is very plain I believed and therefore I have spoken Psal. 116.10 2 Cor. 4.13 And there were many true Believers before the Scriptures were writ who wanted not a true Foundation or Rule 'T is wonderful strange this old great Doctor should represent such Doctrins as these either Antichristian or Unchristian The Lord teach him better and humble him unto Repentance for his unchristian and uncharitable Opposition Charge 14. Against E.B. for saying All who go before the moving of the Spirit their Prayers Preaching and Ordinances I deny c. We own the immediate Spirit of God which was before the Scripture was written to be the Rule of our Conversation And against G. Keith viz. We are to wait for an immediate Call Motion c. to preach pray or give thanks and forbear till it be given Charge 15. Against being infallibly guided by the infallible Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and speaking from the Mouth of the Lord. Charge 16. Against that which was spoken from the Spirit of God in any being of as great Authority as the Scriptures or greater and our Friends pretending to speak or write by one and the same Spirit according to measure by which Christ and the Apostles and Prophets spoke Obs. We do not perceive any Antichristianity or Unchristianity either justly chargeable upon these Passages but rather on this Doctor for so judging them all From which it naturally follows 1. That he is for praying and preaching before or without the moving of the Spirit of God and so runs when the Lord never sent him contrary to the true Prophets Christ and his Apostles Doctrin and Christians Practice Jer. 23.21 22. 1 Pet. 4.11 2. He does not own the immediate Spirit of God and Christ to be the rule or guide of his Conversation contrary to Christ and his Apostles Doctrin 3. Nor waiting for any immediate Call or Motion from God to preach pray or give thanks so that he promotes only a Will-Worship which God never accepts 4. Though we always confess the holy Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be given by divine Inspiration and prefer them before and above all other Writings or Books and in no wise question the Truth of them yet we must needs allow the holy Spirit from whence they came the preference and its immediate Teaching and Speaking in the Soul as of greater Efficacy Power and Authority to that Soul than the bare writing or Scripture without or only reading thereof though it contain the same Words immediately taught And so Christ and his Apostles living and powerful preaching in and from the powerful motion of the holy Spirit as being of greater Efficacy Power and Authority than the outward Writing or Scripture it self simply or abstractly considered as distinct from that Spirit tho' the Words preached and the Words written may be the same For the Gospel as livingly preach'd came not in Words only but also in Power and in the Holy Ghost 1 Thess. 1.5 For the real Authority Efficacy and Service the Holy Scripture has upon a Soul is from the holy Spirit or Word of Life giving the true Belief and right Understanding thereof But we may suppose that our Adversary's Charge in this Point is from his not owning the immediate teaching of God or preaching by the immediate motion and guidance of his blessed Spirit in these days but only by Tradition his Acquirement by reading and study of other Mens Works and Lines made ready to his Hand and therefore that he wants divine Power Authority and Efficacy in 's Ministry And then he might be more ingenuous to lay aside his Trade of Preaching and leave the People to read the Holy Scriptures without his meanings or private Interpretations upon them Charge 17. In this he accuses our Paper asserting our Christianity with a Tedious and Obscure Harangue under pretence of enjoying the spiritual Part of Baptism and the Lord's Supper but neither Refutes nor Answers what we have writ in that Case both of our Christian Experience and agreeableness to holy Scripture so the less notice need be taken of his Charge against our Friends for Asserting the Baptism of the Holy Ghost Charge ibid. And that the Bread and Wine being no other than a Figure of a spiritual Thing which is the Substance which being witnessed the Figure or Shadow is not obliging being ended i. e. In the New Covenant Charge 18. Against some of our Friends telling them That they set up their Carnal Ordinances in Christ's stead calling them their Means and not witnessing the immediate Appearance of Jesus Christ in their Souls drawing them in his Life and Testifying against the beggarly Rudâ—ments of the World and their Carnal Observances Obs. What more than a Figure does this Doctor suppose the Bread and Wine which they minister to be in the Sacrament so called Does he think them to be the Substance which is Christ If not then 't was very unadvisedly and uncharitably done to charge our Friends as Antichristian or Unchristian either in this Point for calling the outward Elements of Bread and Wine c. A Figure only as Protestant Martyrs esteemed them Vid. Dr. Cranmer Disp. at Oxford c. 3. v. Mar. In opposition to the Papists affirming them to be the Substance Christ. Let him therefore tell us what he esteems them if not a Figure For the Spiritual Substance is Christ he is that One Bread John 6. 1 Cor. 10. and his Spiritual Baptism is The one Baptism Ephes. 4. and in him the Shadows and Figures are ended Charge 19. About the Resurrection That W.P. said To assert the same Body that falls shall rise is inconsâ—stent with Scripture Reason c. And against another Friend for saying The Seed of God is hid in thee c. Obs. He having not wherewithal justly to charge us with denying the Resurrection it self for that we never did but always believed it of both the Just and Unjust and that they shall come to Judgement every Man for himself Now our Friends are charged because they believe a Spiritual Resurrection in opposition to their Adversary's asserting a Carnal or Sameness of Bodies to rise wherein this Adversary's Charge reflects upon the Apostle's Testimony in this Case as well as on our Friends as Unchristian For the Apostle answers such Fools Questions by way of Allusion plainly And that which thou sowest thou sowest not that Body that shall be c. God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him and to every Seed his own Body There is a natural Body and there is a spiritual Body 1 Cor. 15. ch and 35 36 37 44 Verses c. Which is no other than what our Friends believe and hold Charge 20. Of Christ's second coming to Judgment against this Question i. e. Where proves he that Christ's second coming without Sin to Salvation is a Personal Coming Obs. And where proves he that it is Unchristian to ask such a Question to any that holds it Or that
Christ's second coming without Sin unto Salvation mentioned Heb. 9.28 is called in Scripture A Personal Coming This he should have prov'd before he had assumed the Charge of Unchristian or Antichristian against any of our Friends for such a plain question See what the Scripture saith Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many and unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation They who then looked or waited for Christ's Appearance the second Time to their Salvation surely were not disappointed of their Hope and Expectation in him For he did spiritually appear to their Salvation to save and set them free from Sin See Tit. 2. Charge last Of the Judgment it self and Heaven and Hell 1. Against Wm. Dewsbury For saying Mind the Light in thy Conscience and it will bring thee to Judgment and the Righteous law and the Book will be open'd in thee wherein thou shalt see all thou hast done and give account for every idle word and the Law will cut thee down and cast thee into Hell where is weeping and wailing for want of the Presence of God 2. And then the Dr. addeth Mr. Jonathan Claphan taxeth the Quakers that they granted no local Heaven or Hell none but what is now within Men. 3. And that R. Hubberthorn in a Book in answer to Mr. Clapham called Truth and Innocency spends many liâ—es in proof that there is something of Heaven and Hell felt here which Mr. Clapham denied not Obs. 1. For Men to mind the Light of Christ in their Consciences this is no Unchristianity but their Duty even to believe in the light and walk in it John 12.35 36. This Divine Light of Christ and Law of God in the Heart if minded will discover and reprove all evil Deeds and bring the evil doer to Judgment and to feel Condemnation and Sentence of Death Tribulation and Anguish upon the Soul the Terrors of the Lord and Sorrows and Pains of Hell in some degree because of Sin and Iniquity that through Judgment men may be prepared for Mercy No true Christians will count these being their manifest experiences either Antichristian or Unchristian 2. The Charge he has from our Old Adversary Jonathan Clapham against the Quakers is not true i. e. That they grant no Heaven nor Hell but what is Now within Men. For we really believe that the Righteous shall know and enjoy more of Heaven hereafter than now they do here in this Life though they have the earnest thereof here And that the Wicked shall know more of Hell hereafter than now Yet some degree or earnest thereof many feel before they go hence as Tribulation Anguish and Terror comes upon them and they receive in themselves the Recompence of their Error 3. To his Charge of granting No local Heaven or Hell we know no ground for it If by Local he means Place we grant to what the Scripture saith i. e. Hear thou in Heaven thy dwelling Place 1 Kings 8.30 And Dives being in Hell in Torments calls it this Place of Torment Luke 16.28 4. That there 's something of Heaven and Hell felt here is certainly true Our Conversation is in Heaven Phil. â—3 20 This was experienced by true Christians who were made to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2.1 And did not David feel something of Hell when he said The Terrors of Death compassed me and the Pains of Hell took hold on me Psal. 116.3 See also Psal. 18.5 and 49.15 and 86.13 But 1 st what does the Dr. mean by Local Heaven and Hell 2 d. Whether there are not more Heavens and Hells than One Else what means the Heaven of Heavens and the Lowest Hell 1 Kings 8.27 Deut. 32.22 3 d. Whether Hell be always spoken of or intended in Scripture as a limited Place as where it is said Hâ—ll hath enlarged her self and open'd her Mouth without measure Isa. 5.14 And Hell beneath is moved for thee to meet thee at thy coming Isa. 14.9 And Death and Hell wâ—re cast into the Lake of Fire Rev. 20.14 God has no doubt prepared Degrees of Punishments and the Limitations thereof suitable to the Degrees of Wickedness which the Finally impenitent and wicked are justly condemn'd for II. Henry Osland's abusive and insulting Manuscript examined and briefly answered HEnry Osland saith Few in these parts knew them the Quakers sooner than I did some years ago and then so far as I could judge their Religion was composed of some Pagan some Popish and some Christian Points of Doctrin Ans. This is a blind Charge without distinguishing which he calls Pagan and which Popish points and we deny his Judgment against us H.O. They then held The Christ that dyed at Jerusalem was a Christ without but the Christ within was all in all Ans. This is a false Charge as if they held two Christ's whereas they own but one and the same Christ who died and rose again and ascended c. and is revealed within was and is Spiritually in the Saints their Hope of Glory 1 Cor. 15.8 2 Cor. 13.5 Col. 1.27 H.O. They denied the Resurrection of the Body Ans. This is a false Charge also the Resurrection was never denied by us H.O. You cannot perswade some of us that you own Christ for your Lord and Lawgiver and the Scriptures Ans. That 's because of your prejudice envy and unbelief we own Christ for our Lord and Lawgiver nevertheless H.O. I hear not that you baptize any with Water Young or Old Ans. We have no Scripture for sprinkling Infants nor commission to baptize Believers any more than Paul had 1 Cor. 1.17 H.O. On Acts 10.47 Can any Man forbid Water c. Had there been any Quakers there they would have forbid the Water Ans. That 's more than he knows what they would have done at that Time and Occasion H. O Perhaps you will say that this is of the same Nature as the other Signs and Shadows and Figures which were of a decreasing Nature Ans. Water-Baptism is confest to be an outward and visible Sign and it was but a Shadow or Figure of a decreasing Nature for so John's was H.O. Hath not our Lord promised his Presence and to be with us to the End of the World that use and are sound in his Ordinances Go saith he Teach and Baptize and I will be with you Ans. 1. The Lord is with his Ministers that preach freely not with the Covetous nor with Hirelings who make a Game and Trade of their Preaching 2. Christ mentions not Water in his Commission but Teach Baptizing them into the Name 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the Father Son and Holy Ghost H.O. Pray tell me who can Baptize with the Spirit Is it not John 's Work or any Man's or Christ's Work alone Read Matt. 3.11 12. Ans. It is Christ's Work to baptize with the Spirit to convert to save c. Yet his Ministers attended with his Power and
Presence are instrumental therein even in Spiritual Baptism as well as the Conversion of Sinners H.O. Other Christians sit under these Ordinances with great delight and they are sweet to their Taste Answ. The converted Souls great Delight and the Fruit that 's sweet unto the Taste thereof is in sitting under the Shadow of her Beloved and partaking of his Living and pleasant Fruit Cant. 2.3 H.O. You do not own Christ for your Lord and Law-giver and the Scriptures for his Law seems plain to us in that you Communicate not in the Body and Blood of Christ at the Table as other Christians do Answ. We both sincerely own Christ for our Lord and Law-giver and the holy Scriptures and do communicate with all spiritual Christians at the Table of the Lord where we livingly partake of Christ that one living Bread from Heaven and the Cup of Blessing which only can and doth comfort strengthen and nourish our Souls to eternal Life as we daily in his Light do wait upon him H.O. On Acts 4.8 and 13.9 These had then Christ within them and yet they sat down at the Supper Acts 2.4 Others fill'd with the Spirit of Christ yet came together to break Bread 1 Cor. 10.16 and 11.26 Paul gives them Directions c. Answ. It s not question'd that they who receiv'd the Word and believed mentioned in Acts 2. did continue in Fellowship and breaking of Bread and daily in the Temple and breaking Bread at home did eat their Meat together with gladness and singleness of Heart which we truly own but also they had all things common they sold their Possessions and Goods and parted them to all Men as every one had need And that the Disciples came together to break Bread Acts 20.7 But the Question is 1. Whether because these Things were done by Believers then they must be practised by the Church of Christ as long as the World lasts if so why are they not all Are all their Temporary Practices Commands If so why do not the present Priests and Professors sell their Possessions and divide them and have all things common 2 And whether Christ's Practice as to the Bread and Cup and Passover in his Supper Luke 22. was therefore an Institution injoyn'd by him to be observed and practised in his Church while the World lasts Christ took brake and gave them Bread and Fish likewise after he was risen Luke 24.30 John 21.13 But we find not that he imposes these as a Sacrament or perpetual Institution to be allways observed in his Church 3. And Paul having recited Christ's Practice says to the Corinthians As oft as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11.26 Was this an universal and perpetual Command to the Church Or was it not fulfilled in Christs COMING which those very Corinthians waited for 1 Cor. 1.7 and 4.5 and which coming of Christ they had then great need of to remove and end the Strifes Divisions Carnality Drunkenness Sleepiness and Disorders among them 1 Cor. 3.3 and 11.21 30 We farther seriously ask 1. If the outward Bread and Cup were not figurative visible Signs or Shadow of something more excellent 2. If outward Types Figutes and Shadows be not of a decreasing and vanishing Nature 3. What perpetual Command and Necessity is there of the Shadow to continue the Substance being come and manifest in Christ's Church 4. Is not Christ the Sum and Substance and end of all outward Shadows Types and Figures and the Bread of Life from Heaven the spiritual Meat and Drink of every sanctified Soul 5. Is not the inward Living and spiritual Enjoyment of Christ and our being truly partakers of Christ far more excellent than the outward Observation of the Shadow to put us only in remembrance of him 6. If the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ in Spirit and Power and his Members and Saints spiritual Communion with him their eating and drinking at his Table in his Kingdom Luke 22.16 30. and partaking with him of his spiritual Supper or supping with him Rev. 3 20. do not fully answer and fulfill the end of the Figures and Shadows as being a far more excellent Dispensation Shew us any Thing figurative or shadowish mentioned in Scripture that we cannot shew the substance thereof under the same Term or Title 7. Can any Bread Cup or Wine give Life unto or nourish the Soul unto Eternal Life then that which is spiritual the Bread of Life and Wine of the Kingdom of Christ even the same Bread and Wine in Wisdom's House Prov. 9.5 Pray seriously consider these Questions for they are serious and to us of concern H.O. Say they i. e. the Quakers That Christ enlightens every Man that comes into the World I told them that was with the Light of Nature Answ. Where proves he that Light of Christ in every Man John 1.9 is but the Light of Nature By what Scripture proves he this when 't is expresly said In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men John 1.4 which rather proves it a divine and spiritual Light for that Life that was in Christ the Eternal Word was the Light of Men. Can this be the Light of Nature How great is the Darkness of such Preachers who so teach H.O. That you do not own Christ for your Lord and Teacher you do not own the Ministry of such men who are lawfully called set apart by such as have lawful Authority in the Church It is plain in Scripture Christ gave some Apostles some Prophets and some Evangelists c. for the perfecting of the Saints c. Answ. The first part charged against us is not true we do own Christ's Ministry and Ministers sent by him who are gifted and qualified for the Work of his Ministry but such Ministers as were never called gifted nor qualified by Christ but made and authorized only by Men and who deny any immediate Call or Revelation from Christ in these Days and who in their Preaching oppose Perfection and living without sinning in this Life such we do and shall deny and testifie against H.O. Are all Apostles are all Prophets What may every Man or Woman speak in the Church Oh no. Answ. Though all are not such yet if the Spirit of the Lord be upon them to speak or prophesie as he has promised Joâ—l 2. that 's not to be limited nor quenched Ye may all prophesie one by one 1 Cor. 14.31 And there were Women among them Chap. 11.5 Therefore the Prohibition to their Women 1 Cor. 14 34· was not General nor comprehending all States and Attainments of Christian Women nor yet to make void that Prophecy Joel 2.28 29. nor to hinder godly Women gifted and qualified from their Duty of being Teachers of good things Titus 2.3 H.O. Take heed to thy self and thy Doctrin continue in them 1 Tim. 4.15 16. That is be constant in Preaching noâ— in your Study one day and at Plow the next