the Prophets and Righteous men heard his voice and he wrought all their works in them for them and saved his people from their sins took away the shadowand destroyed death and ransomed them from the power of the grave and did such works in them for them as never man ever did is not this the very Christ yea this is he and besides him there is no Saviour neither do I look for another he opens the blind eye and the deaf ear he causeth to hear he makes the dumb to speak and the lame to walk he opens the heart to discipline and commandeth man to depart from iniquity he saith and it cometh to passe as ever the Winds and the Sea doth he rebuke and still the proud Waves thereof as in the Generations past this is the Lords doing and in my eyes very marvellous this is his Name and his Memorial the Lord our Righteousnesse throughout all Generations this is he that saith I am the Lord and change not that is my Name and besides me there is no Saviour let all Disputers of this World be confounded before him whose way is everlasting that sitteth upon the Flouds and walketh on the Sea as on dry land and the waters sink not under him that turneth the darknesse into light and the day light into the shadow of death let all the wise to do evil and oppose him be made mad for ever and let them not find an arm to help them that cannot see the Arm of Gods Salvation but are comparing the Holy One of Israel the Immanuel to and with themselves and likening the invisible and incorruptible Redeemer of the invisible and immortal soul unto corruptible man that are setting up the letter instead of the eternal quickening Spirit that giveth life that sees not a difference betwixt the flesh that profiteth not and the flesh that is the life and if I say the Saviour of the World I lie not between the word that doth wash cleanse and purifie the Hearts of the Saints and was like a hammer and a fire in Jeremiah and in all the Prophets and is the same and changes not in all Generations which word they heard and believed in it and therefore spake and the Word that the Apostles did feel taste hear and handle which was in the beginning with God and was God and this is the Saviour of the World and besides him there is not another but ye being blind cannot perceive him that took Flesh upon him and had a Body prepared to do the will of him that set him if thou hast an ear to hear or an eye to perceive this is he that descended and the same that ascended far above all Heavens into the bosom of the Father and sitteth on the right hand on the Majesty on high and is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the world began this is a mystery if thou canst receive it thou art happy But may not I say as once was said to the men of Galilee Why stand ye gazing Why are you seeking the Living among the Dead Is not he the Resurrection And is there any life in any other Is not this he that is the eternal and everlasting day in which ye ought to walk And out of the Bosom of the Father did he not proceed and was one with him who saith This is my beloved Son hear Him And the Holy Ghost did appear in the likenesse of a Dove yet was not a Dove so say I and my sayings are faithful and true Christ the Saviour of the World came in the likenesse of sinful flesh and took upon him the form of a Servant yet was he not sinful flesh but the eternal Son of God which was begotten of the Spirit and is Spirit there is a Spiritual Body and there is a natural Body there is a corruptible and there is an incorruptible Body but this is a mystery to the World in a few words time would fail me to declare his Generation to the uttermost I may say that which I have seen of him Oh the depth and heighth length and breadth of his unsearchable riches and wisdom and how in all generations he hath been to his people an infinite treasure a boundlesse fountain and an everlasting stream of goodnesse life vertue peace and pure satisfaction in all generations who was before all the Authour Creator and Maker of all in whom was Life and he is not changed but in him is life eternal peace everlasting and satisfaction eternally and his life runs through all discerns and beholds all and shines in the darknesse and none can flee from him neither is there any darknesse nor shadow of death where the worker of iniquity can hide himself from his dreadful hand that it should not find him out though man being in the first birth and born blind and a transgressor from his mothers womb doth not see nor comprehend the Light that hath enlightned him though it shine in his heart and doth convince all and reprove all of their ungodly deeds and hard speeches that they have wickedly spoken against the Lord yea and it will condemn thee Matthew Caffin for all thy ungod like and unchristian-like lyes and slanders cast upon the people whom the Lord hath blessed and chosen for his peculiar treasure even thee in whom the Father of lyes ruleth and his works are wrought in thy wicked heart out of which cometh slanders and lyes abundantly and them thou dost invent thy self and calst them the Quakers errors when thou hast done whose foundation and principle thou knowest not but speakest evil of that wch thou art a stranger unto though thou talkest of faith of being a Christian indeed which thou sayst few do attain unto yet art thou one of the vain disputers of the world like Cain art wounding and shooting thy arrows against the innocent and like Ishmael art scorning the Lords people saying the Quakers saith turn to the light within this was Pauls Commission and the Quakers work which in this world they have to do this was the Prophets work and Johns message to turn people from darknesse to the light and from the Power of Satan to God Act. 26.18 and 1 John 5. and Paul saith it was the Light that shone in the heart which must give them the knowledge of the glory of God and John said the anointing which was in them that was truth and nolye taught them all things and with this anointing or unction they were to try the false Spirits though thou scornest at the Quakers because their message is to turn people to the light and though it be true that the light within was sufficient and it is the same and changeth not to all the Fathers which died in the faith to save them from all sin and redeem them out of all tribulation and in which Light they walked with God who is the Fountain and Father of Lights and they were
translated from death to life before ever the Scriptures were written which thou sayest is the rule to walk by though the Scriptures do not say any such thing but another that the Sons of God were both ruled and led by the Spirit of God and though we do say and testifie these things as the faithful and true sayings of God and as John did bear witnesse of him so do we that he is the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world yet those things as thou hast wickedly and maliciously laid them down as our principles were never spoken nor owned by us neither do we slight the Scriptures at all but own them as they are and ought to be owned yet Christ the light the bright and the morning Star that is the same and changes not but spake in all the Prophets the eternal arm and power of the Father to Salvation we say is not changed but is able to save now without the Scriptures as before they were written so this is not to make void the Scriptures at all which do declare what was the Judge of the Spirits and Saints rule in all ages their guide and what was the wisdom and power of God to the salvation of their souls and as the Prophets and holy men found them to be in themselves and as this Spirit did inspire them and gave them utterance so they spake of him as his People do in the same spirit in this age now this is onely to set Christ the Eternal Son of God above all visible things and the chief corner stone in his place where it ought to be and therefore the builders of Babylon and children of confusion which are setting him at nought and cannot see the hidden treasure which is bread indeed nor look any further then the things that are earthly in whom the treasure and life is hid and are feeding upon the husks and shadows with the Swine are now condemning them that have been in those carnal Ordinances and washings but could never find the pearl in them where it was not to be found but now having found him that is living which is not among those dead things but onely to be found in Spirit we leave those things behind us and go on to perfection and look no longer at the things that are seen which are temporal but at those things that are not seen but in that Light which is eternal which whilst we look at and believe in we have strong consolation and confidence in him that is our hope and purifies our hearts as he doth arise he doth also condemn fin in the heart and destroy the Devils work where it hath been wrought which is yet standing in thy heart and in the hearts of all Lyars and false accusers who are speaking evil of those things they understand not but as a natural bruit beasts wherein they defile themselves as thou hast done it doth finish sin in us and makes an end of transgression and brings in and us into his everlasting righteousnesse which is by faith in his bloud but the blind will be blind still and cannot see any bloud but that which doth not wash the heart nor sprinkle the Conscience from dead works nor know any nor believe in any Resurrection but that which doth not give the answer of a good Conscience towards God I say if thou canst receive it and believe in him who is the Resurrection thou mayest but if otherwise thou shouldst dye in thy sins and pine away in thy transgressions and then Christ is not risen to thy advantage but condemnation if thou art yet in thy sins Therefore thou Hypocrite who art hipt from the Light and climbed above the door of the sheep who is the incorruptible and eternal Light and he onely it is that gives an entrance into the Kingdom that is incorruptible eternal and fadeth not away But many have been setting up another Saviour then he that saves his people from their sins and therefore have his Servants been imagining of a kingdom power and glory that is of this fading world and therefore instead of hearkning to the light and innocent Lamb which faith My Kingdom is not of this world if it were my Servants would fight therefore such who have rejected the word of the Lord which word is Light as thou dost and scornest the Quakers for walking in it they have betaken themselves to carnal weapons and gone from the Spiritual weapon which is the Light and have sought for a Kingdom that is of this world and so in their imaginations have set up both a visible Saviour and Kingdom Therefore try thy self whether thou art in that faith which the just lives by and purifie the heart that comes to see the pure God if not thou art but a reprobate concerning the faith that is a mystery held in a pure Conscience which was once delivered or given to the Saints neither shalt thou ever have the witnesse in thy self of thy rejoycing as many that have been in thy dark and blind condition never had until they were turned to the Light in their Consciences but now can through mercy and grace that is powred out upon his off-spring testifie to his glory and praise everlastingly be it given to him alone who doth the work in us and for us that in the same place where it hath been said unto us ye are not my people there are we called the Children of the living God at this may the Serpent catch that is cursed of the Lord but own it if thou canst it is thy condemnation in that state thou art in eternally thou shalt witnesse it true except thou repentest A little I shall reason with thee concerning thy principle what some of thy brethren which thou and they have affirmed in dispute First thou say est the eternal Spirit is not the Saviour of the world but the man Christ Jesus that dyed and was a body which the Apostles handled outwardly Answ Did not Christ say who is that Spiritual Rock who saved Abraham and the Fathers before that body was into thy hands Father I commend my Spirit and then did he not give up the Ghost and dyed and when the eternal Spirit did ascend to the Father was not the body dead without the Spirit and lay in the Sepulchre until the same Spirit and power of the Father raised it again is your confidence in the flesh or in the Spirit and power that quickned the dead do ye believe the Scriptures are true which say he ever liveth and is the same yesterday to day and for ever I in the Father and the Father in me or do ye believe there was no Saviour before he was born in Bethlehem who was it then in whom Abraham believed or who did the Prophet speak of when he saith unto us a child is born unto us a Son is given or what dost thou in thy dark mind imagine the Prophet meaneth when he saith his name shall
be called wonderful Counsellor the mighty God the everlasting Father the Prince of peace Isa 9.6 and what was the Hypocrites and Pharisees angry with Christ for as thou art with us was it not because he said he was the son of God and before Abraham Thou sayest Christ is not come the second time to you or to any upon the earth My answer is Did not the Saints know Christ after the flesh some time and said they desired to know him so no more what dost thou imagine his second appearance to be was it not without sin unto salvation and did not they witnesse this that he was in them and they in him which saved their souls from sin and were they not kept perfect and pure by the anointing and power which thou wrangleft against so that the wicked one touched them not dost thou know what salvation is or the image and state is in which man was created which thou fightest against and sayest none can come into in this life if this be not it which the Saints did witnesse in whom he was glorified with the same glory he had with the Father before the world began and whether they were not come to it which said as sin hath abounded so grace and truth which came by Jesus Christ did much more abound Also ye say Christ was never crucified but once My answer is Christ was crucified at Jerusalem but what private interpretation wilt thou give to these Scriptures Gal. 3.1 whether such fools as thou and the Galatians were who were gone from the Spirit and doth not Paul say Jesus Christ was evidently crucified amongst them were they not such as turned against the Light which had enlightned them who were become a spiritual Sodom did not these crucifie to themselves afresh and put him to open shame Heb 6.6 Though thou sayest the eternal Spirit hath no bloud I say it is because thou never sawst it nor witnessed the bloud of the everlasting Covenant to sprinkle thy Conscience therefore dost thou thus deny it and tread it under thy feet Again ye affirm that neither Peter nor Paul Abraham Isaac nor Jacob were redeemed out of the curse neither were they in the Kingdom of God My answer to you is God is not the God of the dead but of the living and such as were lively stones did say they sate in heavenly places in Christ Jesus Eph. 1.3 Eph. 2.6 And Peter saith an entrance was ministred abundantly into the kingdom of Jesus Christ and Paul saith he was wrapped up into the third heavens but thou that art in the Kingdom of darknesse wilt tread upon this as thou sayest thou dost upon the Quakers principle for which cause thy self shall be trodden in the wine-presse of Gods wrath Again ye deny that Christ is a Spirit To which I say God is a Spirit and that which is born of him is Spirit and I query of thee what Christ thou ownest whether he that enlightneth every man or another and what body was that which thou sayest ascended and now sitteth at the right hand on the Majesty on high was it he that first descended and came out from God or another seeing the Scripture saith if thou wilt not deny it or say in thy dark mind who art a Teacher as Nicodemus who was a Ruler in Israel concerning regeneration and the way of the Spirit how can these things be when Christ told him a man must be born again he was as blind yet I dare not say so wicked as thou for he came to Jesus by night he said can a man that is old enter into his mothers womb and be born again if this be not thy state send me an answer and tell me if thou be able who was that spoken of John 1.10 He was in the world and the world was made by him and the world knew him not he came to his own and they received him not but as many as did receive him received power to become the sons of God which were born not of the corruptible but of the incorruptible seed neither were they born of the will of the flesh Mark nor as thou art but of God and the immortal seed which liveth and abideth for ever Again I ask thee who was that which descended and what is it seeing the Scripture saith Eph. 4.10 he that descended is the same that ascended up far above all heavens that he might fill all things dost thou believe that the Jews did not look upon Christ who had eyes and saw him not to be as very a blasphemer as thou judges the Quakers John 3.13 no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven mark was not this a strange word to them and will it not be as strange to thee had not thy Father taught thee to wrest the words of truth to thy own destruction even the Son of man which is in Heaven was not the Saviour of the world without Father without Mother without descent having neither beginning of dayes nor end of life was not this the Son of God who is King of Righteousnesse and after that King of Peace Heb. 6.3 and had not the body which the Jews nailed to the Crosse a beginning or was it from all eternity and was that visible body and form which he took upon him was that the form and image of the invisible God and was that the first born in every Creature and were all things made by that visible body and was that body before all things and do all things consist by it or hath Christ two Bodies seeing the Scripture saith Christ is not divided and though there be many Members and Branches yet is there but one Body or Vine Again you Baptists say Its Blasphemy to say all that which was spoken by Christ Mat. 2.24 was fulfilled in that Generation might not thou as well and as truly call Christ a Blasphemer as thy Brethren the unbelieving Jews did as to charge the Quakers with Blasphemy for speaking the very same thing and witnessing it to be true which he did speak Mat. 24.34 Verily verily I say unto you this Generation shall not passe until all these things be fulfilled Heaven and Earth shall passe away but my words shall not pass away can thy earthly heart believe this nay nay the world by wisdom knows not it no nor the Angels of Heaven but he to whom the Angels must bow knoweth it right well our God is risen of a certain Truth he will do a work in this Generation a marvelous work and a Wonder even the God of the despised Quakers shall work and who shall let him he will triumph over Palestine over Edom and Amaleck will he cast his shooe Moab shall be his wash-pot the humble shall hear thereof and be glad Kings shall melt away Princes shall be as a thing of naught he will exalt his horn his strength is as the strength of a Unicorn in the house of David is
he is an example and wilt thou look for another Christ then he that dyed at Jerusalem because Humphery Smith sayes He looks for no other are you Baptists angry at this he that looks for another I must tell you it is that Antichrist 1. Query Whether that was not the Light within that the Pharisees stop their ears to and closed their eyes if it was not what was it 2. Are not all eyes stopt and all ears closed till they come to the Light within and all in the ungenerate and impenitent state till they come to the Light within 3. Is not the Light within the eye that beholds God and Christ 4. And can any see God or Christ without the Light within or can they see him with a Natural eye who is a Spirit 5. And is it not the Spiritual eye by which Christ is beheld and is not that within Or is there any fellowship or Vnity amongst any people that is of God but they must c me to the Light within Answer these-Queries all you Baptists who oppose the Light within or else for ever let your mouths be stopt 6. Could any one ever hear God Christ Prophets Apostles or Angels if it was not with the Light within which gave to understand their words 7. Or can any come to the knowledge of the Truth or to Repentance Faith or the Gifts of God or come to Worship God in the Spirit and Truth if they do not come to the Light within 8. Or can any know Christ to be the Son of God and the Saviour and know his Resurrection and his Blood and him to be the offering who remains in the Heavens and restors all things and by what he does restore if it be not by the Light of Christ within 9. And do not the Baptists stick in Bread Water and Wine instead of the substance 10. Is this a time for you to brawl and to jangle and wrangle about outward things could the prodigal fill his belly with the husks Did not he leave the husks when he came to the Fathers house Was not this parable spoken to the Jews who lived in outward things And may not this be spoken to you who live in outward things warnglers and fighters about them in the field and comes not to the Fathers House Did not Cain k ll his brother in the field and is not the field the World Friend in the fourtieth page of thy book thou charges the Quakers to be in a very great error because they say The Eternal Spirit in man is the Saviour of the World and to contradict this thou puts a difference between Christ and the Comforter in this sence I have said there is a difference as in his several Administrations and as he oppeâ—â—ts in one to condemnation and is near in another to justification in this sence there is a difference when he Ministers wrath and his everlasting burnings against the wicked and when he Ministers Peace Joy and everlasting assurance to those that love his Light and have followed it in the way of its Righteous Judgements so I say there is a difference when God who is pure Love pure Peace in himself hath to do and deal with man who is joyned to the Seed of Esau and Cain which is reprobated this was alwayes hated by the Lord and to the froward and perverse Geneâ—â—â—â—on God did alwayes shew himself froward though God changes not neither is he froward though he shew himself so and stands with his Right arm as an Adversarie to the wicked Psal 18.26 With the Pure thou wilt shew thy self Pure with the Merciful thou wilt shew thy self Merciful with an upright man thou wilt shew thy self upright but with the froward thou wilt shew thy self froward vers 25. and so though there be diversities of administrations yet is there but one Lord who is the same and changeth not Thou sayest also The eternal Spirit which dwelt in the Man Christ Jesus which after the Apostles received in them is called another Comforter and that by Christ himself which would not come unto the Apostles unlesse as thou sayest the true Christ went away and so thou wouldst fain prove that the Comforters which afterware dwelt in the Apostles was not the true Christ and for proof her of thou 〈…〉