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
in the same Book Page 25. What nature sayes he must these Sacrifices be of which cleanse heavenly things sc Souls whither of necessity they must be heavenly if so then whither it was the flesh and blood of the vail or the flesh and blood within the vail whither it was the flesh and blood of the outward earthly nature or the flesh and blood of the inward spiritual nature whither it was the flesh and blood which Christ took of the first Adams nature or that of the second Adams nature Ans In the three-fold Querie above two things are asserted neither of them are mentioned in the Scripture of truth 1. That the Lord Christ had a two fold Body of flesh and blood the one internal and invisible the other external and visible and thenâ—e concludes that it is not the external visible earthly body but the internal invisible heavenly body which cleanseth Souls which he names heavenly things 2. That there is an inward spiritual nature still the Idol light within which hath mystical flesh and blood besides the outward earthly nature the one he calls the flesh and blood of the vail the other the flesh and blood within the vail All which he seems to ground upon the Apostles words Heb. 10. 19 20. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Iesus by a new and living way which he hath consecrated for us through the vail that is to say his flesh Note here The Apostle doth not make any mention of two distinct natures nor of two sorts of flesh and blood sc visible and invisible â—or in the least of two distinct vails Now that his jugling cheat may be discovered let the Apostles miâ—d be duely considered whose meaning is to wit That Believers may draw near to God through the vail of Christs personal flesh and blood for we Christians believe according to the Scriptures of God that as the High Priest entred into the holy place with the blood of the Sacrifice so the true Christ by his own blood entred in once into the holy place into heaven it self now to appear in the presence of God for us Heb. 9. 12. 24. the whole is That the body of Christs flesh and blood entring into Heaven the holiest is that new and living way consecrated for right Believers to draw near to God for justification through Faith in the one only vail of Christs flesh glorified in Heaven above which precious Truths are worth nothing in the account of a Quaker Furtheamore let it be noted that the word Vail in an allusion to the Temple where the vail hid the glory of the Sanctâ—m Sanctorum and gave entrance to it even so Christs incarnation did as it were rebate the edge of the divine glory and brightness that Believers may come and converse with it without terror for some further illustration I shall here add sc That Christ is the true Jacobs Ladder Joh. 1. 51. the bottom of which toucheth Earth there is his Humanity or vail of flesh and blood and the top reacheth Heaven there is his Divinity so that we may climb this Ladder and have communion with God i. e. climbing up in hope by the Man-hood or vail of Christ we have social access to the God-head By the way observe That this Foxt Penington doth not alleadge any of the holy men of old that ever preached or writ such kind of Divinity as he hath done in his leger demain above whereby sundry unstable Consciences have been deceived I have often heard some of them to affirm That the Quakers do believe in Christs body of flesh and blood and that he died for sin and rose again and that he is Mans only Saviour howbeit they do but wickedly equivocate for they do not mean that the body of flesh and blood life and death c. of Jesus of Nazareth conceived in and born of the blessed Virgin Mary hath purchased justification in the sight of God and Salvation from sin but they deceitfully mean sc the new â—oined invisible flesh and blood of the heavenly Mystical Christ still the Iâ—ol-light within that died within and there rose to a righteousness and justification which is a brat hatcht only in their addle brains from whence also it is they teach a Mystical Bethlehem within where Châ—ist was born that he suffered and died without Ierusalem that is say they Mystical Jerusalem within O ye Quakers judge whither these are not strong and damnable delusions So much also for some further satisfaction to William Bullock F. E. and W. H. concerning those words But a body thou hast prepared me Heb. 10. 5. which was the last Text of Scripture proposed by them in reference to the first part of the Charge as above I now proceed to the Second part To wit That the main end of the Quakars Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lord Christ his Holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all Lyars and false Witnesses of God As I was about to prove the second part of the Charge against them Francis Eastlack interrupted me saying Thou never wert in our Meetings how then canst thou know what we teach in them I Replied T is true I bless the Lord I never were nor as I hope through the mercy of God never shall be as one of you in any of your Meetings notwithstanding I know what you Teach and mainly aim at in your Meetings for ye are G. Foxes Disciples and ye have learned his Doctrine and as I was about to read some of it they grew impatient and by no means would have it read thereupon I did forbear but I have here inserted it to wit G. Fox in his Book intituled the Mystery Page 49 50. hath these words Ye scorn me the light in you they have disobeyed it and called it a natural light and ye have said that I the light am not able to save those that believe in me Furthermore Page 54. That if ye would believe and wait on me the light I will purge out all your iniquity and forgive all your Trespasses and I shall change your natures if you hearken to me and obey the light within These are the words I would have read but being hindred I told them what they taught in their Meetings to wit That the pretended Light in them is their true Christ Teacher Rule and Guid to be heard believed in walked up unto and obeyed as the only Saviour to give remission of sins and Salvation with God to which F. E. forth with replied That he would for this lay down his life and to confirm him therein W. Harriot then said we deny the out side Christ to be our Saviour Then I requested the Hearers to take good notice sc they have plainly granted that the end of their Meeting to be for to Teach a denial of Jesus of Nazareth the Man approved of God Act. 2 22 to be the true Christ and our only Saviour which Teaching
false Christ we are to understand the Devil is plainly proved by comparing Mat. 24. ver 24. with Rev. 12 9. in the first Text the true Christ calls the false Christ a Deceiver if it were possible shall deceive the very Elect implying that the false Christ is the greatest Deceiver And in the other Text this great Deceiver which aâ—ceives the whole world is called the old Serpent the Devil and Satan Here hence this Argument arose so he that is the great and principal Deceiver is the Devil Rev. 12. 0. but the false Christ is this Deceiver Mat. 24 24. Ergo the false Christ is the Devil The Conclusion ought not to be denied to deny it here were to deny the Scriptures of God from whence it is plainly collected as above Having thus proved the first Part I proceeded to the second Part of the charge To wit That the main end of the Quakers Meetings in these Islands is to make the Lords Christ his holy Spirit his Angels and Apostles all lyars and false Witnesses of God Being about to prove this as I had done the former part of the charge F. Eastlack interrupted me pretending to make some Answer to the foregoing Arguments I told him that by mutual consent as in the Preface is Declared the whole charge against them was first to be proved by me before any Answer should be returned by him or any othâ—r of his Friends Therefore I requested him that as he had any regard either to Truth or Honesty that he would forbear his interruptions that I might proceed according agreement as above to prove the second part of the charge but his Sepulchre being opened he refused to shut it whereupon I spake to the Assembly saying I must let him take his own way to prevent greater confusion howbeit instead of Answering as he pretended the above-mentioned Arguments or any of them He first impertinently runs out into a bare Repetition of some words in the former part of the first Chapter of the Evangelist John sc from the 1st verse to the end of the 12th verse which shall be mentioned and considered in their due places let me note by the way his after stragling inferences from those verses To wit That God the Word took Flesh of the Virgin Mary and in that Flesh suffered Death for all men which he put a special Remark upon by repeating it twice it was well observed that he made no mention of Christs Resurrection but further said sc The Word which is God is Christ the true Light which was manifest in the flesh and as in him so in every man that comes into the World as manifest in them which quoth he it witnessed by John and withal added whosoever shall Preach any other Gospèlis accursed and after he had multiplied words to the same end and purpose alone as above the ingenious Auditors began to mutter at his impertinences and jumbled confusions Thereupon I called to him and said Master Islay so he is commonly called as afore noteh viz. Islay either answer the Arguments which have proved the first part of the charge as you pretended to Mask your interrupting of me or take some Answer to what you have said His first Reply was the Scripture saith Call no man Master I told him the Scripture saith sc Mat. 23. 10 Neither be ye called Masters for one is your Master even Christ which is not to be understood in your unmannerly sense likewise I told him that he had no cause to quarrel the word Master for you affirm the Master even Christ is within you Quakers making your selves the greatest Masters so that herein are fulfilled among you the word of our Lord concerning Deceivers namely that false Christs shall arise and many shall say I am Christ and shall deceive many Mat. 24. 5. Further more I said unto him sc Thou art the Master of an Assembly to wit of the Synagogue of Libertines which opposed and persecuted the faith of Blessed Stephen for believing in Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ and only Saviour Act. 6 8 9 14 59. At this be grew impaâ—ient rebuking me saying Thou didst promise not to interrupt me I replied that I did not interrupt but help him sc to remember that my promise was not to interrupt him or any of his party whilest he or any of them were answering the Arguments urged by me as it may appear in the prefixed Preface But hâ— said that he did not value the Arguments for they proved nothing thus he thaâ— was a party made himself the determinating Judge and then with a throat stretched voice returned to his former discourse That the word is Christ the true Light in the Flesh sent to save men from sin and death whose death and sufferings with the effect thereof we do own and witness according to the Scriptures as inwardly received within us yet speaking other whiles of the death satisfaction and sufferings of Christ the true Light as done within us for us to which said he the Scripture testifies repeating these words But the righteousness which is of Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ down from above or who shall descend into the deep that is to bring up Christ again from the dead But what saith it the word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and in thy heart that is the word of faith which we Preach After he had rehearsed these or most of these words he forthwith inferrd that the word of Faith was Christ the true light within and then confidently affirmed that to preach any other Gospel sc then Christ within to be the Saviour is to be accursed which invited him to reflect on me declaring that I had not in any thing which was by 〈…〉 meaning in the Arguments above made any mention of Christ as God and with that saying he ended as it 's call'd his preseâ—t Dispute Forthwith I made some returnes which I have now put into some better method which was then much hindred by their confused interruptions But before I lay down those more orderly returnes let me request the Reader to understand that I have filed off much of the Rust and Ruggedness of his expressions which often wearied the Christian Hearers For it was not only his but also his Fellow Disputants course all along here and there to steal and strangely to disorder nay to dismember Scripture words out of the Evangelist and the Apostles thereby endeavouring to cover themselves from being discovered not plâ—inly nor hoâ— estly mentioning either Chapters or Verses William Bullock once excepted though often called upon but all in vain they would speak Scripture words after their usual manner darkly and confusedly thereby the more easily to deceive those with whom the Scriptures have any credit I shall at present decline any further observation of this their dangerous and designful practice and proceed to the above signified Method
And 1. As touching the first Chapter of the Evangelist John with which he began as above It treats of the God head of the Son alone the eternal-Word from the first verse to the end of the fifth verse and then of the person of Christ God-man from thence to the end of the Chapter some of these verses for satisfaction sake I shall touch a little in their order First Of the Eternal Word the Godhead of the Son as in ver 1 2 3 In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God the same was in the beginning with God all things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made These verses denote to us that its only the Godhead of the Son that did Create ver 14. The Word was made flesh and dwelt among us i. e. whole Christ God man in one person as such he created nothing only as God so he created all things As the Evangelist here so doth Paul to the Colâ—ssians chap. 1. 16. speak distinctly of the God head of the Son alone and also distinctly of him as personal Christ viz. By him were all things created that are in Heaven and that are in Earth visible and invisible whether they be Thrones or Dominions or Principalilitiâ—s or Powers all things were created by him and for him and he is before all things and by him all things consist ver 17 So he is the Creator Again ver 18 19. Paul speaks distinctly also of Christ as Christ for so as noted before he is no Creator because so considered he is in part a Creature hoâ— beit as Christ he is the Head and Saviour Ephes 5. 23. of the Body the Church Who is the beginning and first born from the dead that in all things he Christ God-man might have preheminence for it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell and ver 20 Having made peace through the blood of his cross and in the body of his flâ—sh through Death to present you holy and unblameable and unreprovable in his fight ver 22. If ye continue in the Faith that is in the Faith of the peace made through the blood of his Cross and body of his flesh through death Grounded and Rooted c. This Distribution both by the Evangelist and Apostle was not understood by this Disputant Eastlâ—ck for in all his foregoing Discourse his design was to mâ—ke the Hearers believe that the Eternal Word the Godhead of the Son â—s distinct from the Manhood of Christ is the true Christ and only Saviour and consequently a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ And hereunto agrees his words so frequently repeated by him viz. God was manifest in the flesh that is as to their darkened understanding in all man kind of flesh which gross Error shall be in its proper place considered in the next place this Disputants more lax and general expressions shall receive some Answers 1. I do acknowledge with him that the Word took flesh of the Virgin and that he suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem howbeit as it comes from a Teaching Quaker it is undoubtedly no other then a deceitful shifting of the matter in question yet I am ready to grant that F. E. and his Partners may believe that there was such a man who as Histories mention took flesh and was born of the Virgin Mary and suffered death without the Gates of Jerusalem about sixteen hundred years ago Alas how many Turks and Jews are there that know and believe all this yet they do no more believe Jesus of Nazereth to be the true Christ and only Saviour then a Teaching Seducing Quaker doth Nay such a Quaker attributes no more soul saving Merit to the holy Body of Jesus Christ then to the body of a Turk or a Jew Therefore it s not safe to put any other construction upon his acknowledgement above then a deceitful shifting the business in hand that he might thereby the more easily hoodwink the Hearer for his Discourse had no other tendency then to make us believe that the true Christ and Saviour was only in not at all of the body of Christs flesh 2. I do again acknowledge with him sc That the effects of Christs death and sufferings are to be inwardly witnessed as received within us And if so then there must be a cause of these effects inwardly received as previous and anticedent to them to wit The death and sufferings of the one Man Jesus Christ as in the third Argument which is therefore necessarily finished and perfected already by the one crucified body of Jesus of Nazareth upon the Cross without us for us which in right reason must needs be before the effects thereof could be revealed in us and so inwardly witnessed though this were the thing I argued for yet it was strongly opposed by them all as may afterwards appear making those effects within them the true Christ and their only Saviour Now I proceed to the Texts of Scripture repeated by F. E. which shall be considered in order as he uttered them John 1. 9. That was the true Light which lighteneth every man that cometh into the World This Scripture he more especially insisted on to prove Christ to be that true Light and that Light to be the only Saviour which as he said is in every man that cometh into the world whence he Argued that a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true and not the false Christ Answ It s true that by Light in that place of Scripture the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant Iohn 1. 29. and although it be likewise true in a true sence that every man that cometh into the world is enlightened by Christ i. e. with reason the Son of God as he is the Eternal Word that made the World yet the Evangilist hath not in that Text asserted that there is a Light or enlightening in every Man as he cometh into the World which is the true Christ and our only Saviour so that thou hast plainly and openly belied that holy Man Ioâ—r in saying of him as above that he so witnessed Namely that the Light or inlighting in every Man as he comes into the World is the true Christ and Mans only Saviour for this Evangelist witnesseth otherwisâ— as in ver 30 29. he evidently affirms the Light in ver 9. to be the Man Jesus and as such he never was nor can be in any man so witnesseth the Witness bearer whom we are to believe before a Seducing Quaker 2. Thou F. E. didst in thy Discourse effectually affirm Christ to be the Light and the Light in every Man to be the Christ implying thereby sc what might be truly spoken of the one might be also so spoken of the other here hence then it must follow that the Light within a Quaker was born in Bethlehem laid in a Manger hanged upon a Tree and
gave up the Ghost all these were truly and properly spoken of the true Christ who is the Light of the World Now what can be more absurd and â—alse then to affirm these things of the Light in every man that cometh into the World by natural Generation 3. It being an Enlightning which is communicated as in ver 9. to every man that comes into the World which comprehends both Elect and Reprobate But the true Christ is not in Reprobates 2 Cor 13. 5 Therefore the true Christ is not as in your sence in every man that comes into the World and consequently not in Teaching Seducing Quakers Text 2d 1 Tim 3. 16. Great is the mystery of godliness God was manifest in the flesh Hence he F. E. inferr'd that the Godhead only as manifest in the flesh is the true Christ and only Saviour and withal he effectually said that the Light in every man that comes into the World as it is manifest in every man iâ— the same Christ sc the Godhead and as in the body of Christs flesh so in the body of every mans flesh i. e. God manifest in the flesh sc flesh indefinitely And so by a consequence of his own Blaspheming a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ Answ Nothing can be more evident then that this Disputant would have had the Hearers to believe that the Godhead as distinct from Christs being a man is the true Christ and only Saviour Surely this is new Divinity which is diffeâ—ing and quiâ—e another Gospel then that of the Apostles as in Mat. 16. 16. Thou not the Godhead aloâ—e in thee But thou the son of Man ver 13. art the Son of the living God Again after Christs Ascention and Glorification in Heaven above the Apostles confess him in hese words Act. 2. 36. Let al the house of Israel know assaredly that God hath made that same Iesus not the Godhead only manifest in Jesus but that same Iesus whom 〈◊〉 crucified both Lord and Christ consider I pray did the Iews ever crucifie your feigned Godhead-light within I could heartily wish that all ye would feelingly lay to heart what our blessed Lord saith in this case Luk. 12. 8 9. Whosoever shall confess me not the Godhead only in me but me before Men him shall the Son of Man also confess before the Angels of God But he that denieth me the Son of Man shall be denied before the Angels of God Thus the Holy Apostles confessed before men the Son of man Iesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and their only Saviour and in the Faith thereof they both lived and died F. E. Let me ask thee this question sc If the Godhead of the Son considered as distinct from his being a Man be the true Christ and Saviour how or to whom was he manifested its impossible to imagine that the Godhead which is invisible and incomprehensible can be manifested to the external senses of men But the true Christ and our only Saviour was thus Manifested as it is witnessed by Christs faithful Apostles sc in 1 Ioh. chap. 1. ver 1. 2 3. there speaking of the Lord Jesus Christ personally God man they declare That which was from the beginning which we have heard which we have seen which we have looked upon and our hands have handled of the word of life Note here that the blessed Apostles testifie that they had heard and seen Jesus Christ the true and only Saviour looking upon him and handled him by being in his Company But as for your Idol light-Christ it was never visible but ever invisible for ye say it is within only so that call it what ye will you nor any man else can say what it is except a Whimsey Moreover lâ—t it be considered how these words God was manifested in the flesh are explained by the Lord Christ himself Joh. 2. 11 This beginning of Miracles did Iesus in Cana of Galilee and manifested forth his glory that is his Godhead to Faith By this Miracle of turning water into wine the glory of the Godhead was manifested in the hoâ—y of his Flesh that is to say the Lord Christ did by that and other Miracles which he wrought in the sight of the Beholders make it manifest that he was true God and true man in one person which is so great a Mystery that neither Saints nor Angels are able to comprehend it this is indeed the genuine sense of that Scripture sc Great is the Mystery God was manifest in the flesh And to force it to speak otherwise is a most wretched and sinful wresting of the Text but the Disputant being as bold as blind added as aforesaid viz. That to Preach any other Gospel is to be accursed meaning to preach otherwise then that the Godhead only in the flesh all mankind flâ—sh to be the true Christ and only Saviour is to be accursed these words were being his third Text of Scripture repeated by him shall now be considered whether wrested or no. Tent 3d. Gal. 1. 8 9. If any Man Preach any other Gospel unto you then that which we have Preached unto you and ye have received let him be accursed Ans I pray thee Frances what was the Name of that Apostle who preached the Godhead as distinct from Christs Manhood to be the true Christ and only Saviour oh thou poor filly man was there ever or will there ever be remission of sins Preached by the Spirit but by and through the one Man Jesus Christ the Apostle Paul Heb. 10. 29. saith in effect to Preach otherwise is to despite the Spirit of Grace even the Doctrine of the Spirit Rom. 5. 15. Much more the Grace of God and the gift by Grace which is by one Man Jesus Christ hath abounded unto many I shall let this pass a little and proceed to a consideration of the Text it self And for our so doing this Question doth necessarily arise Quest What was the Gospel that Paul Preached Answ He Preached the Faith i. e. the Gospel of Faith which once he destroyed and persecuted Gal. 1. 23. Now the Faith which Paul once persecuted was the Faith of believing in Jesus of Nazareth the man approved of God among the people Act. 2. 22. to be the true Christ and our only Saviour then by good consequence the Gospel which the Apostle Preached was to believe in the Name Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the true Christ our only Saviour and Justifier in the sight of God without the works of Law in or by us To clear this Answer yet a little further let Pauls own Confession be observed Act. 22. 4. And I Persecuted this way namely of believing in Jesus of Nazareth to be the true Christ and only Saviour unto the Death binding anâ—d delivering into the Prisons both Men and Women ver 7. And I heard a voice saying unto me Saul Saul why persecutest thou me ver 8. And I answered who art thou Lord
every man which comes into the world is not according to your selves the true Christ 2. I Answered That this Text of Scripture understand not the person of Christ as such he is the true Christ and our only Saviour but the work of the Spirit of Faith whereof personal Christ is the Author for here the Apostle frames an Argument to prove the mighty work or effect of the Spirit in his Corinthians as he had before affirmed to be in them ver 3. Since ye seek a proof of Christ speaking in me which to you-ward is not weak i. e. in operation but is Mighty in you Now in what sense Christ was in Paul speaking in that same sense was Christ in the Corinthians But Christ spake in Paul only by the might or power of his Spirit is mighty in you sc Christs speaking in Paul to the Corinthians was Mighty an effect of the Spirit in them This matter may appear somewhat clearer if we consider the same Apostle to the Gâ—latians Gal. 2. 8. For he the Holy Ghost that wrought effectually in Peter to the Apostleship of the Circumcision the same was mighty in me towards the Gentiles such were the Corinthians The phrases of effectual working in Peter and was mighty in Paul do only signifie the effectual operation of Christs Spirit in both the Apostles so that Paul affirming as in ver 3. above that Christ was mighty in the Corinthians it s as much as if he had said Christ hath effectually wrought by his Spirit the mighty work of Faith in you Corinthians by my Ministry which the Apostles makes to be the proof of Christ speaking in him which in the 5th verse above he refers as it were to their own experience saying Examine your selves prove your own selves whether ye be in the Faith that is believing in Christ the object apprehended by Faith Know ye not your own selves how that Iesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates Qu. How is that Iesus Christ in you Answ To wit by Faith as in the former part of the same verse which is a clear Interpretation of the latter part sc Christ in you again it s not rational to imagine that Christ in the 5th verse could be otherwise in the Corinthians then he was in the foregoing 3d. verse by reason of their dependance each on the other now in the 3d. verse Christ was in the Corinthians only by the mighty work of the Spirit of Faith for even so the word Mighty doth furthermore import as in Eph. 1. 19. Who believe according to the working of his Mighty power but no work or effect of the Spirit how Mighty or powerful soever in us either is or can be Christ personal the true and only Saviour To explain these Words Christ in you a little more we must take good notice that there are three things expressed by the Name of Jesus Christ 1. Christ personal Col. 2. 8 9. Not after Christ for in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily or personally 2 Cor. 2. 10. In the person of Christ and Mat. 27. 24. I am innocent of the blood of this just Person so the Man Jesus Christ who spake by the inspiration of God 2 Tim 3. 16. 2. Christs Mystical 1 Cor. 12. 12. So also is Christ i. e. the Church call'd the body of Christ ver 27. which body of Christ is the Church Col. 1. 24. Which is Christ Mystical as above 3. Christ Operative Col. 2. 12. compared with Eph. 3. 17. Through the Faith of the operation of God That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith Forasmuch as Faith is the operation of God in Christ it s therefore called Christ operative in which sense only Christ is said to be in uâ— As the Sun is in the eye by its beams so Iesus Christ as the author or fiâ—st efficient is in us by the operated Graces of his Spirit hence it necessarily follows that Christ personal the only Saviour is not in us nor Christ mystical the Church is in us this is so plain that there is no need of evidence for as Christ personal is the Head saving so Christ Mystical is the Body-saved Eph. 5. 23. therefore neither the one nor the other can be said to be in us Then 3. It s Christ Operative only that is in the Saints t is true that Christ personal in the first efficiency of gracious operations in the heart which in Scripture are sometime called Christ in you the cause being put for the effect by a Metonimy a word as I said to F. E. which thou understandest no more then the hour-glass that 's before me to which he readily replied saying we abhor Hour-glasses Pulpits and Cushens I told him that Preaching in a Pulpit was a warranted practice Neh. 8. 4. And Ezra the Scribe stood upon a Pulpit of wood which they had made for the purpose But quoth he Ezra had not a Cushen I askt him how he knew that to which he made no answer but whither the holy Scribe had or had not a Cushen his Familiar the glo worme Light within bid him to say conâ—idently though blindly that Ezra had no Cushen I shall here take up an expression which I had almost forgotten which this Disputant F. E. doubted in his discourse namely that the Word took flesh of the Virgin and in that flesh died for all men though this Notion pleased him so well as to make a deliberate repetition of it yea he did not pretend Scripture for its confirmation and therefore I could not assuredly know whether he said it as an Arminian or as a Quaker But I am apt to think that he spake it in imitation of his Friends because of the word In. And In that flesh died for all men in that flesh runs Quaker-like this being some part of their New-Divinity That God sent Christ to save all men from sin and death as he F. E. said whose Sufferings Sacrifice Mediation Intercession and Offices or words to this effect we do own witness as inwardly wrought and performed in us and for us And there is as they further aver a Divine Elect Seed in the Saints which is the true Christ still the Idol-light within and suffers under sin in them and is to be raised of a justification and righteousness of the Elect Seed within so that according to their Divinity Christs bodily sufferings in and by the flesh which he took of the Virgin signifies nothing for our Justification in the sight of God whereas these are new self-devised imaginations whereof no mention is made in the inspired Scriptures of Truth I grant that some Scriptures are by them pretended for evidence which perhaps are some of the things as in the Preface said by them to have been forgotten sc Amos 2. 1â— Behold I am pressed under you as a cart is pressed and in Gen. 6. ver 6. It repented the Lord that he made Man on the earth and it grieved
in Luke 17. 21. Christ doth not mean the Kingdome of glory in Heaven but the Kingdome of the Gospel Preached by himself and his Apostles on Earth to which he answered nothing In the next place F. E. doth as I suppose expect some Answer to his reflection on me at the end of his tedious Discourse afore signified sc That I had not in any thing which was said by me he meant in the four Arguments proving the first part of the charge made any mention of Christ as God to be the Saviour Answ Bold Man who art thou that â—â—achest the Apostles of Jesus Christ yea the Holy-Ghost himself how to speak who were the faâ—thful Witnesses that proved all which was said by me in those four Arguments and that I might prevent which I foresaw such carpings I barely repeated the Apostles express words mentioning in a manner no more then what is plainly asserted by them what dost thou then but under colour of reflecting on me reflect upon the holy Apostles themselves Alas poor Man had it not been more honesty in thee to have thus charged the Apostles then me who wrested not but only repeated the Apostles words for the confirmation of the alledged Arguments thou shouldest have clamoured against the Apostles thus there is not a word by them mentioned of Christ as God to be the Saviour and wouldest thou not hadst thou thus done have been as bold as blind Bayard It s most evident that the Apostles preached Christ as Man Not but that he was and is also God to be believed in for the remâ—ssiâ—n of sins both to the Jews and to the Gentiles so that thy quarrelsome reflection on me is in effect a manifest denying the Testimony of the Apostles joyntly testifying of the Man Jesus Christ of Nazareth to be the only Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the World reconciledworld 2 Cor. 5. 19. for there is no other Man Name or Thing ever in Scripture called the Lamb of God which takes away sin but the one Man Jesus Christ and so it is Recorded by Christs witness bearer Joh. 1. 29. 30. One would now think that the very mentioning of these things were enough to refute them with whom the Scriptures of God have any credit But what shall I say unto thee Francis I would in true love only to thy distressed Soul advise thee to search as in Iohn 5. 39. the Scriptures for I find thee very ignorant of the truth as testified in them and hence asserting new notions which thou hast received from other men which tend to the darkening and denying of the unanimous Testimony of all the holy Men of old to the true Saviour Jesus of Nazareth and to Salvation through Faith in him and that thou mayest be delivered from the dangerous snare of the false Christ the Idol-light within is the hearty desire of him whom for his Faith in and to the truth thou hast opposed William Bullock was the next Disputant to prove That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is not the false but the true Christ And thus he Argued saying That which may be known of God is manifest in them and tâ—en stâ—pt Therefore I prayed him to tell us were thoâ—e words repeated above were to be found he readily told me sc in Rom. chap. 1. ver 19. Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them 〈◊〉 was the only Proof named by them I further demanded of him what he inferred from this Text of Scripture but because he lookt as if he understood not what was meant by that demand I requested him to frame some Argument from the Text alledged by him to prove the matter in hand but all in vain a Syllogisme being as great a Monster to him as Jesus Christ of Nazareth Thereupon I did declare That the Apostle did not there understand the word God to signifie Christ God Man and as for the phrase in them it is interpreted to them as in the very next words in the same verse sc For God hath shewed it to them likewise Paul doth tell us both how and where God shew'd them this as in ver 20. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made even his eternal power and godhead which Godhead alone is not to be understood for God-man Christ the only Saviour in a word The mind of the Spirit in these two 19 20. verses sc is no more but this namely that the eternal power and Godhead was manifested in i. e. shewn to the Gentiles unconverted by the things that are made or created from the creation of the World this being the true state of the Text above how they could prove the thing to wit That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ for which they were brought surely none but young and old Bullocks or such as are of that kind can understand I expected some reply from this Disputant to the substance above asserted but instead of a reply he urged another Prool this was their manner even all along that thereby they might â—loaâ— their weakness and insufficienâ—â—â— for returns saying The flesh profiteth nothing it is the Spirit that quickeneth Upon his inversion of the order of the words I desired him to name the Chapter and verse where the words as he had spoken them might be found but he did it not I then named both viz. Joh. chap. 6. ver 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth the flesh profiteth nothing He again refusing to frame an Argument Therefore to the Text. 1 Answered 1. If these words were to be understood in this sence sc That the Lord Christ on the account of his body of flesh profiteth nothing to Salvation but it s the quickning spirit within that is the only Saviour Then what interpretation wouldst thou put upon Christs words in the same Chapter ver 53. foregoing Then Jesus said unto them verily verily I say unto you except ye eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood ye have no life i. e. Spirit ver 63. ult in you or wilt thou make Christ who is the wisdome of God 1 Cor. 1. 30. guilty of contradiction and so a Lyar to which he replied nothing save that he had spoken Scripture which necessarily engaged me to reconcile those Scriptures to the understanding of the hearers which I endeavoured thus Joh. 6. 63. It is the spirit that quickeneth i. e. the soul of man naturally dead in sins Eph. 2. 1 5. the words exclude all endowments qualifications or excellencies in the natural man from this soul quickening work hereunto agrees the words of our Saviour in the end of the 63d verse above The words that I spake unto you they are spirit and they are life that is to say the spirit of faith is the souls life or special quickening so that the
latter part of the verse is both a verification and explication of the former part sc It is the spirit that quickeneth Thiâ— is likewise conâ—irmed by the Apostle Paul Gal. 3. 11. and long before by the Prophet Habakkuk Chap. 2. 4. the just shall live by faith Faith 〈◊〉 the vital principal and fountain of life in the Soul it is the uniting grace it knits us to personal Christ glorified in Heaven above from whose fulness Joh. 1. 16. we receive grace for grace i. e. Grace for graces sake And therefore his flesh profiteth right Believers the whole as to this particular is though the spirit be a dead-souls quickener yet it is not the quickened souls Saviour But this Disputant still avers that the Scripture saith Christs flâ—sh pâ—ofiteth nothing Therefore for further satisfaction touching these words sc Christs flesh profiteth nothing let this Question be propounded Quest In what sense way Christs flesh be said not to profit or profiteth nothing Sol. 1. Christs flesh profiteth an unbeliever nothing as it is noted by our Saviour in the very next verse ver 64. But there are saith he some of you that believed not intending such of them as did not by Faith the believing souls-mouth eat his flesh and drink his blood which in ver 55 Christ saith is meat indeed and drink indeed also in Heb. 4. 2. For unto us was the Gospel Preached as well as unto them but the Word preached did not profit them not being mixâ—d with Faith in them that heard it what the Gospel preached was hath been before frequently declared more especially from Act. 5. 30 31. That the same Jesus whom the Iews slew and hanged on a Tree this was the body of Christs flesh God raised up from the dead and exalted to be a Prince and a Saviour to give repentance and remission of sins This was the Gospel word that was preached which profited not either Iews or Gentiles that did not by the mouth of Faith eat the flesh and drink the blood of Jesus Christ the only Saviour Hence I did infer That the Quakers being such non eating non drinking Unbelievers Christs flesh profiteth them nothing therefore fit to be insiâ—â—ed on by this Disputant 2. Christs flesh profiteth nothing If it be taken in that sense in which the Iews apprehended the eating of it and thaâ— was with their natural mouths as it appears from ver 52. They the Jews strove amongst themselves saying how can this man give us his flesh to eat for they knew of no eating but as they did eat their bodily food yea Christs Disciples such as for the present followed him said ver 63. this is a hard saying who can hear it Hereupon Christ doth explain himself to them all in these words The flesh profiteth nothing ver 63. above thereby giving them to understand that he meant not of eating his flesh with their natural mouthes as they did eat their daily bread for as if Christ had said should ye so eat some of my natural flesh or so drink some of my blood it would profit you nothing the reason of it is assigned by the Apostle Paul because Christs flesh and blood is New-Testament Blood 1 Cor. 11. 25. in which all the promises of God are 2 Cor. 1. 20 here hence it is safely inferr'd That the true Object of Faith is the Nâ—w-Testament promises in Christ bodily in which respect Christs flesh is profitable to all right Believers on him for their Justification Resurrection and Glorification as in ver 54 Whoso eateth with a Soul-believing Mouth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath eternal life and I will raise him up at the last day But if we separate the promises of God from Christs flesh or his flesh from the promises then his flesh profiteth no more then if it were eaten with a mans natural Mouth which according â—o our blessed Saviour profiteth nothing or would not profit the Soul at all Upon the whole it was concluded that W. Bullocks second as his first Scripture fell short of the mark that is of proving a Quakers pretenâ—ed Saviâ—ur within him to be the true not the false Christ The next Speaker was Patience Bullock 1. She propounded a Question to me Quest Whether Christ could have saved us without his being God I Answered Though Christ could not save us unless he were God as well as Man yet the Godhead of the Soâ— onâ—y as such doth not save us from the curse of the Law because the Godhead alone could not fulfill that righteousness active and passive which the Law required 't is true we read oâ— the righâ—eousness of God 2 Cor. 5 21. yet it is not to be undersâ—â—od for the essential righteousness of God but for a righteousness â—nswerabâ—e unto the Law performed by the manhood of Christ to which the Godhead gavâ— both efficacy and excellency Heb. 9. 14. and thereby the righteousness answerable to the holiness and justice of the Law performed by the Man hood soul and body of Jesus Christ was made Meritorious and Satisfactory for sin as the Apostle sign fies Heb. 9. 14. How much more shall the blood i. e. Sufferings of Christ who or which suffering Christ through the eternal Spirit i. e. Godhead of the Son offered himself sc a Sacrifice without spot to God the Father hence I did affirm that Jesus Christ as maâ— is our only Material Saviour 〈…〉 if he may be â—…lieved 〈◊〉 us â—rom the 〈◊〉 of Gods Spiri◠〈…〉 the Man 〈◊〉 Lord Christ then bâ—rn of the Virgin Mary whom 〈…〉 took up iâ—â—o his arms was the Salvation of God i e. whom God had exalted to be â—hâ— only Saviour Act. 5 〈◊〉 and the holy Apostles preached as aâ—ore noted the Man Iesus Christ of Nazareth to be beâ—ieved in remission of sins herewithal named that Text of Scripture in the 1 Tâ—m 2. 5. 6 There is one Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus who gavâ— himself a ransom for all to be testified in due time The Apostle doth not as I said here assert the Man Jâ—sus Christ to exclude the God head or divine nature from him the Medâ—ator and Ransomâ—r but emphatically to demonstrate that nature in which he meditates and gave himself a ransome for though the ransome was paid by him who wâ—s and is God or had a divine Nature yet it was paid in the Man hood oâ— humane nature only that is to say Christs humane Nature gave worth and value to it whence I did infer but wâ—th much reverence that the Manhood of the Son of God is the only mâ—terial cause of our Salvation and by necessary consequence the Man hood or Humane Nature of Christ was and is our only material Saviour which I had no sooner said But F. E. called on the people to take notice That I had declared the Man hood of Christ to be the only Saviour to which some of the Hearers forthwiâ—h replied that I did say to wit that the Manhood
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
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
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