man being almost spent said again the Scripture saith It is Christ in you which a little moved me and thereupon I demanded of him sc If the true Christ and only Saviour be in thee in what part of thy body is he residing that is to say whether in thy ly Legs Brains or Bowels he had his Answer ready sc This is an Ishmael and his Brother Blasphemer W. H. seconded him Yes quoth he He is an Ishmaelite to which being now without interruptions I make this return That I am content to be called Ishmael as it signifies Heard of God as I hope I am in bearing witness to the Grace of God and Gift by Grace which abounds to all believing Christians through the one Man Jesus Christ and withall let me tell you Quakers Though ye are not in Name yet in Nature Disposition and Practise ye are the true Ishmaels as it doth appear by the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4. 22. to the end wherein all such as stand under the Covenant of works as Quakers do are typified by Ishmael for in this History as spiritually applied by the holy Apostle we have these particulars noted 1. Sarah notes Jerusalem above 2. Isaac all the true seed of God by promise in Christ through Faith 3. Hagar the literal Covenant of God abused by all false Teachers 4. Ishmael All Hypocrites and Bond-Children hereby brought forth in the Church mocking and persecuting the Children of promise under the Covenant of Grace c. As its more particularly asserted in ver 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Here the Apostle reports to us a great Example of unholy scorn sc Ishmael persecuting Isaac Moses tells us the manner how and the weapon wherewith Ishmael did not lift up his hand against Isaac as Cain did against Abel but his tongue he mocked him Gen. 21. 9. reproachful mocking is one of Satans choice Engines to wound the blessed Gospel at the very heart even so it is now saith Paul there and we may now say even so it is now that is they that are born after the Fesh do persecute them that are born after the Spirit or of God Joh. 1. 13. who are Believers in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth ver 12. comp 45. It s but too well known how the Quakers who glory in their own Flesh Gal. 6. 13. and in that respect born after the Flesh do with most unholy scorn mock them that are born after the Spirit sc after the Spirit of Faith in the Lord Jesus of Nazareth reproachfully saying O you believe in a humane earthly Christ in an out-side Christ a Christ in Name Shew and appearance only no real Christ no real Saviour surely these kind of sayings must needs be bitter mockings sarcastical Jearings and most Blasphemous Scorning of the holy and just one born of Mary the Son of the Highest which in ver 29. above the Apostle calls Persecution for it plainly notes a contemptuous and malignant carriage against Jesus of Nazareth the Man approved of God among the People Act. 2. 22. in short the whole is this to wit Let any rational Saint judge whether the Earth doth or can bear greater persecutors of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth than these Scoffing Quaffing Quakers and consequently are the Ishmaels both in having and acting the very nature and disposition of Ishmael but I shall likewise pass this and return to the third Scripture which William Wilkinson repeated viz. 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are justified by the Spirit of God Answ I told him 1. That he had prophanely dismembred that Sacred Tâ—xt of Scripture as his Brother F. E. had done before him leaving out the Name of the Lord Jesus a Name too hard for them to bear 2. That I had already shewed the mind of the Apostle touching those words and that it would be a disingenious act to weary the judicious Hearers with needless repetitions but be continued clamourous querying Why they might not be washed and justified by the Spirit now as well as others heretofore I replied That the Spirit as such never justified any Saint from fin in the sight of God much less such a one as he was who never had the Spirit of God in him he forthwith required me to prove that to wit That he had not the Spirit of God in him which I proved by 3 Arguments 1. Arg. Was taken from 1 Joh. 5. 8. There are three thâ—t bear witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in me But the Spirit that is in thee doth not agree with the water of Baptismâ—â— nor blood of the Super for thou hast renounced both the Sacraments therefore the Spirit of God is not in thee Note though I thus Argued yet it was not to exclude other implicated respects in this Text of Scripture To which he Replied saying That he had both Baptisme and the Lords Supper within him But I proved the contrary thus Baptisme and the Lords Supper are visible signes of the invisible efficacy of Christs one Crucified Body but the visible signes namely washing with water in or unto the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Bread and Wine broken and given and poured forth are not within thee therefore the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord are not within thee To this he made no Reply By the way let the Reader observe to wit That the Teaching Seducing Quakers do usually affirm the true Church Officers and Ordinances of Worship are in God and that the Deity is in them therefore all these are invisibly in them being as they prate immediately made by the Spirit still the Idol-light within whence they conclude that Baptisme and the Lords Supper are within them though their assertions herein be frequently and most plainly contradicted by themselves For they maintain and keep up visible Meetings Officers Light worship and Worshippers and thus by their constant visible practice they clearly confute themselves living in contradiction to their own fanciful Principles and being self confuted they are self-condemned How great is this darkness Again here hence it is That they acknowledge no other Baptisme then of the Holy Ghost and of Fire which makes many of them as it s supposed so hot two Wives calling it their internal warmth and spiritual refreshment nor no other Lords Supper than their daily Feasts of fat things which as they dare say feed them with heavenly joyes glories and unspeakable delights often attended with a dissembled kind of canting-hummings within a new kind of charm to seduce the itching ear and soft head with unscriptural novelties so much for their internal and invisible Sacraments I pass to the second Argument 2. Arg Was taken from Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God But this holy
adds Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh for the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5. 13. Purifying the heart Act. 15. 9. doth by that means not only resist occasional prejudices or Lustful desires of revenge but begets also a composure of offences and a healing of injuries which are apt to arise from one Saint towards another hence the Apostle infers walk in the Spirit that is saith Calvin in loc be ye exercised therein wrestle in Spirit against all prejudicial returns of the flesh following the motions sayings and actings of the Rule of the Spirit which is the inspired word for 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and in so doing saith Calvin ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh i. e. of corrupt sinful nature as in the 16th ver above asserted surely then the Spirit of God doth not send us from the written rule to a Quakers Spirit their Idol Light within as the only infallible rule of Faith and Life 2. Arg. The Spirit was before the written Scriptures and therefore the Spirit in us ought to be our Rule for Faith and Life Reply We know that Seducing Quakers teach because the Spirit is anticedent to the Scriptures therefore none can walk in the Scriptures till they walk in the Spirit the Consequence is as lame as a Teaching Quaker is blind however it is granted that the Spirit is anticedent to the Scripture in respect of time or as to the revelation of the Scripture howbeit the Scriptures are before the Spirit in respect of aid assistance thus the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 12. But unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which Text of Scripture clearly shews that the Holy Spirit in respect of special help and assistance is subsequent to the Scriptural Gospel Preached this receives further confirmation from the Prophet Isai 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony the written word if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or beam of the Spirit in them fairly intimating that the Spirits walk in a way of aid is in the paths of the Scriptures and consequently no Christians can walk in the Spirit unless he first walk in and by the Scriptures Again Joh. 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said but this spake he of the Spirit ver â—9 sc of the power and help of the Spirit as subsequent to the Scriptures and in Luk. 5. 17. And as he Christ was Teaching the Power sc the Spirit of the Lord was present to heal them likewise Joh. 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come he will guid you into all truth that is into all Scripture Truth so then though the Spirit be anticedent to Scriptures in regard of Revelation yet in respect of aid help and assistance which is the matter in hand the Spirit is subsequent to the Scriptures and in this sense the Holy Scriptures are the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 3d. Argument That there was a Rule of Faith and Life long before the Scriptures were written Therefore the written Scripture is not the Rule of Faith and Life Reply This Consequence also is weak and infirm it doth not therefore follow that the wrâ—tten Scripture is not our Rule because there was a Rule before the Scripture was written For this is that which we affirm sc That the matter contained in the Holy Scriptures is the only infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life which matter now contained in the written Scripture is the same with that which was before the Scriptures were written for when God revealed himself by visions Dreams c. It was still the sâ—me Gospel matter even the same that is expressed in the written word of the New-Testament There hath not been since the Gospel was Preached to Adam Gen. 3. 15. any increase of Gospel truths in respect of essentials but only in respect of explications though the manner of conveyance is different then and now yet the matter or Gospel Doctrines conveyed is still the same T is true from Adam to Moses more then 2000. years the People of God had no word written yet they had a word given from God to be their Rule else their Worship would have been like a Quakers Will worship A contrived or devised Worship to pacific or please God he could never bear with had not the Law of Sacrificing and the like been by Gods institution and appointment the Lord would have rejected it now though Sacrifices which typed out Christ were offered before the Law of Sacrificing was written yet not before the Law of Sacrificing was given for it was given from the beginning as all other parts of worship were being carried from one to another by tradition from the Fathers to the Children as in the holy stories of the Patriarchs it doth appear as it were from hand to hand till at last the Laâ— was written and the Scriptures penned by Moses well then though the Rule they had before was not an institution written yet it was an institution sent forth given by God himself which Rule of Faith and Life then given was I say again as to the matter therein contained the same with the instituted Rule written now then all that ye Teaching Quakers have said is no more but this sc That you deny this way of written Scripture to have alwayes been the only way of Gospel-conveyance and from thence ye pretend to advance and extoll your unwritten Scripâ—ure that Idol light within that thereby ye may the more craftily throw down the Scriptures inspired of God surely this Plot cannot be from the spirit of the true Christ but from your own as the Lord knows blind rotten and wicked spirit which tells you that you are no further bound to obey the written Scriptures then your Light that false Christ within shall make you willing to obey Arg. 4. That the Spirit is not to be tried by the Scriptures but the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit therefore the spirit not the Scriptures is our standing Rule for Faith and Life Reply The Father of lies cannot make a greater lie then that which is contained in this Argument for it plainly makes the inspiring Spirit and the inspired Scripture to be of different natures which is contrary to the many Scriptures of truth afore asserted there 's not any Quaker that hath to this day produced one Text of Scripture to make good this Argument where is that place of Scripture to be found which saith the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit doth not the spirit it self require us 1 John 4. 1. not to believe every spirit but to try not the Scriptures but the spirits i. e. spiritual
manifested himself to Cain by his word three times Gen. 3. 8 9. and afterward that the Word of God came to Noah and so to Abraham and others Now O ye Teaching Seducing Quakers I would ask you this Question sc Could your Light within tell you ought of all this if the written Scriptures had not told it first And yet you would fain make us believe that your Light within is the true Scripture and Word of God even the everlasting Word so that this most notorious lie the whimsie called Light within is the new devised ground of your Faith and Religious Worship Oh ye poor Soul deluded and Soul-deluding ones know assuredly that this Doctrine of your beloved Idol-light in your own addle brains is directly contrary to what the Lord Christ said to his Father concerning his Apostles Joh. 17. 8. I have given them thy words word ver 14. which thou gavest me and they have received them and have known surely that I came out from thee and they have believed that thou didst send mâ— Note here that the words which the Father gave to Christ and Christ to his Apostles they believed and so believing Preached them to the World the Substance whereof is in their written Gospel and Epistles which is to true Christians the Word of God and the ground of their Faith but ye Soul-deceivers labour to dissolve this ground of our Christian Faith because ye would lay a Foundation of your own humane Invention sc an un bloody Light within which Idolized Light hath no more real blood in it then there is in the Transubstantiated Bread of your Popish Brethren wherein both ye and they do exactly agree in one feigned blood-less Sacrifice for sin which is evidently another Gospel which stands under the doubled Curse of God Gal. 1. 8 9. which is further confirmed Heb. 9. 22. Without shedding of Blood is no remission O read and tremble before the iâ—raversible decree of wrath and vengeance go forth for without shedding of blood sc true humane blood there is no remission as above and consequently the unavoidable curse of hell and damnation doth attend a non remission which leads me to the Quakers third Principle The third Principle That the Soul of Man is God in part and therefore infallible Reply This titular Principle consists of two parts which shall be dealt with distinctly 1. That the Soul of Man is God in part Thus James Nayler â—n his Book Love to the Lost page 58. teaching fulness of light or soul within in which fulness is meaning the fulness of God in part and John Tayne in his Book of ten Epistles page 71. saith the soul of man is God in part who in page 3. renders this reason for it because the Soul is no created substance and John Lilborn a laâ—e grand leading Quaker in his Book of six particulars page 16. he affirms That the Light in man was the Light in God himself in whom is no darkness at all referring to 1 Tim. 6. 16. Who only hath immortality dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto which no man hath seen or can see to him be honour and power everlasting Reply Although these words do most plainly exclude any meer man from possessing God in his essential nature yet in page 15. he inferrs That the Light which is the infinite essence of God is the living or quickening holy tender part of man the everlasting Word of God by whom all tâ—ings were made And in page 19. further saith It is the very Principle of true Religion consider now if it be so then it must be such a Principle to the Devils and all damned creatures for as creatures the everlasting word made them and their Being Life and Motion is in him becâ—usâ— he that is Being it self is the bottom of the being of all created Natures and consequently according to John Lilbourn the Light in man which he calls the Everlasting Word by whom all things are made muâ—â— be the principle of true Religion in the Devils and damned O helâ—ish Divinity Doctrine for even they sc the Devils damned live and move and have their dependance upon the divine nature or infinite essence of the Godhead otherwise they would all fall to nothing by an annihilation Nevertheless this is in a special manner to be noted viz. It s one thing that the infinite essence thus possesseth men devils and all things else and another thing for man or any other creature to possess the 〈◊〉 Essence of God to his happiness and blessedness for so man only possesseth God according to his revealed will but through the wâ—nt of a right understanding of this special difference above stated it comes to pass that this untoward Generation Dream the Light within them to be God in part and hence inferr that the Soul is God in part here and full in God hereafter for which they do pretend especially four Texts of Scripture to wit Gen â— 7. Eccles 12. 7. Act. 17. 27. 28. 2 Pet. 1. 4. Reply To the first Scripture Gen. 2. 7. And the Lord God formed Man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his Nosthrils the breath of life and Man became a living Soul hence they argue that the Soul in this life is God in part Reply 1. It is to be noted That in the former part of the verse we have the Creation of Adams body The Lord God formed Man that is he fashioâ—ed the outward and inward part of Adam straight and upright with all his outward limbs and lineaments in their due places without and Veins Arteries Venticles and Bowels in their due places within 2. The Creation of Mans Soul is described i. e. breathed into his nosthrils which Synâ—cdochically denotes the whole Man the breath of life Goâ—s order herein is very observable sc after the Lord had formed his body he gives in not himself in but from himself the Soul here 's the nature of Gods act Breathed it is spoken after the manner of men for as God hath no hands to form so nor mouth to breathe so that hereby must be meant Gods powerful Creation of his Body and infusion of his Soul which God doth as easily as man breathes But to the matter in hand 1. The Divine Being is infinite and indivisible therefore the Soul of man cannot be God either in whole or in part 2. The words being spoken after the manner of men that is to say as the breath of Man is not man in whole or in part but only from him so the Soul being breathed is only from God by infusion 3. The Soul of Man was made after Gods Image Gen. 1. 26. And God said let Us make man in our sc the Father through the Son by the Spirit Image after our likeness i. e. in our Image most like to not the same with us It is an Hebraisme noting a superlative Image most like the Trinity in Vnity This image or likeness
A PUBLICK TRYAL OF THE Quakers IN BARMUDAS Upon the first Day of May 1678. First The Charge against them was openly read containing these Particulars As 1. That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ but the False Christ the Devil 2. That the main end of the Quakers Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lords Christ His Holy Spirit His Angels and Apostles all Lyars and False Witnesses of God 3. That the Prim-Principles of a Quaker are the same Held and Professed by the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus Secondly The whole Charge being Proved by the Testimony of the Holy Scriptures was found by the Sheriffe and Justices of Peace a true and just Charge Thirdly Being found Guilty they are here Sentenced and brought forth unto the deserved Execution of the Presse By SAMSON BOND late Preacher of the Gospel in Barmudas Hos 5. 2. The Revolter is profound to make slaughter Prov. 21. 24. Proud and haughty scorner is his Name BOSTON IN NEW-ENGLAND Printed by Samuel Green upon Assignment of Samuel Sewall 1682. THE PREFACE TO THE CHRISTIAN READER BEing lately informed that the Quakers had left a Paper with a Gentleman in these Islands intimating a chalenge to the Ministers here viz. Whether the Ministers God or the Quakers God were the true God little notice was taken of this their Folly in a short time afterwards a Justice of the Peace acquainted me that a Quaker brought him a Letter and would have him deliver it unto me but he refused to receive it from him And some few dayes after this an honest Neighbour told me that the Quakers had reported up and down the Countrey sâ— That I would as soon take a Bear by the Tooth as Dispute with them and withal that thereby the Leading Quakers did confirm and increase their party Hereupon I sent unto them a Synagogue of Libertines the Charge in the Title Page asserted Being Answers to three short Questions And in the Paper which was sent the 15th day of April 1678. they were informed that I would be ready to prove from the Holy Scriptures the charge against them upon the modest motion of any one or more Quakers in these Islands on any Lecture-day in Devon shier-Tribe Church in order to a Regular and Peaceable Disputation for the investigation of the Truth of the true God which Papâ—r the Quakers received and accepted And according to the general Directions therein given they came the first day of May following to the place assigned but without giving me any special notice of it Then Francis Eastlack a Teacher amongst them moved for a performance of my promise in reference to the Charge which he called a Chalenge under my hand against them I forthwith told him that I was ready by Christs help to do it howbeit by the way as I told them I thought it fit to signifie unto them sc That as they had accepted the Paper which I had sent to them so they had thereby bound themselves to all the terms and conditions therein expressed as Namely 1. That the Disputation is to be Regular that is to say I am in the first place to prove the whole Charge without any interruption from any one of you That then any one or more of you may without interruptions from me answer my Arguments or give your Assent 2. That the Disputation is to be peaceable that is to say one person only at a time is to Answer That the Disputation may not end as usually such kind of Disputes have done in an unprofitable Confusion but to the satisfaction of the numerous and judiciouâ— Hearers And that at the end of all They may judge according to the Scriptures of Truth between you and me Let me here pray the Reader to take notice that not any thing said by me touching the Regular and Peaceable Disputation was gain said by any of them whose silence was by all the Hearers taken for their full consent yet notwithstanding herein they declared themselves most unfaithful for they frequently interrupted me more especially by casting in impertinent objections ere I haâ— half answered this or that Scripture which some one or other of them had proposed thereby in design as I thought to obstruct the special matter ready to be uttered for the satisfaction of the Attentive Hearers which urged me as I must confess unadvisedly to say that what I had and should then have declared I would cause to be Printed that full returnes might be given to the objections made and Scriptures wrested by them saying If I could not be heard I would be read herewithal I cannot deny but that I have in the returns inserted sundry things from judicious Authors for confirmation or further explication which I might not then have alledged though I had not met with any interruption at all And fâ—rasmuch as some of them have as I am informed since said that their business was not managed aright by them and that some things were forgotten to be spoken not only these but all other things which might seem for their advantage I have in their due places set down and answered upon the whole I do assure the Reader I should not have given my self this trouble had they not by their manifold interruptions provoked me to make that inconsiderate open promise as above concerning which many of the Hearers have since been my frequent Remembrancers and probably others may be ready on default of performance to reflect slanderously upon me whose reviling rudeness is but too well known And so Farewel SAMSON BOND This insuing Discourse had been Printed sooner had not Mr. John Foster the Printer been disenabled by a tedious sickness of which he Died. ERRATA Page 18. line 19. read doubled p. 38. l. 40. r. assert p. 51. l. 13. for believed read belied the Letter p. 81. l. 11. r. free p. 85. l. 11. for person r. reason p. 100 l. 24. r. either The First Part of the Charge is THat a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ but the false Christ the Devil Which was proved by four Apostolical Arguments Arg. 1. Because Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People was and is the true Christ and our only Saviour which is frequently testified in the Acts of the Apostles as in Act. 2. ver 22 23 36. Ye Men of Israel hear these words Jesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God among you ye have taken and by wicked hands have Crucified and Slain Let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ Acts. 4. 10 11 12. Be it known unto you all and unto all the people of Israel that by the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom ye Crucified whom God raised from the dead even by him doth this Man stand here before you whole this is the Stone which was set at nought of your
false Christ we are to understand the Devil is plainly proved by comparing Mat. 24. ver 24. with Rev. 12 9. in the first Text the true Christ calls the false Christ a Deceiver if it were possible shall deceive the very Elect implying that the false Christ is the greatest Deceiver And in the other Text this great Deceiver which aâ—ceives the whole world is called the old Serpent the Devil and Satan Here hence this Argument arose so he that is the great and principal Deceiver is the Devil Rev. 12. 0. but the false Christ is this Deceiver Mat. 24 24. Ergo the false Christ is the Devil The Conclusion ought not to be denied to deny it here were to deny the Scriptures of God from whence it is plainly collected as above Having thus proved the first Part I proceeded to the second Part of the charge To wit That the main end of the Quakers Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lords Christ his holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all lyars and false Witnesses of God Being about to prove this as I had done the former part of the charge F. Eastlack interrupted me pretending to make some Answer to the foregoing Arguments I told him that by mutual consent as in the Preface is Declared the whole charge against them was first to be proved by me before any Answer should be returned by him or any othâ—r of his Friends Therefore I requested him that as he had any regard either to Truth or Honesty that he would forbear his interruptions that I might proceed according agreement as above to prove the second part of the charge but his Sepulchre being opened he refused to shut it whereupon I spake to the Assembly saying I must let him take his own way to prevent greater confusion howbeit instead of Answering as he pretended the above-mentioned Arguments or any of them He first impertinently runs out into a bare Repetition of some words in the former part of the first Chapter of the Evangelist John sc from the 1st verse to the end of the 12th verse which shall be mentioned and considered in their due places let me note by the way his after stragling inferences from those verses To wit That God the Word took Flesh of the Virgin Mary and in that Flesh suffered Death for all men which he put a special Remark upon by repeating it twice it was well observed that he made no mention of Christs Resurrection but further said sc The Word which is God is Christ the true Light which was manifest in the flesh and as in him so in every man that comes into the World as manifest in them which quoth he it witnessed by John and withal added whosoever shall Preach any other Gospèlis accursed and after he had multiplied words to the same end and purpose alone as above the ingenious Auditors began to mutter at his impertinences and jumbled confusions Thereupon I called to him and said Master Islay so he is commonly called as afore noteh viz. Islay either answer the Arguments which have proved the first part of the charge as you pretended to Mask your interrupting of me or take some Answer to what you have said His first Reply was the Scripture saith Call no man Master I told him the Scripture saith sc Mat. 23. 10 Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ which is not to be understood in your unmannerly sense likewise I told him that he had no cause to quarrel the word Master for you affirm the Master even Christ is within you Quakers making your selves the greatest Masters so that herein are fulfilled among you the word of our Lord concerning Deceivers namely that false Christs shall arise and many shall say I am Christ and shall deceive many Mat. 24. 5. Further more I said unto him sc Thou art the Master of an Assembly to wit of the Synagogue of Libertines which opposed and persecuted the faith of Blessed Stephen for believing in Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ and only Saviour Act. 6 8 9 14 59. At this be grew impaâ—ient rebuking me saying Thou didst promise not to interrupt me I replied that I did not interrupt but help him sc to remember that my promise was not to interrupt him or any of his party whilest he or any of them were answering the Arguments urged by me as it may appear in the prefixed Preface But hâ— said that he did not value the Arguments for they proved nothing thus he thaâ— was a party made himself the determinating Judge and then with a throat stretched voice returned to his former discourse That the word is Christ the true Light in the Flesh sent to save men from sin and death whose death and sufferings with the effect thereof we do own and witness according to the Scriptures as inwardly received within us yet speaking other whiles of the death satisfaction and sufferings of Christ the true Light as done within us for us to which said he the Scripture testifies repeating these words But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we Preach After he had rehearsed these or most of these words he forthwith inferrd that the word of Faith was Christ the true light within and then confidently affirmed that to preach any other Gospel sc then Christ within to be the Saviour is to be accursed which invited him to reflect on me declaring that I had not in any thing which was by 〈…〉 meaning in the Arguments above made any mention of Christ as God and with that saying he ended as it 's call'd his preseâ—t Dispute Forthwith I made some returnes which I have now put into some better method which was then much hindred by their confused interruptions But before I lay down those more orderly returnes let me request the Reader to understand that I have filed off much of the Rust and Ruggedness of his expressions which often wearied the Christian Hearers For it was not only his but also his Fellow Disputants course all along here and there to steal and strangely to disorder nay to dismember Scripture words out of the Evangelist and the Apostles thereby endeavouring to cover themselves from being discovered not plâ—inly nor hoâ— estly mentioning either Chapters or Verses William Bullock once excepted though often called upon but all in vain they would speak Scripture words after their usual manner darkly and confusedly thereby the more easily to deceive those with whom the Scriptures have any credit I shall at present decline any further observation of this their dangerous and designful practice and proceed to the above signified Method
gave up the Ghost all these were truly and properly spoken of the true Christ who is the Light of the World Now what can be more absurd and â—alse then to affirm these things of the Light in every man that cometh into the World by natural Generation 3. It being an Enlightning which is communicated as in ver 9. to every man that comes into the World which comprehends both Elect and Reprobate But the true Christ is not in Reprobates 2 Cor 13. 5 Therefore the true Christ is not as in your sence in every man that comes into the World and consequently not in Teaching Seducing Quakers Text 2d 1 Tim 3. 16. Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh Hence he F. E. inferr'd that the Godhead only as manifest in the flesh is the true Christ and only Saviour and withal he effectually said that the Light in every man that comes into the World as it is manifest in every man iâ— the same Christ sc the Godhead and as in the body of Christs flesh so in the body of every mans flesh i. e. God manifest in the flesh sc flesh indefinitely And so by a consequence of his own Blaspheming a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ Answ Nothing can be more evident then that this Disputant would have had the Hearers to believe that the Godhead as distinct from Christs being a man is the true Christ and only Saviour Surely this is new Divinity which is diffeâ—ing and quiâ—e another Gospel then that of the Apostles as in Mat. 16. 16. Thou not the Godhead aloâ—e in thee But thou the son of Man ver 13. art the Son of the living God Again after Christs Ascention and Glorification in Heaven above the Apostles confess him in hese words Act. 2. 36. Let al the house of Israel know assaredly that God hath made that same Iesus not the Godhead only manifest in Jesus but that same Iesus whom 〈◊〉 crucified both Lord and Christ consider I pray did the Iews ever crucifie your feigned Godhead-light within I could heartily wish that all ye would feelingly lay to heart what our blessed Lord saith in this case Luk. 12. 8 9. Whosoever shall confess me not the Godhead only in me but me before Men him shall the Son of Man also confess before the Angels of God But he that denieth me the Son of Man shall be denied before the Angels of God Thus the Holy Apostles confessed before men the Son of man Iesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and their only Saviour and in the Faith thereof they both lived and died F. E. Let me ask thee this question sc If the Godhead of the Son considered as distinct from his being a Man be the true Christ and Saviour how or to whom was he manifested its impossible to imagine that the Godhead which is invisible and incomprehensible can be manifested to the external senses of men But the true Christ and our only Saviour was thus Manifested as it is witnessed by Christs faithful Apostles sc in 1 Ioh. chap. 1. ver 1. 2 3. there speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ personally God man they declare That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life Note here that the blessed Apostles testifie that they had heard and seen Jesus Christ the true and only Saviour looking upon him and handled him by being in his Company But as for your Idol light-Christ it was never visible but ever invisible for ye say it is within only so that call it what ye will you nor any man else can say what it is except a Whimsey Moreover lâ—t it be considered how these words God was manifested in the flesh are explained by the Lord Christ himself Joh. 2. 11 This beginning of Miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory that is his Godhead to Faith By this Miracle of turning water into wine the glory of the Godhead was manifested in the hoâ—y of his Flesh that is to say the Lord Christ did by that and other Miracles which he wrought in the sight of the Beholders make it manifest that he was true God and true man in one person which is so great a Mystery that neither Saints nor Angels are able to comprehend it this is indeed the genuine sense of that Scripture sc Great is the Mystery God was manifest in the flesh And to force it to speak otherwise is a most wretched and sinful wresting of the Text but the Disputant being as bold as blind added as aforesaid viz. That to Preach any other Gospel is to be accursed meaning to preach otherwise then that the Godhead only in the flesh all mankind flâ—sh to be the true Christ and only Saviour is to be accursed these words were being his third Text of Scripture repeated by him shall now be considered whether wrested or no. Tent 3d. Gal. 1. 8 9. If any Man Preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have Preached unto you and ye have received let him be accursed Ans I pray thee Frances what was the Name of that Apostle who preached the Godhead as distinct from Christs Manhood to be the true Christ and only Saviour oh thou poor filly man was there ever or will there ever be remission of sins Preached by the Spirit but by and through the one Man Jesus Christ the Apostle Paul Heb. 10. 29. saith in effect to Preach otherwise is to despite the Spirit of Grace even the Doctrine of the Spirit Rom. 5. 15. Much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many I shall let this pass a little and proceed to a consideration of the Text it self And for our so doing this Question doth necessarily arise Quest What was the Gospel that Paul Preached Answ He Preached the Faith i. e. the Gospel of Faith which once he destroyed and persecuted Gal. 1. 23. Now the Faith which Paul once persecuted was the Faith of believing in Jesus of Nazareth the man approved of God among the people Act. 2. 22. to be the true Christ and our only Saviour then by good consequence the Gospel which the Apostle Preached was to believe in the Name Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ our only Saviour and Justifier in the sight of God without the works of Law in or by us To clear this Answer yet a little further let Pauls own Confession be observed Act. 22. 4. And I Persecuted this way namely of believing in Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and only Saviour unto the Death binding anâ—d delivering into the Prisons both Men and Women ver 7. And I heard a voice saying unto me Saul Saul why persecutest thou me ver 8. And I answered who art thou Lord
the dead for us and ascended up into heaven for us and before either which must be implied lived and died for us But he that believes not the Descention and the Ascention of the Lord Jesus Christ for him but seeketh Justification by the works of the Law he doth in effect deny the Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus Christ which to do were as much as in him lies to bring Christ down from above and likewise to bring him up again from the deep Now tell me Frances whither these verses sc the 6th and 7th so triumphingly repeated by thee do not plainly prove the true Christ and our only Saviour to be in heaven above us surely nothing can be more clearly proved and consequently by the Scriptures alledged by thee A Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ 2. As the righteousness of Faith is certain from the 6th and 7th Verses so it is possible from the 8th verse which comes now in like manner under consideration Ver. 8. But what saith It meaning the righteousness of Faith the Word is nigh thee even in they mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach Ver. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Answ Touching the 8th verse there are some Queries which require Solutions Qu. 1 What is meant by Righteousness of Faith Sol. 1. By Righteousness is meant that righteousness which obtains acceptance justification and salvation with God which is the righteousness alone of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth which he wrought out in his own personal-Obedience and Sufferings 1600 years since upon the Cross 2. By the Righteousness of Faith is meant a right believing in the alone righteousness of this Jesus of Nazareth for acceptance justification and salvation with God Qu. 2. What by the word Faith Sol. We are to understand an Evangelical not legal word for it is a word of Faith the same with the righteousness of Faith above defined and which agrees with the Apostles Explication ver 8. That is saith he the Word of Faith which we Preach now the Apostles Preached no other word of Faith then the righteousness of Faith afore expressed and confirmed by the four Arguments besides there are other Scriptures of infallible truth evidencing the same as Rom. 1. ver 1. Separate unto the Gospel of Christ ver 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord ver 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Likewise in Chap. 4. 25. Who was delivered i. e. to death for our offences and was raised up again for our Justification And in 1 Cor. 15. 1. I declare unto you the Gospel which I Preached unto you What was that Gospel the Apostle tells us ver 3. how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ver 4. And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures the last mentioned Scriptures do illustrate the righteousness of Faith and word of Faith preached in the abovesaid verses 6. 8. and therefore cannot possibly be understood for a Quakers pretended Saviour within him as this Disputant F. E. would make us believe Qu. 3. How is this Preached Word or righteousness of Faith said to be night even in the mouth and in the heart Sol. It s resolved by the Apostle in ver 9 10. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved That is to say the Word of Faith preached is nigh in our mouths when we confess before men sc That we believe that that righteousness whereby we are accepted of God justified and saved is the only righteousness of Jesus Christ of Nazareth which he wrought out in his personal Obedience and sufferings upon the Cross without us for us And it is nigh in our hearts when this confession proceeds from a right perswasion ingrafted an planted in our hearts by the spirit of Faith as it s testified by Paul ver 10. For saith he with the heart man believeth unto righteousness i. e. unto the righteousness of Faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth ver 6. And with the mouth Confession sc of the same righteousness is made unto Salvation Thus according to the command of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Iohn 5. 39. I have as ye may see searched the Scriptures of God for the Solution here asserted but where do ye Teaching Quakers search son your Gospel word of Faith surely not in thâ— Scriptures of Truth without but at your Oracle that Idol-Light tender part within which ye falsly call the Everlasting Gospel and Eternal Word which as ye affirm was never made flesh contrary to Ioh. 1. ver 14. O thou Idol light within let me tell thee though many Antichrists have done villanously yet thou in villanies surmount them all For as Jerusalem once justified Sodom so thou Light within dost justifie the vilest Antichrists that are this day in the World for where doth that Teaching Quaker dwell what is his Name who doth in his heart believe and with his mouth confess that the righteousness whereby he is accepted of God justified in his sight and saved is the righteousness alone of Iesus Christ of Nazareth which he wrought out in his own and only personal obedience and sufferings in the World sixteen hundred years ago or that doth believe and confess that God of his free Grace and Mercy giveth Faith in this righteousness of Jesus Christ which is by his Father imputed or reckoned to Believers for their justification before God or do believe and confess that in this reckoning or imputation there is a reality undoubtedly there 's nothing more inconsistent with the Faith and Confession of Teaching Quakers then these most evident Gospel Principles of infallible Truth and therefore they are as I may safely avouch the greatest Antichrists of this age on Earth and ordained to the greatest condemnation Jude ver 3 4. I do now proceed to consider his fifth Scripture alledged to prove a Quakers pretended â—aviour within him to be the true not the false Christ Text 5. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Ans 1. By the way This Text of Scripture layes the Axe to the root of your new coined Religion and wounds it to death which may be thus argued If the light which is by natural Generation in Reprobates coming into the World be not the true Christ then the light that is in every man which comes into the World by natural Generation is not the true Christ But the light which is by natural Generation in Reprobates is not the true Christ as above Ergo the light that is in
in Luke 17. 21. Christ doth not mean the Kingdome of glory in Heaven but the Kingdome of the Gospel Preached by himself and his Apostles on Earth to which he answered nothing In the next place F. E. doth as I suppose expect some Answer to his reflection on me at the end of his tedious Discourse afore signified sc That I had not in any thing which was said by me he meant in the four Arguments proving the first part of the charge made any mention of Christ as God to be the Saviour Answ Bold Man who art thou that â—â—achest the Apostles of Jesus Christ yea the Holy-Ghost himself how to speak who were the faâ—thful Witnesses that proved all which was said by me in those four Arguments and that I might prevent which I foresaw such carpings I barely repeated the Apostles express words mentioning in a manner no more then what is plainly asserted by them what dost thou then but under colour of reflecting on me reflect upon the holy Apostles themselves Alas poor Man had it not been more honesty in thee to have thus charged the Apostles then me who wrested not but only repeated the Apostles words for the confirmation of the alledged Arguments thou shouldest have clamoured against the Apostles thus there is not a word by them mentioned of Christ as God to be the Saviour and wouldest thou not hadst thou thus done have been as bold as blind Bayard It s most evident that the Apostles preached Christ as Man Not but that he was and is also God to be believed in for the remâ—ssiâ—n of sins both to the Jews and to the Gentiles so that thy quarrelsome reflection on me is in effect a manifest denying the Testimony of the Apostles joyntly testifying of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the only Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World reconciledworld 2 Cor. 5. 19. for there is no other Man Name or Thing ever in Scripture called the Lamb of God which takes away sin but the one Man Jesus Christ and so it is Recorded by Christs witness bearer Joh. 1. 29. 30. One would now think that the very mentioning of these things were enough to refute them with whom the Scriptures of God have any credit But what shall I say unto thee Francis I would in true love only to thy distressed Soul advise thee to search as in Iohn 5. 39. the Scriptures for I find thee very ignorant of the truth as testified in them and hence asserting new notions which thou hast received from other men which tend to the darkening and denying of the unanimous Testimony of all the holy Men of old to the true Saviour Jesus of Nazareth and to Salvation through Faith in him and that thou mayest be delivered from the dangerous snare of the false Christ the Idol-light within is the hearty desire of him whom for his Faith in and to the truth thou hast opposed William Bullock was the next Disputant to prove That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the false but the true Christ And thus he Argued saying That which may be known of God is manifest in them and tâ—en stâ—pt Therefore I prayed him to tell us were thoâ—e words repeated above were to be found he readily told me sc in Rom. chap. 1. ver 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them 〈◊〉 was the only Proof named by them I further demanded of him what he inferred from this Text of Scripture but because he lookt as if he understood not what was meant by that demand I requested him to frame some Argument from the Text alledged by him to prove the matter in hand but all in vain a Syllogisme being as great a Monster to him as Jesus Christ of Nazareth Thereupon I did declare That the Apostle did not there understand the word God to signifie Christ God Man and as for the phrase in them it is interpreted to them as in the very next words in the same verse sc For God hath shewed it to them likewise Paul doth tell us both how and where God shew'd them this as in ver 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and godhead which Godhead alone is not to be understood for God-man Christ the only Saviour in a word The mind of the Spirit in these two 19 20. verses sc is no more but this namely that the eternal power and Godhead was manifested in i. e. shewn to the Gentiles unconverted by the things that are made or created from the creation of the World this being the true state of the Text above how they could prove the thing to wit That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ for which they were brought surely none but young and old Bullocks or such as are of that kind can understand I expected some reply from this Disputant to the substance above asserted but instead of a reply he urged another Prool this was their manner even all along that thereby they might â—loaâ— their weakness and insufficienâ—â—â— for returns saying The flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth Upon his inversion of the order of the words I desired him to name the Chapter and verse where the words as he had spoken them might be found but he did it not I then named both viz. Joh. chap. 6. ver 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing He again refusing to frame an Argument Therefore to the Text. 1 Answered 1. If these words were to be understood in this sence sc That the Lord Christ on the account of his body of flesh profiteth nothing to Salvation but it s the quickning spirit within that is the only Saviour Then what interpretation wouldst thou put upon Christs words in the same Chapter ver 53. foregoing Then Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life i. e. Spirit ver 63. ult in you or wilt thou make Christ who is the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. guilty of contradiction and so a Lyar to which he replied nothing save that he had spoken Scripture which necessarily engaged me to reconcile those Scriptures to the understanding of the hearers which I endeavoured thus Joh. 6. 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth i. e. the soul of man naturally dead in sins Eph. 2. 1 5. the words exclude all endowments qualifications or excellencies in the natural man from this soul quickening work hereunto agrees the words of our Saviour in the end of the 63d verse above The words that I spake unto you they are spirit and they are life that is to say the spirit of faith is the souls life or special quickening so that the
of Christ is our only material Saviour which as I suppose he understood not and therefore he said no more howbeit I expected some reply from Mrs. Patience Bullock no small Prophetess in their Libertine Synagogue but instead of a Reply she puts forth another Question sc Quest 2. Whether we could be saved by Christ without the operation of the Spirit in us I Answered Although it were granted sc That we could not be saved without the operations of the Spirit in us yet this would be nothing to the business befoâ—e us that is it doth not prove a Quakers-pretended Saviour within him to be the true not the false Christ forasmuch as the operations of the Spirit in us are not Christ God-man therefore not our Saviour again I told her let it be granted that we cannot be saved without the effects and operations of the spirit in us yet herehence it will not fâ—llow that we are saved for or by these effects and operations of the Spirit in us so that the meâ—r tendency of her Questions weâ—e by the judicious hearers plainly discerned to lay aside the material Saviour and to insinuate a Spirit and its operations still the Idol-light within to be the true Christâ— and only Saviour thereupon I denied the Spâ—rits operations in us to be the previous procuring cause or ground of redemption justification and salvation with God and that it is one thing to affirm that we cannot be saved without the efficacies of the spirit in us as evidential and another thing to be saved for or by these operations in us as causal to which she made no return Let me here add what her last Question hath since brought to my remembrance namely somewhat touching this Question the men of Rome have commonly expressed the Apostle say they excludes from justification works which we our selves do meaning Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness that we have done Rom. 11. 6. If it be by works then were grace no more grace that is as they wrongly gloss works done by our own strengâ—h without the help of the Grace of God not those works we do by the aid of the spirit within us which is the same with that of the carnal Prophetess above only it is expressed in plainer words so that in truth her Question is but a sly design to renew again the old Papish trick to elude the genuine force of such Texts as above asserted and in good earnest a Quakers light within is but the Pope without By the way in reference to her last question let two things be seriously considered 1. That Carnal Gospellers do but deceive their own souls by resting in a bare literal or historical assent that the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the true Christ and our only Saviour while they are in no degree partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. i. e. of the effectual graces of Christs spirit sc a living saith a lively hope love unfeigned true repentance c. but are slighters and professed rejectors of thâ—m 2. As Carnal Gospellers do thus deceive themselves so do Anti-Gospellars as Quakers no less yea much more put a â—heat upon their own Souls by their idle pretences viz. that the Graces effects and operations of the spirit within them maketh the true Christ and their only Saviour from sins Alas poor deluded ones this is to testifie that the effects of Christs death sufferings redemption and righteousness do constitute the true Christ and Mans only Saviour which effects and operations say ye being followed in all righteousness will bring you to Salvation now what is all this but in plain English to be brought to salvation by the obedience of works Oh let every good Christian tremble to think of the dreadful consequence of this your God provoking Doctrine for it is a manifest renouncing of the righteousness and obedience of the Son of God Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom God the Father hath exalted to be the only Saviour to give remission of sins and salvation to all that rightly believe on him as is aboundantly foreshewed Next to Mrs. Bullock the Champâ—â—n Francis starts up who who after the truths of God had silenced his fellow labourer in the work of the false Christ repeats some words in the New-Testament But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified by the spirit of God Answ 1. I requested him to shew me where I might find those words he replied that the words which he had spoken were Scripture But I said thou hast dâ—â—membred that Scripture as the Text it self made it to appear which is in the 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 2. Note here that the only words which concern Justification sc In the Name of the Lord Jesus were omitted the more crafâ—ily to abuse our judgements that we might believe justification in the sight of God is a work of the spirit in us and consequently that a Quakers pretended Saviour was within him I pray thee Frances how doth this accord with the confession of thy faith contained in thy Answer to my Question above surely Captain Bâ—scomb might have told thee that thou wouldest deny that thy confession of the Faith not only by but before tomorrow by this all men may see what a blind Guid he is to be at once almost on a breath guilty of such gross contradiction and yet insensible of it 3. My special Answer was that Spirit in the last clause of that verse is to be referred to sanctification as it is in all other New Testament Scriptures 2 Thess 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. c. and to be sanctified is mostly attributed to the spirits efficiency and as to the Text above it is as if the order of the words had been thus But ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God but ye are justified by the Name of the Lord Jesus I know that the Teaching Seducing Quakers do convert the transposition in the Text into a confusion by confounding justification and sanctification where is the transposition in that Text doth no more coâ—found just fication and saâ—ctification then the transposition in Mat. 7. 6 confounds Swine and Dogs Give not saith Christ that which is holy to Dogs neither cast your Pâ—arl before Swine lest they traâ—pâ—e them under their feet and turn again and rent you Though turn again and rent you be in the last clause of the â—erse yet it is to be referred â—o the Dâ—gâ— not to the Swine for as Swine do trampâ—e under heir â—eeâ— so Dogs 〈…〉 upon a man renting and tearing him down Thiâ— instance plainly sheâ—s that the 〈◊〉 posiâ—ion in 1 Cor. 6. 11. above 〈…〉 joyning of sanctâ—ficatiâ—n to he Spirit nor justification to the Name of the Lord Jesus alone it being according to the tenour of thâ— whole
pretended by thâ—e falls short of maintaining your cause as it respects the first part of the charge which â—id appear on a due examination of the Text it self in this man 〈◊〉 to wit Exam. By the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus we are to understand the Spirit which the Father gave him as the Son of Man without measure Ioh. 3. â—4 Ioh. 1. 6. Now from this fulness of Spiritual Life in Christ Paul received such a degree of it as made him free from the Law i. e. from the reign and demâ—nion of sin and from Death Rom. 6. 12. 14 i. e. from the power of natural death Note that the Spirit in the Text above is seâ—â—own two wayes 1. By the Subject in whom it is that is in the Manhood of Christs Person 2. By the Effect it is a spirit of life if this life be not from Christs fulness conveyed into us we are but dead men spiritually dead in sins Eph 2. 1. But when the spirit of 〈◊〉 from Christs unmeasurable fulness is derived to us tâ—en we feel its law or power weakening and abolishing the Law i. e. the strength and Authority of sin in us and thereby sin hath now no reigning domineering power in or over us nor can it condemn our persons and thus we are â—reed from the Law of sin death Note Not so â—reed as if we were simply delivered from both or either of these as that we cannot afterwards sin and die but the meaning is sin cannot rulâ— or exercise a command now over us nâ—r can it damn â—s nor can the natural death hurt us now tell me William whether there be ought in this third Text of Scripture alledged by thee that doth in the least though never so much strained prove this first part of the charge against you to be false for the mind of the Apostle therein is plain and evident viz. that the law of the Spirit of life inherent in us hath only a virtue to eat down the Law or commanding power of present sins and to destroy the power of our natural death what I pray thee is in all this to prove a Quakers pretended Saviour within him c. surely William either thou art very silly thy self or thou didst think thy hearers to be so After him steps F. E. again and said the Scripture saith of Christ I in thee and thou in me but he could not tell us where to find the Scripture that said those words of Christ Answ That I did not remember any such Scripture for manner and foâ—m as spoken by him to wit I in theâ— and thou in me but this Parret must prate as he hath been taught howbeit if it might be supposed not granted that Christ had said to any particular person I in thee and thou in me It must needs follow that the person of Christ wâ—s without not within him to whom he then spake and the person of Christ being the Believers only Saviour this allegation could not concern the charge before us T is true we read in Joh 17 23 I in them and thou in we that they may be made perfect in me i e. in oneness of affection for so it is interpreted in the last clause of the same verse sc and hast loved them as thou hast loved me also in Joh. 14. 20. and you in me and I in you these words do only signifie the reciprocal love that shall be fully experienced between Christ and his members at the glorious resurrection of the just as it is implied in the former part of that verse At that day namely of Christs second comming in glory ver 18. ye shall sc at that day know that I am in my Father i. e. in his love and you in me i. e. in my love and I in you i. e. in your love ver 21. Now Francis if thou dost mean either of these Scriptures thou wilt be still at a loss for it was the man Jesus Christ which spake to his Disciples and it is very strange that thou wilt produce a Christ for evidence in whom you do not believe it s a sign that thou art almost spent I do not remember that he made any reply to ought said by me as above but as a mask for their nakedness he urged another Scripture not naming where as to the chapter or verse to wit Christ saith of hâ—mself I am Alpha and Omega Rev 1. 1. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come The Almighty after the reciting of this Scripture I expected an Argument to be drawn from thence by the Disputant to prove the thing for whâ—ch he brought it But it seems Franks Seducers could never make him capable of formal Argumentations which defect constrained me to insist upon the explication herein more fully and distinctly enlarged of those Texts of Scripture which for the most part were only repeated by the titular Disputants and that many times after their own most presumptuous mode and manner adding or diminishing contrary to Gods command Deut. 4. 2. But I proceed to the Text it self Ans The place of Scripture above sc Rev. 1. 8. consists of three parts First part I am Alpha and Omega in these words Christs creating power is Metaphorically expressed being the first and last letters in the Greek Alphabet which by a figurative speech are applied to any beginning and end and are here interpreted by the next words namely the Beginning and the Ending which Phrases do signifie unto us Christs divine Nature eternal Power and Godhead as in Joh. 1. ver 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God sc God the Son and in Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him his dear Son ver 13. and for him sc for his glory as the ultimate end Rom. 11. 36. this therefore is the meaning of I am Alpha and Omega that is Christ is the efficient cause of all things and the end also whâ—ther all things are referred that he hath at first created all things and that for his own glory alone Second part Saith the Lord which words denote Christ the faithful promiser for all the promises of God are in him 2 Cor. 1 20. in him i. e. in the man hood of Christs person Col. 2 9. hereunto agrees the title Lord. which is mostly appropriated to Christs humaâ—e nature as before his Birth Luk. 1 43. And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me and on the day of his birth Chap 2. ver 11. For to you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord and afterwards Joh. 13. ver 13 14. Ye call me Master and Lord for so I am If I thou your Lord and Master have washed your feet Also after his resurrection Luk. 24. 34 saying The Lord hath risen indeed and hath oppeared to Simon ver 39. Behold my hands and my feet that
it is I my self meaning your Lord and Master and likewise after his ascention Act. 22. 8. And I answered who art thou Lord and he said unto me I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest to these many more might be added to evidence that by Lord in the Text above 〈◊〉 man hood of Christs person is to be understood at least not to be excluded For in ver 11. Christ saith I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last here Alpha and Omega are explained by the terms Of the first and the last that is to say the Lord Christ is the first to wit subsisting in the beginning with God and equal with the Father and the last having taken the 〈◊〉 of a Servant i. e. of the meanest man and so last in reputation Phil. 2. 6 7. Third part Which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty by the distribution of the threefold time is meant as Aretas and Brightman on the 4th verse the trinity of persons which is or I am as in the first part are here of the same import and do refer to the Father Exod. 3 14. and which was to the Son Joh. 1. ver 1. And which is come to the Holy Ghost Iohn 16. 8 13. The Almighty This last word of the verse denotes the omnipotency eternal essence and Godhead of Christs person the sum of both sc 1. 11. verses above do reveal unto us only two things 1. The union of the two Natures in the person of Christ namely that he was and is true God and true man in one person 2. The Trinity of persons in the unity of Essence Now Francis doest thou think that either of these things containing the true sense of the Texts alledged by thee will prove your cause That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true Christ surely thou canst not be so bruitish as to think so but rather the contrary sc That it is the false Christ the Devil this Conclusion made Patience an impatient Bullock she being unable to forbear any longer calls to me What quoth she dost thou make our Christ within us to be the Devil To her I made Answer saying that I did solemnly and with much reverence as 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 is the false Christ the Devil whom ye ignorantly believe in and worship and with whom ye will be damned in Hell if ye repent not to this most serious Declaration she made no reply at all But F. E. forthwith replied saying Thou hast no warrant from the Scripture thus to speak I told him that I had sufficient warrant from the Scriptures to make good what I had in the fear of God declared and forthwith I alledged the words of Jesus Christ of Nazareth himself Ioh. 8. 24. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins this Scripture silenced him likewise and thereupon I told him that the true Christ had stopt his mouth Let me here add some other Scriptures for some further warrant as Ioh. 3. 18. He that believeth not sc on the Son of God sent into the World ver 17. is condemned already that is he is as sure to be damned as if he was actually in Hell and in ver 36. He that believeth not on the Son sc boâ—n of Mary Luk. 1. 35 shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him likewise in Luk. 19. 14. And his Citizens hated him sc the Son of Man the Saviour ver 10 and sent a message after him saying we will not have this Man to reign over us let it be here well Noted that the true Christ calls those Citizens his Enemies and such Enemies as he would destroy ver 27. But those mine Enemies which would not that I the Son of Man ver 10. above should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me in Mark also Chap. 16. ver 16. He that believeth not sc on Jesus risen from the dead ver 9. shall be damned Now Frank didst not thou speak under the Power of Satan when thou didst so openly and confidently affirm that I had no warrant to speak as I did when I spake to thy fellow-Labourer in the work of the false Christ The next Bolt was shot by William Bullock and he tells us The Light makes manifest lifting up his voice lowder and lowder crying out tell me tell me the true and real meaning of those words the Light makes manifest I surely thought that his lowd Lowing and Bellowing was to prevent my asking of him where those words might be found in the Scriptures which I did forbear to ask because I knew his Answer sc t is Scripture Answ 1. I told him that he was at his old trade of mangling the Scriptures and then shewed him wherein namely that it was not the Light maketh manifest but whatsoever doth make manifest is Light which the â—ext made to appear in Eph. 5. 13. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light 2. By Light here we are to understand a Sin-reproving-light inasmuch as the latter part doth interpret the former part of the verse sc But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light i. e. by the Light of Scripture whence Paul argues thus for whatsoever doth make manifest in a way of Reproof is light sc Scriptural light as before for the written Scriptures are frequently described by Light Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a Light unto my path Isai 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the written Word such was the Law and Testimony is the only manifesting and so determining-light either for reprehension or satisfaction in cases of error and doubts and the reason of it is assigned by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Reproof for Instruction or manifestation and hereunto agrees the words of our Lord and Saviour Joh. 3. 26 21. For every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doeth truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest 1. By Light in these verses Christ understands the Doctrinal-light contained in the written Scripture of the New-Testament which was preached by him and his Apostles hence it is that the Lord Christ Joh. 8. 12. and his Apostâ—es Mat 5. 14 are called the â—ight of the Wonld 2. That this Light doth reprove ver 20. and manifest ver 21. well then William thy â—emâ—â—d is granted thee namely that the true and real meaning of the Text 〈◊〉 by thee is this to wit That the light of Scripture doth make reproved evils manifest or evils
eminent Reasons 1. That they might thereby be kept to the unity of the Godhead for although Jehovah is Father Son and Holy Ghost yet he is not three Gods but one therefore holy men holding their minds to the unity of the essence Thou and Thee were and are most proper and necessary to preserve their minds from a plurality of Gods But this ground cannot be pleaded by a Quaker who denieth a Trinity in Unity and so he denies the only true God 2. Reas Holy men used these words thou and thee to God and one to another as occasionally they were by Holy Spirit drawn out to either of these words sc thou or thee for all Scripture is given by inspiration of God â— Tim. 3. 16. and in 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost so then its plain that Holy men in Scripture spake these words thou and thee to God and one to another but it was then when they were moved thereunto by the Holy Ghost but I pray do ye Quakers never use those words thou and thee but then when ye are occasionally drawn out or moved by the Holy Ghost to either if any of you should be so notoriouslyvile as to father the use of those words thou and thee upon the Spirit would not the Holy Ghost tell thee that thou art of thy Father the Devil who is a lyar from the beginning Again Although holy men frequently used those words as above yet they never thereby took occasion to deny but ever used reverential respects to all sorts of persons according to their rank and quality as for instance Abraham Gen. 18. 1 2 3. as he sat in the Tent-door he lift up his eyes and looked and lo three men Angels unawares stood by him and when he saw them he ran to meet them from the Tent-door and bowed himself to the ground and said my Lord And David 1 Sam. 20. 41. rose out of his place and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times to Jonathan Again in the 1 Sam. 25. 23 25. Abigail saw David and fell before him on her face and bowed her self to the ground and called him Lord Likewise Ruth Chap. 2. 10. She fell on her face and bowed her self to the ground to Boaz And in ver 4. Boaz courteously said to the Reapers the Lord be with you and they in reverential respects to him Answered the Lord bless thee Furthermore we read of reverential respects between Abraham and his Idolatrous Neighbours Gen. 23. 7. Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the People of the Lana even to the children of Heth and ver 8. he communed with them saying if it be your mind And ver 5. the children of Heth answered Abraham saying hear us my Lord thou art a Prince of God amongst us And Solomon also 1 King 2. 10. arose from his Throne and bowed himself to his Mother and Joseph Gen. 28. 12. bowed himself to his Father Jacob with his face towards the ground And in the 2 Pet. 3. 6. Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord unto these Presidents many more might be alledged Thus we see though these holy persons often used thou and thee yet they ever used reverential respects to all sorts of men and that according to Gods express command as Lev 9. 32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God I am the Lord. Thus Moses by Gods own inspiration but this ye Quakers do not therefore the Light of this Scripture reproves you as no Fearers of God And Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is also recited by the Apostle Eph. 6. 2. Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is the first Commandment with promise Note this Commandment comprehends not only Natural Parents Heb. 12. 9. the Fathers of our flesh but the Fathers of our Country as civil Magistrates and Rulers Isai 49. 23. yea likewise Spiritual Fathers as Gospel Ministers are phrased by Paul 1 Cor. 4. 15. we read that in our Saviours time there were some proud Professors who inclined much towards this Principle and practice of a Quaker but not in so bad a sense Mark 7. 10. ye saith Christ suffer him no more to do ought for his Father and Mother making the Word of God the commandment above of none effect and indeed as much more do the Quakers Paul also by the same inspiration of God Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all meaning higher Powers and Rulers ver 1 2. their dues honour to whom honour and the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all men especially in places of honour fear God honour the King as Supream and Governour sent by him Moreover 1 Tim. 5 3. Honour Widows that are Widows indeed and in ver 17. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine These Precepts are given by the inspiration of God and consequently are obligatory on Conscience to be performed in that useful commendable and necessary duty of reverential respects afore declared and which hath been in conscience of Gods strict and indispensible command obeyed by the holy Presidents above Secondly As the light of Scripture hath manifested this your second evil also even so likewise the Light of Scripture doth reprove it 1. It reproves you as such who want the fear of God as above Lev. 19. 32. and as such who harden their hearts against not only the many Precepts above to bind the Conscience but the many Presidents to evidence the practice Now as both are manifest reprovers of you so I wish they might make you not only ashamed of your sneaking surley dumb and scurvy carriage towards Christians but also convince you that this kind of Behaviour is not in the written Scripture without but from the pretended unwritten Scripture that Idol-light within proudly contemning the sacred Oracles of God above asserted And which is thus further argued what can the Saints in all places and Countries be more sensible of then that the generality of Quakers do purposely use those words thou and thee to deny all reverential respects to any sort of men of what rank and quality soever that by that means they may intrude themselves to be equal with any of what rank or sort soever nay thereby to advance themselves above all men under the notion of a seeming perfection which is a manifest product of their God and Man provoking pride according to that of the Psalmist Psal 123. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning and contempt of the proud and how is the Prophesie fulfilled in you Isai 3. 5. The child shall behave himself proudly against the antient and the base against the Honourable and observe ye well the words of the Lord Christ Mark 7. 22. Deceit Blasphemy Pride Foolishness of these four links hath Satan made your Chain of
the ungodly Abraham was justified in the righteousness of Christs person when he had some ungodliness in his own person a Believer is compleat in Christ bodily Col. 2. 8 9 10. when he hath some incompleatness in his own body In a word these things do clear this Truth Namely To be cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ is to be understood for a cleansing from all the guilt and passive fruits and effects of sin but not for a cleansing as in your sense from all the movings and actings of sin in or by us while in this World which the following verses make most plain for even they which are by the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed from all sin ver 7 8. They have sin and in ver 9. ought to confess their sin Now Francis upon the whole it doth appear that the Patterns cut out by thee do still come short of the measure which plainly argues thou art not as yet thy Crafts-master yea this was manifested by thy Answer to this Question to wit Quest Whether the Saints was cleansed from all sin by the water of regeneration or by the blood of justification Thy Answer was by the Water which gave occasion to sundry persons to laugh at him But he endeavoured to compose them saying it is no laughing matter but indeed matter of melting pity that thy seduced Synagogue of Libertines should be led by so blind a Seducer The next after F. E. was William Bullock again alledging But a Body hast thou prepared me which he repeated again and again and then most earnestly called upon me tell me what is meant by Me for whom that body was prepared and what that body prepared was the same was as eagerly required by Francis Eastlack and William Harriot The place of Scripture intended by them was Heb. 10. 5. But a Body hast thou prepared me I Answered By Thou God the Father is meant by Me the Godhead of the Son by a Body prepared the Man hood united to the God-head of the Son And hereunto agrees the â—ormer part of the 5th verse Wherefore when he Christ God-man cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not or didst not desire and therefore were refused by God it being impossible that they should purge sin ver 4. For it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sin But a body hast thou prepared me meaning to receive and do his Fathers will in taking sin away Joh. 1. 20. Goâ— the Son having now taken and put on the body oâ— flesh prepared for â—im as above he now undertakes the great work of satisfying Goâ—s Justice for sin and so to take away sin saying ver 7. Lâ— I come to do thy Will O God And why he tells us In the volume of the Book it is written of me i. e. in the Record of thy Decree from everlasting is clear for it that I am he whom thou O Father hast instituted and ordained to do thy will for the taking away of sin For ver 10. By the which will we are sanctified or saved through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all So then the body offered in the 10th verse was the body prepared in the 5th verse But the body of Jesus Christ offered was a real man-kind body as the Spirit of Truth witnesseth Ver. 12. But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sin for ever sat down on the right hand of God here hence it is manifest that the very offering of the body of Jesus Christ could not have saved us but by the will and ordination of the Father who prepared that body for Christs hanging and dying on the Crosse had not delivered us from the pains of the eternal death unless it had been written in the volume of the book It s most sure all that our Lord Christ did or suffered in his Soul and Body for us had not satisfied the justice of God for sin if God had not appointed that Christ his Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. should be sent forth to come into the World to do and suffer those things for the satisfying his juctice to the taking away of sin upon the whole I did inter that the true Christ and our only Saviour must necessarily 〈◊〉 both without and above us Here I made some pause to invite a Reply but they were silent at which I much marvelled inasmuch as sundry of the â—â—â—ding Quakers had imprinted so many corrupt glosses on those words it may be 't was forgotten as the Preface notes But a body hast thou prepared me As thus The Body prepared say they was prepared in Heaven and broughâ— by Christ into the Virgins Womb which body they call a Mystical Invisible Spiritual Heavenly body of Flesh and Blood and withal that the Mystical Invisible Body still the Idol light Christ within is the â—rue and only Saviour whose Birth Death Resurrection and Glorification is only Mystical and Invisible Hence as I suppose it is that George Fox in his Folio Book intituled the Great Mystery page 71. asserts That Christs Nature is not humane which saith he is earthly the nature of the first Adam Answ I would gladly knâ—w of this Fox whether Humane doth not rather signifie a Man-kind nature consisting of Soul and Body It s true we read 1 Cor. 15. 47. compare Gen. 2. 7. the first Adam was of the earth earthly in regard of his body not his soul which God formed out of the Earth But the word humane comprehends both Soul and Body which is much more then Earthly or Earth Simply litteral-material Earth Again whereas he adds the second man is from Heaven To which I Answer The second Adam or Man is the Lord from heaven as above 1. Because Christs Man kind nature was conceived in Mary by the power of the Highest overshadowing her Luk. 1. 35. 2. The true Christ is stiled the Secona Man because the first Man was his figure Rom. 5. 14. likewise in the Geneologie Mat. 1. Christ is said also to be partaker of the same flesh blood that the children were partakers of Heb. 2. 14 but the flesh and blood which the Children were partakers of were real visible humane or man kind flesh and blood not Mystical Ivisible flesh and blood Besides this Title sc Th. Son of Man is frequently attributed to Jesus Christ in the New-Testament as in Mat. 8. 20. The Foxes have holes but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head also in Mat. 10. 23. 11. 19. 12. 8. c. The Lords Christ is called the Son of Man which is to shew the truth of his humane mankind Nature it being lineally descended from David according to the flesh and therefore Christ is stiled the Son of David Luk. 20. 41. Moreover he hath the appellation of the Son of Man in reference to his participation with our humane Nature in all
things which concern created-nature as it s stated by the Apostle in Heb. 2. 17. and in Chap. 4 15. In all things it behoved him Christ to be made like unto his Brethren and he was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin surely he that is in all things like man except sin is rightly called the Son of Man for sin is not at all the Form but all the Deformity of Man The issue is that the Fox hath concealed his craft putting no difference between the terms sc Humune and Humane he knew full well that the Fox's craft would be soon discovered should he admit the Lords Christ to have a humane Nature or a body as is common to Man kind and therefore in Pag. 71. above he quarrels the word Humane and querieth where doth the Scripture speak of Humane where is it written quoth he that we may search for it Rep. Though we have not the Word yet having the Thing it might satisfie all with whom the light of Reason hath any credit Once more Christ the Second Man is said to be Lord from Heaven because he is to restore the heavenly life which was lost by the first man Adam who was also said to be Earthly by reason of Transgression and Christ is also said to be from Heaven by reason of Restoration By he first mans fall all mankind were deprived of all heavenly and spiritual graces By the second Man from Heaven the Elect of God have those Graces in some measure restored As Calvin in his Exposiâ—ion on the 47th ver above Paul doth not saith he speak of the substance of the second Mâ—ns body but of the habit of Graces and heavenly gifts of the Spirit of Christ And on the same verse he affirms that the Manichies were the first knaves which invented that Heresie Namely That Christ brought from Heaven an invisible body of flesh and blood into the Womb of the Virgin And undoubtedly the Quakers have drunk this Poison originally from them by whom the Devil according to Calvin first set it abroach which as it was so still it is a design from Hell to beget not only a denial but an utter blotting out of the very Name and remembrance as before of the true Jesus Christ and to set up a Spiritual Christ a Mystical Invisible Heavenly King Jesus and all this only to advance the Idol-light within and the more easily to deceive poor ignorant and unstable persons which hath been and still is their stragling Trade I have yet one thing more to mention concerning this Fox which is in his Book above Page 135. to wit That Thomas Mâ—or had said that Christ was absent from us while we are in this mortal body which said the Fox is contrary to the Apostle who saith The life of Jesus is Mark is manifested in their Mark their mortal flesh but he Fox like quotes not any place of Scripture the Text of Scripture abused by him is in 2 Cor. 5. 11. Eor we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake that the life also of Jesus might not is but be made manifest in not their but our mortal flesh Note the Fox saith The life of Jesus is manifested making it present but Paul saith that the life of Jesus might be made manifest making it future nay he hath not only believed the Letter but the Sense also of the Text which may appear partly by the former part of this 11th verse and partly by the subsequent verses in the former part of the verse thus For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus sake i. e. we have sc for the testimony of Jesus Death that is sufferings to death as in the subsequent verses 9 10. continually before our eyes that we might be prepared for the fellowship of the glorious resurrection when there will be a full manifestation made of the glorious life of Jesus in our mortal flesh this may yet further appear in ver 12. so then death worketh in us i. e. our daily sufferings from the cruel hands of unbelieving men for our Faith in and Testimony for Jesus and as it worketh in us so it sc the strokes which are deadly to our bodies works ver 17 for us And what work they the 17th verse Answereth For our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory But how do they work it Answ Not by way of merit or earning our striving to blood cannot oblige God but by way of preparation to the resurrection in ver 14. Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus shall raise us up also by Jesus Then that glorious life of Jesus shall be manifest in our mortal flesh the sum oâ— all is this to wit That the Lord sends afflictions yea death it self which to the Saints is the last and greatest affliction not only to cleanse their souls but to fashion and prepare their bodies as vessels to hold the exceeding weight of glory Now let any sober Saint judge wheâ—her Thomas Moor or George Fox hath contradicted the Apostle surely that Fox which endeavours as much as in him lies to choak the Lamb of God wâ—ll be ready to wrest the mind of the Apostle This Fox is seconded by Quaker Penington sc That the body prepared Heb. 10. 5. above was a Mystical Invisible body of flesh and blood for in his Book called Mysteries of the Kingdome he saith That the external blood of Christ cannot cleanse the Conscience for the blood of Bulls and Goats could not do it no more can his blood putting no more worth or vertue in the blood of Christ than in the blood of Beasts the consideration of this insufferable Blasphemy did so provoke the Spirit of Mr. Francis Duke a Man eminent for Meekness and Modesty that in his answer to one John Chandler a Teaching Quaker for the like expressions from him Page 67. he plainly tells this Chandler That he and his fellow-leading Friends are a Pack of such Villains as base as ever the Earth borâ— as for Penington he declares in his Book above That the heavenly body of flesh and blood which Christ brought with him from heaven meaning into the Virgin and dwelt in the Garment of his body a while and now is in every Saint sc Quaker Saints his mind herein is shortly this sc That a Mans wearing Garment is not his body so the visible material body of Jesus Christ which he calls the Garment of his body is not the Saviour Christ but as the natural body of a Man is within his Garment even so the true Christ was within the Garment of his external body whence it s most evident that this Seducing Teacher doth not confess with the Apostles That Iesus Christ of Nazareth the Man approved of God and by him exalted to be a Saviour is the true Christ Act. 5. 31. Let me add a little more of Peningtons Divinity
were perfect from all sin in this life would be a miserable perverâ—ing of the places of Scripture they being only perfect comparatively i. e. in comparison of all other men which lived in their Ages and Generations And as for the 22d verse In all this Iob sinned not Reply These words are not to be taken in a Quakers sense as if Iob had been at any time without sin in this world for in the 11th verse he Iob will curse thee to thy face Satan was confident that Iob would Blaspheme by cursing God to his face this Satan did promise to himself and did undertake with God which plainly interprets the words sc In all this Iob sinned not that is such a sin in thought or word as to Curse God he was not transported by passion or impatiency to Reproach or Curse the Living God but gave him Glory saying ver 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord As to the phrase perfect above Obj. If any of you say as some Teaching Quakers have said sc That it was in the time of Iobs affliction when he said If I say that I am perfect it will prove me perverse but after his deliverance he was perfect without sin Ans This is wholly false for the character given of Iob viz. a perfect man was before his affliction for Gods commending of him as perfect and upright was the occasion of the Devils desiring leave of God to afflict him and of Gods grant ver 12. that his Word might be found true upon the whole observe in Iob Chap. 25. ver 4. How then can Man be justified with God or can he be clean that is born of a Woman This Question carrieth a strong denial viz. it cannot possibly be or it is impossible to be as if Iob had said do but acknowâ—edge that any one is born ordinarily of a Woman and we may conclude him to be sinful and unclean with or in the sight of God Second Scripture Psal 37. ver 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright Rep. Vpright in the latter clause doth interpret perfect in the former so then the perfect man is the upright or sincere hearted man we read in Iacobs character Gen. 25. 27. and Iacob was a plain man this phrase plain man here is the same wite perfect man in the Text above a plain man and a perfect man in a Scriptural account are convertible terms 1 Chron 29. 9 27. and do signifie a man that hath not a heart and a â—cart or a double minded man Jam. 1. 8. not a compound man speaking one thing and meaning another It is also the same word that is given to Noah Gen. 6. 9. He was perfect in his Generation or he was sound upright plain hearted with God And it is that God spake to Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect or sound upright plain in thy walking before me now though Job Noah Jacob Abraham are said to be perfect yet it is not to be found in the Scriptures that God ever said of all or any one of them or of any other meer Saint they were perfect without sin in this world but the contrary is as may afterwards appear often found in Holy Writ forasmuch as it is sincerity or the Law written in the heart Psal 40. 8. which is the only Gospel Perfection Third Scripture Psal 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue compare with Jam. 3. 2. If any man effend not in word the same is a perfect man Reply Though David heedfully endeavoured circumspection not to offend with his tongue yet he sinned with it Psal 116. 11 I said in my haste all men are Lyars yea frequently did he offend with his tongue in and about the matter of Vriah the Hittite 2. Might it be supposed that David sinned not with his tongue yet he might sin in thought although it be most true which the Apostle James speaks above sc If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Reply 1. These words Jam. 3. 2. in their litteral sense denote a supposition If any man offend not in word that is as Dr. Manton in loc saith If there be such a man who never spake a word untruly nor unseasonably nor uncharitably a man whose words were alwayes without vanity and folly without obsenity rash Oathes and Passion speaking only known truths if these be such a man who at all times avoids the evils of the tongue I will as if the Apostle should say make bold to call him a perfect man such another as is not to be found among Mortals And thus Moses by way of supposition said unto the Children of Israel Lev. 18 5. Which If a man do he shall live in them here Moses proposeth an unlikely yea an impossible practice under the word If which if a man 〈◊〉 But where is the Man that can do the law of God as exactly as he commands it to be done implying there 's not such a man to be found in the World so here If a Man offend not in word the same is a perfect man but such a non offender is not to be found and consequently not a Man of a perfect tongue 2. Some take the word Perfect for Upright Sincere that is to say if a man offend not in word he is perfect or upright sincere without guile those that are so are expressed by the Term perfect as in Psal 37. â—7 afore noted so in 1 Chron. 29. 9. With a perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord compare ver 17. In the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered Again we read in 1 Chron. 12. 38. All these sc an hundred and twenty thousand ver 37. men of War came with a pâ—rfect heart to Hebron surely he must have a Legion within him that would interpret perfect here referring to the hundred and twenty thousand men of War above for a perfect freedome from sin 4th Scripture Psal 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way ver 3. they do no Iniquity Reply The sixth verse following explains the two foregoing verses sc 1 3. above Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments hence ver 5. The Prophet Wishes O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes furthermore he strongly affirms Psal 39. 5. Verely verely Man at his best estate is altogether vanity Therefore he cries out Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Now if to be undefiled and to do no iniquity be to be understood in a Quakers sense that is to say strictly for an absolute freedome from all sin in heart and life then David had excluded himself out of a blessed estate 5th Scripture Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect
Walking sc Zecharias and Elizabeth ' his Wife ver 5. in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless here the Quakers think they are perfect Saints Reply The word Blameless doth not as the Quakers would have it signifie Sinless before the Lord but Rebukeless before men in this World no man can be so blameless as to be sinless in the sight of God 't is true we read Numb 23. 21. He hath not seen iniquity in Jacob that is not with an eye of revenge but pity God saw iniquity in Jacob his people but not so as to destroy them which was the unwearied design desire of Balack the Princes of Moab ver 17. in which sense the not seeing of iniquity in Jacob is only meant Indeed at the glorious second coming of the Lords Christ then the persons of the just shall be sinlesly blameless before the Lord as in 1 Cor. 1. â— That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ in that day of Christs coming in glory the Saints shall be found of God in peace without spot and blameless 1 Pet. 3 4 14. but not thus in this life nevertheless I willingly grant that Believers may walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless that is to say rebukeless in regard of Men this is verified by the Apostle Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as lights in the World in which sense alone Zecharias and his Wiâ—e Elizabeth were blameless for Zecharias was so far from being perfect without sin that he was found at the very time that the words above were uttered of him guilty of the great sin of Vnbelief and for it was punished with dumbness Luk. 1. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou dost not believe my words Obj. Here the Quaker will be apt to say But there is no sin charged upon Elizabeth so that she might be perfect without sin Ans 1. The phrase Blameless on which the Quaker puts his whole stress may refer to an Unbeliever yea to a persecutor of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Phil. 3. 6. Touching the righteousness which is in the Law Blameless even then when Paul was graceless he was blameless this I have only noted by way that Teaching Quakers may plainly see that the word Blameless simply in its own nature will be so far from proving perfection of Grace that it will not prove any truth of Grace 2. It will not therefore follow that Elizabeth was perfect without sin because there is no mention made of her sin let it be well observed that in the 6th verse above They are both said to be righteous and blameless even then when the best of them both was guilty of actual sin now if the expressions of Righteous and Blameless were applicable to Zecharias when he was under sin then the same expressions sc of Righteous and Blameless will not argue her to be more free from sin then her Husband there being the same reason for the one as for the other to deny this were to destroy the rules of right reasoning besides death took hold of her as well as of him which is the wages of sin Rom. 6. 23. 3. If the Term Blameless should prove Zecharias and Elizabeth in their life time sinless or perfect without sin it would prove the Scriptures of God sinful which to assert were Blasphemy for the Holy Scriptures do utterly deny such a blamelesness or freedome from sin in Mortals As in Eccless 7. 20. For there is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not that is that sinneth not in doing good the Spirit doth say simply that there is not a just man that sinneth not but a just man that doth good and sinneth not intimating that in our most religious Actions there is some mixture of sin hence the Prophet Isai 64. 6. That all our Righteousness is as filthy rags Noting to us that no righteous work of ours is so pure but there is some taint and filth of sin cleaving to it which without a Mediator in the rigor of the Law would be damnable so then though the action as to the matter be not sinful yet there is some sin in the Action this difference is exprest Exod. 28. 38 where the High-Priest is said to bear the iniquity of the holy things holy things in the matter of them yet iniquity in the manner of performing them Rom. 7. 18. How to perform that which is good I find not here hence it is that we read 1 King 8 46. If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not and again 2 Chron. 6. 36. For there is no man that sinneth not whence the Apostle James Chap. 3. 2. For in many things we offend all he saith We including himself though an eminent Saint and an Apostle of great holiness All of us offend in many things and many of us in all things likewise our blessed Lord and only Saviour teacheth the choicest of Gods Children to pray unto their Father in Heaven for dayly and continual pardon of sin Mat. 6 12. There is in all true Believers a cursed root of bitterness which God doth mortifie but not nullifie in this World 't is subdued but not removed 't is cast down but not cast out though Grace makes the combat yet death only makes the conquest over sin I proceed to the Quakers Second Principle To wit That the written Scriptures are not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Reply 1. VVhereas they say The written Scriptures are not the Word of God if thereby they mean the Scriptures as expressed by humane tongues or as written or printed with ink and paper by the art of the VVriter or Printer if so considered we do not affirm the Scriptures to be the VVord of God But as the Written Scriptures do declare the mind of God to us so the matter therein contained is the declarative VVord of God as in Heb. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son Qu. What hath the Son of God spoken touching the Scriptures Ans He tells us that the Scripture is the VVord of God Mark 7. 13. Making the Word of God of none effect Here the Son of God calls the fifth Commandment in the written Scriptures the VVord of God and in Iohn 2. 22. They believed the Scripture the word which Jesus had said Also Ioh. 10. 34 35. And Jesus answered them It is written in your Law I said ye are Gods if he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Note in these Texts
our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of God affirms that the VVord of God is the Scripture and that the Scripture is the VVord of God as being convertible terms that is what is truely and properly spoken of the one is also spoken of the other for so it is with all propositions convertible Moreover 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that is in the Righteousness both of Faith and Life And therefore as the Scripture is the VVord of God so likewise it is the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life It being evidently so I need not stay to shew you the excellency of any part of the Scripture having pointed you at such an original of the whole which adviseth you seriously to consider what the Lord speaks to all such as they are we read Numb 15. 30. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord O how highly do you Teaching Quakers reproach the Lord when you deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God that Soul shall be cut off from the peeple but mark the ground and reason of it Because he hath despised the Word of God ver 31. and hath broken his Commandments Note here that the Lord concludes his word and written Commandments to be one and the same thing and thereupon the Lord passeth this heavy Sentence That Soul shall be utterly cut off his iniquity shall be upon him i. e. It shall never be forgiven him except God in mercy grant repentance for and from these dead works O ye Quakers are you not herein worse then the Egyptian Heathens for they believed the Word spoken to them by Moses to be the Word of God Exod. 9. 20. He that feared the Word of the Lord amongst the Servants of Pharaoh made his Servants and his Cattle to flie into the Houses howbeit they will think themselves either wronged or feared if their Arguments be not considered 1. Argument That which is the Word of God dwells within Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome whereas that which you meaning Christians call the word is the Scripture without Reply 1. Is there any word asserted to be the word of Christ but the written word of Truth whereof Christ is both the Author and Subject if there be when it shall be shewen it will be considered 2 The very phrase Let the Word of Christ dwell in you denotes that the Apostles words are an Exhortation to get the Matter contained in the very Letter of the word of Christ that it might dwell richly in them getting heart acquaintance with the matter contained in the letter of the word of Christ and that richly sc still increasing therein that they might thereby be the better enabled in the use of the duties of Teaching Admonishing and Singing of Psalms in heart and voice as it s expressed and implied in the same 16th verse 3. Those duties and services of Teaching Admonishing and Singing of Psalms which are Spiritual Hymns or Songs were to be done to the Lord as in the same 16th verse that is to the glory of the Lord Now there are no Duties and holy Services done thus to the Lord which are not done in obedience to his Will but the Lord hath no other will as a Rule of obedience then his Will revealed in the written Scriptures There is nothing that doth please God in any act of Worship unless he sees himself obeyed hence I may safely infer that the Quakers Worship cannot be accepted of God because it is not only without but against the revealed Will and Rule of Obedience This cannot with any Truth be gainsayed or denied 1. Arg. The Written Scripture cannot be the Word of God because it consists of Words Reply 1. This Argument proves fully that the Quakers are under the power of Satan Act. 26. 11. grosly blind in and ignorant of the inspired word of Christ for in Scripture Language Word and Words are of the same signification as for instance Jer. 15. 16. thy Words were sound and thy Word was unto me Jer. 36. 1 2. This Word came write the Words Amos 8. 11 12. hearing the Words seek the Word Numb 15. 30. the Spirit calls the Commandments of God consisting of many Words the Word of God and the many Words which God Commanded Moses to speak to the Egyptians Exod. 9. 20. is there called the Word of the Lord Likewise our Saviour Ioh. 2. 22. calls the Scripture coâ—taining many Words and so also in Ioh. 10. 35. to these places of Scripture many more might were there any need be added shewing that Word in the singular and Words in the plural are synonimous and of the same import in the Holy Scriptures and therefore the cavil is idle and vain I pass to the second part of this Principle viz. That the written Scriptures are not the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life 2. Reply This plainly argues an Evil and Vnbelieving heart in the revealed Truths of God and distructive as much as in them lies to the great end of Divine Inspirations For God purposely inspired holy men not so much for their own sakes as for this end that what they writ and spake from Gods inspiration in the Scripture might be the standing and infallible Rule for Faith and holiness of Life in all succeeding Ages and Generations and for this cause hath Paul recorded Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Note That we the Apostle Paul includes himself for one that did learn of the Scriptures written afore-time as the only infallible Rule And thus was it also taken by our Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 16. 29 31. Chap. 24. 44 to 47. more especially in the hour of his Temptations he kept his mind close to the written Word of God the Scriptures penned by Moses Danâ—st 16. to repel the Devil saying It is written Mat. 4. ver 4 ver 7 ver 10. with this sword of the Spirit three times as you see the Lord Jesus Christ wounds the Devil now doth the Lords Christ thus honour the written Scriptures who are ye then that dishonour the same Notwithstanding we will hear what they have by way of Argument to say for themselves concerning this matter Their 1. Argument The Scripture it self sends us to the Spirit for our Rule Gal. 5. 16. Therefore the written Scripture is not our rule of Faith and Life Reply The Apostle in this Text exhorts the Galatians to walk in the Spirit sc of Faith I have not as if Paul should have said forget my former discourse concerning Faith ver 5. nor do I declare it in perswading you to mutual love ver 14. and that he might be understood aright he
some Instances 1. The Pope takes upon him the power of Pardoning sin making himself God and Christ which power of pardoning sin the Quaker ascribes to his Light within calling it God and Christ 2. The Pope affirms that the Teachings and Rules of direction being believed in and walked up unto will make such Believers and Walkers Perfect and bring them to jâ—stification and salvation all which the Quaker doth affirm of the Light within it being believed in and obeyed 3. The Pope teacheth that his written Scriptures are so far to be obeyed as they do agree with the infallible Spirit within him just so the Quakers teach that they are no further bound to obey the Letter of the Scriptures then the infallible unâ—rring light within makes them willing to obey 4. The Pope declares his Apocryphals to be not only of equal verity with but to exceed the Scriptures even so a Quakers Light within teacheth him to prefer his Apocryphal Quakerisms before the written Scriptures 5. The Pope testifies there is a nigher Doctrine than the Scripture hath to feed the Saints and perfectâ—ones meaning his Church enlightning Traditions so saith the Quakers light within that it hath a higher Doctrine then the written Scripture hath any to guid and â—eed the true Saints 6. The Pope robs Christ of all his Offices 1. Of his Kingly Office in taking part of it to himself by remitting sins and making Laws to bind Conscience both which a Quakers Light presumes to do remitting sin and binding Conscience by its laws 2. The Pope robs Christ of his Priestly Office for he doth dispose of it giving to a Masse Priest power to offer a daily propitâ—ation-Sacrifice yea that every Papist hath a piece of it within him that thereby every one of them may satisfie the Justice of God for his sins even by his own Merits within him and for Christs Mediatorship as some of them do abolish it so no Catholick desires the Man Jesus Christ to pray for Him because each one of them hath so much of the propitiatâ—ry Sacrifice dayly iâ— them as is meritorious to satisfie the justice of God for their sins Of which robbery in reference to Christs Priestly Office the Quakers are equally guilty for they give to their light that Masse-Priest with in a power to offer Sacrifice propitiatory dayly forsin whereby they daily in themselves satisfie Gods justice for their sins even by their own internal merits and as for Christs Mediatorship they have quite abolished it For no Quaker desires the one Mediator the Man Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 2 5. to pray for him 3. The Pope robs Christ also of his Prophetical Office for this office he assumes to himself who without the Scriptures determines infallibly by the pretened assistance of a Spirit of infallible light lockt up in his own breast all points of Faith and Life which kind of Robbery as to Crists Prophetical Office the Quakers have likewise assumed who by their Light within without the Holy Scriptures or laws of the King thence derived pretend to an infallible determination of all points concerning â—aith and Life here hence we may saâ—ely infer that a Quakers Ligâ—t and Romes Pope are coâ—qual Antichrists This may further appear if the Terms and Title heretofore given to the Pâ—pâ— as â—sserted 〈◊〉 the Reverend Brightman Ren. 13. page 135 136 â—e compared with those now given to the Light within by G. Fox in his Foâ—o Book The great Mystery c. The Terms and Titles which were given to the Pope and imprinted by Brightman as above are these to wit 1. Hear saith Brightman what Barnard saith sc of the Pope Thou art a great Priest the Prince of Bishops thou art the Heir of the Apostles thou art Abel for thy primacy Noah for thy Government Abraham for thy Patriaâ—â—hâ—ship Melchisedech for thy Order Aaron for thy Dignity Moses for thy Authority Samuel for thy judgement Peter for thy Power Christ for thine anointing c. Book 2. Consid Again Mark saith Brightman how the Embassadors of the Empour of Sicily cry out to him the Pope lying groveling on the ground O thou that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the World grant us peace As also what Simon Beginus saith speaking unto Pope Leo in the Council of Laterane Sess 6. Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the â—oot of David we have waited for thee O most blessed Leo to be our Saviour Vnâ—o these saith Bâ—ightmaâ— we may joyn Cornelius the Bishop of Bipentum who laid open his blockishness in wondring at the Beast in the Council of Trent with these words The Pope is come a Light into the World and men have loved darkness more then Light every one that evil doth hateth the Light and cometh not to the Light Hence Brightman inferrâ— O out upon you ye Blasphemous Claw-backs is it not enough for you to adorn the Man of sin with the praises of the Saint unless ye do also heap upon him the praises which ye have robbed Christ of it would indeed render me too volumenous to set down herein all the pages lines and words imprinted in the Foxes Book above named concerning the Termsâ—nd â—nd Titles given by him and other such seâ—ucing Authors to the Light within which are either numeâ—ically or specifically the same with the Collections above given to the Popes or if there be any difference as to Terms and Titles of Blasphemy the Fâ—z's are the more horrid upon the whole let any good Christian judge whether a Quakers Light within be not in goâ—d earnest the Pâ—pe without And so I pass to the fourth and last Principle aâ—ore-named The fourth Principle to wit A Quakers denying of the Trinity or three persons in one Deity Reply It is by most judicious Christians acknowledged sc that three persons in one Deity is so great a mystery that it cannot be sound our by natural reason and no wonder for there are many things in natuâ—e yea in man himself Eccles 11. 5. Thou knowest not the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the Womb of hen that is with child reason cannot reach the knowledge of this Therefore saith Mr. Caril it is not to be admired if man be at a loss about the incomprehensible nature of God Howbeit it may be to all rational Saints sufficient to prove three persons in the Godhead though we cannot fully conceive how this should be For 1. There is but one God 1 Cor. 8. 4 6. 2. In this one God there are three He 's that do Vnderstand Will and Act and these three are so doistinguished that the one is not the other And 't is Dr. Gouges observation on Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord the word Lord is twice in the Text and saith he Printed in Capital Letters purposely to notifie that the word Lord in the original is Jehovah and so he reads
it Hear O Israel Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah Here is Trinity in Vnity And we read that the Prophet Isai 6. 8. Heard the voice of the Lord saying who will go for Vs this Vs denotes more persons then one likewise in Gen. 1. 26. the Elohims spake each to other and said let us make Man surely then the Trinity cannot be as some dream sc distinctions and relations only but reall existences in the essence of Jehovah for distinctions and relations are such as cannot speak but the Elohims spake each to other as above noted Obj. If it be said the plural number Vs takes in all as well as the number three Answ It doth so but when God hath determined plurality to three it is time then to settle and to be certain that there are no more which is confirmed Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is to believe in obey and worship the Father in the Son and the Holy Ghost here you see are three in the divine Nature that do live understand will and act and here it s plainly revealed that they are so distinct that the one cannot be the other Indeed the Socinians the Quakers Brethren in this thing do deny the Holy Ghost to be a person and say It is the power vertue and efficacy of God the Father if so then the Scripture above Mat. 28. 19. must be read thus Baptizing them in or unto the Name of the Father of the Son and of the vertue power and efficacy of the Father to be believed in obeyed and worshipped which sounds absurdly utterly disagreeable to reason But above all it is inconsistent with the Scriptures of truth as in Ioh. 1. 4. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father and in ver 18. No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and in Iohn 14 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name These Texts of Holy Scripture do shew us that the Father begets the Son the Son is begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds from both Furthermore when the Lord Christ was Baptized Mat. â— 15 16 17. the Father was heard and not seen the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove seen and not heard and Christ the Son both seen and heard the Father saying of Christ this is my Son and the Holy Ghost descending and lighting upon him which is a most clear demonstration of their real and personal dictinction Again in 1 Joh. 5. 7. For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Now if they be three then they must be in some respect more then one and not the same besides it argues weakness to quarrel the Phrase Persons for as much as the Person doth Grammatically tria necessaria sunt ut aliquid persona dicatur signifie first second and third which makes three this only by the bye for illustration rather then evidence though we do not find this Phrasiology in the Scriptures sc Trinity of Persons yet this is not a sufficient ground to deny it for though we have not the words yet having the things signified in and by the words it ought to satisfie a rational Saint as for the things signified the Texts above are fair and plain affirming there are three that bear Record or witness now to bear witness is properly the office and act of a person or persons Qu. Whether the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are declared as three distinct witnesses Answ Yes that they are so may appear by the testimony of these Scriptures Joh. 8 18. I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father sent me beareth witness of me and Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Futher even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me here we have the Father Son and Holy Ghost witnessing that is to say the Comforter sent the Son sending and that from the Father which proves them to be distinct witnesses and by good consequence to be distinct persons herewithal let it be well observed sc To deny as Teaching Quakers do the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead is in down right terms to deny that there is a God for the Scripture inspired of God saith These three are one Therefore to deny the Trinity is to deny in Unity which is Atheistical so much in Answer to the requests oâ— some of the Lords people in Barmudas With whom I shall now in a few words leave my hearty well wishing advice beseeching them and all the rest of the Lords People there to be ever mindful of the Blessed Apostles resolution Act. 21. 13. I am ready to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ a most gracious as well as noble resolution and fit for every good Christians imitation which is indeed 〈◊〉 lâ—ss then the standing against the Gates of Hell by bearing witness to the holy Truth of God O let us rather burn then â—ow to that Idol light which the Romish Nebuchadâ—zzar haâ—h set up in Teaching Quakers Oh let us rather die for the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth then leave the Mark of the Beast citeer within or on us rather let us lose our heads from our shoulders then renounce that saving head who is ascended up into the Heavens above O let us rather effuse our dearest blood and die glorious Martyrs then live Apostates from and die persecutors of Jesus of Nazareth And for your constant incouragement herein let us heartily learn the Apostles inspired Lesson Rom. 8. 7. In all these we are more then Conquerers through him that loved us FINIS