THE CHRISTIANITY OF THE PEOPLE Commonly Called QUAKERS ASSERTED Being a brief Account of their Faith in Relation to divers Matters wherein their Christian Belief is Questioned Published in behalf of the People of GOD called Quakers by some of them Luke 6. 22. Blessed are ye when Men shall hate you and when they shall separate you from their Company and shall Reproach you and cast out your Name as evil for the Son of Man's Sake Acts 24 14 After the way which they call Heresie so Worship I the GOD of my Fathers Printed in the Year 1696. THE PREFACE TO THE READER THere hath been of late Years many Aspersions cast upon Vs whereby the People in some Places especially in the West of this Nation of Scotland have been much stirred up against us and much hard and cruel Vsage have we Suffered and have often been in danger of our Lives both in our Meetings and in the Streets and sometimes in our own Houses And since the Sitting of the Late General Assembly at Edinburgh what a mighty Clamour hath been among the People through a great part of the Nation concerning us Some saying we must be all Excommunicated and that none must Converse or Deal with us others saying we must all be Banished The rude Multitude that abuse us often threatning us with the General Assembly and taking occasion from thence especially in our Meeting at Edinburgh to be more Wicked Prophane and Loose in their Carriage towards us than they were before And the only Reason that is given for this Confused Noise about us and for all the Cruel and Vnchristian Vsage we meet with is it not the same that was alledged against the LORD and his People by their Adversaries and Persecutors in former Ages that is under pretence of being Deceivers Deluders Hereticks Schismaticks possessed with the Devil c. Did not the Chief Priests and Pharisees tell People that Christ was a Deceiver and that he had a Devil John 7. 47. Mat. 2. 63. Luke 11. 15. John 8. 48. and did not the People revile and persecute Him under that pretence and were not the Apostles accounted Deceivers Turners of the World upside-down and deemed unworthy to Live upon the Earth 2 Cor. 6. 8. Acts 27. 50. And was not Paul called a Pestilent Fellow a Mover of Sedition a Ring-leader of the Sect of the Nazarines c. Acts 17. 6. Acts 24. 5. And were not all the Revilings Scoffings Stonings Imprisonments and other hard usage that they met with inflicted upon them under those hatefull Names and Epithites aforementioned whereby the dark Priests benighted Elders and Proud Pharisees and others stirred up the People against them and did not the Heathens put Wild-beasts Skins upon the Christians to make them appear like Beasts that the Dogs might be stirred up to Devour them And was it not under the black and detestable Names of Hereticks Deluders Schismaticks and sometimes of Socerers or Witches That the Popish Clergy incensed the People against the Ancient Protestants prohibiting them all Trade and Commerce exposing them to cruel Scoffings and Revilings and at last Murthering many Thousands of them as may be seen at large in the Books of Martyrs Was ever Christ or his Apostles found in such cruel practices or stirring People up thereunto Did he not rebuke those Disciples that desired the destruction of some that would not receive Him telling them they knew not what Spirit they were off and that he was not come to destroy mens lives but to save them Joh. 9. 55 56. And were not the Stoners Abusers Scoffers and envious Murthering Persecutors and the Priests and Teachers that stirred them up thereunto such as were filling up the measure of their iniquity and drawing down the Righteous and terrible Judgments of God upon themselves Mat. 23. 32 33 34 35 Acts. 7. 51. 52. So our earnest desire is that they who have shown themselves so eager to be found in such cruel Practices in this our Age may seriously consider what Spirit they are off and whose Steps they are treading in and that they may Repent before it be too late Now we having often been wrongfully accused and from thence hatefull Names put upon us with denying the Trinity the Holy Scriptures that we undervalue the Merits and Sufferings of CHRIST Some saying we deny His Divinity others saying we deny His Humanity The Ordinances The Resurrection and the Great Day of Judgement c. We have therefore found a Concern upon us to Publish a brief Relation of what our belief hath been still is concerning those other weighty points of Christian Doctine so leave it to the serious Consideration of the empartial Reader what ground there is for that mighty Clamour that hath been and yet continues against us and whether it be not like theirs of Old that cryed out Men of Israel Help c. Acts 21. 28. The CHRISTIANITY of the People commonly called QVAKERS Asserted Being a Brief account of Their Faith in Relation to several weighty Matters wherein Their Christian Belief is Questioned Question WHat 's your Belief concerning the Blessed Trinity as our Term is Answer Our Belief is that in the Unity of the God-head there is Father Son and Holy Ghost being those Three Divine Witnesses that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testmony Mat. 28. 19. 1 Joh. 5. 7. Quest. Do you Believe the Divinity and Humanity of Jesus Christ the Eternal Son of God or that Jesus Christ is truely God and Man Answ. Yes we verily believe that Jesus Christ is truly God and Man according as Holy Scripture Testifies of Him God over all blessed for ever he true God and Eternal Life the One Mediator between God and Men even he Man Christ Jesus Joh. 1. 1. 2. Rom. 9. 5. 1 Joh. 5. 20. 1 Tim. 2. 5. Quest. Do you believe and expect Salvation and Justification by the Righteousness and Merits of Jesus Christ or by your own Righteousness or Works Answ. By Jesus Christ his Righteousness Merits and Works and not by our own God is not indebted to us for our deservings but we to him for is free Grace in Christ Jesus whereby we are saved through Faith in Him not of our selves and by his Grace inabled truly and acceptably to serve and â—ollow Him as He requires He is our All in All who worketh all in us â—at is well pleasing to God Rom. 3. 24. Eph. 2. 8. 9. Quest. Do you believe Remission of Sin and Redemption through the Sufferings Death and Blood of Christ Answ. Yes through Faith in Him as he Suffered and Died for all Men â—ave himself a Ransom for all and His Blood being shed for the Remission â—f Sins so all they who sincerely believe and obey Him receive the Benefits â—d blessed Effects of his suffering and dying for them they by Faith in His â—ame receive and partake of that Eternall
Redemption which he hath â—tained for us who gave Himself for Vs that he might Redeem us from 〈◊〉 Iniquity He died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification and if 〈◊〉 walk in the Light as He is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all Sin 1 Joh. 2. 2. 2 Cor. 5 14. 1 Joh. 1. 7. Quest. Do you believe and own the Divine Offices of Jesus Christ in his Church Answ. Yes verily we sincerely believe and own Christ not only as He is the Light of the World enlightning every Man coming into it but also that he is given for a Leader and for a Commander And that He is both King Priest and Prophet to and over His Church and People He is the Minister of the Sanctuary which the Lord pitched and not Man and we are to hear Him in all things Isa. 55. 4. Zech. 9. 9. Heb. 3. 1. Deut 18. 15. 18. Heb. 8. 2. Quest. Do you believe or own Baptism as Essential to Christianity or necessary to Salvation and for the Ingrafting us into Christ and His Church Answ. We believe and are fully perswaded That Baptism which is Essential to Christianity and the saving Baptism or the Cause without which none can be true Christians or saved is the Inward Spiritual washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life This is the saving Baptism into Christ and His Church which produceth the Answer of a Good Conscience towards God of which the outward was a Figure 1 Pet. 3. 21. This is that One Baptism of Christ by one Spirit into that one Body whereof Christ is Head Eph. 4. 5. As to Dipping or Sprinkling Infants or Young Children we find no Precept or Precedent in Holy Scripture for the practice thereof and therefore we cannot think our not believing it Essential or necessary to Salvation or making Christians a sufficient Argument to prove us no Christians unless it can be proved that none are saved without it and that all are saved that have it Considering also what 's positively affirmed in the 39 Articles of the Church of England as in the 6th Article That whatsoever is not Read in the Holy Scriptures nor may be proved thereby is not to be required of any Man That it should be believed as an Article of the Faith or be thought requisite or necessary to Salvation And in the 20th Article That the Church ought not to Decree or Enforce anything against or besides Holy Writ to be believed for necessity of Salvation And in Article 21. That things ordain'd by General Councils as necessary to Salvation have neither strength nor Authority unless that they be taken out of Holy Scripture And in the Westminster Confession of Faith professed by the Kirk of Scotland Chap. 20. It is Said God alone is Lord of the Conscience and hath left it free from the doctrins and Commandments of men which are in any thing contrary to his word i. e. The holy Scripture or beside it if matters of Faith or Worship so that to believe such doctrines or obey such Commands out of Conscience is to betray true liberty of Conscience and the requiring of an implicit faith and an absolute and blinâ—â— obedience Quest. Do you believe or own the Lords Supper either as a sign of the Love that Christians ouâ—ht to have among themselves or as a Seal of the Saints Communion and Commemoration of Christs Death for us or as Figurative of Christs Body and Blood Spiritually received by Faith Answ. The Supper of the Lord we own and tenderly consider in a twofold Sense 1. In the Figure 2. In the Substance 1. That our Lord Jesus Christ at his Supper with His Disciples did Eat the Passover which was for the Fulfilling and Consummation of the Fasts under the Law see Luke 22. And at this Supper He did take and Minister Bread and the Cup to his Disciples for there was no Transubstantiation saying This do in Remembrance of Me and said the Apostle As often as ye shall Eat this Bread and Drink this Cup ye shew the Lords Death till he come 1 Cor. 11. After this they did more clearly know His coming and Christ after the Spirit Jesus Christ in them 2 Cor. 13. 5. and 5. 16. 2. And Christ sald to His Disciples I will not Drink henceforth of this Fruit of the Vine until that day I Drink it new with you in my Fathers Kingdom Matth. 26 29. And likewise of the Bread I will not any more Eat thereof until it be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God Luke 22. 16. And he further said I appoint unto you a Kingdom as my Father hath appointed to me that ye may Eat and Drink at my Table in my Kingdom c. Luke 22 29. 30. In these things we believe he spoke Mysteriously and that every Member of his Spiritual Church doth daily Spiritually partake of His Body and Blood by Faith as the Cup of Blessing which we Bless is it not the Communion of the Blood of Christ And the Bread which we break is it not the Communion of the Body of Christ For we being many are ONE Bread and ONE Body for we are all partakers of that ONE Bread 1 Cor. 10. 15 16. 17. The Son of God saith 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 SVP with him and he with me Rev. 3. 20. And Wisdom calleth to the Simple Come Eat of my Bread aud Drink of my Wine Prov. 9. 4 5. And saith Christ The Bread of God is He that cometh down from Heaven and giveth Life unto the VVorld I am that Bread of Life my Flesh is Meat indeed and my Blood is Drink indeed He that Eateth my Flesh and Drinketh my Blood dwelleth in Me and I in him John 6. We believe that all who thus do truly partake of Christ by Faith are in true Communion and Love among themselves which they do want who are only in the outward Observations of Sign and Shadows Quest. Do you own the Seals of the New Covenant Answ. Yes as the New Covenant is Spiritual so are the Seals thereof as they may be Termed proper to it and therefore we believe they stand not in any external Shadow Sign or Figure but in Spirit and Substance the Seals of the New Covenant which is Inward and Spiritual must needs be the Evidence Testimony and Work of the Holy Spirit giving us Assurance through Faith of our share and Interest in that Covenant See what the Holy Scripture saith in this Case see 2 Cor. 1. 22. Who hath also Sealed us and hath given us the earnest of the Spirit in our Hearts Ephes. 1. 13. After that ye believed ye were Sealed with that Holy Spirit of Promise And Ephes. 4. 30. And grieve not the Holy Spirit of God whereby ye are Sealed unto the day of Redemption Our Christian Sense
and Belief in these Matters may be briefly summ'd up in what follows viz. 1. We believe That the spiritual appearance and living enjoyment of Christ in spirit is above all outward signs shadows or figures or 〈◊〉 Remembrance only of him thereby And that Christ more clearly discovers himself by his spirit in the New Covenant then by any outward Representations in the Old or thereunto appertaining 2. That the One Baptism of the spirit is a seal or confirmation of the New Covenant to true Believers and of them in it and so is their spiritual Eating and Drinking with him in his Kingdom a certain assurance Seal or Evidence of their spiritual Communion with Him and in Him 3. As all outward shadows and figures were of a decreasing nature so there is the substance thereof which they pointed at and wherein they ended though the names given to the shadows were carried along to the substance also that it might the more plainly appear in Scripture how the shadows were fulfilled in the substance Christ as in the Old Covenant there was outward Circumcision of the flesh in the New there is the Inward Circumcision of the Spirit In the Old there was diverse Washings or Baptisms Heb 9 10 In the New the One Baptism of Christ in the Old the Feast o◠the outward Passover kept with unleavened Bread and other Feasts observed c. In the New Covenant Jesus Christ is our Passover and the Feast i◠to be kept with unleayened Bread of sincerity and truth and here the O◠Bread of Life is known and received 4. We do not read nor find in Scripture that One outward Type o◠shadow was a Type of another Type outward but alwayes of the thing Typified ot shadowed forth which was the substance and end of that shadow or Type as may be shewen at large if any undertake to shew us any shadow or thing that is figurative in its own nature mentioned in Scripture which they suppose we cannot shew the substance of under the same Name or Title Quest. Do you believe and own the Holy Scriptures contained in the Books of the Old and New Testament to be given by Divine Inspiration and to contain all Matters of Doctrine and Testtmonie c. necessarie to be believed and practiced in order to salvation and Peace with GOD Answer Yes we do and by the assistance of the Grace and good Spirit of GOD which gives the true understanding of the Mind of GOD and meaning of Holy Scripture we always desire to live in the Faith Knowledge and Practice of them in all things appertaining to Life and Godliness Holy Scripture being given by Divine Inspiration is profitable for Doctrine Correction and Instruction that the Man of GOD may be perfect thorowly furnished unto every good Work able to make the Man of GOD wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus A Further Declaration of what our Christian Belief and Profession hath been and still is in Respect to JESUS CHRIST the Only begotten Son of GOD his suffering Death Resurrection Glory Light Power Great-day of Judgment c. WE Sincerely Profess Faith in GOD by his only begotten Son JESUS CHRIST as being our Light and Life our only way to the Father That GOD Created all things He made the Worlds by his Son JESVS CHRIST He being that Powerful and Living Word of GOD by whom all things were made And that the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit are one in Divine Being inseparable One true living and eternal GOD blessed for ever Yet That this Word or Son of GOD in the fulness of time took flesh became perfect man according to the flesh descended and came of the Seed of Abraham and David but was miraculously Conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of The Virgin Mary and also further declared to be the Son of GOD with Power according to the Spirit of Sanctification by the Resurrection from the Dead That in the Word or Son of GOD was Life and the same life was the Light of men and that he was and is that true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World and therefore that men are to believe in the Light that they may become Children of the Light Hereby we believe in Christ the Son of God as he is the Light and life within us and wherein we must needs have sincere respect and honour to and belief in Christ as in his own unapproachable and incomprehensible Glory and fulness As he is the Fountain of Life and Light and Giver thereof unto us Christ as in himself and as in us being not divided And that as man Christ dyed for our sins and rose again and was received up into Glory in the Heavens He having in his dying for all bee◠that One and great universal Offering and Sacrifice for peace Atonement and Reconciliation between God and Man and he is the Propitiation not for sins only but for the sins of the whole world we were reconciled by his death but saved by his Life That Jesus Christ who sitteth at the right hand of the Throne of th◠Majesty in the Heavens yet is he our King High Priest and Prophet 〈◊〉 his Church a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man He is Intercessor and Advocate wit◠the Father in Heaven and there appearing in the presence of God for us being touched with the feeling of our infirmities Sufferings and sorrows and also by his Spirit in our hearts he maketh Intercession according to the Will of God crying Abba Father For any whom God hath Gifted and Called sincerely to Preach Faith in the same Christ both as within and without us cannot be to Preach two Christs but one and the same Lord Jesus Christ having respect to those degrees of our spiritual Knowledge of Christ Jesus in us and to his unspeakable fulness and Glory as in himself in his own intire Being wherein Christ himself and the least measure of his light and life as in us or in Mankind are not divided nor separable no more than the Sun is from its Light And as he ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things his fulness cannot be comprehended or contained in any finite Creature But in some measure known and experienced in us as we are capable to receive the same as of his fulness we have received Grace for Grace Christ our Mediator received the Spirit not by measure but in fulness but to every one of us is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ That the Gospel of the Grace of God should be preached in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost being One in Power VVisdom and Goodness and indivisible or not be divided in the great Work of Mans Salvation We sincerely confess and believe
Being 〈◊〉 excellency namely that God should be and was Manifest in the Flesh Justifieâ— in the Spirit seen of Angels Preached unto the Gentiles Believed on it thâ— World and received up into Glory And it is a great and precious mystery of Godliness and Christianity also thâ— Christ should bâ— spiritually and effectually in mens hearts to save and delivâ—â— them from sin Satan and bondage of Corruption Christ being thus reveallâ—â— in true Believers and dwelling in their hearts by Faith Christ within the hoâ—â— of Glory our Light and Life who of God is made unto us Wisdom Righteouâ—â—ness Sanctification and Redemption 1 Cor. 1. 30. And therefore this Mystery of Godliness both as in its own Being and Glorâ— and also as in men in many hid and in some revealed hath been and must be Testified Preached and believed where God is Pleased to give Commission and prepare Peoples hearts for the same and not in mans will Concerning the Resurrection of the Dead and the Great day of Judgement yet to come beyond the Grave or after Death and CHRISTS Comming without us to Judge the Quick and the Dead as diverse Questions are put in such Terms what the Holy Scriptures plainly declare and testifie in these matters we have great reason to Credit and not to Question and have been alwayes ready to Embrace with Respect to CHRIST and his Apostles own Testimony and Prophecies 1. FOR the Doctrine of the Resurrection If in this Life onely we have Hope in Christ we are of all Men most Miserable 1 Cor. 15. 19. We sincerely believe not only a Resurrection in Christ from the fallen sinfull State here but a Rising and Ascending into Glory with Him hereafter that when he at last appears we may appear also with him in Glory Col. 3. 4. 1 John 3. 2. But that all the Wicked who live in Rebellion against the Light of Grace and Die finally Impenitent shall come forth to the Resurrection of Condemnation And that the Soul or Spirit of every Man and Woman shal be reserved in its own distinct proper Being so as there shall be as many Souls in the World to come as in this and every Seed yea every Soul shall have its proper Body as GOD is pleased to give it 1 Cor. 15. A Natural Body is sown a Spiritual Body is Raised that being first which is Natural and afterwards â—nat which is Spiritual And though it 's said this Corruptible shall put on Incorruption and this Mortal shall put on Immortality the Change shal be such as Flesh and Blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of GOD neither doth Corruption inherit Incorruption 1 Cor. 15. Chap. We shall be Raised out of all Corruption and Corruptibility out of all Mortality and he Children of GOD and of the Resurrection shall be equal to the Angels of GOD in Heaven Mat. 22. 30. Mark 12. 25. Luke 20. 36. And as the Celestial Bodies do far excell Terrestriall So we expect ouâ— Spirituall Bodies in the Resurrection shall far excell what our Bodies now are and we hope none can Justly blame us for thus expecting better bodieâ— than they now are Howbeit we esteem it very unnecessary to Dispute or Question how the Dead are Raised or with what Body they come But rather submit that to the Wisdom and Pleasure of Almighty GOD. Secondly For the Doctrine of Eternal Judgement GOD hath committed all Judgement unto His Son JESUS CHRIST and He is Judge of both Quick and Dead and of the States and Ends of all Mankind John 5. 22. 27. Acts 10. 42. 2 Timothy 4. 1. 1 Peter 4. 5. That there shall be hereafter a Great Harvest which is the End of the World A Great Day of Judgement and for the Judgment of that Great Day the Holy Scripture is clear Matthew 13. ' 39 40 41. Chap. 20. 15. and 11. 24. Jude 6. When the Son of Man cometh in His Glory and all the Holy Angels with Him Then shall He sit upon the Throne in his Glory and before Him shall be gathered all Nations c. Matthew 25. 31. 32. to the end compared with Chapter 22. 31. Mark 8. 38. Luke 9. 26. and 1 Corinthians 15. 52. 2 Thessalonians 1. 7 8. to the end 1 Thessalontans 4. 19. Revelation 20. 12 13 14 15. That this Blessed Heavenly Man this Son of Man who hath so deeply Suffered and Endured so many Indignities and Persecutions from his Adversaries both to Himself and his Members and Brethren should at last even in the Last and Great Day Signally and Manifestly Appear in Glory and Triumph attended with all his Glorious Heavenly Host and Retinue before all Nations before all his Enemies and those that have denyed him this will be to their great Terror and Amazement that this most Glorious Heavenly Man and his Brethren that have been so much Contemned and set at Nought should be thus Exalted over their Enemies and Persecutors in Glory and Triumph is a righteous thing with GOD and that they that Suffer with Him should Appear with Him in Glory and Dignity when He thus Appears at Last CHRIST was Judge of the World and oâ— the Prince thereof when on the Earth John 9. 39 and 12. 31. He is still Judge of the World the Wickedness and Prince thereof by his Light Spirit and Gospel in Mens Hearts and Consciences John 16. 8 11. Matthew 12. 18 â—0 Isaiah 42. 1. Romans 2. 16. 1 Peter 4. 6. And he will be the Judge and â—inal Determiner thereof in that Great Day appointed GOD having appointed a Day wherein he will Judge the World in Righteousness by that Man whom he hath ordained Christ foretold it shall be more tolerable for them of the Land of Sodom and Gommorah in the Day of Judgement than for that City or People that would not receive his Messengers or Ministers c. Matthew 10 15. and â—ee Chap. 11. 24. and Mark 6. 11. Luke 10. 12. 14. It is certain that GOD knows how to deliver the Godly out of all their Trials and Afflictions and at last to bring them forth and raise them up into Glory with CHRIST So he knoweth also how to reserve the unjust and finally Impenitent unto the Day of Judgement to be Punished 2 Peter 2. 9. He will bring them forth unto the Day of Destruction Job 21. 30. The LORD can and will â—eserve such Impenitent Presumptuous and Rebellious Criminals as bound under Chains of Darkness as were the fallen Angels unto the Judgment of the Great Day Jude 6. Matthew 25. 30. 'T is not for us to Determine or dispute the Manner how they shall be so reserved but leave it to GOD He knows how Something further Relating to this Doctrine of the Resurrection and eternal Judgment AT the last Trump of GOD and Voice of the Arch Angel the Dead shall be raised incorruptible the Dead in CHRIST shall rise first 1 Corinthians 15. 52. 1 Thessalonians 4. 16. Compared with Matthew 24. 31. Many are often allarm'd in Conscience