thus to work because Christ died for us John 16.17 If I go not away the Comforter will not come it is given by vertue of Christs entring with his Blood into Heaven by this time the things I have written the Reader will see consist well together There remains nothing now but some bitter scornful Reflexions let us patiently hear them with my Answers Pag. 15. This man say they can cast the Law of the Spirit behind his back and yet plead he is justified by the Imputation of Christs Personal Righteousness O gross Hypocrisy Answ Could the Quakers at Hartford prove against me the wilful breach of the Law of God that I did indulge my self in or that I had preched or written only for the Imputation of Christs Personal Righteousness for Justification and not for Holiness of Life and Sanctification they might then indeed speak at this rate but if they cannot it is no less than a notorious slander I can say through Grace as the Apostle I know nothing by my self as to any known sin I live in with him will I say again yet am not I hereby justified but be that judgeth me is the Lord 1 Cor. 4.4 I live in the observance of the Moral Law but yet I dare not plead this for acceptance with God knowing I come not up to perfection but my prayer to God shall be that of Davids Psal 143.2 Enter not into judgment with thy servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified I will take up that of Job Job 9.15 Whom though I were righteous yet would I not answer but I would make supplication to my Judge Vers 21. Though I were perfect yet would I not know my soul believing with that perfect and upright man of whom God gave this Testimony There was none like him on Earth one that feared God and escewed evil Job 1.8 believing what he said would prove true Job 9.30 31. If I wash my self with snow water and make my hands never so clean yet shalt thou plunge me in the ditch and mine own cloaths shall make me to be abhorred and is this a crime must this be censured for gross Hypocrisy was David Job Paul or the Pharisee the Hypocrite The Pharisee justified himself and despised the Cross of Christ and went about to make his own righteousness to stand Job and David confessed their sins and so did Paul Phil. 3.9 Counting all dung for Christ not having his own Righteousness which was of the Law but was very much for Imputation he names it ten times at least in the fourth of the Romans have the Quakers at Hartford attained to such a perfection in Holiness by the Law of the Spirit and is it discernable in their Converse and Trading that they have no need of the Imputation of Christs Righteousness but deride it and make a scoff at it The Lord have mercy on them They jeer me for any Apology to Sir John Hartop Pag. 16. in case that I had not worded things in my Book so congruously as I might that he would bear with me they say this is a Salve for all my distracted and incongruous works Answ Had I been one of these infallible Doctors I need not to have apologized but I pretend not to Infallibility especially in words I am not ashamed to speak in humility of my self and of my own labours and to think what I say not to pretend only as they suggest remembring what the great Apostle said of himself 1 Cor. 2.3 I was with you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling and that he with others of his fellow Apostles and Labourers in the Ministry did but know in part and prophesie in part Eph. 6.19 20. He was not too proud to desire the Christians prayers for a door of utterance that he might open his mouth and speak the Mystery of the Gospel boldly as he ought to speak But the People of Hartford are to perswade me to be quiet among my neighbours and the Quakers would have them give me no more money for keeping Christ and them at a distance The present Incendiaries need no more they had done their work could they by any means take off the Watch from their duty the King of France had done his work could any perswade the Dutch to be quiet and to give their Souldiers no more pay could the Wolf prevail with the Sheep that the Spepherd might stay at home it would make well for him The false Apostles did all they could to exclude the true Apostles that they themselves might be affected Gal. 4.17 I would if possible live peaceably with all men but is it possible while there is another Jesus and another Gospel set up at Hartford Paul and Luther would have turned the world upside down had they dwelt there it was a great man that said let Heaven and Earth be in confusion rather then one dram of Truth be lost what peace as long as the whoredomes continue but you must give me no Money Simon Magus thought all things in Christs kingdom was carried on by Money therefore he thought to tempt the Apostle with Money Doth not this saying argue the same Spirit its well if their Religion be not propagated that same way we know in a great part it is let me now speak this plain word to you Christians at Hartford the Quakers having administred this occasion to me take heed lest they insnare you by the gain and trade of the world they know they have a hank upon you this way already some of the Town they have won to them by this means others have abated in their zeal for Christ fearing to lose their worldly interest among the Quakers But they say I keep Christ and you at a distance therefore you must give me no Money Answ They acknowledge in many places in their Book that I own Christ to be present by his Spirit in his Saints and do not the People at Hartford witness that I preach this Doctrine among them how then do I keep Christ and you at a distance are not we united to him by the Spirit it is I suppose because I have not yet taught you the Hartford Quakers new notion viz. That the soul of Christs Manhood is in every one of you and in every Saint throughout the world thus they have brought Christ and their Hearers together and deserves Money for their new invention of an Immense Infinite Invisible Inform Spirituous Manhood that can pierce doors and then be sure come into your bodies a Manhood turned all into Soul or an Angel or into Wind Fancy Nothing Last of all They tell me I boast in saying my Book is unanswered by them they say it is not strictly true for an answer hath been written a long time but not published Answ If I say the Sun was not risen at four of the Clock this morning it is not may these men say strictly true in that it was shining at that hour
doth Christ say the work of the Comforter should be upon his sending of him John 15.26 He shall testify of me and John 16.14 He shall glorify me i. e. in the hearts of men for be shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Now if that Spirit which at present you boast of doth not this work viz. Enlighten your understandings aright in the truth of the Gospel though you may find a power as you often speak acting of you if this Spirit do not testify of the Christ of God begetting high thoughts of his Person Righteousness instructing your souls in his things his Death Resurrection Intercession his Priesthood in Heaven which you never talk of though it should have so much power in you as thereby you should be caught up and carried to Azotus though thereby you could as they say of Simon Magus fly in the Air yet it is not the Spirit of Christ Jesus the Comforter 1 Pet. 2.7 2 Cor. 13.14 2 Cor. 11.4 If Christ be not precious to you you are unbelievers I wish it might be considered there is no communion of the Spirit where the Grace of the Lord Jesus Christ it not sweet to us where ever there is another Gospel and Jesus there is another spirit who ever hath not the Son hath not the Father how then can they have the Spirit No man speaking by the Spirit of God called Jesus accursed 1 Cor. 12.3 Be not deceived if this Gospel be hid the heart and life whereof consists in the knowledge of this point of Justification It is the Gospel of Righteousness it manifests the Righteousness without the Law Rom. 3.21 therein is the Righteousness of God revealed from Faith to Faith if this be hid though you may be very confident is is hid to them that are lost 2 Cor. 4.3 the God of this World having blinded their eyes O that you would remember what the Apostle said to the Galatians who thought they had as much of the Spirits Righteousness as the Quakers being corrupted in their judgments in this very matter yet had not cast off their mentioning of Christ but allowing him a place in their Religion Gal. 3.1 Gal. 5.4 who hath bewitched you and in another place ye are fallen from Grace and its a great convincing word Rom. 9.31 Israel which followed after the Law of Righteousness did not attain to the Law of Righteousness yet were as confident as you but I shall be despised for this my love in debating this matter with you and I doubt you will call this as Pag. 15. you do monstrous and distracted Doctrine The instances that I gave against Christopher Tayler to prove that we are not justified by works done in the Spirit are reckoned Pag. 14. viz. Abrahams works Davids works Paul's and Isaiahs works all done in the Spirit but not a word of answer to them no I calmly challenge them all to answer to them Only they ask a Question Is it good Doctrine to say that Paul when a Christian counted his spiritual obedience loss and dung for Christ Answ Yes very good sound blessed and comfortable Doctrine received by Millions of Saints in Heaven and Earth add but that which you ought for of that I speak viz. in the point of Justification in the same way are you to understand that of Isaiah Isa 64.6 all our Righteousnesses are as filthy rags i. e. as to justify us in Gods sight Pag. 15. they repeat the Question but slily addeth this to it viz. and that as a Christain he must suffer the loss of this i. e. his spiritual obedience so as not to have it in his heart O the creeping Serpent to insinuate as if I taught the people such Doctrine Answ Yes he was to have it still in his heart but not to plead it with God for his Justification Phil. 3.9 not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law c. But how can I make that out for which they quarrel me here Pag. 15. That all the Righteousness that all the Saints have within them or without them is but the Righteousness of the Law Answ It is not difficult otherwise the Law of God is not a perfect Rule of Righteousness but that must be grante Ergo it requires all we do and more then any can do not only outward duty but an inward spiritual upright frame of heart yea the Image of God to be compleat and perfect in us then my Argument holds good we are not justified by any Righteousness of ours done in the Spirit for the Scripture is peremptory in it by the deeds of the Law shall no flesh be justified in his fight Rom. 3.20 They produce two Scriptures here to prove Justification by the works of the Spirit in us First Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and death Rom. 8.4 That the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us I have opened both these places in my Book against Crook and Bailie I am of that mind that they both speak as to our Justification of the Righteousness of Christs Person so they are nothing to their purpose if they will in their next plainly and openly say from the first Scripture that the Spirits work in us is the matter of our Justification and that the Law is fulfilled in our own persons for our acceptation from the second Scripture I promise them a fuller answer in the mean while we are of this mind that we are not justified by any works done by us in and by the Spirit yet we freely acknowledge that it is Regeneration makes us meet for the Kingdom but not in a way of Merit that is only by the blood-shedding of Jesus Christ but only disposeth us for Heaven without it none shall see the Lord Regeneration is to be distinguished from Justification as the Cause from the Effect Justification the cause of Regeneration if God did not forgive us our sins for the Merit of Christ he would not renew our nature we confess again that the Deity perfects all good in us and for us but them the Humanity is in union with it and acts with it and they must not be put asunder it was the Humanity that was the Offering and Sacrifice he offered himself by the eternal Spirit Heb. 9.14 The Flesh profiteth nothing i. e. alone it is the Spirit that quickneth John 6.63 yet the Flesh of Christ is the Organ and Instrument in by and with which Christ performs all his Mediatory works of Redemption and these two Natures are but one Person and whatever was done by the Spirit in the hearts of any before Christs manifestation in Flesh it was done in reference to and for the Merit of his Incarnation so then in the last place and then we have not left a hoof of an exception behind when I pray that the Spirit would settle strengthen preserve I believe that the Spirit is given
that may be seen and is more excellent and higher then any Angel Ergo he is not in Heaven that cannot be seen with the bodily eye because of its distance from us Are you not convinced mightily with such strong Argumentations In Eph. 1.20 21. He is said to be set far above every name that is named not only in this World but that which is to come Ergo Christ is above the Father this is the same way of Reasoning That Christ as to his Manhood hath been upon Earth and is upon Earth at least as to his Soul since his Ascension they attempt to prove here Pag. 9. from the Scriptures that speaks of his coming to his Disciples since that time John 14.2 If I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you vers 18. I will not leave you comfortless I will come unto you Answ The first place speaks of his coming at the day of Judgment when he will instate his Saints in their full Glory and Happiness in body as well as soul this is the secónd Personal appearance of Jesus Christ which is not yet but will be at the times of the restitution of all things as the Scripture speaks The other Scripture speaks of his coming in the power of the Spirit to their hearts to comfort them in the evil days wherein they should be cast then they are nothing at all to their purpose to prove Christ personal Descension upon Earth either as to his Soul or Body since his Ascension into Heaven Another Objection is drawn from John 3.13 No man hath ascended up to Heaven Pag. ibid. but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven Here is a third of the Objections which they say is of my own framing and it 's brought here against Christ being now in Heaven as to his Manhood I have in my last answered it fully to which you may have recourse as to what they beg here I can grant them the whole without any loss to my cause or gain to theirs Christ was spiritually in Heaven with his Saints when on Earth and is spiritually on Earth with them now he is in Heaven The Reader knoweth what we mean by the spiritual presence of Christ with his Saints They say Pag. ibid that of his coming the Apostles had signs and evidences who by him wrought Miracles Acts 4.10 i. e. the Miracles that the Apostles wrought were signs of his Personal coming that he hath been upon Earth since his Ascension as to his Manhood Answ There were Miracles wrought by Moses and Eliah and Elisha and what they did they did by the power of Christ who is God blessed for ever Therefore Christ Jesus did Personally appear upon Earth and came again from Heaven in his Manhood before ever he had a Manhood or ever did ascend into Heaven risum teneatis Amici Miracles wrought by the Apostles were only Signs of the coming of Christ in Power and Spirit Here now comes their exceptions against four of the Properties of the Manhood of Christ as they stated by me what pity is it that they should take so much pains to oppose themselves in their own confession The Manhood of Christ since the Ascension is the Object of Sense is hath been seen with the bodily eye and may be seen Stephen saw him thus in my last To this they Object Pag. 10. but before I name their Arguments I here cry out of open and manifest wrong in that they Quakers have twice or thrice endeavoured to make the Reader believe that I asserted there was no more in Stephen 's seeing the glory of God and the Son of Man in Heaven than what was natural that he had no extraordinary assistance and strengh from God in it Pag. 11. but to place all this sight upon carnal and bodily eyes these are their words whereas they had writ my own words before viz. Stephens sight was strengthened after a wonderful miraculous way so that he pierced to the Heavenly glory with his eye this was more than what was natural no doubt mark that whether this be not wilful forging judge ye But to their Arguments against Stephen's seeing Christ in Heaven with his bodily eye it being strenghthened by the Lord. 1. According to my own confession Christ was passed into the invisible Heavens Ergo he could not be seen Pag. 10. Answ Their Argument is only a Childish quible about the word invisible if I had but in the stead of it said unseen there would not have been any ground for this cavil but I did indeed think I should be taken in that sense and I believe was by all but the Quakers Should I say many of the Stars are invisible will any understand me that they are not capable of being seen by any Teliscope or Prospective glasses or that they are not ordinarily seen because of their great distance and the weakness of our sight Children will play with Rattles Arg. 2. Pag. 11. The ground of Stephen 's seeing the Heavens opened and Jesus on the right band of God was on his being full of the Holy Ghost Answ If meerly being full of the Holy Ghost be the ground Then Moses and all the Prophets-saw the Son of Man standing at the right band of God before he was the Son of Man or ever did ascend thither for they were all filled by the Holy Ghost And then Barnabas and all the Disciples in the second Chapter of the Acts saw the Son of Man in Heaven and then this that is related of Stephen in this History that we took to be a singular remarkable thing is but what is common to all Saints filled with the Spirit besides how can this meerly as such be the ground of Stephens sight of Christ in Heaven when the wicked shall see Christ coming in power and great glory Rev. 1.7 Every eye shall see him it cannot be meant of a spiritual sight for every one hath not a spiritual eye For ought I can learn these men understand nothing more nothing besides some spiritual sight that Stephen had of Jesus Christ on Earth in his own heart else why do they mention the vision that John had as a parallel instance Pag. ibid. John saw the golden Candlesticks and in the midst thereof one like-the-Son of Man Now those Churches that were represented by the seven Candlesticks were then upon Earth stay and hear the conclusion Ergo when Stephen looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the glory of God and the Son of Man at the right hand of God the Heavens being opened All this was no more then seeing Christ on Earth the light in his own Heart and Conscience O for a little plain heartedness and honesty The instance is not parallel John's we say and believe were only Spiritual Revelations in extasies and trances Stephen's was an Ocular Vision Let me add this to these poor unbelieving Creatures why should it seem a thing