they were assisted holpen principled and directed But now it is the man of God who is led by the Spirit that knows the true use and profit of the Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16 where it is said All Scripture is given by inspiration which should be read All Scripture given by inspiration is being added Now he that receives Scripture by inspiration knows the right use and profit of it thereby all which shews the sufficiency of the Spirit or inspiration of the Almighty which both gave Scripture and understanding And as for his pretending to square his work by the Scriptures he would make people believe he were very exact in the Scriptures but we find the contrary both in his medly confusion and darkness brought forth against the Light within as also in several things hereafter as in his saying Paul when he reasoned with the unbelieving Jews about Christ was so far from turning them to the Light within that he proves his Doctrine wholly by the Scriptures without p. 20. Answ. If he were far from turning them to the Light within this would make him oppose his own Commission which was to turn men to the Light within which his proving his Doctrine by the Scripture is no reason against for he was a Minister of the Spirit and his Ministry tended to bring to the Spirit in reasoning out of the Scriptures he reasoned for Christ the Light and in proving Christs Suffering and Resurrection he witnessed unto the Power by which he was raised and the love and good will of God in sending his Son But this W. B. in contradiction to himself sayes That the Letter of it is written with Ink and Paper is dead but the matter contained is spiritual and powerful when carried home by the Spirit By which he hath here confessed to the Spirit or Light within without which the Letter is but dead Again it is objected That Daniel understood by Books that the captivity of Babylon was near at an end and not by the Light within Dan. 9. Answ. This was a particular case touching the number of the years of the desolation of Jerusalem and not a matter of Salvation though the knowledge thereof was given to Jeremiah by the Word of the Lord that came to him Jer. 25.12 And neither Jeremiah nor Daniel did thus exclude the Light within from their understandings as here it is slighted But W. B. does not tell us how God gave Daniel knowledge and skill in all learning and wisdom and that Daniel had understanding in all Visions and Dreams Dan. 1.17 Nay in his thus slighting the Light within he hath shewed himself worse than the very Heathen who did confess that an excellent Spirit was in Daniel and that Light and Understanding and Wisdom like the wisdom of the Gods was found in him Dan. 4 8 9. 5.11 12 14. 6.3 And so however though they mentioned their Gods yet herein the excellency of the Spirit Light Understanding and Wisdom that was in Daniel they did confess to and highly esteem more than W.B. hath done Again in his 21 page touching the Reception of the Spirit acquitting a man from his obedience to the Scripture I ask who affirms that it doth herein he hath but beaten the Air for we affirm that the Spirit brings to the fulfilling of the Scriptures and doth not destroy the Truth contained in them but whereas he tells of the Scripture being a Rule and a Weapon to be made use of at all times against Satan of such as had the same Spirit in as great a measure as the Pen-men of the Scriptures and to prove it saith our dear Lord was fill'd with the Spirit above measure yet he had an eye in all his obedience to the Scriptures Answ. What then was the rule to those Pen-men of the Scriptures in this writing them What was the Rule before they writ them and their Weapon and Defence against Satan Was it not the Spirit the Sword of the Spirit the Shield of Faith the Armour of Light c. whereby they were defended And did our Lord eye the Scriptures for his Rule in his obedience that here he is made the proof who had the Spirit above measure Has not this our opposer both undervalued the Light the Guidance of the Spirit and Christ himself As if they could not square their work right without going out to the Scriptures whereas Christ ought to be preferred and in all things to have the preheminence as is confessed pag. 21. That the reception of the Spirit is the only means to put a man into a capacity for obedience and that there is nothing that gives a Soul right to Gospel Ordinances but the gift of Christ to us and his being revealed in us by his Spirit Thus far W. B. in confutation of himself and as one bafled and confounded in his work is made to confess to the Quakers Principle contrary to his own intention And what were these Gospel-Ordinances and Gods Commands that he sayes Paul preached and practised in all his life Did he practise Water-Baptism all his life time Or did he pretend Scripture or command for it when Christ sent him not to it Was the Scripture herein his Rule or the Spirit which he was a Minister of Or was the Scripture the Apostles Rule for denying and opposing Circumcision or the guidance of the Holy Ghost to which it seemed good and unto them that no such yoak should lie on the Disciples necks Acts 15. And now W. B. to prove his false accusation against us of falling under strong delusions so as to believe a lie he asks or else what makes them to appoint their silent meetings and to run several miles to them and sit hours together without speaking a word Answ. What proof is this of delusion or believing a lie when nothing is spoken but this telling that we appoint silent Meetings Herein is his mistake for we do not appoint any meetings intentionally to limit them to silence but singly to wait upon God either to learn of our High Priest Christ Jesus or to speak or exhort as he requires which was the practice of many of Gods People who knew a time of silence and a waiting in silence before they went forth to preach and did know the teaching of God within to direct them both in silence and in speaking Isa. 41.1 Jer. 8.14 Ezek. 3.15 16. Eccles. 2.7 Job 2.13 Luke 24.49 Acts 1.4 and this we are witnesses of who are come to know a subjection to the Power of God and may not run nor preach nor pray in mens will nor act in a voluntary and feigned humility like such will-worshippers as can put one another on to praying and preaching and say Brother will you pray Brother will you perform the Duty And Brother I pray do you pray you are more able and worthy than I c. Again we have born a testimony for God in our meeting together both when we have ministred and when we
and quickened by a supernatural or Divine Principle of Light for Conscience defiled perverted corrupted seared for such there is in some will not manifest nor reprove sin for sin is manifest by the contrary as whatsoever makes manifest is Light 3. Those Gentiles Rom. 2.15 whose Conscience also bare witness it was to the work or effects of the Law written in their hearts that it did bear witness see vers 15 16. and that Law was Spiritual for they had it not in the Letter 4. This Baptist has confessed That there is a Principle or Spirit that God hath placed in man sometimes called the Candle of the Lord Prov. 20.27 sometimes called the Spirit of the Understanding Job 20. which contradicts his denying that the Spirit is in every man For 1. there is a Divine Light or Spirit which lighteth kindleth and quickeneth the Spirit of man which makes it capable of being the Candle of the Lord searching c. 2. There is a Spirit in man but the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understandeth and upon whom doth not his Light arise But now he asks Upon what bottom doth Conscience stand or by what rule doth Conscience act And then answers Bapt. The Conscience doth act variously in the Heathen and such as have not read Scriptures nor had the true God and Christ preached to them Rep. But Conscience did not act contrary to the Law of God in them spoken of Rom. 2.15 neither doth it act variously when quickened so as to reprove evil as before how then does it act variously in the Heathen Bapt. Answ. p. 17 18. Many there be that worship Planets many there be amongst the Heathens and others that make great Conscience of adoring that which they do attribute the title of a God to If a man in Gods Worship never so much err if he be serious in it Conscience is quiet but if there be a faultering Conscience reflects Rep. This is in those things wherein they are deceived and captivated in their understandings and their minds corrupted from the true Light in them that men are become a Law to themselves in those things wherein they are deceived and misled which are as so many Vailes and Mists and Clouds cast over their understandings and so their Consciences are defiled though Conscience simply considered whilst mans mind is not brought under those Clouds Delusions and Sorceries it is simply that computure of knowledge and understanding that God has placed in the mind and spirit of man which is capable of the exercise and guidance of the Divine Light or Spirit and as it reproves sin as confessed before and bears witness to the Law of God within which is Light it doth not act variously as to prompt man in any thing that is sinful either in things relating to Man or Worship It do's not act nor lead in any idolatrous way or worship for that 's sinful which they that are led into it 's commonly by mens traditions that corrupt the simple that originally flow from the power of darkness and not by the Light within as many are by corrupt doctrines and traditions perverted drawn from the Light within and kept from looking to it and so in a dark ignorant state And this is the tendency of your Doctrine who are warring against the Light within as thou W. Burnet hast done one while telling us There is not any Light in those that are in the dark another while There is a convincing Light in every man which is one while Conscience that so convinceth and reproves another while it is The Light of Nature another while The Law written in the heart and then its Creation Light Another while it is The Candle of the Lord the Spirit of the Understanding Another while 't is the Substance or Body of the Ten Commandments pag. 16 17. Alas poor ignorant and scornful contender how pittifully art thou put to it and how art thou puzled and confounded surely the Law of God in the Heart and the body of the Ten Commandments in the Heathen does neither lead nor prompt any of them in their idolatrous wayes so that in those wayes they are perverted and turned from the Law of God within which Law is unalterable Bapt. The Law written in the Heart in Creation is the principal ground of Conscience-Conviction Rom. 2.14 15. God in the Creation did so principle the heart of man with Righteousness and Holiness and Justice with the knowledge of himself having the Counsel or Law of God in the Heart that though he lost himself by sin he did not wholly lose his Creation-Light there was still a knowledge left in man of God but not abilities to do good Answ. And surely this Counsel and Law of God in the Heart and this knowledge of God left in man is more then an erring Conscience or a deluded mind for though mans mind may err so cannot the Law and Knowledge of God left in him Thus you may see how this our opposer overthrows and confutes himself and his own cause and not us nor our Principle but rather confesses to it after he has rendered us and it as odious as he can Besides as the Law of God is the ground of Conscience-Conviction Conscience in that capacity will not allow a man in any evil and did not God leave abilities in man to do good how then did he by his Law in man require good to be done And how could he then condemn man for not obeying him if he hath not given him power to obey Does he require impossibilities and then condemn man for not answering his requirings No sure if he did it would render him a very hard Master and what less hath our Opposer done But what sayes he further to the matter what capacity is fallen man in as to light and knowledge within Bapt. Every man by Nature having the Law placed in his heart viz. the Substance of the Ten Commandments and so much light and understanding left in him as to know good and evil in some measure though they never had the Letter of the Law yet having the Substance of it God doth expect an acting accordingly Answ. If God doth expect an acting according to his Law which is in man viz. The substance of the Ten Commandments then he expects man should truly love him and for that end he gives ability or else he would not require it man is not condemned for that he has not afforded him or is not capable of for he gives to all men liberally Bapt. And then whereas W. B. speaks of the Body of this Law or Light in the Heathen that they have an understanding there is a God and that worship is due to him though this God they know not nor how or in what form to worship him for that is revealed by the Scripture he saith p. 17. Answ. Yet notwithstanding in contradiction to himself he hath confessed The Law of God and substance of the ten Commandements to
to shew me that Text in Scripture where any of God's Worthies directed people to turn to a Light within and obey the Light within to expect salvation This is altogether contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles John exhorts his followers to believe in him that should come after him and not a Christ that should come into them the Apostle preached Christ to the Jews whom they by wicked hands had crucified slain Paul preached a Christ made of a Woman and not a Christ in them that God will redeem the World by Reply Because this our opposer is so ignorant of the Scriptures and of the Light and Power of God which saveth I may Answer his Challenge and inform him that the tendency and drift of all the preaching and directions of the holy men of God Christ and the Apostles was to turn people from darkness to the Light to the knowledge of God and Christ which is spiritual and therefore inwardly and spiritually to be received and revealed for that which may be known of God who is Light is manifest within Rom. 1. And Paul said God who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4. And Christ exhorted to beleive in the Light that they might be the Children of the Light And was not that in them which did beget them to God and bring them to be his Children And did not Christ say he that is with you shall be in you and I in them and they in me Joh. 17. And this appearance without in the flesh and coming after John Baptist and being slain by wicked hands as touching the flesh doth not destroy nor make void the doctrine of his spiritual appearance in his People no more then his coming after John did his being before him in Spirit for John said he that cometh after me is preferred before me for he was before me mark he was before John 1 Joh. 1.13 though not in the flesh or body in which he was crucified but being quickned by the Spirit thereby he went and preached unto the spirits in Prison and was not this preaching spiritual and directed to Spirit Life and Light within which opened the eyes of the understandings to see the power of God in Christ the Light even the same power that raised up Jesus And was not the Word within a Light which both Moses and the Apostles directed to and the Spirit or Anointing within to teach lead into all truth and save from sin and death which has reigned in people And what is Redemption but a freeing from the servitude of sin and it is fulfilled in every true Believer by Christ who is the power of God who is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and all these are inwardly experienced by such as know that God hath wrought all their works in them And therefore for W. Burnet to deny that Christ in them to redeem is his gross error and ignorance and contradiction to the Apostles Doctrine as also how appearently does he contradict himself when he grants that the fruits and effects of our Justification doth shew it self within and without And surely then the cause thereof must be known within Christ within the Spirit that Sanctifies and Justifies within God who works all our works in us Isa. 26.12 dwels in his people 2 Cor. 6. Now if Christ be to be known within then that which reveals him and may be known of God is within there must be an eye or else no seeing and if it be blind or vailed it must be opened by that which makes manifest things that are reproved which is Light But now as to Christs being in every man p. 4. that 's not our affirmation nor words but that there is a Light of Christ in every man even in the Rebellious to leave them without excuse And what T. Tayler has said in that case is true and will stand over the head of this our ignorant opposer who hath carped at this expression of the word in the heart and the Light shining in man yea in every man as being a present help against sin which is neither a marring of his work nor any extenuation of the glory of the true Christ nor any falshood as it is very ignorantly charged for the Word in the heart is to be obeyed it saves the soul the Light shining in the heart gives the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Therefore 't is helpful against sin 1. in that it saves from it 2. in that it leads such as be kept in it to the Glory which is immortal and leaves them that rebel against the Light without excuse which if it had not sufficiency and a saving property in it it could not for otherwise its insufficiency therein would be ground of excuse And as touching the Word which is nigh IN the heart and wherewith shall a young-man cleanse his way Psal. 119. W.B. his perswasion is that neither of those Scriptures refer to Christ but to the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament which is called both the Word of God and of Christ he sayes To which I reply This Baptists ignorance and absurdity in this plainly appears touching both the Word that cleanseth and the Scriptures which are the Writings that contain many Words of Truth in the plural whereas the Word which clenseth and sanctifieth Joh. 17. is but one which also is both a discerner of the thoughts and powerful in the operation Also when David directed to the Word which was a light unto his paths much of the Old Testament was not given forth or written and to be sure not the New And when the Apostle directed to the Word of Faith which was nigh in the heart to obey it this could not be the Scriptures or Writings of the New-Testament for he was then but a writing part of them and several other Epistles were unwritten neither were they bound up into one Volumn till many years after besides many have corrupted the Scriptures but the Word which sanctifies and redeems is the Incorruptible Seed which lives and abides for ever And is not that Seed or Word Christ And how comes any to know and rightly to understand the Scriptures but by the Spirit of God for it 's granted p. 4. That the Law of God is made applicable to us by the Spirit of God So then men are to be directed to the Spirit of God within which convinceth the world but in contradiction to himself he saith Paul's knowledge of sin came by the Law not by the Light within Surely not by the Law without the Light within if by the Spirit of God it be applicable to us as before for it was not the Law outward as it was in the letter of it that convinced Paul for he had that before when
Strangers from the Covenant of Promise and walking according to the course of this World in that sence they were said to be without Christ and without God in the World their understandings being darkned and their minds alienated but it does not follow that they had none of Christs Light in them or that the Spirit did not reprove them they being in the World for the Spirit reproves the World of sin surely it would be a blind inference to say That neither God nor his Spirit were in the World because they were without God in the World and sometimes afar off whereas his Presence fills Heaven and Earth and from his Presence Spirit Hell cannot hide nor the deeps cover though God beholds all the wicked a far off and they are without him as to any living sense union or injoyment their minds being estranged from his Light in them which in that state appears or shines in darkness though it comprehends not the Light and these are those that rebel against the Light that know not its wayes because they abide not in its paths Job 24.13 and that say to the Almighty Depart from us we desire not the knowledge of thy wayes Job 21.14 wherefore the Almighty is nigh unto them convicting and striving with them by his Spirit though it shall not alwayes strive with man so that they may be said to be both without God and without Light as to the true knowledge and possession and yet have both nigh to them even reaching their Consciences Bapt. Those were in Eph. 2. without God and Christ in the world what then can such turn to within for Life and Salvation Answ. To the Light of Christ wherewith every man 's inlightned and the reproofes of the Spirit of Truth which reproves the world of sin that they may know the true God and his Son which is Life Eternal Bapt. The cause of acceptance is what God hath done for man and not mans unspotted Life that doth perform his obedience but Christ becoming obedient to the Father for man Answ. The unspotted Life is an effect of God's work in reconciling man in Christ and this is acceptable to God which the spotted corrupt life is not Neither will your applying Christ's obedience render you in your spotted lives and sins acceptable or justified for he came in the likeness of sinful flesh that he might condemn sin in the flesh that the Righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in them that walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Mark within is the fulfilling and effect of Christ's obedience Rom. 8. Again for W.B. to argue that because the Saints were in darkness in the time of their unregenerate state that therefore no man can be said to have either God Christ or the Spirit in him in that state This argument is fallacious for he might as well argue that the light cannot shine in darkness whereas a man may have the Light in him when he i◠not in it or walks not in the Spirit and if he should say that God or his presence is not in the world because the world knows him not but is in darkness and in that sence without God this were absurd and fallacious of the nature of his argument Bapt. To what then shall such turn within for Light that have there nothing but darkness Answ. This contradicts his former confessing that Light is in every man that doth convince of sin which is something besides darkness But there are those that put darkness for light and he hath herein done no less to his own confutation and surely that light in every man that convinceth of sin is worth the turning to to lead the mind out of sin Bapt. The fourth proof Esay 8.20 From this may be gathered that those that are not principled with the knowledg of the Law of God and testimony of Christ but contrary thereto do exhort are in the dark and blind without any light in them they have no light in them if that be so there be a people that have no light such have neither Father Son nor Spirit in them P. 9. Answ. That of Isa. 8.20 No light should be no morning as in the Hebrew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Shachar i. e. Aurora but there is a light shining in darkness Before the day dawn and day-star arise or the morning appear in them But how has this man flatly contradicted himself whilst in other places he ha's confessed to a convincing light in every man that doth reprove him for sin and by which a wicked man upon sins commiting receiveth checks from see Pag. 8 16. tells us of the Light of Nature Creation-Light Spirit that God hath plac'd in man every man by nature having the Law plac'd in his heart viz. the Ten Commandments that is to say in the substance of them Thus far he hath in plain words confessed to a Light in every man though other whiles he affirms they have no Light no not any Light in them Who know not but act contrary to the Law of God And thus the Reader may see how he has given a deadly blow to his own evil cause against the Light for might not I as well argue against him that if some have not any Light in them then no convincing Light and how then is the Law and substance of the Ten Commandements in every man But then on the other hand if the substance of that Law or those Commandments be in every man then this is not natural but Spiritual the Law is Spiritual as writen in the heart and the substance of this Law enjoyns to love the Lord God with all the heart and soul and thy neighbour as thy self which Christ said to the Lawyer This do and thou shalt live after he had asked him what he should do to inherit eternal life Luke 10.25 26 27 28. Now that Light which leads to eternal Life must needs be the Light of Christ saving and this is in every man which teacheth so to love God as is confessed that life eternal may be inherited which to say is the light of nature an uncertain guide as the titles of his pages and to scorn it as the Quakers Christ this shews the great ignorance and folly of this our opposer and his gross and apparant contradictions and it is not his scornfully saying over and over thus you may see the Quakers Christ that can confute us or destroy our Christ who is Gods Christ. Bap. It would be a vain and fond saying to say when the natural Sun is hid under a Cloud or the darkness of the night therefore there is no Sun there but these have none neither shining nor hid in them To what should such turn to within then for Life and Salvation Answ. Yes there is some Light hid in men who are dark By the same reason as before the Light of Christ may be where it is clouded and vailed with darkness and it doth for a time shine
be in their hearts to which God expects obedience Surely that which teacheth men to love the Lord God with all their hearts and souls teacheth them the substance of true Worship and the Law of the Lord is pure converting the soul yet it 's probable many that have a sense of this Law of God within and his Worship may not be in the form of these Baptists nor come under their form of Water-Baptism which such a great stress they lay upon and yet be accepted of God and saved notwithstanding being baptized by the Spirit Bapt. There is that light and understanding still left in nature that there is a God that there is worship due to him but the Light in man leaves him short of what the true God is and what worship is due to him Answ. The Light that God hath given in man doth not only shew that there is a God and a Worship due but also leads him to know the true God and his Worship where it is obeyed as it did to those Gentiles spoken of in Rom. 1.19 20 21. when that which might be known of God was manifest in them which was the ground of their discerning the invisible things of God even his Eternal Power and Godhead from the visible Creation so as they were left without excuse when they turned from it and liked not to retain God in their knowledg viz. which disobedience and abuse caused their Reprobation and further Apostacy and Idolatry Rom. 1.27 28. surely it would be improper to say they liked not to retain God in their knowledge if they had a knowledge of God Bapt. How uncertain a rule or guide is the Light within or the checks of Conscience for a man to build his Hope or Faith upon Ans. Not uncertain to them that have tryed it and beleived in it as Christ exhorted The Spirit that God hath given is certain the Law of God in every man is certain the substance of the ten Commandments within as is confessed is certain Conscience when acted by the Light and Law of God within is not uncertain in it's checks against sin Bapt. For if that Light that is in man be darkness or vailed with gross erorrs and so the soul run into strange enormities how sad will it be for that soul that gives up himself to follow it this is the Quakers Principle not only to look for Salvation from it but to be led by it Answ. Surely this is a very sad conclusion against the Light within and very false for he hath confounded erring conscience light and darkness together as not making a difference here in the end of his work for first a Light that convinceth and reproves the wicked of sin is confessed to be in them 2ly A knowledge of God left in man 3ly The substance or body of the ten Commandments 4thly Consciences conviction which the Law of God in the heart is the ground of none of which can truly be deemed darkness though some put light for darkness and darkness for light as this our opposer hath done Also to tell of the light in man being darkness or vailed with gross errors are two different things for the Light being vailed in some doth not change it from being light in its own essence And now it wil not be sad for that soul that gives up himself to follow the Light within which convinces and reproves for sin and teaches truly to love the Lord God and to do righteously justly before all men which answers and fulfils the substance of the moral Law which is confessed to be within men even in the very heathen as in p. 17. So that the truth of our Principle touching the Light within is evidently verified and proved both from the Scriptures of truth as also from our adversaries own confession therefore the rest of our Principles which depend upon it must needs be true the Light of Christ within being the fundamental or most binding as W.B. has confest so the less need be said to his frivolous objections against us in other particulars howbeit some things may be observed touching several passages following Bapt. Those that have not the Spirit to lead them if the Scriptures be the Rule what Rule have they Answ. Without the guidance of the Spirit the right use and end of the Scriptures cannot be known they are as a Book sealed only by the Spirit truly opened as to their not having the Spirit to lead them that 's but a begging the Question and contradicts much of what he hath said before for how are any said not to have it but in that they walk not in its way nor follow its leadings but rebell against the Spirit grieve and vex the Holy Spirit such are not without it as to its conviction and reproofs though not having it as to the true sense and apprehension of it guidances life virtue and glory of its ministration they being in that which is sensual and devilish Bapt. God never designed the Spirit to be man's Rule but to be mans assistant and helper to walk and build by the rule the Scripture doth direct him to his duty pag. 19. Answ. And are not the directions of the Spirit according to the Scriptures did not God ever design the Spirit to lead into all Truth and if the Spirit doth principle a Soul for his duty as this our Opposer confesseth then the Spirit is sufficient to guide order and be a rule to him in his duty so that in denying the Spirits sufficiency he hath denyed Scripture which testifies of the Spirit which many may be led by that cannot read the Scriptures and to his confessing That every Believer is as a wise builder that hath his judgment and skil principled within By what is the true Believer so principled if not by the Spirit or Light of Truth within Is it not the Spirit that doth so principle a man for his work both in praying hearing and obedience yea it is confest in the same page that it is the Spirit and doth it follow that the Spirit of God is not a rule sufficient or that the Light within must be excluded from trying Doctrines because the Bereans did search the Scriptures to see whether these things were so whereas they received the Word with all readiness of mind which implies that in the main they were satisfied in that they received the Word with such readiness and they searched the Scriptures which if in any particular thing this may be said to imply a doubting on their parts their doubt cannot be any Argument to detract from the Spirits sufficiency both to inform satisfie and guide them into the Truth declared of in the Scriptures So that to say It was by the Scripture without and not by the Light within This shews great ignorance thus to exclude the Light whereas he should rather have said as his former words intimate That it was by the Spirit or Light within together with the Scriptures that
and believe And people it is as you have been taught and believed So let us leave this to the people to judge of c. G. W. There is something more to be said to what thou hast alleadged from Job 19. of seeing God with these eyes which thou wouldst make people believe are these bodily eyes This supposes that God is not a Spirit nor invisible c. for no object or thing is obvious or visible to the Carnal or outward eye but what is visible and outward that is a bodily and outward Substance for these bodily eyes cannot see a Spirit or that which is invisible M. C. These Eyes shall be glorified and made Spiritual for as now they are mortal and corruptible they cannot see God but as they are made immortal and glorified they shall see God G. W. Job after said to God I have heard of thee by the hearing of the ear but now mine eye seeth thee Job last Chap. This was a Spiritual eye and not his bodily eyes but to tell of these bodily eyes to be made spiritual and then of seeing God with them that they must be made so spiritual and be the same they are for matter and substance This is strange Doctrine and that which we could never hear demonstrated from any Maxime in Divinity nor yet from any general Rule or Reason in Philosophy Le ts hear how thou wilt demonstrate that these carnal or bodily eyes shall be made so spiritual as to see God who is invisible and yet they be the same in substance that they are but M. Caffin did not at all assay to demonstrate this his Assertion nor to clear himself of his absurdities M. C. Let us go on to the next Question and leave this to the judgment of the people G. VV. It 's here before this Auditory evident and manifest that thou M. C. art confounded in thy work and put to a non-plus not being able to manage thy Assertion nor to clear thy self of the absurdities justly charged upon thee from thy own Words and Arguments wherefore be ingenious and confess thy error and that thou art confounded and not able to maintain the controversie in this matter Thou hast come off very faintly I advise thee as thou wilt answer it before the great God who will judge the secrets of men by Christ according to the Gospel that thou dost not wrong nor go to out-face thy own Conscience before this people as if thou wert not confounded but deal plainly and ingeniously and confess and acknowledge thou art at a loss and confounded who for proof tells the people It is thy belief and what thou hast affirmed is true As much as to say It is true because it is true or people must believe it because M. Caffin sayes it and then they must receive it upon an implicit Faith as believing he is infallible but M. C. hath no such authority with us for we see him fallible in error and in confusion as particularly about the same Wheat growing again and seeing God with these bodily eyes With many more errors and falshoods which M. Caffin was detected for which we have more at large upon record A POST-SCRIPT THese Baptists who have been thus wrangling querying and contend about the Resurrection of the same flesh blood and bones have manifested their carnal fleshly minds wherein they are puffed up as Intruders into things they have not seen and their Gospel to consist more of imaginations about flesh blood which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15.50 than of any real knowledge of the true and saving Gospel which consists of Spirit Divine Power Life and Light the knowledge of which doth afford true satisfaction to them that enjoy it without such vain and carnal contentions of Baptists and questioning how the dead are raised and with what Body like those whom the Apostle reproved as fools 1 Cor. 15.35 36 37. As also like the Devil his disputing or contending with Michael the Arch-Angel about the Body of Moses Jude 9. They have appeared in these their carnal contests to darken peoples minds from the true Light and Life within And such have been the products of flesh and darkness against the breakings forth of Truth in its Light and Power which is and will be exalted over all these oppositions and Clouds of ignorance that rise up against it THE END Reader Thou art desired to amend such Errors as have escaped the Press whether Words or Points PAge 8. line 3. for yet is not read yet it is not p. 30. l. 3. f. computure r. composure p. 32. l. 22. f. had a knowledge r. had not a knowledge p. 33. l. 26. f. be the rule r. be not the rule p. 36. l. 18. f. this r· their p. 38. l. 19. f. has r. he has p. 50. l. 1. f. denies r. deems p. 63. l. 29. f. trasmutation r. transmutation p. 27. l. 1. f. W. B. his false Aspertions r. and its sufficiency * Where are these tearms in Scripture but that God was in Christ God manifest in flesh c. †Act and suffering are two things the Act was wicked mens but the suffering Christs Will. Burnet Jer. Ives * The accusation †To this they would not answer * Here he flatly contradicted his Bro. Burnet †Blasphemy * What a Body is that without Blood in it †Of which absurdity divers of you Baptists are guilty as M. Câ—ffin others †Here one Brother contradicted the other * Note he meant by a wicked mans actions Christ's passion †See how the Question is altered 1. If the shedding the blood c. 2. If that blood 3. Is the meritorious cause 4. Is a meritorious cause †That which cleanseth must needs be still in being if cleansing be a real work and that is spiritual * What holy Place and with what Blood * What a Babel are you Baptists building
THE Light and Life OF Christ within AND The Extent and Efficacy thereof DEMONSTRATED AND The Quakers Principles Justified by the Scriptures of Truth the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles from the false and Blasphemous Constructions put upon them by WILLIAM BURNET in his Book stiled The Capital Principles of the people called Quakers Herein the rest of the Baptists that own him may see His Antichristian spirit and doctrines detected By a Servant of Christ G. WHITEHEAD His Doctrinal and self contradictions compared By a Servant of Christ G. WHITEHEAD His Ignorance and Errours discovered By a Servant of Christ G. WHITEHEAD His Envy and Feign edness reproved By a Servant of Christ G. WHITEHEAD Professing themselves to be wise they became fools Rom. 1.22 London Printed in the Year 1668. The PREFACE I Should very willingly have forborn to appear thus publick in such Controversies at this time if the Truth might have been otherwise cleared for I have a life in peace more than in contests and a tender respect to the more Conscientious of all sorts professing Religion that have a tenderness and sincerity in them but I am necessitated thus to appear because of the hardness and perversness of some Baptists and their publick reproaching and scandalizing the Truth professed by us called Quakers both in words preaching and print and their clamouring up and down the Countries against us both in Buckinghamshire Surrey Sussex and other parts in which thing Matthew Caffin their great Agent and Contender and W. Burnet of Chertsey are chiefly concerned against us whereby they have to their power supplied the Persecuters place now in this little time of liberty like persons implacable envying our liberty and prosperity William Burnets personal reflections in his Book against some amongst us which he has gathered from Reports as the former persecuting Priests were wont to do I could more easily have passed by than his wronging perverting opposing the truth of our Principles though several of his Reflections are false and slanderous for that any particular fall or failings of persons cannot rationally be alleaged to destroy principles fallen from But considering the divisions that are amongst Baptists even the Leaders as to their Principles it might have been some stop to W. B. his outrage in this matter and they should have agreed among themselves before they had thus appeared against us some being for a particular Election of persons and both denying saving Grace to be free to all and Christ's dying for all Others being for Christ's death for all and General Redemption and some pleading for Free-will Several of their Teachers and some Hearers are for and observe the Seventh-day-Sabbath imposed on the Jews and have preached writ and printed for the imposing of it on Christians many others of them are against it And why doth not our Opposer plead for his Water-Baptism and Seventh-day-Sabbath here against us but therein he would not be popular enough Many affirm Christ to have done and compleated all for Man on the Cross without But some that the Offering was not compleated nor the Type under the Law fully Answered till he was entered into Heaven or the Holy-Place Many of them are for paying Priests Tythes rather than suffer others have writ against it as Antichristian and yet few stand out of it Some of their Teachers have contended and printed for taking the Oath several gratifying the Persecuters and swearing themselves out of Prison by which others have suffered the more which hath been a grief to some who were more Consciencious many of them running into holes and corners not daring to meet publickly if but a little storm break forth And has not W. B. heard how Thomas Tillam their great Seventh-day-Sabbath man and his fellow-prisoner deceitfully made escape out of Ipswich Prison which was no small blot upon them And have not some of them gotten into the Priests places Pulpits preached for Hire Tythes c. as Tombs and others when permitted As also two of their eminent Leaders viz. Robert Everard and Jo. Attaway of Brantree in Essex turned Papists and become great Contenders for the Church of Rome These things I mention as having been most obvious and publick besides gross corruptions both as to principle and practice might be further manifest against some of their Chieftains which at present I shall forbear to mention here And now though this W. B hath shewed his envious and persecuting spirit which hath put forth its sting against us We do in the Elect Seed tread upon its head and are not pierced thereby And that spirit shall be crushed and the Elect shall reign over it in the power of Christ and I have as much satisfaction in appearing against the persecuting spirit in W. B. as against it in other open Opposers and Persecutors For what could we reasonably expect from him and such as he is if they had power but they would be as great Persecutors as any that we have suffered under whilst they shew such enmity and implacableness at this time a day against us And whereas W.B. in his Epistle sayes he shall leave it the Cause is God's and whatever reproach he undergoes therein he hopes he shal quietly bear c. By which he seems as if he would be quiet now when he has done his worst against us But 't is probable he would have had more quietness and peace if he had never appeared thus against the Upright as he hath done in his confused Book Now Reader take a view of some of his Doctrines and apparent Contradictions hereafter whereby he hath given a deadly blow to his own Cause which is proved none of God's VV. Burnet his Contradictions HEre are several of William Burnets Contradictions collected in his own words out of his Book and compared as followeth W.B. in pag. 3. of his Book saith Paul preached a Christ made of a woman and not a Christ in them that God will redeem the world by But in contradiction he saith I do not deny that the fruits and effects of our Justification doth shew it self both within and without Pag. 4. Paul's knowledge of sin came by the Law and not by the Light within Contradiction The Grace of God received and the Love of Christ revealed in the work of Regeneration doth principle the heart with an enmity to sin and the Grace received in the work of Reconciliation begets a hatred to it so that it is from the principle within Pag. 5. I would not give any one ground of jealousie that I should judge that our obedience is any cause either of our Justification or Sanctification And p. 10. The spirit in man and obedience to that spirit is not the cause of mans union with God But in contradiction pag. 35. We are sealed by an obedience to the Gospel And Pag. 8. The Spirit is alive because of Righteousness Paul's knowledge of sin came by the Law not the Light within Contradiction P. 8. That Light is
in every man that doth convince of sin the Commandment being accompanied with the Spirit P. 9. There is a time when every man while unregenerated the best of Saints were in darkness to what then shall such turn within for Light that have there nothing but darkness without any light in them They have no light in them they have none in them c. But in positive Contradiction P. 8. I shall shew what that Light is in every man that doth convince of sin P. 16. That Light is in every man that doth convince and reprove him for sin or that a wicked man upon sins committing receives checks from the Law written in the heart in creation is the principal ground of Conscience-conviction Man being made every way capable of doing the will of his Maker having the Counsel or Law of God in his heart he did not wholly lose his creation-light for there was still a knowledge left in man of God P. 16 17 18 19. That Light in every man is the Light of Nature is Conscience is an uncertain Guide How sad will it be for that soul that gives up himself to follow it But in plain contradiction P. 10 16 17. Christ as he was the Word with God so he was the Light of the World and lighteth every man that cometh into the world The Spirit that God hath placed in man is called the Candle of the Lord the Spirit of Understanding Every man by Nature having the Law placed in his heart to wit the Ten Commandments in the substance or body of them The very Heathen that never had the Gospel preached unto them do witness to this Truth P. 31. Oh how do these Hell-hatched Errors that have been fomented by Satan and twisted into the hearts of these poor and ever-to-be pittied creatures Contradiction P. 28. I do much wonder where that Word or Doctrine was coyned that they so often teach and exhort that is to turn to the Light within Observation That Doctrine then may be founded in Heaven for ought he knows P. 19 20 21. The Scripture's mans rule to walk by the Rule of the Gospel and compass to rule and stear by not by the Light within Contradiction The Spirit doth principle a Saint for his duty the Spirit doth principle and fit a man for his worke both in praying hearing and obedience And P. 21. the reception of the Spirit is the only means to put a man into a capacity for and give him right to obedience nothing gives a soul right to Gospel Ordinances but the gift of Christ to us and his being revealed in us by his Spirit P. 21. The Scriptures ought to be a rule and weapon to be made use of at all times in defence against Satan our dear Lord was filled with the Spirit yet he had an eye in all his obedience to the Scriptures Contradictions P. 22. the Letter it self as it is written with Ink on Paper is dead but the matter therein is Spiritual and Powerful when carried home by the Spirit to the heart P. 24. All the Prophets actions recorded are not all for our example P. 34. Christ as he was the Word which was God was not a Saviour but as he was to be the Offspring of man P. 35. as he was the Word as he was God he could not save man for God was the offended and it was impossible for the offended to acquit the guilty Contradictions P. 34. The Scripture giveth this Character of Christ that he should be called Immanuel Mat. 1.23 that is to say God with us and in Isa. 9.6 he is called the Mighty God Joh. 1.1 he is called the Word and in this sence is said to come down from Heaven for as he from the dayes of eternity was with the Father he most properly derived that title of being the Son of God Heb. 7.3 1 Joh. 3.8 P. 35. God hath designed that Redemption should be purchased by the Son of God Observe In that 1 Joh. 3.8 the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the works of the Devil And is not this to Salvation and Christ saith the Son can do nothing of himself but what he seeth the Father do and the Father that dwelleth in him he doth the works John 5.19 14.10 and that God is Saviour and none besides him see Isa. 43.11 45.4 Hos. 13.4 So what less is it than Blasphemy to say God could not save P. 35. God by his own Blood purchased to himself a Church Acts 20.28 But in contradiction to the Apostle herein VV. B. saith God hath neither blood nor suffered P. 35. Where it is said No man hath been in Heaven but the Son of man that came down from Heaven But in Contradiction to Christ W. Burnet saith Christ's ascribing that to the Godhead that properly refers to the Manhood is a stumbling-stone W. B. in his 39 th pag. saith This is a gross mistake to wit that the blood that cleanseth from sin is the life of Christ. Contradiction P. 40. Christ is the purchaser and the price his life P. 42. The bloodshed upon the Cross the Material Blood meritorious to Salvation sprinkles the Consciences sanctifieth us p. 38 39. Justifies p. 42. Redeems c. But in Contradiction P. 40. that Blood shed is not in being But he compares it to a price lost c. Observe here a twofold stress is laid upon that Blood 1. Merit to Salvation 2. Work to Sanctification And so he hath set it up above God for God could not save he saith and yet is not in being gross absurdity Whereas Sanctification being a real work inward that is certain in being which effects it P. 24. W. B. tells of looking to Jerusalem to Jesus Christ as he was there crucified or to that Blood that was there shed for Justification Contradiction p. 27 33. That Christ that restoreth mans loss is both to be sought and found in Heaven viz. above the Stars and Firmament But in Contradiction to both p. 21. The reception of the Spirit the only means The Gift of Christ to us and his being revealed in us by his Spirit Observ. Then Christ and his Life is nearer than either Jerusalem or above the Clouds though he ascended far above all Heavens W. B. his false Aspersions HEre follows some of W. Burnets Aspersions Falshoods and Slanders cast upon the Quakers which are rejected and returned to that envious spirit from whence they came As first in his Epistle which hath relation to his dark confused bundle which is void of both spirit life and light After he pretends great respect to many of us for our honest lives whose meanings he judges good yet he falsly saith they are ensnared by their Teachers whose hearts he saith Satan hath greatly deceived which is also false and incongruent And False it is that our Teachers study twenty shuffles rather than discover their Principles when closely beset False it is and a slander That there is none more