Spirit to open and move upon our Hearts before we dare offer Sacrifice to the LORD or Preach to others the way of his Kingdom That we may Preach in Power as well as Words and as GOD Promised and Christ Ordained Without Money and without Price John 4. 23 24. 1 Thess 1. 5. Isa 55. 1. Rev. 22. 17. Matt. 10. 8. IX This also leads us to deny all the vain Customs and Fashions of the World to avoid Excess in all things that our Moderation may be seen of all Men because the LORD is at hand to see and judge us according to our Deeds Tit. 2. 12. Rom. 12. â— Philip. 4. 5. Eccl. 12. 14. Mat. 16. 27. Rom. 2. 6. Rev. 20. 12. X. We believe the Necessity of the One Baptism of Christ as well as of his One â—upper which he promiseth to Eat with those that open the Door of their Hearts to him being the Baptism and Supper signified by the Outward Signs which tho' we disuse we judge not those that conscientiously practise them Mat. 3. 11. Ephes 4. 1. 1. Pet. 3. 21 22. John 6. Rev. 3. 20. XI We Honour Government For we believe it is an Ordinance of GOD and that we ought in all things to submit by Doing or Suffering But esteem it a great Blessing where the Administration is a Terror to Evil Doers and a Praise to them that Do Well Rom. 13. 1 2 3 4 5. This hath all a long been the General Stream and Tendency both of our Ministry and Writings as our Books will make appear notwithstanding what Ill-minded and Prejudic'd Persons may have strained to Mis-represent Us and our Christian Profession Dublin the 14th of the 3d Month 1698. William Penn. Thomas Story Anthony Sharp George Rooke THE TESTIMONY OF THE BISHOP OF CORK As to a Paper Intituled GOSPELâ—TRUTHS held c. by the PEOPLE called QUAKERS And Delivered to Him by an eminent Member of them Friends I Am such a Reader as in your Paper you desire I have read and soberly weighed the account you give of those things which you say are chiefly Received and Professed amongst you And I will exercise so much Moderation and Charity as to lay a great weight on that word chiefly hoping these are not the Only Things or All that you Believe I should have been heartily glad to have found that you had been in the Truth as I am well assured I my self am But as I professed when the Paper was given Me That if I took it you must expect I should bear my Testimony touching It or against It So I now must tell you I think my self bound in Conscience to perform what I then professed and that upon more Reasons than I will now trouble the World with You must not be offended if I say You have such a way of Writing and Speaking that it is very hard in many matters of Religion to know what you mean But as far as I understand you I will candidly acknowledge what Truths you have sufficiently or tolerably exprest I will shew you with meekness how far your Faith if this be your Faith comes short of being sufficient or Christian and I will sincerely tell you what I apprehend to be the cause of your Delusion and how dangerous a condition I really fear nay believe you to be in And first The only Articles in which you have exprest a sufficient Christian Belief are your IV. which is touching Justification and your last touching Government and your Submission thereto I wish you may always stick to this Belief and Practice And I heartily rejoyce to find you acknowledging the Necessity of Christ as a Propitiation in order to Remission of Sins and Justifying You as Sinners from Guilt 'T is the first time I have heard of it amongst you As to all the rest of your Articles I mean those which I understand I must tell you the declaration of your Faith comes so short of what is required from People to denominate them Christians that except under each Article you believe more than you have declar'd you cannot be accounted Christians For first in those Articles of Faith which you have thought fit to mention you have set down only some little Ends I had almost called them Snaps of the Article And Secondly many more whole Articles of the true Christian Faith and which are of no less import you have intirely omitted waved or suppressed You acknowledge in your I. Article there is a God and you own his Providence as to the other Life But that He made Heaven and Earth that He is the Almighty and at present by his Sovereign Power most wisely and holily Governs Orders and Sustains all by his Mercies as well as Judgments even in this World not â—â—aving Himself without witness you say not 〈◊〉 word Creation in the beginning and Providence as to this World at present are not here acknowledged by You. We hope you believe both Your II. Article is wholly true for it is express Scripture 1 John V. 7. But it is onely what the Apostle there had occasion to say and what was to his purpose touching the Father Son and Holy Spirit far from being the sum of what the Holy Scripture teaches of them and therefore iâ— not a sufficient Confession of Faith on that head In your III. Article you acknowledge indeed the Son of God to have been made Flesh but neither Conceived by the Holy Ghost nor Born of the Virgin Mary So that it does not appear by this your Confession but that He was at first an ordinary corrupt sinful Person Nay you own Him not so much as Jesus or the Christ the great Saviour who delivereth from the wrath which is to come or the Great Prophet Priest Lord and King of his Church You acknowledged him indeed to have dyed for Sin but not to mention the Articles inferible from and relating to the Circumstances of his death You have not one word of His Resurrection from the Dead or of His Ascension into Heaven which iâ— may be proved some of you have expresly denyed saying He is not ascended into Heaven He is in us Nor again of Hâ—… sitting now at the right hand of the Majesty oâ— high And so you seem not to own any thing of His Mediation Intercession or Appearing now in Heaven for us Nor further have you said a word of his coming again to Judgment or the End of the World Thus indeed You have here neither own'd the Creation nor Dissolution of the World so that it does not appear by this Account of your Faith whether you do not judge it Eternal and so otherwise Infinite Yet again Not a word of One Church which it may be feared you strike out of your Belief because you are resolved never more to return into the Unity of the Church but to make and maintain a Schism or Party for ever Nor further have you a word of the Resurrection of the Body which divers of you have been
God The Nature of it is to Discover Sin Reprove for It and Lead out of It all such as Love and Obey the Convictions thereof It is a Principle of Divine Life that Quickens the Obedient Heart to Newness of Life It Raises the Mind above the World to God and searches out and reveals the Deep things of God to the humble and waiting Soul And be it known to the Bishop and all that with him profess Ignorance about what we mean by the Light of Christ within Man This is It I have been treating of and I have writ I bless Almighty God My own Experience the Taste and Relish I have had of Its Excellency and Sufficiency in the Course of far the greater and best part of my Life But the Bishop must excuse me if I say I â—annot but take it very Ill at his hands to â—orbid us in his following Words to pretend â—o give an Account of what we Believe unless â—e can make him understand our meaning And â—ecause he does not penetrate our Sense to â—all our way of Wording that blessed Prinâ—iple of the Light of Christ in Man a Perâ—ect Banter This to me is one of the seveâ—est Persecutions because Spiritual things â—re only to be Spiritually discerned and unâ—erstood I would fain know how a Regeâ—erate Man can possibly make a Carnal Man understand the New Birth It is cerâ—ainly the Gift of God to understand Divine Truths as well as Rightly to Believe So that supposing our Assertion of the Nature Power and Excellency of the Light of Christ in Man to be true not to have leave to say so unless we could make every Man rightly take our Sence and Meaning whether he be Spiritually Discerning or not looks Antichristian as well as Unreasonable We speak Wisdom says the Apostle among them that are perfect 1 Cor. 7. 6. It seems others understand him not must He therefore not have wrote of the things of God The very Preaching of the Gospel was Foolishness to the Wiselings of Jews and Greeks they could make neither Head nor Tail of It by Their way of Judging of Truth Must not the Gospel therefore be preach'd When the Apostle Paul preach'd to the Athenians some of the Men of the Gown the Philosophers of that Time Opposed and Despised him saying What will this Babbler say But had they known what he meant we cannot think they would have said so to Him Waâ— the Aposlte then or the Athenians in faulâ— that they did not understand Him Or was it Bantering as well as Babbling because he did not make them understand his meaning which is only the Work of the Holy Ghost to do Who was it I pray thaâ— said The World by Wisdom knew not God And can we suppose any thing else blinded the Scribes and Pharisees and the High-Priest of the Jews from discerning the Messiah when He came For they wanted not Academical Learning if that could have enlightned them nor yet the Scriptures but they Resisted the Holy Ghost their only True Interpreter and so stumbled and fell Let the Bishop also have a Care In the Second Chapter of the first Epistle to the Corinthians he will find that the Aâ—ostle spake the Wisdom of God in a Myâ—tery which the Prinees of this World knew â—ot with all their Wisdom For the things â—f God fays the Apostle knoweth no Man but the Spirit of God by which those Christians knew those things that were freely given to them of God Which thing also we speak says He not in the Words which Mans Wisdom teacheth but which the Holy Ghost teachetb comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual But the Natural Man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness unto him Neither can he know them because they are Spiritually discerned Now according to the Bishops treatment of us the Apostle ought not to have writ of Faith and Salvation unless he could have made all that read his Writings understand his Meaning And it must be a perfect Banter to talk of speaking Wisdom in a Mystery and not in the Terms that Man's Wisdom teacheth But the Lord Jesus Christ was of another Mind when he said I thank thee O Father Lord of Heaven and Earth because thou hast hid these things the Truths of the Kingdom from the Wise and Prudent and Reveal'd them unto Babes Even so Father for so it seem'd Good in thy sight It is hence beyond all Dispute that God hideth the Mysteries of His Kingdom from the Wisdom of Man when Simplicity and Sincerity fail not to Reach and Understand them Here it was that poor Nicodemus was absolutely at a loss for Christ's meaning when Christ said Unless a Man be born again he can in no wise enter the Kingdom of God John 3. Insomuch as he asked Christ upon his Discourse of the New Birth How can these things be At which Christ seems to admire in a sort of Reproof upon Nicodemus Art thou a Master of Israel and knowest not these things As much as to say Art thou a Man of thy Station in the Church of God Ignorant of the Way to Heaven Whoever reads that notable Interview between Christ and Nicodemus will find that Christ resolves the Matter into Two Births That which is Born of the Flesh and That which is Born of the Spirit and these are Contrary And therefore no wonder if they differ in their Understanding of the Holy Scriptures being a Declaration of the Faith and Experience as well as Doctrine and Practice of the Servants of God that were Enlightned and Born of the Holy Ghost Nor is this all for they that are Born of the Flesh Persecute them that are Born after the Spirit So that when they can no longer commit Violence upon their Persons and Estates they will Persecute them with their Tongues and Pens They are Hereticks Blasphemers Illiterate and Ignorant yet Presumptuous Enemies to Caesar and Disobedient to Government if they will not give God's due unto Man viz. Conscience And if they choose to deliver themselves in Scripture Stile and speak earnestly of the Necessity of the Work of the Spirit of God in order to an Experimental and Saving Knowledge of the Truth declared in Holy Scripture and that Christ's Ministers are made by the Holy Ghost and not by Humane Learning and that the Worship which is acceptable to God must be in the Spirit and in the Truth that is with Clean Hearts and Right Spirits Kindl'd and Inflam'd with the Holy Spirit of God They must be called Enthusiasts Unintelligible Men of Cant and Banter And here I leave the Bishop upon this Paragraph desiring him to Consider whether his Knowledge of God the Father and Jesus Christ whom rightly to know is Life Eternal John 17 be by the Revelation of the Son of God in his own Soul since Christ himself Teacheth and Affirmeth that no Man knows the Father but the Son and He to whom the Son Reveals Him I should be glad
be Baptized which have received the Holy Ghost as well as We It Imports with submission no more than this That Peter well knowing the Narrowness of his Country Mens Spirits was Cautious lest his Latitude should Distaste them For the Gentiles being Unholiness to the Jews and even Peter himself without a Vision from God too narrow Spirited for the Convictions and Devotion of that excellent Centurion Cornelius It behoved him to ask if any body had any thing to say Why they might not be baptised as well as the Jews being Proselites to the Christian Profession In all which he seems more concerned to save his Own Credit than to recommend or establish that of Water Baptism As if he had said Why should this Custom be forbid to the Gentiles more than to the Jews But this will not warrant the Practice in General because Practice is no Institution and that their appears no Command to make It one So that asking who can forbid what was not commanded strengthens his Question instead of weakening it since what was done of Condescention could not have been forbid upon Authority There needed not so much Care or Strickness in the Matter And indeed the Apostles themselves seem not to have been so clear about the abolishing of the Jewish Observations as appears by the want Peter had of a Vision his own apprehension of the straightness of his Brethren and their calling him to Account for what he had done as may be seen in the same Chapter But I confess I cannot see why the Bishop should assume the Power of Unchristianing Us for not practising of that which he himself practices so unscripturally and that according to the Sentiments of a considerable part of Christendom having not one Text of Scripture to prove that Sprinkling of Water in the Face was the Water Baptism or that Children were the Subjects of Water-Baptism in the first times And yet this is all the Baptism the Bishop practices who seems so severe upon us I think our forbearing of Water Baptism from a Belief and Sense of the coming of the Invisible Grace signified by that Visible Sign cannot be reputed such a slight to Water Baptism as presuming to alter the Manner and Substance of its first Institution For then it was in the River of Jordan now in a Bason it was then unto Repentance now to Children Uncapable of Repentance But that which perhaps misled the Doctors of the Declining Church first into this Practice being at the distance of some Hundreds of Years from the Apostolical Times might be the supposition that Water Baptism came in the place of Circumcision and that being to Children so might Water Baptism too But they forgot among other things which even before that time were crept into the Church without Precept or Evangelical Example that Repentance was not made a Condition to Circumcision at it was to Water-Baptism I would beseech the Bishop to tread softly in this Matter for if Water Baptism should indeed prove a Badge of Christianity he would be at a loss for one that would pass currant in Scripture Thus much for this Point What I have said upon this Head of Water Baptism may serve also for what is commonly called the Lord's Supper which the Bishop Reproves us for Omitting to Practice Urging Luke 22. 19. This do in Remembrance of me And the Apostles words 1. Cor. 11. 24. 25. It is true indeed Christ said when he eat it with his Disciples That they should do it in remembrance of him till he came And this seems much more of the Nature of a Commission than that cited by the Bishop for Water Baptism But the Limitation Christ â—ives to the Practice of it and a Right and â—roper Consideration of the Import of his â—ords and the Nature of the thing will best â—ad us to undestand his Mind therein 1st This was also a Jewish Practice as â—ell as Water Baptism and so in Nature of â—o Gospel Institution but Temporary in its â—se 2dly Christ seems by this to break or â—pen to them what was so hard for them to â—ear to wit his Departure and Death by a â—oken of Memorial till he should come to â—hem again 3dly Christ takes occasion from thence â—o shew forth to his Disciples the Mystical Supper they should eat and the Fellowship â—hey should have with him when he came again Now we believe this Coming was Spiritual suitable to that saying of his I will drink no more of This Fruit of the Vine till I drink it New with you in the Kingdom of my Father And some here shall not taste of Death till they see the Son of Man coming in his Kingdom Matth. 16. 28. Again He that dwelleth with you shall be in you John 14. I in them and they in me Chap. 17. All which plainly Imports a Spiritual Coming Also Rev. 3. 20. Behold I stand at the Door and knock if any Man hear my Voice and open the Door I will come into him and will sup with him and he with me which was said near Fourty Years after his Ascention Now since this is acknowledged to be an Outward Sign of an Inward and Invisible Grace what can Outward Bread and Wine more properly Signifie and Resemble than Inward Bread and Wine And an Outward than an Inward Supper And if so the words may reasonably be read thus Eat this Supper of Outward Bread and Wine till I come into and sup with you and be your Supper that am the Bread and Wine from Heaven which Nourishes the Soul unto Eternal Life 4thly The Kingdom of God being Spiritual and in the Soul such should be the Ordinances of that Kingdom Now Christ tells the Pharisees Luke 17. 20. The Kingdom of God is within And the Apostle Paul Rom. 14. 17. saith The Kingdom of God is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost But the outward Supper is Meat and Drink and therefore not of the Kingdom of God which is not Meat and Drink but Righteousness Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost And this was made Use of by Christ in the State of Humiliation before his Death and the pouring forth of the Holy Ghost to fasten upon his Disciples that were weak and of little Faith the Remembrance of him till they should know him with them and in them by his Spiritual Appearance as he was the Lord from Heaven the Quickning Spirit according to his Promise For if the Scripture be consulted we shall not only find that Christ Reproves the Apostles for their Infideâ—ity in him but after all the Example Precepts and Miracles they saw by him and that he had so very lately left them with such Assurances of his Coming to them again yet when Mary c. brought them the Tidings of his Resurrection it is said Luke 24. 10 11. Their words seemed to the Disciples as Idle Tales and they believed them not Which sufficiently shews the low State they were
of the Spirit of God within and the Scripture of Truth without is the Rule and Judge of Faith Doctrine and Practice yea that the Spirit is given to Believers to be the Rule and Judge by which they are to understand the true Sense and Meaning of the Scriptures Now let the Reader judge who gives the Truest Honour to the Scripture the Bishop or the People called Quakers They say the Scriptures have a Double Record that is the Evidence of the Spirit of Truth in the Hearts of Believers as well as their Own Or the Bishop who by his way of Treating us and our Principle will allow us no other Evidence of their Truth but Themselves For to say the Evidence of the Spirit of God with that of the Scripture make a Double and agreeing Testimony is with him to undervalue the Scripture and the Ground in his Apprehension of our Strong Delusions It must be my turn now to pity the Bishop and truly I do it with all my Heart to see him strain so Sound as well as Inoffensive an Expression as that which he makes the Reason of our Delusion that he might have an occasion to lessen our Credit with the Professors of Christianity and especially Protestants Can it Dishonour the Scripture to deny the Evidence of the Principal and Author of the Scripture to back the Authority of the Scripture Or doth not he rather lessen the Authority of Scripture that will not allow us another Evidence of the Truth of Scripture than its own for fear of Co-ordinacy which was not so much as once intended to be insinuated by us nor do the words import any such thing yet it had been no strong nor any Delusion at all to give the Holy Ghost the Preference But I shall keep to the Terms of the Paper whatever the Bishop is pleased to do knowing that whoever Concludes an Argument in terms not in the Question nor plainly deduceable from the Premises is not a fair Dealer in Controversie In which the Bishop if he pleases may reasonably enough think himself more than once concerned Blessed be God we have known the Power and Efficiency of this Holy Light and Spirit of Christ in our selves and being in good measures Witnesses thereof we do not only speak by Report but by Experience We had the Scriptures in the Days of our Ignorance and Worldly-mindedness but disregarding the Reproofs and Instruction of the Light of Jesus in our Hearts we never could come to know the Power of those Truths the Scripture declares of But when it pleased God in the Riches of his Love to cause his blessed Light that had shined in Darkness and the Darkness comprehended it not to shine out of Darkness and gives us the Knowledge of himself in the Face or through the Manifestation of his Son Jesus Christ we saw and bewailed our selves and by an unfeigned Sorrow and Repentance returned as Penitent Prodigals towards our Fathers House and in this Turn we were brought to die daily to that Love and Satisfaction we once had in the Glory Pleasures Honours Friendships and Diversions of the World which now became Burdensome more than ever they were pleasing to us Hence it was and from no Sinister Ends or Self-righteous Conceits that we became an altered and a distinguished People in our Behaviour Garb and Conversation More Retired Watchful Silent and Plain than formerly equally avoiding Luxury and Avarice I say it was the Work of God's Spirit upon our Hearts who by his Light gave us to see the just difference of things and to distinguish between that which pleased Him and that which pleased Him not And this Holy Pattern he gave us in the Light of his beloved Son which we design to follow as did the Holy Ancients and is a full Answer to the Bishop's Unfriendly Queries upon our distinguishing Behaviour in his 14th and 15th Paragraph as if it were not out of Fear towards God or upon a Conscientious Bottom but to serve a worldly Turn For he asks us Is it not your main Aim End and Study by pretended Mortifications to make your selves a Party Considerable Again Are not to this Purpose your different Garb Speech Looks and Gestures and to make your selves remarkable rather than out of a Sense of Duty or Conscience of Obligation Which as it is the worst Construction that the most Irreligious and Prophane could make upon our Behaviour so I beseech God to forgive the Bishop and make him sensible how little such Treatment of strict sober Living advances the Common Cause of Religion and how much it indulges those that know no Reins or Check to their Excesses in his own Church But to go no farther than the Bishop and his Clergy pray who distinguish themselves more by their Garb from other People then they Tho' I cannot say as much of their Behaviour So indeed did the Chemerims or black Coats of old and Those that wore long Robes in our Saviours time but as I take it they went not without his Censure while I think the Bishop will find none in Scripture against our Plainness But the Bishops Pontifical Robes do in my Opinion look much more like Singularity and a Sight than ours for our Garb is like other Mens only freed of their Superfluity In short I wish him a better Understanding of the true Grounds of our stricter Conduct and Where and Who they are that make a Trade of Religion that if he has any Shot left against Mercinary Religionists he may not miss the Mark next time but may make it his main Aim End and Study to Expose Hirelings and Hypocrites in their Proper Colours And some are of Opinion he need not go far to find too many of them It is strange the Bishop should be so unsensible of the Advantage he gives me by his Queries and what a wide Door he opens to a severe Retaliation but my desire to be Modest and to be Silent upon such Advantages is I think to be abundantly so Howbeit I must take Notice of one Expression for it may too seriously affect us not to be observed to him When he asks If it be not our main End and Study by pretended Mortifications to make our selves a Party Considerable He adds and such to which for Reasons of State Peculiar Priviledges must be indulged If this were not more than Mockery I should wave my Notice but calling the meaning of the Government in Question about the Liberty of Conscience we enjoy He must forgive me if I bestow a few Remarks upon that Expression It seems then our Liberty flows not from the Inclination of the Government to Liberty less from Compassion and least of all from Justice and a Christian Principle Which Motives carry with them a Prospect of the Continuance of Liberty if not for Liberties sake But the Bishop believes no such thing and if he would not have us of his mind he did weakly to tell us so Well then we are all of
known to deny and others of you only say It may be so And Lastly Tho' you acknowledge Everlasting Rewards for them that fear GOD yet nothing of the Everlasting Punishment of Wicked Men You mention Hell indeed in a very unnatural place viz. in your first Article of â—he Being of GOD but whether you mean thereby the Grave as most commonly in â—cripture is meant or a place of Temporal Punishment after this Life as some have â—one or a State of total Destruction and Annihilation as many now a days do no one knows Upon the whole As to the Sum of the Christian Faith which you have been pleased to set down there is not any one Article of our common Twelve that you have own'd intirely and Eight at least if not more of them that you have here totally suppressed or waved And how influential to a holy Life those which you have waved are and therefore how necessary to Salvation I must require and conjure you on your own Eternal Account to consider I will only mind you of two passages out of the Scriptures of Truth 1 Cor XV. 16 17. If the Dead rise not that is if there be no Resurrection of the Flesh then is not Christ Raised And if Christ is not raised your Faith is vain you are yet in your Sins Hence it appears All other points of Faith are in vain if this be not true The other is Rom. X. 9. If thou shalt confess with thy Mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy Heart that GOD hath raised Him from the Dead thou shalt be saved This Article alone is of such force and influence on Mensâ—Hearts that if believed as it should be such belief will save Men. But both Christ's Resurrection and Our own are by You in this Paper left out of your Faith I judge You not but judge Your selves lest you be condemned of the LORD Your V VI and VII Articles treat of what you call The Light of Christ within Man This You have never been able yet that I could find to make out what You mean by For You will not allow it to be either the Natural Rational Faculty or common innate Notions or Natural Conscience or Conscience Illuminated by the Preaching of the Gospel and the Operation of the Holy Ghost thereby Till You can make us understand your meaning or indeed till You understand it Your Selves that is till you are less confused in this the very Fundamental Principle or Rule of what you profess You must not think of Declaring or Publishing an Account of your Faith See you understand it first There are some Men who have a Faculty to speak things seemingly profound but in the End neither themselves nor others can make any distinct sense of what they have said This we usually call Banter And I must acknowledge as far as I can see your Discourse of his Light within is perfectly such Take notice We in our Preaching require People to look within as much as You do We strictly charge all to walk according to the Convictions and Light they have received We daily appeal unto Conscience but then we teach that Conscience opened by the Holy Spirit under the Ministry of the Word Acts XVI 14. does and must take in its Light from Holy Scripture The Commandment of the Lord is pure inlightning the Eyes Ps XIX 8. viz. of the Mind Ephes I. 18. Thy Word is a Lamp to my Feet and a Light to my Path. Ps CXIX 105. To the Law and to the Testimony If they even Men in their Consciences speak not according to this Word it is because there is NO LIGHT in them Isai VIII 20. Now these things are intelligible This Rule is fixt and certain nothing of which can be said of Your Light within In Your VIII Article You tell us Worship under the Gospel is Inward and Spiritual If You mean hereby that all Outward and Bodily Worship ought to be accompanied with an Inward and Spiritual Worship it is what we daily Preach and Practice and even in private press But if as it would seem You mean all the Worship GOD now requires is from the Inward Man or from the Spirit this is abominably false For Our Bodies are GOD's handy-work and Christ's Purchase as well as Our Souls on which reason GOD by His Apostle commands Glorifie â—OD in Your Body and in Your Spirit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which in the Plural Number that is both which are GOD's Not to tell You that You your selve now a days perform somewhat of Bodily Worship And indeed if there be not a worship of the Body as well as of the Spirit there can be no Publick Worship This Article therefore must also be mended to make it Christian In your IX Article You tell us of youâ— Denying all the vain Customs and Fashions of the World as also Excess in all things I know no sort of Christians who teach otherwise I wish I could say I knew none even of your selves that practice otherwise It is one part of the Catechism We teach our Children to renounce all these But there are many Innocent and laudable Customs which You call vain Would it not almost make a Mans Stomach turn to hear one forbear in point of Conscience â—â—ying You to a single Person because it 〈◊〉 improper and at the same time while â—e is speaking to his Superiour because Thou doest sounds a little rudely to soften the Thou and say Thee doest which is commonly Your Peoples Practice and much more improper Will You ever be able to prove the Primitive Christians â—sed a Dialect or Dress different from others of their Nation and Qualities and placed Religion in it Does not Christ require Saluting even those who salute not us And no doubt his and his Apostles Salutations were in the common form In a word There is more Vanity in Singularity and Affectation than in moderate following a common innocent Phrase Garb or Custome In your X Article you believe you say a Spiritual Baptism and a Spiritual Supper and Communion but acknowledge you Disuse the Outwards Signs by us commonly called Sacraments Now did not Christ command Water-Baptism Go ye and Baptise all Nations Matth. XXVIII 19 20. The Baptism here commanded was Water-Baptism For Baptising with the Spirit was GOD's work not the Apostles and tho the Baptism of the Spirit commonly accompanied Baptism with Water yet not always as in the Case of Simon Magus and many others Yet did not Christ promise to be with them Preaching to all Nations and Baptising to the End of the World Further Did not the Apostles in Obediencâ— to Christs Command both constantly practice and also require Water-Baptism to all Initiated Christians Can any Man forbiâ— Water that these should not be Baptised which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we And he Peter commanded they should bâ— Baptised Acts X. 47 48. Then as to the Outward use of Bread and Wine for the Lord's
to see the Bishop's Evidence for this Knowledge For in the Conclusion of this Paragraph he turns us to the Scriptures who in the beginning of it makes us Unintelligible and Banterers in Religion for Expressing Ours in the Terms of It which may well merit the Bishop's Serious Reflexion His Ninth Paragraph refers to our Eighth Article as he calls it of which he cites these Eight Words only Worship under the Gospel is Inward and Spiritual upon which he says If you mean that Outward Worship ought to be accompanied with Inward and Spiritual Worship 't is what we Preach Press and Practice but if as it would seem you mean that all the Worship God now requires is from the Inward Man or from the Spirit this is abominably false for our Bodies are God's Handy-work and God by the Apostle commands Glorifie God in your Body and in your Spirit which are God's Not to tell you that you your selves now a-days perform somewhat of Bodily Worship Indeed we do and Ever did and Ever shall I hope while we have Bodies to Worship God in We are so â—ar from denying the Body what share is â—ue to it that with the Apostle 1 Cor. 6. â—9 we say What know ye not that your Boâ—ies is the Temple of the Holy Ghost which is â—n you which ye have of God and you are not â—our own Of which I would have the Biâ—hop well Consider For if our very Bodies are under the Influence of the Holy Ghost how much more reasonable is it to believe that It dwells in our Souls and that our Hearts must be Prepared and Animated by the Holy Spirit in all our Devoâ—ion towards God But two things I must Remark to the Bishop First That we did not give him the least Occasion to suspect we deny'd Bodily Worship as appears by the Gospel-Truth now in question For 't is plain there by these words Worship in this Day is Inward and Spiritual That we only distinguish'd between Gospel Worship and the Ceremonial and Pompous Worship of the Law and that by Spiritual Woship we understand Praying Praising and Preaching by the Preparation and Sanctification of the Spirit of God which the Bishop does not and I hope dares not Deny Yet Unkindly and I think Unjustly brings in His as it would seem to make us by an Uncharitable Innuendo look to his Reader as if we denied Bodily Worship And yet to avoid so hard a Chapter as Maintaining this Aspersion would prove to the Bishop he is forced to confess that now a-days we perform some-what of Bodily Worship as if we did not perform any formerly and but a little now Which shews not that Candor that his Character ows us and but too plainly tells every Impartial Reader how muck more mind he has that we should be in the Wrong than in the Right I must Confess we have leâ— Pomp and Gaudiness in our Worship as welâ— as in our Cloaths than is the Custom oâ— some other Churches and think it our Happiness that we are freed from such an Unprofitable as well as Unsuitable Incumberance Whatever It be 't is such as we believe God by his Holy Spirit hath led us into And tho' it be not so Entertaining to those who are Govern'd more by their outward Senses than their Souls yet I hope it will be allowed us to be Grave Solemn and Fervent The other Remark I make upon the Bishop's Exceptions is this That the Spiritual Worship he there allows of seems to be but the Worship of Man's Spirit and not of the Spirit of God working upon the Spirit of Man I would not Imitate him lest I â—â—ould be Uncharitable too For if my â—eader can make more of it he has my â—onsent but that seems to me to be the â—ishop's Interpretation upon Christ's words â—ted by us on this Occasion viz. God will 〈◊〉 worshipped in Spirit and in Truth Tho' â—ere is a Truth in that also yet this nor â—eing so peculiar to the Gospel Dispensaâ—on could not be the Extent of Christ's â—ords whose Drift certainly was to draw Mens Minds to a more Inward and Spiriâ—ual Worship Not only to have less Cereâ—ony than was Practis'd among the Jews â—ut to feel more of the Power and Spirit of God in our Adoration and Praises than beâ—ong'd to the Former Dispensation and with which I heartily wish the Bishop a â—etter Acquaintance Upon the whole Matâ—er I am apt to think my Reader believes with me he might as well have spared his Pains upon us about the first Part of this Gospel-Truth as he is Silent of the latter viz. That we may Preach in Power as well as Words and as God Promised and Christ Ordained without Money and without Price The Bishop in his Tenth Paragraph is pleased to Endeavour to lessen the Authority and Credit of our Ninth Gospel-Truth relating to the vain Fashions and Customs oâ— the World His words are these You teâ— us of denying all the vain Customs and Fashion of the World as also Excess in all things 〈◊〉 know no sort of Christians who teach otherwiseâ— I wish I knew none even of your selves thaâ— practis'd otherwise it is one part of our Câ—techism we teach our Children He first Concurs with our Doctrine for he says 〈◊〉 knows none that Preaches otherwise and thâ— they do the like in their Catechism Sâ— far then he allows us to be sound But hâ— wishes he knew none even of Us that Practice otherwise This is a sort of Charge and being not Prov'd looks like a Calumnyâ— Some perhaps do not walk quite so strictly as becomes them to their Profession but are they own'd by us therein Or Indulged it self If not what are we to Concludeâ— but that the Bishop's Insinuation is to Ballance Accounts with us for the failures of his own People But pray are our Excesses equal or the Numbers that in Proportion do transgress I would not have him Comfort himself with his Uncharitableness to his honest and friendly Neighbours As it will not Excuse his less exact Friends that any of ours live larger than they profess so it cannot justly affect our Body â—here so few are faulty when 't is so well â—nown that such are sure to meet with due â—eproof But he adds that There are many Innocent â—nd Laudable Customs We call vain This 〈◊〉 all in a Heap and a Reflection by Wholeâ—ale I can truly tell him I know of none â—nd if he had been more particular so would too Perhaps he thought Generals bes◠〈◊〉 make his Reflection Safe But if it were â—y place to be Plaintiff I could treat the â—ishop with a large Catalogue of very Ofâ—ensive Customs that would concern him â—o think upon However he is pleased to â—e particular upon us in one of them which â—lmost turns his Stomach he says to think of viz. Would it not make a Man's Stomach â—urn to hear one forbear in point of Conscience saying you to a single Person because â—t is Improper
Now this certainly must be Unlawful to Give or Receive which hinders true Faith And what was this Hoâ—our but Salutations after the fashion of the Times As the Text shews Mat. 23. and for Calling and being Called of Men Rabbi Christ was so far from Commanding or Imitating them in such things that He expresly forbids it But the meaning of Christ's â—aying Mat. 5. And if ye Salute Your Brethren only what do ye more then Others do not even the Publicans so is this That in all Acts of Love Mercy and Goodness they were to Exceed the Practice of that time They were to take more notice of and to look more kindly and friendly upon All Men. But in another sense He that bid them Salute Enemies as well as Friends also forbids his Disciples to Salute any Man or call any Man Rabbi or Master for that One was their Lord and Master and they were all Brethren Mat. 23. 6 7 8. and Luke 10. 4. And between such Relations Worldly Honours were of no use as well as of no value And did a Primitive Spirit Prevail in those that so much pretend to be the Successors of the Apostles we should see them more Exemplary in Self-denial and Holiness Encouraging and not Undervaluing and Brow-beating the Serious and Conscientious But Trees are known by their Fruit for Grapes are not gathered of Thorns nor Figs of Thistles In the mean time if my Reader please to peruse the Ninth and Tenth Chapters of that Book Entituled No Cross No Crown he will I hope be satisfied that we are for Honour Respect and Civility according to Scripture tho' Non-conformists to the Empty and Troublesome Ceremonies of the Times left by us not of Rudeness but Conviction and forbore of Duty and no otherwise of Choice For Humanely Speaking that Contradiction to Custom cannot be Pleasant to us I have detained my Reader longer upon this Head than I expected or perhaps he desired I shall therefore proceed to the Bishops next Paragraph which contains his Exceptions to our Tenth Gospel-Truth about Baptism and the Supper and the â—ast he has to take notice of the Eleventh about Government being by him already granted in the beginning of his Paper He begins thus In your Xth Article you believe a Spiritual Baptism and a Spiritual Supper and Communion but acknowledge you disuse the outward Signs by us commonly called Sacraments Now did not Christ command Water-Baptism Go ye and Baptize all Nations Matth. 28. 19 20. He goes on The Baptism here commanded was Water-Baptism His reasons are first that Baptizing with the Spirit was God's work not the Apostles 2dly Primitive Practice Acts 10. 47 48. in Cornelius's Case Who can forbid Water But this is also gratis dictum For the first Reason is no Reason since it is not true And the second seems to me Defective and Short I am very sensible of the Disadvantage I am under and that I touch a tender Place and what I say upon this Head as also anon upon the Supper will be against Wind and Tide with the Generality But as I hope I shall express my self Reverently as well as Plainly upon this Occasion so I beseech my Reader for his Own sake as well as Ours not to Prejudge us as I am sure he will not if he be a Searcher after Truth and that I charitably suppose of him I say then The Bishop's first Reason is not true for God by the Apostles did Baptize Believers with the Holy Ghost It fell-upon them through the Powerful Preaching of the Word Thus Acts 10. 44. While Peter yet spoke these words the Holy Ghost fell on all them which heard the Word By which it is evident that Peter in that Sermon was the Minister of the Spiritual Baptism to Cornelius and his Company And Peter gives this account to those of the Circumcision at Jerusalem Acts 11. 15. And as I began to speak the Holy Spirit fell on them as on us at the beginning Then remembred I the Word of the Lord how that he said John indeed Baptized with Water but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Spirit So that Peter evidently declares the Gift of the Spirit by the Ministry of the Gospel to be the Baptism of Christ or the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and Fire which Christ promised at his Ascension into Heaven But the Apostle Paul puts this Matter beyond all Doubt in his Excellent Account â—e gives of his Conversion and Commission to King Agrippa Acts 26. where my Reader will find these words dropping from the Mouth of the Lord Jesus to Saul Delivering thee from the people and from the Genâ—iles to whom now I send thee to open their Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto GOD that they may receive Forgiveness of Sins and an Inheritance among them which are Sanctified through Faith that is in Me Verse 17 18. Now if this could be done without the Holy Ghost let my Reader judge 'T was with the Holy Ghost that Peter's Hearers were Prick'd to the Heart and fitted to receive more of It And it was by the same Holy Ghost that Paul's Hearers had the Eyes of their Minds opened to see the Mysteries of God's Kingdom and by which they were Converted from Darkness to Light that they might receive the Forgiveness of their Sins and Inheritance among them which are Sanctified So that the very End and Benefit of the Apostolical Ministry was Converting that is Baptizing them into Christianity in the Nature Power and Life of It by the Holy Ghost Now for the Bishop's Second Reason viz. Practice I say it is granted that Water-Baptism having got place among them by John's Ministry the Fore-runner it held after Christ's Coming but that was Ex Gratia and of Condescention not of Commission for that properly ceases when his Ministration begins of which John's was but the Fore-runner For Moses and the Prophets were till John and John till Christ And this John the Water-Baptist tells us Mat. 3. 11. I indeed Baptize you with Water unto Repentance but he that cometh after me is mightier than I He shall Baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire see Mark 1. 8. Luke 3. 16. Here 's a different Baptism and Baptizer the Servant and the Master the Water and the Holy Ghost One Transcient the Other Permanent One the End of the Jewish and the Other the Beginning of the Gospel Dispensation Wherefore says our Lord Jesus Christ the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is Greater than John Matth. 11. 11. Why is not John in Heaven No doubt of it at all and a Glorious Saint too But the Least in Christ's Dispensation viz. The Kingdom of God in the Soul the Work of Christ the Baptizer with the Holy Ghost and Fire is Greater than John as to the Nature of his Administration See John 3. 30 31. He must Increase but I must Decrease What! John decrease or his Ministration His
and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost of which there is not one Instance in all the Scripture But that which further shews that Water cannot be understood to be meant in the Apostolical Commission is that one of the Greatest of the Apostles He that came behind and was added to by none of them denys It 1 Cor. 1. 17. to be any Part of his Commission for says he Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel And thanks God for that reason in the foregoing Verses that he had Baptized so few Which to be sure he ought not to have done but on the Contrary to have been sorry he had Baptized no more had Water-Baptism been Part of the Apostolical Commission Mat. 28. 19. Again this Eminent Apostle the Great Grand Father not to say God-Father of Gentile Christians delivered to them for Doctrine Eph. 4. 5. that there was but One Lord One Faith and One Baptism And if so That must be the Baptism of Fire and the Holy Ghost which is Christ's Baptism and Proper to the Gospel Dispensation Now could any other make a Man a True Christian or a Child of God then nor can any be so now without It. That Baptism therefore without which a Man cannot be a True Jew or Christian or of the Circumcision made without hands that Worship God in the Spirit and hath no Confidence in the Flesh must needs be the One Baptism but such is the Baptism of the Holy Ghost Therefore the Spiritual Baptism is the Apostles One Baptism Rom. 2. 28 29. Phil. 3. 3. Again the One Baptism must be Christ's Baptism but Christ is the Baptism of the Spirit therefore That and not Water Baptism must be the One Baptism that 's in force according to the Apostle As John was the Fore-runner of Christ so was Water of the Holy Ghost But that which Fore-runs in Nature Ceases and that which succeeds of course Remains Therefore the Baptism of the Spirit is the One Needful and Permanent Baptism Yet further If it be Gospel That he is not a Jew that is one Outward nor that Circumcision that is Outward in the Flesh but that he is a Jew that is one Inward and that is Circumcision that is of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God as Rom. 2. 28 29. Then unanswerably He is not a Christian that is one Outward nor is that Baptism that is of the Flesh But he is a Christian that is one Inwardly and that is Baptism that is of the Heart in the Spirit whose Praise is not of Men but of God For indeed in all Ages Men cry him down as a Slighter of God's Ordinances but his Praise however is of God let Men say what they will and this is the Inward Christians Comfort in all Undervaluings and Reflexions he meets with from Outside Christians For it 's not to be thought that the Apostle meant or designed to undervalue one Observation as that of Circumcision because it is Outward and set up another Outward Observation instead of it viz. Water-Baptism Again If in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a New Creature as saith the same Apostle Gal. 6. 15. Then by the same Reason neither being baptized with Water availeth any thing not being unbaptized with Water but a New Creature I will repeat the Apostles Discourse at large upon this Subject in the same Chapter because it is very Instructing and seems Discissive in this Case As many says he as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh they constrain you to be Circumcised only least they should suffer Persecution for the Cross of Christ It seems they were Outside People that laid stress upon Outside things or something else instead of the Cross of Christ for they Temporized in this matter to shun the Shame and Persecution that then attended the Christians Cross Which stood partly in laying down of outward Observations and which they that desire to make a fair shew in the Flesh stand most for But the Apostle goes on For says he neither they themselves who are Circumcised keep the Law but desire to have you Circumcised that they may Glory in your Flesh They were not exact in the other parts of the Law it seems as strict as they seemed to be for this Sacramental Practice which is the Case of too many now Yet they prest it that they might glory and value themselves upon gaining others to be conformable to them whether to excuse their Compliance with Custom that they might avoid Persecution or out of love to Ceremonial Religion But says that clear-sighted and plain-dealing Apostle God forbid that I should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby the World is Crucified unto me and I unto the World If he rejoyced in nothing but in the Cross of Christ then in no other Elementary Rite Service or Ordinance any more than in Circumcision But he proceeds For in Christ Jesus neither Circumcision availeth any thing nor Uncircumcision but a New Creature That is to say for according to Christ Jesus or in the Religion of Christ Jesus neither Circumcision nor Uncircumcision availeth but a New Creature a regenerate Soul One born again by the Spirit of God For the Apostle in these excellent Words not only strikes at Circumcision but all Outward and Elementary Observations Neither This nor That Outward thing availeth in the Christian Religion or according to Christ Jesus but a New Creature He does not say but Water Baptism as some would have it who tell us that It succeeds Circumcision by Divine Institution by no means But that which availeth with Christ and in the Relâ—gion of Christ Jesus is a New Creature a â—ew Man one Changed Regenerated or Born gain by the Word and Baptism of the Holy Ghost And says the Apostle to confirm â—hem in this Doctrine of Inward Circumciâ—ion that is of the Heart in the Spirit which â—s the same thing with the Baptism of the Spirit As many as walk according to this Rule Peace shall be upon them So that We the â—oor despised Quakers take Comfort in this Apostolical Benediction and can say to God's Glory his Peace has been upon Us in our Belief and Confession of this blessed Docâ—rine of the New Creature It is what we have Aimed at and has been the great Drift of our Testimony since we were a People and in order to it have directed all to the Gift of God's Grace in themselves that by believing in it and resigning up their Wills and Affections and whole Man to the Teaching and Conduct of it they may be leavened and sanctified by it throughout by which the State of the New Creature which is Christianity indeed will be Experienced though It was and is a Mystery to the World As for the Apostle Peter's Question Acts 10. 47 48. Can any Man forbid Water that These should not
to that side that had rather we were in the Wrong than in the Right and Consequently not such a Reader as we desired That this is so let it but be observed how he Unchristians us in his third Paragraph tho' Immediately in a Contradiction what he just before Acknowledges in his second Nor will he allow us to be so much as Deists in his fourth or at most but very Imperfect ones because we have not said all of God that may be ascribed to him In his sixth he supposes us Capable of believing that Christ Came of Corrupt and Sinful Flesh because we say no more in that Place of the Manner of his Incarnation than the Evangelist doth John 1. 14. Also that we are Defective at best Ambiguous about Eternal Rewards and Punishments He makes us in his seventh Paragraph to Deny the Resurrection of the Dead at large and without Distinction tho' we there Acknowledge a Future State which implies it and have not said one word against it but upon all Occasions in Print or otherwise have Exprest our Belief of that Branch of Christian Doctrine according to Scripture In his Tenth he derides our Plain though Proper Language of Thou to a single Person though it is what he himself gives to God in his Prayers In his Fourteenth and Fifteenth he is pleased to slight and render our Stricter Living a Trick to promote a Party and that our Garb Looks and Gestures are more to make ourselves Remarkable than out of any Perswasion of Duty or Conscience As bad a Construction as he could make In his Sixteenth he tells us the Light within us that we say we have from Christ is rather one of the Highths or Depths of Satan Transformed and that we are Abandoned to his Delusions So that We and most of our Principles too are stark Naught with the Bishop In his Eighteenth and last Paragraph he suggests We take away two Thirds of the Christian Faith besides many Points of the other Third and equal our Presumptuous Conceits to the Divine Oracles and Revelations and use and dis-use at pleasure what part of God's Instituted Worship we think fit Even the very Badges of Christianity I will not says the Bishop interpose yet suggests it your making Gain your Godliness but if the Aforesaid Men are in a way to Perdition what can you Conclude of your selves In the Name of God Repent and Return Thus the Bishop upon a whole People without any other Provocation than has been Exprest I hope after this He will not Expect I am sure he ought not that any Body should think him such a Reader as we desired for our Gospel-Truths and which he promised us to be or that he has treated us with the Moderation Charity and Meekness he made us hope for since none of our Adversaries have used us much worse in so little a Compass I heartily wish him a better sight of himself as well as of us that he may be less mistaken in both another time for I have a Respect for him and desire not to be upon these Terms with him any Longer than he thinks fit to make it necessary The rest of his first Paragraph is only a Strain of Fair and Pastoral Promises forgotten by him and not to be remembred any more at this time by me and therefore shall proceed to his Second Only observe this one thing to my Reader and the Bishop too that he is pleased to place Moderation and Charity to our Account because he does not take us by out worâ— Chiefly to mean Only or All in reference to the things by us believed Which undeâ— favour he could not do in Justice anâ—â— therefore he needs not bring us in Debtâ—â— for that which is our Due since no Bodâ— ever took Chiefly for Only any more thaâ— an Eldest for an Only Son or an Arch foâ— an Only Bishop Nor does Chiefly imply Alâ—â— any more than Only for whether It regards things Humane or Divine It imports the Best Part of any thing but nâ—â— All The most valuable that which deserveâ— and commands our Regard and Esteeâ—â— in the first place And I leave it with mâ—â— Reader whether Believing in God anâ—â— Christ and the Holy Spirit and Believing the Scriptures and the Necessity of Holiness and Divine Worship and finally of Eternal Rewards and Punishments are noâ—â— Points of Faith Chiefly to be Received and Professed by Christians And if they are such the Bishop must have been Super-finely Critical upon our word Chiefly as well as that he might have been a better Husband of his Moderation and Charity and have kept them for an Occasion where they might have been more needed and Consequently better bestowed His Second Paragraph allows us to have â—…iciently Exprest our Christian Belief in â—…o Articles but with this Censure that 〈…〉 leven we are only Clear in these Two 〈◊〉 Justification by Christ And Submission to 〈◊〉 Civil Government wishing we may always 〈◊〉 to this Belief and Practice and adds I â—â—…tily Rejoyce to find you acknowledge the â—â—…essity of Christ as a Propitiation in order to the Remission of Sins and Justifying you as Sinners from Guilt 'T is the first time I have heard of it among you If so It is the Bishops Fault and seems to me next to Impossible since before that Paper was given him he was pleased to Acknowledge he had read several of our Books particularly my Rise and Progress of the People called Quakers taking it out of his Pocket at that time also Robert Barclay's Apology which States and Vindicates our Principles at large in which the two Doctrines afore-mentioned are very Clearly Declared and Maintained notwithstanding he seems to make this look like a New Discovery But however I am pleased that the Bishop is so at two of the Gospel-Truths I am of Opinion if he had well considered the Force and Comprehensiveness of our Belief concerning Christ that pleases him so well he might havâ— saved himself the Trouble of what he hâ—â— published to the World upon the rest 〈◊〉 them For whoever believes in Christ 〈◊〉 a Propitiation in order to Remission of Siâ—â— and Justification of Sinners from the Guilt 〈◊〉 Sin can hardly disbelieve any Fundamentâ—â— Article of the Christian Religion since 〈◊〉 very such Person must Necessarily belieâ—â— in God because it is with Him alone Mâ—â— is to be Justified To be sure he must bâ—lieve in Christ for that is the very Proâ—â—sition He must also believe in the Hâ—â— Ghost because He is the Author of 〈◊〉 Conviction Repentance and Belief He muâ—â— believe Heaven and Hell Rewards aâ—â— Punishment and Consequently the Resurrâ—â—tion of the Just and Unjust For whâ—â— should he be Concerned about being freeâ—â— from the Guilt of his Sin if he were unaâ—countable in another World So that Acknowledging the Necessity of Christ as Propitiation in order to the Remission 〈◊〉 Sin comprehends the main Doctrine 〈◊〉 Christian Religion and as so many Lineâ— drawn from the
yet he does not thereby bid them do it often if at ail 5ly And whereas the Bishop would make it a fresh Revelation to the Apostle when he says for I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you I must dissent from him I cannot apprehend that means any more than this that what account he had received of Christ's Eating the Supper with his Disciples the Night he was Betrayed the same also he had Delivered unto them For what need could there be of an Immediate Revelation for so late a Fact so well Witnessed by the Disciples But if my Reader will peruse that Part of the Chapter which relates to the Supper he will find the Stress lies upon Remembring of the Lord which is indeed our Daily Indispensible Duty and he that lives without it may be said to live without God in the World of which those Corinthians at that time seemed to Insensible and as such are severely reproved by the Apostle being Irreverent Greedy and Drunken hardly fit for the Sign and less able to discern the Thing Signified 6ly Nor does the Apostle seem to recommend this practice but rather reprehend their Abuse of it and if my Reader will look back to the foregoing Chapter from the beginning to die 18 Verse he may find a more Spiritual Supper and Mystical Bread and Cup hinted at by the Apostle as well as Mat. 26. 29. Rev. 3. 20. by our Lord Jesus Christ himself Which is indeed very copiously exprest by Luke in the Parable of the Supper chap. 14. from the 16. to die 24. Verse where One that was at Meat with Christ speaking of the Blessedness of eating of Bread in the Kingdom of God Christ takes occasion to shew forth the Gospel Supper by a Parable viz. A Certain Man made a Great Supper and bid many but they refused upon divers pretences and came not He sent out a second and third time to invite an inferiour sort of Guests and they came to the Supper that is they received the Gospel which is the Power of God to Salvation and the evidence as Well as means of It Which Christ in the 27th verse further expresses thus viz. and whosoever doth not bear my Cross and follow me cannot be my Disciple Now the Cross of Christ the same Apostle also says is the Power of God 1 Cor. 1. 18. all which referrs to an Inward and Spiritual Work and Supper and that they who receive Christ in Spirit Sup with him in Spirit being the partakers of his Spiritual Supper which Christ promises and prepares for all those that open at his knocks the Door of their Hearts unto him Rev. 3. 7ly But besides what I have said both from Scripture and the Nature of the thing in Proof of Christ's Spiritual Supper and Defense of our disuse of the visible Sign the Bishop himself does the same thing in relation to another Ordinance For our Lord Jesus Christ did as solemnly Command his Disciples to wash one anothers Feet as to eat the Supper The Passage is large and edifying and I must recommend it to my Reader to peruse in his Bible John 13. But that part of it which more strictly concerns this point between the Bishop and me I shall repeat here verse 12 13 14 15. So after he had washed their Feet and taken his Garments and was set down again He said unto them Know ye what I have done to you Ye call me Master and Lord and ye say well for so I am If I then your Lord and Master have washed your Feet ye also ought to wash one anothers Feet For I have given you an Example that ye should do as I have done to you Thus Christ Commanded his Disciples not only by his Authority but Example Now does the Bishop and his Friends follow Christ's example and obey this Precept He and they know they do not What must I Infer from thence that the Bishop is no Christian I suppose he would take it very ill from me Tho' he has treated me and my Friends after that sort But I will shew him a better example and suppose he thinks that if Christian Ministers and People walk Humbly towards God and one with another they fulfil this Commandment tho' they disuse the Sign by which the Lord Jesus exprest and recommended Humility to his Followers Now that which excuses the Bishop in reference to this Ordinance of Washing of Feet will also excuse our disuse of the Supper viz. Our eating of the Spiritual Bread and Wine of the Kingdom the Thing Signified by the Outward Supper But it is an Error incident to srail Man to prefer the Practice of those things that have a Shew of Religion and have least of Uneasiness and of the Nature of the Cross of Christ in their Performance Just thus it is easier to receive the Supper than to be Humble if not easier than to wash Feet For one is but a Memorial of Christ but the other perhaps is a Reproach of present Practice and to be sure a Command to Mortification and Self-denial the hardest Lesson in Religion And who knows but for the Reason it has been dropt so long since it must be very uneasie for People to continue a Custom to which their Daily Practice is so visible a Contradiction Though I hear the Roman Bishop â—â—mocks the Text Once a Year 8ly But in Relation to the Supper we farther say the Practice is varied Then they Sat â—ow one sort Stands another Walks a third Kneels a fourth Lies down upon the Ground as in the East Countries The Romans have one Opinion the Greeks another and the Lutherans and Calvinists Divide to great Bitterness in their Sentiments about It. 9ly Again in those Days they were Disciples such as followed Christ now all are admitted that profess Christianity tho' they do not follow him or forsake any thing for his Name sake or keep any of his Holy Precepts Matth. 5 6 7 Chapters 10ly Nor is this all we have to say to Justifie our Disuse of this Practice It is too much Look'd at and Relied upon by the People And indeed is become a kind of Protestant Extream Unction for if the Generality of them can but have it administred just before they Die they are too apt to presume upon it for an acceptance in the other World And indeed it is very frequent if not natural for many Men to excuse their Disobedience by Sacrifice and where Ceremonies or Shadowy Services are continued People rest upon their observance of them and Indulge themselves in the Neglect of the Doctrine of the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ I need not look far nor yet the Bishop for a proof of what I say we can hardly miss which way soever we throw out Eyes the more is the pity And as this is no small Abuse of Primitive Practice so no small Argument for our disuse of it For when the Brazen Serpent was over-valued by the Jews God
that had commanded It for their benefit stirred up Hezekiah to Destroy it 11ly Besides these things are become matter of Gain and made a Sacerdotal Revenue not to say Merchandize which has also helpt to Scandalize People to Tender Consciences who think it a Prophanation of Religion to suffer any part of it to be Excised to the People that ought to be Free 12ly But passing that by at present and supposing Water Baptism and the Supper were not Antiquated but still in Force Who is there Qualified to Administer them Who has received a Commission or the Mind of the Holy Ghost and Power from on High to perform these things For if those that hold they are in Force have no Divine Force or Authority to qualifie them to Administer them there will be but a Lifeless Imitation instead of an Edifying Reality Which â—eads me to what I promised long since That I would at the Close of this Discourse â—ay something of the True Ground of our Difference and Dissent I say then that where we are supposed to â—iffer most we differ least and where we â—re believed to differ least we most of all differ Which I explain thus It 's generally thought that we do not hold the Common Doctrines of Christianity but have Introduced New and Erroneous Ones in lieu thereof Whereas we plainly and entirely Believe the Truths contained in the Creed that is commonly called the Apostles which is very Comprehensive as well as Ancient But that which hath affected our Minds most and engaged us in this Separation was the great Carnality and Emptiness both of Ministers and People under their Profession of Religion They having hardly the Form of Godliness but generally speaking denying the Power thereof from whom the Scripture warns Believers to turn away Next Ministers being made such and preaching and the People worshipping without the Spirit confining the Operations of it to the First or Apostolical Times as if these did not want them as much or that Christ would be less Propitious where his Gifts were not less needful I say an Humane and Lifeless Ministry and Worship together with the great Wordliness of Professors have occasioned our Separation and the Persecution that has commonly followed it hath abundantly confirmed our Judgment In that Matter Hence it was we Retired our selves to wait upon God together according to the Gift of his Holy Spirit and as the Apostle Paul exhorted the Athenians Acts 17. We felt after him with our Souls if by any means we might find him and hear what God the Lord would say unto us who speaks Peace unto his People and his Saints but let them never turn to folly any more We could not I say tell how to think that such as God had never sent but run of themselves and were made Ministers by Humane Learning and Authority not knowing the Work of the Spirit to their own Regeneration could possibly Profit or Edifie the People unto their Regeneration And yet that is the very Work and End of the true Gospel Ministry for no Man can guide another in the way he never trod Besides we apprehended the Ministry was â—ery much a Temporal Preferment and thereâ—ore few were to be found among them that â—â—d not court the Better Places I mean those â—â—at gave the Greatest Pay and by those â—ethods mounted to Worldly Wealth and â—onour as the rest of the World did Turnâ—â—g Alms into Dues and by Law making â—ifts Rents and vexing those extreamly â—â—at for Conscience sake could not uphold â—â—em Which we thought very Foreign to Primitive and an Apostolical Spirit and â—ort of a True and Through Reformation This is not said with any disrespect to their â—ersons or yet Calling simply Considered for â—e that desires the Office of a Bishop certainly â—esires a good thing but the Holy Ghost in â—hose days had the Making of them and the â—ood thing then was their Service and not â—evenue or Worldly Dignity They were then â—ot only no Lords one being their Lord â—ut they lorded it not over God's Clergy or Heâ—itage which was the People in those days â—or â—o the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies tho' it is now â—â—scribed only to the Ministry Then the Ground of Prophesie or Ministry was the Revelation of the Spirit in those ancient Assemblies as may be read 1 Cor. 14. 29 30 31 32. For all might Prophecy that is Preach as the Spirit of God moved upon their Spirit and gave them utterance be it to Reproof Instruction or Consolation Now Study Collection and Memory In those Days they Preach'd their Own Experience of die Work of God upon their Hearts but most now Preach of the Experiences of Others recorded in Scriptures but according to their own and others Humane Apprehensions To be brief we Ground our Conviction Conversion Ministry Prayer and Praise upon the Light and Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ as the Powerful and Effectual Spring of our Religious Performances and that alone which prepares the Soul and Enables it to Perform those respective Services and Duties in a Manner Acceptable to God And that Ministry and Worship which stands not in the Spirit and is not performed in the Preparation and Inspiration thereof but according to the Compilings Traditions and Precepts of Men we cannot allow to be Primitive and Evangelical and consequently cannot join in them And we are satisfied that it is the good Pleasure of God that all who profess the Name of his Dear and Only Begotten and Well-beloved Son should Acquaint themselves with the Spirit of His Son in their own Hearts in its Reproof Instruction Conviction and Consolation that they may become Spiritually Minded such as mind Spiritual Things more than Earthly Ones and that Daily sow to the Spirit that is bring forth the Fruits of the Spirit and become the Children of God who are led by the Spirit of God Now the Fruit of the Spirit is Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Temperance Against such there is no Law And they that are Christ's have Crucified the Flesh with the Affections and Lusts thereof But the Works of the Flesh are manifest which are these Adultery Fornication Uncleanness Lasciviousness Idolatry Witchcraft Hatred Variance Emulations Wrath Strife Seditions Heresies Envyings Murder Drunkenness Revilings and such like Of which I told you before as also in time past that they which do such things shall not Inherit the Kingdom of God Rom. 8. 6. 14. Gal. 5. 16. to 24. Chap. 6. 7. 8. And under these Marks and Directions all People may examine themselves and know their Birth Family and Inheritance whether they are the off-spring of God and true Christians or Children of the Evil One Those that are born of the Spirit for whom is reserved an Inheritance With the Saints in Light or the Seed of Evil Doers for whom is reserved the Blackness of Darkness for ever And truly it seems just with God that those who love Darkness
better than Light in this World should have their Fill of It in the next from which God Almighty redeem Thee Reader that thou mayst walk in his blessed Light as he is in the Light then thou wilt have fellowship with the Children of Light and the Blood of Jesus Christ the Great Atonement shall Cleanse the from All Sin 1 John 1. 5 6 7. yea from the filthiness both of Flesh and Spirit and being sanctified throughout in Body and Spirit thou mayst live to serve God in the Newness of his holy Spirit Rom. 7. 6. and come to be made a New Man that is an other Man From a Proud an Humble Man from a Passionate a Patient Man from a Rough a Meek Man and of a Cruel Covetous Unjust Lascivious Intemperate Vain and Ungodly Man thou becomest a Merciful Liberal Just Chast Sober and Godly Man And where this Change this New Birth or New Creature is not known Sacrifices avail nothing Religion is but Formality and the Peace of God will never be their Recompence of Reward But they that walk after this blessed unerring Rule of the New Creature Peace be on them and Mercy and upon the Israel of God Gal. 6. 15 16. who are the Circumcision made Without Hands in putting off the Body of the Sins of the Flesh by the Circumcision of Christ Col. 3. 11. even that of the Heart in the Spirit whole Praise is not of Men but of God Rom. 2. 29. And who therefore Worship God in the Spirit and have no Confidence in the Flesh Phil. 3. 3. that is in fleshly Ordinances or the observation of Figures and Signs compounded of Outward Elements which represent Heavenly Things Wherefore the Apostle Exhorted and Commanded Col. 2. 16 17. Let no Man Judge you in Meat or in Drink or in respect of an Holy Day c. which are Shadows of things to Come but the Body is of Christ that is Christ is the Substance of all outward representations and they that have Christ have the End of all those things Whom Reader we Labour and Pray may be better known received and obeyed by the Professors of his holy Name and Religion That as he is Given of God to be our Priest Prophet and King we may all Know Feel and Enjoy him such in our selves and then the Kingdom of God will be come in us and his will done in our Earth as it is in Heaven Which God Grant I most Humbly beseech him For the Conclusion of the Bishop's Paper it is either Repitition or Reflection the one needs no Answer and the other wants a Defence However I will not have it said that I either wave or suppress It and therefore without any Reflection I will consider his Which should have no weight with my Reader but against him He says in his 12 Paragraph He pities us thinking many of us Harmless and Well-meaning but under the Power of strong Delusions And in his 13 Paragraph he gives us his sence of the cause thereof viz. that we make the Light within a Rule of Faith and Practice Co-ordinate if not Superiour and Antecedent to the Holy Scripture To prove which to be our Sentiment he cites these words out of our Gospel-Truths where speaking of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures we say they are the Double and Agreeing Record of true Religion Now if the Light and Spirit agree with the Scripture there is no fear of contradicting the Scripture and so we can have nothing to answer for on account of that Expression for what agrees with the Scripture establishes it instead of Slighting or Superceeding the Authority of it And though we used no such words as Co-ordinate much less Superiour and Antecedent which is the Bishop's Gloss to render our most True and In-offensive Expression suspected and make way to fasten his supposed Strong Delusions upon us I will be very frank with him in this matter that we Believe the Scripture to be the Declaration of the Mind of the Holy Ghost and therefore not Superiour to the Holy Ghost but Credited Confirmed and Expounded by the Holy Ghost so that without the Illumination of It the Scripture cannot be understood by them that read It. The Grammatical and Critical Sense of the Words and Allusions therein may be understood but the Inside and Spiritual Signification of them is a Riddle to those that are not Spiritually instructed therein tho' they were never such Grammarians or Linguists Again Christ says He that loves the Light brings his Deeds to the Light to see if they are wrought in God John 3. 21. which was before the New Testament Scripture was in being and this makes It both Rule and Judge of the Life and Deeds of Men. What says the Bishop to this Also John 14 15 16 Chapters Christ promises the Spirit to lead them his People into all Truth and this was not the Scripture but something at least Co-ordinate if not Superiour and Antecedent to the Scripture which is more than we said before Also the Apostle Paul tells the Romans Ch. 8. that as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God Then the Spirit is to Lead Believers or they cannot be the Children of God And that which Leads Rules and that which Rules is a Rule to them that follow it And the same Apostle referr'd the Galathians Chap. 6. 15 16. to the Rule of the New Creature to walk by and that must be the Spirit which begets the New Creature viz. Christ formed in them of whom he tells them Chap. 14. 19. He travelled in Birth again And the Beloved Disciple expresly says to the Christians in his First Epistle Chap. 2. 20. that they had an Unction from the Holy One and they knew all things that is all things they had to Believe Know and Practice And Verse 27. he adds But the Anointing which ye have received abideth in you and ye need not that any Man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of All things and is Truth If the Bishop will break through all these Scriptures to undervalue the Light and Spirit of Christ for no other Light or Spirit do we Assert Recommend People to or Contend for that he might render us Guilty of Strong Delusions I cannot help it but must be truly sorry for him But I beseech him to have a care that he does not like the Jews of old Undervalue and indeed Blaspheme against the Holy Light and Spirit of God and by miscalling the Fruits and Effects of its Power Strong Delusions and Transformations of Satan For God will not hold such Guiltless in his Great and Terrible Day of Judgment And after all the Best and First Reformers and Martyrs as well as Fathers Concur in our Assertion and Testimony As Zuinglius Luther Melanchton Calvin Beza Bucer Peter Martyr and Erasmus too Also our own Excellent Martyrs viz. Lambert Rogers Philpot Bradford Hooper Woodman c. that the Double and Agreeing Testimony