whether you be in the Faith Prove your own selves know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Quaery Was not this the very Christ of God suppose ye Or is there any more than one Lord Jesus Christ 1 Cor. 8.6 though his appearance hath been in divers manners as in the Flesh and in the Spirit He who is the very Christ of God is truly Spiritually in true Believers see also Colos 1.27 Gal. 4.6 which is no Blasphemy to assert as we are unjustly aspersed Of the SOVL 7th Instance of Blasphemy charg'd p. 5. G. F. Great Myst p. 91. They shall see the Bishop of their Souls Christ the Power of God which is Immortal brings the Immortal Soul into the Immortal God Christ their Sanctification who Sanctifies their Spirits and Bodies and brings the Soul up into God from whence it came whereby they came to be one Soul Qu. Where 's the Blasphemy here pray 1. That Christ is the Bishop of the Soul is true 1 Pet. 2.25 2. That he is the Power of God and the Wisdom of God is also true 1 Cor. 1.24 3. That Christ of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption is also true 1 Cor. 1.30 1 Thess 4.4 The Rational Soul or Spirit of Man is Immortal and 't is Christ that Redeems and brings it up into God that gave it and they that are joyned to the Lord are one Spirit is also true See Eccles 3.21 ch 12.7 2 Sam. 4.9 Psal 71.23 Rev. 5.9 1 Cor. 6.17 I wish these Men that are so ready to call such-like Doctrine Blasphemy would more seriously read the Holy Scriptures As for G. F's Question Is not this that cometh out from God Part of God of God and from God c. and that 't is not horrid Blasphemy so to say Gr. Myst p. 100 273. The Term Part of God appears to be Originally by some Adversaries obtruded upon the Quakers and not G. F's but only admitted by him as from them and then Questions them in their own Improper Terms for God is not to be divided into Parts And where 't is said God breathed into Man the breath of Life and he became a living Soul and thereupon Question'd Is not this that cometh out from God or that which came out from God of God's Being Gr. Myst p. 100. This and that expresly relates to that Divine Inspiration or Breath of Life whereby Man became a Living Soul and not to the Creature Man himself or the Rational Soul or Spirit of Man as such The Question is not whether the distinct Souls or Spirits of Men are not of God's Being For that were as absurd as to ask if the Creature Man be not God About this Point our Adversaries quote Gr. Myst p. 91 100 273 100 90. Thus back and forward but still leaves our what 's most Material and Explanatory about the Soul or Spirit of Man and that which came out from God whereby Man became a living Soul as Gr. Myst p. 91. The Soul being in Death in Transgression so Man's Spirit there is not Sanctified and the Soul is in Death But he further declares on the other hand where the living of the Soul or Spirit is That 't is there Sanctified and the Counsel of God diligently hearken'd unto and stood in and Christ their Sanctification Sanctifies their Spirits c. And Gr. Myst p. 100. God breathed into Man the breath of Life and he i. e. Man became a living Soul These Passages our Adversaries leave out which shews their great Injurious Partiality and how inconsiderate they are of the distinction included between God and Man the Creator and the Creature between that Divine Breath or Spirit of Life which came out from God and the Creature Man who thereby became a living Soul The Soul is sometime put for God Prov. 6.16 Heb. 10.38 his Divine Life Breath or Spirit as the Great and Universal Soul of Mankind even the Soul or Life of the Soul as some Phrase it The Objection against G. F. in this Point is more fully Answered in my Treatise Entituled The Christianity of the People commonly call'd Quakers Vindicated from Antichristian Opposition Printed 1690 p. 4. as followeth Here the Doctor i. e. Forde has unfairly Quoted G. F. upon Trust leaving out what 's most Material both Distinction and Explanation about the Soul or Spirit of Man both with relation to its Creator and to the Creature Man being spoken of in both respects by our Friend 1. Where G. F. insists on the Words God breathed into Man the breath of Life and he became a Living Soul It was to this Breath or Spirit of Life as immediately coming from God that his Words related as his Question plainly shews i. e. was not that of God and of his Being which came out from God Meaning that Divine Breath or Spirit of Life by which Man became a Living Soul and from whence came not only Man 's Natural Breath and Life but also his Spiritual And this does distinguish between the Divine Being and the Creature Man and not confound their Beings And for the Soul or Spirit of Sanctified Man to center with God this is not to render it the Being of God or God Himself We know none professing the true God and Christ so grosly absurd as to say That Man made himself or was his own Maker Saviour or Redeemer 2. Our Friend speaks plainly in the same Book quoted against him Gr. Myst p. 90 91 100. That the Soul should be subject to the Power of God That Christ is the Bishop of the Soul who brings it up into God the Soul being in Death in Transgression Man's Spirit not Sanctified c. This could not intend the Being of God for that never sinned though there be something thereof in the Soul even in that Reasonable Soul or Spirit of Man which God by his Divine Word Breath or Spirit formed in Man Zech. 12.1 And so made Man a Living Soul The Quakers do not make themselves Equal with God and of Perfection c. 8th Instance Saul's Errand Printed 1654. p. 8. He that hath the same Spirit that raised up Jesus Christ is equal with God We deny the Words as there Printed to be according to G. F's Sense or ours which is That the Holy Ghost and the Son is equab with the Father in Power and Glory then if any come to witness the Holy Ghost they come to Wieness that which is Equal in Power and Glory with the Father What if any come to Witness the Son of God revealed in them which he that hath not Him hath not Life do they not come to witness Him who is Equal in Power and Glory with the Father as in Gr. Myst p. 100. Therefore the Words He that hath in the said Instance should be left out being contrary to G. F's and our Principle and to his own very Words and Confession a little before in the
broken mangled and perverted Quotations for our Principles and perhaps an Unapt Expression or two pickt up out of Good Matter And the main Things or Principles wherein we have all along even from the first chiefly differed from many of the Clergy are these viz. 1st Our sincere belief of the True Vrim and Thummim the Light and Perfection And 2dly Our Christian Testimony against Tythes forced maintenance and Persecution together with Popish Ceremonies and Superstitions not yet purged out as inconsistent with Christ's free Ministry concerning which we are manifestly the very same in Principle and Persuasion we were from the Beginning To the 2d part quoted against me I have already answered there may be various manners of wording and expressing the same matter and yet our Intentions 〈◊〉 â—he same As where I explain my Friends Meaning and Intentions 〈◊〉 be agreeable to mine and more fully distinguish and clear it according to the Harmony of his other Concurrent Passages in the same and other Books as sometimes in these precedent Observations As to Bugg's Postcript 't is according to his other Scribles Falshood and Jeers frequently repeated and mostly answered in the foregoing Observations and other Answers of mine He is so full of Tautologies Repetitions of the same Falshoods Boastings Scoffing and Flouting beginning and ending with Falshoods as observing us timerous about their Petition and that we make the World believe we fear Persecution Because we have endeavoured to prevent his and some Priests endeavours tending thereto against us to Authority this has disquieted him and them And therefore to be revenged he repeats his old detected Lies and Calumnies against us as that we call the Scriptures Serpent's Meat Beastly Ware c. with many more abominable Lies since often told of the same yet persists therein like a Hardned Wretch so that it is not worth the while to spend much more time in tracing the Crooked Steps of such a Mercenary Agent who gives no solid nor pertinent Reply to any serious Answer but clamours scoffs boasts vilifies and throws as much Dirt as he can upon us spending his precious time to seek our Ruin by Reproaches and Calumnies to enrage the Priests and incense Authority if he could against us But the Lord will Rebuke him and Reward him according to his Deeds I wish he may yet seek and find a place of Repentance if yet to be found before he be cut off and however that others may take warning by his Lamentable Relapse and Treacherous Apostasie A Brief Examination OF A Defaming Pamphlet Without Author's name to it Reproachfully stiled Some few of the Quakers many Horrid Blasphemies Heresies and their Bloody Treasonable Principles destructive to Government Delivered to the Members of both Houses of the LORDS and COMMONS in the Month of March 1698 9. PART II. THIS Title looks with Persecution Fury Deadly Envy and Blood in the Face of it it is like the work of certain Judasses and their Priests who are fallen into such a faint and feeble Condition as to be beholden to Apostates to help and assist them in their private Cabals to Plot and Contrive Mischief against the Innocent and to bring forth such furious Clamour Calumnies and Perversions thereby labouring to incense the Parliament and Government against the Peaceable People called Quakers Now let 's Examine some of their Principal Objections or Allegations quoted for Proof of their Furious Persecuting Title I. Concerning the Holy Trinity 1. Their first Objection The Scriptures do not tell the People of a Trinity nor Three Persons c. Against Geo. Fox Great Mystery p. 246. Here in the same Paragraph Period and Answer these Words are left out viz. And the Father Son and Holy Spirit are always one Observe hence what may be term'd the Scripture Trinity or Divine Three in the Deity the Father Son and Holy Spirit is plainly confess'd As also in Gr. Myst p. 99. As for the Unity we own and Christ being the brightness of the Father's Glory and express Image of his Substance we own As also in some Principles of the Elect People of God Printed 1671. p. 43. Of the Word Trinitas there is no mention made in Scripture yet the Scripture speaks of Father Son and Holy Ghost and all these are One. Now pray observe if any be offended at this and if our Adversaries will produce us plain Scripture-Proof for the Terms Trinity of Three Persons then 't is meet we should Retract those Words before i. e. That the Scriptures do not tell People thereof 'T is worthy our Observation what Dr. Burnet now Bishop of Sarum in the Life of John Earl of Rochester p. 104. speaking of the Trinity saith Which for want of Terms fit to express them by we call Persons and are called in Scripture the Father Son and Holy Ghost Whereby it seems then they do not think the Word Persons either a fit or Scriptural Term to express the Father Son and Holy Ghost by and therefore these Men should not be too severe in Imposing it or Uncharitable in their Censuring others about it to occasion Disturbance in Peoples Minds and such Disputes as probably they cannot well quiet or bring to a clear Solution By any of our Questioning or not using the Term Persons in this case we do not deny the Doctrine or thing intended i. e. the Father the Word and Holy Spirit which Three are one And we would not have any so Injurious or Disingenuous as to conclude we deny the same 2 Q. Against Will Penn's Sandy Foundation p. 12 13 14 15. they pick up some Pieces of his Arguments but Answer them not levelled against this Doctrine held by some which they leave out viz. The Trinity of Distinct and Separate Persons in the Unity of Essence This our Adversaries leave out and which by this time a Day we hope none will maintain such a Separation in the Deity between the Father Son and Holy Ghost being one God blessed for ever They also take no notice of what he Writes for this Scripture Trinity Sandy Found p. 32. viz. Mistake me not we never have disown'd the Father Word and Spirit which are one And in p. 36. As concerning Christ I declare on behalf of that Despised People Vulgarly called Quakers the Grace of which we testifie hath never taught us to acknowledge another God than he that 's Father of all things who fills Heaven and Earth Neither to confess another Lord Jesus Christ than he that appear'd so many Hundred Years ago made of a Virgin like unto us in all things Sin excepted or any other Doctrine than was by Him declar'd and practis'd and also being God's Innocent Heritage in Principles Life and Death to bear an Unanimous Testimony for the only true God true Christ and Heavenly Doctrine which in their Vindication is openly attested Thus far W. P. in his own and our Friends Vindication 3. Here is the Three Persons thou dreams of which thou wouldst divide out of
one like a Conjurer c. quoted against G. W. and other Quakers as they say in their Book Intituled Ishmael and his Mother cast out As to this Quotation though not truly taken yet as the Words are in the said Ishmael c. quoted G. Whitehead hath positively disown'd the Words and affirms They are none of his and that he writ not that part of the Answer to Townsend which was in the Year 1654. and that he neither shall stand by nor own these Words and that after he saw them in Print he was sorry his Name was to that Paper without distinction between what he writ and what he did not write in it wherein the Words are which gave the Occasion and which appear too Rash and Irreverent either to Vindicate Solid Truth or oppose any wrong Notion For a more full account of G. Whitehead's Innocency and Clearness in this very Matter he refers the Reader to his Answer to Dr. Forde Intituled The Christianity of the People commonly called Quakers Printed 1690. p. 28. Now pray observe That in the Vnity of the Godhead there is the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost being those Divine Three Witnessing in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and that those Three are One of one Substance Power and Eternity As we have not denied but confess'd this Doctrine herein we don't disagree II. Concerning Christ our Blessed Lord. 4. That the outward Person which Suffer'd was properly the Son of God we utterly deny against W. P's Serious Apology p. 246. Here I take him to mean the Son of God in respect to his Divine Being as He is of One Substance with the Father which his Body that Suffered Death was not Though He was truly the Son of God as He took upon Him that Body and as made of a Woman Gal. 4.4 Being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the Virgin Mary Take W. P's own Explication in the same Page and Paragraph which is unfairly left out where he plainly confesseth That He that laid down his Life and suffered his Body to be Crucified by the Jews without the Gates of Jerusalem is Christ the only Son of the Most High God c. one with the Father and of a Nature Eternal c. These Words our Adversaries leave out 5. Your Imagined God beyond the Stars and your Carnal Christ is utterly denied c. Here they quote Sword of the Lord drawn p. 5. By C. A. Which Book I have not but these Words are denied as well as the Person that writ them as Offensive and as neither proper to the true Christ or Omni-present God who therefore is not an imagined God nor is the true Christ a Carnal Christ but a Spiritual and Most Glorious Christ See Antidote against the Venom of the Snake in the Grass p. 145. 6. The Devil was in thee thou sayst thou art Saved by Christ without thee and so hast recorded thy self a Reprobate Against Great Mystery p. 250. Which was because this Adversary was Ignorant of the Mystery of Christ within him as the Words there follow which are unjustly left out For instead of owning the Mystery of Christ within the Adversary in the place quoted pleads the Continuance of Sin in the Saints for their Humiliation Gr. Myst p. 250. 7. What was his Christ's Person being mean and contemptible to them his Disciples more than another Person Against Will Bailey's Works p. 307. The Parenthesis is wrong placed here to pervert the Sense 't is thus in the Book quoted viz. They loved his Person for the sake of the Frame and Quality of the Spirit that dwelt in Him or else what was his Person being mean and contemptible to them more than another Person but for that which dwelt in him they loved him let none mistake I do not slight it c. So that by this his Person was more than any other i. e. more excellent though made very low by Suffering 8. That Finite and Impotent Creature Speaking of Christ Here they quote Sandy Foundation p. 20. Which is a shameful Abuse and Lie he speaks not a Word of Christ in that Paragraph but of the Finite and Impotent Creature in general as being capable of Forgiving Injuries done him which the Notion of an Adequate and Rigid Satisfaction allows not God 9. The Sufferings of the People of God Quakers c. Quakers is added and the Subsequent Matter Answered before 10. The Blood of Christ was no more than the Blood of another Saint Quoted against S. E's Letter Not warrantable Expressions and disown'd in the said Antidote p. 223 224 225. Where the Benefit of Christ's Blood is truly confessed Their Charge against W. P. about Christ's Co-essentiality and Co-eternity with the Father of his being made Man c. p. 4. Answered by W. P. himself hereafter 11. Christ's coming in the Flesh was but a Figure i. e. a Figure or Type of the Inward Christ or Light within This is quoted against G. Whitehead's Truth Defending the Quakers p. 22. They abuse me still in this it was none of my Assertion That Christ's coming in the Flesh was but a Figure Neither is there such a word in that page quoted but in the Priest's Question p. 20. as before is answered and it is a manifest Forgery upon me that Christ's coming in the Flesh was but a Figure or Type of the Inward Christ or Light within I positively disown these words as a down-right Forgery and Abuse put upon me What a horrid shame is it that any Priests or their Agents should have a hand in presenting the Parliament with such Lies and Abuses 12. One outward thing cannot be the proper Figure or Representation of another The Outward Lamb shews forth the Inward Lamb i. e. The Paschal Lamb was not the Figure or Type of the Outward Christ but of the Light within of which Christ himself was but a Figure This is quoted against W. Penn's Christian Quaker p. 97. Their subsequent Perversion is notorious and as grosly false Tho' it is not the way of the Scripture to teach us as W. P. saith in the page quoted that One outward thing is or can be the proper Figure or Representation of another yet it is a twofold Falshood and Perversion to make it the Quakers Doctrine that the Paschal Lamb was not Figurative or Typical of Christ as without us but of the Light within As also that Christ himself was but a Figure of the Light within These I testifie against as a Two-fold Falshood and Perversion against the Quakers And how will these Men prove that the outward Paschal Lamb was the proper Figure or Representation of Christ's outward Person pray What proper Resemblance had they Was not rather the Lamb in respect of its Innocency a proper Figure of Christ's Innocency as the Lamb of God once Offered for Sin 13. The Quakers see no need of directing Men to the Type for the Anti-type nor yet to Jerusalem either
same Book where being charg'd with Professing himself to be equal with God he positively denies the Charge but confesses the Father and the Son are one and that Christ and the Holy Spirit are equal with God p. 5 6. And so Christ Jesus hoth as He was of the Seed of Abraham and also as he was Equal with God i. e. both to his Manhood and Divinity Therefore 't is falsly noted in their Margent That they i. e. the Quakers make themselves Equal with God Though they believe a Renewing into his Image by his Spirit and Power and to be thereby made Conformable to the Image of his Son and so to be made like him as every really Godly Man and true Christian in Christ is in some degree as Partakers of the Divine Nature yet the Creature Man is not Essentially Equal with his Maker that was never our Principle so to confound their Beings 9. Again to prove the Blasphemy against us Fr. Howgill's Works p. 232. is quoted viz. He that is joined to the Lord is one Spirit There is Vnity and the Vnity stands in Equality it self When the Son is revealed and speaks the Father speaks in him and dwells in him and he in the Father in that which is equal Obs Here the Equality is placed between the Father and the Son as the Vnion is between Him and them who are joined to Him in Spirit and live and dwell in that Spirit which is Equal Where 's then the Blasphemy See Christ's Prayer John 17.21 That they all may be one as thou O Father art in Me and I in Thee that they may be also one in Vs that the World may believe that Thou hast sent me Ver. 22. And the Glory which thou gavest Me I have giventhem that they may be one as We are one Ver. 23. I in them and Thou in Me that they may be made Perfect in one that the World may know that Thou hast sent Me and hast loved them as Thou hast loved Me. See also Ver. 26. The Equality in Nature objected relates to the Divine Nature which the Child of God partakes of in measure Tho' not in Stature relates to the Child that Divine Nature is one and unchangeable but our participating of it and growth in it is Gradual until all i. e. Christ's whole Church and Body come unto the measure of the Stature of the fulness of Christ Ephes 4.12 13. Now if Equality be apply'd to the Saints it can be intended no otherwise than their having in them a living Resemblance or Likeness of him who has renewed them into his own Image by the Power of his Spirit that is into his Righteousness and true Holiness so as to be partakers thereof in Christ Jesus And not an Essential Equality between them being Creatures and him that created and renewed them Perfect Holiness and Righteousness being required and believed of all true and Faithful Christians in Christ Jesus Yet we do not pretend to the Infinite Fulness of Wisdom and Knowledge as it is in God and Christ or to his manifold Wisdom but to a Degree of Divine Wisdom and Understanding according as his Spirit reveals it is to us and we capable to receive it which therefore is perfectly true and certain in every Measure and Degree thereof Now Serious Reader note by the way that we have more right to interpret our deceased Friends words with whom we were conversant when living to such an Evangelical Sense as we knew they intended than these Adversaries have to Charge them and us with Blasphemous Principles from their own Partial Minced Mangled and Broken Quotations as are and may be justly enumerated upon them together with their divers false notes in the Margent 9th Instance to prove Blasphemy against us p. 6 7. G. F. Great Mystery p. 107. He saith speaking of the Priest the Holyest Man that is is not able to give an Infallible Character of another Man To which he answers Hast not thou in this discovered thy self to be no Minister of Christ or of the Spirit who cannot give an Infallible Character of another Man How canst thou Minister to his condition p. 96. and thou not being Infallible thou art not in the Spirit and so art not a Minister of Christ and art not able to Judge of Powers that is not Infallible nor Magistrates nor Kingdoms nor Churches p. 33. And are they Ministers of Christ that are Fallible Obs Tho' these Instances to prove us Guilty of Blasphemous Principles are very unfairly quoted the principal and most demonstrative Words both precedent and subsequent especially being left out by these Three Clergy-men as from the last words are they Ministers of Christ that are Fallible they leave out these material Questions both before and after them viz. Now he that is not Infallible in his Counsel Judgment and Advice is not he in Error And are not the Ministers of Christ the Ministers of the Spirit And is not that out of the Error which is Infallible in Counsel and Judgment And are they Ministers of Christ that are Fallible And is not the Power the Gospel Infallible Thus Great Mystery p. 33. Notwithstanding they have quoted sufficient to shew what they deem Blasphemy and what they hold to the contrary and their own not only Fallibility but great Darkness for to invert their sense contrary to what they have here quoted for Blasphemy and it must run thus viz. 1. That the Holiest Man that is is not able to give an Infallible Character of another Man 2. That a Minister of Christ or of the Spirit cannot give an Infallible Character of another Man and yet Minister to his Condition 3. That a Minster that 's Fallible is in the Spirit a Minister of Christ and yet cannot discern another Man's State or Condition so as to give an Infallible Character of him 4. Consequently Christ's Ministers without exception the Holiest of them all are hereby rendred not only Fallible but Uncertain in their Ministry Blind and Ignorant of the Spiritual States and Conditions of others All which shews these Guides to be in the Dark and very uncertain blind and Ignorant as well as Envious in their Calumniating us with Blasphemy for confessing to Infallibility sound Judgment and Discerning which we ascribe not to our selves alone without the Spirit 's Teachings and Guidance but originally and principally to the Spirit of Truth which Guides true Christians into all Truth which in it self is Infallible Unerring and Certain and so is the Teaching and Ministry thereof And so far as we are taught and led by the Spirit we are assured by it and led into sound Judgment Certainty and full Assurance both of Faith and Doctrine in matters of Salvation Revealed in the Gospel and Spiritual Ministry of Christ Jesus our Lord and Blessed Saviour tho' we ascribe not omniscience to our selves in any state He that abides in Christ sinneth not 1 John 3.6 consequently errs not is certain and as in Christ is
any such Gift nor depend upon any such Immediate Miraculous Revelation from Heaven To which G. E. Answers Then all may see now in this what ye have receiv'd that hath been from Man which is not from Heaven Immediate nor the Gifts of the Spirit nor receiv'd the Gospel by the same Means the Apostles did who are not the Eye-witnesses as the Apostles were Neither have ye attained to the same Knowledge and Understanding as the Apostles did nor receiv'd it from Heaven Now let all People question Whether it is the same Gospel which is not receiv'd from Heaven nor immediately nor by Revelation for the Gospel is Immediate which is the Power of God Rom. 1. They i. e. Quakers are in the same Power Vnderstanding Knowledge and Immediate Revelation from Heaven that the Apostles were in Obs The last Part is Partially quoted to abuse us i. e. Quakers is added and the Sense perverted by leaving out the last Words of the Sentence as after the Words they are in the same Power Understanding Knowledge and Immediate Revelation from Heaven that the Apostles were in That Vnderstand the Gospel left out As also And they that be in another cannot understand the Gospel Now for these Men to charge us with Blasphemy for Confessing to Immediate Revelation and Inspiration from God by the Gift of the Spirit and thence receiving the Gospel and a Spiritual Understanding and Knowledge thereof by Revelation from Heaven Herein have they opposed the True Knowledge of God and Jesus Christ and consequently charged his own and his Apostles Doctrine and Testimony as Blasphemous For neither knoweth any Man the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal Him Mat. 11.27 And the things of God knows no Man but by the Spirit of God as they are reveal'd unto us by the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.9 They who oppose this Evangelical Doctrine shew themselves both Ignorant of God of Christ and of the things of God and of his Teachings which he has promised his Children They shall all be taught of God John 6.45 Isa 54.13 Jer. 31.33 Where on Isa 54.13 It is noted in the Margent in the old Bible of Queen Elizabeth By the hearing of his Word and inward moving of his Spirit And on Jer. 31.33 it is also noted viz. Under the Kingdom of Christ there shall be none blinded with Ignorance but I will give them Faith and Knowledge of God for Remission of their Sins and daily increase the same so that it shall not seem to come so much by the Preaching of my Ministers as by the Instruction of my Holy Spirit 17th Charge p. 8 9. G. F. further tells us p. 213. That the Priest says Thou dost not speak in that degree of the Holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles did that spoke forth Scriptures To which he Answer Then thou must take heed of Exalting thy self above thy Measures for thou canst not know Scripture but by the same degree of the Spirit the Prophets and Apostles had Obs 1. The Caution against Self-Exaltation was Seasonable 2. The Scripture i. e. the whole Scripture cannot be truly known but by a high degree of the Spirit if not the same degree the Prophets and Apostles had who gave it forth But if any true Knowledge of Scripture be receiv'd it must be by a Degree of the same Spirit as I suppose the Words before cited should be so Transpos'd and so intended 18th Charge p. 9. News coming out of the North c. Printed 1655. p. 14. Your Original is Carnal Hebrew Greek and Latine and your Word is Carnal the Letter Obs The Letter it self is not made up of Spiritual Matter or Lasting Materials but of such as will decay and turn to Dust but the Matter contain'd that is the Holy Doctrine will continue and is permanent And this is no Vilifying or Contemning of Holy Scripture i. e. the Holy Doctrine thereof Though this News out of the North is quoted against us yet it is very Partially and unfairly done For in the same Book the Holy Scripture is clearly own'd As Spoken by the Lord and his Holy Prophets Christ and his Apostles p. 5.8 But the Promises and Words of the Prophets Christ and his Apostles misapplied by the first Birth and Serpent p. 11 12 13 16. The Law of God and the Prophet of the Lord who spake freely from his Mouth expresly so owned page 23 28. Though they that put the Letter for the Light Preaching their own Words and Imaginations thereupon are disowned page 12. Consequently the Holy Scriptures are own'd but the Perverters and Perversions disown'd 19th Charge p. 9. Tho. Lawson in his Brief Discovery of a Threefold Estate of Anti-Christ printed 1653. written from the Spirit of the Lord p. 9. calls the Ministers Babylon 's Merchants Selling Beastly Wares for a large Price the Letter which is Dust and Death Obs Their Injustice and False Quotation in this Passage also and and how they vary it from their Agent Bugg's who often over has herein accused us with calling the Scriptures Beastly Ware in divers of his Books and also in his late great Sheet stil'd Some Reasons Humbly Offered to the Honourable House of Commons p. 1. col 1 4. He has this Gross Lie twice over after divers times detected for it So that these Three Priests and F. Bugg do not agree in what they witness like the False Witnesses against Christ For in the said Brief Discovery quoted the words are these Babylon's Merchants Selling Beastly Wares for a large Price all the Week-time heaping up a Rabble of Notions into the Brain c. So that Beastly Wares relate to their Rabble of Notions of their own heaping up and not to the Holy Scripture nor to the Letter thereof but to their bruitish Imaginations and Divinations of their own Brain neither was this spoken of the Ministers without Exception as in the Quotation much less of Christ's Ministers or Ministery but of the False Ministers as the Title of that part is p. 7. 20th Charge p. 9. Saul's Errand to Damascus printed 1654. p. 7. Q. against G. F. All that study to raise a living thing out of a Dead to raise the Spirit out of the Letter are Conjurers and draw Points and Reasons and so do speak a Divination of their own Brain c. Obs Here they are partial in Quotation again leaving out the preceeding Passages which distinguishing between the Letter and the Light the Letter and the Spirit judging them Blind that put the Letter for the Light and say The Letter and the Spirit are inseparable When the Spirit says The Letter is Death and Killeth according to 2 Cor. 3.6 7. now who will Study to raise a living thing out of a Dead or to raise the Spirit out of the Letter Is such studying warrantable Who dare justifie it And will not the Lord make Diviners Mad Isa 44.25 and does not such studying to raise a Living thing out of a Dead
old Incendiaries to Mischief and the best to be spared of Mankind c. Against W. P. Quakerism a new Nick-name p. 165. This is not the Quakers Treatment of Dissenters in general or without exception as hereby falsly represented But W. P's occasional Treatment of Such a Proud Railing Busie-body and such a sort of Priests who think their Coat will bear out their worst Expressions for Religion and practise an haughty Reviâ—ing for Christ as one of the greatest Demonstrations of their Zeal as in his antecedent words After these words of W. P. Against whom the boiling Vengeance of an Irritated God is ready to be poured out These Men leave out viz. To the Destruction of such if they repent not and turn from their Abominable Deceits Certainly neither the fore-going Citations under their 18th Head nor that which they subjoyn against the bitter Stock of Hirelings and their Sin-pleasing Principles c. could ever be intended for the Quakers Treatment of Dissenters Indefinitely or without Exception for we always distinguish between the Moderate and Immoderate the Charitable and Vncharitable the Ingenuous and Disingenuous even among Dissenters of several sorts and others also When Men are charging Blasphemy and Sedition upon a People out of Books and Quotations as these Men do they should be more fair and just therein than these Men have been They are very Injurious and Offensive both in Charge and Citation we only Defensive and not under a necessity of reciting and reprinting their whole Citations in every part Let their Books and ours be compared to evince them more fully and clear our Innocency from these Adversaries gross Calumnies Perversions Misapplications Misrepresentations and fruitless Attempts Ingenuous Reader please to take W. P's own following Answer to several Charges against him LIBEL p. 4. quotes W. P's Sandy Foundation p. 20. thus viz. That Finite and Impotent Creature speaking of Christ Which is so gross a Strain of Envy and Abuse that no Ingenuous Person can read it without an Abhorrence of the Author's Temper and Work and shews how little Credit ought to be given him in the rest of his Work For it is plain W. P. made the Absurdity lie here That the Doctrine he oppos'd makes it Impossible for God to forgive without a rigid Satisfaction and yet Man who is a Finite and Impotent Creature is not only capable of it but commanded to do it See Sandy Foundation p. 18. Sect. 7. Again Libel p. Ibid. Christ's Co-essentiality and Co-eternity with his Father of his being made Man Dying for Sins Rising and Ascending into Heaven c. they make W. P. to call Confused Babble and by Rote-Canting By-paths of vain Tradition and Invention Romancing dark Results of Factions and Corrupted Counsels c. Whereas 't is plain from his Book at large as well as from the Words themselves which they have cited he writ not in Contempt of the Matter but in Reproof of the Man For he taxes him with Babbling by Rote-Canting and Romancing over the weighty Mysteries of Eternal Life which words they left out because being in they would have disappointed them of an Opportunity of Abusing W. P. So that in short he reproved the Rambling and Insensible Manner of the Priest's Writing and not the Matter treated of which W. P. expresly calls the Weighty Mysteries of Eternal Life Which yet plainer appears from p. 28. upon occasion of some Queries made by W. P. to shew the Indistinction and confused Way of the Priest's Writing viz. Thou must not Reader from my Querying thus conclude we do deny as he hath falsly charged us those glorious Three which bear Record in Heaven the Father Word and Spirit neither the Infinity Eternity and Divinity of Jesus Christ for that we know he is the Mighty God nor what the Father sent his Son to do on the behalf of Lost Man declaring to the whole World we know no other Name by which Attonement Salvation and plenteous Redemption comes But rather to let thee see how unsatisfactorily he has imposed Religion on the World and how exceeding open he lays his Principles to the Objection of every reasonable Inquirer For the Priest's Book was intituled A Guide to the true Religion after going forward and backward four times in his Religion and therefore deserved an Answer as W. P. did in his Book intituled The Guide Mistaken Page 19 and 20 The Libel quotes W. P. giving hard words to the Clergy which W. P. is far from disowning allowing him as in Reason his own Sense and Intention Are they not Idle Gormandizing Priests that Feed the People with that which is not Bread and yet live upon theirs That teach for Hire and make a Trade of the Ministry Have not they been the Bane of Soul and Body through Ages that have either been the Ground or Fomentors of the most bloody and infamous Revolutions of the World Go ask the Martyrologies of all Nations who are the Fire and Faggot Men against Tender Consciences and Reformation W. P. does not charge every Person of the Clergy some being of a more Moderate Temper and better Principles but he would have these of the Clergy that take his Words hardly or any of their Hearers inquire how many of the Clergy stood to their Principles in the Times of K. Henry VIII Edward VI. Q. Mary and Q. Eliz. they will find of the whole Ecclesiastical Body containing about 12 Thousand Persons not 5 Hundred of all Ranks and Degrees that shewed Conscience for their Religion but took their Turns at all And how few through the many Revolutions since our late Civil Wars began have been true to their Principles many yet living know to the Scandal of Religion as well as the Nation After this W. P. thinks himself very little accountable for what he has said to a most Temporizing and Hypocritical Parson J. C. of the Men of his Qualifications for he having excluded the Quakers Socinians c. from Salvation must not take it hard of any of us called Quakers if they think such Turn-Coats and Hypocrites have nothing to do there Libel p. 4. That the outward Person which suffered was properly the Son of God we utterly deny Against W. P. Serious Apology p. 146. The Answer is That if what W. P. hath said and plainly meant is not true then the Body that Suffer'd must be of the Divine Nature and consequently that which is of the Divine Nature is Mortal But that which is properly the Only-begotten of God must naturally be Immortal So that properly and strictly speaking that which could die cannot be the Only-begotten Entire Son of God and yet it was his Body that died and as such it may in a Sense be said He died and in no other respect does W. P. deny that which died to be the Son of God See his Book Serious Apology at large upon this Passage which sufficiently explains it self and exposes their great Disingenuity that Cite it Page 146. Priest Jenner chargeth us with Denying the Lord that bought us because as he falsly says we deny that Person the Son of God that died at Jerusalem to be our Redeemer Which most horrid Imputation says W. P. has been Answer'd more I believe than a thousand times that is That he that laid down his Life and suffer'd his Body to be Crucified by the Jews without the Gates of Jerusalem is Christ the Only Son of the Most High God But to Assert the Body which Suffered and Died was properly the Entire Son of God this brings Him more under the Charge of making him but a meer Man than us who acknowledge Him to be One with the Father and of a Nature Eternal and Immortal For he was Glorified with the Father before the World was And that it may yet farther appear that what we give for our meaning is such besides what is already cited turn over Leaf to Page 149. and observe what Confession the said W. P. then made as to the Matter Controverted We do Believe in One Holy God Almighty who is an Eternal Spirit the Creator of all things And in One Lord Jesus Christ his Only Son and Express Image of his Substance who took upon Him Flesh and was in the World and in Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection Ascension and Mediation perfectly did and does continue to do the Will of God to whose Holy Life Power Mediation and Blood we only ascribe our Sanctification Justification Redemption and Perfect Salvation And we Believe in One Holy Spirit that proceeds and breaths from the Father and the Son as the Life and Virtue of both the Father and the Son a Measure of which is given to all to Profit with And he that has one has all for those Three are One who is the Alpha and Omega the First and the Last God over all Blessed for ever Amen FINIS
to Jesus Christ or his Blood c. quoted against G. W's Light and Life of Christ within p. 8. Note here after Anty-type they leave out viz. neither to the outward Temple I ask these Men where the Scripture doth so direct Men to go to the outward Temple at Jerusalem for Jesus Christ Nay Doth it not contrariwise direct them See plain Scripture Deut. 30.12 13 14. and Rom. 10.6 7 8. 14. And indeed this i. e. Justification by that we deny c. Q. Against G. W. and W. P. their Serious Apology p. 148. Here they wrong the Quotation again Justification by what But by what Christ fulfilled wholly without us This is left out For if Sanctification Regeneration and the New Birth be necessary to the compleating our Justification and Acceptance in Christ then 't is not compleated wholly without us tho' obtain'd for us without us by Christ as the one Offering and our Mediator 15. Faith in Christ's outward Manifestation has been a deadly Poison these latter Ages have been infected with Against W. P's Quakerism a new Nick-name p. 6. 'T is making Faith in the History thereof that is in opposition to his Power and Work in the Soul and to Godly living as is evident in the place quoted 16. And since they believe that outward Appearance i. e. of Jesus at Jerusalem they need not Preach what is not to be again Against W. P. Ibid. p. 12. He means they need not always preach it where 't is believed and confesseth all true Quakers own that Visible Appearance of Christ 17. So when you come to know this to wit the Operation of Christ or the Light within you will cease remembring his Death at Jerusalem c. Against The Doctrine of Perfection Vindicated p. 19. I don't believe this to be justly or impartially quoted let them produce it at large and whose Book it is 18. So all Christendom hath talked long enough of Christ's Flesh and Blood Against G. F's Several Papers for spreading the Truth p. 59. This also looks like an unjust Quotation let them produce it with the reason thereof at large or else be ashamed of such Picking Nibling and Curtailing to deceive the Reader 19. Not to Jesus the Son of Abraham David and Mary Saint or Angel but to God the Father all Worship Honour and Glory be given Against W. Shewen's Treatise of Thoughts and Imaginations p. 37. I know his intent was not to Jesus Only as the Son of Abraham David and Mary but as he is God over all blessed for ever All Worship Hononr and Glory belongs to him And as he is the Eternal Son of God to whom all Power and all Judgment is committed it is that all Men should Honour the Son even as they Honour the Father John 5.22 23. and Matth. 28.18 20. Can outward Blood cleanse the Conscience Against Isaac Penington's Questions p. 25. Answ Not without the Spirit for the Spirit the Water and the Blood agree in One. 21. These nameless Adversaries again charge us with a two-fold Falshood namely That tho the Quakers do deny the outward Blood of Christ to have any Vertue or Efficacy towards cleansing of the Conscience yet they attribute this to their own Blood which they deny to the Blood of Christ p. 5. These are both most odious Perversions which we solemnly testifie against They also perversly add for Proof against the Quakers in this point viz. 22. For speaking of their own Sufferings and the Shedding of their Blood which was never done in England unless some Boy gave them a Bloody Nose This is a very scornful Untruth by the way They say thus to those whom they call their Persecutors That you will by no means be thence cleansed i. e. from the Guilt of the Quakers Blood but by the same Blood which you so Cruelly Shed Against The Guilty Clergy-Man Vnvailed p. 17. Anno. 1657. Now pray observe the Parenthesis i. e. from the Guilt of the Quakers Blood is perversly added and their Citation as lamely taken the Antecedent matter on which the Subsequent depends and to which 't is relative being left out and both the Intent and Sense of the Author wholly perverted by these Men's applying it all to the Quakers own Sufferings and Blood and therefore take T. S's whole Paragraph in the place quoted viz. Be not prevailed with to release Barrabas and give over Jesus to be crucified to gratifie the Murderous Appetites either of your Priests or the Multitude considering that altho' you may with Pilate wash your hands and to those Eyes that are dazled with Fury and Prejudice against Innocent Jesus appear clear from his Blood yet before the pure Eyes of the Lord will the condemning Stain thereof be found upon you so fresh that you will by no means be thence cleansed but by the same Blood which you so cruelly shed The Guilty covered Clergy-Man p. 17. I cannot believe this was Literally meant by the Author being a Man known to be of a better Understanding and Experience than represented by those Adversaries I 'm sure it is not the Quakers Principle to attribute Cleansing the Conscience to their own Blood or Sufferings The Guilt of Innocent Blood shed by the hands of cruel Persecutors may be charged upon Persecutors in after-Ages as Christ told the Persecutors of the Primitive Christians Matth. 23.34 35. Behold I send unto Prophets and Wise Men and Scribes and some of them ye shall Kill and Crucifie and some of them shall ye Scourge in your Synagogues and Persecute them from City to City That upon you may come all the Righteous Blood shed upon the Earth from the Blood of Righteous Abel unto the Blood of Zacharias Son of Barachias whom ye stew between the Temple and the Altar And was not this above Eight Hundred Years before Christ was Born that Zacharias was thus Slain 2 Chron. 24.21 surely the Wickedness of the Wicked shall be upon him And are not many Guilty of the Body and Blood of Christ who never actually shed it And as the Iniquities of all met upon him are not they all Guilty of his Blood and chargeable with it who remain Impenitent Persecutors of him in his Members and who Crucifie to themselves the Lord of Life a-fresh 23. If there be any other Christ c. answered fully before and the Mistake discover'd 24. Christ's Body or what he had from the Virgin Strictly considered as such was not the Seed i. e. the Seed of the Woman promised Gen. 3.15 Against W. P's Christian Quaker p. 97. Here they add the Parenthesis in Crotchets but Answer not the Scope or Intent of the Matter or Arguments urged both before and after what they have quoted W. P. denies not but confesseth Christ to have been Born of the Virgin and that he was the promised Seed the true Christ who bruiseth the Serpent's Head the Son of the living God and also God over all both before and after he took Flesh of the Virgin But