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
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
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
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
the Righteousness of God reveal'd from Heaven against all Ungodliness and Unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them For the Invisible Things of Him from the Creation of the World are clearly seen being understood by the Things that are made even his Eternal Power and God-head so that they are without Excuse because that when they knew God they Glorified him not as God neither were Thankful but became Vain in their Imaginations and their Foolish Hearts were Darken'd And even as they did not like to Retain God in their Knowledge God gave them over to a Reprobate Mind to do those things which are not Convenient These Notable Lines of that Great Apostle give an apparent Overthrow to all Objections against either the Universality or Sufficiency of the Light within which will be further manifest if the Reader be but pleas'd to observe these few Particulars 1. That in the Gospel of Christ is the Righteousness of God revealed and that from Faith to Faith 2. That this Faith the Just have ever lived by for he quotes a Time past as it is written which Writing was about 700. Years before he wrot that Epistle 3. That many had degenerated from the Righteousness of God to wit the Gentiles into Ungodliness against which the Wrath of God was revealed from Heaven 4. That they however once knew the Truth 5. That they came to the Knowledge of this Truth from the Manifestation of God who is Light within since what might be known of God was manifested in them because God had shewed it unto them 6. That the Cause of their after Darkness was their Rebelling against that Manifestation or Light not Glorifying the God that shewed it to them when they both saw it and knew him so to do Consequently that God had given them Light Sufficient both to know and obey him And since they liked not to retain God in their Knowledge the Deficiency was theirs and not the Light 's 7. If therefore their foolish Hearts were darkned that is by Disobedience it follows that therefore that Darkness came by Sin into their Hearts they had Light in their Hearts or a Light within 8 Lastly If the Wrath was therefore revealed because the hold the Truth in Unrighteousness and when they knew God by that Manifestation of Light within they glorified him not as God but became vain in their Imaginations and their foolish Hearts darkned Then certainly had they kept to that Principle call'd the Truth and the Manifestation of God within and preserv'd their Faith in God as he had reveal'd himself to them So glorifying him as God and delighting to retain him in their knowledge Not Wrath but Mercy â—…nd Peace had been revealed from Heaven as saith the same Apostle in his following Chapter to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for Glory and Honour and Immortality ETERNAL LIFE In short This we may safely conclude that the Righteousness 〈◊〉 in the Gospel of Christ of which Paul was not ashamed from Faith to Faith by which Faith he 〈◊〉 the Just Ancients lived or were accepted is One in Nâ—…ture though not in Degree with that TRUTH the Gentiles Apstatized from and therefore lived without Faith Righteousness or God in the World for which the Wrath was revealâ—…d which had they lived up unto glorifying God as God â—…ccording to the Manifestation of himself in their Hearts and Consciences they would have had not the Revelation of Wrath but of the Righteousness of Faith by which the Just in all Ages have liv'd â—…cceptably with God For without Faith can no Man please God in any Age as without Holiness that flows from true Faith to Man shall ever see the Lord. VII And Lastly I do earnestly intreat the Unprejudic'd Reader to observe these two notable Passages which with my Consideration of them shall conclude the Scripture-Proofs I have urg'd for the Universality of the Light and Spirit of God antecedent to Christ's Appearance in the Flesh. Then Peter opened his Mouth and said Of a Truth I perceive that God is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation He that feareth him and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him For not the Hearers of the Law are Just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by Nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the Works of the Law written in their Hearts their Consciences also bearing Witness and their Thoughts the mean while Accusing or Excusing one another in the Day when God shall judge the Secrets of Men by Jesus Châ—…ist according to my Gospel These Scriptures are a severe Check to our Adversaries undervaluing Apprehension of the blessed Light of God and that will appear in several particulars 1. God is no Respecter of Persons in any Nation from whence I honestly conclude that all Persons and Nations were inlightned as well Gentiles as Jews 2. That here are Men not of the Circumcision made with hands who fear God work Righteousness and are Doers of the Law not from any outward Obligation â—…or they had none but the inward Work of the Law writ upon 〈◊〉 Hearts which is a Demonstration that they had not only 〈◊〉 Light as a Reprover but as a Teacher and Leader whereby thâ—…y came to fear God and work Righteousness which is else-where said to be the Sum of the Matter and whole Duty of Man 〈◊〉 then no 〈◊〉 that fears God works Righteousness and keeps the 〈◊〉 Law of God as the Scriptures testifie some Gentiles to hâ—…ve done can be said to do so and yet worship false Gods or not riâ—…htly Worship the true one be void of the true Light the most part of T. Hicks his 9th page where he objects the 〈◊〉 Ignorance of the true God against the Sufficiency of the Light within and a Challenge to us to produce one Instance amonâ—… the many Thousands of Mankind that from the Light within hath been reproved for not believing Jesus to be Christ 〈◊〉 as the smoak For though perhaps he thinks he may have done a great deal in making that bold Demand of 〈◊〉 yet I shall briefly tell him that such as lived up most sincerely to the Light in their own Consciences acknowledged most readily that glorious Appearance of Light in â—…hat Body then in the World They were the great Pretenders to Scriptures that would not come to Christ the Traditional Literal and Ordinance-Men that Rejected and Crucified him and that had not both Cornelius and the Centurion with many others been upright Livers to the Light within neither 〈◊〉 Peter been so received by the one nor Christ so follow'd by the other But that measure of the Divine Light which they had thitherto obey'd as the more sure Word of Prophecy lead
and overturn the Gentiles Idolatries by his one most pure and Spiritual Offering and Worship IV. It plainly preaches thus much to us That as Him whose Body the Jews outwardly slew we by Wicked Works have crucified in the Streets of Sodom and Egypt spiritually so called our polluted Hearts and Consciences So unless we come to know the Benefit of the Inward Life answering to and expressed by that Outward Life he gave for the World it will avail little For so it is and very Marvelous in our Eyes that the Life of the Crucified can only save those who may well be reputed the Crucifiers O Mystery And because those that did not actually slay him Outwardly have slain him Inwardly therefore must every such one really know that Life Inwardly raised shed abroad for Sanctification and Redemption O how great was his Love Truly larger then Man's Cruelty who whilst he dyed by Wicked Men he would Dye for them and when dead they could not hinder him from Rising to do them good who had done their worst for his Destruction thereby shewing Mercy to those who shewed they had no Mercy for themselves O Jerusalem Jerusalem how often would I have gathered thee and thou wouldest not c V. That Expression of his is greatly worth our Notice I lay down my Life for the World All he did was for the Good of the World and particularly the Laying down of his Life that he might both express his Love and our Duty Had he not desired Man's Salvation and for that purpose prepared a Body in which to visit him and by his daily Labours among Men to further their Eternal Happiness the Jew had never been able to put him to Death But being come and when come so hardly used herein did he recommend his great Love to us that besides the Inward Weights of Sin he bore with his deep Concernment for Man's Eternal Well-being he chearfully offered up his Bodily Life to recommend and ratifie his Love for the Remission of Sin and give us an Holy Example to follow his Steps But these Words will bear another Sease too as do those he spoak to the Jews Unless ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood you have no Life in you Where we may plainly see that as the Jews vainly and carnally fancyed he meant his Outward Body only to which they opposed the Impossibility of the thing so Christ declares their Mistake of his Meaning to his Disciples in these few but deep Words The Flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth So that the Words are true and weighty in both Senses VI. And we further acknowledge that in that Holy Body the Divine Principle of Light and Life did discover the Depth of Satan's Darkness encounter Hell Death and the Grave every Temptation it was possible for the Serpent with all his Power and Subtilty to beset him with in which Sense he was made like unto us in all things Sin excepted that he might be sensible of our Infirmities the Divine Life travelled and supported under all administring Strength to the outward Man that it might answer the End of its Appointment in the End utterly defeated and forever overcame the Power of the Tempter bruising the Serpents Head in general as Prince of Darkness and God of the World and in a plain Combat giving him that Foyl which in good measure shook his Foundation divided his Kingdom chased away his Lying Oracles and proved a very Fatal Blow to his whole Empire Which holy Conquest obtained by Sweat of Blood and deep'st Agonies with Holy Patience may not unfitly be compared to that of some Worldly Prince maintaining a Righteous Cause against an Usurper of his Territories whom he puts to rout in open Fields by which I understand the General Conquest yet many Towns and Cities and Cittadels remaining strongly guarnison'd by which I understand particular Men and Women enslaved by Sin they are not thereby overcome though the Approach be easier to them and they be truly more endanger'd then before The One Seed who is Christ who is God over all blessed forever having given that Proof of his Everlasting Arm that it has brought a general Salvation by a plain Overthrow of the God of this World the Enemy of his Glory and thereby weakened his Power in himself which is the single Battel fought in Garments rould in Blood between the two Seeds Spirits Natures and Powers God and Mammon Christ and Belial had many Towns Cities and Cittadels to vanquish who lay strongly guarnison'd by this God of the World which Places as I said represent the Souls of particular Men and Women inbondaged by him So that though their Hearts were or are more accessible by that general Victory over the very Spirit of Darkness it self and Light may be more clear d and broken up yet unless those particular Places or Persons are besieged and taken their Goods spoiled and Houses sackt of all the strange Gods so redeemed from under the Yoak of that Pharaonian Task-Master reclaimed renewed sanctified naturalized by way of an Holy Subjection to him who is Lord from Heaven the Right Heir of all things to receive his Mark and bear his Image Those Places or Persons must needs have yet been and be Subjects of the Prince of Darkness the God of this World who reigns and rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience To conclude We though this General Victory was obtained and holy Priviledges therewith and that the Holy Body was not Instrumentally without a Share thereof yet that both the efficient or chiefest Cause was the Divine Light and Life that so clearly discriminated and deeply wounded this Mystery of Iniquity and that none can be thereby benefited but as they come to experience that Holy Seed of Life and Mighty Arm of Power revealed to effect the same Salvation in each Particular Conscience which none can fail of who receive it first as a Light that manifesteth and reproveth every Evil Way and continues to walk up to all its holy Leadings VII But there is yet a further Benefit that accrueth by the Blood of Christ viz. That Christ is a Propitiation and Redemption to such as have Faith in it For though I still place the Stresâ—… of particular Benefit upon the Light Life Spirit revealed witnessed in every Particular yet in that general Appearance there was a general Benefit justly to be attributed unto the Blood of that very Body of Christ to wit that it did propitiate For however it might draw Stupendious Judgments upon the Heads of those who were Authors of that dismal Tragedy and dyed Impenitent yet doubtless it thus far turned to very great Account in that it was a most precious Offering in the Sight of the Lord and drew God's Love the more eminently unto Mankind at least such as should believe in his Name as his solemn Prayer to his Father at his leaving the World given us by his beloved Disciple
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
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
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
Martyrs p. 9. And I require this Man to prove that Gospel-Ordinances are a Shadow as he hath confessed their Supper to be H. G. I would know of this Man where he reads of any thing called the Lord's Supper but this which we contend for pag. 10. Answ. You are contending but for the Shadow but there is the Lord's Supper in the Mystery for saith the faithful and true Witness the beginning of the Creation of God Behold I stand at the Door and knock If any man hear my Voice and open the door I will come in to him and will sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. Is not this the Lord's Supper that 's above the Shadow And Christ said I appointed unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed unto me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom Luke 22. 29 30. Verily I say unto you I will drink no more of the Fruit of the Vine until that day that I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom Is not this the Lord's Supper in the Mystery or Anti-Type And I am the Bread of Life I am the living Bread which came down from Heaven if any Man eat of this Bread he shall live for ever and the Bread that I give is my Flesh that I give for the Life of the World He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him Joh. 6. Is not this living Bread from Heaven confâ—…st to be the Substance and the ontward Bread the Shadow thereof H. G. I do affirm That this is spiritual to wit the Lords Supper the Baptist p. 10. Answ. The Lord's Supper in the Mystery is spiritual but not your Bread and Wine unless they be transubstantiated which we utterly deny H. G. The Ordinance of Water-Baptism was given forth by Christ after his Resurrection Mat. 28. 20. Answ. There 's no mention of Water but baptizing them 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit and this Baptism was saving so is not your dipping H. G. And this of the Lords Supper Paul received of Christ sometime after his Ascension 1 Cor. 11. 23. Answ. 1st Paul received of Christ the Lords Supper in the Mystery not in the Shadow 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. yet he delivered unto them the Relation how the Lord Jesus took Bread and the Cup the same Night in which he was betrayed ver 23 24. which he applyed to a spiritual End ver 28. explained before Chap. 20. 16. and he delivered the Gospel as well touching Christ's Resurrection as his Death 1 Cor. 15. 3. and for their being baptized into his Death and raised in the Likeness of his Resurrection which was more then a Remembrance of his Death in or by the Shadow which could not be positively enjoyned by as oft as ye do this 2. That which the Apostle received of the Lord was the Gospel and a Gospel-Discovery of the Substance which was beyond and above the Shadow And his Recitation of the Shadow was directly to point at the Substance viz. that Bread and that Cup which was the Body and Blood of Christ and the spiritual Communication thereof he was a Minister of the Gospel the Dispensation whereof was not a Dispensation of Shadow but of Substance H. G. The end of this Ordinance doth remain notwithstaning the pourings forth of the Spirit and therefore the Ordinance must needs remain which is to confirm our Faith in the true Saviour and to keep up our Love to him p. 21. G. W. What Faith and Love are these of theirs which are confirmed by Bread and Wine and what Idolatry and Diversion from the Spirit doth their Doctrine tend to herein Surely the holy Spirit can best supply the said End Gal. 5. 22. H. G. Rep. This Ordinance tends to increase our Love to him and our Faith in him therefore the end remains unless you can prove Christ is come the second time without Sin unto Salvation do you suppose there is no need of this Ordinance because the Spirit can best supply the said End p. 11. Answ. There 's no need of the Shadow where the Substance is enjoyed and whilst thou Henry hast confessed your Supper as its called to be the Shadow the Substance being Christ thou dost but contradictorily begg the Question calling it a Gospel-Ordinance the Lords Supper in full Force the Ordinance the Ordinance 2. Thou dost but imagine a Confirmation and Increase of Faith in and Love to Christ by your Bread and Wine which they cannot do true Love and Faith being Fruits of the Spirit which in that it can best and only supply this End which idolatrously thou proposest to reap from thy pretended Supper There can be no Necessity of this thy Shadow for any such End to the Soul can there be any need of that which cannot supply the Soul when that which best can do it is manifest Is there Necessity where there 's Plenty or a full Supply 3. Whether those Believers in the Apostles dayes who hoped and looked for Christ's appearing the second time without Sin unto Salvation Heb. 9. 28. did not accordingly come to experience his Appearance unto their Salvation H. G. Darest thou say the Spirit can best supply those Ends without making use of the means God in his Word doth direct unto The Usefulness and Sufficiency of the Spirit in fulfilling of its Work doth not dis-annul Christ's Precepts p. 12 Answ. 1. I would know where the Word of God hath dictated that your shadowy Supper of Bread and Wine is the means to confirm true Faith in Christ or increase your Love to him or else confess thy Error for the means thou talkst of must have reference to what we were upon before about your pretended Supper or else thou art insignificant and impertinent in thy discourse 2. If the Spirit be sufficient to fulfil its Work and Office which is to bring forth its own Fruit what Necessity of your Shadow which cannot do it nor so far help man as in the leasts supply those Ends the Spirit is given for much less help the Spirit therein which is al-sufficient VII The Anabaptist's Imposition about their shadowy Baptism AGain H. G. is very fierce and rash for theiâ—… Water-Baptism or plunging People in Water where he saith Whosoever brings any other Gospel let him be accursed p. 〈◊〉 G. W. Hereby he hath cursed all the People of God and sincere minded both Protestants and all others in the World who oppose and come not under the Baptists dipping or plunging People in Water The Lord sorgive him he is very uncharitable herein for our parts we cannot believe their Baptism to be either the Baptism of Christ or Gospel or of Necessity and available to Salvation H. G. Rep. Thou hast in this manifested thy Imperfection and false Anti-christian Spirit hast thou no more Care nor Conscience that thou goest about thus to belie the Innocent Have I affirâ—…ed
true Union with him and Knowledge of him to experience his Indwelling as he dwelleth in us and we in him if we keep his Commandments and thus the true Believer hath the Witness in himself which that thou mightst experience was thy Sister 's wholsom Advice to thee to believe in the Light that reproves for Sin which enlightens every one that cometh into the World and so thou mightst in Love and Humility have received the Witness in thy self which if thou hadst obeyed thou durst never have prayed so wickedly as God forbid that ever I should own their Principle of the Light in all contrary to thy pretended Praises and Hallelujah to God for the Witness within neither coâ—…ldst thou have opposed the Witness in the Believer to the Light which reproves for sin which enlighteth every man as thou hast done H. G. This Witness through Grace I in measure do Experience not that I believe in that Light which every man that cometh into the World is inlightened with for Life and Salvation that is insufficient c. pag. 19. Answ. If thou rejectest the Gift or Measure of the Light or Life of Christ within thou rejectest the saithfull Witness Christ the Giver and canst not know him to be thy Saviour while thou art disobedient to his Light within and Christ and his Light in man are so inseperable that he who obeys and believes in his Light within he and his Faith must needs have a dependance upon Christ the Enlightner who is the Object Author and Finisher of Faith and so upon God who is the Fountain of Light who shineth in man's heart to give the knowledge of his Glory in the Face of his Son and hereby is the benefit of him as the one Offering and the vertue of his Blood known that both Sanctifies and makes Perfect XII His Groundless Comparison and Distinction between the Light of God in Man and the Light of Christ or Gospel further Refuted ANd whereas in thy other Book from Rom. 1. 19. and Chap. 2. 14 15. thou callest the Law or Light of God in men The Law or Light of the Moon to Guide their Paths by which they are taught their duty to God in morrals but understand nothing of the glorious Mystery of the Gospel pag. 6â—… To this I Answer 1. Those Gentiles mentioned in Rom. 1. had a Sight and Knowledge of the Invisible things of God even his Eternal Power and God-head ver 19 20. was this but the Light of the Moon and was there nothing of the Gospel or Mystery of it in this whereas the very reason of their becoming foolish vain in their Imaginations darkned and reprobated in their minds was that because that when they knew God they glorified him not as God ver 21. they did not like to retain God in their knowledge ver 28. Therefore if they had continued in the Light given them glorified him as God and retained him in their knowledge they had been preserved unto Salvation out of that dark reprobate state and out of those gross evils which they fell into 2. Those Gentiles mentioned Rom. 2. 15. were accused or excused according to that Light or Law of God in their hearts and the secrets of them and all men to be Judged by Jesus Christ according to the Gospel but could this be or were it Just if there were no Law nor Light of Jesus Christ and Gospel given men are they and their secrets to be judged by a Law or Light which they never had in secret for my Part I know none so gross and partial as to affirm it on any serious Thoughts or Consideration 3. If the Light of God and his Knowledge be but the Light of the Moon and the Light of Christ the Light of the Sun how doth he demonstrate this difference between God and Christ and the Light of each and wherein the Glory of the one so far exceedeth the other or can any suppose there is a Light proceeding from Christ as man that so far excels the Light flowing from him as he is God or the Eternal Word as the Light of the Sun doth the Light of the Moon what Scripture hath H. G. for this distinction are not God and Christ and holy Spirit One and one Eternal Light and Fulness in their own Being and so the Light immediately shining or flowing thence unto man's Heart and Conscience one Divine Light though manifest by degrees and in several measures being still one in kind in man And this which H. G. calleth the Law or Light of the Moon is granted to be 1st The Light of Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word 2dly That which may be known of God manifest in men 3dly That Light which gives the Light and Knowledge of God and his Eternal Power 4dly The Law written in the Gentiles hearts who were a Law to themselves to which I add If men truely believe in and obey the Light of the Eternal Word in them and retain the sence and Knowledge of God as therein they receive it they will find Preservation and Acceptance with God for is the Improvement of any more then what 's given required XIII His belying us with denying the Man Christ Jesus to cloak his own Absurdity and Ignorance of Christ and his Being AGain H. G. To prove thy slanders 1. That we deny the man Christ Jesus 2. That we are found daily in the Sight of all Persons denying that man to be Christ who was born of the Virgin c. pag. 20 21. Thou judgest us insolent for saying we are falsly accused and guilty of this If it be absurd as we judge it is to say Christ doth Consist of a human Body of Flesh and Bone pag. 21. which is thy own absurdity To these I say Though we never deny'd the man Christ Jesus nor him to be Christ that was born of the Virgin according to the Flesh yet I must still count it absurd to say That Christ doth Consist or is made up of a human Body of Flesh and Bone for that 1. because Christ the Son of God was and had a Being before he took upon him that Flesh or Body in the Virgin 2. Because that when he took upon him that Body and even in the dayes of the Flesh he was spirit as well as had Flesh. 3. In that he is ascended up where he was before and far above all Heavens and is glorified with the same Glory that he had with the Father before the World began 4. He was before all things and by him all things consist this is truely our Christ and Saviour But If your Christ doth consist of a human or earthly Body of Flesh and Bone our Christ who consisteth of quickning spirit and heavenly Body of divine Life and Light a spiritual and glorious body is above you and yours so we must leave you Anabaptists with your earthly Christ consisting of a human Body of Flesh and Bone together with your empty and lifeless Shadows
Sacrifice for Sin is not any Matter in Question or Doubâ—… with me but that God obeyed God by way of a rigid or strict Payment made to himself as a Satisfaction to absolute Revenge or vindictive Justice thereby to acquit Man continuing in his Sin and Imperfections This I utterly deny as repugnant to the very Language and Tenour of the holy Scriptures and Testimonies of the holy Men which require Obedience and Faithfulness to God and a walking in his Light on our Parts 3. As also your Continuance in Sin and yet thinking your selves absolved or justified by Christ's Dying for you is contrary to the very Intent of Christ's Dying for all which was that as many as live should not live unto themselves but unto him that dyed and rose again 4. While he shuts out Justification as done or effected by God obeying God as he saith how is the Creature to put this on as a Robe seeing these Men like not to be concerned in Christ's inherent Righteousness or Holiness as a Matter of Justification Which while they are not Partakers of nor cloathed with they are cloathed with Sin and Iniquity the Rags of old Adam and self-Righteousness â—…vered with a Covering but not of God's Spirit and how then should they be invested with the best Robe upon these filthy Garments or while unstript of those old Rags Surely they will find it otherwise 5. For they will find that if they appear before the Lord not having on the Wedding-Garment the white Linnen the Righteousness of Saints they will be found speechless and be turned out as unmeet Guests their own Guilt will stop their Mouths that they will not be able to plead and say O God thou hast obeyed thy self in our Nature for us or Christ's Obedience Suffering and Death is imputed to us for our Justification we are very fit Guests only on that Account though we be all our Dayes disobedient polluted and sinful in our best Actions This will be no Plea for you neither will God say then bring forth the best Robe and put upon these mens filthy Rags and polluted Garments but Friend how camest thou hither not having on the Wedding-Garment take this evil Servant and cast him into utter Darkness Devart ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not God will take Vengeance on all them that know him not who obey not the Gospel but obey Unrighteousness and Tribulation and Anguish will be upon their Souls 6. The Prodigal's coming to himself and returning to his Father's House with Regreet and Bewailing himself to his Father saying Father I have sinned against Heaven and in thy Sight I am not worthy to be called thy Son and the Father's meeting him with Compassion and then calling for the best Robe to put upon him and allowing him sumptuous and joyful Entertainment upon his Return and Repentance This makes for our Purpose The Prodigal did not remain in his Extravagancy nor among the Swine from his Father's House confidently telling his Fellows That though I be an Unfaithful and Disobedient Son and thereby am become poor and ragged 't is sufficient that I believe and apply my Father's best Robe and Entertainment that he hath in his House at this Distance and in this my Rebellion Nor did he say to his Father when he met him Father thou hast been faithful and hast perfectly obeyed and fully paid thy self in my stead for me which I must look upon as my Absolution and Acquitment from all thy Anger Frowns and future Punishments though I continue a Disobedient Rebellious Son all my Dayes thy Obeying thy self is my whole Discharge for all my Iniquities past present and to come c. Surely this was not the returning penitent Prodigal 's Song though it be the impenitent Presbyter's but Father I have Sinned c. make me as one of thy hired Servants His inward Remorse and Penitency spake sorth it self as his acceptable Plea and there is Joy in Heaven over one Sinner that repenteth not over impenitent unmortified Hypocrites and Boasters of Christ's Righteousness without them and they living in the World without it or him either I have often granted and confest that neither by the Deeds of the Law nor by mens own Actions are any justified with God But the Man's concluding that our personal Obediences to God's Will and in God's Strength are the Deeds of the Law whether we obey from Faith or without Faith they are the Deeds of the Law and what is the Consequence Therefore not justifying or our Obedience by Faith to the Will of God and that by his own Strength is not concerned in our Justification And both these I must deny as unsound and unscriptural for 1. The Deeds or Works of the Law by which no Flesh shall be justified are not that Obedience of Faith which the Apostles preached which was and is acceptablâ—… to God nor that justifying Faith or Belief in God which is Obedience itself and without which it is impossible to please God or be justified Dare he deny that this believing is Obeying 2. To conclude obeying the Will of God from Faith not to be of a justifying Tendence is repugnant to plain Scripture Jam. 2. 24. And note that if all Works and obeying God even from Faith must be counted the Deeds of the Law by which none be justified then this makes the Apostle James's Testimony void as thwarting Paul's where James said Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works c. And Abraham believed God and it was imputed to him for Righteousness Jam. 2. 21. 23. And was not this Believing of God a real Obeying though not those Deeds of the Law spoken of Rom. 3. 20. For the Obedience or Works of living Faith which justifie in James his Sense and the Works of the Law not of Faith which Paul mentions are two differing States and Things otherwise there would be a Clash between them Again If Abraham's believing God was imputed to him for Righteousness and so the Righteousness of true andliving Faith be imputed to them also who walk in the Steps of the Faith of Abraham who was faithful obedient for any to oppose the Imputation of this Righteousness as to its being within or endeavour to exclude this Righteousness of Christ and Faith from true Believers as only wrought without them and not within them because imputed or reckoned theirs it were as good Doctrine to exclude true Faith and Obedience of it as all wrought without us not within us and yet say t is imputed to us for living Faith which worketh by Love and the Righteousness of it are inseparable But the Man is greatly confounded in a self Contradiction where he grants that Christ's Justifying Righteousness that is Imputed is the same that redeems our lost Souls p. 100. which is true And yet he shuts out not only Believers personal Obedience to the Will of God through Faith and God's own Strength but also Sanctification and
the Permission of Sin another to commit it between God's fore-ordaining the Sin and the actual Commission of it came in the Will and wicked Hands of Men The Will and these wicked Hands were the Author and Cause of Sin and not God's fore-Ordination Answ. How S. S. can clear himself from rendering God to be the Author of Sin while he accuseth him of determining or fore-ordaining the wicked Actions of these Men of fore ordaining the Sin let the unbyas'd Reader judge whether this be not an Unjust Charge against God And I ask Did God determine and fore-ordain the Wicked Actions of Men and yet warn and counsel them to turn from Iniquity What Inconsistency is this How will these hold together Doth not God first counsel and desire the 〈◊〉 before he lets them alone and gives them up to their Lusts and Hardness to Work their own Ruin How like the Ranters Principle that all Actions are of God and by his Power is it to say in these general Expressions That God hath determined or fore-ordained the Actions of wicked Men For then how should they reform as he counsels them by his Light in their Consciences and what need of Reforming what God hath fore-ordained But how contradictory to this Fore-ordination of wicked Actions which the Man hath unjustly accused God with is his Pâ—…rmission of Sin although he doth not alwaies permit Sin to go unpunished yet in this we agree that the Will and wicked Hands of Men as acted by the Divel were the Author and Cause of Sin and the Commission of it and therefore not God nor any Fore-ordination of his for he hath fore-ordained his Son Jesus Christ to call Sinners to Repentance to offer Life and Salvation to all before he gâ—…ves up any to a reprobate Mind or to work their own Ruin S. S. to those he counts Elect saith You are now afraid sect 16 you have lost all for you have greatly fallen as did David * your Faith is even giving up the Ghost yet are you not fallen from Grace God hath not forsaken you Psal. 89. 30. Answ. Although I confess that in the Lord is plentious Redemption and Forgiveness to all that unfeignedly repent and turn from Iniquity yet as this Man placeth all upon a personal Election even David's Forgiveness and Redemption not so much taking notice of his Repentance Judgment and Terror that he under went under which David often asked God Forgiveness for his Transgression This pretended personal Election and telling Men they are not fallen from Grace when guilâ—…y of horrible Wickedness gives them a large Scope and gross Liberty to Sin and Wickedness if they can but in the first place conceit they are elect Persons and be but such Hypocrites as out-face their own Consciences and murder the Just Witness and evade the Conviction and Reproofs of Truth therein and be so self-confident as to perswade themselves they are not fallen from Grace when they have committed Adultery or Murther and acted as badly as Reprobates can do and then flatter themselves with that Imagination That Christ hath payed all their Debt and satisfied the Justice of his Father which they call vindictive for all their Sins past present and to come This is an easy way to make Hypocrites for them to continue in the Sin of Whoredom and other Abominations But this is too broad a Way ever to lead them to Heaven and the Wicked had not need thus to have their Hands strengthened in Sin nor thus to be encouraged in a course of Impioty by a Pretence of an Impossibility of falling from Grace seeing there is a just Man that perisheth in his Righteousness and then where shall the Wicked and Ungodly appear and what manner of Persons ought we to be in all holy Conversation and Godliness 2 Pet. 3. Will it avail Persons any thing before the Just God for a Company of daubing Hypocritical Priests to tell a few conceited Electioners Though you have fallen very foully as did David or into Adultery or Murther yet have a good Heart on it believe still you are elect Persons chosen and designed of God for Salvation from all Eternity you are not fallen from Grace when you are guilty of Whoredom and the like as if Grace had such a great Affinity with them in this their Wickedness A pleasant Doctrine for the Devil and his Children to feed upon as Hypocrites Whoremongers and abominable Workers who though as bad and filthy as those they count Reprobates yet do imagine that God respects their vile Persons Eternally to makâ—… Choice of them only more then others who it may be arâ—… not so bad as they as if they were such choice Jewels in their Filthiness which is no small Blasphemy and Reflection upon God thus to render him partially-indulgent to the Wicked and unequal in his Way towards Mankind as eternally to design such great Favour and Indulgence to a small part thereof which is as bad as the rest and inevitable Cruelty as eternal Wrathin Hell to the greater part thereof whereas all Mankind in general is God's Workmanship by Creation all made of one Earth one Blood c. surely he is no such Respecter of Persons As concerning God's Covenant with David and his Seed sect 17 Psa. 89. It is said His Seed also will I make to endure for ever and his Throne as the Dayes of Heaven If his Children for sake my Law if they break my Statutes then will I visit their Transgressions with the Rod and their Iniquity with Stripes nevertheless my Loving Kindness will I not utterly take from him I ask From Whom Was it not David that is beloved who as he entered into Covenant and Agreement with God he was his Servant anointed with the holy Oyl There remained a true and tender Seed in him which the Name Beloved most properly related to though the Man passed through great Judgment and Tribulation he obtained Forgiveness and God had such regard to him for his own Name and Seed sake and the Sincerity that had a Root in him that his Children fair'd the better in some respects for his sake 1 Kings 11 12. howbeit this proves not that all the Seed of David after the Flesh kept their Covenant with God or stood in his Grace so as not at all to fall from it for however God for a time retains Favour Kindness and Patience to Revolters who have tasted of his Grace and Power as very unwilling they should be utterly lost yet in departing from the Lord into Iniquity they do in themselves turn from and abuse his Grace not being stedfast therein with the Lord So that the Instance proves not that his loving Kindness did always continue unto such as run into Adultery Idolatry and Abominations and continuing in Rebellion after their many gentle Chastisements though the Lord is long suffering and keepeth Covenant and Mercy with them that fear him his Faithfulness fails not he is ready to fulfil the
70 〈◊〉 Let it be understood that we do not fall thus abruptly upon People to surprise them with such Threatning them with Hell as if we would fright them into Perfection or drive them into Despair He hath not herein proposed our Method in order to Freedom from Sin and Salvation for first We preach the Grace the Light and Power of God to be believed and patiently waited in and that Patience may have her perfect Work in order to Perfection and Freedom which is not all wrought on a suddain or presently upon Conviction for it will require both Faith Patience Diligence and Travail to obtain it and we know that to obtain Salvation is to obtain Deliverance from Sin and this is by Jesus Christ who saveth his People from their Sins It is not our Method first to say There must be No Sin at all in you and then you shall attain Salvation Nor barely to say to People at first You must be quite free from All Sin here or burn in Hell hereafter for this though it hath a Truth in it is not a proposing the Ground and Foundation whereby to obtain Freedom but an abrupt Threatning tending to make Men look more at the Difficulty of the Condition then at the Power of Christ to aid them for that End And thus have the Papists misrepresented our Method in their Indefatigable Seeker as if we presently imposed such a Difficulty as the setting Men strictly to keep the Law obey punctually in every Title or else be damned But this is to make way for their Purgatory and may be taken as if we set People on work in their own Wills and Power to a most strict severe Life without the Power of God whenas without that we can do nothing acceptably and yet all things by that Power or through him that strengthneth us But whereas this man takes it for granted that to be quite Free from all Sin here or to keep the Commands of God is Not attainable Let it be minded that since he hath confessed No Unclean Thing shall enter into Heaven And Christ proposed the Keeping the Commandments as namely Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart c. and thy Neighbour as thy self as the Way to inherit Eternal Life this Man doth render it impossible either to enter in to Heaven or inherit eternal Life while he will not believe that to keep the Commands of God is attainable though God assist his own thereto for to keep the Commands was in order to inherit Eternal Life So to say with Christ if thou wilt enter into Heaven keep the Commandementsâ—… and a Presbyter answers No It is not possible to keep the Commands The Consequence is then It is not possible to enter into Heaven Or it may be as well proposed If thou wilt enter into Heaven make thy self Wings and fly thither or go and stop the Sun in its Cou se or take the World on thy Back but God's and Christ's Commands imply no such Impossibility but that they may be performed We should not speak an idle Word we should not have one vain Thought in us not one wandring Thought in Prayer Eccl. 5. 3. We should not have one inordinate Desire nor evil Imagination against our Neighbour p. 71. He asked If a State of Freedom from all these Sins were attainable in tâ—…is Life and that I had the Face to tell him it is but the Consciences of all enlightened Persons Observers of their own Hearts will bring in Testimony against me Thiâ—… still shews his Presumption and Unbelief while he grants it our Duty to for sake all these Evils as idle Words vain Thoughts wandering Thoughts in Prayer inordinate Desires evil Imaginations c. Where then is the Christian Sabbath in which Man is not to speak his own Words nor think his own Thoughts And are not the Weapoâ—…s of the spiritual Warfare mighty thorrow God to the pulling down of strong Holds and the bringing every Thought into Subjection into the Obedience of Christ And the Thoughts of the Just are right Thoughts If the pulling down of Satan's Strong Holds be attainable by the spiritual Weapons much more the subjecting of wandring Thoughts being watch'd against in the Light that discovers them But while he doth not believe that a Freedom from wandering Thoughts in Prayer is attainable and yet confesseth that the holy Ghost calls a wandering Prayer a Dream we are to understand that when you Presbyters bring forth your wandering Prayers with your wandering Thoughts in them you are but dreaming and so meer Dreamers you do not pray with the Spirit for that does not bring forth any such Wandering Prayers and Dreams And be it further minded that his granting enlightned Observers of their own Hearts do see wandering Thoughts and Imaginations herein he hath given Concession to the inshining Light* as the Rule to discover wandering Thoughts which is more then the Scriptures do Therefore he and every one should attend and watch in the Light against Imaginations and wandring Thoughts and not to suffer them in Prayer From Job 9. 21. he concludes That Job abhorreth to entertain such a Thought as being Perfect pag. 72. Herein he hath wronged Job for he counted it not consistent with Self-Abasement and Humility for him to say I am Perfect especially upon a Self-Justification as his words before plainly intimate If I Justifie my self mine own Mouth shall condemn me c. Job 9. 20. Though I were Perfect yet would I not know my Soul vers 21. Which proveth not that Job abhorreth to entertain such a Thought as that of Perfection but rather that it was not so proper for him to speak it in his own Justification for surely he did entertain such a Thought as that of Perfection when he said When he hath tryed me I shall come forth as Gold Job 23. 10 11. The man 's gross Confusions about Job's Perfection is hinted in our Paper entituled the Presbyters Antidote choaking himself That saying If our Hearts condemn us God is Greater doth not prove these holy Men knew God saw something in them which ought not to be for which their Hearts condemn'd them so long as they lived for it is as well said If our Hearts Condemn us not then have we Confidence towards God S. S. Thoughts prevailed against and cast out return again and their being in us is Sin Act. 8. 20. Thou thoughtst that the Gift of God might be purchased with Money p. 72. Answ. A very pertinent Proof for the covetous Presbyters the quondam Hireling Parish Priests but no meet Instance to prove the Being of Evil Thoughts remain in all the holy Men of God nor an equal Comparison to mention the corrupt and erroneous Thought of Simon the Sorcerer as a Proof that Thoughts prevaâ—…led against and cast out must return and have their being in the Lord's People all their Dayes but while he grants that evil Thoughts are prevailed against and
cast out why doth he conclude they may not be kept out or that the keeping them out is not attainable in this Life unless he will charge a Want of Diligence upon all the Faithful or accuse them with neglecting their Watch for I affirm that to keep out evil Thoughts is attainable through Diligence and Watchfulness in the same Light and Power that discovers them prevails against thâ—…m and cast's them out To prove that such a State as to be wholy free from all evil Principles is not attainable in this Life 〈◊〉 cites John 15. 2. Every Branch in me that beareth Fruit he 〈◊〉 it from whence he argues If the Father purgeth him he hath evil Principles to be purged out p. 73. Rep. What I said to this doth not yet appear to be answerable by him which was because it is the Father's purging out Sin or evil Principles they must needs be perfectly purged out by Degrees though it is true a Man is not perfectly purged while he is a purging I did not conclude as he saith that Freedom from all Sin is instantly but in God's due time who is the Purger and who perfects his own Work In the same Scripture before cited Christ saith Now are you clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you abide in me and I in you Joh. 15. 3. 4. Without me or severed from me ye can do nothing ver 6. If ye abide in me and my Words abide in you ye shall ask what you will and it shall be done unto you ver 7. 16. From hence observe here is enough to confute S. S. his concluding that Evil Principles cannot be wholy purged out in this Life for in Christ there is both Power and Sufficiency and if his Followers ask in his Name to be throughly purged it shall be done or if they sincerely pray that the Will of God may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven It shall be answered Now I would ask S. S. if it be not a Duty of true Believers when they see any thing that is to be removed or purged out to pray to the Father in Christ's Name to remove it and throughly to be purged and their Hearts made clean in this Life And shall they not then be answered herein Did not Christ say What soever you ask in my Name believe that you shall have it and you shall receive it or it shall be given you And he that abidâ—…th in Christ sinneth not and is not the Branch of the Nature of the Vine He answers We are Partakers of the divine Nature and how do we partake thereof but by escaping the Corruptions of the World But as without Christ we can do nothing so it is not our Phrase to say I have made my Heart clean for it is he that worketh all our Works in us His concluding that no Man hath perfect Knowledge viz. either of the Will of God or of his own Errors and that this Ignorance remaineth during Life from Psal. 19. 12. 1 Cor. 13. 9 11. and therefore that there cannot be perfect Practice p. 74. We have Reason to conclude he is very imperfect and mistaken herein for 1st The Will of God with respect to our Duty to him is to be known It is revealed by his Spirit that it may be obeyed and he that will do the Will shall know the Doctrine 2dly Both secret Errors and Faults are discernable and to be known by the Light which makes manifest whatsoever Things are reproved and therefore secret Faults are not alwayes to remain in this Life if David and others when sensible thereof prayed not in vain when they prayed to be cleansed from secret Faults that secret Sins Errors are to be discovered known is evident that the Lord at his Appearance or Coming will bring to Light the hidden things of Darkness and will make manisest the Counsels of the Hearts and it is he that reproves the Wicked sets man's Sins in order before him he that telleth unto Man what his Thought is the Lord God of Hosts is his Name Therefore as he doth perfectly shew Man his Sin and by Degrees maniâ—…est his Duty and afford Light and Power sufficient to forsake Sin and obey fully both are attainable in this â—…ife though gradually Still his concludiâ—…g that the perfect Man if on Earth he sinneth â—…rom 1 Kings 8. 46. There is no man that sinneth not and Ecclesiast 7. 20. There is not a just Man upon the Earth that doth Good and sinneth not I ask him then If there be no higher Attainment in this Life then for the best of Men to sin in doing Good as some of his Brethren interpret those last Words But if he will please to read D. Gill's Essay to the Amendment of the last Translation of the Bible he will find that he doth not render the Words in the Indicative Mood That sinneth not but in the Potential That may not sin as there is no man that may not sin or but that he may sin there is no man just in the Earth that doth Good and may not sin which much differs from positively concluding that every just man sinneth in doing Good And he further intimates it to be but in a legal State of Justness wherein a legal just Man may sin and not in an Evangelical or Gospel-State in Christ. Neither do the Words as renâ—…ered in 1 King 8. 46. There is no Man that sineth not agree with the Words before If they sin against thee but rather there is no Man but that he may sin and then it is possible for them not to sin and for a good Man that is one in Christ beyond the State of the Law to act and speak and walk in Christ the true Light and not to sin in doing Good but as of Sincerity but as of God in the Sight of God so speak we in Christ Such are not sinning in their Preaching and Praying nor do they bring forth wandering Prayers or Dreams as you do who are pleading and diâ—…puting â—…or Sin Term of Life because it is said the Imagination of Man's Heart is Evil from his Youth S. S. saith This is not spoken of the Old Wicked 〈◊〉 bâ—…t of Noah and his Family p. 74. If he intend this according to the Tenour of his Discourse as the State of Noah and his Family and that all their Life time I must tell him that it is contrary to the Testimony given of Noah viz. That he was a Just Man and Perfect in his Generations and Noah walked with God which was not with an Evil Heart or evil Imaginations for that is not a State of walking with God His saying that this is not spoken of the old World but of Noah is a Mistake for God saw that the Wickedness oâ—… Man was great in the Earth and that every Imagination of the Thoughts of his Heart was only Evil continually This is as well mentioned in Genâ—…sis 6.
other Grain It is sown and It is raised when the Body or outside of that very Corn that is sown is dead though the innate Virtue or Life doth not in it self dye nor fruitlesly expire Thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. yet in these two relations It is used as relative both to that which is sown and to that Body that shall be while in the very next Words to those before cited it is said there is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15. 44. and these can no more be the self-same then Celestial and Terrestrial Bodies can or then the first Adam and the laft Adam or the Earthly and the Heavenly which the Apostle plaiuly distinguisheth between as he doth betwixt the Natural and the Spiritual But whereas T. H. and his Brethren so much argue from the word It as It is sown a Natural Body It is raised a Spiritual they take this It for Idem corpus the self-same Body in both Their Mistake is evident they have not this either from the Greek or Latin see 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seminatur corpus animale surgit corpus spirituale i. e. a Natural or Animal Body is sown a Spiritual Body riseth it is not Idem surgit Nor would this agree with the next Words There is a Natural Body and there is a Spiritual Body This admits of no such Transubstantiation as that the self-same Natural Body should become Spiritual or be the Subject of such an Accident And it is sown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 an Animal Body or as having Life a Living Body which therefore cannot be the Body as dead and laid in the Graves for in that Condition they are not Corpus Animale for that relates to the Earthly Adam or Body of Mankind as having a natural Life â—…nd must not even the Animal or Natural Man dye before the Spiritual Man be risen or Immortality in Christ be put on And is not the Natural or Animal Man doposed to the Renewed Man 1 Cor. 2. 14. And the Seed which is sown in Weakness must needs have some Degree of Life in it when sown whether Natural or Spiritual and the Weakness and Corruption doth relate to the Subject in which it is sown if the Seed it self be incorruptible And as the First Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven and As is the Earthly Such are they also that are Earthly and As is the Heavenly Such are they that are Heavenly ver 47 48. which if this be owned it must be granted that they that are Heavenly must have Bodies sutable viz. Heavenly or Spiritual Bodies this Heavenly being the second Man the Lord from Heaven ver 47. And mark As is the Heavenly Such are they that are Heavenly which cannot be the same with Earthly any more then the Image of the Heavenly can be the Image of the Earthly And as to our being asked what this Mortal is that must put on Immortality Though Mortal in this place implies a dying Condition of Man as the Effect of Sin as in Adam all dye yet it cannot as having put on Immortality be relative to Flesh and Blood but as admitted in a Heavenly and Spiritual Sense for the Apostle plainly tells us but a little before Now this I say Brethren that Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption Behold I shew you a Mystery We shall not all Sleep but we shall all be Changed ver 50 51. And so by that Life and Immortality which is brought to Light we see beyond Death and Mortality and we though as in a dying State yet behold Immortality being quickned by the second Adam and renewed again into the Image of the Heavenly being made alive in Christ who redeems Man from Death ransoms the Soul from the Power of the Grave who swallows up Mortality and Death in Life and Victory and saith O Death I will be thy Plagues O Grave I will be thy Destruction Hos. 13 14. Isa. 25. 8. by whom also Death being so swallow'd up into Victory the Sting of it which is Sin taken away They who thus have their part in Christ who is the Resurrection and Life can truly say Thanks be to God who gives us the Victory through our Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 15. â—…7 And to take off further Surmisings against us I tell my Opposer that this Resurrection or Change extends not only to a Raising of Man up from Sin to Righteousness but also to an Eternal Glory And 't is not only the Raising up of the Seed or Grace in Man as he supposes but the Raising up of Man from Sin Death Hell and the Grave even in the Seed and Life which is the Ransom and this answers his Cavils in his 6â—… and 61. Pages only where he fictitiously makes us speak thus viz. Qu. We believe the Resurrection of the Body though we know not what that Body is which shall rise And then he absurdly makes a Christian to answer thus viz. Chr. Thou saidst before the Light within was the divine Essence either then thy Light within thee is not God or God knows not all things c. Reply First he feigneth the Quacker though we will never own him to be our Mouth for the Words were not so spoken by me or us but that we ought not to be too Curious or Inquisitive in things beyond our Capacities as to the Manner of the Existences hereafter or how Men shall be reserved unto their several Ends and Rewards for God knows how to do it but we being sensible of the different Seeds we cannot be altogether ignorant of the Nature of each Body being proper to the Seed it belongs to Yet if with John we say it doth not yet appear what we shall be it is Satisfaction that we know what Manner of Love the Father hath bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God for such are Sons of the Resurrection 2dly T. H. abuses the Christian by making him speak absurdly that which implies that if Man have a Divine Light in him he must needs know all that the Light knows or else either conclude that the Light is not Divine or else God is not Omniscient and then it follows from hence that none have either a Divine Light or God dwelling in them unless they know as much as God which was a Temptation to Man at first and by this he hath shut out all not only the fallen World but God's People also from having any Divine Light or Power of God in them He scoffs at some of our Friends saying We own the Resurrection that is We witness it and then adds But what is it you witness the Resurrection of the Seed 'T is Christ in you Ans. Is this a matter to be taunted or scoffed at Hath he truly acted the part of a Christian thus to slight the Arising of the Righteous
Seed in any or Christ's Arising who doth appear reveal himself and arise in the Souls that believe in him to raise them also up with him yea and that which the Father hath given him he will loose nothing oâ—… it but raise it up at the last Day And if you do not come to know a Righteous Seed raised up in you and Truth to spring up out of the Earth and to witness Christ to be your Resurrection and Life you remain dead in your Sins and short of the Glory of this Resurrection But in witnessing Christ to be the Resurrection and the Life unto us we do not assert that it is only the Seed or Christ in us that doth arise as is vainly imagined but we are revived and do arise in and with him as those that have believed in his Name as he said I am the Resurrection and the Life he that believeth in me though he were dead yet shall he live and he that liveth and believeth in me shall never dye wherein he doth not take notice of the putting off of the earthly Body or Cloathing as his dying or Death And as in Adam all dye even so in Christ shall all be made alive but every man in his own order Christ the first Fruits afterward they that are Christ's at his Coming and this is not to exempt Man from the Benefit of the Resurrection nor to say That Christ and the Light within is sown Natural Mortal and Corruptible as T. H. most malitiously and falsly accuseth us by way of Question as asserting Blasphemy To which he farther adds that we intend the Resurrection of something past and witness in our selves What is Falsehood and Deceipt if this be not p. 61. And further saith Thus do you undermine the very Foundation of Faith Hope and Holiness of Life like Hymneas and Philotus 2 Tim. 2. 17. who said the Resurrection is past already To which I answer first What we witness in ourselves of the Resurrection it is this Man 's horrible Blasphemy to call it Falsehood and Deceipt for that we do witness to Christ as being the Resurrection and the Life revealed in us so far as we have a living Knowledge of him and Experience of being by him raised up from Sin and Death that came by it in order to attain to a future Glory 2dly 'T is a Gross Slander that we either intend or say like Hymneas and Philotus that the Resurrection is past already for that it is not yet as to Man compleatly we are not yet raised to what we shall be as namely to that Fulness of Glory and absolute Joy and Tryumph which shall be incessantly possest after our Labours and Sufferings are ended and our Earthly House dissolved for the more we are drawn up into absolute Spirituality the more capable we are of that full Fruition of an eternal Weight of Glory in the Heavens in order to which let us be Spiritually minded and walk in Holiness of Life while here in our earthly House As also we cannot hold that the Resurrection is past already while we or any of us are suffering with Christ and travailing in order to attain unto the Resurrection of the Dead that is perfectly to be raised up with Christ who is the Resurrection and Life in some Degree at least of all that truly believe in his Name and Power Neither is this to undermine the Foundation of true Faith Hope or Holiness of Life while we confess Christ to be that Foundation But to argue for Sin and Imperfection term of Life and so to put off being Perfect till in Heaven as this Opposer hath done this is repugnant to the Foundation of living and purifying Faith and Hope and so excludes Holiness of Life howbeit he thinks to arrive at Heaven with the same Carnal Carcass or Corruptible Cask he now beats about with him only he thinks it will be new drest up and polisht after it is turned to Dust But the greatest Miracle is that it must not be Created a new nor a new Created Body and unless we grant him this he reckons our Religion a meer Cheat calculated only to the Service of the Devil and our own Lusts and that it denies any Eternal Advantage and therefore be opposeth the Christian to the Quaker p. 62. And what is the Marrow of his Matter for this severe Conclusion upon us But First he accuseth us of a palpable Denyal of all future and distinct Beings and Existences after Death pag. 62. which is a palpable and notorious Untruth for as we confess to the distinct Beings of Angels in Heaven so we confess the future distinct Beings and Existences of the Saints and Children of the Resurrection that in the World to come they shall be AS the Angels of God yea They which shall be accounted worthy to obtain that World and the Resurrection c. They shall be equal unto the Angels and are the Children of God being the Children of the Resurrection Luk. 20. 36. And what Bodies have these Angels of God Terrestrial or Celestial Carnal or Spiritual let that be considered 2dly The Man 's other Pretence is If the Soul be a Part of God Divine Infinite as before and returns into God being God it cannot miscarry he saith His Abuse concerning this hath been answer'd before both in this Treatise and in my Book of the Nature of Christianity And it was never asserted by us either of the Soul of Man or of the Spirit or Existence of Man or the Creature which may vary in its Affections to Good or Evil according to the Power that acts Man Neither can it be conceived in Reason but Envie that any of us should look upon the Infinite God to be Divisible into so many Parts or Particles as there are Entities or Existences of Men yet that there is an Infinite Life Principle or Seed in the Soul of every Man This we confess as that by which the Soul immortally subsists in its being and therefore this may be counted the Soul or Life of the Soul for without this the Soul of man could not subsist in an Immortal Capacity And this I and divers others can testifie that G. F. did not intend or asscribe either Immutability Infiniteness or Divinity to the meer formed or created Spirit Soul or Being of Man but to the divine immediate Inspiration or Breath of Life flowing from God himself who inspired into him an active Soul and breathed in a living Spirit Wisd. 15. 11. whereby Man became both a living and reasonable Soul indued with Rational Intellectual and Spiritual Parts 3dly I know no other Reason he can pretend for his Charge against us and our Religion as a Cheat and as denying an eternal Advantage but that we do not own his gross and carnal Sense of the Resurrection though it be none of our Phrase to say in these general words That the Body perisheth forever but hereby he plainly implies man's Incapacity of an
Lucid they namely the Bodies of the Angels are with which the best of them are invested as truly that of Exod. 3. 2. Acts 7. 30. which answers well to that of Hebr. 1. 7. The Bodies of the more Glorious Angels are Igneous and Lacid That also is a remarkable Example of the Lucidity of the Bodies of Angels which we have Acts 12. where while Peter was sleeping betwixt two Souldiers in the Prison bound in Chains the Angel of the Lord is said to come upon him and a Light to shine in the Prison c. I will add one Instance more which is Dan. 10. 5. where the Angel that instructed Daniel is thus described Then I lifted up mine Eyes and looked and behold a certain Man cloathed in Linnen whose Loins were girded with fine Gold of Ophaz his Body was also like Beryl and his Face as the Appearance of Lightening and his Eyes as Lamps of Fire c. This Appearance certainly of this Angelical Shape is Fiery Lucid and Glorious It is manifest that they are very Luminous and Glorious Whoever is invested with such a Body as is reserved for the Sons of the Resurrection will be if he please to shew himself thus Lucid and Glorious of which I shall want no more Examples then that one of our Saviour Christ's Body for all ours at the Resurrection are to be made like to his Glorious Body and how Lucid and Angelical his Body was after his Ascension into Heaven may appear from Apocal. 1. 13. where one like unto the Son of Man is said to be cloathed with a Garment down to the Foot and girt about the Paps with a Colden Girdle his Head and his Fair to be white like Wool as white as Snow that his Eyes as a Flame of Fire and his Feet like unto fine Brass as if they were burning in a Furnace and his Voice as the Sound of many VVaters a sharp Two-edged Sword came out of his Mouth and his Countenance was as the Sun shining in his strength This Body I think is sufficiently Lucid and expresly and almost exactly conformable to that of the Angel which appeared to Daniel as any one may observe that listeth to compare them The like Appearance of our Saviour seâ—…meth to be also Apocal. 10. where an Angel is said to be cloathed with a Cloud with a Rain-Bow on his Head and his Face to be as the Sun c. I will add his Appearing to an out of the Heavens as he was going to Damascus Acts 9. that suddenly there shined round about him a Light from Heaven c. above the Brightness of the Sun Chap. 22. 6. 26. 13. Which again doth not only assure the Reality but the exceeding great Splendor of the Corporeal Presence of Christ which is also agreeable to that in Apocal. And his Countenance was as the Sun shining in his Strength Out of all which I hope it is plain enough that as our Saviour hath said That the Sons of the Resurrection do become iâ—…so facto Angels in Condition as well for the Splendour and Constitution of their Body as their Immortality The Body of our Saviour after his Refurrection being so accurately answerable in Light and Glory to the most illustrious Appearances of Angels in either the Old or New Testament and this alone one would think might be sufficient to assure us of the Lucidity or Luminosity of the Body of Christ as also of all our Resurrection-Bodies For the Spirituality of this Body see 1 Cor. 15. 44. It is sown a natural Body it is raised a spiritual Body there is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body c. I think it is most reasonable to understand the Resurrection-Body to be called Spiritual not for that it is actuated by a Spirit for the Soul is a Spirit that actuates the natural Body but for that the Body it self is become spiritual which I must confess Calvin seems abhorrent from but meerly out of his Ignorance in Philosophy for he reprehends those qui substantiam corporis putant fore spiritualem c. Calvin seems to be afraid of the Opinion of the Body being spiritual as implying a substantial Change c. There is not any Inconvenience to admit that the Resurrectionâ—… Body is a spiritual Body that is to say that the Contexture of it is of more subtil Parts then those that constitute the Earthly Bodies pag. 498. And so he distinguishes between that Terrestrial Statue or Body that Adam had and the Spiritual Bodies of those that are made conformable to the last Adam and to his Glorious Condition Such as are not of a stupid and Statue-like Condition of themselves but of such a Nature as hath an Activity in it self and doth most wonderfully contribute to the most lively and most divine and enlarged vitall Operations of the Soul â—… In this Manner hath he gâ—…ven his Distinction upon the Words It is sown a Natural or Animal Body it is raised a Spiritual Body The Resurrection Body is Heavenly or Celestial as the first Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven as is the Earthly such are they that are Earthly and as is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly and as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly And then it follows But this I must tell you Brethren That Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God not that they shall only have Heavenly Bodies in a moral Sense or spiritual Meaning Bodies in which they shall be Heavenly-minded For such Slips as these and dilute Sences are very Dangerous c. but that they shall have an Heavenly Body in that Sense that Adam had an Earthly which was not called an Earthly Body for that he was Earthly-minded in it but because his Body was of an Earthly Substance Really and Physically Heavenly not only Morally we shall be such in our Corporeal Constitution as our Celestial Lord is in his we shall bear his Image of Heavenly Glory and Brightness not only in a Moral but Natural Sense nor can I imagine how Interpreters could be carried so forcibly off from so obvious and true a Sense had it not been by reason of some false Pre-conceptions in Philosophy that had corrupted their Minds and perverted their Judgments namely the Hypothesis of Ptoloâ—…e and Aristotle By an Heavenly Body I would understand an Angelical Body That the Heavens are fluid according to the most ancient and divinest Philosophy as the very Notation of the Hebrew word intimates Our Resurrection-Bodies will be furnished with the Seeds and Principles of Light and Splendour and be more Beautiful and more full of Lustre and Glory then the Heavenly Matter it self as that part of the Earth which becomes an humane Body is more precious and beautiful then the Earth it self before it be modified into a Frame fit for the Functions of Life So that whether we
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