and Prophets who stole the words c. against whom the true Ministers recorded in the Scriptures were sent by the Lord to bear witnesse and the same is witnessed in this day of the Lord For on him do we wait to know his will and receive his counsell and as he commands we obey and when we have received a word from him and a command to utter it we dare not dispute but obey and speak as the spirit gives utterance and untill then we dare not but be silent for such as runs and the Lord sends not shall not profit the hearers and so not to take a Message that another hath received and run with it when the Lord never commanded us And this also we say the baptisme of Christ we have received and the communion of his body we partake and do discern it even one Lord one Faith one Baptisme And if he shall command us to go into the water and to eate bread and drink wine together we shall be obedient but to do it our selves or administer it to others because some of the Saints did it we dare not unlesse we are commanded of the Lord for such as medled with the things of God and not commanded by him nor as he commanded though some of them might have good intentions in what they did yet the Lord shewed his high displeasure on them by severe punishments and sending his faithfull servants to testifie against them witnesse Nadab and Abihu the men of Bethshemesh Vzza Saul and the false Prophets who stole the words from their neighbour and run when the Lord never sent them And therefore let all such as do things by imitation of the Saints in Scripture or of others who obeyed the commands of God and have not received the like authority as they had feare and tremble and take warning in time lest the Lord make them examples of his wrath and indignation as he hath done others before Now let no envious cavilling or ignorant person slander us and say we deny the Scripture for of the truth thereof are we witnesses And also of the spirit of truth which gave them forth which was and is the Saints guide and leader and dearly do we owne them and this is the truth from our hearts Page 4. Another of his lies charged upon us is That we disown the coming of Christ from heaven And for proof of this he brings E. B. in his Book called The true faith of the Gospel wherein he saith The very Christ of God is within us we dare not deny him c. Now T. C. saith If the very Christ of God be within them he cannot come from heaven E. B. further saying they that are led by the spirit of Delusion shall answer the rest of thy Query by which saith T. C. he gives to understand that those that owns the being in and coming of Christ from heaven and looks for him are led by a spirit of Delusion So that they do not only condemn the generation of the just c. but the Saints of God in the primitive dayes How is this man hasting to fill up his measure of lies and slanders against the innocent Doth E. B. because he saith The very Christ of God is within us deny his coming from heaven Might it not rather have been from thence concluded that he witnessed his coming But T. C. is found adding three lies instead of clearing himselfe of one for he saith that E. B. gives to understand that those that own the being in and coming of Christ from heaven and look for him are led by a spirit of Delusion 2 That we condemn the generation of the just that are now waiting for the Son from heaven 3 And the Saints and servants of God in the Primitive dayes He further saith that it is no part of Naylers Creed in his Love to the Lost the Ascention Intercession and coming of Christ observe Naylers Creed a scoffing vain light spirit the Scripture in him and such like is fulfilled The leaders of the people cause them to erre by their lies and their lightnesse but if J. N. hath not a word of it in that Book is it not blinde impudency therefore to say the people called Quakers deny it And further we answer This is he whom we beare testimony unto who fills all things he that came down from heaven even the Son of man which is in heaven and dwels in us as he did in the Saints in the Primitive dayes whom we now own and witnesse to be our King and Law-giver and are so far from condemning them that we give our testimony with them and leave it to the understanding unprejudiced Reader to judge whether T. C. by saying that Christ was not in the Saints as he did lately at Glastonbury before many witnesses be not found condemning the Saints in the Primitive dayes who said that Christ was in them as Paul and others And also the generation of the just now who are witnesses of his being in them and obedient to his commands and so what he is charging us upon true tryall he is found guilty himself Another of his Lies by him charged on us is That we disown the kingdome of Christ which is the great and blessed promise of the Gospel the faith and hope of Saints for proof hereof he saith If the very Christ be in them he is not in heaven and that Naylor in his Salutation to the seed of God contemptably saith you observe dayes and years persons and forms loe here and loe there and the time and manner of his Reign you are jangling abouts and what a one he shall be all which as T.C. saith declares that he accounts the Reign of Christ so much witnessed in Scripture c. to be but jangling and conceits Now mark the insufficiency absurdity and falsnesse of this proâ—… as if E. B. because he saith the very Christ of God is in us the â—…ore he disowns his kingdome and denies his being in heaveâ—… Might he not as well charge the same on Paul who saith Christ lives in me And Christ himselfe because he useth these words I in them c. in his prayer for the Saints John 17. And if the Saints faith hope be according to Christs prayer who is it that disowns denies the coming and kingdom of Christ according to their faith and hope either E. B. and the people called Quakers who witness Christs being in them according to his prayer promise or T.C. who denies Christs being in the Saints contrary to both He further alleadgeth that J. N. saith you observe dayes and years c. as before exprest We say as before may not T. C. as well charge Paul nay Christ himselfe for disowning his Kingdome and denying his coming whose words were to the same purpose We further answer that this is the King who reigns in righteousnesse and rules in judgement and for such who live in wickednesse have abominations reigning
could be the whole creation being in the fall and then he saith here in Naylors account Christ is no creature then no man no person for every man is a creature but Christ is no creature Naylor saith then no man he saith farther page 89. this is he who cannot be limitted nor his person restrained in one place who filleth heaven and earth with his presence and dwelleth in the bodies of his Saints and T. G. saith if this be not to make an end of the person of Christ he knows not what is here is a strange conceit of a person that fills heaven and earth with his presence and dwelleth in the Saints blindness with a witness c. Now this seemes to be the drift of his argument as if because J. N. saying Christ humbled himself c. and cannot be restrained into one place but fills heaven and earth and dwels in the bodies of his Saints and is a living example to all Generations which no Creature could be c. therefore denyes him to be a person a man so seemes to conclude that this is to make an end of the person of Christ else he knows not what is how doth T. C. erre not knowing the Scriptures nor the power of God but perverts them to his own destruction how is he covered with darkness that may even be felt while he is crying out against the people called Quakers blindness with a witness how is he found contradicting the testimony of the Saints recorded in the Scripture yea of God himself who saith unto the Son Heb. 7.8 Thy throne of God is for ever and ever c. Rom. 9.5 Who is over all God blessed for ever and Col. 1.15,16,17 Who is the Image of the invisible God all things created by him c. This is he who when he had by himself purged our sins sate down on the right hand of the Majesty on high and Christs prayer is I in them and they in me and Paul saith Christ lives in me and the word is nigh in the heart and the mouth and Christ saith I and the Father are one and this is he who preached himself the light of the world the way to the Father and that none comes to the Father but by him who is a living example to all Generations and dwels in the Saints and this is our testimony of him and the substance of the testimony that J. N. gives of him even the same which the Saints recorded in Scripture gives of him now seeing the Scriptures directs to the light and the work which the Ministers of Christ were sent to accomplish was to turn men from darkness to the light and the testimony he gives of himself that he is the light of the world we say that all those who follow and are obedient to this light do not walk contrary to the scriptures but the same way that they did who recorded the scriptures and so whosoever turns from this light perverts the scriptures and turns from that which the Saints in scriptures directed unto and so our testimony is one with the scriptures and the life of them we live But he speaks of a strong conceit of a person that fills heaven and earth with his presence and dwels in his Saints now in the Epistle to the Heb. it is recorded that Christ is the express Image of his Fathers person and Christ himself saith I and the Father are one and he that hath seen me hath seen the Father also and that he fills all things and dwels in the Saints hath been sufficiently declared all ready now is Christ divided or are their more Christs then one nay verily one God one Christ one Mediator between God and man even the man Christ Jesus whose flesh and blood we own according to the scriptures and affirm that except ye eat his flesh and drink his blood ye have no life in you though their may be many now as formerly ready to say how can this man give us his flesh to eat c. and that Christ is in heaven and how can he be in the Saints this is the mistery hid from ages and generations yea from the wise and prudent the Son of man in heaven though at the same time talking with Nicodemus at Jerusalem Joh. 3.13 he that can receive it let him and so our principles are brought to tryal and found according to the scriptures and inventions denyed and they are accursed that are found making to themselves Images and Likenesses And so T. C. is found slandering the innocent Another lye by him charged on us is that we often use the name of Christ c. when indeed it is but a juggle a cheat and under that name stab crucifie him c. for Christ was never called Christ in scripture or Jesus or Son c. but as he was man truely man c. they lay him aside as a thing of nought and under pretence of Christ within they take an advantage by their principles as much as in them lieth to murther the true Christ this is affirmed in his Dialogue but as others no proof offered and in his Glass he endeavours thus to prove it they talk of the name of Christ for a cheat a juggle witness what hath been proved but we say it is abhominably false witness what hath been answered but he goes on with his own inventions a Christ yet no Creature a person but such a one as fills Heaven and Earth What Christ doth T.C. Imagine will he make him by whom all things were created part of the creation if he be one with the Father in the Father and the Father in him as the Scriptures testify of him may not we give him the same testimony But now observe who follow their inventions contrary to the Scriptures T. C. or we he saith Christ was never called Christ in scripture or Jesus or Son but as he was man truely man in his Dialogue page 42. The Author to the Hebrews saith 1.3.8 upholding all things by the word of his power but unto the Son he saith thy throne O God is for ever and ever c. and Isaiah 9.6 To us a Son is given c. his name shall be called wonderfull Counsellor the mighty God c. Acts 9.5 I am Jesus whom thou persecutest and Rom. 9.5 Of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came who is God over all blessed for ever Amen Read and tremble thou blind guide is this scripture or not is Christ here called Christ Jesus and Son as man or God surely either thou art ignorant of the Scripture or denyest this to be Scripture but as he is found contradicting the Scripture so himself also for in his Dialogue page 42. he saith they often use the name of Christ c. that is to let in their principles c. for if they did not c. every one would fly from them in his Glass he saith page 8. they never used the name of Christ
under sin and all that come truly to know Christ Jesus and faith in his blood know salvation and cleansing from sin who is made manifest to destroy the works of the Devill and to save his people from their sins And we know that God is true and is the avenger and punisher of lyes and Lyers Another of his lyes charged on us is that we destroy civil courtely as God hath commanded it and for proof saith that is proved in the Dialogue and their ovvn practice vvitness it levelling all conditions vvitnesse likevvise Magistrate people Husband Wife Parents Children Master Servant all alike no difference in the Quakers Religion witnesse George for in the latter end of his pretended word to the Gentiles c. he saith all to the light within c. Now mark his proof first he saith its proved in the Dialogue we say it s falsly charged in the Dialogue but no proof offered that we are guilty of it he there mentions several Scriptures which we own neither can he prove us guilty of the breach of one of them he saith also their own practices witnesse it Now if he means the vain practise of this Generation which is usually called Complements many vain wicked words used to no good purpose but in much deceit in pretending service and friendship when the contrary is intended and respect of persons such civil courtesy and vain customes we do deny and bear testimony against and so did the Saints recorded in Scripture The customs of the Heathen are vain and Christs flock were chosen out of the World and bore testimony that their deeds were evil And farther we declare that it is our duty and practise to do good unto all and the several conditions and relations of Magistrates and people Husbands and Wives Parents and Children Masters and Servants we own and practise according to the Scriptures and deny the contrary But he saith witnesse George all to the light within c. as if to direct to the light within were to destroy civil courtesy and level all conditions a wicked conclusion it being so far from destroying conditions and relations before exprest that it preserves them and such as are guided by it know and practise their several duties therein He farther saith a learned piece full of Divinity in Foxes account observe his light and scoffing Spirit the false Leaders mark and this scripture fulfilled in the last dayes shall come scoffers c. But T. C. goes on and concludes his evidence with an addition of many lyes saying that under pretence of perfection they have brought in a Religion made up of infidelity pride disobedience hypocrisy trampling of the blood of Christ under foot c. The truth of this hath been largly manifest in what hath been said and testified before from their own writings words and practises we say what word writing or practise hast thou produced of any of the people who professe and live in the truth that are called Quakers the falseness of what hath been by thee said hath been sufficiently declared by what hath been answered and thou found guilty of that hell-born sin of lying Which is the next particular by him charged on us and for proof saith witnessed that notwithstanding their infidelity pride disobedience c. yet pretend themselves perfect free from sin c. what evidence is this but three lyes produced to prove one for he saith their infidelity pride disobidience c. which is by us denyed and never yet by him proved and so both charge and evidence is sound false and how grosly guilty hereof himself is what hath been before proved against him is sufficient to manifest yet farther he goes on saying the truth of all is made manifest in that light that hath discovered them c. Now how contrary to truth this affirmation is we may leave to the impartial unprejudiced Reader to judge for there is several particulars returned to him by J. N. to rest on his head as lyes for which he offers no proof at all but layes them down in his Dialogue and not mention them in his Glass and how vain and insufficient the evidence by him offered for the rest is found we have sufficiently made manifest and yet he comes with even height of impudency and says the truth of all is made manifest c. And then he leaves it to the Reader saying be impartial and thou wilt be warned of the most dangerous and pernitious Principles that hath appeared c. The truth and true professors of it in former ages met with no better account from the enemies of it a sect every were spoken against Christ himselfe in whom was no guile found yet crucified as a Blasphemer and his Ministers and Servants accounted pestilent fellowes movers of sedition not fit to live such as turned the world up side down and we are not better then they but herein find the Scriptures fulfilled the Disciple is not above his Master c. And we also farther say let the Reader be impertial and we are confident he as many lyes affirmed in that Glasse as ever he saw in so small a volume beside the scoffing light absurd arrogant contradictory confused expressions therein contained And then in the 13. page he saith Naylor in his pretended answer runs over and sets down many particulars but answers none Let his Book herein bear testimony against thee that thou speakest false hath he not answered thee touching perfection the light other particulars as for that catalogue of lyes by thee charged on us and by him returned to thee what answer should be given more then to deny them while thou hast only charged and for the most part not so much as offered any proof for them T. C. farther saith only page 8. he forms something of his own invention c. That is that I did affirm the Scripture was Christ judge if Naylor be not a grevious Lyer to assert such a thing for answer We say there is no such thing asserted by J. N. in that page of his Book nor any other that we find nor any words tending to such a purpose and so still T.C. is found a grievous Lyer to affirm things so notoriously false Pag. 13. He farther saith Christ prayeth for none but such as believe through their word John 17.20 c. If Naylor or any of the Quakers do know of any converted to Christ since that time without a Bible or Ministry from the Bible Let them manifest it if they can c. I say God hath limitted us to a Bible We answer was Paul converted by a Bible or a Ministry from it Was it a Bible or Christ that Peter preached Act. 2.36 when three thousand souls were added to the Church Is it not the same way which he declares that the Prophets prophecyed of and were saved by even him whose day Abraham saw unto whom the Gospel was preached and was the Rock that followed Israel And so the