for his Seed remains in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God 1 John 3.9 Now let Priest Bond prove where ever the Apostle Preached such a Doctrine as in all true Believers there is a cursed Root of Bitterness mortified and not nullified in this World Death only makes the Conquest over Sin So we must understand we must have this cursed Root of Bitterness as long as the Believers live according to Priest Bond 's Doctrine though he has not proved it by Scripture and then how can they be kept blameless to the Day of the Lord as in page 85 Priest Bond saith 't is an erroneous Principle for the Quakers to say that the Scriptures are not the word of God in page 77. and page 87. he brings many Scriptures and makes a great pudder and abuses them to prove it but to no purpose his declarative word of God but he hath not proved such a word in Scripture all Scripture is given forth by Inspiration of God c. 1 Tim. 3. Therefore saith Priest Bond the Scriptures is the word of God but that Scripture doth not say so 2 Tim. 3. And in page 88. Priest Bond falls a Railing against Quakers and saith Is there any word asserted to be the word of Christ but the written word of Truth Doth not the Apostle say that the Word of Faith is nigh in the heart let the word of Christ dwell in you c. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the word of God the word of God endures for ever and are these Writings of the Letter And Priest Bond saith page 88. The Lord hath no other will as a Rule of Obedience than his will revealed in the written Scriptures had the Lord no other will or Rule of Obedience before the Scripture was written Prove that by Scripture Priest Bond runs into Lies and foul words the Quakers worship cannot be accepted of God Quakers are under the power of Satan gross blind and ignorant the Cavil is idle and vain These Lyes Priest Bond may apply to himself but where doth the Scripture say of themselves in so many words as S. B. doth that the Scripiures are the infallible standing Rule of his Faith and Life and yet acts contrary to them for the Scripture saith The Holy-Ghost shall lead you into all Truth and no Man knows the things of God But the Spirit of God and Holy Men spake forth Scripture as they were moved by the holy Ghost And Priest Bond falls a railing against Quakers Spirit and calls it their Idol light within seducing Quakers is blind These filthy ungodly words he had better apply to himself Priest Bond saith Because the Spirit is antecedent to the Scriptures therefore none can walk in the Scriptures till they walk in the Spirit This consequence is lame saith Bond Page 90. Howbeit the Scriptures are before the Spirit in respect of aid and assistance The Apostle doth not say so in 1 Pet. 1. The Apostle tells you The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So it is the Spirit of God that brings people both to discern the Scriptures and to walk according to them which Spirit of God or Holy-Ghost was before they were written which moved the holy men to give them forth And Bond saith To the Law and the Testimony the Written Word he adds Written Word and yet he saith Scripture is his Rule And Bond saith When the Spirit of Truth is come it shall guide you into all truth of the Scriptures And yet he saith The Written Scriptures are the Infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life page 89. 91. And how can the Scriptures be the Rule and the Spirit of Truth must be the guide into all the truth of the Scriptures And again Priest Bond contradicts himself and saith He affirms that the matter contained in the Scriptures is the only infallible standing rule of Faith and Life Page 91. So then the Scriptures are not the only rule but that which is contained in them And what is that which is contained in them which is thy Rule seeing the Holy-Ghost was in them which moved them to speak them forth and in them that leads them into all the truth of them But Priest Bond is all the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelations thy Rule and all that is contained in them For the Scripture speaks of the Devils words and bad men's words as well as the good Priest Bond saith The People of God had no Word Written from Adam to Moses and yet they had a Word given from God to be the rule else their worship would have been like the Quakers Will-worship If Priest Bond have not the same Word and Holy-Ghost as they had he cannot Worship God in Spirit and Truth neither can he be born again of the incorruptible seed but by that Word which lives and abides and endures for ever And Will-worship is not the Quakers who worship God in Spirit and Truth but his own In Page 92. Priest Bond is full of railing against Quakers their Idol light within craftily thrown down the Scriptures this Plot cannot be from the Spirit of Christ blind rotten and wicked spirit your Light that false Christ within See how wickedly Bond torments himself and blasphemes against the true Christ and the Light in his people Priest Bond saith Where is that place of Scripture to be found which saith the Scriptures are to be tryed by the Spirit the Spirits are to be tryed by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the Spirit Then Priest Bond what Scripture had they to try withal from Adam to Moses before the Scripture was written And Priest Bond saith It is the Holy-Ghost that leads into all truth of the Scriptures Then it must try the truth of them whether they be rightly translated or no And the Spirit of God will not deny its own Words And again Priest Bond saith The Spirit witnesses in the Scripture But where doth the Scripture say such words That the Spirit witnesses in the Scripture Priest Bond saith The Spirit witnesses in the Scripture that he is a righteous man who walks in all the Commandments or Ordinances of the Lord page 99. And page 87. Thou saith in contradiction There is in all true Believeâ—â— a cursed root of bitterness and death makes only the conquest over sin But we tell thee That Christ through death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death and makes an end of Sin Then Priest Bond falls a railing Quakers damnable delusion hellish Impostor that Idol light for if they might herein prevail and withal get into the Saddle they would undoubtedly soon arreign try and condemn the inspired Bible of God to the Fire and Fagot These are horrid malicious Lies Blasphemed from Priest Bonds evil Tongue For we have esteemed and do own the Scriptures more
Scriptures I looked for it but not finding it I must needs judge his charges to be false And for his saying That it was one of thâ— Principles of the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus to hold that the Body of Christ was not raised from the Dead To this I answer if it were one of their Principles to hold such a thing what is this to the People called Quakers they do not hold it for they as confidently be ieve the Resurrection of Christ â—ody as Sampson Bond or any other Man need do according to the Testimony of severa faithful Witnesses given oâ— him in the Holy Sâ—riptures of Truth The second Principle that he saith them Beasts at Eph sus held is 2dly That no Mans Body shall be raised from the Dead First This I want a plain Scripture to prove First That it was one of those Men that Paul fought with Secondly I want a place of Scripture to prove that it is the Natural Carnal or Earthly Body of all Mankind that shall rise again after Death To this I need say but little because I do not find the thing proved that is asserted But least any should think or say I make that my excuse to save my answer I answer to it thus that for many to say hold and believe that the Natural Bodies of all Mankind shall rise again after Death this I esteem great ignoracne aâ—d doth in no wise agree with the Apostles Words as may be seen in the 1 Cor. 15.35 Where the Apostle speaking concerning the Resurrection put forth a Question and afterwards answered it himself saying But some Man will say how are the Dead raised up and with what Body do they come his answer was in the 36 Vers Thou fool that which thou sowest is not quickned except it dye Vers the 37. And that which thou sowâ—st thou sowest not that Body that shall be and in the 38 Vers But God giveth it a Body as it hath pleased him Verse the 42. So also is the Resurrection of the Dead it is sown in corruption it is raised in incorruption and Verse the 44 of the same Chap. saith It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body And this Testimony of the Apostles I own and farther do believe a Resurrection both of the just and the unjust the one namely the just or they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and the other namely they that have done Evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation according to Christs own Words in John 5.29 Thus I having come through the thing which I at first intended though I could have here more inlarged concerning the Light within which Sampson Bond hath spoken so much Evil agaist it being that which our Lord Jesus Christ hath given a measure of to all Men to lead them out of Darkness and so into the Marvelous Light and Kingdom of Peace Yet here I forbear expecting that he will not miss the Hand Writing of some other to answer him both to that and several other things asserted in his Book Bermudas the 1st Month 1683. William Wilkinson A BRIEF TOUCH OF THE DECEIT AND False Doctrine OF SAMPSON BOND THe mighty strength as he thinks of this operative blind embondaged Sampson Bond lies in his 17th and 66th page wherein he grindes and grins against the Truth of the Gospel and he sayes wounds to Dâ—ath a meer Lye that which makes a Devil the spirit that now works in the Children of Disobedience and in him a Falshood a Nullity nothing in his Text an Expletive of the Translaters having nothing or it in the Greek making an Ambiguity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bipenâ—â—â— which he makes use of as his Two edged Sword his Ax to wrest the Apostles Words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which are Know ye not that Christ dwells in you c. not How Christ dwelleth c. which word How which Justin Martyr a most eminent Writer soon after the Apostles dayes Juâ—i Mâ—r yr 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes is an Argument of Vnbelief to say How God is in men he makes his Text the Handle of his Mill the Hinge of his Work that brings him his Grist his Christ only without Word only without nothing within but his How a meer Manner Mode without Substance by his Popish Philosophy and Divinity like that of their Bread God And 't is no Wonder he lays such stress on the Translaters How not the Apostle's Know for the New Doctrine they have got up against us contrary not only to the Primitive Fathers but also to the Protestant Reformers is That the Spirit of Christ is not Objective and Perceptive See G Keith's Quakerisâ—n no Popery citing Aug. Luther Zwâ—ngl us Melancton c and h s Bâ—ok of â—â—mmediâ—te Revelation aâ—d his Answer to the Dr. of Jena in Defence of Robert Barclay on that part but only Subjective and Effective as their Terms are his is Operative here that is according to his Comparison as the Sun's Effect is on Plants c. they not perceiving it So the Son's Effect is on Men yet they not knowing but only believing the Doctrine and that they have they have it This he shews is his by his Restraint in his Interpretation of John 1.1 and there is grounded his Argument against W.W. and our Friends in pag. 66. which is Popish not Protestant Doctrine too large a Field to be entred on here against such an inconsiderable Adversary who deserves but such answer as the Man made the Popish Priest that had taught him to believe Transubstantiated Christ to be his saying Believe thou hast him and thou hast him But lest he should conceit Silence to be as empty an Answer as his Text How wherein he would place the emphasis I shall offer him t'other glass to pâ—ove it that he is not beside his Text and that seeing he sayes the Hour-glass knows as wâ—ll his Terms as his Adversary it proves not the Divisions and Terms of time better than he does those of that Scripture that is Prove and Know wherein the Apostle's emphatical stress is laid not S. B's How For on the word Prove the Apostle discants after his manner as others have also observed using the word six times here twice in this Verse once before and three times after it as in Vers 3. A PROOF of Christ speaking in me Vers 5. PROVE your selves KNOW ye not that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be UNAPPROVED Vers 7. Not that we should appear UNAPPROVED We might be as UNAPPROVED Now here this Great Greek THRASONICAL SAMPSON boasting over unlearned Men with his Metonymyes and Syllogisms proves himself REPROBATE UNAPPROVED in the Greek in the words of his Text going beside it and placing the weight of the sentence on that which is not in it in the Greek in which the Apostle wrote and omitting that on which the Apostle insists so much viz KNOW by PROOF which word signifies to
Body and Soul which is another Lie and in the same page he saith A teaching Quaker doth deny Jesus to be the Christ and therefore a Teaching Quaker is a Lier and an Antichrist O thou shameless Man when wilt thou cease to cast Dirt at Gods Herritage when wilt thou cease to accuse the Innocent whom dost thou think to Harm by thy Slanders and Evil aspersions for they return upon thine own Head and that most justly for thy Nakedness is hereby uncovered to thy shame yet canst thou not cease but still goest on to defame those Innocent People whom the Lord loves and delights in even those whom thou disdains whom the Lord hath Begotten his own Image in even those doest thou accuse to be of the Dragon and Beast and to be contradicters and Blaspheamers Well The Lip of Truth shall be Established for ever but a Lying Tongue is but for a moment Prov. 12.19 Another Grand accusation S. B. lays down in page 41. viz. The professed perfection of a Quakers seeming Sanctity consists in thee and thou thereby denying all Reverential respects to any sort of Men of what Ranck or Quallity soever Reply Though it be certainly true that the Faithful People called Quakers do use the Words thee and thou to a Singular yet it is most false to say that we do it for that End to deny all Reverential Respects to all sorts of Men c. In denyal of this his false Accusation I do here Testifie in the presence of God that when I first took it up it was in the true tenderness of Conscience and in obedience to the Inward requirings of Gods Spirit in my Heart who required obedience of me And when I first used the word to my Superiours it being in the Infancy of Truth in this Island and People had not been used to such a manner of Speech and my self having been accustomed to say you to a particular Person it became an exceeding great Tryal so that if I could have had Peace where I stood I believe I should not have Submitted but it was Manifest that it was the practice of the Saints in all Ages of the World to the end of the Primitive times so that this manner of Speaking you to a Singular Person came up under the Reign of Antichrist in the Dark Night of Apostacy in which State I stood as well as many more but when the Lord was pleased to begin to Rend the Vail that was over the Hearts of People and the Morning Star arose and the day of Christ began to break forth most clearly then the Lord was pleased to begin to open mine Eyes and I saw among the many things that then appeared to be parted with that this was one that I must part with and I must come to the plain Language which the Saints were in in Ages by past every one Speaking Truth to his Neighbour otherwise I must part with Truth it self so I was even constrained to take up the Cross in the self denial otherwise I saw I could not be Christs Disciple So that this is another Slander against the Innocent tending to the Filling up of S. Bonds Cup to make way for Gods wrath to be Executed upon him For this I know the Saints Leader is one and Leads in the Path of Humility all that do truly obey him and in Humility I took up this Practice and not in any Pride the Lord knows but can as truly give Magistrates their due aâ— ever always having an Eye to Conscience to keep that undefiled that the Lord may have first his due So the Honour belonging to Men to Fathers and Mothers is in the Lord and this is right and according to the Gospel order Eph. 5.1 Now S. B. in his mannageing of this assertion against us he lays down his Foundation thus that thee and you you and thou are not always in Scripture of distinct signification but are sometimes of the same signification and to prove this he names Lev. 19.12 Ye shall not Swear by my Name Falsly Neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God and to this adds Jer. 3.12 Return thou Back-Sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to burn forth against you Reply Take notice of the Subtilty of this Crafty Priest he not being willing to come to the true Language neither being able himself to bear it he seeks to Blind the Eyes of People that so he may keep them in their Sins by perswading them that God himself puts no difference sometimes between the words but makes them both of one signification And thus he seeks to Blind People perverting or hideing the true sence of the Scripture and putting upon them a sence best pleasing to himself for the carrying on of his intended design But for all that thou hast said or all that thou hast yet farther to say shew me but one Scripture in all the Bible where the Lord or any one particular Saint ever made use of this word you to any one particular Person where there was no more at least included otherwise thy Argument will fall to the Ground like an old Building whose Foundation is Rotten and as in reason to use the word thee or thou to many is Ridiculous among Men they being evermore proper to the Singular number and altogether improper to the Plural So on the other hand you being formed of yea the Second Person in the Plural Number is likewise Ridiculous to be put to the Singular And as to the Scriptures by thee mentioned according to the true Sence of them the plain Language is not at all confounded neither is the words thou or you at all used out of their proper place but each bears its own proper distinction and signification for when the Lord speaks to the Multitude of the Sons of Jacob as to many as it is written I will Multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven then he uses the word you but when he Speaks to his People in a particular or singular Sence as to one House the House of Israel or to one particular Nation he makes use of the word thou or thee so the Scripture stands clear from S. Bonds false Interpretation and the plain Language among Men unconfounded So this practice it is agreeable both to Scripture Precept Example and Right Reason But whereas S. B. would make his Hearers believe that the Ancient Saints did use it only as moved by the Spirit it is true the Spirit always moves Men to Speak Truth but let him shew me in any one particular were they did use any other manner of Communication then thee and thou to a particular in their common Discourse and yet it did no ways hinder them Saints from giving to every one their due Honour to whom Honour Tribute to whom Tribute c. Neither were those Saints exalted with Pride as thou falsly chargest us but Pride doth Manifestly appear in thee who would have all to bow under thee and put off
Judgment and opinion because he cannot receive his Doctrine was this for which they were Whipped Judgment or Opinion was it not rather matter of Fact and so justly deserving Corporal punishment for they were Buying and Se ling contrary to the Law of God And how c nst thou be justified S. B. who art found doing the same things who pretending to be a Minister of Christs and to have received a gift for the Service of the Church which is Christs Spiritual Temple and yet contrary to the Doctrine of Christ who Taught his Discâ—ples to dispence their gift freely thou makes Sale of this thy pretended gifâ— making Merchandice of the Scriptures and of thy Prayers and of that which ye commonly call Sacraments and thus thou art making Traffick of thy pretended gifts So now do thou seriously consider and tell me which way thou canst clear thy self from this Transgression and so from just punishment according to thy Transgression Secondly thy Transgression is beyond the Transgression of William Harriot if thou couâ—dest make him out to be a Transgressor or if thou couldest make good thy charge against him he did not Curse or Reproach or Villifie Christ as thou hast done against the inward manifestation of the Spirit in the Saints whom we believe and are suâ—e is that very Spirit in Measure in each that dwelt in Jesus Christ without Measure whom thou hast Reviled Blasphemed and Reproâ—ched whom the Lord wiâ—l reward according to thy Works And thus thy persecuting Spirit doth manifestly appear so that we see plainly had thou Power in thy Hands what would become of all such as Decented from thy Doctrine Corporal punishments would soon attend them Whipping Posts and Gibbets and Halters and such-like would soon be our Portion from thee whom I once heard to say that we Lackt a Halter to Choak our Errors a manifest Token of a Persecutor who art also found here pressing the Magistrate as much as in thee lyes to Execute their Power against such as Dâ—scent not from the Scripture but from thy Judgment or opinion of the Scripture nor from the true Christ The next Prater he saith was William Wilkinson who becâ—use himself hath answered the several particulars wherein he was chiefly corcerned I do not find such a necessity so much to concern my self with the same In the 62 Page this Priest reasoning strongly with William Wilkinson against the inward appearance of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World he saith that Fran. Estlack shot his Boult and said the Deity was in him Answer The word Deity was not mine but his own Nevertheless I did bear my Testimony to the Indwelling of the Spirit of Christ And here Mark he undertakes to know and declare my meaning meaning said he that the Deity only was my true and only Saviour which by adding this Word only seeks to perswade People that I deny the Body of Christ but to this I have said sufficient before but immediately in a kind of deriding manner in answer to my Words said So he is in Catts and Doggs Judge is not that an Irreverent Expression But here by the way I cannot but take notice of his exposition of the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.16 Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him so no more Here he saith Flesh is not here taken for the mankind nature of Christ but Flesh is to be understood in this sense viz. we must know him no more after worldly greatness and honour creature Pomp and Dignity So this Priest saith the word Flesh is to be understood To which I answer although the Jews did expect the Messiah so to come this was but their blind imagination But when was he ever known so to come When did either Jew or Gentile so know him Therefore I say plainly to me it doth appear that S. B. hath greatly wronged this Scripture for he viz. the Apostle doth seem to confess that they had known Christ after the Flesh but sure I am they never so knew him as decked with the Glory of this world for he said The Son of man hath not where to lay his head So by the Flesh could not be meant of a fleshly glory From whence I thus argue If Christ must be known no more after the Flesh then he must now be known only after the Spirit or else the knowledg of Christ must cease for that will truly follow And if so then the Flesh of Christ as Man and the Spirit which is God is truly distinguished so God is not the Flesh of the outward Man neither is the Flesh of the outward man God as this Priest doth presumtuously seem to affirm without any true ground of Scripture to maintain his Doctrine But this by the way But to return again to the words or expression of this Priest for which I did before charge him with Blasphemy he sought to gloss it over before the people as if he spake of God in a more general way although by his own confession in his Book he spake of him as a Saviour as the Being of all Beings and gives Life and Breath unto all living and is the upholder of the Creation without whom nothing could consist Which he pretending this to the people it was not at all out of the good order to press the inward presence or manifestation of Christ in his Saints Yet a little farther I still making use of the former Scripture which is Christ in you the hope of Glory At which he said he was moved and it was manifest by his prophane and ungodly expression If Christ be in you whether is he in your Brains Leggs or Guts But this expression as S. B. then spake it he hath not truly set it down in his Book But it appears he hath been exercising his File he spake of in the bâ—ginning of his Book having seen some Ruggedness in his expression which hath perhaps caused him to mince it and also to change the word Guts into Bowels to which he saith my answer was ready this is an Ishmael Yea and I say again thou art an Ishmaelite and I believe according to the name in one sence thou art heard of God for the Lord hath heard thy revilings and thy Scornings and they are recorded and written as with the point of a Diamond which shall never be razed out except thou repent And by these thy mocking and sâ—offing expressions that Nature doth manifest it self in thee more and more to be Ishmael's Nature the Son of the Bond-woman who hath no part in the Inheritance with the Son of the Free woman but must be cast out because he was seen to mock at Isaac the figure of the blessed Seed But thou art here sound mocking at the true Seed as it is raised up to raign in the hearts of Gods Elect. The next thing I take notice of was the passage about old Henry Smith who was as at that day above Eighty years of Age
World and upholds it by the same Word of Power who after he had purged our sins said the Apostle sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High Ephes 4.6 And this is he who fills all things and is above all and in us all So all those that desire to know their Sin purged must know Christ not at a distance only but nigh even dwelling in them else they are Reprobates which all the obedient in Heart do Witness according to his promise If a Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So he that believeth in Christ at a distance only never knows a fulfilling of Christs Words in them who said He and his Father would make their abode with them For it was revealed by the Holy Ghost to Old Simeon before he had seen the Lords Christ and Simeon came by the Spirit into the Temple c. And the Angel of the Lord told Ioseph that which was conceived in Maâ—y is of the Holy Ghost Now Simeon by the Spirit and Holy Ghost did see the Lords Christ which was conceived by the Holy Ghost who was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost So this was a Spiritual Sight not Natural For the Natural Man receives not the things of God they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them bâ—cause they are Spiritually discerned Mat. 1.20 Luke 2.26 27. 1 Cor. 2.14 And the Angel said to Mary that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God And doth not Christ say That none knowes the Father nor the Son but by Revelation 3. S. B. saith farther we make the Angels Lyars who said he bore witness only to the Body or Man Luke 2.11 To which I Answer I deny that the Angels there do bear Witness meerly to the Body for in their Testimony they testifie to this Saviour as a King For unto you is Born said they in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Which Word Christ relates to his Kingly Power which was Spiritual as he saith My Kingdom is not of this World And the Testimony or Message the Angel brought to Mary as concerning the Son of God who was now coming to be made manifest in the Flesh said He should Reign forever and his Kingdom should have no End Luke 1.33 For the Angel said Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emanuel which being Interpreted is God with us So here you may see that the Angels bore Witness more then only to the Body or Man Mat. 1.23 as Sampson Bond doth assert which he has not proved So Mary believed God and did not ascribe the Work of Salvation to him meerly as Man but to God saying My Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Vers 47. I would not have any one to think because I plead so much for the Spirit that I deny the Body of Christ but do own it in all points as the Scripture doth declare of it and so give the Honour due unto it Though I cannot believe the things declared by S. B. in his Nonscriptural expressions The last thing which is the Apostles Testimony of Christ I have sufficiently spoke to already and so shall wave it here So People may see how far short of his promise he came in proving his Three Accusations with the greatest clearness from the Holy Scripture so hath little cause to boast or glory of his Victory for the Truth stands over his Head and will do for ever The Third and last Accusation is That the prime Principles of a Quaker is the same that was held and professed by the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus And to prove this he first doth endeavour to prove that those Beasts did deny the Resurrection and said so do we I answer The first was never truly proved and the second is absolutely false his Scripture to prove the first 1 Cor. 15.32 where the Apostle saith If after the manner of Men I have fought with Beasts at Ephesus what doth it avail if the Dead rise not Doth this at all argue that this was the Ephesians profest Principles or doth it not rather argue that the Saints loses their reward for all their labour if the Dead rise not as he saith in the 19th Vers If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all Men most Miserable So that he hath fallen short of his proof and so his Accusation is truly overthrown But inasmuch as he did go on to charge the thing upon us viz That we do deny the Resurrection I do here testifie that it is none of our Principles to deny the Resurrertion for we own it as the Apostles own'd it Not the same Body not a Corruptible Body not a Natural Body a Natural Body hath Flesh Blood and Bones but a Spiritual Body as the Apostle saith And a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones said Christ which before he can prove he must be fain to get new Scripture for the Old will maintain no such Doctrines So though he did stop and hinder me that time by his Mocks and Scoffs and deriding Speeches and clamorous Noise altogether unlike a Preacher of the Everlasting Gospel as he saith in his Paper be is yet now through mercy I trust as the Truth will stand over your Heads so I shall be clear of your Blood whether you will hear or forbear I am a Friend to the Seed and a Lover of your Souls The 11th of the 3d Month 1678. Francis Estlacke Some few Lines briefly Answering some Part of SAMPSON BOND 's Book Entituled The Quakers in BERMUDAS Tryed c. THat part in his Book which I find my self chiefly concerned to make Answer to is where he makes mention of my Name viz. William Wilkinson As for my part I do not know that I should have set Pen to Paper to have made him any Answer had he laid down the Matter concerning me every way Fairly and truly without Abusing me or the Truth but I finding in several places of his Book Words printed that I cannot own to be Truth besides his reviling Speeches which he hath cast at me As Prater a Baffling Quaker and one that never had the Spirit of God in me All which things in the sense he brings them if true were a great Reproach But I knowing it is too hard a thing for him to prove or plainly to make appear do find my self justly concerned to make some reply or answers both to these and several other things for the vindicating of the Truth and my self also from him whom I find in his Book hath very much strove to make his own case appear strong and ours weak c. But according to that saying in Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his Neighbour cometh and searcheth
him The first thing I find in his Book where he takes occasion to mention me is my calling of him Friend To which he answers himseâ—f saying I am none of thy Friend Answer In so saying I have now cause to believe he spoke truth though I had Charity and Friendship towards him as his following words in the same page partly makes appear by his reckoning up a Report of me which was by me many years before in Word Writing and Practice condemned and declared against as also that very time in the Presence of all the People there which were many when the Dispute was he himself being also present who could not but hear I being so near where he was all which a man would think might have been sufficient to have satisfied any Christian-hearted Man But it seems it would not satisfie him But according to that in Prov. 28.13 Whoso confesseth his Sins and forsakes them shall have mercy which was fulfilled as we may read both by and David and Peter after they knew the Truth and they both came again do find acceptance both with God and Man and that it was the practice of the Christians in days past to upbraid any with their Transgression or Sin after truly repented of I do not read so that for his so doing it appears Unnatural and not like a Christian But to proceed to the next thing where he says the next Prater was William Wilkinson in Page 61. where he says I repeated some of the Apostles words in Col. 1.27 Christ in you the hope of Glory Now it is worth the noting here how barely he hath brought this Scripture without laying here down the reason why it was brought which had but been fair and reasonable so to have done but as I before have said so here it doth appear how he strives to make his own cause strong and ours weak but it is not like to pass so For this I know and heard him say If you said he can prove that Christ was ever in any Man as a Saviour I will lay down the Cudgels or words to this very purpose which greatly occasioned me to bring them words of the Apostle which were before mentioned saying Christ in you the hope of Glory which was pretty partenent to that purpose to prove that Christ was in Man as a Saviour seeing the Apostle said Christ in you the hope of Glory Col. 1.27 But here methinks he struggles greatly to have another meaning for the Apostles words then what the Apostle himself said who spoke plainly But he saith This is an inforced sense and destroys the true nature of the word HOPE Now here I would have it well considered by the Reader who is most fitting to be believed the Apostle or Sampson Bond And the Apostle in Rom. 8.24 saith We are saved by Hope And in Gal. 2.20 he saith I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God So that it is plain that Christ is in his People both their Hope and Faith too let this Man say what he will Again he saith in Page 63. That I interrupted him saying We owned Gods Presence in Heaven and in Hell Answ This I disown to be either fairly or truly laid down for I did not bring them Words by way of interruption but what I said tending to that matter was by way of Answer to one of his Questions which was to me thus Quest Is God in Heaven or in Hell Answ To which I Answered him with some of the Words of the Psalms Psal 139.7 8. Whither shall we flee from thy Presence if I ascend up into Heaven thou art there or go down to Hell thou art there To this my Answer he said I said well for so said he he is every where Quest But speedily after he asked me again whether God was in Hell saved or damned To this Question he saith I Answered I will not tell thee these Words I utterly disown as being then spoken by me But it seemes it is little to him to cause such Words to be Printed as were not then spoken and send about the World for People to read as Truth But I hearing him ask this last Question it appeared to me so rediculous as amongst Men and so improper to be asked concerning the Lord who is God over all Blessed for Ever that I Answered I leave it to thee This Answer he saith was no other then a silly shift Now it is worth the Noting how he hath shifted concerning his own Words Where he saith he asked him meaning me Whether his God whose presence he owned to be in Hell was there saved or damned This Word his I disown to be therein mentioned and his own foregoing Words in answer to me helpeth greatly to make appear as may be seen where I answered him to that Question Whether God was in Heaven or in Hell with some of the words of the Psalms he said I said well for said he he is every where Now here his Words did not relate to that sense he hath shifted them where he says his God but his words related to the same God the Psalmist spoke of else why did he say I said well But it is like he hath considered since he asked that Unreverent Question that it was too gross and Improper to go forth so as it was at first stated therefore he would see to help it a little But seeing that I did not Answer this Question according to his expectation I have looked that he should have answered it himself for the satisfaction of the People that heard him But as to that I find him silent and the People left in as much Darkness about it as they were before for what I see or know So that I may say if it were by him accounted Inconsiderable to be answered it was much more Inconsiderable to have been asked But in that 63 Page I find because I did not answer to that foul impertinent Question before mentioned as he would have had me He saith I was one of their Baffling Prating Quakers Answ Methinks it would more a becomed him before he had charged me so high to have had a more sufficient ground for his charge then that was But it seems it is little to him to give bad names and cause to be Printed though upon too sleight a ground for the reason why I did no other wayes answer him I have before given as may be seen in my answer to that unsavoury Question of his The next thing I find he notes concerning me is That I repeated that place of Scripture in the 2 Cor. 5.16 where it is said Though we have known Christ after the Flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more Answ This doing is like some of his former as I have already mentioned to insert the place of Scripture without laying down with it the reason or occasion why
it was brought which might be enough to make a Sober Man admire what I or we did mean so to do But to be short the reason why that Scripture was brought was in answer to him who stood there to affirm Thâ—t Christ as Man was the only material Saviour without joyning the Godhead with the Manhood which place of Scripture I judge was very pertinent to that master shewing that though the Apostles had known Christ after the Flesh yet now henceforth said he kâ—ow we him no more 2 Cor. 5.16 So that of necessity the true sensibâ—e knowledge that any Man could have of Christ for the future time must be in Spiâ—it according to what Christ himself had promised wherein he said He that is with you shall be in you and again he saith in John 16.7 It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you And in the 13th Vers When he the Spirit of Truth is come he will guide you into all Truth The next place of Scripture which he saith I repeated was the 1 Cor. 6.11 where the Apostle saith But ye are washed but ye are justified by the Spirit of God and farther he asserts that I Queriâ—d Why they meaning us might not be washed and justified by the Spirit now as well as others heretofore To which part of his reply was That I never had the Spirit of God in me and to prove it he layes down three Arguments the which I here sleight as not worth the mentioning only this I look upon as worth the noting and I would have them that reads his Book take notice of it in Pag. 65 66 67. where his Charge or Accusation concerning me as abovesaid is mentioned His Charge runs thus That I never had the Spirit of God in me and his proof is only a recharging me in different terms That I have not the Spirit of God in me his Charge in both most uncharitably excludes me from the Spirit of God saying thou never had it it is not in thee And in the other two â—f his censorious judgings his words are hast not and have â—ot Now I say a Man would think that he looking upon himself so wise and so learned as it appears by his Book he does that he should not have repeated such proofless and false Accusations as that I never had the Spirit of God in me which I know through the mercy of God he cannot prove while he lives yet what satisfaction could this be to the People that heard To the Question Propounded the Apostle speaks of some that were bad Sinners as we may read in the 1 Cor. 10.11 But they were Washed and Sanctified and Justified in the Name of the Lord Jâ—sus and by the Spirit of God And the Question to this purpose was why we might not be Washed and Justified now as well as others heretofore This Quâ—stion ought to have been answered directly to because it is commonly spoken of by many in the World that there is no Revelation now adays and no freedom from in on this side the Grave and if so then indeed there were no Spiritual Washing nor Cleansing from Sin in these days as in days past But this I have to say and through the mercy of God am a Witness of that Revelation is not ceased now adays for God hath shewed by his Spirit or Light in the Heart of Man in these days the things that belong unto his Peace he shews unto Man now as in days past that he should do Justly love Mercy and walâ— humbâ—y with the Lord and this Revelation or Manifestation of God by his Spirit or Light in the Heart and Consciences of People is very precious and by taking heed unto this Light within or measure of the Spirit or Grace of God which is all one and the same thing though called by several Names and by loving and obeying it I believe many are come to depart from Sin and Iniquity and come by it to find and feel the true peace fo God And so herein the true Spiritual Washing and Cleansing from Sin is known and witnessed ye even by the powerful working of the Spirit of God in Man But for all his bad Words and hard Speeches which he hath cast not only at me but at the Light within also which may be plainly seen in his Book I can leave him to the Lord to answer for it to whom every Man must give an account for the Deeds done in the Body be they Good or Evil. Now I having answered to his three false Accusations mentioned in the beginning which he in his Book hath cast at me I would have it considered by the Reader whether that which he hath cast at me be not come upon himself Namely where he hath striven to baffle the Apostles meanings to his own Words and give another meaning to them then the Apostle himself there doth where he saith Christ in you the Hope of Glory this Man to wit Sampson Bond calls this an inforced sense and saith It doth destroy the true nature of the Word HOPE Now I would have it well considered by the Reader who hath baffled he or I I that own the Apostles Words or he that has so far disowned them as his Words above mentioned hath made appear And where it is in all his Book that I have either baffled or prated unsound Words that I have not given a sound reason for what I have said to him ought to have been made appear But this I have to say to all People that are not yet convinced of the Truth as my Testimony for it That he or they that hath not Christ in them to wit his Spirit in them their hope of Glory cannot come to know the true living hope of true Glory in them let them Profess what they will And for this many places of Scriptures may be brought to prove As First The Apostles own Words before mentioned Coll. 1.27 where he faith Christ in you the hope of Glory Secondly Christs own Words John 15.5 For without me you can do nothing Thirdly In Phil. 2.13 For it is God that worketh in us both to will and to do of his own good Pleasure Fourthly Where the Apostle saith Gal. 2.20 I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 4.6 And God hath sent the Spirit of his Son into your Hearts crying Abba Father Fifthly In Rom. 8.24 We are saved by Hope Sixthly Rom. 8.9 He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Seventhly It is clear that they that are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God as in Rom. 8.14 where the Apostle saith As many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Eighthly The hope of the Wicked is to
fit to take the Name of the Lord into thy Mouth who has published in Print so many Lies to the World and Blasphemys against the Light and Spirit of Christ Jesus whereby thou hast strengthned the Hands of the Wicked For thy work in thy Book is to stirr up poor Ignorant People to Deride and Blaspheme God in the Appearance of his Spirit Light and Grace which thou thy self hast done which People should wait in Gods fear and in Humility for the Appearance of to cleanse their Hearts and preserve them out of Evil For it is by Grace ye are saved through Faith in Christ Jesus Ephe. 2.8 And so all that comes to this Faith which purifies the Heart will deny such as thou art and their Eye will be opened to see that the Loâ—d is come to teach his People as it is written They shall all be taught of God and such know that they are of God and the whole World lyes in Wickedness and we kâ—ow that the Son of God is come and hath given us an Vnderstanding that we know him that is true and we are in him that is true even in his Son Christ Jesus this is the true God and Eternal Life Little Children keep your selves from Idols Amen 1 John 19 20 21. And Sampson Bond saith in the last Page of his Book O let us rather burn then bow to the Idol Light within which the Roman Nabuchadnezzer hath set up in peaching Quakers O let us dye rather for the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth then leave the mark of the Beast in us or on us c. Reply Sampson Thou begin'st thy Book with a Lie and Blasphemy and endest with it in thy Mouth and canst not dye for the Lord Jesus Christ but the mark of the Beast is on thy Fore-head and in thy Mouth and the Persecuting Idolatrous Spirit of the Church of Rome is in thy Heart who would'st stirr up the Magistrates in Bermudas to Persecution like thy Brethren in New-England who have out-done the Pope that we read of in our day in Persecution in Rifling Houses in Spoiling of Goods Whipâ—ing cuting off ears Banishing upon Pain of Death and Murdering and Drinking the Blood of the Servants and Martyrs of Christ Jesus whereby they are become a by-word to the Nations and if you can clear your selves from the Blood of the Innocent so may the Pope whose off-spring you are in these things and in much more which is further spoken to by G. F in his â—ook New-Englands Fire-brand quenched for Cruelty and Persecution I know none that exceeds you in this Age of the World But the Light never Persecuted any but teacheth the true believers in Christ â—esus to love their Enemies And S. B. saith in his title Page his Book was Printed at Boston in New-England Reply It is very like such a Book might be acceptable in Boston in New-England amongst his Brethren the Priests and Professors in Boston who encouraged the Printing of Roger Williams Blasphemous Book who said to wit Roger Williams That Christ was a Curruptible Man and his Blood was Corruptible Fit Companions for Priest Bond and Priest Intret Madder who said He had nothing that was Good in him But miserable Sheep are they who have no better Shepheards then S. Bond and I. Madder But we do not charge the tender Hearted and moderate People in Boston but such as have been Persecutors and Enemies to the Appearance of God and his People and have besmeared themselves with the Blood of the Innocent which will not be wip'd of in Generations to come no more then Caines who slew his Brother because his works where Righteous and his Evil. But as it is Recorded concerning the Blood of Zacharias which was shed between the Temple and the Altar that all the Blood that was shed from Righteous Abel to that Day should be required at their Hands And you who are become one with that Blood thiâ—sty Persecuting Generation are Recorded with them in the sight of the Lord to be Persecuters and Shedders of Innocent â—lood which God hath and will require at your Hands except a place of Repentance can by you be found And Sampson Bond in the pride of his Heart hath cited Hes 5.2 Pro. 21.24 In the title Page of his Book in reflection upon others without a cause which I justly here turn it back upon his own Head to wit The revolter is profound to make Slaughter Proud and Haughty Scorner is his Name And further he calls himself late Preacher of the Gospel in Bermudas but his work in his Book makes him manifest to be no Preacher of the Gospel but an Enemy to it For the Sacrifice of the Wicked is Abomination how much more when he brings it with a Wicked Mind Prov. 21.27 But thou through a notion might Pâ—each up thy self with fained Words and fair Speeches whereby thou might deceive the Hearts of the simple for thy Dishonest Gain and for thy â—elly like the rest of thy Brethren But the Lord is opening the Understandings of People and will redeem them from under that great Bondage and Captivity wherein you as Instruments under the Power of the â—east hath held them for your gain to satisfy the Lust and Pride of your Hearts that you might still lord it over them But the Lord is breaking your Bonds and scattering your clouds of Darkness and Ignorance wherein you have wrapt up your selves as with a Cloak and by your Sorceries and Divinations you have kept the People under the same Ignorance and Darkness with you and as the Lord by his Spirit hath begotten a tenderness in People and opened an Eye in them in some measure to see where you are and can no longer put into your Mouths then like your fore-fathers you prepare War against them and your anger and malice doth then appear but your Torment and Sorrow will it Encrease For God hath opened a Spiritual Eye in Thousands which see you thoroughly and can buy your Merchandize no more for the Light shines and will shine more and more unto the perfect day and Thousands shall come to the brightness of its rising and we know why you are Angry and Rage and Blaspheme at the Light it is because it discovers your Kingdom of Darkness and your holes where you have hid your selves but your Rage and Fury signifies no more then the Doggs barking at the Moon for the Light vvill shine and the Day vvill dawn and your Darkness must fly avvay although you may rove and make a noise like the Sea yet your Egyptian Tongue must be dryed up and avvay hath God prepared for his ransomed and redeemed to walk in and the Wayfaring-Man though a fool to your earthly-wisdom yet he shall not err therein Glory to the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb for ever vvho sits upon the Throne vvho is and is to come from Everlasting to Everlasting vvho is the antient of Days vvho shall stand last upon the Earth
He is the true Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World and Christ himself said He was the Light of the World Which things are true and his Light is truly felt and known in the Hearts of his Saints So our Testimony we are not ashamed to bring forth to the inward manifestation of the Spirit of Jesus by which we are inlightned and by vvhich the Gentiles are inlightned and is become the glory of Spiritual Israel the inward Jew whose praise is not of Men but of God And so Simeon's Words or Prophecy of him is fulfilled he is become a Light to the Gentiles and Israels glory He likewise names John 20 27. Then said Jesus reach hither thy finger c. And Thomas answered and said unto him My Lord and my God So this Scripture brought by him to prove his Argument hath quite overthrown it For by Thomas his confession the same Jesus who was the true and only Saviour of the World was God as well as Man and Christ did not at all reprove him for his Confession And if God then a Spirit and so is within as well as without As to the fourth of John 42. where he seemeth to say The Men of Samaria confest to the Man Christ only to this I answer it was the same Christ to whom Thomas confest and the same that was before Abraham was even he that whosoever saw truly to be the Christ saw the Father also So here having no ground to prove his Argument which the said S. B. calls Apostolical it doth at once fall to the ground The third Argument that this Priest uses to prove his Charge viz The Quakers Saviour within him to be the false Christ is in page 3. If the true Christ and our only Saviour did at once without us in and by his own crucfied Body on the cross finish and perfect the work office of a Saviour ithen a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ But the true Christ and our only Saviour did at once without us in and by his own crucified Body on the Cross finish and perfect the whole work and office of a Saviour therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ All which he grounds upon these Scriptures following Heb. 10.12 14. Heb. 2.14 1 Pet. 2.24 Eph. 2.15 16. Heb. 9.26 Eph. 5.2 Col. 1.22 Neither doth any one of these Scriptures prove the whole office of a Saviour perfected in his crucified Body at once upon the Cross Although I confess that the whole work of a Saviour so far as was of him required to be performed in and by that Body was perfectly performed and nothing wanting as pertaining to our Salvation But is this the whole office of a Saviour Is there nothing farther to be done Is the believing of this sufficient without sanctification Is it not the office of Christ as a Saviour to give rest and peace to such as he saves must he not redeem from under the power of Sin and destroy Sin in our mortal Bodys Is this no part of the office of Christ as a Saviour The Apostle Paul Rom. 8.2 testified to the work of the Spirit within saying The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free frrom the Law of Sin and Death Now this faithful Servant of the Loâ—d after he came to believe and was truly satisfied as concerning the work done by Jesus of Nazareth without him yet if you read Rom. 7. you shall see what a grievous complaint he makes concerning the Body of Death which still remained in him and of the Law in his Members that still made war against the Law in his Mind and captivated his Members to the Law of Sin and Death So that although the purchase was made the debt paid and remission of Sins obtained through the Death and Sufferings of Christ Jesus and also triumphantly manifested to the World by his Resurrection of which there were many Witnesses as the Apostle doth declare 1 Cor. 15. yet for all this the Enemy sought to keep his hold and Paul was so far sensible of the same that it made him cry out Oh Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from the Body of this Death which as he waited he came to know a farther work of Salvation then that which was done at once without him in the Crucified Body of Jesus on the Cross for through the power of the same Jesus not another he became crucified also to the World and the World unto him and so being Crucified with Christ by which he felt himself Dead to Sin he also did pertake of his Resurrection and so received a new Life through the quickenings of Christ Jesus who lived in him and so was truly made alive unto God Gal. 2.20 So this is the very thing that the faithful whom S. B. doth scornfully call Quakers do testifie of viz of the work of the Son of God within and of his inward quicknings in our Souls by which we also are made alive unto God though we do not deny the work of Salvation wrought by the Man Jesus Christ without us in his own Crucified Body on the Cross but believe it every whit even as the Scripture doth declâ—re oâ— it And do resolve to wait in the inward manifestation of the Son of Gâ—d wâ—o is Light whom S. B. so often reproaches in his scandalous Book â—ith wicked and reproachful Names yet we are not ashamed to own him in â—is inward manifestation through whose Power we do certainly believe and truly expect to feel the Power of Darkness Sin and Death truly vanquished in us as well as for us as it is written He doth all our works in us and for us And so he becomes the Author of Eternal Salvation to all that do obey him so Christ saves not to halves as People imagin as to pay the price of the Redemption for such as are taken Captive by the Enemy of their Souls and yet leave them under his Power and Jurisdiction but to as many as believe Love and Obey him he redeems also from under the Power of Sin and Death and gives them dominion over it and so he becomes a perfect Saviour saving both within and without saving to the uttermost all that come unto God by him So these are they who are for ever perfected through the one offering even those that according to the will of God are sanctified through the Blood and Spirit of Jesus which the Saints do inwardly feel to cleanse them from the defilements of Sin So this I Judge to any rational and unbiassed Spiritâ— is sufficient to the Answer of S. B's 3d Argument by which he seeks to prove his Charge viz That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him as he is pleased to call it is not the true Christ but the false Sam. Bonds 4th Argument in page 4. If the true Christ and our only Saviour be in Heaven
by that Christ within whereupon I said then truly thou must be Damn'd for if Christ be not within the Apostles saith they are Reprobates These were the very words I spoke not at all denying the appearance of Christ in Body So His and their Lies and false Reports I leave at their own door knowing that a day of Account will come when the Lord will bring the Hidden things of Darkness to Light and will pass Judgment in Truth and Righteousness As for the rest of the matter in that Page contained about questioning with me about Heaven I do not remember any thing of it as he has laid it down only this I remember that upon some question demanded I answered that I did believe Christ was in Heaven to which George Basâ—ome or Laurance Dill answered that I would deny it again to Morrow So that answer arose from that confession rather then the foregoing as mentioned by S. B. Now in answer to the thing he said I charge on him viz. that he had not mentioned Christ as God in the work of Mans Salvation Sampson's Bond in his answer seems to affirm that the Apostles although they knew that Christ was God as well as Man yet they Preached up the Man only to be believed in for the Remission of sins both to the Jews and Gentiles and saith farther that the Apostles do Joyntly Testifie of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the only Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World Reply I answer to the former part although the Apostles in their first going out to preach Christ to the Jewish People did mention the Manhood yet this did not at all Argue that he must not believe in as God for the Remission of Sin for as I have said before to the same purpose there was sufficient cause for them so strongly to contend with that people who had the Scripture and by the Scripture did understand that there was a mighty Prince to arise of the stock of David that should fit upon his Throne and Reign over the House of Israel The Apostles might therefore Judge in themselves that it would be in vain for them to Preach to the Jewes of the Invisible Glory of Christ till this Scruple were removed viz. whether Jesus of Nazareth were the promised Messiah yea or nay So I say this was their work thus to Testifie of him and then it rightly falls in after they were brought to believe that this was really he that should come and that they were not to look for another and that this King was cut off by such an Ignominous Death I say it did then rightly fall in to Testifie and declare and to give them an understanding what manner of King he should be over what People he was to Rule as also what manner of Kingdom it should be viz. a Spiritual King a Spiritual Kingdom and a Spiritual People even Spiritual Israel But when the Apostle wrote of Christ to the believing Romans he declared him as God Blessed for ever as well as Man Rom. 9.5 Also he declares him the Lord from Heaven the quickning Spirit 1 Cor. 15. He calls him the Second Adam the Lord from Heaven and whom Paul was first sent forth to Preach Act 26. He was sent to turn Men from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Sathan to God by all which it appears plainly that it was never the work of the Apostles nor of any of Christs true Ministers to Preach Christ to be believed in for the Remission of Sins as Man only without the God-head Therefore what God hath Joyned together let no Man put a sunder 2. Whereas S. B. saith that the Apostles bore a Testimony joyntly to the Man that he was the only Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World No Quaker denys that And John speaking of Christ saith He was prefered before him for saith he He was before me Now if he had spoke of Christ barely as Man then John would have been found a false witness of Christ for as Man John was six Months before him as to his Age as may appear in Luk. 2. So he that but a little before charged me with belying the Holy Evangelist John himself is fallen under the condemnation and I am clear of his charge Having thus Traced S. B. through his four Arguments frained to prove his first Charge and given to each of them a particular answer grounded upon plain Scripture Truth and right Reason agreeing thereto and his many false and Slanderous accusations brought fourth against me and the Light by me believed in with his Mallicious reproachful Lies and Blasphemies against the appearance of God in the Creature and given answer thereto I intend now God willing to pass forward to note his following Irregularities he having to do with other Friends as well as my self viz. The Lyes Slanders Mockings Blasphemies and False Interpretations of the Scripture and to give Answer to the same as I see occasion not intending a large discourse upon each particular But as it were to note here and there as I see a necessity to lay open his Deceit thereby to clear the Truth and Friends falsly charged And now to begin with his first work following in pag. 24. he saith William Bullock whose name by him is mistaken his name is Stephen Bullock was the next Disputant who mentioned the first of the Rom. 19. which he saith doth not at all answer the present matter by way of proof to prove the Saviour within to be the True Christ Now here mark how this Interpreter in his Interpretation of this Scripture doth make use of one word viz. Shewed it to them in the Text which seemed most fit for his turn not only to confound but quite to race out the other Manifest in them as if it had never been Inserted that thereby it might not prove that for which I judge this Scripture was brought to prove the inward Manifestation of Christ as God who is Truth it self even as Christ saith I am the Way the Truth and the Life Now in the foregoing verse the Apostle saith The wrath of God is Revealed from Heaven against all Vngodliness and Vnrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness Mark here is a Generation that holds the Truth in Unrighteousness and thus he clears it up because said he that which may be known of God is manifest in them viz. in these unrighteous Men but is it not hid in them nay it is manifest in them for he hath shewed it unto them Now this word unto this Priest hath mad use of to overthrow the true sence of the word in so that by this his interpretation having raised out the internal manifestation or inward Teaching of Gods Spirit in the Heart he hath only set up an External Teacher without i. e. the Visible Creation without by which only neither he nor the wisest Man in the World by all their Craft
the Heart and this is a certain Truth where the Heart is Purified the Hands will not be Defiled And in 1 Joh. 3.3 The Apostle gives a certain and undeniable Character of a Lively hope saying Every Man that hath this hope in him Purifieth himself even as he is pure And in the 9 ver Speaking of this Nature saith He that is Born of God Sinneth not So now compare thy self with these Testimonies of the Saints in Ages past and see if Thou can bring forth such a Testimony of the true Divine Nature in thy self If Thou should say Thou could Thy Book would stand as a Testimony against Thee especially toward the latter end where Thou art found to contend with all thy Might for Sin the Devils Kingdom that Men cannot be free as long as they are in the Body Now then tell me where is thy living Faith and lively Hope thou spoke of and art thou not then one of the Carnal Gospellers thou spoke of And whereas S. B. seeks to cast this upon the Quakers he hath fallen exceedingly short of his purpose for we are not the Men that ever said the Graces or the Effects or opperations of the Spirit within is the true Christ and our only Saviour as thou chargest us but our true Saviour is he from whom those Graces and Effects come and by whom those Opperations are wrought in us And seeing Thou wert so exceedingly mistaken that Thou didst understand indeed as by Thine own Confession that we did make the opperations of the Spirit of God within us which thou callest the effects or Graces of the Spirit to be our True and Only Saviour How darest Thou then so Wickedly to Villifie the Graces Effects and Opperations of the Spirit of God and Man if we had been so mistaken with such Ungodly Blasphemous Infamous Terms or Expressions as in many places in thy Book are found as Antichrist Cursed Gospel within Idol-Light Glow worm Familier c. How canst Thou escape the Judgment of the Righteous God for the Lord hath found Thee out and Thine Enmity against his Spirit is now discovered thy covering is found to be too short and too narrow for thou art not covered with Gods Spirit Thine own Pen hath discovered thine own Shame and the Lord will make the People to see it even as many whose Eyes he shall open and thy words shall be thy Burthen in the day of the Lord for the time draws near that the Lord will Reckon with thee he doth but wait till thy Cup is full and then he will Smite and not spare except in the mean time thou do Repent But to Proceed The next Scripture he saith mentioned by me was 1 Cor. 6.11 We be to prove Christs Inward Manifestation in the Heart to Sanctifie and save Man from the Power of Sin but ye are washed c. where he saith I Craftily omitted in the Name of the Lord Jesus to abuse their Judgments to make them believe Justification in the Sight of God is a work of the Spirit within us which I can see no other but that he would have the work of Justification altogether without and nothing of it known within But miserable is that Mans condition who hath no better Evidence of his Salvation then so but must needs leave his Assurance for another World In Page 31. Take notice of the confusion of this Priest who after he hath so strongly argued for the work of Mans Salvation viz. that the whole work was perfectly Finished at once without us in Christs own Crucified Body on the Cross Yet now he grants that it is to be wrought within us not at once but by degrees even by the Spirit of God so the work which was so perfectly and compleatly Finished before without us yet now it must be wrought within us by the Spirit of God before it can be effectual to us This is confusion with a Witness is not thy whole work overthrown let the Reader consider and judge is it not the same thing we have contended for and is it not the same thing against which thou hast hardned thy Heart and Stiffned thy Neck Is not this the Spirit of God that works thus Inwardly that which thou callest The Quakers Pretended Saviour which thou so often call The False Christ The Devil with many other Reviling Ungodly Blasphemous Speeches or did the Quakers ever pretend to any other Saviour within then the Spirit of Christ Jesus who is the Light who is the worker of the things whereof thou Speaks Well all this doth Redound to thy own Shame and will also make thy Judgment more then thou wilt be able to bear except thou speedily Repent Again in pag. 31. S. B. saith that I said that I was in some measure washed from my sins which he calls new Divinity and a most false and dangerous Doctrine for saith he he doth clearly deny that the Messiah Jesus Christ of Nazareth hath at once by his own Crucified Body without us on the Cross finished Transgression and Sin Answer When will thy confusions come to an end didest thou not say but now that though the Work of Salvation were done at once without us yet it must be wrought by degrees by the opperation of the Spirit within and now I come to bear Reoord to the same thing you cries out false and dangerous Doctrine who is so Blind that cannot see thy confused Doctrines who can but Judge thee even Drunk with Enmity as a Man overcome with Strong-Drink Reeling this way and that way and but seldome in the Right way one while confessing to the Spirits working within and by and by denying it again besides he doth not only say that it is false and dangerous Doctrine but in Pag 32. he tells wherein saying it plainly denies the one Propitiatory Sacrifice of the one Crucified Body of the Man Jesus Christ Immediately after his usual manner breaking forth in reviling expressions against the Light calling it unbloody Redeemer Idol-Light and the Pope in all which his Enmity is greatly manifested against the Graces Effects and opperations of the Spirit within which he saith in page 29. the Quakers make their true and only Saviour The next Scripture words mentioned by Friends was as he said by Stephen Bullock Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death which was brought to prove that the Spirit of Christ in Man did save from Sin and although the Scripture was clear in it self yet it appears he would have some Argument framed by the Friend who not answering immediately Ismael like the Mocker who Mocked at Isaac the Figure of the true seed he broke forth in a Mock saying Long fasting parhaps hath made him so Empty Note this was the Friend that gave forth the Challenge to try their God by Fasting By this Scripture i. e. The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free
from the Law of Sin and Death he saith that the Apostle doth not mean that the Spirit did so free him from Sin and Death as that he was simply delivered from either but so that it should not Dominere over us nor Damn us Suppose it were so that we could grant him this yet still the Scripture stands on the Spirits side and so consequently on our side against this Priest for if he doth save but from the Dominion of sin that is no small degree of Salvation so by Right and good Reason the Spirit was in Paul as a Saviour and made him free which if this could be proved that the Spirit of Christ was ever in any Man as a Saviour thou saidst thou wouldst give up the Cudgels But it is plain that Paul became Dead with Christ Crucified to the World Dead to Sin and Alive to Righteousness and all this through the inward working of the Spirit of Christ Jesus Farther he Ignorantly affirms that the Death Paul was Delivered from was nothing else but the Power of a Natural Death here People may behold the Ignorance of the Man was it a Natural Death that Paul so much complained of Rom. 7.24 Was it not the Body of Death the Old corrupt Nature which was not yet quite overcome yet the Law or Power of this Body of Death was strong in his Members and this was it that he cryed for deliverance from and that was it from which that Law of the Spirit of life set him free In Page 34. S. B. saith F. E. stept again and said I in thee and thou in me I Answer The end for which I made use of the Scripture was to Testifie to the indwelling of Christ in the Saints against his wicked charge that the Quakers Saviour within was the false Christ which perhaps the word might be mistaken in uttering yet it stands firm in the Record of the Scripture for Truths advantage in plain Scripture Words I in them and thou in me and is part of Christ Prayer to the Father who heard him always although S. B. by his Interpretation seeks to hide the true sence thereof and to give a meaning that may answer his own End In pag 36. S. B. saith Mrs. Bullock asked him whether he did make our Christ within us to be the Devil to whom he saith he made answer viz. That he did Solemnly with much Reverence in the presence of God to whom I must shortly be accountable for my Words declare that I do most assuredly know that a Quakers pretended Christ within him Mark who Sam. Bond said that was page 29. The Graces effects and opperations of the Spirit within them whom here he calleth the false Christ the Devil with whom he saith We shall be Damned in Hell if we Repent not Damnable Doctrine indeed no wonder he put such a Blasphemous question to Will. Wilkinson viz. Whether our God were in Hell Sav'd or Damn'd such abominacle vapours assends out of his Bottomless Pit many times But of this foregoing answer his own Pen hath accused him for had not he accused himself I know not any that could but as Christ said Nothing is Hid that shaâ—l not be uncovered And for his Warrant to confirm this Sentence he urgeth Joh. 8.24 I said therefore ye shaâ—l die in your Sins which Scripture with the 21st verse to which it relates I turn back again upon himself as his own Portion for it is the Doctrine that he Preaches to the People that they cannot be free from sin while they live who can otherwise Judge if so but that both he and all that Dies in the Faith of his Lies can escape Damnation except with the Papist thou canst find a Purgatory for into the Holy City nothing must Enter that defileth or worketh abomination Rev. 21.27 Farther this Bond after his usual manner of wresting the Scripture goes on to comment upon another Scripture alledged by one of the Friends Eph. 5.13 But all things that are Reproved are made manifest by the Light c. Which by Light he saith we are to understand a sin Reproving Light which he farther saith is the Light of the Scripture But where dost thou find the Scripture called a sin reproving Light we read indeed in Timothy that it is profitable for Reproof and Instruction to make the Man of God perfect and to Furnish him throughly to every good work but though it be serviceable to reprove the Actual Sinner what is this to the manifestation of sin in the Heart before it breaks forth into Action which only is made manifest by the Light or Spirit of Christ as in Joh. 16.8 and whereas he saith the Scripture is frequently described by Light alledging for proof Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a Light unto my Steps To this I answer that Scripture is not there mentioned If he say it is the Word to this I farther give answer that the Scripture in no place calls it self the Word though S. B. without any Scripture ground calls it the Written Word but it saith God is the Word and Christ is the Word and Ezekiel saith often The Word of the Lord came unto me saying so that it notes the Word and the sayings which sayings are many of them Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth and are properly the true sayings of God who is the Word Joh. 1.1 He farther to confirm the Scripture to be the Light doth Note Joh. 3.16 Every one that doeth Evil hateth the Light But experience tells us that every Evil Man doth not hate the Scripture but delight many of them to Read it and Teach it their Children but their Enmity is against the Light that makes manifest sin and Iniquity in the Heart which is the Righteous Principle of God in the Heart the sure Word of Prophesie to which the Saints of Old did take heed which is prefer'd before the sound of Words without for the Words without may be falsly Translated and the true sense of them may be changed and falsly Interpreted or written in another Tongue or the Scripture being made up of several Creaters it is possible it may be destroyed but the Invisible Word the Light Christ Jesus could no Man destroy whom the Apostle Paul saith speaketh from Heaven Gods beloved Son whom we are to hear not rejecting the Scripture as it is truly Read for it bears witness to the Light Christ Jesus Several more Lies and false accusations I meet with in his Book as page 38. he saith the Teaching Quakers saith Christ is manifest in their real Flesh but the Flesh of Christ was only in shew and appearance And in page 38. he charges William Harriot for saying he denyed their out-side Christ which words I do not remember in the least neither do any Friend or other People that I have spoke withal witness any such word spoken by him And in page 40. he Proceeds farther with his false charges saying The Quakers deny that Christ was true Man consisting of
to whom he said positively he spake them words there inserted in his Book which I believe the one half of them were not expressed by him though what he spake was to that purpose But whether the Old Man heard his words so as to understand them or not I know not for that sence was greatly decayed iâ— him and he was likewise at a pretty distance from him but it is likely he perceived he spake to him which made him come down from his standing And had the old Man perfectly heard what he said it is probable he would hardly have answered being a Man slow of speech and not free of utterance and being aged he was constantly possessed with a trembling in his Body so that none can say truly that he trembled for any thing the Priest had said But for what end he went to this Priests House neither what he did there I know not but this I say from that day forward I never knew him any ways inclineable after any of that Generation to the day of his death who is now deceased and I believe is at peace with the Lord. But to go forward in Page 68. S. B. saith of Jesus Christ That he is in the third Heaven above and that he hath in the Heavens above true Flesh and Blood the nature and properties of a true man-kind Body And this he proves chiefly by bringing in of Four Questions so where Scripture fails they seek another way to prove their assertions Reply That Christ had a Body we own which was of the Seed of David according to the Flesh as it is said he took upon him the form of a Servant and as the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood he himself also took part of the same and in that Body performed the Will of the Father in all things that was given him to do and dyed and the Lord raised it up again and he had shewed himself many days and he ascended and a Cloud received him out of sight of whom the Angels witnessed that the same Jesus should in like manner come again afterward And John in his Revelation when he saw him in the Heavenly Visions he describes him far exceeding the outward Son in glory And as he is declared in the Scriptures we so believe avoiding his unscriptural imaginations But to go back a little to speak a few words to the matter or Argument of Sampson Bonds to prove that the Spirit of God was not in William Wilkinson in page 66. which Argument was this Because the Spirit that was in W. W. and so consequently in every Quaker doth not agree with the Water of Baptism nor the Blood of the Supper And thou said he denies both the Sacraments To which he said William Wilkinson answered he had both Baptisme and the Lords-Supper within him Reply I say also with William Wilkinson Baptisme and the Supper is within but for the word Sacrament I deny it being a non-Scriptural expression But as to your Water-Baptisme as ye now use it it is of your Father the Pope whose Children ye are while ye observe his works and do them for it neither is nor never was an Ordinance of God neither is there any express Rule in Scripture for it neither Precept nor example And farther I say as to John's Baptismes which was with Water That was to decrease as John did affirm saying I must decrease He must increase I indeed Baptise you with Water but he that cometh after me he shall Baptise you with the Holy-Ghost and with Fire And as John testified so it came to pass for as the Baptisme of the Spirit increased so that of Water decreased and the Disciples and Christians in that day did not lay such stress upon the Water then as ye do now saying That it is a matter absolute necessary to Salvation and Children cannot be saved without it if it might be had For Paul himself who was not behind the chief of the Apostles in Preaching of the Gospel what he did in that particular it is probable he did in his own freedom having no positive command for it for he said he was not sent to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.17 And the rest of the Disciples when they were sent forth to Teach and Baptize in Matt. 28. there is not a word of Water mentioned And the Apostle Paul in Ephes 4. saith there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme which Bâ—ptisme is spiritual and Baptizeth or plungeth into the death of Christ all true Believers by which they feel a dayly dying to sin And their Consciences washed with pure Water which Water agrees with the Spirit in purging the Soul from Sin and this Baptisme is within known and witnessed there by the Spirit But for your Baptisme without it agrees not with the sanctifying Spirit for it reacheth no farther than to wash the Flesh And speak ingenuously now S. B. and tell me among the many Hundreds thou hast Baptized with the outward Water canst thou say in the presence of God that there is one Soul that has thereby received any true spiritual profit I conclude not one Now as the Baptisme is within so the Supper is within also for we do witness Christ Jesus to be come nigh unto our Souls who is the heavenly Substance the living Substance of which the visibles were but shadows and now the thing signified the true and heavenly substance is possessed and enjoyed inwardly by which the Souls of the Faithful are nourished up unto eternal Life for the Church is in God a spiritual House a spiritual Temple a spiritual people being born a new of the Spirit and witnessing a birth brought forth in them that cannot be sed nor nourished with shadows but its meat must be Meat indeed and its drink must be Drink indeed suitable to its own Nature which is Spiritual and Divine Neither do we who witness the Day of the Lord appeared feel the Spirit of the Lord to lead our minds back again into the signs and shadows otherwise we should be ready to follow for he is the Saints guâ—de and leads them into all Truth and gathers the mind inward to wait for the teachings of the Spirit who is their Prophet Christ within their Bishop their Shepherd their King their Lord and Law-giver on whom they wait to receive the Law from his mouth Well said Christ when he was to depart in the outward It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I go away I will send him For great is the profit indeed that the Saints have and do possess in and by the Spirit Nevertheless this heavenly treasure that we do possess and enâ—oy it is in the earthen Vessels in which it doth manifestly shine forth so that we are thereby led into a good and comely order having our meetings also in the good and wholsom order where the presence of the Lord is felt
in the middest of us as the true assembling and gathering in the name of Jesus which is the power is truly witnessed and his workings in the particular Vessels is sundry sometimes so that the creature being sensible of the working of the Power sometimes breaths unto the Lord while sitting silent together sometimes uttering it self in a sigh or groan sometimes feeling the raptures of the heavenly joy breaks forth into singing which this mocking Priest which dwells in Ishmaels Nature deridingly calls Humming and Canting and wherâ—as some who with Eve have hearkned to the Tempter whereby their minds have been led out into disorderly and unlawful actions this he hath cast upon the true Baptisme of the Spirit but the reward of the Mocker is the Judgement of the Eternal God which shall be this Priests food for ever except he repents And so much in Answer to his second Charge by which it is manifest that the main end of our meeting in this Island is not to make the Lords Christ the Holy Spirit Angels and Apostles all Lyers and false-witnesses of God as this Priest hath falsly charged us But the main end of our meetings is to wait to feel his living motions requirings and leadings that by it we may be led to glorify the Father Word and Spirit in the true guidance of the Spirit into the true and Spiritual worship which is well-pleasing unto God I should now proceed to his third and last Charge but because W. Wilkinson hath given some answer thereto already I suppose I may sum up the Answer in the fewer words The Charge is this That the prime Principles of a Quaker are the same that were held and professed by the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus To thee oh thou false Man I make this Reply in Answer to this false Charge Art not thou ashamed thus to utter Lyes oh thou false Tongue Dost not thou know thou must give an account for these things to the Lord For now had their Principles been our Principles Paul would have had no need to have made War against them neither would the Apostle have had any such causâ— to leave them under such an odium upon the record of Truth to all succeeding Generations calling them Beasts for no other cause that we can here on from thee but for denying the Resurrection and yet I can sâ—e little but thy bare word for it neither though thou saist it is manifest in 1 Cor. 15. Beside there were many that were found in this error as the Sect of the Saduces yet were not left under that odium which makes me judge that the Apostle had seen some other bruitish principle or practice which caused him thus to contend with them But if thou could prove that yet it would be too much for thee to undertake to make good thy Charge because we do not at all deny the Resurrection And to lay open the wickedness and falsity of this thy Charge I shall here declare to the World what our prime chief and leading Principle is Our prime chief oâ— leading Principle is Christ the Light whom God hath given for a Leader who hath enlightened every man that câ—meth into the world which Light hath shined in our dark Hearts and manifested it self in our Conscienâ—â—s by which we first came to see our m serable state and condition being by nature Children oâ— Wrath and under the power of Darkness in which state we were separated from God from hit Spirit and this Light which discovered our woful state under sin and in transgression we felt it also to Judge us and as we gave heed unto it and regarded its reproofs and hearkned to its voice which voice we often heaâ—d in the cool of the day But I say as we began to have regard unto it and believed in it and obeyed its voice we found it was the way of Life and its leadings we discerned was alvvays out of every thing that vvas evil and if at any time vve turned aside to hearken to the Enemy vve found it to rebuke us and Judge us and then our peace vvould be broken and pain and anguish vve should feel in our Souls and some of us sometimes vvould be afraid that it vvas the dictates of a natural Conscience and then vve vvere afraid of being deceived but coming into seriousness and vveightiness vve found that all men by nature vvere dead but this vve discerned vvas living and as vve obeyed vve felt its life to spring up in us and vve vvere quickned by it and it lead us more and more out of death and darkness and living openings in the mysteries of Salvation vve come to receive then vve began to grovv bold and confident that this Light vvas truly the Light and Spirit of Jesus So he became our Leader and as many as vvere faithful to it received povver and vvaxed strong and are brought in some measure to the Word of Life and through Christ alone hath the Lord raised us up to be a people whom the World deridingly call Quakers and for the sake of this Righteous Principle have many of this people deeply suffered yet of it we are not ashamed but are resolved to follow it although through the Tribulation through the Cross and Self-denyal believing that he will Crovvn us vvith an Everlasting Crovvn of Glory So this is our Faith That the Lord vvill raise us up at the last day for if the Dead rise not vve vvere of all creatures most miserable being given up to suffer vvhat Man shall be suffered to do unto us But this is our Faith That the Lord vvill raise us up according to his promise and vvill change our vile Bodies and vvill fashion them like unto his glorious Body So being satisfied as concerning the Love of God That there shall not be any thing vvanting to make our Inheritance perfect to our eternal content and satisfaction vve can leave that to the Lord to prepare us a Body as it pleaseth him So this Light of Jesus Christ is our Principle vvhich vvas not the prime principle of the Beasts vvhich Paul fought vvith at Ephesus for this vvas the very thing that this Apostle vvas to turn people to Acts 26.18 So I have done with this Charge only noting one thing in Page 72. vvhere he said I called to him for his Bible I call'd not to him for his Bible therefore let that be added also to fill up his measure vvho I perceive is so hardned he neither cares much vvhat he either saith or vvrites for it vvas not in my heart to call to him for his Bible but I said if I had a Bible I could prove it viz. That the dead shall not rise the same Body Immediately he profer d his and I found the place vvhere the Apostle comparing the Resurrection to a Grain of Wheat saith plainly It cometh not up the same Body but God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him Thus have I gone through S.
Bond hath proved himself to be in the Spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees who profest Christ to come and when he was come they said he had a Devil and by the Prince of Devils cast out Devils And now the true Christ is come that dyed and rose again and ascended at the right hand of God and is revealed in his people as he was in the Apostles and now this true Lord Jesus Christ who dwells in his people who are no Reprobates Priest Bond in his false wicked blasphemous Charge to prove this true Lord Jesus Christ in his people a false Christ an Antichrist a Deceiver a Devil in this he hath proved himself a Deceiver and a Reprobate and no true Christian but hath manifested his folly and madness to all that read his Book Sampson Bond who stiles himself late Preacher of the Gospel in Burmoudas who saith he had a Dispute with the Quakers in Burmoudas and they did say in Joh. 1.9 That that was the true light which enlightens ever man that comes into the world and this Scripture F. E. he more especially insisted on S. B. saith to prove Christ to be the true Light and that Light to be the only Saviour which is in every Man that comes into the World whence saith S. B. F. E. Argued That the Quakers pretended Saviour within is the true and not the false Christ And S. B. answers and saith It is true that by the Light in that place of Scripture the true Christ and only Saviour is meant Here S. B. makes a publick confession in Print and saith It is true that by Light in that place of Scripture Joh. 1. the true Christ and only Saviour is meant So then here S. Bond doth confess that it was the true Christ whose Name is called the Word of God by whom all things was made and in him was Life and this Life is the Light of men and this was the true Light which is the Life in Christ the Word that was made Flesh who enlightens every man that comes into the World John 1.9 as in Page 8. And in Page 10. thou saist As for your Idol Light-Christ c. and scoffingly saist Did ever the Jews Crucifie your feigned God-head-Light within Here thou hast overthrown thy confession as before in Page 8. who saist It 's true that by Light in that place of Scripture John 1.29 the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant c. and now thou callest him our Idol Light-Christ in Page 10. But we tell Priest Bond That Christ did not dye as he was God or his Godhead but he was Crucified in the Flesh and as he was Man whom we believe and confess according to the Scripture Jesus of Nazareth was born of the Virgin who dyed for our Sins and is risen for our Justification who is ascended at the right hand of God and is revealed in us his people Priest Bond thou saist in Page 12. 13. These Scriptures Rom. 10. c. the Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach And further saist I do not apprehend how these Scriptures answer the Arguments which proveth a Quakers pretended Saviour within him to be the false Christ the Devil nor how they prove their pretended Saviour within to be the true Christ In this Priest Bond thou hast shewed thy malice and blasphemy against our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who dyed for our sins and is risen for our Justification c. and is revealed in us by his Spirit and rules in our hearts by Faith yea he whose Name is called the Word of God and we are not of them who say Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring Christ down from thence or who shall descend into the deep to bring Christ again from the dead but the Word is nigh us even in our hearts and mouths according to the Apostles Doctrine And so we do believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus Christ whom God hath raised from the dead by whom we are justified and saved Here the Reader may see some of Priest Bond 's filthy lying blasphemous Language that he hath Printed against the people of God called Quakers Your Idol Light-Christ Page 10. Quakers are filled with envy and speak against those things which were spoken by Paul O seducing Quakers twice over In Page 12. hath S. B. uttered these horrid Lies Did ever Paul Preach Christ Jesus till God had revealed his Son in him Again S. B. saith A Quakers pretended Saviour within to be the false Christ the Devil Page 13. S. B. We believe thou art nearer the Devil than thou art the true Christ the Saviour who rules in the hearts of his people by Faith who through death destroys Death the Devil the Power of Death and the false Christ also S. B. saith A Quakers c. Saviour within is not the true but false Christ Page 14. These are Lies without proof and this Lying Spirit that rules in S. B. may as well falsly accuse the Apostles as the Quakers who said to the Church of Corinth Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates And again the Apostle saith Christ in you the hope of glory whom we Preach c. 2 Cor. 13. 1. Col. 27.28 and yet S.B. saith If thou confessest with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shall believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved But S. B. did Paul confess Christ till he was revealed in him And can Reprobates confess Christ to their Salvation in whom Christ is not S. B. Thou saist in Page 15. Where do you Quakers search for your Gospel Word of Faith surely not in the Scriptures without but at your Oracle that Idol-Light c. O! thou Idol-Light within c. But Priest Bond Is not the Wâ—rd of Faith in the heart Gospel Dost not thou say it is true in that place of Scripture John 1 By that Light which enlightens every man that comes into the World the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant and in Page 15. thou calls the Light of Christ within an Idol-Light and saist O thou Idol-Light within What mad confusion art thou in And then thou saist That Idol-Light tender-part within which you falsly call the everlasting Gospel and Eternal Word as in Page 15. and yet thou confessest in Page 8. that every man that comes into the world is enlightned by Christ the Son of God as he is the Eternal Word And is not the Gospel the Power of God And is not that Eternal or Everlasting Rom. 1. Rev. 14. Is not the Light called the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God c And God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus
Priest Bonds mad confusion and contradiction in Page 53. Priest Bonds bad words Wickedly equivocate Idol Light within Leger-demain a Bratt hatcht in their Addle-Brain Page 53. Idol Light within p. 55. Teach a denyal of Jesus of Nazareth Lyers and False-Witnesses Page 54. Enemies Liers such Liers Seducing Quakers Cursed Liers Horrid Blasphemers aim to make the Angels of Christ Liars Again They do in their meetings and aims make the Apostles of Christ Liers and False Witnesses of God c. the Idol-light within Page 57. Here the Reader may see Priest Bonds foul Language and his ravenous blasphemous spirit and lies against the Light within And the Quakers own Christ Jesus within and without as the Prophets and the Angels and the Apostles have declared him We do witness Christ both his Birth Death and his Resurrection and Ascension Again Priest Bond saith The Light that is in every man the Quakers rotten Principle by natural generation is not the true Christ Page 58. And Page 8. in contradiction to himself saith It s true that by Light in that place of Scripture viz. John 1. That was the true Light which enlightens every Man that comes into the World the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant And yet see how often over he calls the Light of Christ an Idol Light within and now a Rotten Principle and the False Christ the Devil But how doth Priest Bond prove Christ the Light which he confesses to be the only Saviour who enlightens every one that comes into the World to be a Rotten Principle and by natural generation and that he is not the true Christ who enlightens every wan that comes into the world And yet in Page 8. Priest Bond confesses That the true Light that enlightens every man that comes into the world the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant John 1. For the Quakers never said that this Light came by natural generation which Light enlightens every man that comes into the World which is the Life in Christ our Saviour More of Priest Bonds foul words Lunatick Crafty Knave Wedding-Cloaths faced with a dissembling madness Quakers have learned their ignorant Disciples to glory in their own flesh Blasphemous contempt upon the glorified manhood Page 59. These are Priest Bonds horrid Lies and madness And yet S. B. saith in Page 21. That F. E. the Quaker did believe that Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among the people whom the Jews slew and God raised from the dead and raised up into Heaven is the true Christ and only Saviour Yet in Page 59. thou saist the bold and open wickedness of W. H. who did reflect blasphemous contempt upon the glorious manhood c. in Heaven above Here dost not thou abuse the Quaker who said he did believe and confess that Christ suffered in the Flesh and was received up to Heaven as thou confessest Page 21. And Page 23. S. B. saith W. H. called S. B's Christ an outside Christ which W. H. denies But Priest Bond calls the true Christ which is revealed from Heaven in his People a Devil and the Light of Christ in his People an Idol therefore what Christ is it that S. B. owns but Antichrist Priest Bond goes on in his foul words Thou art blasphemous rude ye make it your profest Religion to derogate from the true humane substance of the Lord 's Christ ignorant seduced Quakers Page 60. These are Priest Bond 's Lies and his own Blasphemies As for the word Humane he hath not proved it by Scripture Again Priest Bond 's foul words With a Brazen Forehead and seared Conscience villifying the holy thing born of Mary called the Son of God And yet Bond confesses a little before That the Quakers own Christ Jesus born of that Mary both his death and resurrection c. And in Page 61. Open Deriders and Blasphemers contemners of him Christ false Glossers These are Priest Bonds foul words which Lies he may apply to his self Priest Bond saith Page 62. F.E. shutes this Bolt to wit That the Deity was within him and saith that the Deity is in Cats and Dogs as well as in F.E. which he hath not proved by Scripture P. Bond The Legerdemain of seducing Quakers baffling prating Quakers page 63. which foul words he had better applied to himself S. B. F. Eastlacke said 'T is Christ in you c. Priest Bond scoffingly ask'd him Whether Christ was in his Lye Legs Brains or Bowels An Idol light within Blasphemer the Quakers who glory in their own flesh bitter mocking sarcastical blasphemous scorning scoffing quaffing Quakers All this ungracious filthy Language proceeds from Priest Bonds Lying Poisonous Tongue Page 64. 65. S. B. Thou saist F. E. thou hast renounced both the Sacraments Still the Idol Light within Fanciful Principles invisible Sacraments Blasphemy thy dreadful cursed Apostacy Page 66 67. These are Priest Bonds Lies and foul expressions Page 68. They deny Jesus of Nazareth the only Saviour O thou poor sinner that art deluded Visible and Invisible hand-shaking of God Page 80. Stephen saw Christs humane body in Heaven above Priest Bond with all his Lies who saith that Scripture is his Rule hath not proved such a word as Humane in Scripture Neither doth the Apostle say that Stephen mentioned a Humane Body in Acts 7. But Stephen saw the Heavens open and Jesus standing at the right hand of God being full of the Holy-Ghost And the Quakers own Christ more than Priest Bond. Here are more of Priest Bonds railing words Bruitish Disputants Bruitish Principles Lude Fellows of the more bruitish sort Seducing Quakers These are more of Priest Bonds lies and filthy Language W.W. desired Priest Bond to shew him an express Scripture which saith that the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus denyed the resurrection of the dead And Priest Bond makes a great rambling in three or four Pages and when he hath been beating the Air he brings no express Scripture Priest Bond saith That the Body shall be raised spiritual as Christs Body of flesh and bones after the resurrection were spiritual Page 72. And S. Bond saith in Page 69. Stephen saw Christs humane Body in Heaven above And doth not Priest Bond nick-name the Lord's Body and call it humane over and over in his Book And is humane spiritual As in Page 50. Humane Nature How doth he prove Christs Body Humane Nature And now confesses that Christs Body of flesh and bones after the resurrection was spiritual and yet humane and also confesses with W.B. the Quaker who speaks concerning the Resurrection It is sown a natural body it is raised a spirituaâ— body And S. B. doth confess in 1 Cor. 15. that the body shall be raised sâ—iritual So Priest Bond hath granted the Apostles and the Quakers Principles and yet Priest Bond makes a great noise to no purpose in three or four Pages and at last grants the thing as in Page 72 73. Priest Bond brings John 5. Christs saying who
Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. And truly Priest Bonds Book is such a pack of Nonsence and Contradictions and Tautologies that it is loathsome and noisome to the Reader and in it there is more malice than matter as any rational man may see by the foulness of his Spirit and Tongue and his filthy Language and ungracious and filthy words that his ungodly Book is stuft withal Priest Bond I would have thee to prove that the Holy-Ghost is a Person which proceeded from the Father and the Son and leads into all Truth And when the Holy-Ghost fell upon the Disciples in the time of Pentecost did it fall upon them as a Person And when it fell upon Cornelius's Family did it fall upon them as a Person And Christ tells the Disciples that the Holy-Ghost the Comforter dwells with you and shall be in you John 14. And was this a Person Acts 11. Acts 19. The Holy-Ghost fell upon c. So where ever did Christ or the Apostles call the Holy-Ghost a Person S. B. is to prove this Word by Scripture which he saith is his Rule Now concerning the Scriptures which Priest Bond calls the Word of God first doth not the Scripture signify Writings And do not you teach your Children so that Scripture signifies Writings in your Catichisme and Matthew the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ and Christ read in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and in the Book of the Words of Isaiah the Prophet Luke 3 and 4. and Luk. 4.17 Written in the Book of the Law Gal. 3.10 and Written in the Book of the Psalms Acts 1.20 And doth not Luke set forth a Declaration Luke 1. And so doth he not call that a Declaration which he set forth and so Daniel calls them the Scriptures of Truth Daniel 10.21 And Mark calls them the Scriptures Mark 12.10 and Luke 4.21 Christ calls them Scriptures and John 2.22 and in Acts 1.16 The Apostle calls them Scriptures Rom. 10.11 and 11.2 The Apostle calls them Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16 James 2.8 2 Peter 1.20 Acts 17.2.11 Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 15.3 Here in all these places and many more Christ and the Apostles calls them Scriptures which signifies Writings Now Scriptures of truth which signifies Writings they are called the Words of God God spake all these Words Exod. 20. And Christ saith John 3.34 The Words of God And John 5.47 John 6.62 And John 8.20.47 John 10.121 John 12.47 48. John 14.10.23.17.8 All these are concerning the Words And Acts 2.14.5.20 1 Tim. 4.6.6.3 The words in all these places and many more Revelations 1.3 that hear the words of this prophecy and until the Words of God shall be fulfilled Revel 17.17 These Words are true Revel 21.5 Testifie saith John to every Man the words of the Prophecy of this Book if any Man shall take away from the words of the Prophecy of this Book c. So here you may see the Scriptures are called Words Books Declarations and the Writings and Scripture and are called the Words of God and the Words of Christ but Christs Name is called the Word of God John 1.8 And again Christs Name is called the Word of God Revelations 19.13 So here the Quakers own the Scriptures as they have been called by Christ and his Apostles and the Prophets S. Bond saith The written Word of God the Scriptures are an infallible Rule of Faith and Life Page 88. The matter contained in Scriptures is the only Infallible Rule of Faith and Life Page 91. See here how Priest Bond contradicts himself Let the Word of Christ dwell in your hearts in all Wisdom Coloss 3. And what Priest Bond is this the Letter Priest Bond saith The Quakers worship cannot be acceptable to God Page 89. These are Priest Bonds Lyes for Quakers worship God in the Spirit and the Truth as Christ commanded and hath taught us John 4. And Priest Bond saith The Quakers reproach the Lord when they deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God Page 88. And yet Priest Bond contradicts himself in Page 87. and saith We do not affirm the Scriptures to be the Word of God but as the written Scriptures do declare the Mind of God to us So here Priest Bond is made to confess the Quakers principles but presently after he confounds it again and saith The Scripture is the Word of God And then contradicts himself again and saith The matter therein contained is the declaritive Word of God Page 87. Priest Bond saith the Quakers are apt to say there is no sin Charged upon Zachariahs Wife who was Righteous and blameless but saith Priest Bond Death took hold as well of her as of him which is the wages of sin Rom. 6. So what must we understand from Priest Bonds words Here they that put off the Earthen Tabernacle and dye in the Lord that natural death is the Wages of Sin Rom. 6.23 But let the Reader see how he abuses the Scripture for the Wages of sin is death But saith the Apostle Now being made free from sin and become the Servants of God This is while they were upon the Earth alive and is it not a denying of Christ that dyed for Sin to say that Death took hold of Elizabeth as well as Zachariah and so upon all other People to wit a natural death and that natural death which is the wages of sin as in Page 86. where he perverts Rom. 6. But the Saints and we tell Priest Bond Christ dyed for our Sins and is risen for our Justification and so whether we live or dye we are the Lords and if we dye we dye in the Lord and Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. Priest Bond They have a Light of direction from the Law of the Creation and this Light is clear and full enough to make them Guilty in Page 82. But Priest Bond dost not thou call this Light within an Idol Light Page 90 And where doth the Scripture call the Light of Christ a Law of the Creation or a natural Light And Priest Bond thou saist in Page 81. The Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law There is naturally in all Men as such a Light of direction or natural Light And Priest Bond dost not thou call this a Natural Light or by Generation this Law written in the Gentiles hearts as thou saist in Page 81. But who writ the Law in the Gentiles hearts and how doth this Light come by nature or generation prove this by express words in Scripture which thou callest thy rule Noah was a just and a perfect man c. Job was a good and perfect man And Priest Bond saith to infer and say that Noah or Job were perfect from all Sin in this Life would be a miserable perverting of other places of Scripture c. Page 78. And in Page 87. There is in all true believers a Cursed Root of bitterness not cast out Death only
she had not had something more than her outward eyes and ears she would not have left her Water Pots And Priest Bond goes often over in his Book telling the Quakers of the spiritual heavenly man and of eternal flesh and blood and their everlasting Gospel and this thou calls the Quakers Idol light within page 57. And in page 56. Invisible flesh and blood And again spiritual inside Christ Here the Reader may see how Priest Bond utters forth his own folly for he confesses Christ to be the heavenly spiritual man himself and immortal flesh and bone page 75. And the Apostle saith Christ is in you except you be Reprobates But it seems Priest Bond 's Gospel is not everlasting The Apostle saith it was everlasting and so do the Quakers And Priest Bond one while he saith the Flesh is Humane and another while it is spiritual but whether or no doth Priest Bond eat and drink Christs Humane Flesh and Blood as he calls it And Priest Bond saith to teach a denyal of Jesus Christ of Nazareth a man approved of God to be the true Christ and our only Saviour This the Quakers never did nor never was in their thoughts to deny the Lord knows and therefore Priest Bond cannot charge it upon the Quakers as in page 54. Priest Bond thou saist page 53. that Christ is the true Jacobs Ladder John 1.51 But let the Reader read John 1.51 there is no such saying in that Verse And thou saist the bottom of which to wit the Ladder there is his humanity or vail of flesh and blood and the top reaches to Heaven and there is his Divinity But where must we find these words of Priest Bonds in Scripture which he saith is his Rule And where doth the Scripture call the Blood of Christ a Vail which cleanseth from all sin and sprinkles the Conscience from dead works c Priest Bond saith The visible material body of Jesus Christ is not the Saviour c. page 52. This he charges upon some of the Quakers but he hath not quoted the Page where we shall find it So we believe he hath wronged their words But is the visible material Body of Christ the only Saviour without God And Priest Bond saith in page 72. Christs Flesh and Bones after the Resurrection was spiritual and immortal Flesh and Bones page 75. And he saith visible and material in page 52. And Priest Bond saith in page 53. I have often heard some of them to affirm that the Quakers do believe in Christs Body of Flesh and Blood and that he dyed for sin and rose again and that he is mans only Saviour Yes say we the Quakers never believed otherwise and can praise God through Jesus Christ who is our Saviour and way to God for the Quakers always affirm that Christ as he was Man dyed and tasted death for every Man once for all and rose again and sat down at the right hand of God And yet Priest Bond confesses That very offering of Jesus Christ could not save us but by the will and ordination of the Father Here he is made to confess the Quakers Principles according to the Scripture Priest Bond saith this Blood of Christ cleanseth all right believers from all sin and yet he saith None can be made free from sin in this Life and there is in all true Believers a cursed root of bitterness not cast out Death only makes conquest over Sin page 87. And page 47. The Blood of Christ cleanseth all right Believers from all sin What contradiction is this And again he saith And Christ c. washed us from our sin in his own Blood And Priest Bond saith again The cleansing or washing cannot be within but without us But this Priest Bond hath not proved in so many Scripture words and though Christ was a Sacrifice and his Flesh and Blood suffered without upon the Cross yet Christ tells Priest Bond If he do not eat his Flesh and drink his Blood he hath no life in him and if Christ be not in him he is a reprobate And doth Christ justify Reprobates And is not the Sin within a Man And must not the Blood sprinkle the Conscience from dead works c And Priest Bond saith to be cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ So here Priest Bond he hath left out his Son And in page 47. and 46. he is finding falt with F. E. for leaving out his Son But Priest Bond saith is to be understood for a cleansing from all the guilt c. But hath Priest Bond no guilt when he commits sin But where doth the Scripture say that Christ cleanseth from the guilt of sin only and that we must have sin while we be in the world and in all true Believers there is a cursed root of bitterness not cast out Death only makes a conquest over Sin And Priest Bond what doth this cursed root of bitterness bring no guilt of Sin But we say Christ who hath taken away the Curse and redeemed us from under the Curse of the Law cleanseth from all sin Priest Bond saith page 46. The Pharisees took Divine honour to themselves and thereby received honour one of another Christ said ye receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that comes from God only John 5. But thou wrongs the Scriptures for Christ doth not say the Pharisees received Divine honour to themselves thou adds that to the Scriptures But what is the honour thou would have from the Quakers thou would have them to say you to thee and put off their Hats to thee c. would thou And if so prove such a practice by Scripture which thou calls thy Rule And S. Bond saith He that made Heaven and Earth Angels Principalities and Powers that hath a name above every name that is named King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince and only Saviour that gives repentance and remission of sins is in each of your vile bodies to wit you Quakers Then Priest Bond falls a railing and saith Is it not to be wondred at that they are so possest with the infernal sulfer of pride against Jesus of Nazareth These base words Priest Bond may apply to himself But we are not ashamed to confess Christ Jesus who is our only Saviour who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who rules in our hearts by Faith who is ascended above all Principalities and Powers by whom all things were made whom the Angels worships I say this Christ Jesus of Nazareth rules in our hearts and is revealed in us and the Son of God is come and we are in him as John witnessed and therefore all Priest Bonds scoffing lying words are returned back again upon himself and so we know that our Bodies are Members of Christ and Temples of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6. And the Apostle said Ye are the Temples of the living God who saith I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be