a Persecuter but as he received the Commandment within by the Spirit and Power of God or his Light within he saw sin exceeding sinful But further in flat contradiction to his opposing the Light within or the Quakers Christ as he scornfully stiles it he confesseth That the Grace of God received in the work of Regeneration and Reconciliation doth so principle the heart with an enmity to sin and begets an hatred to it and love to Righteousness 1 Thess. 1.5 6 7. so that it is from the Principle within together with the observation of the Rule without that the soul is made to gather Sanctity and Holiness he saith Answ. Then the Grace within which works such a good effect in the soul must needs be saving for that it removes the sin which is the cause of condemnation and works sanctity and holiness through which is acceptance with the Lord and why then is the Quakers Christ within so much despised and scorned in many places throughout his Book And as for the Word together with the Spirit cleansing and sanctifying The Word and Spirit are one and he that hath the Word of God abiding in him hath the Spirit of God in him and this with its blessed effects we certainly know and therefore cannot slight the Scriptures of Truth or Words of God therein which he calls the written Words because they proceeded from the Spirit And whereas he would not give any ground of jealousie that he should judge that the written word and spirit in any man as abstracted from Christ in the titest and most uniform obedience doth cleanse or that our obedience is any cause either of Justification or Sanctification Answ. If this our Opposer deems that the Spirit in any is abstracted from Christ and that any obey the Spirit without Christ It 's none of our belief for they are not divided and we know that there is no condemnation to them that walk after the Spirit for they are in Christ and have life in the Son of God 2. Whereas our obedience to the Spirit is denyed as being any cause either of our Justification or Sanctification This is a denying of the Apostles Doctrine and is repugnant to the spiritual-obedience which is both acceptable to God and through the Spirit and the obedience of the Spirit the true Believers mortified the deeds of the flesh and purified their souls Rom. 8.13 1 Pet. 1.22 Besides the obedience and works of the living Faith which is not a self-righteousness are attended with Justification and some cause thereof for was not Abraham justified by works when he offered up Isaac Jam. 2.21 And the Saints were sanctified and justified by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 6.11 But then if our obedience in this case must be wholly excluded as not any cause either of Justification or Sanctification how comes the suffering and Blood of Christ so often to be tendred and applied upon believing Is believing no part of the creatures obedience What ignorance and contradiction is in this W. Burnet's Religion what sayes he to this see how he comes off in the following words Bapt. I do believe that our Justification comes in by no other way or means or name under Heaven but by Jesus Christ which is so far true But further he adds and that by shedding of that Blood and offering of that Sacrifice upon the Cross Heb. 9.22 1 Pet. 1.19 and that our Justification is the real cause of our Sanctification Answ. If so and that our obedience be not any cause thereof as before then are all men in a justified state for whom he died and he was offered and dyed for all as is confessed by this our Opposer and others of them from which state men's not obeying or disobeying can be no hindrance if their obedience contribute nothing to it or be no cause of either Justification or Sanctification so their believing or not believing can neither further nor hinder by this account But then if it should be denyed that all men are justified by the sufferings and blood of Christ without I ask Why are not all It 's answered readily Because all do not believe Then it 's because they do not obey But what if they do not if their obedience of the Spirit or Light within be no cause of their Sanctification or Justification are they not therefore justified but then whence is this power of believing and obedience derived if not from the Light and Spirit of Christ within but as to Justification being laid one while upon the name of Jesus another while upon the shedding of that Blood without another while by the Offering or Sacrifice upon the Cross What confusion is here and how is this man put to it to patch up his own principles Christ's name is Everlasting it is called The Word of God who by one Offering hath for ever perfected them that are sanctified Where doth the Scripture say that Justification is the real cause of Sanctification or that men are justified in an unsanctified or disobedient state and if some be justified in that state only by the Offering and Blood of Christ without as is supposed and not all that are in the same state does not this render God partial and unjust if he withhold that from men which is both merited and purchased for them as these our Opposers affirm whilst their obedience is so little set by or esteemed that it 's deemed no cause of either Justification or Sanctification But then as to the shedding of Christ's Blood without which so much stress is laid upon whose work was that but a wicked mans after he was put to death and where is that Blood is it in being yea or nay or did it sink into the ground and corrupt as some of you have confessed and in P. 40. that Blood that was shed is not in being saith W. B. How then does it cleanse sanctifie justifie redeem save c. as he would have us beleive whereas in that 1 Pet. 1. cited by this our opposer it s said we are not redeemed by corruptible things but by the precious Blood of Christ Therefore that Blood which redeems is in being and not corruptible no more then his Flesh that saw no corruption but bears record with the Spirit But this is a mystery vailed from all such carnal contenders as carnally look upon things according to the outward appearance and no further Nor can they in that state see thorow the Vail unto the heavenly things themselves nor unto the perfect Tabernacle which Jesus Christ is the High-Priest and Minister of And another Testimony upon which W. Burnet scoffs and carps against the Light within is Humph. Smiths viz. That there is no other rule or means or name by which a man shall ever come to walk with God but that which is manifest of God even the Light of the Son of God the Light of him who saith I am the Light c. But how does W. B. assay to confute
this for it is a truth that he does not answer but scornfully sayes p. 5. viz. You may see the Quakers Christ is manifest to be in the World in the Heart in that sence they preach that he is come in the flesh but not that he was flesh or that the flesh taken in the Womb of the Virgin was Christ but that Christ was in that body or in the World Rep. 1. As to man's coming to walke with God we know it is by the Light of Christ within for if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in darkness we lie and do not the truth 1 Joh. 1.6 therefore it is by walking in the Light that fellowship with God is attained to And as to Christ's coming in the flesh we do confess according to the Scriptures and even in that particular body prepared for him in the Womb of the Virgin which we do not find that you Baptists do clearly confess to whilst you oppose us for confessing his coming in the flesh or for not saying with you that the flesh and body Christ took upon him was Christ which is all one as to say that Christ took upon him Christ which were to make two Christs whereas every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God but is the spirit of Antichrist 1 Joh. 4. It is not Jesus Christ come in Jesus Christ. Thus you make your selves ridiculous by carping at the Truth and cavalling against Christ's Light which the Quakers own And as to our laying the stress of Salvation upon our obedience to the Light within Answ. Christ is the Author of Salvation to as many as obey him who is the true Light that enlightens every man and in his Light he is to be followed and obeyed and therein we lay the stress of mans duty in obeying the Light of Christ within and his Salvation in the Light or Grace which appears to all men And as to Christ's coming in the Clouds of Heaven his coming W. B. represents as the lightening out of the East to the West that he is sure a man may see without turning his eye within himself he saith Answ. His coming will be terrible to you that deny his Light within yet we confess the coming of Christ is in the Clouds and is as the Lightning though he is yet clouded from many As the Cloud at his Assention received him out of their sight who stood gazing so all the gazers abroad from the Light within may read their figure even the Cloud But Steven when he was full of the Holy Ghost saw Heaven open and the Son of man on the right Hand of God This Holy Ghost was the ground of his so seeing the Son of Man surely he did not see God nor his right Hand with Carnal Eyes And Christ said There are those that stand by that shall not taste of death until they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom or the Kingdom of God come with Power Mat. 16.28 Mark 9.1 Neither Christ nor the Holy Men of God said as this Baptist doth That neither God Christ or the Spirit or any thing capable to save is to be found in any unregenerate man to which he may turn for Salvation How false and gross is this Is God to be confined or the holy One to be limited whose presence fills Heaven and Earth and who filleth all things And did not Christ direct to the Kingdom of Heaven within Luke 17. and to believe in the Light that they might be made the Children of the Light So that they had the Light before they were born of it and it shone in their hearts but and if not any unregenerate man hath any thing in him that 's saving by this not any of Gods Children till they were his Children had the Light in them How came they then to be convinced and begotten to God Where was the Light in the Order of Gods Work in the Soul before it was effected if not at work in them But to his own Contradiction p. 8. he confesses That the Law was accompanied with the Spirit in that regenerating Work Then it was in man And as to that Story and Accusation against Ja. Naylor we never understood that he professed himself to be Christ neither in his examination before the Magistrates nor before but that Christ was in him so that he in the Story is wronged therein which savours of meer malice and envy in this Baptist to render us odious and obnoxious in the sight of our Enemies howbeit wherein J. N's weakness was either in suffering or not reproving the madness of those that were with him in Prison therein we never justified him nor them but testified against them and when he became sensible of his loss it became matter of great trouble and sorrow to him and he openly judged himself and through repentance found mercy by all which the truth and uprightness of our way so much villified and struck at by this Baptist was justified and he found to be unjust in upbraiding us with that which we never owned and in that hath done as neither he nor his Brethren would be done by neither is it reasonable to judge and condemn Principles either from the defect or abuse of any persons professing them But to the matter before it 's confessed from Rom. 7. That the Commandment being brought home with Authority and accompanied with the Spirit and he seeing himself a dead man he was forced to fly from his legal Obedience to the Righteousness of Christ therefore the Spirit is alive because of Righteousness c. By all which 't is confessed 1. That it 's the Spirit of Christ manifested within makes the Law of force 2. Which brings a man to see himself and his own works 3. Brings him to Christs Righteousness for refuge And this Spirit is that which the Quakers direct to that people may begin in it and live in it to see the work of Regeneration and of Righteousness thereby wrought in them and this is that Spirit which reproves the World of sin even the unbelieving World for their unbelief in Christ So that here our Opposer to his own confutation hath confessed to the Quakers Christ as in scorn he often terms him as he without whom neither true Conviction nor Regeneration is wrought nor yet Christ's Righteousness received for a refuge but what he means by that Righteousness will further appear And now this Baptist having undertaken to shew what that Light is in every man that convinces of sin unto which the Quakers exhort men to turn by which he hath confessed a convincing Light in every man but saith It 's neither God Christ nor the Spirit His proof is Ephes. 2.11 12. touching the Gentiles being Aliens Strangers without God in the World c. Reply He was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not John 1.10 These being Aliens and
as W. B. hath done pag. 24. Yet though we do oppose his imaginations and confusion concerning Christ neither his ascension into the Heavens and also far above all Heavens and Clouds nor yet his coming the second time without sin to Salvation do we in the least deny or oppose knowing in measure the effect of his appearance and coming to wit Salvation as they did of old that in Faith looked for his coming the second time without sin unto Salvation wherein their Faith and Hope and expectations were not made void but fulfilled and answered and as to that 1 Thes. 4.17 which W. B. brings to prove that Christ shall come in the latter end of the World from Heaven above the Clouds Now in vers 15. it 's said that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord. Now I ask if they did live and remain to a personal coming of Christ in the Clouds yea or nay or can it be reasonably thought to be a coming that is not yet that they lived and remained unto and further John in Rev. 1. said Behold he cometh with Clouds he also when he was in the Spirit saw him that was the first and the last and in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks he saw one like unto the Son of man whose eyes were as a flame of fire out of whose mouth went a sharp two-edged Sword whose Countenance was as the Sun shining in his strength who laid his right hand vpon John Now did John see him with carnal eyes or was this coming such as you expect outwardly Moreover Christ said the Son of man shall come in the Glory of his Father with his Angels and then he shall reward every man according to his work Verily I say unto you there be some standing here which shall not tast of death till they see the Son of man coming in his Kingdom Math. 16.27 28. Luke 9.26 27. Now what is that Glory of the Father in which his coming is is it visible to the carnal eye And when was that coming to be is it now to be looked for outwardly But farther we do acknowledge the several comings of Christ according to the Scriptures both that in the Flesh and that in the Spirit which is manifest in several degrees as there is a growing from Glory to Glory But three comings of Christ not only that in the flesh at Jerusalem and that in the Spirit but also another coming in the flesh yet to be expected we do not read of but a second coming without sin unto Salvation wch in the Apostles dayes was look'd for Again that the dead in Christ shall rise first we own to be an effect of Christs coming and know that there is a dying in Christ a being Baptized into his Death before a coming forth or rising in the likeness of his Resurrection and if we be dead with him we shall also live with him 2 Tim. 2.11 and Paul to the Colossians said For ye are dead and your life is hid with Christ in God But now to know these states what 't is to dye with Christ to be conformable unto his Death and to partake of the Power of his Resurrection these things are hid from that eye and expectation which is carnal and only known to them that are come to the Mystery of Faith in a pure Conscience and to know that Power by which the Faith of the operation of God is known and the work and effects of it But at these things blind and ignorant contenders may carp and cavel till they be more blind and plunged in gross darkness and unbeleif Bapt. I would know where the Spirit in so many words is called the key Answ. It seems as if he would be very exact in keeping to the words of Scripture when he calls for a proof of that in so many words which he dare not deny the matter of and sayes it may be a good comparison so it appears he was presently checked and saith he would not be found to carp at any thing that may agree with sound Doctrin though he has carped at many things that are sound and now do's he not deserve to be tried by his own rule and ask'd where he proves that he is justified by the shedding of the Blood that was let out by the spear in so many words and where in so many words that Blood shed without the gats of Jerusalem is the means of Salvation as in Pag. 28. whereas if that be his Justifier and Saviour where is it 't is not in being pag. 40. so then his Saviour it appears is not to be found whereas the Blood of Christ which justifieth purgeth the Conscience cleanseth from all sin and wherein he washeth them that follow him is still in being cleansing and washing being a real act and spiritual work in every true Beleiver that walks in the Light whereby the Blood of Christ is known 1 John 1.7 Bapt. I do much wonder where that Word or Doctrine was coyned that they so often teach and exhort that is to turn to the Light within P. 28. Answ. Why art thou so positive against it then W. B. to oppose that thou knowest not whence it rose But this Light within has sufficiently manifested thy darkness and ignorance of Scriptures which so plainly witness to the Light within but thou confessest the Scriptures are a Mystery and if you are not careful to compare Scripture with Scripture you may soon miss and split your selves p. 30. Indeed thou hast egregiously missed and split thy self against the Light within and how then is the Scripture thy rule and how is it known it seems thou seest no farther then comparing the Scripture with Scripture like the hireling Priests that deny revelation and immediate teaching instead of having recourse to the Spirit that gave them forth and opens them it being the Key that opens the Mysteries of God as thou hast granted before P. 28. Again touching the Grace of God that hath appeared to all men Tit. 2.11 W. B. gives his meaning upon it in these words viz. The word all is often taken restrictively and may intend all that have heard it and such to whom it appears to be Grace Thus you may see how he can turn plain Scripture with his meanings to serve his own end as if he should say it appears to all to whom it does appear or where it s said Christ dyed for all and tasted death for every man he dyed but for all that he dyed for or for every man for whom he tasted Death What gross absurdity and nonsence is this he has put upon plain Scripture and how has he set himself and his meanings to be Judge over the Scriptures when at other times he would make us believe the Scripture is his best and most perfect rule but here denies the general extent of the Grace of God so plainly and frequently owned in Scripture without any such restriction or exception as
he seems to infer from Mat. 3.6 And as to W. B's exception against that passage in Saul's Errand c. touching Christ in his People being the substance of all Figures Types Shadows fulfilling them in them and setting them free from them but as he is held forth in the Scripture without he is their example upon which W. B. would observe that if Christ doth in his people fulfil the Law and set them free from it then it was not what he did at Jerusalem on the Cross no more in that body then in another and then to confute this he sayes how false this is God in his due time will make manifest to their shame R. We must then have better arguments than W.B. hath produc'd for we have but his bare word to prove it false howbeit Christ fulfilling the Law in his people does not make voyd his suffering on the Cross nor his suffering there frustrate the end of his spiritual appearance within but all his sufferings without did bear testimony to the Power and Spirit of God within by which he offered up himself and his ending the Law that upheld the Figures and Types without through his suffering and his setting open a living way through the vail to wit his flesh did signifie and bear testimony to his inward and spiritual manifestation in his people who enter into this new and living Way knowing that Christ took away the first Covenant that he might establish the second which second Covenant is inward and spiritual and God sent his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the Law might be fulfilled in us who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8.3 4. So here the end the substance the life of all the absolute freedom is manifest and fulfilled within in every one that is established in Truth Righteousness and of this we shall never be ashamed as a falshood as unjustly our peevish opposer supposeth And though I am accused pag. 28. for saying Men are not sanctified or justified barely by the suffering of Christ without this was no quibble at all for I really intended as I said that all was not done by that suffering the work of Sanctification and Justification being wrought fulfilled and evidenced within to them that believe though I did not deny but his offering without did in a sence contribute towards it in that he took away the first Covenant that he might establish the second which is inward and Spiritual As to that against W. Smith in the 31. pag. touching Christ in us offering up himself a living Sacrifice to that W. B. says Then in vain did our dear Lord suffer that cursed Death upon the Cross. Rep. That 's a false inference for his fufilling the Righteousness of the Law within does not make void his abolishing and taking away the shadows of the Law without but rather brings to know the effect of his obedience and suffering and the testimony thereof to be fulfilled within as also his offering is of further extent then that of the outward for he made his soul an offering for sin and he is the propitiation not for out sins only but for the sins of the whole World mark he is the Propitiation in the present time and seeing there remained no more a sacrifice for them that wilfully sinned therefore there does remain a sacrifice for them that do not wilfully sin the true knowledge and living sence of which as Christ does fulfil the Law inwardly appeaseth the wrath and condemnation of it and raises hope in that soul that has known and lain under the sentence of death within it self And did not the Apostle bear in his body the dying of the Lord Jesus and did not he say I fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his Bodies sake which is the Church Col. 1.24 Mark that which is behind of his afflictions So then all was not ended on the Cross. And had not they an Altar to eat at in the Heavenly Sanctuary and could this be without an Offering or Sacrifice to eat of or do any eat his Flesh and drink his Blood who do not partake at this Altar of him as a Sacrifice or the one Offering which ended the many Bapt. Oh how does these Hell-hatched errors that have been fomented by Satan and twisted into the hearts of these poor and ever to be pittied Creatures detract from the worth of that one Offering page 31. Answ. This is but a malitious accusation and slander cast upon us by an envious spirit and never yet could be proved against us And how does W. B's pitty appear toward us when he has vilified us and shamefully reproached us to render us as odious as he can concluding us to be in Hell-hatch'd errors fomented by Satan whereas before in pag. 28. he much wonders where our Doctrine of turning to the Light within was coined And thus he contradicts and brings shame upon himself by malitiously vilifying the Innocent and his hypocrisie and feigned pitty herein is manifest And as for W. B. his carping against W. Baley's saying that which helpeth the Soul c. is that pure Spirit of meekness in which it was created Upon which W. Burnet concludes That if that Light call it what we will in or with which man was created be the Quakers Christ then their Christ cannot be Gods Christ. Rep. A false conclusion for man was created in the Image of God And was not Christ the Image of the Invisible God Was not he that Word that created man as is confessed page 34. And does not the Word both sanctifie save and redeem But more to that hereafter And this Spirit of Meekness or Divine Image in which man was created is not a Light of Nature as he falsly supposeth and saith W. Baly's Christ is pag. 33. And although in the same page he saith That Christ that restoreth mans loss is both to be sought and found in Heaven viz. above the Stars and Firmament But then we may suppose that he hath neither sought nor found Christ there But if he say he hath sought Christ at such a distance by Faith I ask If the Object or Foundation of Faith be divided from the Faith Or if the living Faith does not stand in the living Power of God and whether the Righteousness of it does tell of seeking and finding Christ above the Clouds Stars and Firmament Or were it good reason to say We find Christ at such a distance because we believe he is there to be sought But why tells he so much of above the Clouds are not the Clouds and circumference of the Heavens as well under us as above us Here follows four Arguments or Reasons which W. Burnet layes down as the Quakers grounds from Scripture pag. 33. 1. From John 8.58 Before Abraham was I am Now saith the Quaker That which was
cause of Salvation but the effects And by what rule doth W. B. thus essay to correct the Scriptures which he counts his rule or thus detect the sayings of Chiist as being so improper as giving that to one thing which belongs to another in such a high concernment And has not he herein in effect accused the Scriptures and God with the same thing or as great offence as he has accused us withal as giving that to one thing which belongs to another as our attributing Salvation and Justification to God or Christ as the Eternal Word which he would lay all upon the Off-spring of man or upon the Body of Christ that suffered death upon the Cross and sometimes upon the shedding the Blood out of it denying Christ as the Word and Son of God to be the Saviour contrary to plain Scriptures as before is shewn Bapt. Christs ascribing and attributing that to the God-head that properly refers to the manhood is a stumbling-stone to this poor people pag. 35. Answ. What is this but to charge Christ with improper Doctrine or impertinent speaking wherein W. B. makes himself wiser than Christ and a Corrector of Christ's sayings 'T is no marvel that he hath so much accused us feignedly calling us poor People when he hath done no less to Christ as one not consenting to the wholesom words or sayings of Christ but in effect denies them improper in the case mentioned and then makes that the cause of our stumbling both which are false and wherein we are either accused for saying That God saveth Justifieth or the Eternal Word Redeems Saves c. and that God was in Christ reconciling the World If our Adversary should say this is improper and that it 's an error to ascribe that to God the Eternal Word or to Christ as the Eternal Son of God that properly belongeth to his Manhood as the Son of Mary not as the Son of God c. Has not he accused Christ to the very same purpose with speaking improperly What can we expect from such a one but the like reproaches and contradictions of sinners that Christ Jesus the Captain of our Salvation underwent and yet this proud presumptuous Opposer of Truth will pretend the Scriptures or sayings of Christ to be his Rule but when they please him not hee 'l assay to correct them by his dark confused meanings and corrupt interpretations Who further adds to his corrupt Doctrine as followeth Bapt. But as he was God without being Man or the Root and not the Off-spring he could not save Man for God was the Offended and Man the Offender and it was impossible for the Offended to acquit and clear the Guilty and to discharge the Debt and to imbrace the Offender for no man out of Christ can see God's face and live Answ. Here it appears what he means by saving Man and clearing the Guilty onely a pacifying of God and an acquitting Man from the penalty as he imagines which as he sayes God could not do but something that was not God but the Off-spring of Man as he saith So by this he doth not mean Salvation to be a work wrought in man as a saving and delivering from sin or the offence within but a satisfaction made to God that he may imbrace the Offender and yet he must be in Christ that sees God's face What gross contradiction is this and what falshood blasphemy is it to say God could not save or that it was impossible for him to discharge the debt Where first observe that if Salvation consist in pacifying or satisfying God without any inward work wrought by him in man which were a gross error so to say this is all one to say God cannot please himself but some other must do it and this is to deny that God had infinite love good will and favour in himself as the real cause of his sending his Son into the World And then I ask Who is he that satisfies and appeaseth God dischargeth the Guilty and payes the Debt Bapt. It is the Man Christ Jesus Quest. Whence came he Answ. God gave him Quest. And what is this Man Christ Jesus who can satisfie pacifie an Infinite God Bapt. He is God-man born of a Virgin Rep. How then doth it hold that God could not save and how would this divide God and set him at a distance from himself if that which satisfies be of infinite worth then whence came all these distinctions tending to make a variableness in God whose love is infinite and whose wayes are wayes of Truth and Righteousness Or is it good Doctrine to say That God pacified God when he saw himself angry For sayes the Baptist It was God-man that did it Which is all one as to say God corrected himself and not Man while perfection and freedom from sin is denyed in this life by Baptists and others and then he was Mediator to himself and so a Mediator of One whereas a Mediator is not a Mediator of One but God is One Gal. 3.20 and the cause of his displeasure and of the Law and sentence of death being added was sin which Christ comes to destroy and to put an end to that the Creature may be in him in whom the Face of God is seen in whom there is no sin and in him God is well-pleased and thus we know a Mediator is not a Mediator of One but we have a Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus We have an Advocate with the Father Mark we have an Advocate and we have life through the Son of God we know that the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled in every one that walks after the Spirit And so we can rejoyce in God our Saviour and testifie against all such antichristian spirits as deny his Power and say He could not save as God whereas his Divine Power worketh mightily in the true Believers unto their salvation for he hath wrought all our works in us and it is his Divine Power that giveth unto us all things pertaining to Life and Godliness 2 Pet. 1.2 And how is Redemption purchased by the Son of God if he doth not save as he is the Word seeing it 's confessed he most properly was the Son of God from the dayes of Eternity pag. 34. And how hath he wrought off man's disobedience by his suffering is it wrought off whilest man lives in it and denyes Perfection and Freedom from sin tearm of life and how then doth the Seed of the Woman bruise the Serpents head if the Serpent must have a place and sway in man by leading him into sin the dayes of mans life must not the Serpent's head be bruised within and the Seed be known within which bruiseth it and hath not he that is born of God the Seed in him and is not this Seed Spritual But what is the price so much talk'd on that both satisfies God and saves man Bapt. The sufferings and blood sheding of Christ had in it
be good sense but that a Body was prepared him and Christ came in the flesh and was put to death as concerning the flesh but quickned by the Spirit is Scripture-language Bapt. The Galatians did crucifie to themselves Christ afresh by looking back from Christ to be justified by their own merits Gal. 3. Answ. They did crucifie Christ by disobeying the Truth and turning from the Spirit or Light within wherein they once begun well wherefore it was said to them Are ye so foolish having begun in the Spirit are ye now made perfect in the flesh Gal. 3.1 3. so they that oppose the Light within and deny the Spirit within to save are but still in the flesh partaking of the same foolishness and therefore there must be a travel known before Christ be formed in them And whereas we are accused with denying that Blood let out to be any way meritorious to Salvation p. 37. I ask Whether any thing is of eternal merit and worth that is not everlasting and where do the Scriptures use those expressions and so much vary about the Blood of Christ as one while to say that the shedding that Blood outwardly was the meritorious Cause of Salvation another while the word shedding to be left out and the stress laid only upon that Blood it self which the Souldier shed or let out of his side with a spear which was after he was put to death Joh. 19.33 34. But then of what effect were the drops of Blood that fell from him in his Agony Another while it is the Body that was crucified and not the Spirit within that saveth for the Spirit Light and Word within is denyed to be the Saviour by this our Adversary who does not know how to state his own Faith and Principles who in page 39 accuseth us with gross mistake meer fables and vain titulations for saying that the Blood that sprinkles the conscience cleanseth from sin sanctifieth c. is the Life or is of the Spirit and that it is the Blood of the Covenant c. Answ. Here is no mistake nor fables proved against us for the Spirit the Water and the Blood agree in one and by walking in the Light is the Blood of Christ known to cleanse from all sin Now the Blood that sprinkles the conscience clenseth c. is as truly spiritual as the Water is which Christ giveth and by which he washeth his Church through the Word for we are not to suppose two kinds of Saviours and Sanctifiers that is both a natural which is not in being as is said of the blood that was shed and the Spirit which still liveth And though Christ that he might sanctifie the people with his own blood suffered without the gates Heb. 13. I hope it will not be denyed but this work of Sanctification is wrought and fulfilled within by the Spirit and that sprinkling and purging the conscience is inward and then where the Blood is said to do it that must needs be spiritual for surely the Blood shed outwardly must needs have a spiritual signification as well as the Water and the Cross had and the Apostle attributes washing or sanctifying to Water as well as Blood Again it is confessed pa. 35. that God by his own Blood purchased to himself a Church Act. 20.28 Now the Blood of God or that Blood that relates to God must needs be spiritual he being a Spirit and the Covenant of God is inward and spiritual and so is the Blood of it But our opposer confesseth he is as ignorant of any such Blood as may be pag. 42. And indeed so is he like to be whilst he sets himself to contend against the very Mystery of God and against plain Scripture telling us that God hath not Blood pag. 35. contrary to Act. 20.28 Zech. 9.11 And now to his 40. pag. I query 1. Whether Christ abolishing and destroying the powers of Satan and bringing in everlasting Righteousness as is said be not a work to be fulfilled within where Satan has ruled 2. Whether man be discharged of his debt whilst he lives in disobedience to the Light or Spirit of Christ within 3. Whether Christ's obedience on the Cross will exempt man from his obedience to Christ or doth acquit him in the sight of God without having the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled within him 4. Whether God be satisfied that the many offences should remain and yet take the one Offering for a full discharge from the Penalty If you say he is then 1. Whether any mans Offences can deprive him of his discharge 2. Or whether it is but only a selected and chosen number that the Debt is payed for and Salvation merited 3. And then how did Christ die for all But if the benefit accrue to man only upon condition of believing 4. Then how is mans obedience excluded as not any cause of Sanctification Justification or Salvation but an effect only And then can there be any true believing without obedience And further I find contradictions about the same matter pag. 40. for one while the stress is laid upon Christ the one Offering which is still in being and his Flesh and Blood pertaken of eat and drunk of by the true Believers another while upon the Blood that was shed Touching which the Baptist saith Though that blood shed be not in being yet the efficacy of that blood is still in being Rep. What efficacy is it Natural or Spiritual If Natural then how is the Blood lost or not in being and then where is the Spirits work If the Virtue be Spiritual that saves and sanctifies c. it never dies nor perisheth neither was it derived from that which is not in being nor was any corruptible thing its original Again If the Blood shed cry afresh and sound in God's ears for mercy for sinners as he saith How is God fully satisfied and mans Debt discharged or his disobedience wrought off as before Is Mercy still to cry afresh for where Wrath is appeased and satisfaction made as is supposed This is strange confusion And can that which is of such infinite worth as to purchase man's eternal Salvation be corrupted or lost so as not to be in being As absurdly he brings a Comparison of a purchase among men and that which bought the purchase being lost or given away As if God should set such a small value of that which purchaseth man to himself Oh! gross ignorance and error And yet it 's confessed That Christ is the Purchaser and sinners or salvation the Purchase and the price his life pag. 40. Whereas before pag. 39. he has contended against that of the Blood that sanctifieth being the Life of Christ but now the price is his Life and is not that price which purchaseth and redeems sinners that precious Blood of the Lamb which is not corruptible no more than his flesh was But if W. B. intends that the blood outwardly shed by wicked hands was the price and life of Christ