whether we may look for that word in these dayes Isa 30. 9 What that word of faith is by which none needs to say Who shall ascend up to heaven to fetch Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead but that word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart which the Apostle preached to them that had it in their heart And whether the same word be not now in the hearts of the people though they mind it not Rom. 10. 10 What that voyce of Christ is which his sheep knows and how they come to know it from other voyces and all that hear it will not hear the voyce of strangers and hirelings and theeves and sorcerers but by the same voyce are brought to know Christ and follow him Joh. 10. And whether his sheep may expect and wait for the same voyce now and to know it from all other voyces which are false 11 What that way is in the wilderness which Isaiah spake of Isa 35. 8. which shall be called the way of holiness which the unclean shall not pass over but it shall be for wayfaring men and fools shall not erre therein in which way the Redeemed shall walk and the Ransomed of the Lord shall come to Sion And whether any may expect to find in these dayes such a way as are strangers and fools in the world 12 What that manifestation of the Spirit is which is given to every man to profit with all and whether there be any profit but by it and whether it be not of it self â—n infallible guide in all the way of God according to its manifestation Joh. 4. 23. 13 What and where that worship of God is truly in which God alone looks to be worshipped in And whether any can worship in spirit and in truth but those that are born of the Spirit And whether that he that is born of the Spirit needeth any other guide in the spiritual worship but that Spirit of which he is born according to his measure Joh. 1. 9. And whether such worships hath not been and are now differing from all other worships in the world and therefore hated by them as in all Ages 14 What and where that light is that inlightens every man that comes into the world which being come into the world is the condemnation of all those that are in darkness because of their evil deeds And whether this be not the condemnation of all the world that beleeve not in it but walk in darkness And whether there be any other condemnation but it seeing Christ said If I had not come ye had not had sin Joh. 3. Rom. 8. 15 What the Law of the Spirit of life is which made Paul free from the law of sin and death which had warred against the law of his mind and had formerly held him in captivity to the law of sin that was in his members And whether any in these dayes that are come to that warfare may look for that freedome by the Law of the Spirit of life And thus I have written these few lines the Lord revealing by his Spirit in me the great delusion sorcery and bewitched doctrine that you are under of these bewitching Simon Magus sorcerers which have put you upon a Christ crucified without you notwithstanding you and the rest are in your filthiness and first nature Whereas the Holy Ghost hath declared That they must be pure in heart that must see God Matth. 5. 8. And hath neglected to tell you of a washing of regeneration and new birth by the Holy Ghost in you T it 3 4 5 6. And hath brought another Gospel contrary to what Christ hath already preached and therefore he rendreth such accursed 1 Pet. 1. 12. And the Lord speaking by the mouth of Paul saying My little children of whom I travel again in birth untill Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. And the Lord in mercy look upon you for my bowels yern towards you and pity you to see Prophets and Teachers creep in among you to draw you from your guide 2 Pet. 2. 1. Written from the Spirit of the Lord from one whom the people of this world calls Quaker known by the name of Thomas Biddal The Answer to the fore-said Queries by Tho. Moore ANd first to the Inscription or Dedication of them which runs thus To Alice Morden and the rest which are not yet given up to Delusion To all who deny the teaching of God to be sufficient c. In which words that which is imported in the plainest sense of them is That they look upon this as a testimony sufficient that men are not given up to Delusion viz. That they deny the teaching of God to be sufficient to guide them that own it to God without humane helps or at least that those that do so are not given up This appears their sense if the indicter of this understood himself but that rather I suppose hee did not however to this Inscription and Dedication we shall lay down this for Answer That to deny the absolute and alone sufficiency of the teaching of God without humane helps or mans teaching is a sin of a very high nature and an evidence of being in a great measure given up to delusion Jer. 8. 8 9 and 6. 10 11. and 23. 16 18 22 c. Isa 8. 16-20 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 19. 20-24-26 27. and Chap. 4 6. That therefore we may know who they are that do so that we may beware of them and of all steps leading to this evill Let us consider First What Gods eaching is Secondly Where and how himself doth preach or hold it forth unto men Thirdly How or wherein men may be said to deny the alone sufficiency thereof First What Gods teaching is as to the matter of it There is in it 1 Something summary and fundamental of all the rest by which primely it may be known and distinguished 2 Some things contained in springing out of and built upon or arising from those things that are main and fundamental in it 1 Those things main and fundamental in Gods teaching are concerning Jesus Christ before promised and witnessed and in his undertaking vertuous now manifested as delivered to death for our offences according to the Scriptures therein bearing our sins in his own body to the Tree not bearing them or leaving them to be born in that sense in our souls or bodies and raised again from the dead for our justification according to the Scriptures And so concerning his own the Fathers love and goodness to man-ward the glory of which is now manifested in the face of Christ even in those works done in and by his first personal Appearance and the acceptance and vertue of them with the Father for us and the end of them to bee fully revealed and accomplished in his second personal and glorious appearance according as declared to us in
8 9. not here injoyed by way of actual possession by any of them But Jesus Christ in that which he hath done and is become for them with the Father as preached in the Gospel to every man being received by faith is even so in them and to them the hope of glory the ground and foundation of the hope of things not yet sensibly injoyed or possessed Col. 1. 27 28. with Rom. 8. 19. 24 25. Heb. 11. 1. yea in a sense the thing hoped for as in respect of his second personal appearance on the earth which shall be in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels Then and thereby do they look for an accomplishment of those glorious promises of the new heaven and new earth and the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven and of all things restored or made new by him Act. 3. 21 22. Rev. 21. 5. Phil. 3. 21. When he shall also bring all that sleep in Jesus with him 1 Thess 4. 14 16 2 Thess 2 1 2 with Chap. 1 6 7 c. â— Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 20. 4 6. 2 It farther appears that it is not yet come down from heaven in or to any persons because in it there is no death pain or mortality but in and amongst the best of beleevers here even while the Spirit is made alive for righteousness sake delivered from the condemnation and bondage of the Law by the body of Christ in the discovery of it even by the Law Doctrine and power of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and so quickned to a new and living hope and so also in desires and affections through the Resurrection of Christ as Rom. 7. 4. and 8. 2 3 4 1 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Joh. 3.3 yet the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8. 10. yea besides these mortalities there is infirmities and passions of the mind through remainders of the old man yet in their members warring though through Jesus Christ they get victory dayly Rom. 7. 23 24. yea in many things they all offend James 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 1. 8 10. And so there is with these mortalities yet upon them which are the fruit of sin and as a remembrance of it there is I say with them particular chastisements and corrections for sin of which they are made partakers as there is found in them sins against light and grace committed needing discovery and purgation 1 Cor. 11. 30 31 32 Heb. 12. 4 5-11 Their bodies are yet vile both their particular personal bodies and their societies also they are not yet made glorious without spot or wrinckle But he shall in that day when Jerusalem comes down from heaven so present them compare Phil. 3. 21. with Eph. 5. 26 27. He is therefore now all this day washing them that he may in the issue so present them with his likeness in the morning of the Resurrection as the issues and vertues of his sufferings Ps 17 ult Rev. 14. 1-5 and 7. 12-17 1 Joh. 3. 1-3 2 Qu. What and where that Sion is Isa 2. Mich. 4. c. Answ The former Answer may serve for Answer to this also Sion and Jerusalem being so neer a kin as they are in those Scriptures mentioned and in Heb. 12. 22. For though as in those Scriptures the Law Doctrine or word of the Lord do now come from thence to the Nations and they that with the heart beleeve or receive that word do by faith come unto it and are made of it in such beleeving yea do so come forth of its waters that its truly said Jerusalem that is above is the mother of them all yet it s still Jerusalem above even to them and not come down as is shewed before Gal. 4 26. Yea farther Though in this day we have a first fruits of the Spirit in performance of those promises yet the fulness and harvest of that and the redemption of the body and things pertaining more properly thereto we wholly wait for and are not yet possessors of the Nations are yet learning war whereas when those promises are accomplished They shall learn war no more neither is the enmity removed out of nor bondage of corruption taken off from the creatures as is promised then to be fully and clearly accomplished compare with those Scriptures Isa 11. Rom. 8. 19-25 Act. 3. 20 21. according to the ends and vertues of Christ having made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1. 20. Heb. 2. 5 8. 9. 3 Qu. What and where that Covenant is Jer. 31. 33 34. Heb. 8. 10 11 12 c. Ans 1. In respect of the foundation ground and assurance of it It is Jesus Christ himself as raised from the dead and exalted and glorified in our nature in hâ—s own personal body by and with the vertue of his sufferings the most glorious presence of God in the heavens compare Isa 55. 3 4. with Act. 13. 34. Heb. 4 14 and 8. 1 2-10 2 In respect of the matter of it or promises in it They also are all in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. given us through sealed in and the way for coming forth made by his bloud yea so given into him and into him inseparably That they may be given only with him in and through the knowledge of himself and so received by faith in the receiving him by faith and so it s a Covenant made and sure in him with all the seed viz those that come to God by him now I say now made with them in the giving him in the knowledge and faith of him in what he hath done and is become and in the ends and vertues thereof for a Covenant to the people and in some first fruits of the Spirit performed also Rom. 8. 32. 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. Isa 42. 6. and 55. 3 4. But 3 In respect of the performance of it in the harvest or fulness of those spiritual blessings we have in Christ and the redemption of the body c. by Christ it is yet to be waited for even all the time of this mortaliâ—y and till he come as before as may be seen in the Scriptures forecited and also in comparing Hab. 2. 2. 4. with Heb. 10. 35 36 37 38. In the beginning of which Chapter he also mentions the same Covenant as made and sure in Christ to all that come to God by him and to be so made with all the Israel of God yet with reference to it again in this latter end of the Chapter with allusion to that of Habbakkuck he signifies yet a time for the exercise of faith and patience in doing and suffering according to the will of God before the promises in their performance or accompâ—â—hment shall be received that vision of God in which they shall be revealed in the accomplishment being the second and glorious appearance of Jâ—â—â—s Christ in our nature which is yet to be waite for compare the 〈◊〉 Habbakkuck saith The Vision shall surely come
Qu. What the Law of the Spirit of life is which made Paul free from the Law of Sin and Death which had warred against the law of his minde and had formerly held him in captivity to the Law of Sin that was in his members And whether any in these days that are come to that warfare may took for that freedom by the law of the Spirit of lifeâ— Ans Besides the confusion of two or three Queries in one here are some things taken for granted which we can by no means allow because the Text it self demes them viz. That by the Law of Sin and Death spoken of Rom. 8. 2. is meant the same with the law of sin in his members mentioned Chap. 7. 21 23. which did warre against the law of his mind and led him captive in some sence to it self and 2 That he was made free from that Law of Sin in his Members that it was not so much as warring against the law of his minde now both these I shall wholly deny and as they hang together so they will fall together in answer to one That by the Law of Sin and Death Chap. 8. 2. is not meant the same with the law of sin in his members Chap. 7. 21 23. appears in this That from the Law of Sin and Death mentioned Cha. 8. 2. he saith he was made free but of the other Chap. 7. 21 23 c. he affirms not that he had before but that he did now finde a law in his members warring against the law of his minde indeed before the Gospel of the Grace of God came or was received there was no discovery or disturbance of that-Law in his members and therefore no occasion for such a warre but since was the Combate and though it had been unthroned in his minde yet it was still warring in his members and he was not yet delivered from it though he could rejoyce in God in whom he had perfect deliverance and enjoyed it by faith and hope of perfect deliverance in himself by Christ when he should be delivered from the whole body of this Death yea by that Law of Sin and Death mentioned Rom. 8. 2. as appears by the next verses is meant that holy and righteous Law of God mentioned Rom. 7. 12-16 for so in the next verses of that Rom. 8. with reference to the same Law mentioned vers 2. he signifies the reason of its inability to give us life and peace was not any weakness or imperfection in itself but the weakness of our flesh and also propounds that as one great end of what Christ hath done that the righteousness of that Law might be fulfilled in them that beleeve c. And that Law is therefore called a Law of Sin and Death because it discovers Sin and sentences and concludes the Sinner under death yet itself is holy just and good Chap. 7. 10. whereas the other Law Chap. 7. 20 23. is sinful sin it self a body of sin this being understood the foundation of the Query falls yet this further Answer we shall give By that Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus by which he was made free from the condemnation and charges of this law of Sin and Death is meant nothing else but the Gospel of Christ which is that Old and New Commandement of the everlasting God the Law of Liberty Joh. 12. 47-50 1 Ioh. 2. 7 8. Iam. 1. 25. the Doctrin of the Spirit of Life that is in Christ Jesus or of that Spirit concerning the life Justification Peace and Redemption in Christ Jesus This appears plainly 1 By considering the next Verse in which he demonstrates how and with what Argument the law of the Spirit of Life in Christ freed him in which he propounds the main and fundamental Proposition and Argument of the Gospel in such cases and in all other for what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh God sending forth his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh c. as 2 Cor. 5. 21. 2 It appears by comparing this with Rom. 1. 16 17. 1 Cor. 1. 18. c. where the Gospel of Christ even that preaching of the Cross as by them delivered is said to be the power of God to Salvation to the Beleever c. 3 It further appears by comparing this with 2 Cor. 3. where that Dispensation of the Gospel or Ministration given to the Apostles and by them to us is called the Ministration of Spirit of Life of Glory c. as opposed to the Ministration of the Law as given by Moses which as so opposed is called a killing Letter a Ministration of Death of Condemnation c. And this Gospel is still of the same quality it effectually worketh in them that beleeve in discovering and opening what Christ hath done for them in delivering them from the Curse of the Law in himself as in the publick person that in coming in to him by faith in him they might enjoy the benefit pacifying their Conscience and healing their Nature and so in the discovery of the Vertues and acceptance of what Christ hath done with the Father and is become according to the ends of his Cross This having the Arm of God in it as well as solid Arguments to that purpose it purgeth the Conscience from guilt of sin by the Law and from dead works to serve the living God and so quickens to new and livening hope and affections through the Resurrection of Jesus so as they have their Remission Peace as also Sanctification Preservation c. through his Name Acts 10 43. 13. 39. 2 Cor. 3. 18. Rom. 6. 17 18. Joh. 8. 31 32 36. 1 Cor. 6. 11. 1 Pet. 1. 5. Joh. 17. 11. To his Conclusion at the close of the Queries in which hee boasts of Gods revealing by his Spirit in him the great delusion others are in in being instructed to look to a Christ Crucified without them while they are in their filthiness and first nature c. as more at large may be seen in the Copy of his writing fore inserted To this I say we answer Surely the Lord doth not reveal any thing by his Spirit in or to any but so as therein he enableth them that receive his Revelation in some measure to make it known he to this purpose appeareth that he may make them witnesses of those things in which he appeareth How then shall we beleeve that God hath revealed to him the delusion others are in when he is not able in the least measure to make it out at least he hath not done it in these lines only endeavoured by a multitude of confused questions to finde it out as one not knowing and himself in all fore-written not laying down at all what in his apprehension is truth or what is error posiâ—ively but left that to be gathered in the manner of his Queries unless we may finde some discovery of
discovers the vanity and falseness of their foundation and overthrows it doubtless were wee more acquainted with it and skilful in it we should neither desire nor need any other weapons than that faithful Word to stop the mouthes of these as well as other gain sayers as we have opportunity But having this occasion let me a little minde thee good Reader what principles have indeed administred foundation and opened the gap for such spurious and ungodly apprehensions or imaginations as fore-mentioned 1 This Principle That the Letter of the Scripture is not Scripture or thus That the minde or meaning of the Holy Ghost is not expressed in his words according to the natural import and signification of them no not in things main and fundamental and so in all other things that it may be discerned in the words or records left comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual and things hard and circumstantial with things plain and fundamental as we are therein directed but that the mind or meaning of the Holy Ghost is to be found out and determined by some other spirit This principle hath administred foundation or opened the gap for Popery and also for mens denyâ—ing the Grace of God to manward bringing Salvation to all men in and by Jesus Christ and it administers as good foundation or opens the like gap for all other corrupt principles for take away the Word of the Lord as declared by the Pen of the Scribe and what wisdom is in them yea they do all agree in this fixt great Tradition and rudiment of the World That the letter of the Scripture as they call it or the words as written and left on record are not the faithful expressions of the minde and meaning of the Holy Ghost only they differ in determining what shall give the sence The Papists say the Pope or Counsel The opposers of the good of all men not much unlike them say the late Fathers of the Church and they must bee such as they will account so too or learned men of the times And these that follow after differ not much they say it must bee some spirit of or in them which they suppose to bee infallible As much ground for the one as for the other and so for taking away one part of the Word of the Lord by one as there was for taking away another part by another yea their bottome-Principle is one 2 Another Principle that hath laid or is properly the foundation of such corrupt Imaginations as before is that the eternall purpose and decree of God is the absolute cause of mens sin reprobation and destruction This properly makes sin no sin or nothing sinfull but all mens actions and ends of God and also takes away the equity of his Judgement against them which commit such things and so leads to vain and ungodly Imaginations of no Resurrection or Judgement to come And 3 That which naturally flowes from both the forementioned is That God dissembles with men or pretends that which is not really in his heart when hee offers most men grace in the Gospel and swears he hath no pleasure in their death but that they turn and live This layes the foundation for men even as they would bee like God to dissemble with others and in pursuance of some worldly or Antichristian design to pretend Hamility Mortification Zeal Holiness c while in their hearts they judge no Act or practice to bee evill or sinfull in it self unlesse to him that judgeth it so but as it may hinder that their design secretly pursued Yea 4 That which I conceive hath also done its part among the rest in opening the gap to such unclean spirits is an Imagination that is secretly crept into the minds of and pleaded for by some truly gracious viz. That men may while they are yet in this mort all body and accumbred with the law of sin the carnal mind yet warring in the Members and against the law of the Beleevers mind though in the mind or spirit of the Beleever in a sence dethroned yet so as it is leading them captive still as Rom. 7. 21. 23. And also in the midst of so many subtill and powerfull Adversaries That yet I say in this time of their temptation and weaknesse They may have already so attained and bee already so perfect as that from such time or degree of attainment It is for ever impossible for them in listening to any spirit to bee corrupted from the simplicity in Christ or so to bee drawn away with any errours of the wicked as to fall from their own stedfastnesse or to fall away as Heb. 6. 6. 4. 11. which Imagination not only exalteth it self against the plain Import of these Scriptures Phil. 3. 12 13 14. 2 Cor. 11. 3. 2 Pet. 3. 17. with Heb. 6. 4 5 6. chap. 4. 11. Mark 13. 35 36 37. with many others But as wee have said also opens the gap for any manner of ungodly and unclean spirit by moving the entertainers of it as soon as ever they can conclude themselves to have so attained to forsake or let slip out of their hearts the fear of the Almighty by which they should bee kept from departing from him and presumptuonsly venture upon the listning to and parleying with any evill spirit or way propounded at least if under good pretences yea this Imagination that whether they hear his vayce and follow him or do hear and follow a stranger they cannot fall or perish It hinders them from beleeving or discerning that they are back slidden or fallen when indeed they are so And so from receiving timely admonition while it being but in part they might be recovered Prov. 14. 16. 28. 14 yea this likewise further prepares them for such spirits as wee have dealt with in the following discourse It requiring but a little addition to make up their Devillish Doctrin of perfection yea 5 And lastly All those Principles or apprehensions in which men are directed to have their rejoycing and consolation originally in some gracious frames or quallifications wrought in them or some works of Righteousnesse done by them and not in the Person or works of Christ in his own body for them which Principles are too much retained by many that in words acknowledge him though in these their works they deny him these Principles I say have opened the gap for such spirits which come very suitable to their proper lust and way and seem not at first so to maligne the person and works of Christ but rather to hold the acknowledgement of them though as of things not relative to the ground of their Faith and hope nor as being the matter of their rejoycing and fountain of their teaching in which they agree well enough so that people thus principled as aforesaid have little or nothing really to turn from that they may joyn with what is first commended to them by such spirits only some opinions that were irrellative to the
doctrine which we have learned in the word of the truth of the Gospel compare Rom. 16 17. with Col. 1. 5. and 1 Cor. 15. 1 4. and to avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly their lust will or spirit or the light in them which is darkness what ever it be if it spring not from the person of Christ as declared in the Gospel who is even so the true light they magnifie not Jesus but themselves in the internal or external operations of their own spirits And by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple under pretence and shew of godliness they deny the power and root of godliness are the enemies to the Cross of Christ his personal sufferings and the only vertuousness of them for the taking away our sin and the love and glory of God as appearing in that face of him This they seek to undermine and sleight under pretence of magaifying Christ in them glorying therein in that which is their shame their internal proof of the mystery of iniquity with power and signs and with all dâ—ceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish from the faith for in them only it hath efficacie Phil. 3. 17 18. 2 Thess 2. 9 10 11. from such I say we are streightly admonished of the Lord To turn away 2 Tim. 3. 5. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any pretend to acknowledge Christ and yet lift not up praise not magnifie not above all and unto and for all things pertaining to life and godliness the Son of man Jesus Christ as now already come in the flesh and through sufferings entred into glory for us as the only ground and foundation of our faith and matter of our rejoycing and song to others and fountain of our teaching that is that spirit of Antichrist not to be followed it s indeed not only against Christ but his most pernicious enemy being a contrary Anointing from which we are to flye at least as soon as we perceive it in any as Prov. 14. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge which I oft after hearing some of their Discourse declared and as I could get liberty thus demonstrated I perceived not to be in them but the lip of a contrary Anointing and yet they are tempting me to follow after them a company and go with them night and day though they know such are my apprehensions concerning them Now whether it be right in the sight of God that I shal obey God or them in thâ—â— let others judge yea I wil in the strength of Gods grace observe the directions of the great Shepherd when any shall say Lo here or lo there is Christ either in this form of Church or State-government or in this order or as these in the secret chambers in some internal operations as found and accomplished in them in such manner as we cannot discern it unless wee lay aside all that knowledge of God in Christ we have received through and according to his word as fleshly â—o go after them appearing the second time without sin unto salvation and accomplishing that rest and hope of glory and perfection now in and upon them which we through the Spirit wait for to be revealed in the Resurrection of the dead when we shall all be gathered together to it which and more to that purpose was Naylors and Farnsworths witness concerning themselves we are I say expresly admonâ—shed then not to go after such and that for this reason in which we are fortified against their juggling That the coming of the Son of man that day of his second appearing in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels should certainly be as the lightning from the one end of the heaven to the other at once accomplished to them altogether and visible to every eye even to those that shall weep and wail because of it Matth. 24. 26 27. Luke 17. 22 23 24. Rev. 1. 7. Therefore if a Prophet or Dreamer of dreams should tell us of a sign or a wonder and that also should come to pass as we know Antichrist shall come with signs and wonders in the latter dayes to move us to turn aside from following the Lord or to inquire after another God or to take us off from our waiting for his Son from heaven whom he hath raised from the dead we will not hearken to them nor go in company with such wicked men as Deut. 13. 1 2 3. and 28. 14. Psal 1. 1 2 3. 2 They require me to eat no food c. Whereas our Saviour bids his Disciples even those great Apostles who were to give forth the last and fullest Revelation of the Gospel for obedience to the faith among all Nations which was in that first publication of it to be confirmed with Miracles by them also even then when he gives them power in his Name to heal the sick c. yet then he bids them twice together eat and drink such things as they give and set before them among whom they went preaching Luke 10. 7 8. And the Apostle Paul tells Timothy They are Doctrines of Devils that command to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received and that with thanksgiving of them that beleeve and know the truth c. 1 Tim. 4. 3. I shall therefore answer them as our Saviour doth the Devil in a like case It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 3 They require me to lay aside all books c. the holy Scriptures not excepted Whereas the Holy Ghost tells us he hath therefore written to us excellent things that so our trust may be in the Lord and we may have those words as written and left in record for and to us to answer all that are sent to us Prov. 22. 17. 21. and commends to us the example of a better Preacher than any of them in this That he sought out acceptable safe profitable and plain words for the people and in his search found That which was written was upright words of truth Eccles 12. 10 11. and renders it as part of the character of a godly man he exerciseth himself in the Law or doctrine of the Lord both day and night Psal 1. 2. yea the same holy Spirit commands Timothy to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine to meditate on and give himself wholly to these things and in so doing study to shew himself approved a workman that needs not be ashamed 1 Tim. 4. and 2. 15. But these spirits lay their commands upon us not so much as to look on them in the Records left us in Books neither night nor day A notable peece of policy For if they can but keep us from going to the Law and to the Testimony with their internal light or power they
that Scripture to speak of the manifestation of God in that one person and not in divers in and through whom onely the Fathers goodness and glory is preached and the preaching of it in the Gospel now fully made known from the Jews to the Gentiles in and through whom truly and onely the Father is beleeved on in the world John 12. 44 45 46. Rom. 1. 16 17 19. and 2. 4. with Act. 4. 10 11 12. and 17. 24-31 I say after this I added that indeed it could not properly be said That in a ful or absolute sense God was or is manifested in the flesh of any natural Son of Adam in the time of this mortality nor so as he was in that person who was not naturally of us but made so by a work of new creation and now through sufferings for us entered into his glory to this purpose were my words to which also I then added as follows or to this purpose contrary to what thou hast falsely charged me with That it is true God hath said he well dwel and walk in his people that through grace beleeve in him according to the testimony given of his Son but that the spirit of the beleever primely and chiefly is the subject of his indwelling or habitation which is said to be made alive for righterusness sake while yet the body is dead because of sin and to serve the Law of God while yet the flesh is much inslaved by the law of sin remaining and warring in the members and the body of death remaining on them even in the best of beleevers while here in those in whom Christ dwels in his Spirit and by faith Rom. 8. 10. and 7. 23. 25. whence the Apostle saith he knows that in him that is in his flesh dwels no good thing Rom. 7. 18. yet the fountain of all goodness being received into the mind spirit oâ— inner man by faith as Ephes 3. 16 17. that also springs up and acts forth through the mortal body moving and strengthening it to all its service and suffering whence also the body is said to be the Temple of the Lord it being the Tabernacle of that mind spirit or inner-man in which God primely and chiefly dwelleth and manifesteth himself in and through the testimony of Jesus there received 2 Cor. 5. 1-5 8 14 15. and chap. 4. 6 7. as well as also more generally because that also is bought with a price to be his as in that 1 Cor. 6. â—0 yea the bodies of beleevers are so the Temples of the Lord as not onely bought with a price but taken possession of owned and accepted in his Son with whom they are united by faith That God will also manifest himself fully and gloriously in those bodies when he that raised up the Lord shall also raise us up by his own power a in that 1 Cor. 6. 14. Then shall he change our vile bodies that they may be fashioned like unto his glorious body by that mighty working by which he is able to subdue even all things to himself Surely James hadst thou any fear of God before thy eyes thou wouldst be ashamed of thy gross ignorance that can see no difference or distinction between the body being the Temple of the Lord and so being also holy as being redeemed called accepted devoted to be his and for him And the Lord being fully and glorioufly manifested in his holy Temple Hast thou not read indeed I fear thou dost give very little attendance to reading the Scriptures because I find in thy discourse and papers they are slighted as a dead letter and most of them as quoted by thee have a false reading put upon them But I say hast thou never read that then was the time once in the last ages of the world when Christ appeared in that body then and so prepared for him as before and was once offered to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself even then was the Son of man glorified and God was glorified in him and he did then straightway glorifie him carrying him through sufferings into glory in a full and absolute sence as in the Scriptures fore-mentioned But that the day of the manifestation of all the residue of the Sons of God of mankind even the day of the redemption of their bodies when the glory of God shal be revealed in the Saints fully and so he glorified and admired in all them that now through grace beleeve because the Apostles testimony was received by them in that day that this is yet to be waited for til the end of this world in this corruptible state of it till the Lord himself personally come again and in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels and bring all those that sleep in Jesus with him and so till they shall all be gathered together unto him to the injoyment of it till that day in which their enemies shall be all troden down aâ—mire in the streets who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power when he shall come to be glorified in his Saints c. Then shall the righteous shine as the Sun in the Kingdom of their Father when all the tares are plucked up and cast into the fire which cannot be done by any of the servants in the world that now is nor shall be done by the Angels till the end of it and while they remain among them they as well as this body of death upon them do hinder the glorious manifestation of the Sons of God Surely then even we saith the Apostle as well as our expectation of the whole Creation to be then restored or renewed we also that have the first fruits of the Spirit do wait or tarry for the adoption that is the redemption of our bodies and so for the manifestation of the Sons of God If thou hast not read this or hast forgotten having too much I fear suffered the knowledge faith and hope of it to slip out of thy heart Or however I pray thee for thy own good if it may be read consider and compare these Scriptures comparing them with that fore-cited concerning that manifestation of God in the flesh in the person of Christ Joh. 13. 31 32. Rom. 8 18 19 23-25 with 2 Thes 1 5 6 7-9 10. and ch â— 1 2. Mat. 13. 28 29 30. with ver 37-40 42 43. Psa 37. 6 7. Mal. 4. 1-3 1 Thes 4. 14-16 17. Tit. 2. 12 13. 2 Tim 48. Again dost thou not remember that when at first thou didst charge me with denying God to be manifest in the flesh of the Saints which were the expressions of thy charge on its first appearance though much altered and higher after in thy paper and since in thy Letter that then I denied thy Châ—rge and told the people over again what I said suitable to what I have now and before written as much as I could gâ—t liberty and what
in and with which he is certainly present See Act. 2. 16-36 c. And thence the Gospel called The power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth yea his words which he spake unto those that yet received them not spirit and life Rom. 1. 16 17. Joh. 6. 63. And do not they then move us to listen to and receive another spirit that bring another Doctrine or Testimony and indeed of another Jesus as before and cry down the testimony of Jesus as declared in the Apostles Doctrine as letter and dead letter while in the mean time also they magnifie the words spoken by themselves as the words of the Eternal God and curse others for but calling their words into question while yet also they reproach them for desiring to have their faith in Christ regulated according to the testimony of Jesus so given by the Holy Ghost as aforesaid and the Preachers of that testimony as Preachers of letter and command them to throw it by and wait for some other immediate teaching And wherein you have done all this is clear in your Discourse and in Farnsworths Challenge and in this thy Letter throughout notwithstanding it was plainly told you what the affirms of the Ministry of the Gospel as committed to them in the very place abused by you to this purpose viz. 2 Cor. 3. that Ministry as so committed to them and delivered and left in record by them that as opposed to Moses Ministration or the Law as given by him to which yet he gives more honorable Titles than you can afford the Everlasting Gospel he calls that not a dead but a killing letter now that cannot kill that hath no life in it But this Ministry of the Gospel as committed to them which also was witnessed in the Law and Prophets this as opposed to the Law I say he calls the Ministration of the Spirit yea Spirit the Ministration of Righteousness of life and of glory whence it s called the Glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 4. Now when this is slieghted and rejected as a dead letter and yet some inward light or spirit boasted of and propounded to be listned to and received that must needs be another spirit than that which is in and with that hearing of faith yea a contrary spirit such as is in and with such contrary and strange Doctrines as bring another Jesus a contrary Anointing And so I come farther and particularly to make good the last part of my charge 3 That thou bringest another Gospel than what the Apostles have preached and all true beleevers have from the beginning accepted which indeed is not another Gospel It affirms or brings us no glad tydings It is Gospel but in pretence only not in truth It is indeed another Doctrine or Message such as in which the Message they received of him and declared unto us is endeavoured to be perverted and abolished to which thou pretendest an immediate call and furniture from God in which thou excludest thy self from that prayer for blessing on their Ministration to the worlds end who through the Apostles word or doctrine beleeve on him But if thou wert an Angel immediately coming from heaven we are to hold thâ—e Accursed in this thy work And to make it appear That it is another Doctrine or Message and contrary to what they have preached and such as will not at all stand together with it let this Letter be viewed though thou hast expressed things darkly and subtilly that thou mightst winde out when thou shouldst see cause of fear thou couldst not manage it or that the endeavouring to manage it would spoyl thy design in discovering thee too grosly yet they that will not wilfully shut their eyes may discern in this Letter that thy Doctrine Message or pretended Gospel in the summe or issue and end of it is to preach down that person Jesus of Nazareth of the seed of David after the flesh and those works of our salvation wrought in his person in his Incarnation Death Resurrection and Ascension I say to preach him and those works as done in that one person down as types and shadows or figures of the true Christ which is to bee found in some other thing or works accomplished in many persons even so to preach down him and those works done in him that manifestation of God in the flesh in that one person as for us I say so to preach them down as the Apostles preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without It contents not thee to preach down the same things the Apostles preached down as figures c. but thou must preach down what they lifted up as the body the truth so to abide for ever thou must preach that down as types and figures too See if this be not clearly signified in thy Letter Where after thou hast charged us with denying Christ come in the flesh because we bore testimony against thy witness of Christ being come again since his Ascension or having appeared the second time in the flesh now glorified and without sin to salvation according to that promise Heb. 9. 28. which was more full in thy Discourse but full enough in thy Letter in which thou callest thy witness of Christs being come again since his Ascension thy confessing of the flesh of Christ yea as is signified in what follows of his flesh in thee for indeed that was thy witness as is also signified in thy Letter That Christ was come or had appeared again in the flesh since his Ascension and so the second time and without sin to salvation and all this accomplished in thee as before I say After thou hast charged us with denying Christ come in the flesh because wee witnessed him to be already come and his second coming to be waited for and did bear witness against this witness of thine forementioned And then also reproached us for not beleeving concerning this any farther than we can read in that which thou callest Letter To this thou addest What a Generation would we have been had we lived in the times of the Apostles who preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without such things as the Letter said should continue for ever yet they preached them down without and confirmed them within in Spirit which is the ground and bottome of all and in which all must end Dost thou not herein clearly signifie an acknowledgement that the summe or end of thy mission or message in thy confession of the flesh of Christ which we opposed was to preach down that person and those works wrought and finished in that person in his own body as distinct from every one of us and without us in our particular persons which the Apostles said should remain in the essence of the person and abiding vertue of the works in that person with the Father for ever even to preach him and them down as they preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without c. even as but another or farther
by working the same things over again in our persons that were wrought and finished for us in the Person of Christ not by making us bear our sins in our own souls and bodies that with our stripes we might be healed not by giving his Son again to dye in us for our sins and in us to rise from the dead for our Justification to ascend into the Heavens and sit on the right hand of God for besides that those were such works as could not be accomplished in our persons so also they were finished in his not to bee iterated But the knowledge of the truth and goodness of them given in the testimony of Jesus and of these Works as wrought and finished in him and the infinite and abiding vertue of them with the Father for us that so in beleeving in him we might finde the Word or Testimony of him through the Spirit effectually working the Works of God in us Neither Secondly doth he give the revelation of these things now immediately as to the first Apostles nor in such manner as to the Prophets of old but now mediately through their Word and by the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit therein So Timothy and all secondary Ministers then and since received their Word their Knowledge and furniture in the things of Christ In the conclusion of this Discourse I desired that if any would reason about the things they had heard by way of opposition or otherwise it might be without confusion and in such order that the people might understand what was spoken to what opposed or contended for and what was said on both sides And to this purpose I told them I thought it would be convenient to digest the sum of what had been into some few Questions to be discussed viz. what the Essence of Christ is whether something essentially in many Persons or one Person distinct from all other Persons and if one Person granted then concerning his Works whether Christ did bear our sins in his own Personal Body only as the propitiatory Sacrifice or Sin offering or so also in the bodies or souls of others And so whether in the works done in his own Body in his abasement and exaltation there was and so remaineth in him in our Nature with the Father in the Heavens by means thereof the only and abiding vertue for the taking away of sin or is the vertue for that also chiefly or at all originally in some other work or works done in other persons and about his second appearing and the glory then to be revealed whether that be to be waited for by all Beleevers in this corruptible state of the World all the time of their Mortality or made in or to any in this day and concerning the manner of Gods teaching these things and our learning them of him whether it be by having the same things wrought or accomplished over again in us that was in Christs Person as set forth to be the Propitiation or by receiving the testimony of him in the demonstration of the Spirit and of power and if so how that whether mediately through the Apostles word or immediately as they The Quakers being come in sâ—on after the beginning of this Discourse To this James Naylor answered That there were two things that I had uttered in Discourse which he denied which when I had made good or if I could not acknowledged my self a Lyar they would proceed to the Questions the two things were 1 That God was not manifest in the flesh of the Saints 2 That Timothy had not the same testimony that Paul had what answer I then gave may be seen in what follows in my Answer to their Charges and to James's Letter but when I shewed how he falsified my sayings he called me Lyar c. such Language was ordinary from them And so pretending want of satisfaction and doing what he could to â—inder the people from receiving satisfaction as to these things he kept off from the Questions propounded till one of them viz. Rich. Farnsworth began a set speech concerning himself which he continued about an hour at the conclusion of which I was desiâ—ous to minde the people of the evil and contrariety to the Gospel of some of the things spoken by him that they might so mark as to eschew as Rom. 16. 17. but as soon as I began for but by the way calling his Discourse a witness of or concerning himself I had presently himself and two or three more upon me bidding me stop my mouth Hee abhorred self which yet also was but his own witness concerning himself one of them charged me with opposing or blaspheming the words of the eternal God spoken by that man yet at last I got liberty to shew his abuse of some Scriptures as in the following Discourse then it being afternoon about an hour and my self and some others having rid ten miles that morning before the Meeting Mr. Wray dâ—sired us to break off for an hour to refresh our selves and likewise that we might meet at the publick place afterward for more conveniency of roome his House being too straight for the Company he likewise invited James Naylor and his Companions to stay Dinner which whether any of them accepted I know not but divers of them grosly abused him for desiring an hours Respite yet said nothing against meeting at the publick place whether soon after we went and many people but they came not at us but sent us word when we had been there some time that they would â—ot coâ—â— there and at our return from thence that if we would meet them in some place in the Street or in a Yard where they appointed they would farther reason with us which we judged unreasonable and thereforâ— refused yet Mr. Wray invited them to come again to his House either that night or next day but they refused and returned a scornful answer That night they sent me Papers as in the following relation and with the last sent also a Challenge by their Messenger to give them a meeting at a Town a Mile off next day which though an unreasonable Demand considering what freedom they had and might have where we were and with what scorn they had refused it and also that on theâ—r refusal of that Mr. Wray had proffered them that if they would appoint a place at such a distance next day we should mâ—et them and then they refused that also saying They knew not whether the Spirit might lead them that night and it is very probable they hoped we would not have come at their Challenge yet going that way we did call on them next day and then had a more full revelation of the spirit of Antichrist in them from J. N. than the day before who in answer to some such questions as fore-mentioned said That as Christ bore sins in that his own Body that dyed at Jerusalem so hee had born sins in his Body too and so that his first appearing to
trespasses yea the carnal mind is 〈◊〉 to God it is not subject to the Law of God â—â—ither indeed can be so that they that are in the flesh cannot please God Rom. 8. 7 8. The minde or conscience of the unbeleever is so wholly defiâ—ed that while he looks into it and stubbornly follows the dictates of it against the light and power of Gods grace coming to him and striving with him through Jesus Christ he is to every good work reprobate of no judgement light or discerning Tit. 1. 15 16. Having the understanding darkned being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them because of the blindness of their heart by the dictates of which being swayed walking in the vanity of their mind or conscience they are more hardened and made insensible to the gracieus and spiritual instructions and reproofs of God in the Gospel of his Son they are so wholly lost dead and darkness it self yea so unclean and poluted in soul and body that they are altogether uncapable of having any work wrought in or by them in which satisfaction may bee made for their sin or they may be rendred acceptable This I say is plainly discovered in that Doctrin that tell us of the Grace of God bringing Salvation to all men as already wrought for them in and by Christ for if men had not been wholly strangers to or had not been utterly empty of all by which they might have been helped or if there had been any help in man God would have sparâ—â— his own Son and not have delivered him up for us all if Righteousness could have been had any other way then Christ dyed in vain yea this Doctrin that tells us of the Grace of God bringing this Salvation in Christ unto all men in the discoveries and saving tendencies and operations of it saith yet more namely That no man hath in him as of him that Light Spirit or Wisdom in the inward parts by which he may get in the knowledge of what is done for him in Christ or apply it to himself it is truè there is a spirit in man but it is as a Candle wholly out as to things pertaining to life and godliness and it is the inspiration of the Almighty not the stirring up something in it that puts light to it that giveth it understanding and otherwise then as so lighted by the Lord it doth not truly search or discover the hidden parts of the belly compare Job 32. 8 Prov. 20. 27. with Psal 18 28. Job 35. 10 11 38. 36. nor while abiding in his Natural state is there any such wisdom or capacity or spirit so as received by or lodging in him as are to bee his Teacher and Rule Rom. 1. 19. 21. 28. neither is there in them any light knowledge or understanding to make them sensible of their Idolatry and wickedness they not lâ—king to retain his knowledge inspired in the means 〈◊〉 spirit is infaduated Isa 44. 18 19 â—â— with Rom 1. 19 29. and so the lightâ— or spirit naturally in them or while stubbornly abiding in their Natural state and condition received by and lodging in them to which if they be directed to turn the eye inward to look to the light or spirit in them they will and must needs immediately turn it is by the Judgement of the holy Spirit darkness it self Joh. 1. 5. the spirit of the World and of Sathan 1 Cor. 2. 12. and though it is true that the true light is in the testimony of â—esus or of Gods goodness that is in and through him through all means shining in and to the dark and darkned hearts of men even of such men while the day of Gods grace and patience is towards them and that so as it might be received it would in such coming enlighten the darknes and strengthen to receive it yet the darkness receives it not and so though the Word be nigh them in their hearts that it might be yet it is not received by them in their hearts or dwelling there as a light or principle to direct them while so abiding in their Natural state and condition or in their unbeleaf or rebellion against the Word or Testimony in and with which the light spirit or power comes to them which is no further received by or dwelling in any man than that word in and with which it is is received by or dwelling in him From which consideration that Grace of God that brings Salvation to all men instructs them not to look into themselves or to any light or spirit in them for direction but unto Jesus in that demonstration of him and strength to behold him brought to them in Gods lifting up the Son of Man before them as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness now to seek the Lord while he may be found and in the light and strength of the Lord in his reproofs brought them to turn from and for sake their own ways and thoughts Isa 45. 22. with Joh. 3. 14 15. Isa 55. 6 7. with Prov. 3. 23. not to lean to their own understanding but to deny themselves and become fools that they may learn wisdom not of their own spirit but of him This Doctrin that so rightly discovers the weakness emptiness and corruption of man as before doth therein manifest their counselling every man to turn the eye inward to look unto the light in them c. To be the same with or like unto the directing men to seek to them that peep and mutter and to them that have Familiar Spirits and therefore of Sathan and not of God who directs us to seek to God and that in his own light power and way as given forth to us To the Law to the Testimony if they speak not according to that word it is because there is no light in them yea even beleevers in whom the testimony of Christ being received the Spirit of Christ therein and there with is so received and dwelling in them and so Christ in that Word or testimony of him dwelling in their hearts by faith yet there is in them another Law minde disposition inclination or spirit though in the minde judgement or spirit of the Beleever in a sence dethroned yet not wholly outed but remaining and warring in the members where it is at hand and nearest present with me saith the Apostle Rom. 7. 21. 23. so as it may be first in advising or prompting in any case or matter so that if the Beleever should indifferently turn his eye into himself for counsell and direction he may also be led to walk in the flesh in the carnall minde and so as other Gentiles in the vanity of their minde whence those instructions and admonitions Rom. 8. 5. 13. Ephes 4. 17. surely that Doctrin of the kindness and pity of God our Saviour to manward bringing Salvation in and by Jesus Christ is so far from administring foundation for such corrupt principles that it
boast of we may the easilier be mistaken in it and lead to follow those that peep and mutter as Is 8. 18. 20. That tell a vision out of their own heart and not out of the mouth of the Lord Jer. 23. 16. 31. Eze. 13. 2 3. and yet say He saith That think to make Gods people forget his name by their Dreames which they tell every one to his brother or neighbour But how do they say We are wise and the Law of the Lord is with us or in us when as lo in this it appears the making of it is in vain to them The pen of the Scribe is in vain Jer. 8. 8. 4 They prohibit me to speak the word of God unless I dare insolently boast that I have any thing to speak immediately I suppose hee means unless I have that thing immediately which I would speak and doth not mean that I should so have iâ— as to speak it immediately too for they themselves speak not immediately but use their tongues when they say He saith as Jer. 23. 31. but against that their meaning I am strengthned and admonished by God in those instructions to Timothy Hold fast the form of sound words which thou hast heard of me c. And yet been also assured of by the Holy Ghost mediately in that hearing of faith â—â— Tim. 1 13 14. and 3. 14 15. The things thou hast heard of meâ— among many witnesses The same commit thou to faithful men who shall be able to teach others also Chap. 2. 2. And professeth to be filled with joy when he calls to remembrance the unfeigned faith in him which dwelt first in his Grandmother then in his Mother by whom he was educated from a Child in the knowledge of the holy Scriptures which are able to make him wise to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus And thereupon also puts him in remembrance to stir up the gift of God that was in him mediately by the putting on of his hands c. 2 Tim. 1 5 6 7 8. with chap. 3. 14 15. like to that 1 Tim. 4. 14. Neglect not the gift that is in thee which was given thee by Prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the Presbytery yea our Saviour prays for blessings on their Ministration to the worlds end and onely on theirs besides the first Apostles that received their word immediately from himself I say besides them only on theirs that through their word or doctrine should beleeve on him And by these I know he was not moved to this challenge by the Spirit of the true God God in Christ not onely the nature and end of the challenge being to try our Gods but also all the things required in it being so contrary to all his instructions and requirings whose Kingdom is not divided against it self God is one But that one onely true God that hath revealed himself in his Son so that he that seeth the Son in and according to the testimony God hath given of him he therein and so far seeth the Father Joh. 12 44 46. in whose face God hath shined in our hearts the light of the knowledge of his glory He that is our God and according to our weak measure hath been acknowledged by us is not their God or Rock themselves in this paper being witnesses as Deut. 32. 31. Tho. Moor jun. Written from Bullingbrook 7 June 1655. POSTSCRIPT ELias way of trying Baal c. we need not for trying and discovering them because God who in sundry manners spake in times past to the Fathers by the Prophets hath now spoken to us in these last daies by his Son c. And we ought to give earnest heed to the things we have heard which have been spoken by the Lord himself and confirmed by them that heard him God having born them witness with signs miracles c. which were the first and full publishers of that last Dispensation nothing more is to be added or altered therefore no sign to be looked for for thâ— the confirmation of that so confirmed onely the sign of the Prophet Jonas the cross of Christ and the demonstration of the Spirit in and with it left for continuance to the worlds end others signs and wonders for confirmation of what he speaks onely the spirit of Antichrist shall come with in these last daies but we are not to follow them for if they have Moses and the Prophets and will not hear them neither will they beleeve if one should rise from the dead To that of the Apostles approving themselves in necessities and fastings c. it appears they were not wilful or voluntary fastings or macerating of their bodies as in those false spirits Col. 2. 18 23. in which they so approved themselves for then they had been no necessities but such as necessarily came on them for the Gospel sake or in following after the Spirit There is in this copy of the Answer a little abbreviation in the relation of Naylors witness concerning himself as also in the explication of Luk. 17. 22 23 c. of what was sent them because the same things are more fully spoken to in the Answer to James Naylors Letter which follows James Naylors Letter as it was sent about the Country open and came to me about the latter end of June 1655 Verbatim For Thomas Moor. BY the indwelling of God and in his presence I do bear testimony against thy Antichristian Doctrine preached by thee Thomas Moor before many people which I did then bear witness against whilst I had liberty of the place and do still before all men That thou art out of the Doctrine of Christ and his Faith who deniest God in his Saints which is the promise of God and of Christ and that which the Apostles preached and witnessed to and exhorted to wait for which thou pleadedst against and wouldst bring Paul for thy proof who never preached such a Doctrine after he knew God but said Know you not that your bodies are the Temples of the living God as he hath said I will dwel in you and walk in you and you are the Temple of God and the Temple of God is holy which Temple you are and if any defile this Temple him will God destory 2 Cor. 6. 16. Joh. 14. 20. 1 Cor. 3. 16 17. c. and 6. 19 20 And Christ in us the hope of glory and Christ in you except ye be reprobates Which thou saidst was not God in us plainly shewing thou never knew him nor see him for who hath seen the Son hath seen the Father also and he that hath them not hath not life so death speak in thee who deniest the living God and the Lord that bought thee and that is the spirit of Antichrist who denies Christ to be come in the flesh as thou didst and many more of thy Disciples who when I witnessed him come again since his Ascension without sin to salvation you could not receive it
but took it in writing as matter of accusation against me shewing what Generation you are of such as ever sought accusation against the Son of God where hee is manifest to salvation but who are ignorant of his salvation could never bear the confession of his name And when I confessed the flesh of Christ your carnal reason stormed at it like the blind Jews saying How could I have his flesh in me which one of you after confessed too when he saw the letter declared of it so that further than your carnal reason can read in the lâ—tter You will not beleeve what a Generation would you have been had you lived in the times of the Apostles who preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without such things as the letter said should continue for ever yet they preached them down without and confirmed them within in spirit which is the ground and bottom of all and in which all must end And that the word which became flesh which is ascended they knew to be the Bread of life which they broke and fed on who was their Rule and Mediator But the ground of your Faith is seen and what testimony you bear who say The Scripture is the absolute rule and medium of Faith as thou Thomas Moore didst before the people And when I asked thee if God could not give Faith without it then thou wast forced to deny what thou hadst said But such Doctrine as this thou makest people beleeve who are ignorant and not able to try thy spirit Oh shame with thy preaching If the Scripture be the absolute Rule and medium then Christ is not the absolute Rule unless thou say the Scripture is Christ And thus thou not knowing Christ to rule thee thou settest the letter in his stead for the Rule of Faith But of Abrahams Faith thou are not nor knows it who had an absolute Rule before the Scripture was But this Doctrine excludes all from faith who have not the letter so thou that art a Minister of the Letter preachest another Rule and Faith than ever any of Christs Ministers preached who preached the Word and Faith in the heart of them to whom they preached and Christ in them who is the absolute Rule and ground of Faith and the Law written in their hearts and the Spirit of Truth their rule and guide into all truth and the light in their hearts which gave them the knowledge of God and his glory which never was known by the letter without and Christ saith the Kingdom of God is within you which the Pharisees durst not deny Rom. 10. 8. Hebr. 8. 10 11. Joh. 16. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Luk. 17. 20 21. But thou art more brazened against the truth and wouldest exclude God out of his Kingdom and perswade all thou canst not to look for him within but without lo here lo there But Christ saith Go not forth to such Teachers and thou art found to be one of those he forewarned of and in that work he foretold of which is against him and with the same spirit thou art seen to be an enemy to his Appearance who is the eternal life of his people which is not without the knowledge of God in his Temple for death reigns in the creature where God is not present and this word of Reconciliation thou withstands and all that are led by thee will have cause to curse thee when it is too late and time is spent to no purpose and the day of visitation passed over And from the immediate call which I witness wherewith I am called I do testifie against thy false Doctrine who denies That any have been immediately called since Christ ascended onely those who saw him bodily upon earth and when I instanced Paul thou saidst he saw Christ personally with his bodily eyes when he was called And when I said then must he be come personally again since he ascended then thou saidst Paul was in Heaven and saw him there with bodily eyes when the Scripture saith he was fallen to the earth and saw no man with his bodily eyes being blind three days and such confused stuff thou utteredst forth to uphold thy lyes wherewith thou keepest blind people in Babylon but with the light thou art comprehended thy ground root off-spring and end praised be our Redeemer for ever and in thy paper thou tellest of his seeing Christ after the same manner the other Apostles did Then must it either be bodily upon earth or the other went bodily into Heaven to be called both which are yet unproved by plain Scripture And thy implying is no ground for me to beleeve that which I know is alye and here thou art found preaching another Gospel which no plain Scripture will warrant and all that know God in them sees thee acoursed and thy Antichristian Doctrine who denys the Father and the Son and fellowship with them who hath spoken to his people in all ages and does at this day where the â—ar is circumcised but the serpents seed could never hear him whose ears are open to that wisdom yet canst thou not be content to speak thy own condition but in thy busie mind wouldst exclude others and this is thy work to shut up the Kingdom and deceive the Nations that are without but we are entered and the Elect is witnessed which cannot be deceived and we know him that is in us and we in him onely they who will not own the light such are made to be deceived and over such onely hast thou dominion for a season But thy time is coming to an end that makes thy rage great And thou are forced to utter what testimony thou bearest such as none of Christs ever preached That God is not known in his people Is this thy word of Reconciliation and to what must they be reconciled if not to God And how must they all be taught of God if they must never hear his voyce more but thy Ministry begets not such children nor such sheep thou knows not but opposes who have seen him and heard him such thou callest false witnesses so thou appearest to be a witness to that which thou hast never seen and many such witnesses there are in the Nation who preach up separation instead of reconciliation which pains might be spared amongst them you preach to all having that by nature but that the Devil fears his Kingdom which is onely upholden by ignorance of God in his people whose eyes are blinded but whose eyes are open and have seen him bear witness of him and what we have seen and heard we declare against all false witnesses who have nought but by hear-say from others who have eyes and see not ears and hear not a heart that doth not understand who knows not the spiritual man his eyes and ears and so judge of God to be like themselves as thy companion did say That God had neither eye nor ear nor heart and thus with your carnal imaginations you will judge of
in it in the sense spoken of while yet it is mortal than that equivalent Scripture Rom. 8. 11. doth signifie That the body shall be mortal when raised or that the resurrection shall be made in any in the time of this mortality where he saith He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal body by that spirit that now dwelt in them But that he speaks there of such a quickening or raising from the dead as in which their mortal bodies shall be made immortal is plain in that he compares it with the raising Christ from the dead having also affirmed before that now the body is dead because of sin while yet the spirit is made alive for righteousness sake And to that death that is now or still upon the body even after we have the first fruits of the Spirit he opposeth that quickening of the mortal body spoken of all which plainly shews that he speaks there of the blessed and first Resurrection which more properly than the other is called a quickening because it is a resurrection to life of which they in their bodies that sleep in Jâ—sus shall all be made partakers together at his Second Appearing speaking of that he saith He shall quicken your mortal bodies yet this mortal shall then and therein put on immortalâ—ty 2 This further Answer That if it should be granted you that the life of Jesus might be in some sense truly said to be manifested in the mortal flesh now while mortall yet it makes nothing against what was said about Gods being manifest in the flesh for this we had then at first laid down That the Spirit of life in Jesus being received into and dwelling in the mind or spirit of the beleever in that word or testimony of Christ received and abiding there doth also shew forth it self and act in and through the mortal body moving and strengthening it to such service and suffering as the renewing of the mind leads to Yet all this saith not That properly and in a full and absolute sense God is manifested or glorified in the flesh of his Saints in the time of this mortality much less that he is so manifested either in such manner or in or to the accomplishing of such works as he was manifested in the flesh in that one person that now in mans nature is received up into Glory which were the things denyed Secondly To your Charge in its last form with reference to those two Scriptures Col. 1. 27. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Truly I do not remember that those two Scriptures were at all mentioned in any Discourse by way of conference that was between us at least not so mentioned as you might have any answer to what you would have made them say I remember indeed Rich. Farnsworth in continued speech abused them But there was nothing said to him untill he had finished his large witness concerning himself after which the time being shore there was but little said by mee though more than could all bear without storming that we did not rather fall down and worship him and admire his words as some of your company did as the words of the eternal God and not of a man more highly blasphemous than that Act. 12. 22. but that which was said was not with reference to his abuse of those Scriptures but to his abuse of those two other Scriptures Ro. 7. 23. and 8. 10. which occasionally falling upon we shall briefly mention Hee witnessed that he was delivered from the Law of sin in his members that it was not remaining or warring there and from that body of death there mentioned with allusion to those expressions as signifying that Paul witnessed the like concerning himself whereas Paul complains of both as yet accumbring him speaking in the present time not in the time past I find then a law in my members warring Oh wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from the body of this death He was not yet delivered but wretched by reason of it remaining Though yet hee could thank God through Jesus in whom he had perfect deliverance which he injoyed by faith and therein also freedome from under the condemnation of that holy Law of God which discovers sin and sentenceth the sinner to death and daily victory in the combate over the dominion of sin and fear or horror of death yet still it remained and warred in him and so in all beleevers while here as to that purpose was then told the people Again he witnessed largely of his body being wholly mortified and dead to sin as the fruit of Christ being in him and therein and so God manifested in his flesh And this he said also with allusion to those expressions Rom. 8 10. If Christ be in you the body is dead because of sin c. which expressions he changed thus The body is dead unto sin To that also I told the people that the bodies being dead unto sin as it was not therein the expressions so neither could it there be meant because he saith The body is dead because of sin now its being crucified or dead unto sin is no part of the fruit of sin nor happens it to any because of sin but because of and as the fruit and vertue of Christs righteousness where in any sense or measure it s truly found But that here spoken of is something of misery still remaining on the beleever because of or as the fruit of sin though Christ be in them and so the spirit alive for righteousness sake yet the body is dead because of sin yea it is yet in it self a wretched vile body as Rom. 7. 23. Phil. 3. 21. though redeemed and taken to be the Lords yet not in it self while here wholly subdued to him nor conformed or made like to his glorious body untill the Resurrection and then it shall certainly so be we wait for the Adoption That is the redemption of the body You did indeed discover your selves in these and the like passages to be of no judgement concerning the faith and of the same spirit with those 2 Tim. 2. 18. that say The Resurrection is already made or past in them and so overthrow the faith of some that did not cleave so close to the foundation of God in giving earnest heed to the things they had heard in the Doctrine of the Death and Resurrection of Christ which foundation yet standeth sure against all your Batteries having this seal for its confirmation The Lord knoweth them that are his hee owneth approveth standeth by to the saving preserving and strengthning in all service and suffering all them that having received the Spirit in that hearing of faith do keep that in beleeving remembrance and abide in it as the fundamental doctrine they therin abide in unior and fellowship with and protection of the Son and so of the Father in him 2 Tim. 2. 19. 1 Joh 2. 24 25 26 27. 2 Joh. 7. -9. Joh. 10. 27-29 and
Mark 14. 62. If after all this it be replied Can flesh and blood enter into the Kingdome of heaven We answer No Neither can corruption inherit incorruption 1 Cor. 15. 50. which latter clause in that verse as well as what follows We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed shews That by flesh and blood is meant the body in this its mortal state which same body shall bee raised though in another state as it was in the person of Jesus and so though flesh and blood cannot yet the same flesh and bones the blood as the life was in it being poured out and gone the same body in the Resurrection spirituallized and immortalized is entred and set on the Throne and so shall all his in their bodies in which now they suffer when so changed inherit the Kingdome prepared for them with him for ever If any say What weight is there in this acknowledgement that it should be so earnestly contended for or that so much danger should be conceived in the sleighting of it what relation hath it to the ground or foundation of our faith or hope I answer It is that in which all the ground and foundation of our faith and hope was finished or perfected and without which all done before had been nothing for even as if Jesus in the same nature and body in which he suffered had not been raised from the dead and therein taken from the prison as a discharge of our debt in him we had been yet in our sins whatever he had suffered and faith in him had been vain 1 Cor. 15. 17. The same may be and is affirmed concerning the necessity of his ascension and presenting and offering that sacrifice to the Father in that most glorious presence of him from which we stood condemned and being there received and accepted And abiding for ever a high Priest of good things to come after the order of Melchizedeck for if he were on earth hee could not be a Priest after this order to abide for ever Heb. 8. 1 4. For such a High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners made higher than the heavens who needeth not daily to offer as those Priests c. Heb. 7. 25 26 27. If he could have carried his sacrifice no higher than the former Priests even into heaven it self and there presented it in the most glorious presence of God and if it had not been for the worth value and excellency of it accepted there and so hee with it or he himself accepted and set down as the perfect Sacrifice and Sacrificer he must then have offered again and could never with such offerings have made the commers perfect therefore the infinit perfection of his Sacrifice and Righteousness in the discovery of which all other righteousness is decryed is by the Spirit demonstrated in this That hee is gone to the Father and wee see him no more sent down to suffer or offer for sin Joh. 16. 10. Heb. 10. 1-10 11 12. Yea if he had not ascended on high he could not have been so glorified in our nature as was the end of his suffering and as was needful for us he could not have received in the man and so for men that eternal redemption which he had obtained through sufferings and so that plentious furniture of gifts for men even for the Rebellious that the Lord might dwel among them and that to that purpose he might fill all things with the influences and vertues of his sufferings give the peculiar gifts to the Church Heb. 9. 12 14 15. Ps 68. 18 19 20. Eph. 4. 8. 10 11. He could not have been glorified with the Fathers own self fully and perfectly in our nature and for us even with the glory he had with the Father before the world was If he had not ascended and gone up into heaven and remained there in that body glorified by vertue of sufferings for sin presenting therein the infinite vertue of those sufferings for otherwise the glory of God could never have been brought down amongst or unto men nor men received into it so that he could not have been a High Priest for ever and of good things to come if he were on the earth but now hee is entred into the heavens themselves there to appear in the presence of God for us there to sprinckie the Mercy-seat with the continual presentation of the infinite and abiding vertue of his blood in that body in our nature and person by vertue thereof and to all the ends for which he suffered raysed and glorified in the presence of God where we need the perfect Sacrifice and high Priest to abide for ever and he is both in that one body and in such exaltation perfected and finished In the Name and Anointing of the Father a Prince and a Saviour Act. 5. 30 31. That from thence the goodness of God may come forth in all things and to all men and his presence with his people And therefore also he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth with the Father for them God hath given him glory that our faith and hope might be in God by and through him 1 Pet. 1. 21. And truly we could have no ground of hope of the resurrection and glorifying our bodies that they may dwel for ever with the Lord even in that light into which no man can now approach If our Surety and Fore-runner were not for us already entred which thing also was vertually done from the foundation of the world as soon as we had need of him there If our nature in him were not received up into glory even now before the glory of God be or can be fully and gloriously brought down to us as it shall be when there shal be new heavens and new earth we could not be received into his glory with him It was needfull for him to go away to ascend to his Father and ours in and through him that so with him he might prepare everlasting Mansions for us and from thence come again and receive us to himself that we might be with him for ever as well as it was also needful for him so personally to go away into heaven and there to appear in the presence of God for us as the perfect Sacrifice and Mediator that thence in the Name of the Father influences of Grace and Spirit might here be sent forth to us to guide our feet in the way of peace and prepare us for the glory to be revealed Joh. 14. 1 2 3. and 16. 7. with Chap. 20. 17. whence its mentioned as the bottome and ground of the beleevers consolation and incouragement Wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world This is a material branch in that bottome of our consolation and that in which all of
the Gospel or testimony of God concerning him who hath abolished death by his appearing and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 1 Cor. 15. 1-4 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 4. ult 2 Cor. 4. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 10. and 2. 8. In this the Spirit and teaching of God is primely known and distinguished from all others it doth unto and for all things confess acknowledge and praise or commend Jesus Christ as already come in the flesh not coming but come and now through sufferings entred into glory in that his own personal body in our nature and for us according to the Apostles Doctrine 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3 6. for reproving the world and teaching and leading the beleever into all truth It takes of his things and shews to the soul and so glorifies him even lifts up the Son of man the personal abasement sufferings or cross of Christ with the ends and vertues thereof as now manifested in him being raised and received up into glory Joh. 16. 8 9 10 13 14. with Joh. 3. 14. Rom. 1. 1-3 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Tim. 2 8. This is so the summe and subject matter of all the Fathers teaching That every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to Christ according to the testimony God hath already given of him Joh. 6. 45. And he that beleeveth not the testimony or record that God hath already given of Christ maketh God a lyar 1 Joh. 5 10. Yea it is so the summary and fundamental matter of all his teaching that he is said to learn all truth and so to teach and lead into all truth in Jesus in the demonstration opening and usefulness of Jesus and those things of him according to the record God hath given of him by the one month of a â— his Prophets and Apostles since the world began Eph. 4. 20 21. with Joh. 16. 13 14. Act. 3. 20 21. This the purpose and grace of God given us in Christ from the beginning now manifested by the appearing of Christ c. as 2 Tim 1 9 10. That the Son of man must be lifted up above all and for or unto all help and healing of men even as Moses lift up the Serpent in the wilderness That whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son namely the Saviour of the world and to be so lifted up That whosoever beleeveth in him c. Joh. 3. 14 15 16. 2 Those things contained in the matter of Gods teaching as springing out of and arising from the things main and fundamental are Doctrines and Instructions concerning all things needful to be known given and opened in and through the demonstration opening and usefulness of the knowledge of him in what he hath done and is become for us for so saith our Savior The holy Spirit as now coming forth in and with the testimony of Jesus as the works of our salvation are finished in his body he shall reprove the world of sin of righteousness and of Judgemâ—nt and all this in with and through that testimony of Jesus as given forth to them for thus he explicates Of Sin because they beleeve not on me of Righteousness because I go to my father and ye see me no more He comes down no more to suffer in which the infinit and abiding vertue of his once suffering is declared And the second and glorious Appearance they should not see in the time of this mortality nor till we all come together Of Judgement because the Prince of this world is judged already which also was done in him as Joh. 12. 31 32. speaking of that vertually done from the beginning now presently to be actually done in his own body and by his being lifted up from the earth both on the cross and then because of that being raised on the right hand of Majesty he saith now is the judgement of this world now is the Prince of this world cast out And with this Argument or in the Demonstration and usefulness of this as he reproves the world of Righteousness that all theirs is nothing his onely perfect and will stand them instead So he reproves them also of Judgement shews the vanity and falseness of all theirs whether of Condemnation or Absolution or in their apprehensions concerning things and persons And likewise he saith He shall teach them the beleevers on him further in and by the same Instrument and shall so lead them into all truth and shew them things to come for saith he He shall not speak of himself but whatever he shall hear that shall he speak he shall take of my things and shew unto you he shall glorifie me c. Joh. 16. 8 14. In the demonstration and opening of him God learneth all truth and so also therein instructeth and directeth to all right demeanors towards God and men So the Apostles gave all their commandements by the Lord Jesus in the demonstration opening and applying the things of him did give the ground and reason of them shew their equity move and press to the observing them in the strength afforded in those mercies of the Lord in and through that testimony of Jesus 1 Thes 4. 2. Rom. 12. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 13-18 c. Ephes 4. 1-8 10. For that Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men especially in this appearance of it now come forth by Jesus Christ teacheth that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ c. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. 2 That in the second place propounded to be considered is where and how this teaching of the Father is held forth by himself unto men surely that is 1 In all the books of his Creation and providence in all mercies chastisements and changes of his providence with men Job 33. 14-29 30. and 36. 22. 26. Psal 19. 1-7 107. with Rom. 10. 17 18. But 2 More clearly and abundantly in the holy Scriptures which were both given and left upon record by immediate inspiration and furniture of God Rom. 15. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 19 20 21. 1 Cor. 14. 37. 2 Pet. 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1-4 5. and are therefore profitable for all doctrine or teaching c. They are able being his words and preserved in the Records of them from any fundamental or material perversion on the account of his righteousness who hath so promised Psal 12. 6. Prov. 12. 19. Isa 8. 16. 20. 44. 25 26. and so owned by him and accompanied with his spiritual presence to the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. able I say to make us wise to salvation both of our selves and others through faith which is in Christ Jesus and throughly to furnish the man of God to every good word and work 2 Tim. 3. 14 15 16 17.
in respect of the Declarations but in respect of the declarers also as Isa. 40. There is a clear Prophecy of the Fore-runner and of his work and message vers 3-8 Then in the following verses of the more full coming forth of the glorious Gospel by Jesus Christ and his Apostles So Isa. 44 26. He shall confirm the word of his Servant and perform the councel of his Messengers with apt allusion to which see Heb. 2 â— speaking of the great salvation he saith which began to be preached by the Lord himself who is that servant Isa 42. 1. and was confirmed by them that heard him which were his Messengers or Apostles for obedience to the faith among all Nations Rom. 1. 5. So Isa 8. speaking Prophetically of the first Personal Appearing of the Messiah both in that Chapter and Chap. 7. 14. and how therein he should be born of a Virgin c. And then be also a Stone of stumbling and Rock of offence to both houses of Israel as he was in that his Appearing coming in such a despicable manner as they looked not for With reference to that time he saith the testimony of him should be bound up among his Disciples the Law or Doctrine sealed and confirmed among them and so by them and in their records to us all Nations â—ince as appears in that with reference to that testimony and doctrine so bound up and sealed among them he by and by admonisheth us To the Law and to the Testimonie with every spirit if they speak not according to that Word it is because there is no light in them And it farther appears it is to be applied to his immediate Disciples in his personal ministration and to those that were immediately begotten by him and received their message and furniture immediately from him in that concerning himself and them together he saith Behold I and the children which God hath given me are for signs and wonders in Israel which in like expreâ—â—ions is peculiarly applied to those Apostles that peculiarly and immediately was given him out of the world for children Job 17. 6 8 18. and 21. 5. And so he and they together in their ministration and records left and setforth as it were men appointed to death For they are made a spectacle to the world to Anâ—els to men c. 1 Cor. 49. Likewise other where they are prophesied of as to the Nation or Family of which they should proceed even of the Jews that should bâ—ing the last and fullest revelation of the Gospel unto all Nations That they should be of the Tabernacles of David that should be reared up among the Gentiles Amos 9. 11. with Act. 15. 13. c. That Saviors should come upon mount Sion to judge the mount of Esau Obad. last So saith our Saviour also Salvation is of the Jews the Gospel came intirely and wholly out from them and was by them brought to the Gentiles 1 Tim. 3. 16. nor are we to listen to or wait for any new or farther revelation to be given forth in the time of this mortality or from the Gentiles for the word of the Lord came not nor cometh first or immediately from them but to them only 1 Cor. 14. 36 37. And that these Scriptures of the Prophets written aforetime and commandments of the Apostles of our Lord and Saviour are the infallible and things contained in the Scriptures may use this as an argument but themselves destroy the validity of it for they cannot see the streightness and agreement of his words but set them together by the ears and being unlearned and unstable in the great things of his Doctrine do necessarily pervert things hard to be understood and mangle the word of God to their own destruction Isa 28. 12 13. 2 Pet. 3. 16. But the word of God is true from the beginning and demonstrates its excellency of truth rightness and harmony from the original of it the testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie and every one of his righteous judgements indureth for eveâ— He that beleeveth shall neither make haste nor be ashamed Psal 119. 160. Isa 28. 16. with 1 Pet. 2. 6 7. 2 All things standing and continuing to this day according to the Ordinances therein set them Psal 119. 89 90 91. 3 Their perfect and acute declaring the end from the beginning as in their several times they have come and do come to pass Isa 46 9 10. with Chap. 41. 22 23. and 43. 12. Joh. 16. 4. with Chap. 14. 25 26. 2. Pet. 1. 12 13. to the end with Chap. 3. 1 2 3. 1 Tim. 4. 1. Matth. 24. 25. We might have demonstrated the truth and validity of these Arguments in divers instances to each of them but it would make this work too tedious I am ready by Gods grace to do it when it shall bee required by any I might also have mentioned many more secondary Arguments of like import which God himself useth for confirming and strengthning the beleever and furnishing him to stop the mouths of gain-sayers with that faithful word but I forbear In these Scriptures of truth God hath written to us excellent things in counsels and knowledge that he might make us know the certainty of the words of truth that our trust may be in the Lord according to them and that we may have them to answer all sent to us with Prov. 22 17-21 In them hath he made known the mystery of his will the whole counsel of God that is to be or may be revealed unto mortal men even in those Scriptures that Timothy had been instructed into and known from his youth 2 Tim. 3. 15 16 17. Eph. 1. 9. Act. 20. 27. Rom. 16 25 26. But then also 3 For bringing this teaching of God contained in these books near unto us in a way suitable to our need and weakness God hath provided another â—xpedient namely By giving gifts to men in the hearty beleef of his testimony and receiving the love of it so as to save them though yet they are of like passions and infirmities with others yet therein furnished them with such gifts as may be for the profit of others to every one of those that are in any measure truly or throughly reconciled to God by Jesus Christ is given grace some gracious gift for the benefit of others the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every one of them even some distinct understanding of the Spirits testimony concerning Christ so as they are helped to discern and know what God hath given them in Christ and this for the profit of others that they may each according to his measure be useful one to another and to others through the Spirit in administring some gift for teaching opening or stirring up in the Grace of God Jesus Christ now being ascended on high And having received all immeasurable fulness of gifts in the man and for men that in or through the dispensation of them men might be prepared
c. they all and not the unclean shall then together enter with him into the joy of their Lord where they shall dwell and walk for ever with the Lord in a high broad way where shall be no straitness nor occasion of stumbling yea the Lord himself shall be to them a place of broad Rivers and streams where shall go no Gally with Oares Isa 33. 20 21. Revel 21. 1 8. 25 27. 22. 1 14 15. Heb. 9. 28. 12 Qu. What that manifestation of the Spirit is which is given to every man to profit withall And whether there be any profit but by it And whether it be not of it self an infallible guide c. Ans To the First Part of this Query That manifestation of the Spirit spoken of 1 Cor. 12. 7. is of that one Spirit that being immeasurably received in the Nature of man in and by that one Person of the Son of God is sent forth in his influences of light and power unto men according to the measure of the gift of Christ and his manifestation is concerning Christ as the works are now finished in him and the Declaration of him come forth in the Gospel and so of the things of him and the Fathers glory in him by which he teacheth all things and leads into all truth as before is shewed Compare this 1 Cor. 12. 7. 11. with Ephes 4. 7 11. Joh. 16. 13 14. some distinct understanding of which testimony of the Spirit concerning Christ for some profitable opening or usefulness of it to others is given to every hearty beleeving receiver of it The other parts of this Query are in his former Queries and sufficiently answered before 13 Qu. What and where that Worship of God in the Spirit is truly c. And whether any can worship in Spirit and in Truth but those that are born of the Spirit And whether he that is born of the Spirit needeth any other guide c. And whether such Worships hath not been and are now differing from all other And therefore hated Ans Here are five Queries in one To the first wee answer That Worship of God in Spirit and Truth mentioned Joh. 4. 23 24. is that worship of him that is in the light and power of and according to the Spirits testimony concerning Jesus as now come forth in the Gospel and so in Christ Jesus who is the Truth And this called worshipping in spirit and in truth as opposed both to the Samaritans worship which was never right but in and according to the wisdom of the flesh and so in a false way and also as opposed to the Jewish worship which sometimes was right while yet it was in and through that killing letter of the Law to which the Ministration of the Spirit the Gospel as now come forth is opposed 2 Cor. 3. and also in and through the Types and Shadows of the Law to which Jesus Christ the Body and truth of them is opposed Col. 2. 17. Joh. 1. 17. This sence of the Spirit and Truth in which God is to be worshipped is confirmed in other Scriptures for the Spirit See Rev. 19. 10. The Angel admonishing John not to worship him but God instructs him thus The testimony of Jesus and not any Messenger that brings it is the spirit of Prophecy in which God is now to be worshipped for the truth See Phil. 3. 3. we are the Circumcision which worship God in the Spirit and rejoyce in Christ Jesus the Truth and have no confidence in the flesh c. And so our Saviour interprets the true Worship Joh. 5. 22 23 24. The Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgement to the Son that all men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father that sent him And to let us know who it is that indeed honours the Son and so the Father that sent him it follows hee that heareth my Word which also is the word or testimony of him that sent him concerning him Joh. 7. 16. 14. 23 24. 1 Joh. 5. 9-12 13. And so beleeveth on him that sent me c. like to this is that Joh. 12. 44. 49. and that two-fold Rule for the trial of Spirits before spoken to 1 Joh. 4. 1-6 They then that magnifie or glorifie the Word of the Lord as declared in the Apostles Doctrin as Act. 13. 48. and according to it beleeve and rejoyce in Christ Jesus and so in the Father are the true worshippers To the Second part of the Query we answer That as it is true that no man speaking by the Spirit of God renders Jesus in his Person or works done in his own Body for sinners execrable or undesirable so likewise is it true that no man can truly say confess or acknowledge Jesus as the Christ in his Doctrin or Worship but by the Spirit of the Lord 1 Cor. 12. 3. and whosoever beleeveth that Jesus is the Christ he is therein and thereto bornof God 1 Joh. 5. 1. Joh. 1. 12. 13. the other parts of the Query as much as is needful are answered before 14 Qu. What and where that light is Joh. 1. 9. that being come into the World is the condemnation of all that are in darkness c. And whether it be not the condemnation of all the World that beleeve not in it And whether there be any other condemnation c. Ans In this Query is also a confusion of many Queries and after the first part of it something first taken for granted and then propounded as a Query we shall briefly answer it thus 1 Not John the Baptist but Jesus that was of Nazareth the supposed Son of Joseph that was conceived of the Holy Ghost in the wombe of the Virgin Mary born in Bethlehem of Iudea in the days of Augustus Caesar c. even that word that was then and so made Flesh and came and dwelt amongst men and not any other thing or person who through sufferings is now entred into glory That I say and no other Person or thing is The true light that lightneth every man that cometh into the world Joh. 1. 8 9. 14. 15-18 41. 45. 8. 12. 12. 44 45 46. Acts 4. 10 11 12. 2 The Text saith not This light is the condemnation of all or any that are in darkness but this is the condemnation That light is come into the World and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil Their loving darkness rather than light when the light comes unto them and not the coming of the light to them is the condemning sin and that which makes other sins condemnable as also Ioh. 15. 22. 24. Zach. 5. 1-4 3 This light personally is received by the Father in the Heavens Act 3. 20. but in his influences virtually and Spiritually among men and dwelling in them in whom he dwelleth by faith Ephes 1. 17. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Ephes 3. 17-19 15