let them read Rom. 8. 11. and they will find the Apostle speaking expresly If the Spirit of him that raised up Iesus from the dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your Mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Therefore as I said before 't is no Arrogancy for the People of God to own that they have the Spirit of God dwelling in them for 't is not the Light of Nature nor the Dictates of a Natural Conscience but a Spiritual Divine Principle by which Men and Women are raised from the Death of Sin to serve God in Newness of Life and Obedience of Conversation No Reader let me tell thee Nothing Natural will or can reach so far Nature cannot change Nature it must be a higher Power that can cause to put off concerning the former Conversation the Old Man which is Corrupt according to Deceitful Lusts by renewing the Spirit of the Mind so as to cause us to put on the New Man Christ Jesus which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness and so Old Things are made to pass away behold all things are become New Lo here is a New Creature as there is a putting off the Old Man with his Deeds there is a passing away of the first Heavens and the first Earth and then behold New Heavens and a New Earth wherein dwelleth Righteousness as there is a coming to this Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which Law is inward written in the Heart and Engraven on the Inward Parts there is a setting Free from the Law of Sin and Death And so we come to know a Blotting out of the Law of Commandments contained in Ordinances which was against us and contrary to us our Lord having taken them and nailed them to his Cross. And thus He that believeth in the Cross of Christ which is the Power of God unto Salvation hath a Witness in himself the Spirit it self beareth them Witness that they are the Children of God according to that in 1 Iohn 5.10 Rom. 8.16 And as they continue in the Faith they come to be sealed with the holy Spirit of Promise and to set to their Seals that God is True For Faithful is he that hath promised who also will do it he hath promised to redeem us from all Iniquity wherefore let us hope in his Word and not grieve his holy Spirit whereby we are sealed unto the Day of our compleat Redemption according to the Apostle's Advice Ephes. 4. 30. O! let us take heed that we do not vex and quench the Spirit of Christ within us that so we be not of those complained of by Nehemiah To whom the Lord gave his good Spirit but they rebelled against it And what then so he became their Enemy and fought against them These were such of whom Iob speaks Chap. 24. 13. saying They are of those that rebel against the Light the Light and Spirit here spoken of being one in Being and not divided but distinguished only in degrees of Discoveries for this Spirit is a Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Knowledge of Jesus Christ which openeth and enlighteneth the Eye of the Vnderstanding and giveth to know what is the Hope of the Calling of Christ Iesus and what is the Riches of the Glory of his inheritance in the Saints according to the Apostle's Prayer to God for the Ephesians Chap. 1. 17 18. And this was it that Christ promised when he was about to leave his Disciples as to his Personal presence amongst them at which their Hearts began to be sorrowful he therefore tells them to comfort them he that dwelleth with you shall be in you John 14. 17. Thereby he meant himself who then was present with but passing from them in the Flesh would come again unto them and abide forever with them in the Spirit For the Lord is that Spirit saith the Apostle 2 Cor. 3. 17. Wherefore he bids them Examine themselves whether they be in the Faith Prove your own selves saith he know you not your own selves how that Christ is in you Except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13. 5. And hereby know we that we are not in a Reprobate state because we witness the Spirit of Christ dwelling in us For this Principle of which I write 't is the Unction which we have received from the holy One whereby we know all things that is this doth instruct us in all things that are necessary to be known by us For 't is that spiritual anointing that the Apostle Iohn speaks of which those who have received it and in whom it abides need not that any man teach them but as the same anointing teacheth them all things and is Truth and is no Lye even as it hath taught them they should abide in him 1 John 2. 14. that is in Christ Jesus from whom this anointing doth come Now whoso is taught by this Anointing the same is taught by God as it is written in the Prophets And they shall be all taught of God Every man therefore that hath heard and hath learned of the Father cometh unto me saith Christ Iohn 6.45 For this was the Promise of the Father even the new Covenant which he made with the House of Israel After those Dayes saith the Lord I will put my Laws into their Minds and write them in their Hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the least to the greatest Ier. 31. 33 34. This being the Tennure of the New Covenant That all the Children of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord and in Righteousness shall they be established Isa. 54. 13 14. Which implies that God will teach them so effectually by his Free Spirit that they shall not stand in need of any other Prophet But here I must obviate an Objection before I can proceed Possibly some may ask me Why then do those People that thou art now gone amongst keep up their Publick Meetings to Preach and to Teach People the Way of Salvation What need is there of their Teaching if every one hath a Teacher in them able to Instruct them in the Way to the Kingdom To whom I Answer First Though I did say as much as that every one hath a Divine Teacher in them yet I did not say that every one knows this Teacher in them For this hath been the Misery of many Ages of the World People have gone out after the many Lo here 's and Lo there 's to find Christ without them in the mean time neglecting his Appearance within them even as was foretold by Christ himself when he was on Earth in the days of his Flesh In the Last Dayes saith he they shall say Lo here is Christ and Lo he is there but go ye not out after
doubtless Abel as well as Abraham saw Christ's Day to come notwithstanding neither of them had any Scripture Revelation of him For Abraham saw Christ's Day afar off and rejoyced many Ages before the Scriptures were recorded and by the same Faith no doubt Abel looked beyond the Firstlings of his own Flock to Christ the First-born of God who was to be made an Offering for Sin as the Anti-type which these typified otherwise his Sacrifice had not obtained Acceptance with the Lord for he is the Propitiation for our Sin and through Faith in his Blood we come to know Remission which agrees to that of the Apostle Rom. 3. 25. Again I appeal unto you What Witness was it that Abel obtained of his being Righteous or how did God testifie of his Gift since Moses who writes the Story in Gen. 4. 4 5. to whom the Author to the Hebrews refers gives us no farther account but only this The Lord had respect to Abel and to his Offering but to Cain and to his Offering he had no respect Now I ask How was this manifested or how came they to know it how should Abel know that his Offering was accepted since Cain was as forward yea beforehand with his Brother in offering had not God signified it to them by the Manifestation of his Spirit in them even that same Spirit by which they came to know it to be their Duty to offer Sacrifice unto him But Cain sticking in the Form and not flying on the Wing of Faith to Christ the one Offering mist the Mark that should have been aimed at by him and for this cause God rejected both him and his Offering as you may read in the following Verses of this 4th Chapter of Genesis where the Lord expostulates the Case with Cain saying Why art thou Wrath and why is thy Countenance fallen if thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted but if thou dost not well Sin lieth at thy Door So that it was for Evil-doing Cain lost the Acceptance of his Offering which seems clear to me that God had no Respect to Abel personally more then he had to Cain but as he had an Eye to the promised Seed to be accepted in even Christ Jesus the Eternal Son of God in whom alone the Father is well pleased And it is also as clear to me through the Openings of the same Spirit That by the Spirit of his Son in their Hearts he gave Testimony of their Gifts to Abel that his was accepted and to Cain that his was rejected for Cain must needs have a Manifestation of the Spirit otherwise how should he know it to be his Duty to offer Sacrifice as you may see he did for we read not of any outward Precept that either of them had to enjoyn it Now then if it was a living in-wrought Faith whereby Abel obtained Acceptance of his Offering and if it was by an inward Manifestation of the Spirit by which God gave testimony thereof unto him if this be granted I hope the Way of Truth will no longer be Evil spoken of which is the same now that it was in the Beginning And this brings me to that which I chiefly intend which is as I said to rectifie your Mistakes concerning and to inform you in that which I hope you will see not to be a New but the Old True Religion which is the Way of this People amongst whom I now walk and desire to walk notwithstanding they are accounted a Sect every where spoken against I marvel not that the World hates them since it hated him to wit Christ Jesus whom they have believed in because he rectified thereof that the Works of it were Evil see Iohn 7. 7. And truly my Friends this is the Testimony this People bears this day against the corrupt Wayes and Practices of the World both among Professors and Prophane telling of them plainly That all Unrighteousness is Sin and for this cause I know were Power given into Mens Hands they should quickly be rooted out from amongst them But though they put no trust in an Arm of Flesh yet they have a strong Tower of Defence even the Name of the Lord which they run into and are safe This is their Munition of Rocks whereunto their Adversaries cannot climb up and though they do what in them lie to pull them out from thence yet their Arm is too short to reach them their Strength too weak to hurt them their Power of no force against them whilst they abide in this safe place notwithstanding great is the Wrath of the Enemy who intends them Mischief so that what he cannot do by Power he will seek to do by Policy insinuating into the Minds of People That though 't is the Spirit of Truth which they pretend unto yet 't is a Spirit of Error that they are led by which Suggestion of Satan has taken place in the Hearts of so many that were not the God of Truth engaged on their side to perswade people from this false Opinion concerning them it would seem an utter Impossibility But knowing and being well assured of this viz. That the Lord's Strength is made perfect in his Peoples Weakness I as one of the least of the Thousands of Israel have undertaken in his Name to go forth against those who have risen up against them though I know many are the cruel Mockings and hard Usings from Prophane on the one hand with evil Surmisings and severe Censurings from Professors on the other that hath been the Lot of this People to bear some of which from the latter of these to whom I chiefly write I hope has not been so much out of Disaffection to the Truth as Misapprehension about the Principle of it as believing that this People in whose behalf I am now constrained to write preach Damnable Doctrine-the which I have heard reported of them some say ing They deny the Scriptures others saying They deny the Man Christ Iesus with all the Benefits that by his Active and Passive Obedience as also by his offering up of himself a Sacrifice to God for us do thereby accrue to us together with Iustfiication by Faith which is in him and the Imputation of his Righteousness to Man others somewhat more moderate yet have affirmed That whatever they may own as to the Death of Christ yet they deny the Resurrection of his Body and of the Bodies of Believers so that they have said Though they dare not charge them with Dimnable Doctrine yet certainly they are of very dangerous Opinions as concerning Original Sin and the Institution of the Sacraments and in Point of Free will and Inherent Righteousness and in holding a Possibility of a Total Fall from True Grace and yet they plead Perfection and reckon themselves infallible say they for all this and herein they liken them to the Papist These are some of the Foul Aspersions False Accusations and Misrepresentations that have been cast upon this People which I my self have
assured of it not only from their own Witness of themselves but from the Witness of God in my own Breast They do believe all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets so that those which do so clamorously charge them cannot prove the things whereof they so much accuse them But then it hath been replyed viz. They own the Scriptures indeed but 't is in their own Way they believe them as they do a moral History just barely giving credit to them owning that they are Truth but they do not believe they are the Word of God and the Rule of Faith and Life As to this I Answer They do believe the Scriptures so far as Scripture itself requires Faith in it self that is that they are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus being given by Inspiration of God according to that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. And they do also believe That this same Jesus here spoken of who is said to be the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. the same and not another did Inspire his Prophets and Apostles in writing of the Scriptures But still he is the Word as well as the Wisdom of the Father and I ask Where do the Scriptures themselves declare any other Where do they say that they are the Word of God or the Rule of Faith and Life Though I have heard it said that The Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel c. often call their Prophecys by the Name of the Word of the Lord which say some is all one if we say the Word of God Now such I would advise to take a second view of the Text and then they may find that the Prophets did not call their Prophecies and Writings The Word of the Lord for they were the Lord's Words he being The Word of the Lord who revealed their Prophecyes unto them as for instance Ezek. 29. 1. says the Prophet there In the tenth year in the tenth moneth in the twelfth day of the moneth came the Word of the Lord unto me saying c. So then it was the Word of the Lord that came and said unto him the Prophecy was that which he said So in Ieremiah Chap. 7. v. 1 c. old Translation 't is said The Words that came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying Stand in the Gate of the Lord's House and proclaim there this Word and say Hear the Word of the Lord all ye of Judah Mark The Prophet was to make Proclamation of the Word of the Lord that the Men of Iudah might hear what he said as it followeth Thus saith the Lord Amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place c. And this was he as I said before who is the Messenger of the Covenant appointed by the Father to reveal his Secrets unto his Servants the Prophets who came to Ieremiah with this Prophecy so that it was not what he said but he himself whose Name is called The Word of God Revelat. 19. 13. And this is that Word which came unto Abraham in a Vision Gen. 15. 1. saying Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Unto whom in the very next verse Abraham gives the Titles of Lord and God which proves the Word to be Eternal and Divine but so are not the Scriptures Eternal for we know they had their Beginning in time and though they are Words and Declarations of divine Things yet must we distinguish between the Declaration and that which is Declared of so as not to call them both by one Name Those written words for Scripture signifies a Writing they are Publications in Testimony of that Creating Word of Power by which the Worlds were framed see Heb. 11. 3. yet they do not declare that the World was made by them but by that Eternal Word which was in the beginning as it s recorded Iohn 1. 1. the same is that which liveth and abideth forever 1 Pet. 1. 23. which Word is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged Sword piercing even to the dividing assunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his Sight but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do even as 't is written Hebr. 4.11 13. This is that Word to whom the Scriptures direct us as a Light unto our feet and a Lanthorn unto our Paths to guide our feet into the Way of Peace the very entrance of which giveth Light yea it giveth Vnderstanding to the Simple So that the Scriptures themselves say not of themselves that they are the Word of God but that they bear witness of him And this is he who said to those great Scripturians namely the Iews of old who so greatly exalted the Scriptures but had not the Living Word abiding in them Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me saith Christ but ye will not come to me that ye might have Life John 5. 38 39 40. So here it may be seen there is good Reason to distinguish between the Written Words the Writing or Letter and the Living Word which is a Quickening Spirit But now as to the other part of the Change which is That this People of whom I am now writing do not own the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith and Life In their behalf I Answer They do own the Scriptures to be a Rule as they direct unto him to wit Christ who is the Object of our Faith and Lord of Light and Life They do also believe that the Scriptures are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be throughly furnished unto every good Work as saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. But yet still it is in Christ Jesus whom his People do believe and he is the Rule by which they live according to the Example of the Apostle who saith The Life that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2 20. He must needs be his Peoples Rule for he is the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh to the Father but by him John 14.6 And 't is his Spirit that leads into all Truth Joh. 16. 13. even that Spirit which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 10. which Spirit teacheth them of all things and bringeth all things to their Remembrance according to Christ's Promise Iohn 4. 26. Therefore the Spirit of Christ is the Rule of his Peoples Faith and the Guide of their Life yet doth not this detract from the Scriptures nor the Estemation of this People called Quakers concerning them for I know they do believe that whatsoever
he us with the Word of Truth that we should be a kind of First Fruits of his Creatures James 1. 18. But since there is a Willing Faculty placed in Man and this Will being corrupted is naturally froward and averse to any thing spiritually Good whereby Man chooseth that wherein the Lord delighteth not and will not hearken to his Counsel nor turn at the Reproofs of Instrustion which are the Way of Life but obstinately pursues the sinful Desires and Lust of the Flesh to his Soul's Ruin and so his Destruction is of himself and God clear of his Blood by the free Tenders of his Grace and strivings of his Spirit within him If this be granted then it will follow if ever Man be saved this stubborn Will most be bowed and subjected and brought into Obedience to the Lord Jesus for 't is the Willing and Obedient to whom the Promise is made Ier. 1. 19. So that Man must come to be freely willing to serve the Lord and to take up the Cross and bear the Yoak of his Son Christ Jesus not only of Necessity but of a Ready Mind And thus now to have the Will sanctified and brought into the pure Obedience of him that sanctifieth it which is an Effect of the free Grace of God here comes the true Freedom of Will to be known even to be made free from Sin being delivered from the Bondage of Corruption into the Glorious Liberty of the Children of God which agrees to that of the Apostle Romans 8. 21. And here as the Truth maketh free man comes to be free indeed and to receive Ability to attend upon the Lord without Distraction and to do his Will on Earth as it is done in Heaven according to that Prayer which our Blessed Saviour taught his Disciples as we read in the sixth Chapter of Matthew After this manner pray ye saith Christ Our Father which art in Heaven hollowed be thy Name thy Kingdom come thy Will be done on Earth as it is in Heaven c. And yet how many are there that will plead for this Plat-form of Prayer who never expect to receive an Answer For say they The Will of God cannot be done perfectly here I grant where the Kingdom of God is not come there his Will can never perfectly be done but where the Kingdom of God is known and witnessed to be within that gives Power and Ability and makes willing to yield Obedience unto his Requirings of us so that here every one according to their several Measures may perfectly perform the Will of their Heavenly Father Yet is here a vast difference between the Natural Freedom of Man's Will which some plead for and the Gracious Freedom thereof maintained by the Quakers for that is quite another thing to what hath been slanderously reported of them CHAP. VII Concerning Inherent Righteousness AS touching Inherent Righteousnes as a Righteousness of Self is intended a thing wherein this People have been falsly as well as foully aspersed it having been given out concerning them viz. That hereby they expect to merit Heaven Now seeing the Truth struck at with such a Soul-mrudering Weapon as this makes me like Cresus his dumb Son to speak What! can their Adversaries wrongfully reproach them with nothing less then laying waste the very Foundation of the Christian Faith which stands in submitting to the Righteousness of Jesus Christ and not in establishing any Righteousness of our own as inherent in us and of our selves But be it known to the World though it hath been reported that the Quakers hold this dangerous Tenet yet the report will not hold true when it comes to be examined For although I have heard others often charge it upon them yet I never could find the person that durst say this was their own Confession viz That upon the account of Inherent or Self-Righteousness they expect Salvation but if we will take the Confessions of those that are so forward to make Confessions for others we may then believe the Quakers are as bad as they are pleased to render them to us but we must not take things upon trust but hear both parties if we will be ingenuous no Reader they have no such expectation far are such thoughts from them For though they do reckon a man must be made inwardly Righteous by the power of Christ that is meet for the Kingdom of Heaven I think this amounts to no more then what I have heard asserted by a Teacher of your own viz. That God freely bestows his Grace upon Men and Women and afterwards rewards his own Grace in his own Children which Words plainly imply the Grace of God to be free to all and to be tendered within which whoso accepts thereof to be led by the same do thereby receive the Spirit of Adoption and so come to obtain the reward of Children which is a part in their Fathers Kingdom and this indeed is according to the Quakers Principle for they know right-well Gods Grace is Universal a proser whereof he maketh unto all by which they might be made a Righteous people and in it come to enjoy Salvation Therefore they believe that inward Righteousness is wrought by Virtue of the Grace of God and is a necessary qualification to fit man for Glory which makes them choose with the Apostle rather then talk of the Righteousness of Faith to shew forth their Faith by their Works yet do they not expect to be saved neither for their Faith alone nor by their Works but by Christ who worketh true Faith For 't is not Works of Righteousness as done by them not only as Inherent in them by which they expect to be accepted of God and justified before him but by and through Christ Jesus the Author and Worker of those acts in them and for them whereby they know that they are in him and he in them and they hold him as their Head into whom all things are gathered together in one even in him How comes it about then it may be asked that this report has spread so far concerning them Why truly Reader if I may give in my Answer it must be this he who was an Enemy to all Righteousness ever since the beginning seeing the Faithful among this People not only Nominally but really Righteous throughout their Conversation he hath been so inraged against them that he hath not spared any pains to put on his Instruments to Reproach and Vilifie them Therefore have they been masked with the most affrighting Vizards of Self-Righteousness and Self-Sufficiency to bring about their own Salvation that if possible he might fright People from having any converse amongst them but notwithstanding the Wrath of the Adversary their Innocency will appear with its open Face for the time is now a hasting wherein it will be seen who are but Nominally and who are really Righteous Bear with me my Friends to whom I dedicate this little Tract For though I rank'd this point amongst the
this thy day the things which belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Luke 19. 41 42. Be it known to you my Friends and Aquaintance to whom I write Man cannot be his own Saviour if he will not be saved in the day of the Lords Power he must Perish forever And this is the day of the Lords making hare his saving Arm and revealing his Power even that time wherein he lets in Light into the Soul which not only discovers to man his Sin that leads down to the Chambers of Death but also shews him the way of Holiness which leads to everlasting Life But if men pass this time over without any regard to the Loving-kindness of the Lord extended to them in this Matter 't is just with him to turn their Light into Darkness in them and then as Christ said to some of old If the Light that is in you be Darkness how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.23 mistake me not 'T is not to be understood as if the Son of Righteousness which is the Fountain of Light could in it self possibly become Darkness but as to those that have fast closed their Eyes or lost the true Sight lest they should see by its Illumination in their inward Man when once their Day is over they may be as dark as if there were no Sun in their Horrizon and so they put Darkness for Light Hence it is that we see so many that have been in some Measure inlightned by this inward Divine Principle to see much of the Vanity of their former Practices and so have for a time forsaken many of the same but afterwards having gone out from this Principle by which they were in some measure saved from Polution and Sin they have again been intangled and insnared by the Pleasures Profits Honours of this present World and so the latter End hath been worse with them than the Beginning and so these having left their Habitation like Satan who abode not in the Truth envy and accuse the Faithful Servants of the Lord which keep their dwelling in him and like the Spies of old bring up an Evil Report upon the good Land frighting others with the Giant-like Difficulties that lie in the way to be surmounted thereby insinuating as if Israel's God were not able sufficiently to strengthen them against those spiritual Anakims great and tall that must be incountered with before the Inheritance comes to be divided These are such whom the Apostle Iude in the 12th and 13th Verses of his Epistle calls Clouds without Water carried about of Winds Trees whose Fruit withereth twice dead plucked up by the Roots raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame wandring Stars to whom at least they have cause to fear the Blackness of Darkness is reserved forever unless they can speedily find a place for Repentance before the Decree bring forth before the Day pass as the Chaff before the fierce Anger of the Lord come upon them before the Day of the Lord's Anger come upon them and with this I 'll pass them being moved to write not much to those who have forsaken but to those who have not been acquainted with the Truth To whom I further say Although there is a Time wherein the Lord waits to be gracious in which time he often expresses his Willingness to save men from their Sins and to gather them to himself as Christ said to Ierusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that were sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would not Mat. 23. 37. Again the Lord complains All the Day long have I stretched forth my Hands to a Disobedient and Gain-saying People Rom. 10. 21. And thus the Lord expresses his Kindness towards all men in stretching forth his Arm to save them even as a man stretches forth his Arms to swim by sending his Son unto them to knock at the Door of their Hearts to see if they will open to him that he and his Father may come in and take up their abode with them but if men will not accept of Salvation while the Lord extends his Arm to save them If they will not take hold of his strength while they may make Peace with him If they refuse to answer his gracious Call and to entertain his Son whom he hath sent but keep him out till his Head be wet with the Dew and his Locks with Drops of the Night If People will make their Necks as an Iron Sinnew and will not yield them to the Yoke of Christ being Stiff-necked and Vncircumcised in Heart and Ears always resisting the holy Ghost and doing despight unto the Spirit of Grace setting at naught all the Counsel of God rejecting it within against themselves and will have none of his Reproof and continue thus to slight him till their Time and Season be over giving the Lord cause to complain of them that he hath stretched forth his hand but no man regarded it Will it not be just for him then to Laugh at their Calamity and Mock when Fear cometh upon them And most certain it is that those who despise the Reproofs of Wisdom and hate the Knowledge of the Holy Distress and Anguish will come upon them but whoso hearkneth thereunto shall dwell in a safe Habitation For Wisdom is a Defence Christ the Wisdom of God is a strong Rock and a sure Foundation he is that Foundation which God hath laid in Sion even the Foundation-Stone that Tryed Stone the Corner Stone Elect Precious who though he be to many a Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offence yet as many as believe in him shall never be ashamed Read hear now what this Principle is in which the Lord hath given a Remnant to believe 'T is the Grace of God 'T is the Light of Jesus 'T is a Manifestation of the Spirit 'T is the Glad Tidings of Salvavation 'T is the Word of Reconciliation 'T is the Law written in the Heart 'T is the Word of Faith 'T is the Seed of the Kingdom 'T is that Stone which hath been rejected by many a foolish Builder but now it is become the Head of Sion's Corner These are all significant Expressions of that excellent Principle which I have undertaken to treat on But if any shall say They are Expressions of so different a Nature that they know not how to reconcile them and make them one together To such I Answer They might as well confess they cannot understand how the Lamb of God can be the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah nor how the Shepherd of Israel can be the Bishop of his Peoples Souls there seeming such a difference in these latter as in any of the former yet do they all speak of but one thing although it be exprest by divers Names For it will admit of a manifold Description though as I
said before 't is still but one thing if rightly understood in its true Notion And thus I chose to express it because thus I have found it viz. A Principle of Divine Light and Life in Christ Jesus placed in the Conscience which discovers both Sin and Duty to us and not only so but it Reproves the one and Enables to perform the other and this I know that a measure of the same is placed in the Consciences of all Mankind by which they might see the right Way were but their Minds turned thereunto Therefore let none slight or undervalue this Light of Jesus manifest in their Consciences by calling it as some have done A Natural Created Insufficient Light which will lead men down to utter Darkness Though sometimes again these very Persons will confess That the Light of Nature as they call it ought to be followed as far as it will lead for say they though the obeying its Dictates will never bring men to Heaven yet the disobeying them will certainly sink them down to Hell Hereby rendring the Lord cruel to his Creatures as if he required them to follow a Guide that would certainly lead them amiss or leave them short of the place of Rest and then would punish them for being Mis-led or for sitting down when they had no Guide to shew them the Way to walk in and that from a purpose in himself to leave the greatest part of Mankind without any other Guide to direct them in Matters of Salvation but that that is Insufficient that it must be a Miracle if it shew them the Way to Heaven according to their common Answer when asked how those must be saved who have not the Scriptures amongst them which these account the only Rule to Guide men Why we leave them to the Mercy of God say they the Lord may in an extraordinary manner bring some to Heaven if he have any Elect amongst them but whether any of them shall be saved or not 't is hard for us to determine Thus they darken Counsel by uttering words without Knowledge They say The Grace of God is Free and yet they make it a Monopoly so it shall not be Free to all nor must all be sharers in it neither will they allow the Lord himself to dispense it nor yet to inspire his Servants to go forth and preach it But arrogate to themselves a kind of Sacerdotal Right to be Dispencers of the Grace of God and Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because of some outward Qualifications acchieved by them as External Parts or Humane Learning although they never were called of God to the Work of the Ministry nor never had the Word of Reconciliation committed to them yet would they have People come to enquire of them the Way to the Kingdom though they are so narrow-spirited as to shut out the greatest number of Mankind by absolute Predestination not sticking to affirm that God nor Christ never purposed Love nor Salvation to a great part of Mankind and that the Coming and Sufferings of Christ never was intended nor can be useful to their Justification but must and will be effectual for their Condemnation So being void of Universal Love themselves they fondly imagine the Lord to be like themselves Hence concluding there is no Salvation to be had without the explified Knowledge of Christs coming in the Flesh and of the Scriptures both which we know whole Kingdoms and Empires in the World are unavoidably ignorant of aud yet few or none of these will Jeopardize their Lives to preach amongst such notwithstandings this was the Apostle Paul's Practice to preach Christ where he had not before been named for said he if I build upon another Man's Foundation I make my Glorying void But blessed be the Lord he hath caused many Witnesses to rise up amongst us who have given Testimony to the Truth as it is in Jesus and have taught others both in our own Country and in Nations abroad to take heed to that sure Word of Prophecy nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth which is the true Grace of God that is sufficient for us not only as some say to leave men without Excuse and so to aggravate their Condemnation but as 't is received and obeyed it will lead out of Sin into Holiness and in the end crown with Salvation And thus I am brought to the next thing promised which was to shew whence this Principle of Grace proceedeth I have according to my Measure shewn What it is now I come to shew From whence it comes to which I say § III. It comes from God through Christ as saith the Apostle God that commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Iesus Christ 2 Corinth 4. 6. 'T is God's Gift unto us and therefore well may we return Thanks unto him for his unspeakable Gifts God is the Author of it who is Light and in him is no Darkness at all for he covereth himself with Light as with a Garment and dwelleth in that Light which is inaccessible which no mortal Eye can approach unto he is the Father of Lights and therefore hath he given a Measure of his own Divine Light to all Mankind to reveal himself unto them that so they may know substantially What he is and not worship him as the Vnknown God and this knowledge of himself the Father is pleased to dispense to Men in and through the Son of his Love Christ Jesus our Lord who is come a Light into the World as himself testified Iohn 12. 46. I am come a Light into the World saith Christ that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in Darkness And therefore I believe and am well assured this is the one Faith whereinto many thousands by the Lord have been gathered viz. That the God of all Grace hath sent his Son into the World a free Gift unto the World and hath given a Measure of his Light and Spirit to manifest and reveal him unto all men Thus hath his universal Love and free Grace appeared For though God made Man pure and innocent yet Satan and disobedient Man hath marred that Creation In the Beginning God created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him as we read Gen. 1. 27. But Man soon defaced and stained this glorious Stamp and by yielding to the Tempter went out from his first Nature and so his Beauty was turned into Deformity I mean that Beauty of his inward Man wherein the Image of God stood in which he had Communion and Fellowship with his Maker through Disobedience this was lost and so man came to be without God in the World being alienated from that divine Life Light Love Grace Goodness Wisdom Power Holiness Virtue Purity Innocency wherewith the Lord invested him at the first in perfect Beauty but man going out from that
mens Confidence in it shall be shaken and their Expectation from it disappointed then shall those who truly fear the Lord be abundantly satisfied For Friends I must acknowledge it often rises in my Soul as a Return of Thanks to God viz. The Remembrance which he gives me of the Time of his Love even when my Soul was secretly crying Where shall I find true Rest Then was the Lord pleased to bring me to the Mountain of his Holiness where a peaccable Dwelling is and that just before these Disturbances broke out in this part of the World where my Lot is cast Oh! praised be his Name For now he hath taken me into his Family and makes me to sit down with the Ancients of his House at the Table of his Blessing where he feedeth every one with food convenient for them And now Friends let me mind my self and you That we greatly Love and Esteem and in Honour do prefer those that were in Truth before us some of whom have been made as Trumpets by the Breath of the Lord to sound the Everlasting Gospel in our Ears and others on whom that Gift of Vtterance hath not been bestow'd yet have they taught us to Fear God and give Glory to Him by the Example which they have set before us And thus respecting these as Elders so shall our Love regularly extend it self towards all others I write this to you Friends only by way of Remembrance as knowing none need teach us to love those who have received like precious Faith with us much less need we any humane Teachings to Esteem such as held the same ancient Faith before us For we are taught of God to Love one another and by this shall all men know that we are the Disciples of Christ Iesus Thus as they behold our comely Order whilst we live in Love together like Children of one Father and in the inward Union dwell so shall they discern the Splendor of the Truth to shine in and amongst us even like an Orient Pearl And so shall we be bound up together in the Bundle of Love and Life in Christ Jesus and shall grow up in him like Willows by the Water courses and as tender Plants which God's Right Hand hath planted and our Natural Capacities shall be enlarged and our Spiritual Talents augmented to serve the Lord with Faithfulness in our several places where we shall be as Lights unto the World whilst our dwelling is here amongst them then having improved out Talents to the Glory of God and run well to the End of our Race when our Course is finished we shall lay down our Heads in Peace and hear that joyful Sentence pronounced on us Well done good and faithful Servants enter ye into the Ioy of your Lord where we shall receive the End of our Faith even the final Salvation of our immortal Souls which shall eternally live to sing and set forth Praises and Halelujahs in the highest to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb Christ Jesus who hath Redeemed us from the Earth unto whom the Praise doth belong for the Assistance of his Spirit in this thing Given forth by one of the least of the Flock of Christ whose outward Name it ELIZABETH BATHURST READER SOme Errors having escaped the Press most of them being Scripture Quotations I desire when thou art at a loss that thou turn to this Errata so shalt thou find what thou look'st for Page 7 line 31 read Iohn 8. 58. p 12 Margin r Rom. 3. 20. Acts 15. 9. Margin dele 6 7. p 13 Margin r 1 Tim. 1. 5. p 21 l 20 for ony r any l 12 f about r above p 24 Margin r Iohn 1◠14 p 27 l 19 f Ier. r Isa. p 32. l 25 for Timothy r Titus p 34 l 7 r Mat. 24 13. p 36 l 6 r Iames 1.4 Margin r Col. 1. 28. p 36 l 17 r Luke 1.5,6 p 39 l 38 f pervert r perverted p 42 l 11 r Eph. 5. 13 p 43 l 8 f demonstration r denomination l 18 r Acts 26.18 p 45 l 4 delo on p 47 l 1 r Iob. 27. 3. p 50 l 21 f 14 r 27. p 51 l 18 f 28 r 2◠p 60 l 10 f such a r asmuch p 61 l 2◠f explified r explisit p 62 l 17 f gifts r gift p 64 l 26 f Chap. 4 r 3. p 65 l r f 15. r 5. p 74 l 17 for 28 read 20. Chap. 11. Vers. 4. Luke 1. 79. Psalm 119. 130. Doctor Owen Independant Iohn Faldo Rom. 3. 2. Gal. 3. 24. Rom. 3.26 Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. Tit. 3. 5 6,7 Act. 15.9.6,7 Tim. 3. 5,6,7 Ephes. 4. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 22. Phillip 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 53 54. Ezekiel 33. 11. Read Thomas Lawson's Treatise concerning Baptism page 53. 55. John 13.5 Acts 15. 28 29. Iames 5. 14. Prov. 6. 23. * Can they think that Christ would bid his Disciples pray for what he never meant to grant This were to render him who is Truth it self an Impostor and to tax the blessed Son of God with Deceit Oh Horrible * Namely Loaves an Independant Preacher †Dr. Annesley Col. 1. 18. * Vpon which Text I heard a Preacher of your own thus Paraphrase The Words saith he signifie a compleatness in the subject that nothing be wanting For to be negatively blameless is to be without Crime to be without Offence to be without Fault but to be positively blameless is to be in some measure Innocent 't is to be like Adam in his pure Creation 't is to make Christ our Pattern Now whether this doth not tantamount to Perfection I 'll leave the Reader to Iudge ‖ It is not a present laid upon me to discover all the Errors of Popery therefore I shall say no more then what is pertinent to my present Matter But that the Popists are far from Infallibility notwithstanding they pretend highly thereto their Difference in Doctrines to which Bellarmine himself hath confest with the Disagreement of their Popes one pulling down what another had set up and the Dissention of their Councils particularly about the Popes Supremacy their Priests Marriages and Worshipping of Images wherein one Synod hath decreed what another hath dissannulled their own Writings witness against them which those that have read any thing of Papal Story cannot but have a Knowledge of Gal. 1.15 Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 2. 8. Rev. 3. 7. * Jer. 23. 6. Isa. 54. 17 56. 1. 25. 9. Iohn 1. 4. These instances I bring in to shew how those that speak against the Quakers Principle which is Christ manifest within are forced many times by the Power of the same Principle in themselves in plain words to confess to the same Col. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 16. Rom. 8. 14. ‖ So then the Indians and Americans shall not perish for want of the Bible which we have here in England Zeph. 2.2 Acts 7. 51. Luke 7. 30. 1 Iohn 1. 5. Psal. 104. 1. 1 Tim. 6.26 Iomes 1. 17. Iames 1. 17. Numb 16.22 * ☞ Note That I do not say Personally as some suggest concerning us as if we believe that very Body of Christ is in us that was hanged upon the Cross which were Foolish as well as False to assert but Spiritually as he is the Word of God the Wisdom of God the Power of God so he dwells in every Christians Heart And so he dwells in us by which Power he compleatly sanctifieth us Yet Truth doth allow of a Property in Speech which may be put into a degent Stile although it admits not of giving flattering Titles to men Read Elihu his acknowledgment Job 32. 21 22. Ier. 30. 7. Isa. 61. 3. Luke 19. 44. Acts 7. 3 8. 1 Cor. 10. 4. Rev. 22. 13. Dan. 7. 13 14. Mich. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 6. 15 16 Psal. 30. 5. Psal. 126. 5 6. Isa. 33. 22. Isa. 55. 6. * ☞ No doubt but Habakkuk's Countenance was altered when his Lips thus Quivered for 't is true what David said Psalm 39.11 When Thou Lord with Rebukes dost correct Man for Iniquity thou makest his Beauty to Consume away like a Moth If so why should any think it strange when they see the like Change †Who they are that 't is supos'd I should either fear or sllatter I need not name for those to whom I write may easily understand Acts 11. 26. 1 Cor. 4. 13. Psams 31. 20. Psalm 12.4 Isa. 26.8 41. 1. Isa. 2.20 Psalm 37. 12 13. 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. Titus 2. 11 12. Psalm 60. 12. Phil. 1.28 Nahum 1. 7. Isa. 29. 19. Psalm 37. 11. Ezekiel 12. 18. Isaiah 40.29 2 Pet. 1. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 9. Iohn 13. 5.