is there of Scriptures Ministers Teachers and the like Though the Spirit or Anointing be sufficiently able both to teach and reveal yet by reason of the darkness of mens minds John 14.26 and understandings being alienated from the life of God Eph. 4.18 through the Ignorance that is in them it was necessary to have the witness and directions both of the Scriptures Jer. 1.5 and Gods chosen Vessels some of which were sanctified in the womb for that purpose as Jeremiah to direct them to the knowledge of that Holy Spirit Isa 49.1.5 which shall lead them into all Truth And because the Spirit of Truth is the same in all and answers through every Vessel as face answers face in a glass 2 Pet. 1.12 therefore the Saints of old were not negligent to put us always in remembrance of these things though we know them and are established in this present Truth 12. What is the Office of the Spirit of Truth The Office of the Spirit of Truth is to Reprove to Teach and to Sanctifie Rom. 15.16 It Reproves of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment It teaches us the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ It Sanctifies in body soul and Spirit through Faith in his holy name 13. How does it Reprove It Reproves by witnessing in our Consciences against all our evil ways in thought word Ro. 1.32 Eph. 5.5 and deed testifying against and condemning the same showing that all such as do those things are worthy of death and can have no inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God 14. How does it teach It teaches us by the example of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ to deny our selves and take up the daily Cross that as he dyed and offered one Sacrifice once for all for sin even the sins of the whole world so we also every one in particular should dayly dye to sin that through a mortification of the deeds of the the flesh we might come to witness a holy life in all righteousness in Spirit a new Birth a new man a new life in which Christ only rules and dwells all which is only to be known through the sanctification of the whole intire being 15. How does this Spirit Sanctifie It Sanctifies through Faith in the name of the dear Son of God which faith brings forth a lively hope by which the heart is purified as God is pure and if this Purification be not witnessed the faith is very much to be questioned for the true faith being grounded upon Knowledge and that Knowledge upon the Revelations of the holy spirit must needs have a purging force for who is he that shall really believe from a present Knowledge of the same the wrath of God to be revealed against the man of sin and all manner of unrighteousness of men and shall come to know the terrors of the Lord who is able to cast into Eternal Flames and yet shall persist on in their Wickedness what Vigor what force has the true Faith in it what a strong cord is that which holds the Anchor of hope no less than the possession of an Eternal Inheritance an Everlasting life in an Immense Ocean of Joy and unspeakable satisfaction in the Lord in the presence and communion of his Saints and holy Angels 16. How does this Faith Operate in the Soul There are several ministrations and dispensations and yet by the same Spirit the ministration of Condemnation which is a gloriouswork is first to be known Mount Sina is the way that tends to Mount Sion there is a Wilderness between AEgypt Canaan the Thunders the Jugments the Terrors are first to be past through before the feet of that Messenger which brings the Message of the glad tydings of Peace can be known there is nothing but the death of the first life can satisfie the wrath Isa 52. 7. and that Life that Spirit that Power is that which makes the Attonement and makes the Soul lay hold thereof thus the new Birth comes to be known the holy Life to be witnessed and that to appear which can behold the Mercy-Seat with open face Till then the Cherubims which are in number two according to the two dispensations of the Law and Gospel which are beaten out of the Mercy Seat and Figure out the Condemnation of the said dispensations Rev. 11.5.6 do like the two Witnesses out of whose mouth Fire proceedeth and who have power to smite the Earth with Plagues still remain 17. This Christian Pattern seems to be very hard how far must we go before we can enter into the good Land The work of Condemnation is first to be gone through before an enterance into the good Land can be administred mean season with Moses as a Servant upon Mount Nebo mayest thou have a sight thereof behold the excellency and the goodness thereof have great knowledge and openings of the Divine Life and infinitely desire it yet have no admittance till the vail of flesh is put off till the low carnal mind which is for death is dead and buryed till nothing but the pure part remains till even the Perfection of Holyness comes to be known 18. How Is perfection to be expected in this Life Yes And if our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ speak truth without any difficulty Mat. 11.30 Take my yoak upon you for my yoak is easie and my burthen light the which is confirmed by the mouth of the beloved Desciple who saith his Commandments are not grievous 1 Joh. 5.3 and what are his Commandments Be ye perfect as your Father in Heaven is perfect love one another which Love saith the Apostle Paul is the bond of perfection to which he often exhorts the Saints But let us a little consider this Perfection more narrowly In what do we offend daily doubtless you will answer in thought or word or deed he then that offends not in one of these three is a Perfect man but saist thou how can this be I answer thee The God whom we worship and adore is an Almighty God and through his Almighty Power is not only able to keep us from falling Jud. 24. but also faultless and shall we mistrust his Power shall we doubt his Almightiness No No. How shall we do then I 'le tell thee thou must watch the Command is given to all I say saith the Lord watch Thou saist thou canst not how then that is true of thy self thou canst not the Psalmist saith Except the Lord keep the City the Watchmen watch in vain Thou hast many enemies to contend withal thou art but newly got out of Aegypt how shalt thou venture to engage them the answer is short and ready stand still wait and thou shalt see the Salvation of God since thou canst do nothing that is good go not backward rather stand still that good Spirit that has brought thee one step onward of the way if but barely out of Aegypt he
Cant. 5.16 this is our Beloved and this is our Friend O Daughters of Jerusalem 27. What mean you concerning the Seed and how many Seeds are there The Seed to whom the Promise is made is Christ Gal. 3.16 the Seed of the Woman which should bruise the Serpents head Isa 62.2 But there is an off-spring of God even the workmanship of his hands Deut. 28.2 which that Seed comes to redeem Isa 61.8.9 the lost Souls of poor fallen man which when that Redemption comes to be known is also called by its name that Redeems it for that was the Promise of God Eph. 3.15 and thou shalt be called by a new name which the mouth of the Lord shall name even by the name of thy God Isa 65.9.15 which Moses said all the people of the earth shall see and this is that Seed with whom God makes an everlasting Covenant even the Seed which God hath blessed the Seed which God brings forth out of Jacob and out of Judah the Elect chosen people which shall inherit his holy Mountain 28. Is Immediate Inspiratition Revelation ceased or no No Eph. 1.17 It is that which Paul prayed for that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ the Father of Glory might give unto the Saints the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation It is the Inspiration of the Almighty which gives us an understanding Job 32.8 who revealeth to us deep and secret things Dan. 2.21 And that Spirit in all Ages saith Solomon entering into holy Souls Wisd 7.27 makes them friends of God and Prophets Isa 29.11 And without this Inspiration the Scriptures and things of God cannot be known or understood 1 Cor. 2.10 11 12. for no man knows the things of God but the Spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit reveals them till when the Scriptures are but a Sealed Book Eph. 1.13 4.30 which neither the Unlearned nor Learned can read till the opening of the Seal which is the Spirit of Truth by which we also are Sealed to the day of Redemption 29. What is it to believe in the name of Christ and what is the effects of that Faith To believe in the name is to live Hab. 2.4 to live the life of Righteousness and Holyness Heb. 10.38 without which none can ever see the Lord now the true Faith is known by the effects thereof Rom. 1.17 for that gives victory over the world 1 John 5.4.5 3.3 and brings forth a lively hope which purifies the heart as God is pure 30. To whom is the Righteousness of Christ imputed Only to them which believe Act. 13.39 who walk not after the flesh Rom. 3.22.25 4.22.23.24 but after the Spirit who bear in their bodies dayly the dyings of the Lord Jesus Heb. 10.29 But he that walks after the Flesh fulfilling the Lusts of the same tramples underfoot the blood of the Covenant as an unworthy thing and makes the death of Christ to himself of none effect 31. What mean you by Sanctification and of Justification and how are they distinguished Sanctification is by the Spirit of God 1 Thes 2.13 and blood of Jesus our Lord and it is a making holy as it is written Rom. 15.16 thou shalt be an holy people to the Lord thy God Heb. 10.29 and he that is Sanctified comes to be justified for they are Concomitants in the work of Regeneration for the unsanctified or wicked man I will not justifie saith God Ex. 19.6 1 Pet. 2.9 Ex. 23.7 and they are chiefly distinguished in name as the cause and effect that Gods faithfulness might appear who will not acquit the guilty person 33. But Wherefore doth Paul say who Justifieth the ungodly The Speech is Tropical by a Metonymia of the subject Rom. 4.5 in which place the word ungodly is put for a Believer as the following words inculcate 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Imputatur fidei ejus ad justitiam his Faith is counted to him for Righteousness So that he is called ungodly only in respect to what he once was before he believed and not what he is by Faith 34. Can the Creature be perfectly Sanctified seeing John saith 1 Joh. 1.8 If we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us It is falsely Translated for the Verb 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is the Subjunctive Mood governed by the Particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 si and the Preterimperfecttense of the same Mood ar appears by the ninth verse where he saith If we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and how can that be if at the same time we cannot say we haue no sin the version should be thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Si dixerimus quod peccatum non haberemus nos ipsos seducimus If we say we have had no sin we deceive our selves and it is so rendred by Beza non est nobis peccatum to which Tremelius agrees nos peccatum non habere and I think out of the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established 35. What think you of Good Works They are the fruits of the Spirit the effects of the true faith and although that man is not saved by Works but by Faith yet he cannot be saved without them Jam. 2.22 for it is as impossible that the true Faith should be where the effects of it are not as that God should deny himself 36. What hold you of Prayer and Thanksgiving They are only to be done by that Soul which comes to dwell in the Life of Jesus 1 Thes 1.1 and 5.17 18. Jam. 1.5 6 7. and to dye dayly to Sin for to such God opens himself and then they see and know what they want and what to ask for and asking in Faith are fully assured that they shall receive the same at the hand of the Lord The Prayers and Praises then are presented to God from the Soul by the Holy Spirit which makes them a Sacrifice of sweet Savour in his Nostrils and then the Creature comes to seee that the Sacrifices of the wicked are not only sin but an abomination to the Lord. Prov. 21.28 And thus receiving an answer from God the Soul returns him a sacrifice of thanksgiving which is acceptable in his sight It is dreadful to appear before God with poluted hands and a wicked heart 37. How are the holy Scriptures to be understood By the Spirit only that gave them forth to which they are a Testimony and stand as a witness against all the wickedness and evil ways of men and all unrighteousness 2 Pet. 1.20 2 Tim. 3.16 and every evil work which is acted against God and the appearance of his holy Spirit 38. Tell me what you think of the death of Christ It was the means by which God was pleased to redeem
impossible to be avoided Either what Christ our Lord spake is Truth or not Truth if Truth then our Confession is in some measure a demonstration of our Justification mangre all the spight and malice of our Adversaries but if they I not own it to be Truth that 's no proof against us while we are faithful Followers of our Master in that we have taken him for our Example and if followers of Christ then Christians But we hope the Adversary will not dare to give our Lord the Author and God of Truth the Lye or yet presume without the Inspiration and Revelation of the Spirit of Truth to give any Construction or add any meaning to those plain words of the Truth it self for fear if he has any fear of God before his eyes that God should add to him the Plagues which are written in that Book 9. The Adversary hath not yet nor indeed can he shew in the least measure any thing of a reason in opposition to what we urged once in a former Paper the which was this Whether what we say is our Faith ought not rather to be taken for our Faith than what our Adversary says it is since we better know what we believe than what another do's if yea wherefore should the Adversary say the contrary if nay wherefore should they or any else be any more believed in any of their Verbal Confessions than we or any other man since there is no reason that their credit should exceed in the least measure ours or any other persons This Argument we think not only unanswerable but also strong enough to make invalid what ever the Adversary can say in opposition to us and not only so but also force him to give himself the Lye It was indeed great Policy in him to decline that which he could not approach to evade those things which neither his Abilities nor Malice dare venture to oppose and to let all those things pass by in silence the bare remembrance of which might be enough perfectly to overthrow his Cause But alas I talk to them who say the Confession of our Faith in Scripture Language is an Old Art of Deceivers Surely the Christian Faith and Holy Scriptures were never thus abused before But this is that the Scripture might be fulfilled they shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name sake 10. It is Policy in him that intends to tell a Lye to tell such an one as might have some seeming probabilities of Truth with it and not such as almost the whole world knows to be a notorious Falcity thereby rendring themselves not only void of Honesty but also Wit Let but this Calumny of the Adversaries viz. That the Quakers are no Christians be but seriously considered and you will not only find it look like an egregious Slander but such an apparent Lye as that nothing in the world could be told to exceed it either in Matter End or Evidence I hope there is none thinks but that we believe we have Souls as well as others and that we desire hope for and seek after the Salvation of them as well as others do or at leastwise that we have as much reason to do it as any have And if so who should be so simple as to believe that we should jest with Heaven or trample underfoot the blood of the Covenant as an unworthy thing What Mortal can be so void of Reason as to imagine that we should despise or slight that which has sought us or deny him from whom we not only know we receive all our Mercies here but of whom we hope to have an everlasting Life hereafter and by whom we do believe we shall be made partakers of Glory and Heirs of an eternal Inheritance The Adversary could tell no greater a falcity of us than to say that we deny him who is more to us than all the World beside for whose sake we esteem nothing we have in this world and account all things loss that we may gain him and without doubt his end of speaking of it was only to render us odious to the world and to make us the mark for all to shoot their Arrows at that if possible we might be rooted out from off the face of the Earth This is the Adversaries Charity II. Reflections upon J. Ives his Papers in Particular 1. IN the Adversaries first Paper he lays down his Charges against the Quakers upon a Chalenge to meet them to dispute but more properly to rail and that with so much Confidence and Impudence as if he intended to make the world think he positively believed them himself the which I supose and am perswaded any sober and rational man would judge the contrary and really conceive it was Prejudice not his Faith which made him lay down those Assertions 2. He says that By force of Argument he had driven them to that strait that they could make no reply but the true reason of his not having a reply was because he could not be induced by any means to stay to hear William Pen make his Answer wherein was plainly detected his falshood and Calumnies and to salve that he says he was under some indisposition of Body a notable come off and so it is not to be doubted but he may always be when he sees he is like to come by the worst 3. He says We own such Books as contain in them Doctrines no way reconcilable to Scripture Language or Christian Religion but are destructive both of the one and the other but all the proof he gives us is his bare Affirmation he needs but only say so though nothing be more false he thinks it is a good means of rendering us odious to the world there is no Artifice so excellent with him as to dare and say he will do it that people which know not his Impudence may believe he can though nothing is more impossible to be done 4. In his second Paper he reiterates his Charges and instead of seriously considering and answering of a Paper sent to him by W. S. he makes a long descant because he put not his name at length and then at length taxeth the said W. S. with Contradiction in these words that the Adversaries Tongue was no slander with sober Citizens yet that he never met with more Lyes and Slanders in so few Lines All which may well be true for in respect of the falsity of the Adversaries words themselves they are both Lies and Slanders but in respect of their acceptation with some sober Citizens they might be no Slanders because of their not believing of them 5. And totally to avoid an Answer to the said Paper he relates some Opinions he holds as That the same Body which is now the Habitation of the soul shall rise again and enter with the Soul into everlasting joy or Torment But we query whether this Body must be corruptible and Earthly Elemental or not if Earthly or Elemental the Adversary
will certainly fight thy Battles for thee in standing still is thy strength Isa 30.15 and in that thou shalt overcome Is one spot cleansed is one sin taken away if so what did do that the Spirit of the Lord did it so yes what then dost thou think it has lost its purging and cleansing quality now No it has not trust to it that which has begun will finish That which has power to cleanse one spot has power to cleanse more than one and by degrees to cleanse from many and at last from all what reason is there that that which has kept me from swearing should not also keep me from lying and if from lying why not from stealing and murthering and if from the greater sins why not from the less It has either power to preserve me or it has not if it has power it can keep me from all if it has not it can preserve me from none 19. There is a great deal of reason in all this but if you can make it a little plainer He that offends not in thought word or deed the same is a perfect man and this is attained by diligently keeping upon the watch with the Spirit of the Lord for that neither slumbers no sleeps but continually attends the motion of the enemy Sin has a conception before a bringing forth it is first conceived in thought in the mind before it is manifest in word or action and if it be cut off whilst in conception the evil consequences of its birth may be prevented and this is done by carefully setting a watch before the thoughts of the heart that whatsoever evil thing the Devil may represent to the Soul it may not consent to nor embrace it so much as in the affections of the mind and by this means the soul is kept clean and clear from sin and the temptation is seen and avoided and the Enemy with his wiles put to flight and thus as conquest is once got over the Enemy the soul gets strength till at last it becomes more than conqueror through the strength of him which assists and as victory is gotten over one lust and another sin so joy springs up in the heart through the hopes of a perfect conquest and thus the hope which purifies as God is pure is seen and that faith which overcomes the world is known whereby in the end a compleat and perfect victory is witnessed thus is there a dayly growing from strength to strength and from glory to glory till the Creature becomes wholy cloathed with the white Raiment the Righteousness of God Thus a Watch being also before the lips of the mouth there can be no offending with the tongue for the vain idle needless or evil words are seen and so condemned by that which watches them and then the soul being free from them even in its secret affections they are cut off as it were before conception and the temptation is seen and avoided and the enemy put to flight Thus continually standing upon the watch Tower many victories will be obtained and thou wilt gather great strength and the Enemy will grow heartless and faint and every day wax weaker and weaker I astly let a watch be set upon all thy actions what art thou a doing with thy hands to what do's the paths of thy seet tend is the action good or evil what may be the end of it I say the watch being set the Lord will shew the what is good and will if thou art willing to follow him for he only accepts the free and willing heart save thee and deliver thee from every appearance of evil and bring thy feet out of the mire and out of the clay and establish thy footsteps upon Mount Sion the City of the Living God where thou shalt triumph over the Enemy and Adversary of thy soul over Sin Hell and Death and be kept faultless and spotless without danger of falling Thus at length shall the Kingdom of the Lord be exalted over all the Tempter cast out from the throne presence of God for ever Thus may you see the way of Perfection is short and easie to the man of God to him which has yielded up all to the service of his Maker who in resignation humility and Obedience continually waits to receive the daily bread and the fresh Springs of the Spirit of Life from the giver of every good and perfect gift 20. You make the way of Perfection to be a very short and easie way is there any or do many attain to it Thou oughtest to look inward into thine own particular what is it to thee whether any is now perfect or whether many do attain it the way of God is the way of God if none walk in it the Truth is the Truth though all men be lyers and walk contrary to it it behoves thee since thou hast a soul to save to take heed of thy self that thou maist walk worthy of this so high a calling to which thou art called and there is no doubt but in going on and pressing forwards thou maist at length attain to the mark and prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus forgetting as once that great and worthy Apostle Paul said those things which are behind Phil. 3.12 13 14. 21. What is no distinction to be made may all be saved that will The grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all the mercies of God are over all his works he would not the death of a sinner but rather that every man might be saved the which is known if he slight not nor over-passes the day of his Visitation if he do's he may then with Esau seek the blessing with tears and not obtain it 22. Has Man then free will and what and when is this day of Visitation that we may know it Man in his lost and fallen state has a will only free to evil so that not only all his Actions his words and his thoughts but his affections and desires are wholy evil and that continually and whatsoever he performs in this state and nature as his Prayers and Thanksgivings and Confessions and Worship are not only evil and sin but also an abomination to the Lord and since it is so what must man do now since he cannot think so much as that which is good he must wait till the day of Gods Visitation comes There is a time in which God visits the Sons of men Exod. 3.7 8. Psal 8.4 Luk. 19.42 Heb. 2.6 44. and beholds the afflictions of his people in Aegypt the Land of Darkness and Slavery a time in which he comes down to deliver them and to bring them up out of that Land unto a good Land and a larg unto a Land flowing with Milk and Honey Now that 's the time for man to look about him when the Lord begins to stir when his Holy Spirit begins to shew him the bondage and slavery of his sinful lost and