Public Trial of the Quakers, Discourse 1 · Part 6 (1 of 3)
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 oth…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 abovementioned) 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 impa…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 h… ſaid, that he did not value the Arguments, for they proved nothing, (thus, he tha… 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 preſe…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 pl…inly, nor ho… 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 Col…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 Principaliliti…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: ho… 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 fl…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 Eaſtl…ck: for in all his foregoing Diſcourſe, his deſign was to m…ke the Hearers believe, that the Eternal Word, the Godhead of the Son (…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 its 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. Its 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 Io…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 otherwiſ…, 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 …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) i… 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 diffe…ing and qui…e another Goſpel, then that of the Apoſtles, as in (Mat. 16. 16.) Thou (not the Godhead alo…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, l…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 ho…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 fl…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 an…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? and he ſaid unto me, I am Jeſus of Nazareth (not the Godhead only in Jeſus of Nazareth) whom thou Perſecuteſt: Furthermore, at ver. 14. And he (Ananias) ſaid the God of our Fathers hath choſen thee (Paul) that thou ſhouldeſt know his will, and ſee that juſt one, and ſhouldeſt hear the voice of his mouth, ver. 15. For thou ſhalt be a witneſs unto all men, of what thou haſt ſeen and heard.
And accordingly the Apoſtle did bear open and abundant witneſs to that juſt one, (even Jeſus of Nazareth to be the true Chriſt and our only Saviour) This great T…uth is yet further evident, in the 13th. Chapter of the Acts, ver. 23. Of this Mans (Davids) Seed, hath God according to his promiſe raiſed unto Iſrael, a Saviour Jeſus; him (ver. 27. They (ſc. The Rulers in Ieruſalem) condemned, ver. 28. and ſlew, and took him down from the tree, and ver. 29, laid him in a Sepulchre: But ver. 30. God raiſed him from the dead; and he was ver. 31. ſeen many dayes of them, that came up with him, from Galilee to Ieruſalem, who are his witneſſes to the People; That through this [Man] (not the Godhead only in the Man) is preached unto you the forgiveneſs o… ſins; and by him (this Man) all that Believe are juſtified from all things, ver. 38. 39.
Againſt the bleſſed Doctrine of the Goſpel, the unbelieving Iews were (as ye Teaching Quakers are) filled with envy, and ſpake againſt thoſe things, which were ſpoken by Paul, contradicting and Blaſpheming, ver. 45. hereupon, ver. 46. Paul and Barnabas waxed bold, and ſaid, Seeing ye put [It] (ſc. Faith in the Man Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, ſlain and raiſed from the dead) from you, and judge (O, Seducing Quakers read and tremble) your ſelves unworthy of everlaſting life.
Here hence, it is moſt plain, that the Apoſtles Preached Faith in Jeſus of Nazareth a Man (not the Godhead only in the Man) approved of God among the People, to be the true Chriſt and our only Saviour; But never did they (nor any of the Apoſtles of God) Preach Faith only in the Godhead (diſtinct from Chriſts Manhood) to be the true Chriſt, and only Saviour; againſt this New coined Doctrine, no… only the Apoſtles, but the Holy Ghoſt himſelf bears expreſs witneſs, as in Act. 5. 30, 31, 32. The God of our Fathers raiſed up Ieſus, whom ye ſlew and hanged upon a tree, him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance and forgiveneſs of Sins, and we (the Apoſtles) are his witneſſes of theſe things, and ſo is alſo the Holy Ghoſt.
The whole is, If any Man Preach any other Goſpel, then what the Apoſtle Preached, he is accurſed; But ye (Teaching and Seducing Quakers) do plainly Preach another Goſpel; therefore ye that Preach it, and they that receive it, are accurſed, by the Teſtimony of Gods own Spirit, Gal. 1. 8, 9. And conſequently thou F. E. haſt wreſted that (as other) Text of Scripture, which (without Repentance) will be to thy deſtruction, 2 Pet. 3. 16.
The words of the fourth Scripture (which he repeated with more then ordinary ſtate and confidence) comes next to be conſidered:
4th Text. Rom. 10. 6, 7, 8. But the righteouſneſs which is of Faith, ſpeaketh on this wife, 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 …: But what ſaith it, The Word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy hear… that it, the word of Faith, which we Preach.
Anſw. 1. Though the fifth and ninth verſes, doth eſſentially appertain to the verſes above, yet he made no mention of either of them; their omiſſion being for his turn.
2. I do not apprehend how thoſe verſes do anſwer the Arguments (or any one of them) which proved a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, to be the falſe Chriſt, the Devil; nor how they prove their preterded Saviour within to be the true Chriſt.
3. For the right underſtanding of the above repeated 6, 7, 8, verſes we muſt (firſt of all) take in the 5th. verſe, for Moſes deſcribeth the righteouſneſs which is of the L…w, that the man that doth theſe things, ſhall live by them, Lev. 1…. 5. ſo that, in theſe Verſes, the Apoſtle Paul compare the righteouſneſs of the Law, and the righteouſneſs of Faith together: and thereby ſhews that the righteouſneſs of the Law is not only uncertain, but alſo Rom. 8. 3 impoſſible; but the righteouſneſs of Faith, is both certain and poſſible: For 1. It doth forbid all doubting about eternal life, becauſe Chriſt is aſcended up into Heaven for us, in our room and ſtead. 2. It forbids all fear of being tormented in Hell; becauſe Chriſt being riſen from the dead, hath overcome eternal death for us, in our place and ſtead (being our ſurety) which is as much, as if Paul had ſaid, The righteouſneſs of Faith, fetcheth a remedy againſt doubts of Salvation, for that Chriſt is perſonally aſcended up into Heaven, and hath taken poſſeſſion of it, in our Names, and there he maketh interceſſion for us; (Heb. 6. 20. Chap. 7. 25.) and if ſo, (as truly ſo it is) we muſt then deny Chriſts Aſcention (which is to bring him down from above) if we doubt or queſtion in our hearts, how to be ſaved:
And as the righteouſneſs of Faith, is a remedy againſt Doubts of Salvation: ſo, is it alſo againſt fears of Condemnation: For, if Chriſt have dyed, and be raiſed from [the deep] the Grave, then hath he thereby gotten the Victory over S…n, Death, Hell, and Satan: therefore to …ear condemnation, what is it elſe, but to deny Chriſts death, or deſcertion into the Deep; and ſo, to bring him back again to the Croſs and Grave.
Moreover, the Apoſtle Paul in theſe verſes, gives us a plain Interpretation, of what Moſes had elegantly propounded by a figure, in Deut. 30. 11, 12, 13, 14. from whence we are taught, that both Moſes and Paul preſuppoſed a twofold preſſure upon the Spirits of ſinners, as 1. How they may enter into Heaven: And 2. How they may avoid Hell, theſe two Moſes and Paul (inſpired of God) do ſhew, to be taken away by the righteouſneſs of Faith; the firſt is removed, becauſe we believe the Aſcertion of Chriſt is to Heaven for us: and the ſecond alſo, becauſe we believe Chriſts Reſurrection from the dead for us; whereby the Lord Chriſt demonſtrated his victory over hell, death, &c. in our room and names. It may hence be ſafely argued, that both Moſes and Paul do conclude, that if any man ſeeks juſtification by the righteouſneſs of the Law, (as moſt Quakers do) he muſt needs be in continual fear of Hell, and deſpair of Heaven: But he that (through Free grace) believeth that the Lord Chriſt is riſen from the dead, aſcended up into heaven for him, in his place and ſtead, is freed from both.
The ſum of all, is this: Namely, That Jeſus Chriſt roſe from the dead, for us, and aſcended up into heaven for us: and before either (which muſt be implied) lived and died for us: But, he that believes not the Deſcention, and the Aſcention of the Lord Jeſus Chriſt for him, but ſeeketh Juſtification by the works of the Law; he doth (in effect) deny the Reſurrection, and Aſcention of Jeſus Chriſt; which to do, were (as much as in him lies) to bring Chriſt down from above, and likewiſe to bring him up again from the deep. Now tell me Frances, whither theſe verſes ſc. the 6th. and 7th. ſo triumphingly repeated by thee, do not plainly prove, the true Chriſt, and our only Saviour to be in heaven, above us: ſurely nothing can be more clearly proved, and conſequently (by the Scriptures alledged by thee) A Quakers pretended Saviour within him, is not the true but the falſe Chriſt:
2. As the righteouſneſs of Faith is certain, from the 6th. and 7th: Verſes, ſo it is poſſible from the 8th. verſe which comes now (in like manner) under conſideration.
Ver. 8. But what ſaith [It,] (meaning, the righteouſneſs of Faith) the Word is nigh thee, even in they mouth, and in thy heart, that is the Word of Faith which we Preach.
Ver. 9. That if thou ſhalt confeſs with thy mouth the Lord Jeſus, and ſhalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved.
Anſw. Touching the 8th. verſe, there are ſome Queries, which require Solutions.
Qu. 1 What is meant by Righteouſneſs of Faith?
Sol. 1. By Righteouſneſs, is meant, that righteouſneſs which obtains acceptance, juſtification and ſalvation with God, which is the righteouſneſs alone of the Lord Jeſus of Nazareth, which he wrought out in his own perſonal-Obedience and Sufferings (1600 years ſince) upon the Croſs. 2. By the Righteouſneſs of Faith, is meant a right believing in the alone righteouſneſs of this Jeſus of Nazareth for acceptance, juſtification, and ſalvation with God.
Qu. 2. What, by the word Faith?
Sol. We are to underſtand, an Evangelical (not legal) word: for, it is a word of Faith, the ſame with the righteouſneſs of Faith above defined, and which agrees with the Apoſtles Explication, ver. 8. That is (ſaith he) the Word of Faith which we Preach; now the Apoſtles Preached no other word of Faith, then the righteouſneſs of Faith afore expreſſed, (and confirmed by the four Arguments) beſides, there are other Scriptures of infallible truth, evidencing the ſame: as Rom. 1. ver. 1. Separate unto the Goſpel of Chriſt, ver. 3. Concerning his Son Jeſus Chriſt our Lord, ver. 4. Declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the ſpirit of holineſs, by the reſurrection from the dead: Likewiſe in Chap. 4. 25. Who was delivered, (i. e. to death) for our offences, and was raiſed up again for our Juſtification: And in 1 Cor. 15. 1. I declare unto you, the Goſpel which I Preached unto you: What was that Goſpel, the Apoſtle tells us? ver. 3. how that Chriſt died for our ſins, according to the Scriptures. ver. 4. And that he was buried, and that he roſe again the third day according to the Scriptures, the laſt mentioned Scriptures do illuſtrate the righteouſneſs of Faith, and word of Faith preached (in the aboveſaid verſes 6. 8.) and therefore cannot poſſibly be underſtood for a Quakers pretended Saviour within him (as this Diſputant F. E. would make us believe.)
Qu. 3. How is this Preached Word (or righteouſneſs) of Faith, ſaid to be night, even in the mouth, and in the heart.
Sol. Its reſolved by the Apoſtle in ver. 9, 10. That if thou ſhalt confeſs with thy mouth the Lord Jeſus, and ſhalt believe in thine heart, that God hath raiſed him from the dead, thou ſhalt be ſaved. That is to ſay; the Word of Faith preached, is nigh in our mouths: when we confeſs before men, ſc. That we believe that that righteouſneſs, whereby we are accepted of God, juſtified and ſaved, is the only righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, which he wrought out in his perſonal Obedience, and ſufferings upon the Croſs (without us) for us: And it is nigh in our hearts, when this confeſſion proceeds from a right perſwaſion ingrafted an planted in our hearts by the ſpirit of Faith, as its teſtified by Paul, ver. 10. For (ſaith he) with the heart man believeth unto righteouſneſs, (i. e. unto the righteouſneſs of Faith in Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth) ver 6. And with the mouth Confeſſion (ſc. of the ſame righteouſneſs) is made unto Salvation. Thus according to the command of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, Iohn 5. 39. I have (as ye may ſee) ſearched the Scriptures of God, for the Solution here aſſerted; but where do ye, Teaching Quakers, ſearch ſon your Goſpel word of Faith: ſurely, not in th… Scriptures of Truth without, but at your Oracle (that Idol-Light tender part) within, which ye falſly call the Everlaſting Goſpel, and Eternal Word, which, (as ye affirm) was never made fleſh contrary to Ioh. 1. ver. 14. O thou Idol light within, let me tell thee, though many Antichriſts have done villanouſly, yet thou in villanies ſurmount them all: For as Jeruſalem once juſtified Sodom; ſo, thou Light within, doſt juſtifie the vileſt Antichriſts, that are this day in the World; for where doth that Teaching Quaker dwell? what is his Name? who doth in his heart believe, and with his mouth confeſs that the righteouſneſs whereby he is accepted of God, juſtified in his ſight, and ſaved, is the righteouſneſs alone of Ieſus Chriſt of Nazareth, which he wrought out in his own and only perſonal obedience, and ſufferings in the World, ſixteen hundred years ago: or, that doth believe and confeſs, that God, (of his free Grace and Mercy) giveth Faith in this righteouſneſs of Jeſus Chriſt, which is by his Father imputed or reckoned to Believers for their juſtification before God: or, do believe and confeſs that in this reckoning or imputation there is a reality; undoubtedly, there's nothing more inconſiſtent (with the Faith and Confeſſion) of Teaching Quakers, then theſe moſt evident Goſpel Principles of infallible Truth; and therefore they are (as I may ſafely avouch) the greateſt Antichriſts (of this age) on Earth, and ordained to the greateſt condemnation, Jude ver. 3, 4. I do now proceed to conſider his fifth Scripture, alledged, to prove a Quakers pretended …aviour within him, to be the true, not the falſe Chriſt.
Text 5. 2 Cor. 13. 5. Know ye not your own ſelves, how that Jeſus Chriſt is in you, except ye be Reprobates.
Anſ. 1. By the way, This Text of Scripture, layes the Axe to the root of your new coined Religion, and wounds it to death: which may be thus argued; If the light which is (by natural Generation) in Reprobates coming into the World, be not the true Chriſt, then the light that is in every man which comes into the World (by natural Generation) is not the true Chriſt:
But the light which is by natural Generation in Reprobates, is not the true Chriſt, as above, Ergo, the light that is in 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 youward 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 G…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; its 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, its 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) its therefore called Chriſt operative, in which ſenſe only. Chriſt is ſaid to be (in u….) As the Sun is in the eye by its beams; ſo, Ieſus Chriſt (as the author, or fi…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. Its Chriſt Operative only▪ that is in the Saints, tis 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 thats 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 con…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. 1…. 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 him at the heart, and Gal. 3. 16. To Abraham and to his ſeed were the promiſes made, and to ſeeds as of many, but as of one, and to thy ſeed, which is Chriſt, (this ſay they) is to be underſtood of an Elect-ſeed within) alſo in Heb. 6 ver. 6. Seeing they crucifie to themſelves the Son of God afreſh.
Anſw. As to the two firſt Texts (ſc. Amos 2. 13. & Gen. 6. 6.) It is a well known Truth, that God is unchangeable; and as God … him…elf unchangeably the ſame, ſo this cannot be ſpoken properly of hi…, nor is it thus to be underſtood; as if God in thoſe wicked men rep…nted, or was preſſed down in them: neither is it ſo expreſſed in Scripture: But God is ſaid to be grieved for, and preſſed down under the abo…inations of the wicked; Becauſe, when through his Prophets and Miniſters being rejected, in them ſo ſent forth by him, he is ſaid (in the Texts above) to be grieved for, and preſſed down under their wickedneſs: this interpretation, agreeth with the teſtimony of Stephen (Act. 7. 51, 52.) where their perſecuting the Prophets, their betraying and murthering the juſt one, and rejecting the Teſtimony of his choſen Witneſſes, is called a reſiſting the Holy Ghoſt; As for the third Text above, ſc. Gal. 3. 16. This Scripture only affirms: That Chriſt, as he is the ſeed of Abraham, is the one eminent ſeed to whom the promiſe belongs: what the promiſe was, the Apoſtle ſets down ver. 8. in thee ſhall all Nations he bleſſed; This promiſe is, Act. 3. 25. mentioned by Peter, as ſpoken of that Jeſus whom the Jews delivered up in the preſence of Pilate; and not otherwiſe is it to be found in Scripture that Jeſus Chriſt is called the Seed to whom the promiſe belongs: for this is that Seed of the Woman, which God promiſed, Gen. 3. 15 and in the fulneſs of time) as God promiſed) … forth made … a Woman, Gal. 4 ver 4. This is the perſonal ſeed Chriſt, which was never in any man: But your Quakeriſmes of Anti ſcriptural Divini…y; to wit, … Ligh… in Man, to be the Elect-ſeed, the ſuffering Chriſt …; theſe, and ſuch notions, are hatcht only in your own …: for, which of all the Saints of old, ever ſpoke or wrote ſuch Divinity? did the Saints of old build upon any other Foundation then the Prephets and Apoſtles, Jeſus Chriſt himſelf being the chief …, Eph. 2…0 which is ſet at nought by ſuch builders, as Teaching Quakers are: conſider, was there ever any other Elect-ſeed, called the true Chriſt, our only Saviour, but that which God revealed to Adam-fallen, Gen. 3. 15.: and ſurely, in vain was that divine Revelation from the Father, if the … within Adam (as the Quakers prare) would have ſhewn it to him. Again,
That your Light within, cannot be the promiſed Seed of the Woman (the bruiſed heel) for as ſuch, the Seed is a Creature: but the Light within (which ye call the Elect-ſeed) is according to the Teaching Quakers, the everlaſting Goſpel, and eternal word, as ſuch it is increa…e, and ſo it is God the Promiſer, not the promiſed Seed.
Moreover, the Seed preached and promiſed to Abraham, was that one Eminent Seed, in whom all Nations ſhould be bleſſed, as above: which ſeed the ſame Apoſtle calls, in 2 Cer. 2. 10. the Perſon of Chriſt: but your Elect Seed within, is not (by your own acknowledgement) a perſonal Chriſt, or Seed: O when will ye (blind leaders of the blind) bluſh and tremble at your accurſed Goſpel within, which the Lord hath curſed with a reiterated curſe, (as in Gal. 1. 8, 9. before explained) as for the fourth Text above, ſc.
Heb. 6. ver. 6. The Apoſtle doth not (in this place) ſay: They that crucifie the Son of God [In] themſelves, but [To] themſelves: that … to ſay, They who have been inlightned by the Holy Ghoſt, if ſuch fall away, they crucifie the efficacy of his death to themſelves: and in ſo doing, it is impoſſible to renew them again to repentance, becauſe rejecting the Son of God (Jeſus of Nazareth) who is the only propitia…ory Sacrifice for the remiſſion of ſins; there remaineth to them, no more Sacrifice for ſin, and ſo no remiſſion: now, (O ye Teaching Quakers eſpecially) are not ye of that ſort of notorious ſinners, meant in that Text (Heb. 6. 6, 7. which is by you often uſed in defence of your cauſe: let me parly a little with you, have not you heretofore made ſome profeſſion of Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, to have been the true Chriſt, and your only Saviour? and are ye not now Apoſtatiſed, and fallen away from this your profeſſion of Faith? if ſo, ye then are in the number of thoſe ſinners, that commit the great ſin, called as above, a crucifying of the Son of God afreſh, and a putting him to open ſhame: that is to ſay, ye (as much as in you lieth) do it now, that Chriſt the Son of God is in Heaven glorified, and were the Lord Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth here upon Earth again, ye moſt certainly would do your utmoſt to Crucifie him again: for, that malitious Spirit poſſeſſeth ſuch wretched Sinners (as ye Quakers cannot truly deny your ſelves to be) which poſſeſſed thoſe Jews who were the very Betrayers and Murtherers of our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: Oh, its moſt manifeſt, that ye are of that ſort of ſinners, who by their ſinning are ſaid, to have trodden under foot the Son of God, and have counted the blood of the Covenant, wherewith ye were ſanctified (i. e. externally, or as to the opinion once of men) an unholy (common or vile) thing, Heb. 10. 29.
That I may clear this great thing, yet a little more: let me crave leave to ask (of you Quakers) one ſerious Queſtion: viz. have not ye heretofore profeſſed (as in Act. 20. 21.) repentance towards God, and Faith towards our Lord Jeſus Chriſt: though this cannot be gainſaid with any truth: yet how apparent is it, that ye are wilfully gone back from this Faith and Repentance? Conſider now I pray you, your declared d…om, Heb. 10. 26. For, i… we ſin witfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth; there remains no more ſacrifice for ſin: That is, for wilful ſinners againſt received light of knowledge, caſting off the Sacrifice of that one crucified Chriſt upon the Croſs, with which they once ſeemed to cloſe; God will never provide them another Sacrifice for ſin; undoubtedly, ye are (at preſent of thoſe Apoſtates, which do not only refuſe to chooſe that Grace of the Goſpel (which abounds to many by the one Man Jeſus Chriſt, Rom. 5. 15. but ye refuſe it after a ſeeming choice of it; and are therefore ſaid (in the cloſe of the 29th. verſe, above) to have dono deſpight to the ſpirit of Grace: why, the ſame verſe tells us, becauſe the Son of God is trodden under foot, the ſame Apoſtle further tells us, why, Heb. 6. ver. 6. as aforeſaid, they crucified to themſelves the Son of God afreſh, and put him to an open ſhame, i. e. by being aſhamed of the true Chriſt, and turning away from him, (as ye are and do) This, Oh this, is to put the bleſſed Son of God to an open ſhame: and even this is to do deſpight to the ſpirit of Grace: and ſhall they who deſpite the ſpirit of Grace, ever find the benef… of Goſpel Grace?
The … this, That the Scriptures of Truth, do plainly charge the generality of Quakers, with the guilt of the ſin againſt the holy Ghoſt: becauſe they have ſinned wil…lly after a profeſſion openly made … in the Lord Chriſt (… of the Virgin Mary in the City of Da… …, 2. 11. to be the true Chriſt, and their only Saviour: and therefore …, ſo do ye now crucifie (not in, but) to your … Son of God a…reſh, and put him to an open ſhame: Oh, that … (I do heardly wiſh it) would bring theſe repeated plain dealings effectually home to your hearts; remembring from whence ye are fallen, and …, and do the firſt works, Rev. 2 5. 9.
Laſtly, As it is above noted: in what ſenſe this Diſputant F. E. intended the fore-aſſerted Notions (ſc. that the Word took fleſh, and in that fleſh dyed for all men) I could not certainly determine, nor could (as I am perſwaded) he himſelf: as it may appear, by the Anſwer he then made to a Queſtion, which I put unto him: …o wit,
Queſt. Whether he (F. E.) did believe, that Jeſus Chriſt of Nazareth, the Man approved of God among the People: and whom the Jews ſlew, and God raiſed from the dead, and alſo received up into Heaven, were the true Chriſt, and his only Saviour?
He forthwi…h Anſwered; That be did believe it: Capt. Baſcomb then called to him ſaying, Thou wilt deny … tomorrow: and withal I likewiſe told him that by this his open confeſſion of the true Faith, he had openly declared himſelf to be a Chriſtian and no Quaker and I furthermore ſaid to him, that he had (by that Goſpel confeſſion of Faith) manifeſtly contradicted what he had contended for in his preſent Diſcourſe (called Diſputation) and that he had alſo thereby confirmed the firſt part of the charge againſt them, namely, That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him, was not the true Chriſt, but the falſe Chriſt.
And at the ſame time Nathaniel Bethel ſpake to him; ſaying, Francis, you were (not long ſince) of another Faith, or of another Opinion; for you told my Wife, That if ſhe did believe in any other Chriſt, then in that Chriſt which was within her, ſhe would be damne…; But Francis (Jeſuite-like) openly denied, that he had ſpoken any ſuch Words to his Wiſe, thereupon Nathaniel Bethel replied to him (in the face of the Congregation) that he would depoſe, what he had declared to be a truth.
Since that time, I have been informed of the occaſion, which invited theſe words from the ſad-Quaker: it was thus, diſcourſing of the old Brigham (a man of the fifth-Monarchy perſwaſion) who ſaid, he hoped to live to ſee Jeſus Chriſt on the Earth, and to ſhake him by the hand; then F. E. ſaid, But he (ſc. Brigham) ſhould be firſt ſure, that Jeſus Chriſt had a hand: Bethels Wife then told him, that Chriſt had now a hand: for I do (ſaid ſhe) Believe that Chriſt hath now the ſame body in Heaven, which he had when he was upon the Earth: at this expreſſion of her Faith, this frank-Quaker was offended, and could not forbear, but in plain terms, told her, that ſhe was a Blaſphemer (or, had ſpoken Blaſphemy) and withal he further ſaid unto her as above, To wit, That if ſhe believed in any other Chriſt, then in that Chriſt which was within her, ſhe would be damned: O moſt horrid Quakeriſme, dig'd out of the bottomleſs Pit, from whence thou haſt received thy Ordination to be a Teaching, Seducing, and Lying Quaker: For Francis, thou knoweſt both this Man and his Wife, to be perſons of good Name, credit, and of honeſt reputation in this Country, and therefore worthy to be believed, before thy ſelf: Oh that the Lord would give thee grace to repent of thy evident wickedneſs, and grievous God provoking Blaſphemy, (proceeding from the falſe Chriſt within thee) which undoubtedly thou haſt wretchedly aggravated, by making (as much as in thee lay) this faithful witneſs, an open lyar: and that (as moſt of the Chriſtian Hearers j…dged) contrary to the Teſtimony of the render part (thy Light-Chriſt-Conſe…nce) within: Oh, that I could prevailingly adviſe thee, to think how deſervedly the dreadful words of the holy Apoſtle, Act. 13. 45. may be charged on thee, viz. They (the Jews) were filled with envy, and ſpake againſt thoſe things which were ſpoken by Paul, contradicting and blaſpheming: For,
1. The manner of thy words (as above) plainly declare, that thou were filled with envy.
2. The matter of her words, was the ſame with the thing ſpoken by Paul, not only in ver. 37, 38. but alſo in chap. 3. 13. 21. The God of our Fathers hath glorified his Son Jeſus, whom the Heaven muſt receive, until the times of reſtitution of all things; ſo that thou wert not only filled with envy, but with blaſ…hemous contradictions; now Francis, this being thy caſe truly ſtated, haſt thou not indeed cauſe to repent over thy falſe-Chriſt that hath (as above) filled thy heart with envy, and thy tongue with Blaſp…my, againſt the the truth of God believed and confeſſe… by that good Woman above. By the way, I may not omit (Capt Baſcombes m…tion ma…e unto me (upon the confeſſion of F. E. his Faith above, &c. That Jeſus of Nazareth was received up into Heaven: to ask him where Heaven was; (it ſeems the Captain knew, that the Teaching Quakers had Jeſuitical-equivocations, and mental reſerves) accordingly I askt him, where Heaven was; but he made me no Anſwer thereupon, his tender headed-iniquity-Brother, William Harriot ſaid, Heaven was where it ſhould be: I demanded of him, where that was? he replied (like himſelf) Heaven was there where God would have it to be: by theſe impertinent ſilly ſhifts, the intelligent Hearers perceived, that they were baſely afraid to ſtand to their Quakeriſme Principles: its well known, that at other times they have confidently avouched (as their Scripture-wreſting-Guids, teach) that Heaven (as well as Hell) is within them; for which that Text eſpecially is pretended, Luk. 17. 21. For behold the Kingdome of God is within you (ſc. the Phariſees, ver. 20.) whereas by Kingdome of God in that place, our Saviour underſtands the Goſpel of God Preached as Mark 1. 14. Jeſus came into Galilee, Preaching the Goſpel of the Kingdome of God: and in Luk. 10. 11. Be ye ſure of this, that the Kingdome of God is come nigh unto you: likewiſe Mat. 21. 43. Therefore ſaid Ieſus unto the Phariſees, the Kingdome of God ſhall be taken from you, and given to a Nation bringing forth the fruits thereof: and ver. 45. When the chief Prieſts and Phariſees had heard his Parables, they perceived that he ſpake of them: Theſe Scriptures do plainly ſhew, that by kingdome of God, 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 …acheſt the Apoſtles of Jeſus Chriſt, (yea the Holy-Ghoſt himſelf) how to ſpeak, who were the fa…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: Its moſt evident, that the Apoſtles preached Chriſt, as Man [Not but that he was and is alſo God] to be believed in for the rem…ſſi…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 t…en ſt…pt: Therefore, I prayed him, to tell us, were tho…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 Godman, 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 …loa… their weakneſs and inſufficien… 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 its 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, Thi… is likewiſe con…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 fl…ſh p…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 mix…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 inſi…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 tha… 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 N…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 …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 preten…ed Savi…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 So… (on…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; 'tis true, we read o… the righ…eouſneſs of God. 2 Cor. 5 21. yet it is not to be underſ…od for the eſſential righteouſneſs of God, but for a righteouſneſs …nſwerab…e unto the Law performed by the manhood of Chriſt, to which the Godhead gav… 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 ma…) is our only Material Saviour; …(if he may be …lieved) … us …rom the … of Gods Spiri…, … the Man … Lord Chriſt, then b…rn of the Virgin Mary▪ whom … took up i…o his arms, was the Salvation of God) i e. whom God had exalted to be …h… only Saviour Act. 5 ….) and the holy Apoſtles preached (as a…ore noted) the Man Ieſus Chriſt of Nazareth, to be be…ieved in remiſſion of ſins: herewithal named that Text of Scripture, in the 1 T…m. 2. 5. 6 There is one Mediator between God and Man, the Man Chriſt Jeſus, who gav… himſelf a ranſom for all, to be testified in due time. The Apoſtle doth not (as I ſaid) here aſſert, the Man J…ſus Chriſt, to exclude the God head, or divine nature, from him the Med…ator, and Ranſom…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 w…s and is God, or had a divine Nature: yet, it was paid in the Man hood, o… humane nature only, that is to ſay, Chriſts humane Nature gave worth and value to it: whence I did infer (but w…th much reverence) that the Manhood of the Son of God, is the only m…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 forthwi…h replied, that I did ſay, to wit, that the Manhood of Chriſt is our only material Saviour: which (as I ſuppoſe) he underſtood not▪ and therefore he ſaid no more: howbeit, I expected ſome reply from Mrs. Patience Bullock (no ſmall Propheteſs in their Libertine Synagogue) but inſtead of a Reply, ſhe puts forth another Queſtion: ſc.