SECTION 1.

1. Separation from the Nationall Presbyterian Church no provoking sin why God, should give them up, who did so separat, to the delusions of Sathan. 2. But a further step of reformation. 3. The inconsistency of this Presbyterians high commendations of S. R. and of his Epistles with the Presbyterians doctrin, that Immediat Revelation is ceased since the Apostles dayes. 4. Other Book • more wort • y of Commendation. 5. That Immediat Revelation is not ceased. 6. A deceitfull distinction, of some Presbyterian Teachers, refuted.

IN my answer to this Postscript I shall not repeat all his words, for that is needless, the book being current in the hands of Professors, but onely mark the most remarkable, and he that will, may be at the paines, to read the passages at more length, in the book it self.

Pag. 1. lin. 7. Thou art desired to take notice t • what dreadfull and strong delusions such who were ring-leaders in this separation &c.

Answer

He meaneth some persons at Aberdeen, who some years agoe did separat from the Nationall Church, in the time of the Presbyteriall government (so called) onely as to the use of these externall signes of bread and wine, being so burdened in their Consciences, even in that dy, to partak with such and eat with them, at that they judged to be the Table of the Lord, many of whom were openly known to be scandalous, and these passed under the name of Independents, or of the Congregationall way. Now this so small a separation, this nameless Author doth • o aggravat, as if it were the main and greatest provocation why the Lord, as he judgeth▪ did give them up to the • trong delusions of Quakerism. But why may we nor much rather conclude that the Lord regarding their sincerity, and tenderness of Conscience, in making that separation, such as it was, did reward them with a further discovery and sight of some precious truths formerly hid from them, which though this Author calls strong delusions, we know are no delusions at all, but most, usefull & comfortable Truths? But if falling into Quakerism be such a proper and peculiar punishment for them who separated from Presbytery, so called, how is it that so few of that separation, I mean of them called Independents, have joyned with the way of Quakerism in England, but have been so great persecuters of it, that in new England, the Independents [being gone from their first tenderness and sincerity] did put four persons called Quakers to death [for no other cause, but that they were of that profession, and returned to that place after they had banished them, for worshiping God, as the • were perswaded in their consciences] a crime more barbarous and cruell, then I have heard of committed by any called Prote • tants upwards of some scores of years? also how cometh, it that so many in this Nation, are become Quakers so called, who were Presbyteriants, and immediatly out of the Presbyterian way, came to be Quakers? and some, who were once of the Episcopall way left it, and became Presbyterians, and afterward Quakers? and some from the Episcopall way have immediatly become Quakers? but is this a just ground for them of the Episcopall way to conclude, that their • eparation from Episcopacy to Presbytery was such a hainous sin, that it provoked the Lord at last to give them up to the strong delusions of the Quakers? I am sure the Episcopall men have as good reason to make such a conclusion against the Presbyterians on this bare account of separation: yea and the Papists against Protestants, for some, who are now Quakers, were once Papists, and afterwards became presbyterians, befor they became Quakers. Have the Papists therfor just ground to conclude, that the separation of those persons from Popery to Presbytery, was the sin that provoked God to give them up to the strong delusions of Quakerism? I know the • will be as ready to make such a conclusion, as the Presbyterians can be, but indeed who will view the matter with a spirituall eye, will see the wonderfull goodness of God, in his leading, on the soules of them, who most love him, out of Babylon, by those various steps of separation, one degree after another, till he hath brought them to Zion. 2. These are they who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth, and some of these, whom he calleth the ring-leaders of this separation, after they had walked faithfully and religiously in that way called in derision Quakerism [wich is nothing elce but pure Christianity restored again, unto the world by the mighty operation of the power and Spirit of God, after so long and so dark a night of Apostasy] have finished their course in that way, and are now at rest with the Lord in the heavenly mansions, who, both at their death, and many times before, gave powerfull and living testimonyes of Gods accepting them, and giving them more manyfest and sensible enjoyments of himself, and blessing them more abundantly, with the fruits of holyness & righteousness and victory over corruption, in that despised way, then formerly they ever witnessed, although their experience of any things, that were true, among them called presbyterians, was not short of many, if not of the most of them even in that day.

Pag. 1. l. 18. That which this great Seer [much upon his Masters secrets, because he had frequent access, to lean his head upon his breast who come ou • of the Father's bosom] foresaw would follow upon this turning aside, and fall upon the head of such forsakers of a Church so often honoured, by receiving signall testimonys of the great Bridgroom's love towards her as his Spouse, &c.

Answer.

3. I wonder how this man hath the confidence to call this Author a great Seer, and to tell us of his being much upon his Master's secrets, becaus he had frequent access to lean his head upon his breast, who came out of the Father's bosom, for these and such like expressions do plainly imply Immediat Revelation, and that S. R. was a prophet, and had the Spirit of Prophecy, in the same sense, as any of the Prophets, who were Pen-men of the holy Scripturs, for what higher elogies could be given to any of the most eminent Prophets, then these here and elsewhere given by him to this Author? And here I shall set down some other expressions parallel to these in the Postscript, or rather surmounting them, to be found in the Epistle to the Reader, whether one man hath writ that Epist • e, and the Postscript is not materiall to inquire, seing doubtless they are both of one profession, if differing persons, and he that writes the Postscript, ownes the Epistle to the Reader. In the beginning of that Epistle, he tells us, Considering how little need Master Rutherford [as he calls him] his Letters have of any mans Epistle commendatory, his great Master, whom he served with his Spirit in the Gospell of his Son, having given them one, written by his own hand on the hearts of every one, who is become his Epistle, &c. This is the very same commendation, that the Spirit of God giveth to Paul, who was not behind the chiefest of the Apostles, as you may read, 2. Cor. 3: 1, 2 verses. And indeed this is the greatest ground why we believe the Scripturs to be divinely inspired, becaus the inward Testimony of the Spirit of God, which is the Epistle commendatory written by Gods own hand, upon the hearts of believers, is the Seal of confirmation unto the Scripturs, as being divinely inspired And seing GOD doth give the same Seal, as this writer plainly affirmeth, to S. R. his Epistles, that he doth to the Epistles of Paul: will it not prove that S. R. his Epistles are as really divinely inspired, as Paul's Epistles were, and then why may not S. R. his Epistles be put into the Bible, with Paul's Epistles? This question is the more pertinently put to this man, and these of his profession, becaus they do so argue against us, the People called Quakers, that if any of our words or writings be divinley inspired, then we equal our writings to the Scripturs. For this cons • quence, if it hath any weight at all, doth as much fall upon their heads, as upon ours, and if they do still make a difference betwixt the one and the other, although both divinely in • pired, can not we do the same? But he proceedeth in his admirable commendation of this book, thus, as being a piece (the holy Scripturs being set aside) equall to any the world hath yet seen, or this day can shew, in respect of the spiritualness of it. A friendly testimony indeed! I remember the Presbyterians had wont to commend Calvin's Institutions above any book in the world, next to the Scripturs, according to these Latine verses, made on them, Praeter Apostolicas post Christi tempor a chartas, Huic peperere librum secula nulla parem.

And I have heard an eminent Presbyterian Preacher in his pulpit commend the Confession of Faith, with the Larger and Shorter Catechism, set out by them, called the Assembly of Divines at Westminster above all books in the world, except the Scriptur. But now both Calvin's Institutions and the Confession of Faith, must give place to S. R. his Epistles, yea and most books in the world besides.

I write not this to lessen any due worth, that belongs to S. R. his Epistles, for I acknowledg, having read them all over once, and many of them severall times, I find many savoury expressions in them, that savour of that blessed life of Christ revealed of God in my heart, yet I must needs say, I find also very many unsound and unsavoury expressions in them, that the life and Spirit of Christ doth not onely not beare witness for, but against, as I may afterwards shew.

4. & I do really believe that there are divers books in the world, besids the Scripturs (nor shall I bring into the compari • on, our Friends books, lest any say, I am partial) more sound, and more spirituall, then this book is, and which are more profitable to direct the minds of them, who are strangers to Christ, where, or how to find him, little or nothing of which I can find in all this book of S. R. onely somewhat of his own experience, but I can not find in him any certain and clear directions, certainly and in • allibly directing strangers how to attain to the least true spirituall experience, nor can I find the least hint or shaddow of a testimony in all his book to the saving power and efficacy of that universall Light of Christ, wherewith Christ hath inlightened every man that cometh into the world, which blessed, heavenly, divine testimony I find in many of the Ancients, for which cause a few lines of them are of more value to me, and all who love Gods Vniversall Gift, then this whol book of S. Rs. And I question not but many, having as much of a spirituall tast and discerning, as any Presbyterian, will affirme, that the writings of not onely Augustin, and the like Ancients, but of later writers in darker times, as of Bernard, Thaulerus, Thomas a Kempis, and that little booke called The Dutch or German Theology, are fully as • pirituall, though I am farr from justifying any errours in these books, as neither do I the errours in S. R. his Epistles. And although I know the Presbyterians, some of them as have seen and read the Dutch Theology account it a most dangerous book and full of bla • phemyes, as I. L. did call it expresly to I. S. whereof both B. F. & I were witnesses in Holland, yet Luther doth commend it as one of the best books he had met with, next to the Scripturs and Augustin, and teaching more sound Divinity, then all the Divines in Germany or any where else in that time, and he wrot an Epistle commendatory of it, which is prefixed to it in some Editions, a printed coppy whereof is by me, but of all this mans commendations, this is the most high and admirable, that followeth in his Epistle aforesaid, where he saith, So that in respect of us, this Angel of the Church speaks, as one standing already in the quire of Angels, or as an Angel come down from heaven among men, to give us some account of what they are doing above. These words import not onely immediat new revelations, (I do not say, of new Evangelicall Truths, not declared in the Scripturs, for I acknowledg none such) but also great abundance of them. And yet if we will believe the Presbyterian Confession of Faith, published by the assembly at Westminster, where S. R. himself was a Member, Those former wayes of Gods revealing his will unto his people are now ceased, see Chap. 1. sect. 1. And sect. 6. They exclude all new revelations of the Spirit, and they tell us, the whole counsell of God concerning all things necessary for his own glory, mans salvation, faith and life, are set down in Scripture.

5. And amongst other Scripture Testimonyes they abuse, to favour this corrupt doctrin, they cite Heb. 1. 1, 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the prophets, hath in these last days spoken to us by his Son, &c. And their scope in this place, is to prove from these words, that there are no prophets, that is to say, no men divinely inspired or immediatly taught of God in our days, but I have shewed in my book of Immediat Revelation, that this Scriptur doth not prove that prophecy or prophets (that is to say, men divinely inspired, who preach and teach by divine inspiration, and as they are moved of the holy Ghost) are ceased in our days, more then in the days of the Apostles. For if it could prove such a dispensation to be ceased now, it would prove it to be ceased then, even in the days of the Apostles, and that the Epistle to the Hebrews was not divinely inspired, which is absurd, yea this Scripture rather proveth mor clear revelation then formerly under the Law, God now speaking to 〈◊〉 by his Son, or in his Son Christ Iesus, who is in his people, and liveth and walketh in them, and also speaketh in them. But now if the Presbyterians think, that this place doth prove that Prophets are ceased, how comes it that they think S. R. not onely a Prophet, but a great Prophet, for he that is a great See • , is a great Prophet, for the Prophets are called Seers, in Scripture? And for a further proof that the Presbyterians think that men do not speak in our days by divine inspiration, see Iames Dur • am in his Exposition on the Revelation, pag. 1. where he telleth us, that the words of the Revelation are the last words, which God hath spoken unto his Church. Sad tidings! that for above this sixteen hundred years, God hath spoken no words to his Church, or hath had no Prophets since Iohn, who wrot the Revelation but Iohn himself was not of that mind, nor belief, for he prophecyed of two witnesses, that should prophecy a thousand two hundred and sixty days, even all the time of the Apostasy: also Iohn heard many voyces, coming out of heaven, long after him, and he telleth us not onely of the presence of the Son of man in the midst of the golden candlesticks, but also of his voyce, which was the sound of many waters, also he saw the new Ierusalem coming down from God out of heaven, and that the • of this city should see his face, and not need t • e light of a candle, nor of the sun, becaus the Lord God shall inlighten them, which divers Protestants understand of a Church upon Earth, p • rticularly Thomas Brightman, who doth expresly affirm, that the goodness of God shall shine forth in • greater manner, then can be ascribed to any means so 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 that men shall appear Divinely inspired. But if God hath spoken no words to his Church, since Iohn's days, his words being the last, how comes it, that this Presbyterian threatens us with S. R. his predictions, or of what he did foresee, would fall upon the heads of the forsakers of the Presbyterian Church? For if this prediction of his, be not from the LORD, we have no cause to fear, yea we know by blessed experience, it was not from the Lord, for since we left that corrupt way of the Presbyterian worship, and their corruptions in Doctrin and Disciplin, we have found the more abundant blessings of God from heaven to fall upon us, and we have enjoyed more of the presence of Christ, since our separation from such a corrupt Church, then ever formerly we knew, yea many of us that knew nothing, before our separation, what the enjoyment of Christs presence was, are now come to know it, since we were separat from them, as a National Church, although we are not, nor ever were, in spririt separated, from these few scattered ones, amongst them, that fear, or love the Lord in the least measure, these are our little sister, that we pray unto God for often, and we have unity with them in every good thing, that is in them, and are only separated from the evil where ever it is, in our selves, and in all persons every where. And the Lord hath let us see in his divine Light that the nationall Presbyterian Church, at her best, was never a purely constitut Church, nor ever had the pure forme of the Gospell Church, according to the pattern in the Mount, nor was the doctrin of the Gospell purely taught among them, onely some things they taught, but they did not know the Truth, in some of the most Weighty doctrines of the Gospell. And when the Lord raised up a sinceer Ministry, directing to a more pure way of worship, and preaching the doctrin of the Gospell more purely, then any of the Presbyterian Preachers did, I mean some of our brethren, whom the Lord sent among them, faithfull labourers indeed, divers of whom since have put of the Earthly Tabernacle, and their soules are at rest with the Lord, I say, when these came among them they opposed them, and stirred up the people against them, and such of the people who received them, and their testimony, they excommunicated in the west of Scotland, and none were more active and industrious, in stiring up both people and Rulers in that day to banish imprison, and persecute the true Servants and Prophets of the most high God then the Presbyterian Ministry, so sadly were they de • erted of God, both in England and Scotland, and the common objection that both Teachers and People made against our Friends in those dayes, was this; who gave yo • a call to come and preach among us? and when they saw that many of them were unlettered men, as to the Languages and Heathenish Philosophy, they cryed out against them, as not being fitt to teach: and when our Friends answered they mere taught of God immediatly, by the divine i • spiration of his Spirit; and by that also they were called.

Then they cryed out blasphemy, and delusion. There are no Prophets, or men divinely inspired, or immediatly taught and called since the Apostles days, divine inspiration, and immediat teaching and revelation ceased with the Apostles. And yet now they are not ashamed to alledge, as if some of themselves were great Prophets and Seers. 6. But I remember a dec • itfull distinction, that Iames Dur • am hath in his exposition on the Revelation, that prophecy, as it is taken for an immediat revealing of Gospell truths is now ceased; but he acknowledgeth that God may in an extraordinary way indue some with a Spirit of Prophecy to foretell things to come • and he mentioneth some, of our Nation that had the Spirit of prophecy in former times. This I say is a most dec • itfull distinction, and altogether without any reall ground from Scripture, as if God would reveal himself to his Church, by immediat revelation as to things of a lesser moment, and not reveal himself theirunto, as to things of greater, yea of the greatest moment, such as the truths of the Gospell are • but we plead not for any immediat revelation of new Gospell truths not formerly revealed to others, or not declared sufficiently in the Scriptures: but we say, it cannot suffice unto us, that the truths of the Gospell have been immediatly revealed unto others, and from, or by them at second hand declared or reported of unto us, but we need to have the same truths of the Gospell, especially such as belong to the inward testimony, experiences and feelings of life, as immediatly revealed unto us, as they were unto them, otherwise our faith and knowledge should be meerly humane, traditionall, historicall, and but after the letter. And although what belongs to the historicall part of the Scripture, and particularly concerning Christ his outward comminginto the world, his outward birth, life, sufferings, miracles, death, return to Judgment, be indeed made known unto us, by the Scripturs Testimony, yet it is the blessed •• fe and Spirit of Christ Iesus immediatly revealed in our hearts, and the shining of his heavenly and divine Light in our inward parts, that both enclines us, to beleive the reports which the Scripturs give us, of things, to be true, and also opens our understandings to know, and see unto the great and blessed advantage of them, and unto the Spirituall intent and signification of the things that belong unto the history itself.

SECTION II.

1. Presbyterian Teachers assume the title of Master, and yet give it not to the Apostles. 2. S. R. his alledged prophecy against those in Aberdeen who seperat from the Nationall Presbyterian Church, of no Weight. 3. Divers remarkable instances of S. R. his declining from that good condition, he was once in, and also from his own principles. 4. S. R. His Prophecy inconsistent with the Presbyterian doctrin of once in grace and ever in grace. 5. As also with his own judgment that some Independents were gracious men.

But whereas this Writer threatens us with a prophecy of this great Seer (whom he cals master Rutherford,) [but why should he call him Master Rutherford, seing that I can not find that he, or his Brethren gave this title of Master to any of the Prophets, or Apostles? I wonder wherefore they are so angry at the title of Lord Bishop and yet so allow the title of Mr. unto their own teachers, seing Christ did as expressly forbid the one, as the other.] 2. Let us examin what Weight is in that alledged prophecy, he told them who had gone from the Presbyterian way towards the Independents, they would not stand or remain there, and this, saith this Post-scribe, is fullfilled, for they are proceeding now to joyne with the people called Quakers. But if this be any prophecy, it may be such an one, as to this particular, as was that of Cajaphas the high priest, who said, it was expedient that one should dye for the people: but he understood not his own prophecy, so nor hath S. R. for he meant, that they would goe into more errors, whereas the truth is, they onely were advanced further into more clear discoveryes of Truth, supposed by him and his Brethren to be errors; and that S. R. as to this particular, was as blind and dark as Cajaphas was, as touching Christ, I have not the least question, and indeed, if we will consider the particular time wherein S. R. wrot this Epistle to these well meaning people in Aberdeen, it will much help to clear it unto the impartial, how much he was then in the dark himself. Know therefor Reader, that when S. R. wrot this Epistle to them in Aberdeen, it was not in the time that he had these fresh and lively enjoyments of Gods presence, and power, which he had formerly in his more pure times, wherein he both experienced, and declared of Immediat Revelation and the Spirits immediat teachings, as his Epistles abundantly witnesse, and as I intend to show in its proper place, but it was after he had in a manner altogether lost those blessed injoyments, and was become exceeding dark, and barren, which thing • ay plainly appear by the straine of his Epistles, writt in his later years, which to him, that hath the true Spirituall discerning, and can savour words, as the mouth savours meat, do as farr come short and faill (as in respect of life) of his Epistles he wrote in his best times, as a dark night falls short of a bright day, or as a cold Winter of a warm and fruitfull Summer.

But let us hear himself, giving an account, of his inward condition, in his later times, in the 2. part of his Epistles, Ep. 49. he saith, but I am at a low ebbe, as to any sensible communion with Christ, yea as low as any soule can be, and do scarce know, where I am, and do now make it a question, if any can goe to him, who dwelleth in Light inaccessible, through nothing, but darknesse. And a little after, but what shall I say, either this is the Lord making grace a new creation, where there is pure nothing, and sinfull nothing to work upon, or I am gone, I should count my soule ingaged to your self, and others there, with you, if yee would but carry to Christ for me a letter of cyphers, and non-sense (for I know not how to make language of my condition) onely showing that I have need of his love. Againe in the 3. part Ep. 56. he saith but for me, I neither know what he is, nor his Sons name, nor where he dwells. I hear a report of Christ great enough, and that is all. O what is nearness to him? And in this Epistle he not onely acknowledgeth his own great deadness and dryness, but that it is a generall thing over professors. O (saith he) where are the some times quickening breathings and influences from heaven, that have refreshed his hidden ones? The causes of his withdrawings are unknown to us. Yet afterwards he pointeth, truly at the causes, saying, no doubt we have marred his influences, and have not seconded nor smiled upon his actings upon us. But let none mistake me, as if I judged that none of the faithfull servants of the Lord did, or could, feell at times, withdrawings of sensible refreshment, or could not be under great heavyness at times, yea and sense of deadness, for that I most readily acknowledge: but then such times, are not of long continuance, where faithfullness is kept unto, but the Lord quickly returneth unto them, and visiteth them againe with rich and plenteous visitations of his love and life, so that they can give frequent testimonies, of his living, and powerfull appearance in their soules, raising them up frequently over all heavyness, and though they have sometimes more and some times lesse of life, yet they have always some, are always in some sense of life, unless unfaithfulnes cause the removall of it from them: whereas it is manifest that the generall • raine of S. R. his Epistles in his later years holds forth • uch a generall, and constant complaining and • nguishing, as doth, without all controversy, • emonstrate an exceeding great change in his inward condition, from better to worse, and that not onely, for an hour, or a day, or some days, but throughout.

All which do plainly speak forth to me, that this sad and lamentable withdrawing of the Lord's presence from him, and this so dark a cloud, that he was brought under, happened unto him, as the effects of his unfaithfulness to the Lord, and as a reall judgment, or chastisement upon him, becaus of his not following on to know the Lord more fully, but sitting down by the way, and opposing further discoveryes, and breakings forth of Light in others, yea turning back again, and declining from what he once witnessed, of this I shall give • ome manifest Instances.

3. First: Notwithstanding so many clear and evident testimonys, to be found in his former epistles, to God his immediat revelations and teaching • in himself, yet after all this, he joyned with the Assembly of them, called Divines (though they may rather be called Dry-vines, and blind Diviners) • Westminster, to oppose all immediat revelation, and to cry down the former ways of Gods revealing himself to his people, as wholly ceased, since the Apostles dayes, affirming that the whole counsell of Go • was committed to writing. Whereas in his forme • Epistles, he plainly declareth, that he had the counsell and mind of God, in some things, not to be found 〈◊〉 Scripture, as I may shew afterwards.

Secondly. Although in his former years, as his Epistles declare, he was exceeding zealous for privat meetings, see Ep. 2. part 2. Yet afterwards, he complyed with the members of the Generall Assembly at Aberdeen 1640 to make an act, against all privat meetings, which did exceedingly gratify the profane, and sadned the hearts of the sober, and, as I heard, S. R. himself was displeased with the act, yet did cowardly comply to gratify the humor of his Brethren, without giving any publick protest to the contrary, to which I may add:

Thirdly: His so fervent and hot opposing of further discoverys of God in both them called Independents, and others, whom they invidiously brande with the name of Sectaryes, as also upon the other hand:

Fourthly: Although he complaineth sadly of the Prelats their persecuting him, for his Conscience, yet after, when Presbytery got up, he joyned very keenly, with those, who persecuted the Prelats, and banished them out of the Nation, whereas he was onely confined, for some time at Aberdeen, where he was very kindly received by divers, and this was the greatest persecution he did undergoe by the Prelats, of whom he complained sadly. And in his Ep. 24: part 2▪ he regreteth his persecution, thus, Our learned Prelat (said he) becaus we can not see with his eyes, so farr in a milstone, as his Ligh • doth, will not follow his Master meek Iesus, who waited upon the wearied, and short-breathed in the way to heaven, and where all see not alike, and some are weaker, he carryeth the Lambs in his bosome, and leadeth gently those that are with young. But we must either see all the evil of • eremonys, to be but as indifferent straws, or suffer no less then to be cast out of the Lords inheritance. Who seeth not, that what strength is in this reasoning (as indeed it is strong) was as fit against the Prelats being persecuted by S. R. as it was against his being persecuted by them? If the Prelats could not see with the Presbyterians eyes, so farr in a milstone, as their light doth, (to apply S. R. his words against himself) should he therefore persecut them, or 〈◊〉 up persecution against them, as he did, and wrote most bitterly against toleration for Conscience sake?

And Lastly; addunto all this, that notwithstanding in the time, when Presbyterians were low, and under sufferings, he wrote thus, to a great man, Ep. 17 part 1. I am not of that mind, that Tumults or Armes is the way to put Christ on his throne: yet afterwards, how much both he and his Brethren came to be of that mind, and to preach up fighting and armes as the way to reforme, many thousands yet living do wel know yea that they carryed on their league and covenant by force of armes, rather then by that meek way, l •• d down by Christ. Again it followeth in that Epistle, Or that Christ will be served and Truth vindicated onely with the arme of flesh and blood: nay, Christ doth his turne with less dinn, then with garments rolled in blood. But how the word [onely] cometh into the former sentence, I do not understand, for it marreth the sense of the discourse altogether. I never heard of any professing Christ, that Truth was to be vindicated onely with the arme of flesh and blood, nay, the grosse • t sort of Papists will not say so, for they will acknowledg, that preaching and writing are ways also, whereby Truth is to be vindicated: if this be not an errour in the printing, it seemeth to be fraudulently put in, by the Publisher, to excuse the Presbyterians so much using the arme of flesh and blood, to carry on that, which they judged a reformation. And how much garments were rolled in blood, by the instigation of Presbyterian Teachers, the whole Nation was a witness; so that many thousands were made widows, and fatherless, by that warr, they stirred up the people unto, expressly contrary to the nature of the Gospell. These Instances show that S. R. his testimony, especially against any further discoverys of Truth, has no wieght, he being so dark himself, and having so palpably contradicted himself, in divers things of great weight: nor should any think it • trange, that S. R. should misjudge them at Aberdeen, to whom he wrot that Epistle: he never looked on himself, as infallible, nor do I think that his Brethren judg all his sayings infallible truths, or divine oracles, otherwise they may be bound up with Pauls Epistles.

But let us hear himself, Ep. 52. 2: part; The Saints are not Christ, there is no misjudging in him, there is much in us, and a doubt it is, if we shall have fully one heart, till we have one heaven: our star-light hideth us from our selves, and hideth us one from another, and Christ from us all, but he will not be hidd • n from us.. It is no wonder to me, that S. R. found it so dark a time, to him, when he wrot this, for he was then at London, carrying on that dark work, the Westminster Confession and Catechism, which crieth down all new revelations of the Spirit, and crieth up sinn for terme of life: and in that large description, they give of GOD, out of the Scripture, and of CHRIST, they altogether omitt these two most excellent and significative, that God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all: and that Christ is the true Light, that enlighteneth every man, that cometh into the world. It • eemeth verily, the true Light had small place in their hearts, that they did so altogether forget it. However it is wel, that S. R. confesseth, there is much misjudging in himself, and his Bretbren. It is possible then, that he misjudged these sober people at Aberdeen, as they wel know he did, for whereas he threatned, that if they did forsake the National Presbyterian Church, Christ would forsake them, (but S. R. is not Christ, nor are all his sayings Christ's) these people have found more of Christ, since that time, then before, and they may on good ground, better believe their own experience, then his rash uncharitable judgings.

I write not these things in the least out of prejudice to S. R. his memory, or as if I did conclude, that he has not found mercy with the Lord, God forbid I should harbour any such uncharitable thought, onely becaus the Author of the Postscript brings in his testimony, against those people at Aberdeen, and layeth such weight upon it, I found my self more concerned in the love and zeal of God, to take some pains, to remove this stumbling block, out of the way of the simple, as becaus such a good man as S. R. judged so, of such a people, and of such a way, therefor it is bad; which yet will have no more weight with those, that are truely judicious, then when the Papists tell us, of their eminent Saints, who had such holy lives, and witnessed so much of spirituall communion with God, and yet opposed the Waldenses, as great Hereticks, and cried up the Church of Rome, as the onely true Church, will have weight with us, either to believe the one, or the other. And I do not question it, but Bernard, who lived in the darkest times of Popery, was as holy a man, and had as much, or rather more spirituall experience, as S. R. as his writings do declare to any, who have the true spirituall discerning, and shall compare Bernard's with those of S. R. and yet the same Bernard was a most vehement opposer of the Waldenses, who were a good people, and bore a true and faithfull testimony in their day, according to the discovery, given them of God, against the idolatry and superstition of the Church of Rome.

4. But before I leave this particular, I shall take notice of another thing, that will serve not a little to discover, how weak S. R. his authority is, as to his peremptory conclusion, he made, concerning those few sober people at Aberdeen, which was no less, then this, that if they did forsake the Nationall Church, Christ would forsake them: which threatning the Author of the Postscript looketh upon, to be a divine prediction, confirmed by their since turning to Quakeri • in, which he calls the abyss of all abominations. But I ask this Author of the Postscript, Can any divine prediction contradict an article of Faith? If he say, nay, then I query again, Is it not an article of the Presbyterian faith, that none truely gracious in the least measure, can totally fall away from grace, or be totally forsaken of God? This is their express doctrine; whereupon it will follow, that none truely gracious can fall into Quakerism, which he calls the abyss of all abominations, the • otch of hell, yea pure hellism, and devilism, again seing their falling into Independency, was the sinn, that provoked God (as this Author would have it) to suffer them to fall thus, it is clear, that according to S. R. none truely gracious can turn Independent, seing to turn Independent, is to be forsaken of Christ, as he doth positively threaten in his Letter, and yet in the same Letter, he telleth them of their work of faith, and labour of love and patience of hop • in our Lord Iesus, as also he tells them, of their being sealed unto the day of redemption, and having received the Spirit by the hearing of Faith.

All which plainly import their being in a state of Grace, and if either he, or the Author of the Postscript, think that after all this, they could fall away, so as to be forsaken of Christ, they contradict their own principle. If he reply, that S. R. judged them to be Saints, onely in a judgment of charity: I Answer, by inquiring, whether this his judgment of charity was true, or false? from his own spirit, or from the Spirit of God? for there is no midst. If he say, it was false, and from his own spirit, and not fro • the Spirit of God, then surely these People, whom he so threatned, had no cause to fear, or look upon him, as a Prophet, or divinely inspired, in the writing of this Letter, seing he begins with a false judgment, that is confessed to be from his own spirit, and not from the Spirit of the Lord. And seing the Author of the Postscript will allow him to have been greatly mistaken, in his judging them to be Saints, we may with as much ground, in all reason, judg him to be mistaken, when he did so threaten them, that Christ would forsake them: but if they never had Christ, how could he forsake them?

5. We need not feare such predictions, as carry in their bosome flat contradictions, but S. R. did not think Independency inconsistent with the Grace of God, for Ep: 53: part 3. he giveth an express testimony of some Independents, particularly Thomas Godwyn Ieremiah Burroughs, that they were gracious men, so he telleth that he conceived of them: which abundantly proves, he thought men might be truly gracious, and yet Independents, and mighty opposits to Presbyteriall government, as his words in that Epistle shew.

SECTION III.

1. The Presbyterian Reformation not a matter to make so great a boast of, as the Author doth. 2. That S. R. said in Presbytry, the letter onely was reformed, and scarce that, and that God will not build his Zion on that skin of reformation. 3. Many thousands of the Presbyterian Church not fit to be members of a wel ordered humane society. 4. A precious life stirring among many Presbyterians, especially in the West, 40 years ago, and upwards. 5. The Presbyterians did not goe foreward, but backward, and so provoked the Lord. 6. The body, or generality of the Presbyterian Church full of ignorance, and guilty of swearing, drinking drunk, and other gross sins. 7. Some, among the Presbyterians, that belong to the true Church of God. 8. A National Church, as National, can not be a Church of Christ. 9. The Presbyterian Church deeply tinctured with the great sins of persecution and hypocrisy, 10. Other Churches, beyond the Presbyterian, since the primitive times.

Now let us proceed to hear further, what this Author saith, pag. 1. lin. 22. Forsakers of a Church, so often honoured by receiving signall testimonys of the Bridegrooms love towards her, as his spouse, in rejoycing over her, with singing, and so frequently helped to give him testimonys of her endeared affection to him, as her Head, Husband, supreme Lord and-Governour. In this we may through Grace humbly boast, nay despise or envy who will, we can not do less, without being guilty of the basest ingratitude, that we have not been inferior to (O blessed be his Grace, to whom we ow it, and it is for the commendation of his glorious goodness, we mention it) whatever we were beyond, any Church we know upon the Earth.

SECTION IV.

1. That some good men have been in the Presbyterian Church, proves not, that she was a true Church. 2. In the darkest times of Popery, God raised up some good men, and Prophets in the Popish Church, yet the Popish Church no true Church of Christ. 3. Few Sects but have had some good men among them. 4. The Presbyterians in our days shamefully are declined from the footsteps and spirit of th • se antient good men, that were among them. 5. The Presbyterian Church guilty of treacherous practices. 6. Christians should not make warr against the Magistrat. 7. Presbyterians sufferings not pure and cleanly. 8. The Episcopal Church had its Sufferers and Martyrs also. 9. The Presbyterian Church, especially their Teachers have much blood-guiltiness upon them. 10. If the house of God under the Law, was not to be built by men of blood, farr less under the Gospell. 11. GOD will not honour the Presbyterian party to build his Zion, or Gospell-Church in this Land. 12. Yet he will make use of many among them, after he hath •• ashed them from such bloody, Anti-christian and unsound principles and practices. 13. Of this they were warned, eleven years ago, in my book, called Help in time of need, printed in the year 1665. 14. The Presbyterian Church of Scotland guilty of Apostasy and spirituall adultery, proved fully out of S. R. his Epistles. 15. S. R. his Faith uncertain, and he doubtfull in his later days, concerning the Covenant, its being made an instrument of Reformation. 16. Some other testimonys of Great Presbyterian Teachers, that God had forsaken the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.

1. But if the Author of the Posts • ript think to get a fame to the Presbyterian Church, becaus of some noted men for piety, that have been among them; It is easily answered, that they did not ow this piety to the Presbyterian Church, but to the Grace of God, which is Vniversall, For the Grace of God, that bringeth Salvation, hath shined in All (so Beza translates it) Tit: 2: 10, 11. and this Grace teacheth to deny ungodlyness, and worldly lusts, and to live righteously, and soberly, and godlily in this present world. And whoever in any age or place of the world joyned their hearts unto this Grace, and did believe and obey its teachings, it made them good and pious men, so that they did excell others, in many good things; although by reason of the darkness and corruption of the ages and places, where they lived, the prejudice of education and custom prevailed so farr, that they also were dark and ignorant in many things. Yet the Lord regarding their sincerity, winked at their ignorance in those things. And thus the Apostle Paul takes notice of some among the Gentils in the time of Heathenism, who were a Law unto themselvs, and did by Natur (to wit, the Divine Nature of the Word ingrafted in them, Iames 1. or by their own nature, restored and repaired by the Grace of God (as Augustin expounded that place) the things contained in the Law, & such was Socrates among the Gracians, whom Iustin Martyr in one of his Apologys, did expressly call a Christian, and classeth him with Abraham, &c.

2. Also all along the dark times of popery, the Lord raised up some even in the very heart of the popish Church, that excelled others in vertue and piety, and were as Lights shining in a dark place, and witnesses to the truth, some in some things and some in others; and yet even these men lived still in the Popish Church, and in too many things were carryed away, and tinctured with divers corruptions, and superstitions. Of this Illyricus in his Catologus • estium veritatis, giveth an account; And the Author of Fasciculus temporum, with divers other Historians; And particularly our country-man Alexander Petry, in his Church History from the year 600 unto the year 1600, as in the seventh Century, Gregory, called the Great: and Isidorus in the eighth Century: Iohn Damascen, and Aponius in the ninth century: Claudius Turinensis Bishop of Turin, and Rabanus Maurus, in the tenth Century, (a very dark age.) Theophilact Arch-bishop of Bulgaria and Smaragdus a Benedictin Abbot in the eleventh Century: Berno and Fulbert Bishop of Carnatum in the twelfth Century: Hugo de S. Victore and Bernard of Clarevall in the thirteenth age: Gulielmus Bishop of Paris, and Ioachim Abbot of Calabria, in the fourteenth age or Century: Dantes Aligerius and Robertus Gallus; this Robertus Gallus was a Franciscan Frier, and had propheticall visions, which were interpreted to him, by the Spirit of God, there is a Treatise under his name, printed together with the Prophecyes of Hildegardis, a Woman prophetesse in the Church of Rome, of both whose Prophecyes, Fox takes speciall notice, in his Martyrology. And in the fifteenth Century Vincentius a Venetian, who also prophecyed against the Clergy, and Theodorick Vrias: There was also another Theodorick Bishop of Croatia, that prophecyed in this same age, that the Church of Rome should be brought to nought, and that Iustice which hath been shut up in darkness, shall come into Light, and the true Church shall flourish in Godlyness, more then she hath done. In this age also lived Iohn Huss, a pious and vertuous man, whom the Papists burnt, as an heretick, and yet the same good Man retained divers Popish opinions.

Now in the sixteenth century, the reformation from the grossness of Popery began by Luther, in Germany, and the Lord raised up divers other instruments, in other nations, as in France, in England and also in Scotland, and many worthy men dyed martyrs, and sea • ed to the truth with their blood, before the Presbyterian Reformation, yea some that were Bishops in England, dyed martyrs, for the truth, as Cranmer, Ridly, Latim • r.

Therefor, albeit I grant, that ther hath been divers pious men, among the Presbyterians, & some who enjoyed communion with God in Spirit, and some also who had a Propheti • all Spirit, and were accompanyed with the power of God, in their ministry, 40 years ago, & upwards; and were made blessed instruments of God, to many soules, in that day, to whom the Lord gave signall Testimonys of his love and of his admitting them at times, unto near communion with him: among whom were chiefly, Iohn Welsh, Robert Bruce, Davidson and Patrick Simpson, and divers others, concerning whom, the Author of the fullfilling of the Scripturs, gives an account. And I do verily believe, they were pious men, and had precious feelings of the life, and power of God, which did at times accompany them, in their ministry, whereby many soules were reached, and converted unto God. And as touching some things, related by the Author, concerning these men, I may afterwards in its due place, take notice, which will not a little make for the present testimony of the people, called Quakers. But all this will not in the least prove, that the Presbyterian Natio • all Church was the true Church of Christ, and needeth no further Reformation from many thing • then it will prove, that the Popish Church was the true Church of Christ, which (as I have already mentioned) had pious and vertuous men, and some of them indued with the Propheticall Spirit. Also the Episcopall English Church, in the dayes of Q. Ma •• had very excellent men, that were Bishops, and some of them were burned for the truth, yet thi • proveth not that the English Church was sufficiently reformed, or that those called Puritans, who would not conforme to her, did sin, or were guilty of Schisme. And I suppose the Presbyterians will no • deny, but Luther for piety and zeal, may be compared with any of these in Scotland, and yet Luther was no Presbyterian, and the Lutherans have had since Luther, divers excellent men, of whom I ca • not forbear to mention Iohannes Arnd, who hath writt a more Spirituall treatise of Spritual doctrin, containing more spiritual and profitable Doctrin, then any book, that ever I could see, writt by any Presbyterian, and yet the Luther • ns differr fa •• from Presbyterians. Nor should the Presbyterians in Scotland so exalt themselves, above all other Churches, becaus some in their Church were indued with a Prophetical Spirit, for as I have already mentioned, divers in the Popish Church had the Spirit of Prophecy, as Fox, in his Martyrology doth bear witness, & • I must needs say, that as for Spiritual doctrin, some Mysticks among the Papists, hav exceeded any P • esbyterian Writer, that ever I could yet see.

And to speak freely, that one little book De imitation • Christ • , said to be written, by Thomas a Kempis a Popish Monck, is really to me, a more usefull book, for spirituall doctrin, then all the Presbyterian books in the world, that ever I saw; and I believe hath fewer errors in it. I except the last book, concerning the Sacrament of the Altar, becaus, for good reasons, it is judged not to be his, but a spurious birth of some other Writer, and it is not to be found in some of the most ancient coppys.

This little book of Thomas a Kempis hath had an exceeding great reception among Protestants of all sorts, onely some peevish, narrow-spirited Presbyterians can not endure to hear it commended, becaus, writ by one, that lived in the Church of Rome, in a dark time; and yet the doctrin of it excell • th that of their most spirituall Preachers. It is a most unreasonable thing, to cry up a faction, or party, or particular Church, becaus of some excellent men, that have been among them, and perhaps zealous for that way.

3. For indeed few Professions, or Sects in Christianity, but have had some excellent men in them. The Baptists in Holland have had some, also they had faithfull and zealous men, that dyed Martyrs, and were put to death, by Papists. And both Independents and Baptists in England, had some excellent men among them, whose labours no doubt the Lord did bless with his presence. Few hills so barren, but some exc • llent medicinal herbs grow upon them, and in their bowells there are some mines of gold and silver, and some deserts yeeld Diamonds, and precious stones.

So I shall most willingly grant, there have been holy and spirituall men, in the Presbyterian Church, that have known • ommunion with God in spirit, in a blessed measure, and were faithfull in the talents given them of God▪ And I believe, their soules are entered into everlasting rest, and their memory is as a box of precious oyntment, among others of the Lord • Witnesses in other professions and places of the world. And though they have been h • noured by receiving signal testimonys of • he Great Bridegroomes love, towards them, as his spouse, in re • oycing over them with singing, and frequently helped to giv • him testimonys of their endeared affection to him, • Head, Husband, Supreme Lord and Governour; yet I altogether deny, that such high commendation doth belong to the National Presbyterian Church, in the heap, or indeed to any considerable part o • her, for they, who had any measure of true piet • among them, did certainly beare as small proportion unto the body of the Nation, as the white of the eyes, and teeth in an Ethiopian, or Black mor, doth unto the rest of his body.

4. But alas! The Presbyterians in our days, both Teachers and People are sh • mefully declined from the footsteps and spirit of those antient good men, and this generation now living is no more of the true faith and spirit of these Worthy men, then the Iewes, that put Christ to death, were of the faith and spirit of Abraham.

5. But that the Presbyterian Church deserveth • o such commendation, as this Author gives her, as • eing so frequently helped to give him testimonys of • er endeared affection to him, as her head, husband, • upream Lord, and Governour, we need goe no • urther to bring witnesses, to confute this, then 〈◊〉 own treacherous practices, upon every occasion, 〈◊〉 had to shew her infidelity. For although she •• yed up the Presbyterian goverenment, as being 〈◊〉 a Divine right, and the onely government esta ••• shed by Christ in the Church, yet at two seve • ll times, the National Presbyterian Church, when •• elacy was imposed by the supreame Magistrat, 〈◊〉 received it, and at lest in outward appearance, •• atever she was in her heart, turned Prelatical; 〈◊〉 most shamefully conformed to that, which 〈◊〉 hath often called Anti-Christian.

The first time was, when King Iames the Sixth • ught in Prelacy, which lasted about 28 years.

And the second time, when it was again introduced of late years, and is at this present day remaining.

And I can not think, that the Author of the Postscript thinketh the National Church of Scotland, at this present time Presbyterian, otherwise she is a great Hypocrit, seing she doth outwardl • conforme to Episcopacy: so that whereas there ar • reckoned to be in this Nation, about a thousan • Parishes, yet, so farr as I can understand, or learn • there is not One parish in all the Nation, that 〈◊〉 k • ept it self intirely free from conformity. And it 〈◊〉 welknown, that the body of the Nation is conformed to Episcopacy, and the farr greatest number • the Presbyterian Teachers, conformed also; 〈◊〉 some of them, who were zealous for presbyteri •• government, are become Bishops. And inde •• they, who have not conformed, beare little or 〈◊〉 proportion considerable to them who have: 〈◊〉 the Presbyterian Non- conformist Teachers have g •• nerally manifested base and unchristian cowardi •• in running away from their flocks, through fear suffering, and exposing them, to those, they 〈◊〉 to be Wolves, and some of them are fled beyo •• Sea, Others lurk in corners here and there, 〈◊〉 keep privat conventicles, where many times 〈◊〉 preach Sedition against their L • wfull Prince, instigation of whom, that insurrection happ •• ed 1666.

6. And some of them have printed books, in defence of the lawfulness of making wa • r against the Suprem Magistrat, in order to reestablish the Presbyterian Government, a way flat contradictory to the nature of the Gospel, to the express commands of Christ, and also to the practice of the primitive Christians, to make any carnal or military resistence, so much as in their own defence, which lasted for hundreds of years, so that it is but of later times, that any professing the Name of Christianity, did offer to defend themselvs by carnal weapons, against their Lawfull Magistrats. During the ten persecutions, not so much as a shaddow of any such thing, is to be found in Church history. And yet, as Tertullian gives an account, who lived in the heart of those persecutions, it was not for want of number, or strength, that they did not oppose themselves in their own defence, but onely becaus they were Christians.

7. And although suffering be a thing greatly commended, and also commanded under the Gospell, and is as S. R. calles it, in one of his Epistles, a great part of the Ministry, yet I know not if the Presbyterians can instance one single person of them all, since the late revolution, that have suffered, or do at present suffer, for Conscience sake, in a pure and cleanly way: I mean for matters purely Evangelical, and out of pure Conscience; for such of them, who did suffer, had not keept their hands clean, from too much incroaching upon affairs of the Stat, and power of the Magistrat, so that they had little cause to glory in those sufferings.

8. And if the Presbyterians think, they have had any Martyrs for Presbyterian government, yet this will not commend their Church above the Episcopal, which hath had its Sufferers also, who have suffered unto death; and whose Sufferings were as much matters of Conscience unto them, as the Presbyterians was unto them. Yea the Episcopal Church gloryeth, that she had one of the most religious Kings, that either then was, or had been in the world for many ages, a Martyr for her, whose life was worth many thousands of others.

9. And in very truth, the Presbyterian Church will never be able to purge her self of the iniquity of the killing of many thousands, in the three Nations, by the occasion of a most bloody warr, raised up through the instigation of the Presbyterian Teachers. I am fully perswaded of it, that the Presbyterian Church hath as much blood-guiltiness lieing on her head, unwashed off, as any People, called a Church, that I know of in the world, next unto the bloody Church of Rome. And as she hath drunk the blood of many, so blood hath been given her to drink, and it is to be feared, that more will be given to her, as a just judgment from the hand of God, except she repent, and condemn that blood-thirsty spirit, that hath too much led and influenced her. And I am wel ass • red of it, that a bloody Church is no • rue Church of Christ, for the true Church of Christ is washed by the blood of Christ, f • om all lust or desire to shed blood: Sh • can suffer her blood to be shed, for Christ; but she is white and pure from the blood of others.

10. The Lord would not have David to build his house, becaus he had been a man of warr, and had shed much bl •• d. O! that the Presbyterians could read the spiritual signification of this! If the house of God under the Law, was not to be built by a man of blood, (although in the sheding of the blood of the Lords enemies, he was allowed) shall the house of God under the Gospel be built by men of blood; And who have shed so much of the blood of their very Brethren, of the same profession, both as Christians and as Protestants; onely differing from them, as to some small circumstances, and worldly matters? Surely Nay.

11. And if there were no more, this one consideration might be enough, to peswad any man, that believes the Scripture testimony, and hath the least • rue understanding of the nature of a Gospel Church, that God will never honour the Presbyteri • n party to build his Zion, or Gospel Church, in • his Land: nay, from the Lord God I have seen, and do see her rejected, from having any part, or portion in this honourable work.

12. Although I do believe, the L'ord will make use of many among that people, but it will be after he has washed them, and purged from them the spirit of blood, and of much other filthyness, by his Spirit of iudgment a • d of burning, that he will make them as stones of his building. But I know it from the Lord God, by his Spirit in me, and from the same I declare it, that the Presbyterian Church▪ as such, and as holding such bloody and Anti-Christian, and otherwayes unsound principles and doctrines, shall never be honoured of the Lord, to build his true Zion in this Land; it is the Word of the Lord God in my heart, and the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it, and sealed it again and again in me; and their labouring to doe such a thing, shall be but as men labouring in the fire, and like unto them, who essayed again to build Ier • cho.

13. And this I warned them of from the Lord, about eleven years agoe, in my book, called Hel • in time of Need, printed in the year 1655, whic • was a year before their insurrection in the West. Yet I most assuredly know, that the Lord will buil • unto himself a glorious Church in this Land, and therein I aggree with S. R. What he writs in divers Epistles, as Ep. 7. part 1., a dry wind upo • Scotland, but neither to fan, nor cleanse; but out of all question, when the Lord hath cut down his forrest, the after-growth of Lebanon shall flourish, they shall plant vines in our mountains, and a cloud shall yet fill the Temple. Again, Ep. 55. part 1. there shall be a fair green young garden, for Christ in this Land, &c. Again Ep. 70. I believe our Lord once again shall water with his dew, the withered hill of mount Zion in Scotland, and come down, and make a new marriage again; as he did long since. (he addes) Remember our Covenant. See also Ep. 34. and 2: part Ep. 56, and 57. and part 3: Ep. 13.

14. But what means the matter? These words of S. R. hold forth a great back sliding and apostasy of the Presbyterian Church, according to this great Seer S. R. Otherwise what nee • d of a new marriage: but let us hear him express his mind more distinctly, concerning this so highly commended Presbyterian Church. part I: Ep. 34. he saith, We, wo, wo be to apostat Scotland: there is wrath, and a cup of the red wine of the wrath of God Almighty in the Lords hand, that they shall drink, and spue, and fall, aud not rise again. and part 1. Ep. 43. But this Nation hath forsaken the fountain of living Waters. And part 1. Ep. 54. This is a black day, a day of clouds and darkness, for the roof-tree of my Lord Iesus his fair temple is faln, and Christ's back is towards Scotland. and part 1. Ep: 1. yet more distinctly, My heart is 〈◊〉 indeed for my mother Church, that hath played the barlot with many lovers, her husband hath a mind to sell her, for her horrible transgressions, and heavy will the hand of the Lord he upon this back-sliding Nation. All this, and much more might be cited out of his Epistles, do prove, that S. R. had no such thoughts of the Presbyterian Ch • rch, which he calleth his mother Church, in the time he wrot those Epistles, which was at Aberdeen, the best time he ever knew, and had great nearness unto the Lord.

15. And whatever faith S. R. had of the Lord his appearing again, to reforme the Land, by the Covenant; yet we find, that in his later days, his faith was very wavering and uncertain, touching the Covenant its being made an instrument of reformation: for thus he writs, Ep. 70. part 2. I believe he comes quickly, who will remove our darkness, and will shine gloriously in the Isle of Britan, as a crowned King, either in a formally sworn Covenant, or in his own: glorious way; which I leave to the determination of his infinit Wisdom and Goodness. It seemeth he had some other way in his view, as possible, if not probable, which God would take to reforme the Church, then the Covenant, (that instrument of so much blood) Hower this is certain, his faith was very uncertain about the matter now in his dyeing days: and he speaks not at all as any true Prophet of the Lord, in this matter. Albeit the Presbyterians generally are still so blind, and darke, that they positively judg, that the covenant will be a main thing, that God will make use of, to reforme the Land, and that both Covenant and Presbytery will up again, where as S. R. is unclear in the matter.

16. And I could tell them of one of themselves, whom they judge no lesse then a martyr for the cause, that published his mind in print, before his death, some years, that God had forsaken their Nationall Church, and was not like to return to her again: and he answereth all the common reasons from Sciptur, or the Covenant, that seemed to prove, that the Lord would return unto them, and plainly sheweth the weakness and invalidity of them. The book is in the hands of many which I have read, and I had it from the mouth of an honest faithfull man, that he heard Iohn Livingston, say, in prayer, Lord since Dumbar, thou hast spit in our face, and since that never looked over thy shoulder to us again. This is he, whom the Author of the Postscript, calls that great man of God, and this prayer he had in a certain family in Aberdeen. And this is that Church, that was such an apostat, and whom the Lord had so forsaken by the confession of their chief Seers, and who indeed was never a true Gospell Church, that we the people called Quakers have forsaken, and we are resolved by Gods grace never to return unto her, for the Lord hath said unto us, let them come unto you, but goe not ye unto them, the Lord hath added divers, who were among them, and under that profession unto us, and will add many more, yea thousands in due time, for the Lord hath a precious seed to gather out from among them. And there are many among them, I know, who have true breathings after the Lord, and these in due time the Lord will regard, and bring them to his Zion, which he has begun to build in great glory, even in, and among the people, called in Scorne Quakers.

SECTION V.

1. What is said against the Presbyterian Church in general, as national and as being so guilty of persecution and blood, is not understood of all that goe under that name, many among them being free of such crimes, and of a more sober Spirit and principles. 2. An Apology, why I frequently use the word [Presbyterian.] 3. Presbytery too good a name for them, unless with this addition Pseudo-Presbytery, that is Pr • sbytery falsely so called. 4. The Presbyterian Church guilty of denying the true Christ, who would exclud him out of the very Saints. 5. The Presbyterian Church a foolish builder, and guilty of very bad and Vnchristian Doctrins. 6. The Presbyterian Church, although she pretend to be more for a spritual way of preaching, and worshiping, then the Papal, or Episcopal, yet upon the matter, she is not one jot more for the same, then they are, proved by divers Instances. 7. Two Questions put to the Presbyterians. 8. A list of the r • viling, false acousations and railing speeches of the Author of the Postscript, against the people, called Quakers. 9. Presbyterian teachers have not that credit now with many people, as to make them believe, whatever they say, with an implicit faith, as formerly they too much had.

1. ANd as to what I have said in generall against the Presbyterian Church, as Nationall, and as being so guilty of persecution and blood, I understand it, not of all that goe under that name, for I doe believe many among them are altogether free of having a hand in such things, and are of a more sober Spirit, and of more sober principles: but I understand it of a great faction and party of them, that did most prevail, and carryed away many simple wel-meaning people along with them, what by deceitfull perswasions, and what by fears: And I know many that were so carryed away, are now come to see the evil of these practices, and are resolved never to concurre in, or countenance the like of them again. But especially the Presbyterian Clergy and priesthood had the main hand and stroak in these disorders, and all to uphold their kingdom, and gratify their lust, and ambition.

2. And that I have so frequently used the word [Presbyterian] or may afterwards use it, is onely for distinction's sake, becaus I know not how otherwise to designe them, yet I am farr from judging them to be true Presbyterians, or that their Classicall judicatorys were true Presbyterys, such as were in the primitive times.

And therefore Presbytery is too good a name to give them, unless with this addition Pseudo-Presbyter • , that is to say, Presbytery falsly so called, seing they have so positively denyed that which gives the very life, and being, either to any true Church, or Presbytery, viz, the immediat Revelation, and 〈◊〉 teachings and leadings of the Spirit of Christ in every member; so that as of old, there were, who called themselvs, Iewes, and Apostles and were not, so these Presbyterians call themselves true Pre •••• erys, but are no more so, then a dead image of a man is a true man. And indeed who ever hath a true knowledge of either the Gospell, or a true Gospell Church, will see, that with good reason, and good ground, we have forsaken the Presbyterian and Nationall Church, and that not only becaus of her bad practices, but also for her bad, anti-Christian and unsound Doctrins in many things, she denying the real in-being and reve • ation of Ies •• Christ in any of her Members, or indeed in any men in those days.

4. And although she falsly accuse us, as denying the true Christ, yet I hope to make it apparent, that she, and not we, are the denyers of him, who would exclud him out of the very Saints, and altogether confine him to some particular place: but this I intend to reserve till afterwards.

5. Also she discovereth her self to be a very foolish builder, who maketh her foundation so narrow, and her building so wide, for no less, then the whole Nation, she would take into her building; yea all Nations, if she could. And yet the true and saving Power, and Grace of Christ Iesus, which • elongs to the very foundation of the Church, she • ill onely have it extended but to a small number of • er members, and that the greatest part have neither • eceived this Grace, nor ever shall; but are exclud • d inevitably from it, without their own consent, • y Gods absolut decree, that barreth them out from 〈◊〉 possibility of Salvation, before they ever came 〈◊〉 the world. Surely this is too narrow a foundaion for so wide a building; and it is but a small • avour to so many thousands of her members, than • hey are not so much as under any possibility of Salvation: yea it seems they are rather the worse, then the better, for being her Church members, seing, to the boot, they shall be more guilty of condemnation, then the Heathen, who never heard the Gospel outwardly preached, and yet neve • a whit the more near unto Salvation. These ar • sad tidings, she preacheth to her Church members Again, her most eminent Saints, she leaveth the • still in the dirt, and mire of sin, for term of life and tells them, they can never be free from sin, i • this life; but sin, and can not but sin daily, in though • word, and deed, Surely, such un-Christian Doctrins, with many more could be named, an ground enough for any man, whose eyes are true • opened to leave her, and come out of her.

6. And though she pretend to be more for a sp • ritual way of preaching, and worship, then eithe • Papists, or these, called the Episcopal; yet reall • upon the matter, she is not one jot more for th • same, then they are; but doth fully aggre wit • them, in those principls, that in their very natur •• oppose all spirituall preaching and praying. For 〈◊〉 they say, that true Grace or ptety is not essential to 〈◊〉 Minister of Christ? She saith the same. Do the • say, that men may preach and pray, without the spe • cial and immediat movings of the Spi • it of God, an • while they thus preach and pray, they ought to b • heard, if having an outward call from the Church She saith the same. Do they say, that immediat calls are not needfull to Preachers? She saith the same. And in a word, I know not in the least, wherein she is any more a friend to the Spirit of Christ▪ and to preaching and praying by the same, or wherein she is not fully as great an enemy, yea rather upon the matter, she is greater; for I believe there shall hardly be found any Council Provincial, or General among the Papists themselvs, that have so expressly and directly denyed and judged out, all new revelations and immediat teachings of the Spirit, as the Presbyterian Church have done in their assembly at Westminster: and indeed all praying by the real movings of the Spirit of Christ, being once denyed, and a Worship without the Spirit being set up, it is a meer circum • tance, whether it be in a set forme of words, yea 〈◊〉 or nay; onely that which is for a set forme of words and a stinted Liturgy (the Spirit being once exclud • ed by both partys) seemeth to be less sinfull, and al • o less scandalous, for he that prayeth by his set • orme, is out of all hazard to use words of non-sense • nd blasphemy, providing the set forme contain • othing but sound words: whereas he, that pray • th onely out of his imagination, (for out of what else • oth he pray, seing he doth not so much as pretend to • eceive his words from the Spirit?) is really in this 〈◊〉 And it is wel known, how oft some have really spok non-sense and blasphemy, who had no 〈…〉 better guid, then their own roaving imagination, when they said their prayers; and many times the people, in stead of being moved to seriousness by such prayers, were moved to laugh at the ignoran •• and folly of such Speakers: and certainly of two evils it is the lesser, to have a Liturgy or stinte • forme, then to suffer such abuses, as have bee • committed by some both Presbyterian and Episcopal Preachers in their Pulpits, in their Pray • ers.

7. And indeed there are two Questions I coul • never get resolved by any Presbyterian. 1. W •• their Preachers study their Sermons before hand left they should speak non-sense to the People, a •• yet study not their Prayers before hand, but 〈◊〉 them forth ex tempore? 2. Why they think Lawfull to sing by a book, and yet think it unlavfull to pray by a book? And these two questi •• I leave with this Author of the Postscript to answe • and shall proceed to take notice of his other 〈◊〉 , wherein I intend to be more brief, ha • ing no arguments to answer, and the Author havi •• brought none against us, nor indeed any Testimo • nys to prove the Quakers guilty of any such 〈◊〉 as he accuseth them of, but spendeth most of all 〈◊〉 paper, in most horrible, bitter revilings, and 〈◊〉 accusations, Some of which I shall here insert, 〈◊〉 give the Reader a trial of the bitterness of this mans spirit, and that he has not the least true ground for any such revilings, in the next place I intend to shew.

8. Let us then stand still a little, a • nd heare his rai • ings, and rai • ing revilings and uncharitable speeches he soameth out against us, even as a troubled Sea casteth out foam and dirt:— this abyss of all abominations, de • perat Quakerism, root of bit • erness, this ditch and deep pit, pernicious ways, Soul-murthering delusions, spreading contagion, • equally loathsome and hatefull to their Soules with 〈◊〉 bell; Sathans slime, botch of hell, pure Devilism, 〈◊〉 the dung of all these desperat, soul-destroying heresys, • videlicēt of Popery, Arminianism, Erastiamsm, • Socinianism, Arianism, Petagianism, Familism, • Antinomianism, Heathenism, and Atheism; 〈◊〉 • having a speciall power and influence over and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the bodys and spirits of not a few of that monstrous 〈◊〉 , dung of hell dished up with a piece of the black • Art, peculiar to that Tribe; the very stink of hell, which cometh forth at their impure and po •• u • ed • mouths in blasphemys against God, his Christ, his • Spirit, his Word, his precious and pure Ordinances, 〈◊〉 purchase of the blood of Christ, and the means 〈◊〉 fellowship with the Father, and with his Son Iesus • hrist: most odious vermin, and black locusts, that 〈◊〉 crawled out of the infernal lake, or croked upon the face of the Earth, blasphemous belchings, 〈◊〉 the very sibilation of the Old Serpent. What name or notion can be faln upon, or found fit to unfold the nature of that doctrin, comprehensive of all these doctrins of Devils: whereby the Gospel hath been from the beginning opposed through Satans black art and utmost malice, as if this one shape and size of enemy • to the Gospel, were gathered together and ceme • ed all the severall partys, that ever Abaddon an • Apollyon commanded in his severall expedition • against the Prince Michaël.

And thus Reader I have set before thee, som • part of this Presbyterian mans Rhetorick, for • • trial, and if thou hast the least measure of true di • cerning, so that thy ear can try words, as 〈◊〉 mouth tasteth meat, it will be easy for thee to judg • whence such bitter and unchristian revilings pro • ceed, and what spirit hath taught him to utter 〈◊〉 many gross lyes and slaunders against an innoce • People, and none can expect that I will be at th • pains to refu • e such stuff, it containing nothing 〈◊〉 argument nor proof, that we are guilty of 〈◊〉 things, but onely bare affirmations.

9. And though in former times, the Presbyt • rian Teachers had such great esteeme (throug • the great blindness, that was over the Nation) 〈◊〉 the minds of most people; that their bare saying 〈◊〉 were like Divine Oracles, yet the times are now 〈◊〉 a great measure changed, that what they say will not be believed so easily; nay will not at all be believed by thousands, unless they bring good and sufficient proof for the truth of what they say: for there is an eye opening in many in this Nation, that is seeing clearly, how these deceitfull men had too great power over them, to impose upon their faith: and they are now resolved not to be so abused by them, as formerly: and therefore I am perswaded, such bare affirmations without the least shaddow of a proof, will have weight with none, but such as yet give up themselvs blindly and implicitly to be led by these blind guids, and for such there is no remedy, untill it please the Lord to open their eyes, which is my earnest desire.

SECTION VI.

1. The Scripturs no warrant for peopls refusing converse with the People, called Quakers. 2. They bring no doctrin contrary to the Scripturs. 3. The Author and his Brethren guilty of horrid injustice against them, in condemning them, whom they neither know, nor their principls. 4. Many of them with a blind and mad zeal refuse all means of Information. 5. The Presbyterian Teachers in labouring to perswad people, not to converse with us, nor read our books, practise that usuall policy of the Popish Church, that forbids to read Protestants books, or converse with them. 6. Many are the more moved to read them, and seek occasion of their converse. 7. Finding them grossly and falsly accused. 8. John Livingston his unchristian carriage to some of their profession at Rotterdam. 9. The people called Quakers, not Here • icks, nor their principls heretical, but truely C ••• sstian and Apostolick. 10. Presbyterians in great confusion and contradiction in comparing some of themselvs to the greatest Prophets, and yet denying Immediat Revelation and Spirit of Prophecy. 11. A cowardly Spirit in many of the Presbyterian Teachers. A question put to the Author of the Postscript.

Pag 5. ad sinem. And here by the way, let me set before thee, the practice of that Great man of GOD [Master John Livingston] (of whom without vanity, or being judged to hold mens p • nsons in admira • ion for advantage, I fear not to say, that in the day he was taken up from us, I knew not so great an Ambassadour for Christ left behind upon the Earth. O to see some, on whom this Elijah's mantle is faln!) as a fit patt • rn for thy in • itation, &c.

1. Answer: The Author of the Postscript hath been giving some perswasions, why People should deny all converse with the People, called Quakers, from the exampls of the Apostles, Paul and Iohn, and lastly from the example of Master Iohn Livingston, as he calls him. (behold the Presbyterians pride, that will honour one another with the title of Master, whereas when they speake of the Apostles, they give them no such titles, but bare Iohn, Paul, Peter. But to say Iohn Livingston, and Samuel Rutherford, withholding the proud title of Master, which Christ did expressly forbid, doth greatly offend Presbyterian ears) But first I must tell the Author of the Postscript: As to the exampls of Paul and John, the case doth no ways meet, for the people called Quakers are of the same spirit, and hold the same principls, and have the same life and conversation, which the Christians had, whom Paul and John loved, and were kindly affected unto, even as parents unto children.

They are neither like seducing Elymas (a title more aggreable to this Author) nor like Hymeneus and Alexander, whom Paul delivered unto Satan: nor have they the least affinity with such, as John forbad the Disciples to receive into their house, or give them a friendly salutation, for such were they, who brought another doctrin unto them, then John preached. See 2 Ep: Ioh: ver: 10.

2. Whereas the Quakers bring no other Doctrin, but the very same doctrin of Christ, which Christ himself, and both John and all the Apostles preached. And this, upon trial, we are assured by the Grace of God, that we can make good against this Author and all his Brethren; as likewise that we can prove that he and his Brethren are the men, that bring a contrary doctrin. For whereas Christ preached himself to be the Light of the world, and John preached him to be that true Light, that lighteneth every man, that cometh into the world, that all through him might believe. And the Apostle Iohn said, This is the message, that we have heard of him, that God is Light, and in him is no darkness at all • I • we walk in the Light, as he is in the Light, we ha • fellowship one with another, &c. The Presbyterian Teachers can not endure to hear the same doctrin preached by the Quakers, and they are ready to g • ash with their very teeth at us, when we preach GOD to be the LIGHT, and CHRIST to be that TRUE LIGHT, that inlighteneth EVERY Man, that cometh into the World. And both Christ and the Apostles preached God and Christ in men, as wel as Christ his coming in the flesh, or God made manifest in flesh, in that prepared body, which was crucified at Ierusalem, and afterwards raised up again, and glorified. And this same doctrin the Quakers preach, whereas the Presbyterians are no • for Christ his being in a true and real sense no not in the very Saints.

3. Surely this Author and his brethren have committed an horrid injustice against the people called, Quakers, in condemning them, whom neither he nor his brethren do know, nor what principls they hold, whereas they believe lyeing reports, that malicious men have invented against that people, and there is a mind in them, that is too ready to give ear to such lyes, and foment yea augment them.

4. And yet I have really such charity to this man and many of his brethren, that it is through ignorance that they thus condemn us, and speake evil of us, and therefor is their sin the more pardonable, were it not that with a blind and mad zeall, they refuse all means of information, whereby to be instructed, either what we are, or what principles we hold, otherwise it were impossible they could be so ignorant concerning us, as really they are; for thousands in this land know that we are not guilty of these horrid things, which this man layeth to our charge.

5. And certainly this is a great sin in them, and near bordering with that sin that shall never be forgiven, that they refuse to be informed of us, and are willingly ignorant themselvs, and seek by all means to keep people in ignorance concerning us, that they may not converse with us, nor read our books, an usuall policy of the Popish Anti-Christian Church, who cry out against all di •• enters from them, as damnable Hereticks, not to be conversed with, nor their books to be read, upon pain of the Popes curse, and surely those groundless threa •• of these Presbyterian priests, have as small weight with ingenuons people, and their curses or excommunications we value as little, as the Popes; being both from one Spirit, and we know the more the • curse, the Lord will the more bless us, as we are faithfull in our Testimony to him.

6. And it is observable, that the more these me • disswad people from reading our books, and conversing with us, many have been the more moved to read them, and seek occasion of our converse, who upon an impartial search, have found that we have been most grossly abused, and belyed by these men.

7. Which hath raised in them a love to us, and an indignation against those mens deceit, who did so injuriously and basely traduce us, and thus also by degrees, their understandings have been opened▪ and their hearts inclined by the Lord to joyne with us in the same Testimony.

8. Now as concerning Iohn Livingston, whose exemple this Author commendeth to be imitated, who, when a certain per • on of that Profession, being his former acquaintance, came in love to visit him, and also to give him true information concerning that people, if ther had been place in him to receive it, did in a most rude, and Unchristian way, refuse him accesse into his house, yet having nothing justly wherewith to charge him, and when he inquired of him, what was the reason of his carrying so towards him, he told him, that he had joyned with a people, that held blasphemous principles; and when he again inquired, what these blasphemous principles were, he would not give an instance in one particular; but found fault with him for speaking the plain Scripture language of Thee and Thou, which Christ and the Apostles used to one person▪ and of this rencounter B. F. a merchant in Rotterdam, and I my self were both eye and ear-witnesses, then present in company with the said person, and it is a certain truth, that this was the first time that Iohn Livingston spake with the said person, after he was of that profession, and yet he rejected him, plain contrary to the Apostle, (upon supposition that he had been an heretick, as he was not) an heretick, after the first and second admonition reject. And wherein also he dealt contrary to many of his own brethren, who have judged it their duty to speake with such, and conferre with us, and the Apostle willed that in meekness we should instruct them, that oppose themselvs, if peradventure God may give them repentance.

9. But our great defence is, that we are not Hereticks, nor our principles hereti • all, but truly Christian and Apostolick, and it is the height of injustice to condemn us, before we get a fair hearing and opportunity, as often as need is, to clear our selvs; which neither this Author, nor I. L. have ever given us. And therefor I leave it with all sober people to consider whether this practice of I. L. doth not more resemble the Pope, who forbids to converse with Protestants, or read their bookes, as being in his sense damnable Hereticks, then either Paul or Iohn, or Christ who often reasoned with the Srciber and Pharisees his greatest enemies, and Paul disputed with the Iewes, and Greek Philosophers, that opposed themselves to the truth, and bid reject none▪ but such as were self-codemned, which neither 〈◊〉 Author nor I. L. could justly say of any, called: Quaker.

10. And here again, I cannot cease to wonde • how this Author cryeth up Iohn Livingston, and giveth him no less tittle, then if he were another Elijah, while he falleth out into such an exclamation, • (saith he) to see some, on whom this Elijahs mantl • is faln, &c! Which words plainly import, that I. L. was a Prophet and had the same Spirit of Prophesy, that Eli • ah had, which is enough to make a mans teeth to water, to perceive their pride and insolency on the one hand, and there confusion and self-contradiction on the other, while they plainly teach, as I have already observed, that the Spirit of Pr • phecy and immediat revelation, and teachings of the Spirit are generally ceassed, since the Apostles dayes; as for I. L. himself, whatever he was in former times, sure I am, in his latter dayes he was much in the dark, otherwise he could not have so mistaken and misjudged us, as he hath done, if his habitation had been in the Light, he would have seen and known better what wee had been. But to passe this, it doth not a little discover him to have been but a weak and cowardly man, that at the meer will and command of men, went over sea and subscribed his sentence of banishment with his own hand, as others likewise did, which the Author of Ius Populi doth plainly acknowledge. I challenge the Author of the Postscript to shew me, where any of the true Prophets of God, or Ambassadours of Christ did such a thing, surely this was no Propheticall act, but rather a renuncing of all true obedience unto God, not only to desert his • lock, but promise never to return to them, nor to his native countrey on paine of death, without leave of men. Now put the case that God had commanded him by immediat revelation, or given him an immediat message to return, as he had wont to give immediat messages to Elijah, did he not here bind himself up not to goe, or else to make himself a transgressour, guilty of death by his own hand-writting? And if it • e said, there are no such immediat messages to be expected in our dayes; then for shame let them forbear comparing him to Elijah, or telling us of I. L. 〈◊〉 mantle.

11. Surely it appears to me, his mantle was • cowardly Spirit, which hath fallen upon many of them, that they are runn away from their • locks, for they were not sent prisoners over sea, but went away to shun greater sufferings, and I. L. in his letter, to his parishoners a little before his death, is so ingenuons as to confess, he failed in his duty in not bearing a faithfull Testimony before them who sentenced him, and yet I find not that he ever mended this fault, although he lived many years afterwards; however he is now before his Judge, and far be it from me, to conclud he has not found mer • y with God, nor should I have med-led with him, if the great inju • tice of the Author of the Postscript had not constrained me, and put me on a necessity so to doe.

But what if the Author of the Postscript knew no • so great an Ambassadour left behind upon Earth? Surely there are many greater and more true Ambassadours then ever he knew, and how did he know that he was a true Ambassadour, I suppose he wi •• not deny his words to imply that I. L. was a very holy man.

12. Now I ask him how doth he know this, what is his rule in this case? Not the Scripture; for it 〈◊〉 nothing of such a man, and as for the markes of true holiness, how doth he know that they wer • • eally applicable to him, seing an 〈◊〉 goe • he length of all outwards, and he can not know • he inwards of a man without immediat revelation, • ndowning the Spirit to be the rule contrary to the Confession of faith, and Catechism that say. The Scripture is the onely rule, and immediate revelation 〈◊〉 ceased.

SECTION. VII.

1. An Account of all the particulars, upon which the Author of the Postscript layeth the whole stress of his accusations against us, being eight in number. 2. The first accusation false. 3. We own Christ to be true and perfect God, and true and perfect man. 4. His God-head is not his man-hood, yet the man Christ, is God, by reason of the most wonderfull union betwixt the two Natures. 5. The Christian Quakers free of the errors of Socinians, Manichees, Apollinarians, Nestorians, and other Here • icks Concerning Christ. 6. The second accusation a meere quible about the invented words of mans wisdom, but the truth of the mystery is owned by the Quakers. 7. Father, Word, (or Sone) and Ho • y Ghost, are three, otherwayes then in meere union, operation, or manifestion towards us onely, but not three substances. 8. Divers judged pious and learned men of the Ancients denyed and disputed against 3. hypostases, and 3. persons, as Jerom and Augustin. 9. The third accusation a quible, and false upon the matter. 10. Christ is a singular man. 11. Whatever excellency other men have, the heavenly Man Christ Iesus hath the same, and more also. 12. The man Christ Iesus hath a substantiall dignity, and excellency above all men in his manhood Nature. 13. The Christian Quakers, esteeme more highly of the man-hood of Christ Ies •• , then either Presbyterians or Papists.

PAg. 9. to wards the beginning. And yet every Article of this, that they may for ever destroy the foundations of salvation, is by them oppugned and subverted; They puting a false Christ in stead of the true Iesus the Son of David, our onely saviour, denying Christ to be the second person of the Trinity; denying Christ to be a singular person, denying Iesus the Sone of Mary, to be the alone true Christ, but affirming Christ to be a common sort of thing, to be found in every man as it was in the Son of Mary, even the common Light to be found in the mind of every man in the world, affirming Iesus, the true Christ, the Sone of Mary, to be onely an ordinary vessell, which containeth this Light, as the Spirit of eve • y other 〈◊〉 man doth, and so not onely pulling down our exalted Prince from his throne of glory but putting their false Prophets in his place cloa • hing them with the glory of his proper titeles, as being Christ, as well as he, becaus containing the some Light with his?

1. Answer. Because the Author of the Postscript layeth the whole stre • s of all his accusations, upon what he doth here lay down, as the principls of the people, called Quakers, and for which (as supposing all these to be truely alledged, which ye • are extreamly false,) he goeth on at an high rate in divers whole pages, both before and after these words of his already mentioned, alledging that we deny all the Articles of the Christian • aith, strike at name & thing of Christian religion, thus robing us of the whole Gospell, and turning us over into pure Heathenism, shuts us out eternally from all access unto God, and makes our salvation for ever simply impossible.

Therefore I have found it sit to sett down, word by word, these his particular charges, which are the alone foundation of his whole discourse. And allthough it may suffice to any sober man, simply to deny these charges as applicable to us, who are called Quakers, and to informe the ignorant that they are a meere bundle of lyes and falshoods upon the matter; and that this is enough 〈◊〉 overturn the foundation of his discourse, and consequently the dis • ours it self, that is built on it, seing he doth not bring the least proof for what he alledgeth against us, from the words or writings of any of that people, but meer blind suppositions and false consequences, which doe no wayes follow from our principle, yet for the further satisfaction of the sober inquirer • intend God willing, and assisting me by his grace, to goe through every one of these particulars, and in the simplicity and nakedness of truth, to give • •• ithfull accompt and declaration of our faith, touching every particular, which are eight in number The first whereof is, that we put a false Christ in ste •• of the true Iesus, the Sone of David, one onely 〈◊〉 .

2. This is a false accusation, for we acknowled • no other Christ, but the one onely and true Chri •• Iesus, the Sone of David, our onely saviour.

3. And that the soundnes and truth of our fait • may appear, in this particular, let the reader kno • that we do most faithfully believe and acknowled • Jesus Christ to be true and perfect God, and true and perfect man.

4. And that the nature and substance of his Go • -h • ad is not the nature and substance of his M •• -hood, his Man-hood is not his God • head, 〈◊〉 his God-head his Man-hood yet the Man 〈◊〉 God▪ by reason o • that most wonderfull union 〈◊〉 the two naturs: so that, as the soule and body of a man, are but one man, by reason of 〈◊〉 union, that is betwixt them, although the soule be not the body, nor the body the • oule: in like manner, but in a more wonderfull sort, the God-head and Man-hood of Christ are but one Christ without any confusion or transmutation of the God-head into the Man-hood, or of the Man-hood into the God-head. And the God-head of Christ is not any inferiour divinity, or deity, but the very same God-head of the Father; so that Christ, as God, is equall with the Father, and one and the same God with him, of one nature and substance. Again the Man-hood of Christ is a true and perfect Man-hood, so that Christ as man hath a true and real soule distinct from the God-head, yet forever united with the same, in a most immediat and wonderfull manner of which union, no other soul or Spirit of men, or angels, ever were, or shall be partakers. As also he hath a true and reall body, so that whatever per • fection, the Man-hood of any other man hath, the Man Christ hath the same, and that much greater and more excellent, as may be afterwards shown.

5. And thus the soundnes and truth of our faith may appear, concerning the Lord Jesus Christ our • lone faviour where wee agree with all that are 〈◊〉 and in the faith, against the Socinians who deny 〈◊〉 true God-head of Christ, and who also deny that Christ was before Mary: whereas we believe that Christ was, and is, before all, the First and the 〈◊〉 .

As also against them who deny the true and reall man-hood of Christ some denying him to have a true and real body of the Virgin Mary, but onely • antasticall, as is said of the Manichees: ot • ers denying him to have a true & reall soule, affirming that the naked God-head tooke flesh and suffered in that flesh, which is said to be the heresy of Apollinarius: as also against them, who affirme upon the matter, tha • there are two Christs, and two Sons of God, as if the eternall Word or Logos were the one Christ and Son of God, and the man Iesus, borne of the Virgi • Mary, the other Christ and Son of God, which i • said to be the heresy of Nestorius; whereas the eternall Word and Man Jesus, are not two Christs, no • two Sons of God, but one and the same; subsisting in two naturs, as the soule and body are one man according to what is already said, which example 〈◊〉 soule and body, the Ancients have much used to explaine this great Mystery, as also they have used another, to wit, of a red hot iron, the fire in the 〈◊〉 answering to the God-head or eternall Word, an • the iron it self burning and shining by the vertue an • power of the fire in it answering to the Man-hood 〈◊〉 Christ, both which examples I judge to be useful and pertinent, yet falling exceeding short of th • Mystery it self, which is so great that is passeth • 〈◊〉 understanding of men and Angels.

The second particular is, that we deny Christ 〈◊〉 be the second person of the Trinity.

6. This is a meer quible about the invented words of mans wisdom, which we deny, albeit the truth of the thing it self we deny not, but faithfully believe, to wit, that Christ as God, is the second of the Three, that bear record in heaven, which three are, the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, and these three are One, as Iohn declared, and we believe that these three, that bear record in heaven, are not three distinct natures and substances, but the one in nature and substance: not three Gods, but One, onely God: not having three understadings, three wills, or three powers, but one only understanding, one only will, and one only power.

7. Yet they are three, otherwise then in meer name, operation, or manifestation towards us onely, being distinct in their relative modes or propertys, so that the Father is not the Word, nor is the Word or Son the Father [allthough he be our Father] nor is the Spirit that proceeds from the Father and the Son, either the Father, or the Son, the Father is uncreated and unbegotten, the Son or Word from everlasting is uncreated and yet begotten of the Father, the Spirit is neither created nor begotten, but proceedeth from the Father and the Son, from everlasting, the Father did not become flesh, nor was born, and crucified and rose, but the Son or Word, & yet the Father is in the Son & the Son in the Father, & the Spirit that proceedeth from them, is & was in them and with them from everlasting, and is unto everlasting, and whatever the Father doth, the Word and Spirit do the same, being one, as in nature, so in operation. This Father doth all things by the Word, and the Father and the word doe all things by the Spirit, and yet as they are distinct in the manner, or modes of being, so also in the manner or modes of operation. As the Father is first in the manner of his being so is he first in the manner of operation, as the Son is second in the manner of his being, so is he second in the manner of operation, and as the Spirit is third in the manner of his being, so is he third in the manner of operation. Yet this priority is not a priority of time, but of order, for they were three before time, even from everlasting, and they all cooperat and work together. And thus it may appear, that we are sound in the faith, as touching this great mystery, and that we differr not in the matter, or thing it self, but onely as to the manner of expression, which they themselvs grant, is not by words divinely inspired, as namely a Trinity of persons, or three distinct persons. Christ and the Apostles, who declared of this mystery, expressed it not in these termes, of three distinct persons, nor are these words recorded in Scriptures, therefor we are not bound to expresse our faith in these unscripturall termes, which the holy Ghost hath not taught, nor indeed is there any need of those termes, three distinct persons, but rather they darken then explain the mystery, which have occasioned, not onely some of the vulgar, but even some of them, called the learned, to erre grossely in their conceptions about the mystery it self, as if the Father, the Word, and the Spirit, were really three distinct substances, each having a distinct understanding, will and power, and as if the word or Son were inferiour in nature to the Father, and the Father greater then the Son, as Origen is thought by some to have taught, and as some do now teach, and such although they affirme, that the Word and the Spirit are di • tinct substances from the Father, and that the Father is greater then they, yet they do not acknowledg, that the Word and Spirit are created, or that they have their being from the Father, by way of creation, but only by way of emanation, and they affirme, that the Father is onely the most high God, and the Word and Spirit inferiour unto him, as being God onely by participation from, and union with the Father, and thus they think to defend themselvs, as not being guilty of the Arian heresy, whereas it was a branch of the Arian heresy, to say, that the Son or Word was not equall unto the Father.

But whither or not they be guilty of the Arian • eresy, sure I am they are in an error occasioned in great part, by these unsound and unscriptural terms of three Persons in the Trinity, for persons signify substances, and not the modes or propertys of one Substance.

8. And it is wel known, that these words of Three Persons, and 3 Hypostases have made great contention in former times, and divers, judged to be pious and learned men, have denyed them, and disputed against them, as namely Ierome against three hypostases, and Augustin disputeth solidely, lib. 5. & 7. de Trinitate, that the words [Three Persons] are not properly applicable to the Mystery it self; although he doth not know, what other names to give them: and surely it is too great presumption and curiosity in any men, to dive further into this mystery, then what God hath pleased to reveal, or to give names unto it, which the Lord hath not given. And yet it is more presumption, and smelleth rankly of a persecuting spirit, to impose upon others these words, which the Spirit of God hath not taught, nor left upon record in the Scripture; and yet, becaus we do not own these words of mans wisdom and spirit, to cry out against us, as blasphemers, and as denying the true Christ: whereas we believe in, and do own the true Christ, according both to his God-head and Man-hood, more according to the Truth, and Testimony of the Scripture, then our accusers do, as I hope in its due place to shew.

The Third Particular, whereof he accuseth us, is, that we deny Christ to be a singular Person.

9. But this is another quible, like unto the former; for I ask him, What doth he mean by the word [Person] whether the God-head, or both united? If he place the personality upon the Godhead, it resolveth into the second particular already cleared; but the Word, or Godhead of Christ is not properly a person, but an invisible Power and Life: if he place it upon the Manhood as united with the Godhead, this is contrary to their own doctrin, who teach, that the Word did assume the nature of Man, but not the person, otherwise he would be two persons, and thus they distinguish the personality from the nature of man: but this is a most foolish, and groundless distinction, that they have borrowed from the Popish School-men. The Scriptur telleth us nothing of this nicity, yet we do acknowledge the person of Christ.

10. And if by Person they understand his manhood, or the man Christ Iesus, we believe that Christ is man, and a singular man, that is to say, he is not two, or many men, but one onely man: as also he is singular for the excellency of his nature, even as Man.

11. So that, whatever excellency any other man▪ hath in his nature, Christ hath the same, and also far greater, and more excellent in his, who is the heavenly Man, or Lord from heaven, the second Adam, that is a quickening Spirit, whereas other men, in comparison of him, yea Adam the first Man, is but of the Earth, Earthly. So that, as farr as the most high heavens do excell the base and low Earth, so farr doth Christ even as Man, excell all other men, and that not onely in accidents, as the Popish school-men, and the Presbyterian Teachers, following them, do teach: but in nature and Substance. And therefore, as the Heavens do influence the Earth, and make it fruitfull, by the virtue, that proceedeth therefrom, so the heavenly Man Christ Iesus doth influence all other men, by his Light and Life, that they may be fruitfull in holiness, and righteousuess: and who remaine unfruitfull, it is not for want of the Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man, as not influencing them, but becaus that by unbeliefe they harden their hearts against his Heavenly breathings and influences. And this distinction betwixt the very nature of the Soul and Spirit of Christ as man, amd that of the soules of all other men, is clearly held forth by Paul, according to the wisdom given him of God, that whereas the Soul of any other, as namely the Soul of Adam, was made a living Soul, the second Adam is a quickening Spirit, who quickens both the Souls and bodys of other men, who in faith receive his quickening life and Spirit: and whatever virtue the Souls of any other holy men have to quicken others, they have it not of themselvs, nor yet immediatly of God the Father, but they derive it from the heavenly man, or second Adam Christ Jesus, who hath it immediatly of the Father, who is the Mediator between God and Man, even the Man Christ Iesu • .

12. And this doth manifestly hold forth a substantial dignity and excellency in the nature of the Man Christ Jesus, even as a man, above the nature of all other men and Angels, which the Papists and Presbyterian Teachers do both deny.

13. And thus it may appear, how much more we do esteeme of the Manhood of Christ Iesus, then either Papists or Presbyterians.

SECTION VIII.

1. The fourth accusation is false, for we owne no other Iesus Christ, but him who was born of the Virgin Mary. 2. He was the true Christ of God before. 3. That the man Christ Iesus was from the beginning. 4. Some Scripturs brought and opened to prove this, as Eph: 3: 9▪ Joh: 6: 38. 1 Cor: 15: 47, 48. Joh: 3: 13. Eph: 4: 9. 1 Cor: 10: 3, 4. the same proved from 1 Tim: 2: 5. and 1 Cor: 11: 3. 5. Christ was anointed from the beginning, Prov: 8: 23. Psal: 2: 6. 6. The Man Christ before Abraham and John the Baptist. 7. Some more Scripturs opened, as Psal. 110: 34. Amos 2: 13. Heb. 6: 6. Rev: 11: 18. And some more Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament, to prove that the Man Christ was from the beginning, as Gen. 32: 24. Gen. 19: 24. 8. That the outward flesh and blood is not properly the Man, but the Soul or inward man. 9. More Scripturs opened out of the Old Testament, as Ezek. 1: 26, 27. Dan. 7: 9. 10. Christ his Soul and heavenly flesh and blood from the beginning. 11. The Soul, Life, or Spirit of the Heavenly Man doth as far extend as his heavenly flesh and blood, even to all the Saints. 12. Though they have not the center or root of his Soul and Life in them, but onely a measure, ray or emanation of it. 13. The Scripture no where saith that Christ did take his Soul, but onely his outward flesh of the Virgin, and so according to the flesh he was onely the Son of Mary, David and Abraham by virtue of his outward conception and birth.

The fourth Particular, whereof he accuseth us, is, that we deny Iesus the Son of Mary, to be the alone true Christ.

1. This is a false accusation; We own no other Jesus Christ, but him, that was born of the Virgin Mary, who, as concerning the flesh is the Son of Mary, and the Son of David, and the Seed of Abraham.

2. And yet he was the true Christ of God, before he took flesh, and before he was the Son of Mary, or David, or of Abraham: for his being born of the Virgin Mary made him not to be Christ, as if he had not been Christ before, But he was Christ before, even from the beginning, as I shall prove clearly out of Scripture, Eph. 3: 9. it is said expressly, that God created all things by Iesus Christ. Now if all things were created by Jesus Christ, then Jesus Christ was before all things; for the cause is always before the effect, at least in order of nature. But to this they object, that by Iesus Christ is meant the Word onely in this place, whereas the Word onely is not properly the Christ, but the Word as cloathed with the Manhood, or the Man as united with the Word. And so I answer, that the Word onely is not properly the Christ without the Manhood; but it is the Word made Flesh, or made Man, And therefore seing the Apostle by the Spirit of God hath declared that all things were created by Jesus Christ, and that Jesus Christ signifieth properly the Word made Flesh, or made Man, it is clear, that according unto the Apostle, the Word was mad flesh or Man, even from the beginning.

3. And this will yet more appear, by comparing this place with other places of Scripture, as Ioh. 6: 38. For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. Now Christ spake this, not simply as the Word or as God, but as Man; for as God he had no will of his own distinct from the will of the Father, for the Father and the Word have but one onely will: whereas the Man, or Manhood of Christ hath indeed a distinct will, which yet is always in union with the will of the Father. And seing Christ spake this as Man, it is clear from his own words, that as Man, he came down from heaven, and was Man before he descended to take part of our flesh in the Virgins womb, and therefore Paul calleth him the Second Adam, the Lord from heaven, and that heavenly Man 1 Cor: 15: 47, 48. Also it is clear, that Christ himself speaketh in the 6 of Iohn of his flesh and blood, that did come down from heaven, whereof men must eat and drink, to the end that they may live by Christ Iohn 6: 51. I am that living bread, which came down from heaven, If any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever. And the bread that I will give is my flesh. Now many understood not that saying in that day (as many at this day do not understand it) for they thought he had spoken of Earthly flesh and blood, and therefore they were offended, and▪ said, How can this man give 〈◊〉 his flesh and blood to eat? Whereas Jesus understood it of his heavenly flesh and blood: therefore he said unto them, Doth this offend you? What if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before? So that Christ was the Son of Man, before he descended, that is to say, true Man; for Son of man is a Syriack phrase signifying man. Compare with this, Iohn 3: 13. No man ascendeth up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, the Son of man which is in heaven; see also Eph: 4: 9, 10. Now in that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended into the lowest parts of the Earth? He that descended is the same that ascended farr above all heavens, that he might fill all things. And this will yet further appear, if we shall consider what Paul writes of this mystery, 1 Cor. 10: 3, 4. that the Fathers [to wit, the people of Israel] (long before Christ came outwardly in the flesh) did all eat the same spirituall meat, and did all drink the same spirituall drink, for they drank of the Spirituall Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. Nor can it be said that it must be understood figuratively, to wit, the Rock signified Christ; for we read no where in the Scriptur of any Rock that followed the people in the wilderness as outwardly, that was a figure or type of Christ; but Christ himself was that Rock that followed them. And certainly if the Saints, before Christ came outwardly in the flesh, had • ot eat of the flesh of Christ, and drunk of his blood, they could not have had life by him: but they had life by him, and therefore they did eat his flesh and drink his blood. And therefore Christ had flesh and blood, to wit, heavenly and spirituall, even from the beginning, on which the Saints in all ages did feed, even from the beginning, such as Adam and Evah, Abel, Henoch, Noah, Abraham, &c. And seing Christ had flesh & blood from the beginning, he was man from the beginning; for as God simply, he can not have flesh and blood, For God is a Spirit; therefore it is the flesh and blood of Christ as he is Man or the Son of Man, as Christ said unless ye eat the flesh of the Son of man, &c.

4. All which prove effectually that the Man Christ Jesus was from the beginning, and if the man Christ Jesus had not been from the beginning, it would follow that the Church all along from the beginning, had wanted a Mediator and Head, for it is the Man Christ Jesus united with the Godhead of the Logos, that is the Mediator betwixt God and man, as Paul declared 1 Tim. 2: 5. and the Head of every man is Christ, and the head of Christ is God. By Christ, Paul in this place 1 Cor. 11: 3. understandeth the Man Christ, which he placeth as a middle between God and men: so that God is the head of every man. But it is most absurd to suppose; that the Church and Saints all along, untill Christ came outwardly in flesh, wanted a Mediator and Intercessor, or that they wanted a head; for even as the naturall body can not live without its head, so nor can the Church, which is the body of Christ, live without its head, which is the Man Christ Jesus.

5. But let us descend more particularly into particular places of the Old Testament, and we shall see the same truth confirmed abundantly, Prov. 8: 23. I was anoynted from the age, from the beginning, so the words should be translated, the Hebrew word nissakti signifyeth anoynted, and is so rendered by Buxtorf in his Lexicon, and also by the English Bible Psal. 2: 6. in the margine, I have anoynted my King upon my holy hill of Zion; the Hebrew root is the same in both places, and both places are to be understood of Christ, as is generally confessed.

6. Now Christ signifyeth Anoynted, and it is the Man Christ that is Anoynted with the Holy Spirit, and not the Word or Logos, which is God himself, for the Godhead anoynts not the Godhead, but it is the Godhead that doth anoynt the Manhood of Christ, which Manhood hath been Anoynted from the beginning, and therefore the Man Christ hath been from the beginning, who is Gods Anoynted King, and the Head of his Church in all Ages, the First and the Last, even the first-born of every creature, who said to the Jewes, Before Abraham was I am: and it was the Man Christ that said this to the Jewes: and of him John the Baptist thus declared, Iohn 1: 30. there cometh after me a man that is preferred unto me, for he was before me, and this was the man Christ of whom he spake. Again let us consider Psal. 110: 1, 3, 4. The Lord said unto my Lord, sit thou at my right hand, untill I make thine enemys thy footstool. and ver. 3. from the womb before the morning-star I have begotten thee, so the Septuagint and Vulgar Latin, which doth little differ from the Hebrew it self in this place. And vers. 4. Thou art a Priest forever after the order of Melchizedek. Now that Christ as man is here understood, and not simply the Logos or Word, I prove, First, becaus here are two Lords, The Lord said unto my Lord, the Father speaking unto the Man Christ, for indeed the Man Christ is a distinct Lord from the Father, as he is a distinct Being and Substance, as Man; and as Man he is a Lord and King, who said All power in Heaven and Earth is given me of my Father: but the Word simply considere • is not a distinct Lord from the Father, becaus not a distinct Being or Substance. Secondly, it is the Man Christ that is Gods high Priest, and not the Word barely considered, for a Priest is one that prayeth unto God for the People, and mediats o • interceeds betwixt God and them; but the Word barely considered can not doe this, becaus he is no • a distinct Substance or Being from the Father▪ whereas the Man Christ is a distinct Being, although not divided or separated from him: and if he be • Priest forever, then from the beginning, and consequently Man from the beginning, according to which the Apostle said Iesus Christ the same yesterday, to day and forever. Yesterday, that is, from the beginning; to day, that is, at present; and for ever, that is, in all time and ages to come. This is the promised Seed, which God promised to our Parents after the fall, and actually gave unto them, even the Seed of the Woman, that should bruise the head of the Serpent. And therefore though the outward comeing of the Man Christ was deferred according to his outward birth in the flesh, for many ages, yet from the beginning this Heavenly Man the promised Seed did inwardly come into the hearts of those that believed in him, and bruised the head of the Serpent, and destroyed him that had the power • f death, that is the Devil, the stronger man entering 〈◊〉 house, and dispossessing the strong man, and casting 〈◊〉 out. And thus Christ is the Lamb that was slain • rom the foundation of the World, namely in that 〈◊〉 the beginning, even as soon as our first Parents 〈◊〉 , the measure of the Life of the Lamb which 〈◊〉 in our first Parents in the innocent state, came as 〈◊〉 were to be slain in them by transgression, and to • ndergoe sore and deep sufferings by reason of 〈◊〉 sin, even as the Seed Christ complained by the • rophet Amos 3: 13. Behold I am pressed under you 〈◊〉 cart is pressed that is full of sheavs: this must 〈◊〉 be understood of the Life of Christ as Man, for as God he can not suffer, nor be slain; whereas the Life of Christ as man, is capable of suffering, and being crucified as unto us, (although that Life still live in it self unto God) namely, that Seed or measure of it graffed or imprinted in us, according to which the Apostle declareth, that they who fall away from Christ, do crucify again to themselvs the Son of God, Heb. 6: 6. And Iohn saw that after Christ was outwardly crucifyed at Ierusalem, he should be again crucifyed in spiritual Sodom and Egypt, whic • is the Apostat Church, Rev. 11: 8. And 〈◊〉 hath he been crucifyed by the Wicked, even fro • the beginning, and hath lived in all Saints, as 〈◊〉 before he came in the flesh, as to his outward birt • as since. So that as Paul said I live yet not I, but 〈◊〉 that liveth in me▪ The same could Abraham 〈◊〉 Moses and all the Prophets say, that Christ the Heauenly Man and Second Adam lived in them, 〈◊〉 they lived by his living in them, as he said to 〈◊〉 Disciples becaus I live, therefore shall ye live 〈◊〉 But Christ as he is God liveth in all, and is altog • ther uncapable of the least suffering; and althoug • as Man he may and doth suffer, yet in due time 〈◊〉 suffering Life will prevail, and be raised up over 〈◊〉 its Suffering in all men, where it suffers by 〈◊〉 of sin; to the everlasting comfort of them that 〈◊〉 in him, and obey him; but to the everlasti • torment of them that do not believe in him, 〈◊〉 give obedience unto him.

7. But yet more particularly to prove, that the Man Christ was from the beginning, see Gen. 32: 24. Now when Iacob was left alone, there wrestled a man with him unto the breaking of the day: and that this was Christ, is clear from Hosea. 12: 4. For it was such a man, as was also the LORD GOD of Hosts, to whom he prayed and made supplication; whom Hosea calleth also the Angel. See also Gen. 18. where the Man Christ appeared unto Abraham with two Angels, that are called men, ver. 2. (for Angels are a sort of Heavenly Men) and one of these three men Abraham prayed unto, and therefore it was the Man Christ, who after he had talked with Abraham ascended, and did afterwards destroy Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimston. And Gen. 19: 24. it is said The Lord rained from the Lord fire and brimston: therefore this was no other man, or Angel, but the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus, who at divers times appeared unto the Fathers in the true forme of a Man, yea even unto Kiug Nebuchadnezar together with the three children in the firy furnace; and although it is commonly supposed, that it was onely God that appeared thus, in a fantastical forme and shape of a man, and not that it was really the Man Christ Jesus: yet this is by no means to be granted, otherwise we should give away the cause to the Manichees, and such who affirme that Christ was never a real and true Man, even when born of the Virgin Mary and crucifyed 〈◊〉 the cross, but onely that it was a phantasme or phantastical appearance of man. For indeed, seing he 〈◊〉 called as really Man, before his outward birth in the flesh, as afterwards, we have as good cause to believe him to be true and real Man, before his outward birth 〈◊〉 in the flesh, as after.

8. For it is not the outward flesh and blood that is the Man (otherwise the Saints that have pu • off the outward body, should cease to be men, 〈◊〉 Christ should have ceased to be Man, betwixt 〈◊〉 death and his resurrection) but it is the Soul or inward Man that dwelleth in the outward flesh or • ody that is the Man most properly, such as Christ 〈◊〉 even from the beginning.

9. And this was the Man, even Christ, who • Ezekiel saw in his vision upon the throne above 〈◊〉 firmament, Ezek. 1: 26, 27. and whom 〈◊〉 saw, Dan. 7: 9. and this was long before his outward birth in the flesh, and was as real a vision of the Man Christ Jesus, as that which John • ad, Rev. 1: from ver. 13 to 19. And this same Man the Lord Jesus Christ Isaiah did see, Isa. 6. sitting upon his heavenly Throne, so that his traine or skirts filled the Temple. The same also appeared unto Adam▪ Gen. 3: 8, 9, 10. nor will it prove that he whom Ezekiel saw; was not the real Man Christ Jesus, becaus it is said that he saw as the similitude of a man, for even when Christ came outwardly in the flesh, he is said to be found in fashion or likeness as a Man, and yet he was a true Man, and did truely and really partake of our flesh and blood by his outward birth.

10. Yet before this, even from the beginning, he was the heavenly Man, and had his Soul and Heavenly flesh and blood, by which he reached unto the Saints in all ages, and did refresh and feed them unto eternall Life. And forasmuch as he gave them of his flesh and blood from heaven, he also gave them of his Life or Spirit, as he is the Heavenly Man, or Second Adam.

11. For the Life or Spirit of the Second Adam doth extend, as farr, as his heavenly flesh and blood. And thus the Word was made Flesh even from the beginning, and dwelt in us, as in all Ages; and they beheld his glory, as the glory of the onely-Begotten of the Father, full of Grace and Truth, yet he dwelleth not onely in the Saints, but also without them, in himself, and did so from the beginning.

12. For the Saints can not contain Christ, even as Man; they onely partake of some measure or ray, or emanation of him, they have not the Center or spring of his Soul and Life in them, but onely an emanation or stream of it: the Center and Spring it self was for most part in heaven, untill it descended and cloathed it self with the likeness of our 〈◊〉 flesh in the Virgins womb.

13. And • herefore let all the Scripturs be searched, and it shall not be found that Christ became Man and tooke to himself the Soul of Man, at his conception in the womb of the Virgin Mary; but onely that he took flesh, and was the Son of Mary, David and Abraham according to the flesh: but according to his Heavenly Nature, even as man, he was the Son of God, and was the Father and Lord of all the Faithfull in all Ages, therefore David in spirit called him LORD, whose Name is Wonderfull Counseller, the Mighty God, the Everlasting Father, aud Prince of Peace.

SECTION. IX.

1. That Christ is in every man, yea in every Creature in a true sense proved from Scripture. 2. That it derogats no more from the honour of Christ then from the honour of God the Father that he is in all things. 3. Christ in the saints, proved from Scripture. 4. Yea in all men, even the wicked, proved from Scripture. 5. The God-head properly doth not suffer in men but the soule or life of Iesus Christ the heavenly man. 6. More Scripture to prove that Christ suffers in the wicked as Heb. 6. 6. Rev. 11. 8. 7. Paul preached Christ in the Corinthians and Galatians when unbelievers proved from 1 Cor. 2. 2. Gal. 1. 3. Eph. 3. 8. 1. Tim. 3. 16. 8. If Christ be in the Saints he must be in all men, proved from a most convincing reason, that otherwayes he would be divided from himself and in discontinued places. 9. Christ is otherwayes in all men then in the other inferior creaturs in regard of his operations. 10. And otherwise in the Saints, then in other men, not only in regard of operation but also in regard of union and communion. 11. How Christ is, and yet is not, in unbelievers in different respects, cleared by two manifest examples. 12. Christ is otherwise in the outward body and temple that suffered at Jerusalem then in the Saints. 13. The Saints union with God is but mediat through the heavenly man Christ whereas the union of Christ with God is immediat. 14. The Saints not Christ, but Christians, and receive all things from God by the Heavenly Man Christ Iesus: 15. How Christ hath given eternall life to all flesh or all mankind according to John 17. 2. which place of Scripture is falsly translated in our English Bible.

THe fifth Particular whereof he accuseth us is, that we affirme Christ to be a common sort of thing, to be found in every man, as it was in the Son of Mary, even the common Light to be found in the mind of every man in the world.

1. Answer. That Christ is in every man, yea in every creature, we do boldly affirme, conforme to the Scripture, which saith, all things were created by him, even Iesus Christ the incarmate Word, or Word made flesh, and therefor he is in all things: and as Iohn said, he was in the world and the world was made by him; for indeed it is impossible that the maker can be separated from the thing that is made, I say; according to the Scripture that seeing all creaturs were made by Iesus Christ, therefore he is in them all, even as God is in all, giving them [and upholding them] their beings, and ministring unto every thing, what is needfull and fit, for it.

2. Doth it any more derogat from the honour and glory of Christ, that he is in all, then it derogats from the honour and glory of God the Father, who is in all, and through all, blessed in himself for ever more. For as God is a pure being and life, that nothing can defile, even so is Christ Jesus, an incorruptible and incontaminable life and being, & as God is Light, so Christ is Light, a Light that shineth every where, even in the darkness, as Iohn declared, but the darkness cannot comprehend it, nor can the darkness obscure and darken it, onely it can and doth obscure and darken the eyes, of them who are in darkness, that they cannot see nor behold the glory of the Light. But more particularly to come to the matter in hand, I shall first prove from Scripture, that Christ is in the Saints; and secondly both from Scripture and good reason, that is grounded on Scripture, that he is in all men, in a true sense; yea in all creatures. And thirdly I shall shew that in regard of his operations, he is otherwise in men, then in the other creaturs of an inferior degree. And fourthly that he is otherwise in the Saints, then in other men, and that not onely in regard of operation, but also in regard of union and communion. And fiftly, that he is otherwise in the vessell or temple, that suffered on the Crosse at Ierusalem, and is now glorifyed in heaven, then he is in any, or in all of the Saints, or in any other creaturs whatsoever howsoever excellent.

3. As to the first that Christ is in the Saints, see Ioh. 6: 56. he that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me and I in him, see also Iohn 17. 23. I in them and thou in me &c. see again, Rom. 8. 10. And if Christ be in you the body is dead, Eph. 3. 17. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith, Collos. 1. 27. Christ in you the hope of glory, 2 Cor. 13. 3. Seing that ye seek a proofe of Christ speaking in me, and verse 5. know ye not your own s • lv • s, how that Iesus Christ is in you, unless ye be reprobates. Many more Scriptures may be brought, but these shall suffice to shew that Christ is in the Saints, and Christ is Gods anointed King, Priest, and Prophet, and therefor by Christ is not to be understood the Word simply considered, as in God, but the incarnate or ingrafted Word, or the Word made flesh that dwelleth in the Saints, Ioh. 1. 14. for the Word simply considered as in God, is not the anointed, but the annointer, whereas Christ is Gods anointed.

4. Secondly that Christ is in all men, even in the wicked, see Amos 2. 13. Behold I am pressed under you, as a Cart is pressed that is full of sheaves. This cannot be understood of God, or the Word simply considered, that cannot be pressed or suffer any grief but it is well understood of the incarnat, or ingraft • d Word, to wit, the precious Seed of the life of Christ in us. that is exceeding tender and is capable of grief, and suffering, by mens sins. Psal. 95. 10. Fourty years long was I grieved in this generation, Isajah 63. 9, 10. In all their affliction, he was aff • icted, and the Angel of his presence saved them, in his love and in his pity he redeemed them, and he bare them and caryed them all the days of old, but they rebelled and vexed his holy Spirit &c.

5. This is the holy Spirit of the heavenly man Christ Iesus, or the ingrafted or incarnat Word, that is capable of grief and suffering, whereas the Godhead is not capable of any suffering or grief, for all suffering and grief is a finite and temporall thing, whereas nothing can be in God but that which is infinit and eternall, otherwise God would not be in all respects, an infinite being which is absurd.

6. See again. Hebr. 6. 6. They who fall away from Christ are said to crucify to themselvs the Son of God afresh. Now they could not crucify him, if he were not in them, because he was not outwardly present with them, in his body of flesh: so that they could not crucify him outwardly: and Rev. 11. 8. our Lord is said to be crucified in Spirituall Sodom and Egypt, that is, the Apostat Church, Babylon, the Mother of fornications.

7. And when Paul first preached to the Corinthians, and Galathians, in the time of their heathenism; he preached Christ crucified in them, see 1 Cor. 2. 1. Gal. 3. 1. The Words in both places according to the Greek, are crucified in you: And it was a great part of the mystery that Paul preached unto the Gentiles, to wit, Christ in the Gentiles, which Sathan and his ministers laboured to hide and obscure, as they do at this present, but Christ and his Ministers labour to make known. See Collos. 1. 27. To whom God would make known, what is the riches of the glory of this Mystery in the Gentiles. And Eph. 1. 8. he preached the unsearchable riches of Christ in the Gentiles. And 1 Tim. 3. 16. God manifest in the flesh preached in the Gentiles, so the Greek in all these places, but the Translaters of the Bible, not understanding this so blessed & comfortable a truth, have translated these places, among, and not in, whereas if Christ was among them, he was also in them, seeing he was not outwardly present among them, in his body of flesh.

8. And seeing that both they who are not Saints, as well as they who are Saints, are created by Jesus Christ, he must needs be as really in the one, as in the other. Also seing the Saints & the wicked in this world, walk up and down together, and are scattered, among one another, good and sound reason teacheth us, that if Christ be in the Saints, he must needs be in all men, yea in all this world, through which the Saints are scattered, otherwise Christ would be divided from himself, and be discontinued, and in discontinued places, which is impossible, as all men of sound reason must needs acknowledge.

9. Thirdly, all though Christ be in all the creaturs, yet he is otherwise in all men, then in the others creaturs, that are of an inferiour degree, unto mankind, in regard of operation, because he exerteth or putteth forth, more noble operations, in and upon men, then in other creaturs, men having immortall souls that are more noble principles and subjects of operation, then the inferiour creaturs have, so that all men, even the worst of men are capable of knowing and enjoying the blessed life of Christ, which the in • erior creaturs are not, and that which hinders them from this knowledge and enjoyment, is not the want of capacity▪ as it is in the other creaturs, out sin, and especially the sin of unbelief; that they will not come unto him, who is come unto them, that they may have life, as he complained against the Iewes.

10. Fourthly, Christ is otherwise in the Saints, then in other men, and that not only in regard of operation, but also in regard of union and communion, for the Saints are joyned unto him by living bonds, as the branches are unto the vine, and as the living members of the body are unto the head, and they are one Spirit, 1 Cor. 6. 17. Eph. 4. 15, 16. Ioh. 15. 5. Ioh. 17. 23. Also they have communion, both with the Father and the Son, Christ Jesus, 1 Joh. 1. 3. and one with another in him, 1 Joh. 1. 7. and Christ dwelleth in the hearts of the Saints by Faith, Eph. 3. 17. And he is formed in them, Gal. 4. 19. So that they are his mother who bring him forth, by a Spirituall and divine birth, Matth. 12. 49. And thus the Church brought him forth, long after he was outwardly born, and crucified, and rose and ascended, Revel. 12. 5. And she brought forth a manchild who was to rule all Nations with a rod of iron, this is the hidden man of the heart, 1. Pet. 3. 4. which 〈◊〉 the heavenly ornament, not onely of all good Wom • n, but of all the Saints, whom they doe put on, Rom. 13. 14. who is the new man, Eph 24. And the heavenly man, or Lord from heaven, 1 Cor. 15. 47, 48. So that having eat his flesh and drunk his blood, they are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones, Eph. 5. 30. whereas all other men, who are not Saints, they have no union nor communion with Christ, and he dwelleth not in them by faith, he is not formed in them, nor revealed, as he is in the Saints, as Paul declared he was in him, at his conversion, Gal. 1. 18. and then he preached him, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 in the Gentiles, to the end that he might be revealed in them, as he was in him, and thus the being of Christ in the Saints, is after a more speciall presence, then he is in others, whose understandings are darkened, being alienated from the life of God, through the ignorance that is in them, becaus of the blindness of their heart. Eph. 4. 18. And here observe, that he doth not say, becaus that the life of God is not in them, but becaus of their blindness and ignorance they were alienated and estranged from it, being past feeling: so that once they had a feeling of this Life, and therefore it was in them, which Life is C • rist.

11. Now becaus that Christ is not in Vnbeliever • according to that special presence and revelation, as he is in the Saints and Believers; but is hid and unrevealed in them, therefore it is that sometimes Christ is said not to be in them, even as we commonly say, in a cloudy and dark night, when no Starres appear in the aire or Firmament, that they are not in it, whereas they are in it, even then, but they do not appear in it as when the air is clear. For Christ the Light shineth in the darkness, although the darkness comprehends him not, and this is the night state. But when men believe, he is said to rise 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 • n them, and therefore he was in them before, but 〈◊〉 arisen, even as the Sun is in the Firmament at •• dnight as wel as at mid-day, but the dark shad • ow of the Earth hinders us from its Light: and • hus the darkness of the Earthly mind hinders the • oul of the Unbeliever to see the Sun of righteous • ess, who reacheth through all, and is in all, Col. 〈◊〉 11. and is that true Light that inlighteneth every • an that cometh into the world, Joh. 1: 9.

12. Fifthly: Christ Jesus he is otherwise in the 〈◊〉 , then he was, and is, in that vessel and temple 〈◊〉 suffered at Ierusalem, and is now glorifyed in 〈◊〉 Heavens; for the Saints have not the Heavenly 〈◊〉 Christ Jesus, as it were, centrally and original ••• them, the Spring and Centre of his Soul, Life. 〈◊〉 Light is not in their vessells, but onely in that 〈◊〉 which was born of the Virgin Mary: they 〈◊〉 enjoy of his Life and Light, as it proceeds 〈◊〉 him by way of emanation and participation. 〈◊〉 that although the true Light be both in him, and 〈◊〉 ; yet it is otherwise in him then in us, as the 〈◊〉 of the Sun is otherwise in the body of the Sun, 〈◊〉 it is in other bodys into which it emanates: and 〈◊〉 Life is otherwise in the Principall part or parts 〈◊〉 the Natural bodys, then as it is in the other Mem ••• . And both these exampls have been used by 〈◊〉 Ancients, to shaddow forth this great Mystery 〈◊〉 they also are used in the Scripture it self, which calleth him the Head of the Body, and the Sun of Righteousness; and it pleased the Father that in him all fulness should dwell, and out of his fulness we all receive and Grace for Grace, for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily, see Coloss. 1: 19. and 2: 9. and Joh. 1: 16. So that in all things he hath the preheminence, as the Apostle declared. And look, as the sap or moisture and living vertue is otherwise in the Root and Stock of the Tree, then it is in the Branches, although i • be really also in the branches: even thus it is as concerning Christ and the Saints, he is the Vine, they are the Branches, he is the Root that beareth them, and sendeth forth his Life conti • ually into them, to make the • fruitfull; that they may bear living fruits of Life. Now he is the Root and Vine (into which the Saints are grafted) not simply as the Word, but as the Word Incarnate, and as dwelling in that most pure and most Wonderfull Vessell, that suffered at Ierusalem.

13. For becaus the fulness dwelt in him, and that he was immediately and most intimatly united with the Godhead, so as no men no • Angels are, but onely the Man Iesus, he is onely the true Christ. And becaus he it is alone, who in an immediate way, and originally, is Gods Anoynted, who hath anoynted him with his Holy Spirit; and all other men▪ even the most holy, but mediately united with God through him, and mediately by and through him receiving the Anoynting or Holy Spirit, therefore all other holy men are not Christ, but Christians, not being immediately anoynted of the Father, but by the means of Iesus Christ.

14. Nor are they otherwise partakers of the Anoynting, or of the Holy Ghost, but as they are partakers of Christ. And this the Name Christian doth plainly import, for it is a derivative name from Christ, holding forth that as we derive our name from him, so also we derive from him whatever Light or Life, Grace or Heavenly Virtus we do enjoy: The Father first giveth it unto him, and he (even the Man Christ Jesus, that was born of the Virgin Mary, the Son of David and Abraham according to the Flesh) doth give it unto us.

15. He it is, by whom Grace and Truth cometh unto Mankind, he it is to whom the Father hath gi • en power over all flesh (as he himself declared, Ioh. 17: 2.) that whatever the Father hath giuen to • im, he may give to them eternell life: for so the 〈◊〉 are according to the Greek, and so both • rias Montanus, and the vulgar Latin and Dutch Translation render them. So that Christ hath given 〈◊〉 all flesh, that is, All mankind, eternall Life; even 〈◊〉 hath received it of the Father, not that all 〈◊〉 do enjoy or possesse eternall Life, but yet the Seed or Principle of it is put in them, which is the Light of his Son Christ Iesus that lighteth every man that cometh into the World, and thereby All men may have Life (as Christ himself said, I am come that ye may have Life) and if they have it not, it is not becaus they can not, but becaus they will not have it; for it is really tendered unto them by Christ Jesus, who, on this account, is the Saviour of all men, but especially of them that believe.

SECTION X.

1. All true Christians do worship the Man Christ Jesus. 2. True Believers worshipped him upo • Earth in the days of his flesh. 3. The Wise-men from the East worshipped the child Jesus, but not Mary, thereby condemning the grosse idolatry of the church of Rome. 4. Many exampls out of Scripture to prove they worshipped the Man Chri •• Jesus. 5. Some Presbyterians have taught tha • the Man Christ Jesus was not to be worshipped, to the great dishonour of the Christian Religion 6. The Christian Quakers falsly accused that 〈◊〉 do not pray to the Man Iesus Christ. 7. We ofte • expressly mention the names JESUS CHRIST in our prayers, and when we do not mention thes • names, yet praying by the movings of his Life 〈◊〉 Spirit, we pray always unto Christ Iesus, who • the heavenly Man and God over all blessed for ever. 8. In what sort of expressions I have heard some of our Friends pray to Christ in our Meetings, and which I have also used in prayer to my great comfort. 9. That becaus all true Christians do worship the Man Christ Iesus, he, to wit, the Heavenly Man must needs be really present in and among them, in their meetings, and consequently every where; but this is not meant of his externall person. 10. Who pray unto the Man Christ and do not believe him to be present, are real Idolaters, as this Author of the Postscript. 11. That distinction refuted, that he is present as God, not as Man. 12. That the Man Christ heareth our prayers, proveth that he is present every where. 13. That distinction refuted that the Man Christ Iesus knoweth our prayers and thoughts not by immediat perception, but by having them revealed to him by the Godhead, which is the Popish evasion for worshipping Saints and Angels. 14. Some places of Scripture opened, as Heb. 4: 15, 16. Psal. 18. 9, 10. 15. That Christ did immediatly kow the thoughts of men, proved from divers Scripturs. 16. Omnipercipiency of the Soul of Christ proveth him as man to be Omnipresent.

1. ANd for these causes it is, that all true Christians do worship the Man Christ Jesus, and pray unto him, as they do unto the Father: so that he is a true and proper object of Divine adoration, as is the Father, yea it is in and through him that we can onely in a true and acceptable way worship the Father, and call upon him.

2. And even in the days of his flesh, they who saw his glory, and did truely know what he was, did both believe in him and pray unto him, and he bid his Disciples believe in him, Ye believe in God, believe also in me, said he, that is, in me, the Man Christ Jesus whom God hath sent.

3. And seing we are to believe in him, we are also to call upon him, for that which is the proper object of true Faith, is also the proper object of true Divine adoration, as accordingly we find, that they who had true faith in him, in the days of his flesh did also worship him and pray unto him, as the Wise men that came from the East did worship him, even when he was an Infant, Matth. 2: 11. And when they were come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary his mother, and fell down and worshipped him. And here observe, it is not said, they worshipped Mary his mother, no: they were more wise, although they did know that she was blessed above all Women, yet they did also know that she was not an object of Divine worship, as Christ was. Surely these men, although commonly accounted Heathens, had more sound understanding then all the wise men, so called, of the Popish Church, who worship Mary the mother of Jesus, and pray unto her, as they do also unto other Saints, which is gross idolatry. Again see Matth. 8: 2. And behold there came a Leper, and worshiped him, saying, Lord if thou wilt thou canst make me clean, and this was the Man Jesus.

4. And many such examples are to be found in Scripture of those that worshipped him in the days of his flesh, see Matth. 9: 18. and 14: 33. and 15: 25. And after his Resurrection the Disciples both Men and Women did worship him, see Matth. 28. 9. 17. as no doubt they did so before and after his Ascension the Disciples did call upon him, see Act. 7: 59. And they stoned Stephen, calling and saying, Lord Iesus receive my Spirit. and Act. 9: 21. the Disciples are said to be they that call on this Name, to wit, IESVS; and Paul saluteth the Corinthians thus, 1 Cor. 1: 3. Grace be unto you and peace from God our Father, and from our Lord Iesus Christ: and ver. 2. unto the Church of God which is at Corinth, to them that are sanctified in Christ Iesus called Saints, with all that in every place call upon the Name of Iesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and • urs. And it is the will and command of the Father that at the Name of Iesus every knee should • ow, and every tongue confess to the glory of God the Father. So that whatever honour or worship is given to the Man Christ Jesus, it redounds to the Father. He that honours the Son, honours the Father, and he that honours not the Son, honours not the Father. And Rev. 5: 11, 12, 13, 14. All the Saints and Angels and every creature are brought in not onely worshipping the Father, but the Lamb, that was slain, and this is the Man Christ Iesus, or Word incarnate; for the Word or Logos simply considered never was nor can be slain. All which Scripturs and many more that could be mentioned, prove clearly that the Saints did worship the Man Christ Jesus, and did pray unto him. And they who believe not this doctrin, are more blind, then the poor blind man Bartimeus, who when Iesus of Nazareth passed by, saw him with the eyes of his Soul to be the Christ of God, and prayed unto him, saying, Iesus thou Son of David have mercy upon me; Mark 10: 46, 47. Also the Canaanitish woman, that was not a Jew, but in the Jewes account an Heathen, she believed in him with a great and marvelous faith, and also prayed unto him; and when he seemed to have refused her, yet she continued in prayer, saying Lord help me.

5. I have been the more full and express in this Particular, for three weighty reasons.

First. Becaus I know that divers Presbyteria • Teachers in this Nation have openly professed, and some have taught it in the Pulpit, that Christ as Mediator, or the Man Christ, is not to be worshipped, or prayed unto, which occasioned a great contention in their Synods and Presbyterys in some places, of late years; to the great dishonour of the Christian Religion, and of that Worthy Name, whereby we are called.

6. Secondly: Becaus that some have ignorantly accused us, that we did not pray to the Man Iesus, nor call upon the Father in the Name of Iesus Christ; which is a gross calumny.

7. For many times have I both heard others, and also I my self have called upon that Blessed Name, expressly naming the words IESVS CHRIST; although when we express not these words, yet if we pray by the moving of his Life and Spirit, we pray in the Name of Jesus, and also to Jesus the Heavenly Man, that is glorified with that glory he had with the Father before the world was.

8. Yea I have heard expressly such petitions put up in our Prayers, at our Meetings, unto Christ as Jesus, Son of David have mercy upon us, O thou Blessed Lord Iesus, that wert crucified, and dyed for our sins, and shed thy precious blood for us, be gracious unto us. Thou that in the days of thy flesh wert tempted of Satan, afflicted, bore our sins on the cross, felt our infirmitys, and wert touched with them. O thou our Mercifull High Pr • est, whose tender bowels of compassion are not more straitened since thy Ascension, but rather more enlarged, and whose love and kindness is the same towards thy Servants in our days, as it was of old; help us, and strengthen us: and by the power of thy Divine Life and Spirit raise us up over all tentations, and indue us with a measure of the same patience and resignation that dwel • so fully in thee, and which thou didst so abundantly manifest in all thy sufferings, in the days of thy flesh. Thou art the same that thou wert, thy heart is the same towards thy Servants, as when thou wert outwardly present with them in the flesh. Thou art our Advocat and Mediator in Heaven with the Father: our Mercifull High Priest, who is not untouched with the feeling of our infirmitys. Thou, even Thou, Blessed Iesus, thou knowest our most secret desires and breathings, which we offer up unto thee, in the enablings of thy blessed Life and Spirit, that thou mayest present them unto thy Father and our Father, that in thee, we may be accepted, and our services also, and for thy sake our defects and short comings, our sins and transgressions that we have committed, may be forgiven us. These and such like expressions frequently used by us in prayer, both in secret, and also in publick, in our Assemblys, plainly demonstrate, that we worship and pray unto the Mediator betwixt God and Man, the Man Christ Jesus, the anoynted King, Priest and Prophet of his People, who also is God over all bessed forever. For he is that Mighty One, upon whom the Father hath laid help, so that although the Father himself loveth us, and is most willing and ready to help us in all our necessitys, yet we can no otherwayes receive his help, but as it comes to us by the conveyance of the Man Christ Jesus, our alone Mediator.

9. Thirdly: My third reason, (which is mainly for my present purpose, and which alone is enough to conclude) is, because it demonstrats this great & blessed Truth, to wit; that the Man Christ Jesus is really present in and among us [and consequently every where) I do not mean by his externall or outward person, for that is ascended into Heaven, but in virtue of his Divine Life and Spirit, or Soul extended into us in his Divine Seed and Body, which is his Heavenly flesh and blood, wherewith he feedeth the Souls of them that believe in him. I say Our worshipping the Man Jesus and praying unto him, doth plainly demonstrate, that he is really present in and among us, and with us, as his Name Immanuel doth signify, not onely as God, but as Man; for it were a most absurd thing to worship an object that is altogether absent, as the Manhood of Christ is, according unto these Presbyterian Teachers. We know how the Prophet Elijah mocked Baals worshippers with a Godly zeal and indignation, on this account, as supposing him in their account as an absent God. Cry aloud, said he, for perhaps he is asleep, or hath taken a journey. As for us God forbid that we should worship an absent Christ, or call upon a Saviour to help us, in whom we do not believe as really present.

10. Sure I am they who pray unto him, and yet do not believe him to be present, and have not some sense of his presence, are real Idolaters; for they pretend to worship an object, which wanteth a property altogether essential to an object of Divine worship, that is, real presence.

11. Nor is it enough for them to say, he is present as God, but not as man, for if the Man be not present, he is not to be worshipped, and if he be to be worshipped, as most certainly he is, then he is present, for this is one of the great motives of worship and prayer, that he whom we worship and call upon, is present to help us, as David called him • present help in time of trouble: and we are commanded to come and worship before his presence.

12. But again, Our praying to the Man Jesus doth imply, that he doth really heare our Prayers, and is really sensible and perceptive of them, and that not onely when we use vocal prayers, but also when we pray onely in our most secret thoughts. Now it is impossi • le that he could hear us, and be sensible of our prayers, and especially of our thoughts, if he were not immediatly present in us, and with us; For, to say that his God-head doth reveal our prayers and thoughts unto the Man-hood, doth no wise answere the strength of this reason; for hearing and perception, are immediate acts of the soul, and reach unto the objects immediately, or the objects unto them, but what is made known by revelation simply, doth not so reach, and that cannot be properly called hearing our prayers, or being sensible of them. As suppose that God should reveal immediatly to a man, in Persia, or China, that I am praying here at such a distance, that man could not be said, to hear me praying or be sensible of the very breathings of my soul, as when the Lord revealed to Ananias, that Saul, who after was called Paul, did pray, yet who will say that Ananias heard Paul pray at that time?

Surely this is such a slender and deceitfull evasion & answer, as the Papists use commonly to give, when we bring this reason against their praying unto Saints and Angells, to wit, that they do not, nor cannot, hear our prayers every where, becaus they are not every where present nor can be, becaus of their limited capacity, they tell us, that they read ou • prayers, in the mirrour or looking glasse of the Deity, or have them revealed unto them immediatly by God, which answer the Protestants, most deservedly reject, for that is not properly to hear.

14. And indeed none is fit to be a Mediator, but he that immediatly heareth our prayers, and hath a sense of the breathings and yearnings of our souls towards God, and is touched with the feeling of our infirmitys, as Christ Iesus our high Priest really is, for [said the Apostle Hebr. 4. 15, 16.] we have not • n high Priest, which cannot be touchea with the feeling of our infirmitys, but was in all points tempted like 〈…〉 , yet without sin, let us therefore come boldly unto the 〈◊〉 of grace, that we may obtaine 〈◊〉 , and find grace to help in time of need. Here observ, how he makes this the reason, why we should come 〈◊〉 • nto the throne of grace, even becaus 〈◊〉 have an high Preist, that is not of so A damantine a nature, nor yet so remo • e from us, as that he cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmitys, and therefore he hath a real feeling of them, which is more 〈…〉 the Prophets mantle fell, and this was a figure of this great mystery, for Christ the greatest of all Prophets, when he ascended, he let fall his mantle upon his disciples, to wit, a plenteous emanation of his spirituall and divine Body and Life, the proper vehicles and conduit of the Holy Ghost, and of God himself, so that they came to be wonderfully indued with the Holy Ghost, and indeed that which Jesus Christ hath left with us of his Divine Body, and Life, is Gods Throne of Grace, or Heavenly Throne, on which God sitteth, and to which we have access, while we are here upon Earth, that is of the same nature with that above, and one intire being with it, the Altar, the mercy seat. The Cherub on which God rideth, as it is Psal. 18. 9, 10. He bowed the heavens also and came down, and darkness was under his feet, and he rode upon a Cherub, 〈◊〉 did flee, yea he did flee upon the Spirit▪ so the Hebrew. This Cherub is the Man Christ Iesus, the heavenly rayes of whose Spirit, Light and Life, are his wings, on which the most glorious and most High God doth ride, and bring speedy deliverance to his afflicted Saints, in all ages. And Christ also is 〈◊〉 heavens that God boweth, to wit, the Heavenly Man, that most willingly boweth, and obey ••• the Fathers commands in all things, who is the Man of Gods right hand, by whom he doth all things 〈◊〉 heaven and Earth, he bel • g his most immediat and most universall instrument, and organ of operation, in all things, in heaven or Earth, or under the Earth, and therefore to him must every 〈◊〉 bow, whether in heaven, or earth or below the earth.

15. But I shall more particularly prove that 〈◊〉 Man Jesus, even in the dayes of his flesh, did kno • the thoughts of men, from express testimonies 〈◊〉 Scripture. Math. 12. 25. and Iesus knew their though • see also Luk. 6. 8. and John 2. 24, 25. But 〈◊〉 did not committ himself unto them, becaus he 〈◊〉 all men, and needed not that any should testify 〈◊〉 Man, for he knew what was in man. And sure •• John understood this of Christ, as man, for he 〈◊〉 here speaking of the Man Christ, even Jesus 〈◊〉 was borne of Mary, but to say that he knew 〈◊〉 thoughts, not immediatly, but by revelation, 〈◊〉 to contradict the express words of this Scriptur • which saith that he needed not that any should testify •• man, & so needed not divine revelation to know 〈◊〉 thoughts or hearts of men. And Peter said unto 〈◊〉 Man Christ Jesus, Lord thou that knowest all 〈◊〉 knowest that I love thee: all which prove that 〈◊〉 Man Christ Iesus, to wit, his soul hath a reall 〈◊〉 , and is really omnipercipient and 〈◊〉 , of all things, present and past, if not of 〈◊〉 things to come, for as things to come he may 〈◊〉 know them by divine revelation from his Father but he cannot properly be percipient of them, 〈◊〉 sense & perception require alwayes a present object.

16. And if Christ as Man be omnipercipient, he is also omnipresent, not onely becaus omnipercipiency is as great, or rather a greater propriety and priviledge, but also becaus omnipercipiency doth really imply and involve in it, omnipresence; for how that which is so altogether absent from us, can be sensible of our affairs and thoughts, is altogether unconceiveable, and puts our understanding as much upon the rack as the Popish doctrin of transubstantiation, and the Lutheran of Consubstantiation, whereas in the way as I have expressed it, the thing • s easy to be understood.

SECTION. XI.

1. An objection answered that I seeme to agree with the Lutheran doctrin, of the ubiquity of the Man Christ. 2. That the externall Person and body of Christ is not every where, nor his Soul wholly in every place, by a certain multiplication of ubications, as the Lutherans commonly, but falsly teach. 3. The Center, Spring or Fountain of his Soul, Life or Spirit, as he is the Heavenly Man, is onely in that body that was crucifyed outwardly at Jerusalem, and is now glorifyed in the Heavens. 4. And is extended unto us by way of emanation. 5. Some examples given to illustrat this Truth. 6. As we agree with Luther in the generall, so we differ from him in the particular manner of the ubiquity of the Man Christ Iesus, which in their way is inexplicable and repugnant to Scripture 〈◊〉 the certain instincts and dictats of Reason, but 〈◊〉 our way most r • tional and agreeable to Scripture. 7. The great comfort of this Doctrin, that we ha •• the Man Christ Iesus so near unto us in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul in his Divine Seed an • Body extended unto us. 8. That the most glor •• ous Angels can not see God, but in the Man 〈◊〉 Iesus; to wit, in his Spirit, Life and Light r • vealed in them. 9. How the words of Jame • concerning the Word Ingrafted, are to be understood: and the words of John concerning the Wor • made Flesh. 10. That Scripture Heb. 9: 1 • opened. 11. A Saying of Hermes Trismegist •• concerning God his being a Circle, whose Center is every where, and is no where circum • cri • ed. 12. The Man Christ Iesus a real a • proper middle betwixt God and us.

ANd if it be objected, that I seeme to agre • with the Lutheran doctrin, as concernin • the ubiquity of the Man Christ.

1. I answer, that I do indeed agree wit • them in the general; but differ from them as to 〈◊〉 manner in great and weighty circumstances. For they say, the externall person & body of Christ that suffered on the Cross, is every where, even the whole in every place.

2. I say Nay: his externall Person is arisen, and ascended, and is not here; as the Angel said, sur •• exit, non est hîc, he is risen, he is not here: meaning his outward body, for that was it they were seeking; and it is impossible that one and the same 〈◊〉 body can be in many places, at once. 2. They say, the whole Soul of Christ is in every 〈◊〉 , and in every thing, not by an extention, but a • ertain multiplication of its ubication; but this is as •• possible and unconceivable as the former.

3. But I say, The whole Soul or Spirit of Christ • not in every place, nor in every man; for the • enter and Spring or Fountain of it is onely in that • ody that was crucified on the Cross at Jerusalem, • nd is now ascended and glorified in Heaven; which • emaineth the same in Substance, that it was on • arth, although it be wonderfully changed as to the 〈◊〉 and manner of its being: it being no more a • ody of flesh, blood and bones, but a pure, ethereal 〈◊〉 heavenly body, like unto which the bodys of the • aints are to be at the resurrection. For Earth •• and Heavenly are not so differing, but that re • aining one in Substance: they may be changed • e into another, so that as one and the same 〈◊〉 Soul may by the operation of the Mighty Power of God, be changed, so as to be made heavenly and pure; even so one and the same Earthly body may by the same Power be made Heavenly, and thus in different respects they are one and the same, and yet not the same: one in Substance, and not one, but another, in the manner of being.

4. And the Center or Spring of Christs Soul remaining in that glorifyed body, it extends its precious Life Spirit and Light into the Saints, and 〈◊〉 some manner into all men.

5. Even as the Light of the Sun, that is centra ••• in the body of the Sun, and yet emanats and 〈◊〉 forth its Light in most abundant streams and rays •• to all the world. And as the Soul of any ordin ••• man hath its center in one principal part of the body, as some think the Head, but others the Hea • and sendeth forth its Life and vital Rays into 〈◊〉 whole body, and therefore the Soul is sensible • whatever affects any part or member in the who •• body. Even thus our blessed Lord and Saviour •• sus Christ is sensible of whatever affects or moves 〈◊〉 Church, which is also his body, by the real 〈◊〉 of his Divine Life, Soul and Spirit in the Divi •• Seed extended into the same.

6. And thus indeed as we agree with Luther an • his followers in the general, so we differ from the • as to the particular manner and way of the real pr •• sence and ubiquity of the Manhood of Christ, 〈◊〉 in their way is inexplicable, and repugnant to the most certain instincts and dictats of Reason, that God has indued us with, as Rational creaturs. Whereas the way as I have expressed it, is most rational, and will be found to be most true and solid, by all, that shall seriously ponder the matter, and weigh the reasons and arguments I have given for it, and may yet further give from Testimonys of Scripture, and experience of the Saints; that no reason can contradict, but doth highly favour.

7. And surely it is no lesse a comfortable, then 〈◊〉 is a true doctrin, that we have the Man Iesus Christ 〈◊〉 near unto us, in virtue of his Divine Life and Soul, in his Divine Seed and Body extended into us: and thus he is the Incarnat Word, or Word made flesh, • welling in our flesh, and is made like unto us; for as we are flesh, so he is flesh also, but of a more excellent make or creation. And thus he is the Bride • room and Husband of our Souls, to whom we may approach, and whom we may kiss and imbrace, and handle with the hands of our Soul, and whose glory we may behold; even the glory of the Word made flesh, and dwelling in us. Whereas the glory of the Word as it was in God, before it became flesh, or cloathed it self with the heavenly Manhood, no eye of Angel or Saint ever could or can behold: for the Glory of the Word simply considered, in God, out of the Manhood of Christ, is God himself, without any middle or Mediator.

8. And this none hath ever seen, or can see, no not the most glorious Angels; but it is the Word made flesh, or God made manifest in flesh, to wit, in the Heavenly Flesh or Manhood of Christ, that is the alone proper and adequat object of the contemplation and enjoyment of the most glorious Angels as wel as of the most Holy Souls, as Paul declared; Great is the mystery of Godlyness, God manifest in th • flesh, &c. seen of Angels. Observe here, it is not God simply, but God manifest in flesh, that is seen of Angels, and is believed on in the world; although he was both seen of Angels, and believed on in the world, long before he was manifest in that outward body of Flesh, which was also a most glorious manifestation, and excelleth in glory all the outward manifestations, that ever were, or shall be; but the Angels and Saints did really see him, before that nanifestation in outward flesh; and the Saints do now really see him, although his outward body and external person be not now present for us to behold.

9. Yet the Word Incarnate, or made flesh, and called by Iames the Ingrafted Word, we do really see, for it 〈◊〉 in us: and unlesse it were made flesh, or incarnate, it could not be ingrafted into us, for all ingrafting or implanting requireth some simili • ude or analogy of nature and substance; therefore we can not graffe an apple or cherry-graffe upon stone; or iron, or bare earth; by reason of the great unlikenesse and distance of their natures: and yet the Word simply and nakedly considered in God, before it was made flesh, is more unlike unto us, and in nature more remote from us, then an apple is from stone, or iron. Therefore to the end that the Word may be ingrafted into us, and we again ingrafted into it, the Word must be incarnate, or become flesh, as we are; for all men are a sort of flesh, and so called in Scripture, in comparison of God that is purely a Spirit; and though the Souls of men 〈◊〉 Spirits, yet comparatively as unto God, they are as it were flesh. And thus the Word is become flesh, that is to say, hath advanced a step, or degree nearer unto us, then as it was in God before any thing was made: and the Word was first of all made flesh, to be the Root and Foundation of all other created beings, and for which they are created.

10. For it is a more noble creation then all things else; and is 〈◊〉 this creation, as the Apostle declared expressly (Heb. 9: 11.) the words [not of this 〈◊〉 ] should be translated [not of his creation] 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 : and therefore some think fit, rather to call it an emanation from God, then a creation, to speak strictly, which I shall not dispute about; for it rather is a strife about words, then in the thing it self. Now when I say that the Light, Life and Spirit of the Heavenly Man, Christ Jesus, is not in us, as in respect of its Fountain and Center, or Spring, but onely by way of emanation or participation, we deriving it from that Central Light, and Life, that was in him, that was born of the Virgin Mary.

11. I do by no means acknowledg, or understand, that the Deity had onely its Center, in that Man, and from him doth ray into us; for the most Blessed and Glorious Deity properly hath no center, and rays distinct, by way of emanation; but rather is all Center, according to that noted saying of Hermes Trismegist; God is a Circle, whose cent •• is every where, and is no where circumscribed. And therefore the Blessed Deity is as centrally and essentially in us, as in the Man Christ Iesus

12. But still as in respect of union, manifestation and operation, and also in respect • f communion, and fellowship, the Man Christ Jesus, or Word Incarnate, is the onely and proper middle and Mediator betwixt God and us, so that where •• God is immediatly united with the Man Christ Jesus, no other men or Angels have, or indeed are capable to have an immediat union with God; their union is onely mediat with God, and so their communion and fellowship with him is but mediat also, by the means of Christ Jesus, although in respect of other means, it is immediat. And of this I found needfull once for all to acquaint the Reader, to prevent his mis •• ke.

SECTION XII.

1. How much more truely we own aud esteeme the Manhood of Christ, then the Author of the Postscript, or his Brethren. 2. A testimony of Luther, for the Man Christ his being every where. 3. Another Testimony from those, who imbraced the Aungustane Confession in that Treatise, called Liber Concordiae, that Christ as Man is really present with the Saints on Earth. 4. The Lutherans grosse errour in the manner of this presence, hath given occasion to many to deny the Truth it self, becaus they could not understand the manner. 5. The manner offered in this Treatise most consonant both to Scripture and Reason, and almost to Sense. 6. How Iohn saw the Son of Man in the midst of the golden candlesticks after his Ascersion. 8. How Christ 〈◊〉 the ladder, by which we ascend unto God. 8. The Nephesch and Neschamah of Christs Soul distin • guished. 9. Christ his spirituall coming in his Saints as the Son of Man, Ma • th. c: 16: ver: 28. 10. A Testimony of Calvin, that Christ as Man, doth sanctify us and give us Grace. 11. Some testimonys from S. R. his Epistles, that Christ is in the Saints, not onely by his Gra • es, but by himself. 12. Another Testimony of Calvin. 13. That S. R. speaketh of the Man Christ his being in the Saints. 14. Many call that h • rrid blasphemy in us, which they commend in S. R. and others of their own Teachers, which is great injustice and partiality. 15. Christ his knowing the heart of the Samaritan Woman, and curing the woman of Canaan of her issue of blood, proveth the extension of his Soul, and Life or Spirit aforesaid, as he is the Heavenly Man.

1. ANd thus it may appear, how much more truely (according to the Scripture, and our own blessed experience, agreeing most exactly with the experience of the Saints of old) we own and esteeme of the Manho •• of Christ Iesus, above whatever the Author of the Postscript, or his Brethren did acknowledg; who would exclude the Heavenly Man or Second Adam Iesus Christ altogether out of the very Saints: whereas the Second Adam is the quickening Spirit, that raiseth up both Soul and body into Life, as Paul declared.

2. And indeed Luther did conceive a most just indignation and zeal against them (such as this Presbyterian is) who exclude the Manhood of Christ out of the Saints, and confine it to one place. For thus he writeth in his Larger Confession of the Supper of the Lord. Absit autem, ut ego talem Deum agnoscam aut colam, ex his enim consequeretur quod locus & spatium possent duas natur as separare, & personam Christi dividere, quam tamen neque mors, neque omnes diaboli dividere aut separare potuere. Et quanti tandem obsecro pretii esset talis Christus, qui unico tantum loco simul divina & human • person • esset, in omnibus voro locis dun • axat & quidem separatus Deus, aut divina persona esset sine assumptâ suâ humanitate? In English thus: Far be it from me, that I should acknowledg, or worship such a God, for hence it should follow, that place and space could separat the two naturs, and divide the person of Christ, which neither death, nor all the devils could ever doe. And I pray, of what worth were such a Christ, who • n one onely place should be both a divine and humane person together, but in all other places should be God separat, or a divine person without his assumed humanity.

3. And also those, who embraced the Augustan confession in that Treatise, called Liber Concor •• a; where they give a new declaration of some articles in that confession, upon the head concerning the person of Christ, speak their mind very notably, in these following words, which expresse the very something upon the matter, as to the generall, that 〈◊〉 plead for. Quare perniciosum error om esse judicamus, quando Christo juxta humanitatem, Majestas illa derogatur; Christianis enim eâ ratione summa illa consolatio eripitur, quam è promissionibus paulò antè commemoratis de presentiâ & inhabitatione capitis, Regis, & summi sui Pontificis, haurire poterant. Is enim promisi • non modò nudam suam divinitatem ipsis praesto futuram (quae nobis miseris peccatoribus est tanquam ignis consumens arridissimas stipulas) se • ille ipse, homo ille, qui cum discipulis loquutu • est, qui omnis generis tribulation • s in assumpt • suâ humanâ naturâ gustavit, qui eâ de causâ nobis (ut & hominibus & fratribus suis) cond • lere potest, se in omnibus angustiis nostris nobiscum futurum promisit, secundum eam eciam naturam, juxta quam ille Frater noster es • , • nos caro de carne ejus sumus. In English thus: Wherefore (say they) we iudge it to be a hurtful • error, when that majesty is derogated from Christ, according to his manhood, for by that means, th • most great consolation is robbed from Christians, which they could have drawn from the promises, a little before mentioned, concerning the presence and • ndwelling of their head, King and high Priest. For he promised that not onely his Godhead should be present with them (which to us miserable sinners, is as a fire consuming most dry stubble) but the same, that man, who spake with his disciples, who tasted all kind of tribulations in his assumed manhood; who for that cause can be grieved with us (being also men, and his brethren) did promise that he would be with us in all our afflictions, also according to that nature, by which he is our Brother, and we are flesh of his flesh.

4. But the Lutherans conceit, that the externall person of Christ, not onely virtually, but formally, is in every place; yea the wole in the whole, and the whole of it in every part; is so absurd and repugnant unto rational perception; that from this many have taken occasion, unjustly to deny the Truth it self, becaus they did not see how this manner of the Lutherans of the ubiquity of the man Christ could consist with Reason.

5. Whereas the manner offered by me, is most consonant both to Scripture and Reason, yea and almost to Sense it self; for there are sensible examples, by which we may illustrate the manner of it, as namely, that of the stream of Light, that floweth from the candle, and filleth the whole house, while as the body of the candle it selfe is but in one place.

6. And what doth that firy streame or river signify, that issued and came forth from the Ancient of days, but the extension of the Life and Spirit of Christ, as he is the Heavenly Man? And as John Rev. 1. describeth him is a wonderfully Great man, even that Son of man, whom Iohn saw, after his ascension, in the midst of the golden candlsticks, even he that liveth and was dead, ver. 18. to shew that it was the Man Christ, and he had in his right hand seven star •• which are expounded to be the seven Angels or Pastors of the seven churches. This showeth it is not his externall person, or outward body that is here described, for it is impossible to conceive, how he can hold a number of men in the right hand of his externall person. Therefore by his right hand is signified his power, as he is the great Heavenly Man, which can wel hold all the men that ever were in the world.

7. Also this wonderfull extension of the Spirit of Christ as Man in his Divine body and Seed, is most clearly described hy Christ himself, Iohn 1: 51. Verily, verily I say unto you, hereafter ye shall see heaven opened, and the Angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of Man: This is the Great and Heavenly Man Christ Iesus, who is that Ladder which Iacob saw in his vision; the top whereof reached unto Heaven, and the foot of it reached the Earth. But this can not be the externall Person of Christ, and therefore it is the Spirit of Christ, as he is Man, or his Soul that is extended into us here upon Earth, in his Heavenly body that he giveth us to feed upon, by means of this Heavenly Ladder.

8. But when I say, the Soul or Spirit of Christ • Man is extended into us, I do not understand the Nephesch of his Soul, but the Neschamah or Nisch • ah, even that Divine Spirit of Life, that God breathed into Adam, and is that which Solomon calls the Candle of the Lord searching all the inward parts of the belly; and Iames the Ingrafted Word, and Iohn the Word mad flesh, or Incarnate Word, that dwelleth in us. By the Nephesch I understand that of the Soul of Christ common to him with the Souls of other men, as namely, the Root and Life of the Animal Senses, and discursive parts. By the Neschamah or Nischmath I understand, that substantial dignity and excellency of the Soul of Christ, that it hath in its nature (being a Divine Nature, so to speake) above and beyond the Souls of all other men, and Spirits of the most excellent and holy Angels. But whether his Nephe • ch and Neschamah be two principles really distinct, or two facultys and powers of one onely principle, I shall not in this place determine, nor is it material to the thing in hand to inquire.

9. Again, Christ himself hath taught us, that 〈◊〉 spiritual coming in his Saints, is as the Son of Man, Matth. 16: 28. Verily I say unto you, there are some standing here, that shall not • ast • f death, till they see the Son of man coming in his kingdom. This can not be meant of his Last coming at the day of judgment, else it would inferr that some that hear him speake these words, have not as yet tasted 〈◊〉 death, nor shall, unto the Last Day, which is absu •• Therefore this coming of the Son of Man must 〈◊〉 his inward and spiritual coming into his 〈◊〉 Again, he said himself, that the Father had 〈◊〉 him authority to execut judgment, as he is the 〈◊〉 Man, and that the hour should come, wherein 〈◊〉 that are in the gravesshall hear his voyce. And 〈◊〉 told them, that time was in part come already, 〈◊〉 must be understood spiritually and inwardly, at 〈◊〉 in great part, Iohn 5: 25, 26, 27, 28.

10. And according to this I find a very obse • vable saying in Calvin, on the Epistle to the 〈◊〉 upon these words, For he who 〈◊〉 , and 〈◊〉 who are sanctified are all of One. His words are the 〈◊〉 following: Neq • e enim, tantùm q • atenus Deus 〈◊〉 nos 〈◊〉 , &c. For ne • ther • oth he sanctify 〈◊〉 onely as God, but also the vertue or power of his sanct • fying is in his manhood, (or, humane nature) 〈◊〉 that is hath it from it self, but that God hath poure • forth a solid fulness of Holyness into it, that fro • thence we may all draw, to which pertaineth tha • sa • ing, I for their cause do sanct • fy my self, theref 〈◊〉 if we be profane and unclean, the remedy is not to 〈◊〉 sought afar off, which is offered to us in our flesh • Thus Calvin. Now if he doth sanctify us as man • it is certain, as man be must he in us: for a cause 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 at a distance, but by some medium or middle; 〈◊〉 there can be no middle, but the man Christ him •• lf, his Life or Soul extended unto us: for it were a • ost absurd thing to think, that the Manhood of • hrist doth operate upon the Deity, and through 〈◊〉 Deity upon us, for the Deity is altogether an •• passible being, by reason of his most infinite perfe •• on. And seing he faith the Remedy is not to be •• ght afa • r off, which is offered to us in our flesh, I 〈◊〉 not how this can be understood of his externall 〈◊〉 , for indeed that is at a great distance from.

I know Calvin hath a conception that the 〈◊〉 do partake of the flesh or body of the exter •• person of Christ, which yet is hardly intelligible, 〈◊〉 we should conceive, that it doth send forth 〈◊〉 exceeding subtile influence upon us: but if it 〈◊〉 so, the argument will hold stronger, that if •• ody of Christ can influence us at such a distance, 〈◊〉 more the Soul, seing the Soul is more capable 〈◊〉 vast an extension, then the body, but flesh of Christ, that the Saints feed upon, is 〈◊〉 that divine body, the substance of which is 〈◊〉 another kind, then the outward body, 〈◊〉 much soever made glorious, or spiritual: but body can not sanctify us, without the Soul of 〈◊〉 extended into it, for it is rather the Soul, o • 〈◊〉 that is the man, then the body; and holy • can not be properly inherent in any meer body, being the property of an intellectual being, and therefor it can not convey holiness into another, simply by itself, but onely as it is the instrument of the Soul, which is the onely proper and immediat subject of holyness.

11. And thus having given an account, not onely from Luther, and those who embrace the Augustan confession, but also from Calvin himself, (for whom the Presbyterians have so great an esteeme) of the wonderfull power and influence, that the Manhod of Christ hath in and upon the Saints, and of his being so near unto them. Let us now see, what their great Seer S. R., as the Author of the Postscript calleth him, saith to the matter. Almost all his Epistles, especially the First part, are so full of expressions, concerning that nearness of Christ to himself, and of his enjoying his Love, and hungering more and more after the enjoyment of it, that it is needless to cite any particular Testimonys out of the book for the same: yet for the satisfaction of those that have not read his book of Epistles, I shall cite some particular places, holding forth that wonderfull nearness of Christ, that I plead for, and that Christ himself is present with and in his People, and that he giveth them not onely his comforts and Graces, but himself to be enjoyed by them, even in this life. See 1 part, Ep. 120. If joy and comforts (saith he) came singly and alone without Christ himself, I would send them back again, the gate they came, and not make them welcome, But when the Kings train cometh and the King in the midst of the company, O how am I overjoyed with floods of love? This is such a plaine testimony, that it quite destroyeth that deceitfull distinction, that the Presbyterian Teachers have, when they tell us, Christ is in us by his Graces, gifts, and operations, but not by himself. For are not his joy and comforts, his gifts, or graces and operations? and yet S. R. saith, If these came singly and alone without Christ himself, he would send them back again the gate they came, and not make them welcome. And indeed Christ can not be separat from his Graces, no more then the Soul can be separat from the love, and joy, that is in it, and emanates from it; or then the Sun can be from his beames, or the fire from its heat. Again, see 1 part, Ep. 29. I can neither speake nor write feeling nor tasting, nor smelling, come feel, and smell, and tast Christ, and his love, and ye shall • all it more then can be spoken: To write how sweet the honey-comb is, is not so lovely as to eat and suck the honey-comb, one nights rest in a bed of love with Christ, will say more then heart can think, or tongue can utter. Surely these words hold forth an immediat presence of Christ, for we can not tast, nor feel that which is not really present. Again, see Ep. 191. There is nothing will make you a Christian indeed, but a tast of the sweetness of Christ, come and see, will speake best to your Soul. This plainly implyeth that Christ is present, even to them who are not Christians indeed, seing to tast of the sweetness of Christ is that onely, which makes one who is not a Christian indeed, to be a Christian. But beside all this, I shall cite some express testimonys for Christ his being in the Saints. See 1 part. Ep. 43. It's not for nothing that it's said Coloss. 1: 27. Christ in you the hope of glory: I will be content of no pawn of heaven, but Christ himself. And 2 part. Ep. 1. I have good confidence, Madam, that Christ Iesus, whom your Soul throug forrests and mountains is seeking, is within you. Many more testimonys may be cited, but these may suffice, to prove that this great Seer, in the Presbyterians account, did believe that not onely the Graces and Comforts of Christ are in the Saints, which are as it were his train and attendants, but that he himself is in the midst of them. And if it be replyed, that by Christ his being in the Saints, he meant is God, not as Man, as we understand it.

12. To this I answer 1. God, or the Word or Logos singly considered, is not Christ, but the Word incarnate, or the Word made flesh, and planted in us. For Christ signifyeth [Anoynted,] and it is the Man Christ, that is Gods Anoynted: and indeed we can not see, nor tast, nor smell, nor feel, of the naked Deity of Christ, nor converse with Christ simply as God, but as God-Man, or the Word incarnate; and the Presbyterians commonly teach, that there is no accesse to God, nor communion with him, but through the Mediator Christ Jesus, as Calvin himself teacheth, for thus he writeth on the Hebrews, cap. 1: ver. 2. That God is no otherwise revealed to us then in Christ, for there is so great a brightness in the essence of God, that it blindeth our eyes, till it shine upon us in Christ. Whence it followeth, that we are as blind men to the Light of God, unless it shine to us in Christ. By this it is clear, that Christ importeth somewhat beside the essence of God, which is his Manhood, or as he is the Word incarnate.

But 2. The Presbyterians now adays would not onely exclude Christ as Man, but even as God, out of his Saints, for they are greatly offended at Iohn Owen, an Independent Teacher, who in his book on the Perseverance of the Saints, hath affirmed, that the Holy Ghost himself doth really indwell in the Saints, so that not onely the graces and gifts of the Holy Ghost, but he himself is an indweller in them, and is united unto them, and they to him: and for this Caudry, a Presbyterian hath found fault with him.

And 3. I shall produce some of S. R. his own words, and leave them to the Reader, whether they do not hold forth somewhat of the truth of that, which I plead for, although I believe he had not a distinct and explicite understanding of it. See 2 part, Ep. 38. I know (said he) God is casten (if I may so speak) in a sweet mould and lovely image, in the person of that heavens-Iewel the Man Christ, and that the steps of that s • eep ascent and stair to the Godhead, is the flesh of Christ, the new and living way. Surely these words import no lesse, but that Christ as Man, although not as to his external person, yet in some other mysterious way, is present with the Saints on Earth, seing they can not see God, as in himself, but as he is to be seen in that lovely image of the Man Christ, whose flesh is the steps and stair to the Godhead. And therefore we must have that flesh in us, else we can not ascend to any true communion with him in our hearts.

13. But again, see a more express testimony, that the Man Christ is in the Saints, & buddeth forth blossometh and beareth fruit in them part 3. Ep. 13. But the Plant of Renown, the Man whose Name is the BRANCH, will budd forth again, and blossome as the rose, and there shall be fair white flourishes again, with most pleasant fruits upon that Tree of Life, a fair season may he have, Grace, Grace be upon that blessed and beautifull tree, under whose shaddow we shall sit • , and his fruit shall be sweet to our tast Again, see 3 part. ep. 8. Iesus that flower of Jesse, set without hands, getteth many a blast, & yet withers not, becaus he is his Fathers • oble Rose, casting a sweet smell through Heaven and Earth, and must grow; and in the same garden with him, grow the Saints. Now I would ask the Author of the Postcript, Do these words of S. R. hold forth a false Christ, or another Jesus, then the 〈◊〉 Jesus, the Son of Mary? If they do not, then why doth he accuse the Quakers, as holding another Christ, onely becaus they speak of Christ in them, as formed in them, budding and growing, and bringing forth fruit of Life, who is the Plant of Re • own, the BRANCH, the Tree of Life, the incorrup • ible Root, the Seed, and Word Ingrafted. And surely it is impossible to understand how the Man Christ Jesus casts a sweet smell through Heaven and Earth, if he is not present both in Heaven and Earth. Again, see 1 part. Ep. 127. If Christ b • d and grow green, and blossome, and bear seed again in Scotland, and his Father send him two summers again, in one year, and bless his crop. O what cause • ave we to rejoyce in the free salvation of our Lord, and to set up our banners, in the Name of our God! I have cited these passages the rather, becaus many Presbyterian Teachers, as wel as others, when they hear, or read such words as proceeding from us, namely, that Christ is a Seed or Plant of Life in us, growing, sprouting, budding, blossoming and bearing fruit, and that this Heavenly Seed and Plant, is a tender Plant, as he is so called in Scripture, that is bruised and wounded by mens sins, and hindered to bring forth fruit in them, that give place to sin, but groweth strong, and becometh exceeding fruitfull, in all them, that joyn to it, and love it, and deny those things that are contrary to its nature, such as all kinds of sin are; then they cry out, horrid blasphemy, this is to deny the true Christ of God, the Son of Mary.

14. But if these expressions be found & orthodox in S. R. I hope they are not blasphemous in us, seing we hold forth no other Christ Jesus, but the same that all the Saints believed in, and was of Mary and David, according to the flesh, and before them, and the Father and Lord of them, according to the Spirit, who is the Saints hiding-place in all ages, as it is written Isaiah 32: 2. And the man (to wit, the Man Christ) shall be as an hiding-place from the wind and a covert from the tempest, as rivers of wat • r in a dry place, as the shaddow of a great Rock in a weary land. Surely this is a Great and Mighty Man, so that we may justly say, as these did of old, what manner of Man is this, whom the •• inds and sea obey? For indeed he commands the winds and the sea▪ and all the creaturs, to whom all power is given in heaven and earth: and though he hath his Deputys and Servants under him, yet they can doe nothing without him.

15. And therefore he himself is every where present, and knoweth, seeth and perceiveth all things. He knoweth the most secret thoughts and actions of all men, both good and; he told the woman of Samaria, who had been a bad and evil woman, all that ever she did, even the Man Christ Jesus, as she her self did acknowledge, and went and preached him to others, Come, said she, and see a man, that told me all that ever I did, is not this the Christ? But to say, he told this as knowing it by revelation from the Father, and not as the Man Christ Jesus▪ is to equall other Prophets unto him, who knew the thoughts of men by revelation, and indeed to weaken the argument, that she brought, to prove, that he was the Christ, becaus this man told her all: but seing this Man knew all her deeds and thoughts immediatly, and needed not Divine revelation, to know them, therefore he was indeed the true Christ, for no other man had such a priviledg, and certainly he told her much more inwardly, then outwardly, and therefore he was in her, to wit, by his Life, Light and Spirit. And how could the woman, that was cured of her bloody-issue, by touching the hem of his garment, have touched him, Luk 8. if his Spirit and Soul or Life had not extended into her, for her touch was not a bare outward touch, nor did she touch his body, but onely the hem of his garment, and although many touched him beside, in the great presse of people, yet he felt her touch, that was another sort, then all the other touches; even a spiritual touch, so that her spirit reached unto his Spirit, and drew from it, out of his body, and he feeling this, said, who touched me? 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 ; albeit it was a woman, that touched him, and he did ask the question in the masculine article; and indeed a masculine and vigorous touch it was; her spirit being raised by faith, into a masculine and Heavenly vigour, touched his Spirit, and drew vertue from him, and therefore his Spirit reached unto her, that did both so draw forth her Spirit towards him, and also did convey unto her that healing vertue. And surely many thousands have as really touched him, as she did, by the spiritual touch of faith, who never had his outward body, or external person present to touch it, and have drawn virtue from him, whereby their Souls have been cured, and some also have found their bodys cured and restored to health.

SECTION XIII.

1. If by [common] be understood, that Christ is Gods free Gift, we acknowledg him so [common.] 2. The Life and Light otherwise in the Son of Mary, then in us. 3. Christ 〈◊〉 truely Mediator, in the Saints, as without them, in heaven, proved out of John 17: 23. and Rom. 8. 4. The Seed of regeneration is sown by Christ the Son of Man. 5. God the Father is greater then Christ as M • n. 6. The Omnipresence of the Manhood of Christ in all creaturs doth not confound his Godhead with his Manhood. 7. That Scripture Luk 2: 49. opened. 8. The 6, 7, and 8▪ charges utterly false. 9. The Presbyterian Teachers make the Devil greater, and of a larger extent then the Heavenly Manhood of Christ, to the great dishonour of our Blessed Saviour. 10. The Quakers put not their Prophets and Teachers in Christs roome, but acknowledg him exalted above all creatures, more then the Presbyterians. 11. The blindness and darkness of the Author of the Postscript, that denyeth the Saints to have any measure of that Light that was, or is in Christ. 12. How furr the Author of the Postscript hath outshot himself, in denying Christ to be in the Saints.

ANd thus having by many Scripture testimonys, and arguments builded thereupon, together also with the testimonys of others, and some of the Presbyterians own Prophets, so fully proved, that Christ is in the Saints, yea and in a true sense, in all men, and in all things, as God is. Before I close this particular head, I shall a little more narrowly consider the Author of the Postscript his words in in the 5 charge. He saith, we affirme Christ to be a common sort of thing. His designe is easily to be seen here, as if we undervalued Christ, but it is no undervaluing of him, to call him a thing, seing the Angel called him that holy thing, Luk 1: 35. That holy thing which shall be born of thee, shall be called the Son of God. And this holy thing we say is in all men.

1. But if by common he mean, either that it is of mens nature, or that all men have the enjoyment of it, in that sense I deny that it is common, for it is not of men, but it is in the nature of it, a most rare, divine, and singular thing; and though it be in all, yet it can be enjoyed by none, but them who are Saints. But to understand by common, that it is the free Gift of God unto all, whereby all may be saved, in that sense we do not deny it to be common: nor doth its being common derogate any thing from its excellency, for, bonum quo communius, co melius, a good thing the more common it be, the better it is. Is not God a common Creator, and yet he is not the less good or exce • lent; so nor is Christ the less good or excellent, that he is a common Saviour, in so farr that he doth put Life and Salvation within the reach of every man in a day of visitation, that they may be saved.

2. But the summe or substance of this his 5 charge is false, namely that we affirme, that Christ is in every man, as he was in the Son of Mary, for we say. The Son of Mary is Christ himself, and though his Light and Life, and Spirit or Soul be in • s and in all men, yet not so as in the Son of Mary, for it is in him in the fulness, and in us onely by emanation from him. It is he, the Son of Mary, that giveth us this living water, who is th Fountain and Spring of it: whereas the stream of it is but in us, and God who is Light is otherwise in the Son of Mary, or Man-Christ, then in us, or any other men, for he is in him by an immediate union and communion: whereas he is in us but by the Man Christ, as in regard of union and communion; so that our union and communion with God is but mediat through him.

3. And this wonderfull mystery Christ himself doth clearly hold forth, Ioh. 17. verse 23. I in them and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one. Observe here, an excellent order; Christ in the Saints and God in Christ, So that as in respect of union God is not immediately in us, nor immediatly united with us, nor we with him, but God is in Christ and Christ is in us. And so God through Christ is in us, and thus Christ doth declare himself to be the Mediator betwixt God and Man, as he is in them, Thou in me and I in them, here Christ is the midle-man or Mediator as being in the Saints, which confuts the gross and most comfortless doctrin of the Prebyterians and others, who affirme that Christ as Mediator is only without us, in heaven, and is not Mediator in us, whereas he himself in this place hath declared the contrary, thou in me and I in them, that they may be made perfect in one; So that of all things visible and invisible, Christ is next unto God, and most near unto him, as in regard of union and communion, and then the Saints by their union with Christ are united also unto God, and he unto them. And if Christ be mediator in the Saints, then he is Man, or the Word incarnate, in them, for the Word or Logos simply considered, is not mediator, becaushe is of a nature as remote from us, as the Father, being one essence or substance with him, and indeed it is the Man Christ, that spoke these words in prayer unto his Father, for the Logos simply considered is God himself, and cannot be supposed to pray unto God, for that to which one prayeth is greater then he that doth pray: and it is the Man Christ, or Word incarnate, who said, my Father is greater then I, so that Christ as Man is inferiour to God, & this is the same Spirit of Christ, as Man, that prayeth and maketh intercession unto God in the Saints, Rom 8. and hath done so from the beginning, and by whom the children of men in all ages have received grace from God.

4. For the seed of Gods Grace, which is the true ••• d of regeneration that hath been sowne in all ages of the world, as well before as since Christ did outwardly come in the flesh, was sown by the Son of Man, to wit, the Man Christ Jesus, as he hath expressly taught himself, Math. 13. 37. He that soweth the good seed, is the Son of Man, who is the good and friendly Man, and therefore he hath been in all ages and places of the world, becaus he hath sown his seed in the world, and not in some corner of it onely; and the seed which he hath sowen is the i • grafted Word, even a measure of the same divine and Heavenly Nature, Light & Life that is in himself, as he is the Heavenly Man, or Lord from Heaven.

5. Whose nature as Man, is Heavenly and Divine, all though it be inferiour to the God head, for he said, my Father is greater then I, nor will his • mnipresence and omnipercipiency prove, that, as Man, he is as great as the Father for the whole universe of created beings of Heaven and Earth, visible and invisible, are as the dust of the ballance, and drop of the bucket, in comparison of God.

6. And therefore that the Heavenly Man Christ Jesus, his Spirit, Light and Life, doth every where extend it self into all things, will not prove that Christ, as Man, is equall unto God; nor yet confound his God-head and Man-hood, it only proveth that the Man Christ Jesus is a great and mighty and most excellent being, farre above all, and excelling all men and Angells, and all other angelicall and heavenly powers, and principallitys; which is a most certain truth, and therefore do all the Angels worship him▪ as they are commanded.

7. And this universall presence of his in all things he declared himself, when Mary his Mother according to the flesh, with her husband Ioseph did seek, him; among the multitude, why did yee seek me (said he) did yee not know that I must be 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 , in the things of my Father. Luk▪ 2. 49. and verse 50. They understood not that saing which he spake unto them, and indeed many at this day do not understand it, which place of Scripture Dionysius of Alexandria, brought against Paulus Samosatenus to prove, that Christ was before Mary, and if Christ was before Mary, he was not only God, but Man, for it is the Man or Word incarnate, that is the Christ, or Anointed of the Father and not the Word or God-head simply considered.

His 6, 7, and 8, charges are, that we affirme Iesus, the true Christ the Son of Mary, to be onley an ordinary vessell, which containeth • his Light, as the Spirit of every other Holy Man doth, and so not only pulling down our exalted Prince from his Throne of Glory, but putting our false Prophets (as he calls them) in his place, cloathing them with the glory of his proper titles, as being Christ as wel as he, becaus containing the same Light with his.

8. Answ. That these charges are exceeding false and unjustly layd upon us will abundantly appear, from what is already said, in answer to the former, and therefore I need say the lesse, onely to let the Reader know that we are so farre, from affirming Jesus the true Christ, the Son of Mary to be onely an ordinary vessell &c. that we both believe and affirme him to be a most Wonderfull and extraordinary Vessel, and that both in respect of his Soul and body, as having the Center and Spring of that Divine Light, Life and Nature, whereof we have but the ray and streame. And though the Vessels of other men have the Light in them, yet they contain it not, but it rather contains them, for the greater is not contained in the lesser, but the lesser in the great • r. And thus we do not pull down our exalted Prince from his Throne of glory, but acknowledge • im more exalted, then our adversarys do, who • ould confine and limit him to one place, and •• ltogether exclude him, as Man, from having any •• rone in the hearts of his people: whereas they do •• knowledge that the Devil is in all wicked men, 〈◊〉 and good men also, and yet they will not ac • nowledge Christ to be in all, nay not in any, good • en upon Earth.

6. And thus they make the Devil greater then 〈◊〉 , which is no small dishonour to our Blessed Sa • iour: and they who deny him to be in men, even 〈◊〉 the Saints, seing he is really in them (conforme 〈◊〉 to the testimony of Scripture and the experience of them who know and witness him revealed in them) are denyers of him, as really as they who denyed him when he came in the flesh.

10. Again, that we put our Prophets (whom he falsly calleth false Prophets) in the place of Christ, cloathing them with the glory of his proper titles, as being Christ, as wel as he, becaus containing the same Light with his, is such a grosse and manifest lye and forgery, that a greater can not be invented, for we do exalt him both with our hearts and mouths, above, not onely, all men of our own profession, but above all men and Angels, and that beyond all comparison; yea we exalt him more then this our acc • ser, or any of his brethren, even as Man, as having a substantiall dignity and excellency, belonging to him as Man, above all men and Angels whatsomever: nor will it in the least follow from our principles, that becaus we have a measure of his Light and Life in us, that therefore we put our selves in his place, or roome, as is already cleared: for he has it in the fulnesse, in whom the fulnesse of the Godhead dwelleth bodily; and GOD gave not the Spirit unto him by measure; whereas whatever Light, or Life, Vertue or excellency we or any Saints, or Angels have, is derived from him, and is but a measure of his fulnesse: and God the Father dwelleth in him immediately, but in us • mediately through him, as is above declared and opened, from Iohn 17: 23.

11. And what a blind and dark man is this, that will not acknowledge that the Saints have any thing of that Light in them, which Christ hath in himself! Let him tell us, and prove it from Scripture, if he can, that Christ putteth any other Light, or Spirit in his people then that which is in himself. But the contrary is manifest from Scripture, that it is one and the same Spirit, Light and Life, both in him, and in them. But if some, more sober then this Author, will acknowledge, that Christ is really in the Saints; albeit they do not understand how he is in all men; to such I say, viz, who affirme Christ to be in the Saints, that, by this mans argument, to • it, the Author of the Postscript, they deny the true Christ, the Son of David, and Mary, and set up the Saints in the place of Christ, as being Christ, as well as he, becaus, as he saith, containing the same Light.

12. Let them consider how farre the Author of the Postscript hath outshot himself in this particular, and in stead of pleading for the true Christ, hath in effect denyed him, and robbed all the Saints of God, of having him in them, expresse contrary to the Scripturs. And I have often wondered how • hese men will so freely acknowledge, and plead for • he devil his being in all wicked men, and yet de • y that Christ is in all good men: yea seing they • lead, that all good men, while they live on earth, have sin, and sin daily in thought, word and deed; yea continually: they must also acknowledg, that in so farre as sin is in them, the devil is in them, who is the father of all sin: and yet they will not have Christ to be in all, no not in the Saints; which sheweth them to be extreamely blind and inconsiderate. And I would ask them this one question, Do they think that the Devil is a Spirit of a larger and greater extension, then the Soul or Spirit of Christ as Man? If they say, nay: then Christ is in all men. If they say, that the Devil is a greater Spirit, then the Spirit of Christ, as Man; then they plainly declare, that the Devil is greater then Christ, which is horrid and detestable blasphemy.

SECTION XIV.

1. That the Presbyterian Teachers set themselvs in the place of Christ. 2. They goe back to the church of Rome, and her Popes, to prove their call. 3. They labour to turn people from Christ in th • mselv • s. 4. T • at they may keep up their trade and gain. 5. Who love to hear Christ in themselves, love to hear him in others. 6. The Author of the Postscript his blasphemy against the true Christ of God in mens hearts. 7. He is better skilled in the art of railing, then in the way of disputing. 8. The Christian Quakers love and honour all true Ministers of Christ Iesus. 9. An old policy of Satan, to call the ministers of Anti-Christ, ministers of Christ, as among Papists and Presbyterians. 10. Why we cannot joyn with Presbyterian Teachers.

1. ANd whereas he falsly accuseth us, as puting any of our Prophets in the place of Christ; This may be justly retorted back upon him and his brethren, who deny the immediate presence, and immediate revelation, and teachings of Christ in his people; and so they set themselves indeed in the place of Christ, crying up the necessity of mens teachings, and crying down the necessity of the teachings of Christ in peoples • earts. And they tell the people, that they must heare them, and learn of them, else they can not be saved, and if any refuse to heare them, and learn of them, they accurse them.

2. And yet they can not give any sufficient account of their call from Christ to preach, but do generally in these days goe back to the Apostate Church of Rome, and her Popes and Bishops, whom they have so often called Babylon and Anti-Christ, to derive their call, as even Iames Durham a great Presbyterian Teacher hath done in his book on the Revelation. But if people come to hearken to the t • achings of Christ in them, and believe in the same, hey turne desperate enemys against them, and do all they can to stirre up the Magistrate, to persecute them; as indeed it is the Presbyterian Teachers, especially the mongrell sort of them, that are the great occasion of our present persecution. And in effect, this is their language upon the matter, heare us, and learn of us, but heare not Christ within you, learn not of him, as he teaches you in your hear • s, as the Quakers tell you ye ought to do, for there is no true Christ in you at all: that which reproves you for sin in your hearts, is not the true Christ, but a false, nor is it the least measure of that Light, which was in him, that shineth in your hearts, and lets you see your sins▪ this Light in you can not teach you the saving knowledg of God, nor lead you unto God, although ye should follow it never so faithfully, but we can teach you the true and saving knowledge of God, and if ye doe what we • id you doe, ye shall certainly be saved, we can pawn our soules for you, therefore heare us, and ye shall be saved.

3. But if ye heare not us, ye can not expect Salvation, we are the alone Ambassadours, that God hath sent unto you to teach you, and lead you into the Kingdom of GOD; you need no other immediate Teacher, or Preacher, nay, ye need not that Christ should be in you at all, you need no immediate teachings of Christ or of God at all: immediate revelations are ceased since the Apostles dayes, and there is no use of them, means are so plentifull. I appeal to all sober and impartial men, if this be not to set up themselvs in the place of Christ.

4. And what's the cause that these men are so great enemys to the immediate teachings of Christ in the hearts of people, but that they feare that if people come to receive the teachings of Christ in their hearts, they will deny them as false Teachers, and so their trade and gain will down.

5. But all true Preachers, they preach not themselvs, but Christ Jesus, as the Apostles did, and they preach him not onely ascended into Heaven, and as being in heaven, but they preach him also as being in the hearts of people, saying, The Word is near thee, in thy mouth and in thy heart, Rom. 10: Deut. 30. And all true Preachers are glad, that people come to know Christ, and learn of him in their hearts: and they are assured that they who are come to learne of Christ immediately, will never despise or reject the ministry of those whom Christ doth send, and in whom he speaks, for the sheep of Christ hear his voyce, wherever it soundeth, and they who love to heare Christ in themselvs, love also to heare him in others, and receive the Word, not as the Word of Men, but as it is indeed the Word of God. And thus I have gone through the eight particular Charges, wherewith he hath so falsly charged us; and in plainness and simplicity of heart, declared our beliefe concerning them, and how that we owne the true Christ, as true and perfect God, and as true and perfect Man, who, as concerning the flesh, was the Son of David, and of Mary, but yet was before Mary and David, and all men; who is the Son of God, blessed for evermore.

6. And seing these 8 false charges are the onely foundation, on which the Author of the Postscript builds all his other calumnys, and his whole discourse, his sandy foundation being removed, his building falls with shame upon his own head: and I wish his eyes may be opened by that Light, he hath so maliciously reproached, that he may see, what that Spirit is, that hath led him so to blaspheme the true Christ of God in mens hearts: for certainly it is not the Spirit of Christ, but of Satan, seing no man speaking by the Spirit of God calleth Iesus accursed, as Paul declared. O that he may be made to looke upon him whom he hath pierced (in his tender Life, and Seed in his own heart, by such malitious and envious speeches) and mourn bitterly for so doing, and doe so no more, that he may find mercy of the Lord!

7. It were a needless labour to follow him▪ in all the rest of his discourse, or to give a particular reply to every sentence, the whole containing no arguments, to prove us guilty of such things; he had done more as a man, and as a Christian, to have charged us with some things that we did truely hold, and if he did suppose them to be errours, to have endeavoured to refute them with solid arguments, brought from Scripture and sound Reason; nothing of which he hath done, but raileth on from the beginning to the end. It seemeth verily that he is better skilled in the art of railing (which is a black art, to be sure, too familiar to the tribe of black-coats) then in the way of disputing. But I shall take notice of one thing before I leave him, as where he saith.

Pag. 12. from line 15. As the ministers of Iesus Christ are the men in the world, against whom they have the most pure and perfect hatred, so it is against those ministers more particular • y, who are most tender and • difying, and by whose labouring among the people, their Lord and Master who sent them, sees of the travel of his Soul, and is satisfied, that they as the ministers of Satan set themselvs, very fit messengers are they, if any were caught up to the third heaven, to b • ffe • him, I appeall in this matter to the experience and observation of all, who take notice of their way, and how little they trouble others, their Master fearing little, or finding little dammage to his dominion and kingdom, by these lazy lie-byes, and idle loyterers.

8▪ Answ. This is like the rest of his false accusations: we hate no mens persons, but their vices, and farre be it from us, to oppose any of the true ministers of Iesus Christ, nay, we love them, and honour them, for their works sake, and we judge ourselvs bound in conscience, at all occasions to heare them, and countenance them, but such men as call themselvs the ministers of Christ, and after triall, are found not to be his ministers, or sent of him, we find ourselvs called of God to deny them, and witness against them, as Christ did against the Pharisees of old, and as the Prophets did against the false prophets, who taught for gain and rewards.

9. This hath been an old policy of Satan, which many have used in former times, to call themselvs with such splendid names, as Ministers of Christ, and of the Gospel, when they have been rather ministers of Satan, and of Anti-Christ. The Popish priests and bishops doe the same, and the Pope calleth himself Servus servorum Dei, a servant of the servants of God. And indeed this is one of the great stumbling-blocks, that the Popish Clergy and priests lay in the way of the people, to keep them in blindness and superstition, and beget a prejudice in them, against the Protestants, and dissenters from the Popish Church. Oh! say they, these men are abominable hereticks, who deny our holy mother Church, and her holy priests and bishops, and our holy father the Pope, whom Christ hath appoynted, and set up as his Vicar upon Earth. And then they reckon up so many holy priests, and bishops, and so many holy Fathers, as have been, and are in their Church. And thus they seek to deceive the people, and to speake freely, I do not question it, but there have been some in the Popish Church, who had as great pretences to holyness, and looked as like holy men, as any to be found of the Presbyterian Teachers. And I judge, the Presbyterians themselvs will not generally conclude, that for these many hundreds of years, there have been no holy men in the Church of Rome, which yet hath been an Apostate Church, for many hundred years, and yet all this will not prove, that we ought to joyne to the Church of Rome, becaus of some men that have lived in it, or may as yet be in it, that may be really as holy, and of as good a life and conversation, as any the Presbyterians can name among themselvs. And the like may be said of the Lutheran Church, and Church of England, which is Episcopal, I suppose this Author and his brethren will not be so uncharitable, as to conclude there are no holy men in the Episcopal Church, or that no Bishop is a holy man: and I question not, but they can instance some among Lutherans and Papists also, that have taken and do take as great pains to preach, as any Presbyterian Preacher ever did, and greater also. Some of the Popish priests have travell'd into the remotest parts of the world, to preach, and they alledge they have preached Christ, as much as the Presbyterians alledge they preach him at home. Xaverius a Papist preached to the Chineses, and was at greater pains, then any Presbyterian that ever I heard of, for they commonly nest themselves at home, and enjoy as much bodily ease and pleasure, as other men, they seldom preach out of their own parishes: but I never heard of any of them goe and preach to heathens, where the Name of Christ hath not outwardly been mentioned, as many in the Popish Church have done. Nor will it solve the matter to say, that though there have been some holy Preachers in the Popish Church, yet they preached many errors with some truths, and therefore since the Light is broke up more clearely, they are now to be turned away from, although in these dark times it might have pleased God to make some of them instruments of salvation to peoples souls, which may as yet be, where a further manifestation is not given of God. For the same answer will as wel serve us against the Presbyterians, as it will serve them against the Papists. Admitt then that there may be some holy men among the Presbyterian Teachers, and that at times the Spirit of God hath breathed through them (when they did little notice it, and had not that care to attend his breathings, and movings, so as onely to speak by them) and that when the Spirit thus breathed through them, they have been instrumentall to the Salvation of some souls; yet becaus these men did also preach many errours, and did not regard the inward call and movings of the Spirit of God, as they should have done, but spake more frequently without them, then with them; and in their own will, beginning and ending with the houre-glasse: as also becaus they laid too great weight on the bare outward call of men, and on meer natural and acquired abili • ys, and have affirmed, that Grace or piety is not essentiall to a minister of Christ, and have not preached the pure Truth, as it is in Iesus, but for most part, grosse errours, as namely, that Gods Grace is not Vniversal, that Immediat Revelation is ceased, that we must sin for terme of Life, that men may committ murder and adultery, and yet be in a justifyed state, and perfectly justifyed at that instant.

10. I say, for these and many others causes, we can not owne them, as ministers of Christ according to the pure order of a Gospell Ministry, and especially because they take hire and wages, as much as any, they are hirelings. Yet we do really make a difference, betwixt those who are more tender and conscientious, and others; and are glad to meet with any such, for they are very thin scattered at this day. And if we take more paines on such, then upon others, & some times give them a sound thresh, it is in love to them, and in hope to find corn among them, which we expect less to find among the profane, whom he calleth lazy lie-byes, and idle loyteres, and yet such men were the farre greaters part of the Presbyterian Ministry in its most flourishing time.

SECTION. XV.

1. Many unsound and unsavory expressions in S. R. his Epistles. 2. Yet he both experienced and declared of Immediat Revelation, and the Spirits immediat teachings. 3. He confessed there was a gate of finding Christ, that he had never lighted upon. 4. The Christian Quakers know this gate, which is to wait upon him in the shinings of his Divine Light in their hearts, being retired unto the same in pure silence. 5. Silent wayting proved from many Scriptures. 6. An observable confession of S. R. that the Presbyterians have stinted a measure of so many ounce weights upon holynes, and no more. 7. Some very observable Testimonys out of the book called, The fullfilling of the Scripturs (highly commended by the Presbyterians) to some of the chief and main principles, experiences and practices of the people, called, Quakers. 8. A great out-leting of the Spirit in the West of Scotland about the year 1625. 9. Called by the profane rabble the Stewarton Sicknes: That caused a strange unusuall motion on the hearers, that some were made to fall over in the place and were carryed out. 10. The same Life and Power of God, and out-letting of his Spirit, but more clearly, is now among the Christian Quakers. 11. Many Presbyterians now joyn with the profane rabble, to call these unusuall motions (the reall effects of Gods Spirit among us) the signs of some diabolicall possession. 12. The Author of the Postscript guilty of this impiety. 13. Many Presbyterians, like the Scribes and Pharisees, who profeffed to owne the Spirit of God in Moses and the Prophets and denyed the same Spirit in Christ and the Apostles. 14. That glory that s • ined forth among them, disappeared, when they turned persecuters of others. 15. An objection answered. 16. The Author of the fullfilling of the Scripturs affirmeth, that there was an Apostolick Spirit lett out upon the first Reformers, which is inconsistent with their doctrine that immediat revelation is • eased. 17. That Robert Bruce had an extraordinary call to the Ministry. 18. That he keeped silence for a considerable time before he preached, as the Preachers among the Christian Quakers do. 19. He had the Spirit of discerning to know when a man preached not by the Spirit of God, and when he did, which is our experience also. 20. The Author confesseth it is something else to be a Minister of Iesus Christ, then to be a knowing and eloquent Preacher, which is contrary to the Presbyterian doctrine now, and according to the doctrine of the Christian Quakers. 21. Robert Bruce, his Prophecy, that the Ministry of Scotland would prove the greatest persecuters, that the Gospell • ad, fullfilled. 22. A wonderfull influence that Robert Bruce his prayer had not only upon those present but on some absent, that heard not his words. 23. The said Author confesseth, that the Presbyterians, are grossely mistaken concerning some Scripture truthes, and promises, that after shall be made clear. This we know fullfilled. 24. A loving exhortation to professors. 25. He doth acknowledge Immediat Teachings. 26. He calls their own prayers many times a peice of invention rather then a matter of earnest with the Lord. 27. He commendeth it in Robert Bruce, that he would not goe to preach without the Lord, which is contrary to the Presbyterian doctrine in our dayes. 28. He commends many things in th • se men that Presbyterians now condemn and reproach under the name of Quakerism.

HAving in my answer to the Postscript refered unto some places in S. R. his Epistles, and also unto that other book, called the fullfilling of the Scripturs: I shall in this last Section, cite some passages that do sufficiently answer unto those referrs.

1. In my first Section, I say, that I doe find very many unsound and unsavoury expressions in S. R. his Epistles, that the Life and Spirit of Christ in my heart doth not only not bear witness for, but against, and indeed the Scripture also doth beare witnesse against them. Of this sort I shall cite a few of many, 1 part. Ep. 12. The Bible beguiled the Pharisees. Surely this is a very unsound and unwary expression, and I dare say, had such an expression dropt from the penn of any called a Qua • er, it would have been called blasphemy. The Pharisees beguiled themselves, in wre • ting and misunderstanding the Scriptures, as the Priests do in our days; but the Bible, or Scripture is altogether innocent of this. Again, 1 part. Ep. 88 I am sure Christ hath by his death and blood • asten the knot so fast, that the fingers of Devils and hell-fulls of sins can not loose it. This is expressly contrary to the Scripturs testimony, that saith, your iniquitys have separated betwixt me and you. Surely such sin-pleasing doctrine, although it be sweet in the mouths of Professors, yet it is most unwholesom for their Souls, as sweet poyson: why did the Lord threaten the Romans, the Ephesians, the Laodiceans, to cutt them off, remove their candle • ick, and spue them out of his mouth, for their sins▪ if this mans doctrine be true, that hell-fulls of sins • an not loose the knot? Is not this to embolden people in all manner of sin, to tell them that hellfulls of sins can not separate them from Christ? If he had said, Those that are come to witnesse the indissolvible bond, or knot, betwixt Christ and them, are preserved pure, and free from all great and grosse • ins, at least; he had said more according to the truth, and the Scripturs testimony, which saith, he that abideth in Christ, sinneth not. And, if the righteous man turn from righteousnesse, it shall be forgotten. Again, 1 part. Ep. 181. We have need of a Saviour to pardon the very diseases and faul • s and weaknesses of the New man, and to take away (to say so) out godly sins, or the sins of our sanctification, the dross • and scumme of spirituall love. This is very un • ound to charge sin and filthynesse upon the work of the Spirit of God in the hearts of his people: whereas the Scripture saith, his work is perfect. And indeed how can any impure thing proceed from the Spirit of God, that is altogether a most pure and holy Spirit? Again, 2 part. Ep. 7. He who is woer and suiter, should not be an house-hold-man with you, till ye and he come up to his Fathers house together. This is contrary to the Scripture, which saith, I will dwell in them, and walk in them. And if any man will keep my commandments, my Father and I will come and make our abode with him. Hence the Saints on Earth are called Gods Temple and house. Again, 2 part. Ep. 48. The fruits that grow here, are all seasoned and salted with sin. A grosse, unsavoury expression! are the fruits of the Spirit, aslove, ioy, peace, gentlenesse, goodnesse, faith, long-suffering, meeknesse, temperance, &c. all salted and seasoned with sin? How then could the Lord relish and accept them? Again, 3 part. Ep. 9. Howb • it we be but half-hungered of Christ here. This is contrary to the promises of the Lord, and experience of the Saints: Did not David say, My cup overfloweth? And is it not said in the Song, Eat, O friends, drink abundantly, O beloved? And is it not promised in the New Convenant, they shall not hunger and thirst, &c.? And said Paul, that ye may be filled with the fulnesse of God. And of Barnabas it is said, he was a good man, and full of the holy Ghost. It's true all that is received in this life, is but as a first-fruits, and earnest of that to come; yet there is a very blessed and large enjoyment of Christ to be attained here, so that the faithfull can say, they want no good thing, and although they hunger, yet it is not for famine or want, but to sharpen their appetite. Yea in contradiction to himself he • aith, 1 part. Ep. 128. Pray for me his prisoner, that he would be pleased to bring me among you again, full of Christ, &c. And 1 part. Ep. 140. O thirsty love, wilt thou set Christ the well of Life to thy head, and drink thy fill, drink and spare not, drink love, and be drunken with Christ. But doth this agree with his former expression of being half-hungered of Christ here in this life? Again, 1 part. Ep. 62. he saith [Reprobats are not formally guilty of contempt of God, and misbelief, becaus they apply not Christ, and the promises of the Gospell to themselvs in particular, for so they should be guilty becaus they believe not a lye, which God never oblieged them to believe.] But this is to make God guilty of hypocrisy, that reproveth the world of unbelief, and offereth faith and Salvation unto all; nor doth God obliege them to believe a lye, becaus Christ hath given himself a ransome for all, and dyed for all, as the Scriptures expressly declare. Again, see 1 part. Ep. 3. Except a man mar • yr and slay the body of sin, in sanctifyed self-denyall, they shall never be Christs martyrs and faithfull witnesses. And yet in contradiction, he saith within 20 lines in the same Epistle, Howbeit we can not attain to this denyall of me and mine, that we can say, I am not my self, my self is not my self, mine own is no longer mine own, yet our aiming at this in all we doe shall be accepted. This is another sin-pleasing doctrine, plaine contrary to the Scripture, which faith, unlesse a man deny himself, &c. it doth not say, if he aime at it, he shall be accepted. Surely this is to • ue pillows under mens arme-holes, and to embolden them in sin; for who will not say, they aime at self-deniall, although they attaine not unto it? Again, see 1 part. Ep. 14. Some are partakers of the holy Ghost, and tast of the good Word of God, and of the powers of the life to come, and ye • have no part in Christ at all: cit • ing Heb. 6: 4. But this is a grosse contradiction, seing none are partakers of the holy Ghost, but by Christ. But these mentioned Heb. 6: 4. are such as having a part in Christ, may fall from him. Again, see 1 part. Ep. 50. The best regenerate have their defilements, and (if I may speak so) their draff-pack, that will clogg behind them all their days, and wash as they will, there will be fil • h in their bosome. A most unfavoury and unsound expression! contrary to the promises of God, and the experience of many that witnessed a cleansing from all filthinesse and sin. Again, 1 part. Ep. 27. All Christs good bairns goe to heaven with a broken brow, and with a crooked legge. Contrary to Scripture, which faith, Thou shalt walk in the way safely, and thy feet shall not stumble, Prov. • : 23. And Christ is a perfect Physician, who, as he cured the lame bodys of those that believed in him, perfectly, so doth he cure the lame • ouls of all his people, even perfectly; for no imperfect thing can enter into heaven. Again, see 1 part. Ep. 20. We are fools to be browden, and fond of a pawn in the loof of our hand, living on trust by faith, may wel content us. This he speaks as reproving such, who seek after spirituall feelings, and sensible enjoyments of Christ, which is according to his brethrens doctrine, that teach We should not seek to live by sense, (to wit, spirituall sense) but by faith; a grosse and unsound doctrine! as if faith and sense spirituall were opposite: whereas faith doth always, in some measure, imply some one spirituall sense or other, for unlesse we spiritually heare, or feel Christ in some measure, we can not believe in him, faith cometh by hearing, saith the Apostle; and is not faith a laying hold on Christ with the hands of our Soul? and how can we doe this, without all sense or feeling of him in a spirituall way? Surely the natural and outward senses are no more necessary for the preservation of the naturall life, then the inward and spiritual senses are necessary for the preservation of the Spiritual Life of the Soul.

Also he hath frequently in his Epistles, too airy and frothy expressions, no wise beseeming the weight of the matter those expressions relate unto, as 1 part. Ep. 120. Christ see • eth to leave heaven (to say so) and his Court, and come down to laugh and play with a daft bairne. Again, 1 part. Ep. 91. Will not a Father take his little dated Davie in his armes, and carry him over a ditch or a mire? Again, 1 part. Ep. 121. O if I could dote (if I may make use of that word in this place) as much upon himself, as I do upon his love.

This is a hint of some of these many unworthy, unsound and stumbling expressions, which are to be • ound in his Epistles, which I had not medled with to discover, but becaus many, and especially the Publisher, do so idolize this book of S. R. his Epistles, as if there were none beyond it, except the BIBLE.

2. In my second Section I say that S. R. in his more pure times both experienced and declared of Immediate Revelation, and the Spirits immediate teachings, as his Epistles abundantly witnesse: also that he plainly declareth, he had the counsell and mind of God in some things not to be found in Scripture. See for this, besides the testimonys I have already cited in the answer, these following, 1 part. Ep. 2. It was not without [Gods special direction] that the first sentence, that ever my mouth uttered to you, was that of John 9: 39. Again, 1 part. Ep. 9. It is little to see Christ in a book, as men do the World in a card, 〈…〉 of Christ by the book and the tongue, and no more; but to come nigh Christ, and hausse him, and imbrace him, is another thing. Again 1 part. Ep. 9. O his perfumed face, his fair face, his lovely and kindly kisses have made me a poor prisoner see there is more to be had of Christ in this Life, then I believed, we think all is but a little earnest, a four-houres, a small tasting we have, or is to be had in this life (which is true compared with the inheritance) but yet I know it is more, it is the kingdom of God within us. Again, 2 part. Ep. 2. O blessed Soul, that can leap over a man, and look above a pulpit up to Christ, who can preach home to the heart, howbeit we are all dead and rotten. Again, 2 part. Ep. 8. And sure I am it is better to be sick, providing Christ come to the bed-side, and draw by the curtains, and say, courage, I am thy Salvation, then to enioy health being lusty and strong, and never to be visited of God. Again, 1 part. Ep. 35. But at other times he will be messenger himself, and I get the cup of Salvation out of his own hand. Again, O how sweet is a fresh • isse from his holy mouth, his breathing, that goeth before a • isse upon my poor Soul, is swe • t, and hath no fault, but that it is too short. But that he • aith, • hat Christ drinketh to him, is a froathy and un • avoury expression, used by him in that same Epistle. And 3 part. Ep. 22. anent his transplanting he • aith, what God saith to me in the • ussinesse▪ I resolve 〈…〉 doe. And 1 part. Ep. 85. Now and then my silence burneth up my Spi • t, but Christ hath said, Thy stipend is running up with interest in heaven, as if thou 〈◊〉 preaching, and this from a Kings mouth rejoyceth my heart. And, 3 part. Ep. 37. Christ hath said to me, mercy, Grace and peace for Marjon 〈◊〉 . Again, 1 part. Ep. 154. We but stand beside Christ, we goe not unto him, to take our fill of him, but if • e should doe 〈◊〉 things, 1. draw the curtains and make bare his holy face, and then 2. clear our dim and bleared eyes to see his beauty and glory, he should find many lovers. This place is remarkable, for it holdeth forth both immediat subjective and objective revelation, according as the nationall teachers do themselvs define it, and indeed his words in all these testimonyes import no less. Again. 1. part. Ep. 201. O that • e would strick out windowes and fair and great Lights in this old house, this fallen down soul, and then sett the soul near hand Christ, that the rayes and beames of Light and the Soul delighting glances of the face, fair God-head might shine in at the windowes and fill the house. Again. 1. part. ep. 32. now he is pleased to feast a poor prisoner, and to refresh me with joy unspeakeable and glorious, so as the Holy Spirit is witness, that my sufferings are for Christs truth, and God forbid I should deny the • estimony of the Holy Spirit, and make him a false witness. Again. 1. par. ep. 120. Lord let me never be a false witness to den • that I saw Christ take the p • n in his hand and subscribe my writs. And part. 3. ep. 27. In privat, on the 17 and 18 of August, I got a full answer of my Lord to be a graced minister, and chosen arrow hidden in his own quiver but know this assurance is not keaped but by watching and prayer. These are but a small part of much more might be cited out of his Epistles, as testimonys to immediate revelation and the immediat teachings of the Spirit, yea to new revelations not to be found in Scripture, and yet, as I have above observed, after all this he joyned with the assembly at Westminster to cry down all such immediat revelation, and to affirme that God had committed his Counsell wholly to writing.

3. And although many of those called Presbyterians cry up S. R. as a man of so great experience in the things of God, yet I find himself ingenuously confess. 1. part. ep. 46. that there is a gate yet of finding out Christ, that he hath never lighted upon, and saith he, O if I could find it out!

4. Now this gate (blessed be the Name of the Lord, and to his eternall praise we can declare it) many thousands in this day do know, and by it they find Christ and do enjoy his living presence dayly, who is the bridegroome and husband of their souls, and this gate is, to wait upon him, in the shinings of his divine Light in their hearts, being retired and gathered unto the same, out of all their own thoughts, words and works, all their own willings and runnings in the self-will, all selfish motions, desires and inclinations of self, in pure silence and stillness of mind, waiting to feel his heavenly breathings and movings, which do rai • e up in us the true desire, and prayer that we may find him, and enjoy him, and as we have sought him by this gate, or after this manner, we have never missed in some measure, more or less, to find him.

5. This silent waiting to enjoy the presence of the Lord, is a mystery, and as a sealed book to Professors generally, and seemes to have been little or nothing known to this great Seer, as the Author of the Postscript doth call him, for I find nothing of it in his Epistles, and yet it is one of the most needfull and most profitable lessons and instructions for people to be instructed in, and the Scripturs Testimony is plain and clear concerning it, even of silent waiting. Lament. cap. 3. 26, 27, 28. It is good that a man should both hope and quietly (or in silence) wait for the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man • hat he beare the yoke in his youth, he sitteth alone and keepeth silence, because he hath borne it upon him. Psal. 46. 10. Be still (or silent) and know that I am God, Psal. 62. 1. Truly my soul is silent unto God, from him cometh my salvation. Eccles. 5. 2. Be not 〈◊〉 with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty 〈◊〉 utter any thing before the Lord. Zach. 2. 3. Be si • ent O all flesh before the Lord. And many more • cripturs may be brought to prove this so needfull and profitable instruction. As also here are manifest • xamples of this silent waiting in Scripture, both together and apart, Ezekiell 3: 15. The Prophet 〈◊〉 with them of the captivity seven dayes, and then 〈◊〉 Word of the Lord came unto him. And Esdras sat silent with the people untill the evening sacrifice: Esdra 9: 3, 4, 5. And the Prophet Elijah sat in a si • ent posture alone upon the top of mount Carmell waiting for the Word of the Lord, and the accomplishment thereof, casting himself downe upon the earth, and putting his face betwixt his knees. King. 18: 42. This is such a posture that if a man should use it in our dayes, people would say, he were mad, or possessed with the Devill, such is their ignorance of the way and work of God. And again. 1 King. 19. verse 2. The Lord appeared unto Elijah neither in the wind, nor earth-Quake, nor fire, but in the still or silent small voice, to wit, that is heard in the stillness or silence, of the Soul.

6. There is one particular more that I find in S. R. that I cannot omit to take notice of, in the same epistle 46. which I have above mentioned, either I know not (saith he) what Christianity is, or we have stinted a measure of so many o • nce weights, and no more, upon holynes and there we are at a stay. It were good for the Professors to consider this and be convinced of their error; whereas they say the holyest Man on earth doth sin dayly in thought word, and deed, yea every moment and cannot but sin continually; Is not this to stint a measure of so many ounce weights, or rather of a few grains upon holyness, yea altogether to annihilate it? For I know not how that can be called holyness, which cannot keep the soul one moment from sinning. However S. R. although here convinced of this errour, yet afterwards did fall foully into it, when he joyned with the divines, so called, at Westmunster, in that unchristian assertion that no man by any grace given of God, can perfectly keep the commandements of God, but doth dayly break them in thought, word & deed. This is a bold & presumptuons stinting & limiting the power and powerfull grace of God, in the hearts of his children, without all ground from Scripture, yea contrary to it, which saith, his commandements are not grievous, and his yoke is easy, and his burden Light.

7. Moreover, in my fourth Section, I referred to some thing related by the Author of The fullfilling of the Scripturs, concerning Iohn Welsh, Robert Bruce, and some others in those dayes, which I said, will not a little make for the present Testimony of the people cald Quakers. Now for proof of this, I shall give a few instances out of many more, which may be brought out of the said book.

8. First. The said Author telleth us (pag. 416. 2 edition) of a very solemne and extraordinary outletting of the Spirit in the West of Scotland, about the year 1625. and there after, which began in the parish of Stewarton (whiles the persecution was hat from the Prelatick party.)

9. Which by the prophane Rabble of that time, was called the Stewarton Sickness, and spread through much of that countrey particularly at Irvin, through the Ministry of David Dickson; of which he writes that few Sabbaths (meaning first dayes) did passe without some evidently converted, and some convincing proofs of the power of God accompanying his Word, yea that many were so choaked and taken by the heart, that through terrour, the Spirit in such a measure convincing them of sin, in hearing of the Word, they have been made to fall over, and thus carryed out of the Church, who after proved most solid and lively Christians. And says he, this great springtide of the Gospell was not of a short time, but for some years continuance, yea thus like a spreading Mooreburne, the power of godlyness did advance from one place to another, which put a marvellous Lustre on these parts of the country, the savour wherof brought many from other parts of the land to see the truth of the same. Again he telleth pag. 417. at the Kirk of the shots 20 of June 1630. that there was so convincing an appearance of God and down pouring of the Spirit; even in an extraordinary way, especially at that sermon, Juny 21. the day after their communion, with a strange unusuall motion on the hearers, who in a great multitude were there conveened of diverse ranks, that it was known (which he saith he can speake on sure ground) near five hundred had at that time a discernible change wrought on them, of whom most, proved lively Christians afterwards. Now that there was a true and reall appearance of God, and breaking forth of his power and out letting of his Spirit, upon many at that time, I veryly believe, and my soul hath unity with the testimony hereof, and diver other testimonys of this nature in the said book.

10. And certainly this was an immediat sensible appearance and revelation of the power and presence of God, accompanying the Ministry of that time, which produced such effects, and in truth the very same power and presence of God, with the very same and the like effects, is now again broken forth in our day, among the despised people called, Quakers, and that in much greater clearness, so that more sound principles are made known unto us, and many things, which were letts and snares unto them, are discovered unto us from the Lord.

11. And yet is it not a most sad and lamentable thing that Professors who cry up the appearance of God in that time, will not owne the same appearance of God in the nature and kind of it, although more clear, and glorious as to the measure, among us now: but joyn with the profane rabble, to call those unusuall motions, which are the reall effects of Gods power and Spirit powerfully seazing upon both souls and bodys of many among us, in great trembling, cryes and tears, the signes of some Diabolicall Possession, whereas the same persons, by sobriety of life and conversation, and by a walk as Christian-like as any of these a fore mentioned, & in many things exceeding them, and also by the savor of the life of Christ in them, have evidenced that they were led by the Spirit of God.

12. Yea the Author of • he Postscript is not affraid to impute these unusuall and extraordinary motions that some times appear in the bodyes of some of our friends, to a possession of Sathan, which if he did as knowingly as maliciously, might truely be called a blaspheming against the Holy Ghost. But they are judged here by some of their owne prophets, for seing it was the Spirit of God that raised these unusuall motions in them abovementioned, why should the like now be imputed to the Devill?

13. O how like is this generation of hypocriticall professors to the Scribes, and Pharisees and Iewes of old, who professed to owne the Spirit of God in Moses and the prophets, and yet rejected and resisted the same Spirit in Christ and the Apostles?

14. And it is observable, that this glory of God that appeared among them at that time, which was a time of persecution, although it continued for some years, yet afterwards when the Presbyterians got into the sadle themselvs, and turned persecuters of others that dissented from them, this glory did disappear, and in stead thereof, great complaining of deadness, as it is at this day, among them who have most ingenuity. This doth plainly show that they did not follow the Lord in his further leadings, but rather went back, otherwise this glory would not have departed, b • t continued, yea and increased among them.

And if some obiect, that this glory appeareing unto that people at a communion, to wit; at that; called the Sacrament of the Supper, it seemeth to be no small argument to prove that God did owne that externall action, as his ordinance, although the people called Quakers deny it to be a standing ordinance to the world and doe not practise it.

15. To this I answer, that it is observable that by the Authors own account the greatest outleting of the Spirit was not on their communion day, but on the day after, but that God did at times of that externall action of breaking bread, condescend unto them; regarding their sincerity, and gave manifestations of himself, will not prove that he commanded that thing unto them, or that their minds were not in an error, in laying too great weight upon that externall action, which was but a figure of the true communion; for the same Author doth acknowledge that the Spirit of God did also wonderfully accompany Luther in his Ministry, and yet Luther did most grossely erre; as in other things, so in the matter of the Sacrament, teaching that the body of Christ was consubstantiat with the bread and that the o •• ward mouth receiveth the body of Christ. And I believe, such as are sober and ingenuous of the Presbyterians will not deny, but that the Lord did pour out of his Spirit, upon those Bishops in England that dyed martyrs, that were both for Episcopacy and the Service-book; yet this proveth not, that God did owne these things, as his ordinances. It is the sincerity and earnest desires of mens souls after God, that he regardeth, although they be in error in some things which he winketh at, but doth not owne. Yea did not Christ wonderfully appear to Saul, while he was going to Damascus, to obtain an order to persecute the Saints, a very unl • wfull action, but this proveth not that God allowed 〈◊〉 in the same. Many other instances could be given to shew the weakness of that objection, and certainly in the darkest times of Popery, God raised up some to be ministers of his Spirit that yet continued to hold many Popish errors; as not only Bernard and Thauler, but even Iohn Huss who dis • ented little from the Papists in matter of doctrine, but mostly blamed their ungodly life.

16. A second instance I shall bring out of the afore-said Author, is, pag. 422. where he giveth as a sixt witness, &c. the convincing appearance of an extraordinary and Apostolick Spirit on some of these instruments, whom the Lord raised up in these last times, who as he saith had speciall revelations from the Lord of his mind anent things to come, &c. But how doth this agree with their confession of Faith, that saith, the former wayes of Gods revealing himself to his people are ceased since the Apostles dayes, and that there are no new revelations of the Spirit, but that God hath committed his counsell wholly to writing? And of such speciall revelations he mentioneth divers, which I refer the Reader to find in the said book.

17. A Third instance shall be that which the Author mentioneth of Robert Bruce, where I take notice of divers weighty particulars, as 1. that his call was extraordinary pag. 429. to wit, by an inward motion and pressing of the Spirit, and such a call I confess is extraordinary, as in respect of the greatest part of those, called Teachers, which yet is most ordinary, yea and most necessary to every true teacher and minister of Christ.

18. 2. He tells pag. 431. that it was the manner of Robert Bruce, for a considerable time to keep 〈◊〉 before he preached. And yet how do the Professors now blame our silence, when even such among us as the Lord hath given a true ministry unto, do find it at times their place to be silent a considerable time before they speak, and sometimes for a whole diet to be silent, as Ezekiel was of old? Now I besech them to consider what did this silence of R. B. mean, or what was his intent in being si • ent so long? was it not he waited to receive, • hat he was to speak from the Lord? Or at least to 〈◊〉 the Spirit and power of the Lord to assist him in what perhaps was in his heart to speak? and truely this is the very cause of our silence also, for we know that no preaching nor praying can availe to quicken or reach the soules of men, or profit either speaker or hearers, but that which is in the immediat moving and assistance of the Spirit of God.

19. 3. He telleth plainly pag. 431. that he had the Spirit of discerning in a great measure in so much that having heard a sermon preached by Robert Blair (it being the first he had preached) and he being desired by the said Robert Blair to give his judgment concerning the same, did give it, in these words I found, said he, your • ermon very polished and disgested, but there is one thing I did misse in it, to vvit, the Spirit of God, I found not that; This (as the Author saith) took a deep impression upon him and helped him to see, it was something else to be a minister of Jesus Christ, then to be a knowing and eloquent preacher. Pag. 453. But the professors generally in this day, deny any such Spirit of • iscerning, as whereby one knoweth; supposing him to be never so spirituall, when he heareth another preach, whether he doth preach by the Spirit of God, or no: & when we affirm that the Lord hath given such a discerning unto us they cry out many of them, as if it were blasphemy to assert any such thing. Again, whereas this Author saith, it is some vvhat else to be a minister of Iesus Christ, then to be a knovving and eloquent preacher: we say the same. But how farr doth this contradict the Presbyterians doctrine that grace or piety is not essentiall or necessary to the being of a minister of Christ, as Iames Durham expressly affirmeth in his book on the Revelation?

21. 4. The Author telleth us that the said Robert Bruce was deeply affected with the naughtiness and profanity of many ministers then in the Church, and the unsuitable carriage of others to so great a calling, and did express much his fear that the Ministers of Scotland would prove the greatest persecuters, that the Gospell had; And so in this we have found his words to be true, for the said Ministry of Scotland, even Presbyterian as wel as Episcopall are the greatest persecuters of the Gospell in this day, as formerly. And their doctrine, that Grace or piety is not essentiall to a Minister of Christ, nor an inward call by the Spirit, opens a door to such a naughty and profane Ministry.

22. Pag. 432. 5. He tells that on a certain time when Robert Bruce was at prayer in his chamber in Edinburgh, there was such an extraordinary motion on all present, so sensible a down-pouring of the Spirit, that they could hardly contain themselves, yea which was most strange, even some unusuall motion on those, who were in other parts of the house, not knowing the cause at that very instant: and one being occasionally present, when he went away said; O how strange a man is this? for he knocked down the Spirit of God upon us all; this he said, becaus R. B. did divers times knock with his fingers on the table And yet when such motions and effects are now witnessed, when the Servants of the Lord pray in our meetings, they will not believe, but in the same Pharisa • call, Anti-Christian spirit, as the Jewes said of Christ, they say of us, that we have a devil, for which I heartily wish that the Lord may forgive them, and open their hearts to understand and receive the Truth.

Many more observable passages might be cited out of the same book, to convince Professors, how these men, whom they have such an esteeme of, did both in principle, practice and experience, in many things agree with us, the People called Quakers, against themselvs, who boast to be their Successors and children, as the Iewes boasted, that they were the children of Abraham. But surely seing the Professors of this day, stop their ears at the inward voyce of Gods Spirit in their own consciences, and also at so many plain and clear testimonys of the Holy Scripture, that make so abundantly for the Testimony of Truth owned by us. I little expect that the testimonys of these men will prevail with many of them, yea although even they should come from the dead, and witnesse for the Truth, against them, as Christ said in the 〈◊〉 , If they will not believe Moses and the Prophets, neither will they believe, if one should be raised from the dead. Yet for the sake of many others among them, of whom I have hope that God will in due time effectually reach them and open their eyes, I have found my heart moved and drawn by the Lord to be at this paines, for the good of whose soules I could willingly by the Grace of God endure much labour, suffering and affliction both inwardly and outwardly, that they might see and owne the glorious work and appearance of God among us, and be brought to enjoy the same with us.

23. And here in the close of all, I shall cite a passage of this Author himself, which may be of service to some who are willing to understand, how that the Presbyterians, even the most knowing and experienced of them, did not know all that was afterwards to be revealed.

Page 35. He saith, We wait and believe the further accomplishment of this promise (to wit, the words, Dan. last: ver. 4. Many shall runne to and fro, and knowledg shall be increased) to the Church, beyond all we have yet seen, that many Scripture truths now dark and abstruse, shall be made so clear, as shall even cause us to wonder at the grosse m • stakes we once had thereof, yea that after generations shall have a discovery and uptaking of some prophecys now ob • cure, which shall as farr exceed us, as this time goeth beyond former ages, which comparatively we must say were very dark.

24. Now I earnestly obtest and beseech such among them, as have any measure of true tendernesse and ingenuity, and do believe these words of this Author, to consider in the cool of their minds if possibly these principles and doctrins among us, which they have called grosse errours and delusions of Satan, may not be these Scripture truths, whereof the Author speaketh, and that their condemning such principles were but their gros • e mistakes, yea surely we know it to be so, and many of us that were formerly Presbyterians, are now made to wonder at our grosse mistakes, which we then had. But this I understand of such as are really owned by us, not of those which they do falsly alledge and impose upon us. I shall cite one or two passages more of this Author, and then leave it to the impartial and ingenuous judge, if they do not arrive, upon the matter at the same, which many of his Brethren reproach and nick-name with the Profane rabble under the termes of Enthusiasme and Quakerism.

25. Pag. 112. He saith—There is a demonstration within, which goeth further then the judgment, and passeth naturall understanding, whence we feel, we tast, we enjoy, yea his voyce is heard in the Soul, which we surely know to be his.

This is a plain testimony to inmedtat Revelation, which is our main principle, and is so greatly opposed in this day, by Presbyterians, as much as others.

Again, pag. 229. He speaketh of an immediate teaching of the Spirit, and of a mighty power of God that can witnesse (in many young ones) ere they can wel speak, or exercise Reason, the power of Religion.

Again, pag. 120. speaking of Prayer, he saith, It may seeme strange, how easily we can step out from the world and the noyse thereof, in before the Lord, without the least pause or time interveening.

26. And again, he saith, Alas! It's sad, this seemes rather a piece of invention many times, then a matter of earnest with the Lord. • to what a classe can such a piece of Atheisme be reduced, as appears (saith he) in our nearest approaches unto God?

27. And lastly, as concerning preaching, he commendeth it in the said Robert Bruce, that at a certain time wrestling earnestly with the Lord by prayer, before he came into the assembly, he was heard say in his prayer, Vnto the Lord, I protest I will not goe, except thou goe with me. How farre are the Presbyterian Teachers now gone from this, that say, Grace is not absolutely necessary to a minister of Christ, and plead both for preaching and praying without the Spirit) and after that, be went forth and preached in such evidence and demonstration of the Spirit, that by the shining of his face, & that showr of divine influence that the word spoken was accompanyed with, it was easy for the hearer to perceive that he had been in the Mount with God, and that he had indeed brought that God, whom he had met with in privat, into his mothers house, and into the chambers of her that conceived him. Pag. 444.

28. These and many other passages in that book can not but force an acknowledgment from any, that read it, & are ingenuous, that it doth greatly commend and Justify that, which Presbyterians now greatly condemn, under the termeof QVAKERISM.

FINIS.