New-Testament And instead of a Reply Francis tells us of his experimental interest in that Text saying that he was washed and justified in himself from his sins and at length he told us how to wit in some measure Hereupâ—n â—emanded what the sins in particular were from which he was in himself washed and justified in some measure whether it were from 〈◊〉 or Drunkâ—ness Oathes or Adultery he replied I am not to tell thee then more seriously I requested the Assembly to take notice of his want of knowledge in the Scriptures inasmuch as that he makes justification from sin not only a work withâ—n him but to be daily wrought in himself by measure or degrees which assertion of his is directly contrary to the manifold Scriptures of truth which proved the third Argument to wit that our justification from sins was at once finished and perfected without 〈◊〉 on the Cross by the offering of the one body of Jesus Christ one for all and so already doâ—e by Jesus Christ and in being in him our head nevertheless it was readily granted by me sc that all things relating to our washing and justification from sins by that one sacrifice of the body of Christ as above is to be believed in for the remission of sins and for the making of that blessed work so already finished effectual in us it 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 until Mortality be swallowed up of life hereunto agrees the words of the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. The man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time Gave referring to the time past the work of ransome being already done and perfected To be testified i. e. by the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. and bâ— its effects in the hearts of Believeâ—s â—â—due time i. e. in Gods appointed time so then when the spirit saith as above sc That the Man Jesus Christ gaâ—e himself a ransome For all i e. for all them by whom the ranâ—â—mer is believed on and in whom â—he virtue and effâ—cts of the ransome are by the spirit influenced 〈…〉 these things are according to the Scriptures giveâ— by the conspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 6 whereas this Doctor 's new Divinity to wit That he is in himself washed and justified from his sinâ— in some measure it is most false and dangerous Doctrine for it doth clearly deny that the Mâ—ssias Jesus Christ of 〈◊〉 hath at once by his own crucified boâ—y without uâ— on the Crosse finished Tranâ—â—ressâ—â—n and 〈…〉 all which and much more is the joynt Testimony of the Prophets aâ—d Apostles concerning the Man Jesus Christ and the work 〈…〉 some effected by him for sinners while 〈…〉 to God 〈…〉 Note that this truth doth â—â—lly answereth Quakers caâ—il about this matter how is sin say they finished without a Man while no good is wrought within him and seeing as they further say Christ works all things in us by his Spirit how then can all things be finished by Christ without us before any good is wrought by him in us Answ It is most necessarily presupposed that all things were finished by the Man Jesus Christ as above explained for satisfaction to his Fathers justice for sin before we could receive that satisfaction by Faith or its effects by the spirit within us Now it s most certain that before Faith with its fruits and effects was wrought in us by the spirit we were unbelievers ungodly unjust and enemies to God in our minds by wicked works Col. 1. 21. then according to right reason if the one had not been first wrought by Jesus Christ without us it had been altogether impossible for the oâ—her to have been wrought in us or received by Faith and to witnessed unto by us consider once more if the Man Iesus Christ had not first given himself a ransome for our sins we could not have received it by Faith nor could it have been Testified or witnessed unto by us Moreover let it be well observed that all the righteousness of Sanctification that is in us from Christ is but a fruit of that righteousness of Iustification which â—esus Christ of Nazareth wrought out by his own personal obedience and sufferings upon the Crosse yea all the graces and operations of the Spirit wrought in us were thereby merited and purchased for us Therefore Francis your being in your self washed and justified from your sins in some measure is plainly to deny that one Propitiatory Sacrifice of the one crucified body of the true Man Iesus Christ which can be no other then a wretched design to blot out of our hearts the blessed Name and Remembrance of that one great propitiation once offered for sins together with the redemption righteousness and reconciliation to God as already in Christ our head and surety purchased and perfected for us until no other righteousness or redemption be known but that of obedience to the Light that unbloody Redeemer which is ye say in every man that comes into the World and thus so much obedience to the Idol-light within so much redemption washing justifying and no more Here hence Francis comes thus in some measure in thy self this is the voice of your Law-working spirit within teaching that he that doth these things shall live by them The Pope without is become a Quakers Light within I have now done with the enlargements upon his affirmation to wit That he was In some measure washed and justified in himself from his sins The next Apparition is of William Bullock again And he tells us the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from sin Answ 1. I prayed him to tell me where I might find those words as uttered by him he had been taught his Answer sc It is Scripture But I told him that he had according to a Quakers practice mâ—ngled and abused that holy Text of Scripture intended by him Namely Rom. 8. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and â—â—ath But he repeated Vs for Me and free from sin for free from the law of sin aâ—d left out the word Death 2. I desired him to frame his Argument to prove the matter controverted sc That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ But no Argument from the Text nor any thing like it was alledged by him long faâ—ting perhaps made him so empty Thereâ—ore 3. I said That it is the Law of the Spirit of life not in a Quaker but in Christ Jesus and that there is not nor ever was any other Jesus Christ a Savâ—our from sin but the Holy Child Jesus born of Mary in Bethlehem the City of David Luk. 2. 4 11. which Saviour is not to be sound in any Quaker and therefore this place of Scripture
pretended by thâ—e falls short of maintaining your cause as it respects the first part of the charge which â—id appear on a due examination of the Text it self in this man 〈◊〉 to wit Exam. By the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus we are to understand the Spirit which the Father gave him as the Son of Man without measure Ioh. 3. â—4 Ioh. 1. 6. Now from this fulness of Spiritual Life in Christ Paul received such a degree of it as made him free from the Law i. e. from the reign and demâ—nion of sin and from Death Rom. 6. 12. 14 i. e. from the power of natural death Note that the Spirit in the Text above is seâ—â—own two wayes 1. By the Subject in whom it is that is in the Manhood of Christs Person 2. By the Effect it is a spirit of life if this life be not from Christs fulness conveyed into us we are but dead men spiritually dead in sins Eph 2. 1. But when the spirit of 〈◊〉 from Christs unmeasurable fulness is derived to us tâ—en we feel its law or power weakening and abolishing the Law i. e. the strength and Authority of sin in us and thereby sin hath now no reigning domineering power in or over us nor can it condemn our persons and thus we are â—reed from the Law of sin death Note Not so â—reed as if we were simply delivered from both or either of these as that we cannot afterwards sin and die but the meaning is sin cannot rulâ— or exercise a command now over us nâ—r can it damn â—s nor can the natural death hurt us now tell me William whether there be ought in this third Text of Scripture alledged by thee that doth in the least though never so much strained prove this first part of the charge against you to be false for the mind of the Apostle therein is plain and evident viz. that the law of the Spirit of life inherent in us hath only a virtue to eat down the Law or commanding power of present sins and to destroy the power of our natural death what I pray thee is in all this to prove a Quakers pretended Saviour within him c. surely William either thou art very silly thy self or thou didst think thy hearers to be so After him steps F. E. again and said the Scripture saith of Christ I in thee and thou in me but he could not tell us where to find the Scripture that said those words of Christ Answ That I did not remember any such Scripture for manner and foâ—m as spoken by him to wit I in theâ— and thou in me but this Parret must prate as he hath been taught howbeit if it might be supposed not granted that Christ had said to any particular person I in thee and thou in me It must needs follow that the person of Christ wâ—s without not within him to whom he then spake and the person of Christ being the Believers only Saviour this allegation could not concern the charge before us T is true we read in Joh 17 23 I in them and thou in we that they may be made perfect in me i e. in oneness of affection for so it is interpreted in the last clause of the same verse sc and hast loved them as thou hast loved me also in Joh. 14. 20. and you in me and I in you these words do only signifie the reciprocal love that shall be fully experienced between Christ and his members at the glorious resurrection of the just as it is implied in the former part of that verse At that day namely of Christs second comming in glory ver 18. ye shall sc at that day know that I am in my Father i. e. in his love and you in me i. e. in my love and I in you i. e. in your love ver 21. Now Francis if thou dost mean either of these Scriptures thou wilt be still at a loss for it was the man Jesus Christ which spake to his Disciples and it is very strange that thou wilt produce a Christ for evidence in whom you do not believe it s a sign that thou art almost spent I do not remember that he made any reply to ought said by me as above but as a mask for their nakedness he urged another Scripture not naming where as to the chapter or verse to wit Christ saith of hâ—mself I am Alpha and Omega Rev 1. 1. I am Alpha and Omega the beginning and the ending saith the Lord which is and which was and which is to come The Almighty after the reciting of this Scripture I expected an Argument to be drawn from thence by the Disputant to prove the thing for whâ—ch he brought it But it seems Franks Seducers could never make him capable of formal Argumentations which defect constrained me to insist upon the explication herein more fully and distinctly enlarged of those Texts of Scripture which for the most part were only repeated by the titular Disputants and that many times after their own most presumptuous mode and manner adding or diminishing contrary to Gods command Deut. 4. 2. But I proceed to the Text it self Ans The place of Scripture above sc Rev. 1. 8. consists of three parts First part I am Alpha and Omega in these words Christs creating power is Metaphorically expressed being the first and last letters in the Greek Alphabet which by a figurative speech are applied to any beginning and end and are here interpreted by the next words namely the Beginning and the Ending which Phrases do signifie unto us Christs divine Nature eternal Power and Godhead as in Joh. 1. ver 1. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was God sc God the Son and in Col. 1. 16. All things were created by him his dear Son ver 13. and for him sc for his glory as the ultimate end Rom. 11. 36. this therefore is the meaning of I am Alpha and Omega that is Christ is the efficient cause of all things and the end also whâ—ther all things are referred that he hath at first created all things and that for his own glory alone Second part Saith the Lord which words denote Christ the faithful promiser for all the promises of God are in him 2 Cor. 1 20. in him i. e. in the man hood of Christs person Col. 2 9. hereunto agrees the title Lord. which is mostly appropriated to Christs humaâ—e nature as before his Birth Luk. 1 43. And whence is this to me that the Mother of my Lord should come to me and on the day of his birth Chap 2. ver 11. For to you is born this day a Saviour which is Christ the Lord and afterwards Joh. 13. ver 13 14. Ye call me Master and Lord for so I am If I thou your Lord and Master have washed your feet Also after his resurrection Luk. 24. 34 saying The Lord hath risen indeed and hath oppeared to Simon ver 39. Behold my hands and my feet that
inherit the Kingdom of God how can it be affirmed that the same true flesh shall be raised to enter upon that inheritance perhaps this improvement he had forgot 2. These inferences are not only defective but contrary to the true Nature of a Resurrection which denotes a taking up of that which was laid down It must hence follow sc If the same body that dies be not raised up but another kind of body it cannot be a Resurrection as above Moreover If aâ— the Resurrection it be not the same but another body then that body which actively and passively honoured God in this world shall not according to Divine Promise Col. 3. 4. be glorified with Christ in the World to come but another body shall be there glorified which never did or suffered any thing for God's honour and to which God never made any Promise yea that body which wickedly sinned lived and dyedin finall impenitency and unbelief Shall not according to Divine threatning Matt. 25. 41. be for ever tormented but another body shall which never sinned nor was ever threatned be eternally dammed in hell with the Devil and his Angels These inavoidable consequents are no less than high blasphemies against the Justice Truth and Righteousness of God Himself especially in that Scripture of sacred truth 2 Cor. 5. 10 We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ that every one sc the same whole man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether good or bad And the Lord Christ assures us John 5. 28 29. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves Are there any other bodies in the Graves then the same bodies which were put into them shall hear His voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation thus in Matt. 25. 46. also Proved 3. That by Flesh and Blood in that place of Scripture above is not meant the substance of Flesh and Blood the parts of a Man's body as now it is But it is to be understood of the sinfull qualities of Man's Nature that are to be done away as in other places Rom. 7. 18 24. Chap. 8. 1 6 7. Gal 5 17 19 24. Flesh doth signifie or of naturall Flesh and Blood of which the body is now composed and made up as such it is corruptable and cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven and thus Paul expounds it as in the latter clause of the same 50. verse Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption That is corruptable Flesh and blood or flesh and blood that hath the Seed and Principles of Corruption shall never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven such flesh and blood is unfit to wear the Crown of Glory as our Souls must be changed before they can be fit for Glory so also must our Bodies from their natural estate to a spiritual for at the Resurrection our bodies shall not be raised natural corruptable bodies but spiritual incorruptable bodies and as such they will be fit for Glory in the Kingdome of Heaven as it s illustrated ver 52. And the Dead shall be raised incorruptable and we shall be changed but how the next verse sc 53. tells us This corruptable must put on incorruption Note This Mortal must put on immortality well then though the body of Man be now natural corruptable and mortal flesh and blood and as such unfit for the Kingdome of Heaven But in the Resurrection the body will not be so for it will then be spiritual incorruptable immortal flesh and blood and being so qualified it will be fit to inherit the Kingdome of God Having thus Answered I expected some return but they were all silent Thereupon Capt. John Hubbart Sherrif with the Iustices of Peace as Representees of the Christian part of the Assembly came forth towards me and openly declared That they were fully satisfied with my Proofs and Answers The Quakers being thus regularly found Guilty of the whole charge the vast Assembly was forthwith peaceably dismissed READER I Have been earnestly Requested by some of the Lords People in these Islands to make some Replies to three or four Erroneous Principles not Discussed in the Disputation Held and Professed by most Quakers To wit 1. That there is a state of perfect freedome from sin in this Life 2. That the matter contained in the Scriptures is not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life 3. That the Soul in Man is God in part and so Infallible 4. The denying of the Trinity sc three persons in one Deity These corrupt Principles maintained by most Teaching Quakers I have on Request as above considered and made some Replies to each particular distinctly as in their order afore expressed 1. Principle That there is a state of perfect freedome from sin in this Life Alledging that the Scriptures do testifie the same as Job 1. ver 1 8. 22 Psal 37. ver 37. 39. 1. 119. 5. Mat. 5. 48. Rom. 6. 18. 8. 4. 2. 15. Phil. 3. 15. Eph. 3. 19. Luk. 1. 6. That I might herein give some satisfaction I have considered the above-mentioned Scriptures one after another in their asserted Order The first Scripture Job 1. ver 1 8 22. There was a Man whose Name was Job and that man was perfect Reply to the 1st verse By Perfect here we are not to understand a Legal perfection such as Adams before the Fall though it be contended for by the Teaching Quakers and affirmed by them as possibly attainable yea actually attained by many of their Friends in this Life but the Spirit doth not in any one of these verses express no nor in end Iobs perfection from all sin in this life nor did Iob so understand it witness his own confessions Chap. 9. 20. If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall aâ—so prove me perverse That is to say if I justifie my self by the actings and expressions of my life my Mouth would condemn me so if I say I am perfect in the thinkings and sâ—cret motions of my heart it would prove me perverse Caril in locum and in Chap. 10. 6. Thou enquirest after my Iniquity and searcheâ—t after my sin likewise in Chap. 42. 6. Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes but to put the word Perfect in ver 1. out of all doubt it is explained in the 8th vese above There was none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man which referred to that Generation in which Iob lived So we read of Noah Gen. 6. 9. That he was a just man and perfect in his Generations in like manner consider Iob in the time and age wherein he lived there was none like him in the Earth for Godliness and uprightness hence for any man to infer that either Noah or Iob were
e. by being ashamed of the true Christ and turning away from him as ye are and do This Oh this is to put the blessed Son of God to an open shame and even this is to do despight to the spirit of Grace and shall they who despite the spirit of Grace ever find the benefâ— of Gospel Grace The 〈…〉 this That the Scriptures of Truth do plainly charge the generality of Quakers with the guilt of the sin against the holy Ghost because they have sinned wilâ—â—lly after a profession openly made 〈…〉 in the Lord Christ 〈◊〉 of the Virgin Mary in the City of Daâ—◠〈…〉 2. 11. to be the true Christ and their only Saviour and therefore 〈…〉 so do ye now crucifie not in but to your 〈…〉 Son of God aâ—resh and put him to an open shame Oh that 〈◊〉 I do heardly wish it would bring these repeated plain dealings effectually home to your hearts remembring from whence ye are fallen and 〈◊〉 and do the first works Rev. 2 5. 9. Lastly As it is above noted in what sense this Disputant F. E. intended the fore-asserted Notions sc that the Word took flesh and in that flesh dyed for all men I could not certainly determine nor could as I am perswaded he himself as it may appear by the Answer he then made to a Question which I put unto him â—o wit Quest Whether he F. E. did believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Man approved of God among the People and whom the Jews slew and God raised from the dead and also received up into Heaven were the true Christ and his only Saviour He forthwiâ—h Answered That be did believe it Capt. Bascomb then called to him saying Thou wilt deny 〈…〉 tomorrow and withal I likewise told him that by this his open confession of the true Faith he had openly declared himself to be a Christian and no Quaker and I furthermore said to him that he had by that Gospel confession of Faith manifestly contradicted what he had contended for in his present Discourse called Disputation and that he had also thereby confirmed the first part of the charge against them namely That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him was not the true Christ but the false Christ And at the same time Nathaniel Bethel spake to him saying Francis you were not long since of another Faith or of another Opinion for you told my Wife That if she did believe in any other Christ then in that Christ which was within her she would be damneâ— But Francis Jesuite-like openly denied that he had spoken any such Words to his Wise thereupon Nathaniel Bethel replied to him in the face of the Congregation that he would depose what he had declared to be a truth Since that time I have been informed of the occasion which invited these words from the sad-Quaker it was thus discoursing of the old Brigham a man of the fifth-Monarchy perswasion who said he hoped to live to see Jesus Christ on the Earth and to shake him by the hand then F. E. said But he sc Brigham should be first sure that Jesus Christ had a hand Bethels Wife then told him that Christ had now a hand for I do said she Believe that Christ hath now the same body in Heaven which he had when he was upon the Earth at this expression of her Faith this frank-Quaker was offended and could not forbear but in plain terms told her that she was a Blasphemer or had spoken Blasphemy and withal he further said unto her as above To wit That if she believed in any other Christ then in that Christ which was within her she would be damned O most horrid Quakerisme dig'd out of the bottomless Pit from whence thou hast received thy Ordination to be a Teaching Seducing and Lying Quaker For Francis thou knowest both this Man and his Wife to be persons of good Name credit and of honest reputation in this Country and therefore worthy to be believed before thy self Oh that the Lord would give thee grace to repent of thy evident wickedness and grievous God provoking Blasphemy proceeding from the false Christ within thee which undoubtedly thou hast wretchedly aggravated by making as much as in thee lay this faithful witness an open lyar and that as most of the Christian Hearers jâ—dged contrary to the Testimony of the render part thy Light-Christ-Conseâ—â—nce within Oh that I could prevailingly advise thee to think how deservedly the dreadful words of the holy Apostle Act. 13. 45. may be charged on thee viz. They the Jews were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming For 1. The manner of thy words as above plainly declare that thou were filled with envy 2. The matter of her words was the same with the thing spoken by Paul not only in ver 37 38. but also in chap. 3. 13. 21. The God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things so that thou wert not only filled with envy but with blasâ—hemous contradictions now Francis this being thy case truly stated hast thou not indeed cause to repent over thy false-Christ that hath as above filled thy heart with envy and thy tongue with Blaspâ—â—my against the the truth of God believed and confesseâ— by that good Woman above By the way I may not omit Capt Bascombes mâ—tion maâ—e unto me upon the confession of F. E. his Faith above c. That Jesus of Nazareth was received up into Heaven to ask him where Heaven was it seems the Captain knew that the Teaching Quakers had Jesuitical-equivocations and mental reserves accordingly I askt him where Heaven was but he made me no Answer thereupon his tender headed-iniquity-Brother William Harriot said Heaven was where it should be I demanded of him where that was he replied like himself Heaven was there where God would have it to be by these impertinent silly shifts the intelligent Hearers perceived that they were basely afraid to stand to their Quakerisme Principles it s well known that at other times they have confidently avouched as their Scripture-wresting-Guids teach that Heaven as well as Hell is within them for which that Text especially is pretended Luk. 17. 21. For behold the Kingdome of God is within you sc the Pharisees ver 20. whereas by Kingdome of God in that place our Saviour understands the Gospel of God Preached as Mark 1. 14. Jesus came into Galilee Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome of God and in Luk. 10. 11. Be ye sure of this that the Kingdome of God is come nigh unto you likewise Mat. 21. 43. Therefore said Iesus unto the Pharisees the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof and ver 45. When the chief Priests and Pharisees had heard his Parables they perceived that he spake of them These Scriptures do plainly shew that by kingdome of God
in Luke 17. 21. Christ doth not mean the Kingdome of glory in Heaven but the Kingdome of the Gospel Preached by himself and his Apostles on Earth to which he answered nothing In the next place F. E. doth as I suppose expect some Answer to his reflection on me at the end of his tedious Discourse afore signified sc That I had not in any thing which was said by me he meant in the four Arguments proving the first part of the charge made any mention of Christ as God to be the Saviour Answ Bold Man who art thou that â—â—achest the Apostles of Jesus Christ yea the Holy-Ghost himself how to speak who were the faâ—thful Witnesses that proved all which was said by me in those four Arguments and that I might prevent which I foresaw such carpings I barely repeated the Apostles express words mentioning in a manner no more then what is plainly asserted by them what dost thou then but under colour of reflecting on me reflect upon the holy Apostles themselves Alas poor Man had it not been more honesty in thee to have thus charged the Apostles then me who wrested not but only repeated the Apostles words for the confirmation of the alledged Arguments thou shouldest have clamoured against the Apostles thus there is not a word by them mentioned of Christ as God to be the Saviour and wouldest thou not hadst thou thus done have been as bold as blind Bayard It s most evident that the Apostles preached Christ as Man Not but that he was and is also God to be believed in for the remâ—ssiâ—n of sins both to the Jews and to the Gentiles so that thy quarrelsome reflection on me is in effect a manifest denying the Testimony of the Apostles joyntly testifying of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the only Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World reconciledworld 2 Cor. 5. 19. for there is no other Man Name or Thing ever in Scripture called the Lamb of God which takes away sin but the one Man Jesus Christ and so it is Recorded by Christs witness bearer Joh. 1. 29. 30. One would now think that the very mentioning of these things were enough to refute them with whom the Scriptures of God have any credit But what shall I say unto thee Francis I would in true love only to thy distressed Soul advise thee to search as in Iohn 5. 39. the Scriptures for I find thee very ignorant of the truth as testified in them and hence asserting new notions which thou hast received from other men which tend to the darkening and denying of the unanimous Testimony of all the holy Men of old to the true Saviour Jesus of Nazareth and to Salvation through Faith in him and that thou mayest be delivered from the dangerous snare of the false Christ the Idol-light within is the hearty desire of him whom for his Faith in and to the truth thou hast opposed William Bullock was the next Disputant to prove That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the false but the true Christ And thus he Argued saying That which may be known of God is manifest in them and tâ—en stâ—pt Therefore I prayed him to tell us were thoâ—e words repeated above were to be found he readily told me sc in Rom. chap. 1. ver 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them 〈◊〉 was the only Proof named by them I further demanded of him what he inferred from this Text of Scripture but because he lookt as if he understood not what was meant by that demand I requested him to frame some Argument from the Text alledged by him to prove the matter in hand but all in vain a Syllogisme being as great a Monster to him as Jesus Christ of Nazareth Thereupon I did declare That the Apostle did not there understand the word God to signifie Christ God Man and as for the phrase in them it is interpreted to them as in the very next words in the same verse sc For God hath shewed it to them likewise Paul doth tell us both how and where God shew'd them this as in ver 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and godhead which Godhead alone is not to be understood for God-man Christ the only Saviour in a word The mind of the Spirit in these two 19 20. verses sc is no more but this namely that the eternal power and Godhead was manifested in i. e. shewn to the Gentiles unconverted by the things that are made or created from the creation of the World this being the true state of the Text above how they could prove the thing to wit That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ for which they were brought surely none but young and old Bullocks or such as are of that kind can understand I expected some reply from this Disputant to the substance above asserted but instead of a reply he urged another Prool this was their manner even all along that thereby they might â—loaâ— their weakness and insufficienâ—â—â— for returns saying The flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth Upon his inversion of the order of the words I desired him to name the Chapter and verse where the words as he had spoken them might be found but he did it not I then named both viz. Joh. chap. 6. ver 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing He again refusing to frame an Argument Therefore to the Text. 1 Answered 1. If these words were to be understood in this sence sc That the Lord Christ on the account of his body of flesh profiteth nothing to Salvation but it s the quickning spirit within that is the only Saviour Then what interpretation wouldst thou put upon Christs words in the same Chapter ver 53. foregoing Then Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life i. e. Spirit ver 63. ult in you or wilt thou make Christ who is the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. guilty of contradiction and so a Lyar to which he replied nothing save that he had spoken Scripture which necessarily engaged me to reconcile those Scriptures to the understanding of the hearers which I endeavoured thus Joh. 6. 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth i. e. the soul of man naturally dead in sins Eph. 2. 1 5. the words exclude all endowments qualifications or excellencies in the natural man from this soul quickening work hereunto agrees the words of our Saviour in the end of the 63d verse above The words that I spake unto you they are spirit and they are life that is to say the spirit of faith is the souls life or special quickening so that the
latter part of the verse is both a verification and explication of the former part sc It is the spirit that quickeneth Thiâ— is likewise conâ—irmed by the Apostle Paul Gal. 3. 11. and long before by the Prophet Habakkuk Chap. 2. 4. the just shall live by faith Faith 〈◊〉 the vital principal and fountain of life in the Soul it is the uniting grace it knits us to personal Christ glorified in Heaven above from whose fulness Joh. 1. 16. we receive grace for grace i. e. Grace for graces sake And therefore his flesh profiteth right Believers the whole as to this particular is though the spirit be a dead-souls quickener yet it is not the quickened souls Saviour But this Disputant still avers that the Scripture saith Christs flâ—sh pâ—ofiteth nothing Therefore for further satisfaction touching these words sc Christs flesh profiteth nothing let this Question be propounded Quest In what sense way Christs flesh be said not to profit or profiteth nothing Sol. 1. Christs flesh profiteth an unbeliever nothing as it is noted by our Saviour in the very next verse ver 64. But there are saith he some of you that believed not intending such of them as did not by Faith the believing souls-mouth eat his flesh and drink his blood which in ver 55 Christ saith is meat indeed and drink indeed also in Heb. 4. 2. For unto us was the Gospel Preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixâ—d with Faith in them that heard it what the Gospel preached was hath been before frequently declared more especially from Act. 5. 30 31. That the same Jesus whom the Iews slew and hanged on a Tree this was the body of Christs flesh God raised up from the dead and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins This was the Gospel word that was preached which profited not either Iews or Gentiles that did not by the mouth of Faith eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ the only Saviour Hence I did infer That the Quakers being such non eating non drinking Unbelievers Christs flesh profiteth them nothing therefore fit to be insiâ—â—ed on by this Disputant 2. Christs flesh profiteth nothing If it be taken in that sense in which the Iews apprehended the eating of it and thaâ— was with their natural mouths as it appears from ver 52. They the Jews strove amongst themselves saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat for they knew of no eating but as they did eat their bodily food yea Christs Disciples such as for the present followed him said ver 63. this is a hard saying who can hear it Hereupon Christ doth explain himself to them all in these words The flesh profiteth nothing ver 63. above thereby giving them to understand that he meant not of eating his flesh with their natural mouthes as they did eat their daily bread for as if Christ had said should ye so eat some of my natural flesh or so drink some of my blood it would profit you nothing the reason of it is assigned by the Apostle Paul because Christs flesh and blood is New-Testament Blood 1 Cor. 11. 25. in which all the promises of God are 2 Cor. 1. 20 here hence it is safely inferr'd That the true Object of Faith is the Nâ—w-Testament promises in Christ bodily in which respect Christs flesh is profitable to all right Believers on him for their Justification Resurrection and Glorification as in ver 54 Whoso eateth with a Soul-believing Mouth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day But if we separate the promises of God from Christs flesh or his flesh from the promises then his flesh profiteth no more then if it were eaten with a mans natural Mouth which according â—o our blessed Saviour profiteth nothing or would not profit the Soul at all Upon the whole it was concluded that W. Bullocks second as his first Scripture fell short of the mark that is of proving a Quakers pretenâ—ed Saviâ—ur within him to be the true not the false Christ The next Speaker was Patience Bullock 1. She propounded a Question to me Quest Whether Christ could have saved us without his being God I Answered Though Christ could not save us unless he were God as well as Man yet the Godhead of the Soâ— onâ—y as such doth not save us from the curse of the Law because the Godhead alone could not fulfill that righteousness active and passive which the Law required 't is true we read oâ— the righâ—eousness of God 2 Cor. 5 21. yet it is not to be undersâ—â—od for the essential righteousness of God but for a righteousness â—nswerabâ—e unto the Law performed by the manhood of Christ to which the Godhead gavâ— both efficacy and excellency Heb. 9. 14. and thereby the righteousness answerable to the holiness and justice of the Law performed by the Man hood soul and body of Jesus Christ was made Meritorious and Satisfactory for sin as the Apostle sign fies Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood i. e. Sufferings of Christ who or which suffering Christ through the eternal Spirit i. e. Godhead of the Son offered himself sc a Sacrifice without spot to God the Father hence I did affirm that Jesus Christ as maâ— is our only Material Saviour 〈…〉 if he may be â—…lieved 〈◊〉 us â—rom the 〈◊〉 of Gods Spiri◠〈…〉 the Man 〈◊〉 Lord Christ then bâ—rn of the Virgin Mary whom 〈…〉 took up iâ—â—o his arms was the Salvation of God i e. whom God had exalted to be â—hâ— only Saviour Act. 5 〈◊〉 and the holy Apostles preached as aâ—ore noted the Man Iesus Christ of Nazareth to be beâ—ieved in remission of sins herewithal named that Text of Scripture in the 1 Tâ—m 2. 5. 6 There is one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gavâ— himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time The Apostle doth not as I said here assert the Man Jâ—sus Christ to exclude the God head or divine nature from him the Medâ—ator and Ransomâ—r but emphatically to demonstrate that nature in which he meditates and gave himself a ransome for though the ransome was paid by him who wâ—s and is God or had a divine Nature yet it was paid in the Man hood oâ— humane nature only that is to say Christs humane Nature gave worth and value to it whence I did infer but wâ—th much reverence that the Manhood of the Son of God is the only mâ—terial cause of our Salvation and by necessary consequence the Man hood or Humane Nature of Christ was and is our only material Saviour which I had no sooner said But F. E. called on the people to take notice That I had declared the Man hood of Christ to be the only Saviour to which some of the Hearers forthwiâ—h replied that I did say to wit that the Manhood
of Christ is our only material Saviour which as I suppose he understood not and therefore he said no more howbeit I expected some reply from Mrs. Patience Bullock no small Prophetess in their Libertine Synagogue but instead of a Reply she puts forth another Question sc Quest 2. Whether we could be saved by Christ without the operation of the Spirit in us I Answered Although it were granted sc That we could not be saved without the operations of the Spirit in us yet this would be nothing to the business befoâ—e us that is it doth not prove a Quakers-pretended Saviour within him to be the true not the false Christ forasmuch as the operations of the Spirit in us are not Christ God-man therefore not our Saviour again I told her let it be granted that we cannot be saved without the effects and operations of the spirit in us yet herehence it will not fâ—llow that we are saved for or by these effects and operations of the Spirit in us so that the meâ—r tendency of her Questions weâ—e by the judicious hearers plainly discerned to lay aside the material Saviour and to insinuate a Spirit and its operations still the Idol-light within to be the true Christâ— and only Saviour thereupon I denied the Spâ—rits operations in us to be the previous procuring cause or ground of redemption justification and salvation with God and that it is one thing to affirm that we cannot be saved without the efficacies of the spirit in us as evidential and another thing to be saved for or by these operations in us as causal to which she made no return Let me here add what her last Question hath since brought to my remembrance namely somewhat touching this Question the men of Rome have commonly expressed the Apostle say they excludes from justification works which we our selves do meaning Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness that we have done Rom. 11. 6. If it be by works then were grace no more grace that is as they wrongly gloss works done by our own strengâ—h without the help of the Grace of God not those works we do by the aid of the spirit within us which is the same with that of the carnal Prophetess above only it is expressed in plainer words so that in truth her Question is but a sly design to renew again the old Papish trick to elude the genuine force of such Texts as above asserted and in good earnest a Quakers light within is but the Pope without By the way in reference to her last question let two things be seriously considered 1. That Carnal Gospellers do but deceive their own souls by resting in a bare literal or historical assent that the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the true Christ and our only Saviour while they are in no degree partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. i. e. of the effectual graces of Christs spirit sc a living saith a lively hope love unfeigned true repentance c. but are slighters and professed rejectors of thâ—m 2. As Carnal Gospellers do thus deceive themselves so do Anti-Gospellars as Quakers no less yea much more put a â—heat upon their own Souls by their idle pretences viz. that the Graces effects and operations of the spirit within them maketh the true Christ and their only Saviour from sins Alas poor deluded ones this is to testifie that the effects of Christs death sufferings redemption and righteousness do constitute the true Christ and Mans only Saviour which effects and operations say ye being followed in all righteousness will bring you to Salvation now what is all this but in plain English to be brought to salvation by the obedience of works Oh let every good Christian tremble to think of the dreadful consequence of this your God provoking Doctrine for it is a manifest renouncing of the righteousness and obedience of the Son of God Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom God the Father hath exalted to be the only Saviour to give remission of sins and salvation to all that rightly believe on him as is aboundantly foreshewed Next to Mrs. Bullock the Champâ—â—n Francis starts up who who after the truths of God had silenced his fellow labourer in the work of the false Christ repeats some words in the New-Testament But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified by the spirit of God Answ 1. I requested him to shew me where I might find those words he replied that the words which he had spoken were Scripture But I said thou hast dâ—â—membred that Scripture as the Text it self made it to appear which is in the 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 2. Note here that the only words which concern Justification sc In the Name of the Lord Jesus were omitted the more crafâ—ily to abuse our judgements that we might believe justification in the sight of God is a work of the spirit in us and consequently that a Quakers pretended Saviour was within him I pray thee Frances how doth this accord with the confession of thy faith contained in thy Answer to my Question above surely Captain Bâ—scomb might have told thee that thou wouldest deny that thy confession of the Faith not only by but before tomorrow by this all men may see what a blind Guid he is to be at once almost on a breath guilty of such gross contradiction and yet insensible of it 3. My special Answer was that Spirit in the last clause of that verse is to be referred to sanctification as it is in all other New Testament Scriptures 2 Thess 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. c. and to be sanctified is mostly attributed to the spirits efficiency and as to the Text above it is as if the order of the words had been thus But ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God but ye are justified by the Name of the Lord Jesus I know that the Teaching Seducing Quakers do convert the transposition in the Text into a confusion by confounding justification and sanctification where is the transposition in that Text doth no more coâ—found just fication and saâ—ctification then the transposition in Mat. 7. 6 confounds Swine and Dogs Give not saith Christ that which is holy to Dogs neither cast your Pâ—arl before Swine lest they traâ—pâ—e them under their feet and turn again and rent you Though turn again and rent you be in the last clause of the â—erse yet it is to be referred â—o the Dâ—gâ— not to the Swine for as Swine do trampâ—e under heir â—eeâ— so Dogs 〈…〉 upon a man renting and tearing him down Thiâ— instance plainly sheâ—s that the 〈◊〉 posiâ—ion in 1 Cor. 6. 11. above 〈…〉 joyning of sanctâ—ficatiâ—n to he Spirit nor justification to the Name of the Lord Jesus alone it being according to the tenour of thâ— whole
the ungodly Abraham was justified in the righteousness of Christs person when he had some ungodliness in his own person a Believer is compleat in Christ bodily Col. 2. 8 9 10. when he hath some incompleatness in his own body In a word these things do clear this Truth Namely To be cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ is to be understood for a cleansing from all the guilt and passive fruits and effects of sin but not for a cleansing as in your sense from all the movings and actings of sin in or by us while in this World which the following verses make most plain for even they which are by the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed from all sin ver 7 8. They have sin and in ver 9. ought to confess their sin Now Francis upon the whole it doth appear that the Patterns cut out by thee do still come short of the measure which plainly argues thou art not as yet thy Crafts-master yea this was manifested by thy Answer to this Question to wit Quest Whether the Saints was cleansed from all sin by the water of regeneration or by the blood of justification Thy Answer was by the Water which gave occasion to sundry persons to laugh at him But he endeavoured to compose them saying it is no laughing matter but indeed matter of melting pity that thy seduced Synagogue of Libertines should be led by so blind a Seducer The next after F. E. was William Bullock again alledging But a Body hast thou prepared me which he repeated again and again and then most earnestly called upon me tell me what is meant by Me for whom that body was prepared and what that body prepared was the same was as eagerly required by Francis Eastlack and William Harriot The place of Scripture intended by them was Heb. 10. 5. But a Body hast thou prepared me I Answered By Thou God the Father is meant by Me the Godhead of the Son by a Body prepared the Man hood united to the God-head of the Son And hereunto agrees the â—ormer part of the 5th verse Wherefore when he Christ God-man cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not or didst not desire and therefore were refused by God it being impossible that they should purge sin ver 4. For it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sin But a body hast thou prepared me meaning to receive and do his Fathers will in taking sin away Joh. 1. 20. Goâ— the Son having now taken and put on the body oâ— flesh prepared for â—im as above he now undertakes the great work of satisfying Goâ—s Justice for sin and so to take away sin saying ver 7. Lâ— I come to do thy Will O God And why he tells us In the volume of the Book it is written of me i. e. in the Record of thy Decree from everlasting is clear for it that I am he whom thou O Father hast instituted and ordained to do thy will for the taking away of sin For ver 10. By the which will we are sanctified or saved through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all So then the body offered in the 10th verse was the body prepared in the 5th verse But the body of Jesus Christ offered was a real man-kind body as the Spirit of Truth witnesseth Ver. 12. But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sin for ever sat down on the right hand of God here hence it is manifest that the very offering of the body of Jesus Christ could not have saved us but by the will and ordination of the Father who prepared that body for Christs hanging and dying on the Crosse had not delivered us from the pains of the eternal death unless it had been written in the volume of the book It s most sure all that our Lord Christ did or suffered in his Soul and Body for us had not satisfied the justice of God for sin if God had not appointed that Christ his Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. should be sent forth to come into the World to do and suffer those things for the satisfying his juctice to the taking away of sin upon the whole I did inter that the true Christ and our only Saviour must necessarily 〈◊〉 both without and above us Here I made some pause to invite a Reply but they were silent at which I much marvelled inasmuch as sundry of the â—â—â—ding Quakers had imprinted so many corrupt glosses on those words it may be 't was forgotten as the Preface notes But a body hast thou prepared me As thus The Body prepared say they was prepared in Heaven and broughâ— by Christ into the Virgins Womb which body they call a Mystical Invisible Spiritual Heavenly body of Flesh and Blood and withal that the Mystical Invisible Body still the Idol light Christ within is the â—rue and only Saviour whose Birth Death Resurrection and Glorification is only Mystical and Invisible Hence as I suppose it is that George Fox in his Folio Book intituled the Great Mystery page 71. asserts That Christs Nature is not humane which saith he is earthly the nature of the first Adam Answ I would gladly knâ—w of this Fox whether Humane doth not rather signifie a Man-kind nature consisting of Soul and Body It s true we read 1 Cor. 15. 47. compare Gen. 2. 7. the first Adam was of the earth earthly in regard of his body not his soul which God formed out of the Earth But the word humane comprehends both Soul and Body which is much more then Earthly or Earth Simply litteral-material Earth Again whereas he adds the second man is from Heaven To which I Answer The second Adam or Man is the Lord from heaven as above 1. Because Christs Man kind nature was conceived in Mary by the power of the Highest overshadowing her Luk. 1. 35. 2. The true Christ is stiled the Secona Man because the first Man was his figure Rom. 5. 14. likewise in the Geneologie Mat. 1. Christ is said also to be partaker of the same flesh blood that the children were partakers of Heb. 2. 14 but the flesh and blood which the Children were partakers of were real visible humane or man kind flesh and blood not Mystical Ivisible flesh and blood Besides this Title sc Th. Son of Man is frequently attributed to Jesus Christ in the New-Testament as in Mat. 8. 20. The Foxes have holes but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head also in Mat. 10. 23. 11. 19. 12. 8. c. The Lords Christ is called the Son of Man which is to shew the truth of his humane mankind Nature it being lineally descended from David according to the flesh and therefore Christ is stiled the Son of David Luk. 20. 41. Moreover he hath the appellation of the Son of Man in reference to his participation with our humane Nature in all
will rather believe the Elect Angels of God then Apostate men or Angels 4. They do in their meetings and aimes make the Apostles of Christ Lyars and false witnesses of God for the Apostles have with one mind and mouth often witnessed this truth to wit That Iesus the Son of Man is the Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16. from ver 13. to ver 18. as above particularly ver 17. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona flesh and blood that is meer man hath not revealed this to thee but my Father which is in Heaven as if the Lord Christ had said all men are flesh and blood so dull sighted and blind that they could never have perceived this truth by any study or observation it comes only by gift and revelation and in Ioh. 6. 69. we the Apostles that then lookt upon the person of Christ conversing with him Believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God and of whom the Apostles further testifie 1 Ioh. 4. 14. And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the World Furthermore We are say they witnesses of these things Namely That the God of our Fathers raised up Iesus from the dead and exalted him to be a Saviour Act. 5. 32. We also read in Acts 10. from ver 38. to ver 43. That God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the Dead and we the Apostlss are witnesses of these things and he commanded us to Preach unto the people and to Testifie that it is he which is ordained of God to be judge of quick and Dead When I had thus proved the second part of the charge also I then called to the Disputants for their Answer or Assent But they betook themselves to their former practice of repeating some Texts of Scripture to beget Believers in their new invented-Mystical Invisible Christ their Spiritual heavenly Man of internal and eternal Flesh Blood and Bones their everlasting Gospel their tender part that Idol light within William Harriot was as to the second part of the Charge the first Champion that stood up in defence of their meetings above saying That Paul travelled in birth till Christ was formed in the Gallatians I demanded of him where those words might be found he told me they were in the Bible his Answer being like himself an impertinent Simpleton inforced me as at other times to name this place of Scripture intended by him sc Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you To which I Answered 1. If when Paul writ to the Galatians Christ was to be formed in them then the light that is in every man a Quakers rotten Principle by natural Generation is not the true Christ but according to this Disputant when Paul was travelling in birth for the Galatians Christ was not formed in them Therefore the Light that is in every man that comes into the World is not the true Christ Though this poor deluded soft and fair had so deeply lasht himself yet he felt it not 2. That Christ formed in a Saint is Christ framed and wrought in him by the spirit of Faith as the same Apostle explains it to the Galatians Chap. 5. ver 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith so that a work of the Spirit of Grace in the heart is Christ operated and formed in the heart as afore illustrated 3. The Apostle his trauelling in birth c. is an Allegory for the Apostles were instead of Fathers As the natural Father begets the bodily form so the Apostles begot the spiritual form of the mind which is Faith or confidence of heart laying hold upon the righteousness of that one man Jesus Christ alone Rom. 5. 15. above to be made righteous in the sight of God ver 19. For as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one sc the one Man Jesus Christ ver 15. shall many be made righteous sc in the sight of God ver 21. here William Harriot interrupted me saying we are not come here to hear thee Preach As I was about to take up his Bolt I was hindred by William Wilkinson who called to me Friend hear Friend I replied I am none of thy Friend for I am an Enemy to the Devil and all his Works Christ quoth he called him Friend who was without the Wedding Garment I then asked him who made his Wedding Garments Now that which invited this Queston was a confident report that he had at once two Wives and in the time of his pretended distraction he called the one his Spiritual Wife and the other his Fleshly Wife Surely had this felonious Quaker been really but half so Lunatick as he feigned himself it would have rendred him uncapable of receiving this crafty and knave like distinction from the Master of his Religion and Maker of his Wedding Clothes face't with dissembling Madness but letting this pass I shall add a little more to the alledged Text above Gal. 4. 19. herein Paul doth reprove the false Apostles who had abolished the professed form of Christ in the Galatians and withal devised another form Gal. 6. 13. But they desire to have Circumcised that they may glory in your flesh thus the Seducing Teaching Quakers have learnt their ignorant Disciples to glory in their own flesh whereas the blessed Apostle like a true Gospel Father travelled in birth i. e. spiritually pained and troubled till Christ was formed namely by a through work of Faith in their hearts that they might truly believe in the righteousness of the Law fulfilled by Jesus Christ of Nazareth alone without Circumcision or any other work of the Law wrought in or by themselves as causal of justification in the sight of God this being the true mind of the holy Spirit It cannot therefore be any advantage to their cause nor doth it in the least justifie the bold and open wickedness of thee O William Harriet who didst reflâ—ct Blasphemous contempt upon the glorified Manhood of the just and holy one existing in Heaven above calling him the outside Christ When Jesus Christ of Nazareth was in this World he was as Man so far approved of God that he commanded all the Elect Angels to worship him Heb. 1. 6. but with condemned thee W. H. a contemned out side Christ no Saviour no true Christ W. Harriot I will ask one Question of thee which if thou canst soberly Answer I do assure thee it shall be seriously considered the Queston is this to wit Why shouldest thou not be whipt by the Christian Magistrate for this thy notorious and open Blasphemy viz. For Nick-naming the Lords Christ and our only
Walking sc Zecharias and Elizabeth ' his Wife ver 5. in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless here the Quakers think they are perfect Saints Reply The word Blameless doth not as the Quakers would have it signifie Sinless before the Lord but Rebukeless before men in this World no man can be so blameless as to be sinless in the sight of God 't is true we read Numb 23. 21. He hath not seen iniquity in Jacob that is not with an eye of revenge but pity God saw iniquity in Jacob his people but not so as to destroy them which was the unwearied design desire of Balack the Princes of Moab ver 17. in which sense the not seeing of iniquity in Jacob is only meant Indeed at the glorious second coming of the Lords Christ then the persons of the just shall be sinlesly blameless before the Lord as in 1 Cor. 1. â— That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ in that day of Christs coming in glory the Saints shall be found of God in peace without spot and blameless 1 Pet. 3 4 14. but not thus in this life nevertheless I willingly grant that Believers may walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless that is to say rebukeless in regard of Men this is verified by the Apostle Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as lights in the World in which sense alone Zecharias and his Wiâ—e Elizabeth were blameless for Zecharias was so far from being perfect without sin that he was found at the very time that the words above were uttered of him guilty of the great sin of Vnbelief and for it was punished with dumbness Luk. 1. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou dost not believe my words Obj. Here the Quaker will be apt to say But there is no sin charged upon Elizabeth so that she might be perfect without sin Ans 1. The phrase Blameless on which the Quaker puts his whole stress may refer to an Unbeliever yea to a persecutor of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Phil. 3. 6. Touching the righteousness which is in the Law Blameless even then when Paul was graceless he was blameless this I have only noted by way that Teaching Quakers may plainly see that the word Blameless simply in its own nature will be so far from proving perfection of Grace that it will not prove any truth of Grace 2. It will not therefore follow that Elizabeth was perfect without sin because there is no mention made of her sin let it be well observed that in the 6th verse above They are both said to be righteous and blameless even then when the best of them both was guilty of actual sin now if the expressions of Righteous and Blameless were applicable to Zecharias when he was under sin then the same expressions sc of Righteous and Blameless will not argue her to be more free from sin then her Husband there being the same reason for the one as for the other to deny this were to destroy the rules of right reasoning besides death took hold of her as well as of him which is the wages of sin Rom. 6. 23. 3. If the Term Blameless should prove Zecharias and Elizabeth in their life time sinless or perfect without sin it would prove the Scriptures of God sinful which to assert were Blasphemy for the Holy Scriptures do utterly deny such a blamelesness or freedome from sin in Mortals As in Eccless 7. 20. For there is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not that is that sinneth not in doing good the Spirit doth say simply that there is not a just man that sinneth not but a just man that doth good and sinneth not intimating that in our most religious Actions there is some mixture of sin hence the Prophet Isai 64. 6. That all our Righteousness is as filthy rags Noting to us that no righteous work of ours is so pure but there is some taint and filth of sin cleaving to it which without a Mediator in the rigor of the Law would be damnable so then though the action as to the matter be not sinful yet there is some sin in the Action this difference is exprest Exod. 28. 38 where the High-Priest is said to bear the iniquity of the holy things holy things in the matter of them yet iniquity in the manner of performing them Rom. 7. 18. How to perform that which is good I find not here hence it is that we read 1 King 8 46. If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not and again 2 Chron. 6. 36. For there is no man that sinneth not whence the Apostle James Chap. 3. 2. For in many things we offend all he saith We including himself though an eminent Saint and an Apostle of great holiness All of us offend in many things and many of us in all things likewise our blessed Lord and only Saviour teacheth the choicest of Gods Children to pray unto their Father in Heaven for dayly and continual pardon of sin Mat. 6 12. There is in all true Believers a cursed root of bitterness which God doth mortifie but not nullifie in this World 't is subdued but not removed 't is cast down but not cast out though Grace makes the combat yet death only makes the conquest over sin I proceed to the Quakers Second Principle To wit That the written Scriptures are not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Reply 1. VVhereas they say The written Scriptures are not the Word of God if thereby they mean the Scriptures as expressed by humane tongues or as written or printed with ink and paper by the art of the VVriter or Printer if so considered we do not affirm the Scriptures to be the VVord of God But as the Written Scriptures do declare the mind of God to us so the matter therein contained is the declarative VVord of God as in Heb. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son Qu. What hath the Son of God spoken touching the Scriptures Ans He tells us that the Scripture is the VVord of God Mark 7. 13. Making the Word of God of none effect Here the Son of God calls the fifth Commandment in the written Scriptures the VVord of God and in Iohn 2. 22. They believed the Scripture the word which Jesus had said Also Ioh. 10. 34 35. And Jesus answered them It is written in your Law I said ye are Gods if he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Note in these Texts
adds Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh for the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5. 13. Purifying the heart Act. 15. 9. doth by that means not only resist occasional prejudices or Lustful desires of revenge but begets also a composure of offences and a healing of injuries which are apt to arise from one Saint towards another hence the Apostle infers walk in the Spirit that is saith Calvin in loc be ye exercised therein wrestle in Spirit against all prejudicial returns of the flesh following the motions sayings and actings of the Rule of the Spirit which is the inspired word for 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and in so doing saith Calvin ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh i. e. of corrupt sinful nature as in the 16th ver above asserted surely then the Spirit of God doth not send us from the written rule to a Quakers Spirit their Idol Light within as the only infallible rule of Faith and Life 2. Arg. The Spirit was before the written Scriptures and therefore the Spirit in us ought to be our Rule for Faith and Life Reply We know that Seducing Quakers teach because the Spirit is anticedent to the Scriptures therefore none can walk in the Scriptures till they walk in the Spirit the Consequence is as lame as a Teaching Quaker is blind however it is granted that the Spirit is anticedent to the Scripture in respect of time or as to the revelation of the Scripture howbeit the Scriptures are before the Spirit in respect of aid assistance thus the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 12. But unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which Text of Scripture clearly shews that the Holy Spirit in respect of special help and assistance is subsequent to the Scriptural Gospel Preached this receives further confirmation from the Prophet Isai 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony the written word if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or beam of the Spirit in them fairly intimating that the Spirits walk in a way of aid is in the paths of the Scriptures and consequently no Christians can walk in the Spirit unless he first walk in and by the Scriptures Again Joh. 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said but this spake he of the Spirit ver â—9 sc of the power and help of the Spirit as subsequent to the Scriptures and in Luk. 5. 17. And as he Christ was Teaching the Power sc the Spirit of the Lord was present to heal them likewise Joh. 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come he will guid you into all truth that is into all Scripture Truth so then though the Spirit be anticedent to Scriptures in regard of Revelation yet in respect of aid help and assistance which is the matter in hand the Spirit is subsequent to the Scriptures and in this sense the Holy Scriptures are the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 3d. Argument That there was a Rule of Faith and Life long before the Scriptures were written Therefore the written Scripture is not the Rule of Faith and Life Reply This Consequence also is weak and infirm it doth not therefore follow that the wrâ—tten Scripture is not our Rule because there was a Rule before the Scripture was written For this is that which we affirm sc That the matter contained in the Holy Scriptures is the only infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life which matter now contained in the written Scripture is the same with that which was before the Scriptures were written for when God revealed himself by visions Dreams c. It was still the sâ—me Gospel matter even the same that is expressed in the written word of the New-Testament There hath not been since the Gospel was Preached to Adam Gen. 3. 15. any increase of Gospel truths in respect of essentials but only in respect of explications though the manner of conveyance is different then and now yet the matter or Gospel Doctrines conveyed is still the same T is true from Adam to Moses more then 2000. years the People of God had no word written yet they had a word given from God to be their Rule else their Worship would have been like a Quakers Will worship A contrived or devised Worship to pacific or please God he could never bear with had not the Law of Sacrificing and the like been by Gods institution and appointment the Lord would have rejected it now though Sacrifices which typed out Christ were offered before the Law of Sacrificing was written yet not before the Law of Sacrificing was given for it was given from the beginning as all other parts of worship were being carried from one to another by tradition from the Fathers to the Children as in the holy stories of the Patriarchs it doth appear as it were from hand to hand till at last the Laâ— was written and the Scriptures penned by Moses well then though the Rule they had before was not an institution written yet it was an institution sent forth given by God himself which Rule of Faith and Life then given was I say again as to the matter therein contained the same with the instituted Rule written now then all that ye Teaching Quakers have said is no more but this sc That you deny this way of written Scripture to have alwayes been the only way of Gospel-conveyance and from thence ye pretend to advance and extoll your unwritten Scripâ—ure that Idol light within that thereby ye may the more craftily throw down the Scriptures inspired of God surely this Plot cannot be from the spirit of the true Christ but from your own as the Lord knows blind rotten and wicked spirit which tells you that you are no further bound to obey the written Scriptures then your Light that false Christ within shall make you willing to obey Arg. 4. That the Spirit is not to be tried by the Scriptures but the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit therefore the spirit not the Scriptures is our standing Rule for Faith and Life Reply The Father of lies cannot make a greater lie then that which is contained in this Argument for it plainly makes the inspiring Spirit and the inspired Scripture to be of different natures which is contrary to the many Scriptures of truth afore asserted there 's not any Quaker that hath to this day produced one Text of Scripture to make good this Argument where is that place of Scripture to be found which saith the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit doth not the spirit it self require us 1 John 4. 1. not to believe every spirit but to try not the Scriptures but the spirits i. e. spiritual