The Way Cast up And the Stumbling-blockes removed from before the feet of those who are seeking the way to ZION with their faces thitherward CONTAINING An Answere to a POSTSCRIPT Printed at the end of SAMUEL RUTHERFORDS Letters third Edition by a namelesse Author indeed not without cause considering the many lyes and falshoods therein against the people called Quakers which are here disproved and refuted and the truth of what we hold touching those Particulars faithfully declared according to the SCRIPTVRES By GEORGE KEITH Prisoner in the Tolbooth of Aberdeen with many 〈…〉 have joyfully suffered the spoiling of our goods 〈…〉 sonement of our bodys for the precious Name 〈…〉 Lord JESUS CHRIST and for the 〈…〉 who hath said forsake not the assembling 〈…〉 together Written in the Spirit of love and 〈…〉 Soule traveling for the everlasting 〈…〉 Souls of all men but especially of them called 〈…〉 to whom this Answere is particularly directed Exodus 23 1. Thou shalt not raise a false report 〈…〉 wicked to be an unrighteous witnesse Prov. 14 25. A true witnesse delivereth souls 〈…〉 speaketh lyes Math. 5 11. Blessed are yee when men shall revile 〈…〉 shall say all manner of evil against 〈…〉 The PREFACE To the READER Having seen a Postscript added to the third edition of Samuel Rutherfords Letters upon occasion of a Letter wrot by him doubtlesse out of zeal to some persons in Aberdeen at the time when they were endeavouring to separat themselvs from the communion of profane and scandalous People reckoned commonly for Membeâ—s of the Chuâ—ch of Scotland and also withdrawing from under the yoak of imposâ—ing Presbyterial government for which he was a sufferer by confinement in Aberdeen in the time of the former Prelaâ—s from which Letter the Author of this Postscript hath taken occasion to vent and vomit forth more malice and bitter prejudice against the despised witnesses of the Lord called Quakers then ever the Scribes and Pharisees did against our Lord Jesus Christ when he was among them in his bodily appearance I have judged fit to desire all sober People that professe the name of Christians and have any knowledge of us or our principles that they would seriously consider if we or our principles deserve such characters as this man hath put upon us seing we are known to many to be an innocent harmlesse and blamelesse people in all our behaviour and conversation makeing conscience of our duty towards God in purity of worship and tenderness of owning the same notwithstanding any threats punishments fines or imprisonments for our faithfulness therein and our real endeavours to obey all his holy commands in which we shall never decline to be tryed by the testimony of the holy and precious Scripturs of Truth Nor are we less known to all neighbours relations and acquaintances to be just and righteous in our dealings towards men Next as to our principles they are so often and upon so many different occasions holden forth to the world in all places where we live that none can pretend ignorance thereof unless it be wilfull Wherefore I shall not enter upon this here being unsutable to a Preface and that so many of our Friends both in our own Nation and in England have performed this task in clearing them from all the malicious and grosse misrepresentations which opposers have laboured to asperse them with so that none needs remaine ignorant of them but such as love to continue so through wilfull prejudice or lazyness at least Wherefore when I perceive from what a height of malice and spleen this Author has vented himself against us by which any may see that the Iewes Turks and Heathens had never more against Christians nor the malice and cruelty of the Papists and Popish Inquisitors in Spain or Italy was ever greater against dissenters from them whom they judged Hereticks I cannot in the least doubt but if this man had power to influence the Civil Magistrate to exercise his power against us he would not onely parallel the cruelty of Heathens and Turks but equal if not exceed the inquisition of Spaine yea those cruel and bloody persecuters in New England who cutt off the ears scourged and tormented severall of our Friends till their flesh was like a Gelly banished divers and hanged three men and a woman 1659 â—660 for no other cause but this very thing that they owned the Testimony of that Truth which we profess and for which we are sufferers this day which may serve abundantly to scare any sober people that profess to owne the meek and lowly Spirit of Jesus yea to cause them to abhorre to keep company or converse with men of such spirits And if any have not yet seen the prejudice to all Civil Interests that flowes from persecution for Conscience I shall referr them to the severall books that have been published thereanent in this age But when I consider the great rage that appears in this man and many of his brethren against us I can not impute it to any thing like zeal for the interest of the Gospel as they would willingly have people believe it being to me most cleare that their chief quarrel is becaus we of all the people that ever appeared are they that have most discovered their pride ambition greedynesse and coveâ—ousness malice and the rest of their deceits we asserting and they denying Immediaâ— Revelation or that God by his Spirit hath any immediat converse with the Souls and hearts of his people by which he doth most clearely make known his will to them and gives the most effectuall call to the Ministry which they have put mostly into the hands of men and made to depend upon an humane ordination Yea some of them derive a succession from the Pope of Rome and hence practically claime a power to be Lords over the faith of Gods people imposing their glosses on the Scripture to be no lesse believed then the Scripture it self and so all that are not of their perswasion must be hereticall and heterodoxe though they lay no claime to be led by an infallible Spirit themselves Again The Lord hath brought us to witnesse the spirituality of worship in preaching praying and praising knowing that God will accept of none but what flowes immediately from the Life of his own Spirit moving in the heart whereas this man and his brethren are for performing all those dutys whether they have this immediate assistance of Gods holy Spirit or not For they have learned by art to supply that defect with their natural and acquired parts else many times they would sit silent in their pulpits whereas now they have layd and do lay a necessity upon themselves and their followers to goe about those dutys at their appoynted times whatever be their temper or condition at the present And according to our principle other besides them may performe these dutys in publick as they find themselves moved and furnished by the Lord whereby their trade and traffick
whereof is by me but of all this mans commendations this is the most high and admirable that followeth in his Epistle aforesaid where he saith So that in respect of us this Angel of the Church speaks as one standing already in the quire of Angels or as an Angel come down from heaven among men to give us some account of what they are doing above These words import not onely immediat new revelations I do not say of new Evangelicall Truths not declared in the Scripturs for I acknowledg none such but also great abundance of them And yet if we will believe the Presbyterian Confession of Faith published by the assembly at Westminster where S. R. himself was a Member Those former wayes of Gods revealing his will unto his people are now ceased see Chap. 1. sect 1. And sect 6. They exclude all new revelations of the Spirit and they tell us the whole counsell of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory mans salvation faith and life are set down in Scripture 5. And amongst other Scripture Testimonyes they abuse to favour this corrupt doctrin they cite Heb. 1. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the prophets hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son c. And their scope in this place is to prove from these words that there are no prophets that is to say no men divinely inspired or immediatly taught of God in our days but I have shewed in my book of Immediat Revelation that this Scriptur doth not prove that prophecy or prophets that is to say men divinely inspired who preach and teach by divine inspiration and as they are moved of the holy Ghost are ceased in our days more then in the days of the Apostles For if it could prove such a dispensation to be ceased now it would prove it to be ceased then even in the days of the Apostles and that the Epistle to the Hebrews was not divinely inspired which is absurd yea this Scripture rather proveth mor clear revelation then formerly under the Law God now speaking to 〈◊〉 by his Son or in his Son Christ Iesus who is in his people and liveth and walketh in them and also speaketh in them But now if the Presbyterians think that this place doth prove that Prophets are ceased how comes it that they think S. R. not onely a Prophet but a great Prophet for he that is a great Seeâ— is a great Prophet for the Prophets are called Seers in Scripture And for a further proof that the Presbyterians think that men do not speak in our days by divine inspiration see Iames Durâ—am in his Exposition on the Revelation pag. 1. where he telleth us that the words of the Revelation are the last words which God hath spoken unto his Church Sad tidings that for above this sixteen hundred years God hath spoken no words to his Church or hath had no Prophets since Iohn who wrot the Revelation but Iohn himself was not of that mind nor belief for he prophecyed of two witnesses that should prophecy a thousand two hundred and sixty days even all the time of the Apostasy also Iohn heard many voyces coming out of heaven long after him and he telleth us not onely of the presence of the Son of man in the midst of the golden candlesticks but also of his voyce which was the sound of many waters also he saw the new Ierusalem coming down from God out of heaven and that theâ— of this city should see his face and not need tâ—e light of a candle nor of the sun becaus the Lord God shall inlighten them which divers Protestants understand of a Church upon Earth pâ—rticularly Thomas Brightman who doth expresly affirm that the goodness of God shall shine forth in â— greater manner then can be ascribed to any means so that men shall appear Divinely inspired But if God hath spoken no words to his Church since Iohn's days his words being the last how comes it that this Presbyterian threatens us with S. R. his predictions or of what he did foresee would fall upon the heads of the forsakers of the Presbyterian Church For if this prediction of his be not from the LORD we have no cause to fear yea we know by blessed experience it was not from the Lord for since we left that corrupt way of the Presbyterian worship and their corruptions in Doctrin and Disciplin we have found the more abundant blessings of God from heaven to fall upon us and we have enjoyed more of the presence of Christ since our separation from such a corrupt Church then ever formerly we knew yea many of us that knew nothing before our separation what the enjoyment of Christs presence was are now come to know it since we were separat from them as a National Church although we are not nor ever were in spririt separated from these few scattered ones amongst them that fear or love the Lord in the least measure these are our little sister that we pray unto God for often and we have unity with them in every good thing that is in them and are only separated from the evil where ever it is in our selves and in all persons every where And the Lord hath let us see in his divine Light that the nationall Presbyterian Church at her best was never a purely constitut Church nor ever had the pure forme of the Gospell Church according to the pattern in the Mount nor was the doctrin of the Gospell purely taught among them onely some things they taught but they did not know the Truth in some of the most Weighty doctrines of the Gospell And when the Lord raised up a sinceer Ministry directing to a more pure way of worship and preaching the doctrin of the Gospell more purely then any of the Presbyterian Preachers did I mean some of our brethren whom the Lord sent among them faithfull labourers indeed divers of whom since have put of the Earthly Tabernacle and their soules are at rest with the Lord I say when these came among them they opposed them and stirred up the people against them and such of the people who received them and their testimony they excommunicated in the west of Scotland and none were more active and industrious in stiring up both people and Rulers in that day to banish imprison and persecute the true Servants and Prophets of the most high God then the Presbyterian Ministry so sadly were they deâ—erted of God both in England and Scotland and the common objection that both Teachers and People made against our Friends in those dayes was this who gave yoâ— a call to come and preach among us and when they saw that many of them were unlettered men as to the Languages and Heathenish Philosophy they cryed out against them as not being fitt to teach and when our Friends answered they mere taught of God immediatly by the divine iâ—spiration of
and sensible enjoyments of himself and blessing them more abundantly with the fruits of holyness righteousness and victory over corruption in that despised way then formerly they ever witnessed although their experience of any things that were true among them called presbyterians was not short of many if not of the most of them even in that day Pag. 1. l. 18. That which this great Seer much upon his Masters secrets because he had frequent access to lean his head upon his breast who come ouâ— of the Father's bosom foresaw would follow upon this turning aside and fall upon the head of such forsakers of a Church so often honoured by receiving signall testimonys of the great Bridgroom's love towards her as his Spouse c. Answer 3. I wonder how this man hath the confidence to call this Author a great Seer and to tell us of his being much upon his Master's secrets becaus he had frequent access to lean his head upon his breast who came out of the Father's bosom for these and such like expressions do plainly imply Immediat Revelation and that S. R. was a prophet and had the Spirit of Prophecy in the same sense as any of the Prophets who were Pen-men of the holy Scripturs for what higher elogies could be given to any of the most eminent Prophets then these here and elsewhere given by him to this Author And here I shall set down some other expressions parallel to these in the Postscript or rather surmounting them to be found in the Epistle to the Reader whether one man hath writ that Epistâ—e and the Postscript is not materiall to inquire seing doubtless they are both of one profession if differing persons and he that writes the Postscript ownes the Epistle to the Reader In the beginning of that Epistle he tells us Considering how little need Master Rutherford as he calls him his Letters have of any mans Epistle commendatory his great Master whom he served with his Spirit in the Gospell of his Son having given them one written by his own hand on the hearts of every one who is become his Epistle c. This is the very same commendation that the Spirit of God giveth to Paul who was not behind the chiefest of the Apostles as you may read 2. Cor. 3 1 2 verses And indeed this is the greatest ground why we believe the Scripturs to be divinely inspired becaus the inward Testimony of the Spirit of God which is the Epistle commendatory written by Gods own hand upon the hearts of believers is the Seal of confirmation unto the Scripturs as being divinely inspired And seing GOD doth give the same Seal as this writer plainly affirmeth to S. R. his Epistles that he doth to the Epistles of Paul will it not prove that S. R. his Epistles are as really divinely inspired as Paul's Epistles were and then why may not S. R. his Epistles be put into the Bible with Paul's Epistles This question is the more pertinently put to this man and these of his profession becaus they do so argue against us the People called Quakers that if any of our words or writings be divinley inspired then we equal our writings to the Scripturs For this consâ—quence if it hath any weight at all doth as much fall upon their heads as upon ours and if they do still make a difference betwixt the one and the other although both divinely inâ—pired can not we do the same But he proceedeth in his admirable commendation of this book thus as being a piece the holy Scripturs being set aside equall to any the world hath yet seen or this day can shew in respect of the spiritualness of it A friendly testimony indeed I remember the Presbyterians had wont to commend Calvin's Institutions above any book in the world next to the Scripturs according to these Latine verses made on them Praeter Apostolicas post Christi tempor a chartas Huic peperere librum secula nulla parem And I have heard an eminent Presbyterian Preacher in his pulpit commend the Confession of Faith with the Larger and Shorter Catechism set out by them called the Assembly of Divines at Westminster above all books in the world except the Scriptur But now both Calvin's Institutions and the Confession of Faith must give place to S. R. his Epistles yea and most books in the world besides I write not this to lessen any due worth that belongs to S. R. his Epistles for I acknowledg having read them all over once and many of them severall times I find many savoury expressions in them that savour of that blessed life of Christ revealed of God in my heart yet I must needs say I find also very many unsound and unsavoury expressions in them that the life and Spirit of Christ doth not onely not beare witness for but against as I may afterwards shew 4. I do really believe that there are divers books in the world besids the Scripturs nor shall I bring into the compariâ—on our Friends books lest any say I am partial more sound and more spirituall then this book is and which are more profitable to direct the minds of them who are strangers to Christ where or how to find him little or nothing of which I can find in all this book of S. R. onely somewhat of his own experience but I can not find in him any certain and clear directions certainly and inâ—allibly directing strangers how to attain to the least true spirituall experience nor can I find the least hint or shaddow of a testimony in all his book to the saving power and efficacy of that universall Light of Christ wherewith Christ hath inlightened every man that cometh into the world which blessed heavenly divine testimony I find in many of the Ancients for which cause a few lines of them are of more value to me and all who love Gods Vniversall Gift then this whol book of S. Rs. And I question not but many having as much of a spirituall tast and discerning as any Presbyterian will affirme that the writings of not onely Augustin and the like Ancients but of later writers in darker times as of Bernard Thaulerus Thomas a Kempis and that little booke called The Dutch or German Theology are fully as â—pirituall though I am farr from justifying any errours in these books as neither do I the errours in S. R. his Epistles And although I know the Presbyterians some of them as have seen and read the Dutch Theology account it a most dangerous book and full of blaâ—phemyes as I. L. did call it expresly to I. S. whereof both B. F. I were witnesses in Holland yet Luther doth commend it as one of the best books he had met with next to the Scripturs and Augustin and teaching more sound Divinity then all the Divines in Germany or any where else in that time and he wrot an Epistle commendatory of it which is prefixed to it in some Editions a printed coppy
and their hearts inclined by the Lord to joyne with us in the same Testimony 8. Now as concerning Iohn Livingston whose exemple this Author commendeth to be imitated who when a certain perâ—on of that Profession being his former acquaintance came in love to visit him and also to give him true information concerning that people if ther had been place in him to receive it did in a most rude and Unchristian way refuse him accesse into his house yet having nothing justly wherewith to charge him and when he inquired of him what was the reason of his carrying so towards him he told him that he had joyned with a people that held blasphemous principles and when he again inquired what these blasphemous principles were he would not give an instance in one particular but found fault with him for speaking the plain Scripture language of Thee and Thou which Christ and the Apostles used to one person and of this rencounter B. F. a merchant in Rotterdam and I my self were both eye and ear-witnesses then present in company with the said person and it is a certain truth that this was the first time that Iohn Livingston spake with the said person after he was of that profession and yet he rejected him plain contrary to the Apostle upon supposition that he had been an heretick as he was not an heretick after the first and second admonition reject And wherein also he dealt contrary to many of his own brethren who have judged it their duty to speake with such and conferre with us and the Apostle willed that in meekness we should instruct them that oppose themselvs if peradventure God may give them repentance 9. But our great defence is that we are not Hereticks nor our principles heretiâ—all but truly Christian and Apostolick and it is the height of injustice to condemn us before we get a fair hearing and opportunity as often as need is to clear our selvs which neither this Author nor I. L. have ever given us And therefor I leave it with all sober people to consider whether this practice of I. L. doth not more resemble the Pope who forbids to converse with Protestants or read their bookes as being in his sense damnable Hereticks then either Paul or Iohn or Christ who often reasoned with the Srciber and Pharisees his greatest enemies and Paul disputed with the Iewes and Greek Philosophers that opposed themselves to the truth and bid reject none but such as were self-codemned which neither 〈◊〉 Author nor I. L. could justly say of any called Quaker 10. And here again I cannot cease to wondeâ— how this Author cryeth up Iohn Livingston and giveth him no less tittle then if he were another Elijah while he falleth out into such an exclamation â— saith he to see some on whom this Elijahs mantlâ— is faln c Which words plainly import that I. L. was a Prophet and had the same Spirit of Prophesy that Eliâ—ah had which is enough to make a mans teeth to water to perceive their pride and insolency on the one hand and there confusion and self-contradiction on the other while they plainly teach as I have already observed that the Spirit of Prâ—phecy and immediat revelation and teachings of the Spirit are generally ceassed since the Apostles dayes as for I. L. himself whatever he was in former times sure I am in his latter dayes he was much in the dark otherwise he could not have so mistaken and misjudged us as he hath done if his habitation had been in the Light he would have seen and known better what wee had been But to passe this it doth not a little discover him to have been but a weak and cowardly man that at the meer will and command of men went over sea and subscribed his sentence of banishment with his own hand as others likewise did which the Author of Ius Populi doth plainly acknowledge I challenge the Author of the Postscript to shew me where any of the true Prophets of God or Ambassadours of Christ did such a thing surely this was no Propheticall act but rather a renuncing of all true obedience unto God not only to desert his â—lock but promise never to return to them nor to his native countrey on paine of death without leave of men Now put the case that God had commanded him by immediat revelation or given him an immediat message to return as he had wont to give immediat messages to Elijah did he not here bind himself up not to goe or else to make himself a transgressour guilty of death by his own hand-writting And if it â—e said there are no such immediat messages to be expected in our dayes then for shame let them forbear comparing him to Elijah or telling us of I. L. 〈◊〉 mantle 11. Surely it appears to me his mantle was â— cowardly Spirit which hath fallen upon many of them that they are runn away from their â—locks for they were not sent prisoners over sea but went away to shun greater sufferings and I. L. in his letter to his parishoners a little before his death is so ingenuons as to confess he failed in his duty in not bearing a faithfull Testimony before them who sentenced him and yet I find not that he ever mended this fault although he lived many years afterwards however he is now before his Judge and far be it from me to conclud he has not found merâ—y with God nor should I have med-led with him if the great injuâ—tice of the Author of the Postscript had not constrained me and put me on a necessity so to doe But what if the Author of the Postscript knew noâ— so great an Ambassadour left behind upon Earth Surely there are many greater and more true Ambassadours then ever he knew and how did he know that he was a true Ambassadour I suppose he wiâ—â— not deny his words to imply that I. L. was a very holy man 12. Now I ask him how doth he know this what is his rule in this case Not the Scripture for it 〈◊〉 nothing of such a man and as for the markes of true holiness how doth he know that they werâ—â—eally applicable to him seing an 〈◊〉 goe â—he length of all outwards and he can not know â—he inwards of a man without immediat revelation â—ndowning the Spirit to be the rule contrary to the Confession of faith and Catechism that say The Scripture is the onely rule and immediate revelation 〈◊〉 ceased SECTION VII 1. An Account of all the particulars upon which the Author of the Postscript layeth the whole stress of his accusations against us being eight in number 2. The first accusation false 3. We own Christ to be true and perfect God and true and perfect man 4. His God-head is not his man-hood yet the man Christ is God by reason of the most wonderfull union betwixt the two Natures 5. The Christian Quakers free of the errors of Socinians Manichees Apollinarians Nestorians and other Hereâ—icks
iron the fire in the 〈◊〉 answering to the God-head or eternall Word anâ— the iron it self burning and shining by the vertue anâ— power of the fire in it answering to the Man-hood 〈◊〉 Christ both which examples I judge to be useful and pertinent yet falling exceeding short of thâ— Mystery it self which is so great that is passeth◠〈◊〉 understanding of men and Angels The second particular is that we deny Christ 〈◊〉 be the second person of the Trinity 6. This is a meer quible about the invented words of mans wisdom which we deny albeit the truth of the thing it self we deny not but faithfully believe to wit that Christ as God is the second of the Three that bear record in heaven which three are the Father the Word and the Spirit and these three are One as Iohn declared and we believe that these three that bear record in heaven are not three distinct natures and substances but the one in nature and substance not three Gods but One onely God not having three understadings three wills or three powers but one only understanding one only will and one only power 7. Yet they are three otherwise then in meer name operation or manifestation towards us onely being distinct in their relative modes or propertys so that the Father is not the Word nor is the Word or Son the Father allthough he be our Father nor is the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son either the Father or the Son the Father is uncreated and unbegotten the Son or Word from everlasting is uncreated and yet begotten of the Father the Spirit is neither created nor begotten but proceedeth from the Father and the Son from everlasting the Father did not become flesh nor was born and crucified and rose but the Son or Word yet the Father is in the Son the Son in the Father the Spirit that proceedeth from them is was in them and with them from everlasting and is unto everlasting and whatever the Father doth the Word and Spirit do the same being one as in nature so in operation This Father doth all things by the Word and the Father and the word doe all things by the Spirit and yet as they are distinct in the manner or modes of being so also in the manner or modes of operation As the Father is first in the manner of his being so is he first in the manner of operation as the Son is second in the manner of his being so is he second in the manner of operation and as the Spirit is third in the manner of his being so is he third in the manner of operation Yet this priority is not a priority of time but of order for they were three before time even from everlasting and they all cooperat and work together And thus it may appear that we are sound in the faith as touching this great mystery and that we differr not in the matter or thing it self but onely as to the manner of expression which they themselvs grant is not by words divinely inspired as namely a Trinity of persons or three distinct persons Christ and the Apostles who declared of this mystery expressed it not in these termes of three distinct persons nor are these words recorded in Scriptures therefor we are not bound to expresse our faith in these unscripturall termes which the holy Ghost hath not taught nor indeed is there any need of those termes three distinct persons but rather they darken then explain the mystery which have occasioned not onely some of the vulgar but even some of them called the learned to erre grossely in their conceptions about the mystery it self as if the Father the Word and the Spirit were really three distinct substances each having a distinct understanding will and power and as if the word or Son were inferiour in nature to the Father and the Father greater then the Son as Origen is thought by some to have taught and as some do now teach and such although they affirme that the Word and the Spirit are diâ—tinct substances from the Father and that the Father is greater then they yet they do not acknowledg that the Word and Spirit are created or that they have their being from the Father by way of creation but only by way of emanation and they affirme that the Father is onely the most high God and the Word and Spirit inferiour unto him as being God onely by participation from and union with the Father and thus they think to defend themselvs as not being guilty of the Arian heresy whereas it was a branch of the Arian heresy to say that the Son or Word was not equall unto the Father But whither or not they be guilty of the Arian â—eresy sure I am they are in an error occasioned in great part by these unsound and unscriptural terms of three Persons in the Trinity for persons signify substances and not the modes or propertys of one Substance 8. And it is wel known that these words of Three Persons and 3 Hypostases have made great contention in former times and divers judged to be pious and learned men have denyed them and disputed against them as namely Ierome against three hypostases and Augustin disputeth solidely lib. 5. 7. de Trinitate that the words Three Persons are not properly applicable to the Mystery it self although he doth not know what other names to give them and surely it is too great presumption and curiosity in any men to dive further into this mystery then what God hath pleased to reveal or to give names unto it which the Lord hath not given And yet it is more presumption and smelleth rankly of a persecuting spirit to impose upon others these words which the Spirit of God hath not taught nor left upon record in the Scripture and yet becaus we do not own these words of mans wisdom and spirit to cry out against us as blasphemers and as denying the true Christ whereas we believe in and do own the true Christ according both to his God-head and Man-hood more according to the Truth and Testimony of the Scripture then our accusers do as I hope in its due place to shew The Third Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Christ to be a singular Person 9. But this is another quible like unto the former for I ask him What doth he mean by the word Person whether the God-head or both united If he place the personality upon the Godhead it resolveth into the second particular already cleared but the Word or Godhead of Christ is not properly a person but an invisible Power and Life if he place it upon the Manhood as united with the Godhead this is contrary to their own doctrin who teach that the Word did assume the nature of Man but not the person otherwise he would be two persons and thus they distinguish the personality from the nature of man but this is a most
him in what perhaps was in his heart to speak and truely this is the very cause of our silence also for we know that no preaching nor praying can availe to quicken or reach the soules of men or profit either speaker or hearers but that which is in the immediat moving and assistance of the Spirit of God 19. 3. He telleth plainly pag. 431. that he had the Spirit of discerning in a great measure in so much that having heard a sermon preached by Robert Blair it being the first he had preached and he being desired by the said Robert Blair to give his judgment concerning the same did give it in these words I found said he your â—ermon very polished and disgested but there is one thing I did misse in it to vvit the Spirit of God I found not that This as the Author saith took a deep impression upon him and helped him to see it was something else to be a minister of Jesus Christ then to be a knowing and eloquent preacher Pag. 453. But the professors generally in this day deny any such Spirit of â—iscerning as whereby one knoweth supposing him to be never so spirituall when he heareth another preach whether he doth preach by the Spirit of God or no when we affirm that the Lord hath given such a discerning unto us they cry out many of them as if it were blasphemy to assert any such thing Again whereas this Author saith it is some vvhat else to be a minister of Iesus Christ then to be a knovving and eloquent preacher we say the same But how farr doth this contradict the Presbyterians doctrine that grace or piety is not essentiall or necessary to the being of a minister of Christ as Iames Durham expressly affirmeth in his book on the Revelation 21. 4. The Author telleth us that the said Robert Bruce was deeply affected with the naughtiness and profanity of many ministers then in the Church and the unsuitable carriage of others to so great a calling and did express much his fear that the Ministers of Scotland would prove the greatest persecuters that the Gospell had And so in this we have found his words to be true for the said Ministry of Scotland even Presbyterian as wel as Episcopall are the greatest persecuters of the Gospell in this day as formerly And their doctrine that Grace or piety is not essentiall to a Minister of Christ nor an inward call by the Spirit opens a door to such a naughty and profane Ministry 22. Pag. 432. 5. He tells that on a certain time when Robert Bruce was at prayer in his chamber in Edinburgh there was such an extraordinary motion on all present so sensible a down-pouring of the Spirit that they could hardly contain themselves yea which was most strange even some unusuall motion on those who were in other parts of the house not knowing the cause at that very instant and one being occasionally present when he went away said O how strange a man is this for he knocked down the Spirit of God upon us all this he said becaus R. B. did divers times knock with his fingers on the table And yet when such motions and effects are now witnessed when the Servants of the Lord pray in our meetings they will not believe but in the same Pharisaâ—call Anti-Christian spirit as the Jewes said of Christ they say of us that we have a devil for which I heartily wish that the Lord may forgive them and open their hearts to understand and receive the Truth Many more observable passages might be cited out of the same book to convince Professors how these men whom they have such an esteeme of did both in principle practice and experience in many things agree with us the People called Quakers against themselvs who boast to be their Successors and children as the Iewes boasted that they were the children of Abraham But surely seing the Professors of this day stop their ears at the inward voyce of Gods Spirit in their own consciences and also at so many plain and clear testimonys of the Holy Scripture that make so abundantly for the Testimony of Truth owned by us I little expect that the testimonys of these men will prevail with many of them yea although even they should come from the dead and witnesse for the Truth against them as Christ said in the 〈◊〉 If they will not believe Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe if one should be raised from the dead Yet for the sake of many others among them of whom I have hope that God will in due time effectually reach them and open their eyes I have found my heart moved and drawn by the Lord to be at this paines for the good of whose soules I could willingly by the Grace of God endure much labour suffering and affliction both inwardly and outwardly that they might see and owne the glorious work and appearance of God among us and be brought to enjoy the same with us 23. And here in the close of all I shall cite a passage of this Author himself which may be of service to some who are willing to understand how that the Presbyterians even the most knowing and experienced of them did not know all that was afterwards to be revealed Page 35. He saith We wait and believe the further accomplishment of this promise to wit the words Dan. last ver 4. Many shall runne to and fro and knowledg shall be increased to the Church beyond all we have yet seen that many Scripture truths now dark and abstruse shall be made so clear as shall even cause us to wonder at the grosse mâ—stakes we once had thereof yea that after generations shall have a discovery and uptaking of some prophecys now obâ—cure which shall as farr exceed us as this time goeth beyond former ages which comparatively we must say were very dark 24. Now I earnestly obtest and beseech such among them as have any measure of true tendernesse and ingenuity and do believe these words of this Author to consider in the cool of their minds if possibly these principles and doctrins among us which they have called grosse errours and delusions of Satan may not be these Scripture truths whereof the Author speaketh and that their condemning such principles were but their grosâ—e mistakes yea surely we know it to be so and many of us that were formerly Presbyterians are now made to wonder at our grosse mistakes which we then had But this I understand of such as are really owned by us not of those which they do falsly alledge and impose upon us I shall cite one or two passages more of this Author and then leave it to the impartial and ingenuous judge if they do not arrive upon the matter at the same which many of his Brethren reproach and nick-name with the Profane rabble under the termes of Enthusiasme and Quakerism 25. Pag. 112. He saith There is a demonstration within which goeth further then
in the matters of the Worship of God would readily be quite spoyled and they be necessitated to betake themselves to other callings to gaine a livelyhood to themselves and familys seing there would be no use for studyed sermons and their rhetoricall conn'd discourses by which they have laboured to tickle the ears and please the fancys of their hearers and have done all their art or eloquence could to reach the natural affections of people But now the Lords chosen people that are taught by the true Shepherd Jesus Christ have learned to know his voyce from the voyce of a stranger and to feel more of the true Life of Jesus Christ raised up in their hearts by a few words spoken from that Life though it be but in a homely way by a Trades-man or a poor handmaid then ever they sensibly felt by the most eloquent and meer artificial Preachers that are strangers to this Life and therefore it is but little wonder though these men stretch forth and employ the most of their Rhetorick and parts to declare against us both in pulpit and print For they homologate that word which Erasmus spake concerning Luther that it was a hardtask he had taken in hand seing the Popes miâ—re and the Monkâ— bellys stood in the way So it is with the Lords Witnesses in this day their work would be easier in promoting the true Reformation of Gods worship and people if the pride greedyness of the Clergy their esteeme with power over the people their stipends set rents were not concerned for they walk no further by Scripture rule though they call it their onely rule then the Scripturs do stand with their interests Hence though there be no warrand to admitt of any to be members of the Christian Church but true Believers that know upon what ground they owne the Christian Faith yet they will have all the Subjects of the Nation whether they have any evidence of Faith or not to be members of their Church that their power may be of as large extent as that of the Civil Magistrate yea without any Scripture warrant they take Infants to be members by sprinkling them though they have no better warrand for joyning men and women in marriage together then a Popish Canon yet such is their love to have a hand in all the concernments of the people that they must needs be the instruments against which with many more of this nature we beare our Testimony and therefore no wonder they rage so much against us Now there being no formall charge in all the said bitter postscript set down against us but that false one that we put a false Christ in stead of the true Iesus deny Christ to be the second Person of the Trinity Iesus the son of Mary to be the true Christ alone c. as he goes on in that pag 553. without any proof it shall here suffice to say those things being so fully answered in this following Treatise and also in other books of our Friends The Lord knoweth we are shamelesly traduced slaundered in this matter as in most of other things charged upon us by our adversarys and it can not be but strange to me that any who pretend to be Christians or Gospel-Ministers should be so impudent or otherwise so grossely ignorant if not malicious in their calumnys seing it hath so often been published both by word and writ and in print that we owne no other Saviour but Iesus Christ borne of the Virgin Mary and crucifyed at Ierusalem and that the Lords People never had have or ever shall have remission of sins but through the meriâ—s and vertue of that precious blood and sufferings which our Lord Iesus the Onely begotten Son of God did undergoe and shed at Jerusalem that He is true God and Man yea what ever the holy Scripturs of Truth do witness concerning him that we dearely owne with our souls and hearts avouching with a firme faith that the same Christ hath given a measure of Light to every man Joh. 1 9. Tit. 2 11. which is of a Divine Supernatural Substantial being a beame and ray of his Blessed Spirit to convince the world of sin and duty sufficient to bring all men to Salvation being joyned unto and rightly improven according to the testimony of many places of holy Scripture which call him the Light of the world and a Light to inlighten the Gentiles the true Light that enlightens every man that cometh into the world and that the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all men teaching us that denying ungodlynesse and worldly lusts c. This is the free Gift which Christ hath purchased Rom. 5 18. and therefore ought to be taken heed to and believed in as Iohn 12 36. For Christ is given to be a Leader to his people and hath promised to be with them to the end of the world and this is by his spirituall and inward appearance in the Hearts of men And becaus we beare our Testimony to this appearance of Christ in us shall we be therefore thus malitiously traduced by such prejudicated men I shall wish no worse to him or them but the Lord forgive them and open their eyes seing I know some that have been little inferiour to them in prejudice in a day to whom God hath shewed mercy and therefore my bowels are moved for such This man also chargeth us that we are greater enemys to none then to the faithfull Ministers and eminent labourers in the Gospel as he doth expatiate at large in the beginning of that page 556 in the Postscript To which I reply passing by his ungodly and unchristian expressions and Epithetes that we have ever had a reverent esteeme of all faithfull ministers that in simplicity and sincerity of Heart have endeavoured to preach the Gospel though in many things short of these blessed discoverys God hath manifested to us and we do remember them that were such with that due respect that becomes as having been faithfull according to their measure in their day and were blessed to be instruments in Gods hand to the good of many that in singlness and sincerity of heart did heare them But it is not the duty of any Christian to stand still and shut out any further discovery then they attained unto for as all the degrees of the Apostasy came not at once nor with the first or second trumpet Rev. 8. so neither is the Reformation to be compleated by the first or second vial Rev. 16. And therefore though they studyed Sermons yet many of them at times spake as the Lord gave it them witnesse Iohn Knox who told the Queen of Scotland when she was threatning him as Alexander Petry in his History of the Kirk sheweth Pag. 236. that in the preaching place he was not master of his own tongue but behoved to speak as God commmanded him c. So many good men after the Reformation from Popery could be
his Spirit and by that also they were called Then they cryed out blasphemy and delusion There are no Prophets or men divinely inspired or immediatly taught and called since the Apostles days divine inspiration and immediat teaching and revelation ceased with the Apostles And yet now they are not ashamed to alledge as if some of themselves were great Prophets and Seers 6. But I remember a decâ—itfull distinction that Iames Durâ—am hath in his exposition on the Revelation that prophecy as it is taken for an immediat revealing of Gospell truths is now ceased but he acknowledgeth that God may in an extraordinary way indue some with a Spirit of Prophecy to foretell things to comeâ— and he mentioneth some of our Nation that had the Spirit of prophecy in former times This I say is a most decâ—itfull distinction and altogether without any reall ground from Scripture as if God would reveal himself to his Church by immediat revelation as to things of a lesser moment and not reveal himself theirunto as to things of greater yea of the greatest moment such as the truths of the Gospell areâ— but we plead not for any immediat revelation of new Gospell truths not formerly revealed to others or not declared sufficiently in the Scriptures but we say it cannot suffice unto us that the truths of the Gospell have been immediatly revealed unto others and from or by them at second hand declared or reported of unto us but we need to have the same truths of the Gospell especially such as belong to the inward testimony experiences and feelings of life as immediatly revealed unto us as they were unto them otherwise our faith and knowledge should be meerly humane traditionall historicall and but after the letter And although what belongs to the historicall part of the Scripture and particularly concerning Christ his outward comminginto the world his outward birth life sufferings miracles death return to Judgment be indeed made known unto us by the Scripturs Testimony yet it is the blessed â—â—fe and Spirit of Christ Iesus immediatly revealed in our hearts and the shining of his heavenly and divine Light in our inward parts that both enclines us to beleive the reports which the Scripturs give us of things to be true and also opens our understandings to know and see unto the great and blessed advantage of them and unto the Spirituall intent and signification of the things that belong unto the history itself SECTION II. 1. Presbyterian Teachers assume the title of Master and yet give it not to the Apostles 2. S. R. his alledged prophecy against those in Aberdeen who seperat from the Nationall Presbyterian Church of no Weight 3. Divers remarkable instances of S. R. his declining from that good condition he was once in and also from his own principles 4. S. R. His Prophecy inconsistent with the Presbyterian doctrin of once in grace and ever in grace 5. As also with his own judgment that some Independents were gracious men But whereas this Writer threatens us with a prophecy of this great Seer whom he cals master Rutherford but why should he call him Master Rutherford seing that I can not find that he or his Brethren gave this title of Master to any of the Prophets or Apostles I wonder wherefore they are so angry at the title of Lord Bishop and yet so allow the title of Mr. unto their own teachers seing Christ did as expressly forbid the one as the other 2. Let us examin what Weight is in that alledged prophecy he told them who had gone from the Presbyterian way towards the Independents they would not stand or remain there and this saith this Post-scribe is fullfilled for they are proceeding now to joyne with the people called Quakers But if this be any prophecy it may be such an one as to this particular as was that of Cajaphas the high priest who said it was expedient that one should dye for the people but he understood not his own prophecy so nor hath S. R. for he meant that they would goe into more errors whereas the truth is they onely were advanced further into more clear discoveryes of Truth supposed by him and his Brethren to be errors and that S. R. as to this particular was as blind and dark as Cajaphas was as touching Christ I have not the least question and indeed if we will consider the particular time wherein S. R. wrot this Epistle to these well meaning people in Aberdeen it will much help to clear it unto the impartial how much he was then in the dark himself Know therefor Reader that when S. R. wrot this Epistle to them in Aberdeen it was not in the time that he had these fresh and lively enjoyments of Gods presence and power which he had formerly in his more pure times wherein he both experienced and declared of Immediat Revelation and the Spirits immediat teachings as his Epistles abundantly witnesse and as I intend to show in its proper place but it was after he had in a manner altogether lost those blessed injoyments and was become exceeding dark and barren which thing â—ay plainly appear by the straine of his Epistles writt in his later years which to him that hath the true Spirituall discerning and can savour words as the mouth savours meat do as farr come short and faill as in respect of life of his Epistles he wrote in his best times as a dark night falls short of a bright day or as a cold Winter of a warm and fruitfull Summer But let us hear himself giving an account of his inward condition in his later times in the 2. part of his Epistles Ep. 49. he saith but I am at a low ebbe as to any sensible communion with Christ yea as low as any soule can be and do scarce know where I am and do now make it a question if any can goe to him who dwelleth in Light inaccessible through nothing but darknesse And a little after but what shall I say either this is the Lord making grace a new creation where there is pure nothing and sinfull nothing to work upon or I am gone I should count my soule ingaged to your self and others there with you if yee would but carry to Christ for me a letter of cyphers and non-sense for I know not how to make language of my condition onely showing that I have need of his love Againe in the 3. part Ep. 56. he saith but for me I neither know what he is nor his Sons name nor where he dwells I hear a report of Christ great enough and that is all O what is nearness to him And in this Epistle he not onely acknowledgeth his own great deadness and dryness but that it is a generall thing over professors O saith he where are the some times quickening breathings and influences from heaven that have refreshed his hidden ones The causes of his withdrawings are unknown to us Yet afterwards he pointeth truly at the causes
Saints are not Christ there is no misjudging in him there is much in us and a doubt it is if we shall have fully one heart till we have one heaven our star-light hideth us from our selves and hideth us one from another and Christ from us all but he will not be hiddâ—n from us It is no wonder to me that S. R. found it so dark a time to him when he wrot this for he was then at London carrying on that dark work the Westminster Confession and Catechism which crieth down all new revelations of the Spirit and crieth up sinn for terme of life and in that large description they give of GOD out of the Scripture and of CHRIST they altogether omitt these two most excellent and significative that God is Light and in him is no darkness at all and that Christ is the true Light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world It â—eemeth verily the true Light had small place in their hearts that they did so altogether forget it However it is wel that S. R. confesseth there is much misjudging in himself and his Bretbren It is possible then that he misjudged these sober people at Aberdeen as they wel know he did for whereas he threatned that if they did forsake the National Presbyterian Church Christ would forsake them but S. R. is not Christ nor are all his sayings Christ's these people have found more of Christ since that time then before and they may on good ground better believe their own experience then his rash uncharitable judgings I write not these things in the least out of prejudice to S. R. his memory or as if I did conclude that he has not found mercy with the Lord God forbid I should harbour any such uncharitable thought onely becaus the Author of the Postscript brings in his testimony against those people at Aberdeen and layeth such weight upon it I found my self more concerned in the love and zeal of God to take some pains to remove this stumbling block out of the way of the simple as becaus such a good man as S. R. judged so of such a people and of such a way therefor it is bad which yet will have no more weight with those that are truely judicious then when the Papists tell us of their eminent Saints who had such holy lives and witnessed so much of spirituall communion with God and yet opposed the Waldenses as great Hereticks and cried up the Church of Rome as the onely true Church will have weight with us either to believe the one or the other And I do not question it but Bernard who lived in the darkest times of Popery was as holy a man and had as much or rather more spirituall experience as S. R. as his writings do declare to any who have the true spirituall discerning and shall compare Bernard's with those of S. R. and yet the same Bernard was a most vehement opposer of the Waldenses who were a good people and bore a true and faithfull testimony in their day according to the discovery given them of God against the idolatry and superstition of the Church of Rome 4. But before I leave this particular I shall take notice of another thing that will serve not a little to discover how weak S. R. his authority is as to his peremptory conclusion he made concerning those few sober people at Aberdeen which was no less then this that if they did forsake the Nationall Church Christ would forsake them which threatning the Author of the Postscript looketh upon to be a divine prediction confirmed by their since turning to Quakeriâ—in which he calls the abyss of all abominations But I ask this Author of the Postscript Can any divine prediction contradict an article of Faith If he say nay then I query again Is it not an article of the Presbyterian faith that none truely gracious in the least measure can totally fall away from grace or be totally forsaken of God This is their express doctrine whereupon it will follow that none truely gracious can fall into Quakerism which he calls the abyss of all abominations the â—otch of hell yea pure hellism and devilism again seing their falling into Independency was the sinn that provoked God as this Author would have it to suffer them to fall thus it is clear that according to S. R. none truely gracious can turn Independent seing to turn Independent is to be forsaken of Christ as he doth positively threaten in his Letter and yet in the same Letter he telleth them of their work of faith and labour of love and patience of hopâ— in our Lord Iesus as also he tells them of their being sealed unto the day of redemption and having received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith All which plainly import their being in a state of Grace and if either he or the Author of the Postscript think that after all this they could fall away so as to be forsaken of Christ they contradict their own principle If he reply that S. R. judged them to be Saints onely in a judgment of charity I Answer by inquiring whether this his judgment of charity was true or false from his own spirit or from the Spirit of God for there is no midst If he say it was false and from his own spirit and not froâ— the Spirit of God then surely these People whom he so threatned had no cause to fear or look upon him as a Prophet or divinely inspired in the writing of this Letter seing he begins with a false judgment that is confessed to be from his own spirit and not from the Spirit of the Lord. And seing the Author of the Postscript will allow him to have been greatly mistaken in his judging them to be Saints we may with as much ground in all reason judg him to be mistaken when he did so threaten them that Christ would forsake them but if they never had Christ how could he forsake them 5. We need not feare such predictions as carry in their bosome flat contradictions but S. R. did not think Independency inconsistent with the Grace of God for Ep 53 part 3. he giveth an express testimony of some Independents particularly Thomas Godwyn Ieremiah Burroughs that they were gracious men so he telleth that he conceived of them which abundantly proves he thought men might be truly gracious and yet Independents and mighty opposits to Presbyteriall government as his words in that Epistle shew SECTION III. 1. The Presbyterian Reformation not a matter to make so great a boast of as the Author doth 2. That S. R. said in Presbytry the letter onely was reformed and scarce that and that God will not build his Zion on that skin of reformation 3. Many thousands of the Presbyterian Church not fit to be members of a wel ordered humane society 4. A precious life stirring among many Presbyterians especially in the West 40 years ago and upwards 5. The Presbyterians did not goe foreward
thousands of others 9. And in very truth the Presbyterian Church will never be able to purge her self of the iniquity of the killing of many thousands in the three Nations by the occasion of a most bloody warr raised up through the instigation of the Presbyterian Teachers I am fully perswaded of it that the Presbyterian Church hath as much blood-guiltiness lieing on her head unwashed off as any People called a Church that I know of in the world next unto the bloody Church of Rome And as she hath drunk the blood of many so blood hath been given her to drink and it is to be feared that more will be given to her as a just judgment from the hand of God except she repent and condemn that blood-thirsty spirit that hath too much led and influenced her And I am wel assâ—red of it that a bloody Church is noâ—rue Church of Christ for the true Church of Christ is washed by the blood of Christ fâ—om all lust or desire to shed blood Shâ— can suffer her blood to be shed for Christ but she is white and pure from the blood of others 10. The Lord would not have David to build his house becaus he had been a man of warr and had shed much blâ—â—d O! that the Presbyterians could read the spiritual signification of this If the house of God under the Law was not to be built by a man of blood although in the sheding of the blood of the Lords enemies he was allowed shall the house of God under the Gospel be built by men of blood And who have shed so much of the blood of their very Brethren of the same profession both as Christians and as Protestants onely differing from them as to some small circumstances and worldly matters Surely Nay 11. And if there were no more this one consideration might be enough to peswad any man that believes the Scripture testimony and hath the least â—rue understanding of the nature of a Gospel Church that God will never honour the Presbyteriâ—n party to build his Zion or Gospel Church in â—his Land nay from the Lord God I have seen and do see her rejected from having any part or portion in this honourable work 12. Although I do believe the L'ord will make use of many among that people but it will be after he has washed them and purged from them the spirit of blood and of much other filthyness by his Spirit of iudgment aâ—d of burning that he will make them as stones of his building But I know it from the Lord God by his Spirit in me and from the same I declare it that the Presbyterian Church as such and as holding such bloody and Anti-Christian and otherwayes unsound principles and doctrines shall never be honoured of the Lord to build his true Zion in this Land it is the Word of the Lord God in my heart and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and sealed it again and again in me and their labouring to doe such a thing shall be but as men labouring in the fire and like unto them who essayed again to build Ierâ—cho 13. And this I warned them of from the Lord about eleven years agoe in my book called Helâ— in time of Need printed in the year 1655 whicâ— was a year before their insurrection in the West Yet I most assuredly know that the Lord will builâ— unto himself a glorious Church in this Land and therein I aggree with S. R. What he writs in divers Epistles as Ep. 7. part 1. a dry wind upoâ— Scotland but neither to fan nor cleanse but out of all question when the Lord hath cut down his forrest the after-growth of Lebanon shall flourish they shall plant vines in our mountains and a cloud shall yet fill the Temple Again Ep. 55. part 1. there shall be a fair green young garden for Christ in this Land c. Again Ep. 70. I believe our Lord once again shall water with his dew the withered hill of mount Zion in Scotland and come down and make a new marriage again as he did long since he addes Remember our Covenant See also Ep. 34. and 2 part Ep. 56 and 57. and part 3 Ep. 13. 14. But what means the matter These words of S. R. hold forth a great back sliding and apostasy of the Presbyterian Church according to this great Seer S. R. Otherwise what neeâ—d of a new marriage but let us hear him express his mind more distinctly concerning this so highly commended Presbyterian Church part I Ep. 34. he saith We wo wo be to apostat Scotland there is wrath and a cup of the red wine of the wrath of God Almighty in the Lords hand that they shall drink and spue and fall aud not rise again and part 1. Ep. 43. But this Nation hath forsaken the fountain of living Waters And part 1. Ep. 54. This is a black day a day of clouds and darkness for the roof-tree of my Lord Iesus his fair temple is faln and Christ's back is towards Scotland and part 1. Ep 1. yet more distinctly My heart is 〈◊〉 indeed for my mother Church that hath played the barlot with many lovers her husband hath a mind to sell her for her horrible transgressions and heavy will the hand of the Lord he upon this back-sliding Nation All this and much more might be cited out of his Epistles do prove that S. R. had no such thoughts of the Presbyterian Châ—rch which he calleth his mother Church in the time he wrot those Epistles which was at Aberdeen the best time he ever knew and had great nearness unto the Lord. 15. And whatever faith S. R. had of the Lord his appearing again to reforme the Land by the Covenant yet we find that in his later days his faith was very wavering and uncertain touching the Covenant its being made an instrument of reformation for thus he writs Ep. 70. part 2. I believe he comes quickly who will remove our darkness and will shine gloriously in the Isle of Britan as a crowned King either in a formally sworn Covenant or in his own glorious way which I leave to the determination of his infinit Wisdom and Goodness It seemeth he had some other way in his view as possible if not probable which God would take to reforme the Church then the Covenant that instrument of so much blood Hower this is certain his faith was very uncertain about the matter now in his dyeing days and he speaks not at all as any true Prophet of the Lord in this matter Albeit the Presbyterians generally are still so blind and darke that they positively judg that the covenant will be a main thing that God will make use of to reforme the Land and that both Covenant and Presbytery will up again where as S. R. is unclear in the matter 16. And I could tell them of one of themselves whom they judge no lesse then a martyr for the cause that published his mind in
print before his death some years that God had forsaken their Nationall Church and was not like to return to her again and he answereth all the common reasons from Sciptur or the Covenant that seemed to prove that the Lord would return unto them and plainly sheweth the weakness and invalidity of them The book is in the hands of many which I have read and I had it from the mouth of an honest faithfull man that he heard Iohn Livingston say in prayer Lord since Dumbar thou hast spit in our face and since that never looked over thy shoulder to us again This is he whom the Author of the Postscript calls that great man of God and this prayer he had in a certain family in Aberdeen And this is that Church that was such an apostat and whom the Lord had so forsaken by the confession of their chief Seers and who indeed was never a true Gospell Church that we the people called Quakers have forsaken and we are resolved by Gods grace never to return unto her for the Lord hath said unto us let them come unto you but goe not ye unto them the Lord hath added divers who were among them and under that profession unto us and will add many more yea thousands in due time for the Lord hath a precious seed to gather out from among them And there are many among them I know who have true breathings after the Lord and these in due time the Lord will regard and bring them to his Zion which he has begun to build in great glory even in and among the people called in Scorne Quakers SECTION V. 1. What is said against the Presbyterian Church in general as national and as being so guilty of persecution and blood is not understood of all that goe under that name many among them being free of such crimes and of a more sober Spirit and principles 2. An Apology why I frequently use the word Presbyterian 3. Presbytery too good a name for them unless with this addition Pseudo-Presbytery that is Prâ—sbytery falsely so called 4. The Presbyterian Church guilty of denying the true Christ who would exclud him out of the very Saints 5. The Presbyterian Church a foolish builder and guilty of very bad and Vnchristian Doctrins 6. The Presbyterian Church although she pretend to be more for a spritual way of preaching and worshiping then the Papal or Episcopal yet upon the matter she is not one jot more for the same then they are proved by divers Instances 7. Two Questions put to the Presbyterians 8. A list of the râ—viling false acousations and railing speeches of the Author of the Postscript against the people called Quakers 9. Presbyterian teachers have not that credit now with many people as to make them believe whatever they say with an implicit faith as formerly they too much had 1. ANd as to what I have said in generall against the Presbyterian Church as Nationall and as being so guilty of persecution and blood I understand it not of all that goe under that name for I doe believe many among them are altogether free of having a hand in such things and are of a more sober Spirit and of more sober principles but I understand it of a great faction and party of them that did most prevail and carryed away many simple wel-meaning people along with them what by deceitfull perswasions and what by fears And I know many that were so carryed away are now come to see the evil of these practices and are resolved never to concurre in or countenance the like of them again But especially the Presbyterian Clergy and priesthood had the main hand and stroak in these disorders and all to uphold their kingdom and gratify their lust and ambition 2. And that I have so frequently used the word Presbyterian or may afterwards use it is onely for distinction's sake becaus I know not how otherwise to designe them yet I am farr from judging them to be true Presbyterians or that their Classicall judicatorys were true Presbyterys such as were in the primitive times And therefore Presbytery is too good a name to give them unless with this addition Pseudo-Presbyterâ— that is to say Presbytery falsly so called seing they have so positively denyed that which gives the very life and being either to any true Church or Presbytery viz the immediat Revelation and 〈◊〉 teachings and leadings of the Spirit of Christ in every member so that as of old there were who called themselvs Iewes and Apostles and were not so these Presbyterians call themselves true Preâ—â—â—â—erys but are no more so then a dead image of a man is a true man And indeed who ever hath a true knowledge of either the Gospell or a true Gospell Church will see that with good reason and good ground we have forsaken the Presbyterian and Nationall Church and that not only becaus of her bad practices but also for her bad anti-Christian and unsound Doctrins in many things she denying the real in-being and reveâ—ation of Iesâ—â— Christ in any of her Members or indeed in any men in those days 4. And although she falsly accuse us as denying the true Christ yet I hope to make it apparent that she and not we are the denyers of him who would exclud him out of the very Saints and altogether confine him to some particular place but this I intend to reserve till afterwards 5. Also she discovereth her self to be a very foolish builder who maketh her foundation so narrow and her building so wide for no less then the whole Nation she would take into her building yea all Nations if she could And yet the true and saving Power and Grace of Christ Iesus which â—elongs to the very foundation of the Church she â—ill onely have it extended but to a small number of â—er members and that the greatest part have neither â—eceived this Grace nor ever shall but are excludâ—d inevitably from it without their own consent â—y Gods absolut decree that barreth them out from 〈◊〉 possibility of Salvation before they ever came 〈◊〉 the world Surely this is too narrow a foundaion for so wide a building and it is but a small â—avour to so many thousands of her members than â—hey are not so much as under any possibility of Salvation yea it seems they are rather the worse then the better for being her Church members seing to the boot they shall be more guilty of condemnation then the Heathen who never heard the Gospel outwardly preached and yet neveâ— a whit the more near unto Salvation These arâ— sad tidings she preacheth to her Church members Again her most eminent Saints she leaveth theâ— still in the dirt and mire of sin for term of life and tells them they can never be free from sin iâ— this life but sin and can not but sin daily in thoughâ— word and deed Surely such un-Christian Doctrins with many more could be named an ground enough for any man whose
eyes are trueâ— opened to leave her and come out of her 6. And though she pretend to be more for a spâ—ritual way of preaching and worship then eitheâ— Papists or these called the Episcopal yet reallâ— upon the matter she is not one jot more for thâ— same then they are but doth fully aggre witâ— them in those principls that in their very naturâ—â— oppose all spirituall preaching and praying For 〈◊〉 they say that true Grace or ptety is not essential to 〈◊〉 Minister of Christ She saith the same Do theâ— say that men may preach and pray without the speâ—cial and immediat movings of the Spiâ—it of God anâ— while they thus preach and pray they ought to bâ— heard if having an outward call from the Church She saith the same Do they say that immediat calls are not needfull to Preachers She saith the same And in a word I know not in the least wherein she is any more a friend to the Spirit of Christ and to preaching and praying by the same or wherein she is not fully as great an enemy yea rather upon the matter she is greater for I believe there shall hardly be found any Council Provincial or General among the Papists themselvs that have so expressly and directly denyed and judged out all new revelations and immediat teachings of the Spirit as the Presbyterian Church have done in their assembly at Westminster and indeed all praying by the real movings of the Spirit of Christ being once denyed and a Worship without the Spirit being set up it is a meer circumâ—tance whether it be in a set forme of words yea 〈◊〉 or nay onely that which is for a set forme of words and a stinted Liturgy the Spirit being once excludâ—ed by both partys seemeth to be less sinfull and alâ—o less scandalous for he that prayeth by his set â—orme is out of all hazard to use words of non-sense â—nd blasphemy providing the set forme contain â—othing but sound words whereas he that prayâ—th onely out of his imagination for out of what else â—oth he pray seing he doth not so much as pretend to â—eceive his words from the Spirit is really in this 〈◊〉 And it is wel known how oft some have really spok non-sense and blasphemy who had no 〈…〉 better guid then their own roaving imagination when they said their prayers and many times the people in stead of being moved to seriousness by such prayers were moved to laugh at the ignoranâ—â— and folly of such Speakers and certainly of two evils it is the lesser to have a Liturgy or stinteâ— forme then to suffer such abuses as have beeâ— committed by some both Presbyterian and Episcopal Preachers in their Pulpits in their Prayâ—ers 7. And indeed there are two Questions I coulâ— never get resolved by any Presbyterian 1. Wâ—â— their Preachers study their Sermons before hand left they should speak non-sense to the People aâ—â— yet study not their Prayers before hand but 〈◊〉 them forth ex tempore 2. Why they think Lawfull to sing by a book and yet think it unlavfull to pray by a book And these two questiâ—â— I leave with this Author of the Postscript to answeâ— and shall proceed to take notice of his other 〈◊〉 wherein I intend to be more brief haâ—ing no arguments to answer and the Author haviâ—â— brought none against us nor indeed any Testimoâ—nys to prove the Quakers guilty of any such 〈◊〉 as he accuseth them of but spendeth most of all 〈◊〉 paper in most horrible bitter revilings and 〈◊〉 accusations Some of which I shall here insert 〈◊〉 give the Reader a trial of the bitterness of this mans spirit and that he has not the least true ground for any such revilings in the next place I intend to shew 8. Let us then stand still a little aâ—nd heare his raiâ—ings and raiâ—ing revilings and uncharitable speeches he soameth out against us even as a troubled Sea casteth out foam and dirt this abyss of all abominations deâ—perat Quakerism root of bitâ—erness this ditch and deep pit pernicious ways Soul-murthering delusions spreading contagion â—equally loathsome and hatefull to their Soules with 〈◊〉 bell Sathans slime botch of hell pure Devilism 〈◊〉 the dung of all these desperat soul-destroying heresys â— videliceÌ„t of Popery Arminianism Erastiamsm â—Socinianism Arianism Petagianism Familism â—Antinomianism Heathenism and Atheism 〈◊〉 â—having a speciall power and influence over and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bodys and spirits of not a few of that monstrous 〈◊〉 dung of hell dished up with a piece of the black â—Art peculiar to that Tribe the very stink of hell which cometh forth at their impure and poâ—â—uâ—ed â—mouths in blasphemys against God his Christ his â—Spirit his Word his precious and pure Ordinances 〈◊〉 purchase of the blood of Christ and the means 〈◊〉 fellowship with the Father and with his Son Iesus â—hrist most odious vermin and black locusts that 〈◊〉 crawled out of the infernal lake or croked upon the face of the Earth blasphemous belchings 〈◊〉 the very sibilation of the Old Serpent What name or notion can be faln upon or found fit to unfold the nature of that doctrin comprehensive of all these doctrins of Devils whereby the Gospel hath been from the beginning opposed through Satans black art and utmost malice as if this one shape and size of enemyâ— to the Gospel were gathered together and cemeâ—ed all the severall partys that ever Abaddon anâ— Apollyon commanded in his severall expeditionâ— against the Prince Michaël And thus Reader I have set before thee somâ— part of this Presbyterian mans Rhetorick forâ—â—trial and if thou hast the least measure of true diâ—cerning so that thy ear can try words as 〈◊〉 mouth tasteth meat it will be easy for thee to judgâ— whence such bitter and unchristian revilings proâ—ceed and what spirit hath taught him to utter 〈◊〉 many gross lyes and slaunders against an innoceâ— People and none can expect that I will be at thâ— pains to refuâ—e such stuff it containing nothing 〈◊〉 argument nor proof that we are guilty of 〈◊〉 things but onely bare affirmations 9. And though in former times the Presbytâ—rian Teachers had such great esteeme througâ— the great blindness that was over the Nation 〈◊〉 the minds of most people that their bare saying 〈◊〉 were like Divine Oracles yet the times are now 〈◊〉 a great measure changed that what they say will not be believed so easily nay will not at all be believed by thousands unless they bring good and sufficient proof for the truth of what they say for there is an eye opening in many in this Nation that is seeing clearly how these deceitfull men had too great power over them to impose upon their faith and they are now resolved not to be so abused by them as formerly and therefore I am perswaded such bare affirmations without the least shaddow of a proof will have weight with none but such as yet give up themselvs blindly and implicitly to be led by these blind
foolish and groundless distinction that they have borrowed from the Popish School-men The Scriptur telleth us nothing of this nicity yet we do acknowledge the person of Christ. 10. And if by Person they understand his manhood or the man Christ Iesus we believe that Christ is man and a singular man that is to say he is not two or many men but one onely man as also he is singular for the excellency of his nature even as Man 11. So that whatever excellency any other man hath in his nature Christ hath the same and also far greater and more excellent in his who is the heavenly Man or Lord from heaven the second Adam that is a quickening Spirit whereas other men in comparison of him yea Adam the first Man is but of the Earth Earthly So that as farr as the most high heavens do excell the base and low Earth so farr doth Christ even as Man excell all other men and that not onely in accidents as the Popish school-men and the Presbyterian Teachers following them do teach but in nature and Substance And therefore as the Heavens do influence the Earth and make it fruitfull by the virtue that proceedeth therefrom so the heavenly Man Christ Iesus doth influence all other men by his Light and Life that they may be fruitfull in holiness and righteousuess and who remaine unfruitfull it is not for want of the Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man as not influencing them but becaus that by unbeliefe they harden their hearts against his Heavenly breathings and influences And this distinction betwixt the very nature of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as man amd that of the soules of all other men is clearly held forth by Paul according to the wisdom given him of God that whereas the Soul of any other as namely the Soul of Adam was made a living Soul the second Adam is a quickening Spirit who quickens both the Souls and bodys of other men who in faith receive his quickening life and Spirit and whatever virtue the Souls of any other holy men have to quicken others they have it not of themselvs nor yet immediatly of God the Father but they derive it from the heavenly man or second Adam Christ Jesus who hath it immediatly of the Father who is the Mediator between God and Man even the Man Christ Iesuâ— 12. And this doth manifestly hold forth a substantial dignity and excellency in the nature of the Man Christ Jesus even as a man above the nature of all other men and Angels which the Papists and Presbyterian Teachers do both deny 13. And thus it may appear how much more we do esteeme of the Manhood of Christ Iesus then either Papists or Presbyterians SECTION VIII 1. The fourth accusation is false for we owne no other Iesus Christ but him who was born of the Virgin Mary 2. He was the true Christ of God before 3. That the man Christ Iesus was from the beginning 4. Some Scripturs brought and opened to prove this as Eph 3 9 Joh 6 38. 1 Cor 15 47 48. Joh 3 13. Eph 4 9. 1 Cor 10 3 4. the same proved from 1 Tim 2 5. and 1 Cor 11 3. 5. Christ was anointed from the beginning Prov 8 23. Psal 2 6. 6. The Man Christ before Abraham and John the Baptist. 7. Some more Scripturs opened as Psal. 110 34. Amos 2 13. Heb. 6 6. Rev 11 18. And some more Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning as Gen. 32 24. Gen. 19 24. 8. That the outward flesh and blood is not properly the Man but the Soul or inward man 9. More Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament as Ezek. 1 26 27. Dan. 7 9. 10. Christ his Soul and heavenly flesh and blood from the beginning 11. The Soul Life or Spirit of the Heavenly Man doth as far extend as his heavenly flesh and blood even to all the Saints 12. Though they have not the center or root of his Soul and Life in them but onely a measure ray or emanation of it 13. The Scripture no where saith that Christ did take his Soul but onely his outward flesh of the Virgin and so according to the flesh he was onely the Son of Mary David and Abraham by virtue of his outward conception and birth The fourth Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we deny Iesus the Son of Mary to be the alone true Christ. 1. This is a false accusation We own no other Jesus Christ but him that was born of the Virgin Mary who as concerning the flesh is the Son of Mary and the Son of David and the Seed of Abraham 2. And yet he was the true Christ of God before he took flesh and before he was the Son of Mary or David or of Abraham for his being born of the Virgin Mary made him not to be Christ as if he had not been Christ before But he was Christ before even from the beginning as I shall prove clearly out of Scripture Eph. 3 9. it is said expressly that God created all things by Iesus Christ. Now if all things were created by Jesus Christ then Jesus Christ was before all things for the cause is always before the effect at least in order of nature But to this they object that by Iesus Christ is meant the Word onely in this place whereas the Word onely is not properly the Christ but the Word as cloathed with the Manhood or the Man as united with the Word And so I answer that the Word onely is not properly the Christ without the Manhood but it is the Word made Flesh or made Man And therefore seing the Apostle by the Spirit of God hath declared that all things were created by Jesus Christ and that Jesus Christ signifieth properly the Word made Flesh or made Man it is clear that according unto the Apostle the Word was mad flesh or Man even from the beginning 3. And this will yet more appear by comparing this place with other places of Scripture as Ioh. 6 38. For I came down from heaven not to do mine own will but the will of him that sent me Now Christ spake this not simply as the Word or as God but as Man for as God he had no will of his own distinct from the will of the Father for the Father and the Word have but one onely will whereas the Man or Manhood of Christ hath indeed a distinct will which yet is always in union with the will of the Father And seing Christ spake this as Man it is clear from his own words that as Man he came down from heaven and was Man before he descended to take part of our flesh in the Virgins womb and therefore Paul calleth him the Second Adam the Lord from heaven and that heavenly Man 1 Cor 15 47 48. Also it is clear that Christ himself speaketh in the 6 of Iohn of his flesh and blood that did
them but onely an emanation or stream of it the Center and Spring it self was for most part in heaven untill it descended and cloathed it self with the likeness of our 〈◊〉 flesh in the Virgins womb 13. And â—herefore let all the Scripturs be searched and it shall not be found that Christ became Man and tooke to himself the Soul of Man at his conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary but onely that he took flesh and was the Son of Mary David and Abraham according to the flesh but according to his Heavenly Nature even as man he was the Son of God and was the Father and Lord of all the Faithfull in all Ages therefore David in spirit called him LORD whose Name is Wonderfull Counseller the Mighty God the Everlasting Father aud Prince of Peace SECTION IX 1. That Christ is in every man yea in every Creature in a true sense proved from Scripture 2. That it derogats no more from the honour of Christ then from the honour of God the Father that he is in all things 3. Christ in the saints proved from Scripture 4. Yea in all men even the wicked proved from Scripture 5. The God-head properly doth not suffer in men but the soule or life of Iesus Christ the heavenly man 6. More Scripture to prove that Christ suffers in the wicked as Heb. 6. 6. Rev. 11. 8. 7. Paul preached Christ in the Corinthians and Galatians when unbelievers proved from 1 Cor. 2. 2. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 3. 8. 1. Tim. 3. 16. 8. If Christ be in the Saints he must be in all men proved from a most convincing reason that otherwayes he would be divided from himself and in discontinued places 9. Christ is otherwayes in all men then in the other inferior creaturs in regard of his operations 10. And otherwise in the Saints then in other men not only in regard of operation but also in regard of union and communion 11. How Christ is and yet is not in unbelievers in different respects cleared by two manifest examples 12. Christ is otherwise in the outward body and temple that suffered at Jerusalem then in the Saints 13. The Saints union with God is but mediat through the heavenly man Christ whereas the union of Christ with God is immediat 14. The Saints not Christ but Christians and receive all things from God by the Heavenly Man Christ Iesus 15. How Christ hath given eternall life to all flesh or all mankind according to John 17. 2. which place of Scripture is falsly translated in our English Bible THe fifth Particular whereof he accuseth us is that we affirme Christ to be a common sort of thing to be found in every man as it was in the Son of Mary even the common Light to be found in the mind of every man in the world 1. Answer That Christ is in every man yea in every creature we do boldly affirme conforme to the Scripture which saith all things were created by him even Iesus Christ the incarmate Word or Word made flesh and therefor he is in all things and as Iohn said he was in the world and the world was made by him for indeed it is impossible that the maker can be separated from the thing that is made I say according to the Scripture that seeing all creaturs were made by Iesus Christ therefore he is in them all even as God is in all giving them and upholding them their beings and ministring unto every thing what is needfull and fit for it 2. Doth it any more derogat from the honour and glory of Christ that he is in all then it derogats from the honour and glory of God the Father who is in all and through all blessed in himself for ever more For as God is a pure being and life that nothing can defile even so is Christ Jesus an incorruptible and incontaminable life and being as God is Light so Christ is Light a Light that shineth every where even in the darkness as Iohn declared but the darkness cannot comprehend it nor can the darkness obscure and darken it onely it can and doth obscure and darken the eyes of them who are in darkness that they cannot see nor behold the glory of the Light But more particularly to come to the matter in hand I shall first prove from Scripture that Christ is in the Saints and secondly both from Scripture and good reason that is grounded on Scripture that he is in all men in a true sense yea in all creatures And thirdly I shall shew that in regard of his operations he is otherwise in men then in the other creaturs of an inferior degree And fourthly that he is otherwise in the Saints then in other men and that not onely in regard of operation but also in regard of union and communion And fiftly that he is otherwise in the vessell or temple that suffered on the Crosse at Ierusalem and is now glorifyed in heaven then he is in any or in all of the Saints or in any other creaturs whatsoever howsoever excellent 3. As to the first that Christ is in the Saints see Ioh. 6 56. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood dwelleth in me and I in him see also Iohn 17. 23. I in them and thou in me c. see again Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith Collos. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory 2 Cor. 13. 3. Seing that ye seek a proofe of Christ speaking in me and verse 5. know ye not your own sâ—lvâ—s how that Iesus Christ is in you unless ye be reprobates Many more Scriptures may be brought but these shall suffice to shew that Christ is in the Saints and Christ is Gods anointed King Priest and Prophet and therefor by Christ is not to be understood the Word simply considered as in God but the incarnate or ingrafted Word or the Word made flesh that dwelleth in the Saints Ioh. 1. 14. for the Word simply considered as in God is not the anointed but the annointer whereas Christ is Gods anointed 4. Secondly that Christ is in all men even in the wicked see Amos 2. 13. Behold I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves This cannot be understood of God or the Word simply considered that cannot be pressed or suffer any grief but it is well understood of the incarnat or ingraftâ—d Word to wit the precious Seed of the life of Christ in us that is exceeding tender and is capable of grief and suffering by mens sins Psal. 95. 10. Fourty years long was I grieved in this generation Isajah 63. 9 10. In all their affliction he was affâ—icted and the Angel of his presence saved them in his love and in his pity he redeemed them and he bare them and caryed them all the days of old but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit c. 5.
committ himself unto them becaus he 〈◊〉 all men and needed not that any should testify 〈◊〉 Man for he knew what was in man And sureâ—â— John understood this of Christ as man for he 〈◊〉 here speaking of the Man Christ even Jesus 〈◊〉 was borne of Mary but to say that he knew 〈◊〉 thoughts not immediatly but by revelation 〈◊〉 to contradict the express words of this Scripturâ— which saith that he needed not that any should testifyâ—â— man so needed not divine revelation to know 〈◊〉 thoughts or hearts of men And Peter said unto 〈◊〉 Man Christ Jesus Lord thou that knowest all 〈◊〉 knowest that I love thee all which prove that 〈◊〉 Man Christ Iesus to wit his soul hath a reall 〈◊〉 and is really omnipercipient and 〈◊〉 of all things present and past if not of 〈◊〉 things to come for as things to come he may 〈◊〉 know them by divine revelation from his Father but he cannot properly be percipient of them 〈◊〉 sense perception require alwayes a present object 16. And if Christ as Man be omnipercipient he is also omnipresent not onely becaus omnipercipiency is as great or rather a greater propriety and priviledge but also becaus omnipercipiency doth really imply and involve in it omnipresence for how that which is so altogether absent from us can be sensible of our affairs and thoughts is altogether unconceiveable and puts our understanding as much upon the rack as the Popish doctrin of transubstantiation and the Lutheran of Consubstantiation whereas in the way as I have expressed it the thing â—s easy to be understood SECTION XI 1. An objection answered that I seeme to agree with the Lutheran doctrin of the ubiquity of the Man Christ. 2. That the externall Person and body of Christ is not every where nor his Soul wholly in every place by a certain multiplication of ubications as the Lutherans commonly but falsly teach 3. The Center Spring or Fountain of his Soul Life or Spirit as he is the Heavenly Man is onely in that body that was crucifyed outwardly at Jerusalem and is now glorifyed in the Heavens 4. And is extended unto us by way of emanation 5. Some examples given to illustrat this Truth 6. As we agree with Luther in the generall so we differ from him in the particular manner of the ubiquity of the Man Christ Iesus which in their way is inexplicable and repugnant to Scripture 〈◊〉 the certain instincts and dictats of Reason but 〈◊〉 our way most râ—tional and agreeable to Scripture 7. The great comfort of this Doctrin that we haâ—â— the Man Christ Iesus so near unto us in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul in his Divine Seed anâ— Body extended unto us 8. That the most glorâ—â—ous Angels can not see God but in the Man 〈◊〉 Iesus to wit in his Spirit Life and Light râ—vealed in them 9. How the words of Jameâ— concerning the Word Ingrafted are to be understood and the words of John concerning the Worâ— made Flesh. 10. That Scripture Heb. 9 1â— opened 11. A Saying of Hermes Trismegistâ—â— concerning God his being a Circle whose Center is every where and is no where circumâ—criâ—ed 12. The Man Christ Iesus a real aâ— proper middle betwixt God and us ANd if it be objected that I seeme to agreâ— with the Lutheran doctrin as concerninâ— the ubiquity of the Man Christ. 1. I answer that I do indeed agree witâ— them in the general but differ from them as to 〈◊〉 manner in great and weighty circumstances For they say the externall person body of Christ that suffered on the Cross is every where even the whole in every place 2. I say Nay his externall Person is arisen and ascended and is not here as the Angel said surâ—â—exit non est hîc he is risen he is not here meaning his outward body for that was it they were seeking and it is impossible that one and the same 〈◊〉 body can be in many places at once 2. They say the whole Soul of Christ is in every 〈◊〉 and in every thing not by an extention but a â—ertain multiplication of its ubication but this is as â—â—possible and unconceivable as the former 3. But I say The whole Soul or Spirit of Christ â—not in every place nor in every man for the â—enter and Spring or Fountain of it is onely in that â—ody that was crucified on the Cross at Jerusalem â—nd is now ascended and glorified in Heaven which â—emaineth the same in Substance that it was on â—arth although it be wonderfully changed as to the 〈◊〉 and manner of its being it being no more a â—ody of flesh blood and bones but a pure ethereal 〈◊〉 heavenly body like unto which the bodys of the â—aints are to be at the resurrection For Earthâ—â— and Heavenly are not so differing but that reâ—aining one in Substance they may be changed â—e into another so that as one and the same 〈◊〉 Soul may by the operation of the Mighty Power of God be changed so as to be made heavenly and pure even so one and the same Earthly body may by the same Power be made Heavenly and thus in different respects they are one and the same and yet not the same one in Substance and not one but another in the manner of being 4. And the Center or Spring of Christs Soul remaining in that glorifyed body it extends its precious Life Spirit and Light into the Saints and 〈◊〉 some manner into all men 5. Even as the Light of the Sun that is centraâ—â—â— in the body of the Sun and yet emanats and 〈◊〉 forth its Light in most abundant streams and raysâ—â— to all the world And as the Soul of any ordinâ—â—â— man hath its center in one principal part of the body as some think the Head but others the Heaâ— and sendeth forth its Life and vital Rays into 〈◊〉 whole body and therefore the Soul is sensibleâ— whatever affects any part or member in the whoâ—â— body Even thus our blessed Lord and Saviour â—â—sus Christ is sensible of whatever affects or moves 〈◊〉 Church which is also his body by the real 〈◊〉 of his Divine Life Soul and Spirit in the Diviâ—â— Seed extended into the same 6. And thus indeed as we agree with Luther anâ— his followers in the general so we differ from theâ— as to the particular manner and way of the real prâ—â—sence and ubiquity of the Manhood of Christ 〈◊〉 in their way is inexplicable and repugnant to the most certain instincts and dictats of Reason that God has indued us with as Rational creaturs Whereas the way as I have expressed it is most rational and will be found to be most true and solid by all that shall seriously ponder the matter and weigh the reasons and arguments I have given for it and may yet further give from Testimonys of Scripture and experience of the Saints that no reason can contradict but doth highly favour 7. And surely it is no lesse
a Christian indeed but a tast of the sweetness of Christ come and see will speake best to your Soul This plainly implyeth that Christ is present even to them who are not Christians indeed seing to tast of the sweetness of Christ is that onely which makes one who is not a Christian indeed to be a Christian. But beside all this I shall cite some express testimonys for Christ his being in the Saints See 1 part Ep. 43. It 's not for nothing that it 's said Coloss. 1 27. Christ in you the hope of glory I will be content of no pawn of heaven but Christ himself And 2 part Ep. 1. I have good confidence Madam that Christ Iesus whom your Soul throug forrests and mountains is seeking is within you Many more testimonys may be cited but these may suffice to prove that this great Seer in the Presbyterians account did believe that not onely the Graces and Comforts of Christ are in the Saints which are as it were his train and attendants but that he himself is in the midst of them And if it be replyed that by Christ his being in the Saints he meant is God not as Man as we understand it 12. To this I answer 1. God or the Word or Logos singly considered is not Christ but the Word incarnate or the Word made flesh and planted in us For Christ signifyeth Anoynted and it is the Man Christ that is Gods Anoynted and indeed we can not see nor tast nor smell nor feel of the naked Deity of Christ nor converse with Christ simply as God but as God-Man or the Word incarnate and the Presbyterians commonly teach that there is no accesse to God nor communion with him but through the Mediator Christ Jesus as Calvin himself teacheth for thus he writeth on the Hebrews cap. 1 ver 2. That God is no otherwise revealed to us then in Christ for there is so great a brightness in the essence of God that it blindeth our eyes till it shine upon us in Christ. Whence it followeth that we are as blind men to the Light of God unless it shine to us in Christ. By this it is clear that Christ importeth somewhat beside the essence of God which is his Manhood or as he is the Word incarnate But 2. The Presbyterians now adays would not onely exclude Christ as Man but even as God out of his Saints for they are greatly offended at Iohn Owen an Independent Teacher who in his book on the Perseverance of the Saints hath affirmed that the Holy Ghost himself doth really indwell in the Saints so that not onely the graces and gifts of the Holy Ghost but he himself is an indweller in them and is united unto them and they to him and for this Caudry a Presbyterian hath found fault with him And 3. I shall produce some of S. R. his own words and leave them to the Reader whether they do not hold forth somewhat of the truth of that which I plead for although I believe he had not a distinct and explicite understanding of it See 2 part Ep. 38. I know said he God is casten if I may so speak in a sweet mould and lovely image in the person of that heavens-Iewel the Man Christ and that the steps of that sâ—eep ascent and stair to the Godhead is the flesh of Christ the new and living way Surely these words import no lesse but that Christ as Man although not as to his external person yet in some other mysterious way is present with the Saints on Earth seing they can not see God as in himself but as he is to be seen in that lovely image of the Man Christ whose flesh is the steps and stair to the Godhead And therefore we must have that flesh in us else we can not ascend to any true communion with him in our hearts 13. But again see a more express testimony that the Man Christ is in the Saints buddeth forth blossometh and beareth fruit in them part 3. Ep. 13. But the Plant of Renown the Man whose Name is the BRANCH will budd forth again and blossome as the rose and there shall be fair white flourishes again with most pleasant fruits upon that Tree of Life a fair season may he have Grace Grace be upon that blessed and beautifull tree under whose shaddow we shall sitâ— and his fruit shall be sweet to our tast Again see 3 part ep 8. Iesus that flower of Jesse set without hands getteth many a blast yet withers not becaus he is his Fathers â—oble Rose casting a sweet smell through Heaven and Earth and must grow and in the same garden with him grow the Saints Now I would ask the Author of the Postcript Do these words of S. R. hold forth a false Christ or another Jesus then the 〈◊〉 Jesus the Son of Mary If they do not then why doth he accuse the Quakers as holding another Christ onely becaus they speak of Christ in them as formed in them budding and growing and bringing forth fruit of Life who is the Plant of Reâ—own the BRANCH the Tree of Life the incorrupâ—ible Root the Seed and Word Ingrafted And surely it is impossible to understand how the Man Christ Jesus casts a sweet smell through Heaven and Earth if he is not present both in Heaven and Earth Again see 1 part Ep. 127. If Christ bâ—d and grow green and blossome and bear seed again in Scotland and his Father send him two summers again in one year and bless his crop O what cause â—ave we to rejoyce in the free salvation of our Lord and to set up our banners in the Name of our God! I have cited these passages the rather becaus many Presbyterian Teachers as wel as others when they hear or read such words as proceeding from us namely that Christ is a Seed or Plant of Life in us growing sprouting budding blossoming and bearing fruit and that this Heavenly Seed and Plant is a tender Plant as he is so called in Scripture that is bruised and wounded by mens sins and hindered to bring forth fruit in them that give place to sin but groweth strong and becometh exceeding fruitfull in all them that joyn to it and love it and deny those things that are contrary to its nature such as all kinds of sin are then they cry out horrid blasphemy this is to deny the true Christ of God the Son of Mary 14. But if these expressions be found orthodox in S. R. I hope they are not blasphemous in us seing we hold forth no other Christ Jesus but the same that all the Saints believed in and was of Mary and David according to the flesh and before them and the Father and Lord of them according to the Spirit who is the Saints hiding-place in all ages as it is written Isaiah 32 2. And the man to wit the Man Christ shall be as an hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest as rivers
Light with his is such a grosse and manifest lye and forgery that a greater can not be invented for we do exalt him both with our hearts and mouths above not onely all men of our own profession but above all men and Angels and that beyond all comparison yea we exalt him more then this our accâ—ser or any of his brethren even as Man as having a substantiall dignity and excellency belonging to him as Man above all men and Angels whatsomever nor will it in the least follow from our principles that becaus we have a measure of his Light and Life in us that therefore we put our selves in his place or roome as is already cleared for he has it in the fulnesse in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily and GOD gave not the Spirit unto him by measure whereas whatever Light or Life Vertue or excellency we or any Saints or Angels have is derived from him and is but a measure of his fulnesse and God the Father dwelleth in him immediately but in us â—mediately through him as is above declared and opened from Iohn 17 23. 11. And what a blind and dark man is this that will not acknowledge that the Saints have any thing of that Light in them which Christ hath in himself Let him tell us and prove it from Scripture if he can that Christ putteth any other Light or Spirit in his people then that which is in himself But the contrary is manifest from Scripture that it is one and the same Spirit Light and Life both in him and in them But if some more sober then this Author will acknowledge that Christ is really in the Saints albeit they do not understand how he is in all men to such I say viz who affirme Christ to be in the Saints that by this mans argument to â—it the Author of the Postscript they deny the true Christ the Son of David and Mary and set up the Saints in the place of Christ as being Christ as well as he becaus as he saith containing the same Light 12. Let them consider how farre the Author of the Postscript hath outshot himself in this particular and in stead of pleading for the true Christ hath in effect denyed him and robbed all the Saints of God of having him in them expresse contrary to the Scripturs And I have often wondered how â—hese men will so freely acknowledge and plead for â—he devil his being in all wicked men and yet deâ—y that Christ is in all good men yea seing they â—lead that all good men while they live on earth have sin and sin daily in thought word and deed yea continually they must also acknowledg that in so farre as sin is in them the devil is in them who is the father of all sin and yet they will not have Christ to be in all no not in the Saints which sheweth them to be extreamely blind and inconsiderate And I would ask them this one question Do they think that the Devil is a Spirit of a larger and greater extension then the Soul or Spirit of Christ as Man If they say nay then Christ is in all men If they say that the Devil is a greater Spirit then the Spirit of Christ as Man then they plainly declare that the Devil is greater then Christ which is horrid and detestable blasphemy SECTION XIV 1. That the Presbyterian Teachers set themselvs in the place of Christ. 2. They goe back to the church of Rome and her Popes to prove their call 3. They labour to turn people from Christ in thâ—mselvâ—s 4. Tâ—at they may keep up their trade and gain 5. Who love to hear Christ in themselves love to hear him in others 6. The Author of the Postscript his blasphemy against the true Christ of God in mens hearts 7. He is better skilled in the art of railing then in the way of disputing 8. The Christian Quakers love and honour all true Ministers of Christ Iesus 9. An old policy of Satan to call the ministers of Anti-Christ ministers of Christ as among Papists and Presbyterians 10. Why we cannot joyn with Presbyterian Teachers 1. ANd whereas he falsly accuseth us as puting any of our Prophets in the place of Christ This may be justly retorted back upon him and his brethren who deny the immediate presence and immediate revelation and teachings of Christ in his people and so they set themselves indeed in the place of Christ crying up the necessity of mens teachings and crying down the necessity of the teachings of Christ in peoples â—earts And they tell the people that they must heare them and learn of them else they can not be saved and if any refuse to heare them and learn of them they accurse them 2. And yet they can not give any sufficient account of their call from Christ to preach but do generally in these days goe back to the Apostate Church of Rome and her Popes and Bishops whom they have so often called Babylon and Anti-Christ to derive their call as even Iames Durham a great Presbyterian Teacher hath done in his book on the Revelation But if people come to hearken to the tâ—achings of Christ in them and believe in the same hey turne desperate enemys against them and do all they can to stirre up the Magistrate to persecute them as indeed it is the Presbyterian Teachers especially the mongrell sort of them that are the great occasion of our present persecution And in effect this is their language upon the matter heare us and learn of us but heare not Christ within you learn not of him as he teaches you in your hearâ—s as the Quakers tell you ye ought to do for there is no true Christ in you at all that which reproves you for sin in your hearts is not the true Christ but a false nor is it the least measure of that Light which was in him that shineth in your hearts and lets you see your sins this Light in you can not teach you the saving knowledg of God nor lead you unto God although ye should follow it never so faithfully but we can teach you the true and saving knowledge of God and if ye doe what we â—id you doe ye shall certainly be saved we can pawn our soules for you therefore heare us and ye shall be saved 3. But if ye heare not us ye can not expect Salvation we are the alone Ambassadours that God hath sent unto you to teach you and lead you into the Kingdom of GOD you need no other immediate Teacher or Preacher nay ye need not that Christ should be in you at all you need no immediate teachings of Christ or of God at all immediate revelations are ceased since the Apostles dayes and there is no use of them means are so plentifull I appeal to all sober and impartial men if this be not to set up themselvs in the place of Christ. 4. And what 's the cause that these men are so
travell'd into the remotest parts of the world to preach and they alledge they have preached Christ as much as the Presbyterians alledge they preach him at home Xaverius a Papist preached to the Chineses and was at greater pains then any Presbyterian that ever I heard of for they commonly nest themselves at home and enjoy as much bodily ease and pleasure as other men they seldom preach out of their own parishes but I never heard of any of them goe and preach to heathens where the Name of Christ hath not outwardly been mentioned as many in the Popish Church have done Nor will it solve the matter to say that though there have been some holy Preachers in the Popish Church yet they preached many errors with some truths and therefore since the Light is broke up more clearely they are now to be turned away from although in these dark times it might have pleased God to make some of them instruments of salvation to peoples souls which may as yet be where a further manifestation is not given of God For the same answer will as wel serve us against the Presbyterians as it will serve them against the Papists Admitt then that there may be some holy men among the Presbyterian Teachers and that at times the Spirit of God hath breathed through them when they did little notice it and had not that care to attend his breathings and movings so as onely to speak by them and that when the Spirit thus breathed through them they have been instrumentall to the Salvation of some souls yet becaus these men did also preach many errours and did not regard the inward call and movings of the Spirit of God as they should have done but spake more frequently without them then with them and in their own will beginning and ending with the houre-glasse as also becaus they laid too great weight on the bare outward call of men and on meer natural and acquired abiliâ—ys and have affirmed that Grace or piety is not essentiall to a minister of Christ and have not preached the pure Truth as it is in Iesus but for most part grosse errours as namely that Gods Grace is not Vniversal that Immediat Revelation is ceased that we must sin for terme of Life that men may committ murder and adultery and yet be in a justifyed state and perfectly justifyed at that instant 10. I say for these and many others causes we can not owne them as ministers of Christ according to the pure order of a Gospell Ministry and especially because they take hire and wages as much as any they are hirelings Yet we do really make a difference betwixt those who are more tender and conscientious and others and are glad to meet with any such for they are very thin scattered at this day And if we take more paines on such then upon others some times give them a sound thresh it is in love to them and in hope to find corn among them which we expect less to find among the profane whom he calleth lazy lie-byes and idle loyteres and yet such men were the farre greaters part of the Presbyterian Ministry in its most flourishing time SECTION XV. 1. Many unsound and unsavory expressions in S. R. his Epistles 2. Yet he both experienced and declared of Immediat Revelation and the Spirits immediat teachings 3. He confessed there was a gate of finding Christ that he had never lighted upon 4. The Christian Quakers know this gate which is to wait upon him in the shinings of his Divine Light in their hearts being retired unto the same in pure silence 5. Silent wayting proved from many Scriptures 6. An observable confession of S. R. that the Presbyterians have stinted a measure of so many ounce weights upon holynes and no more 7. Some very observable Testimonys out of the book called The fullfilling of the Scripturs highly commended by the Presbyterians to some of the chief and main principles experiences and practices of the people called Quakers 8. A great out-leting of the Spirit in the West of Scotland about the year 1625. 9. Called by the profane rabble the Stewarton Sicknes That caused a strange unusuall motion on the hearers that some were made to fall over in the place and were carryed out 10. The same Life and Power of God and out-letting of his Spirit but more clearly is now among the Christian Quakers 11. Many Presbyterians now joyn with the profane rabble to call these unusuall motions the reall effects of Gods Spirit among us the signs of some diabolicall possession 12. The Author of the Postscript guilty of this impiety 13. Many Presbyterians like the Scribes and Pharisees who profeffed to owne the Spirit of God in Moses and the Prophets and denyed the same Spirit in Christ and the Apostles 14. That glory that sâ—ined forth among them disappeared when they turned persecuters of others 15. An objection answered 16. The Author of the fullfilling of the Scripturs affirmeth that there was an Apostolick Spirit lett out upon the first Reformers which is inconsistent with their doctrine that immediat revelation is â—eased 17. That Robert Bruce had an extraordinary call to the Ministry 18. That he keeped silence for a considerable time before he preached as the Preachers among the Christian Quakers do 19. He had the Spirit of discerning to know when a man preached not by the Spirit of God and when he did which is our experience also 20. The Author confesseth it is something else to be a Minister of Iesus Christ then to be a knowing and eloquent Preacher which is contrary to the Presbyterian doctrine now and according to the doctrine of the Christian Quakers 21. Robert Bruce his Prophecy that the Ministry of Scotland would prove the greatest persecuters that the Gospell â—ad fullfilled 22. A wonderfull influence that Robert Bruce his prayer had not only upon those present but on some absent that heard not his words 23. The said Author confesseth that the Presbyterians are grossely mistaken concerning some Scripture truthes and promises that after shall be made clear This we know fullfilled 24. A loving exhortation to professors 25. He doth acknowledge Immediat Teachings 26. He calls their own prayers many times a peice of invention rather then a matter of earnest with the Lord. 27. He commendeth it in Robert Bruce that he would not goe to preach without the Lord which is contrary to the Presbyterian doctrine in our dayes 28. He commends many things in thâ—se men that Presbyterians now condemn and reproach under the name of Quakerism HAving in my answer to the Postscript refered unto some places in S. R. his Epistles and also unto that other book called the fullfilling of the Scripturs I shall in this last Section cite some passages that do sufficiently answer unto those referrs 1. In my first Section I say that I doe find very many unsound and unsavoury expressions in S. R. his Epistles that the Life and Spirit of Christ in
my heart doth not only not bear witness for but against and indeed the Scripture also doth beare witnesse against them Of this sort I shall cite a few of many 1 part Ep. 12. The Bible beguiled the Pharisees Surely this is a very unsound and unwary expression and I dare say had such an expression dropt from the penn of any called a Quaâ—er it would have been called blasphemy The Pharisees beguiled themselves in wreâ—ting and misunderstanding the Scriptures as the Priests do in our days but the Bible or Scripture is altogether innocent of this Again 1 part Ep. 88 I am sure Christ hath by his death and blood â—asten the knot so fast that the fingers of Devils and hell-fulls of sins can not loose it This is expressly contrary to the Scripturs testimony that saith your iniquitys have separated betwixt me and you Surely such sin-pleasing doctrine although it be sweet in the mouths of Professors yet it is most unwholesom for their Souls as sweet poyson why did the Lord threaten the Romans the Ephesians the Laodiceans to cutt them off remove their candleâ—ick and spue them out of his mouth for their sins if this mans doctrine be true that hell-fulls of sins â—an not loose the knot Is not this to embolden people in all manner of sin to tell them that hellfulls of sins can not separate them from Christ If he had said Those that are come to witnesse the indissolvible bond or knot betwixt Christ and them are preserved pure and free from all great and grosse â—ins at least he had said more according to the truth and the Scripturs testimony which saith he that abideth in Christ sinneth not And if the righteous man turn from righteousnesse it shall be forgotten Again 1 part Ep. 181. We have need of a Saviour to pardon the very diseases and faulâ—s and weaknesses of the New man and to take away to say so out godly sins or the sins of our sanctification the drossâ— and scumme of spirituall love This is very unâ—ound to charge sin and filthynesse upon the work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his people whereas the Scripture saith his work is perfect And indeed how can any impure thing proceed from the Spirit of God that is altogether a most pure and holy Spirit Again 2 part Ep. 7. He who is woer and suiter should not be an house-hold-man with you till ye and he come up to his Fathers house together This is contrary to the Scripture which saith I will dwell in them and walk in them And if any man will keep my commandments my Father and I will come and make our abode with him Hence the Saints on Earth are called Gods Temple and house Again 2 part Ep. 48. The fruits that grow here are all seasoned and salted with sin A grosse unsavoury expression are the fruits of the Spirit aslove ioy peace gentlenesse goodnesse faith long-suffering meeknesse temperance c. all salted and seasoned with sin How then could the Lord relish and accept them Again 3 part Ep. 9. Howbâ—it we be but half-hungered of Christ here This is contrary to the promises of the Lord and experience of the Saints Did not David say My cup overfloweth And is it not said in the Song Eat O friends drink abundantly O beloved And is it not promised in the New Convenant they shall not hunger and thirst c. And said Paul that ye may be filled with the fulnesse of God And of Barnabas it is said he was a good man and full of the holy Ghost It 's true all that is received in this life is but as a first-fruits and earnest of that to come yet there is a very blessed and large enjoyment of Christ to be attained here so that the faithfull can say they want no good thing and although they hunger yet it is not for famine or want but to sharpen their appetite Yea in contradiction to himself he â—aith 1 part Ep. 128. Pray for me his prisoner that he would be pleased to bring me among you again full of Christ c. And 1 part Ep. 140. O thirsty love wilt thou set Christ the well of Life to thy head and drink thy fill drink and spare not drink love and be drunken with Christ. But doth this agree with his former expression of being half-hungered of Christ here in this life Again 1 part Ep. 62. he saith Reprobats are not formally guilty of contempt of God and misbelief becaus they apply not Christ and the promises of the Gospell to themselvs in particular for so they should be guilty becaus they believe not a lye which God never oblieged them to believe But this is to make God guilty of hypocrisy that reproveth the world of unbelief and offereth faith and Salvation unto all nor doth God obliege them to believe a lye becaus Christ hath given himself a ransome for all and dyed for all as the Scriptures expressly declare Again see 1 part Ep. 3. Except a man marâ—yr and slay the body of sin in sanctifyed self-denyall they shall never be Christs martyrs and faithfull witnesses And yet in contradiction he saith within 20 lines in the same Epistle Howbeit we can not attain to this denyall of me and mine that we can say I am not my self my self is not my self mine own is no longer mine own yet our aiming at this in all we doe shall be accepted This is another sin-pleasing doctrine plaine contrary to the Scripture which faith unlesse a man deny himself c. it doth not say if he aime at it he shall be accepted Surely this is to â—ue pillows under mens arme-holes and to embolden them in sin for who will not say they aime at self-deniall although they attaine not unto it Again see 1 part Ep. 14. Some are partakers of the holy Ghost and tast of the good Word of God and of the powers of the life to come and yeâ— have no part in Christ at all citâ—ing Heb. 6 4. But this is a grosse contradiction seing none are partakers of the holy Ghost but by Christ. But these mentioned Heb. 6 4. are such as having a part in Christ may fall from him Again see 1 part Ep. 50. The best regenerate have their defilements and if I may speak so their draff-pack that will clogg behind them all their days and wash as they will there will be filâ—h in their bosome A most unfavoury and unsound expression contrary to the promises of God and the experience of many that witnessed a cleansing from all filthinesse and sin Again 1 part Ep. 27. All Christs good bairns goe to heaven with a broken brow and with a crooked legge Contrary to Scripture which faith Thou shalt walk in the way safely and thy feet shall not stumble Prov. â— 23. And Christ is a perfect Physician who as he cured the lame bodys of those that believed in him perfectly so doth he cure the lame â—ouls of all his
people even perfectly for no imperfect thing can enter into heaven Again see 1 part Ep. 20. We are fools to be browden and fond of a pawn in the loof of our hand living on trust by faith may wel content us This he speaks as reproving such who seek after spirituall feelings and sensible enjoyments of Christ which is according to his brethrens doctrine that teach We should not seek to live by sense to wit spirituall sense but by faith a grosse and unsound doctrine as if faith and sense spirituall were opposite whereas faith doth always in some measure imply some one spirituall sense or other for unlesse we spiritually heare or feel Christ in some measure we can not believe in him faith cometh by hearing saith the Apostle and is not faith a laying hold on Christ with the hands of our Soul and how can we doe this without all sense or feeling of him in a spirituall way Surely the natural and outward senses are no more necessary for the preservation of the naturall life then the inward and spiritual senses are necessary for the preservation of the Spiritual Life of the Soul Also he hath frequently in his Epistles too airy and frothy expressions no wise beseeming the weight of the matter those expressions relate unto as 1 part Ep. 120. Christ seeâ—eth to leave heaven to say so and his Court and come down to laugh and play with a daft bairne Again 1 part Ep. 91. Will not a Father take his little dated Davie in his armes and carry him over a ditch or a mire Again 1 part Ep. 121. O if I could dote if I may make use of that word in this place as much upon himself as I do upon his love This is a hint of some of these many unworthy unsound and stumbling expressions which are to be â—ound in his Epistles which I had not medled with to discover but becaus many and especially the Publisher do so idolize this book of S. R. his Epistles as if there were none beyond it except the BIBLE 2. In my second Section I say that S. R. in his more pure times both experienced and declared of Immediate Revelation and the Spirits immediate teachings as his Epistles abundantly witnesse also that he plainly declareth he had the counsell and mind of God in some things not to be found in Scripture See for this besides the testimonys I have already cited in the answer these following 1 part Ep. 2. It was not without God 's special direction that the first sentence that ever my mouth uttered to you was that of John 9 39. Again 1 part Ep. 9. It is little to see Christ in a book as men do the World in a card 〈…〉 of Christ by the book and the tongue and no more but to come nigh Christ and hausse him and imbrace him is another thing Again 1 part Ep. 9. O his perfumed face his fair face his lovely and kindly kisses have made me a poor prisoner see there is more to be had of Christ in this Life then I believed we think all is but a little earnest a four-houres a small tasting we have or is to be had in this life which is true compared with the inheritance but yet I know it is more it is the kingdom of God within us Again 2 part Ep. 2. O blessed Soul that can leap over a man and look above a pulpit up to Christ who can preach home to the heart howbeit we are all dead and rotten Again 2 part Ep. 8. And sure I am it is better to be sick providing Christ come to the bed-side and draw by the curtains and say courage I am thy Salvation then to enioy health being lusty and strong and never to be visited of God Again 1 part Ep. 35. But at other times he will be messenger himself and I get the cup of Salvation out of his own hand Again O how sweet is a fresh â—isse from his holy mouth his breathing that goeth before a â—isse upon my poor Soul is sweâ—t and hath no fault but that it is too short But that he â—aith â—hat Christ drinketh to him is a froathy and unâ—avoury expression used by him in that same Epistle And 3 part Ep. 22. anent his transplanting he â—aith what God saith to me in the â—ussinesse I resolve 〈…〉 doe And 1 part Ep. 85. Now and then my silence burneth up my Spiâ—t but Christ hath said Thy stipend is running up with interest in heaven as if thou 〈◊〉 preaching and this from a Kings mouth rejoyceth my heart And 3 part Ep. 37. Christ hath said to me mercy Grace and peace for Marjon 〈◊〉 Again 1 part Ep. 154. We but stand beside Christ we goe not unto him to take our fill of him but if â—e should doe 〈◊〉 things 1. draw the curtains and make bare his holy face and then 2. clear our dim and bleared eyes to see his beauty and glory he should find many lovers This place is remarkable for it holdeth forth both immediat subjective and objective revelation according as the nationall teachers do themselvs define it and indeed his words in all these testimonyes import no less Again 1. part Ep. 201. O that â—e would strick out windowes and fair and great Lights in this old house this fallen down soul and then sett the soul near hand Christ that the rayes and beames of Light and the Soul delighting glances of the face fair God-head might shine in at the windowes and fill the house Again 1. part ep 32. now he is pleased to feast a poor prisoner and to refresh me with joy unspeakeable and glorious so as the Holy Spirit is witness that my sufferings are for Christs truth and God forbid I should deny the â—estimony of the Holy Spirit and make him a false witness Again 1. par ep 120. Lord let me never be a false witness to denâ— that I saw Christ take the pâ—n in his hand and subscribe my writs And part 3. ep 27. In privat on the 17 and 18 of August I got a full answer of my Lord to be a graced minister and chosen arrow hidden in his own quiver but know this assurance is not keaped but by watching and prayer These are but a small part of much more might be cited out of his Epistles as testimonys to immediate revelation and the immediat teachings of the Spirit yea to new revelations not to be found in Scripture and yet as I have above observed after all this he joyned with the assembly at Westminster to cry down all such immediat revelation and to affirme that God had committed his Counsell wholly to writing 3. And although many of those called Presbyterians cry up S. R. as a man of so great experience in the things of God yet I find himself ingenuously confess 1. part ep 46. that there is a gate yet of finding out Christ that he hath never lighted upon and saith he O if I could find it out
this nature in the said book 10. And certainly this was an immediat sensible appearance and revelation of the power and presence of God accompanying the Ministry of that time which produced such effects and in truth the very same power and presence of God with the very same and the like effects is now again broken forth in our day among the despised people called Quakers and that in much greater clearness so that more sound principles are made known unto us and many things which were letts and snares unto them are discovered unto us from the Lord. 11. And yet is it not a most sad and lamentable thing that Professors who cry up the appearance of God in that time will not owne the same appearance of God in the nature and kind of it although more clear and glorious as to the measure among us now but joyn with the profane rabble to call those unusuall motions which are the reall effects of Gods power and Spirit powerfully seazing upon both souls and bodys of many among us in great trembling cryes and tears the signes of some Diabolicall Possession whereas the same persons by sobriety of life and conversation and by a walk as Christian-like as any of these a fore mentioned in many things exceeding them and also by the savor of the life of Christ in them have evidenced that they were led by the Spirit of God 12. Yea the Author of â—he Postscript is not affraid to impute these unusuall and extraordinary motions that some times appear in the bodyes of some of our friends to a possession of Sathan which if he did as knowingly as maliciously might truely be called a blaspheming against the Holy Ghost But they are judged here by some of their owne prophets for seing it was the Spirit of God that raised these unusuall motions in them abovementioned why should the like now be imputed to the Devill 13. O how like is this generation of hypocriticall professors to the Scribes and Pharisees and Iewes of old who professed to owne the Spirit of God in Moses and the prophets and yet rejected and resisted the same Spirit in Christ and the Apostles 14. And it is observable that this glory of God that appeared among them at that time which was a time of persecution although it continued for some years yet afterwards when the Presbyterians got into the sadle themselvs and turned persecuters of others that dissented from them this glory did disappear and in stead thereof great complaining of deadness as it is at this day among them who have most ingenuity This doth plainly show that they did not follow the Lord in his further leadings but rather went back otherwise this glory would not have departed bâ—t continued yea and increased among them And if some obiect that this glory appeareing unto that people at a communion to wit at that called the Sacrament of the Supper it seemeth to be no small argument to prove that God did owne that externall action as his ordinance although the people called Quakers deny it to be a standing ordinance to the world and doe not practise it 15. To this I answer that it is observable that by the Authors own account the greatest outleting of the Spirit was not on their communion day but on the day after but that God did at times of that externall action of breaking bread condescend unto them regarding their sincerity and gave manifestations of himself will not prove that he commanded that thing unto them or that their minds were not in an error in laying too great weight upon that externall action which was but a figure of the true communion for the same Author doth acknowledge that the Spirit of God did also wonderfully accompany Luther in his Ministry and yet Luther did most grossely erre as in other things so in the matter of the Sacrament teaching that the body of Christ was consubstantiat with the bread and that the oâ—â—ward mouth receiveth the body of Christ. And I believe such as are sober and ingenuous of the Presbyterians will not deny but that the Lord did pour out of his Spirit upon those Bishops in England that dyed martyrs that were both for Episcopacy and the Service-book yet this proveth not that God did owne these things as his ordinances It is the sincerity and earnest desires of mens souls after God that he regardeth although they be in error in some things which he winketh at but doth not owne Yea did not Christ wonderfully appear to Saul while he was going to Damascus to obtain an order to persecute the Saints a very unlâ—wfull action but this proveth not that God allowed 〈◊〉 in the same Many other instances could be given to shew the weakness of that objection and certainly in the darkest times of Popery God raised up some to be ministers of his Spirit that yet continued to hold many Popish errors as not only Bernard and Thauler but even Iohn Huss who disâ—ented little from the Papists in matter of doctrine but mostly blamed their ungodly life 16. A second instance I shall bring out of the afore-said Author is pag. 422. where he giveth as a sixt witness c. the convincing appearance of an extraordinary and Apostolick Spirit on some of these instruments whom the Lord raised up in these last times who as he saith had speciall revelations from the Lord of his mind anent things to come c. But how doth this agree with their confession of Faith that saith the former wayes of Gods revealing himself to his people are ceased since the Apostles dayes and that there are no new revelations of the Spirit but that God hath committed his counsell wholly to writing And of such speciall revelations he mentioneth divers which I refer the Reader to find in the said book 17. A Third instance shall be that which the Author mentioneth of Robert Bruce where I take notice of divers weighty particulars as 1. that his call was extraordinary pag. 429. to wit by an inward motion and pressing of the Spirit and such a call I confess is extraordinary as in respect of the greatest part of those called Teachers which yet is most ordinary yea and most necessary to every true teacher and minister of Christ. 18. 2. He tells pag. 431. that it was the manner of Robert Bruce for a considerable time to keep 〈◊〉 before he preached And yet how do the Professors now blame our silence when even such among us as the Lord hath given a true ministry unto do find it at times their place to be silent a considerable time before they speak and sometimes for a whole diet to be silent as Ezekiel was of old Now I besech them to consider what did this silence of R. B. mean or what was his intent in being siâ—ent so long was it not he waited to receive â—hat he was to speak from the Lord Or at least to 〈◊〉 the Spirit and power of the Lord to assist
15. 22. If I had not come and spoken unto them they had not had sin but now they have nocloake for their sin But may expect to be numbred amongst the enemys of Gods Work It was the commendation of good Men in all ages that they walked sutably to the dispensation of the Lord in their day and this is the great duty the Lord calls for from his people to follow the Lamb whâ—thersoever he 〈◊〉 this will be their commendation before the Lord as Rev. 14. 4. When the life Light and power of God removeth from one dispensation to another to be alwayes a follower of that which is our duty for it is not to be expected that Moses or David if they were alive now would looke to find that life in their sacrifices and externall rites which they found when they were upon Earth no this is only to be waited for in the spirituall way of the Gospell worship And to come nearer if Cranmer Hooker and Ridly who were Martyrs for the Protestant faith in beareing witness against the Idolatry of the Masse thought it no small mercy to have the use of a common prayer booke in English no doubt in that day might feel life in it yet when the Light of reformation encreased it discovered that to be a limiting of the Spirit of God in Prayer and consequently had in it self a tendency to deaden the heart by remaining in that formality If they were living now the Lord would require of them to seek after a more Spirituall Way of worship where the pure life of Christ was more to be found and felt then in read prayers Even so now when the Lord is poynting forth a more spirituall way which is by following the pure motions of the Spirit of life in an immediat way upon the heart in all religious dutys the Lord will have all his people to owne that way both in practice and profession and they that will reject this or refuse or oppose it He will no less reckon them as his enemys now then these that have been refusers or opposers of his work in former generations A 3 Obstruction is Truth hath been for most part loaded by its opposers with many heavy slaunders calumnys and lyes and traduced with the nick-names of errour Heresy blasphemy and delusion yea called devilisme and what else malice can invent so Pauls religion was called heresy Acts. 24. 14. and Christians were a sect every where spoken against Acts 23. 22. Yea Christ himself was said to have a Devil Ioh. 8. 48 53. And what wonder then that the opposers of Truth in this day speake so of Truth as it is now manifested The Professors thereof are said to deny Jesus Christ that was borne of the virgin Mary where as they have often testifyed they owne no other Christ but him to be the Saviour of the world that was crucifyed at Ierusalem and this we can say in the uprightness of our hearts as in his sight that searches hearts Our opposers say wee deny the Scriptures of Truth whereas we owne all things therein being rightly translated to be the dictate of the Holy Spirit and that they containe all the substantialls of true religion and whatsoever is contrary to them to be but delusion yea we are content to have all poynts of controversy betwixt us and our opposers to be determined by the Scriptures of Truth We are said to deny the Ministry and ordinances of the Gospell whereas we owne all the true and faithfull Ministers that are called of God and that function and are not meerely men-made Ministers that are made to be Ministers in the meere will of men only endued with some measure of natural and acquired parts and feel not the power and vertue of the life of Jesus Christ dwelling in their hearts without any sense of which power and life they can pray and preach But we owne all Spirituall and living preaching and prayer As for the ordinances called Sacraments we own them only according to Scripture sense viz. that Baptisme which is by the Holy Ghost for Iohn Baptised with water but Christs Baptisme is with the Holy Ghost and with fire Math. 3. 11. Act. 1. 4. This is that one baptisme Eph. 4. 5. The Bread and Wine that is Elementary we deny as being but a carnal ordinance which are all repealed at the time of reformation under the Gospell Heb. 9. 10. as all rites are which stand in meats and drinks washings or Baptismes as the Greek hath it But we owne the Communion of Christs body and blood according to Luk. 6. 53. compared with verse 63. Our opposers say we lay the whole stresse of justification and remission of sins upon our own righteousness and we declare we owne no meritorious cause of the remission of sins but the righteousness blood and sufferings of Jesus Christ that was crucified at Ierusalem and as it was done and performed by the Man Christ born of the virgin Mary and yet we profess none are justified but such as are in a measure sanctified and actually cleansed from sin so as none are justified in their sins These and many more of the like slaunders asserted with boldness and impudence by malicious opposers are no small obstruction to many simple-hearted people who are but too ready to take things of this nature upon trust without tryall and proofe especially if the assertors be in any repute for a piece of seriousness as the Scribes and Pharisees high Priests who were in great authority and esteem with the people and thereby did influence their slender followers to preferre Barrabas a murderer and a robber to Christ Iesus A 4 Obstruction is that Truth when it comes first abroad is at severall great disadvantages in the eyes of the world as first it seldom hath the countenance of Civil authority but mostly is persecuted and laws and statutes made in opposition to it this is universally known in all ages and throughout these Nations where it first appeared Secondly it hath the opposition of the Nationall Clergy so called and of the most learned of that sort of men who have the greatest advantages of authority to influence the body of the Nation see Ioh. 9. 22. For the Iews had agreed already that if any men did confess that he was Christ he should he put out of the Synagogue Thirdly Truth being a witness against the abuse and superstitions which have through length of time and long custome been rooted and strengthned so in a Nation that it needs no less the the power of God to extirpate people can hardly admit to hearken to any testimony against these things whether they be personal or national customes see Mark 7. 9. and he said unto them full wel ye reject the commandement of God that ye may keepe your own tradition It 's not an easie thing to forsake old Customes this hath been a cause why men in all ages have stumbled at the simplicity of truth
becaus it was not decked with the trimmings and ornaments of the whore I need not enlarge on this the application is so plaine Fourthly education and breeding in wrong glosses and mistakes of Scripture proofes hath been none of the least hinderances of the progress of truth or of its reception and for this let the many divers reasonings of the Iewes against Christ in his descent doctrine and miracles be considered and men may then as in a glass see the image of that spirit that is in opposition to truth in this day and for this I referr the sober inquirer after Truth to Isaac Pennington his book called The outward Iew a looking glass for Professors this is such a person that none acquainted with his writings but will allow him a good character if he be not a prejudicated opposer 5. Another great Obstruction which keeps people from the search after Truth is a light and 〈◊〉 mind which predominats in the most of Men and Women in the world This hinders Truth in the very power and life of it and permits none to be serious in the search of it it is not the conviction of judgement in matters of truths that the Lord calls for only or that his faithfull servants endeavour as if it were satisfaction to them to see many owning it or professing the forme thereof these are but at best like the stony or thorny ground that receive the seed with joy and yet in a day of the heat of persecution turn from it and so may become a discredit to the Truth 't Is only these that labour not only to know the Truth and espouse it in their understandings but also endeavour to feel the power and life of it reach their hearts and this not only for a touch at a time but to live and feed upon that life power which flowes forth from the fountain spring of it I say these only it is that will be true witnesses of the Truth Hence Christ spake many parables to this purpose as that of the wise merchant that sold all bought the pearle the treasure that was hid in the ground c. Let all persons that are of this light and airy spirit consider their danger how uncapable they are not only to come to the knowledge of the Truth of God in their day and generation but also utterly unfitted for being heires of the kingdom when time shall be no more If they did mind the care of their precioussoules and consider their mortality how uncertaine their time is and of what concernment it is to them to be truely serious they would not make too light of the matters of God and of the Truth which concern their everlasting salvation but would find them of farre greater moment then these temporall pleasures profits and recreations wherewith they are so intentively taken up Wherefore my desire to all is that they would seriously consider these few obstructions mentioned and apply their mind to search after the wayes of the Lord and beware to take matters of so great concernment upon trust from any Man or company of men but impartially weigh and ponder by the Light of the Lord in their own hearts what is Truth and what is errour by what doctrine the free Grace of God will be most esteemed and the pride of Man most abased beware of an implicit faith for tâ—e just shall live by his faith Hab. 2. 4. And not by the faith of another They are most to be suspected as deceivers that do most hinder inquiry and triall as many Preachers at this time are doing It is a known Popish imposition to forbid searching and is now renounced and abominated by all sound Protestants therefore they are yet drunk with the Whores Cup that would obtrude their doctrine to be beleived without triall or to hinder from trying the Spirits and from trying all things that what is best may be kept to If any object that word Prov. 19. 27. Coase to heare the instruction that causeth to erre from the words of knowledge I answer this presupposeth a cleare and wel grounded faith of the Truth from an inward principle which few ordinary Professors can lay claime to otherwayes this might have excused the Iewes in not harkening to Christ and his Apostles in saying we know God â—pake to Moses but for this fellow we know not whence 〈◊〉 is Joh. 9. v. 26. Yea we and our predecessors should have remained in Popery without triall Wherefore friends if ye will truely joyne and be united to the power and life which the Lord is ready to reveal in your hearts it will not only help you to discerne Truth from errour but to overcome your lusts and get victory over your idols that stand up to make distance seperation betwixâ— Gods peace and favour and your soules That place is considerable Rom. 12. verse 2. be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind that ye may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God and thereby ye shall come to get your hearts established in the love of God and get all these strayingâ— and wandrings in your hearts reformed by wâ—â—ch your best dutys are corrupted and defiled â—hich is the earnest desire and travell of my soul that all my beloved 〈◊〉 and acquaintances every where may truely and sensibly come unto A real lover of your eternall wel-fare and Peace ALEXANDER SKEIN From the Tolbooth of Aberdeen the 1 of the 5 Moneth 1676. where I am a prisoner for my testimony Printed in the Year 1677.
a comfortable then 〈◊〉 is a true doctrin that we have the Man Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 near unto us in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul in his Divine Seed and Body extended into us and thus he is the Incarnat Word or Word made flesh â—welling in our flesh and is made like unto us for as we are flesh so he is flesh also but of a more excellent make or creation And thus he is the Brideâ—room and Husband of our Souls to whom we may approach and whom we may kiss and imbrace and handle with the hands of our Soul and whose glory we may behold even the glory of the Word made flesh and dwelling in us Whereas the glory of the Word as it was in God before it became flesh or cloathed it self with the heavenly Manhood no eye of Angel or Saint ever could or can behold for the Glory of the Word simply considered in God out of the Manhood of Christ is God himself without any middle or Mediator 8. And this none hath ever seen or can see no not the most glorious Angels but it is the Word made flesh or God made manifest in flesh to wit in the Heavenly Flesh or Manhood of Christ that is the alone proper and adequat object of the contemplation and enjoyment of the most glorious Angels as wel as of the most Holy Souls as Paul declared Great is the mystery of Godlyness God manifest in thâ— flesh c. seen of Angels Observe here it is not God simply but God manifest in flesh that is seen of Angels and is believed on in the world although he was both seen of Angels and believed on in the world long before he was manifest in that outward body of Flesh which was also a most glorious manifestation and excelleth in glory all the outward manifestations that ever were or shall be but the Angels and Saints did really see him before that nanifestation in outward flesh and the Saints do now really see him although his outward body and external person be not now present for us to behold 9. Yet the Word Incarnate or made flesh and called by Iames the Ingrafted Word we do really see for it 〈◊〉 in us and unlesse it were made flesh or incarnate it could not be ingrafted into us for all ingrafting or implanting requireth some similiâ—ude or analogy of nature and substance therefore we can not graffe an apple or cherry-graffe upon stone or iron or bare earth by reason of the great unlikenesse and distance of their natures and yet the Word simply and nakedly considered in God before it was made flesh is more unlike unto us and in nature more remote from us then an apple is from stone or iron Therefore to the end that the Word may be ingrafted into us and we again ingrafted into it the Word must be incarnate or become flesh as we are for all men are a sort of flesh and so called in Scripture in comparison of God that is purely a Spirit and though the Souls of men 〈◊〉 Spirits yet comparatively as unto God they are as it were flesh And thus the Word is become flesh that is to say hath advanced a step or degree nearer unto us then as it was in God before any thing was made and the Word was first of all made flesh to be the Root and Foundation of all other created beings and for which they are created 10. For it is a more noble creation then all things else and is 〈◊〉 this creation as the Apostle declared expressly Heb. 9 11. the words not of this 〈◊〉 should be translated not of his creation 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and therefore some think fit rather to call it an emanation from God then a creation to speak strictly which I shall not dispute about for it rather is a strife about words then in the thing it self Now when I say that the Light Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus is not in us as in respect of its Fountain and Center or Spring but onely by way of emanation or participation we deriving it from that Central Light and Life that was in him that was born of the Virgin Mary 11. I do by no means acknowledg or understand that the Deity had onely its Center in that Man and from him doth ray into us for the most Blessed and Glorious Deity properly hath no center and rays distinct by way of emanation but rather is all Center according to that noted saying of Hermes Trismegist God is a Circle whose centâ—â— is every where and is no where circumscribed And therefore the Blessed Deity is as centrally and essentially in us as in the Man Christ Iesus 12. But still as in respect of union manifestation and operation and also in respect â—f communion and fellowship the Man Christ Jesus or Word Incarnate is the onely and proper middle and Mediator betwixt God and us so that whereâ—â— God is immediatly united with the Man Christ Jesus no other men or Angels have or indeed are capable to have an immediat union with God their union is onely mediat with God and so their communion and fellowship with him is but mediat also by the means of Christ Jesus although in respect of other means it is immediat And of this I found needfull once for all to acquaint the Reader to prevent his misâ—â—ke SECTION XII 1. How much more truely we own aud esteeme the Manhood of Christ then the Author of the Postscript or his Brethren 2. A testimony of Luther for the Man Christ his being every where 3. Another Testimony from those who imbraced the Aungustane Confession in that Treatise called Liber Concordiae that Christ as Man is really present with the Saints on Earth 4. The Lutherans grosse errour in the manner of this presence hath given occasion to many to deny the Truth it self becaus they could not understand the manner 5. The manner offered in this Treatise most consonant both to Scripture and Reason and almost to Sense 6. How Iohn saw the Son of Man in the midst of the golden candlesticks after his Ascersion 8. How Christ 〈◊〉 the ladder by which we ascend unto God 8. The Nephesch and Neschamah of Christs Soul distinâ—guished 9. Christ his spirituall coming in his Saints as the Son of Man Maâ—th c 16 ver 28. 10. A Testimony of Calvin that Christ as Man doth sanctify us and give us Grace 11. Some testimonys from S. R. his Epistles that Christ is in the Saints not onely by his Graâ—es but by himself 12. Another Testimony of Calvin 13. That S. R. speaketh of the Man Christ his being in the Saints 14. Many call that hâ—rrid blasphemy in us which they commend in S. R. and others of their own Teachers which is great injustice and partiality 15. Christ his knowing the heart of the Samaritan Woman and curing the woman of Canaan of her issue of blood proveth the extension of his Soul and Life or Spirit
aforesaid as he is the Heavenly Man 1. ANd thus it may appear how much more truely according to the Scripture and our own blessed experience agreeing most exactly with the experience of the Saints of old we own and esteeme of the Manhoâ—â— of Christ Iesus above whatever the Author of the Postscript or his Brethren did acknowledg who would exclude the Heavenly Man or Second Adam Iesus Christ altogether out of the very Saints whereas the Second Adam is the quickening Spirit that raiseth up both Soul and body into Life as Paul declared 2. And indeed Luther did conceive a most just indignation and zeal against them such as this Presbyterian is who exclude the Manhood of Christ out of the Saints and confine it to one place For thus he writeth in his Larger Confession of the Supper of the Lord. Absit autem ut ego talem Deum agnoscam aut colam ex his enim consequeretur quod locus spatium possent duas natur as separare personam Christi dividere quam tamen neque mors neque omnes diaboli dividere aut separare potuere Et quanti tandem obsecro pretii esset talis Christus qui unico tantum loco simul divina humanâ— personâ— esset in omnibus voro locis dunâ—axat quidem separatus Deus aut divina persona esset sine assumptâ suâ humanitate In English thus Far be it from me that I should acknowledg or worship such a God for hence it should follow that place and space could separat the two naturs and divide the person of Christ which neither death nor all the devils could ever doe And I pray of what worth were such a Christ who â—n one onely place should be both a divine and humane person together but in all other places should be God separat or a divine person without his assumed humanity 3. And also those who embraced the Augustan confession in that Treatise called Liber Concorâ—â—a where they give a new declaration of some articles in that confession upon the head concerning the person of Christ speak their mind very notably in these following words which expresse the very something upon the matter as to the generall that 〈◊〉 plead for Quare perniciosum error om esse judicamus quando Christo juxta humanitatem Majestas illa derogatur Christianis enim eâ ratione summa illa consolatio eripitur quam è promissionibus paulò antè commemoratis de presentiâ inhabitatione capitis Regis summi sui Pontificis haurire poterant Is enim promisiâ— non modò nudam suam divinitatem ipsis praesto futuram quae nobis miseris peccatoribus est tanquam ignis consumens arridissimas stipulas seâ— ille ipse homo ille qui cum discipulis loquutuâ— est qui omnis generis tribulationâ—s in assumptâ— suâ humanâ naturâ gustavit qui eâ de causâ nobis ut hominibus fratribus suis condâ—lere potest se in omnibus angustiis nostris nobiscum futurum promisit secundum eam eciam naturam juxta quam ille Frater noster esâ— â— nos caro de carne ejus sumus In English thus Wherefore say they we iudge it to be a hurtfulâ— error when that majesty is derogated from Christ according to his manhood for by that means thâ— most great consolation is robbed from Christians which they could have drawn from the promises a little before mentioned concerning the presence and â—ndwelling of their head King and high Priest For he promised that not onely his Godhead should be present with them which to us miserable sinners is as a fire consuming most dry stubble but the same that man who spake with his disciples who tasted all kind of tribulations in his assumed manhood who for that cause can be grieved with us being also men and his brethren did promise that he would be with us in all our afflictions also according to that nature by which he is our Brother and we are flesh of his flesh 4. But the Lutherans conceit that the externall person of Christ not onely virtually but formally is in every place yea the wole in the whole and the whole of it in every part is so absurd and repugnant unto rational perception that from this many have taken occasion unjustly to deny the Truth it self becaus they did not see how this manner of the Lutherans of the ubiquity of the man Christ could consist with Reason 5. Whereas the manner offered by me is most consonant both to Scripture and Reason yea and almost to Sense it self for there are sensible examples by which we may illustrate the manner of it as namely that of the stream of Light that floweth from the candle and filleth the whole house while as the body of the candle it selfe is but in one place 6. And what doth that firy streame or river signify that issued and came forth from the Ancient of days but the extension of the Life and Spirit of Christ as he is the Heavenly Man And as John Rev. 1. describeth him is a wonderfully Great man even that Son of man whom Iohn saw after his ascension in the midst of the golden candlsticks even he that liveth and was dead ver 18. to shew that it was the Man Christ and he had in his right hand seven starâ—â— which are expounded to be the seven Angels or Pastors of the seven churches This showeth it is not his externall person or outward body that is here described for it is impossible to conceive how he can hold a number of men in the right hand of his externall person Therefore by his right hand is signified his power as he is the great Heavenly Man which can wel hold all the men that ever were in the world 7. Also this wonderfull extension of the Spirit of Christ as Man in his Divine body and Seed is most clearly described hy Christ himself Iohn 1 51. Verily verily I say unto you hereafter ye shall see heaven opened and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man This is the Great and Heavenly Man Christ Iesus who is that Ladder which Iacob saw in his vision the top whereof reached unto Heaven and the foot of it reached the Earth But this can not be the externall Person of Christ and therefore it is the Spirit of Christ as he is Man or his Soul that is extended into us here upon Earth in his Heavenly body that he giveth us to feed upon by means of this Heavenly Ladder 8. But when I say the Soul or Spirit of Christ â— Man is extended into us I do not understand the Nephesch of his Soul but the Neschamah or Nischâ—ah even that Divine Spirit of Life that God breathed into Adam and is that which Solomon calls the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly and Iames the Ingrafted Word and Iohn the Word mad flesh or Incarnate Word that dwelleth in us