The light of truth triumphing over darkness and ignorance, error and envy manifested in Robert Gordoun's late pretended testimony to the true Saviour : wherein every one whose eye is open may see his seat, and who have salt in themselves may favour his words, work and spirit and discern his deceitful dealing by smitting the innocent in secret, yet not with that subtilty which is able to cover in this day wherein light is manifesting the works of darkness : so, the Devil was here deficient but envy slays the foolish man : given forth in the 2 moneth 1670 / by George Keith, & G. White-head. Keith, George, 1639?-1716. 1670 Approx. 102 KB of XML-encoded text transcribed from 22 1-bit group-IV TIFF page images. Text Creation Partnership, Ann Arbor, MI ; Oxford (UK) : 2004-03 (EEBO-TCP Phase 1). 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A47156) Transcribed from: (Early English Books Online ; image set 63604) Images scanned from microfilm: (Early English books, 1641-1700 ; 962:39) The light of truth triumphing over darkness and ignorance, error and envy manifested in Robert Gordoun's late pretended testimony to the true Saviour : wherein every one whose eye is open may see his seat, and who have salt in themselves may favour his words, work and spirit and discern his deceitful dealing by smitting the innocent in secret, yet not with that subtilty which is able to cover in this day wherein light is manifesting the works of darkness : so, the Devil was here deficient but envy slays the foolish man : given forth in the 2 moneth 1670 / by George Keith, & G. White-head. Keith, George, 1639?-1716. Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723. Gordon, Robert, fl. 1669-1675. Testimony to the true Saviour. [2], 18, 9 [i.e. 22] p. s.n.], [S.l. : 1670. Reproduction of original in Union Theological Seminary Library, New York. 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Keying and markup guidelines are available at the Text Creation Partnership web site . eng Society of Friends -- Doctrines. 2003-01 TCP Assigned for keying and markup 2003-02 Aptara Keyed and coded from ProQuest page images 2003-10 Tonya Howe Sampled and proofread 2003-10 Tonya Howe Text and markup reviewed and edited 2003-12 pfs Batch review (QC) and XML conversion The Light of Truth Triumphing Over Darkness an●●gnorance , Error and envy . Manifested in Robert Gordouns late pretended testimony to the true Saviour . Wherein every one whose eye is open may see his Seat ; And who have Salt in themselves may favour his words , work and Spirit and discern his deceitful dealing by smitting the innocent in secret , yet not with that subtilty which is able to cover in this day wherein Light is manifesting the works of darkness . SO , The Devil was here deficient BUT Envy siays the foolish man. Given forth in the 2 Moneth 1670. By George Keith ▪ & G. White-head . Printed in the year 1670 , R. G. Having had knowledge of thee from the beginning and acquantance with thee through many years , and a love for the● , ●nd regard to thee , I found a readiness in 〈◊〉 to signifie My sense of thee and sorrow for thee in that spirit and mind which could d●light to do thee a service in Love. But indeed thou appearest before me as one very uncapable ( in that spirit and state wherein thou stands ) of a return to the Lord or of a steady Conductor to thy bewildred minde , the traversing of which without a guide hath centred it in a Whirle pool . And in thy reelings thou art now resolved thou wilt fight , neither with great no● small , but with the King of Israel : The Light of 〈◊〉 . I have often wisht thee to come under its banner , that it might have become thy covering , then had not darkne●s covered thy understanding nor the Fogs of lirror so confounded thee but that thou might have seen thy way out of the mire and clay wherein thou art toyling thy self , travelling in pain and bringing ●orth th● wind . It did not a little astonish me , upon a view of thy book to find thee ( whom I judged had attain'd a measure of reason ) setting up thy own shaddow , in thy own immagination , and then cudggelling it down again as though thou wert encountring an Army , for where did 〈◊〉 the people called Quakers deny that body ( prepared of God to do his will in ) which suffered at Jerusalem by wicked hands ? which thou seems to take for granted ; and then labours like a man in a sweat , ( and indeed thy labour is in the fire ) to prove its existence in that day of its service and its necessity as to mankind , which by them was never denyed , and I dare thee , and all men upon the earth to prove they did or do . I take notice of thy acknowledgement in the 4 pag. of thy book , that the manifestation of God in the flesh of Christ , was that their by way might be opened for the ministration of the other mistery 〈…〉 , separating them and making the one subservient to the other , and yet after runs against it ●n the whole scope of thy work : which is m●nifest beyond all gain saying ▪ 〈…〉 qualification and a work to be wrought and that by a Spirit too ? ●ven as though the words had been expresly written to give thy words th● lyc . I am really sorry for thee , and my very 〈…〉 d●sir●d and doeth thy good ) and mark thy self that if possib●● thou might see the confusion ●hy enemy drives thee into , fo● within ten lines after on the same page thou says , seeing the travel of his soul rested well pl●ased that he might make it effectual within every man , end yet before , no work to be 〈◊〉 in any man by any light or spirit : Oh Robert whether drives thou ? whether art thou driven ? I marke one thing more pag. 4. thou says , He hath already subdued all , made an ●nd of sin compleated the work of 〈◊〉 ▪ redem●tion , dyed for Us and reconcil●d Us to God &c. and as I was weighing it in my mind what or whom thou did intend by the words , Our , and Us , That other part of thy book came before me pag. 13. where thou says : he did bear Our sins in his body on the tro● , Propitiation for the sins of the 〈◊〉 world past present and to come , so then it appeared by the word Us thou intends the whole world . Nevertheless ( to go round again ) thou pleads with a generation , saying that their pleading a faith in his death and sufferings , interest in the satisfaction and attonement made to God through his blood ▪ pag. 6 , Will not shelter them from the wrath of the Father , pag. 7. What I not shelter them , and yet Christ a propitiation for their sins past present and to come , what incongruous work is this , which they that runs may read . Several other pass●ges in thy book are observable , and I do not charge thy intention with blasphemy but thy work unawares Vergeth near it , for pag. 22. thou says of Christ who was never defiled , having the iniquities of us all in h●s body &c. how unsound are thy words ? and in pag. 24. thy words are , Spiritual m●sticall ●l●goricall Christ , light within us , Spirit and po●er in the man Christ. And now does thou know what thou speakes ? to Catigorize a Spiritual and an Alegoricall Christ identically , and so in effect mak● them both one . Thou hast sometimes accused some for Alegorizing his body of flesh , but now thou darest do it to his Spiri● ; I wish thou knew the weight of this and what tendency it hath to make void the faith converting its object into a Chimaera . In the same page thou says : if in every man this seed or Christ is not saved : doeth it remain for ever under condemnation ? There is a supposition and a question from it of thy own forming , and presently thou concludes it a doctrine of some others , saying , oh how contrary is this doctrine ? First it is gross confusion in thy self , to call a supposition and question , a doctrine , and secondly it is a smitting in the dark , by thy implying and raking for granted there is a people that hold it . If thou meanest the people called Quakers a●cuse them openly , if not then clear them , of the many inconsequent implycations of thy book which many do and will understand to be against them until thou put off thy Viza●d . But it is enough to me , ( and I wish it may be serviceable to thee for good ) that some faith●ul friends of truth have in love to truth and to thee set thy work before thee as in a glass , that happily thou may see thy self by their labour of Love which after followes ▪ else I might have found in my heart to have dealt with thy book throughout , and I am satisfied in due time thy own words will become thy burden , but still I wish it may be for thy good for I have a real Love to thee and regard for thee as I said at first . A. Robeson . Light set over Darkness . In somewhat writ in answer unto a printed paper published by R. G. ( so far as it Concerns us the people called in deri●ion Quakers and our principle ) wherein he hath both difing enuously represented us , and darkly ) and ignorantlly opposed our principle , even Iesus Christ ▪ the true light w●h enlightning every man that comes into the world that all through him might believe and in believing might all aim unto eternall life and salvation . R. G I have seen and considered thy book or paper entitled A T●stim●ny to the true Saviou● , and I find somewhat in me from the Lord to answer thee in Love to thy soul , and in a zeal for God and his truth and people , whom the spirit that hath set thee on work , to write this book hath laboured to vail and cloud that the light of the glory thereof , might not shine forth , but its work is in vain , for the truth shineth forth in brightness over all that confusion , mist and darkness by which it seeks to hinder it , and indeed the youngest child of truth may see thy weakness , and confusion herein , and how thou figh test as one beating the air against that precious people , and their testimony whom though thou doest not expressly design , yet any who reads thy book , and are acquainted with us and our principle , wi●l see that thy book is levelled mostly against us , and our principle ▪ its very design being to cast mire and durt upon us , and to marre the visage and beauty of that precious truth , the Universal light which is within , but it is returned upon thee and this stone which thou rejects , and seeks to perswade others to reject is set over thee , and will be too b●rthensome for thee , if in time thou repent not . I finde not my self concerned to take a particular notice of all thy words , so as to give a particular answer to them , onely so far , as thou manifests both thy own confusion , and self contradiction on the one hand , and thy opposition to the sound and wholesome words of truth together with thy disingenious stating and wresting of that pure do●ctrine affirmed and declared by us , on the other . In the second and third page thou writes of two snares , wherewith some are intangled , which are summed up in this , to wit the dividing these two great Gospell Misteries , and setting the one in opposite terms against the other , contrary to the tenden●y of the Holy Scripture● , and what these Snares are thou more particularly expresses , pag. 5. — But there are some upon the one hand , so zealous for Christ ( thou says ) and what he did for u●●n his Crucified body without us that they n●glect in themselves , and ●ppose in others the mistery of Christ within as a matter of no co●cernment at all to them &c. and this thou reckons the first snare and indeed a snare i● is , and that very dangerous and dreadfull ▪ but for all thy work to discover this snare to others , thou art found intangled in it thy sel● , and intangling others with thee , as much as thou can ●s I may afterwards make appear . The second snare thou mentions , is that some on the other hand , pretend so much zeal , for this mistery , Christ within , the opperations a●d acting of the Spirit of God in themselves , that they deny the mistery of God in the flesh of Christ ▪ as a matter of any necessity to them , as to redemp●ion reconc●liation , and justifica●●on &c ▪ which charge thou plainly directs against us ca●led in d●rision Quakers , as may appear by the import of thy discourse , though th●u does not expre●ly name us , to which I say it is a fa●se charge , nor are we guilty of it ▪ as also thou false●y alleadges , tha● we recko● to accomplish this in our own bodies , each for himself throu●h obedience to the Law , or Light in his Conscience , which Light they call Christ , Redeemer a●d onely Saviour , without r●spect to the ●rue Christ ▪ and ou● onely Saviour Jesus Christ of Nazareth . I say this is false , for ●hough we say Reco●ciliation , and justification , and Redemption is wrought in us ▪ by Christ ▪ yet not without respect to Christ , even as outwardly manifest , born , and crucified &c. for our justification &c ▪ hath a true and real , and certain respect to Christ both as inwardly manife●●ed in us , and also as manifested in that body of flesh which was crucified in 〈◊〉 &c for we do believe that he took upon him the form of a servant ev●● in the outward and died even in the outward , and offered up even his very flesh ▪ through the eternal Spirit in the outward , as a sacrifice of a sweet smell ▪ and atonem●nt unto God , in order to our justifica●ion and reconciliation with God , so as thereby he prepared or made ready the way , for our justification ▪ though our justification was not s●●ply and absolutely thereby wrought , as if no more were to be done by him and his Spirit in us or as if his outward body , flesh , blood , and life were the onely sacrifi●● , and propitiation , exc●uding the inward . And now if I should stop here , and proceed no furthe● I give a sufficient testimo●y ●gainst thy f●lse charge upon us , yet I must say somewhat f●rther for the clearing this matter , for whereas thou not onely affirms that Salvation and justification hath a necessary respect to Christ his taking on him the form of a Servant or man , in the outward , and ●umbling himself therein , even to the outward death ( which we also grant God having so ordained it to be ) but also thou seems to affirm , that the express knowledge and b●li●f of his taking on him the form of man , and his ob●d●en●● and sufferings therein is of a●s●lute necessity unto all and every one , for salvation , so as none could be saved without that express knowledge , though it was never revealed to them . This I deny , how canst thou prove this by Scripture , for may not the benefit of Christ his taking on him , the form of a man redound unto many , who do not expresly know it ( they having a true light within them ) even as a diseased person may receive benefit of a cure applyed to him thou●h he has not an express knowledge of all the names and ways , ●ow from first to last it hath been prepared , and even as many have s●ffered hurt , through the disobedience of the first man to wit Adam who have not known expresly that ever such a man was , or the manner of his disobedience . So why may not even many receive benefit , through the obedience of Christ , in the outward , who have not known expresly his outward coming and sufferings ? otherwise Adams disobedience were more effectual for mans destruction , then the obedience of Christ were for his Salvation . As for what thou writes against those , who pretend to the imputed righteousness of Christ &c. but under all this retaining and indeed entertaining the Serpents nature in their souls &c. as in pages 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 11 , it toucheth not us , for we have no such principle , not beliefe , and thou hast need to examine thy own heart , lea●t thou be found in this snare thy self , does thou retain , or entertain , nothing of the Serpents nature in thee yea art thou ●ot of such a belief , that sin doth of necessity live ▪ in thy soul , and thou cannot be freed so from it , but that it must live in some measure in thy soul , for term of life , and is not sin th● Serpents nature , and if it cannot but live in thee , does thou not retain , yea entertain it in thy soul ? for surely sin cannot live in any measure ▪ where it finde● no entertainment ? yea as to this matter art thou not in con●usion , and contradiction to thy self ; for though thou blames them , who pretend to the imputed righteousness of Christ , but under all this re●aining , yea entertaining the serpents nature , pag. 6 yet p. 16 thou expresly pleads for Redemp●ion in another for us , while ●in is within , and to 〈◊〉 otherways , thou calls it an arguing with God , and charging him with folly , how wilt thou rid thy self heir of Confusion and contradiction to th● self , I might take notice of divers other unfound words of thine from pag. 1. to pag. 10. but desiring to be short , I shall pass them ▪ and onely take into consideration another piece of confusion and contradiction to thy self , for pag. 9. thou says , Of one who is dead in sins and trespasses , and remains so still , that he is a child of wrath , as well as others , and is altogether so sti●l and yet pag. 12 ▪ thou affirms that God is fully attoned , perfectly reconci●ed to man , &c. sing●y and solely upon the acco●●t of the active and passive obedience of the man Jesus Christ of Nazar●●h , done in his crucified body without us , ●nd this thou would inter from , 2 ●ar . 5. 18. and thou further add● that he ( to wit Paul , in the cited place ) mentions not any consideration ▪ qualificatio● ▪ or work wrought , or to be wrought in any man , by any Light or Spirit whatsoever , now is not this confusion and contradiction to ●hy self . First to say a man dead in ●ins or unsanctified altogether is altogether a ch●ld of wrath , Secondly to say , that God is fully and perfectl● attoned and reco●ciled with him , in this state , for what 〈◊〉 ●t to be a child of wrath , but that the wrath of God is upon him ▪ and against him , and yet says thou God is fully reconcil●d with such , altogether children of wrath , and yet God is fully attoned , perfectly reconciled with them , is it not palpable confusion , and contradiction ? nor does that cited place 2 Cor. 5 18 prove what thou intends ▪ onely thou wrests it , as that thou say● , he says not God , is yet to be reconciled but he is alread● fully reconciled but say I with whom is he 〈◊〉 reco●c●led with unbelievers , and unsanctified persons ? but the Apostles words are in that place hath reconciled us viz. us who believe and are sanctified , but of the world he saith reconciling , so not reconciled yea in the sa●e place he mentions a qualification to be wrought by the Spirit , on their parts ▪ in order to their full reconciliation . viz that they be reconci●ed to God be ye reconciled to God said he . And pag. 13. I hou affirms that faith is but the evidence of that red●mption , and salvation already wrought by Christ for us , citing that Scripture , Heb. 11. 1 but though the Apostle say , faith is the evidence of things not seen , he does not 〈◊〉 , it is but the evidence , as excluding it from being any quali●●cation requisite unto redemption , or justification , yea he calls it also a sub●ance of things hoped for . And here I shall take not●ce , how thou art fallen into that principle of the 〈…〉 so c●lled who maintain that men are justified with God ▪ before 〈…〉 , and that faith is onely the evidence of ju●●●fication ▪ But 〈◊〉 th●n brings no s●fficient proves of Scripture to 〈…〉 53● 6 of 〈◊〉 . nor 2 Cor. 5. 18. 2● ▪ nor Act ▪ 4. nor Gal. 44. Give any ground for it that God is fully attoned , perfectly reconci●ed with u●beli●vers , for though he was made sin for us , and that God had laid ●n him the iniquities of us all , yet the unbelievers do still remain under the burthen of sin and they are concluded in it , & wrath is revealed in them against it , as saith the Scripture , and God is against them in it , till they be agreed with him through faith and fancti●●cation ( ag●●e said he with th●ne adversary , &c. ) and there is ●o peace to the wicked saith my God , it is not s●id , there is no evidence or intimation of peace to them , but there is no peace to them while they so continue & as for the one o●●●ing once for all , yet the fr●it and effect thereof is not given unto ●ll , so ●s that all ●re justified for many are condemned , he that believeth not , said Christ is condemned already . I come now to examine thy assertion , page 10. which tho● indeavors to confirm ▪ through the most part of thy paper , and it is this . Secondly ( says thou ) there is another snar● carrying death also in the bosome of it , though covered with the smooth words of power , spirit , and light within , and it is tha● spirit that publisheth that the light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world , is the true Christ , our only Sa●iour , Mediator and Redeemer , and that there is not another , and that man 〈◊〉 to head , and to be joyned to this light , as that , which as 〈◊〉 condemns him , so i● able of it self to save and rede●m him ▪ as he becomes obedient thereun●o ▪ Here with open mouth thou smi●es against our principl● , even Jesus Christ the true light that en●ightens ●v●ry man that c●m●th into the wo●l● , that all through him might believe , though thou may remember that some time formerly thou h●●t c●nfess●d to it ▪ and also pleaded for it , but thou hast given way to the darkness which hath clouded any sma●l conviction of thi● truth in thy soul , and now turned thee into ●nmity against it , and that th● darknes● hath ruled thee in this work appears plain●y from thy manifold confusion and contradiction to thy self wherein thou art intangled pag. 17. thou says this Doctrine ( declari●g the Light and Power 〈◊〉 Spirit within , to be Christ , the only Mediator and Saviour , ) asserts another Christ , another Saviour then him J●sus Christ of Nazareth , wh● 〈◊〉 conceived of the Holy Ghost , and born of 〈◊〉 Ma●y , and yet pag. 5. tho● ple●ds for Christ within ▪ and blames them who neglect in thems●lv●s , and oppose in oth●rs the mistery of Christ wi●hin , yea page 7 〈…〉 , for Christ formed within men , saying to them that without dyi●g to the old Nature of sin , and rising i● the new 〈◊〉 of right●o●s●●s● ▪ 〈◊〉 so Christ formed within you , you cannot in●●rit the Kingdo● who of the weak●st disc●rning cannot see thy self contra●●ction here ●ea and thy enmity to the mist●ry of Christ within ! though at times forge●●ing and contradicting thy ●elf , thou seems to be for ●t , but if thou were indeed for this mistery Christ within as he is the seed , the 〈◊〉 , the Power and the Life , tho● would not say that such Doctrine asser●● another Christ , then him Jesus Christ of Nazareth , for Jesus Christ is still one and the same , the Saviour , and Mediator , and R●deemer is still one and not divided , there ●re not two Christs , one without , 〈◊〉 of the Virgi● Mary , and another within , formed within , but it is one and the same Lord Iesus Christ ▪ who in the fulness of time , took upon him , the form of ● servant , and was found in the true form of a Man born of the Virgin Mary , who was also in the beginning with God , and was the Gift of the Fathers love unto man , from the begi●ning , to be in them , and unto them Light and Life to enlighten ●nd quicken them unto God. But now let us a little weigh the weight of those arguments , which thou 〈◊〉 against th●s Doctrine ; of the Light within , being the Saviour , and saving them , who become joined a●d obedient thereunto ▪ First thou s●ys , this Doctrine is of no less consequence , then to establish agai● the Covenant of wor●● ▪ which speaketh thus ▪ do this , and live thereby , making void the Righteousness , which is of Faith in Christ which speaketh on this wise , believe , and thou shalt be saved . To which I say nay , this Doctrine doth not est●blish the Covenant of the works of the Law , mentioned by the Apostle , by which no flesh can be justified , no● doth it make void the Righteousness which is of Faith , Chri●t for the Righteousness which is of Faith in Christ doth well consist 〈◊〉 stand with obedience to Christ the seed , and with works which are wrought in the vertue and strength of him , the seed formed within , raised within , living ●ithin , ye● their consistence is so necessary , that they cannot be divided , for ●aith without works i● dead , but thou art ignorant of the Nature of the New Covenant , or Righteousness of faith as if it excluded works , and doing and as if doing were prop●● only to the Old or first Covenant , in order to justification , which is false , for both th● first and the second Covenant require●h doing , and works , but after a different manner , the first Covenant ▪ putt●th man upon doing , without giving unto him , that grace and life , which ●s sufficient , to make his works acceptable unto God , perfectly and ●hroughly , which i● o●ly ●dministred in the incorr●ptible seed of ●ife , in its arisings , and springings up in the heart , and so the first Covenant or Law comes before the seed be raised , or brought forth ▪ and requires man to do such things ▪ in th● state . ●ut man can giv● no prefect obedience to this law for it onely condemns him , and g●ves him the knowledge of sin ▪ but gives him no spiritual life , for the life is in the ne● Covenant and springeth up in the seed thereof , and so the first Covenant or Law is called in Scripture the Carnal Commandment , and it● seed and birth is Carnal , o● accor●ing to the flesh , which cannot give unto man to perform perfect obedience unto God ▪ for the Law makes nothi●g perfect but the bringing in of a better hope which is the power of an endless l●fe , in the incorruptible immortal spiritual and heavenly seed not onely requireth p●rfection and perfect obedience , but bringeth to it and giveth power to answer and perform it , for the new Covena●t ●ath a se●d and birth that is not carnal and weak but spiritual and powerful , and requireth obedience and works of and from men , in this even in the virtue , power , and life of this spiritual seed , and of this Ishmael and Isa●ck , Esa● and Jacob , were figures , as the Apostle declares in the Epistles to the Galla●ians and Romans , Ishmael and Esau , sig●ifie the chi●dren of the ●lesh , or fleshl● seed , who are the child●en of the old or first Covenant , who cannot attain unto the blessing of full and perfect justification and acceptance with God through all they can do ▪ but the ●lection attaineth it the elect seed , and the children thereof ▪ who are born not of the flesh , but of the ●pirit , not of a fleshly seed , but a sp●rit●●l , not of the first Adam , but of the second , who are the children of Abraham , according to the spirit , of whom Is●●ck and Jacob were figures , and though the new Covenant requireth faith or beli●ving yet it requireth not onely faith , but works also , in order to a full and perfect justification with God , for Abraham was justified by works , and not by ●aith only so Rachab , so Phir●ha● and the Apostle saith ▪ R●m . 8. 13. If ye thro●gh the spirit do mortif●e the the deeds of th● body , yee shall liv● , so th● new Covenant requireth both ●aith and works too ; believing and doing , but believing is the first thing ▪ it requireth men not simply to do ▪ without respect to ●aith in Christ the seed , but requireth each in their order as ●hat men should believe and do , for its faith which draw● life from Christ and expresseth it in works , which render them living and acc●ptable unto God ▪ ( otherwise they are dead ) so people must first believe , and then to their faith they must adde vir●ue &c. and this believi●g is a winni●g of the very heart , and soul of man , unto the Light and ●pirit and power of Christ , within , manifest in the ●eed through which strength ▪ is rece●ved to give perfect obedience to God. Moreover that the new Covenant requireth doing , is plain from D●ut . 30. 14. But the word is very near unto thee ▪ even in thy mouth , and in thy heart ▪ for to do it , which word , the Apo●tle Paul , expounds to be the wo●d of Faith and ●ighteousnes● of Faith , ( Rom. 10. 8 ) which ●e preached and that was the new Covenant I have been the more large in ope●i●g this matter , because it will give occasion unto me , to return a clear and full answer , in very few words , to all thy other ca●nal and unlearned objections and reasonings against the Truth in this particular , as in that thou brings for a second Argument that Paul said , b● the works of the L●w , 〈…〉 , &c. And here thou adds by way of exposi●ion ▪ that is by our obedience to the Law , either written in Tables of stone , or to the Law ▪ or Light in the Conscience , but this exposition has ●o ground from Scripture , and it s but a figment of thy own invention of darkness for its clear , by the works of the Law , Paul understands the law of the first Covenant as the Jews imitation of the Letter are outward●y administred , before the spiritual seed of Lif● be raised ; which hath in it ▪ the Law of the Spirit of Lif● in Christ Jesus ▪ for the justification is in the seed and these works only are j●stified ▪ which are done in the Life and vertue thereof , nor is thy third objection of any more weight , as wh●re the Apostle saith , Had there been a Law given , wh●ch co●ld hav● given life , ve●ily right●ousn●ss should have been by the Law , for it is manifest he understands the Law of the first Covenant , which was the ministration of death , and no● of Life , but the Law of Christ , or the Law of the spirit of Life in Christ Jesus giveth life , and so justification is by this Law , and yet fai●h is not made void , nor the promise made of none effect , 〈◊〉 the reward reckoned not of Grace but of debt , for this law , is of Grace , and of promise , and the whole obedience giv●n to it ▪ is all of the free Grace of God in Christ Jesus , and the same answer may serve to that other Scripture cited by thee , ● man is ju●●●fied by ●aith without the deeds of the law , and to him that worketh not , &c. Which excludes the deeds and works of the law of the first Covenant , or the works of any law ▪ from justification , which is not given forth and administred in the E●ect noble and royal , and ●●mortal and incorruptible ●eed of life ▪ for before this seed be raised all are under transgre●●ion 〈…〉 further says ▪ Th●t the Apo●●le concludes them ign●rant of ▪ and not submi●●i●g to the r●ght●ousness of God , who go about to establish th●ir own righteousn●ss , by the works of the Law , so say we also but the r●ghteousness which is in the elect seed and the works thereof , are not that self righteousness , but the righ●●ousness of God , and is our righteousness , as Christ is ours , ev●n by the free grace & gift of the Fat●er . So having thus cut the 〈…〉 seeming strength , thy carnal objections may have with weak people , I shall not ne●d further to answer particularly thy other words hereab●ut ▪ seeing they contain no force of Arguments , but are only thy bare assertions and positions , which wanting a sufficient foundation fall of themselves . Thou further alleadges page 15. That to affirm just●f●cation , to b● in obed●ence to the Light 〈◊〉 , is to make him who is indeed the good Samarita●e ▪ to be no better th●n the Priest and ●he Levite , who looked upon the w●●●ded man and so passed by , but hast thou not here gross●ly manifested thy weakness and shallowness ▪ does he not the part of ●he good Samarita●● , in coming i●to our wounded souls in powring in the Wine and Oyl of his blessed spirit life and vertue , to cleanse and 〈◊〉 them , yea if he did not appear in us , and justifie 〈◊〉 within , work Redempt●●on ●nd Salva●●on from sin in our hearts , he might ●e said rather to pass by us , as the Priest and th● Levite . But that both here and oft elsewhere thou insin●ates ; as if we had no respect to his outward coming and sufferings in order to justification , is a ●●lfe and disi●genious alleadg●nce of thin● , we dearly own and respect him , in bot● the way● of his coming , an● do not set the one in opposition to the other , nor divide them , for they are in Unity ; and work together ( according to the Eterna● pu●pos● of God ) for the full and per●ect deliverance and Sa●vation of Man , and who receive him , in his inward coming , and become subj●ct to him ▪ receive the ●enefit of his ou●ward coming , receive the ben●fit of his sufferings and death ▪ his suffering and death is thei●s , and they who witness him to live in them , may 〈◊〉 , it is Christ , who dyed who can cond●mn , who have hi● Lif● in them , have any interest in his death , and his blood cleanseth them from all sin , but who seeks to rely upon his outward coming , and suffering● ▪ and deny and crucifi● his appearance of Light , and Life in their heart● , have no p●rt in him . But thou altogether excludes his inward coming by his Life and Spirit in mens hearts , from havi●g any share in mens Redemp●ion , and Salvation , whereas the Apostle speaks of being sav●d by his Life , and mentions ● ▪ day of Redemption ▪ that was yet to come , after his outward sufferings , u●to which those who first believed in him , were 〈◊〉 , and though the Apo●●le says ▪ if while we were enemies , we were reconciled to God , by 〈◊〉 death of his Son , yet he adds , much more shall we besaved by his Life , and though thou use● thi● Scripture to prove , that men are fully and perfectly reconciled with God sing●y and solely upon the account of what Christ did & suffered without us in his cru●ified body , excluding so much as any inward quallification wrought by him in u● , ●et it is but an abuse of the place , ●nd a wresting the word● , beyond the true int●nt and sence of the spirit ▪ nor need I go any further , then thy own confession , to alleadg● a more safe way of understa●ding that Scripture , as whe●e thou says , page 13. Al●h●ugh in the day● of Isaiah ▪ Ch●ist was not 〈◊〉 come in our flesh , y●t the prop●●● spe●ks ●f ●t , as a 〈◊〉 al●eady done it being so i● the purpose of God and so why 〈…〉 said that 〈◊〉 speak● of being reconcil'd after this manner , it being so in the purpose of God , to reconcile them , fully unto him , not as they remain in enmity to him , but turned from it and so become friends and love●s of him , and we do willingly acknowledge , the full and perfect Redemption , was in Christ , while we were enemies , yet we did not receive it , while we continued enemies , but now since we believed , and were turned to him ▪ in our hearts , we have received it , as said the Apostle , by whom we have now received the attonement , or reconciliation , so mark the word [ 〈◊〉 ] we have now received the reconciliation , now since we believed , and were turned to him in our hearts , but not before . In the 17 page whereas thou accuses us , With denying the true Christ and asserting another , ye● thou art found in the same guiltiness thy self , which we are free of , for we believe and acknowledge him , who was manifest in that body of flesh , to be the true and only Christ and Saviour , and yet we believe him also to be the only true Christ and Saviour as manifest ●n us , for he is not two Christs but one , though he has had two manners or ways of coming , as without us , and within us , both useful and needful , yea , both concurring unto our full and perfect deliverance and sa●vation , from sin and the consequences thereof in soul and body , and we believe that his outward coming was not a bare and naked example , but hath a real influence and service in its place in and upon all , who are saved , though all have not that express knowledge thereof , yea will thou not confess that infants are saved by Christ , who yet have not this express know●edge of him . But that I may make it appear , that thou denyes the true Christ , I shall bring th● own words page 17. Where thou expressly denyes , that this light , which enlightens every man tha● comes into the world is Christ , and what is this to deny Christ , and to deny the Scriptures Testimony of him , for said he himself I am the light of the World , and said John of him , he was the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world that all through 〈…〉 believe , and if all through him might believe ( which was Johns Testimony ) then all through him might be saved . But thou wilt have this light not to be in Christ , but some other light which remained in Ad●m after his transgression , and before the promise of the M●ssiah , and stands in every man , as a witness for God , whe●●by he shall be left without excuse , on the day of his righteous judgement , but thou gives no shadow of proof for it , that this Light is another , for though 〈◊〉 quenched the part●cular measure o● his light in him : at his transgression , yet he had ( to wit Ch. ) a residue of light to reach forth unto him again , though Adam changed yet Chri●t remained the same , and shined a light in his conscience in the midst of all that darkness he had let in by hi● transgression , and who was it that convinced him of his sin , but Christ , to whom all judgement is committed and who was it . that first p●eached the Gospel to him , was it not Christ , was not God in Christ reconciling even Adam unto himself , after the fall and did not Christ come again to give light and life unto Adam behoved not Adam to know Christ within him ▪ else he had been a reprobate , was not the word of Faith brought near to him , even in his heart was not the seed sown in him , which hath its fruit eternal Life , and did not this seed in him bruise the Serpents head , and i● Ab●l Enoch , Noah , and though we say that the seed of the woman , which bruiseth the Serpents head , be Christ within , yet we do not limit your words to him , as only within , for they may be partly understood of his coming within , and also of his coming w●thout for in both he bruizes the serpents head , & what pittiful ignorant reasonings is it in thee , as to say , he ( to wit God ) did not direct him to tha● ligh● in his conscience &c. in pointing out to him a remedy , but I ask thee was not Adam saved or to be saved , as other men to w●om Paul th●s saith . Say not in thy heart who shall ascenà into He●ven &c. For the word is very n●ar unto thee , even in thy heart , and this said he is the word of Faith which we preach , and Mose● directed the J●ws to the 〈◊〉 word , ●eu 30 , and was not the voice of Go● in the Garden heard in Adam , and the same word also in his heart which is call●d the ingrafted or implanted word , that is able to save the soul. And that Law , and Nature , by which the Gentiles did the things contained in the Law , thou will not have it to Be the Law ; and Nature of Christ but some other thing , but what thou tells not , but this hath been so oft over again and again confuted in our friends printed books , that herein I need say little or nothing to it , which thou hast borrowed , from the blind and dark Priests , which have so taught thee , though some time ago , thou came by this Light which now thou disputes against to be in some measure convinced , that it was the true and sa●ing Light , alas ! for thee , that thou hast let the darkness so blind thy understanding , after it was a little ope●ed , God be merciful unto thee , and give thee a sight of thy folly and enmity against the truth , and a heart to repent therefore . Only shall propose a few Queries unto thee , which may serve to show , that the Nature and light by which these Gentiles did the things of the Law , and knew God , was that of Christ , for 1 ▪ How could they do the things of the Law , but by the Divine Nature of Christ , seeing without him men can do no good thing ! 2. How could they be excused , but by Christ , as some were , yea . 3. How could they be without excuse ▪ who dis●beyed , if they had no principle given them , sufficient , whereby to perform their obedience , which is only Christ , for an insufficient principle had been a sufficient excuse for them . 4. How did some of them perfect the Law , and judged the circumsion and was Jews inwardly and had praise of God , if not by Christ. 5. How could they clearly see the invisible things of God , but by Christ the Son , seeing it is said , none knows the Father , but the Son ▪ and he to whom the Son reveals him , and though these invisible things are clearly seen in or through the things that are made yet not without that which is to be known of God ▪ manifest in them , which God had shewed unto them , which gave them an eye , or understanding to see his invisible power and Godhead in these things . And thus I have gone through all these things in thy book , which deserve any consideration , so far as they relate to us , and our 〈◊〉 , the other pages in thy book being spent almost wholly in provi●● that , which none of us deny , nor any called Christians that I know of 〈◊〉 thou setst up a man of straw ; to create work unto thy self to knock 〈◊〉 down as to prove that Christ is outwardly come in the flesh , and suffered and died , and offered up himself and his body , and life , unto God , for a sacrifice of attonement , all which the Scriptures approve better then thee , and who among Christians deny it , but under all this , it may appear , that thou secretly labours to prove that the Name of Jesus Christ , Redeemer and Saviour belongs only , to the word , as it was manifest in that particular body and form of man , born of the Virgin Mary , but no to him as manifest in the Saints , which both contradicts the Scripture Testimony , and also thy own words elsewhere , who speaks of Christ within , yea of his being formed within and though we do wi●lingly grant that the word , as it became manifest in that flesh , and form of man , and assumed un●o it , the seed o` Abraham , is called and indeed is Jesus Chri●t , yet we may not limit nor confine th● Name on●y to him as manifest in the outward , for as he is inward●y revealed in us he is called Christ , yea by him , even J●sus Christ , were all things 〈◊〉 said 〈◊〉 Apostle But I cannot before I have done with thee but take notice how in divers places , thou disingeniously represents our 〈◊〉 , and words , flinging thy scoffs and jears at the blessed and 〈◊〉 seed , cal●ing it a stra●ge allegorical mistical Christ , but if he be so 〈◊〉 u●to thee● it is because thou hast spent thy eye● upon his light in thee which would have given thee , true acquaintance with him . But dare th●u deny it , is there not a divine and elect seed in the Saints by which he is formed in them , and liveth in them , and is h● not crucified in some and raized , or arizen in others and how could this be , but in respect of t●e ●eed , for as he is in the Father , and was with the Father , before the World began , he cannot be said to be crucified nor raized . And oh how b●dly and disingeniously thou represents us as saying ▪ That it is the seed that it is only to be rede●med 〈…〉 , as being under the Law , sin , condemnation , Whereas we say indeed , that the seed suffers u●der sin and is to be raised from under it , yet the soul , yea and the who●e man is also to be saved within ; and through the s●ed whoever believe in Christ and are joyned to him , but we do not say , the seed is condemned , unless by such a spirit as thine , as drowns it calling it but a Natural thing , as the Iews condemned Christ calling him but a Man , the Carpenters Son and then in thy ignorance and envy thou asks , if in eve●y man , this seed or Christ is not saved ? doth it remain for ever in some under condemnation ? I answer nay , for though for a time it suffer , yet in the time appointed of God , it is raised up in all , even the most ungodly , over all their ungodliness to minister in them , the Wrath and righteous judgement of the Lord against them , without mercy , as thou wilt find by sad experience if in time thou repent not which I wish from my heart , even that repentance may be given thee , for all thy enmity and hard speeches against him and his truth . Again how grosly and disingeniously thou wrests the words of some of us , viz. That Christ was sometime preached a● crucified , to the Iews but more generally a light to the Gentiles ▪ as if there were one Christ ( says thou ) to wit , a crucified Christ , preached to the Iew● , and another Christ , to wit , a Light enlightning every man that comes ●nto the World , prea●hed unto the Gentiles , but this is a most piteous and abominable wresting of these words aforesaid , which do not import 2 Christs but but one and the same in a twofold way of manifestation , or appearance , and though Prophets and Apostles preached him , as in the form of a man , yet they preached him also , and that more generally , as a light to the Geutiles , yea and to Iews also . Thou would also perswade simple people as if we did separate the benefit of Christs outward coming from inward , while thou speaks , after this manner ▪ How are you thus iniferably be beguilded to preach up the Light enlightning ●vory man , that comes in●o the World for 〈◊〉 Christ to cry up a light within , 〈◊〉 cry down the blood without , to preach him as an example , to cast out the 〈…〉 but though we preach him as the sight that enligh●ens 〈…〉 , and cry up the light within , yet we cry not down the blood without , no● in preaching him , as an example do we deny the a●●onement 〈◊〉 are bu●●hy false and groundless insinuations , and as touc●●ng our preaching him , as the light that enlightens every man that comes in●o the world , that all though him might believe and so be saved thou 〈◊〉 as well have bespoke Iohn , after that manner , saying O● thou miserable begui●ed John , who preaches the light that enlightens every man that com●s into the world to be Christ ▪ for so he preached him and so did others . I shall yet take notice of two or three passages 〈◊〉 in thy book , and so leave it , for to trace and follow thee in all thy confusions and dark imaginations , were neither worth the travel , nor the time , for by these few hints , the weakest of any true judgement , may perceive , what a bulk of confusion thy book is . Pag. 27. thou says , That light and salvation of the Gentiles prophesied ●f 49. 6. Isa. is not said , I will give it , the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world , for that was already given to every ma● ▪ as he came into the worl● , but it is , I will give , speaking of one to be given , that which was not actually given , for a lig●ht to the Genttles , but this is a most weak and shallow manner of reasoning , for though Christ was given in some measure , for ● light from the beginning , and even in the darkest times , yet afterwards he came to be given in a greater measure , of light and manifestation , so here is not another light , then was given at first , but a further measure of the same , for in ●he beginning was the word Christ Jesus , and in him was life , and the life was the light of men . And thus all thy other empty & shallow reasonings may be answered in many other place , which speaks of Christ as a light , a Prophet &c. which thou would confina onely to him , as outwardly come ▪ as particularly that of Moses , a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise unto you , like unto 〈◊〉 , which thou would onely hint and confine to his outward coming and becoming many in the land of Judea , for otherwise thou says , it could not be said , that he should be raised up l●ke unto Moses , for Moses was a man. But the light and power , and spirit within , is not a man , as Moses was . But if we go to scan too narrowly upon this word like unto me , as if it did import every way a like , it will not answer thy intent , for Christ , even as man in divers weighty circvmstances was unlike to Mos●s , Christ was bo●n of a Virgin , so not Moses , Christ never sinned so not Moses , and many others migh● be named , but if thou say Moses and Christ were like to one another , in that likeness , understood by the spirit , so say I , which yet is not confined simply or onely to his manhood , for even Christ in spirit was and is raised up like unto Moses insomuch that as Moses was given of God as an outward deliverer of the out●ard Israel , from out of Egypt , and from under Pharoah in the outward , destroying their enemies without , and leading them through a red sea and wilderness outward into a good outward land , and giving them Laws and Precepts from God &c. So Christ even in Spirit is given of God as an inward deliverer , of the inward Israel from out of spiritual Egypt , and from under spiritual Pharoah destroying their inward and spiritual Enemies , leading them through an inward and spiritual sea & wilderness ▪ into a good spiritual land , giving them spiritual Laws & Precepts from God , and stoning them to death with a spiritual stone , who do not observe them , and is this no likeness at all intended by the spirit of God , as the sense of these words of Moses ? How has thy prejudice blinded thee in this and many other things ? Last of all I cannot but reprove thee , for thy disingenuous and deceitful insinua ion in the last page of thy Book , in these words . How much sor●r punishment shall he be thought worthy of that hath trod under foot the Son of God , and counted the blood of the Covenant an unholy thing 〈◊〉 the blood of any ordinary man ●r beast . But did thou ever read or hear from any of us , as if we counted the blood of Christ , even in the outward , as the blood of any ordinary man , or beast ? or thinks thou to infer such a conclusion from our principle as because we say , Christ the light within us is precious and saving , that therefore we account his blood as the blood of any ordinary man , or beast , but I must tell thee thy inference is bad and deceitful and doth no wise follow from our principle , as is evident from what is aforesaid , yea the spilt blood of his Saints ▪ and their death is of great account with the Lord , when brought to it through the violence of men , acted by Sathan , and much more the blood of him , who as a Lamb offered up himself without spot to God , as a sacrifice of a sweet smell who was delivered for our offences , and rose again for our justification . G. K. Writ 7. 2. mo , 1670. Here follows Robert Gordon's answering and confuting himself ; some of his manifest Contradictions ; to his Principles being insert , in his own words : And the Pages of his Book noted where they are . R. Gs. Principles . GOd man , in whom all things pertaining to mans redemption , &c. were transacted not in our persons or within us , but in his crucified body without us , before any good wrought in us . He hath already subdued all things , finished trasgression , made an end of sin , page 3. and 4. R. G's Contradiction . The mystery of Christ by his spirit dwelling in his Saints , call'd in the holy Scripture , Christ within you , whereby God works in us , &c. God working all things in us by Christ , pag. 4. his Spirit working all their works in them , pag. 5. Observation . See his manifest contradictions : How is sin and transgression finished and made an end of without man , while no good is wrought in them ? And seeing God works or transacts all things in Believers by the mystery of Christ and his holy spirit within , and all their works in them ; how is all done and finished without them before any good is wrought in them ? R. G. Some pretend so much zeal for this mystery of Christ , the operation of the Spirit of God in themselves , that they deny the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ , page . 5. Contradiction . The mystery Christ within you , whereby God works in us through faith the fruit and effect of the work already wrought , &c. Christ within us whereby through faith we have evidence in our selves , &c. page 4. Observation . We cannot too much own , or be over much zealous for the mystery of Christ within , or the work of God through his spirit within us : nor thereby deny the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ , or the effect and benefit of his sufferings in his body , as falsly is implied and insinuated against us , since that in owning Christ in the mystery , we cannot but own the evidence thereof . R. G. In the crucified body of Christ perfected and wrought at once Redemption , Iustification and Reconciliation , finished and compleated in Christ for us , pag. 13. not in our persons , pag. 4. Contradiction . He was delivered for our offences , he was raised again for our justification . O remember the work of regeneration is to be wrought within thee , pag. 9. Observation . If Redemption , Justification , &c. be not to be fulfilled by Christ in man , or not in their persons : what are you redeemed ●●stified or regenerated ) from or out of : Surely not from iniquity or sin , as true believers were ; and then you hypocriss ●in is remaining in your persons , foa all your pretenses of being redeemed , justified , &c. without . But take thy contradiction . O remember the work of regeneration i● is to be wrought within thee , R. G. He was made sin for us , that we might be made the righteousness of God in him . He mentions not any consideration , qualification or work wrought , or to be wrought in any man by any light or spirit whatsoever [ A gross errour ] but singlely and solely upon the account of the active and passive obedience of the man Iesus , &c. pag. 12. in the crucified body , justification , &c. finished , compleated for us , pag. 13. Contradiction . Who seeing the travel of his soul , was satisfied that he might make it effectual within every man , that should come to God through him ; he counted to his Apostles the word of reconciliation as his Ambassadors in his steed to beseech men to be reconciled to God. Work out your salvation , pag. 12. Observation . But first , Were the Saints made the righteousness of God in Christ , without any inward qualification or work of his light or spirit ? What a gross errour , contradiction and sin-pleasing doctrine is this ! Is not this the Priests very notion of imputation , while men are corrupt and sinful in themselves , while they neither partake of the divine nature nor divine image in themselves ; And then , Secondly , what need was there for the Apostle to besee●h them to be reconcil'd to God , or to work out their salvation , if it was already wrought and finished without them before any good was wrought in them ? R. G. The Lord doth not direct man to that light in his conscience that shewed him his loss , nor to light and power &c. But promiseth him another kind of Saviour . Contradiction . A great mystery , God manifest in the flesh , &c. He alone , and none else then the very Word ; the love of the Father must be this great undertaker , &c. ( viz. for man ) pag. 20. Observation . See his manifest falshood and contradiction : For God the very word or love of the Father , which doth redeem , deliver and save the soul , are not of another kind then the Light and Power : But the same divine Light and Power , by which the promised Seed , did , and doth bruise the Serpents head , and overcome him , that man might be redeem'd from the hand of his enemy . R. G. The worker of the Redemption could not be the light enlightening every man , &c , pag. 21 , Contradiction . [ Yet ] the very word ( pag. 20. ) God manifest in flesh . p. 18. Observation . Here his gross error and contradiction , in denying Christ , the Word and Redeemer , to be that light that enlightens every man , and yet the very word doth redeem and save : And was it not the Word that was with God that was the true Light , that enlightens every man coming into the world ? See Io. 1. 1. 4 , 9. R. G. Redemption , and all things already wrought , purchased , &c. for us in the crucified body ; not within us , but before any good wrought in us , pag. 3 , 4 , 5 , without the help of any thing to be wrought in us , pag. 20 , Contradiction . He ( to wit Christ ) ever liveth : Mark , this man ever liveth to make intercession for them . O bear with me a little , not satisfie your selves until you have a real evidence of your being particularly redeemed by experimentally witnessing the Living power of truth in your inward parts , pag. 7. Observation . Note his contradiction here . For first , if all things be already wrought in the crurified body , what doth he interceed for ? Is it for that which God cannot justly with-hold ( if this be true ) Secondly , are all things already wrought without the help of any thing to be wrought within : And yet we must have a real evidence of our part●cular redemption by the living power of truth in our inward parts . See how he hath confuted himself herein . R. Gs. Erroneous and envious Principle . That such as preach and print up the light inlightening every man that comes into the world to be he ( to wit Christ ) reject him , and set at nought the stone , &c. pag. 32. Contradiction . This is the Christ to whom John came to bear witness , and there is not another ; he is the word made slesh , pag. 31 , 32. the word was not converted into flesh , but remain'd the word still , pag. 22. Observation . This man preacheth up that in one place to be the Christ , which in another place he preaches down or denies it to be : For that Christ that Iohn came to bear witness , to that was the word ( that became flesh and tabernacled in them ) was the true light that enlightens every man that comes into the world mentioned before ( Ioh. 1. ) But this R. G. Further shews his Self-confutation , Enmity , and Anti-christian spirit against the true Christ , who is the light . See here R. G. his Anti-christian doctrines against the universal light and power of God and his Son , Io. 1. ch . Viz. 1. That the spirit that publisheth , that the light that enlighteneth every man that comes into the world is the true Christ , is a snare carrying death in the bosom of it , pag. 10. 2. That the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world , is not he ( to wit Christ ) pag. 20. 3. That the worker of redemption could not be the light and power , pag. 21. 4. That the bearer away of iniquity cannot be a meer spiritual Christ , altogether light and power within , pag. 22. 5. That the true Christ , man's only Saviour and Redeemer , and the light and salvation of the Gentiles prophesied of Esa. 49. 6. is not the light that enlightens every man that comes into the world , pag. 26. 27. 6. That the unbelieving Iew who rejected Christ , yet had a clearer sight of him then they have who assert that the light that enlighteneth every man that comes into the world is he , and that such are wholly ignorant , pag. 29. 7. That none of the Prophets ever witnessed the light that enlighteneth every man that cometh into the world to be the true Christ , pag. 32 , 33. 8. That they deny the Lord that bought them , who set the light that enlightens every man to be the true Christ and Saviour , pag , 40. 9. That such are miserably beguiled , who preach up the light enlightening every man that comes into the world for the true Christ , pag. 37. R. Gs. Contradictions to his Principles before cited . He is Iesus Christ the same , yesterday , to day , and for ever without beginning or end of dayes , he is the word by which the world is made ; yea , of the Son it is said , thou Lord in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth , and thus he is the wisdom and power of God , pag. 23. This is the Christ , to whom John came to bear witness , and not another , he is the word , pag. 31 , 32. Redemption is see● by the light of the glorious Gospel shining in our hearts , pag. 25. Old Simeon was a devout man , obedient to the light in his conscience , he waited for the consolation of Israel , and it was revealed to him by the holy Ghost , Luk. 2. 17. through it in himself he waited the appointed time , &c. Observation . Christ said , I am the light of the world , Io. 8. 12. ch . 12. 46. and ch . 3. 19. and that was the true light that lighteth every man that cometh into the world ; Io. 1. 1. ( read on ) and that light which brings to see Redemption , and revealed the consolation of Israel , to wit , salvation by Christ was his light within , wherein Simeon and others of the holy men of God waited , and this was a light of the glorious Gospel or power of God shining in the hearts , &c. R. Gs. Principle . That the light in our consciences that shews good and evil , is not given for righteousness , nor able to reveal or give life ( any more then the law writte● in Tables of Stone . ) p. 11. R. G's . Contradiction . [ Yet ] Old Simeon was obedient to the light in his conscience , &c. Redemption is seen by the light shining in our hearts , &c. ( as before . ) Observation . Then the light in the conscience is given for righteousness ( if to be obeyed ) for it manifests evil , and leads out of darkness , and sin where it is obeyed , and every one that doth truth cometh to the light , that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God , Io. 3. wherefore the light in the conscience is given for righteousness : and the path of the Just is a shining light , and the life that was the light of men is above and before the Letter or Law writen in tables of stone , as to giving of life . R. G. God said to Adam , in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt die ( it could not be revoked ) who could fulfil the requirings of Wrath and satisfie ? not Light and Power , &c. But he who trod the Wine . Press of his Fathers wrath alone , P. 19. 20. R. G's . Contradiction . The Chastisements of our Peace were upon him , &c. p. 21. Observation . Mark , here , Wrath and Chast●sements are two differing things , and differ in the execution ; as Chastisement is in love to Gods People , who receive the Attonement , but Wrath and Vengeance due to Rebellion ; and is to come upon them whom he will tread down in his anger , and trample in his fury , even in the Wine-press of his wrath , as Isai. 63. Now it appears , this R. G. takes this , as Christs stopping ( or treading down ) the Fathers wrath , ( as his words import ) wherein he is greatly mistaken ; for it is rather an executing of his wrath , and revenge upon the wicked or Persecutors , whom he will trample in his fury for the deliverance of his own Seed , and ransomed ones : And this Christ who is both the wisdom , light , and power of God , can , and will do , by whose power also salvation for sin and death , is witnessed in them that believes in the Divine Light and Power , which is able to give us all things pertaining to life and godliness , 2. Pet. 1. 3. R. G. Redemption is a Mystery , which by the Principles of right reason , cannot be discerned . Contradiction . But is seen by the light of the glorious Gospel shining in our hearts , p. 25. Answer . Right reason doth spring from the true light that shineth in the heart , and the good that this light teacheth and sheweth is reasonable or consistent with right reason , however this man seems to decrie right reason ; in some degree therein resembling Lod. Muggleton , ( the false witness ) who saith Reason is the Devil . But this R. G. again in Contradiction to himself , seems to set up right reason , to justifie his Principle , as where he saith , p. 2● . concerning Mary , that the light in her Conscience , is not the Son called Jesus , conceived in her Womb ; Surely that agreeth not to right reason ●aith he . But surely , if he denie the light of the Son of God to be in her Conscience , because of his Conception , or taking on him Flesh in the Virgins womb , he might as well denie and oppose his Divinity ; for 〈◊〉 was not limited into that comp●ss , as not to be in her Conscience , nor was the Son of God and his light to be under such a limitation ( either as to time or place ) as a finite creature , for his out-goings were from of old , from everlasting , Micah 5. 2. Here follows a further Account of some passages taken out of R. Gordons Book , wherein his Confession to the Truth ( professed by us as to the work of the power and spirit of God within ) and his erroneous Contradictions to the same , are set opposite , that his self Confutation and breaking the neck of his own Cause , may be obvious to every 〈◊〉 Reader . R. G. his confessing to truth . R. G. erroneously contradicting . R. G. p. 6. First there is a spirit of Error , ( a ) and its work is to deceive , and its end to destroy such in whom it ruleth , and its deceit is seen under this fair Covering , a pretending to the imputed ( b ) righteousness of Christ , pleading a faith in his Death and Sufferings , interest in the satisfaction and attonement made to God through his blood , but under all this , retaining the serpents ( c ) nature , In their soul preserving alive in themselves unmortified corruptions bearing dominion ( c ) over them , ( d ) O be not so easily decieved , God will not be thus mocked , he sees not as man sees , ( e ) he trieth the heart and reins . Know of a truth , such as you sow , such shall you reap ; to whom you yield your selves servants to obey , his servants you are , whether of ●in unto death , ( e ) or of obedience unto rightousness ; and on the day of the Lord every Kingdome shall have its own , on the day of that wonderful severation , when the Lord shall judge the world by the man Christ Jesus , every thing shall be severed to be for ever included in that state whether of light or darkness into which it was sown , according to that righteous proceeding of the son of man , Matt. 25. He shall s●y to the sheep on his right hand , Come ye blessed of my Father inherit the Kingdom ▪ But to the Goa●s on the left hand , depart from me ye cursed , and on that day your supposed coverings though of the imputed ( f ) righteousness of Christ , your high pretences , though to his death and sufferings ; your crying Lord , Lord , will not shelter you from the wrath of the Father , you being wholly altogether of the nature of those Goats on Christs left hand , though pretending to the Sheeps cloathing . Oh! hear with me a little to plead with you in tender compassion to your immortal souls , that you might be perswaded ; Yes , intreated to inquire a little into this matter , not satisfying your selves to say that you believe there is a Redemption ( g ) already purchased you in Christ , until through a living faith in your selves ( h ) you have a real evidence of your being particularly redeemed by experimental witnessing the living power * of the ( i ) Truth in your inward parts , which in words you outwardly profess , Consider the words of our Lord to Nicodemus , Except a man be born again ( k ) he cannot inherit the Kingdom of God , there lyeth an impossibility in this thing , he placeth not Goats , remaining such in their state , in the same place with Sheep ; there is a great gulf between these two : They are of two contrary natures ; Two opposite States and Kingdoms prepared for them . Therefore without being changed , without being in your minds renewed , translated out of darkness into sight , without dying to the old Nature of Sin , and rising in the new nature of Righteousness . And so Christ ( l ) formed within you , you cannot inherit this Kingdom , because without this real change wrought in some measure within you through the Operation of the Spirit of God within ( m ) there is only a dawbing of the old Sepulchre , while rotteness is ●till within , a talking of being justifyed through the Redemption already purchased in Christ , without wi●nessing the Life , Power , and Virtue of the thing it self within . ( n ) Therefore I do exhorts thee 〈…〉 Spirit in thy mind thou art subjected to , for as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God ; and if any man have not the spirit of Christ , ●he is none of his : ●o that it will not be enough to say that Jesus Christ dyed for sinners , and that his righteousness is imputed to thee , as altogether from without thee : O remember the work of Regeneration is to be wrought within thee . R. G erroneously contradicting R. G. ( a ) All things pertaining to man● Redemption , were transacted in God-man ( Christ ) not in our persons , nor within us , but in his crucified body without us , before any good ( b ) wrought in us ; God having already wrought all things for us , in the body of Christ , as being our rightousness . p. 3 , 4. ( c ) He hath already subdued all things , finished transgression , & made an end of sin , abolished condemnation and death , and so hath for ever in himself compleated the work of Redemption , &c. with God for us . p. 4. ( d ) To bear my testimony to the Redemption and Rightousness already purchased in his crucified body for u● , the son buried our sins in his grave , all things are finished , sin , death and the flesh in the body of Christ , p. 5. 16. ( e ) It is a mystery of the Gospel , the believer to be pure and beautiful as in Christ , while weak in many things in himself ▪ in his body he hath a law of sin , but in the Lord he hath put it off , as he walks by sight he is in the Earth , in Labours , in Groaning , warfare , and Imperfections , &c. p. 16. ( f ) The Law , Sin , Death , charged upon his Crucified body he buried them in his Grave , thus abolished Sin out of the sight of God , p. 39. ( g ) Redemption , &c. already wrought , purchased in his Crucified body ( for us ) without us , p. 4. ( h ) The light in the Conscience is not able to reveal or give life , p. 11. ( h ) There is a Spirit in some that declares that we are Redeemed , Iustified , Saved , and made Righteous , and accepted with God by the work of the Spirit * of God wrought within us , p. 11. ( i ) What ever Spirit shall declare Christ now coming , or coming to within us , to Reconcile , to Attone , to Redeem us , &c. is no other than a Denier of Iesus our Saviour , notwithstanding its high pretences to light and power , and Spirit within , p. 15. 16. ( k ) But know thou , O Man , that that Doctrine how misterious soever in shew , that teacheth Redemption to be by Operation of the Spirit within us , and not by that alone * Operation of God in the man Christ Iesus is , it may be agreeable to mans reason , but a fearful co●tradiction to that blessed Mistery of Grace , p. 17. ( l ) Vnder this Mental Reservation , the seed , the light , the nature of the Dove in me , is he the Christ , &c. but is this a form of sound words , pag. 31. ( m ) Come down from the heights of your reason , to believe your Redemption already finished the law of sin and death already abolished , p. 3. 7. through what he did and suffered without you , without respect to any works wrought , or to be wrought ( n ) within you , by any light whatsoever . p. 42. ( o ) The work of Redemption is already 〈◊〉 at once in the Crucified b●dy without us , p. 21. 23. The Ope●●●ion of the Spirit of Christ within us 〈…〉 Redeem 〈◊〉 p. 23. Thus far R. G. hath shewn himself one while like a Quaker ( so called ) having gotten many of their words , another while like a Presbyterian , or Independant ▪ shewing his self-contradiction and instability . And what may the Reader think of him , but that he hath gathered and learned something from the Quakers , or out of their Books [ though he was never of us . ] However like a perverse Apostate he chiefly smites at them , in his enmity chiefly to the injury of his own Soul and Conscience , who for all his opposition , cannot wholly forget , and drive the Quakers principles out of his mind , but is forced to confess to the truth of them to his own confusion and overthrow ; And it 's remarkable that the most of his Pamphlet is confu●ed ; But where he acts the part of a Quaker , ( so called ) whom he further imitates in this wise , ( viz. ) R. G. Christ's Death and Sufferings , his Resurrection and Righteousness will not avail thee , thou remaining in thy self wholly unchanged , unsanctified by and through the operation of the Spirit of Christ within thee , whereby they may become of use to thee , Thou wast dead in Sins and Trespasses , and remains so still , thou wast a child of wrath as well as others , and thou art so still , &c. [ And in his 35 page he goes on thus , viz ] What will an Historical faith ●s of things altogether without , avail thee , while thou hast not the evidence within thy self , by a lively faith of thy being redeemed through the Redemption that is in him ? A ●●attering hypocritical extolling of Christ in his Offices , as King , Priest , and Prophet without thee , while thou deniest him in the exercise of these Offices within thee , by the Operation of his Spirit , &c. And this is thy own condition R. G. as appears by many passages in thy Book , contrary to what here thou hast confessed , as may plainly be seen in comparing thy contradictions before ; and who but one presumptious and impudent , would have appeared thus publick as thou h●●t done , to confute others ▪ ( and to undervalue and oppose the sufficiency of the Light , Power , and Operation of Christ within , as to Redemption , Salvation , and Justification , &c. ) with such a heap of darkness and confusion as thou hast vented , who yet otherwhiles art made to confess to the Operation of the Power and Spirit of Christ within , whose Light is set over the head of all thy Darkness , Deceipt and Enmity , and over all such Backs●iders as are in the same spirit of Enmity and Opposition with thee : such as R● . Cobbet , Elizabeth Atkins ( and Rob. Rich , who is of a Ranting Principle ) [ to whom we may add Muggleton , or his railing against us ; ] who have spread abroad their confused malitious P●mphlets , with their lies and slanders against us , wherein they do but gratifie malitious spirits , Apostates , and Ranters . And seeing that Michael Stantcliff ( who came some years amongst us , professing the Truth with us , and owning the light within , and to some yet doth formally seem as if he were a Quaker , which appea●ance no doubt he hath found to make for his Interest , ) yet is turned into so much dimness , darkness , and enmity again●● the People called Quakers , as to opprove of this Rob. Go●don his Pamphlet ( ●iled , A Testimony to the true Saviour ) as being an Ingenious clear Piece , and that which we could never get through , &c. As also , to help to convey or spread them abroad ( against those that Preach the true light that enlighten● every man that cometh into the world to be Christ , &c. ) R. G ▪ intending chiefly the people called Quakers , against whom he hath insinuated divers forgeries and slanders ; Wherefore we say to thee M. Stantcliff , be ashamed , and repent of thy approving and countenancing such a bundle of Confusion against the truth , and ( against an innocent People whom thou once own●d●t ) remember from whence thou art fallen , and how thou persistest in enmity and prejudice against Truth and us , least the Lord cut thee off , and thou end thy days in trouble and anguish ; we have desired and sought thy good , though thou hast rewarded us evil for good : And now we wish thy Repentance , and pray the Lord forgive thee , that thou mayest not end thy days , and perish in thy Perverseness and gain-saying . Here follows a brief account of some places of Scripture sent to Robert Gordon by Gawin Longworth : R. G. his Answer to them . Ioh. 1. ( from 1. verse forward ) in the beginning was the Word . 12. chap. ver . 46 ▪ I am come a light into the world . 15. chap. ver . 5. I am the vine , ye are the branches . Rom. 8. 10. If Christ be in you , &c. 1. Cor. 1. 24. Christ the power of God , and the wisdom of God. 2. Cor. 13. 3● ▪ Seeing you seek experience of Christ speaking in me . Tit●● 2. 14. Who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all iniquity , &c. 1. Ioh. 5. 12. He that hath the Son hath life . Chap. 4. v●r . 4. Greater is h● that is in you , then he that is in the world . Robert Gordons Answer to these Scriptures , viz. I Have considered the Scriptures thou mentioned , and I find that in none of them it is testified who the true Christ our only Saviour is ; but what he is through the operations of his spirit in Believers , called therefore the Anointing within , or Christ within , but these operations of his spirit within are no where in Scripture called the Lord's Christ our only Saviour . And if thou own no other Mediator , Christ or Saviour , then what is described in these Scriptures thou mentions ; then necessarily thou disowns the Lord Iesus Christ of Nazareth , a man approved of God , &c. Thus far R. G. telling us of the writings of that enlightned man , Iacob Behm . Observe . Here the ●enour and tendency of R. G's . Answer , how Antichristian it is ; he appears here plainly as owning another Mediator , Christ or Saviour , then that Christ that said , I am come a light into the world , I am the vine , &c. ( and we ask , was not he Jesus of Nazareth ? ) and of whom it is testified in Scripture , Christ in you , Christ the power and wisdom of God. He that hath the Son hath life , who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all iniquity , &c. But R. G. doth not own this Christ to be the Lord 's Christ , or Jesus Christ of Nazareth , but he must have some other Christ then this Christ , that is described in those Scriptures before ( but dare he say that Iacob Behm . owns his doctrine herein ? ) for this Christ who is the Word , the Light , the Christ in Believers , the power and wisdom of God , speaking in Sain●s . R. G. deems but as operations of the Spirit , and not Christ the Operator , Saviour or Redeemer ; wherein he is greatly mistaken , and has out-run himself besides any right aim : For Christ , as the Word , the ●rue Light , the power and wisdom of God , the Redeemer from all iniquity , and as in his Saints , the giver of life and victory over the world , &c. He is the true Operator of God , and the Author of Faith , the worker out of Sin , the Saviour and Redeemer from iniquity ( and so an Operator as such ) he is given for a leader , for light , life , and salvation to all that believe in his light , which will shine , live , prevail , and prosper against all the darkness , dark spirits , and enmity which oppose it . Something further added . HEreby it may appear , and be very obvious to every impartial Reader , how disingeniously , injuriously ; and falsly this R. Gordon hath dealt by us called Quakers , whom he chiefly smi●es at ( chiefly for our so much owning and preaching the true light that enlightens every man ) having , in many things he hath writ , neither given a true account of our principle , nor stated our words , nor the Authors , nor cited our Books or Pages , that it might be seen how he hath wronged us worse then many of the Priests have done , insinuating several falshoods against us , which were never our principles , and then making war against them , and drawing false inferences and consequences upon us , which have neither natural dependence , nor any relation to our principles ; as may be seen at large in his bundle of impertinencies and confusion . And whereas R. G. several times confesseth Christ and his spirit to be within us , revealing and evidencing within us , what God hath wrought for us in the body of Christ , as that love God commended to us in his Son , through his suffering and death , according to his 1. 4. and 23. pages . Now mark herein he hath in some degree assented to the truth of our principle , though to his own confusion ; for that it follows , that our preaching Christ and his Spirit in the true Believers , doth not oppose nor make void his sufferings without , but evidence and make known the benefit and living effects thereof within , and bring both into the fellowship of Christs suffering , and to a conformity unto his death . But this R. G. in contradiction to himself , like a malitious injurious person , insinuates ●gainst us the dividing and opposing Gospel truths one to another , and a denying the mystery of God in the flesh of Christ , as a matter of any necessity to redemption , reconciliation , &c. falsly adding these words , viz. R●ck●ing to accomplish this in their own bodies each for himself , through obedience to the law or light in his conscience , &c. pag. 5. This is a false conclusion put upon us , and contrary to what this man hath confessed before : For it s not of our selves , but God that works in us to will and to do by his spirit and power , which evidenceth and revealeth in us life and salvation , by Jesus Chri●t , who is our Saviour and Redeemer , and by him and in him hath God appeared to reconcile us to himself , who hath wrought all our works in us , Isa. 26. 12. and to this we testifie in his Son ( who is made unto us wisdom , righteousness , sanctification and redemption ) and against all such dark spirits and opposers of his light and work within , as this our Opposer is , who saith that God man in his crucified body without us , and before any good wrought in us , hath already subdued all things , finished transgression , made an end of sin , abolished condemnation and death , hath for ever as our head in himself compleated the work of redemption , reconciliation with God for us , &c. God having already finished , wrought and accomplished all things for us in the body of Christ , pag. 3 , 4 , 5 , 9 , 12 , 13. And further he adds , pag. 26. v●z . having already vanquished in his crucified body , and buried in his grave sin and death , and all the powers that were against us : But in contradiction to h●s asserting all these things as wrought in his body , he layes it otherwhiles upon purchase , as redemption , reconciliation , righteousness , &c. being already purchased for us in his crucified body without you , without respect to any works wrought , or to be wrought within you by any light whatsoever . Thus far R. G. pag. 4 , 5 , 9 , 23 , 42. But to go round again in contradiction to this , of all this being wrought , accomplished , and purchased without in his crucified body without respect to his light and work within , R. G. confesseth and tells us of God working all things in us by Christ , the mystery of Christ within , and the operations of his spirit working all their works in them , p. 4 , 5. From whence it then follows , that all is not wrought and accomplished without them , nor ought the work or light of Christ within thus to be disrespected as this man most blindly doth ; neither is mens sin and death either vanquished or buried in the grave with Christs body without ; for sin and death reigns in and over all men till they be quickned and renewed by the spirit of Christ within , and raised up out of sins and trespasses , : and in this sense we own true beleevers and sanctified ones to be purchased unto God , and hereby an everlasting inheritance obtained or purchased , and that God hath purchased his Church with his own blood , Act. 20. 28. And that such as were a chosen or purchased people or generation , were a royal Priesthood , a holy Nation , a peculiar People to shew forth the praise of him who had called them out of darkness into his marvellous light , 1 Pet. 2. 9. So such did not 〈◊〉 and oppose the light within , nor disrespect its work within as to the purchasing and redeeming man to God ; as this blind Opposer hath done , whose confusion runs after this manner , viz. all things are already wrought and compleated for us in the crucified body without ( nay ) God works all things in us by Christ the mystery , the operations of the spirit of God works all their works in them : See here how inconsistent this mans work is , and how he hath broke the neck of his own cause . But for whom doth R. G. reckon ? hath this God-man ( as he calls him ) or God and Christ ( in union ) wrought and compleated , or purchased all , as redemption , salvation , righteousness , &c. was it for all or but for a few ? See his Answer . R. G. pag. 13. For the sins of the whole world past , present ▪ and to come , &c. A large confession and latitude to the world , indulging them in sins to come , as the sin-pleasing professions are wont to do , and further to hearten them on therein all their dayes , he reckoneth God doth not see their sin in them , pag. 39. And surely they cannot be hindred of salvation for all this , nor it in justice be detained from them , because it s so dearly purchased and paid for , and wrought wit● God , by his Son , when no good is wrought in man ( if you believe R. G. ) which doctrine tends to make a merry world in their sins ( and not to regard the work of God within ) as it hath made many hypocrits , and many such merry also over God's witness or light in them , which would have wrought good in them , had they own'd it to have wrought evil out of them . But seeing R. G. hath run into the Priests and Professors doctrine , in his confused way and method , maintaining their principle of satisfaction and imputation , opposing the light and work of Christ or the spirit within as to justification , redemption , or salvation within . Let 's first inquire how he states this satisfaction ( or work that he thinks was wrought with God by the man Christ , but not in man ) R. G. God said to Adam , in the day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye , and because he is God it could not be revoked , the justice of God must stand firm in the execution of this sentence , he is just and righteous as well as l●ving , justice to be answered to the full ; who could break thorough this stir'd up wrath ? who could have answered the requirings of love , and fulfil the requirings of wrath that would hold man captive in death , and yet satisfie both ? Not its light and power in the man Christ , or the light enlightning every man that comes into the world , not the word alone , but Iesus Christ partaking of our flesh and blood , as being the Son of the Virgin Mary , pag. 19 , 20. Note his errour in denying the light to be Christ , and so opposing Christs Divinity . Let the impartial Reader judge of this man's confusion and ignorance herein , in these his distinctions about God and Christ , and between Christ and the light and power within , not owning the light that enlightens every man to be Christ , or the Son of God contrary to Scripture ; whereas the light that enlightens every man , is that eternal word that made all things , which to say , this cannot answer or satisfie love and wrath , is a blasphemous opposing the omnipotency and power of God , as if he could not satisfie himself in either , and his sl●ghting and debasing the divine light , and power of Christ in man , and so undervaluing God , as if he were no Saviour , especially while this man thinks God was so displeased , and his wrath so stirred up , that it would hold man captive in death , unless Christ as the Son of Mary , should satisfie and answer this wrath , and undergo this death , another while ( in contradiction ) it was as God man that he satisfied , &c. which if he take it to be an eternal death or wrath , that was threatned on man for disobedience , I ask if Christ did undergo that either as God or as man , or as both ? and dare any say plainly that God executed wrath and revenge from himself upon his innocent Son , or take vengeance upon the Son of his love , or could that be an answering of divine Justice , so to take vengeance on the innocent , and let the guilty go free , with their sins past , present and to come ; and then , if all be if all be thus wrought and purchased of God by Christ , paid and satisfied for in his crucified body : and that for the ●ins of the whole world , and in their stead , and that for their sins past , present and to come : then how can God in justice execute wrath or revenge on any for sin , if his innocent Son hath undergone it and satisfied it all , and that for all men , for sins past , present , and to come : And then what manifest contradiction is it for this man to confess to his intercession , his ever living to make intercession for them that come to God by him ( though this we own ) But how doth this agree with the doctrine of such a rigid or severe satisfaction and payment as before implied ? For if the Son endured the Fathers wrath to the full , and thereby stop● it ( for Priests call it vindictive Justice ) doth not this ●ender God to be more severe than his Son ; yea , and unjust also : As if a Creditor should keep or leave the Debtor in prison , and alwaies be interceded to , either for his deliverance or forgiveness , when his Surety hath paid and satisfied to the utmost farthing that could in the rigour of the law be exacted upon the Debtor ; which much less can be either mercy , forgiveness , or remission : But if it be granted that forgiveness of sins must be asked at God's hand for Christs sake , and that man must repent and be converted , that his sins may be forgiven and blotted out , and that he may be under God's terms , and under an obligation to believe , obey and follow the spirit of Christ within , in its inward operations and teachings ; then this confutes this man and all such carnal professors : For all is not done without , nor● man absolved or discharged in the Court of Heaven ( as Priests use to say ) either from the guilt or punishment of sins past , present and to come , seeing that all judgment is committed to the Son , and men are not acquitted , by his sufferings without , either from the obligation or obedience of his law within , which is that of the spirit or new covenant which is inward , but are liable to the censure and judgment thereof , if they disobey it , and walk contrary to the spirit of truth within , wherein we are not without the law to God , but under the law to Christ. And God is not satisfied with men in their sins , his wrath being revealed from heaven against all unrighteousness of men , how ever they may imagine Christ to have satisfied is in their stead , and removed it out of God's sight . And further , as to that death that came over Adam in that day he transgressed , it was not the sentence of eternal wrath and destruction , given and fulfilled by God , but a death from that innocent life and communion which he had with God before , as the fruit of his transgression which God foretold , and threatned them with before , not as from an obligation upon God presently to take full revenge on man , or to cut him off for ever the same day he transgressed ; for that he did not , neither was his divine justice such an obligation upon him as to limit him from shewing mercy or forgiveness ( on repentance ) and salvation without such a rigid payment or severe kind of satisfaction as is supposed ; for he said I am a just God , and Saviour , and besides me there is no Saviour : and in his mercy and love to lost man in general , he both promised and gave a seed to bruise the Serpents head , and to be a ransom , attonement , and most acceptable and satisfactory sacrifice as a Lamb without spot to God , not as the subject of wrath or vindictive Justice , but as a sweet smelling sacrifice to God , and propitiation for mankind , and to be a living example through all , not only to end the law and sacrifices without , but also to bring the true believer through , and beyond the ministration of death , condemnation and wrath within , into peace and union with G●d , who out of his infinite love , sent his Son to save man from sin and death , whose suffering , sacrifice , mediation , in●ercession and offices ( with the blessed effects thereof within ) we own and confess according to the Scriptures of truth , as inwardly revealed and evidenced by the spirit , which we do not admit , either o● sins past to be unrepented of , nor of sins present to be committed , nor sin ●o come to be persisted in , however this , or other Opposers and Prof●ssors do sooth and flatter themselves therein , under their traditional notion , of a satisfaction , and imputation without them , p. 16. ( as after R Gs. q●estions ) How can there be redemption , where conscience ●hargeth of sin , is it not against reason to believe redemption in another for us while sin is within ? To this he thus answers ; To this spirit , I say , who art thou that thus a●gues with God ? Which indeed is no answer nor proof , but a meer s●lly begging of the question , nor any demonstration that such a belief , that is both contrary to conscience and the conviction of the light therein , is either true or right in the ground of it , whereby any are thus credulous either of their being redeemed , saved or j●stified wi●hout them , whilst they lie under the guilt and imputation of sin in their own consciences , sin being then their burden and bondage , which is contrary to a redeemed and justified state ; but such a blind and dead faith , and conceit of redemption and justification , as this man hath appeared in , hypocritical Professors are w●nt to sooth up themselves withal in their sins . And R. G. further adds , p. 1● . viz. Indeed it is a mystery of the Gospel that man's r●ason cannot comprehend , the believer to be pure and beautiful as in Christ his head , while weak in many things in himself , in his body 〈◊〉 ●ath a law of sin , but in the Lord he hath put it off ; as he walks by ●ight he is in the earth , in labors , ingroanings , warefare and imperfections ; but as he walks by faith he is in Christ , walking in rest , in victory and perfection , these ●r● paradoxes reason cannot fathom . Answ●● This man thinks hee 's gotten beyond reason in his parado●es , which indeed do appear so contradictory , confused and unreasonable , that every rational man may see his darkness herein , to conclude the believer in war●ar● , and imperfections in the body , with a law of sin , while pure , beautiful , walking in rest , in victory and perfection in Christ his head , which is all one , as to say he i● in Christ ; and out of Christ , pure and impure , perfect and imperfect , at the same instant , or ( as the hypocritical Priests and Professors have said ) that men are imputatively righteous , and justified , while inherently and actually sinful and unjust : and yet for all this R. G. makes account in pag. 39. that the law , sin and death are so charged on Christs crucified body , that sin is purged away out of the sight of God ; while yet he does not believe , h●s people act●●lly ●reed from it , which is corrupt Antinamionisme , but these and such like paradoxes ●e cannot own , as either reason or truth : For how is Christ the Believers and Saints head , or they perfect in him , if they be imperfect or impure in the body ? are they not members of Christ ? and is not their faith their victory over sin and death ? And is it no ▪ perfection they have wa●ted and travelled , to be ●e●ewed into the image of the heavenly ? Where 's the new birth , new creature , perfect on , righteousness and true holiness , so much preached , and testified of , by the holy men of God in the Scriptures of truth ? if men must be reckoned pure , and perfect , and in Christ when yet they are not washed from their fi●thiness , in which state many are , when yet they conceit that God counts them pure and j●stified : Bu● he that j●●t fieth the wicked , and he that condemneth the just they both are abo●ination before the Lord. R. G. We find thou hast no● brought forth any new thing as to matter or substance , in these matters , but art p●●nged in the old dark stuff of Priests and Professors , who have writ against us , though thou art more confused , and appearest more malitious against us then many of them ●however thou pretendest love and bowels ▪ p. 40 which cannot hide thy dissimulation and enmity ; and thou hast not methodized nor worded their principles so well as many of them , thou being confounded and mangled between truth and their corrupt traditional principles , which we perceive thou dost not see the bottom and tendency of , however ▪ thou thinkest thou art wise , but the devil hath blinded thee with prejudice and conceit , as he hath all that take thy part , and spread thy books , or else thou durst never have brought such a piece of folly , falshood , and mixt mangled stuff to publick view , as thou hast done , who also to shew thy ignorance of redemption thou usest these words , viz ▪ The operation of the spirit of Christ within us , not to redee●us , p. 23. and Christ came into us by , the ministration of the spirit not to redeem us , pag. 38. Answ. This is contrary to the testimonies of both Prophets and Apostles , who witnessed the redemption of their souls , from under the bondage and power of sin and death , so from the hand of the enemy , Psa. 107. 2. David said , draw nigh unto my soul , and redeem it ; ps . 69 ▪ ●8 . So he did not put redemption afar off ; for the God of Israel was near , whom the people owned for their Saviour and Redeemer from all in●quity , Ps. 130. 7 , 8. And as the Apostle exhorted , grieve not the holy spirit of God , whereby ye are sealed uno the day of redempt on , Eph. 4. 30. So that there was a day of redemption to be expected , unto which they were sealed by the holy spirit ; which redemption was a freedom , recovery or purchase from all iniquity ( which could not be effected without the operation of the spirit of Christ within , who gave himself for us , that he might redeem us from all inquity , Titus 2. 14. But this R. G. would impose on people a faith concerning redemption , reconciliation , and justification , as all being finished , wrought or purchased without them , without respect to any works wrought or to be wrought within them , by any light whatsoever , p. 42. See , Reader , how erroneously he hath excluded the work of God and Christ from within , as to the ransoming or freeing of man from sin , and making him righteous , and so bringing him into unity , peace , favour and friendship with God , which is the true sense of redemption , justification and reconciliation , which are not effected , nor obtained without the operation of the spirit of holiness within ( though Christs testimony , suffering and example without had a tendency thereto ) 1 Cor. 6. 11. For it was by the spirit of God , that the Saints were both washed , sanctified and justified , how ever tke Devil and his Agents endeavour to exclude , and invalidate the inward operations of God , Christ , or his Spirit . G. W. Errata . Page 1. l. 37. ' for consider read crucifie . p. 4. for 1. r. 4. l. 6. for enl●ghtening , r. enlighteneth . p. 12. l. 27 for any , and. p. 14. l. 1. for is this , r. is not this , &c. p. 15. l. 38. for no r. not . p. 16. l. 12. for spent , r. shut . p. 17. l. 39. for hint , r. limit . p. 18. l. 1 , for many r. man. Second part . p. 2. l. 30. for counted . r. committed . p. 8. l. 7. r. Christ now come , dele to . p. 12. l. 2 , for Longworth r. Lawrie .