Public Trial of the Quakers, Discourse 1 · Part 1 – Part 5
Which was proved by four Apoſtolical Arguments.
Arg. 1. Becauſe, Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People, was and is the true Chriſt, and our only Saviour: which is frequently teſtified in the Acts of the Apoſtles: as in
Act. 2. ver. 22, 23, 36. Ye Men of Iſrael, hear theſe words, Jeſus of Nazareth a Man approved of God among you, ye have taken, and by wicked hands have Crucified and Slain: Let all the Houſe of Iſrael know aſſuredly, that God hath made that ſame Jeſus, whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Chriſt.
Acts. 4. 10, 11, 12. Be it known unto you all, and unto all the people of Iſrael, that by the Name of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, whom ye Crucified, whom God raiſed from the dead, even by him, doth this Man ſtand here before you whole: this is the Stone, which was ſet at nought of your builders, which is become the head of the corner; neither is there Salvation in any other; for there is none other Name (ſc. then the Name of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth) under Heaven given among Men, whereby we muſt be ſaved.
Acts 10 38, 39, 40, 42, 43. God anointed Jeſus of Nazareth, with the Holy Ghoſt, and with power: Whom they (Jews) ſlew and hanged on a …ree: Him God raiſed up the third day, and ſhewed him openly: And he commanded us, to Preach unto the People, and to teſtifie that it is he which was ordained of God, to be the judge of quick and dead: To him give all the Prophets witneſs, that through his Name whoſoever believeth in him, ſhall receive remiſſion of ſins.
From theſe Texts of Scripture, the 1ſt. Argument did ariſe: To wit,
If Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth a Man approved of God among the People of Iſrael, be the true Chriſt and only Saviour, then a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true Chriſt:
But Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, a Man approved of God among the People, was and is the true Chriſt and our only Saviour; therefore, a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true, but falſe Chriſt.
Arg. 2. ;Becauſe the Saints of God (by the direction of his Spirit) have alwayes acknowledged the Man Jeſus Chriſt, to be their true and only Savi…ur: as in
Luk. 2. 25, 26, 27 28. 29, 30, 31. And behold, there was a Man in Jeruſalem, whoſe Name was Simeon, and it was revealed unto him by the Holy Ghoſt, that he ſhould not ſee death, before he had ſeen the Lords Chriſt; and he came by Spirit into the Temple; and when the Parents brought in the Child Jeſus; then he took him up in his Arms, and bleſſed God, and ſaid, Lord, now letteſt thou thy Servant depart in peace, according to thy word; for mine eyes have ſeen thy Salvation, which thou haſt prepared before the face of all people, &c:
Joh. 20. 27, 28. Then ſaid Jeſus unto Thomas, reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thruſt it into my ſide, and be not faithleſs, but believing: and Thomas anſwered and ſaid unto him (by the ſpirit of Faith) my Lord and my God.
Joh. 4. 42. And ſaid unto the Woman, now we believe, not becauſe of thy ſaying, for we have heard him (the Man Chriſt, ver. 29.) our ſelves, and we know that this is indeed the Chriſt, the Saviour of the World.
From theſe Scriptures the Second Argument was Formed, ſc.
If the Saints of God have (by the Holy Spirits direction) alwayes acknowledged, the Man Jeſus Chriſt, to be the true Chriſt, and only Saviour: then a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true Chriſt.
But the Saints of God have (by the Spirits direction) alwayes acknowled the Man Jeſus Chriſt, for their true and only Saviour. Therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true but falſe Chriſt.
Arg. 3.Becauſe the true Chriſt and our only Saviour, did at once (without us) in and by his one crucified body on the Croſs, finiſh and compleat the work and office of a Saviour: as in
Heb. 10. 12, 14. By the which will we are Sanctified (that is, Saved) through the Offering of the Body of Jeſus Chriſt once for all: And this man after he had offered one Sacrifice for ſins, for ever ſate down on the right hand of God; for by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are Sanctified.
Heb. 2. 14. Foraſmuch then as the Children are partakers of fleſh and blood, he (Jeſus, ver. 9.) alſo himſelf likewiſe took part of the ſame, that through death, he might deſtroy him that had the power of death, that is, the Devil.
1 Pet. 2. 24. Who his own ſelf bare our ſins, in his own body on the tre, and in 1 Pet. 3. 18. For Chriſt alſo hath once ſuffered for ſins, the juſt for the unjuſt (that he might bring us to God) being put to Death in the fleſh, but quickened by the ſpirit.
Eph. 2. 15. 16. Having aboliſhed in his fleſh the enmity,—having ſlain the enmity in himſelf on the Croſs, ſo making peace: and in Chap. 5. 2. As Chriſt hath given himſelf for us, an offering, and a Sacrifice to God for a ſweet ſmelling ſavour.
Heb. 9. 26. But now once in the end of the World, hath he appeared to put away ſin, by the Sacrifice of himſelf: and in Col. 1. 22. In the body of his fleſh through death, to preſent you holy, and unblameable, and unreprovable …n his ſight.
From theſe Scriptures the third Argument reſulted. viz.
If the true Chriſt, and our only Saviour, did at once (without us) in and by his one crucified body on the Croſs, finiſh and perfect the work and office of a Saviour; then a Quakers pretended Saviour within …im, is not the true Chriſt.
But the true Chriſt, and one only Saviour, did at once (without us) in and by his one crucified Body on the Croſs, finiſh and perfect the whole work and office of a Saviour: Therefore a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true, but the falſe Chriſt.
4th. Argument: Becauſe, the true Chriſt, and our only Saviour is in Heaven above us. As in
Luk. 24. 46, 48, 50, 51. And Jeſus ſaid unto them (his Apoſtles) thus it was written, and thus it behoved Chriſt to ſuffer, and to riſe from the dead the third day. And ye are witneſſes of theſe things. And led them out as far as Bethany. And he lift up his hands and bleſſed them: And it came to paſs, while he bleſſed them, he was parted from them, and carried up into Heaven.
Mark 6. 19. So then after the Lord had ſpoken unto them, he was received up into heaven, and ſate on the right hand of God.
Act. 1. 11. Ye men of Galilee, why ſtand ye gazing into Heaven, this ſame Jeſus which is taken up from you into heaven, ſhall ſo come in like manner, as ye have ſeen him go into heaven.
Act. 3. 13, 21. The God of Abraham, and of Iſaac, and of Jacob, the God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jeſus. Whom the heavens muſt receive until the times of reſtitution of all things.
Heb. 9. 24. For Chriſt is not entred into the holy places made with hands,—but into heaven it ſelf, now to appear in the preſence of God for us.
Act 7 55 56. But he (Stephen) being full of the Holy Ghoſt, looking up ſtedfaſtly into heaven, and ſaw the Glory of God, and Jeſus ſtanding at the right hand of God:—And ſaid, Behold I ſee the heavens opened, and the Son of man ſtanding on the right hand of God.
From theſe Scriptures the fourth Argument was formed: ſc.
If the true Chriſt, and our only Saviour be in Heaven above us, then a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true Chriſt.
But the true Chriſt, and our only Saviour is in Heaven above us. Therefore, a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true but the falſe Chriſt.
Laſtly, That by the falſe Chriſt, we are to underſtand the Devil, is plainly proved by comparing, Mat. 24. ver. 24. with Rev. 12, 9. in the firſt Text, the true Chriſt calls the falſe Chriſt a Deceiver, if it were poſſible, ſhall deceive the very Elect; implying, that the falſe Chriſt is the greateſt Deceiver: And in the other Text, this great Deceiver, which a…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.