one without 〈◊〉 of the Virgiâ— Mary and another within formed within but it is one and the same Lord Iesus Christ who in the fulness of time took upon him the form of â— servant and was found in the true form of a Man born of the Virgin Mary who was also in the beginning with God and was the Gift of the Fathers love unto man from the begiâ—ning to be in them and unto them Light and Life to enlighten â—nd quicken them unto God But now let us a little weigh the weight of those arguments which thou 〈◊〉 against thâ—s Doctrine of the Light within being the Saviour and saving them who become joined aâ—d obedient thereunto First thou sâ—ys this Doctrine is of no less consequence then to establish agaiâ— the Covenant of worâ—â— which speaketh thus do this and live thereby making void the Righteousness which is of Faith in Christ which speaketh on this wise believe and thou shalt be saved To which I say nay this Doctrine doth not estâ—blish the Covenant of the works of the Law mentioned by the Apostle by which no flesh can be justified noâ— doth it make void the Righteousness which is of Faith Chriâ—t for the Righteousness which is of Faith in Christ doth well consist 〈◊〉 stand with obedience to Christ the seed and with works which are wrought in the vertue and strength of him the seed formed within raised within living â—ithin yeâ— their consistence is so necessary that they cannot be divided for â—aith without works iâ— dead but thou art ignorant of the Nature of the New Covenant or Righteousness of faith as if it excluded works and doing and as if doing were propâ—â— only to the Old or first Covenant in order to justification which is false for both thâ— first and the second Covenant requireâ—h doing and works but after a different manner the first Covenant puttâ—th man upon doing without giving unto him that grace and life which â—s sufficient to make his works acceptable unto God perfectly and â—hroughly which iâ— oâ—ly â—dministred in the incorrâ—ptible seed of â—ife in its arisings and springings up in the heart and so the first Covenant or Law comes before the seed be raised or brought forth and requires man to do such things in thâ— state â—ut man can givâ— no prefect obedience to this law for it onely condemns him and gâ—ves him the knowledge of sin but gives him no spiritual life for the life is in the neâ— Covenant and springeth up in the seed thereof and so the first Covenant or Law is called in Scripture the Carnal Commandment and itâ— seed and birth is Carnal oâ— accorâ—ing to the flesh which cannot give unto man to perform perfect obedience unto God for the Law makes nothiâ—g perfect but the bringing in of a better hope which is the power of an endless lâ—fe in the incorruptible immortal spiritual and heavenly seed not onely requireth pâ—rfection and perfect obedience but bringeth to it and giveth power to answer and perform it for the new Covenaâ—t â—ath a seâ—d and birth that is not carnal and weak but spiritual and powerful and requireth obedience and works of and from men in this even in the virtue power and life of this spiritual seed and of this Ishmael and Isaâ—ck Esaâ— and Jacob were figures as the Apostle declares in the Epistles to the Gallaâ—ians and Romans Ishmael and Esau sigâ—ifie the chiâ—dren of the â—lesh or fleshlâ— seed who are the childâ—en of the old or first Covenant who cannot attain unto the blessing of full and perfect justification and acceptance with God through all they can do but the â—lection attaineth it the elect seed and the children thereof who are born not of the flesh but of the â—pirit not of a fleshly seed but a spâ—ritâ—â—l not of the first Adam but of the second who are the children of Abraham according to the spirit of whom Isâ—â—ck and Jacob were figures and though the new Covenant requireth faith or beliâ—ving yet it requireth not onely faith but works also in order to a full and perfect justification with God for Abraham was justified by works and not by â—aith only so Rachab so Phirâ—haâ— and the Apostle saith Râ—m 8. 13. If ye throâ—gh the spirit do mortifâ—e the the deeds of thâ— body yee shall livâ— so thâ— new Covenant requireth both â—aith and works too believing and doing but believing is the first thing it requireth men not simply to do without respect to â—aith in Christ the seed but requireth each in their order as â—hat men should believe and do for its faith which drawâ— life from Christ and expresseth it in works which render them living and accâ—ptable unto God otherwise they are dead so people must first believe and then to their faith they must adde virâ—ue c. and this believiâ—g is a winniâ—g of the very heart and soul of man unto the Light and â—pirit and power of Christ within manifest in the â—eed through which strength is receâ—ved to give perfect obedience to God Moreover that the new Covenant requireth doing is plain from Dâ—ut 30. 14. But the word is very near unto thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart for to do it which word the Apoâ—tle Paul expounds to be the woâ—d of Faith and â—ighteousnesâ— of Faith Rom. 10. 8 which â—e preached and that was the new Covenant I have been the more large in opeâ—iâ—g this matter because it will give occasion unto me to return a clear and full answer in very few words to all thy other caâ—nal and unlearned objections and reasonings against the Truth in this particular as in that thou brings for a second Argument that Paul said bâ— the works of the Lâ—w 〈…〉 c. And here thou adds by way of exposiâ—ion that is by our obedience to the Law either written in Tables of stone or to the Law or Light in the Conscience but this exposition has â—o ground from Scripture and it s but a figment of thy own invention of darkness for its clear by the works of the Law Paul understands the law of the first Covenant as the Jews imitation of the Letter are outwardâ—y administred before the spiritual seed of Lifâ— be raised which hath in it the Law of the Spirit of Lifâ— in Christ Jesus for the justification is in the seed and these works only are jâ—stified which are done in the Life and vertue thereof nor is thy third objection of any more weight as whâ—re the Apostle saith Had there been a Law given whâ—ch coâ—ld havâ— given life veâ—ily rightâ—ousnâ—ss should have been by the Law for it is manifest he understands the Law of the first Covenant which was the ministration of death and noâ— of Life but the Law of Christ or the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus giveth life and so justification is by this Law and yet faiâ—h is not made void nor the promise made of none effect 〈◊〉 the reward reckoned not of Grace
through the violence of men acted by Sathan and much more the blood of him who as a Lamb offered up himself without spot to God as a sacrifice of a sweet smell who was delivered for our offences and rose again for our justification G. K. Writ 7. 2. mo 1670. Here follows Robert Gordon's answering and confuting himself some of his manifest Contradictions to his Principles being insert in his own words And the Pages of his Book noted where they are R. Gs. Principles GOd man in whom all things pertaining to mans redemption c. were transacted not in our persons or within us but in his crucified body without us before any good wrought in us He hath already subdued all things finished trasgression made an end of sin page 3. and 4. R. G's Contradiction The mystery of Christ by his spirit dwelling in his Saints call'd in the holy Scripture Christ within you whereby God works in us c. God working all things in us by Christ pag. 4. his Spirit working all their works in them pag. 5. Observation See his manifest contradictions How is sin and transgression finished and made an end of without man while no good is wrought in them And seeing God works or transacts all things in Believers by the mystery of Christ and his holy spirit within and all their works in them how is all done and finished without them before any good is wrought in them R. G. Some pretend so much zeal for this mystery of Christ the operation of the Spirit of God in themselves that they deny the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ page 5. Contradiction The mystery Christ within you whereby God works in us through faith the fruit and effect of the work already wrought c. Christ within us whereby through faith we have evidence in our selves c. page 4. Observation We cannot too much own or be over much zealous for the mystery of Christ within or the work of God through his spirit within us nor thereby deny the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ or the effect and benefit of his sufferings in his body as falsly is implied and insinuated against us since that in owning Christ in the mystery we cannot but own the evidence thereof R. G. In the crucified body of Christ perfected and wrought at once Redemption Iustification and Reconciliation finished and compleated in Christ for us pag. 13. not in our persons pag. 4. Contradiction He was delivered for our offences he was raised again for our justification O remember the work of regeneration is to be wrought within thee pag. 9. Observation If Redemption Justification c. be not to be fulfilled by Christ in man or not in their persons what are you redeemed â—â—stified or regenerated from or out of Surely not from iniquity or sin as true believers were and then you hypocriss â—in is remaining in your persons foa all your pretenses of being redeemed justified c. without But take thy contradiction O remember the work of regeneration iâ— is to be wrought within thee R. G. He was made sin for us that we might be made the righteousness of God in him He mentions not any consideration qualification or work wrought or to be wrought in any man by any light or spirit whatsoever A gross errour but singlely and solely upon the account of the active and passive obedience of the man Iesus c. pag. 12. in the crucified body justification c. finished compleated for us pag. 13. Contradiction Who seeing the travel of his soul was satisfied that he might make it effectual within every man that should come to God through him he counted to his Apostles the word of reconciliation as his Ambassadors in his steed to beseech men to be reconciled to God Work out your salvation pag. 12. Observation But first Were the Saints made the righteousness of God in Christ without any inward qualification or work of his light or spirit What a gross errour contradiction and sin-pleasing doctrine is this Is not this the Priests very notion of imputation while men are corrupt and sinful in themselves while they neither partake of the divine nature nor divine image in themselves And then Secondly what need was there for the Apostle to beseeâ—h them to be reconcil'd to God or to work out their salvation if it was already wrought and finished without them before any good was wrought in them R. G. The Lord doth not direct man to that light in his conscience that shewed him his loss nor to light and power c. But promiseth him another kind of Saviour Contradiction A great mystery God manifest in the flesh c. He alone and none else then the very Word the love of the Father must be this great undertaker c. viz. for man pag. 20. Observation See his manifest falshood and contradiction For God the very word or love of the Father which doth redeem deliver and save the soul are not of another kind then the Light and Power But the same divine Light and Power by which the promised Seed did and doth bruise the Serpents head and overcome him that man might be redeem'd from the hand of his enemy R. G. The worker of the Redemption could not be the light enlightening every man c pag. 21 Contradiction Yet the very word pag. 20. God manifest in flesh p. 18. Observation Here his gross error and contradiction in denying Christ the Word and Redeemer to be that light that enlightens every man and yet the very word doth redeem and save And was it not the Word that was with God that was the true Light that enlightens every man coming into the world See Io. 1. 1. 4 9. R. G. Redemption and all things already wrought purchased c. for us in the crucified body not within us but before any good wrought in us pag. 3 4 5 without the help of any thing to be wrought in us pag. 20 Contradiction He to wit Christ ever liveth Mark this man ever liveth to make intercession for them O bear with me a little not satisfie your selves until you have a real evidence of your being particularly redeemed by experimentally witnessing the Living power of truth in your inward parts pag. 7. Observation Note his contradiction here For first if all things be already wrought in the crurified body what doth he interceed for Is it for that which God cannot justly with-hold if this be true Secondly are all things already wrought without the help of any thing to be wrought within And yet we must have a real evidence of our partâ—cular redemption by the living power of truth in our inward parts See how he hath confuted himself herein R. Gs. Erroneous and envious Principle That such as preach and print up the light inlightening every man that comes into the world to be he to wit Christ reject him and set at nought the stone c. pag. 32. Contradiction This is
besides any right aim For Christ as the Word the â—rue Light the power and wisdom of God the Redeemer from all iniquity and as in his Saints the giver of life and victory over the world c. He is the true Operator of God and the Author of Faith the worker out of Sin the Saviour and Redeemer from iniquity and so an Operator as such he is given for a leader for light life and salvation to all that believe in his light which will shine live prevail and prosper against all the darkness dark spirits and enmity which oppose it Something further added HEreby it may appear and be very obvious to every impartial Reader how disingeniously injuriously and falsly this R. Gordon hath dealt by us called Quakers whom he chiefly smiâ—es at chiefly for our so much owning and preaching the true light that enlightens every man having in many things he hath writ neither given a true account of our principle nor stated our words nor the Authors nor cited our Books or Pages that it might be seen how he hath wronged us worse then many of the Priests have done insinuating several falshoods against us which were never our principles and then making war against them and drawing false inferences and consequences upon us which have neither natural dependence nor any relation to our principles as may be seen at large in his bundle of impertinencies and confusion And whereas R. G. several times confesseth Christ and his spirit to be within us revealing and evidencing within us what God hath wrought for us in the body of Christ as that love God commended to us in his Son through his suffering and death according to his 1. 4. and 23. pages Now mark herein he hath in some degree assented to the truth of our principle though to his own confusion for that it follows that our preaching Christ and his Spirit in the true Believers doth not oppose nor make void his sufferings without but evidence and make known the benefit and living effects thereof within and bring both into the fellowship of Christs suffering and to a conformity unto his death But this R. G. in contradiction to himself like a malitious injurious person insinuates â—gainst us the dividing and opposing Gospel truths one to another and a denying the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ as a matter of any necessity to redemption reconciliation c. falsly adding these words viz. Râ—ckâ—ing to accomplish this in their own bodies each for himself through obedience to the law or light in his conscience c. pag. 5. This is a false conclusion put upon us and contrary to what this man hath confessed before For it s not of our selves but God that works in us to will and to do by his spirit and power which evidenceth and revealeth in us life and salvation by Jesus Chriâ—t who is our Saviour and Redeemer and by him and in him hath God appeared to reconcile us to himself who hath wrought all our works in us Isa. 26. 12. and to this we testifie in his Son who is made unto us wisdom righteousness sanctification and redemption and against all such dark spirits and opposers of his light and work within as this our Opposer is who saith that God man in his crucified body without us and before any good wrought in us hath already subdued all things finished transgression made an end of sin abolished condemnation and death hath for ever as our head in himself compleated the work of redemption reconciliation with God for us c. God having already finished wrought and accomplished all things for us in the body of Christ pag. 3 4 5 9 12 13. And further he adds pag. 26. vâ—z having already vanquished in his crucified body and buried in his grave sin and death and all the powers that were against us But in contradiction to hâ—s asserting all these things as wrought in his body he layes it otherwhiles upon purchase as redemption reconciliation righteousness c. being already purchased for us in his crucified body without you without respect to any works wrought or to be wrought within you by any light whatsoever Thus far R. G. pag. 4 5 9 23 42. But to go round again in contradiction to this of all this being wrought accomplished and purchased without in his crucified body without respect to his light and work within R. G. confesseth and tells us of God working all things in us by Christ the mystery of Christ within and the operations of his spirit working all their works in them p. 4 5. From whence it then follows that all is not wrought and accomplished without them nor ought the work or light of Christ within thus to be disrespected as this man most blindly doth neither is mens sin and death either vanquished or buried in the grave with Christs body without for sin and death reigns in and over all men till they be quickned and renewed by the spirit of Christ within and raised up out of sins and trespasses and in this sense we own true beleevers and sanctified ones to be purchased unto God and hereby an everlasting inheritance obtained or purchased and that God hath purchased his Church with his own blood Act. 20. 28. And that such as were a chosen or purchased people or generation were a royal Priesthood a holy Nation a peculiar People to shew forth the praise of him who had called them out of darkness into his marvellous light 1 Pet. 2. 9. So such did not 〈◊〉 and oppose the light within nor disrespect its work within as to the purchasing and redeeming man to God as this blind Opposer hath done whose confusion runs after this manner viz. all things are already wrought and compleated for us in the crucified body without nay God works all things in us by Christ the mystery the operations of the spirit of God works all their works in them See here how inconsistent this mans work is and how he hath broke the neck of his own cause But for whom doth R. G. reckon hath this God-man as he calls him or God and Christ in union wrought and compleated or purchased all as redemption salvation righteousness c. was it for all or but for a few See his Answer R. G. pag. 13. For the sins of the whole world past present and to come c. A large confession and latitude to the world indulging them in sins to come as the sin-pleasing professions are wont to do and further to hearten them on therein all their dayes he reckoneth God doth not see their sin in them pag. 39. And surely they cannot be hindred of salvation for all this nor it in justice be detained from them because it s so dearly purchased and paid for and wrought witâ— God by his Son when no good is wrought in man if you believe R. G. which doctrine tends to make a merry world in their sins and not to regard the
The Light of Truth Triumphing Over Darkness anâ—â—gnorance Error and envy Manifested in Robert Gordouns late pretended testimony to the true Saviour Wherein every one whose eye is open may see his Seat And who have Salt in themselves may favour his words work and Spirit and discern his deceitful dealing by smitting the innocent in secret yet not with that subtilty which is able to cover in this day wherein Light is manifesting the works of darkness SO The Devil was here deficient BUT Envy siays the foolish man Given forth in the 2 Moneth 1670. By George Keith G. White-head Printed in the year 1670 R. G. Having had knowledge of thee from the beginning and acquantance with thee through many years and a love for theâ— â—nd regard to thee I found a readiness in 〈◊〉 to signifie My sense of thee and sorrow for thee in that spirit and mind which could dâ—light to do thee a service in Love But indeed thou appearest before me as one very uncapable in that spirit and state wherein thou stands of a return to the Lord or of a steady Conductor to thy bewildred minde the traversing of which without a guide hath centred it in a Whirle pool And in thy reelings thou art now resolved thou wilt fight neither with great noâ— small but with the King of Israel The Light of 〈◊〉 I have often wisht thee to come under its banner that it might have become thy covering then had not darkneâ—s covered thy understanding nor the Fogs of lirror so confounded thee but that thou might have seen thy way out of the mire and clay wherein thou art toyling thy self travelling in pain and bringing â—orth thâ— wind It did not a little astonish me upon a view of thy book to find thee whom I judged had attain'd a measure of reason setting up thy own shaddow in thy own immagination and then cudggelling it down again as though thou wert encountring an Army for where did 〈◊〉 the people called Quakers deny that body prepared of God to do his will in which suffered at Jerusalem by wicked hands which thou seems to take for granted and then labours like a man in a sweat and indeed thy labour is in the fire to prove its existence in that day of its service and its necessity as to mankind which by them was never denyed and I dare thee and all men upon the earth to prove they did or do I take notice of thy acknowledgement in the 4 pag. of thy book that the manifestation of God in the flesh of Christ was that their by way might be opened for the ministration of the other mistery 〈…〉 separating them and making the one subservient to the other and yet after runs against it â—n the whole scope of thy work which is mâ—nifest beyond all gain saying 〈…〉 qualification and a work to be wrought and that by a Spirit too â—ven as though the words had been expresly written to give thy words thâ— lyc I am really sorry for thee and my very 〈…〉 dâ—sirâ—d and doeth thy good and mark thy self that if possibâ—â— thou might see the confusion â—hy enemy drives thee into foâ— within ten lines after on the same page thou says seeing the travel of his soul rested well plâ—ased that he might make it effectual within every man end yet before no work to be 〈◊〉 in any man by any light or spirit Oh Robert whether drives thou whether art thou driven I marke one thing more pag. 4. thou says He hath already subdued all made an â—nd of sin compleated the work of 〈◊〉 redemâ—tion dyed for Us and reconcilâ—d Us to God c. and as I was weighing it in my mind what or whom thou did intend by the words Our and Us That other part of thy book came before me pag. 13. where thou says he did bear Our sins in his body on the troâ— Propitiation for the sins of the 〈◊〉 world past present and to come so then it appeared by the word Us thou intends the whole world Nevertheless to go round again thou pleads with a generation saying that their pleading a faith in his death and sufferings interest in the satisfaction and attonement made to God through his blood pag. 6 Will not shelter them from the wrath of the Father pag. 7. What I not shelter them and yet Christ a propitiation for their sins past present and to come what incongruous work is this which they that runs may read Several other passâ—ges in thy book are observable and I do not charge thy intention with blasphemy but thy work unawares Vergeth near it for pag. 22. thou says of Christ who was never defiled having the iniquities of us all in hâ—s body c. how unsound are thy words and in pag. 24. thy words are Spiritual mâ—sticall â—lâ—goricall Christ light within us Spirit and poâ—er in the man Christ. And now does thou know what thou speakes to Catigorize a Spiritual and an Alegoricall Christ identically and so in effect makâ— them both one Thou hast sometimes accused some for Alegorizing his body of flesh but now thou darest do it to his Spiriâ— I wish thou knew the weight of this and what tendency it hath to make void the faith converting its object into a Chimaera In the same page thou says if in every man this seed or Christ is not saved doeth it remain for ever under condemnation There is a supposition and a question from it of thy own forming and presently thou concludes it a doctrine of some others saying oh how contrary is this doctrine First it is gross confusion in thy self to call a supposition and question a doctrine and secondly it is a smitting in the dark by thy implying and raking for granted there is a people that hold it If thou meanest the people called Quakers aâ—cuse them openly if not then clear them of the many inconsequent implycations of thy book which many do and will understand to be against them until thou put off thy Vizaâ—d But it is enough to me and I wish it may be serviceable to thee for good that some faithâ—ul friends of truth have in love to truth and to thee set thy work before thee as in a glass that happily thou may see thy self by their labour of Love which after followes else I might have found in my heart to have dealt with thy book throughout and I am satisfied in due time thy own words will become thy burden but still I wish it may be for thy good for I have a real Love to thee and regard for thee as I said at first A. Robeson Light set over Darkness In somewhat writ in answer unto a printed paper published by R. G. so far as it Concerns us the people called in deriâ—ion Quakers and our principle wherein he hath both difing enuously represented us and darkly and ignorantlly opposed our principle even Iesus Christ the true light wâ—h enlightning every man that comes into the world that
all through him might believe and in believing might all aim unto eternall life and salvation R. G I have seen and considered thy book or paper entitled A Tâ—stimâ—ny to the true Saviouâ— and I find somewhat in me from the Lord to answer thee in Love to thy soul and in a zeal for God and his truth and people whom the spirit that hath set thee on work to write this book hath laboured to vail and cloud that the light of the glory thereof might not shine forth but its work is in vain for the truth shineth forth in brightness over all that confusion mist and darkness by which it seeks to hinder it and indeed the youngest child of truth may see thy weakness and confusion herein and how thou figh test as one beating the air against that precious people and their testimony whom though thou doest not expressly design yet any who reads thy book and are acquainted with us and our principle wiâ—l see that thy book is levelled mostly against us and our principle its very design being to cast mire and durt upon us and to marre the visage and beauty of that precious truth the Universal light which is within but it is returned upon thee and this stone which thou rejects and seeks to perswade others to reject is set over thee and will be too bâ—rthensome for thee if in time thou repent not I finde not my self concerned to take a particular notice of all thy words so as to give a particular answer to them onely so far as thou manifests both thy own confusion and self contradiction on the one hand and thy opposition to the sound and wholesome words of truth together with thy disingenious stating and wresting of that pure doâ—ctrine affirmed and declared by us on the other In the second and third page thou writes of two snares wherewith some are intangled which are summed up in this to wit the dividing these two great Gospell Misteries and setting the one in opposite terms against the other contrary to the tendenâ—y of the Holy Scriptureâ— and what these Snares are thou more particularly expresses pag. 5. But there are some upon the one hand so zealous for Christ thou says and what he did for uâ—â—n his Crucified body without us that they nâ—glect in themselves and â—ppose in others the mistery of Christ within as a matter of no coâ—cernment at all to them c. and this thou reckons the first snare and indeed a snare iâ— is and that very dangerous and dreadfull but for all thy work to discover this snare to others thou art found intangled in it thy selâ— and intangling others with thee as much as thou can â—s I may afterwards make appear The second snare thou mentions is that some on the other hand pretend so much zeal for this mistery Christ within the opperations aâ—d acting of the Spirit of God in themselves that they deny the mistery of God in the flesh of Christ as a matter of any necessity to them as to redempâ—ion reconcâ—liation and justificaâ—â—on c which charge thou plainly directs against us caâ—led in dâ—rision Quakers as may appear by the import of thy discourse though thâ—u does not expreâ—ly name us to which I say it is a faâ—se charge nor are we guilty of it as also thou falseâ—y alleadges thaâ— we reckoâ— to accomplish this in our own bodies each for himself throuâ—h obedience to the Law or Light in his Conscience which Light they call Christ Redeemer aâ—d onely Saviour without râ—spect to the â—rue Christ and ouâ— onely Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth I say this is false for â—hough we say Recoâ—ciliation and justification and Redemption is wrought in us by Christ yet not without respect to Christ even as outwardly manifest born and crucified c. for our justification c hath a true and real and certain respect to Christ both as inwardly manifeâ—â—ed in us and also as manifested in that body of flesh which was crucified in 〈◊〉 c for we do believe that he took upon him the form of a servant evâ—â— in the outward and died even in the outward and offered up even his very flesh through the eternal Spirit in the outward as a sacrifice of a sweet smell and atonemâ—nt unto God in order to our justificaâ—ion and reconciliation with God so as thereby he prepared or made ready the way for our justification though our justification was not sâ—â—ply and absolutely thereby wrought as if no more were to be done by him and his Spirit in us or as if his outward body flesh blood and life were the onely sacrifiâ—â— and propitiation excâ—uding the inward And now if I should stop here and proceed no furtheâ— I give a sufficient testimoâ—y â—gainst thy fâ—lse charge upon us yet I must say somewhat fâ—rther for the clearing this matter for whereas thou not onely affirms that Salvation and justification hath a necessary respect to Christ his taking on him the form of a Servant or man in the outward and â—umbling himself therein even to the outward death which we also grant God having so ordained it to be but also thou seems to affirm that the express knowledge and bâ—liâ—f of his taking on him the form of man and his obâ—dâ—enâ—â— and sufferings therein is of aâ—sâ—lute necessity unto all and every one for salvation so as none could be saved without that express knowledge though it was never revealed to them This I deny how canst thou prove this by Scripture for may not the benefit of Christ his taking on him the form of a man redound unto many who do not expresly know it they having a true light within them even as a diseased person may receive benefit of a cure applyed to him thouâ—h he has not an express knowledge of all the names and ways â—ow from first to last it hath been prepared and even as many have sâ—ffered hurt through the disobedience of the first man to wit Adam who have not known expresly that ever such a man was or the manner of his disobedience So why may not even many receive benefit through the obedience of Christ in the outward who have not known expresly his outward coming and sufferings otherwise Adams disobedience were more effectual for mans destruction then the obedience of Christ were for his Salvation As for what thou writes against those who pretend to the imputed righteousness of Christ c. but under all this retaining and indeed entertaining the Serpents nature in their souls c. as in pages 6 7 8 9 10 11 it toucheth not us for we have no such principle not beliefe and thou hast need to examine thy own heart leaâ—t thou be found in this snare thy self does thou retain or entertain nothing of the Serpents nature in thee yea art thou â—ot of such a belief that sin doth of necessity live in thy soul and thou cannot be freed so from it but that it must live in some measure
light to be under such a limitation either as to time or place as a finite creature for his out-goings were from of old from everlasting Micah 5. 2. Here follows a further Account of some passages taken out of R. Gordons Book wherein his Confession to the Truth professed by us as to the work of the power and spirit of God within and his erroneous Contradictions to the same are set opposite that his self Confutation and breaking the neck of his own Cause may be obvious to every 〈◊〉 Reader R. G. his confessing to truth R. G. erroneously contradicting R. G. p. 6. First there is a spirit of Error a and its work is to deceive and its end to destroy such in whom it ruleth and its deceit is seen under this fair Covering a pretending to the imputed b righteousness of Christ pleading a faith in his Death and Sufferings interest in the satisfaction and attonement made to God through his blood but under all this retaining the serpents c nature In their soul preserving alive in themselves unmortified corruptions bearing dominion c over them d O be not so easily decieved God will not be thus mocked he sees not as man sees e he trieth the heart and reins Know of a truth such as you sow such shall you reap to whom you yield your selves servants to obey his servants you are whether of â—in unto death e or of obedience unto rightousness and on the day of the Lord every Kingdome shall have its own on the day of that wonderful severation when the Lord shall judge the world by the man Christ Jesus every thing shall be severed to be for ever included in that state whether of light or darkness into which it was sown according to that righteous proceeding of the son of man Matt. 25. He shall sâ—y to the sheep on his right hand Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom But to the Goaâ—s on the left hand depart from me ye cursed and on that day your supposed coverings though of the imputed f righteousness of Christ your high pretences though to his death and sufferings your crying Lord Lord will not shelter you from the wrath of the Father you being wholly altogether of the nature of those Goats on Christs left hand though pretending to the Sheeps cloathing Oh! hear with me a little to plead with you in tender compassion to your immortal souls that you might be perswaded Yes intreated to inquire a little into this matter not satisfying your selves to say that you believe there is a Redemption g already purchased you in Christ until through a living faith in your selves h you have a real evidence of your being particularly redeemed by experimental witnessing the living power * of the i Truth in your inward parts which in words you outwardly profess Consider the words of our Lord to Nicodemus Except a man be born again k he cannot inherit the Kingdom of God there lyeth an impossibility in this thing he placeth not Goats remaining such in their state in the same place with Sheep there is a great gulf between these two They are of two contrary natures Two opposite States and Kingdoms prepared for them Therefore without being changed without being in your minds renewed translated out of darkness into sight without dying to the old Nature of Sin and rising in the new nature of Righteousness And so Christ l formed within you you cannot inherit this Kingdom because without this real change wrought in some measure within you through the Operation of the Spirit of God within m there is only a dawbing of the old Sepulchre while rotteness is â—till within a talking of being justifyed through the Redemption already purchased in Christ without wiâ—nessing the Life Power and Virtue of the thing it self within n Therefore I do exhorts thee 〈…〉 Spirit in thy mind thou art subjected to for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God and if any man have not the spirit of Christ â—he is none of his â—o that it will not be enough to say that Jesus Christ dyed for sinners and that his righteousness is imputed to thee as altogether from without thee O remember the work of Regeneration is to be wrought within thee R. G erroneously contradicting R. G. a All things pertaining to manâ— Redemption were transacted in God-man Christ not in our persons nor within us but in his crucified body without us before any good b wrought in us God having already wrought all things for us in the body of Christ as being our rightousness p. 3 4. c He hath already subdued all things finished transgression made an end of sin abolished condemnation and death and so hath for ever in himself compleated the work of Redemption c. with God for us p. 4. d To bear my testimony to the Redemption and Rightousness already purchased in his crucified body for uâ— the son buried our sins in his grave all things are finished sin death and the flesh in the body of Christ p. 5. 16. e It is a mystery of the Gospel the believer to be pure and beautiful as in Christ while weak in many things in himself in his body he hath a law of sin but in the Lord he hath put it off as he walks by sight he is in the Earth in Labours in Groaning warfare and Imperfections c. p. 16. f The Law Sin Death charged upon his Crucified body he buried them in his Grave thus abolished Sin out of the sight of God p. 39. g Redemption c. already wrought purchased in his Crucified body for us without us p. 4. h The light in the Conscience is not able to reveal or give life p. 11. h There is a Spirit in some that declares that we are Redeemed Iustified Saved and made Righteous and accepted with God by the work of the Spirit * of God wrought within us p. 11. i What ever Spirit shall declare Christ now coming or coming to within us to Reconcile to Attone to Redeem us c. is no other than a Denier of Iesus our Saviour notwithstanding its high pretences to light and power and Spirit within p. 15. 16. k But know thou O Man that that Doctrine how misterious soever in shew that teacheth Redemption to be by Operation of the Spirit within us and not by that alone * Operation of God in the man Christ Iesus is it may be agreeable to mans reason but a fearful coâ—tradiction to that blessed Mistery of Grace p. 17. l Vnder this Mental Reservation the seed the light the nature of the Dove in me is he the Christ c. but is this a form of sound words pag. 31. m Come down from the heights of your reason to believe your Redemption already finished the law of sin and death already abolished p. 3. 7. through what he did and suffered without you without respect to any works wrought or to be wrought n within
you by any light whatsoever p. 42. o The work of Redemption is already 〈◊〉 at once in the Crucified bâ—dy without us p. 21. 23. The Opeâ—â—â—ion of the Spirit of Christ within us 〈…〉 Redeem 〈◊〉 p. 23. Thus far R. G. hath shewn himself one while like a Quaker so called having gotten many of their words another while like a Presbyterian or Independant shewing his self-contradiction and instability And what may the Reader think of him but that he hath gathered and learned something from the Quakers or out of their Books though he was never of us However like a perverse Apostate he chiefly smites at them in his enmity chiefly to the injury of his own Soul and Conscience who for all his opposition cannot wholly forget and drive the Quakers principles out of his mind but is forced to confess to the truth of them to his own confusion and overthrow And it 's remarkable that the most of his Pamphlet is confuâ—ed But where he acts the part of a Quaker so called whom he further imitates in this wise viz. R. G. Christ's Death and Sufferings his Resurrection and Righteousness will not avail thee thou remaining in thy self wholly unchanged unsanctified by and through the operation of the Spirit of Christ within thee whereby they may become of use to thee Thou wast dead in Sins and Trespasses and remains so still thou wast a child of wrath as well as others and thou art so still c. And in his 35 page he goes on thus viz What will an Historical faith â—s of things altogether without avail thee while thou hast not the evidence within thy self by a lively faith of thy being redeemed through the Redemption that is in him A â—â—attering hypocritical extolling of Christ in his Offices as King Priest and Prophet without thee while thou deniest him in the exercise of these Offices within thee by the Operation of his Spirit c. And this is thy own condition R. G. as appears by many passages in thy Book contrary to what here thou hast confessed as may plainly be seen in comparing thy contradictions before and who but one presumptious and impudent would have appeared thus publick as thou hâ—â—t done to confute others and to undervalue and oppose the sufficiency of the Light Power and Operation of Christ within as to Redemption Salvation and Justification c. with such a heap of darkness and confusion as thou hast vented who yet otherwhiles art made to confess to the Operation of the Power and Spirit of Christ within whose Light is set over the head of all thy Darkness Deceipt and Enmity and over all such Backsâ—iders as are in the same spirit of Enmity and Opposition with thee such as Râ— Cobbet Elizabeth Atkins and Rob. Rich who is of a Ranting Principle to whom we may add Muggleton or his railing against us who have spread abroad their confused malitious Pâ—mphlets with their lies and slanders against us wherein they do but gratifie malitious spirits Apostates and Ranters And seeing that Michael Stantcliff who came some years amongst us professing the Truth with us and owning the light within and to some yet doth formally seem as if he were a Quaker which appeaâ—ance no doubt he hath found to make for his Interest yet is turned into so much dimness darkness and enmity againâ—â— the People called Quakers as to opprove of this Rob. Goâ—don his Pamphlet â—iled A Testimony to the true Saviour as being an Ingenious clear Piece and that which we could never get through c. As also to help to convey or spread them abroad against those that Preach the true light that enlightenâ— every man that cometh into the world to be Christ c. R. G intending chiefly the people called Quakers against whom he hath insinuated divers forgeries and slanders Wherefore we say to thee M. Stantcliff be ashamed and repent of thy approving and countenancing such a bundle of Confusion against the truth and against an innocent People whom thou once ownâ—dâ—t remember from whence thou art fallen and how thou persistest in enmity and prejudice against Truth and us least the Lord cut thee off and thou end thy days in trouble and anguish we have desired and sought thy good though thou hast rewarded us evil for good And now we wish thy Repentance and pray the Lord forgive thee that thou mayest not end thy days and perish in thy Perverseness and gain-saying Here follows a brief account of some places of Scripture sent to Robert Gordon by Gawin Longworth R. G. his Answer to them Ioh. 1. from 1. verse forward in the beginning was the Word 12. chap. ver 46 I am come a light into the world 15. chap. ver 5. I am the vine ye are the branches Rom. 8. 10. If Christ be in you c. 1. Cor. 1. 24. Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God 2. Cor. 13. 3â— Seeing you seek experience of Christ speaking in me Titâ—â— 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity c. 1. Ioh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life Chap. 4. vâ—r 4. Greater is hâ— that is in you then he that is in the world Robert Gordons Answer to these Scriptures viz. I Have considered the Scriptures thou mentioned and I find that in none of them it is testified who the true Christ our only Saviour is but what he is through the operations of his spirit in Believers called therefore the Anointing within or Christ within but these operations of his spirit within are no where in Scripture called the Lord's Christ our only Saviour And if thou own no other Mediator Christ or Saviour then what is described in these Scriptures thou mentions then necessarily thou disowns the Lord Iesus Christ of Nazareth a man approved of God c. Thus far R. G. telling us of the writings of that enlightned man Iacob Behm Observe Here the â—enour and tendency of R. G's Answer how Antichristian it is he appears here plainly as owning another Mediator Christ or Saviour then that Christ that said I am come a light into the world I am the vine c. and we ask was not he Jesus of Nazareth and of whom it is testified in Scripture Christ in you Christ the power and wisdom of God He that hath the Son hath life who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity c. But R. G. doth not own this Christ to be the Lord 's Christ or Jesus Christ of Nazareth but he must have some other Christ then this Christ that is described in those Scriptures before but dare he say that Iacob Behm owns his doctrine herein for this Christ who is the Word the Light the Christ in Believers the power and wisdom of God speaking in Sainâ—s R. G. deems but as operations of the Spirit and not Christ the Operator Saviour or Redeemer wherein he is greatly mistaken and has out-run himself