assured of it not only from their own Witness of themselves but from the Witness of God in my own Breast They do believe all things that are written in the Law and the Prophets so that those which do so clamorously charge them cannot prove the things whereof they so much accuse them But then it hath been replyed viz. They own the Scriptures indeed but 't is in their own Way they believe them as they do a moral History just barely giving credit to them owning that they are Truth but they do not believe they are the Word of God and the Rule of Faith and Life As to this I Answer They do believe the Scriptures so far as Scripture itself requires Faith in it self that is that they are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus being given by Inspiration of God according to that of the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. And they do also believe That this same Jesus here spoken of who is said to be the Messenger of the Covenant Mal. 3. 1. the same and not another did Inspire his Prophets and Apostles in writing of the Scriptures But still he is the Word as well as the Wisdom of the Father and I ask Where do the Scriptures themselves declare any other Where do they say that they are the Word of God or the Rule of Faith and Life Though I have heard it said that The Prophets Isaiah Jeremiah Ezekiel c. often call their Prophecys by the Name of the Word of the Lord which say some is all one if we say the Word of God Now such I would advise to take a second view of the Text and then they may find that the Prophets did not call their Prophecies and Writings The Word of the Lord for they were the Lord's Words he being The Word of the Lord who revealed their Prophecyes unto them as for instance Ezek. 29. 1. says the Prophet there In the tenth year in the tenth moneth in the twelfth day of the moneth came the Word of the Lord unto me saying c. So then it was the Word of the Lord that came and said unto him the Prophecy was that which he said So in Ieremiah Chap. 7. v. 1 c. old Translation 't is said The Words that came to Jeremiah from the Lord saying Stand in the Gate of the Lord's House and proclaim there this Word and say Hear the Word of the Lord all ye of Judah Mark The Prophet was to make Proclamation of the Word of the Lord that the Men of Iudah might hear what he said as it followeth Thus saith the Lord Amend your ways and your doings and I will cause you to dwell in this place c. And this was he as I said before who is the Messenger of the Covenant appointed by the Father to reveal his Secrets unto his Servants the Prophets who came to Ieremiah with this Prophecy so that it was not what he said but he himself whose Name is called The Word of God Revelat. 19. 13. And this is that Word which came unto Abraham in a Vision Gen. 15. 1. saying Fear not Abraham I am thy Shield and thy exceeding great Reward Unto whom in the very next verse Abraham gives the Titles of Lord and God which proves the Word to be Eternal and Divine but so are not the Scriptures Eternal for we know they had their Beginning in time and though they are Words and Declarations of divine Things yet must we distinguish between the Declaration and that which is Declared of so as not to call them both by one Name Those written words for Scripture signifies a Writing they are Publications in Testimony of that Creating Word of Power by which the Worlds were framed see Heb. 11. 3. yet they do not declare that the World was made by them but by that Eternal Word which was in the beginning as it s recorded Iohn 1. 1. the same is that which liveth and abideth forever 1 Pet. 1. 23. which Word is quick and powerful and sharper then any two edged Sword piercing even to the dividing assunder of Soul and Spirit and of the Joynts and Marrow and is a Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart neither is there any Creature that is not manifest in his Sight but all things are naked and opened unto the Eyes of him with whom we have to do even as 't is written Hebr. 4.11 13. This is that Word to whom the Scriptures direct us as a Light unto our feet and a Lanthorn unto our Paths to guide our feet into the Way of Peace the very entrance of which giveth Light yea it giveth Vnderstanding to the Simple So that the Scriptures themselves say not of themselves that they are the Word of God but that they bear witness of him And this is he who said to those great Scripturians namely the Iews of old who so greatly exalted the Scriptures but had not the Living Word abiding in them Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me saith Christ but ye will not come to me that ye might have Life John 5. 38 39 40. So here it may be seen there is good Reason to distinguish between the Written Words the Writing or Letter and the Living Word which is a Quickening Spirit But now as to the other part of the Change which is That this People of whom I am now writing do not own the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith and Life In their behalf I Answer They do own the Scriptures to be a Rule as they direct unto him to wit Christ who is the Object of our Faith and Lord of Light and Life They do also believe that the Scriptures are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be throughly furnished unto every good Work as saith the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. But yet still it is in Christ Jesus whom his People do believe and he is the Rule by which they live according to the Example of the Apostle who saith The Life that I now live in the flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2 20. He must needs be his Peoples Rule for he is the Way the Truth and the Life no man cometh to the Father but by him John 14.6 And 't is his Spirit that leads into all Truth Joh. 16. 13. even that Spirit which searcheth all things yea the deep things of God as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 2. 10. which Spirit teacheth them of all things and bringeth all things to their Remembrance according to Christ's Promise Iohn 4. 26. Therefore the Spirit of Christ is the Rule of his Peoples Faith and the Guide of their Life yet doth not this detract from the Scriptures nor the Estemation of this People called Quakers concerning them for I know they do believe that whatsoever
not prove the Lord to be so partial in his Love towards his Creatures as to choose some but leave the greatest part of Mankind in the fallen state without affording them any Benefit by Christ or a Measure of his Grace and Spirit for want of which and being so past by of God as somehave asserted they become under a necessity of sinning a necessity of dying Oh harsh Doctrine and so I must confess I often thought it whilst I was industromsly striving to work my self into a Belief of it but now from a certain experimental Knowledge and in full assurance of Faith can I testifie for God He is no Respecter of Persons but in every Nation he that seareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him For though all have sinned and come short of the Glory of God wherefore he hath concluded all under Sin 't is that he might have Mercy upon all not willing that any should perish in Sin but that all might come to Repentance Moreover than this the Scriptures do abundantly speak forth the extent and Benefit of Christ's Death for all Mankind upon condition of Faith and Repentance joyned with new and continued Obedience which are the Gospel Terms on which he is offered to them For Christ Jesus gave himself a Ransom for all he tasted Death for every Man so saith the Apostle 1 Tim. 2. 5. Hebr. 2. 9. So that it is a certain Truth all that are or shall be saved are elected only in Christ Jesus that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have everlasting Life There is no Prae-exception or absolute Fore-appointment as partially designed in relation to Persons but upon Man's Disobedience Wherefore it shall not be said The Fathers have eaten sour Grapes and the Childrens Teeth are set on edge but he that eateth the sour Grapes his Teeth shall be set on edge for all Souls are the Lord's as the Soul of the Father so also the Soul of the Son is his aud he hath said The Soul that sinneth it shall dye Ezek. 18. 2 4. Yet hath the Lord no Pleasure in the Death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his way and live Wherefore he hath given the Beloved of his Soul out of his Bosom to come into the World to same men from their Sins that they might be made accepted in him Therefore as by the Offence of one Judgment came upon all men to Condemnation even so by the Righteousness of one the free Gift came upon all men unto Justification of Life read Rom. 5. 18. which makes it clear to me the Lord will not condemn any for Adam's Sin who have not demerited his Wrath by Actual Trausgression CHAP. V. Concerning the Sacraments AS touching the Institution of the Sacraments so called by which is meant Water-Baptism and the outward Supper here also is another great Charge brought in against the Quakers unto which I cannot but be very tender in the Answer for I must confess I my self did once think them very chargeable in this Matter Now that Baptism even the Outward and Tipical Baptism was an Ordinance that is so say a Thing ordained by one that hath power to Ordain as Iohn Baptist had Command from God to Baptize this I do believe and own But then the Lord himself hath ordained a higher Baptism whereby he saveth which surely is not the outward no that 's not of Efficacy to obtain or effect such an End which is Salvation as that I think our Enemies themselves will grant and then why are they so angry with us that we do not own it in their Outward Form But the One Baptism necessary to Salvation I do believe is Inward and Spiritual being that of the holy Ghost fore-told by Iohn the Baptist Mat. 3. 11. I indeed Baptize you with Water unto Repentance saith he but he that cometh after me is Mightier then I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear he shall Baptize you with the holy Ghost and with Fire This is the Baptism which Christ commanded his Disciples that they should wait for and therefore I call it an Ordinace because ordained by Christ as you may read Acts 1. 45. And being assembled together with them he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me for John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the holy Ghost not many days hence The same did Peter Witness Acts 11. 15 16. And as I began to speak saith he the holy Ghost fell on them as on us in the beginning then remembred I the word of the Lord how he said John indeed baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the holy Ghost Now if any shall Oppose these Scriptures to prove outward and Water Baptism now in force Mat. 28. 19. Go teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. John 3. 5. Except a man be born of Water of the Spirie he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God 1 Pet. 3. 21. The like Figure whereunto even Baptism doth now save us not the putting away the filth of the flesh but the answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Iesus Christ from the dead Something I shall write by way of Answer to them these being the chief Texts that ever I heard brought to prove the same As to the first I say that must needs mean the Baptism of which I am now speaking viz. Spiritual Baptism for Christ's bidding of them go denotes their being impowred from him to Baptize in or rather Into his own and his Father's Name which is the true Spiritual Baptism besides here is no Water made mention of whence we may infer the Apostles Ministry was to be the Laver in which they were to be baptized See here their Mission Christ bids them go Teach Baptizing Baptizing is in the Present Tence whilst they were Teaching and as it was then so it is now the Spiritual and Inward Baptism goes along with the preaching of the Word of Life To the second Scripture I Answer If our Opponents will have that mean Material Water may not we then as well conclude that Iohn Baptist meant Christ would Baptize them with Material fire but if we understand the Power of the holy Ghost to burn up the Stubble that naturally grows in us by the latter then must we also understand the same Power to cleanse us from our natural Filth by the former But I know it will be expected I should prove this by Scripture for which see Tit. 3. 5. Not by Works of Righteousness which we have done faith the Apostle but according to his Mercy he saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renexing of the holy Ghost Here is the Washing of Regeneration to parallel being born again of Water and the renewing of the holy Ghost to answer being born again of the Spirit for
in Chap. 3. Vers. 17. of this Epistle the Apostle gives Caution to whom he wrote saying Ye therefore beloved seeing ye know these Things beware lest ye also being led away with the Error of the Wicked fall from your own stedfastness For 't is threatned by the Lord That when the Righteous man turneth away from his Righteousness and commits Iniquities and dyeth in them Mark here is included a Total Fall for his Iniquity that he hath done he shall Dye Ezek. 18. 26. and 33. 13. Wherefore we are exhorted to continue in the Grace of God and to keep our selves in the Love of God because of the danger that there is of falling from this Grace for 't is those that endure to the End that shall be saved these are Christ's own words in Mat. 16. 26. Mark 13. 13. 'T is to those that are faithful unto Death to whom is promised a Crown of Life Rev. 2. 10. Such as are implanted into Christ and abide in him they shall inherit the Kingdom For if a man abide not in me saith Christ he is cast forth as a Branch and is withered John 15. 6. And in vers 10. he tells them If ye keep my Commandments ye shall abide in my Love even as I have kept my Father's Commandments and abide in his Love Thereby signifying that if we keep not his Commandments neither shall we abide in his Love so then if we abide not in that which keeps us in the Love of God we cannot abide in God for God is Love 1 John 4. 16. See Reader here is a whole Cloud of Witnesses bearing Testimony that'tis Possible if there be not a diligent watching for People to fail of or rather fall from that measure of the true Grace of God which was once given to them Therefore what the Quakers hold in this Point is no New Doctrine For if this could not possibly be how could any do Despight unto the Spirit of Grace or Resist the holy Ghost Yet do this People believe A Christian may come to such a growth and standing in the Grace that is in Christ Jesus from which he cannot fall away according to that Promise in Rev. 3. 12. Him that overcometh will I make a Pillar in the Temple of my God and he shall go no more out and I will write upon him the Name of my God and the Name of the City of my God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down from Heaven from my God and will write upon him my New Name And they also believe That such a one may come to be assured that he is in such a state even as the Apostle was who said for I am perswaded that neither Death nor Life nor Angels nor Principalities nor Powers nor Things present nor Things to come nor Heighth nor Depth nor any other Creature shall be able to separate us from the Love of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord Rom. 8. 38 39. CHAP. IX Concerning Perfection VVHich Doctrine though it be firmly founded in Scripture yet is it rejected and set at naught because 't is believed by the Quakers notwithstanding which they freely confess that a perfect Principle they plead for and press the necessity and benefit of man's believing and conformity to it Therefore I ask their Adversaries Is it any Crime to be Perfect To which if they shall answer as in effect they have said This is to be accounted Vile To such my Reply is I hope that the Lord will inable his People to become and be contented to be counted more Vile For to this Abraham was commanded by God under the Old Testament as 't is written Gen. 17. 1. The Lord appeared unto Abraham saying I am the Almighty God walk before me and be thou perfect And to this we are commanded by Christ under the New whose words are thus Recorded Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore Perfect as your Father which is in Heaven is Perfect Nor is it only commanded but also promised see Rom. 6. 14. For Sin shall not have Dominion over you And in 22. 23. verses there we find it experienced for the Apostle speaks of such as were made free from Sin and become Servants to God and had their Fruit unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life For the wages of Sin is Death but the gift of God is eternal Life through Iesus Christ our Lord And in Rom. 8. 2. there Paul speaks his own experience For the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Iesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death saith he And therefore he exhorts the Corinthians Having these Promises dearly beloved let us cleanse our selves from all filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the fear of God 2 Cor. 7. 1. And in 1 Cor. 2. 6. 'T is said the Apostle spake Wisdom among them that were Perfect and in 2 Cor. 12. 9. the Apostle wishes their Perfection and thus he concludes his Epistle to them in the 11th verse of the same Chapter Finally Brethren farewell be perfect c. And this was it the Apostle Iames desired viz. that those to whom he wrote might be perfect and intire lacking nothing Iames 1. 5. For it was the end of the Apostles Ministry that they might present every man Perfect in Christ Jesus labouring servently in Prayer for them that they might stand perfect and compleat in all the will of God And in behalf of the Thessalonians Paul prayeth That the very God of Peace would sanctifie them wholly that their whole Spirit Soul and Body might be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Iesus Christ 1 Thessal 5. 23. And we find the Apostle Peter making the same Supplication even that the God of all Grace would make them perfect 1 Pet. 5.10 This being the very end for which God appointed Teachers in his Church as 't is written Ephes. 4. 11 12 13. He gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers for the perfecting of the Saints for the Work of the Ministry for the edifying of the Body of Christ till we all come in the Vnity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ. Yea this seems to be the end of Christs giving himself for his Church that he might sanctifie and cleanse it that he might present it to himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing but that it should be Holy and without Blame see Ephes. 5. 26 27. Therefore those that deny Perfection to be attainable by the Lords People do in effect deny Christ the one Offering For by one Offering he hath perfected forever them that are Sanctified as faith the Apostle Heb. 10. 14. Wherefore saith Iohn Whoso is Born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God 1 John
love to their Souls by giving them his Flesh to eat which is the true Bread that cometh down from Heaven This is he that gives true freedom of will to his People whereby they can cheerfully serve him and keep the Word of his patience though in much Affliction and he hath promised to keep such in the hour of Temptation Rev. 3. 10. This is the Lord our Righteousness and he of whom our Righteousness is as saith the Prophet which while we abide in him we have a sure standing But if any go out from him who is a God at hand and whose Salvation is near to be reveald in all that wait for him then 't is no wonder if they fail of the Riches of that Grace which is treasured up in him This is he whose Works and Wayes are all Perfect and in him we are made compleat that is as we are guided by his Spirit which he gives to lead the Saints into all Truth according to his promise Iohn 16. 13 14. Howbeit when the Spirit of Truth is come he will lead you into all Truth for he shall take of mine and shall shew it unto you saith Christ and this his Spirit by which his People are led is an Infallible Spirit Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ which is Infallible he is none of his saith the Apostle Rom. 8. 9. And now if any man have and profess to be led by this Spirit of Christ he is made a Scoff even by the very Professors of this Age. Thus I have again touch'd upon the former Particulars wherein I undertook to Vindicate Truth and its Followers in all which Christ the Light and Life of Men is all in all unto his People For Christianity doth not consist in the belief of so many Doctrines Articles and Principles as some suppose but in conformity unto that one Eternal Principle to wit the Light of Christ manifest in the Conscience and yet leads into a heavenly Order both in Doctrine Principle and Conversation according to the diversity of its Gifts whereby man comes not to be at liberty in his own Will but bound again to God which is the true signification of the word Religion And this Light of the unerring Spirit by which the Lord leads his People in the Way Everlasting it shineth within mark It shineth in the Darkness though the Darkness comprehend it not as saith the Apostle Iohn 1. 5. It shines in the dark Heart of man though man in his dark state cannot discern what it is yet is this that sure Word of Prophecy whereunto we do well to take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place untill the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in our Hearts according to that 2 Pet. 1. â—9 which is as much as if the Apostle had said This is commendable that you give diligent heed to the least measure of this Light or Grace of God which he hath dispenced to you till he shall see fit to bestow a greater measure upon you For 't is still but one thing that I am describing although rendred by divers Names inasmuch as the sure Word of Prophecy and the Day-Star here spoken of differ only in Degrees not in Nature and Kind both which Expressions denote to us that one gift of Light and Grace through Christ Jesus freely bestowed on all men and according to the improvement that they make of their Measures so an increase thereof is administred to them It was by this Light that Iob walked through Darkness Iob 29. 8. And it is by this Light that we come to see our Darkness but 't is not that we should abide in Darkness but walk through it and come out of it by following the Light of Christ that in his Light we may see more Light and so come to receive the Light of Life as 't is written Iohn 8. 12. Then spake Iesus unto them saying I am the Light of the World he that followeth me shall not walk in Darkness but shall have the Light of life And praised be the Lord there is a Remnant who have experienced it and can say with the Apostle this thing is true in them viz. The Darkness is past and the true Light now shineth 1 John 2. 8. Which Light is a Light of the Spirit of the Lord dwelling in his People and therefore whatever the World may think concerning them 't is no presumption in them to own they are made Possessors of the same For saith the Apostle to the Corinthians Know ye not that ye are the Temples of God and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you For ye are the Temples of the living God as God hath said I will dwell in them and walk in them 1 Cor. 3. 16. 2 Cor. 6. 16. Now since God himself is said in Scripture to dwell and walk in his People why should it be thought Arrogant for them to say Christ in them is the hope of their Glory according to that of the Apostle Col. 1. 27. To whom God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles Christ in you the hope of Glory And let me tell you this was the Judgment of Dr. Langly which I my self heard from him in a Sermon preach't upon that Text viz. That the great Gospel Treasure is the Lord Iesus Christ and the glory of that Treasure is Christ in us This was his Observation and this I think is Confession clear enough to the Truth of our Assertion viz. That in being guided by the Light which is the Spirit of Christ within us hereby a sure Hope of Eternal Glory is given to us However we do not conclude Christ in our selves only but we say a measure of his Light in order to shew the way of Life every man is or hath been enlightned with Nor yet do we include him in the fleshly Temples of Men and Womens Hearts so as to exclude him from being any where else but as we know his Presence fills Heaven and Earth so we believe that notwithstanding his appearance in our Hearts he is continually at the Right Hand of God at the Right Hand of the Majesty on High ever Living to make Intercession for us and by his Spirit we feel the Signification thereof within us For this Grace of God which is the Light of Jesus 't is a measure of the Divine Spirit and a Manifestation of it is given to every man to profit withal see 1 Cor. 12.7 Yea this Universal Principle which I am describing it is a Measure of the quickening Spirit even of that Spirit which raised up Jesus from the Dead by the Indwelling of which in us we come to be renewed in the Spirit of our Minds and to have our Mortal Bodies quickned so as to capacitate us to serve the Lord with our Spirits and with our Bodies which are his Now if any shall think I have raised this Principle too high
first Divine Nature and Seed in which he stood before Transgression here was his Fall and Degeneration and so he came by that unexpressible Loss of the Favour of God and Freedom of Will that now the Lord being angry with him he had no Power to do any thing to appease him the Garment of Innocency being lost their Fig-leaf Aprons could not hide their shameful Nakedness from the Lord which he seeing and taking notice of compassionately made them Coats of Skin for their clothing and then he drove them out of the Garden of Eden So here man was put out of the Paradise of God for eating of the forbidden Fruit of the Tree of Knowledge and Cherubims placed at the East End of the Garden with a Flaming Sword which turned every way to keep the Way of the Tree of Life as may be read in the third Chapter of Genesis at large Thus man being drove from the Presence of the Lord Death came over his Soul though he lived outwardly yet did he dye as to that Inward Principle of Divine Life and Virtue which once he enjoyed and so the Threatning was fulfilled which the Lord had said In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely Dye Here Man and Woman having transgressed the Royal Law of God by breaking of his holy Commandment in eating of the Tree whereof he commanded them saying Ye shall not eat thereof by this they came to be separated from him So it was Sin that made the Separation and it is Sin which makes the Separation For Man and Woman in their primitive state wherein they were created were good as the rest of the Creatures of God for 't is written God saw every thing which he had made and behold it was very good and God blessed Man and Woman and they were in Favour with him till they became subject to Vanity by reason of that false Hope which the Serpent suggested to them they hoped to have been a Gods to know Good and Evil but by going out of God's Counsel they became corrupted by the Evil one and being joyn'd to the Serpentine Seed they were alienated from God so that had not the Lord out of his unmeasurable Loving-kindness and Compassion opened a Way to restore them they must have perished in this Deplorable Condition And this Way of Restoration was by Christ the Light the Seed and Saviour for he of whom God said unto the Serpent I will put Enmity between thee and the Woman and between thy Seed and her Seed it shall bruise thy Head and thou shalt bruise his Heel He it was who was to be the Saviour of the World So that now considering the Sons and Daughters of Adam as they are found in the Fall and Degeneration having all sinned and come short of the Glory of God herein I say hath his universal Love and free Grace appeared to wit in giving of his Son to be a Saviour unto them as saith the Apostle Iohn In this was manifest the Love of God towards us because that God sent his only begotten Son into the World that we might live through him 1 Epist. 4. 9. And that he was sent to the whole World see what Iohn the Evangelist faith Chap. 4. 16. For God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son Mark that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life To which the Apostle testifies 1 Iohn 2. 2. saying He is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World This was the free Gift of the Father that the Son of his Bosome should take Flesh upon him come into the World and lay down his Life for poor Sinners for he came from God and went to God again So that though he laid down his Life of himself having Power and being willing so to suffer according as 't is written Iohn 10. 18. Yet himself also said That his Body was prepared of his Father Heb. 10. 15. In which Body he did the will of him that sent him Lo I come to do thy Will O God saith he for a Body hast thou prepared me Who now that rightly considers this Dispensation of favour but must needs cry out Oh the Height and Depth and Breadth and Length of the Love of God and of Jesus Christ our Saviour who took not on him the Nature of Angels but took on him the Seed of Abraham and was made in every thing like unto us only without Sin that he might restore Fallen Man Which thing I know will readily be granted but 't is the extent thereof that some would have limitted affirming That Christ dyed for a certain definite number and not for the whole Lump of Mankind one as well as another Nay they speak as if none had any benefit by no nor so much as the Revelation of Christ this Gift of God whom to know is Eternal Life but those who have the outward Letter of the Scripture Yet do I believe and so do Thousand more whom the Lord hath called viz. That the Father of Lights and God of the Spirits of all Flesh hath given a measure of his own Divine Light and Spirit unto all the Children of men to manifest and reveal the Appearance of his Son in them who is that same Saviour which shed his Blood for us that he might wash us and cleanse us from our Sins and was offered upon the Cross not only as a Propitiatory Sacrifice to make Reconciliation for the Transgressors but that by his once offering up of himself he might bring in everlasting Righteousness and Perfect forever them that are Sanctified and a measure I say of this his Power which is Light God hath placed in every persons Heart in order to their Sanctification as they shall be subject to this his appearance in them True indeed all are not Sanctified and made Perfect by him although this was the end of his coming that he might finish Transgression and make an end of Sin and this was the will of the Father in sending him to wit our thorow Sanctification but this is not because all have not a knowledge and manifestation of his Light or Spiritual appearance of him in themselves but because all do not believe in and obey this his Appearance Now that People may attain to what Knowledge may be had of God by the inward manifestation of the Light of his Son which is a measure of his Spirit in their Hearts this is clearly proved by the Apostle Rom. 1. 19. That which may be known of God saith he is manifest is men for God hath shewed it into them For the Lord of the whole Earth who is the Preserver of men he is impartial in his Love to all Mankind not only to them in Christendom so called who have the Scriptures amongst them but his Love is extended unto all People in one Land as well as in another for his Spirit is not
brought forth and comes to have the Government in the Soul it must shall and will Reign over Death Darkness Sin and Corruption and all the Powers of Hell and the Devil I would have none think strange of what I have writ concerning this Thing though I know 't is a Mystery to the Natural Understanding of the wifest of the Children of Men and therefore since Paul was called a Babler for preaching such strange Doctrine to the Stoick Phylosophers Acts 17. 8. I can expect no better from some but to be counted a Non-sensical Scribler for writing of the same but this I am content to bear knowing in my self I had no Previous Intentions to amuse my Reader but having undertaken to describe in measure the extent of this powerful Principle of God placed in the Consciences of his Creatures following the Foot steps thereof for my Guide in this Matter Before I can attain to the End of my Journey I am necessarily brought hither and as I stand here I see by the Light of this Spiritual Pillar of Fire that though the Sea with the Waves thereof Roar yet is there a Way for the ransomed of the Lord to pass over and this Way is Christ the Light the Lamb the Grace the Gift of God given by the Father to bring out of the Fall which all Mankind are in by Nature that whosoever believeth in him layeth hold on him and continueth to be led by him should be brought into Fellowship with himself and abide therein forever and this same is he who leads in the midst of the Paths of Judgment and through the many Exercises that I have been writing of before he brings to the Banks of Salvation puts Songs of Deliverance into our Mouthes whereby we can sing of the Mercies of the Lord And thus having brought out of spiritual AEgypt's Land and caused to drink deep of the River of Judgment he then brings to Shiloh's Brook and giveth to drink of the Waters of Refreshment So 't is the same Hand that wounded which healeth and that Arm which broke us doth now bind us up the same Power which killed reviveth and he who once caused grief now giveth Songs in the Night And appointeth to Zion's Mourners Beauty for Ashes the Oyl of joy for Mourning and a Garment of Praises for the Spirit of Heaviness and who will in due time bring all his true spiritual Israel out of the Waste Howling Wilderness into a Land of Everlasting Rest. Thus it appears that the Light of Jesus in the Conscience is no Natural Insufficient Thing as some have sought to render it being something of God placed in every Man to witness against all sin convincing and reproving for that which is Evil contrary-wise prompting exciting and inclining to that which is good so that as many as yield to the Motives of it it is sufficient not only to condemn and to destroy but also to justifie and save being a measure of the Living Omnipotent Power of that One Law-giver who is able to save as well as to destroy see Iames 4. 12. which Power is Christ as saith the Apostle 1 Cor. 1. 23 24. We preach Christ crucified unto the Jews a Stumbling Block and unto the Greeks Foolishness but unto them that are Called both Jews and Greeks Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God who as he was once manifest in the Flesh so now is he manifest in Spirit to be that Covenant of Light which the Father promised by the Mouth of his holy Prophet Isa. 42. 6. And this Light Power and Arm is in measure extended and reached forth at one time or other unto all people for the gathering unto him in whom the Election stands that so as many as obey his Call in yielding themselves to be gathered by this gathering Arm may make their Election and consequently their Salvation sure in him For this is he who would have gathered Ierusalem and saved her from that Ruin and Destruction which afterwards came upon her because she knew not the time of her Visitation 'T is the very same Jesus and no other whom we believe in for our Saviour who by his spiritual Appearance in the Hearts of the Children of men gives Light gives Life gives Power and Victory over sin to as many as follow the Leadings and Guidance of this Immaculate Lamb for 't is given to the Lamb and his Followers to overcome and who so overcometh shall sit down with the Lamb on his Throne and live and reign with him for evermore Rev. 3. 21. 12 11. Even the same which was with his Church in the Wilderness being that Spiritual Rock that followed them of which they drank by the way and were refreshed in him who is the Rock of Ages the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End the First and the Last the Antient of Dayes whose Dominion is an Everlasting Dominion which shall not pass away and his Kingdom that which shall not be destroyed whose goings forth have been from of Old from Everlasting For he is the blessed and only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords who only hath Immortallity and Eternal Life to whom be Glory and Honour Dominion and Power henceforth and forever Here now ye have a Description and that in Scripture Dialect concerning the Principle of our Faith something I have writ as to the Nature of it which though at first it causeth grief and brings in sorrow upon the Soul yet doth this sorrow work Repentance never to be repented of after which cometh reviving so that it was truly said Though Weeping may endure for a Night yet Ioy cometh in the Morning for they that sow in Tears shall reap in Ioy he that goeth forth Weeping bearing precious Seed shall doubtless come again Rejoycing bringing his Sheaves with him And such shall surely say In the Lord have we Righteousness and strength for in the Lord shall all the Seed of Israel be justified and shall Glory in him not in Wisdom Wealth nor Strength but in this that they know him to be the Lord who exerciseth Loving-kindness Iudgment and Righteousness in the Earth as saith the Prophets Isa. 45.24,25 Ier. 9.23,24 And this is he whom we acknowledge to be our Iudge and Law-giver yea he is our King and he will save us for to this end hath he appeared by his Light in our Hearts and for this end doth he appear in the Hearts of all men that as many as bow down to the measure of his Appearance in them may thereby see and be enabled to forsake their Wayes and Doings which have not been good whereby they may be saved from sin and by the same saving Power and Spirit in their Hearts come to be led into the Way of all Truth which Way of Truth is Christ our Mediator and Intercessor with the Father through whom man comes to be accepted of God as he cometh into him in whom alone the Father
mens Confidence in it shall be shaken and their Expectation from it disappointed then shall those who truly fear the Lord be abundantly satisfied For Friends I must acknowledge it often rises in my Soul as a Return of Thanks to God viz. The Remembrance which he gives me of the Time of his Love even when my Soul was secretly crying Where shall I find true Rest Then was the Lord pleased to bring me to the Mountain of his Holiness where a peaccable Dwelling is and that just before these Disturbances broke out in this part of the World where my Lot is cast Oh! praised be his Name For now he hath taken me into his Family and makes me to sit down with the Ancients of his House at the Table of his Blessing where he feedeth every one with food convenient for them And now Friends let me mind my self and you That we greatly Love and Esteem and in Honour do prefer those that were in Truth before us some of whom have been made as Trumpets by the Breath of the Lord to sound the Everlasting Gospel in our Ears and others on whom that Gift of Vtterance hath not been bestow'd yet have they taught us to Fear God and give Glory to Him by the Example which they have set before us And thus respecting these as Elders so shall our Love regularly extend it self towards all others I write this to you Friends only by way of Remembrance as knowing none need teach us to love those who have received like precious Faith with us much less need we any humane Teachings to Esteem such as held the same ancient Faith before us For we are taught of God to Love one another and by this shall all men know that we are the Disciples of Christ Iesus Thus as they behold our comely Order whilst we live in Love together like Children of one Father and in the inward Union dwell so shall they discern the Splendor of the Truth to shine in and amongst us even like an Orient Pearl And so shall we be bound up together in the Bundle of Love and Life in Christ Jesus and shall grow up in him like Willows by the Water courses and as tender Plants which God's Right Hand hath planted and our Natural Capacities shall be enlarged and our Spiritual Talents augmented to serve the Lord with Faithfulness in our several places where we shall be as Lights unto the World whilst our dwelling is here amongst them then having improved out Talents to the Glory of God and run well to the End of our Race when our Course is finished we shall lay down our Heads in Peace and hear that joyful Sentence pronounced on us Well done good and faithful Servants enter ye into the Ioy of your Lord where we shall receive the End of our Faith even the final Salvation of our immortal Souls which shall eternally live to sing and set forth Praises and Halelujahs in the highest to him that sits upon the Throne and to the Lamb Christ Jesus who hath Redeemed us from the Earth unto whom the Praise doth belong for the Assistance of his Spirit in this thing Given forth by one of the least of the Flock of Christ whose outward Name it ELIZABETH BATHURST READER SOme Errors having escaped the Press most of them being Scripture Quotations I desire when thou art at a loss that thou turn to this Errata so shalt thou find what thou look'st for Page 7 line 31 read Iohn 8. 58. p 12 Margin r Rom. 3. 20. Acts 15. 9. Margin dele 6 7. p 13 Margin r 1 Tim. 1. 5. p 21 l 20 for ony r any l 12 f about r above p 24 Margin r Iohn 1◠14 p 27 l 19 f Ier. r Isa. p 32. l 25 for Timothy r Titus p 34 l 7 r Mat. 24 13. p 36 l 6 r Iames 1.4 Margin r Col. 1. 28. p 36 l 17 r Luke 1.5,6 p 39 l 38 f pervert r perverted p 42 l 11 r Eph. 5. 13 p 43 l 8 f demonstration r denomination l 18 r Acts 26.18 p 45 l 4 delo on p 47 l 1 r Iob. 27. 3. p 50 l 21 f 14 r 27. p 51 l 18 f 28 r 2◠p 60 l 10 f such a r asmuch p 61 l 2◠f explified r explisit p 62 l 17 f gifts r gift p 64 l 26 f Chap. 4 r 3. p 65 l r f 15. r 5. p 74 l 17 for 28 read 20. Chap. 11. Vers. 4. Luke 1. 79. Psalm 119. 130. Doctor Owen Independant Iohn Faldo Rom. 3. 2. Gal. 3. 24. Rom. 3.26 Ephes. 2. 8 9 10. Tit. 3. 5 6,7 Act. 15.9.6,7 Tim. 3. 5,6,7 Ephes. 4. 10. 1 Pet. 3. 22. Phillip 3. 21. 1 Cor. 15. 53 54. Ezekiel 33. 11. Read Thomas Lawson's Treatise concerning Baptism page 53. 55. John 13.5 Acts 15. 28 29. Iames 5. 14. Prov. 6. 23. * Can they think that Christ would bid his Disciples pray for what he never meant to grant This were to render him who is Truth it self an Impostor and to tax the blessed Son of God with Deceit Oh Horrible * Namely Loaves an Independant Preacher †Dr. Annesley Col. 1. 18. * Vpon which Text I heard a Preacher of your own thus Paraphrase The Words saith he signifie a compleatness in the subject that nothing be wanting For to be negatively blameless is to be without Crime to be without Offence to be without Fault but to be positively blameless is to be in some measure Innocent 't is to be like Adam in his pure Creation 't is to make Christ our Pattern Now whether this doth not tantamount to Perfection I 'll leave the Reader to Iudge ‖ It is not a present laid upon me to discover all the Errors of Popery therefore I shall say no more then what is pertinent to my present Matter But that the Popists are far from Infallibility notwithstanding they pretend highly thereto their Difference in Doctrines to which Bellarmine himself hath confest with the Disagreement of their Popes one pulling down what another had set up and the Dissention of their Councils particularly about the Popes Supremacy their Priests Marriages and Worshipping of Images wherein one Synod hath decreed what another hath dissannulled their own Writings witness against them which those that have read any thing of Papal Story cannot but have a Knowledge of Gal. 1.15 Rom. 3. 24. Ephes. 2. 8. Rev. 3. 7. * Jer. 23. 6. Isa. 54. 17 56. 1. 25. 9. Iohn 1. 4. These instances I bring in to shew how those that speak against the Quakers Principle which is Christ manifest within are forced many times by the Power of the same Principle in themselves in plain words to confess to the same Col. 2. 14. Rom. 8. 16. Rom. 8. 14. ‖ So then the Indians and Americans shall not perish for want of the Bible which we have here in England Zeph. 2.2 Acts 7. 51. Luke 7. 30. 1 Iohn 1. 5. Psal. 104. 1. 1 Tim. 6.26 Iomes 1. 17. Iames 1. 17. Numb 16.22 * ☞ Note That I do not say Personally as some suggest concerning us as if we believe that very Body of Christ is in us that was hanged upon the Cross which were Foolish as well as False to assert but Spiritually as he is the Word of God the Wisdom of God the Power of God so he dwells in every Christians Heart And so he dwells in us by which Power he compleatly sanctifieth us Yet Truth doth allow of a Property in Speech which may be put into a degent Stile although it admits not of giving flattering Titles to men Read Elihu his acknowledgment Job 32. 21 22. Ier. 30. 7. Isa. 61. 3. Luke 19. 44. Acts 7. 3 8. 1 Cor. 10. 4. Rev. 22. 13. Dan. 7. 13 14. Mich. 5. 2. 1 Tim. 6. 15 16 Psal. 30. 5. Psal. 126. 5 6. Isa. 33. 22. Isa. 55. 6. * ☞ No doubt but Habakkuk's Countenance was altered when his Lips thus Quivered for 't is true what David said Psalm 39.11 When Thou Lord with Rebukes dost correct Man for Iniquity thou makest his Beauty to Consume away like a Moth If so why should any think it strange when they see the like Change †Who they are that 't is supos'd I should either fear or sllatter I need not name for those to whom I write may easily understand Acts 11. 26. 1 Cor. 4. 13. Psams 31. 20. Psalm 12.4 Isa. 26.8 41. 1. Isa. 2.20 Psalm 37. 12 13. 1 Pet. 2. 11 12. Titus 2. 11 12. Psalm 60. 12. Phil. 1.28 Nahum 1. 7. Isa. 29. 19. Psalm 37. 11. Ezekiel 12. 18. Isaiah 40.29 2 Pet. 1. 1. 1 Thess. 4. 9. Iohn 13. 5.
things were written afore time were written for our Learning that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have Hope as 't is recorded Rom. 15. 4. So that it appears the Scriptures are owned of them and are believed by them and are practiced amongst them but they dare not ascribe them that Glory which is due to God nor exalt them above his Son Christ Jesus nor prefer them in his Spirit 's stead neither yet is it any Derogation from the Scriptures to exalt Christ and his Spirit more than they for Scriptures themselves exalt Christ and the Spirit above themselves so that it is not in any slight or disrespect they have to those holy Writings wherefore they do not call them the Word and the Rule of Faith and Life but as they have declared 'T is from that reverend regard they owe and ought to bear to Christ Jesus the great and eminent Word of God to whose Spirit all Scripture Directions in Matters of Salvation refer us as to an Infallible Rule and Guide They direct us thereunto that we may not live in them but in him who is the Author and Dispenser of them Thus though the Scriptures are granted to be a Righteous Rule and of Divine Dispensation for the Prophecy came not in old time by the will of man but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the holy Ghost even as the Apostle testified 2 Pet. 1. 21. and my Soul praises the Lord that he hath preserved the Records of so many Prophecies and Testimonies of his primitive Servants through so many Contingencies unto this present Age yet can I not think that the God of infinite Wisdom and Grace whose Mercy is over all his Works would leave Mankind in so great a Concern whereon their Eternal Salvation is depending to such a Rule alone for Guidance therein as is subject to concealing Mis-translation Mis-interpretation False Application as we find the Scriptures have been by Corrupters of them Muchless can I believe that he would suffer the greatest part of the World to live without them as they do were there no other means appointed for their Salvation Yea moreover I am very sensible that where the Scriptures are many occurrances may fall out in the course of our Lives about which the Scripture gives no particular Advice and yet it is necessary we should have a Guide near in all our Affairs But I well know many Cases there are where Scripture is altogether silent in the matter Admit then here that the Creature in such a streight not knowing what to do betake it self to inquire of the Lord by Prayer alas what will that avail unless it receive an Answer which is already granted not to be found in Scripture neither can it now he had by the meer Literal Priesthood nor by their pretended Vrim and Thummim and say they who cry up solely Scripture to be the Rule of Faith and Life Neither must we expect Answer by Dream nor yet by Vision no nor by Revelation nor Inspiration for these say they are craft many Ages past Whom I ask What way then can the Creature come by Advice which till they can resolve me in I shall still retain my Opinion viz. That that inward Oracle which is a Measure of God's Spirit whereby we obtain access to him with Answer and Direction from him in all our Concerns about which we inquire of him undeniably is of greater Authority both to beget living Faith and order us therein and a more perfect Rule to guide our Lives than the outward Writings of the Scriptures which in many things leave us without either Counsel or Instruction And here I shall leave this Point which is in answer to an Accusation which is That we deny the Scriptures a thing often charged upon but never proved against the People called Quakers CHAP. II. Concerning the Humanity of Christ c. A Second Charge which I have heard brought in against the Quakers is That they deny the Humanity of Christ Iesus and the Obedience that he yielded in the dayes of his Flesh by his Sufferings Death Buriel Resurrection from the Dead together with all the benefits that thereby accrue unto Believers as also Iustification by Faith and the imputed Righteousness of Christ. Now that this hath been as falsly charged upon them as the former I shall undertake to prove by Scripture But first let me mind the Reader this I have observed viz. That there are many that have born false Witness against them yet they do not seem to accord in their Witness For first comes out a learned Doctor and he declares publickly though somewhat ambiguously that this People deny that Christ which dyed at Ierusalem to be God equal with the Father But when this was refuted so as not to be believed then comes out another and he would give the World to know as if they only deny the Son of God to have assumed Humane or man's Nature Thus their accusers contradict one another for both seem to grant we own a Christ which well they may do since they differ in Principles amongst themselves how ever they agree thus far like Herod and Pilate to unite against Jesus so have they against his Followers but I need not enlarge upon particulars since rather then they will want a Host to go out against the Quakers look but into the Muster and thou mayst see One and Twenty Divines as they give themselves the Stile enter the Lift together of whom I shall say no more here lest it should be taken for a Digression from the Answer 1 st Therefore to clear Truth from Slander both on the one hand and the other I do in the first place affirm and that upon certain Grounds viz. That all who may be rightly denominated Quakers such as Tremble at the Word of God they are of the Faith of one Substance which the ancient Christians so earnestly contented for and suffered such hard things in maintaining to wit that Christ the blessed Son of God as to his Divinity was of the same Eternal substance with the Father as may be read at large in George Bishop's Looking glass for the Times pag. 85 86. 2 dly I affirm they faithfully own the Scriptures And therefore what Iohn the Divine saw in his Revelations concerning him as 't is Recorded chap. 13.8 That he to wit Christ was the Lamb slain from the Foundation of the World And what the Apostle said of him Phil. 2. 6. Who being in the Form of God thought it no Robbery to be equal with God Likewise Iohn the Evangelist in his first chapter 1.2 3. saith concerning Christ In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made for by him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth Visible and
Latitude of that Sin-pleasing Principle to which it is stretched as if men might be imputatively Holy though not inwardly Holy and imputatively Righteous though not really Righteous therefore they are clamoured upon as if they denyed the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness when it is only to those who are not made Righteous by it to walk as he walked For the Scripture doth not say that he that saith he is Righteous by the imputation of Christ's Righteousness but he that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as he is Righteous 1 John 3. 7. What then shall we Sin and yet think to be saved by the imputed Righteousness of Christ because we are not under the Law but under Grace God forbid that we should Sin in this state of Grace saith the Apostle Rom. 6. 15. Indeed the whole Chapter speaks the same sence viz. that it is not our Imputation or reckoning of Christ's Righteousness to our selves will justifie us but he imparting and imputing it to us and this shall suffice in Answer to the second general Charge against this People in every particular of which may be seen what gross abuses have been cast upon them whereby the envious and ill-affected have sought to cover their Principles with their own perversions and so to make Truth it self become rejected But I shall in the next place speak to those I take to be more moderate and such whom I have sometime found my self much swayed by But since I find it was more by Education and Tradition then any certain evidence I could have of the Truth of that Religion I find my self oblieged to detect those Errors in publick which I have heard divers of them cast upon the People called Quakers in private charitably judging they speak not so much against them out of ill will as ignorance of and unacquaintance with their blameless Principle though this is bad enough for People to speak Evil of things they know not and for such as are divided amongst themselves to joyn together against others as some have confessed to me that though they differ in many particulars yet they all agree in this to set their Seal against the Quakers but who they were I have and shall at present conceal desiring not to expose them but to inform them that so setting before them their Errors and Mistakes some of them at least may see and Repent them wherein they have spoken and done amiss CHAP. III. Touching the Resurrection of the Body of Christ and of the Saints AS concerning the Resurrection of the Body of our blessed Lord Jesus and also the Bodies of Believers this I have been born down in that the Quakers do not own In answer to which though I had something to Reply in their behalf at that season yet I must confess the respect I had to my Friend who affirmed the same made me a little incline to that Perswasion of them But now being better acquainted with their Principle I must needs add that this report is an utter Falshood for they do believe as 't is recorded in the Scriptures that Christ Jesus who descended into the lower parts of the Earth the same ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things and sits now at the Right-Hand of God in his glorious Body and therefore shall the low estates and humbled Body of Believers be made like unto his glorious Body through the working of his mighty Power whereby he is able to subdue all things unto himself and then shall this Corruptible put on Incorruption and this Mortallity put on Immortallity and Death it self shall be swallowed up of Victory So here likewise it may be noted how their Adversaries have been disappointed For first it was the design of some to have made Saduces of them by giving out that they deny the Resurrection as it was said of them Acts 23.8 For the Saduces say There is no Resurrection neither Angel nor Spirit Thus some have sought to render these as if at Death they believed Soul and Body were both to be annihilated But when this would not take then they reported that the Body only was that which the Quakers held should never rise again Here Reader thou mayst see how they have been slandered both wayes for they do believe the Resurrection of the Just and of the Unjust the one to Salvation and the other to Condemnation according to the Judgment of the great Day And then shall every Seed have its own Body as saith the Scriptures Acts 24. 15. Iohn 5.29 1 Cor. 15. 38. But because they dare not be so foolishly inquisitive as to ask nor so arrogant in their Minds as to dertermine with that Bodies they shall rise therefore do some say They deny the Resurrection of the Body of Christ and of all that are or shall be dead But this is most falsly charged upon them for they do believe the Resurrection of the Dead for if the Dead rise not they are of all men most miserable What can be a Ballance of an Equal Poix with the Tryals Exercises Afflictions and Persecutions that are their Lot and Portion in this Life short of an Eternal Inheritance and a Crown of Glory that fadeth not away Therefore they also believe that every man shall be raised in his own order Christ the First Fruits afterwards they that are Christ's at his coming yea they do believe that the Dead shall be raised incorruptible and that God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body there is a Natural Body and a Spiritual there are Bodies Terrestrial and Bodies Coelestial wherein they agree with the Testimony of the Apostle 1 Cor. 15. 23 43 44. which I think is sufficient to give all sober Inquirers full satisfaction herein For as to my own particular I freely do confess it suffices me that God will give unto my Spirit such a Body as it pleases him CHAP. IV. Concerning Original Sin AS to Original Sin in which the Quakers are judged to be of so Dangerous an Opinion without shewing to me what that Opinion was I Answer Though the word Original be not sound in Scripture yet if any mean hereby the inward Corruption and Seed of Sin which Satan hath sown in us and wherewith we are defiled in our first and fallen Nature I am sure this will not be denyed by any true Quaker for they know and believe that in the first Adam all are Sinners but in the second Adam which is the Lord from Heaven we are made Righteous for as in Adam all dye even so in Christ shall all be made alive as 't is written 1 Cor. 15. 22. But though it be granted that by one Man Sin entred into the World and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all Men for that All have sinned even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's Transgression who is the Figure of him that was to come Rom. 5. 12. 14. yet this doth
Observation neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you And that there this Wine was drunk by the Disciples see Acts 2. from the first Verse to the 18th When the Holy Ghost fell upon the Apostles how full of the new Wine of the Kingdom they were to the astonishment of Beholders and certainly this Wine of the Spirit or Wine of the Kingdom which is all one for Christ's Kingdom is a Spiritual Kingdom must come from him for he is the true Vine as he calls himself Iohn 15 1. So that the Text alledged doth not at all prove outward and Elementary Bread and Wine to be of use after Christ's second and spiritual coming for this he fulfilled before his Death and the Holy Ghost was not given till after he was glorified as was glorified as you may read Iohn 7 39. But possibly some may object It was practised by the Church of Corinth after Christ was inwardly come after the Holy Ghost was given to them as may be argued from 1 Cor. 11. 24 25. Where the Apostle repeating Christ's words in Matthew adds This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me To whom I answer in the behalf of the People whom I have undertaken to speak for if any break outward Bread and drink outward Wine with a sincere Intention as believing it their duty that they may the more be put in remembrance of the Body and Blood of Christ by the Remembrancer the Spirit of Truth which is appointed by the Father to lead the Saints into all Truth they judge them not but rather hope that such will come further out of the Shadow to the Substance But to do it meerly by Imitation or Tradition as most do is not to offer a Sacrifice to God in Righteousness however the outward Supper cannot be the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ which the Apostle speaks of in 1 Cor. 10. 15. and so on This can be but a Sign to put us in Remembrance thereof and therefore though it was commanded to and practiced by the Church of Corinth yet that doth not perpetuate its continuance For so was washing anothers Feet abstaining from things strangled and Blood annointing the Sick with Oyl laid upon the Saints of old which ye yourselves judge not needful to be practised now But if any shall say The Apostle relaxt some of these by saying in I Cor. 10. 25. Whatever is sold in the Shambles that eat asking no Questions for Conscience sake Then it must be granted that there is no necessity for the Continuance of the other for the same Apostle saith The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the Holy Ghost Rom. 14.17 Let no man therefore judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of a Holy Day or of the New Moon or of the Sabbath Day saith he wherefore if ye be dead with Christ Iesus why as though living in the World are ye subject Ordinances touch not taste not handle not which all are to perish with the using after the Commandements and Doctrines of Men Coll. 2. 16 20 21 22. So here is as much said for the abolishing of this latter as to any necessity as can be alledged for the former therefore those that can dispence with the one have small reason to plead for the other And yet I testifie the Communion of the Body and Blood of Christ the Quakers do own as that which every one must come to know and witness or they have no Life in them Now I appeal to the Reader How then can it be said that they deny the true Institution of the Lord's Supper Yet am I loath to leave the thing here being willing to hope I write to some who are Conscientiously scrupulous in this Matter who 't is like are ready to say as I my self in Heart have often said viz. To lay aside this Administration were at once to cast off and count useless what so many Martyrs in the Marian dayes so zealously contended for yea resisted unto Blood in striving to maeintain And having this Opinion I confess I was much swayed thereby as thinking it had been meerly for the outward Administration that they suffered Martyrdom but having since more seriously considered the Matter I can truly say I have received this from the Lord for Answer viz. It was not to maintain those outward Signs of Bread and Wine but to bear Testimony against the Falshood and Foppery of Transubstantiation that the Worthies of those dayes stood so stoutly against it that they counted not their Lives dear unto themselves that they might finish the Testimony they had received from the Divine Spirit which indeed History is clear in to them that read with Understanding For the Question put to them was not Why do you break Bread and drink Wine in your Sacrament without Consecration But What say you to the Sacrament of the Altar after the Bread and Wine is Consecrated is the Real Presence of Christ there I or no This was the Interrogatory they were to answer and bravely indeed did Tindal Philpot and others maintain their Negation to this Quest on which those that are acquainted with Martyrology cannot but have a Knowledge of Therefore the laying aside these outward Signs to be used by way of Remembrance when the Spirit it self is their Remembrancer This is not to put a slight upon the Sufferings of those Martyrs who then were breaking through a Cloud of Apostacy and Error the bright side of which blessed be our God hath since more fully appeared To conclude this Point If any shall be offended at what I have written to vindicate the laying aside of this outward Sign where the thing signified is inwardly come if they will dwell upon the Figure of the Death of Christ without and care not to come to know and witness his Resurrection and Life in themselves I 'll leave them where they are giving them to understand I have not attempted a formal Confutation of Error but a Vindication of the Truth CHAP. VI. Touching Free Will ALthough I have heard say That the Quakers are Free-willers yet this doth not prove them to be so no more than Peoples saying so is proof that they deny the Scriptures But since some are so willing to receive Reports against them something I shall say as to this Particular in behalf of them and that is this They are not of those that flightly say Man may be saved if he will for they know right well 'T is not of him that willeth nor of him that runneth but in God that sheweth Mercy for we are not able of our selves as of our selves so much as to think a good Thought but all our sufficiency is of God who worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure And therefore say we with the Apostle Of his own Will beg at
this thy day the things which belong to thy Peace but now they are hid from thine Eyes Luke 19. 41 42. Be it known to you my Friends and Aquaintance to whom I write Man cannot be his own Saviour if he will not be saved in the day of the Lords Power he must Perish forever And this is the day of the Lords making hare his saving Arm and revealing his Power even that time wherein he lets in Light into the Soul which not only discovers to man his Sin that leads down to the Chambers of Death but also shews him the way of Holiness which leads to everlasting Life But if men pass this time over without any regard to the Loving-kindness of the Lord extended to them in this Matter 't is just with him to turn their Light into Darkness in them and then as Christ said to some of old If the Light that is in you be Darkness how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.23 mistake me not 'T is not to be understood as if the Son of Righteousness which is the Fountain of Light could in it self possibly become Darkness but as to those that have fast closed their Eyes or lost the true Sight lest they should see by its Illumination in their inward Man when once their Day is over they may be as dark as if there were no Sun in their Horrizon and so they put Darkness for Light Hence it is that we see so many that have been in some Measure inlightned by this inward Divine Principle to see much of the Vanity of their former Practices and so have for a time forsaken many of the same but afterwards having gone out from this Principle by which they were in some measure saved from Polution and Sin they have again been intangled and insnared by the Pleasures Profits Honours of this present World and so the latter End hath been worse with them than the Beginning and so these having left their Habitation like Satan who abode not in the Truth envy and accuse the Faithful Servants of the Lord which keep their dwelling in him and like the Spies of old bring up an Evil Report upon the good Land frighting others with the Giant-like Difficulties that lie in the way to be surmounted thereby insinuating as if Israel's God were not able sufficiently to strengthen them against those spiritual Anakims great and tall that must be incountered with before the Inheritance comes to be divided These are such whom the Apostle Iude in the 12th and 13th Verses of his Epistle calls Clouds without Water carried about of Winds Trees whose Fruit withereth twice dead plucked up by the Roots raging Waves of the Sea foaming out their own Shame wandring Stars to whom at least they have cause to fear the Blackness of Darkness is reserved forever unless they can speedily find a place for Repentance before the Decree bring forth before the Day pass as the Chaff before the fierce Anger of the Lord come upon them before the Day of the Lord's Anger come upon them and with this I 'll pass them being moved to write not much to those who have forsaken but to those who have not been acquainted with the Truth To whom I further say Although there is a Time wherein the Lord waits to be gracious in which time he often expresses his Willingness to save men from their Sins and to gather them to himself as Christ said to Ierusalem O Jerusalem Jerusalem thou that killest the Prophets and stonest them that were sent unto thee how often would I have gathered thy Children together even as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would not Mat. 23. 37. Again the Lord complains All the Day long have I stretched forth my Hands to a Disobedient and Gain-saying People Rom. 10. 21. And thus the Lord expresses his Kindness towards all men in stretching forth his Arm to save them even as a man stretches forth his Arms to swim by sending his Son unto them to knock at the Door of their Hearts to see if they will open to him that he and his Father may come in and take up their abode with them but if men will not accept of Salvation while the Lord extends his Arm to save them If they will not take hold of his strength while they may make Peace with him If they refuse to answer his gracious Call and to entertain his Son whom he hath sent but keep him out till his Head be wet with the Dew and his Locks with Drops of the Night If People will make their Necks as an Iron Sinnew and will not yield them to the Yoke of Christ being Stiff-necked and Vncircumcised in Heart and Ears always resisting the holy Ghost and doing despight unto the Spirit of Grace setting at naught all the Counsel of God rejecting it within against themselves and will have none of his Reproof and continue thus to slight him till their Time and Season be over giving the Lord cause to complain of them that he hath stretched forth his hand but no man regarded it Will it not be just for him then to Laugh at their Calamity and Mock when Fear cometh upon them And most certain it is that those who despise the Reproofs of Wisdom and hate the Knowledge of the Holy Distress and Anguish will come upon them but whoso hearkneth thereunto shall dwell in a safe Habitation For Wisdom is a Defence Christ the Wisdom of God is a strong Rock and a sure Foundation he is that Foundation which God hath laid in Sion even the Foundation-Stone that Tryed Stone the Corner Stone Elect Precious who though he be to many a Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offence yet as many as believe in him shall never be ashamed Read hear now what this Principle is in which the Lord hath given a Remnant to believe 'T is the Grace of God 'T is the Light of Jesus 'T is a Manifestation of the Spirit 'T is the Glad Tidings of Salvavation 'T is the Word of Reconciliation 'T is the Law written in the Heart 'T is the Word of Faith 'T is the Seed of the Kingdom 'T is that Stone which hath been rejected by many a foolish Builder but now it is become the Head of Sion's Corner These are all significant Expressions of that excellent Principle which I have undertaken to treat on But if any shall say They are Expressions of so different a Nature that they know not how to reconcile them and make them one together To such I Answer They might as well confess they cannot understand how the Lamb of God can be the Lyon of the Tribe of Iudah nor how the Shepherd of Israel can be the Bishop of his Peoples Souls there seeming such a difference in these latter as in any of the former yet do they all speak of but one thing although it be exprest by divers Names For it will admit of a manifold Description though as I
said before 't is still but one thing if rightly understood in its true Notion And thus I chose to express it because thus I have found it viz. A Principle of Divine Light and Life in Christ Jesus placed in the Conscience which discovers both Sin and Duty to us and not only so but it Reproves the one and Enables to perform the other and this I know that a measure of the same is placed in the Consciences of all Mankind by which they might see the right Way were but their Minds turned thereunto Therefore let none slight or undervalue this Light of Jesus manifest in their Consciences by calling it as some have done A Natural Created Insufficient Light which will lead men down to utter Darkness Though sometimes again these very Persons will confess That the Light of Nature as they call it ought to be followed as far as it will lead for say they though the obeying its Dictates will never bring men to Heaven yet the disobeying them will certainly sink them down to Hell Hereby rendring the Lord cruel to his Creatures as if he required them to follow a Guide that would certainly lead them amiss or leave them short of the place of Rest and then would punish them for being Mis-led or for sitting down when they had no Guide to shew them the Way to walk in and that from a purpose in himself to leave the greatest part of Mankind without any other Guide to direct them in Matters of Salvation but that that is Insufficient that it must be a Miracle if it shew them the Way to Heaven according to their common Answer when asked how those must be saved who have not the Scriptures amongst them which these account the only Rule to Guide men Why we leave them to the Mercy of God say they the Lord may in an extraordinary manner bring some to Heaven if he have any Elect amongst them but whether any of them shall be saved or not 't is hard for us to determine Thus they darken Counsel by uttering words without Knowledge They say The Grace of God is Free and yet they make it a Monopoly so it shall not be Free to all nor must all be sharers in it neither will they allow the Lord himself to dispense it nor yet to inspire his Servants to go forth and preach it But arrogate to themselves a kind of Sacerdotal Right to be Dispencers of the Grace of God and Ministers of the Gospel of Jesus Christ because of some outward Qualifications acchieved by them as External Parts or Humane Learning although they never were called of God to the Work of the Ministry nor never had the Word of Reconciliation committed to them yet would they have People come to enquire of them the Way to the Kingdom though they are so narrow-spirited as to shut out the greatest number of Mankind by absolute Predestination not sticking to affirm that God nor Christ never purposed Love nor Salvation to a great part of Mankind and that the Coming and Sufferings of Christ never was intended nor can be useful to their Justification but must and will be effectual for their Condemnation So being void of Universal Love themselves they fondly imagine the Lord to be like themselves Hence concluding there is no Salvation to be had without the explified Knowledge of Christs coming in the Flesh and of the Scriptures both which we know whole Kingdoms and Empires in the World are unavoidably ignorant of aud yet few or none of these will Jeopardize their Lives to preach amongst such notwithstandings this was the Apostle Paul's Practice to preach Christ where he had not before been named for said he if I build upon another Man's Foundation I make my Glorying void But blessed be the Lord he hath caused many Witnesses to rise up amongst us who have given Testimony to the Truth as it is in Jesus and have taught others both in our own Country and in Nations abroad to take heed to that sure Word of Prophecy nigh in the Heart and in the Mouth which is the true Grace of God that is sufficient for us not only as some say to leave men without Excuse and so to aggravate their Condemnation but as 't is received and obeyed it will lead out of Sin into Holiness and in the end crown with Salvation And thus I am brought to the next thing promised which was to shew whence this Principle of Grace proceedeth I have according to my Measure shewn What it is now I come to shew From whence it comes to which I say § III. It comes from God through Christ as saith the Apostle God that commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Iesus Christ 2 Corinth 4. 6. 'T is God's Gift unto us and therefore well may we return Thanks unto him for his unspeakable Gifts God is the Author of it who is Light and in him is no Darkness at all for he covereth himself with Light as with a Garment and dwelleth in that Light which is inaccessible which no mortal Eye can approach unto he is the Father of Lights and therefore hath he given a Measure of his own Divine Light to all Mankind to reveal himself unto them that so they may know substantially What he is and not worship him as the Vnknown God and this knowledge of himself the Father is pleased to dispense to Men in and through the Son of his Love Christ Jesus our Lord who is come a Light into the World as himself testified Iohn 12. 46. I am come a Light into the World saith Christ that whosoever believeth in me should not abide in Darkness And therefore I believe and am well assured this is the one Faith whereinto many thousands by the Lord have been gathered viz. That the God of all Grace hath sent his Son into the World a free Gift unto the World and hath given a Measure of his Light and Spirit to manifest and reveal him unto all men Thus hath his universal Love and free Grace appeared For though God made Man pure and innocent yet Satan and disobedient Man hath marred that Creation In the Beginning God created Man in his own Image in the Image of God created he him as we read Gen. 1. 27. But Man soon defaced and stained this glorious Stamp and by yielding to the Tempter went out from his first Nature and so his Beauty was turned into Deformity I mean that Beauty of his inward Man wherein the Image of God stood in which he had Communion and Fellowship with his Maker through Disobedience this was lost and so man came to be without God in the World being alienated from that divine Life Light Love Grace Goodness Wisdom Power Holiness Virtue Purity Innocency wherewith the Lord invested him at the first in perfect Beauty but man going out from that
his Death who tasted Death for every man And so we do freely confess all that is derived to us to be in and by Christ Jesus as Mediator unto whom we ascribe all acknowledging him to be our Head in whom all Fulness dwells So that this Light with which all men are in some measure enlightned of God 't is no other but a measure of that Divine Fulness that dwelt in the Son of his Love when he was hear on Earth and now dwelleth in him since he is ascended up to Heaven where he was before whence he descends the streams thereof into the Hearts of all the Children of Men in order to bring them out of the Fall in the First Adam and to redeem them up unto himself the Second Adam that as they have born the Image of the Earthly so they may bear the Image of the Heavenly be restor'd unto that Grace and Favour of God again which by Transgression they are fallen from But First Let me tell thee whoever thou art that reads me This effectual Operation of the Spirit or Principle of God within is not nor cannot be known without a being centred down into the same For this I speak from good Experience the Spirit 's first work is to convince of sin before it effect a Restoration and this it doth even in all though all do not regard it it doth first shew them what is Evil and then it Reproves them when they do Evil which Reproofs if they be despised cause the fierce Anger of the Lord to be kindled and such as despise Wisdoms Reproofs which are the Way of Life while they are so doing they are treasuring up to themselves Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God And as ever they would come to know Remission of their Sins and enjoy Peace with the Lord who is hereby justly encensed against them they must submit to bear his Indignation against them that so they may be redeemed through Judgment and brought to unfeigned Repentance and then and not till then shall they know a blotting out of their Transgressions according as 't is written Acts 3. 19. But I say before Remission of Sins comes to be known there must be a centring down into the Manifestation of the Spirit of God within which will bring down every exalted Imagination and every high Thing and lay it Low even to the Ground that so every Thought may be brought into subjection to Jesus Christ And here comes the Terrors of the Lord to be known which causeth Fear and Trembling now doth the Soul exceedingly Fear and Quake under the Sense of the just Wrath of the Almighty who is of purer Eyes then to behold Iniquity and whose Jealousie burns like Fire and will so do till it have consumed the Stubble that it meets with in the Heart of the Sinner For he that long offered himself as a Guide is now become a judge in the Conscience of this Creature and his just Judgment against all Unrighteousness must be accomplished True indeed the Opperation of the Word of his Power by which he judgeth is diversly felt and experienced In some 't is as a Hammer to break the Rocks is sunder In others 't is as a Fire to melt down the Dross and separate it from the Silver In all 't is as a Sword to divide Sin and their Souls assunder yea it divideth between the Soul and that sinful Spirit which hath got into it and defiled it Thus the Lord deals with his Creatures as the matter doth require he considers their Nature and Temper and layes no more upon them then he gives them strength to bare For he knoweth our frame he remembreth that we are but Duft therefore he doth not retain his Anger forever left our Spirits should fail before him and the Souls which he hath made us However all that have sinned must know a Time of Sorrow yea even such who have not so rebelliously despised his Counsel and slighted his Reproofs and cast his Law behind their Backs as some there are which have yet inasmuch as they have at any time not hearkned unto his holy Spirit within them his Judgments will overtake them and in Righteousness will he plead with them and then I know former things will come into their Minds This I write as one having witnessed the Spirit to be given for a Remembrancer which was faithfully promised by the Lord Jesus Iohn 14. 26. even that Spirit of Truth which he told his Disciples it should bring all things to their Remembrance and so indeed it doth call back things that are past and set them in order before us judging condemning of us for what we have done amiss And now a Remnant having heard that in our Hearts that hath told us all things that ever we did we know this to be the Voice of Christ yea the spiritual appearance of the Christ of God For this was he who saw us under the Figg-tree when we had nothing but Leaves to cover us although we saw him not yet did he send and call us to himself that he might cover us with his own Spirit which when we came to be covered with we then saw who it was that cast the skirt of his Love over us and said unto us when we were poluted in our Blood Live And then was the time of his Love even when he stood at the Door of our Hearts and knockt that he might be entertained by us yea and sometimes in the silence of the Night hath he broken in upon us I know it in my own particular when no Creature hath been near this Invisible Oracle hath secretly communed with me reproving of me wherein I had done amiss and shewing me what was right in his sight And at other times in Company thus would the Lord cause his Voice to sound in my Heart THE CUSTOMS OF THE PEOPLE ARE VAIN by which I was brought off from many of those Vanities which before I had spent Time in and that by the Witness of God in my own Conscience which testified against the same although then I did not understand what it was that did so restrain from sin but now I know it was the Lord that girded me though I knew him not For I well remember when I have been using the common Language of our Country especially if after the now most usual strain this Testimony from God would arise in my Heart against it viz. I will return unto my People a pure Language Whereby I was reproved in my self for using Flattering Speech though such as was and is accounted of by many to be but Civil Language or expressions of common Civility to Persons according to their Quality in which I had such as Care to keep within the Bounds of Verity that I dare assert I did stere as near the compass of Truth-speaking as the Nature of such Speech would couch But since it hath pleased the