our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of God affirms that the VVord of God is the Scripture and that the Scripture is the VVord of God as being convertible terms that is what is truely and properly spoken of the one is also spoken of the other for so it is with all propositions convertible Moreover 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that is in the Righteousness both of Faith and Life And therefore as the Scripture is the VVord of God so likewise it is the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life It being evidently so I need not stay to shew you the excellency of any part of the Scripture having pointed you at such an original of the whole which adviseth you seriously to consider what the Lord speaks to all such as they are we read Numb 15. 30. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord O how highly do you Teaching Quakers reproach the Lord when you deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God that Soul shall be cut off from the peeple but mark the ground and reason of it Because he hath despised the Word of God ver 31. and hath broken his Commandments Note here that the Lord concludes his word and written Commandments to be one and the same thing and thereupon the Lord passeth this heavy Sentence That Soul shall be utterly cut off his iniquity shall be upon him i. e. It shall never be forgiven him except God in mercy grant repentance for and from these dead works O ye Quakers are you not herein worse then the Egyptian Heathens for they believed the Word spoken to them by Moses to be the Word of God Exod. 9. 20. He that feared the Word of the Lord amongst the Servants of Pharaoh made his Servants and his Cattle to flie into the Houses howbeit they will think themselves either wronged or feared if their Arguments be not considered 1. Argument That which is the Word of God dwells within Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome whereas that which you meaning Christians call the word is the Scripture without Reply 1. Is there any word asserted to be the word of Christ but the written word of Truth whereof Christ is both the Author and Subject if there be when it shall be shewen it will be considered 2 The very phrase Let the Word of Christ dwell in you denotes that the Apostles words are an Exhortation to get the Matter contained in the very Letter of the word of Christ that it might dwell richly in them getting heart acquaintance with the matter contained in the letter of the word of Christ and that richly sc still increasing therein that they might thereby be the better enabled in the use of the duties of Teaching Admonishing and Singing of Psalms in heart and voice as it s expressed and implied in the same 16th verse 3. Those duties and services of Teaching Admonishing and Singing of Psalms which are Spiritual Hymns or Songs were to be done to the Lord as in the same 16th verse that is to the glory of the Lord Now there are no Duties and holy Services done thus to the Lord which are not done in obedience to his Will but the Lord hath no other will as a Rule of obedience then his Will revealed in the written Scriptures There is nothing that doth please God in any act of Worship unless he sees himself obeyed hence I may safely infer that the Quakers Worship cannot be accepted of God because it is not only without but against the revealed Will and Rule of Obedience This cannot with any Truth be gainsayed or denied 1. Arg. The Written Scripture cannot be the Word of God because it consists of Words Reply 1. This Argument proves fully that the Quakers are under the power of Satan Act. 26. 11. grosly blind in and ignorant of the inspired word of Christ for in Scripture Language Word and Words are of the same signification as for instance Jer. 15. 16. thy Words were sound and thy Word was unto me Jer. 36. 1 2. This Word came write the Words Amos 8. 11 12. hearing the Words seek the Word Numb 15. 30. the Spirit calls the Commandments of God consisting of many Words the Word of God and the many Words which God Commanded Moses to speak to the Egyptians Exod. 9. 20. is there called the Word of the Lord Likewise our Saviour Ioh. 2. 22. calls the Scripture coâ—taining many Words and so also in Ioh. 10. 35. to these places of Scripture many more might were there any need be added shewing that Word in the singular and Words in the plural are synonimous and of the same import in the Holy Scriptures and therefore the cavil is idle and vain I pass to the second part of this Principle viz. That the written Scriptures are not the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life 2. Reply This plainly argues an Evil and Vnbelieving heart in the revealed Truths of God and distructive as much as in them lies to the great end of Divine Inspirations For God purposely inspired holy men not so much for their own sakes as for this end that what they writ and spake from Gods inspiration in the Scripture might be the standing and infallible Rule for Faith and holiness of Life in all succeeding Ages and Generations and for this cause hath Paul recorded Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Note That we the Apostle Paul includes himself for one that did learn of the Scriptures written afore-time as the only infallible Rule And thus was it also taken by our Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 16. 29 31. Chap. 24. 44 to 47. more especially in the hour of his Temptations he kept his mind close to the written Word of God the Scriptures penned by Moses Danâ—st 16. to repel the Devil saying It is written Mat. 4. ver 4 ver 7 ver 10. with this sword of the Spirit three times as you see the Lord Jesus Christ wounds the Devil now doth the Lords Christ thus honour the written Scriptures who are ye then that dishonour the same Notwithstanding we will hear what they have by way of Argument to say for themselves concerning this matter Their 1. Argument The Scripture it self sends us to the Spirit for our Rule Gal. 5. 16. Therefore the written Scripture is not our rule of Faith and Life Reply The Apostle in this Text exhorts the Galatians to walk in the Spirit sc of Faith I have not as if Paul should have said forget my former discourse concerning Faith ver 5. nor do I declare it in perswading you to mutual love ver 14. and that he might be understood aright he
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
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
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
gifts whether they are of God And how did the noble Elders at Berea try the Spirit by which Paul Preached The 11th verse tells us It was by their searching of the Scriptures daily whether these things were so it being an Article of Faith with them that the written Scriptures were the Churches standing Rule for Faith and Life and therefore ver 12. Many of them believed sc That Jesus of Nazareth was the true Christ and their only Saviour surely the Elders above trying the spirit by the search of the Scriptures doth sufficiently prove that the spirits are to be tried by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the spirit the end of Gods inspiring the Scripture was that it might thereby be enabled to try the spirit the spirit is so far from questioning or trying the Scripture that it ever witnesseth for or against as the Scripture witnesseth being indited by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1 21. for that end should the spirit of truth witness otherwise then according to the inspired Scripture that is to say if the spirit should witness one thing to be a truth in the Scripture and another thing contrary to it in a mans Conscience the spirit should be divided against it self it should be spirit of contradiction for instance the spirit witnesseth in the Scripture That the true Christ and our only Saviour was and is Jesus Christ of Nazareth a man approved of God who was taken by the Jews slain and hanged upon a Tree whom God raised from the dead the third day and exalted to be a Prince and Saviour Thus the spirit witnesseth in the Scriptures Act. 2. 22 23. Chap. 5. 30 31 34. But a Quaker pretends that the spirit witnesseth in his Conscience that there is a light within him which is the true Christ and only Saviour which is not the Man Jesus of Nazareth which the Jews never slew nor hanged upon a tree nor was ever raised by God from a bodily death Again The spirit witnesseth in the Scripture That he is a Righteous man who walketh in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord Luk. 1. 16. But a Quaker pretends that the spirit witnesseth in his Conscience that he is a righteous man who forsakes all the commanded Ordinances of the Lord. Now should we Christians be so weak and wicked as to believe a Quakers pretended spirit in him to be the spirit of God and not of the Devil should we not then be guilty of this dreadful Blasphemy namely of makiâ—g the spirit of God a spirit divided against it self a spirit of contradiction teaching lies in the Scripture by witnessing therein the things abâ—ve touching Jesus Christ and his Ordinances to be the truths and other things contrary to them for truths in a Quakers Conscience or as he calls it in his tender part this were to take strong damnable delusions for sacred and scriptural inspirations that inspiration which is either without the wriâ—ten word or against it is an hellish imposture indeed it s no marvel that the Teaching Quakers would have their spirit within that Idolized light to try the Scriptures not to be tried by them for if they mighâ— herein prevail and withal get into the sadâ—le they would undoubtedly soon Arraign Try and Condemn the inspired Bible of God to Fire and Faggot this conclusion may without breach of charity be grounded upon the scurrilous pens of some sâ—ducing Teaching Quakers whom Inâ—ight herein with their bold expressions have declared havâ—ng them by me but I feared the swelling of these confutations and the discouragement that might thereby be given to the Reader By the way I lay down this Caution to wiâ— though the holy and blessed spirit of God be above all tryal yet the â—are spirits even the spirits i. e. the spiritual gifts of all mâ—n which must be submitted to tryal whether they are of God i. e. of the Book of God 2 Cor. 34. 14. wherein there is not any speech or passage but the infinite wisdome of God hath thought fit to be recorded as that which hath in it somewhat for our instruction even the Blasphemy of the Fool which contradicts not only the truth but the very being of God which teacheth us this divine truth That there are seven that is all manner of Abominations in the heart of Man yea we may draw useful instructions from the words of Judas the Traitor after Satan had entred into him and filled his heart not only so but from the words of Satan in his temptations and proposals unto Christ much more may we from the sayings of Holy men which are all material truths from the inspiration of God and therefore fit to try the Spirits or gifts of all men as above which must be submitted to the tryal of the Scripture touch stone In the last place perhaps some Teaching Quakers may say sc We own the written Scripture as a witness-bearer or declarer of that light which is in Man Reply We deny the written Scripture to be a witness bearer to your Light within for if the Scriptures of God should bear witness to that gross piece of foolery call'd Light within it should witness it self to be no word of God For 1. Your Idol Light within saith that the Soul of a Man is part of God and no created substance This will be debated in the next Head 2. That the Light that is in every man by natural generation is the true Christ and only Saviour 3. That the Sacred Oracles of God the Scriptures of truth are not the standing Rule for Faith and Life but your unwritten Scriptures that whimsical Light within you 4. That this Light within will bring men to an absolute perfection a freedome from all sin in this life and to Heaven also 5. That the Lord Jesus Christ though God-man blessed for ever is not the Son of God the Saviour of the World 6. That the person of Christ is not in Heaven above that it is Blasphemy to affirm that he is there 7. That the Light within Man is the true Scripture and Word of God even the everlasting Word and therefore long before the written Scriptures To this last I will make some Reply Reply Let this be granted sc That the Light in Man was long before the written Scriptures yet the written Scriptures do declare a truth to us more ancient then the oldest Quaker or his Idol light within him namely what the Elâ—hims spake each to other saying Let us make Man in our own Image Gen 1. 26. And having made man it tells us what God said sc Be fruitful and multiply ver 28. And behold I have given you of every Tree bearing fruit ver 29. And God commanded the man saying of every Tree of the Garden c. Gen. 2. 16. Moreover the Scriptures tells us of divers things long before themselves were written to wit that after the Fall the Word of God was manifested to Adam and his wise and likewise that God
builders which is become the head of the corner neither is there Salvation in any other for there is none other Name sc then the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth under Heaven given among Men whereby we must be saved Acts 10 38 39 40 42 43. God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power Whom they Jews slew and hanged on a â—ree Him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly And he commanded us to Preach unto the People and to testifie that it is he which was ordained of God to be the judge of quick and dead To him give all the Prophets witness that through his Name whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins From these Texts of Scripture the 1st Argument did arise To wit If Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People of Israel be the true Christ and only Saviour then a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ But Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People was and is the true Christ and our only Saviour therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but false Christ Arg. 2. Because the Saints of God by the direction of his Spirit have alwayes acknowledged the Man Jesus Christ to be their true and only Saviâ—ur as in Luk. 2. 25 26 27 28. 29 30 31. And behold there was a Man in Jerusalem whose Name was Simeon and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghost that he should not see death before he had seen the Lords Christ and he came by Spirit into the Temple and when the Parents brought in the Child Jesus then he took him up in his Arms and blessed God and said Lord now lettest thou thy Servant depart in peace according to thy word for mine eyes have seen thy Salvation which thou hast prepared before the face of all people c Joh. 20. 27 28. Then said Jesus unto Thomas reach hither thy finger and behold my hands and reach hither thy hand and thrust it into my side and be not faithless but believing and Thomas answered and said unto him by the spirit of Faith my Lord and my God Joh. 4. 42. And said unto the Woman now we believe not because of thy saying for we have heard him the Man Christ ver 29. our selves and we know that this is indeed the Christ the Saviour of the World From these Scriptures the Second Argument was Formed sc If the Saints of God have by the Holy Spirits direction alwayes acknowledged the Man Jesus Christ to be the true Christ and only Saviour then a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ But the Saints of God have by the Spirits direction alwayes acknowled the Man Jesus Christ for their true and only Saviour Therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but false Christ Arg. 3. Because the true Christ and our only Saviour did at once without us in and by his one crucified body on the Cross finish and compleat the work and office of a Saviour as in Heb. 10. 12 14. By the which will we are Sanctified that is Saved through the Offering of the Body of Jesus Christ once for all And this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sins for ever sate down on the right hand of God for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified Heb. 2. 14. Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of flesh and blood he Jesus ver 9. also himself likewise took part of the same that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death that is the Devil 1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tre and in 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Christ also hath once suffered for sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to Death in the flesh but quickened by the spirit Eph. 2. 15. 16. Having abolished in his flesh the enmity having slain the enmity in himself on the Cross so making peace and in Chap. 5. 2. As Christ hath given himself for us an offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour Heb. 9. 26. But now once in the end of the World hath he appeared to put away sin by the Sacrifice of himself and in Col. 1. 22. In the body of his flesh through death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable â—n his sight From these Scriptures the third Argument resulted viz. If the true Christ and our only Saviour did at once without us in and by his one crucified body on the Cross finish and perfect the work and office of a Saviour then a Quakers pretended Saviour within â—im is not the true Christ But the true Christ and one only Saviour did at once without us in and by his one crucified Body on the Cross finish and perfect the whole work and office of a Saviour Therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ 4th Argument Because the true Christ and our only Saviour is in Heaven above us As in Luk. 24. 46 48 50 51. And Jesus said unto them his Apostles thus it was written and thus it behoved Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day And ye are witnesses of these things And led them out as far as Bethany And he lift up his hands and blessed them And it came to pass while he blessed them he was parted from them and carried up into Heaven Mark 6. 19. So then after the Lord had spoken unto them he was received up into heaven and sate on the right hand of God Act. 1. 11. Ye men of Galilee why stand ye gazing into Heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven Act. 3. 13 21. The God of Abraham and of Isaac and of Jacob the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus Whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things Heb. 9. 24. For Christ is not entred into the holy places made with hands but into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Act 7 55 56. But he Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost looking up stedfastly into heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God And said Behold I see the heavens opened and the Son of man standing on the right hand of God From these Scriptures the fourth Argument was formed sc If the true Christ and our only Saviour be in Heaven above us then a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true Christ But the true Christ and our only Saviour is in Heaven above us Therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ Lastly That by the
false Christ we are to understand the Devil is plainly proved by comparing Mat. 24. ver 24. with Rev. 12 9. in the first Text the true Christ calls the false Christ a Deceiver if it were possible shall deceive the very Elect implying that the false Christ is the greatest Deceiver And in the other Text this great Deceiver which aâ—ceives the whole world is called the old Serpent the Devil and Satan Here hence this Argument arose so he that is the great and principal Deceiver is the Devil Rev. 12. 0. but the false Christ is this Deceiver Mat. 24 24. Ergo the false Christ is the Devil The Conclusion ought not to be denied to deny it here were to deny the Scriptures of God from whence it is plainly collected as above Having thus proved the first Part I proceeded to the second Part of the charge To wit That the main end of the Quakers Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lords Christ his holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all lyars and false Witnesses of God Being about to prove this as I had done the former part of the charge F. Eastlack interrupted me pretending to make some Answer to the foregoing Arguments I told him that by mutual consent as in the Preface is Declared the whole charge against them was first to be proved by me before any Answer should be returned by him or any othâ—r of his Friends Therefore I requested him that as he had any regard either to Truth or Honesty that he would forbear his interruptions that I might proceed according agreement as above to prove the second part of the charge but his Sepulchre being opened he refused to shut it whereupon I spake to the Assembly saying I must let him take his own way to prevent greater confusion howbeit instead of Answering as he pretended the above-mentioned Arguments or any of them He first impertinently runs out into a bare Repetition of some words in the former part of the first Chapter of the Evangelist John sc from the 1st verse to the end of the 12th verse which shall be mentioned and considered in their due places let me note by the way his after stragling inferences from those verses To wit That God the Word took Flesh of the Virgin Mary and in that Flesh suffered Death for all men which he put a special Remark upon by repeating it twice it was well observed that he made no mention of Christs Resurrection but further said sc The Word which is God is Christ the true Light which was manifest in the flesh and as in him so in every man that comes into the World as manifest in them which quoth he it witnessed by John and withal added whosoever shall Preach any other Gospèlis accursed and after he had multiplied words to the same end and purpose alone as above the ingenious Auditors began to mutter at his impertinences and jumbled confusions Thereupon I called to him and said Master Islay so he is commonly called as afore noteh viz. Islay either answer the Arguments which have proved the first part of the charge as you pretended to Mask your interrupting of me or take some Answer to what you have said His first Reply was the Scripture saith Call no man Master I told him the Scripture saith sc Mat. 23. 10 Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ which is not to be understood in your unmannerly sense likewise I told him that he had no cause to quarrel the word Master for you affirm the Master even Christ is within you Quakers making your selves the greatest Masters so that herein are fulfilled among you the word of our Lord concerning Deceivers namely that false Christs shall arise and many shall say I am Christ and shall deceive many Mat. 24. 5. Further more I said unto him sc Thou art the Master of an Assembly to wit of the Synagogue of Libertines which opposed and persecuted the faith of Blessed Stephen for believing in Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ and only Saviour Act. 6 8 9 14 59. At this be grew impaâ—ient rebuking me saying Thou didst promise not to interrupt me I replied that I did not interrupt but help him sc to remember that my promise was not to interrupt him or any of his party whilest he or any of them were answering the Arguments urged by me as it may appear in the prefixed Preface But hâ— said that he did not value the Arguments for they proved nothing thus he thaâ— was a party made himself the determinating Judge and then with a throat stretched voice returned to his former discourse That the word is Christ the true Light in the Flesh sent to save men from sin and death whose death and sufferings with the effect thereof we do own and witness according to the Scriptures as inwardly received within us yet speaking other whiles of the death satisfaction and sufferings of Christ the true Light as done within us for us to which said he the Scripture testifies repeating these words But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we Preach After he had rehearsed these or most of these words he forthwith inferrd that the word of Faith was Christ the true light within and then confidently affirmed that to preach any other Gospel sc then Christ within to be the Saviour is to be accursed which invited him to reflect on me declaring that I had not in any thing which was by 〈…〉 meaning in the Arguments above made any mention of Christ as God and with that saying he ended as it 's call'd his preseâ—t Dispute Forthwith I made some returnes which I have now put into some better method which was then much hindred by their confused interruptions But before I lay down those more orderly returnes let me request the Reader to understand that I have filed off much of the Rust and Ruggedness of his expressions which often wearied the Christian Hearers For it was not only his but also his Fellow Disputants course all along here and there to steal and strangely to disorder nay to dismember Scripture words out of the Evangelist and the Apostles thereby endeavouring to cover themselves from being discovered not plâ—inly nor hoâ— estly mentioning either Chapters or Verses William Bullock once excepted though often called upon but all in vain they would speak Scripture words after their usual manner darkly and confusedly thereby the more easily to deceive those with whom the Scriptures have any credit I shall at present decline any further observation of this their dangerous and designful practice and proceed to the above signified Method
the dead for us and ascended up into heaven for us and before either which must be implied lived and died for us But he that believes not the Descention and the Ascention of the Lord Jesus Christ for him but seeketh Justification by the works of the Law he doth in effect deny the Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus Christ which to do were as much as in him lies to bring Christ down from above and likewise to bring him up again from the deep Now tell me Frances whither these verses sc the 6th and 7th so triumphingly repeated by thee do not plainly prove the true Christ and our only Saviour to be in heaven above us surely nothing can be more clearly proved and consequently by the Scriptures alledged by thee A Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ 2. As the righteousness of Faith is certain from the 6th and 7th Verses so it is possible from the 8th verse which comes now in like manner under consideration Ver. 8. But what saith It meaning the righteousness of Faith the Word is nigh thee even in they mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach Ver. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Answ Touching the 8th verse there are some Queries which require Solutions Qu. 1 What is meant by Righteousness of Faith Sol. 1. By Righteousness is meant that righteousness which obtains acceptance justification and salvation with God which is the righteousness alone of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth which he wrought out in his own personal-Obedience and Sufferings 1600 years since upon the Cross 2. By the Righteousness of Faith is meant a right believing in the alone righteousness of this Jesus of Nazareth for acceptance justification and salvation with God Qu. 2. What by the word Faith Sol. We are to understand an Evangelical not legal word for it is a word of Faith the same with the righteousness of Faith above defined and which agrees with the Apostles Explication ver 8. That is saith he the Word of Faith which we Preach now the Apostles Preached no other word of Faith then the righteousness of Faith afore expressed and confirmed by the four Arguments besides there are other Scriptures of infallible truth evidencing the same as Rom. 1. ver 1. Separate unto the Gospel of Christ ver 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord ver 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Likewise in Chap. 4. 25. Who was delivered i. e. to death for our offences and was raised up again for our Justification And in 1 Cor. 15. 1. I declare unto you the Gospel which I Preached unto you What was that Gospel the Apostle tells us ver 3. how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ver 4. And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures the last mentioned Scriptures do illustrate the righteousness of Faith and word of Faith preached in the abovesaid verses 6. 8. and therefore cannot possibly be understood for a Quakers pretended Saviour within him as this Disputant F. E. would make us believe Qu. 3. How is this Preached Word or righteousness of Faith said to be night even in the mouth and in the heart Sol. It s resolved by the Apostle in ver 9 10. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved That is to say the Word of Faith preached is nigh in our mouths when we confess before men sc That we believe that that righteousness whereby we are accepted of God justified and saved is the only righteousness of Jesus Christ of Nazareth which he wrought out in his personal Obedience and sufferings upon the Cross without us for us And it is nigh in our hearts when this confession proceeds from a right perswasion ingrafted an planted in our hearts by the spirit of Faith as it s testified by Paul ver 10. For saith he with the heart man believeth unto righteousness i. e. unto the righteousness of Faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth ver 6. And with the mouth Confession sc of the same righteousness is made unto Salvation Thus according to the command of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Iohn 5. 39. I have as ye may see searched the Scriptures of God for the Solution here asserted but where do ye Teaching Quakers search son your Gospel word of Faith surely not in thâ— Scriptures of Truth without but at your Oracle that Idol-Light tender part within which ye falsly call the Everlasting Gospel and Eternal Word which as ye affirm was never made flesh contrary to Ioh. 1. ver 14. O thou Idol light within let me tell thee though many Antichrists have done villanously yet thou in villanies surmount them all For as Jerusalem once justified Sodom so thou Light within dost justifie the vilest Antichrists that are this day in the World for where doth that Teaching Quaker dwell what is his Name who doth in his heart believe and with his mouth confess that the righteousness whereby he is accepted of God justified in his sight and saved is the righteousness alone of Iesus Christ of Nazareth which he wrought out in his own and only personal obedience and sufferings in the World sixteen hundred years ago or that doth believe and confess that God of his free Grace and Mercy giveth Faith in this righteousness of Jesus Christ which is by his Father imputed or reckoned to Believers for their justification before God or do believe and confess that in this reckoning or imputation there is a reality undoubtedly there 's nothing more inconsistent with the Faith and Confession of Teaching Quakers then these most evident Gospel Principles of infallible Truth and therefore they are as I may safely avouch the greatest Antichrists of this age on Earth and ordained to the greatest condemnation Jude ver 3 4. I do now proceed to consider his fifth Scripture alledged to prove a Quakers pretended â—aviour within him to be the true not the false Christ Text 5. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Ans 1. By the way This Text of Scripture layes the Axe to the root of your new coined Religion and wounds it to death which may be thus argued If the light which is by natural Generation in Reprobates coming into the World be not the true Christ then the light that is in every man which comes into the World by natural Generation is not the true Christ But the light which is by natural Generation in Reprobates is not the true Christ as above Ergo the light that is in
every man which comes into the world is not according to your selves the true Christ 2. I Answered That this Text of Scripture understand not the person of Christ as such he is the true Christ and our only Saviour but the work of the Spirit of Faith whereof personal Christ is the Author for here the Apostle frames an Argument to prove the mighty work or effect of the Spirit in his Corinthians as he had before affirmed to be in them ver 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weak i. e. in operation but is Mighty in you Now in what sense Christ was in Paul speaking in that same sense was Christ in the Corinthians But Christ spake in Paul only by the might or power of his Spirit is mighty in you sc Christs speaking in Paul to the Corinthians was Mighty an effect of the Spirit in them This matter may appear somewhat clearer if we consider the same Apostle to the Gâ—latians Gal. 2. 8. For he the Holy Ghost that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles such were the Corinthians The phrases of effectual working in Peter and was mighty in Paul do only signifie the effectual operation of Christs Spirit in both the Apostles so that Paul affirming as in ver 3. above that Christ was mighty in the Corinthians it s as much as if he had said Christ hath effectually wrought by his Spirit the mighty work of Faith in you Corinthians by my Ministry which the Apostles makes to be the proof of Christ speaking in him which in the 5th verse above he refers as it were to their own experience saying Examine your selves prove your own selves whether ye be in the Faith that is believing in Christ the object apprehended by Faith Know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Qu. How is that Iesus Christ in you Answ To wit by Faith as in the former part of the same verse which is a clear Interpretation of the latter part sc Christ in you again it s not rational to imagine that Christ in the 5th verse could be otherwise in the Corinthians then he was in the foregoing 3d. verse by reason of their dependance each on the other now in the 3d. verse Christ was in the Corinthians only by the mighty work of the Spirit of Faith for even so the word Mighty doth furthermore import as in Eph. 1. 19. Who believe according to the working of his Mighty power but no work or effect of the Spirit how Mighty or powerful soever in us either is or can be Christ personal the true and only Saviour To explain these Words Christ in you a little more we must take good notice that there are three things expressed by the Name of Jesus Christ 1. Christ personal Col. 2. 8 9. Not after Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily or personally 2 Cor. 2. 10. In the person of Christ and Mat. 27. 24. I am innocent of the blood of this just Person so the Man Jesus Christ who spake by the inspiration of God 2 Tim 3. 16. 2. Christs Mystical 1 Cor. 12. 12. So also is Christ i. e. the Church call'd the body of Christ ver 27. which body of Christ is the Church Col. 1. 24. Which is Christ Mystical as above 3. Christ Operative Col. 2. 12. compared with Eph. 3. 17. Through the Faith of the operation of God That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Forasmuch as Faith is the operation of God in Christ it s therefore called Christ operative in which sense only Christ is said to be in uâ— As the Sun is in the eye by its beams so Iesus Christ as the author or fiâ—st efficient is in us by the operated Graces of his Spirit hence it necessarily follows that Christ personal the only Saviour is not in us nor Christ mystical the Church is in us this is so plain that there is no need of evidence for as Christ personal is the Head saving so Christ Mystical is the Body-saved Eph. 5. 23. therefore neither the one nor the other can be said to be in us Then 3. It s Christ Operative only that is in the Saints t is true that Christ personal in the first efficiency of gracious operations in the heart which in Scripture are sometime called Christ in you the cause being put for the effect by a Metonimy a word as I said to F. E. which thou understandest no more then the hour-glass that 's before me to which he readily replied saying we abhor Hour-glasses Pulpits and Cushens I told him that Preaching in a Pulpit was a warranted practice Neh. 8. 4. And Ezra the Scribe stood upon a Pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose But quoth he Ezra had not a Cushen I askt him how he knew that to which he made no answer but whither the holy Scribe had or had not a Cushen his Familiar the glo worme Light within bid him to say conâ—idently though blindly that Ezra had no Cushen I shall here take up an expression which I had almost forgotten which this Disputant F. E. doubted in his discourse namely that the Word took flesh of the Virgin and in that flesh died for all men though this Notion pleased him so well as to make a deliberate repetition of it yea he did not pretend Scripture for its confirmation and therefore I could not assuredly know whether he said it as an Arminian or as a Quaker But I am apt to think that he spake it in imitation of his Friends because of the word In. And In that flesh died for all men in that flesh runs Quaker-like this being some part of their New-Divinity That God sent Christ to save all men from sin and death as he F. E. said whose Sufferings Sacrifice Mediation Intercession and Offices or words to this effect we do own witness as inwardly wrought and performed in us and for us And there is as they further aver a Divine Elect Seed in the Saints which is the true Christ still the Idol-light within and suffers under sin in them and is to be raised of a justification and righteousness of the Elect Seed within so that according to their Divinity Christs bodily sufferings in and by the flesh which he took of the Virgin signifies nothing for our Justification in the sight of God whereas these are new self-devised imaginations whereof no mention is made in the inspired Scriptures of Truth I grant that some Scriptures are by them pretended for evidence which perhaps are some of the things as in the Preface said by them to have been forgotten sc Amos 2. 1â— Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed and in Gen. 6. ver 6. It repented the Lord that he made Man on the earth and it grieved
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
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
manifest which are to be reproved this being the true and reâ—â— meaning how doth it prove the thing designed sc That the light within thee 〈◊〉 the true not the false Christ I hope thou art not such a Bullâ—ck as to think it the tâ—ue Christ Now foraâ—much as that I have the advantage of more liberty without interruptioâ— to enlarge I will shew thee 〈◊〉 B. two things from the Light in the Text recited by thâ—e as above First That the Light of Scripture doth make some of a Quakers evils manifest Secondly That it doth reprove those their evils For the first sc That the Light of Scripture doth manifest some of a Quakers evils â— As 1. The evil of Antichristianisme 2 Joh. ver 7. For many Deceivers are entred into the World who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist Observe by the way when ever this Text of Scripture is mentioned against the Quakers they presently frame a pretence whereby they would seem to go off with some credit telling us that we make a man of straw and then knock him down for who is it say they of us that doth deny Jesus Christ is come in the flesh we do say they confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh that he suffered and died in the flesh Answ This is such a pitiful shift nay such a deceitful covering that the weakest eye may look through it they well knâ—w how unable they are to deal with the Arguments which are in the inspired Scriptures of God against the feigned light Christ within them have therefore made the hole above to creep out at but this their juggle is no other then what hath been a ready discovered namely That it was not the visible body of Christs flesh which was or is Christ the Saviour but the Christ in that appearing body of his flesh and as the Christ was in this his flesh so he is in every mans flesh that comes into the World And hence it is that a Teaching Quaker when he is pratâ—ng of the Idol-light within he laye â—his hand upon his breast saying Jesus Christ is manifest in this flesh meaning in his real flesh but Christs flesh was only in shew and appearance Tâ—is their â—olly brings to mind what Mr. Haworth a converted Quaker doth asseâ—t in his Epistle to John Crook a Teaching Quaker Being saith he lately in discourse with some Quakers who held that it was the Light within that was crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem Anâ— in the same Epistle he further saith I can never forget James Nâ—yler whom I saw suffer and what was the fruit of that Spirit bâ— which he was â—cted was he not strangeâ—y lifted up in Pride to make 〈◊〉 the Mâ—ssiâ—r and take divine Worship to hâ—mself For saith he 〈…〉 tolâ— me that he stood by and saw three Women 〈…〉 and worship him and one of them in her bowings 〈…〉 to wit Thy Name is no more Iames bâ—t I Am And 〈◊〉 Nayler told Iohn Bolton that if he worshipped his body he shoulâ— resuâ—e it but if that within him he would â—ccept it Hereunto agrees 〈…〉 Dâ—ctrine at the time oâ— the Disputatiâ—n we do quoth he 〈◊〉 the out side Christ to be the â—rue Christ and Saviour so then accordiâ—g to this Doctors Divinity there is another Christ namely an inside Christ which he doth worship and believe in for his Salvation from 〈…〉 wrath â—ut I shall tell him more of my mind in its due place I now return to some further consideration of what they have above affirmed which is that they do not deny but confess that Jesus Christ is coâ—sidered as distinct from the flesh and therefore according to a Quaker Faith the true Christ and Saviour is within the flesh that is as to their sense in thâ— flesh of every man that comes into the World and therefore as they say they are neither Deceivers nor Antichrists To â—ear this Smoaâ—y cost I Answer These words In the flesh though they are frequently inserted in the Scriptures of Truth y◠〈◊〉 never sign fie a thing distinct from the flesh but alwayes the flesh it self as it may appear by maniâ—old instance reâ—erring to man kind flesh consisting of Soul and Body the true or whole man Gen. 17. 34. â—5 Abraham aâ—d Ishmael circumcised in the flesh i e. the flesh it self was circumciseâ— Rom. 2. 28. outward in the flesh i. e. the outside flesh 1 Cor. 7. 28. Such shall have trouble in the flesh i. e. their boâ—ies of flesh shall have trouble furthermore the Apostle puts this matter 〈◊〉 â—ll Dispute Phil. 1. 22. But if I live in the flesh i. e. to abide in the flesh ver 24. which he explains in ver 25. I know that I shall abide and continue with you all i. e. I Paul true man consisting of Soul and body know 〈◊〉 I shall abide with you wherein it is most plain that his 〈◊〉 in the flesh doth not denote a thing distinct from the flesh but the very mankind flesh it self For here by Paul's being in the flesh he unâ—er anâ—s his whole man Howbeit let me improve these last verses a little more by propounding thence a Question Quest What is it to confess that Paul is come in the flesh Answ It is to confess that Paul is come true man consisting of Soul and body as above ver 25. And consequently not to confess that Paul is come true man is to deny him come in the flesh But to say that Paul is come in the flesh doth signifie sc Paul is to be considered as distinct from his body of Flesh And so to be in the flesh of every man that comes into the world would be an interpretation not only contrary to the Scripture above but so absurd and irrational as becoming none but seduced seducing Quakers from whence I may safely infer That whosoever doth not confess that Jesus Christ is come true man consisting of Soul and Body doth deny that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh But Teaching Seducing Quakers do not confess that Jesus Christ is come true man consisting of Soul and Body Ergo they do deny that Jefus Christ is come in the Flesh And by good consequence from the whole they cannot deny unless they will deny truth in God themselves to be Deceivers and Antichrists Moreover the same Apostle John puts a Question 1 Joh 2. 22. Who is a lyar and then Answers it But he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ and forthwith adds he is Antichrist well then according to the Scripture of truth he that denieth that Iesus is the Christ is a lyar and an Antichrist But a Teaching Quaker doth deny Jesus to be the Christ Ergo a Teaching Quaker is by the spirits Testimony a Lyar and an Antichrist The Proposition being the words of that Scripture ver 22. may not be gain-said the Assumption I do prove thus The Iesus intended by the
Apostle is Iesus born of Mary who is called Christ Mat. 1. 16. the Iesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among the Iews Act. 2. 23. But a Teaching Quaker doth deny Jesus of Nazareth born of Mary a man approved of God among the Iews to be the Christ and therefore the Conclusion is undeniable sc That a Teaching Quaker doth deny that Jesus is the Christ And as this is undeniable so is the other namely That a Teaching Quaker is a Lyar and an Antichrist which is further evidenced 1 Ioh 4. 3. And every Spirit that confesseth not that Iesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God and this is that spirit of Antichrist in the fleâ—â— here is put for the flesh it self as in Scriptures aforementioned now to deny Christs Manhood to be a Saviour is to deny Iesus to be the Christ Secondly As the Light of Scripture doth manifest Teaching Quakers especially to be Liars Deceivers and Antichrists yea the Spirit of Antichrist so it doth also reprove them 1. Because as such they are of the Dragon and Beast making War with the Lamb â—ev 13. 9 10 The Man Iesus Ioh. 1. 29 30. and the faith delivered to the Saints 2. As such they are Contradicters and Blasphemers of the Truth which the holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1. 21. For instance Ioh. 1. 14. And the Word God ver 1. was made flesh Flesh i. e. true man for he dwelt among us the Iews and we beheld the Glory of him this dweller among us concerning whom the Witness-bearer sent of God ver 6 hare Record that he was a true man ver 30. there by witnessing That â—esus Christ was true Man as well as true God and both in his one person which Article of our Christian Faith is deried by most Teaching Quakers Another Instance we have â— Tim 3. 16. God was manifest in the flesh i. e. Mankind flesh or true and whole Man for so the Phrase in the Flesh canâ—otates as it hath been already cleared from the Scriptures of God so that God was manifest in the flesh doth not teach us that God is to be considered as distinct from the flesh but that God was manifest flesh real man-kind flesh and thereby the Godhead and the Mâ—nhood were united in the one person of Christ and made manifest to the Apostles bodily senses of seeing hearing and â—eeling 1 Ioh. chap. 1. ver 1. 2. Likewise Paul Act 63. 38. Through this Man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins through or by ver 39. This Man viz. The man Iesus of Nazareth who by the wicked hands of the Iews was slain and hanged on a tree and then by God the Father raised from the dead the third day and exalted to be a Saviour to give remission of sins Act. 2. 22. Chap. 5. 29 30. through This Man is preached the forgiveness of sins as above For so hath the Lord commanded us ver 47. at which commanded Preaching the wicked Iewâ— were filled with envy and spake as Teaching Quakers do against those things spoken by Paul as above contradicting and blaspheming ver 45. So much for your first evil manifested and reproved by the Light of divine Scripture though there are many professed evils amoâ—g Quakers which the Light of holy Scripture doth manifest and reprove yet I shall now make men â—on but of one more because I would not be too voluminous The Second Evil is The professâ—a perfection of a Quakers seeming Sanctity consisting in Thou and Thee thereby denying all reverential respects to any sort of men of what rank or quality soever For method sake we will in the first place â—ear what they have to say for themselves touching this matter 1. They are apt to say because they have often said it that Thou and You are of distinct significations in Scripture and likewise Thee and You the one signifying a Singular the other a Plural Answ These terms of thou thee and you are to alwayes in Scripture of distinct significations as it appears Lev. 19. 12. Ye or you shall not Swear by my Name falsly neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God In this Scripture Ye or You and Thou are of the same signification and in Ier. 3. 12. Return thou backsliding Israel and I will not cause my anger to fall upon you here likewise thou and you are of the same signification again in Luk. 17. 21. the Kingdome of God is within you you here doth in your sense signifie each particular Quaker 2. Nor are these words sc thee and you alwayes in Scripture of dictinct significations as in Deut. 28. 9. herein thee a singular and holy People a plural are of the same signification so in Isai 26. 20. here People and thou are of the same import To these Scriptures would it not render me tedious to the Reader I might add many more to gainsay this their trifling Assertion for you and thou are oft in Scripture and reason convertitable terms for instance thou in the Decalogue is indefinitely understood 2. They are ready to affirm sc To salute a single person under the notion You is both improper and irrational for it were to confound singular and plural in point of right reason Answ It s neither for it s not impropâ—r nor irrational to say to a single man This Youth is your Son for you aâ—e his Father which to 〈…〉 is as proper and rational as to say thou art is Father and the reason is because you and your are of the same nature unasmuch as the one is derived from the other Now as Your is applieable to one as to many so is You likewise Again it is both proper and rational to â—ell a single person This house is your house for you have a good â—itle to it which is as proper and rational as to say thou hast a good â—itle to tâ—o houâ—e and consequently it is not only irrational to affirm that this dot 〈…〉 confound the terms of thou and you â—ts Diabolical to 〈◊〉 a the Quakers do thou and thee making it the daily 〈◊〉 for your levilling inflamed-pride 3. They say for themselves That holy men in the Scriptures did use the words thou and thee not only one to another but to God himself Answ This is granted howbeit I pray can any of you Quakers produce me one holy Man in Scripture expressed which used these words thou and thee that he might thereby take occasion to deny as ye wickedly do all reverential respects to any sort of men of what rank or quality soever sure I am ye cannot produce me one such man for this bruitish kind of practice is contrary to the manifold Precepts and Presidents also in the Scriptures of truth as afterwards shall plainly appear Indeed we Christians do acknowledge that holy men in Scripture did use the words thou and thee not only one to another but to God himself for two
in the same Book Page 25. What nature sayes he must these Sacrifices be of which cleanse heavenly things sc Souls whither of necessity they must be heavenly if so then whither it was the flesh and blood of the vail or the flesh and blood within the vail whither it was the flesh and blood of the outward earthly nature or the flesh and blood of the inward spiritual nature whither it was the flesh and blood which Christ took of the first Adams nature or that of the second Adams nature Ans In the three-fold Querie above two things are asserted neither of them are mentioned in the Scripture of truth 1. That the Lord Christ had a two fold Body of flesh and blood the one internal and invisible the other external and visible and thenâ—e concludes that it is not the external visible earthly body but the internal invisible heavenly body which cleanseth Souls which he names heavenly things 2. That there is an inward spiritual nature still the Idol light within which hath mystical flesh and blood besides the outward earthly nature the one he calls the flesh and blood of the vail the other the flesh and blood within the vail All which he seems to ground upon the Apostles words Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh Note here The Apostle doth not make any mention of two distinct natures nor of two sorts of flesh and blood sc visible and invisible â—or in the least of two distinct vails Now that his jugling cheat may be discovered let the Apostles miâ—d be duely considered whose meaning is to wit That Believers may draw near to God through the vail of Christs personal flesh and blood for we Christians believe according to the Scriptures of God that as the High Priest entred into the holy place with the blood of the Sacrifice so the true Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 12. 24. the whole is That the body of Christs flesh and blood entring into Heaven the holiest is that new and living way consecrated for right Believers to draw near to God for justification through Faith in the one only vail of Christs flesh glorified in Heaven above which precious Truths are worth nothing in the account of a Quaker Furtheamore let it be noted that the word Vail in an allusion to the Temple where the vail hid the glory of the Sanctâ—m Sanctorum and gave entrance to it even so Christs incarnation did as it were rebate the edge of the divine glory and brightness that Believers may come and converse with it without terror for some further illustration I shall here add sc That Christ is the true Jacobs Ladder Joh. 1. 51. the bottom of which toucheth Earth there is his Humanity or vail of flesh and blood and the top reacheth Heaven there is his Divinity so that we may climb this Ladder and have communion with God i. e. climbing up in hope by the Man-hood or vail of Christ we have social access to the God-head By the way observe That this Foxt Penington doth not alleadge any of the holy men of old that ever preached or writ such kind of Divinity as he hath done in his leger demain above whereby sundry unstable Consciences have been deceived I have often heard some of them to affirm That the Quakers do believe in Christs body of flesh and blood and that he died for sin and rose again and that he is Mans only Saviour howbeit they do but wickedly equivocate for they do not mean that the body of flesh and blood life and death c. of Jesus of Nazareth conceived in and born of the blessed Virgin Mary hath purchased justification in the sight of God and Salvation from sin but they deceitfully mean sc the new â—oined invisible flesh and blood of the heavenly Mystical Christ still the Iâ—ol-light within that died within and there rose to a righteousness and justification which is a brat hatcht only in their addle brains from whence also it is they teach a Mystical Bethlehem within where Châ—ist was born that he suffered and died without Ierusalem that is say they Mystical Jerusalem within O ye Quakers judge whither these are not strong and damnable delusions So much also for some further satisfaction to William Bullock F. E. and W. H. concerning those words But a body thou hast prepared me Heb. 10. 5. which was the last Text of Scripture proposed by them in reference to the first part of the Charge as above I now proceed to the Second part To wit That the main end of the Quakars Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lord Christ his Holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all Lyars and false Witnesses of God As I was about to prove the second part of the Charge against them Francis Eastlack interrupted me saying Thou never wert in our Meetings how then canst thou know what we teach in them I Replied T is true I bless the Lord I never were nor as I hope through the mercy of God never shall be as one of you in any of your Meetings notwithstanding I know what you Teach and mainly aim at in your Meetings for ye are G. Foxes Disciples and ye have learned his Doctrine and as I was about to read some of it they grew impatient and by no means would have it read thereupon I did forbear but I have here inserted it to wit G. Fox in his Book intituled the Mystery Page 49 50. hath these words Ye scorn me the light in you they have disobeyed it and called it a natural light and ye have said that I the light am not able to save those that believe in me Furthermore Page 54. That if ye would believe and wait on me the light I will purge out all your iniquity and forgive all your Trespasses and I shall change your natures if you hearken to me and obey the light within These are the words I would have read but being hindred I told them what they taught in their Meetings to wit That the pretended Light in them is their true Christ Teacher Rule and Guid to be heard believed in walked up unto and obeyed as the only Saviour to give remission of sins and Salvation with God to which F. E. forth with replied That he would for this lay down his life and to confirm him therein W. Harriot then said we deny the out side Christ to be our Saviour Then I requested the Hearers to take good notice sc they have plainly granted that the end of their Meeting to be for to Teach a denial of Jesus of Nazareth the Man approved of God Act. 2 22 to be the true Christ and our only Saviour which Teaching
man being almost spent said again the Scripture saith It is Christ in you which a little moved me and thereupon I demanded of him sc If the true Christ and only Saviour be in thee in what part of thy body is he residing that is to say whether in thy ly Legs Brains or Bowels he had his Answer ready sc This is an Ishmael and his Brother Blasphemer W. H. seconded him Yes quoth he He is an Ishmaelite to which being now without interruptions I make this return That I am content to be called Ishmael as it signifies Heard of God as I hope I am in bearing witness to the Grace of God and Gift by Grace which abounds to all believing Christians through the one Man Jesus Christ and withall let me tell you Quakers Though ye are not in Name yet in Nature Disposition and Practise ye are the true Ishmaels as it doth appear by the Spirit of Christ Gal. 4. 22. to the end wherein all such as stand under the Covenant of works as Quakers do are typified by Ishmael for in this History as spiritually applied by the holy Apostle we have these particulars noted 1. Sarah notes Jerusalem above 2. Isaac all the true seed of God by promise in Christ through Faith 3. Hagar the literal Covenant of God abused by all false Teachers 4. Ishmael All Hypocrites and Bond-Children hereby brought forth in the Church mocking and persecuting the Children of promise under the Covenant of Grace c. As its more particularly asserted in ver 29. But as then he that was born after the flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit even so it is now Here the Apostle reports to us a great Example of unholy scorn sc Ishmael persecuting Isaac Moses tells us the manner how and the weapon wherewith Ishmael did not lift up his hand against Isaac as Cain did against Abel but his tongue he mocked him Gen. 21. 9. reproachful mocking is one of Satans choice Engines to wound the blessed Gospel at the very heart even so it is now saith Paul there and we may now say even so it is now that is they that are born after the Fesh do persecute them that are born after the Spirit or of God Joh. 1. 13. who are Believers in the Name of Jesus of Nazareth ver 12. comp 45. It s but too well known how the Quakers who glory in their own Flesh Gal. 6. 13. and in that respect born after the Flesh do with most unholy scorn mock them that are born after the Spirit sc after the Spirit of Faith in the Lord Jesus of Nazareth reproachfully saying O you believe in a humane earthly Christ in an out-side Christ a Christ in Name Shew and appearance only no real Christ no real Saviour surely these kind of sayings must needs be bitter mockings sarcastical Jearings and most Blasphemous Scorning of the holy and just one born of Mary the Son of the Highest which in ver 29. above the Apostle calls Persecution for it plainly notes a contemptuous and malignant carriage against Jesus of Nazareth the Man approved of God among the People Act. 2. 22. in short the whole is this to wit Let any rational Saint judge whether the Earth doth or can bear greater persecutors of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth than these Scoffing Quaffing Quakers and consequently are the Ishmaels both in having and acting the very nature and disposition of Ishmael but I shall likewise pass this and return to the third Scripture which William Wilkinson repeated viz. 1 Cor. 6. 11. But ye are washed but ye are justified by the Spirit of God Answ I told him 1. That he had prophanely dismembred that Sacred Tâ—xt of Scripture as his Brother F. E. had done before him leaving out the Name of the Lord Jesus a Name too hard for them to bear 2. That I had already shewed the mind of the Apostle touching those words and that it would be a disingenious act to weary the judicious Hearers with needless repetitions but be continued clamourous querying Why they might not be washed and justified by the Spirit now as well as others heretofore I replied That the Spirit as such never justified any Saint from fin in the sight of God much less such a one as he was who never had the Spirit of God in him he forthwith required me to prove that to wit That he had not the Spirit of God in him which I proved by 3 Arguments 1. Arg. Was taken from 1 Joh. 5. 8. There are three thâ—t bear witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these three agree in me But the Spirit that is in thee doth not agree with the water of Baptismâ—â— nor blood of the Super for thou hast renounced both the Sacraments therefore the Spirit of God is not in thee Note though I thus Argued yet it was not to exclude other implicated respects in this Text of Scripture To which he Replied saying That he had both Baptisme and the Lords Supper within him But I proved the contrary thus Baptisme and the Lords Supper are visible signes of the invisible efficacy of Christs one Crucified Body but the visible signes namely washing with water in or unto the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost and the Bread and Wine broken and given and poured forth are not within thee therefore the Sacraments of Baptisme and the Supper of the Lord are not within thee To this he made no Reply By the way let the Reader observe to wit That the Teaching Seducing Quakers do usually affirm the true Church Officers and Ordinances of Worship are in God and that the Deity is in them therefore all these are invisibly in them being as they prate immediately made by the Spirit still the Idol-light within whence they conclude that Baptisme and the Lords Supper are within them though their assertions herein be frequently and most plainly contradicted by themselves For they maintain and keep up visible Meetings Officers Light worship and Worshippers and thus by their constant visible practice they clearly confute themselves living in contradiction to their own fanciful Principles and being self confuted they are self-condemned How great is this darkness Again here hence it is That they acknowledge no other Baptisme then of the Holy Ghost and of Fire which makes many of them as it s supposed so hot two Wives calling it their internal warmth and spiritual refreshment nor no other Lords Supper than their daily Feasts of fat things which as they dare say feed them with heavenly joyes glories and unspeakable delights often attended with a dissembled kind of canting-hummings within a new kind of charm to seduce the itching ear and soft head with unscriptural novelties so much for their internal and invisible Sacraments I pass to the second Argument 2. Arg Was taken from Rom. 8. 16. The Spirit it self beareth witness with our Spirit that we are the Children of God But this holy
4 Quest Or can you tell that Christ put off his body since he came to Heaven and Stephen saw him there I am said he most sure that you can tell no such thing for the testimony of the holy Angels is against it for they did assure the Disciples that the same Jesus that they saw ascend should be so seen to come again Act. 1. 9 10 11. And will not these four things put you out of doubt sc that Christ hath the same body now that he had upon the earth Oh how great is the ground of a true Christians comfort that the same person that died for us is thus sate down at the right hand of God aad that there we have the same Jesus interceeding for us in heaven on the other side is it not matter of dread and terror to the wicked both in practice and judgment that still continue to oppose an exalted Christ and prefer their base Lusts and Errors before this glorious Lord Jesus The second part of the charge being fully ended W. Wilkinson called on me to make Good the third part of the Charge viz. That the Prime Principles of a Quaker are the same which were held and professed by the Beasts that Paul fought with at Ephesus Which I thus Aâ—gued It appears by the manifold Arguments which the Apostle Paul used towards the Corinthians 1 Cor. Chap. 15. to prove the Resurrection of Christs body from the dead and the bodies of the Saints by him now their Principles were these to wit 1. That the body of Christ was not raised from the dead and consequently he is not Jesus a Saviour 2. That no Mans body shall be râ—ised from the dead and consequently Christ shall not be the riser of the dead The first of these the Apostle confutes in Chap-above ver 3. 4. For I declared unto you first of all that which I received how that Christ dieaâ— or our sins according to the Scriptures And that he was buried and that â—he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures And the second likewise in ver 13 14 15. c. But if there be no Resuâ—rection of the dead then is Christ not risen And if Christ be not risen we are found false witnesses of God because we have testified of God that bâ— raised up Christ whom he raised not up iâ— so be that the â—ead rise not Here hence Paul infers ver 32. If after the manner oâ— meâ— I have fought with Beasts at Ephesus what advantageth is me if the dead rise nâ—t let us â—at and drink for tomorrow we die As if the Apostle had said if it must be with our Bodies as with Beâ—sts after Death then it would be best for us to Live as Beasts 〈◊〉 Time of Life intimating that there resolves and desires is to live in Brutish lust pleasures these are the most predominate motivâ—s that perswaded them to deny and oppose the Resurrection of the dead which opposition I charged upon the Quakers then present To which William Wilkinson replyed saying Shew us an express Scripture which saith That the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus denyed the Resurrection of the Dead I answered 1. It was plainly implyed in that Text of Scripture and it doth evidently concenter therein Besides in reason there is nothing that could be the ground or occasion of this Fight or violent contention between Paul and these Brutish disputants but the Doctrine of the Resurrection 2. I gave him the liberty to put his own interpretation upon the words in vers 32. above To which he made no reply at all Let me here add It is more then probable that the Beasts Paul sought with at Ephesus were the same persons or of the same beastly perswasion which in other places opposed Paul's Doctrines of Faith in Jesus and the Resurrection of the Dead As in Athens Act. 17. 18. Then certain Philosophers of the Epicurians whom Calvin on the Text calls Beasts encountered him and some said What will this babler say othersome He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods because be preacheth unto them Jesus and the Resurrection at which some mocked vers 23. And in the beginning of this 19 Chap. vers 1 2 3. We read that Paul went into the Synagogue of the Jews in Thessalonia and three Sabbath dayes reasoned with the Jews out of the Scripture Opening and alledging that Christ must needs have suffered and risen again from the dead And that this Jesus whom I preach unto you is Christ But what was the issue the 4. vers tells us sc Some of the Jews believed of the devout Greek a great multitude and of the chief Women not a few but the 5. vers informs us That othersome of the hearers believed not moved with envy took unto them certain lewd fellows of the baser sort and gathered a Company and set all the City on an uproar against Paul because he preached Jesus and the Resurrection Therefore 10. The Brethren immediatly sent away Paul by night unto Berea who coming thither went into the synagogue of the Jews and preached the same Doctrine v. 1â— But when the Jews vers 13. of Thessalonia i. e. the lewd followers of the baser sort of the Jews vers 5. had knowledge that the Word of God was preached of Paul at Berea they came thither also and stirred up the People then immediatly the Brethren sent Paul away vers 14. and they that conducted him brought him to Athens vers 15. In the next Chapter ch 18. 1. we read That Paul departed from Athens and came to Coâ—inth And he vers 4. reasoned in the synagogue every Sabbath and perswaded the Jews and Greeks namely to believe in Jesus and the Resurrection as in all places aâ—ore expressed but when he was here also opposed vers 6. He departed thence and sailed into Syria vers 18 and he came to Ephesus vers 19 and entered into the synagogue and reasonâ—d with the Iews Though some perhaps might believe his Doctrines because it is said vers 20. He was desired to tarry a longer time with them Yet it is very probable that he was there opposed by some others as at Thessalionica above either at this or some other time And according to his first Epistle to the Corinthians giveth them an account of it ch 15. 32. Now if the Beasts therein mentioned were not the same individual person yet they were specifically the same i. e. of the same Malignant quality and rotten judgement with those lewd fellows of the baser or more bruitish sort which in Act. 17. 5 c. above so strongly denied and opposed Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and only Saviour with the Resurrection of the dead upon the whole ye Teaching Seducing Quakers may run and read in the Scriptures of God what lewd and base fellows have been according to the testimony of the holy Spirit of truth your Predecessors and of your bruitish Principles sc 1. Denying Jesus
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
stands in representing God three wayes 1. It is a made Image 2. It is a true Image 3. It is very near and likely Image which appears not only in the spiritual and immortal nature of it but in rectitude of Mind Will Affections Members all pure and righteous conformed to Gods will Eph. 4. 24. which evidently proves that the Soul cannot be God the Creator it being made as above it must be a Creature and consequently a created substance and therefore not after a Quakers gross and absurd manner of speaking God in whole or in part Again When God breathed into Adams liveless body he breathed not himself because he was there before for God is in every thing excluded out of nothing as before evidenced whence it undeniably follows that into Adam's liveless body God breathed not himself but mans reasonable Soul which is mans proper form and without it Man is not a Man So much for the first Scripture The second Scripture Eccles 12. 7. Then shall the dust return to the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall return to God who gave it Herehence they argue The Soul of Man is God in part for God is a Spirit Reply 1. Though God be a Spirit yet every Spirit is not God An Angel is a Spirit Heb. 2. 14 but not God so though the Soul be a Spirit yet it is a made Spirit as afore observed likewise hereunto agrees Isai 57. 16. For the Spirit should fail before me and the Souls which I have made Souls are of Gods making and therefore a created not uncreated substance besides to say that God is a Spirit and the Soul of Man is a Spirit therefore the Soul is part of Gods essence is not only false but a most silly inference for there is multiplicity of signâ—fication in words and here lies the fallacy Spirit sometimes signifie God Joh. 4. 24. and sometimes the wind Ionah 3. 8. Now it s no good inference thence therefore God and the Wind are the same howbeit here is some of a Quakers Divinity 2. The scope and import of the Text it self above excludes this their Interpretation For. 1. When it s said the Spirit shall return it notes a passing from one place to another which cannot be said of the Essence of God for that being infinite filleth all places at once 2. To God that gave it Now according to the Rules of right reason the Giver and the Gift are distinct 3 When the Dust the body returns to the Earth then the Spirit the Soul shall return to God that is to Gods only and alone disposing either to Weal or to Woe for Eternity according to what it hath done in the body whether it be good or evil 2 Cor. 5 10. in this sense it is that the Soul returns to God which Truth the Scripture points us unto as with the finger in the examples of Dives and Lazarus Luk. 16. and therefore to affirm the Soul returns to God as a part of God is absurd and sinful with a witness for it renders God defective till the Soul returns making him a finite not an infinite God The third Scripture Act. 17. 27 28. Though he be not far from every one of us for in him we live and move and have our being Reply I have already and fully granted that the Essential presence of God is in Heaven and Earth and all created natures yet I do herewithal say though all created Natures are in his and his in theirs but yet his uncreated nature and their created natures are ever distinct and different theirs finite and bounded his infinite and boundless not included in nor excluded out of any thing for God is infinitely beyond their beings lives and motions where never any created nature was nor ever shall be otherwise he is not God infinite furthermore the very Text of Scripture above alledged confutes their inference for it expresly saith God is near to everyone of us and gives this Reason for it because in him we live move and have our being so then this very expression sc That God is but near to us plainly shews that he is not us nor we him The fourth Scripture 2 Pet. 1. 4. Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises that by these you might be partakers of the divine Nature whence the Teaching Quaker doth conclude that the infinite and indivisible Godhead is divided into parts thus senseless are they of the grossest absurdities Reply 1. This place of Scripture doth only signifie that the participation of the divine Nature is by a reception of the promised multiplication of grace and peâ—ce ver 2. so that the Text asserts no more but this namely that they partake of the divine Nature who are partakers of the grace and peace promised these being divine qualities are of a divine Nature called the Communion of the Holy Ghost 2 Cor. 13. 14. If this be the genuine and proper sense of the Text how far is it from proving the Soul of man to be part of God To clear this matter yet a little more Consider 2. The Divine Nature may be taken in a twofold sense as 1. For the essential nature of God which is Rom. 1. 20. his eternal power and God head in this sense the divine nature is infinite and indivisible and as such no man can partake of it 2. The Divine Nature may be taken for the gifts graces and comforts of spirit flowing from Christ man in whom they are without measure Ioh. 3. 34 being daily given from him to his Members now it is in this last sense that the Apostle Peter speaks of the Divine Nature above and therefore not to be understood in a Quakers sense for the Deity or Godhead this twofold signification of the Divine Nature being hid from the lost ones causeth them to call the Soul still the Idol-light the Deity in part no created substance not discerâ—â—ngâ—h bidâ—ous Blasphemies which attends this their Principle for if the Soul of man be God in part then the essence of God would be subject to change anâ— passion yea which is worse to sin for so the Soul of man is in this 〈◊〉 thâ—se Blasphemiâ—s are the unavoidable consequences of the Souls being God in pâ—rt I pass this and proceed to the second part of the Principle to wit a Quakers infallibility Reply To the second part a Quakers infallible Spirit within him their spirit of infallibility or infallible spirit is grounded upon the Souls being God in part but this hath been proved to be erroneous and highly Blasphemous the other is therefore of the same nature Chips of the same block yea this their Principle of inâ—allibility shews us the rise and original of their Religion I have long bought their infallible light within to be no other then the Pope without we may not think it s for nought that there are so mâ—ny exact resemblances between the Idol light and the Idolatrâ—us Pope I shall give you
some Instances 1. The Pope takes upon him the power of Pardoning sin making himself God and Christ which power of pardoning sin the Quaker ascribes to his Light within calling it God and Christ 2. The Pope affirms that the Teachings and Rules of direction being believed in and walked up unto will make such Believers and Walkers Perfect and bring them to jâ—stification and salvation all which the Quaker doth affirm of the Light within it being believed in and obeyed 3. The Pope teacheth that his written Scriptures are so far to be obeyed as they do agree with the infallible Spirit within him just so the Quakers teach that they are no further bound to obey the Letter of the Scriptures then the infallible unâ—rring light within makes them willing to obey 4. The Pope declares his Apocryphals to be not only of equal verity with but to exceed the Scriptures even so a Quakers Light within teacheth him to prefer his Apocryphal Quakerisms before the written Scriptures 5. The Pope testifies there is a nigher Doctrine than the Scripture hath to feed the Saints and perfectâ—ones meaning his Church enlightning Traditions so saith the Quakers light within that it hath a higher Doctrine then the written Scripture hath any to guid and â—eed the true Saints 6. The Pope robs Christ of all his Offices 1. Of his Kingly Office in taking part of it to himself by remitting sins and making Laws to bind Conscience both which a Quakers Light presumes to do remitting sin and binding Conscience by its laws 2. The Pope robs Christ of his Priestly Office for he doth dispose of it giving to a Masse Priest power to offer a daily propitâ—ation-Sacrifice yea that every Papist hath a piece of it within him that thereby every one of them may satisfie the Justice of God for his sins even by his own Merits within him and for Christs Mediatorship as some of them do abolish it so no Catholick desires the Man Jesus Christ to pray for Him because each one of them hath so much of the propitiatâ—ry Sacrifice dayly iâ— them as is meritorious to satisfie the justice of God for their sins Of which robbery in reference to Christs Priestly Office the Quakers are equally guilty for they give to their light that Masse-Priest with in a power to offer Sacrifice propitiatory dayly forsin whereby they daily in themselves satisfie Gods justice for their sins even by their own internal merits and as for Christs Mediatorship they have quite abolished it For no Quaker desires the one Mediator the Man Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 2 5. to pray for him 3. The Pope robs Christ also of his Prophetical Office for this office he assumes to himself who without the Scriptures determines infallibly by the pretened assistance of a Spirit of infallible light lockt up in his own breast all points of Faith and Life which kind of Robbery as to Crists Prophetical Office the Quakers have likewise assumed who by their Light within without the Holy Scriptures or laws of the King thence derived pretend to an infallible determination of all points concerning â—aith and Life here hence we may saâ—ely infer that a Quakers Ligâ—t and Romes Pope are coâ—qual Antichrists This may further appear if the Terms and Title heretofore given to the Pâ—pâ— as â—sserted 〈◊〉 the Reverend Brightman Ren. 13. page 135 136 â—e compared with those now given to the Light within by G. Fox in his Foâ—o Book The great Mystery c. The Terms and Titles which were given to the Pope and imprinted by Brightman as above are these to wit 1. Hear saith Brightman what Barnard saith sc of the Pope Thou art a great Priest the Prince of Bishops thou art the Heir of the Apostles thou art Abel for thy primacy Noah for thy Government Abraham for thy Patriaâ—â—hâ—ship Melchisedech for thy Order Aaron for thy Dignity Moses for thy Authority Samuel for thy judgement Peter for thy Power Christ for thine anointing c. Book 2. Consid Again Mark saith Brightman how the Embassadors of the Empour of Sicily cry out to him the Pope lying groveling on the ground O thou that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the World grant us peace As also what Simon Beginus saith speaking unto Pope Leo in the Council of Laterane Sess 6. Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the â—oot of David we have waited for thee O most blessed Leo to be our Saviour Vnâ—o these saith Bâ—ightmaâ— we may joyn Cornelius the Bishop of Bipentum who laid open his blockishness in wondring at the Beast in the Council of Trent with these words The Pope is come a Light into the World and men have loved darkness more then Light every one that evil doth hateth the Light and cometh not to the Light Hence Brightman inferrâ— O out upon you ye Blasphemous Claw-backs is it not enough for you to adorn the Man of sin with the praises of the Saint unless ye do also heap upon him the praises which ye have robbed Christ of it would indeed render me too volumenous to set down herein all the pages lines and words imprinted in the Foxes Book above named concerning the Termsâ—nd â—nd Titles given by him and other such seâ—ucing Authors to the Light within which are either numeâ—ically or specifically the same with the Collections above given to the Popes or if there be any difference as to Terms and Titles of Blasphemy the Fâ—z's are the more horrid upon the whole let any good Christian judge whether a Quakers Light within be not in goâ—d earnest the Pâ—pe without And so I pass to the fourth and last Principle aâ—ore-named The fourth Principle to wit A Quakers denying of the Trinity or three persons in one Deity Reply It is by most judicious Christians acknowledged sc that three persons in one Deity is so great a mystery that it cannot be sound our by natural reason and no wonder for there are many things in natuâ—e yea in man himself Eccles 11. 5. Thou knowest not the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the Womb of hen that is with child reason cannot reach the knowledge of this Therefore saith Mr. Caril it is not to be admired if man be at a loss about the incomprehensible nature of God Howbeit it may be to all rational Saints sufficient to prove three persons in the Godhead though we cannot fully conceive how this should be For 1. There is but one God 1 Cor. 8. 4 6. 2. In this one God there are three He 's that do Vnderstand Will and Act and these three are so doistinguished that the one is not the other And 't is Dr. Gouges observation on Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord the word Lord is twice in the Text and saith he Printed in Capital Letters purposely to notifie that the word Lord in the original is Jehovah and so he reads
it Hear O Israel Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah Here is Trinity in Vnity And we read that the Prophet Isai 6. 8. Heard the voice of the Lord saying who will go for Vs this Vs denotes more persons then one likewise in Gen. 1. 26. the Elohims spake each to other and said let us make Man surely then the Trinity cannot be as some dream sc distinctions and relations only but reall existences in the essence of Jehovah for distinctions and relations are such as cannot speak but the Elohims spake each to other as above noted Obj. If it be said the plural number Vs takes in all as well as the number three Answ It doth so but when God hath determined plurality to three it is time then to settle and to be certain that there are no more which is confirmed Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is to believe in obey and worship the Father in the Son and the Holy Ghost here you see are three in the divine Nature that do live understand will and act and here it s plainly revealed that they are so distinct that the one cannot be the other Indeed the Socinians the Quakers Brethren in this thing do deny the Holy Ghost to be a person and say It is the power vertue and efficacy of God the Father if so then the Scripture above Mat. 28. 19. must be read thus Baptizing them in or unto the Name of the Father of the Son and of the vertue power and efficacy of the Father to be believed in obeyed and worshipped which sounds absurdly utterly disagreeable to reason But above all it is inconsistent with the Scriptures of truth as in Ioh. 1. 4. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father and in ver 18. No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and in Iohn 14 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name These Texts of Holy Scripture do shew us that the Father begets the Son the Son is begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds from both Furthermore when the Lord Christ was Baptized Mat. â— 15 16 17. the Father was heard and not seen the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove seen and not heard and Christ the Son both seen and heard the Father saying of Christ this is my Son and the Holy Ghost descending and lighting upon him which is a most clear demonstration of their real and personal dictinction Again in 1 Joh. 5. 7. For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Now if they be three then they must be in some respect more then one and not the same besides it argues weakness to quarrel the Phrase Persons for as much as the Person doth Grammatically tria necessaria sunt ut aliquid persona dicatur signifie first second and third which makes three this only by the bye for illustration rather then evidence though we do not find this Phrasiology in the Scriptures sc Trinity of Persons yet this is not a sufficient ground to deny it for though we have not the words yet having the things signified in and by the words it ought to satisfie a rational Saint as for the things signified the Texts above are fair and plain affirming there are three that bear Record or witness now to bear witness is properly the office and act of a person or persons Qu. Whether the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are declared as three distinct witnesses Answ Yes that they are so may appear by the testimony of these Scriptures Joh. 8 18. I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father sent me beareth witness of me and Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Futher even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me here we have the Father Son and Holy Ghost witnessing that is to say the Comforter sent the Son sending and that from the Father which proves them to be distinct witnesses and by good consequence to be distinct persons herewithal let it be well observed sc To deny as Teaching Quakers do the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead is in down right terms to deny that there is a God for the Scripture inspired of God saith These three are one Therefore to deny the Trinity is to deny in Unity which is Atheistical so much in Answer to the requests oâ— some of the Lords people in Barmudas With whom I shall now in a few words leave my hearty well wishing advice beseeching them and all the rest of the Lords People there to be ever mindful of the Blessed Apostles resolution Act. 21. 13. I am ready to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ a most gracious as well as noble resolution and fit for every good Christians imitation which is indeed 〈◊〉 lâ—ss then the standing against the Gates of Hell by bearing witness to the holy Truth of God O let us rather burn then â—ow to that Idol light which the Romish Nebuchadâ—zzar haâ—h set up in Teaching Quakers Oh let us rather die for the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth then leave the Mark of the Beast citeer within or on us rather let us lose our heads from our shoulders then renounce that saving head who is ascended up into the Heavens above O let us rather effuse our dearest blood and die glorious Martyrs then live Apostates from and die persecutors of Jesus of Nazareth And for your constant incouragement herein let us heartily learn the Apostles inspired Lesson Rom. 8. 7. In all these we are more then Conquerers through him that loved us FINIS