But Paul had the Spirit of God and not of the Quakers and therefore he readily submitted to this Holy Ordinance and stands not to confer with Flesh and Blood See also Acts 10. from 44 to 48. While Peter was preaching the Gospel to Cornelius and those with him the Holy Ghost fell on all them that heard the Word and they heard them speak with Tongues and magnified God Then answered Peter Can any forbid Water that these should not be baptized who have received the Holy Ghost as well as we c. Doubtless had R. Ruckhill or any of the Quakers been there had there been any such a Creature in those Days they would have forbid Water and told Peter he was mistaken Hold Peter they have the Substance the Baptism of the Spirit wilt thou lead them back to the Letter to the carnal Thing of Water-Baptism If G. Fox had been there with his Book The Great Mystery pag. 65. he would out of that have proved to Peter that Paul told of the Spirit 's Baptism and brought the Saints off from Things that are seen and Water is seen and its Baptism from that Text 2 Cor. 4. 18. Would any Man in his Senses have drawn such an Inference But it is a lamentable thing that these Men care not for the Scriptures except it be to abuse them But to return Vers 48. Peter being of another mind having another Spirit than the Quakers Commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord. From whence I groundedly conclude That the highest Attainments or greatest Measures of the Holy Spirit do not exempt or excuse Men from but fit them for Gospel-Ordinances But I have shewed you before it is the Baptism of the Spirit and no other that they will allow This is that they contend for in their Pamphlet they say The Baptism of Water was put an End to at Christ's Death and then that of the Spirit succeeds of which that of Water was a Type This is their common Opinion To which I answer That it was Water-Baptism that Christ gave in Commission to his Disciples to Administer after he was risen from the Dead Mat. 28. Mark 16. First They were not to administer that of Sufferings his Disciples nor Apostles were not to persecute nor lay Sufferings upon others Secondly If they say that the Apostles were to baptize with the Spirit as some of them want no Ignorance or Confidence to affirm First I demand Whether the Administration of that were not peculiar to Christ Mat. 3 11. He meaning Christ shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Secondly Whether that if the Command Mat. 28. 18. Mark 16. 16. be to command the Apostles to baptize with the Holy Ghost and Fire If it were I demand when and where they obeyed it Thirdly Whether we may not groundedly believe That the baptizing Men and Women in Water in the Name of Christ which the Apostles did was not in obedience to some Commission from the Lord so to do Fourthly Let the Quakers shew when and where the Lord gave them command so to do if this of Matth. 28. and Mark 16. was not it Fifthly If Peter had not Authority from the Lord to baptize with Water Acts 10. latter end I demand whether you do not conclude he finned in so doing for he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord see Deut. 18. 20. But the Prophet that shall presume to speak a word in my Name that I have not commanded that Prophet shall die saith the Lord. I wish this were seriously weighed by all that counterfeit Christ's Ordinances Sixthly That whereas it is alledged that Baptism may be done or left undone that it is a thing indifferent Then I demand whether it was not as great a Sin in Peter Acts 10. 48. to command them to be baptized as it was in those 1 Tim. 4. 2 3. who command to abstain from Meats and forbid to marry which are things left at liberty For to command to do what God hath left at liberty to do or not to do is equally a Sin to the same extent with forbidding what God hath left to Mens liberty Therefore I would have none to count the Ordinances of Christ Things indifferent Let what hath been said be considered But the Apostles in pursuance of the aforesaid Commission Mat. 28. 18 19 20. Mark 16. 16. did preach and baptize with Water that being the only Baptism they were to administer That of Sufferings by Persecution being from the Devil and wicked Men that of the Spirit being peculiar from Christ and that of Water by his Apostles and Disciples And thus according to the Commission of their Lord you find them administring Acts 2. 38. and reaching Repent and be baptized for Remission of Sins and ye shall receive the Gift of the Holy Ghost Acts 8. 12. When they believed Philip preaching the things concerning the Kingdom of God and Name of Jesus they were baptized both Men and Women Ver. 36 37. saith the Eunuch See here is Water what doth hinder me to be baptized Philip answered If thou believe with all thy Heart it is lawful for thee as most truly read And they went down into and came up out of the Water c. Acts 10. 47 48. And he commanded them to be baptized in the Name of the Lord and none could forbid Water tho they were baptized with the Spirit before So that altho the pouring forth of the extraordinary Gifts of the Spirit are comparatively called a Baptism and the Greatness and Over-whelmings of Christ's Sufferings are so called comparatively Yet there is but one Baptism in a full and proper sense and that is that of Water in which the penitent Believer is buried Coloss 2. 12. Rom. 6. 4. And whatever the Quakers pretend Ephes 4. 5. Christ is that one Lord and to believe in him his Offices and Doctrine is this one Faith and to be baptized in Water is the one Baptism and how ridiculously they abuse that Text in their Pamphlet 1 Pet. 3. 21. In ver 21. he speaks of God's Patience in waiting upon the old World while the Ark was a preparing wherein eight Persons were saved by Water The like Figure where unto even Baptism doth also now save us not the putting away of the Filth of the Flesh that is not the end of Water-Baptism to cleanse the Filth from the outward Man as were the many Washings under the Law but it is the answer of a good Conscience towards God in shewing your Obedience to his Law as it is said Luke 7. 30. The Pharisees and Lawyers rejected the Counsel of God against themselves in not being baptized of him and so contracted Guilt to their Consciences And their saying Water-Baptism was a Figure of the Spiritual is an apparent Falshood the Text under debate hath no such meaning But thus as eight Persons believed in the Lord 's preaching by the Ark's building when the old World was
threatned they got into this Ark when the unbelieving World mocked at it the Water bears up the Ark and those in it and saves them whilst the others were destroyed So the Threats of perishing eternally are pronounced in the Gospel against Sinners Now the penitent Believer puts on Christ by Water-Baptism Gal. 3. 27. which is the initiating and ingrafting Ordinance and I demand of the Quakers if they can to prove where Water-Baptism is called a Figure of the Spiritual and also to shew me from the Scriptures where any were commanded to observe the Figure when at the same time they enjoy the Substance But Paul and Cornclius and others had the Spiritual Baptism and yet were commanded to be baptized with Water Another impertinency in their Pamphlet is they say they cannot believe dipping or sprinkling Infants unless it can be proved that none are saved without it and all are saved that have it They seem here most directly to strike at infant-Infant-Baptism but their design is to root out that sacred Ordinance of Christ Believers Baptism And therefore I demand whether the Quakers believe that all that are baptized with the Spirit as they count it tho a Spirit of Delusion shall infallibly be saved if they say they do then what is the Reason they own or believe falling away and going from the Light and why do so many turn wet Quakers and become as vile in their Lives as they are in their Principles But if they do not own an Infallibility of being saved by that Spirit 's Baptism they pretend to then what is in these words And to conclude this Head I would not have the Quakers pretend to be baptized with the holy Spirit till they believe in Christ and obey his Appointments for Acts 5. 32. he gives his holy Spirit to them that obey him To conclude this let all that would be Christ's Disciples learn of him that hath led in the way of Righteousness when by Faith and Repentance you have laid hold on Christ O delay not to put him on by Baptism and so you will become visible Members of his Mystical Body be Heirs of the Promise of the holy Spirit and other blessed Priviledges as a Right to the Lord's Table to sup with him in this Kingdom of Grace and dwell with him in Glory hereafter 2. The Quakers in their Pamphlet in like manner with Falshoods and Impertinencies evade the Supper of the Lord instituted and administred in Bread and Wine Say they The Supper of the Lord we own and tenderly consider in a twofold sense First In the Figure Secondly In the Substance 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ at his Supper with his Disciples did eat the Passeover which was for the fulfilling and Consummation of the Feasts under the Law Luke 22. and at his Supper he did take and minister the Bread and the Cup to his Disciples for there was no Transubstantiation saying This do in remembrance of me and saith the Lord As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew forth the Lord's Death till he come 1 Cor. 11. After this they did more clearly know his Coming and Christ after the Spirit Jesus Christ in them 2 Cor. 13. 5 c. The Reader may see with what deceivable words these Impostors go about to evade and make null the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper administred in Bread and Wine But before I come to answer their impertinent Evasions and manifold Corruptions of the Scriptures I shall shew you that they plainly deny the Supper of the Lord administred in Bread and Wine to be now a standing Ordinance in the Church of Christ and practicable by Christians Let us hear them speak out more plainly before we answer them Parnell's Shield of the Truth p. 13. Feeding upon Husks and Shadows that are carnal for the Bread which the World that is all that are not Quakers eat is natural and carnal so also is the 〈◊〉 which they drink and there is no Communion but natural outward and carnal Smith's Primmer p. 39. Thy Bread and Wine in the Lord's Supper are the Popes Invention See how bare-fac'dly they can lie against the Truth See Nailor's Love to the Lost p. 56. Which all know who are come to his Supper where the Father and Son are come in and sup with the Creature which all the Imitators and Observers of Times are ignorant of whose Contention is about outsides Lastly Let us have the Testimony of George Fox le-Grand Great Mystery c. p. 16. says he Christ has triumphed over the Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the Saints have Christ in them who is the end of outward Forms and thou art deceived who thinkest to find the Living amongst the Dead You see by this how miserably these Men abuse the Scriptures Now it appears by all this that either the Apostles were ignorant about the nature and manner of Christ's second Coming or else the Quakers are greatly deluded in saying he is come the second time already But to clear the Apostles and Primitive Saints from that Ignorance the Quakers cast upon them and to make it appear that they did not believe the giving of the Holy Ghost Acts 2. to be the second Coming of Christ 1. Because the Apostles are found in the administring and the Primitive Christians in partaking of this Ordinance after the Holy Spirit that Christ promised to send was come as hath been before said of Baptism This appears from Acts 2. 42 46. They continued stedfast in the Apostles Doctrine and Fellowship in breaking of Bread and Prayer Acts 20. 7. The Disciples came together to break Bread All Expositors that I know of conclude this was to celebrate the Ordinance of the Lord's-Supper see this fully manifest 1 Cor. 11. 1 2. compared with Verse 23 to the 29th at large Be ye followers of me even as I also am of Christ Montanus an approved Interpreter reads it thus Imitatores mei â—stote sicut ego Christi Be ye Imitators of me as I am of Christ Now I praise you Brethren that you remember me in all things and keep the Ordinances as I delivered them unto you Ver. 23. For I have received of the Lord that which I delivered unto you As if he had said those Ordinances that I praise you for the keeping of are the same that I received of the Lord And this is one that the Lord Jesus the same Night in which he was betrayed took Bread blessed it and brake it c. Now if the Quakers were not stark blind or wilfully ignorant would they conclude that Paul and the Primitive Saints did not know that Christ was come in Spirit or that the Promise of the Holy Ghost was given So he goes on and tells them ver 26. As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew forth the Lord s Death till he come So that the giving forth of the Spirit was not the
Confidence with a witness because Christ put an end to Circumcision and other Ceremonies of the Law as Paul teaches therefore by the Spirit of Delusion and gross Ignorance in the Quakers E. B. will renounce and put an end to Christ's Ordinances Surely these Men have learned to put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness for what can be a more effectual way to pluck up Gospel-Worship by the Roots than to make null and renounce Gospel-Ordinances But the wickedness of this deluded Man lies chiefly in patronizing his notorious Falshoods to the same Spirit that Paul had which was the Spirit of Christ What is this but blaspheming the Holy Spirit See Pernell's Shield of the Truth p. 12. where he calls Water-Baptism A formal Invention and Imitation of Men and so a meer Delusion Smith the Quaker's Primmer pag. 39. Thy Baptism Bread and Wine rose from the Pope's Invention I shall only bring in the Verdict of Robert Ruckhill see Mr. Grantham's Christianismus Primitivus Book 4. Treat 11. See how Ruckhill condemns the Baptized Churches for keeping the Ordinances of Christ as they were delivered to the Saints c. O ungrateful Men saith he unworthy till you repent and loath your selves the Name of Christians hath the afflicted persecuted Church been banished into the Wilderness for many hundred Years and now at her return when she is expecting a far more exceeding and eternal weight of Glory both Inward and Outward which her great Afflictions have wrought for her will you now I say allow her no better Ornaments but these very same she wore 1600 Years ago which also for many hundred Years have been revelled in and filthily polluted by that nasty Whore of Babylon Poor Bride must she now put on those old Clothes and rotten Rags again c. Will you deny this beautiful Bride the Lamb's Wife that Priviledg your own Wives will scorn to be denied by you O how weak are your Hearts saith the Lord God To which great and swelling words of Vanity Mr. Grantham gives a full and pathetical Answer But from all this you may observe that as Ananias and Sapphirah agreed to lie against the Holy Ghost so these against the Ordinances of Christ But the misery of it is altho their Design is the Death of the Object yet as the Testimonies of the two Elders against Susannah and the false Witnesses against Christ they cannot agree in their Testimony against the Gospel-Ordinances For saith Smith's Primmer p. 39. Thy Baptism Bread and Wine rose from the Pope's Inventions So saith Higgins's Warning p. 5. But Ruckhill saith They were the Churches Ornaments 1600 Years ago This he plainly confesseth Now either the former or the latter of these inspired Men with all their Infallibility are infallibly Liars for if they were the Churches Ornaments 1600 Years ago as Ruckhill confesseth then they were not invented by the Pope as Smith and Higgins pretend there being no Pope of that Antiquity So that I must leave you to clear your selves if you can tell how I proceed to examine R. Ruckhill's great and empty flourish and swelling words of Vanity 1. Here R. Ruckhill pretends much skill in the time of the Churches going into and returning out of the Wilderness But I suppose were he asked What this Wilderness is and the exact Time when the Church went in and came out of it he would give but a bewildered Answer 2. It appears from hence as I have before shewed that the Quakers believe the Eternal weight of Glory both inward and outward is to be received by the Church at her return out of the Wilderness and enjoyed here on this side the Grave in this mortal State 3. Here R. Ruckhill is forced to confess that the Ordinances of Christ were the Churches Ornaments 1600 Years ago but now they are a great dishonour and deformity to her therefore he disdainfully calls them old rotten Rags as though 1600 Years were time enough to rot all the Ordinances of Christ and wear them out to Rags 4. He disdains these Ordinances because the Whore of Babylon hath revelled in them and polluted them But for all R. Ruckhill's skill in the Churches Apparel there were also other Ornaments as the Belief of the Scriptures Faith Holiness Love Charity and Patience Mercy c. Now have not all these been corrupted and abused by the Whore of Babylon and counterfeit Ordinances counterfeit Scriptures counterfeit and feigned Faith Holiness Love Charity Patience and Mercy set up in the room thereof doth it therefore follow that all these Vertues must be thrown away because the Whore hath polluted them No surely the Quakers will not say so nor account Prayer Preaching c. old rotten Rags because the Whore hath revelled in them Was the Ark of God ever the worse for remaining some time in the House of Dagon Israel were sometimes a long space without the true Law true Worship and true God being involved in Idolatry and Darkness yet both Asah and Hezekiah were for returning to the true God and true Worship when that Darkness was dispersed 2 Chron. 15. 3. 2 Chron. 30. 5. Even so now the Lord having dispersed that Fog of Popish Darkness may not R. Ruckhill's Lamentation be taken up against the Quakers and others O ungrateful Men hath God dispersed these Clouds of Popish Darkness and discovered his Laws and Ordinances in their Primitive Purity and will you now reject and contemn them as old rotten Rags and rebel against the Light But R. Ruckhill would now by all means have the Church to have a new Coat her old Ornaments being worn to Rags And R. Ruckhill must needs have the Church to have new Ordinances as often as Mens Wives have new Clothes or else she must go naked But saith Robert Ruckhill in the forementioned Discourse We do not deny Baptism or any other Ordinance when the Spirit of the Lord leadeth to them It 's but fair to conclude that the Quakers have not the Leadings of the Spirit of God to guide them into this Gospel-Ordinance But R. Ruckhill would recal this again saying It hath appeared that the Spirit of the Lord leads forward not backward upward not downward and then he presumes to say else the Spirit may as well lead into Judaism as into the Ordinances aforesaid What profound Ignorance and gross Darkness is here to imagine that the Spirit of Christ promised John 14. 26. 16. 31. to guide into all Truth and to bring to remembrance the Doctrine Christ had taught might as well lead them into Judaism which Christ had and came to abolish by R. Ruckhill's Argument When Ananias is sent to Paul compare Acts 9. 17 18. Act. 22. 16 that he may receive his sight and be filled with the Holy Ghost he said And now why tarriest thou Arise and be Baptized Might not Paul have said I am filled with the Holy Ghost already What must I go back to the Shadow to such a carnal thing as Water-Baptism
second coming of Christ as the Quakers dream for how improper were it for to celebrate an Ordinance in remembrance of him that was within them I leave to the Reader to judg 2. Christ is not come because that Kingdom is not come that Christ speaks of I will not henceforth drink of the Fruit of the Vine till I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom notwithstanding the Quakers do so abuse that Saying of our Lord. For it is the Duty of the Disciples of Christ to pray for the coming of that Kingdom and it is most evident that the Will of God is not done upon Earth as it is in Heaven for the greatest part of the World live in Disobedience to the Will of God neither doth Christ now drink of the Fruit of the Vine with his Disciples because he is at his Father's Right-hand in the glorious Heavens and his Disciples upon Earth are to break and eat Bread and drink of the Fruit of the Vine till he come in remembrance of his broken Body and Blood shed for their Redemption and Salvation in which Christ hath spiritual Communion with them not personal which he will have after his second Coming And 3. Paul and the Primitive Christians did not believe the givings forth of the Spirit to be the second coming of Christ because they believed and expected him to come in a personal glorious and visible manner Phil. 3. 20. We look for the Saviour who shall change our vile Bodies and make them like his own glorious Body that being one thing that will be done at Christ's second Coming And Paul and the Christians did look for Christ's second and personal Coming because they were told Acts 1. 11. That the same Jesus should come in like manner visible in his Body of Flesh and Bones as he did ascend as hath been before proved more largely and as Christ himself shewed his Disciples Mat. 24. at large that his coming should be glorious and visible Rev. 1. 7. Long after the Spirit or Comforter was come faith John Behold he cometh every Eye shall see him and they that pierced him shall mourn 1 Thess 4. 6. For the Lord himself shall descend from Heaven with a shout with the Voice of the Arch-Angel and the Trump of God c. 4. If the Quakers will need have this to be true which no Christians can allow them that Christ is come the second time as the Scriptures have foretold of him and as he himself said he would and from thence they conclude that Baptism and the Supper of the Lord are at an end I would know whether all other Gospel-Ordinances are not at an end also as Preaching Prayer Acts of Mercy and Charity and the like And if so why do the Quakers pretend to Preach and Pray for in that Kingdom there is no need to teach any to know the Lord no need of Prayer for then the Saints possess the fullest Enjoyments they can pray or wish for they shall hunger no more and so have no need of Alms and in that Kingdom they neither marry nor are given in Marriage neither can they die any more Luke 20. 35 36. But the Quakers pretend to Preach and Pray and give Alms they Marry and they Die See then what horrid Contradictions and gross Absurdities attend this Spirit of Delusion And to what End they bring 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. Rev. 3. 20. Prov. 9. 4 5. with Joh. 6. I know not except to abuse the Scriptures or confute themselves All Christians own Christ to be the Bread of Life and have spiritual Communion with him in his Ordinances which spiritual Communion they cannot have whatever they pretend who do not obey Christ in his Ordinances but flight vilify and contemn the same as the Quakers do But those that open when he knocks by the Hammer of his Word those that receive his Word Ordinances and Appointments he will come into them by his Spirit and having Communion one with another as one Bread so their Fellowship shall be with the Father and the Son spiritually and so he hath promised to be with his Church in the participation of his Ordinances to the end of the World And though we highly own and honour the Ordinances of Christ yet as we believe those that reject and despise them whatever they pretend have no spiritual Communion with Christ so also those that are not duly fitted and prepared for them may not expect any Benefit or Advantage by them In the next place they talk of the Seals of the New Covenant Which term in the plural I deny and believe that the Spirit or Holy Ghost those Measures or Gifts thereof that God bestows upon Christians is the Seal of their Acceptance with him as Ephes 1. 13. After ye believed ye were sealed with the Holy Spirit of 〈◊〉 Whoever accounts these Gospel-Ordinances the Seals of the Covenant are so far mistaken for they are part of the Covenant it self Saith Christ If ye love me keep my Commandments and I will pray the Father and he shall give you another Comforter that shall abide with you for ever even the Spirit of Truth This Spirit which is promised as a Seal is upon the Terms of keeping Christ's Commandments of which are Baptism and the Lord's Supper Acts 5. 32. He gives this Seal of the Spirit to those that obey him duly observing and obeying Christ's Ordinances and Commands from a real Faith in his Word and Promises as well as in his Death Blood and Merits and also to attend this Gospel Faith with a pious Life and so resigning up our selves to be Christ's he hath promised us the Seal of his Spirit as an earnest of our Inheritance which is hereafter to be enjoyed But vainly do the Quakers feed themselves with Wind in imagining that they have the Holy Spirit or Seal of this new Covenant who rebel against Christ the Minister of the Covenant condemn his Blood despise his Ordinances c. So that from hence it appears they have nothing to do to take his Covenant into their Mouths seeing they hate to be reformed And as for their next Impertinency in talking of one outward Type or Shadow being a Type of another outward Type I am an Advocate for no such Notion neither do I believe that Circumcision was a Type of Baptism but of the Circumcision of the Heart nor that the Passover was a Type of the Lord's Supper but of Christ the true Paschal Lamb slain for the Sins of the World And now to conclude Let all Christians admire the Grace of Christ who gave his Body to be broken and his Blood to be shed and not only so but in love to his People hath left this Ordinance of his Supper in his last Will and Testament to be celebrated he before knowing our Frailties we being subject to forget his Kindness Let us therefore observe it with the rest of his Ordinances and blessed is the Servant whom the Lord
8. 3. to oppose the Devil's Assault Man lives not by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the Mouth of God Prov. 30. 5. Every Word of God is pure Jer. 23. 36. the Complaint is The false Prophets had perverted the Words of the Living God A great Evil and too common in this day But would the Quakers have the Word always to intend Christ Mark 4. 19. The Cares of this World and the Deceitfulness of Riches and the Lusts of other things entring in choke the Word Will the Quakers say these things entring in choked Christ Surely no. By all this the judicious Reader will see the Endeavours that have been used by the Quakers to explode the holy Scriptures not only to rob them of their Nature Use Power and Efficacy but also of their very Name But let all Christians learn to prize them and carefully improve them and be thankful to Divine Providence by which they have been preserved through all Times and against all Tyrants Psal 19. 7 8. David sets forth the worth of them The Law of the Lord is perfect converting the Soul the Testimony of the Lord is sure making wise the simple The Statutes of the Lord are right rejoycing the Heart the Commandments of the Lord are pure enlightning the Eyes 2 Tim. 3. 15 16. They are able to make wise to Salvation Soul thou needest not fear miscarrying if thou makest the holy Scriptures the Rule of thy Faith and Guide of thy Life This short Treatise will not admit me to enlarge I shall leave this short Scheme by which the Reader may judg what an Esteem the Quakers have for holy Scriptures they so much pretend to in their Pamphlet The Names they give the holy Scriptures Scriptures no standing Rule it is dangerous for the ignorant to read them No better than an old Almanack neither Rule Guide Light nor Teacher A dead carnal Letter They are Precepts and Traditions of Men. Paper Iak and Writing The Letter without Swine feeding on Husks Obedience to Scriptures is the Harlot's Child You may as well expect God to teach or rebuke by any other Creature as the Scripture as he did Balaam by his Ass The Names they give their own lying Pamphlets A true and everlasting Rule The Royal Law and Covenant of God Love to the Lost News out of the North written from the Mouth of God The pure Language of the Spirit A Salutation to the Seed of God The Lip of Truth The Spirit of Truth A Trumpet from the Lord sounding out of Zion A true Prophecy of the mighty Day of the Lord. The Word of the Lord and a Word from the Lord p. 13. of the Mighty Day of the Lord. Blusn O Heavens and tremble O Earth at the Pride and Ignorance of these Impostors I shall add but two or three Passages more concerning their Contempt of the Scriptures see Tho. Lawson Vntaught Teacher p. 6 7 8. The Scriptures are not a Rule whereby Men may know the Will of Christ And in Pag. 2 and 3. of the same Book he denies that the Ministers of Christ endowed with the Spirit of Christ ought to minister or preach from Scripture Add to this what is said in Cloud of Witnesses a Book of theirs p. 1 3 4. But the Priests of England the blind Guides they do teach the People and say Hearken to the Word of the Lord as it is in such a Chapter and Verse Now is it not a sign that the Quakers are untaught Teachers indeed but let the Word of God be true and these Men Liars Did not our Lord make use of the Scriptures in teaching Mat. 21. 42. saith Christ Did ye never read in the Scriptures The Stone that was set at naught by you Builders and Mat. 22. 29. Ye do err not knowing the Scriptures Surely they will not deny Christ to have the Spirit and he proves the Resurrection of the Dead by Scripture Exod. 3. 6. Surely Peter had the Spirit yet he proves Christ to be the great Prophet Acts 3. 22. from Deut. 18. 15. And will they deny Philip to be endowed with the Holy Ghost Acts 8. 35. he preacheth Jesus to the Eunuch from Isa 53. And Acts 17. 2 11. Paul reasoned and preached out of the Scriptures and the Bereans searched the Scriptures to try whether Paul's Doctrine was true or not The Reader may see from hence with what an open Face these deluded Impostors will assert apparent Falshoods From all this it appears the Quakers are great Enemies to and Contemners of holy Scriptures and that what they say in their Pamphlet is a great Falshood II. I proceed to examine the other part of their first Article professed in their Paper Article Our Belief is That in the Unity of the Godhead there is Father Son and Holy Ghost being those three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the holy Spirit This Profession looks like good and Orthodox Christianity but yet when it comes to be weighed it will be found wanting I shall only examine what Heaven this is the Quakers intend not in the glorious Heavens above beyond the Clouds and starry Heavens no by no means it 's ridiculous to speak of an imagined God beyond the Stars it is the Heaven within thee where these three Divine Witnesses are you will hear their severe Rebukes by and by if you will have any other Heaven to be meant as their Residence See James Parnell's Book Satan's Design discovered p. 19 25. he affirmeth They that confess not Christ to be come in their Flesh are the Antichrist and also affirmeth That by preaching of Christ in Heaven the Devil gets his Work done on Earth Pray what is fairly to be inferred from hence why the Heaven they intend is no where else but within their Mortal Corrupt Bodies or else Christ is not one of those three Divine Witnesses they speak of in the Paper for they will allow of no other Christ but what is in every Man And see further Tho. Lawson in his Book against William Jeffery calls him Thou Image-maker thou Cockatrice hatching Eggs Vulters Eye c. because William Jeffery had said that Christ was ascended into Heaven with that Body that was raised from the Dead And they intend no other Heaven than what is within them and thus they must be understood in their Pamphlet for see Lawson's Book p. 9 and 19. they say that they have eternal Life now really in Possession But would you have it more plain that the Quakers Heaven is within them take a Testimony out of Edward Burrough's Works Pag. 9 149. a chief Guide among them therefore you may take his word for it We say he that was slain upon the Cross is the very Christ of God and the very Christ of God is in us Tho Lucock being ask'd several times before many Witnesses where that Heaven was that Christ did ascend into and now was in he answered clapping his Hands
upon his Breast Within me Within me I shall not trouble you much more in discovering to you the Quakers Heaven and what they intend by it G. Fox in his Great Mystery p. 16. writes thus Thou art deceived who saith Christ is distinct from the Saints Can any Man eat the Flesh of Christ if his Flesh be not in them Can you call him Christ in Man if the Man be not there George Whitehead Dip. Plong Christ without us is not Scripture-Language but the Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians and Socinians saith he tell us of a Personal Christ and that the Man Jesus our Lord hath a place in Heaven remote from the Earth Let this serve to satisfy the impartial Reader that the Quakers believe the Heaven they intend to be within them and they are but Hereticks that believe in a Christ in any other Heaven remote or at a distance from them for it is plain that they deny Christ to be a distinct Person without them And in like manner all the three Divine Witnesses they speak of that bear Record in Heaven are within them also for the Light within them is really and compleatly Christ and Christ is God But this will further appear under the next Head But let all Christians believe that Jesus Christ is at the Right-hand of the Father in the glorious Heavens above However the Quakers do endeavour with their false Glosses to abuse the World and bethrone Christ We own and believe those Scriptures in their true and proper sense 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 1 Cor. 6. 19. Ye are the Temples of God and Christ in you the Hope of Glory c. And it is also true that the Saints are said to be in Christ 2 Cor. 5. 17. If any Man be in Christ he is or let him be a new Creature And he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and he in him How often doth Paul speak of the Faithful in Christ Jesus and he also speaks of some that were in Christ before him Now the Quakers if they are not stark blind may see in what sense Christ is said to dwell in the Saints that is by the Gifts and Graces of his holy Spirit Ephes 2. 22. the Saints are the Habitation of God through the Spirit For if any Man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his These Gifts of the Holy Ghost Christ promised John 16. 7. I go to my Father and he will send the Comforter this Spirit of Truth to guide into all Truth which was accordingly poured upon the Apostles and Disciples Acts 2. at large And Acts 19. 2. Paul asks those Disciples at Ephesus whether they had received the Holy Ghost since they believed that is this Comforter that Christ had promised that when he went to the Father he would send Acts 5. 32. and give to them that obey him albeit the personal Ascension of Christ is fully witnessed to And to put this out of doubt read Luke 24. 49 50 51. And behold I send the Promise of my Father upon you but tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem till ye be endowed with Power from on high and then go and prosecute the Commission I have committed to you And he led them out as far as Bethany and he lift up his Hands and blessed them And it came to pass that while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven Compare Act. 1. 9. He was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their sight And while they looked stedfastly towards Heaven as he that is Jesus went up behold two Men stood by them in white Apparel which were two Angels ver 10. which also said Ye Men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven This same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as you have seen him go into Heaven Ay saith George Whitehead in like manner but every Like is not the same Pitiful shift Thus you plainly see the Certainty of Christ's Ascension and that the Holy Ghost's Descension Acts 2. 3 4. ver 38. promised to the penitent believing obedient Soul But Act. 3. 20 21. He shall send Jesus Christ which before was preached unto you Whom the Heavens must receive till the times of Restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his holy Prophets since the World began Now this Restitution is not yet tho the Spirit was come See Acts 7. 55. But he that is Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost mark that looked stedfastly up into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the Right-hand of God ver 56. and there he saith I see the Son of Man standing at the Right-hand of God Observe Stephen was full of the Holy Ghost or of the Spirit of Christ when he had this glorious sight of Christ in the Heavens at the Right-hand of God and in the Glory of the Father Now it is the Faith of Christians that Christ shall come in this glorious Body the second time from Heaven Phil. 3. 20 21. We saith Paul look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ not for a greater Fulness of the Spirit as the Quakers dream for what greater Fulness could Paul expect if the Quakers Notion were true if Heaven and the whole Trinity were in him before But saith Paul we look for the Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ who shall change our vile Bodies and make them like his glorious Body Yea saith Christ you shall see the Son of Man come in Power and great Glory and every Eye shall see him c. Mat. 24. 26. It is more than probable that Christ pointed at this Generation of Impostors the Quakers who say Behold he is in the secret Chambers ay within thee not at a distance from thee Believe them not saith Christ for my second coming shall be visible as the Lightning or the Sun that riseth in the East and shines to the West every Eye shall see me c. Let this serve to construe what they intend in their Paper when they speak of three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven it is the Heaven within they intend III. I proceed to the third Head collected out of their Pamphlet as proposed to be examined and that is they profess to own the Divinity and Humanity of Christ I shall therefore proceed to examine their Belief herein and still I know no better way than to make use of their own Construing Books as the surest way not to wrong them for by comparing this professed Faith with the Writings of some of their chief Guides by that you will see whether they believe as they say or whether it be not only a gloss to deceive the Hearts of the Simple And in examining this Point of Faith professed by them I shall begin with their greatly admired George Fox in his Great Mystery c. p. 71.
without the Gates of Jerusalem that died was buried and rose again Luke 24. 39. saith Christ It is I my self Behold my Hands and my Feet handle and see for a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones as you see me have This I say is the Christ of God as Peter testifies Acts 2. 36. Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made the same Jesus whom ye crucified both Lord and Christ I pass this and leave what hath been said and the Opinion of the Quakers about the Humanity of Christ to impartial Consideration But lest any should suppose the Quakers do not own such blasphemous condemning and railing Answers as Edw. Burroughs gave to the twenty Questions before hinted at some of which being about the Person or Humanity of Christ and Place of his Residence you have Mr. Penn warranting this Answer from God and by the sense of the Eternal Spirit for he declares It was the Portion and only fit Answer to be given to those trapanning Questions and saith he had Edw. Burroughs gone into a familiar opening unto his vulterous unclean serpertine Eye all the deep Things of the Spirit of God and Mysteries of Holy Kingdom who was in that nature that crucified the Lord of them Edw. Burroughs had brought the Wrath of the Eternal God upon himself instead of the Priest Will. Penn's Reas against Railing p. 164. IV. They profess in their Pamphlet That they believe and expect Salvation and Justification by the Righteousness and Merits of Christ and not by their own Righteousness or Works and that they believe Remission of Sins and Redemption through the Death Sufferings and Bloodshed of Christ This they make a plenary profession of in their Answer to their third and fourth Questions propounded I must now examine whether they believe what they have here so plausibly professed And there are three things to be enquired into which together with the circumstances and Concomitants will unfold their meaning in what they have here professed 1. What do the Quakers intend by the Death and Blood of Christ They do not believe in that Blood that was shed upon the Cross for Robert Ruckhill a Quaker saith in his Paper sent to Tho. Grantham That the Blood of Christ or Blood of Sprinkling never mortal Eye beheld And in pag. 11. of the same Paper he condemns all Professors that know no other Blood of Sprinkling than that which the Jews saw So that the Blood that our dear Lord shed upon the Cross they do not intend for John 19. 34. the Souldier pierced his Side and Water and Blood came out of his Wounds in the piercing of his Hands and Feet this the Souldiers and his Crucifiers saw But this is not the Blood intended see Tho. Lawson's Book pag. 18. I suppose they will not deny him to be a thorow-paced Quaker he saith The offering of Christ's Body to be broken and his Blood to be shed avails not so as through Faith therein to set free from Sin but Blood in a Mystery and a Body in a Mystery which we know not what it is saith Lawson But saith Pennington's Questions pag. 33. this we certainly know and can never call the bodily Garment Christ That is in plain English that Body of Flesh that they can never call Christ Pennington in another Page of the same Book asks Can outward Blood cleanse the Conscience we witness the same Christ that ever was now manifest in the Flesh This Isaac Pennington was an approved Quaker Now if this be not the Mystery of Iniquity I know not what may be called so and it this be not to bring in those damnable Heresies denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. 1. prophesied of by Peter what is for the Blood shed upon the Cross is not available say they Now why should these Impostors talk of the Blood of Christ and labour to perswade the World that they expect Justification Redemption and Salvation and the blessed Effects of his Suffering and Dying even Salvation See Pennington's Questions pag. 25. Can outward Blood cleanse the Conscience can outward Water wash the Soul clean What plainer denial can there be of the Efficacy of the Blood of Christ shed on the Cross E. Burrough's Trumpet c. p. 17. All the Presbyterians and Independants with their feeding upon the Report of a thing done many hundred Years ago Thus they deridingly speak of such as believe in the Death and Sufferings of Christ upon the Cross I shall conclude this Confutation of their pretended Profession of Faith in the Blood of Christ Now if the Quakers will assign some other Blood of Christ besides the Blood of the Man Christ Jesus crucified on the Cross that is of this redeeming Nature and Efficacy then I shall be inclined to turn Quaker and not before But let Christians believe in Christ's Death and Blood-shed upon the Cross for Justification Sanctification and Redemption and let the Word of God be true and these Men Liars Rom. 3. 25. Rev. 1. 5. It was this Christ Jesus that was crucified upon the Cross that loved us and washed us from our Sins in his own Blood Heb. 9. 14. Col. 1. 14. We have Redemption through his Blood Heb. 13. 12. Wherefore Jesus also that he may sanctify the People with his own Blood suffered without the Gate c. See Rom. 5. 9 10. Col. 1. 20. Let us believe that Christ's Blood shed upon the Cross was to reconcile us to God Let us for ever admire God for this unspeakable Gift of his Son to die for us that he by the Grace of God should taste Death for every Man Heb. 2. 9. Again Let us believe love and obey so dear a Lord that so freely gave his Body to be broken pierced and mangled in that shameful manner to redeem sanctify and justify such that lay hold upon him Let the Love of Christ constrain us to be followers of God as dear Children and walk in Love as Christ hath loved us 2. Under this fourth Head they pretend to believe and expect Justification and Remission of Sins by the Righteousness and Merits of Christ and Redemption by him I shall now examine whether they do believe and expect Justification and Remission of Sins by the Righteousness and Merits of Christ Now if you will believe their Writings you will see this their Profession to be but a painted and deceitful Flourish for Justification and Remission of Sins by the Righteousness of another is not by them believed See Edw Burrough's Works in Answer to the 14th Query p. 33. God doth not accept any where there is any failing or who do not fulfil the Law and answer every Demand of Justice This were there no other Instance confutes their plausible pretence to Justification and Remission by the Righteousness and Merits of Christ But see Will. Pen's Sandy Foundat p. 25 c. Justification is not from the Imputation of another's Righteousness but from the actual performing and
the Ministers of Christ endowed with the Spirit ought to minister or preach from the Scriptures O blind Stupidity Do they deny the Apostles to be Christ's Ministers endowed with the Spirit And did not they preach from the Scriptures Acts 3. 22. Peter proves Christ to be this Prophet from Deut. 18. 15. And Acts 8. 26 c. did not Philip preach Jesus to the Eunuch out of the Prophet Isaiah Acts 18. 28. Apollos mightily convinc'd the Jews of the Truth of Jesus being the Christ out of the Scriptures Acts 17. 11. the Bereans searched the Scriptures to prove Paul's Doctrine and Paul adviseth Timothy to study rightly to divide the Word Surely these were Ministers endowed with the Spirit But 3. As the Quakers do not own the Person nor Method used and appointed by Christ the great Prophet so they disown the Doctrine taught by him and his Apostles and like not those Directions given for Doctrine for say they ' All things are to be taught and ' learned by and from the Light within all they direct to is that No see Zech. 7. 2 3 7. Sherezer and Regem-melech were sent by the Children of Israel to enquire of the Priests and Prophets Whether they should weep in the fifth Month separating themselves as they had done many Years before Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker but the Lord speaks by the Prophet saying Should you not hear the words which the Lord hath cried by the former Prophets c. John Baptist who was a burning and shining Light sent two Disciples to Jesus saying Art thou he that should come or look do we for another Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Christ Go and tell John the things ye have both seen and heard c. Such outward Means were returned by Christ the true Prophet and Light of the World for John's Satisfaction Luke 7. 19 22. Luke 3. 10 14. The People came to Jesus saying What shall we do Also the Publicans saying What shall we do And the Souldiers said What shall we do Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Jesus who had another Spirit He that hath two Coats let him impart one to him that hath none Exact no more c. Do Violence to none Accuse no Man falsely Be content with your Wages Mat. 19. 16 21. a certain young Man came to Christ saying What good thing shall I do that I may inherit Eternal Life Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Christ Keep the Commandments and sell what thou hast and give to the Poor and thou shalt have Treasure in Heaven c. Joh. 6. 28 29. the Jews demanded of Christ saying What shall we do that we may work the Work of God Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Christ this is the Work of God That ye believe in his Son that is in me that talk with you that came into the World to die for you Lord what wilt thou have me to do saith Saul Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker Acts 9. 6. saith the Lord Christ Go into the City and it shall be told thee Acts 22. 10-16 Arise and go to Damascus and there it shall be told thee of all things that are appointed for thee to do And that not by a Light within for Ananias was to instruct him into the Will of Christ the great Prophet So Acts 2. 37 38. The poor Jews pricked in the Heart cried out Men and Brethren what shall we do Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker But saith Peter one that had the Holy Ghost Repent and be baptized for the Remission of Sins c. I might weary you with shewing how the Quakers oppose the Teachings of Christ's Prophetick Office And that the Quakers deny the Prophetick Office of Christ it appears by their denying his Gospel-Ordinances and this brings me to the Sixth Head as I observe in their Pamphlet VI. and Last In which they would insinuate to the World That they believe and are fully perswaded that Baptism which is essential to Salvation or Christianity or the Laver without which none can be true Christians or saved is the inward or spiritual washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life This is the saving Baptism into Christ and his Church which produceth the answer of a good Conscience towards God of which the outward was a Figure 1 Pet. 3. 21. This is that one Baptism of Christ by one Spirit into that one Body whereof Christ is Head And then that they may not appear with open Face but under a Mask in striking at Christ's Ordinance but still with the same Design they alter the stroak seemingly and go on As for Dipping or Sprinkling Infants or young Children we find no Precept or Precedent in Holy Scripture for the practice thereof and therefore we cannot think our not believing it essential or necessary to Salvation or making Christians a sufficient Argument to prove us no Christians unless it can be proved that none are saved without it and that all are saved that have it c. The scope and medium of this Article is to make null and abolish the sacred Ordinance of Water-Baptism And as to what they say that their not believing Sprinkling or Dipping of young Children to be essential to Salvation or making Christians can be no sufficient Argument to prove them no Christians No certainly I believe that no Advocate for that Cause could do it from those Premises I shall proceed to examine their Sentiments touching that Sacred Ordinance of Water-Baptism and it appears that they deny those two great Ordinances instituted by our Lord and great Prophet namely Baptism in Water and the Supper administred in Bread and Wine then one good Argument amongst many may be drawn from thence to prove the Quakers no Christians Let us therefore have recourse to their Construing Books and see what they say Pernell's Shield of the Truth p. 11. The Baptism we own is the Baptism of Christ with the Holy Ghost and with Fire but we deny all other See p. 12. Here the Quakers fully deny Water-Baptism See also James Naylor's Salutation to the Seed of God p. 33 34. where he slights and denies Baptism in Water calling it a carnal thing But Edw. Burroughs with open Face and great Confidence testifies against Christ's Ordinances being now in force I do affirm saith he that Circumcision is as much in force as Water-Baptism and the Pafchal Lamb as the Bread and Wine for the continuing of them would have been a Judaizing of the Evangelical Worship To assert their continuance would be as much as in such lies to pluck up the Gospel or Spiritual Worship by the Roots Hence that Appellation Ordinances of Christ I do renounce as unscriptural and unevangelical and can testify from the same Spirit by which Paul renounced Circumcision that they are to be rejected Burroughs's Works pag. 108 109. Here is a compound of Ignorance and