G. is one of those who rests satisfied with a partial and outward Observation of things making void or at least deâ—lining the weightier Matters of the Law since he suggests that an Endeavour is enough without keeping them But of the Difference of the Times and States under the Law and Gospel in Manifestation and Power he sayes nothing whatever he knows for that would cross his Interest groâ—nded on this Kingdom of Sin in putting an entire â—nd to it But how can he without Hypocrisie say in the Lord's Prayer Thy Kingdom come Thy Wâ—ll be done in Earth as it is in Heaven whilst he is so far from believing it and promoting it that he sets himself to oppose it and dispute against it And how can the doing of God's Will in Earth as it 〈◊〉 Heaven stand with Praying for Forgiveness of Sins all their Life long What doth this but over-turn the whole Condition of the Gospel Unless thou takest up my Cross and follow me thou canst not be my Diâ—iple He is not I perceive for being Baptized with the Baptisâ— Christ was baptized with nor for 〈◊〉 of that bitter Cup he drank of He is rather for 〈◊〉 himself and others asleep in this pernicious Hope That Christ 〈◊〉 taken up the Câ—â—ss been baptized and drank that bitter Cup for them and so they need not do it over again otherwise he would not dare hold and maintain such a Continuance of Imperfection as he doth He is not of the Apostle's Mind that prayed for a Sanctification of the then Believers not in part but throughout in Body Soul and Spirit God will bring down this Kingdom and it shakes already Pag. 11. As to his Reconciliation with God in his Continuation in Sin they are inconsistent considered in the same Degree So that we may truly say Whilst there is no Separation from Sin there is no Reconciliation with God but if there be separation from Sin in some measure there is Reconciliation with God in some measure As separated so reconciled perfectly separated perfectly reconciled As we â—ee in natural things so full of Air so empty of all else But he makes A. P. to say till a Man be perfectly separate from Sin he is altogether out of Reconciliation with God but proves it not nor indeed is such Doctrine provable out of his Book Whereas he sayes God's Commandments do not show Man's Power If he mean the Power that is given of God to Man it is false for that were to make God unjust and an Hard Master for where ever God commands it follows that he hath given Power to do And where he is not obeyed it is a Sign that that Power is withstood lost or taken away and man hardeâ—ed through Disobedience And without that Principle of Faith and Love which only fulfills the Law to think that a Man may be justified by a meer Performance of outward Observations is as impossible and absurd as if a man should think one should rather live by Virtue of outward Rayment or Apparel then by Breath and substantial Nourishment God gave such a Measure of his Spirit to the 〈◊〉 thaâ— if they had loved and followed it and not been stiff necked they might have continued in the Obedience to all things that were written in the Book of the Law to do them unless God commanded Impossibiâ—ties and in that Way that they were commanded them to 〈◊〉 to separate them from the 〈◊〉 And they if they had been thankful and glorified God by their Obedience to what they kneâ— of him had not been given up to a Reprobate Senâ—e and if they had followed the Goodneâ—s of God leading to â—epentance from time to time and had not had an impenitent Heart they had received according to their Deeds Glory Honour and Peace for if it be given to the good Gentile then surely to the good Jew And if the Jews in Christ's Day had not brought forth Wild Grapes and been like their Fore-Fathers that rebell'd against God's good Spirit under Pretence of magnifying the Scriptures and contending for the Faith of their Fathers they had not been blinded like them nor the Vineyard taken from them nor theirs laid waste As for Phil. 3. 12. Not as though I had already attained or were already Perfect It proves not that Paul was not clear from Sinning but that he had not yet perfected or finished his Course so as to have kept the Faith to the End to be out of Danger to miss of the Reward as he was afterwards as appears plainly by the Comparison he useth of a Course He doth not say as this man would have him That some that were Perfect were otherwise minded But these that were Perfect had a perfect Understanding of those things that were in Difference among them of which he speaks in that Chapter about the Concifion as he terms it diminutively and Righteousness of the Law and Preheminence sought by it without the Righteousness of Christ which they had perverted and sleighted being Dogs making their Bâ—lly their God and minding Earthly Things and glorying in their Shame being Evil Workers of whom he bid them beware To his Sinning through alwayes needing more Grace He that is capable of receiving more and refuseth resisteth it sinneth but to use his own Similitude A Little One as Christ calls some of his that hath but a little Heart yet if he give it all to God he can do no more he sinneth not but fulfills the Law The Hebrews were chid because they had not improved their time which if they had done they had not sinned Peter and the Rest of the Apostles were in that manner of Speech taught and instructed of the Power and Efficaâ—y of Faith in its extent which they should receive after they were indued with Power from on high which they were commanded to wait for that had they neglected they had sinned and to expect it before the time as for a Child to aspire to the things of a man is the part of much Heat and Confidence and is good to be discountenanced sometimes though not alwayes to be disliked Not to be at present what they are exhorted to be for the future to make that Transgression is to set Transgression in order of time before the Law whereas where there is no Law there is no Transgression for Sin is the Transgression of the Law that is known To him that knoweth to do Good and doth it not to him it is Sin but in the time of Ignorance God winkes The Corinthians were exhorted to be in understanding perfect as the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies To accuse them of Imperfection and so of Sin because then Children and in their Minority though born of God in John's sense were to accuse not only the Saints departed but all the Angels of Sin because they have not attained to that Measure of Wisdom that God is upon
URIM AND THUMMIM Or the Apostolical Doctrines OF LIGHT AND PERFECTION MAINTAINED Against the Opposite Plea of Samuel Grevill a Pretended Minister of the Gospel in his Ungospel-like Discourse against a Book entituled A Testimony of the Light Within anciently writ by Alexander Parker By W. P. This then is the Message which we have heard of him and declare unto you that God is LIGHT and in him is no Darkness at all If we say that we have Fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we Lye and do not the Truth But if we WALK in the Light AS HE IS in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from ALL Sin 1 John 1. 5 6 7. Printed in the Year 1674. THE EPISTLE Candid Reader SInce it hath pleased the Everlasting God to visit a poor despised People in this Nation with a more direct immediate and clear Sight Sence and Knowledge of him then heretofore they had by the Shinings of his Eternal Light and Spirit in their Hearts thereby giving them a true Discerning of the Ways and Worships that have been in the World which gender towards meer Outside and lifeless Formality and of that Pure Straight and Narrow Way that stands in the Power of God and holy Life of Righteousness many very many have been their Tryals Exercises and deep Sufferings and that of Slandering them and their most precious Faith has not been the least in their Eye for by that Practice hath the Enemy of Christ's Kingdom cast such Mists and Vails over the Truth as have obscured the divine Beauty and Excellency of it from the Sight of People insomuch that some have dreaded nothing more then the Reception of that Principle which bears true and faithful Witness for God in their own Consciences It is cryed down for Insufficient by such as never tryed the Power and Efficacy of it and termed a Natural and Dim Light though It discovereth and instructeth Man in and about Spiritual and Supernatural Things O that they would obey this Day of small things and remember that Obedience is far better then Sacrifice How much is there of the latter But how little O how very little of the former What Degeneracy is there among all Professions Their Tenderness is withdrawing their Greenness withering apace with the former do they earnestly contend as the Jews of old against the very Power and Life of Godliness and see not that the God of the World has entered those Out-sides of Religion wherein perhaps the Lord may formerly in Condescension have appeared that he might lead them nearer to the Substance it self and for want of a true favoring Spirit in this Matter Millions are deluded yea so far as therein and therewith to oppose a more clear and heavenly Appearance of God to the Sons of Men thus do they resist the Visitations of God's Love to their Souls and reject their own Mercies Oh that an inquiring tender Spirit were more generally raised in the Hearts of People that they would consider our Relation to the latter dayes how much it concerns them in these New Covenant Times to be in Covenant with God which it is utterly impossible those should ever be who rebel against the Light by which he has visited them with daily Reproof and Instruction I have given him said the Lord of his Son for a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth This is that true Light which enlightens the Souls of all as John testified and the Nations of them that are saved must walk therein Come let us walk in the Light of the Lord. This Measure of Light leads to God who is Light and this Measure of Grace and Truth guides the Soul unto him who is full of Grace and Truth where Salvation is known and plentious Redemption witnessed Blessings and Praises be to his Name forever Reader This Controversie begun by S. Grevill who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel near Banbury though briefly handled is of great Weight for it consists of two fundamental Doctrines of the Gospel and indeed the very Bottom of our Testimony viz. Christ's Manifestation of himself in the Hearts of his Children and the End of that Manifestation namely To make and End of Sin destroy the Works of the Devil finish Transgression and bring in everlasting Righteousness John 1. 3 5 8. Dan. 9. 24. These two Principles or rather Christ Jesus within the Principle and his Work compleat Redemption are lately opposed by S Gâ— as laid down by Alexander Parker in a Book by him set forth about Seventeen Years since This is a sober Consideration and I hope a plain Enervation of his utmost Force in Defence of those Evangelical New Covenant Doctrines I recommend it to God's Witness in thy Conscience who will judge Righteous Judgment whose Servant I am in Body Soul and Spirit and whom dare not but confess and vindicate before men W. P. A General Defence of the LIGHT WITHIN by way of Introduction THough there be no Passage or Proposition to be found from one End of holy Scripture to the other more clearly laid down then that in John 1. 9. That was the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World yet so strong hath been the Envy and so subtil the Endeavours of the Prince of Darkness as scarcely any one place hath been more wrested and abused on purpose to hinder Mankind from minding the Manifestations of it and yielding all ready Obedience to it as the way appointed of God to Eternal Life and Salvation Some will have it to be a Natural Light though it be the very Life of that Word which is God over all blessed forever and wrapt up within those Verses which only concern his Eternal Power and Godhhead Others will have it read thus Not that he enlightens all Mankind but that all who are enlightened are enlightened by him thereby not only narrowing and wronging the Text but rendring God so partial and injust to his Creatures as to cause his Light of Righteousness to arise on some without ever visiting the greatest part of Mankind with so much as a Day of Salvation though he sayes He would not the Death of any but rather that all should Repent and come to the Knowledge of the Truth There is a third sort that will needs have it understood not of any Illumination by a Divine Light or Spirit but the Life Christ lived and the Doctrine he preached when visibly in the World which neither reacheth the hundredth part of Mankind nor can be consistent with the Nature of that Part of John's History which wholely relates to his Divinity or what he was before he took Flesh 'T is true Christ was the Light of the World in that very Appearance and shined forth by his Heavenly Doctrine and Self denying Life a most holy Example yet not so as the exclude himself from
omits The Scriptures through Faith are able to make Wise but not without Faith This doth not prove that therefore Faith cannot make wise without the Scriptures for that was before the Scriptures were written as in Abraham and others To John 16. 2. They thought and apprehended the Scripture commanded them to do God good Service when they persecuted the Saints Doth this set the Scriptures above the true Light by which only we must rightly understand them Not that we would exclude the Scriptures of that Service the Lord has appointed them to but to maintain the true Light against vain Cavils for God's Super-adding of Scripture no more renders the Light Insufficient then the Spirit Grace yea God or Christ Man being abroad from the Spirit and not abiding in the Light the Lord went forth into outward Means to bring him home Is God's Condescension to Man's Weakness a Proof of his Insufficiency The Scriptures came from the Light and testifie of it that the Nations of them that are saved must walk in it this was the End of the Evangelical Ministry And as for taking true Light from the Scriptures without true Light within how absurd and impossible it is is obvious to all That Light that gives to understand the right Meaning of the Scriptures must be true Light else how can it understand right And how can it be put in us by the Scriptures when we must and do bring it with us to the Scriptures before we read them Doth the Bible send forth a Spirit to read it with or doth God send it from it or doth not he rather illuminate the Soul to understand it as held all Ancient Fathers and Protestant Writers See what Testimony this man gives for his pretended Light without against the Light within and after what rate he disproves it to satisfie his Neighbour He manifestly sets the Scripture and the Light within at Variance that Harmonize But shall the Evil Envy Pride Passion Murder and Darkness then in the Jews Discredit Undervalue or render Insufficient the blessed Light of the Lord that at that time shined in them though their Blindness and Darkness comprehended it not Why may I not as well say they had no Scriptures or that they did all those infamous hardned Acts against Christ by the Scriptures since they thought so as that S. Grevill should infer the one or the other against the Light within Every man hath Light from the Creating Word and that is Divine because the very Life of that Word and by it God who is Light is only truly known and while men hear obey and live in the Counsel of it they walk in the Way of Truth and Path of Life they feel the Light of Life and experience the Blood of Jesus Christ to cleanse them from all Sins To his Answer about Perfection viz. That he pleads not for Sin because he denyes perfect Freedom from it since he pleads for Sin that telleth men they may sin I say If any hear an Advocate plead that such a man must break the Law as long as he lives will it not be understood that he pleads for a Toleration of him in the same Evils after he hath been pardoned But if any hear him plead that the Law-makers say the same that is the Teachers will they not conclude that he makes them tolerate Injustice that he blasphemes and slanders them as the Word signifies yet this is S. G's Case in point of Indulgence of Sin To his other Comparison p. 6. viz. Who favours a Disease most He that prescribes to his Patient to take Antidotes or He that tells him He has no Disease nor needs to use any Means I answer He weakens a man most that perswades him That his Disease is so rooted that it is impossible for him to overcome it yet prescribes Remedies and puts the poor man to Cost Nor doth Christ say That all men must offend and that as long as Heaven and Earth endures but that one Jot or Tittle from the Law shall not pass till all be fulfilled And he that breaks one of the least of these Commandments and teacheth men so shall be called Least in the Kingdom of Heaven Mat 5. 19. And if the least be not to be broken then all ought to be kept Because A. P. saith Where God is manifest within he must needs be Light S. G. would make him to conclude That God Christ and the Spirit are the Light within us It feems he dares not fasten his Consequences upon the Scriptures but upon what A. P. alledgeth out of them And doth not S. G. deny them by Consequence as he denyes the King that denyes the King 's Writ since they hold forth that very Doctrine If to reject Scripture be Erroneous S. G. cannot be sound that makes that Consequence matter of Error which he himself acknowledges to be Scriptural Hear him If A. P. intended not that God and Christ are the Light within to what Purpose did he alledge those Scriptures which say God is Light and God is in us Christ is Light and Christ is in us Which Reader If I understand any thing is to allow that we have Scripture for our Assertion and to give up the Cause as far as ever we contended for it to wit That God is Light and Christ is Light and as such do shine or appear in the Hearts of Men to give them the Knowledge of those things which concern their Eternal Peace But S. G. sayes If Christ were the Light within the Prophet would not have said They have no Light in them That Christ is the true Light John testifies and that he was and is such a Light as was to enlighten the Gentiles the Prophet Isaiah tells us and that the Nations of them that were saved were to walk in this Light John the Divine in his Revelation assures us Now unless the Soul of Man be not to be lighted with this Light or that it is not to be understood of the Soul but Body only that was to walk in the Light of the Church it will follow that this Light must needs shine where the Soul of Man is which is within consequently that Christ is that Light which shines within Paul that took Counsel to persecute Christ without was stroke at the Appearing and Shining of Christ within and when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him the true Light that enlightens all Mankind he consulted not with Flesh and Blood which is their State that reject and vilifie his spiritual Appearance and Revelation of him in the Soul But for all their vain Expectations and loud Boasts in that State they shall never inherit the Kingdom of God that is God's Word of Truth As to the Prophet's Words they are not to be understood as it those wicked Men had no Light from God but that they rebelling and blinding themselves against it and following their own Imaginations for Truth They had no Light in all their Wayes or
his fleshly State being weakned cannot perform Bp. Sanderson saith further The new Law that is the Gospel binds all to whom it is preached to the Obedience both of Faith and Life To believe in Christ as a Redeemer and ebey him as Law-Giver both which unless they do for their Duty neglected they shall suffer Everlasting Punishment S. Grevil expounds 1 Joh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God he cannot sin that is He cannot make a Trade of it from J. Leigh Answ H. Grotius a Man worthily of greater Authority calls that a pernicious Exposition whereby sayes he they infer that a Study Endeavour to live well suffices for one to be accounted a Son of God although the Things be not fulfilled the Custom of Sin prevailing and he brings Tertullian in his Book De Pudâ—citia saying thus of Sin Sinners He that is born of God will not at all commit these shall not be a Son of God if he shall commit them So a good Tree cannot bring forth evil Fruit but it may become barren rotten vitious after it is so degenerated it may be cut down also an evil Tree may become good then consequently no more an evil Tree And likewise Chrysostom on Rom. 8. hath the same Comparison And Jerom Didymus's Disciple l. 1. adv Pel. saith He that is born of God sins not as long as the Seed of God abides in him viz. lively And on Math. 7. A Good Tree cannot bring forth Evil Fruit as long as it perseveres in the Study of Goodness But S. Grevil saith He hopes Parker will not say God gives his People the Enjoyment of Heaven in this Life I answer Bish Hall saith it and entituleth his Book Heaven upon Earth acknowledging the same in Nature though not in Degree How ignorant is this Man of Scripture or forgetful Doth not Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews supposing he wrot it speak of some that may have tasted of thâ— Powers of the World to come and may fall from that Taste But what means he by his alwayes needing more more Grace If a Man be filled he needs no more And a Man needs no more in this State then what he is capable of in this State And for his part it seems he needs no more for he hath more then he useth though there is great need he should make more use of what he has S. Grevil scoffingly comparing the Quakers Speakers with Paul sayes If they could give that which they think is the Spirit they would make more Quakers as much as to say if Paul could have given the Spirit more of his Hearers should have had the Spirit and consequently he was not a Minister of the Spirit in that Sense as if it had been Paul's Fault But was not the holy Ghost given by Paul's Hands Acts 19. When he had laid his Hands upon them the holy Ghost came upon them they speak with Tongues prophesied What Gift was that Timothy receiv'd by the laving on of his Hands called the Gift of God It plainly appears that God by the Ministry of Paul did give the Spirit to several was he not at that time a Minister of the Spirit Was not he that ministred the Spirit to the Galatians a Minister of the Spirit himself It must follow undeniably many Thousands were by his Ministry turn'd from Darkness to Light from the Power of Satan to the Power of God to walk in the Spirâ—t with God And for all S. G's unworthy Taunts whether those that are now called forth as they were not by Men nor of Men to wit the Quakers Speakers as he is pleased to call them or those that are made called and upheld by Men to minister the Letter Writings or Declaration of the Gospel after their own Imaginations as S. Grevil and his Fraternity not unlike the false Prophets of old time which he calls but falsely the Doctrine whereby the Spirit is conveyed do awaken more Consciences and turn more to walk in the Spirit to bring forth the holy Fruits of the Spirit Let the Fruits that are brought forth in the World under both their Ministries speak To prove that the Scripture or Writing is the Gospel He saith The Scripture preached the Gospel to Abraham therein producing a Place against himself for it plainly proves the Scripture is not the Gospel since the Gospel was preached to Abraham by God before it was recorded or wratten by Moses That we chuse to call the Gospel which the Scripture declares of that is The Good Will of God to Men by his Mercy Power and Goodness manifested to them and that may be resisted as well in an inward Manifestation as outward Declaration for Stephen said to the Jews You have alwayes resisted the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did c. Jonas also disobeyed the immediate Call of God And whereas he saith John Baptist preached the Gospel That is also clearly against himself for that was before the four Books which he maintains to be the Gospel were written The Gospel is called a Mystery hid from Ages and Generations and is still hid from all the Rebellious and Disobedient who walk not after the Spirit but their own Lusts But so are not those four Books so call'd neither are they the glorious Gospel but that which they declare of None of those Fathers he speaks of I dare say if he quoted the Places would be found to countenance his Definition for he confesses they say It forgives and justifies which the four Books do not they only declare such Things to Believers If Mathew and John and Paul and Peter were not the Gospel because they were Powerful Instruments to declare it no more are their Books Writings They were not the glad Tidings but the Bringers and Publishers of it their Books are no more if so much not being viva voce as they say the like Power not usually accompanying the meer or dead Letter as the living Voice Where did ever any hear or read that the Reading of Peter's Sermon converted 3000. at one time Ignatius saith The Gospel is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Perfection of Incorruption Paper and Ink are not so And saith Origen John calleth the Gospel Everlasting which may be properly callâ—d Spiritual that the Books are not though they hold out Spiritual Things Clemens Alexandrinus saith The Angel Exod. 32. held forth the Evangelical leading Power of the Word That Evangelical Power was not then of the Books but of the Word which was and is God blessed forever Chrysostom plainly saith they are not the Gospel R. Allen on the Gospel saith It is a Divine Message from God himself that teacheth and assureth c. How can it be Divine work Assurance if it be not a Spiritual and inward Work which the Books are not nor of themselves can work Peter Martyr saith It is such a Doctrine as effereth Christ unto us