# A Beacon to the Society of Friends/Sermon II

SERMON II.
EXTRACT I.
Jesus the only Saviour.
In the preceding extract, the deity of Christ is kept out of sight, and the offices of the Son of God, and those of the Holy Spirit are confounded. With awful presumption it is then asserted, that Jesus of Nazareth was not the Saviour of the world.
These sentiments are at variance with the whole tenor ​of the New Testament, which ascribes the salvation of man, to him, who in the beginning was with God, and was God—by whom all things were created—who in the fulness of time took flesh, and dwelt among men—offered himself a sacrifice for our sins—rose from the dead—ascended up on high—and ever liveth to make intercession for us.
Is not this Jesus of Nazareth the same, to whom the following passages refer?
1st.—The Testimony of Jesus Christ himself, as to his being Saviour.
2nd.—The Testimony of the Spirit.
EXTRACT II.
Preaching an Appointed means.
"Wait for this Pilot; for it was not any more necessary for the followers of Jesus to wait, than it is for every individual now present, or under heaven. It is as much our duty now, and the language will apply as much to us as it did to them.—'Tarry at Jerusalem till ye receive power from on high.'—We have no outward Jerusalem to wait in, and there is no need of it; but we are to wait at Jerusalem,—a place of quiet,—with a willingness on our part to know redemption effected in us. We are not to expect it through hearing preaching or running after ministers, or what not; for we shall find that it has all been insufficient to do the work for us." pp. 31, 32.
Is not the preaching of the word, or gospel, a, very principal means appointed by God, for the salvation of man?
What saith the Spirit through the Scripture?
In the first quotation following, the reader will notice the words, "it pleased God." In these words is a full answer to the puny wisdom of man, which sets itself up to point out ways more worthy of God than those which his infinite wisdom has appointed, for communicating the knowledge of his salvation.
Words whereby thou shalt be saved;—Pause here, and consider this remarkable case at large, as it is related in the New Testament. To the subject immediately before us, it is very important. Observe the character of Cornelius—the divine testimony concerning him—the import of the words of the Angel, as to the necessity of his having the outward knowledge of the Gospel, in order to his salvation. Observe particularly that the Angel did not communicate this knowledge to him; neither did the Holy Spirit communicate it, (i.e. immediately) though undoubtedly he could have done so, but a man must do ​it.—Cornelius must send for Peter, and he must tell him the words whereby he should be saved: Peter is prepared by divine interposition; and is sent by the Spirit to Cornelius, to communicate the word of life and salvation.
Now let the reader deliberately and seriously consider and determine the question. Whether for nearly eighteen hundred years since the days of the Apostles; among all the nations of the earth, there has been a single well authenticated instance of a people being converted to Christianity, or bringing forth the fruits of the Spirit, who have not previously been made acquainted with the Scripture revelation? And if at this day, when through missionary efforts, our knowledge of heathen nations is so vastly extended, history furnishes not one such instance; then let him determine what ground there is for hesitation in coming to the conclusion, that, it is the appointment of Infinite wisdom, that by the revelation of the Holy Spirit which we have in Scripture, (communicated either directly or remotely,) mankind shall be brought to the know ledge of the truth.
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EXTRACT III.
Authority of Scripture.
"It is through this Comforter that all our knowledge of God must come; and all that ever was, among rational beings under heaven, came through this medium, and none other.—But by our believing that we can help ourselves to heaven by the aid of the Scriptures, a mere written book, at the same time that we understand it so diversely, sets us to warring and quarrelling. Has not this been long enough the case for every rational being to be instructed and to see, that instead of its being a sufficient rule of faith and practice, it is the reverse, for while it is depended on as such, it hinders from coming to the truth. The Scriptures never told us that they were a sufficient rule; but they recommend us to that from which they themselves had their origin,—the Spirit of truth." p. 37.
"The scriptures a mere written book." This is the common method of endeavouring to get rid of the authority of the Holy Scriptures. But what does it signify whether a message be conveyed to us by words written in a book, or by words orally delivered; if we receive the ideas which God wills we should receive, this is surely what is designed. But if instead of receiving these ideas, we despise the method which God has been pleased to appoint for their communication to us, we must necessarily be left to the miseries of unbelief. Or, if we unhappily flatter ourselves, that we have the knowledge of the will of God, independently of the written revelation by which it has pleased him to convey it, we lay ourselves open to the delusion of the Devil; who, in the guise of an angel of light, may then readily prevail upon ​us to receive as the truth of God, whatever suggestions most comport with our particular bent of mind.
It is indeed by the power of the Holy Spirit, that the heart is softened and opened to receive the truth, and also that the truth when received, is applied with saving efficacy to the heart, and made to produce fruit unto holiness; but let us with fixed attention to the following passages, consider the Divine testimony to the authority of the word, which word whether originally written or spoken, comes down to us by the revelation of the spirit through the Scriptures; constantly bearing in mind that it is through these divine records that we at this day, have the true knowledge of God—of his holy law, and of the gospel of life and salvation through Jesus Christ.
Faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." Rom. x. 17.
1st.—As to the Written word.
* ↑ Jerusalem means either "people or dwelling of peace," not "place of quiet." Vide Gesenius Lex. Heb.
* ↑ According to Irenæus, the earliest writer who has made any mention of the design of John's Gospel, this very passage was written against those heretics, who separated Christ from Jesus.—Michaelis.
* ↑ Preach the Word—Observe this passage is in immediate connection with the testimony, that all Scripture is given by inspiration; but by the division of the chapters much of its force is lost.
* ↑ Saved.—Observe the strong language of the Holy Spirit, in this and other instances, with regard to the importance of the knowledge of the Gospel being communicated by outward means.
* ↑ In the Greek, rhematos—not logou from logos as in 1 chap. John—ῥήμα (rhema) and λόγος (logos) are both translated word; both are used in the New Testament, logos much the more frequently. The meaning of logos is not definite, and the context can alone determine the sense. It is used both for the declaratory word, and for the eternal word. Rhema comes from rheo, to speak, and, according to the best authorities, is never applied to Christ, but means saying, command, discourse: therefore, where this term occurs, the sense is fixed as in the passage above, and also Eph. vi. 17. "The sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," and some others.
* ↑ Disannulled.—Purver.
* ↑ Observe, (by the way,) after each of these written communications it is added, He that hath an ear let him hear what the spirit saith unto the churches. And in the following, observe not only the authority, but what the Spirit saith, as to the object for which the Scriptures were written.
*Observe the testimony of the Holy Spirit through Peter to the writings of Paul. And observe also, in the following, not only the authority of that which is written by divine inspiration, but the danger of adding to, or diminishing ought from it.
* Observe in this, as well as other passages, the high authority for calling the written revelation the word of God.
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2nd.—As to the word spoken; but which cometh to us as the written word.
In the following passages, as well as in some of the preceding, observe particularly what Christ and the Spirit teach, as our incumbent duty, with regard to the Scriptures, and also what is the efficacy of the scriptures through faith, as well as their authority.
In the following passages also, Christ and the Spirit testify to the efficacy of the declaratory word, whether called the truth, the word of truth, the ​Gospel, the law of God, or the word of God; and which is revealed to us by the Spirit, through the Scriptures.
Christ and the Spirit testify to the same efficacious word of God, as it was preached by the apostles, and it is now, by the Scriptures, communicated to us.
1st.—By the written word is the knowledge of God's Holy law.
2nd.—Encouraging declaration of Christ to keep his word.
EXTRACT IV.
Blood of Christ.
"I don't want to express a great many words, but I want you to be called home to the substance. For the Scriptures and all the books in the world can do no more.—Jesus could do no more than to recommend to this comforter, which was this light in him.—They who dwell in God dwell in love, and they are constrained to walk in it, and if they "walk in it they have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus
Christ his Son, cleanseth us from all sin." But what blood, my friends? Did Jesus Christ, the Saviour, ever have any material blood? Not a drop of it, my friends, not a drop of it. That blood which cleanseth from all sin, was the life of the soul of Jesus." p.p. 40,41.
What blood was that which came forth mingled with water, when the soldier pierced his side with a spear? Was it material or immaterial?
Do not the following passages, with many more, refer unequivocally to the blood of the Man Christ Jesus, which was shed on Calvary?
See many other passages equally conclusive, under Sermon I, Extract 2.
EXTRACT V.
Evidence of Miracles.
"We have a day much higher than any thing that outward miracles could give. For they were the weakest evidence that
Almighty Goodness could ever have given: but they were suited to the low and degraded state of the people, which was the case with the poor Israelites." p. 45.
Miracles were the great evidence of the divine mission of Christ, He appeals to the works which he wrought, as evidence so conclusive, as to leave wholly without excuse those who do not believe. But how awfully consistent is it, for him who presumptuously asserts the sufficiency of the inward light, to endeavour to undermine the authority of miracles!
EXTRACT VI.
Christ did emphatically direct to himself.
"O then let us be individually endeavouring to gather to the light, and wait on the Lord that we may see his counsel;
then shall we believe in the doctrine of his Son.—And what was this? Tarry at Jerusalem,—wait for the Comforter. He never directed to himself; but all he wanted was to lead their minds to the Spirit of truth, yo the light within; and when he had done this he had done his office. And what we have to do, is to retire to this law which is written upon the tables of the heart." p. 47.
What saith the Scripture?
"All he wanted was to lead their minds to the Spirit of truth." So far from this being correct, the Lord Jesus expressly states it as being the office, or perhaps we should rather say, one of the great offices, of the Holy Spirit, to testify of him.—He shall glorify me.—He shall receive of mine.—He shall take of mine and show it unto you.—He shall testify of me, &c., as in the following passages. The Holy Spirit also, through the apostle Peter, testifies of himself as a witness to Christ. Acts, v. 32.
And are not these declarations of the Lord Jesus also fulfilled, in a most important respect, in the constant testimony of the Spirit to him, through the inspired writings of the Evangelists and Apostles?
* This passage has been wrested, to prove that the Spirit, independently of his revelation by the Scriptures, would teach mankind all things needful for their salvation; but the reader will observe how evidently this passage relates to the Apostles themselves, as a promise to them, that they should, by divine inspiration, be qualified for the work, of conveying to mankind, the knowledge of the things they had immediately received from the mouth of the Lord Jesus; and also what should be further revealed to them by the Spirit.
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And how often we find, that when any one is described as being full of the Holy Ghost, the inspired ​page presently gives the fulfilment of the words of our Lord, "He [the Spirit of truth] shall glorify me;" for instance
On the other hand, let us observe the test given by the Apostle John, of true or false teachers in his day, namely, their preaching, or omitting to preach, salvation through the coming of Christ in the flesh.
The foregoing extract from the Sermon, [see page 58] compared with the above quotations from Scripture, exhibits in a striking manner how recklessly the positive assertions contained in the extract are made, and how easily we may, whilst making high pretensions to divine guidance, put the imagination of man above the revelation which God has given us in the Holy Scriptures.
EXTRACT VII.
Quietism unauthorised by Christ and his Apostles.
"But time would fail me to open all these things.—I feel my own infirmity. I felt nothing when I came into this meeting, nor had I a desire after any thing, but to centre down into abasement and nothingness. And in this situation I remained for a while, till I found something was stirring and rising in my spirit. And this was what I laboured after—to be empty,—to know nothing—to call for nothing—and to desire to do nothing.* Now my whole drift is, to gather the minds of the people to the light within, which is the same as the grace of God, the manifestation of the spirit that reproves for evil." p. 47.
* Such notions as the above, are to be found in the works of some mystic Roman Catholic writers; but very little attention will enable us to discover, how entirely they are unauthorised by Christ and his Apostles.
We are indeed not sufficient of ourselves, to think any thing as of ourselves; it is God who worketh in ​us both to will and to do according to his own good pleasure. To these truths Scripture and experience bear testimony. What then must we do? The Quietist reasons somewhat in this way:—It is God who worketh in us, therefore our own creaturely activity is only a hinderance; our place is to be entirely passive,—we, must do nothing, only let God work. The reasoning is specious; but let us consider, in connection with the same important truth, what is the exhortation of the Holy Spirit by the pen of the Apostle Paul:{{—}"Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling." Our blessed Lord said, "Strive to enter in at the strait gate." There is not, in fact, one exhortation in the New Testament to be passive. but rather, strive—seek—watch—pray—knock—work. Those who in sincerity desire to obey these injunctions, will indeed find that they cannot do so without strength from above.
The divine command then is, believe—work. The Quietist says,—be passive.
But this is a part of that system which, under pretension of high personal spirituality, substitutes its own supposed piety for the perfect righteousness of Christ, and in the guise of an angel of light, undermines the Gospel.
See under Ser. V. Ex. 2;—Ser. VI. Ex. 1; Ser. VII. Ex. 1, 2.
* ↑ Does our Lord refer them to the inward light?
* ↑ "Law written on the heart."—See under Ser. IV. Ex. 5.