A Holy Lamp of Light: Discovering the fallacious allegorising of Scriptures, to destroy not only the reality of the person of Christ, but all other truths, from his Conception to his Exaltation; The general Resurrection, and the general Judgement-day, falsely avowing all to be fulfilled here in this present life. Or a defence against Mr. roil his Reply. By John Graunt.  
SIR,  
Your own Answer to all that are single-eyed, is a plain evidence and manifestation against yourself, for denying the reality, and making an Allegory of the Divine and human nature of the Messiah, the Saviour of all men, the Lord Jesus Christ, the King of glory, and Lord of his people; and also in every other particular concerning his humiliation and exaltation, thereby destroying the truth both of the Doctrine of Regeneration & Perfection, and the assured hope of his Saints at his appearance and kingdom, under your dark and obscure Expressions, never meant nor sent from God, but formed and framed by the spirit of delusion, so that the children of wisdom may condemn you by your own words: Yet lest the purity of the Doctrine of salvation, wisdom, and counsel of God should any way suffer through your sophisms, or receive dishonour by your cunning subtleties in behalf of it, and the Lord thereof, I that am the meanest of all his servants, thus make my defence against you as followeth.  
And first for your censuring me for passionate reproaches, and bitter expressions under the terms of fancies, conceits, false allegories, delusions and old German errors, This you say is my language, which in saying so, if I speak truly, than I am not to be blamed, but rather justified, being therein warranted both by precept and precedent in holy Scripture, which commandeth to reprove such sharply. And also saith, Thou shalt not suffer sin upon thy brother, but thou shalt in any wise rebuke him, Luk. 19 17. And all to this end, that they may be kept and found in the faith, Tit. 1. 13. And woe be to them that justify the wicked, and condemn the righteous, that put darkness for light, and light for darkness, that call bitter sweet, and sweet bitter:  
So that we ought to say (that those that speak not God's Word unto the people) they speak their own fancies: And such as are given up to strong delusions, aught to be called deluders, or liars; and the bad, or evil Tree ought not to be called a good Tree, nor the Bramble the Vine; but the truth ought to be spoken of all: And the expressions thereof ought not to be termed passion or bitterness. And that I have spoke truly in what I have spoke against you, a brief examination of the particulars will manifestly declare: And it will not serve your turn in the trial, to say, I am in a low Dispensation; but when I come higher, in the which you are in, than I shall be of your mind, wherefore I proceed not in the Letter alone, which is the corpse of the Scriptures, but therewithal the meaning, the solve, the life, the light of truth, and power of the Spirit of God that doth accompany the Letter.  
And first, for those fair words, and smooth expressions from yourself, it is the way that Satan hath, and will use to deceive with from the first that was made, to the last that shall be born. And the Apostles jealousy of the faithful makes him to say, I fear, lest by any means, as the Serpent beguiled Eve through his subtlety, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ, 2 Cor. 11. 3. And this I say (saith he) lest any man should beguile you with enticing words, Col. 2. 4. For the presumptuous and self-willed beguile unstable souls, 2 Pet. 2. 14. And there are some, that by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple, Rom. 16. 19  
In the second Page of your Paper you speak of John's baptism, & Christ's baptism, and of the offices and gifts which Paul and the rest had received; and that you apprehend them all to be types and figures of that glory revealed in us, which glory in us you make the estate of the Just and perfect man glorified here before the dissolution of the body.  
Sir, I pray take notice how you express and declare yourself ignorant of the Principles and Beginnings of Jesus Christ; as also of the accomplishment and perfection of a true Christian indeed. Therefore be it known unto you, that John's baptism was not water in a literal, but in a spiritual sense, the work of repentance unto life was his baptism, and external washing with material water was a sign of his administration of that heavenly grace of repentance. He shall come (saith the Prophet) in the spirit and power of Elias, Mal. 3. And he shall turn the hearts of the children to their Fathers, &c. The disobedient to the wisdom of the just. His baptism saith St. Luke, Chap. 3. is the baptism of repentance, as it is written in the Book of the words of Isaias the Prophet; The voice of one crying in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight; which Scriptures declare not only the name▪ of his baptism, but the heavenly nature, operation, and virtue thereof, even to turn, prepare, bruise, soften and break the hearts of sinners.  
So likewise as our Lord's Baptism is of a more higher and excellent degree of the work of God's Spirit; the Scriptures also sets it forth in such terms as expresseth the more excellent nature and operation thereof, as comforting exceeds mourning, healing brokenness, liberty captivity, satisfaction want, and the truth of purity and holiness the preparation thereunto, and spiritual riches that of spiritual poverty, and therefore it is that our Lord himself saith, The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, And he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, which is, to heal the brokenhearted, to deliver the captivated, & to give sight to them that are spiritually blind. And this word speaking peace by Jesus Christ began after the baptism that John preached, and there is great reason for it; for freedom and deliverance follows bondage and thraldom, as curing and healing doth the member that is wounded and broken.  
And by these two heavenly baptisms and spiritual Operations, a sinner is begotten to God, and made a Saint: And as by our fleshly birth we came to have a natural being and subsistence; so by this heavenly birth of repentance and remission of sins, God's children come to have a holy and spiritual being and subsistence, in which holy righteous children & Saints God dwells by his Spirit, and endows them with gifts & graces of the holy Ghost, which are not figures and shadows (as you term them) nor things to be done away, but are real for substance, and durable for continuance: And as Christ and Melchisedech, so are all these regenerate Priests of an endless life, and the gifts and graces of God's Spirit in them remain and continue to be God's Witnesses, testifying for God in the earth, as it is written, There are three that bear record in earth, the Spirit, the Water, and the Blood, Joh. 5. 8. And those that by these are spiritually born, begotten, and brought forth of God, are the little ones that Christ blesseth, the humble ones that Christ teacheth, the wise ones that only and truly understand; for unto those only it is given to know the secrets and mysteries of God.  
This new born man is the righteous and just man, the blessed & holy man and becomes thus righteous & just, not by any inherent righteousness which is originally within him as you say, and is to be raised, for you affirm it dead in every man; And when risen, than the flesh is destroyed, and the new man quickened.  
But the righteousness of the truly righteous is by imputation of another's righteousness from without him; For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one (mark what the truth saith, not of ourselves) shall many be made righteous. And as Abraham the Father of the faithful was not made righteous by his own righteousness, but by the imputation of another's righteousness: Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him; but for us also, to whom it shall be imputed if we believe on him, that is, on Jesus Christ, Rom. 4. 23. 24. And of the justified ones it is said, their righteousness is of me saith the Lord, Isa. 54. 17.  
Now observe, it is a mere tale or fable for any to say, that a man becomes a righteous man by having the righteousness within him as he is borne into the world: And so although he liveth, yet that is dead, and to be quickened, asleep, and to be awakened, and that Christ the anointing is in all men, either concealed under the ashes of corruption, or kindled into a flame of illumina●ion; this Doctrine is sottishness to heavenly wisdom, and nonsense to true Divinity.  
For thus saith the Truth, That which is borne of the flesh is flesh, & that which is born of the Syirit is Spirit: The ode birth is from below of the earth, earthly, the other is through the Lord from above, spiritually and heavenly, as it is written, Except a man be born again from above, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Now such spiritual men were Peter and Nathanael, and all the faithful Apostles and Saints, to whom flesh and blood was not their Teacher and Revealer, but Almighty God himself, and these heavenly perls of regeneration and the gifts of the holy Ghost; their spiritual anointings were not figures and shadows to cease and pass away, but the very immortal Word, council, Spirit, and Covenant of God that abideth and continueth for ever, against which the gates of Hell shall not prevail; contrary to which in Page 5. you affirm in these words, I do not mean that outward Ceremony of water, but also the baptism of the holy Ghost and gifts to be figurative and typical. Yet in another place, Page the 2. you are pleased to say thus to me; but if you say that those Offices and gifts which were given to the Apostles, continue still, and were not figurative; Then show me say you that power of visible glory held forth in these that now do dispense, as in them heretofore.  
To which I answer, If I have manifestly declared and described the righteous plant, the good Tree and the holy Temple, than they that are spiritual may discern the fruits, with the power, the light, and glory thereof; for this good Tree is not barren, but exceeding fruitful, and this spiritual House, Temple, & Spouse all glorious within: Now in the time of her Lord's personal absence, who, when he comes to be personally present, she with him, and he with her, shall be wonderfully revealed and manifested with power & great glory, clothed visibly with it, even before all their enemies that will not now acknowledge it, but declare against it, as yourself hath done, and many others, that have thanks for it of them that should have reproved them, for was there ever such blasphemy witnessed and testified too, as is under your own hand, in denying the Lord that bought you; For you boldly affirm in Page 6. though woefully and impudently, That the Incarnation of Christ, his death, resurrection, and intercession, and what ever else is spoken of him▪ as that he was circumcised, baptised, crucified, dead, & buried, risen, and ascended; All these expressions and removes say you, I look upon to be no more but as types and figures, holding forth that whole mystery of Truth which shall be made out and finished in us by times and degrees, and in several measures; which when it is accomplished in us, will be the end of all things. And further you say, this is that general Resurrection and great day of the Lord, and the world to come, and this is all fulfi●led in us before this veil of flesh be laid down.  
These are your own words, wherein you affirm ne'er as many blasphemies as you have written words; for here you make Christ himself to be a Type and Figure, as before you made the gifts of the Spirit which he gave to his Apostles, for you deny Christ to be real and personal, and affirm him to be a Quality, an Unction of your own devising; And that there is no resurrection of the body out of the earth; nor no day of judgement, nor no world to come, than what you have imagined and fancied in your own conceit; besides, and contrary to God's word. And because you will not be tried by that rule of Truth, you blush not to say in page 5. That the fountain of truth doth not fix or confine you so to any expressions, as that you should not express or declare any thing but what is according to Scriptures tying you to those written words; no say you.  
Oh Sir, look and consider how you exalt yourself above all that are called God, above Christ, above his Word, as I told you before in my Answ. Your Doctor H. N. had done in page 2. above his Church, above all the holy Prophets and Apostles; yea all the lights and stars of God from the beginning of the world to this day; but it cannot be otherwise, because you refuse the counsel that teacheth the truth to the Law and to the Testimony: If this be not in you, it is because there is no light in you; And that it may be manifested there is no light in you, do but take a short and brief view of your own darkness, ignorance, and gross contradictions in your Reply, as you call it. For in page 5. You affirm that I mistake you in saying you make Elias and the Messenger of the Covenant one & the same: And yet as with the same breath you presently affirm, that the Messenger of the Covenant which was Christ, is that Elias the Prophet, even Christ that unction of Truth in us; see from your own mouth the effect of your own darkness in leaving and slighting of God's Word, and the light thereof, which saith, Mat. 11. That John Baptist was Elias that was to come. And the Prophet Malachi makes the Lord Christ to be the Messenger of the Covenant, and the Baptist to be the Lord's Messenger, to prepare his way before him, by preaching repentance, as before is touched: And he tells you plainly himself you speak falsely of him, Io●. 1. 20. I am not the Christ, saith he, meaning Christ Jesus the Lord, the Messenger of the Covenant; and the Apostle John his witness is against you also, John 1. 8. He was not that light, but was sent to bear witness of that light (saith he) Is it not now clear that that higher dispensation you speak of is very gross dark ignorance and contradiction that you are fallen into.  
Mr. roil, as in this you have no weapon left for your defence, so your nakedness will also appear in the rest that is to follow. I pray Sir why did you not reply particularly to the Scriptures I brought to prove the Resurrection of the body; wherefore I entreat you again to consider of one or two Texts more, in John 5. 28, 29. Our Lord affirms plainly, using no parrable or allegory, That all that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth. Mark this expression; It is not said they shall be raised in us, but they shall come forth of their graves, they that have done good to the resurrection of life, and they that have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation. Now but that you say that in your dispensation you are not bound to accord with the Scripture, this testimony would confute your error, for all the general Resurrection you speak of in your Reply is this; Christ being raised in us, the mystery of Truth finished in us, page 6. before the putting off of this veil of flesh, when God's word plainly makes the general resurrection to be the raising of all men's bodies out of their graves where they are buried, the good to salvation, the evil to damnation. Consider, Mr. roil, how you have declared and proved yourself a faithless & hopeful man; for all that have hope towards God believe, and allow that there shall be a resurrection from the dead both of the just and unjust, Acts 24. 15. And here see and observe what a discord there is between your spirit and the Spirit of God in the Scriptures, even by your own words, testifying against you. And look again on your Paper how you reply to my Answer against your ignorant position, that the coming of Christ to judgement is his spiritual appearance in men.  
For this you affirm in Page 4. That it is clear that Christ's coming again is fulfilled in sending, giving, or pouring out his Spirit into men. See again how you in your high Dispensation are directly opposite to Christ and the Apostles holy Doctrine; for all Scriptures are not spoken to the weakness of Creatures as you say, but to the comfort and joy of the Saints, that they through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope, Rom. 15. 4. And the Scriptures do not say he shall come in us as you say, but to us; I will come again saith our Lord, that is, to be with his in bodily presence, as he was with them before he went from them when he ascended from his Apostles, he went not out from within them, but ascended from their company, so doth the two men clothed in white Apparel assure the Apostles, this same Jesus (say they) which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into heaven. Now was not the manner a personal ascension from amongst them, and so shall the manner of his coming in the Clouds be again personally into their company, so that it cannot be as you say in a figure of fleshly appearance, but really in his glorified body. Behold he cometh with clouds (saith the Spirit) and every eye shall see him: That is, all men shall see the person of the Son of Man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. Observe again, it is not said he comes into men, but he comes from heaven unto men, in such great eminent and personal glory that every eye shall behold: And his appearance shall be to the looked for, and much desired joy of his Saints, but to the shame and confusion of his Enemies, and such as be lie him: And take heed now you do not smother this clear light of Christ's personal appearance with the smoke of your expression; You are skilful in the letter, for let me tell you plainly, that whosoever makes his spiritual sense wholly contradictory to the letter of the Scriptures, renders himself both truthless and senseless for such an one hath none to bear witness with him: and whosoever bears witness of himself, his witness is not true.  
Wherefore once again I beseech you consider further seriously what is written of this great and glorious truth in these 7. particulars. 1. The person that cometh. 2. The time of his coming. 3. The manner of his coming. 4. The parties that pray for, and desire his coming. 5. The company that attends him in his coming. 6. The end & effect of his coming: and 7. The place to which he cometh; In every which particular, your conceit of his coming into men by spiritual appearances, will be utterly confuted and overthrown. And fi●st for the person that cometh: And mark this, it is a person, & not a quality, and such a human person as there was never the like, for he is the son of a Virgin; And although she his mother, a sinful woman of herself; yet he that took flesh of her without sin, the son of sinful man, & yet be no sinner: Behold a wonder, yea a wonderful person, yea such a person as is the Captain of our salvation, the Bishop of our souls, the Apostle of our profession: He is called the High Priest, the Messiah, the Mediator, yea the only mediator between God and man; the King of Kings, and Lord of Lords, the greatest personage for majesty that ever was, or shall be: And yet the same person in his power, glory, & reign, as in his contempt and suffering only now glorified, and not before.  
2. His coming again shall not be till the end of this World, when there shall be an end of sinning, an end of dying, an end of labouring, and an end of the Curse: an end of sorrowing, suffering, weeping, and of hungering and thirsting, not in a feigned conceit, but really, as it was in the estate of innocency before any of these things had their being and beginning.  
3▪ The manner of his coming shall be glorious in a two fold respect, Amiable to his Saints and servants, but terrible to his Adversaries and Enemies, as it is written; The Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the Trump of God, to the joy, admiration, and salvation of his Saints: And on the contrary, his coming shall be terrible to the wicked and disobedient; A day of wrath, indignation, misery and calamity, darkness and confusion; his coming to such shall be in flaming fire, rendering vengeance; Yet at the same time to his Saints a heeler, a deliverer, a restorer, yea amiable and glorious as the light, shining as the sun, and glittering as the perfection of all the precious and excellent things that can he thought or spoke of.  
4. The parties that pray for, and desire his coming, declare it to be visible and apparent, his own personal presence, and not mysterious and invisible: The earnest desire of the Saints is, Come Lord Jesus, come quickly, always prayed for, hoped for, longed for; to which time they have referred the righting of all their Wrongs, the clearing of all their Causes, the enjoyment of all their Comforts, to which time the Lord hath referred them. Then saith he, Lift up your heads, for your redemption draws nigh: and in which time the Apostle hath assured them deliverance, For he that shall come, will come, & will not tarry: And it is their Saviour that saith, Behold I come quickly, and my reward is with me.  
5. His company that attends him are beyond all comparison for number and nature, for quantity and quality, all the holy Angels, all the holy Saints, their virtue and quality is holiness and gloriousness, their number innumerable, all, all, for Angels and Saints, thousand-thousands minister unto him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stand before him, even so many, as they are beyond all, and it is the company that attends this great and mighty Lord, a multitude saith the Spirit, which no man can number, of all Nations, & Kindreds, and People, add Tongues; all the Israel & chosen of God are then to attend him personally in their glorified bodies and souls.  
The 6 thing considerable is the end of his coming, and that is to affect & accomplish perfection, to restore all things to be glorified in his Saints, and with his Saints, to be admired of all that believe, and to be dreaded and feared of all his Enemies, ruling the one with a sceptre of gold, and the other with a rod of Iron; then shall he be crowned and enthroned for evermore, his kingdom set up that shall have no end; his power so greatly declared, that all his Enemies shall be subdued: He will then make his, and the Saints Adversaries to acknowledge and honour him and them for ever; For this kingdom that the Lord of Heaven shall set up, shall break to pieces, and subdue all other kingdoms: It shall thrash the Nations, and beat down the mountains, advancing the City and mountain of God over and above all Powers, Authorities, Dignities, and Estates whatsoever, as it is written; At the name of Jesus shall every knee how, both of things in heaven, things on earth, and things under te earth; That is, to the power and authority of this King King and Kingdom, which by name is signified; then shall all other Kings and Nations in the whole world be subjected, which will be more cleared in the next.  
The 7. and last particular, is the place whether he comes, and that is to the earth, he shall stand, or have rule and authority the last upon the earth, which shall be the pla●e of his Royalty and Dominion, even the everlasting inheritance of the Saints. His dominion (saith the Spirit) shall be from Sea to Sea: And the meek (that is, the children of God, the blessed ones) they shall inherit the earth with him; For he hath redeemed them out of every Tongue, People, and Nation, and they shall reign on the earth: But the Heavens and Earth that are now, shall be purged, & made all new & holy, where nothing shall dwell then but righteousness: And not only the Saints, but the whole Creation shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the sons of God: Then shall Christ the Lord give the Inheritance to the Heirs apparent; for Abraham is not only the heir of the world, but all the children of the Promise, that are of the faith of Abraham, are joint-heirs with him. Now all their excellent honours and privileges as they are in this life inward, and enjoined by faith and hope, are the earnest penny of the whole perfection: So then after the Resurrection, the things that are now believed and hoped for, shall be then present in the enjoyment for ever, and then faith and hope shall cease and come to an end: And this everlasting salvation shall not only be within them, in the perfection of them, but externally upon them also. For all the Righteous shall be clothed with a glorious heavenly clothing: They shall shine as the brightness of the Firmament, & as the stars for ever & ever, and the whole wicked world shall be judged by them, seeing, knowing, and acknowledging them honoured of God for ever, whom they in their life-time did scorn, persecute, disdain and contemn: And they lifting up their heads, out of their pains and torments, shall fall down and worship them, and in honour of them lick the dust of their feet, and shall say one to another Are not these they that we fools in our life-time, hated & had in a proverb of reproach; but now how do we see them honoured, & ourselves justly condemned: In which condemnation they shall be for ever chained and tormented world without end. Now as Jannes and Jambres withstood Moses, so in your Writings you have withstood Jesus; but as their folly was manifested to all men, so shall also yours be: Wherefore Master roil I pray you to repent, that you may escape this damnation to come, who am your Friend,  
John Graunt.  
FINIS.   

Page 2. l. 7. for solve, r. soul. p. 7. l. 30. for and it, r. awdit. p. 3. l. 46. for pearls r. parts.