him into all Truth as he obeyes it Bap. Abel Enoch Abraham Isaac Jacob Noah c. had a Sufficient Rule before the Scriptures were written viz. the Spirit 's Rule God's Speaking and Directions from his own Mouth and that they had a more Infallible Word to waâ—k by then now is to us For 't is possible that some Scriptures may be corrupted having been in the hands of corrupted Men. The Scriptures may be and is corrupted by Man This may be graâ—ted that the Spirit is the Rule Of more Efficacy then the Letter The Spirit is greater then the Letter Jo. Newman's Light Within page 19 20 104 105 106 108 110 112. VIII Qua. 'T is possible for True Believers through the Power and Help of Jesus Christ to attain to such a Perfection in this Life as the keeping the Commandments of God Bap. The Spirit of God assures us that they who are subject to and keep the Commandments of God are the Children of God and they who do not are Lyars 1 John 2.3 4. cap. 5.2 3. Contin p. 61. IX Qua. That Remission and Pardon of Sins past thrâ—ugh the Blood Righteousness of Christ Jesus tâ—e Justification of Persons whether it import the making or declaring them Righteous in Christ by a Living Faith are neither imputed nor reckon'd of God tâ— thâ—m in an Unconverted Unsanctified Disobedient or Ungodly State but to the truly Repentant Converted Believing and Obedient Souls Bap. I know of none that hold Justification of Persons in their Vngodliness We plead not for a Righteousness Imputed to overthrow a Righteousness Inherent or the Exercise of Christian Vertues He that is pardoned were a Sinner till justified not such that remain so being satiâ—fied Contin p. 55 56. The Saints are made the Righteousness of God that is God now as in Christ dâ—â—â—'s and â—â—â—s in the Saints hâ— hâ—â—â—pirit writes his Law in their Hearts makes them Partakers of his own Nature and so goes oâ— in Fulfilling his own Righteousness in thâ—â— For the Righteousness of the Law in the Spirit is fulfilled in us Marrow Christian p. 38. X. Qua. Though the Soul and Spirit of Man be not of God's Divine and Infinite Being but related â—o the Being of Man and as Corruptible hath a mutâ—blâ— Habit yet as we are his Off-spring and Man is the Image and Glory of God the Original â—ife oâ— Soul of the Soul that came from God and is immutable is of his own Being In short God in whom we live move and have our Being is the Life of Lives and Great Soul of Son's and the Soul thâ—t is Saved and United to God doth partake of his Divine Nature and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit Bap. The Condescension of God and Christ into the Hearts of his People to woâ—k up his Saints into the sâ—â—â— Nature with himself c. God aâ—d Christ iâ— Holy so his Word is Holâ— and through Faith in tâ—is 〈◊〉 Christians are wrought up into the Nature of it self and into God J. Newman 's Book Light Within p 78 84 87 88. There were the Propeâ—ties oâ— Gâ—â— iâ— some measure imparted to Adam Adam was in the Image of God in respect of Eternity he hâ—d given hâ—m an Everlasting Being Marrow of Christianity pag. 4 5. Christ was both the Power and Wiâ—dom â—f God and as Christ so all the Saints are 〈◊〉 one iâ— thâ—s Wisdom Christ is made unto us Wisdom nâ—t only by wâ—y of Imputation but by the Operatiâ—n of the same â—pirit who dwells as truly in every Believer as in Christ ibid. pag. 34 35. And have not sâ—me of their Brethren confâ—st That there is a kind â—f Infiniteness in the Soul XI Qua. The Children of the Resurrection shall be equal unto the Angels of God in Heaven and their Bodies not Natural Earthly and 〈◊〉 the very Gross Mâ—ttâ—r that nâ—w they are 〈…〉 Celestial Spiritual like uâ—to Chriâ—â—'◠〈◊〉 Body God giveth a Body as it plâ—asâ—th 〈◊〉 in Subjection to whose Good Pleasure we 〈◊〉 quiesce till it be effected as he seâ—th 〈…〉 own Praise Bap. That there shall be a Resurrection of the â—ody at the Last Day is Evident John 5 〈◊〉 11. with 1 Cor. 15. Rev. 20. although 〈…〉 some denyed and by others too caâ—â—lly looke◠〈◊〉 Some thinking that our Bodies of Flesh shall be Raised in the same Form in which it Dyed c. The Form in which they shall be raised that is a Spiritual Form not in a Fleshly It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body When Christ who is our Life shall pâ—eâ—r we shall appear with him in Glory all Flesh shall he swâ—llowed up in â—pirit and our Bodies shall be changed and made like unto his Glorious Body Marrow of Christianity by T.C. pag. 93 94 95. And those Saints who are alive at the Coming of Christ shall be changed in a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eâ—e 1 Cor. 15.51 52. and so shall be caught up in the Spirit to meet the Lord in the Air 1 Thes 4.17 Ibid. p. 92. XII Qua. The Son of God doth not consist or is not made up of a Humane Body of Flesh Blood and Bones For he was the Word and One in Being with the Father from Everlasting But in the Fulness of Time he took upon him Flesh or that Body prepared for him and being Ascended into Glory his Body is a Glorious Body surpassing all Humane Earthly Carnal and Corruptible Bodies Bap. Christ was a Son by a Spiritual Proceeding and Coming from the Father who was Eternally One in the Father Marrow of Châ— p. 30. Our Bodies shall be changed and made like his Glorious Body Ibid. p. 95. Theâ— shall be raised in a Spiritual Form not in a Fleshly p. 94. The â—on took Flesh upon him the Word took Fleâ—h the Father did prepare him a Body Dialogue p. â—5 4â— and 83. XIII Qua. Christ being so highly exalted and Glorified as it God's Right Hand as he is can be neither Proof nor Argument that he is not iâ— any Man nor that either Christ or God's Right Hand is limited and circumscribed to such Remotâ—ness as not to be in the True Believers to save and uphold their Souls Bap. When a Soul is satisfied from its Vnion with God and its Dwelling in God that all the Administrations and makings forth of God is Love unto it thus it dwells in Love and from hence is filled with Joy It causeth the Soul alwayes to dwell at the Right Hand of God where is Joy and Pleasure for evermore Marrow of Christian p. 28. Christ the Son was Eternally one in the Father so in him all Believers are made by the same Spirit the Adopted Sons of God being made Partakers of the same Divine Nature Marrow of Christian p. 30. Christ dwells Spiritually in all the Saints If Christ be in you you shall be sensible of it Ibid p 31.32 Tâ—is Indwelling of Christ in his People God and Christ cannot be
Talking the other a Doing Christian I in short argue thus If none can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but they that do the Father's Will then none are justified but they who do the Father's Will because none can enter into the Kingdom but such as are justified Since therefore there can be no Admittance had without Performing that Righteous Will and Doing those Holy and perfect Sayings Alas to what Value will an imputative Righteousness amount when a poor Soul shall awake polluted in his Sin by the hasty Calls of Death to make its Appearance before the Judgment Seat where 't is impossible to justifie the Wicked or that any should escape uncondemned but such as do the Will of God 2. For not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified From whence how unanswerably may I observe Unless we become Doers of that Law which Christ came not to destroy but as our Example to fulfil we can never be justified before God wherefore Obedience is so absolutely necessary that short of it there can be no Acceptance Nor let any fancy that Christ hath so fulfill'd it for them as to exclude their Obedience from being requisite to their Acceptance but only as their Pattern For unless ye follow me saith Christ ye cannot be my Disciples And it is not only repugnant to Reason but in this place particularly refuted for if Christ had fulfill'd it on our behalf and we not enabled to follow his Example there would not be Doers but One Doer only of the Law justified before God In short if without Obedience to the Righteous Law none can be justified then all the Hearing of the Law with but the meer Imputation of anothers Righteousness whilst actually a Breaker of it is excluded as not justifying before God If you fulfill the Royal Law ye do well so speak ye and so DO as they that shall be judg'd thereby 3. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live No Man can be dead and justified before God for so He may be justified that lives after the Flesh therefore they only can be justified that are alive from whence this follows If the Living are justified and not the Dead and that none can live to God but such as have mortified the Deeds of the Body through the Spirit then none can be justified but they who have mortified the Deeds of the Body through the Spirit so that justification does not go before but is subsequential to the Mortification of Lusts and Sanctification of the Soul through the Spirit 's operation 4. Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he had offered Isaak his Son upon the Altar Ye see then how that by Works a Man is justified and not by Faith only He that will seriously peruse this Chapter shall doubtless find some to whom this Epistle was writen of the same Spirit with the Satisfactionists and Imputarians of our tâ—me they fain would have found out a Justification from Faith in and the Imputation of anothers Righteousness but James an Apostle of the most high God who experimentally knew what true Faith and Justification meant gave them to understand from Abraham's self-denying Example that unless their Faith in the Purity and Power of God's Grace had that effectual Operation to subdue every beloved Lust wean from every Dallila and intirely to resign and sacrifice Isaak himself their Faith was a Fable or as a Body without a Spirit and as Righteousness therefore in one Person cannot justify another from Unrighteousness so whoever now pretends to be justified by Faith whilst not led and guided by the Spirit into all the Wayes of Truth and Works of Righteousness their Faith they will find at last Fiction Consequences Irreligious and Irrational 1. It makes God guilty of what the Scriptures say is an Abomination to wit that he justifieth the Wicked 2. It makes him look upon Persons as they are not or with respect which is unworthy of his most Equal Nature 3. He is hereby at Peace with the Wicked if justified whilst Sinners who said There is no Peace to the Wicked 4. It does only imply Communion with them here in an Imperfect State but so to all Eternity for whom he justifieth them he also glorifieth Therefore whom he justify'd whilst Sinners them he also glorify'd whilst Sinners 5. It only secures from the Wages not the Dominion of Sin whereby something that is sinful becomes justify'd and that which defileth to enter God's Kingdom 6. It renders a Man justify'd and condemn'd dead and alive redeemed and not redeemed at the same time the one by an Imputative Righteousness the last by a Personal Unrighteousness 7. It flatters Men whilst subject to the World's Lusts with a State of Justification and thereby invalids the very End of Christ's Appearance which was to destroy the Works of the Devil and take away the Sins of the World CHAP. X. Of the Doctrine of Sanctification and Perfection The Ignorance or Malice of T. Hicks Detected OF the Doctrine of Sanctification he has several Vnsanctified Passages though he bestows not much time upon that Important Subject some of which I shall take a little notice of Christ Let us understand your Opinion of Sanctification what it is Out of Ed. Burroughs he answereth himself thus Quak. 'T is Christ Hence we conclude to say Sanctification is Imperfect in this Life is as much as to say Christ is Imperfect To which he replies Christ 'T is true 't is Jesus Christ by his Spirit is the Author and Worker of Sanctification but will it therefore follow that the Work of Sanctification in us is Christ or that this Work is perfect in all its Degrees Now let any tell me wherein T. Hicks could have more grosly mistaken E. Burroughs who frequently insults over the Grave and Labours of that Faithful Servant of the Lord then he has done on purpose I doubt not to insinuate his Belief of the contrary to what he opposed But hear Edw. Burrough's Words at large in Answer to Priest Eaton Thou sayest Sanctification is not Perfect in this Life And the New Man the Spirit or Law of the Mind is that Grace or Imperfect Sanctification Then Christ is not Perfect in this Life for He is made of God unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 In this it is evident First That the Priest did not so much strike at the Work done in the Creature as at the Perfection of the Principle by which the Work should be perfected in the Creature 2dly E. Burroughs did not in that place meerly intend the Work of Sanctification but the Author and Worker of it who is oftentimes called by the Name of the Work it self the Cause by the Effect as is plain from the Scripture quoted in which he used but Paul's Words How basely done was it
the Eternal Destruction of and Hatred to the greater part of Mankind or the Passing them by with Displeasure for that End Whereas T.H. quotes me for saying That I cannot believe that he Christ hath a Personal Being at the right hand of God without all Men To this he subscribed G. Whitehead Christ ascended p. 18. Those are not my Words he hath falsly cited them but these are mine I cannot believe his Body to be a Carnal Body in Heaven or that he consists of a Carnal Existence See Christ Ascended p. 18. It seems that by Personal Being he means such a Carnal Body but he doth not vindicate his Brother Newman his asserting Christ to be a Body of Flesh and Blood in Heaven a Personal Being at the right Hand of God without all Men remote c. and this to prove that Christ doth not dwell in any Man Which I opposed The â—oâ—ition as Uâ—scriptural the Consequence as false as not only confining and limiting Christ from his Saints but God and his right hand also unto a remoteness from his Temple how then doth his Right Hand save and uphold us In all which thâ—se Baptists shew their too carnal and mean Thâ—ughts of Jesus Christ as in Glory and of God and is right hand of Power wherein they are fully answered as also about Christ's Second Coming to Salvation Christ ascended p. 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 and 69 But when T.H. can neither vindicate his Brother Newman's Limitation or Confinement put upon Christ and Gâ—â—'s Right Hand nor answer my Objections against him he Queries viz. Is Christ no â—tâ—â—rw scâ—â— God's Right Hand then as he is in you p. 43. and wiâ—h this agrees the Socinians false Inference drawn from my Words Controversie ended p. 48.49 his Words are It seems then that Jesus Christ is no otherwise in Heaven then he is in the Saints which is as false as his Saying that we do absolutely deny Christ to be a Man p. 47. herein both the Water-Baptist Socinian have drawn a false Inference upon my Objection for though I 〈…〉 that Christs being in Glory at God's râ—â—â—thâ—â—d of Power is no Proof that he is not in Man 〈◊〉 is 〈◊〉 be proved that God and his right hand are 〈◊〉 only to a remoteness from all Men and so that he is not Infinite God or that his right hand is meerly to be taken Literally as a Man's hand It follows not that I intend that Jesus Christ is not otherwise in Heaven at God's right hand then as in the Saints on Earth for his Exaltation and Glory into which he is ascended not only into the Heavens but far above the Heavens Transcends that Degree attained in these Suffering Earthly Tabernacles his inaccessible Glory is above Men and Angels above all Suffering Natures and Conditions he is made higher then the Heavens in all things hath the Preheminence yet not excluded nor limited from his People so far as they are made capable to receive him nor from being touched with the feeling of their Infirmities And it is said whilst we are at home or Strangers in the Body we are absent from the Lord. 2 Cor. 5. which though it cannot be as remotely separate from his Presence yet in Comparison of that more Full and Glorious Enjoyment that we shall have of him when absent from the Body there is a Degree of Absence while Strangers in the Body howbeit by Faith whereby we now walk we have both a living Knowledge and Enjoyment of him and walk with him being the Sons of God though it appears not what we shall be The Socinian tells uâ— of a Personal Christ Con. End Pag 47. and that the Man Jesus our Lord although he is the Eternal God has in Heaven a place remote from Earth a Humane Body p 49. But doth he believe that Jesus Christ is the Eternal God I cannot think it while he imagins him to be a Personal Christ or Humane Body so â—â—â—â—ted or confined into a Remoteness But seeing these Anabaptists Socinians do so much concur in their opposing us because we cannot own their Limitations and Unscriptural Terms about Christ's Being I ask both the Author of Controversie Ended and Tho Hicks If they really believe that Jesus Christ is a Humane Body of Flesh Blood and Bones and in that Sense a Personal Being not in Man according to J. Newman or that he consists of a Humane Body of Flesh and Bones according to Henry Grigg in his Light from the Sun p. 30 31.33 But is it good Doctrine to say that his Glorious Body that we shall be fashioned like unto is a Humane Body If in thâ—se things they agree as they seem to do then doth it not follow that they must concur in the Consequences viz That though they own three distinct Persons in the Deity yet not Coeternal Persons but that Jesus Christ is a meer Creature a Personal Being or Humane Body of Flesh Blood and Bones and therein limited But if Socinians do not look upon Christ's Personal Being in that gross Sense but rather with respect to his Spiritual Existence then is not Christ confined to a Remoteness from the Saints for they have received of the Spirit of the Son but then what mean these Men by Humane Body in Heaven Is not Humane Body an Earthly Body Hence it seems we must look upon Personal Being as applicable to the Father Son and Spirit in a different Sense viz. 1. To the Being of God 2. To the Being of Christ as a Creature 3. Else to the Body that he took upon him in time whereas Christ the Son of God who took upon him that Body that was prepared for him did pre-exist or was before that Body and therefore he himself consists not of such a Personal Created Being or Humane gross Body as is limitable like our Earthly Bodies the Asserters of a Trinity of three distinct Persons do not call them so many Personal Beings but distinguish the Personallity from the Being and though Christ was made a little lower then the Angels in his Suffering State in the dayes of his Flesh on Earth yet he is above Angels in his Glorified Estate and surely then his Glorious Being and Body must not be inferiour to their's If T.H. would strictly limit us to confess our Creed in his terms 't is meet they should be strictly defined and he to be at some Certainty without varying therein as from Jesus Christ God Man a Person without thee to Jesus Christ hath a Personal Being at God's Right Hand without us I question whether he rightly knows either what Person Being Essence or Substance is In the first he concludes God as well as Man under the Limitation of Person without in the second that Christ hath a Personal Being without us how then doth God and Christ consist thereof or is that Personal Being But if by Personal Being he intends an Intelligent Being or Rational Substance I grant Christ is such a Being
was Life and the Life was the Light of Men That if the Life was the Divine Essence the Light must be so also for such as the Cause is such the Effect must be Upon which sayes T. Hicks From this kind of reasoning we may conclude not only the Light within but every Creature both Beasts and Trees are God these being Effects of infinite Wisdom and Power Dost thou not Tremble at this Consequence Answ This very thing shews great Dis-ingenuity in T. Hicks That from G. Whiteheads asserting and proving the divine Nature of the Light within he should insinuate that every Measure of Light in Man is whole God and which is yet more gross to conclude from G. Whiteheads saying Such as the Cause is such the Effect must be that Beasts and Trees are God because the Effects of his Power whereas G. Whitehead did not intend it of a meer Potential but Natural Effect that is something resulting from the Nature and not the meer Power of the Divine Life Men are the Natural Off-spring Product of Men but so are not all those other things in the Creation which are notwithstanding the Effects of their Art and Power so that there needs no Trembling at G. W's Blasphemy as he afterwards calls it but better Information to T. Hicks's Ignorance or Rebuke to his wilful Blindness Of this I refer the Reader to G. W's Part of that larger Volum Again G.W. affirm'd it must be God because to deny it so to be was to deny the Omnipresence of God Then it seems says T.H. that the Light within and the Omnipresence of God is one and the same thing with him Is this your Champion May we not conclude the Body of Man as well as the Light within to be God by this Reason Answ By no means and 't is a Shame to hear that a Man pretending to Controversy should ask so ridiculous a Question Is there no Difference betwixt a Man whose Reines are on his Neck following the Lust of the flesh the Lust of the Eye and the Pride of Life and the Light within that T.H. himself acknowledgeth to convince of Sin reprove for it and unto which Man ought to give Attendance Is there as clear a Proof of the Omnipresence of God in the one as in the other I would know who is he that searcheth the Hearts and trieth the Reins and telleth Man his Thoughts do not the Scriptures attribute this to God and that as the most convincing Proof of his Omnipresence And if he doth so search the Hearts and try the Reins let us understand if it be not as the Great Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World since the Scriptures testify that God is Light that every Man is enlightened that God searcheth all Hearts and that what ever doth make manifest is Light Now unless a Man may have his Heart searched his Reins tryed his Deeds manifested judg'd without an inward Light it must necessarily follow that the Light within present with us every where is to us the great Proof of Gods Omnipresence and therefore of God And though every measure of Light distinctly is not that Intire Eternal Being yet we are bold to assert that it is no other then God the Fulness of all Light who searcheth the Heart and tryeth the Reins and telleth Man his thoughts that doth shine into the Inward parts of Man and doth there convince of Sin reprove for it and lead out of it as believed and obeyed And 't is by this Inward Discovery chiefly Men come to know that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that fear him whence when Men are Innocent it is frequent with them to say being unjustly accused my Heart misgives me not my Conscience doth not condemn me I have good Courage to look my Accuser in the Face A State transcending the utmost Stretch of all T. H's imagined Christianity In short T. Hicks's confident Conclusions against us arise from these Mistakes First He infers from Mans being Ignorant of all he ought to know the Inability of the Light to inform him never considering Man's Obedience or Rebellion 2 ly From Christs being the Light that enlightens every Man every Man 's having the whole Christ in him And thirdly from our asserting God and Christ to be one our Denial of Christs Outward Person and Bodily Appearance at Jerusalem see pag. 3 4 5 6 7 14. of the Dialog and 41 contin of the Dial. with much more of that sort Than which what can be more grosly Injurious to any People Either let him leave of Writing or understand better what he writes against us In short we are willing to let the Controversie ly here that the Quakers own promote and assert that the Life of God which is the Light of Men with which every Man is enlightened is sufficient to everlasting Salvation And Thomas Hicks asserts and promotes that this Life of God which is the Light of Men with which all Men are enlightened is not sufficient to Salvation I am not willing to break my Design of following his Charge and Proofs by much controverting the Doctrine in it self since 't is enough for me to shew that the Doctrines and sayings he fastens upon us and the Proofs he brings to maintain them such are not ours yet I am willing to mention one Passage among several others that if I understand any thing is a grand Contradiction to his Opinion of the Light 's Insufficiency He quotes Stephen Crisp thus If the Light ought to be obeyed then it must be sufficient To which T.H. returns this Answer But I appeal to the Light in thee whether this be not an Insufficient Proof I grant it ought to be obeyed so ought the lawful Commands of Magistrates Parents and Masters yet who will thence infer that therefore they are a sufficient Rule to Salvation Answ This cuts the Throat of his whole Design For by the same Reason that such who obey the lawful commands of Masters Parents and Magistrates are to be reputed good Servants Children and Subjects those who obey the Light are good Subjects Children and Servants to God And if those who so keep the Commandments of Parents Masters and Magistrates escape Punishment and obtain their Good Will Favour and Recompence which is an outward Salvation then those who obey the Light by his Allusion do obtain his Favour Love and Recompence of the Reward of Righteousness which Righteousness that it might be fulfilled in us so obeying and walking after his Spirit was the End of God's giving his Son a Light condemning Sin and that they that walk thereafter might not have Condemnation minding the things of the Spirit of God the Spirit of him that raised up Christ from the Dead the Spirit of Christ Christ in them not minding the Things of the Flesh which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Minding as it may be render'd cannot be subject to the Law of God
the value of a Thousand Pounds whilst he is not really or personally worth a Groat from the Imputation of another who has it all in his Possâ—ssion Dangerous because it begets a confident Peâ—swasion in many People of their being Justified â— whilst in Captivity to those Lusts whose Reward is Condemnation whence came that usual Saying amongst many Professors of Religion That God looks not on them as they are in Themselves but as they are in Christ not considering that none can be in Christ who are not New Creatures which those cannot be reputed who have not disrobed themselves of their old Garments but are still immantled with the Corruptions of the Old Man In all which I see nothing Unsober or Unsound But he thinks he has caught me fast in my Caveat against Popery where in distinguishing betwixt Grace and Merit I say Grace is a Free Gift requiring nothing and now ask sayes he was not Abraham Justified by Works and that Good Works may be said to procure deserve or obtain Apol. 198. Is this writ like an Infallible Dictator Thus far T.H. There is an old Proverb That some love the Treason but hate the Traitor No Man that writes rants it more imperiously then Tho. Hicks It is hard to say whether his Dishonesty or his Impudence be the greater I think I never used Tho. Hicks so ill or any of his Way as to deserve so many Scoffing Taunts Base Detractions and Down-right Scurrilities from his hand But let that pass To the Point Hear what I have said in the Caveat p. 12. Grace and Merit as stated by Calvinists and Papists are taken for Faith without Works and Works without Faith like the two Poles Doctrines the most opposite Now Rewardableness is neither but something in the middle and indeed the most true for Grace is a Free Gift requiring nothing Merit is a Work proportionable to the Wages Rewardableness is a Work without which God will not bestow his Favour and yet not the Meritorious Cause for that there is no Proportion betwixt the Work that is finite and temporary and the Reward which is infinite and eternal in which sense both the Creature obeyes the Commands of God and does not Merit but Obtain only and God rewards the Creature and yet so as that he freely gives too Now what Contradiction is there in all this I plainly distinguish the Word Merit in the strictest Acceptation of it from that which is truly Scriptural respecting us at least That I did not mention Merit in my Sandy Foundation Shaken the Book proves Is there no Difference between obtaining the Justifying Presence of God by the Fruits of the Spirit in our Heart and Lives and strictly meriting his Acceptance of us by Works and those of our own making too as what T.H. doth wickedlâ— suggest I say Abraham was justified in offering up his Son because he had been condemned if he had disobeyed But sayes T. Hicks He was Justified before And why was not his whole Life mention'd to his Justification But I must tell T.H. that as among Men the Will is taken for the Deed so the Lord finding Abraham right in his Heart that he believed and would obey he was as much justified therein as if he had actually done it We have cause to believe T. Hicks never knew what the Consequence of that working Faith and offering up an Isaac to God is Nor was it needful to recite the whole of his Life Measures are frequently taken by some eminent Tryal If he was accepted in that Obedience being the Condition where that was before he was before accepted no doubt But sayes he see the Caveat p. 12. and Apol. p. 198. How do they agree Truly very well For Grace is Free requiring nothing How Nothing at all By no means How then is it free Grace is free because it was the good Pleasure of God both to give Remission of Sins and Eternal Life to as many as should Repent Believe and Obey to the End and thereby come to be conformed to the Image of his Son But may T. Hicks say Is Repenting nothing Believing nothing Obeying nothing No T.H. not one jot of Merit in all that It is the great Grace of God to give us Eternal Life upon so small Conditions They obtain it but that is God's good Pleasure and no Purchase therefore Grace still All that is our Duty the Reward is Free God giveth it but chuses a Way by which to do it If T.H. will understand Grace as my Caveat condemns it I cannot help that sure I am I never writ such Doctrine as my Faith and therefore no Contradiction to my self whatever it may be to him But sayes he Your Apology speaks that good Works may be said to procure deserve or obtain c. My Apology as my self and other Books are not Apology enough for me and my Friends against such Envious Perverters as T.H. though I doubt not but they may be effectually such with more moderate Persons thus it speaks The Word Merit so much snarled at allows a two-fold Signification the First a Proportion or Equaliâ—y betwixt the Work and Wages which is the strictest sense and that which he S. Fisher least of all intended The Second something that may be said to procure AND IN SOME SENSE to deserve or obtain and so good Works do since without them there is no Acceptance with God nor Title to Eternal Life Where it is observable how basely he has left out both my absolute Denyal of the strict Sense of the Word MERIT and those qualifying and distinguishing Words which come after Procure and before Deserve namely AND IN SOME SENSE to deserve or obtain with the last Clause Certain it is that whatever sense I had T. Hicks took me in the worst he could invent yea in that very sense which all along I have most particularly refused and condemned A Baseness and piece of Forgery unworthy of any Man pretending to Good Conscience But he proceeds still much after the same manner he would have People believe That we assert the Ground of our Rejoycing and Acceptance to be not in and from the Righteousness of Christ imputed to us by Faith where observe that WHOLELY WITHOUT US is omitted to render us Denyers of Christ's Righteousness in any sense but only in a Righteousness inherent in us and done by us Which great Untruth he gives the Lye to in his own Book But because he pretends to fetch this out of my S.F. Shaken p 27. let 's hear what I have said But let every Man prove his own Work and then shall he have Rejoâ—cing in himself alone and not in another Be not deceived for whatsoever a Man soweth that shall he reap If Rejoycing and Acceptance with God or the contrary are to be reaped from the Work that a Man soweth either to the Flesh or to the Spirit then is the Doctrine of Acceptance and Ground of Rejoâ—cing from the
Works of another utterly excluded every Man reaping according to what HE hath sown and bearing HIS OWN Burden The Question will now be Whether I meant this of the Creature alone or by the Assistance of God's Holy Spirit by which his Children are led Concerning which I need say no more then what that Book speaks in my Defence yea that very Page from whence he fetches this pretended Dangerous Assertion For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God How clearly will it appear to any but a Cavilling and Tenacious Spirit that Man can be no further Justified then as he becomes obedient to the Spirit 's Leadings For if none can be a Son of God but HE that 's led by the Spirit of God then none can be justified without being led by the Spirit of God because none can be Justified but he that is a Son of God so that the Way to Justification and Son-ship is through Obedience to the Spirit 's Leadings By all which it appears that I am not speaking of Remission of Sins as if by our Conformity to the Spirit it self we could so justifie our selves No but that by being Led by the Spirit of God and Fulfilling of his Royal Law Men come to be accepted as Children of God and the Ground of their Joy is from their own Experience of the Work of God in them What was it made the Faithful Servants that improved their Talents be accepted and gave an Entrance to the Wise Virgins into the Bride-groom's Chamber Were it not the Improvements of the one and the Oyl in the Lamps of the other And if T. Hicks come not to know that holy State he shall never know Eternal Rejoycings that is the Word of Truth to him For such as he sows such shall he reap in God's Day of Account Wherefore that Scripture by him brought out of Isaiah makes greatly for us Surely shall one say in or from the Lord have I Righteousness that is not in or from my self In the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified and shall glory Is there no being in the Life Power Nature and Virtue of that Seed then no Salvation Also that of the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians Christ is made unto us Righteousness wherefore let him that glorieth glory in the Lord. For this I affirm and that with Boldness and Truth that Isaiah and Paul speak of a Real and Inward Righteousness not the less in the Creature because not of the Creature but of Christ Was not Paul's Righteousness the Son of God revealed â—n him that everlasting Righteousness that Christ binding and casting out of the strong Man making an End of Sin and finishing of Transgression he brought and brings into the Soul For that their Righteousness should be in or from him or that he should be made their Righteousness they never know a being cloathed and made Righteous by it were Absurd and Impossible In short As we know no Righteousness out of Christ our Lord so knowing his Appearance in us and that Grace for Grace received of his Fulness in whom are hid the Treasures of Wisdom and Knowledge and being obedient thereunto we know and witness a Participation of his Everlasting Righteousness Holy Wisdom and Saving Knowledge which qualifie and adorn the Soul for the blessed Marriage of the Lamb who takes away the Sins of the World not only the Guilt of Sins past by Remission upon Repentance but as a Redeemer from under the Power and Nature of Sin present and to come through the Virtue of his Holy Life in the Soul which is the Compleatment of Justification and the Thing now insisted on Lastly he gives under the Quakers name as a dangerous Doctrine this Passage Justification goes not before but is consequential to the mortifying of Lusts and the Sanctification of the Soul Penn Sand. Found Sh. p. 27. To which he answers Doth not this import that a Man must be formally just before he be justified I would ask whether Remission of Sins be not one part of Justification Qua. I suppose it may Chr. Can one be forgiven that is not Guilty It looks like a Contradiction to pardon one that is Innocent Certainly he that is pardoned must be a Sinner To all which I return this much were he True and Honest in his Reasoning I had been to blame for my Ignoronce and T. Hicks to be commendable for his Answer but he dodges basely He would avoid my Argument about the second part of Justification by suggesting that I meant it of the first to wit Remission of Sins as much as if he had said What must all Sin be mortified before a Man be pardoned his old Score and can a Man 's own Good Works so remit Cancel or justifie But his Sleight will not do I have oftâ—n declared that upon Repentance God doth not impute past Iniquity to any therefore that part of his Answer which seems most smart upon me that is Can one be forgiven that is not Guilty c. vanisheth of Course for the Question is not Whether Man in his natural Estate is Guilty before God and such can be no otherwise so justified that is Remitted then by the free Love of God which is the first part of Justification as David speaks Blessed is the Man unto whom the Lord will not impute Sin But whether Men are daily accepted as Children of God redeemed and saved of the Lord and justified as such in his Presence further than as they come to be led by his holy Spirit and know Victory over Sin which is the second part of Justification So that he did dishonestly with me to suggest my Denyal of Remission of Sins past upon any other Score then the Mortification of Sin in the Party so pardoned For though Sin may not be mortified yet if there be a Foundation of true Repentance laid the Guilt of former Iniquities I have often said is not imputed It was therefore very unfairly done of him from my Asserting daily Acceptance and Fellowship with God to be the Consequent of a Self-denying and mortified Life through the powerful Working of the Spirit of Christ in Man to infer that before this Work was done there could be no Remission of Sins past as if it were the procuring Cause of Pardon and not the free Love of God upon Repentance In short it is to say that because I deny Men may be justified in the second Sense without being made truly and really Just that therefore Men are to be made Just and Innocent before they are forgiven which is Justification in the first Sense And thus has he dodg'd disingenuously with me throughout this Point Where I meant by Justification Remission of Sins he has run It the other way And when I have understood it of a State of Fellowship and daily Acceptance with God then he has taken it for Remission with manifest Design to render me as confus'd
then in Tho. Hicks not only to leave out what the Priest asserted but to misconstrue E. B's Answer and that such Perversion might go the more Unquestionable omit the Insertion of that Scripture in which Christ is by the Aâ—stle said to be made Sanctification to the Saints the mention of which would have given a clear Understanding of E. Burroughs's Answer and broke the Neck of his Ungodly Purpose to misrepresent him We say and it was the Faith and Tendency of the Writings of that Just Man 1. To assert a Perfect Principle of Righteousness and Sanctification which is Sanctification and Perfection in the abstract 2. The Possibility of being Perfectly Sanctified by it 3. That such Sanctification when taken for the Author of it who is the Fountain of all Holiness and Purity is Compleat and Perfect 4. When taken for the Work of the Spirit in the Creature it is first Perfect in Degree only but as the Creature comes into perfect Subjection unto the Spirit and Power of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead which hath wrought that Perfection in Degree he comes to experience that Sanctification throughout in Body Soul and Spirit which the Apostle otherwise minded then T. Hicks prayed the Churches might witness which is that blessed State wherein he that 's born of God SINS NOT Old things are done away ALL IS BECOME NEW No more I but Christ that liveth in me I write unto you Young Men because ye have OVERCOME the Wicked One Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect unto a PERFECT MAN That the Man of God may be PERFECT The God of Peace make you PERFECT IN EVERY GOOD WORK The God of all Peace make you PERFECT Let us cleanse our selves from ALL FILTHINESS OF FLESH AND SPIRIT Perfecting Holiness in the Fear of the Lord. With many more Places of like Importance But he objects Why doth the Apostle exhort Sanctified Persons to put off the Old Man from Coloss 3.5 If where the Old Man the Body of Sin remains none are Sanctified as saith E.B. This indeed is the Drift of the Man he would be Sanctified whilst Unsanctified as Dangerous as it is Absurd For what thing can be and not be the same thing at one and the same time But I deny they were then Sanctified who stood in need of that Reproof and Exhortation to wit that they should mortifie such Lusts as Fornication Vncleanness Inordinate Affection and Covetousness which is Idolatry Sanctifying such are who are Mortifying but when Sin is not Mortifying none are Sanctifying and where Sin is not Mortified no Man is Sanctified We may easily see what a Church-Fellowship T.H. can allow of and what a Gospel-Sanctification it is he pleads for Can Men be Sanctified and yet so Corrupt If they can tell me in what sense and from what they are cleansed Is this the End of pleading for Perfection in Degree to allow these Abominable Enormities as Church-Infirmities Away for Shame But that a perfect Sanctification is no Heresie suppose they had been Sanctify'd Persons to whom the Apostle wrote which could not be Sanctifying was the most yet since he exhorted them to put off the Old Man which Old Man is the Body of Sin and that when he is off he is not on and that the Apostle exhorted them Not to an Impossible thing I conclude from his Question that a State of Perfect Sanctification is attainable He pretended to correct E. B's Extravagancy but whatever Face he puts upon it this is the Mark he aims at To conclude and sum up his Ungodly Method E.B. speaks of a Perfect Sanctification in Christ T.H. infers that same perfect Sanctification immediately to the Creature not only confounding the Worker and Work the Cause and the Effect about which one piece of Baseness he bestows not a little Pains but suggesting thereby that we deny all Sanctification or Perfection in Degree and that we are as compleatly Perfect as Christ himself Next He leaves out those words that would best explain his Mind And Lastly All his Opposition is because the Quakers are for having Men Sanctify'd before they are Accounted so and New Creatures before they ought to be reputed Good Christians which so directly Vn-churches and Vn-christians T. Hicks that we may well believe it a main Reason for his Implacableness against them CHAP. XI Of COMMANDS MOTIONS and MINISTRY T. Hicks proved Vnjust to us and an Enemy to God's Law Gospel the Quakers and himself HE has not less abused and belyed us in these three Particulars then any thing he has written against us which I shall briefly shew To this Passage in E. Burroughs's Works That is no Command to me which is a Command to another neither did any of the Saints act by a Command that was given to another he thus answers Then that Law which forbids Idolatry Adultery Murder Theft and Bearing false Witness is no Law to you And after having made this indirect Consequence he breaketh forth Impiously Horrid Vngodly Irreverent Patronizers of Blasphemy Countenancers of such Novices Prophane Scribler and abundance more Now though I have said something to this before and have largely vindicated that Passage against J. Faldo yet I cannot well omit touching here upon it the Matter being so aggravated by this disingenuous Person These Commands must either relate to Ordinary or Extraordinary Duty I mean they must either be such Commands as that of Moses 's going to Pharaoh Isaiah's going Naked Jeremiah 's making Yoaks Amos 's going to the Kings's Chappel with many more And here I do affirm with that Faithful Young Man of God that the Command which came to them not coming to another that other Person is not only not warranted but condemnable in an Imitation of any of them If then such Extraordinary Commands as these before mentioned must not be intended then those that are Ordinary and Common to Mankind as Fearing God and working Righteousness towards God towards their Relations both Natural and Civil Now I would ask T.H. if he believes that Idolatry Murder Adultery Theft and Bearing false Witness be not reproved by the Common Light in all Men if not T.H. gives the Lye to all Mankind and his own Books too Nay what is it good for But if they be query If any can confess to one God love his Neighbour be Chaste be Just and speak Truth in his own and Neighbour's Cause without being thereto oblieged by that Light they have Did the Gentiles of old the things contained in the Law without a Word Commandment Law or Light within inducing them thereto I perceive T. Hicks owns no Command in himself against Idolatry Adultery Murder Theft and Bearing false Witness which is to say if the Scripture did not restrain him he should be guilty of all Farewell Grace Spirit Light and all Inward Rule or Judge by which to see taste relish and determine of things But in this Condition
and in which his Holy Spirit leads not by the which only Self is abas'd kept under and in perfect Obedience to and watchfull Observance of God's Holy Will But Tho. Hicks makes this a Strange and Dangerous Doctrine insinuating that we perform nothing but upon a kind of Spiritual Compulsion as if that God required Man to do all his Commandements without his holy Spirit alwayes ready to incline and help them either to begin or perform any such Duty or that there were no Difference between waiting for the natural Springs of Divine Power to assist and being compell'd to worship But this shews his great Ignorance of God's Spirit its dayly Movings upon the Heart of Men either as a Reprover or Comforter for Good for were he better acquainted with its Dealings it would not be so uncouth to him to hear of our Waiting to feel the holy Stirrings of it in order to every Religious Performance wherefore let not his Ignorance be any Argument against our holy Gospel Practice The Saints of old had a Warrant in themselves for what they did They were not wont to run into the Imitation of former Generations as to any External Appointments because then commanded and practised as proper but consulted the Anointing they had receiv'd about the Continuation or Dis-use of such Figures or outward Services and as they receiv'd Wisdom and Counsel therefrom either to use or decline the Practice of them they acted and no otherwise making good the Apostles Saying that as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Are we led by It in ALL things then in and about God's things Had it not been for this how could the Apostles have preach'd down the whole Ceremonial Worship of the Jews The meer Letter of Scriptures could never have been their Rule in the Case If any say they were extraordinarily Inspired I answer how did such as then believ'd know that if not from an Inward Testimony Nay what Rule had the many Thousands then to worship God by The Hebrew Bible was little or not at all known to the Gentiles The Scripture tells us that whole Churches were setled in the Faith before the Epistles were writ And it is hard to think when they were writ that they could be suddenly collected and when collected that every Individual could get a Coppy that to be sure ought to have a Rule for Printing was not so early in the World and Transscribing must needs have been to Irksome for every Person to obtain a Coppy for his or her peculiar Benefit But because we are taught to believe that they wanted not True Rule of Faith and Practice and that the Scriptures especially of the new Testament could not be all that to them our present Adversaries conclude to make the great Rule let them not be displeas'd if I infer from hence that a Measure of that Holy Spirit which was given to every one to profit with was their Rule and therefore ought to be our great Rule and Guide in all things relating to Faith and Worship And let it be remembred that Christ promised to send the Spirit of Truth to lead into all Truth as much as to say none are led into the Truth nor in the Truth but by the holy Spirit of Truth or that their Practice is a Ly or they are led into a Ly who are not led by the Spirit of Truth that alone leads into all the Wayes of Truth where by Truth is not to be understood the meer Letter of the Scripture which notwithstanding is True but the Living Powerful Truth Christ the Way the Truth and the Life of which the Scripture is but a Record or Declaration Many may run into a Practice of several Outward Things mentioned in the Scriptures to have been the Practices of the Saints of former Ages and yet not be led into the Truth for all that is but Will-Worship Imitation and Unwarrantable To be led into the Truth is to be led into God's Living Power Wisdom and Righteousness whose Fruits are Peace and Assurance for ever This is the Truth the Spirit leads and is all-sufficient to Certainly Christ intended This for the Great Evangelical Leader Rule Judge Law-giver and Guide through the whole course of Regeneration the only Way into the Everlasting Kingdom And all those who are not by this Holy Spirit prepared moved and assisted to perform Divine Worship unto God but run into that weighty Duty or any other supposed Ordinance without its pure Leadings which makes it a Spiritual and Living Worship they are but those anciently fore-told of LORD LORD-CRYERS whose Portion shall be that dismal Depart from me I know you not who has requir'd these things at your hands Let this therefore be a Warning unto all Professors in the Name of the Lord that they run no longer Vnsent nor think to be accepted for their many Words God regards the Heart that he has broken and is made contrite before him and which trembles at his Word 'T is not meer Worship but that which is Spiritual which he expects and accepts and to perform that Man must Cease from his own Spirit Strength Strivings and Imitations and become Dumb before the Lord and as a Man dead to Self-Performance and then will he breath into him the Spirit of Supplication and raise him up in the Newness of his own Divine Life whereby though but in Sighs and Groans a Spiritual and most Acceptable Worship shall be offered unto God in which his Soul will be well pleased and every such one come to be refresht and establisht in Righteousness For all Offerers and Vpholders of strange Fire of what sort of People soever they may be in the Great and Notable Day of the Lord God will he cause to lie down in Sorrow And because he thinks his Advantage is not small that he hath against us by basely inferring and aggravating such Consequences as this What of Duty we neglect we are to charge upon the Spirit 's not moving us to it or because we must not obey without a Motion we are acquitted from all Fault till then c. Let me tell him that he striketh himself and not the Quakers For they hold that God's Spirit ought to be daily waited for And that it is alwayes ready to inform and instruct Man's Soul and to move it to those Thoughts Words and Deeds with respect to God and Man as are Well-pleasing to the Almighty For we do not only teach that the Spirit of God is alwayes present to convince of Sin but to lead out of it and in that Way of holy Living which is well-pleasing unto God In short God's Worship stands in the Spirit and I testifie from the Eternal God all other Worship then what springs from a Mind touch'd sanctify'd and mov'd of his holy quickning Spirit is abominable to him His Righteous Soul loathes it And what else were their Sacrifices as theirs were who in my hearing said Pray
such things and believe them to be downright Lyes as others that are gone before them However should they be as true as we hope they are false we can but judge them and that we do by the Light of Christ Jesus to the Pit forever But if we should take this Course of proving the Anabaptists those vile Impostors he doth call and pretend to prove the Poor Despised Quakers to be p. 69. How many Miscarriages might we collect and publish against the People that are called by that Name but we do not desire that Prophanists should have any such Theames from us to sport their Unclean Minds upon notwithstanding Thomas Hicks's Liberality to them Is it not then wickedly done in him to tell us in the same page That if a Miscarriage be it is improved by us to make the Truth Odious who without such Arguments and his own Forgery would in Truth have nothing against us But truly it is very hard that we should suffer as we have done for the Miscarriages of other Parties and yet receive these gross Abuses at their hands But our Eye is to the Lord and our Innocent Suffering Cause will he plead in his own time whose Will be done by us and that will be our Everlasting Rejoycing 3. For Masters I must speak my own Experience many have desired to retain us and great Trusts have been reposed in us To whom were we False Of whose Service were we Negligent When did any of us say I am not moved to do this or that when so required thereto Shall a Lying Dialogue be Demonstration enough to prove us what so invective an Adversary would have People believe us to be We do declare to all that the Light whereby we are enlightned alwayes commands and strictly enjoyns us Duty Obedience Love Peace Gentleness Faithfulness Industry Holy Living And whatever is supposed to the Contrary we disclaim it in the Fear and Name of the Righteous God of Heaven and Earth to be no Product of our Holy Principle I shall now attend his Cavils about the Ministry and give a short Taste of the Rancour of his Spirit therein He asks What is the True Ministry To which he maketh G.W. answer Quak. In the New Covenant God is the Teacher of his People himself immediately by his Immediate Spirit Power and Unction Christ Ascended p. 64. Christ If so wherefore were Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers c. giver and set in the Church for the Work of the Ministry And why do you set up one among your selves and appoint Ministers before-hand to speak in such a place and at such a time From whence I plainly collect thus much 1. That T.H. in so many words denyes God's Immediate Teaching by his Spirit Power and Vnction under the Gospel And in that one Expression strikes out what in him lies the whole Pourings out of the Holy Ghost the great Promise of the Father being led by the Spirit no more I but Christ that liveth in me the Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell with them the Anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you or you need not Man's Teaching c. In short the very Dispensation of the Gospel which is a State of Power and Life immediately received of God is denyed by him 2. That in acknowledging such Officers to continue in the Church he must confess to their Qualifications or he does nothing Now that which qualified them was the Receiving of the Holy Ghost and those Heavenly Gifts by it which were necessary for the Discharge of those respective Services in the Church By this it appears that either Thomas Hicks must now yield to Preaching and Praying by the Motion of the Holy Spirit or in opposing of it acknowledge to his own Contradiction that there are no such Apostles Prophets c. who ministred to the Church as any thing was revealed to them the great Evangelical Qualification to the Ministry in our dayes 3. But why should Tho. Hicks therefore degrade the Dispensation because the People are not yet fitted to It or oppose the Means used to bâ—ing them to It to the End for which the Means are employ'd Besides is it Man's Teaching or Christ by and through Man God was in Christ and Christ in his Ministers reconciling the World unto himself that he might be the Immediate Priest Prophet and King to the Souls of People Might not the same Objection be more colourably made against the Apostle John who at that time wherein the Churches were so weak and the Means so many and lately establish't said unto them But the Anointing which ye have receiv'd of him abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no Lye And even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him Where he is so far from meer Man's Teaching T. Hicks's only Teaching that by his words one would think the Churches to whome he wrote had as well been gathered without Means as that he admonished them to abide in that holy Unction as Sufficient to their Instruction and Comfort Therefore let him go ask the Apostle John why Men were to attend upon the holy Anointing as Sufficient not withstanding thosâ— Means then provided And the Answer to that Question will be ours But here is the Darkness of the Man from our denying of empty Vnauthoriz'd Imitations he infers our Denyal of such Means as God's Power uses and from out Using such Means to our Contradicting our selves and Immediate Teaching and because we use Means in God's Power to bring People to God the Judge of all that he may be their Judge and Law-giver and that from his Immediate Hand they may receive Wisdom Knowledge and Comfort he ignorantly concludes that Men where they are ought not to have Means us'd to bring them to this Blessed State but that God should Immediately teach them there 4. I charge him with another Lye in saying that we appoint Ministers before hand to speak in such a a place at such a time and much less that the End of our Meeting is to decoy trapan and inveagle others as he scoffingly and falsly insinuates We deny the Suggestion and renounce and judge such Practices by that pure Spirit that hath otherwise taught us God preserve us from that dry Hireling Custom and Practice of Tho. Hicks who will avenge our Cause upon the Head of this Ungodly Slanderer But he thinks he has uterly foyled us in his Representation indeed Perversion of our Belief about the Seed which though spoken to some distance before yet I am willing to say something to it least it be taken for granted and his scurvy Names accounted due Titles to such miserable Wretches as he endeavours to render us The Objection entirely is this You say that the Work of the Ministry is to point People to
Conscience to appeal to God as one not guilty of such vile Injustâ—ce as that of charging us with false things and refer the Reader to Examine the Quotations when here â—s not one Quotation nor the colour of one that the Quakers did ever thus speak of or render the Holy Scriptures to be of no more Authority then the Fables of Aesop What will not Envy and Wickedness had this Man to say against us Doth this agree with â—is Pretence That all he intended was only our Conviction and Recovery Dial. p. 10. Is it not rather to do us what Injury and Mischief he can by Slanders and Forgeries Tho. Hicks's Charge against Nicolas Lucas viz. That N.L. a Real Quaker was moved to declare his Mind thus to one I know very well Thou mayst burn thy Bible and when that is done thou mayst serve God as well without it and if thou hast a mind to have a Scripture thou mayst write as good a one thy self N. L's Answer follows These words whereof T. Hicks hath thus publickly and positively accused me and that divers times over in his Pamphlet were never spoken by me nor was it ever my Principle Way or Motion to Dis-esteem Undervalue or speak evil of the Holy Scriptures for I really believe that Holy Men of God spake them forth as moved by the Holy Spirit Therefore this Charge against me is an Abominable Lye and Wicked Slander And with a clear Consience I speak it I do neither know nor remember that ever any words past from me whereby Tho. Hicks could so much as colour this Lye and Slander against me And I cannot but look upon my self to be greatly Injur'd and Abus'd by T.H. until he oâ— his Brethren do me Right in this thing in as publick a Manner to the World as he hath done me Wrong Which iâ— they do not I commit my Cause to God to judge between us and clear my Innocency herein London the 29 th of the 3 d Moneth 1673. Nicolas Lucas Whereas Nicolas Lucas was referr'd to Owen Horton and his Wife for Proof of Tho. Hicks's Charge before to whom Nicolas spoke about it and she referr'd her self to Hen. Stout to witness the Charge to which Hen. Stout answers thus viz I Hen. Stout of Hertford never in all my dayes heard Nicolas Lucas speak the Words nor any of the like Import or Tendency as charged on him before nor any Man else before Tho. Hicks that I can call to mind But am satisfied in my Conscience that he hath most grosly Wronged Nicolas Lucas To which I subscribe H. Stout Another Accusation is viz. That S. Eccles discoursing with a Friend of his in London told him The Scriptures were a Lye But that this may appear a very likely Lye against S.E. he adds 'T was replyed Why then dost thou mention them that The Quaker answer'd To silence thee That he should say the Scriptures were a Lye or that he made use of a Lye to silence his Opposer appears a most absurd Slander and where is his Quotation the Reader must examine for Proof Hath he not here Abused his Reader But let S. Eccles's own Words clear him of this Lye and Slander In his Book Mus Lect. he often cites the Scriptures calls them The Holy Scriptures pag. 13. Thou that sayst the Quakers deny the Scriptures belyest the Innocent pag. 20. Do not belye the Scriptures nor the Spirit that gave it forth for Holy Men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost pag. 22 Whereas Tho. Hicks begins his Continuation thus Chr. I have formerly detected you of several Pernicious Opinions concerning the Scriptures the Light Within the Person of Christ and the Resurrection c. I presume by this time you have considered what say you thereunto To this he feigns the Answer thus viz. Quak. I say the Plagues and Judgments of God will follow thee G. Whitehead Rep. I testifie against this as a Fiction for this was not my Answer neither has he referred us to any Quotations of mine though upon this he is pleased to accuse me with Passion Furious Replies and Sarcasms for his own Fiction to which he hath counterfeited my Name I question not but the Judgments of God will follow him and such Forgers and Spreaders of Lyes But that was not my Answer to the said Objection This Dialogue-Man's Liberty in these Forgeries and silly Botcheries is neither Christian nor Civil As to what he sayes pag. 3. I answer 1. That the Life which is the Light of Men John 1. is not a Creature but Divine and of the very Being of God I still affirm and have else-where proved though the whole Essence or Being of God is not contained in Man yet enlightens all Men. And 2. That the Inward Speaking or Living Ministration of the Spirit of Truth is of greater Authority then the Scriptures or Writings in the Abstract 3. S. Crisp doth own the True and Real Christ the Son of the Living God in his Spiritual Divine Being to be without either Beginning Date or End This he hath fully answered else-where 4. That the Soul or Spirit of Man as it relates to the Creaturely Being is a distinct Being from the Infinite Being of God and is not properly a Part of God For he is not divided into Parts or Particles but with respect to its Original Life whereby it immortally subsists we are God's Off-spring and the Breath of Life or Immediate Inspiration of God by which Man became a Living Soul or the Original Life of Man's Soul Of this G.F. spoke when he said Is not that of God which cometh out from God viz. the Breath of Life His words are perverted and mis-cited by T.H. For in another Consideration and State he owns the Infinite Being of God and the Soul or Spirit of Man to be distinct Beings where he speaks of the Soul being in Death in Transgression Man's Spirit Vnsanctified the Soul being in Death Transgressing the Law see Great Myst p. 91. This he could never intend or speak of the Infinite Incorruptible Being of God for that never sinned 5. That G.W. denies the Resurrection of the Body that is of the Dead or any Body at all is false nor is this prov'd against G.W. from his Saying Thou sowest not the Body that shall be it 's raised a Spiritual Body and Flesh Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1. Cor. 15. And T.H. may as well charge it upon the Apostle and upon his Brother Tho. Collier who in his Marrow of Christianity p. 40 94 95. plainly saith The Form in which they shall be raised that is in a Spiritual Form not in a Fleshly c. All Flesh shall be swallowed up in Spirit and our Body shall be changed and made like his glorious Body But Tho. Hicks plainly contradicts him saying That the Apostles and all true Christians say This Body of Flesh and Bones shall rise again Dial. p. 59 60. which he could never yet
needs be Christ And let it be so then if it must either be a meer Creature or else Christ though he is not revealedly in every Man neither do Reprobates know Christ in them and he that hates his Brother hath no Eternal Life abiding in him Well I affirm then that there is an Immediate Divine Light of God and Christ in every Man to which their Minds Reason and Understandings are to be directed and thus far or in this sense God and Christ is in all and through all even in them who yet know him not in whom his Light is vailed and obscured But mark T.H. his great Charge in his first Dialogue p. 3. 'T is Blasphemy to say that the Light in Man is God or Christ Is it so How agrees this with their saying That Christ in respect of his Divine Nature is in all places and that Christ is the Life and Light of Men If in respect of his Divine Nature he be Christ then is Christ in all places how then shall this agree with his saying 't is Blasphemy to say that God and Christ is the Light in Man Seeing he cannot do it let 's endeavour it I suppose by the Light in Man â—e means Natural Reason or else the Spirit of Man indeed that is neither God Christ nor the Light but Blasphemy to affirm it is But that Light in Man which we contend for and direct to is an Immediate In-shining of Divine Light upon Man's Conscience that kindleth and lighteth Man's Spirit and maketh it becâ—me the Candle of the Lord which shews him Good and Evil and moves him to decline Evil and excites him to Good and this with respâ—ct to God and his own Salvation 〈…〉 who deny Christ to be the Light through 〈…〉 every Man or him to be the Light and â—ife of 〈◊〉 are Aâ—â—ichrists as E.B. saith 〈…〉 T.H. opposeth this he opposeth his own Concession T.H. excepts against my saying In the New Covenant God is the Teacher of his People himself by his Immediate Spirit Power and Unction within which I still affirm and he cannot confute but questions If so 1st Wherefore were Apostles Prophets Evangelists Pastors Teachers given and set in the Church for the Work of the Ministry p. 65. Answ Hereby he hath implyed as if the Work of the Ministry did argue that God is not the Teacher of his People in the New Covenant when both true Prophets and Ministers are taught by â—im and tell us that he is and we must wait on him â—or that End which implies no Defect in the Anointing within any more then John's Epistle did wherein he directs them to and testifies of the Sufficiency of the Anointing within to teach them 1 John 2. 2. Why do you set up a Ministry among your selves p. 65. False 't is of God's setting up it proceeds from the Holy Unction within and God hath blest our Ministry with his Presence for the turning many from Darkness to Light and from Men's Corrupt and Lifeless Preaching to the Anointing within and this you Angry Water-Baptists cannot hinder with all your Quarrelling and Reviling 3. Why do you appoint your Ministers before-hand to speak at suâ—h a Place at such a Time p. 66. A gross Falshood we appoint them not so to do they attend each Man upon God's Call and Motion in themselves and in Subjection to him is our Society we do neither appoint them to Preach nor Pray as Baptists were wont â—o do saying Brother do you Preach or do â—ou Praâ— and then the Brother to make Answer Nay prâ—â— Brother do you â—ou are more able then I c. on such Motions you can Preach or Pray without feeling any immediate Motion from God's Spirit to either 4. You invite others to your Silent Meetings telling us they will be such how are you assurâ—d that those you invite may not be moved to speak p. 66. False â—gain we do not conclude before-hand they will be wholly Silent Meetings nor limit the Lord from moving any one to speak in them Whereas he abuseth our Distinction between the Soul of Man and its Saviour as if it were but the same that 's between Christ and his In shining Light or Gift in Man or between God and some part of himself supposed Answ Man's Soul and â—s Saviour are distinct Beings the one Creatural having a Beginning and the other Divine and Infinite Christ and his Light within which we vindicate are but one in Being It s grosly Falsâ— That the Meaning of my Distinction must bâ— That Christ is not Divine and Increated but his Light is p. â—0 For the Meaning of mine is between the Giver and the Immediate Gift as flowing from him the Fountain and the Stream the Sun and its immediate Shining God is the Fulness of Light and Life and yet it s by degrees that he makes known his Discoveries or In-shining in Man but my Distinction between the Soul of Man and its Saviour is of another kind as appears by my citing those Scriptures in the Casâ— viz. Rom. 2.9 and Isaiah 3.9 The Distiction is plain see Dipper Plunged pag. 15. and The NATVRE OF CHRISTIANITY pag. 15 17 and 27. I may not well omit briefly to retro-inspect some perverse and corrupt Passages in Tho. Hicks his Continuation I still affirm it a gross Slander that the Quakers account the Blood of Christ no more then an Vnholy or Common thing Dial. p. 9. and no more then the Blood of a Common Thief Contin p 4. And our asserting the Sufficiency of the Light of Christ-within to bring to eternal Life proves neither nor doth his Inference follow or amount to any Proof against us vizt where he saith Then the Shedding of Christ's Blood upon the Cross was needless Contin p. 4. which is as good an Argument as to say If God makes manifest any thing in Man that 's Saving then all the outward Testimonies of his Love to Man were needless and thus he might as well argue against the Sufficiency of his Spirit Ingrafted Word Life or Light of his Son in Man in what Age soever and tell us the shedding of Christs Blood on the Cross which was an Act of his Persecutors and Murderers supplies the Defect of all Inward Manifestations how Spiritual and Divine soever O what profund Divinity and exquisite Logick is this His other Proofs as charged upon the Quakers are but Additions to his Slander and Forgery before vizt 1 That the Sufferings of Christ were only Exemplary 2 That the Mystery of Iniquity lies in the Blood of Christ To the first I say only is added yet Christ left us an Example of perfect Obedience and Holiness that we should follow his Steps To the second 't is gross and blasphemous to say the Mystery of Iniquity lyes in the Blood of Christ and 〈◊〉 of the Quakers Assertion but that it lyes in the corrupt Mind that carnally and falsly applies it to â—â—se and cover it self in Sin and Iniquity For