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
sum and substance of the Gospel as coming of the Seed of David according to the Flesh was declared to be the Son of God with Power by the Resurrection from the dead So it is the Power of God his power exerted in Christ's Resurrection whereby we have Justification He rose again for our justification Again the power of God was greatly exerted in working Miracles while they preached the Gospel Heb. 2.4 God bearing them witness with Signs and Wonders with divers Miracles and gifts of the Holy Ghost While you pretend to a New Gospel you should have brought the Power of God to Seal it in Miracles When he calls it the Power of God it may be you understand it as Winkfield did that God's Essential Power is Communicated which cannot be for then would the Creature to whom it 's Communicated be omnipotent And if thou would'st plainly speak out dost thou not think that the Light that every Man hath is part of the essential Power of God which is able to save every one that doth obey it Now Paul speaks not a word of the Light that is in every one here he speaks of his readiness to Preach the Gospel to them at Rome v. 15. which Gospel what it was he had declared before v. 3 4. viz. a Doctrine concerning Christ's being Incarnate and his Resurrection now he saith he is not ashamed of this Doctrine but thou and thy Brethren are for you Preach it now now the reason why he was not ashamed of it is because it is the Power of God c. i. e. The Spirit who is God made use of this Doctrine that many despised to the Salvation of many The Spirit conveyed it self into the hearts of the hearers by this Doctrine and wrought Faith in them to receive it Therefore that Scripture 1 Cor. 1.18 doth explain the Preaching of the Cross i. e. Christ Crucified at Jerusalem without any Allegory not a word here of G. F's Doctrine of a Light that every Man hath to be turned to which thou hast been deluded by is to them that perish foolishness I pray God it be not so to you but unto us which are saved it is the power of God Now Paul Rom. 1.17 proceeds to tell us how this Doctrine not the Law nor the Light nor any other Doctrine is that which the Spirit makes use of to convert change and save because thereby the righteousness of God is revealed from Faith to Faith In the Doctrine of the Gospel is revealed a Righteousness that every way answers the holy Law of God which is the Righteousness that God approves of If I will be beloved of God reconciled have life I must have a Righteousness compleat to bring to God now no Doctrine declares this but the Gospel that declares the Remission of sins by the sacrifice of Christ and that by the Obedience of this one we are made righteous his Obedience without us Now he faith it is revealed from Faith to Faith therefore Faith is not that Righteousness but receiveth it being revealed I have writ the more upon this Scripture because it is greatly made use of by you And some will see hereby that it is not for you at all but against you Let me add this to what thou sayest that being led away by sin is a departure from or denial of the power To whomsoever God gives Faith in this Righteousness he sanctifieth inwardly and whoever hath this Faith he hath it in a pure Conscience and who-ever makes shipwrack of a good Conscience as to morals it 's a Token to us that he hath made shipwrack of Faith likewise if he continue so without Repentance This departing denying of the Power begins in unbelief an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God Heb 3.11 The last Scripture thou bringest in is 2 Pet. 3.17 where the Apostle exhorts the beloved that knew the truth to beware left they also should be led away by the error of the wicked Now John what error is there scarce mentioned in the Scripture which thou and thy people are not guilty of In the late Scripture thou namest thou didst plainly read thy self in Hymeneus Now again what errour of the wicked in this vers 3. There shall come in the last days scoffers vers 4. saying Where is the promise of his coming for since the Fathers c. This was the error viz. They did not believe the second coming of Christ Now in the face of how many thousands have the Quakers denyed this speak of his coming again they answer he is come they witness his coming Tell them of that Scripture in remembrance of him till he come why Christ is come therefore the Lords Supper is antedated as to them Thus they are for an Allegorical coming the second time i. e. to the Spirit in giving heed to the Light and so it is without sin unto Salvation according to you Take heed lest your Salvation prove only Allegorical not real I have several times heard it can name one not long since of the Quakers of Hartford that hath spoke it That we that look for the second coming of Christ are but gazers and our eyes shall sink or rot in their holes before we see that day intimating it shall never be John the Scripture is against thee thou hadst better quote a piece of Jacob Beâ—eman J. C. pag. 6. The young man was fully of the Quakers way Spirit Faith and Principle Thy mistake also in this is very gross as may appear by the Answer to the young mans Book in this particular Answer I confess I said that the young man was fully of the Quakers way c. But it seems I am mistaken and that grosly as will appear by thy Brother Baylies Answers which I have looked over and find that the reason that he gives why this young man was no Quaker was because he did put off his Hat and was not satisfied in silent meetings So that I must it seems retract because I did not understand that these two things did essentially constitute a Quaker viz. Silence and Vnmannerliness so that even a Dumb Turk is a Quaker When wilt thou be ashamed of these things John J. C. pag. 6. Thou Say'st the young man was an honest Quaker 〈◊〉 to his perswasion as Luther said of himself before his Conversion c. 〈◊〉 which it 's thus replyed then what are they converted from or to that are 〈◊〉 true to their perswasion Examine thy self and thy people whether you is all things are true to your perswasion if nay then you are come so far a the honest Quaker by thy own confession Answer I said the young man was an honest Quaker c. because there be some Knavish Quakers John thou knowest as in Luthers time many pretended mortification under a Monks Cowle and at the same time were unclean sensualists So some of you it 's known pretend to exact honesty in trade and under pretence cheat
by the Light and it doth justifie of which afterwards J. C. As if the Quakers were against that Confession of sin c. Ans Shall we not judg of your Opinions by your practices you Pray I know having heard you frequently without the least Confession of any sin Thus it may be the Quakers are not against the Confession of sin viz. they apprehend that others that are not Quakers being sinners ought to confess their sins But as for them they are not sinners I have lately tryed them in a discourse not a word can I draw out of them that they are sinners Wo unto them Pharisees Hypocrites Humphery Smith being asked at Hartford why he did not confess sin to God in Prayer answered he had none to confess as being no drunkard c. I can prove this by witness J. C. pag. ibid. We own the Holy Scriptures Answ Are not the Scriptures and Christ mightily obliged to you infallible Doctors that will condign to own such fragments and a Book patched up of so many scraps to help a little when the Church had lost the life of the Spirit One now living in Hartford about ten years since heard John Crook at Hartford in George Westwares house in a discourse amongst the people invalidating the Holy Scriptures as not being the Rule and that people should turn to the Light and therefore had words to this purpose as near as can be remembred viz. That at first the Saints lived by the life of the Spirit and were guided thereby and had none of those Books which they call meaning Professors the Scriptures which Scripture so called in the primitive times after they were written some part of them was at Corinth some at Colosse others at Rome c. now when the Churches had lost the life of the Spirit they called a Council and sent to those places and gathered those fragments and packed or patched them together and called them the Scriptures and he said fâ—rther That we had no more than the Rhemists who were Papists would let us have and that there was a Gospel written by some one of the Apostles and a Revelation by another which we had not when J. C. was charged with this at Hartford he replyed to the same person that had heard him that if these were his words it was not his Judgment J. C. pag. ibid. We say that if we confess our sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness 1 Joh. 1.9 But confession of sin ought to be performed from the sense of evil of sin upon the Conscience and not out of formality and custom only as most do Ans We say the same here we agree but this phrase as most do I suppose are all of what sort soever that are not Quakers for Quakers do not at all confess sin therefore all are but in a senseless formal state besides them and what they do it is but out of custom Pag. ibid. Yet we say now this is spoke from an infallible oracle in the name of all the Quakers where the heart is sprinkled with the blood of Christ from an evil Conscience at that time and while remaining so thanksgiving is proper to be given to God for praise is comely for the upright and such Know c. Answ So may there not be a sense of the desert of the evil of sin though not anguish and trouble upon the Conscience for it at the same time that the Conscience is sprinkled with the blood of Christ and so there may be and should be Confession of sin and Praise together Supplication and Thanksgiving the Scripture speaks of and so in many of the Psalms there are Confessions and Thanksgiving together so there is a Rejoicing with Trembling I query whether the Quakers ever had a true sense of sin because they never do confess sin whether they are not much more perfect than Isaiah Job and John yet these Saints Consciences at that very time were sprinkled with the blood of Christ and so Isaiah when he said I am a man of unclean lips Paul had the sence of sin Rom. 7. yet at the same time gives thanks I query again whether any that have it sprinkled ever have it unsprinkled though they may lose the sense of it so indeed Praise not to exclude Confession is comely for the upright J. C. And such know the Blood of sprinkling to be a speaking blood it speaketh with the Apostle causing that soul that is washed with it alwayes to be mindful of it and truly to prize it Answ This true if rightly understood but by the Blood look in o Mr. Faldo's Key is to be meant the power of the light within not the sufferings of Christ according to the Quakers sense Remember what Pennington saith that external blood cannot cleanse the conscience the blood of Bulls and Goats could not do it no more can this there is no more worth in this than in other common blood in your account although thou dost afterwards seem to confess otherwise Pennington saith heavenly blood which Christ brought with him from Heaven and dwelt in the garment of the body a while and now is in every Quaker This is the blood thou meanest still thou art at Legerdemain Where doth this blood speak why we believe according to the Scriptures That as the high Priest entred into the Holy-place with the blood of the sacrifice so Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place Heb. 9.12 24. into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Now according to your Allegorists this Heaven it self is within man so was Christ in the Saints before he came in the flesh and his blood the Light within before any of his sufferings in the flesh But we now will declare our sound Scripture-sense as followeth Christ is our Advocate with the Father and his Blood the infinite worth of it the value of all his sufferings speaks to the Father John 1.2 he is an Advocate by vertue of his being a Propitiation as there it s spoken now he was not a propitiation within us therefore he is not an Advocate within that is the Spirits work enabling us to go to God in prayer through his Name yet we say that faith that looks to this and trusts to this is wrought within us by the Spirit and so know that the blood speaks the sufferings without and thus we have peace of Conscience J. C. pag. 9. Thou sayst Jesus Christ of Nazareth c. brought this Righteousness if thou believest that none were really saved or made righteous by that Righteousness of Christ till or after that time thy faith is contrary to the Scripture which calls Christs Righteousness an everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9.24 Isa 45.17 Micah 5. Answ Yea and again I say Jesus of Nazareth brought this Righteousness and he only and it was not actually brought in before according to that in Dan.
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
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
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
with such Blasphemies viz. Given forth by the Spirit through the Trunk of the Body of FOX or such a one Horrible Pride And therefore do your Disciples at this day account their Writings of equal Authority with the Writings of the Apostles nay beyond them because a newer Revelation of a later Date you be advanced to a good Degree but to the thing now what is this instance of an extraordinary Power of the Spirit to the ordinary working of Gifts in Sanctification which thou art treating of There are 7 Lines follows that are but Queries to the same purpose as before which I have Answered fully to viz. I have said in My Answer that we are for acting and doing and by the Holy Ghost yet dares not trust to it but to Christ In the End of this Paragraph you have this Neither is it we that speak as we are kept truly â—lent out of all our own thoughts but the Holy Ghost in us Mark 13.11 Answ Here is speaking and yet silence Reconcile contraries as you can that place in Mark speaks of the Holy Ghost being promised to the Disciples in times of Persecution to assist them in their Confessions of this Faith I am pleading for viz. Salvation by a Crucified Jesus as their Righteousness when they should be called to an account before Tribunals as if we could not have the Assistance of the Holy Ghost to enable before Magistrates or Quakers to confess the Faith but we must of necessity make this assistance our very Righteousness that Justifies us what weakness is this J. C. Pag. 15. Thou sayest our Righteousness is but the Righteousness of mere Man c. And yet before saith it consists in the Gifts and Vertues thâ— the Holy Ghost works in our minds See thy Confusion from thy 〈◊〉 words Answ I can see none and let the Reader Judg Thy Soul 〈◊〉 is the Soul of a meer Man yet the parts of it consist in Understanding and Will which God hath created and given the Light within is the Light of a meer Man yet it consists in a Faculty which God hath given of discerning Moral good and evil and a reflex Act of Coâ—science in accusing or excusing according to a Mans Actings thereunto So here when I say the Spirit works these there is the efficient cause when I say of meer Man there is the Subject in which it is wrought still to distinguish it from that Righteousness that Justifies that is the Righteousness of one who is God and Man Colâ—ss 2.9 This Scripture proves Christ to be God and Man for in him dwelleth All the fulness of the Godhead Bodily What is that Him and what that Fulness of the Godhead Where is now Confusion Reader J. C. pag. ibid. One Righteousness is perfect and compleat the other 〈◊〉 faulty imperfect and incompleat thou wouldest make them two in nature and kind the one from Heaven the other on Earth the one Christ's the other ours and yet saith it is incompleat as to Degree then they must be one in kind for Degrees varie not kind or Nature Answ That thy heart smote thee a little when thou was writing this John appears to me by thy way of expressing they self Thou sayest I would make them two in Nature and Kind c. Why then there was something spoken that made it evident as that the one was Christ's the other ours That an Adversary could not but take notice of it Degrees thou sayest varie not kind which is true in things of the same Nature But here I have plainly by thy own Confession made them of various Natures then this Sentence viz. faulty imperfect incompleat as to Degree must necessarily be restrained as to those things of their own Nature of which I am speaking viz. our own Righteousness and no more is in it than this viz. That the Spirit in working it in our Souls doth not work it up to that height as that 〈◊〉 thing of sin remains in us but as to the other Righteousness there was no spot in Christ Remember the Proverb Rather than Satan will 〈◊〉 he will play at a small Game Rather than thou willt not manifest thy enmity against Imputed Righteousness and be a Patron of our own to Justify us to take off from Christ thou wilt play a small low Game J. C. Pag. ibid. So it is manifest that thou knowest not what thou sayest such is thy confusion no marvel while thou errest from the form of sound words calling it a Righteousness contrived where findest thou such a word iâ— Scripture Answ Let the Reader judg if I know not what I say thou art a â—â—â—ty and not sit to judg in the Case now by saying the Form of 〈◊〉 words and then mentioning the Scriptures who would think 〈◊〉 J. C. began to be ashamed of the Quakers Principles and to own the Scriptures for the Rule which his Brother Bayly disowns and that 〈◊〉 was again returned to his old Christianity from which he had Apostatized and grew weary of those many uncouth strange words and Gibberish Language that Fox brought out of the North resolving to fashion all his words in his Prayers hereafter according to the Dialect of the Scriptures Oh that it might prove true Yet how can I but say this that an Ape that is most like a Man and yet of another kind is one of the most ill-favouredst of the Bruits so it rendereth thee most ridiculous in our eye when we see thee here Ape it so like a Christian and yet knoweth that thou art of a different Species Speak and write like a Quaker or else utterly forsake them my eye hath been deceived sometimes by the Art of Limning in thinking I have seen Living Creatures Men and Women Lions Bulls c. and yet turn but the other side and nothing but a thin painted Past-Board So here I fear many be deceived with thy expressions in thy lines wherein thou appears to a weak eye a Living real sound substantial Christian but I hope I have turned the other side and now it appears thou art but still a thin dead liveless rotten Apostate and Quaker only painted over with better Colours and a little more Art Thou hast got the Art that Gaptains have at Sea that they may have the greater advantage and thou thinkest it Lawful as they do thou comest up to us thinking to board us presently with an English 〈◊〉 and Colours when as thou art absolutely a French Man I have heard lately from one that hath read J. C's Books that in one of his Books he expresses himself to be for this viz. a Liberty for Quakers to admit themselves into all Churches of what Judgment soever This is the Man that is for overcoming not by force of Argument but 〈◊〉 Stratagems This is Romes way at this day And remember that 〈◊〉 writ before an Answer which J. C. gave to one that charged him with what he had said viz. If they were my Words that was
that think in these thoughts of Foolâ—â—ess Satan is frequently exciting and suggesting its true but yet 〈◊〉 experienced Christian may discern those Temptations that arise from 〈◊〉 in his Heart from those Temptations of Satan I grant that in 〈◊〉 we yield not to Satan we are not guilty His Temptations not 〈◊〉 to are our Afflictions not our Sins and likewise it 's true of Christ notwithstanding the Devil's Assaults yet was he without sin But then as I have said these Motions and Desires arise not from Satan 〈◊〉 our own Lust and the very presence of them in the Soul is sinful 〈◊〉 been proved Withal may not I say it 's easier to resist the Temptâ—â— than these in that they are so near close and continued and who is there that though he give not a formal express yet a virtual inâ—eâ—â—â—etative consequential consent he doth many a time unawares when he doth but in the least admit of that which is an occasion of sin Again there is sin habitually in the Will of every Man though at present his Will consents not actually to these Motions These Desires arise from a Will that is corrupted As to that of Christ we say he had no Lust 〈◊〉 his case was different he saith of the Tempter John 14.30 〈◊〉 cometh and findeth nothing in me So that his Temptations were only external and there was no mixture of Evil in them you see it 's nothing to the purpose then to instance in him Now John Crook Who are for Holiness more you Quakers or we who pleads for sin most you or we You say we plead for sin when we deny Perfection in this Life we say you plead for sin in saying 〈◊〉 the Motions to Evil in the Heart if not consented to are not sin we 〈◊〉 this now that your Perfection boasted of is no other than that which every Babe in Christ hath viz. Not to consent to these evil Moâ—â—â—â—â— who now hath most tenderness of Conscience you or we you 〈◊〉 that a motion to Adulteries Murthers Incests are not sin if not 〈◊〉 to therefore need not concern your selves about them groan 〈◊〉 them cry out of them be troubled for them but we say they are sins and their being in us is â—â—â—som and burdensom we 〈◊〉 against them the new Creature in 〈◊〉 is contrary to them and 〈◊〉 with them hates them and cannot bear them therefore we 〈◊〉 the the utter extirpation of them and again no wonder you your 〈◊〉 and your followers prize not Christs Sufferings and Atonemâ—nt but 〈◊〉 Proud Pharisaical resting in Moralities and legal Righteousness 〈◊〉 as you believe this and teach it the people that if no consent 〈…〉 Will to covetous and unclean thoughts there is no sin in them 〈◊〉 Blood is therefore despised by you Paul did despise it in Româ— 7. and was alive self-Righteousness led some to know this by understanding the spirituality of the Law Rom. 7. I was alive without the La◠〈◊〉 c. But to return from whence we came Their slavery appears greatly in this thing in that they adhere 〈◊〉 their Teachers as infallible so that whatsoever they say or write they dare not but believe it as Gospel now is not this Bondage and 〈◊〉 Popish Bondage Yea they are brought into Bondage to every 〈◊〉 Voice any thing they fancy to be but a Vision Revelation 〈◊〉 Oh poor deceived people Yea what Bondage ere long will you 〈…〉 to the Presbytery at Devonshire-House no marrying without their 〈◊〉 judging of matters of fact by their pretended Revelations G. 〈◊〉 solving at his Knees whom he will sending out to the Ministery 〈◊〉 he will You may see this in the little Book called the Spirit of the 〈◊〉 and the other stiled Tyranny and Hypocrisie of the Quakers detected Theâ—e is certainly a great Bondage and slavery to be in Bondage to sin and Lusts and not only the Quakers as thou writest think thus 〈◊〉 others But there is another Bondage i. e. to the Law which 〈◊〉 sore Bondage and that I see the Quakers are in viz. to the Law 〈◊〉 Covenant of works You have tempted God and displeased him 〈◊〉 putting this Yoke upon the necks of the poor people and galled 〈◊〉 necks with it and neither they nor any of you are able to bear 〈…〉 to go about to keep the Law so that in case they keep it not to the height they are damned Cursed is every one c. Gal. 3. J. C. Which you believe all Men must continue in term of Life Answ We say and believe that sin will continue in us for 〈◊〉 Life but that Phrase thou makest use of speaks more viz. our â—â—luntary activity in sin which thou knowest we are against we say 〈◊〉 know that the power of sin is broke by the Spirit in us Rom. 6. 〈◊〉 shall not have Dominion c. But yet it doth dwell in us the Leprosie of Original sin will eleave to us till the House of our Bodies be 〈◊〉 down But John if thou beest for absolute Perfection in this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayest thou not so in this place but thou art for lying hid 〈◊〉 J. C. Parag. ibid. As high as Heaven is above the Earth so far is that 〈◊〉 â—f the Faith of Jesus in you above the Spirit of Antichrist that 〈◊〉 them viz. the Quakers How now is your own Righteousness grown 〈◊〉 haft thou forgotten that thou callest the Gifts and Vertues that 〈◊〉 of God works in your minds but your own Righteousness Answ I am still of the same mind what ever is wrought by the 〈◊〉 is but the Righteousness of the Law i. e. what that Law doth 〈◊〉 in us and of us and that Paul calls his own Phil. 3.9 and 〈◊〉 Righteousness doth grow in us stronger and stronger as we hold 〈◊〉 Communion with Christ but my Confidence which I express in 〈◊〉 words doth not arise from my own Righteousness as thou 〈◊〉 left have it but still from Jesus whom I mention in these words 〈◊〉 height and strength of Faith doth not arise from it self as an Habit 〈◊〉 or Act of ours but from its Object Jesus Christ as before Beâ—â—â—â—â— I say the Spirit of Faith viz. That Spirit that is the efficient 〈◊〉 of Faith in Jesus opposing this to a contrary Spirit of Antichrist Now I have said the Spirit it self was not our own Righteousness but 〈◊〉 it in us and is not the Spirit of God above the Spirit of the 〈◊〉 and smaller Antichrists I believe it therefore speak it and I 〈◊〉 it still and affirm it J. C. Pag. ibid. But take heed of the Blasphemy of the Holy Ghost 〈◊〉 Francis Spira's condition be thine or madness and distraction befal 〈◊〉 Answ To the making up of that sin there must certainly be this 〈◊〉 viz. an Acting against high Conviction certain knowledge and perswasion now I ask my self am I convinced and perswaded that the Spirit of Jesus is in the Quakers I Answer my self 〈◊〉 certainly
compares this blessed Light which hath done all this 〈◊〉 for him to the Egyptians which grievously and wickedly oppressed 〈◊〉 afflicted the people of Israel on whom the Lord sent his Plagues because of their Cruelty which they exercised upon his people as may be seen in pag. 18. And yet confessed he had Joy and Peace and Comfort and 〈◊〉 in Spirit under these Taskmasters which the poor Israelites had 〈◊〉 but cryed to the Lord as may be read in Exod. 3. and so no fit but a wicked and unrighteous comparison which the Lord will one day judg him 〈◊〉 Reply Thou and thy Brother Crisp are very Angry with the young Man I perceive for making use of this Comparison in pag. 18. of the little Book Crisps piece is nothing but a meer paraphrase upon this Comparison which will be Answered here besides what the young Man hath written concerning it to vindicate himself How easily be ye stirred if any reflection be but seemingly cast upon the Light more Zealous you be here than if any should reproach the person of Christ for many of us are perswaded and upon good Grounds that you Believe there is no such person as Jesus Christ God and Man But why so moved ye be jealous for your God the Light there being no just ground given you might as well be angry with the Apostle for comparing the Covenant of works to Agar saying it gendreth to Bondage Gal. 4.24 and all that are under this Covenant to Ishmaels Children of the Bond woman to be cast out thou mightest as well say that the Apostle here in this place compares the Light within to Agar and it's Children to Ishmael and call this a wicked unrighteous comparison that God will Judg Paul for one day as to speak this of the young Man who only sets out by this Comparison that estate and condition that he was in before Christ did savingly reveal himself to him by his Spirit when he followed the Quakers Light within as his Guide which led to the way of the Covenant of works to obtain Life by his own doings wherein he had some Carnal false Peace and satisfaction as the Israelites had in Egypt upon performing their tasks not being beaten when they did that which was required but had Garlick and Onions and Meat to the full in remembrance of which they had frequent longing desires to return there was something then desireable to their Carnal Appetite so it was with this young Man and with every one under the Covenant of works they have Peace in their Consciences as long as they are toiling for Life and Salvation in some external things but no Peace arising any other way whereas afterwards when in Canâ—an the Israelites had not these Tasks imposed on them neither were they beaten for the neglect of them but were free from this Bondage and had an inheritance given them of God and were to serve Christ in the improvement of these good things he had given them Thus the young Man upon the Faith of the Gospel was set free by Christ If the Son shall make you free ye shall be free indeed John 6 36. He saw now a better and more compleat Righteousness in Christ his Head without him than that which was wrought in him hereupon he had a better Peace drawn from a surer ground that would endure Being justified by Faith we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ Rom. 5.1 and so there must needs be sweet and steady Peace of Conscience for who can lay any thing to the charge of God's Elect God Justifieth who can Condemn Rom. 8. he now continueth in his Duty but from another principle to another end than when a Quaker viz. The Life of Faith doing what he doth not for fear of a whip like an Egyptian oâ— Turkish Slave for fear of Hell-fire and the Wrath of God but what he doth he doth it now with delight and sweetness it 's pleasant this is Love that we keep his Commandements and his Commandements are not grievous 1 John 5.3 now he aims not only at himself in his obedience which one under the Covenant of works doth and therefore his Righteousness is nothing worth it is but Hypocrisie but he aims now 〈◊〉 Glory of Christ and would not leave Holiness in case his hapness was not concerned in it So that this Canaan is not as thy Brother 〈◊〉 weakly insinuates a Canaan of Loosness but Godliness where the 〈◊〉 of God is there is Liberty the Christian walks in the Royal 〈◊〉 of Liberty not fearing the loss of Salvation because it is sure 〈◊〉 Election and Purchase and Christ hath taken possession of it for 〈◊〉 already although he comes not up to that height that the Law â—â—â—ires and do not they Love God more and obey better that apprehend the Love of God in Christ unchangeable towards them than those that after all their toil fear they may fall short The Pharisees fasted oftner than Christ's Disciples but were not so really Godly as they what is all Obedience without Love and how can there be Love but by apprehension of God's Love to use I find nothing in Pag. 32 but vain Repetition till I come to that Paragraph that begins thus viz. Take heed of the Sin against the Holy Ghost for it is near when that which casts out Devils is called Beelzebub 〈◊〉 how you sport your selves with a consuming Fire Reply Is it not Blasphemy to say that the Light that every Man hath all the Heathens have that worships Devils every unclean Adulterer every Murtheren Thief and Robber hath is Common and â—ssential to Man as his Soul Conscience Reason in a word is Nature That this is the Holy Ghost who is God of the same Nature and Essence with the Father 2. To say that the Light within every one hath power to cast out Devils 3. That it is a consuming Fire which here thou dost Observe this is the third time of Baylies Blasphemy making the 〈◊〉 to be the very omnipotency and Justice of God which are himself Bayly in the fourth Paragraph Whether the Lord requireth Obedience and Service and Worship to any other Light or Spirit of Christians but 〈◊〉 own Reply The Lord requireth Obedience of Christians to the Magistrate yet the Magistrate is not the Spirit of Christ to the Moral Law yet 〈◊〉 not the Spirit to Officers in Churches to the Light of Nature and Conscience yet are they not the Spirit of Regeneration Worship to any other Light thou sayestâ— Here thou dost plainly imply that the Light within may be Worshipped for thou surely speakest of Divine Worship as it was in Naylor this is the fourth time of thy absâ—â—â— Blasphemies yet in the next breath saith It is but a Plant of the 〈◊〉 â—thers Planting yet such a Plant as it is a Tree of Life and a conâ—â—â—ming Fire and that which casts out Devils and to be Worshipâ— Those Plants spoke of in Matth. 15. which
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
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
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