Water which say we must be as Spiritual as the NewBirth it produceth but also the Renewing of the Holy Ghost to answer being born again of the Spirit That as the washing of Regeneration or Renewing of the Holy Ghost are Synonymous or Expressions to the same Purpose so being born again of Water or being born again of the Spirit are equivalent But if our Adversary will have this Water to be material in Honour of his Baptism Let him never refuse the like Liberty to us in Construction of that great Water-Baptist's own Words But he shall baptize you with the holy Ghost and with Fire that is material Fire My Judgment is if that were the Church of Englands Baptism he had never been her Son though such Sons are ready to Christian many with that Fiery Baptism But if such an Interpretation be absurd let him not esteem his own Rational And if it must be the holy Ghost or Fire then let it be Water or Spirit for indeed they are but so many Words intimating the various Operations of one Divine Power In short John was but a Forerunner therefore not to be perpetuated He was the Water but Christ the great Spiritual Baptist The Former to decrease the Latter to increase And the least in Christ's Kingdom which is not of this World is greater then John not then his private State but outward Administration Paul whose Commission was larger then any Priests in England tells us He was not sent to baptize with Water but to Preach And instead of enjoyning the Practice of it upon others he thanks God that he baptized but very few himself which surely he had never done if it had been part of his Commission or the durable Baptism of the Gospel For he had just Reason to suspect some disaffected would make that Ill-Use of his Liberty that it was to ingratiate and set up himself being conscious that he had no Authority for what he did This he further gives us to believe in that pertinent Passage to our Purpose There is One Body One Spirit One Lord One Faith One Baptism One God and Father of all If more Baptisms then one then more Bodies Spirits Lords Faiths Gods and Fathers of all who were above all and through all and in them all unto whom Paul wrote If this be absurd and that there is but one Baptism I hope it will not be denyed to be that of the Holy Ghost which is both most suitable to the Evangelical Ministration and the peculiar Baptism of Christ Jesus our Lord. I shall touch upon one Passage more The like Figure whereunto even Baptism also doth now save us as our modern Translation has it From which though our Adversary would infer that Water-Baptism is to be used as co-assistant with the Answer of a good Conscience to Salvation I doubt not unanswerably to mantain from it our foregoing Assertion This Verse admits of various readings in ancient Copies and diverse Interpretations by learned Men. We shall a little disquisite the matter that he may see we shall not refuse Learning where it may perform the Office of an honest Servant not an Usurper 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 some has it 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the modern Greek 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Augustin has it Vos and our old Books saith Zegerus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Vatabalus makes the truth relative to the Type Flood And saith Grotius Vox 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 est communis utrique relatâ— i. tam figurae tribuitur quam rei per figuram significatae signifiing Type and Antitype or the thing signified by the Type Erasmus hath it cui nunâ— simile sive respondens Baptisma so that Baptism may answer as the thing typified not another Type 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sayes Dr. Hammond a famous Man of the English Church is certainly best renderd Antitype yet there be â—wo different senses sometimes Contradiction thus Zenophon and Hesychius Then Destruction was by Outward Water now Salvation by Inward otherwise pro or in lieu of another as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 he that supplies the Consul's place so 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as in an old Coppy in Oxford is the Ark inward supplying the place of the Ark outward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which Capellus understands to be Baptismum internum quo fimus mortis resurrectionis Christi participes Hujus interni baptismi typos aliquot habemus in V.T. imprimis autem arcam diluvii et arcam Noae By Inward Baptism we are made Partakers of Christ's Death and Resurrection Of this Inward Baptism we have several Types in the old Testament of which Noah's Ark was one Grotius refers us to these Scriptures for an Apostolical Exposition Rom. 6.3 4. Ephes 4.5 Gal. 3.27 Col. 2.12 all which refer to Man's being baptized into Christ's Death his putting on of Christ and to the One Lord One Faith One Baptism And indeed Beza shewed them the Way who will have it that the Baptism which answered to Noah's Ark was not material Water but the Power of Christ within wich preserves us cleansed and enables us to call on God with a good Conscience Nor is Doctor Hammond of a different Judgment in this Case who not only will have 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 rendred Antitype but the Baptism that is that Antitype answering to Noah's Ark to be the Inward Washing of Men's Consciences from Pollution and delivering them from the Deluge of Sin and Destruction Not only from all this do I conclude the Baptism mentioned in that place to be the Antitype or Truth answering to the outward and typical Salvation of Noah's Ark but for those Reasons which were with me before my Perusal of these Authors and which I shall now briefly offer First If 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were but a Type or Figure one Type would answer another which is not proper 2 dly It were both to suppose that the Gospel were a State of Figures which is the Substance of all and of such Figures too as are less demonstrative or significant for what is that Sprinkling Baby-Baptism for Dipper or dipped I suppose our Adversary to be neither to the Worlds Deluge and Noah's Ark. 3 dly The Baptism in the Text must be such a one as hath Efficacy enough in it to save which outward Water can't do Besides the Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or saveth hath Relation to Noah's Ark wherein the eight Souls were saved Therefore the Antitype or Truth answering to That as Type 4 ly It is such a Baptism as saves by the Power of Christ's Resurrection answerable to Rom. 6.3 4. Know ye not that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his Death that like as Christ was raised up from the Dead by the Glory of the Father even so we also should walk in Newness of Life 5 ly And this the Parenthesis in the Verse undeniably proves
of what ever stands in his Way and refuses to receive his Mark in his Forehead or in his Right Hand This has occasioned so much Trumpery in Religion Ceremonies Shew and meer Formality have swallowed up the greatest part of It Now were Men brought to God's Heavenly Gift in themselves it would reclaim and leaven the Mind chain the Affections and bring Religion into Holy and Selâ—-denying Living and erect an Holy Regiment in the Heart and Soul by which the Heavenly â—mage would be renewed and Man become as one born again without which Translation there can be no entring into God's Heavenly Kingdom This the first Protestants made to be their Reason of their Revolt from Rome For though 't is true that they charged the Papists with making God's Tradition the holy Scriptures void by their numerous dark Traditions yet That which begot that holy Loathing of Rom's Superstitions Idolatries and Will-Worship was God's Grace in their Hearts their best Argument against Rom's Assault was this The Scripture which I believe from the Testimony of the Spirit of God in me which I can only understand from the Illumination thereof owns no such thing and therefore I reject it Such as converse with Luther and his Followers Zuinglius and his Followers will find this to have been the Foundation of their whole Work And our own Martyrology is full to our Purpose particularly Tindal Times and Philpot. I omit to mention a whole Cloud of Witnesses because I intend not to dwell here only this I would be at and I intreat you all to weigh it If any thing can give to understand aright and enable to practise those things of God which it is necessary for Man both to know and do then God's Light Grace or Word in the Heart What else can give us to relish the Divine Authority of the Scriptures themselves or to believe the Things therein treated of to be undeniable Truths Indeed the Want of This has been a great Occasion of Atheism for Man making practising and enacting That for Religion of which People has had no Assurance in themselves But if they should speak their Hearts 't is more probable They do not believe it but instead thereof deride it and so under a Shew of Religion live as Men without God in the World To prevent which and to bring Men to the true Understanding of what God expects from them in order to that great Account they are to give unto Him at the Revelation of his Righteous Judgments when he will judge the Secrets of all Men by Jesus Christ we do exhort all to Christ's Pure Unerring Light in the Conscience which is sufficient to daily Understanding Duty that what they believe and profess in Matters of so high Importance They maybe convinced in their very Conscience by the good Understanding the Inspiration of the Almighty gives of the Truth and Necessity thereof and not suffer themselves to be carried away with the Torrent of Fathers Councils Synods Doctors Scholars National Constitutions c. big and most times untrue and too often empty Words without that inward Conviction and Testimony of God's Good Spirit in Your Own Consciences the old Protestant and only primitive Ground of Truâ— Faith and Obedience I know and shall alwayes acknowledge that in the time of Ignorance the Almighty winked and that in every Age he has expressed his Regard to those under the various Forms of Religion ever in the World who have been Sincere-hearted and of Sober and Conscientious Conversation But I must also tell you that by how much the more needless and unwarrantable Customs Will-Worship and Human Religion built upon the dark and uncertain Conjectures of Men are receeded from and the Minds of People engaged in a diligent attendance upon that Divine Principle which only can clear up their Understandings and give them an experimental Knowledge of the True God and that Way of Worship and Service which may be most acceptable with him by so much more certain will they be of the Truth of their Religion in as much as they have over and above all external Record the Assurance of Unquestionable Convictions in their own Consciences Thus God that made Heaven and Earth knows we came to receive that Knowledge of him Which we now expose our selves to all Hardships to mantain We profest God but like our Neighbours in Works we denyed him We worshipt him after Men's Conceivings insomuch that I may say we worshipt the Unknown God in a False Way No doubt but we were stockt with the Common Talk of Religion but the Cross of Christ we were Strangers to His Blood we extolled whilst by Wicked Works we trod it under Foot And believ'd our selves Saved by it Who were Uncleansed from Sin The whole End of His Coming we esteemed the top of all Love but never knew enough of It truly kindled in our Hearts whereby to work such Faith and Resignation as could give us Victory over the World Thus were we Jews-like Children of God whilst we crucifyed the Son of God and of the Seed of Abraham whilst the Serpents Seed reign'd Heirs of the Kingdom yet not born again Free yet the Bondslaves of Vanity Oh! at this time of day it was that God â—ound us out and broke in upon our Souls with his Righteous Judgments for Sin and laid Judgment to the Line Righteousness to the Plummet within us the Book of Conscience was Opened and great Fear surprised us and Deep Sorrow fell upon us which brought that sudden and Strange Change that made us both the Derision of Prophane and Wonderment of Sober Men. The Author of the Account of Familism for want of more Skill and Seriousness calls it the Hypochondria as if it only had been a Flux of Melancholy overpowring the Strength of Reason and carrying the Understanding captive at the Impetuosity of its Fancies But having been thus made sensible of the Terrors of the Lord for Sin and being brought into a True Understanding of that Religion and Worship which most please God some of us were constrained and in Conscience bound to go forth into the World and publish these Tidings of Judgment for Sin and Conversion through Righteousness wrought by the mighty Power of God in the Conscience that all might be awakened to try their Works Faiths Worships and whole Religions whether they were of God or Men or they had been doing their own Wills or the Will of God that so they might be brought to experience God to be a God nigh at hand reconciled in Christ blotting out Sin and renewing a Right Spirit within by which their Religion might not longer stand in the Traditions of Men nor only Education of Parents but upon the Convictions and Operations of God's Grace in the Conscience And thus is all that Christ did without brought nigh and home to the very Soul The Seed of the Woman is known to Bruise the Head of the Serpent Christ the
in you that was also in Christ Jesus who being in the Form of God thought it not Robbery to be equal with God And He that sanctifieth and they that are sanctified are all of One for which cause he is not ashamed to call them Brethren Again They that are joyned to the Lord are One Spirit and He that doth Righteousness is Righteous even as He is Righteous To deny this is to deny the most Heavenly Benefit we have by Christ namely Unity and Fellowship we have with the Father and with the Son That it was an Unity not an Equality especially in the Sense he takes the Word the faithful Narrative of that Proceeding printed in the Year 1654. will further testify How great then must this Man's Miscarriage be who to render a good Man an Impostor turns Forger himself but God will reward him The next Pair he pitches upon to prove his Assertion is Maenander and James Nailer The one for affirming Himself to be sent from the invisible Regions to be the Saviour of Man-kind And James Nailer for asserting himself to be Christ and accepting Hosannah's and Divine Worship in the Streets of Bristol Answ What Maenander was I know not and it is hard believing a Character of any Man when it is given by his Enemy But sure I am that James Nailer never asserted himself to be the Christ of God Neither did he ever deny Him that appeard at Jerusalem to be the Lord 's Christ as his Writings plentifully declare especially one Paper written by him to the then Parliament when a Prisoner in Bride-wel Christ Jesus the Emmanuel of whose Sufferings the Scriptures declare Him ALONE I confess before Men for whose sake I have deny'd what ever was dear to me in this World that I might win him be found in him and not in my self whom alone I seek to serve in Body Soul Spirit night day according to the Measure of Grace working in me even to that Eternal Spirit be Glory and to the Lamb forever But to asscribe this Power Virtue to JAMES NAILER or for that to be exalted or worshipped TO ME IS GREAT IDOLATRY So having an Opportunity given with Readiness I am willing in the Fear of God the Father in Honour to Christ Jesus and to take off all Offences from every Simple Heart without Guile or Deceit His third Comparison lyes betwixt Photinus who is said to have denyed the Trinity and G. Fox as guilty of the same Error in his Account Answ I can find no such place in the Book so called Either our Adversary sets up for a New Controvertist or he dishonestly shunned giving us the Page But I am willing to believe that he took it as he found it in some other Adversary for any thing reported or printed against a Quaker is ground enough for an envious Priest to accuse him But what if G. Fox denyed the Unscriptural Expressions viz. The Trinity of distinct and separate Persons must it necessarily follow that he denyed the Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father Word and Spirit We justly renounce those Barbarous School-Terms as not suited to God's Heavenly Manifestations but the dark Conceits of some Popish Doctors His fourth Comparison is made between Soâ—inus and James Nailer in that the one denyed the Satisfaction of Jesus Christ and look'd upon his Passion only as an Example The other in that he affirmed The End for which Christ did suffer was to be a living Example to all Generations Love to the lost page 56. Answ He has not truly delivered the Opinion of Socinus whose Books shew however mistaken about Christ's Divinity that he ever esteemed his Death and Passion to have more in it then a bare Example Nor has he faithfully dealt with J. Nailer in this Quotation For first I find not the Words as cited and next the Word ONLY is by himself omitted which alone renders the Passage heterodox Suppose then that J. Nailer writ that Christ was in his Suffering a living Example to all Generations Is there no Difference between Christ's being in his Death and Passion Only our Example which he charges upon Socinus and Christ's being our living Example in Suffering which he attributes to J. Nailer How can there be a Comparison where there is so great a Disparity The First is denyed by all that own Christ The Last is owned by all that do not deny Peter who thus writ to the scattered Brethren For even hereunto were ye called because Christ also suffered for us leaving us an Example that ye should follow his Steps 1 Pet. 2.21 His fifth Comparison he makes between the Valentinians the Quakers The Former he sayes arrogated to themselves a Knowledge beyond Christ and his Apostles The Latter impudently throw away the written Word of God delude the credulous Vulgar with new fangled Revelations which he thinks he has prov'd by two Inances 1. That Th. Hollbrow a Quaker to One that urged Scripture answered What dost thou tell me of Scripture which is no more to me then an Old Almanack 2. That Fox and Hubberthorn in a Book called Truth 's Defence say The Scriptures are no standing Rule and it is dangerous for ignorant People to read them Answ To the first I say there is great Difference between one that was no Quaker and one that was or is a Quaker We have examined the matter and by all we can find both that Saying is not true as charged and it is of an ancienter date then the coming of any of our Friends into those Parts therefore not the Saying of a true Quaker To the second I return thus much 'T is true there is such a Book and it was written by G. Fox and R. Hubberthorn but he has not given us so much as one Page to direct us to the Passage So that either People must read till they find it or else take his Perversion for our Assertion Unworthy Man does he think us such Wretches that we deserve not common Justice Methinks Justice should not be denyed where so little Mercy is shewn But to answer the Instance Our Judgment about the Scriptures being the Rule we have already delivered And in what sense it is Dangerous to read them their own Book will declare 'T is dangerous say G. Fox R. Hubberthorn to read the Scripture in order to make War against the Saints to give carnal Expositions upon them Meanings contrary to them and to make a Trade of them but Blessed is he that doth read and doth understand them If this prove that Sleight to Scripture our Adversary would suggest them to be guilty of then let us be condemned But God's Witness in every unseared Conscience will acquit them and judge him for corrupt Citation and hard Speeches who dares to cry thereupon Are these not as Impudent Hereticks as the Valentinians whom he represents to have arrogated to themselves a Knowledge above Christ
and his Apostles which how true soever it may be of them I am sure is False enough of us for those hideous Consequences he makes are not deducible from any unperverted Saying to be cited out of Truth 's Defence And least any should think we deny with the Papists the Perusal of the Scriptures to Ignorant People from what our Adversary sayes know that they spoke of such Ignorant and Unlearned Persons as in reading wrested them to their own Destruction now unless it be not Dangerous to read to Destruction they are not chargeable witâ— Bâ—ame in that Matter But who are the Knowing and Learned The Jewish Doctors and Greek Philosophers No but Fishermen and poor Mechanicks discipled in Christ's School for the Excellency of whose Knowledge Paul reputed his Gamaliel-Acquisitions but Dross and Dung So that their Knowing and Learned are many times the Ignorant Unlearned we speak of whose Wisdom God will confound and whose Understanding he will bring to nought His last Comparison of us in this Chapter is with Marcus an old Heretick The Agreement he makes betwixt us lyes in our mutual Pretences to Inspiration and Prophecy For as he reports him to have abused many silly Women under colour of conferring on them the Gift of Prophesying and that he had a familiar Spirit by which 〈◊〉 brought himself into Credit with his deluded Followers So he tells us that he has had it confidently affirmed That about the first rise of the Quakers in the North of England several Persons by Gloves and Ribbands and divers Charmes were really bewitched by them And doubtless many of their Quaking fits were real Possessions by the Devil Answ What Marcus was is nothing to us If he has done amiss he has answered for it by this time I confess I am not over-fond of the Characters left us of ancient Hereticks knowing what kind of Creatures the best Protestants are with Papists and what fearful Monsters several sober Separatists are reputed among some Protestants But this I know if what he hath said of several Ancients be no Truer then what he hath said of us he has grosly abused their Doctrines and their Memories For the Witchcraft of our Gloves Ribbands and Charmes 't is scarce worth my Notice his Folly in mentioning it being a sufficient Reproof and Confutation to himself A Story fit for none at this time of day to report or believe but a Man of his size I thought they had been worn out by this time But let the sober Reader judge which savours most of Satan's Design this Idle yet Scandalous Story or our Fearing and Trembling at the Word of the Lord and those Terrors that broke in upon our Souls because of Sin and Iniquity 'T is but the old Spirit of Mockery that acted the Jews and Heathens against the Christians and Papists against Protestants and too many Protestants of several Sorts against some more reformed Separatists For had the Reverent Fear of God possessed our Adversary's Heart in the writing of this Discourse there had been no room for such Irreligious Scoffs against an inoffensive People But the Devil because he would be God calls God the Devil Christ Beelzebub Light Darkness and the Power of God the Power of Satan and the Fear and Trembling brought by the one the Possessions and Witchcrafts of the other Certainly such Men live in a dry Land they see not when Good cometh But what will not an Enraged Tything Priest do to destroy us who he knows are Discoverers of such Deluders CHAP. III. His pretended Agreement between the Authors of Familism and the Quakers considered His Objections answered I Now come to consider the Reason of the Title of his Book and what Ground he had to name us the Revivers Propagators of Familism with the most weighty Objections he makes against us if in Truth I may repute the strongest of them such and that with what Brevity Truth and Faithfulness I can The great Authors of this Doctrine of Familism he sayes were David George and Henry Nicolas but more especially the latter as having more improved and disseminated the pernicious Errors introduced by the former He bestows many severe Expressions upon them more I think then becomes a Man of any Charity to give I am not their Advocate But so much Splene and so little Reason against Dead Men can be neither Christian nor Manly What he sayes they held and how far we are concerned in it it is our Business to enquire § 1. Of Christ's Ministration And first he tells us that H.N. should say that not only the Law of Moses but the Ministration of Christ and his Apostles were only Temporary things instituted to bring Men to the perfect Reign of the Spirit and then like Horn-Books and Primers to grown Understandings to be thrown away pag. 10 11. And that this is the full Sense of the Quakers sayes our Adversary Hear John Crook a Quaker We believe by the same Gift of Grace that there are several Ministratitions and several Operations according to 1 Cor. 12. And all by the same Spirit as before and after the Law by Moses and after by John the Baptist and Christ and his Apostles And by this Spirit were the Scriptures given forth and the Holy Men of God did speak prophesy preach and pray as they were moved and to answer the Service God had for them to do they were to wait as Christ commanded his Disciples to receive the Promise of the Father And therefore as it was the Practice of the People of God in old time to wait for the Moving of this Spirit that they might speak as it gave them Utterance in the Evidence and Demonstration thereof so do this People called Quakers now Upon which our Adversary dares to observe that we with the Familists deny the Ministration of Christ to be the Ministration of the Spirit and consequently a Blasphemous Derogation from the Honour of our Blessed Saviour who said to his Apostles Joh. 16.14 He shall receive of mine and shew it unto you Answ If our Adversary's Weakness has run him into this strange Parrallel he is to be pittyed but if his Envy he is severely to be rebuked Will any Man that has Sense or Honesty say it is all one to affirm that Christ's Ministration is an Horn-book that time casts off with Infancy and that it is a Waiting to receive the same Spirit Christ commanded his Apostles to wait for as the Promise of the Father and the peculiar Gift and Priviledge of his own Ministration Does not J. Crook expresly draw a Parallel between the Holy Men of God of old and the Quakers of our time that as they then so the Quakers now wait to be taught moved and ordered by the same Eternal Spirit through which all come to be baptized into One Body How was that then no Spiritual Ministration when we desire to be conformed unto the Spirit and Holy Example thereof not making this anew
some Form of his making Answ But can this Man have the Vanity to plead the Necessity of the Use of this Form much less of those that are of Mens Invention and Appointment from those Quotations Has his Religion brought him no farther Can he believe that Matthew writ by the holy Ghost and yet imply an absolute Reproof in his so much more commending Luke's account which he thinks requires the express Words and not others like them But let it be considered that this was a time of Infancy and that it was before the more full pouring out of the Spirit is certain and that they knew not Gospel Prayer as afterward is undeniable Besides It is either Sufficient or it is not If Insufficient it reflects on Christ beside who can supply its Defect If Sufficient why do you use any other What ever it is upon our Principles you must confess it be a setting of your Postes by God's Postes your Invention by his Institution It is meer Deceit to attempt the Defence of the Popish English Mass-Book from Christ's Prayer Prove your Forms to be of Divine Institution and that God by his Spirit now requires them and the Debate will end otherwise we reject the Allusion as improper and incoherent The Spirit is not confinable to set Forms though in times of Ignorance he hath administred Comfort in them by those who were sincere and knew no better But Forms are not therefore to be perpetuated for that were to obstruct the more free Operation of the Spirit and our Expression by it It is at best but a State of Weakness to be condescended to but never to be pleaded for God's Spirit will be unlimited as well as the Words he prompts us to must never by another be confined §. 4. Of Baptism He sayes we both deny Baptism by which I understand Water because Christ finding it among the Jews adopted it into his Religion a Ceremony neither burthensome nor offensive and the only Door set open under the Gospel for Salvation For which he brings three Scriptures Matth. 28.19 Go and teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father c. To the same purpose by Mark Chap. 16. v. 15 16. And Christ's Saying Joh. 3.5 Except a Man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God Answ If Baptism was ever Jewish as our Adversary grants then because Christ came to end all Jewish Ceremonies Water-Baptism can bear no Evangelical Perpetuity And if it should be objected that it was used after the Pouring forth of the Holy Ghost I answer so was Circumcision Vowes Purification Forbearing to eat things strangled and Blood And the common Practice of Christendom so called sufficiently tells us what is become of those Observations Using and Instituting are two things The Apostles condescended where they never commanded In the two first Scriptures which contain a Commission there is no Water mentioned That there is a Baptism of the Holy Ghost I hope all will grant That such a Baptism admits of no outward Water is plainly implyed And that it was the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and therefore not of Water which Christ intended I will briefly prove First this Commission was some of the last Words Christ spoak that it is to be fulfilled is certain that they could not do it without Power is clear that neither of those Chapters mentions any such Endowment must be granted Whether then must we go to fetch that Account here omitted I would desire my Reader to turn to the first Chapter of Luke's Acts of the Apostles where we shall find Christ's last Words to his constant Followers thus left upon Record And being assembled together with them he commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the Promise of the Father which saith he ye have heard of me For John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many Dayes hence When they therefore were come together they asked of him saying Lord wilt thou at this time restore again the Kingdom to Israel And he said unto them It is not for you to know the Times or the Seasons which the Father has put into his own Power But ye shall receive Power after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be Witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem and in all Judea and 〈◊〉 Samariah and unto the uttermost part of the Earth And when he had spoken these things while they beheld he was taken up and a Cloud received him out of their Sight Now if the Promise of the Father was the Pouring out of the Holy Ghost and if the Pouring out of the Holy Ghost be the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and that the Baptism of the Holy Ghost was that which qualified them to be his Witnesses as the whole place fully proves Then Go and teach all Nations c. in Matthew and Go ye into all the World in Mark must not have been spoken before these Words in the Acts at least not to take place till they themselves had been baptized with the Holy Ghost and consequently the Baptism mentioned in that Commission must not have been a Water-Baptism as John's was but that of the Holy Ghost which they were to be baptized with so that the Order of the Words at least in Execution if not in Expression must have been this John indeed baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many Dayes hence Then go ye and teach all Nations baptizing them in or rather into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost And lo I am with you alwayes unto the End of the World Nor is this incredible when we consider without their so baptizing it had been utterly Impossible for them to have turned them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God And doubtless they might as well baptize with the Holy Ghost as reconcile by the Word For where the one was the Power of the other could not be wanting For the third Scripture though Water be mentioned yet what Water will be the Question That it is not meant of outward Water I offer several Reasons 1. To be born of Water and of the Spirit is no more then to be born of Water or of the Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being here explicative For were it otherwise and that by Water were understood External Water this Absurdity would inevitably follow that the Soul of Man which is Spiritual and Internal could in part be regenerated by Water External and Elementary But this place is excellently unfolded by that notable Passage of the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to Titus 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 where we not only have the WASHING of Regeneration to parrallel being born again of
Commission from the Lord to pull down the Steeple-House And another in Sermon-time to pull down the Hour-Glass I must tell him That we know no such thing and if he were a fair Adversary he would have told us who this Gentle-man was and who the Quakers that we might have informed our selves of the Truth of the Matter though we have great Cause to conclude it a down-right Forgery For the other it is altogether as likely to come of the same Stock but if such a thing ever were I dare say the Priest was in a worse Taking then the Quaker however it was no Theft because they all saw it was done for that End And every Body knows the Priest can tell how to call for another Glass for the Truth is some of that Profession can hardly preach without them for they elevate them above his Quaker's Hypochondria That the Wife of one Williamson should call Ja. Milner the Eternal Son of God at Apleby is an arrant Falshood for we have particularly enquired and can find no such thing That a Woman at Weighton in York-shire of that Goatish Herd as he is pleased to call them went Naked to another Woman's Husband's Bed and bid him open his Bed to her for the Father had sent her is a Slander hatcht in Darkness We deny it in the Name of the Lord God And I charge this disingenuous Man if he has any Regard to his Reputation or those he belongs to to prove if he can the Truth of this Story And that he should at last call this A Taste of the Quakers deluded Dreams melancholick Phancies Impostures Injections everlasting Errors and Deceits is the top of what Impudence and Forgery Man can well be guilty of against his Neighbour But why our Goatish Herd above all others Unjust and Uncivil Man Look at Home for Shame How often are Quakers brought to Ecclesiastical Courts for Uncleanness We know they are too often summoned thither for Tythes It would be almost endless to tell the Stories of both Priests and People's Wickedness that follow them one would think that no Church of England Man that knew any thing of the present Age or that thought we did could believe that forging one unclean Lye against the Quakers should invalid their Religion who believes his own to be true notwithstanding those numerous Incests Adulteries Fornications Concupiscences Murders Lyes Perjuries Dissimulations Thefts Injuries and such like that have been and daily are committed by his Dear Fellow-Communicants The Sons and Daughters of the Church of England Let him therefore draw in his Horns and leave off pushing at us with his Forgeries and Defamations and Repent of this Ungodly Way of dealing with us that he may find Mercy to his Soul CHAP. IX Of Perfection I Perceive the Man would fain say something of every Controverted Head held by the Quakers â—hough as little to Purpose as may be There is but one thing commendable in his whole Chapter and that is its Brevity He stumbles at the very Entrance and never recovers himself to the End The Quakers talk much of Perfection from Sin in this Life and that they have already attained to it Quote he scorns his Word is Credit enough at least he would have it so but to let him go on This says he is the Pharise's Litany God I thank thee I am not as other Men are The Antinomian Liberty the Doctrine of Dell Saltmarsh Town all Antinomians and Familists And that Malice and Railing perpetually make up the greatest part of the Quakers Speaking to the People But what of Argument can be found in such meer Assertion and Reflection I leave with sober Men to judge He neither understands Antinomians Familists nor Quakers And truly I am ready to think him some raw unfledged ungraduate who by this Essay aims at that Proof of his Abilities as may induct him to some Fat Benefice or else One that thought we deserved no larger Testimony of his Ability Honesty and Discretion in his Endeavours against us In short A perfect Principle we plead for and press the Necessity and Benefit of Man's Conformity to it That though it be a little Leaven it is able to leaven the whole Lump That this Grace brings Salvation from Sin by the Power it gives them that obey it to mortifie Sin else what a Riddle would those Scriptures make that speak of Sanctification throughout in Body Soul and Spirit That He that 's born of God sins not Old things are done away behold all things are become new I write unto you Young Men because ye have overcome the Wicked One. Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect Unto a Perfect Man Let us cleanse our selves from all Filthiness of Flesh and Spirit perfecting Holiness in the Fear of the Lord. The God of all Grace make you perfect c. Wherein not only a Perfection from Sin but the going forward to a perfect Man in Christ is exhorted to and prayed for therefore not inobtainable To conclude We do not teach People the Perfection of our Persons but the Principle of God and our Experience of its Converting and Translating Power Christ is stronger then the Devil And for this was and is he manifested To end Sin and destroy the Works of the Devil a Doctrine the Church of England teaches in her Baptism Nor do we say That every Man is perfect from Sin as soon as he is convinced of Sin No there is a great War a long Wilderness to travel through many Enemies to subdue and Difficulties to surmount and those Enemies are mostly those of a Man 's own House We therefore exhort all to wait for God's Arising that his Enemies may be scattered that witnessing a Victorious State over Hell and Death by the Power of Christ Jesus such may obtain the New Name which is written in the Lamb's Book of Life and promised to all that Over-come Which is far from that Ungodly Rantism he would fasten upon us and our Principles And I doubt not but Time Patience and our Blameless Conversation shall dispel those Mists Malice and Ignorance may have raised to darken and blemish the â—eputation of our Practice Persons and Principles in the World CHAP. X. His Ninth and Tenth Chapter of the Wayes and Arts that the Quakers use in gaining Proselytes with the Advantage their Way has over other Heresies honestly considered and briefly confuted THe first Artifice he sayes we use is To come in Sheep's Clothing Now what is this Sheep's Clothing sayes he but only the Innocence and Purity of the Christian Doctrine when as their main Purpose is to devour credulous Souls Answ If we have the Sheep's Clothing and if the Sheep's Clothing be the Purity and Innocence of Christian Doctrine then is our Doctrine Innocent Pure and Christian And since he avers the Doctrine of the Church of England to be so remote and opposite this Character must necessarily imply that her Doctrine is Hurtful
us and instigate the Civil Magistrate to Destroy us then by solid Argument to Refute or Reclaim us He that has but half an Eye may see his Aim was not so much our Conversion as Disgrace and if possible our utter Ruin But till our Adversary's Labours prove as Dangerous to us as his Design no doubt was Wicked we have little Cause to dread the Success of his Attempts And that he may see a little of himself if he thinks himself worth looking upon Let him be pleased to take a view of some of those many Reviling Scoffing Rude and Contemptible Epithetes he is pleas'd to bestow on us an entire Body of People Heretical Generation of Quakers Slaves to Pride Covetousness Lust possest by the Devil a Diabolical Spirit Apostates Phanaticks Spiritualists Black impure hearts and mouthes bewitched with their Sorceries and Inchantments Impertinent Cavilling Fellows Rebellious Quakers Cheats and Mountebanks A Beastly Quaking Generation Juglers Quaking Impudent Hereticks a Sottish Sect Illuminados Inspirados Their Cheats Impostures Enthusiastical Hereticks A Goatish Herd And of our Principle thus Their Light leads to Hell and the Devil and carries a Man like an Ignis Fatuus causing him to fall into the Pit of everlasting Destruction who are led by this are made obnoxious to all the Impostures and Injections of the Devil and to lye under everlasting Errors and Deceits To all which I have no other Answer then what it is to itself for it contains that Charge against its Author that I shall leave him to clear himself from both to God and the whole World only I cannot be so wanting of Civility to the Person he dedicated his Book to as not to let him know that it is unworthy of his Quality and Repute amongst Men to have his Name used to the Protection of so much Rudeness Irreligion and Abuse I cannot think so meanly of him as that the Endeavours of so Scurrilous an Author should excite him to any Severity against that poor People he has so basely wronged For such a thing were not only beneath that place he holds amongst Men but would be to intitle himself to all our Adversaries Shameful Miscarriages encourage him to persist in what it greatly behovs him to Repent of which God grant for his Mercy sake which is my whole Answer to his Ill Treatment of us worst Wish I have for him A Conclusion to those to whom the Discourse is Dedicated SInce then it is so evidently proved by Scripture Reason and Undoubted Presidents that it is no new or unwonted thing for National Churches to be deceived notwithstanding they have been endowed with Power Learning Nobility Wealth and Worldly Glory And that it hath pleased Almighty God in the most signal Reformations that have been wrought upon the World to employ a sort of Plain Simple and Illiterate People Let not our Meanness Plainness and Simplicity be any Argument with you against us in the Mouthes of that Decimating Tribe whose Trade it is to Oppose that Reformation which in Conscience can neither own nor pay them The old Enemies of God's Appearance in the World who therefore dread a Free and Universal Preaching because the Ingrossment of it to themselves has proved so profitable Be Gamaliels at least I beseech you and fight not their Battels If we are not of God we cannot stand And if of God they must fall Leave us therefore with our Spiritual Weapons to decide this Controversie without interposing your Worldly Power 'T is strange that we should be such Ignorants and Hereticks too whilst they bless themselves with the Name of Learned and Orthodox and yet dread the Consequence of being left by you to a fair Field with us Are not their Universities Bishops and Dectors enough to silence such Illiterate Whifflers as our Adversary is pleased to call us without the Argument of your Carnal Sword Certainly they ill deserve Fifteen Hundred Thousands Pound a Year if at last You must do the Business for Them What less can we expect from the worst of Persons and Causes But as this Employment is below the Dignity of their Office who are publick Magistrates and much too narrow for that Universal Influence it should have for publick Good so remember that great Saying of the late King to the then Prince of Wales Always keep up solid Piety and those Fundamental Truths which mend both Hearts and Lives of Men with impartial Favour and Justice Your Prerogative is best shown and exercised in remitting rather then exacting the Rigour of Laws there being nothing worse then Legal Tyranny Again A Charitable Connivance Christian Toleration often dissipates what rougher Opposition fortifies Which had been the Saying and Counsel of King James before him It is a sure Rule in Divinity That God never loves to plant his Church by Violence Bloodshed And in his Expositions on Rev. 20. he saith That Persecution is the Note of a False Church Heresie must be cut off with the Sword of the Spirit saith Jerom. The Church doth not Persecute but is Persecuted saith Hillary If you will with Blood with Evil with Torments defend your Worship it shall not thereby be defended but polluted said Lactantius I will conclude with Chrysostom It is not saith he the Manner of the Children of God to Persecute about their Religion but an evident Token of Antichrist So let your Moderation be known unto all Men the Lord is at hand I am a Friend to all Men who would have Vice Punisht Conscience Tolerated and Righteousness Establisht whose End is Peace Assurance forever The 16th of the 5th Moneth 1673. William Penn. Psalm 50.19 20 21. Joh. 8.12 1 John 1.5 6 7. Job 32 8. Jer. 31.33 34. Hebr. 8.10 Jam. 1.27 John 14. Acts 7.37 Tit. 2.11 12. John 3.19 20 21. Rom. 8 13 14. 1. Joh. 2.27 Read Quakerism a New Nick-Name for old Christianity from pag. 24. to p. 202. also Reason against Railing from p. 24. to p. 47 pag. 3. Phil. 2.6 Heb. 2.11 1 Joh. 3.7 pag. 3. Jam. Nailer ' s Posâ— L. Faith pag. 4. 1. Jo. 5. Pag. 4. Pag. 4 5 6. pag. 6. Pag. 7 pag. 10 11 12 13 14. pag. 15. vers 16 17 18 19 20. Math. 28.20 pag. 13. Pag. 16. Deut. 18.18 Job 32.8 Isa 59.21 Jer. 33.6 Matth. 11.25 27. Jo. 6.44 1 Cor. 2.10 11. Chap. 14.30 Gal. 1 12 16. Phil. 3 15. pag. 16 17 18. Pag. 18. Isa 28 26. Isa 1.18 Joh. 1. â— 1. Pet. 3.15 p. 20 21 22 23 24 25. P. 26 27 28. Acts 1.4 5 6 7 8 9. Chap. 3. v. 5 Math. 3.11 1 Cor. 1.15 16 17. Ephes 4.4 5 6. Pag. 28 29. Jacob Capell Salm. SÃ c. ling. Profess in loc p. 30 31. Jo. 13.5 14. Acts 2.13 A Sad contr mon. Burd J. Reynold J. Jewel A. Willet pag. 34.37 38 39. Col. 2.17 18. pag. 34.42 43 44 45. p. 47 48 49. Act. 1 13. Act. 2.1 2