consider the Angelicalness Spirituality or Heavenliness of the Body at the Resurrection there is all Reason to conclude that it will be of a Bright and Lucid Nature which is not only agreeable to Reason and the Scripture but also to the Sayings of the Fathers themselves as S. Hâ—…rom S. Macariuâ—… S. Ephrem S. Austin as you may see in Vossius in his Theses de corpore glorioso But nothing more express for our Purpose then that of S. Ephrem in his Discourse of the Resurrection viz. Justorum corpora septuplum supra solis 〈◊〉 radios How Angelical how Spiritual how Heavenly or Celestial how refulgently Bright and Glorious the Bodies of the Blessed are c. and more particularly the Body of our Saviour that shone about Saint Paul and Saint John as the Sun in his Strength c The first Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man that is the Lord Jesus the Heavenly Man from Heaven And who should be intirely Heavenly if not He And what has Earth to do to either descend from Heaven or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or what Body more radient or refulgent then the Sun in his greatest Brightness can be vitally Organized but it must be of an Heavenly Nature indeed We have all Reason in the World to conclude the Body of our Saviour intirely Cele ial Tâ—…e Terrestrial Modifications of his Body were changed all cloggings thereof were quel'd and abolish'd 〈◊〉 and Blood cannot i 〈◊〉 the Kingdom of God and I think there is the ame Reason of Flesh and Bones viz. I understand natural Flesh and Bones not glorified I demand by what Creed tâ—…at hath the â—…ssent of the Universal Church are we required to believe that the Glorified Body of Christ consisteth of Flesh Blood and Bones It â—…eming so contradictious to the exprestwords of the Apostle as well as uniuitable to the Nature of the Peavens which the Philosophers new adayes conclude to be universally flâ—…d He admits of a Body of Flesh and 〈◊〉 provided they be Celestial and Spiritual Flesh and Bones p. 503. If any mortal could get within this so refulgent Orb of Glory and Brightâ—…ss and approach so near as to see the Fraim and Feature of â—…o Divine a Body no Heart could escape from being struck into a 〈◊〉 at the Sight of so over-coming a Beauty and Majesty nor the Soul of the Beholder from being carried quite away in an extatick Fit of Love and Joy and transporting Admiration p. 503. Touching the Sameness of the Body The Atheist makes a fresh Assault from the sense of the word Resurrectio as it is imply'd the rising again of the very same numerical Body in the strictest Scholastick Sense To which is answered first That 〈◊〉 in Latin implies no such thing necessarily but that as a City or Temple suppose being razed to the Ground and from the very Foundations is truly laid to be Rebuilt and so is both deemed called the same Temple and City again though nâ—…t a Stone were used of the former Structure provided only that they be rebuilt upon the same Ground though the â—…ame numerical Matter were not congested together to make the same Body at the Resurrection the stable Perâ—…onality being in the Soul c. He placeth the Sameneâ—…s of the Body that shall be upon its vital Union with the Soul and faith Tâ—…at Resurrectio is to be interpreted according to the Latitude of the Original to which it answers namely 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which signifie only Vivification or Erection into Life but then considering it is spoken of them that have in some sense ceased to be alive that in that sense it signifies Revivification whence the Atheists Objection from the word Resurrectio is utterly defeated p. 506. The Scholastick State of the Resurrection is described namely That we shall have the same Numerical Bodies 〈◊〉 which we lived here on Earth and that these very Bodâ—…es the Moulds being turned aside shall start out of the Grave To which I presently subjoyn This Dâ—…ctrine the Atheist very dearly hugs as a Pledge in his bold Conceâ—… of the Falsness and Vanity of all the other Articles of Religion But for those that take any Pleasure or find any Ease or Satisfaction of Mind in the Conclusions or Pâ—…raseologies of the School-Divines touching this Point they are left free to enjoy their own Apprehensions and may if they please either fancy it necessary that all Bodies should rise out of the Ground the Moulds being cast aside or else conceive only that God will by his Omnipotency gather all the Particles of our Bodies whether flying in the Air or sâ—…ting in the Water and frame them together on the Surface of the Earth c concerning such things they may vary their Fancies as they pleaâ—…e 〈◊〉 p 508. To the second Objection he saith I answer farther as concerning the Scripture it self That I dare challenge him o produce any place of Scripture out of which he can make it appear that the Mystery of the Resurrection implies a Resuscitation of the same Numerical Body The most pregnant of all is Job 19. which later Interpreters are now so wise as not to understand at all of the Resurrection The 1 Cor. 15. that Chapter is so far from asserting this Curiosity that it plainly sayes it is not the same Body but that as God gives to the Blades of Corn Grains quite distinct from that which waâ—… sown so at the Resurrection he will give the Soul a Body quite different from that which was buried as different as a Spiritual Body is from a Natural Body or an Heavenly from an Earthly p. 508 509. A POST SCRIPT By way of Animad version and Counsel SErious and impartial Reader I have collected these Passages that thou mayst not only see how some of these learned Men differ about this mysterious and 〈◊〉 Point but also how unreasonable it is for any of them to be 〈◊〉 this or the like unlearned 〈◊〉 upon us viz. How and with what Body are the Dead raised c or to seek Occasions to vilifie us about this Point which 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are not only confounded but liable to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 The Question is not only unlearned but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 unnecessary unto Salvation it is not necessary that 〈◊〉 should imagine 〈◊〉 they shall be cloathed or 〈◊〉 with Bodies in Heaven but to enquire the Way 〈◊〉 that they may walk in it and be solicitous to know that Power and inward Operation whereby they may be made Sons of God and attain to the Resurrection of the Dead as being Children of God and of the Resurrection If men walk in the True Light and so truly serve and please God on Earth they shall not need to 〈◊〉 or dispute about their future Beings in Heaven Their Business is to get thither and 〈◊〉 will well accommodate them there Men ought not to be too curious and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in Matters beyond their reach as to the Manner
it is unworthy the Name of true Men. I will believe succeeding times may have out-done them in Debauchery but I can never think unless better inform'd that any Age hath so much as equal'd them in a Treacherous Hypocrisie though that I may be just several among them were not wanting to express their utter Abhorrence of such Procedure which hath thus far aggravated the others Apostasie that they were worse treated then such that were reputed their Publick Enemies as if not to be Treacherous had been to be Dis-affected concerning which I refer the Reader to the first and second Narratives printed in the Year 1659. Certainly it was now time that God should arise and that his Enemies should be manifest who under the Splendidst Shew of Reformation that almost any Age for 1400. Years could parallel had Crucified the Holy Life of Religion stifling the Spirituality thereof by reform'd Formality empty Shews and meer tinckling Cymbals of Sin-pleasing Doctrines And their Primitive Tenderness being worn off by Time and Preferment none grew more Superstitious and Persecuting then those who once seem'd most averse from it I charitably forbear the mention of particular Persons In short Pride Self-Seeking and Self-Establishment in Glory Wealth and Worldly Prosperity having undermin'd the Worthy Honesty that was at first stirring in the Hearts of some of them Behold a Glorious but Empty Trunk of Profession as lofty as the Jews themselves pretending to be Children of Abraham and Heirs of the Promise yet Servants to Sin Christians by Imputation but not by Qualification saved in Christ though lost through Sin in Themselves pray by the Spirit yet their Duties unholy Things Behold Babylon in one of her best Trims But it was at this time serious Reader when Religion was so much talk'd of and so little practis'd that it pleased the Eternal Wise God who is unsearchable in his Goings to appear and manifest the Knowledge of Himself by a Way contemptible to the World as indeed when did he otherwise shewing himself first to Shepherds and Men of mean Rank whose outward Abilities were as incapable to gain Applause from Men as their Meanness to invite them Men Plain and Simple who desired of long time above Worldly Treasure they might be acquainted with the true unchangable Way of God All the Religion they were taught of Men or the strength of Memory could collect from Books joyn'd with their own Simplicity and Zeal was not able to overcome the Enemies of their Souls for whose Redemption God appear'd and they often groan'd in secret being truly willing to undergo any cross that might but help them to this Knowledge after which they had daily thirsted more then for appointed Food Thus that no Flesh might glory in his Presence did the Almighty God according to his many Precious Promises break in upon the Spirits of a poor despised People by his terrible Power which caused the old Foundations to shake and begat holy Terror and Dread because of the Glory of his Majesty who had reveal'd Himself Judgment overtook for Sin and Righteousness was laid to the Plummet and a true Scale was erected wherein all the Profession in the World was lighter then the Chaff which is blown away of the Tempest This Day of Judgment for Sin and Consumption upon all the pleasant Pictures of Religion that Tradition Education or Imagination had drawn in the Minds of Men they were constrain'd to Declare and the very Utterings thereof were astonishing both to Professors and Prophane For being Witnesses of a nearer thing then an Out-side Religion however refin'd in which the whole World was adulterated from God and that the Time of the Kindling of the Indignation of the Lord God Almighty was come because of Iniquity and Unrighteousness that cover'd the Earth as the Waters cover the Sea which made the Controversie Essential Not to consist about exterior Order Church-Government or meer Articles of Faith But that Inward Principle of Righteousness which reduceth the Soul to the Heavenly Order and that Faith which overcomes the World Therefore in the Name of the Lord and by the alone Arm of the Almighty did several of these poor Men go forth into Towns Citties and Countries proclaiming the Day of the Controversie of God with Men by the pleadings of his Holy Light Power or Spirit in their Hearts and Consciences decrying all Notions of Christ above Possession calling the lofty Cedars to bow and the sturdy Oakes to bend before the Heavenly Appearance of the Lord by his Light within that all Knowledge of God not gotten through inward Judgment and Experience of the Operation of his saving Hand was accurst of God And that as the Earth of Wickedness in Mens Hearts should be consum'd by the Refiners Fire so the Heavens of lofty Knowledge should by the fiery heat thereof be wrapt up as a scrole that a new Heaven and a new Earth in which dwelleth not IMPUâ—…ATIVE but Real Inherent Everlasting Righâ—…ousness might be known to be created by the Word of God nigh in the Heart I say these Men alarming the Nation with the Sound of this harsh and terrible Trumpet who had taken so long a Nap in Pleasure Ease and Fleshly Religion caused very strange and differing Apprehensions Some prickt to the very Heart cryed out What shall we do to he saved whilst the Wolf and the Fox lay in wait to intercept the blessed Work of the Lord by several wayes of Cunning and Cruelty The Priests who were degenerated as well as the People basely Teaching for Hire and Divining for Money The best accounted of them making Bargains how much a Year to preach the Gospel as they call it and so is it to this Day like Foxes seeing their Kennel found out into which they had so long hid their Prey and fearing that the Turning Men to the Light in the Conscience and their so resolutely Testifying That no Man could be at Peace with God who went condemn'd thereof and that all Knowledge of the things of God which hath not been received through the holy Subjection of the Creature to God's Heavenly Appearance Within him for whatever may be known of God is manifested within saith the Apostle was above the true Teacher and the Sufferings of the Cross of Christ They posted to the Magistrates Saul-like with whole Packets of Lyes Slanders and Invectives on purpose to beget a Wolf fish Nature in them to put a stop to the Progress of this blessed Manifestation of the Eternal Light of Righteousness but the Exercise of a Merciless Power Some few would not be prevailed upon but the Generality seeing their Worldly Honour and which to some of them was dearer their beloved Easie Religion was struck at Root and Branch they as an Arm'd Man furiously employ'd their Strength to the Relief of the Priests and Subversion of these poor Men Some were Imprison'd others Whipt several Bruised not a few Murther'd and many Robb'd and Spoil'd of their Goods And that
Wiser then his Teachers in the hidden Life and Mystery of things whereby David had long seen beyond all Types and Shaddows of the good Things to come to the very Substance it self from whence came his excellent Prophecies agreeing with that passage The Path of the Just is as the shining Light that shines more and more unto the perfect Day said the wise Man This strongly implies that David and not he alone but the Just of all Ages were attended with the Discoveries and Leadings of a Divine Light which as obey'd did make Just and alwayes lead in the Way of Salvation unless the Just Way was not the Saving Way and if it was certainly it is still for it is the Lord himself whom in Samuel's History he is recorded also to have called a Lamp as he here doth the Word which Moses said was nigh in the Heart that Men should obey it and do it This was the Word of Reconciliation in every Generation whose Holy Water washed their Consciences from Sin who heard andobey'd it Again that this Light was not confin'd to David or such Good Men take these two Passages Thou givest thy Mouth to Evil and thy Tongue frameth Deceit Thou sittest and speakest against thy Brother thou Slanderest thine own Mothers Son These things hast thou done and I kept Silence thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thy self but I WILL REPROVE THEE AND SET THEM IN ORDER BEFORE THINE EYES saith the Lord Again His Lightnings inlightned the World the Earth saw and trembled In which two places it will appear upon impartial Consideration that God hath inlightned the World and that as Light Difcovering the Works and Workers of Darkness he doth reprove the Inhabitants of the World set their Sins in order before them and cause such Guilty ones to Tremble at his so appearing which is expresly confirmed in that notable passage of the Prophet For Lo He that treadeth the Mountains and cleareth the Wind that makes the Morning Darkness and treadeth upon the High Places of the Earth and DECLARES UNTO MAN WHAT HIS THOUGHTS ARE THE LORD THE GOD OF HOSTS IS HIS NAME This the Psalmist was well acquainted with himself when he uttered these Words Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence which plainly shows to us that the Spirit of the Lord and his Presence was every-where and that as Light discovering Darkness with respect to Mankind For the Question was not whether God by his Spirit was not every-where for that our Adversaries grant or he could not be God But whether it was possible for David to withdraw himself into any place where his Mind could not be sensible of the Eternal Spirit and Immediate Presence of God who is Light it self either as a Reprover Exhorter or Informer as the foregoing Words intimate O Lord thou hast searched me and known me Thou understandest my Thoughts afar off Thou art acquainted with all my Wayes Which however God might know them it stands firm that David could never have known God so as to see and behold them but from that Light and Spirit of which he sayes in the 7th vers following which I have already cited Whither shall I go from thy Spirit In short it must needs be evident to all unprejudic'd Readers that David had this Light within or Spirit of God present with him as a Reprover Informer or Comforter since it was impossible for him to be any-where without it Which may prove to us that however he lived above a thousand years before the Apostle Paul he very well knew the meaning of that Doctrine he preach'd to the Athenians God is not far away or at a Distance from every one of you Which truly known and experimentally witnessed not only as a Reprover but by an humble and holy reception of him into the Heart as King and Lord is the Glory of the Evangelical Dispensation where God dwells in his People as an Holy Temple and Tabernacles with them This is the blessed Emmanuel-state God with and God in Men. I might here to sub-joyn the Account we have of the great Illumination of Daniel and the Gentiles clear Acknowledgment of the same which they could never have done with that Seriousness and Conviction but from some glimps of the same Divine Light but that I shall pass over with several Passages of other of the lesser Prophets and conclude this Scripture Proof of the Gift of the Light and Spirit antecedent to Christ's coming in the Flesh and from Stephen's Testimony Howbeit the Most High dwelleth not in Temples made with hands as saith the Prophet Heaven is my Throne and Earth is my Footstool what House will you build me saith the Lord or what is the Place of my Rest Hath not my hands made all these things Ye Stiff-necked and Uncircumcised in Hearts and Ears ye do always resist the Holy Ghost as your Fathers did so do ye And lest it should be objected that it was only in Stephen then and the holy Prophets of Old that both they and their Fore-Fathers resisted the Holy Spirit Remember Reader that weighty Passage in Nehemiah Thou gavest also thy Good Spirit to Instruct them and withheldst not thy Manna from their Mouth by which it is most evident that the Light of God's Spirit or the Spirit of God was given as well to the Rebellious as Obedient that it might as well condemn for Sin as lead into all Righteousness And since we are to suppose God's Spirit and the Light thereof to be sufficient to Salvation for God's Gifts are perfect in themselves and are given to accomplish their Ends perfectly from that Sin and Iniquity which the contrary Spirit draws into we may without any offence I hope conclude that during those many Ages before the Coming of Christ in the Flesh he did Illuminate Mankind with a sufficient measure of his Divine Light and Spirit CHAP. IX Another Objection that though the Jews had it it will not follow that the Gentiles were so Illuminated It is Answerd by several Scriptures In this Chapter quoted to prove that they were not exempted But had a measure of Light some Divine Seed sown in their Hearts some Talent given and that it was Sufficient T. Hicks's Challenge to give an Instance of one that by the Light within was Reproved for not believing that Jesus was the Christ is Answer'd Such as believed in the Light and walkt up to it did receive Christ when he came The high Pretenders were they who to Scriptures Opposed and Crucified him The Light from Scripture concluded Universal and Saving Obj. BUt here I expect this Objection having run our Adversaries unavoidably to it Very well Taking it for granted that what you have said in reference to a Saving Light or Spirit universally bestow'd upon the Jews THAT WERE A DISTINCT PEOPLE from the rest of the World under very many peculiar Rights
here inserted testifie X. ANTISTHENES one of Socrates's School expressing himself as it were Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5 That thou mayst know that there is none like Me in all the Earth saith God Exod. 9. 14. 8. 10. Who in Heaven can be Compared unto the Lord who among the Sons of the Mighty can be Likened unto the Lord Psal. 89. 6. by way of Paraphrase that Prophetick Saying Whom have ye likened me unto saith the Lord thus speaks He is like none because no Man can know him from a Likeness or Image By which we may perceive he did not believe him to be an Image who could not be known by an Image nor any thing that could be seen with Carnal Eyes a Step beyond the Romanists that teach the Knowledge of as they darkly Fancy by Images XI PLATO also Schollar to Socrates and whom the Greeks for his Heavenly Contemplation and Pious Life surnam'd Divine gives us his Faith of God in these words God is FIRST ETERNAL I am the Alpha and the Omega the First the Last Rev. 22. 13. Thou art the Everlasting God Isa. 40 The Way of the Lord is Perfect Psal. 80 30. He is a Rock his Work is Perfect for all his Ways are Judgment A God of Truth and without Iniquity Just Right is he Deutr. 23. 4 For I am the Lord Isa. 45. 5 I Change not Mal. 3. 6. INEFFABLE PERFECT IN HIMSELF that is needing none and ever Perfect that is absolute in all Times and every way perfect that is absolute in every part Divinity Essence Truth Harmony Good Neither do we so name these to distinguish one from the other but rather by them all to understand one He is said to be GOOD because he bestows his Benefits upon all according to their several Capacities and so is the Cause of all Good FAIR because he is in Essence both More Better and Equal TRUTH because he is the Principle of all Truth as the Sun is of all Light Moreover God not having many Parts can neither be locally mov'd nor alter'd by Qualities For if he be alter'd it must be done by himself or some other if by some other that Other must be of greater Power then he if by Himself it must be either to Better or to Worse both which are Absurd From all these it Follows That God is Incorporeal and by all which it is evident how True and how Reasonable and how Firm a Belief Plato had of One Eternal Being and Father of all XII And Lyricus MELANIPPIDES praying saith Clem. Alex. Hear me O Father thou Wonder of Strom. L. 5. Exod. 1. 15 11. Psalm 136. 4 5 6. Men who alwayes Covernest the Living Soul This plainly preaches to us their Belief of One Eternal God XIII PARMENEDES Magnus as saith Plato in Clem. Alex. Sophista writes concerning God on Strom. L. 5. Thy Throne is establisht of Old thou art from Everlasting Psal. 93. 2. Jehovah is Everlasting Isa. 26. 4. this wise He is not Begotten neither is he lyable to any Death like a Chain whose Links are Whole Round and alwayes Firm and Void of a Beginning What was this but the Eternal God by whom all things were made the First and the Last XIV ZENO a Grave and Wise Philosopher who instituted the Way of the Stoicks but not of Vertue both the Cynicks and Stoicks mostly teaching such Doctrine as tended to good Life may well be said to have been the Followers of Socrates the ExcellentMan of his time only they a little differed themselves by some particular Severities too Voluntary which the Mild Serious and Unaffected Piety of Socrates gave them no Encouragement to though none of them trod in a more Self-denying Path then History tells us he walkt in This Zeno and his Disciples were Vigorous â—…sserters of One Infinite and Eternal God as by their Doctrines may appear Zeno tells us That God is an Immortal Being Rational Laert. Perfect or Intellectual in Now to the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the Only Wise God be Honour and Glory forever 1 Tim. 1. 17. The Rich and Poor meet together the Lord is the Maker of them all Pro. 22. 2. Come now let us Reason together saith the Lord Isa. 1. 18. Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Levit. 11. 44. One God and Father of all of whom are all things Ephes. 4. 6. 1 Cor. 8. 16. Who is a God like Aristot. de Xen. unto thee Exod. 15. 4. The Almighty is Excellent in Power Job 37. 23. And his Kingdom rules over all Psal. 103. 19. Beatitude void of all Evil provident over the World and things in the World Not of Humane Form MAKER OF ALL AS IT WERE FATHER OF ALL. Again God and the Power of God is such as that it governs but is not governed It governeth all things so that if there were any thing more Excellent He could not possibly be God This was Zeno's Faith of God which I cannot believe that Tho. Hicks himself has so far abandon'd all Reason as to censure for False or Idolatrous that he Taught It as well as Thought It. Let us hear some of his Followers XV. CHRYSIPPUS also avers as his Belief of a Laert. de Ira Dei c. 10. God that the World was made by him consequently he believed there was one For if Lord thou art God which hast made Heaven and Earth and all that in them is Acts 4. 24. God that made the World Psal. 90. 2. All Nations are unto God but as a Drop to the Bucket and the Dust to the Ballance Isa. 40. 11 15. saith he there be any thing which can procrâ—…ate such Beings as Man indued with Reason is unable to produce that doubtless must needs be Stronger and Greater and Wiser then Man but a Man cannot make the Celestial things therefore that which made them transcended Man in Art Counsel Prudence and Power And what can that be but GOD Thus far Chrysippus the Stoick in reference to God But again XVI ANTIPATER a Famous Serious and Accute Stoick in his Discourse of God and the World declares Plut. himself to us after this manner Plat. phaed. God is a Spirit John Antip. de Mund. l. 7. 4. 24. In whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom Knowledg Col. 2..8 Of the Incorruptible God Rom. 1. 23. The Lord is Good to all and his tender Mercies are over all his Works Psal. 85. 9. God is not far away from every one of us Acts 17. 27. We understand by that which we call God A SPIRIT full of INTELLIGENCE or WISDOM a Living Nature or DIVINE SUBSTANCE Blessed and INCORRUPTIBLE doing good to Mankind PRESENT THROUGH THE WHOLE WORLD receiving several Denominations from the DIVERSITY OF HIS APPEARANCES and the various Operations and Effects of his Divine Power shewn therein Which kind of Evangelical Definition may very rightly induce us to
the Law in the Letter or as outwardly written And if this Immediate Light be not of a saveing Property what Light is And for what end is it given universally to Man-kind That they may be saved or onely to condemn them 2. Christ's enlightning all men as the Eternal Word and that with a spiritual Light flowing from himself as the Eternall Word Enlightening It is not with the Letter which killeth and Cannot give Life but with an Immediate Illumination or Influence of Light from himself which can both kill and make a live it hath both the Law or sentence of Death in it to the transgressor and quickning Vertue and Gospel in it to make alive to God and minister Life and Justification from God to them that truly obey it 3. This immed iate Light or Shining from Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word is neither the Letter of the Law nor created nor yet natural as Anabaptists use to say but as the Eternal Word enlightning man and the Life which was in him being the Light of Men is therefore a Light and Law which can give Life which the Law as in the Letter could not it being the Life it self that was in the Eternal Word H. G. The great Darkness of these Men who cry up Light and Power within this Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ p. 31. H. G. Contradiction The Lord Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightneth all Men this Light is the Substance of the Law the Candle of the Lord it doth convince of Sin p. 8. If Heathens follow it they would shine in just living the Work of Faith with Power I do mantain that Faith is required and must be wrought with Power in the Heart p. 15 16. G. W. Animad What horrible Blasphemy is it then to term our crying up the Light and Power of Christ within the Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ and how plainly hereby confuted We have Cause to look upon those Heathens that follow the Light or Gift of God within to be more godly and better Christians then many of these Baptists H. G. Rep. Your Lyes and Ignorance I say the Darkness of these Men who cry up Light and Power within is great and I did say in p. 31. I should make appear this Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ that is to say the Evil Doctrine and Principles of yours And do I contradict this in affirming there is a Light in all Men called the Candle of the Lord and in owning the Inward Work of Faith with Power upon the Heart c. p. 4. G. W. Answer Hath he not before evidently made their crying up Light and Power within the Character of the great Darkness and this the Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ You that understand Grammer and common Sence mark the Tenour of his Words and how he shuffles to cover this Blasphemy and Contradiction to his confessing that the Lord Jesus as the Eternal Word enlightneth all Men and this is our Principle though now he placeth the great Darkness Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-Christ upon our Doctrine and Principles without Exception concerning the Light within and thus still ensnares himself in his Confusion as also in one while affirming that this Light in Man is the Substance of the Law or first Covenant another while that it is the formed Spirit in Man Zach. 12. 1. which is called the Candle of the Lord as in his 9th pag. of his first Book Where note that by seeking to obscure his gross Contradiction before he is run into another viz. One while calling the Light of the Eternal Word in every Man The Substance of the Law of the first Covenant yea now the Ministration of Death or Letter that killeth from 2 Corrinth 3. 6 7. cited by him another while he calls this Light in every man A Spirit that God hath given or formed in Man you who can distinguish between the Law or Letter of it written in Table of Stone and the Spirit of Man Judge if this Anabaptist be not plainly contradictory to himself herein for is the Spirit of Man and the Law written both one and the same thing And while the Spirit of Man is confest to be the Candle of the Lord it s lighted by his Divine Word or Fire The Lord hath lighted my Candle II. The Sufficiency of the Light within to reveal God Christ c. HEnry Grigg again shuffles and beggs the Question thus viz. Do not you say that this Light which is in every Man that cometh into the World is God is Christ is the Holy Spirit or Blessed Comforter and a Saving Light and that it will convince a Man of every Sin and Transgression and lead into all Truth c. Answ. He here questions the things which in his 18th pag he affirms The Quakers speak of the Light within viz. That it is the Divine Essence the Lord Jesus Christ the holy Spirit c. But I ask him where or in what Book and page do the Quakers speak all this of that Measure or Gift of Light that is in every man he deals disingenuously in not citing our own Books and Pages for these Words that we might consider further thereof seeing the Stress of his Charge lies so much on them which though we assert it to be a divine Light of God and Christ and holy Spirit which are one and omni-present filling Heaven and Earth over all and through all God unlimitted in his Presence which to man is an Enlightning Presence yet God and Christ is not revealed in all for he was in the World and the World was made by him and the World knew him not yet his divine Light or immediate Shining in Man is manifest by measure or Degrees as man is capable to receive it the least degree whereof is saving to them that obey it and tends to direct and draw Man towards God who is the absolute and alone Saviour and he and his Light in men are inseparable whose Salvation is manifest by degrees as his Light or Grace in man's Heart is which hath taught us to wait and to look for that blessed Hope and the glorious apprearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Measure or Manifestation of this Light and Grace which immediately directs and leads to this Appearance of the great God and our Saviour must needs therefore be saving And because God or his Son in his infinite Fulness and Knowledge as in himself cannot be contained in man in that the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain God it follows not therefore that the Measure and Manifestation of his Light in Man is not convincing sanctifying or saving whilst it is confest to be a Light or Illumination of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightning all Men and Women If the infinite Fulness or Giver of this Light cannot be contained in Man yet God hath promised to tabernacle with Men and to dwell in them it follows
was further urged against him And he that abideth in Christ sinneth not doth not commit Sin in whose Spirit is no Guile To this he answer So far as Regenerate and acting from the Regenerate part they do no Iniquity This is such Tautologie or as good sense as to say they do no Iniquity so far as they do no Iniquity whereas the Words are positive and plain They are undefiled in the way they keep his Testimonies they walk in his wayes Whereas he still insers the Saints are not perfectly free from Sin for when Paul did NO Iniquity Sin dwelt in him and yet in that State Paul said The Evil that I do I would not Did he do Evil and yet no Iniquity or was Victory over and Freedom from that Evil not attainable by him in this Life What Evil did he live and dye in or what Sin must remain in him now being deceased till the End of the World S. S. Nor will G. W. say I suppose no Man is Regenerate but who is perfectly free from Sin To this I say according to his own words before As while the Saints are Persecting they are not perfected so there is a Regenerating and a Travailing in Birth before Regenerated and born again Of Rom. 8. 1. he saith This intimates there is Flesh in such though Guilt is Removed Herein is a two-fold Error couched 1st Implying the Guilt removed while the Sin it self remains as if a Man could commit Sin and not be Guilty of it 2dly He confounds Sin and Flesh and renders them Inseparable whereas he grants in the Scripture before there is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not aâ—…ter the Flesh but after the Spirit He perverts Job 9. 19. and 1 Jâ—…h 3. saying If I sin as do the wicked with Allowance here he adds WITH ALLOWANCE for it is plain if I Sin then thou markest me whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin It is not Doth not commit Sin with Allowance as do the Wicked And the Saints on Earth enjoying Communion with God and Saints in Heaven as he saith is not a Communion in Sin neither is the Being of Sin according to the Will of God in Heaven which is prayed for so to be done in Earth If he grant it our Duty to be Perfect or perfectly to obey while he denyes Power or Possession for that End his Work is Weakness it self and inconsistent with it self God is no such Hard Master as to enjoyn Impossibilities upon us or to require Obedience beyond the Power he gives Will he say None are Sanctified that have any Sin in them I say according to his Concession before There is a Time of Sanctifying as well as Perfecting before the Work be effected which ought to be throughout in Body Soul and Spirit If he cleanseth away all Guilt from Believers and the reigning Power of Sin in this Life Why should the Being of Sin remain till the next He hath waâ—…hed us from our Sins in his own Blood before which there is a time of having Sin 1 Joh. 1. 8. yet said he My little Children These Things write I unto you that ye sin not chap. 2. 1. Can the Work of Faith and Grace be sinful He answers Faith it self can be imperfect therefore the Work of Faith Lord I believe help my Unbelief Imperfection is Sin Perfection is Duty p. 67. Rep. By the same Reason Unbelief is Sin but Faith is Duty They ought not thus to be confounded nor Unbelief which is the Creatures Defect imputed to Faith which is the Gift of God a Fruit of his Spirit therefore pure as he confesseth to his own plain Confutation The Work or Thing wrought is alwayes perfect for its Part Nature or Kind the least Draghm of Grace true p. 68. From whence it follows that true Faith is pure in its kind and not sinful nor having Sin mixt with it though it doth grow and encrease Degrees of that which is of a pure or perfect Nature do not alter its Property And the saving Work of the Spirit is carried on by degrees His citing 1 Thes. 3. 10. praying that we might see your Face and perfect that which is lacking in your Faith p. 68. This proves not true Faith to have Sin in it but that in some there might be something lacking in it as to Growth and Increase of Effects and which some read thus FULFILL that which is lacking It is not that we might add more Purity to your Faith but more Joy Comfort Refreshment Edification c. unto you in the Faith for Imperfection where it imports only the Want of full Growth or Maturity of that which in its kind is pure is not Sin and Imperfection and Sin have not the same Signification for Imperfection as it relates to a Thing or Work not fulfilled or finished it implies a Work begun and they who have known the Work of God begun in them and Faith in his Power they dare not plead for Sin nor cast it upon God as his good Pleasure that the Being of Sin should not be removed in this Life but know that the good Pleasure and Will of God is their Sanctification and therefore wait upon him for the perfecting of it His accusing David with having Failings in the End of his Dayes and asserting the Perfection of his War-like Attempts not of his Graces p. 68. This Accusation against David he hath neither proved by Scripture nor shewed what Failings he had in the End of his Dayes nor yet that his Graces were imperfect for God was the Lise and Grace of all his Graces and he said God is my Strength and Power and he maketh my Way perfect 2 Sam. 22. 23. And were not his inward War-like Attempts against his Soul's Enemy both perfect and succesful as well as his outward Did he not confess to the Lord Thou hast also given me the Shield of Salvation and said He is the Tower of Salvation and in his last Words He hath made with me an Everlasting Covenant ordered in all things and sure for this is all my Salvation 〈◊〉 Sam. 23. The Means for a Man to have his Way made perâ—…ect is to know the Lord to be his Strength and Power a strong Tower and Salvation Thus he is known to them that truly wait upon him If in this Life our Work be not to let Sin reign not to obey it in the Lusts thereof p. 68. why should we either commit Sin or the Being of it remain in us when we have received Power so far to subdue it and bring it under And if the Lusts of it be not obeyed but watched against they will be subdued so far as Sin may neither be brought forth nor have a Being If the Operation or working of the Spirit â—…e alwayes perfect he working by infinite Wisdom and Power p. 68. though the saving Work thereof be not presently fulfilled in all those Degrees of Perfection it is to attain unto
him may clear and quit your selves of his inveterate Spirit and gross Abuses against us who bear Love and Good-will towards you and all men believing that there are some among you that are more tender and honest and of a better Spirit then T. H. for whose sakes I have writ thus much and not for his for he hath shewn himself Dirty and Wicked who hath made no Conscience to forge and spread many notorious Lyes and Slanders against us And therefore however takenotice of this that it will not be reputable for you to allow or own him as a Teacher among you nor for you to sit under him who hath no Power either over his Tongue or Passion unless he Repent and as publickly Revoak Judge and Condemn his gross Errors Abuses Lyes Slanders and Forgeries as he hath broached and spread them and if you suffer him to go on a Preacher among you without a publick Reproof from you and his open Recantation it will lye upon you as Upholders of a persecuting Spirit and rendeâ—… you as uncharitable and unchristian Professors of Christiaâ—…ity for suffering such a notorious piece of Wickedness as this of T. Hicks's to proceed from among you unreproved But I really desire the Lord may open your Eyes so as you may clear your selves and that Envy and Prejudice may cease and dye among you that you may not dye and perish in it A Serious Reflection Upon some of Will Burnet's Chief Arguments about the Resurrection of the SAME FLESH In his Book stiled The Capital Principles of the People called Quakers W. B. IF Jesus Christ did rise again with that Body that went Arg. I. to the Crave then there is a Resurrection from the Grave of the same Body c. But Christ did leave the Grave empty c. Ergo. Arg. II. If Jesus Christ rose from the Dead with Flesh and Bones yea with the same Flesh as was nailed to the Cross Joh. 20. 27. then there is a Resurrection from the Grave of the same Flesh that goeth to the Grave But Christ did rise in the same Ergo. Answ. This Man's Work savours of Flesh and not Spirit The Consequence of both his Propositions is inconsistent and so his Argument is fallacious for Christ's Flesh saw no Corruption being raised the third Day it did not corrupt in the Sepulchre much less turn to Dust or Earth as others do therefore the Instance and Comparison is unequal in this case though it holds for a more Spiritual End and Advantage then this drives at for which the Apostle did instance the Resurrection of Christ by the Glory or Power of the Father that men might believe in that Power He did not say that Christ's Flesh was raised up the third day that you might believe that the same Flesh as gross part of yours that goeth to the Grave and turns to Dust shall be so Raised as this Man argues for Christ's Resurrection was preached that their Faith might be in God who raised him up that Men might in this Life receive and feel the Spiritual Benefit thereof to their Immortal Souls and so partake in this Life of the Power of his Resurrection to be raised up with Christ in order to reign with him in Glory hereafterâ—… as for â—…nstance Know ye not that so many of us as wâ—…re baptizeâ—… 〈◊〉 â—…esus Christ were baptized into his Dâ—…ath therefore we 〈◊〉 with him by Baptism into Death that like as Christ was raised up 〈◊〉 Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should 〈◊〉 in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Life Rom. 6. 3 4 5 6 7 8. to the end And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him by Baptism wherein also you are risen with him throuâ—…h 〈◊〉 Fâ—…ith of the Operation of God who hath raised him from the 〈◊〉 Col. 〈◊〉 12 13. As also to the same Purpose and End read Rom. 8. 11. aâ—…d 10. 9. Eph. 2. 1. 1 Pet. 3. 18 19 21. 1 Cor. 15. 45. Phil. 3. 10 11. 1 Cor. 6. 14. 2 Cor. 4. 14. Joh. 6. â—…9 40 Col. 2. 20. and 3. 3 4. Eph. 1. 20. and 2. 6. Col. 2. 12. 1 Pet. 1. 3. 21. Heb. 11. 35. 1 Thes. 5. 10 11. By all which it is evident that Christ Death and Resurrection was not preached for a 〈◊〉 Eâ—…d but for a spiritual Benefit here and an eternal Advantage hereafter But whereas our Opposer carnally infers from Christ's arising a Resurrection of the same Flesh that goeth to thâ—… Grave His Shortness in this and the Shallowness oâ—… his fleshly Apprehension comes under this further Consideration As First That all Flesh and Earthly Bodies of Men do not go to the Grave in hiâ—… Sense It is said Thâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of thy Servants have they given to be Meat 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Fow's of Heaven the Flesh of thy Saints unto the 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 Their Blood have they shed like Water round about Jeruâ—…alem and there was none to bury them Psal. 79. 2 3. Thereâ—…ore these were not laid in Graves of the Earth As also it is apparent that the Flesh of many is wasted away with Sickness before they dye or their Bones be laiâ—… in the Grave And likewise many undergo such great Sickâ—…esses and Calamities in their Life time as so oâ—…ten doth both corrupt and waste their Flesh and Blood that so often as they are restored to Health again they have new Fleth or reneâ—…ed Bodies thereof and then what a vast Bigness would 〈◊〉 Bodies amount to if raised with all the self 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that they had in their Life time Moreover through 〈◊〉 Judgment and sore Exercise David said My â—…ones â—…leave to my Skin Psal. 102. 5. And my Kâ—…ees are weak through 〈◊〉 and my Flesh faileth of Fatness Psal. 109. 24. And as 〈◊〉 signified when man is chastened with Pain upon his Bed and the multitude of his Bones with strong Pain so that his Life 〈◊〉 Bread his Flesh is consumed away that it cannot beseen and his Bones that were not seen stick out His Soul draweth near unto the Grave c. Job 33. 19 20 21 22. Through such Judgement and Chastisement they who have known the polluted Flesh consumed away are not so much concerned for the same Flesh as these our fleshly Opposers are whereby they shew they never experienced such Chastisements nor underwent such Judgment that God might hide Pride from them and keep back their Soul from the Pit Their proud Flesh would alwayes live and be reserved to eternal Glory Whereas he whose Flesh is consumed away through the Chastisements of the Lord and who comes to see that God is gracious therein unto him to deliver him from going down to the Pit who saith I have found a Ransom It is said of such a one His Flesh shall be fresher then a Child's he shall return to the Dayes of his Youth Job 33. This is not the old Flesh that was consumed away through Chastisements And as all Flesh is not the same Flesh so all Bodies are not of
this World who had crept into the Outward Forms of Religion then as now and in that employ'd many Emissaries to decry that Pure Heavenly and Invisible Life of Truth and Righteousness which was then and is now begotten in the Hearts of many to the ending of the Idolatries of the Gentiles and Formality and Outward Services of both Jews and Carnal Christians And I affirm in the Name of God and with the Reason of a Man That it is most preposterously absurd for any to charge the Rebellion of Men to be Insufficiency in the Light For if men are Wicked not because they will not be better but because they neither see nor know nor are able to do better How Heavy how Black and how Blasphemous a Charecter doth the Consequence of these Mens Opinion fasten upon the Righteous God of Heaven and Earth since it supposes him Not to have given either Inwardly or Outwardly unto Men Means sufficient to do that which he requires from them and for the not doing of which they are to be sentenced to Eternal Misery But I confess How deep soever this may stick with Impartial Spirits I almost despair of entering our Adversaries whose Souls are pinch'd up within the narrow Compass of a most Detestable Kind of Predestination making the Eternal God as Partial as themselves like some Ancients That because they could not Resemble God they would make such Gods as might Resemble them I say what else can be the tendency of this kind of Doctrine against the Sufficiency of the Light Within then that the Gift of God is not Perfect or able because Men don't Obey it and that the Talent God has given to all is therefore Insufficient for the End for which it was given because Man hides it in a Napkin Again Let them tell me Would it be a good Argument that if the same Corn should be sown in a Fertile and Barren Soile that growing in one and not in the other the Fault should be in the Seed and not rather in the Ground Who knows not how Tradition and Custom have eaten out much of Conviction blinded the World and that it is through Lusts and Pleasures become stupified as to the Invisible Things of God Alas there had never been so much Need of many Exteriour Dispensations and Appearances in reference to Religion so much preferred by the Professors of this Day had not Mens Minds been departed from the Inward Light and Life of Righteousness so that they being abroad God was pleased to meet them there with some External Manifestations yet so as to turn them home again to their first Love to that Light and Life which was given of God as the Way to Eternal Salvation Nor could any of those cleanse as concerning the Conscience wherefore God still by his Servants and Prophets admonished and warned the People of Old To Put Away the Evil of their Doings and to Wash themselves and to Cleanse themselves for that all their Exactness in Outward Services was otherwise but as the Cutting off a Dog's Neck a Sacrifice equally pleasing wherefore the Abrogation of all Outward Dispensations and Reducing Man to his first State of Inward Light and Righteousness is called in Scripture The Times of Refreshment and of the Restitution of all things In short Though there have been External Observations and Ordinances in the World by God's appointment either to prevent the Jews from the Outward splendid Worship of the Idolatrous Gentiles that he might retain a Peculiar Soveraignity over them or to show forth unto them a more Hidden and Invisible Glory this remains sure forever That Light there was and that the Ancients saw their Sins by it and that there could be no Acceptance with God but as they walk'd up to it and were taught to put away the Evil of their Doings by it suitable to that Notable Passage The Path of the Just is a shining Light that shines clearer and clearer unto the Perfect Day What was this Day but compleat Salvation Can there be any Imperfection or Darkness in the Day Surely no What if their Light was not so large Was it not therefore Saving Yes surely But as where much is given much is required so where little is given but little is required If the Light was not so Gloriously manifested before the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in the Flesh less was then required at that time then since yet it follows not that there was Two Lights or that the Light was not Saving before the Visible Appearance of Christ to as many as lived in an Holy Conformity to it And if it be agreed that Blindness in Men can be no Argument against the Light of the Sun neither is the Light Insufficient because the People of any Nation remain Blind through their Vain Customs Nay should any such Doctrine be admitted what would become of our Adversary's Opinion That the Light of Scripture is Sufficient of it self to give Men the Knowledge of God For if those People who have the Scriptures do not so Know Believe and Obey God as T. Hicks says they ought to do will it not follow upon his Principles that the Defect is not in such as if they were Ignorant and Rebellious but in the Scriptures Certainly the Consequence will hold as well against the Scriptures as the Light If then such wrong the Scriptures who so dispute Let T. Hicks I intreat him endeavour to Right the Light and not longer maintain a Position that being admitted would equally overturn his Notion of the Scriptures without Belief of the Light Within CHAP. VII Another Objection against the Lights Sufficiency to manifest what ought to be done though it were able to discover what should be avoided It is answerd The Lights not telling man all it knows or man may know in time to come is no Argument to prove it knows not all things Men know more then they do let them first Obey what they know and then what is convenient will be further Reveal'd It is proved from the Reason of Contraries because it shows what ought not to be done From Scripture at large that it does instruct what to do And that there is Vertue in it to the Salvation of all that Believe and Obey it That there is no Essential Difference between the Seed Light Word Spirit Life Truth Power Unction Bread Water Flesh and Blood onely so denominated from the various Manifestations Operations and Effects of one and the same Divine Principle BUt there is a Second Objection That there seems to be a manifest Insufficiency in the Light For though several things are Revealed by it yet several necessary matters are not nor cannot So that though it should manifest all that is Reproveable yet cannot it Discover all that is Necessary to be either Believed or Done I Answer this is but a peece of the former Objection already considered I perceive the Pinch lies here that because Men do not Do what they should or don't Know
all that may be Necessary to be known therefore the Light is Insufficient The first will be answer'd by what I have already said the Reason being the same for the Sufficiency of the Light against such as charge it with Defect because they do not do what they should as against those who so impeach it because they do those things which they should not As for not knowing all that is to be known I deny it utterly For things are necessary in reference to their proper times That may be requisit to morrow which is not to day It is fit for Children to learn to read yet it is most necessary that they should begin to spell first If a School-Master should be charg'd with Insufficieney because he tells not little Children all that he knows as soon as he initiates them in the first Principles of Learning he would think himself unreasonably dealt with What must we then conclude but that the Master may be very capable were his Scholar so that if the Scholar observe and obey his Master he will increase in his Learning that the Defect of the Scholar should not be laid upon his Master that to tell or amuse him about things unsuitable to his present Capacity were the ready Way to overcharge and wholy Spoile him And Consequently that the Tutor not telling his Pupil all that is fit to be known at once implyes no Defect in or Ignorance of those things in the Tutor which to apply Scripturally in short thus If you do my Will you shall know more of my Doctrine I have yet many things to say but you are not able to bear them now In short If for a Man to say that the Light of the Gospel for so T. Hicks thinks Pauls was to be charg'd with Insufficiency because it discover'd not to every Believer all those ineffable things revealed to the Apostle would be both False and Antichristian to what an Extremity doth Tho. Hicks's Zeal lead him in his passionate Endeavours against the blessed Light of the Son of God as he is the Inlightner of Mankind who charges it with Insufficiency because it Reveals not to every Individual in every Age what HE shall ever know it self or shall be known in future times The Light then is not Insufficient though it tell not all at one time which may be a Duty to the End of the World especially in extraordinary Cases whilst it informs me or any Man of Daily Duty Yea the Light is Sufficient in Point of Discovery whilst it shews unto any Person something more then they do and which they ought to perform If T. Hicks will say and can prove that he is come to the Upshot of the Light 's Teachings that he has Learnt whatever it is possible for the Light of Christ to Teach him and yet is able to make appear that there is some thing further wanting he will prove himself not only above Men but God also who is the Fountain of all Light that searcheth the Hearts and tryeth the Reins of Men by the Inshinings of his manifesting Light and which as obey'd leads to God who is the Fulness of all Light and Life But indeed this Light is the Savour of Death the Wages of Sin to all that Rebel against it and the Savour of Life to those only who are Obedient to it For Such shall not walk in Darkness but have the Light of Life But whilst he pleads against a Sin-less State and shows so Sin-full an One in his Scribles let him cover his Face for Shame for all his Attempts against the Lights Sufficiency for in that State he shall never know the Life and Vertue of the Light To conclude If the Light be allowed to Manifest all things that are Reproveable then by the just Reason of Contraries should it be Sufficient to Discover all things that are Approveable with respect to Man's Faith Salvation and Duty If the Light tells it is Evil not to Believe in God it follows that to Believe in God is according to that Light Within And if it Reproves T. Hicks for being Passionate it consequently Teacheth him that he ought to be Patient If the Light Condemns Theft it necessarily Instructeth to Honesty If it Reprove me for doing my own Will it implies I ought to do his Will to whom I ow all and if it Reproves for Sin it Instructeth to Holiness without which none shall see God In short If it Manifest Reproveable Things to be such at the same time It Condemns them and Teacheth Things quite Contrary The Unfruitful Works of Darkness are judg'd by the Light that the Holy Fruits of the Light may appear â—…e were Darkness but now are ye Light in the Lord and The Reproof of Instruction is the Way of Life He that comes out of the Reproved Darkness walks in the Approved Light and who so answers the Holy Reproof unto Such is Sealed up THE INSTRUCTION OF THE WAY OF LIFE And this brings me to the third Property of the Light with respect to Men and that is It doth not only Manifest and Condemn Sin and discover and incline to Purity but as adhered to or rather that Principle which is this Light it is able in Point of Power and Efficacy to Redeem from Sin and Lead to a State of Highest Felicity I am the Light of the World said Jesus himself he that follows me shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life In which it is very evident that The same Light which Manifests Darkness Redeems from it unto a State of Light and Life that is to say Those who confidently believe in Christ as he manifests himself a Light to condemn Sin in every mans Flesh whom he hath therefore illuminated and obediently follow the Holy Requirings and yield to the Heavenly Discoveries of that Blessed Appearance relinquishing the Pleasures of Sin which last but for a season and taking up the daily Cross such shall most assuredly find that Divine Principle which in reference to the Dark State of Men and that Discerning and Conviction it brings is rightly denominated Light to have also Power and Efficacy to Save from that which it manifests and condemns and to bring unto that Glory which it gives a true Revelation of For that same Word of God who is called the true Light that inlighteneth all Mankind is also the Life Power Wisdom and Righteousness of the Father in whom are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and unto whom all Power both in Heaven and in Earth are committed who is Heir of all things who also said While ye have the Light for their Day of Visitation was almost over or as some Translations more truly have it While you have a little Light IN YOU believe or walk in it believe in the Light that ye may be Children of thâ—… Light Again I am come a Light into the World that whosoever believes in me should not abide in Darkness
them naturally unto the Rising of the Day-Star which though a more glorious manifestation yet not of another Light Life or Spirit then had ever been for there are not two Lights Lifes Natures or Spirits in God he is ONE for ever in himself and his Light one in kind how ever variously he may have declar'd himself or manifested it at sundry times of the World His Truth is one his Way is one and his Rest one forever But last of all that which greatly joyes is this that the Narrowness of some Mens Spirits in this World will not be found able to exclude vertuous Gentiles from their Reward in the other But maugre all the Heat Petulancy Conceitedness and Fleshly Boasting of Carnal Christians such as fear God and Work Righteousness and are Doers of the Law we are assured shall be accepted with and justified of God in the Day that he will judge the Secrets of all men by Jesus Christ according to Paul ' s Gospel and if any man bring another let It be accurst Amen I have here on purpose overlookt many very pregnant Instances both in the Old and New Testament so call'd for Brevities sake in which the Righteousness of the Gentiles hath in several Cases more evidently appeared then that of some of the Jews and which undeniably testifies to the Sufficiency of that Light they had both to manifest that which was Good from that which was Evil and give an Ability to such as truly minded its Illumination whereby they were enabled to do the one and to reject the other Such were Abimelech Cyrus Darius the Ruler that came to Christ and many others which I shall omit to mention more particularly the chief Bent of my Mind being to demonstrate the Truth of my Assertion from their own Writings CHAP. X. That the Gentiles Believed in One God That He inlightned All Men with a Saving Light That Men ought to live Piously That the Soul is Immortal That there is an Eternal Recompence The Whole call'd Gentile-Divinity The First Point prov'd by Sixteen Testimonies HAving prov'd briefly but truly from the Scriptures that the Gentiles in general were Illuminated with a Divine Light I shall now make it my Business to evidence the Truth thereof by most undeniable particular Instances out of their own Writings And because I am willing my Defence of both the Light within and Those of them who obey'd it should turn to the clearest and best Account I will endeavour to resolve the Whole into as plain a Method as the Matter and their Way of delivering it will allow me First then from their own Authorities I am taught to affirm that the Gentiles Believed in One Holy Infinite and Eternal God Secondly That they did therefore so believe because God had imprinted the Knowledge of himself in their Hearts or in our Language that he had Illuminated all Mankind with a Divine Light which as conversed with and obey'd would lead to Eternal Happiness Thirdly That they held and practised high Sanctity of Life Fourthly That they affirmed an Immortality of Souls and Eternal Rewards of Felicity or Misery according to Man's Obedience to or Rebellion against the Eternal God his Creator which Excellent Principles true and clear being the Result of their Discourse on those Subjects do worthily deserve in my esteem the Style of DIVINITY which shall be the Denomination I hope I may without Offence bestow upon them in this Discourse That the Gentiles did acknowledge and believe There was but One Supream God that made all things who is Infinite Almighty Omni-present Holy and Good forever I shall produce some of those many Authorities that aver the same and accommodate it to such Scripture as the Truth of them as well as Practice of very Ancient Fathers will bear me out in I. ORPHEUS as Old as more then One Thousand Two Hundred Years before Christ thus expresseth his Belief of God His Hand reaches to the End of the Sea his Right-hand is everywhere and the Earth is under his Feet He is only One begot of himself and of Him alone are all things begot and God is the First and the Last Hereby not only telling us there was a God but attributing that Almighty Power and Omni-presence which show he meant no Statuary Deity but the God that made the Heavens and the Earth II. HESIOD Of all which do not Dye thou art King and Lord none can Contend with Thee concerning Thy Power This Emphatically proves God to have been but One and Omni-potent in their Belief III. THALES a very Ancient Greek Phylosopher tells us That there is but One God that he is Glorious forever and ever And he openly confesseth That he is called 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 HE WHO KNOWS HEARTS Thales being demanded what God was That saith he which has NEITHER BEGINNING NOR END Another asking If a Man might do Ill and conceal it from God How saith he WHEN A MAN THAT THINKS IT CANNOT Men ought to believe saith Cicero in his Name that God sees all things IV. SIBYLLA There is One God who alone is Infinite and without Beginning Again Who can see with Fleshly Eyes the Heavenly True and Immortal God whose Seat is in the Highest of Heaven This Sibyll is Aged above Two Thousand Years The Question implies her Faith that God was a Spirit as Christ himself also testifies V. PYTHAGORAS a Modest but Diligent and Retired Man in his Search after Heavenly things saith That it is Man's Duty to believe of the Divinity that it is and that it is in such a manner as to Mankind that it overlooks them and neglects them not for we have need of such a Government as we ought not in any thing to Contradict such is that which proceeds from the Divinity For the Divinity is such that to it doth of Right belong the Dominion of all Again God resembleth LIGHT and TRUTH In another place God himself inhabits the Lowest and Highest and the Middlemost there is no Being nor Place without God God is One HE IS NOT as some conceive OUT OF THE WORLD but entire within himself as in a Compleat Circle surveying all Generations HE IS THE SALT OF ALL AGES the Agent of his own Powers and Works the Principle of all things One Heavenly Luminary or Light and Father of all things Only Wise Invisible yet Intelligible Which very Pathetical Account of the Divine Being so correspondent with Scripture yet he a Stranger to it I mean the Words only for the Matter in this Point he weightily hits deserves very Serious Consideration and Acknowledgment from all especially those who would not Narrow God's Mercies to their own Time or Party VI. To the same purpose speaks HERACLITUS that sensibly Afflicted Philosopher for the World's Impieties and Idolatrics whose very Sorrowful yet sound smart Expressions show they came from a Mind deeply touch'd In one of his
Epistles to Hermodorus his Friend he thus seemeth after a while to address himself to Eutycles and the rest of his Enemies that Impeacht him for being an Enemy to their Stony Gods Thus I shall be condemned of Impiety by the Impious What thinkest thou Shall I seem Impious to them for Dissenting from their Gods If Blind Men were to Judge of Sight they would say that Blindness were Sight But O ye Ignorant Men teach us first what God is that when ye declare us to be Impious you may be believed Where is God shut up in Temples O Pious Men he speaks Ironically or by Contraries WHO PLACE GOD IN THE DARK You Ignorant People KNOW YOU NOT THAT GOD IS NOT MADE WITH HANDS This is a most Clear and Ample Testimony against their Idols mixt with a Religious Derision yet qualified by a kind of Lamentation Surely Heraclitus believed in God yea and that he was Light too and such a one as should never set by whom he else-where says He had overcome the Enemies of his Soul VII ANAXAGORAS esteemed Noble by Birth but more Noble for his Knowledge and Vertue who was Master to Socrates taught thus concerning God That God is an Infinite Selfmoving Mind that this Divine Infinite Mind is the Efficient Cause of all things every thing beingmade according to its Species by the Divine Mind who when all things were confusedly mingled together CAME AND REDUCED THEM TO ORDER Which doubtless is so true that Anaxagoras had no small Share of true Light to give this Account of both God and the Creation And indeed his Memory was Celebrated by the Greeks for having very much improved that Discovery they had concerning God and Immortality VIII SOCRATES that Good Heathen if without Plat. phaed. Offence to the Professors of Christianity I may say it not only confesseth to ONE God but I am of Opinion they will think he gives good Reason why he doth so He first layes down That the Mind which they frequently call God by is the Disposer and Cause of all things Or in other words of his thus God To these Notable Arguments urged for the Proof of a Divine Super-intelligent Being and his Creation and Providence may well agree those Pathetical Expressions of Job the Psalmist and several Prophets Evangelists and Apostles concerning God's Creating the World and upholding it to this day his laying the Foundations thereof his Providence over the Lillies and the Sparrows his bringing forth Fruits in due season his Lights by Day and by Night that the Disciples should take no Thought what they shall Eat and Drink or put on That there is a Spirit in Man and the Inspiration of the Almighty gives Understanding and lastly Can any hide himself in secret Places and I not see him saith the Lord Jer. 23. 24 No If I take the Wings of the Morning and flee to the uttermost Part of the Earth thou art there Psal. 139. 9. And by me Kings Raign and Princes Decree Justice saith God Prov. 8. 15 And is every-where Josh. 2. 11 And orders all Wisd. 11. 20. 12. 15 There is but One God and none else besides him Eph. 4. 6 In the beginning God Created the Heaven and Earth Gen. 1. 1 2 3 In him we Live Move and have our Being Acts 17. 21 Thus he Sees and Hears all and is Every-where Psal. 34. 9 10 11. is ONE 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 PERFECT in Him-self giving the Being and Well-being of every Creature And this he giveth his Reasons for * Xen. memor 1. That GOD Not CHANCE made the World and all Creatures is Demonstrable from the Reasonable Disposition of their Parts as well for Use as Defence from their Care to preserve themselves and continue their Species that he particularly regards Man in his Body from the Excellent Upright Form thereof from the Gift of Speech from Allowance 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in his Soul from the Excellency thereof above others both for Divinations and Praedicting Dangers that he regards Particulars from his Care of the whole Species that he will Reward such as Please him and Punish such as Displease him from his Power to do it AND FROM THE BELIEF HE HATH IMPRINTED IN A MAN THAT HE WILL DO IT professed by the most Wise and Civilized Cities and Ages THAT HE AT ONCE SEETH ALL THINGS from the Instances of his Eye which at once over-runs many Miles and of the Mind which at once considereth things done in the most distant Places * Id. eod That God knoweth all things whether they be SAID DONE or SECRETLY DESIRED * Id. 4. That God takes Care of all Creatures is demonstrable from the Benefits he gives them of Light Water and Fire Seasonable Production of Fruits of the Earth That he hath particular Care of Man from the Nourishment of all Plants and Creatures for Man's Service from their Subjection to Man though they Exceeded him never so much in Strength from the Variety of Man's Sense accommodated to the Variety of Objects for Necessity Use and Pleasure from Reason whereby he discoursed through Reminiscence from sensible Objects from Speech whereby he communicates all that he knows gives Laws and governs States That God notwithstanding he is Invisible hath a Being from the Instances of his Ministers invisible also as Thunder and Wind AND FROM THE SOUL OF MAN WHICH HATH SOMETHING WITH OR PARTAKES OF THE DIVINE NATURE in Governing those that cannot see it Finally THAT HE IS SUCH AND SO GREAT AS THAT HE AT ONCE SEES ALL HEARS ALL IS EVERY-WHERE AND ORDERS ALL. So that here is both Socrates his Faith in God and his Reasons for it drawn from the outward Creation and the inward Divine Sence that from the Divine Instinct or Nature he receiv'd in which he lived and for which he willingly dy'd as afterwards may be related IX TIMAEUS Locrus in his Work of Nature thus Argumentatively expresseth himself in One Principle of all is Unbegotten for In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God the Word was God all things were made by him c. John 1. 1 2 3 4 if it was Begotten then were it no more that Principle but that of which it were Begotten would be the Principle Suitable to this saith CLEMENS ALEXANDRINUS Clem. Alex. * TIMAEUS affirms namely Hear O Strom. L. 5. 2 King 19. 19. Mark 12. 32. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Israel the Lord thy God is One and him only shalt thou Serve Thus did he endeavour to Refute the Gentiles and prove the Scriptures out of their own Writings But again That God is and that he is a Spirit De Anim. and that he is the AUTHOR Mund. God is a Spirit John 4. 24. God said Let there be Light and there was Light Gen 1. 3 He is the Father of Lights Jam. 1. 17. of all Light Which how Sober and True it is let the Scriptures
believe him to have been at least of those who knew God but we hope not of those who when they knew him Glorified him not as God Indeed what we have hitherto produc'd of them all may worthily be accounted DIVINITY and not the worse for being Gentiles since God is also therein to be Admired so Forceable so True and so Conspicuous are their Assertions and their Reasons for them that who will yet believe there was not a Measure of the Eternal Fulness of all Divine Light shining in the Hearts of these Heathens to give them the Knowledge of the Glory of the Only True and Invisible God must not think it strange if upon their own Principle of Incredulity after all their Protestations for and Professions of the Christian-Religion any should believe them to be very Mahometans or Infidels and that they are over-cast with the darkest Clouds of Envy and Uncharitableness For my part I am of the mind that many Thousands of Christians at least so reputed I mean not of the Rabble neither believe not God so clearly nor are able to give better Reasons for what they do believe of him then these exhibited in this first part of the Gentile-Divinity Thus much concerning God with respect to Himself his Creation and Providence CHAP. XI The Second Fundamental of Gentile Divinity viz. That God hath Imprinted the Knowledge of Himself on the Mind of all Mankind Proved from Twelve Pregnant Testimonies as well of whole Societies as particular Persons Compared with Scripture IT will be now requisit that I give an Account of their Belief in God with respect to that Discovery he is pleased to give of himself unto Mankind how and where which amounts to what is laid down in my Second Assertion viz. That God Imprinteth the Knowledge of Himself in the Mind of Mankind or that God's Way of Manifesting Himself to Mankind is by Enlightning the Soul with his own Divine Light which Obey'd leads to Blessedness That this was their Doctrine and the Ground of the Knowledge they had of God be pleased to weigh these their following very plain yet very weighty Expressions I. The Mind saith PYTHAGORAS and his Disciples onely seeth the ETERNAL GOD the Ruler and Father of all things What greater Pleasure then to behold the Serene Aspect of God What things are agreable to God cannot be known UNLESS A MAN HEAR GOD HIMSELF They mutually exhorted one another not to Divide asunder the GOD THAT WAS IN THEM for that it ought to be their Care to Preserve their Union with God and one with another Again saith Timaeus one of the Exactest of that School The most Excellent Thing the Soul is Awaken'd to is her Guide or Good Cenius that is a Measure of the Divine Light and Spirit but if she be Rebellious to it it will prove her Daemon or Tormentor But having overcome these things saith Pythagoras to wit Evils thou shalt know 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Co-habitation or Dwelling together of the IMMORTAL GOD AND MORTAL MEN whose Work is Life the Work of God is Immortality Eternal Life Thus far the Pythagoreans and certainly far enough to prove the Assertion for next to Hearing and Seeing God himself his Dwelling in and Tabernacling with Men what is there of greater Spiritual Intimacy or Union O the Folly and great Uncharitableness of those Professors that exclude both such Men and such Knowledge the Kingdom of God because it is not deliver'd in absolute Scripture-Phraise whilst it imports much of the very Substance of them as to Divine Vision Union with God and Eternal Life But to go on II. HIERON that Ancient Philosopher intituled the Universal Light shining in the Conscience which witnessed by its Reproof against Evil and if obey'd led to Immortality A DOMESTICK GOD or GOD WITHIN the Hearts and Souls of Men. The Eternal Mind is God MANIFESTING HIMSELF IN EVERY PARTICULAR OF US God is that which in Mortal Men gives them to Know aright concerning God Certainly these Gentiles had an high Veneration for that Light which manifested Darkness who made it their Rule their Guide their Domestick God they set him not at a Distance without them but believed in him as God the WORD speaking to them in their own Consciences In which respect the Minor Poets notably express'd themselves III. BYAS Prince of his Country Pireen being invaded by Enemies and several of the Inhabitants put to flight with their greatest Wealth and He being asked Why he also carried not his Choisest Goods with him he answered I do carry MY GOODS with me HE BORE THEM saith Valerius Maximus IN HIS BREAST not to be seen by the Eye but prized by the Soul inclosed in the narrow Dwelling of the Mind not to be Demolisht by Mortal Hands WHICH IS ALWAYS PRESENT WITH THOSE WHO STAY and NEVER DESERTETH OR FORSAKETH THOSE THAT FLEE Certainly then they thought this Divine Principle the greatest Treasure the surest Companion the best Comforter and only Sanctuary of the Soul in greatest Extremities induing it with Piety and Patience and as what gave that Contentment which was able to wade through the deepest Calamities IV. SOPHOCLES is also of that Number that bears Testimony to Divine Illumination God grant saith he that I may alwayes be so happy as to observe that Venerable Sanctity in my Words and Deeds which is commanded by these NOBLE LAWS speaking of the Laws written in Men's Consciences which were made in Heaven GOD IS THEIR FATHER NOT MORTAL NATURE neither shall they ever be Forgotten or ABROGATED for there is in them a Great God that never waxeth Old This is saith he again with respect to Man's Conscience a Divine a Sacred Good God the Overseer Certainly in themselves very Seraphick Epithites fraited with strong Faith of a God and that Way of Inward Discovery he is pleased to make of himself to Mankind For it was he that said Truly there is but One Onely God who made the Heavens and the Earth V. It is frequently said of SOCRATES He had the Guide of his Life Within him which it was told his Father Sophroniscus should be of more Worth to him then 500. Masters he call'd it His Good Angel or Spirit that it suggested to his Mind what was Good Vertuous inclin'd dispos'd him to a Strict and Pious Life that it furnisht him with Divine Knowledge and very often impuls'd or MOVED HIM TO PREACH THOUGH IN THE STEETS TO THE PEOPLE sometimes in a way of Severe Reproof at other times to Information and otherwise gently to diswade them from Intemperance Vanity of Life particularly from seeing of Playes and to exhort them to Repentance Reformation and Self-Denyal in hopes of Immortality VI. PLATO is not wanting to bring in his Vote for further Confirmation of our Assertion on the Behalf of the Gentiles The Light and Spirit of God saith he are as WINGS TO THE SOUL or
its directing Men to the same Power of God for the subduing and bruising Satan under their Feet which in their own particulars they must experience whoever attain to Deliverance or Salvation from the Power of Sin and Satan As also God hath promised to make a New-Covenant with his People It s new not as opposed to the Light within as implying its waxing old but new as that the old Covenant without which the Jews broke was to decay and vanish this New-Covenant being a Covenant of Light Life and Peace a Covenant whereby he takes away and forgives Sin This they only have a Part in who obey the Universal Light of the Son of God within which no Way differs in Nature from the Covenant it self nor can it oppose the Ends of it but is a Light of the same Life and Fulness that is enjoyed in the Covenant or Agreement with God moving and conducing to the very same End and Agreement as obâ—…ed and waited in and as the Jews outward had a Rule directory and Law in the Letter without though that alone could not give Life so the Jew inward hath his Rule directory and Law inward in Spirit which can give Life And this New-Covenant is the last Dispensation of God in Christ to Man wherein his Highest Spiritual and Saving Knowledge is to be received by all that truely obey his Light and though this be new as to his renewed glorious Discovery herein yet he who is the Life of this Covenant and given for a Covenant and Salvation is the first and the last the Rock of Ages whom God hath decreed to anoint or set up upon the Hill of his Holiness even the Holy Hill of Sion that he may subdue and rule the Nations and be the Salvation of God to the Ends of the Earth more abundantly to be manifest in these last Ages wherein his Church cometh out of the Wilderness and the Holy City New Jerusalem is discovered from Heaven as a Bride prepared for the Bridegroom and the Lord God and the Lamb as promised is the Light thereof and the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of this City and for this End is the Gospel made known and preached again after a long Night and Reign of Anti-Christ Beast false Prophet Dragon and Whore whose Judgment is revealed even against all the dark Whorish Spirits and Hypocritical Envieus Agents of Anti-Christ and Satan who do not only envy oppose and gain-say the Truth and undervalue the True Light as its an Universal Principle in man but also resist and strive against the Glorious Breaking forth and Discovery thereof in our Dayes for which the Lord will rebuke them and he that sits in Heaven hath them in Derision And all such Babylonish Builders and Envious Agents as divers of these Men called Anabaptists or Dippers now shew themselves to be whose Malice Madness and Folly shall be manifest to all Men why do they rage and fret and revile but because the Light is sprung up and the Over-spreading Day of God is broken forth who hath said as truely as I live all the Earth shall be filled with the Glory of the Lord Num. 14. 21. The Stone cut out without Hands that sâ—…ites the Image shall become a great Mountain and fill the Earth the God of Heaven is setting up his Kingdom which shall never be destroyed as is prophesied in Daniel Yea Truth is sprung out of the Earth which strikes at Satan's and Anti-christ's Kingdom and again bruiseth the Serpent's Head who hath lodged and covered himself under their empty Forms Shaddows and Liveless Professions as he did among the persecuting Jews of old The Lord hath lifted up a Standard against their Hypocrisie and Deceit who have been covering an Envious Spirit with a Pretence of Christianity And he is exalting his Gospel-Dispensation in setting up his Light above their Darkness his Power above their empty Forms the Substance above the Shaddow the Spirit above the Letter and his Worship in Spirit and Truth above Will-Worship in Hypocrisie At this Satan is offended and his Agents are angry These our present Opposers vent forth their Confusion Envy and Strife though it be against the Stream they are wearying themselves for very Vanity the Fire which they have kindled in their Envy against the Lord's Heritage wherein they are labouring shall devour them 1. These Anabaptists Babylonish Confusion greatly appears about the Light which is in every Man as Men whom Enmity hath blinded and whose Minds are alienated from it into gross Darkness Though the Controversie between us is not upon the Question Whether there be a Light or any Light in every man for thus far we both agree in the Affirmative but whether God hath given a Divine or Sufficient Light to every Man to shew and direct him out of Sin and Evil to God who is Light and the Giver of Light for Life and Salvation which we affirm but these Dippers deny especially such of them who are particular Electioners or Predestinarians whose partial Doctrine doth not really place the Cause of Men's Condemnation upon their Neglect or Disobedience of the Light given them but originally upon God's secret Decree against them and his with-holding saving Light or Grace from them as they both falsly and partially imagine however it s confest to be tendered to all in preaching the Gospel without Exception or Respect of Persons But under what Terms or Names do these our Opposers represent this Light which they confess is in every Man to prove it Insufficient either for a Rule or Guide to Salvation Sometime they call it a Creature sometime a Natural Light sometime the Substance of the Law or first Covenant which they grant ought to be improved Sometimes after a more gross manner they blasphemously represent it as a Mis-guiding Light directly opposing the Covenant of Grace and to be rejected but how well this agrees with its being a Light given of God to be improved surely sor a good End I leave to the Serious Impartial Reader to judge of which he may see further about in the following Answer to Thomas Hicks And as touching these Men's Envy against us called Quakers as being offended at our present Liberty and Prosperity H. Grigg endeavours to clear them in his Epistle to the Baptists not Babylonish by this Passage viz. I have not the least Enmity nor Hatred in my Heart against the Persons of any of these People called Quakers nor are we offended or troubled at their present Liberty as he seems to charge us though we cannot deny but their Principles and unsound Doctrines tend to the wounding and grieving of our Souls because we see daily more and more the dangerous and damnable Nature thereof Mark that while hypocritically they pretend to clear and quit themselves from having the least Enmity against our Persons or Offence at our present Liberty It appears they would be gratified or pleased if the Powers would do them
leavest out part of the Controversy between us whichw as thus viz. T. H. The Light in every Man cannot be the divine Essence in God for God is in Heaven and his Divine Essence is not communicable c. G. W. What is this but to deny the Omni-presence of God and to endeavour to confine him 〈◊〉 is Infinite and not limitable We ask if the Holy Ghost or the Eternal Spirit be not God And if this Holy Spirit be not communicable This Question in the Narrative T. H. is willing to wave as that which pinches him and thus does he reply to the Words before viz. T. H. Then it seems that the Lightwithin and the Omni presence of God is one and the same thing Is this your Champion a. 4. Answ. Thou scoffs but durst not answer God's Omnipresence divine Light and Spirit are inseparable God is Light whose Presence fills Heaven and Earth and upon whom doth not his Light arise And in what Country or People does not his Spirit come if an Infinite Spirit Whether shall I go from thy Spirit Or whether shall I flee from thy Presence Psal. 139. 7 8 9 10. His Infinite Spirit is not tyed up to a few Predestinarian Electioners who only conceit they are elected and saving Grace only free for them though in Vertue and Uprightness they be far short of many called Heathen who were a Law to themselves in Truth and Uprightness towards God and man Sect. III. The Baptist's Quarrel grounded on his Mistake about the Light and our Testimony of it T. H. THough it be granted that God is an Infinite Immutable and Perfect being will it therefore follow that every thing he created and communicated is his own being What man but a Quaker would dare affirm this Answ. Thou wrongst the Quakers as thou callst them its none of their Argument that because God is Infinite therefore every thing that he creates is so But because of his Infiniteness and Omni-presence he is near unto all men even shining in their Hearts But it is thy gross Error to take for granted that his Light in every man is Created See 2 Cor. 4. 6. God hath shined in our Hearts and that Christ that enlightens every man that cometh into the World is God in worshipping of whom we do not worship a Creature as thou falsly insinuates against us p. 6. But thou shewest thy self against the Light as an Agent of the Son of Perdition who exalts himself above all that is called God or that is worshipped so that he as God sitteth in the Temple of God shewing himself that he is God 2. Thes. 2. 4. Is not man this Temple of God by right And hath not this Son of Perdition or Mystery of Iniquity been exalted in Apostates above all that 's called God And what was that that was called God and that was worshipped above which this Son of Perdition exalted himself Was it not a Manifestation of the divine Life and Light And what was the Apostles Rule to try and reveal this Son of Perdition by when he wrought in a Mystery and as God did sit in the Temple of God shewing himself to be God Is it not the Day of Christ that reveals and so God himself that makes manifest this man of Sin And is not God then the Saints Rule to discover this Mystery T. H. Let me tell thee that thy Light is very imperfect forasmuch as it hath not yet instructed thee by what Name to call it whether Christ or only a Measure or Gift of Christ p. 6. Answ. Thou hast wronged my Light sor God is my Light and my Salvation and Christ is my Life and Light who is perfect and this Christ we preach as the Light of the World that enlightens every man that comes into the World though we do not say that he is revealedly or manifestly the Light in every man or by Way of Union nor yet that Christ considered as thou describes him p. 11. as to his outward Birth and Person is in any much less in every man Yet this hinders not but that as God or as with Relation to his divine Life and Light he is Infinite over all and through all and in all yet to those only revealed and united who truely obey and follow him in the Measure of his Light which is universally given unto Man-kind T. H. The Apostle did needlesly exhort the Corinthians to examine themselves whether Christ were in them or no viz. If he were in every man p. 7. Answ. Nay he bad them examine themselves whether they were in the Faith for saith he know you not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except you be Reprobates And if thy Mind were not reprobated and estranged from his Light in thee thou mightst know him revealed in thee But as Christ the annointed is a Mystery he is hid from thee and many more though his Light be in thee and others that is sufficient to reveal Christ and leave you without Excuse and to condemn you for Iniquity Sect. IV. Christ guides to Salvation by his Inward Light and the Baptist confounded in his opposing it T. H. I Grant that every man is enlightened has a Light in them but this doth not prove that this Light in every man is Christ nor yet sufficient of it self to guide to Salvation Christ is sufficient but I say the Light in every man is not sufficient p. 7. Answ. First If Christ hath given to every man a sufficient Light to leave them without Excuse as he hath then it is sufficient to guide and direct them unto Salvation for if they could justly charge this Light with Insufficiency for this end this would be an Excuse Secondly That Light which is sufficient to convince of Sin and lead out of it is sufficient to guide to Salvation but such is the Light of Christ in every man Thirdly God offers a good end to man in giving him Life and Grace Job 10. and this Grace tends to his Salvation if obeyed otherwise mans Destruction is of himself for his Disobedience and not Designed by the Lord in his giving him Life and Grace 4thly Thy denying the Light in every man to be sufficient to guide to Salvation is plainly enough contradicted by thee in thy confessing Christ to be the Life and Light of men p. 22. whose Life and Light is sufficient And for what end is his Light in every man given if not to direct unto Salvation Thou art not so ingenuous as to relate though thou both appealst to it and grantst it ought to be obeyed this will stand in Judgment against thee for thy false Judgment given against it in other Places as also what thou further acknowledgest viz. T. H. There is something within that checks for many Evils and excites to many good things and that I ought to shun those Evils and to do that good p. 8. Answ. If thou didst obey this something or Light within thus acknowledged
witnessed in order to bring forth this justified State If in the latter Sence as thy Words import then all must be in a justified State for whom Christ dyed If their Justification was wholy wrought without them in his Person and then all men must be in a justified State for Christ dyed for all men and then what hast thou to do to revile or condemn any as thou hast done those whom thou severely opposest must be in as justified Estate as thou canst think thy self But if men receive the Pardon of Sin through true Repentance and Justification through living Faith in the Name of the Son of God and by his Vertue and Blood then are not all men justified nor the Justification of any effected nor fulfilled wholy in his Person without them for First Men are not in a justified State while their Sins are unremitted 2. They are not in a justified State while the Wrath of God abides upon them And mens Sins are unremitted while they impenitently persist in Transgression and the Wrath of God abides upon them who bclieve not the Son Again we do not affront either the Grace or Wisdom of God in adding what more Light he pleases to any measure that he hath given while we are witnessing against mens affronting that measure of Light and Grace which he hath already given to Man-kind T. H. This Light within directs not our Actions to those Holy and Spiritual Ends which the Scripture does Alas whereto do the best of mens Actions naturally tend p. 37 and 38. Answ. Here like a dull and dark Opposer still thou endeavourest to confound the Light within with man's corrupt Nature whereas thou hast confest it to be not only such a Light as can discover God and that he is to be worshipped but also that Christ is the Life and Light of men and also that it can discover morality that its serviceable to its end and that God's Soveraignity over man and man's Inferiority to God ought to be acknowledged And doth not this extend to the same holy and spiritual Ends which the Scriptures direct to What more holy then God's Soveraignity over man and man's Subjection to and Adoration of God But according to Scripture is it not an holy and spiritual End truely to â—…ear God work Righteousness and do Good which in every Nation he that doth is accepted And this the Light teacheth and Glory Honour and Peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile for there is no respect of Persons with God Rom. 2. 10 11. Besides 't is most natural and proper to a spiritual and divine Light to direct to sacred and spiritual Ends. And if thou didst not vary and waver in thy Confusion from thy Concession to the Divinity of the Life and Light of the eternal Word which is the Light of men thou wouldst have spared much of thy Babylonish Work to the contrary who in thy 39 pag. sayst that thou oppâ—…sest not the Scriptures to the holy Spirit but to the Light within And why dost thou oppose the Scriptures to the Light within Or imply such a Difference between the Spirit and the Light within while thou hast granted that the Light within is not only serviceable but ought to be improved as that which chccks for many Evils and excites to Good And does not this agree with the Testimonies of the Scriptures And will thy reviling of G. Whitehead as dealing deceitfully for but asking a sober Question excuse thee in thy Malice and Confusion The Question being By what Rule shall we be convinced that the Scripture is the Rule and hath Preheminnece above the Spirit Apology pag. 48. which instead of answering directly to thou revilest me as in pag. 39. not at all telling me by what Rule shall we be so convinced but asks this Question By what Rule shall we be convinced that the Light within is the Rule and hath Preheminence above the Scriptures pag. 39. Answ. Every one that doth Truth brings his Deeds unto the Light which Light within being divine is sufficient to evince it self as supream Rule in the Conscience And as it is so manifest where it is not withstood but obeyed it s own Brightness Vertue and Operation sufficiently discovers it self but where Enmity is lived in and Darkness loved rather than Light the Excellency of it cannot be known Concerning the Rule that the Patriarchs or Holy Men had before the Scriptures thou tellst us they were instructed by Dreams Visions and Angels pag. 40. But were these the standing Rule Had they these Dreams and Visions to instruct them in the sole Course of their Lives or rather on particular Occasions Surely these were neither the standing nor yet their chief Rule They had a Rule to know the Truth of those Visions and whether those Angels were good Angels or no a Rule of divine Light to discover whether they were good Angels or evil Angels transforming themselves into Angels of Light which nothing but that which is divine can discover for the Saints in this Light shall judge Angels And Peter James and John had both a Vision and Voice when in the Mount from Heaven yet Peter himself testifieth We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy â—…nto ye do well that you take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts 2 Pet. 1. 19. Though the former Vision and Voice were true yet not so universal and abiding as this shining Light was That Vision and Voice was only seen and heard by a few the other was seen and known by all who attained to the dawning of the Day and the arising of the Day Star in their Hearts for it did shine as in a dark Place for that end It s evident that this Light or Word so shining was a Light of the same holy Ghost which moved the holy men of God to speak forth Scriptures ver 21. and therefore the Apostle prefers it before the Scriptures as the Cause of their being given forth Sect. XVIII The Baptist's Quarrel against S. Crisp removed THou makest a great Pudder against S. C. about knowing the Beginning and Date of thy Christ whom to confute thou pleadst his Deity p. 44 45. having before told us of expecting to be saved by Jesus as being in a Person without what Scripture hast thou for this Creed Is Christ the Object of Faith only as a Person without But dost thou believe in thy Conscience that he could intend any such thing with reference to the Deity of Christ Why art thou so wilfully quarrelsom And though the Appearance of Christ in the Flesh or as man when upon Earth was within the Compass both of time and date that is as to his coming into the World and going out at his Ascension yet still the same man Christ is in being glorified with the Father in the same Glory that he had with him before the
World began But the true saving Knowledge of whom is spiritual and divine and inwardly received in his own Light and Life within and saving Faith is in his Name and divine Power as inwardly revealed Stephen Crisp's Answer to T. H. THomas Hicks I having seen thy Book called a Dialogue c. and finding my Name mentioned in page 44. and 45. have very seriously taken notice of thy manner of Rehersal of my Words and thy own spoken at that Conference which we once had at Bartholomew-Close and that I know of I never saw a Narrative of a thing past given forth with more Falshood and Hypocrisie then that is and with a known and witting Purpose to deceive the Reader and to abuse me and I am perswaded Thomas thou hast in thy self a Knowledge of it and surely except thou repent and obtain Forgiveness it will one Day be heavy to thee The Business or matter upon which we treated was about our holding and believing Christ to be the Light of the World or that the Light which lighteth the World and every one that cometh into the World was and is the true Christ which was then proved by plain Scripture and whereas I do not intend a Narrative of the Discourse but only to dis-abuse the Reader and to make known the Occasion of these Words of mine thou hast mentioned therefore I shall pass over most of our Discourse and come to the matter relating to Christ. And that thou didst say as thou mentions in thy Book that no Spirit nor Principle was capable of Suffering and being Crucified is true thou didst say so but how faise the matter it self is let the Scriptures be judge Do they not speak in many places of the Sufferings Pressures Vexings Burdenings Grievings and Quenchings of the Spirit and do they not speak of crucifying afresh killing and slaying the Lamb of God the Lord of Glory the 〈◊〉 One from the Foundation of the World in the Streets of Sodom and Aegypt c which Sayings cannot have Relation to that Body that hanged upon the Cross which was not from the Foundation of the World nor was â—…ot in Sodom nor never hanged upon a Cross in Egypt but he whom the Saints called our Lord and the Lord from Heaven a quickning Spirit was capable of suffering these things besides those great Sufferings which he suffered in that Body in which he conversed with men in the Form of a Servant in the â—…arts of Judea and Jerusalem whom the Jews took and hanged upon a Cross without the Gates of Jerusalem who I believe dyed for Sinners and is raised up again by the Power of God exalted therein above the Power which caused him to suffer and sitteth now at the right Hand of God and maketh 〈◊〉 for the Saints and is the Ruler over the true Israel of God who destroyes his Enemies with the Spirit of his Mouth and the Brightness of his coming New this Christ of God thus truely considered I neither said nor thought I knew the Date or Beginning of as thou dost wickedly suggest for I know he is without beginning of Dayes or end of Life and such an high Priest becometh us to have and blessed are they that believe in him and are faithful to him and now having answered what thou malitiously wouldst have the Reader believe which I am perswaded thou thy self dost not believe viz. That it is my Judgment and Belief that Christ hath a Beginning and Date I shall now declare the Occasion of such Words when I was about to prove to thee that this Principle of Light was that 〈◊〉 of Ages in which the Fathers and Prophets believed and that it was that Word which came unto the Prophets and which was known to Abraham to his rejoycing c. thou madest me this Answer That the Names Jesus and Christ were not proper unto any Spirit Word or 〈◊〉 whatsoever either in Heaven or in Earth but unto that Body or Person which was born of the Virgin to which I replyed I remember John Newman hath written so in his Book but I had thought you Baptists had not owned him in it but now I see you do and thou saidst yes thou didst for though thou grantedst that the Word and Spirit was from the beginning yet that was not nor could not properly be called Christ or Jesus but that Person that was born of the Virgin that only was Jesus and Christ where uppon I 〈◊〉 then I know the date and beginning of thy Christ upon which thou criedst out Blasphemy to which I replyed and asked thee if thou thoughtst I did not know how long it was 〈◊〉 he was born as well as thou or another man c. and after that did prove to thee by plain Scripture that the very Assertion was false to say there was no Jesus nor Christ before and did mention the Rock of which the Fathers did drink and which followed the Jews in the Wilderness which Rock saith the Apostle was Christ not is now become Christ but was Christ and the same Apostle saith that God made all things by Jesus Christ mark Thomas if this be so then he was before Mary was or besore he became Flesh or took that Body made of a Woman for the Prophet testified that he that should be born in Bethlehem his Out-goings was from of old I say the more concerning this because thou endeavour'st to cast the Socinian Leven of which thou didst appear that night too full upon me as if I looked upon Jesus Christ as a meer Creature whose beginning and date I knew when as those Words were only spoken with Detestation of and in Testimony against thy corrupt Socinianism that Night uttered who also made a great Stir with me for saying the Eternal Son of God Thy Foundation is manifest Thomas thou canst not hide it this Way and as concerning thy foolish pratling in page 45. that if I knew his beginning then he was not God and if I knew his date or when he ceased to be then he is not man this is not all worth the answering the pretended Foundation thereof being taken away and thou left naked in thy Folly and Perverseness having shewn thy self but as one who makes a Likeness of a man and sets it up and then beats it down again and goes away and boasts of Conquest But for a Conclusion I shall ask thee and thy Reader a Question Suppose that a man should affirm to me that all things come by Nature and that there is no universal Spirit of Life to quicken them and I should answer thereuppon and say Then there is no God I query were this sufficient Reason to charge me that I were an Atheist that I held there was no God or ought it not to be taken as detecting the Atheism of the first Assertor this is my case with thee which I refer to that of God in all Consciences and let that judge in and amongst men and thee I
but is falsly deduced as before is proved that Man both did and doth exist when he hath not such a carnal body as he intends although I do own Christ to be the heavenly and spiritual Man glorified and in a more sublime and heavenly Sence his flesh and bone of which the Saints are Members and that the true Christ is not without Blood to communicate which the Spiritual Communicants drink of H. G. also further adds Unless it can be proved that Man can exist and have a Being without Flesh and Bone which I suppose all will conclude is impossible p. 47. To which I say This is not only confuted by what I have said before but also by himself where he confesseth the Coming of the Spirit into his Heart for the binding of the Strong Man Satan p. 16. here he hath found out a Man and that a strong one to too wit Satan whom I suppose he deems not a man made up or consisting of flesh and bones though he be called the strong Man but the Heavenly and Spiritual Man Christ Jesus is stronger then he VII Of the Resurrection AS for his insinuating against us as denying the Resurrection of the Dead or of the Body p. 41 42 43. This Accusation is not only in general Terms but also it is notoriously false as may be evinced not only in many of our Books and Writings but also by our deep Sufferings for Christ so that if in this Life we had Hope only we were of all men most miserable It s true there hath been and is a Controversie between us and many of the Baptists and some others about that or the like unlearn'd Question which they have been busie to obtrude upon us viz. How are the dead raised and with what Body Which we have answered as the Apostle did such Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye and thou sowest not that body that shall be but bare grain it may chance of Wheat c. but God giveth it a body as it pleaseth him and every Seed his own body or its proper body 1 Cor. 15. 35 36 37 38. c. But to prove the arising of the same Bodies buried in the Graves he perverts and miscites Phil. 3. 21. thus He will change our vile bodies and fashion them like unto his glorious body whereas that Phil. 3. 21. is in the singular vile Body or rather he shall change the body of our Lowness or our suffering body that it may be â—…ashoned like unto his glorious body now the body of their Lowness or Humility 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 comprehended the whole Suffering Estate of the Church And I do confess that the Resurrection Change and Translation or Transfiguration as some renders it of the Just or Righteous extends not only to a Resurrection from Sin Corruption and Weakness but to an arising out of a Suffering State into Glory And as God knows how to deliver and raise up the Righteous out of Temptations Tryals and Sufferings so he knows how to reserve the Unjust unto Punishment and unto the day of Destruction for both shall rise to their several Ends and Rewards yea the Sea Death Hell and the Grave shall deliver up their dead to be judged c. and he giveth to every Seed his own proper body as he pleaseth and we know that if our earthly house of this Tabernacle be destroyed we have a building given of God that is a House not made with Hands but eternal in the Heavens Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. H. G. sayes By Flesh and Blood the Apostle doth intend Corruption p. 44. whereas the Apostle spake of them distinctly viz. flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption to say that by flesh and blood he doth intend Corruption is no Answer to their Question with what body are the Dead raised c. Which though reproved as foolish yet not so foolish as to ask whether Corruption be raised And more absurd it is to imply that by flesh and blood he doth not intend Body but only Corruption Again H. G. to prove the rising of the same Bodies cites Job 19. 25. In my Flesh shall I see God whom I shall see for my self and mine Eyes shall behold c. p. 44 45. By this his Instance it appears what gross Apprehensions he hath of God while he thinks to see him with his bodily or carnal Eyes which no Being nor Thing is visible or obvious unto but what is of an outward or corporeal Substance or formal limitted matter which an infinite eternal Spirit is not for God who is that Spirit is invisible therefore Jeb did not speak of his bodily Eyes but of his spiritual who afterwards said unto the Lord I have heard of thee by the hearing of the Ear but now mine Eye seeth thee Jo. 42. 5. which cannot be understood of his seeing him with his bodily Eye H. G. pretends to know the State or manner of the Saints being in Glory telling us that all deformity shall be done away p. 44. and that these vile Bodies shall be fashoned like unto Christ's glorious Body How then shall they be these very same earthly and numerical bodies many whereof are not only deformed but greatly defective both as to Infants and Aged that dye as also his confessing to 2 Cor. 5. 1 2. doth appear a Contradiction plain enough to himself if righly considered its probable this Man has as strange Conceits about the Resurrection as Tho. Vincent in his Book of the Coming of Christ to Judgment and the Resurrection but I cannot look upon either him or the Baptists to be such divine Philosophers as either to know or define the manner of the Saints Existance or Beings in Heaven and Glory but rather that they are Imaginary and Intruders therein though it would better become them to acquiese with God s Will and Pleasure concerning such Mysteries as are beyond their Capacities I expect some of them in their busie minds will give me farther Occasion to speak to this weighty Point of the Resurrection though it be a matter I never desired to make publick Controversie of it being beyond human Capacities VIII Of the Word the Light the Sufferings of Christ and his Work within H.G. THere is a great difference between the Essence Body of the Sun and its Beams or Rayes for though the Sun by its Rayes doth give Light to all yet is not the Essence or Body of the Sun in them so in like manner though the Word be the true Light which lighteth every man yet is he not essentially in their Hearts p. 48. 49. Answ. He hath strain'd his Simile too sar and thereby hath denyed the Omni-presence and Infiniteness of God whose Presence filleth Heaven and Earth the Sun and its Rays and Beams are finite and limitable so and in like manner is not God and his Illumination
It is a vile and wicked thing to say it is the Lord Jesus Christ the Lamb of God the great Prophet God promised to raise up 2. It is a vile Error to say it is the holy Spirit or blessed Comfortor for that Christ sâ—…ith the World could not receive Answ. H. G. should have been so ingenuous as to have cited the Quakers Books and pages first to prove these to be their Doctrines and Principles and that in their own very Words before he had so severely charged their Doctrines and Principles about the Light of Christ in every man which till he doth I must deny him to be either an impartial or true Stater of our Principles and state them in our own Words as 1st We confess that Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightens every Man with his own divine Light or Life which gradually appears in Man and shews it self by Measure but God gave not the Spirit by Measure unto Jesus Christ the great Prophet therefore we do not call every Appearance of Light the whole Christ And according to H. G's Definition of Jesus Christ as consisting of human Flesh and Bone he is not in any Man but we knowing him after the Spirit and that he is God over all he is spiritually in his Saints in Union with them and known to them and his Presence is unlimitted he was in the World and the World knew him not whose Presence enlightens Man-kind with an immediaâ—…e Light from himself which is able to reveal Christ himself as he is only peculiarly revealed in the Saints who have obeyed his Light 2. The Gift Enjoyment and indwelling of the holy Spirit as Comforter is a peculiar and glorious Manifestation of Life only received by those that obey the Measure of that spiritual and divine Light within which is freely given of God to all wherein they thaâ—… wait upon God obtain more Power and Vertue from him who giveth the holy Spirit to them that truly ask him from a Sence of its Vertue and Light within in which they are only capable of receiving the powrings forth of the holy Spirit and abundant Shedding thereof on them as those that receive the Measure of his Discovery or Appearance in them And though the rebellious World doth not receive or accept of this holy Spirit nor see his Glory as an indwelling Comforter yet some enlightning Appearances and Operations thereof do at times reach the men of the World to their Conviction and Reproof often striving with Man to perswade him out of his Sins and Iniquities And if the holy Spirit be God his Spirit is unlimitable filling Heaven and Earth c. Whether shall I go from thy Spirit or whether shall I flee from thy Presence see Psa. 139. 7 8 9. and his Presence is to Man an enlightning Presence and Thine incorruptible Spirit is in all things therefore thou chasteneth them measurably by putting them in remembrance of the things wherein they have offended that leaving Wickedness they may believe in thee O Lord. 3. H. G. Abominable it is to say 't will cleanse from all Sin and eternally save those that obey it p. 18. Answ. The Life which is the Light of Men is both cleansing saving in the least degree of it to them that obey it and it doth not in the least deny Christ to be the Saviour to say that his Life or Light in Man is saving being divine and that by which the obedient come to know and follow Christ and thereby receive the Light of Life and Power to become the Sons of God and the Kingdom of God which Christ said is within you is compared to a little Leaven a grain of Mustard-Seed which therefore hath a seasoning and growing Vertue in it he said believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light and this Light Men ought to walk in of which it s said as yet ye have a little Light in you as some read it walk while ye have the Light and in walking in the Light the Blood of Jesus Christ is received which cleanseth from all sin 1. Were it not a vile Error for any to affirm that that Life which is the Light of Men is neither Divine nor a Saving Light of Christ or Holy Spirit in any Degree of it 2. And art not thou H. G. vile and wickedly erronious to give out such Language as This Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ that appears blasphemously to reflect upon the Light and Power within as before in calling it a Wile of Satan and Cheat of Anti-christ to cry up Light and Power within And now to refuse believing in the Light which enlightens every Man that cometh into the World for Life and Salvation p. 19 though it be the Word which is Christ that so enlightneth every Man XI His sad and impious Prayer against the Light in all which Light is proved of the same Nature or kind with the Witness in Believers H. G. GOd forbid that I should ever own their Principle of Light in all that doth so clearly tend to the racing out the grand Fundamentals of the Gospel p. 52. H. G. Contrad Praises and Hallelujah to God for ever who hath given us that Witness in our selves of which thou 〈◊〉 est p. 54 55. which Witness his Sister spake of was the Light which reproves for Sin to own and believe in the Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World p. 8. and 29. G. W. Animad See what a sad pass these men are grown to and what kind of Prayers they offer to God against his own Light and witness within and how contrary to the Gospel Spirit and Light they are H. G. Rep. G. W. belics both me and my Sister in what he saith here for the Witness she spoke of is not the Light which reproves for Sin which is in every one that cometh into the World though I confess she bids me believe in the Light that reprovâ—…s for Sin which lighteth every one that cometh into the World 〈◊〉 contrary-wise she mentioned the Words of the Apostle John 1 Joh. 5. 10. He that believeth hath the Witness in himself p. 19. To this I answer Let all moderate and impartial Readers both thy Sister and others judge whether I have belyed thee or her in this Matter And how quarelsome and peevish thou art could she intend contrary-wise or another of this Witness of God then of that Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the World Thou shouldst have asked thy Sister if she doth not own the true Light that enlightens every Man and the Witness oâ—… Word which he that believeth hath in himself to be one and the same And hast not thou confest that Christ AS the Eternal Word enlightens every Man which he that believeth hath in himself as having through the Light given received Christ the faithful and true Witness who stands at the door of Man's Heart and knocketh so as in
Dignity of our Lord Jesus More particularly we have made Confession of those reigning Abominations in our own Souls and in the Churches of that light Spirit living short of the true Sight and Sense of God's Majesty in his Churches and among his Saints from whence proceeds that Vanity and Carelesnes which doth so much attend them We have bewailed that wretched worldly Spirit that plucks down the Saints from their Excellency and leaves such Blackness upon them which renders them so uncomely in the Eyes of Men. We have bewailed that Coldness and Deadness that is upon our selves and upon the Churches that Formality in holy Duties that Indifferency and that Laodicean Spirit that is fallen in upon us while we have been crying let him make Speed and hasten his Work that we may see it let the Counsel of the Lord come that we may know it and all this while we have been drawing Iniquity with Cords of Vanity having been in a great Measure as without the Sense of the Work so without the true Travil of Soul which this Work should put us into the Crown is fallen from Sion's Head by Reason of her Iniquity we have been bewailing personal Iniquity Congregational Iniquity National Iniquity Family Iniquity Closet Iniquity we have by Search found poor Sion as it were without Soundness from the Crown of the Head to the Sole of the Foot ful of Bruises and putrified Sores your own poor Souls are in Distress Heaven and Earth seem to frown Oh! come down sit in the Dust and weep bitterly before the Lord for all your Abominations you have but as it were played with God you have not trembled in his Presence you have been wanton before him having been without the Terrour of his Majesty therefore you have confessed and have delighted to word it out with the Lord Oh! how often have you mocked God It appears already how God takes it at your Hands We have begged him to save us yet this once more and truly we tremble the Hope that is in Israâ—…l lies in your putting from you that accursed Thing Oh! now if you would pursue this Worldliness this Coldness and Sloathfulness your personal Neglects your Family Neglects how doth the World as a Canker eat out your Affections to the Lord Jesus eat out your Time your Strength your Zeal while you have been asleep in the Lap of this Daâ—…ilah your Locks have been cut off and you are but as other Men whoever beholds you may say what singular thing do ye Now then lay to Heart these crying Abominations the World is too beautiful this hath bewitched you have fallen before your Enemies this Iniquity hath been apparently written upon your Fore-heads witness your Remissness in Meetings your Neglect or the poor Saints Ministers of Christ whose daily Complaints and Addresses are living Monuments of this reigning Abomination your Cruelty to Servants Children exacting all their Labours but take no Time to counsel them instruct them that are without Christ that miserable Estate wherein they are this hath made Professors Families so dry useless and unprofitable this Sin eats out all of that divine Sweetness of regenerating sanctifying Grace We have mourned in that we have had so great a hand in this Trespass in not bearing so faithful a Testimony against it in our Ministry but slavish Fear of being accounted selfish or the like hath stopt our Mouth until the Mouth of this Iniquity hath almost devoured the poor Churches of Christ That of Sloathfulness and Carelesness another reigning Evil They are Evils rooted deeply in the Heart it is hard to get them out They are Sermon-Proof and Epistle-Proof so strong that they have wrested all Weapons out of the hands of Saints and Ministers that have been formed against them Now we desire we may no longer rest in a Testimony of Words but proceed to take some effectual Course that Sin or Sinners may be purged out of the house of God in order to this we desire the Churches that they would set some day or dayes a part wherein they may bewail the Iniquities and Pollutions oâ—… Zion before the Lord also that the Ministring Brethren would without Respect of Persons bear their constant Testimony warning every one to fâ—…ee from these Abominations Another Evil we had Thought to have spread before you for want of Opportunity we shall now omit yet desire you to lay it to Heart THE Presbyter's Antidote TRYED Or Stephen Scandret with his Antidote against Quakerism Proved a PHYSICIAN of No Value AND The Truth plainly asserted and vindicated in divers Weighty Points against both the Imperfect and corrupt Work of S. S. and his Masters the Assembly of Divines so called who sat at Westminster in the long Parliament's Time and of the general Assembly of the Kirk of Scotland about their Confession of Faith which was first printed at Edenburg and after reprinted at London Anno 1651. G. W. Ye are all Physicians of no Value Job 13. 4. Printed in the Year 1673. THE Presbyter's Antidote TRYED c. CHAP. I. A Comprehensive Account concerning the Rule the Light and Scripture Explaining both â—…ur sense of the terms and S. Scandret's together with the Assemblies Confession about the Scriptures BY the word RULE we understand 1st The Power of Government and Authority to order and rule in the Sense that in the first Creation the greater Light was set to rule the Day Gen. 1. 16. or for the Rule and Order of the Day So in the new Creation the divine Light of Christ the Son of Righteousness doth govern and rule in the Order of his Everlasting Day in the Souls of the Righteous the Path of the Just being this shining Light which shineth more and more until this perfect Day 2ly So this divine Light is truly the only Rule for its being most eminent above all outward Rules and Prescriptions â—…or its Power Glory Virtue Order and Government as Rule of Life in all the Children of Light The only trying and discovering Rule for its manifesting whatsoever things are reproveable Ephes. 5. 13. whether they be Spirits Works or Words and he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made maniâ—…est that they are wrought in God Joh. 3. 21. 3dly By only Rule An universal manifest publick Standard â—…or Truth and Righteousness in the Consciences of all People and Nations and against all Sin Wickedness and Unrighteousness and so is the S piritual and Divine Light of the Son of God in whom was Life and the Life was the Light of Men Joh. 1. 4. whose Life is Supernatural Increated and Incorruptible Christ the divine Word being that true Light that inlightens every Man coming into the World vers 9. 4thly Concerning that heavenly Gift or divine Manifestation within which was the Saints Rule of Life the Apostle Paul thus speaketh 2 Cor. 10. 13. But
Man by his Counsel is not an inevitable or forceable Act of his Will for Counsel and Force are much different as is aâ—… absolute Decree to Act himself alone and a Perswasion of the Creature to Act with him by the Power and Assistance that he gives it So the Perswasion on Men to Repentance Perseverance in Faith and Grace cannot be an irresistable Forcing them thereto for what Reward can Men expect of God for any thing they are unwillingly forced to as by some supposed whereas God works upon that Reason and Conscience which he hath placed in Man to perswade induce and move Men to forsake Sin from a real Sence of the Evil of it that they may leave Iniquity from a true Zeal and Hatred stirred up by the true Light against it I drew them with Cords of a Man with Bands of Love c. Hosea 11. 4. S. S. Arg. 2. God hath made Absolute Promises of the first Saving Grace Ezek. 26. 25 26. I will sprinkle clean Water upon you and you shall be clean a new Heart will I give you Chap. 11. 19 20. and he quotes Jeremy 31. 33. and Isai 54. 13. All thy Children shall be taught of the Lord. These Promises are but a Declaration of his Decree and they are not made concerning all but particular Persons whom God hath in his Eye to save This Argument is grounded upon his Mistake and is very dull and impertinent as not reaching his Principle he intends to vindicate by it For 1st It imports absolute Promises of the first Saving Grace to be but to particular Persons 2. That God had only a few particular Persons in his Eye that from Eternity in his Promise of the first saving Grace contrary to plain Scripture which sayes The Promise is to you and your Children and to all them that are afar off even to as many as God shall call and this Promise is Christ Jesus who is God's Everlasting Covenant and Light to which Men are called 3. This Man mistakes the first saving Grace confounding it with the Effects of it which it brings forth where it is received and obeyed As mens being made Clean having a new Heart c. Ezek. 36. 35. and Chap. 11. 19. which are Effects of the Grace these he puts for the first Saving Grace and Promise of it as also his blind Argument supposeth these Effectâ—… to be unavoidably or forceably brought forth in some particular Persons supposed to be designed for that End without respect to their accepting of and Concurrence with the Tenders and Appearance of saving Grace which in the Light of Christ is given them whereas it hath appeared unto all Men Tit. 2. 11. And the Promise of the Everlasting Covenant though freely and absolutely tendered to 〈◊〉 yet as it is made with any particular Men and confirmed â—…o them they are such as are serious and penitent returâ—…ing and obeying and hearkning to the Voice of God abiding in his Love and Grace c. upon which he enters into Covenant with them they with him both in the Agreement oâ—… Liâ—…e Hearken unto me and I will make with you an Everlastiâ—…g Covenant even the sure Mercies of David Isa. 55. 2 3. The Willing and Obedient shall eat the Good of the Land Cha. 1. 19. not the Unwilling and Disobedient And I wiâ—…l give them an Heart to know me that I am the Lord aâ—…d they shall be my People and I will be their God mark the Reason for they shall return unto me with their whole 〈◊〉 Jer. 24. 7. Note that this was foretold or prophesied â—…rding to the Fore-Sight that God had of the Willingness and Compliance of his People with his Grace and Spirit aâ—…er it was proffered and given to them to invite perswade and draw them as many other Prophecies are which â—…elate to his everlasting Covenant for its Establishment with the Creature on these and the like Conditions which is not a forcing Men to Conversion to have new Hearts to be clean c. For Grace from God is given and Love shewn Men to perswade and induce them to Love Good Will towards God he loves them first that they may love him he opens unto them a Fountain and pours clean Water upon them that they may wash in he works in them to WILL and to DO that they may obey him and by his Power and Aid work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling Phil. 2. 12 13. He puts his Laws in their inward Parts that they may read and meditate Day and Night therein he teacheth his People that they may hear and learn of him and obey his Voice and the Ministers of the new Covenant that was promised preached Obedience and exhorted Persons to the Obedience of the Spirit and of the Son of God he being the Author of Eternal Salvation to as many as obey him Heb. 5. 9. not to them that presumptuously hazard their Salvation upon a lazy Expectation of being driven by some irresistible Impulse or forceable Motion of Power beyond what they are capable of Arg. 3. Persons by Name are particular Persons but Goâ—… hath sect 3 chosen Persons by Name Rev 13. 8. All that dwell on the Earth shall worship the Beast whose Names are not written in the slain Lamb's Book of Life from the Foundation of the World Answ. What great Ignorance wonderful Darkness doth his Man shew in this Argument both of the Book of Life and of those Names which are written in it which belongs to Men in the new-born State as related to the Seed of Election to every one that hath a new Name given him having overcome Sin and not the traditional Names given to Persons by natural Parents But this Argument makes no Difference between the Old Birth and the New nor between the old Name and the new nor between the old Nature with its Name and the new Nature its Name but saith Persons by Name are particular Persons but God hath chosen Persons by Name as if he should tell us That S. Scandret Nath. Barnard Hen. Coleman with the rest of â—…resbyterians are chosen Persons by these and such their Names from all Eternity and that these Names S. Scandret and Nath. Barnard c. are written in the Lamb's Book of Life but George Whitehead Ro. Ludgater Geo. Witherly with the rest of the Quakers are reprobated by Name from all Eternity But what then doth he imagine this Lamb's Book of Life is and what is it made up of Ah Lord free poor Souls from such Ignorance and deliver them from such blind Guides as this Man against whose dark Argument and partial Opinion let them read Jer. 17. 13. O Lord the Hope of Israel all that for sake thee shall be ashamed and they that depart from me shall be written in the Earth because they have forsaken the Lord the Fountain of living Waters So here being signified a Possibility to fall and many do forsake and depart from the
of Condemnation both to Angels and Men to be their Sin in forsaking the Lord and living Ungodly But whereas S. S. renders God's fore-knowledge of all his Works as the Reason or Proof That he from eternity decreed particular Angels and Men for Destruction which appears Contradictory to his Masters of the Assemblies confessing viz. That God hath not decreed any thing because he foresaw it as future Confess Chap. 3 This Proof is as impertinent as the rest of his shallow Arguments for his fore-Knowledge being infinite it is no Proof that he hath absolutely decreed or ordained all things that come to pass because he foresaw all for he hath not ordained that Men should live in Sin though he hath designed their Punishment who do so live yet known unto the Lord are all his Work 's both those of his Creation which he wrought according to his absolute Pleasure both in Heaven and in Earth and in the Sea c. Psal. 135. 6. and Man was not capable of resisting his Maker in forming of him he was as the Clay in his Hand as also the Lord foreknew his work of Sanctification and saving of man from Sin and Death but this is not effected without a Subjection to his Will and a Compliance with his Spirit and Power in his Work within They are not Partakers of Salvation from Sin who wilfully gain-say the Truth resist the holy Ghost and act Despite against the Spirit of Grace But further I find S. S. so uncertain in the Management of his partial Proposition for a personal Election and Reprobation that he is made sometimes to grant and confess to Truth to his own absolute Confutation and the Break neck of his graceless Cause As by his Confessing That God hath no Pleasure in the Death of him that dieth considered barely as his Creature for he is willing to receive to Mercy every returning Sinner yet if a Person perseveres in Wickedness as such God will laugh at his Calamity c. Thus far S. S. From whence it follows 1st That God did not from Eternity decree the Damnation of particular Persons contrary to his declared Pleasure 2dly That persevering in Wickedness is the Cause of Men's Calamity 3dly Aâ—…d their Perversness and Obstinacy in rejecting Wisdom's Reproof and Counsel the Cause that God will laugh at their Calamity and mock when their Fear cometh Now the Doctrine of Election and Reprobation as universally sect 11 and equally laid down in the Scriptures of Truth and as accordingly by us asserted for that there can be no Repugnancy either in God's Actions or in his Will whether secret or revealed as some vainly imagin cannot be inconsistent with God's Prohibitions Eat not of the Tree of Knowledge His conditional Promises If thou dost well shalt thou not be accepted If you Seek the Lord he will be found of you Whosoever believeth shall not perish shall not abide in Darkness His conditional Threats If thy Heart turn away thou shalt Perish If ye for sake him he will for sake you His sending his Son into the World not to Condemn the World He should have added Christ's Dying for all Men tasting death for every Man his giving his Spirit to instruct them His Setting Life and Death before them in the Promises and in the Threats or giving Men up to their Lusts for Sin This cannot be inconsistent with God's Election or Choice of true Believers and Obedient nor with his rejecting the Rebellious unto Reprobation for they evince the Truth thereof But the Presbyters partial Doctrine of Election and Reprobation of particular Persons and certain definite number of Men and Angels and their most grosly Asserting that God from all Eternity did freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass This is both inconsistent with those and such his Prohibitions conditional Promises and Threats His sending his Son not to condemn the World but that the World through him might be saved his dying for all Men his giving his good Spirit to the Disobedient to instruct them his setting Life and Death before them to chuse Life or perish Deut. 30. 15. to the end but Alas if from Eternity God had reprobated them or absolutely ordained and designed their Damnation and Curse how should they Chuse Life or Blessing Or if particularly unchangeably ordained to Life and Salvation from all Eternity Could there be any such Danger of their perishing or that they should thus need to be threatned with Cursing and Perishing if their Heart turned away from the Lord For had they been unchangeably designed of God for the one End whether Life or Death were it not very inconsistent to propose both conditionally to them as namely to exhort them to chuse Life or if they refused to threaten them with perishing c. do not you partial-minded Presbyters and Calvinists by such kind of Preaching and Propositions so contrary to your partial Principle most grosly dissemble with People and mock them contrary to your own Belief whenas Moses the Prophets and Apostles in such like Conditional Promises and Threats believed what they spoak they believed and therefore spoak from the Spirit of God which cannot lie nor dissemble If you say God hath decreed particular Persons Salvation by such Warnings you thereby tell us that he hath decreed it by Threatning them with Damnation and thereby you affix your non-sense incongruous Doctrine upon God rather then you will confess your own nonsensical Contradiction therein which runs thus That God hath from all Eternity unchangeably designed some Persons eternal Salvation and yet that he warns and threatens the same Persons with eternal Damnation or Perdition if they refuse Life or to â—…earken to him and obey him or if their Hearts turn away from him pray mark how inconsistent and contradictory this is like as to say It is unchangeably designed of God that you must live for ever yet take heed you do not dye eternally And to S. S. his adding All these are subservient to the Soveraign Design of God's Decrees The Magnifying his Mercy and Grace in the Salvation of all the Elect his Justice or Wrath in the Reprobates c. pag. 115. Ans. If by the Words All these as we may take him he intends according to the Assembly's Confession That God from all Eternity did most freely and unchangeably ordain whatsoever comes to pass then it may be understood that all these things those Conditions or States both Good and Bad which he mentions before are subservient to the soveraign Design of God's Decrees as he words it But if by all these he intends all these conditional Promises and Threats are so subservient as I think he doth then God's Decrees of Men Salvation or Damnation are also conditional accordingly as first If you seek the Lord he will be found of you and then as all are called to seek the Lord he hath also given Liberty and a Capacity to all to seek him that they may
5. as Chap. 8. 21. and relates to Man as in the unrerenerate State estranged from God and not to him as walking with God I must needs conclude this Man a Pleader for Sin with many others of his Brethren A Pleader for Sin whilst he thus confounds States and Attainments and his Doctrine to be Antichristian and Impious while he accounts it God's good Pleasure that the Being of Sin and Corruptions in part must remain in the Saints to keep them humble and that Job abhorreth to entertain such a Thought as that of Perfection and that to be wholy Free and purged from Evil Principles is not attainable in this Life let the impartial Reader judge whether there be not in these Doctrines a Pleading for Sin And while he and his Brethren contend against the Quakers for Evil Principles they contend to no purpose while they râ—…ckon that neither themselves nor any else can be purged from Evil Principles in this 〈◊〉 but they should not thus dispute and contend for Sin and Imperfection for term of Liâ—…e â—…eeing they say It is the Duty of all to be Perfect and to press after it to watch against all even the least Sins pag. 70. and tell men It is needful to forsake Lying Injustice Uâ—…cleaness c. which the Light calls them off from pag. 69. I say their pleading for Sin Term of Life is inconsistent with this and God will require it at their Hands for their strengthning the Hands of Evil Doers that they may not forsake their Sins by these Sin-pleasing Doctrines They cannot be altogether ignorant how apt Transgressors are to lay hold on every Doctrine that is of such a Tendence as suites their Evil Minds as much of Stephen Scandret his Work doth Therefore as it is high time for the Wicked to repent of their Wickedness so it is time for you pretended Ministers who are contending for Sin and Imperfection to repent thereof and of your Sinful Doctrines for the Being of Sin and Imperfection Term of Life whereby you have strengthned many Thousands in Iniquity made their Bands more strong and exposed them to Ruin and Destruction THE ANSWER TO Tho. Hicks AND HIS BRETHREN About the RESURRECTION HIS Absurdity Confusion and Carnal Conceits about it Discovered The Resurrection Owned by us and Scripturally Asserted with the Future and Distinct Existences of Men and Angels And the Eternal Advantage of the Righteous after Dissolution Joh. 11. 25. Jesus said I am the Resurrection and the Life c. 1 Cor. 15. 38. God giveth a Body at his Pleasure Ver. 44. There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body 2 Tim. 2. 23. But put away Foolish and Unlearned Questions Serious Reader OUr Opposer appearing altogether utterly void of any spiritual Sence or divine Underâ—…tanding in this great and sublime Mystery of the Resurrection his Work is the less to be regarded and we having very little of so much as seeming Argumentâ—…tion from him I need say the less to his Work only take notice of a few of his Absurdâ—…ties and Abuses What further as is opened in the Discourse following is chiefly for the sake of others more honest and free from Prejudice and in order to incline them from gross Conceptions into a spiritual Apprehension of this Mystery and thâ—…t they may be mindful of their present Concernment of Acceptance with God in his own Life and Righteousness and not be diverâ—…ed from obtaining the End and future Felicity of the Righteous by Uncertain Vain and Gross Thoughts and Notions of carnal Minds which are but depending upon their own Imaginations of a future State and not upon a divine Principle or spiritual Understanding thereof God is my Record that it is a spâ—…ritual Eye and divine Uâ—…nderstanding that I desire may be opened in these weighty Matters treated on for which End in the Sâ—…ght oâ—… God I am open and free in my Spirit in what I write on this Occasion which I desire to iâ—…prove only for the Glory of God and Good of Souls THE ANSWER To Tho. Hicks about the RESURRECTION c. First T. H. accuses us from what one Tarner should say but answers not what he said or his Argument 2dly He accuseth us in general words with manifest Denial of the Resurrection of the Body For which his Instance is our saying That Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Observe hence That 't is no marvel that he reviles and slanders us and thinks we have some reserved Meaning like the Jesuitical Equivocation p. 56. when he hath accused us for making use of the Apostles plain words which he hath not answered Would it be well taken if he should positively say That the Apostle denyed the Resurrection when he saith Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God 1 Cor. 15. 50. It s one thing to deny Men's carnal gross Thoughts about the Seed Resurrection and Body And it is another thing wholely to deny the Resurrection of the Body in those general Expressions 3dly He pretends to desire Information what the Body is we believe shall arise again when before he hath positively accused us with manifest Denyal of the Resurrection of the Body that is of any Body if he meant as his words import And here again he is obtruding upon us that Fool 's Question which the Apostle reproved when in answer thereto he said Thou Fool that which thou sowest is not quickened except it dye And thou sowest not that Body which shall be but God gives it a Body as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15. 35 36 37 38. For which again he queries Whether we do not tacitely deny the Resurrection of the Body For all this man's Pretence of Scripture being his Rule he is not content with the Scripture-Language nor yet willing to resign up himself to the Pleasure of God in giving to every Seed it s own Body as it pleaseth him But such busie Intruders will be inquisitive concerning the manner of God's executing his Pleasure in this thing Whereas men's present Concern should be rather to wait to know and submit to the good Pleasure of God in this Life and to find a part in Christ Jesus who is the Resurrection and the Life that they might be assured of the good Effect and Fruits of God's good Pleasure hereafter For it is a Design of Satan to busie and puzzle men's Thoughts about their Existences in Heaven while he keeps them in Sin and Darkness in the Way to Hell Whereas if they would faithfully serve God in the Way of his Grace here on Earth they would freely trust him with the Manner how he will Glorifie them hereafter And my saying We ought not to be Curious in these Matters to inquire into God's secret Pleasure in things beyond our Capacity neither do I desire to make my self wiser then I am nor to appear wise above or besides what is written viz. in this Case Doth this argue that the Divine Light
perishing Vesture or decay'd Cloathing which for Man to be divested of can be no more Loss to him as to his immortal Being then 't is to the Wheat to dye bring forth much Fruit unto which Resurrection is applicable as well as to Man though not to the Sameness of Body And as it cannot unman a Man to put off his Old Cloathing that he may put on New no more can it annihilate our Spiritual Existences to have the Earthly Cloathing put off and dissolved but be to our far greater Advantage Glory to be invested with that Spiritual Transcendent Cloathing most Excellent House Eternal in the Heavens which State they only attain to who become Sons of God and of the Resurrection and desire Christ may be magnified in their Bodies here And furthermore from that Belief and Discovery I have received in the true Light of the Resurrection and future Rewards according to the holy Scripture I desire it may be minded that God commandeth all Men every where in their Day and Time to Repent because he hath appointed a Day in the which he will judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained So that there will be a Day of Judgment Wrath and Perdition of the Ungodly unto which Day the Lord Knoweth how to Reserve the Unjust to be punished and this will be a Terrible Day to all that make Lyes their Refuge and reject the universal Call of God to Repentance And seeing that in the Great Day of the Lord a final Dissolution may be expected of all those things that are perishing and dissolvable even of the Heavens and the Earth and that they shall be changed what manner of Persons ought we to be here in all Holy Conversation and Godliness After T. H. hath vented his Blasphemous Out-rage against our Religion as before in his Catechism he impudently abuseth and bespattereth our Sufferings p. 75. where he thus questioneth viz. Tell me what it is that doth influence and prevail with you to Do and Suffer as you do And then he makes us thus to answer viz. Answ. What doest thou think it should be And then he thus proceeds Quest. May not the Satisfaction of your Wills and Lusts the Promoting your Carnal Interests be your chief Motive and Inducement And then he makes the Answer thus Answ. We deny the Flesh and the Lusts This is thy own Dark Imagination And then he proceeds again Quest. May not you live in and fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh whilst you deny it in Words since your Opinion denies any eternal Advantage to be reaped by Persons after Death in denying the Resurrection of this Body Must you not then have respect to something to be injoyed here as your Incouragement p. 75. Rep. The Malice Falsehood and Absurdity of these Forgeries against the real Intent and End of our Sufferings Thousands may testifie against and all Impartial Readers that know us and have beheld our deep Sufferings may perceive the Man's Envy Considering the great Number of our Friends that have dyed in Prisons and the many hundreds that have been ruined and spoiled in their Estates and Callings could these be either consistent with Lusts or carnal Interest and the many that have been banished and many Families undone besides the many that have been knocked down Bruised and Beaten in the streets and their Lives often hazarded and resigned up for Meeting in the Fear of God Could these things be endured for a Carnal Interest No No but meerly upon a Religious and Conscientious Account wherein we have eyed the Glory of God and our own Peace andfturue Happiness If we did not own any Resurrection eternal Advantage or Existences hereafter what should we suffer for we were of all men most miserable If we were of that Atheistical Opinion instead of chusing our Great Sufferings we should have chosen this viz. Let us Eat Drink for tomorrow we dye 1 Cor. 15. 19 32. It may be easily judged whether we are justly reflected upon or no as being influenced either to satisfie our Wills or promote carnal Interest or to fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh or obtain any temporal Injoyment here by our Losses Sufferings These gross abusive Slanders are so apparent that he that runs may read them being also manifestly detected by our apparently often resigning up our Estates Liberties and Lives also in Times of deep Suffering when we could see no publick Appearance of such as T. H. and many of his Brethren before the face of Persecution but then they could sculke creep into Corners and Obscure themselves and leave all the Burden upon uâ—… there being but a few Baptists that did suffer in the late Tryal sor their Religion or Consciences Though to give them their due a few of them have suffered Imprisonment some whereof have received the Benefit of our Labours among our Friends in a late General Discharge but the most cowardly and base-spirited among them are now most Quarrelsom against us and why They have lost Ground by their Carnal Policy in Obscuring themselves in Stormy Times which they are never like to regain but still to looâ—…e more by Fretting and Struggling against us and therefore T. H. is offended that our Number should now augment though that he cannot hinder for the Hand of the Lord is in it And many having seen the Coldness of Baptists Zeal Night-Dipping and their Timorous Creeping and Securing themselves in Suffering Times as also the Emptiness and Dryness of their Religion Divers are aweary thereof And when they come among us to receive the Sence of God's Power then divers of the Baptist-Teachers do fret and are Angry eagerly besetting the Parties And in that God hath made our Sufferings effectual for his Name Truth sake for the drawing many after it T. H. endeavours in the Malice of Sathan to debase and render our Sufferings Odious saying He believes our Carnal Advantage is one greaâ—… Thing in our Eye And then he adds Quest. Though you may sustain some outward Losses yet whether you have not a Way to augment your Outward Gain by Loosing pag. 75. Reply He now questioneth that which before he saith he believeth as namely That Carnal Advantage is one great Thing in our Eye One Great Thing implyeth some thing else but What else he leaves no place for in what he hath concluded before to wit That we have regard only to something to be injoyed 〈◊〉 afterward he falsly rekons Carnal Advantages to be One great Thing in our Eye and then questions the Matter surmised and before believed by him as Whether we have not a Way to augment our outward Gain by Loosing and thus bewrayes his own Guilt Falsehood and Wickedness in his Traducing a People or whole Body of us and Reproaching our Conscientious Sufferings though it is known that Carnal Interest and Advantage is a great thing in the eye of divers Baptist-Preachers while they
that Resurrection Quickening Reviving Changing Translation do not signifie Creation therefore they are not applicable to the Dust of Bodies after Dissolution though both Resurrection and new Creation be to Renewed man Behold I make All things new New Man New Creation New Heavens and New Earth c. but this is a Mystery hid from corrupt Flesh so much contended for by our Present Opposers The rest of his Arguments and Doctrines are mostly very weak and ignorant about this Point yet comprehensively answered in this Book Here follow some Passages out of a Manuscript by W. B. against me with a Reply detecting his Ignorance in consounding the Carnal Body and the Spiritual W. B. INdeed If G. Whitehead hath found out a Body for Christ that is not a Carnal Body which implies only a Fleshly It is such a Body that I never read oâ—… in the Scriptures I would know what in Scripture is called the Body but the Flesh Now take but away the Flesh and where is the Body Aye but saith G. W. It is a spiritual Body as if a Body of Flesh and a Spiritual could not stand together This is his Great mistake The Apostle could have born his Testimony to this Truth that it is the Body of Flesh that shall be raised spiritual 1 Cor. 15. 14 43. It is sown a natural Body 't is raised spiritual here the Apostle still keeps to the Word It c. Answ. The Non-sense and Contradiction that may be gathered from these Passages is that Christ's Body is a Carnal Spiritual Body as if Carnal and Spiritual were both one or that the Spiritual Body that 's raised or given to the Seed is Carnal Let these Passages be kept in Record as the Baptists Doctrine and Testimony whereas the Apostle's own Testimony proves the Contrary and that W. B. has belyed the Apostle For 't is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual and there is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body Here the Apostle clearly makes a Distinction and a Difference between the natural Body and the spiritual He doth not say 't is sown a natural Body and raised a natural or Carnal Body also but a spiritual Body as he also distinguisheth between the Bodies Celestial and the Bodies Terrestrial as those of Sun Moon and Stars differ from those of Men Beasts and Fishes Now you would count him a very blind Philosopher that should make no Difference but say they are all one and consistent or that the Bodies of Sun Moon and Stars were all one with those Earthly Bodies of Men and other Creatures and so blind and such Ignorant Divines are these Baptist's He understands not the Difference between the Natural Body and the Spiritual any more then if a Person should be so ignorant as when he sees the Sun or Moon or Stars To ask if these were not Men or Birds or Beasts or Fishes in the Firmament or on the contrary if he should see Men Beasts and Fishes to ask if these are not the Sun Moon and Stars or rather to conclude that they are because he knows not which are Celestial and which Teriestrial no more then this Baptist doth discern between Bodies natural or carnal and Bodies spiritual But how should he do other or see better while his Mind is so much upon Flesh and so little upon Spirit or so much upon Flesh and Blood which cannot inherit the Kingdom of God and so little upon that spiritual Birth or Seed that doth inherit the Kingdom of Glory and Peace And as for the Baptists Argument That the Apostle still keeps to the Word IT as It is sown a natural Body It is raised a spiritual or God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body Reply How evident is it that as the Particle It is used as a Relative to both the natural and spiritual Body 't is a mutable It for that there is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body which therefore are not the self-same the very Parable or Instance of the Wheat and other Grain may confute his Opinion herein For is it the very self-same Grain of Wheat that is in the Eare that was sown in the Ground Let the Husband-Men judge him herein To him we may say as the Apostle did in the same Case to such O Fool thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. 1 Cor. 15. And now the words It 's sown imply a Seed sown in order to a sprouting and bringing forth Increase Upon which it may be queried if that Body of Man to wit that of Flesh Blood and Bones that 's laid in the Grave or drowned in the Sea or devoured by Fire and some by Beast's c. be the Seed that the Apostle intended to which God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him yea or nay If it be answered in the Affirmative then what Body is it that God giveth to it as it pleaseth him If it be answered in the Negative that overthrows the Baptists Doctrine of the same Flesh Blood and Bones c. which W. B. has not distinguished from a spiritual Body THE RESURRECTION Future Glory and Felicity of the SAINTS Further asserted according to the Holy Scriptures Discovering How far short of the true Vision Sight or Revelation thereof our present Opposers are in their gross Thoughts and Traditional Conjectures Being An Examination of Thomas Danson ' s Arguments and Doctrines about the Resurrection Future State and Glory of Believers in his Synopsis THe Resurrection as plentifully asserted in the Scriptures is not in the least question'd by us however we be unjustly censur'd for denying it Therefore there is no necessity of his Argument to evince that which as he saith the Scripture is so plentiful in asserting of nor doth he evince it according to the Scriptures but varies from them as will appear His Argument If the Bodies that have done Good or Evil must receive their Reward accordingly then the same Bodies that dye must rise again But the Antecedent is true therefore the Consequent Answ. This Argument both Antecedent and Consequent appears neither clear nor grounded upon Truth as it placeth an Eternal Reward upon the Body for its temporal Acts in putting the Body on this account for Man that hath acted therein who must receive the things done in the Body 2 Cor. 5. 10. The meer Terrestrial Body being neither the Subject reteining Perpetual Love or Enmity to God nor is it the Original Cause of Good or Evil Actions therefore not the Object of eternal Love or Wrath but Man in his Spiritual Existence or Being as spiritually and suitably organized as it pleaseth God to receive the things done in his Body according to what he hath done whether it be Good or Evil proper and natural to the Image he bears which the Soul carries along with it out of the Earthly Body or House that turns to Dust But see the Proof of his Antecedent That
in apt Resemblances obvious to the Sences as Tophet is ordained of old yea for the King it is prepared he hath made it deep and large the Pile thereof is Fire and much Wood the Breath of the Lord like a Stream of Brimstone doth kindle it Isa. 30. 33. and Bind him Hand and Foot and cast him into ulter Darkness there shall be Weeping and Gnaâ—…hing of Teeth Mat. 22. 13. As also If thy right Eye Hand or Foot offend pluck it out or cut it off and cast it from thee as being better that one Member should perish then the whole Body should be cast into Hell where the Worm dyeth not and the Fire shall never be quenched Mat. 〈◊〉 29. Mark 9. 49. to the end Which still argues that the Impenitent and Wicked are liable to meet with real â—…orment and that he hath spiritually his proper Being and Habit consisting of such spiritual Parts and Sences having an evil Eye a polluted Mind and defiled Conscience covered with Guilt pressed down with the Body of Sin and perplexed with Horror wherein he both receiveth the Deeds 〈◊〉 in the Body and is capable of absolute Misery in the Fire which shall never be quenched where the Worm dyeth not As also it is said The Rich Man also dyed and was buried and in Hell he lift up his Eyes being in Torments and seeth Abraham afar off and Lazarus in his Bosom and he cried said Father Abraham have Mercy on me and send Lazarus that he may dip the Tip of his Finger in Water and cool my Tongue for I am tormented in this Flame Luk. 16. 23 24. When his Body was buried yet he had the Sence of Torments that seized upon him and a Sight of the other's Felicity which he himself had lost Therefore as Christ said I say unto you my Friends be not afraid of them that can kill the Body and after that have no more that they can do but I will fore-warn you whom ye shall fear fear him which after he hath killed hath Power to cast into Hell I say unto you fear him Luk. 12. 4 5. A Summary of the Difficulties in the Point in Controversie FInally The Controversie is run up to these Difficulties which I object upon our Opposers Doctrines and Conceptions 1st How the self same Bodies should arise compleat after dissolved to Dust without a New Creation appears not nor is it demonstrated by them 2. If a New Creation of compleat Bodies of the same Dust and Elements should be conceived or admitted it is Incredible that God should create any corrupt sinful or polluted Bodies thereof for perpetual Torments seeing his Works are pure And as Incredible that he should make a pure Body to be invested with the former Evil Habit of Sin and Corruption for perpetual Torment in Hell-Fire and to be sure the first Elements or Dust of dissolved â—…odies is as pure as at the first 3. If Infants be supposed to arise at the Stature of Men how can theirs be the self-same Bodies they were 4. How the Body of the Saints and Children of the Resurrection should be either a Celestial Spiritual Glorious or Angelical Body and they Equal unto the Angels in Heaven and yet the self-same Earthly Elementary Body that dissolveth to Dust c. such a strange Transubstantiation appears not unless that the Natural Body and the Spiritual the Terrestrial and the Celestial the Human and Angelical be both One and the Self-same 5. That the Soul should not enjoy her self in absolute Felicity or Misery in perfect Glory or Contempt in her proper Vessel or Cloathing spiritually without the Earthly Cloathing which is Dust appears not while the Children of the Resurrection are equal unto the Angels of God in Heaven which are absolutely Happy and the Devil and his Angels absolutely Miserable 6. We cannot believe that the Invisible Infinite God should be seen with the Bodily or fleshly Eyes after Dissolution not that Job intended he should see God with his Flesh or bodily Eyes It being in consistent both with his being an Invisible Eternal or Infinite Spirit and with the true spiritual Sight of him which Job received Job 42. 5. 7. That the Seed to which God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15. and the Body given to it should be one and the self same Earthly Body is a non-sensical Doctrine and an apparent Incongruity 8. That the Terrestrial Bodies should be so desirable to the Souls of the Righteous after Dissolution for the compleating their Felicity and perfecting their Glory appears plainly inconsistent with their desiring here to be dissolved and to be absent from the Body to enjoy and possess a Building of God au House eternal in the Heavens Or that the Souls of the Righteous should be so variable as to desire to be absent from the Body and presently after Dissolution to desire the Resuming of the same Earthly Body or a Re-union to it This implicitely accuseth the Souls of deceased Saints with being in their Affections both Earthly Variable and Unquiet as in a kind of Purgatory Which we can never assent to Thomas Vincent's Illustrations ABOUT THE RESURRECTION Which we may look upon as the Sense of the Rest and as the Explication of their Doctrines and Opinions who are Opposing the Spirituality of our Testimony about the Resurrection Among which some Truths are intermixt though his gross and carnal Conceptions about the Point we cannot close with His Illustrations are in his Book entituled Christ's Certain and Suddain Appearance to Judgment Collected and Placed in his own Words as followeth for the Serious and Spiritual-minded Readers to judge of T. V. GIve me leave to illustrate the Resurrection a little further and here I shall endeavour to set it forth by an Allusion to that notable place Ezek. 37. and ten first Verses pag. 16. some thing like this will the Resurrection be at the Last Day Now the Bones and Bodies of all former Generations are scattered up and down in the Valley of the Shadow of Death some are sunk into the Deep others are buried in the Earth the Flesh is consumed and resolved into its first Elements and the Bones of some remain of others are mouldred into Earth Now when the Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God shall come down from Mount Sion which is above into the Valley of this inferiour World he will Prophesie over all the Bodies and Bones of all the Children of Men that are dead and speak unto them to Live he will say unto them whilft they lie rotting in their Graves Live he will say Awake ye that sleep in the Dust And Oh what a Noise and Shaking will there be then in the Ground What a clattering of Bones together in the coming of Bone to his Bone If the Body hath been quartered and buried part in one place and part in another as the Levite's Concubine who was divided into Twelve Parts and sent to the Twelve Tribes of
Israel and it is likely buried in twelve distinct places the Bones will fly through the Air out of all those places and meet together in one Body Oh! what a great part of the Air Water and Earth will there run into Conjunction by the Command of Christ and be turned into those very Bodies which were resolved into them by Death and the Corruption of the Pit But with the Addition of such new Qualities as shall sublimate spiritualize and refine them from all that Dreggishness and ill humour that shall be the Foundation of any Sickness or Death forever then the Bones will come together be made like Stones for Strength then the Sinnews will be as it were Iron Sinnews and the Flesh Brass such Strength will be put into them as I conceive is not to be found in the strongest Creatures which hitherto God hath made that they might be fitted the Bodies of the Righteous for an Eternal Life of Happiness and bearing the Glory of Heaven The Bodies of the Wicked for an Eternal Life of Misery and bearing the Torments of Hell pag. 17 18. But what a Stirring will there be in the Earth Those which are alive will wonder to see such a strange Metamorphâ—… of the Ground to seel Men and Women stirring and moving under their Feet arising and crouding for Room amongst them Then will the Lord bring down all the Souls of the Righteous which have been in Paradise with him many Years and they shall find out their own Bodies And he will open the Prison of Hell and let out the Souls of the Wicked for a while that they also may find out their own Bodies pag. 19. The Book of God's Remembrance will be opened This we are to understand in a Spiritual Sense not as if there were a real Book which God did make use of for his Remembrance of things as Men do who have Frail and Weak Memories pag. 22. The Spirits of all the just Men and Women made persect shall then come down and enter again into their Old Habitations pag. 31. when the Soul left the Body vile to putrifie and corrupt in the Grave and shall finde it come forth more Bright and Glorious then Gold after it hath been resined in a Furnace If the Love between the Soul and the Body were so great when the Body was so vile and the Soul so Sinful what will it be when both are glorified If the Conjunction between the Soul and Body were so sweet when the Body was so Frail and subject to Death and the Soul a Spiritual and Never-dying Subscance what will it be when the Body shall be made immortal and in some sort spiritual pag. 32. No sooner are they awakened and risen out of their Graves but they are entertained by Angels those Holy and Excellent Creatures when before in the Body they were too low and unfit for their Acquaintance but they will then know them and be able to discern the Beauty of those lovely Spirits pag. 33. They will arise like so many shining Suns out of the Earth pag. 34. They admired to see the Saints and to see themselves so transformed pag. 36. He will bring the Keys of Death and Hell along with him and open both these Prison Doors not to give Liberty and Release to the Prisoners But as prisons are opened at Assizes to bring them sorth unto Judgment he will open the Prison of Hell and all the Souls of the Wicked shall come forth like so many 〈◊〉 cut of the bottomless Fit and he will open the Prison of the Grave and all their Bodies shall creep Like so many ugly Toads out of the Earth and then Soul and Body shall be joyned together again and this Meeting will be sad beyond Expression Then the Meeting of the Souls and Bodies of the Wicked will be dolesul pag. 46 47. It is said that the vile Bodies of the Righteous shall be made like unto Christ's Body in Beauty and Glory but the Bodies of the Wicked will have another Hew and Fashion if it were possible to fashion Bodies like Devils those impure and foul Spirits such spiritual Bodies the Wicked should have Be sure their Bodies shall have no Glory put upon them but as they lay down Vile Bodies they shall rise up far more Vile The Bodies of the Wicked most probably will be Swarthy Black Ugly Monstrous Bodies p. 48. The Blackness and Dread of the Soul would quickly appear in their Countenance besides the Impressions which the Fire of Hell will have upon them if the Body be black how black will the Soul be after so long abode with foul Devils in the lower Regions of Darkness And when such foul Souls and such vile Bodies meet what a Meeting what a Greeting will there be We may fancy a kind of Language to be between them at that Day The Soul to the Body Come out of thy Hole thou filthy Dunghil Flesh for the Pampering and Pleasing of whom I have lost my self forever who hast stolen away my Time and Thoughts and Heart from God and Christ and Heavenly Things to feed and cloathe and cherish thee and make Provision to satisfie thy base deceitful Lusts when I should have been making Provision for thine and mine Everlasting Happiness Awake and come forth of the Dust thou Bewitching Dirty Flesh who didst lull me asleep so long in thy pleasing Chains until thou didst suddenly open thy Doors and thrust me out where I was awakened in Torments before I was aware Now I must come into thy Doors again that thou mayst share and taste the Bitter Issue of sinful Pleasures and Delights And O how will the Body be affrighted so soon as the Soul is entered p. 49. The Body to the Soul And hast thou found me out O my Enemy Couldst not thou have let me alone to lie still at rest in this sweet Sleep Hast thou used me as a Slave and employed all my Members as Servants of Iniquity and Unrighteousness and 〈◊〉 thou come now to Torment me and is this the Fruit of all the Pleasures we have taken together Shouldst not thou have been more VVise and provided better for thy self and me O! what Cryes and Shreeks will the Tongue give forth so soon as it hath recovered its Use p. 50. 2. The second Antecedent to the Judgment of the Wicked will be their Meeting with Devils to entertain them at their Resurrection and then they will not appear unto them like Angels of Light as sometimes here they have done p. 50. but they will spit forth their Venom and Malice then in their Faces possibly they may buffet their Bodies and lay painful Stroaks upon them surely they will terrifie their Souls for those Sins they have drawn them unto the Commission of p. 51. How will they be affrighted at the Apparition of so many Devils about them when they shall lash their Spirits with Horrible Scourges when
p. 162. l. 35. r. and assertion p. 177. l 28. f. which r. 〈◊〉 p. 178. l. 27. r. Impatiency in her p. 183. l. 32. dele of p. 189 l. 17. f. remiss r. 〈◊〉 p. 195. l. 25. f. seem r. smell p. 198. l. 37. f. my r. his 40 f them r him p. 200. l. 18. r. but judge p. 202. l. 40. after before Faith add or 〈◊〉 in the State of Unbelief p 213. l. 8. f. God r. Good p. 217. l. 24. f. yet thereto r whereto p. 231. l. 23. f. our r. his p. 233. l. 20. r. as he saith p. 235. in the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 4. for saying read who said p. 242. l. 28. f. a great 〈◊〉 r. dispensing page 280. l. 28. the full Stop or Breach should be placed after 〈◊〉 p. 288. l. 22. f. it r in p. 290. 〈◊〉 33. after impatiency add in a time of 〈◊〉 p 305. 〈◊〉 2. after incourazement add against us p. 308. l. 〈◊〉 read who knew p. 310. l. 20. read Gell's p. 323. l 〈◊〉 read 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 42. for do read op p. 326. 〈◊〉 37. read Philetus l. 38. read compleated after page 334. for 135 read 335 and so correct them to the end page 341. l. 19 read he being out of his perplexed p. 348. l. 3 for their read the. l. 13 14. read in Union of Spirit and with the Spirits of all just Men within a Paren hesis pag. 354. l. 22. f. the r. they p. 357. l. 〈◊〉 for set read sit p. 363. l. 48. for fiercerly read fiercely There are also divers Faults and 〈◊〉 in Letters and Points of less moment which may be understood by the Sense of the Matter THE END Read Euseb. Evag. Socr. Ruffin Coun. Trent Simps Full. Perr Bak. Dan. Trus. Daval Clark Morl. Milt c. See Book of Mar. Luth. contr Ecc. Zuing. Calv. Beza c. Hayl of Reform Cambd. Life of Q. E. Rush. Hist. Collect. Cambd. Hist Wars of Engl. The King's Return See Annab Decl. As T. Hicks hath done Pag. 66. Pag. 72. Pag. 73. Pag. 2. Pag. 13 14 15 20 25 44 45 49 54 66 76. Jer. 20. 7. Pag. 2. * That is the Cause Pag. 8 9. Rom. 2. John 12. 16. Pag. 14. Ephes. 5. 8. Job 32. 8. John 8. 12. Joh. 12. 36 46. Rom. 1. Ephes. 5. John 1. John 1. 5. Rom. 13. 12 13 14. 2 Cor. 6. 14. 1 John 1. 5 6 7. Rev. 22. 4. 5. Gal. 4. 16. Tit. 2. John 14. 6. John 1. 1 2 3 4 9. 1 Cor. 15. 45 47 1. 24. 1 Joh. 2. 27. 5. 6 7 8. John 6. 51 52 53. Gen. 1. 27. Deut. 30. 11. 12 13 14 15. 2 Sam. 22. 29. Job 24. 13. Job 25. 3. Job 29. 3. Psal. 27. 1. Psal. 118. 27 119. 105 102. Prov. 4. 18. * T. Hicks Psal. 50. 19 20 21. Psal. 94. 4. Amos 4. 13. Psal. 139. 7. Vers. 1 2 3. Acts. 20. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Acts 7. 48. 49. 50 51. Neh. 9. 20. Genes 6. 3. Job 24. 9. 13. * Neither is it our Construction only but the Judgment of Men fam'd in the World for their Exactness in the Original Text or Letter of the Scripture They interpret it to be the Light of the Divine Wisdom the Fountain of Light yea God himself That Rebelling against the Light is against God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Light of Israel alluding to the Psalmist The Lord is my Light and my Salvation Nay to the Light mentioned by the Apostle Paul Ye who were sometimes Darkness are now Light in the Loâ—…d And that very Light which is said to have sprung up to them that sate in Darkness which is the Light of Truth and by our Adversaries allow'd to be the Evangelical and spoke of Christ's Manifestation Also that the Wayes of Light are Light leading to the Light it self which Wicked Men turn from and spurn at That this is the Light which there is none but it rises upon whereby to give them true sight of themselves See Munsterus Vatablus Clarius Castellio on the 17th Verse but especially Drusius and Codurcus who say All Men partake of that Light and that it is sufficient to Manifest and Drive away the Darkness of Error and that it is the Light of Life Nay Codurcus calls it an Evangelical Principle seems to explain his Mind by a Quotation of the Evangelist's words John 19. That was the True Light that inlightneth all Mankind coming into the World Munster Vatabl. Clar. Castel Drus. Codurc Crit. in 24 25. Chap. Ver. 13 3. 〈◊〉 P. 3283. to 3308. Chap. 25. 3. Mat. 13. 1 to 10. Vers. 19. Mat. 25. 14 to 34. John 3. 20. Ephes. 5. 13. Rom. 1. 16 17 18 19 20 21 28. Chap. 2. 8. Rom. 2. 13 14 15 16. Eccles. 12 13 14. Gen. 20. 4. 21. 22. 2 Chron 36. 23. Ezra 1. 2 3 4 5 13. 6. 3 12. Dan. 6. 26 27. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. He stretched-out his Hand over the Sea Isa. 23. 11. Sing Praises unto the Lord to Him that Rideth upon the Heavens of Heavens Psal. 68. 33. For the Lord your God he is God in Heaven above and in the Earth beneath Josh. 2. 11. Rev. 22. 13. God is God of the Living and not of the Dead Mat. 22. 32. Now unto the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the Only Wise God be Honour and Glory forever and ever Amen 1 Tim. 1. 17. 1 Tim. 6. 16. Thy Throne O God is forever and ever Psal. 45. 6. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Thou art Glorious in Holiness Exod. 15. 4. God had Glory before the World began John 17. 5. The Lord Searcheth the Heart and Tryeth the Reins Psalm 7. 9. And tell unto Man his Thoughts Amos 4. 13 God is from Everlasting to Everlasting God Psalm 90. 2. Without Beginning of Days or End of Life Heb. 7. 3. * DeLeg 2. I alone am God and besides Me there is not another There is none other but One God 1 Cor. 8. 5. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. No Man has seen God at any time 1 John 4. 12. Heaven is my Throne Acts 7. 49. The Lord's Throne is in Heaven Psalm 11. 4. And hear thou in Heaven thy Dwelling-Place 1 King 8. 30. Jamblich Thou must believe that God is and that he is a Rewarder of them that fear him Hebr. 11. 6. For thine is the Kingdom 1 Chron. 29. 11. Mat. 6. 13. Thou art Lord of Heaven and Earth Acts 17. 24 And the Government shall be upon his Shoulders Isa. 9. 6 Again God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all John 1. 5 I am the Way the Truth and the Life John 14. 6 God is all above all and in all Ephes. 4. 6. Just. Mart. A God nigh at hand Acts 17. 27. Jer 23. 23 One God who is above all through all and in all Ephes. 4. 6 God is Light and upon whom hath not his Light arisen 1 John 1. 5. Job 25.
3 One God and Father of all 1 Cor. 8. 6 Now to the King Eternal Immortal Invisible the Only Wise God be Glory c. 1 Tim. 1. 17. The Heaven of Heavens cannot contain Thee 1 Kings 8. 27. 2 Chron. 6. 18 What House will ye build me Acts 7. 49 God dwells in the Light 1 Tim. 6. 16 To whom will ye liken God what Likeness will ye compare unto Him Isa. 40. 18 25 God is a Spirit John 4. 24. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 2. Lact. Fals. Rel. 1. 5. Cic. de Nat. Deor. 1. But to us there is but One God the Father of all of whom are all things 1 Cor. 8. 6. Where wast thou when I laid the Foundations of the Earth read on Job 38. 4 And the Earth was without Form read the Chapter in which is declared God's Making and beautifying Heaven and Earth and all Living Creatures therein Gen. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12. and so to the end Thou Lord madest the Heavens and the Earth and all that in them is Acts 4. 24. August cir Del. 8. Tim. de De Anim. Mund. The Pure in heart shall see God Mat. 5. 8. He dwelleth in Immortality no Mortal Eye can approach or behold him 1 Tim. 1. 16. One Thing have I desired of Thee O Lord to behold the Beauty of the Lord Psalm 27. 4 The Things of God knows no Man but the Spirit of God but God hath Reveal'd them to us by his Spirit 1 Cor. 2. 10 11. 1. 13. Is Christ divided 1 Cor. 1. 13 And I heard a great Voice saying THE TABERNACLE OF GOD IS WITH MEN. He that Overcometh shall Inherit all things I will be his God and he shall be my Son Revel 21. 3 7. Jambl. * Jamblich * De Anim. Mund. In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God John 1. 1. The Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10. 8. I dwell in the High and Holy Place with him also that is of a Contrite and Humble Spirit Isa. 57. 15. Ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you 1 Cor. 2 16. Whatever may be known of God is manifested within for God shews it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Valer. Max. 7. 2. Lay up Treasure in Heaven where neither Moth nor Rust can Corrupt nor Thief break through and Steal Mat. 6. 20. This Treasure hath God put into Earthen Vessels 2 Cor. 4. 7. Fear not for the Lord thy God it is that doth go with thee he will not fail thee nor forsake thee Deut. 31. 6. In all their Afflictions he was Afflicted Isa. 63. 9 The Lord is a present Help in the time of Trouble Psal. 46. 1. * Oedip. Tyr. Shall not the Uncircumcision that is by Nature if it fulfil the Law judge thee who by the â—…etter and Circumcision dost transgress the Law For he is not a Jew that is one Outward implying such as keep the Law is one Inward Rom. 2. 27 28. And the Word of God nigh in the Heart shall abide forever Isa. 40. 8. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. Plutarch de Gen. Socr. There is a Spirit in Man but the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth Understanding Job 32 8. 2 Tim. 2. 22 25. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Children of God Rom. 8. 14. * In phaed. God is Light 1 John 1. 5. In thy Light 〈◊〉 we see Light Psalm 36. 10 God is not far from every one of us for in him we live move and have our â—…eing for we are also his Off-sping as certain of your own Poets have said Acts 17. 27 28. One of whom was Arabus whom the Apostle quotes as speaking Truth and imployes it against them to prove a True God and to introduce his Gospel which if it shewed their Apostacy it also implies that there had been Heathens rightly apprehending of God else surely the Apostle would never have cited the Poets Saying for a Confirmation of his own Doctrine * Enead 1. cap. 1. For the Lord God is a Sun a Shield the Lord will give Grace and Glory no good Thing will he withhold from them that trust in him and walk uprightly Psal. 84. 11 12. For God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1. 19. Clem. Alex. Strom. L. 5. A Manifestation of the Spirit is given unto every one to profit withal 1 Cor. 12. 7. One God and Father of all who is above all and through all The Lord is Good unto all Psal. 145. 9. Leg. Alleg. L. 1. The Things of God knoweth no Man save the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2. 11. I will put my Law in their Minds and write them in their Inward parts I will be their God and they shall be my People Heb. 8. 10 11. Plut. Dion Prus. Because whatever may be known of God is manifest within for God hath shewed it unto them but because they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge God gave them up to vile Affections Rom. 2. 19 26 28. Dis. lib. 1. cap. 14. O Lord thou hast searched me thou understandest my Thoughts afar off Whither shall I go from thy Spirit Psal. 139. 1 2 7. We have a more Sure Word of Prophesie 2 Pet. 19. The Lord hath shewedun to thee O Man what is Good and what he doth require of thee Micah 6. 8. In him we Live Move and have our Being Acts 17. 28. Such as Men Sow such shall they Reap Gal. 6. 7. That was the true Light which Inlightneth all Mankind John 1. 9. * Senec. Epist. 41. * De Benef. c. 17. * 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Behold the Tabernacle of God is with Men Rev 21. 3. He that dâ—…clareth 〈◊〉 Man his Thoughts the Lord the God of Hosts is hiâ—… Name Amos 4. 13. Wâ—…ite ye have the Light walk in the Light that you may be the Children of the Light God is Light John 12. 26. 1 John 1. 5. * â—…pist 8. * Epist. 31. * If Angry Tho. Hicks will please to inform himself of the Reasons that induced Justin to turn Christian he will find the Light Within acknowledged to be the Efficient Cause thereof for it was the Principle of God in his Conscience that continually pleaded the Christians Cause within him and who at last overcoming Justin Believes in Christ and Dyes for him too Now what Disgrace is this to the Light Within Liv'd after Christ Ann. 123. 1543. years since Apolog. Liv'd after Christ 190. Admon ad Gent. Strom. L. 5. Clem. Alex. in Admon ad Gent. Liv'd Ann. 195. Liv'd about Ann. 203. Liv'd about Ann. 315. De Cult Ver. Lib. de Ira cap. 2. Liv'd about Ann. 325. Athanas. cont Gent. Liv'd about Ann. 3 80. Liv'd about Ann. 393. Liv'd about the Year of the World 3313. before Christ about 630. years which is 2330. years since Thou therefore which teachest another teachest thou not thy self Rom. 2. 21. Love thy
those few mentioned namely for Christ saith he sent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel So he did not thank God for neglecting part of his Commission in baptizing so few but partly to prevent their wrong Use thereof and chiefly because his Commission did not extend to Water-Baptism And as to his Allegation to prove that the Word not is not alwayes used as an absolute Negative p. 27. he cites Joh. 6. 27. Labour not for the Meat that perisheth but for the Meat which endureth c. If the Occasion of these Words be minded not will prove an absolute Negative in this Place Jesus speaking to them that sought after him because they did eat of the Loaves ver 20. and were filled for which end they ought not to have sought after him And admitting his Instance in Adam that he was not deceived namely that he was not first deceived taking in the Word first from the Verse before this is altogether impertinent unto his Purpose about Paul's not being sent to baptize there being no such Discovery that Paul was sent at all to baptize as there was of Adam's Transgression but the contrary in that Paul expresly said Christ fent me not to baptize but to preach the Gospel V. Of the Anionted TO his saying the Word Christ signifies one Anointed accounting it absurd to say the Spirit or Anointing is Christ p. 37. I answer are not the Father the Spirit and the Word one Christ as the Son of God is God's anointed And is it not granted that he was the Son of God by eternal Generation And fo was before he took upon him that Body prepared for him called the Lord 's anointed Psal. 2. 2. which Word Anointed sometimes relates to his being set up or exalted as King yet have I set or anointed Hebr. my King upon Sion the Hill of my Holiness ver 6. As also to his being endued or anointed with Power from on high which Power is that divine Unction and in that Christ is called the Power of God and the Wisdom of God 1 Cor. 1. 24 He may as properly be called the Anointing as where the Spirit of the Lord is there is Liberty now the Lord is that Spirit this Anointing is not an outward Unction nor outwardly received upon the Flesh or Body but being a divine Unction of Glory and Power from above it s inwardly and spiritually received by an immortal Seed and Birth born from above as that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit As for his Term Humane Nature and Glorious Unity between the divine and human Nature p. 36. he talks he knows not what besides Scripture-Language the Word human is not applicable to Christ in Glory by the Scriptures but originally relates to the Earth and so to the Body of man as coming thence But Jesus Christ was the Anointed as he was the Son from the Father's Substance which he was before he came in the Flesh or took upon him that Body that was prepared for him and the Anointed and Saviour by the divine Power given him when in that Body upon Earth though more highly exalted or anointed as ascended far above all Heavens and exalted in the Father's Glory the Anointed and Saviour also as revealed and formed in the Saints Gal. 4. 19. the Anointed as set up from Everlasting the Anointed both in Sufferings and in Glory the Anointed both as he came in Flesh and as coming and revealed in the Spirit in his People and his Name by which Life and Salvation comes and is given is his divine Nature and Power to which his Name relates that is above every other Name One thing this man H. G. and his Brethren stumble at and at which his Soul is wounded as he saith p. 30. is that Christ was never seen with an outward or rather carnal Eye which H. W. is accused of sor saying The Eternal Son of God was never seen with any Carnal Eye to which I say they should have been so ingenuous as to have considered the Intent of these Words and more candidly to have construed them thus Christ as the eternal Word the Lord from Heaven the only begotten of the Father in his spiritual Discovery as the Image of the invisible God and Brightness of his Glory cannot be seen with a carnal Eye Flesh and Blood hath not so revealed him the saving Light of Christ never was nor can be reached with the carnal Eye he that seeth the Son and believeth on him hath everlasting Life Joh. 6. 40. and as saith the Son of God he that seeth me seeth my Father also Joh. 12. 45. and 14. 9. but none can see the Father with a carnal Eye therefore none could ever see the eternal Son with their carnal Eyes in this Sence of seeing which extends to true Knowing Joh. 8. 19. and 14. 7. though many did see the Body or Person of Christ in the Dayes of his Flesh wherein he was crucified and put to Death the Jews â—…nd Persecutors saw him in that Sence with their outward Eyes when they did neither truely see nor know him to their Salvation it being the Spirit that quickneth and such a Sight of Christ as that of his Body or outward man no reasonable man can be so absurd as to say it was not obvious to the Bodily Eyes and as absurd for any to imagine that any of us should intend otherwise Now these Baptists Faith concerning the Son of God according to their carnal Discourse of him may be modelized into this or the like Argument viz. If Jesus Christ the Son of God be also the Son of man glorified on the right Hand of God in Heaven then he consists of human Body of Flesh and Bones as some say or of a body of Flesh Blood and Bones as others say But he is the Son of man glorified c. Ergo he consists of a human Body either of Flesh and Bone or of Flesh Blood and Bones in Heaven Ans. I deny their varied Consequence as inconsequent for Christ was called the Son of man in a higher Sence then this human earthly or carnal Sence which they represent him in in that he himself said no man hath ascended up to Heaven but he that came down from Heaven even the Son of man which is in Heaven Joh. 3. 13. and what if you shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before it is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh perfitteth nothing Joh. 6. 62 63. who will affim that as he came down from Heaven or as he was before in Heaven he so consisted of a carnal human Body either made up of Flesh and Bone or of Flesh Blood and Bone in their gross and carnal Sence John the Baptist had not such mean Thoughts of Christ as these carnal Baptists have for John said he that cometh from above is above all he that is of the Earth is earthly and speaketh of the Earth he that cometh from Heaven is above
all John 3. 31. and the Flesh of the Son of man which he gave for the Life of the World is that Bread which came down from Heaven Joh. 6. 50 51. Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no Life in you ver 53. Yet that the Name Son of Man was applyed to him as a Sufferer and as he said so shall the Son of man be three Dayes and three Nights in the Heart of the Earth Math. 12. 40. I deny not but this doth not limit him from being called the Son of Man in a higher State also each of God's Prophets might be called as divers were a Son of Man but Christ the great Prophet the Son of Man the Apostle distinguisheth between the first man and the second man thus The first man is of the Earth earthly or human the second man is the Lord from Heaven 1 Cor. 15. 47. therefore the second man is not human in their Sence nor consisting of a human or earthly Body as the first man and Ephes. 4. 9 10. now that he ascended what is it but that he also descended first into the lower Parts of the Earth he that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and Phil. 3. 21 who shall change the Body of our Lowness that it may be fashoned like unto his glorious Body c. Now if it should be read according to these Baptists Sence it must be who shall change our vile Bodies that they may be fashoned like unto his human Body as if they were not such already and how disproportionable is it to say Christ consists of a human Body of flesh blood and bones in Heaven but the Saints must have a spiritual glorious Body in the State of Glory hereafter yet to prevent these mens Scruples concerning our owning the man Christ or the Son of man in Glory I tell them seriously that I do confess both to his miraculous Conception by the Power of the holy Spirit overshadowing the Virgin Mary and to his being born of her according to the Flesh and so that he took upon him a real Body and not a fantastical and that he was real Man come of the Seed of Abraham and that he in the Dayes of his Flesh preached Righteousness wrought Miracles was crucified and put to Death by wicked Hands that he was buried and rose again the third Day according to the Scriptures and after he rose he appeared diversly or in divers Forms and Manners he really appeared to many Brethren 1 Corinth 15. and afterwards ascended into Glory being translated according to the Wisdom and Power of the Heavenly Father and is glorified with the same Glory which he had with the Father before the World began being ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things whose Glory is Incomprehensible and beyond the Apprehension of Human Capacities VI. Of Jesus and his Body of Man and the Body of Man WHereas H. G. cavils at my speaking distinctly of the Body of Jesus in that Joseph of Arimathea begg'd the Body of Jesus and to confute me herein he instanceth that of the body of Saul and saith that the Case is the same and the body of Moses which the Devil disputed about p. 39 40 41. but in this I cannot see any valid Matter to his purpose nor wherein he can intend it unless he believes that the Soul or spiritual Existence of man dyes with the body and the Devil did appear wiser then he concerning this distinction in that his disputing about the body of Moses does imply a distinction between Moses as to his immortal Existence and the body of Moses and that he did not confound them as this man doth who concludes Jesus Christ to consist of a human Body of Flesh and Bone which the original Being of no man properly consists of though to prevent Cavils and for 〈◊〉 sake I 'll grant him thus much that the Name Jesus Christ is indifferently and mutually applyed both to his spiritual being and to the body he took upon him and that distinctly in Scripture although the Names Messiah Jesus Christ the Anointed the Image and Glory of the invisible God the Word the Light the Life c. do more eminently and more originally belong to him as he was before he took that body upon him which he called this Temple and it was called the body of Jesus Whereas H. G. sayes What a strange Epitath would this Man write upon a Tomb-stone he cannot write here lyes the Body of Thomas or William c. but rather thus here lies the Thomas of Thomas p. 41. Reply This more properly falls upon himself in not admitting that distinction touching Jesus and the body of Jesns but their concluding and confining Jesus Christ as to confist of the meer body of flesh and bone and that he could not be Jesus Christ the Saviour before he took upon him that body by which this man cannot write Here lies the body of Thomas or William c. which implies a belief of an Immortality of the man as to his Spirituality but rather here lies the whole man Thomas or William without admitting of any such Immortality and yet I will grant him as before that the Word Man is indifferently applyed to either the spiritual Being or Body of man as there is an inward man and an outward man 2 Cor. 4. 16. And as God created man in his own Image and yet it s said he formed man of the Dust of the Earth Gen. 1. 27. and Chap. 2. 7. and it s said That the rich Man dyed and was buried which was his Body and in Hell he lift up his Eyes c. which could not be that Part which dyed and was buried but the immortal part or Soul Luke 16. 22. 23. yet the Word Man most properly and originally as God created Man in his own Image belongs to his spiritual Existence or Being for the Earthly Body was not the Image of God But farther let the Reader observe how evidently H. G. has contradicted his foregoing Stuff for a human Christ consisting of a Body of meer Flesh and Bone against my distinction concerning Jesus and his Body that was put to Death and buried which was also raised as where he speaks distinctly of Jesus and his Body p. 33. and confesseth that Christ came in the Flesh p. 36. that he hath an outward glorisied Existence that he hath a body p. 46 47. Christ's crucified Body p. 50. the Body that was prepared for him p. 79. He did assume our Nature p. 80. He had the very Form Shape and Fashion of a Man p. 81. And what He or Him was this he speaks of Was it not Christ the Son of God the Anointed And to his arguing That if Jesus Christ continues a man for ever then he hath a Body of Flesh and Bone forever This doth not follow