cunningly devised fables but the Apostles were eye witnesses of his Majesty c. And to what they said had also the testimony of the sure word of Prophecy saying nothing but what they said should come to pass 2 Pet. 1. 15 16-19 Act. 26. 22 23. Yea the ministry committed to the Apostles is given as the dispensation of the fulness of times in which God hath gathered together all things that before lay scattered in divers witnesses types and figures into one even in Christ Jesus For God who at sundry times or in many parts and divers manners spake to the Fathers by the Prophets hath now in these last days spoken to us by his Son whom he hath made heir of all things by whom also he made the worlds who being the brightness of his glory c. When he had observe the Text by himself purged our sins sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high That person and the righteousness accomplished in and by him for us and remaining in that person in the Heavens with the Father shall never be abolished The Heavens and Earth in the state in which now they stand shall wax old as a garment and be folded up yea they shall be changed and renewed But not so this person and the vertue of the works done in his body he is the same and his years fail not or change yea to him as so delivered to death for our offences and raised again for our Justification and now glorified in our nature hath he put in subjection the world to come of which the Apostles have spoken Ephes 1. 10. Hebr. 1. tot 2. 1 5-8 9. That Temple those Sacrifices c. were indeed the figures of the true and therefore iterated because they could not make the commers perfect but that one offering made in that one body then and so prepared for him as before and so the power and glory of God which he thereby and therein invested within our nature this is the Truth it self the end of all types and figures and therefore no more to be iterated because he is able with that one offering and in that name and glory of the Father he is thereby invested with to save to the utmost all that come to God by him yea he is so in Heaven the Savior of all men especially of them that beleeve And therefore neither is there another manner of preaching to be given but his presence promised with that to the end of the world Matth. 281. 8 19 20. Yea that preaching as so given shall be even so confirmed and all the Truth and Glory of God gloriously and fully manifested in that person as there declared in his second and glorious Appearance when he shall frustrate the tokens of the Lyars and make the Diviners mad Isa 44. 25 26 and 8. 11-16-20 2 Thes 1. 6-10-12 For they have declared the thing plainly as it is and fully so that we in coming to this ministration or dispensation of the fulness of times and so to know beleeve and hope in Christ according to it are not come to another Sinai but to Sion to the City of the living God the Heavenly Jerusalem c. even so as by faith in and according to the Gospel as now come forth we receive therein a Kingdom that cannot be moved but shall even so stand for ever and be fully revealed and given to us as herein it is received by faith wherefore let us hold fast grace whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear untill he receive us to glory with him as he hath said For our God is a consuming fire Heb. 12. 22 28 29. He that will not hear that Prophet shall be cut off no other message or messenger to be sent or means to be used by God for his help that being rejected nothing remains but vengeance to consume the Adversaries Surely then That Doctrine that preaches down that Jesus of Nazareth and the works done in that his own personal body as for us as they preached down Circumcision Temple Sacrifices as being but a further shadow of some truth or good things yet to come or to be found in some other thing or work in many persons is clearly another and contrary doctrine and tends to overthrow the Doctrine Faith and Hope of our Lord Jesus Christ as declared by the one mouth of his holy Apostles and Prophets since the world began and therefore not to be followed but held as execrable by us neither are we to bid them to house or bid them God speed that bring it after knowledge of them to be such he that so doth is partaker of all their evil deedâ— yea we are to avoid and turn away from such Having therefore clearly and fully to my own satisfaction I speak as in the sight and presence of God discerned thee to be one of those strangers that bring such a strange voyce or doctrine as the sheep are not to listen to Yea so contrary to the true Shepheards voyce as even to the introducing another Jesus another Spirit another Gospel c. as before is shewed and having also according to my weakness now discovered it from what I have under thy hand I shall refuse further to meddle or have to do with thee unless I shall perceive in thee what I much desire if it may be though I have little hope of it viz. some perception of the evil and danger of thy way and thy heart inclined to turn to the Lord from whom thou hast deeply revolted In the perception of which in thee or any other deceived by thee or in such deceits I should surely much rejoyce and have to that end thus endeavored it THO. MOORE A Preface to the Relation of the following Queries and the Answer to them by Thomas Moore MEEting accidentally a little before the meeting at Mr. Wrayâ—s with several papers some directed to my self and some others yet not sent to me but dispersed into the hands of divers which are filled with nothing else but proud boastings of themselves the Indicters of them and of their light or spirit and rayling accusations against others And some directed to Alice Morden and others which are chiefly Queries without laying down in any of them any positive answer or discovery of their judgement unless in the close by reproaching the acknowledgment of one that dyed for all the just for the unjust bearing our sins in his own body to the tree And intimately all the way scoffing at the promise of and waiting for his coming again rendering that and the hope then to be revealed as a thing made or accomplished in men and in this day yet not plainly laying down their principles if they have any as to these things indeed it evidently appears to me they are of no judgement concerning the faith meeting I say with these papers at a place near Cambridge I was desired to give some answer to them The first
That the only true God upholds by his power in those things by all that knows him and his power and I dare trust him and do in obedience to the Lord upon this proffer challenge any Manifestarians so called or the highest notionary Priest or other Priest or Bapist Dipper or Sprinkler with outward water in Lincolnshire or in any part of England Do not call this a temptation nor a boasting for it is not fleshly but if you will try your spirit and God this way try him and whether Spirit and God doth thus uphold without the help of man c. let him be acknowledged to be the Lord That Spirit 2 Cor. 3. 17. and the only true God And that which fails let him be accounted the God of the world that blinds the minds of people which beleeve not lest the light of the glorious Gospel of Christ which is the Image of God should shine unto them 2 Cor. 4. and 3. and 4. verses And for that Spirit of darkness that puffs them up with vain glory priâ—â— and conceits And if the said Manifestarians c. so called refuse to do according to this which is here written from the Spirit of the Lord let them cease their vain contentions and fleshly boastings and fleshly disputings also of others mens words and let them cease their preaching in their wills whereby they seek their own glory And come down thou that in thy brain-knowledge art exalted and sit in the dust and submit to that of God in thy conscience I command and charge thee in the presence of the Lord as thou wilt answer it before him lest for thy Disobedience and Rebellion the Lord meet thee as a Bear bereaved of her Whelps and tear thee to peeces and none be able to deliver thee out of his hands This way which is before made known will not appear fleshly but clear contrary to the flesh and the fleshly man yet though it do the spiritual man that witnesseth with the Spirits Ministers or the Ministers of Christ and of God did approve themselves in wayes contrary to the world both in much patience and also in afflictions and in necessities and in distresses and in stripes and imprisonments in tumults in labors in watchings and in fastings c. They therein approved themselves as the Ministers of God 2 Cor. 6. 4 5. c. And this way will be contrary to the world for the world never did so neither can the worlds nature indure it now Then it will be miraculous and so a miracle of Grace and the gracious working of the Divine power of God to uphold and furnish therein To this expressed and expresly send me your Answer with speed either to Thomas Killams at Balbie or to Edward Muglinstons at Swanington in Leicesteshire or else cease your boasting lay down your crown of vain-glory and fall under the judgement of the just and bend your necks under the yoke Let that in the conscience me answer and flesh be thou silent hereafter Written from the Spirit of the Lord in and by the servant of the Lord and also witnessed with my hand who am known to the world by the name Richard Farnsworth The latter end of the third month 55 For the chiefest of those called Manifestarians in or about Boston and Lyan These are to be delivered with care The Answer to the Challenge by Tho. Moor. THough I know not any called Manifestarians nor what manner of persons they apply that name too nor take my self at all included in their Challenge by any of those names inserted yet the Paper being sent to me lest they be wise in their own conceit or take occasion from our silence to glory before the weak and for others good I shall give this brief Answer 1 In their expressions to try our Gods whether Spirit and God bee the true one c. They intimately acknowledge that they do not own or worship the same God that I did confess before them which indeed I beleeve though they then endeavoured to hide it from the people 2 I thank God I am not wavering in my thoughts whether That God That Lord That Spirit which I then confessed be the only true and living God for though there be That are called Gods whether in heaven or in earth as there be gods many and lords many yet to us that through his Grace have been helped in any measure truly to know him that is true to behold him and injoy union with him by faith in his Son There is but one God the Father of whom are all things and one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things and we by him and one Spirit of God proceeding from Father and Son All others are Idols which we are to keep our selves from 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. 1 Joh. 5. 20 21. and not to listen to any spirit that shall move us to inquire after any other God save the Lord Deut. 12. 30. c. and 13. 1 3. Matth. 24. 23 26. Luke 17. 23 24. and Chap. 21. 8. with 1 Joh. 5. 20 21. That is is the true God and eternal life that did appear and was manifested in that one person of God and man which was a man approved of God among them that yet received him not Act. 2. 22. and so the Kingdome of heaven was said to bee among them while he was with them in person and personal Ministration and so also in them in the spiritual influences thereof striving and working in and with them for acceptance the word being made nigh them in the preaching of it Luke 17. 20 21. Rom. 10. 6 8. c. which person in whom only the fulness of the God-head dwels bodily was after to be taken from them personally And then even his Disciples should desire to see one of his dayes namely that of his second Appearing and should not see it until they and we that look for him shall injoy it together Luke 17. 22 23. ult Then shall he swallow up death in victory and wipe away all tears and take away the rebuke of his people In that day it shall he said Lo this is our God and we have waited for him we will be glad and rejoyce in his salvation Isa 25. 7 8 9. For who is God save the Lord and who is a Rock save our God 2 Sam. 22. 32. Therefore I shall wholly refuse any Challenge on these termes To try our Gods c. 3 The things they require are contrary to what the Lord requireth of us by which also I know they were not thereto moved of the Lord as they pretend 1 They require me to follow or go with them where they shall bee led for two weeks together c. Whereas wee are only to follow the Lamb whithersoever he goes which cannot stand with such an ingagement to follow any other spirit whither he may bee led c. yea we are expresly admonished To mark such as cause divisions contrary to the
but took it in writing as matter of accusation against me shewing what Generation you are of such as ever sought accusation against the Son of God where hee is manifest to salvation but who are ignorant of his salvation could never bear the confession of his name And when I confessed the flesh of Christ your carnal reason stormed at it like the blind Jews saying How could I have his flesh in me which one of you after confessed too when he saw the letter declared of it so that further than your carnal reason can read in the lâ—tter You will not beleeve what a Generation would you have been had you lived in the times of the Apostles who preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without such things as the letter said should continue for ever yet they preached them down without and confirmed them within in spirit which is the ground and bottom of all and in which all must end And that the word which became flesh which is ascended they knew to be the Bread of life which they broke and fed on who was their Rule and Mediator But the ground of your Faith is seen and what testimony you bear who say The Scripture is the absolute rule and medium of Faith as thou Thomas Moore didst before the people And when I asked thee if God could not give Faith without it then thou wast forced to deny what thou hadst said But such Doctrine as this thou makest people beleeve who are ignorant and not able to try thy spirit Oh shame with thy preaching If the Scripture be the absolute Rule and medium then Christ is not the absolute Rule unless thou say the Scripture is Christ And thus thou not knowing Christ to rule thee thou settest the letter in his stead for the Rule of Faith But of Abrahams Faith thou are not nor knows it who had an absolute Rule before the Scripture was But this Doctrine excludes all from faith who have not the letter so thou that art a Minister of the Letter preachest another Rule and Faith than ever any of Christs Ministers preached who preached the Word and Faith in the heart of them to whom they preached and Christ in them who is the absolute Rule and ground of Faith and the Law written in their hearts and the Spirit of Truth their rule and guide into all truth and the light in their hearts which gave them the knowledge of God and his glory which never was known by the letter without and Christ saith the Kingdom of God is within you which the Pharisees durst not deny Rom. 10. 8. Hebr. 8. 10 11. Joh. 16. 13. 2 Cor. 4. 6. Luk. 17. 20 21. But thou art more brazened against the truth and wouldest exclude God out of his Kingdom and perswade all thou canst not to look for him within but without lo here lo there But Christ saith Go not forth to such Teachers and thou art found to be one of those he forewarned of and in that work he foretold of which is against him and with the same spirit thou art seen to be an enemy to his Appearance who is the eternal life of his people which is not without the knowledge of God in his Temple for death reigns in the creature where God is not present and this word of Reconciliation thou withstands and all that are led by thee will have cause to curse thee when it is too late and time is spent to no purpose and the day of visitation passed over And from the immediate call which I witness wherewith I am called I do testifie against thy false Doctrine who denies That any have been immediately called since Christ ascended onely those who saw him bodily upon earth and when I instanced Paul thou saidst he saw Christ personally with his bodily eyes when he was called And when I said then must he be come personally again since he ascended then thou saidst Paul was in Heaven and saw him there with bodily eyes when the Scripture saith he was fallen to the earth and saw no man with his bodily eyes being blind three days and such confused stuff thou utteredst forth to uphold thy lyes wherewith thou keepest blind people in Babylon but with the light thou art comprehended thy ground root off-spring and end praised be our Redeemer for ever and in thy paper thou tellest of his seeing Christ after the same manner the other Apostles did Then must it either be bodily upon earth or the other went bodily into Heaven to be called both which are yet unproved by plain Scripture And thy implying is no ground for me to beleeve that which I know is alye and here thou art found preaching another Gospel which no plain Scripture will warrant and all that know God in them sees thee acoursed and thy Antichristian Doctrine who denys the Father and the Son and fellowship with them who hath spoken to his people in all ages and does at this day where the â—ar is circumcised but the serpents seed could never hear him whose ears are open to that wisdom yet canst thou not be content to speak thy own condition but in thy busie mind wouldst exclude others and this is thy work to shut up the Kingdom and deceive the Nations that are without but we are entered and the Elect is witnessed which cannot be deceived and we know him that is in us and we in him onely they who will not own the light such are made to be deceived and over such onely hast thou dominion for a season But thy time is coming to an end that makes thy rage great And thou are forced to utter what testimony thou bearest such as none of Christs ever preached That God is not known in his people Is this thy word of Reconciliation and to what must they be reconciled if not to God And how must they all be taught of God if they must never hear his voyce more but thy Ministry begets not such children nor such sheep thou knows not but opposes who have seen him and heard him such thou callest false witnesses so thou appearest to be a witness to that which thou hast never seen and many such witnesses there are in the Nation who preach up separation instead of reconciliation which pains might be spared amongst them you preach to all having that by nature but that the Devil fears his Kingdom which is onely upholden by ignorance of God in his people whose eyes are blinded but whose eyes are open and have seen him bear witness of him and what we have seen and heard we declare against all false witnesses who have nought but by hear-say from others who have eyes and see not ears and hear not a heart that doth not understand who knows not the spiritual man his eyes and ears and so judge of God to be like themselves as thy companion did say That God had neither eye nor ear nor heart and thus with your carnal imaginations you will judge of
Mark 14. 62. If after all this it be replied Can flesh and blood enter into the Kingdome of heaven We answer No Neither can corruption inherit incorruption 1 Cor. 15. 50. which latter clause in that verse as well as what follows We shall not all sleep but we shall all be changed shews That by flesh and blood is meant the body in this its mortal state which same body shall bee raised though in another state as it was in the person of Jesus and so though flesh and blood cannot yet the same flesh and bones the blood as the life was in it being poured out and gone the same body in the Resurrection spirituallized and immortalized is entred and set on the Throne and so shall all his in their bodies in which now they suffer when so changed inherit the Kingdome prepared for them with him for ever If any say What weight is there in this acknowledgement that it should be so earnestly contended for or that so much danger should be conceived in the sleighting of it what relation hath it to the ground or foundation of our faith or hope I answer It is that in which all the ground and foundation of our faith and hope was finished or perfected and without which all done before had been nothing for even as if Jesus in the same nature and body in which he suffered had not been raised from the dead and therein taken from the prison as a discharge of our debt in him we had been yet in our sins whatever he had suffered and faith in him had been vain 1 Cor. 15. 17. The same may be and is affirmed concerning the necessity of his ascension and presenting and offering that sacrifice to the Father in that most glorious presence of him from which we stood condemned and being there received and accepted And abiding for ever a high Priest of good things to come after the order of Melchizedeck for if he were on earth hee could not be a Priest after this order to abide for ever Heb. 8. 1 4. For such a High Priest became us who is holy harmless undefiled separate from sinners made higher than the heavens who needeth not daily to offer as those Priests c. Heb. 7. 25 26 27. If he could have carried his sacrifice no higher than the former Priests even into heaven it self and there presented it in the most glorious presence of God and if it had not been for the worth value and excellency of it accepted there and so hee with it or he himself accepted and set down as the perfect Sacrifice and Sacrificer he must then have offered again and could never with such offerings have made the commers perfect therefore the infinit perfection of his Sacrifice and Righteousness in the discovery of which all other righteousness is decryed is by the Spirit demonstrated in this That hee is gone to the Father and wee see him no more sent down to suffer or offer for sin Joh. 16. 10. Heb. 10. 1-10 11 12. Yea if he had not ascended on high he could not have been so glorified in our nature as was the end of his suffering and as was needful for us he could not have received in the man and so for men that eternal redemption which he had obtained through sufferings and so that plentious furniture of gifts for men even for the Rebellious that the Lord might dwel among them and that to that purpose he might fill all things with the influences and vertues of his sufferings give the peculiar gifts to the Church Heb. 9. 12 14 15. Ps 68. 18 19 20. Eph. 4. 8. 10 11. He could not have been glorified with the Fathers own self fully and perfectly in our nature and for us even with the glory he had with the Father before the world was If he had not ascended and gone up into heaven and remained there in that body glorified by vertue of sufferings for sin presenting therein the infinite vertue of those sufferings for otherwise the glory of God could never have been brought down amongst or unto men nor men received into it so that he could not have been a High Priest for ever and of good things to come if he were on the earth but now hee is entred into the heavens themselves there to appear in the presence of God for us there to sprinckie the Mercy-seat with the continual presentation of the infinite and abiding vertue of his blood in that body in our nature and person by vertue thereof and to all the ends for which he suffered raysed and glorified in the presence of God where we need the perfect Sacrifice and high Priest to abide for ever and he is both in that one body and in such exaltation perfected and finished In the Name and Anointing of the Father a Prince and a Saviour Act. 5. 30 31. That from thence the goodness of God may come forth in all things and to all men and his presence with his people And therefore also he is able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him seeing he ever liveth with the Father for them God hath given him glory that our faith and hope might be in God by and through him 1 Pet. 1. 21. And truly we could have no ground of hope of the resurrection and glorifying our bodies that they may dwel for ever with the Lord even in that light into which no man can now approach If our Surety and Fore-runner were not for us already entred which thing also was vertually done from the foundation of the world as soon as we had need of him there If our nature in him were not received up into glory even now before the glory of God be or can be fully and gloriously brought down to us as it shall be when there shal be new heavens and new earth we could not be received into his glory with him It was needfull for him to go away to ascend to his Father and ours in and through him that so with him he might prepare everlasting Mansions for us and from thence come again and receive us to himself that we might be with him for ever as well as it was also needful for him so personally to go away into heaven and there to appear in the presence of God for us as the perfect Sacrifice and Mediator that thence in the Name of the Father influences of Grace and Spirit might here be sent forth to us to guide our feet in the way of peace and prepare us for the glory to be revealed Joh. 14. 1 2 3. and 16. 7. with Chap. 20. 17. whence its mentioned as the bottome and ground of the beleevers consolation and incouragement Wee have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the righteous and he is the propitiation for our sins and not for ours only but also for the whole world This is a material branch in that bottome of our consolation and that in which all of
AN ANTIDOTE AGAINST The spreading Infections of the spirit of Antichrist abounding in these last Days under many Vizors BEING A Discovery of a Lying and Antichristian Spirit in some of those called Quakers and therein some opening clearing and Vindicating of the Great things of Gods Law or Doctrin mainly struck at by them as concerning the Person of Christ and the Works done in that Person for us the infinite and abiding vertue of them and of them only for the taking away our Sin and concerning his Second appearing and the Glory then to be revealed Likewise concerning the Scriptures IN Relation of what passed in writing between them and Thomas Moore Junior after and upon occasion of a Meeting at Glentworth with the sum of what was discoursed at that Meeting also as likewise Of divers Queries from some of them about Cambridge with the Answers to them BY THO. MOORE Junior Prov. 5. 6 7 8. Lest thou shouldest ponder the path of life her ways are moveable that thou canst not know them Hear me now therefore O yee Children and depart not from the words of my mouth Remove thy way farre from her c. Chap. 14. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lip of knowledge Psal 17. 4. Concerning the works of men by the word of thy lips I have kept me from the paths of the destroyer Printed at London by R. Ibbitson for Livewell Chapman at the Crown in Popes-head Alley 1655. The Epistle to the Reader OR A Preface to the following Discourse Christian Reader THe Occasion of my offering what follows to thy view with the Reasons and End take as follows And first To the Occasion My self and others being invited by Mr. John Wray to his house to bâ—get Christian acquaintance to the end wee might have fellowship and furtherance in the Gospel and be strengthened to strive together for the faith of it Upon our meeting there we understood that divers of those called Quakers that had been lately very busie thereabouts had notice of that our meeting But that some of them had also signified their resolutions not to be at it even some of the chief of them that yet did come to it How ever Mr. Wray desired that for the profit of those many people that were presently met together and for the preparing their understandings for what discourse might afterwards happen between us and the Quakers if they should come as well as for the laying some foundation for discourse that it might be the more regular and profitable That I say for these ends some of us should first assert and open to the people some of those great things of Gods Law or Doctrine that are Fundamentals in the Gospel of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ And that we did conceive Satan especially to strike against in these latter days and so which might be most profitable at this time to be discoursed This service falling upon me I did first mind the people of those many warnings given us by the Holy Ghost of the perillousness of the last times by reason of the abounding of iniquity even spiritual wickedness under glorious pretence and shew of godliness and righteousness yet under such a vizor denying the power the root and foundation of godliness whence all motive and motion to all right worship of God comes being the enemies to the cross of Christ however in shew zealous walkers humble and mortified persons yea that iniquity should abound in such manner chiefly at such times as when thereg should be some â—batement to bodily persecution that so there might be some equal proportion of persecutions or trials in all ages to be sustained by them that will live godly in Christ Jesus and for the manifesting who are approved among the many Professors of godliness and that this last sort of Trials and Temptations are especially to abound in the last days and to continue till the time of the end Dan. 11 34 35. 2 Tim. 3. 12 13. with 1 Cor. 11. 19. 2 Thes 2. 3 10. 2 Pet. 2. 1 2. and that this sort of Temptations and Trials are every where signified to be the most dangerous for beguiling unstable souls yea for corrupting and subverting even such as were going right on their way from the simplicity in Jesus See the Epistle of Jude 2 Pet. 2. 2 Cor. 11. 2 Tim. 3. Phil. 3. 17 18 19. the consideration of which I told them should be of this use to us to move us to give more earnest heed to the things that we had heard from the beginning in the Word of the beginning of Christ as 1 Cor. 15. Hebr. 2. 1 3. 2 Pet. 1. 12 to the end with Chap. 2. 1. To receive and drink down his Word into our hearts with more greediness and to let it dwell there to be filled with the Spirit to continue in the things that we had learned through she Apostles Doctrin and been assured of by the evidence and demonstration of the Spirit therein as Ephes 5. 16 17. 18. Colos 3. 16. 2 Tim. 3. 13 14 15. And thereupon I took occasion to open to them some of those great things of Gods Law or Doctrin which are the summary and fundamental matter of Gods Teaching and so to be earnestly heeded and continued in by us and the main things secretly and intentionally though under other pretences struck at by Satan in these latter days As concerning the person of Christ of God and of Man and that that very Jesus of Nazareth the Word that was then and so made Flesh is the very Christ and concerning the works done in and by that person for us and the infinite and abiding vertues of those works as remaining in that Person in our Nature glorified in the Heavens with the Father for us and the infinite Love and Glory of the Father as appearing in that face of Christ as revealed in the glorious Gospel of him who is the Image of God in whom God was manifested in the Flesh justified in the Spirit c. as 1 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 4. 4 6. And concerning the Second and glorious appearing of that Person promised and yet to be expected and waited for by all Beleevers with the glory then to be revealed the sum of what I said to most of those things is occasionally inserted in the following Discourse chiefly in the Answer to 1. N's Letter after which I also added a word or two to the way or manner of Gods giving us the knowledge of these things of himself in his Son that so we might be instructed in the way of being assured of the truth and goodness of them and of tasting the sweetness and efficacy of them to the preparing and preserving us through faith unto the Salvation ready to be revealed in the last time to this I told them First The way of Gods learning or giving the knowledge of the truth and goodness of these things is not
doctrine which we have learned in the word of the truth of the Gospel compare Rom. 16 17. with Col. 1. 5. and 1 Cor. 15. 1 4. and to avoid them for they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ but their own belly their lust will or spirit or the light in them which is darkness what ever it be if it spring not from the person of Christ as declared in the Gospel who is even so the true light they magnifie not Jesus but themselves in the internal or external operations of their own spirits And by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple under pretence and shew of godliness they deny the power and root of godliness are the enemies to the Cross of Christ his personal sufferings and the only vertuousness of them for the taking away our sin and the love and glory of God as appearing in that face of him This they seek to undermine and sleight under pretence of magaifying Christ in them glorying therein in that which is their shame their internal proof of the mystery of iniquity with power and signs and with all dâ—ceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish from the faith for in them only it hath efficacie Phil. 3. 17 18. 2 Thess 2. 9 10 11. from such I say we are streightly admonished of the Lord To turn away 2 Tim. 3. 5. If any man love not the Lord Jesus Christ let him be Anathema Maranatha 1 Cor. 16. 22. If any pretend to acknowledge Christ and yet lift not up praise not magnifie not above all and unto and for all things pertaining to life and godliness the Son of man Jesus Christ as now already come in the flesh and through sufferings entred into glory for us as the only ground and foundation of our faith and matter of our rejoycing and song to others and fountain of our teaching that is that spirit of Antichrist not to be followed it s indeed not only against Christ but his most pernicious enemy being a contrary Anointing from which we are to flye at least as soon as we perceive it in any as Prov. 14. 7. Go from the presence of a foolish man when thou perceivest not in him the lips of knowledge which I oft after hearing some of their Discourse declared and as I could get liberty thus demonstrated I perceived not to be in them but the lip of a contrary Anointing and yet they are tempting me to follow after them a company and go with them night and day though they know such are my apprehensions concerning them Now whether it be right in the sight of God that I shal obey God or them in thâ—â— let others judge yea I wil in the strength of Gods grace observe the directions of the great Shepherd when any shall say Lo here or lo there is Christ either in this form of Church or State-government or in this order or as these in the secret chambers in some internal operations as found and accomplished in them in such manner as we cannot discern it unless wee lay aside all that knowledge of God in Christ we have received through and according to his word as fleshly â—o go after them appearing the second time without sin unto salvation and accomplishing that rest and hope of glory and perfection now in and upon them which we through the Spirit wait for to be revealed in the Resurrection of the dead when we shall all be gathered together to it which and more to that purpose was Naylors and Farnsworths witness concerning themselves we are I say expresly admonâ—shed then not to go after such and that for this reason in which we are fortified against their juggling That the coming of the Son of man that day of his second appearing in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels should certainly be as the lightning from the one end of the heaven to the other at once accomplished to them altogether and visible to every eye even to those that shall weep and wail because of it Matth. 24. 26 27. Luke 17. 22 23 24. Rev. 1. 7. Therefore if a Prophet or Dreamer of dreams should tell us of a sign or a wonder and that also should come to pass as we know Antichrist shall come with signs and wonders in the latter dayes to move us to turn aside from following the Lord or to inquire after another God or to take us off from our waiting for his Son from heaven whom he hath raised from the dead we will not hearken to them nor go in company with such wicked men as Deut. 13. 1 2 3. and 28. 14. Psal 1. 1 2 3. 2 They require me to eat no food c. Whereas our Saviour bids his Disciples even those great Apostles who were to give forth the last and fullest Revelation of the Gospel for obedience to the faith among all Nations which was in that first publication of it to be confirmed with Miracles by them also even then when he gives them power in his Name to heal the sick c. yet then he bids them twice together eat and drink such things as they give and set before them among whom they went preaching Luke 10. 7 8. And the Apostle Paul tells Timothy They are Doctrines of Devils that command to abstain from meats which God hath created to be received and that with thanksgiving of them that beleeve and know the truth c. 1 Tim. 4. 3. I shall therefore answer them as our Saviour doth the Devil in a like case It is written thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God 3 They require me to lay aside all books c. the holy Scriptures not excepted Whereas the Holy Ghost tells us he hath therefore written to us excellent things that so our trust may be in the Lord and we may have those words as written and left in record for and to us to answer all that are sent to us Prov. 22. 17. 21. and commends to us the example of a better Preacher than any of them in this That he sought out acceptable safe profitable and plain words for the people and in his search found That which was written was upright words of truth Eccles 12. 10 11. and renders it as part of the character of a godly man he exerciseth himself in the Law or doctrine of the Lord both day and night Psal 1. 2. yea the same holy Spirit commands Timothy to give attendance to reading to exhortation to doctrine to meditate on and give himself wholly to these things and in so doing study to shew himself approved a workman that needs not be ashamed 1 Tim. 4. and 2. 15. But these spirits lay their commands upon us not so much as to look on them in the Records left us in Books neither night nor day A notable peece of policy For if they can but keep us from going to the Law and to the Testimony with their internal light or power they
14. 21. 23. and 15. 1-4 5 7 c. though such as were never firmed in that foundation especially being kept from firmness therein through retaining divers lusts and such as after knowledge of the truth received do wilfully sleight reject and turn away from that preaching of the Cross as foolishness having itching ears to listen or inquire after any thing that may be plausible and also suitable to some lust of their own yet secretly retained and pursued though such I say may be and are turned aside to fables and led captive by such spirits Therefore let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity 2 Tim. 2. 19-22 and 3. 6 7. and 4. 1-4 Joh 15. 6. But to return to our present business in that which was said to the discovery of his abuse of these Scriptures and against his witness concerning himself yet there was no mention of his abuse of those two Scriptures fore-mentioned nor at any other time in our discourse with you that I know of but being in this false accusation thus propounded as those in which so great strength lyes for you that you have thought fit for them to wave that in 2 Cor. 4. 10 11. as more inconsiderable to your purpose we shall a little consider what they say That Col. 1. 27. saith That Christ in or amongst the beleevers The hope of glory And indeed he is so amongst them all and in or unto all of them for they are all called in one hope of their calling both in respect of the ground and foundation of their hope and in respect of the end of it the things hoped for And truly Jesus Christ and so the Father in him is the original summary and fundamental matter of it in both respects but it is that same Jesus Christ and not another which they had preached in the Gospel to every man see vers 28. and indeed there is but one Lord and not another Jesus not one in the heavens sitting on the right hand of God and another dwelling in us but that same Jesus that is in our nature in that body then and so prepared for him as before set down on the Right hand of Majesty in the heavens even he that person that is personalâ—y absent from the beleever is dwelling in the beleevers heart by faith of and in him and so the Father in and through Christ 2 Cor. 5. 6. 7. Eph. 3. 17-19 1 Pet. 1. 8. Joh. 12. 45. Yea it is that same Jesus after that consideration of him also as in that his own personal body He was delivered to death for our offences and raised again for our justification And so in the vertues thereof is become a perfect Saviour Propitiation High Priest c. And so able to save to the utmost all that come to God by him even as he is preached in the Gospel to every man That is even so in the beleevers heart by faith for he is yesterday and to day and for ever the same And after the same consideration of him he is being received by faith which is the evidence of things not seen in and to the beleever the only bottome ground and foundation of all his faith and hope in God both in respect of the promise of this life and that to come yea the thing hoped for he in through and with whom all things are expected as he is now given virtually and spiritually in the testimony of him so all things pertaining to life and godliness are given in and with him in a like manner and to be enjoyed by faith in him and in the first fruits of the Spirit And when he shall appear again personally in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels then all things fore-mentioned to be given with him in such manner as to be enjoyed by way of actual possession in fulness and glory and in such enjoyment of his personal presence for ever even the fulness of all spiritual blessings which now we are blessed with in Christ our Treasury and the total and eternal redemption of the body of this glory Christ is in and to our hearts the hope not the possession nor do we possess the glory for then hope should cease but if we hope for that wee see not which indeed we do when Christ our fore-runner is our hope as aforesaid then do we with patience wait for it Surely this Scripture is far from telling us That the glory glorious rest Kingdome and enjoyment of promises which the Fathers dyed in the faith and hope of not having received them was now revealed in and upon them it signifies fully the contrary in saying Christ was in and to them the hope of it Like to this is that 2 Cor. 13. 5. A rule given to prove themselves by whether they be in the faith in that one faith of Gods operation and in which they should be accepted and approved The Rule is Jesus Christ is in you or else yee are unapproved yea stand as disallowed disowned in the Apostles Doctrine and so in Heaven as being not in the faith The thing here to be considered is How Christ is in them If thâ—y be indeed in the faith surely that is easily understood if we consider this Rule of Tryal as it hath relation to the thing to be tryed or proved which is Whether we be in the faith not Whether we be in the actual possession Sure then or for that there will be no need of such trying and proving nor to say one to another know the Lord when tâ—ey shall all know him from the least to the greatest even as they are known which they shall do in that day when that Covenant which is now given them in and with Christ and as he is given shall be fully performed But now while they need to try and prove themselves whether they be in the Faith which is the evidence of things not seen and the confidence of things hoped for that is thus to be proved If Jesus Christ â—nd there is but one Christ and after the same consideration as before if he be in them that can be no otherwise than as before as in his testimony declared the ground and foundation of their faith and hope the matter beleeved and object beleeved in then their faith is of God and centuring in God even the Father for he that seeth him seeth him that sent him and he that beleeveth on him beleeveth on him that sent him he is come a light into the world that whosoever beleeveth in him should not abide in darkness Joh. 12. 44-46 3 Thy third Slander is That I said Paul was in Heaven when he saw the person of Christ there with bodilyeies Truly this also is wholly without any colour of ground from any thing I said or writ That Paul had an immediate demonstration of the person o Christ even of the glorified body in the Heavens and did hear the word of his mouth even receive
is ascended into the heavens after the like unto which consideration David is not ascended but dead and buried And after what consideration is that otherwise than in that body in the humane nature which is now received up into glory even therein and so God hath actually fully and gloriously made that same Jesus whom they crucified both Lord and Christ See Act. 2. 22-36 and 5. 30 31. And the Heavens must receive him till the restitution of all things Act. 3. 21. In the heavens being opened Stephen saw the Son of man standing on the right hand of God signifying his readiness and power to help and stand by his suffering Saints even the same that descended into the lower parts of the earth is ascended up far above all heavens Within the reach of our sight or comprehension of our mind as here below without some supernatural demonstration and strenthning to behold when t is affirmed Stephen saw the heavens opened and the Son of man standing c. Eph. 4. 8-10 Heb. 4. 14. If any shall here think to amuse us with such Questions As are we sure what is meant or signified by the word Heaven when used in this case that is what is meant by that heaven or those heavens into which our Forerunner in our nature is entred and in which he is received untill the restitution of all things whether is meant thereby a place on high in which that one personal body resideth or some state of glory dignity or spirituality into which Christ might pass or ascend For Answer to this We say first let it be remembred That it is distinctly proved That it is Christ after the same consideration of him in which he was laid in the Sepulchre I mean in that body in our nature which they slew the same though not in the same quality but raised a spiritual and glorious body that is ascended and not as this foolish question would in the issue of it lead us to conceive Christ passing out of flesh into spirit or out of that body into an imagination as we may truly call it in the bodies and souls of others This being remembred which also will again appear in our Answer we answer thus That by heaven may sometime bee meant some state or condition of happiness or glory as well as a place we shall not oppose but the Question here being only what is meant or signified by Heaven or the Heavens when Jesus Christ his ascending into them and being there received is spoken of to that we answer Most frequently when so spoken of it signifies directly and only speaks expresly of the place into which hee is gone in that body and where he is received untill the restitution of all things and not of the state of dignity or glory which he there possesseth that is usually signified by another phrase joyned with his ascension into Heaven namely his sitting down on the right hand of God on the right hand of power and of the Throne of Majesty in the Heavens observe That word in the Heavens signifies the place in which he is so dignified The word when so used alwayes especially means it and frequently speaks only expresly of the place c. And what that is we thus far farther answer in which farther Answer we shall more fully demonstrate the truth of what is said 1 The Heavens or that place of glory or heavenly places on high where the most glorious being dwelling and presence of the Essence and Majesty of God is who though in râ—spect of his inspections influences and operations he be every where and in his gracious spiritual presence and manifested nighness in and through his Son dwelling in Son even in the hearts and societies of his people yet in respect of the most glorious presencâ— and dwelling of the Essence of his Majesty he dwelleth in the light into which no man no meer man as from Adam can approach whom no man hath seen at any time nor can see 1 Tim. 6. 16. Joh. 1. 18. The Lords Throne is in Heaven Psal 11. 4. In heaven as opposed to the earth where we are so heaven is exprâ—sly said to be the place of his habitation from whence he looketh upon all the inhabitants of the earth Psal 33. 13 14. God is in heaven and thou on the earth saith the Preacher Eccles 5. 2. therefore let thy words be few in prayers or speaking to God as considering his Greatness and Majesty so infinitly above thee and his perfect discerning of thy thought afar off which is therein signified for from heaven where is the Throne of his Majesty he perfectly beholdeth all the sons of men His eyes behold his eye-lids try the children of men yea the greatness of his glory is signified in its being so far above us and unapproachable by us O Lord our Lord how excellent is thy name in all the earth Thou hast set thy glory above the heavens Whence also our Saviour directs us That in all prayers this be commemorated in our acknowledgement of the Father That he is in heaven likewise examples and instructions are frequent in Scripture to the use of that gesture of lifting up the eyes to heaven in our prayers prayses c. With the Father in the heavens even in that light into which no meer man can approach is that Son of man that is the only begotten Son of God appearing in his most glorious presence in the heavens themselves 1 Joh. 2. 1. Heb. 9. 24. set on the Throne of his Majesty in the heavens not on the earth Heb. 8. 1. 4. with Chap. 7. 26. 2 The heavens as opposed to the earth to that earth where the Disciples were and where while they remained he was parted from them in his being carryed up into heaven and where while they did or we do remain we are personally absent from that person and have not him personally with us as he is in heaven in the time of this our mortality See the Scriptures forecited with that 2 Cor. 5. and Matth. 26. 11. Mark 14. 7. Joh. 12. 8. The highest heavens as opposed to the lower parts of the earth where he was buried Eph. 4. 8-10 The heavens are opposed to the earth where the former high Priests served Heb. 8. 4. 3 The heavens from which at his second appearing he shall descend or come down We look for the Saviour from heaven Phil. 3. 10. Wait for his Son from heaven 1 Thess 1. 10. The Lord himself shall descend from heaven 1 Thess 4. 16. where by heaven cannot be meant his state of dignity and glory but his place only in which he is now received for us and possesseth that glory for in respect of his state of dignity and glory as he is personally glorified in and with it he shall never descend or come lower but keep his station even then when he shall be seen coming in the clouds of heaven yet still sitting on the Right hand of God
sensual and earthly things under pretence of spirituality we desire to have our conversation in Heaven where the person of Christ in that body in our nature our treasury is received by the Father from whence we look for the Savior the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body by that mighty power by which he is able to subdue even all things unto himself as Phil. 3. 7. to the end Heb. 12. 1 2. I have been large in these things forementioned if it may be for thy good if not my confidence is in him that others will hear and shall fully reap the benefit when he that is now received in the Heavens shall from thence appear in his glory to our everlasting comfort and you shall be ashamed world without end To the rest of thy Slanders I shall speak briefly 4 To thy Fifth Slander That I said I had not the same testimony the Apostles had This also is altogether groundless from any thing thou hadst from me I did as much as I could avoyd the speaking of my self because I dare not make my self of the number of some that commend themselves measuring themselves by themselves c. 2 Cor. 10. 12. what they are now with what they were before and with what others now are as the Pharisee Luk. 18. 11 12. and the false Apostles 2 Cor. 11. 12-18 c. 2 Thes 2. Knowing also that he that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory Joh. 7 18. I was willing to leave that to such proud boasters as 2 Tim. 3. to exalt themselves and smite others on the face to their reproach and shame as 2 Corinth 11. 20 21. That which I said was of Timothy and all other secondary Ministers of the Gospel since the first trusters in Christ who received their word immediately from his person all since and so including my self yea happily I might when put upon it acknowledge the same particularly concerning my self that they do not receive their word furniture or mission immediately from the person of Christ as the first Apostles did But mediately in beleeving through their word as more fully in discourse and in answer to your challenge But was not this often in the same discourse told thee and is it not full in the paper sent thee and in so many words that the word or testimony was and is the same for those Apostles gave it in his name for obedience to the faith among all Nations but the manner of receiving it from him various and so in some sense the Call the same also though the manner of the work to which called in some things different so the manner of their receiving it and being made of the number called to such peculiar service or canst thou not distinguish between the testimony it self and the manner of receiving it I fear it s not so much weakness as wilfulness 5 To your Sixth and eighth Slander as fore-mentioned viz. That I charged you with Burglary and breaking into the house and that Mr. Wray commanded you to depart his house I Answer You know the falseness of these as of the rest To the first I remember that on some occasion I told you I would not commit Burglary or break into any mans house you then would fain have catched something of it as intimately charging you with doing so the day before to which I then told you I did not so charge any of you nor think otherwise but that you had very fair leave to come and stay though all that you say to that I beleeve not viz. That you were sent for Happily you might have notice of our meeting there but that I am sure was not by any desire of ours nor did I know that was any occasion or end of our meeting but as I heard by flying reports onely was desired to come and give them a visit by him that best might inâ—ite mee to that house To the next which at least you imply That Mr. Wray commanded you to depart It is like all the rest you know he invited you all to Dinner and told you you should be all welcome though I think you were most of you too scornful to accept it And the reason he desired us to meet in the publick after was onely for conveniency of room because of the multitude of the people nor did you then say any thing against meeting there onely when you perceived it was not like easily to be prevented you spake against breaking up a while for a Dinner but that also you did in such language as you might reasonably think would rather provoke not to listen to your proposal therein And doubtless what ever you pretend you were glad of the occasion to be gone I question noâ— but you would have come freely enough to the other place as we were all desired had you looked for any advantage to your Design of marring the visage of the Son of Man 6 To thy Seventh Slander That any of my companions should say That God had neither Eyes nor Ears nor Heart This also I know to be like the rest for I am sure I heard no discourse of that nature and I was never in any time of discourse so far from thee that thou couldst hear it and not I And whoever of thy companions told thee it I know it to be false because I know them better than thee or thy companions do happily they might say That God even the Father hath not eyes ears c. as a man nor seeth as man seeth and possibly also they might be cut off or interrupted in the midst of some such saying by your incivilities as at other times but this Slander may be as well without any colour of ground as all the rest and the same I do on good ground judge of what thou saidst of one of us confessing that which thou hadst acknowledged about Christs flesh in thee we bless God we all know the flesh of Christ is now to be fed on and enjoyed by faith in through and according to the testimony of it and its vertues brought us in his words which are spirit and life and not otherwise Many more of thy slanders might be discovered as that That I was forced by thee to deny what I had said about the Scriptures Truly if I had used any expressions not so safe or warrantable I hope I should willingly being so convict have left them for better and I think I should therein have done better than thou didst in standing to maintain so oft and seriously these very expressions That God was hurt with mens sins when as the Scripture saith plainly If thou sinnest what dost thou to him Thy wickedness may hurt a man as thou art c. Job 35. 7 8. But I know nothing that I did or need to deny or go from that I said but thou hast mentioned nothing of my sayings right either in that or
within you in the midst of you or among you its clear by what follows That this first part of his Answer speaks of the first appearance of that Kingdom in that person the Messiah the King the Lord and Saviour whose first appearance was not with outward glory and pomp of this world as they looked for but in weakness and abasement and this was he that was now personally among them and approved by God among them by miracles and signs which God wrought by him in the midst of them as they themselves did also know for he was annointed with the holy Ghost and with power by which his word and works were spiritually demonstrated in them or to their hearts Act. 2. 22. 10. 38. and so the word of the Kingdom nigh them in their hearts as Rom. 10 And so while this person was with and amongst them in his personal ministration The Kingdom was also in them in the spiritual discoveryes of it working for acceptance with them for as long as hee was in the world he was the light of the World in his personal ministration and these persons had seen and hated him and his Father Joh. 9. 5. and 15. 24. in this sense The Kingdom of Heaven was so among them as in former ages it had not been among any for the Law and the Prophets were untill John and from that time the Kingdom of Heaven was preached Luk. 16. 16. And yet stil the person and the works of and in that person in and through which the Kingdom was brought nigh them and in the midst of them was distinct from them But thus demonstrated in this first appearance and in the works by him then accomplished among them Now observe what follows And he said unto the Disciples the days will come when ye shall desire to see one of the days of the Son of man and shall not see it It seems this was one of the daies of the Son of man which they did see in which the Kingdom of God was among them And that this which they did see was the first of them namely the first day of Christs appearing personally on earth and in the nature of man appears in that he saith Luk. 10. 24. Matth. 13. 17. That many Prophets Kings and righteous men had desired to see those things they did see in this appearance of the Son of Man and had not seen them None of the Fathers before saw his day not the first of them as actually revealed and accomplished in their time and among them as these Disciples and spectators did Though they did see his day by faith and so the things to be done by him in his first and second Appearance yet it was so as afar off in respect of the actual revelation and accomplishment of them and as things to come compare Joh. 8. 56. with Heb. 11. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 10. 11 12. Therefore that day of the Son of Man which now they did see in which the Kingdom of Heaven was brought among them and therein made nigh them in their hearts by spiritual demonstration as before that was the first day of the Son of man not the second as the abuse of it to the fore-mentioned purpose would perswade us Neither did his own Disciples yet desire to see another day of the Son of Man certainly knowing that this was the Messiah and ignorantly hoping that he would presently at this time of his appearing restore the Kingdom to Israel Luk. 24. 21. Act. 1. 6. But our Savior here instructs them and that by way of further answer to the Pharisees question When the Kingdom of God should come That that day of the Son of man in which he should appear in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels in which Gods Kingdom should come to be revealed in the glorious state of it was not yet accomplished amongst or unto any no not to those his own Disciples yea that should be another day of the Son of man distinct from this a second appearing which also was to be waited for by them during the time of this mortality they should desire to see it and should not see it And herewith our Savior also admonisheth them That when any should say to them with respect to this second Day of the Son of Man and the blessed hope and glorious Kingdom then to be revealed See here or see there it is accomplished or fulfilled in this or that secret and mystical way and in or to this person or that though you yet discern it not that they should not go after or follow such and that for this reason For as the lightning that commeth out of the one part under Heaven shineth unto the other part under Heaven so shall the Son of man be in his day Whence also he compares it to the days of Noah and of Lot for the suddenness of it and its universality to all at once even to all the surviving Enemies such as shall weep and wail because of it and not onely the surviving friends but all those that sleep in Jesus that have part in the first Resurrection though the rest of the dead shall not live again so immediately or presently on his appearing nor till some time after yet these the children of the first Resurrection shall together be raised and changed into the likeness of his glorious body To signifie which further unto them our Savior at the latter end of this Chapter in Answer to their Question Where this should be saith Wheresoever the carkass is thither will the Eagles be gathered together That so they may be quiet as those that have no need to be too solicitous or inquisitive to know where or when any further than is plainly revealed because it shall be as the lightning c. as before let them now follow him in the regeneration and they shall be all gathered together in and unto that glorious day of the Son of man when it comes And indeed their onely privilege and benefit by that second day of the Son of man that by his grace appearing through his first day are begotten to faith and hope in him and so moved to wait for him is signified by our Saviours turning his speech in this second part of his Answer to the Pharisees Question from the Pharisees and directing it to his Disciples They onely may look and long for that day with desire and joy His first Personal Appearance was not nor is his ministerial and spiritual comings forth to men to judge but to save the world and that through him the world might be saved But his second Personal Appearance shall be to judge and render to every man according to his work according to the Rule of the Gospel that shall be onely to the salvation of them that through his grace are here begotten to hope in him and look for him the rest shall be ashamed and confounded for ever Those that have rejected his grace
extended to them and striving with them through his first Personal Appearance through which all the Grace of God bringing salvation to all men came forth in all ages shall have no day of grace nor any such nigh coming of the Kingdom either in it self or in the word or tender of it afforded them in and by his second day as the fore-mentioned abuse of this Scripture would signifie to us in urging that first part of the Answer of our Saviour to the Pharisees vers 20. 21. for proof of the second appearing of Christ accomplished to and in men now in this day which thing signified namely That the second Appearing of Jesus Christ in the flesh and in the Spirit his coming again since his Ascension c. as in the forementioned expressions of thy Discourse and Letter was accomplished in those Pharisees there spoken to who yet had not owned him in his first appearance is also quite contrary to your own principles and expressions too in other parts of your discourse and writings in which you signifie it to be the peculiar privilege of your selves and such others to have experimented Christs coming again in you since his Ascension and this accomplished in some late operations in you many of which Farnsworth boasted of which you signified us all along and all others that would not admire and worship you to be strangers to yet now this Scripture must be brought and urged again and again to prove the said coming of Christ again in Flesh and Spirit after his Ascension c. to have been now accomplished in these Pharisees that were not yet the Disciples of Christ nor had owned him in his first Appearance and at this time also in which our Saviour himself affirmeth He was not yet ascended Joh. 20. 17. and the Holy Ghost saith the like of him Joh. 7. 39. Herein is the truth of those Scriptures verified in you that tell us Such men as have not faith or are of no judgement concerning the faith of and in that person they are also unreasonable or absurd men their own sayings and principles will not stand one by another for indeed themselves understand not what they say nor whereof they affirm But I shall wave the further notice of your Absurdities in this and proceed in the consideration of what may be more for our commodity and instruction and for yours also if not too late or you be not too proud to receive it See I pray you how to this second day of the Son of man which hee hath said his own Disciples should desire to see and should not see till they and we all the Disciples be gathered together our Saviour speaks further in the beginning of Chap. 18. Instructing us by a Parable alwayes to pray watch and be as men longing and waiting for it and not to faint or take up short assuring us That God will much more readily willingly speedâ—ly than the unjust Judge who yet was overcome by Importunity avenge his Elect and that speedily which he plainly signifies he will then and not till then fully do in that day of the Son of man yet to come and to be waited for by them all as 2 Thess 1. 6-9 10. and 2. 1. 2. Yet the Lord is not slack as men count slackness but his forbearance is salvation he is not willing that any should perish and therefore waits that he may be gracious as 2 Pet. 3. 9. c. Isa 30. â—8 But he that shall come will certainly come who ever scoff at the promise of it and will not tarry longer than his time Yea the Lord will hasten the work c. of his faithfulness and truth in which he hath also given assurance in what he hath already done Nevertheless saith our Saviour when he the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth Surely he signifies but little few will be found in the expectation and waiting for his coming most that pretend to magnifie him will before that day have taken up short as if it were already accomplished in this or in that others almost discouraged and damped through the abounding of iniquity c. The other Scripture that was perverted by thee to the fore-mentioned purpose in thy second dayes Discourse is That saying of our Saviour Joh. 14. 3. If I go and prepare a place for you I will come again and receive you to my self that where I am ye may be also Is it not clear that that shall be accomplished to them altogether And then and not till then when he shall bring all that sleep in Jesus with him compare this with 1 Thâ—ss 4. 14-16 17. They did indeed see him again after he was a while taken from them by death hee being raised appeared to them many times before his Ascension and they were therein comforted and confirmed and happily therein there might be some first fulfillings of that promise Joh. 16. 16. c. A little while and ye shall see me again because I go to the Father But as that text speaks not expresly of his coming again though it shall then have its full and perfect fulfilling so in that first fulfilling of it though they did see him again yet was not that properly his coming again but farther demonstrations of that first appearance and of the works done in that person therein and thereby And truly because he was to go to the Father they had those demonstrations of the person that did ascend in our nature before he did so And because he is gone to the Father he also shall come again in his day and receive them to himself as Joh. 14. 3. The ground of all our consolation and hope as before being made compleat in this That we have an Advocate the Son of God in our nature even in that body in which he bore our sins to the Tree in heaven with the Father From whence namely from heaven we also look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile body that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body by that mighty working by which he is able to subdue even all things to himself The other parts of my charge follow necessarily this first being so fully shewed and therefore with more brevity may be passed over as to say in the next place 2 That thou movest us to listen to and receive another Spirit than that which is in and with that hearing of faith Gal. 3. 1. 3. For is not the Lord himself in that revelation of him or the testimony of Jesus even as committed to the Apostles to be ministred and as preached by them that Spirit of Prophesie that Spirit prophesied of and that now fits for Prophesie and is the life and quintessence of Prophesie compare 2 Cor. 3. 17. and the other verses of that Chapter and Chap. 4. 1. c. with Rev. 19. 10. Is not that testimony as so come forth the Spirits testimony given and opened by him
whether we may look for that word in these dayes Isa 30. 9 What that word of faith is by which none needs to say Who shall ascend up to heaven to fetch Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead but that word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart which the Apostle preached to them that had it in their heart And whether the same word be not now in the hearts of the people though they mind it not Rom. 10. 10 What that voyce of Christ is which his sheep knows and how they come to know it from other voyces and all that hear it will not hear the voyce of strangers and hirelings and theeves and sorcerers but by the same voyce are brought to know Christ and follow him Joh. 10. And whether his sheep may expect and wait for the same voyce now and to know it from all other voyces which are false 11 What that way is in the wilderness which Isaiah spake of Isa 35. 8. which shall be called the way of holiness which the unclean shall not pass over but it shall be for wayfaring men and fools shall not erre therein in which way the Redeemed shall walk and the Ransomed of the Lord shall come to Sion And whether any may expect to find in these dayes such a way as are strangers and fools in the world 12 What that manifestation of the Spirit is which is given to every man to profit with all and whether there be any profit but by it and whether it be not of it self â—n infallible guide in all the way of God according to its manifestation Joh. 4. 23. 13 What and where that worship of God is truly in which God alone looks to be worshipped in And whether any can worship in spirit and in truth but those that are born of the Spirit And whether that he that is born of the Spirit needeth any other guide in the spiritual worship but that Spirit of which he is born according to his measure Joh. 1. 9. And whether such worships hath not been and are now differing from all other worships in the world and therefore hated by them as in all Ages 14 What and where that light is that inlightens every man that comes into the world which being come into the world is the condemnation of all those that are in darkness because of their evil deeds And whether this be not the condemnation of all the world that beleeve not in it but walk in darkness And whether there be any other condemnation but it seeing Christ said If I had not come ye had not had sin Joh. 3. Rom. 8. 15 What the Law of the Spirit of life is which made Paul free from the law of sin and death which had warred against the law of his mind and had formerly held him in captivity to the law of sin that was in his members And whether any in these dayes that are come to that warfare may look for that freedome by the Law of the Spirit of life And thus I have written these few lines the Lord revealing by his Spirit in me the great delusion sorcery and bewitched doctrine that you are under of these bewitching Simon Magus sorcerers which have put you upon a Christ crucified without you notwithstanding you and the rest are in your filthiness and first nature Whereas the Holy Ghost hath declared That they must be pure in heart that must see God Matth. 5. 8. And hath neglected to tell you of a washing of regeneration and new birth by the Holy Ghost in you T it 3 4 5 6. And hath brought another Gospel contrary to what Christ hath already preached and therefore he rendreth such accursed 1 Pet. 1. 12. And the Lord speaking by the mouth of Paul saying My little children of whom I travel again in birth untill Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. And the Lord in mercy look upon you for my bowels yern towards you and pity you to see Prophets and Teachers creep in among you to draw you from your guide 2 Pet. 2. 1. Written from the Spirit of the Lord from one whom the people of this world calls Quaker known by the name of Thomas Biddal The Answer to the fore-said Queries by Tho. Moore ANd first to the Inscription or Dedication of them which runs thus To Alice Morden and the rest which are not yet given up to Delusion To all who deny the teaching of God to be sufficient c. In which words that which is imported in the plainest sense of them is That they look upon this as a testimony sufficient that men are not given up to Delusion viz. That they deny the teaching of God to be sufficient to guide them that own it to God without humane helps or at least that those that do so are not given up This appears their sense if the indicter of this understood himself but that rather I suppose hee did not however to this Inscription and Dedication we shall lay down this for Answer That to deny the absolute and alone sufficiency of the teaching of God without humane helps or mans teaching is a sin of a very high nature and an evidence of being in a great measure given up to delusion Jer. 8. 8 9 and 6. 10 11. and 23. 16 18 22 c. Isa 8. 16-20 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 19. 20-24-26 27. and Chap. 4 6. That therefore we may know who they are that do so that we may beware of them and of all steps leading to this evill Let us consider First What Gods eaching is Secondly Where and how himself doth preach or hold it forth unto men Thirdly How or wherein men may be said to deny the alone sufficiency thereof First What Gods teaching is as to the matter of it There is in it 1 Something summary and fundamental of all the rest by which primely it may be known and distinguished 2 Some things contained in springing out of and built upon or arising from those things that are main and fundamental in it 1 Those things main and fundamental in Gods teaching are concerning Jesus Christ before promised and witnessed and in his undertaking vertuous now manifested as delivered to death for our offences according to the Scriptures therein bearing our sins in his own body to the Tree not bearing them or leaving them to be born in that sense in our souls or bodies and raised again from the dead for our justification according to the Scriptures And so concerning his own the Fathers love and goodness to man-ward the glory of which is now manifested in the face of Christ even in those works done in and by his first personal Appearance and the acceptance and vertue of them with the Father for us and the end of them to bee fully revealed and accomplished in his second personal and glorious appearance according as declared to us in
8 9. not here injoyed by way of actual possession by any of them But Jesus Christ in that which he hath done and is become for them with the Father as preached in the Gospel to every man being received by faith is even so in them and to them the hope of glory the ground and foundation of the hope of things not yet sensibly injoyed or possessed Col. 1. 27 28. with Rom. 8. 19. 24 25. Heb. 11. 1. yea in a sense the thing hoped for as in respect of his second personal appearance on the earth which shall be in the glory of his Father and with his holy Angels Then and thereby do they look for an accomplishment of those glorious promises of the new heaven and new earth and the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven and of all things restored or made new by him Act. 3. 21 22. Rev. 21. 5. Phil. 3. 21. When he shall also bring all that sleep in Jesus with him 1 Thess 4. 14 16 2 Thess 2 1 2 with Chap. 1 6 7 c. â— Tim. 4. 8. Rev. 20. 4 6. 2 It farther appears that it is not yet come down from heaven in or to any persons because in it there is no death pain or mortality but in and amongst the best of beleevers here even while the Spirit is made alive for righteousness sake delivered from the condemnation and bondage of the Law by the body of Christ in the discovery of it even by the Law Doctrine and power of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus and so quickned to a new and living hope and so also in desires and affections through the Resurrection of Christ as Rom. 7. 4. and 8. 2 3 4 1 Pet. 1. 3. 1 Joh. 3.3 yet the body is dead because of sin Rom. 8. 10. yea besides these mortalities there is infirmities and passions of the mind through remainders of the old man yet in their members warring though through Jesus Christ they get victory dayly Rom. 7. 23 24. yea in many things they all offend James 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1. 1. 8 10. And so there is with these mortalities yet upon them which are the fruit of sin and as a remembrance of it there is I say with them particular chastisements and corrections for sin of which they are made partakers as there is found in them sins against light and grace committed needing discovery and purgation 1 Cor. 11. 30 31 32 Heb. 12. 4 5-11 Their bodies are yet vile both their particular personal bodies and their societies also they are not yet made glorious without spot or wrinckle But he shall in that day when Jerusalem comes down from heaven so present them compare Phil. 3. 21. with Eph. 5. 26 27. He is therefore now all this day washing them that he may in the issue so present them with his likeness in the morning of the Resurrection as the issues and vertues of his sufferings Ps 17 ult Rev. 14. 1-5 and 7. 12-17 1 Joh. 3. 1-3 2 Qu. What and where that Sion is Isa 2. Mich. 4. c. Answ The former Answer may serve for Answer to this also Sion and Jerusalem being so neer a kin as they are in those Scriptures mentioned and in Heb. 12. 22. For though as in those Scriptures the Law Doctrine or word of the Lord do now come from thence to the Nations and they that with the heart beleeve or receive that word do by faith come unto it and are made of it in such beleeving yea do so come forth of its waters that its truly said Jerusalem that is above is the mother of them all yet it s still Jerusalem above even to them and not come down as is shewed before Gal. 4 26. Yea farther Though in this day we have a first fruits of the Spirit in performance of those promises yet the fulness and harvest of that and the redemption of the body and things pertaining more properly thereto we wholly wait for and are not yet possessors of the Nations are yet learning war whereas when those promises are accomplished They shall learn war no more neither is the enmity removed out of nor bondage of corruption taken off from the creatures as is promised then to be fully and clearly accomplished compare with those Scriptures Isa 11. Rom. 8. 19-25 Act. 3. 20 21. according to the ends and vertues of Christ having made peace by the blood of his Cross Col. 1. 20. Heb. 2. 5 8. 9. 3 Qu. What and where that Covenant is Jer. 31. 33 34. Heb. 8. 10 11 12 c. Ans 1. In respect of the foundation ground and assurance of it It is Jesus Christ himself as raised from the dead and exalted and glorified in our nature in hâ—s own personal body by and with the vertue of his sufferings the most glorious presence of God in the heavens compare Isa 55. 3 4. with Act. 13. 34. Heb. 4 14 and 8. 1 2-10 2 In respect of the matter of it or promises in it They also are all in him yea and in him Amen 2 Cor. 1. 20. given us through sealed in and the way for coming forth made by his bloud yea so given into him and into him inseparably That they may be given only with him in and through the knowledge of himself and so received by faith in the receiving him by faith and so it s a Covenant made and sure in him with all the seed viz those that come to God by him now I say now made with them in the giving him in the knowledge and faith of him in what he hath done and is become and in the ends and vertues thereof for a Covenant to the people and in some first fruits of the Spirit performed also Rom. 8. 32. 2 Pet. 1. 3 4. Isa 42. 6. and 55. 3 4. But 3 In respect of the performance of it in the harvest or fulness of those spiritual blessings we have in Christ and the redemption of the body c. by Christ it is yet to be waited for even all the time of this mortaliâ—y and till he come as before as may be seen in the Scriptures forecited and also in comparing Hab. 2. 2. 4. with Heb. 10. 35 36 37 38. In the beginning of which Chapter he also mentions the same Covenant as made and sure in Christ to all that come to God by him and to be so made with all the Israel of God yet with reference to it again in this latter end of the Chapter with allusion to that of Habbakkuck he signifies yet a time for the exercise of faith and patience in doing and suffering according to the will of God before the promises in their performance or accompâ—â—hment shall be received that vision of God in which they shall be revealed in the accomplishment being the second and glorious appearance of Jâ—â—â—s Christ in our nature which is yet to be waite for compare the 〈◊〉 Habbakkuck saith The Vision shall surely come
or who he applies that name to he saith Master Wray called us so in some Letters which whether so or no I know not I never heard of any such thing nor had I ever seen Mr. Wray or he me to our knowledge before that meeting and if he did give any such Character according to his apprehensions of us yet the thing I said is true nor was it propounded to shuffle off or evade the business as he saith for notwithstanding that I took the Challenge as directed to my self in their intentions and so answered it fully I may truly say he is glad to make a bluster about Circumstances that without giving any fair answer he might yet make their ignorant Disciples beleeve he hath notably replied the sum of his pretended reply further is chiefly a renewing of their old Charge so oft already answered and shewed a false accusation That I deny Gods in-dwelling in his people yea here he adds something that it seems they thought not of before viz. That I said God would not be manifest in his people the falseness of that with the rest the Reader may see in my Answer to I. N's Letter as also of his Charging Mr. Wray again in this with turning them out of his house with many other things yea all is so fully answered before I shall here adde no more to it FINIS The faults if any have escaped in Printing the courteous Reader in desir'd to impute to the Authors absence from the Press and kindly as he goes along to mend them with his Pen. The Contents of some of the things principally treated of with notice of the Scriptures chiefly opened in the following Tract especially in the Answers to James Naylors Letter and to the following Queries I Concerning Gods being manifested in the flesh in the person of his only begotten Son eminently and peculiarly This briefly assorted p. 2 Enlarged and opened and thereto these Scriptures opened and compared 1 Tim. 3. 16. with Joh. 13. 31 32. Heb 9. 24 25 26 with other Scriptures p. 21 22 23 24 Further cleared in shewing the difference between Gods being manifested in the Flesh in that one Person and his dwelling and walking in his people and how the body of the Beleever is the Temple of the Lord with some distinction observed between its being so and his being gloriously manifested in that his Temple and so the manifestation of the Sons of God which is yet to come with some hints of explication of these Scriptures hereto Rom. 8. 19 25. with 2 Thess 1. 6 10 11. 2. 1 2. with 2 Cor. 5. 1 6. 1 Cor. 6. 14 15. and divers others p. 24 25 26 When and how the life of Jesus shall bee manifested fully in the mortal flesh or body of the beleever that is now mortal according to that 2 Cor. 4. 10 11. Rom. 8. 11. with 1 Cor. 15. 53. Phil. 3. 21. and other Scriptures p. 27 28 29 Some clearing of those Scriptures Rom. 7. 23. 8. 10. from Farnsworths abuse p. 30 31 Christ being in the Beleever the hope of glory and how likewise how his being in them to be enquired as a Rule-for trial whether they be in the faith p. 31 32 33 2 Concerning Pauls enjoyment of a visible demonstration of the Person of Christ in the Heavens briefly spoken to p. 2. 3 more fully p. 34 35 Then occasionally is proved and opened That Jesus Christ in that one personal Body prepared for him is ascended and received by the Father in the Heavens until the restitution of all things p. 36 37 38 39 The necessity and usefulness of it p. 40 41 42 The dangerous issue of casting off or slighting that true acknowledgement of the Head p. 43 The distinction between our entring and his being already for us entred p. 44. 3 Concerning the one Offering of Christ to bear and put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself made and accomplished in that person only p. 49 This made good against some batterles made against it and therein these Scriptures Isa 43. 24. Amos 2. 13. Heb. 6. 6. 1 Joh. 5. 10. 28. as much as pertains to that business opened p. 50 51 4 Concerning the Second appearing of Christ which shall be without sin and to the utmost Salvation of them that look for him and how it is to be waited or tarried for by all Beleevers all the time of this present world p. 52 53 In making it good against their batterles these Scriptures opened Luk. 17. 20 22. to the end with chap. 18. 1 8. p. 54 Some hints to such explication p. 11 Likewise Joh. 14. 3. with other Scriptures p. 55 56 57 58 The glory then to be revealed on them that wait for him with distinctiòn between that and the promise of this life occasionally spoken to p. 24 25 26 More directly in answer to th 1 2 3. Queries p. 83 84 85 5 Concerning the matter and manner of Gods teaching and the alone sufficiency of it p. 71 72 73. And so what the voyce of Christ is and how known and distinguished in answer to the tenth Query p. 94 6 Concerning the holy Scriptures what they are and how the righteousness of God engaged for preserving the Records of them p. 74 75 76 77. Gods primary way for demonstrating the Truth Goodness and Authority of them p. 78. Secondary Arguments demonstrating the same p. 79 7 The excellency spirituality plainness and glory of the Ministry or dispensation of the Gospel as committed to the Apostles and by them given to all Nations for the obedience of faith p. 59 60 61 62 63 64 65. 8 What other means God useth for bringing his teaching nigh to us p. 80 9 Who they are that deny the alone sufficiency of Gods teaching p. 81 82 10 The distinction between the manner of Paul and the rest of the Apostles receiving their testimony and furniture to their Ministry and Timothy and all other secondary Ministers then and since receiving theirs p 2. and the same spoken to again p. 14. 15. likewise in answer to the Sixth Query p. 88 89. In the answers to other Queries besides those already hinted to are divers Scriptures opened and compared with others chiefly these 1 Joh. 2. 20 27 Joh. 16. 8 14 p. 86 87 88. with p. 71 72 73. Isa 30. 18 21. p. 91. Rom. 10. 6 8. with Joh. 1. 5. p. 93. 94 Iâ—a 35. 8. p. 95. Joh. 4. 23 24. p. 96. Joh. 1. 9. p. 97. Rom. 8. 2 3. p. 97. 98 99. The people called Quakers are discovered in this Discourse 1 To be lovers and makers of Lyes compare their Charges in their first Paper and in James's Letter with my Answers p. 2 3. 21. 24. 26 27 28 29. 46 47 48. 2 To be movers of us to enquire after another God than the only true God in Christ See the Answer to their insolent Challenge p. 11 12 3 To be of those spirits that endeavour to introduce the imagination of another Jesus another Spirit another Gospel then what the Apostles have preached p. 59 60 61 62 63 64 65 And boast of confirming that imagination with signes and lying Wonders and with all deceiveableness of unrighteousness in them that perish See their Challenge with the Answer to it p. 9 10 c. to the 15 4 To be of those seducing Spirits having their Consciences seared as with a hot Iron that command to abstain from meats that God hath created to be received with thanksgiving c. That do reject and would take from us the Word of the Lord and not suffer us to look on it in the Records left us neither night nor day That do forbid the exercise of those gifts mediately given through Prophecy c. See all this in the Challenge with the Answer fore-mentioned 5 That appear in all to be proud knowing nothing doting about questions c. and there in unreasonable and absurd men that have no faith See further the Postscript FINIS