lusts and also living possibly among a people that are ready to reprove such fashions Hereupon is led forth by the hand of the old corrupt man to search for some reasonable account that may be given both to himself a little troubled through the Word bearing testimony against it and also unto others and while searching with this corrupt mind Satan being not wanting he findes that in some respect this new fashion may be profitable whereat he is glad and so hastily casts out all former questions and so procures it though it cost him a great deal more than at any time he is willing to bestow on the poor and then with a loud voice and much carnal disputings he stands to plead for it for saith he 't is thus and thus profitable which possibly may be true in some small sense But alas he considers not how the lust first conceived in him by his assent with love and delight thereunto He considers not that though there be some small profit therein that 't was not that which lead him to get it for 't was the love and heart-delight which he had to it as being a fashion pleasing the eye of flesh and whereby he might seem to others to be thus and thus that first moved him thereunto The worldly man will say that he must spend much time and take a great deal of care to get this Worlds goods that he may have somewhat considerably to give to the poor but he lies in his heart before God and men Neither think to say within your selves Because you sometimes distribute something to the poor Saints that therefore Gods Promises reaches you for alas sometimes that may be onely a matter of constraint and not willingly and so not rewardable I mean by constraint so as that you may rather than you will publickly oppose such and such works of Charity whereby you may think that people will speak hardly of you and you thereby come to have an ill name rather than this you may be constrained to give something though little or no heart to it otherwise and sometimes upon the account that conscience with such a loud voyce calls for works of Charity you may be perswaded to part with something to quiet conscience having all that while but little real and hearty love and compassion on the poor Saints as appears among some First by their being quieted and altogether satisfied in that they have distributed something never considering whether they have done what is their duties to do whether the poor Saints have food and raiment sufficient yea or nay Secondly As appears by their much more diligent eye over such as are poor than over others whereby to find some kind of flaw or other in their walkings that so they may quiet conscience thereby while they administer not to them this savours of much carnality where ever it is for should you not be merciful even as your Heavenly Father is merciful Neither think to say within your selves some of you Because you are more kind milde and more meek than others that therefore the Promises of God reaches you For although these things be good qualifications yet may be no certain testimony to you of your striving and labouring in the grace of God whereby these qualifications in you may be truly said to be the fruits of the Spirit though they being found in others may be so yet I say not in you because it is but the same which was alwayes in you naturally and you in the mean while may be far from it and a great stranger unto any experiences of Conquest and victory through Divine help over those other Passions that have reigned in you to the great dishonour of God Oh that you would remember Christs words as thus Every Branch in me that beareth not fruit God taketh away Neither think to say within your selves some of you Because you are able to preach and to dispute for Truth that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for all this may you do as some of the Jews that were become Teachers of others but were not taught themselves and yet at last may be inexcusable as they were while the life of Godliness preached to others is not lived up to by your selves For alas what availeth it men to Preach unto others that they must be new Creatures if in the mean while they themselves have not put off the old Man with his Deeds And with what comfort or boldness can men Preach to others that they should Repent Believe and be Baptized for the Remission of sins and so shall receive the gift of the holy Spirit if in the mean while they know not their own sins remitted nor the gift of the holy Spirit received Or with what comfort can any Preach the Gospel of the Kingdom of Christ to others if they in the mean while know not themselves out of the Kingdom of Darkness and so have themselves by faith interest in the Kingdom of Christ What men talk talk of life and eternal glory and in the mean while do the works that leads unavoidably to eternal death Oh horrible blindness Oh what a lamentable condition is this How great is the disproportion betwixt it and the condition of the Gospel-Preachers in dayes of old who perswaded others to have fellowship with them saying Truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Iesus Christ 1 John 1.3 And so were such as were able to tell others what the Lord had done for their souls how God had comforted them in all their tribulations and so were made able to comfort them which were in any trouble by the comfort wherewith themselves were comforted of God 2 Cor. 1.4 These things write I unto you not because I slight you under what name or Title soever you are on whom these words may take hold neither for your destruction do I thus speak but rather desire you and with the holy Spirit speaking to the Churches do I hereby exhort you O Laodiceans timely to repent and be zealous that so Gods Promises may reach you as well as any other for the Lord is not willing that any of you should perish and that so his people may with all freeness have fellowship with you The great Errour and mistake of the Quakers concerning the true Christ and how he is said to be in his People And concerning the Rule of Man-kind MOreover Since 't is not the Talker nor ready Disputer nor the Busie Preacher of this World but the single-hearted doer of what is Preached Disputed or Talked of that shall enter into the Kingdom It remains a work very great for every Professing Soul to abide very circumspect and watchful together with a constant trusting in and dependance upon the Lord who waits to be gracious that thereby they may be more and more wrought up unto a well-pleasing the Lord in all things But lest any soul should be deceived by the
Christ and this after his Ascension Arise and go into Damascus and there it shall be told thee of all things which are appointed for thee to do and that not by a Light within him for when he was come to Damascus Ananias a certain Disciple told him many things as you may read and said Why tarryest thou Arise and be baptized and wash away thy sins calling upon the name of the Lord Act. 22.10,11,12,13,14,15,16 Moreover when Peter had preached many things to the People at Ierusalem 't is said when they heard this they were pricked in their hearts and said unto Peter and to the rest of the Apostles What shall we do and saith the Jalour What must I do to be saved Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Peter Paul and Silas being led with the Spirit of Light indeed Repent Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be baptized every one of you in his Name for the Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit Act. 2.37,38 Act. 16.30,31 In like manner when the Angel of God appeared in a vision unto Cornelius he said What is it Lord Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith the Angel of Light Send men to Joppa and call for one Simon who is surnamed Peter he shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do and when Peter was come he preached unto him Christ whom the Jews slew and hanged on a tree with whom they had eat and drank c. and at length said Can any man forbid water that these should not be baptized and he commanded them to be baptized c. Act. 10.4,5,6,38,39,41,47,48 Object John saith That the anointing which ye have received abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you c. Answ Consider The Churches unto whom the Apostles wrote their Epistles were gifted with the Holy Spirit the anointing as themselves acknowledge in their Writings yet nevertheless they saw need for them to write but it appears that this Church or Churches to whom John speaks these words were so enriched with spiritual gifts so many gifted Brethren among themselves in whom the anointing so mightily wrought as that Iohn doth as it were say that these things I have written indeed unto you concerning them that seduce you but I look upon you so furnished with the gifts of Wisdom and spiritual Understanding as that there was no absolute necessity for any man either I Iohn Peter or Paul in remote places to write unto you whereby to instruct and teach you Furthermore the anointing abode indeed in them Iohn saith but that every particular person had the anointing so in them as that not any of them needed to be taught Iohn saith not the anointing Spirit abode in them in the Body the Church so as that there was it seems several able through the anointing to teach and instruct the rest which is the Will and Mind of the Lord even for spiritual men so to do Col. 3.16 1 Thes 5.11 Object 'T is said That ye shall not teach every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest Heb. 8. Answ 'T is to be observed that those whom the Lord sayes shall not teach every man his Neighbour are such onely as have their sins forgiven them by Faith in Christ and not all men in the world whatsoever which is the fence of these men I say onely such because in that very place 't is said as from the Lord even that all shall know me from the least to the greatest for I will be merciful to their unrighteousness and their sins and iniquities will I remember no more Heb. 8.12 And this pardon I am sure and I think none opposes reaches not every particular man in the world Therefore all those that have so repented of their sins believed and obeyed the Lord Jesus as to know this gracious pardon reaching them they indeed need not teach one another saying know the Lord as the Children of the old Covenant had need to do they being Children thereof by generation These I say that are Children of the new Covenant by regeneration have no need so to teach one another saying know the Lord as if they knew not the Lord to be their Lord and Saviour for 't is most certain that he is the Lord and Saviour of all such whose sins and iniquities he remembreth no more but though these have no need to say to one another know the Lord upon the account aforesaid yet even these have need to be builded up in the knowledge of the Lord and that by outward means for Timothy knew the Lord as his Saviour and so needed not to be taught to know the Lord in that sence yet Paul sends Scripture unto him That he might know how to behave himself in the Church of God 1 Tim. 3.14,15 And Peter saith to them that knew the Lord 2 Pet. 1.3 Grow in Grace and in the knowledge of the Lord Chap. 3.18 Therefore you that serve the Lord in simplicity of heart and fear to offend him receive the Word of Exhortation even That you stand fast and hold the Traditions which you have been taught whether by Word or our Epistle heed it well 2 Thes 2. 15. And as for such who will not hear Moses and the Prophets you may be sure will not be perswaded though one rose from the dead Luke 16.31 But withal let each Soul take good heed that while they be careful to avoid this extream concerning the Light within the Quakers sence they do not run out into another extream also dangerous even little to mind or wholly to neglect walking up to the Light they have received within their Souls according to the Scripture sence or Gospel way of enlightning men for alas 't is not enough for men to know and talk of what is good what are spiritual things but to do good and to be spiritual Oh how much more excellent is that there is the peace known that others onely hear of even the Peace of God which passeth understanding Above all things take the shield of Faith whereby ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of Satan and to open the Windows in your service to God as afore-time Dan. 6.10 For should such a man as I flee I will not go in saith Nehemiah Chap. 6.10,11,13 MATTHEW CAFFYN THE END
thereof though then lawful yet I say is not now lawful for the posterity of Adam because God hath now commanded as in very reason 't was meet that mankind having lost by sin the glory of present enjoyments once enjoyable in Paradise and Christ having freely purchased a more excellent even a Heavenly and Eternal glory I say God hath now commanded that mankind should deny themselves and take up a Cross that is to say that men should not now follow their own natural lusts which so greatly inclines to this present world but should deny and cross them and settle their affections and delights upon the more excellent estate of glory purchased by the Lord Jesus 2 Cor. 5.15 Col. 3.2 And therefore the sons of men now following the natural lusts of the flesh become by nature the children of wrath led by the Prince of the power of the Air who also stirs up them to follow their own lusts and hearts desires with endeavours by deceit to enlarge the same and thus all men go out of the way there is none Righteous no not one But such and so great was the Fathers love to the world considered thus miserable lying under the burthen of their own personal transgressions as that he willed and accordingly commanded by the Lord Jesus that the Gospel should be preached to every Creature thereof Mark 16.15 that is The Glad-tydings of the Pardon and Remission of their sins so as that whosoever of the world thus miserable by reason of sin now repenteth of the same believeth and is Baptized shall be saved Ver. 16. But this purpose of God concerning Election that is in English choosing out all such as believe to life Everlasting was not in the least arising from or begotten in God by or because of any fore-seen Faith in or works of Righteousness done by the Creature but meerly and alone from the purpose of his own gracious Will nothing in man first or last moving him thereunto for the purpose of God according to Election is not of works but of him that calleth I with the Apostle bear Witness Rom. 9.11 And whereas the glory and excellency of Gods presence is such as cannot admit of any unholy or unclean thing for that Cause his Decree of Election or Predestination reaches the holy Ones or the number of Believers onely and not because God saw any worth or excellency in mens Faith or Holiness whereby to provoke him thus graciously to decree but according to the good pleasure of his Will saith the Apostle hath he Predestinated us that is in English fore-appointed us unto the Adoption of Children Ephes 1.5 Now whosoever of you that bear the name of Saints hearing this so gracious Gospel of Jesus Christ did in your hearts acknowledge the truth thereof verily believing that there was remission of sins to be had in Christ And that Christ therefore being the Justifier and so the most amiablest Object in the World was most worthy your affections and Soul-desires and thereupon resolved with godly sorrow for the sins past for the time to come to serve him with all affections and faithfulness and no longer your selves and so committed your selves to his grace confidently depending upon him for that which you verily believed was to be had in him even the remission of your sins and eternal life whosoever of you have So believed in Christ publickly professing the same by being Baptized that is in English Dipped in his Name by Faith you were justified from all your sins past and being thus reconciled the gift of eternal life freely purchased by Christ Jesus for you without any respect of Faith fore-seen in you or any condition required of you in order thereunto I say the gift of eternal life remained your portion This Faith being professed by you next thereunto O Friends you may remember that you with others and others with you and for you made application to the gracious God by Prayer and Supplication with the Laying on their Hands according to the Scriptures speaking in that case Heb. 6.12 Acts 8.15,17 That you might receive the holy Spirit by the gracious supplies of which you might be both furnished to continue the Faith professed and also to bear much fruit therein to the honour of him who had called you out of darkness into his marvellous light But since 't is the receiving of the holy Spirit and not the bare asking of him nor the much talk of him that makes men thus happy and the more and more receiving of him that makes men men indeed even strong in the Faith it remains a work none of the least for all such who have so believed and so practised well to consider what they have received from God and how they may come to receive more from him for it were a lamentable weakness even greatly tending to the provoking of God for men practising as aforesaid to rest and lye still secure as if all were well barely because they have called upon the Lord for his holy Spirit when for a long time they know him not received nothing of this work upon their own heatts whereby they can declare to others what the Lord hath done for their Souls David that heavenly pattern being in the profession of the Law of God rested not in that but followed hard after the Lord therein Psal 63.8 to whom having diligently sought and Prayed often he abode waiting upon him till the Lord gave him ground to say to his Soul Return unto thy rest O my Soul for the Lord hath dealt bountifully with thee Psal 116.7 and as elsewhere he saith Psal 63.8 Thy right hand upholdeth me How good a thing were it for Professors in this day to take pattern hereby so as henceforth not to content themselves in that formerly they have prayed with subjection to the Laying on of Hands for the gift of Gods Spirit nor in that they continue sometimes yet to pray for the same for most surely 't is the known hand of God upon the Soul that onely can give real cause of satisfaction the certain experience of Gods bountifulness renders poor Souls otherwise restless to be at rest and true peace And then how boldly may such speak of Gods goodness to others having themselves sweet experience of his goodness to their own Souls And how boldly may such stand up and exhort others to keep under and mortifie the deeds of the body they in the mean while knowing the deeds of the Body mortified in themselves through the operation of Gods Spirit upon their Souls Yea and how boldly also may such reprove them that shall notwithstanding live after the flesh whereas otherwise the reproof of the reprover reflects and sticks fast on himself and not onely so but there is this mischief also attending even that thereby the fleshly part in the reproved hath occasion given it to follow its lusts and so how great are the retortings and reflections of such upon the reprover Sure I am
Name who notwithstanding yet come short and are much below that more excellent estate which they have longed for and which is certainly to be attained These are therefore to inform or remind all such that there is yet one thing much lacking namely Faith or the stedfast believing Gods Promises graciously made in order thereunto for they that come to God must believe not onely that God is or that he is diligently to be sought unto but also that he is a Rewarder of such as thus seek him mark you must believe saith the Apostle Heb. 11.6 shewing plainly that notwithstanding what measure soever of holinesse in point of conversation diligency of seeking or importunity of praying there is unlesse it be accompanied with faith in the Soul that God will reward according as he hath Promised all other virtues found in the Creature will not reach the desired Blessings from God For without Faith 't is impossible to please God To which also agrees the Advise of the Apostle saying let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of Faith c. Heb. 10.22 Moreover I will saith the Apostle that men pray every where lifting up holy hands without wrath and doubting 1 Tim. 2.8 Shewing that it is not enough for men to lift up holy hands to God though attended also with Charity so as to be without wrath both which are very special things unlesse attended also with that more special vertue of Faith so as to be without doubting not enough I say whereby to reach the prayed-for Blessings from God for as 't is the duty of Saints alwayes to be ready to do Gods Commandements thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be the Supream and Almighty God so also 't is their duty alwayes to be ready to believe Gods Promises thereby to acknowledge and declare him to be a just and faithful God for they that receive his Testimony sets to their seals that God is true John 3.33 Both which being experienced by the Prophet David caused him boldly to pray and confidently to conclude that he should not slide saying Judge me O Lord for I have walked in mine integrity I have also trusted in the Lord therefore I shall not slide Psal 26.1 Both which also being found in the Prophet Daniel did as it were fetch from God an extraordinary power for the stopping the Lyons mouths so as that he had not though among them the least hurt And why Because of his innocency towards God and man Dan. 6.22 and because he believed in his God ver 23. True it is that God hath promised his Spirit to them that ask him but 't is worthy all observation and I pray you to mark what kind of asking it is which the Promise is made to which you may observe from Christs own words where he saith What things soever ye desire when ye pray believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 To which agrees Pauls Testimony to wit That we might receive the promise of the Holy Spirit through Faith Gal. 3.14 Plainly discovering what kind of Prayer it is Gods ears are open unto which I wish all your hearts may be open to consider even that it is the Prayer of Faith that reaches the Blessing from God whereby to strengthen the weak and sickly Soul for when Gods Promises shall be so magnified in the heart as that like Abraham there shall not be so much as a considering the deadness of its own body that is to say it s own weakness and inability to bring forth fruit to God but shall confidently relye upon his Promises considering that he is both able and willing to cause the barren womb to bear even the unlikeliest of men the base things of the world things that are not to confound the things that are even the Wise and Prudent of the World surely Gods ears are open to hear the Prayers of such they shall not go empty away but rather as 't is written shall be like the Tree planted by the waters that shall not see when heat cometh whose leaf shall be green and shall not be careful in the year of drought neither shall cease from yielding fruit Jer. 17.7 .8 When Israel of old distrusted the help of the Lord and so went down into Egypt for help the Lord spake unto them saying In quietness and confidence shall be your strength Isa 30.2,3,15 Shewing that if Israel had been quiet so as not to have stirred for Egypts help but in confidence or Faith stayed upon the Lord he even the Lord would have been their strength and Salvation so as that they needed not to have feared though an Host had risen up against them but alas because of their unbelief God could do no mighty work of deliverance for them for said they We will flee upon Horses and ride upon the swift and therefore God in his wrath and great displeasure against them said That those that should pursue them should be swift a thousand of them should flye at the rebuke of one and the shadow of Egypt should be their shame ver 3 16 17. and he would wait that he might be gracious ver 18. If peradventure when they had tasted of his Judgements they would thenceforth believe in him and confidently relye upon him that so he might be their strength So much to do hath Faith with the powerful Vertue of the Lord it being the Lords pleasure that it should as that when the Woman that had an issue of blood twelve years was cured by means of the Vertue that was in Christ he casts her Cure upon her Faith saying Daughter thy Faith hath made the whole Mark 5.34 So likewise the Sanctification or Cleansing of the heart is ascribed unto Faith Acts 26.18 Yet not in the least as if Faith of it self or in its own strength could sanctifie or cleanse any heart or cure any mans body for that is the proper work of that spiritual Vertue and Power which is in the Lord but inasmuch as the good pleasure of his good Will is that the same powerful vertue shall serve for the cure of none but such as shall touch him by Faith whereby to draw the Soul-healing Vertue from him therefore 't is said that through Faith men are sanctified and kept by the Power of God through Faith to Salvation So tha notwithstanding the readiness and great willingness that there is in God to cure the distempered and diseased Souls as his many Promises and gracious Protestations in order thereunto plainly declares yet unless they shall make selious and â—…arty Applications unto him together with a holy dependance upon him and a serious waiting in Faith for the same they may nevertheless remain very much out of frame and greatly unhealthful in their Souls there being not ground otherwise for the Lord the great Curer of Souls to say Sons and Daughters your Faith hath â—ade you whole When the Church of the Hebrews were likely to faint in
multitude are as Grashoppers and their Camels as the sand by the Sea-shore shall be put to flight when the Lord of Hosts hath spoken it notwithstanding all the strong reasonings of flesh and blood that is for walking by sight because there is no more than three hundred men allowed by God to do it Judg. 7. Are we not to believe that the Meal in the Barrel and the Oyl in the Cruse shall not waste nor fail when the faithful God hath spoken it though never so much contradicted by the nature of flesh and blood because that at present it is but a handful of Meal in a Barrel and but a little Oyl in a Cruse 1 Kings 17. Are we not to believe that the great Walls of Jericho shall fall down flat there being a Promise of God that they shall without giving any heed to the many fleshly gain-sayings because of their height or great strength or because of the low means as blowing in Rams-horns appointed of God in order thereunto Josh 6. The sum of all which is whether such as have attained to a state of Justification from their old sins by Faith in Christ are not in Faith and full assurance to wait for the gift of the Holy Spirit whereby to carry on and work through the work begun which otherwise will never be finished there being a plain and most certain promise of God to pour out the same John 2.28,29 Act. 2.38 Without the least hearkning to fleshly gain-sayings or yielding to fleshly dulness or any mistrust because of the low means as Imposition of Hands Heb. 6.1.2 Act. 8.12,15,17 appointed of God in order thereunto or whatsoever else shall attempt the making his word of Promise of no effect Yea and not onely a Promise of God but also very strong provocations whereby to believe the same being assured from the Lord Jesus that he doth not onely as readily as Fathers that are evil give to their Children but how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him Luke 11.13 That is the Scriptures compared the Lords good pleasure and great freeness is to give his Holy Spirit to them that ask him with lifting up of Holy hands unto him in Faith that they shall receive from him Mal. 21.22 And so waiting with opportunity till they do receive him Luke 11.8,9 so as to know his Power and enjoy his Comfort and Light in their Souls that as uncleanness wrath strife with many other such manifest fruits of the flesh heretofore reigned in them now love joy peace gentleness goodness with many other such like Vertues the manifest fruits of the Spirit may appear in them Gal. 6. for where such things are designed by the Soul so as that all other enjoyments of the world gives no satisfaction to it while this spiritual frame is wanting which it desires of any thing yea above all things that the world can afford and thereupon have diligently sought the Lord for it and now setting to its seal that God is True by believing that he is a Rewarder of them that so seek him where I say spiritual things are thus designed Gods ears are open to hear their Prayers he will be nigh unto them in all conditions Moreover for the growing and flourishing of Faith consider that the Lord sought after you when you sought not after him and said to you when you were in your blood turn turn for why will ye dye Turn at my reproof and I will pour out my Spirit unto you Pro. 1.23 And all this before you saw any beauty or excellency in the Holy Spirit and so had no desire after him and therefore sought not God for him and yet even then God thus magnified the riches of his Grace in the kind tenders thereof to you while such And will he not now much more take care for you and possess you with that which he before tendered unto you even the comfortable presence of his Holy Spirit Since you are now turned unto him and become his servants not seeking the honour of the world as before but his Holy Spirit whereby to do him service for the honour of his Name Will he not much more I say tender such Will he with-hold his good Spirit from such He the Lord the Righteous God that hath said He will with-hold no good thing from such as walk uprightly Psal 84.11 Surely no Hath God begot by his Word of Truth brought to the birth caused the Man-child the New-creature to be born into the world to whom he saith Open thy mouth wide and I will fill it Psal 81.10 and may you judge and not desperately sin through unbelief that God will now starve this New-creature of his own begetting and bringing forth that he will with-hold the spiritual Bread which onely will satisfie it and so famish his own adopted Children as starve they must and starve they will if God give not his Holy Spirit unto them No surely no carnal men will not starve but nourish and cherish their Children And will not God who is rich in mercy and delighteth in mercy nourish his Yea how much more will your Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him as abovesaid Moreover consider that God having promised his Holy Spirit to such as seek him with Faith to receive the same both his Faithfulness and Righteousness is engaged for them that so seek him which the holy and believing man fears not to make mention before the Lord saying with David Hear me O Lord in thy Faithfulness and in thy Righteousness Psal 143.1 Moreover for men highly to esteem Gods Promises and so to magnifie them in their hearts as that all pleading of Flesh World or Devil because of the deadness of body or barrenness of the womb shall be utterly rejected as not worthy to be considered when God hath spoken I say for men thus to esteem Gods Promises there being every whit as much reason for them so to do as to esteem and keep his Commandments is not onely the way leading to their Happiness but also that which mightily gives glory to God Abraham staggered not at the Promise of God through unbelief but was strong in Faith giving glory to God Rom. 4.20 These things write I unto you O Friends that henceforth your sences might be much exercised and your minds more and more busied in the consideration of these and such like things that the knowledge which you have of Gods Promises may be a word so planted in your understandings by Faith as that all fleshly staggerings and carnal oppositions may fall down before it and by such endeavours on your part you shal appear to be such who are obedient to the wholsom Counsel of the Apostle who exhorted Timothy to follow after Godliness Righteousness Charity Faith Meekness Patience 1 Tim. 6.11 Who questionless knew how Faith was to be obtained as well as any of those that speak so much of Faith's being the gift
as it were satisfied in their own cealed houses while the House of God wants perfecting and much of its original Ornaments 'T is well known that Saints should be rich in Good Works willing to communicate and ready to distribute But Oh! How doth Unbelief choak the inward movings hereunto possessing Souls with many fears touching what may happen in the time to come though at present they enjoy all fulness and so the bowels of compassion are too much shut up 'T is well known that Righteousness and Just-dealing is commanded of the Lord but saith the unbelieving Steward I cannot dig to beg I am ashamed and what then shall I eat or what shall I put on being discharged of my place Wherefore Unbelief drives him unrighteously to account with his Lord even fifty for that which was in Righteousness a hundred measures Luke 16. But I forbear instancing in Particulars concluding that as living by Faith is a God-honouring and Creature-comforting state and condition so not to live by Faith but by sight is a God-dishonouring and Creature-discomforting state and condition But having spoke something touching the great use of Faith with provocations thereunto which probably may be for advantage to some yet very possibly for disadvantge to other some for want of a wise understanding every thing in its place Therefore in the next place I do hereby warn and strictly charge all such who are carnally minded who have so embraced this present world as that the growing in the knowledge of Jesus is little minded by them or regarded and yet are apt to lean upon the Lord and seem to be very confident and with Israel ready to say Is not the Lord amongst us being as it were offended with those that shall question their condition they think it so good and therefore are ready to conclude as some of old have done that no evil shall come unto them when alas they are poor and miserable And all such I exclude as being none of them while such whom I hereby perswade to lean and stay upon God by Faith Therefore O ye sluggards and carnal-minded men think not to say within your selves because you profess and have practised some of the Ordinances of Christ and still do own them that therefore you have ground to believe that Gods Promises reaches you for this did Israel do and the Church of Laodecea who nevertheless were miserable and their leaning upon the Lord rendred of no effect because of their unworthy walking in other things Neither think to say within your selves because you do as well as others acknowledge that it is not enough to come into the Profession of Ordinances and Church-fellowship with a heavenly and spiritual walking therein to the glory of God that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for alas though you in words deny such a condition yet your conversation plainly declares to others and to your selves also if you would seriously heed it that you own it 't is not mens saying that there must be nor their much talking of a heavenly and spiritual walking in the Profession that proves them to be such even heavenly-minded men or spiritual walkers to talk of Life Light Spirit and Power of Godliness is now become a meer Form among men many getting the words but have not the thing it self and such are most apt to declare against others even to slight and disdain little ones that believe in Christ calling them carnal literal and low professors Yea some of this sort in the Apostles dayes were grown up to such height of spiritual pride and arrogancy as that they thought Paul and the rest of the Ministers of Christ did walk after the flesh 2 Cor. 10.2 and so they looked upon their bodily presence weak and their speech contemptible ver 10. Neither think to say within your selves because you walk honestly among men so as to abstain from gross and publick evils that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for all this you may do and continue so and yet go to Hell among the unprofitable servants that have not gained by trading with the Talent committed unto them this kind of common honesty you have possibly for a long time manifested in your conversations But where are the fruits that God justly looks for to be brought forth in the Power and Light of his Grace If you know these things and can talk of them happy shall you be if warned by them Neither think to say within your selves because you assemble with the Saints at their meetings that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for so did Israel yea they seemed to take delight in approaching before God to tread his Courts Is 58. Whose practises nevertheless was not regarded by God neither may yours being possibly to prevent the reproof of men more than Gods or at best to remove trouble of Conscience which sometimes possibly you have undergone for neglect of meetings but now frequenting them you thereby speak peace to your Souls though for years you experience no advantage or Soul-profit reaped thereby which is the true end of meeting a true Testimony O ye that your satisfaction is not in the right thing Neither think to say within your selves because you confess your sins and iniquities before the Lord that therefore the Promises of God reaches you for you may in words confess sin having at that time little or no sence either what sin you have committed or when committed and so your words of confession may proceed rather from a notion that such a thing is spoken of in the Scriptures and that others do so than from a spirit wounded with the stroke of sin and broken in the deep sence of sin from whence the words should flow and so having made confession of sin presently imagine that all is well speaking peace to your selves barely because you have spoken words as Saints did formerly and now do but alas are far from having any real ground to say with the Prophet Bless the Lord O my Soul for the Lord hath forgiven thee all thine iniquities Psal 103.2,3 Neither think to say within your selves because you pray sometimes both publick and private that therefore you have ground to believe the Promises of God reaches you for many and long Prayers were found among the Children of Israel who nevertheless were a sinful Nation laden with iniquity Isa 1.15,4 And so may you be notwithstanding your many Prayers and that not onely upon the account of your unworthiness in other things but also upon the account of imperfection or rather corruptions that may be in these your prayers supposed by you the best of your performances for instead of speaking words of Prayer proceeding from a serious sence of the want of Grace which flowes from a great desire to honour God because of its love to God I say instead of this kind of sensible praying to God which is alwayes attended
subtilty of the evil One of whose devises through grace I am not altogether ignorant I hereby also present before you the experiences of some men as thus Certain men being somewhat troubled about their present conditions and thereupon following after a more excellent estate though possibly not with that care and watchfulness as was meet should be have on a sudden been greatly carryed forth with inward Power and Zeal and wonderful quicknings after some matters of holiness so as scarce able to bear with the least appearance of Pride Covetousness or the like in others without reproof yea scarce content without a leaving their Callings in order to the reproving others who at length while in this state have been secretly informed That the powerful workings within them was Christ come in them the second time to salvation he being a Spirit and not man and so no other coming to be looked for but within and that the Scriptures was not the Rule and that the Ordinances of Christ were ceased being imposed onely till the time of Reformation which time was come and such like But being somewhat fearful of delusions did thereupon give up themselves diligently to pray unto the Lord who at length graciously delivered them from the strong delusion I say the strong delusion for is it not so indeed when an evil spirit shall carry forth persons zealously to some things that is Just Holy and Good though he no lover of Holiness or any Goodness but that being really an Angel of Darkness he may seemingly appear to be an Angel of Light 2 Cor. 11.14 thereby to gain their affections That then having got the affections he may the better drop into their understandings Principles of Errour in matters of Faith with likeliness of acceptance Whereupon dear Brethren as I have here briefly proposed to you the ready and plain Way in order to the Life of godliness without which all profession thereof is little together therewith I hereby also counsel you in the words of John not to believe every spirit for there are many false spirits gone out into the world the one and true Spirit of God being plainly to be known by his guiding and moving the Saints not onely to be Just Holy and Zealous in point of conversation but also to be stedfast in the Principles of Faith yea and as zealously to contend for the same as for any other things as was the Apostles of Christ in whom the true Spirit of Light was as appears by their Writings for that a great part of it consists of matter tending to the instruction and regulation of the Saints concerning their Faith as in reading is observable Wherefore for the removing all doubts and scruples which through the subtilty of the deceived Quaker possibly may arise or already is risen in the hearts of any well-minded people I here next offer a little of that much which might be said touching Principles of Faith the errour whereof is abundantly dangerous First Whereas 't is owned by the Quakers and as to me hath plainly been declared that the Eternal Spirit of Light and Power which dwelt in the Man whom the Jews Crucified is the Christ the Saviour of the world and not the Man that was Crucified that was seen with visible or carnal eyes according to which you may observe the words of Wolrich the Quaker in his Book entituled A Declaration to the Baptists pag. 13. saying That Christ was never seen with any carnal eye nor his voice heard with any carnal ear And in the Book entituled Sauls Errand to Damascus pag. 14. the words of George Fox the elder I suppose 't is said That the flesh of Christ is a figure And Joseph Fuce in his Book entituled The fall of a great visible Idol pag. 14. saith by way of reproof to us these words The Baptists saith he make flesh their Arm and therefore look without to know Christ after the flesh although the Apostle said They were to know him so no more mark thus saith the Lord Cursed be the man that trusteth in man and maketh flesh his Arm Jerem. 17.5 as if they were a cursed people that trust in the man Christ Whereas I say this is asserted by them I here offer several grounds from the Holy Scriptures whereby to prove that the Eternal Spirit which dwelt in the Man whom the Jews Crucified which Spirit the Apostles afterwards received in them is not the Christ the Saviour of the world but the visible man to whom the Spirit was given John 3.34 The offering it self no figure but the substance of figures is the Christ of God First Because that the Eternal Spirit never died when nothing is more plain than that Jesus Christ died as appears by a Cloud of Witnesses Secondly Because the Apostles with one consent declare that the Jews Crucified that is fastned to a cross the Lord Jesus the Lord of Glory Act. 2.36 1 Cor. 2.8 and killed the Prince of Life Act. 3.15 Whom they crucified not nor killed if the Eternal Spirit that dwelt in the visible man be the Christ and so the Quakers by this their opinion do as much as in them lyes declare the Holy Apostles to bear false witness to the world concerning Christ but let them be true and every one of these men lyars in the judgements of the Wise But to evade this sometimes they will say whereby to deceive that the Jews did crucifie Christ that was they opposed and resisted the Spirit of Light within them which they call Christ and withal will say whereby to deceive that the Jews did Crucifie a man without I say to deceive because that in their confession of this which seems sometimes to the Hearers to be sufficient they intend not the Truth namely that that visible man whom the Jews crucified without was the Christ as appears by their own words above signed Thirdly Because that not onely the Apostles but also Christ himself by his Institution of those two Ordinances Baptism and the Lords Supper hath plainly declared Gods Way graciously provided for mans Redemption and Justification contrariwise even by a broken blood-shedding dead buried and risen Christ as saith the proper signification of these Ordinances neither of which is either proper or true in relation to the Eternal Spirit who was all may know neither dead nor buried and so not risen again nor broken nor at any time shed blood all which these Ordinances testifie concerning the true Christ and so the Quakers by this their opinion are found also such who in effect do say that these Ordinances of the Lord which once they say were in being were lying Ordinances bearing false witness to the Saints touching the Lord Jesus but to all such as fear the Lord Let them be true and every one of these lyars Fourthly Because not onely the Apostles Christ the Son but also God the Father himself most plainly declared from of old by his Commandement for the killing and slaying those many
in their mindes c. Moreover as 't is said that Christ is in his Saints so likewise 't is said and that more frequently in the Scriptures That the Saints are in Christ and in God as thus Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ unto the Saints and faithfull Brethren in Christ that are at Colosse ch 1. v. 2. Vnto the Church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the Lord Iesus Christ ch 1.1 Unto all the Saints in Christ Iesus which are at Philippi ch 1.1 Unto the Saints and faithfull in Christ which are at Ephesus ch 1.1 Now that the Saints are in Christ after the manner that these men plead for Christs being in the Saints judge ye that fear the Lord and serve him with uprightness of heart remembring that he is the true Christ who was dead but is alive for evermore a Mediator betwixt God and Men the man Christ Iesus Moreover hear what the Lord Christ saith as a most clear resolve to this case as thus John 17.21,23 Thou Father art in me and I in thee that they also may be one in us I in them and Thou in me that they may be made perfect in one compared with these his words John 15.10 If ye keep my Commandements ye shall abide in my love as I have kept my Fathers Commandements and abide in his love Most clearly shewing that Christs being in the Father is meant in the Fathers love as himself witnesseth and so the Fathers being in the Son is meant in the Sons love so likewise our being in the Eather and in the Son is meant in their love So even so Christs dwelling in the Saints is meant his dwelling in their love in their affections as hath been said Now whereas the Son was in the Fathers love there was given unto the Son from the Father the Holy Spitit without measure working in him whereby he did the works that no man ever did to the glory of the Father So in like manner the Saints being in Christ in his love and affections there is also given to the Saints through Christ the Holy Spirit in measure working in them whereby the deeds of the body are to be mortified Rom. 8.13 and the fruits of Righteousness brought forth to the Glory and Praise of God by Jesus Christ Obj. From these words of Christ John 14.16,17 I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter even the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it seeth him not neither knoweth him but ye know him for he dwelleth with you and shall be in you From these words I say 't is conceived and declared by the Quakers that Christ that was then with the Disciples should afterwards be in them c. Answ He that hath an ear to hear may easily understand that he who is said to be with the Disciples and should afterwards be in them was not the Christ but another Comforter whom the Christ would pray to the Father for even the Spirit of Truth whom the world could not receive because they saw him not nor knew him to be the Spirit of Truth from God though through him was done such works as no man ever did yea they were ready to say that he had a Devil in him but the Disciples knew him to be the Spirit of Truth and acknowleged the mighty works to be done through the Spirit of God in him therefore saith Christ Ye know him for he the Spirit of truth another Comforter dwelleth with you that is the Spirit being in Christ and so with the Disciples for he was not then given to them as he was afterwards Joh. 7.37 and shall be in you that is the Spirit of Truth another Comforter which when Christ was exalted having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Spirit he made good to his Disciples by sending his Holy Spirit in them which before was with them being in Christ that was with them These men say Christ is come in them the second time and they look not for any other and withall have good words and fair speeches crying Grace grace Light light But let all assuredly know that they themselves are not in the True Light nor Grace of God that brings Salvation wherein the Saints of old walked for they thereby were taught to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and to look for the glorious appearing of Jesus Christ Tit. 2.11,12,13 But saith Humphrey Smith Christ is come and we look not for any other another voice from another Spirit Moreover the Quaker utterly denyes as most men I suppose knows the Holy Scriptures to be a Rule whereunto Humphry Smith in his Book intitlued A true and everlasting Rule pa. 29. in the face of men and Devils affirmeth That there is no other Rule Wayes Means or Name by which man shall ever come to walk with God but by that which is manifest of God in him which say they is sufficient to guide in all the wayes of God without Scripture or any other outward means Answ The time was and that not long since in our Nation when it was no lesse then ridiculous and a matter of contempt for men and women to go to the publick Place of their Worship with the Bible under their Armes whereby to search whether those things they heard were so or no such and so great was the Romish cloud of darkness then spread over the faces of the multitude they being informed by their blind Guides that Ignorance was the Mother of Devotion But Satans device 〈◊〉 discovered in this and the Scriptures very generally searched into he hath now found out another way whereby to produce a low esteem to the Holy Scriptures even by his manifold endeavours to perswade people that there is a Light placed in them which is to be their Rule and is sufficient without the Scriptures or any other outward means to guide them in all the wayes of God which being believed unavoidably leads people to have a low and slender esteem of the Scriptures and by this means it is become again a very rare thing to see among these people called Quakers when they are assembled together the Book of the Holy Scriptures diligently searched whether those things spoken be agreeable thereunto yea or nay and thus the Ministers of these people are hereby put into a capacity greatly to deceive their Hearers while in their preaching up their manifold Errours they make use of with their own some Scripture Expressions also seemingly favouring their Opinions but not really as to instance Say they in their Doctrine Ordinances to wit Baptism in water and the Lords Supper are now ceased for Christ hath blotted out the hand-writing of Ordinances that was against us and nailed them to his Cross Col. 2.14 which being heard by the People they remember well that they have read such kind of words and for the tryal thereof they according as they have been taught begin to look within
that for men to have long after the practice of Gods Ordinances no other plea nor ground to contend for the same before Adversaries but barely because such Ordinances are spoken of in the Scriptures is that which verily tends to discouragement and Soul-faintings therein yea at length to say with those careless ones of old What profit is it that we have kept his Ordinances Mal. 3.14 When as men hearing the Gospel of Christ which promiseth rest and peace to the Soul through the Remission of sins with the gift of Gods Spirit have thereupon subjected to the Gospel with such a renewed mind as would not be satisfied with hearing of the good things thereof till they were able to say that as they had heard so they have seen that which was promised our Souls have tasted rest and peace we know the fruits of Gods Spirit we experience c. Whenas I say men thus following hard after the Lord have this knowledge of Gods goodness and powerful presence in his Way as a great Argument together with Scripture Arguments to embolden them to contend for the Way and to establish them against all oppositions 'T is common amongst men to look upon themselves discharged from duty of love to such Beggars who after their asking for Almes shall presently turn their backs and mind other matters of trifle more than their reasonable waiting to receive what they have asked for Now may any so much as once think that God will turn his face in love to such who sometimes shall ask of him Spiritual Almes but presently are found as it were turning their backs to the Throne of Grace and not waiting there as if their receiving of Grace were little minded by them which is onely the Christian mans life but rather other things more meer trifles compared to what they have asked for of God their hearts may be running after covetousness as the hearts of Israel were who neverthelesse would be spreading forth their hands before God but they flattered him with their lips and lied before him with their tongues and he regarded them not Psal 78.36 May any I say once think that God will turn his face in love to and not rather withdraw himself far from such as persons greatly unworthy of his benevolence to whom he is no wayes engaged by promise to do any thing for them since they come not up to the terms of his goodness Surely delay to consider these things is very dangerous even nigh to an irrecoverable estate There hath been indeed much contending for this Principle of Laying on of Hands and great pains taken both by speaking and writing for the same and I bear them record that they therein have had zeal for the Truth for so I do and hope ever shall believe it to be but alas their zeal hath not been according to true knowledge if they have not as well yea and much more too in the mean time endeavoured that the great end of this Ordinance might be obtained to wit the sanctification strengthning guidance of their Souls in the Truth of God without which both their subjection to the Doctrine thereof and also their much pleadings for the same would be of no effect But I hope better things at leastwise of many though I thus speak being perswaded that there are such who knowing themselves in a justified Estate through faith in Christ have a clear sight and deep sence of their souls wants as not knowing how to live nor to work in Gods services without the gracious supplies of Gods Spirit which sight and deep sence of want is seen through their great Heaven-born desires to honour God which desires springs from their Souls great love to God which love in them to God-ward is begotten by Gods great love first to them 1 John 4.19 And that these hereupon have a very high esteem of Gods spiritual presence being the true Bread from above which onely will satisfie their Souls born from above valuing it far above the presence of all things whatsoever seeing more worth and excellency therein than in any thing of the world True it is that most Professors confesse and talk of such things but these experienceth the same in their Souls and so their Righteousness exceedeth the Righteousness of those many lifeless and senseless Professors who as much as others talks of these things but knows it not in themselves And that these hereupon do greatly desire the presence of Gods Spirit and so both frequently and fervently are found praying for the same lifting up holy hands to the Lord and being in Davids sence with all earnestness David-like beseech the Lord to make hast for their help and to make no tarrying Psal 40.17 And that these till the Lord doth visit them with the special Graces of his Holy Spirit are found mourning before the Lord and greatly complaining against themselves as being wonderfully short and low in their own apprehensions as to what God requires and which they know is due to his Name Wherefore their souls like David Psal 77.2 refuseth to be comforted with any thing though the very chiefest of this worlds enjoyments they looking upon themselves as such who want all things while the supplies of Grace is wanting And that these during the time that the Lord withholds the visitations of his Grace are not onely continuing in Prayer but walking therein communing with their own hearts and like David in such a case Psal 77. making diligent search fearing least there should be some secret sin for which cause the Lord may forbear to draw nigh to their Souls And that these while in this capacity think it not much but rather delight to spend dayes in the Closet there to humble themselves with Fasting and Prayer before the Lord not as Pharisees do to be seen of men neither as sluggards do because they read that Saints formerly did and now sometimes doth so but purely and zealously are led out thereunto from that vehemency of desires and Soul-affections which they experience in themselves after the more excellent estate for as God hath graciously opened their understandings to know that there is an excellent estate attainable their satisfaction is not in the knowledge thereof nor in the much talk thereabouts nor in the ready Confession that the same is excellent and of a special goodness as is too much the satisfaction of some but rather in living the life thereof even that their Souls may be spiritually framed nnd wonderfully strengthened with might both to the pure doing what is spiritually good and also to the renouncing of the hidden things of dishonesty 2 Cor. 4.2 Now forasmuch as there are such that are found to some considerable degree thus prizing and so following hard after spiritual Blessings that thereby they having so far tasted of the Lords goodnesse as to know themselves in a justified estate from sin by his Grace might now for the time to come bear much fruit to the honour of his
of God who being almost if not altogether silent concerning mens following after Faith have thereby I greatly fear been a means to freeze up the desires of men and wholly to stop their endeavours after Faith which if so I could wish that henceforth they would hearken unto the Apostle who puts men upon following after Faith equally observe it as he puts them to follow after Meekness or Patience c. Which considered may be a means to thaw them out of that benummed and frozen estate even unto due considerations and serious stirrings on their parts in order unto the growth and encrease of Faith And withal be sure that your Prayers and Supplications be not wanting to the Lord that he would be pleased to encrease your Faith and so shall you in due time come to experience the being of Faith in you after special degrees wrought there by the operation of Gods Spirit according to Pauls words to the Galatians Chap. 6.22 while you diligently sought and carefully followed after Faith according to his words to Timothy Chap. 6.11 Together with these things let it not be thought a needless work or besides the business in hand to consider whether Saints are not now in these latter dayes wherein 't is evil as appears by the Apostle to depart from the Faith professed in former Apostolical dayes 1 Tim. 4.1 whether Saints I say are not now to seek for and in Faith to wait whereby to receive the Spirit with the same particular gifts and operations which Saints formerly enjoyed in order to their carrying on the great Work of the Gospel both among themselves and others Since God in his making Promise of pouring out the Spirit upon his People which Promise we in these latter dayes flye unto as the ground of our Faith makes mention also of several gifts of the same Spirit John 2.28,29 And withal considering that the Apostles exhorted the Churches earnestly to covet and follow after the several gifts of the Spirit 1 Cor. 12.28,29,30,31 14.1,39 Which exhortations if they reach us and speak to us 〈◊〉 much as any other Scripture-exhortations which for any to deny is hard then Oh then great need have all to pray Lord 〈…〉 Faith But in reference to the fore-mentioned drawing nigh unto God by Faith I suppose that which is a very general hinderance thereof is the great unworthiness that persons find in themselves by reason of sin by means whereof they are as it were afraid to draw near unto God or however if they do 't is very coldly having little or no hopes of acceptance with the Lord and so being not in a justified estate from sin are without Faith in reference to the special Graces of Gods Spirit but among these there are some much more worthy than others who by reason of the strength and subtilty of temptations sometimes as well as others transgress the Laws of God but not as such who overtake sin but rather are overtaken with sin Gal. 6.1 Not allowing themselves therein as their great trouble and Soul-heaviness with daily complaints because thereof plainly declares and yet these for want of a right understanding Gods Way to justifie sinners and his readiness to justifie them alas even these go mourning all the day long rather decaying than flourishing in the Way of God You even you in particular the beloved of my Soul do I hereby exhort First That ye alwayes abide watchful and abundantly careful that ye sin not But Secondly If any man sin that you remember there is an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous who is a propitiation for our sins by whom way is made for you boldly to come to the Throne of Grace that you may find mercy that is to say for all you that having sinned feels the stroke of sin and forgets it not as Sluggards do and so in the sence and godly sorrow for sin in particular attended with holy Resolutions with humble and hearty Confession of the same with fervent desires leading unto earnest Prayer to God for the Remission of the same you forgiving them that have trespassed against you and not onely this for one thing is yet lacking even that you in Faith also commit your selves to his Grace Believing that as he hath in mercy promised so in faithfulness he will perform what he hath promised even the Remission of sins for what things soever ye desire when ye pray saith Christ believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them Mark 11.24 And who then can lay any thing to your charge It is God that justifieth such Who or what is there then that condemneth It is Christ that hath died yea rather that he is risen again who also maketh intercession for you through Faith in his blood Rom 3.25 Thus you being very serious and diligent in your Applications to God laying hold on his Promises of Pardon and Remission of sin by Faith and so standing alwayes justified by Faith quitted and freed from all your sins through Grace have so considered no ground or plea because of your unworthiness being now made worthy in the Beloved the Lord Jesus any longer to mistrust or question the good Will and Pleasure of God in reference to your receiving from him the more special Discoveries and Operations of his Spirit but may now boldly go to the Throne of Grace for the same being such whom God waiteth to be gracious unto you having that Faith which his pleasure is to account unto you for Righteousness This being considered how speedily should every Soul not as a thing by the by but as their greatest work when at any time overtaken with sin to draw nigh unto God and that in the sence of every known sin with godly sorrow for the same not daring to delay heaping up sin like the wantons there being every way as much cause of Repentance and Faith for the latter sins as there was for the many former sins committed in ignorance which though persons are ready to acknowledge yet are I fear too apt to neglect the same upon the account that they have renounced their former wayes and their now being in the Way of God and that Christ is now a Mediator for them and the like not considering that the Soul-satisfying benefit of Christs Media orship is enjoyed according to mens Applications unto the Father by him But O what comfort can a Soul have in any thing or with what boldness shall he walk talk or commit himself to his Bed that having sinned against his God hath not as yee been with him and so by Faith received a Pardon from him True it is that such while they neglect the great Soul-searching work and are tossed up and down with the cumbrances of this life may have an imagined Peace and supposed Comfort and so may go on somewhat cheerfully in their thoughts and thinkings as if all were theirs but alas these though they may talk of Gods Love and Mercy are not able to
desiring of God the blessing of Remission of sins thou desirest not more of him than what he did freely for thee before thou desiredst it of him yea when thou wast an enemy to him And with these Considerations consider That if you shall distrust his mercy it renders you altogether uncapable to please God For without Faith 't is impossible to please God for he that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him From these and such like considerations how may you be encouraged to throw your selves upon Gods Grace rejecting all fleshly staggerings at the Promises of God through unbelief that you may receive what is promised by Faith in the Promises even the sure and certain Pardon of all your sins that the hands which have hung down by reason of sin laying upon the Soul may be lift up with praises to God and the feeble knees now made strong and lively in the true sence of the Fathers love shining to the Soul and then Oh! then with what boldness courage and confidence may you go to God for the manifold Operations and Discoveries of his Holy Spirit your sins being pardoned and your iniquities washed away by Faith in Christ What state or condition is there that possibly you can fall into through the utmost rage either of the world or Satan or both wherein there is not a Promise of God either to be delivered out of it or wonderfully to be supported and comforted in it All which Promises lyes before as tendred to such that by Faith are justified from sin whereon they by Faith may take hold and so therein rejoyce for evermore in all conditions If at any time the believing man fall into calamity and great tribulation he presently considers where his Refuge is and believes in God who hath said that he will be with his People in all their troubles and so during his continuance in the tribulation he experiences the truth of that within himself which he hath read was in others even tribulation working patience in him and patience experience in him and experience hope in him which makes him bold and not ashamed before all those that trouble him Rom. 5. and at length possibly is delivered from all his troubles and so made able to say with the Prophet I trusted in the Lord and he hath delivered me If at any time the believing man through the unexpected events of things come to be clouded with many piercing cares and Soul-vexations he considers that 't is written we should cast all our care upon God for he careth for us 1 Pet. 5.7 And through Faith he receives this word and so it becomes to him an engrafted word planted in his understanding concluding that he having on his side a word from God to care for him hath more on his side to free him from those piercing cares than if all the world were joyned together for his freedom so mightily doth he magnifie Gods Word in his heart Thus he believingly commits all and casts all his cares upon God and while others onely talk and read of being careful for nothing this believing man experiences the condition being supported in his serious consideration that God who hath declared himself willing to care for his People is every way more able to care for them than they for themselves And also how unsafe it is for them to trust to or lean upon their own understandings as former experiences sufficiently declare therefore this man believing in God is delivered and cared for by God and so made able to say what the Lord hath done for his Soul If at any time by reason of Wars and rumours of Wars or the great frowns of great men many fears shall assault the believing man he well remembers that these things must first be before the possession of the Kingdom and he while others that are not in Davids integrity and so not in his Faith yet talks much of his words but out of his life I say he even the believing man truly in both Davids Integrity and Faith in Davids words boldly saith The Lord is my Light my Strength and my Salvation of whom shall I be afraid though an Host should encamp against me my heart shall not fear though War should rise against me in this will I be confident Psal 27.1,2,3 If the believing man at any time fall into reproaches persecution for Christs sake by Faith he takes hold of the good and powerful hand of God to support him and in the greatest of afflictions to comfort him Faith so acquaints the Soul with the unspeakable riches and glory of Christ in the time of his suffering for him as that Moses-like he esteems the reproaches of him greater riches than the pleasure of sin for a season so he endures the persecution by Faith seeing him and his glory which he hath promised even him who is invisible If the believing man fall into temptation he remembers how 't is written 1 Cor. 10.13 that God is faithful and so will not suffer his People to be tempted above what they are able to bear Which word while among others onely talked of this man embraces often considers upon it leans and in it is comforted not suffering the violence of the temptation nor any unlikeliness of deliverance by other means to take the least place in his heart which is not an evil heart in departing from the living God Heb. 3.12 but a true heart drawing nigh unto God Heb. 10.22 whereby that should make the word of Promise of no effect but rather considers that God knows how to deliver the godly and that he is every way able to deliver them out of temptations If at any time Trading fail or loss of Goods come or Lands and Livings be taken away and he that is the believing man thereby come to be indebted yet he considers that Gods Promises fail not though all these things somewhat frown upon him and therefore he shelters himself in Gods most holy Word and waites patiently by Faith yea though he may see little or nothing in sight yea and no wayes able to conceive how he shall be in a capacity to live for the future which more than a little will trouble flesh and blood which would live by sight all which makes not him stagger or if stagger he do yet he falls not but keeps close to Gods Word magnifies it greatly in his heart knowing no reason why he should more esteem Gods Commandements than his Promises he therefore prises them above Gold yea fine Gold concluding that they are a more surer maintenance than the possessing of Kingdoms and so speaks peace and much satisfaction to himself through believing taking joyfully the loss or spoiling of goods rejoycing that he hath a merciful God on his side that knows all his wants yea and that is able to make that little Pot of Oyl which yet onely remains so wonderfully to encrease
Sacrifices and sprinkling the blood thereof that Jesus Christ should be slain and his blood shed as the glorious substance thereof all which part of the Fathers Law was and is of no effect God thereby bearing false witness to the world if the Eternal Spirt which dwelt in the visible Man and which the Apostles afterwards received in them be the Christ which Spirit never was slain nor never had blood to shed but let God be true and all these men lyars Fifthly Because he most plainly is said to be the Christ Ordained of God to be Judge of quick and dead to whom all the Prophets gave witness he I say with whom the Apostles did eat and drink and that after his Resurrection from the dead Act. 10.38,41,42,43 which must needs respect the visible Man Sixthly Because the true Christ blamed his Disciples when they supposed him to be a Spirit saying to them Handle me and see for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see me have Luke 24.37,38,39 Seventhly Because the true Christ was seen with visible and carnal that is fleshly eyes for 't is written the eyes of all them that were in the Synagogue were fastned on him to wit Christ and sure I am that the Quaker cannot imagine from any show in the Scriptures that these had any other eyes as invisible and spiritual eyes because 't is said also that all they in the Synagogue were filled with wrath and thrust him out of the City Luke 4.20,28,29 Eightly Because he is declared in the Holy Scriptures to be Jesus Christ who was Circumcised which were also a false account if the Quakers opinion were true namely That the Eternal Spirit in the Man and not the Man was the Christ Ninthly Because the Eternal Spirit which dwelt in the Man Christ which afterwards the Apostles received in them is called another Comforter and that by Christ himself which would not come unto the Apostles unless he the true Christ went away John 14.16,17 16.7 Tenthly Because 't is said Jesus Christ lift up his eyes to Heaven and Prayed to God his Father John 17. Both the action and the manner thereof shewing that the visible Man is the Christ And besides if the Quaker shall suppose that 't was the Eternal Spirit in the visible Man Christ that prayed and that the same Eternal Spirit is one essence or being with God the Father and Christ his Son without distinctions I then would demand of them two things first Who it was that the Spirit Prayed unto And secondly For what he prayed or what he stood in need of Elevently The Eternal Spirit which was given to and received by the visible man cannot be the Christ that is in English Anointed because he is said by the Apostle to be the Anointing with which the Saviour was anointed as 't is written how God anointed Jesus that is the Saviour of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit Act. 10.38 If the Eternal Spirit as Spirit was anointed I would know with what and wherefore Twelfthly Because the true Christ even Sions King is said to come sitting and riding upon an Ass meek and lowly who also in lowliness washed the Disciples feet all which proves that the visible man is the true Christ Zecha 9.9 Mat. 21.5 John 13.14 Object Henceforth know we no man after the flesh yea though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him so no more Answ What Paul intends by these words I verily believe but that Christ is departed from and without that outward body of flesh which once was visible on Earth and so not to be known after the flesh that is not now having that body of flesh this indeed I believe not First Because that then and upon the very same ground we are to know henceforth none amongst men to be the Children of God but such onely as are departed from and without their outward bodies of flesh and where those men are or what kind of men they are I verily know not I thus speak because in like manner as the Apostle saith Henceforth we know Christ no more after the flesh so also he saith even in the same words that henceforth know we no man after the flesh if true in one then in both but that it is untrue in one you have hereby a weight of reason forbidding that the other is also untrue consider the Scriptures forbidding it As Secondly Because those that were of the number of Gods Elect in Ages past Waited for the Son of God from Heaven who was raised from the dead 1 Thes 1.4,10 Now sure I am that 't was the visible body of flesh which was dead and so raised from the dead that which was raised from the dead the Saints of God waited for and therefore they ceased not to know Christ as having the body of flesh which once he had though both they and we believe that 't is glorified Thirdly Because the same Apostle that speaks these words is so far from such an opinion of undervaluing the fleshly body of Christ as that he tells the Church they were reconciled to God in the body of his flesh through death Col. 1.21,22 And surely neither Paul nor the Church was at any time to cease knowing or honouring that through which they were reconciled to God His flesh is meat indeed and his blood drink indeed and although in one sence it profited nothing yet such is it in another sence as that whosoever eateth and drinketh the same that is believeth in the Lord John 6.35 shall never hunger nor thirst And therefore for the constant remembrance thereof we have that Ordinance of Breaking Bread which surely was never instituted to hold forth an unprofitable thing But true it is That neither Christ nor men are to be known after the flesh and how once men were known after the flesh is plain from the same Apostles words as thus We are the Circumcision which worship God in Spirit and have no confidence in the flesh wherein if any might trust I more saith Paul Now what he means by this is manifest to wit being Circumcised of the Stock of Israel of the Tribe of Benjamin an Hebrew of the Hebrews c. Phil. 3.3,4,5 But he well knowing that the Ministration of the Law under which persons were thus known after the flesh then done away and a more glorious Ministration in being which forbids men to plead we have Abraham to our Father we are his Children after the flesh of the Stock of Israel of this or that Tribe and therefore let us be Baptized and known among you according as you may read the Pharisees did Mat. 3.7,8,9 Paul I say well knowing this declared that he had no confidence in the flesh as in reference to himself neither henceforth would he know any other man after the flesh as once during the time of the Law men were known and accounted even the Children of Promise in respect of temporal enjoyments being such