Emendations of Passages in my Book called Immediate Revelation not ceased First Printed in the Year 1668. and Re-printed with an Appendix in the Year 1676. I. AS Concerning the Term Immediate Revelation in the Title Page of that Book at which some are offended and which some misconstrue to a wrong sense never intended by me as if thereby I did signify such a Revelation as did give us the Doctrinal knowledge and Faith of Christian Religion and Principles thereof without the Holy Scriptures or other outward means of Instruction to obviate this offence and mistake I recommend to the Reader what I have said from pag. 38. to pag. 42. of that Book Where I distinguish of means Intermitting and Transmitting and show that it is the Intermitting means that hinder the Revelation to be Immediate but not the Transmitting and the same distinction I use in my Book called Divine Immediate Revelation Printed in the Year 1684. But in other words as discontinued and continued Moreover how far I did own the Holy Scriptures to be a necessary means to give us the true Knowledge and Faith of Christian Doctrines and Principles I refer the Reader to my Book Divine Immediate Revelation p. 〈◊〉 Where I say And if we except these Doctrines and Heads of General Religion common to us with the Gentiles which are revealed both to them and us without Scripture of all which notwithstanding the Scripture doth abundantly testify all other Doctrines and Heads of the Christian Religion which is a special Religion more perfect and excellent than the General and perfecting the said General Religion in true Christians are made known to us by the Scripture-means the Holy Spirit inwardly inlightning and inspiring us that we may understand the Doctrines declared in the Scripture and may savingly apply them with true and sincere Faith to the salvation of our Souls And here Note that in the words above cited I did distinguish twelve years ago betwixt Gentile Religion and Christian Religion tho some call this a New Doctrine in me so to dislinguish And seeing the word Immediate Revelation is no Scripture Term tho Revelation is and that it is not well understood by many I can freely consent that the word Immediate be not pressed or imposed on any But I do constantly assert as I have formerly asserted that the inward sensible Communications and Enjoyments of God and Christ that the Saints have frequent Experience of are not only beyond all Demonstration of words but are oft received without all present use of words in a deep inward silence of the Soul II. That I blame them who say that the Scriptures are a filled up Canon and the only Rule of Faith and Obedience in all things and no more Scriptures or Writings to be given forth from the Spirit of the Lord. And pag. 4. That I said tho no NEW ESSENTIALS ARE to be added yet a New and fuller and clearer Testimony may be added concerning the same old essentials Here Note the words may be added as importing the possibility of such a thing But whether God shall be pleased to add to the Books of the Holy Scripture other Books of the same Authority in any time to come before the End of the World I Judge it is not safe for me to determine either in the Affirmative or Negative but that it is possible he may do it ought not to be questioned of But that any Mens Writings beside that of the Prophets and Apostles are of equal Authority with the Scriptures ought not to be granted and that all Doctrines of Men however so much Illuminated ought to be subjected to the Rule test and touchstone of the Holy Scripture and tryed by the same I do assert as formerly I have done still leaving Room to the Spirit to give particular Guidance to the Souls of the Faithful with respect to their inward State and directing them in Particular Cases and Affairs as to things in themselves Lawful and not forbidden nor Commanded in General by any positive Precept and that I said no New Essentials are to be added is sufficient Proof that I held the Scripture did contain all the Essential Doctrines of Christianity III. As to my blaming them who deny that there is an infallible way whereby to discern the true Ministers and Members of Christs Church from the false To this I say tho such a discerning of Spirits was given at times to the Prophets and Apostles and others extraordinarily endued whereby to know Mens inward States without regard had to their Fruits yet the general way that Christ has given us whereby to know Men is by their Fruits of words and works whether Good or Evil. And whatever inward sense or discerning any may pretend to have of another Mans Spirit being bad yet we find no warrant from Scripture to receive an Accusation against any far less a positive Judgment without plain evidence of matter of Fact against them by credible Witnesses 1 Tim. 5. 19. For if such a thing be given way to in any Society that Men shall be Judged to be of a wrong Spirit only by the pretended discerning of Spirits that some may claim without any real Proof or Evidence of words or works that are really evil the most innocent Men may happen to be Condemned and the most guilty justified And even to know Men by their Fruits is a gift of the Spirit and proceedeth from a true Spiritual discerning that is given Universally in some measure to all the Faithful tho they have not always such due use of it but they may be and are at times mistaken IV. This Seed groweth up into a perfect substantial Birth which is Christ formed within the Body of Christ his Flesh and Blood which cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto Man which eateth it and feedeth upon it and it is called the Body and Flesh and Blood of Christ because his Eternal Life and Spirit dwelleth in it immediately Here Note by this perfect substantial Birth I did not mean as I now do not any substance newly produced even as in the Generation of natural things as Plants and Animals no new substance is produced but only a vital Union of substantial Principles formerly existing so by Christ formed within I understood and do still understand that a measure of the pure Life of Christ cometh to be United to the Soul and the Soul to it after the Soul is duly purified and prepared for such an Union by which Union that Soul becometh a Member of Christ even as the Hand is a Member of a Man's Body by its having the Life of the Body in some measure united to it and by Virtue of that Union actuating that Member and making it living and sensible And whereas I did call that inward substantial Birth the Flesh and Blood of Christ I did so call it only by a Metaphor or Allegory for with such Metaphors Allegories and Figurative Speeches the Scripture aboundeth in treating
and 1 Cor. 11. 26. than I was sometime formerly only I think fit to give one Reason at present in particular as to each and another in general as to both My reason why Water-Baptism is to be understood Matth. 28. 19. as a thing commanded of the Lord to be done by the Apostles and not the Baptism with the Holy Ghost because we no where find in all the Scripture such a phrase or manner of Speech that ever any Man but Christ alone who is both God and Man did Baptize with the Holy Ghost or had power so to do it is peculiarly attributed to Christ whose Work it was and still is and to no other Man or Men as John declared He that cometh after me shall Baptize you he did not say They that come after me but he with Fire and with the Holy Ghost And as to that distinction formerly given by me and others that though the Apostles neither could nor did baptize with the Holy Ghost principally yet instrumentally or ministerially they might and did But in answer to this I say where the Scripture doth not distinguish nor give any ground of such a distinction we ought not to give it But the Scripture giveth no such ground and the Scripture phrase and manner of Speech is strictly to be observed in all such cases so that we ought not to put our private glosses on Christ's Commandments as it were a most absurd Distinction to say though God created the World principally yet Angels did create it instrumentally or to say Christ redeemed the World principally by his Death and Sufferings but the Martyrs redeemed the World by their Deaths instrumentally surely as these Distinctions are false and unwarrantable so is that other about Baptizing with the Spirit instrumentally and ministerially My reason why the comeing of the Lord mentioned 1 Cor. 11. 26. is his outward Comeing because the outward practise of Breaking Bread in the Supper was appointed as a commemoration in a solemn way of his Body that was broken for us on the Cross and of his Bodily Sufferings and Humiliation for he did not say Take eat this is my Spirit but This is my Body and it was the Man Christ Jesus that said this therefore as the practise of Breaking the Bread with Prayer and Thanksgiving and Eating it and Pouring out Wine into the Cup and Drinking it was a solemn Commemoration of his Body that was broken for us and his Blood that was shed for us so the believers being enjoyned to do it untill his comeing again that Comeing again must needs signifie his Bodily Comeing for he was Spiritually come both then and in all Ages to the Faithful that the living and faithful Remembrance of his last coming might be preserved by that solemn Practise and also the unspeakable benefit that the Faithful haveby his Sufferings for as Preaching by Words doth hold forth Christ Crucified by audible Signs to the Ears of the Faithful so do these outward things duly practised by visible and otherwise sensible Signs hold him forth to their Eyes Smelling Tast and Feeling that so the Remembrance of him by these so many doors as it were may the more effectually enter into their Hearts and make the deeper Impression upon them and it stands well with good reason that what is represented to Mens Hearts of our Lord's Sufferings by their Hearing Sight Smell Tasting and Feeling in the use of these signs instituted by himself will more effectually affect their Hearts and Souls than what is done alone by the Hearing or Reading as in other cases for Men to see a Tragedy of the real Sufferings of some noble Person acted before their Sight is more than to read it or hear a Report of it and on this account it was that some ancient Writers called these outward Institutions verbum visibile i. e the visible Word My reason in general for both is that it hath pleased God of late since I have found the great opposition to this great fundamental Truth of the Gospel that many among the People called Quakers have made viz. the Faith in Christ crucified and raised again c. as a necessary thing to our Christianity and Salvation let them pretend and profess what they will to the contrary to give me a further and clearer sight and a more deep inward sense and consideration of the great benefit and advantage the practise of these outward things when duly practised is to the preserving the Christian Doctrine and Faith in the World as well as to divers other great uses and ends they being as proper and effectual means in their kind and manner in conjunction with Preaching to preserve the Doctrine and Faith of Christ in the World as Preaching it self and where these outward things are practised the true Doctrine of them ought to be Preached but the Doctrine of them is like to be laid aside when the Practise of them is not only discontinued but opposed and reviled under the Names of beggarly Elements worldly Rudiments and carnal Ordinances And I do boldly and freely in the sincerity of my Heart further declare that it hath pleased God to give me to see that the spring and rise of thatgreat Opposition that hath been and is in many against these outward Practices has been and is a secret Prejudice against the Doctrine of Christ crucified and the mysterious working of an Antichristian and Diabolical spirit designing to draw men from Name and Thing of Christianity to Paganism and Deism and at the next step to Idolatry and Atheism Howbeit in many there is not this knowledge and sight of this Mystery of Iniquity But many simple-hearted and truly pious and well-meaning Souls have been led aside to disown and speak against the use of these outward Practices being stumbled and greatly offended with the beholding the great abuse of them and the undue and irregular way and manner of many their practising them as it was said that the Sons of Ely caused the Sacrifices of the Lord to be abhorred But as the abuse of things ought not to take away the due use of them so where they are not duly practised the simple want of them as neither the simple want of preaching where the Gospel is not outwardly preached I judge will not be imputed to them to be their Sin it being generally acknowledged among sober judicious Christians that it 's not the want of them but the wilful neglect of them where they can be duly had that is a man's Sin and hindrance to his Salvation I adhere to the general rule of Christian Communion in this case generally received and owned by all true Christians that we ought to join in all external acts of Christian Religion and Worship with all professed Christians holding the Fundamentals of the Christian Religion and maintaining nothing contrary thereunto against whose sincerity we have nothing justly to object If so in our joyning with them in these external acts of Worship nothing
be required of us to be done that is sin in the sight of God to wit that is any breach of any positive express command of God Pag. 71. citing my Book called Help in time of Need concerning the Antichrist mentioned 1 John 2. 18. this is Antichrist who denys Christ the Son come in the Revelation of himself in the Heart for that coming of Christ in his Bodily Appearance at Jerusalem Antichrist will not does not deny seeing to confess him so come will never harm his Kingdom provided Christ's Kingdom be not set up in the Heart Here Note These foregoing Words For that coming of Christ in his Bodily Appearance at Jerusalem Antichrist will not does not deny I Retract as unsafely worded for though a sort of Antichrists may not deny but confess in Hypocrisie to Christs outward coming as also they may confess in Hypocrisie to his coming in Mens Hearts yet I am satisfied the true meaning of these words 1 John 2. 18. compared with 1 John 4. 3. respects principally the coming of Christ in the Flesh as he outwardly suffered in that Body of Flesh and consequentially the spiritual Blessings and Benefits we have by that same among which is his Spiritual coming into our Hearts and though a sort of Antichrists and men of an Antichristian Spirit may confess in hypocrisie to Christ's outward coming yet they neither do nor can confess to him as he did outwardly come in sincerity of Heart And it is the sincere Confession from the Heart to Christ as he outwardly came in the Flesh and to all the spiritual Blessings that men receive by him as of his Light Spirit and Grace in them that is the Confession there meant for every one that truly viz. with sincerity of heart so confesseth him come in the Flesh whose Confession floweth from a Living Faith in him is of God and whosoever doth not so confess him but deny him so come is of Antichrist and this denyal of Christ come in the Flesh may be several ways as 1st to deny that he who did so come is the Christ and thus the unbelieving Jews did and do deny him 2dly To deny that he who did so come was and is both God and Man and that as such he is the Salvation of men in whom they are to believe and whom they are to call upon and worship with divine adoration and thus the Mahumetans do deny him and many who go under the Name of Christians who deny that the man Christ is their Salvation and the Object of Faith and adoration 3dly To deny the virtue and efficacy of his being a Sacrifice by his Death for the Remission of the sins of all Men who ever shall be saved from the begining of the World to the end of it 4thly To deny that all the Light and Grace and divine Influence of the Spirit that any Man have or ever had is by Jesus Christ who hath purchased and procured it unto them by his most holy and perfect Obedience unto Death and in these three respects my late Opposers among the People called Quakers are guilty of denying Christ come in the Flesh as I have sufficiently proved against them in divers printed Books particularly in my Narrative of the Proceedings at Turners-Hall the 11th of the 4th Month 1696. and in that called The Antichrists and Saddnces detected For whatever seeming Confessions they give to the Man Christ without them while they place Mens whole Salvation upon an inward Principle and plead that Men may be saved eternally without all Knowledge and Faith of Christ without them either express or implicite As they do particularly in that Antichristian and Abusive Book containing many Antichristian Principles and false Accusations against me called Keith against Keith for which I purpose God willing ere long to call them to an Account All their seeming Confessions is but a Judas Kiss and a plain betraying the Christian Cause into the hands of Infidels Jews and Pagans Pag. 195. Nor doth it follow that because Confession in the adult is necessary to Salvation that therefore Baptism with Water is seeing confession of the Truth may well consist without Water-Baptism namely in a Holy Conversation and profession of Christianity with the Mouth as the Apostle said With the Mouth Confession is made to Salvation Here Note 1. I still adhere to it with all charitable Christians that Baptism with Water is not of equal necessity with Faith and Confession unto Savation for many of the Martyrs did nobly confess to Christ who were put to cruel Deaths before they could be Baptized and in that and in all other cases where Baptism cannot be duly had the votum Baptismi i. e. the desire of Baptism is judged equivalent to Baptism by all charitable Christians 2. That I said Confession in the adult is necessary to Salvation by this it doth appear that it is no new Doctrine in me so to affirm this Book of mine having been in Print for sixteen Years past and which was approved by the Second Days Meeting though in contradiction to what they then approved they have of late greatly blamed me as guilty of broaching a new Doctrine among the People called Quakers for my saying It is a necessary Duty that every one among the Quakers should give a Confession of their Faith to Christ and his doctrine in the fundamental and essential parts thereof before they can be owned to be Members of a Christian communion This they extreamly cry out against knowing that such a thing would discover the vile Errors that are lodged among them But until they do this whatever great and high pretences they make to be the Church of Christ and the only gathered Church they can never be justly esteemed a Church of Christ In my Book called Truth 's Defence c. pag. 104 105. and as for the Word Immediate Revelation seeing it is not any Scripture-phrase no not in the case of the Prophets and Apostles so far as I can remember if the thing it self were granted to wit That God doth inwardly reveal and speak his Mind or shew his Glory and glorious Presence in his Children as he did in and to his Saints of Old so that the Saints do hear see and perceive also tast and savour and feel after God himself as he reveals himself in his Son by the Holy Spirit the Controversie about the Name or Phrase should soon be at an end Here Note That sixteen Years ago I was for holding up no Controversies about the name or term Immediate Revelation though many among the People called Quakers have earnestly and fiercely contended for that term and some of them no doubt will much blame me that I do not now contend for it But why did they not blame me then for my not contending about it are they become of late more Eagle-sighted to see this and other things they judge to be errors in my Books which they formerly did not see or at least gave me
but near Here Note my sense was not at a discontinued distance but both near and far off both within us and also without us in the Heavens as where it is said Acts 17. 27. That God is not far from every one of us viz. at a discontinued distance for otherwise he is both a God a far off and a God nigh at hand And pag. 88 While I remained Ignorant of the Appearance of Jesus Christ to meditate in me it is a Typographical Error read to mediate in one Here Note That I did not intend in the least by asserting the Mediation or Intercession of the Mediatory Spirit of Christ in the Saints according to Rom. 8. 26. to deny or derogate from Christ's Mediation and Intercession without us in Heaven XIV Page 99 Jesus Christ revealed in Man is the Foundation of the True Church Here Note That I did not mean by Christ Jesus only and alone the Light within but my sense was That the true Knowledge and Faith of Christ as he is both God and Man and who as Man died for our sins rose again and ascended into Heaven and is our High Priest Mediator and Advocate with the Father in Heaven is grounded upon him as inwardly revealed by his Spirit and Light in our Hearts which was my Design chiefly in this Treatise and how much and how far I did then own the Man Christ Jesus without us in Heaven as our Head and Foundation and Object of our Faith I recommend to the Reader to read what I have writ in this same book of Immed Revel from page 243 to page 247. where note that particular passage page 245. where I say The Man Christ Jesus who suffered in the Flesh at Jerusalem above sixteen hundred years ago is the Spring out of which all the streams of Living VVater flow into our souls And the Sun out of which and from which all the Light we have shineth into our souls in whom the fullness of the Godhead dwelleth and through whom God doth communicate unto us every good and perfect Gift And page 247. I say All our Prayers and Breathings and Crys in the spirit and Life of Jesus in us do immediately reach unto the Man Jesus ascended unto Glory and he is touched with them And through the Man Jesus help doth come down unto us from the Father of Lights And all our Refreshments Quicknings Consolations and Renewings of Life and strength come unto us from God through him in whom we have favour with God in whom God is well pleased with us And a few Lines after I say In whom we believe as we do in God as he himself hath taught us Ye believe in God said he believe also in me In whom believing we also call upon him even Jesus who as concerning the flesh was crucified who is God over all blessed for ever And lest any should surmise That by Christ Jesus in all this large Citation I did mean the Light within only and not the Man Christ Jesus without us I expresly mention the Man Christ Jesus without us page 246. who is ascended into the Heavens with whom we have immediate Fellowship and Union through the measure of the Life of Jesus as Man made manifest in us Which is abundantly sufficient to discover the Impudence of my late Adversaries who by perverting my words assert That I made the Light within the alone Object of Faith which I never did altho I grant That with all True Christians I hold That as God who is Light is every where present so in a special way of Presence he is together with his Word and Spirit in the Saints and as so present is the Object of their Faith yet so as that Christ Jesus as he is both God and Man is also the Object thereof XV. Page 123. and Luke 15. 8 9. He compareth it to a Woman having lost a peice of money c. Here Note This I freely confess is one of these places of Scripture that I have through weakness of understanding misunderstood and unduely applyed to prove a truth for whereas I have with others among the People called Quakers construed the lost Piece of Money mentioned in this place to be the Light within being too much swayed by their Authority I am sufficiently convinced by the lost peice of money in this Parable of our Saviour he did not mean the Light within but the lost Souls of Men whom he came to seek and to save and I plainly now understand that by the lost Sheep the lost peice of Money and the lost Son is understood Men or the lost Souls of Men who when they have sincerely repented and are Converted unto God are said to be found therefore that the Repenting Sinner is the lost peice of Money is clear from our Saviour's Words v. 10. Likewise I say unto you there is Joy in the presence of the Angels of God over one sinner that repenteth But they who expound the lost peice of money to be the Light within will find difficulty to show what the Nine Pieces are that were not lost Whereas to understand it of the Souls of Men there is no difficulty in it for as of these many created Angelical rational Spirits many did not Sin and so were not lost so the Souls of Men did Sin and these are fully signified by the lost piece of Money yet although by the Light within is not to be understood the lost piece of Money but the Soul of Man the Light within is very well proved from that part of the Parable which saith that the Woman Lighted her Candle to seek the lost piece of Money which plainly signifieth That the way that the Lord useth to find the lost Soul is by Lighting a Candle in it and Inwardly enlightning it to see its lost condition and how it may return to God by sincere Faith and Repentance And tho it is not the intended sense of this place of Scripture that the Light within iâ— the lost peice of Money but the Soul of Man is that lost peice ye it may well be allowed to be a Truth That as God and Christ â—ad lost the Soul of Man so that Soul had lost God and Christ and the loss was mutual and the finding is also mutual as soon as God and Christ findeth the lost Soul that Soul formerly lost finden God and Christ and greatly rejoyceth on that Account I find the same mistake happened to Origen in his expounding this Parable of the lost piece of Money to signify The Kingdon of God within the Image of the Heavenly King Hom 13. in Genesin Again whereas I said pag. 125. So all his Ministers ever Preached People to this the lost in them that it might be found That they may find a lost God a lost Christ whom they had lost and from whom they were seperated by their Sins Tho. Hicks in one of his Dialogues had imposed a perverse Gloss upon them by leaving out the latter
called Mary really and truly according to the flesh And his Birth thus after the flesh as he was born of the Virgin at Bethlem in Judea I did always believe as I do at present so believe was really intended and foretold in these words Gen. 3. 15. And as Mary was the immediate Mother of Christ according to the flesh so Evah who was the Mother of all Men was his Mother remotely But the Allegorical sense of Christ's Birth or Formation in the Saints is warranted both by Scripture and Antiquity By Scripture as Mat 12. 50. Rev. 12. 2. 5. And by Antiquity for Augustin first and long after him Erasmus said If Mary had not born Christ in her heart or soul he could not have been her Saviour tho she had born him in her flesh But this Allegorical Allusion of Christ's Birth in the Saints I did not ground on Gen. 3. 15. but on Mat. 12. 50. and Rev. 12. 1 5. And how and in what sense I understand the Birth of Christ in the Saints I refer to the 4th Paragraph of this Section XX. Page 254. And this is as proper a Death as when a man dieth for when a man dieth his soul dieth not in it self but it dieth unto that Fellowship it had with the body by reason of the Vital Union betwixt it and the body being broken Here Note I acknowledge this passage is not safely worded therefore I retract it For tho I had very safely asserted That the Life af Christ viz. The Principle of the Divine Life in men never dieth in it self but only as to men when they commit great and heinous sins whereby they are said to quench the spirit and crucifie the Son of God afresh to themselves after they had known a divine quickening yet the Union betwixt the soul and body of a man being broken is more properly a Death the other I take to be understood rather figuratively than proper For when the Vital Union betwixt Soul and Body is broken the Soul doth wholly cease to act in that body while it is dead But Christ ceaseth not oft times to act in a dead soul but doth oft act in it by sharp Reproof and Conviction for its sin and also by new and fresh Visitations of his Life and Love in order to quicken and renew it again Moreover the Soul and Body of a Man are so united that they make up one Person but so are not Christ and the Soul united as to be one Person for that would make every Saint to be Christ The Union betwixt the Soul and Body of a Man is a Personal Union whereby every Action of the body is chargable upon the Person according to that true Maxim Actiones sunt suppositorum i. e. Actions are of Persons as what the hand doth the Man whose hand it is is justly said to do it whether Good or Evil. But the Actions of Mens Souls in whom Christ is are not chargeable upon Christ for as Christ is no wise chargeable with the least Sin that the Soul Acteth so when the Soul repenteth and believeth c. That is not Christ that repenteth and believeth in that Soul Christ indeed is the Author and chief efficient cause of true Repentance and Faith in believers but he is not the subject of reception This excellent Union betwixt Christ and true Believers is compared in Scripture to that Union betwixt the Head and the Body the Vine and the Branches the Foundation and the Building but it is better felt by the Faithful than it can be defined by the best of words for it is unspeakable and yet is incomparably short of that Union that is betwixt the Godhead and Manhood of Christ which is a Personal Union So that the Man Christ is God yet so that the Manhood is not the Godhead And the Union betwixt Christ and Believers is by their Faith in him and Love to him by which Faith and Love as they are United to his Spirit and Measure of his Life and Grace in them so thereby they are United to the Man Christ in Heaven and to that fullness of Grace that dwells in him as every Member of the Body as it is United to the Life in that Member so it is to the Head and to the Life that is in the Head and as all the Members in the Natural Body are United both to the head and to each other so all the faithful are United to Christ and to one another The Reader that is willing to know my sense further as to these weighty matters above-mentioned relating to Christs Birth or Formation in the Saints and their Union with him may read if they please my Appendix to the General History of the Quakers by G. Croese Printed at London this present Year 1696. SECT II. Containg diverse Explanations and Emendations of Passages in my Book called The Universal free Grace of the Gospel Asserted Printed 1671. TItle Pag. Proved by many infallible Arguments in the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit of Truth Here Note That I had the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit of Truth on my side in diverse of the Arguments I have used in that Book I still believe but whereas on a further consideration and more mature Judgment I find diverse Passages in that Book that need correction therefore I Acknowledge my Weakness and Rashness in ascribing all the Arguments in that Book and my whole way of Arguing on that subject to the Evidence and Demonstration of the Spirit of Truth and I freely and most willingly retract that clause both here or any where else in any of my Books where I have used it so far 〈…〉 have ascribed any saying or Passage to the Spirit of 〈…〉 that is not according to the Testimony of the Holy 〈…〉 the Spirit of Truth leads into all Truth and into 〈◊〉 but Truth therefore whoever ascribes whether I or any Man else any untruth or Inpertinency or undue Application of Scripture to the Spirit of Truth however unwittingly they so do as what I did was unwittingly they do greatly Err and Sin in so doing And my sin and error herein I freely confess trusting in the Mercy of God for Christs sake for the pardon of that and all my other Sins I. Pag. 4. That God by an Eternal decree hath wholly passed by the most part of Men and left them in Darkness without any Light to shine in their Darkness that can possibly at any time Lead them out of it Doth not this discourage People Here Note That it is this which I mainly opposed in my Book Viz. The decree of absolute reprobation making salvation impossible to the greatest part of Mankind And on the other hand I earnestly plead for the Universality of the Light Word Grace and Spirit of God towards and upon all In a day of Visitation for making salvation possible unto them compared with p. 110. And in this Testimony I remain against that absurd Doctrine of absolute
that it was my principal Aim and Design in that Book to prove and demonstrate the Truth of that Principle which I am well satisfied as to the main I have truly done by divers effectual and solid Arguments and therefore I adhere to what I have delivered in that Book as to the main yet I freely acknowledge that divers of the Arguments I have used to prove the Truth of that Principle are not so proper and demonstrative nor are several places of Scripture from which I argued so duly applyed to that effect as Rom. 10. 7 8 9 10. and the several Parables brought in Arg. 10. from p. 60. to 65. Titus 2. 11 12. 1 Cor. 12. 7. Therefore the undue Application of these places of Scripture or any others that can be found in my Book to that effect I freely Retract which though they necessarily respect the inward Principle of God's Grace Word Spirit Light c. yet these places are not to be understood only and alone of that but respect that bright Gospel Dispensation that had then appeared in the World by the Apostles preaching which was accompanied with new superadded Illuminations in the Souls and Hearts of Believers tho' all coming from one Fountain one God one Christ and one Spirit as much differing from and as much excelling and surmounting any inward Illumination given to all that part of Mankind where the Apostles Doctrine concerning Christ Crucified and Raised again did not come as the Light of the Sun after he is risen excells that which shineth in the Night time which is a Scripture Comparison that compareth the state that the Gentiles generally were in before God visited them by the Preaching of the Gospel in the Ministry of the Apostles and their Successors to the Night but the State of the Believing Gentiles who had received the Holy Ghost by their Ministry to the Day which very Distinction I had noticed in the stating of the Question p. 8. of that Book And that bright Dispensation of the Gospel that did visit the World by means of the Apostles Ministry and their true Successors was like the rising of the Sun that may be said to be truly Universal and the Grace of God that bringing Salvation did appear unto all as the Sun is truly said to rise unto all and to bring day unto all tho not at one and the same time and Christs Prophecy which then began to be fulfilled and was in great part fulfilled in the very time of the Apostles must be fully and compleatly fulfilled that the Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Preached in all the VVorld which is to say not the Inward Principle only and alone but the Doctrine of Christs Birth Death Burial Resurrection Ascension c. As is plain from his own words wherever this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be Preached this also shall be told what this VVom an hath done for she hath done it for my Burial But that many were saved by Christ through Faith in him before that time and before his coming in the Flesh as well among Gentiles as Jews Inothing question as I never did IX Pag. 72. But let the Scriptures be searched throughout and it shall never be found that any are simply Condemned or made Inexcuseable for Adam's Sin but for their own Sins in the first place and for those of their Ancestors but consequentially this is the Condemnation of the World saith Christ that Light is come into it and they Love Darkness c. But no where it is said this is their Condemnation simply that Adam Sinned Here Note That whereas in my Book above-said I did draw one of my Arguments from the Righteousness of God to prove an inward Principle of Light given to all Men in order to salvation let it be considered that I did Argue from the Righteousness of God not simply considered but with respect to a New Dispensation of God towards Mankind since the Fall for in the same p. 72. I say If God hath De novo or of a New given unto all Men a sufficient Principle of Light and Life to do his will then he may say as in Isaiah and now O Men of Judah and Inhabitants of Jerusalem what could have been done more to my Vineyard that I have not done in it Viz. In point of Righteousness he hath done all that was needful to clear his Justice c. In my way of managing this Argument tho effectual and solid in the main and as to the substance of it yet as with respect to diverse weighty Circumstances in Answering Objections against it I am dissatisfied with the method I there used from pag. 67. to pag. 72. Therefore what is there generally said by way of Answer to some Objections there made let it be as unsaid for the Coments of these 5 pages in diverse things not being clear I retract yet still adhering to the substance of the Argument there brought and to the main Answer that may suffice to all these Objections I did give p. 72. Viz. That none are simply Condemned and sem to Hell for Adams Sin for I cannot agree to that uncharitable opinion that any dying Infants Perish or suffer the Fire of Hell Fire simply and only for Adams Sin what God in strict Justice might do is one thing and what he will do is another Moreover as I have formerly in that Book affirmed p. 69. That there is a Seed of Sin Transmitted from Adam into all his Posterity in the Natural Birth which becomes the Original Sourse and Spring or Root of all Actual Transgressions wherever it Springs up in which all Sin is Committed I still affirm But to Answer all these Objections and Questions that are raised about the manner of its Conveyance and being Transmitted as it pusled the worthy Ancients Augustine and Hierome and others to Answer Pelagius and his followers who used to ask Per quas rimas by what chinks that Seed of Sin and Defilement entred Adams Posterity and is Transmitted through the most Holy Parents that ever Lived in some Degree to their Children so I confess it pusseth me especially upon the common Principle that the Soul of the Infant is instantly Created in the Mothers Womb and that other Principle that the Soul is by Carnal Generation is most absurd But what my reason cannot comprehend my Faith teacheth me to believe and so I believe that their is a Principle Seed or Leaven of Sinful Defilement conveyed generally through all Adams Posterity in the Natural Birth because I find many places of Scripture that sufficiently prove it by means whereof Infants on the Breasts and in the VVomb are not clean but defiled and therefore need the New Birth and washing of Regeneration as really as adult persons And they do all need that God be merciful to them for Christ's sake that died for all men they being a part of mankind and that the vertue efficacy and merit of Christ's Sacrifice of himself upon the Cross
Lord's love and goodness at that time when I wrote that Book which was a time of great Suffering unto me being straitly confined in Prison where I met with divers Hardships and Severities from Men all which the Lord turned to my spiritual Advantage and the spiritual Comforts and Refreshments where withal the Lord was pleased to visit my Soul were exceeding precious unto me as they are at this day feeling at this present time these of the same kind and nature by the good Spirit of the Lord continued and renewed unto me notwithstanding of the unjust and uncharitable Judgment of my late Adversaries against me as if I were become a dry Tree yet my Soul is alive to praise God who hath preserved me to this instant in the midst of many great and deep Exercises and Tryals both inward and outward one of the greatest of which hath been and is the envy and rage of such who have risen up in great enmity against me for my telling them the Truth and my faithful opposing the Errors and Evils that I have found among them and my trust and Faith is in God through Christ Jesus that he will preserve me to the end and disappoint and frustrate all their False Prophecies bitter Curses and lying Divinations they have poured out against me and continue to utter both in print and private Letters they send to me for which I desire and pray sincerely unto God that he may give them Repentance and Forgiveness And being sensible and truly convinced that I had too far exceeded in the thoughts of my spiritual Attainments not only then but since therefore whatever passages are to be found either in this first Book or any other of my later Books that are justy offensive on the account of my going beyond the due Bounds of my real growth and spiritual and inward state in the Truth or of thinking of my inward Attainments and Calls Services Labours and Testimonies beyond what I ought to have thought or wherein either in this or any other of my Books I have seemed to my self or professed to others to have been acted by a purely divine impulse and motion to speak and write I do freely and most willingly retract and revoke it so far as any thing of the least mixture of mistake or untruth is to be found therein as I confess I have found some mixture in this Book and in other my Books And as in other things I acknowledge my Mistakes as to the People called Quakers in general so in this that was the general mistake among us that their chief Leaders led us generally into that the People called Quakers was the Church come out of the Wilderness But for divers Years past I have seen my Mistakes as to this and the great Defects Disorders Confusions and Imperfections I have found among them and especially the ignorance and great want of dne Qualifications in the generality of their Ministry have given just ground to judge far otherwise concerning them But yet I do affirm that I have found divers that go under that Name that have to my understanding and apprehension made a good progress in spiritual Experiences and other spiritual Attainments of Knowledge and Virtue And I do still continue in my real perswasion and belief that there was a good Work of God upon the Hearts of many of that People and his mighty Power did stir and operate in them as I hope it doth in some continue to do unto this day But greatly has the Power of Darkness and Error prevailed with many especially their Leaders in great part to mislead them and Presumption and Pride earthly Lusts and uncharitableness in so highly condemning others are Sins that did and do greatly prevail among them and hath brought a great Cloud of Darkness over many of them which I pray God to remove and cause his blessed Light to shine forth more among them and all others and that he would be pleased to knit and unite the Hearts of all that sincerely love the Lord to love one another and make them of one Heart and Soul that they may worship the Lord together in Spirit and in Truth that as the Lord is one all his People may be one which cannot otherwise be effected but by the more powerful Coming and Appearance of the Lord Jesus Christ into their Hearts and inward parts to prepare them for his last coming in Glory without them to receive them to his Heavenly Kingdom Even so come Lord Jesus come quickly Amen But notwithstanding of the particular passages in that Book which I have retracted I adhere to my Testimony I have given in the same as in all my other Books as to Matter and Substance of many weighty things there delivered and the good Advice I gave to my Country-men in that Book I wish heartily they would duly regard Pag. 63. And this Prophet Jesus Christ is nigh unto us yea more nigh than all the Men or Books upon the face of the Earth And a little after And the Bride rejoyceth greatly because of the Voice of the Bridegroom himself And now we need not-say who will go down into the Grave and bring up Christ to us or who will ascend to Heaven to bring him down to us or who will go over the Seas and bring us tydings of him from Jerusalem when he suffered in the Flesh him whose Name is the Word of God we of a truth witness near us even in our Hearts so that we need not either ascend or descend or go fouth c. Here Note That this above-mentioned passage was brought by T. Ellwood in one of his late printed Books against me to parallel that Antichristian Doctrine of G. Whitehead who said in his Truth Defended Answer to W. Burnet The Quakers see no need of directing to pag. 110 111. the Type for the Antitype viz. neither to the outward Temple nor yet to Jerusalem either to Jesus Christ or his Blood knowing that neither the Righteousness of Faith nor the Word of it doth so direct Rom. 10. And a little after he saith And where do the Scriptures say the Blood was there shed for Justification and that Men must be directed to Jerusalem to it Light and Life pag. 59 60. But who seeth not that my Words have no such tendency as his but are of quite another importance as intimating that after we are brought to know God and Christ by the inward Teaching of God and Christ in our Hearts that perswadeth us that Christ suffered in the Flesh at Jerusalem and moveth us to believe the outward Testimony of the Holy Scriptures concerning Christ's Death and Sufferings we need not say who will go over the Seas and bring us Tydings of him from Jerusalem where he suffered in the Flesh for all sincere Christians are well satisfied with the Faith they have already of Christ by the inward Testimony of his Spirit in their Hearts that the Scripture-record of him is ture So