Walking sc Zecharias and Elizabeth ' his Wife ver 5. in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless here the Quakers think they are perfect Saints Reply The word Blameless doth not as the Quakers would have it signifie Sinless before the Lord but Rebukeless before men in this World no man can be so blameless as to be sinless in the sight of God 't is true we read Numb 23. 21. He hath not seen iniquity in Jacob that is not with an eye of revenge but pity God saw iniquity in Jacob his people but not so as to destroy them which was the unwearied design desire of Balack the Princes of Moab ver 17. in which sense the not seeing of iniquity in Jacob is only meant Indeed at the glorious second coming of the Lords Christ then the persons of the just shall be sinlesly blameless before the Lord as in 1 Cor. 1. â— That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ in that day of Christs coming in glory the Saints shall be found of God in peace without spot and blameless 1 Pet. 3 4 14. but not thus in this life nevertheless I willingly grant that Believers may walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless that is to say rebukeless in regard of Men this is verified by the Apostle Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as lights in the World in which sense alone Zecharias and his Wiâ—e Elizabeth were blameless for Zecharias was so far from being perfect without sin that he was found at the very time that the words above were uttered of him guilty of the great sin of Vnbelief and for it was punished with dumbness Luk. 1. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou dost not believe my words Obj. Here the Quaker will be apt to say But there is no sin charged upon Elizabeth so that she might be perfect without sin Ans 1. The phrase Blameless on which the Quaker puts his whole stress may refer to an Unbeliever yea to a persecutor of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Phil. 3. 6. Touching the righteousness which is in the Law Blameless even then when Paul was graceless he was blameless this I have only noted by way that Teaching Quakers may plainly see that the word Blameless simply in its own nature will be so far from proving perfection of Grace that it will not prove any truth of Grace 2. It will not therefore follow that Elizabeth was perfect without sin because there is no mention made of her sin let it be well observed that in the 6th verse above They are both said to be righteous and blameless even then when the best of them both was guilty of actual sin now if the expressions of Righteous and Blameless were applicable to Zecharias when he was under sin then the same expressions sc of Righteous and Blameless will not argue her to be more free from sin then her Husband there being the same reason for the one as for the other to deny this were to destroy the rules of right reasoning besides death took hold of her as well as of him which is the wages of sin Rom. 6. 23. 3. If the Term Blameless should prove Zecharias and Elizabeth in their life time sinless or perfect without sin it would prove the Scriptures of God sinful which to assert were Blasphemy for the Holy Scriptures do utterly deny such a blamelesness or freedome from sin in Mortals As in Eccless 7. 20. For there is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not that is that sinneth not in doing good the Spirit doth say simply that there is not a just man that sinneth not but a just man that doth good and sinneth not intimating that in our most religious Actions there is some mixture of sin hence the Prophet Isai 64. 6. That all our Righteousness is as filthy rags Noting to us that no righteous work of ours is so pure but there is some taint and filth of sin cleaving to it which without a Mediator in the rigor of the Law would be damnable so then though the action as to the matter be not sinful yet there is some sin in the Action this difference is exprest Exod. 28. 38 where the High-Priest is said to bear the iniquity of the holy things holy things in the matter of them yet iniquity in the manner of performing them Rom. 7. 18. How to perform that which is good I find not here hence it is that we read 1 King 8 46. If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not and again 2 Chron. 6. 36. For there is no man that sinneth not whence the Apostle James Chap. 3. 2. For in many things we offend all he saith We including himself though an eminent Saint and an Apostle of great holiness All of us offend in many things and many of us in all things likewise our blessed Lord and only Saviour teacheth the choicest of Gods Children to pray unto their Father in Heaven for dayly and continual pardon of sin Mat. 6 12. There is in all true Believers a cursed root of bitterness which God doth mortifie but not nullifie in this World 't is subdued but not removed 't is cast down but not cast out though Grace makes the combat yet death only makes the conquest over sin I proceed to the Quakers Second Principle To wit That the written Scriptures are not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Reply 1. VVhereas they say The written Scriptures are not the Word of God if thereby they mean the Scriptures as expressed by humane tongues or as written or printed with ink and paper by the art of the VVriter or Printer if so considered we do not affirm the Scriptures to be the VVord of God But as the Written Scriptures do declare the mind of God to us so the matter therein contained is the declarative VVord of God as in Heb. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son Qu. What hath the Son of God spoken touching the Scriptures Ans He tells us that the Scripture is the VVord of God Mark 7. 13. Making the Word of God of none effect Here the Son of God calls the fifth Commandment in the written Scriptures the VVord of God and in Iohn 2. 22. They believed the Scripture the word which Jesus had said Also Ioh. 10. 34 35. And Jesus answered them It is written in your Law I said ye are Gods if he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Note in these Texts
pretended by thâ—e falls short of maintaining your cause as it respects the first part of the charge which â—id appear on a due examination of the Text it self in this man 〈◊〉 to wit Exam. By the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus we are to understand the Spirit which the Father gave him as the Son of Man without measure Ioh. 3. â—4 Ioh. 1. 6. Now from this fulness of Spiritual Life in Christ Paul received such a degree of it as made him free from the Law i. e. from the reign and demâ—nion of sin and from Death Rom. 6. 12. 14 i. e. from the power of natural death Note that the Spirit in the Text above is seâ—â—own two wayes 1. By the Subject in whom it is that is in the Manhood of Christs Person 2. By the Effect it is a spirit of life if this life be not from Christs fulness conveyed into us we are but dead men spiritually dead in sins Eph 2. 1. But when the spirit of 〈◊〉 from Christs unmeasurable fulness is derived to us tâ—en we feel its law or power weakening and abolishing the Law i. e. the strength and Authority of sin in us and thereby sin hath now no reigning domineering power in or over us nor can it condemn our persons and thus we are â—reed from the Law of sin death Note Not so â—reed as if we were simply delivered from both or either of these as that we cannot afterwards sin and die but the meaning is sin cannot rulâ— or exercise a command now over us nâ—r can it damn â—s nor can the natural death hurt us now tell me William whether there be ought in this third Text of Scripture alledged by thee that doth in the least though never so much strained prove this first part of the charge against you to be false for the mind of the Apostle therein is plain and evident viz. that the law of the Spirit of life inherent in us hath only a virtue to eat down the Law or commanding power of present sins and to destroy the power of our natural death what I pray thee is in all this to prove a Quakers pretended Saviour within him c. surely William either thou art very silly thy self or thou didst think thy hearers to be so After him steps F. E. again and said the Scripture saith of Christ I in thee and thou in me but he could not tell us where to find the Scripture that said those words of Christ Answ That I did not remember any such Scripture for manner and foâ—m as spoken by him to wit I in theâ— and thou in me but this Parret must prate as he hath been taught howbeit if it might be supposed not granted that Christ had said to any particular person I in thee and thou in me It must needs follow that the person of Christ wâ—s without not within him to whom he then spake and the person of Christ being the Believers only Saviour this allegation could not concern the charge before us T is true we read in Joh 17 23 I in them and thou in we that they may be made perfect in me i e. in oneness of affection for so it is interpreted in the last clause of the same verse sc and hast loved them as thou hast loved me also in Joh. 14. 20. and you in me and I in you these words do only signifie the reciprocal love that shall be fully experienced between Christ and his members at the glorious resurrection of the just as it is implied in the former part of that verse At that day namely of Christs second comming in glory ver 18. ye shall sc at that day know that I am in my Father i. e. in his love and you in me i. e. in my love and I in you i. e. in your love ver 21. Now Francis if thou dost mean either of these Scriptures thou wilt be still at a loss for it was the man Jesus Christ which spake to his Disciples and it is very strange that thou wilt produce a Christ for evidence in whom you do not believe it s a sign that thou art almost spent I do not remember that he made any reply to ought said by me as above but as a mask for their nakedness he urged another Scripture not naming where as to the chapter or verse to wit Christ saith of hâ—mself I am Alpha and Omega Rev 1. 1. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come The Almighty after the reciting of this Scripture I expected an Argument to be drawn from thence by the Disputant to prove the thing for whâ—ch he brought it But it seems Franks Seducers could never make him capable of formal Argumentations which defect constrained me to insist upon the explication herein more fully and distinctly enlarged of those Texts of Scripture which for the most part were only repeated by the titular Disputants and that many times after their own most presumptuous mode and manner adding or diminishing contrary to Gods command Deut. 4. 2. But I proceed to the Text it self Ans The place of Scripture above sc Rev. 1. 8. consists of three parts First part I am Alpha and Omega in these words Christs creating power is Metaphorically expressed being the first and last letters in the Greek Alphabet which by a figurative speech are applied to any beginning and end and are here interpreted by the next words namely the Beginning and the Ending which Phrases do signifie unto us Christs divine Nature eternal Power and Godhead as in Joh. 1. ver 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God sc God the Son and in Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him his dear Son ver 13. and for him sc for his glory as the ultimate end Rom. 11. 36. this therefore is the meaning of I am Alpha and Omega that is Christ is the efficient cause of all things and the end also whâ—ther all things are referred that he hath at first created all things and that for his own glory alone Second part Saith the Lord which words denote Christ the faithful promiser for all the promises of God are in him 2 Cor. 1 20. in him i. e. in the man hood of Christs person Col. 2 9. hereunto agrees the title Lord. which is mostly appropriated to Christs humaâ—e nature as before his Birth Luk. 1 43. And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me and on the day of his birth Chap 2. ver 11. For to you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord and afterwards Joh. 13. ver 13 14. Ye call me Master and Lord for so I am If I thou your Lord and Master have washed your feet Also after his resurrection Luk. 24. 34 saying The Lord hath risen indeed and hath oppeared to Simon ver 39. Behold my hands and my feet that
him at the heart and Gal. 3. 16. To Abraham and to his seed were the promises made and to seeds as of many but as of one and to thy seed which is Christ this say they is to be understood of an Elect-seed within also in Heb. 6 ver 6. Seeing they crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh Answ As to the two first Texts sc Amos 2. 13. Gen. 6. 6. It is a well known Truth that God is unchangeable and as God 〈◊〉 himâ—elf unchangeably the same so this cannot be spoken properly of hiâ— nor is it thus to be understood as if God in those wicked men repâ—nted or was pressed down in them neither is it so expressed in Scripture But God is said to be grieved for and pressed down under the aboâ—inations of the wicked Because when through his Prophets and Ministers being rejected in them so sent forth by him he is said in the Texts above to be grieved for and pressed down under their wickedness this interpretation agreeth with the testimony of Stephen Act. 7. 51 52. where their persecuting the Prophets their betraying and murthering the just one and rejecting the Testimony of his chosen Witnesses is called a resisting the Holy Ghost As for the third Text above sc Gal. 3. 16. This Scripture only affirms That Christ as he is the seed of Abraham is the one eminent seed to whom the promise belongs what the promise was the Apostle sets down ver 8. in thee shall all Nations he blessed This promise is Act. 3. 25. mentioned by Peter as spoken of that Jesus whom the Jews delivered up in the presence of Pilate and not otherwise is it to be found in Scripture that Jesus Christ is called the Seed to whom the promise belongs for this is that Seed of the Woman which God promised Gen. 3. 15 and in the fulness of time as God promised 〈◊〉 forth made 〈◊〉 a Woman Gal. 4 ver 4. This is the personal seed Christ which was never in any man But your Quakerismes of Anti scriptural Diviniâ—y to wit 〈◊〉 Lighâ— in Man to be the Elect-seed the suffering Christ 〈…〉 these and such notions are hatcht only in your own 〈…〉 for which of all the Saints of old ever spoke or wrote such Divinity did the Saints of old build upon any other Foundation then the Prephets and Apostles Jesus Christ himself being the chief 〈◊〉 Eph. 2â—0 which is set at nought by such builders as Teaching Quakers are consider was there ever any other Elect-seed called the true Christ our only Saviour but that which God revealed to Adam-fallen Gen. 3. 15. and surely in vain was that divine Revelation from the Father if the 〈◊〉 within Adam as the Quakers prare would have shewn it to him Again That your Light within cannot be the promised Seed of the Woman the bruised heel for as such the Seed is a Creature but the Light within which ye call the Elect-seed is according to the Teaching Quakers the everlasting Gospel and eternal word as such it is increaâ—e and so it is God the Promiser not the promised Seed Moreover the Seed preached and promised to Abraham was that one Eminent Seed in whom all Nations should be blessed as above which seed the same Apostle calls in 2 Cer. 2. 10. the Person of Christ but your Elect Seed within is not by your own acknowledgement a personal Christ or Seed O when will ye blind leaders of the blind blush and tremble at your accursed Gospel within which the Lord hath cursed with a reiterated curse as in Gal. 1. 8 9. before explained as for the fourth Text above sc Heb. 6. ver 6. The Apostle doth not in this place say They that crucifie the Son of God In themselves but To themselves that 〈◊〉 to say They who have been inlightned by the Holy Ghost if such fall away they crucifie the efficacy of his death to themselves and in so doing it is impossible to renew them again to repentance because rejecting the Son of God Jesus of Nazareth who is the only propitiaâ—ory Sacrifice for the remission of sins there remaineth to them no more Sacrifice for sin and so no remission now O ye Teaching Quakers especially are not ye of that sort of notorious sinners meant in that Text Heb. 6. 6 7. which is by you often used in defence of your cause let me parly a little with you have not you heretofore made some profession of Jesus Christ of Nazareth to have been the true Christ and your only Saviour and are ye not now Apostatised and fallen away from this your profession of Faith if so ye then are in the number of those sinners that commit the great sin called as above a crucifying of the Son of God afresh and a putting him to open shame that is to say ye as much as in you lieth do it now that Christ the Son of God is in Heaven glorified and were the Lord Jesus Christ of Nazareth here upon Earth again ye most certainly would do your utmost to Crucifie him again for that malitious Spirit possesseth such wretched Sinners as ye Quakers cannot truly deny your selves to be which possessed those Jews who were the very Betrayers and Murtherers of our Lord Jesus Christ Oh it s most manifest that ye are of that sort of sinners who by their sinning are said to have trodden under foot the Son of God and have counted the blood of the Covenant wherewith ye were sanctified i. e. externally or as to the opinion once of men an unholy common or vile thing Heb. 10. 29. That I may clear this great thing yet a little more let me crave leave to ask of you Quakers one serious Question viz. have not ye heretofore professed as in Act. 20. 21. repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ though this cannot be gainsaid with any truth yet how apparent is it that ye are wilfully gone back from this Faith and Repentance Consider now I pray you your declared dâ—om Heb. 10. 26. For iâ— we sin witfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth there remains no more sacrifice for sin That is for wilful sinners against received light of knowledge casting off the Sacrifice of that one crucified Christ upon the Cross with which they once seemed to close God will never provide them another Sacrifice for sin undoubtedly ye are at present of those Apostates which do not only refuse to choose that Grace of the Gospel which abounds to many by the one Man Jesus Christ Rom. 5. 15. but ye refuse it after a seeming choice of it and are therefore said in the close of the 29th verse above to have dono despight to the spirit of Grace why the same verse tells us because the Son of God is trodden under foot the same Apostle further tells us why Heb. 6. ver 6. as aforesaid they crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame i.
darkness which is most evident from a due consideration of the foregoing truths Oh how suitable is the Prophets Vision to a Quakers condition Obad. 1. ver 1 2. Behold I have made thee small thou art greatly despised the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee c. From the whole be ye advised 1. To cease from making your Idolized Thou and Thee the spring of your scurvy and surly deportment with their mask to wit that holy men in Scriptur recorded did oft use thou and thee one to another and to God himself Now what is your design herein can it be ought else then to put a cheat on the judgements of some ignorant creatures as thus Oh surely say they the Quakers do make Conscience of the Scripture for their warrant and authority thus poor ignorant ones are deluded by your equivocations though its most certain that the Scripture no here commands a Quaker to thou or thee any man much less Christian Rulers Governours and Magistrates yet thâ—se things the unmannerly Quakers will do But the Scripture doth command all men to pray for Rulers Governours and Magistrates to submit unto them and to give the honour which is due to them as Fathers of the Country 1 Tim 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Isai 49. 23 yet these things they will not do so that in a word of truth the professâ—d perfection of a seemingly sanctified Quaker is a conscience of obeying his proud lusts and disobeying Gods inspired Laws 2. Cease from calling the reverential Presidenâ—s above the corruptions that are in the World through Lust for this is to make the fore expressed precepts of God and the Practises of his eminent Sainâ—s guilty of these corruptions but it s no new thing for a Quaker boldly to Blaspheme 3. Cease from wresting the Holy Scriptures especially that of Christ himself John 5. 44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another The other part of the verse giving light to these words is usually omitted by them sc and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Quest What is that Honour which cometh from God only Answ The 23d verse tells us All men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him meaning to fulfill all righteousness Mat. 3. 15. It s then clear that the Son of God is the honour intended above if any ask who is this Son of God the good Angel tells us Luk. 1. 35. That holy thing which shall be born of thee Mary ver 34. shall be called the Son of God so then the Man Jesus Christ is the honour that cometh from God only which honour the Jews like the Quakers received not as this Son of God told them ver 43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not sc by Faith hence Christ infers ver 44. above How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour which cometh from God only Now the Honour which the Pharisees received one of another was the Doctrine of Justification and Eternal Life by the works and righteousness of the Law fulfilled in and by the Son of God alone which righteousness of the Son is the justifying and saving honour that cometh from God only to right Believers will it hence follow because the proud Pharisees took divine honour to themselves and thereby received honour one of another therefore civil honour ought not to be given one to another let me tell you ye Quakers could not have brought a Scripture more full against your selves for under Heaven there are not a People to be found that receive more honour one of another then the men of your Sect do For ye affirm and boldly teach That he who made Heaven and Eearth Angels Principalities and Powers that hath a Name above every Name that is named King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince and only Saviour that gives repentance and remission of fins is in each of your vile bodies It s not to be wondred at that ye are so possessed with the infernal Spirit of superlative pride against Jesus of Nazareth the man approved of God and all true Believers on and lovers of him So much for some further satisfaction to William Bullock and his Light making manifest The next to him was F. E. He makes another motion on the behalf of his Cliant the false Christ and pretended Saviour within him to wit The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin The Text intended by him is in the 1 Joh. 1. 7. And the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son His Son he left out cleanseth us from all sin Answ Nor doth this Text of Scripture prove the thing for which it is brought For 1. Jesus Christ the Son of God in this 7th verse is that Word of Life which the Apostles ve 1 2. had heard and seen with their eyes and looked upon and with their hands had handled who could be no other than the Man Iesus Christ which to prove they bring in the operations of three of their five senses Now this Man Jesus Christ the Son of God as such he cannot be in a Quaker 2. By the Blood of this Son of God is meant the grievous sufferings pains and tortures which he endured on the Cross to the death and therefore called the blood of the Cross Col. 1. 20. as the Man Jesus Christ cannot be in a Quaker so consequently his bloody sufferings cannot be in a Quaker 3. That this blood of Christ cleanseth meaning all right Believers on it from all sin i. e. from all the pains and eternal sufferings due to the nature of sin for cleansing here is the same with washing in Rom. 1. 5 And from Iesus Christ the faithful Witness that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood i. e. in the sufferings of the Manhood of his pâ—rson for the former part of the verse concerns Christs Propetical Office and the latter part his Priestly Office which referred to Christs humane Nature and for that reason the cleansing or washing cannot be within but without us sc in Heaven Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Iesus So then to be cleansed from all sin by Christs blood is to be acquitted and justified in the sight of God from all the deserved miseries of sin as Rom. 5. 8 9. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him And the same Apostle tells us Col. 1. 21 22. Yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death or through the death of his body of flesh Heb. 10. 20. To present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight not in our selves for Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth
things which concern created-nature as it s stated by the Apostle in Heb. 2. 17. and in Chap. 4 15. In all things it behoved him Christ to be made like unto his Brethren and he was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin surely he that is in all things like man except sin is rightly called the Son of Man for sin is not at all the Form but all the Deformity of Man The issue is that the Fox hath concealed his craft putting no difference between the terms sc Humune and Humane he knew full well that the Fox's craft would be soon discovered should he admit the Lords Christ to have a humane Nature or a body as is common to Man kind and therefore in Pag. 71. above he quarrels the word Humane and querieth where doth the Scripture speak of Humane where is it written quoth he that we may search for it Rep. Though we have not the Word yet having the Thing it might satisfie all with whom the light of Reason hath any credit Once more Christ the Second Man is said to be Lord from Heaven because he is to restore the heavenly life which was lost by the first man Adam who was also said to be Earthly by reason of Transgression and Christ is also said to be from Heaven by reason of Restoration By he first mans fall all mankind were deprived of all heavenly and spiritual graces By the second Man from Heaven the Elect of God have those Graces in some measure restored As Calvin in his Exposiâ—ion on the 47th ver above Paul doth not saith he speak of the substance of the second Mâ—ns body but of the habit of Graces and heavenly gifts of the Spirit of Christ And on the same verse he affirms that the Manichies were the first knaves which invented that Heresie Namely That Christ brought from Heaven an invisible body of flesh and blood into the Womb of the Virgin And undoubtedly the Quakers have drunk this Poison originally from them by whom the Devil according to Calvin first set it abroach which as it was so still it is a design from Hell to beget not only a denial but an utter blotting out of the very Name and remembrance as before of the true Jesus Christ and to set up a Spiritual Christ a Mystical Invisible Heavenly King Jesus and all this only to advance the Idol-light within and the more easily to deceive poor ignorant and unstable persons which hath been and still is their stragling Trade I have yet one thing more to mention concerning this Fox which is in his Book above Page 135. to wit That Thomas Mâ—or had said that Christ was absent from us while we are in this mortal body which said the Fox is contrary to the Apostle who saith The life of Jesus is Mark is manifested in their Mark their mortal flesh but he Fox like quotes not any place of Scripture the Text of Scripture abused by him is in 2 Cor. 5. 11. Eor we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might not is but be made manifest in not their but our mortal flesh Note the Fox saith The life of Jesus is manifested making it present but Paul saith that the life of Jesus might be made manifest making it future nay he hath not only believed the Letter but the Sense also of the Text which may appear partly by the former part of this 11th verse and partly by the subsequent verses in the former part of the verse thus For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake i. e. we have sc for the testimony of Jesus Death that is sufferings to death as in the subsequent verses 9 10. continually before our eyes that we might be prepared for the fellowship of the glorious resurrection when there will be a full manifestation made of the glorious life of Jesus in our mortal flesh this may yet further appear in ver 12. so then death worketh in us i. e. our daily sufferings from the cruel hands of unbelieving men for our Faith in and Testimony for Jesus and as it worketh in us so it sc the strokes which are deadly to our bodies works ver 17 for us And what work they the 17th verse Answereth For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory But how do they work it Answ Not by way of merit or earning our striving to blood cannot oblige God but by way of preparation to the resurrection in ver 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus Then that glorious life of Jesus shall be manifest in our mortal flesh the sum oâ— all is this to wit That the Lord sends afflictions yea death it self which to the Saints is the last and greatest affliction not only to cleanse their souls but to fashion and prepare their bodies as vessels to hold the exceeding weight of glory Now let any sober Saint judge wheâ—her Thomas Moor or George Fox hath contradicted the Apostle surely that Fox which endeavours as much as in him lies to choak the Lamb of God wâ—ll be ready to wrest the mind of the Apostle This Fox is seconded by Quaker Penington sc That the body prepared Heb. 10. 5. above was a Mystical Invisible body of flesh and blood for in his Book called Mysteries of the Kingdome he saith That the external blood of Christ cannot cleanse the Conscience for the blood of Bulls and Goats could not do it no more can his blood putting no more worth or vertue in the blood of Christ than in the blood of Beasts the consideration of this insufferable Blasphemy did so provoke the Spirit of Mr. Francis Duke a Man eminent for Meekness and Modesty that in his answer to one John Chandler a Teaching Quaker for the like expressions from him Page 67. he plainly tells this Chandler That he and his fellow-leading Friends are a Pack of such Villains as base as ever the Earth borâ— as for Penington he declares in his Book above That the heavenly body of flesh and blood which Christ brought with him from heaven meaning into the Virgin and dwelt in the Garment of his body a while and now is in every Saint sc Quaker Saints his mind herein is shortly this sc That a Mans wearing Garment is not his body so the visible material body of Jesus Christ which he calls the Garment of his body is not the Saviour Christ but as the natural body of a Man is within his Garment even so the true Christ was within the Garment of his external body whence it s most evident that this Seducing Teacher doth not confess with the Apostles That Iesus Christ of Nazareth the Man approved of God and by him exalted to be a Saviour is the true Christ Act. 5. 31. Let me add a little more of Peningtons Divinity
4 Quest Or can you tell that Christ put off his body since he came to Heaven and Stephen saw him there I am said he most sure that you can tell no such thing for the testimony of the holy Angels is against it for they did assure the Disciples that the same Jesus that they saw ascend should be so seen to come again Act. 1. 9 10 11. And will not these four things put you out of doubt sc that Christ hath the same body now that he had upon the earth Oh how great is the ground of a true Christians comfort that the same person that died for us is thus sate down at the right hand of God aad that there we have the same Jesus interceeding for us in heaven on the other side is it not matter of dread and terror to the wicked both in practice and judgment that still continue to oppose an exalted Christ and prefer their base Lusts and Errors before this glorious Lord Jesus The second part of the charge being fully ended W. Wilkinson called on me to make Good the third part of the Charge viz. That the Prime Principles of a Quaker are the same which were held and professed by the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus Which I thus Aâ—gued It appears by the manifold Arguments which the Apostle Paul used towards the Corinthians 1 Cor. Chap. 15. to prove the Resurrection of Christs body from the dead and the bodies of the Saints by him now their Principles were these to wit 1. That the body of Christ was not raised from the dead and consequently he is not Jesus a Saviour 2. That no Mans body shall be râ—ised from the dead and consequently Christ shall not be the riser of the dead The first of these the Apostle confutes in Chap-above ver 3. 4. For I declared unto you first of all that which I received how that Christ dieaâ— or our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that â—he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures And the second likewise in ver 13 14 15. c. But if there be no Resuâ—rection of the dead then is Christ not risen And if Christ be not risen we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that bâ— raised up Christ whom he raised not up iâ— so be that the â—ead rise not Here hence Paul infers ver 32. If after the manner oâ— meâ— I have fought with Beasts at Ephesus what advantageth is me if the dead rise nâ—t let us â—at and drink for tomorrow we die As if the Apostle had said if it must be with our Bodies as with Beâ—sts after Death then it would be best for us to Live as Beasts 〈◊〉 Time of Life intimating that there resolves and desires is to live in Brutish lust pleasures these are the most predominate motivâ—s that perswaded them to deny and oppose the Resurrection of the dead which opposition I charged upon the Quakers then present To which William Wilkinson replyed saying Shew us an express Scripture which saith That the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus denyed the Resurrection of the Dead I answered 1. It was plainly implyed in that Text of Scripture and it doth evidently concenter therein Besides in reason there is nothing that could be the ground or occasion of this Fight or violent contention between Paul and these Brutish disputants but the Doctrine of the Resurrection 2. I gave him the liberty to put his own interpretation upon the words in vers 32. above To which he made no reply at all Let me here add It is more then probable that the Beasts Paul sought with at Ephesus were the same persons or of the same beastly perswasion which in other places opposed Paul's Doctrines of Faith in Jesus and the Resurrection of the Dead As in Athens Act. 17. 18. Then certain Philosophers of the Epicurians whom Calvin on the Text calls Beasts encountered him and some said What will this babler say othersome He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods because be preacheth unto them Jesus and the Resurrection at which some mocked vers 23. And in the beginning of this 19 Chap. vers 1 2 3. We read that Paul went into the Synagogue of the Jews in Thessalonia and three Sabbath dayes reasoned with the Jews out of the Scripture Opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead And that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ But what was the issue the 4. vers tells us sc Some of the Jews believed of the devout Greek a great multitude and of the chief Women not a few but the 5. vers informs us That othersome of the hearers believed not moved with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered a Company and set all the City on an uproar against Paul because he preached Jesus and the Resurrection Therefore 10. The Brethren immediatly sent away Paul by night unto Berea who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews and preached the same Doctrine v. 1â— But when the Jews vers 13. of Thessalonia i. e. the lewd followers of the baser sort of the Jews vers 5. had knowledge that the Word of God was preached of Paul at Berea they came thither also and stirred up the People then immediatly the Brethren sent Paul away vers 14. and they that conducted him brought him to Athens vers 15. In the next Chapter ch 18. 1. we read That Paul departed from Athens and came to Coâ—inth And he vers 4. reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and perswaded the Jews and Greeks namely to believe in Jesus and the Resurrection as in all places aâ—ore expressed but when he was here also opposed vers 6. He departed thence and sailed into Syria vers 18 and he came to Ephesus vers 19 and entered into the synagogue and reasonâ—d with the Iews Though some perhaps might believe his Doctrines because it is said vers 20. He was desired to tarry a longer time with them Yet it is very probable that he was there opposed by some others as at Thessalionica above either at this or some other time And according to his first Epistle to the Corinthians giveth them an account of it ch 15. 32. Now if the Beasts therein mentioned were not the same individual person yet they were specifically the same i. e. of the same Malignant quality and rotten judgement with those lewd fellows of the baser or more bruitish sort which in Act. 17. 5 c. above so strongly denied and opposed Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and only Saviour with the Resurrection of the dead upon the whole ye Teaching Seducing Quakers may run and read in the Scriptures of God what lewd and base fellows have been according to the testimony of the holy Spirit of truth your Predecessors and of your bruitish Principles sc 1. Denying Jesus