A VINDICATION OF Jesus Christ The Immaculate Lamb of God From the Foul and Blasphemous Imputation of one Thomas Powel a Preacher amongst the Independents who affirmed That Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the VVorld With an Answer to a Paper put forth by him entituled A Word to the Wise is enough Also A Warning to him that he persist nor abide no longer in Lying and making Lyes his Refuge lest the Wrath of God break forth upon him and there be no Remedy By JONH VAUGHTON in Scorn called a Quaker We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous 1 John 2.1 How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God purge your Consciences from dead Works to serve the living God Hebr. 9.14 For we have not an High Priest which cannot be touched with the Feeling of our Infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet Without Sin Hebr. 4.15 Printed in the Year 1676. Friendly Reader THe Reason why this Discourse was published is to give thee a true Account upon what Occasion Thomas Powell affirmed That Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World and may serve for the stopping of the many Lyes that he hath told about it J. V. Something of a Discourse that past between one Thomas Powell who calls himself a Minister of the Gospel John Vaughton who by many in scorn is called a Quaker the 29th of the 2d Moneth called April 1676. T. Powel YOu Quakers hold Damnable and Erroneous Doctrine John Vaughton What Doctrine is that we hold that is Erroneous or Damnable T. P. You hold Perfection J. V We say that God is perfect and his Works are all perfect T. P. There are none perfect who are not free from Temptation J.V. Christ Jesus was tempted was not he perfect T. P. He was the Greatest Sinner in the World J. V. Who was the Greatest Sinner in the World T.P. Christ Jesus was the Greatest Sinner in the World J. V. Wilt thou give me that under thy Hand T. P. Yes and then he writ these words Christ Jesus was the Greatest Sinner in the World I Thomas Powell Minister of the Gospel affirms J. V. I deny thee to be a Gospel-Minister for the Gospel-Ministers never preached that Doctrine for the Apostle said He did no Sin neither was Guile found in his Mouth and the Apostle John said We have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous he did not say Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World And I do testifie in the Name of God who is pure forever thou art an Enemy to Christ Jesus for he was and is pure forever and blessed be the Name of the Lord who hath brought a Remnant to the Knowledge of him and we know that every Manifestation of him and Appearance of him is pure and he stands a Witness against all that 's impure and unholy And therefore I do say unto thee in the Fear of God That thou art an Enemy to Christ Jesus and art a Minister of the Power of Darkness and art in the same spirit as were those Hypocritical Jews who when the Man that was born blind was brought unto them after Christ had opened his Eyes they said unto him that was born blind Who opened thy Eyes and he said Jesus but said those Hypocrites to the Man Give God the Glory for this man is a Sinner But thou hast exceeded them they said he was a Sinner and thou sayest he was the greatest Sinner in the World But the Man who had his Eyes opened by him said God hears not Sinners But God the Father ever heard his Son Christ Jesus for he did alwayes those things that were well-pleasing in his Sight Note That when I had given this Testimony T.P. in an Ishmaelite spirit vaunted said as followeth T.P. I have spoken a Thesis and you are a silly ignorant People and do not understand Divinity J. V. I am a Plain Man and do speak as I think and as I certainly know through a good Experience that Christ Jesus is holy and pure forever and I have no Unity with thy Thesis and this is my Testimony unto thee Thou art ignorant of the Divine and Heavenly Power of God which is Christ Jesus who is holy and pure forever and thou hast said He was the greatest Sinner in the World Oh! stop thy Mouth for Shame for this is my Testimony God will dry up the Tongue of the Aegyptian Sea T. P. What do you own Revelation in these dayes J. V. Yes we do own Revelation in these dayes T. P. Then burn the Bible for if there be Revelation in these our dayes there is no need of the Scriptures but there is no Revelation in these dayes J. V. Then there is no Knowledge of God for Christ Jesus hath said No man knows the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son will reveal him T. P. You Quakers do own Vision too do you not J. V. Yes we do own Vision for where there is no Vision the People perish for Vision is a Sight or Seeing and the pure in Heart sees God but thou art not in that which is pure who hast charged Christ Jesus to be the Greatest Sinner in the World Then a Young Man of T. P's Hearers asked this Question Seeing you are but a People of about Twenty Five Years standing and you say that your Way is the Right Way What became of the people that dyed before you were a People Thomas Powell takes upon him to answer it in the Name of the Quakers thus They said he believe that they are all damned Mark So great was his Envy Malice unto the despised and reproached Quakers and so wicked is he to endeavour to insense his Hearer with this his Lye and Slander against them notwithstanding I gave this Answer in the name of my Friends whom T.P. had thus belyed as our testimony that we did believe according to the testimony of Holy Scriptures that in every Age and Generation he that feared God and wrought Righteousness was accepted of him But he still did say and that in a laughing light and airy manner That we did believe that they were all damned thus did he persist in his Belying Slandering of us such was the Power of Darkness in this Minister of the Gospel as he calls himself that we must believe or at least he would if he could make us believe as he had said notwithstanding I gave our Testimony to the contrary Something in Answer to T. P's Paper intituled A Word to the Wise is enough With a few words as a Warning to him that he no longer persist in Lying Tho. Powell having spoken these words and given them under his Hand the 29th 2d Mon. 1676. viz. Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World I Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel affirms which Affirmation of T. P 's was
immediately denyed and he born Testimony against for this his Blasphemous Expression and two dayes after I did desire him to condemn his words but he refused it and said Shall I condemn that which I can prove and most Divines of our Way hold and you are Wretches and damned if you do not believe it Then it was laid upon me from the Lord God of Heaven and Earth to go to the Meetings where T. Powell did preach and give my Testimony to the purity of Christ Jesus and also it was with me to give the People some Papers with T. P's own words inserted in them with Directions to those that questioned the Truth of it where they might see the Original under his own hand which thing was not done in a spirit of Prejudice or with a Design to asperse or cast a Calumny upon T. Powell who terms himself Preacher of the Gospel as he falsly insinuates But to manifest and to make it appear that he is not what he intitleth himself to be inasmuch as he would not own Jesus Christ to be perfect as in the Discourse doth plainly appear but on the contrary affirms him to be the greatest Sinner in the World But T. P. perceiving the Dissatisfaction of some and being not able to stand by his Affirmation about three Moneths after put forth a printed Paper and intitles it A Word to the Wise is enough and sayes He thought it convenient to give the World this satisfaction that though those words Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World were given under his hand to John Vaughton Quaker yet that was his Sense and is his Sense still viz. by Imputation and was repeated by him several times even before and after he had writ those Words Now Tho. Bye hath since this Paper was published declared in the presence of several Persons that T.P. did not speak nor mention the Word Imputation before he writ those Words so that the World may see that he hath abused his Witness And for his saying The Quakers no Christians still made good is another of his Lies and the contrary doth appear not only in Word and Doctrine but in the Lives and Conversations of those who are faithful to the Quakers Principle the Light of Christ Jesus manifested in them whose Light is the Condemnation of the Evil doer and the Evil-doer cannot escape the Condemnation of it But Tho. Powel having now in print declared that he meant by Imputation then we must read his VVords thus I Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel affirms Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World by Imputation Now T. P. with the rest of the Divines of thy VVay give us plain Scripture that saith Jesus Christ was by Peter Paul or any of the Ministers of the Gospel affirmed to be the greatest SINNER in the VVorld by Imputation and give us plain Scripture that saith he took the Guilt of our Sins upon him for though it is said Isa 53.6 That he laid upon him the Iniquity of us all or as the Hebrew VVord hath it He made the Iniquities of us all to meet on him or as in the 10th verse it is said He was made an Offering for Sin it doth not say he was guilty of Sin Now T. P. give us a plain Scripture that saith Jesus Christ by taking bearing or suffering for Sinners that he became guilty of Sin and that he was the greatest of Sinners and give us a plain Scripture that saith he hath more Sins to answer for then any particular Sinner for though I have read of the Sins of David whom I suppose you do believe was an Elect Person whose Sins were as in Scripture recorded Murder and Adultery yet I do not find by any Testimony of Scripture that Jesus Christ was guilty of David's Sins nor of Paul's Sins who was a Persecutor of him in his Members nor of Peter's Sin who denyed him And T. P. I query with thee whether thou be an Elect Person or nay if yea then tell me whether Jesus Christ be guilty of thy Lies some of which are hereafter mentioned viz. T. P affirmed that he had writ the Word Imputation but the Original being shewed his Lye appeared and then he said He had writ the Word Imputation but that John Vaughton snatcht the Paper from him and this also was and is testified to be a Lye Now it is also to be considered that William Farrendine one of T. P's Divines said that it was wicked men that imputed Jesus Christ to be the greatest Sinner in the World and that when he had seen what T. P. had writ he said he was a Lyar for said William Farrindine he told me the Word Imputation was in and he said he would not stand by him for Ten Thousand Worlds and that he should not preach in his Meeting House till he had publickly condemned it but notwithstanding his Sayings and fair Pretences he hath permitted T. P. who hath affirmed Jesus Christ to be that which he saith Wicked men imputed him to be to preach in his Meeting-House without numbering him amongst wicked men So it appears plainly notwithstanding the specious Pretences of Tho. Powel who calls himself Preacher of the Gospel he hath not yet left off Lying nor forging of Lies A Copy of those Words in which William Farrindine is made mention of was shewed unto him and he confessed unto the Truth thereof and further said T. P. had told many Lyes about this thing So I have considered T. P's Paper and perused the Scriptures therein cited and they do not say nor allow that Jesus Christ took the Guilt of Sin upon him nor that he had more to answer for then any particular Sinner or that be was the greatest of Sinners but give a plain and evident Testimony to the Innocency and Purity of Christ Jesus and to the Love of the Father manifested in and through him who gave himself for us that he might redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a Peculiar People Zealous of Good Works Tit. 2.14 And so T. P. thou hast not yet cleared thy self of thy Blasphemous Expression or Position as thou calls it which was by thee affirmed And T. P. notwithstanding thou hast been exhorted to Repentance yet thou hast gone on and persisted in preaching and telling Lyes unto the People and saying The Quakers own Jesus Christ only as an Example and deny him to be an Offering for Sin or a Propitiation for Sin for which Lyes and Slanders with many more that have and might be mentioned God's Hand will meet with thee and if thou Repent not will certainly appoint thee thy Portion with the Father of Lyes in the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone and therefore this is sent as a Warning unto thee in the Name of the Lord and in Good will to thy Soul that thou no longer make Lyes thy Refuge and that thou no longer sell nor give thy Lyes and false Conceivings unto
the people lest the Wrath of God break forth upon thee and there be no Remedy And thou hast denyed Revelation in these dayes by which only and alone the Knowledge of God comes to be attained And thou hast denyed Perfection and said it s a Damnable and Erroneous Doctrine which manifests thy Ignorance of the Gift of God for the Gift of God is perfect and Christ Jesus in the Gift of God who is pure and holy forever that is our Testimony and it shall stand over the Heads of all Opposers and Gainsayers and is that Stone which certainly shall grind them to Powder who falls not upon it so as to be broken by it from Sin which separates man from God and with-holds good things from the Soul And notwithstanding I had been at thy Meeting yet these things did remain with me to write unto thee that thou might be left without Excuse and that I might clear my Conscience in the Sight of God who have Good Will in my Heart unto all the Sons and Daughters of men And thou vain Boaster who in the Pride of thy Heart and in the Exaltedness of thy Spirit said Thou would throw down our Foundation in that also thou art found to be a Lyar and an Enemy to Christ Jesus for he to wit Christ Jesus is our Foundation who abides pure and perfect forever and in the Strength of his Power we were inabled in the midst of thy Meeting and that before thy Face to bear a Testimony to his Purity thou wast then made to confess to the People Thou didst not know what to do with us except thou shouldst Thresh us and Whip us and put us into the Stocks but the Lord our God was with us and his Power was felt by us which carried us over all Opposition and thou couldst not stand that day before it to wit God's Power which remains with us and is our Preservation to whose Power be the Glory for evermore John Vaughton POSTSCRIPT AND so dear and tender-hearted People cease from having and Dependency on Man whose Breath is in his Nostrils and come to the Fear of the Lord which is the Beginning of true Wisdom and a good Vnderstanding have all they that depart from Iniquity and such will joyn no more with T. P. in those Duties which he calls holy * Confusion that which is holy is not sinful and yet sayes they are Fly-blown with Sin and that is a Shame to any People and his best Performances which he hath said in our Hearing were Bed ridden and we are sure the Spirit of the Lord led not to those Performances but the Spirit of the wicked One which is called the Prince of the Power of the Air which rules in the Hearts of the Children of Disobedience which moved him at Farrindine's Meeting to pray that they might have no Dependency on Jesus Christ within them the Word Christ signifies Anointed the Apostle said to such as believed in Christ You have the Anointing in you which will teach you all things which is Truth and no Lye and surely if it be sufficient to teach as we firmly and truly believe and know that Christ the Anointed of God being able is worthy to be depended on for Teaching who hath said Without me ye can do nothing Much more might be spoken to shew and to make it appear that T. P. is no Gospel-Minister but we being not willing to inlarge and also certainly knowing that those who are faithful to the Manifestation of God's Spirit in themselves will certainly come to see him to be no Gospel Minister but to be such an one as runs and God never sent him for had he been sent of God to preach the Gospel he would have known Christ to have been revealed in him and so to have had a Dependency on him and a reverent Esteem of him as the Apostles and Ministers of Christ Jesus had as you may read in the holy Scriptures of Truth for said the holy Apostle When it pleased God who separated me from my Mother's Womb and called me by his Grace to reveal his Son IN ME that I might preach him among the Heathen immediately I conferred not with Flesh and Blood c. Gal. 1.15 16. So that it 's plain and evident that the Ground of the Apostle Paul's preaching Christ was from God's revealing him IN HIM And this is my Testimony whether you hear or forbear that none are sent of God to preach Christ Jesus but such as know him to be revealed IN THEM and to live IN THEM for that was the Ground of the Apostle's preaching Christ even from his knowing of him to be revealed IN HIM and it 's not Flesh and Blood that reveals or gives the Knowledge of Christ Jesus but the Father as you may read in Mat. 16.16 17. where it 's left upon Record that Christ said unto Peter when he had confessed him to be the Son of God Flesh and Blood hath not revealed it unto thee but my Father which is in Heaven and the Apostle Paul also said unto them that sought a Proof of Christ speaking IN HIM Examine your selves whether you be in the Faith prove your own selves know you not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is IN YOU except you be Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 And in Rom. 8.9 it 's said If any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his So People consider these Things and compare the Prayer of your Priest who would have no Dependency on Christ within and the Apostle's Testimony who said Even the Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints to whom God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ IN YOU the Hope of Glory whom we preach warning every Man and teaching every Man in all Wisdom that we might present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus whereunto I also labour striving according to his working which worketh IN ME mightily c. Col. 1.26 to the End And so it 's plain and evident that the Apostle laboured to present every Man perfect in Christ Jesus who also knew Christ to work mightily IN HIM for that End and surely he depended on him as he was revealed in him which made him also to say I live yet not I but Christ lives IN ME and the Life that I now live is by Faith in the Son of God and this was the Treasure that they of old witnessed in their earthen Vessels and blessed be God forever there is a Remnant in this our Day who have believed in Christ and have had their Dependency on him as revealed in them and do count him their chiefest Treasure having known the Drawings of the Father in through the Son of his Love who is known and witnessed to make his Abode in and among us according to his Promise in Dayes past unto his Disciples when he told them that it 's expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I go away I will send the Comforter the Spirit of Truth and it shall lead you into all Truth and it shall reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment so that it 's plain that the same Spirit that is the Saints Leader and Comforter is the World's Reprover and it 's also said The Reproofs of Instruction is the Way to Life so that if ever you come to know Life and Peace to your immortal Souls you must believe in and obey and be subject unto the Spirit of Truth IN YOVR SELVES that doth reprove you for Sin in your own Particulars for we do testifie in the Name of God that lives forever that the Spirit of Truth is come INTO the Hearts and Consciences of People not only to reprove for Sin but those that do receive it and believe in it come to know it to lead them out of Sin and such come to know the Sanctification of the Spirit through believing in the Truth and said Christ Jesus I am the Way the Truth and the Life and the Light of the World there is no Man cometh to the Father but by me who also said unto his Disciples He that is with you shall be IN YOU and as Christ said We will come speaking of his Father and make our Abode with you He that hath the Sen hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not Life He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting Life John 14.23 1 Joh. 5.12 John 3.36 and he that believeth not the Son shall not see Life but the Wrath of God abideth on him and Christ said unto his Disciples I am the Vine ye are the Branches he that abideth IN ME and I IN HIM the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me ye can do nothing and to others he also said Behold I stand at the Door and knock if ANY MAN will open unto me I will come INTO HIM and sup with him and he with me so the Spirit saith Come and the Bride saith Come and he that is athirst let him come and drink of the Waters of Life freely that is the Desire of our Souls who have tasted of the Goodness of the Lord that you also might come beyond all vain empty Profession to a living Possession and to have an Earnest of that Inheritance in that Life which will endure when Time here shall be no more From us who desire the Good and Welfare of all your Souls John Vaughton John Feild Let Thomas Powel and all others to whom these Lines may come know that our owning and preaching Christ within as the holy Apostles did doth not at all gainsay or oppose Christ as he was manifest without in the Dayes of his Flesh for we have a dear and honourable Esteem unto our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ in all his Manifestations both within and without and he who professeth and talks of him only or wholly without denying him any Place within Man is a Deceiver and an Antichrist THE END