supply his wants may spend his time in Catalogues of Heresies and the Stale Tracts of uncertain Persons to enable him to club Quotations and clap them upon the back of Charges taken from our profest Adversaries from whom in part he receives his Bread yet I doubt not but to bring in such a train of Evidence in these Questions wherein we are said to be Heretical as will sufficiently evidence to the Impartial Reader that the Charge as as well as the Man is false and that our belief in these Articles is Scriptural The Method I purpose to take herein is this I shall set down in a methodical order the several Testimonies under each distinct Head according to the priority of time in which they were written so that upon a short view the Reader may have recourse to each Some Testimonies to Christ Jesus as the Son of God and come in the Flesh SECT II. Page 2 3 4. WE Profess and Confess Books Titles Faith in God the Father and in Jesus A Confession and Profession of Faith in God c. 1651. by Rich. Farnsworth Christ his Eternal Son the True God and in the Holy Spirit And we do acknowledge the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the Words of God And there is none other Gods but One and this is God the Father which we own Isa 44. 8. 1 Cor. 8. 4. John 10. 30 31 Mark 12. 29 30 31 32 33 34. 1 Cor. 8. 5 6. Rom. 4. 25. Isaiah 45. 6. Eph. 4. 4 5 30. John 4. 24. Phil. 1. 1 29. and Profess Faith in and in Jesus Christ his Eternal Son who said I and my Father are One upon which saying the Jews took up Stones to Stone him yet notwithstanding the same Christ that the Jews hated we love belive in and own who was delivered up to be Crucified for our Offences and was raised again for our Justification who is the True God And him we Own and Profess Faith in and in the Holy Spirit God together equal with the Father and the Son One God over all Blessed for ever And unto us and all True Christians the Saints in Christ Jesus It is given in the Behalf of Christ not only to Believe on him but also to Suffer for his Name sake P. 10 11. VII In the next place truly to know this Lord Jesus The One Good Way of God Printed 1661. Written by Rich Hodden Christ come in the Flesh as the New and Living Way to the Father the Immanuel God with us making the Attonement by the Blood of his Cross to have all things subject unto him his Servants in him and he in them which is the great Mystery of Godliness his from Ages and Generations until the fulness of time and then Manifested in the Flesh Justified in the Spirit Believed on in the World and Received up into Glory which none of the Wise Men of the World ever knew or can know by all their Learned Skill of Earthly Wisdom nor any Man that Lives after the Flesh or satisfieth himself with Hearing Reading Telling or Talking of him or concerning what he or his Apostles did said or suffered as those that vainly take his Name into their Mouths on most occasions of their Invented Ways but know him not neither by his Divine Nature nor Name nor HOW GOD AND MAN BECAME ONE CHRIST JESUS how that which may be known of God is manifest in Man how he is The Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Prince of Peace The Author and Finisher of our Faith How he saves his People from their Sins is the Reconciler without Imputation of Sin How he is Formed in his Servants and Cleanseth them by his Blood from all Sin and Unrighteousness how they take up the Cross and follow him or what the Cross is how the Body becomes Dead because of Sin and the Spirit Alive for Righteousness sake How they are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones how he is their Loader and Captain of Salvation made perfect through Sufferings How they are Baptized into his Death and Saved by his Life How the Union is perfected in all the Parts and Members of his Body the Church What the Church is or how his Body or what it is to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood without which as himself said we have no Life in us How every Knee shall bow to him of things in Heaven in Earth and under the Earth and confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the Glory of God the Father How he is that Blessed and Only Potentate King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Head of all Thrones and Dominions and every Name that is named P. 2 13 14. This is answered in part already by what is said to A Vindication of the Principles and Practices of the People called Quakers 1665 By Geo. Bishop the former Question which in effect is this That that which enlightens which shews a Man his Heart his Reins and tryeth them which reproves which makes manifest is Christ the Light which Christ is the same that was born of the Virgin Mary which was made Flesh which sitteth at the right Hand of God which was Crucified Dead rose again from the Dead and ascended far above the Heavens that he might fill all things who when he was in the days of his Flesh with his Disciples said It is expedient for you that I go away for John 16. 7. 8 9 10 11. if I go not away the Comforter will not come unto you but if I depart I will send him unto you and when he is come he will reprove the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment of Sin because they believe not in me of Righteousness because I go to my Father and of Judgment because the Prince of the World is Judged So that which reproves the World of Sin of Righteousness and of Judgment the Spirit of Truth which proceedeth from the Father which testifies of Christ which guideth into all Truth is the thing that now is to be look'd to Christ in you the Hope of Glory the Mystery hid from Ages and Generations but now made manifest to his Saints the Riches of the Glory of the Mystery Now the Lord is that Spirit And when the Spirit of Truth is come he will John 16. 13. 2 Cor. 3. 17. guide you into all Truth Christ and the Light which is within are not Two but One yet are Ibil. p. 15. they not so One as that where Christ is there is the Body that Suffered at Jerusalem that was Flesh that proceeded from the Virgin Mary that died was buried rose again and ascended for in that he sitteth at the right Hand of God But where the Light is there is Christ which was in the Beginning with God by whom all things were made that was made In whom was Life and the Life was the Light of Men John 1. 2 3 4.
and Manifestation is to Destroy the Works of the Devil which is Sin Unbelief and all Unrighteousness whatsoever that he alone may Rule and Reign in Man and Woman who brings Salvation to their House This his Second Charge of our Denial of the Truth and Reality of Christ's Death and Sufferings is I think by the foregoing Testimonies sufficiently Cleared it appearing from them that his Charge of our having left the Body of Christ as a Forsaken Vail and Garment Prim. Here. c. P. 7. to Rot in the Grave And Careless of what is become of it as a thing now of no Virtue or Consequence with Vs is False if a Succession of Testimonies of our Belief herein produced for about Forty Years can Prove it yet if these are Judged too few I have many more in Store not that I can at all doubt that these are not enough to satisfie Honest Enquirers at a distance and also to Invite them to a nearer View of us herein and in the whole System of one Faith it being for the sake of such that we find our selves Concerned to Oppose the Truth of our Profession to the Falsity of our Enemies Charges For with respect to our selves we do Enjoy great Peace and Quiet though thus Evilly spoken of as knowing it was by our Saviour so foretold it should be who also himself was said to have a Devil to be a Seducer a Samaritan and a Winebiber his Apostles and Servants of Old found such-like Treatment Stephen being Stoned as a Contemner of God of his Law of Moses and of the Temple And the Apostle Paul was accounted a Heretick a Deceiver a Mad-man a Blasphemer a Seditious Person and a Contemner of the Law of his Fathers What better may we then expect from the same Spirit working in that Snake which hides himself in Grass or other Subterfuge SECT IV. I Come now to his third Charge That we deny the Resurrection and Future Judgment which upon enquiry will be found as False as the foregoing Charges and it cannot well be otherwise for it is next to impossible to be Orthodox in them and Heretical in this their dependance on each other is such And the Apostle's Argument is very strong If we had hope only in this Life we were of all Men most Miserable For true Religion cannot incline a Man to believe and be obedient to such Principles as here expose him to utmost Dangers and hereafter to no Joys Christianity is a Complex of more rational Truths than so to Clash and Jarr And however Foolish the Man accounts us we are more Learned in the School of Christ than to deny or be ignorant of so inestimable an Advantage as is the Resurrection by Christ to Eternal Glory and of that Future Judgment by which the States of Men must be determined I now subjoyn some Testimonies hereof P. 4 5 of his Works Therefore Wo be unto all Epicures who The Lying Spirit c. 1658. William Smith put the Judgment of the Lord afar off and sit down at ease in the Flesh and make their Belly their God minding Earthly things devouring God's Creation to satisfie a Lustful Appetite and so Treasuring up Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of the Righteous Judgment of God who will render to every Man according to his Deeds when the Workers of Iniquity will not be known by him but must all depart from him into Everlasting Fire there to abide under the Eternal Judgment P. 332. And he that dieth in his Sins not believing in the Humphry Smith's Works about 1660. Light which makes an end of Sin cannot come where Christ is and so the Tree falling there it lieth and as Death leaveth Judgment findeth so shall the Reward according to the Deeds be and then shall every Man stand or fall to his own Master the Servants of the Devil to their Master and the Servants of God to their Master and there is no more Masters but them two and no Man can serve them both Again concerning Christ We believe that he is one with the Edward Burroughs his Works P. 440. Father and was with him before the World was and what the Father worketh it is by the Son for he is the Arm of God's Salvation and the very Power and Wisdom of the Creator and was is and is to come without Beginning or End And we believe That all the Prophets gave Testimony to him and that he was made Manifest in Judea and Jerusalem and did the Work of the Father and was Prosecuted of the Jews and was Crucified by his Enemies and that he was Buried and rose again according to the Scriptures And we believe he is now ascended on High and exalted at the right Hand of the Father for evermore and that he is glorified with the same Glory that he had before the World was and that even the same that came down from Heaven is ascended up to Heaven and the same that descended is he that ascended And we believe even that he that was Dead is Alive and lives for evermore and that he cometh and shall come again to Judge the whole World with Righteousness and all People with Equity and shall give every Man according to his Deeds at the Day of Judgment when all shall rise to Condemnation or Justification he that hath done good shall receive Life and he that hath done Evil Everlasting Condemnation P. 197. of his Works And thus in the Blindness of their Uncircumcised God's Virtue c. 1670. By Tho. Taylor Hearts they heap up Wrath against the Day of Wrath and Revelation of God's Just Judgments upon them Where is he that comes from the Dead to tell us what is in another World Let 's Eat and Drink and take our Fill of Pleasures for to morrow we Dye and are not say they P. 9. And how God hath anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the A Testimony c. 1677. By George Fox Holy Ghost and with Power who went about doing good and Healing all that were Oppressed of the Devil for God was with him and we are Witnesses of all things which he did both in the Land of the Jews and in Jerusalem whom they slew and hanged on a Tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly and we did eat and drink with him after he arose from the Dead and he commanded us Acts 10. 41. to preach unto the People and to testifie that it is he that is ordained of God a Judge of Quick and Dead And to this do we testifie which are the People of God in Scorn called Quakers P. 159. of his Works Marvel not at this for the Hour is A Catechism 1673. By Robert Barclay coming in which all that are in the Graves shall hear his Voice and shall come forth they that have done good to the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil to the Resurrection John 3. 28 29. of
1655. By G. Whitehead c. sent of him for the Punishment of Transgressors and for the Encouragement of them that do well These we own and are subject to them for Conscience-sake knowing that such are not a Terror to Good Works but to Evil for such execute the Law in Righteousness upon them who are guilty of the Transgression of it for because of Transgression the Law is added and there the Law is executed in its place and in Righteousness and those that execute the Law in its place they are for the Establishment of Righteousness and Peace and contrary to the Law of Justice and Equity dare not Act in their own Wills nor for their own Ends And herein they seek not themselves nor their own Glory nor Honour but the Glory and Honour of God who is Honoured and Glorified among them who Act in Truth and Righteousness and love the Lord and to them our Souls are subject P. 23. And as for this present Authority and Government now in A Visitation of Love 1661. By Edw. Burroughs Being under the Name of King Charles the Second we do believe and acknowledge That according to the Purpose and Will of God and of his bringing to pass this present Government and Authority is set up and into its present being established P 6. 7. The Honour that is due unto Magistrates consists in True Magistracy Described 1660. By Henry Clark these two Particulars 1. Love 2dly Obedience First He that is in the Well-doing himself loves the Rulers that be set up of God who are Just and Rule in the Fear of God and is a Terror to the Evil-doers for When the Righteous are in Authority the Children of Wisdom rejoyce desiring of God that long they may Live and Prosper in the Work of the Lord and Love thinketh no Evil nor behaveth not it self unseemly toward the Rulers neither speaketh any Evil against him neither doth it revile the Judges Secondly Honour due to the Magistrate consisteth in Obedience either Actively in Doing or Passively by a Willing Patient and Meek Suffering under them for the Lord's sake And because Christ's Headship Kingship and Supremacy alone Sam. Fisher p. 34. of his Works we together with the True Church which is in God the Father and in Jesus Christ the Light can own in the Court of Conscience and in Matters purely Spiritual and of meer Religious and Soul Concernment and not any meer Mans much less the Pope's or any Priests in such Sacred Secrets therefore are we mistaken and misranked among such as are utter Enemies to the present King's Supremacy in these Dominions Whereby we do according to what the Spirit requires of us in all Civil Causes and Cases between Man and Man submit our selves to every Ordinance of Man himself I say in such cases even for the Lord's sake whether unto the King as Supream or to such as are sent of him to be a Terror to Evil-doers and a Praise to them that do well And if those who have the Sword in hand shall turn it against us for well doing and so act against the good Will of God or impose by God's Permission upon us contrary to our Consciences even there where we cannot obey actively we are willing to bear Patiently without Violent Resistance what God will leave us to Suffer from the Hands of such as should Protect us not Reviling nor Threatning nor Cursing but committing our Case in Quietness to him that Judgeth Righteously and our Souls to him in Well-doing And that Passive Deportment must be and is Judged by all to be Equivolent to that Active Obedience which others yield for Fear to what Laws soever is made among Men. Page 20. Our Principle is to bring all into a Peaceable Life To the King and both Houses of Parliament a Representation c. 1666. By John Whitehead Alex. Parker and Leonard Fell. out of those things that are Evil that the Law of God and every Law of Man that is grounded upon Reason and Equity takes hold upon and therein we are one with Justice Therefore distinguish between those whose Principles lead to Violence or other Evils that the Law of God and of Man which is equal takes hold upon and us who are one with Justice and lead from those things into a Peaceable Life as much as in us lyes with all Men which is according to the Practice of the Primitive Christians Page 101. And those Rulers Governours or Magistrates who The Life of God c. 1677. By William Gibson are a Terror to Evil Doers and a Praise to those that do well are worthy of Honour yea of double Honour and all such are duly honoured by us with the Honour which belongs unto them and we really and with Pleasure Honour and Obey all such not for fear of the Wrath but for good Conscience sake as the Apostles and Primitive Fathers did Page 481. It is our Principle and Testimony to deny and renounce G. Fox's Journal given the Parliament 1680. all Plots and Plotters against the King or any of his Subjects for we have the Spirit of Christ by which we have the Mind of Christ who came to Save Mens Lives and not to Destroy them and we would have the Kind and all his Subjects to be safe Wherefore we do Declare That we will Endeavour to our Power to Save and Defend him and them by Discovering all Plots and Plotters which shall come to our Knowledge that would Destroy the King or his Subjects These Quotations are I hope sufficient for the purpose Intended which is To Testifie our Constant Peaceable Principle and Practice in Obedience to Government and Magistracy yet as a close to all the foregoing Quotations from our Friends Books I will give one Quotation which Relates to near all the foregoing Charges and which is taken from a Paper lately given to the Parliament Occasioned by E. Bugg's Calumnies it 's Entituled The Quakers Vindication and was PRESENTED to the Members of Parliament in December 1693. We whose Names are Under-written being in Christian Society with the People called Quakers do in good Conscience Declare and Certifie all Persons Concerned 1. That we sincerely Believe and Confess That Jesus of Nazareth who was Born of the Virgin Mary is the True Messiah the very Christ the Son of the Living God to whom all the Prophets gave Witness And we do Highly Value his Death Sufferings Works Offices and Merits for the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind together with his Laws Doctrine and Ministry 2. That this very Christ of God was and is the Lamb of God that takes away the Sins of the World who was Slain was Dead and is Alive and Lives for Evermore in his Divine Eternal Glory Dominion and Power with the Father 3. That the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament are of Divine Authority as being given by Inspiration of God 4. And that Magistracy or Civil Government is God's Ordinance