that the Inward Spiritual Baptism washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life the Spirit of Life the Power of Christ is the Saving Baptism the truly Regenerating Baptism the Baptism essentially necessary to Salvation and making Christians and not the outward nor the Sign Type or Shadow thereof is no venomous Doctrine but agreeable to Holy Scripture Testimony is evident from Isa. 1. Wash you make you clean put away the evil of your doings from before mine Eyes saith the Lord c. this was an Inward and Spiritual Washing Jer. 4. 14. O Jerusalem wash thine Heart from thy wickedness that thou mayest be saved This was a Heart-washing an Inward and Spiritual Washing whereby they might be Saved Zech. 13. 1. The Fountain opened to the House of David and to the Inhabitants of Jerusalem for Sin and for Uncleanness was a Spiritual Fountain The Lord God was the Fountain of Living Water which when they had forsaken they committed a great Evil therein as well as in hewing to themselves broken Cisterns which could hold no Water Jer. 2. 13. And the clean Water the Lord promised to Sprinkle upon his People to make them clean from all their Filthiness and to cleanse them from all their Idols Ezek. 36. 25. was a Spiritual Sprinkling with Spiritual Water and the Lord 's doing John 3. 5. Except a Man be born again of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God This was Spiritual Living Water Inward and Sanctifying Grace as the True Primitive Christians experienced and best of Reformed Protestants believed and not the outward Element of Water as Papists and this Rector believe and hold As in his page 28 before more fully observed yea he holds This poor Element as he calls it of Water as necessary to do away Sins and to work upon our Souls as the Waters of Jordan were to the Cleansing of Naaman 2 Kings 5. 13. so necessary quoth he are the Waters of Baptism to the Cleansing our Souls p. 31. Such Vertue he ascribes to this Element thus idolizing it even as highly as the Rhemists against the Protestants but contrary to Christ's own Testimony also If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me saith our Lord Jesus John 13. 8. who also required first to make clean the inside that the out-side might be clean also Therefore 't was the Inward Spiritual Washing of Regeneration the Washing or Cleansing of the Heart by the Word of Life the Holy Spirit and Power of Christ which was the Soul's Saving Baptism and not that of the outward Element Titus 3. 4 5. After that the Kindness of God our Saviour toward Man appeared not by Works of Righteousness which we have done but according to his Mercy he Saved us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the Holy Ghost And if the Baptism which doth now save us be not the Putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the Answer of a good Conscience towards God by the Resurrection of Jesus Christ according to that of 1 Pet. 3. 23. What can be more clear than that the Saving Baptism is that of the Spirit which is the One Baptism Ephes. 4. 5. whereby the Saints were all Baptized into One Body 1 Cor. 12. 13. and not that of the outward Element which can neither cleanse the Soul nor wash away the Sin or Guilt thereof The Inward and Spiritual Grace Saveth the Soul from Sin and Condemnation and ought to be preferred to all outward and visible Signs which can neither Save nor Sustain or Relieve the Soul 't is Life and Substance which is divine can do that The One Spiritual Baptism and that One Bread that Spiritual Meat and Drink which cometh down from Heaven is that which both saves and nourisheth the Soul unto Eternal Life John 6. 1 Cor. 10. That Disciples and Apostles of Christ did Baptize with Water is not denied Acts 8. 36 38. ch 10. 48. ch 19. 3 4 5. but that they did Practice or enjoin it as an act of necessity pursuant to Christ's Commission in Matth. 28. 19. is to impose upon us or beg the Question but that it was rather permissively practised in con discention than by that Commission For 1st Water is not expressed in that Text. 2dly When they Baptized with Water they did not use the terms of the Commission in it We do not read in all the Acts of the Apostles that any of them Baptized with Water in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost or that they used those expressions or terms in their Baptizing with Water but in the name of the Lord or in the name of the Lord Jesus If Water had been intended in that Commission of Christ Matth. 28. 19. the Apostle Paul must be concerned in it it must be as much binding to him as any other Minister but he declares the contrary that Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1. 17. he does not say Christ sent me not only to Baptize but positively for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel which was part of the Reason he gave why he thanked God that he had baptized no more than those he mentions 1 Cor. 1. 14 15 16. as well as Lest they should have said he had baptized in his own name for 't is not to be supposed he would thank God for not performing part of his Commission if it had been to Baptize with Water as well as to Preach the Gospel but that positive and general Reason for Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel leaves no room for him to say Christ sent me to Minister Water-Baptism in his Commission in Matth. 28. 19. for Water-Baptism was properly John's Baptism and Ministry to make way for Christ's higher Dispensation and Spiritual Ministry Matth. 3. 11. Mark 11. 8. Luke 3. 16. John 1. 16. Acts 1. 5. 10. 16. compare with Acts 19. 2 3 4. But I need not enlarge on this subject to answer the Anabaptists Argument for Plunging or dipping Believers in Water unless this Rector were in the Practice thereof and renounced his Rantism as they do as a Scriptureless Thing as they term Sprinkling Infants But referr him to a Treatise of one that was of his Coat i. e. William Dell his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Or The Doctrine of Baptisms To the Rector's Referring the Reader to that Excellent Piece of Water-Baptism as he terms it writ by that worthy and Ingenious Author as he applauds him of The Snake in the Grass c. printed 1697. p. 29. Thus highly has he commended the Author of that Great Defaming and Reproaching Libel i. e. The Snake in the Grass but it would be too difficult a Task for him to defend the manifold Gross and Abominable Lies and Calumnies contain'd therein against the manifest detection and discovery made of them not only in my Antidote against the Venom of
Infants or Believers we are left at uncertainty by this Rector 't is enough with him to cry It must be with Water Water But who who must come under it Men or Babes Here we are at a loss What an easie way it is to make Christians and to get to Heaven if this be it viz. Learn and believe your Creed and that you are inwardly washed regenerated and entered into God's Kingdom by your Water-Baptism Whether as Infants or grown up is still the Question This Rector boldly tells us Nay further it appears That before our Saviour Baptized those in Judea he represented the Solemnity of Baptism as a thing necessary to enter Men into that Kingdom of God to which he invited them our Saviour not only telling Nicodemus John 3. 5. That except a Man be born again he could not see the Kingdom of God But yet more plainly That except he was born again of Water p. 5. and of the Spirit he could not enter into it p. 28. In this Interpretation of John 3. 5. to outward Water the Rector exactly agrees with the Popish Notion and Interpretation thereof That no Man can enter into the Kingdom of God nor into the Fellowship of Holy Church without Water-Baptism as held by the Rhemists see their Annotations upon John 3. 5. And therein opposed by the Protestants as appears in Dr. Fulk's Answer viz. It is not necessary in this place By Water to understand material Water but rather the Purifying Grace of Christ. As in Chap. 4. ver 11 14. where 't is called Living Water whereof he saith Washing with Water in Baptism is an outward Sign So that the Reform'd Protestants did place Salvation the New Birth and entering into the Kingdom of God upon the Inward Baptism by the Purifying Grace of Christ and not upon the Outward Element of Water they esteem'd that but an outward Sign of the Inward For the outward Baptism by Water the Rector urges our Saviour's Example and Practice from John 3. 22 26. p. 28. as if practised or ministred by Christ himself But that 's a Mistake for in John 4. 2. 't is expresly said Though Jesus himself baptized not but his Disciples I have run the farther into this Point in this place to shew what a Composition the Rector has run Christianity into But to return to some of his invidious Abuses and Perversions For the Credit of his Charge of Venom and Blasphemous Opinions relating to Christianity as well as to the Government against us he saith And to this end and purpose in the Month of March last past there were two Books presented to both Houses of Parliament the one Entitled A Brief Discovery of some of the Blasphemies and Seditious Principles c. The other Entitled Some few of the Quakers many horrid Blasphemies Heresies c. And also a Sheet Entitled Some Reasons humbly offered why the Quakers should be examined p. 6 7. Here we may observe this Rector has owned these same Books as well as presenting them to the Parliament Now one of them that is a Libel stiled Some Few has an Owner with the rest Thou therefore John Meriton Rector so called art accountable for the manifold Abuses Perversions Calumnies and Traducings which are in those Books and detected in my Truth and Innocency vindicated which I doubt not but will turn to your great Shame and Disgrace who promoted them as will also your strenuous Endeavours to Insence the Government against us but that they had more Discretion and Prudence than to be influenced by two or three Invidious Persons against a Peaceable and Serviceable People Now concerning our Christian Profession on which the Rector makes his Observations to evince the Venom of Quakerism as he unjustly defames us He accuseth us with dubious and equivocal Terms agreeable to those of the Oracles of the Heathen p. 7. for our confessing That our Belief is That in the Unity of the God-head there is Father Son and Holy Ghost those Three Divine Witnesses that beare Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Spirit and that these Three are One according to Holy Scripture Testimony These the Rector has judged as dubious equivocal Terms though they are Scripture Terms see Matt. 28. 19. 1 John 5. 7. John 14. 26. Chap. 15. 26. But not being content with this our Confession he begs this Question i. e. But if not Three Persons what Three are they page 8. Let him prove these Terms by plain Scripture as we have done ours and then we shall be resolved so as not to charge him with dubious Terms He might have spared his bitter Insinuations against us as virulent Poison grossest Errors equivocal Reserves wherein they meaning the Quakers may be thought to exceed their Brethren the Jesuits page 8. It had been more Prudence for him to have forborne or reserved these bitter Aspersions than to impose them upon the Reader which shews a great Enmity and bitterness of Spirit in the Man His repeated and partial Citations and Charge against G. F. W. P. and G. W. in page 8 9 10. are answered and detected in the second part of the other Examination i. e. Truth and Innocency c. under the first Head and Title Concerning the Holy Trinity What is alledged against G. W. out of Ishmael c. page 10. about the Three Persons though wrongly cited by the Rector p. 9 10. I have positively disowned that passage twice already both as 't is in it self and as it is none of mine and do now a third time disown the same which none therefore but the Implacable will repeat against me About a Heaven within and the Locality of Heaven p. 10. I do not find either G. F. or W. P. truly quoted or cited upon Examination The Matter as it concerns G. F. is answered in the other Examination aforesaid To the Rector's thus construing our Confession i. e. When they speak of Three Divine Witnesses bearing Record in Heaven that is to say quoth he the Heaven within them p. 10. Thus he imposes his meaning upon us as if we confined the Divine Three bearing Witness in Heaven only to a Heaven within us and not as being in that Heaven without us also which is a mistaken Construction for the Heaven wherein the Divine Three bear Witness is above and distinct from the Earth 1 John 5. 7 8. and yet the same Holy Spirit which is God bears witness in Earth too even in Mens Hearts and Consciences His Spirit bears witness with our Spirits c. And he that believeth on the Son of God hath the Witness in himself 1 John 5. 10. And he that inhabiteth Eternity and dwells in the highest Heavens dwells also in the lowest Hearts even with them that are poor and of contrite Spirits and tremble at his word how despised soever they are in the Eyes of the Proud and Envious whom God will debase And it was no lessening of the Blessed Record of the Divine Three
there is a great difference between Christ's offering up himself by the Eternal Spirit a Lamb without Spot to God and the Acts of wicked Men inflicted upon him as 't is said by wicked hands they put him to death The Merit Deserving Dignity or Worth is placed upon Christ's Obedience in offering up himself and humbling himself to the Death of the Cross for Man's Redemption as intimated in the consequence Wherefore God hath highly exalted him Phil. 2. 9. Therefore the Merit or Deserving was not placed upon the Soldier 's Act of thrusting the Spear into his side and letting out his Blood thereby after he had given up the Ghost John 19. 33 34. But upon the Obedience of the Son of God even unto the Death of the Cross as that most acceptable Sacrifice for the Sins of the World Christ's deserving such high Exaltation into Dominion and Glory through his Obedience in Suffering was for the bringing many Sons to Glory Heb. 2. 10. consequently That in following him we might be received into Glory as they who Suffer with him shall be glorified together Rom. 8. 17. and this no ways interferes with nor varies from Our Sincere Belief of Salvation and Justification by Jesus Christ his Righteousness Merits and Works and not by our own Christ as our Mediator and the one Offering has obtained Justification Remission and Pardon of Sins and Eternal Redemption for us which he makes us partakers of by his Work of Righteousness and Sanctification in us so that both Christ's Obedience Deservings and Dignity without us and his works within us are concerned in our Salvation and Justification which his Light and Spirit Leads us to the living Knowledge and Experience of as We sincerely obey and follow the same for the Apostle describes both the washing Sanctification and Justification of true Converts to be in the name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6. 11. Therefore I hope it will be no reproach to W. P. or any else to be in conjunction with G. W. in this point as he is accused p. 14. namely That our Justification and Salvation is not Effected wholly without us as if there were no need of the Spirit 's work within us for our Regeneration and Sanctification all which is Christ's work being done by his Spirit and Power which consequently does no ways lessen his Dignity Glory and Honour wherewith he was crowned through the Suffering of Death that he might bring many Sons after him unto Glory Heb. 2. 9. Again the Rector quotes G. Whitehead in Counterfeit Convert printed 1694. p. 17 18. That it is the Light and Life within in which is the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation And as for the Sufferings and Death of Christ in the Flesh they do but instrumentally contribute thereunto The Rector to abuse me Partially cites me in this place as if I ascribed Salvation to a Light and Life within without Christ or not to Christ for what else could he design in bringing this Quotation to confront or oppose our Confession before cited to Salvation by Jesus Christ And where do I say in which i. e. in the Light and Life within is the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation as if I should say something in the Light and Life of Christ were the Immediate cause of Man's Salvation and not the Light and Life of Christ it self this Rector would fain make me speak Non-sence as well as Blasphemy But by our confessing to the Light and Life of Christ within as the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation from Sin and Condemnation we do neither divide Christ nor make two Christs nor yet by confessing his Suffering and Death in the Flesh as a means of God's appointment instrumentally to contribute thereunto He being The Mediator of the New Covenant that by means of Death for the Redemption of the Transgressions that were under the first Testament or Covenant they which are called might receive the Promise of Eternal Inheritance Heb. 9. 15. and as it was by means of Christ that true Christians believe in God who raised him up from the Dead and gave him Glory and Honour that their Faith and Hope might be in God 1 Pet. 1. 20 21. So if Christ our Mediator be the Means the Cause and Great Instrument of our Faith and Salvation and his Death the Means of our Redemption and Remission of Sins in his Blood It can be no dishonour to him to confess his Sufferings and Death in the Flesh instrumentally to contribute to our Salvation and that Christ himself by his Light and Life in us is the Immediate and Efficient cause thereof thereby fulfilling and confirming in us the blessed and holy Design and Ends of his Sufferings and Death for us I am not ashamed of my Testimony for Christ in this matter and give it here more truly than my Adversary has done out of the place quoted out of Counterfeit Convert p. 18. viz. That Christ the Promised Seed through Death was to bruise under and destroy him that had the Power of Death viz. The Devil yet he effectually doth it by his divine Power Light and Life as the Immediate and Efficient cause of Man's Salvation wherein we still confess his Sufferings and Death in the Flesh instrumentally to contribute thereunto Christ Jesus as the Promised Seed who came of a Woman made under the Law bruised the Serpent's Head both without us and within us without us through his Sufferings and Death by his divine Testimony Word and Power within us by his Divine Life Light Word or Seed Spirit and Power which is all but one Christ himself not two Christs nor to be divided Else how could we be born again of Incorruptible Seed Or how doth that Seed remain in him that 's born again And is not that Seed Christ And is not the Word of Faith Christ in Spirit See 1 Pet. 1. 23. 1 John 3. 9. Rom. 10. 6 7 8. Now where 's the Venom charged in all this Doctrine When true and full Recitations are given of our Words how plain does the Truth thereof appear But when our Adversaries give their perverted minced and false Citations thereof to traduce us as Venomous in Doctrine as this angry Rector has frowardly and frequently done How cloudy do they make them and us look But Truth will work thorow and over all this dust and cloudy stuff they cast upon us To what he quotes against Tho. Lawson his Untaught Teacher printed 1655. p. 4 5. Against looking for Salvation from a means without and seeking a way to Salvation without p. 15. I have not the Book quoted but am apt to think T. L's unfairly or not fully cited in this place let the Rector produce a fair and full Recitation However I really believe upon our Principle that T. L. meant no other than that as Salvation from Sin is an Inward and Spiritual Work of Christ Men must expect and wait
like unto which his Body the Church shall be fashioned saying That Affliction did still attend these Members of Christ's Body and that this Body i. e. the Church though not free as yet from suffering Afflictions yet shall be fashioned like to his glorious Body J. C ' s p. 332. So that he owned Christ to have a glorious Body above that of his Members Therefore it appears neither from hence nor yet from this Rector's unjust Charge or false Quotation that the Quakers deny the Mediator the Man Christ Jesus as he falsly saith much less that they do Scornfully Contemn the Blood of Christ p. 23. as they are grosly Calumniated and Slandered What he cites against E. B. and W. P. p. 23 24. is answered in the foregoing Examination And as to Christ's Prophetick Office we are satisfied that we own it more than these our Adversaries in that we believe we ought to hear him in all things by his Light Word and Spirit in our Hearts for which they so much slight and contemn us opposing his Immediate Revelation Teaching and Ministry in these days and confining his present Ministry to the Scriptures in opposition to his Light and Immediate Teaching in Man for though Christ did frequently preach from Scriptures yet his Preaching was with Power and Efficacy he had power both to open the Scriptures and the Understandings of them that heard him in opening them and also so to touch their Hearts that they said Did not our Hearts burn within us while he spoke unto us Which Mens meer literal Preaching cannot do nor work those Effects We are to hear Christ in all things him that speaketh from Heaven but saith the Rector they i. e. the Quakers neither do nor will hear him no their Christ within which they are obliged to tells them other things than our outward Christ or Prophet does p. 24. What an Ignorant and Scornful Reflection and Abuse is this as if either we owned another Christ within than the true Christ and Prophet whom we are to hear which is a false Insinuation or else that Christ as within and Christ as without is not one and the same Christ which is false also neither is Christ divided though he be both without and within And where proves this Rector that the Scripture is the Touch-stone to try Spirits withal wherein he takes part with Mat. Caffin the Anabaptist Preacher his affirming the same against the Quakers p. 25. Christ said Have Salt in your selves and discerning of Spirits was the Gift of the Spirit without which none can truly understand or make use of the Scripture If Tho. Lawson said The Scripture is not the Tryer of Spirits as 't is alledged against us p. 25. I find no Scripture produced to prove this Erroneous Christ is the Great Judge and Tryer of Spirits who searches and tryes the Heart and the Reines and it is by his Light and Spirit that Spirits must be tryed and judged not by the Carnal but by the Spiritual Man And what the Rector again cites out of p. 7. against studying to raise a living thing out of a dead and the Spirit out of the Letter c. was never intended to oppose the Teaching of Christ's Prophetick Office for his Office never allowed any such Study Neither do the Quakers deny Christ's Gospel Ordinances which are really such and by him perpetuated Here the Rector imposes upon us and his Allegations fall short of proof And our not continuing under a Literal and Shadowy Dispensation of Types and Figures carnal Ordinances and outward Element but under a Spiritual Ministry is rather an Indication of our owning Christ's Offices his Gospel his Ministry or Dispensation than any refusing to hear him who speaketh from Heaven by his Holy Spirit Light and Grace in Mens Hearts What seems most materially objected hitherto in the Rector's Antidote being answered I may take notice of some Passages hereafter farther to shew what he falsly deems Venom of Quakerism according to his Title and Observations against our Profession 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 Our answer is 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 or 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 the Head As to Dipping or Sprinkling Infants or young Children we find no Precept or President 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 as in the sixth 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 any thing against or besides Holy Writ to be believed for necessity of Salvation And in Article 21 That things ordained by General Councils as necessary to Salvation have neither Strength nor Authority unless that they be taken out of Holy Scripture On the first part of this Profession the Rector makes this Observation against us viz. By this their Answer they i. e. the Quakers do not Insinuate to but plainly tell the World what Baptism it is that is essentially necessary to Salvation or making Christians that is the Inward or Spiritual Washing of Regeneration by the Word of Life the Washing or Cleansing of the Heart or an Inward Conversion to God p. 26 27. And herein we plainly tell the World the plain Truth according to Holy Scripture And what Venom is in this pray Had not this Rector need to be severely corrected for opposing this Doctrine as Venomous and making the outward Baptism by Water the Saving Baptism and not the Inward and Spiritual As if all the World of Mankind were in a State of Damnation who are not so outwardly Baptized with Water or could be no Christians nor Saved if they be not so Baptized or Rantized as he would have them this is like Dip or Damn Oh! uncharitable and unchristian Doctrine Has Salvation by Grace been preached so long among us and must it now be placed on Works or on such a superficial Work as that of outward Baptism Sprinkling Dipping or Plunging Persons in Water But
this Glorious coming of Christ from Heaven with thy carnal Eyes thou now hast 2. If thou neglectest his Inward and Spiritual Appearance and Work mayest thou not neglect thy own Salvation thereby 3. Seeing our Lord Jesus Christ The King of Kings and Lord of Lords only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no Man can approach unto whom no Man hath seen nor can see c. 1 Tim. 6. 15 16. How canst thou expect to see him with thy Carnal or Fleshly Eye Hast thou better clearer and more lasting Eyes of Flesh than all other Men When I have thus questioned any it was in Opposition to their neglect of Christ's Inward and Spiritual Appearance and Work effectually to save them from Sin and Condemnation This Point is more fully answered in our Books and particularly in my Examination Entituled Truth and Innocency vindicated p. 61 62. And my thus questioning the Carnal Expectations c. of some Persons I affirm as 't was never intended to oppose or contradict our sincere Belief or Profession That God will Judge the World in Righteousness by his Son Jesus Christ in the Day appointed even in the Great Day of Judgment and that Harvest which is the End of the World So neither does what 's quoted against the same Profession contradict it unless it can be proved that Men may see the Power and great Glory of God with their Carnal Eyes they now have or that with the very same they shall see Christ at his last coming to Judgment in the Glory of the Father and all his Angels with him Matt. 16. 27. What the Rector objects against that Man of God William Dewsbery to prove us Insincere in our said Profession that God will Judge the World in Righteousness by Jesus Christ c. and him the said W. D. guilty of gross Perversion Herein our Accuser has shewn himself as Ignorant as Envious and as void of Christianity He quotes the said W. Dewsbery's Discovery of Man's Return printed 1654. upon a Passage where Rev. 20. 12 13. 2 Cor. 5. 10. are only quoted with other Scriptures in the Margent of the said Discovery which the Rector recites at large and then makes his Observation against W. D. viz. Observe here his Gross Perversion he applying all this to the Light within and the Judgment within so that the outward Judgment at the Last Day which is here so plainly described is not by him professed as a thing to be expected p. 46. Ans. I cannot but observe the Ignorance and Enmity of this Person what he objects against the said W. D. is no proof at all that he did not profess or own Eternal Judgment or the final Judgment and Rewards at the Great and Last Day His words cited are these viz. Every one arise out of your Earthly Wisdom and mind the Light in thy Conscience and wait on the Power of the Lord in it and it will bring thee to Judgment before the Throne of the Lamb viz. within thee added where the Righteous Law will be opened in thy Heart that will cry through thy Earthly Heart for Righteousness and Judgment and the Book will be opened in thee where thou shalt see all written that thou hast done in the Body and shalt give an Account for every idle Word i. e. to the Light within added also and receive thy Reward for what thou hast done and thy Reward is Wrath and Condemnation which will pass upon thee from the presence of the Lamb within thee again added for thy Disobedience and breaking of the Righteous Law Where is the Insincerity or gross Perversion in all these words recited by the Rector Or any Opposition to our Profession before mentioned Surely to mind the Light of Christ in the Conscience to know his Power in it to bring Man to Judgment according to the Righteous Law in the Heart and thereby to see the Record that is made in Man of all the Evils done and committed by him This cannot be to oppose or contradict our Profession that God will Judge the World in Righteousness by his Son Jesus Christ in the day appointed but in order to bring Man to Repentance that he may escape the Judgment and Wrath to come upon the Impenitent World of the Ungodly And therefore our Adversaries bringing this Citation out of W. Dewsbery's said Discovery of Man's Return either to evince the Venom of Quakerism falsly charged or our Insincerity or Opposition to the Doctrine of Eternal Judgment c. This shews our Adversaries Insincerity and great Ignorance of the Work of Repentance The Rector has need to be corrected in this as in many other weighty Points his Enmity appearing chiefly against the Light within which both manifests and Judges those things that are reproved in God's sight For can any be truly humbled unto Repentance before they are convicted and know what Sins and Evils they are guilty of and chargeable for in the sight of God and of the Lamb Christ Jesus who is Judge both of the Living and of the Dead Surely no He who is the Heart-searcher and Tryer of the Reines and the very Inward Affections who sheweth unto Man what his Thoughts are will bring every Work to Judgment with every secret thing whether it be Good or Evil and if his Judgments do not take effect upon Men in this Life to humble them unto Repentance his Eternal Judgment will be heavy upon them in that which is to come 'T is by the Spirit of Judgment and Burning that the Lord Purgeth his People and it is through Judgment that Sion is redeemed and her Converts with Righteousness And how plain is it that W. Dewsbery's Testimony in this case even as 't is recited respects the present Law Light Judgment and Righteousness of Christ in Man and also cautions Men of and points at the future Judgment Wrath and Condemnation as that which will pass in the future upon the Rebellious for Disobedience and breaking the Righteous Law And both the Judgment that comes upon Man here and that which will come hereafter upon Man for Disobedience and Rebellion against the Light and Law of Christ in Man it all proceeds from the presence of the Lamb Christ Jesus to whom all Judgment is committed and Power given to execute it Awake awake to Judgment therefore all you that are a-sleep in Sin that Mercy and Judgment may meet and Righteousness and Peace embrace each other that being Judged as Men in the Flesh you may live according to God in the Spirit 1 Pet. 4. 6. And all who sincerely desire after God and to remember him in his ways must wait for him in the way of his Judgments as his Servants of old did Isa. 26. 8. And though this Adversary has added in the Citation within thee after the Throne of the Lamb and after the presence of the Lamb he adds within thee And after shalt give an Account for every idle Word he adds i. e. to the Light
within And the Book will be opened in thee he puts IN THEE in Capital Characters as if it were a Crime or Error to own the Lamb of God to have a Throne or Dominion in Man or the Light within to be Judge of every idle Word Which still bespeaks a secret Enmity against the Light and as if the Light were neither to Judge nor to Record Mens Actions in the Book of Mens own Consciences whereas the contrary is evident if they will search and examine their own Consciences and be willing to bring their Deeds to the Light in them that they may be manifest proved and Judged For every one that doeth Truth cometh to the Light and bringeth his Deeds to the Light that They may be manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. And 't is certain that there is a Record made of Mens Iniquities even in their Hearts and Consciences by the true Light as the Sin of Judah was graven upon the Table of their Heart Jer. 17. 1. And without true Repentance it will not be blotted out of that Record but will remain unto the Great Day of Judgment and final Recompence of Rewards when the Books shall all be opened and the Dead Judged out of those things written in the Books every Man according to their Works Rev. 20. So that the Judgment given and the Record made in Mens Consciences by the true Light even in this Life will not wear out nor be made void but remain unto the Last Judgment of the Great Day to come to the great Joy of the Righteous and Shame Contempt and Misery of the Wicked and finally Impenitent who live and die in their Sins As it is testified in Job 21. 30. That the Wicked is reserved to the Day of Destruction they shall be brought forth to the Day of Wrath. And Christ spoke of such as would not receive his Ministers nor hear their Words Verily I say unto you it shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrah in the Day of Judgment than for that City Matt. 10. 15. compare with Chap. 11. 22 24. and Mark 6. 11. and Luke 10. 12 14. All which signifie a Day of Judgment to come And as it is appointed unto Men once to die but after this the Judgment Heb. 9. 27. As also the Apostle Peter speaks of the Day of Judgment and Perdition of Ungodly Men 2 Pet. 3. 7. And also 2 Pet. 2. 9. The Lord knoweth how to deliver the Godly out of Temptations and to reserve the Unjust to the Day of Judgment to be punished And Jude v. 6. And the Angels which kept not their first Estate or Principality but left their own Habitation he hath reserved in Everlasting Chains under Darkness unto the Judgment of the Great Day In which Great Day it will fully appear that the Judgment given and the Record made in Mens Consciences by the Light is true and will stand for ever against the Wicked the willful Unbelievers and finally Impenitent And that there is no Opposition nor Contradiction between the present Judgment of Christ in Mens Hearts and Consciences and that which is to come That the Soul of Man though created is Immortal and never dies This we still believe and confess and what the Rector quotes as he supposes against it out of G. F. his Great Mystery and W. Penn's Brief Answer p. 47. if rightly considered and compared will not make void our Belief and Profession which I have answered and explained over and over and so has W. P. by his Distinction between the Breath or Spirit of Life which God breathed into Man and Man himself who thereby became a Living Soul Consequently the Soul of Man is created as well as Man being included in the Being of Man as the more Noble and Spiritual part inspired by the Divine Breath or Spirit of Life whereby Man became a Living Soul And this Distinction is clearly implied in G. F's Great Mystery though unfairly quoted What 's more Explanatory being left out by this Adversary and more fully answered in my aforesaid Examination Entituled Truth and Innocency vindicated c. against the three Norfolk Priests and Bugg p. 7 8 9 60. That we are Sincere in our Profession of Christianity in what is contained in our said little Pamphlet as he calls it entituled The Christianity of the People called Quakers Asserted we are not Conscious to our selves of the contrary nor Convicted of any Insincerity therein by this Rector's or any others Invidious Essays or Attempts nor from any Instances which either he or his Brethren or F. Bugg have produced against us Nor are we Conscious to our selves of holding Tenets or Doctrines which are either directly opposite or contradictory to these he calls New Creeds if impartially cited and truly explained which they have not done in their Invidious Endeavours against us consequently we find no cause to Retract Censure or Condemn the Tenets or Doctrines which we hold and therefore his Charge of Horrid Blasphemies we reject as an odious Calumny proceeding from a Proud Envious Persecuting Spirit which the Lord will Rebuke Neither has he shewn from those Instances against us any such Horrid Blasphemies as he tells of but rather his own Perversions Ignorance and Envy The Lord deliver poor Souls from such Blind Guides that they may not fall into the Ditch with them For some of their Leaders the Priests especially those of them that are of an Envious Persecuting Spirit are the most Blind and Ignorant of the Mystery of Christ and of those things which pertain to his Kingdom FINIS