Scriptures I looked for it but not finding it I must needs judge his charges to be false And for his saying That it was one of thâ— Principles of the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus to hold that the Body of Christ was not raised from the Dead To this I answer if it were one of their Principles to hold such a thing what is this to the People called Quakers they do not hold it for they as confidently be ieve the Resurrection of Christ â—ody as Sampson Bond or any other Man need do according to the Testimony of severa faithful Witnesses given oâ— him in the Holy Sâ—riptures of Truth The second Principle that he saith them Beasts at Eph sus held is 2dly That no Mans Body shall be raised from the Dead First This I want a plain Scripture to prove First That it was one of those Men that Paul fought with Secondly I want a place of Scripture to prove that it is the Natural Carnal or Earthly Body of all Mankind that shall rise again after Death To this I need say but little because I do not find the thing proved that is asserted But least any should think or say I make that my excuse to save my answer I answer to it thus that for many to say hold and believe that the Natural Bodies of all Mankind shall rise again after Death this I esteem great ignoracne aâ—d doth in no wise agree with the Apostles Words as may be seen in the 1 Cor. 15.35 Where the Apostle speaking concerning the Resurrection put forth a Question and afterwards answered it himself saying But some Man will say how are the Dead raised up and with what Body do they come his answer was in the 36 Vers Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye Vers the 37. And that which thou sowâ—st thou sowest not that Body that shall be and in the 38 Vers But God giveth it a Body as it hath pleased him Verse the 42. So also is the Resurrection of the Dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption and Verse the 44 of the same Chap. saith It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body And this Testimony of the Apostles I own and farther do believe a Resurrection both of the just and the unjust the one namely the just or they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and the other namely they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation according to Christs own Words in John 5.29 Thus I having come through the thing which I at first intended though I could have here more inlarged concerning the Light within which Sampson Bond hath spoken so much Evil agaist it being that which our Lord Jesus Christ hath given a measure of to all Men to lead them out of Darkness and so into the Marvelous Light and Kingdom of Peace Yet here I forbear expecting that he will not miss the Hand Writing of some other to answer him both to that and several other things asserted in his Book Bermudas the 1st Month 1683. William Wilkinson A BRIEF TOUCH OF THE DECEIT AND False Doctrine OF SAMPSON BOND THe mighty strength as he thinks of this operative blind embondaged Sampson Bond lies in his 17th and 66th page wherein he grindes and grins against the Truth of the Gospel and he sayes wounds to Dâ—ath a meer Lye that which makes a Devil the spirit that now works in the Children of Disobedience and in him a Falshood a Nullity nothing in his Text an Expletive of the Translaters having nothing or it in the Greek making an Ambiguity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bipenâ—â—â— which he makes use of as his Two edged Sword his Ax to wrest the Apostles Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are Know ye not that Christ dwells in you c. not How Christ dwelleth c. which word How which Justin Martyr a most eminent Writer soon after the Apostles dayes Juâ—i Mâ—r yr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes is an Argument of Vnbelief to say How God is in men he makes his Text the Handle of his Mill the Hinge of his Work that brings him his Grist his Christ only without Word only without nothing within but his How a meer Manner Mode without Substance by his Popish Philosophy and Divinity like that of their Bread God And 't is no Wonder he lays such stress on the Translaters How not the Apostle's Know for the New Doctrine they have got up against us contrary not only to the Primitive Fathers but also to the Protestant Reformers is That the Spirit of Christ is not Objective and Perceptive See G Keith's Quakerisâ—n no Popery citing Aug. Luther Zwâ—ngl us Melancton c and h s Bâ—ok of â—â—mmediâ—te Revelation aâ—d his Answer to the Dr. of Jena in Defence of Robert Barclay on that part but only Subjective and Effective as their Terms are his is Operative here that is according to his Comparison as the Sun's Effect is on Plants c. they not perceiving it So the Son's Effect is on Men yet they not knowing but only believing the Doctrine and that they have they have it This he shews is his by his Restraint in his Interpretation of John 1.1 and there is grounded his Argument against W.W. and our Friends in pag. 66. which is Popish not Protestant Doctrine too large a Field to be entred on here against such an inconsiderable Adversary who deserves but such answer as the Man made the Popish Priest that had taught him to believe Transubstantiated Christ to be his saying Believe thou hast him and thou hast him But lest he should conceit Silence to be as empty an Answer as his Text How wherein he would place the emphasis I shall offer him t'other glass to pâ—ove it that he is not beside his Text and that seeing he sayes the Hour-glass knows as wâ—ll his Terms as his Adversary it proves not the Divisions and Terms of time better than he does those of that Scripture that is Prove and Know wherein the Apostle's emphatical stress is laid not S. B's How For on the word Prove the Apostle discants after his manner as others have also observed using the word six times here twice in this Verse once before and three times after it as in Vers 3. A PROOF of Christ speaking in me Vers 5. PROVE your selves KNOW ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be UNAPPROVED Vers 7. Not that we should appear UNAPPROVED We might be as UNAPPROVED Now here this Great Greek THRASONICAL SAMPSON boasting over unlearned Men with his Metonymyes and Syllogisms proves himself REPROBATE UNAPPROVED in the Greek in the words of his Text going beside it and placing the weight of the sentence on that which is not in it in the Greek in which the Apostle wrote and omitting that on which the Apostle insists so much viz KNOW by PROOF which word signifies to
He is the true Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World and Christ himself said He was the Light of the World Which things are true and his Light is truly felt and known in the Hearts of his Saints So our Testimony we are not ashamed to bring forth to the inward manifestation of the Spirit of Jesus by which we are inlightned and by vvhich the Gentiles are inlightned and is become the glory of Spiritual Israel the inward Jew whose praise is not of Men but of God And so Simeon's Words or Prophecy of him is fulfilled he is become a Light to the Gentiles and Israels glory He likewise names John 20 27. Then said Jesus reach hither thy finger c. And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God So this Scripture brought by him to prove his Argument hath quite overthrown it For by Thomas his confession the same Jesus who was the true and only Saviour of the World was God as well as Man and Christ did not at all reprove him for his Confession And if God then a Spirit and so is within as well as without As to the fourth of John 42. where he seemeth to say The Men of Samaria confest to the Man Christ only to this I answer it was the same Christ to whom Thomas confest and the same that was before Abraham was even he that whosoever saw truly to be the Christ saw the Father also So here having no ground to prove his Argument which the said S. B. calls Apostolical it doth at once fall to the ground The third Argument that this Priest uses to prove his Charge viz The Quakers Saviour within him to be the false Christ is in page 3. If the true Christ and our only Saviour did at once without us in and by his own crucfied Body on the cross finish and perfect the work office of a Saviour ithen a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ But the true Christ and our only Saviour did at once without us in and by his own crucified Body on the Cross finish and perfect the whole work and office of a Saviour therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ All which he grounds upon these Scriptures following Heb. 10.12 14. Heb. 2.14 1 Pet. 2.24 Eph. 2.15 16. Heb. 9.26 Eph. 5.2 Col. 1.22 Neither doth any one of these Scriptures prove the whole office of a Saviour perfected in his crucified Body at once upon the Cross Although I confess that the whole work of a Saviour so far as was of him required to be performed in and by that Body was perfectly performed and nothing wanting as pertaining to our Salvation But is this the whole office of a Saviour Is there nothing farther to be done Is the believing of this sufficient without sanctification Is it not the office of Christ as a Saviour to give rest and peace to such as he saves must he not redeem from under the power of Sin and destroy Sin in our mortal Bodys Is this no part of the office of Christ as a Saviour The Apostle Paul Rom. 8.2 testified to the work of the Spirit within saying The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free frrom the Law of Sin and Death Now this faithful Servant of the Loâ—d after he came to believe and was truly satisfied as concerning the work done by Jesus of Nazareth without him yet if you read Rom. 7. you shall see what a grievous complaint he makes concerning the Body of Death which still remained in him and of the Law in his Members that still made war against the Law in his Mind and captivated his Members to the Law of Sin and Death So that although the purchase was made the debt paid and remission of Sins obtained through the Death and Sufferings of Christ Jesus and also triumphantly manifested to the World by his Resurrection of which there were many Witnesses as the Apostle doth declare 1 Cor. 15. yet for all this the Enemy sought to keep his hold and Paul was so far sensible of the same that it made him cry out Oh Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death which as he waited he came to know a farther work of Salvation then that which was done at once without him in the Crucified Body of Jesus on the Cross for through the power of the same Jesus not another he became crucified also to the World and the World unto him and so being Crucified with Christ by which he felt himself Dead to Sin he also did pertake of his Resurrection and so received a new Life through the quickenings of Christ Jesus who lived in him and so was truly made alive unto God Gal. 2.20 So this is the very thing that the faithful whom S. B. doth scornfully call Quakers do testifie of viz of the work of the Son of God within and of his inward quicknings in our Souls by which we also are made alive unto God though we do not deny the work of Salvation wrought by the Man Jesus Christ without us in his own Crucified Body on the Cross but believe it every whit even as the Scripture doth declâ—re oâ— it And do resolve to wait in the inward manifestation of the Son of Gâ—d wâ—o is Light whom S. B. so often reproaches in his scandalous Book â—ith wicked and reproachful Names yet we are not ashamed to own him in â—is inward manifestation through whose Power we do certainly believe and truly expect to feel the Power of Darkness Sin and Death truly vanquished in us as well as for us as it is written He doth all our works in us and for us And so he becomes the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that do obey him so Christ saves not to halves as People imagin as to pay the price of the Redemption for such as are taken Captive by the Enemy of their Souls and yet leave them under his Power and Jurisdiction but to as many as believe Love and Obey him he redeems also from under the Power of Sin and Death and gives them dominion over it and so he becomes a perfect Saviour saving both within and without saving to the uttermost all that come unto God by him So these are they who are for ever perfected through the one offering even those that according to the will of God are sanctified through the Blood and Spirit of Jesus which the Saints do inwardly feel to cleanse them from the defilements of Sin So this I Judge to any rational and unbiassed Spiritâ— is sufficient to the Answer of S. B's 3d Argument by which he seeks to prove his Charge viz That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him as he is pleased to call it is not the true Christ but the false Sam. Bonds 4th Argument in page 4. If the true Christ and our only Saviour be in Heaven
way of such as desire to know the Truth In Page 6. I take notice how Deceitfully S. B. casts a slander upon us pretending how he hath fil'd off the Rust and Ruggedness of our Expressions yet charging us with disorder dismembring the Scripture which happily we might not speak every Word yet certain I am although many things were then cast in yet I did not violate or pervert the sense of any one Scripture Again he chargeth us with Dishonesty in not Noting Chapter and Verse in which he did greatly boast To which I then answered the Words we speak were Scripture Words and he had no great cause to boast For the Scripture was not given forth in Chapter and Verse neither did the Apostles ever so declare but when they speak Scripture Words they said as it is written naming only the Prophet or writer of the same and here People may take notice of a manifest Slander viz That it is Friends usual manner to speak Scripture darkly and confusedly thereby the more easily to deceive those with whom the Scripture hath any Credit Page 6. Page 7. He goes on with his Lies and Slanders saying My design was to make the Hearers believe that the Eternal Word as distinct from the Manhood of Christ is the true Christ and only Saviour As if I had gone about directly to deny the Body which is like many more of his Charges in his Book which are absolute Lies and Slanders which I shall note hereafter as they fall in my way Neither did I ever use any such Expression for if I had said He were the true and only Saviour that is to say according to S. B's sense every way sufficient to perform the whole Office of a Saviour as distiâ—guished from the Manhood then was that work in vain viz Christ taking upon him a Body of Flesh and all his Sufferings Death and Resurrection in vain If Christ as God only did perform and perfect the work of Mans Salvation without it Presently he contradicts himself saying Hereunto agrees his Words meaning mine so often repeated by him God was manifest in the Flesh which he saith we mean all Mankind Flesh which he calls an Error Which although it is my belief that God is manifest in his glorious Light in every Man according to his measure according to John 1.9 He Enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World yet my Words chiefly had Reference to that prepared Body in which the Invisible Power did so gloriously appear to those whose Eyes was open to behold it but this his Lie and Slander I shall leave upon his own Head Another Lie or Slander is in Page 8. where he saith A Teaching Quaker whom he calls a Seducing Quaker such a Quaker saith he attributes no more Soul-saving merit to the Body of Christ then to the Body of a Turk or a Jew All that have heard or read the Declarations of Friends concerning the Manhood of Christ can do no less then Judge him to be a Slanderer and a Liar Farther S. B. saith That I insisting upon John 1.9 concluded the Light in every Man to be Christ and that Christ to be the only Saviour I confess I have said That that Light in every Man iâ— given by Christ to believe in that he may be saved from Sin But rhe word only was never used by me so as to deny the Body of Christ in which he performed the will of God upon the account of Mans Salvation yet he confesseth its true that Light in that Scripture signifieth Christ and that Christ in a sense but it must be his own sense doth Enlighten every Man that cometh into the World that is said he with reason So here he adds to the Scripture whereby he doth confound or pervert the true sense of the same by his Addition concluding that Christ the true Light that Enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World doth Enlighten Man with no other Light then the Light of Reason according to the sense of that Scripture but we believe that the Light with which Christ doth Enlighten Mankind is that Light that shineth in Darkness and the Darkness cannot comprehend and also doth detect discover and make manifest the works of Darkness and doth lead those that believe in it out of the same and this Light is manifested in some measure in every Mans Conscience as they are exercised in the affairs of this World as they heed it But a little to go back to the 2d Confession in Page 82. S. B. calls the work of the Spirit within no other but the effects of the thing done by the Man Christ without us as if to be Sanctified Washed and Purged from Sin could not possibly be wrought except first the Man Christ must have suffered without us as the Anticedent cause of those effects Whereas it is certain that many of the Prophets and Righteous Men that lived before the Appearance of Christ in the Body did Witness these things wrought within them through the effectual working of the Spirit of God in their Hearts So that it is plain that Christ was manifest to them before he took the Body as well as when he took the Body according to the Scripture Christ the same Yesterday to Day and forever So having finished this digression I go forward again In the last line of the 8th Page he saith I belie the Holy Man John that the Enlightning in every Man is Christ which I again testifie that it is a measure of the Light of the true Christ who is God blessed for ever and to prove this aâ— Error he saith That this Evangelist doth evidently affirm that the Light he â—pake of in the 9th Vers was the Man Jesus which he saith never was nor â—an be in any Man for this he brings the 29 and 30 verses of the same Chapter I Answer The Evangelist in them words cannot be so understood as a Man only for he testifies of him as a whole or perfect Saviour and if so then God for if he were Man only he could not sanctifie and cleanse the Soul from Sin and how then is he the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World or how is the Sin taken away if it still remains â—n the Heart But peradventure he will say He takes away the guilt of Sin through his Sufferings and to be Cleansed from the Defilement doth follow as the effects I Answer If it be so then it appears that the whole work of Mans Salvation and so not the whole office of a Saviour was not performed at once without us as Sampson Bond affirmeth in his 3d Argument for there is something to be effected within still and if so who as it that works those effects within if it be not the Spirit In Page Nine He goes on to prove the Light within not to be the true Christ by my Words for he saith My Words Imply That thy Light in every Man is Christ therefore
their Hats a practice never used by the Christians in former Ages that ever we Read off and to bow and scrape and such like this its like would please thee well and for want of this I judge thou art so filled with Envy against the Innocent who cannot bow to thy proud Spirit nor cannot respect persons knowing that it is contrary to the Faith of the Lord Jesus and contrary to the Doctrine of the Apostle James who saith He that respects persons commits sin and is Judged of the Law as a Transgressor Jam. 2.1.9 And because we cannot thus stoop to the proud Spirit and bow to the Exalted will who lovest to have the preminence therefore it is that thou are so filled with madness against us calling us a proud People a People of a surely Dumb Scurvy Sneaking Deportment and Carriage making us to appear to thy hearers or at least to as to many of them as will believe thee that we were the worst of Men but this is no new thing to be reviled for the Christians in the Primitive times were accounted by the World as the off-scowring of all things so we are contented to bear thy Reproaches Railing and Reviling Speeches knowing we are not above our Lord whom thou hast Reproached with as Reproachful Terms as thou canst find to cast upon us his Servants So I leave thee it this particular to the Lord to Judge thee who will reward every one according to their Works And Proceed to the Scripture mentioned by S. B. in page 46. where he saith I brought in the behalf of my Clyant the false Christ thus Doubling and redoubling his Blasphemies to the filling up the measure of his iniquity the Scripture is Joh 1.7 The Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all unrighteâ—â—sness and because these Words seem to him too like a Quaker therefore after his usual manner because he cannot alter the words he will make his interpretation thereof to serve his turn and so turns all only outward Christ outward and Blood outward and Cleansing outward viz. from the Pain or punishment of Sin as is clear page 47. so perswading poor Innocent People that the Word of Life which made the World and preserves all things by the Word of his Power is such a thing or Person that might be seen with a visible Eye and whose voice might be heard with the outward Ear contrary to the Words of Christ to the Jews who did see the Body and heard the outward voice yet the same Jesus doth Testifie they neither had heard the voice of God nor seen his shape and farther he saith that God was manifest to three of the outward sences and so Lodowick Mugleton's God is S. Bs. God who said his God had Arms and Shoulders as he had and this appears to be S. B's Faith that the God head was manifest Flesh real Mankind Flesh as in page 41. so that he would have the Efficacy of the Blood extend no farther at the utmost then to take off the Punishment of Sin which is contrary to the Apostle in Heb. 9.14 Where he saith The Blood of Christ purgeth the Conscience from Dead works to serve the living God And whereas S. B. would make his interpretation seem good by the following Words if we say we have no sin we are Lyers by this he would make People believe that notwithstanding all the cleansing there spoken of yet sin remains and they are Lyers that deny it to which I give answer I do not so understand the Words but rather if any shall deny that they have any sin and so consequently that they have no need of cleansing they are Lyers and I have just reason so to Judge after the Apostle had farther Enlarged his Testimony concerning Cleansing in the last verse he speaketh thus if we say we have not sinned speaking of the time past and not of any present being of sin For indeed if there were no sin there were no need of a Saviour no need of a Sacrifice but this we do believe by Nature all are Sinners defiled with sin and children of wrath having the Heart and Soul defiled with Works of unrighteousness but now being washed and Cleansed from all unrighteousness what doeth or can remain when all is taken away then the Soul must needs confess to the Truth that he hath sinned and this must needs be the meaning otherwise the Apostle would be found contradicting his own Doctrine Chap. 3.9 He that is Born of God doth not commit sin and saith farther He cannot sin because born of God In page 48. S. B. saith he asked me a question viz. whether the Saints was cleansed from all sin by the water of regeneration or by the Blood of Justification To the which he saith I answered by the Water which he saith caused many People to Laugh Answer Of this Question I remember not one Word nor of the answer thereto annexed only this I very well remember that when I spoke of the opperation of the Blood of Cleansing he looking to the People said it was never known that ever the Blood of Christ ever cleansed any Man from Sin but he said it was the Water and said we deny the Water But having here an opportunity I do bear forth my Testimony according to the Scripture 1 Joh 5.8 There are three that bear Record on Earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one so that this I believe that the Spirit Water and Blood do agree in one in their operation in Washing and cleansing the Soul from sin and there is three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost The next Scripture Alledged he saith was Heb. 10.15 But a Body hast thou prepared me to which Scripture several of us strictly urged an answer viz. who that me was for whom the Body was prepared although in his Book he said he answered that it was the God head of the Son yet I remember very well how he was at that time greviously confounded about it and no other answer could we receive from him at that time so far as I remember but this viz. by me was meant the Body though urged over and over though now after better consideration he hath brought forth a smoother answer in his Book And whereas in page 49. he saith that the Leading Quakers hath brought forth in Print that this prepared Body was prepared in Heaven and brought with him into the Virgins Womb which Body he saith that they the Leading Quakers calls a mistical Invisible Spiritual Heavenly Body of Flesh and Blood and that the mistical Invisible Body is the true and only Saviour whose Birth Death Resurrection and Glorification is only Mistical and Invisible Reply I am perswaded if this Priest had known any Quaker that had so written as concerning that prepared Body of the Son of God he had not so little Enmity in him but he would have brought forth his
Salvation had been wholy perfected by the â—ody without the Spirit of Christ then our Faith and Hope should have stood there but the same Apostle saith Our Faith and Hope is to stand in God 1 Pet. 1.21 And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith The Hope that anchors the Soul enters within the Vail Heb. 6.19 And John did bear witness to the Word which was in the beginning John 1.1 which Word the World was made by and saith of it that it was God in this Word was Life Vers 4. and the Life was the Light of Men and this was the Light which that Faithful Witness of God John bore witness to That is the true Light that Enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World Vers 9. So People that which enlighteneth both you and us and every Man that cometh into the World is not a Natural Light as some say the Priest sometimes nor yet the Light of the Devil as the Priest saith othertimes but it is the Light of him that made the World as V. 10. and this is he that was made Flesh V. 14. the Word was made Flesh dwelt amongst us we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace Truth So here John bears a full Testimony to the Saviour of the World and so do we who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World it is not said he takes away the Guilt oâ— Condemnation of Sin only but the Sin it self thus do we believe in him So let People judge whether this be not the true Christ So here John did not bear Record to a Body only but to the â—nal Power and Godhead so the Apostle Heb. 10.5 bears witness to him for whom the Body was prepared saying a Body hast thou prepared me to do thy will O God So it is clear that this Body was prepared for him that was before that Body was this was he who David in Spirit called Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my Right Hand till I have made thine Enemies thy Foot-stool And in the 2 Cor. 5.19 the Apostle gives this Testimony God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself And Jesus himself said before Abraham was I am and in another place He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also So let any one judge that hath a good Understanding whether any of the Witnesses of Christ did ever bear witness against the Spirit in the Salvation of Man but doth truly and really bear a living Testimony to the Spirit Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death now at that time when Paul cryed out of the Body of Death he was a Believer and was come so far as to a willing mind to serve the Lord but yet the Captivating Spirit was felt the Law in the Members in which state Paul did not sit down in a belief of Christ at a distance only as People now a days do but crys out for Deliverance even from the Body of Death and afterward testifies to the Law of the Spirit saying The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the Law of Sin and Death So here is Salvation witnessed indeed he did not say Sin must live in him while he had a Body but saith Christ liveth in me Gal 2.20 And it is through the Spirit that Sin is mortified Rom. 8.13 and in Rom. 10.8 The Apostle testifies to Christ nigh and not to Christ at a distance saying The Word is nigh thee in the Mouth and in the Heart and in the 2 Cor. 13.5 Examin your selves whether ye be in the Faith try your selves know ye not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and in Col. 1.27 Which is Christ in you the hope of Glory For it is no other then that Christ the Saints did believe in in dayes by past It is his Spiritual indwelling in us through which we come to be sanctified and cleaâ—sed from Sin and the Comforter the Spirit of Truth which Christ promised to send to his Disciples which they were to wait for at Jerusalem and accordingly they did receive it and this dwelt in them to direct them into all Truth and so it was not a Spirit without them or a Christ without them only but within according as Christ said John 17.14 He dwelleth with you ond shall be in you And the Apostle testified in his day Christ was in the Saints who was their Hope of Glory and this hope purified their Hearts in whom it dwelt and Anchored their Souls in that which is sure and stâ—dfast and in him is our hope and confidence who we believe is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him And so People it is in the Name of Jesus we Witness Salvation which is his Power to which comeing we Witness Salvation thereby and so we know not another Name through which Salvation is Witnessed but through this Name and this is he whom we declare of who is not far from us and the efficacy of his Blood we feel as we abide in him to cleanse us from Sin So I do not matter what your Teacher S. B. saith viz. The Blood of Christ cleansith no Man from Sin It being so contrary unto the Apostles Doctrine 1 John 1.7 which is But if you walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the BLOOD of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin And we witness it in its Opperation Cleansing and Washing the Soul from the Spiritual Defilements of which some amongst us are come to the experience of in our measure So that we are not as those that beat the Air but we are come to experience in some measure as I said although S. B. did mock at it the Vertue and Power of that Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men through which the Saints were taught in dayes by past and in Ages and Generations long since to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Godly Righteously and Soberly in this present World now this Grace is the same t at ever it was and its teachings are the same to all that are Obedient in this day as it was then to bring Salvation indeed I do not know any Doctrine so plentiful in the Scripture as the Indwelling or Inward or Spiritual Appearance of his Spiritual Kingdom which whoso doth come to pertake of must be redeemed from the Kingdom of the Devil So having taken off that Reproach and Slander from Christ whom we believe in and is our Saviour the first and the last the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End of the Work of God Who S. B. call'd the Devil and said he would prove it by the Scripture but hath indeed fallen short of his
the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures through Holy Men 2 Pet. 1.21 And it is the Spirit that must open the mysterys in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.12 Or else all are blind like thee Sampson And S. B. doth strongly plead for his Masters Kingdom of Sin and Darkness from the 77 to the 87 Page of his Book and in these 10 Pages he hath made such a Babel building in confusion and wresting the Scriptures and giving his meanings upon them to prove what he saith and then concludes never to come our of Sin nor no Man else till they be Dead and hath charged all the Holy Prophets Fathers and Apostles to live in Sin he hath thrown dirt in the faces of them all and with his cloud of Darkness where under he dwells would he cover them all But God will judge thee for thy Lies and reproach thou hast cast upon his Ministers Servants and Prophets who were redeemed from the Earth and knew the Kingdome to be come in Power and sate together in Heavenly places in Christ Iesus who were Washed and Cleansed by his precious Blood and their Bodys were Temples for God to dwell in and walk in and not receptacles for Sin and Darkness as S. B. is and cannot come out of it as he saith till he be dead and so he will live and have all Men to live â—in and serve the Devil till they be dead and then they shall pertake of the fulness of God in Heaven 8 Page of his Book Oh! S. B. Thou hast sound out easy way to please Hypocrites to go to Heaven But if thou repent not of this thy wicked and confused work and believe in the Light of Christ Iesus that thy Heart may be cleansed thou wilt perrish in Darkness for ever But Job and Paul and John with the rest of Gods Servants whom thou hast falsly accused who were humble Men fearing God and did not justifie themselves but saw they were weak without him but as they stood in the Faith they beheld his glory and confest to his power which redeemed their Souls from Death and their Feet from falling And David was washed from his Sin through Repentance and Job was accepted of God but not in Sin S. B. do thou look to that Neither did Paul sit down in that state crying out O Wretched Man Who shall deliver me from this Body of Death But as a good Soldier in the Spiritual Warfare he followed Christ Jesus the Captain of his Salvation and sought a good fight and kept the Faith and did not sit down in unbeleif but bore Teâ—timony to the Power of Christ Jesus that had made him more then a Conquerer and then he came to know a better state and a growth in Christ Jesus and then he could say There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walks not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.1 2. And Christ Jesus said The Strong Man keeps the House till a stronger comes and binds him and spoils his Goods and disposses him And so they that are in the Faith which purifies the Heaâ—t not a Notion only they have experience of this blessed work and cannot plead for Sin term of Life but are in him that destroys the Devil and his works and brings in Everlasting Righteousness And they that are born of God sins not 1 Iohn 3.9 We believe the Apostle John spake true although thou S. B. would make him a Liar as in thy 83 Page where thou chargest the Apostle with saying We that are in the new Birth if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us But John doth not say so but it is thou that art adding to his Words for he doth not say He that is born of God commits Sin but He that is born of God doth not commit Sin and so thou art a false accuser of the beloved Disciple of Christ Jesus Who saith 1 John 1.5 This is the Message we have heard and declare unto you that God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we Lie and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have from fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin But if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us but if we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness And here the Apostle speaks of states and conditions he had passed through that others who where Travelling after might be Encouraged to walk in the Light that they might know the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from their Sins And so he that hath this Hope purifies himself as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 And so we have Testimony unto the Power of Christ Jesus who destroys the Devil and his works and brings in Everlasting Righteousness and makes an end of Sin and so we cannot plead for the Devils Kingdom of Sin and Darkness like S. B. till he is Dead But let Sampson Bond plead for Sin till his Tongue cleave to the Roof of his Mouth yet God will establish Righteousness in the Earth And in thy 82 Page thou falsly accuseth Paul That perfection from Sin was not attainable in this Life but at the Resurrection of the Dead and bringest Phil. 3.12 But Paul says no such thing but he says He follows after that he may Apprehend that for which he is Apprehended of Christ And 14 Vers I press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and preached wisdom amonâ—st them that were perfect And if S. B. had experience of the work of Christ Jesus in his Heart he would have seen a possibility of being washed and cleansed from his Sin and a further growth increase into the manifold Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit for to be cleansed from Sin is not the highest perfection attainable in this Life But S. B. saith in his 80 Page The meanest Saint upon the Earth is like his Father in Heaven that he is like to God who begitteth all his Children in his own Likâ—ness How now S. B. what must we be like our Father which is in Heaven who begets his Children in his own likeness what is not this perfection to be like God But if this be true as no doubt it is then what will become of thy Kingdom of Sin and Death thou art pleading for term of Life in these 10 Pages of thy Book thou hast overthrown it all at once But saith S. B. No Man is like the Father or the Son in the degrees of these perfect or pure Qualities No who ever said they
by 4 Apostolical Arguments First Because Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People was and is the true Christ and our only Saviour for to prove which he notes many Scriptures Acts 2.21 22 23 24. Acts 4.10 11 12. Acts 10.38 39 40 42 43. From these Scriptures mentioned S. B. draws this Argument If Jesus Christ of Nazareth a man approved of God among the People of Israel be the true Christ and only Saviour then a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ But Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People was and is the true Christ and our only Saviour therâ—fore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ Reply The Apostles Testimony we believe that this Jesus of Nazareth was he that was to come of whom Moses and the Prophets wrote and of whom the Apostles bore so strict a testimony especially before the Jews under the Name of Jesus of Nazareth Because they having read of the glory of this Saviour did expect it to be outward and visible and that he should have come with the Pomp and Glory of this World and that the Redemption which should have been wrought by him should have been outward and that he should have sat upon the Throne of David as an outward and visible King and when contrary to this their expectation he was raised up of so mean a place as Galilee and Nazareth and of so mean Parentage they slighted him saying Is not this the Carpenter the Son of Joseph His Father we kâ—ow and his Brethren are with us we know whence he is But when Christ cometh wâ— know not whence he is search and see say they for out of Gallilee ariseth no Prophet So they slighted and scorned him and put him to Death therefore the Apostle did bear so strict a Testimony to this Man and we do believe that this vvas he that was to come and we look not for another But that the Apostle by this Testimony did deny the Godhead or Invisible Power that dwelt in Jesus of Nazareth by which he became a Saviour we do not believe Neither do we believe that the Man Jesus of Nazareth only as Man was the Saviour of the World For in him dwells the fullness of the God-head Bodily Coll. â— 9 And Christ himself testifies that he was in the Father and the Father in him John 14.10 11. And in the same place he testifies That the Words he spake and the Works he did were done by the Father that dwelt in Him Now if the whole work of Mans Salvation had been wrought by the Body or visible Man only then must our Faith and Hope have stood there but the same Apostle saith 1 Pet. 1.21 Our Faith and Hope must stand in God By which Scripture with many more that might be named it appears that the Salvation of Mankind was wrought by the vvhole entire Christ of God vvho vvas truly God and Man And the Apostle saith That God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself 2 Cor. 5.19 So that it was the Word the invisible Power that dwelt and wrought in the Body that gave the value of the worâ— done in and by the Man by which the work of Mans Salvation was effectually wrought So after the work was performed in by the Body in order to Mans Redemption yet there remains a large work to be performed in such as believe For there is a power of Darkness in Man to be overcome the Antichristian Spirit â—s to be cast out the Body of Sin and Death is to be destroyed the captivating Spirit that captivates the Members and keeps the Members in subjection to the Law of Sin and Deaâ—h to be redeemed from yea the Regeneration is to be witnessed that begets again unto God and the new-born â—abe must be known which is born of God that cannot Sin which only is Heir to the Kingdom which is brought forth in the Image and Likeness of the Invisible God which Image stands in Holiness and Righteousness And all this is formed in the Saints through the powerful working of Jesus Christ the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World and destroys the work of the Devil in us and for us and so becomes a perfect Saviour saving to the uttermost those that come unto God by him and all this is purchased through the one offering even perfect Salvation for his People even for all those that do truly and effectually believe in him who through faith lay hold on the invisible Power so that they thereby feel the inward operation or the working of the Spirit within to wash and cleanse the Heart not only from the Guilt or Condemnation as ye say but also from the defilement of Sin So is Christ Jesus become the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that through Faith are brought into obedience unto him But these things I judge are a mystery to S. B. who is ignorant of the work of Salvation of the Grace Hope and Faith within by Christ for if he had been acquainted with the inward forming of Christ he could never have formed such an Argument as this That because Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People in whom dwelt the fulness of the God-head which was the Creator of all things was the true Christ and only Saviour that therefore the Saviour cannot be within although the Saints did witness that Christ in them was their Hope of glory But to leave this and to take a view of his 2d Argument as laid down in the second Page of his Book which is grounded upon this Because the Saints of God by the direction of his Spirit have alwayes acknowledged the Man Jesus Christ to be the true and only Saviour Upon which ground he brings forth the same conclusion viz That Christ within Man which he calls the Quakers pretended Saviour within is not the true but the false Christ Reply This Argument is also false being one with the other grounded upon a foundation as to me it appears hid in his own Breast not truly laid down in express Words yet truly intended by him which is this that Christ Jesus only as Man without the Godhead was by the direction of the Spirit always acknowledged to be their true and only Saviour if this be not the ground of his Aâ—gument then could he not have formed such an Argument as this because Christ as God is a Spirit and so within as well as without Now for the proof of his Argument he brings the words of Simeon Luke 2. from Verse 25 to Verse 31. by which words it doth not at all appear that the Man or visible Body only of it self is the only Saviour for he declares of him as a Light to go before the face of all People a Light to lighten the Gentiles and John bore witness to him and saith John 1.9
School-Learning and Fleshly Wisdom are able to attain to the knowledge of the Invisible God as it is written 1 Cor. 1.21 The World by Wisdom knew not God but this Apostle witnesseth that they viz. that wicked Generation had known God but did not like to Retain him in their knowledge vers 28. So then if the true knowledge of God cannot be Attained too by the Wisdome of this World which is not able to search into the Misteries of the Visible things as is plain by the Apostles words in the forenamed 1 Cor. 1.17 The World by Wisdom knew not God then its clear that they had another Teacher that Informed them in the knowledge of God besides the Visible Creation The next Scripture this said Priest undertakes to open is in Page 25. John 6.63 The Flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth About the Interpretation of which he seems to be greatly confounded not knowing what Flesh that is that profiteth nothing and what Flesh that is that is the Souls Food that came down from Heaven of which if any Man cat he shall live for ever So having opposed the pure Heavenly Light who is the Saints Teacher he himself is left in the Dark with which his own deceived Heart is Darkned So though he said these Scriptures did not appear to Answer the matter in Hand yet they are of good service to make manifest the Darkness of the Man And whereas Christ saith It is the Spirit that quickeneth after S. B. in his ordinary manner of turning and winding of that word at length brings forth this conclusion viz. though the Spirit be the Dead Souls quickner yet it is not the quickned Souls Saviour Rep. To me this seems as strange and as Dark and as confused a Sentence as ever I heard expressed by one that pretended himself a Wise-Man But herein is the Scripture fulfilled Job 5.13 He taketh the Wise in their own Craftiness For it seems very strange to me that any Man should be so Dark as to conclude that that Spirit that giveth Life doth not save from Death Now Man naturally is Dead according to the Word of God In the Day thou Eatest thereof thou shalt surely Dye and Death having got an Entrance into the World through Sin it passed over all Men because all have Sinned now Death got Entrance through the First Man Adams offence and Man now being under the Power of Death by what means doth Man come to Witness Salvation or Deliverance from Death but by Christ who is a Quickening Spirit which giveth Life to the Soul thus Captivated under the Power of Death which is Christ Jesus the Quickening Spirit which makes the Dead to Live and sets free from the power thereof as is Witnessed Rom. 8 2. So this is my Testimony for Christ Jesus who is the Lord from Heaven the Quickning Spirit who is the Resurrection and the Life and raises such to Life who are Dead and Buried in the pit of Death and Darkness and makes them to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus so I say it is he and he alone who is the Saviour of Mankind to S. B. might see if the God of this World had not Blinded his Eye that the True Christ the Quickening Spirit saves as well within as without so that this Scripture was not mentioned in vain but plainly proves the Spirit of Christ Jesus in the Saints to be their Saviour both by delivering them from the Captivity of Sin and being delivered to preserve them from the Power thereof The next Speaker he saith was Patience Bullock who he said propounded a question to him Whether Christ could have saved us without his being God His answer he grants it and saith the Godhead gave the Efficacy and excellency to the Manhood and in the 28th Page he tells us that the humane Nature of Christ was the only matter of our Salvation contradicting the latter by granting the first Now S. B. what will the result of all this be unto thee will not all thy wicked Blasphemies against the Lord and thy revilings of the pure Light and the Dirt and Mire cast upon the Throne of God in Man now return upon thine own Head thy wickedness may be seen in this particular in many Pages of thy Book sometimes calling the Light a Glow-worm sometimes a cursed Gospel within Page 20. and frequently the Idol Light within but especially in Page 15. there thou art found to joyn both the Light which we know and is sure is a Measure of Gods Spirit in Man and the Conscience made tender by it which is his Throne in which he doeth chiefly manifest himself I say thou hast Joyned both together under a reproachful Term that Idol Light tender part within so casting Infamy and reproach at it So that which thou said of me in Page 5. viz. is truly come upon thy self for thy Throat is an open Sepulchre casting out abominable Stinck and Noisome unsavory scents in the Nostrils of God and all Godly Men. So with most reviling Speeches thou goest on charging the Light with Antichristianisme and Villany beyond all the Antichrists that yet hath appeared which ungodly charge is Recorded against thee in Eternal Record which thou shalt as surely feel the waight of it upon thine own Head as ever thou spoke it and so I leave thee to the farther Judgment of the mighty God whose Spirit thou hast Villified But to proceed to thy Inferrences upon Patience Bullocks question Page 29. Let me ask you this question Art not thou one of those Carnal Gospelers thou speaks of that rests in a bare Historical Assent that the Man Christ Jesus of Nazareth is the true and only Saviour while sayest thou they are in no degree partaker of the Divine Nature for certainly if thou wert in that Nature it would manifest it self otherwise then it hath done of Instance thy mocking Friends in thy House of worship in Devonshire Tribe calling one of the Friends Checker-work and when I reproved thee for it as a thing unbeseeming thy profession thou answeredst wantonly saying why is not his Name White and his Hatt Black is not that Checkerwork This is no Fruit of the Divine Nature which is that which is Heir to the Kingdome but on the contrary it is a manifest Fruit of Ishmaels Nature scoffing thee at Isaac's Son and the Bond Woman which is to have no part of the Heavenly Inheritance several other things I might Alledge as truly gathered out of thy Book which I forbear here to mention and only content my self with some of those particulars Noted by thine own self as Signs or Fruits of the Divine Nature which are a Lively Faith and a Lively hope which both these do Manifest themselves where-ever they are by Holiness and Purity as we may Read in Acts 15.9 How that the Gentiles who Lived in the Heathenish Nature when they come to Receive the true and Living Faith it manifested it self by Purifying
from the Law of Sin and Death he saith that the Apostle doth not mean that the Spirit did so free him from Sin and Death as that he was simply delivered from either but so that it should not Dominere over us nor Damn us Suppose it were so that we could grant him this yet still the Scripture stands on the Spirits side and so consequently on our side against this Priest for if he doth save but from the Dominion of sin that is no small degree of Salvation so by Right and good Reason the Spirit was in Paul as a Saviour and made him free which if this could be proved that the Spirit of Christ was ever in any Man as a Saviour thou saidst thou wouldst give up the Cudgels But it is plain that Paul became Dead with Christ Crucified to the World Dead to Sin and Alive to Righteousness and all this through the inward working of the Spirit of Christ Jesus Farther he Ignorantly affirms that the Death Paul was Delivered from was nothing else but the Power of a Natural Death here People may behold the Ignorance of the Man was it a Natural Death that Paul so much complained of Rom. 7.24 Was it not the Body of Death the Old corrupt Nature which was not yet quite overcome yet the Law or Power of this Body of Death was strong in his Members and this was it that he cryed for deliverance from and that was it from which that Law of the Spirit of life set him free In Page 34. S. B. saith F. E. stept again and said I in thee and thou in me I Answer The end for which I made use of the Scripture was to Testifie to the indwelling of Christ in the Saints against his wicked charge that the Quakers Saviour within was the false Christ which perhaps the word might be mistaken in uttering yet it stands firm in the Record of the Scripture for Truths advantage in plain Scripture Words I in them and thou in me and is part of Christ Prayer to the Father who heard him always although S. B. by his Interpretation seeks to hide the true sence thereof and to give a meaning that may answer his own End In pag 36. S. B. saith Mrs. Bullock asked him whether he did make our Christ within us to be the Devil to whom he saith he made answer viz. That he did Solemnly with much Reverence in the presence of God to whom I must shortly be accountable for my Words declare that I do most assuredly know that a Quakers pretended Christ within him Mark who Sam. Bond said that was page 29. The Graces effects and opperations of the Spirit within them whom here he calleth the false Christ the Devil with whom he saith We shall be Damned in Hell if we Repent not Damnable Doctrine indeed no wonder he put such a Blasphemous question to Will. Wilkinson viz. Whether our God were in Hell Sav'd or Damn'd such abominacle vapours assends out of his Bottomless Pit many times But of this foregoing answer his own Pen hath accused him for had not he accused himself I know not any that could but as Christ said Nothing is Hid that shaâ—l not be uncovered And for his Warrant to confirm this Sentence he urgeth Joh. 8.24 I said therefore ye shaâ—l die in your Sins which Scripture with the 21st verse to which it relates I turn back again upon himself as his own Portion for it is the Doctrine that he Preaches to the People that they cannot be free from sin while they live who can otherwise Judge if so but that both he and all that Dies in the Faith of his Lies can escape Damnation except with the Papist thou canst find a Purgatory for into the Holy City nothing must Enter that defileth or worketh abomination Rev. 21.27 Farther this Bond after his usual manner of wresting the Scripture goes on to comment upon another Scripture alledged by one of the Friends Eph. 5.13 But all things that are Reproved are made manifest by the Light c. Which by Light he saith we are to understand a sin Reproving Light which he farther saith is the Light of the Scripture But where dost thou find the Scripture called a sin reproving Light we read indeed in Timothy that it is profitable for Reproof and Instruction to make the Man of God perfect and to Furnish him throughly to every good work but though it be serviceable to reprove the Actual Sinner what is this to the manifestation of sin in the Heart before it breaks forth into Action which only is made manifest by the Light or Spirit of Christ as in Joh. 16.8 and whereas he saith the Scripture is frequently described by Light alledging for proof Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a Light unto my Steps To this I answer that Scripture is not there mentioned If he say it is the Word to this I farther give answer that the Scripture in no place calls it self the Word though S. B. without any Scripture ground calls it the Written Word but it saith God is the Word and Christ is the Word and Ezekiel saith often The Word of the Lord came unto me saying so that it notes the Word and the sayings which sayings are many of them Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth and are properly the true sayings of God who is the Word Joh. 1.1 He farther to confirm the Scripture to be the Light doth Note Joh. 3.16 Every one that doeth Evil hateth the Light But experience tells us that every Evil Man doth not hate the Scripture but delight many of them to Read it and Teach it their Children but their Enmity is against the Light that makes manifest sin and Iniquity in the Heart which is the Righteous Principle of God in the Heart the sure Word of Prophesie to which the Saints of Old did take heed which is prefer'd before the sound of Words without for the Words without may be falsly Translated and the true sense of them may be changed and falsly Interpreted or written in another Tongue or the Scripture being made up of several Creaters it is possible it may be destroyed but the Invisible Word the Light Christ Jesus could no Man destroy whom the Apostle Paul saith speaketh from Heaven Gods beloved Son whom we are to hear not rejecting the Scripture as it is truly Read for it bears witness to the Light Christ Jesus Several more Lies and false accusations I meet with in his Book as page 38. he saith the Teaching Quakers saith Christ is manifest in their real Flesh but the Flesh of Christ was only in shew and appearance And in page 38. he charges William Harriot for saying he denyed their out-side Christ which words I do not remember in the least neither do any Friend or other People that I have spoke withal witness any such word spoken by him And in page 40. he Proceeds farther with his false charges saying The Quakers deny that Christ was true Man consisting of
Name or Book whereby it might have been made manifest but in as much as he hath done neither I return it back upon him again as an Imagination forced upon his own Heart And as for that of George Fox concerning the Nature of Christ that it was not humane but Divine I have bore my Testimony agreeable thereto before and so leave S. B. to prove it by the Scripture which lies upon him as a necessity in as much as he hath laid it down as a necessary point of Faith One thing more of which he chargeth the Faithful Servant of the Lord G. F. is that he hath abused the Scripture 2 Cor. 5.11 For we which live are always delivered unto Death for Jesus sake that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Mortal Bodies Now the abuse charged on G. F. is that he reads it thus the Life of Jesus is manifest in our Mortal Bodies thereby making that present which the Apostle makes future at the Resurrection Answ The words might be doth not so much note the time as the end wherefore the Saints were always delivered up to Death even for that very end that the Life of Christ might be Manifest in their Mortal Bodies all that might Dye to the Flesh and to the World and Sin might no longer Live in them but that the Life of Jesus might be Manifest in their Mortal Bodies Now if G. Fox witnessing the fulfilling of this and did Testifie to the same how did he abuse the Scripture or belye the Apostles words as thou hast falsly charged him but it is plain thou hast wrested the Scripture in that thou say'st it is only at the Resurrection when Paul himself witnessed the same thing before he went out of the Body Gal. 2.20 And yet in contradiction Priest Bond saith in pag. 72. that the Body shall be raised Spiritual as Christs Body of Flesh and Bones after the Resurrection was Spiritual our Bodies shall not be raised Natural corruptible Bodies but Spiritual Incorruptible Bodies though the Body of Man be not Natural corruptible or Mortal Flesh and Blood and as saith unfit for the Kingdom of God but in the Resurrection the Body will not be so for it will then be Spiritual incorruptable immortal Flesh and Blood Priest Bond in this hath contradicted himself and is made to confess the Quakers Principles And for what thou hast to charge Isaac Pennington withal I believe he was a Spiritual Man and was better acquainted with Heavenly things then Sampson Bond and so could speak as he had known felt and received them in Spirit which is a Mystery to every Natural Man for the Wisdom of this World with all the acquired parts that it can Furnish the Natural Man withal cannot know or Receive the things of God because they are only known and received in the Spirit But it had been a great point of Wisdom in this Priest to have been still and quiet and not to speak Evil of the things he knew not neither understood but he that thus will rail against the Light of Christ which the Saints believe in will not spare his Disciples Thus have I searched over the first part of his Book which concerns his first charge wherein I have noted some of the abuses Slanders Blasphemies Confusions and soft contradictions of S. B. and according to the Measure of Light I have Received briefly answered the same I shall now pass on to the Second charge viz. that the main end of the Quakers Meeting in these Islands is to make the Lords Christ his Holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all Lyers and false Witnesses of God And to make good this his Ungodly false charge against us he lays down this for his Foundation viz. That we are G. Fs. Disciples and therefore that this is our Principal that the Light is in us which he calls pretended Light is our true Christ Teacher Rule and Guide to be heard believed in walked unto and obeyed as the only Saviour to give Remission of Sins and Salvation with God to which he said we consented from whence he draws down this conclusion viz. That we did thereby Grant that the end of our Meetings is to Teach a denial of Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Man approved of God to be our true and only Saviour which Teaching said he is to make the Lords Christ his Holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all Lyers and False Witnesses of God Reply The Ground of this his charge is of the same Nature with the former because we confess to the Spirit within which is Light and therefore he concludes that it must needs follow that we do deny the true Christ which he concludes to be the Man Jesus without without having any respect to any thing that dwelt within or at least without any Respect to the Spirit of Christ whose Office it is to cleanse the Soul from Sin and so consequently doth save and Redeem from under the power of Death Reply This his charge is absolutely false for our Hearts viz. The Hearts of the Faithful amongst us is truly set to serve the Lord and our main end is truly to Worship him in Spirit and in Truth and if in the Indeavours of our Hearts to bring this our end to pass and for want of a true understanding in the Scripture we had mist of the thing must it needs be charged on us that it was our main end so to do I believe few that have any tenderness in them will believe thee But on the other Hand it is Manifest that the Man Jesus did declare himself the Light of the World Joh. 8.12 and so to be believed in Chap. 12 46. now as Man barely understood how could he be the Light of the World which Light is a Heart searching Light Rev. 2.23 therefore it must be understood in the Spirit and he declares himself one with the Father Joh 10.30 in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodyly who was before Abraham John 8. and it was the Godhead the Invisible power for which the Body was prepared and this power dwelling and acting in the Body was that which unheld it in this great work of Mans Salvation and it was through the excellency worth and power of the Indwelling Spirit which was one with the Father which the Invisible Eye only could behold by which the satisfaction was made and the purchase of the Heavenly Inheritance obtained by whom Remission of Sins Justification Sanctification and Everlasting Redemption is obtained this is he in whom we confess to be our true and only Saviour in whom we believe And in as much as he did direct his Disciples that after his departure they should wait for his Spirit which the World could not receive then no more then they can do now which saith he dwelleth with you and shall be in you and this Spirit was to be waited for even by his Disciples that had been taught by him and he was
to be their Guide and their Instructor and their Leader and in the Spirit they were to Worship the Father and this is the word of Faith even Christ the begetter of Faith in the Heart and must be believed in and obeyed and walked up to according to his Inward Moons and requirings which always moveth and leadeth into the things that is good and maketh manifest the Evil and reproveth for it and this is not received by Natural Generation but by the Inspiration of the Almighty which is Light which shines in our Hearts and gives the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ and this Spirit Life and Power dwelt in the Son of God without measure but in the Saints in measure and this is he by which the Saints are Sanctified and do receive full assurance of the everlasting unchangeable Inheritance and this is wrought by degrees by the same Spirit by which the Saints are continually given up to Death to dye to Sin to dye to the Flesh to dye to the World that the Life of Jesus may be made Manifest in their Mortal Bodies And the Manifestation of this Spirit being given to every Man to profit withal and we believing that every Man hath Received a Measure of this pure Light according to Joh. 1.9 therefore do we direct People to turn in their Minds to this Heavenly Principle this Heart searching Light that makes Manifest Sin and Transgression and leads the Soul out of Captivity from under the Power thereof and these things we declare and Exhort People to submit unto the same for herein only is the true Spiritual Worship witnessed And now S. B. what wilt thou say Wilt thou judge this is to deny Christ or to make him a Lyer who was truly God or to make the Holy Spirit a Lyer to whom we thus Testifie or to make the Angels Lyers who Testified to him as a King whose Kingdom was not of this World or to make the Apostles Lyers who bare so large a Testimony to his Spiritual appearance I know and am sure had thou received thy Message from the Lord or ever walked in the Path of the Righteouss thou wouldst have had another Message to declare then any yet I can see come from thee Now all the Scriptures that S. B. brings to prove his charge they are such as proves the same Jesus to be the Saviour who was one with the Father And however these Testimonies of Christ the Spirit the Angels and Apostles seems to speak of the outward Man yet thereby we cannot understand it any otherwise then as he was the Christ and Saviour of the World who dwelt in the Father and the Father in him and the words he Spoke they were not his but the Fathers that sent him But he goes on to Revile the Light with his common term of Idol which Idols and Idolatrous practises was ever hateful unto God But the more he Reproaches it the more he doth heap up Vengeance upon his own Head to be Executed upon him in the day of the Lord. The next thing to he considered was a Sentence of Scripture Spoken by Will Harriot in denyal of the Priests false charge concerning our Mâ—etings saying The Apostle Travelled in Biraâ—h for the Gallations till Christ was formed in them which words he Spoke without naming Chap. and ver for which he derides him and calls him Impertinent Simpleton and with all he Glories that he could readily point at the Chap. and ver to which I answer is this any point of Religion Is it any matter of Salvation Is it nor rather a chief part of thy Trade which thou hast been Exercised in more then twenty years and peradventure Received for thy Hire several hundred pounds worth and this is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and agreeable with the Practise of Balaam who Loved the wages of Unrighteousness now it were a shaâ—e for thee Trading with the Scripture so long and not to have thy Trade perfect The Scripture was Gal. 4.19 The which Scripture this Reviling Priest makes use off to Reproach the Light thus If when Paul writ to the Gallations Christ was to be formed in them then the Light in every Man the Quakers Rotten Principle which is in every Man by Natural Generation he saith is not the True Christ Rep. In defiance of this Heavenly Principle I say thou art an Ignorant Man for this Light is of a more Noble Birth and Generation for it is of Gods own begetting and so not of a Flâ—shly Generation for that which is Born of the Flesh is Flesh but that which is Born of the Spirit is Spirit And it is one thing to have this principle in them and another thing to be in Union with it it is one thing to have it in a Man and another thing to be formed into its likeness now none can Witness the formings of Christ in them but such as do receive Christ the Light they and only they receive Power to become Children of the most High God even they that believe in his Name which is the Power by which Christ Jesus was raised up from the Dead and such who by Faith lay hold on the Power the Word of Life the quickning Spirit by which the Saints are begotten again into Christs Nature and Christs own Nature raised up in them and so is Christs Word fulfilled you in me and I in you And thus to know Christ is not to deny the Body which suffered and Rose again for the Saints which Testified of the Man did also bear Witness to the Spirit which was their Guide and Leader and Instructer and Saviour and Saved them from the Body of Death and Power of Darkness and Law of Sin and Mortified Sin in them and their Vile affections which were upon the Earth was Subdued by the Spirit of Christ and they came to know him to be the quickning Spirit quickning and Enlivening them and raising them up to sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus so Old things were Witnessed to pass away and all things to become new new Nature Will new Assertions new Desires new all New The next thing to be considered is his Ridged sencering of Will. Harriot with his Fellow Seducers as he calls them Pag. 59 60 61. In which he shews his Persecuting Spirit in passing such a Sentance as Whipping for no other Transgression then to deny such a Doctrine as is not truly grounded upon the Scripture and not only so but in divers particulars contrary to the Scripture And for this he takes the Scripture for his Rule Joh. 2.13 And Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the Temple those that Sold Oxen and when he had made a Whip of small Cords he drove them out of the Temple and said unto them make not my Fathers House a House of Marchandice Now Mark what ground hath he or can he rightly gather from hence to punish a Man with Corporal punishment for matter of
B's Book Entituled The Quakers in Burmondas Tryed c. In vvhich Book I have noted some of the many Lies Slanders Blasphemies c. and have openly detected them that Truth may be cleared from the many Slanders cast upon it and the Professors thereof that such as are not vvilfully blind may see but the rest shall be hardened Fran. Eastlack A Postscript HAving gone through that part of Sampson Bonds Book which concerned the Dispute upon the first day of the third Month 1678. and answered the matter chiefly as I found his words laid down by himself I shall now shew how that many things were spoken by him in his house of Worship in the Audience of all the People in Devon-shire Tribe so called on the dry above mentioned which words I writ while they were fresh in memory and divers Friends signified Truth of the same The first thing that I noted which he spoke in plain Words was this That Jesus of Nazareth as man barely considered is the only material Saviour grounded upon the Words of Simeon Luk. 2. and the Testimony of the Apostle Acts 2. c. Secondly That the Spirit of Christ was never in any man as a Saviour Thirdly That Sin doth live in all Men while they are in the Body Fourthly The Priest after an ugodly manner demanded in what part of our Guts Christ was For saiad he If he be in you he must be in your Legs Brains or Guts and if he were in your Brains he would teach you more wit Fifthly That Christ was not the Son of God but as he is Man grounded upon Christ his Words to the Blind Man when he demanded of Christ who the Son of God was Jesus answered I that speak unto thee am he which this Priest said was only the Man Sixthly That in the Resurrection vve shall rise again the same Body for substance Flesh Blood and Bones But the Quallities shall be Changed so that he that dyes a Fool shall rise a Wise Man and he that dyes Crooked shall be raised Straight This was an Imagination of his own Brain For there is no Scripture for it And Lastly He Demanded after an ungodly manner of Will. Wilkinson if God vvere in Hell vvhether he vvas their Saved or Damned These Wicked Erroneous and Ungodly Expressions were uttered by him that day by which the Wise in Heart may Judge what Spirit this Priest is of who is also a Teacher of others in Burmudus Fran. Eastlack Appendix SAmpson Bond thou saist in Page 14. That if any Man seek to be Justified by the righteousness of the Law as most of the Quakers do c. This horrid Lye and Forgery S. B. hath not proved as in Page 14. for we being Justified freely by his Grace through Redemption that is in Christ Jesus who dyed for our Sins and is risen for our Justification Rom. 3. and we are Justified by Faith in his Blood And as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one to wit Christ the free gift came upon all men to the justification of life Rom. 5.18 and a great rabble of this he hath pack'd together in three or four Pages as though We should deny Jesus Christ of Nazareth his Death and Resurrection because we are Witnesses to the Apostles Doctrine who saith That Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. And again the Apostle saith That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith and as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Col. 2.6 And again the Apostle saith Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preach c. Col. 1.27 Now this is the true Christ Jesus which we own which the Apostle Preach't IN people as well as WITHOUT and Christ Jesus who came according to the Promise and Prophets of God and how he died for our sins according to the Scripture and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scripture and is ascended at the right hand of God and manifest and dwells in the hearts of his people and he that hath the Son of God hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life 1 John 5.12 And thus we and the Apostles do own Christ within and we do abhor that lying poysonous Tongue of S. B. who saith We deny Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified dead and buried and rose again and sitteth at the right hand of God and yet dwells in his people by Faith and if Priest Bond do not know Christ in him then he is a reprobate and then let him consider who dwells in him if it be not the Devil and Satan whom he hath so often in his mouth And was not Saul persecuting Jesus of Nazareth in his Members when he said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me as in Acts 9.4 and Saul said who art thou Lord and he said I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Acts 9.5 and Acts 22.8 Priest Bond could Saul get into Heaven to persecute Jesus of Nazareth but in his Members as thou dost now in us and callest him a false Christ and a Devil as he is in us And Priest Bond all those Scriptures that thou hast brought or perverted and misapplied in thy 1 2 3 4 Pages which we say he hath brought to prove his false Charge against us That Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God c. who is the true Christ and Saviour who died for our Sins and is risen again for our Justification who is at the right hand of God and is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus we say this true Lord Jesus Christ who is revealed in us as he was in the Apostles and Saints he hath not proved to be a false Christ a Deceiver the Devil and an Antichrist as he wickedly and blaphemously saith who hath sold himself to work wickedness and made lies his refuge to corrupt and defile peoples minds withal and all these Scriptures Acts 2. and 4 and 10. Chap. Luke 2. John 4. Heb. 10.1.2 Chap. Col. 1. Ephes 2. 1 Pet. 2. Heb. 9. Luke 24. Mark 6. Acts 1.3.7 chap. and many other Scriptures may be brought to witness against his false slanderous Charge and his second Charge and all the rest is as false and stuft full with a rabble of Lies as the first So Priest Bond hath brought all these Scriptures to prove Jesus Christ the true Saviour which no Quaker doth deny But how doth S.B. own the true Lord Jesus Christ without if he doth not own the true Lord Jesus Christ revealed within who is the Saviour As the Apostles and the true Christians in scorn called Quakers do For doth not Antichrist and Deceivers confess Christ without as S. Bond doth and call the true Christ within Antichrist a Deceiver and a Devil within his people and so persecutes Christ in his Members like Saul So Priest
Priest Bonds mad confusion and contradiction in Page 53. Priest Bonds bad words Wickedly equivocate Idol Light within Leger-demain a Bratt hatcht in their Addle-Brain Page 53. Idol Light within p. 55. Teach a denyal of Jesus of Nazareth Lyers and False-Witnesses Page 54. Enemies Liers such Liers Seducing Quakers Cursed Liers Horrid Blasphemers aim to make the Angels of Christ Liars Again They do in their meetings and aims make the Apostles of Christ Liers and False Witnesses of God c. the Idol-light within Page 57. Here the Reader may see Priest Bonds foul Language and his ravenous blasphemous spirit and lies against the Light within And the Quakers own Christ Jesus within and without as the Prophets and the Angels and the Apostles have declared him We do witness Christ both his Birth Death and his Resurrection and Ascension Again Priest Bond saith The Light that is in every man the Quakers rotten Principle by natural generation is not the true Christ Page 58. And Page 8. in contradiction to himself saith It s true that by Light in that place of Scripture viz. John 1. That was the true Light which enlightens every Man that comes into the World the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant And yet see how often over he calls the Light of Christ an Idol Light within and now a Rotten Principle and the False Christ the Devil But how doth Priest Bond prove Christ the Light which he confesses to be the only Saviour who enlightens every one that comes into the World to be a Rotten Principle and by natural generation and that he is not the true Christ who enlightens every wan that comes into the world And yet in Page 8. Priest Bond confesses That the true Light that enlightens every man that comes into the world the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant John 1. For the Quakers never said that this Light came by natural generation which Light enlightens every man that comes into the World which is the Life in Christ our Saviour More of Priest Bonds foul words Lunatick Crafty Knave Wedding-Cloaths faced with a dissembling madness Quakers have learned their ignorant Disciples to glory in their own flesh Blasphemous contempt upon the glorified manhood Page 59. These are Priest Bonds horrid Lies and madness And yet S. B. saith in Page 21. That F. E. the Quaker did believe that Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among the people whom the Jews slew and God raised from the dead and raised up into Heaven is the true Christ and only Saviour Yet in Page 59. thou saist the bold and open wickedness of W. H. who did reflect blasphemous contempt upon the glorious manhood c. in Heaven above Here dost not thou abuse the Quaker who said he did believe and confess that Christ suffered in the Flesh and was received up to Heaven as thou confessest Page 21. And Page 23. S. B. saith W. H. called S. B's Christ an outside Christ which W. H. denies But Priest Bond calls the true Christ which is revealed from Heaven in his People a Devil and the Light of Christ in his People an Idol therefore what Christ is it that S. B. owns but Antichrist Priest Bond goes on in his foul words Thou art blasphemous rude ye make it your profest Religion to derogate from the true humane substance of the Lord 's Christ ignorant seduced Quakers Page 60. These are Priest Bond 's Lies and his own Blasphemies As for the word Humane he hath not proved it by Scripture Again Priest Bond 's foul words With a Brazen Forehead and seared Conscience villifying the holy thing born of Mary called the Son of God And yet Bond confesses a little before That the Quakers own Christ Jesus born of that Mary both his death and resurrection c. And in Page 61. Open Deriders and Blasphemers contemners of him Christ false Glossers These are Priest Bonds foul words which Lies he may apply to his self Priest Bond saith Page 62. F.E. shutes this Bolt to wit That the Deity was within him and saith that the Deity is in Cats and Dogs as well as in F.E. which he hath not proved by Scripture P. Bond The Legerdemain of seducing Quakers baffling prating Quakers page 63. which foul words he had better applied to himself S. B. F. Eastlacke said 'T is Christ in you c. Priest Bond scoffingly ask'd him Whether Christ was in his Lye Legs Brains or Bowels An Idol light within Blasphemer the Quakers who glory in their own flesh bitter mocking sarcastical blasphemous scorning scoffing quaffing Quakers All this ungracious filthy Language proceeds from Priest Bonds Lying Poisonous Tongue Page 64. 65. S. B. Thou saist F. E. thou hast renounced both the Sacraments Still the Idol Light within Fanciful Principles invisible Sacraments Blasphemy thy dreadful cursed Apostacy Page 66 67. These are Priest Bonds Lies and foul expressions Page 68. They deny Jesus of Nazareth the only Saviour O thou poor sinner that art deluded Visible and Invisible hand-shaking of God Page 80. Stephen saw Christs humane body in Heaven above Priest Bond with all his Lies who saith that Scripture is his Rule hath not proved such a word as Humane in Scripture Neither doth the Apostle say that Stephen mentioned a Humane Body in Acts 7. But Stephen saw the Heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God being full of the Holy-Ghost And the Quakers own Christ more than Priest Bond. Here are more of Priest Bonds railing words Bruitish Disputants Bruitish Principles Lude Fellows of the more bruitish sort Seducing Quakers These are more of Priest Bonds lies and filthy Language W.W. desired Priest Bond to shew him an express Scripture which saith that the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus denyed the resurrection of the dead And Priest Bond makes a great rambling in three or four Pages and when he hath been beating the Air he brings no express Scripture Priest Bond saith That the Body shall be raised spiritual as Christs Body of flesh and bones after the resurrection were spiritual Page 72. And S. Bond saith in Page 69. Stephen saw Christs humane Body in Heaven above And doth not Priest Bond nick-name the Lord's Body and call it humane over and over in his Book And is humane spiritual As in Page 50. Humane Nature How doth he prove Christs Body Humane Nature And now confesses that Christs Body of flesh and bones after the resurrection was spiritual and yet humane and also confesses with W.B. the Quaker who speaks concerning the Resurrection It is sown a natural body it is raised a spirituaâ— body And S. B. doth confess in 1 Cor. 15. that the body shall be raised sâ—iritual So Priest Bond hath granted the Apostles and the Quakers Principles and yet Priest Bond makes a great noise to no purpose in three or four Pages and at last grants the thing as in Page 72 73. Priest Bond brings John 5. Christs saying who
like his Heavenly Father in Heaven And the Aâ—â—â—â—le saith in Rom. 6. Being made free from sin are become Servants to God Ye have your fruits unto Holiness and the end Everlasting Life Priest Bond tells the Apostle that 't is an erroneous Principle to be Perfect and made free from Sin in this Life And when will Priest Bond be made free from his Sins if not in this Life What will he be made free in the Papist's Purgatory Where did ever the Apostles Preach such a Doctrine that the Saints should not be made free from Sin in this Life And the Apostle tells him He that is Dead is free from Sin Rom. 6. And now if we be dead with Christ we believe that we shall Live with him yet as Priest Bond saâ—th Deduction of freedom from sin in the Saints in this Life cannot from hence be drawn Priest Bond saith Now the State which accompanies the Resurrection of the Dead excludes all Sin The Saints shall then be Legally Perfect But S. Bond has not proved his Doctrine by Scriptures and what must we understand by S. Bonds Words That the Saints which are Sanctified and made Holy while they be upon the Earth must have Sin which is of the Devil and be Imperfect in this Life Yet the Apostle says to the Philippians 3. 1 Cor. Let as many as be Perfect c. Read 1 Cor. 2.6 Then S. B. falls upon his foul Language seducing Quakers Heretical Catharishes and saith Solomon makes a Challenge to all the World Pro. 20.9 Who can say I have made my Heart Clean I am pure from my Sin But Solomon tells Bond in the same Chapter The just man that walks in his integrity his Children are blessed after him and it is the Blood of Christ that Cleanseth us from all Sin without him we can do nothing Again John 1.1.8 This Proclamature is beyond Solomon's If we say that we have not sinned we make Christ a Lyar. And Priest Bond saith We that are of the new birth say If we say we have not Sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us But this Priest Bond abuses John's Words and John says 1.3 Whosoever is Born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God In this the Children of God are manifest and the Children of the Devil Now I Querie of Priest Bond Whether there are any born of God whilst they are upon the Earth and if so whether they must believe John's Doctrine And Priest Bond falls a Railing If the Quakers should be so stark mad as to affirm all the Saints to be free from Sin which Priest Bond saith Cannot be meant a freedom from Sin but only of the Trade and Custom of Sinning I charge Priest Bond to bring forth the Chapter and Verse that says For his Trade and Custom of Sinning But the Apostle saith If we say we have no sin we deceive our selves c. And if we Confess our Sin he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all mark all Unrighteousness If we say we have not Sinned we make him a Lyar c. So here is a time for people to see they have Sinned and to confess their Sins and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses from all Sin mark from all Sin Joh. 1. Priest Bond makes a great Pudder about Paul who saith O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of Death Paul tells thee in Rom. the 7th and the 8th He thanks God through Jesus Christ and saith there 's no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death And he hath not seen iniquity in Jacob. Now Priest Bond Confounds himself and grants That believers may walk in the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless that is to say Rebukeless in regard of Men. We speak Wisdom among them which are perfect meaning however imperfect Weaklings Doth not S. Bond abuse the Apostles words here and add to the Scripture Page 85. And again That you may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without Rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation amongst whom they shine as Lights in the World mark that And Priest Bond saith and Confounds himself The Phrase Blameless Simply in its own nature will be so far from proving perfection of Grace that it will not prove any truth of Grace it will not therefore follow that Elizabeth was Perfect without Sin though Priest Bond Confesses she was blameless and hath not charged her with what Sin she committed Dost not thou confess she was Blameless and Righteous c. And did not Elizabeth Believe Did not she say to Mary Blessed is he that Believes So Elizabeth was a Believer as well as her walking blameless in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord. But Saul who was a Blasphemer and Persecutor was no Believer therefore there 's no Comparison with Saul and Elizabeth But Priest Bond saith In the Day of Christs coming in Glory the Saints shall be found of God in Peace without Spot and Blameless But not thus in this Life p. 85. The Apostle saith 1 Cor. 1.8 Who shall also confirm you unto the end that you may be blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ howbeit we speak Wisdom among them that are Perfect for I Brethren could not speak unto you as unto Spiritual but as unto Carnal even as unto Babes in Christ 1 Cor. 3. Where has Priest Bond learned this Lesson that the Saints shall not be freed from Sin in this Life Then how can they be kept blameless unto the Day of Christ and not to be kept free from Sin which is of the Devil But as Bond saith page 86. There is not a just Man upon the Earth Solomon saith in the same Chapter Be not righteous overmuch be not overmuch wicked So in a Man 's own Righteousness and Justice he may Sin But Christ Cleanses from all Sin and doth that which the Law could not do but Priest Bond saith page 87. 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 Combate yet Death only makes the Conquest over Sin We charge Priest Bond to prove this Doctrine by Scripture his cursed Root of Bitterness in all true Believers and that they shall never Conquer it till they Dye and to prove that this was in Abraham Isaac and Jacob Abel and Enoch and in them that the Apostle said We speak Wisdom among them that are Perfect And has not Priest Bond given John the Lye who says whosoever is born of God doth not commit Sin
thy Redeemer and Christ from whence it comes who Redeems Sanctifies Washes and Justifies Priest Bond saith Page 31. That F. E. saith He was Washed and Justified from Sin in some measure Is any man Justified but according to the measure of Faith And thou finds fault with measure or degrees and yet thou usest the same word degrees Page 31. And thou saist That our Justification from Sin was once finished and perfected without us on the Cross with the Offering of the Body of Christ Jesus once for all and Christ gave himself a Ransome for all c. This the Quakers believe But did Christ give himself a Ransome for all And was he an Offering for all Men And how can Priest Bond say Christ hath Justified him from his Sin or Washt him from his Sin when he saith He shall not be free from Sin which is of the Devil in this Life And yet he finds fault with F. E. who said He was Washed and Justified from his Sin in some Measure and calls it a dangerous Doctrine and saith Jesus Christ of Nazareth hath once by his own Crucified Body without us on the Cross finished Transgression and made an end of Sin Mark made an end of Sin And Priest Bond saith again They shall not be made free from Sin in this Life and there is in all true Believers a Cursed Root of bitterness not cast out death only mark only makes the Conquest over Sin and yet Christ hath made an end of Sin Then how can Priest Bond say Christs Death makes an end of Sin as in Page 31. When they cannot be made free from it in this Life it must be Death that must end it So you may see what conrtadiction he makes and what confusion he is in Priest Bond grants that we could not he saved without the operation of his Spirit in us and yet Christ within is a Devil and his Light is an Idol Light he saith And the Quakers own no other Christ within but what the Apostles Preacht both without and within Priest Bond saith It is the Spirit that quickens John 6.63 But Priest Bond hath not proved this Is not Christ who is the Saviour of the Soul a quickning Spirit as it is written the first Adam was made a Living Soul The second Adam was made a quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15.47 But Priest Bond saith Though the Spirit be a dead Souls quickner yet it is not the quickned Souls Saviour Page 26. So then Christ the second Adam who is a quickning Spirit is not the Souls Saviour according to Priest Bonds Doctrine And Priest Bond makes a great deal of pudder in several Pages concerning eating Christs Flesh and drinking his Blood who saith Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood yee have no Life in you Now we that eat the Flesh of Christ and drink his Blood by Faith and have Life and Christ in us this Christ Priest Bond saith is a Devil and his Light is an Idol And Priest Bond falls a Railing against the Quakers in Page 20. and saith Crucifying of the Son of God Crucifying of him again c. And have trod under foot the Blood of the Son of God But Priest Bond is not this thy own condition and not the Quakers who calls Christ and his Light within his people an Idol the Devil And saist The Saints shall not he made free from Sin in this Life and the Apostle said That the Blood of Christ Jesus the Son of God cleanseth from all Sin And Priest Bond makes a great deal of Pudder in three or four Pages concerning the Seed in Page 19. Christ we say is the Seed of the Woman which bruises the Serpents Head and Christ is the Seed of Abraham in which seed all Nations are blest and if ye be Christs then are yee Abrahams Seed and heirs according to the promise and are the Children of God by Faith in Christ Jesus And we tell Priest Bond Christ is the Seeds-man And he may read in the Scriptures what Christ calls the Seed that he sows and the good Seed are the Children of the Kingdom Priest Bond thou saist Christ in you the cause being put for the effect by a Metonyma but he hath not proved the word Metonyma by Scripture that he hath added in Page 18. And Priest Bond makes a great stur Page 17. Of Christ being in his People but why cannot he own the Apostles words as they speak plainly which are better than his meanings as in 2 Cor. 13. Coloss 1.27 and Amos 2.13 Genesis 6.6 And there he is giving his meanings upon those Scriptures which are plain enough without his meanings and dark imaginations who pretends Scripture to be his Rule and the people must take his meanings to be the Rule And Priest Bond saith The Light within doth Justify the vilest Antichrists that are this day in the World The Light within which is by natural Generation in Reprobates is not the true Christ Page 16. saith Priest Bond. Answer These are Priest Bonds horrid Lies and Blasphemies Christ who enlightens every man that comes into the World Condemns the Antichrists and the wicked and the Reprobates that hate it and do not believe in it And this Light doth not come by natural Generation as Priest Bond scoffingly saith but the Light is called the Life in Christ the Word by which all things were made John 1. Page 16. And yet Priest Bond confesses in contradiction to himself and saith It is true by Light To wit Christ which enlightens every man that comes into the World is meant the true Christ and only Saviour Page 8. And Priest Bond goes over and over and scoffingly and Blasphemously saith Christ within is a Devil which he might as well have reflected on the Apostles as on the Quakers for the Quakers own the true Saviour manifest in them as he was in the Apostles and Saints in their days And it is false to say That we make no distinction betwixt Christs Godhead and Christs Manhood as in Page 12. Priest Bond thou saist Page 10. But as for your Idol Light Christ it was never visible but ever invisible So here Priest Bond hath set up an Invisible Idol of his own making in Page 10. And yet in Page 8. S. Bond saith It is true that by Light in that place of Scripture the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant John 1. And in Page 10. An Invisible Idol Priest Bond saith Page 8. A Quaker attributes no more Soul-saving Merit to the Body of Jesus than to the Body of a Turk or a Jew These horrid Lyes Priest Bond hath Forged which Lyes of his was never the Quakers thoughts For God prepared Christ a Body to do his Will and to fulfill his Will c. who was a sacrifice for the Sins of the whole World and dyed and rose again and sits at the Right Hand of God and yet Priest Bond made to confess that the Quakers
say That the Word took Flesh of the Virgin and that he suffered without the Gates of Jerusalen c. And therefore Priest Bond is to prove who ever said That the Body of Christ attributes no more Soul saving Merit than to the Body of a Turk or a Jew And again Priest Bond saith I do acknowledge with him to wit the Quaker that the effects of Christs death and sufferings are to be inwardly Witnessed within us Page 8. And yet Chirst within is a Devil his Light an Idol within How agrees the Blasphemy with the Confession And who is it that works Doth not Christ work inwardly in his People by his Faith Light and Spirit And Priest Bond hath made a great stir in three or four Pages about the False Christ and he may apply all these Pages to himself for they do not at all concern the Quakers And all his Lies and Slanders and filthy calumnies and his ungracious filthy Language in his Book doth manifest him to be no Minister of the Gospel but a Minister of soul Language and Lies neither hath he proved the Quakers principles to be erroneous but hath manifested his own erroneous Principles 75 times over Priest Bond saith The Quakers in Burmoudos Tryed found guilty Sentenced and Executed But Priest Bond here is both False-witness False Accusor and Flase Judge and Party and yet accuses Francis Eastlack and saith He that was the Party made himself the determinating Judge Page 6. But the Quakers are clear of all his Slanders and he is found Guilty of all the false Charges that he would falsly Charge upon the Quakers in Burmoudas and others that he hath mentioned and wronged in his wicked Lying Book and therefore he may take them home for they are fittest for him and his Condemnation with the Light of Christ Priest Bond saith As I was about to read some of G. F 's Doctrine they grew impatient and by no means would have it read thereupon I did forbear But I have here inserted it to wit G. Fox in his Boook entituled the Mystery Page 49. 50. Hath these words Ye scorn me the Light in you they have disobeyed it and called it a natural Light and ye have said that I the Light am not able to save these that believe in me Furthermore Page 54. that if ye would believe and wait on me the Light I will purge out all your iniquity and forgive all your Trespasses and I shall change your natures if you hearken to me and obey the Light within These are the words I would have read but being hindred c. Answer These are Priest Bonds horrid Lies for there is not one of these words in all the Pages of G. F's Book which Priest Bond brings S. Bond thou brings G. F's query which any that reads G. F's Book may see which he queries of the Priest F. Higinson Where doth the Scripture speak of Humane the word Humane where is it written tell us that we may search for it S. B. forger of these Lies Now we do not deny that Christ according to the Flesh was of Abraham but not the word Humane and Christs Nature is not Humane which is Earthly for that is the first Adam And this is G. F's answer to Higinson who said That Christs Nature was Humane c. And S. Bond in Page 50. makes a great pudder about it but instead of proving of it which he hath not by Scripture but hath made the matter worse and saith G. F. puts no difference betwixt Humane and Humane which S. Bond hath proved neither of these words by Scripture which he calls his Rule And when he hath been beating the Air he confesses We have not such a Word And yet S. B. saith Having the thing who contradicts himself but he hath not proved it And again S. Bond saith Christ is also said to be from Heaven Page 50. and yet Humane And again Page 69. S. Bond saith Stephen saw Christs humane Body in Heaven Acts 7. Here thou wrongest the Scripture and Stephen for there is not the word Humame in Acts 7. But Stephen being full of the Holy-Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the Right Hand of God and said behold I saw the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the Right Hand of G d So he saw Christ being full of the Holy-Ghost And yet Priest Bond saith Chirsts Flesh and Bones was Spiritual after he was Risen Page 72. And the Quakers say The Word of God is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart which is the Word of Faith that we and the Apostle preacht And S. Bond saith c. I do not apprehend in Rom. 10.6 c. How these verses do answer the argument of any one of them which proves a Quakers pretended Saviour within to be a false Christ the Devil Page 13. Or how they preve the pretended Saviour within to be the true Christ and yet Priest Bond saith As the righteousness of Faith is the Redeemer against all doubts of Salvation c. But Priest Bond is not this Righteousness of Faith within the Hearts of Gods people And hi Page 15. S. Bond contradicts himself and saith That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shall believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved that is to say the word of Faith Preacht is nigh in our Mouths We have received Christ whom God hath revealed in our hearts and hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying Aba Father Gal. 4. this we witness 2. Cor. 13. Now S. Bond finds fault with G. F. for using the word their for our as in Page 51. and saith It is contrary to the Apostle But in page 15. Priest Bond uses the word is nigh in our Mouths instead of saying The word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth And so doth not he himself abuse the Apostles words as in Rom. 10. And I bring but this for him to see his own folly who is Straining at Gnats and swallowing Camels though G. F's word our to us and their to the Apostles is proper enough and the word of Faith is nigh us in our hearts and mouths as well as in thy as the Apostle said but Priest Bond who cavils at Words may see how he mistakes himself and utters forth his own Folly S. Bond brings Thomas Moors saying in Page 51. That Christ was absent from us while we were in this Mortal Body And G. F. answers contrary to the Apostle who said The Life of Christ is manifest in their Mortal Flesh yes and we say again that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Mortal Flesh and Christ is in us the hope of Glory But Bond makes a great pudder that the Life of Christ Jesus might not is but be made manifest in not their but our mortal Flesh But