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Show 566 !67J. ,r'Y'-J C:h,y,XlV. Ob)eUiuo. neChri!l:ian-Qualm ~rtd bio l · You.. I. Cerrninly tbis Light wlthio can Pe, I« m,jl, but tbc Law in tbeJCbnfcience, an{werinc ro 1be jirfl Coven.1t11: F,1r, b6rt lf j&TJI'(< ~lnl IMi:.lftltNr.mad~ of Chn}J in rPJs long ['~ijco~Jrfe, ;- and if ;l~ir Llghr '(fi(T( 0Jr~IJ. as u "./Armnl by you Quakers, rbcnbowconJent, th11t be Wtu not fo ~(ll'fd .40tJ· bJJ.ht Jews tmJ G.{ceks ?·lind rqll£ T;pifod ltrf011fl, -,vWn b1 fPIJ/..ep11fA bej.are, anJ f!ibil}l,Typ;_!ieJJ2 4nd hrj~er, in r•/i"t $(p{e rp~~l•r/>4/l.td.trjl•od.r~ b'"""" V7 )niqulfJts, an :Mtn 1J11J V.mun to pe Javed.J!Y Ins /31wd, if tbu Llgh~ br tbe SJ\'iou'f, Mcfli:~h, Ctu:illJ B"c. as .you bdt~ vc, add tn.JtilVDJ.Jr 10 111,,int11m 11orp in t/~e VoTlJ ? This ObjeEliqn, I fuppole, the Rr<der will ~How t;:l bo tqe molt weighrv mJde :rg.1i1)ft our Pri'nciple, and tbn I hJvc rhe1cin deale more fairly b}r our Oppofers rhan rhey ufuaUy deal with u~.; 1incc I have here hid down the very S~rength of their ObjeS::ion, a6ainft the Light we affert. To 1111 which, I fhall anfwer in the Fear of God, and Soirit of Moderarion. The ObjeElion confiits ll)linly of tbefe Four Pans: The Pirfl, relati-ng to the Light's bc:ingbur the ~ar.r, nonhe Gofpel. The Suf!nd, to the Light'!i ~ever being qlled Cbri/1, by l~fvs or Grtela. The Tbird, to ChriH's being 1 Typified, and yet in Being at rhe fame Tim!!. The Fo~trrb, to ChriR's 8lood, the beJring our Sins, and wf\ich l~ay this could be appropriated to the, Light, ond not do Injury to the Holy M~nhood. Firjl then, I fh:tll anfwer to that Part of the Objeflion which concerns the Light•s be\ng bur, or no more than the Law. I do rhus far agree, t.o Y-'it, Thal the Light is the: Law; bur that his not therefore in any Sen1e the Gofpel, I alfo deny; yc;t not in that Refpeft yvhercin it is the Law: For as in th~t Stare \t cannot jufijfie, fo it would be ro fay, it is the Law, and it is noc the Law aJ Id~m. I tay chen~ th:Jt the Light m;~.y be both LJw and Gofpel, in refecCoce tO a cwo-fQld ~1.1ni ... fefhtion. • - Whu~ there is no Low rbr~ ii no TnrnJgrtj/ioR. Jr: rnight :t~ well hne been faid (fince they chemfelvcs qmfafs it to ~e the Law) Th~t whete there is no Ligbr, there is no Tranfgreffion; and ~he tl)ther, heq,uf~ the Apoftlc fay5 exprcfiy, Whatever i.r rep_rqvd, or Sinful, is mad~ Pi.tlllif6}f by the Litbr, ~ph. v. r3. Tht:refore, fince all !lave rranfgreft, ull hav~ Light, and ever had. In this State then, it is a Law, which, jufiifies none; '*11 b~ing conduded underGuilr, and Children of Wrath, for whoever iS: in th:H which isRer provable, is under ConJe,Qnarion from r~e Law, or the ReprQving Ail: of this Holy L;gbt. Buc again, fuch a~ by Unfeigned Repemanco come to obey rbe Light, they ore herein jultified ip a twolold Sen!~ (~nd I fo fpeak for the Sake of the Simple, heguiled by a wrong App>ehenfion of the Word) Jlrfl, In that God acquits for his Name'• S.1ke, wbo is Merci{ul, Pardoning Iniquity, Tranfgreffion and Sin, in all rhat H.epent with Unfeigned Repcn· ranee. Stcond!y, in tb¥ he accepts ypon the Renewal 3nd Cominuance of ,he Creature's humble and fincere Obedience. Neither at:~ 1uch properly come to the compleat Sonjhip. They are bqr on their Joumey, th.ey muft gi\'C good Proof of rhe-ir Fidelity, Diligence and Loyalty ro Go./, as Ser· vJm!-1, hefore they are Received into that excellent Srate of Sonjhip, which ne,·er goes out of the Fa rheF's Haufe lol" ever. This is cle:uly diftinguifh"d, and weightily expreft by'the Apoftle Pa11l to the Galutit~ns, Tb~ lieir (fays h~) whilfl under .ttg~, dijf1rs nor }rom a Ser· TJIInt, but u undrr Tutors until the Time appoint~d if rbe Fc1tbtr: Evtn fo -reel v.hcn ta were Cbi!Jre,, wer~ in JJondage, und1r rill l::'lt!¥~11/J t t!Jt W.or/J i rherrfor~ th~ Sud Cttmt, tl)(lf h'( Fa11b in ir, the Adoptioll o S011s migf-r b~ knoti:Jt, This is the Perfcft:ion o theRrighrnf;fs of the Light, w.hfeh is all along fiiJl the fait;J.e in ir fel~ though nor the filme (.O the Crcanu:c. The outward Sun is the C~ufe of the early Dawqings; and is J.t that \'£r.)t Time in ir fel( rhei3meGtorious BodyofLi~ht, as when in rhe Meridi~n: But if Men, either through N:ltural \Veakncfs, OI the:. many Fogs :~nd Mifts. . . cl VoL. 1. Teftimony Stated ~&nd Vindicated. s6t of T tadition, Education, Ignorance or Prejudice fufrer ao Eclipfe, they 6 · muitnot bbme the Lighr, but themfelvcs. He that folluws the Light in ~ it'!! Holy Difcoveries, ~walks in it, which was ever the Juft Man's Path Ch XIV {hall meet w.ith Ble1fedhefS at the ~nd of his Travels: But fuch as let th~ ap. • )Vorld of W~cked.ne_fs ~~t betw~en It and them, are overtaken with Night. .Jibrabam iaw., It lS ia1d, .Chrifl's Dtry: What D.1y? ~be !Jifl~n/ntion of Sonjh1p, as He1r of~. Tb1hg.s, rbe Day of. Perjefl Re/lttlltlon; which he could never have done, had he not had Ltght, by wfiich co have feen it. ~o ,feVeral of thofc Holy Ancients obrain'd _a Degree fa hove many, and lr· nv data Growth, yea, rhe Benefit and EnJoyment of a Difpenfation that was not then G~en.eral, through the Weaknefs of the Age. Such really faw beyond t.h~ Offermgs, Tppe.s, Figures and ShadoWs, to a State. more Inward, Spmtuol and Subftanual, .by taking good Heed to the Heavenly Light in their Confciences. And this, indeed, was the End of all External Ad mi .. niihadons, to drive the Creature inward, and point out unto it fame ~ore hidden My~ery~ th;~t ~an's Wandering from<!~ bad. caus:d him to negw left; yer ~hll WitS Chnft, the Word-God, a Savtng Ltght 1n that State. And the L1ght of the Law was as a School-Malter that led fuch dS dili~ c:ntly obeyed h, to that more excc11e~t.Difcovery of the fa":Je Lighr, which. ts now called the Gofpel, or Glad· Ttdmgs; as certainly u was, after fo bhck and cold a Seafon, as bad long overcaft the Heavens to have the Glqrious S11n of Rigbr~o~~f~~fs appear in that Blrffid Body, }rq~ared and a• nomt~l. for tba~ P11rpof~. m a M11nn~r lrtJnJand~nt, to all jortn~r Mani~ fej/a"on' of Hmtfe!J. Thus it was that fuch as had lived up molt faithfully to the Law of God, or L1ght of That Di}enfatlon, gladly recetved Chrift beHeved in him became his Followers, and. the Companions _of his Crofs and Sufferings.' So that he, who was the L1ghr of the Law, 1s alfo the Light of the Gofpel, thou&h no~ in one an~ the fame ¥anifefiatio~ o~ Degree of Difcovery: As the Ltght 1s not on-7 1~ ,Condemn!ng and Juftify1ng, though it be one in it felf; nor rhe fame 10 H s Luftre, m the Degree and Growth of Little Childrea, Young Men and Fathe~s,:')'et one-Pure, Eternal, Unalterable Light of Life and Righteoufnef:; in it felf: If therefore it doth the Office of rhc Law in any, to be fure fuch an one i1 yet under a Scate of Condemnation for Evil, and he is not yet come to know the fulfilling of the Law as becometh every Follower of Chrift, yea, every one rhat would c~me to Chrilt. Chrilt indeed fulfils the Law for us 1 but how? The Light in us, as wo are fubjeit to it, and led by it, adminifiers an Holy Power, by which we are enabled to do t~at whic~ is Good and Acceptable in the Sight of the Lord; and fo obeymg the Ltght, we fulfil the Law: Thus he works his Works in us and for us. And fo fu was Chrift from dif.ingaging his Fol~ owers from an indifpenfible ..Neceffity of keeping the Law, as outwardly mgraven on Stones, that he fer them a far harder Tafk, by how much it is moreeafie co refrain our felves from aiting than thinking. Thou flult not Ommit i!dJJ!tet;/1 faith the Difpenfation of Mofes; WboJoever looks on a Woman, to LJJjt after her, bath commirud Adultery with her already in his He,lrt, fJith thJt more Excellent Difpenf:nion of Chtift. Certainly rhea thofe Men, who fancy thcmfelves upon e:~fie Terms of being exc1,1fed from fulfilling of the Law, or performing good Works, as a Condition co Juftifi. CJ~ion, muit bJfely ahufe themfelves, and dangeroufly hazard the \Vell· bemg of rheir own Souls. ln fhort, He was the True Light. who faid, He Ma~ ~· 21; 1har loolu upon a Woman to L11j1 after ber, bas committ~d .JJ.du/ttry tvirb ber 28. D/rraiiy in !Jis H~arr: But fo was he alfo that faid of old by Alofes; Tho~ fh~dt not commit iJ.dJJitery: Should we therefore conclude Two Lights, and not rather Two fe\'eral Manifeftacions, Qr gradual Difcoverie:; of the felf .. fame EternJl Lighr? To conchJd~: The Lawt_as l maY fay, is the Gofpel begun, and the Go f.. pel is the Law fini!hed: He that would be Jullified, mall fir(! be Condemned) and whO would be healed, · mufi firft be wounded. The Law is as the · , Sword, |
