it Hear O Israel Jehovah our Elohims is one Jehovah Here is Trinity in Vnity And we read that the Prophet Isai 6. 8. Heard the voice of the Lord saying who will go for Vs this Vs denotes more persons then one likewise in Gen. 1. 26. the Elohims spake each to other and said let us make Man surely then the Trinity cannot be as some dream sc distinctions and relations only but reall existences in the essence of Jehovah for distinctions and relations are such as cannot speak but the Elohims spake each to other as above noted Obj. If it be said the plural number Vs takes in all as well as the number three Answ It doth so but when God hath determined plurality to three it is time then to settle and to be certain that there are no more which is confirmed Mat. 28. 19. Baptizing in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Ghost that is to believe in obey and worship the Father in the Son and the Holy Ghost here you see are three in the divine Nature that do live understand will and act and here it s plainly revealed that they are so distinct that the one cannot be the other Indeed the Socinians the Quakers Brethren in this thing do deny the Holy Ghost to be a person and say It is the power vertue and efficacy of God the Father if so then the Scripture above Mat. 28. 19. must be read thus Baptizing them in or unto the Name of the Father of the Son and of the vertue power and efficacy of the Father to be believed in obeyed and worshipped which sounds absurdly utterly disagreeable to reason But above all it is inconsistent with the Scriptures of truth as in Ioh. 1. 4. And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory as the glory of the only begotten of the Father and in ver 18. No man hath seen God at any time but the only begotten Son which is in the bosome of the Father he hath declared him and in Iohn 14 26. But the Comforter which is the Holy Ghost whom the Father will send in my Name These Texts of Holy Scripture do shew us that the Father begets the Son the Son is begotten of the Father and the Holy Ghost proceeds from both Furthermore when the Lord Christ was Baptized Mat. â— 15 16 17. the Father was heard and not seen the Holy Ghost in the form of a Dove seen and not heard and Christ the Son both seen and heard the Father saying of Christ this is my Son and the Holy Ghost descending and lighting upon him which is a most clear demonstration of their real and personal dictinction Again in 1 Joh. 5. 7. For there are three that bear Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one Now if they be three then they must be in some respect more then one and not the same besides it argues weakness to quarrel the Phrase Persons for as much as the Person doth Grammatically tria necessaria sunt ut aliquid persona dicatur signifie first second and third which makes three this only by the bye for illustration rather then evidence though we do not find this Phrasiology in the Scriptures sc Trinity of Persons yet this is not a sufficient ground to deny it for though we have not the words yet having the things signified in and by the words it ought to satisfie a rational Saint as for the things signified the Texts above are fair and plain affirming there are three that bear Record or witness now to bear witness is properly the office and act of a person or persons Qu. Whether the Father the Son and the Holy Ghost are declared as three distinct witnesses Answ Yes that they are so may appear by the testimony of these Scriptures Joh. 8 18. I am one that bear witness of my self and the Father sent me beareth witness of me and Joh. 15. 26. But when the Comforter is come whom I will send unto you from the Futher even the Spirit of truth which proceedeth from the Father he shall testifie of me here we have the Father Son and Holy Ghost witnessing that is to say the Comforter sent the Son sending and that from the Father which proves them to be distinct witnesses and by good consequence to be distinct persons herewithal let it be well observed sc To deny as Teaching Quakers do the Trinity of persons in the unity of the Godhead is in down right terms to deny that there is a God for the Scripture inspired of God saith These three are one Therefore to deny the Trinity is to deny in Unity which is Atheistical so much in Answer to the requests oâ— some of the Lords people in Barmudas With whom I shall now in a few words leave my hearty well wishing advice beseeching them and all the rest of the Lords People there to be ever mindful of the Blessed Apostles resolution Act. 21. 13. I am ready to die for the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ a most gracious as well as noble resolution and fit for every good Christians imitation which is indeed 〈◊〉 lâ—ss then the standing against the Gates of Hell by bearing witness to the holy Truth of God O let us rather burn then â—ow to that Idol light which the Romish Nebuchadâ—zzar haâ—h set up in Teaching Quakers Oh let us rather die for the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth then leave the Mark of the Beast citeer within or on us rather let us lose our heads from our shoulders then renounce that saving head who is ascended up into the Heavens above O let us rather effuse our dearest blood and die glorious Martyrs then live Apostates from and die persecutors of Jesus of Nazareth And for your constant incouragement herein let us heartily learn the Apostles inspired Lesson Rom. 8. 7. In all these we are more then Conquerers through him that loved us FINIS
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
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
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
inherit the Kingdom of God how can it be affirmed that the same true flesh shall be raised to enter upon that inheritance perhaps this improvement he had forgot 2. These inferences are not only defective but contrary to the true Nature of a Resurrection which denotes a taking up of that which was laid down It must hence follow sc If the same body that dies be not raised up but another kind of body it cannot be a Resurrection as above Moreover If aâ— the Resurrection it be not the same but another body then that body which actively and passively honoured God in this world shall not according to Divine Promise Col. 3. 4. be glorified with Christ in the World to come but another body shall be there glorified which never did or suffered any thing for God's honour and to which God never made any Promise yea that body which wickedly sinned lived and dyedin finall impenitency and unbelief Shall not according to Divine threatning Matt. 25. 41. be for ever tormented but another body shall which never sinned nor was ever threatned be eternally dammed in hell with the Devil and his Angels These inavoidable consequents are no less than high blasphemies against the Justice Truth and Righteousness of God Himself especially in that Scripture of sacred truth 2 Cor. 5. 10 We must all appear before the Judgment seat of Christ that every one sc the same whole man may receive the things done in his body according to that he hath done whether good or bad And the Lord Christ assures us John 5. 28 29. The hour is coming in the which all that are in the Graves Are there any other bodies in the Graves then the same bodies which were put into them shall hear His voice And shall come forth they that have done good unto the Resurrection of Life and they that have done evil unto the Resurrection of Damnation thus in Matt. 25. 46. also Proved 3. That by Flesh and Blood in that place of Scripture above is not meant the substance of Flesh and Blood the parts of a Man's body as now it is But it is to be understood of the sinfull qualities of Man's Nature that are to be done away as in other places Rom. 7. 18 24. Chap. 8. 1 6 7. Gal 5 17 19 24. Flesh doth signifie or of naturall Flesh and Blood of which the body is now composed and made up as such it is corruptable and cannot enter into the Kingdome of Heaven and thus Paul expounds it as in the latter clause of the same 50. verse Neither doth corruption inherit incorruption That is corruptable Flesh and blood or flesh and blood that hath the Seed and Principles of Corruption shall never enter into the Kingdome of Heaven such flesh and blood is unfit to wear the Crown of Glory as our Souls must be changed before they can be fit for Glory so also must our Bodies from their natural estate to a spiritual for at the Resurrection our bodies shall not be raised natural corruptable bodies but spiritual incorruptable bodies and as such they will be fit for Glory in the Kingdome of Heaven as it s illustrated ver 52. And the Dead shall be raised incorruptable and we shall be changed but how the next verse sc 53. tells us This corruptable must put on incorruption Note This Mortal must put on immortality well then though the body of Man be now natural corruptable and mortal flesh and blood and as such unfit for the Kingdome of Heaven But in the Resurrection the body will not be so for it will then be spiritual incorruptable immortal flesh and blood and being so qualified it will be fit to inherit the Kingdome of God Having thus Answered I expected some return but they were all silent Thereupon Capt. John Hubbart Sherrif with the Iustices of Peace as Representees of the Christian part of the Assembly came forth towards me and openly declared That they were fully satisfied with my Proofs and Answers The Quakers being thus regularly found Guilty of the whole charge the vast Assembly was forthwith peaceably dismissed READER I Have been earnestly Requested by some of the Lords People in these Islands to make some Replies to three or four Erroneous Principles not Discussed in the Disputation Held and Professed by most Quakers To wit 1. That there is a state of perfect freedome from sin in this Life 2. That the matter contained in the Scriptures is not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life 3. That the Soul in Man is God in part and so Infallible 4. The denying of the Trinity sc three persons in one Deity These corrupt Principles maintained by most Teaching Quakers I have on Request as above considered and made some Replies to each particular distinctly as in their order afore expressed 1. Principle That there is a state of perfect freedome from sin in this Life Alledging that the Scriptures do testifie the same as Job 1. ver 1 8. 22 Psal 37. ver 37. 39. 1. 119. 5. Mat. 5. 48. Rom. 6. 18. 8. 4. 2. 15. Phil. 3. 15. Eph. 3. 19. Luk. 1. 6. That I might herein give some satisfaction I have considered the above-mentioned Scriptures one after another in their asserted Order The first Scripture Job 1. ver 1 8 22. There was a Man whose Name was Job and that man was perfect Reply to the 1st verse By Perfect here we are not to understand a Legal perfection such as Adams before the Fall though it be contended for by the Teaching Quakers and affirmed by them as possibly attainable yea actually attained by many of their Friends in this Life but the Spirit doth not in any one of these verses express no nor in end Iobs perfection from all sin in this life nor did Iob so understand it witness his own confessions Chap. 9. 20. If I justifie my self my own mouth shall condemn me if I say I am perfect it shall aâ—so prove me perverse That is to say if I justifie my self by the actings and expressions of my life my Mouth would condemn me so if I say I am perfect in the thinkings and sâ—cret motions of my heart it would prove me perverse Caril in locum and in Chap. 10. 6. Thou enquirest after my Iniquity and searcheâ—t after my sin likewise in Chap. 42. 6. Wherefore I abhor my self and repent in dust and ashes but to put the word Perfect in ver 1. out of all doubt it is explained in the 8th vese above There was none like him in the Earth a perfect and an upright man which referred to that Generation in which Iob lived So we read of Noah Gen. 6. 9. That he was a just man and perfect in his Generations in like manner consider Iob in the time and age wherein he lived there was none like him in the Earth for Godliness and uprightness hence for any man to infer that either Noah or Iob were
some Instances 1. The Pope takes upon him the power of Pardoning sin making himself God and Christ which power of pardoning sin the Quaker ascribes to his Light within calling it God and Christ 2. The Pope affirms that the Teachings and Rules of direction being believed in and walked up unto will make such Believers and Walkers Perfect and bring them to jâ—stification and salvation all which the Quaker doth affirm of the Light within it being believed in and obeyed 3. The Pope teacheth that his written Scriptures are so far to be obeyed as they do agree with the infallible Spirit within him just so the Quakers teach that they are no further bound to obey the Letter of the Scriptures then the infallible unâ—rring light within makes them willing to obey 4. The Pope declares his Apocryphals to be not only of equal verity with but to exceed the Scriptures even so a Quakers Light within teacheth him to prefer his Apocryphal Quakerisms before the written Scriptures 5. The Pope testifies there is a nigher Doctrine than the Scripture hath to feed the Saints and perfectâ—ones meaning his Church enlightning Traditions so saith the Quakers light within that it hath a higher Doctrine then the written Scripture hath any to guid and â—eed the true Saints 6. The Pope robs Christ of all his Offices 1. Of his Kingly Office in taking part of it to himself by remitting sins and making Laws to bind Conscience both which a Quakers Light presumes to do remitting sin and binding Conscience by its laws 2. The Pope robs Christ of his Priestly Office for he doth dispose of it giving to a Masse Priest power to offer a daily propitâ—ation-Sacrifice yea that every Papist hath a piece of it within him that thereby every one of them may satisfie the Justice of God for his sins even by his own Merits within him and for Christs Mediatorship as some of them do abolish it so no Catholick desires the Man Jesus Christ to pray for Him because each one of them hath so much of the propitiatâ—ry Sacrifice dayly iâ— them as is meritorious to satisfie the justice of God for their sins Of which robbery in reference to Christs Priestly Office the Quakers are equally guilty for they give to their light that Masse-Priest with in a power to offer Sacrifice propitiatory dayly forsin whereby they daily in themselves satisfie Gods justice for their sins even by their own internal merits and as for Christs Mediatorship they have quite abolished it For no Quaker desires the one Mediator the Man Jesus Christ 1 Tim. 2 5. to pray for him 3. The Pope robs Christ also of his Prophetical Office for this office he assumes to himself who without the Scriptures determines infallibly by the pretened assistance of a Spirit of infallible light lockt up in his own breast all points of Faith and Life which kind of Robbery as to Crists Prophetical Office the Quakers have likewise assumed who by their Light within without the Holy Scriptures or laws of the King thence derived pretend to an infallible determination of all points concerning â—aith and Life here hence we may saâ—ely infer that a Quakers Ligâ—t and Romes Pope are coâ—qual Antichrists This may further appear if the Terms and Title heretofore given to the Pâ—pâ— as â—sserted 〈◊〉 the Reverend Brightman Ren. 13. page 135 136 â—e compared with those now given to the Light within by G. Fox in his Foâ—o Book The great Mystery c. The Terms and Titles which were given to the Pope and imprinted by Brightman as above are these to wit 1. Hear saith Brightman what Barnard saith sc of the Pope Thou art a great Priest the Prince of Bishops thou art the Heir of the Apostles thou art Abel for thy primacy Noah for thy Government Abraham for thy Patriaâ—â—hâ—ship Melchisedech for thy Order Aaron for thy Dignity Moses for thy Authority Samuel for thy judgement Peter for thy Power Christ for thine anointing c. Book 2. Consid Again Mark saith Brightman how the Embassadors of the Empour of Sicily cry out to him the Pope lying groveling on the ground O thou that takest away the sins of the World have mercy upon us thou that takest away the sins of the World grant us peace As also what Simon Beginus saith speaking unto Pope Leo in the Council of Laterane Sess 6. Behold the Lion of the Tribe of Judah the â—oot of David we have waited for thee O most blessed Leo to be our Saviour Vnâ—o these saith Bâ—ightmaâ— we may joyn Cornelius the Bishop of Bipentum who laid open his blockishness in wondring at the Beast in the Council of Trent with these words The Pope is come a Light into the World and men have loved darkness more then Light every one that evil doth hateth the Light and cometh not to the Light Hence Brightman inferrâ— O out upon you ye Blasphemous Claw-backs is it not enough for you to adorn the Man of sin with the praises of the Saint unless ye do also heap upon him the praises which ye have robbed Christ of it would indeed render me too volumenous to set down herein all the pages lines and words imprinted in the Foxes Book above named concerning the Termsâ—nd â—nd Titles given by him and other such seâ—ucing Authors to the Light within which are either numeâ—ically or specifically the same with the Collections above given to the Popes or if there be any difference as to Terms and Titles of Blasphemy the Fâ—z's are the more horrid upon the whole let any good Christian judge whether a Quakers Light within be not in goâ—d earnest the Pâ—pe without And so I pass to the fourth and last Principle aâ—ore-named The fourth Principle to wit A Quakers denying of the Trinity or three persons in one Deity Reply It is by most judicious Christians acknowledged sc that three persons in one Deity is so great a mystery that it cannot be sound our by natural reason and no wonder for there are many things in natuâ—e yea in man himself Eccles 11. 5. Thou knowest not the way of the Spirit nor how the bones do grow in the Womb of hen that is with child reason cannot reach the knowledge of this Therefore saith Mr. Caril it is not to be admired if man be at a loss about the incomprehensible nature of God Howbeit it may be to all rational Saints sufficient to prove three persons in the Godhead though we cannot fully conceive how this should be For 1. There is but one God 1 Cor. 8. 4 6. 2. In this one God there are three He 's that do Vnderstand Will and Act and these three are so doistinguished that the one is not the other And 't is Dr. Gouges observation on Deut. 6. 4. Hear O Israel the Lord our God is one Lord the word Lord is twice in the Text and saith he Printed in Capital Letters purposely to notifie that the word Lord in the original is Jehovah and so he reads