the Quakers will not allow Christ to be the promised Seed or that he was more a Man in the Body of Jesus than in the Body of any other Man Ref. These are gross and notorious Falshoods still We ever believed the promised Messiah the Christ of God to be the promised Seed which by the Power of God should bruise the Serpent's Head and that he was true and perfect Man in the Body which he took upon him which was the Body of Jesus who was born of the Virgin Mary as he was and is a quickning Spirit in other Men especially in true Believers Sn. p. 239. He confesseth the Influence and Inspiration of his blessed Spirit is the ONLY true saving Light within us but not the Seed and Christ himself as the Quakers blasphemously dream only a Ray or Communication of his Light and Life to us But p. 242. he speaks of Faith in Christ's outward Blood by which ONLY there is Salvation Ref. If the only true saving Light within us be the Inspiratiou of the blessed Spirit and Communication of the Light and Life of Christ to us as is granted tho' this as within be not Christ in his fulness as in himself yet 't is as truly the Incorruptible Seed the Word Christ our Life and Light as the Life of Christ is Christ or as the Spirit of the Lord is the Lord as where the Spirit of the Lord is there is liberty now the Lord is that Spirit It is Christ gives us both Life Light and Spirit and Christ is our Life Light and Salvation But do not the Words only Salvation by Christ's outward Blood exclude any other means of Salvation And then how is his Spirit the only true saving Light within us Tho' that Blood of Christ be of true value and esteem as part of his Sacrifice and Price it is his Spirit and Power which quickens and actually saves the Soul from Sin and Death Sn. p. 245. He accuseth the Quakers with denying any other God or Christ but themselves Ref. This is one of his most horrid and blasphemous Slanders and solemnly by us denied with as utter detestation and abhorrence as any of the rest of his most gross and absurd Calumnies Sn. p. 251. That they expresly disown any other Christ than what is within them and that the Quakers do not believe that Christ has any other Body or other Humanity than that spiritual or allegorical Body which they say he has within them Ref. 1. To the first part We own not two Christ's the true Christ is but one Christ and we own him as he is both without us and within us tho' he is not wholly contained within us yet he 's truly within us by his Spirit Light and Life and dwelling in our Hearts by Faith What other Christ does this Man own than him who is in true Believers 2. The latter part of his Charge is not true We believe Christ has his spiritual glorious Body without us like unto which we also believe our low Body shall be changed and fashioned Sn. p. 254. That the Quakers by a monstrous sort of Transubstantiation think themselves to be the Christ. Ref. This is a monstrous Falshood and Forgery still to defame and odifie us grounded on divers other false and partial Stories and is before in substance answered Sn. p. 255. That G. Keith for his most Christian Doctrin of a Christ without was condemned by their last Yearly Meeting Re. This is a notoriously false Story again as the two Accounts given of him by two Yearly Meetings may evince having no such cause assigned in them for our conditionally disowning him but his unchristian Spirit and Behaviovr as an Instrument of divisions and disturbance in the Churches of Christ whereby he hath cut himself off unless he repent Sn. p. 262. Their spiriting away the Letter of the promised Seed the Humanity of Christ c. Re. This Charge with all the hard Consequences depending thereupon against us are sincerely and utterly denied by us As by the Letter of the promised Seed he means the Scripture-History of the Man Christ where proves he that we spirit this away Our owning Christ in Spirit and as a quickning Spirit in us was never intended as we know to deny his real Manhood Mediation or Intercession without us no more than the Apostle did See 1 Cor. 15. 45 47. where the second Man the Lord from Heaven is also called a quickening Spirit Sn. p. 263. He charges them with running into this Excess of throwing off the Humanity of Christ abusing the Scriptures by the contemptible Names of Beastly Ware Dust Death c. and calling the Holy Scriptures by the contemptible Names of Dust and Beastly Ware p. 267. Re. These are still old repeated shameful Calumnies against us The first part is sufficiently answer'd before and in many other Books for our sincerely and plainly owning the blessed and most-glorious Man Christ Jesus according to plain Scripture The latter part is some of F. Bugg's calumnious Abuses and Perversions and clearly detected and refuted in several Answers to his scurrilous Pamphlets and his Authority will go but a little way what Credit soever 't is of with this obscure Adversary 'T is far remote from us to own any such contemptible Names as to call the Holy Scriptures Beastly Ware c. Tho' perhaps making a Trade upon Scripture or Preaching for Hire or Mony hath been so called by some or other Sn. p. 268. That it is plain they never gave the Scriptures a good Word but meerly for popularity when forced to it Re. He is a very unrighteous and false Judge in this also both our Consciences in the sight of God and many of our Writings also testifie the contrary that freely and without force for the sake of that divine Inspiration from whence the Holy Scriptures proceeded and those blessed and holy Doctrins and Truths contained in them they are highly owned and esteemed by us Sn. p. 285. Judge whether these be sound principled Men that can turn conform and transform to every change according to the Times whether these be fit Men to teach People Re. These are still deceitful and envious Suggestions Our manifold Sufferings in our Persons and Estates for Conscience-sake by Persecutions many whereof being the Temporizers of the Clergy do manifest the contrary to what 's here suggested against us that we have not turned changed nor conformed according to the Times in point of Worship Principle Faith or Discipline for could we have so done we might have escaped many deep Sufferings and great Losses which we have undergone and then have been owned by such temporizing and persecuting Priests as now reproach us when they cannot otherwise persecute us as formerly Sn. p. 314. The Lord help them and hear our Prayers for them since they will not pray for themselves c. Re. We have no reason to believe that this Person can pray sincerely for us seeing he is so full
and not to thus scandalize them who sincerely believe the sacred History of Christ's Death for Sinners and Reconciliation thereby but do experience the influence and fruit thereof by his holy Spirit according to their growth in Grace who faithfully follow him in his Light The Passage I am to observe as his Reason for what goes before follows viz. For the Historical Faith must be inseparable from the saving Faith aud indeed the saving Faith is the Historical throughly digested and applyed p. 12. Which is to conclude that none have the saving Faith but those who have the Historical consequently that all must be damned who have not the historical Faith of Christ dying for Sinners whereby he has at once condemned all Nations or Peoples both Infants dying in Innocency and all others who have not the History or historical Faith of Christ's sufferings and Death tho' it was really for mankind in general and may and doth for ought he knows influence many who have not the historical Faith or knowledge thereof otherwise the universal good and end thereof intended for all is frustrated to many thousands for want of the History or Preaching of Christ's Death to them unless G. K. can demonstrate and resolve that the twelve Revolutions of humane Souls will make it all up That all that are Deceased or have Dyed without the historical Faith or Knowledge of Christ Crucified shall return and have opportunity to have Christ so Preached unto them which he has no divine Revelation for but rather a long exploded Hypothesis or Supposition as in the first part Heathenish and therefore the more difficult Task to give any certain demonstration of the same 'T is farther observable what uncertainty as well as inconsistency this Advocate for G. K. is in even in this Point He saith viz. How God will deal with the good moral Heathen who never heard of Christ I will not determine nor enter into the Secrets of Providence p. 12. When he has determin'd already that if they have not the historical Faith they have not the saving Faith if they be inseperable as he has asserted For 't is certain without some saving Faith they cannot be saved as without Faith it is impossible to please God But he appears as pinching and partial in his following objection against the Light as he is uncharitable in the Premises viz. But that they i.e. the good moral Heathen have the Christian Faith by believing their Light within Or that there is any object of the Christian Faith without the outward Jesus who suffered at Jerusalem is a Quakers Dream and opposite to the whole Tenure of the Gospel p. 12. Hence observe 1. This is to deny the Gentiles any Christian Faith who believe in the Light given them according to God's promises to them yea though they be good moral Men who so believe as if they could be good or pious without any Christianity in them Which is to oppose the blessed end of Christ being so given for a Light of the Heathen and Salvation to the ends of the Earth 2. It is to deny the Light of Christ or Christ as the Light within to be any object of the Christian Faith contrary to Christ's Doctrin Believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light 3. The last part of the Objection implies that either Christ as without and Christ as within is divided or that there are awo Christs an outward Christ and an inward Christ whereas there is but one Lord Jesus Christ. And his Light within cannot be without or divided from him who is the Fountain of Light and Life 4. 'T is not opposite but according to the Tenour of the Gospel to believe in the Light or Word of Faith i.e. Christ as within nigh in the Heart which hath both Law and Gospel Judgment and Mercy in it to Minister suitable to Mens states and conditions And in this Light or Word we meet with the great Ends Benefits or Fruit of Christ's suffering and Mediation which are manifest and come to be fulfilled in all who truly believe in and obey the same Word whereby the Gospel is preached in every Creature under Heaven yea even in many thousands of Souls who have not the outward History of Christ's suffering and Death tho' both the sacred History and sincere Preaching thereof by the Spirit of Christ be of great use and advantage and in no wise to be rejected where God is pleas'd to afford them But seeing He that believes not in the Son of God is condemned already and the wrath of God abides upon him because he obeyeth not the Son of God John 3. 18. consequently the Son of God is offered unto all and his Grace is given and appears unto all mankind that they may believe in him and thereby lay hold on him for Life and Salvation Christ plainly gives the reason of Mens condemnation when he there saith This is the Comdemnation that Light is come into the World and Men loved Darkness rather then Light beeause their Deeds were Evil John 3. 19. Otherwise to represent God to condem and bring his Wrath upon Men for not believing in that they never had or which was never afforded nor appeared unto them This were Blasphemously to render God Unjust Unmerciful and most cruel to Condemn and bring his Wrath upon Men for an Impossibility for how should they believe in or obey the Son of God if no saving Grace or Power of believing be afforded unto them This were like as to bind their hands and feet and lock all Food from them and then bid them walk and work or else starve But our good God is no such hard Master who willeth not the Death of Sinners but rather their return to him that they may live and for this end hath sent his Son to be the Saviour of the World As for innocent Infants or little Children who dye in Innocency Divine Providence has provided for their safety by Christ Jesus his Meditation and Seed of eternal Life in them and their Angels who see the face of God continually are ready to carry their Souls into the Heavenly Kingdom when they dye in that State My Objecting against W. Burnet about the Blood of Christ that was shed on the Cross was first and chiefly upon his holding That the shedding of the Blood of Christ upon the Cross that was let out by vertue of the Spear being thrust into his side to be meritorious or the meritorious cause of Man's Justification which his Brother Ives could not stand by him in but supposed a meaning for him Secondly That the same Blood that was shed doth both purge and sprinkle their Conscieuces sanctifie and justifie them and yet that 't is not in Being but cumpared to a price lost as more at large in my Answer Light and Life p. 7 8. p. 64. together with their contradictions about it referring to W. Burnet's Book and their Discourses But now to excuse his
to that which is of God and from him and mentions not the Quakers in the place Sn. p. 52. Great Mystery p. 248. again quoted viz. All THAT have the Son and the Holy Ghost have THAT which is equal in Power and Glory with the Father and this all the Quakers say they have Re. That the Son and Holy Ghost are equal in Power with the Father and that the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the Dead dwells in the Saints we see not this to be such a monstrous Heresie Are not the Son and Holy Ghost of the same Substance with the Father And have not the Assembly at Westminster confessed as much as G. F. says Yet the Quakers do not say they have the Holy Ghost in fulness but in measure Sn. p. 53 54 55. Sect. 7. Of the Quakers making their Soul of the same Person and Substance with God quoting Great Myst. p. 247. p. 90 91. 273. Of Christ's dwelling in the Saints Of that which came out from the Creator Of the Soul that came out of him c. Re. 1. The Case herein is both mis-understood and mis-represented against the Quakers They do not so make their Souls of the same Person and Substance with God I know no such Expressions used by the Quakers 2. There 's a mis-understanding also of G. F. in the Case about his questioning Is not that a part of God which came out from God and of his Being as God breathed into Man the Breath of Life and he i. e. Man became a living Soul to which Words G. F. expresly refers We always understood him to intend That this Breath of Life which made Man a living Soul was that divine Breath or Spirit of Life which came out from God and of his own Being for otherwise how should Man thereby become a living Soul Which clearly distinguisheth the Creature Man to be that living Soul that was so made by that Spirit Breath and Life which proceeded from his Creator and which some term the Soul of the Soul So that the Soul of Man abstractly considered was as truly created as Man himself tho' that divine Inspiration or Breath of Life whereby the Soul had its Being Life and Immortality be Increated and of God himself for we ever distinguished between the Soul of Man and that which saves it Note That his 2d 4th 8th 9th Sections are not particularly pointed at being in Substance comprehensively and sufficiently answered in divers Answers to the rest and in our Just Enquiry the same things being often repeated in his Book as about Carnal Weapons Damning all the World the Soul and Immediate Revelation Sn. p. 69. Sect. 10. As they place Infallibility in every single Quaker so they confine it not to Matters of Faith but extend it to all Persons and Things to know all Men's Hearts and all Things in the World by their inward Light without being told by any Re. Here 's a great Mistake in these Accusations 1. Such a personal Infallibility as to know all Persons States and Things in the World we pretend not to for that were for Man to pretend Omnisciency which is only proper to Almighty God The Man 's egregiously out in confounding Infallibility with Omnisciency The Infallibility or Certainty own'd by us originally is in the Spirit and Light of Truth given by Christ Jesus and not consisting in Persons their humane or natural Parts yet we must confess to the Glory of God that the Spirit of Truth doth infallibly teach and lead them into all Truth who truly obey it and gives them certain knowledge in Matters of Faith and Salvation Sn. p. 81. They turn and wind this Infallibility of theirs at such a rate that no Man can I am sure I cannot know what they mean by it Re. Where 's then the Blasphemy Here 's manifest Contradiction to what he hath said before about extending the Quaker's Infallibility to all Persons and Things and to know all Mens Hearts and all things in the World c. which is to pretend to Omnisciency which is only proper to God who only is Omniscient Silence had better become this occult Adversary's Ignorance than to reproach or vilifie us about what he knows not Sn p. 83 84. The Strength which God has given to our Bodies is as sufficient to climb up to the Skies as the Wisdom or Light which he has given to our Souls was sufficient of it self to have found out the redemption of lost Man by the Incarnation and Satisfaction of Christ to God's Justice for our Sins or if found out to have paid that Price and to have accomplished that whole wonderful Oeconomy of our Salvation by our own Abilities and then he goes on thus confusedly so very insufficient is the Light within us even tho' followed to the utmost by its own Strength to carry us to Heaven Re. This is to deny any divine Wisdom Light Word or Power to be given to our Souls as if they could live and immortally subsist without the divine Logos or Word in them which in Scripture is called The Ingrafted Word which is able to save the Soul and consequently to carry us to Heaven 't is therefore great Darkness to oppose the sufficiency of this Light this Word or Christ within or to oppose his Incarnation Sufferings Satisfaction or our Redemption obtained by him as our Mediator to this his own inward Light Power and Appearance for as truly as Christ Jesus as our blessed Mediator has obtained eternal Redemption and Salvation for us so truly doth Christ Jesus by his Light Life and Power make us Partakers of that Redemption and Salvation and to know the Oeconomy Law or Rule of his House and Family as we obey him therein that we being reconciled by his Death might be saved by his Life The divine Logos the Light or Spirit of Christ is as able now to discover what Christ hath done and suffered for our Redemption as it was to shew the Prophets his Sufferings and the Glory that should follow Sn. p. 84. And therefore the Quakers preaching up the sufficiency of the Light within as all of them but the Separatists do is not only highly derogatory to the satisfaction paid by Christ for our Sins but it is blasphemous in ascribing to Our Selves a Power sufficient to work out our own Salvation Re. There are two gross Mistakes in these Passages 1. The sufficiency we ascribe to Christ his Light and Life within is not any derogation to his Satisfaction Attonement or Ransom given and paid by him without us for Sins and Sinners no more than Christ's own exhorting Men To believe in the Light that they might become Children of the Light or the Apostle's to a receiving the ingrafted Word which was able to save the Souls could be derogatory to his blessed intention and end in his Suffering and Sacrifice for Mankind but the contrary Christ by his Light and Life within leads to know and experience the
not in the Paths of it Job 24. 13. And though there 's no Sin against the Light or Backsliding from it without some Conviction at one time or other yet 't is possible for some to presume to sin rebel and shut their Eyes so long until they become stark blind and hardned in sinning and past feeling in Rebellion and given over to hardness of Heart and to strong Delusion to believe a Lie and so to Damnation and Destruction yet however clouded all this while the Light in them remains in it self pure certain and an infallible swift Witness against the Rebellious who love Darkness and the Works thereof rather than the Light which is come into the World Mens thinking themselves to be in the right when mistaken p. 174 175. having their Understandings darkned will not destroy all or any of the Quakers certainty which they have in the true Light as they believe and walk therein P. 176 177. It was hard for Saul to Kick against the Pricks and that is against the Power of Christ which would be too hard for him if he strove against it as is confest No doubt that Power reached his Conscience when awakened and convicted consequently those Pricks which that gave him were then in him and that Power or Holy Ghost which Stephen's Persecutors and Saul also resisted when he kept their Garments while they stoned him and consented to his Death was near them to convict and condemn them for their Persecution and Cruelty but their Fury Wrath and Violence would not permit them to adhere or submit to the strivings thereof for they always resisted the same Holy Spirit as did their Fathers Acts 7. 51. Which Resistance of theirs implies the Spirit 's secretly striving with them and giving Counsel against their Wickedness and Cruelty for how can there be always a resisting that which either is not or moves not or counsels not O therefore the same Holy Spirit and Light of it was in them in some measure moving and striving with them to persuade stop and reclaim them from those destructive Courses and Enormities they had chosen And here we may observe how he excuses the Ministry where People are not converted by it he deems it a very bad Argument to blame the Ministry for Mens being Evil may proceed from their own Perversness and not from the Fault of the Ministry Pref. p. 57. May we not retalliate such Argument for the Light within That 't is a very bad Argument that the Light within is either insufficient or fallible because Men are Evil or blind or mistaken Which may proceed from their own Disobedience or Perverseness and not from any defect or fault in the Light given them And when Saul thought with himself that he ought to do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus of Nazareth and was zealous in persecuting and imprisoning the Christians and exceeding mad against them Acts 26. 9 10. 11. This was in his blind deceived State when a Follower of the persecuting Priests and the more blinded by such blind Guides as hate the true Light and oppose it For as Paul saith I persecuted this way unto the Death binding and delivering into Prison both Men and Women Acts 22. 4. For many of the Saints I shut up in Prison having received Authority of the High Priests and when they were put to Death I gave my Sentence Acts 26. 10. So that the Priests were very ill Instruments to influence and misguide him in Persecution and Cruelty contrary to the Light such his Blindness Madness and injurious Persecution against the Saints to Imprisonment and Death being expresly contrary to the Law of God without them and within them in Scripture and Conscience Will any be so blind as to suppose God did not afford them so much Light as to shew them such gross Iniquities and Injuries to others who were innocent How impertinent and senseless then is the Man's Question viz. Had Paul then any Pricks of Conscience or of his Light within against the lawfulness of that wherein he was fully persuaded and zealous p. 177. No doubt he had so much Light in him as would both have prickt him for and shewn the Unlawfulness of his Persecution and Cruelty against the Saints if he would have inclined his Mind to it for Counsel and not to the Priests who encouraged him in Persecution against the Christians which they persuaded him to and not the Light They helped to make him so mad against the Saints as he was but Christ the Light whose Power prickt him made him wise when converted and tho' 't is possible that in his Hurry and Fury to Persecution he might not at that very instant feel the Pricks of the Light in 's Conscience yet it swiftly pursued him and seiz'd him when Christ had wonderfully put a stop to him and his Letters and Errand from the High Priests to persecute the Saints Tho' the Candle of the Wicked may be many times put out 't is lighted again For how oft is the Candle of the Wicked put out How oft is Destruction upon him If it be often put out 't is often lighted And therefore all these things seriously consider'd we do not see it any hard Matter to make sense of the Quakers Notion as he calls it of the Light within nor that this Instance of St. Paul can stand as any irrefragable or other Proof against it or our Testimony for that true Light which inlightens every Man coming into the World John 1. 4 9. Because many are blinded by the persecuting and covetous Priests and many shut their Eyes against the Light and many love Darkness rather than Light because their Deeds are evil and the Candle of the Wicked is often put out But they shall all find it hard to Kick against the Pricks even in their own Consciences as 't is confessed even in the English Annotation in the Margin on Acts 9. 5. It is hard for thee to Kick against the Pricks i. e. to resist God when he pricketh and soliciteth our Consciences therefore such prickings are within All which truly consider'd 't is no difficulty to make Sense of the Quaker's Notion as he calls it of the Light within p. 178. seeing 't is according to the express Sense of Holy Scripture-Testimony thereof and the Sense which the Light gives all them that truly regard it Christ being the Light of the World that inlightens every Man coming into it that whosoever believe in his Light and follow him the Light might not abide in Darkness but have the Light of Life and become Children of the Light Neither doth our Adversary's Instance of St. Paul or others stand as any irrefragable Proof against the Light within or the Quakers Notion of it as he vainly supposeth p. 178. Unless it be a good Argument that because some Men are blind and others shut their Eyes there 's no Sun in the Firmament giving Light into their Houses We find no better Proof or
his own Words against his Adversary viz. Who can have the Confidence to call the Scripture his Rule and yet contradict it so egregiously as when the Apostle tells us It is not the same Body that is sown that shall be to assert that it is the same Body and that who says the contrary denies the Resurrection and eternal Recompence which is a very confident Perversion and Opposition to the Apostle's Doctrin In short we do acknowledge a Resurrection in order to eternal Recompence and that every Seed shall have its own Body and rest contented with what Body it shall please God to give us who giveth a Body as it pleaseth him 1 Cor. 15. But as we are not such Fools as curiously to enquire what so must we for ever deny the gross Conceits of T. H. and his Adherents c. And in conclusion of the same Head Reason against Railing p. 124. he saith For our parts a Resurrection we believe and of Bodies too unto Eternal Life What they shall not be I have briefly said and proved what they shall be we leave with God who will give every one a Body as it pleaseth him and Thou Fool belongs to the unnecessary Medler Thus 't is evident W. P. did not deny the Resurrection it self nor count it Nonsense c. but the gross Conceits of some Persons about it Consequently this Accuser has charged the Quakers as falsly in this Point as in the rest And we know not Those others among us he tells of that suppose the Soul it self is the spiritual Body mentioned 1 Cor. 15. 44. and consequently that there is no other Resurrection than at each particular Persons death p. 184. We know none in our Society hold or suppose these things but the contrary that the Soul of every Person shall be invested with its own proper spiritual Body in the general Resurrection and last Day And besides the true Believers being quicken'd and raised out of the Fall in Adam unto Life Righteousness and Victory in and by Jesus Christ who is the Resurrection and the Life Three things are also observable in that 1 Cor. 15. The Apostle argues 1. for the Resurrection of the Dead from the Resurrection of Christ against some that said There is no Resurrection of the Dead 2. He argues against some and reprehends them as Fools that questioned How the Dead are raised and with what Bodies do they come forth From the Wheat and other Grain that 's sown and the difference between the Celestial and Terrestrial Bodies and the Natural Body and the Spiritual 3. For those Saints that shall remain alive at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ to raise the Dead that they shall be changed in a moment at the sounding of the last Trumpet of God It 's evident that the Apostle Paul fully answers both those that said there is No Resurrection of the Dead and also those Fools that question With what Body do they come forth And asserts the sudden change of those who shall remain alive until the coming of the Lord from Heaven So that the Resurrection of the Dead and final change of the Living so as the Corruptible must put on Incorruption and the Mortal shall put on Immortality As this Doctrin was really believed by the Primitive Christians so it is by us who believe that God raised up Jesus from the Dead and therefore the Dead both the Just and Unjust shall be raised by Jesus Christ according to Scripture whatever Prejudice may suggest to the contrary But our Adversary will needs have it That Mr. Penn does understand that long and elegant Description of the Resurrection of our Bodies from the 35th Verse of the 15th Chap. of the first Epist. to the Corinthians Only of the spiritual state of the Soul in this Life and for it quotes The Invalidity of John Faldoe's Vindication 1673. p. 373 p. 369. He wrongs W. P. in this i. e. That he understands that long and elegant Description of the Resurrection 1 Cor. 15. 35. to the end Only of the spiritual state of the Soul in this Life I say this is a Perversion and Abuse of W. P.'s Discourse in the Case for on verse 44. he utterly denies that this Text is concerned in the Resurrection of Man's carnal Body shewing according to Beza both from the Latin and Original Greek that a natural Body is sown a spiritual Body is raised that there 's not a Word in either for the Relative It Inval. p. 369. And in p. 373. W. P. supposing the Apostle treated of a natural Change and not only of the spiritual state of the Soul in this Life This Supposition is not to understand the Apostle Paul to treat only of the spiritual state of the Soul in this Life in that 1 Cor. 15. from v. 35. For in the place quoted it is by the Accused confessed That tho' we sow not the Body which shall be God giveth a Body as it pleaseth him from 1 Cor. 15. 37 38. 'T is observable That W. P. in his Answer to T. Hicks and John Faldoe quoted is not so unnatural as not to allow the sanctified Soul a suitable Clothing or Mansion when the earthly Tabernacle is dissolved which is eternal in the Heavens according to 2 Cor. 5. 1. wherein it is undoubtedly happy being in perfect Peace and Rest with God in Christ Jesus but he also allows it a spiritual celestial glorious Body in the Resurrection far excelling the Terrestrial And we doubt not but we shall be the same and as many distinct Souls Men or Persons in the Resurrection as we are now though far better Clothed with our spiritual glorious Bodies we hope The Premises consider'd 't is evident our Accuser has as actually wronged us in this Point even in Matter of Fact by Perversion as in his saying The Quakers have spiritualiz'd away all the Body and the Being of Christ into their Light within p. 195. which is all a notorious Untruth and answered before To his Stories 1. Of a Quaker Preacher to whom he urging for a proof of the Resurrection Mat. 27. 52 53. That many Bodies of Saints arose and came out of the Graves after Christ's Resurrection and went into the Holy City and appeared unto many That he made this Answer That was not meant of the literal or earthly Jerusalem that any dead Bodies arose there but of the spiritual Jerusalem which John saw coming down from Heaven 2. And that others told him They heard the same Exposition in a Quaker Sermon at one of their Meetings p. 196. Answ. We know not any Preacher among us that gave such Meaning or Interpretation to the said Text neither do we own it And we have reason to question the truth of these Stories 3. He says He can tell of a Preacher among the Quakers that said He had already obtain'd the Resurrection by Christ having risen in his Heart and that he believed no other Resurrection nor expected any p. 198.
Believers are baptized unto Christ and into Christ's Death and into One Body there being One Faith and One Baptism which is that of the Spirit 's which is the Soul 's saving Baptism typified by that of Water See 1 Cor. 12. 13. Rom. 6. 3 4. Gal. 3. 27. Ephes. 4. 5. 1 Pet. 3. 21. In the next place we may observe this censorious uncharitable Man will not allow Christ's Commission Mat. 28 19. To intend spiritual Baptism or the Baptism of the Holy Ghost because he saith Christ only is he who could baptize with the Holy Ghost To say that Man could bestow God which the Holy Ghost is is the highest Blasphemy p. 203 204. And further to aggravate the Matter against us he saith If the Quakers Interpretation of Mat. 28. 19. do hold it will follow that the Apostles and their Successors have power to baptize with the Holy Ghost which is Blasphemy Reply He is highly mistaken in his superlative Charge of Blasphemy in this Case for if our Interpretation of the Text does hold That Christ's Apostles and Ministers had Power given them by him being present with them even in his own Work to baptize with the Spirit as well as to convert Men to God then our Interpretation isd not Blasphemy because it holds This severe Judge against us is quite out here For tho' Christ be the great and efficient Cause both of giving and baptizing with the Spirit yet his true Ministers who were indued with his divine Power were instrumental in his Work of baptizing with the Spirit yea and of ministring the Spirit and he was with them in his own Work Lo I am with you always to the end of the World saith he What for To enable them to baptize with Water No that many can do without him or the least sense of his Presence but lo Christ was with them to impower them to Go teach all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost It is not Go teach and then baptize them with Water but Go teach all Nations baptizing them c. There was a divine and spiritual Baptism immediately attending and present with their Ministry and it was to such as were docible too and not to Infants who are not capable of Teaching and this spiritual Presence of Christ and his Baptism accompanying their Ministry is evident according to St. Peter's own Relation Acts 11. 15 16. And AS I began to speak the Holy Ghost fell on them that heard even as upon us at the beginning Then I remembred the Word of the Lord how he said John baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost What 's more plain than that here was Teaching and Baptizing with the Holy Ghost accompanying his Ministry Query But were Christ's Apostles instrumental in ministring the Spirit Yes they being Ministers of the Spirit and not of the Letter See Gal. 3. 2. Received ye the Spirit by the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith preached And ver 5. He therefore that ministreth to you the Spirit and worketh Miracles among you doth he it through the Works of the Law or by the hearing of Faith preached Their Speech and Preaching being not in the enticing Words of Man's Wisdom but in plain Evidence of the Spirit and of Power that the Faith of the Hearers might not stand in the Wisdom of Men but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2. 4 5. For said he our Gospel was not unto you in Word only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost and in much Assurance 1 Thes. 1. 5. But contrarywise this imposing Judge has promoted Water-Baptism above the spiritual powerful Ministry of the Gospel He 'll have the spiritual Baptism to go along with that of Water duly administred and received as he saith p. 205. But by no means will he allow the spiritual Baptism to go along with the Gospel Ministry or Teaching as commanded Mat. 28. 19. No by no means that he deems Blasphemy which bewrays his no small Ignorance both of the Scriptures and of the Power of God and true Gospel-Ministry in this case and therefore he 'll not allow Inward Baptism to supersede the Outward Though John Baptist who had a peculiar Commission for the Outward allowed it he preferred and exalted Christ's Baptism above his own saying He must increase but I must decrease John 3. 30 I indeed baptize you with Water unto Repentance or amendment of Life but he that cometh after me is mightier than I whose Shoes I am not worthy to bear he will baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Mat. 3. 11. Mark 1. 8 Luke 3. 16. John 1. 26 27. That John as to this his outward Ministry of Baptism should decrease implies not an immediate or present end thereof upon the entrance of Christ's Dispensation or Baptism but that John's should gradually decrease and wear out as Christ's Ministry and Baptism do encrease and grow as the Heat of Fire or Sun dries up the Water and causes it to decrease by Degrees and not suddenly all at once For John and his Ministry being of great esteem with many both Jews and Greeks no doubt his Baptism was condescended unto and allowed when the Apostles were gathering divers of the Churches of Christ to a higher Ministry And that this of John's Baptism was an Act of Condescention and not of Commission to the Apostles Paul is very plain in this case 1 Cor. 1. 14 15 16. after he saith I thank God that I baptized none of you but Crispus and Gaius lest any should say that I had baptized in my own Name I baptized also the Houshold of Stephanus c. He gives a more general Reason for his thanking God he baptized no more ver 17. For Christ sent me NOT to baptize but to preach the Gospel c. And doubtless Paul's Commission from Christ was as large and extensive as any of the Apostles had therefore their Commission in Mat. 28. 19 was not to baptize with Water but with the Spirit wherein their Gospel Ministry came His supposing that If the inward Baptism must supersede the Outward then must Inward Teaching p. 203. This supposes the outward Baptism of equal Authority with Teaching or Preaching the Gospel and as necessary to continue which we do not believe yet we deny not but the inward and immediate Teaching of the Holy Spirit is more excellent and permanent than the Outward as the Holy Spirit is the Original and Spring from whence the true outward Ministry arises and flows and unto which it leads and the more People come to know an Introversion and joining of their Minds to the Inward the less need they 'll have of the Outward though we bless God for both But how proves this Adversary That the visible Representation of the Lord's death by the Bread broken and the Wine poured forth and also Water-Baptism are the Body or outward part of Religion which he saith the
appointment this part of the Supper being laid aside as Jewish fulfilled and ended by Christ. And therefore to us that last Supper of Christ appears to be a Consummation and fulfilling of the Jewish solemn Feasts under the Law as John's Baptism was of the divers legal Washings or Baptisms imposed until the time of Reformation when Christ blotted out and nailed the Hand-writing of Ordinances to his Cross. After which they were not legally obligatory though condescended unto for a Season by reason of the Weakness of divers and Respect many had unto them in the Churches Infancy And tho' too many now are very formal and superstitious in those outward Observations and Shadows laying so much stress for Salvation upon them that they neglect the Substance yet others being more conscientiously tender in the observation thereof we are the more tender to these so as not to censure or condemn them meerly for practising that which they believe is their Duty either in breaking of Bread or Water Baptism yet desire they may see further and come under that higher and evangelical Dispensation of the spiritual Communion and Bread of Life and Cup of Blessing from Heaven which can only nourish the Soul unto eternal Life and of the spiritual Baptism of Christ which only is the Soul 's sanctifying and saving Baptism so that this One Baptism and this One Bread which is the Substance they may livingly partake of unto eternal Life We do hitherto want Proof that Paul either received of the Lord the Bread and the Cup or the real Supper of the Lord in the Figure or Type but the Mystery thereof or that to observe the Figure was an Institution of Christ to continue in the spiritual Church And tho' he fulfilled the Command of the Passover at his Supper we have no reason to think that was his own Institution to continue in the Christian Church no more than the Passover Legal Offerings Circumcision c. We confess That the neglect and abuse of the Holy Mystery p. 207. which is the Substance Christ the living Bread did and doth incur Damnation and grievous Diseases as among the Corinthians He that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh Damnation to himself not discerning he Lord's Body 1 Cor. 11. 29. If you rest or stick in the Shadow and neglect the Substance or Mystery so as you discern not the Lord's Body you discern not that whereby your Souls should live and be nourished unto eternal Life 'T is Matter of Condemnation you are but eating and drinking Damnation to your selves The main end and drift of the Apostles labouring with and writing to them at Corinth was to bring them to Life and Substance to the spiritual Rock the spiritual Meat and Drink which is Christ 1 Cor. 10. 14 15 16 17. 2 Cor. 13. 5. that they might be blameless in his Day which 't is evident the outward Figure or Shadow did not bring them to but they were blameable and blamed for the Carnality Divisions and Disorders which were among them 1 Cor. 3. 1 3. Now as to the outward Supper so little being said for it by our Opposer we are not willing to enlarge or enter into any strict Controversie about that Subject but for further Explanation refer him to what our deceased Friend Robert Barclay has writ upon it in his Apology from p. 493 to p. 514. And if we were convinced that it is our Duty to receive Bread and Wine as an outward Memorial of Christ's Death we should never own this our Accuser who has shamefully reproached us or any such Enemies to be our Administrators nor hold Communion with them For Baptism he alledges Mat. 28. 20. Go teach all Nations baptizing them And here the Man breaks leaving out In the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Ghost and then brings in And lo I am with you alway even unto the end of the World Taking it for granted that this Commission must intend Water Baptism and the continuance thereof as well as Teaching or Preaching even unto the End of the World Hence saying They i. e. Christ's ministerial Officers indeed were impowered as John to baptize with Water p. 205. But is this Adversary really for John's Baptism or for baptizing as John did He 's not express nor plain in this Point Tho' he would seem an eminent Advocate for the Church of England we may greatly question his Sincerity herein If under this Pretext he means Infants Baptism or Sprinkling them he should not take up the Anabaptist's Arguments for that which they oppose as a scriptureless Thing and at the same time deem them Schismaticks Enthusiasts and number them among the various Sects set up by Rome under universal Tolleration as before p. 17 18. 2d Part. He 's very disingenuous in this as well as in many other Things He should have plainly told us what Baptism he aims at and who the Subjcts of it whether Infants or Believers before he had either upbraided or threatned us for the neglect of it However pray observe the great Stress he lays upon this outward Baptism with Water viz. That it was an Ordinance instituted as a means of Grace whereby the inward Baptism with the Holy Ghost was conveyed therefore the Form appointed of admission into the Society of the Church and thereby giving a Title to all the Privileges and Promises annexed to it p. 206. whereby Persons are daily baptized into Christ's death p. 209. And tells us of Outward Signs and Seals Pledges and Means of Grace which he judges the Enemy has deluded Men into a neglect of Now observe 1. He makes Water-Baptism whether of Infants or Believers he resolves not not only an Institution but a Means of Grace whereby the inward Baptism of the Holy Ghost is conveyed 2. Such a Form appointed of admission into the Church as giveth a Title to all the Privileges and Promises c. 3. That 't is the Baptism into Christ's Death 4. A Seal Pledge and Means of Grace In all which he does but upon his own Authority impose upon the Reader without Scripture-proof And his Impositions herein are liable to many Exceptions 1. They suppose all Persons under Grace and the Baptism of the Holy Ghost who are come under Water-Baptism without Exception of Infants or others when the contrary is evident in many wicked Persons and even in Simon Magus the Sorcerer who was baptized and yet wicked and wanting the Gift and Baptism of the Holy Ghost would have bought it for Mony Acts 8. 2. It also supposes all to be void of Grace and of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and of the Promises who are not baptized with Water consequently that many thousands are Damned because they are not so baptized Which is highly uncharitable 3. We deny that by Water-Baptism Men are baptized either into Christ's Death Body or Church or that 't is a Seal or Pledge of Grace For 't is by one Spirit that true
Devil has stolen from us so that the Soul soon disappeared and left a noisome Carcass of Religion p. 209 210. What a strange confused Whimsie is this How has the Devil stolen from them the Body of Religion and left a noisome Carcass behind 'T is more likely that he has stolen away the Soul of Religion from them or rather their Minds from it and left them only a Carcass behind◠who are so much doting about and even idolizing the Shadow which is far short of the Body of true Religion and neglecting the Life Soul and Substance thereof so that their outward Observations are dead empty and fruitless as those Observers are who are void of Christian Humility Love or Charity Those repeated known Falshoods 1. That Christ's outward dying and shedding of his Blood many of the Quakers have turn'd to mean nothing but his spiritual Suffering within us c. 2. To spiritualize AWAY the literal Humanity and Sufferings of Christ p. 208 209. These Falshoods being fully answer'd and denied by us already we need but persist in our Negation thereof To conclude this Head of Baptism with an Argument or two from the Terms of the Commission Mat. 28. Go teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Arg. 1. If the Commission intended baptizing them with Water then the Apostles must have followed and used the Terms of the Commission in the Execution thereof to manifest their Authority for it But they did not follow nor use the Terms of the Commission in baptizing with Water therefore that Baptism was not intended in the Commission The first part of the Argument is undeniable from the Sanction and Authority of the Commission it self which is expresly Go teach all Nations baptizing them in or into the Name of the Father and of the Son and Holy Ghost The second part of the Argument is prov'd by the following Arg. 2 Christ's Apostles and Ministers did Teach and Preach in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost but they did not Baptize with Water in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Therefore baptizing with Water was not intended in that Commission The second Proposition is proved by their baptizing only in the Name of the Lord or in the Name of the Lord Jesus when they baptized with Water as John did We do not find in all the Acts or other Scripture that the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost were used by any of the Apostles of Christ in baptizing with Water Let him peruse W. DELL's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Doctrin of Baptisms and T. Lawson's 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or A Treatise concerning Baptisms Whereunto is added A Discourse concerning the Supper Bread and Wine called the Communion To his 15th Sect. Concerning the Satisfaction of Christ. Herein he saith the Quakers are direct Socinians for they positively deny the Satisfaction Here he stumbles at the Threshold again this is a positive Untruth in Fact They are neither Socinians nor do they deny the Satisfaction of Christ it self for God was ever well pleased and so satisfied in his dear innocent Son but never with Sinners continuing in their Sins That therefore which we deny is the Vnscriptural Sin-pleasing and Sinner-soothing Notions of our former Adversaries about it as that of Christ suffering under Vindictive Justice from the Father and making such a rigid and strict Satisfaction and Payment in our Stead thereby to acquit and justifie the guilty Offender though persisting in Sin all his Days This Notion of Satisfaction as severely and rigidly stated as vindictive upon the dear Son of God and thus indulging to Sinners both the Quakers and even a Bishop of the Church of England have opposed 'T is also such a Notion of a rigid Satisfaction and strict Payment held as a Notion of Law in the strictest and severest Sense that W. P. opposeth God's Compassion unto in pardoning Iniquity passing by Transgression and Sin and forgiving our Trespasses which we ever own to be for Christ's sake but upon true Faith and Repentance from these Scriptures Mica 7. 18. Mat. 6. 12 14. ch 18 Therefore this Adversary mistakes and misrepresents W. P. in this Point as blaspheming and arguing against the Satisfaction of Christ p. 212 213. when he argues against that kind of Satisfaction held as a rigid Notion of Law that admits not of Forgiveness of Sins past which we consess Christ's Sufferings and Sacrifice has made way for upon true Repentance on the Offenders part which Christ's great Sufferings under the Burthen of the World's Iniquities do call for and require universally of them And as to the Praise of the great Love and Grace of God to Mankind we must confess that it was by the same Grace Christ tasted Death for every Man and was really an Offering and a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God Ephes. 5. 2. and our only Mediator and in that Sense sincerely own what was really his Satisfaction to the Father to stay the Execution of his Wrath and obtain our Pardon giving us Repentance by his Light and Grace in our Hearts yet such a kind of rigid Satisfaction and strict Payment to vindictive or revenging Justice as if God poured out his just Indignation or Wrath merited by Sinners upon his innocent Son as some of our Adversaries have affirmed no less This we confess we cannot reconcile either to God's divine Justice or Mercy or to Christ's Mediation and Intercession for Transgressors And little short of this is our present Adversary's Notion That Justice cannot remit the least Farthing else it were not Justice speaking of divine Justice even of God as being not only just but Justice it self in the Abstract the highest and most adequate Notion of Justice p. 214. All which duly considered borders upon the most rigid and extream Notion of Satisfaction as if divine Justice i. e. God himself in his Sense could not remit the least Farthing but Christ must strictly pay every Farthing of the Debt of Offenders whereas there is a divine Justice or Righteousness that 's truly Evangelical which is declared in the Forgiveness of Sins that are past through the forbearance of God Rom. 3. 25. and ver 26. to shew at this time his Righteousness that he might be Just and the Justifier of him that believeth in Jesus It was for this end that God set forth his Son Jesus Christ to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Rightoousness for the remission of Sins past c. Wherefore the Quakers do not make one of God's Attributes fight with or conquer the other nor one to subdue and beat down the other or his Justice to quit the Field to his Mercy as is ignorantly and unjustly suggested to make us guilty of great Nonsense and Blasphemy p. 214 215 216. For all God's Attributes in himself are in Concord Union and Harmony and in his Creatures concur and agree in