the flesh hast thou not here wholly excluded the light of Christ as to be exercised therein for freedom and perfection before thou did but deny it Within but now thou hast denied all light whatsoever both from within and without for bringing to freedom or perfection so that henceforth all that will own thy doctrine must beleive to be perfected in the dark for all light whatsoever thou hast excluded so that a Christ without light must now be beleived by all that own thy faith or doctrine and indeed it suits well with thy practise witness thy many lie in thy book which are not works of the day Further thou sayes That the light within every man is not the way to the Spirit of Christ which I need not think strange seeing thou hast denied all light Also thou sayest That the works of the Law and the waiting of the Light within are all one if any man will beleive thy blind testimony Thou sayest That principle may lead to a spirit of activity for God in the contemplations of him as a pure and holy God but it is a far other principle that is Christ crucified for us and the faith of him that leads unto that Spirit of peace And so by thy doctrine there are two principles that leads to God the one far off the other But must we beleive this because thou sayest it when not one of the holy men of God thou canst instance who ever said that that Spirit that led to contemplations of the pure God was a far other principle than that of Christ that leads to peace Christ saith No man knoweth the Father but he to whom the Son reveals him Math. 11. 27. But thou sayes It s a far other principle that brings to contemplations of a pure God That blind spirit of thine clearly showes what thou knows of contemplations with God who denies the principle of Christ to lead thereto but it is like the rest of thy blind stuffe who would make people beleive that the light of Christ leads to blot out the the healing in the person of Christ surely a blinder peice of work hath not been seen but it must needs be so with thee who hath denied all light and art fighting against it Concerning error heresie c. HEre thou tels us thy former lie over again saying that I say That the light within every man is the spirit of truth and then thou tels how thou hast disproved it before and so flaidly fals into another discourse not at all to the purpose as to my words yet adds another lie saying That we beleive in God as by the light in men redeeming from sin but not as in the man Jesus having done it already and that we deny the witness of the Son and that we have neither Son nor Father which is but thy threefold cord of wickedness Thou adds another in thy conclusion and sayes It is not an errour to divide from the light within so by thy doctrine we may divide from the spiritual light of Christ and not erre but how shouldest thou count it an error to divide from the light within who hast excluded all manner of light within and without also whatever to be exercised in as the way to perfection If it be not an error to divide from the light then it must be an error to divide from the darkness for there is but these two and the one must needs be an error But it is easily seen whose word thou drives who art set to oppose the light such a work as none of Gods was ever found in wert thou not blind thou might suspect thy self who cannot produce one of thy faith in the Scripture Concerning Faith IN this accusation also is two lies first that I say that the light in every man is Gods righteousness perfection Secondly thou sayes I say not a word of the faith in the person of Christ or the operation of God in him for us The first never spoken of by me To the second my words are these That the living faith is in Christ Jesus and that true faith layes hold on Gods Righteousness and by it comes to be created in Christ Jesus unto good works Gods workmanship Is this not a word of the person of Christ nor the operation of God in him Can one own Christ Jesus and deny faith in the person of Christ Or can one witness Gods workmanship in him and not one word of the operation of God in him Oh shameless man how doest thou bend thy tongue for lies and slanders Further thou sayest that the scope of our doctrine in the height and depth of it seems plainly this that a measure of the eternal divinity is in every man by turning where unto out of all sayings operations Scriptures or Christ without the same doth purge away sin and redeems unto God All which is no more but thine own wickedness heaped up from thy foregoing lies Then thou comest to thy doctrine And that is to look away from all voice of conscience within and from all things in the heart whether good or evil and to look to Jesus with out though we be in bondage and this thou sayes is to receive the righteousness of Christ by faith But where doest thou receive this righteousness or with what is it seen or what effect hath it seeing thou hast denied all voices in the conscience all things in the heart and conclude the creature in bondage they are blind indeed who cannot see this righteousness of thine thou lookest too without any thing in the heart or conscience to be but meer imagination a talk of righteousness which thou hast not in thee And in thy next having forgot thy doctrine sayes That by him all that beleive are justified from all things by the Law of the Spirit according to the Conscience from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses And also saves That the answer of a good Conscience in the resurrection of Jesus will be found to be that which saves before God and brings forth the true glory within What confusion is here Must all voices of the conscience be denied and yet justified by the Law of the Spirit according to the Conscience and saved by the answer of a good Conscience and must we be justified by the law of the Spirit and the works of the Law written within be denied and called the flesh and must we be set free and justified from all these things by the Law of the Spirit and the answer of a good Conscience and yet in bondage And after thou hast said We must be justified by the Law of the Spirit according to the Conscience and saved by a good Conscience then thou confutes that again and saith The Law in the Conscience which is holy just and pure is the same with the Covenant of works and sayes how holy and pure soever it be it shall not preserve blameless Was there ever such a heap of
Is not that like to be a blind salvation which is within and must not be looked at But it seems thou hast followed thy doctrine in thy practise for hadest thou looked to any thing of God in thy heart or to the answer of a good Conscience it would have put a stop to the numberless number of thy lies and confusion in thy book but a large liberty the Devil hath when nothing must be looked too in the heart or conscience either good or bad to beleive in or follow for salvation out of sin and yet thou sayes We must be saved according to the inward man which inward man must onely be for you to talk on but must not be looked at Thou further sayes That to know Christ onely as within is an error Yet doth not shew how a man might know him otherwise than he is revealed within nor is he known as he ought to be since his Ascention any other way but onely as he revealeth himself in Spirit within onely you imagine you know him who never saw him heard him felt him or understood him otherwise than by his Spirit within and what a knowledge that is which is void of all these is easily seen to them where he is revealed though hear-say Teachers with their litteral knowledge was ever blind But seeing thou sayest It is an error to know him onely within What sayest thou of the A postle doctrine who exhorts to know Christ no more after the flesh 2 Cor. 5. 16 Must not their knowledge then be onely after the Spirit which must be no more after the flesh But however he be known thou hast denied him if he be light either within or without who sayes To abide in any light what soever either from within or without and to be exercised therein as to be perfected thereby or redeemed from sin is to worship God in the flesh Concerning Love ANd thy Charge in this is that I say It is the love of God to the world whereby he hath given every man a light to condemn sin in the flesh and take it away through walking after the Spirit and that this love of God in the creature doth not flatter sin in others c. This Charge is not altogether so false as the rest though not wholly true For I do not say That the light in every man is Gods Son though I own it to be the light of the Son that lighteth every man that comes into the world therefore my words are That God so loved the world that he gave his Son into the world a light to condemn sin in the flesh that the righteousness of God might be fulfilled in the creature and my witness for this is Christ and his Apostles John 3 16. to the 22. Rom. 8. 1 2 3 4 and this thou seems to oppose but dare not plainly deny it onely thou hast power over that of the Charge as far as thy own lie reacheth and no further And to that thou sayes was this great and abounding love in sending his Son no more but God giving a light in all men as though I had said so which is but thine own deceit to set up a lie of thy own to fight with But I say Gods great love is more than the light for he hath given his Son who is not onely that light but to all that beleive therein and follow it he leads them out of darkness thereby and gives them the light of life John 8. 12. who doth not onely condemn sin in the flesh but fulfils the righteousness of the Law in them who walk after the Spirit and this is my restimony of the love of God which was Christs testimony and his A postles and so thy lie be upon thy own head and what I have written stands still unshaken onely thou mutters that any body should be told of their sin and would have us tell people their sins are forgiven and that they are justified and saved and that Christ is come down in your flesh and therein hath quenched anger enmity sin and death with all things that may separate from God And this we may tell to such as thee who openly denies Christ in thy flesh yea and in all other row to do any such thing for salvation from sin so how can we say that Christ is come in your flesh and therein through death hath done all this and not lie especially seeing that you do not onely deny him within you in words but also see the anger enmity sin and death unquenched which hath so far separated thee from God that thou denies God Christ and his Righteousness and all that may be called light in thee for salvation should not we be abominable liars like thee if we should say Christ had done all this in thy flesh thou thy self would prove us liars who denies it both in word and practise And when thou hast thus been teaching us to cry peace even whilest sin is in them to confound thy self in this as in the rest thou sayest There is a generation that flatters and spares in sin them whom the Lord condemns this thou sayes is to justifie the wicked To which I say were thou not heart blind and so knows not what thou speaks thou would never set us on crying peace where God cries wo in the Conscience for living in sin least we justifie the wicked and be guilty of that abomination thoutels of Concerning Judgement THy Charge in this is That my words summoned up are that the light in every man condemning sin is the ministration of judgement and condemnation and as it is received is salvation and redemption from all uncleanness c. To which I answer Deceit hath summed them up and hath thrust in it self amongst them as in the rest Have I said That the light in every man is salvation and redemption Let them that reads what I have said judge of thy dealing herein for my words are That true judgement as it is known to men is a gift from the Spirit of God set in the heart of every one that dwels in the light of Christ and this is far from thy sayings who would make people beleive that I say That the light as it is in every man is salvation and redemption for there be many that will not be led to the Redeemer therewith nor to the Spirit of judgment but deny all light within and without as thou doest and to these it is condemnation and not salvation but to all that own the Spirit of judgment which passeth upon that which is contrary to the Life of God such come to be redeemed with judgment and to such as abide therein doth light and salvation spring up to the redeeming the heart from all uncleanness as I have writ in my Book which thou canst not contradict And in thy doctrine thou sayest That as Christ in every age hath come forth more or less so in this age he will come forth in righteousness
9 10. 1 Thes 4. 3. 1 Tim. 2. 4. These with many other Scriptures will prove what I have said prove thy consequence as thou canst Thou sayes also If the second be so then the Law and free grace is the same So by thy doctrine and consequence if that Comforter Christ speaks on which reproves the world of sin and the light of Christ be free grace then the law and free Grace are the same a strange consequence like the former Is not the light of the world free grace John 8. 12. John 16. 8. and the Spirit of God free grace If that be not then what is seeing Christ and the Spirit is denied Further sayest thou If the light God hath put into all men be the gift of grace the gift of heavenly righteousness by Christ wherein is the end of the law and sin heeded I say what thou intends by thy consequence by sin heeded let the Reader judge if he can but that the light is the gift of grace that I own and wert not thou blind thou would not imagine any light of God given to man which is not the gift of grace it must either be of grace or of works and what work hast thou done to obtain the gift of Christ light Thou sayes If the third be so then there is that in the natural man whereby he is able to know and receive the things of the Spirit I say Thy Charge in this is a lie not my words and thy consequence is of the same vote and so to thee I leave them being thy own work to say and gainesay but that the light of Christ who ever minds it and follow it is able to lead to receive the things of the Spirit that I have proved John 8. 12. and divers other places Another deceit to cast a mist over the light is thou sayes The deep things of God his grace in Christ sparkling in the old time now in one promise now in another and foretold by the Prophets whereof the Righteousness of the Fews Philosophers and Grecks knew nothing this cannot be discovered by the clearest light in the natural man I say Here are two deceits covered in this first as though none of the Jews or Saints did discern this before Christ came at Jerusalem the second as though the clearest light with which Christ enlightneth men within could not lead to the discerning of him which are both contrary to Christs words who saith Abraham saw my day and to the Prophets he was born Isaiah 9. 6. And saith Christ I am the light of the world he that follows me shall have the light of life John 8. 12. And so with the words of truth thy mist is driven away and the truth cleared from thy deceits And then as thou begun thy work with lies so thou ends with two lies more thou casts upon us That we level the mystery of the second Adam and the restoring of all things in him to be no other thing but Law and Reason Secondly That we make the death of Christ of none effect and the whole mystery of grace in him But seeing thou dost falsly slander us herein I shall state the case truly as it is in this Question Whether they that believe Christ died at Jerusalem and witness his bloud in them whereby their hearts are sprinkled and washed from lying deceit and pride and uncleanness by the in-dweiling of Christ in them so kept according to the measure of Christ revealed in Spirit Or they who say that Christ died at Jerusalem but deny him in them to redeem and save them from the power of sin or his bloud in them to sprinkle and wash them daily from dead works Or any light of his whatsoever either within or without to be exercised in to freedom and perfection but say they were washed sanctified and justified before they came into the world but in the world are found liars and false accusers and deceitful teachers this being the true case between thee and us I leave it to the wise to judge who it is that denies Christ Jesus the everlasting Priest which abideth for evermore to every generation and who it is that makes his bloud of none effect as to wash away sin and to restore all things to God and whether the effect of the bloud of Christ be to take away sin or to talk on whereby to plead for sin against the present being and effect thereof to wit to keep out of the Devils works Now who owns the bloud of Christ let the effect manifest to all men And know thou that the bloud of Christ is not words not imaginations of what thou never see before thou was born but a living substance which is to be known with its effect to every particular Saint in every generation and such who say they are saved by the bloud of Christ before they were but now are found in their sins are such as deny the bloud of Christ and to them they make it of none effect who are not washed and they who say they was purged sanctified and justified before they were and now when they are are unclean boasts of that they never saw and trusts in a lie for talking what Christ was by the history is one thing which all have and believe and yet abide in condemnation and without further may perish but to learn Christ in the mystery of faith which is held in a pure Conscience is another and onely such know him aright both what he did at Jerusalem and the end of it who follow him now in spirit and have fellowship in his death and sufferings and so attains to his resurrection in the spirit and life and so follow in his life and righteousness such onely confess him and shall not therein be condemned Much more might be said to lay open thy deceits in thy other part of thy book but my life is not to rifle in such heaps of confusion were it not that I am forced to it for clearing the truth from false Teachers who are wholly ignorant of the mystery of faith which is held in a pure Conscience and so know nought but in the natural comprehensions as brute beasts judging of the great mystery of God and his redemption to stand in visibles and carnal things times and places which things in their carnal wisdom they make use on to fight against the spiritual appearance of Christ in the Creature without which there can be neither life nor redemption No Christ himself onely known after the flesh brings no man to God but Christ revealed in spirit from heaven that everlasting Light and Glory of the Father the eternal Spirit and Comforter that could not come till he went away in the flesh And if his presence was not the full accomplishment of the great promise of the Father and the Son but he must go away in the flesh out of their carnal sight no more to be in the world carnally but in
A VINDICATION OF TRUTH As held forth in a Book ENTITULED LOVE TO THE LOST From the Lies Slanders and Deceits of T. HIGGENSON in a Book called A Testimony to the true Iesus But he is discovered to hold forth another Iesus then what the Scriptures hold forth or the Saints witness I. N. LONDON Printed for Giles Calvert and are to be sold at the Black-Spread-Eagle at the West End of Pauls 1656. A Vindication of Truth as held forth in a Book entituled Love to the Lost Friend THou sayes thou shall present a veiw of that Spirit that is in the Quakers having obtained a more perfect understanding of that way and sum of our faith and profession which thou sayes is come forth signed by James Naylor And this thou sayes thou wilt do in love to us To which I say that which is come forth by James Nayler was presented already and hadst thou been able to have said something against it as by me presented and proved it in plainness not to have been the faith and spirit that was in the holy men of God then hadst thou done something to purpose But in that thou hast left what truth I presented and instead thereof hast presented a heap of falshoods and deceits out of thy own bosom as like my words as thou well could make a lie to the truth And hast made people beleive thou hast disproved something of mine when thy work hath but been to fight with thy own falshood and so confound thy self instead of confuting me This makes it appear that thou art not perfect in thy understanding of our way and spirit the sum of our faith and profession or else wickedly ignorant that thou mayst take occasion to cast thy reproach upon us and the truth and faith we profess Indeed who reads my book and thy slanders gathered from thence as thou pretends will say the later is the more like seeing thou hast so often repeated over thy own wicked slanders fathering them on me which hath no footing at all in my book As that I deny the person of Christ the death of Christ the bloud of Christ the once offering of Christ for all c. that I say the light in every man is God and Christ and Redemption is the baptism of Christ is Gods Righteousness and many such like abominable lyes never spoken by me which thou often over accusest me that I say so that any moderate man may wonder that ever any who have but a shew of religion should be so void of the fear of God or have so little bridle for the tongue as thou hast shewed in this thy work But that conceit thou hast of being justified before thou wast born and before either faith or works hath given thee such a dispensation as that thou matters not much what thou sayest being justified beforehand nought thou dost can condemn thee Christ hath born away all thy sins before thou was begotten or born and thou shalt never bear them nor they be charged upon thee a principle of wickedness called faith to cheat the soules of people and keep them bold in their sins at which all that knows the righteousness of God and his terrors against sin may weep to think on And in all which instead of discovering our spirit thou are discovered thy spirit and foundation but what is come forth signed by James Nayler stands as it was thy lies being taken away which some of them I shall lay open with thy confusions thereupon as to the later part of thy book which pretends an answer to my writing in Love to the lost The other part though a heap of confusion I shall not much meddle with as to answer the substance thereof falling within the other part nor shall I write much to any of it truth is tryed and stands not by words So to the first particular as followeth First Concerning the fall of man ANd in this thou tels of the sum of things spoken by me but sums up thy own lies amongst it not having matter from my words to accuse me with Doth my words say that Gods own Wisdom and Spirit remains in faln man but as a captive and that that was his fall or do I say that by looking and turning not to any thing without but to that of God lying under and covered within him and that that is the bloud of the Cross and his redemption Art not thou ashamed instead of answering to my words to become an accuser openly had it not been thy wisdom rather to have been silent if thou durst not have entred upon my words as they stand then to have made thy self way with lies and then to disprove thy lies thy self And not any thing that I have said dost thou appear against onely in thy seeming answer or mist which thou casts thou adds more lies saying that I say that there is that in the natural man which being turned into and followed can redeem and make attonement a thing never spoken by me nor never entred into my heart for it is in the spiritual man that the attonement is made and not in the natural Thou further sayes That the obedience of Christ was not the righteousness of one which is as false concerning Christ as the other concerning me as whoever reads Rom. 5. 18 19 shall read there in plain words Other things thou sayes As that we are not made righteous by looking back and turning to the first Adam c. A thing never spoken by me nor intended onely thou dost disprove thy own deceitful slander cast on my words and so in the most places of thy book which I shall not much mention seeing they touch not my words as he that reads my words may see not one sentence of mine hast thou disproved in this answer Thou adds a piece of false doctrine which I shall discover Thou sayes by looking out of everything in man to the second Adam I say he whose eyes is without and not within cannot see the second Adam for he cannot be seen but by revelation and in spirit he is known and seen since his ascention and hath been to all his as these Scriptures will plainly prove Galat. 1. 16. Col. 1. 27. And I demand of thee and all thy generation to make it appear how the second Adam is now seen but in the spirit by faith within till then blame me not for saying this of thine is false doctrine I know there is a sort of you who have conceited a carnal sight and have run in your carnal expectations from year to year therein till you are become spiritually blind but if that be it thou here intends thou must reckon thy self for the present amongst those who have neither seen him nor known him who denies his revelation in spirit and so being intruding into that which the eye hath not seen no marvel though thou speak so darkly of him as thou dost in this thy book and would lead men from the
spirit to seek Christ the Lord who is that Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17 18. and would lead without to seek him whom none of you can find but within Concerning Light and Life ANd this also thou dare not enter on as it stands but that thou may be seen to say somewhat as though thou opposed me Thou makes a lie of thy own saying that I say that the light shining in every man is Christ a thing never written nor intended by me And when thou hast set up this lie thou fals in hand to confute it to make people believe thou was confuting my words when thou art but declaring in print what deceit hath long been hid in thy own bosome and that the lyar and deceiver is one in thee so having laid thee open I have no more to do in that quarrel having denied the lie and its founder what I have writ stands as it was Onely another error I shall reprove thee of that is thou sayes That all false Religions and errors are bottomed upon the law in the Conscience And this is false and contrary to Scripture for the great mystery of faith that discovers all errors and false Religions is held in the Conscience 1 Tim. 3. 9. And the Apostles rejoycing was the testimony of their Conscience and they did not rejoyce in the ground of errors and by the answer of a good Conscience the Saints are saved by the resurrection of Jesus 1 Pet. 3. 21. and they are not saved by the ground of errors And the law that is written in the Conscience is that which God hath written and the law of the new Covenant of life and light which discovers all errors and which leads to know God as is plain Heb. 8. 10 11. And thou that teaches people that the Law which God hath written within man is the ground of errors teachest blasphemy And this law in spirit is that perfect law of liberty that whosoever looks unto and continueth therein he being a doer of the work that man shall be blessed in his deed Jam. 1. 25. And by this spiritual law of life was the Saints made free from the law of sin and death and the righteousness of this law it was that Christ fulfilled in the Saints who walked after the law of the Spirit and not after the letter of the Law Rom. 8. 1 2 3 4. And this Righteousness which the Saints beleived and waited for to be fulfilled in them is that which thou art preaching against and would have all to shut it out and then the devil might dwell safe within and they that did wait for this righteousness of the law fulfilling in them did not deny the bloud of Christ as thou falsly would accuse us who witness the same Righteousness of saith within and not of the letter without for we know and so did they that none can have this righteousness of faith fulfilled in them but who beleives that one offering once for all and by his blood we have access to that faith by which is declared that everlasting Righteousness of God for Justification to which till then we was strangers and could not come but now have an inheritance therein And as we know that none can come to have this Righteousness wrought in them unless they beleive in his bloud and sacrisice once offered so also we know That none by taking of what was done at Jerusalem and say they beleive in it without this work can be saved as the Scripture saith in plain words James 2. 14. to the end of the chapter which Scriptures may serve to shew thy spirit and what nature thy work is of and thy faith that denies Gods righteousness within to be meer imagination and such a faith none of Gods people ever preached or professed Another peice of confusion I shall mind thee on here in this thou confesseth Christ to be the same word as the Spirit of revelation in us and that so he is the light within us And in thy last thou denyed any to look to the glory of the Godhead shinng forth on man but they must look off from every thing in man so by thy own doctrine we must not look to the glory of the God head shining forth on us nor to the Spirit of revelation nor to Christ the light within us these thou hast forbidden and yet thou would make people beleive thou was a Minister for God and Christ A blind way hast thou made for such as will follow thee who must neither look to glory of the Godhead shining on them nor to Christ in them but they that are wise may compare thy doctrine with Christs and his Apostles in these Scriptures Luke 17. 21. 2 Cor. 4. 6 7. Rom. 8. 9 10 11 12 14. where you may see to what the Saints looked and when it was and where their hope and faith was and whether without or within Col. 1. 27. and where their faith and hope was there was their righteousness wherein they walked and to which they became servants and whereby they became free from sin Rom. 4 but Gods righteousness in man the devil likes not but to talk on and let him keep possession that likes him well and his servants for he that serves Gods Righteousness in his heart can be no servant of sin for his servants you are to whom you obey whether of sin unto death or of obedience unto righteousness Rom 6. 16. And as out of the heart of the wicked proceeds that which defiles because of the blindess of their hearts Ephes 4. So he that keeps his heart with all diligence from thence are the issues of life Prov. 4. 23. and he that hath not righteousness in his heart hath none at all but where the word of faith is known in the heart that mans righteousness is not at a distance nor his salvation to seek for with the heart man beleives unto righteousness but is not that a blind doctrine which preaches God and Christ within but that Righteousness that justifies not in them It seems thou imagines that God when he comes to dwell in man leaves his Righteousness behind him or that righteousness that then is in him is not able to justifie him but the Saints that knew justification knew the gift of righteousness for it Rom. 5. And justification by the Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 11. And everlasting Righteousness brought in whereby transgression is finished Dan. 9. 24. but a generation there is who turn judgement into gall and the fruit of righteousness into bemlock Amos 6. 12. Hearken you stout hearted who are far from righteousness I will bring neer my righteousness and it shall not be far off Isai 46. 12 13. And what I have said may answer to the next also Concerning Righteousness ANd in this like the rest thou first makes a lie of thy own to confute but my words thou canst not enter Thou sayes the sum of our faith is that the imputed Righteousness that justifies is the
I ght within a thing by me never spoken or written Secondly thou sayes That nothing is said by me of Christ manifest in flesh or his crucified body or righteousness that way Poor man how hath wickedness over-run thee to add lie to lie Are not these my words That Righteousness that God accepteth is but one which is his own perfectly fulsilled and manifest in the world in Jesus Christ the Light and Savi ur thereof and that none inherits it surther than they receive the Son of righteousness And is this nothing of Christ but it is no new thing to me to see the refuge of lies with that spirit which now opposeth nor for me to be called a Railer because I will not either say they are truths or find out some finer name to call them than lies But to leave them and go on to thy doctrine thou sayes We are justified without works onely through faith which is as false as the Scripture is true for faith the Apostle Ye see then how that by works a man is justified and not by faith onely James 2. 24. And Christ faith By thy words thou shalt be justified and by thy words thou shalt be condemned Math. 12. 37. And not the hearers of the Law but the doers are just before God Rom. 2. 13. Now if these Scriptures be true then thine is false but such is thy blindness that because the Scriptures doth exclude the works of the Law for justification therefore thou wilt exclude the works of faith which are wrought in God also A fine easie way to salvation and well pleasing to you that love your lusts but that neither God nor Scripture knows it nor the Saints practise Further thou sayes He that can but beleive this is perfectly purged and there is no more conscience of sin though yet the feeling of sin I say what is thou now intends feeling of sin but make no conscience Is not this plain Ranting to commit sin and feel it and make no conscience of it this indeed is the ready way to murther the Witness to stop the ear at his reproof and to make shipwrack of a tender conscience and so in time to get it seared and so no more conscience of sin do what you will do but imagine all is pardoned past present and to come let the light in the conscience say what it can hope against hope sayest thou The Righteousness of Christ is a covering upon sin c. I say I know who repents and turns to him he doth But doth Christs Righteousness cover sin to come and whilst men are committing it one day thou wilt find that it is not covered but thou that hast seared thy conscience it will appear when thou shalt cease to deal treacherously with the witness that would have dealt truly with thee but how is Christs Righteousness a covering on thy sin when thy sin is in thy heart and thy cover no nearer than above the Stars If ever God look down upon the earth thou wilt be found naked and the day is upon thee look to it thy Ranting faith hath not long to last and thy cover will be but deceit wo to thee that art covered and not with the Spirit Concerning the word IN this like the rest thou enters with a lie saying That we say the light within all men is the word not minding at all to speak truth thou tels of sin being covered but the liar is openly seen and shames not And when thou hast made one lie thou infers another from it If the Light within every man be the Word then all ages have had the Gospel in equality c. Then thou adds another as false as the rest saying That Truth sayes the Light is the remaining sparkles of the Law and represents God onely under a vail When Truth saith the Life is the Light of men and this is that true Light that lighteth every man that comes into the world John 1. And Christ saith I am the Light of the world he that follows me shall not abide in darkness but shall have the light of life John 8. 12. And the Saints came to the knowledge of God in the face of Jesus by the light within and this was not onely under the vail which was in the face of Jesus 2 Cor. 4. 6. though vailed to thee who denies the light of the Spirit and sayeth truth sayes it when truth denies thee therein nor hast thou one Scripture that saith so And when thou hast shewed thy Spirit by thy works then thou art forced to confess him to be within his in spirit the word of revelation yet would make two words a word of Reconciliation and a word of Revelation and in dividing this word in to two thou confounds thy self First thou sayes these two are not one without the other then thou sayes the one must finish his work before the other could come and such blind muddy stuffe thou art bewing in but what I write in my book stands as it was Yet thou adds two lies more the first is That we beleive not the word of Reconciliation which thou cals thy first word which is false for though we beleive not two words yet we beleive that one word which is the word of Reconciliation and Revelation and there is not another Thy second lie is of the Light in saying it knows Christ in neither Concerning worship IN this thou sayes that I affirm that the Spirit of Life from God wherein is the mind will and love of God the name power and wisdom of Christ wherewith alone God can be acceptably worshipped is in every man A thing that never entred into my heart but surely friend thou matters not what thou sayes thus to add thy wickedness and false accusations because I say none must follow the traditions of others but as every creature is moved by the presence of the living God do I therefore say that the spirit of God is in every man this conclusion is more wickedness than weakness But to thy doctrine Thou sayes The word of faith sayes that the Law without or Spirit in every man that sayes do this and live are the vail c. I say where doth the word of faith say that the Spirit within is a vail or where doth it call the Spirit within the Law without thou must find a new word for this for the true everlasting Word saith not so but faith There is a spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding Job 32. 8. but doth not say that that Spirit of God is the vail of which Spirit I am speaking whatever thou pervert it to but is all thy spiritual teaching come to this that the Spirit in which God will be worshipped becomes a vail and that to abide in any law or light whatsoever either from within or without and to be exercised therein as to be redeemed or perfected thereby this they say is to worship God as in
and salvation and that he will judge the works of the Law as well as the lusts of the flesh and that the spirit of Christ in his people shall judge both Angels and mens spiritual and fleshly wickness To which I say Some of this is truth and we shall try the rest First What work of the Law is it that God will judge doest thou intend that law by which thou confessed before all that believe are justified from that from which they could not be justified by the Law of Moses If thou intend that Law I deny thy doctrine for the works of that Law of the Spirit of life by which we are justified are the works of Christ where with he fulfils the Law in his Saints and so are works of the Spirit and shall never come into judgement and if thou mean not that Law to me it matters not I shall not contend with thee about any other of thy imaginations And whereas thou tels of Christs coming forth in this age in righteousness and salvation and to judge and that it is the Spirit of Christ in his People that must be the Judge both of Angels and men in this his appearance Hast not thou in the rest of thy Book as much as in thee lies done what thou canst to oppose this his appearance who hast all along denied any thing within to be looked unto for righteousness salvation and judgement yea and ere thou get out of the same thing thou art contradicting it again and sayes Law or form or light within are the principles of judgment with most But sayest thou It is a small thing for the spiritual man to be judged by any of these What confusion is this of thine thou bringest forth in opposition to the light Must the Spirit of Christ in his people judge both Angels and men spiritual and fleshly and yet thou speaks scornfully of the light within and thrusts it in with law and form to make it odious It seems thou canst not endure that the Spirit of Christ should be called light in his people it must be darkness there it seems or else not owned by thee Another lie thoutels of John saying That he did not call to the light within every man and sayest no Prophet spake of him by the light c. But it seems thou hast not much read the Prophets or else art wickedly ignorant for all that read them may find them prophesying of a Covenant of light and John saith who saw him this is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world Concerning Perfection ANd after thy usual manner thy first work is a lie saying That my principal matter is that perfection is that gift or light in every man Another lie is that I say Imperfection came in by the ministry of Antichrist When the matter of my words are That God and Christ is perfection and doth not say the gift is perfection yet I own that every gift of God is perfect yet God himself the perfection of all I also say that imperfection came in by the Devil and maintained by his Ministers who uses all means to supplant truth where it is and to keep up imperfection in the world And thy lies being taken away the truth stands untouched though many words thou usest yet dare not deny what I have written in the least particular Onely thou asks some questions which thou hast raised out of thy own brain not at all what I say Thy Questions are first Was Christ in the flesh no more than a Preacher or example of perfection 2. Was that fulness of the Godhead in him no more than such a light as God hath set up in every man 3. Or was his bearing of our sins and the wounds for our iniquities no more but to shew how we should bear them in our selves I say Yes He was more than all these three for he in himself alone wrought redemption broke through all difficulties opened the way of life for all Creatures became a Sacrifice acceptable to the Father and triumphed openly over death the grave and hell and much more that may be spoken of him which he did in his own person and not onely so but is now an everlasting offering from generation to generation an everlasting light preached in every Creature whereby they may receive the faith which without it they cannot whereby to see him in themselves appearing from heaven in Spirit as Leader and Teacher Judge and Law-giver and in his light to lead and his life to strengthen all that beleive in the same way wherein he walked in his own person who left an example when he ascended for all to follow which will be saved which none can follow nor be saved but who are led by his light and quickened by his Spirit within them though they talk never so much of him at Jerusalem without them And this is that which the Devil is an enemy to to wit that Christ should be owned in the hearts of any as Leader Teacher King and Law-giver and with his light to enlighten every dark part thereof so that every motion of God is seen and received and every motion of the Devil is seen and resisted even unto blood here is little hope for the Devils Kingdom where this light is received and followed there the soul is redeemed from the deeds of the devils darkness therefore he sets on work all his instruments wherein he hath any interest to cry out against this light within for if this light shine in the heart then his seat must be discovered and the knowledge of God seen in the face of Jesus and as any come to know God in the light they will be led out of his service so you stand up from all Quarters who wear his dark livory crying out against the light of Christ within charging all not to hearken to any voice within nor mind any thing there good nor bad that he may keep that place for his kingdom And to him you are faithful to the uttermost of your power who are all gathered together in this day of battel to fight against the Light of which thou art not the least who cryest out against all light whatsoever either from within or without for any to be exercised in for freedom from sin But are you not blind above all that ever was before you who have so many Scriptures declaring the Lambs war against all sorts of Spirits yet never find them warring against the Spirit of light but with that Spirit of light in them did they make warr against the Prince of darkness and all his dark principles in his children Foolish men how long will it be before you look at your feet and what way you are going and try your selves whose message you carry who are preaching that which none of you have seen for salvation The Saints message was the light both for fellowship and to lead to the bloud of cleansing John 1. 6 7.
Christ are one thing from the beginning of the world in Christ in whom ever he is according to its several measure and ends but if thou intend Creature works though the most refined that ever was I utterly deny them and thy accusation as false like the rest and so having cleared the truth from thy slanders and set it where it was I shall come to thy doctrine And thou speaks of the everlasting onely righteousness upon all that beleive and that it is as a spiritual heaven large enough to take in and cover the second creation I say that is true But what is that to thee that art in the first creation It doth not cover thee thy wickedness is seen thy lies are laying open thy nakedness appears and thy folly to all men Onely thou sayest thou reckonest thy self to be so though it be not so felt I say I know it there were ever a generation that justified themselves but were not just before God and thine will be found no other who reckons thy self justified by that which thou hast neither seen felt nor handled And thou sayes Thou thinks it necessary to give warning that all approaches unto or converses with the Majesty and glory of God by any redemption or operation of whatsoever spirit or light within where the redemption in the person of Christ is excluded To which I say Thou shews thy dark busie mind and what thou knows of approaches to God or converses with his majesty and glory who imagines that that can be where the redemption of Christ is excluded Thou sayes But if any ask how thou art redeemed while sin is in thee thou sayest the Father he laid your sins upon Christ to take them away and the Spirit bears witness that all things are finished I say that is true where repentance and faith is where by the creature denies himself and comes to Christ there Christ takes the sins away But thy sins are there yet and thou a servant thereof and the Spirit bears witness in the conscience against thee for it and the best way thou hast to peace is to stifle the witness of the Spirit in thy conscience and exhort others not to heed it Thou sayes Through faith thou receives Christ into thy self and thou art received into him and through this oneness art made righteousness life and light But how oft hast thou denied this or any thing within to be looked unto Art thou now become righteousness life and light thy self and was condemning it as great error in me in thy last to witness good works in Christ Art thou become righteousness thy self light and life and wilt thou not allow another to testifie the works of Christ in him Thy charity is either selfish or thou knows not what thou sayes and ere thou go out of that page thou contradicts it thy self again denies redemption by the operation of that Spirit that is within us so that which makes thee righteousness life and light by thy doctrine cannot work redemption and thus thou tottereth to and fro having undertaken a business and would seem to say something and so being out of the light makes up a heap of confusion And as thou begins with a lie so thou ends saying That I say that all the works and measures performed by the Creature in obedience to the light within do but all compleat the one work of the Creature redemption And when thou hast told this falshood thou sets down a story of Luther wherein he divides Abraham and his righteousness as far a sunder as between heaven and earth So to answer thee and thy story I shall produce one plain Scripture from James 2. from the 14. to the end of the Chapter Was not thou even now telling of being made righteousness into thy self and now brings a story to divide Abrahams righteousness as far from him as heaven from earth and much such staggering thou makest but the end of all is to keep righteousness out of the door that thy master may have liberty within Concerning Election and Reprobation ANd this thou begins to lay a foundation with a lie and what thy building is like to be may be easily judged Thou sayeth I say That the light in every man which reproves of sin is Christ And when thou hast told that lie and denied it again then thou confessest what I say that Christ is the elect seed but dare not say that any one is elected who is not in that seed onely thou tels a blind story that thou was redeemed before thou was born but art yet a servant of the devil who was a liar from the beginning and his works thou art doing onely thou conceits thou art redeemed and such a redemption the prophanest I know in the Nation claims it with thee upon the same ground and hath as good right as thou hast for any thing yet thou hast made manifest Concerning the new Birth HEre thou sets on work in thy old manner as one that cannot cease from sin First Thou chargeth me to say That by abiding in the seed or light within every man thereby the old man is put off with his deeds Secondly That I call the light the eternal Spirit Thirdly That I make the body and bloud of Christ no more but a figure of the body and bloud within that is the light within all men Fourthly And that my end is to press through unto God by an Atonement and mediation to be made in our bodies that is obedience to the light within And when thou hast told these four horrible lies on me then thou goes on in thy doctrine but dare not gain say one word of what I have written but runs into thy old confusion and sayes The new Creature is not a Jew seeking salvation in the letter or Conscience nor a Gentile worshipping God by the light and sayes the worlds light is a candle from the Lord saying do this and live And divers more such confusions which hath no truth in them neither hast thou any proof for them with sundry accusations and slanders thou goes on which are nothing to the purpose as to the thing in hand and having forme ly denied them I shall not here rake in them but let them not with thee Then thou speaks of persecution thou sayest They that followed after the Spirit and teachings thereof were alwayes persecuted by the children of the letter Where thou might read thy self were not thou blind who art breathing out all these lies against us for owning Christ his light within us for our teacher guide for which thy mischeivous mind would make people believe we deny the person of Christ because we own him in spirit when in truth none can own his person but who sees him in the light the rest are the children of the letter and hath no ministration else to know Christ by who can imagine from the History but are void of the Mystery which is held in a pure
thy opinion the light of Christ in the heart is no law nor light of conscience what is the law of the spirit of life if not the light of Christ in the heart and what is that which is good in the conscience the answer whereof saves if not the light of Christ And dost not thou say in thy 55. page That all that believe are justified from all things by the law of the spirit according to the conscience from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses And is it now become that no law nor light of conscience can descern it so people must be justified by they do not know what and much like according to thy doctrine who affirms they are justified before they be begotten or born then are not like to discern what their redemption is nor what it is that is redeemed from what nor by whom further than by a talk from a drunken spirit Thou saies further There is no mystery in the light within I say where was that mystery that was held in a pure conscience which the Apostle speaks on 1 Tim. 3. 9. was not that within but thou hast found out a greater mystery than the mystery of faith that is that the thing that is not may be washed sanctified and justified thou may well say this is above all the mystery within and indeed beyond all faith that is of God onely thy imaginations hath no limit whose foundation is in the air Thou tells of a greater and better estate than Adam in his innocencie which is no more but in thy imaginations for thou that never knew the life of innocencie in thy self as it was in Adam art far unlike to know a greater wherefore stop thy mouth vain babbler out of which comes all this confusion smoak and darkness and with the light of thy conscience find thy own measure and boast not above it so will thou see thy self for all thy boasting to be as dumb as those Isaiah speaks of as to the state of innocency or any state above it witnessed in thee or thou in it further than an airie notion Concerning Justification Sanctification Mortification ANd this is not without a slander like the rest but thy lies are so many I am weary with raking in them so to thy doctrine And thou tells of a justification already prepared and wrought for sinners upon the Crosse when he bare away your sins and death and all the evils of this world and thou sayest He that can but truly believe this according to his faith so is it done But art thou not now become partial who hast assumed a privilege to thy self that thou wilt allow no body else who sayest thou thy self art justified and sin washed away before either faith or works yea before thou thy self were and now hast put others upon believing for justification and saiest so it is done according to their faith and thine done without faith yea before either faith or works And seeing thou limits the time of this work of justification onely to that time when Christ was upon a carnal cross and sayest Thou wert justified before thou wast Then when was all justified that died before the outward crucifying of Christ If there was not justification in Christ before that time then either must it follow that the Saints that died before was justified since they died or else are all condemned But if every particular Saint was justified in their time by that everlasting righteousness of God by faith in Christ Jesus and all that departed from that righteousness was to perish Ezek. 18. Then must it either follow so row or justification is not the same that it was which do thou shew if thou canst wherein it differs further then they by faith in him that was to come whom they saw by faith and we in faith of him that did come whom we now see by faith in a clearer manifestation but both in the same everlasting righteousness of God without which righteousness by faith in them and they in it without which neither they nor we can enter into the Kingdom A Question thou asks But can there be rest and liberty where there is a groaning for it Thy answer is Yea oh man as well as Paul could be present in spirit where he was absent in body I say Thy comparison will not hold for Paul was really present in spirit and he need not groan for it but he that imagines a liberty and yet is the servant of sin is not so and how being at rest and travelling and groaning to come to rest can stand together a little simplicity may judge thereof Thou sayest The love of God and righteousness of Christ are not more or less for the beleiver I say That is the ground of all the Ranters and as they are in God himself without relation to any particular they are no more or less But in relation to mans salvation he that believes not shall never have benefit by them according to his faith so shall he receive as thou thy self but now confessed with whom its no new thing to say and unsay both with a wind Thou tels of thy being justified by Christ thy head but the manifestation of it in thy self therein is thy sanctification and before thou said Thou was sanctified before thou was born and before thou wert Thus thy Potsheards are clashing one against another who art lifting up thy self against the Iron Rod and in opposition to the light of the world Concerning the Law THy Charge here is made up most of thy own words and not mine and so as thy own and not mine I shall pass it And thou begins thy doctrine with a deceit also saying Are the Law and Gospel the same As though I had said they was and thus with deceit and falshood thou carries on thy work saying that I say They know not his Commands in Spirit who say that Christ fulfilled the Law for us in his own Person Another deceit is That Whereas I say the bloud of Buls and Goats made nothing perfect c. This thou turns to the bloud of Christ as though I denied it to make perfect and so runs on from one false deceit to another for if thy deceit fall thy works is at an end the whole body being little else And when thou hast cast out thy lies then thou comes to thy faith that is That Christ hath sustained all the Law hath to charge upon you c. But let me ask thee one question with thy large faith Who was redeemed and justified before thou was born Suppose thou commit adultery or murther will not the Law charge that sin upon thee that Law God hath written in thy heart Yea and so as without new washing to condemn thee at the day of Judgment If thou say yea then thy justification and washing before thou wert born may be disanulled and stand in need of the bloud now If thou say no I say I
will serve to heal the heart deceitfully as the false Prophets ever did who cried peace where God cried not peace but that peace will break out again when you stand in most need it will onely serve you while you can please your selves in the things of this world and forget your later end but if ever you remember Christs justification spoken on Math 12. 36 37. it will marr yours to wit that for every idle word you must answer for at the day of judgement and then by your words you must be justified and by your words condemned you that live and die in your sins will find it in vain at that day to plead your justification before you was born or had committed sin so to that day I leave you who will not be reconciled to God but chuse your own delusions And from thy own words these following Quaeries are propounded and left with thee Quaer 1. SEing thou affirms that Christ hath quite taken away sin before people are born then Whether doth any come into the world without sin or no 2. If Christ took away all sin before you were born as though it had never been how is it you say you expect his appearance again to salvation must you be twice saved and when there is nought to be saved from 3. Whether he that believes that all his sins are taken away before he be born as though they had never been as thou sayest and yet commits sin and hath the root of it in him doth not believe a lie yea or no 4. Whether he that hath his sin done away as though it had never been needs to repent of any thing he doth as sin or grieving of the Spirit of God yea or no 5. Whether he that believes his sins are washed away before he be born and after he be born doth commit sin whether he doth stand in need to be washed again and if he be not washed again whether he shall die in his sins or no st Suppose thou that cals thy self a Believer should commit a sin as covetousness which is idolatry or the like if one thou cals an unbeliever do the same whether is thy sin as great as his and stands need of washing as he or else perish with him without repentance or what is the difference as to the root matter and offence 7. Whether did not Christ wash sanctifie and justifie all mankind in the same manner he did thee before thou wast and if not what is the difference and the cause and the ground of it 8. Is there any Creature living that if they mind the light of Christ and so come to repentance and faith in Christ Jesus improving what power God hath given but they shall be saved And on the contrary is there any though they pretend faith yet commit sin and die there in without repentance and washing that shall be saved And whether the purpose of God doth not stand with the Creatures as they own or disown the righteousness of faith in Christ Jesus can any be condemned that receives it or can any be saved without it yea or no Again seeing thou sayes page 18. That this false conception or resemblance of Christ as a Law-giver and Worker is an Idol and the root of idolatrous Religions Hence I quaerie 1. Whether thy Christ thou speaks on be the same with that which the Scriptures speak of If the same where is thy Testimony from Scripture for such a Christ as is no Law-giver If another as in truth it is then why dost thou begin thy book with a lie calling it A Testimony to the true Jesus 2. Whether dost thou own this to be a prophesie of Christ Deut. 18. 15 16 17 18 19. which the Apostles applied to him Acts 3. 22 23 where it s said I will raise up to thee a Prophet from the midst of thee c. unto him shall ye hearken according to all that thou desiredst of the Lord thy God in Horeb in the day of the assembly saying let me not hear again the voyce of the Lord my God neither let me see this great fire any more that I die not And the Lord said they have well spoken I will raise them up a Prophet from among their brethren like unto thee and will put my words in his mouth and he shall speak unto them all that I shall command him And it shall come to pass that whosoever will not hearken nnto my words which he shall speak in my Name I will require it of him If thou own these words to be spoken of Christ whether dost thou not see them to hold out him as a Law-giver to his people and such a Law giver as that whosoever did not hearken to his words should be cut off or the Lord would require it of him Whether dost thou own the new Covenant the Law to be put in the heart and writ there instead of giving it forth in tables of stone on Mount Sinai in thunder and lightenings and fire which the people could not bear And whether dost thou own Christ to be the Minister of that new Covenant or new Law promised which the people were to hear or be cut off Or whether dost thou own Christ to give the Spirit into the hearts of his people to be their Law and Teacher to teach them all things and to lead into all righteousness In a word Whether dost thou own him to give forth either Precept or Spirit seeing thou denies him to be a Law-giver For the giving forth of either makes him a Law-giver 3. Whether dost thou own these sayings following to be Precepts or Laws given out by Christ or disown that Christ that gave them forth namely Math. 5. 29 30. If thy right eye offend thee pluck it out and cast it from thee c. and if thy right hand offend thee cut it off and cast it from thee c Again I say unto you swear not at all I say unto you that ye resist not evil but whosoever shall smite thee on the right check turn to him the other also Lay not up for your selves treasures upon earth where moth and rust doth corrupt Fear not them which kill the body but are not able to kill the soul Learn of me for I am meek and lowly in heart and such like Are these Precepts or Laws given forth by Christ yea or no seeing thou disowns him as a Law-giver 4. Whether dost thou own this to be Scripture Or this Christ that gave this commandement John 13. 24. A new commandement give I unto you That ye love one another as I have loved you that ye also love one another 5. Seeing thou disowns Christ a Law-giver Whether dost thou own him to be King and Lord and Master If so Whether onely titular or in truth and power If in power where lies it if he cannot give forth a Command or Law and so be a Law-giver to his people 6. Whom hast thou hitherto served and whom hast thou hitherto obeyed seeing thou owns not Christ to be thy Law-giver Art thou lawless and disobedient or hast thou thy law from thy self or from Satan or some other Whose Law followest thou seeing thou owns none from Christ And seeing thou disowns Christ also as a Worker Quaer Who is it that works all our works in us Isaiah 26. 12. and with out whom we can do nothing John 15. 4 5 and who was it that wrought in Paul mightily Col. 1. 19. FINIS