clearly appeare that those that are carried away are such as are not able to discerne between fair speeches declared by hereticks and sound Doctrine declared by the simple-hearted servants of Jesus 2ly Now I shall lay down severall grounds not onely why errors are broached in the World but also why so many are carried away with them 1. One ground why so many errours do from time to time come into the world is because those that are not indeed of the planting of the Lord 's right hand might be rooted out Mat. 15.13 Now these are many times carried away by deceivable doctrines And truly in this our God hath both a care of his own glory and of his Churches welfare For fiâ—st should they not be swept away by some heresie or other there might be great dishonour brought to his name by their continuing among his people And secondly that he might take away such grievances as such may bring had they continued still in the society of his children 2. Another ground why the Lord doth suffer such errours to come into the World is because those that are Christians indeed might be approved and appear 1 Cor. 11.19 For there must be heresies among you that thâ—se that are approved may be made manifest Should not the Lord goe this way to worke sometimes there would be many that would make people beleeve that they are Christians and yet are not And again that he might make it appeâ—r that though there be heretickes yet he hath a people inabled by his Spirit to contradict and oppose them and plead to the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ and his glorious Gospell against them 3. Another ground why the Lord doth suffer yea even send delusions among the people is That those who were so idle and slothfull as not to seek after the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity might be taken away and violently possessed with errour and be made to run greedily after the same That they might smart the more for their neglect of the truth For alwaies those who were lazy in seeking after the truth when it was profered and afterward hasty after the Doctrine of Divels when that is declared to them shall be sure to have their latter behaviâ—ur to riâ—e up in judgment against them in that when the truth was profered to them they were Idle and did not receive it and yet when delusion did profer it selfe they were industrious and labouring Now mark that they all might be damned who beleeved not the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousnesse because they received not the truth in the love of it that they might be saved And for this cause God shall send them strong delusions that they might beleeve a lye and be damned 2 Thes 2. ver 10 11 12. Now in the second place why so many are so easily carried away with errours in this day The grounds are these â—â—at follow 1. Because men count it enough to be professors of the truth without seeking to be possessors of the same Now because men are but onely professors of the truth not having it in their hearts in reality they are carryed away with an errour if it come in never so little power more then the truth they professe And this is the reason why so many are carried away with the errours that are broached in these daies because they have not indeed received the Lord Jesus by the Revelation of the Spirit and with power but by the relation of others only and so having no other witnesse to set them down withall but the history of the Word and the relation of others concerning the truthes conteyned therein though the knowledge of the truth this way shall abundantly aggravate their damnation yet they having not had the Spirit of the Lord to confirme these things effectually unto them they are carried away with delusions 2. Another reason why so many are carried away with delusions is those differences that are among the Children of God about smaller matters O friends how is the hand of the enemy strengthened by our carnality while one saith I am of Paul and another I am of Apollo many apoor soule is carried away with delusion And why so They are not satified that this is the truth because the Children are at disfference among themselves about some outward things And againe it makes those that are not so desperatly possessed with a spirit of delusion as are others but are meere morall men I say it makes them to say within themselves and one to another There are so many sects and judgments in the World that we cannot tell which way to take And therefore you that have the spirit pray that these things may cease least you blush for your folly at the appearing of Jesus our Lord. 3. The pride covetousnesse and impiety of hypocrites and carnall professors are great stumbling-blocks to the poore World And the cause why many at this day do drink down so greedily a deluding Doctrine and especially if it come with a garment of pretended holinesse But as for these they shall go to their place in their time with the curse of the Almighty pow ed out upon them for their casting of stumbling-blocks before the simple by their loose conversations if they do not hastily repent of their wickednesse and close in reality with our blessed Lord Jesus 4. Another reason why delusions do so easily take place in the hearts of the ignorant is because those that pretend to be their teachers do behave themselves so basely among them And indeed I may say of these as our Lord said of the Pharisees in an other case All the blood of the ignorant from the beginning of the World shall be laid to the charge of this generation They that pretend they are sent of the Lord and come saying Thus saith the Lord Wee are the servants of the Lord our commission is from the Lord by succession and the like I say these pretending themselves to be the preachers of truth but are not do by their loose conversation render the Doctrine of God and his Son Jesus Christ by whom the saints are saved contemptible and do give the adversary mighty encouragement to crie out against the truths of our Lord Jesus Christ because of their wicked walking Now shall not his soule be avenged on such a Nation as this who pretend to be teachers of the people in goodnesse when as for the most paâ—t of them they are the men that at this day do so harden their hearers in their sins by giving them even their hearers such ill examples that none goeth beyond them for impiety As for example Would a Parishioner learne to be proud hee or shee nâ—ed look no further then to the Priest his wife and family for there is a notable pattern before them Would the people learne to be wanton they may also see a patterne among their Teachers Would they learne to be Drunkards they may also have that from some
information concerning the things before published by me and also concerning the opposition made against them by the Adversarie And here because I am loath to be too tedious I do conclude and desire thy praiers to God for me if thou be a Christian that I may not onely be preserved to the end in the faith of Jesus but that God would enable mee to bee an earnest contender for the same even to the last and rest The servant of the LORD JESUS John Bunyan A VINDICATION OF THE BOOK CALLED Some Gospel-Truths Opened According to the Scriptures and the Opposition made against it by EDWARD BORROUGH a professed Quaker but proved an enemie to the Truth examined and confuted by the Word of GOD. IT is very expedient that there should be heresies among us that thereby those which are indeed of the truth might be made manifest and also that the doctrine of GOD and his Son JESUS CHRIST might the more cast forth its lustre and glory For the Truth is of that nature that the more it is opposed the more glory it appears in and the more the adversary objects against it the more it will clear it self which doth give me and all that stand for it and doth plead on its side in the wisdome of the Spirit much boldnesse and incouragement to venture without any slavish fear upon those that have already or shall hereafter stand up to oppose it I did some few weeks past put forth a small Book called Some Gospel-Truths opened and so forth and the thing I looked for from them was namely opposition from the adversary which hath been accomplished in that as I did look for it so it did happen not that it daunted me for had it so done it might have made me kept those Truths within my breast which are now made manifest by me as well as others to the world Now I have not onely met with some opposition from others face to face in secret but there is one Edward Borrough as I heard his name is so by some of themselvs that hath ventur'd to stand up against the Truth with the rest of his companions and hath published a book called The true Faith of the Gospel of peace contended for in which book of his there is a very great number of heresies cunningly vented by him and also many things there falsly reported of me which things in this my discourse I shall very plainly discover and the way that I shall take shall bee First by laying down some of thy expressions and also some of mine and by inquiring into the truth of one and the errour of the other through the assistance of the Spirit of CHRIST and according to the Scriptures Onely by the way I think good to mind thee of thy cloathing thy self with the words of the Prophets and Apostles against whom thou doest fight as will appear in my following discourse and also of thy endeavouring to wrest the sword out of the hands of the Saints and art fighting against them bitterly with a parcel of scolding expressions But I wish thee to learn if thou canst to be sober and to keep under thy unruly spirit and do not so much appear at least not so grosly a railing Rabshakeh but contrariwise if you would be looked upon to be holy which we know and believe that as yet many of you are not Let at the least some appearance of moderation be manifest among you After many words that are flung into the wind by thee my adversary in the 1. and 2. page of thy book thou couldst not be contented therewith as being too few to vent thy self wi hall but thou breakest out in page 3. with a false testimony of John Burton and his fellow saying * This is a tie I blesse God spoken of the Adversary against me They have joined themselvs with the broken army of Magog And have shewed themselvs in the defence of the Dragon against the Lamb in the day of war betwixt them When alas poor soul we do know and are bold to declare in the name of the Lord Jesus the son of Mary that our God hath owned us with others of his servants in his own work against the Divel devices and false doctrine as instruments both for the comforting and establishing of his own and also for the convincing and converting of some of them who afore-time were not converted And friend why doest thou say that we join with Magog in the defence of the Dragon against the Lamb when thou seest the whole drift both of my Brothers Epistle and also of my Writing is to exalt and advance the first born of Mary the Lord of glory and to hold on his side notwithstanding there are so many tempests go through the world and the rather because we know that it is he and he alone that did bear our sins in his own body on the tree 1 Pet. 2.24 for it is he that hath taken away the sins of the world Now I say therefore do not thou thus accuse the Brethren for speaking good of the Name of Jesus least thou be troubled at thy end for thus spending thy beginning in taking part with the Divel to accuse God's children Then in the same page thou saiest thou hast numbered up part of our work and the sum is A corrupted graine of Babylons treasure c. Answ Friend the summe of our discouse is of the birth righteousnesse death blood resurrection ascension intercession and second coming of the Son of Mary the Virgin by which righteousnesse blood death buriall resurrection ascension and intercession we are saved And dost thou count this a corrupted graine of Babylons treasure Have a care what thou sayst least thou utter that with thy mouth now which will lye heavie on thy conscience for ever Then as though this thy unwise speaking were too little thou breakest out with a taunt or a jeere saying A larger portion and more to the purpose might have been brought in but with such as you had or could procure from your Neighbours are you come Answ Friend Who hath despised the day of small things But again we desire not to bring to others no nor to know our selves any thing else but Jesus Christ the Son of Mary and him crucified for our sins 1 Cor. 2.2 Then thou saiest further in the same page That though thou hast not seen our faces yet our spirit is tried and we are cleerely described to thee saiest thou to be of the stock of Ismael of the seed of Caine whose line reacheth to the murthering Priests c. Answ Friend thou art verie censorious and utterest many words without knowledge We blesse God for the most part of our line we do labour to stretch it out eiâ—her in building up and exhorting the Saints of the most high to cleave close to their Jesus or else much as in us lies we labor to convince poor souls of their lost condition according to the word of
that I should say They are deceived who owne Christ no otherwaies then as he was before the world began This Question I briefely aske thee Had Christ a body of flesh before the World began If you say no as you must if you say true Then do not I say true when I say they are deceived who own Christ no otherwise then as he was before the world began because they owne him not with that body of flesh which he took of the Virgin Mary and so are Antichrists as the Scripture saith And how say you Do you believe that the same Christ who was â—efore the World without a body did in time come into the world and tâ—ke a bodie from the Virgin and in that bodie did obtain everlasting redemption for sinnesr and is gone with that very body into the presence of his Father above the clouds into heaven from his Saints on earth though in them by his spirit A plain answer to this would unlock your double meanings Again thou saiest the Saints drank of the spiritual Rcck that followed them Friend I confesse that that spirituall Rock that did follow the Fathers and long after was from the same loines with them even from the loins of Abraham and the rest of the children of the promise according to the promise was the meat and drink of Saints Rom. 9.4 5. But to look upon Christ no otherwise then as he was before the world was which was a spirit onely and not to own him now clothed with a bodie absent from his children touching the same bodie I dare be bold to say they are no Christians but Antichristians yea Antichrists He that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is Antichrist and of Antichrist Again At this also thou wranglest because I said that every Spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ who was with the Father before the world was did in the appointed time of the father come into the World take a body upon him and was very man as well as very God and did in that very body suffer what did belong to the sons of men c. So my book page 42. 43. 44. I answer if thou didst indeed believe the truth thou wouldest owne these things But being deceived rather then thou wilt let this pass for truth though thou dare not oppose it with open face yet thou wilt put on a vaile and venture upon it thus saying If every spiâ—it were of God wâ—ich doth confesse in words this then is not the Pope himselfe Antichrist Answer Friend it is one thing to confesse the things in words and another thing to believe them and to make a life out of them and therefore is thy life made out of Christ without thee by the operation of his spirit within thee yea or no Then in answer to my bidding people receive no Christ except God's Christ thou saiest thus That Christ is a mistery and unto him is light and shall be salvation where his person never came Thâ—s Question I aske thee did or doth Christ obtaine salvation for any without that â—â—â—y which he took of the Virgin And yet thou saiest it cannot be said here is the place where the Son is not I answer as the Son of God is also very man so it may be said here is the place where he is not and there is the place where he hath not been though as he is God it is otherwise let him that reads understand And now passing by many things that I might justly examine and also many unseemly expressions I come to the next thing and that is where you say you wrest not the Scrripture in Joh. 1.9 But it is evident that you do most horribly wrest it in that you though you seem to take it in the plaine words yet would hold that that light is the Spirit of Christ notwithstanding there is no such thing mentioned in that Scripture For marke as I have sometimes said and now also will say that that light wherewith Christ as he is God hath lightened every one with is not the Spirit of Christ as is cleere in that some are sensuall having not the Spirit which they must needs have if it were given to every one that comes into the World and therefore in that you say I say you lay down that scripture false I say again that you say many things which I do know to be blasphemie as I shall prove cleerely anon as also I have already And therefore to take thee off from this I shall say that Christ as he is a mediator a man between God and man so he doth not lighten every man that comes into the World though as he is God he doth And that is manifest where he often as he was man saith These things are spoken to them that are without in parables that seeing they might not see and hearing they might not understand Luk 8.10 And again where Judas not Iscariot said Lord how is it that thou wilt manifest thy self to us and not unto the world He saith If a man love me he will keep my sayings and my Father will love him and we I as Mediatour and my Father as reconciled in me will manifest our selves unto him Joh. 14.21.23 And again No man knoweth the Father but the Son That is no man knoweth him as a Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him Mat. 11.27 But above all take that Scripture where the Son saith I thank thee O Father Lord of heaven and earth because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent and hast revealed them to Babes ver 25. Here the Son and the Father are speaking one to another the Father he hides the glorious things of the Gospel from the world Mat 11.25 26 27. and the Son he rejoices in so doing At that same houre Jesus rejoiced in Spirit and said I thank thee O Father c. Therefore understand thus much that though Christ as he is God doth give to every man a light which is Conscience otherwise called Nature Rom. 2.14 1 Cor. 11.14 yet it doth not follow that every man hath enlightning from Christ as he is Mediatour No Christ as he is Mediatour doth neither pray for the world Joh. 17.9 neither doth he give his Spirit to all that are in the world for some are sensual and have it not But now the argument that thou do'st bring to colour the contrary with is this For what the Father doth saiest thou the Son doth also Answ Though this be true that the Son doth what the Father doth yet it doth not appear that either the Father or the Son hath given the Spirit to every one that comes into the world Again thou saiest thou deniest those that say That light which every ono hath as he coms into the world is Conscience though some call it Christ falsly Jude 19. Answ Friend What wilt thou have it called Christ No. If not Conscience
Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world by his blood on the Crosse who is now also at his Fathers right hand making intercession for all those that do come to the Father by him but they that are not for the truth will advance any thing but the truth And as for that which thou callest the second clause which is The Law sayest thou must be obeied I answer Christ Jesus hath done that in his own person and justified me thereby and for my part I will not labour now to fulfil the Law for justification least I should undervalue the merits of the man Christ Jesus and what he hath done without me and yet will I labour to fulfil if it were possible ten thousand Laws if there were so many and O! let it be out of love to my sweet Lord Jesus 2 Cor 5.14 for the love of Christ constrains me and thus much to thy 16 page In the next place Thou art offended with this because I say though Christ doth give a light to every one that coms into the world yet it doth not therefore follow that this conscience or light is the Spirit of Christ or the work of grace wrought in the heart of any beâ—iever This I shall pass also as having spoken to it already only mind thee of thy weakness in that thou shouldest mâ—ke this conscience that Christ hath given to every man to be the same with the Spirit of Christ And thou sayest further that the light that Christ hath lightened every one with is the same in narure with the Spirit of Christ O wonderful that a man should be so foolish and so much besides the truth as to compare that nature or conscience that is given to every man equall to the Spirit of Christ Nay thou sayest that it is one with it in nature Did'st thou not blush when thou laydest it down If thou did'st not thou mightest have done with shame enough As I said before because thy conscience will convince thee of sin therefore thou wilt call it Christ or as good as Christ What! because the Law will convince of sin therefore the Law must be called Christ What ignorance is this Nay nature it self that must have the preheminency even as high as Christ Jesus because it can tell a man that it is a shame for him to wear long hair Then thou askest me can there be a surer thing for the Creature to walk by than by the light of Christ which thou confessest every one hath that cometh into the world Answer Friend to the law and to the testimony sai h the Scriptures for they testify of Christ And if thou or any else shall leave the Scriptures to follow the convictions of their own conscience ye are not like to know Christ Jesus the Lord for they may be defiled And again it is through the promises laid down in the Scriptures that we may partake of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1.4 and not by our following of the law or conscience Gal. 3.1 2 3 4. But again where I say Heathens Turks Jews Atheists c. have that which doth convince of sin and yet are so far from having the Spirit of Christ in them that they delight to do iniquity and to serve their lust Upon this thou movest this Quaery Do they or I or any other serve sin and lust because Christ hath not given us light or because we hate this light Answ This I do really confefs that every Heathen Turk or Jew in this world hath a conscience within them that doth convince of sin for the Gentiles which have not the law that is not the law in tables of stone or written as we have these do by nature the things conteined in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselvs which shew the work of the law written in their hearts their consciences also bearing them witness c. And all men and women shall be left without excuse even by the convictions of their own consciences or the law But now that these things are the Spirit of Christ that I deny For conscience is but a creature a faculty of the soul of man which God hath made Neither is the law the Spirit of Châ—ist for the law is not of faith They that are of the works of the law are under the curse but they that have the Spirit of Christ they are the children of God and under grace and delivered from the curse as it is written Gal. 3. As many as are of the works of the law are under the curse But what is it to be of the works of the law or under the law Answ Why to seek to be justified by their obedience to the law Israel which followed after the law of righteousness Mark They that follow afâ—er righteousness do not attain to the law of righteousness if they seek it not by faith but as it were by the works of the law But Christ hath delivered uâ— from the curse of the law Rom. 9.30.31 being in our nature made a curse for us Gal. 3.10 11 12 13. But whereas thou sayest this conscience or law which you would fain have called the Spirit of Christ works in all men either to justifie or condemne I do plainly deny that either conscience or the law can justifie though they can condemne Mark the law is called the ministration of condemnation but not of life The Gospel is called the ministration of life but not of condemnation 2 Cor. 3.9 the law was given that sin might be discovered The Gospel was sent that sin might be taken away The law worketh wrath but the Gospel is a Gospel of peace Rom 10. The law makes nothing perfect Heb. 7.19 but Christ justifieth from all those things from which we could not be justified by the law of Moses Act. 13.39 And whereas thou askest me whether any thing doth convince of sin contrary to or besides the Spirit of Christ I answer there is conscience and the law yea and nature it self that doth convince of sin as before I have proved at large Yet neither is conscience the law or nature it self the Spirit of Christ no but are much inferiour to it as being things of no glory in respect of it And again that somthing doth convince of sin besides the Spirit of Christ it is evident for the law saith 2 Cor. 3.10 Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in it to do them But the Spirit convinceth men of their unbelief together with other sins Now mark the law also convinceth to work for life the Spirit convinceth to believe for life the law saith he that doth not fulfil me shal be damned The Spirit saith he that believeth in Christ shal be saved Now observe the terms of the law and of the Gospel are different one from another as to justification If men seek for life by the law then the law saith fulfil me perfectly
A VINDICATION OF THE BOOK CALLED Some Gospel-Truths Opened According to the Scriptures and the Opposition made against it by EDWARD BORROUGH a professed Quaker but proved an enemie to the Truth examined and confuted by the Word of GOD. AND ALSO The things that were then laid down and declared to the world by me are a second-time born witness to according to truth with the Answer of Edward Borrough to the Quaeries then laid down in my Book reproved And also a plain Answer to his Quaeries given in simplicitie of soul and is now also presented to the world or who else may read or hear them to the end if God will that Truth may be discovered thereby By John Bunyan Preacher of the Gospel of CHRIST I have found David a man after mine own heart saith God Act. 13.22 Of this man's seed hath God according to his promise raised up to Israel a Saviour Jesus saith the Apostle ver 23. And when they had fulfilled all that was written of him they took him down from the tree and laid him in a sepulchre But God raised him from the dead ver 29. 30. And we declare unto you glad tidings how that the promise which was made unto the fathers God hath fulfilled the same to us their children in that hee hath raised up Jesus again ver 32. 33. Be it known unto you therefore men and brethren that though this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins ver 38. And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which they could not be justified by the law of Moses ver 39. LONDON Printed for Matthias Cowley Book-seller in Newport Anno Dom. 1657. READER WEe whose names are here under-written having through grace some blessed Faith and experience of the Truths declared in this Book and knowing them so to be having tried them by the Scriptures in the light of the Spirit thought it our duty to bear witnesse thereunto together with our Brother desiring the blessing of God may go along with these endeavours of his for the doing good to our Christian brethren or any other who may read it Farewell Yours in the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ for which Faith we desire to contend Richard Spencly John Burton John Child TO THE READER SInce it hath pleased the Lord to work in my soul by his holy Spirit and hath translated me in some measure from darknesse to light I have seen and heard that such things have been done by those who did once pretend themselves to be the servants of Jesus Christ that it hath made me marvel Partly while I have beheld the vile conversation of some and also the seeming legal-holinesse of others together with their damnable doctrine which have notwithstanding their professions made shipwrack of the Faith both to themselves and their followers I having had some in-sight into such things as these was provoked to publish a small treatise touching the fundamentals of Religion supposing that God might adde his blessing thereto both for the establishing of some and the convincing of others which things I doubt not but they have been accomplished and will be still more and more But as it was in former daies so it is now That is some in all former ages have been on foot in the world ready to oppose the truth So it is now there are certain men newly start up in our daies called Quakers who have set themselves against the truth of our Lord Jesus Christ and do in very deed deny that salvation was then obteined by him when he did hang on the Crosse without Jerusalems gate Now these men do pretend that they do verily and truly professe the Lord Jesus Christ but when it comes to the trial and their principles be throughly weighed the best that they do is to take one truth and corrupt it that they may thereby fight more stoutly against another As for instance They will own that salvation was obtained by Christ this is truth that salvation was obtained by Christ but come close to the thing and you will finde that they corrupt the word and onely mean thus much That salvation is wrought out by Christ as he is within and by it though not warranted by the Scripture they will fight against the truth Namely that salvation was obteined for sinners by the man that did hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary between two thievs called Jesus Christ I say by what he did then for sinners in his own person or bodie which he took from the Virgin Mary according to the Word of God Secondly they will own the doctrine of Christ within This is truth that Christ is within his Saints But this doctrine they will take to fight against the doctrine of Christ without Ascended from his Disciples into heaven by whom salvation was obtained neither is there salvation in any other Act. 4.12 3. They will own the Resurrection of the Saints but their meaning is onely thus much That the Saints are raised from the state of nature to a state of grace and herewith they will sight against this truth Namely the resurrection of the bodies of Saints out of their graves into which they were laid some thousands some hundreds of Years before And if they do say they do own the Resurrection of the Saints out of their graves they do mean out of the grave of sin onely and nothing else These things I am an ear witnesse to 4. They will say they do own the second coming of Christ to judg the world but search them to the bottom and you will finde them onely to own him in his coming in Spirit within in opposition to the glorious coming of the Lord Jesus the son of Mary from heaven in the clouds with all his mighty Angels to raise the dead and bring them to judgment according to the Scripture And so for the the Intercession of Christ and the truthâ— of the Gospel they onely own them to be within in opposition to the glorious intercession and mediation of the man Christ Jesus in his own person without now in the presence of his Father between us and him pleading and making intercession for his children These things together with maâ—â— more I might mention but now I forbear knowing that none shaâ—â— be lost nor altogether carried away by them nor any Hereticks but the sons of perdition Now that they might the better make their doctrine take place in the hearers they endeavour to make a fair shew in the flesh that thereby they might now as did their fathers in time past compell and constraine them who are not hy the Lord 's right hand planted into the truth of Jesus to follow their covered errors as it is written Galath 6.12 For as many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh That is according to the workes of the Law do with good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.18 And indeed it doth
of their Ministers for indeed they are Ministers in this to minister ill example to their Congregations Again would the people learne to be covetous they need but look to their Minister and they shall have a lively or rather a deadly resemblance set before them in both riding and running after great Benefices and Parsâ—nages by night and by day Nay they among themselves will scramble for the same I have seen That so soon as a man hath but departed from his Benefice as he calls it either by death or out of covetousnesse of a bigger we have had one Priest from this Town and another from that so run for these tithe-cocks and handfulls of Barley as if it were their proper Trade and calling to hunt after the same O wonderfull impiety Ezek. 13. read that whole Chapter and you will find it as it was a looking glasse by which thou mayest notably see them with their marks and discoveries and ungodliness are you not ashamed of your doings If you say no. It is perhaps because you are given over of God to a reprobate mind Read Rom. 1. towards the end As it was with them so it is to be feared it is with many of you who knowing the judgments of God that they who do such things are worthy of death not onely do the same but have as I may so say pleasure also in them that doe them And now you that pretend to be the teachers of the people in verity and truth though we know that some of you are not Is it a small thing with you to set them you say are your flock such an example as this Were ever the Pharisees so prophane to whom Christ said Ye vipers how canye escape the damnation of hell doth not the ground groan under you surely it will fauour you no more then it favoured your fore-runners Certainly the wrath of God lyes heavie at your doores it is but a very little while and your recompence shall be upon your owne head And as for you that are indeed of God among them though not of them Separate your selves why should the righteous partake of the same plagues with the wicked O ye children of the harlot I cannot well tell how to have done with you your stain is so odious and you are so sensless as appears by your practices But I shall at this time forbear having in some measure discharged my conscience according to the truth against you hoping if God do give me opportunitie and a fair call that I shall a second time in this world give testimony against your filthy conversations though now I shall say no more onely thus much Be ashamed of your earthly-mindednesse if you can and be converted or else you shall never be healed Here might I also aggravate your sin by its several circumstances but I shall rather forbear supposing that you may entertain wrong and harsh thoughts of me though I have spoken the truth therefore I shall at this time rather keep silence and wish you to amend then to rake in your soars for thereby would your stink go more abroad in the world Therefore I say I forbear And now to the Reader I beseech thee to have a care of thy soul and look well to the welfare of it And that you may do so have a care what doctrine it is that thou receivest Be not contented untill thou indeed and in truth in the light of the Spirit of Christ see thy sins washed away in the blood of that Lamb who did offer up himself a ransom on the Crosse on mount Calvary for the sins of thy soul and body together with the rest of the Saints of God And let not the legall holiness of the one nor the loose prophane conversation of the other beat thee off from pursuing after the truths of Jesus as the truth is in Jesus and so laid down in this my discourse Neither let the plausiblenesse of the other beguile thy simple heart And now to you that are carried away with the delusions at this day broached in the World by the instruments of Satan and that after a profession of the truth I say to you turne againe if you can peradventure there may be hope and that you may escape that wrath which justly you have deserved But if you shall still refuse the Lord that speakes now from heaven in mercy to you you shall not hereafter escape the Lord that in his owne time will speake to you in his wrath and vexe you in his sore displeasure And now a few words to you that have indeed closed in with the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of Mary and they are these that follow First he of good cheer all your sins are forgiven you for his name sake 1 John 2.12 2. Know he that hath begun the good work of his grace in you will perfect it even to the second coming of our Lord Jesus Christ Phil. 1.6 3. Know that though your Lord Jesus who is in you by his spirit be absent from you tâ—uching his bodily presence yet he is not forgetfull of you but is preparing a place for you Jo. 14.1 2 3. 4. Consider That he is also at this very present in his very person in the presence of his Father now in the heavens praying and making intercession for you that you may be brought safe to glory Heb. 7.25 Father I will saith he that those that thou hast given me may be where I am that they may behold my glory John 17.25 5. Know also that he hath overcome in his own person when he was in the World Devill Death Sin Hell the curse of the Law the power of the Grave and all other evills in the body of his flesh for you Heb. 2.14 6. Beleeve also that while you are in the World all things shall fall out for your good at the end whether they be Temptations Doctrines of Devils workings of corruptions all things shall fall cut for your good who love our pretious Lord Jesus Rom. 8.28 7. Be assured that all your enemies shall very suddenly be under your feet even Satan and all Rom. 16.20 8. Consider That there shall no temptation befall you in the days of your pilgrimage but God will enable you to bear it I and make away also for you to escape the destroying danger of it 1 Cor. 10.13 9. When the time of your dissolution shall come your Jesus will deal with you as he did with Blessed Lazarus that is he will send his Angels to fetch your soules away to glory Luke 16.23 10. Beleeve also and know assuredly that at the last day he wil also raise your bodyes out of their graves and make them also for ever vessels of his glory Rom. 8.23 compar'd with Joh. 5.28 1 Thes 4.14.15 16 17 18. 11. And lastly consider That though now by the world and hereticks you be counted as not worth the looking after Yet you have your day a comming when as the
able to shew their lost state because of sins against the Law but also to lead them to the right Saviour and plant them into him which all other things are not able to do And thus much in answer to thy scolding against my Epistle the truth of which I blesse God through the strength of Christ I could be willing to seal with my blood And now friend in love to thy soule I say have a care of thy selfe that thou do not satisfie thy selfe with any thing untill thou seest by the operation of the Spirit of Christ which thou must have given thee from heaven as being without it before conversion that the blood of that man Christ Jesus that was crucified on mount Calvary did at that same time when it was there shed wash thee from all thy sins and be not so stout and so sterne against the truth because it suits not with thy beguiled conscience Beare with me in patience and seriously enquire into the truth of things according to the Scriptures For they are they that testifie of Christ how salvation doth come by him In thy entering upon my Book the first thing I find thee wrangle with is First by corrupting my words and then by calling me lyer Thou corruptest my words saying That I said The blood of Christ was shed before the â—world began Whereas I said that in the account of God marke in the accoun of God the blood of Christ was shed before the world began Friend art thou not able to distinguish betwixt a thing being done in God's account or according to his fore-knowledge and a thing that is reaslly and actually don Surely it was either thy folly to speake evill of the things thou knowest not or else thy madnesse doth much appear in that though thou understandest these things yet for to wrangle by corrupting my sayings here as also in other places as will afterwards appear This is in page 11. of thine page 3. of my book Then thou goest on pag. 12. and quotest the place where I say p. 37. How horribly are those deceived who look on Jesus but thou leavest out those words the Son of Mary to be but a type which thing you say you know none that do And again thou saiest that I say he is of something afterwards to be revealed My words thou corruptest thou wouldst fain gather thus much out of my words by corrupting them Here my words are corrupted That though I denied Christ Jesus the Son of Mary to be a type yet I my self say He was a type of somthing afterward to be revealed Which thing as there in my book so here again I do most positively deny and I quote the same words again for a second confirmation of the same saying as then I did How horribly are those deceived who look on Jesus the Son of Mary to be but a shadow or type of something that was afterwards to be revealed Whereas the Scriptures most lively hold him forth to be the Christ of God and not a type or shadow of a spirit or body afterwards to be revealed but himself was the very substance of all things that did any way hold forth or type out Christ to come And when he was indeed come then was an end put to the Law for righteousnesse or justâ—fication to every one that believeth Rom. â—0 4 And therefore friend though thou hast or wouldest corrupt my words yet have a care of corrupting Christs words least thou doest even heap up wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God And whereas thou saiest Thou deniest not but Jesus is the substance Answ I doubt thou do'st not speak thine heart plainly but hidest thy self with so saying as with an apron if we enquire into what it is to hold forth Jesus the son of Mary to be the substance Therefore he that holds forth Jesus the Son of Mary to be indeed the substance and not a type holds forth and believs that that Jesus that was born of the Virgin Mary did in his own body of flesh fulfil the Law and impute the righteousnesse of his obedience unto them that he accomplished then without them and that his blood that was shed without on the Crosse doth and hath washed away all sin past present and to come from him that believeth this as it is written For what the Law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh that is through our flesh God sending his own Son in the likenesse of siâ—ful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh That is he was condemned in the flesh that he took on him of the Virgin Ma y Rom. 8.3 And again hee bore our sins in his own body on the tree which was the Crosse on mount Calvary Jesus also saith the Apostle that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered Where Not in any believer but without the gate of Jerusalem Heb. 13.12 How say you do you really believe that at that time when Jesus did hang on the Crosse without Jerusalems gate even at that time he did give the justice of God a full and compleat satisfaction for all the sins of all believers that have been formerly or are now or hereafter shall be Or do you look upon Jesus at that time to be but a shadow or type of somewhat that was afterwards to be done within Answer plainly yea or no that the simple may understand you Now I come to answer thy Querie laid down page 12 in these words Did Christ Jesus put an end to the Law for them who live yet in the transgression of the Law Or doth he justifie that which the Law condemneth Indeed a right answer to this will be great satisfaction to some though I think some trouble to others And therefore in answer to thy question I shall lay down these following things First Christ Jesus did put an end to the Law for righteousnesse for all that the Father hath given him as it is written The bodie of Jesus was offered once for all for all that shall be saved for he shall not be offered a second time No but once for all Heb. 10.10 Once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself and he hath done it once by himself for all Heb 9.26 Otherwise he must have often suffered since the world began But that must not be for he dieth no more Rom. 6.9 But say you Did he put an end to the Law for them who still live in transgression 2. Answ There are many poor souls that are given unto Christ who yet live in their sins But Christ did at that time when he hanged on the Crosse give a full and compleat satisfaction for them In due time Christ died for the ungodly For scarcely for a righteous man will one die but peradventure for a good man some one would even dare to die I but God
the ministration of condemnation 2 Cor. 3. That is the proper work of the Moral Law or Ten commandements is to condemne if it be not obeied and yet not to blesse until it be every jot fulfilled wh ch is impossible to be done by any man for justification in that exact and severe way which the Law calls for which makes the Apostle say as many as are of the works of the Law are under the curse Mark he doth not say as many as are of the works of sin are under the curse though that be true but as many as are of the works of the Law aâ—e under the curse for it is written Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things that are written in the book of the Law to do them But that no man is justified by the deeds of the Law it is evident For the just shall live by faith Gal. 3.10 11. If it be meant of the Ceremonial Law as I am most inclinable to believe because he saith it was our Schoolmaster he doth not say it is but it was our Schoolmaster to bring us to Christ being a Tutor or Governour holding forth Christ to come by its types and significations untill the time appointed of the Father which appointed time and so that Law was to have an end when God sent forth his Son made of a woman Jesus the Son of Mary who was made under the Law to redeem those that were under the Law Now the Ceremonial Law did bring or lead to Christ these two waies First In that it did continue in full force until he did come into the world and had done that which was by it held out for him to do Secondly in that the several types and shadows as thc blood of Bulls and Lambs with diverse other services did lead to or hold forth Christ that was to come but the Moral Law or Ten Commandements is so far from leading us to Christ by our following it that it doth even lead those that are led by it under the curse Not because the Law hath an evil end in it but because of our weaknesse and inability to do it therefore it is forced as it is just to passe a sentence of condemnation on every one that in every particular fulfills it not In the next place thou art offended because I said It is not of works least any man should boast as those fond hypccrites called Quakers would do Thou art offended it seemes because I call you boasters You need not for I do not know your fellows for boasting under heaven In that you Pharisees like do crye up your selves to be the men and condemne all others when you are the men that are the greatest enemies to the Christ of GOD without who is the Saviour of any man under heaven And in that you pretend you are perfect when you are the notablest lyars and corrupters of the sayings of the peopl of God yea and of the Scriptures also that ever I came neer in all the daies of my life And I doubt not but before I have done with you I shall make it appear to them that read or hear my lines aright Thy Quaerie in page 13. runs thus Will that Faith which is without works justifie I answ No Neither will those workes which are without faith sanctifie What then Is it faith and workes together that doth justifie No it is onely faith in the blood of the man Christ that did hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary that doth justifie in the sight of God and the soule and it is the fruits of faith good workes which do justifie in the sight of men So that when it is said wee are justified by workes It is not meant that workes will justifie in the sight of God No but shew me or shew men thy faith or justifie thy faith to be true and right before men by thy workes Shew men thy faith by thy workes it is in the sight of men So that wee conclude a man is justified by faith without the workes of the Law in the sight of God and so his owne soule also and his faith is justified or made manifest to be indeed that which is right both to believers and to the world by it's works Though I must confesse that both Paul and Peter and the rest of the Saints may sometimes be deceived in the truth of the faith of others by their workes Again in page 17. thou seemest to be offended because I say Living by faith is to apply the Lord Jesus Christ his benefits as birth righteousnesse death blood resurrection ascention and intercession together with the glorious benefits of his second coming to me as mine and for me c. Friend methinks thou shouldest find no fault with this but that the man Christ Jesus the son of Ma y is not very pleasant to thee because thou hast swallowed down secretly another doctrine but friend I speak of applying these things and thou speakest of talking of them I know that there are many who talke of Christ that will fall short of heaven and glory But tell me what saiest thou to him thaâ— doth apply all these things to his soul is there not enough in them to justifie him that doth really and truly in the power of the Spirit believe this to be true which I have said Or doest thou deny it and preach another Gospell And whereas thou sayest The word of the Gospell saith not who shall ascend to fetch Christ from above for salvation Though there is never a scripture that saith these words word for word Yet the Scripture saith The word is mghthee even in thy mouth and in thy heart But marke it is the word of faith not the man Christ Jesus but faith which layeth hold on him Rom. 10.8 9. Read the 9. verse which is this Tbat if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus who was borne of the Virgin Mat 1.21 And shaâ—t believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved These great and precious Scriptures with which by corrupting of them the Quakers have beguiled many have this meaning That if thou shalt confesse with thy mouth the Lord Jesus that is in profession and practise own him and believ him to be the Anointed Saviour And shalt believe in thine heart there is the word of faith if thou shalt believe in thine heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt he saved for with the heart man believeth unto righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation But what should men believe with the heart Namely this that God raised him that is Christ from the dead ver 10. And therefore I wonder thou shouldest so scold as thou doest against the truth If this be not truth blame the Scripture which do testifie of these things for truth For I am ruled and would be ruled by them thtough the Spirit But farther thou art offended
and for those that are with me when I have opportunity And I trust that the Lord Jesus who hath helped me to reject the wages of unrighteousness hitherto will also help me still so that I shall distribute that which God hath given me freely and not for filthy lucres sake Other things I might speak in vindication of my practise in this thing But ask of others and they will tell thee that the things I say are truth and hereafter have a care of receiving any things by hear-say only least you be found a publisher of those lies which are brought to you by others and so render your self the less credible but be it so And as for your thinking that to drink water and wear no hat-bands is not walking after your own lusts I say that whatsoever men do make a religion out of having no warrant for it in the Scripture is but walking after their own lusts and not after the Spirit of God Thus have I passed thy 23 page And least you should think that the Quakers are not such as condemned me and others for preaching according to the Scriptures as you would fain clear your selves of this charge laid against you in my book by your saying you deny the accusation to be true upon any of the Quakers I shall therefore tell you of your sister Anne Blackly who did bid me in the audienee of many To throw away the Scriptures To which I answered No for then the Divel would be too hard for me And again because I said The man Christ Jesus was above the clouds and the heavens now absent from his people in the world touching his bodily presence She said I preached up an Idol and used conjuration and witchcraft Which things I should rather have desired her to repent of then to make her a publick example for others to take warning by but that it is expedient that your folly be laid open that others may fear to do as you have done But farther thou chargest me with a loud This is anothâ—r of his false accusations of me crying out against Christ within This is thy throwing of dirt in my face again for I have said it often that if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his Again thou saiest that in page 203 I do take in hand to prove or discover that the doctrine of Christ within Here is another lie made of me is a false opinion Thou do'st also here speak falsly of me for all that I take in hand to prove is this That they hold a false opinion and principles too who hold up a Christ within in opposition to Christ without who is the Saviour as doth plainly appear by my following discourse if you read from page 203. to the end of my book But in the next place after much railing thou comest to the place where I again ask this question Doth not the Scripture make mention of a Christ within To which I answer Yes and he that hath it not is none of his But to lay open thy folly at last thou sai'st doth not the Scripture say Christ is within you except you be reprobates and is not this thus much are not all they reprobates say you but they in whom Christ is within Answ They are indeed reprobates who have not Christ within them but now how is thy folly manifest that in one place thou shouldest confesse some are reprobates who have not Christ within And yet in page 18. of thy book thou sai'st it is given to every man And in page 26. of thy book thou saiest that a measure of the Spirit is given to every man and is given within him too though the Scripture declareth the contrary and thy self also now at last It is well thou doest recant so much as to eat thy first words at the last or at least to shew thy self unstable in judgment Friend thou maist see the more thou doest fight against the truth the more thou foilest thy self Partly by helping of it and partly by contradicting thy self One thing more thou doest befool thy self with and that is In that thou in the first place saiest thou ownest the words in my book and yet hast spent some four sheets of paper to vent thy thoughts against them But peradventure thou wilt say those words that I owne are not those that I spake against but the other To which I answer There are many things in my book spoken of by me that are truth which if you owne you must leave professing your self a Quaker As first That that man that was born of the Virgin Mary called Jesus I say you will not owne that he in his own person by himself without us did compleatly bring in everlasting life for us by offering up himself once for all upon the Cross Secondly that Christ who wrought out redemption for his Children did after he had wrought it out go away from them and not into them in his person Thirdly that he ever-liveth that very man to make intercession in his person in the presence of his Father without untill the end of the world Fourthly that that very man who did go away from his Disciples into heaven will come again personally the same man the second time and before him shall be gathered all Nations and he shall judge them for their sins and take his to himself who shall soul and body be with him to all eternity these things I say thou couldest not owne though they are the truth of God But leaving thee to the great God who will give the according thy works in this as in other things I shall come to thy Answers to my Quaeries The first Quaery that I propounded is if thou say that every man hath a measure of the Spirit of Christ within him why say the Scriptures some are sensuall having not the Spirit And when Christ telleth his Disciples of sending them the Spirit he saith the world cannot receive it Here in the first place thou hast not onely answered deceitfully but hast also corrupted my words in laying down the Quaery in that thou didst leave out some words for thou didst lay it down thus If thou saiest that every man hath a measure of the Spirit of Christ within him why say the Scriptures Some are sensual having not the Spirit and Christ saith the world cannot receive it Reader compare them both together Now thy answer is Some are sensual having not tbe Spirit because they receive it not and some cannot receive it because they believe not on him from whence it comes Yet saiest thou The measure of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall as the Scriptures say When there is no Scripture saith a measure of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withall But again see here thy strange confusion 1. To say some have it not 2. To say every man hath it But you would make a difference between having and
receiving but I tell thee he that hath it hath received it Gal. 3.2 and he that hath not received it hath it not Jude 19. My second Quaery was What is the Church of God redeemed by from the curse of the law Is it by something done within them or by something done without them If you say it is redeemed by something that worketh in them then why did the man Christ Jesus hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary without the gate of Jerusalem for the sins of his children and why do the Scriptures say That through this man is preached to us the forgivenesse of sins The answer thou givest is The Church of God is redeemed by Christ Jesus which is revealed in all believers And Christ Jesus wrought in them mightily And it was he that wrought in them to will and to do This is plain Scripture and the man Christ Jesus sai'st thou hanged on the Crosse on mount Calvary because they wickedly judged him to be a blasphemer and through their envy persecuted him to death because he bare witness against them and as in their account he died and hanged on the Crosse for an evill doer And this is one ground at least why he hanged on the Crosse c. Ha friend I had thought thou hadst not been so much hardened art thou not ashamed thus to slight the death of the man Christ Jesus on the Cross and reckon it not effectually for salvation but saiest the Church is redeemed by Christ Jesus which is revealed within And to confirm it thou doest also corruptly bring in two Scriptures The one saith whereunto I also labour according to his working which worketh in me mightly By which words Paul signifies thus much That as God was witb him in the ministry of the Word so did he also strive according to his working which wrought in him mightily What is this to the purpose See Col 1.26 27 28 29. And also the other Scripture makes nothing to prove that the Church of God is redeemed by Christ within as he is within Onely you must corrupt the Scriptures and be transformed though ministers of darknesse into an Angel of light if you will do any mischief And now that thy answer is false I shall cleerly prove First because thou deniest that redemption was wrought out for sinners by the man Christ Jesus on the Crosse or tree on mount Calvary when the Scripture saith plainly that when he did hang on the tree Pet. 2.24 then did he bear all our sins there in his own body And secondly in thy saying it is redeemed by Christ within by being within when the work of the Spirit of Christ in believers is to make known to the soul by dwelling within which way and how they were redeemed by the man Christ Jesus on the Crosse And this I prove farther because when thou art forced to answer to these words Why did the man Christ Jesus hang on the Crosse on mount Calvary for the sins of his Children Thou saiest because they wickedly judged him to be a blasphemer Friend I did not ask thee why the Jews did put him to death but why was he crucified there for the sins of his Children But thou willing to cover over thine errour goest on cunningly saying and through their envy they persecuted him to death for an evill doer This is one ground at least c. Friend but that thou art ashamed to own the Gospel of Jesus Christ thou wouldest have said he was crucified there for the sin of the world and by his offering up of himself upon the Crosse he did for ever perfect them that are sanctified Nay thou wouldest have studied to exalt his dying there first by shewing what a sad condition we were in without it secondly by holding forth the manifold and great priviledges that we have by his dying for us there But thou art at enmity against the things of God as is cleerly seen by those that have indeed the Spirit of God in them and are enabled thereby to discern you And though you say there is no other that can forgive sin nor the blood of any other that can take away sin but the blood of God Yet thou deniest that the blood of him who was and is truly God as well as man Christ Jesus I say thou deniest that his blood that was shed without Jerusalems gates doth wash away sin from the Saints of God and cunningly though not at this time uttered concluding that the blood of God was shed for sin on a Crosse within If it be not so then call me lyar but it will cleerly appear so to be in your answer to my third Quaery 3. Quaery is What Scripture have you to prove that Christ is or was crucified within you dead within you risen within you ascended within you Thy answer is There is no Scripture that mentions every of our names in particular And thy Quaery saiest thou is raised from a misunderstanding of us so I judge But Christ is within us that we do dot deny and he is the Lamb that was slain in the streets of the great City wich is spiritually called Sodom and Egypt mind Spiritually and he is now risen and ascended this we know and leave thee to receive a farther answer from them that are led by a spirit of delusion Friend how doest thou run about the bush seeking to scrable up an answer but findest not a right one and wouldest also fain hold out that Christ is or was crucified within dead within risen and ascended within but seeing thou canst not with or by the Scriptures give an answer then seeing thy self left of them through rhe strength of carnall reason thou goest about this way Is there any of our names made mention of in Scripture or to that purpose and would'st fain inferr from thence that because we have names though not mentioned in Scriptures therefore Christ is and was crucified within though not mentioned in the Scriptures Friend thy sophistry deceivs thee The second argument which is like the first is this He is the Lamb slain in the streets of the great City Spiritually called Sodom and Egypt Now from the word spiritually thou wouldest willingly inferre also that Christ is and was crucified within dead within and risen within you and therefore thou saiest mind spiritually Friend I may well mind thy spirituall wickedness by which thou wouldest willingly cover thy heresie but it will not be Though thou dare not speak plainly in so many words yet the thoughts of thy heart are made manifest by the words that flow from thee Ah friend that thou couldest but close with the truth and venture thy soul upon what was done by Jesus on the Crosse without the gates of Jerusalem for it is by and through that blood that was there shed that we have redemption Heb. 13.12 compared with Col. 1.20 and remission of sins Eph. 1.7 and 1 Pet. 2.24 My fourth Quaery was is that very man
do indeed enjoy the light of life And whereas thou ask'st is not he a deeeiver that exhorts people to any thing else than the light of Christ Answ He that telleth any man that the ministration of condemnation will save him which is the law he is a lier and a deceiver but he that exhorts people to lay hold on what the man Christ Jesus hath done in his own person for sinners and presseth souls to venture upon that for salvation preacheth the truth Thirdly Christ hath given to every one the law and conscience within him yet these are not able to save him but let him follow the righteousnesse of the the law never so much yet if he be not directed of God to flie to Jesus the Son of Mary and to what he hath done in his own person for them he shall never be saved Act. 4. verse 12. Friend thus have I with all plainnesse of speech answered thy Quaeries and I fear not at all but I have spoken the truth as it is in Jesus And as for committing them to the judgment of others as thou wouldest have me set others say what they will I am sure I have spoken the truth of God and I make no question but at the second coming of my Lord Jesus from heaven to judge the world these things I shall not be ashamed of Neither am I now but am ready if God shall give me life to speak the same things to any man face to face and I desire thee and all even as many as shall read or hear this Treatise to consider and look to themselvs least they sin against God so much in their life time by rejecting these truths that it shall never be forgiven them to all eternity though they repent them of their rejecting the same There is one thing more to which I shall speak a few words and that is to a few words written at the end of thy book which is called the postscript wherein is severall charges against my self and som others which I shall speak somewhat to The first is agaist John Burton thuâ— John Burton said in a discours with some friends that Christ had two bodies and one of them is out of the sight of the Saints Answ My Brother Burton being absent I shall answer for him concerning the charge laid against him And therefore that Christ who is and was before the world began God equal with his Father did in the fulnesse of time take upon him a bodie from the Virgin Mary which was so prepared by God his Father it is evident in Scripture and in it after he had lived a while in the world he did hang on the Crosse was taken down thence again and laid in Josephs sepulchre was raised again and ascended away from his Disciples therewith into glory Act. 1.3 9 10 11. Again he hath another bodie and that is his Church Eph. 1. ver the last Now that he is out of the sight of his Saints in one of the bodies namely that which did hang on the Crosse it is also evident 1 Tim. 6. where Paul speaking of that very Jesus who did bear a faithful witnesse before Pontius Pilate saith in ver 16. Who onely hath immoâ—tality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto whom no man hath seen nor can see That is not with their mortal eâ—es in that glory as yet If you say still notwithstanding this that Christ as he was before the world began hath but one body and that to be his Church I ask you what that was that was taken down from the Crosse and laid into Josephs sepulchre Luk. 23.52.53 The second charge is â—gainst my self and is this John Bunyan said Christ second coming is not his coming in Spirit for his coming in Spirit is no coming This is a false thing spoken of me The former part of the words namely Christs second coming is not his coming in Spirit those I owne But the other namely * For his coming in spirit is no coming is a lie made of me by the Author Edward Borrough The former words were spoken at a meeting in Bedford some Quakers being present contradicting and blaspheming And now they could not be content with that but they must make up all with a lie and publish it in print Quaker there and I had some discourse concerning Christ's second coming and he would affirm that his coming in Spirit was his second coming spoken of in Scripture Then I asked him which was his first coming He answered when he was born of rhe Virgin and took flesh upon him from her Then said I I shall easily prove that his coming in the Spirit is not his second coming for I will prove that his coming in the Spirit was before that which the Scripture and you also do call his first coming and proved it by that plain Scripture where Peter speaking of the Prophets saitb searching what or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them the Prophets did signifie when it testified before hand of the suffering of Christ and the glory that should follow 1 Pet. 1.10 11. and 3 18 19. where speaking of Christ's being put to death in the flâ—sh but quickned in the Spiâ—it By which Spirit he preached to the spi its now in pâ—ison but when was this only when once the long suffering of God waited in the days of Noah ver 20. Which was long before the first coming of Christ so called in Scripture for that was as I said when he took a body from the Virgin Mary But secondly it seems cleerly by these words that you do look for no other coming but his coming in Spirit O! how suddenly and unexpected of you will the Son of man break down from heaven with all his mighty Angels in flaming fire and call you together with all Nations to judgment And though now peradventure you are ready to slight the personall appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ that man to judgment only looking for a judgment within yet you will I am certain very suddainly be made to pass under another judgment which will be more exceeding great then any judgment you shall have here and more terrible As for the latter part of the charge which is a very lie though I shal not trouble my self to lay it to your charge you have so manifestly declared your selvs already what you are Yet I beseech you that hereafter you would not be so ready to receive lies from others and publish them to the view of the world least you appear to all men as you do to some to be such as are of an accusing lying spirit But farther That Christ's coming in the Spirit is not his second coming it is evident partly in that the coming of Christ in Spirit was before that called in Scripture his first coming Secondly he that comes the second time is he that came the first time Now he that came the first time
And poor Creatures heating the name Christ being ignorant of the nature of Christ do presently close in with these things supposing nay verily beleeving that these are the Spirit of Christ Which things being thus received if at any time one come and oppose them and tell them that it is an errour that they have taken up to think that that which is in an unregenerate man is the Spirit of Christ and contrarywise telleth them plainly that it is but their own conscience that doth convince them or the law written in their hearts by nature Nay say they it is the light of Christ in the conscience when there is no Scripture hath any such manner of expâ—essions onely a fancy of their own taken up without ground from the Word But the soul being possessed with this doctrine presently its heart riseth against any thing that doth contradict it and is filled with a secret enmity against it Now the way that Satan takes to bring this about is to perswade poor souls that all these thoughs that do any wise contradict the Principles received is but a temptation of the Devill And if at any time there be the doctrine of Jesus held forth in truth his death buriall resurrection ascension and intercession now without in the presence of his Father for sinners and that there is salvation no where else but in the merits of the first born of Mary which is Jesus Christ without the works of the Law Rom. 3.28 Presently with envie they are enraged and cry Doest thou not know that every man hath a measure of tbe Spirit given to him Follow that listen to that turn thy mind to that and walk in the light of that When alas there is no such thing as the Spirit of Christ in every man as I said and proved before at large onely the Devill hath gotten this way to call conscience Christ the law Christ and hereby to intangle the soul with the name of a thing without the thing it self But now the soul is set down in its principles and he that doth any way confute that Spirit presently it falls a raging and cries out Seâ—pent Liâ—r Wolfe Dragon Devill be silent with thy serpentine wisdom and smoak of the bottomlesse pit Now in this the Devill is wonderfull cunning for least he should indeed be discovered he doth set the face hard against the truth and counteth it such a deadly enemy that he will not cannot bear it but le ts flye against it all the hellish words and madnesse he can And now he begins first to cry avoyd Satan All which is onely to harden him in whom he doth dwell more and more against the truth Now he doth also harden souls in delusions by presenting the ugly and base conversations of a company of covetous wretches who do professe themselvs to be the Ministers of the Gospel but are not now poor creatures being shaking and doubtfull what way to take seeing the conversation of these men to be wicked and the doctrine of these deluders coâ—ered with a seeming holinesse they presently embrace it saying surely these men are in the right way they cry down the Priests whose lives we also see to be profane they are very strict in their ways and if such be nor good men who are But yet that which is most taking is through the corruption and pride that is naturally in the heart of man these men propose such a way to salvation as is in the compasse of a mans owe abilitie even works of righteousnesse done by him which is very agreeable to mans natâ—re which would willingly be saved but would not be altogether beholden to God for it and these works not being wrought by the Priests or Nationall Ministers but by the other though in opposition to the righteousnesse of Christ the Messias God-man poor souls not onely suck in these erroneous principles but are hardened in them against the doctrine of God and his Son Jesus Christ by their ungodly conversation and thus dishonour the Son of God But come brethren let us be patient stablish our hearts wait but a while and I doubt not but you will see that those who dishonour our Jesus shall soon be brought down both Ranters Quakers Pâ—iests and people also that shall continue in opposing him either in doctrine or practise for our God hath said Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries Now a few words more to those who do beleeve in Christ aright and lay him for their foundation First blesse God that you are not carried away with the delusions that are on foot in this generation Secondly see that you are laborers after a more experimentall knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ flye more to his birth death blood resurrection ascension and intercession and fetch refreshing for your souls more and more from him without through the operation of his Spirit within and though the fruits of the Spirit be excellent and to be owned where they are found Yet haue a care you take not away the glory of the blood of Christ shed on the Crosse without the gates of Jerusalem and give it them which you will do if you do content your selvs and satisfie your consciences with this that you finde the fruits of the Spirit within you and do not go for peace and consolation of conscience to the blood of Jesus shed on the Crosse Therefore learn of the Saints or rather of the Spirit Revel 5. who teacheth to sing this song Thou art worthy to take the book and to open the seales thereof for thou wast slain and hast redeemed us to God by thy blood And as for you that cannot yet well indure to think you should be justified by the blood of the Son of Mary shed on the Crosse without the gate I say to you Kiss the Son least he be angry and you perish from the way when his wrath is kindled but a little blessed are all they tbat put their trust in him Psal 2.12 FINIS Some Questions put forth to them commonly called Quakers for to answer whether in London or elswhere Be alwaies ready to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you 1 Pet. 3.15 And I beseech you do it in sincerity 1. IF thou saiest that every man hath a measure of the Spirit of Jesus Christ within him Why say the Scriptures Some are sensual having not the Spirit Jude 19. And when Christ tells his Disciples of sending them the Spirit he also saith The world cannot receive it Joh. 14.17 2. What is the Church of God redeemed by from the curse of the Law Is it by something done within them or by something that is done without them or by something that worketh in them Gal. 3.3 Act. 13.38 1 Pet 2.24 Col. 1.20 c. If thou Answer It is redeemed from the curse of the law by something that worketh in them then I ask Why did the man Christ Jesus