Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8. 20. But why dare you say That the practice of Bread Wine and Water was to be held no longer than till Christ came By his coming you intend his coming in Spirit That this is false and contrary to holy Scripture I shall evidently make appear And first I shall begin with the Ordinance of the Lord's Supper which you call Bread and Wine and that the practice of this continues and remains in full force and virtue to the end of the World or until the Second coming or Appearance of Christ in Person and that he is not so come the second time I shall also prove to thee before I have done That the practice of breaking Bread and drinking Wine in remembrance of Christ's Death remains after the coming of Christ in Spirit I prove by these Arguments following First Because the Apostle Paul did receive this from our Saviour as a glorious Appointment and Institution of the Lord Jesus a considerable time after the coming of Christ in Spirit The Promise of the Comforter or Christ's coming in Spirit was performed and fulfilled to the Sainrs some days after his Ascention as may be seen in the second of the Acts and it was some time after this before Paul was converted unto Christ For Paul after the coming of the Spirit according to the Promise of the Father and our Lord Jesus remained in darkness and was a Persecutor of the Saints and yet see I beseech ye what he affirms to the Church of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. 23. For I received of the Lord that which I also delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took Bread and when he had given thanks he brake it and said Take eat this is my Body which is broken for you this do in remembrance of me and after the same manner also he took the Cup c. Now if Paul received this after that coming of Christ which you speak of as an Institution and Divine Appointment of the Lord Jesus as it appears plainly he did then that which you affirm is utterly false and to be rejected But Secondly The Apostle did not only receive this from Christ after the coming of Christ in Spirit but also did deliver it as Christ's Appointment to the Saints That which I received of the Lord saith he I also delivered unto yon Thirdly I argue further That this Ordinance doth remain in force and the practice of it to be held up after the coming of Christ in Spirit because the Primitive Saints did abide in the practice of it after the pouring forth of the Spirit according to Christ's Promise as appears Acts 2. 42. They continued in the Apostles Doctrine in breaking of Bread and Prayer compare this with Acts 20. 7 11. also 1 Cor. 11. 20. to the end Fourthly Consider The end of this Ordinance doth remain notwithstanding the pourings forth of the Spirit and therefore the Ordinance must needs remain which is to confirm our Faith in the true Saviour and to keep up our Love to him who gave his Body to be broken and his Blood to be shed for our sakes This is to be done to shew forth his Death until he come And these things considered which hath been said 't is plain it cannot intend his Spiritual Coming or the giving forth the holy Spirit the Comforter according to his promise And that he is not come the Second time without sin to Salvation as you seem to affirm doth appear First Because his coming that day shall be visible Every eye shall see him Rev. 1. 7. Secondly Because his feet shall stand in that day upon the Mount of Olives Zech. 14. 4. and he shall come in the same manner as he went up to Heaven Acts. 1. 11. Thirdly Because the Saints which had the highest attainments of the Spirit or to whom Christ was Spiritually come as gloriously as ever he came to any of the Saints did notwithstanding that still expect look and wait for his coming from Heaven See 1 Cor. 1. vers 4 5 6 7. I thank my God alwayes on your behalf for the Grace of God which is given to you by Jesus Christ tht in every thing ye are inriched by him in all utterance and all knowledge even as the Testimony of Christ was confirmed in you mark that So that ye come behind in no gift waiting for his Son from Heaven If Christ was not spiritually come to these who was he come to and yet they waited for his coming The Saints at Thessalonica are said to turn from Idols to serve the true God and to wait for his Son from Heaven 1 Thess 1. 9 10. and unto those that look for him saith the Apostle He shall appear the Second time without sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. The beloved Apostle who injoyed so much of the Spiritual Presence of Christ yet desired and looked for his coming Which clearly shews that his Second coming is another manner of coming than that which you speak of for when he comes he comes with all his Saints and holy Angels with him and when he comes the Graves shall be opened and the Dead shall be raised yea the dead Bodies of Men and Women 1 Thess 4. 16. You say that you are risen from the dead already and Christ is come the Second time but be assured of this you will find another Resurrection Coming and Judgment ere long than this I could wish it were so indeed that thou hadst part in the true work of Regeneration that so in that day thou mightest have part in the first Resurrection for the dead in Christ shall rise first 1 Thess 4. which cannot intend any other save the dead bodies of the Saints who are fallen asleep or gone to the dust But because I have somewhat to say in the Vindication of Baptism which you call Water I shall proceed to that for as you and other Quakers deny the continuance of the Lord's Supper so also you affirm that the practise of Water-Baptism was to continue but till Christ came in Spirit Now how false this is may appear First from the Commission Matth. 28. 19 20. where Christ gave forth this blessed Ordinance All Power is given to me in Heaven and Earth Go therefore teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy Spirit teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded yon and lo I am with you alwayes to the end of the world Now that the Baptism here spoken of is that of Water is evident because the Disciples are commanded or injoyned to be the Administraters or Dispensers of it To baptize with the holy Spirit is the alone Work Prerogative and Office of Jesus Christ and it never was in the power of any Apostle or Disciple of Christ to do it though the Spirit was given many times as the answer of their Prayers their Supplications to God for to give it plainly shews it was not in their power of the Apostles to give it Secondly That Baptism which is here intended which our Lord commanded
remaining upon that is HE. John did not say the Light that is in every man which cometh into the World is the Christ neither doth he affirm that the Holy Spirit was He that came down upon him in the likeness of a Dove but that Man he doth testifie and positively declare to be the Christ and Lamb of God even him that the Holy Spirit came down and remained upon The word Christ doth signifie one anointed and therefore how absurd is it for you to say the Spirit or the Anointing is the Christ and not that blessed Man whom the Father gave down the Spirit or the Anointing in such a wonderful manner upon But whereas it is objected That John testified that Christ was before him namely before John and therefore he must needs intend the Light and Power that was in that Person I Answer That John declared plainly that Christ was before him and yet doth also affirm that he cometh after him I say and bear record this is the Son of God even he saith he that cometh after me yet is preferred before me for he was before me And so he was before Abraham which proves that which is denyed by many viz. That he is the Son of God by an Eternal Generation and as truly God as he is Man and so is as he himself witnesses the Root and Off-spring of David as I shewed you before he is Davids Lord and yet Davids Son He was before John being indeed from Everlasting respecting his Deity but not so respecting his Humanity Upon this account many stumble at Christ now as they did in former times I grant Sister what that one speaks in a certain place That He that descended is the same that ascended the self same He that ascended on high far above all Heavens did first descend in his blessed Deity And yet notwithstanding that Branch which sprang from the Stem of Jesse that was born in the Town of Bethelem is the alone Christ of God there is such a glorious Unity between the Divine and Humane Nature Sister I cannot but take notice what an apt Scholar you are you have got your lesson readily as if you had been brought up at the feet of some of the Chieftains of the Preachers of and to the Light in all men 't is evident you deny the Man-Christ or that Man to be Christ viz. Jesus of Nazareth because it is said Christ came in the flesh that is indeed an Argument the greatest of your Preachers urge Now further to Answer you in this consider Though it is said Christ came in the flesh that word cannot prove what you would have it do it is said God sent forth his Son in the likeness of sinful flesh Rom. 8. 3. and he the Word or Christ was found in fashion as a Man Can this be said of the Light or Power that was in him or that is in us Moreover Christ was made the Scripture sayes like unto us in all things Sin only excepted and it behoved him in all things so to be Heb. 2. 17. Can this be said of the Light within Besides doth not the Scripture say That Christ died for our sins that Christ was Crucified on the Cross Doth not the Scripture say Christ was three dayes and three nights in the heart of the Earth Doth not Paul say That Christ died for our sins 1 Cor. 15. 3 4 5 c. That he was buried and that he rose again and that he was seen of Cephas then of the Twelve and that he was seen of five hundred Brethren at once Do you think Sister this was the Light or Power that was in that Person Did that die was that the Christ which was crucified and that was buried in the new Sepulchre Come said the Angels to the Woman and see the place where the Lord was laid Was it the Light within that was laid there or was it Jesus of Nazareth that was born of Mary But again Do the Prophets bear witness to the Light within to be the Christ or the Apostles of the Lamb See what Peter saith Acts 2. 32. This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we are all witnesses This Jesus which Jesus he tells you Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God vers 22. Whom they by wicked hands crucified and slew ye have killed the Prince of Life said he whom God hath raised up from the dead whereof we are witnesses Therefore let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus mark whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ not the Light within but he is the Lord and Christ compare this with Acts 10. 39. which are also the Apostle Peter's words And we are Witnesses of all things which he did You may see who this was if you mind the verse before it was Jesus of Nazareth whom Ged anointed with the holy Spirit Not the Light and Spirit within but that blessed Man that was anointed with the Spirit or Oyl of Gladness above his fellows We are saith he witnesses of all things which he did both in the Land of the Jews and Jerusalem whom they took and hanged on a tree whom God raised up the third day and shewed him openly not to all the People but unto witnesses chosen before of God even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the dead Acts 10. 39 40 41. Now is not that which I formerly wrote unto thee agreeing with and according to the holy Scriptures I told thee that Christ was seen of his Disciples and spake with them after he rose from the dead and that he viz. Jesus of Nazareth that man that was approved of God that consisted of flesh and bones after he rose from the dead was the true Saviour and have I not brought from the holy Scriptures witness enough to prove it You have heard who the Apostles did bear their witness of who they did declare and testifie was the Christ of God and if you mind but the 43 vers of the same 10th of the Acts you may see what was the Testimony of all the Prophets but fearing you mind Quakers Books more than the Bible I shall mention these words to you also Acts 10. vers 43. And to him gave all the Prophets witness even unto him that did eat and drink with his Disciples after he rose from the dead that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins Object I meet with one objection which some bring against what I have said viz. They affirm That he that was crucified on the Cross and buried in the Sepulchre could not be the Christ and Saviour because that body was called the body of Jesus when Joseph of Arimathea begged it of Pilat Answ I do admire at the weakness and ignorance of these Objectors for do not the Scriptures speak so or after the same manner of the Bodies of Men after they were dead See 1 Chron. 10. 11 12. And
that has suffered shame and reproach for Christ shall Reign with Christ For we must all appear before the Judgment Seat of Christ that every one may receive the things done in his body according to that which he hath done whether it be good or bad 2 Cor. 5. 10. But to leave this and proceed to prove that which is also denyed viz. That Jesus Christ is ascended up into Heaven with the same body he had after he rose from the dead consider these Scriptures Luke 24. 45 46. He opened their understandings that they might understand the Scriptures and said unto them Thus it is written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead c. vers 50 51. And he led them as far as Bethany and he lift up his hands and blessed them and it came to pass whilst he blessed them he was departed from them and was carried up into Heaven The same He that suffered on the Cross and arose from the dead and appeared to his Disciples and shewed them his hands and his feet was carried up into Heaven This He cannot intend the Spirit or Power that was in him because that was not neither could it be put to death neither can the Heaven here spoke of intend the hearts of his Disciples as it is by some imagined because 't is said when he ascended he was departed from them It is expedient for you saith our dear Lord that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him Joh. 16. 7. Observe from hence by the way that the Spirit or blessed Comforter which the Saints alone do receive cannot be the Saviour and Mediator the one is the giver and the other is the gift the one is present when the other is absent But further To prove our Lord Jesus is ascended into Heaven and hath an absolute real outward existence in glory above at the Father's right hand see Acts. 1. 9 10 11. Moreover when the Lord Jesus appeared to Paul at the time of his convertion saying Saul Saul Why persecutest thou me Saul replyed Who art thou Lord The Answer is I am Jesus of Nazareth 'T is evident this was after the Ascension of our Saviour May we not conclude all such to be liars that do affirm and testifie That the true Jesus is only Light and Spirit within and hath no outward glorified being or existence in the Kingdom of his Father or glory above I am said he Jesus of Nazareth he is the same he was Jesus of Nazareth we know was that holy and blessed Man that was born of the Virgin This Man saith the Author to the Hebrews after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sin for ever sate down on the right hand of God Heb. 10. 12. If Jesus Christ continues a Man for ever then he hath a body of flesh and bone for ever unless it can be proved That Man can exist and have a being without flesh and bone which I suppose all will conclude is impossible See Heb. 7. 24. But this man because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood And Heb. 9. 24. Christ is not entered into the holy place made with hands but into Heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us And vers 28. And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto Salvation He that shall come will come and will not tarry Rom. 10. 37. Even so Come Lord Jesus Come quickly Rev. 22. 20. In the next place You bid me beware lest at any time I open my mouth agaiust the trite Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World for it is the pure Principle that is owned by the scorned called Quakers and ought to be owned by me also Answ The Word considered as Creator by whom all things were made is the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World and God forbid that ever I should open my mouth against him But He the Word considered as made Flesh or the true Emanuel I am sure you have too much opened your mouth against I do understand the Principle of the Quakers concerning the Light within very well the impurity and vileness of which Principle I have briefly and may yet further make appear They do affirm The Light which is in every man is Christ and that it is a Saving Light There is a great difference between the Effence or body of the Sun and its Beams for though the created Sun by its Rayes and glorious Beams doth give Light to all save those who are blind yet is not the Essence or body of the Sun in them So and in like manner though the Word considered as aforesaid be the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World yet is he not essentially in their hearts You must learn better to distinguish between an essence and an influence or the body and beam of Light which floweth from the body for want of a right distinction upon this account the understanding of the weak is confounded Now I do own and readily grant That every man that cometh into the World is lighted by the Word or glorious Creator as I have shewed yet is it not a saving Light or a light flowing from the Word considered as Mediator because it doth not teach or reveal unto Heathens who have no other help or Light but that any thing of a crucified Saviour And the Apostle clearly sheweth That the Mystery of the Gospel was hid from the Gentiles until the fulness of time came that Christ suffered and the Gospel was published But again Unbelievers and Worldly-men cannot receive the Spirit of Jesus Christ which is the Comforter our Lord Jesus himself doth assert it Joh. 14. 17. he doth not dwell in the hearts of Reprobates The Apostle to the Corinthians 2 Cor. 13. 5. sheweth evidently if any man have not the Spirit of Christ the same is none of his see Rom. 8. 9. And that there be many who are not his or such who belong not to Christ I think none will deny But again as touching the Principle of the Quakers concerning the Light within they do not only say it is a Light of Christ but that this Light which is in all is the Christ as I could make appear from their own mouths and Pens not only an operation of his Spirit but really he viz. the Operator Saviour and Redeemer and that it will not only teach and reveal unto man without the help and teachings of the holy Scriptures the Lord Jesus Christ who once on the Cross died and was Crucified to atone and make peace and appease the wrath of God for poor Sinners but that this Light within is the Saviour and Redeemer which in his People doth spiritually atone make peace and satisfie the Justice of God and that we are redeemed cleansed from all sin justified and
3. 11. yet how is this stone in these dayes as well as he was in former times set at nought and dissallowed by many who take upon them to be builders some wholly do disown him others in a mysterious manner lay him aside for notwithstanding their fair pretences of making him their pattern yet the foundation upon which they build is quite another thing And a third sort there be who build upon him but in part and few they are by whom Jesus Christ is alone exalted c. It is the great grief and trouble of my Soul to see what new and strange Opinions are daily hatched and fomented by the Spirit of Errour and Delusion concerning Jesus Christ Some deny his glorious Godhead Deity or Divine Nature Others though they do assert that Jesus Christ is the most high God yet will they not grant that Jesus of Nazareth that man who was born of the Virgin is the Christ and very God but rather as thou mayst perceive by this precedent discourse they absolutely assirm that that inward Light Power or Godhead distinct and apart from the Human Nature or Body that was prepared for him was the Christ that is to say the Spirit or the Anointing and not HE who was therewith anointed And what is this less than to deny the Lord who laid down his life and was crucified to make peace and reconcile us to the Father c. Notwithstanding somewhat hath already been spoken to refute this strange Doctrine yet I am stirred up to add this after-word hoping it may prove through the blessing of the Almighty for a further confirmation of the weak in the truth of the Gospel That which I intend to do is to prove and more clearly make appear that Jesus Christ is truly Man but more especially to shew that he viz. Jesus of Nazareth is the most high God First That he is a Man consider and weigh well these Scriptures that give to him that Appellation The Prophet Isaiah calls him a Man of sorrows Isa 53. 3. The Apostle Peter calls him a man approved of God see Acts 2. 22. Ye men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among you by Miracles and Wonders c. John the Baptist called him a Man Joh. 1. 30. This is he of whom I said after me cometh a MAN c. The Apostle Paul calls him a Man 1 Tim. 2. 5. For there is one God and one Mediator between God and Men the MAN Christ Jesus And the Author to the Hebrews in several places calls him a Man see Heb. 7. 24. 10. 12. But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sat down on the right hand of God Secondly as he is called a Man so 't is evident and plainly affirmed in Scripture that he was made flesh Joh. 1. 14. or did assume our Nature Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he also himself likewise took part of the same Heb. 2. 14. compare this with vers 16. For verily he took not on him the nature of Angels but he took on him the seed of Abraham Moreover the Apostles saith Rom. 1. 3. That he viz. Jesus Christ was made of the seed of David according to the flesh And Gal. 4. 4. the same Apostle affirms That God sent forth his Son made of a Woman c. and from hence he is called the Son of David and the Off-spring of David c. But to proceed Thirdly The Scriptures sayes He was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted he had the very form shape and fashion of a man Phil. 2. 8. That he was born of the Virgin and laid in swadling clothes and that he grew in stature or bigness as others do Luke 2. 52. That he was subject to hunger and cold Matth. 4. 2. and that some times he was found to mourn and weep and at another time to rejoyce and also that of some things he was ignorant and that he was exposed to temptation Matth. 4. 1. Heb. 2. 18. and also unto the rage and fury of wicked men that he was put to death his side the Scripture sayes was pierced and that out of it came water and blood that his feet and hands were nailed to the Cross and that he was buried or laid in a new Sepulchre and that he rose from the dead Now 't is clear and undeniable that all these things could not be said of him were he not in very deed a man as we are c. The next thing that I am to do is to shew and make appear unto you from the holy Scripture That this very man viz. Jesus of Nazareth though he is truly man yet also he is the most high and eternal God and that the Humane and Divine Nature make but one Christ there being such a glorious wonderful and mysterious Union of the two Natures in one Person And for the proof of this observe the Answer of the Apostle Peter to the question our Saviour put forth Matth. 16. 13. Whom do men say that I the Son of man am To which Peter answered vers 16. Thou art CHRIST the Son of the living God This Answer our Lord approved of and therefore said Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in heaven And again at another time when Jesus asked his Disciples whether they also would go away Simon Peter answered him Lord to whom shall we go thou hast the words of eternal life and we believe and are sure that thou art THAT CHRIST the Son of the living GOD. And to this agrees the saying and Testimony of the Angel to Mary Luk. 2. 36. The holy Spirit shall come upon thee and the power of the Highest shall over shadow thee therefore also that holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God It may not be amiss also if I mention the words of Nathaniel Joh. 1. 4 9. Nathaniel answered and said Rabbi Thou art the Son of God thou art the King of Israel And that I may further make this appear that Jesus of Nazareth is truly God yea the most high God as is the Father and of the same substance and essence though distinguished from the Father as touching his personal subsistence I shall lay down these following Arguments taken from the holy Scriptures First Because he hath that very name or application given unto him See Heb. 1. 8. But unto the Son he saith Thy Throne O God is for ever and ever compared with Acts 20. where the Apostle chargeth the Elders of the Church of Ephesus to take heed unto themselves and to all the Flock over which the holy Spirit had made them Overseers to seed the Church of God which HE observe hath purchased with his own blood vers 28. Now all men know that he who gave himself for the Church to purchase the
Obedience either to the Law without or Law or Light within they are like to fall short of it because they seek it not by Faith they stumble at that stumbling stone viz. the Lord Jesus Christ and thereby miss of that glorious Redemption once purchased for us by the Sacrifice of the Cross Do not let any so grievously beguile thee as to cause thee to conclude That the Sacrifice of our blessed Saviour's Crucified Body once offered to bear the Sins of many was but only as a pattern or figure of things which must be wrought again and done over in us and so conclude that this Light and Teacher within which you say you know is the true Christ and that there is not another and that thou must by the Power and Means of it attain to the same degree of Holiness and Perfection which was in our blessed Mediatour and so by that inherent Holiness alone wrought in thee place thy hope and confidence fixing thy Faith on a mysterious Sacrifice and Offering within and not having a dependency on that glorious Sacrifice of Christ's Crucified Body without which was once offered to take away sin Heb. 9. 26. By which one Offering he hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified Heb. 10. 14. The Atonement is already made Redemption Reconciliation and Justification hath been fully compleated and finished in and by our Lord Jesus for us once for all The Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all Isa 53. 6. He was made sin for us that knew no sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5. 21. The Debt is paid and Satisfaction made yet I fear notwithstanding the Teacher which is so near thee of which thou speakest thou still remainest in Prison and Darkness not knowing the way out of thy captivated state which is by the Blood of the Everlasting Covenant How doth Ignorance and Unbelief as chains and fetters bind many in Satans kingdom notwithstanding the glorious Freedom purchased by the Lord Jesus The Price may be laid down for the Captive and yet the Prisoner remain bound the work of Faith with power I have cause to doubt you are yet a stranger to though you speak of very high Attainments your judgment is corrupt notwithstanding your confidence as further may appear Thou sayest That to be a Convert in the way I do approve of will do thee no good at all for there is nothing of the Cross of Christ in it and thou sayest thou seest it vanity Now to convince you of your great mistake and to make appear that I am acquainted with the power of true Conversion and that it is the same that Christ approves of Consider that I do own and approve of that Conversion that is taught by Christ and his Apostles in the holy Scriptures that a man must Repent that true Repentance is a through change of the mind and that it consisteth in these three things A clear sight and sense of sin and of the woful state and condition of lost and fallen Man upon the account of transgression And Secondly Godly sorrow contrition and brokenness of heart in the true sense of the heavy weight and burden of it And Thirdly an utter abhorrence turning away from and forsaking of it And also I do hold and maintain that Faith is required and must be wrought with power in the hearts of the Penitent whereby the Creature turns to Christ and applyes the vertue of his Merits Blood and Righteousness to his own Soul and hereby the Soul is translated out of daakness into light and so cometh to experience the in-dwelling of Christ's Spirit in his heart by which he comes to hate that which formerly he loved and loveth that which once he hated for notwithstanding I do plead for the imputed Righteousness of Christ Faith and Interest in the Satisfaction and Atonement made once and not again to be made by his blood yet do I also plead for spiritual Conformity to him both in his Death and Resurrection and that a man must die to sin and rise to newness of life For though Christ paid the Debt and laid down a Price which the Father accepted of yet till the coming of his Spirit and Grace with power into my heart for the binding of the strong man Satan and killing of my Corruptions my Soul was not brought out of the horrible Pit This blessed Change I through the Grace of God in my measure do experience and this is the conversion I approve of by the power and means of which I am laid at Christ's feet wholly exalting Him and Free-grace who did not only work Salvation for me but hath helped me to apply it having wrought this glorious work of Regeneration in me by which I am made willing to follow and obey him as my King and Sovereign And this is not to be less or more Righteous than what God accepteth and approveth of and it is my trouble and grief thou dost not Is here nothing of the Cross of Christ appearing to you and is this vanity Surely you would otherwise conclude were not your Light Darkness But to proceed Thou tellest me thou dost not say the keeping of the Commandments of Christ is vanity God forbid but to strain the Commandments of Christ to a form of Worship which is not according to the Spirit to Bread Wine and Water which was to be held in practice but till Christ come and Christ is come the second time c. Answ I shall answer thee in this And first if you mean and conclude we strain the Commands of Christ so to the Ordinances of the Lord's Supper and Baptism that we own no other Ordinances and Commands you falsly accuse us for those things you mention which Christ requires we also own namely Love your Enemies bless them that curse you and pray for them that persecute you c. We plead dear Sister for universal Obedience these things ought to be done and the other ought not to be left undone But again who of us go about to strain the Commands of God to a form of Worship which is not according to the Spirit that form of Worship or Doctrine that the Apostle commended the Saints for obeying Rom. 6. and abiding in was not contrary but according to the Spirit of God if you own the Holy Scriptures to be indited by the Spirit of which Form of Doctrine those Ordinances were part which you hint at as these Scriptures prove Acts 2. 38 41 42. Acts 10. 47. Rom. 6. 3 4. Heb. 6. 1 2. And if it be contrary to the Spirit you are led by to own those Commands of Christ which the Primitive Saints did own and were commended for holding as they were delivered you have cause to conclude the Spirit you are led by is not the Spirit of God for God's Spirit doth not guide contrary to the Word and Doctrine of his Son Joh. 16. 13 14. To the Law and
reconciled to God by the operation of this Light or Christ within Not only that it is a cause but the alone only chief and procuring cause without having respect to the Sacrifice of Christ's crucified Body which was nailed to the Cross and that Christ in the outward in his death and sufferings was but only a Patern or Example of that which must be wrought over again in us though some of them I do confess have been pleased to say That Christ's death and suffering without upon the Cross was more than a Patern or Exemplar for they say he did put an end thereby to the Types and Shadows of the Ceremonial Law c. but not that he reconciled us thereby and satisfied the Justice of God and that through his Righteousness and Merits imputed unto us in believing we stand acquitted and shall be saved but contrariwise it is affirmed That every one that comes to be justified must come to witness the same inherent holiness and perfection that was in our Lord Jesus Christ and in that perfect Obedience of theirs by following the teachings of the Light of their own Consciences or Christ within they place their hope faith and dependance and thus they seem not to be beholding to the Man Christ Jesus nor need his intercession who poured forth his blood without the gate of Jerusalem to wash and cleanse our Souls as the vertue thereof is applyed by Faith unto our Consciences for where the Scripture speaks of God being reconciled unto us and of our Salvation and remission of sins it is plainly held forth being done already for us by Christ's death and suffering without and as being done and compleated by that one Offering of his though I confess as I have told thee we receive not the benefit of it till by the help of the Spirit we are made able to apply it to our Souls which application of Christ's blood doth work that change in the Soul which I have mentioned already to you about Conversion That this is according to the Doctrine of the holy Apostles see these Scriptures Rom. 3. 24 25 26 27. Acts 4. 12. Rom. 5. 10. For when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son 2 Cor. 5. 18. Heb. 10. 14. Heb. 9. 14. vers 25 26 28. Now how contrary this Doctrine is to the principles of those People called Quakers may appear to you were you not too much given up to blindness And God forbid that ever I should own their Principle of the Light in all that doth so clearly tend to the razing out the grand Fundamentals of the Gospel You bid me Come out of my beggarly Elements and turn to the Light within and believe in it and 't will certainly take away my sins Answ Dare you call Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ and Obedience to him who hath wrought Redemption and Salvation for me and revealed this by his Word and Spirit and work'd it in me beggarly Elements Shall those holy Appointments of Jesus Christ namely Baptism and the Supper of our Lord be denyed by thee and condemned as beggarly Elements Was not our Lord Jesus himself baptized in Waâ—er notwithstanding he had so much of the holy Spirit in him and was not Paul and Cornelius though they had the Spirit in such a wonderful manner baptized in Water And did not all the Primitive Saints walk in that Order and Communion that is owned by me and my Brethren of the baptized Churches And were not the Saints commended for owning and holding the Ordinances as they were once delivered unto them and would you have me leave the footsteps of the Flock to walk in your by-path God forbid Those Ordinances that you call beggarly Elements have been made rich sweet and glorious Appointments and Ordinances to my Soul Indeed 't is no marvel if you deny the Sign who do deny him who is thereby signified you denying the Substance viz. a crucified Christ I see you are naturally led to deny that which doth so clearly shadow him forth but under his shadow I have with the Spouse sate down and his fruit is and hath been sweet unto my taste And therefore do I write unto you that you might have fellowship with us for in some measure we can say through Grace our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ Praises and Halilujah to God for ever who hath given us that witness in our selves of which thou speakest that we can experience the Power of Christ's Spirit risen in us for our Sanctification and Renovation as well as Christ was raised from the dead for our Justification Thou boastest of the kernel as if thou hadst found it without the shell be not mistaken the Power and the Form the Sign and that which is thereby signified God hath joyned together I grant a Person may find the Shell and have no kernel in it have a form of Godliness but deny the Power but rare is it to find the kernel without the shell If they are ashamed of all they have done saith the Lord shew them the form of my house Ezek. 43. 11. The Lord added to the Church daily such as should be saved Acts 2. 47. and they continued stedfastly in the Apostles Doctrine and fellowship and in breaking of Bread and in Prayers vers 42. But lest I should be too large I shall hasten to the rest of your Letter in which you repeat some of my words which were in that former Letter I wrote unto you which are as followeth Thou sayest Sure I am that those Persons who deny the Man Christ Jesus to have wrought Salvation for them have no Salvation at all and if they repent not of their evil shall one day be set amongst the Goats and not amongst the Sheep of Christ That is very true Brother but art not thou one of them that deny the Man Christ Jesus whom John saw clothed with a garment down to the feet and girt about the paps with a golden girdle c. by the same Spirit the pure in heart see God for Christ is the true God and everlasting Life but to know Christ after the Flesh which thou and multitudes aim at The Apostle saith Though I have known Christ after the flesh yet from henceforth I know him so no more Indeed those that cry up carnal things for Ordinances may stand amongst the Goats Answ 'T is true I did say that such who deny the Man Christ Jesus to have wrought Salvation for them have no Salvation at all and is it any more than the Apostle Peter speaketh 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. Those false Prophets who privily bring in damnable Heresies even denying the Lord that bought them he doth affirm do bring upon themselves swift destruction c. I charge none in particular and would to God there were none in England guilty herein but why do you conclude or think that I do deny the Man Christ Jesus that John saw who
Light which reproves for sin and believe in it and it will certainly take away my sins and therefore you caution me not to open my mouth at any time against the true Light which lightneth every man that cometh into the world O my Sister how doth it grieve me to think how blind and deceived thou art to believe that the Light which is in all men even in the natural hearts of Heathens and Infidels is the true Christ and Saviour of the World and that there is not another nor need of another and that men ought to hearken to it as that which doth not only reprove for sin and so condemn but is also able of it self to cleanse from sin save and redeem them who walk up to it without respect to the glorious Redemption purchased by another viz. Jesus of Nazareth Now how false this is may appear to thee by what followeth for though I do not deny but really believe and alwayes did that the Lord Jesus as the Eternal Word and Creator of the World hath given Light or enlightneth all Men and Women that come into the World yet do I utterly deny that this Light which all men have from the glorious Creator is the true Saviour or is a saving Light and the alone and only Teacher which thou seemest to affirm The Light which is in the hearts of all men Paul sheweth clearly is but the substance of the Law of the first Covenant God hath given man a Spirit or formed a Spirit in him Zach. 12. 1. which is called the Candle of the Lord by the means of which Law Candle or Conscience in Man and help of the visible Creation mankind may come to understand there is a God and it will teach them also their Duty in some respects as he is their Creator and they his Creatures and convince them of divers sins and teach them to do unto all men as they themselves would be done unto If Heathens and wicked men do mind and follow the light of this Candle or the Teachings of their own Conscience they would notwithstanding they are void of the saving knowledge of the true Saviour shine forth in the Principles of Morality or just living between man and man as I do judge many of the Quakers do civil honesty being the greatest glory of the best of those of that Religion if I may call it so Now you with others judge because that this Light doth convince of sin and shews man his evil thoughts it will also cleanse and take away his sins and eternally save his Soul it being a Light flowing from Christ you judge it cannot be weak nor insufficient in any respects whatsoever Which is my Sister your great ignorance Did you instead of hearkning to these Seducers with care and diligence search the Scriptures you would find that that holy Law which God gave to Israel which was written and ingraved in two Tables of Stone was a Light and precious Law flowing from God and a more glorious Ministration than this which is in every man or else what advantage had the Jews above the Gentiles Rom. 3. 1 2. That Law dear Sister was a Light of Christ and did convince of Sin more clearly than the Light doth which is in every man yet the Apostle sheweth plainly Gal. 2. it would not give life nor take away sin For what the Law could not do saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 3. in that it was weak through the Flesh God sent his own Son c. This Doctrine of yours concerning the Light within brings in again and seems plainly to establish the Covenant of Works Do this and live be obedient to the Law or Light in the heart and thou shalt be saved This agrees with the expressions of one of your Teachers and he no mean one neither speaking of Rom. 2. 13. Not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified From whence saith * See Pen's Sandy Foundation shaken Page 26. he how unanswerably may I observe that unless we become doers of that Law which Christ came not to destroy but as our Example to fulfil we can never be justified before God nor let any fancy that Christ hath so fulfilled it for them as to exclude their Obedience from being requisite to their acceptance but only as their Pattern We do not say Christ fulfilled the Law so as to exclude our obedience yet was his Obedience and Suffering Meritorious and more than a Pattern or Exemplary Doth not this Doctrine of yours make void the Righteousness which is of Faith which speaks on this wise Believe and thou shalt be saved By the deeds of the Law shall no Flesh be justified The Law and Light in all which is one in substance gives man the knowledge of his sins it convances him that he is a sinner but leaves him like the Priest and Levite in his blood and wounds without any help or healing until the Lord Jesus that good Samaritan takes compassion on him for we are justified freely by God's Grace through the Redemption that is in Jesus Christ Rom. 3. 24. Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness mark for the Remission of sins that are past through the forbearance of God vers 25. We grant and believe that holiness and obedience is required and they are the effects and fruits of saving Faith but it is not our obedience nor holiness which doth redeem us or is the meritorious efficient and procuring cause of our Salvation and acceptation with God muchless our obedience to the Law or Light in our Consciences as those of your mind affirm Oh! take heed therefore and beware of that poysonous Doctrine the tenor of which clearly holdeth forth That Jesus Christ our Saviour and Mediatour died in vain For I pray consider If by works of Righteousness done in our own persons by walking up to the Law or Light within we may be led out of all sin cleansed from it and eternally saved what need was there then of the Man Christ Jesus to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law and to shed his precious Blood to atone and make peace and appease the wrath of God for us May I not say with Paul Gal. 2. 21. If Righteousness came by the Law Christ is dead in vain The Jews as I shewed you before had the advantage of the Gentiles every way Rom. 3 1 2. they had more light than the Heathen Gentiles had having the Oracles of God committed to them yet it left them in their sins and under Wrath and the Curse that Law nor the Light which is in every man that cometh into the World cannot give life For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily Righteousness should have been by the Law Gal. 3. 21. Therefore all such whether Jews or Gentiles who seek for Righteousness and Acceptance with God through their
his Apostles to baptize with was the Baptism which after his Ascension they did baptize with and that 't is evident was Water Can any man forbid Water saith Peter Acts 10. 47. that these should not be baptized c. 't is said They went both down into the Water both Philip and the Eunuch Acts 8. 38. Now the Baptism here commanded must needs remain to be practised to the end of the World Because whatsoever is here given forth by Christ is given forth as he is King and Mediatour of the New Covenant and as part of his last Will and Testament and his last Will and Testament stands in full force and vertue to the end of the World unalterable and whosoever brings any other Gospel let him be accursed Thirdly Because 't is the mind of Christ that whatsoever he Commanded them should be taught successively to the Nations And his Spiritual Presence being promised unto the end of the World to all those that did keep and observe whatsoever he there commanded them plainly proves that the practice of all those Ordinances were to be kept up to the end of the World But again To prove that the practice of Water-Baptism doth remain in full force and vertue after the coming of Christ in Spirit I need not go further to make it appear than the second of the Acts. Christ made good the Promise of the Comforter or his coming to his Disciples in Spirit as you may see in the beginning of that Chapter by the help and power of which Spirit Peter preach'd to those Jews that had put Christ to death and many of them being pricked in their hearts cryed out What shall we do Then said Peter vers 38. Repent and be baptized every one of you in the Name of Jesus Christ and you shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit And vers 41. 't is said Those that gladly received the Word were baptized and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand Souls This observe was after that coming of Christ which you speak of Do you think that the Apostle Peter in the Name and Authority of Christ Jesus would have commanded so many persons to be baptized if he had understood Water-Baptism ceased at the pourings forth of the Spirit or the practice of it was to remain no longer Besides was not the Eunuch baptized in Water after the coming of Christ in Spirit Acts 8. 41 42. and many in the City of Samaria and was not Paul baptized by Ananias Acts 9. and Cornelius and those with him after the coming of Christ in Spirit with many others that I might mention and yet you very ignorantly affirm That the practice of it was to remain no longer than till Christ so came as aforesaid I might now come to Answer another Objection that some of your judgment bring against this Appointment of Christ and then come to examine the remaining part of your Letter 't is grounded from Paul's words 1 Cor. 1. 14. I thank God I baptized none of you save Crispus and Gaius Observe by the way That though this is brought as an Objection against Baptism yet the Objector doth thereby confess the Baptism here intended is that of Water and then by your own confession Paul baptized after the coming of the Comforter or Christ in Spirit But you say he thanks God he baptized no more Indeed too many by them if the practice of it were out of doors before But to return you an Answer take his next words for it he gives you the reason why he thanked God he baptized no more 't is not because the practice then was not in force but lest any should say he baptized in his own Name many amongst them were grown so carnal as to slight or else to idolize their Teachers and ready to accuse the Ministers of Christ with unfaithfulness as if they did that in their own Names which they did in the Name and Authority of Christ Jesus and this was the cause of his speaking those words But 't is objected That he doth affirm Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel Answ Paul doth not intend by his so speaking that he had no Authority from Christ to baptize but rather to show that his chief work was to Preach the Gospel He gives us to understand that to baptize was not the alone and chief business he was sent to do but his great work was to Preach the Gospel This word not is not alwayes used as an absolute Negative for then Christ utterly forbids all outward labour Joh. 6. 27. where he commands them Not to labour for the meat which perisheth c. and by the same Argument we may conclude also that Adam was not at all deceived because Paul saith expresly 1 Tim. 2. 14. Adam was not deceived but the Woman It is clear the Apostle meaneth Adam was not first deceived I might give divers instances of the like kind but this shall at present suffice as to the Answer of this Objection I shall now come to examine the next part of your Letter these are your very words being a Repetition and Reply to some part of that which I formerly wrote unto you Thou speakest of the Body of Christ after he was risen again and sayest That after that he spake with his Disciples and gave them Commandments that then he Ascended with the same Body into Heaven which words are not agreeable to the Scripture Brother be not too wise in thy own conceit for it is no where said That flesh and blood is Christ but Jesus Christ came in the flesh Flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. But one in a certain place saith That he first descended into the lower parts of the Earth and he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things Ephes 4. 9 10. Beware at any time thou opens thy mouth against the true Light that lightneth every man which cometh into the World for it is the pure Principle which is owned by the scorned People called Quakers and ought to be owned by thee also Oh Brother come out of your beggarly Elements and turn to the Light which reproves for sin and believe in it and it will certainly take away thy sin Surely he is come yea he is come felt heard and understood c. Answ What I formerly wrote unto you concerning Christ and of his appearing to his Disciples after he rose again from the dead and that he ascended with the same body into Heaven is expresly according to the words of the holy Scriptures And for being wise in my own conceit I have otherwise learned Christ and the wisdom
when all Jabesh Gilead heard all that the Philistines had done to Saul vers 12. they arose all the valiant men and took away the body of Saul and the bodies of his Sons and brought them to Jabesh and buried their bones under the Oak c. What they speak of Christ they may as well affirm concerning Saul and his Sons the case is the same Saul was not flesh they may as well conclude but something which did dwell in that body that the men of Jabesh Gilead buried under an Oak after his overthrow because that body is not called Saul but the body of Saul The same we also reade concerning Moses as may be seen Jude vers 9. Michael the Archangel when contending with the Devil he disputed about the body of Moses durst not bring a railing accusation against him c. That Moses was a man consisting of flesh and bone they may deny by the same Argument or say assuredly that that body was not him because it is called his body as so to affirm and speak concerning our Lord Jesus 'T is not said saith one of your Teachers that Joseph of Arimathea begged the Jesus of Jesus but the body of * See G. Whitehead's Book called The Light of Christ within p. 62. Jesus As if it must needs have been so said if that Man called Jesus had been the Christ What Nonsense would this man have writ if he had penned the story concerning the body of Saul he must have writ the men of Jabesh took up the Saul of Saul And what a strange Epitaph would this man write upon a Grave or Tombstone he can't write by this Argument Here lies the body of Thomas or William c. but rather thus Here lies the Thomas of Thomas And by this all persons may see how ridiculous these men render themselves while they scrape up such silly Arguments to deny and oppose the Truth But to proceed You tell me That flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God and so from those words of the Apostle conclude That our Saviour is not ascended with the same body into Heaven above which he took in the Womb of the Virgin Answ I understand to my trouble that many poor Souls in these last and evil days are carried away so far by the Spirit of Dâ—â—sion that they do deny the Resurrection the dead and this place of Scripture 〈◊〉 you mention I find is commonly made use of as a proof and confirmation of this their evil opinion but how exceedingly you and others do wrest the words of the Apostle in 1 Cor. 15. I might abundantly make appear It seems strange to me that you should father such a Principle upon the Apostle Paul who doth so clearly in the Spirit and Power of Christ Jesus in that very Chapter oppose and utterly detect it and sharply reproves those that did deny the Resurrection of the dead in his dayes If there be no resurrection of the dead saith he vers 13. then is not Christ risen and if Christ be not risen then is our Preaching vain yea and we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that he raised up Christ whom he raised not up if the dead rise not For if the dead rise not then is not Christ risen vers 16. And if Christ be not raised your Faith is vain and ye are yet in your sins viz. Then they also that are fallen asleep in Christ are perished vers 18. Observe these expressions well and let all such tremble who are found this day opposing and denying this glorious Truth and great Fundamental of the Gospel Remember the words of our blessed Saviour himself Joh. 5. 28 29. Marvel not at this for the hour is coming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of life and they that have done evil to the resurrection of condemnation This cannot intend a rising out of the grave of sin because rising in that sense spiritually from the dead our Lord spake of that before in the same Chapter ver 25. and he plainly holds forth this rising vers 28. to be quite another thing to that he speaks of v. 25. And there are none that hear Christ's voice and are raised spiritually from the dead in that respect that do rise to condemnation The Lord Jesus alludes to the same Resurrection which Daniel speaks of Dan. 12. 2. Many of them that sleep in the dust of the Earth shall awake some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting contempt Thy dead men shall live saith the Prophet Isa 26. 19. with my dead body shall they arise Abundance of clear proofs I might further urge for the clearing up of this Truth but I shall proceed and indeed should not have mentioned these Scriptures but that I find you questioning if not utterly denying the Resurrection of the body You mention Paul's expression 1 Cor. 15. flesh blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God To Answer you in this much I need not speak for it is evident to any unless such who are wofully blinded that by flesh and blood the Apostle doth intend corruption or corruptible flesh and blood and therefore he testifies that those who are alive at the coming of Jesus Christ shall be changed in a moment in the twinkling of an eye For saith he this corruptible must put on incorruption and this mortal must put on immortallity he will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto his glorious body Phil. 3. 21. But let not any conclude because the Apostle doth affirm our bodies shall be changed that therefore the same body respecting the matter substance or essence of it shall not be raised for Paul asserts that the same it which is sown in corruption that very same it riseth in incorruption and every seed shall have its own body If the same body which is buried in the Grave respecting the matter rise not then the dead rise not All the change is touching the state qualities or condition of the body the corruption and imperfection and all manner of deformity shall be done away and it shall rise more glorious than it was before To help your understanding a little further consider that true convertion is called a change the Soul of every regenerate godly Man and Woman is changed yet it t is not a change of the essence of the Soul but only of its evil qualities c. Observe a saying of Job Job 19. 25 c. I know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the Earth And though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and my eyes shall behold and not another although my reins be consumed in me That same body that hath sinned with the Soul shall be punished with the Soul and the same body
was clothed in garments down to his feet c. I do believe that he which St. John saw in that Vision was the Lord Jesus yea the Man Christ Jesus and I do not deny but have laboured to prove that he is the true God and yet truly Man This Man saith the Author to the Hebrews because he continueth for ever hath an unchangeable Priesthood Heb. 7. 24. And then again in the tenth Chapter But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God Heb. 10. 12. Had he not been Man how could he have died For observe Rev. 1. 18. I am he that liveth and was dead and behold I am alive for evermore c. The self same He that visionally did appear to John once was dead but so it cannot be said of the Light or Power that was in him and therefore here you are again at a loss But you bring Paul's words 2 Cor. 5. 16. as an Objection against what we affirm concerning Jesus Christ Though I have known Christ after the flesh yet from henceforth know I him so no more Do you suppose that the Apostle meaneth by these words and expressions that he once knew Christ a Man confistâ—ng of flesh and bone but now he knew him so no more and that now he was not a Man but only a Spirit and Light within Sister you are a very bad expounder of the Scriptures if this be it that you would have for observe with care what the Apostle in the former part of the same verse doth assert he speaks the very same of Man that he speaks of Christ Wherefore henceforth we know no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now we henceforth know him so no more Do you suppose the Apostle knew no man to consist of flesh and bone For as he and other Saints did not know Christ after the flesh so they knew no Man after the flesh therefore it is evident you wrest the words of the Apostle And because I perceive you and others also are found abusing this Text and missing the true sense and main drift and intention of the Apostle therein I shall indeavour to help your understandings in opening and explaining this place of holy Scripture which so many stumble at And in the first place it may not be amiss if you observe what the Apostle in Rom. 3. 1 2. and in other places doth declare of the great advantages Israel after the flesh had over the Gentiles and yet also sheweth us That they of themselves were no better than others but that both Jews and Gentiles were all under sin and here in this 2 Cor. 5. he shews us that all were dead and those Christ died for that they which henceforth live might not live unto themselves but unto him that died for them and rose again and manifest and clear it is by the holy Scriptures That the Lord Jesus was given for the Salvation of the Gentiles as well as the Jews though for a time there was a limitation as to the Ministration of the Gospel respecting the Gentiles Matth. 10. 6. yet since the death of Christ the Partition Wall being broken down Ephes 2. 11 12. The Apostle doth make appear that the Gentile-Believers were in as good a condition and in the like capacity with the Jews Gal. 6. 15. and therefore doth affirm That henceforth he knew no man after the flesh that is he esteems those of the Circumcision and those of the Uncircumcision alike in Christ Jesus Now the word know or to know hath various acceptations but here I understand it doth hold forth to esteem regard allow or to approve of by way of preference and so the word is taken 1 Thess 5. 12. Rom. 7. 15. Psal 1. 6. 31. 7. 1 Cor. 8. 3. And as God's knowledge of us doth imply his approbation 2 Tim. 1. 19. So his not knowing the wicked doth hold forth his rejection of them Matth. 7. 23. chap. 25. 12. Job 9. 21. Know I no man after the flesh by after the flesh is meant the Seed of Abraham by natural generation who seemed to have a confidence in the flesh and boasted they had Abraham for their Father concluding it is like from thence that God also was their Father not understanding that the Children of the flesh were not counted for the Seed Gal. 3. 29. Henceforth that is since the death of Christ as in the verses going before and from thence it is that he grounds this Argument wherefore hencefore know we no man after the flesh God made a difference before as Acts 10. 11. 11 2 3. Acts 15. 9. but now it is otherwise Again he also makes an instance of Christ himself who came of that same stock and lineage Rom. 9. 5. that henceforth he knew Christ no more with that difference and distinction he having by his death compleated the work he came to do he had put an end to that former dispensation Old things are done away and all things are become new If the Lord please to open your eyes you may see this to be the mind of the Spirit and intention of the Apostle and not that which you would infer from thence As touching what you speak concerning carnal Ordinances you speak you know not what you call that carnal and outward which Christ and Saints call Spiritual you have cause to blush and be ashamed for calling any of the holy Ordinances and Appointments of Christ low and carnal things I have spoken of the Spiritualness of them already and therefore shall proceed to the next thing you speak of Smiting of my fellow Servant take heed lest you your self should therein be guilty I would not smite such whom Christ smiteth not and my purpose is to heal such whom Satan hath smitten and wounded You ask me Whether I am one of the Gazers that look for Christ's Personal Reign you say the eyes of all such are blind for Christ is come Answ Some of those Gazers and Waiters was Paul Peter and John yea all the Primitive Saints for though Christ was come in Spirit to them as gloriously as he is come to any now yet they waited as I have already proved for Christ's coming from Heaven do you think they were all blind I shall proceed to that which remains of your Letter these are your words viz. Thou sayest Christ's Sheep hear his voice and follow him and have respect to all his Commands These are the sayings of Christ but I question whether ever any Baptist did hear his voice or did follow him be not offended for doth not the Scripture say That he that names the Name of Christ must depart from iniquity than he indeed that calls upon the Name of the Lord shall be saved and how shall they call upon Christ the Light within of whom they have not believed and how shall they believe on him Christ the
every one of you for the remission of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost c. I shall only mention one passage more upon this account and that is concerning the Preaching of Paul and Silas to the trembling Jaylor who thought the Prisoners had been fled Sirs said he What must I do to be saved Acts 16. 30. they forthwith direct him what he should do but not to turn to the Light within but to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ that was the Doctrine these true Ministers and Servants of God preached to this poor Jaylor and those that were in his house the way to be saved is not to do this and thou shalt live or be obedient to the Law or Light in thy heart but believe on the Lord Jesus Christ roul thy Soul upon him apply the virtue of his Blood and Merits and obtain through precious Faith his perfect and compleat Righteousness and thou shalt be saved And thus you may clearly perceive That these Preachers of and to the Light in all do publish to the World such a Doctrine and give such counsel and directions to poor Sinners that never was preached by the Prophets John Baptist Christ nor his Apostles That God in Man hath placed a Light or given a Guide within to lead all men to eternal life and that alone men are to turn to and look to that for Life and Salvation and that no other means rule or guide man doth need or ought to have respect unto or look after Object To this I know some of your judgment have replyed That the drift and tendency of all the Teachings and Directions of the holy Men of God Christ and the Apostles was to turn People from Darkness to the Light to the knowledge of God and Christ which is Spiritual and therefore within For What may be known of God is manifest within Rom. 1. And Paul said God who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts c. 2 Cor. 4. Answ To this we Answer First by Concession Who doth deny that holy Men did in all their preaching endeavour to turn men anâ— women from darkness to the light to leave their sins to turn from all their wicked abominations and unfruitful works of darkness and to turn to God and Christ and to imbrace the Gospel But was this God Christ and Gospel hid in their hearts or do those Scriptures hold forth that the Apostles did send them thither to find the will and mind of God did they bid them look within for therein the Controversie doth consist Because those who are truly converted have the Spirit of Christ in them and so come to see and behold the shining forth of the glorious Light of the Gospel in their hearts doth it follow that that Light was hid in them before or that the saving Light of Christ is in the hearts of carnal and unconverted men or because 't is said they turned to the Light do you suppose it must needs intend and signifie the Light within which you speak of I know not why you should so conclude unless there was no other Light to turn unto but what is in the heart of Men. Alas before God sent the Gospel and commanded the Light to shine into their hearts they were in darkness and without God in the World But whereas it is objected Rom. 1. What may be known of God is manifest in Men. The Apostle speaks there of the knowledge of God as Creator and what is required by God according to the Law of the first Covenant what may be known of God upon this account is mamifest in them by the visible things of the Creation and Light of their Consciences or Law which God hath implanted in their hearts Who having not the Law are a Law unto themselves shewing saith he the works of the Law written in their hearts c. and thus men who are in the night of Darkness of Heathenism and Unbelief void utterly of the saving knowledge of the Gospel and of a crucified Jesus may have the Law or Light of the Moon to guide their paths by which they are taught their Duty to God in Morals but understand nothing of that glorious Mystery of the Gospel of God's intent and eternal purpose in saving poor lost Man by the blood of Jesus Christ which by the Sun or glorious Ministration of the Gospel is revealed to us For I ask you or any amongst you this Question Whether that whatsoever may be known of our Lord Jesus Christ or of a crucified Jesus that died without the Gates of Jerusalem is taught unto Heathens and Infidels that never heard the sound of the Gospel by the Light within of which you speak which if not then whatsoever may be known of God in Christ is not manifested in them And this I further do affirm That there is none amongst you nor in the World that can make appear that ever any Heathen Ethiopian or Infidel in any remote parts that never heard the Scripture nor any man speak of it to him that had no extraordinary Miracles or Revelation that ever did attain meerly by that Light within which all men have to the knowledge of one Jesus of Nazareth that was Crucified without the gates of Jerusalem where lived that Heathen Moor or Infidel I say that meerly by the help and guidance of that Light within which came to find out so much as the Name or historical knowledge of a crucified Jesus I have heard what some persons have affirmed viz. That they should have known all that they now know of Jesus Christ and what he did and suffered if the Scripture never had been written how to believe them I know not But I shall only ask this one Question of such and shall pass on viz. What things and other Signs were those which Jesus did that are not written See Joh. 20. 30. and Chap. 21. 25. If you say you know not or 't is not revealed to you So in like manner I say you would have been as ignorant of all those things concerning Christ and his Sufferings which are written if you never had had the knowledge of the holy Scripture notwithstanding the Light within In the next place you say Assuredly that Prophet which Moses said God would raise up whom we must hear in all things he preaches in our hearts and we know his voice and follow him Answ Christ may speak by his Spirit I do grant in the heart of a Saint as well as he doth by the written Word yet never contrary to it but I do deny That the Light which is in all men is that great Prophet which Moses said God would raise up as you seem to imagine Because it is expresly said by Moses That the Prophet which God would raise up should be raised up of their Brethren and also like saith he unto me Acts 3. 22. Now how can this be said of the Light in all
Is that one of our Brethren Or is that like unto Moses The Lord Jesus was made like unto us in all things sin only excepted Man had sinned and therefore Jesus Christ in Man's Nature came forth to at one and make peace and to satisfie the Justice of his Father The Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and through his Scripes we are healed Isa 53. You ask me What I am the better with others for approaching into the Water who hath required these things at our hands for the things that are seen are carnal c. And then you say That those who have the Spirit of Christ do not bend to carnal Washing but come to the answer of a good Conscience and to the heavenly Manna Answ Could you not ask What the Primitive Saints were the better None of Christ's Ordinances are in vain and much spiritual benefit many can experience thereby And we know and are assured that the Lord hath required it at our hands And may you not call outward Preaching and outward Hearing carnal things as well as so to call Baptism and the Supper of our Lord And why my Sister should say That they that have the Spirit of Christ do not bend to such Ordinances I know not sith the Saints who had the Spirit in former times did bend to them And that you should call them by such reproachful Names is a grief to me Your slighting and despising the Precepts and Gospel-Institutions of Jesus Christ may one day prove your Soul-wound and burden What I mentioned concerning Cornelius his bending and submitting unto Water-Baptism notwithstanding his high attainment of the Spirit you have not in the least weak nor laid down any thing that is like aâ— Answer And now as concerning the remaining part of your Letter Some things are but Tautologies repeating the same thing You tell me That Christ is come and positively say and testifie That you look not for another which hath already been refuted and your ignorance with the rest of those of your perswasion made manifest But to draw towards a Conclusion I do in the bowels of Jesus Christ intreat you to examine and prove these Lines by the writings of the holy Men of God Who spake as they were moved by the Holy Spirit and ponder so the paths of your feet that all your wayes may be established and see if you have not refused and forsaken the good way of the Lord opposing that Doctrine which is according to Godliness take heed lest you are irrecoverably carried away with a new and strange Doctrine by the slight of men and crastiness whereby they lie in wait to deceive I as touching my self do know on whom I have believed And do not think I shall lay down my head in sorrow as you are pleased to signifie if I procced in the way I am in for though I am outwardly decaying and the time of my departure is at hand yet am I through the Grace of God in some good measure assured That when the earthly house of this Tabernacle is dissolved I have a building of God a house not made with hands eternal in the Heavens 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. I may say with holy Job Behold my witness is in Heaven and my record is on high Job 16. 19. I do know that my Redeemer liveth and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth and though after my skin worms destroy this body yet in my flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine eyes behold and not for another though my reins be consumed in me Job 19. 25 26 27. And that God who fed me all my life long unto this day and hath refreshed my Soul with the dews from above and given me a place in his house will take continual care of me and cause my Soul to bring forth fruit in old Age and be my God and my guide eveu until death And whatsoever you may suppose of the Way and Doctrine in which my Soul is through the Grace of God established and remains unmoveable Yet unto all my faithful Brethren I have this to say and testifie with the Apostle That this is the true Grace of God in which you stand and there is no other Gospel nor Doctrine of Christ to be received nor no other burden laid upon you by Christ but what you have already hold fast until he comes Be you faithful unto death and you shall receive the crown of life And all I have further to say to you my dear Sister is only in tender love to exhort you to Repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ and give glory to him before your feet stumble upon the dark Mountains and while you look for Light he turn it into the shadow of Death and make it gross darkness God waits long before he utterly gives up a People or a particular Soul to believe lies to be snared and fall so as never to rise any more If you refuse to hear me I can but mourn and weep in secret for you and however I may be judged and censured by any I shall in what I have done have peace This being all at present I shall leave it to the blessing of God and remain Your Affectionate Brother H. G. POSTSCRIPT Christian Reader THE perilousness of these last dayes are very great and the danger of them appears every day more and more those evil times which our Lord Jesus did foretel should come in which false Christ's and false Prophets should arise and deceive many we are brought forth in The Devil knows his time is short and therefore is in great rage Rev. 12. laying about him as I may say with both hands those Souls which he can't destroy by fleshly and carnal filthiness and cursed debauchery which never abounded more in the World than it doth now he labours to ruine and spoyl eternally by erroneous Opinions blasphemous and damnable Heresies And this let me add further That the sins against the first Table are as heinous and as abominable in the sight of God if not more than those against the Second which may appear by that speedy swist and severe execution of wrath and divine vengeance upon those under the former dispensation who were upon that account disobedient and transgressors Levit. 10. 1 2. Numb 15. 36. Numb 16. 32 35 40. 1 Sam. 6. 19. 2 Sam. 6. 6 7. And of all Heresies none are more dangerous and pernicious than those which tend to the razing and destroying the foundation of Religion and Godliness and therefore it is said by the Prophet If the foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Psal 11. 3. Now the foundation upon which the true Christian doth alone and wholly build is the Lord Jesus Christ JEHOVAH hath laid in Zion for a foundation a stone a tryed stone a precious corner-stone Isa 28. 16. For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid which is Jesus Christ 1 Cor.
Church and to cleanse and wash the Church was Jesus Christ Object But here it may be some will object and say That this same name or appellation hath been given unto men as we read concerning Moses Exod. 7. 1. And the Lord said unto Moses See I have made thee a God unto Pharaoh c. And so the Scriptures elsewhere speak of the Rulers as Gods I said ye are Gods but ye shall die like Men. Answ 1. I do grant the name God hath been given to men upon the account of what those Scriptures speak yet was that name or title never given to any man on earth as it is given unto Jesus Christ for he is not only called God but also the Mighty God See Isa 9. 6. For unto us a Child is born unto us a Son is given and the Government shall be upon his shoulders and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty GOD the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace And as he is here called the Mighty God so the Apostle John calls him the True God 1 Job 5. 20. And we know saith he that the Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding that we may know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ This is the true God and eternal life And as he is called by this Apostle the true God so Jude calls him the only Wise God Jude 25. Yea and the Apostle Paul calls him Rom. 9. 5. God blessed for ever see and observe his expressions Whose are the Fathers and of whom as concerning the flesh Chrict came who is GOD blessed for ever Amen Now where is any man save Jesus of Nazareth only called the Mighty God the True God the only Wise God and God blessed for ever And how dares any man these Scriptures being considered deny the glorious Deity of our Lord Jesus Christ But 2. He that made the World must needs be Eternal God for none could do that but God alone 'T is ridiculous and most absurd to think the Creature could make it self before it self was God upon the account of his infinite Power and Wisdom in creating the the World expostulateth and reasoneth with his People glorying if I may so say in the greatness of his Power and Majesty and unwordable Essence proving that way his dreadful Godhead Isa 40. and all the Gods of the Nations to be but Idols And now that Jesus Christ made and created the World see the first of John vers 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God vers 3. All things were made by him c. Now compare this with the 14th verse And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father full of grace and truth Reade the next verse and you may see that this was he that John bear witness of to be the true Christ But again reade Col. 2. 16. For by him saith Paul were all things created that are in heaven and that are in earth visible and invisible If you would know who this is you may see if you please to mind vers 14. 't is he who hath purchased remission of sins for us through his blood and 18 verse 'T is he who is the head of the body the Church who is the beginning the first born from the dead c. compare this with Heb. 2. 10. And thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth and the heavens are the works of thy hands That he speaks of the Son 't is evident see the whole Chapter the main drift of the Author is to set forth the glorious Deity and Godhead of Jesus Christ But I must hasten to the next Argument and that is this 3. He that upholdeth all things that are made must needs be God but that Jesus Christ doth uphold and preserve all the whole Creation see Heb. 1 3. Who being the brightness of his Glory and the express image of his Person and upholding observe all things by the word of his Power when he had by him self purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on High This agrees with Col. 1. 17. And he is before all things and by him all things consist 4. He that knoweth all things before it cometh to pass must be God such knowledge is too wonderful for us Psal 139. In several places of Scripture you may see how the Almighty doth prove his glorious Being and Godhead by his Omnisciency Job 38. 1 2 4 5 19 20 33 39. Psal 4. 10. Job 36. 4 5 6 c. And that our Lord Jesus Christ knoweth all things see John 21. 17. they are the words of Simon Peter And he said unto him Lord THOU KNOWEST all things thou Knowest that I love thee Moreover 't is said Joh. 2. 24 25. That Jesus did not commit himself unto them because he Knew all men And needed not that any should Testifie of Man for he knew what was in man And in another place it is said That Jesus Knew from the beginning who they were that believed not and who should betray him Joh. 6. 64. What more clearly tends to prove his blessed Deity than his Omnisciency 5. I shall yet add another Argument further to evince this glorious truth which doth hang or depend upon the precedent Reason viz. He that searcheth the heart must of necessity be acknowledged and owned to be the Almighty and Etenal God for who knoweth the heart save that infinite Majesty that formed the Spirit of Man that is in him The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked saith the Prophet Jer. 17. 9. who can know it I the LORD search the heart and try the reins vers 10. As if the Lord should say There is none save my self knoweth or can know it And now that the Lord Jesus Christ who died for our sins doth search the heart and the reins he himself doth assert it Rev. 2. 23. I will kill her Children with death speaking of the woman Jezebel and all the Churches shall know that I am HE which searcheth the reins and the heart and I will give unto every one of you according as his works shall be c. 6. He that is the first and the last must needs be the Everlasting God for from this very ground and consideration the Lord doth argue or reason with his People to shew and make appear there is no other God besides himself Isa 44. 6. I am the first and I am the last and besides me there is no God compared with Chap. 48. 12. Hearken unto me O Jacob and Israel my called I am he I am the first and I am the last c. And that the famous said of the Lord Jesus Christ reade Rev. 2. 8. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending which is and