Selected quad for the lemma: spirit_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
spirit_n	father_n	holy_a	jesus_n	13,652	5	5.8822	4	true

Text snippets containing the quad

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57809	The Quakers refuge fixed upon the rock of ages, though the swelling waters dash never so violently to overturn it wherein is prov'd, that the narrative of Ralph James is an absolute lying-wonder, according to his own definition : and also, the great controversie between the people of God called Quakers, and others, about the holy spirit of God and the Scriptures, truly stated, and very briefly discoursed, as it is owned by the Quakers, and the truth cleared from the false suggestions and deceitful insinuatins of the anabaptists about the said controversie : in answer to a subtil pamphlet, lately published, intituled, The Quakers subterfuge or evasion overturned : also a few queries propounded unto Ralph James, and the author of the subterfuge &c. / by Robert Ruckhill ; to which is added another postscript in answer to some queries propounded in the said pamphlet, wherein many untruths are suggested ; but herein the truth is cleared, and the evasion and deceit of the Baptists made more fully manifest by John Whitehead.	Ruckhill, Robert.; Whitehead, John, 1630-1696.	1673 (1673)	Wing R2169; ESTC R21457	28,153	51

believe That I own no Body of Christ but the Church and what ever I say to the contrary he would have to be obscured or else he might have had the honesty to have printed this Answer to his Second and Third Queries with the Queries thmselves for it hath been in the Hands of him or his brethren above seven Years Wherefore I shall now appeal to God and spiritually minded men to judge Whether I who did do confess Christ's Glorious heavenly Body or he who cannot discern it but hold forth a Circumscript human Body of Flesh and Bones out of every believer whilst on Earth we are Worthy to be rendered as denyers of the Body of Christ and unfit to preach the Resurrection Ascension and Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ 4. Query Whether by the Words people of God thou meanest the Church of Christ in visible profession of the Gospel according to the patern of the Churches in the Apostles Dayes Answ by the words People of God I mean such as are in the new Covenant of Light in whose Heart God hath written his Laws and in whose inward Parts he hath put his Fear who know and believe Christ in them and do hear his Voice and follow him as their Head and Leader as did the true Churches in the Apostles Dayes but I do not believe every gathering of people that are got into an outward or visible Profession of the Scriptures and in Imitation have gotten into some outward things which the true Church in the Apostles Dayes practised are the People of God because I am sensible such as are Aliens in their minds from the Life of God which the Apostles and primitive Christians were in may get their Words and imitate them in Outward Forms and Practises whilst they deny the Power of Godliness which they lived in 5th Query Whether the People called Quakers are gathered constituted and governed in Church-Capacity according to the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles Answ Yea for we are gathered in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ who is present with us as he promised to be alwayes to the end of the World and we are governed by him who is given to be the Head over all Things to the Church of which we are Members and have Elders ordained in every Country who take the Over-sight of the Flock of God not by Constraint but willngly and in the Power of the Lord Jesus receives True Believers and rejects Hereticks who have refused Admonition according to the Apostle's Doctrine who was an able Minister not of the Letter but of the Spirit And notwithstanding Christ's bidding the other Apostles before his Ascension Go Teach and Baptize all Nations said He was not sent to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel and how ye who are so much for Water-Baptism come to take your selves concerned to Baptize with Water by Virtue of that Commission given before Christ's Ascension ye may do well to manifest since the Apostle Paul did not so take himself concerned in it but according to that Commission which he received from the Lord who appeared unto him delivering him from the People and the Gentiles he laboured to open the blind Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from Satan's power to God Acts 16 17 18. as we do according to the Call and Precepts given us of the Lord who is also manifest in us by whom we are taught not to run because others were sent nor to act without Power from on High but to go as we are led and commanded by the Lord and act in the Motion of his Power whereby we have been made a Sweet Savour to God in them that believe and in them that perish though in one the Savour of Life unto Life and in the other the Savour of Death unto Death and God hath so blessed our Labour that many Thousands are brought to the Knowledge of the Son of God and to Unity in the Faith which gives Victory over the World wherein they are growing to a perfect Man and to the Measure Fulness and Stature of Christ Though we thank God we have Baptized none of them in Water but have instructed them to the blessed Appearing of the Lord. Jesus Christ who Baptized with the Holy Ghost and with Fire having his Fan in his Hand throughly to purge the Floor and those which have waited for the Appearing of the Lord and received him to be their Leader Way and Baptizer are baptized with one Spirit into that one Body which is his Church of which they are Living Members fitly joyned together by Christ who is their Head who gives them Life and sills them with the Virtue of his Love wherein they Edisie one another So Christ is the Door into the Sheep-sold whereat all that are accepted by him do enter And this way of gathering constituting and governing the Church is according to the Doctrine of Christ his Evangelists and Apostles as appeareth at large in their Writings And although thou in thy 6th Query sayst doubtless it is not because we are not gathered according to thy Apprehension of some particular Verses quoted by thee I must tell thee thou therein takest that granted which we never gave thee and therefore we need shew no Authority for the Abrogating that Order of Gathering Constituting and Governing the Church of Christ which was in the Apostles dayes since our Practice doth more establish it in the Substantial Part then yours who have visible Doors whereat to enter as your Water-Baptism instead of Christ's Baptism and other Ways whereat to climb up like Thieves and Robbers Joh. 1. which steal the Saints words and imitate their Practices as in all Ages False Prophets have imitated the True and False Worshippers have imitated the True Worshippers as ye do thinking because Christ said before his Ascension Go teach all Nations Baptizing them in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit therefore Thomas Grantham and Ralph James must go Teach and Baptize in Water though they have neither seen the Lord Jesus Christ nor heard him speak Nor will they believe in the holy Spirit as the principal Guide but have the Boldness to try its Doctrine or Teaching in these dayes by their own understanding of the Scriptures which ever leads men to speak Evil of and condemn those things which they cannot understand to be according to Scriptures though they be never so consonant to the Mind of the Spirit which they received which gave forth the Scriptures And therefore laying aside all vain Jangling we would perswade you and all men to learn of Christ Jesus the Second Man that is a Quickening Spirit by whom ye are reproved when ye do Evil that ye may know his Mind in your selves and do it and then ye may better understand it as declared by others Although thy Seventh Anti-Query is in part answered by what is before written yet I shall now manifest That Richard Anderson neither was conversant

Circumcision Temple-worship and that Hand writing of Ordinances which was contrary to them And as little Reason has he to accuse us since we only by the Power of the Lord cry down their Baptizing with Water by virtue of a Commission that was given to other men to Baptize into the Name of the Father Son and Holy Spirit which Baptizing with Water and other Imitations not to be inferr'd thence they so much Idoliz'd as to tearm them the Way of Life above and to deliver from Hell beneath and press them as absolutely necessary to Salvation though they can shew us no Scriptures which so terms them and holds them forth and therefore should they not as such be received So whilst this Authour would prove us opposite to the positive Laws of God and not sincere favourers of the Light within he is found in that state himself for as much as he puts mans Changeable Understanding and Judgement which is Darkness for Light and thereby would so Obscure the Glory and Lustre of that true and unchangeable Light which Lighteth every Man that comes into the World as if there were many things which he hath no Cognisance or Knowledge of though indeed no secret is hid from him and as if he had no power now to teach and direct people in this day contrary to fallible Mens apprehensions of the Scriptures how people should worship and serve God but were limited to outward and shaddowy things which he calls positive Laws when as indeed all who are gathered in the New Covenant have the substance it self the Law in the Heart to which they are to be Obedient and know the Lord to be their Law giver and Leader who is also a Light to the Gentiles that he may be for Salvation to the ends of the Earth Wherefore this Author and all people may do well to come to that Light that therein they all may know God from the least to the greatest and be taught by him least trusting to their own natural understanding and Judgment to perform worship to God and not to his holy Spirit which is but the Light of their own fire they at last be forced to lye down in Sorrow Lincoln the ●2 day of ●th 11. Monteh 1672. John Whitche●d Something added by C. H. TO the Intent none may stumble concerning the Contrariety that appears by Certificates printed o● both hands relating to Rich. Anderson let the Reader observe I being in London the 7th of the 2d Moneth 1673. met with Tho. Wilson of Atherstone in Warwickshire who has been reputed a Baptist Teacher for many years who told me to this Effect That he had been on purpose at Panton in Lincolnshire to seek after the truth of the Matter and making inquiry of One of the Chief of that Place as to the Credit of R. A. had this Answer returned That he did believe if the Quakers came one Day to R. A. whatsoever he did Say or Confess to them yet if the Baptists did come on the Morrow he would say any thing they would have him to say Therefore all honest inquirers by this and other things that do appear so plain may safely thus conclude That the Foundation and Bottom of all the Baptists Building here in being found so Rotten and Deceitful the whole Building thereupon is like unto it and shall all fall down together to the Shame and Confusion of all such who hereby have made Lyes their Refuge and foolishly taken the Name of the Lord in vain C. H. THE END

pedetentim to tract this Author onely shall endeavour to wipe away that immerited Aspertion of Untruth and Immodesty which the Author under hand hath cast upon the Title Page of T. R's Book by proving their Narrative to be worthily stiled The Anabaptists Lying-Wonder and so proceed to such other Particulars as lie in my way That the Narrative of R. James is deservedly called A Lying-Wonder and that by their own Definition of a Lying-Wonder appears thus First Because it is False in it self 2dly It is brought to maintain a Falshood 3dly To Oppose a Truth That the Narrative is False in it self hath abundantly appeared in the two Books of T. R. beforesaid both by Testimonies Certificates sufficiently witnessed beyond all Contradiction But in regard this Author and some Independents in these Parts still urge That Rich. Anderson was a Quaker at least in Principle let 's hear what they say for themselves wherefore they should be believed This Author in the 10th page of his Subterfuge urgeth That R. A. was a Quaker n Principle and that for these Reasons First In that he restifies at a high rate for the Light Within 2. In that he hath proclaimed the Quakers to be the People of God and owned of God as was Moses 3. Because R. A. went in the Conceits of his own Heart on an Unsent Errand But what 's this to the Quakers Here is all the united Strength the Anabaptists and other Professors are able to make to prove R. A. a Quaker But will these poor Remains of their shattered Forces do it Surely nay Will the Devil 's frequent and open Confession that Christ is the Holy One of God prove him to be a Christian Or will that Pythoniss Acts 16. her following Paul and Silas many dayes perhaps more then they affirm R. A. conversed with the Quakers crying These Men are the Servants of the Most High God which shew unto you the Way of Salvation prove her a true Proselite and Convert to that Way of Salvation unto which with the Preachers thereof she had born so clear a Testimony Let the Sober-minded judge And if so ample Testimonies as clear and full as any they instance R. A. gave to the Quakers will not prove the said Conclusions then let Shame cover the Faces of the Anabaptists and their envious Confederates until they have Repented and taken as much Pains in the Vindication of God's Eternal Truth owned by the Quakers as they have taken in Opposing it Neither ought R. Anderson his pronouncing R. J. a Leper from the consideration of a Scripture as he confesseth and they own see Subterfuge p. 11. and then not sent by the Light the Quakers witness to to their own Contradiction as they before suggested nor his falfe Pretending to Heal the Sick which they urge he attempted but sail'd I say neither of these ought of Right to reflect upon the Principles or Doctrines of the Quakers or prove him one of their Prophets any more then the Sons of Sceva the Jew their naming over them that had Evil spirits the Name o● Je●us and Paul was reflective upon the Principles and Doctrine of Paul or proved them to be Prophets of the Christians who though they were not smitten with Leprosie or other inward Pains yet got they their Coates rent off their Backs and their Bones Beaten for their Presumption Thus it is manifest their Narrative is false in respect of the Father and no truer in the Child which R. J. affirms in his Narrative was smitten all over with Spots which they call Leprosie and since Dead as his Letter affirms but now after their Cross Examination of R. A. they are glad with Shame enough to exchange their Lepresie for a Simple Sore and the Dead Child is yet Above to the shame of chose Impostors were they not past Shame See Subterfuge p. 13. As Impious also is their Pretence That the Child was smitten with Leprosie for the Father's Offence sith R. A. has affirmed before two credible Witnesses men of honest Repution namely Tho. Markam and Edw. Gilliat both of Brigg That the Sore which they call Leprosie was upon the Child some time before the Father pronounced the Leprosie And the Truth of this is yet further demonstrable from R. Anderson's own word as recited by this Author himself in the 13th page of his Subtersuge where as in a vain flourish pretending to produce some considerable Proof of the Child's Reprosie he hath these words But now saith he let us hear what R. Anderson himself saith who being asked by their own Witnesses there named Whether he had not a Child that was smitten with Leprosie after he had pronounced R. James a Leper R. Anderson answers as this Author records it That he had a Child THEN that did break out into Sores Mark Reader he does not answer directly to the Question as they expected he would for then he should have said His Child was smitten with Leprosie afterwards but on the contrary his Answer clearly implies what is before proved viz. That the Child had the Sore upon it even THEN when the Father pronounced the Leprosie And here R. James and his Adherents have not onely Abused the World with their Lying-Wonder but also falsly Accused the Impartial Justice of the Most Righteous God who never yet would edge the Teeth of any Child when the Father only had eaten Sower Grapes much less would smite an Innocent Child for the Father's Offence with so Sore a Punishment as Spots which they call Leprosie all over whilst yet the Father's Sin was not Committed Let every sober man consider what spirit these men are of As for the Eye and Ear-witnesses of the Asslictions of R. A. his Family which the Quakors with good Reason call'd for this Author proceeds in his old mode of Subtilty and instead of producing them he tells us That there are Neighbours that say They dore member some Afflictions in R. A 's Family about Nine Years since but would not be brought into Question c. Would any man in his Wits bring such pittiful stuff as this in such a Concern Who knows not but most Families where Children are at one time or another are under some Affliction This is just like the Author But doubtless if he had any Witnesses to the Purpose he would not fail to produce them in such a Case as this where the Credit of their whole Party lies at stake therefore since he produceth none Reason must needs conclude he hath none for in such Cases the Maxim hold true De non apparentibus et non ex●●●e●●ibus eadem est Ratio And thus as their Narrative is proved salfe in it self so it was brought to maintain all the Falshood before said to wit concerning R. A 's Leprous Child afflicted Family and the Manner of their Healing all proved Falshoods And it was brought to oppose this Truth that the holy Spirit of God is the only true Standard to Judge and

were any thing at all he was most certainly an Anabaptist whereof T. R. in both his Books hath given evident Demonstration Upon the whole matter it 's worth remarking First That the Glory of the Anabaptist Churches is in its swift Declination toward the Western Horizon forasmuch as they are sai to fly to Signs and Lying Wonders to oppose the ●●th and to countenance their false Wayes and ●o●trines Secondly That the Anabaptists Cause in this hot Conflict between them and the ●●akers is now at the very utmost Crisis 〈…〉 this Champion who is mostly ingaged when the ●●se grows desperate is constrain'd in so eminent a Danger to make use of such poor Matter such pittifull shifts as are the Contents of this whole book now under tryal to the great Regret doubtless of their whole Party or such of them as have not yet sacrificed their Intellects to their Envy For it was foolishly boasted by divers Professors and others That the Book now under examination would be like Hercules 's Club or Goliah 's Spear in a word Unanswerable And this brings me to the very Heart of the great Controversie Whether the Holy Spirit or the Scriptures ought to have Priority The Controversie between the Anabaptists Independents together with other Professors the People of God called in Scorn Quakers concerning the Authority of the Holy Spirit in Judging or Discerning the Mind of God in the Holy Scriptures truly stated as owned by the Quakers WHether the first Pen-man of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes or whether both these are not one or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit whether some words were not spoken by the grand Impostor some by Wicked Men some by Wise Men ill applied some by Good Men ill expressed some by False Prophets and yet true some by True Prophets and yet false is not the Subject of my Argument at this time But such Scriptures and Prophecyes as have been written and prophesied by the Holy Men of God as they were moved by the Spirit of God treating of the Mystery of God in the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ and the Duty of Man in his Obedience to and Worship of the same God as his reasonable Service for the Gift of so great Salvation are the great Concerns now under our most serious Consideration The People of God scornfully called Quakers have unseignedly believed and often declared to the World That the Scriptures as above distinguished are a true Record and Declaration of the Love of God in the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ and also of the Duty of Man as before recited But they also believe and have declared to all the World That the Carnal Mind of Man being at Enmity with God and darkened by reason of Wicked Works cannot perceive nor discern the Mystery of God in the Scriptures declared and testified of For there is a Vail spread over the Hearts of all Men even in their Reading of the Scriptures so as they cannot see through the Letter unto the Mystery either in abolishing the old Covenant with its carnal Ordinances and Beggarly Elements or in introducing the new Covenant with its Spiritual Worship and Services and so being intricated and bewildered in the Letter cannot possibly attain unto the Knowledge of the Spiritual Mystery Now this most excellent Truth having by the Spirit of the Lord been opened and revealed to the Quakers they must of necessity be of this Faith viz. That without a Measure of the holy Spirit of God received and turned unto whereby the Vail is removed from the Heart no Man living can possibly discern or understand the great Mystery of Man's Salvation by Jesus Christ which was exhibited in Shaddow under the old but in lively Substance under the new Covenant although he had a Thousand Bibles in his House and every word of them at his Fingers ends So that upon this Consideration the People of God scornfully called Quakers do unanimously conclude and declare and testifie unto the whole World That the Holy Spirit of God is the only supream Judge Opener and Revealer of the Mind and Mystery of God and Duty of Man treated of in the Scriptures This oh ye Anabaptists and Independents and all other Opposers of this eternal Truth in the whole World this is the true State of the great Controversie betwixt the Quakers and you and if you will joyn issue with the Quakers in this Controversie you must do it as it is here stated at least in Substance for I am willing to give place to better words and order from whomsoever and you must lay aside all your prodigious Signs and lying Wonders and pretended Cures for these will not decide this great Controversie as ye vainly imagine And you must bring forth your strong Reasons and sound Arguments grounded upon plain Demonstrations of Truth and clear Evidence of Scripture and if the Truth be on your part you will be able to make it appear before wise understanding Men whoever your Opposers are and you will overcome us if you have the Truth for great is the Truth and will prevail and we must and will submit unto the Truth and to you But if the Truth appear on our part we in the Wisdom of God shall make it manifest the Truth will stand over your Heads and we will thresh you and winnow as the Chaff on the Threshing-Floor and the Wind of the Lord will blow you away with your Refuge of Lyes and your Nakedness will be discovered in the sight of all Men. Again This Author Subter pag. 5. falsly suggests to his too credulous Readers as if the Controversie depending between the Baptists Churches and the People called Quakers was touching the holy Scriptures or to express it more fully saith he The Authority of the Holy Ghost as he speaks in the Scriptures to try and judge the Spirits of Men which they term the Spirit of God Thus he But whether there be not a Lying Spirit however a Lying Tongue in the Mouth of this False Prophet let the Sober-minded judge And I here challenge him upon his Credit and Reputation with his own People either to produce in open view one clear Proof at least of any Declaration either by word or writing where any of the Quakers have termed the spirits of Men the Spirit of God or else let his stand opon record among his own People as a Lyar and a Slanderer to all Generations Again The Deceit of this Author further appears in his recital of the Narrative for the first Copy renders R. James and R. A. contending Whether the Spirit should try the Scripture or the Scripture the Spirit mark here is Spirit Spirit in the singular number as the Spirit of God is but one but in his recital Subter p. 7. he renders them contending Whether the Scriptures were to try the Spirits or the

Light of the holy Spirit then may a whole Nation wanting the Guidance of the holy Spirit be Idolaters also Here you see the Ground and Cause of Blindness and Idolatry is their Eyes not being opened by the holy Spirit to understand the Scriptures so the Argument holds true throughout all and the aforesaid Position is clearly proved as before was promised And now oh ye Anabaptists and Independents who affirm That the Scriptures are to try and judge of the holy Spirit come let me expostulate with you a little What Assurance can you give the Quakers or what Grounds or Encouragements to believe in case the Judicial Power were in your Hands that in your Tryal of the holy Spirit by the Scriptures as he appears in the Quakers or in whomsoever your proceedings will be more equal just and clear and your selves more free from Mistakes of him then the professing Jews were when by the same Rule they would try the same holy Spirit as it appeared in an immeasurable Measure in Jesus of Nazareth Shew us I pray you wherein you are better wiser juster clearer in your Principles and Judgments then they Do you account your selves the Church of God So did they Do you say you have his Commandments and Ordinances So said they Have you Anabaptists such a high Esteem of your Baptism as to account it the Way of Life to avoid from Hell beneath The like Esteem had they of their Fleshly Circumcision as to teach that without it Men could not be saved Have you the Scriptures and do you reckon them a Competent Judge of the Spirit of God So had they and in them thought they had Eternal Life and yet for all this they knew not the Messiah of whom the Scriptures testified but having most wickedly Betrayed Apprehended and Arraigned him before the Roman Tribunal methinks I hear the Deputy and them thus implead each other in the Case of the true Messiah Pilate What Accusation bring ye against this Man Jews If he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee Pilate Deceit lurks in generals what Evil hath he done Jews He perverts the Nation forbids to pay Tribute to Cesar saying himself is Christ a King In Design doutbless to usurp the Empire and assume Cesar's Revenue Pilate Away away for Shame What nothing but Lyes and Slanders I now perceive your Envy I find no Fault in him at all ●●le release him Jews Crucifie him crucifie him Pilate Why what Evil hath he done Jews He is a Blasphemer A horrible Blasphemer and he ought to dye for it Pilate Take ye him then and Crucifie him for I find no Fault in him Jews By our Law he should be Stoned to Death but ye Romans have taken away that Power it is not lawful for us to put any man to Death Pilate Say then what is his Blasphemy Jews He is but a Carpenter's Son we know his Pedegree and yet he made himself the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and that 's horrid Blasphemy Pilate Son of God! my Heart Trembles at that word ye obdurate Wretches how appears it that he ought to dye for this Jews We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God Pilate Produce your Law that I may see it Jews It is in the four and twentieth Chapter of Leviticus and the sixteenth Verse Pilate Read it verbatim Jews And he that Blasphemeth the Name of the Lord shall surely be put to Death all the Congregation shall Stone him to Death as well the Stranger as he that is born in the Land when he Blasphemeth the Name of the Lord let him be Slain And now ye Anabaptists and Independents and thou Author of the Subterfuge be ingenuous and tell the Quakers and the whole Nation truly Whether ye do believe that the Authority of the holy Spirit as he speaks in this precited Scripture did really intend the Murder of the Messiah as a Blasphemer yea or nay if nay as most certainly nay then tell us How it came to pass the Jews should so grosly mistake and misapply it and shew unto us and to all the World if you can what they wanted which might shew them the true Mind of the Lord in that place and in all other Prophesies which spake of the Messiah seeing you cannot deny but they had the Scripture and according to your deceitful way of wording it the Authority of the holy Spirit as he speaks in the Scriptures not onely read but expounded unto them every Sabbath Day If the Jews mistake arose from their Ignorance of the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit as he spoke forth the Scriptures as sure enough it did which it could not have done had they receiv d the Spirit then behold the Jews also are found misunderstanding the Scriptures for want of the holy Spirit as well as my Opposite was and here 's one clear proof more come unlooked for of my former position viz. That a Man nay a whole Nation of Men may have the Scriptures in his or their Mother Tongue and yet be utterly ignorant of the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit And therefore the matter standing thus ye are hereby required and obliged to produce some satisfactory and convincing Reason why the Quakers should expect more equal proceeding at your hands in the Judgment aforesaid in case you had the civil Power then our Lord Jesus Christ found at the Hands of the Jews seeing you have no more then they had to wit the Letter of the Scriptures to judge withal and that you have no more then they appears in this that you deny the holy Spirit as he appears in his Servants to be the Revealer of the Scriptures and supream judge of the Spirits and Doctrines of Men and if ye can produce no such convincing Reason as may give the Quakers reasonable acquiescence in this Concern forasmuch as they are verily perswaded that although you have the Scriptures you want the Guidance of the holy Spirit truly to discern them it lies upon you as a Work of absolute necessity ye Anabaptists and thou Author of this Subterfuge to exhibit unto the Quakers in the Sight of the whole Nation some pregnant Proof and infallible Demonstration that you are not deceitful Sophisters and cunning Jugglers in your doubtful and ambiguous Expressions and Amphibologies dispersed in sundry places of your Books and particularly in that called the Subterfuge as before is noted about the Scriptures the Spirits of Men and the holy Spirit as he speaks in the Scriptures c. which is corrupt and uncertain Language as you use it and it is apparent you do it not only of Ignorance but Wilfulness and your Deceits therein are made manifest unto all You are also oblieged and required to prove if you can positively and plainly to the Satisfaction of all Men that may doubt thereof that all Men whosoever that have the Scriptures have

that he would for advantage rather wilfully mistake our Principles then have a right Understanding of them And he hath further shewed his Dishonesty and Malice in that he would misinform others and prejudice them against the Truth it self by wresting my Words out of the Sence wherein they were spoken Wherefore that you may rightly understand this case I declare that the Words which were spoken by me were spoken in an Exclusive Sence and that upon the Occasion of T. G's Magnifying the Body of Christ equal with or above him for whom the Body was prepared whereupon I still say that the Christ or Son of God is not made up of that which is or was mortal and that nothing which was mortal was properly or strictly called Christ he neither understood my Words right nor would admit me to explain them till he had rashly condemned them as Heresie Which notwithstanding I still look upon the Words to be very true Words in that Sence that they were spoken in for I say still that the Body of Christ which was mortal excluding the Soul and Spirit was not nor could properly be called Christ or Man annointed because that the Immortal Soul and Spirit of man are the more Noble part of Man and therefore may Justly challenge the Prerogative to denominate for without Soul and Spirit a mortal Body neither is nor can truely be term'd Man no more can the mortal Body of Christ without the Soul Spirit and Life of Christ which is Immortal be term'd Christ which if you do but understand and mark well that although I said nothing which was mortal was called Christ but that Christ had once a mortal Body which dyed upon the Cross then may ye more easily judge whether it be possible forem or any other which Thomas Grantham hath a Mind to slander to escape the Scourge of his Tongue since he is so blindly rash upon no better Grounds to charge me both with grevious Heresie and denying the Body of Christ and that for no other Reason but because I distinguish betwixt Christ and the Body of Christ which was prepared for him to do his Fathers Will in Heb. 10. And the Eternal Word or Son of God which was glorified with the Father before the World began John 17. Who took upon him the Form of a Servant and in that prepared Body did his Fathers Will is more noble both in Glory and Dignity then either the Soul Spirit or Body of Man in as much as by and for him Man was made and by him only Redeemed and Restored Therefore may and ought he who was and is that true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Joh. 1.9 to be held forth and preached as the only Lord and Saviour of Man-kind and the Manhood which through Mercy to us was taken into Union with this Eternal Power and God-head should not be divided from nor cryed up in Opposition to the Eternal Word or Son of God as they who only know Christ after the Flesh are too subject to do And of them is he who in his 3d Query renders me unfit to preach the Resurrection Ascension and second Coming of Christ because I could not own that he hath such a Body as he had imagined but did testifie of and have shewed unto People that Eternal Life which was with the Father as the Apostles did 1 John 1.1 2. by and in which Life Mortality was swallowed up after Christ had finished what the Father gave him to do on Earth Then he who came down from Heaven to bring Man to God ascended into Heaven to his Father and our Father at whose right Hand having accomplisht his Work he sitteth down and is glorified with that Glory which he had with the Father before the World began in a Body sutable to his Spirit consisting of heavenly Flesh and Bone of which Body neither T.G. the Author of these Queries nor Natural Philosophers in their Wisdom do comprehend the Dimensions and therefore would limit him in some thing who ascended that he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 and is not contained in any Created Being so as to be absent from other created Beings Ep. 2.20 21 22 23. and much less is he absent from his faithful Disciples and Followers who whilst on Earth were and are made to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Eph. 2.5 6. And that Christ hath such a Coelestial Body as I have here described I never denyed neither at Spilsby Sleeford nor else-where as Thomas Grantham with whom I have publickly Disputed in those Places slanderously reports I did but I am perswaded that he cannot bring one of these several Hundreds of People that heard us which is not byassed to his Judgment or influenced by him that will say I denyed Christ to have now any Body besides his Church though I have several times denyed T. G's Assertion wherein he hath affirmed That Christ hath now a Body of Flesh and Bones circumscript or limited in that Heaven which is above and out of every Man on Earth And perceiving that he stood conceited in his Fleshly Apprehension and Knowledge wherein he had conceived the Lord of Glory to be like unto Corruptible Man I asked him Since be denyed Christ to be in and with Believers whilst upon Earth where that Body was he spoke on and how big or what a one it was To which he answered in his haste That it was such a one as his consisting of Flesh and Bones and in yonder Heaven which is above pointing towards the Clouds to which I replyed Nay thy Flesh is sinful and corruptible and Rotteness shall enter into thy Bones neither can thy Body come in the doors being shut nor appear in another Form as Christ did whereupon he mended his Words and did except Sin and Corruption but still stood in that which discerns not the Lords Body but would limit it to a particular Place and out of every Man on Earth shewing his Ignorance both of the Kingdom of God which is within and of Christ within who is not a Spirit without a Body as Believers do experience who were and are true Members of his Heavenly Body of his Flesh and of his Bones Ep. 5.30 and these do eat Christs Flesh and drink his Blood and dwell in Christ and Christ in them John 6. and the Spirit and Body of Christ is not divided but wheresoever the Spirit and Life of Christ is it is in the Body of Christ and they which believe have Eternal Life abiding in them whereby they are quickned and joyned to the Heavenly Body of Christ and also supplied with Nourishment in him who is the Head of the Body the Fulness of him that filleth all in all But notwithstanding I have freely declared that which was and is my faith concerning the Body of Christ I perceive that T. G. hath very uncharitably resolved because he cannot discern the Lord s Body of which we speak to

with us nor received our Doctrine nor acted by that Spirit which guides us as in that Query thou affirmest for if he had been conversant with us some of us at least should have known him but that we never did witness this Certificate from a Quarterly Meeting at Lincoln who certainly know all that are or have been of us From a General Meeting of the People of God call'd Quakers in the County of Lincoln the 26th Day of the 4th Moneth 1672. WHereas a Report is gone out of this County from Ralph James and other Persons which have alwayes had a Prejudice against the Truth and People of God call'd Quakers by which Report the Nation is Abused and those which are over-credulous made to believe a Lye viz. That Richard Anderson of Panton was a Quaker These are therefore to certifie that the said Richard Anderson did never frequent any of our Meetings nor did he ever joyn with us in Worship nor was he ever owned by us nor any of us so that they have not any just Ground to call him a Quaker And this Testimony we give forth to preserve the Simple-hearted from being prejudiced against Truth and from believing a Lye Given forth at a Quarterly Meeting held at Lincoln where some Friends from each Meeting in the County were present William Garland Abraham Morice William Everatt Joseph Richardson Augustin Smith John Winklep Samuel Hobman John Richardson Tho. Summers Rich. Baxter John Walcot Tho. Sowter John Mills Joseph Pope Thomas Wresle William Ashby William Hargate James Browne William Bowman Robert Browne Tho. Everatt Rich. Parnell Joseph Wilson And if Richard Anderson had received our Doctrine he had been Still and Quiet in the Light of God till his Heart had been cleansed from Ignorance Pride and Wickedness and that would have preserved him from that Shame and Dishonour which his own Folly and Madness and your Subtilty hath brought him to And if he had been led by the same Spirit that leads us it would not have let him use his Tongue to say The Lord saith when the Lord had not spoken to him but his own Imaginations in a groundless Imitation of the Scriptures which Imaginations he followed and therefore both the Spirit and Scriptures and we who are led thereby are clear from all the Evil he hath done and it lies at his and your Doors amongst whom he both before then and after walked for he had not any Demonstrable Character of being a Quaker as in Reproach they were first called nor may any be justly termed so but those that fear God and tremble at his Word who have believed in the True Light and live in God's Power being exercised in Obedience to his Law written in the Heart and in Self-denyal taking up the daily Cross to their own Wills and Wisdom and in Silence to that waits on God that they may worship in Spirit and walk after the Spirit of God by which they are Baptized into the Body of Christ which is his Church who receives them as living Members having the Savour of that Life which the Spirit has given them And no other way do we take Members into the Church but are constant in this as is visible to those that are conversant with us have the immortal Eye open'd But we shut not our Doors to hinder any from coming into our Congregations to observe our Order and hear our Testimony Yet as the Apostle said concerning a Jew I say concerning a Quaker He is not one that is one Outwardly in Shew only but he is one that is one Inwardly whose Baptism is that of the Spirit and whose Praise is not of Men but of God But that Richard Anderson was neither one Outwardly nor Inwardly is sufficiently made manifest by what hath been already said In a Postscript writ by this Author he seems to own the Light within but hath sufficiently shewed his Ignorance of that True Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World as also of its Power and Efficacy putting Darkness instead of Light and then tells of several things that are wholly beyond the Common Principle of Light Understanding or Judgment of Man which Light being of Man is indeed Darkness since the Fall and therefore the things of God belonging to Man's Eternal Peace are all so far beyond it that the Natural Man with his own Light Understanding or Judgment that he hath of himself as a Man perceives them not And therefore we diswade Men from following their own Spirit Understanding or Judgment and perswade them to receive and follow Christ Jesus that True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World that he may give them an Understanding that is True and a Judgment that is Sound And beyond him that was and is the True Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World there is nothing for by him was All Things made and whatsoever hath been known of God to Men he hath manifested or revealed it though at sundry Times and in divers Manners And though Men have the Scriptures which declare what was revealed to Men by that true Light and an Understanding or Judgment which is Natural yet thereby there is not any which truely know God or what he requires of them nor ever can they know him till they turn to that true Light which shines in their Hearts and is not of Man but of God who in his own Light or Son that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World manifests and reveals himself and his Will and Mind to Man being wholly sufficient and also present to teach man in this Age what belongs to their eternal Peace as he was in Ages past and also to give unto men positive Laws and Directions how they must Worship and Serve him being no more bound from altering or abolishing outward shaddowy things at first practised by some in the Church since the Coming of Chist then he was from altering Circumcision Sacrifices other Jewish Orders Observances which Moses some of the Prophets had said should continue sorever or throughout their Generations but may lay aside and draw his People from outward Observations or visible Signs and Shaddows of Things when he sees them Idolized or Abused or that the Substance of them is come as he did Circumcision Sacrifices and Pass-over And therefore this Author ought not to limit him to outward Ordinances and Shaddows from Christ's Coming to the End of the World no more then he was limited before Abraham's time or before the Coming of Christ nor ought he to accuse the Quakers as opposing themselves against things requir'd by the positive Laws because they cannot own his Water-Baptism Breaking of Bread in Imitation of the Apostles and primitive Christians no more then the professing Jews ought to have accus'd the Apostle Paul and his Fellow-Labourers in the Gospel for denying the positive Laws who by the Authority and Power of Christ in them cryed down their