Infants or Believers we are left at uncertainty by this Rector 't is enough with him to cry It must be with Water Water But who who must come under it Men or Babes Here we are at a loss What an easie way it is to make Christians and to get to Heaven if this be it viz. Learn and believe your Creed and that you are inwardly washed regenerated and entered into God's Kingdom by your Water-Baptism Whether as Infants or grown up is still the Question This Rector boldly tells us Nay further it appears That before our Saviour Baptized those in Judea he represented the Solemnity of Baptism as a thing necessary to enter Men into that Kingdom of God to which he invited them our Saviour not only telling Nicodemus John 3. 5. That except a Man be born again he could not see the Kingdom of God But yet more plainly That except he was born again of Water p. 5. and of the Spirit he could not enter into it p. 28. In this Interpretation of John 3. 5. to outward Water the Rector exactly agrees with the Popish Notion and Interpretation thereof That no Man can enter into the Kingdom of God nor into the Fellowship of Holy Church without Water-Baptism as held by the Rhemists see their Annotations upon John 3. 5. And therein opposed by the Protestants as appears in Dr. Fulk's Answer viz. It is not necessary in this place By Water to understand material Water but rather the Purifying Grace of Christ. As in Chap. 4. ver 11 14. where 't is called Living Water whereof he saith Washing with Water in Baptism is an outward Sign So that the Reform'd Protestants did place Salvation the New Birth and entering into the Kingdom of God upon the Inward Baptism by the Purifying Grace of Christ and not upon the Outward Element of Water they esteem'd that but an outward Sign of the Inward For the outward Baptism by Water the Rector urges our Saviour's Example and Practice from John 3. 22 26. p. 28. as if practised or ministred by Christ himself But that 's a Mistake for in John 4. 2. 't is expresly said Though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples I have run the farther into this Point in this place to shew what a Composition the Rector has run Christianity into But to return to some of his invidious Abuses and Perversions For the Credit of his Charge of Venom and Blasphemous Opinions relating to Christianity as well as to the Government against us he saith And to this end and purpose in the Month of March last past there were two Books presented to both Houses of Parliament the one Entitled A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles c. The other Entitled Some few of the Quakers many horrid Blasphemies Heresies c. And also a Sheet Entitled Some Reasons humbly offered why the Quakers should be examined p. 6 7. Here we may observe this Rector has owned these same Books as well as presenting them to the Parliament Now one of them that is a Libel stiled Some Few has an Owner with the rest Thou therefore John Meriton Rector so called art accountable for the manifold Abuses Perversions Calumnies and Traducings which are in those Books and detected in my Truth and Innocency vindicated which I doubt not but will turn to your great Shame and Disgrace who promoted them as will also your strenuous Endeavours to Insence the Government against us but that they had more Discretion and Prudence than to be influenced by two or three Invidious Persons against a Peaceable and Serviceable People Now concerning our Christian Profession on which the Rector makes his Observations to evince the Venom of Quakerism as he unjustly defames us He accuseth us with dubious and equivocal Terms agreeable to those of the Oracles of the Heathen p. 7. for our confessing That our Belief is That in the Unity of the God-head there is Father Son and Holy Ghost those Three Divine Witnesses that beare Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testimony These the Rector has judged as dubious equivocal Terms though they are Scripture Terms see Matt. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. John 14. 26. Chap. 15. 26. But not being content with this our Confession he begs this Question i. e. But if not Three Persons what Three are they page 8. Let him prove these Terms by plain Scripture as we have done ours and then we shall be resolved so as not to charge him with dubious Terms He might have spared his bitter Insinuations against us as virulent Poison grossest Errors equivocal Reserves wherein they meaning the Quakers may be thought to exceed their Brethren the Jesuits page 8. It had been more Prudence for him to have forborne or reserved these bitter Aspersions than to impose them upon the Reader which shews a great Enmity and bitterness of Spirit in the Man His repeated and partial Citations and Charge against G. F. W. P. and G. W. in page 8 9 10. are answered and detected in the second part of the other Examination i. e. Truth and Innocency c. under the first Head and Title Concerning the Holy Trinity What is alledged against G. W. out of Ishmael c. page 10. about the Three Persons though wrongly cited by the Rector p. 9 10. I have positively disowned that passage twice already both as 't is in it self and as it is none of mine and do now a third time disown the same which none therefore but the Implacable will repeat against me About a Heaven within and the Locality of Heaven p. 10. I do not find either G. F. or W. P. truly quoted or cited upon Examination The Matter as it concerns G. F. is answered in the other Examination aforesaid To the Rector's thus construing our Confession i. e. When they speak of Three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven that is to say quoth he the Heaven within them p. 10. Thus he imposes his meaning upon us as if we confined the Divine Three bearing Witness in Heaven only to a Heaven within us and not as being in that Heaven without us also which is a mistaken Construction for the Heaven wherein the Divine Three bear Witness is above and distinct from the Earth 1 John 5. 7 8. and yet the same Holy Spirit which is God bears witness in Earth too even in Mens Hearts and Consciences His Spirit bears witness with our Spirits c. And he that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. And he that inhabiteth Eternity and dwells in the highest Heavens dwells also in the lowest Hearts even with them that are poor and of contrite Spirits and tremble at his word how despised soever they are in the Eyes of the Proud and Envious whom God will debase And it was no lessening of the Blessed Record of the Divine Three
that the Inward Spiritual Baptism washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life the Spirit of Life the Power of Christ is the Saving Baptism the truly Regenerating Baptism the Baptism essentially necessary to Salvation and making Christians and not the outward nor the Sign Type or Shadow thereof is no venomous Doctrine but agreeable to Holy Scripture Testimony is evident from Isa. 1. Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes saith the Lord c. this was an Inward and Spiritual Washing Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from thy wickedness that thou mayest be saved This was a Heart-washing an Inward and Spiritual Washing whereby they might be Saved Zech. 13. 1. The Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness was a Spiritual Fountain The Lord God was the Fountain of Living Water which when they had forsaken they committed a great Evil therein as well as in hewing to themselves broken Cisterns which could hold no Water Jer. 2. 13. And the clean Water the Lord promised to Sprinkle upon his People to make them clean from all their Filthiness and to cleanse them from all their Idols Ezek. 36. 25. was a Spiritual Sprinkling with Spiritual Water and the Lord 's doing John 3. 5. Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God This was Spiritual Living Water Inward and Sanctifying Grace as the True Primitive Christians experienced and best of Reformed Protestants believed and not the outward Element of Water as Papists and this Rector believe and hold As in his page 28 before more fully observed yea he holds This poor Element as he calls it of Water as necessary to do away Sins and to work upon our Souls as the Waters of Jordan were to the Cleansing of Naaman 2 Kings 5. 13. so necessary quoth he are the Waters of Baptism to the Cleansing our Souls p. 31. Such Vertue he ascribes to this Element thus idolizing it even as highly as the Rhemists against the Protestants but contrary to Christ's own Testimony also If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me saith our Lord Jesus John 13. 8. who also required first to make clean the inside that the out-side might be clean also Therefore 't was the Inward Spiritual Washing of Regeneration the Washing or Cleansing of the Heart by the Word of Life the Holy Spirit and Power of Christ which was the Soul's Saving Baptism and not that of the outward Element Titus 3. 4 5. After that the Kindness of God our Saviour toward Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost And if the Baptism which doth now save us be not the Putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ according to that of 1 Pet. 3. 23. What can be more clear than that the Saving Baptism is that of the Spirit which is the One Baptism Ephes. 4. 5. whereby the Saints were all Baptized into One Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and not that of the outward Element which can neither cleanse the Soul nor wash away the Sin or Guilt thereof The Inward and Spiritual Grace Saveth the Soul from Sin and Condemnation and ought to be preferred to all outward and visible Signs which can neither Save nor Sustain or Relieve the Soul 't is Life and Substance which is divine can do that The One Spiritual Baptism and that One Bread that Spiritual Meat and Drink which cometh down from Heaven is that which both saves and nourisheth the Soul unto Eternal Life John 6. 1 Cor. 10. That Disciples and Apostles of Christ did Baptize with Water is not denied Acts 8. 36 38. ch 10. 48. ch 19. 3 4 5. but that they did Practice or enjoin it as an act of necessity pursuant to Christ's Commission in Matth. 28. 19. is to impose upon us or beg the Question but that it was rather permissively practised in con discention than by that Commission For 1st Water is not expressed in that Text. 2dly When they Baptized with Water they did not use the terms of the Commission in it We do not read in all the Acts of the Apostles that any of them Baptized with Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost or that they used those expressions or terms in their Baptizing with Water but in the name of the Lord or in the name of the Lord Jesus If Water had been intended in that Commission of Christ Matth. 28. 19. the Apostle Paul must be concerned in it it must be as much binding to him as any other Minister but he declares the contrary that Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. he does not say Christ sent me not only to Baptize but positively for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel which was part of the Reason he gave why he thanked God that he had baptized no more than those he mentions 1 Cor. 1. 14 15 16. as well as Lest they should have said he had baptized in his own name for 't is not to be supposed he would thank God for not performing part of his Commission if it had been to Baptize with Water as well as to Preach the Gospel but that positive and general Reason for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel leaves no room for him to say Christ sent me to Minister Water-Baptism in his Commission in Matth. 28. 19. for Water-Baptism was properly John's Baptism and Ministry to make way for Christ's higher Dispensation and Spiritual Ministry Matth. 3. 11. Mark 11. 8. Luke 3. 16. John 1. 16. Acts 1. 5. 10. 16. compare with Acts 19. 2 3 4. But I need not enlarge on this subject to answer the Anabaptists Argument for Plunging or dipping Believers in Water unless this Rector were in the Practice thereof and renounced his Rantism as they do as a Scriptureless Thing as they term Sprinkling Infants But referr him to a Treatise of one that was of his Coat i. e. William Dell his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Doctrine of Baptisms To the Rector's Referring the Reader to that Excellent Piece of Water-Baptism as he terms it writ by that worthy and Ingenious Author as he applauds him of The Snake in the Grass c. printed 1697. p. 29. Thus highly has he commended the Author of that Great Defaming and Reproaching Libel i. e. The Snake in the Grass but it would be too difficult a Task for him to defend the manifold Gross and Abominable Lies and Calumnies contain'd therein against the manifest detection and discovery made of them not only in my Antidote against the Venom of
THE RECTOR EXAMINED About his Book Scandalously stiled An Antidote against the Venom of Quakerism BY John Meriton who calls himself A. M. Rector of Boughton in Norfolk AND His Observations Remarked and the Christianity of the People commonly called Quakers Re-asserted and Vindicated from his Perversions and Aspersions By GEORGE WHITEHEAD And they are Shepherds that cannot understand they all look to their own way every one for his Gain from his quarter Isa. 56. 11. LONDON Printed and Sold by T. Sowle in White-Hart-Court in Gracious-street and at the Bible in Leaden-Hall-street 1699. THE RECTOR EXAMINED About his Book Scandalously stiled An Antidote against the Venom of Quakerism WHAT John Meriton calls The Venom of Quakerism is not what 's contain'd in our Paper entituled The Christianity of the People commonly called Quakers for he grants our Profession throughout the greatest part thereof as well as some others would seem Orthodox page 5. But what he quotes out of other Books as he thinks in Opposition thereto wherein he shews his own Enmity and Perversions and not our Contradiction to what 's Orthodox in our said Profession and the greatest part of what he hath quoted for that end being Answered in the other Examination entituled Truth and Innocency vindicated and but Repetitions and no Refutations of his and his Abettors I need not much repeat or insist upon them but take notice of some other Abuses intermix'd in his Observations and by the way to shew his Learning in Divinity how he defines Christianity and Christian first Negatively then Affirmatively viz. 1st What is understood by the Term Christianity or what is necessary in a strict and proper Sense to entitle a Man to be a Christian For making up this good Composition saith he it is not enough for a Man to know and acknowledge God as the one only true God Creator of all things to depend upon and be subject to him to love him and our Neighbour as our selves to walk soberly and honestly and to practise all those other Duties which by the Light and Law of Nature he may be convinced of for then a Man may believe and be conformable thereunto and yet be no Christian page 3 4. Whereupon we may observe and hence inferr That a Man may be Godly and so live to God and yet no Christian i. e. a Man may be born of God as he that loveth is and yet without Christ as if a Man could come to God without Christ Oh! Lamentable Unchristian Doctrine contrary to his own Doctrine No Man cometh to the Father but by me and If God were your Father ye would love me And if without Christ we can do nothing How should any Man either know God depend upon him be subject to him or love him without Christ And 't is by his Divine Light and Grace that Men are taught these Duties to live Godly and to walk Soberly and Honestly and not by a Light or Law of Humane Nature So that a Man born of God who loves and obeys him and is subject to him is truly and lovingly a Partaker of Christ and of the Nature of Christianity But if to know God to depend upon him to be subject to him to love him our Neighbour as our selves to walk soberly and honestly c. will not entitle a Man to Christianity to be a Christian then 't is not the Jew inward nor the Christian inward nor the New Creature nor the New Birth that will avail but the outward Profession of Christianity though many have that who neither love God nor are subject to him nor love their Neighbours consequently are no New Creatures nor born of God And if to know love and obey God and to live Soberly and Honestly c. be not such a Good Composition as will make up a true Christian in Spirit and Life What will this Composition make up May we take what our Opposer here adds for Answer viz. For who doubts but that some of the Heathens thus far believed and practised who were not only altogether Ignorant of Christ but also vehemently opposed him and the Christian-Name page 4. This I cannot receive for sufficient Answer or for Truth And 't is said but not proved that any of those Gentiles or Heathens who knew and loved God depended upon him and were subject to him and loved their Neighbours as themselves and walked soberly and honestly yet that these Gentiles thus qualified vehemently opposed Christ and the Christian Name We want proof for this Assertion How could they love God and be subject to him and depend upon him and hate or oppose his dear Son and Servants If God were your Father ye would love me saith Christ for I proceeded forth and came from God John 8. 42. for those that hated him were of their Father the Devil ver 44. Where did ever any honest sober Gentiles or Heathen who truly loved God so vehemently oppose Christ as this Man accuseth them We find the contrary in Scripture that many Gentiles believed and received the Gospel of Christ who is the Light of the Gentiles and even in the Case of Justification the Apostle brings those Gentiles for a proof who not having the Law were a Law to themselves when they performed those things contained in the Law and shewed the Work of the Law that was written in their Hearts Rom. 2. 13 14 15 16. But the mistake of this our Opposer and his Adherents is they 'll have the Light which enlightens every Man that cometh into the World not to be Christ but Man's Conscience a Light and Law of Nature and so but natural as of Man and not Divine deeming it Blasphemy to assert the Light that doth enlighten every Man that cometh into the World is not Conscience and that it was before any thing was made or Conscience named as in their first and great Charge against us in their Brief Discovery page 3. whereby they have consequently charged John the Evangelist's Testimony of Christ who is that true Light John 1. with Blasphemy Thus have they brought the Blasphemy upon their own ignorant Opposition to this Evangelical Doctrine of the true Light which Christ the Word is the Fountain of which is a Divine Supernatural Light and therefore increated consequently not Man's natural Conscience but a superiour Reformer and Guide of Man's whole Soul with all the Parts and Faculties thereof He that made all things was not made but he that was the true Light made all things by him all things were made John 1. He that made Man was before Man was before his Soul or Spirit or any Faculties or Intellectuals were made or formed within Man Consequently this Light was not Conscience but that which enlightens Man's Understanding and Conscience and the Eyes of his Understanding How Blasphemous then are these Men who deem this Doctrine of the Light Blasphemy And 't is not safe to conclude That those Jews who were God's chosen People and obedient to the
there is a great difference between Christ's offering up himself by the Eternal Spirit a Lamb without Spot to God and the Acts of wicked Men inflicted upon him as 't is said by wicked hands they put him to death The Merit Deserving Dignity or Worth is placed upon Christ's Obedience in offering up himself and humbling himself to the Death of the Cross for Man's Redemption as intimated in the consequence Wherefore God hath highly exalted him Phil. 2. 9. Therefore the Merit or Deserving was not placed upon the Soldier 's Act of thrusting the Spear into his side and letting out his Blood thereby after he had given up the Ghost John 19. 33 34. But upon the Obedience of the Son of God even unto the Death of the Cross as that most acceptable Sacrifice for the Sins of the World Christ's deserving such high Exaltation into Dominion and Glory through his Obedience in Suffering was for the bringing many Sons to Glory Heb. 2. 10. consequently That in following him we might be received into Glory as they who Suffer with him shall be glorified together Rom. 8. 17. and this no ways interferes with nor varies from Our Sincere Belief of Salvation and Justification by Jesus Christ his Righteousness Merits and Works and not by our own Christ as our Mediator and the one Offering has obtained Justification Remission and Pardon of Sins and Eternal Redemption for us which he makes us partakers of by his Work of Righteousness and Sanctification in us so that both Christ's Obedience Deservings and Dignity without us and his works within us are concerned in our Salvation and Justification which his Light and Spirit Leads us to the living Knowledge and Experience of as We sincerely obey and follow the same for the Apostle describes both the washing Sanctification and Justification of true Converts to be in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Therefore I hope it will be no reproach to W. P. or any else to be in conjunction with G. W. in this point as he is accused p. 14. namely That our Justification and Salvation is not Effected wholly without us as if there were no need of the Spirit 's work within us for our Regeneration and Sanctification all which is Christ's work being done by his Spirit and Power which consequently does no ways lessen his Dignity Glory and Honour wherewith he was crowned through the Suffering of Death that he might bring many Sons after him unto Glory Heb. 2. 9. Again the Rector quotes G. Whitehead in Counterfeit Convert printed 1694. p. 17 18. That it is the Light and Life within in which is the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation And as for the Sufferings and Death of Christ in the Flesh they do but instrumentally contribute thereunto The Rector to abuse me Partially cites me in this place as if I ascribed Salvation to a Light and Life within without Christ or not to Christ for what else could he design in bringing this Quotation to confront or oppose our Confession before cited to Salvation by Jesus Christ And where do I say in which i. e. in the Light and Life within is the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation as if I should say something in the Light and Life of Christ were the Immediate cause of Man's Salvation and not the Light and Life of Christ it self this Rector would fain make me speak Non-sence as well as Blasphemy But by our confessing to the Light and Life of Christ within as the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation from Sin and Condemnation we do neither divide Christ nor make two Christs nor yet by confessing his Suffering and Death in the Flesh as a means of God's appointment instrumentally to contribute thereunto He being The Mediator of the New Covenant that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament or Covenant they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9. 15. and as it was by means of Christ that true Christians believe in God who raised him up from the Dead and gave him Glory and Honour that their Faith and Hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. So if Christ our Mediator be the Means the Cause and Great Instrument of our Faith and Salvation and his Death the Means of our Redemption and Remission of Sins in his Blood It can be no dishonour to him to confess his Sufferings and Death in the Flesh instrumentally to contribute to our Salvation and that Christ himself by his Light and Life in us is the Immediate and Efficient cause thereof thereby fulfilling and confirming in us the blessed and holy Design and Ends of his Sufferings and Death for us I am not ashamed of my Testimony for Christ in this matter and give it here more truly than my Adversary has done out of the place quoted out of Counterfeit Convert p. 18. viz. That Christ the Promised Seed through Death was to bruise under and destroy him that had the Power of Death viz. The Devil yet he effectually doth it by his divine Power Light and Life as the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation wherein we still confess his Sufferings and Death in the Flesh instrumentally to contribute thereunto Christ Jesus as the Promised Seed who came of a Woman made under the Law bruised the Serpent's Head both without us and within us without us through his Sufferings and Death by his divine Testimony Word and Power within us by his Divine Life Light Word or Seed Spirit and Power which is all but one Christ himself not two Christs nor to be divided Else how could we be born again of Incorruptible Seed Or how doth that Seed remain in him that 's born again And is not that Seed Christ And is not the Word of Faith Christ in Spirit See 1 Pet. 1. 23. 1 John 3. 9. Rom. 10. 6 7 8. Now where 's the Venom charged in all this Doctrine When true and full Recitations are given of our Words how plain does the Truth thereof appear But when our Adversaries give their perverted minced and false Citations thereof to traduce us as Venomous in Doctrine as this angry Rector has frowardly and frequently done How cloudy do they make them and us look But Truth will work thorow and over all this dust and cloudy stuff they cast upon us To what he quotes against Tho. Lawson his Untaught Teacher printed 1655. p. 4 5. Against looking for Salvation from a means without and seeking a way to Salvation without p. 15. I have not the Book quoted but am apt to think T. L's unfairly or not fully cited in this place let the Rector produce a fair and full Recitation However I really believe upon our Principle that T. L. meant no other than that as Salvation from Sin is an Inward and Spiritual Work of Christ Men must expect and wait
the said Snake c. but more fully in a farther Scrutiny made in a Book now Extant Entituled Anguis Flagellatus Or a Switch for the Snake By Joseph Wyeth When this Rector can demonstrate a Probatum est of such vertue in that Poor Element as he calls it of Water-Baptism as to cleanse and cure polluted and distempered Souls from Sin Spiritual Leprosie and Diseases as Naaman the Assyrian was cured of his Leprosie by washing seven times in the River of Jordan 2 Kings 5. 13. or as the Blind Man found in washing in the Pool of Siloam that he receiv'd Sight and came seeing John 9. 11. unto both which the Rector alludes in 's comparison for Water-Baptism Then I say if he can evince a Probatum of such vertue therein according to his own comparison It will be a most pregnant Argument to induce People to believe 't is required of them to be dipt or baptized in the Element of Water and to hasten into it especially if they can believe it can effect such a Miracle as an Inward and Spiritual Cure upon their Souls as to Cleanse and Cure them from Sin and the Leprosie thereof as well as from Spiritual Blindness which answers the Allusions before and the more necessity thereof if they may not be so cured without it as this Rector saith of Naaman If he had neglected it he had not otherwise been cured How much more then quoth he when God has appointed the means of Baptism by his Son if we neglect it shall we be saved without it p. 31. This is like Dipp or Damn still and yet all this while he may mean Rantism which is not properly Baptism but I deny either i. e. with the Element of Water to be the means of Salvation or that as such God has so appointed them and that Men shall not be Saved without them i. e. without Sprinkling or Dipping in Water the Rector still imposes and begs the Question in all these without Scripture proof I would not be understood to own or allow any despite to Water-Baptism or inventing contemptible Names for it as the Rector insinuates as it was once a Dispensation from Heaven to John Baptist nor do I either condemn despise or contemn any who are tenderly Conscientious in the Belief and Practise thereof but desire they may see and come further so as to receive that Inward Spiritual Baptism the Washing of Regeneration by which Christ effectually Saveth the True Believers in him I desire none may Idolize the outward Element of Water which cannot Save to hinder them of the Inward which can Save And it being generally granted that the outward Baptism is an outward and visible Sign of an Inward and Spiritual Grace and Type or Figure of the Inward Baptism I wish Men would be so considerate as to examine what Necessity there can be of the continuance of the Sign or Type when they do not hear Christ the Great Prophet directing thereto nor does it effect the end proposed i. e. the Washing away of Sin seeing the Substance and Mystery thereof is made manifest and a Spiritual Dispensation or Ministry from Heaven given immediately directing to the Life Substance the end of all Shadows which really end in Christ the Substance whose Evangelical Ministry is a Dispensation of the Grace of God of Substance and not of Shadow Quest. Do you believe or own the Lord's Supper either as a Sign of the Love that Christians ought to have among themselves or as a Seal of the Saints Communion and Commemoration of Christ's Death for us or as Figurative of Christ's Body and Blood Spiritually received by Faith Answ. The Supper of the Lord we own and tenderly consider in a Two-fold Sense 1. In the Figure 2. In the Substance 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ at his Supper with his Disciples did eat the Passover which was for the fulfilling and Consummation of the Feasts under the Law see Luke 22. and at this Supper he did take and minister Bread and the Cup to his Disciples for there was no Transubstantiation saying This do in remembrance of me And saith the Apostle As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye shew 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. 5. 16. 2. And Christ said to his Disciples I will not drink henceforth of this Fruit of the Vine until that day I drink it new with you in my Father's Kingdom Matt. 26. 29. And likewise of the Passover I will not any more eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God Luke 22. 16. And he further said I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may eat and drink at my Table in my Kingdom c. Luke 22. 29 30. In these things we believe he spoke Mysteriously and that every Member of his Spiritual Church doth daily Spiritually partake of his Body and Blood by Faith as The Cup of Blessing which we bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the Bread which we break Is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are one Bread and one Body for we are all Partakers of that one Bread 1 Cor. 10. 15 16 17. The Son of God saith Behold I stand at the door and knock if any Man hear my voice and open the Door I will come in to him and will Sup with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. And Wisdom calleth to the Simple Come eat of my Bread and drink of my Wine Prov. 9. 4 5. And saith Christ The Bread of God is he that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the World I am that Bread of Life my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him John 6. We believe that all who thus do truly partake of Christ by Faith are in true Communion and Love among themselves which they do want who are only in the outward Observation of Signs and Shadows Upon which the Rector makes this Observation viz. The Reader may here discern how by their deceivable Words and manifold Corruptions of the Scriptures these horrid Impostors set themselves at work to evade and make null the Holy Ordinance of the Lord's Supper as instituted and administred in Bread and Wine c. p. 34. Reply He passes severe Judgment before either Proof or Trial as one more expert in Railing and Reviling than in Demonstration For our considering the Supper of the Lord in a Two-fold Sence 1. In the Type or Figure 2. In the Substance Is neither Deceivable nor Corruption of Scripture consequently 't is a horrid Calumny to brand us as Horrid Impostors for such Consideration We know none but Papists that will deny the outward Bread and Wine to be
within And the Book will be opened in thee he puts IN THEE in Capital Characters as if it were a Crime or Error to own the Lamb of God to have a Throne or Dominion in Man or the Light within to be Judge of every idle Word Which still bespeaks a secret Enmity against the Light and as if the Light were neither to Judge nor to Record Mens Actions in the Book of Mens own Consciences whereas the contrary is evident if they will search and examine their own Consciences and be willing to bring their Deeds to the Light in them that they may be manifest proved and Judged For every one that doeth Truth cometh to the Light and bringeth his Deeds to the Light that They may be manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. And 't is certain that there is a Record made of Mens Iniquities even in their Hearts and Consciences by the true Light as the Sin of Judah was graven upon the Table of their Heart Jer. 17. 1. And without true Repentance it will not be blotted out of that Record but will remain unto the Great Day of Judgment and final Recompence of Rewards when the Books shall all be opened and the Dead Judged out of those things written in the Books every Man according to their Works Rev. 20. So that the Judgment given and the Record made in Mens Consciences by the true Light even in this Life will not wear out nor be made void but remain unto the Last Judgment of the Great Day to come to the great Joy of the Righteous and Shame Contempt and Misery of the Wicked and finally Impenitent who live and die in their Sins As it is testified in Job 21. 30. That the Wicked is reserved to the Day of Destruction they shall be brought forth to the Day of Wrath. And Christ spoke of such as would not receive his Ministers nor hear their Words Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that City Matt. 10. 15. compare with Chap. 11. 22 24. and Mark 6. 11. and Luke 10. 12 14. All which signifie a Day of Judgment to come And as it is appointed unto Men once to die but after this the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. As also the Apostle Peter speaks of the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men 2 Pet. 3. 7. And also 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the Unjust to the Day of Judgment to be punished And Jude v. 6. And the Angels which kept not their first Estate or Principality but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in Everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the Great Day In which Great Day it will fully appear that the Judgment given and the Record made in Mens Consciences by the Light is true and will stand for ever against the Wicked the willful Unbelievers and finally Impenitent And that there is no Opposition nor Contradiction between the present Judgment of Christ in Mens Hearts and Consciences and that which is to come That the Soul of Man though created is Immortal and never dies This we still believe and confess and what the Rector quotes as he supposes against it out of G. F. his Great Mystery and W. Penn's Brief Answer p. 47. if rightly considered and compared will not make void our Belief and Profession which I have answered and explained over and over and so has W. P. by his Distinction between the Breath or Spirit of Life which God breathed into Man and Man himself who thereby became a Living Soul Consequently the Soul of Man is created as well as Man being included in the Being of Man as the more Noble and Spiritual part inspired by the Divine Breath or Spirit of Life whereby Man became a Living Soul And this Distinction is clearly implied in G. F's Great Mystery though unfairly quoted What 's more Explanatory being left out by this Adversary and more fully answered in my aforesaid Examination Entituled Truth and Innocency vindicated c. against the three Norfolk Priests and Bugg p. 7 8 9 60. That we are Sincere in our Profession of Christianity in what is contained in our said little Pamphlet as he calls it entituled The Christianity of the People called Quakers Asserted we are not Conscious to our selves of the contrary nor Convicted of any Insincerity therein by this Rector's or any others Invidious Essays or Attempts nor from any Instances which either he or his Brethren or F. Bugg have produced against us Nor are we Conscious to our selves of holding Tenets or Doctrines which are either directly opposite or contradictory to these he calls New Creeds if impartially cited and truly explained which they have not done in their Invidious Endeavours against us consequently we find no cause to Retract Censure or Condemn the Tenets or Doctrines which we hold and therefore his Charge of Horrid Blasphemies we reject as an odious Calumny proceeding from a Proud Envious Persecuting Spirit which the Lord will Rebuke Neither has he shewn from those Instances against us any such Horrid Blasphemies as he tells of but rather his own Perversions Ignorance and Envy The Lord deliver poor Souls from such Blind Guides that they may not fall into the Ditch with them For some of their Leaders the Priests especially those of them that are of an Envious Persecuting Spirit are the most Blind and Ignorant of the Mystery of Christ and of those things which pertain to his Kingdom FINIS