving Way and if it was certainly it is still for it is the Lord himself whom in Samuel's History he is recorded also to have called a Lamp as he here doth the Word which Moses said was nigh in the Heart that Men should obey it and do it This was the Word of Reconciliation in every Generation whose Holy Water washed their Consciences from Sin who heard andobey'd it Again that this Light was not confin'd to David or such Good Men take these two Passages Thou givest thy Mouth to Evil and thy Tongue frameth Deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy Brother thou Slanderest thine own Mothers Son These things hast thou done and I kept Silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I WILL REPROVE THEE AND SET THEM IN ORDER BEFORE THINE EYES saith the Lord Again His Lightnings inlightned the World the Earth saw and trembled In which two places it will appear upon impartial Consideration that God hath inlightned the World and that as Light Difcovering the Works and Workers of Darkness he doth reprove the Inhabitants of the World set their Sins in order before them and cause such Guilty ones to Tremble at his so appearing which is expresly confirmed in that notable passage of the Prophet For Lo He that treadeth the Mountains and cleareth the Wind that makes the Morning Darkness and treadeth upon the High Places of the Earth and DECLARES UNTO MAN WHAT HIS THOUGHTS ARE THE LORD THE GOD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME This the Psalmist was well acquainted with himself when he uttered these Words Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence which plainly shows to us that the Spirit of the Lord and his Presence was every-where and that as Light discovering Darkness with respect to Mankind For the Question was not whether God by his Spirit was not every-where for that our Adversaries grant or he could not be God But whether it was possible for David to withdraw himself into any place where his Mind could not be sensible of the Eternal Spirit and Immediate Presence of God who is Light it self either as a Reprover Exhorter or Informer as the foregoing Words intimate O Lord thou hast searched me and known me Thou understandest my Thoughts afar off Thou art acquainted with all my Wayes Which however God might know them it stands firm that David could never have known God so as to see and behold them but from that Light and Spirit of which he sayes in the 7th vers following which I have already cited Whither shall I go from thy Spirit In short it must needs be evident to all unprejudic'd Readers that David had this Light within or Spirit of God present with him as a Reprover Informer or Comforter since it was impossible for him to be any-where without it Which may prove to us that however he lived above a thousand years before the Apostle Paul he very well knew the meaning of that Doctrine he preach'd to the Athenians God is not far away or at a Distance from every one of you Which truly known and experimentally witnessed not only as a Reprover but by an humble and holy reception of him into the Heart as King and Lord is the Glory of the Evangelical Dispensation where God dwells in his People as an Holy Temple and Tabernacles with them This is the blessed Emmanuel-state God with and God in Men. I might here to sub-joyn the Account we have of the great Illumination of Daniel and the Gentiles clear Acknowledgment of the same which they could never have done with that Seriousness and Conviction but from some glimps of the same Divine Light but that I shall pass over with several Passages of other of the lesser Prophets and conclude this Scripture Proof of the Gift of the Light and Spirit antecedent to Christ's coming in the Flesh and from Stephen's Testimony Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands as saith the Prophet Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my Footstool what House will you build me saith the Lord or what is the Place of my Rest Hath not my hands made all these things Ye Stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Hearts and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye And lest it should be objected that it was only in Stephen then and the holy Prophets of Old that both they and their Fore-Fathers resisted the Holy Spirit Remember Reader that weighty Passage in Nehemiah Thou gavest also thy Good Spirit to Instruct them and withheldst not thy Manna from their Mouth by which it is most evident that the Light of God's Spirit or the Spirit of God was given as well to the Rebellious as Obedient that it might as well condemn for Sin as lead into all Righteousness And since we are to suppose God's Spirit and the Light thereof to be sufficient to Salvation for God's Gifts are perfect in themselves and are given to accomplish their Ends perfectly from that Sin and Iniquity which the contrary Spirit draws into we may without any offence I hope conclude that during those many Ages before the Coming of Christ in the Flesh he did Illuminate Mankind with a sufficient measure of his Divine Light and Spirit CHAP. IX Another Objection that though the Jews had it it will not follow that the Gentiles were so Illuminated It is Answerd by several Scriptures In this Chapter quoted to prove that they were not exempted But had a measure of Light some Divine Seed sown in their Hearts some Talent given and that it was Sufficient T. Hicks's Challenge to give an Instance of one that by the Light within was Reproved for not believing that Jesus was the Christ is Answer'd Such as believed in the Light and walkt up to it did receive Christ when he came The high Pretenders were they who to Scriptures Opposed and Crucified him The Light from Scripture concluded Universal and Saving Obj. BUt here I expect this Objection having run our Adversaries unavoidably to it Very well Taking it for granted that what you have said in reference to a Saving Light or Spirit universally bestow'd upon the Jews THAT WERE A DISTINCT PEOPLE from the rest of the World under very many peculiar Rights