one Yet are we to understand this union to be onely in a way of relation through participation of the same Spirit and this dwelling to be onely in respect of grace and powerful operation and influence working in the hearts of believers according to the tenor of the New Covenant in making men holy and humble purifying their hearts causing them to walk in all good conscience towards God and man all which by them is trampled under foot and another kind of union and indwelling driving at in their discourses which although covertly expressed until by craft and subtilty they have prepared the hearts of simple and unstable souls to receive whatsoever they shall suggest unto them yet then is openly discovered being indeed the root of all bitternesse and desperate prophanenesse and blasphemy that can be imagined in the world for from thence they conclude that themselves are God and Christ and what God is they are and what they are God is for say they there is no spirit but one and so deny any created Angel or Spirit holding upon the same account the living soul in man to be uncreated and so consequently to be God himself and not created by God Now this being the ground-work of their delusion the building is answerable For first concluding the reasonable soul to be God Secondly they affirm that this soul being cloathed with their humane bodies or flesh is Christ or God in flesh hereupon they imagine that Jesus Christ spoken of in the Gospel as being born of the Virgin Mary accused by the Jews delivered by Pilate to be crucified dying at Ierusalem upon the Crosse rising the third day and ascending into Heaven is only to be understood Parabolically or Figuratively speaking of one thing and intending another pointing at and prefiguring a work only within us conceiving the Virgin Mary the Iewes Pilate Ierusalem the Crosse Christ rising and ascending spoken of in the Scriptures to be all within them and no such thing substantially or in truth without As they conclude all things spoken of Christ to be but in a Typical or Figurative manner intending and typifying out this God within or God incarnate in their flesh still meaning their reasonable souls conceiving this to be the substance of all those shadows so also upon this ground they are forced to conclude the whole New Testament with all the Doctrines Laws Rules and Administrations of the same to be but a shadow or figure holding forth a substance within As for instance Moses and Aaron being but figures of the substantial Saviour and Priest to come so the administrations of Moses as Mosaical were but fleshly and carnal administrations to be abolished when the substance was come they being only shadows of good things to come in like manner do they understand Christ in his Person to be but a shadow of Christ within and all his heavenly and spiritual Gospel to be but a letter and carnal History put to an end and abolished when they once come to apprehend that the substance of all is within they coming also to believe that the soul is God do thence infer that they are perfect and that they are in an happy estate as can be for this they urge 1 Cor. 15. 24. to the 28 verse to shew when the Kingdome is delivered up to the Father and then Christ ceaseth his Mediatorship and consequently all his New Testament ceaseth Now they conclude that all this is accomplished when they come to discern there is but one Spirit and their soul that Spirit which is God and then they are in the possession of all things And seeing that the Scripture declares that before our full possession of God and glory there must be a temporal death and resurrection of the body and eternal judgment they upon the former grounds judging themselves already glorified do understand this death of the body in all such Scriptures mystically and that the resurrection and eternal judgement are passed already in the soul as Hymeneus and Philetus did 2 Tim. 2. 18. compared with 1 Tim. 1. 19. Thence also they conclude that faith and justification by Christ together with all the Ordinances of Christ are abolished as fleshly forms like unto Christ that appointed them above and without all which they triumphantly in their own fancies live when they once have attained this supereminent life as they spâ—ak as being in the full fruition of God comprehending that infinite being which they blasphemously affirm themselves to do intruding themselves into things they are altogether ignorant of Hereupon it is that they as Peter saith scoffe at any second coming of Christ 2 Pet. 3. 3 4. and mock at the holy Scriptures those heavenly Oracles of God denying them to be the Word of God or that Law by which they ought to confirm their lives conceiving and uttering that there is no Law nor Rule but what is in man his light being his only Law that is to say whatever that spirit that dwelleth within which they call God within dictates to them that ought to be done by them strengthning themselves with this opinion that there is no sin but what contradicts a mans own light which is a mans only Law and sinne is onely sin to him that thinks it so and that there is no Hell but that torment that men sustain through crossing their own light which God knows is nothing but thick darknesse And then they proceed to discover the wretched effect of this damnable doctrine in the unclean lives and conversations of the followers of them which by the practises spoken against I apprehend to be intended against the Ranters that abominable crew of Religious Villains pardon the expression And I confesse these practises are the most natural issue of those opinions and doe most freely flow from them especially from the tail or hinder part on 't But when I had read some of the Quakers papers I found them building upon the same foundation and making use of the same principles and materials And I could not but observe the artifice and skill of Satan like a cunning workman employing the same stuffe to several outwardly seeming ends and purposes but in the effect and issue the same viz. destruction which is his proper work and busines for the Ranters make use of them to boulster up themselves in all manner of lusts and sensuality without scruple of conscience And the Quakers improve them to seeming holinesse and mortification to secure themselves in a proud humility which not repented of casts down to Hell as readily as the former And here Reader let 's make a stand awhile and consider what saist thou Is not here a mysterie of iniquity Is not here the head of the Serpent that old Serpent that deceived our first Parents in Paradise to the fall and what in him lay utter ruine of all mankind And is not this the tail of that great red Dragon that draws and casts down a third part of the starres of
see cause to discover to the world And truely it is not improbable that some of these fellows themselves may be of the Popish tribe and Schollers though professing themselves mechanick for is it not usual And there is a notable story to this purpose lately printed alled The false Jew wherein is expressed his designe and his discovery from his own acknowledgment how that he was sent over from Rome by a special order from the Jesuits and with personal unction and benediction from the Pope and how one while he was to have come over under the notion of a Tailor with direction to joyn with the Anabaptists and to preach Notions But now he came over under the pretext of being a Converted Jew being an excellent Hebritian and circumcised at Rome for this purpose To what and whither will not a deluded spirit lead a man And in that relation you shall find how he joyned with the Anabaptists at Wrexham and was rebaptized by them where he preached notions among them Amongst others this was one That that place Luke 17. 21. where it is said The Kingdom of God is within you he gave this as the most proper sence of the Original sc The Kingdom of God is so within you as that it is not without you in Forms and Ordinances with which interpretation he said Lieutenant Col. Paul Hobson a Teacher among the Anabaptists was mightily taken How many flies may the blind man swallow Another design of this deceiver was to bring the authority of our Translation of the Scripture into question And prevailed so far that some of them entertained scruples about it But now the design is new moulded And now not translations onely but all outward Scriptures must be denyed and rejected And these men can from their infallible spirit make new ones Witness the daring boldness and impudence of these Quakers and their hypocritical lying and belying the Scriptures For Fox and Hubberthorn in their book bring in these words Take heed to the light of God within you And not onely produce them in another character the same with their Scripture quotations But also urge them as the Apostles words thus sc As the Apostle said Take heed to the light of God within you Neither citing what Apostle or where As indeed 't is no where in all the Scripture And Farnworth in his late piece of womens speaking in the Church Printed by Calvert 1654. In the head of his discourse where usually in printed books the Text is placed He hath these words in a distinct character as his Authority for his following discourse But the spirit of truth may declare through the Temple and dwell in it which the world cannot receive And then quotes 1 Cor. 6. 19. Joh. 14. 16 17. Now what man in the world can finde any such words as the former part in all the Scriptures Should we add to and mangle the Scriptures thus how should we be curst and raild at as well we might by every true Christian but not by these men Indeed Reader 't is manifest these mens intents are to fetch people off from the Scripture altogether That so the Authority thereof being rejected they may be the better prepared upon a new assault in another disguise to entertain the infallible Authority of the Romish Chair For the same course the Papists take to render them of small esteem do these men run For the learnedst of them pick out all such places as seem contrary one unto another and urge them to the people denying to any a power of reconciliation referving that to their own un-erring spirit And from thence assume a power to make the whole Authentical or otherwise And do not these men the same It may therefore be very probable all forewritten considered they come of Antichrists errand And thirdly and lastly They may come of the devils errand He hath many messengers and servants and some serve him more eminently and immediately then others And they are Hereticks False Teachers and Seducers I shall take this for the present granted And that these men are sent by him in a more especial manner is extremely probable If you consider the manner of their coming and their matter Their matter you have seen sc reviling railing reproaching lying falsifying blaspheming c. And for the manner entitling the Eternal Holy most pure and unerring Lord God to all these horrid abominations Being seconded with preternatural obsessions possessions operations upon the bodies and spirits of men women and children by violent impulsions motions and actions The parties being so carryed on without confederacies and fore-contrived designes And meerly patients in the business and not able to withstand them And being for confirmation of such diabolical doctrines must needs be the devils operations For this is a sure Conclusion The blessed spirit of Truth will never give testimony to lies And indeed the very nastiness and beastliness of their quakings purging upwards and downwards with most distorted gestures may easily perswade they come from that unclean spirit And that they are swinish possessions not divine raptures I shall not enter upon discourse of these things It hath been done by others I shall therefore give the Reader in two stories from the North which may give some satisfaction in this particular Both stories I have taken out of the Mirrour for Saints and Sinners written by that industrious servant of Christ Mr Samuel Clark Pastor of Benet-Finck London the second Edition The second story is by him contracted and I was the more willing to to take it so to save labour I had the story it self at large in print but having lent it forth could never recover it The first is this ANno Christi 1653. about the month of October came some Quakers out of the North into Wales about Wrexham endeavouring to win some professors to their party Their principal design was to disgrace the Ministry and all publike Ordinances They held Universal redemption Free-will and falling from grace They published that all men have the pure seed of God in them boasting that themselves were perfect and without sin that they knew at the first sight sincere Christians from hypocrites At meetings after long silence sometimes one sometimes more fell into a great and dreadfull shaking and trembling in their whole bodies and all their joynts with such risings and swellings in their bellies and bowels sending forth such shreekings yellings howlings and roarings as not only affrighted the spectaters but caused the dogs to bark the swine to cry and the cattel to run about to the astonishment of all that heard them By these artifices one William Spencer was drawn to leave the Church and to follow them whereupon at several times he fell into the same quaking fits and lying with one of them three several nights the last night being much troubled and not able to sleep upon a sudden he heard something buzzing and humming about the Quakers head like an humble-bee
walk not after the flesh but after and according to the spirit And whereas we were under â—in God made him who knew no sin in himself to be sin for us by impuâ—ation that we might be made the righteousnesse of God in him in like manner And whereas we by reason of that sin were under the curse he was made a curse for us that he might redeeme us from that curse that so we might inherit the blessing therefore the Lord having laid hold on our surety who is mighty to save and to deliver being man that he might suffer in the same nature and in the behalfe of those that had sinned And God that he might make full satisfaction to God that was offended The Lord I say having thus laid hold upon our able suretie laid and charged upon him all our iniquities bruising and almost breaking his gracious heart with the hellish terrours of divine revenge and justice where he made his righteous soul an offering for sin So sharp and hot were the flames thereof that it made the maker of the whole creation grone and cry out my God my God why hast thou forsaken me A speech more dreadful fuller of astonishment then if the whole frame of heaven and earth all men angels had been tumbling headlong into everlasting torments for in this God had not forsaken himselfe but his creature onely but in that wrath was kindled beyond the finite apprehension of the creature here God as it were forsook and left himself Christ being God one God with the father blessed and beloved for ever And yet my God my God why hast thou forsaken me And here behold and see and in seeing weep was there ever sorrow like unto this sorrow which Christ suffered in the day of his fathers wrath and fury And again behold and see and in seeing rejoyce that Christ suffered these sorrows as our surety Surely he hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows he was wounded for our transgressions he was bruised for our iniquities the chastisement of our peace was upon him and with his stripes we are healed All we like sheep have gone astray and he hath laid upon him the iniquities of us all And thus was God in and with Christ in his everlasting decree Covenant and consent roconciling the world unto himself by that one sacrifice and offering whereby through the eternal spirit he offered up his life and shed his blood upon the Crosse a sacrifice for sin to reconcile us unto God For without shedding of blood there is no forgivenesse of sin to be expected Obedience to the Law because short imperfect cannot effect it make man right and perfect But now by this one offering up of the body of christ once for all he hath perfected for ever those that are sanctified separated and set apart for God So that Messiah the Prince of our peace and the Authour of our eternal salvation being thus cut off by death hath confirmed the Covenant made between him and his Father having finished the satisfaction for transgression and made an end of the reign of sin by making reconciliation for iniquity and bringing in an everlasting righteousnesse To the end that whosoever believed in him should not perish but have everlasting life So that now there is no condemnation to them that are by believing in Christ Jesus for the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath freed them from the Law of sin and death for this was the Covenant between Christ and the father that when he should have made his soul an offering for sin the pleasure of the Lord by him thereby fulfilled should take so good effect and so prosper under his hand that he should prolong his dayes and see a seed a holy seed he should see and enjoy that which his soul travelled for and should be satisfied for all his sufferings The reward whereof was this sc that by the knowledge of and faith in him who in that work was his Fathers righteous Servant he should justifie acquit many even as many as believe in him from all their sins by bearing the guilt and punishment of their iniquities in his body on the tree of the Crosse whereof assurance is given in that he raised him from the dead for it was impossible that he should be holden or detained by the grave who finished the work that his Father had given him to do viz. by suffering the heel of his humanity to be bruised by Sathan that to break the head and chief of all his designs which was to keep man captive for ever in his Kingdom of darknesse So that by suffering death Christ hath destroyed him that had the power of death that is the Devil And thereby delivered them who through fear of death were all their life time subject to Sathans tyranny and bondage And now though the Devil accuse lay sin to the charge of Gods Elect yet God himself doth and must justifie them And whosoever condemns 't is not much to be valued for it is Christ that died yea rather that is risen again for he died for our sins and rose again for our justification having thus wrought the work of everlasting righteousnesse whereof the world may be clearly convinc'd to full satisfaction in that he is ascended unto his Father we see him no more for certainly had he not satisfied and made full payment and reconciliation he must have come again and died again yea again he must have been often offered up as the sacrifices under the Law were But his blood being the blood of God was of more worth value efficacy then the blood of all the sacrifices in the world And now having broken the prison dores of death and led Sathan who held us in captivity captive and openly triumphed over him on the Crosse he is now set down at the right hand of God in glory there to rule untill he hath subdued all his enemies not only to himself as then he had done but also to all his people there compleating his Priestly office by appearing in the presence of God and making intercession for them And by his Spirit as their king ruling in and over them untill the time of restitution and setting all things right when he shall gloriously come in great majesty to judge all men and to render to every one according to their deservings In the mean while a poor believer though in and of himself worthy of nothing but wrath and death hell may through that interest he hath in Christ by believing come boldly to God and plead that righteousness which is every way adequat and proportionate to divine justice And God in justice with all humble yet faithfull
reverence be it spoken must acquit the man though in himself ungodly for payment being made satisfaction given by the surety it is but just that the debtor be acquitted and discharged shall not the judge of all the world do right yea God is just and will declare his righteousnesse by justifying him that believeth in Jesus Now God the Father having thus reconciled the world unto himself by Christ for the farther carrying on of this work commits the ministery and service of this reconciliation to his Apostles and Ministers in their successive generations who as Heralds and Ambassadors authorized and commissionated by him should publish and in his na e preach the glad tydings of salvation this everlasting Gospell And to let all men even the Gentiles see what hope there is of their fellowship and participation of the blessings and benefits of this mysterie of godlinesse which from the begining of the world have bin hid in God who created all things by Jesus Christ no nation people or person being now excluded or shut out the partition wall of Jewish ordinances being broken down and both Jew Gentile bond and free male and female all may come drink freely of that well of salvation which Christ hath opened for all persons that will come unto him whereof for his part he is so free being no niggard of his blood and merits that he intreats all to come and partake of And by his servants making a full tender of himself as Priest Prophet and King to all that will receive him And to as many as thus receive him giving them right power and just claime to become the sons of God and heires of the kingdome which he had purchased But now man by his fall being dead in the dark yea darknesse it self and so in his natural state and blindness unable to receive and comprehend this glorious and gracious mysterie of being righteous by anothers righteousness and of being saved by anothers sufferings all men Jewes and Gentiles doting and being fruitlesly set upon seeking life and happiness by their own doings and performances Therefore together with the revelation of this mysterie by the ministry of his servants sent for that purpose Christ over and above that common work of the Spirit by which he enlightens every man that comes into the world gives unto those who are given him of the Father and who are to be called according to the eternal decree and purpose which he purposed in himself and whereby he surely knowes those that are and shal be his to them he gives a mind and understanding to know him and to receive him and to be in him and to be one with him who is the true God and eternal life And now a believer having Christ who is eternal life hath eternal life in and by Christ whereas those who thus have him not sc by believing have not eternal life because what in them lies they make God a liar not entertaining and closing with that testimony and record that he gave of his son which was that in him he was well pleased not onely with him for so he could not but be in justice forhe had never offended him But in him he was well pleased being in mercy and loving kindnes satisfied for the sins of all those who come unto God by him who therefore are received as sons and daughters by free grace and adoption And now that those who thus believe in Christ might have the witness in themselvs of their Sonship because they are sons God sends forth the Spirit of his Son into their hearts whereby they are imboldned to call upon God as Sons crying Abba Father being thereunto the more imboldned because by the same Spirit they are sealed and marked out unto the day of redemption And which is given to them as a pledge and earnest in hand for an assurance to them of their full inheritance when their adoption and son-ship shall be compleated by the redemption of their bodies from the power of Corruption as now their soules are from the reign and power of sin The same spirit also in the meane time leading them into all saving truth comforting them in all their troubles and helping them in all their infirmities And thus hath a Believer in himself the testimony both of blood and of the spirit witnessing to and with his spirit that he is a son and child of God But then as there are three in Heaven that bear record and give testimony to this great mysterie of godliness sc The Father the word the holy Ghost So there are must be three witnesses on earth i. The heart of a true believer before the work can be compleated which are three the Spirit Blood and Water For Christ came not by blood alone for justification nor by water onely for sanctification but by water and blood both which Sacramentally flowed forth from his precious body when he hung upon the Crosse a Sacrifice for our redemption thereby shewing forth the end of his suffering viz. both the justification sanctification of his people And therefore he that hath not the witness testim within himself of all three hath not the witness of either he whose heart conscience cannot witnes to him his faith believing in that blood of Christ shed for his justification cannot have the witness of this blood as water for cleanâ—ing and sanctification For Christ sanctifies none but whome he justifies he whose heart cannot witnes to him his faith operating on the blood of Christ as water for sanctification canot have the testimony of blood and his interest in it for justification For Christ justifies none but he also sanctifies the n. And he that hath not the testimony and witnesse in himself of his intrest in blood and water for justification sanctification cannot have the testimony and witnesse of the spirit sealing for these three agree in one all beare witness to one the same truth sc Christs comming dying to redeeme us from sin and all iniquity both in the guilt and in the filth of it both from the condemnation and from the domination of sin For the grace of God which bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men teacheth us that denying ungodlinesse and world y lusts we shâ—ud live soberly righteously and godlily in this present world looking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ who gave himself for us that he might redeeme us from all iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar and choice people zealous of good works And for asmuch as no uncleane person can enter into the Kingdome of Heaven where the inheritance is For know ye
which did sore affright him whereupon he sought to rise but the Quaker perswaded him to lie still and immediately there arose a great wind storm which shook the house wherein they lay which adding much to his former fear he again attempted to arise but the Quaker still pressed him to lie still perswading him to expect the Power to come which they often promise to their Proselytes and thereupon he again heard the former humming noise which more and more terrified him so that he strove vehemently to rise but the Quaker laid his head upon Spencers shoulder and did blow hard like the hizzing of a Goose several times towards his face or mouth which made him leap out of his bed in a great astonishment crying for a light and guide to conduct him to a neighbours house and upon this occasion left them all together testifying the truth hereof to the Quakers face before many witnesses the Quaker not denying it attested under several hands The second which is a story published by one that was seduced and possessed and is set forth by himself by way of recantation and admonition IN May last 1653. in Kendal in Westmerland there was one John Gilpin who was very desirous to associate himself with the Quakers at their meeting and speaking with one of them about it he much encouraged him to hold on his purpose and accordingly he went to them when one Ch. Atkinson was speaker whose drift was to deny all Ministerial Teaching and Ordinances together with all Notional knowledge gained by the use of such means and to become as if they had never learned any such thing and now to be taught of God within themselves by waiting upon an inward light which as he said lies low hidden under the earth viz. The old man which is of the earth earthly Gilpin was immediately so taken with this new doctrine that he resolved to close with them was afraid to read any good books or hear any preaching Minister or to call to remembrance any thing which he had formerly learned concerning God Christ his own estate or any other subject contained in the Scriptures for they told him that all such knowledge was but Notional carnal and hanging upon the tree of knowledge adding Cursed is every one that hangeth on this tree One of them told him that Christ was as man had his failings distrusted God c. At his next meeting the Speaker urged him to take up the Cross daily saying Carry the Cross all day and it will keep thee at night He urged him to hearken to a voice within him spake much of a light within them which Gilpin not yet finding was much troubled desiring that he might fall into quaking thinking that thereby he should attain to the immediate discoveries of God to him And accordingly shortly after as he was walking in his chamber he began to quake so extremely that he could not stand but fell upon his bed where he howled and cryed in a terrible and hideous manner as others of them used to do yet was he not afraid but looked upon it as the pangs of the new birth After half an hour by degrees he ceased from houling and rejoiced that now he could witness against the Ministers of England as false Prophets and Priests of Baal All the night after he was much troubled with dreams about his sins and when he awaked he thought thereon he perceived something lighting on his neck and giving him a great stroke which caused much pain and so a second third and fourth each less then other descending till it came to the middle of his back and then he discerned something to enter into his body which Satan suggested to be the Spirit of God like a Dove and he thought he heard a voice within him saying It is day adding twice As sure as it's light so sure shall Christ give thee light Two or three days after he waited for more light and walking in his garden he lay down with his face to the earth at which time his right hand began extremely to shake and he was in a great rapture of joy apprehending it to be a figure of his spiritual marriage and union with Christ Then did the power within raise him and set him on his feet and afterwards laid him on his back brought his sins into his remembrance causing his hand at every sin to strike the ground and he heard a voice saying Now is such a sin mortified then was he perswaded that all his sins were mortified at once Then rose he up and it was said to him Ask what thou wilt of the Father in my name and he will give it thee Then said Gilpin What shall I ask It was answered Ask wisdom in the first place Then he desired that such things might be given him as made for Gods glory and the good of others It was answered that his request was granted and that he should be endowed with the gift of Prophesie and singing praises to God Presently after he went to another of their meetings where Atkinson was again the speaker with which he was more affected then formerly for that as he conceited he could inwardly witness to what he spake Atkinson having done one John Audland spake in the time of whose speaking Gilpin was by the Devil within him drawn out of his chair and thrown upon the ground where he lay all night all which time his body and members were all in motion being turned from his back on his belly so back again several times making crosses with his legs and his hands moving on the ground as if he had been writing and he heard as he thought a voice saying that that writing with his hand on the ground signified the writing of the law in his heart Then were his hands moved to his head and he heard a voice saying Christ in God and God in Christ and Christ in thee Which words he was compelled to sing forth in a strange manner and with such a voice as was not his own he sung also divers phrases of Scripture which were given into him Then the Devil raised him up and bade him be humble then brought him on his knees again and he heard the voice saying Stoop low low and when his face was almost at the ground it said to him Take up thy cross and follow me Then rising he was led out of the house by the Devil at a back-door to the River and back again and then into the Town where he was drawn down the street to adore that he knew not Whereupon two of them that followed him said Whither will you go this is the Fidlers house Gilpin answered Be it whose house it will Christ leads me hither and hither I must go Then was his hand forced to knock at the door and a voice bade him say Behold Christ stands at the door and knocks The Fidler opening the door he went in and taking down a Base-Viol he was forced