than he or any of the persecuting Priests in New-England who make a Trade of them and keep people always under Teaching that they may be always paying of them And Priest Bond saith The spirits are to be tryed by the Scriptures and not the Scriptures by the Spirit page 92. And in page 93. He contradicts himself and confounds all again The Holy and Blessed Spirit of God is above all Tryal Priest Bond saith We deny the written Scripture to be a witness-bearer to your Light within See how Ignorant he is of the Scripture 2 Cor. 4. God who commanded the Light to shine out of darkness hath shined in our hearts to give us the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus Mark the Light that shines in the heart that is the Light within that the Scriptures bear witness too But I perceive the God of this World hath blinded Priest Bond 's eye And how can any man come to the knowledge of God and Christ without the Light of Christ within shining in their hearts And Priest Bond falls on rayling Idol light within page 94. Seducing Quakers Idol light of your own addle brains Soul-deceivers ye would lay a foundation of your own humane inventions And yet Priest Bond calls Christs Body humane which is his own Invention and not Scripture And unbloody Light within Idolized light hath no more real blood in it than there is in the Transubstantiated blood of your Popish Brethren Here the Reader may see what a rage and madness Priest Bond is in against the Light of Christ And as for Popish Brethren Priest Bond 's language bewrays him he is nearer to them than the Quakers And S. B. confesses in page 95. That the Word of God was manifest through Adam and to Cain and to Noah Our Light within is the Light of Christ the Word by which all things were made and created and in him was Life and that Life was the Light of men And this the Scriptures witness But Priest Bond saith The whimsey called Light within is the new devised ground of Faith Christ who doth inlighten every man that cometh into the World saith Believe in the Light that you may become Children of the Light And Christ is the author and finisher of our Faith and the Light of Christ that he bids us believe in is no Whimsey which Priest Bond blasphemes against And in Page 96. Priest Bond makes a great pudder about the Soul of Man and he saith That the Quakers say the Soul of Man is God in part which are not the Quakers words And then he saith the Soul cannot be God No Quakers ever said so S. B. saith The Soul of Man was made after Gods Image It is a true Image it is a very near and likely Image which appears not only in the spiritual and immortal nature of it c. All pure and righteous conformed to Gods will the Soul is a Spirit c. page 98. And when Priest Bond hath rambled over a great deal of Pages about the Soul this he is made to confess and the Quakers say God breathed into Man the Breath of Life and he became a living soul And so is not the Soul part of his Breath And Priest Bond confesses the Soul is a Spirit and then is it not part of Gods Spirit from him And the Light in Man which is the Life of Christ the Word by whom all things are made Priest Bond saith must be the Principle of true Religion in the Devils and damned Oh hellish Divinity and Doctrine for even the Devils and damned live and move c. page 96. These are Priest Bond 's false conclusions The Light which is the Life in Christ the Word they that hate the Light their deeds are evil and the Light is their condemnation for it condemns the Devil who abode not in the Truth in whom there is no Truth S. Bond saith That the Quaker doth conclude that the invisible and Infinite Godhead is divided into parts Then he cries thus senseless are they of the gross absurdities But we charge S. B. to quote the Book or the Man that ever said the Godhead is devided into parts Then S. B. falls a railing in page 99. The Idol light within And in page 90. he makes many Comparisons with his railing words betwixt the Quakers and the Papists Quakers light within Quakers light within infallible Light within infallible Spirit within erroneous high blasphemy Thus Priest Bond is in a rage and a fury against the Light of Christ and his Infallible Spirit within But I ask Priest Bond and all his fellow Priests whether the Light of Christ and his Spirit within and his Holy Ghost be infallible yea or nay And whether he can call Jesus Lord without the Holy-Ghost and whether he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is Christs yea or nay And what Brightman said of the Pope Priest Bond may take it home to himself And in page 98. The Quakers Light within his Pope without These are scornful expressions and his Lies In page 99 and an 100. Priest Bond saith the Quakers denying of the Trinity or Three persons in one Deity Three persons in one Godhead Gen. 1. Let us make man c. But hath not Priest Bond made Four here Three persons in one Deity and one Godhead S. Bond saith No Man hath seen â—od at any time Then how can he tell he is a Person then and Christ saith He is a Spirit He saith The Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are declared three Witnesses c. And why cannot Priest Bond own them so but give other names to them Bu◠〈◊〉 all these Pages Priest Bond hath not proved his word Trinity nor Three Persâ—ns The Scripture mentions Christs Person but it doth not say a Trinity in Three Persons Is not Priest Bond ashamed to say That Scripture is his Rules and cannot prove his word Trinity or Three Persons by Scripture or in the Scripture But the Quakers according to the Scripture do believe that there is Three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy-Ghost and these three are one mark are one which we own And there are three that bear witness in the earth the Spirit the Water and the Blood and these three agree in one which we own in 1 John 5.8 And Priest Bond goes on in his course of railing Atheistical and Idol light within which the Romish Nebuchadnezzar set up in teaching Quakers the Devil hath inspired S. B. Thus to blaspheme against the Light of Christ in his people and yet he makes people believe that he would dye for the Name of Jesus and dye like the glorious Martirs of Jesus whereas he is persecuting the true Lord Jesus of Nazareth in his people like Saul and blaspheming against the Light of Christ within his people which they believe in which shines in their hearts to give them the light of the knowledge of the
intended matter So I leave that and come a little to examin the proof of the second false Assertion viz. That the main End of the Quakers Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lords Christ his Holy Spirit his Angells and Apostles all Lyars and false Witnesses of God Now let any Reasonable Man judge what ground or foundation he hath to lay down such a positive Assertion for he never was at any of our Meetings in these Islands to know our practices in our Meetings whereby he might discover our ends but either he must have it by Information or Supposition or Consequence Which either of these may prove true or false and therefore whether the one or the other it is too slender a ground to build such an Accusation upon against an Innocent People but whither will not Envy lead a Man Even to shame himself But let us see how he will prove his Work Why Mark. First he supposes That the main end of our Meeting is to declare to People or to build up one another in this Doctrine that the Light within or Spirit of Christ in us is the Saviour This he supposeth to be the main end of our Meeting and this saith he is against the Testimony of Christ to the Man whose Eyes he had opened John 9.35 36 37. As I remember this was the Scriptu e he brought when the Blind Man enquired who the Son of God was that he might believe Jesus Answered I that speak unto thee am he This saith he was the Man or Body only from whence he doth infer that the Man Jesus considered meerly as Man is the oâ—ly Saviour and therefore saith he The Quakers main end of their Meeting is to make the Lords Christ a Lyar. Noâ— see what Weight this Argument hath in it the Weight must lie in these Words I that speak unto thee am he Now here lies the Question whether in these Words he meant the Body only or that which dwelt in the Body also Which was the Godhead joyned with the Manhood which thing was not at all proved at that time from the Scripture according to his promise and so did falsifie his Word and is it not strange that the Priest should make Christs Body to speak without his Spirit But now that People may not be left in the dark with their Understandings Clouded consider and Weigh seriously whether it was not the same Jesus which spake to the Jews in the foregoing Chapter 8 56. Abraham rejoyced to see my Day and he saw it and was glad And Verse 58. Before Abraham was I am Now the Body was brought forth in time according to Gal. 4.5 And so was not before Abraham in the Body But S. B. said That he is not the Son of God but as he was Man Now consider how grievous dark this Man is read the Scripture diligently and you shall see what a Testimony it gives concerning the Son of God Psal 2.7 The Lord hath said unto me thou art my Son this Day have I begotten thee This was long before the Body was and he speaks here of the time present This Day have I begotten thee Heb. 1.2 Where he saith that God Hath in these last Dayes spoken to us by his Son whom he hath appoined Heir of all things now mark by whom also he made the Worlds So he that made the World or that Word by which the World was made was the Son of God John 1.10.3 Who being the brightness of his glory the Son of God he is the Brightness of his Fathers Glory and the express Image of his substance and upholding all things by the Word of his Power mark this was the Son of God that upholds all things by the word of his Power when he had by himself purged our Sins sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High So see and consider well and weigh this matter and let the wise in Heart Judge For God had promised afore by his Prophets in the Holy Scriptures concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord who was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness by the Resurrection from the Dead by whom we have received grace c. Rom. 1 2.3.4.5 And this is the true Christ we own in his Grace and Truth both as he was made of the seed of David according to the Flesh and as he is declared to be the Son of God with Power according to the Spirit of Holiness c. according to God and his Son and his Angels and Prophets and Apostles against all Opposers and Blasphemers but espacially against SAMPSON BOND who was Priest at Bermudas And we are sorry that the Sherriffe and Justices of Peace in Bermudas should believe or regard his Lyes and Slanders But it is clear Sampson Bond hath put the Sheep of Christ in scorn called Quakers in his Bear-Skin that such as he is might worry them Secondly He saith We in our Meetings or the main end of our Meetings is to make the Holy Spirit a Lyar and to prove this he names Luke 2.30 Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in Peace for mine Eyes hath seen thy Salvation I hope said he you will not deny that Old Simeon spakâ— by the Spirit Now said he it was his Bodily Eyes which he spake of by which he only beheld the Body of Jesus and hence doth infer that we witnessing to the Spirit do makâ—th Spirit of God a Lyar. Let us see what weight this Argument hath in it and for the better opening of your Understandings take S. B's own Words I hope you will not deny Old Simeon to speak by the Spirit Indeed he was a Spiritual Man and so was abâ—e to discern the things of God and he was a Prophet and spake in the Spirit of Prophesie in which he spake and declared of him as a Light prepared before the face of all People not the Jews only but all People A Light to lighten the Gentiles c. And mark withal what it was that was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost that he should see Was it not the Lords Christ If the Body barely considered without the Spirit had been the Lords Christ then the Jews had seen the Lords Christ for they only saw the Body and Crucified it But the Lords Christ the Lord of Glory was vailed from their Eyes For had they seen him they had seen the Father also John 14.9 And had they known him they would not have Crucified him But now the unbelieving Iews had neither heard the Fathers Voice at any time nor seen his shape Iohn 5.37 And so it is clear though they saw the Body yet saw not the Father they saw not the Eternal Power and Godhead as they did whose Eyes where opened in and by the Spirit as Old Simeons was who saw through the Vail and beheld the endless Power of that which made the
World and upholds it by the same Word of Power who after he had purged our sins said the Apostle sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High Ephes 4.6 And this is he who fills all things and is above all and in us all So all those that desire to know their Sin purged must know Christ not at a distance only but nigh even dwelling in them else they are Reprobates which all the obedient in Heart do Witness according to his promise If a Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So he that believeth in Christ at a distance only never knows a fulfilling of Christs Words in them who said He and his Father would make their abode with them For it was revealed by the Holy Ghost to Old Simeon before he had seen the Lords Christ and Simeon came by the Spirit into the Temple c. And the Angel of the Lord told Ioseph that which was conceived in Maâ—y is of the Holy Ghost Now Simeon by the Spirit and Holy Ghost did see the Lords Christ which was conceived by the Holy Ghost who was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost So this was a Spiritual Sight not Natural For the Natural Man receives not the things of God they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them bâ—cause they are Spiritually discerned Mat. 1.20 Luke 2.26 27. 1 Cor. 2.14 And the Angel said to Mary that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God And doth not Christ say That none knowes the Father nor the Son but by Revelation 3. S. B. saith farther we make the Angels Lyars who said he bore witness only to the Body or Man Luke 2.11 To which I Answer I deny that the Angels there do bear Witness meerly to the Body for in their Testimony they testifie to this Saviour as a King For unto you is Born said they in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Which Word Christ relates to his Kingly Power which was Spiritual as he saith My Kingdom is not of this World And the Testimony or Message the Angel brought to Mary as concerning the Son of God who was now coming to be made manifest in the Flesh said He should Reign forever and his Kingdom should have no End Luke 1.33 For the Angel said Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emanuel which being Interpreted is God with us So here you may see that the Angels bore Witness more then only to the Body or Man Mat. 1.23 as Sampson Bond doth assert which he has not proved So Mary believed God and did not ascribe the Work of Salvation to him meerly as Man but to God saying My Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Vers 47. I would not have any one to think because I plead so much for the Spirit that I deny the Body of Christ but do own it in all points as the Scripture doth declare of it and so give the Honour due unto it Though I cannot believe the things declared by S. B. in his Nonscriptural expressions The last thing which is the Apostles Testimony of Christ I have sufficiently spoke to already and so shall wave it here So People may see how far short of his promise he came in proving his Three Accusations with the greatest clearness from the Holy Scripture so hath little cause to boast or glory of his Victory for the Truth stands over his Head and will do for ever The Third and last Accusation is That the prime Principles of a Quaker is the same that was held and professed by the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus And to prove this he first doth endeavour to prove that those Beasts did deny the Resurrection and said so do we I answer The first was never truly proved and the second is absolutely false his Scripture to prove the first 1 Cor. 15.32 where the Apostle saith If after the manner of Men I have fought with Beasts at Ephesus what doth it avail if the Dead rise not Doth this at all argue that this was the Ephesians profest Principles or doth it not rather argue that the Saints loses their reward for all their labour if the Dead rise not as he saith in the 19th Vers If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all Men most Miserable So that he hath fallen short of his proof and so his Accusation is truly overthrown But inasmuch as he did go on to charge the thing upon us viz That we do deny the Resurrection I do here testifie that it is none of our Principles to deny the Resurrertion for we own it as the Apostles own'd it Not the same Body not a Corruptible Body not a Natural Body a Natural Body hath Flesh Blood and Bones but a Spiritual Body as the Apostle saith And a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones said Christ which before he can prove he must be fain to get new Scripture for the Old will maintain no such Doctrines So though he did stop and hinder me that time by his Mocks and Scoffs and deriding Speeches and clamorous Noise altogether unlike a Preacher of the Everlasting Gospel as he saith in his Paper be is yet now through mercy I trust as the Truth will stand over your Heads so I shall be clear of your Blood whether you will hear or forbear I am a Friend to the Seed and a Lover of your Souls The 11th of the 3d Month 1678. Francis Estlacke Some few Lines briefly Answering some Part of SAMPSON BOND 's Book Entituled The Quakers in BERMUDAS Tryed c. THat part in his Book which I find my self chiefly concerned to make Answer to is where he makes mention of my Name viz. William Wilkinson As for my part I do not know that I should have set Pen to Paper to have made him any Answer had he laid down the Matter concerning me every way Fairly and truly without Abusing me or the Truth but I finding in several places of his Book Words printed that I cannot own to be Truth besides his reviling Speeches which he hath cast at me As Prater a Baffling Quaker and one that never had the Spirit of God in me All which things in the sense he brings them if true were a great Reproach But I knowing it is too hard a thing for him to prove or plainly to make appear do find my self justly concerned to make some reply or answers both to these and several other things for the vindicating of the Truth and my self also from him whom I find in his Book hath very much strove to make his own case appear strong and ours weak c. But according to that saying in Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his Neighbour cometh and searcheth
Spiritual Appearance in the Inward Man and there is none knowes him truly to be their Saviour but who knows him Spiritually in their Hearts who workes all their workes in them and for them But S. B. such as thou Blasphemous Wretch who call'st his Spiritual Appearance the Devil may get the words of the Scripture and prate in thy Imaginations and deceive poor People with a Notion who through envy and malice which the Devil workes in thee art Smiteing and Reproaching them who live in the Life or Spirit which gave forth the Scripture which thou hast raked together in thy dark mind to prove Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among the People to be the Saviour which is not denyed by us but assuredly believed in and witnessed to be the true and only Saviour through the work of his Eternal Power in the Inward Man which is wrought through Faith in his Name who in the days of his Flesh went about doing good and wrought Miracles and did many mighty Works yet the Priests Scribes and Pharisees Envyed and Blasphemed against him a thou dost against his Spiritual Appearance at this day And we also believe Christ Jesus suffered by that envyous Generation of Professors Scribes and Pharisees and was Crucified under Pontus Pilate the Roman Governour and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and appeared to his Disciples and ascended into Heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father in Majesty on High who is the Mediator between God and Man who is ascended above all Heavens and by whom all things do consist who said I and my Father are one and he that hath seen me hath seen the Father Iohn 14.7 9 10. Who said I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the work and so Christ Iesus hath taught us by his blessed Spiritual Appearance in our Hearts not to separate his Man-hood from the God-head As thou S. B. hast done in thy ignorant dark Spirit who hast heapt up many Scriptures together in thy Book to prove the Man-hood only the Saviour which is no more proved by thee then if thou had said nothing for these Scriptures do severally prove and hold forth the power of the God-head which dwelt in that Holy Body whereby it was carryed forth and enabled in suffering and doing good healing the Sick raising the Dead as it is written and through the Eternal Spirit offered up himself a Sacrifice for the Sin of the World So not the Man-hood without the God-head was the Saviour as thou Ignorantly Blasphemously seeks to prove against the work and power of the God-head in the Man Christ Iesus and also against his Spiritual Appearance in his People Pharaoh like hast given these wicked Epithetes to wit The Quakers Idol Glow-worm and the Devil with much more Blasphemous stuff for which God will judge thee thou Hypocrite And S. B. in the 7th and 8th Page of his Book saith He doth acknowledge with Francis Estlacke that the Word took Flesh and suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem howbeit saith S. B. as it come from a teaching Quaker it is undoubtedly no other then a deceitfull shift but saith he Alas how many Turks and Jews believe this But the Quakers attribute no more Soul-saving merit in the Body of Christ then in the Body of a Turk or a Jew Reply In this thou hast falsly accused us and seekes to make Lies thy refuge and to render us odious to the People but the Lord is opening the Understandings of Men and many know us better then to believe thy Lies and Slanders which we turn back upon thy own Head with thy story of Turks and Jews believing Christ died by History which is thy own state who art scoffing at the work of Salvation by Christ in the Hearts of his People who knowest little but by History and therefore thou knowest not the vertue of the Body of Christ Iesus but art falsly accusing others whose tongue is at liberty and thy Heart filled with malice and thou throwest out Lies at random Who that is moderate and fears God will believe thee but it may serve with the rest of thy Lies and Blasphemous stuff to make thee manifest to the People For since we have been turned from Darkness to Light and believed therein we have known Salvation and Redemption by the pretious Blood of Christ Iesus which cleanseth our Hearts from Sin And so the Quakers do not make these effects within them to be Christ their only Saviour as thou falsly chargest them but we know the Operation of his Heavenly Arm and Power within us to work these good effects for us who hath opened a Spiritual Eye in us which sees where thou art and the true Light shines although thou in the dark Blasphemes which will yet make thy Folly and Darkness manifest to them that see it not Who art pleading in thy Notion and Historical belief of Christ without thee which Drunkards and Profane Persons have as well as thee who art dividing and scoffing at his Spiritual Appearance in Man without which there is no Salvation but all are in the curse where thou art in thy Notion of Christ only without thee with the Drunkards profane Turks and Jews to receive thy person except thou find a place of Repentance for thy Faith can be no better then a Notion profess what thou wilt who scoffs and derides at the blessed Appearance of Christ Jesus in the Hearts of his People for it is that which gives life unto the Soul as Christ Jesus said Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you Iohn 6.53 And he that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him Iohn 6.56 But this is a Riddle to thee and such as thou art who knowest little but what thou knowest naturally like a Beast wherein thou corrupts thy self and such as thou art in all Ages opposed the breaking forth of the blessed Invisible Life and Power of Christ Iesus who redeems Man to God out of Death and Darkness where thou art gnashing thy Teeth but the redeemed of the Lord whom thou scoffest at they rejoyce in Christ Iesus their Lord and only Saviour over thee and thy Head which is the Devil for he is a Lyar from the beginning and is the Father of all Lyars and Blasphemers in whose work thou art found and do not say this is railing for it is thy due as Christ Iesus said to thy forefathers of old Ye Generation of Vipers how can you escape the Damnation of Hell And Samuel Bond saith in the Six and Twentyeth Page of his Book Though the Spirit be the Dead Souls Quickner yet it is not the Quickned Souls Saviour Reply Where hast thou learnt this Doctrine thou Blind guide who leads all into the
Guts c. But this wicked heathenish work may make thee manifest to poor People who have been deceived by thee But it is no strange thing to us whose Eyes God hath opened for we know the wisdom of this World cannot perceive the things of God for they are Spiritually discerned and by his Spiritual Appearance in this latter Age of the World God hath raised contemptible Instruments to perfect his praise and to confound the Haughty Scoffer who is glorying in his own shame As Priest Bound doth with his little Schollarship who is tanting and huffing in the Air against an Innocent People yet let him know they are learned in the School of Christ Jesus and are his Disciples though derided by him the Lord hath made them so wise as to see over such blind guides as S. B. is though many of them never learnt Hebrew Greek nor Latin which you Night-Watch-Men glory in which Pilate set over the head of Christ Jesus our Saviour and in this night of Darkness and Idolatry you blind Watch-men have been calling it your Original and none have been counted fit by you to Preach Christ but such as have your Original to wit the Tongues But God hath opened an Eye that sees you and is redeeming his People from under your Bondage at which you are angry and your sorrow and torment will yet increase And S. B. saith in the 94 Page of his Book That useful Instructions may be drawn from Iudases words and the Devils Reply With whom thou mighst have joyned thy self with thy wicked Book for I never read of such Lies and Blasphemys uttered by Judas as thou hast in thy ungodly Book from whence we may draw these useful conclusions that it was Gods great love and mercy to us in gathering us to himself from the Mouths of such blind Hirelings as thou art Who in the same Page saith The Scripture doth not bear witness to the Light within for if the Scriptures of God should bear witness to that gross piece of foollery called Light within it would witness it self to be no word of God Reply Here thou Blasphemest against God and beliest the Scriptures which saith God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all 1 John 1.5 And also he hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus 2 Cor. 4.6 And S. B. in the same Page of his Book hath published these lines against us to wit 1. That the Quakers say the Light in every Man by natural Generation is the true Christ and only Saviour 2. And that the Lord Jesus Christ is not the Son of God the Saviour of the World 3. That we say Christ is not in Heaven 4. And that it is Blasphemy to affirm he is there 5. And that we say the Light in Man is the Scriptures Reply All these Lies we turn back upon thy own Head whose dwelling is in Darkness and all thy Blasphemy and derision against the Light of Christ Iesus the Son of the living God our only Saviour in these several places in this one Page of thy filthy Book which will be thy Burthen in the Day of Account And in Page 31. S. B. saith Francis Estlacke speaks of his being washed and justified in measure but sayes S. B. I demanded of him whether it were from Theft Drunkenness Oaths or Adultery which it seems thou queri'st in derision For saith S. B. I more seriously requested the Assembly to take notice of his want of knowledge in the Scripture inasmuch as that he makes justification from Sin not only a work within him but to be daily wrought in him by measure which assertion saith S. B. is directly contrary to the manifold Scriptures of Truth but brings not one to prove it but in a few lines after grosly contradicts himself and saith Washing and Justification from Sin is to be received and wrought not at once but by degrees and in measure by the working and operation of the Spirit of God in us which the Quakers do witness and bear testimony to which thou Blasphemously calls the Devil And again in the same Page S. B. scoffingly saith This Doctors new Divinity to wit that he is washed and justified from his Sins in measure is most false and dangerous Doctrine Reply So S. B. For all thy great Notion of Christ without thee and this pretence of the Scriptures being thy rule yet thou wantest Light Grace to teach thee to speak truth and not to belie the Scriptures and to contradict thy self as thou hast done over and again in this one Page of thy Book For notwithstanding this great work of Christ offering up himself upon the Cross a Sacrifice for the Sins of the World yet Sanctification and Iustification is imputed to no Man but through Faith in his Blood which is the gift of God through the operation of his Spirit in the Heart of Man whereby this work of Sanctification and Iustification comes gradually to be wrought in Man and no further is Man truly justified in the sight of God then he is truly Sanctified which work is assuredly known in the Hearts of all that are redeemed to God through the precious Blood of Christ Iesus the Lamb of God which takes away the Sins of the World And so there is a dying to Sin and his Baptism is known which is with Fire and the Holy Ghost and such are created anew in Christ Iesus And he is formed in them and he is mighty and powerful in them and they can truly say greater is he that is in us then he that is in the World and so Christ Iesus is precious to them and they can speak of his workes of Salvation which he hath wrought in them to the praise and glory of his great and worthy Name And not like S. B's Blasphemous Confused Unsavoury talk who is not fit to take the Holy Name of Christ Iesus into his Mouth until it be washt and his wicked Heart cleansed and then he may know better how to speak of the things of Gods Kingdom which at present he is ignorant of and and an Enemy to And in the 90 Page Sampson Bond saith That the Holy Spirit in respect special help and asistance is subsequent to the Scriptural Gospel Preached Reply Where hast thou learnt this Doctrine The Scriptures speaks but of one Gospel and saith It is the Power of God Rom. 1.16 thou that brings another art under the curse who art preferring the Scripture before the Spirit for aid and assistance like a blind guide for the Scripture will Witness against thee and thy abuse thereof for the Scripture saith There is none knows the things of God but by the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 2.11 12. Nor do we know how to pray as we ought but by the Assistance of the Spirit of Christ Rom. 8.26 And it is the Spirit must lead us into all Truth and it is
the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures through Holy Men 2 Pet. 1.21 And it is the Spirit that must open the mysterys in the Scriptures 1 Cor. 2.12 Or else all are blind like thee Sampson And S. B. doth strongly plead for his Masters Kingdom of Sin and Darkness from the 77 to the 87 Page of his Book and in these 10 Pages he hath made such a Babel building in confusion and wresting the Scriptures and giving his meanings upon them to prove what he saith and then concludes never to come our of Sin nor no Man else till they be Dead and hath charged all the Holy Prophets Fathers and Apostles to live in Sin he hath thrown dirt in the faces of them all and with his cloud of Darkness where under he dwells would he cover them all But God will judge thee for thy Lies and reproach thou hast cast upon his Ministers Servants and Prophets who were redeemed from the Earth and knew the Kingdome to be come in Power and sate together in Heavenly places in Christ Iesus who were Washed and Cleansed by his precious Blood and their Bodys were Temples for God to dwell in and walk in and not receptacles for Sin and Darkness as S. B. is and cannot come out of it as he saith till he be dead and so he will live and have all Men to live â—in and serve the Devil till they be dead and then they shall pertake of the fulness of God in Heaven 8 Page of his Book Oh! S. B. Thou hast sound out easy way to please Hypocrites to go to Heaven But if thou repent not of this thy wicked and confused work and believe in the Light of Christ Iesus that thy Heart may be cleansed thou wilt perrish in Darkness for ever But Job and Paul and John with the rest of Gods Servants whom thou hast falsly accused who were humble Men fearing God and did not justifie themselves but saw they were weak without him but as they stood in the Faith they beheld his glory and confest to his power which redeemed their Souls from Death and their Feet from falling And David was washed from his Sin through Repentance and Job was accepted of God but not in Sin S. B. do thou look to that Neither did Paul sit down in that state crying out O Wretched Man Who shall deliver me from this Body of Death But as a good Soldier in the Spiritual Warfare he followed Christ Jesus the Captain of his Salvation and sought a good fight and kept the Faith and did not sit down in unbeleif but bore Teâ—timony to the Power of Christ Jesus that had made him more then a Conquerer and then he came to know a better state and a growth in Christ Jesus and then he could say There is no Condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus who walks not after the Flesh but after the Spirit for the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8.1 2. And Christ Jesus said The Strong Man keeps the House till a stronger comes and binds him and spoils his Goods and disposses him And so they that are in the Faith which purifies the Heaâ—t not a Notion only they have experience of this blessed work and cannot plead for Sin term of Life but are in him that destroys the Devil and his works and brings in Everlasting Righteousness And they that are born of God sins not 1 Iohn 3.9 We believe the Apostle John spake true although thou S. B. would make him a Liar as in thy 83 Page where thou chargest the Apostle with saying We that are in the new Birth if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us But John doth not say so but it is thou that art adding to his Words for he doth not say He that is born of God commits Sin but He that is born of God doth not commit Sin and so thou art a false accuser of the beloved Disciple of Christ Jesus Who saith 1 John 1.5 This is the Message we have heard and declare unto you that God is Light and in him is no Darkness at all if we say we have fellowship with him and walk in Darkness we Lie and do not the Truth but if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have from fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin But if we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us but if we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness And here the Apostle speaks of states and conditions he had passed through that others who where Travelling after might be Encouraged to walk in the Light that they might know the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from their Sins And so he that hath this Hope purifies himself as he is pure 1 Iohn 3.3 And so we have Testimony unto the Power of Christ Jesus who destroys the Devil and his works and brings in Everlasting Righteousness and makes an end of Sin and so we cannot plead for the Devils Kingdom of Sin and Darkness like S. B. till he is Dead But let Sampson Bond plead for Sin till his Tongue cleave to the Roof of his Mouth yet God will establish Righteousness in the Earth And in thy 82 Page thou falsly accuseth Paul That perfection from Sin was not attainable in this Life but at the Resurrection of the Dead and bringest Phil. 3.12 But Paul says no such thing but he says He follows after that he may Apprehend that for which he is Apprehended of Christ And 14 Vers I press towards the mark for the price of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus and preached wisdom amonâ—st them that were perfect And if S. B. had experience of the work of Christ Jesus in his Heart he would have seen a possibility of being washed and cleansed from his Sin and a further growth increase into the manifold Gifts and Graces of Gods Spirit for to be cleansed from Sin is not the highest perfection attainable in this Life But S. B. saith in his 80 Page The meanest Saint upon the Earth is like his Father in Heaven that he is like to God who begitteth all his Children in his own Likâ—ness How now S. B. what must we be like our Father which is in Heaven who begets his Children in his own likeness what is not this perfection to be like God But if this be true as no doubt it is then what will become of thy Kingdom of Sin and Death thou art pleading for term of Life in these 10 Pages of thy Book thou hast overthrown it all at once But saith S. B. No Man is like the Father or the Son in the degrees of these perfect or pure Qualities No who ever said they
were But what need was there of this assertion But he must fill up his Book with something and I do suppose he readily spel'd what comes upermost but how he will reconcile this later part of this Page with the rest of his confused stuff I know not it is so plain a contradiction there needs not a Scholler to interpret it But S. B. speaks like himself and many of the Priests his Brethren who can call Light Darkness and Darkness Light and Evil Good and Good Evil with their fore fathers of Old But S. B. may twist and twine and wrest the Scriptures to cover himself in this as he hath done in other things But I may say unto him what hast thou to do with perfection whose dwelling is in Darkness and to prattel and prate of things thou knows nothing of But in the blindness and enmity of thy mind thou art busying thy self to lay Stumbling-Blockes in the way of the Blind and to strengthen the wicked in their way But all who have an Eye open and loves the way that leads to Life will see thy snares of Hell and Death who aâ—t chaâ—ging the new Birth with Sin which is Blasphemy against God For he that is born of God cannot Sin 1 John 3.9 And S. B. saith 95 The Scriptures tells us divers things before they were written to wit that the word of God was manifest to Adam and his Wife and that the Word of God came to Noah and Abraham and others And then saith he Now O ye teaching seducing Quakers I would ask you this one Question Could your Light within tell you ought of all this if the written Scriptures had not told it first Reply Yes we do believe the Light could have told us this and much more for these things which were from the beginning were by the Light revealed unto Moses and all the Prophesie Exhortations Admonitions and what soever was written for our learning was from the blessed inshining of the Light made known for Holy Men spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost which is the Holy Spirit of Christ Jesus by which he hath enlightned every Man that is come into the World which thou in thy dark mind canst not discern For although Light shines in Darkness yet Darkness comprehends it not 1 John 1.5 Who in thy Ignorance and Darkness art raising Mists and Foggs in thy Book to blind the Eye which God is opening but thy work is as chaff which will be burnt in the Fire of Gods Jealousie which waxeth hot against such Babilonish-Builders as thou art And Sampson Bond in his 96 Page hath raised another great Lie to wit That the Quakers say the Soul of Man is God in part And then in his dark envious Spirit is fighting against it to the 99 Page of his Book Reply But our Belief and Doctrine is That God breathed into Man the Breath of Life and he became a living Soul Gen. 2.7 And not that the Soul was God in part as S. B. falsly insinuates and he has forged a Lie and in these 4 Pages makes a great bussel in Lies and Confusion to fight against it to no purpose but serves to manifest his Envy and Folly Who is bringing in J. Taynes belief as a proof against us as a cover to shelter his evil design for J. Tayne was never amongst us nor oâ—ned by us But any thing will serve thy turn for it is manifest by thy Book thou matterest not what thou sayest like thy forefathers who were forgers of Lies and said Report and we will Report And so it is seen where thou art and who is thy leader not Christ Jesus of Nazareth who is the Captain of our Salvation who by the Light of his blessed Spirit within us which thou like a Wicked Wretch calls the Devils hath opened our Eyes and we see where thou art and who is thy Leader And S. B. in his 4 next Pages which he or his Printer hath paged in confusion like his work in his Book he saith The Quakers Infallible Spirit within him is grounded upon the Soul being God in part and further saith he I have long thought their Infallible Light within to be no other then the Pope without and saith S. B. as the Pope saith so saith the Quakers and the Pope robs Christ of all his Offices and so doth the Quakers and saith he the Quakers deny the Trinity which is 3 distinct Persons Reply The Quakers do believe that the Spirit of Christ Jesus is Infallible But thou S. B. art so blind and envious that thou canst speak little of the Quakers but a Lie is in thy Mouth for our belief is not grounded upon the Soul being God in part It was never so spoken by us but it is thy forged lie in charging it upon us But Faith herein hath been raised and increased in us through its powerful working in our Hearts to wit the Eternal Infallible Spirit which the true Believers in Christ Jesus were always led by which thou in thy Wicked fallible and dark Spirit cals the Devil But by the Light and Power of Christ Jesus our Mouths are opened to bear a Testimony against the Idolatry and Blasphemy of the Pope and all such as thou art who are his off-spring who are not yet come out of Babilon for confusion is your dwelling place and although the Quakers do believe that the Light and â—pirit of Christ Jesus is Infallible and will lead all out of Sin up to God who believe in Christ Jesus Yet this doth not follow that therefore the Quakers and the Pope are one because he to wit the Pope doth say That his Idolatrous Principles and Traditions are Infallible But this is thy shallow Head and dark Mind which makes thee publish thy Ignorance to the World And we know the Pope is an Intruder into things which he is ignorant of and hath nothing to do with and is a Blasphemer and so art thou who ar comparing the Light and Spirit of Christ Jesus with the Pope and his Idolatrious Traditions in this Comparison But we turn it back upon thy own Head with thy Brethren the Priests of New-England where thy lying Book as thou saist was Printed which is as followeth The People sprinkle Infants and call it the Baptism of Christ and so do the Popish Priests preach for hire and so do you Presbyterians and have taken Mens Goods from them for your gain yea and took their Childrens Cloaths from their Backs and Imprisoned Men till Death for your God which is your Belly and from them you haue done no Work for what greedy Hirelings are you Who is Worst you or the Pope The Pope calls the Old Mass-House the Church and so do you But the Lord is redeeming his People out of your Ignorance and Idolatrous Inventions and from the Mouthes of such Hirelings as thou art And this may satisfie all honest minded People of the Lord in Bermudas that thou art not a Man
Name or Book whereby it might have been made manifest but in as much as he hath done neither I return it back upon him again as an Imagination forced upon his own Heart And as for that of George Fox concerning the Nature of Christ that it was not humane but Divine I have bore my Testimony agreeable thereto before and so leave S. B. to prove it by the Scripture which lies upon him as a necessity in as much as he hath laid it down as a necessary point of Faith One thing more of which he chargeth the Faithful Servant of the Lord G. F. is that he hath abused the Scripture 2 Cor. 5.11 For we which live are always delivered unto Death for Jesus sake that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Mortal Bodies Now the abuse charged on G. F. is that he reads it thus the Life of Jesus is manifest in our Mortal Bodies thereby making that present which the Apostle makes future at the Resurrection Answ The words might be doth not so much note the time as the end wherefore the Saints were always delivered up to Death even for that very end that the Life of Christ might be Manifest in their Mortal Bodies all that might Dye to the Flesh and to the World and Sin might no longer Live in them but that the Life of Jesus might be Manifest in their Mortal Bodies Now if G. Fox witnessing the fulfilling of this and did Testifie to the same how did he abuse the Scripture or belye the Apostles words as thou hast falsly charged him but it is plain thou hast wrested the Scripture in that thou say'st it is only at the Resurrection when Paul himself witnessed the same thing before he went out of the Body Gal. 2.20 And yet in contradiction Priest Bond saith in pag. 72. that the Body shall be raised Spiritual as Christs Body of Flesh and Bones after the Resurrection was Spiritual our Bodies shall not be raised Natural corruptible Bodies but Spiritual Incorruptible Bodies though the Body of Man be not Natural corruptible or Mortal Flesh and Blood and as saith unfit for the Kingdom of God but in the Resurrection the Body will not be so for it will then be Spiritual incorruptable immortal Flesh and Blood Priest Bond in this hath contradicted himself and is made to confess the Quakers Principles And for what thou hast to charge Isaac Pennington withal I believe he was a Spiritual Man and was better acquainted with Heavenly things then Sampson Bond and so could speak as he had known felt and received them in Spirit which is a Mystery to every Natural Man for the Wisdom of this World with all the acquired parts that it can Furnish the Natural Man withal cannot know or Receive the things of God because they are only known and received in the Spirit But it had been a great point of Wisdom in this Priest to have been still and quiet and not to speak Evil of the things he knew not neither understood but he that thus will rail against the Light of Christ which the Saints believe in will not spare his Disciples Thus have I searched over the first part of his Book which concerns his first charge wherein I have noted some of the abuses Slanders Blasphemies Confusions and soft contradictions of S. B. and according to the Measure of Light I have Received briefly answered the same I shall now pass on to the Second charge viz. that the main end of the Quakers Meeting in these Islands is to make the Lords Christ his Holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all Lyers and false Witnesses of God And to make good this his Ungodly false charge against us he lays down this for his Foundation viz. That we are G. Fs. Disciples and therefore that this is our Principal that the Light is in us which he calls pretended Light is our true Christ Teacher Rule and Guide to be heard believed in walked unto and obeyed as the only Saviour to give Remission of Sins and Salvation with God to which he said we consented from whence he draws down this conclusion viz. That we did thereby Grant that the end of our Meetings is to Teach a denial of Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Man approved of God to be our true and only Saviour which Teaching said he is to make the Lords Christ his Holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all Lyers and False Witnesses of God Reply The Ground of this his charge is of the same Nature with the former because we confess to the Spirit within which is Light and therefore he concludes that it must needs follow that we do deny the true Christ which he concludes to be the Man Jesus without without having any respect to any thing that dwelt within or at least without any Respect to the Spirit of Christ whose Office it is to cleanse the Soul from Sin and so consequently doth save and Redeem from under the power of Death Reply This his charge is absolutely false for our Hearts viz. The Hearts of the Faithful amongst us is truly set to serve the Lord and our main end is truly to Worship him in Spirit and in Truth and if in the Indeavours of our Hearts to bring this our end to pass and for want of a true understanding in the Scripture we had mist of the thing must it needs be charged on us that it was our main end so to do I believe few that have any tenderness in them will believe thee But on the other Hand it is Manifest that the Man Jesus did declare himself the Light of the World Joh. 8.12 and so to be believed in Chap. 12 46. now as Man barely understood how could he be the Light of the World which Light is a Heart searching Light Rev. 2.23 therefore it must be understood in the Spirit and he declares himself one with the Father Joh 10.30 in whom dwelt the fulness of the Godhead bodyly who was before Abraham John 8. and it was the Godhead the Invisible power for which the Body was prepared and this power dwelling and acting in the Body was that which unheld it in this great work of Mans Salvation and it was through the excellency worth and power of the Indwelling Spirit which was one with the Father which the Invisible Eye only could behold by which the satisfaction was made and the purchase of the Heavenly Inheritance obtained by whom Remission of Sins Justification Sanctification and Everlasting Redemption is obtained this is he in whom we confess to be our true and only Saviour in whom we believe And in as much as he did direct his Disciples that after his departure they should wait for his Spirit which the World could not receive then no more then they can do now which saith he dwelleth with you and shall be in you and this Spirit was to be waited for even by his Disciples that had been taught by him and he was
to be their Guide and their Instructor and their Leader and in the Spirit they were to Worship the Father and this is the word of Faith even Christ the begetter of Faith in the Heart and must be believed in and obeyed and walked up to according to his Inward Moons and requirings which always moveth and leadeth into the things that is good and maketh manifest the Evil and reproveth for it and this is not received by Natural Generation but by the Inspiration of the Almighty which is Light which shines in our Hearts and gives the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ and this Spirit Life and Power dwelt in the Son of God without measure but in the Saints in measure and this is he by which the Saints are Sanctified and do receive full assurance of the everlasting unchangeable Inheritance and this is wrought by degrees by the same Spirit by which the Saints are continually given up to Death to dye to Sin to dye to the Flesh to dye to the World that the Life of Jesus may be made Manifest in their Mortal Bodies And the Manifestation of this Spirit being given to every Man to profit withal and we believing that every Man hath Received a Measure of this pure Light according to Joh. 1.9 therefore do we direct People to turn in their Minds to this Heavenly Principle this Heart searching Light that makes Manifest Sin and Transgression and leads the Soul out of Captivity from under the Power thereof and these things we declare and Exhort People to submit unto the same for herein only is the true Spiritual Worship witnessed And now S. B. what wilt thou say Wilt thou judge this is to deny Christ or to make him a Lyer who was truly God or to make the Holy Spirit a Lyer to whom we thus Testifie or to make the Angels Lyers who Testified to him as a King whose Kingdom was not of this World or to make the Apostles Lyers who bare so large a Testimony to his Spiritual appearance I know and am sure had thou received thy Message from the Lord or ever walked in the Path of the Righteouss thou wouldst have had another Message to declare then any yet I can see come from thee Now all the Scriptures that S. B. brings to prove his charge they are such as proves the same Jesus to be the Saviour who was one with the Father And however these Testimonies of Christ the Spirit the Angels and Apostles seems to speak of the outward Man yet thereby we cannot understand it any otherwise then as he was the Christ and Saviour of the World who dwelt in the Father and the Father in him and the words he Spoke they were not his but the Fathers that sent him But he goes on to Revile the Light with his common term of Idol which Idols and Idolatrous practises was ever hateful unto God But the more he Reproaches it the more he doth heap up Vengeance upon his own Head to be Executed upon him in the day of the Lord. The next thing to he considered was a Sentence of Scripture Spoken by Will Harriot in denyal of the Priests false charge concerning our Mâ—etings saying The Apostle Travelled in Biraâ—h for the Gallations till Christ was formed in them which words he Spoke without naming Chap. and ver for which he derides him and calls him Impertinent Simpleton and with all he Glories that he could readily point at the Chap. and ver to which I answer is this any point of Religion Is it any matter of Salvation Is it nor rather a chief part of thy Trade which thou hast been Exercised in more then twenty years and peradventure Received for thy Hire several hundred pounds worth and this is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and agreeable with the Practise of Balaam who Loved the wages of Unrighteousness now it were a shaâ—e for thee Trading with the Scripture so long and not to have thy Trade perfect The Scripture was Gal. 4.19 The which Scripture this Reviling Priest makes use off to Reproach the Light thus If when Paul writ to the Gallations Christ was to be formed in them then the Light in every Man the Quakers Rotten Principle which is in every Man by Natural Generation he saith is not the True Christ Rep. In defiance of this Heavenly Principle I say thou art an Ignorant Man for this Light is of a more Noble Birth and Generation for it is of Gods own begetting and so not of a Flâ—shly Generation for that which is Born of the Flesh is Flesh but that which is Born of the Spirit is Spirit And it is one thing to have this principle in them and another thing to be in Union with it it is one thing to have it in a Man and another thing to be formed into its likeness now none can Witness the formings of Christ in them but such as do receive Christ the Light they and only they receive Power to become Children of the most High God even they that believe in his Name which is the Power by which Christ Jesus was raised up from the Dead and such who by Faith lay hold on the Power the Word of Life the quickning Spirit by which the Saints are begotten again into Christs Nature and Christs own Nature raised up in them and so is Christs Word fulfilled you in me and I in you And thus to know Christ is not to deny the Body which suffered and Rose again for the Saints which Testified of the Man did also bear Witness to the Spirit which was their Guide and Leader and Instructer and Saviour and Saved them from the Body of Death and Power of Darkness and Law of Sin and Mortified Sin in them and their Vile affections which were upon the Earth was Subdued by the Spirit of Christ and they came to know him to be the quickning Spirit quickning and Enlivening them and raising them up to sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus so Old things were Witnessed to pass away and all things to become new new Nature Will new Assertions new Desires new all New The next thing to be considered is his Ridged sencering of Will. Harriot with his Fellow Seducers as he calls them Pag. 59 60 61. In which he shews his Persecuting Spirit in passing such a Sentance as Whipping for no other Transgression then to deny such a Doctrine as is not truly grounded upon the Scripture and not only so but in divers particulars contrary to the Scripture And for this he takes the Scripture for his Rule Joh. 2.13 And Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the Temple those that Sold Oxen and when he had made a Whip of small Cords he drove them out of the Temple and said unto them make not my Fathers House a House of Marchandice Now Mark what ground hath he or can he rightly gather from hence to punish a Man with Corporal punishment for matter of
in the middest of us as the true assembling and gathering in the name of Jesus which is the power is truly witnessed and his workings in the particular Vessels is sundry sometimes so that the creature being sensible of the working of the Power sometimes breaths unto the Lord while sitting silent together sometimes uttering it self in a sigh or groan sometimes feeling the raptures of the heavenly joy breaks forth into singing which this mocking Priest which dwells in Ishmaels Nature deridingly calls Humming and Canting and wherâ—as some who with Eve have hearkned to the Tempter whereby their minds have been led out into disorderly and unlawful actions this he hath cast upon the true Baptisme of the Spirit but the reward of the Mocker is the Judgement of the Eternal God which shall be this Priests food for ever except he repents And so much in Answer to his second Charge by which it is manifest that the main end of our meeting in this Island is not to make the Lords Christ the Holy Spirit Angels and Apostles all Lyers and false-witnesses of God as this Priest hath falsly charged us But the main end of our meetings is to wait to feel his living motions requirings and leadings that by it we may be led to glorify the Father Word and Spirit in the true guidance of the Spirit into the true and Spiritual worship which is well-pleasing unto God I should now proceed to his third and last Charge but because W. Wilkinson hath given some answer thereto already I suppose I may sum up the Answer in the fewer words The Charge is this That the prime Principles of a Quaker are the same that were held and professed by the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus To thee oh thou false Man I make this Reply in Answer to this false Charge Art not thou ashamed thus to utter Lyes oh thou false Tongue Dost not thou know thou must give an account for these things to the Lord For now had their Principles been our Principles Paul would have had no need to have made War against them neither would the Apostle have had any such causâ— to leave them under such an odium upon the record of Truth to all succeeding Generations calling them Beasts for no other cause that we can here on from thee but for denying the Resurrection and yet I can sâ—e little but thy bare word for it neither though thou saist it is manifest in 1 Cor. 15. Beside there were many that were found in this error as the Sect of the Saduces yet were not left under that odium which makes me judge that the Apostle had seen some other bruitish principle or practice which caused him thus to contend with them But if thou could prove that yet it would be too much for thee to undertake to make good thy Charge because we do not at all deny the Resurrection And to lay open the wickedness and falsity of this thy Charge I shall here declare to the World what our prime chief and leading Principle is Our prime chief oâ— leading Principle is Christ the Light whom God hath given for a Leader who hath enlightened every man that câ—meth into the world which Light hath shined in our dark Hearts and manifested it self in our Conscienâ—â—s by which we first came to see our m serable state and condition being by nature Children oâ— Wrath and under the power of Darkness in which state we were separated from God from hit Spirit and this Light which discovered our woful state under sin and in transgression we felt it also to Judge us and as we gave heed unto it and regarded its reproofs and hearkned to its voice which voice we often heaâ—d in the cool of the day But I say as we began to have regard unto it and believed in it and obeyed its voice we found it was the way of Life and its leadings we discerned was alvvays out of every thing that vvas evil and if at any time vve turned aside to hearken to the Enemy vve found it to rebuke us and Judge us and then our peace vvould be broken and pain and anguish vve should feel in our Souls and some of us sometimes vvould be afraid that it vvas the dictates of a natural Conscience and then vve vvere afraid of being deceived but coming into seriousness and vveightiness vve found that all men by nature vvere dead but this vve discerned vvas living and as vve obeyed vve felt its life to spring up in us and vve vvere quickned by it and it lead us more and more out of death and darkness and living openings in the mysteries of Salvation vve come to receive then vve began to grovv bold and confident that this Light vvas truly the Light and Spirit of Jesus So he became our Leader and as many as vvere faithful to it received povver and vvaxed strong and are brought in some measure to the Word of Life and through Christ alone hath the Lord raised us up to be a people whom the World deridingly call Quakers and for the sake of this Righteous Principle have many of this people deeply suffered yet of it we are not ashamed but are resolved to follow it although through the Tribulation through the Cross and Self-denyal believing that he will Crovvn us vvith an Everlasting Crovvn of Glory So this is our Faith That the Lord vvill raise us up at the last day for if the Dead rise not vve vvere of all creatures most miserable being given up to suffer vvhat Man shall be suffered to do unto us But this is our Faith That the Lord vvill raise us up according to his promise and vvill change our vile Bodies and vvill fashion them like unto his glorious Body So being satisfied as concerning the Love of God That there shall not be any thing vvanting to make our Inheritance perfect to our eternal content and satisfaction vve can leave that to the Lord to prepare us a Body as it pleaseth him So this Light of Jesus Christ is our Principle vvhich vvas not the prime principle of the Beasts vvhich Paul fought vvith at Ephesus for this vvas the very thing that this Apostle vvas to turn people to Acts 26.18 So I have done with this Charge only noting one thing in Page 72. vvhere he said I called to him for his Bible I call'd not to him for his Bible therefore let that be added also to fill up his measure vvho I perceive is so hardned he neither cares much vvhat he either saith or vvrites for it vvas not in my heart to call to him for his Bible but I said if I had a Bible I could prove it viz. That the dead shall not rise the same Body Immediately he profer d his and I found the place vvhere the Apostle comparing the Resurrection to a Grain of Wheat saith plainly It cometh not up the same Body but God giveth it a Body as it pleaseth him Thus have I gone through S.
for his Seed remains in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God 1 John 3.9 Now let Priest Bond prove where ever the Apostle Preached such a Doctrine as in all true Believers there is a cursed Root of Bitterness mortified and not nullified in this World Death only makes the Conquest over Sin So we must understand we must have this cursed Root of Bitterness as long as the Believers live according to Priest Bond 's Doctrine though he has not proved it by Scripture and then how can they be kept blameless to the Day of the Lord as in page 85 Priest Bond saith 't is an erroneous Principle for the Quakers to say that the Scriptures are not the word of God in page 77. and page 87. he brings many Scriptures and makes a great pudder and abuses them to prove it but to no purpose his declarative word of God but he hath not proved such a word in Scripture all Scripture is given forth by Inspiration of God c. 1 Tim. 3. Therefore saith Priest Bond the Scriptures is the word of God but that Scripture doth not say so 2 Tim. 3. And in page 88. Priest Bond falls a Railing against Quakers and saith Is there any word asserted to be the word of Christ but the written word of Truth Doth not the Apostle say that the Word of Faith is nigh in the heart let the word of Christ dwell in you c. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the word of God the word of God endures for ever and are these Writings of the Letter And Priest Bond saith page 88. The Lord hath no other will as a Rule of Obedience than his will revealed in the written Scriptures had the Lord no other will or Rule of Obedience before the Scripture was written Prove that by Scripture Priest Bond runs into Lies and foul words the Quakers worship cannot be accepted of God Quakers are under the power of Satan gross blind and ignorant the Cavil is idle and vain These Lyes Priest Bond may apply to himself but where doth the Scripture say of themselves in so many words as S. B. doth that the Scripiures are the infallible standing Rule of his Faith and Life and yet acts contrary to them for the Scripture saith The Holy-Ghost shall lead you into all Truth and no Man knows the things of God But the Spirit of God and Holy Men spake forth Scripture as they were moved by the holy Ghost And Priest Bond falls a railing against Quakers Spirit and calls it their Idol light within seducing Quakers is blind These filthy ungodly words he had better apply to himself Priest Bond saith Because the Spirit is antecedent to the Scriptures therefore none can walk in the Scriptures till they walk in the Spirit This consequence is lame saith Bond Page 90. Howbeit the Scriptures are before the Spirit in respect of aid and assistance The Apostle doth not say so in 1 Pet. 1. The Apostle tells you The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So it is the Spirit of God that brings people both to discern the Scriptures and to walk according to them which Spirit of God or Holy-Ghost was before they were written which moved the holy men to give them forth And Bond saith To the Law and the Testimony the Written Word he adds Written Word and yet he saith Scripture is his Rule And Bond saith When the Spirit of Truth is come it shall guide you into all truth of the Scriptures And yet he saith The Written Scriptures are the Infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life page 89. 91. And how can the Scriptures be the Rule and the Spirit of Truth must be the guide into all the truth of the Scriptures And again Priest Bond contradicts himself and saith He affirms that the matter contained in the Scriptures is the only infallible standing rule of Faith and Life Page 91. So then the Scriptures are not the only rule but that which is contained in them And what is that which is contained in them which is thy Rule seeing the Holy-Ghost was in them which moved them to speak them forth and in them that leads them into all the truth of them But Priest Bond is all the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelations thy Rule and all that is contained in them For the Scripture speaks of the Devils words and bad men's words as well as the good Priest Bond saith The People of God had no Word Written from Adam to Moses and yet they had a Word given from God to be the rule else their worship would have been like the Quakers Will-worship If Priest Bond have not the same Word and Holy-Ghost as they had he cannot Worship God in Spirit and Truth neither can he be born again of the incorruptible seed but by that Word which lives and abides and endures for ever And Will-worship is not the Quakers who worship God in Spirit and Truth but his own In Page 92. Priest Bond is full of railing against Quakers their Idol light within craftily thrown down the Scriptures this Plot cannot be from the Spirit of Christ blind rotten and wicked spirit your Light that false Christ within See how wickedly Bond torments himself and blasphemes against the true Christ and the Light in his people Priest Bond saith Where is that place of Scripture to be found which saith the Scriptures are to be tryed by the Spirit the Spirits are to be tryed by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the Spirit Then Priest Bond what Scripture had they to try withal from Adam to Moses before the Scripture was written And Priest Bond saith It is the Holy-Ghost that leads into all truth of the Scriptures Then it must try the truth of them whether they be rightly translated or no And the Spirit of God will not deny its own Words And again Priest Bond saith The Spirit witnesses in the Scripture But where doth the Scripture say such words That the Spirit witnesses in the Scripture Priest Bond saith The Spirit witnesses in the Scripture that he is a righteous man who walks in all the Commandments or Ordinances of the Lord page 99. And page 87. Thou saith in contradiction There is in all true Believeâ—â— a cursed root of bitterness and death makes only the conquest over sin But we tell thee That Christ through death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death and makes an end of Sin Then Priest Bond falls a railing Quakers damnable delusion hellish Impostor that Idol light for if they might herein prevail and withal get into the Saddle they would undoubtedly soon arreign try and condemn the inspired Bible of God to the Fire and Fagot These are horrid malicious Lies Blasphemed from Priest Bonds evil Tongue For we have esteemed and do own the Scriptures more