prove that they were Figures R. B. might have saved his Quotation to prove that for G. W. acknowledges it so says R. B. The Martyrs intended one thing and G. W. would make them to intend another May I not say O pertinent Logician Is there not divers Texts in holy Scripture that one and the same Text holds out two or more Principles of Faith And what because one of these Texts is brought to prove one of these points if one offer it for proof of another must it be accounted a Perversion I hope not His next Charge is That the Faith of the Body of Christ now absent in Heaven is lost among us I believe he here speaks Truth of us against his will and saves himself telling a great Lye thereby for that Faith is indeed lost nay it never was received by us That the Body of Christ is now absent in Heaven we have always and still do believe it to be there present These are fit Reasons to shew his leaving us was out of Envy for I hope I have made it already manifest that we believe the Existence of the Body of Christ in Heaven as really as any Christians whatsoever As to his hopes and dependance on the outward Baptism and Supper as two such Pillars and Supports of the Christian Faith I may advertise him that suppose they were what most Protestants account them to be yet if he have not regard to something beyond them he may find himself mistaken in the end and the Army of Abaddon may compass him about To conclude what I have to say concerning them at present is That as many as do practice them out of pure Conscience to God believing the same to be their Duty we are charitable towards them hoping in time they will come to see further as they continue true Seekers of God His next is he saith It is a specious pretence the Quakers have made to the Vertue and Efficacy of the inward Principle as having therein an Art of Extraction by which they perform as by one single Still all that can be proposed from the variety in a Laboratory This specious pretence as he calls it rightly stated will stand all Winds and Weathers For this Principle in it self as held by the Quakers is no other than the Word God in whom was Life and the Life the Light of Men John 1.4 Tho' the Quakers are no such ill Distinguishers that if R. B. will be so barbarous as to divide the particular Measure or Manifestation from the fulness and the purchase of that Blessing tho' that is a Presumption the Quakers dare not attempt because God as Father Word and Spirit is present therein to say That that particular Measure and Manifestation so divided is sufficient Tho' they do boldly say This inward Principle not divided but conjunctly taken as aforesaid is able to effect whatever is needful yet this doth not lead us to slight any of the least means appointed of God as helps in the Work of our Salvation for there are many things very useful and highly needful towards an End yet cannot be said to be absolutely necessary and yet who so unwise as to reject them At the same rate R. B. might find fault with St. John who told the Believers of his time That they had received an Unction from the Holy One and they knew all things and that they needed not that any Man should Teach them but as the same Anointing should Teach them of all Things Tho' the Apostle no more than we intended hereby to lay waste Gospel Means or outward and instrumental Helps appointed by God What he adds of William Penn's Ranting at an unreasonable rate and disparaging the Reputation of our Principles I must say doth not become him if he had only regarded Civility it would have taught him better Language Doth he think his going to Church will priviledge him to abuse by Authority Nay surely many of them are Men of better Temper and more Honour Nor can I think he cares how much W. P. disparages our Principle tho' the Truth of his Heart may be that he thinks him too great an Honour to it neither can I believe that the repute of our Principles affords him any great pleasure His charging G. Whitehead with irregularity of Practice without producing proof doth not bespeak him a Man of Honour for a Person of worth would abominate to impeach Men of Note without producing some good Ground for so doing P. 9. He has more cause to reflect upon his own Incivility for exposing in Print part of G. W's private Letter to his Father-in Law unduly intercepted together with his own angry Resentments and Defamations against G. W c. I am sure saith R. B. no Principle of Truth ever taught W. P. to advance such a Notion of the Composition of Man as he delivers in p. 71. of his Primitive Christianity Man says W. P. as I said just now is a Composition of both Worlds his Body of this his Soul of the other World If R. B. has a better Notion of the Composition of Man to advance I should be glad to hear it tho' a truer I am confident he cannot so that I cannot but tell him he is mistaken in so rashly judging W. P's Notion Is it not apparent that our Bodies are of this World Yet where is the Person that believes that the Soul is a created immortal and invisible Spirit that can be so gross as to believe it is of this World too If not of this then of some other World of this it cannot be for this World is Visible Material and Corruptible but the Soul is Invisible Immaterial and Incorruptible Truly I should think R. B. cannot be so gross as to think otherwise if he believes Man to have an Immortal Soul He goes on adding more words of W. P's viz. By the Body the Soul looks into and beholds this World and by the Word it beholds God the World without end Upon which R. B. Comments thus So that the World without end and God are with him Terms Synonimous which by the way is falsly inferred and of this endless World it 's with him a part of Man's Composition his Soul is of its Essence and beholds its being a-kin to God not only by a Relation but in Substance Oh! false Comment and notable Reason for leaving the Quakers it is much that Men will expose their Envy so apparently Let us consider W. P's Words and then without any difficulty we shall discern the disingenuity of this Adversary and the falseness of the Comment First let us observe tho' W. P. do say Man's Soul is of the other World yet he doth not say The other World is God or that God and the other World are one and the same thing so that except R. B. can make it appear that W. P. believes the other World and God to be one and the same he argues to no purpose and all the fine Gloss and
Words Three Persons or Three Hypostases have made great Contention in former times and divers judged to be Pious and Learned Men have denied them and disputed against them as namely Jerome against the Three Hypostases and Augustine disputed solidly Lib. 5. 7. de Trinitate That the Words Three Persons are not properly applicable to the Mystery it self although he doth not know what other Names to give them And surely it is too great Presumption and Curiosity in any Man to dive further into this Mystery than what God hath been pleased to reveal or to give Names to it and yet it is more Presumption and smelleth rankly of a Persecuting Spirit to impose upon others these words which the Spirit of God hath not Taught nor left upon Record in the Scriptures and yet because we do not own these Word 's of Man's Wisdom and Spirit to cry out against us as Blasphemers and Deniers of the true Christ whereas we the Quakers believe in and own the true Christ more according both to his Godhead and Manhood more according to the Truth and the Testimony of the Scripture than our Accusers do as I hope in its due place to shew And in p. 87. saith Nor indeed is there any need of these Terms Three Distinct Persons but rather they darken than explain the Mystery which have occasioned not only some of the Vulgar but even some of them called the Learned to Err grosly in their Conceptions about the Mystery it self sure I am they are in an Error occasioned in great part by these unsound and unscriptural Terms of Three Persons in the Trinity for Persons signifies Substances and not the Modes or Properties of One Substance Thus Keith when a Quaker spoke truly of the Quakers tho' now he acts in a contrary Line These Men must be acknowledged to be either Insincere formerly or else they are Insincere now For as we were we are if we were Erroneous then Keith was Insincere for declaring us Orthodox If we are Orthodox Keith is Insincere now for declaring us Heterodox Nor is it in this one Particular for if it might be of Service I believe I could make it appear that he has declared us in all our Principles Orthodox Here in this one Particular we may observe how zealously he Defends our Consciencious Scruple not only by the Authority of these Fathers but also from the Unscripturalness and ill Consequences of such Terms withal fully declaring our Sincere Belief in the Holy Three which may be sufficient to shew we are Sound in Faith touching the Trinity so called I shall not for Brevity's sake say any more to Vindicate our consciencious Scrupling these Words and Terms used by R. B. to express these Mysteries by but shall proceed to shew by a Quotation or two that we are Sound in the Faith touching the Doctrines themselves out of that Book which is generally received by the Society But by this as we do not at all intend either to equal our selves to that Holy Man the Lord Jesus Christ who was Born of the Virgin Mary in whom all the fulness of the Godhead dwells Bodily nor to destroy the Reality of his present Existence so neither do we as some have falsly callumniated us For though we affirm that Christ dwells in us yet not Immediately but Mediately as he is in that Seed which is in us whereas he to wit the Eternal Word which was with God and was God dwelt Immediately in that Holy Man He then is as the Head and we as the Members he the Vine we the Branches so God dwells otherwise in the Man Jesus than in us We also freely reject the Heresie of Apolinarius who denied him to have any Soul but said The Body was only acted by the Godhead As also the Error of Eutiches who made the Manhood to be wholly swallowed up of the Godhead Wherefore as we believe he was a true and a real Man so we also believe that he continues so Glorified in the Heavens in Soul and Body by whom God shall Judge the World in the great and general Day of Judgment Neither do we hereby intend any ways to Lessen or Derogate from the Atonement and Sacrifice of Jesus Christ but on the contrary do Magnifie and Exalt it For as we believe all those things to have been certainly translated which are recorded in the Holy Scriptures concerning the Birth Life Miracles Sufferings Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus Christ so we do believe that it is the Duty of every one to believe it to whom it pleaseth God to reveal the same and to bring to them the Knowledge of it Yea we believe it were Damnable Unbelief not to believe when so declared nevertheless as we do firmly believe it was necessary that Christ should come that by his Death and Sufferings he might offer up himself a Sacrifice to God for our Sins who his own self bare our Sins in his own Body on the Tree so we believe that the Remission of Sins which any partake of is only in and by Vertue of that most satisfactory Sacrifice and no otherwise for it is by the Obedience of that One that the free Gift is come upon all to Justification Barclay's Apol. 334.335 Thus having given these Quotations of our Faith by which it doth evidently appear how falsly this R. Bridgman hath insinuated against us as well as the Soundness of our Faith is sufficiently declared I shall now proceed and be more Brief because what he offers in the main is but Trifling He adds That without the true Faith of them we cannot be saved which true Faith he acknowledges ought to be wrought by the Operation of the Spirit I would hope since he belteves it of so great Concernment he will take care for one or else notwithstanding all his other Performances and going to Church he is like to remain still Ignorant of the true Faith of them besides how can he be fully assured whether he has the true Faith of them wrought by the Spirit without sticking to his Quaker-Principle of Immediate Revelation I would see this R. Bridgman and G. Keith to give over playing upon words which is only a trying of Skill If they would betake themselves like Sampson to the great Pillars of our Religion our known and acknowledged Principles this were far more Manly than raising up a Man of Straw to Fight with for then if they could overthrow them it would render them Sampsons indeed Now G. K. when a Quaker accounted Immediate Revelation as stated in his Book on that Subject and the Universal Principle of Light and Grace which Principle he States and Proves in his Books The Universal Free Grace of the Gospel asserted the two great Principles or Pillars of our Religion as differing from other Societies of Christians therefore Oh ye mighty Men to work R. B. proceeds to Teach of what necessity it is to every one to be rightly inform'd concerning those above-mentioned Doctrines adding
not however I hope to shew that we have more reason to question Water-Baptism than we have to question outward Teaching To that end that I may both briefly and clearly state the Case I will here present what all the Evangelists that takes notice of our Saviour's Discourse at that time when he gave that Commission says concerning it by which I have some hopes we may perceive whether outward or spiritual Baptism was intended by our Saviour and if it doth appear what Baptism was the Subject of our Saviour's Discourse tho not expresly mentioned in the Commission I hope it may suffice Luke has it thus And that Repentance and Remission of Sins should be preached in his Name among all Nations beginning at Jerusalem and ye are witnesses of these things Tarry ye in the City of Jerusalem until ye be endued with Power from on high Luke 24.47 48 49. All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth Go ye therefore and Teach all Nations baptizing them in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost Mat. 28.18 19. And being assembled together with them commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem but wait for the promise of the Father which saith he you have heard of me For John truly Baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence Acts 1.4 5. Go ye into all the World preach the Gospel to every Creature he that believes and is baptized shall be saved Mar. 16.15.16 Thus we have the Substance of what Christ spake on this Subject by all which in all reason it should remain no longer a doubt what Baptism was there intended as the the Gospel-Baptism upon all which I am willing to make these few following Observations First That these Relations of the several Evangelists relating to and being an Account of our Saviours Discourse concerning this Subject at his Farewel was therefore spoke at one and the same time Secondly That it is clear that the Baptism insisted on by our Lord was his own spiritual Baptism even that of the Holy Ghost and is so particularly expressed as well as confirmed by other Phrases and Terms Synonimous as the Power from on high the Promise of the Father c. Thirdly Since it is evident that the Discourse of our Lord relating to Baptism was not of Water but the Spirit which he then promised they should witness not many days hence and thereupon bids them tarry at Jerusalem till they were endued then bids them Go Teach all Nations baptizing them into the Name of the Father c. And we know most commonly the Name of the Father c. signifies his Power Life and Vertue nay always when it relates to more than a bare naming of him and it was this the Nations wanted to be baptized into even into a spiritual and heavenly Life and the true and proper Signification of the particle 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in the Text is into and not in so it naturally followeth the Baptism in the Text was Spiritual Baptism Fourthly Seeing it was the Baptism of the Spirit our Lord was treating of there was no need when he came to give the Commission to express it afresh though I do say Baptizing into the Name of the Father c. doth signifie Spiritual Baptism it being the Subject of his Discourse at that Juncture tho' if he had intended Water there had been an absolute Necessity to have mention'd it because it had been an altering the Subject of his present Discourse even from Spiritual to Elementary Baptism Fifthly The very Nature of the Commission doth much press the necessity of spiritual Baptism since it was to the Nations that lay in much Wickedness and therefore needed that spiritual Baptism by which they might become Children of God and Heirs of Heaven Sixthly Seeing it was this spiritual Baptism the Nations wanted therefore it was our Saviour was so very particular and careful that the Apostles should tarry at Jerusalem till they were baptized themselves for he knew right well that those that were not baptized themselves could not so much as be instrumental to the baptizing of others for those that were not born again themselves could not be proper Persons to the begeting of others And because our Lord knew this to be an extraordinary work which he had commanded them to so he was equally encouraging telling them All Power in Heaven and in Earth was given unto him and he would be with them always Seventhly and Lastly How can we think our Lord intended Water-Baptism when at the same time he applies Water to John as belonging to his Dispensation saying John truly baptized with Water but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost The very relish of these Words at this instant at giving this Commission is enough I should think to satisfie all that it was far from our Lord to institute Water when he applies it thus to John as a thing past And truly very Reason it self is on our side for how should that great Messenger of the Everlasting Covenant whose Dispensation should fulfil and end all preceding Dispensations and whom they all did but darkly represent that he should take up the chief Characteristick and Material part of the very preceding Dispensation were not this rather to adopt than fulfil and end And would not this be and remain as a Vail and Cloud upon his own Glorious and Spiritual Dispensation which is Spiritually and Substantially what the others were Outwardly Materially and Typically Glory to God for ever Well I must remember I am not writing a Treatise of Baptism but only answering an Adversary yet am willing to add a few words of G. K's out of his Presbyterian and Independant Visible Churches printed 1691. p. 182 183. And if any were raised up by the Lord as John was and could prove and instruct their being sent to Baptize with Water as he was these to whom they should be sent ought gladly to receive it but to do it by bare Imitation or a meer pretended Call which they cannot prove to be either Mediate or Immediate is great Presumption yea Superstition and to call that a Command of God which he hath given them no Command to practise is to set up the Precepts of Men in the room of God's Commandments as the Pharisees did of Old and is a taking of his Name in vain for which he will not hold them guiltless and they can never prove by all their Art and Skill that Water-Baptism is commanded by Christ Mat. 28.18 19. for all God's Commands and Precepts especially of publick Institution relating to the Church are express in so many express words and are not left to be gathered by uncertain and doubtful Consequences When God sent John to Baptize with Water Water was expressed but in the Apostles Commission to Baptize no mention is made of Water nor no words of Institution commanded to be used but the command