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
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
Sacrament of the Altar becaus for good reasons it is judged not to be his but a spurious birth of some other Writer and it is not to be found in some of the most ancient coppys This little book of Thomas a Kempis hath had an exceeding great reception among Protestants of all sorts onely some peevish narrow-spirited Presbyterians can not endure to hear it commended becaus writ by one that lived in the Church of Rome in a dark time and yet the doctrin of it excellâ—th that of their most spirituall Preachers It is a most unreasonable thing to cry up a faction or party or particular Church becaus of some excellent men that have been among them and perhaps zealous for that way 3. For indeed few Professions or Sects in Christianity but have had some excellent men in them The Baptists in Holland have had some also they had faithfull and zealous men that dyed Martyrs and were put to death by Papists And both Independents and Baptists in England had some excellent men among them whose labours no doubt the Lord did bless with his presence Few hills so barren but some excâ—llent medicinal herbs grow upon them and in their bowells there are some mines of gold and silver and some deserts yeeld Diamonds and precious stones So I shall most willingly grant there have been holy and spirituall men in the Presbyterian Church that have known â—ommunion with God in spirit in a blessed measure and were faithfull in the talents given them of God And I believe their soules are entered into everlasting rest and their memory is as a box of precious oyntment among others of the Lordâ— Witnesses in other professions and places of the world And though they have been hâ—noured by receiving signal testimonys of â—he Great Bridegroomes love towards them as his spouse in reâ—oycing over them with singing and frequently helped to givâ— him testimonys of their endeared affection to him â— Head Husband Supreme Lord and Governour yet I altogether deny that such high commendation doth belong to the National Presbyterian Church in the heap or indeed to any considerable part oâ— her for they who had any measure of true pietâ— among them did certainly beare as small proportion unto the body of the Nation as the white of the eyes and teeth in an Ethiopian or Black mor doth unto the rest of his body 4. But alas The Presbyterians in our days both Teachers and People are shâ—mefully declined from the footsteps and spirit of those antient good men and this generation now living is no more of the true faith and spirit of these Worthy men then the Iewes that put Christ to death were of the faith and spirit of Abraham 5. But that the Presbyterian Church deserveth â—o such commendation as this Author gives her as â—eing so frequently helped to give him testimonys of â—er endeared affection to him as her head husband â—upream Lord and Governour we need goe no â—urther to bring witnesses to confute this then 〈◊〉 own treacherous practices upon every occasion 〈◊〉 had to shew her infidelity For although she â—â—yed up the Presbyterian goverenment as being 〈◊〉 a Divine right and the onely government estaâ—â—â—shed by Christ in the Church yet at two seveâ—ll times the National Presbyterian Church when â—â—elacy was imposed by the supreame Magistrat 〈◊〉 received it and at lest in outward appearance â—â—atever she was in her heart turned Prelatical 〈◊〉 most shamefully conformed to that which 〈◊〉 hath often called Anti-Christian The first time was when King Iames the Sixth â—ught in Prelacy which lasted about 28 years And the second time when it was again introduced of late years and is at this present day remaining And I can not think that the Author of the Postscript thinketh the National Church of Scotland at this present time Presbyterian otherwise she is a great Hypocrit seing she doth outwardlâ— conforme to Episcopacy so that whereas there arâ— reckoned to be in this Nation about a thousanâ— Parishes yet so farr as I can understand or learnâ— there is not One parish in all the Nation that 〈◊〉 kâ—ept it self intirely free from conformity And it 〈◊〉 welknown that the body of the Nation is conformed to Episcopacy and the farr greatest numberâ— the Presbyterian Teachers conformed also 〈◊〉 some of them who were zealous for presbyteriâ—â— government are become Bishops And indeâ—â— they who have not conformed beare little or 〈◊〉 proportion considerable to them who have 〈◊〉 the Presbyterian Non conformist Teachers have gâ—â—nerally manifested base and unchristian cowardiâ—â— in running away from their flocks through fear suffering and exposing them to those they 〈◊〉 to be Wolves and some of them are fled beyoâ—â— Sea Others lurk in corners here and there 〈◊〉 keep privat conventicles where many times 〈◊〉 preach Sedition against their Lâ—wfull Prince instigation of whom that insurrection happâ—â—ed 1666. 6. And some of them have printed books in defence of the lawfulness of making waâ—r against the Suprem Magistrat in order to reestablish the Presbyterian Government a way flat contradictory to the nature of the Gospel to the express commands of Christ and also to the practice of the primitive Christians to make any carnal or military resistence so much as in their own defence which lasted for hundreds of years so that it is but of later times that any professing the Name of Christianity did offer to defend themselvs by carnal weapons against their Lawfull Magistrats During the ten persecutions not so much as a shaddow of any such thing is to be found in Church history And yet as Tertullian gives an account who lived in the heart of those persecutions it was not for want of number or strength that they did not oppose themselves in their own defence but onely becaus they were Christians 7. And although suffering be a thing greatly commended and also commanded under the Gospell and is as S. R. calles it in one of his Epistles a great part of the Ministry yet I know not if the Presbyterians can instance one single person of them all since the late revolution that have suffered or do at present suffer for Conscience sake in a pure and cleanly way I mean for matters purely Evangelical and out of pure Conscience for such of them who did suffer had not keept their hands clean from too much incroaching upon affairs of the Stat and power of the Magistrat so that they had little cause to glory in those sufferings 8. And if the Presbyterians think they have had any Martyrs for Presbyterian government yet this will not commend their Church above the Episcopal which hath had its Sufferers also who have suffered unto death and whose Sufferings were as much matters of Conscience unto them as the Presbyterians was unto them Yea the Episcopal Church gloryeth that she had one of the most religious Kings that either then was or had been in the world for many ages a Martyr for her whose life was worth many
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
of watâ—r in a dry place as the shaddow of a great Rock in a weary land Surely this is a Great and Mighty Man so that we may justly say as these did of old what manner of Man is this whom the â—â—inds and sea obey For indeed he commands the winds and the sea and all the creaturs to whom all power is given in heaven and earth and though he hath his Deputys and Servants under him yet they can doe nothing without him 15. And therefore he himself is every where present and knoweth seeth and perceiveth all things He knoweth the most secret thoughts and actions of all men both good and he told the woman of Samaria who had been a bad and evil woman all that ever she did even the Man Christ Jesus as she her self did acknowledge and went and preached him to others Come said she and see a man that told me all that ever I did is not this the Christ But to say he told this as knowing it by revelation from the Father and not as the Man Christ Jesus is to equall other Prophets unto him who knew the thoughts of men by revelation and indeed to weaken the argument that she brought to prove that he was the Christ becaus this man told her all but seing this Man knew all her deeds and thoughts immediatly and needed not Divine revelation to know them therefore he was indeed the true Christ for no other man had such a priviledg and certainly he told her much more inwardly then outwardly and therefore he was in her to wit by his Life Light and Spirit And how could the woman that was cured of her bloody-issue by touching the hem of his garment have touched him Luk 8. if his Spirit and Soul or Life had not extended into her for her touch was not a bare outward touch nor did she touch his body but onely the hem of his garment and although many touched him beside in the great presse of people yet he felt her touch that was another sort then all the other touches even a spiritual touch so that her spirit reached unto his Spirit and drew from it out of his body and he feeling this said who touched me 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 albeit it was a woman that touched him and he did ask the question in the masculine article and indeed a masculine and vigorous touch it was her spirit being raised by faith into a masculine and Heavenly vigour touched his Spirit and drew vertue from him and therefore his Spirit reached unto her that did both so draw forth her Spirit towards him and also did convey unto her that healing vertue And surely many thousands have as really touched him as she did by the spiritual touch of faith who never had his outward body or external person present to touch it and have drawn virtue from him whereby their Souls have been cured and some also have found their bodys cured and restored to health SECTION XIII 1. If by common be understood that Christ is Gods free Gift we acknowledg him so common 2. The Life and Light otherwise in the Son of Mary then in us 3. Christ 〈◊〉 truely Mediator in the Saints as without them in heaven proved out of John 17 23. and Rom. 8. 4. The Seed of regeneration is sown by Christ the Son of Man 5. God the Father is greater then Christ as Mâ—n 6. The Omnipresence of the Manhood of Christ in all creaturs doth not confound his Godhead with his Manhood 7. That Scripture Luk 2 49. opened 8. The 6 7 and 8 charges utterly false 9. The Presbyterian Teachers make the Devil greater and of a larger extent then the Heavenly Manhood of Christ to the great dishonour of our Blessed Saviour 10. The Quakers put not their Prophets and Teachers in Christs roome but acknowledg him exalted above all creatures more then the Presbyterians 11. The blindness and darkness of the Author of the Postscript that denyeth the Saints to have any measure of that Light that was or is in Christ. 12. How furr the Author of the Postscript hath outshot himself in denying Christ to be in the Saints ANd thus having by many Scripture testimonys and arguments builded thereupon together also with the testimonys of others and some of the Presbyterians own Prophets so fully proved that Christ is in the Saints yea and in a true sense in all men and in all things as God is Before I close this particular head I shall a little more narrowly consider the Author of the Postscript his words in in the 5 charge He saith we affirme Christ to be a common sort of thing His designe is easily to be seen here as if we undervalued Christ but it is no undervaluing of him to call him a thing seing the Angel called him that holy thing Luk 1 35. That holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God And this holy thing we say is in all men 1. But if by common he mean either that it is of mens nature or that all men have the enjoyment of it in that sense I deny that it is common for it is not of men but it is in the nature of it a most rare divine and singular thing and though it be in all yet it can be enjoyed by none but them who are Saints But to understand by common that it is the free Gift of God unto all whereby all may be saved in that sense we do not deny it to be common nor doth its being common derogate any thing from its excellency for bonum quo communius co melius a good thing the more common it be the better it is Is not God a common Creator and yet he is not the less good or exceâ—lent so nor is Christ the less good or excellent that he is a common Saviour in so farr that he doth put Life and Salvation within the reach of every man in a day of visitation that they may be saved 2. But the summe or substance of this his 5 charge is false namely that we affirme that Christ is in every man as he was in the Son of Mary for we say The Son of Mary is Christ himself and though his Light and Life and Spirit or Soul be in â—s and in all men yet not so as in the Son of Mary for it is in him in the fulness and in us onely by emanation from him It is he the Son of Mary that giveth us this living water who is th Fountain and Spring of it whereas the stream of it is but in us and God who is Light is otherwise in the Son of Mary or Man-Christ then in us or any other men for he is in him by an immediate union and communion whereas he is in us but by the Man Christ as in regard of union and communion so that our union and communion with God is but mediat through him 3. And this wonderfull mystery Christ himself
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
but onely a favourer of Bishops being then an Advocat becaus he would not bow to their wills was constrained to flee the Nation Not to mention the fineings and other oppressions that many endured on that account and the Papists also some of whom had almost their all swept away and many fled Besides some few scattered ones whom they called Sectarys they grievously persecuted and threatned as namely Iohn Garden of Tillifroskie a Baptist whom they imprisoned in Edinburgh for a long time and reduced to so great outward necessitys that no body durst wel minister to him what he wanted But was the Presbyterian National Church any more favourable to their lawfull Prince Did they not also extend their power to the utmost against him to compell him And what the sad effects were which this produced I am loath to mention so that none were spared but all Great and small must fall down and worship this beast as it was in the darkest times of Popery otherwise they knew what they were to expect And it would saden a mans heart to think to what perplexity many simple-hearted men were brought while things were carryed thus on the one hand the Kirk issued forth her acts that people should do so and so and on the other hand the Lawfull Magistrat issued forth acts to the contrary and so the body of the Nation was divided some following the one some the other untill they ceased not to make the three Nations a field of blood And all this happened by that persecuting and compelling spirit in the Presbyterian Church that is the very life of such a Church without which it can not subsist as such Next as to her Hypocrisy we need go no further then the various changes of the farr greatest number of her Church-members and especiaily her Teachers one while Episcopal again Presbyterian and to wheel round again Episcopal and these changes all falling within a short time even upon the self same persons they who were zealous for Episcopacy and cryed it up yesterday the next day zealous against it crying it as much down and then up again one while preaching against festivall days and set forms of Worship then for them then against them then lastly for them again All this bewrayes horrible and detestable Hypoorisy especially in the Teachers who pretend to preach the Word of GOD and the Truth of Christ. Whereas the Word of the Lord is One forever and the Truth is the same always and is not yea and nay And it is a thing as manifest as the light of the day that the Teachers even of the Presbyterian Church have been generally and for the most part Self-seeking worldly minded and covetous men who loved pleasures and riches more then God And this the Mâ—gistrat did wel know and saw the best way to prevail with them was to bribe them with augmentations and benefices as they did in the year 1649 and at divers other times as they saw occasion And in the time of great burdens upon the Land of Cesses and Taxations that many honest familys were redacted to great straits by reason of these publick burdens yet the Presbyterian Preachers table was as full as ever his cup did overflow with outward abundance he must bear no part of the publick burden but the burdens of the people must be augmented to give him augmentations But alas This Presbyterian kingdom is now faln and great is the fall of it especially it falleth heavy upon such as the Author of the Postscript who want those golden days of gathering up their stipends and augmentations but are fain to be at their purchase or conform which some have so much sense of shame still remaining in them as suffereth them not to do yet they fume and rage and the honest harmeless people called Quakers must be the main butt and object of their wrath but such paper bullets and darts that contain nothing â—olid as this Postscript being full of horrid lyes and false accusations will make little execution against us but certainly return upon their heads with shame and loss 10. All this sheweth that the Presbyterian Church was not so glorious a Church as she did take her self to be And many in the Island and elsewhere on the one hand did judg the Congregational Churches farr beyond her And those called Baptists I mean the more sober kind of them beyond both yea the Lutheran Church and the Church of England at lest as to divers particulars in doctrin is really beyond her But what shall I say concerning the Waldenses who had all what the Presbyterian Church had that was commendable and divers other thingsâ— that they want and wherein they do not imitat them although they boast to be their successors For the Preachers of the Waldenses were Lay-men most of them and wrought with their hands as the Teachers of the primitive Church did and had no sâ—t stipends or salarys but preached freely yea Peter Walâ—â— the first a most famous Preacher of that People was a meer Lay-man and had not Philosophy but was a Merchant in the Town of Lyons in France whose labour the Lord did wonderfully bless and the labour of such honest plain simple men as he was SECTION IV. 1. That some good men have been in the Presbyterian Church proves not that she was a true Church 2. In the darkest times of Popery God raised up some good men and Prophets in the Popish Church yet the Popish Church no true Church of Christ. 3. Few Sects but have had some good men among them 4. The Presbyterians in our days shamefully are declined from the footsteps and spirit of thâ—se antient good men that were among them 5. The Presbyterian Church guilty of treacherous practices 6. Christians should not make warr against the Magistrat 7. Presbyterians sufferings not pure and cleanly 8. The Episcopal Church had its Sufferers and Martyrs also 9. The Presbyterian Church especially their Teachers have much blood-guiltiness upon them 10. If the house of God under the Law was not to be built by men of blood farr less under the Gospell 11. GOD will not honour the Presbyterian party to build his Zion or Gospell-Church in this Land 12. Yet he will make use of many among them after he hath â—â—ashed them from such bloody Anti-christian and unsound principles and practices 13. Of this they were warned eleven years ago in my book called Help in time of need printed in the year 1665. 14. The Presbyterian Church of Scotland guilty of Apostasy and spirituall adultery proved fully out of S. R. his Epistles 15. S. R. his Faith uncertain and he doubtfull in his later days concerning the Covenant its being made an instrument of Reformation 16. Some other testimonys of Great Presbyterian Teachers that God had forsaken the Presbyterian Church of Scotland 1. But if the Author of the Postsâ—ript think to get a fame to the Presbyterian Church becaus of some noted men for piety that have
been among them It is easily answered that they did not ow this piety to the Presbyterian Church but to the Grace of God which is Vniversall For the Grace of God that bringeth Salvation hath shined in All so Beza translates it Tit 2 10 11. and this Grace teacheth to deny ungodlyness and worldly lusts and to live righteously and soberly and godlily in this present world And whoever in any age or place of the world joyned their hearts unto this Grace and did believe and obey its teachings it made them good and pious men so that they did excell others in many good things although by reason of the darkness and corruption of the ages and places where they lived the prejudice of education and custom prevailed so farr that they also were dark and ignorant in many things Yet the Lord regarding their sincerity winked at their ignorance in those things And thus the Apostle Paul takes notice of some among the Gentils in the time of Heathenism who were a Law unto themselvs and did by Natur to wit the Divine Nature of the Word ingrafted in them Iames 1. or by their own nature restored and repaired by the Grace of God as Augustin expounded that place the things contained in the Law such was Socrates among the Gracians whom Iustin Martyr in one of his Apologys did expressly call a Christian and classeth him with Abraham c. 2. Also all along the dark times of popery the Lord raised up some even in the very heart of the popish Church that excelled others in vertue and piety and were as Lights shining in a dark place and witnesses to the truth some in some things and some in others and yet even these men lived still in the Popish Church and in too many things were carryed away and tinctured with divers corruptions and superstitions Of this Illyricus in his Catologus â—estium veritatis giveth an account And the Author of Fasciculus temporum with divers other Historians And particularly our country-man Alexander Petry in his Church History from the year 600 unto the year 1600 as in the seventh Century Gregory called the Great and Isidorus in the eighth Century Iohn Damascen and Aponius in the ninth century Claudius Turinensis Bishop of Turin and Rabanus Maurus in the tenth Century a very dark age Theophilact Arch-bishop of Bulgaria and Smaragdus a Benedictin Abbot in the eleventh Century Berno and Fulbert Bishop of Carnatum in the twelfth Century Hugo de S. Victore and Bernard of Clarevall in the thirteenth age Gulielmus Bishop of Paris and Ioachim Abbot of Calabria in the fourteenth age or Century Dante 's Aligerius and Robertus Gallus this Robertus Gallus was a Franciscan Frier and had propheticall visions which were interpreted to him by the Spirit of God there is a Treatise under his name printed together with the Prophecyes of Hildegardis a Woman prophetesse in the Church of Rome of both whose Prophecyes Fox takes speciall notice in his Martyrology And in the fifteenth Century Vincentius a Venetian who also prophecyed against the Clergy and Theodorick Vrias There was also another Theodorick Bishop of Croatia that prophecyed in this same age that the Church of Rome should be brought to nought and that Iustice which hath been shut up in darkness shall come into Light and the true Church shall flourish in Godlyness more then she hath done In this age also lived Iohn Huss a pious and vertuous man whom the Papists burnt as an heretick and yet the same good Man retained divers Popish opinions Now in the sixteenth century the reformation from the grossness of Popery began by Luther in Germany and the Lord raised up divers other instruments in other nations as in France in England and also in Scotland and many worthy men dyed martyrs and seaâ—ed to the truth with their blood before the Presbyterian Reformation yea some that were Bishops in England dyed martyrs for the truth as Cranmer Ridly Latimâ—r Therefor albeit I grant that ther hath been divers pious men among the Presbyterians some who enjoyed communion with God in Spirit and some also who had a Prophetiâ—all Spirit and were accompanyed with the power of God in their ministry 40 years ago upwards and were made blessed instruments of God to many soules in that day to whom the Lord gave signall Testimonys of his love and of his admitting them at times unto near communion with him among whom were chiefly Iohn Welsh Robert Bruce Davidson and Patrick Simpson and divers others concerning whom the Author of the fullfilling of the Scripturs gives an account And I do verily believe they were pious men and had precious feelings of the life and power of God which did at times accompany them in their ministry whereby many soules were reached and converted unto God And as touching some things related by the Author concerning these men I may afterwards in its due place take notice which will not a little make for the present testimony of the people called Quakers But all this will not in the least prove that the Presbyterian Natioâ—all Church was the true Church of Christ and needeth no further Reformation from many thingâ— then it will prove that the Popish Church was the true Church of Christ which as I have already mentioned had pious and vertuous men and some of them indued with the Propheticall Spirit Also the Episcopall English Church in the dayes of Q. Maâ—â— had very excellent men that were Bishops and some of them were burned for the truth yet thiâ— proveth not that the English Church was sufficiently reformed or that those called Puritans who would not conforme to her did sin or were guilty of Schisme And I suppose the Presbyterians will noâ— deny but Luther for piety and zeal may be compared with any of these in Scotland and yet Luther was no Presbyterian and the Lutherans have had since Luther divers excellent men of whom I caâ— not forbear to mention Iohannes Arnd who hath writt a more Spirituall treatise of Spritual doctrin containing more spiritual and profitable Doctrin then any book that ever I could see writt by any Presbyterian and yet the Lutherâ—ns differr faâ—â— from Presbyterians Nor should the Presbyterians in Scotland so exalt themselves above all other Churches becaus some in their Church were indued with a Prophetical Spirit for as I have already mentioned divers in the Popish Church had the Spirit of Prophecy as Fox in his Martyrology doth bear witness â— I must needs say that as for Spiritual doctrin some Mysticks among the Papists hav exceeded any Pâ—esbyterian Writer that ever I could yet see And to speak freely that one little book De imitationâ— Christâ— said to be written by Thomas a Kempis a Popish Monck is really to me a more usefull book for spirituall doctrin then all the Presbyterian books in the world that ever I saw and I believe hath fewer errors in it I except the last book concerning the
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
This is the holy Spirit of the heavenly man Christ Iesus or the ingrafted or incarnat Word that is capable of grief and suffering whereas the Godhead is not capable of any suffering or grief for all suffering and grief is a finite and temporall thing whereas nothing can be in God but that which is infinit and eternall otherwise God would not be in all respects an infinite being which is absurd 6. See again Hebr. 6. 6. They who fall away from Christ are said to crucify to themselvs the Son of God afresh Now they could not crucify him if he were not in them because he was not outwardly present with them in his body of flesh so that they could not crucify him outwardly and Rev. 11. 8. our Lord is said to be crucified in Spirituall Sodom and Egypt that is the Apostat Church Babylon the Mother of fornications 7. And when Paul first preached to the Corinthians and Galathians in the time of their heathenism he preached Christ crucified in them see 1 Cor. 2. 1. Gal. 3. 1. The Words in both places according to the Greek are crucified in you And it was a great part of the mystery that Paul preached unto the Gentiles to wit Christ in the Gentiles which Sathan and his ministers laboured to hide and obscure as they do at this present but Christ and his Ministers labour to make known See Collos. 1. 27. To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this Mystery in the Gentiles And Eph. 1. 8. he preached the unsearchable riches of Christ in the Gentiles And 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifest in the flesh preached in the Gentiles so the Greek in all these places but the Translaters of the Bible not understanding this so blessed comfortable a truth have translated these places among and not in whereas if Christ was among them he was also in them seeing he was not outwardly present among them in his body of flesh 8. And seeing that both they who are not Saints as well as they who are Saints are created by Jesus Christ he must needs be as really in the one as in the other Also seing the Saints the wicked in this world walk up and down together and are scattered among one another good and sound reason teacheth us that if Christ be in the Saints he must needs be in all men yea in all this world through which the Saints are scattered otherwise Christ would be divided from himself and be discontinued and in discontinued places which is impossible as all men of sound reason must needs acknowledge 9. Thirdly all though Christ be in all the creaturs yet he is otherwise in all men then in the others creaturs that are of an inferiour degree unto mankind in regard of operation because he exerteth or putteth forth more noble operations in and upon men then in other creaturs men having immortall souls that are more noble principles and subjects of operation then the inferiour creaturs have so that all men even the worst of men are capable of knowing and enjoying the blessed life of Christ which the inâ—erior creaturs are not and that which hinders them from this knowledge and enjoyment is not the want of capacity as it is in the other creaturs out sin and especially the sin of unbelief that they will not come unto him who is come unto them that they may have life as he complained against the Iewes 10. Fourthly Christ is otherwise in the Saints then in other men and that not only in regard of operation but also in regard of union and communion for the Saints are joyned unto him by living bonds as the branches are unto the vine and as the living members of the body are unto the head and they are one Spirit 1 Cor. 6. 17. Eph. 4. 15 16. Ioh. 15. 5. Ioh. 17. 23. Also they have communion both with the Father and the Son Christ Jesus 1 Joh. 1. 3. and one with another in him 1 Joh. 1. 7. and Christ dwelleth in the hearts of the Saints by Faith Eph. 3. 17. And he is formed in them Gal. 4. 19. So that they are his mother who bring him forth by a Spirituall and divine birth Matth. 12. 49. And thus the Church brought him forth long after he was outwardly born and crucified and rose and ascended Revel 12. 5. And she brought forth a man-child who was to rule all Nations with a rod of iron this is the hidden man of the heart 1. Pet. 3. 4. which 〈◊〉 the heavenly ornament not onely of all good Womâ—n but of all the Saints whom they doe put on Rom. 13. 14. who is the new man Eph 24. And the heavenly man or Lord from heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47 48. So that having eat his flesh and drunk his blood they are members of his body of his flesh and of his bones Eph. 5. 30. whereas all other men who are not Saints they have no union nor communion with Christ and he dwelleth not in them by faith he is not formed in them nor revealed as he is in the Saints as Paul declared he was in him at his conversion Gal. 1. 18. and then he preached him 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Gentiles to the end that he might be revealed in them as he was in him and thus the being of Christ in the Saints is after a more speciall presence then he is in others whose understandings are darkened being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them becaus of the blindness of their heart Eph. 4. 18. And here observe that he doth not say becaus that the life of God is not in them but becaus of their blindness and ignorance they were alienated and estranged from it being past feeling so that once they had a feeling of this Life and therefore it was in them which Life is Câ—rist 11. Now becaus that Christ is not in Vnbelieverâ— according to that special presence and revelation as he is in the Saints and Believers but is hid and unrevealed in them therefore it is that sometimes Christ is said not to be in them even as we commonly say in a cloudy and dark night when no Starres appear in the aire or Firmament that they are not in it whereas they are in it even then but they do not appear in it as when the air is clear For Christ the Light shineth in the darkness although the darkness comprehends him not and this is the night state But when men believe he is said to rise â—n them and therefore he was in them before but 〈◊〉 arisen even as the Sun is in the Firmament at â—â—dnight as wel as at mid-day but the dark shadâ—ow of the Earth hinders us from its Light and â—hus the darkness of the Earthly mind hinders the â—oul of the Unbeliever to see the Sun of righteousâ—ess who reacheth through all and is in all Col. 〈◊〉 11. and is that true Light that
our necessitys yet we can no otherwayes receive his help but as it comes to us by the conveyance of the Man Christ Jesus our alone Mediator 9. Thirdly My third reason which is mainly for my present purpose and which alone is enough to conclude is because it demonstrats this great blessed Truth to wit that the Man Christ Jesus is really present in and among us and consequently every where I do not mean by his externall or outward person for that is ascended into Heaven but in virtue of his Divine Life and Spirit or Soul extended into us in his Divine Seed and Body which is his Heavenly flesh and blood wherewith he feedeth the Souls of them that believe in him I say Our worshipping the Man Jesus and praying unto him doth plainly demonstrate that he is really present in and among us and with us as his Name Immanuel doth signify not onely as God but as Man for it were a most absurd thing to worship an object that is altogether absent as the Manhood of Christ is according unto these Presbyterian Teachers We know how the Prophet Elijah mocked Baals worshippers with a Godly zeal and indignation on this account as supposing him in their account as an absent God Cry aloud said he for perhaps he is asleep or hath taken a journey As for us God forbid that we should worship an absent Christ or call upon a Saviour to help us in whom we do not believe as really present 10. Sure I am they who pray unto him and yet do not believe him to be present and have not some sense of his presence are real Idolaters for they pretend to worship an object which wanteth a property altogether essential to an object of Divine worship that is real presence 11. Nor is it enough for them to say he is present as God but not as man for if the Man be not present he is not to be worshipped and if he be to be worshipped as most certainly he is then he is present for this is one of the great motives of worship and prayer that he whom we worship and call upon is present to help us as David called him â— present help in time of trouble and we are commanded to come and worship before his presence 12. But again Our praying to the Man Jesus doth imply that he doth really heare our Prayers and is really sensible and perceptive of them and that not onely when we use vocal prayers but also when we pray onely in our most secret thoughts Now it is impossiâ—le that he could hear us and be sensible of our prayers and especially of our thoughts if he were not immediatly present in us and with us For to say that his God-head doth reveal our prayers and thoughts unto the Man-hood doth no wise answere the strength of this reason for hearing and perception are immediate acts of the soul and reach unto the objects immediately or the objects unto them but what is made known by revelation simply doth not so reach and that cannot be properly called hearing our prayers or being sensible of them As suppose that God should reveal immediatly to a man in Persia or China that I am praying here at such a distance that man could not be said to hear me praying or be sensible of the very breathings of my soul as when the Lord revealed to Ananias that Saul who after was called Paul did pray yet who will say that Ananias heard Paul pray at that time Surely this is such a slender and deceitfull evasion answer as the Papists use commonly to give when we bring this reason against their praying unto Saints and Angells to wit that they do not nor cannot hear our prayers every where becaus they are not every where present nor can be becaus of their limited capacity they tell us that they read ouâ— prayers in the mirrour or looking glasse of the Deity or have them revealed unto them immediatly by God which answer the Protestants most deservedly reject for that is not properly to hear 14. And indeed none is fit to be a Mediator but he that immediatly heareth our prayers and hath a sense of the breathings and yearnings of our souls towards God and is touched with the feeling of our infirmitys as Christ Iesus our high Priest really is for said the Apostle Hebr. 4. 15 16. we have not â—n high Priest which cannot be touchea with the feeling of our infirmitys but was in all points tempted like 〈…〉 yet without sin let us therefore come boldly unto the 〈◊〉 of grace that we may obtaine 〈◊〉 and find grace to help in time of need Here observ how he makes this the reason why we should come 〈◊〉 â—nto the throne of grace even becaus 〈◊〉 have an high Preist that is not of so A damantine a nature nor yet so remoâ—e from us as that he cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmitys and therefore he hath a real feeling of them which is more 〈…〉 the Prophets mantle fell and this was a figure of this great mystery for Christ the greatest of all Prophets when he ascended he let fall his mantle upon his disciples to wit a plenteous emanation of his spirituall and divine Body and Life the proper vehicles and conduit of the Holy Ghost and of God himself so that they came to be wonderfully indued with the Holy Ghost and indeed that which Jesus Christ hath left with us of his Divine Body and Life is Gods Throne of Grace or Heavenly Throne on which God sitteth and to which we have access while we are here upon Earth that is of the same nature with that above and one intire being with it the Altar the mercy seat The Cherub on which God rideth as it is Psal. 18. 9 10. He bowed the heavens also and came down and darkness was under his feet and he rode upon a Cherub 〈◊〉 did flee yea he did flee upon the Spirit so the Hebrew This Cherub is the Man Christ Iesus the heavenly rayes of whose Spirit Light and Life are his wings on which the most glorious and most High God doth ride and bring speedy deliverance to his afflicted Saints in all ages And Christ also is 〈◊〉 heavens that God boweth to wit the Heavenly Man that most willingly boweth and obeyâ—â—â— the Fathers commands in all things who is the Man of Gods right hand by whom he doth all things 〈◊〉 heaven and Earth he belâ—g his most immediat and most universall instrument and organ of operation in all things in heaven or Earth or under the Earth and therefore to him must every 〈◊〉 bow whether in heaven or earth or below the earth 15. But I shall more particularly prove that 〈◊〉 Man Jesus even in the dayes of his flesh did knoâ— the thoughts of men from express testimonies 〈◊〉 Scripture Math. 12. 25. and Iesus knew their thoughâ— see also Luk. 6. 8. and John 2. 24 25. But 〈◊〉 did not
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 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
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
4. Now this gate blessed be the Name of the Lord and to his eternall praise we can declare it many thousands in this day do know and by it they find Christ and do enjoy his living presence dayly who is the bridegroome and husband of their souls and this gate is to wait upon him in the shinings of his divine Light in their hearts being retired and gathered unto the same out of all their own thoughts words and works all their own willings and runnings in the self-will all selfish motions desires and inclinations of self in pure silence and stillness of mind waiting to feel his heavenly breathings and movings which do raiâ—e up in us the true desire and prayer that we may find him and enjoy him and as we have sought him by this gate or after this manner we have never missed in some measure more or less to find him 5. This silent waiting to enjoy the presence of the Lord is a mystery and as a sealed book to Professors generally and seemes to have been little or nothing known to this great Seer as the Author of the Postscript doth call him for I find nothing of it in his Epistles and yet it is one of the most needfull and most profitable lessons and instructions for people to be instructed in and the Scripturs Testimony is plain and clear concerning it even of silent waiting Lament cap. 3. 26 27 28. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly or in silence wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man â—hat he beare the yoke in his youth he sitteth alone and keepeth silence because he hath borne it upon him Psal. 46. 10. Be still or silent and know that I am God Psal. 62. 1. Truly my soul is silent unto God from him cometh my salvation Eccles. 5. 2. Be not 〈◊〉 with thy mouth and let not thine heart be hasty 〈◊〉 utter any thing before the Lord. Zach. 2. 3. Be siâ—ent O all flesh before the Lord. And many more â—cripturs may be brought to prove this so needfull and profitable instruction As also here are manifest â—xamples of this silent waiting in Scripture both together and apart Ezekiell 3 15. The Prophet 〈◊〉 with them of the captivity seven dayes and then 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord came unto him And Esdras sat silent with the people untill the evening sacrifice Esdra 9 3 4 5. And the Prophet Elijah sat in a siâ—ent posture alone upon the top of mount Carmell waiting for the Word of the Lord and the accomplishment thereof casting himself downe upon the earth and putting his face betwixt his knees King 18 42. This is such a posture that if a man should use it in our dayes people would say he were mad or possessed with the Devill such is their ignorance of the way and work of God And again 1 King 19. verse 2. The Lord appeared unto Elijah neither in the wind nor earth-Quake nor fire but in the still or silent small voice to wit that is heard in the stillness or silence of the Soul 6. There is one particular more that I find in S. R. that I cannot omit to take notice of in the same epistle 46. which I have above mentioned either I know not saith he what Christianity is or we have stinted a measure of so many oâ—nce weights and no more upon holynes and there we are at a stay It were good for the Professors to consider this and be convinced of their error whereas they say the holyest Man on earth doth sin dayly in thought word and deed yea every moment and cannot but sin continually Is not this to stint a measure of so many ounce weights or rather of a few grains upon holyness yea altogether to annihilate it For I know not how that can be called holyness which cannot keep the soul one moment from sinning However S. R. although here convinced of this errour yet afterwards did fall foully into it when he joyned with the divines so called at Westmunster in that unchristian assertion that no man by any grace given of God can perfectly keep the commandements of God but doth dayly break them in thought word deed This is a bold presumptuons stinting limiting the power and powerfull grace of God in the hearts of his children without all ground from Scripture yea contrary to it which saith his commandements are not grievous and his yoke is easy and his burden Light 7. Moreover in my fourth Section I referred to some thing related by the Author of The fullfilling of the Scripturs concerning Iohn Welsh Robert Bruce and some others in those dayes which I said will not a little make for the present Testimony of the people cald Quakers Now for proof of this I shall give a few instances out of many more which may be brought out of the said book 8. First The said Author telleth us pag. 416. 2 edition of a very solemne and extraordinary outletting of the Spirit in the West of Scotland about the year 1625. and there after which began in the parish of Stewarton whiles the persecution was hat from the Prelatick party 9. Which by the prophane Rabble of that time was called the Stewarton Sickness and spread through much of that countrey particularly at Irvin through the Ministry of David Dickson of which he writes that few Sabbaths meaning first dayes did passe without some evidently converted and some convincing proofs of the power of God accompanying his Word yea that many were so choaked and taken by the heart that through terrour the Spirit in such a measure convincing them of sin in hearing of the Word they have been made to fall over and thus carryed out of the Church who after proved most solid and lively Christians And says he this great spring-tide of the Gospell was not of a short time but for some years continuance yea thus like a spreading Mooreburne the power of godlyness did advance from one place to another which put a marvellous Lustre on these parts of the country the savour wherof brought many from other parts of the land to see the truth of the same Again he telleth pag. 417. at the Kirk of the shots 20 of June 1630. that there was so convincing an appearance of God and down pouring of the Spirit even in an extraordinary way especially at that sermon Juny 21. the day after their communion with a strange unusuall motion on the hearers who in a great multitude were there conveened of diverse ranks that it was known which he saith he can speake on sure ground near five hundred had at that time a discernible change wrought on them of whom most proved lively Christians afterwards Now that there was a true and reall appearance of God and breaking forth of his power and out letting of his Spirit upon many at that time I veryly believe and my soul hath unity with the testimony hereof and diver other testimonys of
By the Nephesch I understand that of the Soul of Christ common to him with the Souls of other men as namely the Root and Life of the Animal Senses and discursive parts By the Neschamah or Nischmath I understand that substantial dignity and excellency of the Soul of Christ that it hath in its nature being a Divine Nature so to speake above and beyond the Souls of all other men and Spirits of the most excellent and holy Angels But whether his Nepheâ—ch and Neschamah be two principles really distinct or two facultys and powers of one onely principle I shall not in this place determine nor is it material to the thing in hand to inquire 9. Again Christ himself hath taught us that 〈◊〉 spiritual coming in his Saints is as the Son of Man Matth. 16 28. Verily I say unto you there are some standing here that shall not â—ast â—f death till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom This can not be meant of his Last coming at the day of judgment else it would inferr that some that hear him speake these words have not as yet tasted 〈◊〉 death nor shall unto the Last Day which is absuâ—â— Therefore this coming of the Son of Man must 〈◊〉 his inward and spiritual coming into his 〈◊〉 Again he said himself that the Father had 〈◊〉 him authority to execut judgment as he is the 〈◊〉 Man and that the hour should come wherein 〈◊〉 that are in the gravesshall hear his voyce And 〈◊〉 told them that time was in part come already 〈◊〉 must be understood spiritually and inwardly at 〈◊〉 in great part Iohn 5 25 26 27 28. 10. And according to this I find a very obseâ—vable saying in Calvin on the Epistle to the 〈◊〉 upon these words For he who 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 who are sanctified are all of One. His words are the 〈◊〉 following Neqâ—e enim tantùm qâ—atenus Deus 〈◊〉 nos 〈◊〉 c. For neâ—ther â—oth he sanctify 〈◊〉 onely as God but also the vertue or power of his sanctâ—fying is in his manhood or humane nature 〈◊〉 that is hath it from it self but that God hath poureâ— forth a solid fulness of Holyness into it that froâ— thence we may all draw to which pertaineth thaâ— saâ—ing I for their cause do sanctâ—fy my self theref 〈◊〉 if we be profane and unclean the remedy is not to 〈◊〉 sought afar off which is offered to us in our fleshâ— Thus Calvin Now if he doth sanctify us as manâ— it is certain as man be must he in us for a cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at a distance but by some medium or middle 〈◊〉 there can be no middle but the man Christ himâ—â—lf his Life or Soul extended unto us for it were a â—ost absurd thing to think that the Manhood of â—hrist doth operate upon the Deity and through 〈◊〉 Deity upon us for the Deity is altogether an â—â—passible being by reason of his most infinite perfeâ—â—on And seing he faith the Remedy is not to be â—â—ght afaâ—r off which is offered to us in our flesh I 〈◊〉 not how this can be understood of his externall 〈◊〉 for indeed that is at a great distance from I know Calvin hath a conception that the 〈◊〉 do partake of the flesh or body of the exterâ—â— person of Christ which yet is hardly intelligible 〈◊〉 we should conceive that it doth send forth 〈◊〉 exceeding subtile influence upon us but if it 〈◊〉 so the argument will hold stronger that if â—â—ody of Christ can influence us at such a distance 〈◊〉 more the Soul seing the Soul is more capable 〈◊〉 vast an extension then the body but flesh of Christ that the Saints feed upon is 〈◊〉 that divine body the substance of which is 〈◊〉 another kind then the outward body 〈◊〉 much soever made glorious or spiritual but body can not sanctify us without the Soul of 〈◊〉 extended into it for it is rather the Soul o◠〈◊〉 that is the man then the body and holyâ— can not be properly inherent in any meer body being the property of an intellectual being and therefor it can not convey holiness into another simply by itself but onely as it is the instrument of the Soul which is the onely proper and immediat subject of holyness 11. And thus having given an account not onely from Luther and those who embrace the Augustan confession but also from Calvin himself for whom the Presbyterians have so great an esteeme of the wonderfull power and influence that the Manhod of Christ hath in and upon the Saints and of his being so near unto them Let us now see what their great Seer S. R. as the Author of the Postscript calleth him saith to the matter Almost all his Epistles especially the First part are so full of expressions concerning that nearness of Christ to himself and of his enjoying his Love and hungering more and more after the enjoyment of it that it is needless to cite any particular Testimonys out of the book for the same yet for the satisfaction of those that have not read his book of Epistles I shall cite some particular places holding forth that wonderfull nearness of Christ that I plead for and that Christ himself is present with and in his People and that he giveth them not onely his comforts and Graces but himself to be enjoyed by them even in this life See 1 part Ep. 120. If joy and comforts saith he came singly and alone without Christ himself I would send them back again the gate they came and not make them welcome But when the Kings train cometh and the King in the midst of the company O how am I overjoyed with floods of love This is such a plaine testimony that it quite destroyeth that deceitfull distinction that the Presbyterian Teachers have when they tell us Christ is in us by his Graces gifts and operations but not by himself For are not his joy and comforts his gifts or graces and operations and yet S. R. saith If these came singly and alone without Christ himself he would send them back again the gate they came and not make them welcome And indeed Christ can not be separat from his Graces no more then the Soul can be separat from the love and joy that is in it and emanates from it or then the Sun can be from his beames or the fire from its heat Again see 1 part Ep. 29. I can neither speake nor write feeling nor tasting nor smelling come feel and smell and tast Christ and his love and ye shall â—all it more then can be spoken To write how sweet the honey-comb is is not so lovely as to eat and suck the honey-comb one nights rest in a bed of love with Christ will say more then heart can think or tongue can utter Surely these words hold forth an immediat presence of Christ for we can not tast nor feel that which is not really present Again see Ep. 191. There is nothing will make you
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