A Bermudas Preacher Proved A PERSECUTOR Being a JUST TRYAL OF Sampson Bond 's Book ENTITULED A Publick Tryal of the QUAKERS c. Fraught with Fallacies False Doctrine Slanders Railings Aspersions Perversions and other Abuses herein Detected Disproved and Wiped off And that the True Christ is Owned by the People called QUAKERS plainly Made Manifest By those that have been more particularly concerned and Eye and Ear-Witnesses in the Dispute at Bermudas and those that have had the perusal of his Book which manifests it self The Wicked has digged a Pit for others and is fallen into it himself Psal 7.15 A Lying Tongue is but for a Moment Prov. 12.19 LONDON Printed by John Bringhurst at the Sign of the Book in Grace-Church-street 1683. To the Inhabitants of these Islands BERMUDUS A Testimony for the Truth and People of God called Quakers against the Reproaches Scandals and Slanders of Sampson Bond Who calls himself a Minister or Preacher of the Everlasting Gospel in the said Islands Friends and People all COnsider seriously your condition for it is exceeding Dangerous at present for the Everlasting state of your Souls is herein nearly concerned for he only that believeth shall be saved but he that believeth not shall be damned according to the Scripture Therefore Friends and People all be advised by him who is your Friend and take the Counsel of the Apostle in the 2 Cor. 13.5 Examin your selves whether you be in the Faith c. For through Faith alone you come to have an Interest in the Salvation purchased by Christ Jesus the Eternal Son of the Father who was in the Beginning with the Father as it is in Prov. 8. from 22 to 31. read them Verses and consider and weigh them well for this is he in whom your Faith must stand and not in another this is he whose delight is with the Children of Men and through whom the Wonderful love of God came to be made manifest unto the Sons and Daughters of Men in the Restoration after Man had run into Rebellion against God and lost that glorious Likeness or Image that he had at the first when God Breathed into him the Breath of Life through which he became a living Soul and so long as he kept in faithfulness to the Lord he kept his Dominion over the Creatures and his Habitation as in the Garden of God the Garden of his delight where the Trees of God did flourish and the Tree of Life in the midst thereof The Lamb was not slain then But when Man turned aside from following the Lord and hearkened to the voice of the Serpent then Death was known then was the Lamb slain when this World of Wickedness the Foundation thereof was laid by the Enemy then was Man cast out of the Paradise of God into the Earth which was cursed for his sake where the Thornes and Thistles is brought forth and the way to the Tree of Life stopped up for the Cherubim and the flaming-Sword was there which turneth every way that Man in the old Adams state cannot come neer to Eat or Tast of the Tree of Life Oh People Behold here is your state every one in Old Adam all separate from God from the Covenant of Life without God in the World even in the World of Wickedness in Death in the Curse this is your state and condition whilest you remain here untill you come to know a coming forth till you come to witness the Seed of the Woman to Bruise the Head of the Serpent to overthrow his Power who is the Prince of Darkness and is the chief Ruler in Man in the state of Disobedience So Friends it is high time for you to return to the Lord and consider even in this your Day the things that belong to your Peace before they be hidden from your Eyes for such a time will assuredly come to pass as ever it did upon the Old World they had a day when the Lord strove with them but they would not hearken but turned aside into the Evil Imaginations then their day passed over and the Spirit of the Lord ceast striving and the Flood came and destroyed them all except eight Persons so mind your time lest it pass over your Head ere you are aware and the Flood of Gods Wrath come and sweep you all away as it did them So all People come unto Christ Jesus the Gift of God and believe in him that through him you may come to witness Salvation For as the Servant of the Lord did testifie in Ages by past so do we witness the same there is no other Name given under Heaven whereby we may be saved but by Jesus Christ alone which is not the bare Outward Visible Appearance or Body only but as he was testified of by Gods faithful Witnesses even in that Age who although they did bear witness to the Outward Man or Body yet they did not exclude the Godhead when they said Act 2. Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God by Miracles and Wonders c. The same Jesus which ye Crucified hath he made both Lord and Christ Friends consider well this matter for this Scripture was brought by your own Minister against us and the Truth which we profess thereby to prove if he had been able that the Body without the Godhead or Jesus of Nazareth 〈◊〉 Humane Nâ—ture as he called it without the Spirit was the only Maâ—â—◠〈…〉 To which I answer It was the chief work of that day or time to bear witness to him who had been set at nought by the Chief Priests and Rulers and by the generality of the People whom they also put to Death even to the shameful Death of the Cross as it was written by the Prophet long before He was numbred with Transgressors c. For notwithstanding all the Miracles which he had wrought among them they would not believe that this was he that should come no more then People now adays can believe in his Spiritual Appearance but they were looking out in the Carnality of their Minds for another to appear according to their Imaginations as People are in this Age and Generation and will not receive the true Christ within them therefore the Witnesses of God in that day were the more engaged to bear so strict a testimony to his Bodily Appearance that this was he that was to come and they were not to look for another And so gives them plainly to understand that the Lord had exalted him into his Kingdom for he had made him both Lord and Christ whose Kingdom was not Carnal but Spiritual as he himself said my Kingdom is not of this World But did this Testimony deny the Godhead for consider by what Power were these Miracles done was it as he was meerly Man or by a higher Power See John 14.10 The Father that dwelleth in me he doth the works saith Jesus himself he there bearing witness to the Eternal power that dwelt in him And verily People if Mans
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
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
by that Christ within whereupon I said then truly thou must be Damn'd for if Christ be not within the Apostles saith they are Reprobates These were the very words I spoke not at all denying the appearance of Christ in Body So His and their Lies and false Reports I leave at their own door knowing that a day of Account will come when the Lord will bring the Hidden things of Darkness to Light and will pass Judgment in Truth and Righteousness As for the rest of the matter in that Page contained about questioning with me about Heaven I do not remember any thing of it as he has laid it down only this I remember that upon some question demanded I answered that I did believe Christ was in Heaven to which George Basâ—ome or Laurance Dill answered that I would deny it again to Morrow So that answer arose from that confession rather then the foregoing as mentioned by S. B. Now in answer to the thing he said I charge on him viz. that he had not mentioned Christ as God in the work of Mans Salvation Sampson's Bond in his answer seems to affirm that the Apostles although they knew that Christ was God as well as Man yet they Preached up the Man only to be believed in for the Remission of sins both to the Jews and Gentiles and saith farther that the Apostles do Joyntly Testifie of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the only Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Reply I answer to the former part although the Apostles in their first going out to preach Christ to the Jewish People did mention the Manhood yet this did not at all Argue that he must not believe in as God for the Remission of Sin for as I have said before to the same purpose there was sufficient cause for them so strongly to contend with that people who had the Scripture and by the Scripture did understand that there was a mighty Prince to arise of the stock of David that should fit upon his Throne and Reign over the House of Israel The Apostles might therefore Judge in themselves that it would be in vain for them to Preach to the Jewes of the Invisible Glory of Christ till this Scruple were removed viz. whether Jesus of Nazareth were the promised Messiah yea or nay So I say this was their work thus to Testifie of him and then it rightly falls in after they were brought to believe that this was really he that should come and that they were not to look for another and that this King was cut off by such an Ignominous Death I say it did then rightly fall in to Testifie and declare and to give them an understanding what manner of King he should be over what People he was to Rule as also what manner of Kingdom it should be viz. a Spiritual King a Spiritual Kingdom and a Spiritual People even Spiritual Israel But when the Apostle wrote of Christ to the believing Romans he declared him as God Blessed for ever as well as Man Rom. 9.5 Also he declares him the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15. He calls him the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven and whom Paul was first sent forth to Preach Act 26. He was sent to turn Men from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Sathan to God by all which it appears plainly that it was never the work of the Apostles nor of any of Christs true Ministers to Preach Christ to be believed in for the Remission of Sins as Man only without the God-head Therefore what God hath Joyned together let no Man put a sunder 2. Whereas S. B. saith that the Apostles bore a Testimony joyntly to the Man that he was the only Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World No Quaker denys that And John speaking of Christ saith He was prefered before him for saith he He was before me Now if he had spoke of Christ barely as Man then John would have been found a false witness of Christ for as Man John was six Months before him as to his Age as may appear in Luk. 2. So he that but a little before charged me with belying the Holy Evangelist John himself is fallen under the condemnation and I am clear of his charge Having thus Traced S. B. through his four Arguments frained to prove his first Charge and given to each of them a particular answer grounded upon plain Scripture Truth and right Reason agreeing thereto and his many false and Slanderous accusations brought fourth against me and the Light by me believed in with his Mallicious reproachful Lies and Blasphemies against the appearance of God in the Creature and given answer thereto I intend now God willing to pass forward to note his following Irregularities he having to do with other Friends as well as my self viz. The Lyes Slanders Mockings Blasphemies and False Interpretations of the Scripture and to give Answer to the same as I see occasion not intending a large discourse upon each particular But as it were to note here and there as I see a necessity to lay open his Deceit thereby to clear the Truth and Friends falsly charged And now to begin with his first work following in pag. 24. he saith William Bullock whose name by him is mistaken his name is Stephen Bullock was the next Disputant who mentioned the first of the Rom. 19. which he saith doth not at all answer the present matter by way of proof to prove the Saviour within to be the True Christ Now here mark how this Interpreter in his Interpretation of this Scripture doth make use of one word viz. Shewed it to them in the Text which seemed most fit for his turn not only to confound but quite to race out the other Manifest in them as if it had never been Inserted that thereby it might not prove that for which I judge this Scripture was brought to prove the inward Manifestation of Christ as God who is Truth it self even as Christ saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life Now in the foregoing verse the Apostle saith The wrath of God is Revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness Mark here is a Generation that holds the Truth in Unrighteousness and thus he clears it up because said he that which may be known of God is manifest in them viz. in these unrighteous Men but is it not hid in them nay it is manifest in them for he hath shewed it unto them Now this word unto this Priest hath mad use of to overthrow the true sence of the word in so that by this his interpretation having raised out the internal manifestation or inward Teaching of Gods Spirit in the Heart he hath only set up an External Teacher without i. e. the Visible Creation without by which only neither he nor the wisest Man in the World by all their Craft
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
Christ 2 Cor. 4. and it is false to say that we affirm that the Word was never made Flesh and here thou maist see thy contradictions who confessest the Word Eternal in Page 8. and contradicts it and scoffest at it in Page 15. who saist Search for your Gospel Word of Faith surely not in the Scriptures without but at your Oracle that Idol Light within which you falsly call the Everlasting Gospel and Eternal Word Yet thou contradicts thy self and saith p. 8. Christ the Eternal Word enlightens every man that comes into the World And now thou callest the Light within O thou Idol Light-within Here thou maist see how thou dost Blaspheme against the true Light and the Life in Christ the Word which enlightens every man that comes into the world Which will be thy Condemnation who hatest it and blaspheamest against it More of S. B.'s bad Words Page 16. The Light within doth justify the vilest Antichrists No it condemns thee and them Page 16. S. B. saith Metonymia c. F. E. understands no more than the Hour-Glass that is before me But S. B. hath not proved that the Gospel-Ministers Preacht in a Pulpit like Ezra neither hath he proved that Ezra had a Cushion which he makes such a work about nor his Word Metonymy by Scripture which he says is his Rule S. B. saith A Cushion is familiar the Gloe-worm Light within the Idol Light within Page 18. 19. Antichristian Divinity to wit the Light in Man c. These are Priest Bonds soul words S. B. saith You blind Leaders of the blind blush and tremble at your accursed Gospel within c. page 20. Answer We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. S. B. The Eternal Word which as ye affirm was never made Flesh page 15. and page 18. thou gives thy self the Lye when thou saist F. E. the Quaker said That the Word took Flesh of the Virgin and in that Flesh dyed for all men Thou sayst that this motion pleased F. E. so well to make a deliberate repetition of it and this thou scoffingly calledst F. E's New Divinity the Idol Light within But where did ever the Apostles call the Light of Christ which shines in the heart an Idol Light within as thou blasphemously saist But here it is clear thou hast manifested a Lying Spirit who saist page 15. that we affirm the Eternal Word was never made Flesh And then again in page 18. thou art made to confess thus viz. I shall here take up an expression which I had almost forgotten which this Disputant F. E. doubled in his Discourse namely That the Word took Flesh of the Virgin and in that Flesh died for all men That God sent Christ to save all men from sin and death as he F. Eastlack said whose Sufferings Sacrifice Mediation Intercession and Offices we do own and witness as inwardly wrought and performed in us and for us And this thou dost confess page 18. That the Quakers did confess Christ was in their hearts and scoffingly saist still the Idol Light within and callest this a New Doctrine Now here it is clear according to the Scripture we did confess the Word became Flesh and Christ was put to death in the Flesh and so died for our Sins and is risen for our Justification and is revealed in our hearts by his Spirit by which we know him to be our Mediator and Intercessor and without him we can do nothing who exercises his Prophetical and his Priestly and Kingly Office in his Church S B. And again thou saist We affirm the Eternal Word was never made Flesh and then in Page 21 thou confessest that F. E. the Quaker said that the Word took Flesh and in that Flesh Dyed for all Men Here again thou givest thy self a Lye in thy own Book In Page 20. S. B. saith You most certainly would do your uttermost to Crucifie Him again to wit Christ These are some of thy malicious Lyes for Christ is our Life and Saviour Heb. 6.7 S. B. may apply to himself and Heb. 10.29 And then S. B. is at it again That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him was not the true Christ but the false Page 22. O most Horrible Quakerisme digged out of the Bottomless Pit thy Light Christ Conscience seducing and Lying Quaker the false Christ within Page 22. See the venom of this Man for F. E. the Quaker confesseth that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was received up into Heaven Page 23. And because the Quakers say this true Christ is revealed in them by his Spirit and rules in their Hearts by Faith this S. B. with his evil Spirit calls him the Devil and the False Christ And the Quakers make a distinction betwixt the Conscience and Christ for the Conscience may be seared and the Quakers do not say that every Man that comes into the World hath received Christ because he enlightens every Man that comes into the World for them that believe in his Light are saved and them that do not are Condemned S. B's Wicked words Page 24 and 25. As Blind as Bayard the false Christ the Idol light within a Syllogysme a great Monster to him to wit to the Quaker That is not the Quakers Monster but S. B's Thou saist the Eternal Power and God-head was manifest in the unconverted Gentiles yet in another place thou saist Christ the Saviour within is the false Christ What confused Babylon Stuff is this and yet S. B. saith That this was the Gospel Word that was Preached which profited not neither Jews nor Gentiles that did not by the mouth of Faith eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of our only Saviour So then if they eat his Flesh and drink his Blood by the mouth of Faith it is within them But did they eat this outward Flesh or humane Flesh as thou callest it and yet S. B. saith in Page 26. The Quakers Saviour within is not the true Christ but of the Devil And Page 15. thou saist Where do you teaching Quakers seek for your Gospel Word of Faith Surely not in the Scriptures and in Page 26. This was the Gospel Word that was Preacht c. Saith S. B. in contradiction to himself who saith Surely not in the Scriptures without but at your Oracle that Idol light within that the Quakers have searcht for then hath not S. B. watcht for the same at his Idol light within though we do abhor his blasphemous words against the Light of Christ S. B. saith that I do affirm Jesus Christ as man is our only material Saviour and that the Manhood of the Son of God is the only material Cause of our Salvation and by necessary consequence the Manhood or humane Nature of Christ was and is our only material Saviour Page 28. But where doth S. B. prove the word Material and Humane Nature in Scripture which he calls his Rule Is Christ's Humane Nature