the Gospel or testimony of God concerning him who hath abolished death by his appearing and brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 1 Cor. 15. 1-4 1 Pet. 2. 24. Rom. 4. ult 2 Cor. 4. 6. 2 Tim. 1. 10. and 2. 8. In this the Spirit and teaching of God is primely known and distinguished from all others it doth unto and for all things confess acknowledge and praise or commend Jesus Christ as already come in the flesh not coming but come and now through sufferings entred into glory in that his own personal body in our nature and for us according to the Apostles Doctrine 1 Joh. 4. 1 2 3 6. for reproving the world and teaching and leading the beleever into all truth It takes of his things and shews to the soul and so glorifies him even lifts up the Son of man the personal abasement sufferings or cross of Christ with the ends and vertues thereof as now manifested in him being raised and received up into glory Joh. 16. 8 9 10 13 14. with Joh. 3. 14. Rom. 1. 1-3 4. 1 Tim. 3. 16. 2 Tim. 2 8. This is so the summe and subject matter of all the Fathers teaching That every one that hath heard and learned of the Father cometh to Christ according to the testimony God hath already given of him Joh. 6. 45. And he that beleeveth not the testimony or record that God hath already given of Christ maketh God a lyar 1 Joh. 5 10. Yea it is so the summary and fundamental matter of all his teaching that he is said to learn all truth and so to teach and lead into all truth in Jesus in the demonstration opening and usefulness of Jesus and those things of him according to the record God hath given of him by the one month of a â— his Prophets and Apostles since the world began Eph. 4. 20 21. with Joh. 16. 13 14. Act. 3. 20 21. This the purpose and grace of God given us in Christ from the beginning now manifested by the appearing of Christ c. as 2 Tim 1 9 10. That the Son of man must be lifted up above all and for or unto all help and healing of men even as Moses lift up the Serpent in the wilderness That whosoever beleeveth in him should not perish but have eternall life For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son namely the Saviour of the world and to be so lifted up That whosoever beleeveth in him c. Joh. 3. 14 15 16. 2 Those things contained in the matter of Gods teaching as springing out of and arising from the things main and fundamental are Doctrines and Instructions concerning all things needful to be known given and opened in and through the demonstration opening and usefulness of the knowledge of him in what he hath done and is become for us for so saith our Savior The holy Spirit as now coming forth in and with the testimony of Jesus as the works of our salvation are finished in his body he shall reprove the world of sin of righteousness and of Judgemâ—nt and all this in with and through that testimony of Jesus as given forth to them for thus he explicates Of Sin because they beleeve not on me of Righteousness because I go to my father and ye see me no more He comes down no more to suffer in which the infinit and abiding vertue of his once suffering is declared And the second and glorious Appearance they should not see in the time of this mortality nor till we all come together Of Judgement because the Prince of this world is judged already which also was done in him as Joh. 12. 31 32. speaking of that vertually done from the beginning now presently to be actually done in his own body and by his being lifted up from the earth both on the cross and then because of that being raised on the right hand of Majesty he saith now is the judgement of this world now is the Prince of this world cast out And with this Argument or in the Demonstration and usefulness of this as he reproves the world of Righteousness that all theirs is nothing his onely perfect and will stand them instead So he reproves them also of Judgement shews the vanity and falseness of all theirs whether of Condemnation or Absolution or in their apprehensions concerning things and persons And likewise he saith He shall teach them the beleevers on him further in and by the same Instrument and shall so lead them into all truth and shew them things to come for saith he He shall not speak of himself but whatever he shall hear that shall he speak he shall take of my things and shew unto you he shall glorifie me c. Joh. 16. 8 14. In the demonstration and opening of him God learneth all truth and so also therein instructeth and directeth to all right demeanors towards God and men So the Apostles gave all their commandements by the Lord Jesus in the demonstration opening and applying the things of him did give the ground and reason of them shew their equity move and press to the observing them in the strength afforded in those mercies of the Lord in and through that testimony of Jesus 1 Thes 4. 2. Rom. 12. 1. 1 Pet. 1. 13-18 c. Ephes 4. 1-8 10. For that Grace of God that bringeth Salvation to all men especially in this appearance of it now come forth by Jesus Christ teacheth that denying ungodliness and wordly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world looking for the blessed hope and the glorious appearance of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ c. Tit. 2. 11 12 13. 2 That in the second place propounded to be considered is where and how this teaching of the Father is held forth by himself unto men surely that is 1 In all the books of his Creation and providence in all mercies chastisements and changes of his providence with men Job 33. 14-29 30. and 36. 22. 26. Psal 19. 1-7 107. with Rom. 10. 17 18. But 2 More clearly and abundantly in the holy Scriptures which were both given and left upon record by immediate inspiration and furniture of God Rom. 15. 4. 2 Pet. 1. 19 20 21. 1 Cor. 14. 37. 2 Pet. 3. 2. 1 Joh. 1-4 5. and are therefore profitable for all doctrine or teaching c. They are able being his words and preserved in the Records of them from any fundamental or material perversion on the account of his righteousness who hath so promised Psal 12. 6. Prov. 12. 19. Isa 8. 16. 20. 44. 25 26. and so owned by him and accompanied with his spiritual presence to the end of the world Mat. 28. 20. able I say to make us wise to salvation both of our selves and others through faith which is in Christ Jesus and throughly to furnish the man of God to every good word and work 2 Tim. 3. 14 15 16 17.
his Revelation in this conclusion surely here is something more plain than in all before viz. That they are bewitching Simon Maguses Sorcerers and preach another Gospel contrary to what Christ hath preached that pu◠people upon a Christ Crucified without them notwithstanding they are in their filthiness and first nature c. See more at large in the conclusion of his Queries For answer to it let us see what Jesus Christ and his Apostles have preached as to this The Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost for God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son the Saviour of the World and to be so lifted up as Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness as an Object prepared for the healing of all that have sinned and must dye that whosoever beleeveth in him as so lifted up before them should not perish but have everlasting life For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved and Jesus Christ by the Grace of God tasted Death not in but for every man and gave himself a Ransom to God for all men he gave his Flesh for the life of the World and is the Mediator between God and Man the standing Propitiation not for our sins only but also for the sins of the whole World and a testimony unto men in due time having himself in his own Body not in our Bodies born our sins to the Tree he dyed the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to death in the Flesh but quickned by the Spirit c. When we were Sinners and without strength in due time Christ dyed for the ungodly Surely if men had been pure or might by any other means have seen God Christ should not have dyed for them This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation that Jesus Christ came into the World to save sinners c. Search the Scriptures Neither doth this Doctrin lead men to neglect or slight the washing of Regeneration or the forming of Christ in the knowledge and faith of him in what hee hath done is become and will do and so in the vertues and saving operations of him in the heart But on the other hand both urgeth the absolute necessity of it according to the means and capacities thereto vouchsafed for if men could have entred th◠Kingdom without another Birth he would never have been at such cost for the opening a Fountain of Pardon and purging to wash us in and also shews the only open door way and means to it and by which it may be effected viz. His Name through faith in it which things considered it will appear They are but the reproaches of them that reproach him that herein fall on us which we desire patiently and joyfully to bear Th◠Moore junior POST-SCRIPT SInce my writing the Premises I have met with the Queries fore-inserted in Print published among other such stuff by some that are ashamed of their Name or know not what to call themselves or else as is likely refused to subscribe those Queries because they had delivered them into the hands of many others of their young Disciples in severall places as well as to Tho. Biddall to be given forth as their own immediate revelations the property of their spirit being to reveal Questions without any substantial or certain Answers and having done so now to have subscribed to them James Parnell or any other particular name would have rendered T. B. in one place and some others in other places Lyars in pretending them theirs In that in Print by them the superscription is much altered and many of the Tearms in the Queries their spirit it seems on better advisement sometimes findes cause to alter his expressions and tearms I mention it to shew that wherein they glory they are found as others They have also waved their Rayling conclusion and in its room added a sixteenth Query to those I had viz. What that Grace of God is that bringeth Salvation and hath appeared to all men c. For Answer to that I refer the Reader to the Preface where I have shewed How that Doctrin of the Grace of God bringeth Salvation to all men and so appearing unto them directly strikes against and overthrows the foundation of all their imaginations And that indeed they beleeve no such thing as the Grace of God appearing to men and bringing Salvation to them as a thing wrought in another for them and thence and therewith moving in saving operations but do put in the room of it the fancy of some Grace Light Disposition or Quality discovered revived or stirred up in a man to be the Author and Finisher of their imaginary Salvation and so at the best seek to establish a righteousness of their own mean while not submitting to but stumbling at the righteousness of Christs Which also further appears in their Rayling on the directing men to a Christ Crucified for them without them while they were yet sinners see the conclusion of their Queries as fore-inserted compare with this that which immediatly follows that sixteenth Query fore-mentioned as now published by them viz. The light in your Conscience the tru◠Teacher and that as opposed to Teachers from without So in the Title Page of that Book it is called A direction to all to turn their mindes within c. Now that which is always and at all times within cannot properly be said to be brought to a man And here also the considerate Reader may see how falsly the Querist in some Queries set before these in the Book fore-mentioned pretends tó disown That the light he boasts of is Natural or naturally in a man doubtless their imaginations of its being always in men as a Habit or in-dwelling Principle while yet they have received nothing of that given from above how much soever disappearing and whether they call it first or second nature do render it such as likewise is shewed in the Preface where the vanity and filthiness of these Dreamers that commend to every one the Visions of their own heart and teach them to follow their own spirit that yet have seen nothing as Ezek. 13. 3. and yet call that Spirit and the Word of the Lord as those Isa 4. that would eat their own Bread and wear their own Apparrel only bee called by his Name to take away their reproach is discovered Nor is it unusual for these spirits to pretend highly against a thing for advantage to their design when yet in their hearts or bottom Principles they justifie or allow it or on the other hand to pretend as much for a thing that in heart they are enemies to and their Principles strike against as I could clearly evince were it not for brevity sake The Reader may see a little in J. N's Letter to me where he admonisheth those he calls blinde Guides to search the Scriptures and
put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself had been manifested and accomplished in him yea that Death in which it is appointed to men once to dye was past in him Christs second appearing without sin to Salvation manifested and accomplished in him with much of that nature and that hee that could not witness that with him was Antichrist and did deny Christ come in the Flesh In Answer to which we oft-times offered and desired liberty to manifest and prove to the people That the one offering of Christ to bear our sins and to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself it was accomplished and finished in one Person not in many and once at one time or Age of the World nor at divers times and that the Second appearing of Christ is not yet accomplished in or to any person nor shall be in this day nor till to all together but we could get no liberty but were filled with Raylings Reproaches and Revilings from divâ—rs of them together in such manner as I never heard from any so we last them and what hath passed since with the sum of what was then asserted and maintained by us I have published in the following Discourse with some Queries I had from others of them and the Answers to them annexed for these Reasons 1 They did then as we have shewed here and in the following Discourse grosly slander us almost in all we said and would not suffer the people to hear what was said in answer to their slanders and have still persisted in managing them against us and the truth pleaded for by us where they come by word and writing as may also be fully seen in J. N. his Letter with my Answer to it in which Answer I have largely opened our Principles as to the things discoursed of that they that read may understand what they are and how falsly charged by them 2 As also that it may appear how they stand in direct opposition to and shew the vanity falseness and evil of the bottome principles of both Quakers and Ranters in which they are both one Which I have the rather done to vindicate the Doctrine of the grace of God in Christ that bringeth salvation to all men from those foul aspersions cast on it by some yea I have seen them in print in which it s charged with laying or administring foundation for those filthy and ungodly principles the falseness of which charge is manifest in the following Discourse yea it appears that which is in express terms fought against and reproached by them is the asserting the great benefits prepared for men in Christ and redounding to them by Christ while yet lying in their wickedness and thence directing them to look to a Christ crucified for them while they were yet sinners and in their filthiness The truth is They acknowledge not the grace of God in the Death and Resurrection of Christ as accomplished in that his own body â—â— being the foundation of or bringing salvation to men all or any but would lay another foundation or overthrow that though they can do neither by directing men to look into themselves and to what is witnessed or wrought in them for all their consolation rejoycing direction c. yea it s their counsel to all men I have often heard it and seen it in many of their Papers even to such as they then judged to be yet wallowing in their filthiness turned out from the presence of God murdering the just one in them â—igh to cursing c. yet to turn the eye inward to look and take diligent heed to the light in them to the book of their conscience c. and that in opposition to and to take them off from looking unto Jesus and the works wrought in his body for them without them and to such looking or attention to him in and through the testimony â—â—â— hath given by the one mouth of his holy Apostles and Prâ—phâ—ts and left on record for us They in their foolish and vain imaginations while professing to be wise being so besotted as to imagine that one person of the Son of God in the nature of man and the works done in his own body and the manifestation of God in him and therein testified to be but some farther types and figures of the true light the very Christ and that to be something naturally in every man naturally I say for so it must be if affirmed to be in every man while yet none of them have received nor are they ever directed by them to look to or for any supernatural grace whether they talk of first or second nature yet both are natural to the man and naturally in him and of him according to their principles only the best or second nature which they direct to look to that in the witness and operation of it as in them they may have righteousness strength and direction is something dis-appearing they say through the fall yet not much dis-appearing it seems when if they do but turn the eye inward they shall presently see and meet with it as the first mover and teacher appearing and yet such a thing too as no man hath benefit by till he can witness it in him they are indeed foolish and inconsistent apprehensions as well as most Antichristian and ungodly but their folly and evil is not so manifested and detected by any other spirit or doctrine as by the testimony of Jesus as the Son of God the Saviour of the world and that doctrine of the grace of God in him bringing salvation to all men when rightly held according to the Scriptures Tit. 2. 11 12. For as that holds forth that very Jesus the only immediately begotten Son of God that was before us all even from everlasting with the Father by whom and for whom all things were made which in the fulness of times was sent forth made of a woman made under the Law for us in that one body c. and therein delivered to death raised and exalted according to the Scriptures to beindeed the very Christ The Savior of the world the true light that lightens every man that comes into the world that with his vertues and influences fills all things for the good and salvation of mankind and so instructs and directs al the ends of the earth to look to him and the grace of God in by through him bringing salvation to all men and be saved so it therein in the same light of the Lord cryes concerning them All flesh is grass surely the people is grass Isa 40. 6 7. Men are altogether strangers to that wisdome and strength by which they might be reconciled to God the way of peace they know not yea thaâ— wisdome is not to be found in the land of beliâ—ing Rom. 3. 10 11-19 Job 28. 12 13 c. They are without God in the world and strangers to the life of God Eph. 4. 18. and 2. 1â— They are dead in sins and
I would stand to It is true thou toldst me then I was a lyar in disowning what thou wouldest charge on me but thou wast a single witness to that and when I left that to the people thou hadst from one of them viz. Mr. Wray a sober and Christian answer to this purpose as â— remember That the end of that meeting he thought was not to catch at and strive about words and although to his remembrance what I had said about Gods being manifested in the flesh was to that purpose and in like expressions in which I had then again repeated and delivered it yet if some could not be satisfied but that some expressions did fall from me that might in their apprehensions carry more in them than I would stand to or own as my sence of them yet then he thought it reasonable that I should have that Christian liberty my self to explicate my sense of them and meaning in them that I would stand to and no more charged on me as my saying And this liberty likewise he desired you should have and I think you needed it and had it when you said The Judgement after death was past in you and yet after explicated your meaning That you was past the danger of it though the last nothing near comes up to the first But James Thou hast in thy jangling about this and in such other catching at and strife about words and in thy slanders clearly manifested to them that will not shut their eyes that thy intention in that discourse was to endeavor any way thou couldst to subvert the people from understanding what we had propounded to be reasoned about concerning the essence of Christ what it is whether something essentially in many persons or one person distinct from all other persons and if one person granted then whether in the works done in his own body in his Incarnation Death Resurrection and Ascention there was and so remaineth in him in our nature in that his own body by vertue of those works so finished in it the onely and abiding vertue for the taking away of sin or is the vertue for that also chiefly or at all in some other work or works done in other persons And about his Second Appearing and the glory then to be revealed whether that be to be waited for by all beleevers all the time of this mortality or made in or to any in this day I perceive it did not please thee that hath pleased the Father that in all things he should have the preheminence in whom onely dwels the fulness of the Godhead bodily and so communicâ—bly in its influences Thou hadst surely done more fairly if thou hadst let the people know that thy intention was to make a nullity or a type shadow or figure of that person Jesus of Nazareth and of those works done and finished in his own body in which himself bore our sins to the tree and was raised and glorified or at least to make thy self and others his equals in all those manifestations of God in him as Korah Dathan and Abiram would have dealt with Moses and Aaron in those things in which they were eminent Types of him and did they not indeavor it with thy pretence All the Congregation is holy and the Lord is among them Num. 16 3. and as those foretold of Jude 11. 2 To thy second Slander That I denied Christs being in them mentioned Collos 1. 27. and 2 Corinth 13. 5. to bee Gods being in them Surely James Either the spirit by which thou art immediately guided is very forgetful or else thou art very confident of my forgetfulness and presuming on that art not affraid to alter thy own charges as oft as thy thoughts alter about the advantagiousness of the manner of laying them I remember thou didst charge me before with something of this nature but then in these expressions That I denyed Christ to be God and the life of Christ being manifested in the flesh to be Gods being manifested in the flesh And this thou saidst I did in giving this Answer to that Scripture 2 Cor. 4. 10 11. That the life of Jesus might be manifest in our mortal flesh viz. That that was not God this was thy Charge and now it is thus much altered That in answer to those two other Scriptures Col. 1. 27. 2 Cor. 13. 5. I said That was not God in us To thy Charge in both formes I shall Answer so far as to discover thy falsity First to the first My Answer to that 2 Cor. 4. 10 11. was this though I well remember I was cut off by thee in the midst of it and thou wouldst not let the people hear it that that Scripture saith not That God was manifested in their mortal flesh buâ— that he might be In which answer is fully granted that in the life of Jesus being manifested in their mortal flesh God is or may be said therein to be truly manifested But that which is denied in that Answer is That that Scripture speaks of that as a thing now done in them that which was now done and manifest in their body was death unto which they were daily and always delivered that the other might be That the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body in our mortal flesh he doth not say it now was in the time of this mortality but that it might be so in this flesh that now was mortal For if in it we suffer with him even in the same body we shall also reign with him and be glorified together And when thou didst charge me with this next day I bâ—gan to give thee this Answer forementioned it is true thou wouldst not suffer me to speak out my Answer nor the people to hear what was spoken either day But I almost think thou didst perceive what my Answer was and would have been and that it would have been too many for thee to overthrow and therefore was angry with it in its first appearance and would not let the people understand what it was but presently stopt my mouth and their ears with reproaches and slanders I had in my thoughts this twofold Answer to have given to your abuse of that Scripture if I could have obtained but humane civility from you 1 That already mentioned viz. That the Text saith not That the life of Jesus was manifested in their mortal flesh now while mortal But that they was delivered to death now always that that might be and when and wherein they expected that should be fully accomplished is clear in that which follows vers 13 14. We also beleeve and therefore speak knowing saith he that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall also raise us up by Jesus and shall present us with you they shall not one prevent another in that And that phrase That the life of Jesus might be manifested in our mortal flesh doth no more signifie that that life of Jesus shall be fully manifested
in and with which he is certainly present See Act. 2. 16-36 c. And thence the Gospel called The power of God to salvation to every one that beleeveth yea his words which he spake unto those that yet received them not spirit and life Rom. 1. 16 17. Joh. 6. 63. And do not they then move us to listen to and receive another spirit that bring another Doctrine or Testimony and indeed of another Jesus as before and cry down the testimony of Jesus as declared in the Apostles Doctrine as letter and dead letter while in the mean time also they magnifie the words spoken by themselves as the words of the Eternal God and curse others for but calling their words into question while yet also they reproach them for desiring to have their faith in Christ regulated according to the testimony of Jesus so given by the Holy Ghost as aforesaid and the Preachers of that testimony as Preachers of letter and command them to throw it by and wait for some other immediate teaching And wherein you have done all this is clear in your Discourse and in Farnsworths Challenge and in this thy Letter throughout notwithstanding it was plainly told you what the affirms of the Ministry of the Gospel as committed to them in the very place abused by you to this purpose viz. 2 Cor. 3. that Ministry as so committed to them and delivered and left in record by them that as opposed to Moses Ministration or the Law as given by him to which yet he gives more honorable Titles than you can afford the Everlasting Gospel he calls that not a dead but a killing letter now that cannot kill that hath no life in it But this Ministry of the Gospel as committed to them which also was witnessed in the Law and Prophets this as opposed to the Law I say he calls the Ministration of the Spirit yea Spirit the Ministration of Righteousness of life and of glory whence it s called the Glorious Gospel 2 Cor. 4. 4. Now when this is slieghted and rejected as a dead letter and yet some inward light or spirit boasted of and propounded to be listned to and received that must needs be another spirit than that which is in and with that hearing of faith yea a contrary spirit such as is in and with such contrary and strange Doctrines as bring another Jesus a contrary Anointing And so I come farther and particularly to make good the last part of my charge 3 That thou bringest another Gospel than what the Apostles have preached and all true beleevers have from the beginning accepted which indeed is not another Gospel It affirms or brings us no glad tydings It is Gospel but in pretence only not in truth It is indeed another Doctrine or Message such as in which the Message they received of him and declared unto us is endeavoured to be perverted and abolished to which thou pretendest an immediate call and furniture from God in which thou excludest thy self from that prayer for blessing on their Ministration to the worlds end who through the Apostles word or doctrine beleeve on him But if thou wert an Angel immediately coming from heaven we are to hold thâ—e Accursed in this thy work And to make it appear That it is another Doctrine or Message and contrary to what they have preached and such as will not at all stand together with it let this Letter be viewed though thou hast expressed things darkly and subtilly that thou mightst winde out when thou shouldst see cause of fear thou couldst not manage it or that the endeavouring to manage it would spoyl thy design in discovering thee too grosly yet they that will not wilfully shut their eyes may discern in this Letter that thy Doctrine Message or pretended Gospel in the summe or issue and end of it is to preach down that person Jesus of Nazareth of the seed of David after the flesh and those works of our salvation wrought in his person in his Incarnation Death Resurrection and Ascension I say to preach him and those works as done in that one person down as types and shadows or figures of the true Christ which is to bee found in some other thing or works accomplished in many persons even so to preach down him and those works done in him that manifestation of God in the flesh in that one person as for us I say so to preach them down as the Apostles preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without It contents not thee to preach down the same things the Apostles preached down as figures c. but thou must preach down what they lifted up as the body the truth so to abide for ever thou must preach that down as types and figures too See if this be not clearly signified in thy Letter Where after thou hast charged us with denying Christ come in the flesh because we bore testimony against thy witness of Christ being come again since his Ascension or having appeared the second time in the flesh now glorified and without sin to salvation according to that promise Heb. 9. 28. which was more full in thy Discourse but full enough in thy Letter in which thou callest thy witness of Christs being come again since his Ascension thy confessing of the flesh of Christ yea as is signified in what follows of his flesh in thee for indeed that was thy witness as is also signified in thy Letter That Christ was come or had appeared again in the flesh since his Ascension and so the second time and without sin to salvation and all this accomplished in thee as before I say After thou hast charged us with denying Christ come in the flesh because wee witnessed him to be already come and his second coming to be waited for and did bear witness against this witness of thine forementioned And then also reproached us for not beleeving concerning this any farther than we can read in that which thou callest Letter To this thou addest What a Generation would we have been had we lived in the times of the Apostles who preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without such things as the Letter said should continue for ever yet they preached them down without and confirmed them within in Spirit which is the ground and bottome of all and in which all must end Dost thou not herein clearly signifie an acknowledgement that the summe or end of thy mission or message in thy confession of the flesh of Christ which we opposed was to preach down that person and those works wrought and finished in that person in his own body as distinct from every one of us and without us in our particular persons which the Apostles said should remain in the essence of the person and abiding vertue of the works in that person with the Father for ever even to preach him and them down as they preached down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without c. even as but another or farther
type shadow or figure that so thou mayest confirm thy imagination of something within as the truth Is not this plain in thy comparing our opposing thy witness forementioned and not beleeving concerning the flesh of Christ farther or otherwise than wee read in the Apostles writings with such opposition of the Apostles preaching down Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices without c. in their day Yea its farther plain in that thou sayest The confirming them within in spirit is the ground and bottome of all and that in which all must end In whâ—ch word All thou hast evidently reference not only to the things last mentioned But to the things first mentioned also concerning the flesh of Christ about which was our contest and so thy witness is That the confirming them within us in spirit is not only the ground bottome and end of all those types and shadows of the Law Concerning which neither is thy witness true For Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness even to every one that beleeveth Rom. 10. 4. yea in the works done and finished in his own body He is the body the prime and main thing figured in all the types and shadows of the Law But also of the personal appearance of Christ and the works done in and by that one person in his own body and the mention of his second appearing the confirming these â— things within us in some imagination or operation wrought or found in us saith Thy witness is the ground and bottome of all and that in which all must end Now if this be not another Gospel or Doctrine than what the Apostles preached and in this Letter so acknowledged too let the considerate Reader judge Yet I shall also here add a word or two to make it farther appear That this thy Message or Doctrine is not another manner of or farther revelation of the same thing or such as in which the things they said should come are declared as fulfilled even so as they said they should be as the Apostles Message or Doctrine as added to and following the Prophets was But so absolutely another Doctrine and contrary to what they have preached that the truth of them both cannot stand together as the things written by the Prophets and Apostles did seeing the Apostles said nothing but what the Prophets did say should come to pass who signified beforehand of the sufferings of Christ and of the glory that should follow The righteousness of God as its now come forth in Christ was so witnessed to in the Law and Prophets that the Apostles Doctrine was but a farther revelation of the same mystery of God in Christ before witnessed and according to what the Prophets had before said should come more fully opening and in all things confirming them Rom. 3. 21. Act. 26. 22 23. 1 Pâ—t 1. 10 11. But this Doctrine in which Gods being manifested in the flesh in that one person and the works done in his own body for us is preached down as they preached down the outward Circumcision Temple and Sacrifices as being but a farther type shadow or figure of the truth it self and that to be found in something else is so far from agreeing with the Apostles Doctrine or witnessing what the Apostles said should come so as therein to confirm their word as they did the Prophets that it wholly contradicteth and blasphemeth both and cannot be in the least measure granted but the truth of theirs is therein denyed For they have in their revelation of the Mystery told us That that Jesus of Nazareth and no other thing or person was the eternal word that was in the beginning with God and was God by whom all things were made and in whom in all Ages was life and his life was the light of men even hee to whom John witnessed that was not John but another person distinct from John and all other persons who was in those dayes made flesh by a work of new creation in the womb of a Virgin and so came into the world in the nature of man and dwelt amongst men in that his own personal body and they his Disciples then in that personal converse they injoyed with him on earth did behold his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father there is not another thing or person among men or Angels that is the immediately begotten Son of God the Father and him as so made flesh and in that body delivered to death for our offences and raised again for our justification they did behold and witness to be infinitly full of grace and truth as the fountain for all others and as the truth and body of all types figures and shadows of the Law Yea farther That they in receiving that word and testimony which himself began to preach and which they received immediately from him and fully after his Ascension they had therein received of his fulness in respect of the ministration or revelation of him to be given to mortal men And grace for grace A plaâ—n and full ministration or revelation of the grace of God in and by Jesus Christ to receive grace through whereas our Fathers before though saved by grace yet received that grace through a ministration of works For the law came by Moses but grace and truth by Jesus Christ c. read Joh. 1 1-18-29-40-45 c. The former things were indeed shadows and so they were alwayes signified to be but Christ is the body Col. 2. 17. And what ever is said in the Law and the Prophets of their continuing for ever I mean those typical Sacrifices and Ordinances It appears plainly signified even in those Scriptures of the Prophets if they be compared that in the things themselves that were types and figures of the true and as they were so they were only to continue for ever as Ordinances among them in their Generations till the Seed should come that was promised before that Law was given and in him the truth end and fulfilling of them was to remain for ever and ever The Law was added because of transgrèssion till the Seed fore promised should come Gal. 3. 19. and did in the whole and every part of iâ— shadow out and witness good things to come lead to a better righteousness and hope than was to be attained in or by it and that only to be found in Christ that was to come in the nature of man who is the end of the Law for Righteousness He is the body truth and end of all those former things that indeed were shadows and so was witnessed and directed to by them Rom. 3. 21. Heb. 9. and 10. So that the Law Prophets and Apostles do all agree and with one mouth witness declare and confirm him to be The He the Son of God the Savior of the world in whom onely dwels the fulness of the Godhead bodily In all which former witnesses and latter manifestations of his power and coming they have not made known
whether we may look for that word in these dayes Isa 30. 9 What that word of faith is by which none needs to say Who shall ascend up to heaven to fetch Christ from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead but that word is nigh thee in thy mouth and in thy heart which the Apostle preached to them that had it in their heart And whether the same word be not now in the hearts of the people though they mind it not Rom. 10. 10 What that voyce of Christ is which his sheep knows and how they come to know it from other voyces and all that hear it will not hear the voyce of strangers and hirelings and theeves and sorcerers but by the same voyce are brought to know Christ and follow him Joh. 10. And whether his sheep may expect and wait for the same voyce now and to know it from all other voyces which are false 11 What that way is in the wilderness which Isaiah spake of Isa 35. 8. which shall be called the way of holiness which the unclean shall not pass over but it shall be for wayfaring men and fools shall not erre therein in which way the Redeemed shall walk and the Ransomed of the Lord shall come to Sion And whether any may expect to find in these dayes such a way as are strangers and fools in the world 12 What that manifestation of the Spirit is which is given to every man to profit with all and whether there be any profit but by it and whether it be not of it self â—n infallible guide in all the way of God according to its manifestation Joh. 4. 23. 13 What and where that worship of God is truly in which God alone looks to be worshipped in And whether any can worship in spirit and in truth but those that are born of the Spirit And whether that he that is born of the Spirit needeth any other guide in the spiritual worship but that Spirit of which he is born according to his measure Joh. 1. 9. And whether such worships hath not been and are now differing from all other worships in the world and therefore hated by them as in all Ages 14 What and where that light is that inlightens every man that comes into the world which being come into the world is the condemnation of all those that are in darkness because of their evil deeds And whether this be not the condemnation of all the world that beleeve not in it but walk in darkness And whether there be any other condemnation but it seeing Christ said If I had not come ye had not had sin Joh. 3. Rom. 8. 15 What the Law of the Spirit of life is which made Paul free from the law of sin and death which had warred against the law of his mind and had formerly held him in captivity to the law of sin that was in his members And whether any in these dayes that are come to that warfare may look for that freedome by the Law of the Spirit of life And thus I have written these few lines the Lord revealing by his Spirit in me the great delusion sorcery and bewitched doctrine that you are under of these bewitching Simon Magus sorcerers which have put you upon a Christ crucified without you notwithstanding you and the rest are in your filthiness and first nature Whereas the Holy Ghost hath declared That they must be pure in heart that must see God Matth. 5. 8. And hath neglected to tell you of a washing of regeneration and new birth by the Holy Ghost in you T it 3 4 5 6. And hath brought another Gospel contrary to what Christ hath already preached and therefore he rendreth such accursed 1 Pet. 1. 12. And the Lord speaking by the mouth of Paul saying My little children of whom I travel again in birth untill Christ be formed in you Gal. 4. 19. And the Lord in mercy look upon you for my bowels yern towards you and pity you to see Prophets and Teachers creep in among you to draw you from your guide 2 Pet. 2. 1. Written from the Spirit of the Lord from one whom the people of this world calls Quaker known by the name of Thomas Biddal The Answer to the fore-said Queries by Tho. Moore ANd first to the Inscription or Dedication of them which runs thus To Alice Morden and the rest which are not yet given up to Delusion To all who deny the teaching of God to be sufficient c. In which words that which is imported in the plainest sense of them is That they look upon this as a testimony sufficient that men are not given up to Delusion viz. That they deny the teaching of God to be sufficient to guide them that own it to God without humane helps or at least that those that do so are not given up This appears their sense if the indicter of this understood himself but that rather I suppose hee did not however to this Inscription and Dedication we shall lay down this for Answer That to deny the absolute and alone sufficiency of the teaching of God without humane helps or mans teaching is a sin of a very high nature and an evidence of being in a great measure given up to delusion Jer. 8. 8 9 and 6. 10 11. and 23. 16 18 22 c. Isa 8. 16-20 1 Tim. 6. 3 4 5. 1 Joh. 2. 19. 20-24-26 27. and Chap. 4 6. That therefore we may know who they are that do so that we may beware of them and of all steps leading to this evill Let us consider First What Gods eaching is Secondly Where and how himself doth preach or hold it forth unto men Thirdly How or wherein men may be said to deny the alone sufficiency thereof First What Gods teaching is as to the matter of it There is in it 1 Something summary and fundamental of all the rest by which primely it may be known and distinguished 2 Some things contained in springing out of and built upon or arising from those things that are main and fundamental in it 1 Those things main and fundamental in Gods teaching are concerning Jesus Christ before promised and witnessed and in his undertaking vertuous now manifested as delivered to death for our offences according to the Scriptures therein bearing our sins in his own body to the Tree not bearing them or leaving them to be born in that sense in our souls or bodies and raised again from the dead for our justification according to the Scriptures And so concerning his own the Fathers love and goodness to man-ward the glory of which is now manifested in the face of Christ even in those works done in and by his first personal Appearance and the acceptance and vertue of them with the Father for us and the end of them to bee fully revealed and accomplished in his second personal and glorious appearance according as declared to us in