vere sayes he in the Person of the Apostle ego gaudeo de vestro profectu in Christo ita verum est me quotidie paratum mori As I truly rejoyce at your profitting in Christ so true it is that I am daily ready to dye for it is wanting but may be understood To this of Grotius a considerable but nameless English Annotator does agree And let me further add that the Various Lections have it by way of Correction propter not per for and not by And now it may be time for me to tell our Adversary in general and mine in particular that though I don't blush to read his Impertinencies perhaps I am not ingenious enough for such he sayes will he ought at least to be ashamed of writing them and I am truly in pain for him that he should both afflict himself for the poor man has an irksome way of telling his Tale and is fain to churm long before any thing comes and also disturb others with any thing so meanly inviting and little profitting the People To Conclude If any would in short know the plain and honest Reason of our refusing to Swear to omit the many Arguments that might be urged what Glosses might be given or Authorities produced 't is this That as Christ Jesus is the Author of so perfect a Religion that the least Affirmative or Negative be it but Yea or Nay is compleatly and unquestionably true so it is below his Evangelical Righteousness and such as are gathered not only to the belief but possession of it to so much as admit of an Oath as being fitter to be enjoyned equivocating Pharisees then Honest-Hearted Disciples with whom it is the same thing to Lye as to Forswear for an Oath having been made from the Distrust of Honesty in Him that was to take it where the Cause is removed Lyes Equivocations mental Reserves c. the Effects or that extraordinary scrupulous way of Evidence should cease And if any object the Law of the Land or the Ignorance of Magistrates of our Truth and Innocency I Answer The Law is either answered by Truth being spoken or satisfied by an infliction of the same Penalty upon the Lyar that is incurred by a perjured Person we need no Fines Racks nor heavy Imprecations to scare us into Truth-speaking who Believe in Fear and Worship the God of all Truth and that in Spirit and Truth The next abuse of us so far as concerns our Belief belongs to respecting of Persons he calls it our great Doctrine in a way of Reproach and often cavilling not without his wonted Folly at G. F's Wo unto them that are called of Men Master in which he only sayes what is certainly imply'd in Christ's Prohibition which he should have first confuted he undertakes the Refutation of it thus True indeed sayes Christ Be not ye called Rabbi for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are Brethren c. Now I will take the Liberty to argue a little because the Text seems to be so plain on your side first you do restrain it from extinding all Men from being called Master whilst you allow your Servants to call you our Masters because you are their Masters which Exception is not in the Text why may not another call you Masters because you have Servants and are Masters I Answer First then he has broke his word with us which in plainer English is he has told us a Lye in assuring us at the beginning He would deal with us neither from Scripture nor Reason and yet undertakes both Certainly he is ill able to maintain Right Swearing that is wanting in True Speaking or writing at least We may well suppose his Evidence so much boasted of has left him now that he betakes himself to Scripture and Reason for defence but considering how little they will prove friendly to his Cause he is no otherwise to be complained of for Breach of Word then that the Will may be accepted for the Deed. But next The Text also must be blamed Why may an honest-hearted man say Because upon our Adversaries Principles it seems to be against mens being called Rabbi and yet is not Strange â—rreverence to Holy Writ What make it say one thing in most express termes as much as Thou shalt not Steal and yet mean the quite contrary Who makes it their Rule now We or our Adversary But let 's examine his Meaning and he is so absurd that I am confident I have heard a better Argument out of Bedlam however let us once more repeat it If you call men Masters that are really your Masters why may you not call your very Servants Masters if they have Servants which is as much as to say If you call men Masters that are really your Masters why should not you call other men Masters though they are not really your Masters O I but they are other men's Masters are they Then let other men call them so For there is no more Reason that we should call other Men Masters that are not our Masters because they are really some bodies Masters then that 〈◊〉 should call other men Fathers and Servants and other Women Wâ—â—es that are not our Fathers Servants nor Wives because they are really Fathers Servants and Wives to other Persons We can call Him Master Father Servant or Her Wife who really is so to us but in doing it otherwise we believe we should Err. A Master and Father of old I confess to have signified a Religious as well as Civil Honour I mean Sect-Masters among the Jews but since both are as well repugnant to common Truth as the Christian Religion we renounce the Title and are the rather so to do because of that great Thirst which this Age as well as that in which our Lord so severely reproved it has after that very Vanity Deceit and Wickedness and this simple honest Practice and Zeal for it we are not ashamed to have weighed in the Ballance of God's Sanctuary against all the flattering cringing Customs of Personal Respect whether by Word or Gesture now practiced in the VVorld VVell But he is of the mind that the Scripture is not a little for him since the Apostle both in his Epistle to the Ephesians and in that to the Collossians exhorts Fathers not to provoke their Children and Masters to give what was equal to their Servants in which the poor man is as much besides himself at least the matter as in all the rest for he might as well argue against what he takes for granted viz. That we refuse not to call such Masters as really are our Masters as to suppose we deny that an Apostle or Minister of Christ might not exhort the Fathers of Children to be tender to them and Masters of Servants to be just to them Certainly none can be so stupid as to imagine that the Apostle called them Fathers and Masters in a way of Title or upon singular Respect We may as
so much charge G. F. with corrupting Scripture as with Idleness and Ignorance in making use of it Now let us see wherein why G. F. will have the Scriptures to be the Words but not the Word of God by way of excellency as in Luke 1. Acts 1. Rev. 22. also Moses himself call'd them Words to which our Adversary replies That in the instance out of the Acts that word which is Englished Treatise is the same with that in the first of John which is called the Word But this is weak for the same word may â—e used to several ends I mean that the same word which signifies the Word of God as an Excellent Being may be simply used at an other time for Discourse Reason Speaking or the like and great care is to be taken in rendring of Words that they bear the sence they are employed for in that place So in the Acts It was an Historical Discourse or Narrative of the Actions of the Apostles and therefore would have been ill appropriated to another signification Thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken simply for the Sun in the Firmament or the Son of Righteousness and the Light of the invisible World But that which is unanswerable is this that the Word of God cannot be subject to those corruptions by Translations Fire Water Age and abundance of Casualties which the Scriptures are therefore the Scriptures being subject to these things they cannot be eminently the Word of God but Christ the Light only yet the Words of God or Treatise and Declaration of his Will that is so much of it as was given forth by the Holy Ghost I am sorry the man is so over-run with an envious Scurvy who once promised better things as to employ his precious time about things of so little moment or advantage to the World XXX I shall now conclude these Observations with his Conclusion and I am very glad we are so near the end of what has scarce by either Head or Tail But let 's see what leave he takes and how he winds up his Criminal Animadversions upon George Fox which he doth thus G. F. God justified Job and said Job did not sin with his Mouth but sayes he the Scripture has it thus Job did not sin with his Lips which he sayes is far from not sinning with his Mouth but which way I know not For Lips are often by Synecdoche put for Mouth so that if the Lips did not sin the Mouth did not sin But after this Art of Evasion a man may say Himself or Faith to be almost any thing and for his Defence urge It was not he reserving but his Lips that said so I would have the man to know That we dispise his Shuffles and esteem him though not a less malicious yet a far less formidable Adversary then some we have met with Neither have I been thus Liberal for his Libel's sake but having an Oportunity after much Business on another Subject to insist upon these serious Doctrines herein handled I found my self deeply engaged to do what I did effectually But I have a few things yet to offer which done we shall conclude this Controversie at least for this time First I would desire all that read our Discourse to observe That what makes up the far greatest part of the Libel is the Author's Snarles at G. F's imperfect or defective Quotation of Scriptures mostly confessing that the Alteration lies more in the Words then sence of the places by him cited If therefore I shall make it appear that both Christ and his Apostles have not observed such Exactness as he so severely reproves G. F. for the want of It is to be hoped that he will either retract his unworthy Abuse of that Innocent and Good Man or else not think it hard in us to charge this Blasphemous Inference upon him namely That he makes Christ Jesus and his Apostles Perverters of Scripture and what else he Wickedly concludes against G. Fox Scripture Quotations of Scripture not Verbatim by Christ Jesus and his Apostle FOr I say unto you that this that is written must yet be accomplished in me and he was reckoned amongst the Transgressors For the things concerning me have an End Luke 22. 37. Therefore will I divide him a Portion with the Great and He shall divide the Spoile with the Strong because he hath poured forth his Soul unto Death and he was numbred with the Transgressors and he bare the Sins of many and made Intercession for the Transgressors Isa 53. 12. Observation 1. Where take notice we have reckoned for numbred and amongst instead of with besides abundance omitted and added as the last Clause in Luke And is not this as imperfect as Before the World began for Before the World was For this is He of whom it is written Behold I send my Messenger before thy Face which shall prepare thy Way before thee Mat. 11. 10. Behold I will send my Messenger he shall prepare the way before thee and the Lord whom ye seek shall suddenly come to his Temple c. Mal. 3. 1. Observ 2. Let it be remaâ—kt that will is left out before send that before thy Faâ—◠〈…〉 and that we have which shall for and he shall with much not mention'd Certainly this had been very hainous in G. F. when it was an Instance of his Imposture to cite Mouth for Lips Thus much in brief of Christ's Quotation of the Prophets now for his Apostles whether out of the Evangelists or other Epistles That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Prophet saying I will open my Mouth in Parables I will utter things which have been kept secret from the Foundation of the World Mat. 13. 35. As it is written in the Book of the words of Esaias the Prophet saying The Voice of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare ye the Way of the Lord make his Pathes straight Luke 3. 4. There is no such Scripture in these words that I can find only David speaking of himself saith thus I will open my Mouth in a Parable I will utter dark Sayings of old Psal 78. 2. The Voice of one crying in the Wilderness Prepare ye the Way of the Lord make straight in the Desart a High-way for our God Isa 40. 3. Observ 3. I hope this may a little shew the Man himself and that G. F. is not such a bitter Enemy to Scriptures and Perverter of the Text as he would represent him since we have make his Pathes straight for make straight in the Desart a High-way for our God Certainly this must be a grosser Failure I mean in our Adversary's Opinion then G. F's saying enlightneth for lighteth or Christ within you for Christ in you For thus it is written by the Prophet And thou Bethlehem in the Land of Judah art not the least among the Princes of Judah for out of thee shall come a Governour that shall Rule or Feed my People Israel Matt. 2. 5 6.
Inspiration of the Almighty And if by such Divine Inspirings it be that the Will of God comes to be understood then certainly must God's unerring Spirit be the Judge of what is God's Will from what is not and the Rule how and in what we ought to believe unto Salvation and that Guide which infallibly leads in the Way that is most acceptable with the Lord. Nothing can be more Natural then these Consequences Fourthly Psal 139. 7. Whither shall I go from thy Spirit or whither shall I flee from thy Presence If God's Unerring Spirit be so nigh and the sense of it so certain it must either be to reprove for Evil done or to inform uphold lead and preserve in reference to all Good Now in which of the two sences it shall be taken the Presence of God's Eternal Spirit and his being the Saints Instructor Judge Rule and Guide are evidently deduceable from the words Fifthly Psal 143. 10. Teach me to do thy Will for thou art my God thy Spirit is good lead me into the Land of Vprightness The Question will be Whether it was David's intent and the scope of his desire that God should teach and lead him by his good Spirit or some other thing but methinks it is resolvable in the affirmative in two respects 1. In that David is so very frequent in his desire to the Lord for the Assistance Strength Teaching and Guidance of God's unerring Spirit otherwise declaring how that the Word was hid in his Heart and largly speaking of the Force of that Internal Law Word and Spirit of God which plentifully shews how much he was an Enthusiast and Quaker in the sense this man esteems us most hetrodox 2. The very words imply the thing we urge them for and can import no other sence viz. That God would please to teach him to do his Will and lead him into the Land of Vprightness by his good Spirit else what did that Claws do there the Unerring Spirit being that by which God vouchsafes to discover his Divine Knowledge and convey his most Spiritual Succor and Consolation to his People and consequently his Saints have ever known but do more especially under the Gospel injoy an infallible Judge Rule and Guide in and about Faith and Worship Sixthly Isa 30. 1. Wo to the Rebellious Children saith the Lord that take Counsel but not of me and that cover with a Covering but not of my Spirit that they may add sin to sin From whence I plainly argue thus If they are Rebellious against God and add sin to sin who take not Counsel of him and are not covered with his Holy Unerring Spirit that leads into all Truth Innocence Patience Faith Hope Charity and every good Word and Work Then 1. God's Children have an Immediate Councellor and need not another and are covered or encompast about by the infallible Spirit of God to all Soundness of Mind and Holiness of Life And 2. They must be Heinous Offenders and obstinately Rebellious and Adders of sin to sin with a witness that not only neglect or refuse to be so counsel'd and cover'd but dispute fervently against it as a meer Whimsie and Effect of an Ignorant Erronious spirit for besides that such deprive themselves and others of the unspeakable benefit that comes thereby they are most ingrateful to God and do certainly incur his fierce Wrath in their so wicked requital of him for his Heavenly Gift Seventhly Isa 59. 21. As for me this is my Covenant with them saith the Lord My Spirit that is upon thee and my Words which I have put in thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed saith the Lord from henceforth and forever I think it is granted by all that own the Christian Religion that this remarkable place refers to Christ the true Seed and Heir of promise who bruiseth the Head of the Serpent in whom alone all Nations of them that believe come to obtain the Blessing But whether it will be allowed or another Interpretation allotted as that the Promise was to the Church to be sure here is enough to maintain our Position viz. That God in the dayes of the Gospel more particularly has given his good Spirit for an Instructer Judge Rule and Guide in all that concerns the Eternal Well-being of the Souls of Believers as I proceed to prove If that very same Eternal Holy and unerring Spirit which God poured out upon his only begotten Son be in a way of succession ordained to continue with and upon all the Faithful his Seed and Seed's Seed begotten unto a lively Hope by the raising of Christ Jesus from the dead and so become Members of his own Glorious Body then are not the Children of God destitute of his Vnerring Spirit not left to their own frail and fallible Judgments to determine of what is Right or Wrong what Men should believe and what not how they should walk and how not But so gratious is the Promise and so certain is the performance as we livingly witness against all the dry cavelling Letter-mâ—ngers in the World who Quarrel about the holy-mens words and are Strangers to the Convictions Judgments Tryals Tribulations Temptations and Travels they underwent in order to that knowledge they had and which frets their serpentine natures whose vulterous Eye would in its unregenerate state of Worldly Wisdom that knows not God fain without the Death of the Cross creep into the knowledge of the mystery of the Resurrection which state alone knows the things that are above at the Right-hand of God Therefore I conclude That God's Unerring Spirit under the Gospel does attend assist direct and finally establish his Children in the Way of Truth and that his so doing is but the Answer or Accomplishment of the most eminent Prophesies referring to the Transcendent Glory of the last Ages of the Church Eighthly Ezek. 36. 27. And I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and ye shall keep my Judgments and do them Behold a most pregnant Instance in the express Language of the Holy Ghost brought to the proof of our Assertion that with reverence we would say it scarcely could it have been more exactly and emphatically worded as I proceed to shew 1. That this Passage has a relation to the Times of Reformation or Coming of the Messiah and Dayes of the Gospel Covenant read the whole Chapter I know not that it was ever doubted or otherwise taken by any no not the very Rabbies themselves who from such places have observed the coming of a Messiah and Glorious times that would ensue 2. That if it be granted then the Vnerring Spirit of God was to be placed within the Hearts and Consciences of his People and consequently they could not be properly and truly under the new Covenant and be without it since the having of that Eternal Spirit for the Ends and
well suppose that because he doth reciprocally exhort Children and Servants that therefore he stiled them so in a way of singular Respect Either let our Adversary deny that particular Homage and Respect are intended by the vulgar Titles of Master Lord c. or else prove That the Apostle had the same Intention with these of our Times in their Titles of Respect to one another when He wrote to Fathers Children Masters and Servants But let it suffice that he was laying down a general Rule for both as in reference to such relations without having any particular Persons or Titles in his Eye and unless he had known and mentioned all the Names of those that then were and hereafter should be Fathers and Children Masters and Servants he could not otherwise have expressed his Mind But why should I farther contend with so much Weakness yet he seems to have a little Greek for his Ignorance let 's hear what it sayes 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 are all rendered Master But that which is used by Christ in this Text Mat. 23. 10. is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Katheegeetees which signifies as the Learned tells us a Leader of the Way or Guide but as for the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Kyrios which the Apostle Paul useth to the Ephesians and Collossians and is translated sometimes Master and sometimes Sir most often Lord we find that the Apostles both singularly and plurally suffered themseles to be called by it as the Greeks called Philip Sir we would see Jesus John 12. 21. and the Jaylor came Trembling and fell down before Paul and Silas and said Sirs or Masters what must I do to be saved I Answer This makes nothing for the Business though it makes Business for none questions the use of several words upon several Occasions in Scriptures as the Apostle to the Ephesians and Collossians doth Father Master c. which I have already explained and proved nothing to the matter in hand 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signifie a Lord or Master thus because it properly imports Authority or One having Power a Governour or the like But this makes for us such as are our Governours we do distinguish by Titles that plainly express their Authority though not with all those gaudy Flatteries that men in Deceitfulness invent and use to gratifie the Proud Part in any Man But what is this to calling Men Master since we deny not the use of Master Father Son Servant c. where they are significantly and not improperly and Sycophantly used And for the Greeks that desired to see Jesus and the Jaylor that tremblingly cryed out Sirs what shall I do to be saved they are no Instances of Advantage to him unless we should be so very ridiculous as to think that because any Man customarily calls me Master therefore I must call him or other Men Master and that I thought it well done in him to call me so or because any man commits an Evil and our Adversary does not immediately reprove him therefore it is no Evil in it self and he commits the like So what if Philip Paul and Silâ—â— were called Sirs not either to Tempt Jeer or Flatter them but in a customary manner in which many scarce think what they say must it follow that the Practice was not after the Proud Fashions of the Gentile Nations or that they were guilty of the same Practice because they did not just then reprove it when the poor Greeks lookt for a Saviour and God's heavy Judgments had taken hold on the Jaylor causing him to possess the Sins of his Youth which made him a Quaker indeed for he came fearing and trembling unto them No no the matter was then of greater moment the Salvation of Souls had they talked to them of the Title Master or Masters that would have been no Answer to their weighty Question nor any allay to that earnest Enquiry and deep Agony the Queriers were under Shew us the Saviour O! what must I do to be saved So that how Reprovable soever that had been in it self or at another time yet it did not seem then to the Holy Ghost to be the time the Matter in hand was how to bring them to the Light and Knowledge of that Jesus which was given for a Saviour and when they had found him and he had Discipled them to call no man Master nor to look for it because One was their Master would all naturally follow as relative to that Evangelical Religion Well but sayes he Mary Magdalene called Jesus Sir supposing he had been the Gardener and you will not say that Jesus suffered her to sin in his presence without reproving her which I abhor to think Yet this won't serve his turn for first that Sir was not of that force and Emphasis which Master was the Title mostly insisted on the next Verse tells us where Jesus said unto her Mary and she turned her self and said unto him Rabboni which is to say Master as if she had first recalled her self and then styl'd him by a more Reverent Title then that she gave him as the supposed Gardener Next we know that till the pouring out of the Holy Spirit which was to bring all things to their Remembrance that Jesus had at times said unto them and to lead them into all Truth the Disciples among whom she was not the least were in the practice of more Customs then that which after they grew up in a more mature Knowledge of Christ and his invisible Kingdom they declined and finally rejected Nor doth it follow that she therefore did well because she was not reproved of Jesus where the Stress seems to lie or did that which in the true State of Christianity was so much as allowable for Christ â—ever particularly chekâ— Peter for denying him that we read of and I suppose all grant Peter did amiss yet by our Adversary's inconsequent way of arguing he either would make Peter not to have done ill in denying his Lord or Jesus so in not reproving him for doing it which let me tell him we also abhor to think But now he doubtless pleas'd himself with the Conceit of having irrecoverably caught us in that passage of Stephen's where he saith That He a man full of Faith and Power said to the Council of the Jews Men Brothren and Fathers Theâ— were not his Fathers but they were Fathers In which his good will is seen but how to effect what he would have is as difficult as before for the Jews being a People peculiarly separated from all other Nations in comparison of others might not unfitly be called a great Family as being lineally descended of twelve Brethren so that it was frequent among them instead of Ancestors to say our Fathers did so and so And this Way of Speach Christ himself used when he said Your Fathers eat Manna in the Wilderness wherefore what Stephen said might be both allowable and true They were Men that is not disputed
new Men after his own Image in which sense the Image of Christ is by him renewed and created in right Believers and they made new Creatures by bearing his Image His next Perversion of Scripture is that in John which he saith G. F. often useth and alwayes abuseth as he remembers I doubt his Memory much but let 's hear it And now O Father Glorifie thou me with thine own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was Thus the Scripture but G. F. thus Christ who was Glorified with the Father before the World began On which read his Comment You will say perhaps his words and Christ's are the same in sense but doth God give G. F. his Infallible Spirit to correct his Son Christ's words Sottish Ignorance and Enmity with a witness What Is every Variation of a Word or Syllable a Wrong done to the Meaning of Scripture And did ever Christ his Apostles or any sober Man living chide or reprove a Person if through Defect of Memory or for Brevity or in a way of Paraphrase he did leave out or put in or change a Word not in the least perverting the Sense so uncharitable a Person I know not ever to have heard of fitter to be severely reproved then answer'd and to whom Silence had been the best Confutation had it not been more for the sake of others then his To dare to conclude a Man a Lyar Imposter False-Prophet and I know not what more because he expresses the same matter with a small Variation in the Words But I shall say more of this else-where He proceeds Nay doth not G. F. take his Phrase in a Divers Sense from what Christ intended by his for sayes He it is manifest that Jesus prayed now to be glorified with the Glory wherewith He was not then glorified but God was glorious before the World was therefore Jesus intends by the Glory He had with the Father before the World was the Glory He had given him in Decree before the world was The Clinch is Foolish and his Consequence False and pernicious For what if Christ was not then glorified must it therefore follow that He was not in being much less glorified before the World was Can He be so great a Stranger to the Apostles Doctrine delivered in his Epistle to the Philippians where we find him first Equal with God as being in his very Form or Essence next making Himself of no Reputation then appearing in the Fashion or Likeness of Men and lastly that He humbled Himself and became Obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross which shews that he was in an exalted and glorified Estate before He humbled Himself else how was He humbled And it is peece of Sacriledge and Ingratitude I almost tremble to think on that because He was pleased to descend in the Likeness of men in order to the Salvation of Mankind in which Our Adversary may also have his share if He unfeignedly repent he should unworthily robb Him of all Pre-existence in the Form of God whilst He Himself thought it no Robbery to be Equal with God So that though in his humbled Estate and Fashion of a Man He could not properly be said to be glorified and therefore prayed to be so yet it is no right Consequence that therefore He never was before For that would be to say because an Earthly Prince may for a certain time debase himself and take upon him the Condition of an Inferior Person for some great Benefit that He thereby designes to do his Country if after having effected it He desires to be received again into that Glory and Splendor he enjoyed before that therefore he never had any before only in Decree If this would be both False and absurd the other is much more This is the great Mystery of the Socinians indeed the Rock on which they split they do not distinguish betwixt the Form of God and Likeness of Men that which came into the World to do the Will of God and the Body He took in which to perform it Nor does this Scripture at all make for his Opinion for Jesus was not yet Glorified since it might as well have been said He has not yet dyed the Death of the Cross neither is Risen and Ascended which was the Period of that state unto which He had from the Form of God Humbled Himself even to the being of no Reputation which he thus expresseth himself I have Glorified thee on Earth I have finished the Work thou gavest me to do And in another place thus I came forth from the Father and am come into the World Again I leave the World and go to the Father where is the same Reason that we should believe he was with the Father before he came into the World as that he did come into the World and afterwards go to the Father again else why is it again going to the Father But now let me ask him if he can be so brazen'd as to think that God allows him not only to correct his Son Christ's words but the very substance of his Prayer Was it so great a Crime in his account for G. F. to say who was Glorified before the World began instead of Glorifie thou me with thy own self with the Glory which I had with thee before the World was And is it no wayes reprovable in him instead of the last clause to turn it thus Glorifie thou me â—â—th thy own self with the Glory which I had with thee not actually but in degree only before the World began That ever any man should undertake to Correct others in that which doth not deserve it whilst the Beam is in his own Eye and is himself most guilty My Soul blesseth God that our Religion is above these slight Shifts and pittiful starting Holes I would tâ—ll the man in his own words of us though more seriously That he whom G. F. and all of us call Christ by way of Excellency was in the Sense aforementioned glorified before the World began and if what he calls Christ was not it is to us a Proof that he was not that True Christ which both appeared to the Fathers of old for the Rock followed them and that Rock was Christ and in the fashion of a Man in these latter Times humbling himself to the Death of the Cross Thus much in the clearing of this place 3dly He is very angry with G. F. that he makes Christ speak these words by the Prophet Amos Behold I am pressed under you as a Cart is pressed with Sheaves which sayes he belongs to the Lord or Jehovah Grant it Does it not therefore belong unto Christ who is God over all Blessed forever that said Before Abraham was I am But he gives us no reason to the contrary and till he does let this suffice That as Christ has been a Lamb slain through Sin and Iniquity so also has he been
others for plain Scripture and would suggest because doth proceed is mentioned instead of is sent that he himself is Unscriptural He omits to tell the World what it was G. F. made that Demand for viz. to prove Three Distinct and Separate Persons in the Godhead Now whether there is the same Reason for the one as for the other I leave to all sober Men to judge yea to our Adversary himself if he dare be just 9thly His last Socinian Objection to G. F's Citation and Application of Scripture is this That whereas the Scripture sayes For this End Christ both dyed and rose and revived that He might be Lord both of the Dead and Living He sayes That he might be God both of the Dead and Living Also where the Scripture sayes Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly G. F. has it Let the Word of God dwell richly in you By all which it is easie to observe how averse he is from allowing Christ the least share in an Eternal Divinity making it his Business to abstract from every Scripture that may in the least Favour such a thing and imperiously rant it over us in the abusivest termes as Impostor Lyar False Prophet Forger void of all Reason with abundance of the like Complexion the proper Language of Brutish Malice and not a True Disciple But let us answer to his Objection If Christ be God over all as saith the Apostle then why not God both of the Dead and of the Living as well as Lord both of the Dead and Living and likewise why not let the Word of God as well as let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly for if the Word of Christ be the Word of God and if God be the Lord and the Lord God then why not God in both places as well as Lord First I am well assur'd that God is called Judge of Quick and Dead and if so then because Christ is Lord of Quick and Dead Christ the Lord is God of both Quick and Dead unless there be more Lords of the Living and the Dead then the One Almighty God and Lord of Heaven and Earth Besides methinks this Critick might have consider'd that it is not expresly in the Greek that He might be Lord but that he might Raign over the Dead and the Living so saith the Arabick but the Aethiopick has it That he might judge both the Dead and the Living In short Christ is called both God Lord and Judge and since there is but one only True God Lord and Judge of right Christians we therefore believe Christ to be that only True God Lord and Judge of both Quick and Dead And here let me caution the Man of his eager Opposition to Christ's Divinity since supposing it should not be true there can be no Detraction and if it should prove true as he may one day know he will be guilty of robbing Christ of that for which he thought it no robbery himself to be equal with God that is to be the only true God Himself A Summary Consideration of such Scripture Citations as he trivially Objects against not so much about Matter of Doctrine as in Point of imperfect Quotation and Transposition of Words GEorge Fox in answer to a Priest thus Contrary to John's Doctrine and Christ's who saith The Light that doth enlighten every man that cometh into the World is the true Light that man through the Light might believe Our Adversary answers That it is through Him that is John Baptist Now granting it to be so yet John was no more Instrumental then as by the Light fitted to be so as Erasmus well said and others Whatsoever Light John had he received it from Christ the Fountain of Life So that still the Light was that Medium or Instrument Besides he does not positively charge G. F. with referring those words to that Verse and to be sure that is no Doctrinal Mistake since most true in it self Secondly His next Criticism is this whereas the Scripture runs thus For God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ He brings in G. F. citing it thus The Light which shined in their Hearts to give the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Again Which was the Work of the true Apostles to bring People to the Light within that shined in their Hearts to give c. Again he sayes The Light that which gives the Knowledge But sayes he if he had recited it right it would then have appeared not only that God was the Giver but also that it is the Light of Knowledge and created for God caused Light to shine out of Darkness by creating it Gen. 1. 3 4. Thus far this impertinent Man To all which I say that first he obtrudes an arrant Lye upon our very Senses to say that G. F. has not rightly cited it for so much as he did cite For God caused the Light to shine where in their Hearts So sayes G. F. But for what to give of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ And doth not G. F. say the same Wretched Scribler How Idle how Frivolous and how very Troublesom is he with his Ridiculous Remarks Secondly that the Knowledge comes by the Light all but such Bats as himself must needs see For why did God give his outward Light if not to give external Sight and Discerning And to what purpose did He cause his Invisible Spiritual Light to shine if not to give an Internal Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Besides God himself is Light He is that Great Supernatural Sun that shines throughout the Intellectual World offering unto Men the Knowledge of his Divine Glory and that in the Face of Jesus Christ This is our Message aâ— it was the true Messengers of Old And who talk of the Creation of this Light because it gives Knowledge may as well say God who was the Fountain of it was created too because He gives Knowledge I would have him give us one Scripture that therefore calls the Light created because it gives Divine Knowledge or if he can but one Reason who fools himself and would others with the Conceit that he is a great Master of it For what grosser Darkness can be then to assert the Creation of the hight upon that very Account for which we ought most truly to believe it Spiritual and Eternal But enough for this Thirdly G. F. saith But the Word is nigh thee in thy Heart Deut. 30. Moses saith our Adversary sayes But the Word is very nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart that thou maystâ— do it Where observe that the only Difference lies in leaving out in his Mouth though it be imply'd for where it is in the Heart it will be in the Mouth But
Difference I mean Doctrinal in this place I don't see It becomes a Man of his Wit and larger Conscience to perceive it who can make and fling dixt for the Alteration or Omission of a word not absolutely necessary for how can we suppose he meant those good Gentiles that became a Law unto themselves to have thoughts different from their Conscience so far as concerned Evil or Good and the Peace or Trouble that followed the Doing of the one or the committing of the other For to what did their Conscience bear them Witness if not to their Doing Well or Ill and consequently to acquit or accuse Therefore their Conscience did bear Witness to the Accusing or Excusing as well as their Thoughts for that their Thoughts and Opinion of one anothers Innocency or Guilt are squared by the Witness that their Conscience did give the place strongly implies In short they could not make that Judgment of one another without a certain Knowledge of the same thing in themselves and they must have received that only by the Testimony of their own Conscience which is no more but this the Judgment of a man concerning his own good or ill State by the In-shining and Discoveries of God's Holy Light and this the Gentiles had in measure and our Adversary granteth it as well as his Eminent Preacher pag. 40. Eighthly G. F. sayes in answer to the Priest that denyed him to be perfect who bridled his Tongue which is contrary to the Apostle James who saith he is which our Adversary calls belying the Apostle who sayes If any man offend not in word the same is perfect And what Difference is there now one sayes He that bridles or rules the Tongue and the other saith He that offends not in Word is the perfect man unless a mans Tongue can be said to be bridled or ruled when it offends which cannot be supposed by any but Persons of this mans Ignorance In short Not to offend in word or bridle that which would utter it is one and the same thing for that which bridles the Tongue bridles the Body which is the perfect man that offends not in word Ninthly G. F. sayes That God works all in us and for us for which he reflects upon him as at other times saying he knows no such place but it is strange that he never heard or read And there are diversities of Operations but it is the same God which worketh all in all according to the Power that worketh in us for it is God that worketh in you both to will and to do Now unless when God works all in all c. we are to exempt his working in us and so give the Scripture the Lye or if workt in us yet not for us which is to give our own Understanding the Lye it will follow and doth follow That God who worketh all in all according to his Power in us both to Will and to Do does work it both in us and for us But Oh the Vanity of this poor man that thinks by these Paper Pellets his Malice casts at us either to Wound us in our selves or in the minds of Sober People Tenthly But he thinks he has done G. F's business for him now where bringing him in saying through the Power of God the Gospel again the Gospel is the Power of God he thus adventures to correct him The Apostle saith I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation c. Now where to find out that Difference which this Quick-sighted Man abuses G. F. for saying it proceeds from the same bitter Root in him that perverts the sence of Scripture is past my skill for if the Gospel be God's Power then God's Power is the Gospel In one of the Passages it is as he would have it which may show that G. F. meant by the other Transposition of the word No new Sence or Doctrine Gross Folly Incharity and Carping Eleaventhly But he stiffly charges him with miscitation in this Passage G. F. And so deny Christ the Lord that bought them Peter saith only Denying the Lord that bought them Which sayes he may as well agree to God the Father as Christ the Son We may guess at his Meaning without an Interpretation But must Christ be Lord and not Lord at every turn when this presumptious Person will If the fore-going Chapter be considered it will appear That Christ is that Lord that some should deny after they had made Profession of Him In short If a man's believing Christ to be that Lord must conclude him an Impostor c. who is true let all the World read and observe of what Ungodly Stuff and very Trash his Libel doth consist Twelfthly The Scripture saith our Adversary and his own runs thus He that believeth on Christ out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water where His Belly is plainly spoken of Him that believeth But G. F. applies it to the Light Christ out of whose Belly slowed Rivers of Living Water the Light the Light must be Magnified by G. F. To which I shall only say That it is no improper sence at all for no man's Belly can be filled but from His therefore He is the Fountain of Living Water Himself from whose Belly ours come to be filled Besides If a Scripture will admit of two distinct sences without Contradiction they may be used in both those sences upon occasion So Christ the Light whom we will Magnifie above our Adversary's Darkness is that Belly and Fountain and such as believe in Him shall have their Bellies filled with the Rivers of Living Water that come from Him He is the Fountain that is set open for Judah and Jerusalem and the River that makes glad the City of God Thirteenth G. F. The Church is the Pillar and Ground of Truth without Spot or Wrinkle or Blemish or any such thing Our Adversary thus And the Apostle saith That He might present it unto Himself a glorious Church not having Spot or Wrinkle or any such thing He saith that might and should not that it is but this is the old Devilish Distinction of Sin-Pleasers that would never have the Church Compient Two things follow hence First A Disbelief of the Perfection of the present Mystical Church by which Christ is rendred the Head of a spotted Body Secondly That he is himself in a spotted and wrinckled Condition and every such thing and therefore an unfit Person to maintain the Faith of the true unspotted Church of Christ Fourteenth G. F. True Christians are Flesh of His Flesh and Bone of His Bone But the Apostle sayes our Adversary has it thus For we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones The Fault is this that he left out For we are Members hoping that it sufficiently proves Christ to be in Heaven absent from his Church not considering that a Body can be no more without its