the Immediate Gift of God Christ as the Word being confessed to enlighten every man whose Light is not natural nor by natural generation convey'd as most grosly R.G. words it neither is it the spirit of man which simply knows but the things of a man but it is that Light which lighteth kindleth and stirs up the spirit of a man whereby it is the Candle of the Lord neither is it a Light or Thing form'd or made as the spirit of man is Za. 12.1 but a divine and spiritual Light manifesting the Good-will of God unto the Creature Again It is R. G's gross Error That the Law or enlightening in every man is the form'd spirit in man and yet in contradiction adding enlightened by him that made it pa. 29. So that the Law or Enlightening is not the form'd spirit of maâ— it being the Light of him that made it p. 29. So that the â—aw or Enlightening is not the form'd spirit of man it being the Light of him that made it that enlighteneth man's spirit Thus this R.G. is involved in his own Confusion as one in a Labyrinth Now concerning the nature by which those Gentiles did the things contain'd in thâ— Law R. G. gives this explâ—nation of it viz. As being born of the Seed and after the kind of Man they are naturally or by nature Men so being born of the seed of Man they do naturally or by Nature the things contained in the Law being written in their Hearts c. pa. 29. Answ. I would ask this man Whether this Nature he speaks of was pure or impure corrupt or incorrupt These Gentiles had not the Law outwardly but they had the Law inwardly written in their hearts according to which they should be either accus'd or excus'd in the Day when God should judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ this Law or Light in them was not Natural but Spiritual excusing the Obedient and accusing the Disobedient before God unto which Law the awakened and convicted Conscience doth bear witness and testifie either a mans Condemnation or Peace These Gentiles who obey'd it shew'd the Effects of it they had more of the Life of Christianity in them then many of the Professors of Christianity who are disobedient to his Law and Light within placing Christianity meerly in a dead Faith and Profession of Christ without the Knowledge of his Work of Righteousness within or the Obedience of Faith or Effects of his Law in the heart the Christianity of such is but meerly pretended and faâ—n'd and not real And the Life State and Nature of those Gentiles who obey'd the Law written in their hearts as they witnessed against the Jews outward so shall these Gentiles rise up in Judgment against you Hypocritical and Fain'd Professors of Christianity who are Strangers to the true Life Power and Nature thereof And what Confusion doth this R. G. show in saying That the Law or Light in every man is neither the Light of the Gospel nor the ingrafted Word within that is able to save the soul And yet confess That by it the Eternal Power and Godhead may be known How hath he broke the Neck of his own Cause Is there any higher Power then the Eternal Power and Godhead And can any Law or Light then what is Divine and of a Gospel Nature discover it For the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to all them that believe and it is the Gospel of God show'd forth or manifested by the Light of his Son and Preach'd in every Creature under Heaven And by this Light of Christ within is the Love Good-will and Grace of God to Mankind declar'd and signify'd both in its being so universally given and in its living Testimony in maâ— against sin and corruption and for Truth and Righteousness in order to direct man to Life and Salvation in the Son of God who is the Power and Wisdom of God the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Character of his Divine Substance who proceeded and came forth from God whose Power and Glory is Eternal and Divine seen Spiritually not Carnally his own Royal and Peculiar Off-spring do in his Light beholâ— his Glory as that of the only Begotten of the Father As to R. G. his saying His Apostles and all his Ministers in all Ages all in one joynt Voice pointing to Jesus the Son of Mary this Son of Man with an Hosanna to this Son of David and to none before him or to any ever since Answ. That the Holy Prophets Apostles and Ministers both pointed and testify'd unto Jesus Christ both as man born of the Virgin or to his coming in the Flesh and unto his Divinity and Manifestation in Spirit this is own'd But that they all cry'd Hosanna to the Son of David is a Mistake for it was the Multitudes that went before and that followed when Christ rid to Jerusalem that cry'd Hosanna to the Son of David Matt. 21.9 Mark It was the Multitude that cryed Hosanna to the Son of David Many can now cry Hosanna who never knew his Salvation within nor believ'd in his Power but rather spiritually crucify him And the Scribes and Pharisees could talk of Christ's being the Son of David and some calling him the Carpenter's Son when they neither truly believ'd nor oâ—n'd him that was the true Christ either as the Root or Off-spring of David But Christ ask'd these Pharisees and Scribâ—s who said Christ is the Son of David this Questiâ—n saying What think ye of Christ whose Son is he They said unto him The Son of David He said unto them How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my Righ-hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool If David then call him Lord how is he his Son And no man was able to answer him a word neither durst any man from that day forth ask any more Questions Matt. 22. and Mark 12.35 36 37. Now was not this the true Christ whom David in spirit call'd Lord before he took upon him Flesh or came of his seed And what is Hosanna Is it not Save now I beseech thee And did not David call to and beseech God to save him and to shew Mercy unto him long before Christ as of Mary was born How ignorant and confus'd doth this our Opposet shew himself see Psa. 3.7 6.4 28.9 I perceive he is ignorant of Christ both as the Son of God and as the Son of Man for according to the Spirit he was the Son of God and as the Son of man it s said of him that no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he which came down from Heaven even the Son of Man which is in Heaven John 3.13 And what if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before John 6.62 But it appears further that R. G's Hosanna and pretended Adoration and claim of Salvation is only to him as the Son of
and purchas'd all And of whom did God purchase Salvation according to thy strange manner of Expreâ—sion Whereas thou go'st so often over with these words Jesus Christ the Son of Mary whom thou call'st God-Man I ask thee If this be not of kin to the Papists calling Mary the Mother of God and where did the Apostles so often or ever use those Expressions Jesus Christ God-man the Son of the Virgin Mary And who were they that said Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Mary To whom Jesus said A Prophet is not without Honour but in his own Country c. Mark 6.3 4. Now what think'st thou Did they Honour him in those Expressions And which hast thou more Honour'd Him or Mary But Peter gave a higher Testimony of him when he said Thou art Christ the Son of the Living God To whom Jesus answer'd Blessed art thou Simon Barjona for Flesh and Blood hath not reveal'd it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven Mat. 16.16 17. But do not the Papists honour him as much as thou in their frequâ—nt calling him the Son of Mary as thou hast done Who also hast grosly wrong'd my words where I said Nor was the Son of God nor his Light under such a Limitation either as to Time or Place aâ— a finite Creature but his Out-goings were of Old from Everlasting c. from which thou infer'st If that Holy Thing conceiv'd â—f the Holy Ghost and born of Mary was not therefore the Son of God Then the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth who wâ—s the Soâ— of the Virgin Mary was not the Son of God thou say'st Whereby â—hou falsly add'st That I have given the Angel Gabriel the Lye and am in union with those Jews who reckon'd him but a meer Man the Carpenter 's Son c. John 10.33 To be sure thou art in union with a Lying spirit and art a gross Perverter for though I do not own that the Son of God and his Light is under such a Limitation the Holy One and his Light being unlimited I did neither thereby intend nor do my words bear any such Construction as that The Holy Thing conceiv'd by the Holy Ghost was not the Son of God Besides thou having confest that his Out-goings were from Everlasting hast thereby granted to what I said That the Son of God and his Light are not under a Limitation as to Time and Place especially if thou wilt own his Divinity or that he ever was the Son of God before he took a Body in the Womb of the Virgin but if thou dost not own that the Son of God was before then then thou dost not own his Divinity nor him no more then a finite Creature And herein the Heathen may judge thee as Nebuchadnezar when he said Lo I see four men loose walking in the mid'st of the Fire and they had no hurt and the form of the forth is like the Son of God Dan. 3.24 25. How came he to speak of the Son of God then And by what Scripture and how much hast thou exceeded those Jews that call'd Christ the Carpenters Son or those that call'd him the Carpenter the Son of Mary Mark 6.34 who therein did not truly honour him as a Prophet much less as the Son of God no more then thou hast in thy frequent calling him the Son of Mary the Son of Mary the Son of Mary c. as the POPE and PAPISTS do But when one said unto Christ Behold thy Mother and thy Brethren stand without c. He answer'd who is my Mother and who are my Brethren Behold whosoever shall do the Will of my Father which is in Heaven the same is my Brother my Sister and Mother Mat. 12.47 to the end Mark 3.33 34 35. Luke 8.21 and 11.29 30. And now to what thou say'st pag. 41. Of Sinners Vngodly Vnjust Enemies even while Enemies and no Good wrought in them by any light or spirit whatsoever that for these Christ made an end of Sin abolish'd Condemnation Curse and Death c. And this is thy Explanation Of God-Man having at once without us wrought compleated and purchas'd all with God as thou nonsensically word'st it For which I query If all this be done for the whole World when no Good is wrought in them by the Light or Spirit of God then why are any condemn'd Can it be just with God to condemn any or with-hâ—ld Salvation from any if it be so purchased paid for or he satisfied for and with men in their sins when no Good is wrought in them But what absurdity is it to say That Transgression is finish'd and Sin made an end of and Condemnation Curse and Death abolish'd where yet in thee and other such empty and dead Professors both Transgression and Sin actually remains and Death raigns for which you are liable to Condemnation the Wrath of God being reveal'd from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of men who hold Truth in Vnrighteousness and his Wrath abiding on him that believes not in the Son But if thou reckon'st that men's Transgression is finish'd and their Sin made an end of and that they are reckon'd Righteous when no Good is wrought in them then it must thus be taken That they are imputatively Righteous while actually Sinful and though Sin be in them God sees it not or takes no notice of it as to condemn them or reprove them for it which is still corrupt Antinomianism and contrary to reason or Truth Though heâ—eby I do not oppose but really confess Christ to have given himself for us an Offering and Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling Savour Eph. 5.2 Yea and that God hath set him forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past through the Forbearance of God Now though there be an Appeasment of Wrath and Remission held forth in this Propitiation for sins that are past yet this Righteousness of God declar'd thereby doth not admit of sin to be continu'd or of sins past present and to come as thy words are This Righteousness will not indulge thee nor otherâ— in Unrighteousness all your dayes neither is it the Nature of this Blood of his Sacrifice nor of Faith in it to cover or excuse thee in thy sins for Faith purifies the Heart and the Blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth from all sin where it is receiv'd in the Living Faith Neither will thy Profession of sin being ended without thee and Righteousness brought in in Christ's Person without thee be any Cloak for thee in thy sin and enmity nor yet will thy confus'd Talk of God-Man having Purchas'd all with God for thee stand thee in any stead in God's dreadful Day Although thou professest Victory and Perfection in Christ while in Sin and Imperfection in thy self as thou represents the Believer's state p. 43. which shews thy Ignorance both of Perfection Victory and being in Christ for
no God but me for there is no Saviour besides me Hos. 13.4 Deut. 6.4 I even I am the Lord and besides me there is no Saviour Isa. 43 11. and 44.6 8. and 45.15 And all Flesh shall know that I the Lord am thy Saviour and Redeemer the Mighty One of Jacob chap. 49.26 and 60.16 Jer. 50.34 I will mention the Loving-kindness of the Lord c. for he said Surely they are my Children People that will not Lye So he was their Saviour Isa. 63.7 8. Thy People shall be all Righteous c. chap. 60.21 O the Hope of Israel the Saviour thereof in time of Trouble Jer. 14 8. He Saved them from the hand of him that hated them and redeem'd them from the hand of the Enemy by this he made his Power known Psa. 106.8 10 21. With the Lord there is plentious Redemption and he shall Redeem Israel from all his Iniquities Psa. 130.7 8. See also Psa. 19.14 and 20.6 and 28.8 and 34.22 and 49.8 Draw nigh unto my Soul and Redeem it Psa. 69.18 He shall Redeem their Souls from Deceit and Violence and precious shall their Souls be in his Sight Psa. 72.14 The Redemption of their souls is precious Psa. 49.8 And Mary said My soul doth Magnifie the Lord and my spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Luk. 1.46 47. see also 1 Tim. 1.1 2.3 4.10 Tit. 1.3 2.10 God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son that whosever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life Joh. 3.16 Our Saviour Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People Tit. 2.14 But after that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour towards man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which he shed on us aboundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour Tit. 3.4 5 6. I and my Father are one Joh. 10.30 Jesus of Nazareth was a man approv'd of God by Miracles and Wonders and Signs which God did by him Acts 2.22 The Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do Joh 5.19 30. We have seen and do testifie that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the World 1 Joh. 4.14 He is the Propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2.2 Lord thou wilt ordain Peace for us for thou also hast wrought all our Works in us Isa. 26.12 The Nature of Christianity in the true Light c. In Answer to Robert Gordon The first Part. The Title of R. G's Pamphlet CHristianity Vindicated or the Fundamental Truths of the Gospel Concerning the Person of Christ and Redemption through Faith in him maintained Answer These are covertly and deceitful Insinuations implying that we deny Christianity or deny Redemption through Faith in Christ both which are very false for it is Antichristian Sin pleasing-doctrines which oppose and slight the inward Work of Christ in his People that we oppose And what we have said on this account are neither Cavils nor groundless Exceptions as we are falsly accus'd R. G. to the Reader saith Having lately published a Book intituled A Testimony to the true Saviour Concurring with the Voices â—f all the Prophets and Apostles to the Man Christ Jesus c. Answ. Nay it was a heap of Confusion which could add nothing to the credit of the Prophets nor Apostles if they had been question'd but their Testimonies of the Man Christ Jesus we never doubted of nor oppos'd as wickedly and falsly he hath mis-represented us R. G. And unto Reconciliation Justification and Redemption as already in being in him purchased compleated and perfected with God for Sinners by the price of his whole entire and perfect Obedience in his crucified Body without us to be made effectual by the operations of his Spirit c. Answ. That perfect Reconciliation and Redemption c. were in being both in God and his Son for us while Enemies we assert but not receiv'd by us till we were made Friends and so reconci'd in our Minds by the Spirit or Word of Reconciliation operating within But R. G. to thy matter I query first How and of whom Reconciliation Justification c. are purchas'd for Sinners and so perfected whilst not made effectual by the workings of the Spirit within Or are men justified when no good is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever as thy Doctrine was and is And thou shouldst have plainly spoke-out and told us what thou meanest by the words Purchased with God whether in the sence of Satisfaction and Payment to God in our stead as thy Tutors the Presbyterians and Independants hold yea or nay And whether the Love which is infinite was not the cause of his sending his Son into the World that the World through him might be sav'd and so the coming and manifestation of Christ in his Life Works Doctrines Sufferings tasting Death for every man c. Effects of the Love of God to Mankind yea or nay And tell us plainly where doth the Scripture say That Justification and Redemption are purchas'd of God and perfected without us by the crucified Body when no good is wrought within And if all these things are so purchas'd and perfected without for Sinners or the whole World what must be the Spirit 's operation within And how then can God condemn any for sin if thy Doctrine be true If thou sayst it is because of their Unbelief then this hath respect unto the Work of the Spirit and Faith within without which men cannot be sav'd nor justify'd wherein thou R. G. dost plainly contradict thy self whatever thou or carnal Professors imagine of your Justification c. being purchas'd and perfected without you you are not yet purchas'd nor redeem'd from Iniquity nor from a deceitful spirit wherein thou hast shew'd thy pretended love to be Enmity and Falshood against us and the Truth as will further appear R. G. That there are some pretending to be Teachers among them under the disguise of the names of Light and Power within thereby bring in damnable Errors to pervert the Faith among whom these four Men have numbred themselves by their voluntary opposition against the plain Truth left us upon record by the Prophets and Apostles and testified by me c. Answ. It s our Testimony of the Light and Power within that perplexeth thee and such dark and lifeless Professors as thou art who are in the spirit of Enmity And why dost thou Envy and Belye us call'd Quakers or those for whom Christ died as well for thy self If we had oppos'd the plain Truths of the Prophets and Apostles in Scripture as thou hast most falsly accus'd us it had been thy part and duty to have prov'd the Scriptures true if we had
1st God had never any such Wrath nor Revenge against his Innocent Son to execute upon him nor will he so clear the Guilty in their Sins 2d It pleasing the Lord to bruise him was neither in Wrath nor to take Vengeance on him nor yet actually or immediately by himself to bruise him but permissively for though he was deliver'd by the determinate Council of God yet he suffer'd wicked hands to afflict and put Christ to death who did bear and suffer under the Load and Oppression of the Sins and Iniquities of the World yea he hath born our Griefs and Sorrows the Iniquity of all being so made to meet upon him But a gross sense hast thou given to the Prophet's words for neither were these Sufferings of Christ that the Guilty might go free for that divine Justice admits not of as to condemn the Righteous and justifie the Wicked that 's an abomination neither are God's Chastizements by way of Revenge nor a taking Vengeance on his Innocent Son who is the Delight of his Soul the Son of his Love Chastizement and Revenge are two differing things and so are Forgiveness and the Rigour of the Law R. G. Jesus Christ is a Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World may I not thence in truth assert him to have been a Propitiation for all Sins past present and to come pag. 15. Answ. That Christ is the Propitiation for the Sins of the whole World I own and that his Blood that cleanseth from all Sin bears record in the Earth but thy words for all Sin past present and to come are added to the Scripture by thy Teachers the Presbyterians and Independants and have given much liberty to sin contrary to the Apostles words who saith of Christ Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness foâ— the Remission of Sins that are past through the Forbearance of God Rom. 3. He does not say for the remission of sins past present and to come nor that men are perfectly justified and redeem'd by the Sacrifice of Christ who commit sin all their dayes which is imply'd in thesâ— words for all sins past presâ—nt and to come whereas his bâ—ing a Sacrifice for the sins of the whole World is intended for the sins past of every man committed before Believing or Conversion or otherwise through Weakness after Conviction not for wilful sins against Knowledge if we sin wilfully after that we have receiv'd the Knowledge of the Truth there remains no more a Sacrifice for sin but a certain fearful looking for of Judgment and fiery Indignation which shall devour the Adversaries Heb. 10.26 27. R. G. But that these Works of the Spirit wrought in us are the Attonement the Propitiatory Sacrifice or any part of it or the Ground and Cause of our being Redeem'd that I deny pag. 17. Answ. What 's Attoneing but making Peace and Quietness and Redeeming but a delivering from Sin and Bondage or rescuing from the Enemâ— And must the Spirit of God have no Hand or part in this Or he in his working within be no cause hereof strange doctrine Mayst thou not herein as well exclude Christ as his Spirit who are One Whereas the work of Righteousness shall be Peace and the effect of Righteousness Quietness and Assurance forever Isa. 32.17 And the Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace c. Gal. 5.22 It is the Spirit that both quickens sanctifies and justifies and leads the true Believer into all Truth And what 's this short of Redemption I pray you if it be a freeing from Iniquity But these inward works of the Spirit we dare not call the Propitiatory Sacrifice as falsly thou imply'st but he Christ the Worker who is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and is not this spiritually oâ— by his Spirit And are not his Works in his People as acceptable to God as ever being true in him and in us from the dignity of him that worketh them R. G. God hath purchas'd his Church by his own Blood G. W. his confus'd doctrine renders this Purchase as a work daily doing in every Generation in many Bodies as every man comes to be renew'd by the Spirit a fine dress of new coyn'd words pag. 17. Answ. Whoever comes to be a Member of the true Church as he doth experience the Work of God and his Will fulfilling in him must feel and witness even in the Body a saving purchasing redeeming and cleansing c. from Iniquity and Bondage by the Blood of God And as it s written After that the Kindness and Love of God our Saviour toward man appear'd not by works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he sav'd us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost Tit. 3.4 5. See now how contrary to plain Scripture and Saints Experience this R. G. hath argu'd and how the work of the Spirit or inward Renewing and Washing by it which saveth is slighted by him and such as he who never knew what it is to be purchas'd unto God nor to be of his purchas'd Church And they who are not yet come to be Mâ—mbers of that Church to know his Blood or Life both to sprinkle sanctifie and redeem them from sin and iniquity in their Bodies which have been defiled or else they are never like to be a true Church nor to inherit God's Kingdom And herein I do not bring a Sacrifice without Blood nor without Spirit nor like that of Rome as blasphemously R. G. reproach'd me for the Spirit and the Water and the Blood do bear record in the Earth and except ye eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of Christ ye have no Life in you and Jesus Christ the Righteous is the Propitiation c. Mark is in the time present he â—eâ—ains a Sacrifice his Soul being made an Offering for all that have not wilfully sinned against Knowledge or that have not rejected Christ and sinned out their day R. G. Christ as form'd within thâ— Hope of Glory dwelling in us by Faith is manifest within us this Manifestation of him as in us thou calls the true Christ our only Saviour which the Apostles never did pag. 19. Answ. Strange Dâ—ctrine Did the Apostles preach a false Christ or another then the true Was not Christ within the Mystery And was not the ingrafted Word that which sav'd the Soul And he that hath not the Son hath not Life How amply hath both Christ and his Apostles testified of his being in his chosen Ones And hast thou not in pag. 22. granted to his appearance in Believers through Faith by his Spirit for Salvation Will this man never leave his Confuâ—ion and self-Contradiction R. G. From Acts 2.36 God hath made that same Jesus adding not him that was manifest in that Body of Flesh but the same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ pa. 19. Answ. What a
strange Addition and Parenthesis is this that in effect denies him to be Christ that was manifest in that Body of his I ask if it be not true Language to say that Christ was manifest in the Flesh seeing that every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh mark that is not of God but is the spirit of Antichrist R. G. And to him as Saviour and to this Way of his Appearance in Believers throâ—gh Faith by his Spirit for Salvation and Remission of sins through him I have in plain words testified and you have oppos'd p. 22. Answ. Nay thou hast rather oppos'd it and not we for we own that God our Saviour according to his Mercies sav'd us by the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the holy Ghost Tit. 3.4 5 6. But thou thinkest Reconciliation Justification Redemption and Salvation are all compleated perfected and done at once by the crucified Body without but now it must be by his Appearance in Bâ—lievers through Faith by his Spirit See thy manifest Contradiction viz. A perfect Justification and Redemption of Sinners without them when no good is wrought in them contra But now it must be done by Christ's Appearance in Believers through Faith by his Spirit As also thou grantest that his appearing the second time is without sin to Salvation But when thinkest thou that must be is it in this life or hereafter Thou sayest that after the bodily death you shall be rais'd out of the Grave and made Partakers of that Salvatioâ— pag. 13. 'T is strange the Salvation of Sinners yea of the whole World as thy word is should be compleated at once above sixteen hundred Years since from whence thou shouldst look upon us whom thou revilest and condemnest to be in as good a state as thy self as yet to be so long after Death look'd for how long is not known to thee or dost thou look for Christ as the Son of Mary to appear outwardly in a bodily Existence to save thee according to thy words pag. 30 if thou dost thou mayst look until thy eyes drop out before thou wilt see such an Appearance of him THE Second Part Further asserting The Nature of Christianity c. WHereas G. K. did truly assert that the works of the Law excluded by the Apostle from Justification is when the Law is done without Life or Spirit the first Covenant or Law coming before the Seed be rais'd so the Works not done in Christ the Seed do not justifie and that the Righteousness by Faith is when the Law is perform'd in us by the Works of the Spirit Righteousness in the Elect Seed c. To this R. Gordon answers These are strange Vnscriptural Expressions in effect renewing again the old Popish Trick And further saith Scriptures do indiffinitely exclude all Works wrought in us or by us as the Ground and Cause of our Justification with God c. Also addeth That which requireth Works to be wrought in us as the ground of our Righteousness and Justification though wrought in and through the Spirit of God whether by obedience to a Law without us or in us before the Seed be raised or in the elect Seed is a Law of Works still This Doctrine is no other then the old Law-working spirit he saith pag. 23. Reply The Ignorance of this scornful man between the righteousness of the Law as immitated by Self and the Righteousness of Faith and so between Death and Life how obvious is it and how manifestly contrary to Scripture hath he here excluded all Work wrought in us even those of the Spirit and of the elect Seed from Justification Thus laying all the stress upon a suppos'd Purchase without or on the Suffering of Christ's Body without in opposition to his Works within as if the Seed of God and its Work in his Children had lost the Dignity it had in Christ's Person Oh sad doctrine and what gross Antinomianism and liberty in sin would this man lead People into In answer to whom I say That God sent his Son in the likeness of sinful Flesh and for sin condemned sin in the Flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfill'd in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.3 4. Now is not Christ fulfilling the Righteousness or Justness of the Law in us unto Justification it being both for the removing of sin which he hath already condemn'd and to make us Righteous And further the Apostle saith The Unrighteous shall not inherit the Kingdom of God and such were some of you but ye are washed bâ—t ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God Mark that Was this any Popish Trick in the Apostle to assert the Operation of the Spirit of God within for Justification 1 Cor. 6.9 10 11. And was not this in the Name of the Lord Jesus who is the Elect the promis'd Seed It appears this man is a Stranger both to the elect Seed which abides in him that is born of God and to the Righteousness thereof And why doth he so Scoff at plain words of Truth concerning the Seed being rais'd and the Righteousness and Works thereof which are those of the Spirit those of Faith and the Law thereof But that a contrary seed to wit that of the Serpent shows its dominion in him and such as he is who like the old Antinomians and Lybertines exclude the Works of the Spirit and of the Elect Seed from Justification caâ—â—ing it an old Law-working spirit as the Antinomians use to do And what is his then but an old Devil-working spirit For can any be justifâ—ed or made Righteous without the work â—f the Spirit or Seed of God within Is not the Seed sown to bring forth the Fruits of Righteousness And do not the Heavens drop down and the Lord rain down Righteousness that the Earth may open and bring forth Salvation and that Righteousness may spring up together Isa. 45.8 But you Sin-pleasing-Preachers have neither sown in Tears have not gone forth Weeping bearing pretious Seed nor reaped the Fruit thereof Your fallow ground is not plow'd up your Earth doth not open either to receive or bring forth Righteousness in the seed or fruit thereof your Earth is hard and barren Sin and Unrighteousness dwells in it whereby you have caus'd the Heavens to be as Brass and the Earth as Iron Again To oppose the Righteousness of the Elect Seed and Works of the Spirit within as unto Justification this R. G. scornfully tells us That in plainer words they of Rome thus express that the Apostle excludes from Justification works which we our selves do by our strength without the help of the Grace of God not those Works we do by the aid of the Spirit Now if he hath truly represented what they of Rome say in this case I must needs say However they may hold that and other Truths in Unrighteousness that they of
THE NATURE OF CHRISTIANITY IN THE True Light ASSERTED In opposition to Antichristianism Darkness Confusion Sin-pleasing Doctrines BEING A Looking-Glass For Sin-pleasâ—ng Professors of all Sorts Written upon particular occasion herein signified By a Servant of Christ G. Whitehead If we say that we have fellâ—wship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the Truth 1 Joh. 1.6 Printed in the Year 1671. AN Epistle Explanatory To the Unprejudiced READER· COntention especially with perverse spirits that desire it and seek occasion for it is not a thing desireable to me howbeit for the living and precious Truth 's sake and that living effectual faith which was once deliver'd to the Saints I am one necessitated earnestly to contend being brought forth and rais'd up by the Power of the Living God for that end against perverse Gainsayers and peevish Opposers One of whom I find one ROBERT GORDON in a second piece of Antichristianism stuft with Confusion Perversion of Scriptures Abusing and Belying the People call'd Quakers though he hath given it the Title of Christianity Vindicated but therein hath discover'd a great deal of his own and of his Tutor's Ignorance of the very Nature of Christianity as concerning those weighty matters of Salvation to wit Reconciliation Justification and Redemption which in the true nature and sense thereof are in this Treatise unfolded according to the holy Scriptures although this man hath grosly wronged divers of us by accusing us as if we did oppose and seek to overthrow the plain Testimonies and Voices of all the Prophets and Apostles concerning the True Saviour or the Man Christ Jesus whom we have frequently confessed both as to his Divinity and as to his taking upon him the Body prepar'd for him to do the Will of God in according to the Scriptures of Truth yea both his outward and inward Appearance his Suffering Nature and Glorified State and his Divinity in both we have always truly believ'd and confess'd even his Dignity Spiritual Out-goings from of old from everlasting as also his outward Birth and coming in the fulness of time in that Body wherein he shew'd forth Innocency Preacht Righteousness wrought Miracles suffered Contradictions Crucifying and Death by wicked hands together with his Glory Dignity Resurrection and glorious Triumph as a Captain as a Conqueror Leader and Example through all These things have a Spiritual and Divine Impression upon us and a place in our hearts through that eternal Spirit by which Christ offered up himself a Lamb without Spot and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God which things being so openly and frequently own'd by us according to the Scriptures of Truth We cannot but look upon it as a wilful Perversion and wicked Abuse in this R. G. or any others contrariwise to represent us when as to him we have only oppos'd his confus'd dark Testimony which is without Life and much of it without Sense or Reason although pervertedly he hath interwoven some Scriptures abus'd by him in it Howbeit he saith He hath testified to what he received of the Lord and witnessed through and under the Ministry of those I caâ—l Presbyterians and Iâ—dependants Now seeing he hath learn'd his Testimony or Religion of such and yet hath pirked up as if he were â—ome-body or could do more against us then his Tutors or Fraternity although he falls short of many of them in the manageâ—ent of their Cause I should think it were more Prudence in the Presbyterians and Indepenâ—ants to stop such shallow Cavellers and forward Novices as can scarce write three Pages without manifestly contradicting themselvâ—s as this their Disciple R. G. hath done who will never bring any Honour to the Cause of Presbyterians and Independants He should have let us known whether they do approve of this his work against us yea or nay which it he write again we desire him to signifie whether he is own'd and his work approv'd of by the Presbyterians and Independants yea or nay Some suppose it probable that what he hath writ against the Innocent and Suffering People of God in this nature hath some Self-interest and End as either of some Preferment or Applause at least who though he be dismounted with the Times from his former Place and Preferment yet is not content to live quietly in that obscurity he is in but he must Villifie Reproach and Slander an Innocent People who have appear'd and do stand up for God and the Testimony of Jesus in his Divine Power where such peevish pittiful underly Cavellers as R. G. dare not shew their Faces for Christ nor yet for their own Directory and Church-Faith for all their pretended Zeal for him though he and they can carp and quarrel against us who are under Sufferings And he having shown himself both an Antinomian a shatter'd Presbyterian and Independant he is the more fit man to insinuate into such especially the more ignorant sort of them for some Applause or Name to himself like many of his selfish Teachers before who being dismounted from their parochial Bishopricks Pulpits Tythes are now for the rattling of the Platters which have been vâ—ry beneficial to many such fain'd Preachers and Temporizers who can make a florish in fair Weather but eiâ—her â—lee Sculk or Comply when a Storm or a Pinch comes or otherwise drive a Trade more privately and have the Platters rattle more secrâ—tly with their Watchers and Spies at eaâ—h Corner to give them warning lest they should be surpriz'd for driving a Trade unlicens'd that they may escape out at Back-doors â—or By-wayes which hath been the manner and practice of such as R. G's Tutors notwithstanding their severely pressing their Hearers to Faithfulnâ—ss and to Stand fast c. when they are no Example thereof themselves but on slite Occasions ready to flee like Hirelings and ready to give their â—locks the â—â—ip And now as to the Doctrinal part of his Book he having affirm'd a Justification aâ—d Redemption of men even while no good is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever and when no qualificatâ—on is wrought in man by any Spirit whatsoever to mend the matter he adds in order to the perfecting the Purchase of Redemption c. Which word purchase he thus explains in an Unscriptural and Nonsensical stile viz. That God man purchased and compleated Reconciliation Justification c. with God at once without us which is as good sense as to say God Purchas'd them of God and for Proof thereof he very many times over repeats that Scripture Rom. 5.10 If when we were Enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son not so much minding the following words much more being reconciled we shall be sav'd by his Life And verse 11. We have now received the Attonement c. This he hath made a Cloak for his justification of men even while no good is wrought in them one while saying they are reconcil'd to God another while God
to them Now though plenteous Redemption Salvation and Peace were in being in Christ for us while Enemies and that God commended his Love towards us in that while we were Sinners Christ died for us vers 8. which doth explain the intent of the words If when we were Enemies we were reconcil'd to God by the death of his Son c. yet it is not the nature of Reconciliation for men to be Enemies to God I appeal to the Conscience of both R.G. and all other Professors Whether Enmity and Reconciliation do not differ And whether while Persons are at enmity they be then actually reconcil'd Though while we were Enemies we were reconcil'd by the death of his Son intentionally on God's Terms but not actually in our selves till the Enmity was slain in us as God with reference to his Purpose speaks to Abraham I have made thee a Father of many Nations before he was actually so made For Paul in the following words saith God who quickeneth the Dead calleth those things which be not as though they were Rom. 4.17 And also Zacharias being filled with the Holy Ghost he Prophesied saying Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited and redeemed his People Luke 1.67 68. and to the end of the chapter Now though this Redeemed be spoken of as a thing done yet it was spoken of in the Prophesie of Christ the Horn of Salvation whose Salvation is Deliverance and Preservation out of the hands of our Enemies that we may serve him without fear in Holiness and Righteousness before him all the dayes of our life This was not witnessed when the Enemy rul'd and no good was wrought in us Further If Reconciliation and Redemption had been actually finish'd without us when no good was wrought in us what needed the Apostle so earnestly beseech and pray them in Christ's stead to be reconciled to God 2 Cor. 5.20 They might have said that is done and complated already Or to say Tbat Jesus Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People c Tit. 2.14 They might have said we are redeem'd at once already without us while no good is wrought in us What needst thou to tell us of redeeming from all Iniquity or of being purified We do not expect any such thing while we live here and yet we are redeemed justified and perfect in Christ. This is according to R. G's Doctrine and Sense but the Apostle's Sense is contrary as where he saith You that were sometimes alienated and Enemies in your minds by wicked works yet now hath he reconciled in the Body of his Flâ—sh through Death to present you Holy and Vnblameable and Vnreprovable in his sight if ye continue in the Faith grounded and seâ—tled Col. 1.21 22 23. Mark here the nature and tendency of a reconcil'd stateâ— and how it differs from that of Enemies in the mind as you were sometimes Enemies yet now reconciled viz. Ye Saints and faithful Brethren in Christ which are at Coloss chap. 1.2 But the mind of him that is an Enemy in his mind is not reconcil'd to God or his Truth Drunkards Swearers and Ranters are not in a reconcil'd State nor justified State neither is God reconcil'd to them nor in Union with them Again The words Purchased and Redemption are us'd by R. G. in an Unscriptural Sense while he doth so nonsensically render it as God man having purchased all of God without and so justified man when no good is wrought in him by the Spirit of God and as if Christ's Works without were the previous purchasing cause of the Love of God and also states man's Justification and Redemption as only without and preceeding the work of the Spirit within whereas redeeming from all Iniquity and Bondage under which man was sold is not wrought without the opperation of the Spirit of God within but it is a Work to be fulfilled within where Sin and Bondage have ruled and being Washed Sanctified and Justified by the Spirit are plac'd in their proper order 1 Cor. 6.11 Sanctified being plac'd before Justified And the Apostle Paul saith You are seal'd with the Holy Spirit of Promise which is the earnest of our Inheritance note that until the Redemption of the purchased Possession unto the Praise of his Glory Eph. 1.13.14 So mark here The Holy Spirit of Promise was the Earnest of their Inheritance until the Redemption c. And grieve not the Holy Spirit whereby you are sâ—aled until the Day of Redemption Eph. 4.30 But with R. G. the Day of his Redemption was long since over many years before he was Born he was redeemed and justified above Sixteen Hundred Years ago but then he must suppose or conceit himself an Elect person before that or else the whole World is as much justified as he See how plainly these Scriptures refute R. G. as also God purchased his Church with his own Blood Acts 20.28 So his chosen People were a purchas'd Possession God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself but the Saints who are hiâ— Friends are actually reconcil'd he hath fulfill'd it in them And now because those terms in Scripture relating to Christ and his Works are mis-understood and pâ—rverted by many Professors and Priests as this man hath done I shall state them with the natural and simple sense thereof as followeth viz. Jesus a Saviour who saveth from sin of whom it was said by the Angel Thou shalt call his Name Jesus for he shall save his People from their sins Mat. 1.21 Christ is Anointed for he was anointed with Power from on High Propitiation a Sacrifice well-pleasing which is to purge away sin and in Scripture sence to make nigh to God and which imports Forgiveness Reconciliation Favour Mercy Kindness c. as Propitious is favouable merciful c. Sacrifice an Oblation or Offering which is to Consecrate or make Holy Reconciliation an Agreement a Peace-making between them that have been Friends and afterwards Foes a setting at One. Covenant an Accord Agreement a Contract a Treaty a Condition c. Attonement Peace Quietness c. between them that are reconcil'd or in mutual Friendship Redemption a Ransoming Buying again Rescuing or Recovering such as were under Bondage or sold under Slavery Salvation a Saving Preserving or a making Safe from the hand of an Enemy Destroyer or Oppressor c. Imputation an Ascribing Attributing to laying to the Charge of or an Accounting Reckoning or Thinking Justification a making Righteous Just Upright Vertuous Good Perfect c. and also an Adjudging Pronouncing and Sentencing one that is made Righteous to be so Now if Professors come not to feel and experience these things or works of Christ fulfill'd within them they are but meer empty Professors and Talkers of them without the true Life and Power of Christianity and true Religion Certain Scriptures touching the Saviour Redeemer Redemption and Salvation c. Thou shalt know
which saves the soul and it is the soul as in the Power that is unchangable And God is not to be divided into parts and particulars he is not divisable nor separable It was the Priests words That the soul is a part of the Divine Essence 〈◊〉 in the said Book pag. 227. And one of them confessed That there was a kind of Infiniteness in the soul pag. 90. And in p. 68. it is said God breathed into man the Breath of Life and he became a Living Soul for that which came out from God is the Cause that man became a Living Soul And is not this of God c Now Infinite Divine c. is no otherwise intended to the soul then as relating to the Breath of Life which immediately came from God by which the soul lives and subsists in its Beeing which figuratively some have put for or called the Soul as being the Soul or Life of it by which it lives and is upholden whether under a sense of Anguish or Peace And this hath no accord with Rantism but is a Testimony against it and thee too And it had been well for thee to have cleared thy self of Rantism ere thou hadst charged it on others for indeed thy doctrine hath a direct tendency to it as That men are perfectly justified and reconciled in the sight of God Gâ—d with them and they with him while Whoring Killing Stealing Cursing Roaring Ranting yea that Raâ—ters if all while Enâ—mies wicked no good wrought in them c. are perfectly justified reconciled with God and Gâ—d with them Doth not this tend directly to strengthen the Ranters in their Rantism And as touching G. F's words the places have been look'd and it s found that thou hast disorder'd them and left out what was necessary â—o clear their sense and his Intent R. G. If their Consciences accuse them not neither have I who have not so much as mention'd them Answ. Our Consciences do not accuse us but thou hast covertly and deceitfully when thou didst not mention us by name and now hast openly revil'd us and wrong'd our Principles contrary to that love so much pretended by thee So now thou appearest in thy own shape and for all thy shuffling and shifting in this matter I appeal to thy own Conscience if thou didst not chiefly mean the Quakers in thy other Pamphlet more than Turks or Jews Arians Papists Socinians or Ranters Will these Pretences excuse thee And as to thy not finding a plain consistency in our Principles nor a unanimous reception of them by every Person among us no doubt but thou hadst us'd thy skill to make an inconsistency in our Principles but art disappointed and to stumble the weak by thy undeâ—ly Insinuations against us But I ask What persons among us are so far from the reception of our Principles as to receive thine or own thy spirit R. G. What an inconsistency is there between thy words and this work published by you four against my Testimony and that not by the youngest among you Answ. Thou knowest in thy own Conscience that it was G. K. that chiefly answer'd thy Book A. R. and G. L. were little concern'd in it and it was thy irreconcilable Contradictions that I chiefly took notice of What a silly ambitious Boaster art thou then to seek to make the World believe that four of us were so deeply engag'd against thee and thy self to be such an eminent Champion against us Thy Testimony is so much of it false and confus'd that many more then us four would have testified agâ—inst it and what we did it was not so much to wage War with thee as to answer the Truth in our selves and clear it in general However through thy Ambition thou shewest thy Vapouring spirit and Ostentation against four oâ— us the least of which yea the youngest Child of Truth may see thy weakness Whereas G. K. said Though Redemption is wrought within by the Spirit of Christ. To which thou sayst Here I take notice of thy slighting that great Work of man's Redemption as already purchas'd by Christ for Sinners by that one Sacrifice of his crucified Body Answ. We do not slight that one Sacrifice nor the Dignity thereof by confessing to Redemption as wrought within by the Spirit of Christ if thou wilt own Redemption in the true sense thereof as Christ gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity whiâ—h is not remov'd without his spiritual Operation within But thou contradictest thy Tutors thâ— Presbyterians and Independants in saying That man's Redemption is purchas'd by his Crucified Body for they say He did not satisfie as Man simply but as God and Man or as God Man which is all one as to say that God satisfied and paid God or that God purchased Redemption of himself for they say That his Suffering being finite could not purchase an infinite Reward for nothing but an infinite Price could procure that there must be an equivâ—lency between the Price and the thing purchas'd c. Whereas it was the Love and Good-will of God to send his Son into the World to redeem man from Sin and Corruption which is a work inwardly effected and Christ giving himself a Ransom for all was for a Testimony of Gods Love to all R. G. The Operations of the Spirit of Holiness being necessary for bringing the Believer into Vnion and Friendship with God c. p. 8. Answ. This confuteth much of thy work for then men are not in a reconcil'd state while out of that Friendship for where the mind is reconciled to God it is brought out of the enmity and evil works into union with God and so there is mutual union between him and the Creature R. G. He slew the Enmity in himself God reconcil'd us to himself through the Death of his Son while we were yet Enemies so no qualification wrought in us by any spirit whatsoever in order to the perfecting of the Purchase and paying the Ransom for Sinners pag. 8. Answ. Here is still thy old Story with thy additional Excuse of purchasing and payment to lessen the dignity and worth of the Spirit of God and its Qualification and Work within â—s as if God did not value the same Spirit of his and its work in his People now as formerly in Christ and his Followers whenas it is the same Spirit by which Jesus Christ offered up himself a Lamb without Spot to God and that rais'd him up from the dead which also quickeneth true Believers But thou preferest the Suffering of the Body before the Spirit and layest all the stress upon it as the only cause of Redemption Justification c. and the Works of the Spirit but as the Effect thereof How darkly hast thou herein consulted and set the Flesh above that Spirit which is the cause of Spiritual Effects for without the eternal Spirit his Body could not be offer'd nor rais'd nor the Saints quickened And concerning his Slaying the enmity
that enlightned Man Jacob Behoman as his words are On which the Observation was thus viz. Observe Hear the tenure and tendency of R. G's Answer how antichristian it is He appears here plainly as owning another Mediator Christ or Saviour then that Christ that said I am come a Light into the World I am the Vine c. And we ask Was not he Jesus of Nazareth And of whom it is testified in Scripture Christ in you Christ the Power and Wisdom of God He that hath the Son hath Life Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity c. But R. G. doth not own this Christ to be the Lord 's Christ or Jesus Christ of Nazareth but he must have some other christ then this Christ that is descib'd in those Scriptures before But dare he say that Jacob Behoman owns his doctrine herein And I add Surely R. G. grows darker and darker to turn from a Behmanist to an Antinomian Presbyterian and Independant For this Christ who is the Word the Light the Christ in Believers the Power and Wisdom of God speaking in Saints R. G. deems but the Operations of the Spirit and not Christ the Operator Saviour or Redeemer wherein he is greatly mistaken and has out-run himself besides any right Aim For Christ as the Word the true Light the Power and Wisdom of God the Redeemer from all Iniquity and as in his Saints the Giver of Life and Victory over the World c. he is the true Operator of God his Operations within cannot be wrought without him the Operator and the Author of Faith the Worker out of Sin the Saviour and Redeemer from Iniquity and so an Operator as such He is given for a Leader for Light Life and Salvation to all who believe in his Light which will shine live prevail and prosper against all the Darkness dark-Dark-spirits and Enmity which oppose it Now let the Reader judge whether R. G's words be not Antichristian and he an Antichrist and Deceiver yea or nay This R. G. represents some of G. L's Letter to him in these words I find thy Mind in this Book abroad gathering in the comprehension what thou fancy'st and hast heard of others so heaps up Confusion and Contradiction What will avail thee or me that we know abroad of things done abroad Nothing at all If ever thee or I come to know true Peace we must come to know the Life that quickens It is not Names nor Things done without but the Life within that redeems that purges that sanctifies that quickens the Soul to God To this R.G. cavillingly answers Now consider what is testified by the Prophets and Apostles concerning the Man Christ Jesus without them a Name and thing abroad The Saints of old believed in him for Redemption they saw and believed and left it upon Record to us and their Report is true that we also who have not seen might Believe and be Blest Thou hast made the Coming Death Sufferings and Resurrection of the Man Christ for the taking away Sin as quite useless as Redemption Justification Salvation as a Name and Thing done Abroad c. No He hath not made void these things by his owning the Life that quickens the Life within that redeemeth that purgeth and that sanctifieth and quickens the soul to God for this answereth both Christ's Testimony and the End of his Coming He hath only signify'd how void and empty R. G. is of the true and living Knowledge of Christ and his Works within As also Accounting that faith but dead which is receiv'd only by Tradition and Report without either sight or sense of Christ or his Power and Operations within as the Foundation and Author and Object of Living Faith which sanctifies and justifies which is contrary to R. G's dead Faith of Names and Things all without while nothing of Life is felt within The Flesh of the Son of Man he hath not eat and his Blood he hath not drunk of so that Life in him he hath not received And I believe that the Name of Christ Jesus his Power and Works have so little place or reception in him that both Christ his Name the Redemption of the Soul Justification and Salvation are all shut out of doors and so but as Names and things abroad with R. G. and so the End and Effect of Christ's Coming and Sufferings and the Power of his Resurrection these also have no place in such as he who do not experience the Life nor the Power of Christ within to redeem sanctifie or quicken the Soul to God neither is his sin taken away from within while Salvation and Redemption are shut out meerly as things abroad but Christ said It is the Spirit that quickens the Flesh profiteth nothing John 6.63 And the Apostle Paul said Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him so no more 2 Cor. 5.16 And did not the Apostle know him to be their everlasting Salvation Justification and Redemption Now that of Jesus the Son of the Highest it s said The Lord God shall give unto him the Throne of David and he shall Raign over the House of Jacob and of his Kingdom there shall be no End Luke 1. Now to this we both confess and assert it But whereas R. G. so very often over speaks of Jesus Christ the son of Mary and that out of the Natural Seed of David is their Saviour c. Now though I grant that according to the Flesh he was born of the Virgin Mary descended of the Linage of David yet he was Miraculously conceiv'd by the Over-shaddowing of the Power of the Highest and therefore was call'd the Son of God not Natural Seed of David that 's not Scâ—ipture He is neither a Natural Saviour nor Carnal Christ as is imported in such like Sayings of Carnal Professors But being the Son of the Most High who proceeded and came forth from God in his Divine Power and Spirit he was and is the Saviour and thereby Raigns over the House of Jacob forever So the Seed which raigns is not Natural nor Carnal but Spiritual for unto the Son it s said O God thy Throne is forever Heb. 1.8 Now I ask Was this a Natural Seed But in that Christ in the dayes of his Flesh said I can of my own self do nothing the Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do that he doth Still I imply and grant that he took upon him a real Body of Flesh though methinks R. G. might have ascribed more Honour to Jesus Christ as being the Son of the Most High then by so often calling him the Son of Mary which he doth so very often as if we deny'd his outward Birth of her but that no ingenious man will judge of us how disigeniously soever he hath dealt by us in this and other things whom I query upon his words Jesus Christ the Son of Mary of the Natural seed
Perfection and Imperfection are two contrary things as being in Christ and being in Sin are And as the Warfare against Sin and the Victory over it are different so he that is in Christ is a New Creature old things are done away though there is a time of Warring and a time of Victory a time of Groaning within our selves for Redemption where the First Fruits of the Spirit are receiv'd and a time of Triumphing and Rejoycing in Victory for First Fruits imply that there are Second Fruits But thou in citing that of Rom. 8.23 hast left out the word FIRST for it makes against thee and set the Fruits of the Spirit instead of the First Fruits of it But why dost thou talk of the Warfare whil'st thou reckon'st Transgression and Sin made an end of and Justification and Salvation and Redemption purchas'd and perfected with God without thee when no good is wrought in thee And after what manner dost thou pray to God Dost thou ask Forgiveness for thy sins Or rather Doth not thy Doctrine tend not only to strengthen People in Sin and to make them so stout in their Rebellion as not to need to ask Forgiveness of God for their Sins For what need that if such a Purchase Paâ—ment or Satisfaction be made without them for sins past present and to come as thy Doctrine imports For that is â—ot of the Nature of Forgiveness And what doth Christ make intercession for Is it for something he hath purchas'd and compleatâ—d with God already Which if so cannot justly be detain'd from the Creature no not from any in what state soever if thy Doctrine hold For iâ— a mâ—n's Debts pasts present and to come be all aforehand paid at once and his Release purchâ—s'd by his Surety would it not be absurd in him still to pray to his Creditor Oh! I beseech thee forgive me my Debts and would it not be as unjust if the Creditor should still detain him in Prison after such a full compensation or rigid satisfaction of thâ— Law is made Oâ—ght there not rather to be enjoy'd a Deliverance upon it Ipso Facto But thou and such as thou art make Christ's Sufferings a Cloak for Sins past present and to come pleading your Perfection Righteousness and Compleatness in him and all as done at once without you while yet imperfect actually Vnrighteous and Incompleat in your selves in your Lives and Conversations and no good wrought in you by any light or spirit whatsoever Dost thou think that God is therewith satisfiâ—d or that Christ and his Sufferings will indempnifie and acquit you living and dying in your Sins and Pollutions No no God will not be put off nor his Wayes slighted by such Hypocritical Flams and Mockeries And whereas in pag. 44. thou falsly accus'st me Of pleading for a being perfected in my self and to prove the contrary of me as not having attain'd the end of Faith which is the Salvation of the Soul which thou reckon'st is not till men be as Angels neither Marrying nor giving in Marriâ—ge And thou say'st of me Why is he then like unto us Mâ—rtals Marrying and giving in Marriage Eating and Drinking and not above Sickness and Death Is this a sufficient Argument against Perfection Is Marriage an Argument of Imperfection Was Adam imperfect in Paradice when Eve was given an Help-Meet for him Or is either Eating Drinking Bodily Sickness or Death an Argument of Imperfection By this thou may'st accuse many of the Servants of the Lord if not all and Christ himself with Imperfection for he did Eat and Drink and suffer'd Death in the Flesh But as for my Particular I do not tell thee my state whether Perfect or Imperfeâ—t nor argue from thence against thee though I plead for the Principle of Truth of Perfection or Freedom and Salvation from sin being attainable in this life by vertue of that divine Power and Faith which overcomes sin and is able to subdue all things to it self And thy accusing me of giving in Marriage is a meer Falshood for though I own Marriage as being an Ordinance of God and Witness bear to the honourable Marriâ—ge and Joyning in him yet it is not our Principle to make or give in Marriage but we do own the Lord 's Joyning and the Marriage that is according to his Will And as for not being above Sickness and Death which I am accus'd of as a Token of Impâ—rfection This is a very mean Argument against me and how I am in such a State or Tryal of Sickness thou dost not know how my spirit is nor what Injoyment of God or Renewing in the inward Man I have when the outward man is in Weakness However such as thou art be ready to rejoyce and insult over me or others of us when you hear of our Afflictions or Tryals and its probable thou and such would rejoyce much more in our Death or Dissolution if that might come to pass according to your minds But I thank God he hath given me Peace and Patience and hath afforded an increase of Consolation to me in Sickness and Death I have not feared but in my spirit have been over it when in outward appearance nigh unto it I confess I have had Sickness and many outward Tryals for the Work of the Lord and his Truth 's sake as that Servant of Christ in the Gospel Epâ—phraditus Paul's Brother and Companion in Labour and Fellow-soldier was Sick nigh unto death for the Work of Christ not regarding his Life Phil. 2.25 to the end Now if thou should upbraid him or such with being imperfect because of such Sickness what a peevish pitiful Argument would it be Nay doth it not rather make more against thee that the Servants of Christ meet with such Exercises for the Work 's sake which is not for sin And that some do the more witness Patience to have her perfect Work and Faith its exercise under Tryals and as Job said When I am try'd I shall come forth as Gold Job 23.10 Do not these all make against thee and argue that God will have a pure and perfect People and they shall be manifest to be such through their manifold Afflictions and Tryals And now whereas I said That thou hadst shown thy self one while like a Quaker having gotten many of their words in thy other Pamphlet and another while like a Presbyterian and Independant To this thou answer'st That thou hast therein testified to in thy measure what thou receiv'dst of the Lord through and under the Ministry of those I call Presbyterian and Independant pag. 44. What didst thou think to gain such a great Conquest over us by thy beggarly Scraps and poor Reliques that thou hast gather'd and learn'd under the Ministry of Presbyterians and Independants when many of them thy Tutors have been confounded and overthrown and their Mouths stopt by the Power of Truth in us when they have gone about to overthrow it and villifie us by their perverse Gainsayings
Thou mightest have taken warning from them to have kept back and sav'd thy self from this cumber which by thy Perversness and busie meddling in thy false spirit thou hast brought upon thee had not Conceitedness Pride and Presumption blinded thee and seeing thou hast been but a Pedant under the Tutoring and Ministry of Presbyterians and Independants What Conquest think'st thou now to gain And what Name or Title dost thou go under Art thou a Presbyterian or a Presbyterian-Independant or both May we not rather look upon thee to be an Antinomian Presbyterian and Independant But indeed thy spirit appears to be that of a ridged reviling Presbyter However thou should'st in Policy and Prudence have sit in silence to have seen what success and end thy Tutors or Masters would have had in their warring against us before thou hadst thus busied thy self or taken upon thee thus severely to judge us and Me in particular that I am not in any measure a Partaker of that Living Faith the Holy Men lived and died in Which Judgment I value not but trample upon it in the Power of the true Light and am over all thy Confusion and Nonsensical Scribbling or what thou canst scribble against me or the Truth testified by me which stands over thy head and the heads of all such peevish perverse and pittiful Gainsayers as thou art who hast sufficiently manifested whose off-spring thou arâ— and whose work thou arâ— in and accordingly shall be rewarded I pass by much of thy fruitless stuff and impertinent Tautologies whereof a Vollumn might be made as not worth repetition or divulging G. W. A Postscript IF Râ—bert Gordoâ— will devise and frame any thing for Râ—ply to what is here written I only desire this Civility and Reasonâ—ble thing of him That he wouâ—d be pleâ—sed not to inter-line nor mistake my words nor â—y down things in my Name which I never writ nor iâ—tended as he hâ—th done in divers Particulars to the great â—buse both of Truth and Me as one concerned in it moâ—e thâ—n I have as yet mentioned But I request thâ—t he would state my own words as I have his both in Sentences and Clauses and not divulge Forgeries in my Name to Fight with For we perceive by his two Pamphlets and his many vain Repetitions and Iâ—pertinencies therein that he is as in a Whirle-Pool and hath already brought forth the bottom of his matter as to Doctrine and Vindication and can bring forth no profounder Opposition but a vain Repetition of the Old unless that some more Reproachful Rusty stuff remaineth behind in him and his Associate Apostates to be brought forth as further to give occasion for his and their Inveterate Revengeful spirits to be made manifest However Though 't is not my Principle to stâ—ive for Strife nor for the last Word yet I am not willing to acqâ—iess under such Abuses wherâ— TRUTH is so deeply concerned Though I thank God I can both pass by and bear many Personal Râ—flections and Injuries G. W. An Aditional Postscript BY George Keith to Robert Gordon R. G. ALthough thy Part to me be answer'd by another yet there are some things which I find fit a little to touch I had indeed much in my heart for Truth 's sake to lay open the Emptiness Weakness and Inconsistency of this thy work against us but being prevented by another concern'd with me therein much of what I have to say may remain unto a further occasion Thy way of Reasoning against me as having nothing from the Lord to answer thee or proving rebellious in not delivering it because I did not communicate it unto thee by word of Mouth or writing is vain and frivolous it was deliver'd thee in Print by one of my Friends viz. G. L. and seeing thou camest forth in Print against us though under a Cover what ground hadst thou to expect another way of answering then by Print And although I was in the same Town with thee yet I left the Town and the Nation also before it was Printed so I could not send thee it in Print and in Writing it was not convenient but I left it with Friends to be given thee in Print as was accordingly done And however thou so positively deny'st that I had any thing from the Lord to answer thee in thy presumptious carnal Confidence yet in the Day of the Lord that shall over-take thee it shall be known unto thee that I had it from the Lord in Love to thy Soul Thy alledgance that our Principles are inconsistent without further probation will have no more weight with sober men then that the Earth is inconsistent because it may seem so to a man Drunk with Wine to whom all things seem to reel and stagger so Principles never so consistent and solid may seem as inconsistent to thee and such as may be Drunk with a spirit of Giddiness and Levity whereas the inconsistency is in such men's spirits and not in our Principles What thou writest of a Fourfold Combination against thy Testimony as thou call'st it and our making such a stir about it and printing together against it as for our very lives and thy giving us names in a vain and scornful mind as if thou seem'st to glory is weak and groundless G. L. pâ—â—lish'd nothing of his in Print against thee A. R. only writ a few Lines to thee as being thy old Acquaintance rather indeed regrating thy Condition then entring into a Dispute with thee and but touching at two or three things passing by And G. W. did little more but set thy Contradictions before thee which as yet stand over thy head unanswer'd thou having not so much as assay'd any Answer unto them but telling us He or we might no less charge Contradictions upon the Apostle Paul thus fathering thy gross Confusion and Contradiction upon him So thy Book was upon the matter almost wholly left upon me that thou needest not have made such a Noise of a Fourfold Combination and there was no great stir made about it by us however thou may'st have apprehended so by the stir in thy own spirit not unlike a man diseas'd with the Megrum in his head that imagins he heareth great Noises and Stirs abroad when all is quiet because of the Distemper within himself The whole substance and strength of my Answer unto thy first remains in force against thee who hast wav'd the most material things in it only nibling at some things when thou seem'st to thy self thou wouldst get something to say for Proof of which I refer the Readers to one impartial Examination of both In thy fourth Page Part 1. to A. R. thou abusest my worde taking occasion from a small Error in the Printing which is a disingenious way of dealing and had not thy prejudice blinded thee thou might'st easily have corrected it by the sense Thy abuse of me is in these words that thou citest my words thus Yet the Soul yea and the whole man is
to be saved within whereas my words were thus Yet the Soul yea and the whole man is to be saved with in and through the Seed whoever believe in Christ and are joyned to him The Error in Printing is that within was put for with in and upon thy own Mistake and Abusing me thou raisest a Callumny as if I held That the full Salvation was only from sin within whereas I said The whole man was to be sav'd and I say still not only the Soul but the whole Man is to be sav'd both from sin and all the effects and consequences of it whether inward or outward And the Redemption of the Body and the Resurrection I do believe according to Scripture contrary to what thou falsly insinuatest against me And whereas thou queriest By what Scripture can I prove that Christ died for a Seed in man that needed Redemption which Seed is Christ in every man Answer Thou abusest our words herein which are not that Christ needed Redemption but that he redeems his Seed which he taketh upon him but Christ died for men that men who were dead might become alive and no other way can men live but by having Christ to live in them Gal. 2.20 And the Life of Christ in the Saints is in a rais'd Seed he who was crucified in them who could not be crucified in them but as in the Seed coming to live in them but if thou wert not ignorant of this Birth thou wouldst not propound such an ignorant Question and the Scripture speaketh expresly of Christ as having been crucified in some as Gal. 3.1 crucified in you and 1 Cor. 2.2 crucified in you for so are both places in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And said Christ Joh. 6 39. This is the Fathers Will which hath sent me that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the Last Day Now what it is that whereof he should lose nothing but should raise it up at the Last Day That I slight the Work of Man's Redemption or what Christ did or suffer'd in order thereunto is falsly charg'd upon me nor dost thou produce the least ground for it Did I slight his Redemption because I said in Contradiction to wâ—at thou didst alledge on us That it was not without respect to Christ as outwardly Born and Crucified I said also more and could say more but what was said was enough to clear us of thy false Accusation Pag. 10. Thou alledgest I did not in my first tell what further tendency the Sufferings Testimony and Example of Christ had unto our Reconciliation then that of Paul 's or any other Martyr's Answ. That is false both G.W. and I expresly affirm'd That he was a Sacrifice most acceptable and satisfactory so said G.W. yea and W.P. in his Book said as â—uch whom thou falsly hast accus'd and a Ransom a Propitiation and Offering for the sins of the whole World but not that men should be justified while in their sins but in having forsaken them yea in the very next two pages thou confessest That we have mention'd him an Attonement a Sacrifice a Propitiation for Mankind in his Sufferings and Death in the outward and this is more then Paul or any or of all the other Martyrs were and had a greater and more weighty service and tendency then the Sufferings of all others for of none else can it be said that is true of him who is the universal Offering Attonement Propitiation How â— art thou not asham'd thus falsly to charge us and yet a few Lines after in contradiction to thy self to clear us again Pag. 13. Thou accusest me as unfaithfully repeating thy words to make them speak what thou intend'st not but thou dost not mention one particular wherein I have so done nor canst thou only thou tell'st mâ— That I leave out that part of the Sentence in the Apostle's words that is most weighty against me viz. Being Reconciled In Answer to which I say That I did not leave out these words as making against me and that I mention'd them not was not on any such design but that the mentioning or not mentioning of them was not material to the thing in hand nor dost thou gain the least by these words being reconciled for he doth not say so of any while remaining Enemies as being reconcil'd And for a confirmation of thy false and confus'd doctrine as that Men while yet enemies and so remaining before and without respect to any inward Operations of the Spirit of Holiness are reconcil'd to God and God to them Thou abusest that Scripture Rom. 5.10 both corrupting it as it s in the English and wresting it to a wrong sense 1st in that thou addest the word yet as importing A remaining Enemies which yet is not in that verse Rom. 5.10 2d that thou draw'st from this place That God is fully reconcil'd to them while yet remaining Enemies Whereas the Scripture saith not When we were Enemies God was reconcil'd to us but thus as it is in the English When we were Enemies we were reconiled to God And that the Apostle cannot understand that they were reconcil'd to God while remaining Enemies is manifest because he inviteth Enemies to be reconcil'd to him which imports they were not already reconcil'd to him Yea thou grantest That it is a Qualification on our part as to receiving the Attonement that we be reconcil'd to God But because the English Translation at first view seemeth to favour thee I shall therefore refer thee and others who have any skill in the Greek to the Greek Text and you will find the words run thus If we being Enemies Graece 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were reconcil'd to God c. this doth not import that they were both Enemies and reconconcil'd at one and the same time more then it imports that where it is said Eph. 2.1 And you being dead in your sins c. hath he quickned for so it is in the Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they were dead and quickned at one and the same time both Expressions importing not a remaining Enemies dead but a passing from being Enemies and dead to be quickned and reconcil'd And that it is said We were reconcil'd by his Death implyeth that his Death had an influence in order thereunto but not that we were then at his Death fully and perfectly reconcil'd as R.G. affirmeth for we are said to be sanctified through the offering of the Body of Jesus c. Yet who will say we were then sanctified Pag. 15. Thou desir'st me to ask the Boyes in the Grammar School whether was reconciling and hath reconciled do not both denote a time past Saying that I am very hard put to it Ans. If thou not I hadst not been put hard to it thou wouldst not have fled to such a weak Refuge and seeing thou appeal'st to the Boyes of the Grammar School let them determine whether was reconciling
though denoting a time past doth denote or signifie the imperfect time or perfect yea or nay and whether it signifieth the action perfectly done ended compleated as thou insinuatest that our Reconciliation was then dâ—ne sixteen hundred years ago Will not the Boyes of the Gammar School tell thee that that it is in imperfect time and signifieth the Action begun but not ended or perfected And God was in Christ reconciling men to himself ever since the Fall in all Ages both before and since Christ suffer'd in the outward having given them or put in them the Word of Reconciliation by which they who became renew'd thereby were reconcil'd and justified in all Ages But according to R. G's doctrine no men were justified nor reconciled until Christ suffer'd Death in the outward because then and not till then was Reconciliation and Justification wrought done c. And here in thy 15th page I take notice of another piece of thy Self-confusion and Contradiction as that thou say'st Our Reconciliation and Justification was fully done perfected accomplish'd at Christ's Death without us and is not to be done or wrought over again in any man And yet in Contradiction thou say'st To make our Reconciliation effectual in every man we are as a Qualification on our part c. requir'd invited to be reconcil'd to God Then according to thee it must be made effectual in men and yet thou deny'st that it is to be made or wrought within any men it being already fully done And if it was fully done before was it not effectual before Or if it be not effectual till it be made so in us was it not in-effectual before And if it was in-effectual it was not fully done What Confusion and Contradiction Effectual in-effectual all done wrought yet not made effectual we reconcil'd to God yet as a Qualification on our part we are to be reconcil'd Pag. 16. Thou chargest me with a Self-contradiction because I said The full and perfect Redemption was in Christ while we were Enemies But herein thou show'st thy self weak for I say still Our full and perfect Redemption was in him while we were Enemies so was our full and perfect Sanctification Wisdom Righteousness yet it followeth not that we are Redeem'd Sanctified Wise and Righteous till as it is in him so it be receiv'd by us for it is the receiving it that giveth us the denomination of Redeemed Sanctified Wise Righteous as the Cloth becometh colour'd by receiving the Colour and not otherwise Pag. 17. That the Works and Fruits of the Spirit as Humility Meekness c. are reckon'd by us as the Ransom the Price the Mediaton the Saviour is a most false and unjust Charge nor do our Friend's words give thee the least ground for it As for W.B. he said Humility Meekness was a Mediator to asswage and stop Wrath in the Enmity-Seed but he said not it was our Mediator betwixt God and Vs So thou canst not be excus'd from being a gross and unjust Perverter of his words And if any have called Christ the Humility it is not more then Paul said That he to wit Christ was made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification c. and when Christ is call'd Humility Righteousness are not understood those particular Effects and Fruits of the Spirit but that original primative Righteousness Verity Humility Truth and Goodness c. that is Christ as he is God the fountain goodness truth righteousness c. Pag. 18. Because Christ is call'd the One Offering and that be once offer'd up â—is Body c. Thou wouldst exclude him as in us from being one Offering but herein thy work is vain for Christ Jesus is the one Offering still and though he offer'd up his Body outwardly but once upon the Cross yet he remains still an Offering for us within us For he is a Priest forever and every Priest hath somewhat to offer and he is both the Offering and the Priest who liveth forever to make intercession for us That thou alledgest of our Testimonies as dissagreeing is false nor hast thou ought to prove it but to corrupt G. W's words by a deceitful interlining of them as alledging on him That he calls it a blasphememous opposing the omnipotency of God c. To assert any such necessary respect our Redemption hath to the Death of Christ which last words are thine not the words of G. W. Pag. 21. Thou cry'st out on it as strange Doctrine that I said The Apostles preach'd Christ in the form of a Man yet they preach'd him also and that more generally a Light to the Gentiles Then thou ask'st Was he not a real Man Answ. Yea he was a real man and is and it is a most false and unjust Charge That we neither confess nor preach him as a man and that thou askest Tell us plainly what is become of that Man I say he remains to judge thee for thy Lyes and false Accusations against the Innocent and as for his Body that thou queriest he hath his Body which is Spiritual and Heavenly and Glorious to which our low body is to be made conform and the Body of Christ is but one yet having many Members and this Answer is given not to gratifie thy bad spirit but for the Truth 's sake and for a service to the Simple-hearted And that thou deny'st That that was Christ that took on him the form of a Man and was manifest in Flesh Do'st thou not herein plainly deny the true Christ For did not he even Jesus Christ take on him the form of a Servant according to plain Scripture Did he not come in the Flesh and if he came in it was he not in it and if he was in it was he not manifest in it And if thou deny'st him come in the Flesh art not thou an Antichrist Thou say'st Not he manifest in that Body but thou art the Son of God p. 19. Oh blasphemous and contradictory to thy self Do'st thou not expresly say in thy Testimony pa. 38. That he is a Christ near us wrap'd up in our very flesh and blood the Seed of the Woman meaning in that Flesh he appear'd in outwardly And that thou deny'st that he that was manifest in that Body was the Son of God Do'st thou not plainly deny his divinity Was he not the Son of God before he took Flesh in the Virgin 's Womb Pag. 21. Thou bely'st me that I said The Apostles preach'd one way of Appearance of Christ to the Jews and another to the Gentiles whereas I said He was preach'd a Light more generally both to Jews and Gentiles and the Apostles preach'd him as within men 2 Cor 13.5 Know ye not how that Jesus Christ is in you That thou challenge it that one said Christ was never seen with any carnal Eye thou hast no more ground then to challenge Himself who said He who hath seen me hath seen the Father and yet he said to the Jews who saw the outward Body
of Jesus You have neither seen him nor known him and many such places could be mention'd And did not thy Darkness and Prejudice still blind thee thou mightest understand better how Christ is seen and how he is not seen We deny not but the names Messiah Jesus Christ c. were given to him as Man even as in the Flesh but they do more eminently and more originally belong to him as he was before he took that Body on him yea more immediately and more originally to the Word the Light the Seed the Life the Quickning Spirit that dwelt in that Body which he call'd this Temple and it was call'd the Body of Jesus Pag. 22. Thou deny'st That either Faith or Works wrought by us or in us by the Spirit of Christ are the previous procuring purchusing Cause of the Love of God to us while Sinners c. Answ. And who ever said that they were This is but a pittiful waving and shifting the state of the Controversie they are needful as qualifications requisite unto Justification and Life or eternal Happiness and that is the true state of the Question And thus I prov'd in my former citing Rom. 8.13 and Rom. 10.8 9. to which thou hast answer'd nothing but art mute as a Fish and these I recommend again unto the Readers and particularly Rom. 10.8 9. compar'd with Deuteronomy 30 14. which require not only doing under the new Covenant but such as is in order unto Salvation summ'd up in these two general heads to wit Believing and Confessing which is a work and that not a bare one but a living practical Confession which includes in it our whole Obedience and not only Faith but Repentance Conversion and a turning from the Darkness to the Light and from the power of Satan to God or requir'd in order to Forgiveness Repent and be converted that your Sins may be blotted out said Peter Acts 3.19 and Acts 26.18 to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God that they may receive forgiveness of sins and keep my Commandments and live said Wisdom Christ Jesus Prov. 7.2 and Rev. 22.4 Blessed are they that do his Commandments that they may have right to the Tree of Life c. And here the Spirit is not preaching the first Covenant or Law but the new And as for Tit. 3.5 it expresly mentions the washing of Regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost which are the Works of the Spirit of Christ in us by which we are sav'd as said the Apostle though in thy Blindness with the Priests thou dost not observe it but bring'st it against us which maketh very manifestly for us and the Works that the Apostle opposeth to Grace are works of the Law and not of Grace which can never be opposite Pag. 24. That with me the first and second Covenant are in effect but one is a false Charge though I must tell thee That the Spirit Life or Light of the New Covenant is universal and was from everlasting and reacheth through all Dispensations of God unto men both before under and since the Law and without it none could ever be sav'd and though the Manifestations and Ministrations of it were various and more and more by degrees came forth yet this Spirit Life or Light is still the same in it self and in its nature extending in some degree to all both Jews and Gentiles to make them capable of Life and Salvation though many harden their hearts against it that it hath not an Impression upon them as upon those who believe and obey it in whose hearts the Life of the New Covenant dwells and the Laws thereof are written or engraven as in Fleshly Tables not stony Tables nor Hearts Pag. 31. As for my Queries which thou only makest a shew to answer but indeed givest them a most pittious and slight go-by I return them upon thee to be directly and plainly answer'd in the tearms propos'd Pag. 34. Thy Insinuations That I seek a Hole to creep out at That I am ignorant of the Scriptures That I assert nâ—w Notions receiv'd from other men tending to the darkning and denying the joynt Testimony of the holy Men of God I reject as false and groundless together with diverse other false Charges against me and my Friends and it is a small matter for us to be judged by one who is over Head and Ears in the Mire of such Confusion and Contradiction as thy Books hold forth But that thou sayest it was none of thy work to prove Christ come in the Flesh or become Man Thou declar'st thy Impudency in so saying for Proof of which let the Reader see in thy Testimony so called from pag. 17. to pag. 35. though to thy own Contradiction G. K. The 3d Moneth 1671. Some of Robert Gordon's corrupt Doctrines 1. THat Christ without us upon the Cross hath already subdu'd all things finish'd Transgression made an end of Sin abolish'd Condemnation and Death pag. 4. of his testimony 2. That the Light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the World is not the true Christ pag. 10. testim 3. That Christ came to justifie and deliver us from the Law or Light in our Consciences pag. 11. testim 4. That Obedience to the Light in the Conscience is but the Work of the first Covenant and Righteousness thereof and that no man is justified thereby p. 10 11. testim 5. That God is fully attoned perfectly reconcil'd to man without any Consideration Qualification or Work to be wrought in any man by any Light or Spirit whatsoever but singly and solely upon the account of the active and passive Obedience of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth done in his crucified Body without us pag. 12. testim 6 That Redemption Justification and Reconciliation is finished and compleated by what Christ did and suffered outwardly And so according â—o R. G. all men are redeemed justified reconciled Christ having dy'd for all as he expresly affirmeth in his second Book pag. 12. testim 7. That our Salvation is wrought by Christ in what he did and suffer'd outwardly and our worâ—ing out of our Salvation is only as to Evidence and Manifestation And so according to R. G. all men are sav'd Christ having died for all but it is not made evident to all that they are sav'd pa. 12. testim 8. That Redemption Justification were finished and compleated in the crucified Body in Christ for us not in our persons pag. 3 4. testim 9. That the Lord did not direct man to the Light in his Conscience nor to Light and Power but promis'd him another kind of Saviour p. 18. test That the Worker of Redeâ—ption could not be the Light inlightening every man p. 21. test 10. That the Light in our Consciences that shews good and evil is not given for Righteousness nor able to reveal or give Lâ—fe any more then the Law written in Tables of Stone 11. That a Believer is pure beautiful in Christ
walking in Rest Victory and Perfection yet in himself in his body he hath a Law of sin he is in the Earth in Warfare and Imperfections pag. 16. testim 12. That Redemption c. and all things are wrought purchas'd c. for us without the help of any thing to be wrought in us pag. 3 4 5 20. testim 13. That Christ did break through fulfil and satisfie stirred up Wrath in God which he saith would hold me captive in Death intending that thereby they might be acquitted and justified and so escape with their Imperfections and Sins past present and to come pag. 19 20. testim pag. 15. 2 d Book 14. That to Question if it could be an Answer of divine Justice to take Vengeance on the Innocent and let the Guilty go free with their sins past present and to come and then from this to ask How can God then in justice execute Wrath on any for sin This R. G. counteth an arguing against God p. 14. 2 d Book 15. That the Law Sin and Death were charged upon Christ's crucified Body and that he buried them in his Grave and thus abolished sin out of the sight of God pag. 39. test And that therein he vanquish'd and buried in his Grave all the powers that were against us p. 26. test 16. His Argument for Imperfection or against Perfection in this Life is Marrying Sickness Mortality c. as in his 2 d Book and Part to G. W. 17. He insinuates as if what Christ did and suffer'd without us was the previous procuring purchasing Cause of the Love of God to us while Sinners pag. 22. 2 d Book 18. That he that was manifest in that Body born of the Virgin Mary and within us is not the true Christ Jesus the Son of the Living God pag. 19. 2 d Book Also most of these aforesaid corrupt Doctrines are repeâ—ted over again in his 2d Book Some of R. G's Lyes and false Accusations against us 1. That we deny the Mystery of God in the Flesh of Christ as a matter of any necessity to us as to Râ—demption Reconciliatâ—on and Justificaâ—ion pag. 5. testim 2. That we hold our Justification to be without respect to the true Christ and our only Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth and without respeâ—t to what Christ did for us in his Body without us pag. 5. testim 3. That we make Christ to be no better then the Priest and Levite only looking upon us and passing by leaving us an Example wherein if in pâ—rfect Obedience we follow'd him we should live and so departed leaving us undone as he found us to cure redeem and reconcile our selves to God by obediâ—nce to the Light plac'd in our Consciences convincing us of sin pag 15. testim 4. That our Doctrine asserts another Christ another Saviour then him Jesus Christ of Nazareth pag. 17. 5. That according to our Doctrine Redemption is only of the Seed within that lies under condemnation p. 24. test p 4. 2 d book 6. That we make our selves equal with Christ pag. 36. test 7. That we reckon it a poor low thing to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth as our only Saviour pag. 40. testim 8. That we suppose our selves to find access to the Glory of the Father without this man Christ Jesus our Mediator p. 41. test 9. That we have trod under foot the Son of God and counted the Blood of the Covenant an unholy thing as the Blood of any ordinary Man or Beast p. 24. testim And in his second Book 10. That Christianity it self in its very Foundation is struck at by us and deny'd Preface and that some among us bring in damnable Errors to pervert the Faith of some 11. That the nâ—w present glorified existence of that Body or Man Christ that suffer'd at Jerusalem is deny'd by some Teachers among â—s pag. 2. 12. That the full and compleat Salvation is only a Salvation from sin within False for it is both from sin and all the effects and consequences of it within and without pag. 4. 13. That according to G. F. the Soul needeth no Salvation as being infinite without beginning a part of God which G.F. speaketh not all these things of the soul of man but of the Breath or Spirit of Life that made Adam a living soul that is the Soul or Life of the soul pag. 5. 14. That it agreeth with the Doctrine published by G. F. That the Life in Man and Beast is God and all in us is God denying the real individual Existences of Angels Saints Devils or wicked men in Eternity pag. 27. 2 d book a most gross Slander for all that is in men is not God neither that which defileth nor any part of man that is or can be defiled nor deny we either the real or particular Beeings of Angels Saints Devils or wicked men in Eternity as most wickedly he doth scandalize us 15. That it is not allowed to our Friends to question and examine the doctrine deliver'd to them by the antient Friends of the Ministry pag. 8. 16. That Christ in offering up himself is an imperfect insufficient Propitiation pag. 16. 17. He insinuateth That we hold that the Works wrought in us by the spirit are the Ransom the Attonement the propitiatory Sacrifice and ground of our hâ—pe for eternal Life p. 17. 12. 18. That the man Christ Jesus of Nazareth to be the true and only Christ G. K. doth not confess pag. 19. 19. He alledgeth That our Friends have put some out of their Synagogues for openly confessing Christ calling them Pharisees and in a vain and evil mind thus bespeaking G. K. is it because he was hanged upon a Tree that thou art asham'd to own him as Saviour c or rather art thou affraid to confess him because of the Pharisees pag. 20. 20. That according to G. K. the first and second Covenant are in effect one and the same pag. 24. 21. That G. K. is against the holy Law of God p. 25. False is he or we against it because we say it is writ in the heart and doth bind unto obedience as is written there and that the obedience only acceptable unto God is that which is given in the newness of the Spirit and not in the oldness of the Letter 22. That thâ—re is a Light in every man as he cometh into the world by natural Generation that is saving pag. 28. 23. That we would preach to the Indians nothing but what they knew already pag. 43. G.R. for these thy lyes and thy many gross abuses against the Truth and its Witnesses the Righteous God will rebuke and judge thee Note Some other Friends who are R. G's Country-men have a further reserve against him whereby he may be further discover'd in his false Colours Turnings Twininâ—s Hypocrisies Shiftings Self-contradictions as he shall again further appear against the Truth and them concerned in it G. K. Ingenious Reader KNowing that the Errors of the Press ought not to be imputed to the Author thou art desir'd to correct these as here directed Page Line Error Corrected 4 3 divinity dignity  4 dignity divinity 8 Mar. pro ito prope ito note 10 5 souls blood 14 18 fest fect 16 11 particulars particles 17 29 would could 19 29 are you art thou 20 9 Law Love 22 1 are is 27 9 dare do  33 to know must know 29 13 as yet and yet 34 22 dele of  35 9 our Priests your priestly 38 7 et let  33 one sentence is printed twice dele the latter 41 22 imaginary imaginarily  32 existent existence 56 14 Ep phraditus Epaphraditus 58 4 mistake mis-state 65 1 dele that  71 19 hold me hold men   the word Blaspemy in the Margent place opposite to these words viz. Arguing against God THE END Mica 5.2 * Propitio ex pro pio non impâ—o Propiti us ex pro ito Eph. 3.5 * He now hopes and waits for Salvation after the bodily death see his Sottishness and Confusion at other times it was perfectly wrought at once without or else purchas'd he knows not which at Jerusalem but now he hope for it after his bodily death Ah! the Hypocrites hope shall perish Note Note * Why did he not call Mary the Mother of God as Papists do which to be sure is not Scripture Language Job 36.26 Psa. 1â—9 6 7 8 9 c. * The Sun and its Light being under Limitation so is not the Light of the Son of God Job 10.14 * Such as the Presbâ—ters and Independants suppose Christ to have made in our stead bâ— undergoing vinâ—ictive Justice at the Hand of his Father as they vainly imagine Note Deceit Blasphemy
Rome have given a better definition of Justification then R. Gordon hath and in words at least shown a better esteem of the works of Grace and of the Spirit of God then he hath done which Works are above those of self and surely the Apostle James did not exclude the Works of Faith which are done by the aid of the Spirit of God from Justification when he said But wilt thou know oh vain man that Faith without Works is dead and was not our Father Abraham justified by works when he had offered Isaac his Son upon the Alter Jam. 2.20 21. Now was this an old Popish Trick or the old Law-working spirit as he calls it No sure it was before the Law was written and it was the Spirit of Faith by which Abraham obey'd God for Abraham believ'd and it was imputed to him for Righteousness and he was called the Friend of God Gal. 3.6 Jam. 2 23. And they that are of Faith are of Abraham and Partakers of the Righteousness of Faith wherein they are justified and accepted of God Now if I be exclaimed against herein for Pâ—pery I must say That wherein Papists hold any Truth though in unrighteousness I must not therefore deny it If the Pope and the Devil also confess there is a God and a Christ must I therefore deny it or be counted a Papist Nay I must speak the Truth in Righteousness however I be villified and scorned for it Again Our asserting the Righteousness of the Elect Seed rais'd in us and Obedience of Faith therein for Justification and Acceptance with God This doth neither deny nor oppose the Sacrifice of the crucified Body of the man Christ Jesus nor yet blot out of our hearts either the Name or Remembrance of him who is the great Propitiation for sin as unjustly the Elect Seed and its Righteousness within is accus'd p. 23. For the Appearance of Christ within and his Manifestation in Spirit doth neither deny nor oppose his Manifestation or Suffering in the Flesh but rather answereth and fulfilleth the Intent and End thereof for the outward Manifestation of the Son of God in the likeness of sinful Flesh as it did condemn sin in the Flesh so his inward Manifestation in Spirit doth destroy sin worketh Justification and Redemption in them who obey his Light within for he is the Author of Eternal Salvation to as many as obey him and it is through the Obedience of the Spirit that the soul is purified unto unfained Love c. And if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the deeds of the Body ye shall live so here is Righteousness Redemption and Salvation receiv'd in Christ the Light through obedience to his Light within however this be slightly stiled A Law-working spirit and falsly judged A Principle agreeing with all the false Religions in the World by this Antinomian Presbyterian Independant R.G. p. 24. who thus further preacheth as in the Name of the man Christ Jesus Receive the Attonement be ye Reconciled to God Believe and be saved the Man Christ Jesus having already slain the Enmity in himself the power of Sin and Death and the Law for us And thus he is our Saviour c. To which I say These Exhortations Receive 〈◊〉 Attonement which is the Peace be ye Reconcil'd to God Believe c. imply some Qualification and Good must be wrought in men before they be in Peace in a reconcil'd or justify'd Estate But how agrees this with those doctrines which wholly exclude the works Qualification and Good wrought in us by the Spirit of God and all Obedience done by the aid of the Spirit from Justification Reconciliation c. it being done at once as he saith by the Sacrifice of the crucified Body of the Man Christ whom he saith hath slain the Enmity in himself the power of Sin Death and the Law for us and thus saith he he is our Saviour to wit when no good is wrought in us by any Light or Spirit whatsoever so then is follows its only our Priest's Belief that all this is already done how much void of Good and full of Evil soever we be of our selves this R.G. hath prescrib'd an easie way to Heaven a broad way for Hypocrites to sooth and flatter themselves up in their sins but a way that is never like to lead them to Heaven though Christ bore the sin of many and suffer'd for the unjust even when in the Flesh and through suffering did both triumph over the Law of Ordinances and Shaddows which was the Enmity he slew or abolished Eph. 2.15 For he had no sin nor enmity nor power of it in himself to slay seeing by the eternal Spirit he offer'd up himself without Spot to God by all which though he by his Innocency condemn'd sin in the flesh and in himself became a Conqueror and Triumpher through Sufferings yet if R. G. and others come not to experience of the enmity and power of sin and death slain in themselves they are not actually reconciled nor sav'd by Christ neither yet freed from the condemnation of the Law nor Judgment of the Son of God who hath all Judgment given to him and Power to execute Judgment because he is the Son of Man but where he is receiv'd as a Saviour he saveth from Sin Death and Enmity in man and redeemeth from all Iniquity For for that end he gave himself It s not enough to say he hath slain the enmity in himself and the power of sin for Hypocrites make that a Cloak for the continuance of sin and enmity in themselves who know no Good wrought in them by any light or spirit whatsoever And such are the Corrupters of the Earth Destroyers of Souls Deceivers of the Simple and Perverters of the right Wayes of God such think themselves secure and safe in their sins while they Unscripturally and Antichristianly oppose the Work and Light of Christ within as not being of a justifying Nature to the Obedient and so they falsly apply reckon and impute Christ's Righteousness to themselves while they are actually rebellious against his Light within and I see no better tendency that R. G's work hath it being strictly examin'd and compar'd however therein he covers himself with a pretended applause and extolling of the Dignity and Suffering of Christ's Person but they that are sav'd and redeem'd from sin and enmity by him can say with the Prophet I will mention the Loving kindness and Praises of the Lord for he said Surely they are my People Children that will not Lye so he was their Saviour Mark So he was their Saviour as having sav'd them from Sin Iniquity and Falshood such are the People that are sav'd by the Lord who are Children that will not Lye in whom Deceit and Enmity is slain by the Power and spiritual Appearance of Christ Jesus within though I grant in general that he is the Saviour of all men as he affords them Preservation by his Power as Men and Creatures in
order to give them a day of Visitation wherein the tenders of Life and everlasting Salvation may be held forth unto them that believing and receiving the Son of God they may be sav'd from Sin and Death in themselves for he is the Saviour of all men but especially of them that believe whose Faith is not a meer Historical Faith of things only done without but a FAITH in the Name and Power of the Son of God a Heart-purifying Faith a justifying Faith a Faith that worketh by Love a Faith that is victorious over the World by which Faith we being justified we have Peace with God and by which Faith we have received Christ in Spirit and know him after the Spirit The Traditional Knowledge Faith and outward Profession of him as meerly after the Flesh will neither save nor justifie The Pope and Papists have as much of these as Robert Gordon who hath only his Tradition and Faith or Credulity for his Religion and Profession Although the concurring Testimonies of the holy Prophets and the four Evangelists and true Apostles and Ministers of Christ concerning his outward Birth Life Miracles Suffering in the Flesh Death Resurrection and Assention we never deny'd nor hereby in the least oppose by treating of the Nature and Effects of Faith in him as the Son of God the Foundation the Power and Wisdom of God the Light Life Salvation Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption of true Believers For he that believeth in and hath the Son hath Life but he that believeth not in him the Wrath of God abideth upon him How then is he or such perfectly justified with God Reconcil'd and Redeem'd at once without them aâ—â—ording to R. G. while the Wrath of God abides upon them and while no Good is wrought in them Is it good Doctrine to say That men are perfectly justified while under the Wrath of God And that thâ—y are perfectly Redeem'd and reconciled and so at Peace and imputatively Righteous while actually under the Wrath of God in themselves Were it not as good Doctrine to say That they are imputatively saved while actually Damned But this is something like the Doctrine of R. G. and his Teachers or Ministers the Presbyterians and Independants under whose Ministry he hath receiv'd what he hath testified which he deceivedly thinks came from the Lord. And whereas R. G. having deny'd that this Light which enlightens every man is Christ in which G. K. and I oppos'd him and to our saying So John Preacht him c. R.G. again answers in scorn Thou should rather have added So G. F. Preacht him and so others among the Quakers And further addeth John or any of the Pen Meâ— never so wrote of Christ neither canst thou show me one place of Scripture wherein it is inserted of Christ that the Light enlighteneth every man that comes into the World is the true Christ. Rep. What is this â—uâ— to deny the Divinity of Christ or to deny him to be that Word or Life which was the Light of men testified of John 1. which Word became Flesh and tabernacl'd in us Was not this still â—â—â—ist that John testified of that was the true Christ that enligâ—â—â—â—s every man that comes into the World Is it not Anti-christian Doctrine to deny this enlightening true Light to be Christ and to scoff at us for asserting it And because I distinguished between Christ the Enlightener and his Gift of Light or Illumination in man R. G. hath judg'd me severely as to be in Self-contradiction for my saying That we affirm a Spiritual Divine Light to be in eveâ—y man yet we do not say that Christ is in every man or that every man hath the Son though still I own the Son to be the Enlightner of every man This he counts a Contradiction but herein he hath but slightly overlookt and censured my words for there is no Contradiction in them any more then in saying Christ the true Light enlighteneth every man so that there is Christ and his Illumination yet every man is not a Child of Light walks not in the Light hath not the Son is not attain'd to the Revelation of Christ and yet hath a degree of his Light and Illumination in them wherein is his power and capacity of believing and receiving the Son of God or otherwise it is sufficient to leave them without Excuse yea the least Measure of Christ's Light is sufficient in each respect although this Opposer most ignorantly sâ—ights the Work of any Law or Light in man or Obedience wrought thereby as not able to deliver him from the Condemnation and Curse of the Law so as to obtain Justification with God theâ—eby pag. 25. Whereas the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ makes free from the Law of Sin and Death and this Law of the Spirit of Life is within this Law is Light this being obey'd thus freeth man from the power of Sin and Death where true Obedience to the Light is sin is not obey'd neither sin nor death doth raign in the Creature but Righteousness raigns within unto Life sin being forsaken the cause of Condemnation and the Curse is remov'd and where there is no Condemnation there is Justification even to them that walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit And is not this a state accepted of God seeing its the Doers of his Will that are just and justified But after this R G. hath oppos'd and scoffâ—d at that saying That this Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World is Christ having deny'd this he in plain Contradiction to himself is forc'd to acknowledge the Truth in these words I also acknowledge that it is said John 1.9 of Christ Jesus that was the true Light which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 illuminat enlighteneth every man 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 venientem coming into the World for so it is in the Greek and that every man is enlightened by Jesus Christ as he is the Word that made the World c. pag. 27 28. See here R. G. against R. G. one while the true Light which enlighteneth every man is not the true Christ with him another while Jesus Christ was the true Light which enlighteneth every man that cometh into the World Do you think this is a trusty man to give credit to let the unprejudic'd Readers judge And further We do not call the enlightening in every man the Christ but the Light of Christ having already distinguished between the Enlightener and the Illumination and between the Giver and the Gift And now as concerning the Law and Nature by which the Gentiles did the things contain'd in the Law R. G. saith This Law or Enlightening thus planted in man'â— nature by generation is by Generation convey'd into every man as he cometh into the World and that it is called by Solomon the spirit of man which is the Candle of the Lord c. Pro. 20.27 Answ. This Law and Light that inwardly taught the Gentiles was