Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world by his blood on the Crosse who is now also at his Fathers right hand making intercession for all those that do come to the Father by him but they that are not for the truth will advance any thing but the truth And as for that which thou callest the second clause which is The Law sayest thou must be obeied I answer Christ Jesus hath done that in his own person and justified me thereby and for my part I will not labour now to fulfil the Law for justification least I should undervalue the merits of the man Christ Jesus and what he hath done without me and yet will I labour to fulfil if it were possible ten thousand Laws if there were so many and O! let it be out of love to my sweet Lord Jesus 2 Cor 5.14 for the love of Christ constrains me and thus much to thy 16 page In the next place Thou art offended with this because I say though Christ doth give a light to every one that coms into the world yet it doth not therefore follow that this conscience or light is the Spirit of Christ or the work of grace wrought in the heart of any beâ—iever This I shall pass also as having spoken to it already only mind thee of thy weakness in that thou shouldest mâ—ke this conscience that Christ hath given to every man to be the same with the Spirit of Christ And thou sayest further that the light that Christ hath lightened every one with is the same in narure with the Spirit of Christ O wonderful that a man should be so foolish and so much besides the truth as to compare that nature or conscience that is given to every man equall to the Spirit of Christ Nay thou sayest that it is one with it in nature Did'st thou not blush when thou laydest it down If thou did'st not thou mightest have done with shame enough As I said before because thy conscience will convince thee of sin therefore thou wilt call it Christ or as good as Christ What! because the Law will convince of sin therefore the Law must be called Christ What ignorance is this Nay nature it self that must have the preheminency even as high as Christ Jesus because it can tell a man that it is a shame for him to wear long hair Then thou askest me can there be a surer thing for the Creature to walk by than by the light of Christ which thou confessest every one hath that cometh into the world Answer Friend to the law and to the testimony sai h the Scriptures for they testify of Christ And if thou or any else shall leave the Scriptures to follow the convictions of their own conscience ye are not like to know Christ Jesus the Lord for they may be defiled And again it is through the promises laid down in the Scriptures that we may partake of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and not by our following of the law or conscience Gal. 3.1 2 3 4. But again where I say Heathens Turks Jews Atheists c. have that which doth convince of sin and yet are so far from having the Spirit of Christ in them that they delight to do iniquity and to serve their lust Upon this thou movest this Quaery Do they or I or any other serve sin and lust because Christ hath not given us light or because we hate this light Answ This I do really confefs that every Heathen Turk or Jew in this world hath a conscience within them that doth convince of sin for the Gentiles which have not the law that is not the law in tables of stone or written as we have these do by nature the things conteined in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselvs which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing them witness c. And all men and women shall be left without excuse even by the convictions of their own consciences or the law But now that these things are the Spirit of Christ that I deny For conscience is but a creature a faculty of the soul of man which God hath made Neither is the law the Spirit of Châ—ist for the law is not of faith They that are of the works of the law are under the curse but they that have the Spirit of Christ they are the children of God and under grace and delivered from the curse as it is written Gal. 3. As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse But what is it to be of the works of the law or under the law Answ Why to seek to be justified by their obedience to the law Israel which followed after the law of righteousness Mark They that follow afâ—er righteousness do not attain to the law of righteousness if they seek it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law But Christ hath delivered uâ— from the curse of the law Rom. 9.30.31 being in our nature made a curse for us Gal. 3.10 11 12 13. But whereas thou sayest this conscience or law which you would fain have called the Spirit of Christ works in all men either to justifie or condemne I do plainly deny that either conscience or the law can justifie though they can condemne Mark the law is called the ministration of condemnation but not of life The Gospel is called the ministration of life but not of condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 the law was given that sin might be discovered The Gospel was sent that sin might be taken away The law worketh wrath but the Gospel is a Gospel of peace Rom 10. The law makes nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but Christ justifieth from all those things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses Act. 13.39 And whereas thou askest me whether any thing doth convince of sin contrary to or besides the Spirit of Christ I answer there is conscience and the law yea and nature it self that doth convince of sin as before I have proved at large Yet neither is conscience the law or nature it self the Spirit of Christ no but are much inferiour to it as being things of no glory in respect of it And again that somthing doth convince of sin besides the Spirit of Christ it is evident for the law saith 2 Cor. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in it to do them But the Spirit convinceth men of their unbelief together with other sins Now mark the law also convinceth to work for life the Spirit convinceth to believe for life the law saith he that doth not fulfil me shal be damned The Spirit saith he that believeth in Christ shal be saved Now observe the terms of the law and of the Gospel are different one from another as to justification If men seek for life by the law then the law saith fulfil me perfectly
and thou shalt live The Spirit saith that Christ Jesus came into the world to save those that by transgession had broken the law For for this cause saith the Spirit he Jesus the son of Mary the man Christ between God and us 1 Tim. 2.5 is the Mediator of the New Testament For what That by means of death for the redemption of the trangressions that were under the first testament they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance Heb. 9.15 Now I would not be mistaken I do not say that the Spirit of Christ doth give the least liberty to sin God forbid But it's convictions are of a more saving and refreshing nature than the convictions of the law and do more constrain the soul to holiness then that The Law saying Work for life the Spirit saying Now to him that worketh not for life but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse Rom. 4.5 as thus If I should owe to two Creditors ten thousand talents the one should say unto me thou owest me five thousand talents pay that thou owest the other shoul say thou owest me five thousand talents and I frankly and freely forgive thee all Now these expressions are contrary one to another Even so is the end of the convictions of the Law not according to the end of the convictions of the Spirit of Christ the one saying Pay me that thou owest the other saying Thou art frankly and freely forgiven all The next thing thou utterest is where I say Those that are alive unto sins have not the Spirit of Christ But sayest thou It is given to every man Mark thou saiest It is given to every man The Apostle saith Some are sensual having not the Spirit Jude 19. Who must we now believe the Apostle or you Certainly your doctrine is not according to truth but a lie as is clear in that you will affirme that which the Apostle doth deny Then thou saiest I bring other vain arguments to prove that every one hath not the Spirit of Christ This one is enough to prove it that the Apostle saith Some men have it not But that which thou callest vain I am sure neither thou nor any of thy fellows are able to answer One is to this purpose The Divels are so convinced of sin that they did fear the torment that was to come upon them for their sins and did fear also that the Son of man was come to torment them for their sins and yet the Divels have not the Spirit of Christ So that it is evident that we may be convinced of sin and yet not by the Spirit of Christ A second argument which thou callest vain is this Man in his coming into the world hath this Conscience given him which doth convince of sin Joh. 8.9 yet man in his coming into the world or as he cometh into the world hath not the Spirit of Christ given him for that must be received ordinarily afterward by the preaching of the Word which is preached by the Ministers and servants of Jesus Christ Act. 10.44 While Peter yet spake to the people the holy Spirit fell on all them that heard the Word But farther thou saiest Untill I prove the light of Christ contrary to the spirit of Christ thou wilt say that every man hath that which is one in union and like the spirit of Christ even as good as the spirit of Christ in its measure Answer Friend I have proved already that every man hath not the Spirit of Christ though they have that which thou doest call the Spirit of Christ which is conscience and nature it selfe And this I say again thâ—t thou hast laied open thy weakness very much to say that every man hath that which is as good as the Spirit of Christ Friend seeing the Scriptures say some have not the spirit of Christ how durst thou so blaspheme as to say then it is as good as the spirit of Christ in its measure Was there ever such a deale of ignorance discovered at one time by a man as to say that every man hath the Spirit or that which is as good as the Spirit though the Spirit saith plainly that some have not the Spirit as I have proved plainly Jude 19. Friend what is there besides the Spirit that is as good as the Spirit Be silent and say no more so least thou do through ignorance or presumption set up thy coscience or nature as high and as good as the Spirit of Christ when indeed they are not worthy to be compared with it being weak and not able to do that which is and hath ben done by the Spirit of Christ Then thou art offended because I said the Devill doth deceive poor souls by bidding them listen within and see if there be not that which doth convince of sin Friend All men have not the Spirit though they have that conscience that doth convince of sin John 8.9 Now seeing all men have not the spirit is it not a great deceit of the Devill to perswade poor soules that because they are convinced for sin by their owne consciences therefore they have the Spirit of Christ Surely it is from the devill First because he would make thee believe that Conscience which is but a creature is the Spirit of Christ by whome the world was made Again because the Soule being perswaded that it hath the spirit when it hath it not as all men naturally are without it Eph. 3.13 If it kept off from sâ—eking and begging for it being allready perswaded falsely that it hath it And whereas thou saist the voice of the Gospell is to bid listen within the heart as Paul preacheth I deny that Paul biddeth listen within But the Scripture that you would faine make shelter for your errour is this where he saith The word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart That is the Word of Faith which wee preach Now friend Faith is that which layeth hold of or beleeveth the Gospel And that this is the meaning read the next verse That saith he If thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that GOD hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved So that it is cleer that the Word of faith is to believe assuredly from the very heart that God hath raised up Jesus from the dead out of the grave into which he was laid by Joseph And that he was raised again for my justification Rom. 5 25. as it is written· 1. Cor. 15. Moreover Brethren saith he I declared unto you the Gospell which I preached unto you at the first which also you have received and wherein you stand by which also you are saved if you keep in memory or assuredly believe what I preached unto you unlesse you have believed in vain But what was that Gospel you preached Why saith he ver â— I delivered unto you first of all that which
was very God and very man and not a Spirit onely for handle me saith he a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as yee see me have Luk. 24. Now this same Jesus that was very God and very man so born of Mary saith I go and prepare a place for you and I the very same as also Act. 1.10 11. will come again and take you to my self that where I am there ye might be also Joh. 14.1 2 3. Here I might spend many words but it needs not the whole current of Scriptures do confirm this thing and therefore I shall forbear and content my self with this Hee that will bee filthie let him bee filthie for the day is at hand The 3. Charge is also against me saying I said there was nothing in me nor any man to be taken notice of Though in some sence I do not deny these words yet I know and am sure that directly in this form of words I did never lay them down but I passe that Now in this sence I do not deny them There was nothing in me as I was in my unregenerate estate nor in any man else in the same estate that is worthie to be taken notice of for justification First because every unregenerate man is without Christ before he be converted Eph. 2.12 Wherefore remember that yee being Gentiles in the flesh unconverted that at that time yee were without Christ Now a man that is without Christ and hath not his Spirit in him as some yea most men are Jude 19. What is there in that man that is worth the taking notice of to justifie him Also converted Paul saith I know that in mee that is in my flesh dwelleth no good thing Rom. 7.18 As for others that are charged with things because their names are not also mentioned I shall passe them by onely thus much I shall say further to the last charge That there is nothing in any man by nature before he be converted that is worth the taking notice of as to seek justification thereby And that that light which every man hath being at the best but Conscience Nature or the Law let a man take notice of it follow it obey it never so much it is not able to justifie the soul for if righteousnesse come by the Law then Christ is dead in vain And as I said before every man hath not Christ to take notice of though every man hath conscience or the light of nature in him which is also able to convince of sins against the law of God yet is not able to deliver from that curse pronounced by the Lord against them that disobey the law Nay the law it self is not able to save them that do follow it being too weak for such a thing And indeed God did not give it to that end that Saints should have life by it No compare Gal. 3.21 with Rom. 5 20. you may clearly see why God gave the law namely that sins or offences might abound But how By discovering sin by its workings Now then you that follow the Law and seek life by it this is all you are like to have of it First you shall see your transgression against it made known to you by it Romans 3. ver 20. and an horrible curse pronounced against you because you cannot give a compleat continual obedience to every tittle of it And now friend to thee who hast taken in hand to answer my Quaeries laid down in the end of my book I say thou hast onely wrangled and quarrelled at them but hast not given one plain and right answer to any one of them Therefore I shal leave them stil to be answered by you or others of your spirit You shall finde them at the end of this discourse And I beseech you to answer them in all plainnesse of heart and with as moderate a spirit as you may It is like there may be some addition to them but as I have dealt plainly and sincerely with yours so do you deal uprightly and plainly with mine for the satisfaction of those who shall read them And here I shall draw towards a conclusion onely speak some words to those who unawares to themselves may be carried away with the doctrines of the Quakers And I shall be briefe in speaking to it The way that I shall take shall be very plain to be understood for I shall not lay down any doubtful sentence in my speech to them nor others And first I shall shew you that the doctrine of the Quakers is an errour and how 2. Who they are that are carried away with it and why 3. The way Satan takes to make this delusion or filthie doctrine to take place in the soul That the doctrine of the Quakers is false or an errour I shall shew first by discovering the doctrine it self Now the Doctrine of the Quakers is plainly this Namely that every man that comes into the world hath the Spirit of Christ in him Now that this is an errour is clear because the word of God saith plainly That some are sensual having not the Spirit Jude 19. And again Tbe unregenerate man in the time of his unregenerate state is without Christ Eph. 2.12 2. He that will but observe the motions of that light which every man hath within him say they so as to obey and close in with it to follow it shall undoubtedly be saved from the wrath to com Now this is clearly a grosse errour for first If all men have not Christ as they have not then is it not an errour to presse men to seek for life by following that which is not able to give life Yet this they do who labour to perswade men yea the souls of men that it is no lesse then the very Spirit of Christ in every man that doth convince of siâ— when the Scriptures say plainly the Law Rom 3.20 Conscience Rom 2.15 and Nature it self Rom. 2.14 1 Cor. 11.14 will and doth convince of sin yet none of these is the Spirit of Christ And the great argument that they bring to prove that it is the spirit of Christ is because the Spirit doth also convince of sin Now what a poor argument is this to say That because the Spirit of Christ doth convince of sin therefore whatsoever doth convince of sin must needs be the Spirit of Christ As much as to say because the Saints are called the light of the world Joh. 8.12 Mat. 5.14 therefore the Saints are the Saviour of the world seeing Christ also doth call himself the light of the world Or because the Moon hath or is light therefore the Moon is the Sun This is but sophistical arguing and doth beget most damnable errours and heresies in the world but this is the way that they take to intangle poor souls with their sad and erroneous doctrine see page 22. of his book line 12. and 13. They say that it must be Christ within them that must within them work out
if thou do This is a delusion and a dangerous doctrine For a Spirit hath not flesh and bones and so hath the man Christ Jesus Now it may be you think farther that the Church with the Spirit of Christ is the man Christ Jesus which is also a damnable heresie Therefore speak plainly Doest thou believe that the man Christ Jesus is ascended from his person in his person and again dost thou believ that he which ascended from his Disciples did bring in everlasting salvation for them in that his body which ascended from them An answer to this might give great Satisfaction to soules if also it might be made in words easily to be understood Again Thou art also offended with the second deceit which I lay down in my Epistle which is say I for the Devill to bid soules follow that light which they brought into the world wiâ—h them telling them that that will lead them to the Kingdom Now thou seemest gravelled because I said Which they brought into the World with them If thou art offended at that shew me when and at what time every soule receivs a light from Christ after it comes into the world Now this I say That every man hath not the spirit of Christ within him Jâ—d 17. And that there is nothing that can shew the soule the things of Christ savingly but the spirit of Christ 1. Cor. 2.11 Then will not you your selfe confesse that he is deluded that is perswaded to follow that light that cannot reveale Christ unto him But I must minde you of one filthy errour also which thou laiest down in page 10. Corrupting the Scripture to make it good but in vain where thou sayest That light which every man is lightened withall will lead unto the kingdome of peace and righteousnesse And then thou addest for saith Christ I am the light of the World he that followeth me shall not abide in darknesse or walke in darknesse Pray marke First thou callest it the light of Christ wherewith he hath lightned every one And here thou comest a step higher and callest it Christ himself and then corruptest that Scripture where the Son of Mary saith I am the light of the World c. Here thou wouldest very willingly have roome to broach thy folly but it may not be for though Christ be the light of the world yet he is not in every one in the world But secondly I pray where was Christ when he spake those words was he I say within his Disciples or without them when he said I am the light of the World He was without them and walked up and down in the world with them from place to place a very man Therefore he did not mean at that time any light within but himselfe who was without And indeed they who will follow Christ aright must follow him without to the Crosse without for justification on mount Calvary without that is they must seek for Justification by his obedience without To the grave without and to his asscention and intercession in heaven without and this must be done through the operation of his owne holy Spirit that he hath promised shall shew these things unto them being given within them for that purpose John 16.14 Now the Spirit of Christ that leads also But whither It leads to Christ without which said being without I am the light of the World he that followeth me shall not abide in darknesse but shall have the light of life Deny this that Christ was without when he spake those words I am the light of the World If you can But to come more close to the thing That light wherewith Christ as he is God hath lightened every one that cometh into the World is the soule of man which is the life of the body and yet it selfe is but a creature and made by the Creator of all things Isa 57.16 And is not the spirit as some do think it is This creature hath one faculty of its owne nature called Conscience which hath its place in the soule where it is as a Judge to discerne of things good or bad and judge them accordingly as the Apostle saith speaking of the heathens Their Conscience either accusing or else excusing one another Romans 2.14 This Conscience is that in which is the Law of Nature 1 Corinth 11.14 which is able to teach the Gentiles that sin against the Law is sin against God And yet it is called but even Nature it selfe as he saith there Doth not even Nature it self teach you c. Now this Conscience this Nature it selfe because it can controule and chide them for sin who give ear unto it therefore must it be Idolized and made a God of O wonderfull that men should make a God and a Christ of their Consciences because they can convince of sin But thou goest ramping on and saiest there is nothing but the light of Christ that will convince of sin and thou biddest me minde that Now doest thou mean the Spirit of Christ doest thou say that that which thou callest the light of Christ is the Spirit of Christ If so then there is conscience which is not the Spirit of Christ but a poore dunghill creature in comparison of the Spirit of Christ yet will convince of sin as is cleare from that 8. of John where the woman is mentioned who was taken in adultery by the Pharises or others who when they had brought her to Christ and began to accuse her Christ said He that is without sin among you let him cast a stone at her And what then When they heard that they were convicted by their own consciences Mark hee doth not say by the light of Christ in their consciences as some would have it be No but by their own consciences they were convinced and went out one by one And were they all served so Yea from the eldest even to the last for they all had consciences though not the Spirit of Christ So that friend here is something beside the Spirit of Christ that can and doth convince of sin even a man 's own conscience the law of nature nay nature it self which no man will say is as good as the Spirit of Christ except they are guided by a deluding spirit Again thou saiest He that convinceâ—h of sins against the Law leads up to the fulfilling of the Law Friend thy conscience convinceth of sins against the Law follow thy conscience it may lead thee under the curse of the Law through its weaknesse but it can never deliver thee from the curse of the Law by its power For if righteousnesse come by the obedience to the Law or by thy conscience either then Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2.21 Again thou saiest That I and my generation would leap over the Law Answ For Justification we look beyond it to the Son of Mary yet we know that the Law is good if it be used lawfully but if it be used unlawfully as those do use it
who seek to be justified by their obedience to it it is made an Idol of and a Saviour though it were given to no such purpose For if there had been a Law given which could have given life verily righteousnesse should have come by thy obedience to the Law Gal. 3.21 Now at thy conclusions somtimes thou doest utter thy self in this wise Learn what this means Answ Indeed thy words are dark and enough to deceive the hearts of the simple but blessed be God he hath given me to understand that thou doest all along in the drist of thy discourse disown Christ without by pretending to a Christ within whereas hadst thou indeed the Spirit of Christ within thee It would be thy great businesse to extoll and magnifie the Son of Mary the Christ of God without thee because it is the nature of the same spirit so to do even to glorifie Christ without who went away from his Disciples into heaven Luke 24.50 51. to prepare a place for them Then thou further saiest with a kinde of disdaining spirit Many things more thou passest by in my book as being not pertinent to the thing in hand But I believe they are so pertinent that neither thou nor thy friends or fellows are able to contradict without blaspheming in the view of all them that have eyes to see for if they could it should have been don by thee And whereas thou saiest Fools must be medling Answer It must needs be that the Saints of God should be call'd fools by the enemies of the man Christ Jesus without because that the doctrine of the man Christ Jesus crucified without for the sins of poor sinners is also held to be fooilshness by them although it be the wisdom and also the power of God unto every one that believeth 1 Cor. 1.23 24. And further thou sayest that the Pope can speak as much of Christ without as I. Answer Friend doest thou put no difference betwixt the speaking of Christ without and believing in Christ without I tell thee though there may be many that can speak of the Christ of God without yet there are but very few that can or do believe indeed in him without by the mighty operation of his holy spirit within Nay you your selves do testify this who deny that the salvation of sinners was compleatly wrought out by that one offering of Jesus Christ without upon the Crosse on mount Calvary and that he is ascended from his Disciples above the clouds touching his bodily presence as in 1 Cor. 5.6 compared with Acts. 1.9 10 11. Then again thou saist I do ask my selfe a question and do also answer it my selfe deceitfully The question is Do not the Scriptures make mention of a Christ within And thou saist I answer it deceitfully my selfe But I answer again that I am not ashamed of that answer I then gave because I know it is truth and whereas thou saiest it is deceitfull and yet canst not find fault with any point thereof it confirmes me that had there been falsity in it such an enemy to the truth as thou art wouâ—dst have taken that advantage as to have discovered it that thereby thou mightest have rendered the truth the more odious The answer I shall leave to the Christian Reader which is so indeed yet am confirmed my selfe concerning it and shall give thee an answer to thy question which is Doth not the Scripture say or witnesse that all that have not Christ within are Reprobates Answer Yes the Scripture saith so and it is true they that have not the spirit of Christ in them are reprobates But there are some that are reprobates that you will confesse Then by your own argument you must grant that some have not the Spirit of Christ in them Pray take notice they that have not the spirit of Christ in them are reprobates There are some who are reprobates therefore there are some who are sensual having not the spirit of Christ in them see thy folly how it is made manifest Jud. v. 19. The next thing thou art offended withall is because I say the Devill deceives poore soules by perswad ng them to follow the light within which all men have Answer Friend I say again and again That there is nothing lesse then the Spirit of Christ that can give a soule a sight of justification by the blood of the man Christ Jesus without by following of it Now as thou saiest thy selfe some are reprobates and have not the spirit of Christ Then is it any heresie to say that it is of the Divel to perswade a soule to follow that light which is no better then conscience or Nature it selfe which are not able to lead to Christ his things being foolishnesse to it Rom. 2.14 or is conscience which every one is lightened withall the Spirit of Christ give an answer in sincerity Then thou sayest that my whole purpose is a secret smiting at the light wherewith Christ hath lightened every man I Answer My whole designe in my book is and was these following things First to shew soules where salvation is to be had Namely in Christ without 2. To shew souls how they should lay hold of this salvation Namely by the operation of the spirit of Christ which must be given within And 3ly To forwarne poor soules that they should not deceive themselves neither by conscience nor the Law which are both inferiour and much below the Spirit of Christ even as much as he that buildeth the house hath more honour then the house Heb. 3. And 4. to shew how poore soules should know whether they had the Spirit of Christ or not within them or whether the spirit of the Divell had exalted himselfe above the Spirit of Christ by transforming himselfe into an Angell of light Farther thou thinkest I contradict my selfe because I admonish poor souls to beg of God to convince them by his holy Spirit and thou saiest This is my confusion When alas confusion is of and from thy selfe who wouldest make a defiled conscience the Law and the Spirit of Christ to be all one as I shall further clear to the reader by and by But I tell thee friend there are many who have not the Spirit of Christ and yet are convinced of sin by their owne consciences John 8.9 He doth not say by the light of Christ in their Consciences that is a saying of your owne without warrant from the Word of God but by their owne Consciences Mark that Now I knowing that a man may be convinced and yet not by the Spirit of Christ for he may be without that but by nature itselfe 1 Cor. 11.14 I do admonish every foule if they love themselves to beg of God for Jesus Christ his sake that he would not onely let them he convinced by these poor low empty beggerly things their consciences in respect of the spirit of Christ but that he would convince them by that spirit of his effectually which is not onely
and again doest corrupt my words This is another of his false accusations of me for I said now they will not speak except their spirit move them I do not say the Spirit of Christ said I friend if you can be led to life by your own spirit if your own spirit will learn you the things of the Spirit of God and if you can speak them with and in your own spirit in that demonstration that they are spoken when they are spoken in the Spirit of Christ which all men have not then say that I speak false things but till that time hold your peace Thus I pass by thy 19. page leaving many of thy scolding terms to thy self The next thing thou sayest is that I did run but was not sent like unto my forefathers and therefore sayest thou I do not profit the people at all Another false accusation Answ Which accusation of thine I shall leave to be taken notice of by the people of God in the Countrey where I dwell who will testifie the contrary for me setting aside the carnall ministery with their retinue who are as mad against me as thy self But farther thou art somwhat distempered and discontented that I sayd Many sad and horrible doctrines are vented by you And you faid I named nothing Answ I need not thine own speech bewrayeth thee that thou art one of them that do such things and I need go no further then thy own mouth and doctrine But if it will be more satisfaction to tell you wherein they of your society do hold sad doctrine I shall First therefore your society do hold and affirm that that man which was hanged on the Crosse between two theevs called Jesus in his person is within you contrary to the Scripture Acts 1.11 Secondly you say that Christ is crucified within dead within risen and ascended within which also you have no word of Scripture to prove Thirdly your society affirm that the coming of the Spirit into the hearts of believers is Christ his second coming When the Scriptures do plainly hold forth that the coming of Christ in the Spirit was before his coming in the Flesh as in 1 Pet. 1.10 11. where the Apostle speaking of the Prophets inquiring into the great salvation which was afterwards to be accomplished saith Searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signifie when it testified before hand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow Mark here is the Spirit of Christ in the Prophets long before the first coming of Christ ln the Flesh which was when he was born of Mary the Virgin The Spâ—rit of Christ saith he did testifie before hand the suffering of Christ to the Prophets which were before Christ came in the Flesh as the Scriptures hold forth plentifully But again you deny the second coming of that very man with that very body which was born of the Virgin Mary and say his second coming ls not his coming again personally but his coming in the Spirit onely and that is all you look for when the Scripture saith That same Jesus who appeared to his Disciples after his Passion Acts 1.3 shall so come even as they did see him depart from them into heaven which was a very man as well as very God And will come again a very man as well as very God at the end of world For it is that man namely he that was crucified whom God raised again that must be the judge of quick and dead Acts 10.39 40 41. seriously compared Again you say that every man hath the Spirit of Christ which is a sad doctrine because contrary to the Scripture Jude 19. And you say there is that in every man which is as good as the Spirit of Christ which is a blasphemous doctrine Besides many other things which they of your own spirit have most sadly spoken which I shall not mention being so commonly known to the Saints of the Lord before whom you have openly without fear at least in shew spoken Which will doubtless belaid open â—o your sorrow and great amazement at the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ Then thou art offended because I said I wonder that the Lord doth not either cause the ground to open her mouth and swallow you up or else suffer the Devill to fetch you away to the astonishing of the whole world Certainly Coraâ—â— Dathan and Abiram did not so horribly transgress as you have done Yet his hand on them no question was as it were the astonishment of the world Therefore I may well wonder that you are not served so Onely this I consider it may be you have not yet filled up the measure of your wickednesse therefore is not the hand of God as yet upon you The next thing I take notice of is that thou findest fault with mine answer to this question But doth not the Scripture say that it is the Spirit of Christ that doth convince of sin Thou sayest it is a good question but I have confounded it in the answer and not answered plainly Wherefore I shall not at all stick at the pains to give the reader in brief some of the heads of the answer I then gave to it word for word or to the same purpose The answer was Yes the Spirit doth convince of sin but for the better understanding of this place I shall lay down this said I That there are two things spoken of in Scripture that do manifest or convince of sin First the law Rom. 3.20 For by the law is the knowledge of sin Secondly the Spirit of Christ doth also the same as it is written And when he is come he will convince the world of sin Joh. 16.7 8 9. Now say I somtimes the law it self by its own power doth manifest sin as in the case of Judas who was so far from having the Spirit of Christ that the Devill had very great possession of him Which things my adversary doth wrangle at yet dares not affirm the contrary only saith this he had the righteous law of God written in his heart which thing is not the Spirit of Christ The law is not of faith The law is not the comforter but rather a tormentor yet the Spirit of Christ is a comforter Again say I the Spirit of Christ doth take the law and doth effectually convince of sin c. Then I put forth another question saying But how should I know whether I am convinced by the law alone or whether the law be effectually set home by the Spirit To which I answer when the law doth convince by its own power it doth convince only of sins against the law as lying swearing stealing c. pronouncing an horrible curse against thee if thou fulfil it not and there leavs thee but gives thee no power to fulfil it compleatly and continually which thou must do if thou be saved thereby With which my adversary is much offended also
saying that I am confounded in my discourse and so leavs me confuting none of my words by holy Scripture but falls a railing because I reckon Pharisees and Quakers together Onely thus much he saith That I make it a light thing to be convinced by the law and then brings in that Scripture This is the condemnation that light is come into the world and men love darkness rather than light cunningly corrupting of it and would fain have you understand it as spoken of the law when the Son of Mary speaks it of himself which was not the law but the Saviour And that he might the better go away undiscerned he saith and the law is light therefore the light is the law saith he But I perceive that he doth not yet understand the difference between the light of the law and the light of the Gospel but would fain make the law and Christ one Saviour the one being but only a condemning light and nothing else the other a saving comfortable light And whereas thou sayest I make it a light thing to be convinced by the law I answer the law is good if a man use it lawfully and I honour it in its place yet if they make a Saviour of it they make an Idol of it and wrest it out of its proper place Also if they think that it is Christ they are much deceived But farther he put me to prove any such distinction in Scripture as that there is any thing made mention of therein that doth convince of sin besides the Spirit of Christ which thing I have already answered where I sayd the Scripture saith By the law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 and again doth not even nature it self teach you that it is a shame for a man to wear long hair 2 Cor. 11.14 and also conscience which are neither of them the Spirit of Christ but much inferiour to the same yet this also convinceth of sin Joh. 8.9 But to the other thing which is the answer that I give in my book to this objection But I am not onely convinced of my sins may some say but have also some power against my sins so that I do in some measure abstain from the sins forbidden in the law And because I say this thou maiest have and do as thou thinkest perfectly too as thou thinks mark that as those fond Hypocrites called Quakers think that they also do and yet be but a natural man Here my Adversary is very much offended and calls me Perverter of the right way of the Lord and saith Shew me any natural man in the Scripture that hath done it Whereas had he been but willing to have laid down the Scripture I brought to prove it hee needed not to have looked for a second answer But because he would have it again I will therefore shew you that natural men meerly by nature may be convinced and abstain from those things forbidden in the Law and think they do it perfectly nay they do the things contained in the law For saith the Apostle Rom. 2.14 When the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature mark do by nature the things contained in the law these the Gentiles having not the law are a law to themselvs Mark the Gentiles do by nature the things contained in or held forth or made mention of by the law the light also that they have it is themselves being a law to themselves that is their consciences being of themselves bearing them witnesse and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another though they cannot be saved thereby ver 15. Again when Paul was a natural man and a persecuter of Jesus Christ hee saith of himself that then he was touching the righteousnesse of the law blamelesse Phil. 3.6 And whereas thou saiest thou hadst rather chuse to bee one of those who abstain from those things forbidden in the law and to have power over sin than to live in the transgression of the law this is fair spoken and it doth shew that thou art under the convictions of the law and if it bee no worse I fear thy state the lesse though it be bad enough yet this I say if thy soul be not saved freely by the blood of that man who was crucified on mount Calvary and by his merits alone done by himself in his own person thou notwithstanding wilt fall short of eternal life For by the works of the law shall no flesh living be justified Rom. 3.20 though by it bee the knowledge of sin and a command to abstain from the same And thus have I spoken to thy 21. page But farther thou saiest that thou fearest I worship the name Mary because I mention her name so much Answ If thou hadst said I worship her Son thou hadst said truly I hope But is not thy spight more against her Son There are more offended as this besides the Quakers then her I doubt it is for neither thou nor thy companions can endure that one should say he is still the same that was born of Mary flesh and bones a very man now absent from his people though in them in his Spirit Again thou saiest I said That as he is God Christ lightnetb every man that coms into the world which thing again I say What then Then say you I will mind you of one Scripture which you your self have quoted which saith The Law is light Prov. 4.23 Therefore saiest thou The light is the Law Give me leave here to tâ—ke thy words in twain First if when thou saiest then the law is light thou mean the light of the law is the light of the law and no more thou saiest right But if thou mean the light of the law is the light of the Gospel or the Spirit of Christ I must needs reprove thee For I tell thee again the law is not of faith the law makes nothing perfect Hebrews 7. ver 19. The law is but a weak and unprofitable thing as to justification Hebrews 7. ver 17. though as I said before it is good if it be used lawfully which is not to seek or look for justification thereby nor yet to say it is the Spirit of Christ Then farther thou art offended because I said When the Spirit of Christ convinceth it convinceth of more sins than the sins against the law Friend will the law shew a man that his righteousnesse is sinne and dung No. For though the law will shew a man that his failing in the acts of righteousnesse is sinne yet I question whether the law will shew that a man 's own righteousnesse is sinne For there is in Scripture saith it doth or can Secondly shew mee if thou canst that the sinne of unbeliefe is spoken against in all the Ten Commandements or that called the Morall law But now the Spirit of Christ convinceth of unbelief that is it sheweth that if men do not believe that they have redemption by the obedience of that
man who was laid in the manger hanged on the Crosse c. I say it sheweth that those who do not lay hold on what he hath done and suffered without them in his own body on the tree through the operation of his Spirit which he hath promised to give to them that ask him or else they have not yet been convinced of the sin of unbelief and so are still in a perishing condition notwithstanding their strict obedience to the light within them or to the law And now tell me you that desire to mingle the law and the Gospel together and to make of both one and the same Gospel of Christ Did you ever see your selvs undone and lost unlesse the righteousnesse blood death resurrection and intercession of that man Christ Jesus in his own person was imputed to you and untill you could by faith owne it as done for you and counted yours by imputation yea or no Nay rather have you not set up your consciences and the law and counted your obedience to them better and of more value than the obedience of the Son of Mary without you to be imputed to you and if so it is because you have not been savingly convinced by the Spirit of Christ of the sin of unbelief Other things thou doest quarrell against but seeing they are in effect the same with the former I pass them by and shall come to the next thing thou doest think to catch me withall and that is because I say that God only is the Saviour there is none besides him Therefore sayest thou how contrary is this to that in page 24. where I say how wickedly are they deluded who owne Christ no otherwise then as he was before the world began Now this is no contradiction as thou wouldest have it for though I say there is none but God our Saviour Yet I did also then in my book shew how he was our Saviour namely in that he came into the world being born of a Virgin made under the law that he might redeem them that were under the law by his obedience in that nature by suffering in that nature by his rising again in that nature and by carrying that nature into heaven with him as the Scriptures at large declare and therefore though I say God is our Saviour and none besides he yet they that owne him to be the Saviour no otherwise then as he was before the world began are such as deny that he is come in the flesh and so are of Antichrist 1 Joh. 2. For before God could actually be a Saviour he must partake of another nature then the divine even the nature of man Heb. 2.14.15 Again thou sayest it is a slander put upon the Quakers to say they slight the resurrection Answ What say you Do you believe the resurrection of the body after it is laid in the grave Do you believe that the Saints that have been this four or five thousand years in their graves shall rise and also the wicked each one with that very body wherein they acted in this world some to everlasting life and some to everlasting contempt Answer plainly and cleer your selvs but I know you dare not for you deny these things But if you speak doubtfully or covertly in answer thereunto I doubt not but God will help me to find you our and lay open your folly if I shall live till another cavill by you be put forth against the truth The next thing thou cavillest at is that Quaery raised from Eph. 4.10 and thou sayest I have not answered it You should have answered it better or else have confuted that answer I gave unto it and then you had done somthing but the great thing that troubles thee is because I say further in my book he that ascended from his Disciples was a very man For handle me and see saith Christ a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have Now let the adversary shew by the Scripture said I that there is in them any place called heaven which is able to contain a man of some four or five foot long or a competent man of flesh and bones for the space of fifteen or sixteen hundred years but that above the clouds which troubles thee so that it makes thy tongue run thou canst not tell how But know that when the Son of man shal come from heaven to judge the world in righteousness that which thou callest foolishness now thou wilt finde a truth then to thy own wrong if thou close not in with him who said handle me and see for a Spirit hath not flesh and bones as you see me have Luk. 24.38 39 40. Another thing that thou art troubled at is in that I do reckon the Quakers to be of the deluding party when alas all men that have eyes to see may easily discern that you are of that generation as will appear in part by your own expressions both now and also at other times But that you may take off the brand from your selvs you say that the false ptophets and Antichrist were in the Apostles days as though there should be no false prophets now when the very time we live in doth manifestly declare and hold forth that there are many who at this day seek to beguile unstable souls of which sort you are not the least though for ought I can learn as yet you are the last that are come into the world but that you may the better shift it from your selvs you say that in those days there was not a Quaker heard of namely in the days of John Friend thou hast rightly said there was not a Quaker heard of indeed though there were many Christians heard of then By this you your selvs do confess that you are a new upstart sect which was not at other times in the world though Christian Saints have been alwaies in the world Friend here like a man in the dark in seeking to keep thy self out of one ditch thou art fallen into another instead of proving your selvs no false prophets you prove your selvs no Christians saying there was not a Quaker heard of then But if Quakers had been Christians then they would have been heard of to the glory of God and his Christ Again to defend thy self thou throwest the dirt in my face saying If we should diligently trace thee we should find thee in their steps meaning false prophets through famed words through covetousness making marchandise of souls loving the wages of unrighteousness Friend doest thou speak this as from thy own knowledge Another of his false accusatons or did any other tell thee so However that spirit that led thee out of this way is a lying spirit For though I be poor and of no repute in the world as to outward things yet through grace I have learned by the example of the Apostle to preach the truth and also to work with my hands both for mine own living
of their Ministers for indeed they are Ministers in this to minister ill example to their Congregations Again would the people learne to be covetous they need but look to their Minister and they shall have a lively or rather a deadly resemblance set before them in both riding and running after great Benefices and Parsâ—nages by night and by day Nay they among themselves will scramble for the same I have seen That so soon as a man hath but departed from his Benefice as he calls it either by death or out of covetousnesse of a bigger we have had one Priest from this Town and another from that so run for these tithe-cocks and handfulls of Barley as if it were their proper Trade and calling to hunt after the same O wonderfull impiety Ezek. 13. read that whole Chapter and you will find it as it was a looking glasse by which thou mayest notably see them with their marks and discoveries and ungodliness are you not ashamed of your doings If you say no. It is perhaps because you are given over of God to a reprobate mind Read Rom. 1. towards the end As it was with them so it is to be feared it is with many of you who knowing the judgments of God that they who do such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but have as I may so say pleasure also in them that doe them And now you that pretend to be the teachers of the people in verity and truth though we know that some of you are not Is it a small thing with you to set them you say are your flock such an example as this Were ever the Pharisees so prophane to whom Christ said Ye vipers how canye escape the damnation of hell doth not the ground groan under you surely it will fauour you no more then it favoured your fore-runners Certainly the wrath of God lyes heavie at your doores it is but a very little while and your recompence shall be upon your owne head And as for you that are indeed of God among them though not of them Separate your selves why should the righteous partake of the same plagues with the wicked O ye children of the harlot I cannot well tell how to have done with you your stain is so odious and you are so sensless as appears by your practices But I shall at this time forbear having in some measure discharged my conscience according to the truth against you hoping if God do give me opportunitie and a fair call that I shall a second time in this world give testimony against your filthy conversations though now I shall say no more onely thus much Be ashamed of your earthly-mindednesse if you can and be converted or else you shall never be healed Here might I also aggravate your sin by its several circumstances but I shall rather forbear supposing that you may entertain wrong and harsh thoughts of me though I have spoken the truth therefore I shall at this time rather keep silence and wish you to amend then to rake in your soars for thereby would your stink go more abroad in the world Therefore I say I forbear And now to the Reader I beseech thee to have a care of thy soul and look well to the welfare of it And that you may do so have a care what doctrine it is that thou receivest Be not contented untill thou indeed and in truth in the light of the Spirit of Christ see thy sins washed away in the blood of that Lamb who did offer up himself a ransom on the Crosse on mount Calvary for the sins of thy soul and body together with the rest of the Saints of God And let not the legall holiness of the one nor the loose prophane conversation of the other beat thee off from pursuing after the truths of Jesus as the truth is in Jesus and so laid down in this my discourse Neither let the plausiblenesse of the other beguile thy simple heart And now to you that are carried away with the delusions at this day broached in the World by the instruments of Satan and that after a profession of the truth I say to you turne againe if you can peradventure there may be hope and that you may escape that wrath which justly you have deserved But if you shall still refuse the Lord that speakes now from heaven in mercy to you you shall not hereafter escape the Lord that in his owne time will speake to you in his wrath and vexe you in his sore displeasure And now a few words to you that have indeed closed in with the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of Mary and they are these that follow First he of good cheer all your sins are forgiven you for his name sake 1 John 2.12 2. Know he that hath begun the good work of his grace in you will perfect it even to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 3. Know that though your Lord Jesus who is in you by his spirit be absent from you tâ—uching his bodily presence yet he is not forgetfull of you but is preparing a place for you Jo. 14.1 2 3. 4. Consider That he is also at this very present in his very person in the presence of his Father now in the heavens praying and making intercession for you that you may be brought safe to glory Heb. 7.25 Father I will saith he that those that thou hast given me may be where I am that they may behold my glory John 17.25 5. Know also that he hath overcome in his own person when he was in the World Devill Death Sin Hell the curse of the Law the power of the Grave and all other evills in the body of his flesh for you Heb. 2.14 6. Beleeve also that while you are in the World all things shall fall out for your good at the end whether they be Temptations Doctrines of Devils workings of corruptions all things shall fall cut for your good who love our pretious Lord Jesus Rom. 8.28 7. Be assured that all your enemies shall very suddenly be under your feet even Satan and all Rom. 16.20 8. Consider That there shall no temptation befall you in the days of your pilgrimage but God will enable you to bear it I and make away also for you to escape the destroying danger of it 1 Cor. 10.13 9. When the time of your dissolution shall come your Jesus will deal with you as he did with Blessed Lazarus that is he will send his Angels to fetch your soules away to glory Luke 16.23 10. Beleeve also and know assuredly that at the last day he wil also raise your bodyes out of their graves and make them also for ever vessels of his glory Rom. 8.23 compar'd with Joh. 5.28 1 Thes 4.14.15 16 17 18. 11. And lastly consider That though now by the world and hereticks you be counted as not worth the looking after Yet you have your day a comming when as the
able to shew their lost state because of sins against the Law but also to lead them to the right Saviour and plant them into him which all other things are not able to do And thus much in answer to thy scolding against my Epistle the truth of which I blesse God through the strength of Christ I could be willing to seal with my blood And now friend in love to thy soule I say have a care of thy selfe that thou do not satisfie thy selfe with any thing untill thou seest by the operation of the Spirit of Christ which thou must have given thee from heaven as being without it before conversion that the blood of that man Christ Jesus that was crucified on mount Calvary did at that same time when it was there shed wash thee from all thy sins and be not so stout and so sterne against the truth because it suits not with thy beguiled conscience Beare with me in patience and seriously enquire into the truth of things according to the Scriptures For they are they that testifie of Christ how salvation doth come by him In thy entering upon my Book the first thing I find thee wrangle with is First by corrupting my words and then by calling me lyer Thou corruptest my words saying That I said The blood of Christ was shed before the â—world began Whereas I said that in the account of God marke in the accoun of God the blood of Christ was shed before the world began Friend art thou not able to distinguish betwixt a thing being done in God's account or according to his fore-knowledge and a thing that is reaslly and actually don Surely it was either thy folly to speake evill of the things thou knowest not or else thy madnesse doth much appear in that though thou understandest these things yet for to wrangle by corrupting my sayings here as also in other places as will afterwards appear This is in page 11. of thine page 3. of my book Then thou goest on pag. 12. and quotest the place where I say p. 37. How horribly are those deceived who look on Jesus but thou leavest out those words the Son of Mary to be but a type which thing you say you know none that do And again thou saiest that I say he is of something afterwards to be revealed My words thou corruptest thou wouldst fain gather thus much out of my words by corrupting them Here my words are corrupted That though I denied Christ Jesus the Son of Mary to be a type yet I my self say He was a type of somthing afterward to be revealed Which thing as there in my book so here again I do most positively deny and I quote the same words again for a second confirmation of the same saying as then I did How horribly are those deceived who look on Jesus the Son of Mary to be but a shadow or type of something that was afterwards to be revealed Whereas the Scriptures most lively hold him forth to be the Christ of God and not a type or shadow of a spirit or body afterwards to be revealed but himself was the very substance of all things that did any way hold forth or type out Christ to come And when he was indeed come then was an end put to the Law for righteousnesse or justâ—fication to every one that believeth Rom. â—0 4 And therefore friend though thou hast or wouldest corrupt my words yet have a care of corrupting Christs words least thou doest even heap up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God And whereas thou saiest Thou deniest not but Jesus is the substance Answ I doubt thou do'st not speak thine heart plainly but hidest thy self with so saying as with an apron if we enquire into what it is to hold forth Jesus the son of Mary to be the substance Therefore he that holds forth Jesus the Son of Mary to be indeed the substance and not a type holds forth and believs that that Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary did in his own body of flesh fulfil the Law and impute the righteousnesse of his obedience unto them that he accomplished then without them and that his blood that was shed without on the Crosse doth and hath washed away all sin past present and to come from him that believeth this as it is written For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh that is through our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of siâ—ful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That is he was condemned in the flesh that he took on him of the Virgin Ma y Rom. 8.3 And again hee bore our sins in his own body on the tree which was the Crosse on mount Calvary Jesus also saith the Apostle that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered Where Not in any believer but without the gate of Jerusalem Heb. 13.12 How say you do you really believe that at that time when Jesus did hang on the Crosse without Jerusalems gate even at that time he did give the justice of God a full and compleat satisfaction for all the sins of all believers that have been formerly or are now or hereafter shall be Or do you look upon Jesus at that time to be but a shadow or type of somewhat that was afterwards to be done within Answer plainly yea or no that the simple may understand you Now I come to answer thy Querie laid down page 12 in these words Did Christ Jesus put an end to the Law for them who live yet in the transgression of the Law Or doth he justifie that which the Law condemneth Indeed a right answer to this will be great satisfaction to some though I think some trouble to others And therefore in answer to thy question I shall lay down these following things First Christ Jesus did put an end to the Law for righteousnesse for all that the Father hath given him as it is written The bodie of Jesus was offered once for all for all that shall be saved for he shall not be offered a second time No but once for all Heb. 10.10 Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and he hath done it once by himself for all Heb 9.26 Otherwise he must have often suffered since the world began But that must not be for he dieth no more Rom. 6.9 But say you Did he put an end to the Law for them who still live in transgression 2. Answ There are many poor souls that are given unto Christ who yet live in their sins But Christ did at that time when he hanged on the Crosse give a full and compleat satisfaction for them In due time Christ died for the ungodly For scarcely for a righteous man will one die but peradventure for a good man some one would even dare to die I but God
commendeth his love to us-wards in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us While we were yet sinners yet ungodly Rom. 5.6 7 8. Nay he did not onely die for those who still live in sin but he also makes intercession now at the throne of his Fathers grace for them And he made intercession for the transgressors Isa 53.12 He hath ascended on high he hath led captivity captive and received gifts for men For what men Even for the rebellious also Psal 68.18 To what end That the Lord God might dwell amongst them And whereas thou askest Doth he justifie that which the Law condemneth before the work of the Law be finished I answer That at that very time when Jesus Christ did hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary was buried rose again from the dead and ascended above the clouds from his Disciples at that very time was all the law fulfilled for righteousnesse He is the end of the Law mark he is the end of the Law for righteousnesse But if there were any thing yet to be done for justification which was not then done there could not be an end put to the Law for righteousnesse for every one that believeth But in that there is an end put to the Law for righteousnesse by Jesus for all the elect of God Christ having once fulfilled it for them It is manifest that there was not anything then left undone by Christ at that time which was afterward to be done by his owne Spirit in his Children for justification onely believe what the man Christ at that time did do and be saved Acts 13. from ver 29. to ver 39. And whereas thou asketh whether Christ did justifie that which the Law condemneth I answer Fourthly That though Christ Jesus did not justifie sins or ungodlynesse yet he justifieth the ungodly Now to him that worketh is the reward given or reckoned not of grace but of debt But to him that worketh not but believed on him that justifieth the Ungodly marke the ungodly his faith is counted for righteousnesse He is he that justifieth having finished the righteousness of the Law in his own person for them My own arme brought Salvation saith he But how Even by his bleeding on the Crosse You have redemtion through his bloud· Eph. 1.7 which was shed without the gate Heb. 13.12 I and through the Law condemneth a sinner yet let but that sinner believ in Christ in what he haâ—h done in his own person and he shall be justified from all things from which he could not be justified by the Law of Moses Acts. 13.39 And whereas thou askest me the meaning of that Scripture Not one tittle of the Law shall fai e till all be fulfilled I answer That the Law hath already been fulfilled for justification for every one that believe h And a believer is to do nothing for justification onely believe and be saved though that Law be a rule for every one that believeth to walke by but not for justification But if you do not put a diffeâ—ence between justification wrought by the man Christ without and sâ—nctification wrought by the Spirit of Christ within teaching believers their dutie to their GOD for his love in giving Christ You are not able to divide the Word aright but contrarywise you corrupt the Word of God and cast stumbling blockes before the people And will certainly one day most deeply smart for your folly except you repent Here is a plain answer that may satisfie the simple The Lord God grant that they may lay it to heart effectually Now this I say further that if God inable any to receive this Doctrine aright namely what I said even now it will more engage the soule to God then all the threatnings thunder-claps and curses that come from the Law it selfe And a soule will do more for God seeing it selfe redeemed by the blood of the Lambe the son of Mary John 1.29 then if hee had all the conditions of the Law to fulfill and might be sure to have heaven for the fulfilling of them Now as to the assurance thou speakest of at the end of thy question I know in the first place that though believers themselvs do sin yet they have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous 1 Joh. 2.1 2. And though the doctrine of the Gospel be to abstain from all appearance of evil yet our Lord Jesus Christ is so pitiful as not altogether to deprive his children of an assurance of their salvation * For the proofe of this read the good love of God to David Peter others which did most wofully sin again after they were converted though somtimes through weakness they do transgresse And whereas you would lay an assurance on our obedience to the Law I say our assurance comes through our believing and our obedience to the Law is a fruit of our believing for every one that hath this hope that he is one of the children or sons of God by faith in Jesus 1 Joh. 3.3 purifieth himself as he is pure Holinesse of life if it be right flows from an assurance of our being justified by Christs death on the Crosse on mount Calvary as it is written again that he might sanctifie his people with his own blood he suffered without the gate But again pa e 12. thou seemest offended because I say They are deeeived who think to obtain salvation by following the Law which they call Christ though falsly Why shouldst thou be offended at this when the Scripture saith plainly That by the works of the Law shall no flesh living be justified in his sight for by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom 3.20 But this is thy frothie argument The Law convinceth and is our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ therefore the Law is not taken away saiest thou Friend what is this to the purpose Must wee seek fot Justification by the works of the Law because the Law convinceth you may as well say we must seek for justification from our consciences because they do convince Now where the Scripure saith the Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ do you think it means we must be first fitted by purification of our selvs by or according to the Law before we can be saved by Christ from the curse of the Law If you sâ—y yea Then doth not this fâ—llow that Christ Jesus did not come to save sinners but to save the righteous and if so then you must say that Christ Peter Paul and all the servants of the Lord are liers who have testified that Christ died not for the godly but for the ungodly and sinners But where the Scripture saith The Law was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ I ask again is it the Ceremonial Law or the Moral Law that is meant in this place If you say the Moral or the Ten Commandements I answer That doth not lead to life and so not to Christ but is properly
then call it Nature it self for all have not the spirit But another great argument thou bringest in page 15 is The light of Christ doth convince of sin Now do you call conscience the light of Christ that will convince of sin Joh. 8.9 And they being convinced by their own consciences c. If thou doest call the Law the light of Christ that also will convince of or make known sin For by the Law is the knowledge of sin Rom. 3.20 If thou doâ—st call even Nature it self the light of Christ That also doth shew that sins are a shame even those sins which some leap over 1 Cor. 11.14 and Ruffian-like they will wear long hair which nature it self forbiddeth and is commended for the same by the Apostle The Spirit of Christ also will convince of sin What because these several things will convince of â—in therefore will they needs be the Spirit of Christ Or do they altogether make but one Spirit of Christ Doest thou professe thy self to walk in the light and art noâ— able to know these things Or if thou doest know them art thou so unfaithful as not to tell poor people of them who are some of them at their wits end by reason they are not inlightned into these things Another of thy arguments is They saw the eternal power and Godhead by that which was made manifest of God in them Answ The Scriptures say not so word for word but thus Because that which might be known of God was manifested in them But how For hee hath shewed it unto them But how Why the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made which words in thy charge against me thou didst leave out But mark The invisible things of God from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made But how then doth it say that the knowledge of God is manifest in them Why because God hath shewed it unto them by the things that are made even by the creation of the world So that this Scripture holdeth forth thus much that the invisible things of God as his Power Holinesse and common goodnesse to the sons of men are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made But how feeble an argument is this to prove such a doctrine as this That every one hath the Spirit when this light discovers God onely by his works in the world Friend if they that know God because he doth shew himself to them by his works iâ— the world have the Spirit of Christ then the same argument will serv to speak thus much that the Divels themselvs have the Spirit of Christ which would be wonderfull blasphemie once to affirm And Friend the very Divels both for the knowledge of sin and also for the knowledge of God's eternal power and Godhead have more experience then all the unregenerate men in the world and yet have not the least spark of the Spirit of Christ in them Other lame arguments thou tumblest over like a blind man in a thicket of bushes which I passe by But one thing more thou hast and that is this Thou askest me Whether I do know this light which God and Christ hath given to every man First I deny that Christ as he is Mediatour hath given to every man his Spirit Rom. â— 14 1 Cor. 11.14 And secondly I deny that Christ as he is God hath given to every one his Spirit but this I say as I have often said it is Conscience or Nature it self that every one hath take it in either of these Scripture terms as I have proved at lâ—rge And whereas thou askest me Whether that light which Christ as he is God hath lightned every one with that comes into the world be sufficient in it self for life and salvation I answer plainly No for then Christ Jesus needed not to have come into the world to die for sinners for every one had that light before Christ did come into the world And secondly I answer it is not able for then it would have been a needlesse thing for Christ to tell his Disciples of sending them his Spirit to lead them into all truth They might have said Why doest thou talk of sending us thy Spirit who have that that can do the deed already if that could have done it 3. Because the Scripture saith Some are sensual having not the Spirit Now a man cannot lay hold on Christ nor believe in him savingly without the Spirit because faith is the work of the Spirit And 4ly Because then it had been in vain for the Lord to have given the Scriptures to teach men out of either concerning himself or themselvs Why Because without it they had a sufficient light to guide them that thing must not be so And whereas thou askest whether the fault be then in God or in that thou callest his light or in the Creature I answer What if God willing to shew his wrath and to make his power known indured with much patience the vessels of wrath fitted to destruction and that he might make known the riches of his glory on the vessels of mercy which he had afore before the world was Eph. 1.4 ordained unto glory And secondly O vain man what is that to thee if God should make some vessels to dishonour hath not the Potter power over the clay of the same lump to do therewith as he please Rom. 9. from ver 16. to ver 22. And where I say Christ as he is God hath lightened every one that cometh into the world To it thou givest a glavering answer but having touched on this before I passe it by To the next thing where I say Men's neglecting this light or law will be sure to damne them though their obedience to the Law will not save them Here thou saiest I have confessed truth and I know it is true by experience and thou commentest on those things laid down by me thus Then surely saiest thou it is good not to neglect it that is not to neglect following the Law To which I answer As their obedience to the Law will not save them so their neglect of obedience to the Law will be sure to damne them these things thou canst not deny But is this all the wit thou hast Because the neglect of the Law will be sure to damne them therefore wouldst thou put poor souls to follow that which will not save them O wonderful ignorance Nay but thou shouldest have said Then surely the best course is for a poor soul in this case to flie to the Lord Christ even the man Christ Jesus who was slain on mount Calvary for the sins of poor sinners And the rather because he did so willingly of his own accord lay down his life for them Me thinks I say thou shouldest rather have said Then let us follow the Son of Mary the man Christ Jesus the
receiving but I tell thee he that hath it hath received it Gal. 3.2 and he that hath not received it hath it not Jude 19. My second Quaery was What is the Church of God redeemed by from the curse of the law Is it by something done within them or by something done without them If you say it is redeemed by something that worketh in them then why did the man Christ Jesus hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary without the gate of Jerusalem for the sins of his children and why do the Scriptures say That through this man is preached to us the forgivenesse of sins The answer thou givest is The Church of God is redeemed by Christ Jesus which is revealed in all believers And Christ Jesus wrought in them mightily And it was he that wrought in them to will and to do This is plain Scripture and the man Christ Jesus sai'st thou hanged on the Crosse on mount Calvary because they wickedly judged him to be a blasphemer and through their envy persecuted him to death because he bare witness against them and as in their account he died and hanged on the Crosse for an evill doer And this is one ground at least why he hanged on the Crosse c. Ha friend I had thought thou hadst not been so much hardened art thou not ashamed thus to slight the death of the man Christ Jesus on the Cross and reckon it not effectually for salvation but saiest the Church is redeemed by Christ Jesus which is revealed within And to confirm it thou doest also corruptly bring in two Scriptures The one saith whereunto I also labour according to his working which worketh in me mightly By which words Paul signifies thus much That as God was witb him in the ministry of the Word so did he also strive according to his working which wrought in him mightily What is this to the purpose See Col 1.26 27 28 29. And also the other Scripture makes nothing to prove that the Church of God is redeemed by Christ within as he is within Onely you must corrupt the Scriptures and be transformed though ministers of darknesse into an Angel of light if you will do any mischief And now that thy answer is false I shall cleerly prove First because thou deniest that redemption was wrought out for sinners by the man Christ Jesus on the Crosse or tree on mount Calvary when the Scripture saith plainly that when he did hang on the tree Pet. 2.24 then did he bear all our sins there in his own body And secondly in thy saying it is redeemed by Christ within by being within when the work of the Spirit of Christ in believers is to make known to the soul by dwelling within which way and how they were redeemed by the man Christ Jesus on the Crosse And this I prove farther because when thou art forced to answer to these words Why did the man Christ Jesus hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary for the sins of his Children Thou saiest because they wickedly judged him to be a blasphemer Friend I did not ask thee why the Jews did put him to death but why was he crucified there for the sins of his Children But thou willing to cover over thine errour goest on cunningly saying and through their envy they persecuted him to death for an evill doer This is one ground at least c. Friend but that thou art ashamed to own the Gospel of Jesus Christ thou wouldest have said he was crucified there for the sin of the world and by his offering up of himself upon the Crosse he did for ever perfect them that are sanctified Nay thou wouldest have studied to exalt his dying there first by shewing what a sad condition we were in without it secondly by holding forth the manifold and great priviledges that we have by his dying for us there But thou art at enmity against the things of God as is cleerly seen by those that have indeed the Spirit of God in them and are enabled thereby to discern you And though you say there is no other that can forgive sin nor the blood of any other that can take away sin but the blood of God Yet thou deniest that the blood of him who was and is truly God as well as man Christ Jesus I say thou deniest that his blood that was shed without Jerusalems gates doth wash away sin from the Saints of God and cunningly though not at this time uttered concluding that the blood of God was shed for sin on a Crosse within If it be not so then call me lyar but it will cleerly appear so to be in your answer to my third Quaery 3. Quaery is What Scripture have you to prove that Christ is or was crucified within you dead within you risen within you ascended within you Thy answer is There is no Scripture that mentions every of our names in particular And thy Quaery saiest thou is raised from a misunderstanding of us so I judge But Christ is within us that we do dot deny and he is the Lamb that was slain in the streets of the great City wich is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt mind Spiritually and he is now risen and ascended this we know and leave thee to receive a farther answer from them that are led by a spirit of delusion Friend how doest thou run about the bush seeking to scrable up an answer but findest not a right one and wouldest also fain hold out that Christ is or was crucified within dead within risen and ascended within but seeing thou canst not with or by the Scriptures give an answer then seeing thy self left of them through rhe strength of carnall reason thou goest about this way Is there any of our names made mention of in Scripture or to that purpose and would'st fain inferr from thence that because we have names though not mentioned in Scriptures therefore Christ is and was crucified within though not mentioned in the Scriptures Friend thy sophistry deceivs thee The second argument which is like the first is this He is the Lamb slain in the streets of the great City Spiritually called Sodom and Egypt Now from the word spiritually thou wouldest willingly inferre also that Christ is and was crucified within dead within and risen within you and therefore thou saiest mind spiritually Friend I may well mind thy spirituall wickedness by which thou wouldest willingly cover thy heresie but it will not be Though thou dare not speak plainly in so many words yet the thoughts of thy heart are made manifest by the words that flow from thee Ah friend that thou couldest but close with the truth and venture thy soul upon what was done by Jesus on the Crosse without the gates of Jerusalem for it is by and through that blood that was there shed that we have redemption Heb. 13.12 compared with Col. 1.20 and remission of sins Eph. 1.7 and 1 Pet. 2.24 My fourth Quaery was is that very man
things and doth expect that salvation should be obtained by something that worketh in them by working in them It is impossible that these though they may be touching the righteousnesse of the law blamelesse as Paul was while he was a persecutor Phil. 3. to be saved hereby Wherefore because they seek it not by the faith of Christ but as it were by the works of the law Rom. 9.30 31. And whereas you ask me what is that which worketh faith And where is it within or without I answer That which worketh saving faith is the holy Spirit of God which is renewed through the hearing of the Word preached by the Apostles or Ministers of Jesus Christ Now the Spirit when it doth work it entereth into the soul and as I said before doth enable the soul to believe and lay hold on the merits of the Son of Mary Jesus Christ For saith he when he is come he shall glorifie me for he shall take of mine and shew it unto you Joh. 16.14 3. Quaer Whether any be justified but he that is born of God And whether doth he that is born of God commit sin And is that within the Creature or without that worketh the new-birth Answ Justification may be taken two ways either in the fight of God or in the fight of the soul or creature My meaning is that all that are or shall be saved are justified in the sight and foreknowledge of God before the foundation of the world Ephes 1.4 According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the World c. Having predestinated us to the adoption of children by Jesus Christ unto himself And again Moreover whom he did predestinate them he also called and whom he called them he also justified and whom he justified them he also glorified Rom. 8.30 Mark all these things are spoken as being already done predestinated called justified glorified He doth not say they shall be but he hath done it that is in and according to the fore-ordination of God 2. Saints are said to be justified in their own sight or knowledge as when God doth make manifest to the soul what he had determined before should be done Be of good Cheer thy sins are forgiven thee This is justification in the sight of the creature And whereas you ask me do they that are born of God commit sin To this I answer They shall never commit the sin against the holy Ghost as is the meaning of that place 1 John 3.19 There is a sin unto death and there is a sin not unto death He that is born of God sinneth not but keepeth himself and that wicked one mark that wicked one the sin unto death toucheth him not But they that are born of God notwithstanding do daily sin as it is evident Jam. 3.2 In many things we offend all saith he I and you all of us And again If we say we have no sin we deceive our selvs and instead of having no sin the truth is not in us 1 Joh. 1.8 And who can say my heart is clean Eccle. 7.20 There is none righteous no not one And again There is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not And I am confident that while some would perswade others that they have no sin their own consciences tell them they lye and if it be not so in the rest it is because they are hardened and given to believe a lie As to the latter part of your Quaery I answer The new birth is wrought through hearing of the Word preached And yet not by conscience nor by the obedience to the Law or dictates of nature but by the Spirit coming into the soul and shewing its lost condition without the obedience of the Son of Mary the Son of God and his freeness and willingness to communicate or give himself and all his things unto it which being done the man is thereupon given up to God and is become a new creature I might spend much time in speaking to this but I forbear because of it self it is enough to fill up a small volumne 4. Quaer If Christ hath lightened all men as he is God as thou confessest then hath hee not lightened all men as he is the Son of God and is not the light of God sufficient in it self to lead to God all that follow it yea or nay Answ Christ as he is God doth lighten every man that coms into the world which light is conscience or otherwise nature it self which doth also convince of sin Joh. 8.9 Yet Christ as he is God doth not give unto every man that Spirit that doth lead to eternall life for all men have it not Jude 19. Secondly Christ as he was and is the Son of God before the world was being one in power and being with his Father hath lightened every one that coms into the world as aforesaid but hath not so neither given them his Spirit Some are sensuall c. 3. Christ as God-man or as he came into the world to die for those whom before as God he knew and loved I say he doth not in this way neither lighten every man with the saving light of life or give unto them his holy Spirit No they that have been and now are beleevers do know and can remember that all the time of their unregenerate state they were without Christ Eph. 2.12 So that here is no way or room for your doctrine take it how you will Christ hath not given to every one his Spirit 2. part of the Quaer Is not the light of God sufficient in it self to lead to God all that follow it yea or nay Answ First as I said before some are sensuall and have not the Spirit of Christ Secondly no man can come to God as a Father by adoption but by Jesus Christ then it must needs be that all men though they do follow that light which is given to every man it is not able to lead to God as a Father in the Lord Jesus Christ Yet this light that every man hath will shew a man there is a God and that this God is eternall and also will cleer out somthing of him to them by the things that are made But now if this light would lead to everlasting life then might the Devills also be delivered from everlasting damnation seeing they also do know God as a Creator and revenger of sin more perfectly then any natural man in the world though not as a Father by adoption But you say doth it not lead to God all that follow it Answ Not to be saved though to be condemned through the weakness and unprofitableness of that light or conscience or the law call it either and I cleer it thus Because if that light that every man receives were able by our following it to save us then Christ needed not to have suffered seeing all men had that light 2. If that light that every man hath which is
justification for them when it is evident from the whole current of Scripture that the Son of Mary was delivered to be crucified for our offences and his Resurrection through faith in it is our justification as all along through grace I have declared and cleared And the work that the Spirit doth in point of justification is to shew us what the Son of Mary hath done and suffered in his own body on the tree and is now doing in the presence of his Father in the highest heaven Jude 19. Eph. 2.12 And to help us to apply this to our souls by faith now for a preservative against these and the like delusions observe First as I said before All have not the Spirit of Christ 2. That the law with all our obedience to it is not able to save or justifie any poor soul Rom. 3.20 For by the works of the law shall no flesh living be justified though it gives the knowledge of sin 3. That there is none other way to be justified in the sight of God but by laying hold of what the Son of Mary Jesus did do and suffer in his own person when he was in the world For it is by him and what he hath done in his own person by himself Heb. 1.2 that any man is justified from his sins and the wrath of God due to the same by believing that his blood was shed for their sins as it is written By his stripes we are healed Isa 53.5 as if their own blood had been shed for their own sins and that his righteousnesse is theirs by imputation as if they themselvs had actually fulfilled all the law of God for their own justification Rom. 10.4 The second thing is who are they that are carried away with this delusion and why Answ First not one of God's elect whom he foreknew shall be utterly destroied thereby I do not say they shall not be led away for a time but they shall not be utterly destroied for they are kept by the mighty power of God through faith unto salvation But they are such as are not indeed the elect of God not chosen in Christ before the world began Though Hymeneus Philetus fall away and overthrow the faith of some yet the foundation of God stands sure having this seal The Lord knoweth them that are his 2 Tim. 2. ver 18 19. Secondly they are such as in time past for the generality of them were either but light frothie professors or else were shaken in their principles and unstable therein as saith the Scriptures They that are deceivers do beguile unstable souls Or if they were such as were in appearance sober and serious in the account of others it was either from those convictions they had from the Law or else from high notions they had of the Gospel which have both such influence at som time on the foul though not savingly that the soul will go very far in obedience to them as for example Herod who was an enemie to the truth yet for a time had such heart-workings being convinced by the preaching of John the Baptist that he feared him and observed him and when hee heard him he did many things and heard him gladly Mark 6. ver 20. Now the reason why such people are carried away with such heresies as these or the like is First that as they were not of the elect of God so God by suffering them to be carried away finally may make it appear that they were not of his elect They went out from us but they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us But they went out from us that it might be made manifest or that men might see that they were not all of us 1 Joh. 2.9 2. Because God will not have his Church so disturbed alwaies with such as are not of the truth Now there are some men that have their time to walk with the Church of God by permission and these men are ever and anon ready to broach their errours even while they are among the Saints to their trouble Now God having a care of his Church hath a time to suffer the Divel to run through the world with some erroneous doctrine or other which when these men taste being spirited before hand for that purpose do presently close in with the same to the purifying of the Church and the manifestation of hemselvs And thus every branch which the Lord 's right hand hath not plantd shall and must have a time to be rooted up Mat. 15.13 3. Because others that are of the right graffing in may notwithstanding not resume but fear least they also fall through the same example of others who re already fallen or may fall hereafter Heb. 4.1 2 11. 4. Because others may see that it is not by their own strength that they do stand but fâ—eely by the grace of God and his power and love towards them in the Lord Jesus Christ God hath chosen som before the foundation of the world Now to manifest this though they are even as bad as the worst by natuâ—e yet I say because God will shew his power and his love he doth preserve some to eternal life though others fall into eternal damnation Of all that thou hast given me saith Christ have I lost none but the son of perdition that the Scripture might be fulfilled Joh. 17.12 Many other reasons might bee given why these things must and shall be but I rather chuse to forbear Onely thus much I have spoken because I know it is my duty to speak a few words unto you that you may either close in with the truth or else the more clearly be left without excuse at the great day The third and last thing is the way that Satan takes to make those delusions take place in the soul Now the way whereby he makes these or any other delusions to take place in the soul is first to perswade the soul that they are the truth and secondly to to stir up in the soul an enmitie to any thing or person that shall declare the contrary First they are given over to believe a lie that is To believe false doctrine to be the doctrine of God and of Christ And that he might bring this to passe he goeth about to change the names of things and because the Law Conscience and Nature it self can convince of sin therefore he calleth them Christ or the light of Christ Saying to a natural man one that is not yet converted Minde the light wihin you If they ask what light say they That which doth convince of sin If they farther ask Why what is that They say It is the light of Christ the light of life or Christ within Now these things are nothing else but conscience nature or the law for a naturall man hath nothing else that dwelleth within him to convince him of sin onely these things have a new name put upon them
And poor Creatures heating the name Christ being ignorant of the nature of Christ do presently close in with these things supposing nay verily beleeving that these are the Spirit of Christ Which things being thus received if at any time one come and oppose them and tell them that it is an errour that they have taken up to think that that which is in an unregenerate man is the Spirit of Christ and contrarywise telleth them plainly that it is but their own conscience that doth convince them or the law written in their hearts by nature Nay say they it is the light of Christ in the conscience when there is no Scripture hath any such manner of expâ—essions onely a fancy of their own taken up without ground from the Word But the soul being possessed with this doctrine presently its heart riseth against any thing that doth contradict it and is filled with a secret enmity against it Now the way that Satan takes to bring this about is to perswade poor souls that all these thoughs that do any wise contradict the Principles received is but a temptation of the Devill And if at any time there be the doctrine of Jesus held forth in truth his death buriall resurrection ascension and intercession now without in the presence of his Father for sinners and that there is salvation no where else but in the merits of the first born of Mary which is Jesus Christ without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Presently with envie they are enraged and cry Doest thou not know that every man hath a measure of tbe Spirit given to him Follow that listen to that turn thy mind to that and walk in the light of that When alas there is no such thing as the Spirit of Christ in every man as I said and proved before at large onely the Devill hath gotten this way to call conscience Christ the law Christ and hereby to intangle the soul with the name of a thing without the thing it self But now the soul is set down in its principles and he that doth any way confute that Spirit presently it falls a raging and cries out Seâ—pent Liâ—r Wolfe Dragon Devill be silent with thy serpentine wisdom and smoak of the bottomlesse pit Now in this the Devill is wonderfull cunning for least he should indeed be discovered he doth set the face hard against the truth and counteth it such a deadly enemy that he will not cannot bear it but le ts flye against it all the hellish words and madnesse he can And now he begins first to cry avoyd Satan All which is onely to harden him in whom he doth dwell more and more against the truth Now he doth also harden souls in delusions by presenting the ugly and base conversations of a company of covetous wretches who do professe themselvs to be the Ministers of the Gospel but are not now poor creatures being shaking and doubtfull what way to take seeing the conversation of these men to be wicked and the doctrine of these deluders coâ—ered with a seeming holinesse they presently embrace it saying surely these men are in the right way they cry down the Priests whose lives we also see to be profane they are very strict in their ways and if such be nor good men who are But yet that which is most taking is through the corruption and pride that is naturally in the heart of man these men propose such a way to salvation as is in the compasse of a mans owe abilitie even works of righteousnesse done by him which is very agreeable to mans natâ—re which would willingly be saved but would not be altogether beholden to God for it and these works not being wrought by the Priests or Nationall Ministers but by the other though in opposition to the righteousnesse of Christ the Messias God-man poor souls not onely suck in these erroneous principles but are hardened in them against the doctrine of God and his Son Jesus Christ by their ungodly conversation and thus dishonour the Son of God But come brethren let us be patient stablish our hearts wait but a while and I doubt not but you will see that those who dishonour our Jesus shall soon be brought down both Ranters Quakers Pâ—iests and people also that shall continue in opposing him either in doctrine or practise for our God hath said Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries Now a few words more to those who do beleeve in Christ aright and lay him for their foundation First blesse God that you are not carried away with the delusions that are on foot in this generation Secondly see that you are laborers after a more experimentall knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ flye more to his birth death blood resurrection ascension and intercession and fetch refreshing for your souls more and more from him without through the operation of his Spirit within and though the fruits of the Spirit be excellent and to be owned where they are found Yet haue a care you take not away the glory of the blood of Christ shed on the Crosse without the gates of Jerusalem and give it them which you will do if you do content your selvs and satisfie your consciences with this that you finde the fruits of the Spirit within you and do not go for peace and consolation of conscience to the blood of Jesus shed on the Crosse Therefore learn of the Saints or rather of the Spirit Revel 5. who teacheth to sing this song Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood And as for you that cannot yet well indure to think you should be justified by the blood of the Son of Mary shed on the Crosse without the gate I say to you Kiss the Son least he be angry and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they tbat put their trust in him Psal 2.12 FINIS Some Questions put forth to them commonly called Quakers for to answer whether in London or elswhere Be alwaies ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 1 Pet. 3.15 And I beseech you do it in sincerity 1. IF thou saiest that every man hath a measure of the Spirit of Jesus Christ within him Why say the Scriptures Some are sensual having not the Spirit Jude 19. And when Christ tells his Disciples of sending them the Spirit he also saith The world cannot receive it Joh. 14.17 2. What is the Church of God redeemed by from the curse of the Law Is it by something done within them or by something that is done without them or by something that worketh in them Gal. 3.3 Act. 13.38 1 Pet 2.24 Col. 1.20 c. If thou Answer It is redeemed from the curse of the law by something that worketh in them then I ask Why did the man Christ Jesus