through the Help of Christ's Power and Work within but to go round again he is sliting that inherent Holiness which is wrought within and accusing his Sister for not having a deep dependency on that Sacrifice of Christ's Crucified Body without p. 14. The Truth on 't is she or they that believe Christ to be risen and know his Power in their Hearts may think it improper to have their Dependancy on that his Body as crucified without but rather on him that lives for ever as knowing the blessed Effects of his Sacrifice to wit the Relief and Redemption which his Flesh and Blood affords His saying The Debt is paid and yet fearing his Sister 's remaining in Prison and Darkness notwithstanding her Teacher near p. 14. proves no more against the Light the inward Teacher then against Christ's Sufferings She may as well say Brother for all thy Dependance upon the crucified Body without thee I fear thou art yet dead in thy Sins and in gross Darkness and thou takest not the Course to convince me nor at all to draw my Heart towards thee and thy Brethren by such sad and wicked Work as thou makest against the Light Concerning his Water-Baptism it s not Reasonable in him either to impose it or judge us Transgressors in not submitting unto it p. 18 27. until he prove his Call or himself or any of his Brethren commissionated from Heaven as John was to administer it for we do not own it to be Christ's Baptism and till they prove themselves so called they should let us alone without it we being content with the one Baptism of the Spirit III. Of the Lord's Supper THe drinking of the Fruit of the Vine in the Fathers Kingdom and the eating of the Living Bread which comes down from Heaven Joh. Chap. 6. Luk. 22. 18 30. Mat. 26. 29. We are come to witness and so to partake of the heavenly Passover and the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ which wise men can judge of 1 Cor. 10. 15 16. And the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ we have been Eye Witnesses of so as we cannot dote about Signs and Shadows as you carnal Professors do whose pretended Lords Supper is but Bread and Wine and no more then a Sign Type or Shadow which the clear Light of the Gospel and its Dispensation is beyond and in it there 's no need of those Shadows for a sacred Memorial of Christ's Death for the supposed Use and End thereof is better supplyed by the divine Light and Spirit of the everlasting Gospel which hath not only begotten in us a living Memorial and Sence of the Death of Christ and blessed Effects thereof but hath also brought us to know the Power of his Resurrection and our being risen with him so as we are not only dead with him from the Rudiment of the World and from touching tasting and handling those things that perish with the using after the Commands and Doctrines of Men but also being risen with Christ we are come to set our Affections on things above Where are those his Words written in Scripture viz. That Bread and Wine remain in full Force until Christ's second coming in Person p. 19. where doth the Scriptures call his second Appearance a coming in Person Which was a coming to Salvation Hebr. 9. 28. but this man saith he is not so come the second Time which doth both conclude that all the primitive Believers or Christians who so lookâ—… for his second coming both fell short of Salvation and mist and were dis-appointed of their Hope and Expectation which is a sad Mistake His saying He dare not be wise above what is written p. 29. contradicts his asserting that which derogates from what 's written viz. That Christ's second coming to Salvation is in Person or a personal Coming whereas nigh his Departure he said I am no more in the World Joh. 17. 11. and yet a little while and the World seeth me no more but ye see me Ch. 14. 19. his spiritual Appearance was to be in the World and he universally to be seen in Judgment As for that which Paul received of the Lord 1 Cor. 11. 23. proves not that he received outward Bread and Wine of the Lord to deliver to them till Christ's supposed coming in Person again but he received of the Lord not only the Relation how Christ took Bread and the Cup c. And so of the Administration of the Sign or Shadow but the Communication of the Mystery viz. the Body and Blood of Christ See 1 Cor. 10. And this was that Bread and that Cup spoken of 1 Cor. 11. 28. And he further shews what he received and what he delivered concerning Christ and his comings 1 Cor. 15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 2 Cor. 13. 5. As for the Corinthians many of them were carnal and their minds too much in outward Things and Shadows and some lyable to run into Idolatry And the Apostle in some things condiscended to them as Weaklings below the spiritual and manly Understandings wherefore their Practice and Example is not in every thing binding to spiritual men IV. Of Baptism H.G. FRom Math. 28. 19 20. The Baptism here spoken of is that of Water p. 23. to baptize with the holy Spirit is the alone Work of Jesus Christ and it never was in the Power of any Apostle or Disciple to do it p. 24. Answ. This man contrary to his Pretence here makes himself wise above what is written in adding to the Command That it was the Baptism of Water which is not mentioned in the Command but rather it appears to be a spiritual Baptism which the Disciples were impoured to administer in that they were to teach baptizing them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Name c. which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 imports the Authority and Power of Christ and sometimes Christ himself and sometimes Reverence and Worship see T. C's Lexicon The man is very rash in his concluding that it was never in the Power of any Apostle to baptize with the holy Spirit I ask him if the true Ministers were not endued with Power from on high to turn and convert People from Darkness to Light and from Satan's Power unto God And if so what 's this short of the Spirit 's Baptism I pray His meaning from Paul's not being sent by Christ to baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. is that he gives us to understand that to baptize was not the alone or chief Business he was sent to do p. 27. alone or chief Business is his own Addition to Paul's Words what needed he give them to understand that to baptize was not his alone Business while they knew he was more a Preacher 'T is not to be supposed that the Corinthians should think that Paul was to do nothing else but baptize or plunge them in Water but he himself gives it as the chief Reason why he baptized none but
Martyrs p. 9. And I require this Man to prove that Gospel-Ordinances are a Shadow as he hath confessed their Supper to be H. G. I would know of this Man where he reads of any thing called the Lord's Supper but this which we contend for pag. 10. Answ. You are contending but for the Shadow but there is the Lord's Supper in the Mystery for saith the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God Behold I stand at the Door and knock If any man hear my Voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. Is not this the Lord's Supper that 's above the Shadow And Christ said I appointed unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom Luke 22. 29 30. Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the Fruit of the Vine until that day that I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom Is not this the Lord's Supper in the Mystery or Anti-Type And I am the Bread of Life I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread that I give is my Flesh that I give for the Life of the World He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him Joh. 6. Is not this living Bread from Heaven confâ—…st to be the Substance and the ontward Bread the Shadow thereof H. G. I do affirm That this is spiritual to wit the Lords Supper the Baptist p. 10. Answ. The Lord's Supper in the Mystery is spiritual but not your Bread and Wine unless they be transubstantiated which we utterly deny H. G. The Ordinance of water-Water-Baptism was given forth by Christ after his Resurrection Mat. 28. 20. Answ. There 's no mention of Water but baptizing them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit and this Baptism was saving so is not your dipping H. G. And this of the Lords Supper Paul received of Christ sometime after his Ascension 1 Cor. 11. 23. Answ. 1st Paul received of Christ the Lords Supper in the Mystery not in the Shadow 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. yet he delivered unto them the Relation how the Lord Jesus took Bread and the Cup the same Night in which he was betrayed ver 23 24. which he applyed to a spiritual End ver 28. explained before Chap. 20. 16. and he delivered the Gospel as well touching Christ's Resurrection as his Death 1 Cor. 15. 3. and for their being baptized into his Death and raised in the Likeness of his Resurrection which was more then a Remembrance of his Death in or by the Shadow which could not be positively enjoyned by as oft as ye do this 2. That which the Apostle received of the Lord was the Gospel and a Gospel-Discovery of the Substance which was beyond and above the Shadow And his Recitation of the Shadow was directly to point at the Substance viz. that Bread and that Cup which was the Body and Blood of Christ and the spiritual Communication thereof he was a Minister of the Gospel the Dispensation whereof was not a Dispensation of Shadow but of Substance H. G. The end of this Ordinance doth remain notwithstaning 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 p. 21. G. W. What Faith and Love are these of theirs which are confirmed by Bread and Wine and what Idolatry and Diversion from the Spirit doth their Doctrine tend to herein Surely the holy Spirit can best supply the said End Gal. 5. 22. H. G. Rep. This Ordinance tends to increase our Love to him and our Faith in him therefore the end remains unless you can prove Christ is come the second time without Sin unto Salvation do you suppose there is no need of this Ordinance because the Spirit can best supply the said End p. 11. Answ. There 's no need of the Shadow where the Substance is enjoyed and whilst thou Henry hast confessed your Supper as its called to be the Shadow the Substance being Christ thou dost but contradictorily begg the Question calling it a Gospel-Ordinance the Lords Supper in full Force the Ordinance the Ordinance 2. Thou dost but imagine a Confirmation and Increase of Faith in and Love to Christ by your Bread and Wine which they cannot do true Love and Faith being Fruits of the Spirit which in that it can best and only supply this End which idolatrously thou proposest to reap from thy pretended Supper There can be no Necessity of this thy Shadow for any such End to the Soul can there be any need of that which cannot supply the Soul when that which best can do it is manifest Is there Necessity where there 's Plenty or a full Supply 3. Whether those Believers in the Apostles dayes who hoped and looked for Christ's appearing the second time without Sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. did not accordingly come to experience his Appearance unto their Salvation H. G. Darest thou say the Spirit can best supply those Ends without making use of the means God in his Word doth direct unto The Usefulness and Sufficiency of the Spirit in fulfilling of its Work doth not dis-annul Christ's Precepts p. 12 Answ. 1. I would know where the Word of God hath dictated that your shadowy Supper of Bread and Wine is the means to confirm true Faith in Christ or increase your Love to him or else confess thy Error for the means thou talkst of must have reference to what we were upon before about your pretended Supper or else thou art insignificant and impertinent in thy discourse 2. If the Spirit be sufficient to fulfil its Work and Office which is to bring forth its own Fruit what Necessity of your Shadow which cannot do it nor so far help man as in the leasts supply those Ends the Spirit is given for much less help the Spirit therein which is al-sufficient VII The Anabaptist's Imposition about their shadowy Baptism AGain H. G. is very fierce and rash for theiâ—… Water-Baptism or plunging People in Water where he saith Whosoever brings any other Gospel let him be accursed p. 〈◊〉 G. W. Hereby he hath cursed all the People of God and sincere minded both Protestants and all others in the World who oppose and come not under the Baptists dipping or plunging People in Water The Lord sorgive him he is very uncharitable herein for our parts we cannot believe their Baptism to be either the Baptism of Christ or Gospel or of Necessity and available to Salvation H. G. Rep. Thou hast in this manifested thy Imperfection and false Anti-christian Spirit hast thou no more Care nor Conscience that thou goest about thus to belie the Innocent Have I affirâ—…ed
remit or pardon Offences past without such a severe Payment and Satisfaction as is implyed because as some say he dispenseth not with the Act of Law If he could so punish his Innocent Son to the full who never offended was not this a Dispensing with the Act of Law when the Law was made for Offenders and added because of Transgression and to punish such for it was not made to punish an Innocent or Righteous Man against whom there is no Law But if to pardon former Transgression upon true Repentance and to save Man from Sin and Wrath be not inconsistent with the infinite Goodness and Mercy of God himself and to be both a just God and a Saviour were not Inconsistent then his divine Justice consisted not in such Severity as to obliege him from shewing Mercy withoâ—…t such a rigid Satisfaction and Payment as that of punishing his Son to the full and pouring out his Wrath upon him for the Sin of Mankind Whereas where Remission of Sin is obtained there is both a Relaxation of the Severity of the Law and a manifest Effect of the Propitiation or sweet smelling Sacrifice of Christ as Mediator and Advocate and not as the Object of Wrath Revenge and full Punishment from God that is due to Sin and that to acquit the Sinners continuing therein And his not sparing his own Son but delivering him up for us all and his being made a Curse for us was neither equivalent to that of Eternal Death Curse and Damnation which Sin and Sinners have deserved nor doth it absolve Man from his Obedience to the Law of the new Covenant or Spirit of Life in Christ though it was for a Relaxation of the Law as to the Bondage thereof and in order to abolish and end the first Covenant and the Curse thereof yet not to pardon or justifie Men in Sin against the second Nor is it any Loosening but a Reinforcing of the Terms thereof for he took away the first that he might establish the second he removed â—…nd ended the Shadows that he might exalt the Substance that was vailed under them he blotted out the Hand-writing of Ordinances nailed it to his Cross that he might reinforce the Law of the new Covenant written in the Heart that we might not be without Law to God but under the Law to Christ He did both fulfil the Law in hs Person and doth fulfil the Righteousness of it in them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit he did not only remove the shadowy Part of the Law and the Curse thereof through his Suffering and Sacrifice but also he actually deliveâ—…s the Soul from the inward Terrors Condemnation and Wrath of the Law upon true Repentance and Contrition of Heart in Remission and Pardon through Faith in his Blood being virtuously felt and efficaciously evidenced by his holy Spirit unto the Soul that hath a Part in Christ as the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World whose Blood bears Record in the Earth agrees in one with the Spirit sprinkleth the Consciâ—…nce from dead Works speaketh forth Mercy and Forgiveness better things then that of Abel Besides Christ was as well exemplary as propiriatâ—…ry or gracious in his Sufferings which had both a blessed Accepâ—…ance and Effâ—…ct with Gâ—…d and a spiritual Influence upon them that follow him in Spirit further then the Historical Faith and Relation thereof as he said If any Man serve me let him follow me and where I am there shall also my Servant bâ—… Jâ—…h 12. 26. And thus far is his Example spiritually fulfilled in them that follow him as namely Jesus Christ was outwardly câ—…rcumcised baptized crucified put to Death as concerning the Flesh buried quickned raised up by the Power of God c. His Followers or Servants are spiritually circumcised baptized into his Death or crucified with him buried with him by Baptism as Partakers of the Fellowship of his Suffâ—…rings quickned by his Spirit raised up by his Power into the Likeness of his Resurrection and having suffered with him shall reign with him And now in Opposition to the Doctrine of such a rigid and Severe Satisfaction as is by divers asserted 〈◊〉 must tell my Opposers that though the Chastisement of our Peace was upon him and by his Stripes we are said to be healed this is neither of the Nature of Revenge from God Wrath or Punishment to the full that is due for Sin nor doth it exempt or free them who come to be his Followers from being liable at all to God's Chastisement or Correction in their own particulars when there is Cause for it for whom he loves them also he doth correct which is not Revenge as 't is said If my Children forsake my Law and keep not my Commandments then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes nevertheless my loving Kindness will I not utterly take from them c. Psa. 89. 30 31 32 33. This concerned David and his Seed who notwithstanding did so undergoe the Chastisements of the Lord that he went often in a bowed down and mournful State as when he complained My God my God why hast thou forsaken me c. Psa. 22. which were the same Words Christ uâ—…tered in his deep Suffering Mat. 27. 4â—… plainly iâ—…timating how he took upon him the Sufferings and Burâ—…en of his People and his bearing the Sin and 〈◊〉 of many wherein it 's evident that they that â—…ollow Christ through the Work of Regeneration and obtain the new Birth do spiritually pass through the Fellowship of Christ's Sufferings and do partake of their due Shares thereof both for their Remission and to obliege them to follow him in his own Way of Light and Life whereby they who are faithful to him witnes the Blood Coveâ—…ant the Coverant that cleanseth from Sin and an Interest in that everlasting 〈◊〉 This is the Way aâ—…d Passage of the Raâ—…somed oâ—… the Lord who through his Judgment and Chastisâ—…ments have 〈◊〉 a Ransom received the Attonement and an Interest in the Everlasting 〈◊〉 of Liâ—… and Glory Having thuâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to the Matter in general I come further to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 particular Passages that chiefly concern me to 〈◊〉 S. S. Thâ—… Laâ—…â—…ver aâ—…ows us to sin if at ten Years of Age a Person commits Mâ—…er aâ—…d then lives according to the Law of the Land in evâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…rty Years then arraigned for this the Judge cannot proâ—…ounce him Innocent and so acquit him because the Law did not allow him to commit Murther any Part of his Life p. 93. Answ. A Truth in both 1st The Law never allows us to sin no more doth Grace or the Gospel Shall we sin because we are no more under the Law but under Grace God forbid for how can we that are dead unto Sin live any longer therein 2dly Justice cannot pronounce a Guilty Person Innocent upon the Cessation from the meer Act of Unrighteousness but God's lovinâ—… Kindness and
it is unworthy the Name of true Men. I will believe succeeding times may have out-done them in Debauchery but I can never think unless better inform'd that any Age hath so much as equal'd them in a Treacherous Hypocrisie though that I may be just several among them were not wanting to express their utter Abhorrence of such Procedure which hath thus far aggravated the others Apostasie that they were worse treated then such that were reputed their Publick Enemies as if not to be Treacherous had been to be Dis-affected concerning which I refer the Reader to the first and second Narratives printed in the Year 1659. Certainly it was now time that God should arise and that his Enemies should be manifest who under the Splendidst Shew of Reformation that almost any Age for 1400. Years could parallel had Crucified the Holy Life of Religion stifling the Spirituality thereof by reform'd Formality empty Shews and meer tinckling Cymbals of Sin-pleasing Doctrines And their Primitive Tenderness being worn off by Time and Preferment none grew more Superstitious and Persecuting then those who once seem'd most averse from it I charitably forbear the mention of particular Persons In short Pride Self-Seeking and Self-Establishment in Glory Wealth and Worldly Prosperity having undermin'd the Worthy Honesty that was at first stirring in the Hearts of some of them Behold a Glorious but Empty Trunk of Profession as lofty as the Jews themselves pretending to be Children of Abraham and Heirs of the Promise yet Servants to Sin Christians by Imputation but not by Qualification saved in Christ though lost through Sin in Themselves pray by the Spirit yet their Duties unholy Things Behold Babylon in one of her best Trims But it was at this time serious Reader when Religion was so much talk'd of and so little practis'd that it pleased the Eternal Wise God who is unsearchable in his Goings to appear and manifest the Knowledge of Himself by a Way contemptible to the World as indeed when did he otherwise shewing himself first to Shepherds and Men of mean Rank whose outward Abilities were as incapable to gain Applause from Men as their Meanness to invite them Men Plain and Simple who desired of long time above Worldly Treasure they might be acquainted with the true unchangable Way of God All the Religion they were taught of Men or the strength of Memory could collect from Books joyn'd with their own Simplicity and Zeal was not able to overcome the Enemies of their Souls for whose Redemption God appear'd and they often groan'd in secret being truly willing to undergo any cross that might but help them to this Knowledge after which they had daily thirsted more then for appointed Food Thus that no Flesh might glory in his Presence did the Almighty God according to his many Precious Promises break in upon the Spirits of a poor despised People by his terrible Power which caused the old Foundations to shake and begat holy Terror and Dread because of the Glory of his Majesty who had reveal'd Himself Judgment overtook for Sin and Righteousness was laid to the Plummet and a true Scale was erected wherein all the Profession in the World was lighter then the Chaff which is blown away of the Tempest This Day of Judgment for Sin and Consumption upon all the pleasant Pictures of Religion that Tradition Education or Imagination had drawn in the Minds of Men they were constrain'd to Declare and the very Utterings thereof were astonishing both to Professors and Prophane For being Witnesses of a nearer thing then an Out-side Religion however refin'd in which the whole World was adulterated from God and that the Time of the Kindling of the Indignation of the Lord God Almighty was come because of Iniquity and Unrighteousness that cover'd the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea which made the Controversie Essential Not to consist about exterior Order Church-Government or meer Articles of Faith But that Inward Principle of Righteousness which reduceth the Soul to the Heavenly Order and that Faith which overcomes the World Therefore in the Name of the Lord and by the alone Arm of the Almighty did several of these poor Men go forth into Towns Citties and Countries proclaiming the Day of the Controversie of God with Men by the pleadings of his Holy Light Power or Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences decrying all Notions of Christ above Possession calling the lofty Cedars to bow and the sturdy Oakes to bend before the Heavenly Appearance of the Lord by his Light within that all Knowledge of God not gotten through inward Judgment and Experience of the Operation of his saving Hand was accurst of God And that as the Earth of Wickedness in Mens Hearts should be consum'd by the Refiners Fire so the Heavens of lofty Knowledge should by the fiery heat thereof be wrapt up as a scrole that a new Heaven and a new Earth in which dwelleth not IMPUâ—…ATIVE but Real Inherent Everlasting Righâ—…ousness might be known to be created by the Word of God nigh in the Heart I say these Men alarming the Nation with the Sound of this harsh and terrible Trumpet who had taken so long a Nap in Pleasure Ease and Fleshly Religion caused very strange and differing Apprehensions Some prickt to the very Heart cryed out What shall we do to he saved whilst the Wolf and the Fox lay in wait to intercept the blessed Work of the Lord by several wayes of Cunning and Cruelty The Priests who were degenerated as well as the People basely Teaching for Hire and Divining for Money The best accounted of them making Bargains how much a Year to preach the Gospel as they call it and so is it to this Day like Foxes seeing their Kennel found out into which they had so long hid their Prey and fearing that the Turning Men to the Light in the Conscience and their so resolutely Testifying That no Man could be at Peace with God who went condemn'd thereof and that all Knowledge of the things of God which hath not been received through the holy Subjection of the Creature to God's Heavenly Appearance Within him for whatever may be known of God is manifested within saith the Apostle was above the true Teacher and the Sufferings of the Cross of Christ They posted to the Magistrates Saul-like with whole Packets of Lyes Slanders and Invectives on purpose to beget a Wolf fish Nature in them to put a stop to the Progress of this blessed Manifestation of the Eternal Light of Righteousness but the Exercise of a Merciless Power Some few would not be prevailed upon but the Generality seeing their Worldly Honour and which to some of them was dearer their beloved Easie Religion was struck at Root and Branch they as an Arm'd Man furiously employ'd their Strength to the Relief of the Priests and Subversion of these poor Men Some were Imprison'd others Whipt several Bruised not a few Murther'd and many Robb'd and Spoil'd of their Goods And that
the Priests might shew themselves some of them thinking it to long to wait the Magistrates Leisure turn'd their own Pay-Masters upon Heads Shoulders and other Limbs of Men and Women not distinguishing in either Sex or Age. The Cry of these Innocent People came up to the then Supream Authority but Relief could not be had One Book came out upon another conjuring the Magistrates to employ their Power to the utter Extirpation of these Seducers commanded the People that they should not so much as have any common Intercourse with them but avoid them as the Pest and fly them as Witches Sorcerers It were to irksom to tell the moity of their Stratagems O the Mercys of these Men were Cruelties But yet farther many things were writ by us in Vindication oâ—… our Innocency Some that sought for the Redemption of Israel and the Right Way of God believ'd here there a Simeon a Centurion a Priest a Lawyer a Physitian a Customer Fisherman and abundance of Handecrafts for the Poor receiv'd the Gospel But Alas Neither our Apologies nor grievous Sufferings were enough to allay that swelling spirit of Cruelty nor in the least affect the minds of Priests or Rulers with the Deploredness of our Condition so as to redress all these grievious Sufferings perhaps somtimes a little shew of Favour there might be but usually attended with a more terrible Storm They at last I mean the Magistrates by the detestable Suggestions of the Priests not having any Law in force by which they could justâ—…fie the Rigor of their Carriage towards us enacted first that no Man should Travel on the Sabboth-Day thereby to punish us as Criminals for going to our Assemblies to Worship the living God and next that such Persons as should be found above so many Miles from their own Homes not being able to give a good account of themselves should be whipt as Vagabonds by which Laws they miserably opprest our Friends many Men of considerable Estates being worse us'd then very Vagabonds Thus covering the one over with Devotion for the Day of rest and the other with prudent care for the Good of the Common-Wealth Nor was this all but as if they would out-do the Ages of cruel Popery and degenerated Prelacy they received both the Oath of Queen Mary made against such Protestants as came to decry the Idolatrys and Superstitions of the Romish Worship in the time of their Service thereby to justifie themselves in the Exercise of Cruelty and Revenge upon us for beaâ—…ing our faithful Testimony against their Formal and Hypocritical Preachments and that Oaâ—…h of Abrogatâ—…on of Popery that by the Advantage they took of our not Swearing at all they might the better fasten upon us the Character of Papists as Men Jesuited to that Interest with plain Design to render us odious and cover their own Cruelty Well may I say OUT-DONE when pretended reformed Protestants endeavour the Security of their Religion by the enaction of those Laws which were made by Inhuman Papists against such as in good measure we can say were truly reformed Protestants thereby condemning that in the Papists which they vigorously acted themselves and basely sought to entrap us by a colourable Oath wickedly forecast because they knew we could not Swear at all to punish us for not swearing against the Papists This was their Cloak they had to cover their Malice but it is grown to short scanty and out of date The Bruises Blood-shed grievous Beatings and tedious Imprisonments which followed this procedure are now seen with detestation of almost the very multitude it self and after Generations shall have it in utter abhorrance O what did not the Blood-thirsty Spirit in its Day These were the great pretending Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists Fighting Knocking Kicking Robbing Imprisoning and Murthering an Innocenâ—… People whose whole Business was to Deny the dawâ—…g Doctrines of the Times and to Direct People to a certain Holy Principle in themselves unto which being Obedient they should experience Sin conquer'd and Peace with God preferring this above all the Traditions of Men or utmost Power of Human Ministry But as many of us saw in the Eternal Light that such Obstinacy in both Priests and Rulers to the Heavenly Truth would provoke the Just God to overturn them forever which though we did once and again tell them by Writings and by Word of Mouth they slighted our plain-Dealing turning it upon us that we should vanish in a little while So within very few Years God wrought the wonderfull Revolution and those who had been Inflicters of Heavy Punishments upon us became the Objects of their greatest Dis-pleasure whose Power and Estates they had so long usurp'd I can call it no otherwise for not the Country but Self was wickedly advanc'd thereby Behold the Justice of the Almighty such as refused us our Liberty after their Solemn Oathes to God and Men for the Preservation of Liberties Civil and Religious became destitute of their Own and who spoil'd us were spoil'd by Others and we just now under their Feeâ—… came upon Equal Terms with Our Adversaries At what time though both They and We used our Endeavours to prevent Coertion upon Conscience yet whether they prevailed or no some were in Hopes that the Edge of their Spirits by this Change of Affairs had been so doubl'd as never more to cut or wound a People that had never wrong'd them and that their Retirement would have been rather employ'd in hearty Sorrow for their Abuse of Government in their Unjust Severity towards us as well as others then a Continuance of the same Enmity But thus far such fail'd in hopes their Displeasure against us surviving their Power to inflict it for though it is true that in time of Persecution they would inquire out of their By-Holes of our Well-fare for who had so long reigned shew'd they were most unfit for Suffering and like People upon City-Walls or from other convenâ—…ent standings would diligently observe the State of things and by their Observation or Inquiry carefully acquaint themselves with the Success for our Overthrow had been the End of them and as one of themselves said We were the Bulworks that receiv'd the Shot Yet so unabated hath their implacable Malice been at the King 's first coming in they thought to do great Matters by letting the Powers know they were no Abettors of the Quakers which indeed stood us in great stead least we might have been taken for those Tumultuous Blood-thirsty Covenant-breaking Government-destroying Anabaptists and that they might prove to the World we were not of them No sooner those Storms of Persecution have been over but like forgetful Mariners they have faln to their Old Work of bitter Envying Either some one of their Church leaves them or the Quakers are prosperous in their Labours or any thing else that is next for a Cover to palliate their Emulous Spirit in all its base Detractions from us and the blessed Truth
their Weakness that he might both keep them from gadding after the Pompous Invention and Idolatrous Worship of other Nations and point out unto them under their great Carnality that more Hidden Glory and Spiritual Dispensation which should-afterwards be revealed to wit The Compleat Redemption of the Soul and Raign of the Holy Seed from the Child born and the Son given to the Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father and Prince of Peace of the Increase of whose Government there shall be no End So that then we ought and we do by absolute Force of Truth conclude 1. That the Seed which Seed is Christ was in all Ages with Abraham with the Israelites with the Prophets Therefore he was as well before he came in that prepared Body as then and since 2. Yet it is confest That He was not so clearly revealed perfectly brought forth and generally known before his so Coming as then and since but more darkly figured out by Types and Shaddowy Services which though they Cleans'd not Sav'd not Redeem'd not yet did show forth a more Hidden and Spiritual Substance that was able to Cleanse Save and Redeem and did all that received it and were truly subject to it 3. That it therefore is not at all Absurd that the more Excellent Manifestation of Truth should he Typified and Prophesied of under the Enjoyment of the Lesser since the Reason of the Thing and the Testimonies of the Scripture are so express for it which ends our Answer to this Particular CHAP. XX. The Fourth Part of the Objection stated and considered Christ's Death and Sufferings confessed to and respected they were beneficial The Light of Christ within is the Efficient Cause to Salvation HAving thus considered the Third Part of this great Objection I am now come to what chiefly stumbles People with respect to the Light within at least as I apprehend and that is this Fourth and Last Particular viz. But if the Light in every Man be Christ how doth it bear our Sins and are our Iniquities laid upon it and how can we be said to be Justified Redeemed or Saved by its Blood since all these things are spoken by the Holy Pen-men of the Man Christ or Jesus born at Nazareth Surely you wholy invalidate his Life Death Resurrection Ascension and Mediation by this Belief in the Light This I take to be the very Stress of the Matter collected out of the most Forceable Writings of our Adversaries To which I Answer and let him that reads understand It must be considered in this Last Part of the Objection how those Questions can be applicable to the Light and yet be reconciliable with those Scriptures that seem to attribute all to his Bodily Sufferings I hope to make appear that as we exalt the First so we dare not by any means to slight the Last The Light or rather He that is Light in Man for I have alwayes desired so to be understood Light being a Metaphor or word taken from the outward Day and chiefly so term'd because of Man's Darkness which is thereby discovered hath been as a Lamb slain since the Foundation of the World that is the World had not been long created before the good Order of it and every thing therein being envied by the Fallen Angels that Spirit of Iniquity betrayed Man of his Innocency and Sin by Disobedience prevailing the Light or Principle of Life under whose Holy Leadings Man was placed became Resisted Grieved and as it were Slain which word Slain is also Metaphorical that is to say the Innocent Pure Life was as Wounded unto Death through Man's Disobedience and Lamb-like Image in which Adam was created by him through Rebellion lost Thus that Holy Principle which God placed in the Heart of Adam in which was true Light Life and Power bore the Sin was prest under it as a Cart under Sheaves grieved exceedingly and as it were quencht with Iniquity This hath been the Condition of that Precious and Elect Seed Spirit Light Life Truth or whatever Name equivalent any may please to give it ever since that first Rebellion to this very Day And as in Wicked Men God's Holy Light and Spirit or that Principle which is so called hath been deeply Wounded yea as one Slain so in Good Men that have had a Sence of the World's Abomination hath it also born many Burdens and Weights for the Light and Life is One in All. And those who have been reformed by it and joyned to it have been as One Spirit and have not been without their Share of their Lord 's heavy Sufferings from the Ungodly World which was as well a filling up of Christ's Sufferings that were before his Outward Coming as what to this Generation are behind And as at any time Disobedient Men have harkened to the still Voice of the WORD that Messenger of God in their Hearts to be affected and convinced by it as it brings Reproof for Sin which is but a Fatherly Chastizement â—…o upon true Brokenness of Soul and Contrition of Spirit that very same Principle and Word of Life in Man has mediated and attoned and God has been propitious lifting up the Light of his Countenance and replenishing such humble 〈◊〉 with Divine Consolations So that still the same Christ Word-God who has enlightned all Men by Sin is grieved bearing the Iniquities of such as so sin and reject his Benefits but as any hear his Knocks and let him in he first Wounds and then Heals afterwards he attones mediates and re-instates in the holy Image Behold this is the State of Restitution And this in some Measure was witnessed by the Holy Patriarchs Prophets and Servants of God in old time to whom Christ was substantially the same Saviour and Seed bruising the Serpent's Head that he is now to us what Difference sâ—…ever there may be in Point oâ—… Manifestation But notwithstanding the same Light and Life with that which afterwards clothed it it self with that outward Body did in measure inwardly appear for the Salvation of the Souls of Men yet as have often said never did that Liâ—…â—…eminently put â—…orth it self for that End as in that 〈◊〉 and prepared Body so that what he then suffered and did in that transcendent Manisestation may by way of Eminency assume the whole Work unto it self that he ever did before or might do afterwards For doubtless that very Light Life and Power which dwelt in that Fleshâ—…y Tabernacle eminently was the Convincer Condemner Saviour and Redeemer yet not only as confined to that Body but as revealed in the Hearts of Men as he was in Paul who not consulting with Flesh and Blood against the Lord of Glory willingly receive him in to bind the strong Man spoil his Goods and cast him out that He might Reign And that the Divine Life Light Spirit Nature of Principle which resided in that Body was the efficient Cause of Salvation observe the Title that is given from the great Work he was to
do namely To save his People from their Sins there is not one Word of Wrath but consequentially Therefore since that Sin is in the Heart and Conscience of Mankind nothing but a Divine Light Spirit or Power can reach Immaculation into those inward Parts and consequently that must be the Redeemer and Saviour But indeed those who have a Mind to Naturalize that strange Figure into the Language of the Holy Truth I mean to understand that to be saved is to be saved from Wrath and not from Sin whose assured Wages is Wrath may have some Interest though no Reason for their implacable Enmity against an Inherent Holiness But I farther confess that his Righteous Life with respect to its Appearance in that Body was grieved by Sin that the Weight of the Iniquity of the whole World with the Concernment of its Eternal Well-being lay hard upon him nor was his Manhood Insensible of it Under the Load of this did He travel he alone trode the Wine-Press that is All others were then Insensible of that Eternal Wrath which would be the Portion of Impenitent Persons as well as that it was his great Care and deep Travel that the Holy yet Oppressed Seed might arise over the Pressures of Iniquity in the Hearts of Men to bruise the Serpent's Head in all And as outwardly he gave his outward Life for the World so he might inwardly shed abroad in their Souls the Blood of God that is The Holy Purifying Life and Virtue which is in him as the Word-God and as which he is the Life of the World This was it which gave that visible Part the Understanding it had which fitted it for so great an Embassy by whose Power alone it Fasted Prayed Preacht Cast-out Devils Wrought Miracles Lived that most Unblemisht Life Patiently Suffered Death was Raised for an Holy Confirmation maugre all the Military Opposition of the Jews and this it was which accompanied the Ministry of his Followers rendring it Efficacious to Conviction and Conversion So that the Invisible Spiritual and Divine Life Principle or Nature was the Root and Fountain of all which is sometimes asscribed in Scripture to the Body by that Common Figure or Way of Speaking amongst Men the Thing containing which was the Body for the Thing contained which was the Eternal Power Wisdom Life c. Not that we would irreverently rob the Holy Body of whatsoever Acknowledgement is justly due nor yet separate that God joyned though I confess with holy Fear I dare not attribute to an External prepared Being which is the Natural Proper and Only Work of the Divine Light and Life to operate and effect But certainly if some Men in Scripture are intituled Saviours because of the Contribution of their Tryals Travels and Labours towards the Salvation of Man-kind of much more Right is that Honour ascribable to him who had the Spirit without Measure For I do freely acknowledge it to have been in some sense a Co-worker and Partner with the Divine Life in many of its Tryals Weights Sufferings and Travels for Man-kind Yet as it was the Divine Power in them that made them serviceable in that great Work so was it the Divine Power in him which made that what it was and therefore ought we chiefly to appropriate the Salvation to Christ as the Word-God and to the Holy Manhood not any otherwise then Instrumentally or by the same Divine Power in and through it I mean as it was a Chosen Instrument or Vessel in and by which God declared the Blessed Glad-Tidings of Love and his Message of Reconciliation to the World in which he gave the most Heavenly Example of Purity and through whose whole Life Doctrine and Death did shine forth the clearest Evidences of Truth Goodness Mercy Patience deep Travel for the World Self-Denyal Holiness and Triumphant Matyrdom No Wonder then if he be called a Saviour who not only came on an Embassy of Salvation and when come did draw many after him who were struck with the Authority of his Sayings when he allow'd for a time to have their Eyes and Hearts upon him as in that State present with them But afterwards he let his Disciples know of how much Benefit it would be to them that he should leave them How Forever In all Capacities No but as with respect to his outward Appearance that being scattered in that Day to their own Measure of Light Pon er and Life they might know him NO MORE AFTER THE FLESH but witness him come into their Hearts a Comforter who could not leave his true-hearted Disciples comfortless He that is with you shall be in you To be brief that I may yet again express our reverent Sense of Christ's Manifestation so far as relates to that Holy Thing that should be born of Mary take these few particulars in my next Chapter CHAP. XXI A Confession in particular to Christ's Redemption Remission Justification and Salvation I. WE do confess that though the Eternal Power Life and Light which inhabited that Holy Person which was born at Nazareth was is chiefly eminently the Saviour for there is no Saviour besides me saith God yet that it was Instrumentally a Saviour as prepared and choseâ—… oâ—… the Work which Christ had then to do iâ—… it which was actually to the Salvation of some and intentionally of the whole World then and in Ages to come suitable to that Scripture Lo in the Volumn of the Book it is written I come to do thy Will O God a Body hast thou prepared me c. II. That as there was a Necessity that one should dye for the People so whoever then or since believed in Him had and have a Seal or Confirmation of the Remission of their Sins in his Blood and that Blood alluding to the Custom or the Jewish Sacrifices shall be an utter Blotting out of former iniquates carrying them as into a Land of Forgetfulness This grand Assurance of Remission from the Wrath due upon the Score or former Offences do all receive in the Ratifying Blood of Christ who Repenting of their Sins believe and obey the Holy Light with which he hath Illuminated them For Paul's being turned from Darkness to the Light in his Heart was one with his believing in the Son of God revealed in his Heart III. This more glorious Appearance ended that less glorious Service of the Jews the Figures being compleated the Shadows they fell He in that Body preacht and lived beyond those Beggarly Elements He drew Religion more Inward even into the Secret of the Heart and made it to consist in an higher State oâ—… Righteousness called Evangelical and at once became both the Authâ—…ro 〈◊〉 Heavenly Dispensation and therein an Example to all as well Jews and Gentiles sealing such a Common and General Religion to both with his Blood as would forever end the Difference and slay the Enmity that they might be all one in Christ. Thus did he end the Jews External Services
and overturn the Gentiles Idolatries by his one most pure and Spiritual Offering and Worship IV. It plainly preaches thus much to us That as Him whose Body the Jews outwardly slew we by Wicked Works have crucified in the Streets of Sodom and Egypt spiritually so called our polluted Hearts and Consciences So unless we come to know the Benefit of the Inward Life answering to and expressed by that Outward Life he gave for the World it will avail little For so it is and very Marvelous in our Eyes that the Life of the Crucified can only save those who may well be reputed the Crucifiers O Mystery And because those that did not actually slay him Outwardly have slain him Inwardly therefore must every such one really know that Life Inwardly raised shed abroad for Sanctification and Redemption O how great was his Love Truly larger then Man's Cruelty who whilst he dyed by Wicked Men he would Dye for them and when dead they could not hinder him from Rising to do them good who had done their worst for his Destruction thereby shewing Mercy to those who shewed they had no Mercy for themselves O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldest not c V. That Expression of his is greatly worth our Notice I lay down my Life for the World All he did was for the Good of the World and particularly the Laying down of his Life that he might both express his Love and our Duty Had he not desired Man's Salvation and for that purpose prepared a Body in which to visit him and by his daily Labours among Men to further their Eternal Happiness the Jew had never been able to put him to Death But being come and when come so hardly used herein did he recommend his great Love to us that besides the Inward Weights of Sin he bore with his deep Concernment for Man's Eternal Well-being he chearfully offered up his Bodily Life to recommend and ratifie his Love for the Remission of Sin and give us an Holy Example to follow his Steps But these Words will bear another Sease too as do those he spoak to the Jews Unless ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood you have no Life in you Where we may plainly see that as the Jews vainly and carnally fancyed he meant his Outward Body only to which they opposed the Impossibility of the thing so Christ declares their Mistake of his Meaning to his Disciples in these few but deep Words The Flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth So that the Words are true and weighty in both Senses VI. And we further acknowledge that in that Holy Body the Divine Principle of Light and Life did discover the Depth of Satan's Darkness encounter Hell Death and the Grave every Temptation it was possible for the Serpent with all his Power and Subtilty to beset him with in which Sense he was made like unto us in all things Sin excepted that he might be sensible of our Infirmities the Divine Life travelled and supported under all administring Strength to the outward Man that it might answer the End of its Appointment in the End utterly defeated and forever overcame the Power of the Tempter bruising the Serpents Head in general as Prince of Darkness and God of the World and in a plain Combat giving him that Foyl which in good measure shook his Foundation divided his Kingdom chased away his Lying Oracles and proved a very Fatal Blow to his whole Empire Which holy Conquest obtained by Sweat of Blood and deep'st Agonies with Holy Patience may not unfitly be compared to that of some Worldly Prince maintaining a Righteous Cause against an Usurper of his Territories whom he puts to rout in open Fields by which I understand the General Conquest yet many Towns and Cities and Cittadels remaining strongly guarnison'd by which I understand particular Men and Women enslaved by Sin they are not thereby overcome though the Approach be easier to them and they be truly more endanger'd then before The One Seed who is Christ who is God over all blessed forever having given that Proof of his Everlasting Arm that it has brought a general Salvation by a plain Overthrow of the God of this World the Enemy of his Glory and thereby weakened his Power in himself which is the single Battel fought in Garments rould in Blood between the two Seeds Spirits Natures and Powers God and Mammon Christ and Belial had many Towns Cities and Cittadels to vanquish who lay strongly guarnison'd by this God of the World which Places as I said represent the Souls of particular Men and Women inbondaged by him So that though their Hearts were or are more accessible by that general Victory over the very Spirit of Darkness it self and Light may be more clear d and broken up yet unless those particular Places or Persons are besieged and taken their Goods spoiled and Houses sackt of all the strange Gods so redeemed from under the Yoak of that Pharaonian Task-Master reclaimed renewed sanctified naturalized by way of an Holy Subjection to him who is Lord from Heaven the Right Heir of all things to receive his Mark and bear his Image Those Places or Persons must needs have yet been and be Subjects of the Prince of Darkness the God of this World who reigns and rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience To conclude We though this General Victory was obtained and holy Priviledges therewith and that the Holy Body was not Instrumentally without a Share thereof yet that both the efficient or chiefest Cause was the Divine Light and Life that so clearly discriminated and deeply wounded this Mystery of Iniquity and that none can be thereby benefited but as they come to experience that Holy Seed of Life and Mighty Arm of Power revealed to effect the same Salvation in each Particular Conscience which none can fail of who receive it first as a Light that manifesteth and reproveth every Evil Way and continues to walk up to all its holy Leadings VII But there is yet a further Benefit that accrueth by the Blood of Christ viz. That Christ is a Propitiation and Redemption to such as have Faith in it For though I still place the Stresâ—… of particular Benefit upon the Light Life Spirit revealed witnessed in every Particular yet in that general Appearance there was a general Benefit justly to be attributed unto the Blood of that very Body of Christ to wit that it did propitiate For however it might draw Stupendious Judgments upon the Heads of those who were Authors of that dismal Tragedy and dyed Impenitent yet doubtless it thus far turned to very great Account in that it was a most precious Offering in the Sight of the Lord and drew God's Love the more eminently unto Mankind at least such as should believe in his Name as his solemn Prayer to his Father at his leaving the World given us by his beloved Disciple
doth plainly witness For how can it otherwise be but that it should render God most propitious to all such as believe in Christ the Light of the World when it was but a lettiâ—…g of his only begotten Son's Sufferings turn to their account that should ever believe in him Yet doubtless greatly did it influence to some singular Tenderness and peculiar lâ—…egard unto all such who should believe in his Name among other of his weighty Performances for the sake of that last and greatest of all his External Acts the resisting unto Blood for the Spiritual Good of the World thereby offering up his Liâ—…e upon the Cross through the Power of the Eternal Spirit that Remission of Sin God's Bounty to the World might be preacht in his Name and in his very Blood too as that which was the most ratifying of all his Bodily Sufferings And indeed therefore might it seem meet to the Holy Ghost that Redemption Propitiation and Remission should be declared and held forth in the Blood of Christ unto all that have right Faith therein as saith the Apostle to the Romans Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood and to the Ephesians In whom we have Redemption through his Blood the Forgiveness of Sins c. because it implies a firm Belief that Christ was come in the Flesh and that none could then have him as their Propitiation or Redemption who withstood the Acknowledgement of and Belief in his Viâ—…ible Appearance which John tells us some denyed and withstood 2. That he came in order to the Remission Redemption and Salvation of the World 3. That his so Dying was both an evident Token of his Love and strong Argument of Confirmation of his Message and Work 4. That it might the better end the Jews Services by an Allusion to the Way of their Temporary and Shadowy Sacrifices as the whole Epistle to the Hebrews showeth 5. And that by bringing through the holy Light in the Particâ—…lar iâ—…to the Acknowledgment of and Belief in the Blood which was ratifying of that whole Appearance Men might be brought unto the knowing Christ after a more Inward and Spiritual Manner suitable to Christ's own Words It is the Spirit that quickens and the Apostle avers that the Lord from Heaven is that quickning Spirit by which Eternal Spirit he offered up himself without Spot Nor can any reasonably suppose that when Christ so spoak to his Disciples explanatorily of what he had obscurely and in Parables said to the Jews that he meant not something more hidden and Divine then what they and the Jews saw Yet that which hindred those Jews from the Knowledge or Benefit thereof was their Stumbling at him without a Confession unto whom they coâ—…ld never come into the Beholding or Experiencing of his Divine Life in them To conclude That Body was the Divine Lifes a Body hast thou prepared me therefore all that was done by that Body towards the Redemption of Man-kind was eminently the Divine Lifes yet because many times Actions are denominated from or appropriated to the Instrument as the next Cause though not the Efficient or most Eminent Cause therefore the Scripture speaks forth as indeed is the Propriety of both the Hebrew and Greek Tongues Parabol cally Hyberbolically Metaphorically the inward Substance and hidden Life of things by things more Exteriour and Obvious to the Sense to the End that such Mysteries might be the better accommodated to Vulgar Capacities Consider what I say with this Qualification that ultimately and chiefly not wholy and exclusively the Divine Life in that Body was the Redeemer For the Sufferings of that Holy Body of Jesus had an engaging and procuring Virtue in thâ—…m though the Divine Life was that Fountain from whence originally it came And as the Life declared and preached forth it self through that Holy Body so who did then come to the Benefit procured by the Divine Life could only do it through an Hearty Confession to it as appearing in that Body and that from a Sence first begotten by a Measure of the same in themselves This is the main Import of those Places Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation and in whom we have Redemption through Faith in his Blood For who is this H E whom God hath set forth and in whom is Redemption Certainly the same H E that was before Abraham the Rock of the Fathers that cryed Lo I come to do thy Will O God a Body hast thou prepared me which was long before the Body was conceived and born But may some say How is it then his Blood Why just as the Body is his Body Those who had Faith in that Blood believed his Visible Appearance inasmuch as they acknowledged that great Seal and Ratification of it to wit the Shedding of the Blood of His Body who came to save the World and who alone is the Propitiation Redemption and Salvation of all who had right Faith in that Appearance and Message so confirmed and therefore so often exprest by it as inclusive of all his whole Life and Sufferings beside And this is my Reason for it that it was impossible for any Man in that Day to confess to and believe in that Divine Light and Life which appeared in that prepared Body but from the Inward Discoveries and Operations of that Light with which Christ the Word-God who took Flesh had enlightened him However though the Apostles might then so express themselves thereby to assert and recommend unto the Faith of all that most Heavenly Manifestation and the great Love of Christ therein as the Visitation of the Heavenly Life through that prepared Body and the deep Sufferings of both for the World being True and Spiritual Witnesses thereof yet it was never intended that any should barely rest in that but press after the Knowledge of Christ by Faith in something farther and beyond that Body in which he appeared not excluding our Belief in that too They who knew Christ after the Flesh were to press after some more Spiritual Discovery of Him and who almost doted on his outward Manifestation it was expedient that they should be weaned from it to the End his more interiour and indeed beneficial Revelation of himfelf might be witnessed Faith in his Blood was requisite that they might confess him whose Body and Blood it was to be Christ who is God over all blessed for ever The great Question with the Jews Whether God was truly manifested in that Body of Flesh which they saw So that the Stress lyes in Confessing to the Divinity come in the Flesh otherwise they would have rejected not only the most signal Suffering of the whole Manifestation but consequently that It self To conclude we confess HE who then appeared was and is the Propitiation c. and in Him was Redemption obtained by all those who had such true Faith in his Blood But still it is to be understood that there must be
they are though once they were as Calenders for weak People to read some mystically Glory by but Beggarly Elements VI. That not only in that Flesh did the Eternal Light preach forth it self the End of these Things by Revealing becoming the Author of a more plain and perfect Way though less easie to Flesh and Blood placing the Stress of all upon an Evaâ—…gelical Righteousness whereof he became the first Miâ—…er and our most Holy Example but he also appear'd in that publick Body so peculiarly prepared a General Saviour by his Life Doctrine Miracles Death of the Cross Resurrection in and by all which he obtained a Name above every Name VII That nevertheless not to the Body but holy Light of Life therein is chiefly to be asscribed the Salvation and to the Body however excellent but Instrumentally for that it was the Eternal Light and Life which gave the Weight to all the Actions and Sufferings of the Body VIII That the Benefit then procured is not witnessed by any but as they come to believe in Christ the Light as he doth appear in the Heart and Conscience to save from Sin destroy the Works of the Devil finish Transgression and bring in of his Everlasting Righteousness Wherefore to fancy one's self intituled to a State of Salvation whilst in Rebellion against the Light within which is Christ's inward Knocking and Appearance must needs be a Delusion most pernicious and destructive to the Souls of men IX That upon the whole it is determin'd and concluded that Christ is that Light which shineth in the Conscience X. That the Light is prov'd by Reason both Universal and Sufficient The first from the Consent of Mankind the Goodness and Rectitude of God the second from both Experience and that it were inconsistent with God to give a Light to his Creature insufficient for the Work for which he gave it Thus in short have I given the Heads and Results of most of the Matter contained in the whole Discourse upon the Light and I intreat our Adversaries they would seriously weigh the Whole before they either reject it or endeavour to reply to it But let them be advised to try the Virtue of the Light before they sentence it to have none And in the Love of God be once prevail'd upon to consider if something in them doth not really Condemn them amongst other things for these brisk Attempts against it Oh! Why should Men covet to Know so far beyond what they do faithfully Practise Let them first out-live the Just and Holy Requirings of the. LIGHT before they put these Barbarous Affronts upon it of a WIL IN THE WISP A DARK LANTHORN-LIGHT NATURAL INSUFFICIENT IGNIS FATUUS THE QUAKERS IDOL and abundance of such like Frothy Prophane and indeed Blasphemous Epithetes which they wickedly bestow upon IT as if they were Its Pâ—…per Names when the Scriptures they would oppose to it plainly tell them that the whole Work of the Apostolical Ministry was To turn People from Darkness to the Light from the Power of Sathan unto God that they might have Remission of Sins As much as to say Such as are turned to the Light are turn'd to God who is Light and those who abide there both have Remission of the Punishment and Purgation from the Defilement of Sin And whatever any may think of us we both believe assert and will maintain against Men and Divels that God is LIGHT and that out of the Light or void of his Divine Illumination no man can Know him and consequently not Worship him unless they should worship an Unknown God That such as receive this Illumination and rebel not against it but improve this Heavenly Talent they have Fellowship with the Pure Eternal God and experience the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse theâ—… from all Unrighteousness If any think to arrive at Glory another Way and will not be admonisht let them proceed we speak what we know and can but declare what we have felt of the Work of God in our Hearts The Scriptures we highly value But we believe not the things we often quote thence to be true Only because there but for that we are Witnesses of the same Operation and bring in our experimental Testimonies to confirm the Truth of theirs and such truly honour the Scriptures all others are at best but empty Scribes and Pharisaical Babblers So with God I leave my Labour in this Particular desiring that his Heavenly Light may yet more abundantly arise upon the Dark Hearts of Mankind and awaken them to Repentance that since IT hath so long shined in Darkness uncomprehended till even Darkness it self is grown so impudent as to interpret its Inability to see the Insufficiency of the Light he would be pleased to cause it to shine out of Darkness that IT might plead the Excellency of ITS own Divine Nature in the Consciences of Men and Women against the daily Scornes and base Detractions that even great Professors of Christianity stick not to fling upon It so ill are they principl'd and so un-Christianly employ'd which proves to me how little they are Professâ—…rs of the True Pure and Undefiled Religion what ever Place their cunning Devices may have given them in the Hearts of Weak and Simple People My Soul pittyeth their Opposition and feareth the Consequence of such Resistance and desires they may see the very Vanity of their Endeavours against the Light Repent of them and be Converted that God may yet Heal them which sincere Desire is my Return for all their Hard Speeches and Ungodly Sayings against us in general and my self in particular W. Penn. AN APPENDIX To the First Part being a Discourse OF THE GENERAL RULE OF Faith and Life AND Judge of Controversie Greatly importing all those who desire to take Right Measures of Faith and to Determine at least to themselves the numerous Controversâ—…es now on foot in the World By the same Author For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a NEW Creature And as many as walk according to THIS Rule Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the whole Israel of God Gal. 6. 16. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit for the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things of God The Things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God He that is Spiritual judgeth all things 1 Cor. 2. 10 11 15. But ye have an Unction from the Holy One and ye know all things 1 John 2. 20. Printed in the Year 1673. OF THE GENERAL RULE OF Faith and Life SInce there be so many Faiths in the World and perplext Controversies about them and that it greatly behoveth every man if to Contend for then first to Know the True Faith that overcometh the World It may not be unnecessary to say something of the General Rule of Faith and Life and Judge of Controversie at this time And indeed I am prest to it from this weighty
In short If the holy Ancients had Faith before they had and wrote Scrâ—…pture they had a Rule before they had or wrote Scripture for where Faith is there is a Rule for that Faith And if the Faith be of one Nature the Rule is of one Nature And since the Faith is Inward Spiritual begotten of the Immortal Word in which is Life and that the Light of men and that this Word Life and Light was the Rule then no more Book Writing or ingraving on visible and perishable Matter can be the Rule now Again Such as the Faith is such must the Rule be But the Faith is as before Inward and Spirual therefore the Rule must be Inward and spiritual which no meer Book can be 2. If the Scriptures were the Rule they must have always been a perfect Rule ever since they were a Rule But this is impossible since they were many hundred years in writing and are now imperfect also as to Number How then the perfect Rule That they were not the Perfect Rule before they were written must be granted and that they were many hundred Years awriting must also be allowed and that they are imperfect now as to Number I prove First Enoch's Prophecy is mentioned by Jude but not extant in the Bible the Books of the Wars of the Lord Numb 21. 14. The Book of Jasher Josh. 10. 13. 2 Sam. 1. 18. The Book of Nathan 2 Chron. 9. 29. The Book of Shemaiah 2 Chron. 12. 15. The Book of Jehu The Epistle of Paul to the Laodiceans Collos. 4. 16. and several others mentioned in the Scriptures not now extant And lastly Luke sayes That many took in hand to relate from Eye-Witnesses the things most surely believed c. Now 't is taken for granted that John wrote many Years after Luke Some think Luke wrote before Mark However Matthew and Mark were not many and to this day we see no more then those four in our Bibles and therefore many such Writings lost and if lost then the Scriptures not perfect and if imperfect how can they be the Rule of Faith since the Rule of Faith must be perfect 3. My third Reason is this The Scriptures however useful to Edification and Comfort seem not in their own Nature and Frame to have been compil'd and delivered as the Rule and intire Body of Faith but rather upon particular Occasions and Emergencies The Doctrines are scattered throughout the Scriptures insomuch that those Societies who have given forth verbal Confessions of their Faith have been necessitated to toss them to and fro search here and search there to lay down this or the other Principle and then as like the original Text as their Apprehensions are whereas were it as plain and distinct as the Nature of a Rule requires they needed only to have given their Subscription for a Confession Besides here they are Proper there Metaphorical in one place Literally in another Mystically to be accepted Most times Points are to be prov'd by comparing and weighing Places coherent here to allude aptly and not wrong the Sense is difficult and requires infallible Discerning notwithstanding the Brawlers of our times against Infallibility Now from all this with abundance more that might be said plain it is that the Scriptures are not plain but to the spiritual man but as Peter said of Paul s Writings in many things hard to be understood therefore not the Rule which ought to be plain proper and intelligible 4. Again the Scripture cannot be the Rule of Faith because it cannot give Faith for Faith is the Gift of God which overcomes the World neither of Practice because it cannot distinguish of it self in all Cases what ought to be practised and what not it containing as well what ought not to be practised as what ought This was the Case of Christ's Disciples who had no particular Rule in the old Testament Writings for the abolishing of some part of the old Testament Religion on the contrary they might have pleaded for the Perpetuity of it because Christ said unto them Do as they say that sit in Moses ' s Chair more reasonably then many make that a Plea now adayes for their invented Worships What guided them in their declaring void and relinquishing those things For Instance God gave Circumcision as a Sign for ever And Paul tells the Galatians That if they be circumcised Christ should profit them nothing Was not this the Spirit of Truth that leads into all Truth that they made the Judge and Rule of their Doctrine and Practices So James and the Assembly of the Apostles when they said It seemâ—…th good to the Holy Ghost and to us c. 5. These very men that say it is the Rule of Faith and Life deviate in their Proof from their Assertion for the Scriptures no where say so of themselves He that flyes to Meanings and Interpretations The Question arises not about the Truth of the Text for that is agreed on on all hands but the Exposition of it If then I yield to that Man do I bow to the Letter of the Text or to his Interpretation If the Latter as manifestly I do is the Scripture or that Man's Sense of it my Rule Nay the Person so interpreting makes not the Scripture his Rule but his own Apprehension whatever he may say to gain Credit to his Conceptions in others then Mine it must needs be I consenting thereto 6. How shall I be assured that these Scriptures came from God I am bound to try all things If all things then Them amongst the rest I would fain know what I must try them with with the Scriptures Then the Scriptures must be the Rule of my Examination and Faith concerning themselves which is improper If with the Spirit that gave them forth that searcheth the deep things of God a measure of which is given to me to profit withal Then is it most congruous to call the Spirit and not the Scriptures the Rule 7. If the Scriptures are the Rule they are so either in their Original or Copies If in their Original that is not extant then no Rule in being for the last of it that was extant was John's History at Ephesus not seen these thousand Years If the Copies must be the Rule it were to be wished we knew which were the nighest to the Original there being above thirty in Number This is undetermined and for ought we see indeterminable And that which makes good what I say are the Variety of Readings among those Copies amounting to several thousands And if the Copies cannot how can the Translations be the Rule so differing from the true Sense of the Copies in many things and one from another Besides I would fain know of those of our present Age who thus contend for the Scriptures being the Rule c. in Opposition to the Spirit upon what foot they receive them into this Place and Authority Is it by Tradition or Revelation I mean
received and abode in them would lead them iâ—…to all Truth and that they needed not that any man should teach them To deny this to have been the Saints Teacher is to deny as plain a Proposition as is in the whole Scripture and that one Age of Christianity should have one Rule and another Age another Rule that the Spirit we but the Letter is more then any Man can prove yet did John's so writing invalid the Scripture or vilifie his own Epistle Certainly none will talk so idly How then doth our lifting up the Light and Spirit of Christ which fulfils the Scriptures by bringing such as are led thereby to enjoy the good things therein declared reject and vilifie the Scriptures Does our living up to them by an higher Rule make us to deny and reprobate them Erasmus and Grotius think them then most to be valued when men are Witnesses of them see on 2 Pet. 1. 19 20. I do acknowledge they contain an Account of several heavenly Prophecies godly Reproofs and Instructions that ought to be obeyed Obj If so Then how are they not a Rule of Faith and Life Answ. A Rule and the Rule are not one and the same thing By the Rule of Faith and Life I understand the living spiritual immediate omnipresent discovering ordering Spirit of God And by a Rule some Instrument by and through which this great Rule may convey its Direction Such a subordinate secondary and dâ—…claratory Rule we never said several parts of Scripture were not yet the Reason of our Obedience is not meerly because they are there written that were legal but because they are the eternal Precepts of the Spirit in Mens Consciences there repeated and declared Iâ—… is the Tâ—…stimony of the Spirit that is the true Rule for believing and understanding of any or all the Scripture therefore not the Scripture but the Spirit of Truth must be the Rule for mens believing understanding c. Thus held the Ancients Tâ—…rtullian saith Worldly Wisdom the Lord calls Foolishne ss he hath chosen the soolish things of the World to the confounding of Philosophy for that is the Matter of Worldly Wisdom a divine Interpreter of the divine Nature and Disposings Justin Martyr in Exposit. â—…id The Interpretation of the Scriptures is to be a commodated to the Will of the Doctrine of the Spirit and not to human Reasonings Hieron saith The Scriptures musâ—… be opened with spiritual Exposition Epiphanius saith Only â—…o the Children of the holy Ghost all the Scriptures are plain and cleâ—…r Nor were the most approved Protestants of any sort who have been so reputed in Opposition to Popery of another mind It is the Substance of the sourth Article exhibited against the Lutherans in the Council of Trent as an Erroneous Doctrine they held That to understand the Scripture neither Gâ—…oss nor Comment is necessary but only to have the Spirit of a Sheep of Christ's Pasture Erasmus tells us What Man sets forth by Man's Deâ—…ice may be received by Man's Wit But the thing that is set forth by the Inspiraâ—…ion of the Holy Ghost requireth an Interpreter inspired with the like Spirit and without the Inspiration of it the Secrets of God cannot be known Luther giveth us his Mind thus The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were writ Peter Martyr that famous Italian Protestant teacheth us The Spirit is the Abettor by which we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's Words and a Strangers quoting Christ's Words My Sheep know my Voice and several other places of Scriptures Again The Spirit of God revâ—…aleth the Truth in the Scriptures H. Bullinger Decad. 4. Serm. 8. Men â—…etch the Understanding of Heavenly Things and Knoâ—…ge of the Holy Ghost from NOWHERE ELSE but from the same Spirit John Bradford answerd to the Arch-Bishop of York thus We know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them being thereby assured c. Calvin teacheth thus in his Institutes It is necessary the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophâ—…ts should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us that they faithfully delivered that which was committed to them of God Beza saith That the Way of understanding Prophecies and referring them to the right Scope must be sought or fetcht from the same Spirit which dictated them to the Prophets themselves and more to that purpose W. Tindal call'd the English Apostle by J. Fox saith It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more then a Turk for any that hath not the Law of God writ in the Heart to sulfil it Bp. Jewel thus against Harding The Spirit of God is bound neither to Sharpness of Wit nor to Abundance of Learning Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without SPECIAL REVELATION Without this SPECIAL HELP and PROMPTING OF GOD's SPIRIT the Scripture is to the Reader be he never so Wisâ—… and well-Learned as the Vision of a sealed Book D. Ames a great Father of the Independents saith upon Bellarmin's wordâ—… The Anointing of the Holy Spirit doth teach the Faithful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles therefore to understand the Scriptures in those things which are necessary to Salvation with more to that purpose Vatablâ—…s on Job 32. 8. with Drusius Clarius and others speak to the same effect G. Crâ—…dock a famous Independent Preacher preacht That the Scripture is a Speechless thing without the Spirit Ch. Goad an eminent Separatist's Works styl'd B. D. of K. Colledge in Cambridge and an Independent Pastor thus taâ—…ght There is no Knowledge of Christ nor of the Scripture but by Revelation D. J. Owen a man of greatest Fame among the present Independents saith The publick authentick and infallible Interpreter of the holy Scripture is HE who is the AUTHOR of them from the BREATHING OF WHOSE SPIRIT IT DERIVETH ALL ITS VERITY PERSPICUITY AND AUTHORITY So that we see upon the Judgment of many considerable Persons the Scripture is no Rule for our believing and understanding of it self therefore not The Rule of Faith and Practice coâ—…cerning the things therein declared I will give a short Instance in Christ's words about Regeneration He taught and strange it was no doubt to wise Nicodemus That unlâ—…ss a Man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God This is as plain a Proposition as can be laid down and may be credited Historically But what is that to any â—…s New Birth that they are never like to 〈◊〉 â—…formed of there Nor can that Scripture be my Rule in that Heavenly Travail respecting the many and wonderful Tryals and Exercises that are to be met with in it neither can any other Writing whatever This only is the Office of that Spirit Word immortal by which I am anew
a certain Decision and if not a certain one then none to the Purpose Nor ought any Person no otherwise judged that is perswaded of the Truth of his Cause to let fall his Belief upon so fallible a Determination since he not only moves without Conviction but against Conviction And which is worse he is not ascertained of the Truth of what he is required to submit to Therefore of all People they are most condemnable who keep so great a stir about Religion and that sometimes use coercive Means to compass their designed Uniâ—…ormity and yet acknowledge to us they are not certain of their own Faith unless it be those who notwithstanding yield to such uncertain Imposers Since then the Judge must be infallible it will be worth our while to consider where ' this insallible Judge is to be found There is none Good but God said God himself when manifested in the Flesh that is originally or as of himself so truly there is none infaltible but God as of himself yet as the supream Good is communicated unto man according to measure so well sayes Bp. Latiâ—…er is there infallibility Certainty or Assurance of the Truth of things given to man according to Capacity otherwise men should be oblieg'd to believe and obey and that upon Damnation those things concerning which there can be no Certainty whether they be true or false Immanuel God with men as he is their Rule so their Judge he is the Law-giver and therefore the best Irterpreter of any Point that may concern his own Law and men are so far infallible as they are subject to his Voice Light or Spirit in them and no farther for humanum est errare Man is Errable Nor can any thing rescue him out of Error or preserve him from the Infections of it but the sound or certain Judgment God by his Light or Spirit within assists him with Obj. But is not the Scripture the Judge of Controversie Answ. How can that be since the Qâ—…estion most times arises about the Meaning of Scripture Is there any place tells us without all Interpretation whether the Socinian or Trinitarian be in the Right in their differing Apprehensions of the Three that bear Record c also the Homousian and Arrian about Christ's Divinity or the Papists or Protestants about Trans-substantiation If then things are undefined and undetermined I mean expresly in the Scripture and that the Question arises about the Sense of it doth the Scripture determine which of those Interpreters hit the Mark As this is absurd to think so must it be acknowledged that if Interpretation decide the Matter in Controversie not the Scripture but the Interpreter is the Judge Now this Interpreter must either interpret by his own meer Wisdom or Spirit called by the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. II. the Spirit of a Man who by weighing the Text consulting the Intent of the Writer comparing places together gives the Judgment which the Scripture cannot do or from the Spirit of God which gives Understanding as Job 3â—… 8. and as the same Apostle saith searcheth the deep things of God If the first then a Fallible If the last then an Infalâ—…ible Judge I would sain know whether it was the Scripture or the Holy Ghost that presided among the Apostles when they were come together Acts 15. when they said It seemeth good to the â—…oly Chost and to us c. If the Holy Ghost give us a plain Scripture to prove we are to have another Judge now If not then we must have the same and consequently an Infallible Judge Obj. 'T is granted that the Spirit is Infallible But how shall I know that any man determines a thing by this Spirit and does not rather obtrude his own Sense upon us under that specious Pretence Answ. By the same Spirit As well said Gualt Cradock The Way to know whether the Spirit be in us is its own Evidence And that is the Way to know it in others too and the man hat hath the Spirit may know the Spirit in another There is saith be a kind of Sagacity in the Saints to this Purpose Which is also true in the Sense of abundance of Pâ—…otestant Writers For as they held That no man could know the Scriptures but by the same Spirit so consequently that the same Spirit only could assure him of the Truth of the said Iâ—…terpretation And Peter Martyr as before quoted tells us The Holy Ghost is the Arbiter or Judge Also D. J. Owen sâ—…ith That the Holy Ghost is the Only Authentick Interpreter of the Scripture Iâ—… Authentick then Infallible if Infallible then the Judge of the Mind of Scripture is both an Only and an 〈◊〉 Judge But to wave this Does not the same Objection lie agaâ—…st the Sense of Scripture since one sayes this is the Sense and another that To know God's Mind men must come to God's Spirit else Difficulties of that sort are unsurmountable In short It were greatly to be wisht that all men would hold themselves unconcerned in disputing about what they have not received an Infallible Dictamen from the Holy Spirit upon since they beat but the Air and obtain no solid Satisfaction neither can they God never prostrates his Secrets to Minds disobedient to what they do already know Let all practise what they assuredly know to be their Duty and be sparing in their search after nice and unknown Matters Weighty and seasonable was and is the Apostle's Saying Nevertheless whereunto we have already attained let us walk by the same Rule where he both limits to the present Knowledge communicated and exhorts to live up to that and if any thing be further necessary God in due time will reveal it by his Spirit that gives to know discern and judge of the things that are of God Obj. But how will this determin the Controversie and allay the Fury of Debates on foot Answ. Nothing like it if man adhere to it and if he does not there is no way left but the Wrath that is to be reveal'd But most Perswasions are agreed about the absolute Necessaries in Religion from that Witness God has placed in man's Conscience viz. That God is That he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him That the Way of God is a Way of Purity Patience Meekne ss c. without which no man can see the Lord Nay they accord in some considerable Matters superadded as some of them speak to wit That God manifested himself extraordinarily in the Flesh that he gave his Life for the World that such as believe and obey his Grace receive Remission of Sins and Life Everlasting Now I say since these things men generally submit to let them live up hereunto and forbear wanton Scrutinies after Things or Notions that gender to Strife and Contention and leave not Mankind better but rather worse then they found them and the World would be soon rid of Controversie Holy Living and not Disputing would be the Business of
Mankind What more excellent Judgment can be given then that men quit their Contentions about Notions and Opinions and betake themselves to the Practice of that which God hath already shewn unto them as spake both the Prophet Micah 6. 8. and the Apostle Paul Rom. 1. 19. And if any thing be revealed to one more then another let the rest judge in the Spirit or be silent till God manifest more to them in order to Right Judgment 'T is good to try all things but we must have something to try them by and what ought that to be but the Spirit that searcheth the Anointing that teaches all things which is Truth it self Here Mankind will live in Love having at least Natural Affections now lost by the Bâ—…rbarity of some of their cruel Religions and a Judgment oâ—… things will be made not from the Rash Partial Short sighted a d Froward Mind of man but that eternal Light and Spirit that never erred which however disgustful to some Protestants in this Age was no False Doctrine in the Account of John Philpot and Bp. Latimer two great Founders of the Reformation The first in his Answer to the Bishop of Chichester reproving his Confidence about true Faith in Christ saying These Hereticks take upon them to be sure of all things they stand in Let him doubt saith John Philpot of his Faith that listeth God give me alwayes to believe that I am sure of true Faith and Favour in Christ. The second in his Answer to a Knight objecting the Uncertainty of Man in what he calls Truth thus recorded by J. Fox Your Friends deny not but that certain Truths are communicated to us according to Capacity But as to my Presumption and Arrogancy either I am certain or uncertain that it is Truth that I preach if it be Truth why may not I say so if I be uncertain why dare I be so bold as to preach it And if your Friends be Preachers themselves after their Sermon I pray you ask them Whether they be certain and sure they preach the Truth or no and send me word what they say that I may learn to speak after them If they say they be sure you know what follows if they say they be unsure when shall you be sure that have so doubtful and unsure Teachers Let not Protestants for Shame judge us for owning a Doctrine that is confessed to and confirmed by some of the Worthiest of their own Ancestors viz. That an Infallible Judgment in things necessary to Salvation is both possible and requisite and that God communicates it by his Spirit to the Souls of men The Conclusion TO Conclude Immanuel a word suited not only to that Appearance but whole Dispensation imports God nigh to or with men The Tabernacle of God is with men he will dwell in them and walk in them they shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established And this admits not of any Book or literal Rule or Judge to come between that in-dwelling Light Life and Wisdom of God and the Soul as its Rule of Faith and Life And because it is the unutterable Goodness of God to People in these latter Dayes as the Sum of Scripture-Prophecy thus to make known himself we are incessant in our Cries unto them that they would turn in their Minds now abroad and taking up their Rest in the Externals of Religion that they may hear his Heavenly Voice and Knocks and let him in and be taught of him to know and do his Will that they may come to be experienced and expert in the School of Christ For never Man spoak and taught as he livingly speaks and teaches in the Consciences of those who diligently hear him and are willing to be taught of him the Knowledge of his Wayes The Priest was Outward but he is now Inward the Law Outward but it is now Inward And he is no more a Jew that is one outward nor that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God Which is so far from lessening the Scriptures of Truth that unless this be man's Rule and Judge in the reading and believing of them he can never either understand them or keep the things therein contain'd aright And indeed as before I have expressed I cannot but say That Man whilst unregenerated setting his Wit and Wisdom to fathom and comprehend the Intention of the Holy Ghost in many of those Writings hath occasioned that Confusion Darkness and perplext Controversie that now so lamentably pesters the World In which State for all the External Imitations of the Ancients in some temporary and visible Parts of Worship I am to tell such from the Spirit of the Lord God of all Truth they will never be accepted The utmost of that literal Knowledge historical Faith and outward Religion is at best but the Old Heavens that are to be wrapped up as a Scroul the Old Wine and Bottle that belong not to the Kingdom and Man's holding true Words in an unregenerated and unrighteous Nature where he may cry Lord Lord but shalâ—… never enter into the Rest that is Eternal For under such a Faith and Religion Envy Wrath Malice Persecution Pride Passion Worldly-Mindedness c. may and do live yea and are cloaked as with a secure Cover from the Stroak of God's Spirit insomuch as when any are moved of the Lord to decry such fair and hypocritical Shews of Religion they are reputed Rash and Censorious and presently a Plea must he made on this wise Do not we follow the Commands of the Scripture Did not such and such do so and so Never regarding from what Grounds the Performance springs whether it be according to the Rule of the NEW or OLD Creature buâ—… abuse and vilifie us for making such Distinctions as if the Prayers Preachings Singings outward Baptizings and Suppings c. of Men in their own Spirits Strength and Will were required and accepted of God for Evangelical Worship Thick Darkness and dangerous Presumption Thus are Men out of the Way concerning both Faith and Practice and the true Rule and Judge of them They make the former to lie in an Assent of the Understanding to such Propositions and in the performing of some visible Parts of Religion in their own Spirits and Wills which is far from the Immanuel-State And the latter to be the Scriptures which is but an Account of those Things which others were ruled to and directed in by the Holy Spirit before they were ever recorded or made Scripture and not another Rule or Judge can so regulate For as the Faith and Experience so the Rule and Judge of that Faith and that Experience must be one God by his Spirit begets Faith God by his Spirit rules Faith and governs the Life of his Children for
leavest out part of the Controversy between us whichw as thus viz. T. H. The Light in every Man cannot be the divine Essence in God for God is in Heaven and his Divine Essence is not communicable c. G. W. What is this but to deny the Omni-presence of God and to endeavour to confine him 〈◊〉 is Infinite and not limitable We ask if the Holy Ghost or the Eternal Spirit be not God And if this Holy Spirit be not communicable This Question in the Narrative T. H. is willing to wave as that which pinches him and thus does he reply to the Words before viz. T. H. Then it seems that the Lightwithin and the Omni presence of God is one and the same thing Is this your Champion a. 4. Answ. Thou scoffs but durst not answer God's Omnipresence divine Light and Spirit are inseparable God is Light whose Presence fills Heaven and Earth and upon whom doth not his Light arise And in what Country or People does not his Spirit come if an Infinite Spirit Whether shall I go from thy Spirit Or whether shall I flee from thy Presence Psal. 139. 7 8 9 10. His Infinite Spirit is not tyed up to a few Predestinarian Electioners who only conceit they are elected and saving Grace only free for them though in Vertue and Uprightness they be far short of many called Heathen who were a Law to themselves in Truth and Uprightness towards God and man Sect. III. The Baptist's Quarrel grounded on his Mistake about the Light and our Testimony of it T. H. THough it be granted that God is an Infinite Immutable and Perfect being will it therefore follow that every thing he created and communicated is his own being What man but a Quaker would dare affirm this Answ. Thou wrongst the Quakers as thou callst them its none of their Argument that because God is Infinite therefore every thing that he creates is so But because of his Infiniteness and Omni-presence he is near unto all men even shining in their Hearts But it is thy gross Error to take for granted that his Light in every man is Created See 2 Cor. 4. 6. God hath shined in our Hearts and that Christ that enlightens every man that cometh into the World is God in worshipping of whom we do not worship a Creature as thou falsly insinuates against us p. 6. But thou shewest thy self against the Light as an Agent of the Son of Perdition who exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2. Thes. 2. 4. Is not man this Temple of God by right And hath not this Son of Perdition or Mystery of Iniquity been exalted in Apostates above all that 's called God And what was that that was called God and that was worshipped above which this Son of Perdition exalted himself Was it not a Manifestation of the divine Life and Light And what was the Apostles Rule to try and reveal this Son of Perdition by when he wrought in a Mystery and as God did sit in the Temple of God shewing himself to be God Is it not the Day of Christ that reveals and so God himself that makes manifest this man of Sin And is not God then the Saints Rule to discover this Mystery T. H. Let me tell thee that thy Light is very imperfect forasmuch as it hath not yet instructed thee by what Name to call it whether Christ or only a Measure or Gift of Christ p. 6. Answ. Thou hast wronged my Light sor God is my Light and my Salvation and Christ is my Life and Light who is perfect and this Christ we preach as the Light of the World that enlightens every man that comes into the World though we do not say that he is revealedly or manifestly the Light in every man or by Way of Union nor yet that Christ considered as thou describes him p. 11. as to his outward Birth and Person is in any much less in every man Yet this hinders not but that as God or as with Relation to his divine Life and Light he is Infinite over all and through all and in all yet to those only revealed and united who truely obey and follow him in the Measure of his Light which is universally given unto Man-kind T. H. The Apostle did needlesly exhort the Corinthians to examine themselves whether Christ were in them or no viz. If he were in every man p. 7. Answ. Nay he bad them examine themselves whether they were in the Faith for saith he know you not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates And if thy Mind were not reprobated and estranged from his Light in thee thou mightst know him revealed in thee But as Christ the annointed is a Mystery he is hid from thee and many more though his Light be in thee and others that is sufficient to reveal Christ and leave you without Excuse and to condemn you for Iniquity Sect. IV. Christ guides to Salvation by his Inward Light and the Baptist confounded in his opposing it T. H. I Grant that every man is enlightened has a Light in them but this doth not prove that this Light in every man is Christ nor yet sufficient of it self to guide to Salvation Christ is sufficient but I say the Light in every man is not sufficient p. 7. Answ. First If Christ hath given to every man a sufficient Light to leave them without Excuse as he hath then it is sufficient to guide and direct them unto Salvation for if they could justly charge this Light with Insufficiency for this end this would be an Excuse Secondly That Light which is sufficient to convince of Sin and lead out of it is sufficient to guide to Salvation but such is the Light of Christ in every man Thirdly God offers a good end to man in giving him Life and Grace Job 10. and this Grace tends to his Salvation if obeyed otherwise mans Destruction is of himself for his Disobedience and not Designed by the Lord in his giving him Life and Grace 4thly Thy denying the Light in every man to be sufficient to guide to Salvation is plainly enough contradicted by thee in thy confessing Christ to be the Life and Light of men p. 22. whose Life and Light is sufficient And for what end is his Light in every man given if not to direct unto Salvation Thou art not so ingenuous as to relate though thou both appealst to it and grantst it ought to be obeyed this will stand in Judgment against thee for thy false Judgment given against it in other Places as also what thou further acknowledgest viz. T. H. There is something within that checks for many Evils and excites to many good things and that I ought to shun those Evils and to do that good p. 8. Answ. If thou didst obey this something or Light within thus acknowledged
throughout all the Generations of the Righteous since the World began being the Rock of Ages that spiritual Rock whereof all Israel drank 1 Cor. 10. 4. who said before Abraham was I am this great and most eminent Prophet God promised to raise up unto Israel of their Brethren which was in a more familiar Appearance even in the Flesh though his spiritual Out-goings were before from of old and he was called the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God Rev. 3. 14. who faith behold I stand at the door and knock if any man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me ver 20. Now I ask what and where is that Door that he so universally knocks at And is not this the true Christ that thus knocketh And was not his Light or Word in Israels Hearts and his Spirit in the Holy Prophets by which they fore-saw his Coming in the Flesh his Sufferings and Glory that should follow Now though the pure Light and Glory of the Father was more fully eminently and signally then ever before manifest and shining forth in him as coming in the fulness of time to consummate and end the Types and Shadows of the first Covenant whereby he gave a more eminent and signal Testimony of God's Universal Love and Power to man this is no Argument to prove that either the true Christ or his Universal Light was not in being and in some degree discovered before for without this no Soul could ever be saved it was his divine Light that could minister Life unto the Soul and not Shadows Sect. IX The Dipper plung'd in a Laborinth of self-Contradictions and the Light within proved a Rule above the Scriptures T. H. IT will be our Wisdom yea our Duty not only to attend the Light within but specially to those Revelations of God's Mind and Will in the Holy Scriptures p. 13. Answ. In thy granting its part of our Duty to attend to the Light within thou hast plainly contradicted thy Blasphemy in opposing it in other places as a mis-guiding Light and comparing it with the Man of Sin Mahomet c. and judging our following its Conduct as a subverting and anihilating the Covenant of Grace and that this Light doth directly oppose it and ought to be rejected as appears p. 38. Is it part of our Duty to attend upon that that subverteth and opposeth the Covenant of Grace O! that thou wouldst consider and see thy Blasphemy and what a Laborinth of Contradictions thou art fallen into as also in thy Concession of attending to the Light within thou art defective whilst thou dost not place the special Attention to be upon it but upon the Scriptures whereas the Light within is specially to be attended to as that which both opens the Understanding in the Scriptures and discovers the several Conditions which they relate to otherwise men are apt to pervert and mis-apply the Scriptures to their own Destruction turning the Truth of God into a Lye as they did who turned their Backs upon the Manifestation of God in them Rom. 1. 19 21 25. T. H. I conceive enough hath been said to evince that the Light in every man neither is the true Christ nor a sufficient Rule to guide us unto Salvation p. 13. Answ. While Thou are following thy own Conceptions thou dost not follow the Guidance of the Light of Christ within and therefore conceivest amiss of it for it is a true and perfect Rule unto which he that loveth doth truth cometh and bringeth his Deeds that they may be manifest that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. it is a convincing Rule that pure and inward Law or Light which converts the Soul It doth not onely convict man of Sin but upon Repentance evidenceth unto him Remission And this doth not the Scriptures without to men particularly though they testify of the several Conditions which the Light guides the Soul through The Scriptures testifie against all Sin but do not shew unto men their particular Sins many read the Scriptures who over-look the Deceits of their own Hearts but if they Eye this Light of the Son of God within it will manifest unto them their particular Evils and shew them their Thoughts Motions and Actions and the Tendance of each so do not the Scriptures they cannot of themselves convince any as the divine Light can And this divine Light within discovers all the Temptations and mysterious Workings and Depths of Satan to that Soul that waits in it as they are met withall and as Satan attempts to insnare that the Soul may shun his Snares and Wiles upon all Occasions and in all Tryals and this does not the Letter without This Light within also as a perfect and immediate Rule of Faith directs the Soul in all the Operations of Faith against all the Innumerable Temptations and Tryals and Besetments of the Enemy and it opens an Inward Eye of Faith and is the Immediate Guide to see him who is Invisible through all but so is not the Scripture All which being seriously considered the Light within is the Rule of Faith and not the Scripture But if it be objected That the Scriptures being the Rule of Faith is not intended without the Help of the Spirit or divine Light in the Soul I answer This granteth that the Scriptures are not the Rule of Faith alone therefore that they are not to be taken as the Intire Rule of Faith they not being effectual without the Spirit whereas the Spirit is effectual without the Scriptutes and able of it self to lead into all Truth The Spirit or Heavenly Unction considered as a higher Degree Gift or Effusion of divine Life than that degree of Light that is given in common to all is attained unto only by those that faithfully improve the Life or Light in its less Appearance which in some degree appears in every man's Conscience T. H. I query whether all the Generations of Christians since Christ's time until within these very few Years be not eertainly lost and damned forasmuch as they acknowledged not this Light within as the true Christ p. 12. Answ. This shews thou hast very little Sense of all the Christians and their Acknowledgments who thus queriest of them Did not they acknowledge Christ in them the Immortal Word of Life and Light in them And was not Christ both their Life Light and Salvation And was not the Apostle Paul sent to turn the Gentiles from Darkness to Light And did not all the true Ministers preach Christ as God's Covenant given for a Light and Salvation to the Ends of the Earth But in thy dark Thoughts thou seest not the Drift of rheir Testimony but queriest whether all the Generations of Christians till within these few Years be not certainly lost and damned And yet thou wouldst be accounted a Christian in this thy Unchristian Work Sect. X. The Subject Understanding and Obeying
the Light within unknown to the Cavilling Baptist. T. H. WHo or what is it that obeyeth this Light and in Obedience of it is saved Or if this Light be the Rule it doth suppose a subject capable of understanding it and of yielding Obedience to it p. 4. Answ. It s placed in the Heart and Conscience of man that he with his whole Soul Mind and Spirit may understand and obey it and come to Life and Salvation in Christ being guided by his Light in the Conscience T. H. What then is the Principle Either the Light must obey it self or Darkness must obey it Answ. Thy Darkness makes thee talk thus darkly and scribble thus nonsensically the Spirit of man is to obey every degree of this divine Light given of God that the whole man may be in Subjection for which End God hath given man a spiritual Capacity and Power to obey by the Vertue of Grace that the reasonable Soul in believeing in the Light and obeying it may find Relief and more Power from God comfortably to subsist in the Way of Life and Peace with him And though it be not a Scripture Phrase to tell of two such Lights in every man as thou mentions p. 14. Yet as the Light of the Body is the Eye which seeth the object of Light and there is a single Eye which causeth the whole Body to be full of Light So in man hath God placed the Eye of the Understanding and Mind and a Conscience in the reasonable Soul which is capable of receiving the divine Light as both the supream Rule and commanding Light and they that are translated out of Darkness into it are become Children of the Light And if thou wert come to this Estate thou needst not question who is the subject of Obedience to the Light whether the whole Person or only a part for the whole man ought to be the subject and where the Eye of the mind is single the whole Body is full of Light and no part dark But for the whole person to be subject to the Light is inconsistent with thine and thy Brethrens Doctrine for Sin and Imperfection during Life Why then dost thou now suppose the whole Person to be the Subject when thou art not real in what thou implyest of the whole Persons being obedient p. 15 16. And thou dost but play the Fool and Caveller whilst thou art drawing such a Conclusion upon us as that by our Principle the Light must obey it self and in so doing be saved this is only inferred from a Fiction of thy own Framing or a Quaker of thy own making to speak as thou pleasest for the Light is given for the Benefit of Mankind that they that truely follow it and throughly obey it with Subjection of both Soul Spirit and Body may know Salvation from Sin here and Wrath herâ—…after And so man in his spiritual being both in Soul and Body spiritual as changed or translated from a State of Mortality may forever enjoy a State of Immortality in Glory hereafter as they who are led by the Counsel of God shall afterwards be received into Glory for man as translated into that Celestial Spiritual State is most capable of the full Enjoyment of Glory with God hereafter Sect XI Concerning the Soul of man as under divers Considerations and States and G. Fox ' s VVords so considered with â—…ight Queries added COncerning the Soul of man thou vehemently accusest us with Fancies Conceits Absurdities Nonsence and Error p. 16. Thy Instance for this is viz. That G. F. mentions in his great Mystery c. p. 68. and 100. That the Soul is part of God and of his being and that it is without beginning p. 91. and also infinite p. 29. Whence thy Inference is viz. Which is as much as to say the Soul is God then God sets up a Light in himself which he himself is to obey and in so doing he shall be saved p. 16. Answ. We cannot expect any impartial or fair Dealing from thee while Prejudice and Envy do possess thee who hast both falsly and ignorantly represented G. F. and both curtayled and perverted his Words and the Sence of them And all these things mentioned by thee he does not speak of the Soul or Spirit of man as made or formed in him though composed of Spiritual Parts nor use these Expressions that the Soul or Spirit of the Creature Man is a part of God without beginning neither was the Phrase part of God originally G. F's but his Opposers only admitted of by him by Way of Question as plainly appears p. 100. with Relation to that which came out from God that immediate Spirit of Life which gives Being Life and Subsistance to the Soul and he doth distinguish between the Soul and Christ the Bishop of it between the Soul and the Saviour of it as plainly appears in many places of the said Book and the Soul could no otherwise be deemed infinite then as Man is said to be the Image and Glory of God namely by a Participation thereof so he speaks of the Soul in a two-fold Sense as First With reference to that which came out from God which is the Original Life or Soul of every Man's Soul Secondly With Respect to man as being made a living Soul by Vertue of the Spirit of Life proceeding from God And so with Relation to the first he questions Is not that of God which comes out from God Great Mystery p. 68. But with Relation to the latter viz. Man he speaks distinctly of the Soul as neither God nor Christ neither doth he confound the Being of man with the Infinite Being of his Creator as is implyed in our Opposers angry Charge for as every Spiritual Being or Existence is not divine so the Spirit or Spiritual Parts of Man are not God though a divine Light and Capacity is placed in them And G. F. doth not only speak of the Soul in a two-fold Sense viz. with Relation to its original Life and with Relation to man in his Spirituality but of the Soul of man as in several States as First Of the Souls being in Death in Transgression man's Spirit unsanctified the Soul being come into Death transgressing the Law c. Great Mystery p. 91. Therein he cannot intend the infinite Essence Being or Life of God or Christ which is immutable and unchangeably pure and holy though thereby the Soul is upheld in its Being and Immortality whether in Comfort or Misery Secondly Of the Soul and Spirit of Man as sanctified living to God in his Life through a diligent hearkening to the Counsel and Voice of God and feeling of his Hand which brings up out of Death and restores the Soul that it may live in Christ the Preserver and Overseer of it to praise God the Saviour being one Soul in that State as they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit As also G. F. adds viz. Every Man that cometh into the World having a
4. 1 Tim. 1. 1. and 4. 10. Jude 25. But how doth H. G's Confession and these Scriptures agree with the Discription he gives of Jesus Christ as Saviour and as the only true Christ viz. That he consists of a Body of Flesh and Bone human Nature being finite weak subject to passion as we are saith he p. 94. Let the Reader judge how gross and confused he is in these matters and whether the true Christ and Saviour doth either consist of an earthly Nature or finite being or was subject to Passion as fallen men are The Truth of it is this Man hath confest more to the Deity and divine Power of Christ and so to save and beget men to himself as God alone more then most of the Baptists that I have met withall before for one of his Brethren to wit W. Burnet a Preacher saith That Christ as he was the Word which was God was not a Saviour as he was God he could not save Man in his Book stiled the Capital Principles p. 35. which denyes the Omnipotency of God but this Baptist H. G. grants that it is the Power and Spirit of God himself or God alone that doth regenerate and make men his Children whence it follows that then it was not meerly the outward Body of Jesus that was the Saviour though he was a Saviour in that Body but it was by the Divine Power or Holy Spirit of the Father in him XI His Erroneous Distinction about the Light BUt whereas H. G. accounts the Light and Knowledge of God as Creator that was given to the Gentiles Rom. 1. 19. and Chap. 2. 14 15. But the Light of the Moon to guide their Paths and so much inferior to that of a crucified Jesus as that it leaves them utterly void of the saving Knowledge of the Gospel and of a crucified Jesus p. 68 69. Mark here how he hath undervalued the Light and Knowledge of the glorious Creator whom before he has in Words exalted above all in the Work of Regeneration and Christ as man but as finite weak c. But now alass with him the Light and Knowledge of the glorious Creator is but the Light of the Moon in comparison of the Light and Knowledge of Christ as man though in that Weakness as crucified how egregiously he is involved in gross Consusion and self-Contradiction in these things he that runs may read and no such distinction nor contrariety between the Light of God and the Light of his Son is owned in Scripture â—…or I and my Father are one saith Christ and the Father Word and holy Spirit are one And the same Life which was in him was the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. and this Life which in due time was manifested was the same eternal Life which was with the Father 1Joh 1. 1. 2. which Light or Life they that obey aâ—…d follow in its Appearance and Guidance it brings them to a Fellowship with the Father and with the Son and this is not the Light of the Moon as our Opposer blindly and unscripturally terms it But seeing he saith this Law or Light is given to guide their Paths by which the Gentiles are taught their Duty to God in Morals I ask him whether will this Light guide their Paths if not in the Way to Salvation And whether will they go and to what End if they obey and follow it Does not the Apostle for a Proof of a justified State instance it in the Gentiles shewing the Effects of the Law written in their Hearts Rom. 2. 13 14 15 16. And what Nature was that by which those Gentiles did those things contained in the Law surely it was not the corrupt Nature for that is inconsistent the Law being holy just and good and though these Gentiles had not the Law in the Letter of it as many now have not the litteral Discription or histotical Relation of Christ's outward Sufferings must they therefore be damned to Hell What Cruelty were this to condemn Nations for want of the Scriptures But as those Gentiles who had not the Law in the Letter and yet had and obeyed it in the Spirit were both therein a Law to themselves and excused in the Sight of God in the day when he judgeth the Secrets of Men by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel Rom. 2. 16. So those Gentiles and Peoples who obey the Light and Life of the Son of God in them though they have not the historical Knowledge and Profession of Christ as he was Man and suffered Death in the Flesh c. Yet they are truely accepted of God and more real Christians inwardly then many of you that have the Scriptures and an historical Faith and Profession of the Man Christ and of Christianity outwardly for in all Nations every one that fears God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him Depart from Evil and do Good and dwell for evermore And this the Light of the Son of God implanted in the Hearts of all Nations teacheth and herein the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all Men Tit. 2. 11. But it is the Error and Mistake of these Men to put their historical Notions and Profession of the Man Christ for the Light of Christ in Man whereas their Notions and Professions are neither any real Knowledge of the Man Christ nor the Principle of his Light in Man for the one is traditional and acquired by Man and so but dark the other is the immediate and divine unchangeable Gift of Christ in Man which indeed is the Light of the Eternal Word the glorious Creator but as these men's pretended Light and Knowledge of the man Christ is what they get out of Scriptures with their own private Interpretations on them so they hereby render Christ and his Light as limitted only to such Places and People as have the Scriptures opposing his divine Omni-presence and denying him his Right which is the Heathen for his Inheritance and the uttermost Parts of the Earth for his Possession Psa. 2. Now as for that Morality as he calls it which the Law of the first Covenant and Light implanted in the Heaâ—…ts of all Man-kind teacheth in the true Nature and Intenâ—… thereof it falleth no more short of Christianity then Godliness doth for this Law and Light teacheth Man to love the Lord God with all his Heart and Soul c. and his Neighbour as himself this do saith Christ and thou shalt live in answer to the Question what shall I do to inherit Eternal Life Luke 10. 25 26 27 28. This is the highest Morality or Duty of Man-kind even this Love to God and one another which is the fulfilling of the Law And this is both taught by the Light within and Power given by the Grace of God to fulfil it which the Law without in the Letter cannot do Now if the Jews Way to inherit Eternal Life was through the Grace or Help of God to fulfil what was written as before then
that are not written Joh. 20. 30. and Joh. 21. 25. To this I say It s an easie matter for Intruders to ask unlearned and unnecessary Questions whereof this is one of those many other Signs and Things that Jesus did it s said If they should be written every one I suppose that even the World it self could not contain the Books Joh. 20. 25. how then should this Querist be capable to contain them I suppose he doth not think himself able to contain more then the World it self If he saith it is an hiperbolical Expression then is his Question hiperbolical to be sure And if we cannot give him Account of all those Signs and things in particular while we are not sollicitous to know them nor do we think it needful is that any valid Plea or Proof against the Sufficiency of the Light within or Spirits Teaching Would such an Argument against the Scriptures being the Rule please him because they contain not all that was done God gives us to know what 's sufficient and necessary for Life and Salvation by his Light within But if the Word contain 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be taken for to understand as Mat. 19. 11. to comprehend Job 21 25. Then in that Sence there 's far more written in the Scriptures already then either our Opposer or his Brethren can either comprehend or understand and therefore it s a busie Intrusion and Cavil in them to query for more while they oppose the true Light within and will not believe in it nor depend upon the Immediate Teachings of the Spirit of Truth from whence the holy Scriptures proceeded but dark they are and more grosly dark and confused they are like to be who persist in that gain-saying Spirit of Prejudice and Enmity against the Light of Truth which I desire the Lord to give them a Sight and Sence of unto Repentance rather then they should perish in their perverse Gain-sayings THE Angry Anabaptist Proved BABYLONISH IN Answer to Henry Grigg's Pamphlet stiled The Baptist not Babylonish Wherein Whilst he endeavours to reconcile his Contradictions in his Book Entituled Light from the Sun c. Charged upon him in a Paper Entituled The Babylonish Baptist He is run into more Contradictions Absurdities and false Accusations against the People of God called Quakers and their Principles By G. W. Ex ore tuo te judicabo Printed in the Year 1673. The Heads of the following Treatise I. OF the Light of the Eternal Word in Man and the Anabaptist confounded about it II. The Sufficiency of the Light within to reveal God Christ c. III. The Effect of Christ's Sufferings only known in his Light within IV. The saving Work of the Spirit V. How the Light in Man is a Gift and H. G' s Distinction between the Meritorious and Instrumental Cause of Salvation examined VI. The Lord's Supper in the Type and in the Anti-Type the Shadow and Substance distinguished VII The Anabaptist's Imposition about their Shadowy Baptism VIII Their Definition of the true Saviour and his Being IX The Hypostatical Union X. His Charge against the Quakers Principles and Doctrines of the Light within proved impure vile and ignorant and the Spirituality Divinity and Sufficiency of the Light within further asserted XI His sad and impious Prayer against the Light in all which Light is proved of the same Nature or kind with the Witness in Believers XII His groundless Comparison and Distinction between the Light of God in man and the Light of Christ or Gospel further refuted XIII His belying us with denying the Man Christ Jesus to â—…loak his own Absurdity and Ignorance of Christ and his Being XIV That scriptural Distinction between the Eternal Son of God and the Body prepared for him further maintained and the Anabaptist's persecuting Spirit reviling and traducing the Inocent reproved XV. A Warning and Reproof to Hen. Grigg c. XVI The Baptist's nine Questions answered THE Angry Anabaptist Proved BABYLONISH IN Answer to H. G's Pamphlet stiled The Baptist not Babylonish WHereas H. G. pretends he hath set down my Animadversions upon his Contradictions in order exactly after my own Fashion pag. 1. I say this is not true he hath left out the latter part of five of them which it appears did pinch him Therefore I shall represent to the Reader his Contradictions with my Animadversions and the Stress of his Exceptions whereby he would endeavour to make People believe he hath not contradicted himself but that we must refer to the Impartial Readers to judge of in the Light of Truth I. Of the Light of the Eternal Word in Man and the Anabaptist confounded about it HEnry Grigg saith viz. I utterly deny that this Light which all Men have from the Glorious Creator is a saving Light pag. 8. of his Book called Light from the Sun of Righteousness H. G. in Contradiction saith I really believe that the Lord Jesus Christ AS the Eternal Word hath given Light or enlightneth all Men and Women that come into the World p. 8. G. W. his Animadversion The Light or Life of the Eternal Word which is the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. is spiritual and divine as is that Word and therefore saving to all that truly obey it H. G. replyes It seems to me as if this Man had lost his Common Reason because I deny that the Light which is in all Men is a saving Light and yet say I really believe all have a Light in them from Christ considered as Creator This cannot be a Contradiction unless he can prove there is no Light proceeding from the Eternal Word as Creator but what is saving p. 2. G. W. answereth Whilst he would insinuate that the Light in every Man is created or a Creature he meerly beggs the Question and still remains in his self-Contradiction for he dare not say That AS the Eternal Word Jesus Christ is a Creature Neither is his Light that proceedeth from him as that Word created any more then that Life which was in him which Life was the Light of Men will they say this is either created or natural As the Eternal Word is divine so is the Light or immediate Shining thereof in Man's Conscience H. G. What though it be granted that the Light which all Men that come into the World are lighted which flows from the Eternal Word and so is spiritual must it needs therefore be a saving Light Was not the Law given forth on Mount Sinai a Light of or come from the Eternal Word and doth not Paul say that the Law is spiritual Rom. 7. 14. and yet a Ministration of Death 2 Cor. 3. 7. and that killed and in other places that there was no Justification by it G. W. Answer 1. If it be a spiritual Light in Man proceeding and flowing from the Eternal Word it must therefore be the Eternal Word that immediately shineth in Man's Heart which is not created nor natural for all have not
not that a little degree of the Light Vertue and Knowledge thereof is not saving or sanctifying A small Stream can wash and a little Fire kindle and increase to more and a little convenient Food nourish and satisfie and a little Water quench one's Thirst or a small Seed grow and bring forth great Increase and so a little Light from Christ can increase and shine more and more till it discover the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ the anointed these things are truely known in the Mystery through true Obedience to so much Light or Illumination as God hath given man for he the Glorious Creator hath given a Light to all men sufficient to save or else they could not be left without Excuse but it would reflect upon him for condemning them for Sin if he did not afford them a Light sufficient to guide out of Sin unto Salvation But for our asserting the Light of Christ that is in every Man to be convincing sanctifying and saving H. G. concludes as followeth p. 5. III. The Effect of Christ's Sufferings only known in his Light within H. G. IN this appears your great Darkness and herein you are beguiled and cheated by the Devil to the invalidating of the Meritorious Death and Sufferings of our Lord as if there were no need of his Blood to be poured forth nor of his Intercession p. 5. Answ. Can either Christ's Light within or our following of it invalidate or make void his Sufferings without Or deprive us of the End thereof or of the Vertue of his Blood When they that crucified murthered Christ were turned from his Light within Or can any receive the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings and Blood without or out of his Light within Or are the Sufferings and Death of Christ absolutely meritorious for Man's Justification without any Dependance upon his Light within If so how can any be deprived of Justification for whom Christ dyed Which was for all Men but what Proof hath he from Scripture That the shedding Christ's Blood was the Meritorious Cause of Justification Seeing it was shed by wicked Hands and surely had the Jews and Gentiles obeyed and walked in that holy and just Light that was in them they had not crucified nor murthered the just One the Son of God whose giving up to the Death of the Cross though of Necessity yet it was occasioned because of Sin and Death that was come over all which man must only be convinced and truely sensible of by the Light of Christ within and it s such only as walk in his Light who come to know the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all Sin And there is a certain Congruity and Oneness in being sanctified redeemed and saved by his Life Light Blood Power Arm Ingrafted Word Spirit Fire Water or by Grace these do not oppose Christ as Saviour he being in all the great Workman of God through whom God hath saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Titus 3. 4 5. These being one in Substance with him and of himself as the Spirit the Water and the Blood agree in one And as his offering up himself being a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World pouring out his Soul to Death and making Intercession for the Transgressors was by the Eternal Spirit so the blessed Effects thereof are spiritually and inwardly received by them that obey and walk in the Light of his Spirit wherein his Life and Vertue of the Blood of the Covenant is received unto Cleansing Sanctification and Reconciliation with God The great Sufferings Burthens and Afflictions of Christ were occasioned by man's Sin Disobedience and turning from his Life and Light within and this brought Darkness and Death over Man-kind and therefore Christ deeply travelled in the Spirit of Prayer and Intercession through all his Sufferings to bring forth his own Life and Light for man's Deliverance out of Death and Darkness that he might see his Seed and the Travel of his Soul and be satisfied And this is the Seed that shall serve him throughout all Ages which shall be counted unto the Lord for a Generation and this serves him in his Light and worships him in Spirit therefore they that oppose this Light of Christ to the End of Christ's Coming Death Sufferings Blood or Intercession as if his Light in Man did invalidate these they are darkned and cheated by the Devil and not these who obey Christ's Light within for Life and Savation in him IV. The saving Work of the Spirit HEnry Grigg observes from John 16. 7. That the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour pag. 46. H. G. Contradiction Till the Coming of his Spirit and Grace with Power in my Heart for the binding of the strong man Satan and killing my Corruptions my Soul was not brought out of the horrible Pit p. 16. having wrought this glorious Work of Regeneration p. 17. G. W. his Animadversion Then it s the Spirit and Power of Christ that effects Salvation through the Work of Regeneration Tit. 3. 5. which is not meerly by Christ's outward Sufferings though we cannot believe that Satan is bound in this Man while he is in Satan's Work blaspheming Christ's Light within and belying us H. G. replyes What sober Christian Man can find any Contradiction here against H. G Is not G. W. the Lyar and false Accuser I say the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour or Mediator p. 6. G. W. Answer The Contradiction is very obvious to say the Spirit cannot be the Saviour when it can save the Soul out of the horrible Pit can it save and not be a Saviour Or can it bind the strong Man or kill man's Corruptions and yet not save him And if the Father the Word and the holy Spirit be God cannot God be the Saviour When as Christ's being the Author of Faith giving Power to others to become the Sons of God is a Proof of his being God Light from the Sun p. 91. And Christ said The Son can do nothing of himself c. The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the Works Joh. 5. 19. 30. and 8. 28. and 14. 10. And the holy Spirit where received also maketh Intercession according to the Will of God and by this Spirit Christ prayed unto the Father but to say the Spirit or blessed Comforter cannot be the Saviour is also to deny Christ in his spiritual Appearance to be a Saviour and so to confine the saving Work to him only as man or in the Flesh without or separate from us whereas he said I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you John 14. 18. which plainly denotes him to be the Comforter in that Spiritual Appearance wherein he that was with them promised to be in them and as revealed in them his Appearance was another or diverse to his outward Appearance in the Flesh whereas H. G. saith Are there not three that bear Record in
Heaven I say yes and these three are one and is not Christ the Saviour that Word which is one of the three which are but one divine Being Thing or Substance though revealed under several Considerations and Diversities of Manifestations and Degrees of Discoveries yet all one divine Life and Being as God is the Word the Life the Light and so is Christ and the holy Spirit is Life to the Righteous and so is Christ the Way the Truth and the Life In him was Life and the Life the Light of Men the Life affordeth Light to all and the Light Life to all that obey it and in it follow Christ such receive the Light of Life and come to walk in the Light of the Living as the Light of Life is received unto Justification and Peace the holy Spirit is received in that glorious Ministration as Comforter after a State of Desolation and Sorrow of whom Christ said He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16. 13. H. G. Did the true Saviour die on the Cross or not Answ. Yes as concerning the Flesh but not as concerning the Spirit or most noble Principle by which he was impowred to his Work of Salvation H. G. I affirm once again That neither the Comforter viz. the holy Spirit nor the Deity of our Lord Jesus distinct from his Manhood or human Nature could be the Saviour and Mediator which dyed on the Cross c. pag. 7. Answ. This is a meer impertinent Shuffle to prove the holy Spirit could not be the Saviour he now tells us that neither the holy Spirit nor the Deity distinct from his human Nature as he calls it could be the Saviour that dyed who of us ever affirmed that his Deity or holy Spirit dyed But seeing the holy Spirit or Deity dyed not with the Flesh of Christ that was crucified then the whole Saviour did not dye but what he calls the human Nature But if we take his Words according to his Doctrine before for Proof that the holy Spirit or Comforter cannot save or be the Saviour only thus viz. Neither the Comforter the holy Spirit nor the Deity of our Lord Jesus distinct from his Manhood or human Nature could be the Saviour This were all one as to tell us that God cannot be the Saviour or that God cannot save if the holy Spirit or Deity be God he should rather have said that the Manhood could not save without the holy Spirit divine Power or Deity which alone is sufficient and only that which is felt and experienced in Man to effect his Salvation and Deliverance from the Power of Sin and Satan Ye are my Witnesses saith the Lord and my Servants whom I have chosen that ye may know and believe me and understand that I am he before me there was no God formed neither shall there be after me I even I am the Lord and beside me there is no Saviour Isa. 43. 10 11. There is no God else beside me a Just God and a Saviour Chap. 45. 21. And we both labour and suffer Reproach because we trust in the living God who is the Saviour of all men specially of those that believe 1 Tim. 4. 10. And how is God especially known to be the Saviour but in saing man from Sin Unrighteousness and all Guile I will mention the loving Kindness of the Lord c. For he said Surely they are my People Children that will not lye so he was their Saviour Isa. 63. 7 8. Now consider whether it be not grosly erroneous to suppose the holy Spirit oâ—… Deity cannot save or is so deficient distinct or in it self whereas though God was manifest in Flesh God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself the Divinity and human or earthly Nature were alwayes distinct and is not God omnipotent To the only wise God our Saviour be Glory and Majesty Dominion and Power now and ever Amen V. How the Light in Man is a Gift and H. G' s distinction between the Meritorious and instrumental Cause of Salvation examined H. G. ARt thou not able to distinguish between the Giver and the Gift between the Fountain and the Stream p. 7. Answ. Yes I do distinguish between the Giver and the Gift between the Fountain and the Stream between the Fulness and the receiving thereof Grace for Grace buâ—… while the Distinction between God and the Gift of his Spirit or between Christ and his Light within seems to be no more then between the Fountain and the Stream how grosly erroneous is it to conclude either that the Spirit cannot be Saviour or that the Light of Christ is not saving For that 's all one as to say that either the Stream is not the same Water with the Fountain or that the Stream cannot wash because not the Fountain or Fulness who in his right Wits will believe this H. G. But again it appears thou distinguishest not between the meritorious Cause of man's Salvation and the Instrumental the killing of the Sacrifice and the sprinkling of the Blood c. p. 7. 8. Answ. Where doth the Scripture make this Distinction or say that the killing of the Sacrifice which he must mean of Christ is the meritorious Cause of man's Salvation Such like blind distinctions are fit to darken Knowledge and blind Peoples Minds and how gross and unchristian is it to place such a Merit or Worth upon that murtherous Act of killing the Sacrifice if he mean Christ as his Discourse implies For though Christ Jesus by that inherent Holiness and original Righteousness and Grace of God in him offered and gave himself up to suffer and tasted Death for every Man yet the crucifying and killing him according to the Flesh was an Act of Murtherers and Persecutors who by wicked Hand put him to death so that the Dignity and Worth was in Christ and on his Part through all his Sufferings and not in the Act of killing him by wicked Hands nor on their Parts howbeit the Sufferings and Death of Christ were of great value with the Father and his Power did appear through all to the bruising the Serpents Head And if it be the Work of the Spirit to sanctifie and renew us is not this a saving Work And doth not this bring us to receive the Attonement and to enjoy Peace Who follow and obey this Spirit for a Reconciliation through the Death of Christ and being saved by his Life and so the Work of Christ in saving and redecming man from Iniquity and in making Attonement Peace and Union between God and Man however these be directly pointed at made way for by the Suffering and Death of Christ yet they were inwardly revealed effected and fulfilled by the Spirit or Life of Christ where the Word of Reconciliation is received in the Heart For Christ's Appearance and Suffering in the Flesh did really and directly point at those spiritual Ends which are for man's Eternal Advantage to be fulfilled by his Appearance in Spirit VI.
that Baptism or plunging Men and Women is Gospel Have I said it is of Necessity to Salvation p. 13. Answ. 'T is both dishonest and false in thee to accuse me of an Anti-christian Spirit and belying the Innocent for stating thy own Words and the Consequence thereof from the very Tenour of thy Discourse hast thou not accounted your Water-Baptism or dipping Gospel or at least part of Christ's last Will and Testament and them accursed that bring any other Gospel See thy other Book pages 24 25 26. and have not thy Brethren declared it for the Remission of Sins and the only Way of gathering Churches 1. To teach and then to baptize or dip them See their Confession of Faith Article 11. presented to the King and subscribed by above 40. of them And have not some of thy Brethren affrighted many simple People into Water to be dipt formerly by such Language as dip or damn and what hast thou said less if they be accurst that own it not Some of thy Brethren have positively affimed it necessary to Salvation on that Scripture Except a Man be born again of Water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God falsly deeming that outward Water there spoken of H. G. All that are accursed are only those who bring another Gospel besides that which was given sorth by Christ as he is King and Mediator of the new Covenant p. 14. Answ. And your dipping thou reckons to be given forth by Christ thy pretended Proof being Mat. 28. 20. as before mentioned wherefore thy case is against all that own 〈◊〉 or deny to be dipt for our parts we will not be dipt by you H. G. I doubt not but all sincere-minded Protestants are of my Perswasion touching this matter though we may differ about the Form and Subjects of Water-Baptism p. 14. Answ. Here thou insinuatest and flatters the Protestants like a temporizer and decliner of your former Testimony and contrary to thy Brethrens said Confession of Faith which is wholy against that scriptureless thing of sprinkling Infants Article 11. as their Phrase is and have not divers of thy Brethren deem'd it Anti-christian H. G. False it is and a Slander to say that we make it essential and of absolute Necessity to Salvation though we believe it essential to Church Communion p. 14 15. Answ. Is it not essential and of Necessity to Salvation if part of Christ's last Will and Testament as before thou sayst And such to be accurst that oppose it or if the same Baptism of Christ mentioned Mat. 28. and Mark 16. which is annexed to believing in order to Salvation But if not of Necessity to Salvation then not the Baptism into the one Body or Church-Communion and then it s not that one Baptism or Anti-Type which doth save viz. The Baptism into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit for without that Name or Power Men cannot be saved VIII Their Definition of the true Saviour and his Being HEnry Grigg denyes the true Saviour to be the Light and Power I afsirm saith he that Jesus Christ is a Man consisting of Flesh and Bones p. 30 31. human finite weak subject to Passion as we are 94. p. 33. the true Christ consisting of a Body of Flesh and Bone p. 31. 34. H. G. Contrad John declared plainly that Christ was before him being from everlasting before Abraham the Son of God by Eternal Generation truly God David's Lord p. 35. The Lord Jesus the Eternal Word p. 8. The Emanuel p. 32. Christ the Son of the living God p. 33. G.W. Animed Therefore it s both unscriptural and absurd to assert that Jesus Christ consisteth of a human Body of Flesh and Bone or is finite seeing he was before all things and by him all things consist Col. 1. 17. and inconsistant both with the Eternal Glory of the Son of God which he had with the Father before the World began wherein he is glorified and his Body Glorious and Spiritual They should have said that he took upon him that Body prepared for him and not that he Jesus Christ consisteth or is made up of Flesh and Bones but at length they are made to grant to the Deity of Christ more than formerly though to their own Confutation as before And I further add Is there not a plain Contradiction between Jesus Christ consisting of Flesh and Bone human Nature and that the Lord Jesus Christ is the Eternal Word from Everlasting c. Besides after his Resurrection he said a Spirit hath not Flesh as ye see me have Luke 24. 39. now for Jesus Christ to have Flesh and Bone and for him to consist of Flesh and Bone in his Sence are two differing things for to have Flesh and Bones implies a Distinction between him the Son of God as to his Being and the Flesh and Bones which he had but to consist of Flesh and Bones implies he could not have a Being without them but that he is made up meerly of human Flesh and Bones H. G. Doth he not evidently declare to the World that it is a Contradiction and absurd to assert that Jesus Christ is God and Man subsisting in too real distinct Natures because I said he is Man and that the Divinity distinct and apart from the Humanity is not the Christ and yet also said he is God everlasting and the Son of God by Eternal Generation p. 16. Rep. 1. It is remarkable how the Man shuffles evades and useth a Subterfuge besides my Objection which was not at all against Jesus Christ being God and Man take Man as Christ is the heavenly spiritual and glorified Man being ascended up where he was before but it was against his affirming that Jesus Christ consisteth of human Flesh and Bone I distinguishing between consisting and having seeing Christ was srom Everlasting 2. And now also to say he subsists in two Natures divine and human contradicts his saying he consists of Flesh and Bones human Nature for these do not consist of two Natures the human Nature is not two Natures both human and divine as human or earthly Nature cannot be the heavenly also 3. If Christ consisteth or is made up of human Flesh and Bones and be the Christ only as so considered then how is he the Son of God by Eternal Generation even before as well as since he took upon him that Body which was prepared for him or pertook of that which the Children had to wit Flesh and Blood If the Son of God before was he not then Christ before Or was he the Son of God when he was not Christ IX The Hypostatical Union BUt H. G. instead of clearing himself in this matter he sillily yet perversly begs the Question thus Doth he not deny his human Nature and glorious hypostatical Union p. 21. This being consider'd together with his severe Conclusion against us of horrible Heresies Delusions and vile Impostures as in p. 17. shews that he has a design to render
It is a vile and wicked thing to say it is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God the great Prophet God promised to raise up 2. It is a vile Error to say it is the holy Spirit or blessed Comfortor for that Christ sâ—…ith the World could not receive Answ. H. G. should have been so ingenuous as to have cited the Quakers Books and pages first to prove these to be their Doctrines and Principles and that in their own very Words before he had so severely charged their Doctrines and Principles about the Light of Christ in every man which till he doth I must deny him to be either an impartial or true Stater of our Principles and state them in our own Words as 1st We confess that Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightens every Man with his own divine Light or Life which gradually appears in Man and shews it self by Measure but God gave not the Spirit by Measure unto Jesus Christ the great Prophet therefore we do not call every Appearance of Light the whole Christ And according to H. G's Definition of Jesus Christ as consisting of human Flesh and Bone he is not in any Man but we knowing him after the Spirit and that he is God over all he is spiritually in his Saints in Union with them and known to them and his Presence is unlimitted he was in the World and the World knew him not whose Presence enlightens Man-kind with an immediaâ—…e Light from himself which is able to reveal Christ himself as he is only peculiarly revealed in the Saints who have obeyed his Light 2. The Gift Enjoyment and indwelling of the holy Spirit as Comforter is a peculiar and glorious Manifestation of Life only received by those that obey the Measure of that spiritual and divine Light within which is freely given of God to all wherein they thaâ—… wait upon God obtain more Power and Vertue from him who giveth the holy Spirit to them that truly ask him from a Sence of its Vertue and Light within in which they are only capable of receiving the powrings forth of the holy Spirit and abundant Shedding thereof on them as those that receive the Measure of his Discovery or Appearance in them And though the rebellious World doth not receive or accept of this holy Spirit nor see his Glory as an indwelling Comforter yet some enlightning Appearances and Operations thereof do at times reach the men of the World to their Conviction and Reproof often striving with Man to perswade him out of his Sins and Iniquities And if the holy Spirit be God his Spirit is unlimitable filling Heaven and Earth c. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy Presence see Psa. 139. 7 8 9. and his Presence is to Man an enlightning Presence and Thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things therefore thou chasteneth them measurably by putting them in remembrance of the things wherein they have offended that leaving Wickedness they may believe in thee O Lord. 3. H. G. Abominable it is to say 't will cleanse from all Sin and eternally save those that obey it p. 18. Answ. The Life which is the Light of Men is both cleansing saving in the least degree of it to them that obey it and it doth not in the least deny Christ to be the Saviour to say that his Life or Light in Man is saving being divine and that by which the obedient come to know and follow Christ and thereby receive the Light of Life and Power to become the Sons of God and the Kingdom of God which Christ said is within you is compared to a little Leaven a grain of Mustard-Seed which therefore hath a seasoning and growing Vertue in it he said believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light and this Light Men ought to walk in of which it s said as yet ye have a little Light in you as some read it walk while ye have the Light and in walking in the Light the Blood of Jesus Christ is received which cleanseth from all sin 1. Were it not a vile Error for any to affirm that that Life which is the Light of Men is neither Divine nor a Saving Light of Christ or Holy Spirit in any Degree of it 2. And art not thou H. G. vile and wickedly erronious to give out such Language as This Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ that appears blasphemously to reflect upon the Light and Power within as before in calling it a Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ to cry up Light and Power within And now to refuse believing in the Light which enlightens every Man that cometh into the World for Life and Salvation p. 19 though it be the Word which is Christ that so enlightneth every Man XI His sad and impious Prayer against the Light in all which Light is proved of the same Nature or kind with the Witness in Believers H. G. GOd forbid that I should ever own their Principle of Light in all that doth so clearly tend to the racing out the grand Fundamentals of the Gospel p. 52. H. G. Contrad Praises and Hallelujah to God for ever who hath given us that Witness in our selves of which thou 〈◊〉 est p. 54 55. which Witness his Sister spake of was the Light which reproves for Sin to own and believe in the Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World p. 8. and 29. G. W. Animad See what a sad pass these men are grown to and what kind of Prayers they offer to God against his own Light and witness within and how contrary to the Gospel Spirit and Light they are H. G. Rep. G. W. belics both me and my Sister in what he saith here for the Witness she spoke of is not the Light which reproves for Sin which is in every one that cometh into the World though I confess she bids me believe in the Light that reprovâ—…s for Sin which lighteth every one that cometh into the World 〈◊〉 contrary-wise she mentioned the Words of the Apostle John 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself p. 19. To this I answer Let all moderate and impartial Readers both thy Sister and others judge whether I have belyed thee or her in this Matter And how quarelsome and peevish thou art could she intend contrary-wise or another of this Witness of God then of that Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the World Thou shouldst have asked thy Sister if she doth not own the true Light that enlightens every Man and the Witness oâ—… Word which he that believeth hath in himself to be one and the same And hast not thou confest that Christ AS the Eternal Word enlightens every Man which he that believeth hath in himself as having through the Light given received Christ the faithful and true Witness who stands at the door of Man's Heart and knocketh so as in
the true and living Knowledge of them not as if God or his Light were limitted to a Distinct or Remoteness of Place from them For then how were he either infinite or omni-present But as he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not so some are without God and know ye not how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates But you know not either Jesus Christ or his Light in you who are blaspheming against his Light that is in every Man And having taken up the diabolical Conceit of having a Christ in every Man then followeth the next notorious damnable Heresie namely That Persons are to hear this their new conceited Christ viz. The Light within and so by this mears preach down the Authority of the Scriptures and so endâ—…avour to undermine the true Gospel-Faith and Practise of Gosâ—…el Appointments Answ. 1. If it be a diabolical Conceit that Christ is in some sence or degree in every man then your own Brethren are guilty thereof whose Concession is that his divine Nature is every where but I deny your Charge it being blasphemous 2. Your calling the Light within a conceited Christ and notorious damnable Heresie that persons are to hear the Light within This containes a two-fold blasphemy both against the divine Principle of Light and Doctrine directing to it for the Life which was in the Eternal Word is that Light of Men which we affirm they ought to turn to fear and obey or else they perish and so will you if you continue in your Darkness Envy and Blasphemy against the Light within 3. You grosly bely us in accusing us with preaching down the Authority of the Scriptures underminding the Gospel Faith and appointments in our preaching up the Light within for without the minding and following the Light within Men can neither truly understand the Scriptures nor come into the fulfilling of them nor acceptably practice the Lord's Requirings or Appointments in the Gospel and new Covenant And now comes into the true Gospel-Faith but they that obey and believe in the Light as Christ commanded when he said believe in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light you theresore who term this either damnable Heresie or a conceited Christ are guilty of damnable Doctrine against Christ's Doctrine and Light within Had you been in his Dayes its probable you would have joyned with the hypocritical Jews who persecuted Christ with your Bill of Excommunication against him and his Apostles By such a Scriptureless Notion as is Harken to the Light within which Saying is not only Scriptureless but against the Scriptures or the Way of God noted in the Scriptures of Truth Answ. You have said your worst against the Light within before shewing that you do not harken to the Light of Christ within but to your own Darkness within however that you may see your Ignorance be convinc'd that to harken to obey or believe in the Light within is neither against the Scriptures nor any Scriptureless Notion as you falsly call it See Joh. 1. 4. 9. Act. 26. 18. Joh. 12. 36. Psa. 56. 13. Job 25. 3. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Isa. 2. 5. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Rev. 21. 24. 1 Joh. 2. 9 10. For when Saul who afterwards was called Paul was converted the Lord did not say harken to the Light within thee but go to Ananias c. Nor when the Angel was sent to Cornelius did he Say Harken to the Light within but send for Peter c. Nor those that enquired of the Apostles what to do the Connsel was not Harken to the Light within but Repent and be Baptized Act. 2. Answ. How grosly silly and false is your arguing Assertion which is but Mat. Caffin's old Stufflong since answer'd for was not Paul converted to the Light within when he was sent to turn others from Darkness to Light and what was that that prict him before and could either hehave a Vision of Ananias or Ananias a Vision of him as praying or could he be filled with the holy Ghost as Ananias told him without respect to the Light within How could he receive the pouring forth or Gift of the holy Ghost without regarding the Light within And what is that in the Conscience which the Preaching of the Gospel is manifest unto And did not Peter preach him and his Name to whom all the Prophets gave Witness Act. 10. 43. And was not he that Light of the Gentiles promised And did not Peter bear witness to the Light shining in a dark Place 2 Pet. 1. 19. But your councel excludes the Light and is not to harken to it and yet exhort People to repent and be Baptized it seems then they must do both these in Darkness Oh Ignorant Men how do you lead silly Women Captive blinsdold and in darkness into your water-Water-Baptism you never knew the Nature of true Repentance nor the Spirit 's Baptism through which the Mind is changed from Darkness and Sin to Light and Righteousness And when the Man that came to Christ to know what to do to Inherit eternal Life Christ did not say Harken to the Light within Mar. 10. 17. Nor when Christ sent the Gospel to be preached to all Nations he did not say that such as harkened to a Light within should be saved but he that believed and should be baptized should be saved Mar. 16. 15. 16. Answ. This Argues still your continued Darkness that is to be felt Can men believe in herit eternal Life keep the Commands of God or be saved and yet continue in Darkness as you do who shut out the Light and divert Peoples Minds from it as much as in you lyes Besides you bely both Christ and the Apostles for they preached up the Light within As for your Water-Baptism it is not the saving Baptism as you Imply contrary to divers of your Brethren's Confessions and to Peter's Testimony 1 Pet. 3. 21. But you are for believeing and being baptized but not to harken to the Light within wherefore we deny your dark and dead Faith and your Night-Dipping for you are in the dark in all you do you are out of the Righteousness of Faith which directs man to the Word that is nigh even in the Heart to obey it and do it For his not only taking that Scriptureless Liberty to go to a People that he before knew to be a people who preach down the Way of Gospel Appointments but doth now himself plead for a Light within as that which he is to be guided by and not by the Scriptures to judge whether that be Light or Darkness within him Answ. 1. Your Charge of preaching down the Way of Gospel Appointments is false yet we deny that you have a Commission from Christ to Baptize or plunge People in Water 2. To be guided by the Light within is that you still boggle at but is this Matter worthy of Excommunication the
Dignity of our Lord Jesus More particularly we have made Confession of those reigning Abominations in our own Souls and in the Churches of that light Spirit living short of the true Sight and Sense of God's Majesty in his Churches and among his Saints from whence proceeds that Vanity and Carelesnes which doth so much attend them We have bewailed that wretched worldly Spirit that plucks down the Saints from their Excellency and leaves such Blackness upon them which renders them so uncomely in the Eyes of Men. We have bewailed that Coldness and Deadness that is upon our selves and upon the Churches that Formality in holy Duties that Indifferency and that Laodicean Spirit that is fallen in upon us while we have been crying let him make Speed and hasten his Work that we may see it let the Counsel of the Lord come that we may know it and all this while we have been drawing Iniquity with Cords of Vanity having been in a great Measure as without the Sense of the Work so without the true Travil of Soul which this Work should put us into the Crown is fallen from Sion's Head by Reason of her Iniquity we have been bewailing personal Iniquity Congregational Iniquity National Iniquity Family Iniquity Closet Iniquity we have by Search found poor Sion as it were without Soundness from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot ful of Bruises and putrified Sores your own poor Souls are in Distress Heaven and Earth seem to frown Oh! come down sit in the Dust and weep bitterly before the Lord for all your Abominations you have but as it were played with God you have not trembled in his Presence you have been wanton before him having been without the Terrour of his Majesty therefore you have confessed and have delighted to word it out with the Lord Oh! how often have you mocked God It appears already how God takes it at your Hands We have begged him to save us yet this once more and truly we tremble the Hope that is in Israâ—…l lies in your putting from you that accursed Thing Oh! now if you would pursue this Worldliness this Coldness and Sloathfulness your personal Neglects your Family Neglects how doth the World as a Canker eat out your Affections to the Lord Jesus eat out your Time your Strength your Zeal while you have been asleep in the Lap of this Daâ—…ilah your Locks have been cut off and you are but as other Men whoever beholds you may say what singular thing do ye Now then lay to Heart these crying Abominations the World is too beautiful this hath bewitched you have fallen before your Enemies this Iniquity hath been apparently written upon your Fore-heads witness your Remissness in Meetings your Neglect or the poor Saints Ministers of Christ whose daily Complaints and Addresses are living Monuments of this reigning Abomination your Cruelty to Servants Children exacting all their Labours but take no Time to counsel them instruct them that are without Christ that miserable Estate wherein they are this hath made Professors Families so dry useless and unprofitable this Sin eats out all of that divine Sweetness of regenerating sanctifying Grace We have mourned in that we have had so great a hand in this Trespass in not bearing so faithful a Testimony against it in our Ministry but slavish Fear of being accounted selfish or the like hath stopt our Mouth until the Mouth of this Iniquity hath almost devoured the poor Churches of Christ That of Sloathfulness and Carelesness another reigning Evil They are Evils rooted deeply in the Heart it is hard to get them out They are Sermon-Proof and Epistle-Proof so strong that they have wrested all Weapons out of the hands of Saints and Ministers that have been formed against them Now we desire we may no longer rest in a Testimony of Words but proceed to take some effectual Course that Sin or Sinners may be purged out of the house of God in order to this we desire the Churches that they would set some day or dayes a part wherein they may bewail the Iniquities and Pollutions oâ—… Zion before the Lord also that the Ministring Brethren would without Respect of Persons bear their constant Testimony warning every one to fâ—…ee from these Abominations Another Evil we had Thought to have spread before you for want of Opportunity we shall now omit yet desire you to lay it to Heart THE Presbyter's Antidote TRYED Or Stephen Scandret with his Antidote against Quakerism Proved a PHYSICIAN of No Value AND The Truth plainly asserted and vindicated in divers Weighty Points against both the Imperfect and corrupt Work of S. S. and his Masters the Assembly of Divines so called who sat at Westminster in the long Parliament's Time and of the general Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland about their Confession of Faith which was first printed at Edenburg and after reprinted at London Anno 1651. G. W. Ye are all Physicians of no Value Job 13. 4. Printed in the Year 1673. THE Presbyter's Antidote TRYED c. CHAP. I. A Comprehensive Account concerning the Rule the Light and Scripture Explaining both â—…ur sense of the terms and S. Scandret's together with the Assemblies Confession about the Scriptures BY the word RULE we understand 1st The Power of Government and Authority to order and rule in the Sense that in the first Creation the greater Light was set to rule the Day Gen. 1. 16. or for the Rule and Order of the Day So in the new Creation the divine Light of Christ the Son of Righteousness doth govern and rule in the Order of his Everlasting Day in the Souls of the Righteous the Path of the Just being this shining Light which shineth more and more until this perfect Day 2ly So this divine Light is truly the only Rule for its being most eminent above all outward Rules and Prescriptions â—…or its Power Glory Virtue Order and Government as Rule of Life in all the Children of Light The only trying and discovering Rule for its manifesting whatsoever things are reproveable Ephes. 5. 13. whether they be Spirits Works or Words and he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made maniâ—…est that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. 3dly By only Rule An universal manifest publick Standard â—…or Truth and Righteousness in the Consciences of all People and Nations and against all Sin Wickedness and Unrighteousness and so is the S piritual and Divine Light of the Son of God in whom was Life and the Life was the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. whose Life is Supernatural Increated and Incorruptible Christ the divine Word being that true Light that inlightens every Man coming into the World vers 9. 4thly Concerning that heavenly Gift or divine Manifestation within which was the Saints Rule of Life the Apostle Paul thus speaketh 2 Cor. 10. 13. But
we will not boast of things without our Measure but according to the measure of the Rule which God hath distributed to us c. ver 15. not boasting of things without our Measure that is of other mens Labours but having Hope when your Faith is increased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly vers 16. not to boast in another Mans Line of things made ready to our hand And Philip. 3. 16. whereto ye have already attained let us walk by the same Rule let us mind the same thing Gal. 5. 15. and 16. for in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth any thing but a new Creature and as Many as walk according to this Rule Peace be on them By all which note that there was an universal divine and spiritual Rule distâ—…ibuted of God to the true Believers and new Creatures in Christ in whom stood their several Attainments and Growths and this was not other mens Lines nor the Letter wherein they were mutually enlarged nor could the Letter be this Rule for that required Circumcision what then was Paul's Rule for denying it but the Spirit of Liâ—…e the new Covenant the Immediate Dictates of the holy Ghost see Act. 15. 24 28. Heb. 8 9 10. By the Word Scriptures we understand not only Writings in general but particularly all the holy Scriptures contained in the Bible not excluding those many Writings of Prophets and Apostles which are not inserted in the Bible which contain a Plurality of Words of Truth Commands Prescriptions Precepts c. and in that Sense Rules or Directions relating to both the old and new Covenant and to divers States Occasions and Dispensations many of which are abolisht with the old Covenant which therefore cannot properly in the Singular be called the Rule or one Intire full Rule much less the only Rule with Exclusion of all others as falfe as S. S. very blasphemously doth the Chiefest and highest Rule as he unscripturally and erroneously calls them for the Spirit or Light that first gave them forth with its Immediate Illumination Motions and Directions being both before and higher then the Scriptures or Writings how true soever they be So though we confess the holy Scriptures to contain true Words Commandments Precepts Directions and so Rules yet it 's no more proper to call them the only highest Rule and Guide to Heaven and Glory as S. S. doth then to call them the only highest Word Commandment and Light which they are not We can neither call the Scriptures God nor Christ nor the Light nor the Spirit nor the Power of God but Innocently and simply as they term or call themselves owning them in the true Light given us according to the true Intent Purpose and End for which they were first given out from divine Inspiration for which none that are Ingenuous will Blame us for the Word lives forever It 's setled in Heaven It 's also to be known and felt nigh in the Heart and it is the holy and living Commandment of Power which is called Life Everlasting and this is Immediate This Word was to David a Light and Lanthorn to his Paths and therefore his only Way and Rule to Felicity Yea for its Eminency it may be truly esteemed the Word of Words the Commandment of Commandments the Rule of Rules that divine Light wherein consists the Government Rule and Order of the Everlasting Day of Salvation Glory and Life to all the Children of the Day who in order to that Attainment have obeyed and followed the Degree and Measure of this true and divine Light in its Manifestation in them The Scriptures also or Bible contain many various Passages as well Historical as Doctrinal even of the Examples of Men in the fallen State of things done in the time of Ignorance and of the Failings and Weaknesses of divers of things transacted and doâ—…e in a Time and State not sutable to that of Man in the beginning nor to that of the Gospel or new Covenant As for any Man to have divers Wives or many Concubines at once it was not so in the Beginning nor ought to be so now yet such things are recorded in Scripture of divers Therefore 't is both Gross Impious and Contradictory for any to count the whole Bible the Rule of Life and Duty without Exemption according to our Opposer p. 61. Moreover for his Asserting the Scriptures Infallibility and as so being the highest Rule * He neither puts a Limitation of what part of the Scripture or Bible he intends nor yet tells us in what Language Copy or Translation they are infallible for every Rule whether moral or artificial ought to be infallible otherwise 't is nâ—… Rule but therein lyes obscure under Ambiguities Howbeit we may suppose he means according to his Masters the Assembly of pretended Divines Confes. Chap. 1. where having declared that the holy Scriptures are given by Inspiration of God to be the Rule of Faith and Life they add Artic. 8. The old Testament in Hebrew which was the Native Language of the People of God of old and the new Testament in Greek which at the time of the writing of it was most generally known to the Nations being immediately Inspired by God and by his singular Care and Providence kept pure in all Ages are therefore Authentical so as in all Controversies of Religion the Church is finally to appeal to them thus far the Assembly From hence it follows that when Steph. Scandret and these his Masters tell us that the Scriptures are the chief and highest Rule the only Infallible Rule to Heaven and Glory or the Rule of Faith and Life and to decide Controversies we are to understand it is as they are in Hebrew and Greek and as in the first Copies as given by Divine Inspiration by which these men still lead people in the dark and in Doubtfulness at a Distance from Life and Glory and Ignorant of the Rule and Way thereto implying this Difficulty that they must first learn Hebrew and Greek and be ascertained of the truth of the Copies as concurring with the first And this must be from their own knowledge not from the Priests Interpretations and various Meanings and yet the Assembly and S. S. still fall short of clearing the matter of the Greek not resolving which is the true infallible Copy there being divers Greek Lections or Copies of the new Testament But further if they could produce or evince the first Copy or that which most agrees with it while they prefer the Writing as the chief or only Rule of Faith and Life they leave people in Darkness and Death in not referring them to the Inward Divine Light or Inspiration of the Almighty as the chief and only Rule which gave forth the holy Scriptures and without which they cannot be truly understood in any Language Moreover concerning the Hebrew W. Tindal of whose Translation we have one ancient English Bible without Verses in
from the Life and Work of God in us And is not this our Love or such Conformity inherent in us as we dwell in God and God in us 6thly What the Law saith it is to those that are under the Law but we true Believers are not under the Law but under Grace and shall we Sin because we are no more under the Law but under Grace God forbid for how can we that are dead unto Sin live any longer therein But whereas this Opposer's main Charge is You have not from the beginning of life to the end perfectly obeyed the Law or been invested with a sinless Righteousness Perfection c. This is not stated according to his own Doctrine and Principle which concludes that there is no such Perfection attainable in this Life either in the beginning middle or end of Life so that according to his own Doctrine he should have stated it thus and it may justly be charged upon these Sin-Pleasers viz. You have lived in Sin and Disobedience all your Life long and have preached to others that perfect Freedom from Sin and Corruption is not attainable in this Life by any either in the beginning or end of Life but have preached many into more Loosness Liberty of Sinning by telling them that 't is God's good Pleasure not to remove the being of Sin in this Life but to suffer Corruptions to remain in his Saints to keep them humble so no part of your Life is pure or clean but corrupt sinful What have you to plead or say for yoâ—…r selves why Sentence of Damnation â—…hould not pass upon you The Sin-pleasiâ—…g Presbyter plâ—…ads viz. Christ's holy Life and Suffering is our only Defence or Apology against this Charge p. 9â—… Though I am Guilty yet Sâ—…tisfication hath been made for that Guilt because therefore the same Fault cannot bâ—… twice 〈◊〉 after Satisfaction t is as if it never were This is the only way of Defence we have at God's Tribunal p. 90. Christ s Sufferings are they for which God will Justifie us they have fully satisfied Justice for our Sins We may be confident they will secure us from Condemnation it being agaiâ—…st Justice to punish those Sinners a second time that hâ—…ve been punished to the full already p. 106. To all which it may be justly replyed and reflected upon you who are thus pleading and makiâ—…g your Apology in your Siâ—…s unholy Life This will not cover nor excuse you in your Sins if you live and dye in Sin your Mouths will be stopt you will not be able to plead Christ's holy Life and Sufferings to rescâ—… you from Condemnation except you Repent ye shall all likewise perish What Influence or Effect hath Christ s holy Life or Sâ—…fferings upon you only you proâ—…ess and plead them So it may be said Christ was ever Holy but you were never holy Christ was a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God which neither your Life nor Actions seem any thing of but contrary wise are a bâ—…d Savour to him Christ was an holy and perfect Example which you never followed noâ—… ever intend to follow so long as you live for you do not believe it is attainable Christ came to condemn Sin in the Flesh which you keep alive and plead for in your Flesh as long as you live Christ also came to fulfil the Righteousness of the Law in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit but you do not own nor believe its-Fulfilling to be in your Persons but only in Christ's Person Christ's Blood was not only for Râ—…mission of Sins past but is to cleanse from all Sin to purge the Conscience sanctify c. This you reject and in your Sins and defiled Conâ—…iences trample the Blood of the Covenant under Foor and add to the Sufferings of Christ and the Sin of his Persecutors by adding Sin unto Sin and so grieving his Spirit all your dayes and pleading his Holy Life for your Defence therein and so the Guilt of his Blood will be charged upon you in the day of Judgment if you repent not And surther you 〈◊〉 charge divine Justice with punishing your Sins to the â—…ull in Christ or punishing him that was ever Innocâ—… to the full sor your Sins so that you count it against Justice to punish your Sins again iâ—… you though you live and dye in them and yet you think it an excellent piece of Justice to punish the Innocent to the full for the Guilty But your Mistake herein is gâ—…oss as will further appear and you will not be acquitted nor clear'd hereby This will not prove you invested with Christ's everlasting Righteousness nor will this cover your own Filthy Rags or hide your Shame Aâ—…d while you think that you are secured in your Sins from the Stroke of Justice as having been fully executed and that by way of Revenge upon the Innocent Son of God in punishing your Sins to the full upon him I say while vou state this as the Nature of the Satisfaction by Christ's Suffering in your stead the whole World may as well acquit it self from Punishment thereby as you for he dyed for all and is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World and therefore if this must be lookt upon as the full Punishment of Sin laid upon Christ and that the Sin cannot be twice punished after such Satisfaction this may make a merry World in Sin once punisht to the full in Christ never to be punished again upon the Offender which the Law directly takes hold of Oh Sinner's soothing Doctrine to make the wicked World rejoyce in a Sinful State and say Oh Admirable Justice that was pleased thus to Revenge thy self upon an Innocent Man that never sinned to punish our Sin to the full upon him O transcendent Mercy that hast found out this expedient that we might be fully acquitted pardoned and discharged from the Penalty that is Just and due to us for all our Sins past present and to come Oh! what Glad Tidings are these to the Hypocrites and Drunkards c. And how merry they are apt to be in their Sins upon their Ministers Proclaiming such an Act of Indemnity of all Offences and Injuries past present and to come not only against their Neighbours but against God himself But if it be objected That without Sound Faith which is a working Faith men have not an Interest in Christ's Obedience Righteousness or Satisfaction nor are we Invested with any thing for which God should pronounce us Righteous c. p. 93. 94. From hence it follows then that if they remain in Unbelief they have no Interest in Christ's Righteousness or Satisfaction and then the Consequence is Christ did not make Satisfaction in our stead nor was punished for the Sin of Unbelief nor for the Effects of Unbelief to acquit us therein for what Sins then was he punished to the full But above all it appears wonderful strange that God could not
Debtor in Prison if his Debts be all paid by the Surety or to suffeâ—… the Surety to wait long soliciting or interceeding for his Pardon or Deliverance Q. 3. Doth not your Doctrine of such Rigid or Severe Satisfaction oppose Christ's Intercession Howbeit we still confess the Man Christ was greatly acceptable and most eminently satisfactory considered as a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God and as the first Fruits Quest. 13. What did the Blood of Christ that was shed bespeak and what is our Sense of Christ's Blood and for what End owned Ans. 1st It did bespeak Remission of Sin past to all that truly repent and believe in him 2dly Our Sense of the Blood of Christ is a living and spiritual Sense of the Virtue and Efficacy of it as through it we receive Redemption even the Forgiveness of Sins 3dly We really own and confess to the Blood of Christ both in the History and in the Mystery as most significant to express his Life which he gave a Ransom and the Value of the one Offering we do in the sight of God confess and own the Blood of Christ both as shed for us and as sprinkling and purging our Consciences from dead Works And this We are come to know by his Light shining in our Hearts which as we walk in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all Sin 1 Joh. 1. 7. Heb. 9. 14. To come to the Blood of Sprinkling which speaketh better things then that of Abel is an Attainment and Mystery only obtained by true Believers in and through his divine Light and Eternal Spirit by which Christ offered himself without Spot to God and by One Offering God hath perfected sorever them that are sanctified whereof the holy Ghost is a Witness to us Heb. 10. 14 15. For if a Literal Knowledge and Application of the Blood could either Sanctifie or Justifie without having the Conscience sprinkled with it then how could it be as the AntiType answering and ending the Type or Pattern under the Law where all the People were sprinkled with the Blood of the Offerings see Heb. 9. and 10. Chap. And the Leaper was cleansed by seven times sprinkling upon hâ—…m the Blood of the Bird that was killed Lev. 14. 6 7. but the Blood of Christ which sprinkles and purgeth the Conscience far excels all those under the Law and therefore as it redeems from the vain Conversation 't is called the Pretious Blood of Christ as opposed to and beyond all Corruptible things 1 Pâ—…t 1. 18 19. Thus in the Blood of Christ there is a Mystery and a spiritual Consideration and Application absolutely necessary beyond the Historical Profession and Faith thereof as well as in the Cross c. as Christ said Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no Life in you Joh. 6. It is the Spirit that quickneth c. The holy Ghost is Witness to us of the Virtue and blessed Effect of the One Offering Blessed be the Name of the Lord our God forever who by his divine Light hath opened our Understandings in the Mystery of Christ Jesus and the saving Knowledge of him which is after the Spirit All these Scriptures relating to Christ's Sufferings as Isaiah 53. Zach. 13. 17. Rom. 8. 32. Phil. 28. 2 Cor. 5. 14 15 21. Gal. 3. 13. and 4. 5. Heb. 2. 9. do all intimate God's great Kindness and Condescension in Christ Jesus and his Humiliation and deep Suffering under the Weight and Burthen oâ—… Sin and as by the Grace of God he tasted Death for every Man all which fall greatly short of proving our Adversary's â—…harge against him viz. That God poured down his Wrath or Revenge upon his Innocent Son for Satisfaction to divine Justice in Man's stead that had done the Injury I say all the Scriptures alleged by them can never prove this but rather 1. That Christ's Sufferings were of another kind both as he was delivered up by the Father in his Patience to suffer and bear the Burthen Sorrows and inward Griefs by reason of man's Sin for which his Soul also was made an Offering 2. And as the Reproaches Suffering and Death of the Cross that he sustained from the Wicked Murtherers were temporal or had an End and not as infinite Wrath and Revenge from God due to wicked Men. 3. Yet Christ was rendred a Curse and as made to be Sin This he could not properly be a in his own being for Sin and a Curse in this abstract Sense couldnot strictly relate to his pure and sinless being but so made or reputed with respect to his bearing the Reproach and Sin of many the outward Punishment Crucifying Death and Blood-sheding And all that was in him which in any sense might be said to Suffer was offered and given for the Advantage and Good of Mankind and that which he so gave and offered was called his Life Himself a Ransom and all some times in Scripture comprehended and expressed under the Phrase The Blood the pretious Blood of Christ that redeems from the vain Conversation purgeth the Conscience c. and even the outward part of his Suffering most Innocent Example his Cross Death Blood of his Cross his reviving again were so far from yielding either an Indulgence or justification to men as in Sin and Disobedience that they did very eminently preach and openly proclaim to Mankind both the Condemnation of Sin in the Flesh Repentance Mortification Remission and Man's reviving again to real Righteousness and Justification therein and all to be experienced through Faith in the Name and Power of Jesus Christ the Son of the living God in sending of whom the Father's Love was manifest that we might live through him And as Christ's Travil of Soul was inward and so his Suffering inward as well as outward what is more obvious to the spiritual Eye and Mind then that his Travil and Sufferings and his holy Design therein were to have an inward Effect and inwardly to be fulfilled by his Word and Power even in them who receive and believe in the same as that Instance of the holy Evangelist is very plain and pertinent where 't is said They brought unto him many that were possessed with Divels and he Cast out the Spirits with his Word and healed all that were Sick that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the Prophet saying Himself took our Infirmities and bare our Sicknesses see Maâ—… 8. 17. Isaiah 53. 4. And moreover as to Christ's being the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World This taking away the Sins was not only fulfilled by that general Expiation or purging which he made by Way of Sacrifice but also inwardly by his real Cleansing purging the Conscieâ—…ce and purifying the Soul from the Nature and Being of Sin And God's Reconciling us by the Death of his Son whose putting away Sin is said to be by the Sacrifice of
Pardon or pronounce Man Just upon the account of an Inhâ—…rent Righteousness Sanctity or Reformation wrought by the Spirit without Satisfaction to vindictive Justice for Sins past seeing those who are the most inherently Holy have not perfectly obeyed God s Law from the Beginning of Life to the End Answ. 1. Both God's Justice Truth and Mercy have a share in Man's Reformation and Restoration to himself and it is in his uâ—…iversal Love in Christ Jesus to Mankind that he makes knowâ—… his Truth that makes free and the Grace and Truth concurring in Man's Conversion and Restoration and so in making him a New Creature it must needs be consistent with God's Truth to Pardon and pronounce Man Just as he becomes and is God's own Workmanship in whom he beholds his own Image renewed for he blessed the Works of his Hands and still blesseth them 2dly Without such a Satisfaction he doth pardon c. And yet Justice and Truth are not violated nor destroyed but have their place and share in Man's Reformation both in God's Judging Reproving and Correcting Man for Sin Coâ—…demning Crucifying and Slaying the Transgresfing Earthly Nature and Birth and Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it He came to condemn Sin in the Flesh and to Save Man that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit The Law forbids Adultery Christ forbids and removes the Evil Lusts and Desires which are the Ground of it The Law forbids Covetousness Christ removes It The Law forbids Murther Christ forbids Envy 3dly But from the Beginning of Life to the End who can say he hath perfect Righteousness inherent in him Answ. He that is born of God the New Creature to whom Christ is made Righteousness and who being God's Workmanship is made the Righteousness of God in Christ Jesus He that is attained to this New Creature 's State hath crucified and put off the Old Man with his Deeds whom the Law 〈◊〉 that hath been the Offender and Sinner from the Beginning of Life to the End as The new Birth and new Creâ—…ture in Christ hath No Guile in his Spirit but is alwaies inwardly Righteous from the Beginning of Life And that â—…or this End God is pleased in his Son to shew forth his Forâ—…earance and Favour to Mankind and for a time to suspend the â—…evere Execution of his Law as not to execute Judgment â—…peedily but in giving Man Grace and Space to Repent be Converted and Renewed in Righteousness This answers the 〈◊〉 of his sending his Son into the World to be both a Saâ—…ice and a Saviour So his Forbearance or Suspension of the â—…verity oâ—… the Law for Christ's sake can be no making void 〈◊〉 Law Justice or Truth which Christ came to fulfil and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Difference between the Terms or Tenour of our Opposers Gospel and ours I. AS to the Sense or Substance of our Opposers the Predestinarians according to their Traditional Faith partial harsh Opinions repugnant to God's universal Grace and Love in Christ Jesus to Mankind their Gospel runs on this wise or in such Terms as these viz. We tender Grace and Salvation to all but believe it is only free for a few Elect Persons for whom only Christ dyed Therefore believe you are Elect Persons and that Christ dyed for you apply his Blood and Merits and you shall be saved though you be Sinners all your Dayes Believe that you are Justified by Christ's Death and Sufferings only though you have nothing but Matter of Condemnation in you believe that you are Imputatively Righteous by Christ's Sufferings and Righteousness without you only and in Comparison thereof do you abhor all Sanctification in you or inherent Righteousness wrought in you by the Spirit Believe that it is God's good Pleasure Sin should be in you all your Dayes to keep you humble and that Christ hath satisfied for all your Sins past present and to come Believe that God hath poured out all his Wrath upon his Son Jesus Christ and punisht your Sin to the full in him to satisfie Justice for your Injury done him Therefore there remains no more Wrath behind for you being Elect and Justified Persons Though you commit Sin as did David and have Corruption remaining in you all your Dayes and and daily Sin in your best Duties and have Sin mixt with your Graces your Salvation is eternally secured for you as Persons whom God has had in his Eye to save you need not fear any final Fall or falling away from Grace once in Christ and ever in Christ. Thus far Presbyterians II. The Sense and Terms of our Gospel according to what follows From the Sence and Experience we have of God's free Love and Grace in Jesus Christ to all Mankind We preach in the Spirit of the Gospel The Instructions and Conditions thereof are on this wise viz. Be converted that your Sins may be blotted out Turn ye from Darkness and Sin to the true Light that shews It and reproves Evil And so turn from Satan's Power to God and receive the Remissions of Sins Believe in the Light that ye may become the Children of Light Labour to make your Calling and Election sure If ye walk in the Light the Blood of Christ cleanseth from all Sin If ye be Crucified Dye and Suffer with Christ ye shall Live and Reign with him Believe and Obey the Gospel and be saved Christ Jesus is the Author of Eternal Salvation unto all them that obey him Confess and forsake Sin and ye shall finde Mercy Depart from Evil and do Good and dwell forevermore Wash you make you Clean put away the Evil of your Doings c. Except a Man be born again he cannot enter in the Kingdom c. If I do not wash thee saith Christ thou hast no part with me And to them in whose Hearts the Work is begun Look diligently to your Standing lest any of you fall from the Grace of God Abide in his 〈◊〉 that you may not fall into the hand of Severity To Unbelievers and Rebellious If ye believe not in Christ you shall dye in your Sins and where He is ye cannot come The Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness and his Wrath abides upon them that do not Believe nor Obey his Son Thus far Quakers so called Now serious Reader judge which of these whether the Presbyterians or the Quakers Doctrine tends to stir up and excite People to Righteousness to true Fear and Watchfulness And whether the Presbyterians doth not tend to beget People into a Self-Confidence and false Liberty in Sin upon a partial Opinion and Conceit But the Quakers Desire Aim and End is To turn People from Darkness to the true Light and to true Fear Diligence and Faithfulness to God CHAP. V. Concerning ELECTION and REPROBATION THE CONTENTS A brief Introduction
Wicked who are Rebellious against him and reject his Grace by rebelling against his gracious Light and Spirit in them And also it was said unto Esau as 〈◊〉 the Wicked of his Posterity or the earthly Edonites and carnal envious Persecutors Shall I not saith the Lord even destroy the wise Men out of Edom and the Understanding out of the Mount of Esau Obed. 8. That every one of the Mount of Esau may be cut off ver 9. For the Violâ—…ce against thy Brother Jacob Shame shall cover thee and thou shalt be cut off forever ver 10. Thou shouldst not have looked on the Day of thy Brother c. neither shouldst thou have spoken proudly in the Day of Distress See ver 12 13 14. to the End Are not here plain Causes shâ—…wn why God hated Esau Arg. 6. God knows his Elect from others and this not only after but before they are called 2 Tim. 2. 19. The Foundation of God standeth sure The Lord knoweth who are his Joh. 13. 18. I know whom I have chosen Joh. 10. 14. I am the good Shepherd I know my Sheep ver 16. Other Sheep I have that are not of this Fold them also I must bring and they shall hear my Voice Therefore are they particular Persons These and not others that the Lord hath chosen Joh. 6. 37. All that the Father giveth me shall come to me Answ. This Argument signifies nothing at all sor his Purpose nor would it help him one whit if it were all granted for who questions God's Omnisciency God knows all alike considered meerly as Persons but in a near peculiar Relation to himself he knows his Elect he knows who are his Christ knows them both Men and Women whom he hath chosen out of the World and he saith I am the good Shepherd and know my Sheep and am known of mine Joh. 10. 16. But these latter Words and I am known of mine S. S. is pleased to leave out and quietly to pass by for that Christ is known of his Elect his Sheep but surely he could not be known of them before they were born or had a Being and as for those other Sheep which are not of this Fold which Christ foretold the Gathering or bringing home of they were such as had a Remainder of Innocency in whom Jacob was not wholy destroyed through Rebellion and Wickedness but such as had been seeking Rest where they could not find it but when the Truth and Way of Life came to be manifest to them they were ready to receive and comply with it and hear the good Shepherd's Voice and obey him There were such lost Sheep both among Jews and Gentiles who when the good Shepherd appeared were so well disposed as willing and ready to come to him receive and follow him and obey his Voice which were distinguished from the Murtherers of the Just one in themselves who were Wolves and Persecutors of Christ his Witnesses as he the good Shepherd was distinguished from the Hireling that fleeth Joh. 10. 13 14. And they that come to Christ out of a true Hunger and Desire after him as the Bread of Life are those whom the Father hath given to him who come to him in that which is given to him of which he looseth nothing but will raise it up at the last Day Joh. 6. 37 39. And they whom the Father giveth to the Son are given in a true Desire Willingness and Love in themselves to the Truth to follow obey Christ the Father's Drawings not being resisted by them but having an Influence and Prevalency with them and upon their Spirits for that End as he said Every man that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh unto me Joh. 6. 45. so the Father's Teaching or Instruction was the Way of his drawing to the Son and this was not a Forceing them whether they will'd or nill'd to the Son but a gentle Perswading them to hear and learn of God in his Light that thereby they might come and in a sence of his Love therein be given to the Son Arg. 7. This appears from the very Nature of Election for sect 5 where all are taken or all are left there can be no Election Answ. Election rightly considered and truly stated according to Scripture I never questioned the Nature of which as is by this Opposer implied here is a being chosen out of or from imong and so the Elect or true Believers are chosen out of the World from among Men chosen out of Kindreds Nations and People as the Royal Offspring and Priesthood of Christ But what proves this of a Personal Election and Reprobation particularly decreed and designed from all Eternity But still the quite contrary far from the Nature of Election or chusing a Church or People out of the World or from among Men and that through the Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of that Truth it follows that they were first in the World in the Unbelief and scattered among Men and People before this Act of Election or chusing out was fulfilled in them He hath chosen us that we should be Holy and wâ—…thout Blame that we might partake of Salvation by Jesus Christ Ephes. 14. 1 Thes. 5. 9. and those thus choâ—…en for this end were the Saints the Faithful in Christ Jesus Ephes. 1. 1. who first trusted in Christ ver 12. who alter they believed were sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise ver 13. their Faith was in the Lord Jesus and Love unto all Saiâ—…ts ver 15. who believed according to the working of his mighty Power ver 19. Aâ—…d that thâ—… Estaâ—…e might be attained Faith is offered to all the Power of Believing is given in the free Grace and Giâ—…t of God's eternal Spirit and universal Light of his Son It beiâ—…g the World's Sin that they do not believe in Christ of which the Spirit reproves them sor which they would not be chargeable or reproved if he had not afforded them Light and Power sufficient â—…or them to believe and obey Christ. S. S. Jacob have I Loved and Esau have I hated Though these last Worâ—…s were spoken when Esau's Posterity was the Border of Wickedness Mal. 1. yet what ever G. W. saith were they spoken to 〈◊〉 the free Choice that God long before had made os Jacob and his 〈◊〉 pag. 112. Answ. As he intends Jacob after the Flesh and so his Seed who was called by the Name of Israel this is still grounded upon his Mistake and doth not at all make for his Opinion but against him For though I grant a free Love to and Choice of Israel so of the Seed of Jacob as a peculiar People yet this did not secure them as to their eternal States without their Perseverance in the Way of God Neither was the Seed of Jacob as after the Flesh under an absolute Decree of Election to Eternal Life that being known only in the Seed after the Spirit for the contrary was and is manifest
in them that did back-slide and rebel against the Spirit of God and became Persecutors of the holy Prophets and fell into gross Evils many to their Destruction which caused the Prophets often to complain against them and Severity from God to come upon them that fell On them that fell Severity but on thee Goodness if thou abide in his Goodness Rom. 11. And it is said The Lord was Wrath So a Fire was kindled against Jacob and Anger came up against Israel Psal. 78. 21. Who gave Jacob to the Spoil and Israel to the Robbers Did not the Lord against whom they had sinned For they would not walk in his Wayes neither were they Obedient unto his Law Isa. 42. 24. and Chap. 43. 22. But thou hast not called upon me O Jacob but thou hast been weary of me O Israel thou hast made me to serve with thy Sins thou hast wearied me with thine Iniquities ver 24. Thy first Father hath sinned and thy Teachers have transgressed against me ver 27. I have given Jacob to the Curse and Israel to Reproaches ver 28. Was Israel or Jacob's Seed then after the Flesh eternally Elected and Loved Was not his saying I have loved Jacob intended to reprove the Ingratitude and Unfaithfulness of those his Posterity Mal. 1. 2. I have loved you saith the Lord yet ye say wherein hast thou loved us c. ver 6. O Priests that despise my Name c. ver 7. Ye offer polluted Bread upon mine Altar c. Thus those of Jacob or Israel after the Flesh both Priests and People were reproved sor their Abuse of God's Love and Kindness and can any People now be said to be so absolutely chosen to Salvation meerly because God doth shew Love to them when now his Love in his Son is universally extended to the World God so loved the World c. Joh. 3. Did he theresore decree the whole World to be saved See the Narrowness of the said Opinion of a Personal Election and Reprobation from all Eternity and that impertinent Allegation of God's sree Choice of Jacob and his Seed as it is intended to sute that Proposition how false it is But further the Apostle explains who are truly in the Election of the Seed of Promise and who are the true aâ—…d spiritual Israel and so in the Election which obtains See Rom. 9. 6. They are not all Israel which are of Israel ver 7. neither because they are the Seed of Abraham are they all Chilâ—…ren but in Isaac shall thy Seed be called ver 8. That iâ—… They which are the Children of the Flesh these are not the 〈◊〉 of God but the Children of the Promise are counted â—…or the Seed see also Gal. 4. 28 29. For Illustration whereoâ—… the Apostle alludes to those Instances of Jacob and Esau Rom. 9. 10 11 12. who were instanced as Figures of the two opposite Seeds the two contrary Births two differing People and Nations as the Earthly and the Heavenly the Natural and the Spiritual Seed and Birth are contrary in the very Nature and Ground and so are the Generations of each as namely those in the first Adam and those in the second those after the Flesh and those after the Spirit And so the Righteous and the Wicked how contrary are they boâ—…h in Nature and Spirit yet not simply as Creatures or Persons but as influenced with contrary Priâ—…ciples Spirits Powers which bring forth their own coâ—…trary Seeds Bâ—…rths and Images in Men and Women Now whereas it is saâ—…d being noâ—… yâ—…t born neither having done Good or Evil. that the Purpose of God according to Election might stand not of Works but of him that calleth it was said unto Rebecca The Elder all serve the Younger or the Greater hall serve the Lesser Note that this cannot oe aâ—…y 〈◊〉 of any 〈◊〉 or eternal Election and Reprobation of Jâ—…cob aâ—…d Esau's Persons for what Service need Jacob in Heaven srom Esau in Hell or what Service could Esau in Hell do Jacob in Heaven Howbeit the Purpose of God according to Election stands sure originally in the Elâ—…ct Sâ—…ed and so not of Works Esau was a Worker and so the first Birth would of it self be a Willing Running and Working for Liâ—…e eternal which can be no Procurement of God's Purpose thereof But a Seed is freely given of God to Mankind and Power to bring forth Righteousness and the living Works as Effects of Grace and God freely calls Men thereto out of his free Grace and Love to all By grace are ye savâ—…d through Faith and that not of your selves it is the Gift of God not of Works lest any Man should boast for we are his Workmanship created in Christ Jesus unto good Works mark this which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. And Note That this saving Grace hath appeared unto all Men Titus 2. 11. It is not limited or bound up to that Narrowness as the particular Electioners Opinion would bind it as only to a particular designed small Number of Persons from Eternity with an eternal Exclusion of all the World beside to everlasting Damnation without Remedy which is a most partial and cruel Doctrine ecclipsing the Glory and Soveraignity of God which is most manifest in shewing Mercy rather then meer partial Severity on his poor Creatures Whereas S. S. teacheth that the making this Vessel to Honour that to Dishonour is God's creating such a Person with a sect 6 Resolution to recover him out of his fallen State by Saving Grace such a Person with an Intention to leave and never recover him out of his fallen State by renewing Grace c. p. 112 113. Answ. The Man runs still upon his first Mistake placing such a partial Resolution and Intention upon God towards his Creatures or particular Persons in creating them as absolutely to recover one and leave the other in the Fall and why then doth this Man or his Brethren preach and tender Salvation upon Terms to all Sorts They cloak this partial Reserve with general Tenders of Good imagining God to be as partial in his Intentions and both as slighty and Contradictory in his Call and Proffers as themselves as if he should call all to Repentance and Life and yet to have created them with Intention to leave the Greater Part in the Fall for Eternal Death or rather to have from Eternity reprobated them or as his Masters of the Assembly say He hath before ordained them to everlasting Death the Contradiction of which Doctrines both to God's universal Love Grace and Call as also to themselves how manifest is it That he should from Eternity ordain them for Reprobation whom in due time he gives Light unto and calls to Repentance how plainly inconsistent are these and contradictory One while to say he hath reprobated them another while he passeth by them One while he hath before ordained them to everlasting Death another while he creates them
of Condemnation both to Angels and Men to be their Sin in forsaking the Lord and living Ungodly But whereas S. S. renders God's fore-knowledge of all his Works as the Reason or Proof That he from eternity decreed particular Angels and Men for Destruction which appears Contradictory to his Masters of the Assemblies confessing viz. That God hath not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future Confess Chap. 3 This Proof is as impertinent as the rest of his shallow Arguments for his fore-Knowledge being infinite it is no Proof that he hath absolutely decreed or ordained all things that come to pass because he foresaw all for he hath not ordained that Men should live in Sin though he hath designed their Punishment who do so live yet known unto the Lord are all his Work 's both those of his Creation which he wrought according to his absolute Pleasure both in Heaven and in Earth and in the Sea c. Psal. 135. 6. and Man was not capable of resisting his Maker in forming of him he was as the Clay in his Hand as also the Lord foreknew his work of Sanctification and saving of man from Sin and Death but this is not effected without a Subjection to his Will and a Compliance with his Spirit and Power in his Work within They are not Partakers of Salvation from Sin who wilfully gain-say the Truth resist the holy Ghost and act Despite against the Spirit of Grace But further I find S. S. so uncertain in the Management of his partial Proposition for a personal Election and Reprobation that he is made sometimes to grant and confess to Truth to his own absolute Confutation and the Break neck of his graceless Cause As by his Confessing That God hath no Pleasure in the Death of him that dieth considered barely as his Creature for he is willing to receive to Mercy every returning Sinner yet if a Person perseveres in Wickedness as such God will laugh at his Calamity c. Thus far S. S. From whence it follows 1st That God did not from Eternity decree the Damnation of particular Persons contrary to his declared Pleasure 2dly That persevering in Wickedness is the Cause of Men's Calamity 3dly Aâ—…d their Perversness and Obstinacy in rejecting Wisdom's Reproof and Counsel the Cause that God will laugh at their Calamity and mock when their Fear cometh Now the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation as universally sect 11 and equally laid down in the Scriptures of Truth and as accordingly by us asserted for that there can be no Repugnancy either in God's Actions or in his Will whether secret or revealed as some vainly imagin cannot be inconsistent with God's Prohibitions Eat not of the Tree of Knowledge His conditional Promises If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted If you Seek the Lord he will be found of you Whosoever believeth shall not perish shall not abide in Darkness His conditional Threats If thy Heart turn away thou shalt Perish If ye for sake him he will for sake you His sending his Son into the World not to Condemn the World He should have added Christ's Dying for all Men tasting death for every Man his giving his Spirit to instruct them His Setting Life and Death before them in the Promises and in the Threats or giving Men up to their Lusts for Sin This cannot be inconsistent with God's Election or Choice of true Believers and Obedient nor with his rejecting the Rebellious unto Reprobation for they evince the Truth thereof But the Presbyters partial Doctrine of Election and Reprobation of particular Persons and certain definite number of Men and Angels and their most grosly Asserting that God from all Eternity did freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass This is both inconsistent with those and such his Prohibitions conditional Promises and Threats His sending his Son not to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved his dying for all Men his giving his good Spirit to the Disobedient to instruct them his setting Life and Death before them to chuse Life or perish Deut. 30. 15. to the end but Alas if from Eternity God had reprobated them or absolutely ordained and designed their Damnation and Curse how should they Chuse Life or Blessing Or if particularly unchangeably ordained to Life and Salvation from all Eternity Could there be any such Danger of their perishing or that they should thus need to be threatned with Cursing and Perishing if their Heart turned away from the Lord For had they been unchangeably designed of God for the one End whether Life or Death were it not very inconsistent to propose both conditionally to them as namely to exhort them to chuse Life or if they refused to threaten them with perishing c. do not you partial-minded Presbyters and Calvinists by such kind of Preaching and Propositions so contrary to your partial Principle most grosly dissemble with People and mock them contrary to your own Belief whenas Moses the Prophets and Apostles in such like Conditional Promises and Threats believed what they spoak they believed and therefore spoak from the Spirit of God which cannot lie nor dissemble If you say God hath decreed particular Persons Salvation by such Warnings you thereby tell us that he hath decreed it by Threatning them with Damnation and thereby you affix your non-sense incongruous Doctrine upon God rather then you will confess your own nonsensical Contradiction therein which runs thus That God hath from all Eternity unchangeably designed some Persons eternal Salvation and yet that he warns and threatens the same Persons with eternal Damnation or Perdition if they refuse Life or to â—…earken to him and obey him or if their Hearts turn away from him pray mark how inconsistent and contradictory this is like as to say It is unchangeably designed of God that you must live for ever yet take heed you do not dye eternally And to S. S. his adding All these are subservient to the Soveraign Design of God's Decrees The Magnifying his Mercy and Grace in the Salvation of all the Elect his Justice or Wrath in the Reprobates c. pag. 115. Ans. If by the Words All these as we may take him he intends according to the Assembly's Confession That God from all Eternity did most freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass then it may be understood that all these things those Conditions or States both Good and Bad which he mentions before are subservient to the soveraign Design of God's Decrees as he words it But if by all these he intends all these conditional Promises and Threats are so subservient as I think he doth then God's Decrees of Men Salvation or Damnation are also conditional accordingly as first If you seek the Lord he will be found of you and then as all are called to seek the Lord he hath also given Liberty and a Capacity to all to seek him that they may
find him this I grant to be according to his good Will and subservient to his Decree as his sending his Son into the World not to condemn the World but that the World through him be saved for he verily was fore-ordained before the Foundation of the World 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. But then I deny that God hath either decreed or ordained that men's Hearts should turn away from him or that they shall forsake him or love Darkness rather then the true Light which is come into the World whereby many cause their own Condemnation How dare any say or think that all these are subservient to the soveraign Design of Gods Decrees as they must who say that he has unchangeably decreed whatsoever comes to pass which renders him to be the Author of those and such Sins and Abuses against himself and his Love and that in order to serve his own Decree which is very blasphemous against God who hath testified otherwise as namely Thy Destruction is of thy self but in me thine Help saith the Lord Hoseah 13. 9. and why will ye die O house of Israel c. God is not the Author of Sin nor willing that any should perish therein he doth actually damn none but the finally â—…mpenitent as is plainly confessed So thus his Decree Justly stands against the finally Impenitent therefore do not continue in your Impenitency that you may not incurr final Damnation God is neither Partial nor Cruel in decreeing to deny saving Grace sect 12 to some whilst he decrees to give it to others p. 115. Answ. That God doth so decree is but Petitio Principii and sufficiently confuted in the whole Tenor of this Discourse and let the Ingenious Reader Judge whether this doth not render him both Partial and Cruel to conclude he hath unalterably decreed to damn some and to deny them saving Grace but decreed to give it to others who were by Nature Children of Wrath as well as the rest and yet all God's Creatures and Workmanship as Man and Woman both the saved and the damned are all inevitably brought into the World This partial Doctrine of God's eternally decreeing to save some and to damn the rest who by Nature are rendered as all a like is enough to make many despair and curse God that ever they had a Being and to destroy themselves as many have donc upon this Principle as by Satan's seconding it by perswading them That God hath decreed to deny them saving Grace on purpose to damn them forever which is â—…o small Reflection upon God and the Glory of his Soveraignity and Grace and tends more then a little to ecclipse the Glory of his divine Justice to render it so vindictive and cruel as not in the first place to regard his own Workmanship in general to wit Mankind but to decree eternal Vengeance for the greatest part thereof without affording them the least Degree of saving Grace to help them out of the sallen Estate Oh What a cruel dark Spirit is that in Electioners that thus reflects uâ—…on a most gratious and Merciful God who delighteth in Mercy and not in Destruction Neither is his divine Justice so Inconsistent with himself and his gracious divine Nature as not to respect poor lost Man and Woman in general or as not to allow Grace and Light sufficient for the Help Salvation of Mankind in general seeing that his being a Savour is not inconsistent with his â—…vine Justice for he said I am a Just God and a Saviour there is none besides me Isa. 45. 21 22. Divine Justice cannot be so partially cruel to the Creature as either to make void divine Goodness or withhold it from Mankind S. S. Who can prove that converting confirming Grace is a sect 13 due Debt to every fallen Man and Woman who hath first given to him p. 115. Answ. What an impertinent Question is this Who of us ever asserted Grace to be a Debt to any Man Grace being so contrary to Debt in the very Nature of it Rom. 4. 4. 11. 6. God loved us first so that his Grace or Favour in the first Place is free to all Men without Exception or respect of Persons and this condemns the Cruelty and Partiality which the particular Electioners or Predestinarian Opinion would lay upon God to limit and tye up his Grace in such Narrowness as it doth Why doth he yet find Fault Rom. 9. may be justly objected against that erroneous Doctrine That God hath unchangeably ordained whatsoever comes to pass for why should he find Fault either with his own Works or with the Effect of his own Design or Decree But he doth not find Fault either with his own Works of Creation as made by him noâ—… yet with any Vessel as made renewed oâ—… cleaâ—…sed by him but as polluted or corrupted with Sin and so with Man not as his Maker is the Potter or Framer but as the Devil is the Potter having framed Men up in his own Nature and Image of Sin and Unrighteousness and so Wâ—… unto him that striveth with his Maker Isa. 45. 9. to which that of Rom. 9. 20. relates And likewise Who hath resisted his Will or the Might of his Powâ—…r is a Question of some supposing that God absolutely Wills and Effects whatever comes to pass from an unchangeable Purpose or Design both as to the particular States and Ends of Peâ—…sons but herein maâ—…y partial Minds and narrow Spirits are greatly mistaken for though the Will of God and the Might of his Power both in creating Man and in many times convicting judging and condemning the Wicked and Rebellious for Sin be absolute and irresistable yet his Will as manifest in the Tenders oâ—… Good in Counsel and Perswasion to Man in the Strivings of his Spirit with the Wicked All which have a tendence to draw Men out of Sin and Evil and to induce them to Righteousness His Will as thus considered many do resist in rejecting his Counsel rebelling against his Commands quenching his Spirit resisting the holy Ghost despising his Law casting it behind their Backs striving agaiâ—…st their Maker in the time of his Patience and long Suffering towards them till for their Rebellion he bring his Severity and heavy Hand upon them for if Men did not resist the holy Spirit it should not need to strive with them God wills not that any should perish but that all Men should come to Repentance 2 Pet. 3. 9. Who will have all Men to be saved and â—…o come unto the Knowledge of the Truth 2 Tim. 2. 3 4. And yet all are not saved all do not know the Truth and what hinders them Not any Decree of God but their resisting his Good Will Counsel and Motions of his Spirit O Man thy Destruction is of thy self but thy Help is of me saith the Lord. S. S. All fallen Men and Women are not reprobated this is sect 14 some Comfort and it importunately urgeth all in Compassion to their own Souls
to turn from Sin to God in Christ and to seek after good Scripture Evidence of their Election p. 116. Answ. The Matter would have been more congruous thus for that no fallen Men nor Women are reprobated for Everlasting lasting Destruction until they have first slighted the Kindness of God abused his Grace rebelled against his blessed Light rejected his Knowledge as not liking to retain him in their Knowledge this importunately urgeth all in Compassion to their own Souls to turn from Sin to God in Christ while his Grace and Good Will extends to them and a time of Love is afforded them while he maketh his Sun to rise on the Evil and on the Good and sendeth Rain on the Just and on the Unjust Mat. 5. 45. Now this is Matter of Comfort that God doth shew Love and Kindness towards all and that he universally extends Light and offereth Salvation by his Son who indeed is his shining Sun to the Ends of the Earth and that he willeth not or desireth not the Death of any in their Sins but rather their Return and Repentance that they may live But alas What a maniâ—…est Contradiction is it for the Man one while to conclude that God hath from all Eternity reprobated the greatest Part or Number of â—…allen Men and Women or unchangeably designed their Eternal Damnation poor Encouragement another while to tell of importunately urging all in Compassion to their own immortal Souls to turn from Sin to God in Christ How should they have Compassion to their immortal Souls if God hath no Compassion nor Love towards them Or how should Reprobates turn from Sin if eternally reprobated This were but putting them upon an Impossibility and so a flattering and mocking them with a pretended Kindness never intended for them As the Opinion which I oppose vainly supposeth by such specious Pretences Presbyterian Priests c. have flattered many out of their Money which is like as if a Priest in his preaching to a People should bid them all have Compassion upon their Immortal Souls and turn from Sin and then tell them it is impossible they should ever turn from Sin or be saved God having unalterably designed the Destruction and Damnation of the greatest Part of them what Comfort would this Contradiction and cruel Partiality administer to them I pray you It would be but cold Comfort to tell a great Congregation That God had fore-designâ—…d them all except two or three of them to be damned eternally This is not the Word of Faith nor any preaching in the Faith this is not Yea Amen but a saying and unsaying a pretending to comfort and encourage them all and to discourage and lead mâ—…ny into Despair And how then should they seek Evidence in Scripture for their Election or Salvation The Scriptures of themselves do not evidence to particular Persoâ—…s their Election from Eternity the Seriptures do not tell S. Scandrâ—…t Nat. Barnard c. that they are Elect Persons Bâ—…t to them that believe in Christ and in him have obtained Power over their Corruptions and whose Hearts are truly and spiritually tender towards God his Spirit beareth Witneâ—…s wâ—…th their Spirits and evidenceth to them according to Scripture that they are the Sons of God chosen in Christ Jesus through Sanctification of the Spi it and Belief of the Truth and so are adopted through the Spirit of Adoption to be the Children of God and Coheirs with Christ of Eternal Life and Peace S. S. Is the Judge cruel that hangs up a Murtherer sect 15 Answ. No but neither the Judge nor yet the Law doth ordain or prescribe that this or that Person shall be a Murtherer for the Fact is forbidden and the Punishment is prescribed as is the judgment and Punishment of ungodly Men in general S. S. God doth actually damn none but the finally Impenitent Answ. Then their Impenitency is the Effect of their own Disobedience and Rebellion not of God's Decree and this sufficiently conâ—…utes their accusing God with fore-designing or ordaining the Sin or wicked Actions of Men or particular Persons â—…or such and such Wayes and Ends Act. 2. 23. Christ being delivered by the determinate Câ—…unsel and fore-Knowledge of God after you had taken with wicked Hands you havâ—… crucified and slain p. 116. There was a Necessity of his being delivered to suffer as God fore-knew because of the Sins of the World Christ was given up in the Counsel of God on his Part to suffer but their wicked Hands that God permitted to take and murther him were against God and Christ not subject to his Counsel of Love and Mercy but to the Devil and their own wicked Hearts malicious murtherous Spirits and therefore they were by God's Counfel call'd to repent to be converted to turn from their Iniquities Acts 3. 14 15 19 26. But surely God did not call them to reâ—…ent of obeying his holy and just Counsel but of their Iniquities having murthered the Just one Acts 4. 27 28. Against thy â—…oly Child Jesus Herod Pontius Pilate with the Gentiles and the People of Israel gathered themselves together to do whatsoever thine Hand and thy Counsel had determin'd before to be done But see ver 25 26. concerning the Gentilâ—…s Rage and the Kings of the Earth and the Rulers standing up and gathering together against the Lord and against his Christ the Rage and wicked Consultations of whom God was not the Author of for when God by the Mouth of his Servant David asked Why did the Heathen rage ver 25. Would it have been a good Answer for any to have said Lord why dost thou ask Hast not thou â—…ore ordained them to rage imagine vain things Surely no sor thâ—…n he would not ask why but when thereby they had provoked him having rejected his Counsel and Good Will they were given up to work Wickedness and Injustice and so their own Ruin like those who brought Wo upon their Souls for they had rewarded Evil to themselves As God's Counsel fore-saw and perceived as the Jews or People of Israel rejected Christ and would not be gathered by him he said O Jerusalem Jerusalem how oft would I have gathered thy Children even as the Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings and you would not he therefore said Ye are the Children of them that murthered the Prophets fill ye up the Measure of your Fathers c. Serpents c. Mat. 23. 31. to the End This was not from an Eternal Decree irrespectively against their Persons but in Judgment and Wrath against them because of their Ungratefulness Envy and Wickedness and so likewise all who receive not the Love of the Truth whereby they might be saved but have Pleasure in their Unrighteousness God gives them up both to strong Delusions and Hardness of Heart for their Iniquity 2 Thes. 2. 10 11. S. S. Is Cod the Author of Sin in determining or fore-ordaining the wicked Actions of these Men It is one thing to decree
terms of his Covenant and Promise on his part I Would ask our Opposer who reckons it not a falling from Grace for those he counts Elect Persons as David and his Children with others of his own Opinion now to sall into the Guilt of Adultery and Murther c. whether or no did not his Son Solomon fall from Grace when he loved the outlandish Women so as they turned away his Heart aster other God's 1 Kings 11. Did he stand in the Covenant of Grace or in God's Favour all this time Was not the Lord angrv with him See ver 10 11 12. And surther that of Psal. 89. Concerning David his Seed and Throne it extends further then meerly a literal Relation of him and his Seed according to the Flesh for David is beloved I have sound David my Servant with my holy Oyl have I anointed him ver 20. his Seed also will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the dayes of Heaven ver 29. his Seed shall endure forever and his Throne as the Sun before me ver 36. Herein David was truly a Type of Christ the Anointed of God to whom these Promises relate which were typified in David as also that saying I will make him my First-bâ—…rn higher tâ—…en the Kings of the Earth ver 27. This is a Mystery beyond a meer Literal Acceptation and I may say in this as the Apostle said in his Instance of Abraham and his Seed That as they that were of Faith were of Abraham and his Children so they that are spiritually anointed of God and his Beloved Children and Faithful Servants are of David's Seed even such who incline their Ear to God and obey his Voyce for it is written Hearken diligently unto me and eat ye that which is Good and let your Soul delight it self in Fatness Incline your Ear and come unto me hear and your Soul shall live and I will make an Everlasting Covenant with you even the sure Mercies of David Isa. 55. 2 3. A POSTSCRIPT about the Will of God Election and Reprobation Concerning the Will of God in its Manifestation both 1st as unresistable â—…dly as resistable sect 1 FIrst On what Considerations it may be said to be unresistable shewing forth the Might of his Power as 1. In bringing forth the Works of Creation Whatsoever he pleased that did he Psal. 135. 6. 2. In fore-ordaining his Son to be set forth in him to tender Grace and Salvation in due time to Mankind Who could hinder his first Ordination though many reject the Tenders 3. In extending his Light and Power universally to the final Conviction of Impenitent Evil-doers for their Rebellion which Light and Power unavoidably at times seizes upon their Consciences reproving and convicting them while they have a Day and though they may shun being reformed thereby yet they cannot alwayes avoid the Torment and Trouble thereof in themselves That God may shew himself clear when he Judgeth 4. In bringing and executing his Judgments and Wrath as he sees Cause upon the Wicked and Rebellious who are finally Impenitent By all which God hath manifested his Power or Soveraignity which on these Considerations hath irresistably shewed it self for the fulfilling his Righteous Will so far as it hath absolutely extended it self from an Intention or Design of God to shew forth his Wisdom Justice and the Greatness or Might of his Power without the Creature Complyance as 1. God's Work of Creation 2. His Fore-ordination to bring forth his Son into the World c. 3. His Power in finally Convicting Rebellious Sinners 4. The Execution of his Judgments upon the Rebellious In all these who shall say to God What doest thou Who shall let what he will do so far as his Will inevitably and unresistably hath acted or doth act in any thing without Man's Complyance as it was in Making Man in Convicting and Condemning the Rebellious and Stubborn But Secondly The Will and Power of God as condescending and reaching gradually to the Creature 's Capacity it is possible â—…or Men to resist the Manifestation thereof to their own Condemnation As the Will of God is manifest in a Way of Friendship and Kindness to Mankind as 1. In a way of Counsel Commands Instructions Invitations Perswasions and gentle Reproofs which have a tendence to draw Men out of Sin and 2. In his Patience and long Suffering towards them waiting to be gratious desiring their Return striving with them by his Spirit Thus his Will is That all should know the Truth and be saved 1 Tim. 2. 4. 2 Pet. 3. 9. But Mens Conversion and Salvation is not wrought without their Subjection Obedience and Complyance with the Spirit and Power of God co-operating by Faith Reprobation What it is A Reproving Disallowing Rejecting sect 2 Reprobate is Wicked Base Dishonest Corrupt so as to be cast out of God s Favour c. And the Cause of Persons being given over to a Reprobate Mind is their Rebellion against Light given them their rejecting the Knowledge of God till their Minds became so reprobate or corrupt as to be void of true Sence and Judgment Rom. 1. As they who wâ—…re called Reprobate Silver or as corrupt drossy false Coyn were rejected of the Lord Jerem. 6. 30. The Word Election explained Election is Choice which respects both sect 3 I. The chusing of some from amongst many as Christ said to his Followers I have chosen you out of the World Joh. 15. 19. II. The Excellency or Choiceness of that which is chosen And this relates First To Christ the Elect Seed of whom it is said Behold my Servant mine Elect in whom my Soul delighteth Isa. 42. 1. And He is also called a chief Corner-Stone Elect Pretious 1 Pet. 2. 6. Secondly To the true Church or Elect People who being chosen through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth are the faithful Followers of Christ these are choice and pretious in God's Sight and therefore are called the Elect of God Holy and Beloved Col. 3. 12. a chosen Generation a Royal Priesthood an Holy Nation a peculiar People c. 1 Pet. 2. 9. They that are with the Lamb are Called Chosen and Faithful Rev. 17. 14. the Pretious Sons of Sion comparable to fine Gold Lam. 4. 2. This God's Election or Choice of his Church or People is gradually manifest and experienced in them as 1st When they have known the Work of God by his Grace begun it them unto their Separation from the World through a Decree of Faith and Sanctification are called Elect that is as chosen out of the World or from among Men being more peculiar to God then others while yet they are not perfectly grown and established in the Truth as Israel of old was Elect and Jerusalem chosen before their Estrangement from God Esa. 44. 1. 1 Kings 11. 13. Paul was a Chosen Vessel when first he had received and obeyed the heavenly Vision and Call Acts 9. 15. and Chap. 26. 19.