manifest which are to be reproved this being the true and reâ—â— meaning how doth it prove the thing designed sc That the light within thee 〈◊〉 the true not the false Christ I hope thou art not such a Bullâ—ck as to think it the tâ—ue Christ Now foraâ—much as that I have the advantage of more liberty without interruptioâ— to enlarge I will shew thee 〈◊〉 B. two things from the Light in the Text recited by thâ—e as above First That the Light of Scripture doth make some of a Quakers evils manifest Secondly That it doth reprove those their evils For the first sc That the Light of Scripture doth manifest some of a Quakers evils â— As 1. The evil of Antichristianisme 2 Joh. ver 7. For many Deceivers are entred into the World who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh this is a deceiver and an Antichrist Observe by the way when ever this Text of Scripture is mentioned against the Quakers they presently frame a pretence whereby they would seem to go off with some credit telling us that we make a man of straw and then knock him down for who is it say they of us that doth deny Jesus Christ is come in the flesh we do say they confess that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh that he suffered and died in the flesh Answ This is such a pitiful shift nay such a deceitful covering that the weakest eye may look through it they well knâ—w how unable they are to deal with the Arguments which are in the inspired Scriptures of God against the feigned light Christ within them have therefore made the hole above to creep out at but this their juggle is no other then what hath been a ready discovered namely That it was not the visible body of Christs flesh which was or is Christ the Saviour but the Christ in that appearing body of his flesh and as the Christ was in this his flesh so he is in every mans flesh that comes into the World And hence it is that a Teaching Quaker when he is pratâ—ng of the Idol-light within he laye â—his hand upon his breast saying Jesus Christ is manifest in this flesh meaning in his real flesh but Christs flesh was only in shew and appearance Tâ—is their â—olly brings to mind what Mr. Haworth a converted Quaker doth asseâ—t in his Epistle to John Crook a Teaching Quaker Being saith he lately in discourse with some Quakers who held that it was the Light within that was crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem Anâ— in the same Epistle he further saith I can never forget James Nâ—yler whom I saw suffer and what was the fruit of that Spirit bâ— which he was â—cted was he not strangeâ—y lifted up in Pride to make 〈◊〉 the Mâ—ssiâ—r and take divine Worship to hâ—mself For saith he 〈…〉 tolâ— me that he stood by and saw three Women 〈…〉 and worship him and one of them in her bowings 〈…〉 to wit Thy Name is no more Iames bâ—t I Am And 〈◊〉 Nayler told Iohn Bolton that if he worshipped his body he shoulâ— resuâ—e it but if that within him he would â—ccept it Hereunto agrees 〈…〉 Dâ—ctrine at the time oâ— the Disputatiâ—n we do quoth he 〈◊〉 the out side Christ to be the â—rue Christ and Saviour so then accordiâ—g to this Doctors Divinity there is another Christ namely an inside Christ which he doth worship and believe in for his Salvation from 〈…〉 wrath â—ut I shall tell him more of my mind in its due place I now return to some further consideration of what they have above affirmed which is that they do not deny but confess that Jesus Christ is coâ—sidered as distinct from the flesh and therefore according to a Quaker Faith the true Christ and Saviour is within the flesh that is as to their sense in thâ— flesh of every man that comes into the World and therefore as they say they are neither Deceivers nor Antichrists To â—ear this Smoaâ—y cost I Answer These words In the flesh though they are frequently inserted in the Scriptures of Truth y◠〈◊〉 never sign fie a thing distinct from the flesh but alwayes the flesh it self as it may appear by maniâ—old instance reâ—erring to man kind flesh consisting of Soul and Body the true or whole man Gen. 17. 34. â—5 Abraham aâ—d Ishmael circumcised in the flesh i e. the flesh it self was circumciseâ— Rom. 2. 28. outward in the flesh i. e. the outside flesh 1 Cor. 7. 28. Such shall have trouble in the flesh i. e. their boâ—ies of flesh shall have trouble furthermore the Apostle puts this matter 〈◊〉 â—ll Dispute Phil. 1. 22. But if I live in the flesh i. e. to abide in the flesh ver 24. which he explains in ver 25. I know that I shall abide and continue with you all i. e. I Paul true man consisting of Soul and body know 〈◊〉 I shall abide with you wherein it is most plain that his 〈◊〉 in the flesh doth not denote a thing distinct from the flesh but the very mankind flesh it self For here by Paul's being in the flesh he unâ—er anâ—s his whole man Howbeit let me improve these last verses a little more by propounding thence a Question Quest What is it to confess that Paul is come in the flesh Answ It is to confess that Paul is come true man consisting of Soul and body as above ver 25. And consequently not to confess that Paul is come true man is to deny him come in the flesh But to say that Paul is come in the flesh doth signifie sc Paul is to be considered as distinct from his body of Flesh And so to be in the flesh of every man that comes into the world would be an interpretation not only contrary to the Scripture above but so absurd and irrational as becoming none but seduced seducing Quakers from whence I may safely infer That whosoever doth not confess that Jesus Christ is come true man consisting of Soul and Body doth deny that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh But Teaching Seducing Quakers do not confess that Jesus Christ is come true man consisting of Soul and Body Ergo they do deny that Jefus Christ is come in the Flesh And by good consequence from the whole they cannot deny unless they will deny truth in God themselves to be Deceivers and Antichrists Moreover the same Apostle John puts a Question 1 Joh 2. 22. Who is a lyar and then Answers it But he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ and forthwith adds he is Antichrist well then according to the Scripture of truth he that denieth that Iesus is the Christ is a lyar and an Antichrist But a Teaching Quaker doth deny Jesus to be the Christ Ergo a Teaching Quaker is by the spirits Testimony a Lyar and an Antichrist The Proposition being the words of that Scripture ver 22. may not be gain-said the Assumption I do prove thus The Iesus intended by the
attained to some growth in Christian matters learned these were called strong or perfect in comparison of the Beginners Thus Perfect is to be understood in the 1 Cor. 2. 6. Howbeit we speak wisdome among them that are perfect meaning however imperfect weaklings are taken with inticing words of mans wisdome ver 4. accounting the Preaching of the Cross Christ crucified Foolishnest yet grown mortified Christians will discern wisdom and sublimity in the plain preaching of Iesus Christ Crucified and this sense may be accommodated to this place of Scripture Phil. 3. 15. above As many of us as be perfect i. e. such of us as are no Beginners or Learners such as try experiments in Religion But Perfect such as have made some towardly progress therein that have attained to some Gospel strength ripeness or growth in the blessed Doctrine of Faith Obj. But if any Teaching Seducing Quaker should say viz. That by the word Perfect as it referrs to Saints in this world it doth signifie a perfect freedome from all sin Answ 1. This was the lying Doctrine of the Heretical Catharish's and now taught by Seducing Quakers but no where owned in the Scriptures of truth where is that Scripture to be found which saith in so many words sc That this or that Saint was perfect from all sin in this life when it shall be shewen it will be seriously considered 2. Solomon makes a chalenge to all the World Prov. 20. 9. Who can say I have made my heart clean I am pure from my sin that is none can say it truly though some will say it bouldly that any Saint of God in this life is absolutely freed from the having of sin which is evident from the confession of the most eminent Saints 1 Ioh. 1. 8. If we say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us But to this Scripture the Quaker pâ—etends an Answer sc that in v. 10. the same Apostle saith If we say we have not sinned we make him a Lyar Here hence the Teaching Quakers do infeâ—r saying 't is true the born of God should lie if they did deny themselves to have sinned before they were in the new birth but not after it alledging 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whatsoever is born of God doth not commit sin Reply 1. The 10th verse above sc If we say that we have not sinned we make him a Lyar by these words the Apoâ—â—les intend their having of sin after as well as before the new birth for observe the 8th verse If we that is we who are in the new birth say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us Note here that the words in this 8th verse are expresly of the present time to wit if we not have had no sin c. which doth most plainly prove that the born of God have sin after as well as before their new birth 2. As to the words alledged out of the 1 Ioh. 3. 9. Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin Answ 1. If the words should be understood in the Quakers sense above asserted then the new birth would exclude the being of sin in all the born of God for the new birth agrees to them all to one as well as to another as the reason given is the same verse doth testifie Because his seed remaineth in him and he cannot sin because he is born of God now the seed remains in all the born of God as well as in any well then it must be meant of all Saints or none Now if the Teaching Quakers should be so stark mad as to affirm all Saints to be free from sin the Scripture above 1 Ioh. 1. 8. will reprove their madness for if we who are the real Saints and born of God say that we have no sin we deceive our selves and the truth is not in us all men may see that these words were spoken of and by such Saints as had ver 3. fellowship with the Father and his Son Jesus Christ and yet they have certified sc if that we say that we have no sin c. Again That the words in 1 Ioh. 3. 9. cannot be meant of freedome from the nature and being of sin in the born of God but only of the Trade and Custome of sinning which is explained in the foregoing 8th verse For the Devil sinneth from the beginning i. e. he hath never ceased to sin since he began it hath ever been his trade or customary way thus to sin the born of God cannot for the course and custome of sin being broken there 's not now such a free correspondency between the Soul and Sin as before Regeneration this is the Character of the unregenerate They cannot cease to sin 2 Pet. 2. 14. But so the born of God sinneth not i. e. without cessation inasmuch as he is daily pleading in his prayers against sin desiring strength not only against but victory over it thus is was with Paul Rom 7. 24. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of death sc from this burden and bondage of inherent sinful corruption yea all this after he was most truly the born of God It is therefore a manifest wresting of the above mentioned Texts sc 1 John 1. 10. in forcing them to say that the born of God sinned before they were in the new birth but not after it The tenth Scripture Eph. 3. 19. That ye might be filled with all the fulness of God which some say excludes the being of sin in Saints Reply 1. The phrase Fulness is to be expounded by a distinction there being a double fulness namely of Parts and Degrees for the first of these we read Act. 7. 55. But he Stephen being full of the Holy Ghost this Respects the fulness of parts only that is he had something of every Grace though not a perfection of any Grace An Infant may be said to be a perfect man as it hath a perfection or fulness of parts but not of growth and degrees 2. The fulness of God in respect of Degrees is to be had only in Heaven above And even there the Apostle intends not equality but quality of fulness that is a divine and glorious fulness of or from God so then the fulness of God above expressed is to be understood of a fulness not on Earth but in Heaven which is the proper import of that place of Scripture for the Apostle prayes that they Might be filled c. And so they should be in Heaven but he asserts not that either they were or should be so filled in this life the person is because here we know but in part 1 Cor. 13. 9 22. For now we see through a Glasse darkly but then face to face now I know in part but then I shall know even as I am known Therefore the fulness of God above doth not exclude the being of sin in this life The eleventh Scripture Luk. 1. 6.
the dead for us and ascended up into heaven for us and before either which must be implied lived and died for us But he that believes not the Descention and the Ascention of the Lord Jesus Christ for him but seeketh Justification by the works of the Law he doth in effect deny the Resurrection and Ascention of Jesus Christ which to do were as much as in him lies to bring Christ down from above and likewise to bring him up again from the deep Now tell me Frances whither these verses sc the 6th and 7th so triumphingly repeated by thee do not plainly prove the true Christ and our only Saviour to be in heaven above us surely nothing can be more clearly proved and consequently by the Scriptures alledged by thee A Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the true but the false Christ 2. As the righteousness of Faith is certain from the 6th and 7th Verses so it is possible from the 8th verse which comes now in like manner under consideration Ver. 8. But what saith It meaning the righteousness of Faith the Word is nigh thee even in they mouth and in thy heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach Ver. 9. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved Answ Touching the 8th verse there are some Queries which require Solutions Qu. 1 What is meant by Righteousness of Faith Sol. 1. By Righteousness is meant that righteousness which obtains acceptance justification and salvation with God which is the righteousness alone of the Lord Jesus of Nazareth which he wrought out in his own personal-Obedience and Sufferings 1600 years since upon the Cross 2. By the Righteousness of Faith is meant a right believing in the alone righteousness of this Jesus of Nazareth for acceptance justification and salvation with God Qu. 2. What by the word Faith Sol. We are to understand an Evangelical not legal word for it is a word of Faith the same with the righteousness of Faith above defined and which agrees with the Apostles Explication ver 8. That is saith he the Word of Faith which we Preach now the Apostles Preached no other word of Faith then the righteousness of Faith afore expressed and confirmed by the four Arguments besides there are other Scriptures of infallible truth evidencing the same as Rom. 1. ver 1. Separate unto the Gospel of Christ ver 3. Concerning his Son Jesus Christ our Lord ver 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by the resurrection from the dead Likewise in Chap. 4. 25. Who was delivered i. e. to death for our offences and was raised up again for our Justification And in 1 Cor. 15. 1. I declare unto you the Gospel which I Preached unto you What was that Gospel the Apostle tells us ver 3. how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures ver 4. And that he was buried and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures the last mentioned Scriptures do illustrate the righteousness of Faith and word of Faith preached in the abovesaid verses 6. 8. and therefore cannot possibly be understood for a Quakers pretended Saviour within him as this Disputant F. E. would make us believe Qu. 3. How is this Preached Word or righteousness of Faith said to be night even in the mouth and in the heart Sol. It s resolved by the Apostle in ver 9 10. That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved That is to say the Word of Faith preached is nigh in our mouths when we confess before men sc That we believe that that righteousness whereby we are accepted of God justified and saved is the only righteousness of Jesus Christ of Nazareth which he wrought out in his personal Obedience and sufferings upon the Cross without us for us And it is nigh in our hearts when this confession proceeds from a right perswasion ingrafted an planted in our hearts by the spirit of Faith as it s testified by Paul ver 10. For saith he with the heart man believeth unto righteousness i. e. unto the righteousness of Faith in Jesus Christ of Nazareth ver 6. And with the mouth Confession sc of the same righteousness is made unto Salvation Thus according to the command of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Iohn 5. 39. I have as ye may see searched the Scriptures of God for the Solution here asserted but where do ye Teaching Quakers search son your Gospel word of Faith surely not in thâ— Scriptures of Truth without but at your Oracle that Idol-Light tender part within which ye falsly call the Everlasting Gospel and Eternal Word which as ye affirm was never made flesh contrary to Ioh. 1. ver 14. O thou Idol light within let me tell thee though many Antichrists have done villanously yet thou in villanies surmount them all For as Jerusalem once justified Sodom so thou Light within dost justifie the vilest Antichrists that are this day in the World for where doth that Teaching Quaker dwell what is his Name who doth in his heart believe and with his mouth confess that the righteousness whereby he is accepted of God justified in his sight and saved is the righteousness alone of Iesus Christ of Nazareth which he wrought out in his own and only personal obedience and sufferings in the World sixteen hundred years ago or that doth believe and confess that God of his free Grace and Mercy giveth Faith in this righteousness of Jesus Christ which is by his Father imputed or reckoned to Believers for their justification before God or do believe and confess that in this reckoning or imputation there is a reality undoubtedly there 's nothing more inconsistent with the Faith and Confession of Teaching Quakers then these most evident Gospel Principles of infallible Truth and therefore they are as I may safely avouch the greatest Antichrists of this age on Earth and ordained to the greatest condemnation Jude ver 3 4. I do now proceed to consider his fifth Scripture alledged to prove a Quakers pretended â—aviour within him to be the true not the false Christ Text 5. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Ans 1. By the way This Text of Scripture layes the Axe to the root of your new coined Religion and wounds it to death which may be thus argued If the light which is by natural Generation in Reprobates coming into the World be not the true Christ then the light that is in every man which comes into the World by natural Generation is not the true Christ But the light which is by natural Generation in Reprobates is not the true Christ as above Ergo the light that is in
e. by being ashamed of the true Christ and turning away from him as ye are and do This Oh this is to put the blessed Son of God to an open shame and even this is to do despight to the spirit of Grace and shall they who despite the spirit of Grace ever find the benefâ— of Gospel Grace The 〈…〉 this That the Scriptures of Truth do plainly charge the generality of Quakers with the guilt of the sin against the holy Ghost because they have sinned wilâ—â—lly after a profession openly made 〈…〉 in the Lord Christ 〈◊〉 of the Virgin Mary in the City of Daâ—◠〈…〉 2. 11. to be the true Christ and their only Saviour and therefore 〈…〉 so do ye now crucifie not in but to your 〈…〉 Son of God aâ—resh and put him to an open shame Oh that 〈◊〉 I do heardly wish it would bring these repeated plain dealings effectually home to your hearts remembring from whence ye are fallen and 〈◊〉 and do the first works Rev. 2 5. 9. Lastly As it is above noted in what sense this Disputant F. E. intended the fore-asserted Notions sc that the Word took flesh and in that flesh dyed for all men I could not certainly determine nor could as I am perswaded he himself as it may appear by the Answer he then made to a Question which I put unto him â—o wit Quest Whether he F. E. did believe that Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Man approved of God among the People and whom the Jews slew and God raised from the dead and also received up into Heaven were the true Christ and his only Saviour He forthwiâ—h Answered That be did believe it Capt. Bascomb then called to him saying Thou wilt deny 〈…〉 tomorrow and withal I likewise told him that by this his open confession of the true Faith he had openly declared himself to be a Christian and no Quaker and I furthermore said to him that he had by that Gospel confession of Faith manifestly contradicted what he had contended for in his present Discourse called Disputation and that he had also thereby confirmed the first part of the charge against them namely That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him was not the true Christ but the false Christ And at the same time Nathaniel Bethel spake to him saying Francis you were not long since of another Faith or of another Opinion for you told my Wife That if she did believe in any other Christ then in that Christ which was within her she would be damneâ— But Francis Jesuite-like openly denied that he had spoken any such Words to his Wise thereupon Nathaniel Bethel replied to him in the face of the Congregation that he would depose what he had declared to be a truth Since that time I have been informed of the occasion which invited these words from the sad-Quaker it was thus discoursing of the old Brigham a man of the fifth-Monarchy perswasion who said he hoped to live to see Jesus Christ on the Earth and to shake him by the hand then F. E. said But he sc Brigham should be first sure that Jesus Christ had a hand Bethels Wife then told him that Christ had now a hand for I do said she Believe that Christ hath now the same body in Heaven which he had when he was upon the Earth at this expression of her Faith this frank-Quaker was offended and could not forbear but in plain terms told her that she was a Blasphemer or had spoken Blasphemy and withal he further said unto her as above To wit That if she believed in any other Christ then in that Christ which was within her she would be damned O most horrid Quakerisme dig'd out of the bottomless Pit from whence thou hast received thy Ordination to be a Teaching Seducing and Lying Quaker For Francis thou knowest both this Man and his Wife to be persons of good Name credit and of honest reputation in this Country and therefore worthy to be believed before thy self Oh that the Lord would give thee grace to repent of thy evident wickedness and grievous God provoking Blasphemy proceeding from the false Christ within thee which undoubtedly thou hast wretchedly aggravated by making as much as in thee lay this faithful witness an open lyar and that as most of the Christian Hearers jâ—dged contrary to the Testimony of the render part thy Light-Christ-Conseâ—â—nce within Oh that I could prevailingly advise thee to think how deservedly the dreadful words of the holy Apostle Act. 13. 45. may be charged on thee viz. They the Jews were filled with envy and spake against those things which were spoken by Paul contradicting and blaspheming For 1. The manner of thy words as above plainly declare that thou were filled with envy 2. The matter of her words was the same with the thing spoken by Paul not only in ver 37 38. but also in chap. 3. 13. 21. The God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jesus whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things so that thou wert not only filled with envy but with blasâ—hemous contradictions now Francis this being thy case truly stated hast thou not indeed cause to repent over thy false-Christ that hath as above filled thy heart with envy and thy tongue with Blaspâ—â—my against the the truth of God believed and confesseâ— by that good Woman above By the way I may not omit Capt Bascombes mâ—tion maâ—e unto me upon the confession of F. E. his Faith above c. That Jesus of Nazareth was received up into Heaven to ask him where Heaven was it seems the Captain knew that the Teaching Quakers had Jesuitical-equivocations and mental reserves accordingly I askt him where Heaven was but he made me no Answer thereupon his tender headed-iniquity-Brother William Harriot said Heaven was where it should be I demanded of him where that was he replied like himself Heaven was there where God would have it to be by these impertinent silly shifts the intelligent Hearers perceived that they were basely afraid to stand to their Quakerisme Principles it s well known that at other times they have confidently avouched as their Scripture-wresting-Guids teach that Heaven as well as Hell is within them for which that Text especially is pretended Luk. 17. 21. For behold the Kingdome of God is within you sc the Pharisees ver 20. whereas by Kingdome of God in that place our Saviour understands the Gospel of God Preached as Mark 1. 14. Jesus came into Galilee Preaching the Gospel of the Kingdome of God and in Luk. 10. 11. Be ye sure of this that the Kingdome of God is come nigh unto you likewise Mat. 21. 43. Therefore said Iesus unto the Pharisees the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof and ver 45. When the chief Priests and Pharisees had heard his Parables they perceived that he spake of them These Scriptures do plainly shew that by kingdome of God
of Christ is our only material Saviour which as I suppose he understood not and therefore he said no more howbeit I expected some reply from Mrs. Patience Bullock no small Prophetess in their Libertine Synagogue but instead of a Reply she puts forth another Question sc Quest 2. Whether we could be saved by Christ without the operation of the Spirit in us I Answered Although it were granted sc That we could not be saved without the operations of the Spirit in us yet this would be nothing to the business befoâ—e us that is it doth not prove a Quakers-pretended Saviour within him to be the true not the false Christ forasmuch as the operations of the Spirit in us are not Christ God-man therefore not our Saviour again I told her let it be granted that we cannot be saved without the effects and operations of the spirit in us yet herehence it will not fâ—llow that we are saved for or by these effects and operations of the Spirit in us so that the meâ—r tendency of her Questions weâ—e by the judicious hearers plainly discerned to lay aside the material Saviour and to insinuate a Spirit and its operations still the Idol-light within to be the true Christâ— and only Saviour thereupon I denied the Spâ—rits operations in us to be the previous procuring cause or ground of redemption justification and salvation with God and that it is one thing to affirm that we cannot be saved without the efficacies of the spirit in us as evidential and another thing to be saved for or by these operations in us as causal to which she made no return Let me here add what her last Question hath since brought to my remembrance namely somewhat touching this Question the men of Rome have commonly expressed the Apostle say they excludes from justification works which we our selves do meaning Tit. 3. 5. Not by works of righteousness that we have done Rom. 11. 6. If it be by works then were grace no more grace that is as they wrongly gloss works done by our own strengâ—h without the help of the Grace of God not those works we do by the aid of the spirit within us which is the same with that of the carnal Prophetess above only it is expressed in plainer words so that in truth her Question is but a sly design to renew again the old Papish trick to elude the genuine force of such Texts as above asserted and in good earnest a Quakers light within is but the Pope without By the way in reference to her last question let two things be seriously considered 1. That Carnal Gospellers do but deceive their own souls by resting in a bare literal or historical assent that the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth is the true Christ and our only Saviour while they are in no degree partakers of the divine nature 2 Pet. 1. 4. i. e. of the effectual graces of Christs spirit sc a living saith a lively hope love unfeigned true repentance c. but are slighters and professed rejectors of thâ—m 2. As Carnal Gospellers do thus deceive themselves so do Anti-Gospellars as Quakers no less yea much more put a â—heat upon their own Souls by their idle pretences viz. that the Graces effects and operations of the spirit within them maketh the true Christ and their only Saviour from sins Alas poor deluded ones this is to testifie that the effects of Christs death sufferings redemption and righteousness do constitute the true Christ and Mans only Saviour which effects and operations say ye being followed in all righteousness will bring you to Salvation now what is all this but in plain English to be brought to salvation by the obedience of works Oh let every good Christian tremble to think of the dreadful consequence of this your God provoking Doctrine for it is a manifest renouncing of the righteousness and obedience of the Son of God Jesus Christ of Nazareth whom God the Father hath exalted to be the only Saviour to give remission of sins and salvation to all that rightly believe on him as is aboundantly foreshewed Next to Mrs. Bullock the Champâ—â—n Francis starts up who who after the truths of God had silenced his fellow labourer in the work of the false Christ repeats some words in the New-Testament But ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified by the spirit of God Answ 1. I requested him to shew me where I might find those words he replied that the words which he had spoken were Scripture But I said thou hast dâ—â—membred that Scripture as the Text it self made it to appear which is in the 1 Cor. 6. 11. And such were some of you but ye are washed but ye are sanctified but ye are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the spirit of our God 2. Note here that the only words which concern Justification sc In the Name of the Lord Jesus were omitted the more crafâ—ily to abuse our judgements that we might believe justification in the sight of God is a work of the spirit in us and consequently that a Quakers pretended Saviour was within him I pray thee Frances how doth this accord with the confession of thy faith contained in thy Answer to my Question above surely Captain Bâ—scomb might have told thee that thou wouldest deny that thy confession of the Faith not only by but before tomorrow by this all men may see what a blind Guid he is to be at once almost on a breath guilty of such gross contradiction and yet insensible of it 3. My special Answer was that Spirit in the last clause of that verse is to be referred to sanctification as it is in all other New Testament Scriptures 2 Thess 2. 13. 1 Pet. 1. 2. c. and to be sanctified is mostly attributed to the spirits efficiency and as to the Text above it is as if the order of the words had been thus But ye are sanctified by the spirit of our God but ye are justified by the Name of the Lord Jesus I know that the Teaching Seducing Quakers do convert the transposition in the Text into a confusion by confounding justification and sanctification where is the transposition in that Text doth no more coâ—found just fication and saâ—ctification then the transposition in Mat. 7. 6 confounds Swine and Dogs Give not saith Christ that which is holy to Dogs neither cast your Pâ—arl before Swine lest they traâ—pâ—e them under their feet and turn again and rent you Though turn again and rent you be in the last clause of the â—erse yet it is to be referred â—o the Dâ—gâ— not to the Swine for as Swine do trampâ—e under heir â—eeâ— so Dogs 〈…〉 upon a man renting and tearing him down Thiâ— instance plainly sheâ—s that the 〈◊〉 posiâ—ion in 1 Cor. 6. 11. above 〈…〉 joyning of sanctâ—ficatiâ—n to he Spirit nor justification to the Name of the Lord Jesus alone it being according to the tenour of thâ— whole
New-Testament And instead of a Reply Francis tells us of his experimental interest in that Text saying that he was washed and justified in himself from his sins and at length he told us how to wit in some measure Hereupâ—n â—emanded what the sins in particular were from which he was in himself washed and justified in some measure whether it were from 〈◊〉 or Drunkâ—ness Oathes or Adultery he replied I am not to tell thee then more seriously I requested the Assembly to take notice of his want of knowledge in the Scriptures inasmuch as that he makes justification from sin not only a work withâ—n him but to be daily wrought in himself by measure or degrees which assertion of his is directly contrary to the manifold Scriptures of truth which proved the third Argument to wit that our justification from sins was at once finished and perfected without 〈◊〉 on the Cross by the offering of the one body of Jesus Christ one for all and so already doâ—e by Jesus Christ and in being in him our head nevertheless it was readily granted by me sc that all things relating to our washing and justification from sins by that one sacrifice of the body of Christ as above is to be believed in for the remission of sins and for the making of that blessed work so already finished effectual in us it is to be received and wrought not at once but by degrees and in measure by the working and operation of the Spirit of God in us until Mortality be swallowed up of life hereunto agrees the words of the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. The man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time Gave referring to the time past the work of ransome being already done and perfected To be testified i. e. by the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. and bâ— its effects in the hearts of Believeâ—s â—â—due time i. e. in Gods appointed time so then when the spirit saith as above sc That the Man Jesus Christ gaâ—e himself a ransome For all i e. for all them by whom the ranâ—â—mer is believed on and in whom â—he virtue and effâ—cts of the ransome are by the spirit influenced 〈…〉 these things are according to the Scriptures giveâ— by the conspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 6 whereas this Doctor 's new Divinity to wit That he is in himself washed and justified from his sinâ— in some measure it is most false and dangerous Doctrine for it doth clearly deny that the Mâ—ssias Jesus Christ of 〈◊〉 hath at once by his own crucified boâ—y without uâ— on the Crosse finished Tranâ—â—ressâ—â—n and 〈…〉 all which and much more is the joynt Testimony of the Prophets aâ—d Apostles concerning the Man Jesus Christ and the work 〈…〉 some effected by him for sinners while 〈…〉 to God 〈…〉 Note that this truth doth â—â—lly answereth Quakers caâ—il about this matter how is sin say they finished without a Man while no good is wrought within him and seeing as they further say Christ works all things in us by his Spirit how then can all things be finished by Christ without us before any good is wrought by him in us Answ It is most necessarily presupposed that all things were finished by the Man Jesus Christ as above explained for satisfaction to his Fathers justice for sin before we could receive that satisfaction by Faith or its effects by the spirit within us Now it s most certain that before Faith with its fruits and effects was wrought in us by the spirit we were unbelievers ungodly unjust and enemies to God in our minds by wicked works Col. 1. 21. then according to right reason if the one had not been first wrought by Jesus Christ without us it had been altogether impossible for the oâ—her to have been wrought in us or received by Faith and to witnessed unto by us consider once more if the Man Iesus Christ had not first given himself a ransome for our sins we could not have received it by Faith nor could it have been Testified or witnessed unto by us Moreover let it be well observed that all the righteousness of Sanctification that is in us from Christ is but a fruit of that righteousness of Iustification which â—esus Christ of Nazareth wrought out by his own personal obedience and sufferings upon the Crosse yea all the graces and operations of the Spirit wrought in us were thereby merited and purchased for us Therefore Francis your being in your self washed and justified from your sins in some measure is plainly to deny that one Propitiatory Sacrifice of the one crucified body of the true Man Iesus Christ which can be no other then a wretched design to blot out of our hearts the blessed Name and Remembrance of that one great propitiation once offered for sins together with the redemption righteousness and reconciliation to God as already in Christ our head and surety purchased and perfected for us until no other righteousness or redemption be known but that of obedience to the Light that unbloody Redeemer which is ye say in every man that comes into the World and thus so much obedience to the Idol-light within so much redemption washing justifying and no more Here hence Francis comes thus in some measure in thy self this is the voice of your Law-working spirit within teaching that he that doth these things shall live by them The Pope without is become a Quakers Light within I have now done with the enlargements upon his affirmation to wit That he was In some measure washed and justified in himself from his sins The next Apparition is of William Bullock again And he tells us the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from sin Answ 1. I prayed him to tell me where I might find those words as uttered by him he had been taught his Answer sc It is Scripture But I told him that he had according to a Quakers practice mâ—ngled and abused that holy Text of Scripture intended by him Namely Rom. 8. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and â—â—ath But he repeated Vs for Me and free from sin for free from the law of sin aâ—d left out the word Death 2. I desired him to frame his Argument to prove the matter controverted sc That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ But no Argument from the Text nor any thing like it was alledged by him long faâ—ting perhaps made him so empty Thereâ—ore 3. I said That it is the Law of the Spirit of life not in a Quaker but in Christ Jesus and that there is not nor ever was any other Jesus Christ a Savâ—our from sin but the Holy Child Jesus born of Mary in Bethlehem the City of David Luk. 2. 4 11. which Saviour is not to be sound in any Quaker and therefore this place of Scripture
it is I my self meaning your Lord and Master and likewise after his ascention Act. 22. 8. And I answered who art thou Lord and he said unto me I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest to these many more might be added to evidence that by Lord in the Text above 〈◊〉 man hood of Christs person is to be understood at least not to be excluded For in ver 11. Christ saith I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last here Alpha and Omega are explained by the terms Of the first and the last that is to say the Lord Christ is the first to wit subsisting in the beginning with God and equal with the Father and the last having taken the 〈◊〉 of a Servant i. e. of the meanest man and so last in reputation Phil. 2. 6 7. Third part Which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty by the distribution of the threefold time is meant as Aretas and Brightman on the 4th verse the trinity of persons which is or I am as in the first part are here of the same import and do refer to the Father Exod. 3 14. and which was to the Son Joh. 1. ver 1. And which is come to the Holy Ghost Iohn 16. 8 13. The Almighty This last word of the verse denotes the omnipotency eternal essence and Godhead of Christs person the sum of both sc 1. 11. verses above do reveal unto us only two things 1. The union of the two Natures in the person of Christ namely that he was and is true God and true man in one person 2. The Trinity of persons in the unity of Essence Now Francis doest thou think that either of these things containing the true sense of the Texts alledged by thee will prove your cause That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true Christ surely thou canst not be so bruitish as to think so but rather the contrary sc That it is the false Christ the Devil this Conclusion made Patience an impatient Bullock she being unable to forbear any longer calls to me What quoth she dost thou make our Christ within us to be the Devil To her I made Answer saying that I did solemnly and with much reverence as in the presence of God to whom I must shortly be accountable for my words declare that I do most assuredly know that a Quakers pretended Christ within him is the false Christ the Devil whom ye ignorantly believe in and worship and with whom ye will be damned in Hell if ye repent not to this most serious Declaration she made no reply at all But F. E. forthwith replied saying Thou hast no warrant from the Scripture thus to speak I told him that I had sufficient warrant from the Scriptures to make good what I had in the fear of God declared and forthwith I alledged the words of Jesus Christ of Nazareth himself Ioh. 8. 24. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins this Scripture silenced him likewise and thereupon I told him that the true Christ had stopt his mouth Let me here add some other Scriptures for some further warrant as Ioh. 3. 18. He that believeth not sc on the Son of God sent into the World ver 17. is condemned already that is he is as sure to be damned as if he was actually in Hell and in ver 36. He that believeth not on the Son sc boâ—n of Mary Luk. 1. 35 shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him likewise in Luk. 19. 14. And his Citizens hated him sc the Son of Man the Saviour ver 10 and sent a message after him saying we will not have this Man to reign over us let it be here well Noted that the true Christ calls those Citizens his Enemies and such Enemies as he would destroy ver 27. But those mine Enemies which would not that I the Son of Man ver 10. above should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me in Mark also Chap. 16. ver 16. He that believeth not sc on Jesus risen from the dead ver 9. shall be damned Now Frank didst not thou speak under the Power of Satan when thou didst so openly and confidently affirm that I had no warrant to speak as I did when I spake to thy fellow-Labourer in the work of the false Christ The next Bolt was shot by William Bullock and he tells us The Light makes manifest lifting up his voice lowder and lowder crying out tell me tell me the true and real meaning of those words the Light makes manifest I surely thought that his lowd Lowing and Bellowing was to prevent my asking of him where those words might be found in the Scriptures which I did forbear to ask because I knew his Answer sc t is Scripture Answ 1. I told him that he was at his old trade of mangling the Scriptures and then shewed him wherein namely that it was not the Light maketh manifest but whatsoever doth make manifest is Light which the â—ext made to appear in Eph. 5. 13. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light 2. By Light here we are to understand a Sin-reproving-light inasmuch as the latter part doth interpret the former part of the verse sc But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light i. e. by the Light of Scripture whence Paul argues thus for whatsoever doth make manifest in a way of Reproof is light sc Scriptural light as before for the written Scriptures are frequently described by Light Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a Light unto my path Isai 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the written Word such was the Law and Testimony is the only manifesting and so determining-light either for reprehension or satisfaction in cases of error and doubts and the reason of it is assigned by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Reproof for Instruction or manifestation and hereunto agrees the words of our Lord and Saviour Joh. 3. 26 21. For every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doeth truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest 1. By Light in these verses Christ understands the Doctrinal-light contained in the written Scripture of the New-Testament which was preached by him and his Apostles hence it is that the Lord Christ Joh. 8. 12. and his Apostâ—es Mat 5. 14 are called the â—ight of the Wonld 2. That this Light doth reprove ver 20. and manifest ver 21. well then William thy â—emâ—â—d is granted thee namely that the true and real meaning of the Text 〈◊〉 by thee is this to wit That the light of Scripture doth make reproved evils manifest or evils
darkness which is most evident from a due consideration of the foregoing truths Oh how suitable is the Prophets Vision to a Quakers condition Obad. 1. ver 1 2. Behold I have made thee small thou art greatly despised the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee c. From the whole be ye advised 1. To cease from making your Idolized Thou and Thee the spring of your scurvy and surly deportment with their mask to wit that holy men in Scriptur recorded did oft use thou and thee one to another and to God himself Now what is your design herein can it be ought else then to put a cheat on the judgements of some ignorant creatures as thus Oh surely say they the Quakers do make Conscience of the Scripture for their warrant and authority thus poor ignorant ones are deluded by your equivocations though its most certain that the Scripture no here commands a Quaker to thou or thee any man much less Christian Rulers Governours and Magistrates yet thâ—se things the unmannerly Quakers will do But the Scripture doth command all men to pray for Rulers Governours and Magistrates to submit unto them and to give the honour which is due to them as Fathers of the Country 1 Tim 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Isai 49. 23 yet these things they will not do so that in a word of truth the professâ—d perfection of a seemingly sanctified Quaker is a conscience of obeying his proud lusts and disobeying Gods inspired Laws 2. Cease from calling the reverential Presidenâ—s above the corruptions that are in the World through Lust for this is to make the fore expressed precepts of God and the Practises of his eminent Sainâ—s guilty of these corruptions but it s no new thing for a Quaker boldly to Blaspheme 3. Cease from wresting the Holy Scriptures especially that of Christ himself John 5. 44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another The other part of the verse giving light to these words is usually omitted by them sc and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Quest What is that Honour which cometh from God only Answ The 23d verse tells us All men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him meaning to fulfill all righteousness Mat. 3. 15. It s then clear that the Son of God is the honour intended above if any ask who is this Son of God the good Angel tells us Luk. 1. 35. That holy thing which shall be born of thee Mary ver 34. shall be called the Son of God so then the Man Jesus Christ is the honour that cometh from God only which honour the Jews like the Quakers received not as this Son of God told them ver 43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not sc by Faith hence Christ infers ver 44. above How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour which cometh from God only Now the Honour which the Pharisees received one of another was the Doctrine of Justification and Eternal Life by the works and righteousness of the Law fulfilled in and by the Son of God alone which righteousness of the Son is the justifying and saving honour that cometh from God only to right Believers will it hence follow because the proud Pharisees took divine honour to themselves and thereby received honour one of another therefore civil honour ought not to be given one to another let me tell you ye Quakers could not have brought a Scripture more full against your selves for under Heaven there are not a People to be found that receive more honour one of another then the men of your Sect do For ye affirm and boldly teach That he who made Heaven and Eearth Angels Principalities and Powers that hath a Name above every Name that is named King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince and only Saviour that gives repentance and remission of fins is in each of your vile bodies It s not to be wondred at that ye are so possessed with the infernal Spirit of superlative pride against Jesus of Nazareth the man approved of God and all true Believers on and lovers of him So much for some further satisfaction to William Bullock and his Light making manifest The next to him was F. E. He makes another motion on the behalf of his Cliant the false Christ and pretended Saviour within him to wit The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin The Text intended by him is in the 1 Joh. 1. 7. And the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son His Son he left out cleanseth us from all sin Answ Nor doth this Text of Scripture prove the thing for which it is brought For 1. Jesus Christ the Son of God in this 7th verse is that Word of Life which the Apostles ve 1 2. had heard and seen with their eyes and looked upon and with their hands had handled who could be no other than the Man Iesus Christ which to prove they bring in the operations of three of their five senses Now this Man Jesus Christ the Son of God as such he cannot be in a Quaker 2. By the Blood of this Son of God is meant the grievous sufferings pains and tortures which he endured on the Cross to the death and therefore called the blood of the Cross Col. 1. 20. as the Man Jesus Christ cannot be in a Quaker so consequently his bloody sufferings cannot be in a Quaker 3. That this blood of Christ cleanseth meaning all right Believers on it from all sin i. e. from all the pains and eternal sufferings due to the nature of sin for cleansing here is the same with washing in Rom. 1. 5 And from Iesus Christ the faithful Witness that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood i. e. in the sufferings of the Manhood of his pâ—rson for the former part of the verse concerns Christs Propetical Office and the latter part his Priestly Office which referred to Christs humane Nature and for that reason the cleansing or washing cannot be within but without us sc in Heaven Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Iesus So then to be cleansed from all sin by Christs blood is to be acquitted and justified in the sight of God from all the deserved miseries of sin as Rom. 5. 8 9. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him And the same Apostle tells us Col. 1. 21 22. Yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death or through the death of his body of flesh Heb. 10. 20. To present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight not in our selves for Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth
the ungodly Abraham was justified in the righteousness of Christs person when he had some ungodliness in his own person a Believer is compleat in Christ bodily Col. 2. 8 9 10. when he hath some incompleatness in his own body In a word these things do clear this Truth Namely To be cleansed from all sin by the blood of Jesus Christ is to be understood for a cleansing from all the guilt and passive fruits and effects of sin but not for a cleansing as in your sense from all the movings and actings of sin in or by us while in this World which the following verses make most plain for even they which are by the blood of Jesus Christ cleansed from all sin ver 7 8. They have sin and in ver 9. ought to confess their sin Now Francis upon the whole it doth appear that the Patterns cut out by thee do still come short of the measure which plainly argues thou art not as yet thy Crafts-master yea this was manifested by thy Answer to this Question to wit Quest Whether the Saints was cleansed from all sin by the water of regeneration or by the blood of justification Thy Answer was by the Water which gave occasion to sundry persons to laugh at him But he endeavoured to compose them saying it is no laughing matter but indeed matter of melting pity that thy seduced Synagogue of Libertines should be led by so blind a Seducer The next after F. E. was William Bullock again alledging But a Body hast thou prepared me which he repeated again and again and then most earnestly called upon me tell me what is meant by Me for whom that body was prepared and what that body prepared was the same was as eagerly required by Francis Eastlack and William Harriot The place of Scripture intended by them was Heb. 10. 5. But a Body hast thou prepared me I Answered By Thou God the Father is meant by Me the Godhead of the Son by a Body prepared the Man hood united to the God-head of the Son And hereunto agrees the â—ormer part of the 5th verse Wherefore when he Christ God-man cometh into the world he saith Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not or didst not desire and therefore were refused by God it being impossible that they should purge sin ver 4. For it is impossible that the blood of Bulls and of Goats should take away sin But a body hast thou prepared me meaning to receive and do his Fathers will in taking sin away Joh. 1. 20. Goâ— the Son having now taken and put on the body oâ— flesh prepared for â—im as above he now undertakes the great work of satisfying Goâ—s Justice for sin and so to take away sin saying ver 7. Lâ— I come to do thy Will O God And why he tells us In the volume of the Book it is written of me i. e. in the Record of thy Decree from everlasting is clear for it that I am he whom thou O Father hast instituted and ordained to do thy will for the taking away of sin For ver 10. By the which will we are sanctified or saved through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all So then the body offered in the 10th verse was the body prepared in the 5th verse But the body of Jesus Christ offered was a real man-kind body as the Spirit of Truth witnesseth Ver. 12. But this Man after he had offered one Sacrifice for sin for ever sat down on the right hand of God here hence it is manifest that the very offering of the body of Jesus Christ could not have saved us but by the will and ordination of the Father who prepared that body for Christs hanging and dying on the Crosse had not delivered us from the pains of the eternal death unless it had been written in the volume of the book It s most sure all that our Lord Christ did or suffered in his Soul and Body for us had not satisfied the justice of God for sin if God had not appointed that Christ his Son made of a Woman Gal. 4. 4. should be sent forth to come into the World to do and suffer those things for the satisfying his juctice to the taking away of sin upon the whole I did inter that the true Christ and our only Saviour must necessarily 〈◊〉 both without and above us Here I made some pause to invite a Reply but they were silent at which I much marvelled inasmuch as sundry of the â—â—â—ding Quakers had imprinted so many corrupt glosses on those words it may be 't was forgotten as the Preface notes But a body hast thou prepared me As thus The Body prepared say they was prepared in Heaven and broughâ— by Christ into the Virgins Womb which body they call a Mystical Invisible Spiritual Heavenly body of Flesh and Blood and withal that the Mystical Invisible Body still the Idol light Christ within is the â—rue and only Saviour whose Birth Death Resurrection and Glorification is only Mystical and Invisible Hence as I suppose it is that George Fox in his Folio Book intituled the Great Mystery page 71. asserts That Christs Nature is not humane which saith he is earthly the nature of the first Adam Answ I would gladly knâ—w of this Fox whether Humane doth not rather signifie a Man-kind nature consisting of Soul and Body It s true we read 1 Cor. 15. 47. compare Gen. 2. 7. the first Adam was of the earth earthly in regard of his body not his soul which God formed out of the Earth But the word humane comprehends both Soul and Body which is much more then Earthly or Earth Simply litteral-material Earth Again whereas he adds the second man is from Heaven To which I Answer The second Adam or Man is the Lord from heaven as above 1. Because Christs Man kind nature was conceived in Mary by the power of the Highest overshadowing her Luk. 1. 35. 2. The true Christ is stiled the Secona Man because the first Man was his figure Rom. 5. 14. likewise in the Geneologie Mat. 1. Christ is said also to be partaker of the same flesh blood that the children were partakers of Heb. 2. 14 but the flesh and blood which the Children were partakers of were real visible humane or man kind flesh and blood not Mystical Ivisible flesh and blood Besides this Title sc Th. Son of Man is frequently attributed to Jesus Christ in the New-Testament as in Mat. 8. 20. The Foxes have holes but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head also in Mat. 10. 23. 11. 19. 12. 8. c. The Lords Christ is called the Son of Man which is to shew the truth of his humane mankind Nature it being lineally descended from David according to the flesh and therefore Christ is stiled the Son of David Luk. 20. 41. Moreover he hath the appellation of the Son of Man in reference to his participation with our humane Nature in all
that is to say Christ in you by Faith is the hope of Glory to be revealed 1 Pet. 5. 1. though it be Christ in you the Hope yet not the Merit of Glory And therefore by Christ in you the hope of glory we are not to understand either present Glory or our glorious Saviour to be in us Hereupon F. Eastlack shoots this bolt to wit that the Deity was within him meaning that the Deity only was the true Christ and his Saviour to which I Replied that the essential general presence of the Deity was in Cats and Dogs as well as in him and therefore if the presence of the Deiâ—y only were the Saviour it might be so in these as well as in him forthwith he cryed out saying Thou hast spoken Blasphemy I told him that I had not spoken Blasphemy but good Divinity and then proved it to be so by the Testimony of the holy Apostle Act. 17 24. God that made the world and all things therein he giveth ver 15 to all life and breath and all things here hence I inferr'd That as the Deity was not included in any thing or creature so nor was it excluded To which F. E. returned saying I thought quoth he that thou hadst meant otherwise this Answer was like himself But for asmuch as some of the Quakers have as I am informed since affirmed sc that F. E. did me no wrong in charging me with Blasphemy as above I shall therefore endeavour some further satisfaction in in this matter As from the Prophet Jeremiah Chap 23. ver 23 24. Am I a God at hand saith the Lord and not a God afar off can any hide himself in secret places that I should not see him saith the Lord do not I fill Heaven and Earth saith the Lord. All these Questions are resolved into this one Position namely that the Deity is omnipresent in all things every where The Divine Being filleth all things and places for though he be not circumscribed by any thing that is made nor limited to any place yet it is not excluded from any place creature or thing This saith Mr. Carils on Ier. 23. above is a Mystery which indeed we are not able to comprehend by reason but we must take it down by Faithâ— which gives credit to the Word of God and perswades the heart that the report therein made is a Truth But if any ask how the Deity may be said to be every where and in every thing and creature that is made I Answer This Mysterious and astonishing Question with Augustine Epist 55. ad Dard. who affirms That the Deity is wholly every where and in every thing for the Godhead cannot be divided or parted That it is whole within all things and whole without all things no where included no where excluded containing all things contained of nothing yet not at all mingled with the nature of these things nor defiled with their pollutions There is a Truth in all these Assertions for the Deity is infinite and indivisible and therefore wheresoever the Deity is he is all and altogether filling all places creatures and thing in heaven hell sea and earth as Psal 139 7 8 Job 11 8 9. Isai 43. 2. And therefore their Teacher F. E. hath not only wronged me but much more the God of Truth and which was implied by himself when he said as above to wit I thought thou hadst meant otherwise But befoâ—e he making good this Assertion sc That I had not spoken Blasphemy I discoursed the words of the Psalmist Psal 139 7 8. Whether shall I go from thy presence David was so far from imagining that any such place could be found that in the very next words he concludeth God to be every where by an innumeration of all places saying If I ascend up into Heaven thou art there if I make my bâ—d in Hell thou art there if I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the outermost parts of the Sea even there shall thy hand lead me and thy right hand shall hold me that is there shall find thee efficaciously present with me Here VV. VVilkinson interrupted me saying We own Gods presence in heaven and hell now forasmuch as I well knew the Leger demains of Seducing Quakers denying any special or distinct place of heaven or hell but what was within themselves I askt him whither his God whose presence he owned in hell were saved or damn'd in hell to which he made no reply presently but being often urged at last he said I will not tell thee and afterwards he answered I leave it to thee this Answer was no other than a silly shift to hide his Equivocations least they should have been unmasked and then confuted by the Scriptures of truth this undoubtedly was the ground of his silence which is the more remarkable because this Wilkâ—nson is one of their baffling and prating Quakers But I pass this and proceed to the second Scripture repeated by him to wit 2 Cor 5. 16 Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet now henceforth know we him no more I Answered that the word Flesh is not here taken for the humane or mankind nature of Christ 1. Because ver 15. The Saints are exhorted to magnifie the body of Christs flesh sc That they which live should not live to themselves but to him that died for them and rose again Now it was the Body of Christs flesh which died and rose again from the dead and therefore the Apostle doth not â—n this Scripture deny the knowledge oâ— Christ after the flesh but he doth deny to kâ—ow i. e. in a special manner to love them who pretend to be Saints yet seek their own interest more then Christs Hence 2. Paul infers yea Though we have known Christ after the flesh i. e. after worldly greatness and honour creature Pomp and Dignity in which sense Flesh is understood in 1 Cor. 1. 26. Not many wise men after the flesh not many Noble not many Mighty sc after the flesh are called in this sense is Flesh in the alledged Text above to be understood as if the Apostle had said while we were unbelieving Pharises we expected the Mesias to come in external state earthly Glory and Majesty but being now converted to the Faith of Christ we have laid aside those fleshly thoughts and apprehensions of Christ after which we know him no more this is as I said the mind of Paul in reference to Christ after the Flesh in the Text of Scripture above it doth not therefore advantage their cause of an Idol-light within their pretended Christ and only Saviour I did expect some return from W. W. but he made none Then F. Eastlack said The Scripture saith It is Christ in you meaning therefore we are not to know Christ after the Flesh I told him that I had more then once made Replies to those words which had as I hoped given full satisfaction to the Christian Hearers but this poor
Spirit doth not bear witness with thy Spirit that thou art a Child of God Therefore the Spirit of God is not in thee He denied the Assumption which I proved The Holy Spirit witnesseth them only to be Gods Children which do believe Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ and their only Saviour Gal. 3. 26. But thou dost not believe on Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and thy only Saviour Therefore the Holy Spirit doth not bear witness with thy Spirit that thou art a child of God and consequently thou hast not the Spirit of God within thee To which he made me no Return at all so that his staring silence gave open consent to the concluded Truth above The 3d. Argument was thus formed sc He that maketh God the Father a Lyar hath not the Spirit of God in him but thou makest God the Father a Lyar This Minor he confidently denied but I proved it thus He that believeth not the Record which God gives of his Son makes him a Lyar 1 Joh. 5. 10. But thou believest not the Record that God gave of his Son Therefore thou makest God the Father a Lyar He denied the Minor Proposition For as he said he believed the Record that God gave of his Son But I proved the contrary thus The Record that God gives of his Son is this sc That Iesus Christ as Man is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World Joh. 1. 29 30. with 34. verse But thou dost not believe the Record Namely That Iesus Christ as Man is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sins of the World Therefore thou didst not believe the Record that God gave of his Son consequently thou makest God a Lyar and such Blasphemers have not the Spirit of God in them here again the Lord stopt his Mouth that he had not a word to say for himself As I was thus Arguing this Truth sc That the Spirit of God was not in this Disputant W. Wilkinson I observed and O let it never be forgotten a very old Quaker Mr Henry Smith standing upon a Form or some such thing and looked earnestly and sadly upon me my very heart being moved towards this poor Seduced Oldâ—Man I forthwith called to him saying my Soul is grieved for thee Oh do but consider what will shortly become of thy unbelieving Soul which hath professedly forsaken the true Christ and only Saviour from sâ—n and the wrath to come Act. 2. 22. chap. 5. 31. 1 Thess 1. 10. Even Iesus of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People and by him exaltâ—â— to be a Prince and Saviour to give Repentance and remission of sins O wiâ—h what horror and astonishment wilt thou erâ— long look the Lamb of God in the face when he shall charge thee with an open denying yea with renouncing of him before mâ—n and with perhaps a causing many others likewise to do the same its high time for to bethink thy self what Answer thou wilt give to the Lord Christ for this thy dreadful and accursed Apostasie when God shall take away thy Soul Oh that thou wouldest seriously think on blessed St pher a Man full of the Holy Ghost when he saw the heavens above opened and Jesus the Son of Man standing there he called on him and said Lord Jesus receive my Spirit Act. 7. 55 56 59. But alas poor â—ld Man on whom wilt thou call to receive thy almost despairing Spirit thou art not of blessed Stephens Faith who lived and died in the faith of Jesus of Nazareth the true Christ and his only Saviour O thou poor sinner that art deluded into another Faith how dost thou think to escape the damnation of hell As I were thus speaking to him the Lord undoubtedly took hold on his heart for though he were a Man of parts yet he made no reply of anything which in real tenderness to his Soul I had spoken above but immediately he stept down in a trembling posture with tears in his eyes went out of the Church the next morning be came to my house pretending a troubled Spirit and after some conference with him he went â—civily away and as I hoped somewhat satisfied But this visible and invisible hand shaking of God was soon after forgot by him and he according to the divine method of just and secret Judgements more settled in his long Runs of whoring from God which hath caused me to â—end a few lines more after Quakers 1. That ye would be perswaded wisely to consider that Text of Scripture in Rev. 6. 15 c. which concerns all sorts of Unbelievers ver 16 17. Calling to the Mountains and Rocks fall on us and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the Throne and from the wrath of the Lamb for â—he great day of his wrath is come and who shall be able to stand O thou deluded one will it not amaze thee when thou shalt look up and see and say Lo yonder is Jesus of Nazareth the Man approved of God that I would not have to rule over me yonder he is indeed Oh yonder he comes he comes Alas alas what shall I do that am in my sins of impenitency and unbelief and have no share in him Look Oh look what a glorious train doth attend him wo is me Oh we is me this Lamb of God whom poor deluded I called an out side Christ no Saviour Behold he comes lika a Lion tearing in pieces and none to deliver will not this be a dreadful most dreadful day to thee indeed dying in thy Apostasie I do therefore intreat you to ponder seriously on this weighty matter concerning Jesus Christ of Nazareth the Son of Mary that he is now in a present glorified and bodily existence in the third Heaven above and that he now hath though denied by Socinians and Quakers in the Heavens above true flesh and blood the nature and properties of a true mankind body which Mr. Doolittle plainly proves by propounding in the Young-man's Instructor four Questions 1. Quest Had not Christ a real humane mankind body when he arose out of the Grave forasmuch as he shewed the prints of the nailes in his hands and feet to Thomas Joh. 20. 27. surely this cannot be denied with any colour of reason 2. Quest Did he not ascend with the same body or had he not the same body when he was parted from his Disciples forasmuch as they saw the same body go up that talked with them Act. 1. 9 10 11. No man can deny this with whom the Scriptures of truth have either Authority or Credit 3. Quest Can you say that Christ put off his body after he was taken out of sight before he came into heaven or if you should say it doth any Scripture favour you herein neither Socinian Quaker or any other to this day ever produced nor can any such Scripture For Stephen saw Christs humane body since in Heaven above Act. 7. 55. 56.
were perfect from all sin in this life would be a miserable perverâ—ing of the places of Scripture they being only perfect comparatively i. e. in comparison of all other men which lived in their Ages and Generations And as for the 22d verse In all this Iob sinned not Reply These words are not to be taken in a Quakers sense as if Iob had been at any time without sin in this world for in the 11th verse he Iob will curse thee to thy face Satan was confident that Iob would Blaspheme by cursing God to his face this Satan did promise to himself and did undertake with God which plainly interprets the words sc In all this Iob sinned not that is such a sin in thought or word as to Curse God he was not transported by passion or impatiency to Reproach or Curse the Living God but gave him Glory saying ver 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord As to the phrase perfect above Obj. If any of you say as some Teaching Quakers have said sc That it was in the time of Iobs affliction when he said If I say that I am perfect it will prove me perverse but after his deliverance he was perfect without sin Ans This is wholly false for the character given of Iob viz. a perfect man was before his affliction for Gods commending of him as perfect and upright was the occasion of the Devils desiring leave of God to afflict him and of Gods grant ver 12. that his Word might be found true upon the whole observe in Iob Chap. 25. ver 4. How then can Man be justified with God or can he be clean that is born of a Woman This Question carrieth a strong denial viz. it cannot possibly be or it is impossible to be as if Iob had said do but acknowâ—edge that any one is born ordinarily of a Woman and we may conclude him to be sinful and unclean with or in the sight of God Second Scripture Psal 37. ver 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright Rep. Vpright in the latter clause doth interpret perfect in the former so then the perfect man is the upright or sincere hearted man we read in Iacobs character Gen. 25. 27. and Iacob was a plain man this phrase plain man here is the same wite perfect man in the Text above a plain man and a perfect man in a Scriptural account are convertible terms 1 Chron 29. 9 27. and do signifie a man that hath not a heart and a â—cart or a double minded man Jam. 1. 8. not a compound man speaking one thing and meaning another It is also the same word that is given to Noah Gen. 6. 9. He was perfect in his Generation or he was sound upright plain hearted with God And it is that God spake to Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect or sound upright plain in thy walking before me now though Job Noah Jacob Abraham are said to be perfect yet it is not to be found in the Scriptures that God ever said of all or any one of them or of any other meer Saint they were perfect without sin in this world but the contrary is as may afterwards appear often found in Holy Writ forasmuch as it is sincerity or the Law written in the heart Psal 40. 8. which is the only Gospel Perfection Third Scripture Psal 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue compare with Jam. 3. 2. If any man effend not in word the same is a perfect man Reply Though David heedfully endeavoured circumspection not to offend with his tongue yet he sinned with it Psal 116. 11 I said in my haste all men are Lyars yea frequently did he offend with his tongue in and about the matter of Vriah the Hittite 2. Might it be supposed that David sinned not with his tongue yet he might sin in thought although it be most true which the Apostle James speaks above sc If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Reply 1. These words Jam. 3. 2. in their litteral sense denote a supposition If any man offend not in word that is as Dr. Manton in loc saith If there be such a man who never spake a word untruly nor unseasonably nor uncharitably a man whose words were alwayes without vanity and folly without obsenity rash Oathes and Passion speaking only known truths if these be such a man who at all times avoids the evils of the tongue I will as if the Apostle should say make bold to call him a perfect man such another as is not to be found among Mortals And thus Moses by way of supposition said unto the Children of Israel Lev. 18 5. Which If a man do he shall live in them here Moses proposeth an unlikely yea an impossible practice under the word If which if a man 〈◊〉 But where is the Man that can do the law of God as exactly as he commands it to be done implying there 's not such a man to be found in the World so here If a Man offend not in word the same is a perfect man but such a non offender is not to be found and consequently not a Man of a perfect tongue 2. Some take the word Perfect for Upright Sincere that is to say if a man offend not in word he is perfect or upright sincere without guile those that are so are expressed by the Term perfect as in Psal 37. â—7 afore noted so in 1 Chron. 29. 9. With a perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord compare ver 17. In the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered Again we read in 1 Chron. 12. 38. All these sc an hundred and twenty thousand ver 37. men of War came with a pâ—rfect heart to Hebron surely he must have a Legion within him that would interpret perfect here referring to the hundred and twenty thousand men of War above for a perfect freedome from sin 4th Scripture Psal 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way ver 3. they do no Iniquity Reply The sixth verse following explains the two foregoing verses sc 1 3. above Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments hence ver 5. The Prophet Wishes O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes furthermore he strongly affirms Psal 39. 5. Verely verely Man at his best estate is altogether vanity Therefore he cries out Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Now if to be undefiled and to do no iniquity be to be understood in a Quakers sense that is to say strictly for an absolute freedome from all sin in heart and life then David had excluded himself out of a blessed estate 5th Scripture Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect
Walking sc Zecharias and Elizabeth ' his Wife ver 5. in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless here the Quakers think they are perfect Saints Reply The word Blameless doth not as the Quakers would have it signifie Sinless before the Lord but Rebukeless before men in this World no man can be so blameless as to be sinless in the sight of God 't is true we read Numb 23. 21. He hath not seen iniquity in Jacob that is not with an eye of revenge but pity God saw iniquity in Jacob his people but not so as to destroy them which was the unwearied design desire of Balack the Princes of Moab ver 17. in which sense the not seeing of iniquity in Jacob is only meant Indeed at the glorious second coming of the Lords Christ then the persons of the just shall be sinlesly blameless before the Lord as in 1 Cor. 1. â— That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ in that day of Christs coming in glory the Saints shall be found of God in peace without spot and blameless 1 Pet. 3 4 14. but not thus in this life nevertheless I willingly grant that Believers may walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless that is to say rebukeless in regard of Men this is verified by the Apostle Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as lights in the World in which sense alone Zecharias and his Wiâ—e Elizabeth were blameless for Zecharias was so far from being perfect without sin that he was found at the very time that the words above were uttered of him guilty of the great sin of Vnbelief and for it was punished with dumbness Luk. 1. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou dost not believe my words Obj. Here the Quaker will be apt to say But there is no sin charged upon Elizabeth so that she might be perfect without sin Ans 1. The phrase Blameless on which the Quaker puts his whole stress may refer to an Unbeliever yea to a persecutor of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Phil. 3. 6. Touching the righteousness which is in the Law Blameless even then when Paul was graceless he was blameless this I have only noted by way that Teaching Quakers may plainly see that the word Blameless simply in its own nature will be so far from proving perfection of Grace that it will not prove any truth of Grace 2. It will not therefore follow that Elizabeth was perfect without sin because there is no mention made of her sin let it be well observed that in the 6th verse above They are both said to be righteous and blameless even then when the best of them both was guilty of actual sin now if the expressions of Righteous and Blameless were applicable to Zecharias when he was under sin then the same expressions sc of Righteous and Blameless will not argue her to be more free from sin then her Husband there being the same reason for the one as for the other to deny this were to destroy the rules of right reasoning besides death took hold of her as well as of him which is the wages of sin Rom. 6. 23. 3. If the Term Blameless should prove Zecharias and Elizabeth in their life time sinless or perfect without sin it would prove the Scriptures of God sinful which to assert were Blasphemy for the Holy Scriptures do utterly deny such a blamelesness or freedome from sin in Mortals As in Eccless 7. 20. For there is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not that is that sinneth not in doing good the Spirit doth say simply that there is not a just man that sinneth not but a just man that doth good and sinneth not intimating that in our most religious Actions there is some mixture of sin hence the Prophet Isai 64. 6. That all our Righteousness is as filthy rags Noting to us that no righteous work of ours is so pure but there is some taint and filth of sin cleaving to it which without a Mediator in the rigor of the Law would be damnable so then though the action as to the matter be not sinful yet there is some sin in the Action this difference is exprest Exod. 28. 38 where the High-Priest is said to bear the iniquity of the holy things holy things in the matter of them yet iniquity in the manner of performing them Rom. 7. 18. How to perform that which is good I find not here hence it is that we read 1 King 8 46. If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not and again 2 Chron. 6. 36. For there is no man that sinneth not whence the Apostle James Chap. 3. 2. For in many things we offend all he saith We including himself though an eminent Saint and an Apostle of great holiness All of us offend in many things and many of us in all things likewise our blessed Lord and only Saviour teacheth the choicest of Gods Children to pray unto their Father in Heaven for dayly and continual pardon of sin Mat. 6 12. There is in all true Believers a cursed root of bitterness which God doth mortifie but not nullifie in this World 't is subdued but not removed 't is cast down but not cast out though Grace makes the combat yet death only makes the conquest over sin I proceed to the Quakers Second Principle To wit That the written Scriptures are not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Reply 1. VVhereas they say The written Scriptures are not the Word of God if thereby they mean the Scriptures as expressed by humane tongues or as written or printed with ink and paper by the art of the VVriter or Printer if so considered we do not affirm the Scriptures to be the VVord of God But as the Written Scriptures do declare the mind of God to us so the matter therein contained is the declarative VVord of God as in Heb. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son Qu. What hath the Son of God spoken touching the Scriptures Ans He tells us that the Scripture is the VVord of God Mark 7. 13. Making the Word of God of none effect Here the Son of God calls the fifth Commandment in the written Scriptures the VVord of God and in Iohn 2. 22. They believed the Scripture the word which Jesus had said Also Ioh. 10. 34 35. And Jesus answered them It is written in your Law I said ye are Gods if he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Note in these Texts
our Lord and only Saviour Jesus Christ the Son of God affirms that the VVord of God is the Scripture and that the Scripture is the VVord of God as being convertible terms that is what is truely and properly spoken of the one is also spoken of the other for so it is with all propositions convertible Moreover 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that is in the Righteousness both of Faith and Life And therefore as the Scripture is the VVord of God so likewise it is the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life It being evidently so I need not stay to shew you the excellency of any part of the Scripture having pointed you at such an original of the whole which adviseth you seriously to consider what the Lord speaks to all such as they are we read Numb 15. 30. The Soul that doth ought presumptuously whether he be born in the Land or a stranger the same reproacheth the Lord O how highly do you Teaching Quakers reproach the Lord when you deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God that Soul shall be cut off from the peeple but mark the ground and reason of it Because he hath despised the Word of God ver 31. and hath broken his Commandments Note here that the Lord concludes his word and written Commandments to be one and the same thing and thereupon the Lord passeth this heavy Sentence That Soul shall be utterly cut off his iniquity shall be upon him i. e. It shall never be forgiven him except God in mercy grant repentance for and from these dead works O ye Quakers are you not herein worse then the Egyptian Heathens for they believed the Word spoken to them by Moses to be the Word of God Exod. 9. 20. He that feared the Word of the Lord amongst the Servants of Pharaoh made his Servants and his Cattle to flie into the Houses howbeit they will think themselves either wronged or feared if their Arguments be not considered 1. Argument That which is the Word of God dwells within Col. 3. 16. Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdome whereas that which you meaning Christians call the word is the Scripture without Reply 1. Is there any word asserted to be the word of Christ but the written word of Truth whereof Christ is both the Author and Subject if there be when it shall be shewen it will be considered 2 The very phrase Let the Word of Christ dwell in you denotes that the Apostles words are an Exhortation to get the Matter contained in the very Letter of the word of Christ that it might dwell richly in them getting heart acquaintance with the matter contained in the letter of the word of Christ and that richly sc still increasing therein that they might thereby be the better enabled in the use of the duties of Teaching Admonishing and Singing of Psalms in heart and voice as it s expressed and implied in the same 16th verse 3. Those duties and services of Teaching Admonishing and Singing of Psalms which are Spiritual Hymns or Songs were to be done to the Lord as in the same 16th verse that is to the glory of the Lord Now there are no Duties and holy Services done thus to the Lord which are not done in obedience to his Will but the Lord hath no other will as a Rule of obedience then his Will revealed in the written Scriptures There is nothing that doth please God in any act of Worship unless he sees himself obeyed hence I may safely infer that the Quakers Worship cannot be accepted of God because it is not only without but against the revealed Will and Rule of Obedience This cannot with any Truth be gainsayed or denied 1. Arg. The Written Scripture cannot be the Word of God because it consists of Words Reply 1. This Argument proves fully that the Quakers are under the power of Satan Act. 26. 11. grosly blind in and ignorant of the inspired word of Christ for in Scripture Language Word and Words are of the same signification as for instance Jer. 15. 16. thy Words were sound and thy Word was unto me Jer. 36. 1 2. This Word came write the Words Amos 8. 11 12. hearing the Words seek the Word Numb 15. 30. the Spirit calls the Commandments of God consisting of many Words the Word of God and the many Words which God Commanded Moses to speak to the Egyptians Exod. 9. 20. is there called the Word of the Lord Likewise our Saviour Ioh. 2. 22. calls the Scripture coâ—taining many Words and so also in Ioh. 10. 35. to these places of Scripture many more might were there any need be added shewing that Word in the singular and Words in the plural are synonimous and of the same import in the Holy Scriptures and therefore the cavil is idle and vain I pass to the second part of this Principle viz. That the written Scriptures are not the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life 2. Reply This plainly argues an Evil and Vnbelieving heart in the revealed Truths of God and distructive as much as in them lies to the great end of Divine Inspirations For God purposely inspired holy men not so much for their own sakes as for this end that what they writ and spake from Gods inspiration in the Scripture might be the standing and infallible Rule for Faith and holiness of Life in all succeeding Ages and Generations and for this cause hath Paul recorded Rom. 15. 4. For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Note That we the Apostle Paul includes himself for one that did learn of the Scriptures written afore-time as the only infallible Rule And thus was it also taken by our Lord Jesus Christ Luk. 16. 29 31. Chap. 24. 44 to 47. more especially in the hour of his Temptations he kept his mind close to the written Word of God the Scriptures penned by Moses Danâ—st 16. to repel the Devil saying It is written Mat. 4. ver 4 ver 7 ver 10. with this sword of the Spirit three times as you see the Lord Jesus Christ wounds the Devil now doth the Lords Christ thus honour the written Scriptures who are ye then that dishonour the same Notwithstanding we will hear what they have by way of Argument to say for themselves concerning this matter Their 1. Argument The Scripture it self sends us to the Spirit for our Rule Gal. 5. 16. Therefore the written Scripture is not our rule of Faith and Life Reply The Apostle in this Text exhorts the Galatians to walk in the Spirit sc of Faith I have not as if Paul should have said forget my former discourse concerning Faith ver 5. nor do I declare it in perswading you to mutual love ver 14. and that he might be understood aright he
adds Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh for the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5. 13. Purifying the heart Act. 15. 9. doth by that means not only resist occasional prejudices or Lustful desires of revenge but begets also a composure of offences and a healing of injuries which are apt to arise from one Saint towards another hence the Apostle infers walk in the Spirit that is saith Calvin in loc be ye exercised therein wrestle in Spirit against all prejudicial returns of the flesh following the motions sayings and actings of the Rule of the Spirit which is the inspired word for 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and in so doing saith Calvin ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh i. e. of corrupt sinful nature as in the 16th ver above asserted surely then the Spirit of God doth not send us from the written rule to a Quakers Spirit their Idol Light within as the only infallible rule of Faith and Life 2. Arg. The Spirit was before the written Scriptures and therefore the Spirit in us ought to be our Rule for Faith and Life Reply We know that Seducing Quakers teach because the Spirit is anticedent to the Scriptures therefore none can walk in the Scriptures till they walk in the Spirit the Consequence is as lame as a Teaching Quaker is blind however it is granted that the Spirit is anticedent to the Scripture in respect of time or as to the revelation of the Scripture howbeit the Scriptures are before the Spirit in respect of aid assistance thus the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 12. But unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which Text of Scripture clearly shews that the Holy Spirit in respect of special help and assistance is subsequent to the Scriptural Gospel Preached this receives further confirmation from the Prophet Isai 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony the written word if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or beam of the Spirit in them fairly intimating that the Spirits walk in a way of aid is in the paths of the Scriptures and consequently no Christians can walk in the Spirit unless he first walk in and by the Scriptures Again Joh. 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said but this spake he of the Spirit ver â—9 sc of the power and help of the Spirit as subsequent to the Scriptures and in Luk. 5. 17. And as he Christ was Teaching the Power sc the Spirit of the Lord was present to heal them likewise Joh. 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come he will guid you into all truth that is into all Scripture Truth so then though the Spirit be anticedent to Scriptures in regard of Revelation yet in respect of aid help and assistance which is the matter in hand the Spirit is subsequent to the Scriptures and in this sense the Holy Scriptures are the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 3d. Argument That there was a Rule of Faith and Life long before the Scriptures were written Therefore the written Scripture is not the Rule of Faith and Life Reply This Consequence also is weak and infirm it doth not therefore follow that the wrâ—tten Scripture is not our Rule because there was a Rule before the Scripture was written For this is that which we affirm sc That the matter contained in the Holy Scriptures is the only infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life which matter now contained in the written Scripture is the same with that which was before the Scriptures were written for when God revealed himself by visions Dreams c. It was still the sâ—me Gospel matter even the same that is expressed in the written word of the New-Testament There hath not been since the Gospel was Preached to Adam Gen. 3. 15. any increase of Gospel truths in respect of essentials but only in respect of explications though the manner of conveyance is different then and now yet the matter or Gospel Doctrines conveyed is still the same T is true from Adam to Moses more then 2000. years the People of God had no word written yet they had a word given from God to be their Rule else their Worship would have been like a Quakers Will worship A contrived or devised Worship to pacific or please God he could never bear with had not the Law of Sacrificing and the like been by Gods institution and appointment the Lord would have rejected it now though Sacrifices which typed out Christ were offered before the Law of Sacrificing was written yet not before the Law of Sacrificing was given for it was given from the beginning as all other parts of worship were being carried from one to another by tradition from the Fathers to the Children as in the holy stories of the Patriarchs it doth appear as it were from hand to hand till at last the Laâ— was written and the Scriptures penned by Moses well then though the Rule they had before was not an institution written yet it was an institution sent forth given by God himself which Rule of Faith and Life then given was I say again as to the matter therein contained the same with the instituted Rule written now then all that ye Teaching Quakers have said is no more but this sc That you deny this way of written Scripture to have alwayes been the only way of Gospel-conveyance and from thence ye pretend to advance and extoll your unwritten Scripâ—ure that Idol light within that thereby ye may the more craftily throw down the Scriptures inspired of God surely this Plot cannot be from the spirit of the true Christ but from your own as the Lord knows blind rotten and wicked spirit which tells you that you are no further bound to obey the written Scriptures then your Light that false Christ within shall make you willing to obey Arg. 4. That the Spirit is not to be tried by the Scriptures but the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit therefore the spirit not the Scriptures is our standing Rule for Faith and Life Reply The Father of lies cannot make a greater lie then that which is contained in this Argument for it plainly makes the inspiring Spirit and the inspired Scripture to be of different natures which is contrary to the many Scriptures of truth afore asserted there 's not any Quaker that hath to this day produced one Text of Scripture to make good this Argument where is that place of Scripture to be found which saith the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit doth not the spirit it self require us 1 John 4. 1. not to believe every spirit but to try not the Scriptures but the spirits i. e. spiritual
gifts whether they are of God And how did the noble Elders at Berea try the Spirit by which Paul Preached The 11th verse tells us It was by their searching of the Scriptures daily whether these things were so it being an Article of Faith with them that the written Scriptures were the Churches standing Rule for Faith and Life and therefore ver 12. Many of them believed sc That Jesus of Nazareth was the true Christ and their only Saviour surely the Elders above trying the spirit by the search of the Scriptures doth sufficiently prove that the spirits are to be tried by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the spirit the end of Gods inspiring the Scripture was that it might thereby be enabled to try the spirit the spirit is so far from questioning or trying the Scripture that it ever witnesseth for or against as the Scripture witnesseth being indited by the Holy Ghost 2 Pet. 1 21. for that end should the spirit of truth witness otherwise then according to the inspired Scripture that is to say if the spirit should witness one thing to be a truth in the Scripture and another thing contrary to it in a mans Conscience the spirit should be divided against it self it should be spirit of contradiction for instance the spirit witnesseth in the Scripture That the true Christ and our only Saviour was and is Jesus Christ of Nazareth a man approved of God who was taken by the Jews slain and hanged upon a Tree whom God raised from the dead the third day and exalted to be a Prince and Saviour Thus the spirit witnesseth in the Scriptures Act. 2. 22 23. Chap. 5. 30 31 34. But a Quaker pretends that the spirit witnesseth in his Conscience that there is a light within him which is the true Christ and only Saviour which is not the Man Jesus of Nazareth which the Jews never slew nor hanged upon a tree nor was ever raised by God from a bodily death Again The spirit witnesseth in the Scripture That he is a Righteous man who walketh in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord Luk. 1. 16. But a Quaker pretends that the spirit witnesseth in his Conscience that he is a righteous man who forsakes all the commanded Ordinances of the Lord. Now should we Christians be so weak and wicked as to believe a Quakers pretended spirit in him to be the spirit of God and not of the Devil should we not then be guilty of this dreadful Blasphemy namely of makiâ—g the spirit of God a spirit divided against it self a spirit of contradiction teaching lies in the Scripture by witnessing therein the things abâ—ve touching Jesus Christ and his Ordinances to be the truths and other things contrary to them for truths in a Quakers Conscience or as he calls it in his tender part this were to take strong damnable delusions for sacred and scriptural inspirations that inspiration which is either without the wriâ—ten word or against it is an hellish imposture indeed it s no marvel that the Teaching Quakers would have their spirit within that Idolized light to try the Scriptures not to be tried by them for if they mighâ— herein prevail and withal get into the sadâ—le they would undoubtedly soon Arraign Try and Condemn the inspired Bible of God to Fire and Faggot this conclusion may without breach of charity be grounded upon the scurrilous pens of some sâ—ducing Teaching Quakers whom Inâ—ight herein with their bold expressions have declared havâ—ng them by me but I feared the swelling of these confutations and the discouragement that might thereby be given to the Reader By the way I lay down this Caution to wiâ— though the holy and blessed spirit of God be above all tryal yet the â—are spirits even the spirits i. e. the spiritual gifts of all mâ—n which must be submitted to tryal whether they are of God i. e. of the Book of God 2 Cor. 34. 14. wherein there is not any speech or passage but the infinite wisdome of God hath thought fit to be recorded as that which hath in it somewhat for our instruction even the Blasphemy of the Fool which contradicts not only the truth but the very being of God which teacheth us this divine truth That there are seven that is all manner of Abominations in the heart of Man yea we may draw useful instructions from the words of Judas the Traitor after Satan had entred into him and filled his heart not only so but from the words of Satan in his temptations and proposals unto Christ much more may we from the sayings of Holy men which are all material truths from the inspiration of God and therefore fit to try the Spirits or gifts of all men as above which must be submitted to the tryal of the Scripture touch stone In the last place perhaps some Teaching Quakers may say sc We own the written Scripture as a witness-bearer or declarer of that light which is in Man Reply We deny the written Scripture to be a witness bearer to your Light within for if the Scriptures of God should bear witness to that gross piece of foolery call'd Light within it should witness it self to be no word of God For 1. Your Idol Light within saith that the Soul of a Man is part of God and no created substance This will be debated in the next Head 2. That the Light that is in every man by natural generation is the true Christ and only Saviour 3. That the Sacred Oracles of God the Scriptures of truth are not the standing Rule for Faith and Life but your unwritten Scriptures that whimsical Light within you 4. That this Light within will bring men to an absolute perfection a freedome from all sin in this life and to Heaven also 5. That the Lord Jesus Christ though God-man blessed for ever is not the Son of God the Saviour of the World 6. That the person of Christ is not in Heaven above that it is Blasphemy to affirm that he is there 7. That the Light within Man is the true Scripture and Word of God even the everlasting Word and therefore long before the written Scriptures To this last I will make some Reply Reply Let this be granted sc That the Light in Man was long before the written Scriptures yet the written Scriptures do declare a truth to us more ancient then the oldest Quaker or his Idol light within him namely what the Elâ—hims spake each to other saying Let us make Man in our own Image Gen 1. 26. And having made man it tells us what God said sc Be fruitful and multiply ver 28. And behold I have given you of every Tree bearing fruit ver 29. And God commanded the man saying of every Tree of the Garden c. Gen. 2. 16. Moreover the Scriptures tells us of divers things long before themselves were written to wit that after the Fall the Word of God was manifested to Adam and his wise and likewise that God
eminent Reasons 1. That they might thereby be kept to the unity of the Godhead for although Jehovah is Father Son and Holy Ghost yet he is not three Gods but one therefore holy men holding their minds to the unity of the essence Thou and Thee were and are most proper and necessary to preserve their minds from a plurality of Gods But this ground cannot be pleaded by a Quaker who denieth a Trinity in Unity and so he denies the only true God 2. Reas Holy men used these words thou and thee to God and one to another as occasionally they were by Holy Spirit drawn out to either of these words sc thou or thee for all Scripture is given by inspiration of God â— Tim. 3. 16. and in 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost so then its plain that Holy men in Scripture spake these words thou and thee to God and one to another but it was then when they were moved thereunto by the Holy Ghost but I pray do ye Quakers never use those words thou and thee but then when ye are occasionally drawn out or moved by the Holy Ghost to either if any of you should be so notoriouslyvile as to father the use of those words thou and thee upon the Spirit would not the Holy Ghost tell thee that thou art of thy Father the Devil who is a lyar from the beginning Again Although holy men frequently used those words as above yet they never thereby took occasion to deny but ever used reverential respects to all sorts of persons according to their rank and quality as for instance Abraham Gen. 18. 1 2 3. as he sat in the Tent-door he lift up his eyes and looked and lo three men Angels unawares stood by him and when he saw them he ran to meet them from the Tent-door and bowed himself to the ground and said my Lord And David 1 Sam. 20. 41. rose out of his place and fell on his face to the ground and bowed himself three times to Jonathan Again in the 1 Sam. 25. 23 25. Abigail saw David and fell before him on her face and bowed her self to the ground and called him Lord Likewise Ruth Chap. 2. 10. She fell on her face and bowed her self to the ground to Boaz And in ver 4. Boaz courteously said to the Reapers the Lord be with you and they in reverential respects to him Answered the Lord bless thee Furthermore we read of reverential respects between Abraham and his Idolatrous Neighbours Gen. 23. 7. Abraham stood up and bowed himself to the People of the Lana even to the children of Heth and ver 8. he communed with them saying if it be your mind And ver 5. the children of Heth answered Abraham saying hear us my Lord thou art a Prince of God amongst us And Solomon also 1 King 2. 10. arose from his Throne and bowed himself to his Mother and Joseph Gen. 28. 12. bowed himself to his Father Jacob with his face towards the ground And in the 2 Pet. 3. 6. Sarah obeyed Abraham and called him Lord unto these Presidents many more might be alledged Thus we see though these holy persons often used thou and thee yet they ever used reverential respects to all sorts of men and that according to Gods express command as Lev 9. 32. Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head and honour the face of the old man and fear thy God I am the Lord. Thus Moses by Gods own inspiration but this ye Quakers do not therefore the Light of this Scripture reproves you as no Fearers of God And Exod. 20. 12. Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is also recited by the Apostle Eph. 6. 2. Honour thy Father and thy Mother which is the first Commandment with promise Note this Commandment comprehends not only Natural Parents Heb. 12. 9. the Fathers of our flesh but the Fathers of our Country as civil Magistrates and Rulers Isai 49. 23. yea likewise Spiritual Fathers as Gospel Ministers are phrased by Paul 1 Cor. 4. 15. we read that in our Saviours time there were some proud Professors who inclined much towards this Principle and practice of a Quaker but not in so bad a sense Mark 7. 10. ye saith Christ suffer him no more to do ought for his Father and Mother making the Word of God the commandment above of none effect and indeed as much more do the Quakers Paul also by the same inspiration of God Rom. 13. 7. Render therefore to all meaning higher Powers and Rulers ver 1 2. their dues honour to whom honour and the Apostle 1 Pet. 2. 17. Honour all men especially in places of honour fear God honour the King as Supream and Governour sent by him Moreover 1 Tim. 5 3. Honour Widows that are Widows indeed and in ver 17. Let the Elders that Rule well be counted worthy of double honour especially they that labour in the Word and Doctrine These Precepts are given by the inspiration of God and consequently are obligatory on Conscience to be performed in that useful commendable and necessary duty of reverential respects afore declared and which hath been in conscience of Gods strict and indispensible command obeyed by the holy Presidents above Secondly As the light of Scripture hath manifested this your second evil also even so likewise the Light of Scripture doth reprove it 1. It reproves you as such who want the fear of God as above Lev. 19. 32. and as such who harden their hearts against not only the many Precepts above to bind the Conscience but the many Presidents to evidence the practice Now as both are manifest reprovers of you so I wish they might make you not only ashamed of your sneaking surley dumb and scurvy carriage towards Christians but also convince you that this kind of Behaviour is not in the written Scripture without but from the pretended unwritten Scripture that Idol-light within proudly contemning the sacred Oracles of God above asserted And which is thus further argued what can the Saints in all places and Countries be more sensible of then that the generality of Quakers do purposely use those words thou and thee to deny all reverential respects to any sort of men of what rank and quality soever that by that means they may intrude themselves to be equal with any of what rank or sort soever nay thereby to advance themselves above all men under the notion of a seeming perfection which is a manifest product of their God and Man provoking pride according to that of the Psalmist Psal 123. 4. Our soul is exceedingly filled with the scorning and contempt of the proud and how is the Prophesie fulfilled in you Isai 3. 5. The child shall behave himself proudly against the antient and the base against the Honourable and observe ye well the words of the Lord Christ Mark 7. 22. Deceit Blasphemy Pride Foolishness of these four links hath Satan made your Chain of