the consequence of placing the Rule of Faith Knowledge of God and Salvation only upon the Scripture and not upon the Light of Christ within Pr. Ibid. Vnto the Law and the Testimony is no Rule for Children to walk by Page 65. By no means the Law and the Testimony mentioned by the Prophet Isaiah may now be our Rule Hath not this man Quaked to purpose Answ He still wrongs and abusively derides the Quaker for children are not so taught that the Law and the Testimony is No Rule for them to walk by whether it relate to the Law and Testimony of God as outward in Scripture or inward in the Heart whether to the Law and Testimony of God by Moses as in Tables of Stone or to the Law and Testimony of Christ as in fleshly Tables of the Heart we cannot say of either that 't is no Rule at all for every Command or Precept from God or Christ whether it be upon outward or inward Record is a Rule in it self for Instruction by the Spirit 's Assistance The Law and Testimony as given by Moses and as in Tables of Stone were a Rule to Israel after the Flesh yet not to exclude the Word nigh them even in their Hearts or their hearkening to the Voice of God for that was through all Dispensations The Law and Testimony of the New Covenant written in the Hearts of spiritual Christians under the Guidance of the holy Spirit must needs be their Rule now who Worship God in Spirit And further the Commandment which is a Lamp and the Law which is Light and the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophecy are not only the Principal Rule in the Hearts of Spiritual Christians who are the Evangelical Israel and Inward Jews but also of more Universal extent as to Nations then the Scriptures are For when even those Gentiles who have not the Law and yet do by Nature the things contain'd in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves which shew the work of the Law written in their Hearts Rom. 2.14 15. So that the Scripture could not be their Rule who had it not but the Law and Light of God and his Christ in their Hearts And the Law and the Testimony within contain the Substance and Truth of what 's written in Scripture and will the more clearly and livingly appear and be read in the Heart as the Vail of Darkness Sin and Corruption in man is removed and taken away in his Conversion and coming into the New Covenant Dispensation On the words To the Law and to the Testimony I would Query If this Testimony could be the Books of the New Testament which this Prophet Isaiah referred them then to No sure how could they when those Books were not then written Yet whoever obey and follow the Law and Testimony of the SPIRIT of Life in Christ Jesus within such cannot Oppose Slight nor Invalidate any thing of holy Scripture but have real Union therewith and be in the Life Practice and Fulfilling thereof Pr. Ibid. The Spirit that doth infatuate the Quakers is the foolish Guide whom this Quaking Father would have his Child to follow Answ What Blasphemous Folly is this against the Spirit of Truth which the Quaker would have the Child yea and all Men to follow which 't is Horrid Blasphemy to charge with being an Infatuating or Foolish Guide whereby he hath also abused and slighted Christ's Testimony and the Scriptures which testifie of the Spirit of Truth to guide into all Truth Pr. Ibid. This Quakers Faith to undermine the Scriptures to render them good for nothing for saith he the Spirit alone is to be minded in all things therefore the Scriptures to be minded in nothing Answ He hath herein abominably belied the Quaker and perverted his words though he himself has cited but a few Lines before in the same page 36. viz. The Scriptures are a true Testimony of what the Saints were made Witnesses of This is no undermining nor rendring them good for nothing Again from minding the Spirit alone in all things it follows not that the Scriptures are to be minded in nothing He might as well have said that nothing else upon any account is to be minded but the Spirit alone howbeit that the Spirit alone is to be minded in all things as the Principal and most Eminent Rule is true yea 't is to be minded even in the reading Scriptures or else they cannot be rightly understood Pr. p. 37. The Quakers ill Spirit is to be minded in all things this alone is the true Discerner betwixt Truth and Falshood but pity those poor Children that have no better guide to follow Answ When the Quakers speak of the Spirit of Truth this Priest will have it the Quakers Ill Spirit thus he Blasphemously perverts still But that the Spirit of Truth is both the true Discerner and Giver of true Discerning betwixt Truth and Falshood I suppose he dare not deny S. XVI Pr. pag. 38. As for those Priests that do warrantably use the Common Prayer-Book either in the King's Chappel or else-where to speak this Quakers mind or sense they are a company of dull Ignoramusses they cannot pray at all a sad Case except it be in the Quakers Dumb Meeting or amongst those that are acted by the Spirit of the Hat Answ The Quaker so called was speaking of such Priests and Teachers as pray not with the Spirit nor with Vnderstanding and of some that cannot pray at all but as they have Made Prayers by others in a Book to read and such it seems he renders those Priests in the King's Chappel and else-where so dull as that they cannot pray without Book for he has made the Application with such a Reflection As for our Meeting which he Scornfully terms Dumb we therein wait upon God in his holy Fear and have regard to the Motions of his good Spirit in his Worship and Service both in our inward Attention Meditation Souls breathings unto God Preaching Praying to and Praising our God who is a Spirit and to be Worshipped in Spirit Truth I take his telling of the Spirit of the Hat also to be in Scorn and Contempt nothing at all of any serious Sence or Argument in it he should have explain'd himself therein Pr. p. 39. According to this Quaking Rant is not the King's Majesty basely reflected on Hath he not a dull Clergy to minister in his Presence Is not this Church whereof he is a Nursing-Father in a bad Cafe Answ I think this Priest hath Reflected on the King and his Clergy to purpose while he has rendred them such as do not pray with the Spirit or as cannot pray without Book for such was our Friend writing of about which this Priest takes all this occasion And why does he call the King a Nursing-Father of the Church He rather means as he would have him the Nursing-Father of the Clergy that they may feed upon the Fat
to the Light viz. That no Priests of the Church of England or else-where did ever deny that God might not be known by the Light of Nature within them pag. 120. See how manifestly the Priest has Contradicted himself here Did ye ever read that God might be known by a False Christ or by an Idol or by an ELF before as he calls the Light within †Whether by Elf he means a Fairy Nymph or Dwarf his Term is very Irreverent and Blasphemous Pr. pag. 68. It is a confessed Truth among us that all those do hold the Truth in Vnrighteousness that do not live according to it Answ Many such Professors there are among you that do not live according to Truth we wish your Repentance and Amendment of Life that you may through the Grace of God live answerable to Scripture Pr. Ibid. But 't is no false Light in any of us to profess the Scripture to be our Rule By God's own appointment the Scripture is the Rule of Faith and Life Answ The cripture is not your Rule if you walk contrary and hold Truth in Unrighteousness and live a sinful Life the Scripture is not the Rule of such a Life to be sure And if ye know it to be a Rule and profitable to you it must be through God's Assistance and his divine Illumination else ye cannot understand it But where by Gods own appointment the Scripture is called the Rule of Faith and â—ife he shews us not by Scripture Pr. Ibid. It 's folly to think that the sinfulness of any man's Life can make the Scripture to cease to be the Rule of Life as God hath declared it to be Answ He shews us not where God hath declared the Scripture or Writing to be the Rule of Life or the Rule of Faith and Life we have only his Say-so for it no Scripture-proof for this Article of his Faith And then where is the Foundation of his Faith which he pretends the Scripture to be the Rule of he is not content with its being a Rule Subordinate to the holy Spirits Guidance and Illumination of the understanding but by way of Emphasis he must have these Epithetes placed upon the Scripture which signifies Writing viz. The Rule of Faith and Life which yet he brings us no Scripture-proof for that ever God hath declared it so to be much less the Word of Life the Judge the Tryer of Spirits those streams which make glad the City of God Wherein he might as well plainly have told us that the Scripture is God Christ the Spirit the Life the Light and what not § XXIII Pr. Ibid. Without doubt it is a false Light in any Quaker which guides him to say that the Scripture is not the Rule of Life without the Light within to guide him Answ Here the Priest renders the Scripture the Rule of Life without the Light within to guide as if Men could know the benefit of the Scripture while in their Darkness without the Guidance of the Light The man is quite out here How should any rightly understand use or improve the Scripture without divine Illumination or Inspiration to open their Understandings seeing that there is a Spirit in Man but the Inspiration of the Almighty gives him understanding The Spirit of God is sufficient to instruct men in those Nations where they have not or cannot read Scripture But the Scripture of it self cannot guide any men nor be of any real profit to them so much as a Rule of Life without the Spirit and its inward divine Illumination For what can dark minds and Earthly Corrupt Hearts or Natural men by their own Wisdom truly understand of holy Scripture 't is as a seal'd Book unto them And therefore the Psalmist applied himself to the Lord in Prayer in this wise Teach me thy Statutes make me to understand the Way of thy Precepts so shall I talk of thy wondrous Works Remove from me the way of Lying and grant me thy Law graciously I will run the way of thy Commandments when thou shalt enlarge my Heart Teach me O Lord the Way of thy Statutes and I shall keep it unto the End Give me Vnderstanding and I shall keep thy Law yea I shall observe it with my whole Heart With many more such passages in Psal 119. Of whom did he seek this Teaching Understanding and Help but of the Lord Could then the Scripture of it self do all this no sure Consider of it and let all serious Readers take notice how blind Opposers of the Light of Christ within stumble and fall in the dark § XXIV In the next place the Priest appears greatly vex't at James Parnel's Book called The Trumpet of the Lord blown or A Blast against Pride and Oppression About which the Priest greatly abuses the Author and the people called Qrs. most shamefully perverting his Testimony against Pride and Oppression as may plainly appear in a few Instances As Whereas James Parnel saith Wo unto you that are called Lords and Ladies Knights c. in respect to your Persons who are Exalted in the Earth who are Proud High and Lofty c. With other passages Threatning and Warning of them for their Pride Wantonness Voluptuousness c. instancing Dives Haman Pharaoh c. Pr. Hereupon the Priest saith According to this Qr. the last End of all the aforesaid Persons without exception is to be destroyed p. 70. And that according to this Quaking Scrible all that are called Lords Ladies Knights Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Master Mistress Madam shall every one of them unless they turn Quakers be damn'd forever they shall without any Exception be cast into Hell p. 71. Answ The Priests horrid and gross Abuse in these Passages in saying that without any Exception they shall be all cast into Hell Here he makes the Threat Absolute as if because they are called Lords and Ladies c. they must all be damned in the Qrs. sence which is a most Sordid Perversion and Knavery leaving out much that concerns their Destructive Ways and States and the very Principal Condition or Matter which J. P. inserted in those Threats and Warnings of his and yet for all this the Priest puts in or Forges a Condition or Exception in his own Terms That unless they turn Qrs. they shall be damned forever These are none of J. P's words and yet a forged Exception enough to render the Priest Contradictory to himself And it is to be noted that this Priest in his Citation pag. 71. out of James Parnel's Book pag. 31 32 33. which he takes together he hath left out the most Materal Passages both relating to those Ways and States that are Destructive and to those Conditions that tend to Salvation As for Instance After the Words Rising up to Play the Priest leaves out and live in Pride and Covetousness And after the words The blind eads the blind into the Ditch he leaves out and so you lead your Lives and spend your Time here and
False Doctrines Errors or Popery we have only his Ipse dixit or Say so no Proof but what will make against himself as one Guilty of Popery both in Spirit and Principle a Persecutor and therefore Popish if not a Papist A Spightful Incendiary against an Innocent People who has acted the part of a Popish Incendiary Pr. Pag. 2. My Design is only to remedy that Flatus or windy Spirit that troubles them Answ We own no such Physicians as he who is thus possest with a Scornful Spirit and Diabolical Flatus or Inspiration of Satan which cannot trouble nor hurt us as we attend on God in his Divine Breath or Spirit of Life given us Pr. Let not the Quakers nor any others believe that by Answering Books according to their Folly I do write one Syllable against the holy Ghost or that I have scoffed the Quakers as being the Servants of God I know very well Pietas non Patitur Ludum pag. 2. Answ It appears he is Conscious to himself of Scoffing the Quakers however and the Spirit by which they are led but not as being Servants of God or as led by his Spirit How then As Poor Deluded Quakers led by an Erronious Spirit Is this his Kindness of Love to Undeceive us or his Pity towards us thus to Scoff and Scorn as he has frequently and most shamefully done against us O Insolency How has he answered what he says that Pietas non patitur Ludum Godliness admits not of Sporting with it is not to be played with and therefore the Impiety of this Mocking Agent about Religious Matters and about the Spirit is the Greater The Proverb he here makes use of is like that Ludere cum sacris Sanctis miscere profana which the Pious and Serious minded could never allow of Pr. Their silly Quakerism Their Praters by their Followers are fondly doted on p. 2. Answ He Mocks on still Rails and Reviles but Reasons not as a man of any Piety or Religion Pr. Ibid. Mahomet's Pigeon and the Quakers Spirit are both alike Answ This Comparison only suits an Atheist and a Scornful Fleshly Mind that 's void of the true Spirit 's Guidance which the Quakers believe and own Pr. p. 3. I look for hard measure from my Neighbour Quakers for this Kindness of Love to undeceive them Answ He may very well expect some dislike from his Neighbour Quakers for his Scoffing and Railing against them and shewing his Malicious Persecuting Spirit while he most Falsly and Hypocritically pretends Kindness of Love to Undeceive them Pr. Ibid. I have already been sufficiently without any just Cause black marked by them a Judas a Persecutor of God's People a black Devil a Porter of Hell c. Answ If his Neighbours know him to be a Persecutor yet he will not own that 't is the People of God he persecutes he can easily equivocate here and say 'T is the Deluded Quakers that I have appeared against and not Gods People but if he persecute or use them hardly where is his Pity and his Kindness of Love to the poor Deluded Quakers as he deems them But if any has compared him to a Judas a black Devil a Porter of Hell doubtless 't was not without some great Cause the concern'd Persons can give account and remind him Pr. Ibid. I am not in the least induced to retaliate Answ To retaliate what Ill Language or black Marks and such he has plentifully retaliated O Gross Hypocrisie Pr. Ibid. The Readers Patience will be sore put to it to read such Impertinent Rude Ignorant Blasphemous Corrupt stuff Answ Such stuff has this Adversary frequently uttered as will further appear to his great shame Pr. p. 5. Is it not high time for the King 's Sacred Majesty to arise and Judge Answ Here he smells of a Popish Persecuting Spirit that would incense the King against us but 't is an Implicite Reflection upon the King as if he knew not his time when and what to judge without the Priests Instigation § II. Pr. Ibid. W. P 's false Spirit doth put him upon writing in good Earnest against Christ God-man a Distinct Person without us Answ This man's Lying Spirit hath put him upon a Slander against W. Penn who hath not written against Christ as God-man without us but demanded Scripture only for the Terms Distinct Person without us which yet he has not produced Take W. P 's own Explication in the Case viz. 'T is granted Christ is a Distinct Being from the Saints we never said that Christ was not as well without us as within us we never set any Limitations to Christ's Presence This our Adversary has quoted and yet renders W.P. as denying the thing intended i.e. Christ God-man which is a gross abuse Pr. p. 5. The Quakers Light within is not of God for it prompts them to write dishonourably of God the Son Answ Our Light within is Christ's Light we own no other and it cannot prompt us to any such thing against himself Pr. p. 6. The Quaker ushers in his Pestilent Discourse with some Truth concerning the Scriptures which serves as a Blind for Fools Answ Pestilent Discourse is a Slander charg'd upon us but not proved The Truth of the Scriptures we have always desired through God's Assistance sincerely to improve in Principle and Practice in Obedience to the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth and enables both to the Understanding Belief and Practice of those Truths recorded in Scripture Pr. Ibid. That the Spirit of Truth doth alone give true discerning that the Light within ought to be the Rule of Faith and Practice this is the Real Quakers Vpstart Rotten Doctrine this Quaking Dotage is not yet Thirty Years old This is the Real Quakers Golden Image before which all if they are so silly should fall down and Worship Answ First True discerning is a Gift of the Spirit of Truth whether of Spirits or States Secondly Every one that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his Deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God John 3.21 And Christ saith Believe in the Light that ye may be the Children of the Light And therefore Christ's Light within ought to be the Rule of Faith and Practice 't is the Convincing and Discovering Rule and Guide And this is no Rotten Doctrine no Quaking Dotage or Golden Image as this Dark Priest both Scornfully and Blasphemously words it to his great shame like a Dark Rebel against the Light who knows not the ways of it because he hath not abode in the Paths of it Pr. p. 7. That this Quaking Fondling the Light within them may be set up for the Rule of Faith and Practice Answ There is no true Faith and Practice without divine Illumination enlightning the Eyes of the Understanding how ever he scoff and abuse the Light within His Envy is so great against the Quakers that he will not so much as assent to the Divine Principle of Light in man which flowes
from the Life in the Eternal Word In him was Life and the Life was the Light of men § 3. Pr. Ibid. W. P's best Reason assisted with his Light within is Fondly at work to prove that the Light and Spirit and not the Scriptures were the Rule of their Faith that gave forth the Scriptures Answ Seeing he deridingly opposeth this we must take him as believing or speaking the contrary viz. That not the Light and Spirit of Truth within but the Scriptures were the Rule of their Faith that gave them forth Gross Ignorance as if the Scriptures were the Primary Dictater and Revealer of Scriptures and not the Light and Spirit of God within Contrary to plain Scripture Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Spirit of God Surely the Scriptures could not be the Rule before they were but the Holy Spirit was both the Mover Rule and Guide in giving them forth Pr. Ibid. Its matter of Lamentation that the Quakers false Light and their lying Spirit do counterfeit the true Light and holy Spirit to decry the Scriptures from being the Rule of Faith and Life Answ It s matter of Lamentation that such blind Guides as this should keep People in Darkness from the true Light and holy Spirit under pretence of the Scriptures being the Rule of Faith and Life Which though this be a main Article of his Faith yet for this very Point he has not produc'd any plain Scripture that saith the Scriptures are the Rule of Faith and Life Which if he cannot produce such proof for they are not that only Rule but rather a Rule or Instruction subordinate to the true Light and holy Spirit as directing to it Pr. p. 8. Surely this Quakers Light within burnt dim in his Socket the Light within is no such Infallible Teacher as the Quakers brag of like the Papists infallible Judge it s not without its gross Mistakes Answ See how again he blasphemously scoffs against the Light within in his Comparing it with the Papists pretended Infallible Judge wherein he is grosly mistaken but so is not that Divine Light of Christ within which we profess believe and own In him was Life and that Life was the Light of men Though men may Err yet this Light cannot § 4. Pr. Ibid. The real Quaker is for Go teach baptizing with the holy Ghost and with Fire If this be not to turn People from Light to Darkness from God to the Power of Satan let the sober-minded Reader judge Answ The true Ministry and Preaching of the Gospel in Spirit and Power wherewith Christs Ministers were and are endued was for the Conversion and turning People from Darkness to Light and from Satans Power to the Power of God which does no whit fall short of a Spiritual Baptism or dipping into the Name Power and Life of the Father Son and Holy Spirit Go teach baptizing them into the Name c. was a Commission by divine Power and Authority and in the same was fulfilled by Christs presence with his Ministers Lo I am with you alway even unto the End said he and therefore it was by virtue of Christ's Presence with them that they were made Instrumental in baptizing with the Spirit And this was not to turn them from Light to Darkness as most ignorantly is alledged by this Priest Pr. Pag. 9. Surely W. Penn was as Oxford to Lick Glass-Windows Answ A scornful Detraction which shews the Pride of the Priest's Heart Pr. Ibid. It is the Judgment of a real Quaker that Water-Baptism is none of Christ's Institutions and that Paul was of the same mind which is a most gross mistake Answ No Mistake at all that Christ sent not Paul to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel as he himself expresly saith 1 Cor. 1. And this he gave as his most general Reason why he Baptized no more of them than he did And surely his Commission was not short of the rest of the Apostles Wherefore Water-Baptism was not included in it § V. Pr Ibid. That the real Quaker confesseth himself guilty of a base Doctrine viz. That â—ustification by that Righteousness which Christ fulfilled WHOLLY without us is a Sin pleasing Notion Answ No such Confession of Guilt by the Real Quaker who confesseth to Christ's Righteousness both without and within as 't is received by Faith unto Justification or making men Righteous for he cannot own that men can truly be reckoned Righteous or Just while they have none of Christ's Righteousness within them or while his Image is not at all renewed in them nor they in any Degree sanctified None are justified without living Faith in Christ Jesus Therefore none are justified in an unsanctified State so not wholly without them especially if Christ's living Faith be the instrumental Cause of our Justification or Causa sine qua non without which there 's no real Justification he that believes not is condemned already though Christ who is the Author of Faith be the Principal Cause of Good to us Pr. Ibid. The Papists call it a Putative Righteousness This Justification by Christ's Righteousness imputed by Faith which is a comfortable Doctrine is basely murthered betwixt these two Thieves Answ He has here maliciously as well as basely slandered us called Quakers in his Comparison for we never denyed Christ's Righteousness as imputed or reckoned to us by Faith taken in the Real Scripture Sense But some Professors reckoning of it to men in an Unbelieving Unconverted and Unsanctified State or when no Good is wrought in them in which State I suppose he dare not directly say Men are justified for without Faith its impossible to please God and yet he says little or no less if he tell us that men are justified and acquitted before God by a Righteousness of Câ—aist WHOLLY without them for that leaves no room for Christ's Righteousness to have any place within them for their Justification And is not this a Sin-pleasing Notion I would ask what that Righteousness that Christ fulfilled wholly without them was Did it not consist in his Obedience to the Father and fulfilled in his Sufferings and Death If this then has compleated Justification wholly without men then it must be compleated for all Mankind for whom he dyed And he dyed for all men tasted Death for every man for the whole World What then are all men yea the whole World that lies in Sin compleatly justified by this Priest's Doctrine they must if it be effected wholly without them See now what Sin-pleasing Work our Adversary's run into whereas Christ dyed for our Sins and rose again for our Justification Therefore 't was not wholly accomplished by his Death Pr. pag. 10. We are accounted Righteous before God ONLY for the Merit of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ by Faith That we are JUSTIFIED by Faith only is a most wholsome Doctrine Answ Here he joyns Faith to the Merit of our Lord in the Matter of Imputation but then says We are justified by Faith
that does not allow that Compleat Justification is a making inwardly Just through a purging out Iniquity mortifying of Corruption and bringing in of Christ's Everlasting Righteousness As if he should tell us That the Doctrine of the Church of England is contrary to this before-cited i. e. That Compleat Justification is not a making inwardly Just nor a purging out of Iniquity or Mortifying of Corruption c. but that Justification is VVholly fulfilled and compleated without men they are compleatly Justified by Christ's Merits while inwardly Unjust and their Iniquities unpurg'd out their Corruption unmortified and Christ's Everlasting Righteousness excluded or wholly shut out of them At this rate this Person may reckon himself one compleatly Justified whilst a Persecuting Malicious Scornful Spirit remains in him whilst he is a Railer a Persecutor a Scorner and Oppressor c. but herein he is highly guilty of that Abomination which he that justifieth the Wicked and he that condemneth the Just are guilty of As also I must tell him He has in this matter apparently wrong'd the Doctrine of the Church of England and several of the Eminent Doctors thereof who have not only in their Prayers but Preaching called for and urged a Real Righteousness both Inherent and Practical to constitute men Just and Righteous and Acceptable to God and have flatly opposed the Imputarians Calvinists and Antianomins in their asserting Persons imputatively Righteous and Justified while actually Unjust Immoral c. § VII Pr. Ibid. But the worst is yet behind And what is it †W.P. If not then to exclude this and yet conclude men compleatly justified by what Christ hath done wholly without is a Doctrine of Devils for it leaves men in an Impure state and allows the Devils Kingdom to continue in Being Pr. Priest Answers p. 12. These Quaking Lines according to this Quakers base words in Print the Church of England doth hold fast that which is a Doctrine of Devils c. a base Aspersion cast on that Church which is beautiful in the Eyes of all sober Christians Answ He wrongs the Church of England again he would bring in his Antinomianism and father it upon the Church of England as if it were Authentick in the Church of England to exclude Christ's Everlasting Righteousness and deny inward Purging and Mortification in the point of Justification and as if to conclude men compleatly Justified by what Christ hath done wholly without while they are both Unjust Unpurg'd Unmortified Corrupt and Wicked were good Profound Doctrine in the Church of England or to conclude men compleatly Justified while the Devils Kingdom is in being in them For opposing this he balls and clamours most Hideously against W. Penn crying up the Doctrine of the Church of England the Church of England against him but has most shamefully abused that Church with his Antinomianism Pr. Ibid. Christ's Righteousness wholly without Iibid. Made our's by Faith a Doctrine of Devils How base is the Light within W. P Answ If Christ's Righteousness be made ours by Faith then 't is not wholly without This Priest is inconsistent here One while 't is wholly without another while 't is made ours by Faith the latter is true No Doctrine of Devils as most wickedly he hath charged the Light within For true Faith and Christ's Everlasting Righteousness are Inseparable This Faith has its Righteousness from Christ and is attended with true Obedience good Works and â—oly Conversation 'T is a Heart-purifying Faith a Justifying Faith a Faith by which we see him who is Invisible and bring forth Fruits to him Let 's see if our Adversary dare deny this § VIII Pr. Ibid. Surely it is high time for the Kings Majesty the Defender of the Faith to gird on his Sword those that make so bold with this and other Truths are but like stinging Snakes in the bosom of Indulgence Answ Here this Incendiary would instigate the King in defence of his Antinomianism of Justifying men in their sinful and corrupt state and to Persecute the Quakers for asserting that Christs Righteousness wherein the Saints are Justified is not wholly without them but they are inwardly Partakers of it by Faith and through a Purging out Iniquity Mortifying of Corruption bringing in Christs Everlasting Righteousness otherwise to deny or exclude this saith the Quaker and yet conclude men compleatly Justified wholly without is a Doctrine of Devils leaving men in an Impure state and allowing the Devils Kingdom to continue Because of this the Persecuting Clergy-man would have the King's Majesty to gird on his Sword and what for but to cut down this Quaker that is for asserting a Real Righteousness of Christ within and against the wrong Imputation of the old Antinomian He is angry that such are Indulg'd that cannot favour the Devils Kingdom he counts the King very faulty and charges him highly as preserving stinging Snakes in the Bosom of Indulgence though doubtless he wanted Indulgence before he Temporized But now this Popish persecuting Spirit in the Clergy-man wants to have the Miter set above the Crown all that are not for his Turn he would have them punisht He can assume the boldness to publish to the Nation that the King harbours stinging Snakes in the Bosom of Indulgence You have heard his Charge and his matter before and what Refuges he flees to to maintain his Antinomian Sin-pleasing Doctrines and revile them that oppose him he would fain have the Church of England and the Kings Sword to maintain him in that which is plain Repugnant and Abusive to the Church of England Thus like a Temporizing Mercenary Hector and Popish Agent he has manag'd his Work as will further appear to his shame as a Hectoring Bravado a scornful proud disdainful Person § XI See what follows about a Book of mine Entituled The Nature of Christianity Pr. p. 13. Upon my Confessing to Christ Jesus his Manhood and Divinity the Priest saith viz. Here 's a parcel of good Words to gull unwary Readers the Devil to promote Errors hath alwayes used to dress himself his Agents in the Garb of Truth The Quaker will anon shew us his Horns we shall ere long know him to be no tame Beast His ill inspiring Spirit will appear you may certainly expect from this Quaking Pamphlet most base pitiful Stuff Answ Behold how he Boasts Vapours Infults Hector Scoff Jeers and Contemns but the frothiness falseness and silliness thereof will more evidently appear in the Progress of our Controversie It is not for any weight in his Words that I cite them but to let the serious Reader see the Image or Character of his proud and scornful Spirit Ibid. Touching my Opposing R. G's affirming a Justification and Redemption of Men even while no good is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever and when no qualification is wrought in man by any Spirit whatsoever All this Passage the Priest leaves out and only falls upon my latter Words concerning my calling in question R.
G's Terms viz. That God-man purchased and compleated Reconciliation Justification c. with God at once without us which I could not own to be a Scripture-Phrase or good Sense Hereupon instead of any Convincing Confutation the Priest flies out in Railery and Reviling at his wonted rate Pr. viz. That God purchased of God an old Socinian Cavil Thus the Light within is at unawares singing the old Cuckoes Song Thus the Quakers Ignis Fatuus c. What a blind pitiful Elf is this Quakers Light within that it cannot discern Redemption by Christ God-man as purchase made without us Answ Though he has herein revil'd me with Socinianism and a Cuckoes Song and shamefully blasphemed the Light within as an Ignis Fatuus a blind pitiful Elf c. This makes nothing to my Conviction but shews that this Proud man glories in his Shame Blindness Scorn and Blasphemy which is no convincing Argument Let him call it what he will I am not yet convinced that the Phrase viz. God-man purchased and compleated Justification with God at once without us is either Scripture-Language or good Sense why does he not produce us Scripture for it for it renders God in the first place as the Agent purchasing or buying Justification c. of God himself and so over-looks and confounds or mis-placeth his Mediators Office which as Man through God's Help he performed as God hath said In a Day of Salvation have I helped thee he was made lower than the Angels in respect of his Sufferings yet God the Father helped and supported him even in his Sufferings for Mankind Again If the Father's Kindness to Mankind was no whit inseriour to the Son's Kindness or that they were both alike kind to Man as 't is not to be doubted then it was in the freeness of the Father's Love that Christ came to redeem or purchase lost Man to God It was by the Grace of God that he tasted Death for every man and became a Sacrifice of a sweet smelling Savour to God But where the Priest sayes God-Man purchased our Redemption of God this supposes him as God to be the chief Agent in purchasing Redemption of God Can this mean any otherwise than that either God did so purchase or buy this of himself or else that Christ as a God inseriour to the Most High God did buy it of him which so much borders on Socinianism denying the Deity of the Son of God or that he is the Most High God that I cannot be thus Socinianiz'd For though Jesus Christ be both God Man in absolute and wonderful Union yet those Works and Sufferings of his in the Flesh which concern'd Man's Reconciliation Eternal Redemption and Salvation with Respect to his Merit and Dignity therein they all related to Christ as Mediator between God and Man and as such he is called the Man Christ Jesus and in these Considerations he is made inferiour to the Father as he said My Father is greater than I We have one Mediator between God and Men even the Man Christ Jesus It was as Man that he dyed and gave himself a Ransom for all and it was by this One Man Jesus Christ that the Grace and Gift of God hath abounded unto many as by man came Death so by man came the Resurrection of the Dead this is Scripture Language and accordingly Redemption by Christ as his giving himself for us to Redeem us from ALL Iniquity from the Vain Conversation from the Earth c. is truly owned by us Pr. pag. 14. God the Son made Man purchasing our Redemption of God the Father by the price of his own Blood as God Intâ—rnate Answ Now he has mended the matter 't is as he was made Man that he purchased or rather obtained our Redemption By his own Blood he entered once into the Holy Place heb 9.12 having obtained eternal Redemption for us And this Redemption that he obtained for us was our Deliverance and Freedom from under Sin Death and Condemnation as the following words clear it For if the Blood of Bulls and Goats sprinkling the unclean sanctifieth to the purifying of the Flesh how MUCH MORE shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without Spot to God Furge your Conscience from Dead Works to serve the Living God Hence it most clearly follows that that Eternal Redemption which Christ obtained for us by his Blood and Sacrifice without us must be partaken of and enjoyed within us by a real purging and sanctifying of our Conscience as before And since Remission of Sins Redemption and Justification are attributed to the Blood of Christ as Means or Cause thereof through Faith it follows that though these were obtained by the Sacrifice of Christ without us they are effected and compleated by him within us for our absolute discharge from the Guilt of Sin Condemnation and Curse by a real Purging our Consciences and Purifying of our Hearts by a true Faith in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ whereby we partake of the Effects and Benefits both of his Merit and Sufferings outward and his effectual Work inward to our Salvation from Sin and the sad Effects thereof He hath obtained Eternal Redemption for us he hath gotteâ— the Power thereof for us that we might have it and enjoy it through his effectual Work in us in setting us free from the Bondage of Sin and Corruption and this allows not that men are compleatly justified and redeemed while no Good no Qualification is wrought in them by any Light or Spirit whatsoever as R. G. affirmed and whose Cause this Priest has espoused and therefore 't is Chargeable upon him wherein they have at once justified the Unclean the Wicked the Unbelievers the Unconverted the Impenitent c. and excluded the Light and Spirit of Christ Faith Repentance Conversion Sanctification Humility Sincerity c. which are Inward Qualifications and Fruits of the holy Spirit from being conterned in this great Work and State of Justification and Redemption contrary to Christ's own Testimony Except I wash thee thou hast no part with me Pr. pag. 15. This Quaking Proteus turn'd into a Socinian shape It s still no less than unscriptural that God-man hath purchased all of God without Farewell to the received Doctrine of the Church of England Answ Quaking Proteus a Fabulous Flout and Falshood The Quakers greatly differ from the Socinians both touching the Deity of Christ and his divine Light in man and Perfection in this Life as owned by Quakers not by Socinians The Doctrine of the Church of England allows of no such Doctrine as that Persons are compleatly justified while no good is wrought in them by the Spirit of Christ and that under the Pretence of God-Man having purchased all of God without For even E. Still Treat pag. 270. Stilling fleet in his discourse of the Sufferings of Christ against Socin Crel counts it an Opinion which few who have consider'd these things do maintain
and none need to think themselves obliged to do it which is that Christ paid a Proper and Ridgid Satisfaction * Let my Adversar reconcile his Doctrine to this of Christs Satisfaction as held by the Presbyterians where he sayes That Satisfastion made by Christ God-Man to God the rathers Justice is a precious Gospel-Truth Is not this such a Notion as Edw. Stillingfleet here opposeth for the Sins of Men considered under the Notion of Debt and that he paid the very same which we ought to have done c. And further saith If the very same had been paid in the strict sense Ibid. p. 271. there would have followed a Deliverance Ipso Facto for the Release immediately follows the Payment of the same c. But we see that Faith and Repentance and the Consequences of those two are made Conditions on our parts in order to the enjoying the Benefit of what Christ hath procured And he further argues and saith We are to consider that these very Persons assert that Christ Paid all for us Ibid. p. 272. and in our Name and stead c. But above all things it is impossible to reconcile the Freeness of Remission with the full Payment of the very same It is impossible the same Debt should be fully paid and freely forgiven And he counts that they give the Church's Adversaries too great Advantage who hold this Opinion built upon a Mistake that Satisfaction must be such a strict Payment However let it be noted That seeing Faith and Repentance and the Consequences of both are made Conditions on our parts in order to the enjoying the Benefit of what Christ hath procured It follows that Justification and Redemption are not compleated wholly without us or that men are justified and redeemed while no Good no Qualification is wrought in them by the Spirit and Light of Christ for Faith and Repentance are some Good wrought in us thereby Pr. Ibid. No such thing discoverable by the Light within any Quaker as that the Godhead and Manhood were joyned in one Person who suffered was dead and buried to reconcile his Father to us and to be a Sacrifice not only for Original Guilt but also for all Actual Sins of Men. Ibid. The Quakers deny Christ to be God-Man in one Person Answ 'T was discoverable by the Spirit of Christ in the Prophets that Christ should be called the Wonderful Counsellor the Mighty God the Everlasting Father the Prince of Peace Isa 9.6 as also by the same Spirit and â—ight of it they did soresee his Sufferings as Man and the Glory that should follow and that thereby as a Sacrifice he should make a Reconciliation for Iniquity and also that he should bring in Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9. And accordingly God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and it is as in Christ who is truly God and truly Man inseparable that God and Men are reconciled and in Union but not so out of Christ in their Unbelief Sin and Transgressions § X. Pr. Ibid. If this with his Fellow-Quakers were enjoyned by the King's Majesty the Defender of the true Faith to subscribe to the Thirty Nine Articles then by their declaring their unfeigned Assent and Consent but to the two first Articles thereof their False Christian Paint would soon fall off these Saints Seed People Answ This man 's Hypocritical Paint is greatly defaced by his Scoffing and Flouting and shamefully Belying us therewith We hope to approve our selves True Christians Saints and People of God when he and such Temporizing Hypocrites and Scorners shall be had in universal Contempt for their Wickedness As to the two first Articles if that will either quiet him or he thinks it may make for him I can assent and subscribe to the substance of the two first that is To the One Living and True God infinite in Power Wisdom and Goodness the Maker and Preserver of all things and the Father Son and Holy Ghost as of one Substance Power and Eternity And to the Son his being the Word the very Eternal God of One Substance and that he took Man's Nature in the Virgin Mary and that so he is one Christ perfect God and Man who as Man truly suffered was crucified dead and buried and so became a Sacrifice for Reconciliation between the Father and us This without any Equivocal or Reserved Sense I can freely consent to let my Adversary make what he can of it Qr. G.W. Now if Professors come not to feel and experience these Things or Works of Christ viz. Reconciliation Redemption Salvation Justification fulfilled within them they are but meer empty Professors and Talkers of them without the true Life and Power of Christianity and true Religion Priest answers p. 16. They are Quakers in Heart ill principled in Christianity who do not see plainly how this Quaker 's Spirit hath put him upon playing the Sophister as well as an Ignoramus in it Answ Here he counts us Ill principl'd in Christianity Sophisters and Ignoramus's for asserting that Reconciliation Redemption Salvation Justification must be fulfilled within as much as to tell us that Professors possess the true Life and Power of Christianity without having these Works of Christ fulfilled within them as if they were all wholly compleated without them without respect to the Work of Christ within them This is still his old Antinomian Notion which he would father upon the Church of England but how contrary not only to Scripture but also to the Seventeenth Article of the Bishops concerning those who are Chosen in Christ let the serious Reader judge The words in the said Article are these viz. Wherefore they which be endued with so excellent a Benefit of God be called according to God's Purpose by his Spirit working in due season they through Grace obey the Calling they be justified freely they be made Sons of God by Adoption they be made like the Image of his Only Begotten Son Jesus Christ they walk Religiously in good Works and at length by God's Mercy they attain to Everlasting Felicity Here is as much said for me as I can desire to this Adversary's Confutation discovering not only his Abuse of the Quakers but of his own Church in his pleading for a Justification of men wholly without them so wholly excluding the Works of Christ from within leaving them under the Dominion of Sin and Satan But this is not all but also in the said 17th Article there are these words viz. And such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the Works of the Flesh and their Earthly Members and drawing up their Minds to High and Heavenly Things fervently kindle their Love towards God How plain is it that here is Confession to the working of God's Spirit even to the feeling if it within Obedience to his Calling being made Sons of God conformable to the Image of his Son c. included in the State of Justification contrary to our Adversary's
WHOLLY WITHOUT By which 't is still evident how he has contradicted the Church of England in this Point Pr. There is not one Syllable of Redemption by Purchase to be found in it p. 16. Answ He intends this of my sense of certain Scripture-terms relating to Christ and his Work pag. 8 9. of my Book Nature of Christianity but herein he has shamefully belyed me For Redemption is found and thus explained in it viz. A Ransoming Buying again a Rescuing or Recovering such as were under Bondage c. Pr. p. 17. Not only ignorantly but basely explain'd they must be all felt and experimentally fulfill'd within Professors Answ No base Explanation to feel and Experience Justification Salvation c. the Works of Christ fulfilled within But this man shews his Baseness in contemning this and his Contrapiction to the Bishops Article before cited else what mean those words therein viz. Such as feel in themselves the working of the Spirit of Christ mortifying the Works of the Flesh c. Pr. Ibid. Justification is altogether Popishly explained a plain Instance that the Quakers Light within is from Rome below and not from Heaven above This is an Abuse again 't is not Popishly explain'd by us For though the Papists place the first Justification of men through the Means and Merits of Christ to be when God finds no good Works to Reward but Sins to Pardon unto such as have Faith in him yet they hold a second Justification and Salvation through the Merits of their own Works by the Assistance and Co-operation of God's Spirit * Vide Rhemists Annot. in Nov. Test on Rom. 2 3 4 9 10. Chapters and on 2 Tim. 4. Chap. Vers 8. where they say That all good Works done by God's Grace after the first Justification be truly and properly Meritorious and fully worthy of Everlasting Life and that thereupon Heaven is the due and just Stipend Crown or Recompence which God by his Justice oweth to the Persons so working by his Grace by which Merit or Meritoriousness of their own Works they do not mean in a mild sence an obtaining acceptance with God as by doing their Duty but in a strict sence that they have so deserved their Hire or Reward at God's hand as that they reckon God as a Debtor to them Whereas we place the Merit Deserving or Dignity wholly upon Christ both in his obtaining Redemption for us and his working in us that which is well-pleasing to the Father and his enabling us to do those things that please him wherein our Acceptance is wholly in him both with respect to his Suffering for us and his working in us and his working by us and what good we do by his Assistance 't is but our Duty not our Merit 't is that wherein we obtain Acceptance through the Assistance of his free Grace and not that whereby we can be said strictly to merit buy or purchase Salvation to our selves For what 's of Grace is not of Debt as from God to us we are Debtors to him for Christ's sake but he is no Debtor to us in his Gracious Rewards For we have all that 's good Root and Branch from him who hath ordain'd Peace for us having wrought all our works in us and we are bound to give thanks to God always for what we have and are even by his Grace and Goodness in Christ to us § XI Pr. Pag. 19. To believe and wait for the Life Everlasting after Death is no Article of this Quakers Faith this is a putting Salvation at a great Distance Answ This is a foul Perversion as if I did not believe Life Everlasting after Death whereas I only detected R. G. his Mistake on Heb. 9.28 his making the Believers looking for Christ and his Appearance the second time without Sin to Salvation to be a hoping and waiting for Salvation after the Bodily Death whereas I intended a Salvation from Sin and consequently from Wrath that this Salvation ought not to be put off till the Life to come For all that truly know this Appearance of Christ for this end experience him to save them from Sin and can truly say Now is come Salvation and Strength and the Kingdom of our God and the Power of his Christ Rev. 12. Pr. p. 20. To affirm that the Salvation of Sinners yea of the whole World should be compleatly finished by Christ's Death upon the Cross above Sixteen Hundred Years since this is strange Doctrine to this Ill principl'd Quaker Answ If the Salvation of the whole World was compleatly finished by Christ's Death on the Cross so long since what should hinder any man of Salvation And if so compleatly finish't there is none like to miss of it let them be as Corrupt as they will in themselves there is no exception of Condition on Man's part But if Salvation was so long since compleatly finished for Sinners yea for the whole World why does this Priest so Rail against me and the Quakers He should think by his own Rule that we are compleatly saved as well as he But if he says that we want Faith Christianity and sound Principles and therefore are not saved this still confutes himself and grants an inward work of Christ to produce Faith Christianity c. for the compleating our Salvation although Christ dyed for all men Pr. Ibid. You see clearly it s no part of this Quakers Faith to believe that Christ is the Son of the Virgin Mary Answ This is an apparent Lye and gross Perversion we have alwayes believed the Scriptures even in this very matter of Christs being born of the Virgin Pr. Ibid. This Quaker is bold to say to this Purpose If any man believes that Christ shall come at the last day to judge the quick and the dead to adjudge the Righteous to Heaven to condemn the Wicked to Hell then he may look till his Eyes drop out c. Answ A Notorious Perversion again I said nothing to this purpose against Christ's coming to judge the quick and dead at the Last Day but against my Opposer's putting off Salvation till after the Bodily Death in reference to that Appearance of Christ without Sin to Salvation to them that look for him and this on Heb. 9.28 Upon which I said 'T is strange that Salvation of Sinners yea of the whole World should be compleated at once above sixteen hundred Years since and yet to be so long after Death look't for how long is not known to thee c. Nat. Christ p. 29. Here is not one word in opposition to Christ's coming to Judgment But what was argued by me in this Case was in respect to the Salvation of Sinners and Christ's Appearance to save from Sin For but in page before I mentioned his Saving us by the Washing of Regeneration and Renewing of the holy Ghost on Tit. 3.4 5 6. Pr. p. 21. As for Christ's Righteousness without us made ours by Faith this is the Doctrine which is disowned by
this Papal Quaker Answ This is False again for whilst we own a Life and Living by the Faith of the Son of God how can we disown his Righteousness that is made our's by Faith When 't is made ours we partake of it though it was without us in him before it was in us by him § XII Pr. Ibid. In this Quaking Account of Justification what hath this Quaker said more which the Council of Trent hath not determined to his hand viz. Council Trid. Cap. 3. Sess 6. Cum ea renascentia per meritu passionis ejus gratia qua justifiunt illis tribuatur Which he thus Englisheth Together with the New Birth through the Merit of Christ's Passion Grace whereby they are made Righteous is imparted to them Cap. 7. Sess 6. Justificatio est Sanctificatio Renovatio interioris hominis per voluntariam susceptionem gratiae As he interprets Justification is both the Sanctification and Renovation of the inward man by Grace received He should have said By the willing or free receiving of Grace Answ And what does our Adversary infer from hence but that Quakers and Papists agree together in the point of Justification by inherent Righteousness And yet he cannot deny but the Merit of Christ's Passion is confest to in the point But it seems he would not have the New Birth concern'd in the case or that Grace that makes us Righteous should be imparted to us and so included and joyned with the Merit of Christ's Passion in this great point of Justification or that Justification should be both the Sanctification and Renovation of the inward man by Grace received If these be not offensive to him why does he clamour against the Quaker for agreeing with the Council of Trent in this point as if his citing the Council of Trent having determin'd a point to the Quakers hand or which Quakers own though they never received it themselves and which he himself does not at all consute were enough to knock down the Quakers at one Blow Whence it follows that where the Council of Trent grants the Merit of Christ's Passion which the Papists place mens first Justification upon without Works Christ's Merit or deserving herein must be opposed because the Council of Trent and Papists hold it Is not this learned Logick Thus our Adversary has attempted to knock down the Quaker because the Council of Trent and Papists hold divers Errors but Papists render their own good Works after the first Justification strictly meritorious of Heaven which the Quakers do not therefore we must not hold any Truths which they intermix among their Errors but be branded derided for Papists Papal Quakers such kind of arguing savours more of an Atheistical Spirit than of a Christian And such measure have we from our Adversary But his main Design is to oppose the Saints being made Righteous by Grace imparted to them through Christ and to impose upon us a Justification or rather his false Imputation thereof without either Sanctification or Renovation of the inward man by Grace received seeing he has espoused the Cause of such as affirm Justification and Redemption of men while no good is wrought in them and that these are fulfilled or compleated WHOLLY WITHOUT THEM And yet to his own Confutation has granted that Righteousness must be imparted and retain'd in his 10th page but here because the Council of Trent has confest unto the New Birth and that the Grace that makes Righteous must be imparted to them rendring the Merit of Christ's Passion as a means thereof which is an Undeniable Truth I must be revil'd as a Papal Quaker and this Inherent Righteousness in the New Birth though wrought by the Grace of God opposed as to our Justification Thus my Adversary has not only Absurdly argued against me but Atheistically set himself against the Work of Christ inward by invalidating of it reckoning Persons justified Wholly without which must be whilst they are wholly Unjust and Poluted within or when no good is wrought in them else what does all his Quarrel against us amount to But he sillily goes on in his Comparison between Quaker and Papist as followeth Pr. Ibid. They do both disclaim the works of the Law before Grace received Ibid. Works not done in Christ the Seed do not justifie says the Canting Quaker Ibid. Justification is the Sanctifying of the inner man by Grace received say the Papists Ibid. The Righteousness by Faith is when the Law is performed in us by the Works of the Spirit saith the Quaker Ibid. By Grace received in the New Birth are we made Righteous say the Papists Thus the Light within which guides the Quaker to Scribble concerning Justification is nothing else but TRENT POPERY infused into them by subtil Popish Priests Answ We have nothing but his Comparison and Reviling here for Confutation The matter is answered before I would ask this man First If he does not disclaim the Works of the Law before Grace received Secondly If works not done in Christ do Justifie or render any Just If he says No why does he Scoff and Cry out Canting Quaker so saying they do not Thirdly Whether any do partake of the Righteousness by Faith without Christ's fulfilling the Righteousness of the Law in them according to Rom. 8.4 For it s them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit to whom there is no Condemnation and In whom the Righteousness of the Law is fulfilled And this does not make void Christ's Passion or Suffering for man and fulfilling the Law in his Person without us for therein he was not only a Perfect Pattern of Righteousness but also came to condemn sin in the flesh and by his Sacrifice to make an Attonement and Pacification to stop the Wrath and suspend the severe Execution of the Law which man had incurred and to make way for Remission to us that we might be the more engaged to him to follow him in Spirit and come under the New Covenant terms But the Priest concludes with a notorious Falshood about what we write of Justification as being infused by Popish Priests This is a Wicked Slander for the work of the New Birth Being made inwardly Righteous by Grace received in Christ the sanctifying renewing the inner man by the holy Spirit these we never learned of the Popish Priests nor ever were we discipled by them but by the blessed operation of the Spirit of our Lord Jesus Christ through Faith in his Name according to the Testimony of himself holy Apostles most plainly intimated in these Scriptures Except a man be born again he cannot see the Kingdom of God Except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the Kingdom of God John 3.3 5. And If I wash thee not thou hast no part with me said Christ to Peter John 13.8 And According to his Mercy he saved us by the Washing of Regeneration c. Tit. 3.5 6.
And also see 1 Cor. 6.11 where both Washing Sanctification and Justification are said to be in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God And even Erasmus in his Paraphrase on Acts 13.38 39. saith expresly Through this same Jesus each man without respect of any Person or else offence hath Righteousness or Justification and Innocency profferred unto him so that he believe the Promises of the Gospel Note Surely then these are profferred to be received Therefore this Adversary's saying That the Quakers have a Pâ—pe in their Bellies and that the Quaker his Lines are hammered out upon his Popish Anvil as in pag. 22 24. These are some of his Abominable Scurrilous Slanders such Temporizers as he are more like to have a Pope in their Bellies that for their Bellies can Temporize Change and Turn their Coat in Religious matters And how like a Popish Incendiary has he acted in rendring the People called Quakers so guilty of Popery as if he had a Design to carry on for the Popish Interest either by endeavouring the Quakers Destruction because of their opposition to Popery or else by encreasing the Number of Papists by adding the Quakers thereto or rather falsly rendring the Popish Interest far bigger than it is Besides he grosly mistakes as well as shallowly argues about Popery in his rendring some Truths which the Council of Trent held to be Popery whereas Popery is the Gross Erronious Idolatrous and Superstitious part of their Doctrine and Religion and not any Scripture-Truths that they hold But this man it seems where they hold the New Birth and the Renovation of the inner man c. as necessary to our Justification this he 'll deem Popery because held by the Council of Trent But further Though Christ dyed for all all are not Partakers of the blessed Ends and Benefit thereof but those to whom it is communicated for unless in Adam they were faln and degenerate so as to dye in their own Injustice unto Righteousness they should not be unjust so unless they be regenerate in Christ they should never be justified and live to him Council of Trent chap. 3. Sess 6. Vnless they were born again in Christ they should never be justified Then it follows because that Regeneration is given to them by the Merit of his Suffering by Grace received whereby they are made Righteous What Protestant ever denyed this that only the Regenerate had the Benefit of Christ's Sufferings and that Regeneration was given freely and that thereby they were made Righte ous or Sanctified or Repentance wrought in them and Newnes of Life By Grace we are saved saith Paul through Faith and that not of our selves it is the Gift of God This Man appears in this Point an Adversary to the Papists and Protestants that are not Libertines And the Charge is true against him that the Papists untruly bring against the Protestants viz. of Libertinism And at this rate he may as well invalidate much of the Doctrine of the Church of England so much applauded by him for that she holds the same Truths which in divers things the Church of Rome holds and both have recourse in many things to the same Authors and Fathers for their Assertions And in this very Case of Justification inwardly the Rhemists in their Annot. on Rom. 3.22 cite St. Augustine speaking thus The Grace of Christ doth work our Illumination and Justification inwardly also De Pec. Mer. l. 1. c. 9 10. And again He giveth to the Faithful the most secret Grace of his Spirit which secretly he poureth into Infants also And again They are justiâ—â—ed in Christ that believe in him through the secret Communication and Inspiration of spiritual Grace whereby every one leaneth to our Lord. And again He maketh just renewing by the Spirit and Regeneration by Grace And also a Person of note who lately wrote the Book entituled The Middle Way of Perfection with indifferency between the Orthodox and the Quaker he vindicates us in this very Point of Justification as it is from the Charge of the Law and the Charge of the Gospel confessing That our Faith and Repentance is our Righteousness in regard to the Gospel but Pardon of Sin together with this Righteousness so both into universal Justification p. 5. And also pleads for God's justifying us by this Righteousness that is by Faith and Evangelical Obedience And farther saith he I do not find that the Scripture doth denominate or pronounce any one Righteous or a Just Man from one end to another upon any other account then his doing Righteousness As also saith That calm Protestants grant the Constitution of a real true Righteousness according to the Covenant of Grace pag. 15 16. And grants A having the Righteousness of a perfect Heart for Justification and yet no man justified but by the Grace of God through the Redemption which we have in Christ Jesus pag. 26. And also consesseth That we have their Divines on the blind side and that the Orthodox are quite out that will have any justified without a Righteousness that is perfect according to the Law that justifies him i. e. the Law of Grace pag. 26. And confesseth also on St. Augustine Aug de Spir. et Lit. That 't is possible for a Man to attainto such a perfection as to live without Sin by Grace or the special Assistance of God's Spirit granting it also to be our Duty But our Adversary tells us That it is an old Popish Trick to assert Justification by Works of the Spirit p. 23. Thus he still persists in his Antinomian Libertine Sin-pleasing Principle to shut out the Work of the Spirit from Justification that Impure and Poluted Persons may be deemed Just and Righteous under the Notion of Imputation contrary to the most Moderate and Learned of all sorts both Protestants and others and contrary to what 's before-cited out of their 17th Article for the Spirit 's working in due season and mortifying the Works of the Flesh And I would know where ever any Protestant Writers of note did charge the Council of Trent with Popery on the two Passages before cited out of the said Council against us As also contrary to many Passages in the Common-Prayer or Service Book as in their Absolution to be pronounced by the Priest viz. That Almighty God hath given Power to his Ministers to declare and pronounce to his People being penitent the Absolution and Remission of their Sius he pardons and absolves all them which truly repent and unfeignedly believe c. Wherefore we beseech him to grant us true Repentance and his Holy Spirit that those things may please him which we do at this present and that the rest of our Life hereafter may be Holy But with what Heart or Faith can our Adversary thus pronounce or pray when he neither believes a Pureness of Life nor grants Repentance and such unfeigned Belief to concern our Justification while he shuts out the Works
of the Spirit there as he hath done surely he pronounceth and prayeth what he believes not but from the Teeth outward And also let it be noted how Inconsistent our present Adversary is with the Sermon preached before the Lords in Parliament upon the Fast day February 4. 1673. by Herbert Bishop of Hereford where after he has exclaimed against the Vice Debauchery Pride and Luxury the abominable Lust Excess and Superfluities of our Times he earnestly presseth and urgeth upon their Consciences For Humiliation Weeping Mourning Fasting mortifying their Carnal Bestial Lust that so God from his Mercy-seat might look down with Compassion upon them and pardon all their Crying Sins and then God would Bless them c. Here he did not preach Pardon Peace Blessing or Justification to them if they continued in Sin And further plainly saith Now that Sin is more hateful unto Christ than any Sufferings is evident because he endureth all these to take away Sin Christ could endure the greatest Torment in the World but cannot endure the least Sin for Sin is not only hateful but a flat Contradiction unto God for God is Holiness Can we be such ungrateful Beasts such savage Wolves such cruel Tygers such bloody Monsters as yet to crucify him afresh and put him again to open shame God forbid But let us rather scourge and crucifie the old Man that hater of this our blessed Saviour Thus sar the said-Bishop with much more of this kind of his Sermon aforesaid I am perswaded if the Bishops did see and rightly consider much of my Adversaries writing and what Sin-pleasing Antinomian Notions he would father upon the Church of England they would conclude that he had need to preach a Recantation Sermon or otherwise that he deserves to be degraded and Excommunicated I have quoted the more against him of matter owned by the Protestants and Church of England because he brags so much of that Church as if she would shelter him in all his Deceits and Abuses § XIII Pr. p. 25. In this Quaking Ramble we find too much abominable Doctrine viz. 1. No Hosanna due to Christ as the he Son of M ary no existing Bodily without us 2. Jesus the Son of Mary is not God our Saviour 3. That Jesus Christ is not the Son of the Substance of the Father Answ In all these this Envious Priest hath most shamefully abus'd and perverted my Words as may apparently be seen in the Book Entituled The Nature of Christianity c. pag. 40 and 41. As First About No Hosanna a falshood For I confess'd that the multitude cried Hosanna to the Son of David Matth. 21.9 And ask'd if Hosanna be not Save now I beseech thee only I shewed R. G. his mistake that it was the Multitudes that cryed Hosanna to the Son of David which he placed upon his Apostles and all his Ministers in all Ages whereas they all confessed his Deity as well as his Manhood his being the Son of God and the Root as well as the Off-spring of David Yet I condemn not their Hosanna to the Son of David who in simplicity of Heart cryed so But yet that there is an higher Expression of Honour to him with respect to his Deity and as the Eternal Son of God and David's Lord according to his own Testimony when he questioned the Pharisees and Scribes who called him the Son of David viz. What think ye of Christ whose Son is he They said unto him The Son of David He said unto them How then doth David in Spirit call him Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my Right Hand till I make thine Enemies thy Foot-stool If David then call him Lord how is he his Son And no man was able to answer him a Word neither durst any man from that day forth ask any more Questions Mat. 22. and Mark 12.35 36 37. Did Christ herein deny himself to be the Son of David or of his Seed according to the Flesh no sure no more have we What I writ as before was in relation to the Honour due to Christ as the Eternal Son of God which the Pharisees allow'd not of though they confessed him to be the Son of David but were offended at his owning himself to be the Son of God John 10.36 and 19.7 The Jews charged him with Blasphemy and said He ought to dye because thereof Secondly The Priest has most shamefully belyed me by inferring upon me a denial of the Deity of Jesus Christ as if I denied him to be God our Saviour which is a gross Lye for I have in plain words confest that the holy Prophets Apostles and Ministers pointed and testified unto Jesus Christ both as Man born of the Virgin to his coming in the Flesh Nat. Chri. pag. 40. and unto his Divinity and manifestation in Spirit Thirdly The Priest hath abominably belyed me in charging this Doctrine upon me that Jesus Christ is not the Son of the Substance of the Father * Which also he sets down in his 10th Article as the Quakers belief p. 147. whenas I have plainly confest his Divinity and the main drift of my Discourse is that he may be chiefly honour'd and worshipped as in respect to his Deity Divine Power and Glory as the Eternal Son of God For that Hosanna and Adoration Claim of Salvation which some pretend only to Christ as the Son of Mary or to him as the Son of Mary only this I was not satisfied with because it excludes his Divinity from that honour chiefly due thereto And it was hereupon that I asked R. G. the Question If he had so considered Christ to be God the Saviour or the Son from the Substance of the Father Which I asked not to deny him in either of these 't was far from my thoughts but only to shew my Opposer his mistake in attributing all to him only as the Son of Mary Thus far was I from denying the Deity of the Son of God or his being of the Substance of the Father from everlasting before the World was As also I shewed Mark 6.3 that they who called Christ the Carpenter the Son of Mary and were offended at him did not shew that honour and respect to him that Peter did who said Nat. Christ p. 51. Thou art Christ the Son of the living God though this can be no Denial of his outward Birth of the Virgin Pr. pag. 26. They deny that the Son of Mary is to be worshipped as God Answ We do not divide Christ though we distinguish between his Godhead and Manhood viz. That though he be perfect God and perfect Man yet inferior to the Father touching his Manhood as is confest in the Liturgy And if any of us have denied that meerly consider'd as the Son of Mary he is to be worshipped as God I think we should not be rendred Offenders nor yet Deniers of his Manhood on this occasion for men more Wise and Learned than our Adversary
have been of the same Judgment Vide Prest Life Eternal pag. 44 45. see what D. Jo. Preston saith in this very point viz. How should we conceive of God in Prayer seeing he is a Spirit and a Spirit we never saw What conceit and Apprehension of God should we have then when we come to call upon his Name We may not conceive him under any Corporal Shape for he is a Spirit and therefore they that think they may Worship the Humanity of Christ dis-joyned are deceived We are not to Worship it as separated from his Diety Thus far Preston Pr. Ibid. To call Mary the Mother of God is a Popish saying not Scripture-Language In this Quaking Discourse the Learned may observe many old Heresies revived This Quaker's ugly Doctrine Answ This is the man that has been upbrading the Quakers so much with Popery who himself now so much embraces their Language and Doctrine that he is offended at me for saying It is not Scripture-Language But instead of proving that it is the man belches and rages and scoffs against me and takes it heinously that I should Oppose or Question such a saying as Mary the Mother of God He has it over and over as if it stuck upon his Stomach He has it up as an Article of the Quakers unsound Faith to say That Mary is not the Mother of God and that 't is Popery to call Mary the Mother of God in his Art 10. p. 147. and counts the Quakers Light within to be very DVLL-SIGHTED that it cannot discern Mary to be the MOTHER OF GOD p. 26. But whence has he this Saying or Article of his Faith Surely the Scripture is not his Rule for it but 't is probable he believes herein as the Church believes That 't is a frequent phrase among the Papists to call Mary the Mother of God we need not search Authors to prove it And the English Colledge of Doway in their Annot. on Prov. 31. ca◠her The most Excellent and Immaculate Virgin Mother of God That Mary is called The Mother of my Lord by Elizabeth and the Young Child Jesus his Mother or the Mother of Jesus in Scripture which relates to him as man I deny not but no where in Scripture can I find that she is called the Mother of God Let him produce plain Scripture for it and ends the Controversie Pr. p. 27. It s against his Light within it must be in his Eye Popery to call Christ the Son of Mary and Mary the Mother of God Nay 't is Popery which is commonly counted Anti-christianism to call Mary the Mother of God Deluded Quakers The Papists not so grosly deceived Answ The first part of this Passage is a frequent reiterated Falshood to say 'T is against my Light within or in my Eye Popery to call Jesus Christ the Son of Mary according to the Flesh for he was Miraculously conceived by the holy Ghost overshadowing her and born of her But I must confess I like not the phrase Mary the Mother of God nor do I think it would be seasonable or effectual so to preach the Eternal God that made all Things to Indians and Heathens under such a Character as having a Woman whom he made to be his Mother How many Turks or Infidels will they convince or convert to Christianity by telling them of the Mother of God Nay do they not hereby rather lay a stumbling-block in their way I do not think that the Papists themselves would have more reviled and ranted against us than this Priest has done for but saying to be sure it is not Scripture-Language to call Mary the MOTHER of God crying out Deluded Quakers the Papists not so grosly deceived Now he is wheel'd about to the Papists other while Ranting and Tearing against them like a Whifling Brash and Boaster Before he would beat us down as no better then rank Papists for holding something determined in the Council of Tront about Justification and Renovation of the inner man as if he needed no other Argument to knock us down but the Council of Trent holds it viz. The New Birth Sanctification Renewing the inner man by Grace received as necessary to our Justification or constituting of us truly Righteous in Christ And why may not this Priest rather be deem'd a Papist or one as ready for their Ave-Maria as he was for the Common Prayer when he turn'd his Coat whilst he is so fiercely contending for their Unscriptural Phrase before-cited But then to mend the matter he limits Mary's being the Mother of God to the Son according to his Man-hood pag. 26. We may see here that there was need of this Amendment * If he would impose upon us 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from some Fathers by a Communication of properties because Mary was the Mother of him that was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 God-man Then it follows That it is not a proper Expression however whereas the Man-hood was not God he was inferior to God the Father touching his Man-hood as in their Quicunque vult c. To his concluding this Passage with this scornful flout viz. Tremulus naviget ad Anticyras This pitiful Quaker wants a Doss for his Pericranium I may rather conclude this Priest is hastening towards Rome He wants some Preferment Power and Aid from the Pope to condemn Conscientious dissenting Protestants to Fire and Faggot for he appears offended at the King's Indulgence he counts him too slow for his turn or not severe enough Such Temporizing Persecuting Priests are ready for Rome to have the Miter set above the Crown and the Temporal Magistrates subject to them to do their Drudgery of Cruel Persecution would be very grateful to them for whatsoever they may pretend against Popery they are fitted for it the very Spirit of it i. e. of Envy Persecution and Pride has deep Root in their Hearts they smell very strong of the Old Whores Cup which they have deeply drunk of 'T is not their Pretences against the Word Popery that will excuse them whilst they are in the very Spirit and Life of the thing Popery Persecution Pride of Heart seeking Dominion over mens Faith and Properties also striving to be Lord's over God's Heritage who in his own Time will without doubt Debase their Pride their Lofty and Revengeful Spirits § XIV The Priest's next Quarrel is against a little Book call'd A Primmer by S. Crisp and George Fox the Younger in which he proceeds as followeth Pr. p. 28. The Mischievous Design of this pitiful Primmer is to Poyson them with Quakerism in their Minority Answ A false Insinuation no such Design in it as to Poyson any but to direct them to the Light of Christ within Pr. To diffuse Quakerism throughout the whole Body of the Nation a Mischievous Design if not timely prevented by his Sacred Majesty Answ He would employ the King in his Drudgery still but what way the King should prevent the spreading of that he calls Quakerism he
pag. 30. In this Quaking Primmer here is a base Charge drawn against all the Ministring Priests of the Church of England Here these Quakers have fired their Beacon that the Youth of this Church may have timely notice to beware of their best Soul-Friends Here the silly Sheep are slightly counselled against their Keepers that the Quaking Wolves may the better prey upon them Answ Here the Priest rages and rails but defends not himself and his Brethren from the Charge of such being Deceivers as preach for Money and Tythes and who being in Transgression not able to lead others out of it only he sayes 'T is a base Charge against all the Ministring Priests of the Church of England as if he had told us all the Ministring Priests of the Church of England do preach for Money and Tythes and then cryes out Quaking Wolves as if that were enough to clear him and his Brethren and to be a deadly Blow to the Quakers Who is it cannot see such Impertinency Malice and Railery He tells us They are God's Priests and Ambassadours by whom God doth beseech his Rebel-Subjects to be reconcited but proves it not we have only his Say-so He should have proved his own and their Call to the Ministry We deny that they are immediately called of God either to be his Priests Embassadours or Mouth How should they be so Called that deny Immediate Teaching and Inspiration and especially such who scoff at the Light within and the Spirit 's Teaching as this Adversary doth And for a mediate Call I deny that they have it from the holy Apostles or primitive Church of Christ in their dayes Pr. pag. 31. Here little Children are taught to look upon all Teaching Priests as so many Deceivers as those Hirelings that preach for Money and Tythes which is a Lying Slander Answ No this is mis-stated for they are taught to look upon all such as preach for Money and Tythes to be Deceivers Hirelings c. Pr. Ibid. According to the baseness of these Quaking Lines its a shame for the King 's sacred Majesty the Defender of the true Faith that such base Priests should be owned by him Answ Here for a shelter he would make the King a Patronizer of the Priests Cause how Base soever any of them are in Preaching for Hire and Cruel in Persecuting and Imprisoning People for Tythes he thinks he argues stoutly in their Defence to tell us The King 's sacred Majesty owns them when alas his Majesty knows not a tenth part of their Baseness and Cruelty who are guilty of persecuting his peaceable Subjects for their Bellies and filthy Lucre. And rather than not have their Covetous Ends answered they 'l throw a Man in Goal for the Value of a Tythe-Pig they are so cruel and hard-hearted many of them that they value a few Tythe-Piggs more than they do Mens Liberties or Lives I am perswaded such Priests will bring no Honour to the King Pr. Ibid. Devilish Lessons that the Scripture is not the Word of God Answ No where doth the Scripture call it self the Word but in the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God c. and his Name is called The Word of God John 1. Rev. 19.13 Yet what the Scriptures call themselves we call them so and own them to be Pr. pag. 32. To say that God the Father God the Son and God the Holy Ghost are Three Persons but One God this is to speak we know not what c. Ibid. To say with the Church of England In the Vnity of this Godhead there be Three Persons of One Sâ—â—sâ—ance Power and Eternity the Father the Son and H. Ghost is in this Quaker 's Account the Doctrine of the World Answ That in the Unity of the Godhead there 's Father Son and Holy Spirit of One Substance Power and Eternity we do own and confess according to the Scripture but that these are Three distinct or separate Persons as some have called them we have no Scripture Proof for these Terms Why does not this man bring us plain Scripture-Proof in this Case seeing he professes it to be his only Rule of Faith Has he not given here great Advantage to the Papists to tell him that the Church is his Rule and not the Scripture in this great Article of his and their Faith Pr. pag. 33. To prepare little Children to slight them i. e. the Scriptures as being unable to bring them to know God and Christ and the Spirit of Truth according to these Quaking Lines St. Paul was mistaken when he said that the Scripture was profitable for Doctrine Answ 'T is no preparing any to sleight the Scriptures to testifie of Christ his Light and Spirit of Truth as being the Way to know God whom no man knows but by the Son 's revealing him And God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus This is not said of the Scriptures though as given by Inspiration of God they are profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Instruction that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnisht unto every good Work Herein Paul was not mistaken for the Man of God is Divinely Inspired unto the right Understanding and Use of the Scriptures Therefore this Inspiration is the Ground of Divine Knowledge The Scriptures are profitable by the help of this through the Blessing of God hereby have we found Profit and Comfort in reading the Scriptures which no man can without the BLESSING of GOD by his Spirit Pr. Ibid. To Exalt the Quakers Idol the Light within little Children are here taught to slight the holy Scriptures as a Duâ—â— Book Answ Here is both horrid Blasphemy against the Light of Christ within and a gross Lye that little Children are so taught to slight the holy Scriptures for they are told in the very words cited by this Priest That the Scriptures of Truth do declare of God Christ and the Spirit of Truth and this is not to slight the Scriptures thus to own their Testimony on the behalf of God his Christ and the holy Spirit The holy Scriptures may be made instrumental for our Profit and Confirmation through the Divine and Gracious Assistance of the holy Spirit but not of themselves or without it His Comparison between Popish Catechisms and ours and his telling us of Papal Quakers that make their Followers two-fold more the Children of Hell are both False Infamous and Slanderous and nothing like any rational Proof urged by him but a continued persisting in his Abusive Railery and Reviling for which the Lord rebuke him § X V. The Priest's next Quarrel and Railery is against William Smith's two Treatises Primmer and Catechism Pr. pag. 33. Both Primmer and Catechism are the fittest for Smithfield to receive the Hang-man's Imprimatur Answ This same Envious Spirit that is still finding Work for the Hang-man to
from his Hypocrisie False Doctrine and Persecution § XVII Pr. pag. 45. This Quaker 's Spirit is very blind that did not help him to discern betwixt seeking Honour one of another and giving Civil Honour one to another Answ Christ's words are plain John 5.44 How can ye believe which Receive Honour one of another and Seek not the Honour that comes from God only Their Receiving as well as Seeking Honour one from another is condemned by Christ as proceeding from Unbelief but the Honour he pleads for he explains viz. Pr. pag. 46. To have the Hat put off and Body to bow or the Feet to scrape this is Honour below which this Quaker 's Power of God seeks not Men scraping with their Feet Women Courtesying and drooping are by this rude Man censured as being Apostatizing Christians Answ Why does he not produce Scripture for his Rule in these Postures to prove that they are that Honour that proceeds from above and comes from God only They are from below if not from above If the Scripture be his Rule where is his Proof These feigned Postures of Bowing Scraping Drooping putting off the Hat c. to our Fellow-Creatures do not gratifie an Humble Christian Spirit but the contrary Pr. Ibid. Till the poor deluded Quakers came on the Stage of this World no man was so silly as to tax Hat and Knee Honour Answ This is more than he knows other Conscientious Persons have scrupled that kind of Complement and Mordecai could not bow to proud Haman Pr. Ibid. According to these Quaking Lines at Court it is not lawful to Kneel before the King c. Answ To Kneel Scrape or Bow before the King make it never a whit more lawful in God's sight nor any proof of being the Honour which comes from God only Qr. p. 47. True Honour is from the Heart and not from the Hat the Lord requires it not but the Pride of Man seeks it viz. to be honoured with the Hat c. Priest answers In these Lines this Quaking Father hath delivered abominable Doctrine against the King the Lord 's Anointed c. Answ Why abominable Doctrine against the King Is it against the King to honour and respect him as King and Supream Magistrate from the Heart and not with the Hat as Men-pleasers or to say that 't is the Pride of Man that seeks it He would debase the King very low as if he seeks such out side Complement or insisted so much upon it Thus this Priest like a feigned Temporizer would incense the King about a meer Complement Pr. Ibid. For neither Hat nor Knee-honour do belong to the King Thou King Charles hath too often been used by some Rude Quakers Answ Was it Rudeness in the Prophets and the Apostles to use the same Language as Thou to a King or for this Man to use it to God in his Prayers or is it improper in it self What a shameful Trifler is this Priest who for the word THOU calleth us Babel-Quakers p. 51. Pr. pag. 48. The Chief Magistrate the Fountain of Honour Answ God is the Fountain of all true Honour Ye seek not the Honour that comes from God only Pr. Ibid. The King's Majesty is outwardly Honoured by all Courtiers with Heads bare with Knees bowing in his Presence Answ Is this like a Minister of Christ's Work to teach people Court-Complements Let all serious Readers judge of this man's silly Insinuations Pr. pag. 49. Plain Charles is Honour enough for the King Answ That 's False and Contradictory to what he has said before viz. Thou King Charles which is more than only Charles Pr. Ibid. This Quakers Spirit hath a Lye put into his Pen for the Lord doth no where require that we should Honour all men in him Answ I know no true Honour we can give out of him if all true Honour come from him only Pr. Ibid. I hope I may write without Offence that here are Treason and Rebellion taught against our Soveraign Suppose the King were a Proud Heady High minded Man this Quaker saith there is no Honour due to him without Goodness no true Honour due to the King's Greatness Abominable Stuff Answ The Reader may see that this Cruel Priest's Malice and implacable Envy is great enough to Hang us if he had power but I never heard of such Treason and Rebellion against our Soveraign before as either to say that unto a proud heady high-minded Man that is meerly as a Person abstract from all Dignities though great in the World there is no Honour due that is none of that true and real Honour which comes from God only for God honours not such but will debase them Or to say that the Lord requires not the Honour that is from the Hat but the Pride of Man seeks it true Honour being from the Heart Where did you ever read of such Treason and Rebellion against the King before It seems this Priest would have us Hang'd for Traytors and Rebels because we cannot give the Hat-Honour Bow and Scrape to any great man's Person Or because that unto a proud heady high-minded Man though great in the World there is none of that Honour due that comes from God only the Honour sayes W. S. is given as due unto the Power which is spoken in general without any particular Reflection upon the King's Person or Authority as this Priest unjustly strains our Friend's words Yet though we cannot Respect men's Persons with Hat and Knee-Honour we respect their Places of Office or Dignity where God has set them and regard them therein as the King's Authority that God has given him and him as King we truly shew our honest and Christian Respect and Real Honour to wishing also well to his Person both as men fearing God and eschewing Vice and Wickedness being subject to the Power for Conscience sake Pr. pag. 50. This Quaker 's Doctrine tends directly to lay the Kings Honour in the Dust to strike the Crown from his Majesty's Head Answ A malicious and slanderous Insinuation to render us obnoxious to the Government for testifying against that Honour of the Hat c. which is from below and against Pride and High-mindedness that seeks it We meddle not with the King or his Crown or any real Honour or Respect that is due to him from Christian Subjects our peaceable Conversations clear us herein § XVIII Pr. Ibid. It may be truly said Beware of the Quakers for like the Jesuited Papists they are not in Truth the King 's Loyal Subjects Answ Thou lovest Lying rather than to speak Righteousness thou lovest all devouring words O thou Deceitful Tongue God shall likewise destroy thee forever he shall take thee away and pluck thee out of thy Dwelling-place and root thee out of the Land of the Living Psalm 52.3 4 5. O thou Lying Priest O thou Malicious Incendiary Thou art the Person that lovest Devouring Words Consider thy End from the fore-cited Scripture If thou Repentest not God will Debase
not a little Flie-blown with Spiritual Pride Answ That 's thy own state Proud and Scornful Man Spiritual Pride and Conceit puffs thee up Qr. J. P's Tryal of Faith You believe you shall never overcome your sins so long as you are here Here you shew your Faith is not built upon Christ who came to destroy the Works of the Devil and to cleanse from all sins Pag. 60. Priest Answers This is the Corrupt Testimony of this Quaking Martyr that they are no sound Believers whose Faith doth not cleanse them from all their Sins that the Faith of Christians is not built upon Christ if it doth not make them free from their Sins Answ That which the Priest calls the Corrupt Testimony is according to Christ and his holy Apostles Testimony Christ came to Wash and Cleanse true Believers from Sin that they might be Clean every whit he gave himself for his Church that he might Wash it by Water through the Word that he might present it holy without Spot c. By Faith he purifies their Hearts he destroys the Work of the Devil the Blood of Christ cleanseth them that walk in the Light from all Sin And Faith in him overcomes the World it was and is the Saints Victory These are plain and Scriptural Testimonies how ignorant soever this unsanctified Priest shews himself wholly a stranger to the washing of Regeneration Pr. Ibid. A sinless state reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven is no true Divinity in the Quakers School Answ How is a sinless state reserved for that Kingdom if not attainable in this Life Pr. Ibid. If we say that we have no sin which the Quakers usually do we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us Answ An Untruth against the Quakers where or when do they usually or ever say they have no sin but that though there is a time of having sin there 's a time of confessing and forsaking sin and if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from ALL SIN 1 John 1.7 9. And saith he My little Children these things write I unto you that you SIN NOT Chap. 2.1 What John writes relates to several states Pr. Ibid. This Quaker is certainly for a more holy Faith than God himself did ever require It s not the Ruling Power but the being of sin which this Quaker's Faith makes free from without doubt this is to be Righteous over much in this World Answ The Priest is grosly Erroneous here the Quaker is for that holy Faith which is the Gift of God whereby he purifies the Heart and which Faith overcomes and is the Saints Victory over the World And to have the being of sin destroyed by Christ is not to be Righteous over-much in this World for 't is for this End that Christ is made manifest to take away our sins and to destroy the Works of the Devil 1 Joh. 3. Christ destroying the Works of the Devil is to destroy the being of Sin that it may neither Rule nor be in true Believers And this work of Christ is effected by degrees as he is obeyed and truly followed whose Work of destroying Sin this Priest has apparently opposed lest he should be Righteous over much in this World so that his Faith will carry his sins with him into the next World if he relinquish it not and where he will get rid of them there he tells us not but by his Opinion he must expect a Purgatory or place of Purgation after Death seeing he confesseth A sinless state is reserved for the Kingdom of Heaven Observe here how near of Kin he is to the Papists and how nearly he has border'd upon the Doctrine of Purgatory only they exceed him in believing that their Canonized Saints and Martyrs shall escape Purgatory and go directly to Heaven Pr. Ibid. If the Ill Spirit of the old Catheri was not gotten into this Young Quaker The Quakers Idolized Perfection Answ If by his word Catheri he means the Puritans or those called Old Puritans 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ì i. e. Puri then I must tell him that many of the Old Puritans were more Conscientious Sincere and Religious to what they knew then himself is or ever was Hist Eccl. Euseb Pam. Lib. 6. C. 42. for they were not such Temporizers and Opposers of the Light and Work of Christ they durst not call either an Idol as he has done And whatever Novatus was who called his Sect Cartharous that is Puritans I matter not there were many Honest people in England and other parts of those called Puritans Pr. p. 61. By this false Doctrine he hath concluded the Church of England at home all Reformed Churches abroad under Vnbelief for being of this right sound Mind that they shall never be made free from all their sins as long as they are here Answ Here he counts it a right sound Mind that they shall never be made free from all their sins so long as they are here but when and where they shall be freed he tells us not I am sure it is not the Mind of Christ that men should live in sin all their days And I think this Priest has wrong'd the Church of England if the Church of England means as she speaks and professeth viz. in promising to forsake the Devil and all his Works c. And in praying O God make clean our Hearts within us and take not thine holy Spirit from us Vouchsafe O Lord to keep us this Day without Sin with many other passages to this purpose in the Morning-Prayer and Service-Book And what has this Priest done less then charged the Church of England with Dissimulation and Hypocrisie as being of a contrary mind then what 's here exprest As also Edw. Stillingfleet in his Sermon preached before the King March 13. 1666. he strongly argues and pleads against that Opinion of God's laying Impossible Laws upon the Sons of Men and puts the Question thus * Ed. Still 6. Serm. 1669. pag. 69 70. For what is it that God requires of men as the Condition of their future Happiness which in its own nature is judged impossible Is it for men to live Soberly Righteously and Godly in this World For that was the End of Christian Religion to perswade men to do so § XXII Qr. The Scripture was spoken from the Light but is not the Light the Word the Life the Judge the Rule the Guide nor the Tryer of Spirits for all this belongs to Christ Pr. p. 61. I must truly say this is none of Abel his Language nor a faithful Testimony for God except another Qr. Atheist or Anti-scripturist none would have laid such base things to the charge of the holy Scriptures Answ Here is one of his base Abuses For to say The Scripture was spoken from the Light but is not the Light the Life the Judge c. is only as much as to
say The Scripture proceedeth from Christ but is not Christ for he is the Light the Life the Word the Judge the Guide of all his true Followers And why may not he be called the Rule as well as the Way the Truth c Pr. Ibid. This Qr. is guilty of Weak Reasoning because Christ is the Word the Light the Life therefore the Scripture is not a Light the Word of Life a Judge a Guide a Tryer of Spirits rare Quaking Logick Answ He grants the Qrs. Assertion that Christ is the Word the Light the Life wherein he has weakened his own Cause but his Inference upon the Quaker I deny for that the Qr. does not argue in the Terms he doth For the Priest cunningly puts in A Light A Guide A Judge A Tryer of Spirits as applicable to the Scriptures wherein he greatly varies the Terms from The Light The Guide c. to A Light A Guide But that the Scriptures of themselves abstractly are these without Divine Assistance he proves not if he dare affert it muchless that the Scriptures are the Word of Life or the Living Word let him prove that I deny his Position for Christ is the Living Word Pr. pag. 62. At this Door hath been brought in all the Filth that hath been east upon the holy Scripture The Scripture is not the Light What is it then Darkness saith one Qr. not to be minded in any thing saith another Answ There is no Filth cast upon the holy Scripture by asserting Christ to be the Word of Life the Light the Judge the Guide c. Again I am confident that he has wrong'd two Qrs. so called in his dark Accusation not telling us what Qr. would call the holy Scripture Darkness or what Qr. did say 't is not to be minded in any thing This is a blind Story I am apt to think of his own forging for no real Qr. would speak so slightily of the holy Scriptures Though there are Parables that are called dark Sayings in the Scriptures which yet cannot properly be called Darkness Pr. Ibid. The Scripture is become like a Dung-Cart to receive what Filth the Qrs. and Papists have to throw into it Answ This is an abominable and slanderous Comparison against the Qrs. who have fully exprest their Reverend Esteem of the holy Scriptures both in Doctrine and Conversation Pr. pag. 64. Are not those Streams which make glad the City of God basely foulled by him Answ He counts the Scriptures those Streams and thereby sets them in the place of Christ who is that Man that shall be as an Hiding-place and is compared to Rivers of Water in a dry place Isa 32.2 And there the glorious Lord will be unto us a place of broad Rivers and Streams Chap. 33.21 And this was in Zion the City of our Solemnities and in Jerusalem a quiet Habitation Vers 20. 'T is these Streams of the Water of Life that make glad the City of God whereof the Scriptures testifie Pr. Ibid. The Scripture saith this Qr. is the Idol of all Gospel-Ministers to get Money by Pag. 67. They count the Holy Scripture an Idol Answ A plain Perversion and Falshood again the Qr. saith no such thing nor so accounts of the Scripture but that your Leaders cause you to err for their own Ends and of the Scripture they MAKE an Idol to get Money by He does not call the Scriptures the Idol but that such Make an Idol thereof to get Money by and these are no Gospel-Ministers Those Priests who make a Trade of Scripture and exalt it in the place of Christ make an Idol of it but it is not so in it self Pr. That the Scripture is not the Word nor a Light unto our Feet nor the Rule Guide Teacher or Judge because Christ is so An Oracle from this Qrs. Lying Spirit p. 65. Answ By way of Eminency we own Christ to be the Word also the Light the Rule the Guide the Teacher the Judge the Law-giver the Lord is our Judge the Lord is our Law-giver Isa 33.22 Yet we don 't hereby deny the Scriptures to be a Rule or to contain Words of God Pr. Ibid. That the sure Word of Prophecy is no Light shining in a Dark place Answ Yes the more sure Word of Prophecy is a Light shining in a Dark place in many Dark Hearts whereunto men do well to take heed until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in their Hearts This Word was before the Scripture was writ The Priest calls the Scripture the sure Word of Prophecy but tells us not what Scripture nor wherein the Comparison is of its being the more Sure Word of Prophecy Concerning the Judge and the Light within and Benefit of Christ's coming see what John Preston saith in his Book Entituled The Doctrine of the Saints Infirmities pag. 106. viz. The Office I say of Christ is to teach men Judgment and this he doth with much Tenderness Compassion and Gentleness 1. To teach men the Just and Righteous Ways of God so the Word is taken in the Old Testament to ENLIGHTEN men to judge of the Ways of God Christ is often compared to a Shepherd that feeds his Flock Pag. 107. And he is also called the true Light which lightneth the World If Christ had not come into the World there would not have been one spark of God's Image left in man neither Adam nor his Posterity should have known any thing but a Cloud of Darkness should have seized on mens Minds But now by Christ's coming every one even the Wicked have this benefit that they have seen common Light Christ lighteth every one that cometh into the World in some sort teacheth them so much as shall make them inexcusable And pag. 111. If Christ were not God and Man that is If he were not patient in an Infinite manner he could not bear with us c. Observe how contrary to this of Christ's teaching men Judgment and being that true Light which lightneth every man c. our Adversary hath proceeded against the Light of Christ within both before and after these passages and how he hath opposed the benefit of Christ towards us both as God and Man contrary to J. Preston's account who was a man doubtless of better Fame Religion and Learning in his Day than our Adversary Pr. Ibid. Surely 't is matter of Lamentation that a false Christ the Light within who is not God and Man in one Person must by the Qrs. be thus exalted to lay the honour of the Scripture in the Dust Pag. 67. How fond the Qrs. are of their Light within to exalt this Idol Answ No such Design in the Quakers in exalting the Light within as to lay the honour of the Scripture in the Dust 'T is no dishonour to Scripture to exalt the Light of Christ within and however this Priest might have given the Light of Christ a better Epithete than a False Christ or this Idol especially since he hath given us this Concession
And 2 Cor. 3.6 Who also made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit And whether the words Carnal Commandment and Carnal Ordinances related to no part of Scripture Heb. 7.16 9 10. And whether no part of the Scripture or Writing of Moses or any else was intended in this term Letter But consider all Scripture as it signifies Writing ought there not to be a distinction made not only between the Writing and the matter written but much more between the Writing and the Spirit Life or Substance declared of in the Writing Concerning Baptism he defends his practice very poorly whilst he intends Baptizing or rather Sprinkling young Children in his telling us That the Church of England is grosly mistaken this Quakers Doctrine hath Quaked the Doctrine of the Church of England into a meer delusion p. 78. And why so but because the Quaker saith The Baptism we own is the Baptism of Christ there is but one Lord one Faith one Baptism from Matth. 3.11 Ephes 4.5 6. Collect. J. P. p. 67. Now this Priest proves not that Baptizing with Water muchless that Sprinkling Infants is this one Baptism we have only his Say so or his Belief for it or that Sprinkling Infants is a sign of Regeneration whereby as an Instrument the baptized are grafted into the Church p. 78. He produces us no Scripture-proof for it Pr. pag. 78. This Quaker hath very mean Thoughts of the Lords Supper he counts it but the Worlds Communion As for the Bread broken which is the Body of Christ this Quaker calls it the Bread which the World breaks he speaks abominably of this Bread blessed and broken calling it Carnal Natural that it passeth out of the Body c. Bread and Wine but the Husk and Shadow without p. 79. Answ It appears by this that he deems their Bread and Wine Spiritual Supernatural the Substance the Bread the Body of Christ and then by this the Wine must be the Blood of Christ when blest or consecrated by the Priest Which is rank Popery all one with the Doctrine of Transubstantiation as the Rhemists in their Annot. on Matth. 26. affirm a Consecrating the several Elements of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ the Bread into his Body a part as betrayed broken and given for us the Wine into his Blood a part as shed out of his Body for remission of Sins and Dedication of the New Testament Which is their professed Transubstantiation or changing the Substance of Bread and Wine into the Body and Blood of Christ according as our Adversary tells us That the Bread broken is the Body of Christ He has left the Doctrine of the Antient Protestants and Protestant-Martyrs who did not own any such Change of the Elements of Bread and Wine but only that as a Sign or Figure of the Body of Christ crucified they were received as a grateful Comemoration of Christ's Death and Sacrifice for mankind But this Adversary is offended that the Bread and Wine should be counted Natural nothing it seems will serve him short of their being the Body and Blood of Christ according as the Rhemists also on Luke 22.19 say Although sense tell thee 't is Bread yet it is the Body let Faith confirm thee judge not by Sense after the words of our Lord let no doubt rise in thy mind of the Verity of Flesh and Blood there is no place to doubt c. See how exactly our Adversary agrees with these Papists in saying The Bread broken is the Body of Christ as before By which he hath now more fully manifested his Popish Spirit especially if he means as he spoke as both repugnant to the Faith of all true Protestants who either look upon these outward Elements to remain the same in themselves in Substance both at and after the words of Consecration and no more than Signs Shadows or outward Mementos at most or look upon them as a Figure or Shadow of the Spiritual receiving of Christ's Body and Blood in the Mystery to eat his Flesh and drink his Blood by Faith as he is the living Bread that comes down from Heaven who gave his Flesh for the Life of the World For there is an Inward and Spiritual Supper of the Lord as well as there was an outward which they partake of who hear the Voice of the Son of God and open the Door of their Heart unto him that he may come in and Sup with them and they with him according to his Testimony in Rev. 3.20 Yet we acknowledge the Sign and Figure in its place and day but the Mystery or thing signified is greater and more Excellent Pr. The Letter or the Scripture is Dust the Serpents Meat which they food upon Answ This he falsly infers and casts upon J. Parn. whenas there is no such passage in J. P's words but that Those who pretend to study Divinity and go among Ignorant People and sell that which they have studied and got into the Brain and those who receive it get it into the Brain and so they live upon Dust which is the Serpents Meat Collect. J. P. p. 78 79. Hence its evident that he did not term the Scripture Dust but the Hireling Priests studied Brain-Notions or Knowledge Whereas the Priest appears in a great Rage and in Cruel Mockery against J. Fernel for his plain dealing with the Magistrates Heads and Priests of England as where J. P. saith For the Testimony of this true Ministry some of us are Imprisoned some Stoned some Stocked Whipped and shamefully intreated as Vagabonds Deluders Wanderers Raisers of Sedition c. and esteemed not worthy to live in the Nation both by Priest and Rulers who are out of the Commands of God and are Vagabonds and Fugitives from God who go in the Way of Cain and Envy and murder the Innocent Collect. J. P. pag. 80. As also where he saith We own Magistracy in its place for whilst there is Transgression there must be a Law and while the Devil hath Power over Man there will be Transgression The Law was given forth to curb Evil-doers c. And true Government according to the Law of God is Serviceable in its place and all Magistrates who fear God and hate Covetousness and are guided by the Light of God in the Conscience and execute the Law in its place without partiality and respect of Persons such are serviceable in their place and this we own and honour and are subject for Conscience-sake J. P. Collect. p. 81 82. These Passages the Priest has left out in his Citation except the first Line and then goes on citing viz. They neither know how to rule or govern who are guided by their own Wills such rule with partiality and respect of Persons and give forth Laws in their own Wills Persecute the Righteous encourage the Heathen c. Upon these and such passages before cited the Priest shamefully inveighs against and belies the Quakers
of men in this Life as he hath done § XXX Pag. 115. Qr. And are made Partakers of the Divine Nature of Christ by which they are made Christians Pr. The Priest Answers In these few words this Qr. hath given a most Blasphemous account of all Qrs. for he saith that they are made Partakers of Christ's Divine Nature that they are Christians thus made Answ His telling of a Blasphemous account of All Qrs. is a Falshood to abuse us for the matter here opposed by him as it is in James Parnel's Book p. 176 177. Collect. is not placed in these words as that All Qrs. are made Partakers of Christ's Divine Nature but the words are more general relating to the Church of Christ and his Members who live by the Faith of the Son of God who are New Creatures in Christ Jesus set free by the Law of the Spirit of Life and are made Partakers of the Divine Nature of Christ by which they are made Christians and such now witness the effect of the Blood of Christ wrought within them and the End of his Coming and the Benefit of his Death who are dead with him c. Thus far J. Parnel Observe well here that I shall not let this Priest pass as only making Exception against all the Qrs. being made Partakers of Christ's Divine Nature but also I must take him as opposing the thing it self that his Quarrel is not only against the Persons Quakers but against the thing i. e. the partaking of Christ's divine Nature wherein his gross Ignorance both of Christianity and Scripture will farther appear in what follows Pr. p. 116. Behold here is our Saviours Godhead shared amongst the Quakers behold here are the Quakers made more than Co-heirs with Jesus Christ no less God than himself is Answ Behold here the Priest hath not only shewn his lamentable Ignorance but his false as well as blasphemous Inference for us to own a being made partakers of Christs Divine Nature He counts this not only a sharing of our Saviours Godhead among us but also a making our selves no less than God himself which is a sad and most Ignorant Inference that new Creatures in Christ and his Members may not partake of his Divine Nature unless they be God and Christ himself What sad and miserable blindness and Irrational Work is this As if the Member of a Body must not partake of the Nature of the Body unless that Member could be the whole Body Heb. 3.14 We are Members of Christ in particular joyn'd to him partakers of Christ having his Spirit and Life manifest in us as all real Saints and true Christians have And can all this be can any be so nearly related and joyn'd to Christ and not Partakers of his Divine Nature Can they be Partakers of Christ of his Power Heb. 3.14 Rom. 11.16 17. Spirit Virtue Life Faith Divine Image Holiness and have him therein form'd in them and yet not be Partakers of Christ's Divine Nature What strange Inconsistency is this Though the Priest will not own this of the Qrs. we impose it not so upon him yet will he own it of any of Christ's Members No See what follows as his Consequence on the Assertion and farther Evidence of his great Blindness and Ignorance both of Scripture and Christian Experience pr. Ibid. Every Real Qr. is truly Godded with God and Christed with Christ according to this Abominable Quaking Assertion they are all Partakers of that same Divine Nature which Christ hath Quaking Blasphemy Intolerable Blasphemy Answ See now how it is the Assertion itself that this Priest opposes viz. The Partaking of the Divine Nature which Christ hath this he puts these black Characters Quaking Blasphemy Intolerable Blasphemy upon We will not contend whether all called Qrs. partake thereof or no for I don't affirm it because its possible for some to be Unfaithful under that Profession and may hold the Truth in Unrighteousness but whether any Saints Members of Christ or New Creatures be Partakers of the Divine Nature of Christ I affirm they are as every true Branch that is grafted in the true Root partaketh of the Root and Fatness of the Olive Tree Rom. 11.17 And saith Christ I am the true Vine and ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me or severed from me ye can do nothing John 15. Now doth not every such Branch partake of the Nature Virtue of the Vine Did you ever hear of a Branch in any Vine that beareth Fruit without partaking of the Nature Virtue or Sap of the Vine But it seems here is a Priest a Teacher that would be counted a Member of Christ a Christian a Believer a True Fruitful Branch no doubt and yet altogether Void and Destitute of the Nature Virtue and Life of the true Vine which can be neither true in Spirituals nor in Temporals And for a Final Confutation of his folly in this Great Point take one Scripture more 2 Pet. 1.3 4. According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that portain unto Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these you might be PARTAKERS of the DIVINE NATURE having escaped the Corruption of the World which is through Lust Mark here how plain it is that the Apostle did confess how they were Partakers of the Divine Nature which our Adversary has counted such an Abominable Assertion and Intolerable Blasphemy Thus he hath Reproached and Blasphemed the Primitive Christian Doctrine and Attainment in and by Christ his Divine Power and Nature which the Saints were made Partakers of Qr. pag. 117. Here is the true Church where there is but One Teacher One Lord One Faith One Baptism One Light One Life One Way One Shepherd and One Sheepfold One Priest over the Houshold of God One Hope One Language One Family One God and Father of all Pr. To this the Priest Answers viz. In these Quaking Lines we have such an account given of the true Church of God as was never heard nor read of till within these Thirty Years by past such an account as no Age of the Primitive Church can render the like except in a Qrs. Conventicle this true Church is not to be found on Earth Answ What a stranger to the true Church and the Unity thereof hath our Adversary shewn himself to be He has here such an Account of the true Church of God as it seems he never heard nor read of before he knew the People called Quakers But he falsly presumes in saying that no Age of the Primitive Church can tender the like and that this true Church is not to be found on Earth by which he has rendred his own Church no such true Church But why is it such a strange Account of the true Church Is it strange that
same as to Miracles or to equalize themselves therein with the Apostles though God hath wrought Wonders and Miracles among them and by some as Instruments in his hand Art 78. That to redeem and make free from Sin is done with the Body of Christ which we have told you is the Church A Perversion still as if the Church only did redeem and free it self whereas 't is Christ in and with his own Body that redeems his Church which is that Body of his whereof he is Head Though he has an intire peculiar and glorious Body yet the Church as united to him and Members of his Body comprehensively make up one Indivisible Body in the compleat and mysterious Union and Fulness of himself § 32. Art 81. That that man looks upon Christ with a Carnal Eye that looks upon him to have a true Body Which is a lying Forgery still Christ hath a true and Spiritual glorious Body whereof the Saints are Members in the spiritual and mysterious union wiâ—h himself § 32. Art 83. That Fellowship at the Lords Table is very wicked Is also a perverse falshood for ye cannot eat at the Table of the Lord and the Table of Devils Covetous Priests and Wicked People though they have the Sign or Shadow yet are short of the Lord's Table and partake not of the Flesh and Blood of Christ nor of his Supper while they shut him out of their Hearts § 16. 25. Art 89. That Vnquakeriz'd Christians do worship an unknown God A Forgery still none of our Terms or Creed but false and fleshly Christians do so Worship § 31. There are divers more Forgeries Perversions and Falshoods in the Priests Articles which for brevity's sake I omit and shall now give the Reader an Account according to my second Proposition before stated of some Truths set down in the Priests Articles which are not according to his Faith he having given them all the Title of the Quakers Vnsound Faith And thus I proceed viz. Pr. Art 2 3. Now we Quakers do believe that the Spirit alone doth give true discerning that the Light within ought to be the Rule of our Faith and Practice Answ We do believe that the Spirit of Truth is all-sufficient for those Ends 't is given for and leadeth into all Truth that true discerning of Spirits is a Gift of this Spirit and that we ought to walk in the Light of Christ Jesus and his Spirit as the chief Rule of our Faith and Practice which things it seems this Priest does not believe he believes not that the Spirit alone doth give true Discerning or that the Divine Light thereof ought to be his Rule He believes the Scripture to be the Rule of Life without the Light within as he has told us p. 120. § 14 15. Pr. Art 21. We Q. believe that we are to mind the Spirit alone in all things Answ We do believe we ought to mind the Spirit of Truth in all things both in reading Scripture for a true understanding thereof and in our Words and Actions but this Priest does not believe he ought to be so mindful of the Spirit his mind is more upon Flesh than Spirit § 14 15 23. Pr. Art 34. We Q. do believe that the Name Sunday is Heathenish that every day is the Lord's day Answ Then this Priest does not believe the Name Sunday is Heathenish or proceeded from Heathens or that every day is the Lords thus ignorant he has shewn himself § 20. Pr. Art 35. We Q. believe that they are no truly faithful Christians who deny that there is a perfect freedom from all manner of Sin to be had in this Life that their Faith is not the true Faith if it doth not cleanse them from all their Sins Answ This Priest therefore believes that they are truly faithful Christians and in the true Faith who deny a Perfect freedom from Sin in this Life and whose Faith does not cleanse them from their Sins which is contrary to the Belief and Faith of truly faithful Christians who know the Heart-purifying Faith and the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all Sin and such could say He hath washed us from our Sins in his own Blood But 't is not done in this Life saith the Priest When then In the Life to come it must be But Where must it be in a Purgatory between Heaven and Hell That 's Popish Doctrine § 21. and 28. Pr. Art 36. We Q. do believe that the Scripture is not the Light nor the Word nor the Life nor the Judge nor the Rule nor the Guide nor the Tryer of Spirits Answ This being also included in the Qrs. unsound Faith by the Priest we must take it for granted that he believes the Scripture is the Light the Life the Judge †Contrary to Psal 50.6 Isa 33 22. Acts 10.42 Heb. 12.23 James 5.9 the Rule the Guide the Tryer of Spirits which Terms by way of Eminency most properly belonging to God to Christ to the holy Spirit to the divine Light * John 1 c 11.25 c. 14.6 might not the Priest as well have told us that the Scripture is God and Christ § 22 23 § 14 15. Pr. Art 37. We Q. do believe that the People and Teachers are Ignorant of Christ who seek Life in the Scripture where it is not to be found Answ So then this Priest therefore believes that Eternal Life is to be sound in the Scriptures and they who seek it in the Scripture do know and find Christ the Light and Life Eternal therein which is contrary to Christs own Testimony John 5.39 Search the Scriptures for in them ye THINK ye have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of me but ye will not come to me that ye might have Life § 22 23. § 14 15. Pr. Art 50. We Q. do believe That they are all Heathens and no Christians who are so baptiz'd i. e. with Water and cannot witness the other Baptism i. e. the Baptism of Christ Answ This Priest then believes that they all are no Heathens but Christians who are Baptized or Sprinkled with Water when Infants though they cannot witness the Baptism of Christ at such an easie rate can he make Christians contrary to Christs own Testimony If I do not wash thee thou hast no part in me and except a man be born of Water and of the Spirit he cannot enter the Kingdom of God § 16. 25. 29. Pr. Art 51. We Q. do believe that Sacramental Bread so called is Natural that the Cup is such like and that which they call the Lords Supper is a Shadow Answ This being also included in the Qrs. Vnsound Faith we may take it for granted that the Priest does not believe that the Bread and the Cup which they call Sacramental and the Lords Supper are Natural Carnal or Shadow What then that they are Supernatural Spiritual the Substance the Body and Blood of Christ yea That the Bread broken
is with us manifested in the Flesh Answ But this the Priest believes not either of us or any people else for he counts it a high base Doctrine intolerable Blasphemy an abominable Quaking Assertion and all one as to say that they are no less God than himself is Godded with God and Christed with Christ Thus he has exploded such a Doctrine as the Saints partaking of the Divine Nature of Christ as an Abominable Quaking Assertion as his words are more at large aggravated in his 116th page whereby he hath discovered his gross Darkness Blasphemy and Ignorance of the Scripture and Testimony of holy Apostles see 2 Pet 1.3 4. According as his Divine Power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto Life and Godliness through the Knowledge of him that hath called us to Glory and Virtue whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises that by these ye might be PARTAKERS OF THE DIVINE NATURE having escaped the Corruption that is in the World through Lust But this partaking of the Divine Nature the Priest counts an Abominable Quaking Assertion Quaking Blasphemy c. see now what an Ignorant Blasphemous Person he hath shewn himself one that neither knoweth the Scriptures nor the Power of God See § 30. Pr. Art 63. We Q. do believe that the true Church is where there is one Lord one Light one Life one Priest over the Houshold of God one Hope one Baptism one God and Father of all § 30. Answ Yes we must believe this whether the Priest will believe it or no and if he will not believe it he will not believe as the Scripture faith There should be One Shepherd and One Sheep fold there is One Body and One Spirit even as ye are called by One Hope of your Calling One Lord One Faith One Baptism all which the true Chutch partaketh of Pr. Art 64. We Q. do believe as G. F. writes that the Priests of England are going mad in preaching for Rewards and Gifts in Cursing Excommunicating and Imprisoning so that Balaam 's Ass may reprove them all Answ And we have no Cause to believe that the Priests of England are going Wise in Preaching for Rewards and Gifts in Cursing Excommunicating and Imprisoning such as do not put into their Mouthes But it seems this Priest believes they are Wise Priests that preach for Rewards and take these harsh and severe Courses of Cursing Excommunicating and Imprisoning them that cannot put into their Mouthes But did not Paul confess he was Exceeding Mad when he persecuted For he counts what G. F. has written in this Case one of the Articles of the Qrs. Unsound Faith Pr. Art 75. We Q. do believe that there is a Way to go through Moses and through the Prophets and through John to come to Christ that when a man hath gone this strange Way then he may see that the Light is but one Answ This is a Strange Way to our Adversary the Priest and to all that are alive without the Law but 't was not a Strange Way to the Apostle Paul nor to any true Christian who have traversed those steps of Judgments and through Death and Condemnation under the spiritual Administration of the Law under which the Offenders Mouth is stopt and all the World become guilty before God and the Righteousness of God is witnessed by the Law and the Prophets Rom. 3. And I had not known Sin but by the Law saith Paul Chap. 7.7 And we know that the Law is Spiritual Vers 14. And saith Paul I through the Law am dead to the Law that I might live unto God I am crucified with Christ nevertheless I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the Life which I now live in the Flesh I live by the Faith of the Son of God Gal. 2.19 20. And therefore he did spiritually pass through the Law And see what Christ saith Matth. 5.17 Think not that I am come to destroy the Law or the Prophets I am not come to destroy but to fulfil Again he saith Therefore all things whatsoever you would that men should do to you do even so to them for this is the Law and the Prophets Matth. 7.12 Luke 6.31 And this is no strange Way to any true Christian Pr. Art 77. We Q. do believe that Jesus Christ remains in Heaven that the same that did descend did ascend Answ This is also rank't in among his Articles of the Quakers Unsound Faith which plainly reflects upon the Apostle Paul's Testimony Ephes 4.10 He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Pr. Art 79. We Q. do believe that Christ lives in that Body which is the Church Answ And must this needs be an Unsound Faith too Does not Christ live in his Church To deny this how contrary is it to Christ's and his Apostles Testimonies see John 17.23 I in them and thou in me that they may be made perfect in one And did not he walk in the midst of the seven Golden Candlesticks which were the seven Churches of Asia Rev. 1.13 20. And his being in the Heavens and living in his Church are not inconsistent Hebr. 8.1 2. We have an High Priest who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens a Minister of the Sanctuary and of the true Tabernacle which the Lord pitched and not man And where was this Sanctuary and true Tabernacle but in his Church where he lives and ministers to the Edification of all those in whose Hearts Christ dwells by Faith Pr. Art 97. We Q. do believe that all the Teachers of England who are not sent who have no Commission from God who go forth only in the Will of Man that they are no Ministers of Christ that their Doctrine is not from Heaven but men below they teach for Doctrine the Traditions of Men. Answ And how should we believe otherwise of them who have no Commission from God but go forth in the Will of Man how should we believe that they are Ministers of Christ or that they receive their Doctrine or Commission from Heaven * §. 15. If our Adversary will still believe that such unsent Teachers as have no Divine Commission from Heaven are Christ's Ministers he may believe so long enough before the QVAKERS will be of his Faith There are several more things in his Ninety Eight Articles wherein his Ignorance as well as his Falshood appears But I think I have given Instances sufficient to evince both to any impartial and unbyassed Readers as also to Vindicate Truth from his Malicious Perverse and Knavish Attempts for which I leave him to the Just God to Reckon with Judge and Reward him according to his Works