that proceed from hence were they not his own was it Christ or Paul that Believed Loved Prayed c all the Logick thou hast Baily cannot gainsay but that it was Paul and if so then it was not madness and folly to say but the Wisdom of the Spirit of God taught him so viz. That he would be found in Christ not having those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit had wrought in his Mind to Justify him in God's sight for there are defects in all these Gifts Faith Love c. and in all our Holiness and remember God chargeth his Angels with folly and might well have charged Paul with Madness and Folly if he had trusted to his own Righteousness to Justify him in his sight I wish thou wouldst see thy own Pride Hypocrisie Ignorance Pharisaism Answer any of you Could ever Paul have the least temptation to trust to his Pharisaical Righteousness after he was converted then surely it was this Sanctified Righteousness he here speaks of which he saw would come short to Justify him but thou art otherwise mindded as it 's said in Phil. 3. by Paul God reveal it to thee in due time many of us were thus minded for some time but now through inlightnings we follow Paul's example in this Truth and are like-minded with him herein B. And pag. 11. Thou sayest viz. The Quaker goeth about to make his own Righteousness to stand yes and blame him not if it consists in those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God worketh in his mind how is any a true Christian without these Reply Thou hast said more here through thy ignorance of the Righteousness of God than thou darest stand to darest thou say that thou wouldest stand or fall before the infinitely Holy God and have him deal with thee for ever in his exact Justice according as thou hast been found in the most holy Exercise of any of the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit speak The Prophet saith Enter not into Judgment with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no Man living be Justified Psal 143. 2. but here is a Prophet saith Thou mayest Lord to the utmost Judg me for I have Gifts and Vertues enough of the Spirit in me to Justify me in thy sight In Psal 130.3 The Psalmist saith If thou Lord shouldest mark iniquities O Lord who shall stand Yea saith this Pharisee but I shall and my Righteousness too for it consisteth in the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit and let God mark iniquities never so narrowly I shall do well enough Job a perfect and upright Man speaketh on this wise Chapt. 9.2 How shall Man be Just with God v. 3. If he will contend with him he cannot answer him one of a thousand But here is a perfect Man that saith Man may be Just with God and if God doth contend with him he hath the Gifts of the Spirit which Job belike had not and this Righteousness shall stand and thus W. B. can Answer God every thing in every thousand that is laid to his Charge V. 15. Whom though I 〈◊〉 Righteous yet would I not Answer but make my supplication to my Judg yea v. 21. Though I were perfect yet would I not know my Soul 〈◊〉 30 31. Though I wash my self in Snow water and make my hands â—â—ver so clean yet shalt thou plung me in the Ditch and mine own Clothes â—â—all abhor me But W. B. saith he will Answer God in this his perfection and this shall be his Answer viz. That his Righteousness shall stand and he will know his own Soul thus adorned and let God plung him if he can he will adventure it The Heavens are not clean in 〈◊〉 sight the Scripture saith in the Book of Job but Baylies Righteousness is clean in God's sight He chargeth his Angels with folly no matâ—â—â— for that Bayly cannot be charged for his Righteousness consists in the Gifts of the Spirit But have not the Elect Angels the Gift of the Spirit But it 's likely not in such a Degree as this Man or they have more mixture of evil in the exercise of them than this Prophet I err not in calling thee a bold proud Man for this saying I will give thee a Testimony out of Foxes Monuments of one of the Martyrs see how it agrees with thy Doctrine in the third Volume pag. 418. Anno 1555. in a letter of Robert Samuels written to the Christian Congregation declaring the Confession of his Faith these are his words viz. All the Works Merits Deservings Doings and Obedience of Man towards God although they are done by the Spirit of God in the Grace of God yet being thus done be of no Validity Worthiness Merit before God except God for his Mercy and Grace account them worthy for the Worthiness and Merit of Christ Jesus c. And thou contradicts thy Brother John Crook who in his words acknowledgeth that he looks to be accepted not for works of Righteousness that he had done not for the works sake only though wrought by the Spirit yet here that which is wrought by the Spirit must Justifie us in Gods sight otherwise thou sayest nothing for we say that none are true Christians without the Gifts of the Spirit but yet these do not Justify them in God's sight Justification and Sanctification go hand in hand our state and Relation is changed there is Justification our Nature there is Sanctification the Gifts of the Spirit and Regeneration flow from Justification in order of Nature though not of times we are Justified before we are Renewed forgiven before Sanctified Pag. 37. I cannot well pass over one passage in Bailies Railery saying that I am like Jannes and Jambres that withstood Moses proclaiming 〈◊〉 folly a Phrase used frequently by the Quakers Reply After that lofâ—y Anti-evangelical Speech that he had used before touching his own Righteousness how it must stand it will 〈◊〉 be amiss to cast our eye to the Scripture where this is mentioned 2 Tim. 3. 8. and view that sort of Men there described and see if they were not Quakers if of any sort v. 2. Boasters proud Blasphemers v. 3â— fierce dispisers of them that are good v. 4. Heady high minded v. 5. Having a form of Godliness denying the Power v. 7. Ever learning never coming to the knowledge of the Truth v. 8. Men of corrupt minds of no Judgment concerning the Faith These were they that were Seducers which did resist Pauls Doctrine as you may read in this Chapter B. And it 's known to thee and all the world that the Quakers own 〈◊〉 other Righteousness to be Justified by but the Righteousness of Jesus Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith in him Reply But now it 's too late to deceive with these good words We see your cunning Craftiness this Righteousness of Jesus Christ that you plead for he is only the Author of not the Subject it is noâ—â—â— his Person according to your Divinity but in
That Christ was born of a Virgin so his Manhood 〈◊〉 without sin spotless and endued with the Spirit without Measure 〈◊〉 He did in his Holy Actions fulfil the Law 3. All his sufferings 〈◊〉 taken in being at last made an offering for sin he being God as well 〈◊〉 Man these Actions and sufferings are of infinite value now observe Reader not a word of this here in this place by J. C. but only in the general Righteousness manifested in him and by him Now what do the Quakers mean Let Pennington speak pag. 25. What Nature must these sacrifices be of which cleanse the Heavenly things whether of necessity they must be Heavenly If so then whether it was the Flesh and Blood of the Vail or the Flesh and Blood within the Vail Whether it was the Flesh and Blood of the outward Earthly Nature or the Flesh and Blood of the inward Spiritual Nature Whether it was not the Flesh and Blood which Christ took of the first Adams Nature or that of the second Adam's Nature Now John That Righteousness that in the fulness of time was manifested in Christ and by Christ was only the Obedience and Sufferings and Sacrifice of that Spiritual Heavenly Flesh and Blood of the first Adam's Nature that was in the Vail that of the Vail the Body and humane Nature that he had from the first Adam the Righteousness of this and the Sufferings of this is nothing Now let the Reader view the Harlot She is known now She is in her own Whorish Attire J.C. pag. ibid. And in due time made mine by the work and application of the Spirit in my inner parts Answ True we say that this Righteousness spoke of is really made mine thus The Spirit works Faith in my inward parts whereby I view it apprehend it receive it for my self having need of it therefore called so often the Righteousnss of Faith Through faith in his 〈◊〉 in Rom. 3. and it is really mine Faith is the substance of things hoped 〈◊〉 But now hear Penington Mysteries of the Kingdom pag. 17. Convered to the Creature in and through the seed and brought forth in the Creature by the seed and the Creature united to Christ in the seed here is Justification of Life This is the application of the Spirit in their sence This Righteousness is the Light Christ the heavenly flesh that was in the vail The seed through which it is conveyed is Christ and the Seed that brings it forth is Christ and the Seed in which the Creature is united to Christ is Christ the Light within every man The sum is then accâ—ording to Penington Christ the Light in every man is conveyed to the Creature by Christ and brought forth by Christ and the Creature is united to this Christ in Christ the Light This is John Crooks application of the Spirit Deny Peningtons Divinity if thou darest J. C. parag ibid. And God is well pleased or satisfied in and with him in whom I am accepted and not for works of righteousness that I have done nor yet for the works sake only or quatenus works though wrought in me by his Spirit but in and for the sake of him that works in us and for us Isa 26.12 Answ Would any think that it is the same man that writes a little further so much against my asserting that our own Righteousness consists in those Vertues and Gifts that the Holy Spirit works in our minds and that this is not the Righteousness in which we are accepted Oh would not any think that John had fully yielded herein to me and that he was very sound in this point and no Papist But now pray let us conster it by their own Dictionary and see what it will speak And God is well pleased and satisfied in and with him If this him was to be understood of the true Christ we need not one word further But Remember what the Quakers Christ is viz. the Heavenly Flesh Blood and Bones that came down from Heaven not Jesus of Nazareth and it is the man in every Male and Female that preacheth among the Quakers it is nothing but the Light in every man which is called the Spirit in the inward parts immediately before God is well pleased with this and satisfied with the Light and I am accepted in the Light he means and not for the works of Righteousness which I have done here is Pauls words but the Quakers sence still no but for the works of Righteousness that the Light does and are wrought in the Light that every man hath Naylor Love to the lost pag. 64. yet it is speaking of self-Sanctification and Mortification the Work of God wrought by Christ in the Believer whereby such become his workmanship in Christ Jesus wrought into 〈◊〉 Obedience and his Obedience into them in the measure till they 〈◊〉 of one heart one mind one Soul one Flesh one bone one blood 〈◊〉 one Obedience and one Life and that it is no more we that live 〈◊〉 Christ that lives in us Now by this line you may fathom to the 〈◊〉 the Mystery of works of Righteousness which he hath done i. e. J. C. did them not but Christ the Light in him it was the Obedience of that Light wrought into him and he made one Soul flesh blood with this Christ the Light in every one ye know what Naylor made himself Thou now Reader sees the snare and trap uncovered this Divinity will bring you to this that the Personality of J. C. is lost and his personal actions are all lost when he prays or preaches it is Christ Prayeth and Preacheth not John Crooks and that Christ and he are both one Person Such monsters have been among the Quakers J. C. not for the works sake only or quatenus works though wrought in me by the Spirit Answ For the works sake only why then J.C. thou would have the works that are wrought by the Spirit have some share in acceptation thou would not have it only for their sakes which we may thank thee for but partial causes they must be Christ of himself and his Merit is not sufficient unless something wrought by the Light in us doth joyn its Merit with him but this Phrase quatenus works why if not as works how 〈◊〉 as they are Christ the Light and his Obedience as before according in Naylors sense J. C. Wrought in me by the Spirit but in and for the sake of him that works all our good works in us and for us Answ That is plainly it is for the Lights sake in which the Quakers works all their works that the Quakers do are accepted and which doth work all their works in them and for them J. C. pag. 10. Thou believest to be saved by a Righteousness wholly without thee reckoned but not real which Righteousness Christ wrought 1600. years since Answ And I do J. C. solemnly profess in the presence of God Angels and Men that I believe that Righteousness
whereby I am accepted of God Justified and saved is the righteousness of Jesus of Nazareth which he wrought out in his own personal Obedience and Sufferings 1600. years since that God giving Faith in this Righteousness which is by him reckoned to me and in this reckoning there is a reality what the Lord doth is really done and though this Righteousness was wrought in Palestine at such a distance from me nay Christs person be now at a greater distance than so yet it hinders not but the Merit of his death and bloodshed may and doth reach me my Surety paying such a Sum of money for me at never such a distance dischargeth me I have benefit by it as soon as I hear of it and accept it the Sun is at a distance in the heavens but we have the heat of it and feel it But indeed the Righteousness is not at a distance from us but put upon us by the Fathers Gift as the Scriptures speak ye have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 It is the best robe put upon us and as Isaac smelled the garment of Esan the Elder Brother when Jacob had it put on by his Mother and blessed Jacob so the Father doth in this case he is well pleased with us and blesseth us having Christ's the first-borns Righteousness upon us by Imputation receiving it by Faith and all that Righteousness that is within 〈◊〉 of Sanctification is but the fruit of this it was merited and purchased for us by this J. C. pag. ibid. adds Not that we undervalue that Righteousness 〈◊〉 cursed is he that so doth Answ According to J. C's desire let the curse be upon all those that undervalue the Righteousness of Jesus Christ that according to him is but a thing at a distance both as to time and place 1600 years since as far as Jerusalem never like to come nearer to us by our Imagining as he saith I do really think John that thou hast cursed many of thy Brethren and many of the people called Quakers and thy self wâ— to them if it should be according to thy curse this is like the Jews that said his blood be upon us and our Children and they are under a sad Curse to this day and surely there is a dreadful curse of hardness sottishness and pride upon the poor people the Quakers and from whence doth it arise but from the undervaluing that Righteousness that was wrought out 1600 years since and as far as Jerusalem But observe a little how thou writes this Not that we undervalue that Righteousness no. Answ But then it seems there is an other Righteousness in which we may be saved and which is by the Quakers valued at an higher rate and that Righteousness may be and is brought nearer to you Quakers than this to us Christians that it is a real Righteousness the other but reckoned the Righteousness thou meanest which is attained by attending on the Light now this was wrought nearer in the North of England in Lancashire and those parts when George Fox that Father of many Nations as a Quaker calls him arose and this was nigher than Jerusalem and this was not above 22 years since or thereabouts 1600 years is too long a time for Christs Righteousness to hold its vertue and Jerusalem where he died and now heaven were he lives is too far off for Christs Righteousness to have an influence by any act of Gods imputing according to these unbeleiving Quakers J. C. pag. 10. For proof of thy belief thou sayst we are made Righteous in the same way that he was made sin but he was not made sin by inheâ—â—â—â— or really as thou speakest elsewhere for he knew no sin therefore by â—â—putation The same way when Christ knew no sin nor was any sin inherent in him must we then be made Righteous without either knowing or enjoying any real righteousness in us as the Comparison holds forth Answ John I would know why thou passeth over the first argument and writes not one word in answer to it but thou would have laid thy self open too much it is likely but now at this thou cavillest the Comparison as thou callest it is not mine but Pauls 2 Cor. 5. v. ult for he hath made him to be sin for us who knew no sin that we might be made the Righteousness of God in him Now my argument is viz. that we are trade Righteousness the same way that Christ was made sin he was not made sin by inhesion but by imputation Therefore the right conclusion is we are made Righteous in Justification for of this every one â—eeth that I am treating and the Apostle likewise not by Righteousness that inheres in us but that without us John when wilt thou learn to be ingenious and distinguish right when wilt thou desist winding and turning thus like a Crooked Serpent studying to deceive Who of us ever denyed that we were to have a real Righteousness in Sanctification but this is not to justifie us we make a difference between Christ's personal Righteousness and our Sanctification the one imputed to us the other wrought in us we had by the first Adam not only guilt of Sin but the loss of the image and the power of indwelling sin so we have two Righteousnesses by the second Adam Jesus Christ the one to take away the guilt of sin that is the Righteousness I am pleading for and the other to take away the reigning power of sin Sanctifiying of us and renewing of us into the image of Christ in some degree but this latter Righteousness is but an effect of the other Christ is not only the Author of the former that we are speaking of as he is of all Righteousness but the subject of it J. C. pag. ibid. But besides if we are made Righteous in the same way in all things Answ Rather than want something to write thou wilt add some words of thy own to write against did I say any where in all things There is no more than that we are made Righteous that way or same way as he was made sin Now he was made sin by imputation is plain so we by imputation for this Righteousness of God that we are made spoke of is not the Righteousness of Sanctification for that is not by Imputation but by Inhesion Therefore that which thou saith J. C. Parag. ibid. That he was made to be sin for sin is mentioned in the Abstract then we must be without or free from all manner of good as he was without or free from all manner of evil is true add but this to it in the point of Justification according to the Scripture Righteousness imputed without Works Yet the Doctrine of Sanctification is kept entire in its place as a fruit of this still J. C. In the next Page save one Thou affirmest That the Gifts and Veâ—tues that the Spirit of God works in our minds is our own Righteousness First because our Souls are the Subjects of it
Faith may not be found there v. 5. I see it Add to your Faith Vertue Now Faith always respects an Object without Christ's Person is the Object of Faith So now John it is right he is very blind that hath no Faith in Christ what is this to thy Business so the other that thou sayest those in whom Faith abounds upon this Righteousness will neither be barren nor unfruitful J. C. Par. ibid. What is this less than calling Christ Beelzebub and what followes but that be hath a Devil Answ Big words and a sore Charge which I would not be Guilty of for more than this World But what is the matter Why in that I say our Righteousness consists in those Vertues and Gifts that the Holy Spirit works in us First I call them Vertues and Gifts is there any hurt in that Secondly I say the Spirit is the Author of them God himself and he works them in the mind of Man through the Preaching of the Word Is this to call Christ Beelzebub to give him the Glory of his Works What then is the matter Because I cannot say that the Righteousness the Spirit works in us is the same but different from the Righteousness that was personally wrought out by Christ when here on Earth in that I think one far excels the other the sum is because I say that all the Righteousness the Quakers can attain to by attendance to the Light within will not justifie them without the personal Righteousness of Christ imputed which they despise J. C. Pag. ibid. And we express these outwardly in our Observation of the Moral Law in our walking among Men. So the worse people are and the Looser they walk the greater Right they have to the Righteousness of Christ and in a better Condition to receive it than those that in the sence of the evil of Sin turn from it because thou sayest this is properly 〈◊〉 own Righteousness which consists in those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our mind is not this Ranterism in the highest degree Answ If it be Ranterism it is thy own For thou addest many words there that are none of mine It is Knavery in thee to make such bad Inferences from the Doctrine of the Gospel it is like that in the Primitive time from Paul's Doctrine Shall we sin that Grace may abound Thou mayest find these words not far off viz. in my Epistle viz. the poor heavy laden Soul will thankfully receive this Righteousness the sick this Cordial the starved Prodigal this Bread How canst thou in Conscience go about to make the People Believe that we Preach in this wise That the worst people have a greater Right to Christ's Righteousness than those that have a sence of the Evil of Sin Dost thou not see thy nakedness Art not thou ashamed for this Guile Can any be heavy Laden Burdened sick Starved â—in a Spiritual Sence as I spake it and not have a sence of sin is this â—â—nterism now But let me add that the Right to this personal Righteousness ariseth not from any Righteous walking of ours but it is God's 〈◊〉 Gift he bestoweth it where he pleaseth There is no Righteous walking which thou supposeth here before we are in Christ and so have actual Right to this Righteousness But this I will heartily speak that there is more hope of so me of those vain wicked people to embrace this Righteousness of Christ and so to be saved than some reformed Quaker according to that in the Scripture Mat. 21.31 Publicans and 〈◊〉 go into the Kingdom of God sooner than you the Publican was justified when the Pharisee was rejected J. C. page ibid. For the moral Law Christ is so far from repealing 〈◊〉 that Matt. 5. he binds it faster and closer to his disciples for of old it 〈◊〉 said c. Answ What knowledg thou hast of the Law thou hast shewen before in saying Law and Gospel are both one Christ was so far from repealing it that he fulfilled it it is granted and he did fulfil it by keeping it 〈◊〉 I shewed in the Epistle and bearing the curse of it otherwise none 〈◊〉 have been saved but that he did bind the moral Law closer or faster 〈◊〉 his disciples is strange to say why Moses bound it for life did he not What did Christ bind it faster than Moses then it should be for more than life if they kept it then they incurred more than eternal death and condemnation if they broke it but when thou comest to this point Thou art wretchedly out John I challenge thee and all the Quakers in England to prove that Christ bound the Moral Law to any of his Disciples closer and faster than Moses to be kept for Life and Blessedness Nay John thou mayst see the end of Christ in expounding the Law so spiritually it was to take down that proud Pharisaical Spirit that is in thee and all Quakers and somthing of it in all Disciples and to convince them that they could not keep the Law and thereupon they might see a need of Forgiveness and Righteousness by another though thou hearest me say we are to express the Vertues outwardly in the observation of the Moral Law in our walkings among men what then By these deeds of this Law shall no flesh i. e. no man living Psal 143.2 none of the Sons of man be Justified J. C. pag. 13. But remarkable is that Mat. 7.13 14. where he Commands doing as he would be done by and calls it the strait gate Foreseeing that false Prophets would preach another broader way Answ Thy Exposition of Scripture is remarkable as will appear before we have done with this I charge thee with belying Christ in saying that he calls this Principle To do to others as we would be done by the straight Gate thy only argument that can be brought is this viz. That this sentence straight is the Gate doth immediately come after the other viz. to do as we would have others c. But now look into Luke 13.23 we must take all that the four Evangelists say to make up the compleat history There is the occasion of his speaking these words upon ones coming to him with this curious question viz. Lord are there few to be saved ver 24. strive to enter in at the straight gate This Passage of doing as we would be done by is omitted by Matthew So then there is not that coherence between the 12. and 13. verses as J. C. would make to be Christ had been speaking of several things of several Natures before and when he had done with one he begins with another distinct thing As in the Proverbs he that would make one verse there have connexion with the precedent verse in many places would make strange interpretation So here in this place now why should not we interpret one place by another Christ saith of himself I am the Door Joh. 10. By me if any Man enter he shall be
is real in our own minds therefore ours what a Christian and an Enemy to reality Answ These pretty Rattles will please Children I dislike not John our own Righteousness for it's reality in our minds but say it is no Righteousness at all if it be not real but Hypocrisie but thou knowest how I speak it in way of distinguishing it from the other Righteousness Our Righteousness which consists in the Gifts c. wrought in us is really in our minds Now the Righteousness of Christ is not in our minds at all but in his own person I speak it thou seest to explain to any that should not understand what it is for our souls to be the subjects of this Righteousness i. e. It is for one to have any thing really in him and this I speak likewise to distinguish it from the Righteousness that is imputed to us though there is a reality in that Imputation but it is not the reality of Inhesion I do not speak this I dare appeal to thee that thou seest it as being an Enemy to reality There is a reality in God's imputing Righteousness and forgiving sin and a reality in his work upon our hearts but he hath appointed the one to Justifie us and the other to Sanctifie us and that Righteousness which is to justifie us is perfect and compleat and is the Righteousness of his Son the other is not compleat in this Life though it 's really in us and so will not justifie us Then I am not an Enemy to the Reality of Holiness as thou wouldest make me but to Real Quakerism and Socinianism that would have Mâ—n justified by the Law of Works J. C. Parag. ibid. What a Spiritual Man and an opposer of those Gifts and Vertues the Spirit works in our minds calling them our own Righteousness Answ I am no Enemy to the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit while I would have them be kept in their place and would have Christ still have the Preheminence otherwise I should be an Enemy to Christ they are for Sanctification is a Man an Enemy to the Chancelour if he saith he is not the King if my Eâ—nity appear in calling them our own Righteousness then Paul is an Enemy to them for the calls them so Phil. 3.9 Not having my own Righteousness which is of the Law Now is there any Righteousness wrought in us that is not required by the Law yet he calls it his own Righteousness J. C. Parag. ibid. What must the poor in Spirit the meek the Mourner the Hungerer and Thirster the Merciful the Pure in Heart the Peace-maker deny their Blessedness which they must do if these be their own Righteousness c. Answ I affirm that there is no Blessedness to any but as they aâ— in Christ and so are pardoned and accepted and forgiven in his Righteousness Rom. 4. Blessed is the Man to whom the Lord imputeth not Iniquity in Mat. 5. Christ spoke this to his Disciples as thou mayest see who were in him and were pardoned and forgiven had received by Faith this Righteousness of Christ doest thou think that there is any Blessedness in these qualifications considered in themselves or any merit in Poverty mourning c. to obtain Salvation only they prepare the Soul for Blessedness None will receive Christ and his Righteousness but the Poor the Hungry the Thirsty c. But their Blessedness consists not in being Poor or Hungry or Thirsty but in that it is a Token to them that Christ their Blessedness is and shall be theirs And again as to those positive qualifications Blessedness is annexed only as they are Tokens and Evidences to them that God hath had mercy on them and is at peace with them therefore I dare say that not one such as these but deny that their Blessedness lies in these qualifications for they see defects in all their Mournings Meekness c. But it lies as there it is spoke in obtaining Mercy v. 7. In being filled with Righteousness v. 6. i. e. Christ's Righteousness Besides let me say that there is no right Mourning Meekness Purity but first we are in Christ and so this Righteousness imputed no eternal Reward is promised but to those in Christ Rom. 5. ult Grace reigns through Righteousness unto Eternal Life by Jesus Christ our Lord. J. C. Pag. 14. What must they turn from reality and lay hold on imagination Answ Here John thou dost with a Brazen-Face call all the Faith of all that are not Quakers an Imagination is there not a Reality in God's Act but of that before J. C. From Real Enjoyments and possessions to conceived or imagined Apprehensions Answ This is the same over again still concluding that Chrst's Righteousness is but a Fancy that there is no possessing of it that none have any enjoyments that are Real but the Quakers all the rest to the end of that Paragraph is but the same over again and hath been Answered only adding this for the Readers memory as an Antidote still that the Reality of our Inherent Righteousness will not make it perfect and so it cannot justify us though from the sincerity and reality of it we may be comforted as it is an evidence that we are pardoned and justified J. C. Pag. ibid. The sum of the matter is this that our heads and not our hearts c. Answ This is false in that I speak of Faith now Man Believes with his heart J. C. Our Bodies and not our Souls Answ This likewise is false for I have said that our persons We and expresly that this Righteousness of Sanctification is in our Souls and minds He goes on Parag. ibid. Our own conceivings and not Reality Answ I said that the Gifts of the Spirit were Really in our minds which thou didst quarrel with me for and I say there is a Reality in Imputation and in Faith for it is the substance of things c. yet here thou suggestest the contrary But I go on to trace thee J. C. Parag. ibid. Our Imaginations without and not the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit within our minds are the Subjects of true Righteousness according to thy account Answ Here in Conclusion that he might cause the Reader to lose the â—atter in hand he runs all into a confusion and speaks nonsence endeavouring to make the Reader believe that it is his Adversary that speaks it Whoever said imaginations were the Subjects of true Righteousness Our Souls I said were the Subjects of Faith and Love wherein this Righteousness consisted I do not say Faith which thou callest Imagination was the Subject of it but it was part of inherent Righteousness He proceedeth And not the Gifts c. Here John thou wouldest have the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit be the Subjects of true Righteousness viz. Inherent for that thou art treating of which doth consist in Graces and Vertues c. i. e. Righteousness is the Subject of it self but this is like you The sum in
because by obedience to it 〈◊〉 may be delivered from some sin And he is ready to say This is 〈◊〉 that loved me before I loved him Thus misapprehending those 〈◊〉 words in the Scriptures which are to be understood of the Perâ—â— of Christ as a Saviour and a Redeemer As that viz. Walk in the â—ight as he is in the Light and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth 〈◊〉 all Sin And ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make ye 〈◊〉 And many more which might be reckoned up are all falsly apâ—yed to the Light within and the power that doth accompany it 〈◊〉 so according to the Quaker the Saviour the Redeemer the Blood which â—lâ—anseth are all within changing renewing quickning bringing 〈◊〉 perfection Without which they say There is no Salvation so that 〈◊〉 directly runs to the Tenet of those mentioned Acts 15.1 and in the Epistle to the Galatians who said they must be Circumcised and keep the Law of Moses without which they could not be saved 〈◊〉 the contest was about Circumcision yet the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 something more than Circumcision this likewise viz. Thou shal◠〈◊〉 the Lord thy God with all thy Heart Soul and Strength and thy 〈◊〉 bour as thy self Which no Man since the Fall was ever 〈…〉 Christ excepted as appeareth Acts 15.10 the Law is called 〈◊〉 which neither we nor our Fathers were able to bear And who were 〈◊〉 Fathers but Abraham Isaac and Jacob which were saved by 〈◊〉 and not by Works Rom. 4.1 2 3. But thou sayest Baily that Moses was a leading-Quaker when trembled at Mount Sinai at the terrible appearance of the Lord in 〈◊〉 the Law Declaring that we are under the dispensation of the Coveâ—â—â— Works But was Moses saved by that terrible Appearance No 〈◊〉 looked unto Christ to come in the flesh For he had Faith it's 〈◊〉 received not the promise Heb. 11.39 i. e. They lived not in this 〈◊〉 to see the accomplishment of the Promise of Christ to come in the 〈◊〉 Wherefore it appears that ye believe that the Blood Saviour Redâ—â—â— are within That Person that was put to death at Jerusalem raised 〈◊〉 Life again whom God hath Exalted Acts 5.30 31. Which is 〈◊〉 born of Mary for the Godhead could not dy and rise again 〈◊〉 he Exalted but the Manhood And not only this Person but 〈◊〉 wise Reconciliation in that Body of his Flesh the Peace through 〈◊〉 Blood of his Cross are little worth with you Quakers And so 〈◊〉 wel Gospel But the Light the Life the Power within as you 〈◊〉 it is all your Justifying Righteousness And so the Law with 〈◊〉 become the Gospel and the Gospel the Law Moses Christ and 〈◊〉 Moses Thus the poor Soul is shut up in Prison to work for Liâ—â— Salvation as I have said according to the Quakers Doctrine 〈◊〉 there is an end of Christ and the Gospel Not that I deny good 〈◊〉 in their place So that your Condition and State which I was once in may 〈◊〉 be compared to Bondage The Lord be merciful to you Furthermore Thou sayest Baily that in my asserting the Light 〈◊〉 which I was convinced of sin and by obedience there unto thoughâ— should be brought into the Image of Christ and in that Righteoâ—ness be accepted with God and delivered from Wrath to come 〈◊〉 to be the Light of the Spirit But only the same Light by which 〈◊〉 Heathens did by Nature things contained in the Law That I am 〈◊〉 a denyer of the Scripture which Scriptures thou sayest are John 〈◊〉 and again in Tit. 2.11.9 p. 29. of thy Book Both which places 〈…〉 〈◊〉 you told me were spoken of Christ he being called in one place 〈◊〉 in another Grace 〈…〉 that lighteth every Man and appeareth unto all Men is 〈…〉 the same according to you 〈◊〉 speak a little to the first Scripture 〈…〉 thou art out for I deny not the Scripture but your sence 〈◊〉 â—â—â—uing of the Scripture And I have good ground to judg and 〈◊〉 that thou mayest with thy friends corrupt the right meaning the Scripture for your own ends as thou hast our words and Wriâ—â— notwithstanding your pure Light For in saying W. Haworth 〈◊〉 the Deity and Godhead which the Barbarous people saw by when apprehended Paul to be a Murderer in pag. 29. and saith I have â—â—â—dicted my Companion Which is a Lye with which you have 〈◊〉 the heap of Confusion For W. H. doth not say By the 〈◊〉 but In the Deity they saw it As I by my eye see a Glory in the 〈◊〉 But the Glory of the Sun is not therefore my eye by which I 〈◊〉 God hath placed an understanding faculty in the Soul of Man 〈◊〉 he comes to know something of God It doth not follow â—â—â—upon that this faculty is God 〈◊〉 thou abusest our Words in affirming the Faith that justifieth 〈◊〉 wrought out by a person wholly without Man as in pag. 35. gâ—â—â—â— to make people apprehend that we say Faith is without as well 〈◊〉 Person Jesus Christ When as I said in pag. 19. speaking of imâ—â— Righteousness It was manifested to me in the Spirit working 〈◊〉 in me So here is a plain wrong done us yet we say that Faith 〈◊〉 the matter of Justification think of us as thou wilt but the Instruâ—â—â— which we lay hold of the Matter of Justification viz. the â—â—â—â—nal Righteousness of Jesus Christ This Faith God worketh in his 〈◊〉 by his Spirit according as it is written He shall testifie of me 〈◊〉 15.16 In pag. 51. S. Crisp saith I have cast of Christs Yoke and Burden 〈◊〉 â—ot to Sieal tell lies speak evil words c. and cautioneth the 〈◊〉 therefore to take heed of me pag. 50. Whereas I said in pag. 〈◊〉 the little Book that I ought to lead a good Conversation 1. For 〈◊〉 of God 2. To manifest my Love to Jesus Christ 3. To Conâ—â—â— the World of Sin c. Pag. 16. Faith is the Spring from whence true christian-Christian-works do 〈◊〉 Pag 19. This Faith ingageth to Love the Lord. Pag. 20. Holding Faith in a pure Conscience hoping to be found 〈◊〉 my self Thus you abuse us turning our words to your sence and meaning because we will not admit of those Works wrought in us by the Spirit to come in to Justification But dare say so to do is no other but 〈◊〉 destroying of the Gospel 〈◊〉 a despising of Christ and making Man service his Saviour Therefore you would make the people believe thaâ— we are against good-works and Sanctification Surely in this Censure you pass you did not obey your Light 〈◊〉 else your Light cannot inform you aright which sheweth it to be impure and unsound But to the Scripture thou mentionest John 1.9 That was the true Light which Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World 1. As to that Phrase True Light I believe it was Jesus Christ 〈◊〉 of the Virgin Mary God and Man united in One. As
Isaiah and he did affirm it likewise I can truly say so much ignorance and confidence did I find amongst this people there and so much errour and darkness and withal so much of a worldly Spirit in their Converse together that had I had stronger inclinations to them than thou thinkest I had I should have been alienated and at a greater distance from them my soul was grieved many a time by hearing what I did and I call the Lord to witness that I wrong them not but speak the Truth Since this J. Bolton made a disturbance in our Meeting and discoursing with him in the hearing of many he questioned my attributing an humane Nature to Christ be there would grant Christ to appear in a Body and that was all he would not answer to me asking him whether that Body of his taking hold of his hand rose again Lately from Green a Teacher among you I could have no answer where be believed the Man Christ was More lately in discourse with some That it was the Light within that was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem That the Mediator was in Heaven but that Heaven was any where out of him where the Mediator was I could not get him to Answer this was Thomas Prior of Stanstead and his Wife would not tell me whether she worshipped Christ within or Christ without I call to mind the Original of this people in the North I have been told by some that have seen them that they were extraordinarily acted by a Spirit being some of them thrown down upon the ground in foamings and tremblings and then would speak something in a strange way I have been told by one that was in the Room at Cambridge at the first Rise of them how in a Chamber where he was every thing in the Room Table Bedstead Stools c. and every person there being many trembled and shook himself excepted I my self did see Ann Blackling acted more than ordinarlily who now is no Quaker as I suppose thou knowest Now be not angry if for my own souls sake I enquire whether this Spirit be the same Spirit wherewith all the Holy Men of God were acted the Spirit of Jesus Christ the son that is in all Christ's people and how should I know but by examining the fruits of it I can never forget James Naylor whom I saw suffer and what was the fruit of that Spirit by which he was acted was he not strangely lifted up in Pride to make himself the Messiah and take divine worship to himself John Bolton told me that he stood by and saw three Women one after another fall down and worship him and one of them in her Bowings had these words viz. thy Name is no more James but I am And James Naylor told John Bolton that if he worshipped his Body he should refuse it but if that within he would accept it now by what Spirit was this Man acted Likewise I have called to mind all those extravagant things that some of you have been put upon contrary to all the Light of Reason and Nature beyond all the bounds of Civility and Modesty viz. the besmearing your naked Bodies with Dung and in that manner going naked into the Christian Assemblies how some of you have been put upon Voiages beyond Sea to Preach as I have heard and yet have been cut off by Death before you have come there But it is more than all this to me that this Spirit hath carried you forth most especially in Reviling and opposing the best people in the World the Godly in this Nation and the faithful Ministers of the Gospel and what Truth is there that you in your Writings and Preachings have not opposed at times of which our Brethren have given a late faithful account out of your own Brethrens Writings Now John blame me not if I have been wary and watchful least I should be possessed by a Spirit that leads to such things as these there is nothing more plain to me than this that immediately upon the entrance into your way there is in your Proselytes not such an attending to vocal Prayer as before nor such a diligent search of the Holy Scriptures nor such high thoughts of the person of Jesus and mighty slighting thought of his Gospel-Institutions viz. the Supper of the Lord c. By what thou sayest unto me in this Epistle that thou wonderest at the Fruit brought forth after such exercises of Spirit and such travels as thou hast seen me in I can collect nothing but this viz. that there is not one truly converted and born again but every one miscarrieth in this work and it proves abortive in case it doth not end in Quakerism a harsh censure John The Law in the hand of the Spirit hath been at work in my Soul and I have known the killing power of it it hath slain me but is there no life unless I turn Quaker nor any deliverance but a conclusion that I have licked my self whole by some proud and ungrounded presumption is not this enough John that by the Spirit of Bondage sin hath been made bitter to me and thereupon Christ precious And whereas thou speakest of flying I have fled for refuge to the Hope set before me and that Spirit of burning that was in me hath consumed in some measure those proud Pharisaical self conceited thoughts that I had of my own Righteousness This being a great work that the Lord hath to do in the Souls of his people which I presume if thou hadst known thou wouldst not have been a Patron for it and endeavour to make it stand which thy Brother Bayly fairly owns pag. 37. In the Epistle thou apprehendest it was with me as with Demas that imbraced this present World and fell in with those large preferments that are to be reaped amongst my Non-Conforming Brethren in the Ministry This it was that allured me to stay otherwise I had turned Quaker thou thinkest I thank thee for thy Charity still Love thinketh no evil Dost thou think it might not have fared better with me as to outward maintainâ—â—ce if I had conformed why did I not chuse that Why John shouldst thoâ— be angry that my Family hath a little dayly Bread I have had it from your Brethren viz. That we may have the milk of the Flock why John did not some of you roundly tempt me as some Quakers did a sick-Maid not long since promising her she should be taken care of if she would become one of them and be against all others I know your care for your Proselytes this way hath been very much And whereas thou sayest that I once spake so respectfully of the Light and Spirit within I do so still both publickly and privately and God forbid I should be an opposer of it or an Enemy to it Let my Tongue first cleave to the Roof of my Mouth let me first be dumb and never speak any more but the Lord hath learned me to
distinguish of things not to confound them as thou dost which shall be more plainly shewn thee in the Answer which follows I Believe and speak that Light which every Child of wrath hath as he cometh into this world is not the Spirit as he is spoke of in the New Testament the Spirit of Regeneration Adoption the Spirit of the Son nay whatever thou wilt call it it is but Flesh whatsoever is born of the Flesh i.e. what ever Man is in his first-Birth he is but Flesh John 3. and in the 1 Pet. 1. All Flesh is Grass all called Flesh till the New-Birth of the incorruptible Seed which every Man hath not yet I have given and will give this Light its due and say it is from Christ he is the Author of it that gave Man his Rational Soul and created all Lights and had not the Lord preserved this Light Mankind had not been the Species would have been extinct and we like bruits and hereby is Man made fit for humane Society and Common-Wealths and through the restraining-Grace of God joined with this for I attribute it to that indeed chiefly as in the case of Abimelech Gen. 20. I kept thee c. else the Light within would not have done it Man is preserved from many gross outward evils One can distinguish between many things that are good and evil by this Light but to say as thou and others do that it is the Spirit Christ Regenerating Grace God as thou dost in thy words in this Epistle as I understand it let others judg of it calleth it the Son of God King of Zion applying that of the second Psalm to this Light therefore it is the Rule the Life the Blood the Principle such horrid Blasphemies as these dethroning Christ's person turning the God-Man into the Reason Conscience or Soul of Man making them all one and God the Spirit the same with this which is in every Murtherer Robber was in them Job 21. goes with the damned to Hell remains with them there Hear ye Heavens and give ear O Earth and be horribly ashamed of such Tenents as these my Soul through the Grace of God utterly abhors and detests them and I am and will be a professed Enemy to them as long as I have being in this world and doubts not in the least but Christ will stand by me in this his cause Oh how doth this puff up poor proud fallen Man that there is something left in him yet that will restore him when all the Light he had before could not preserve him from falling This thou hast heard at least was the old rotten gangrene of the Pelagians pleading for Nature O cease John cease perverting the right ways of God pleading for Nature in opposition to the Grace of God As for the Bands which thou mentionest of Christ the Son spoken of in the second Psalm and for his cords they are welcome to me I embrace them and it is my Liberty to be his Captive and Prisoner It 's freedom from my lusts I have found it so and do But no false Prophets as thou and others while you maintain these Doctrines shall ever bring me into bondage again to the cursing Law and the works of it looking for Life that way Yet do I wholly stoop to this King of Zion Jesus Christ as my Lord as he that hath subdued all my Enemies virtually already and will actually in time which I wait for and hath given out Rules how he will be served and worshipped which according to my Light I desire to be found in desiring this glorious King by the power of his Spirit to subdue all evil in my Soul But let me entreat thee John to use plain words when thou speakest of the works of God in the heart of Man by the Spirit at least say no more than what is said of it in the Holy Scriptures and do not use to strain Scripture and wrest it from its proper literal meaning when there is no need so to do but the doing of it takes off from the Glory of it and the Authority of the Truth contained in it Here thou turnest that great Scripture in Zachary into an Allegory which is a Prophecy of the Messias coming for the comfort of his people and was fulfilled in the Letter which was very glorious and bespake him to be the true Messias the ground of all Comfort to his people and he came in this low and mean way to shew his contempt of the World who could have commanded all the Glory of the Creation to attend him in this Triumph and State and yet this he did to shew forth something of his Authority and Majesty being really a King Now John why wilt thou go this way to work to use these uncouth Allegories is it not for want of plain and substantial knowledge in the Scriptures Dost thou not know what mischief this way of speaking hath done The evil one hath made use of this way in the World in false Teachers to take off from the Authority of the Scriptures I pray God this be not your intent in going this way if many senses of the Scripture then no one sence is certain for I have heard thee my self say this viz. He brought his Son out of Egypt i.e. out of the Egyptian darkness of our hearts Why doth not this take off from the History as if that were nothing as if such a thing had never been the Man Christ brought from that Country so called really and truely but as if this was the great intendment of the Holy-Ghost in it as to the work of God upon Mans heart now this was gross thick darkness such as might be felt why then surely there is no Light before Christ be brought forth and yet you call the Light Christ John it savours not right to say God brought his Son out of Egyptian darkness That work of the Spirit in our hearts is not God's Son and to say God's Son is brought out of darkness Egyptian darkness who was with God from Eternity and was God and was Light the Light of the world as Mediator and so the Author of all saving Light it is absurd But this is not so bad as that which thou spakest in Sarah Whites Chamber in London in my hearing and the hearing of others of my friends viz. the only begotten Son begotten in us Now John whereas thou chargest me with Blasphemy which shall be examined who now is guilty thou blushest surely to think on it you often speak of my tenderness how hard are your hearts that you can hear and speak such things as these and no shame upon you whereas at that time I was so tender that I could not but interrupt you by my Friend Oh! John how hath thy Pride and Itch to be a Teacher of Allegorical Mysteries Transported thee to be accounted a profound Doctor Some things thou spakest there that were true but Oh what a deadly poyson didst thoâ— throw presently
into the Pot What the Son only Son begotten Son begotten within us them 〈◊〉 he have a beginning and original and so many as there are works of Sanctification and the Spirit must be the Father which proceeded from the Father and the Son according to the Scriptures Now John who is the Blaspâ—emer Repent for this I Beseech thee that it may be forgiven thee Another was Bebeaded for the Testimony of Jesus i. e. said'st thou to part with all Carnal Wisdom and Reasonings that is beheading Now who would not think John but that thou art beheaded And yet thou hast lost all thy uâ—derstanding and judgment thus to abuse the Scriptures Like unto thiâ— is thy applying this in Zachary to the work of the Lord in my Conscience I would not submit thou sayest tâ— the King of Zion but would be saved without having him Rule in and over me that came meek and low Riding on that Wild Asses Colt on which Man never Rode now I suppose that thou meanest by Christ's Riding on the Asses Colâ— subduing that Wildness thaâ— was in me that no humaâ—e power could do now it would be very difficult for thee to hold on the Allegory and tell us if the wild Nature 〈…〉 was the Asses Colt what was the Ass that this was the Fole of for 〈◊〉 are mentioned in Matthew What was the Village from whence this 〈◊〉 came and what is to be denoted by the owner what were those Cloths that were spread upon the Asses and in the way and what those Branches and what by those that cryed Hosanna what those Stoâ—es thaâ— would cry buâ— in ease the Disciples had held their tongâ—e and what that Jerusalem 〈…〉 which Christ Rode All these must be distinct things in Man I will give thee a taste of this way of Allegorizing the Scripture from 〈◊〉 Author that writ against thy Brethren Crellius and Sâ—cinus who 〈◊〉 wont thus to interpret Scripture see hereby how easie it is to the meak 〈◊〉 taking how dangerous When Moses delivers to us the History of Creation why may we not understand In the beginning for the beginning of the Mosaical Dispensation God Created the Heavens and the Earth i. e. erected the Jewish Polity by new Heavens and new Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness c. spoke of in the Epistle of Peter is meant a new State of things under the Gospel And the Earth was without Form and void and Darkness was upon the face of the Deep i. e. The World was in a State of Darkness and Ignorance before the Law of Moses v. 3. God said â—et there be Light and v. 5. And God called the Light Day this was the first tendencies to the Doctrine of Moses v. 16. God made two great Lights the greater Light to Rule the Day the lesser 〈◊〉 the Night i.e. This Law which at first was divided and scattered was united afterwards in one great Body of Laws which was called the Sun because it was the great director of the Jewish Natioâ— and therefore said to rule the Day that people that had Light the less considerable Laws of other Nations are the Moon to govern those that were yet under the Night of ignorance v. 6. God said let there be a Firmament in the midst of the Waters i. e. The Jewish State was to be erected in the midst of a great deal of trouble Waters are often taken for troubles and afflictions v. 9. Let dry Land appear the Waters being gathered together i.e. The Jewish State was to be setled after all these troubles but more particularly this was to done after the passage through the Sea v. 12. And the Earth brought forth Grass and herbs c. i. e. There was a great increase of the people some of the meaner sort those are called Herbs and Fruits But v. 24. The Earth brought forth the Living-Creature i. e. These were an higher sort and Rank of people that were to live upon the other and trample upon them that there were several days in the Creation of making things one after another which denoteth that the increase of the Church was not all at once but by Steps and degrees By Gods making the Man and the Woman and then placing them in Paradise is meant the flourishing of the Jewish State and Church after all this and an enjoying rest and pleasure The Church in the Reâ—â—lation is set forth by a Woman and a perfect Man signifieth an high degree of perfection so it is the Church of the Jews being brought up to an high degree of perfection There was a forbidden Tree that was not to be â—aten of i. e. The customs of other Nations their eating was the Jewish Church falling into those Customs Their being turned out of Paradise was the loss of their own Country the Curse was the loss of their settlement and State and being in slavery and captivity to other Nations This may help thee as a pattern to turn this and other Scriptures into an 〈◊〉 or Metaphor applying them to the Light within and your Quakers as this to the Law of Moses and the Jews which is already your way if you could but hit thus happily upon it Thou speakest of thy tenderness to me in the conference Apostle-like now 〈◊〉 comes with a Rod well I must be thankful to thee that thou didst not 〈◊〉 Chastise me then Thou hadst I perceive an high Spirit of discerning in thee and I know thou sayest the good and honesty in thee answered to my Love c. Thy Love must either be very little and so the good and honesty very little that answered or else it was not good and honesty of the right kind or else thy discerning eyes very dim if thou hadst not quite lost the faculty for in two days time all this good and honesty was gone See what thou sayest viz. Vntil the next discourse which was within two days then nothing but heat and passion and eying reputation this is like thy Brother J. Bolton in London that told me that I had a double portion of the Light a fortnight after comes to Hartford and tells me when I opposed his Errorâ— that I had not one dram of the Spirit Such is thy discerning Faculty and I thank thee in the close now that thou hast reckoned me up among the wicked ones in the latter days in Daniel spoke of viz. to grow worse and worse and how proves thou it Because of my opposition to the Quakers and likewise my deportment shews it having turned my wonted Gravity into a Light Vain c. Lofty Confident and Presumptuous Carriage Had I been told so much by my Christian Friends whom I converse with it had concerned me much whom I have asked since this Epistle came forth whether such a carriage is used by me and I do still appeal to them and aâ— willing to fall under any just reproof for this thing A Vain Light Lofty Presumptuous Carriage being unbecoming the Ministry But surely thou
Ainsworth the corrupt Doctrines of the Jews Now Josephus will tell thee that the Fruit which grew in the place where Sodom and Gomorrah stood was always Bitter and of a Poysonous Nature nay the Grapes and Apples there were so Rotten that if touched they would fall into Dust and Ashes that were fair to the Eye But you delight in such Childish quibbles J. C. pag. 16. Thy following words taste of the same Leaven like those Pharisees that said Christ was a Sinner when he had opened the blind Mans Eyes Let God have the Glory so sayest thou let Christ have the Glory for bringing this young Man amongst you Answ How wide art thou in applying this of the Pharisees the Pharisees did think Christ was a sinner we Believe he is the Holy and just One a Lamb without spot harmless and undefiled such an High-Priest became us to have They did not Believe that Christ was God therefore would not give the Glory to him We Believe according to the Scriptures that he is and was over all God blessed for ever Rom. 9. and therefore we give the Glory of all his works and of this work of his upon the young Mans heart in opening the Eyes of his mind to see the glorious Gospel and discern your delusion who was in his first Birth Spiritually-blind Thou and thy Brethren are worse than the Pharisees they acknowledged matter of fact but you deny this young Mans Eyes to have been opened when-as the most inlightened Servants of Christ whos 's same is in all the Churches of the Saints have owned it as an eminent work of the Spirit giving thanks to Christ for it J. C. pag. 5. Again thy words None of those that went out from you were properly of you had Received the Gospel which you Believe No it is not possible for any to receive it truely and forsake it What that Gospel is which you Believe it concerns you to search that it be not another Gospel Gal. 16. than the Apostles Preached Answ It doth highly concern us I grant for we are saved by the Gospel Therefore we have searched the Scripture which you despise and say is not the Rule Where do you search for the Gospel You enquire of the Light within as of the Oracle Therefore that Gospel which we Believe is not another but the same with that which the Apostles Preached We are Built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles Christ himself not the Light within being the chief Corner-Stone Ephes 2.20 The Gospel which we Believe is that Good Ancient Everlasting-Gospel which was revealed to Adam fallen and in vain was that Revelation if the Light within would have shewn it viz. The seed of the Woman shall break the Serpents bead The Light within cannot be said to be the Seed of the Woman When the Woman that is not to Prophecy in the Church according to your interpretation is the Carnal part but it is Christ that in the fulness of time was made of a Woman Gal. 4. Again it is that Gospel that was Preached to Abraham viz. In thy Seed shall all the Nations viz. Jews as well as Gentiles of the Earth be blessed Which Seed the same Apostle in the same Epistle saith is Christ's Person This Gospel is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets and the sum of it is in Rom. 1.1 separate unto the Gospel of Christ v. 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the Seed of David according to the Flesh This is more than to appear in a Body according to J Bolton's Faith and declared to be the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead in Cor. 1.15 I declare unto you the Gospel which I preached unto you c. v. 3. how that Christ died for our Sins according to the Scriptures v. 4. And that he was Buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures This is the Gospel and we confessing with the mouth this Jesus Christ and Believing with our hearts that God hath raised him from the dead shall be saved Rom. 10.7 For he was delivered i. e. to death for our offences and was raised up again for our justification Rom. 4.25 J. C. For there were those that perverted the true Gospel and turned it upside down and wrested their sayings to their own destruction and others departed from the Faith which Paul Exhorts Timothy to hold fast 1 Tim. 1.19 Answ It 's very true there were such in the Apostles times and they were those that made themselves equal to the Apostles they transformed themselves into the Apostles of Christ and said Paul was but Carnal walked after the Flesh and do not you pretend to an infallible Spirit equal to the Apostolical Spirit And have not you cryed down all sorts of Ministers besides your selves Now what was that perverting the true Gospel in the Galatians but joyning something to Christ in Justification viz. Circumcision whereby they would make every one a debtor to the whole Law that they must keep it to perfection which whether it be not the same thing that thou art pleading for shall be tryed as we go on Only herein these false Apostles were not so much to be blamed as you we read not that they deserted the person of Christ but you have run up and down the Nation with this viz. That the Light in every Man was Christ from that Text John 1. This was the Light c. J. C. That others departed from that Faith which Paul Exhorts Timothy to hold fast Answ Now John what is Paul's Exhortation to Thee Whenas thy Brother Bayly pag. 35. in a derision saith the Scripture which you call your Rule is not your Rule what matters it what Faith you are Exhorted to thereby why do you thus make use of it But let us see what Faith it was that these departed from in I Tim. 1.19 See that v. 20. mention is made of Hymeneus and Alexander Now in the 2 Epistle to Timothy Chap. 2.17 18. Hymeneus is named again and his Error particularly mentioned saying the Resurrection is past already v. 18. Hymeneus was for an Allegorical Resurrection within and now how often have I heard this that when I have spoke with your Friends concerning the Resurrection of the Body viz. That they witnessed the Resurrection They are for an Allegorical Resurrection This old musty Error of Hymeneus we all know you be guilty of Thou hadst better not named that Scripture Thou goest on J. C. pag. 5. And is not the Gospel the power of God Rom. 1.16 and the being led away by sin and lust a departure from or a denyal of the power as 2 Pet. 3.17 where the Apostle exhorts the Beloved that knew the Truth of the Gospel to beware lest they also should be led away with the Error of the wicked Answ The Gospel is the Power of God to Salvation Christ who is the
ashamed I hope J. C. pag. 6. Thou sayest that thy dayly Prayers to Christ are that we all meaning thy Brethren in the Ministery may be made able Ministers of the New Testament and to this it is Answered Then it seems you are not yet so by your own Confession therefore be silent till you are made so Answ Yea and I continue my Prayers for my self and Brethren in this manner yet this doth not follow that there is no ability already to Preach the Gospel John 17.17 Christ prays sanctifie them through thy Word by this way of reasoning it would follow that then these he prays for were not sanctified at all yet in v. 6. he saith he had manifested his Name unto them And v. 8. That they had received his words and in v. 20. That they did Believe not for these alone but for them that shall Believe It is evident that it was for more degrees of Sanctification and a continuance of it so then here when I pray that we may be made able c. it 's for a continuance of that Ability that we have already and further degrees thereof Paul intreats the Colossians Chapt. 4. v. 3. that they would pray for the Apostles that God would open unto them a Door of utterance to speak the Mysterie therefore according to thy Logick they had no faculty for that Work Ephes 1. the Apostle prays that God would give unto them the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation Therefore though Saints and faithful ones in Christ they had none of the Spirit How wouldst thou have me pray if not thus wouldest thou have me pray that we should be made weak Ministers of the Old Covenant of Works J. C. Pag. 7. Thou sayest thou hast but Law and Gospel to Preach Where in all the New Testament dost thou find the Apostles preaching the 〈◊〉 and saying they were sent to Preach the Law but a Dispensation of the Gospel was committed unto them and they were made able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter or Law but of the Spirit Answ It follows in the Epistle which thou mightest have writ the Law for the knowledg of Sin and might have understood by that and what follows that we Preach the Law in order to the Gospel to prepare the Spirit of Man by convincing of Sin and so humbling the Soul to a welcome reception of the Grace of the Gospel the Soul being weary and heavy laden seeing its weakness to keep the Law flies to Christ for Rest and laying hold of the free Remission of sins by the Blood of Christ so that when thou enquirest Where in all the New Testament do I find the Apostles Preaching the Law thou hadst forgot a passage when but three pages lower These are thy words 〈◊〉 And as for the Moral Law Christ is so far from repealing it that in Matthâ— he binds it faster and closer to his Disciples How now John is Christ and the Apostles Ministry in a different way Method and tendency and dost thou not here say the Apostles Preached not the Law in all the New Testament and yet the Apostle of our profession Christ himself Heb. 3.1 preacheth the Law and the Moral Law and to his Disciples and binds it faster than Moses to be kept for Life thou meanest surely of which afterwards But again do not the Apostles in several places speak of the Law explaining the nature use of it Rom. 3. That by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin in the Corinthians the Letter killeth in Galatians how it was added because of Transgression how it is a Schoolmaster to Christ in Timothy how it is not for the Righteous in the Hebrews how frequently is the Law spoke of now is not this Preaching the Law 〈◊〉 grant that the main work was to preach the Gospel they but Preach the Law in subserviency to the Gospel Thus they were Ministers 〈◊〉 of the Letter only for this doth but kill but of the Spirit the Gospel by the dispensation of which the Spirit of Adoption is communicated But Christ wounds as well as heals he kills as well as makes alive The one he doth by the Preaching of the Law the other by the Gospel The Spirit of Bondage accompanies one the Spirit of Adoption the other J. C. ibid. But why dost thou divide betwixt Law and Gospel 〈◊〉 they were not one in the End and Nature saying the one is for the conviction of sin and yet thou callest it Spiritual Answ How this agreeth with the former that in all the New Testament the Apostles Preached not the Law but the Gospel and here they are not thou sayest to be divided but are one in the End and Nature is not this a Contradiction Why then the Apostles when they Preached the Gospel Preached the Law And why shouldest thou quarrel with 〈◊〉 for saying we have the Law to Preach for the Law and the Gospel are one in the End and Nature Why then when the Apostle Paul said we are able Ministers not of the Letter or Law which thou addest above i. e. not of the Gospel or Spirit for the Law and Gospel are all one in their Nature it will cost thee some Sweat to untie this Knot What strange Divinity is this But when the Lord hath infatuated and left 〈◊〉 through Pride to delusion what will they not speak Law and Gospel are one in the End and Nature then are Moses and Christ one yet 〈…〉 came by Moses but Grace and Truth by Jesus Christ then Haâ— Sarah are one Ishmael and Isaac one Jerusalem beneath and that above one Thou hast brought Heaven and Earth together Gal. 〈◊〉 there the Apostle makes them distinct then the Covenants are one and the same Heb. 8. one made with the People when he brought them out of Egypt and that afterwards spoke of in Jeremiah then no difference betwixt Mount Zion and Mount Sinai they are come toâ—â—â—â—â— Thou John canst remove Mountains they are now both one In the Galatians The Covenant and Promise the Apostle saith was 430 years before the Law but John Crook saith the Apostle was out in his Chronology for they were both delivered at once for the Law and Gospel are one the Spirit and Letter are all one that which was Engraven in Stones and that work of God on the heart by the Gospel This is like the Divinity that you may hear from Quakers when you have discoursed them a little which I have seen in Jacob Behmen All things are but one so here Light Spirit Word and Gospel Heaven and Earth and Sea all but one The Creation is God and God is nothing but Creation what we do he doth O Confusion what 〈◊〉 this to but Rantism indeed and Atheism yet hitherto tends this admitting of no distinction of Law and Gospel But let us proceed 〈…〉 were not one in their End and Nature thou sayest John the Nature of the Law is by the Apostle described in 2 Cor. 3.6 the
shall find wrath in his Conscience if his judgment be not intoxicated with error as thine is I perceive this by what thoâ— sayest here that thou hast but tasted very scantly of the wrath of God in thy Conscience otherwise thou wouldest not have such slighting thoughts of it as to apprehend it to be atoned any other way than by Christ's bearing it who sweat drops of Blood under it and thy unacquaintedness with the Nature of Faith in that thou callest it an easie way Ah John what meanest thou to turn the scoffer like Julian do the Saints find it an easie way who are crying out daily Lord help or unbelief but it is such an easie way that you poor Creatures have not hit of it nay you will fully despise and scorn it I doubt Ah J. C. here thou stumblest at the Cross of Christ and art leavened in thy mind with Hellish Socinianism the dirt will out at length John here thou art plainly ashamed of the Cross of Christ dares not own that the wrath of God was upon Christ Oh Repent John of the thoughts of thy heart and let that Scripture convince thee Gal. 3. He was made a Curse for us c. whatever thou dost pretend afterwards in thy Lines concerning Christ's sufferings the enlightned Reader will know by this that it 's but to blind the People In the last place thou sayest in the same Paragraph by a bare Belief of it wholly without that which thou calledst before an Imagining here thou callest Belief and 〈◊〉 Belief what wouldest thou John have more than Faith here thou discoverest thy self to be a Papist Oh what a bundle of Rottenâ—â—â—â— is Quakerism thou wouldest have Works to justifie us Faith only if not sufficient against which error the Protestants thou knowest have â—â—â—â—â—nded Rom. 4. He that worketh not but Believeth there is Faith only 〈◊〉 Belief John what sayest thou to that though that Faith that is justifying will work by Love yet it receives no efficacie from its being accompanied with Works as to our Justification but from the Object without how sad is it that every Truth must be struck at by a 〈◊〉 sort of Papists J. C. Here we differ in our account I say according to Dan. 9.24 â—king of Christ pag. 16 to finish Transgression and to make an end 〈◊〉 sin and to make Reconciliation for Iniquity and to bring in everlasting Righteousness c. I know and believe Salvation by the imputed 〈◊〉 and real everlasting Righteousness of Jesus Christ brought 〈◊〉 Answ Enough if thou wast but real in thy expressions let us turn 〈◊〉 on every side it is likely the cheat may be found out if thou art 〈◊〉 what then means thy arguing against my asserting Imputation and taking up most of my Arguments for it pretending to Answer them what a Knave is he that will pretend kindness to my dear Friend whom I love and profess friendship to him and in the mean-while go about to wound him and stab him to the heart if thou art real in this for Imputed Righteousness when I charged Penn for calling it a Doctrine of Devils why didst thou instead of bearing thy Testimonie against him call upon me to Answer his Arguments for 〈◊〉 if thou be for it why dost thou not Preach it and thy Brethren 〈◊〉 are contradicting it in all your Meetings there is no end of thy dissembling it is a professed Trade thou drives as the Mountebancks up and down the Country But proceed we what may we understand by this word Imputed which he acknowledgeth Why one of your Gang can tell us James Naylor Love to the Lost pag. 7. and with him his Righteousness is freely imputed or put into the Creature so now we have his sence Imputed Righteousness is Righteousness put into the Creature 1. That spotless Manhood of Christ 2. His active Obedience all the holy Actions of his Life 3. All the Sufferings of Christ for herein we say by the Righteousness of Christ All these are put into every Quaker and so in this sence not imputing Trespasses is God's not putting them into us I cannot omit another Testimonie from another Doctor of them Smith Cat. pag. 64. and 12. We believe that Christ in us doth offer 〈◊〉 himself a Living Sacrifice to God for us by which the Wrath and Justice of God is appeased towards us Salvation then by Imputed Righteousness you must understand Christ offering up of himself in us in the Quakers sence and so appeasing Gods Wrath. The other word Reckoned is not thus that what Christ as a Surety hath paid down for me in his Obedience is accounted as if I had paid it as we say and that truly but according to the other it must be as mony in a Man 's own purse there told and reckoned which he hath to pay to God at any time when he demands not needing any to pay it for him Real thou 〈◊〉 as if there was no reality in the Act of God reckoning and imputing Righteousness but by this and by the other thou understandest in opposition to the Faith of God's Elect which thou callest Imagination 〈◊〉 it is something more and better than what is received by Faith that is not to thee a Real Righteousness The other word is brought nigh well then it is too far off thee if thou have it no other way than by Faith I had thought that Faith had been the substance of things hoped for that by Faith Christ dwelt in our hearts and that there had been a reality in God's Acts of imputing that what God Reckoned to Abraham had been very Real for he was really saved Thou mistrusted God John But the sum of all is this viz. The Light within Obedience to that is this imputed reckoned real Righteousness of Christ For the Light is Christ Remember Fox the younger's Testimony before he speaks of the Light what it would do if obeyed I will forgive all their Iniquities c. and hear the Old Fox Bark Christ being within there is justification Mystery pag. 49. J. C. pag. ibid. Which in the fulness of Time was manifest in and 〈◊〉 him and in due time was really made mine by the Work and Application 〈…〉 Spirit in my inward parts Answ This is true plainly understood as spoken But if a Man be caught stealing and cheating once or twice he is greatly suspected when ever he is dealt with We have thee tardy John frequently and now no trusting of thee Thou only steals the good and wholsom words that have been used by us that thou mayest make thy putrid errors go off the better Thou hast learned to dress that Strumpet Quakerism up in a more modest sober attire than thy Brethren that so she may be taken for a chast Matron Now let me explain what we understand by this viz. That Righteousness that was manifest in Christ and by Christ in the fulness of Time it was that which I have already distanced in viz. 1.
And Secondly because it is really in our minds and therefore ours Answ If thou look into the Epistle again thou mayest see thy mistake I give the Reasons why the Gifts and Vertues that Gods Spirit works in us are our Righteousness in contradistinction to the Righteousness of Christ wherby we are justified and the first Reason is because the Scripture calls Faith our Faith c. 2. Our Souls are the Subjects of this Righteousness it is really in our Minds now why dost thou make of thy own head this last Clause another distinct Reason when-as it is but the same in other words to explain the former Thou shouldest not wrong me in transcribing what I have writ But I attend thy motion Go on J. C. Parag. ibid. Yet thou sayest in this place Christ is really 〈◊〉 Righteousness Jehovah Tsidkenu What one while he is really Righteousness and another while not real but reckoned I would not wrong 〈◊〉 but thy words are plain Answ I suppose the Quakers will admire thee here as in all other of thy Cavils but what thou aimest at I know not well I suppose thy Invention here ran a Tilt and was low but I will adventure to reconcile the seeming Contradiction the Vertues and Gifts of the Spirit are really in our minds this is the Righteousness that Sanctifies Christ as the Branch and Jehovah with all he did and suffered personally is really our Righteousness for Justification and yet this Righteousness is a Reckoned Righteousness and imputed not inhering in us but very real still for there is a reality in God's Reckoning it to us and it is really ours as I said as if we had so done and suffered Some may busie themselves to find a Knot in a Bulrush J.C. pag. ibid. Thy calling William Penn a Novice manifests only Pride in thy self but it is no proof against him and the truly considerate will account thy charge upon him to belong to thy self till thou hast confuted his Arguments Answ The truly considerate weighing what there I charge him with will think it too little I charge him with this viz. That he 〈◊〉 the Doctrine of imputed Righteousness the Doctrine of Devils Now â— Novice is but one that hath been newly in the Faith and is pussed up But here he hath denied at once the Faith of all God's people in all Ages and maligned it making the glorious Doctrine of Christ to be Patronized by the Devil If Luther had lived and seen this he would have anathematized this Proud Man and thee John for thy thus questioning of it and nibbling at it But Remember Paul hath done it and it will stand upon Record against you viz. If any Man Evangelize otherwise than we have let him be accursed John who will think thee in earnest in thy seeming good words in owning this Doctrine as before and after when instead of bearing thy Witness against this Shuttle-Cock thou callest me to Answer his Musty Popish Arguments which which he hath penn'd against imputed Righteousness John they are all Answered already by those that the Lord raised up against Bellarmine the Jesuite and other Papists by Downham Ames c. Let the Reader call to mind before I leave this J. C's Profession viz. I Believe Salvation by the imputed Reckoned Righteousness c. But you will cease to Breath before you will cease Deceiving and yet here takes part with Penn's calling it a Doctrine of Devils J. C. Thou sayest If Jesus Christ had the guilt of sin really charged upon him what Dost thou suppose the Innocent Lamb of God to be really guilty of Sin What Blasphemy is this What really guilty of that which thy self saith he neither did nor had Yet thou bringest Scripture to prove it 2 Cor. 5. ult Answ This is an old Rotten cavil of the Quakers which I have heard often and of their Brethren the Socinians in their Books Christ was the Lamb of God I acknowledg not the Light within as Fox and others say that John pointed to the Light within when he said the Lamb of God c. and this Lamb of God was in his own Nature innocent without Spot Holy harmless and undefiled and thou sayest I write that he had no sin i. e. inherent as you see in the Epistle nor did any sin which is true Yet in my own words I dare say again that Christ had the guilt of sin really charged on him yet am I no Blasphemer no thou chargest Paul that saith in 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made sin to which thou answerest not a word if he had not sin on him God in Righteousness could not have punished this innocent Lamb But thou art ashamed I tell thâ—e of Christ's Cross this is foolishness to thee viz. Christ to be made sin J. C. pag. ibid. Thou useth many words to prove the imputation of Christ Righteousness to Man while in Sin and Rebellion against God Answ If thou cou'dst have found any words importing so much no question thou wouldest have repeated them over and over but there are none I am pleading that this Righteousness is imputed to Believers it is offered in the Preaching of it to poor sinners and if God gives Faith it will change their hearts we will grant that when God comes to justifie he finds all in sin ungodly Rom. 5. Rebels Enemies but he leaves them not so but gives strength to them not to trade in sin it hath not Dominion over them but we are not ignorant that by this Phrase viz. Our being in sin The Quaker understands sin being in us and so we still say that Christ's Righteousness is imputed to them that are in sin and Rebellion i. e. sin dwells in them otherwise no need of the imputation of the Righteousness of Christ And therefore these things are not contraries to have sin working in us and yet by Faith in Christ to be righteous and justified and at unity with God reconciled to him while that which is contrary to God dwells in 〈◊〉 being justified by Faith we have Peace with God Christ hath slain the Enmity and made us one with God in friendship with himself so that notwithstanding that Maxim of thine of contraries this is true That a sinner i. e. one that hath sin in him at the same time though sin in it self be contrary to the Nature of God and so impossible it should be in Unity with God may through Jesus Christ be justified and have Union with Christ J. C. Parag. ibid. Vain Man Doth not the Apostle James Chap. 2.20 say that Faith without works is dead Answ He doth so and we believe the Scriptures cannot be broken but are these two inconsistent viz. To have sin dwelling in us by which you understand Rebellion and being in sin see Mr. Faldoes Key and having Faith with good Works We say Faith is dead and so no Faith at all without Works but only so called But again May there not be a Living Faith and so Cloathed with
good Works and yet sin remain in a Person and that Person notwithstanding be at Peace with God Paul in Rom. 7. complains of sin yet saith there is no condemnation Rom. 8.1 But the plain English of this is none have any Faith nor good Works but are in sin and Rebellion against God but the Quakers that obey the Light as their Christ these only must be said to have Righteousness imputed i. e. Put into them J. C. Pag. 11. In the next place Thou bringest forth thy own strange â—â—nceivings about Mans own Righteousness thou sayest our own Righteousness consists in those Gifts and Vertues which the Spirit of God works in ouâ— minds and we express these outwardly in the Observation of the Moral-Law in our walkings among Men. This is such an heap of Confusion that I remember not the like Answ Let it be Fairly tryed J. C. pag ibid. The Scripture calls what is wrought by the Holy Spirit in us the Vertues of Christ 2 Pet. 1.3 5. Answ It should follow Ergo It is an heap of Confusion to say that the Vertues that the Spirit works in Man is his own Righteousness as if Christ might not work Vertues in our hearts which we express in our Lives and yet these be but our own Righteousness but must needs be Christ's personal Righteousness as if because the Spirit of Jesus works Love in me Therefore it is not my Love and Wisdom therefore not my Wisdom If I be by Christ's Spirit enabled to walk in his Commandements therefore it is not my own Righteousness but Dent. 6.25 Moses saith it is See the weakness of thy reasoning Let me â—ell thee with all this none ever did or can shew forth Christ's Vertues in their Lives that were not first justified by imputed Righteousness neither can add any Vertue to their Knowledg c. according to that Scripture in Peter those he writes to there it 's plain he supposeth them Saints Believers in Christ that were forgiven and pardoned see the beginning of the Epistle of Peter J. C. Pag. ibid. To be Spiritually minded is Life and Peace Rom. 8.6 Then according to thy Interpretation we must have Life and Peace in our own Righteousness Answ Understand but the Scripture aright and there is no danger to draw such a Conclusion as this from thence viz. that therefore we must have Life and Peace in that Spiritual-mindedness 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Wisdom of the Spirit in opposition to the Wisdom of the Flesh But let us enquire what this Wisdom of the Spirit is v. 9. So then they that are in the Flesh cannot please God now Hebrews 11. Without Faith it is impossible to please God why Then to be in the Flesh is to be without Faith to receive Christ's Righteousness By Faith Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice Heb. 11. So then the Wisdom of the Spirit is to Believe and Receive the Doctrine of forgiveness of Sins and that no Condemnation is to them that are in Christ to receive this in opposition to the Building as the Jews did upon Fleshly Priviledges being Abraham's Seed c. And leaning to the way of the Covenant of Works Now the Wisdom of the Spirit is thus rightly understood i. e. The Spirit gives Wisdom in this Doctrine of imputed Righteousness and hereupon comes Life and Peace Rom. 5. Being justified by his Blood we have Peaces So that Life and Peace ariseth not by Looking to this Wisdom and Spirituality for that is imperfect but in that this Wisdom looks to Jesus Christ himself and the advantage we have by him J. C. Parag. ibid. Thus like the foolish Woman dost thou Build an House and pull it down with thy own hands Answ Thou seest the Building raised upon Christ the Foundation stands still and I am so far from pulling it down that my work is to defend it against the assaults of such false Teachers as thy self that would either remove people to another Foundation or ruine all the good Truths that have been built as precious stones upon it and bring in thy Hay and Stubble J. C. Parag. ibid. For take away the Gifts and Vertues which the Spirit of God works in our minds and what remains but a Body of Sin and Death and Thoughts only Evil continually and yet Man as Bold and Confident as if he needed nothing Answ Who ever of us went about by our Doctrine to take away the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit Thy Conscience gave thee the lye when thou writ this Thou knowest we are for Sanctification and Hâ—liness inward and outward and say there is nothing but Sin Death Flesh Evil where the Spirit of Regeneration is absent which is more than you will say for you say the Spirit is in every one making the Light of Nature and Spirit both one Again Why should you suppose such a thing as this viz. taking away the Gifts of the Spirit when-as we are treating of Righteousness imputed unto them that have Faith Now can any have Faith and have the Gifts of the Spirit taken away But yet shall there be no distinction May not the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit remain in us and we thereby be Sanctified and yet not Justified by that Righteousness within but by that without us which is the cause of Sanctification J. C. Parag. ibid. As is spoken of the Kings Daughter Ps 45.13 To be all Glorious within is to abound in our own Righteousness according to thy Interpretation Answ There is Glory I grant in Sanctification but a greater in Justification Christ's personal Righteousness is far more Glorious than our Righteousness yea than the Righteousness of Angels Whoever hath it by Faith as the Church here are glorious both within and without both Souls and Bodies our Beauty lies in his own Comeliness that he puts upon us Ezek. 16. I do but query whether this Glory of the Church set forth by Gold and Embroideries be not rather the Righteousness imputed to her than any thing else or whether we may not take it so viz. That the Church while in the World is ragged and squalid through Afflictions and Persecutions but yet there is an inward Glory by reason of Christ's Love towards her which is discerned by her Spiritual Children when others see it not and how can this be understood of Sanctification when-as she is said to be all Glorious within yet this Work is not perfect in any as to degree but there remaineth sin in them But let it be understood as thou wilt of the Vertues of the Spirit We are not against having of these and abounding in them but would not have any to trust in them they being imperfect to justifie them but give the Glory of this to Christ's Righteousness wrought out 1600 years since J. C. Par. ibid. 2. Pet. 1.5 8. Speaking of the Vertue of Christ He that lacketh these things is blind Answ So he is but now John see what Vertues those were try whether
truth then is this That our persons are the Subjects of that Righteousness which sanctifies Christ's Person is the Subject of that Righteousness which Justifies J. C. Pag. 14. Another Reason thou givest to prove the Gifts and Vertues aforementioned to be our own Righteousness because we put forth the Actions both internal and External Is it not we that Believe and we that Repent and we that are said to pray By this Argument it 's best neither to believe nor repent nor pray because these are but our own Righteousness and the more we do them the heavier are we loaden with the filthy Bags of our own Righteousness Answ The Reason is good and stands and thy inference is ungodly and wicked This I say distinguishing our own Righteousness from Christ's Righteousness it is not Christ that Believes or Repents or Prays neither was it any of us that suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem nor that was born of the Virgin nor perfectly fulfilled the Law and the inference from hence that is Genuine is this viz. therefore ought we not to trust to our Repentings Believings Prayings Sufferings for these are imperfect but to Christ and we are not laden the more with these Rags as thou speakest but the defects are pardoned for Christ's sake and we are and so our Duties accepted in Christ Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God no other way but through Jesus Christ 1 Pet. 2.5 that phrase in Isai 64 4. which thou in scorn so often repeats are the Prophets words and thou mocks at the Holy Scriptures he doth speak it of his own Righteousness our Righteousness not only the peoples but his and the duties which he and the people were found in were those that God had commanded in the Ceremonial Law yet of these all he saith this and it 's true Comparatively to that pure spotless Righteousness of the Son of God and if God through Christ should not cleanse us and wash us and put his own Robes upon us we should all be cast out But let me ask thee darest thou say that this moral Principle of doing to others as we would have them to do to us is the Righteousness that Justifies before the Glorious Tribunal of an infinite pure God whose eyes are as a flame of Fire that thou darest stand and fall to the strict judgment of God as thou hast all thy days for cursed is he that continues not in all things to do them been true or false to this Principle I trow not wo to thee then for thou hast in several things in this thy writing dealt with me as thou wouldest not have me to deal with thee why but then if it be not that which Justifieth it is better never be found at all in doing to any as we would have others should do to us for this is but our Moral Righteousness in the second Table commanded between Man and Man how dost thou like this retortion Withal by this is implied the mercenary Spirit of the Quakers who would neither Pray nor be Holy if they did not think to merit something by their Works J. C. Parag. ibid. These things manifest thy estrangedness to the Works of Regeneration and helpings of the Spirit of God Answ I have through Grace experienced that work upon my Soul and have pleaded it with thee as thou knowest in opposition to their tenent of the Light in every one which overthrowes it as if every one had the Seed of it in his heart but yet I have learned to distinguish between this forgiveness of sins wherein my Justification lies as in Rom. 4. Regeneration this is but a Fruit of Forgiveness had not God forgiven my sins he would never have healed my Nature no Regeneration without Faith Acts 26.18 Sanctified by Faith So that your Doctrine destroys Sanctification if no Justification by imputed Righteousness no Regeneration I own the helpings of the Spirit of God and more I can say for that word helpings is too narrow as if there were some power in Man the Spirits causing creating Faith in me on this Righteousness of Christ which my heart hath been so far in helping in that it hath opposed But yet I will distinguish and say it was Christ and not the Spirit died for me Those helpings of the Spirit in me do not Justifie me yet I praise God for them as an evidence and fruit of Justification J. C. Parag. ibid. A heavy charge upon all the Prophets and Apostles of Christ who were obedient to these inward Gifts Vertues and Motions of God's Holy Spirit Answ If thou canst produce one instance of either Prophet or Apostle that ever sought to be Justified in the sight of God for any obedience to any inward Gifts and did not apply themselves to God through Christ for Pardon of sin I will leave this Doctrine Remember Rom. 3.24 But now the Righteousness of God without the Law is manifested being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets But John thou hast forgot what thou said'st pag. 10. viz. Not for the works sake though wrought in me by the Spirit and here pleads for Obedience to the inward Gifts which must be Works and saith all Prophets and Apostles were Obedient to them and this in opposition to imputed Righteousness But I knew thou wast not in earnest in what thou seemed'st to speak them but to conclude I believe that the good Men of old were obedient to the inward Gifts of the Spirit and we all ought to he and are through Grace in some measure but then by all that the Spirit doth in us it doth lead us to Christ and his Righteousness according to that in John 15. The Comforter shall testify of me Chap. 16. He shall take of mine and shew it unto you and hereby know we the Spirit of Truth the Comforter from the Spirit of error The Comforter will Glorifie Christ's person J. C. Parag. ibid. By thy Account they did but obey their own Righousness in what they did they knew and understood that their hearts are as the Pen of a ready Writer as David speaks Answ This thou bringest is very impertinent to the thing in hand That of David Ps 45.1 My Tongue is the Pen of a ready Writer Thou changest Tongue here for Hearts Now doth not David a Prophet about to write great things of Christ in this Psalm make use of this Phrase to denote the Power of the Holy Ghost with him in giving forth this Holy Scripture that as Mans hand acts the Pen as its Organ so the Spirit the Tongue of David and thus the Holy Men of God that writ the Scripture are said in 2 Pet. 1. ult to be moved acted forcibly carried away by the Holy Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the speaking forth the Truths of the Scriptures and how sad is it that some of you should pretend to this same impulse to as high a degree in their Writings as I have seen some Title-pages of your Books filled
God 5. Dost thou Believe that the Man Christ is any where now in being besides that being that the Quakers say he hath in them and if so â—here is he In Heaven Earth or in every Man and every Greaâ—re 6. Whether the Light that you say every Man hath be a Creature or no 7. Whether the Light that every Man hath be of the very same Nature with the Spirit of Faith and Regeneration or of a different kind or take it thus Whether it differ from the new Creature in â—â—cie 8. Whether that which Jesus Christ of Nazareth did and suffered above six hundred years since in Judea be not the matter of fallen Man's Instification in the sight of God 9. Whether any actions or sufferings of any besides these of his have â—y merit worth desert in them to purchase anything at God's hand for any of Mankind 10. Whether Christ Jesus died in the room place stead of any or only for their benefit or advantage 11. Whether God's imputing Righteousness to any Man be any thing else but his putting Righteousness into the Creature by Sanctiâ—ing of it 12. Whether Justification be not an Act of god in absolving and â—â—quitting a sinner for Christ's sake in opposition to condemning as in Rom. 8. Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect it is Gad that Justifies who shall Condâ—mn and accounting him Righteous for the personal Righteousness sake of Christ that was wholly without the sinner 13. Whether God doth not find every one ungodly and in their sinâ— when he first gives Faith to them that justifies them according to that Rom. 5. He Justifieth the ungodly 14. Whether by the Blood of Christ thou mean est any thing that is not in thy heart and soul within thy self whether thou meanest that material Blood that was shed from that material Body of Jesus of Naâ—â—teth when he did hang upon the Tree at Mount Calvary without the Gates of Jerusalem withal his material real sufferings both of Soul and Body 15. Whether that Blood theâ—e shed was not the Blood of God according to Acts 20.28 he being God as well as Man 16. Whether Remission of all sins was not actually purchased by the Death of Christ above 1600 years since for all that have been or shall be saved 17. Is any Man any father Justified than Sanctified any farther forgiven than according to that Degree that sin is Mortified in him 18. Whether is Justification any thing else but an Act of the Light within every Man upon obedience to it giving Peace 19. Whether is there any good work done by any Man before he is Justified and forgiven all his sins 20. Whether Faith as a Habit in or Act of our Mind or any good work proceeding from the Spirit in us be any part of that Righteousness that Justifies 21. Whether there is any such thing in the Nature of God as Vindictive Justice so that sin must be punished upon all them that accept not of the Atonement of Christ Jesus by the Sacrifice of himself 22. Whether the Light within or the person of Christ without be the object of Justifying Faith or whether Faith be any thing but obedience to the Light that every Man hath 23. Whether have not all the Sons of Men Christ excepted the guilt of Adam's first transgression upon them before they are Justified and called and so are by Nature Children of Wrath Rom. 5. in him we all sinned 24. Are any so perfect in this Life as to be above the confession of Sin to God 25. Of what Use is that Intercession of Christ as a High-Priest in Heaven 26. Whether there be a higher Prophecy than the Writings of the Prophets and Apostles and it so where is it and what is it 27. Are not the Holy Scriptures of the Prophets and Apostles the Rule of Faith and Life 28. Whether dost thou believe that the sime natural Body of Man after the departure of the Soul from it doth rise to Life again 29. Whether are our distinct personal Beings preserved in the future state whether we lose them being swallowed up into God at death 30. Whether the Light that every Man believed in obeyed trusted to is not the Jesus the Righteousness the Justification the Blood the Remission the Mystery the Experience the Faith the Cleansing the Sanctification the Shedding Drinking Sprinkling of the Blood is it not the price of infinite value that freeth from the Wrath is it not the Life the Vertue of the Blood the choice Raiment the putting it 〈◊〉 the opening of the Understanding to know the Mystery which words and phrases are all in this thy Testimony Answer plainly is there any more in thy whole Treatise and this Postscript than this viz. to the Light obey the Light and whoever doth not is but in the History is but a Prodigal in a 〈◊〉 Country seeding among the Swine a poor naked starved Sinner every one that takes not up this Pâ—inciple i. e. is not a Quaker Let the Reader in these two following Columns compared together 〈◊〉 how near a kin the Quakers erroneous ways opinions and Practiâ—â—â— are to those of the Papists and so judg whether they had not their Original from Rome and John Crook do thou see thy self in this 〈◊〉 and behold thy spots that they are not the spots of God's Chilâ—â—â— see how like the Daughter is to the Mother the young to the 〈◊〉 Antichrist and repent and come out from among them lest thou with thy followers tast of her Plagues The Quakers and the Papists Parallel'd The Quaker The Papist 1. THe Quaker Believes that every one of then Teachers is infallible whilst he is a Preaching and Writing in or by the Light 1. THe Papist Believes that the Pope is infalâ—ibâ—e in the Chair 2. That the Body at Devonshire House must determine all things and every particular Quaker is to stoop to the Light of that Body although his and her particular Light dictates otherwise See the Book stiled the Hypocrisie and Tyranny of the Quakers 2. The Papist for an implicit Faith and a believing as the Church believes 3. The Quaker sets up his Light within equal with the Scriptures nay above them 3. The Papist sets up their Traditions equal with the Scripture 4. The Quakers are for Enthusiasm immediate Revelations and Voices and Visions 4. Many of the Papist's Doctrines and Orders came this way by pretended Revelation see Stillingfleet's Fanaticism of the Church of Rome 5. The Quakers say the first Motions to evil arising in the Heart if not consented to by the Will are not sin 5. These say the same viz. that Concupiscence is not sin 6. For Perfection in this Life 6. So the Papist for a State without sin in this Life the Beguardij in Germany Stillingfleet Idolatry of the Church of Rome Page 294. 7. That to attend to the Light that every one hath is sufficient for Salvation 7. See Stillingfleet idolatry pag. 295. That
a sort of Papists said that every intellectual Being hath enough within it self to make it happy 8. That Man is justified by something within him 8. Bellarmine and others that Man is justified by Inherent Righteousness 9. That the Righteousness that is wrought by the Light which they call Spirit in obedience thereunto is the Righteousness of God and so Justifies 9. The Papists say that the Righteousness which the Spirit works is the Righteousness of God and therefore Justifies 10. The Quaker that Works done in the Light are of value worth and accepted 10. The Papist That Christ Merited that our good works might Merit 11. These say that if we obey and follow the Light that every Man hath the New Creature and Salvation and all Good will come 11. These that there is the Merit of Congruity i. e. a worth in some good works we do before Conversion for the sake of which God gives saving Grace the Spirit 12. The Quakers against the lawfulness of taking an Oath 12. Stilling Idolat page 290. The Spiritual Brethren of the Franciscan Order were against the takeing an Oath 13. The Quaker saith as John 〈◊〉 in his last Book that Law and Gospel are one 13. Bellarmine the Jesuit in his writings saith the same 14. The Quaker speaks of Forgreâ—ess of sins past i. e. till Conversion upon turning to the Light 14. The Papists you may see in their Writings speak of this very much which is called the first Institution 15. The Quakers in scorn as J.C. in his late Book speaks of 〈◊〉 Belief that we their Adversaâ—â—â—â— seek to be saved by calling our 〈◊〉 a fancy and imagination 15. The Papist calls Protestants Solifidians in a jeere as thinking to be justifyed by Faith alone and they frequently call the Faith of Protestants after the same rate viz. a Fancy c. 16. The Quakers write and 〈◊〉 as if they did think that 〈◊〉 will be saved but themselves 16. The Papists say none will be saved out of the Church of Rome 17. The Quakers deny the Saluâ—â—â—â—â— of the Hat to his Neighbour 〈◊〉 to give any Titles to any Men. 17. See Stilling Idolat pag. 314. Ignatius Loyola the first founder of the Order of the Jesuites was in this very mind viz. denied to put off the Hat to any and to give any Titles to Men giving this Reason that it proceeded from too great fear of Men. 18. The Quakers are for silent Meetings making it essential to 〈◊〉 way 18. Stilling Idolat page 332. There is an account of some of the Papist's ways of Devotion some of them were for abstractedness of Life Mental Prayer Passive Unions with God in the Deiform fund of the Soul a state of introversion and for attendance upon God alone in the depths of the Spirit for pure actuations in the Spirit these are their own words out of their own Books see Stillingfleet they are for the vacuity of the Soul and 〈◊〉 solitude c. Stilling Idol 322. 19. They are against making use of our Reason and understandings in Divine matters as in Crooks you may see and in Faldoes Key 19. The Papist speaks of an intire Union with God whereby the Soul is Deified that it is to be attained by self-annihilation the 〈◊〉 of nothingness the Union of nothing with nothing Now 〈…〉 compare Penningtons and 〈◊〉 Canting Language with this see 〈◊〉 they be not akin Stilling Idol 〈◊〉 20. The Quakers do speak of the everlasting Gospel they are come out withal a new Prophecy despiseing the Scripture talking much of the Spirit in opposition to the Scriptures that when this People began then the day came Christ's Light came the pouring out of the Spirit came looking upon themselves as having a greater measure than any fort of people before them owning it in Writing that there is no use of any Gospel-Ordinances as breaking Bread c. calling them shadows that are done away by the substances see an account of Penn by Mr. Hicks Dial. 20. In the same Book pag. 47 some of the Papists were for 〈◊〉 Kingdom of the Spirit and 〈◊〉 everlasting Gospel as a higher 〈◊〉 than Christ's Gospel that the 〈◊〉 of the Father they said contiâ—â—â—â—â— till Christ the Law of the Son 〈◊〉 their time and then the time of 〈◊〉 Holy Ghost was to come in which Sacraments were to cease and 〈◊〉 Administrations and every 〈◊〉 was to be saved by the inspiration of the Holy Ghost without any external Actions WILL. HAYWORTH 〈◊〉 Reply to William Baylies pretended Answer to the Pamphlet as he calls it entituled the Quaker Converted written 〈◊〉 Southwark the 17th of the 11th Month called February 1673. IOB 11.2 3. Should not the Multitude of words be Answered and should a Man of lips be justified Should thy lies make Men hold their peace and when thou mockest shall no Man make thee ashamed 〈◊〉 Bayly Thou Quarrellest with me for asserting that the young 〈◊〉 Willam Dinsdel was once fully of the Way Faith Spirit Princiâ—â—â— of the Quakers and that he went farther than most of them toâ—â—â—â— that which they call Perfection there be four things thou pitchâ—â—â—on to enervate and weaken my Testimony viz. 1. 〈◊〉 Pag. 23. Because he had no ground in himself to go to silent 〈◊〉 upon which thou queriest whether it be the Quakers Way 〈◊〉 Faith and Principle to dislike silent Meetings c. Reply I can if thou wilt put me upon it produce several owned 〈◊〉 you that are constantly among you that are not for silent Meetâ—â—â—â— 2. The young Man said he had not ground for it in himself yet followed be Light it seems thou wouldest have every one be like unto thy self 〈◊〉 other Quakers viz. For silent Meetings whether he hath ground 〈◊〉 it in himself or no otherwise no Quaker thou art in this a Papist 〈◊〉 for implicite Faith 3. It appears that an assent to this practice of yours and the practiâ—â—ng of it though no example for it or command in Scriptures is esâ—ential to Quakerism I suppose this practice must be founded upon 〈◊〉 private Inspiration 4. I challenge thee and any of you to give me any Instance in the â—cripture where the people of God did professedly meet together at 〈◊〉 times as you do sitting together in silence without any prayâ—â—ng or speaking by way of Exhortation or Doctrine thou mayest see 〈◊〉 that it was the practice of some of the Papists that they were 〈◊〉 Mental Prayer and profound silence Pag. 72. 2. Because he had no Grounds in himself to deny the puâ—ing of the Hat when he met a Friend not knowing that he offended God 〈◊〉 Now thou askest whether this be the Quakers way Reply as before I know two at this day that are Quakers and owned by many of you and yet use the Salute of the Hat and if thou wilt call me to it I will find thee several more 2. Thou makest this which is but a Mahumetan Instance an essential thing to Quakerism if
had swallowed And this Testimony of himself may be credited if enâ—â—ry be made of his Integrity at Hartford and if need be I will prove 〈◊〉 the hands of several there that shall witness that neither he nor I myself are Lyers or Forgers in what we have said in this matter but what we have done herein we have done in Truth and for this end 〈…〉 the gross and damnable Errors of the Quakers In the 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33. for nine Pages together there 〈◊〉 strange a Wild-Goose-Chase as I have seen and the fame Coleâ—â—â—â— boiled over again for frequently things are repeated usque ad nanâ—â—â—â— that turns the Readers Stomack The sum of that which the young Man offers by way of Answering 〈◊〉 Questions is this viz. That the Light which he had before Conversion 〈◊〉 not the Light of the Spirit of the Son of God Jesus Christ that of â—â—generation because of the Fruits of it which were only convictions of â—â—moralities and some outward Reformations but it did not shew the saving knowledg of Christ Crucified in the room of Sinners as their Surety so that it was but the same Light the Heathens had 1600 years since spoke of Rom. 2.14 and all Heathens have it now This is true and we dare maintain it against you all and question not but he is able to say enough for it himself First I will prove that it is but a natural Light which the Heathens have and that which as you say every one hath that Light within Secondly That therefore it is not sufficient to reveal Christ savingly towards the latter end the Reader may see it proved that this Light within is not the Spirit of Regeneration but that it differs in kind Page 1. That which is Common to all men is natural but this Light is Common to all Men Ergo. The Major is made good thus viz. That without which a Man cannot be a Man must needs be Common and so Natural but without this Light Man is not Man Ergo. That which distinguisheth Grace from Nature is this that Grace is a special Gift of God to whom he will the other is Essential to Man he cannot be a Man without it 2. Arg. If the Heathens did by Nature things contained in the Law then this Light the Heathens had was a Natural Light and no more but this is asserted by the Apostle in Rom. 2.14 For the Gentiles which had not the Law i. e. of Moses do by Nature things contained in the Law Ergo. 2. That this Light is not sufficient to Reveal Christ savingly 1. If by Nature all Men are Children of wrath then Nature cannot savingly inlighten but the first is true Ephes 2. Ergo. 2. If Whatever is Natural be but Flesh then it cannot savingly reveal Jesus Christ but the first is true from John 3. What-ever is 〈◊〉 of the Flesh is Flesh 3. If the Heathens by all the Light they had did not savingly know Christ then this Natural Light cannot savingly reveal Christ but thâ— is true that they did not the Scripture testifies 1 Thes 4.5 Tâ— Gentiles that knew not God i. e. savingly in Christ Gal. 4.8 〈◊〉 then when ye knew not God speaking to the Saints how it was 〈◊〉 them before Conversion 2 Ephes 12. they were it 's said withâ—â— Christ and so without God and had no hope If you say it was not sufficient because they resisted it I Answer it 's said they obeyed it in Rom. 2. They did things â—â—â—tained in the Law If you say not to the full I Answer that would have been according to you unto Perfection and then no need of Christ being revealed 4. If the Heathens could by all the Light they had attain to Salvation then their Conversion was not such a Mystery but it 's spoke of as a very great Mystery wherein God's Rich Grace and Power was seen to a wonder as the Scripture bears Witness 5. That Opinion that makes void that Prophecy spoke of Luke 2.32 viz. That Christ should be a Light to Lighten the Gentiles cannot be true but this of the Quakers doth Ergo. For if they had sufficient Light before there was no need of the other 6. If the Heathens notwithstanding all the Light within which is spoke of in Rom. 1.20 yet were at that same time unrighteous Rom. 3.9 10. and under Sin and fallen short of the Glory of God v. 23. unjustified then this is true that the Light they had was not a saving Light but so it is Ergo. You cannot say they were not obedient to it for they did things contained in the Law 7. That Opinion that makes Divine Revelation to be in some is false but this doth to say that the Light that every Man hath is a saving Light Ergo. For if Salvation can be attained by attendance to this Light then it 's in vain for God to make known his will and mind and way to Salvation by the Revelation of the Scriptures Frustra fit per plura and fieri potest per pauciora In vain doth any that by more which may be done by fewer things and ways 8. If the Light within can reveal Christ savingly then was the Covenant made with Abraham no Covenant of Grace it was not Grace to Abraham for God to make known his Will to him when-as he might have attained it by the Light he had before and which others might have known as well as he 9. If all the Light that Adam had before his fall was not sufficient to preserve him to Salvation and prevent his fall much less is that Light in Man being fallen sufficient to restore him and so save him 10. If Angels could have known the Gospel without Revelation then this Light is not sufficient to Reveal him savingly but the Angels could not as appears by the Scripture in that it was a Mystery hid in God and they learned it of the Church Ephes 3.9 10. 11. That which makes the omnipotent Work of God upon the heart of Man by savingly enlightning his Mind and Understanding giving a new Heart taking away the Heart of stone making him a new Creature c. in vain is not to be admitted as true but this doth to say every Man hath a saving Light For if Man by attendance to the Light can be saved then no need of the other works of God upon the Soul of Man If thou writest again Baily Answer plainly to these Arguments The Objections that Baily raiseth are here Answered THe first stone that out of the Rubbish of this Babel is thrown at us is this Baily And in that he saith the Light by which the Heathens did the things contained in the Law Rom. 2.14 Which shewed the work of the Law written in their Hearts is not the Light of the Spirit of Christ he is found a denier of the Scriptures John 1.9 If every Man that cometh into the World be lighted with the Light of Christ then the Heathens and all
this point if it were possible to forget my experience Who knew a time when the Lord gave a Light which I perceived by its workings and operations in me was of a different Kind from that which I had from my Childhood I dare in this point appeal to any that have had experience of the work of the New-Birth upon their hearts Arguments that Baily offers to prove That every Man hath the True Saving Light And that the Light that every Man hath and the Spirit of Regeneration differ not in Kind HE saith That John did testifie That it was the true Light that Lighted every Man that cometh into the World John 1.9 and adds That all Men through him might Believe Reply We have opened this Scripture and given the sense of it and it 's nothing to the Quakers purpose 2. The next Scripture for Proof is Tit. 2. The Grace of God appeareth unto all Men. Here Baily saith Paul is as large in his Testimony as John Reply I think so likewise they do agree in their Testimony every way and one is as large as the other But neither of them in these Scriptures that have been brought speaks a word of the Light within that every Man hath As to this last Scripture this infallible Man is utterly mistaken in the reading of it as before p. 3. Scripture This is the Condemnation That Light is come into the World c. Reply This is spoke of the Person of Christ the Fountain of all Light and of his coming into the World when the Eternal Word took Flesh Argument 4. And the wicked Sloathful Servant was not condemned because he had not a Talent but for not improving of it according to his Masters requiring Reply The Conclusion from hence must be this Therefore every wicked and sloathful Servant hath a true and saving Light and it is of the same kind with that which the best Believer hath Then is the wicked and sloathful Servant a true Believer in some Degree But let us see what Talents these were that are spoke of in those three places Matth. 25. Mark 13. Luke 19. Are we not to understand by these Talents those Offices that Christ did appoint in his Church and Gifts to discharge those Offices This will appear if you consider in Matth. 25. For the Kingdom of Heaven is as a Man Travelling into a far Country who called his Servants and delivered to them his Goods Mark 13.34 it 's said Taking a far Journey and left his House and gave Authority to his Servants and to every Man his Work What could this going a far Journey be but Christ's leaving this World upon his Ascension going to Heaven And compare Ephes 4.8 with this It 's said He Ascended and gave Gifts and tells us there of what kind viz. Prophets Apostles Pastors Teachers c. Officers in the Church as we said before and Gifts to discharge those Offices So then these Servants to whom he distributes these Goods are not all Men in the World as thou Baily wouldst have it For he calls them his own Servants his House but they were such certainly that were in a profession of the Gospel and had Evangelical Gifts bestowed from Christ upon them for the use of their Brethren That these Talents cannot be any Natural Gifts which all have and of which sort the Light within is will appear presently 1. They were such Talents upon the Improvement of which there was Eternal life given v. 21 23. But now Eternal Life is not given upon the Improvement of any Natural Gifts For then that which is Natural would be saving which we have disproved before p. 112. 2. In v. 30. It 's said That the Servant that did not improve the Talent was cast into utter Darkness Was not that Hell think you to be damned Yes surely But now God doth not damn all and send them to Hell that do not improve their Natural Gifts the Light within c. No for the Lord we read converted many that finned against the Light of Nature and Conscience and doth so daily by his Grace To worship Idols Stocks and Stones to abuse themselves â—â—th Mankind to be Drunkards c. are all against the Light of Nature But these things the Corinthians were Guilty of 1 Cor. 6.9 yet upon the Grace of God coming they were Converted Washed Justified Sanctifyed and were not thrown into utter darkness This Word was done for them when they were not improving the Light within but sinning against it to the utmost 3. It is such a Talent that this is said of it viz. From him that 〈◊〉 not shall be taken that which he hath Now if this was to be understood of the Light within every Man then it must be taken away upon the non-improvement of it and if so then must every one it 's taken from cease to be a Man or become a Mad-Man For if the Light be Nature and if Nature be taken away Man ceaseth to be a Man and is not fit for any Society of Men will become as a Bruit not discerning betwixt Good and Evil and be a Fool or Idiot But this we do not see many ungodly Men that do not turn Quakers yet are not Fools many that have been Quakers fallen from them to Loosness and Debauchery yet not Idiots Why then Baily this Scripture is nothing to thy purpose The Slothful Servant was Condemned and that Justly because he did not improve his Talent but it will not therefore follow That this Talent was the Light within every Man and the very same in kind with the Spirit of Adoption and Regeneration as thou sayest I have Reader more fully opened this Scripture because it 's a Scripture that they often make use of and pervert Baily But if all Men are not Lighted with the true Light then some Men have no true Light Reply All Men we grant are lighted with the Light of Nature which we speak of and that it is in its kind a true Light we have granted So that the Inference should have been this viz. Therefore some Men have no true saving Light and that we have proved to be true Baily Then why should such be Condemned that are so miserably deceived Is this equal Reply Who art thou poor crawling Earth-Worm that should reason with God and call him to an account for his matters I ask in order to satisfy this bold Question whether any carnal Man doth to the utmost height at all times obey the Light within If not God then is Righteous in Condemning him If thou Object viz. That we say It is not sufficient for Salvation so that one will be miserably deceived if he trusteth to it and hath not a better Guide I 〈◊〉 God is not bound to give his Good Spirit to any one no Law oâ—â—geth him He certainly may do with his own as he will Object But Man hath not power to come up to that which God requireth Answ If Man hath lost his power
of obeying God hath not lost his power of Commanding and he may justly demand that of a Man which he hath wilfully lost and deprived himself of In a Word God condemneth none but those that have freely run on in sin and impenitency to the last And this Baily is Equal and Just Baily But if all Men are lighted with the true Light as I Believe then by your Doctrine some have two Lights another Light besides the True Light Reply It 's no absurdity at all to say that two Lights of two kinds and natures may be in one and the same Soul at one and the same time As the Light of the Sun and Moon are seen at one time in the Air. Baily If it be of another kind speaking of the Light that the Saints have then it must be a false Light because the other is a trâ—â— Light Reply We have granted that the Light every Man hath is a true Light in its kind and so is the other true in it's kind both true yet differ in Kind from one another The Light of the Moon some apprehend differs in Kind from the Suns Light Yet the Light of the Sun is not false because the Moons Light is true An Ass differs in Kind from a Man yet he is as true an Animal as a Man Here is all the strength of Argument I can find Let the Reader now judg who is guilty of confusion and blindness Baily And after thy confused Prayer p. 11. to Christ in thee and to Christ in the Heavens and by and in the Spirit as thou thoughtest thâ— sayest several weeks was I in this trouble making my Condition known to no one because I would not be perswaded to any thing but did wholly rely upon the inward instruction of the Lord Thus did my hope perish How did thou rely upon the inward instruction of the Spirit when thou prayed in that confused manner as aforesaid Consider it Reply He did rely upon them in the same way as the ignorant Quaker doth for he was one at that time and so this Lord was no other than the Light within and the instructions of the Lord that he speaks of no other but the Dictates of Nature No wonder he wandred Nature will not teach the right way of Prayer neither can 〈◊〉 will it shew that the Father through the Mediator Jesus is to Worshipped All may see by this what darkness ye be in in your â—â—ship and what Confusion and that you follow the dictates of 〈◊〉 Light of Nature and leave the Instructions of the Spirit in the Holy Scriptures It 's very lately a Quaker acknowledged she Worshipped Christ within and being ashamed of what she had spoke afterwards said she Worshipped Christ without also May not we say â—â— worship ye know not what Baily Did any ever rely upon the inward Instructions of the Lord and their hope perish Bring one Example for this Reply The Hypocrites hope will perish and every one that makes not Christ Jesus God and Man his Hope is a Hypocrite â— Tim. 1.1 Which is our Hope The inward Instructions of the Spirit lead to this Jesus Christ God and Man and whoever depends upon them in the 〈◊〉 of hearing the Word preached and reading the Scripture For the Spirit teacheth in the Use of these means their hopes shall be strengthned But this dependance was only as he thought upon the spirits teachings That expression viz. As I thought should be taâ—â—n in here But he was mistaken in that they were but Natures Dictates he was guided by when the Spirit came that led him to Christs Righteousness from his own And an Example as thou demandest I give thee in this same Case in Paul before his Conversion Acts 26 2â— I verily thought with my self that I ought to do many things contrary to 〈◊〉 Name of Jesus of Nazareth He had the Light within at this time be thought this his Duty to Act against this Religion he rested in his Law-Righteousness he surely would have answered any that would have blamed him that he did all by the inward Instructions of the Lord for he followed his Light he verily thought c. it 's said yet in that State of Law-Righteousness his Hope perished Baily Thou sayest thou had'st peace of Conscience by the powerful work of God without thee Is this like Scripture-Language Reply Yea the Spirit doth every-where testify what the young Man instanceth in there viz. That the Fathers preparing a Body for Christ was the Work of the Omnipotent Power of God sixteen hundred years since his bearing sins in that Body and the Curse of the Law his dying in that Body and yet could not be held of Death but rose again God's upholding him in and through all those things was the wonderful work of God without us before thou and I and this young Man had our beings Let the Reader take notice that In Pag. 42. Baily acknowledgeth this that here he snarles at his Woâ—â— are viz. We deny not the Work of God and Christ without And likewise doth not the young Man own a work within This Doctrine he saith was manifest to him in the Spirit that was within surely His next Words are viz. Working Faith in me by this I had Peâ—s of Conscience All this was within Yet all this Work was not the Righteousness that justified him but that was by the powerful work without us in giving Christ for us Near the end of pag. 41. He threatens the young Man with trouble and concludes thus Baily The Lord hath spoke it Reply Doth he not pretend to as high an Inspiration as the Apostles And yet in the next Paragraph bewrays himself to be a weak fallible Man in that he saith Baily The Yoke which W. H. calls the burdensome Yoke Reply Whereas it was the young Man himself alone without the least intermedling of mine that gave this Title to the little Book as I have Witness calling that bondage he was in to the Law of Works when a Quaker the Burdensome-Yoke Baily Page 42. But did not the Saints and People of God in all Ages witness their Salvation and Peace of Conscience by the powerful work of God within them Reply Yea We heartily own it and the young Man owns it as before And thou art in this page and the next about a needless work none denying this If withal thou wilt but say that these Saints and People of God had some things within them of another Nature than the Light that every Man hath that did thus work in them which did still lead them forth to glory in the personal Righteousness of Jesus Christ for their Justification Therefore the first Scripture speaks for us not against us Baily 2 Cor. 4.6 God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined into our hearts Reply It appears by this plainly that they had not this Knowledg by any Light before but by some Light super-added and shining into them It
follows to give the Light of the Knowledg See still they had it not in them before Again of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ Now look into those that are well acquainted with the Greek Language they will tell thee this word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifieth properly a Person Answering to that Hebrew word used in Leviâ— 19.15 Thou shalt not respect the Person of the Poor And it is used in 〈◊〉 1.11 by the means of many Persons Now was no the Perâ—oâ— Christ without them That which in 1 John 1. they had seen 〈◊〉 their eyes it was external to them And most of the Glory of 〈◊〉 did shine forth in Christ's personal coming Therefore when he 〈◊〉 which is the next Scripture thou bringest We have this Treaâ—â—e in Earthen Vessels It was the Knowledg the Apostles had in their 〈◊〉 of the Person without Pag. 42. Parag. 2. Thou ownest the Work of God without If thou wast plain-hearted and honest we would thank thee And we do say with thee there are none knoweth the things of God aright but by the Spirit And it 's the same Spirit that raised Christ from the dead that dwels in his people and will at last quicken their Mortal Bodies But thou hast a reservation in all this Is it any less than Blasphemy to say that the Light within raised Christ from the dead and shall raise the Saints Mortal Bodies in the day of the Resurrection As that Scripture Rom. 8.11 iâ— to be understood All discerning ones by this time see that the Quakers deny the Resurrection of the Body and so consequently Christ's Resurrection Then this quickning of the Mortal Bodies mentioned by Baily is no more than what as the Quakers apprehend is attained by attendance to the Light within Are the Quakers Christians Baily Next quoteth Rom. 8.9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. to prove the Apostle preached Christ within Reply Not for Justification those Scriptures speak of Sanctification He had spoke of Justification before which is the Cause of this and this an evidence of the other Baily And Christ Preached the Kingdom of Heaven within people Luke 17.21 Reply This place is much made use of by the Quakers Now it 's plain he speaks to the Pharisees whom he calls there Vipers Hypocrites said Satan was their Father Is it likely that Christ would give a Specimen of what his Kingdom was by it's being in the Pharisees What Children of the Devil and Unbelievers and yet the Kingdom of Heaven within them What the Holy Ghost's Sanctification Faith Love Holiness Peace and Joy For the Kingdom of God consists in these things what all these in the Pharisees The Quakers Light I grant was in them but is this any where called the Kingdom of Heaven What is Nature the Kingdom of Heaven Then this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is but intra vos or apud vos i. e. with you or among you used by the Greeks in their Translation of the Old Testament 〈◊〉 for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 among you there is no more in it than 〈◊〉 1 John 26. There standeth one among you These Pharisees dreamed 〈◊〉 an Earthly Kingdom in Earthly Glory Therefore he saith 〈◊〉 Kingdom cometh not with Observation Their Eyes were blinded 〈◊〉 this Conception of theirs and they stumbled at the lowness and 〈◊〉 verty of Christ and would not believe that he was the Messiah 〈◊〉 were inquiring for the Kingdom Now he tells them It cometh 〈◊〉 with Observation but it was come he being come and it was among them he in Person being among them working Miracles in the midst of them They sought for the Messiah as absent when he was present and very near them We still grant Sanctification within but here the Kingdom of Heaven is taken for the personal coming of Christ that is without Baily And the True Worship of the Father is in Spirit and in Truth Reply But had not the Father an existence of himself without 〈◊〉 before any had their beings Do ye Worship the Father within by the Light or Spirit as ye call it within And was not the Fathers powerful work in sending his Son And the Righteousness of Christ without notwithstanding this Worshipping of the Father in Spirit and Truth Baily And said what and if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend 〈◊〉 where he was before John 6. It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh profits nothing When they cryed How can this Man give us his Flesh â—â— eat Whose Minds were wholly without like many of yours Reply These Jews did not believe that Christ was God but did despise his low estate He is convincing them here that he was God as well as Man though he did vail his Glory thus in the Flesh for the present Therefore he asserts his Original that it was from Heaven and his Eternal existence before he took Flesh and saith here the Son of Man was in Heaven before he took Flesh He useth a Phrase that is common in Scripture Attributing that to his humane Nature which was proper to the Divine Otherwise as the Son of Man he was not in Heaven before his Ascension from the Earth It 's well if thou and thy Brethren did Believe that he is now Ascended into Glory as he is the Son of Man But is evident ye do not That of his Flesh profiting nothing must be understood thus viz. That his Manhood is nothing for Salvation taken alone and apart from his Deity called the Spirit there And they believed him not as we said to be God The reason why they stumbled at that saying viz. That he would give them 〈◊〉 to eat was because they were ignorant of the way of Faith 〈◊〉 gross Conceptions of eating his Material Flesh with their Maâ—â—â— Teeth We Glory in the Flesh of Christ and know that it proâ—â—â— i. e. the Son of God taking Mans Nature into Union with himâ—â— and therein fulfilling the Law and bearing the Curse of it Ofâ—â—ng that Body on the Cross Thus he is the Bread of Life and by 〈◊〉 in this as done for us we have Life and entrance into Glory 〈◊〉 New and Living way which he consecrated for us through the Veil 〈◊〉 to say his Flesh Heb. 10.20 Baily And said 2 Pet. 1.19 We have also a more sure Word of Proâ—â—ty to which ye do well to take heed as unto a Light that shines in a 〈◊〉 place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your hearts 〈◊〉 Jesus is the Bright and the Morning-Star Reply Remember Reader that these Scriptures are brought to prove 〈◊〉 the Apostles did Preach Christ only within Now let us see whether in this Scripture Peter doth not point them to the Person of Jesus Christ and this day dawning and day-Star arising in their hearts was but a more clear knowledg of Jesus Christ Certainly he is pressing them to get into their hearts a more distinct knowledg of Jesus Christ's Person and of the
Pardon Peace Holiness Eternal-Life This word Drink is but a Metaphorical word implying that we can have no Benefit nor Good by Christ except there be an Application by Faith Baily For out of the heart proceed evil thoughts and Mark 7.21 22 23. From within out of the heart of Men proceed evil thoughts Adulteries and defile the Man Now must not these evil thoughts be purged out But how and by what means must these evil thoughts be purged Seeing they are within Must not the Antidot be taken inwardly when the Poison is within What is it that must cleanse but the precious Blood of Christ Reply This is the sum of what thou sayest in Pag. 43. We grant that sin comes from within therefore is there a Fountain within from whence these evils flow which we call Original sin Every Man is tempted Jam. 1.14 When he is drawn away of his own Lust c. Rom. 7. Sin wrought in me all manner of Concupiscence This the Quakers deny Now Man in his Natural state can do nothing else but sin Gen. 6. The Imagination of the thought of his heart is only evil continually notwithstanding all the Light he hath within Hereupon must there needs be great defilements upon his Mind and Conscience 1 Tiâ—â— 15. Their Mind and Conscience are defiled This defilement consists in the guilt of Sin and in the power and presence of sin These defilements must be taken away and there is nothing will do it but the Sufferings and Blood of Christ Now the guilt of sin is taken away by God's Act of not imputing sin to us upon Faith Which Faith is wrought in us by his Spirit in that Christ was made sin for us 2 Cor. 5.21 As for the power of sin this is broke in us by the New Creature and Sanctification which begins in Faith on Christ Now as this work is carried on in the Soul so the presence of sin is more removed But it 's the will of God that the work of Sanctification should not be so absolutely perfect in this Life So that Sin hath some presence in the best of Saints yet no condemnation to them because they are in Christ See then we are for an inward work upon the heart of Man a work of Sanctification which the Light of Nature will never produce but there is a necessity of the Spirit of Grace to be given This work is but the Fruit of the shedding of the Blood of Christ Thereupon it is that we have Faith given as well as pardon Phil. 1.29 To you it is given 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 on the behalf of Christ not only to believe c. All this pains Baily that thou hast taken is only the Reader now seeth to throw down Christ's glorious Person and set up corrupt Nature in his place And by Blood and purging c. is nothing meant by you but the Light within and Obedience to that I would not omit any thing that hath the least shew of Argument and desire thee Baily if thou write again to do the like by me The next Scripture is 1. Pet. 1.19 Baily Speaking of the Blood Did it not Redeem people formerly from their vain conversation Reply Yea it did and it doth now and nothing else It was not the Light within Many had this the Jews had it the Fathers of these he is writing to yet they walked in vain Conversation i. e. in error and superstitions after Traditions as he there speaks And so multitudes of Heathens at this day and many in this Nation But whoever Christ hath died for shall effectually be called from such a Conversation The offering up of himself was the Meritorious cause of all Holiness Whoever then walk in the vain Conversation of error false Worships Superstitions Wickednesses to the end manifest Christ never dyed for them They were not Redeemed nor bought with his precious Blood In the last Parag. of the 43. pag. thou speakest of the Indwelling of Christ in his people by his Spirit 2 Cor. 6. I will dwell in them c. And of his presence in the Gospel-Churches walking in the midst of his Golden Candlesticks Reply Both these surely are consistent with Christ's being a person without and all his suffering without These all are but Fruits of Christ's dying for his Church But before I leave this one Scripture in Prov. 16. thou hast viz. By Mercy and Truth Iniquity is purged What meanest thou by this I am afraid thou art a down-right Papist The Papists say that by Alms-giving Iniquity is taken away Dost thou think so For that is Mercy So by doing to others as we would be done by is sin pardoned for this is Truth and Righteousness Speak out Is there any thing that Man can do which thou dost here imply that can take away his iniquity Is this the Blood that thou owned'st before Then may many unclean Drunkards have their iniquities purged yet remain so For several of them it 's known are merciful to the Poor and true in their Words and Promises and Righteous in their Trades Surely then it is more safe to understand this Scripture of the Mercy and Truth of God his Mercy promising forgiveness through Christ and his Truth in making this promise good Thus is Iniquity Forgiven Redeemed Covered In the Hebrew it is in Mercy and in Truth is iniquity redeemed or covered Thou art a very unhappy Man in citing Scriptures In the 44 and 45. pag. I find nothing of any weight or Argument Let the Reader view it Much of pag. 44. is the very same that he said before of me and of the young Man he sends some shot in Railing in Parag. 2. and breaks forth into the Praises of the Quakers and Thraso-like boasts in his confidence And thus goeth on threatning all but themselves as Babylon and Antichrist At length concludes pag. 45. in the 4th Parag. in Prayer He begins thus viz. Arise O God c. he ends with a Doxology viz. To whom be everlasting Praises Glory and Thanksgiving from all that know thy Name God over all Heaven and Earth blessed for ever and ever Hallelujah Now I have read over the Prayer once again I find not one word of Christ in it nothing desired in his Name or for his sake and am greatly jealous and desire therefore to be satisfied in this Question having said so much before as thou hast Whether thou dost pray this Prayer to any other Person or thing than the Light within which thou callest here God over all Heaven and Earth blessed for ever giving Halelujahs to it If thou write again I pray thee resolve me who thou prayest to and why not in the Name of the Mediator Jesus In pag. 46. The Reader may see much of the same he had before applying himself to me calling me to an account for what I have written appealing to my Conscience Where there is this passage Parag 1. And see if thou canst stand by them when
examined to thy Face Reply I have said enough upon this account in my Epistle to Crook and say here in all Calmness I have not wronged the Quakers but have acted in all things according to my Light and Conscience and it doth not in the least upbraid me If for any thing it is that I have not used more diligence and boldness in preventing their gross and damnable errors And now I am ready to speak with thee Face to Face or any of you Baily Pag. 47. Whom thou sayest is a Quaker converted to Christianity as if the Quakers were no Christians Shewing thy Envy against them and thy Ignorance or wilful-blindness concerning the Scriptures of Truth in which may be seen plentifully that God's People whom he hath regard unto above all people in all Ages were such as trembled at his Word As in Isa 66. And Moses was a leading Quaker Heb. 12. and Ezekiel was a Quaker see Chap. 12.18 And Daniel a Man greatly â—â—loved was a Trembler Chap. 10.11 12. And Paul preached in much trembling 1 Cor. 2. 3. And Paul bid the Christians Work out their Salvation with fear and trembling Phil. 2. 12. And exhorted Servants to obey their Masters with fear and trembling Ephes 6.5 And the true Christians received Titus with fear and trembling 2 Cor. 7.15 Reply I wish for thy own Credits sake thou hadst forborn these â—nes Every Babe in Christ smiles when they read them seeing the weakness and impertinency of them I find that the Quakers are very much distasted that we allow them not to be Christians Now how on they be Christians if they hold not the Head the Person of Christ â—ut make the Light within the Head of the Church I wish not onâ—y they but all the World were not almost but altogether Christians Were you but sound in the Faith had ye but the Vital Essential part of Christians what a good addition would there be by you to the Church of Christ Ah! have ye suffered so many things in vain in this Nation But it is not amiss to call a Spade a Spade Ye must I dare say change your Religion from top to bottom before ye be owned Christians by God's people in this Nation But to the thing Thou wilt prove them Christians thus viz. If the Christians of old â—ere Quakers then the Quakers now are Christians But the former is true thou sayest by many Scriptures which thou hast quoted Before we come to examine the instances let me but Query How this people came to be thus called Was it not upon their strange fits of bodily Tremblings which they had in their first Rise wherein all their flesh and bones would tremble I take it for granted having spoke with some that have seen them thrown upon the ground in this posture Now that such bodily Tremblings as these are essential to Christians and to the people of God as such I deny they never had such except it was upon some dreadful Visions or Appearances as you in the least can by no claim to This is no part of Christianity Though we do not censure the Quakers as no Christians because they trembled thus but because they deny Christ himself from whom that Name is derived and the Christian Doctrine So that your Religion is a Religion of another kind and sort and Species much more like Mahumetanism or Judaism or Heathen-Philosophy than Christianity Now to the Scriptures which prove the people of God of old Quakers Isa 66. v. 5. Such as tremble at my Word This is the first Scripture Reply Was this bodily Trembling here spoke of Is there not in the same verse a contrite Spirit mentioned Was it not in Spirit having a Holy awe and Child-like fear of the threatnings of God 2. Moses was a Leading Quaker Heb. 12. This may be spoken of Moses some think not as if it were verified in his own Person as if he did quake but he is brought in as the Mouth of the people speaking in the Name of the people Moses said i. e. in the Name of all the people he being a Mediator betwixt God and them See Exod. 19.19 20. that for all this it 's said there he spake to God and God called him and he went up to the Mount But be it so Was it not upon an Extraordinary occasion Had you ever the like Visions as the burning Mount Did you ever hear the voice of God Was your Doctrine among the Mountains in the North delivered with that Augustness as the Law at Mount Sinai But again grant he did quake was it any part of his Religion oâ— Christianity Nay it only argued this that he was imperfect a sinner legal in part It 's said in that Chapter that it ought not to be thus with Christians viz. to fear thus and tremble nor be discouraged For they are come to Mount-Sion and to the Blood of sprinkling being delivered from a cursing fiery Law and are come unto a State where there should be nothing but Peace Joy and sweetness The next is Ezekiel He was a Quaker in Chap. 12.17 18. The word of the Lord came to me saying Son of Man eat thy Bread with Quaking and drink thy water with trembling Now have you the same Reason for yours as this Prophet for his Any immediate Vision or Revelations by Angels Spirits Voices c. prove it to us Then the next Quaker that is brought is Daniel Chap. 10 11. in a â— you read of a marvelous Vision Daniel had which you dare not say you have any such amongst you which was the cause of his Trembling As for Pauls trembling prove it such Bodily trembling as yours We deny it and say it was not such That in Phil. 2. 12. was not Bodily Trembling but an holy fear and reverence of God in their Spirits rousing them from security upon consideration of the Decrees of God So the other two mentioned as to Servants and Titus But is' t not a strange Argument whereby to prove the Quakers Christians because the Prophets did upon some extraordinary Visions tremble in their Bodies and because others in their Ministry of the Word and servants in their places were not proud and secure but tender and modest and had a Child-like fear of God in their hearts therefore all Christians â—are Quakers and all Quakers Christians But excepting these extraordinary Cases what do these Tremblings signifie â—â—t horror and despair Who trembles more than Devils who believe 〈◊〉 tremble Doth it not argue that you rather come with the Doctrine of the Law the Covenant of Works which indeed you Preach â—an the Gospel As if you had been only at Mount-Sinai The Gospel Spirit is not a Spirit of such fear but of power love and of a sound 〈◊〉 And the more we get into a Spirit of Love the more is this 〈◊〉 cast out But to conclude I wonder not that any that are found upon the â—aw of works not owning the Mediator his Death Suffering Obedience
name I forbear to mention which were to my best remembrance these viz. Young Man I would have thee prepare thy self if it be upon the hearts of any our friends to write to vindicate the Truth that thou should'st not think they do it out of envy but in all meekness to reclaim thee For your Love and Care of me I humbly thank you being willing to learn knowledg in the Gospel by any But your Titles which you put upon me are not such as should Reclaim me viz. A Rebel Blasphemer Traitor wicked Person Dangerous to be believed in words or trustâ—â— in Actions Had these things proceeded out of my Mouth I have just ground to Judg thou wouldst have counted them fruits of envy by what thou toldest me of W. Haworth but I leave it to others to Judg what they are in you After a Repetition of several of my sayings in pag. 27. of my little Book I find thee W. Baily condemning me for setting forth my Condition while I was obedient to the Light in my Conscience for Life and Salvation by the similitude of Israel's being in Egypt Which thou lâ—st strained to make Confusion and render me odious to the World According to this Rule of thine might I say of Paul in Gal. 4.24 25. That the Covenant of Grace was no more than giving Abraham a Son in his old-Age And Hagar the Bond-Woman which bare Abraham a Son is the very Mount Sindi in Arabia on which God gave the Law Also I might say from Luke 18.3 c. That God is unrighteous and that he will not hear his People unless they trouble and urge him with their Cry Which God forbid I should say or think I know no more wickedness in setting forth working for Life and Salvation by Israel's being in Egypt than for the Scripture to set forth God by an unjust Judg. Is this abusing my Similitude in this manner a Fruit of the pure Light within But why may not my Condition in obeying the Light within be compared to a state of Bondage Seeing this Light teacheth the things contained in the Law though not all things contained in the Law as they ought to be taught As not to kill not to Steal not to Commit Adultery and many more and saith in this Language viz. Do this and Live Which is plainly the Covenant of Works This Light teacheth That the Man that keepeth his Statutes i. e. the Commandements of the Light he shall live in them As in Levit. 18.5 Rom. 10.5 Gal. 3. 〈◊〉 The Quakers words are these viz. Mind the Light heed obey the Light and turn to the Light which reproveth and such-like expressions Which words are good in their place but when Justification Life and Peace with God are placed herein they are stark naught For then the Gospel and the Honour and Glory of Christ are destroyed That Christ which was dead and is alive and liveth for ever Revel 1.18 Which cannot be the Godhead without the Manhood So then he that submitteth to the Light and obeyeth it doth not Steal as he that heeded the Covenant of Works And this Light as that Covenant shuts up people unto Good works only to do them for fear of punishment So that they that are thus obeying the Light differ not from those that all their Life-time were subject to Bondage by reason of the fear of Death Heb. 2. 15. Now Paul calls it no other than Bondage to be under the Law for Life and Salvation Gal. 4.25 Why therefore may not I compare it to such an Estate without such Wickedness as you speak of How often do you say there must be a cleansing from all sin in this Life else no Salvation Doth not this speak that the Righteousness in which Man is to live must justify him Is this any other than the Covenant of Works which is perfectly to be kept or no Salvation to those that are under it Where is Gospel-Repentance now Where is a freedom of Will and delight to do good It is all out of doors This I remember upon my own Spirit when the Lord enlightned me to see Justification by the personal Righteousness of Christ then came in a freedom of will to good and a Delight and sweetness in doing Good which I had not before Neither can this be in any where this Change is not There may be in you Quakers a Legal Repentance which is a turning from Wickedness to Civility because ye are bound so to do for Life and Salvation as you think But Gospel-Repentance is an Obedience to the Faith which Justifieth without Works And such an one receiveth thankfully and accepteth of the Righteousness of that Person Jesus Christ for his Justifying Righteousness And from thenceforth in Love to Jesus and for the honour of his Name liveth soberly as a Son obeyeth his Father But doth not look to be made a Son and owned to be a Son and so accepted and received by these works wrought in him and by him Which kind of Repentance the Light within every Man sheweth not So let him which hath the 〈◊〉 Judg of the Tree by its Fruit as thou sayest If the Spirit the 〈◊〉 are in be not the Spirit of Bondage which Paul speaketh of in 〈…〉 15. When as the fear and dread of the Majesty of God unâ—â—â— the Covenant of Works is such to those that remember that there eternal punishment for sinners that they dare not go on in sin 〈◊〉 this But then it is with them If I may draw a Similitude once 〈◊〉 as with a Merchant on the Sea loaden with rich Treasure which 〈◊〉 truly loveth and is loath to part with But there ariseth a Storm 〈◊〉 Tempest So that he must either part with his Goods or lose his â—â—â—e and then he says farewel my Treasure which I so dearly loved 〈◊〉 a kind of Will such a Repentance is theirs who are shut up in 〈◊〉 under the Law and bound to be obedient to the reproof of the 〈◊〉 that they may be delivered from the wrath of God and the punishment of sin 〈◊〉 farther because there is a Light in every Mans Conscience which 〈◊〉 Check for evil as was in Adam after the Fall Genes 3.10 unâ—o which I have been pointed by some And the more it is heeded the 〈◊〉 it will work So that when going to act some evil this Light â—â—oeth and the fear and dread of God because of punishment and 〈◊〉 of shame that will ensue seizeth upon Man so that he hath not 〈◊〉 to go on in sin Hereupon dark blind blockish Reason conâ—â—deth this is the Christ and the Power of God to Salvation By this 〈◊〉 of deceit I came to believe the Light and Power within to be 〈◊〉 Christ the Saviour of the World As some of the Quakers do â—nowledg the Light in overy Man to be They say it is both the 〈◊〉 and the way to the Saviour Upon this ariseth Love to the 〈◊〉 esteemed falsly to be the Lord
he was Maâ— he was capable of suffering Death To be cut off not for himself 〈◊〉 he was God he was able to go through the Work he had to do for pooâ— sinners This was he the Light that John bare Witness of whâ—â— chiefly deserveth the Name of Light seeing he giveth Light 〈◊〉 and receiveth Light of none Now as he was the Creator of all thing John 1.2 So he Lighteth every one we will grant that â—â—â—â—thing the World reading that Phrase as you do Of which Light 〈◊〉 partook before his Fall yea and after his Fall though not in so great 〈◊〉 measure as when he was in the Image of God The Heathens had thâ— Light also yet were without God in the World Ephes 2.12 Tâ—â— Young Man Matth 10.20 that came to Christ had it And Paul before his Conversion yet both were without the Spirit of Regeneration as appears plainly Also there are many things and several Conditions to which man may by this Light of Nature attain and yet be without thâ— Spirit of Adoption viz. to be touching the Law blameless in the eyâ— of Man and seeming to himself to be Righteous before God 〈◊〉 9. It was so with me when time was and I saw no Bondage 〈◊〉 State though there was real Bondage According as it was with the in John 8.33 that said We be Abrahams Seed and are not in Bâ—â—â— to any Man Where Christ did imply that they were not free they 〈◊〉 being sensible of their Spiritual Bondage If any say that by this Light a Man may apprehend the Notion 〈◊〉 Christ a Saviour a Gospel Why If that should be granted 〈◊〉 if I consult my own former experience and the Scripture it 〈◊〉 turneth the Gospel into loosness that Grace may abound or it corrupteth it by joyning the Law and Works for Justification with Christ It teacheth that the Law must be kept perfectly or else thou canst not be saved Yet I still deny that every Man that cometh into the World is Lighted with a Gospel-Spiritual-Light This is a Light that every Man hath not Therefore in Answer to your Request pag. 40. viz. to know of us Whether there be a Light that every Man hath not And if so how it differs from the other I ask Can there be the Light of the Sun without the Sun Or the Light of the Fire without the Fire Or can there be the Light of a Candle without a Candle Then can there be the Light of the Spirit in Man without the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.9 10 11. Now it is Evident that all Men have not the Spirit as in Rom. 8.9 If any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Implying that some were without the Spirit Jude 19. Sensual not having the Spirit Gal. 3.2 This only would I learn of you Received ye the Spirit by the works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith Then there was a Time before they received it seeing they might remember when and how they received it John 14.17 The Spirit of Truth which the World cannot receive Then the World hath it not And many more Instances may be gathered out of the Acts of the Apostles That both Jews and Gentiles had a Light the Gentiles had the work of the Law written upon their hearts and the Jews with this Natural Light the Knowledg of the Law of Moses Yet were without the Spirit not being Converted to the Faith of Jesus but opposing it Wherefore as a Man in outward things cannot lay hold on that which is beyond his reach no more can any by that common Light that every Man hath lay hold on that which is above its reach For that Light that shewed Adam that he had broke the Law of God Gen. 3. did not shew unto him the way of deliverance but God shewed it to him by Revelation So is it in our Day none seeth any Beauty or Comeliness in the Gospel without the Lord reveal it unto him by his Spirit Now here comes in the other Query pag. 41. Whether this Light I speak of the Light of the Spirit of Christ be another sort or kind of Light differing from that which every Man hath I Answer Of those that have the Common Light it 's said John 3. 6. That which is born of the Flesh is Flesh Titus 1.15 16. Vnto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing â—ure but even their mind and Conscience are defiled they profess that they know God but in works they deny him being abominable disobedient and to every good work reprobate or of no judgment The Natural Man discerneth not the things of God neither indeed can 1 Cor. 2.14 But now of those that have the other in the least measure of it this is said 1 Tim. 1.5 Now the end of the Commandment is Charity out of a pure heart and of a good Conscience and Faith unfeigned 1 Tim. 1.19 Holding Faith and a good Conscience which some having put away But how did they put it away What by falling into Theft Murder and Adultery and such-like practises Not so much by these things if at all for they became Teachers of the Law and as I humbly conceive thought that the Law must be kept perfectly as necessary for Salvation by which Doctrines they did corrupt the Gospel and cast off the Faith which once they pretended to making an unlawful use of the Law as Paul Witnesseth v. 7 8. whose Doctrine did eat as a Canker as it doth in our day Therefore the sum of all is as to these two Scriptures No Faith in Jesus no good Conscience no pure Light For they are always joyned together never go asunder Furthermore Paul speaking of himself 2 Tim. 1.3 That he served God at that present from his forefathers i. e. as Abraham and Isaac c. that were in the same Faith that he had now only they looked unto Christ to come and he as already come With pure Conscience How so had he not a pure Conscience always No when-as he said of himself before when a Pharisee he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus Yet lived strictly as touching the Law But time was that when a Pharisee the Lord met him and smote him to the Ground and gave him his Spirit and then he builded up the things that before he destroyed viz. The Faith of Christ and then and not till then had he a pure Conscience and served God with this pure Conscience Obj. But why should this Common Light be counted impure or an evil Conscience seeing it reproveth for sin And the Heathens by this did things contained in the Law which shew the work of the Law written in their hearts their Consciences bearing Witness Why should it be so called or stiled Answ Because it doth not shew unto Man Obedience to the Will of God from right ends and from right principles from right reason and understanding and judgment But is like an
the Spirit to us viz. Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness to every one that believeth Rom. 10.4 Now it is not the Office of the Spirit the Comforter much less of the Light within every Man which deserveth not the Name of the Comforter to work Righteousness in us to justifie us though it doth lead to Holiness Neither to bring us to fulfil the Law in our persons to be justified thereby before God 1 Cor. 4.4 Though I once was entangled with an opinion of this Nature viz. That it was Christ by the Spirit which wrought in me therefore it was not my Righteousness but his and this for Justification Jesus was put to death Crucified cut off not for himself he was an Offering for sin for ever Heb. 10.12 A sacrifice well pleasing to God And he rose again for our Justification Rom. 4.25 Signifying so much that he had satisfyed the Justice of God for the Sins of his people and could not be held of Death Now the Spirit taketh of these things when Man is as we have said before under the sence of the wrath of God and applyeth them unto his heart giving him Faith herein saying Christ was made a Curse for thee Gal. 3.13 i. e. in thy place room and stead He was in a bloody Agony he was forsaken of God and all for the sake of his people His Blood therefore cleanseth from all sin Now the Blood is not within us as the Quakers say Any Sacrifice any Crucifying withiâ— Man to purge to purify to make Reconciliation with God But the Spirit doth apply the Merit of the Sacrifice the Bloodshed of that Person Jesus Christ which was 1600. years since He it was not the Light within every Man that is often called the Redeemer in the Prophets And as Paul calls him from thence A Deliverer to come 〈◊〉 of Zion Rom. 11.26 when the time of his Birth drew nigh he was pointed at to be the Person Mat. 1.21 Luk. 1.31 32. to accomplish the Work This is said he gave his Life a Ransom for many Mat. 20.28 Now the Spirit as we said taketh of these things and applyeth them to his people and saith he hath not he will redeem but hath Redeemed us from the Curse of the Law Gal. 3.13 and hath made them Sons through Faith Gal. 4.6 though they had infirmities and had need of Reproofs and Exhortations to good works as may be seen in the Epistle he having obtained everlasting Redemption through the means of his Death entring into the Holy Place once with his own Blood Heb. 9.12 15. These things I say doth the Spirit Preach to the Souls of poor Men As an Ambassador receiveth of the King his mind and declareth it is a far Country so the Spirit receiveth of Christ's Love his Riches Care for his people and gives them to understand them for themselves for their own Comfort But to the last viz. He shall glorifie me So is it indeed the Spirit doth mightily exalt the Person of Christ it proclaims him to the Soul to be the fairest among ten thousand to be altogether Comely No deformity at all in him How excellently is he set forth in the Book of the Canticles And when the Spirit doth thus reveal Christ in his loveliness and Beauty they cry out O what a wretch was I that I should sin against so Gracious a God! That such as Jesus Christ must dâ— for my Salvation We that stood in the stouâ—ness of our Spirits and slighted and scorned to accept of his personal Obedience 1600. years since Now do melt in the remembrance of our hard hearts And thus is 〈◊〉 got likewise in the heart of Man a Love to live to the praise of the Name of Christ for ever because of a Rebel he hath made him a Son because he hath made Reconciliation by the Blood of his Cross from henceforth he would fear him and serve him as a Father that hath done so much for him that he cannot do so much for Christ never require or make amends So then you see it is not as the Quakers say Obey the Light within and submit to the power thereof that your peace may be made that ye may get into the Love and favour of God that you may be made the Sons of God by the Righteousness which the Light hath wrought in you according to that I have read that George Fox the younger hath writ These are his words viz. If ye would believe and wait in me or obey me the Light in you I will purge out all your iniquities and forgive all your Trespasses and I will change your Natures and make you New Creatures if you will hearken to me and obey me the Light in you Ye see the Motive of one and of the other Light to Obedience is different Again another difference is that the Light of the Spirit of Christ layeth a Man more humble and low in his own Soul than the Light the Quakers plead for It sheweth him that he hath nothing to boast or glory in but all is freely given him Nay if God should deal in Justice with him that he is a wicked person in that he hath sin dwelling in his flesh a corrupt nature if God should look upon him as in himself this might justly befal him to be condemned So that he cannot vaunt it over his Neighbour and say I am Righteous thou art Wicked I am good thou art evil I have done Righteousness thou hast done Wickedness and thou mayest be Righteous and hold on and do good if thou obey the Light in thy Conscience the voice of the Lord calling unto thee in the inward parts which thing the Quakers say by their Light and I have said it in heart many a time before the Lord humbled me to accept of the personal Righteousness of Christ for my Justification as I am a poor sinner Again there are things which the Light of the Spirit discerneth to be sin which the Light in every Man cannot discern to be sin As First to seek for and look for Justification Reconciliation Acceptance with God in with or by the Righteousness in which we live acted in our persons It seeth not this to be a Despising the Righteousness of Christ a corrupting the Gospel eclipsing the Glroy of Christ a contradicting God in his Way and appointment for the Salvation of poor sinners It seeth no evil in this which yet makes Christ of no Advantage not submitting to the Righteousness of God Yet I am not ignorant my Adversaries will say They are justified by the Righteousness of Christ and they do not despise the Gospel with many more good words as they have writ which would to God were true But I would here Answer a Question or two and then proceed If it should be in the mind of any to ask Quest What shall we do that we may attain to this Gospel-saving Spiritual Light Answ I know thou wilt count that which I am
to the works of the Law for Justification Sometimes to the other false and strange foolish Opinions Therefore surely it was no needless thing to bid the Christians beware of temptations and to stir them up to make their Calling and Election sure seeing they had many Enemies to meet with and had but little Faith but like Children when they first go alone are ready to stumble and fall at a small thing But because it is my desire to help others if it may please God I would proceed before I leave this a little further according to the Knowledg God hath given me Quest What Comfort hath a Christian in these Conflicts with his Enemies which are so many Answ This is one Comfoâ—â—â—hat God will never leave him nor forsake him his loving kindness he will not take away from him but will preserve him and defend him to his Heavenly Kingdom 2. That Jesus Christ doth Intercede for his people as he prayed for Simon that his Faith should not fail Luke 22. 32. 3. That he that hath begun that good work Faith in us is able to carry 〈◊〉 on to the end and to perfect it to the day of Glory John 10.28,29 4. That there is a Promise of Victory over sin and Death and all 〈◊〉 Enemies So that we may say they shall not always overcome us 〈◊〉 there is a stronger than they Rom. 6.14 Heb. 12.5 6. 5. That we fight against vanquisht Enemies such as are overcome in our Head already John 16.33 Surely Paul had a strong Faith in these things when he Preached the Gospel meeting with many difficulties and dangers from his Enemies yet his perswasion we see did not fail him but the Lord stood by him and strengthened him and he was delivered out of the paw of the â—â—on and he saith in confidence that the Lord would deliver him from â—â—â—ry evil work and preserve him to his heavenly Kingdom 2. Tim. 4.18 Obj. But W. Baily saith Who among the ungodly would turn their ears from this kind of Doctrine pag. 35. Answ What if the ungodly make a wicked use thereof Is it therefore false and is it unlawful to Preach it If a Man walk with a staff â—â— his hand in the Road with which he Murdereth a Man is it therefore unlawful for me to walk with a Staff by which I am supported and my Life preserved If any make that bad use of it as to continue in sin let them remember the Lord's dealing with Israel in the Wilderness treated of 1 Cor. 10. and the 12 verse But now on the other hand the self-Righteous the Just before Men 〈◊〉 proud in their Spirits and they scorn this Reconciliation by the Obedience of the Person of Christ and his Death and Sufferings and â—â—e no need of it or them no Beauty no Comeliness in Christ Therefore according to that which Christ saith he came not to call the Righteous but sinners to Repentance So that I may bring in your Objection here Obj. But if all Men are not Lighted with the true Light then some have no true Light Then why should they be Condemned is this equal pag. 41. Answ That all Men are Lighted by a Light that is true in its kind by Jesus Christ as he was the Creator of all things I deny not But that all Men have a saving-Light from him as Mediator I do deny And if thou ask Is this equal Answer Is it not lawful and equal to with-hold relief from him that scorneth to receive it and yet is in want 2. Is it not equal for a King to withold a Pardon from a Murderer when he scorneth to accept of it yet is at the point of Death Why then should it not be equal with God to with-hold a saving-Light from such as those I have been speaking of that say in their hearts they have no need of it Many more things might be spoke but I pass them by and shall not meddle with them but leave them to others whose business it is more properly to contend for them viz. As to the powerful work of God without and the Righteousness that justifies being without and other things which I am satisfied in yet deny not the inward workings of the Spirit neither a Holy Life and Conversation but say as before often that good Works must be maintained upheld and taught but in their time and place and not so as to destroy the Gospel and bring Mens Consciences into slavery Bondage under the Law The next thing is S. Crisp his expressions concerning me how he hath set me forth which I could not but wonder at when I viewed it that any pretending to an infallible and an unerring Spirit should write so many false things First pag. 50. Oh horrible Canaan Such a Canaan God never led hiâ— people into nor ever will Where these tasks are not laid upon them Thâ— is a Canaan for the Sons of Belial who are Men without any Yoke I testify in the Name of the Lord that made the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in them that the true Name of this Canaan is Sodom and Egypt What shall I Judg of this I have not met with the like Expression That Canaan the Kingdom of Christ given unto his people being Justifyed by Faith without the Deeds of the Law and from thenceforth acting in Love to him living to his Glory That this should be called a Canaan for the Sons of Belial And to be so confident to say He testifyeth in the Name of Jehovah that the true Name of this Canaan is Sodom and Egypt It made me even tremble when I considered it That any Man should testify in the Name of Jehovah and speak such Vntruths Why might not this Man say of Paul as well where he saith Galat. 5.13 Brethren ye have been called unto Liberty that he told the Galatians that they might Steal and Lie and Kill and Commit Adultery and do all manner of Evil Seeing he was Treating as we are about the Law and the Works thereof And likewise why did ye not say that Paul allows it to be lawful to Kill Steal and Commit Adultery c. when he saith in 1 Cor. 6.12 All things are Lawful unto me And so Chap. 10.23 It may be thou wilt say not so because Paul said to them in the Galâ—t Vse not your Liberty as an Occasion to the Flesh but by Love serve one another And in the Corinthians said All things are not expedient And besides Paul lived a just Life In like manner did I say that I ought to go on in Holiness 1. For the Glory of God 2. To manifest my Love to Christ 3. To convince the World of sin 4. It is my Duty in God Pag. 19 20. To be found in doing justly between Man and Man according to the Light And yet he saith This is a Canaan for the Sons of Beâ—â—â— and declareth it to be the Wickedness of my Principles Pag. 50. he saith The
suffered these to fall into the breach of that Commandement viz. Thou shalt not Bear false Witness As they have done in the four last Instances Which things are utterly false Obj. But if any yet Object against all I have said here and say in their hearts which I question not but many do say That they can do â—â—ll themselves upon the Lord i. e. The Light within and their hearts do not condeâ—â— them They have boldness towards God and that if they â—y in this Condition they shall be blessed Answ Let these but well consider Galat. 3.10 Cursed is every 〈◊〉 that continues not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them Now I Reason thus with you Either ye continue in all that the Law requireth or no If you say yea then are you absolutely perfect without the least sin or spot or presence of sin If ye do not continue and be not thus and yet have peace and your hearts condemn ye not as you say It must be from one of these two things which are both false viz. Either because God accounteth that to be sin to one which he doth not account to be sin to another Or that God will not Condemn a Man for sin committed in Ignorance As if a Man Commit Adultery in his heart unawares if his Conscience smite him not for it but he dyeth without trouble in his Conscience for it that such an one goeth to blessedness whereas Christ desired forgiveness of his Father for them who knew not what they did Obj. If any will say that our words are darkly spoken and so that they could not be otherwise understood Answ They were not so dark but many have understood them aright which pretended not Immediate Revelation nor Infallibility as ye do Is it not strange then that Men that pretend not to obey the Light as their Rule should understand them aright and God as ye call the Light should not instruct ye aright in these things Seeing all things are naked and bare before him and there is nothing too hard for him to know The sum is this then viz. That which erreth in the less will surely err in the greater Or that which instructeth amiss in those of smaller will instruct amiss in those things that are of a higher Concernment and therefore it is unsound But as I have said this pure Light in every Man hath instructed these men amiss as to the understanding of our words and demonstration of my Faith and Judgment therefore it doth certainly mislead as to the right understanding of the Gospel and the Principles pertaining thereunto and therefore it is corrupt And as we said before that which will suffer a Man to rest in the breach of any one Commandment will suffer him to rest in the breach of any other of them and consequently suffer him to rest in the Righteousness which will not Justifie before God But the Common Light in every Man hath suffered these Men to do the First therefore the second likewise to take up in a Righteousness wherein they live and which was wrought in them by the Light which they call the Spirit But to return to my business in hand Quer. 2. Whether he be of the Quakers Faith and Principle who Believeth that the power which accompanieth the Light and restraineth Man from â—â—â—ng some evil is the power of God unto Salvation if it be obeyed If so 〈◊〉 was I one Quer. 3. Whether he be of the Quakers Faith and Principle that exâ—â—eth to be Justifyed accepted with God and to have reconciliation made in with or through that Righteousness in which he liveth acted in â—â— person wrought by Christ as they say i. e. The Light and Power within Then was I of their Faith Quer. 4. Whether he be of the Quakers Faith and Principle that yieldâ—th submitteth hearkneth to or obeyeth that Light and power in him for that very end viz. to be Justified to be brought into the Love and Faâ—â—ur of God to have his Peace made by those Works wrought in him Then 〈◊〉 I a Quaker Quer. 5. Whether is he of the Quakers Faith and Principle That believeth that the Washing Cleansing the Purifying by with or through the Blood of Jesus Christ is only that Life and Light and Power that is within Man when he gets any strength by attendance hereunto over any 〈◊〉 and iniquity and is led into any thing that is good In which sence I 〈◊〉 prayed that I might be washed in the Blood of Christ and cleansed from all my sins Yea many a time when I was in my distressed Condition If so then was I a Quaker Quer. 6. Whether he be of the Quakers Way Faith Spirit and Principle that believes that no Man of himself is able and sufficient to keep the Law of God it being weak through the Flesh to bring to Eternal Life therefore Christ the Light Life and Power within doth work in him to change him from darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God to fulfil the Law in us i. e. in our Persons to make an end of sin and to bring in everlasting Righteousness viz. the Righteousness wrought in us So reconciling man to God breaking down the middle Wall of Partition destroying the Works of the Devil Sin and Wickedness all within no where else and in no wise else Of this kind was my Faith for some time Quer. 7. Whether he be of the Quakers Spirit Way Faith and Principle that through Christ i.e. the Light Life and Power within Man thinks he should be carried up freed from sin and live in holiness before Christ as the person of Jesus Christ was 1600 years since for an example to us being obedient to the Call of the Lord as they say in my inward parts So I believed formerly Quer. 8. Whether he be of the Quakers Faith and Principle who Believeth yea the Frame of his Spirit is to say when he seeth Man go on in wickedness Thou mayest be Righteous if thou wilt if thou wilt but obey the voice of the Lord in you i. e. The Light which calleth to you in your inward parts he will deliver you from sin for he delighteth not in the death of a Sinner These I once held with several others which I pass by for brevity sake as concerning the Taking an Oath the Sabbath the Law of Moses c. Now if he be of the Quakers Faith which thus believeth then was I. For the declaring whereof I have suffered Reproach and that none of the least because of a similitude used by me insomuuh that I am declared to be a Lyar a Thief a Wronger of my Neighbour and several more as may be seen When they say I have cast off Christ's Yoke and Burden and the Latitude of my Canaan is to have none of these things laid upon me He must of necessity mean that I am become a Thief and a Lyar c. Otherwise there would be