Christ 2 Cor. 4. and it is false to say that we affirm that the Word was never made Flesh and here thou maist see thy contradictions who confessest the Word Eternal in Page 8. and contradicts it and scoffest at it in Page 15. who saist Search for your Gospel Word of Faith surely not in the Scriptures without but at your Oracle that Idol Light within which you falsly call the Everlasting Gospel and Eternal Word Yet thou contradicts thy self and saith p. 8. Christ the Eternal Word enlightens every man that comes into the World And now thou callest the Light within O thou Idol Light-within Here thou maist see how thou dost Blaspheme against the true Light and the Life in Christ the Word which enlightens every man that comes into the world Which will be thy Condemnation who hatest it and blaspheamest against it More of S. B.'s bad Words Page 16. The Light within doth justify the vilest Antichrists No it condemns thee and them Page 16. S. B. saith Metonymia c. F. E. understands no more than the Hour-Glass that is before me But S. B. hath not proved that the Gospel-Ministers Preacht in a Pulpit like Ezra neither hath he proved that Ezra had a Cushion which he makes such a work about nor his Word Metonymy by Scripture which he says is his Rule S. B. saith A Cushion is familiar the Gloe-worm Light within the Idol Light within Page 18. 19. Antichristian Divinity to wit the Light in Man c. These are Priest Bonds soul words S. B. saith You blind Leaders of the blind blush and tremble at your accursed Gospel within c. page 20. Answer We are not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes Rom. 1. S. B. The Eternal Word which as ye affirm was never made Flesh page 15. and page 18. thou gives thy self the Lye when thou saist F. E. the Quaker said That the Word took Flesh of the Virgin and in that Flesh dyed for all men Thou sayst that this motion pleased F. E. so well to make a deliberate repetition of it and this thou scoffingly calledst F. E's New Divinity the Idol Light within But where did ever the Apostles call the Light of Christ which shines in the heart an Idol Light within as thou blasphemously saist But here it is clear thou hast manifested a Lying Spirit who saist page 15. that we affirm the Eternal Word was never made Flesh And then again in page 18. thou art made to confess thus viz. I shall here take up an expression which I had almost forgotten which this Disputant F. E. doubled in his Discourse namely That the Word took Flesh of the Virgin and in that Flesh died for all men That God sent Christ to save all men from sin and death as he F. Eastlack said whose Sufferings Sacrifice Mediation Intercession and Offices we do own and witness as inwardly wrought and performed in us and for us And this thou dost confess page 18. That the Quakers did confess Christ was in their hearts and scoffingly saist still the Idol Light within and callest this a New Doctrine Now here it is clear according to the Scripture we did confess the Word became Flesh and Christ was put to death in the Flesh and so died for our Sins and is risen for our Justification and is revealed in our hearts by his Spirit by which we know him to be our Mediator and Intercessor and without him we can do nothing who exercises his Prophetical and his Priestly and Kingly Office in his Church S B. And again thou saist We affirm the Eternal Word was never made Flesh and then in Page 21 thou confessest that F. E. the Quaker said that the Word took Flesh and in that Flesh Dyed for all Men Here again thou givest thy self a Lye in thy own Book In Page 20. S. B. saith You most certainly would do your uttermost to Crucifie Him again to wit Christ These are some of thy malicious Lyes for Christ is our Life and Saviour Heb. 6.7 S. B. may apply to himself and Heb. 10.29 And then S. B. is at it again That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him was not the true Christ but the false Page 22. O most Horrible Quakerisme digged out of the Bottomless Pit thy Light Christ Conscience seducing and Lying Quaker the false Christ within Page 22. See the venom of this Man for F. E. the Quaker confesseth that Jesus Christ of Nazareth was received up into Heaven Page 23. And because the Quakers say this true Christ is revealed in them by his Spirit and rules in their Hearts by Faith this S. B. with his evil Spirit calls him the Devil and the False Christ And the Quakers make a distinction betwixt the Conscience and Christ for the Conscience may be seared and the Quakers do not say that every Man that comes into the World hath received Christ because he enlightens every Man that comes into the World for them that believe in his Light are saved and them that do not are Condemned S. B's Wicked words Page 24 and 25. As Blind as Bayard the false Christ the Idol light within a Syllogysme a great Monster to him to wit to the Quaker That is not the Quakers Monster but S. B's Thou saist the Eternal Power and God-head was manifest in the unconverted Gentiles yet in another place thou saist Christ the Saviour within is the false Christ What confused Babylon Stuff is this and yet S. B. saith That this was the Gospel Word that was Preached which profited not neither Jews nor Gentiles that did not by the mouth of Faith eat the Flesh and drink the Blood of our only Saviour So then if they eat his Flesh and drink his Blood by the mouth of Faith it is within them But did they eat this outward Flesh or humane Flesh as thou callest it and yet S. B. saith in Page 26. The Quakers Saviour within is not the true Christ but of the Devil And Page 15. thou saist Where do you teaching Quakers seek for your Gospel Word of Faith Surely not in the Scriptures and in Page 26. This was the Gospel Word that was Preacht c. Saith S. B. in contradiction to himself who saith Surely not in the Scriptures without but at your Oracle that Idol light within that the Quakers have searcht for then hath not S. B. watcht for the same at his Idol light within though we do abhor his blasphemous words against the Light of Christ S. B. saith that I do affirm Jesus Christ as man is our only material Saviour and that the Manhood of the Son of God is the only material Cause of our Salvation and by necessary consequence the Manhood or humane Nature of Christ was and is our only material Saviour Page 28. But where doth S. B. prove the word Material and Humane Nature in Scripture which he calls his Rule Is Christ's Humane Nature
Salvation had been wholy perfected by the â—ody without the Spirit of Christ then our Faith and Hope should have stood there but the same Apostle saith Our Faith and Hope is to stand in God 1 Pet. 1.21 And the Apostle to the Hebrews saith The Hope that anchors the Soul enters within the Vail Heb. 6.19 And John did bear witness to the Word which was in the beginning John 1.1 which Word the World was made by and saith of it that it was God in this Word was Life Vers 4. and the Life was the Light of Men and this was the Light which that Faithful Witness of God John bore witness to That is the true Light that Enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the World Vers 9. So People that which enlighteneth both you and us and every Man that cometh into the World is not a Natural Light as some say the Priest sometimes nor yet the Light of the Devil as the Priest saith othertimes but it is the Light of him that made the World as V. 10. and this is he that was made Flesh V. 14. the Word was made Flesh dwelt amongst us we beheld his glory the glory as of the onely begotten Son of God full of Grace Truth So here John bears a full Testimony to the Saviour of the World and so do we who is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World it is not said he takes away the Guilt oâ— Condemnation of Sin only but the Sin it self thus do we believe in him So let People judge whether this be not the true Christ So here John did not bear Record to a Body only but to the â—nal Power and Godhead so the Apostle Heb. 10.5 bears witness to him for whom the Body was prepared saying a Body hast thou prepared me to do thy will O God So it is clear that this Body was prepared for him that was before that Body was this was he who David in Spirit called Lord saying The Lord said unto my Lord sit thou on my Right Hand till I have made thine Enemies thy Foot-stool And in the 2 Cor. 5.19 the Apostle gives this Testimony God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself And Jesus himself said before Abraham was I am and in another place He that hath seen me hath seen the Father also So let any one judge that hath a good Understanding whether any of the Witnesses of Christ did ever bear witness against the Spirit in the Salvation of Man but doth truly and really bear a living Testimony to the Spirit Rom. 8.2 The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of Sin and Death now at that time when Paul cryed out of the Body of Death he was a Believer and was come so far as to a willing mind to serve the Lord but yet the Captivating Spirit was felt the Law in the Members in which state Paul did not sit down in a belief of Christ at a distance only as People now a days do but crys out for Deliverance even from the Body of Death and afterward testifies to the Law of the Spirit saying The Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus hath set me free from the Law of Sin and Death So here is Salvation witnessed indeed he did not say Sin must live in him while he had a Body but saith Christ liveth in me Gal 2.20 And it is through the Spirit that Sin is mortified Rom. 8.13 and in Rom. 10.8 The Apostle testifies to Christ nigh and not to Christ at a distance saying The Word is nigh thee in the Mouth and in the Heart and in the 2 Cor. 13.5 Examin your selves whether ye be in the Faith try your selves know ye not your own selves that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and in Col. 1.27 Which is Christ in you the hope of Glory For it is no other then that Christ the Saints did believe in in dayes by past It is his Spiritual indwelling in us through which we come to be sanctified and cleaâ—sed from Sin and the Comforter the Spirit of Truth which Christ promised to send to his Disciples which they were to wait for at Jerusalem and accordingly they did receive it and this dwelt in them to direct them into all Truth and so it was not a Spirit without them or a Christ without them only but within according as Christ said John 17.14 He dwelleth with you ond shall be in you And the Apostle testified in his day Christ was in the Saints who was their Hope of Glory and this hope purified their Hearts in whom it dwelt and Anchored their Souls in that which is sure and stâ—dfast and in him is our hope and confidence who we believe is able to save to the utmost all that come unto God by him And so People it is in the Name of Jesus we Witness Salvation which is his Power to which comeing we Witness Salvation thereby and so we know not another Name through which Salvation is Witnessed but through this Name and this is he whom we declare of who is not far from us and the efficacy of his Blood we feel as we abide in him to cleanse us from Sin So I do not matter what your Teacher S. B. saith viz. The Blood of Christ cleansith no Man from Sin It being so contrary unto the Apostles Doctrine 1 John 1.7 which is But if you walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the BLOOD of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin And we witness it in its Opperation Cleansing and Washing the Soul from the Spiritual Defilements of which some amongst us are come to the experience of in our measure So that we are not as those that beat the Air but we are come to experience in some measure as I said although S. B. did mock at it the Vertue and Power of that Grace of God which hath appeared to all Men through which the Saints were taught in dayes by past and in Ages and Generations long since to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Godly Righteously and Soberly in this present World now this Grace is the same t at ever it was and its teachings are the same to all that are Obedient in this day as it was then to bring Salvation indeed I do not know any Doctrine so plentiful in the Scripture as the Indwelling or Inward or Spiritual Appearance of his Spiritual Kingdom which whoso doth come to pertake of must be redeemed from the Kingdom of the Devil So having taken off that Reproach and Slander from Christ whom we believe in and is our Saviour the first and the last the Alpha and Omega the Beginning and the End of the Work of God Who S. B. call'd the Devil and said he would prove it by the Scripture but hath indeed fallen short of his
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 Reply This Argument is founded upon the same Foundation as the other viz That Christ as Man without the God-head is the only material Saviour which if he could prove that Mans only Saviour were a meer Man as S. B. foollishly and carnally seems to imagin then it were easy to limit the Saviour of the World to one place and then it were easy for him to make good his Charge against us but that is too hard for him to prove for the Scripture saith of him that he is God blessed for ever Rom. 9.5 and in Hos 13.4 the Lord himself declares there is no Saviour beside him and Mary of whom Christ was Born according to the Flesh ascribes Salvation to God Luke 1.47 My Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour and another Scripture saith That Christ was the same Yesterday to Day and forever What shall I say the Scripture is plain as it is written God was in Christ reconciling the World unto himself And God was manifest in the Flesh But this is a mystery above the comprehending Wisdom in and about which the Wise-men of the World are Confounded And those and only those that live in the Wisdom which is from above can behold and understand the Jews that saw his Body understood not nor be ieved in the Invisible Power for they saw it not and their Eyes wâ—re shot that they could not behold it neither did Flesh and Blood reveal him 〈◊〉 Disâ—â—ples but the Father So that as none can know the Father but the Son and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him so none can know the Son by reading of Letter or by Fleshly-wisdom but as the Father reveals him in them and is only seen and known in the Light though he be in Heaven and such as believe not in the Light wherewith they are Enlightned and which doth Enlighten every Man that cometh into the World have not known him nor seen him although the Jews saw the Body yet they saw not him that dwelt in the Body that was before Abraham who was the Saviour of the World and was one with the Father So that whosoever saw him saw the Father also John 14.9 And whereas S. B. brings the Scripture to prove his Argument or rather Imagination That the Saviour of the World the Christ of God is only limitted to one place called Heaven above at a distance from the Saints it s more then any Scripture doth say for the Scripture saith He is God as I noted before as well as Man and so cannot be limitted to any one perticular place and the Apostle Rom. 10.6 7 8. Verses speaks thus 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 Christ again from the Dead But what saith it The Word is nigh even in the Mouth and in the Heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach So this Holy Apostle did not Preach Christ at a distance only but Nigh in the Mouth and in the Heart and such as did not so know 〈…〉 him the same Apostle deemed them as Reprobates 2 Cor. 13.5 This is no other Doctrine then what Christ himself declared to his Disciples while he was with them in the Body John 14.20 and it was part of Christs Prayer to his Father viz that he might be in them John 17.23 So that you may see by plain Scripture it is no new thing to acknowledge Christ in Man or the Saviour within for Christ is the Saviour who is God and cannot be limitted to one place so that he cannot be elsewhere for that were to limit the Holy One of Israel Thus having gone through his four Arguments which he calls Apostolical and having tryed them by the Scripture of Truth and finding them falsly grounded they are by plain Scripture truly overthrown His next Argument in Page fourth which S. B. brings to prove The false Christ to be the Devil is no whit material to his Work sith he cannot make good his Charge against us Now this being the manner of his work on that Day Friends met him expecting a regular Dispute he having gone through the four Arguments as laid down in his Book to prove the first part of his Charge he sought to proceed to his next Question or second part of his Charge against us But I stopt him being willing to answer each Question in its order though the said Bond did appear very unwilling whereupon I did then Declare my Faith as concerning Christ Jesus the Saviour of the World Contrary to his many lyes against us and how he is to be acknowledged and believed in before he took the Body Even as the Scripture doth declare of him John 1.1.2 3. and likewise as the Scripture doth declare of him when he took the Body how he took flesh of the Virgin and was born and had his Conversation among men and how at length he was Crucified without the Gates of Jerusalem performing the work of mans Redemption paying the prece So obtaining Remission of Sins through his Blood and being dead and buried how on the third day he rose again from the Dead aad also asended into Heaven as also I did declare my Faith as concerning his Spiritual appearanc afterward according to his promise to his Disciples I will not leave you Cemfortless I will come again John 14.17 Which promise he did perform unto them and also now to as many as do believe and truly wait upon him as Inward in the heart according to his word he dwelleth with you and shall be in you ver 17. This S. B. calls a Bare repetition of words Impertinent to the matter and saith Page 5 I made no mention of Christs Resurrestion which I noat as a Lye but before I had done he Interrupted me calling me Mr. which title I denyed saying that I was none of his Master He said I was Master of an Assembly not naming what Assembly here he takes upon him to judg me and saith that I grew Impertinent which I note again as false all though I did lay upon him something of Unfaithfulness who had promised that I should have liberty to say what I had to say without Interruption Now in his Book he goes on so confusedly that it is a hard matter to trace him to and fro in his several windings Therefore my intents are chiefly to note the Lies Slanders and Blasphemies and things of the like nature cast upon the Truth and People of the Lord and where I see occasion a little to inlarge that the Truth may be cleared and stumbling Blocks may be taken out of the
from the Law of Sin and Death he saith that the Apostle doth not mean that the Spirit did so free him from Sin and Death as that he was simply delivered from either but so that it should not Dominere over us nor Damn us Suppose it were so that we could grant him this yet still the Scripture stands on the Spirits side and so consequently on our side against this Priest for if he doth save but from the Dominion of sin that is no small degree of Salvation so by Right and good Reason the Spirit was in Paul as a Saviour and made him free which if this could be proved that the Spirit of Christ was ever in any Man as a Saviour thou saidst thou wouldst give up the Cudgels But it is plain that Paul became Dead with Christ Crucified to the World Dead to Sin and Alive to Righteousness and all this through the inward working of the Spirit of Christ Jesus Farther he Ignorantly affirms that the Death Paul was Delivered from was nothing else but the Power of a Natural Death here People may behold the Ignorance of the Man was it a Natural Death that Paul so much complained of Rom. 7.24 Was it not the Body of Death the Old corrupt Nature which was not yet quite overcome yet the Law or Power of this Body of Death was strong in his Members and this was it that he cryed for deliverance from and that was it from which that Law of the Spirit of life set him free In Page 34. S. B. saith F. E. stept again and said I in thee and thou in me I Answer The end for which I made use of the Scripture was to Testifie to the indwelling of Christ in the Saints against his wicked charge that the Quakers Saviour within was the false Christ which perhaps the word might be mistaken in uttering yet it stands firm in the Record of the Scripture for Truths advantage in plain Scripture Words I in them and thou in me and is part of Christ Prayer to the Father who heard him always although S. B. by his Interpretation seeks to hide the true sence thereof and to give a meaning that may answer his own End In pag 36. S. B. saith Mrs. Bullock asked him whether he did make our Christ within us to be the Devil to whom he saith he made answer viz. That he did Solemnly with much Reverence in the presence of God to whom I must shortly be accountable for my Words declare that I do most assuredly know that a Quakers pretended Christ within him Mark who Sam. Bond said that was page 29. The Graces effects and opperations of the Spirit within them whom here he calleth the false Christ the Devil with whom he saith We shall be Damned in Hell if we Repent not Damnable Doctrine indeed no wonder he put such a Blasphemous question to Will. Wilkinson viz. Whether our God were in Hell Sav'd or Damn'd such abominacle vapours assends out of his Bottomless Pit many times But of this foregoing answer his own Pen hath accused him for had not he accused himself I know not any that could but as Christ said Nothing is Hid that shaâ—l not be uncovered And for his Warrant to confirm this Sentence he urgeth Joh. 8.24 I said therefore ye shaâ—l die in your Sins which Scripture with the 21st verse to which it relates I turn back again upon himself as his own Portion for it is the Doctrine that he Preaches to the People that they cannot be free from sin while they live who can otherwise Judge if so but that both he and all that Dies in the Faith of his Lies can escape Damnation except with the Papist thou canst find a Purgatory for into the Holy City nothing must Enter that defileth or worketh abomination Rev. 21.27 Farther this Bond after his usual manner of wresting the Scripture goes on to comment upon another Scripture alledged by one of the Friends Eph. 5.13 But all things that are Reproved are made manifest by the Light c. Which by Light he saith we are to understand a sin Reproving Light which he farther saith is the Light of the Scripture But where dost thou find the Scripture called a sin reproving Light we read indeed in Timothy that it is profitable for Reproof and Instruction to make the Man of God perfect and to Furnish him throughly to every good work but though it be serviceable to reprove the Actual Sinner what is this to the manifestation of sin in the Heart before it breaks forth into Action which only is made manifest by the Light or Spirit of Christ as in Joh. 16.8 and whereas he saith the Scripture is frequently described by Light alledging for proof Psal 119.105 Thy Word is a Light unto my Steps To this I answer that Scripture is not there mentioned If he say it is the Word to this I farther give answer that the Scripture in no place calls it self the Word though S. B. without any Scripture ground calls it the Written Word but it saith God is the Word and Christ is the Word and Ezekiel saith often The Word of the Lord came unto me saying so that it notes the Word and the sayings which sayings are many of them Recorded in the Scriptures of Truth and are properly the true sayings of God who is the Word Joh. 1.1 He farther to confirm the Scripture to be the Light doth Note Joh. 3.16 Every one that doeth Evil hateth the Light But experience tells us that every Evil Man doth not hate the Scripture but delight many of them to Read it and Teach it their Children but their Enmity is against the Light that makes manifest sin and Iniquity in the Heart which is the Righteous Principle of God in the Heart the sure Word of Prophesie to which the Saints of Old did take heed which is prefer'd before the sound of Words without for the Words without may be falsly Translated and the true sense of them may be changed and falsly Interpreted or written in another Tongue or the Scripture being made up of several Creaters it is possible it may be destroyed but the Invisible Word the Light Christ Jesus could no Man destroy whom the Apostle Paul saith speaketh from Heaven Gods beloved Son whom we are to hear not rejecting the Scripture as it is truly Read for it bears witness to the Light Christ Jesus Several more Lies and false accusations I meet with in his Book as page 38. he saith the Teaching Quakers saith Christ is manifest in their real Flesh but the Flesh of Christ was only in shew and appearance And in page 38. he charges William Harriot for saying he denyed their out-side Christ which words I do not remember in the least neither do any Friend or other People that I have spoke withal witness any such word spoken by him And in page 40. he Proceeds farther with his false charges saying The Quakers deny that Christ was true Man consisting of
to be their Guide and their Instructor and their Leader and in the Spirit they were to Worship the Father and this is the word of Faith even Christ the begetter of Faith in the Heart and must be believed in and obeyed and walked up to according to his Inward Moons and requirings which always moveth and leadeth into the things that is good and maketh manifest the Evil and reproveth for it and this is not received by Natural Generation but by the Inspiration of the Almighty which is Light which shines in our Hearts and gives the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ and this Spirit Life and Power dwelt in the Son of God without measure but in the Saints in measure and this is he by which the Saints are Sanctified and do receive full assurance of the everlasting unchangeable Inheritance and this is wrought by degrees by the same Spirit by which the Saints are continually given up to Death to dye to Sin to dye to the Flesh to dye to the World that the Life of Jesus may be made Manifest in their Mortal Bodies And the Manifestation of this Spirit being given to every Man to profit withal and we believing that every Man hath Received a Measure of this pure Light according to Joh. 1.9 therefore do we direct People to turn in their Minds to this Heavenly Principle this Heart searching Light that makes Manifest Sin and Transgression and leads the Soul out of Captivity from under the Power thereof and these things we declare and Exhort People to submit unto the same for herein only is the true Spiritual Worship witnessed And now S. B. what wilt thou say Wilt thou judge this is to deny Christ or to make him a Lyer who was truly God or to make the Holy Spirit a Lyer to whom we thus Testifie or to make the Angels Lyers who Testified to him as a King whose Kingdom was not of this World or to make the Apostles Lyers who bare so large a Testimony to his Spiritual appearance I know and am sure had thou received thy Message from the Lord or ever walked in the Path of the Righteouss thou wouldst have had another Message to declare then any yet I can see come from thee Now all the Scriptures that S. B. brings to prove his charge they are such as proves the same Jesus to be the Saviour who was one with the Father And however these Testimonies of Christ the Spirit the Angels and Apostles seems to speak of the outward Man yet thereby we cannot understand it any otherwise then as he was the Christ and Saviour of the World who dwelt in the Father and the Father in him and the words he Spoke they were not his but the Fathers that sent him But he goes on to Revile the Light with his common term of Idol which Idols and Idolatrous practises was ever hateful unto God But the more he Reproaches it the more he doth heap up Vengeance upon his own Head to be Executed upon him in the day of the Lord. The next thing to he considered was a Sentence of Scripture Spoken by Will Harriot in denyal of the Priests false charge concerning our Mâ—etings saying The Apostle Travelled in Biraâ—h for the Gallations till Christ was formed in them which words he Spoke without naming Chap. and ver for which he derides him and calls him Impertinent Simpleton and with all he Glories that he could readily point at the Chap. and ver to which I answer is this any point of Religion Is it any matter of Salvation Is it nor rather a chief part of thy Trade which thou hast been Exercised in more then twenty years and peradventure Received for thy Hire several hundred pounds worth and this is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ and agreeable with the Practise of Balaam who Loved the wages of Unrighteousness now it were a shaâ—e for thee Trading with the Scripture so long and not to have thy Trade perfect The Scripture was Gal. 4.19 The which Scripture this Reviling Priest makes use off to Reproach the Light thus If when Paul writ to the Gallations Christ was to be formed in them then the Light in every Man the Quakers Rotten Principle which is in every Man by Natural Generation he saith is not the True Christ Rep. In defiance of this Heavenly Principle I say thou art an Ignorant Man for this Light is of a more Noble Birth and Generation for it is of Gods own begetting and so not of a Flâ—shly Generation for that which is Born of the Flesh is Flesh but that which is Born of the Spirit is Spirit And it is one thing to have this principle in them and another thing to be in Union with it it is one thing to have it in a Man and another thing to be formed into its likeness now none can Witness the formings of Christ in them but such as do receive Christ the Light they and only they receive Power to become Children of the most High God even they that believe in his Name which is the Power by which Christ Jesus was raised up from the Dead and such who by Faith lay hold on the Power the Word of Life the quickning Spirit by which the Saints are begotten again into Christs Nature and Christs own Nature raised up in them and so is Christs Word fulfilled you in me and I in you And thus to know Christ is not to deny the Body which suffered and Rose again for the Saints which Testified of the Man did also bear Witness to the Spirit which was their Guide and Leader and Instructer and Saviour and Saved them from the Body of Death and Power of Darkness and Law of Sin and Mortified Sin in them and their Vile affections which were upon the Earth was Subdued by the Spirit of Christ and they came to know him to be the quickning Spirit quickning and Enlivening them and raising them up to sit in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus so Old things were Witnessed to pass away and all things to become new new Nature Will new Assertions new Desires new all New The next thing to be considered is his Ridged sencering of Will. Harriot with his Fellow Seducers as he calls them Pag. 59 60 61. In which he shews his Persecuting Spirit in passing such a Sentance as Whipping for no other Transgression then to deny such a Doctrine as is not truly grounded upon the Scripture and not only so but in divers particulars contrary to the Scripture And for this he takes the Scripture for his Rule Joh. 2.13 And Jesus went up to Jerusalem and found in the Temple those that Sold Oxen and when he had made a Whip of small Cords he drove them out of the Temple and said unto them make not my Fathers House a House of Marchandice Now Mark what ground hath he or can he rightly gather from hence to punish a Man with Corporal punishment for matter of
Bond hath proved himself to be in the Spirit of the Scribes and Pharisees who profest Christ to come and when he was come they said he had a Devil and by the Prince of Devils cast out Devils And now the true Christ is come that dyed and rose again and ascended at the right hand of God and is revealed in his people as he was in the Apostles and now this true Lord Jesus Christ who dwells in his people who are no Reprobates Priest Bond in his false wicked blasphemous Charge to prove this true Lord Jesus Christ in his people a false Christ an Antichrist a Deceiver a Devil in this he hath proved himself a Deceiver and a Reprobate and no true Christian but hath manifested his folly and madness to all that read his Book Sampson Bond who stiles himself late Preacher of the Gospel in Burmoudas who saith he had a Dispute with the Quakers in Burmoudas and they did say in Joh. 1.9 That that was the true light which enlightens ever man that comes into the world and this Scripture F. E. he more especially insisted on S. B. saith to prove Christ to be the true Light and that Light to be the only Saviour which is in every Man that comes into the World whence saith S. B. F. E. Argued That the Quakers pretended Saviour within is the true and not the false Christ And S. B. answers and saith It is true that by the Light in that place of Scripture the true Christ and only Saviour is meant Here S. B. makes a publick confession in Print and saith It is true that by Light in that place of Scripture Joh. 1. the true Christ and only Saviour is meant So then here S. Bond doth confess that it was the true Christ whose Name is called the Word of God by whom all things was made and in him was Life and this Life is the Light of men and this was the true Light which is the Life in Christ the Word that was made Flesh who enlightens every man that comes into the World John 1.9 as in Page 8. And in Page 10. thou saist As for your Idol Light-Christ c. and scoffingly saist Did ever the Jews Crucifie your feigned God-head-Light within Here thou hast overthrown thy confession as before in Page 8. who saist It 's true that by Light in that place of Scripture John 1.29 the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant c. and now thou callest him our Idol Light-Christ in Page 10. But we tell Priest Bond That Christ did not dye as he was God or his Godhead but he was Crucified in the Flesh and as he was Man whom we believe and confess according to the Scripture Jesus of Nazareth was born of the Virgin who dyed for our Sins and is risen for our Justification who is ascended at the right hand of God and is revealed in us his people Priest Bond thou saist in Page 12. 13. These Scriptures Rom. 10. c. the Word is nigh thee even in thy mouth and heart that is the Word of Faith which we Preach And further saist I do not apprehend how these Scriptures answer the Arguments which proveth a Quakers pretended Saviour within him to be the false Christ the Devil nor how they prove their pretended Saviour within to be the true Christ In this Priest Bond thou hast shewed thy malice and blasphemy against our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ who dyed for our sins and is risen for our Justification c. and is revealed in us by his Spirit and rules in our hearts by Faith yea he whose Name is called the Word of God and we are not of them who say Who shall ascend into Heaven to bring Christ down from thence or who shall descend into the deep to bring Christ again from the dead but the Word is nigh us even in our hearts and mouths according to the Apostles Doctrine And so we do believe in our hearts and confess with our mouths the Lord Jesus Christ whom God hath raised from the dead by whom we are justified and saved Here the Reader may see some of Priest Bond 's filthy lying blasphemous Language that he hath Printed against the people of God called Quakers Your Idol Light-Christ Page 10. Quakers are filled with envy and speak against those things which were spoken by Paul O seducing Quakers twice over In Page 12. hath S. B. uttered these horrid Lies Did ever Paul Preach Christ Jesus till God had revealed his Son in him Again S. B. saith A Quakers pretended Saviour within to be the false Christ the Devil Page 13. S. B. We believe thou art nearer the Devil than thou art the true Christ the Saviour who rules in the hearts of his people by Faith who through death destroys Death the Devil the Power of Death and the false Christ also S. B. saith A Quakers c. Saviour within is not the true but false Christ Page 14. These are Lies without proof and this Lying Spirit that rules in S. B. may as well falsly accuse the Apostles as the Quakers who said to the Church of Corinth Know ye not your own selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except you be reprobates And again the Apostle saith Christ in you the hope of glory whom we Preach c. 2 Cor. 13. 1. Col. 27.28 and yet S.B. saith If thou confessest with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shall believe in thy heart that God raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved But S. B. did Paul confess Christ till he was revealed in him And can Reprobates confess Christ to their Salvation in whom Christ is not S. B. Thou saist in Page 15. Where do you Quakers search for your Gospel Word of Faith surely not in the Scriptures without but at your Oracle that Idol-Light c. O! thou Idol-Light within c. But Priest Bond Is not the Wâ—rd of Faith in the heart Gospel Dost not thou say it is true in that place of Scripture John 1 By that Light which enlightens every man that comes into the World the true Christ and our only Saviour is meant and in Page 15. thou calls the Light of Christ within an Idol-Light and saist O thou Idol-Light within What mad confusion art thou in And then thou saist That Idol-Light tender-part within which you falsly call the everlasting Gospel and Eternal Word as in Page 15. and yet thou confessest in Page 8. that every man that comes into the world is enlightned by Christ the Son of God as he is the Eternal Word And is not the Gospel the Power of God And is not that Eternal or Everlasting Rom. 1. Rev. 14. Is not the Light called the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ who is the Image of God c And God who commanded Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus
say That the Word took Flesh of the Virgin and that he suffered without the Gates of Jerusalen c. And therefore Priest Bond is to prove who ever said That the Body of Christ attributes no more Soul saving Merit than to the Body of a Turk or a Jew And again Priest Bond saith I do acknowledge with him to wit the Quaker that the effects of Christs death and sufferings are to be inwardly Witnessed within us Page 8. And yet Chirst within is a Devil his Light an Idol within How agrees the Blasphemy with the Confession And who is it that works Doth not Christ work inwardly in his People by his Faith Light and Spirit And Priest Bond hath made a great stir in three or four Pages about the False Christ and he may apply all these Pages to himself for they do not at all concern the Quakers And all his Lies and Slanders and filthy calumnies and his ungracious filthy Language in his Book doth manifest him to be no Minister of the Gospel but a Minister of soul Language and Lies neither hath he proved the Quakers principles to be erroneous but hath manifested his own erroneous Principles 75 times over Priest Bond saith The Quakers in Burmoudos Tryed found guilty Sentenced and Executed But Priest Bond here is both False-witness False Accusor and Flase Judge and Party and yet accuses Francis Eastlack and saith He that was the Party made himself the determinating Judge Page 6. But the Quakers are clear of all his Slanders and he is found Guilty of all the false Charges that he would falsly Charge upon the Quakers in Burmoudas and others that he hath mentioned and wronged in his wicked Lying Book and therefore he may take them home for they are fittest for him and his Condemnation with the Light of Christ Priest Bond saith As I was about to read some of G. F 's Doctrine they grew impatient and by no means would have it read thereupon I did forbear But I have here inserted it to wit G. Fox in his Boook entituled the Mystery Page 49. 50. Hath these words Ye scorn me the Light in you they have disobeyed it and called it a natural Light and ye have said that I the Light am not able to save these that believe in me Furthermore Page 54. that if ye would believe and wait on me the Light I will purge out all your iniquity and forgive all your Trespasses and I shall change your natures if you hearken to me and obey the Light within These are the words I would have read but being hindred c. Answer These are Priest Bonds horrid Lies for there is not one of these words in all the Pages of G. F's Book which Priest Bond brings S. Bond thou brings G. F's query which any that reads G. F's Book may see which he queries of the Priest F. Higinson Where doth the Scripture speak of Humane the word Humane where is it written tell us that we may search for it S. B. forger of these Lies Now we do not deny that Christ according to the Flesh was of Abraham but not the word Humane and Christs Nature is not Humane which is Earthly for that is the first Adam And this is G. F's answer to Higinson who said That Christs Nature was Humane c. And S. Bond in Page 50. makes a great pudder about it but instead of proving of it which he hath not by Scripture but hath made the matter worse and saith G. F. puts no difference betwixt Humane and Humane which S. Bond hath proved neither of these words by Scripture which he calls his Rule And when he hath been beating the Air he confesses We have not such a Word And yet S. B. saith Having the thing who contradicts himself but he hath not proved it And again S. Bond saith Christ is also said to be from Heaven Page 50. and yet Humane And again Page 69. S. Bond saith Stephen saw Christs humane Body in Heaven Acts 7. Here thou wrongest the Scripture and Stephen for there is not the word Humame in Acts 7. But Stephen being full of the Holy-Ghost looked up stedfastly into Heaven and saw the Glory of God and Jesus standing on the Right Hand of God and said behold I saw the Heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the Right Hand of G d So he saw Christ being full of the Holy-Ghost And yet Priest Bond saith Chirsts Flesh and Bones was Spiritual after he was Risen Page 72. And the Quakers say The Word of God is nigh thee even in thy Mouth and in thy Heart which is the Word of Faith that we and the Apostle preacht And S. Bond saith c. I do not apprehend in Rom. 10.6 c. How these verses do answer the argument of any one of them which proves a Quakers pretended Saviour within to be a false Christ the Devil Page 13. Or how they preve the pretended Saviour within to be the true Christ and yet Priest Bond saith As the righteousness of Faith is the Redeemer against all doubts of Salvation c. But Priest Bond is not this Righteousness of Faith within the Hearts of Gods people And hi Page 15. S. Bond contradicts himself and saith That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and shall believe in thy heart that God hath raised him from the dead thou shalt be saved that is to say the word of Faith Preacht is nigh in our Mouths We have received Christ whom God hath revealed in our hearts and hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into our hearts crying Aba Father Gal. 4. this we witness 2. Cor. 13. Now S. Bond finds fault with G. F. for using the word their for our as in Page 51. and saith It is contrary to the Apostle But in page 15. Priest Bond uses the word is nigh in our Mouths instead of saying The word is nigh thee even in thy Mouth And so doth not he himself abuse the Apostles words as in Rom. 10. And I bring but this for him to see his own folly who is Straining at Gnats and swallowing Camels though G. F's word our to us and their to the Apostles is proper enough and the word of Faith is nigh us in our hearts and mouths as well as in thy as the Apostle said but Priest Bond who cavils at Words may see how he mistakes himself and utters forth his own Folly S. Bond brings Thomas Moors saying in Page 51. That Christ was absent from us while we were in this Mortal Body And G. F. answers contrary to the Apostle who said The Life of Christ is manifest in their Mortal Flesh yes and we say again that the Life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our Mortal Flesh and Christ is in us the hope of Glory But Bond makes a great pudder that the Life of Christ Jesus might not is but be made manifest in not their but our mortal Flesh But
World and upholds it by the same Word of Power who after he had purged our sins said the Apostle sat down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High Ephes 4.6 And this is he who fills all things and is above all and in us all So all those that desire to know their Sin purged must know Christ not at a distance only but nigh even dwelling in them else they are Reprobates which all the obedient in Heart do Witness according to his promise If a Man love me he will keep my Words and my Father will love him and we will come unto him and make our abode with him So he that believeth in Christ at a distance only never knows a fulfilling of Christs Words in them who said He and his Father would make their abode with them For it was revealed by the Holy Ghost to Old Simeon before he had seen the Lords Christ and Simeon came by the Spirit into the Temple c. And the Angel of the Lord told Ioseph that which was conceived in Maâ—y is of the Holy Ghost Now Simeon by the Spirit and Holy Ghost did see the Lords Christ which was conceived by the Holy Ghost who was revealed to him by the Holy Ghost So this was a Spiritual Sight not Natural For the Natural Man receives not the things of God they are foolishness unto him neither can he know them bâ—cause they are Spiritually discerned Mat. 1.20 Luke 2.26 27. 1 Cor. 2.14 And the Angel said to Mary that Holy Thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God And doth not Christ say That none knowes the Father nor the Son but by Revelation 3. S. B. saith farther we make the Angels Lyars who said he bore witness only to the Body or Man Luke 2.11 To which I Answer I deny that the Angels there do bear Witness meerly to the Body for in their Testimony they testifie to this Saviour as a King For unto you is Born said they in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord. Which Word Christ relates to his Kingly Power which was Spiritual as he saith My Kingdom is not of this World And the Testimony or Message the Angel brought to Mary as concerning the Son of God who was now coming to be made manifest in the Flesh said He should Reign forever and his Kingdom should have no End Luke 1.33 For the Angel said Behold a Virgin shall be with Child and shall bring forth a Son and they shall call his Name Emanuel which being Interpreted is God with us So here you may see that the Angels bore Witness more then only to the Body or Man Mat. 1.23 as Sampson Bond doth assert which he has not proved So Mary believed God and did not ascribe the Work of Salvation to him meerly as Man but to God saying My Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour Vers 47. I would not have any one to think because I plead so much for the Spirit that I deny the Body of Christ but do own it in all points as the Scripture doth declare of it and so give the Honour due unto it Though I cannot believe the things declared by S. B. in his Nonscriptural expressions The last thing which is the Apostles Testimony of Christ I have sufficiently spoke to already and so shall wave it here So People may see how far short of his promise he came in proving his Three Accusations with the greatest clearness from the Holy Scripture so hath little cause to boast or glory of his Victory for the Truth stands over his Head and will do for ever The Third and last Accusation is That the prime Principles of a Quaker is the same that was held and professed by the Beasts which Paul fought with at Ephesus And to prove this he first doth endeavour to prove that those Beasts did deny the Resurrection and said so do we I answer The first was never truly proved and the second is absolutely false his Scripture to prove the first 1 Cor. 15.32 where the Apostle saith If after the manner of Men I have fought with Beasts at Ephesus what doth it avail if the Dead rise not Doth this at all argue that this was the Ephesians profest Principles or doth it not rather argue that the Saints loses their reward for all their labour if the Dead rise not as he saith in the 19th Vers If in this Life only we have hope in Christ we are of all Men most Miserable So that he hath fallen short of his proof and so his Accusation is truly overthrown But inasmuch as he did go on to charge the thing upon us viz That we do deny the Resurrection I do here testifie that it is none of our Principles to deny the Resurrertion for we own it as the Apostles own'd it Not the same Body not a Corruptible Body not a Natural Body a Natural Body hath Flesh Blood and Bones but a Spiritual Body as the Apostle saith And a Spirit hath not Flesh and Bones said Christ which before he can prove he must be fain to get new Scripture for the Old will maintain no such Doctrines So though he did stop and hinder me that time by his Mocks and Scoffs and deriding Speeches and clamorous Noise altogether unlike a Preacher of the Everlasting Gospel as he saith in his Paper be is yet now through mercy I trust as the Truth will stand over your Heads so I shall be clear of your Blood whether you will hear or forbear I am a Friend to the Seed and a Lover of your Souls The 11th of the 3d Month 1678. Francis Estlacke Some few Lines briefly Answering some Part of SAMPSON BOND 's Book Entituled The Quakers in BERMUDAS Tryed c. THat part in his Book which I find my self chiefly concerned to make Answer to is where he makes mention of my Name viz. William Wilkinson As for my part I do not know that I should have set Pen to Paper to have made him any Answer had he laid down the Matter concerning me every way Fairly and truly without Abusing me or the Truth but I finding in several places of his Book Words printed that I cannot own to be Truth besides his reviling Speeches which he hath cast at me As Prater a Baffling Quaker and one that never had the Spirit of God in me All which things in the sense he brings them if true were a great Reproach But I knowing it is too hard a thing for him to prove or plainly to make appear do find my self justly concerned to make some reply or answers both to these and several other things for the vindicating of the Truth and my self also from him whom I find in his Book hath very much strove to make his own case appear strong and ours weak c. But according to that saying in Prov. 18.17 He that is first in his own cause seemeth just but his Neighbour cometh and searcheth
Spiritual Appearance in the Inward Man and there is none knowes him truly to be their Saviour but who knows him Spiritually in their Hearts who workes all their workes in them and for them But S. B. such as thou Blasphemous Wretch who call'st his Spiritual Appearance the Devil may get the words of the Scripture and prate in thy Imaginations and deceive poor People with a Notion who through envy and malice which the Devil workes in thee art Smiteing and Reproaching them who live in the Life or Spirit which gave forth the Scripture which thou hast raked together in thy dark mind to prove Jesus of Nazareth a man approved of God among the People to be the Saviour which is not denyed by us but assuredly believed in and witnessed to be the true and only Saviour through the work of his Eternal Power in the Inward Man which is wrought through Faith in his Name who in the days of his Flesh went about doing good and wrought Miracles and did many mighty Works yet the Priests Scribes and Pharisees Envyed and Blasphemed against him a thou dost against his Spiritual Appearance at this day And we also believe Christ Jesus suffered by that envyous Generation of Professors Scribes and Pharisees and was Crucified under Pontus Pilate the Roman Governour and that he rose again the third day according to the Scriptures and appeared to his Disciples and ascended into Heaven where he sits at the right hand of the Father in Majesty on High who is the Mediator between God and Man who is ascended above all Heavens and by whom all things do consist who said I and my Father are one and he that hath seen me hath seen the Father Iohn 14.7 9 10. Who said I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the work and so Christ Iesus hath taught us by his blessed Spiritual Appearance in our Hearts not to separate his Man-hood from the God-head As thou S. B. hast done in thy ignorant dark Spirit who hast heapt up many Scriptures together in thy Book to prove the Man-hood only the Saviour which is no more proved by thee then if thou had said nothing for these Scriptures do severally prove and hold forth the power of the God-head which dwelt in that Holy Body whereby it was carryed forth and enabled in suffering and doing good healing the Sick raising the Dead as it is written and through the Eternal Spirit offered up himself a Sacrifice for the Sin of the World So not the Man-hood without the God-head was the Saviour as thou Ignorantly Blasphemously seeks to prove against the work and power of the God-head in the Man Christ Iesus and also against his Spiritual Appearance in his People Pharaoh like hast given these wicked Epithetes to wit The Quakers Idol Glow-worm and the Devil with much more Blasphemous stuff for which God will judge thee thou Hypocrite And S. B. in the 7th and 8th Page of his Book saith He doth acknowledge with Francis Estlacke that the Word took Flesh and suffered without the Gates of Jerusalem howbeit saith S. B. as it come from a teaching Quaker it is undoubtedly no other then a deceitfull shift but saith he Alas how many Turks and Jews believe this But the Quakers attribute no more Soul-saving merit in the Body of Christ then in the Body of a Turk or a Jew Reply In this thou hast falsly accused us and seekes to make Lies thy refuge and to render us odious to the People but the Lord is opening the Understandings of Men and many know us better then to believe thy Lies and Slanders which we turn back upon thy own Head with thy story of Turks and Jews believing Christ died by History which is thy own state who art scoffing at the work of Salvation by Christ in the Hearts of his People who knowest little but by History and therefore thou knowest not the vertue of the Body of Christ Iesus but art falsly accusing others whose tongue is at liberty and thy Heart filled with malice and thou throwest out Lies at random Who that is moderate and fears God will believe thee but it may serve with the rest of thy Lies and Blasphemous stuff to make thee manifest to the People For since we have been turned from Darkness to Light and believed therein we have known Salvation and Redemption by the pretious Blood of Christ Iesus which cleanseth our Hearts from Sin And so the Quakers do not make these effects within them to be Christ their only Saviour as thou falsly chargest them but we know the Operation of his Heavenly Arm and Power within us to work these good effects for us who hath opened a Spiritual Eye in us which sees where thou art and the true Light shines although thou in the dark Blasphemes which will yet make thy Folly and Darkness manifest to them that see it not Who art pleading in thy Notion and Historical belief of Christ without thee which Drunkards and Profane Persons have as well as thee who art dividing and scoffing at his Spiritual Appearance in Man without which there is no Salvation but all are in the curse where thou art in thy Notion of Christ only without thee with the Drunkards profane Turks and Jews to receive thy person except thou find a place of Repentance for thy Faith can be no better then a Notion profess what thou wilt who scoffs and derides at the blessed Appearance of Christ Jesus in the Hearts of his People for it is that which gives life unto the Soul as Christ Jesus said Except ye eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood ye have no life in you Iohn 6.53 And he that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood dwelleth in me and I in him Iohn 6.56 But this is a Riddle to thee and such as thou art who knowest little but what thou knowest naturally like a Beast wherein thou corrupts thy self and such as thou art in all Ages opposed the breaking forth of the blessed Invisible Life and Power of Christ Iesus who redeems Man to God out of Death and Darkness where thou art gnashing thy Teeth but the redeemed of the Lord whom thou scoffest at they rejoyce in Christ Iesus their Lord and only Saviour over thee and thy Head which is the Devil for he is a Lyar from the beginning and is the Father of all Lyars and Blasphemers in whose work thou art found and do not say this is railing for it is thy due as Christ Iesus said to thy forefathers of old Ye Generation of Vipers how can you escape the Damnation of Hell And Samuel Bond saith in the Six and Twentyeth Page of his Book Though the Spirit be the Dead Souls Quickner yet it is not the Quickned Souls Saviour Reply Where hast thou learnt this Doctrine thou Blind guide who leads all into the
Body and Soul which is another Lie and in the same page he saith A teaching Quaker doth deny Jesus to be the Christ and therefore a Teaching Quaker is a Lier and an Antichrist O thou shameless Man when wilt thou cease to cast Dirt at Gods Herritage when wilt thou cease to accuse the Innocent whom dost thou think to Harm by thy Slanders and Evil aspersions for they return upon thine own Head and that most justly for thy Nakedness is hereby uncovered to thy shame yet canst thou not cease but still goest on to defame those Innocent People whom the Lord loves and delights in even those whom thou disdains whom the Lord hath Begotten his own Image in even those doest thou accuse to be of the Dragon and Beast and to be contradicters and Blaspheamers Well The Lip of Truth shall be Established for ever but a Lying Tongue is but for a moment Prov. 12.19 Another Grand accusation S. B. lays down in page 41. viz. The professed perfection of a Quakers seeming Sanctity consists in thee and thou thereby denying all Reverential respects to any sort of Men of what Ranck or Quallity soever Reply Though it be certainly true that the Faithful People called Quakers do use the Words thee and thou to a Singular yet it is most false to say that we do it for that End to deny all Reverential Respects to all sorts of Men c. In denyal of this his false Accusation I do here Testifie in the presence of God that when I first took it up it was in the true tenderness of Conscience and in obedience to the Inward requirings of Gods Spirit in my Heart who required obedience of me And when I first used the word to my Superiours it being in the Infancy of Truth in this Island and People had not been used to such a manner of Speech and my self having been accustomed to say you to a particular Person it became an exceeding great Tryal so that if I could have had Peace where I stood I believe I should not have Submitted but it was Manifest that it was the practice of the Saints in all Ages of the World to the end of the Primitive times so that this manner of Speaking you to a Singular Person came up under the Reign of Antichrist in the Dark Night of Apostacy in which State I stood as well as many more but when the Lord was pleased to begin to Rend the Vail that was over the Hearts of People and the Morning Star arose and the day of Christ began to break forth most clearly then the Lord was pleased to begin to open mine Eyes and I saw among the many things that then appeared to be parted with that this was one that I must part with and I must come to the plain Language which the Saints were in in Ages by past every one Speaking Truth to his Neighbour otherwise I must part with Truth it self so I was even constrained to take up the Cross in the self denial otherwise I saw I could not be Christs Disciple So that this is another Slander against the Innocent tending to the Filling up of S. Bonds Cup to make way for Gods wrath to be Executed upon him For this I know the Saints Leader is one and Leads in the Path of Humility all that do truly obey him and in Humility I took up this Practice and not in any Pride the Lord knows but can as truly give Magistrates their due aâ— ever always having an Eye to Conscience to keep that undefiled that the Lord may have first his due So the Honour belonging to Men to Fathers and Mothers is in the Lord and this is right and according to the Gospel order Eph. 5.1 Now S. B. in his mannageing of this assertion against us he lays down his Foundation thus that thee and you you and thou are not always in Scripture of distinct signification but are sometimes of the same signification and to prove this he names Lev. 19.12 Ye shall not Swear by my Name Falsly Neither shalt thou prophane the Name of thy God and to this adds Jer. 3.12 Return thou Back-Sliding Israel and I will not cause mine anger to burn forth against you Reply Take notice of the Subtilty of this Crafty Priest he not being willing to come to the true Language neither being able himself to bear it he seeks to Blind the Eyes of People that so he may keep them in their Sins by perswading them that God himself puts no difference sometimes between the words but makes them both of one signification And thus he seeks to Blind People perverting or hideing the true sence of the Scripture and putting upon them a sence best pleasing to himself for the carrying on of his intended design But for all that thou hast said or all that thou hast yet farther to say shew me but one Scripture in all the Bible where the Lord or any one particular Saint ever made use of this word you to any one particular Person where there was no more at least included otherwise thy Argument will fall to the Ground like an old Building whose Foundation is Rotten and as in reason to use the word thee or thou to many is Ridiculous among Men they being evermore proper to the Singular number and altogether improper to the Plural So on the other hand you being formed of yea the Second Person in the Plural Number is likewise Ridiculous to be put to the Singular And as to the Scriptures by thee mentioned according to the true Sence of them the plain Language is not at all confounded neither is the words thou or you at all used out of their proper place but each bears its own proper distinction and signification for when the Lord speaks to the Multitude of the Sons of Jacob as to many as it is written I will Multiply thy Seed as the Stars of Heaven then he uses the word you but when he Speaks to his People in a particular or singular Sence as to one House the House of Israel or to one particular Nation he makes use of the word thou or thee so the Scripture stands clear from S. Bonds false Interpretation and the plain Language among Men unconfounded So this practice it is agreeable both to Scripture Precept Example and Right Reason But whereas S. B. would make his Hearers believe that the Ancient Saints did use it only as moved by the Spirit it is true the Spirit always moves Men to Speak Truth but let him shew me in any one particular were they did use any other manner of Communication then thee and thou to a particular in their common Discourse and yet it did no ways hinder them Saints from giving to every one their due Honour to whom Honour Tribute to whom Tribute c. Neither were those Saints exalted with Pride as thou falsly chargest us but Pride doth Manifestly appear in thee who would have all to bow under thee and put off
B's Book Entituled The Quakers in Burmondas Tryed c. In vvhich Book I have noted some of the many Lies Slanders Blasphemies c. and have openly detected them that Truth may be cleared from the many Slanders cast upon it and the Professors thereof that such as are not vvilfully blind may see but the rest shall be hardened Fran. Eastlack A Postscript HAving gone through that part of Sampson Bonds Book which concerned the Dispute upon the first day of the third Month 1678. and answered the matter chiefly as I found his words laid down by himself I shall now shew how that many things were spoken by him in his house of Worship in the Audience of all the People in Devon-shire Tribe so called on the dry above mentioned which words I writ while they were fresh in memory and divers Friends signified Truth of the same The first thing that I noted which he spoke in plain Words was this That Jesus of Nazareth as man barely considered is the only material Saviour grounded upon the Words of Simeon Luk. 2. and the Testimony of the Apostle Acts 2. c. Secondly That the Spirit of Christ was never in any man as a Saviour Thirdly That Sin doth live in all Men while they are in the Body Fourthly The Priest after an ugodly manner demanded in what part of our Guts Christ was For saiad he If he be in you he must be in your Legs Brains or Guts and if he were in your Brains he would teach you more wit Fifthly That Christ was not the Son of God but as he is Man grounded upon Christ his Words to the Blind Man when he demanded of Christ who the Son of God was Jesus answered I that speak unto thee am he which this Priest said was only the Man Sixthly That in the Resurrection vve shall rise again the same Body for substance Flesh Blood and Bones But the Quallities shall be Changed so that he that dyes a Fool shall rise a Wise Man and he that dyes Crooked shall be raised Straight This was an Imagination of his own Brain For there is no Scripture for it And Lastly He Demanded after an ungodly manner of Will. Wilkinson if God vvere in Hell vvhether he vvas their Saved or Damned These Wicked Erroneous and Ungodly Expressions were uttered by him that day by which the Wise in Heart may Judge what Spirit this Priest is of who is also a Teacher of others in Burmudus Fran. Eastlack Appendix SAmpson Bond thou saist in Page 14. That if any Man seek to be Justified by the righteousness of the Law as most of the Quakers do c. This horrid Lye and Forgery S. B. hath not proved as in Page 14. for we being Justified freely by his Grace through Redemption that is in Christ Jesus who dyed for our Sins and is risen for our Justification Rom. 3. and we are Justified by Faith in his Blood And as by the offence of one judgement came upon all men to condemnation even so by the righteousness of one to wit Christ the free gift came upon all men to the justification of life Rom. 5.18 and a great rabble of this he hath pack'd together in three or four Pages as though We should deny Jesus Christ of Nazareth his Death and Resurrection because we are Witnesses to the Apostles Doctrine who saith That Christ is in you except ye be reprobates 2 Cor. 13. And again the Apostle saith That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Faith and as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord so walk in him Col. 2.6 And again the Apostle saith Christ in you the hope of glory whom we preach c. Col. 1.27 Now this is the true Christ Jesus which we own which the Apostle Preach't IN people as well as WITHOUT and Christ Jesus who came according to the Promise and Prophets of God and how he died for our sins according to the Scripture and that he was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scripture and is ascended at the right hand of God and manifest and dwells in the hearts of his people and he that hath the Son of God hath Life and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life 1 John 5.12 And thus we and the Apostles do own Christ within and we do abhor that lying poysonous Tongue of S. B. who saith We deny Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified dead and buried and rose again and sitteth at the right hand of God and yet dwells in his people by Faith and if Priest Bond do not know Christ in him then he is a reprobate and then let him consider who dwells in him if it be not the Devil and Satan whom he hath so often in his mouth And was not Saul persecuting Jesus of Nazareth in his Members when he said Saul Saul why persecutest thou me as in Acts 9.4 and Saul said who art thou Lord and he said I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest Acts 9.5 and Acts 22.8 Priest Bond could Saul get into Heaven to persecute Jesus of Nazareth but in his Members as thou dost now in us and callest him a false Christ and a Devil as he is in us And Priest Bond all those Scriptures that thou hast brought or perverted and misapplied in thy 1 2 3 4 Pages which we say he hath brought to prove his false Charge against us That Jesus Christ of Nazareth a Man approved of God c. who is the true Christ and Saviour who died for our Sins and is risen again for our Justification who is at the right hand of God and is the one Mediator betwixt God and Man even the Man Christ Jesus we say this true Lord Jesus Christ who is revealed in us as he was in the Apostles and Saints he hath not proved to be a false Christ a Deceiver the Devil and an Antichrist as he wickedly and blaphemously saith who hath sold himself to work wickedness and made lies his refuge to corrupt and defile peoples minds withal and all these Scriptures Acts 2. and 4 and 10. Chap. Luke 2. John 4. Heb. 10.1.2 Chap. Col. 1. Ephes 2. 1 Pet. 2. Heb. 9. Luke 24. Mark 6. Acts 1.3.7 chap. and many other Scriptures may be brought to witness against his false slanderous Charge and his second Charge and all the rest is as false and stuft full with a rabble of Lies as the first So Priest Bond hath brought all these Scriptures to prove Jesus Christ the true Saviour which no Quaker doth deny But how doth S.B. own the true Lord Jesus Christ without if he doth not own the true Lord Jesus Christ revealed within who is the Saviour As the Apostles and the true Christians in scorn called Quakers do For doth not Antichrist and Deceivers confess Christ without as S. Bond doth and call the true Christ within Antichrist a Deceiver and a Devil within his people and so persecutes Christ in his Members like Saul So Priest
for his Seed remains in him and he cannot Sin because he is born of God 1 John 3.9 Now let Priest Bond prove where ever the Apostle Preached such a Doctrine as in all true Believers there is a cursed Root of Bitterness mortified and not nullified in this World Death only makes the Conquest over Sin So we must understand we must have this cursed Root of Bitterness as long as the Believers live according to Priest Bond 's Doctrine though he has not proved it by Scripture and then how can they be kept blameless to the Day of the Lord as in page 85 Priest Bond saith 't is an erroneous Principle for the Quakers to say that the Scriptures are not the word of God in page 77. and page 87. he brings many Scriptures and makes a great pudder and abuses them to prove it but to no purpose his declarative word of God but he hath not proved such a word in Scripture all Scripture is given forth by Inspiration of God c. 1 Tim. 3. Therefore saith Priest Bond the Scriptures is the word of God but that Scripture doth not say so 2 Tim. 3. And in page 88. Priest Bond falls a Railing against Quakers and saith Is there any word asserted to be the word of Christ but the written word of Truth Doth not the Apostle say that the Word of Faith is nigh in the heart let the word of Christ dwell in you c. Being born again not of corruptible Seed but of Incorruptible by the word of God the word of God endures for ever and are these Writings of the Letter And Priest Bond saith page 88. The Lord hath no other will as a Rule of Obedience than his will revealed in the written Scriptures had the Lord no other will or Rule of Obedience before the Scripture was written Prove that by Scripture Priest Bond runs into Lies and foul words the Quakers worship cannot be accepted of God Quakers are under the power of Satan gross blind and ignorant the Cavil is idle and vain These Lyes Priest Bond may apply to himself but where doth the Scripture say of themselves in so many words as S. B. doth that the Scripiures are the infallible standing Rule of his Faith and Life and yet acts contrary to them for the Scripture saith The Holy-Ghost shall lead you into all Truth and no Man knows the things of God But the Spirit of God and Holy Men spake forth Scripture as they were moved by the holy Ghost And Priest Bond falls a railing against Quakers Spirit and calls it their Idol light within seducing Quakers is blind These filthy ungodly words he had better apply to himself Priest Bond saith Because the Spirit is antecedent to the Scriptures therefore none can walk in the Scriptures till they walk in the Spirit This consequence is lame saith Bond Page 90. Howbeit the Scriptures are before the Spirit in respect of aid and assistance The Apostle doth not say so in 1 Pet. 1. The Apostle tells you The natural man receives not the things of the Spirit of God for they are foolishness to him neither can he know them because they are spiritually discerned So it is the Spirit of God that brings people both to discern the Scriptures and to walk according to them which Spirit of God or Holy-Ghost was before they were written which moved the holy men to give them forth And Bond saith To the Law and the Testimony the Written Word he adds Written Word and yet he saith Scripture is his Rule And Bond saith When the Spirit of Truth is come it shall guide you into all truth of the Scriptures And yet he saith The Written Scriptures are the Infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life page 89. 91. And how can the Scriptures be the Rule and the Spirit of Truth must be the guide into all the truth of the Scriptures And again Priest Bond contradicts himself and saith He affirms that the matter contained in the Scriptures is the only infallible standing rule of Faith and Life Page 91. So then the Scriptures are not the only rule but that which is contained in them And what is that which is contained in them which is thy Rule seeing the Holy-Ghost was in them which moved them to speak them forth and in them that leads them into all the truth of them But Priest Bond is all the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelations thy Rule and all that is contained in them For the Scripture speaks of the Devils words and bad men's words as well as the good Priest Bond saith The People of God had no Word Written from Adam to Moses and yet they had a Word given from God to be the rule else their worship would have been like the Quakers Will-worship If Priest Bond have not the same Word and Holy-Ghost as they had he cannot Worship God in Spirit and Truth neither can he be born again of the incorruptible seed but by that Word which lives and abides and endures for ever And Will-worship is not the Quakers who worship God in Spirit and Truth but his own In Page 92. Priest Bond is full of railing against Quakers their Idol light within craftily thrown down the Scriptures this Plot cannot be from the Spirit of Christ blind rotten and wicked spirit your Light that false Christ within See how wickedly Bond torments himself and blasphemes against the true Christ and the Light in his people Priest Bond saith Where is that place of Scripture to be found which saith the Scriptures are to be tryed by the Spirit the Spirits are to be tryed by the Scripture and not the Scripture by the Spirit Then Priest Bond what Scripture had they to try withal from Adam to Moses before the Scripture was written And Priest Bond saith It is the Holy-Ghost that leads into all truth of the Scriptures Then it must try the truth of them whether they be rightly translated or no And the Spirit of God will not deny its own Words And again Priest Bond saith The Spirit witnesses in the Scripture But where doth the Scripture say such words That the Spirit witnesses in the Scripture Priest Bond saith The Spirit witnesses in the Scripture that he is a righteous man who walks in all the Commandments or Ordinances of the Lord page 99. And page 87. Thou saith in contradiction There is in all true Believeâ—â— a cursed root of bitterness and death makes only the conquest over sin But we tell thee That Christ through death destroys Death and the Devil the Power of Death and makes an end of Sin Then Priest Bond falls a railing Quakers damnable delusion hellish Impostor that Idol light for if they might herein prevail and withal get into the Saddle they would undoubtedly soon arreign try and condemn the inspired Bible of God to the Fire and Fagot These are horrid malicious Lies Blasphemed from Priest Bonds evil Tongue For we have esteemed and do own the Scriptures more
Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ 2 Cor. 4. And truly Priest Bonds Book is such a pack of Nonsence and Contradictions and Tautologies that it is loathsome and noisome to the Reader and in it there is more malice than matter as any rational man may see by the foulness of his Spirit and Tongue and his filthy Language and ungracious and filthy words that his ungodly Book is stuft withal Priest Bond I would have thee to prove that the Holy-Ghost is a Person which proceeded from the Father and the Son and leads into all Truth And when the Holy-Ghost fell upon the Disciples in the time of Pentecost did it fall upon them as a Person And when it fell upon Cornelius's Family did it fall upon them as a Person And Christ tells the Disciples that the Holy-Ghost the Comforter dwells with you and shall be in you John 14. And was this a Person Acts 11. Acts 19. The Holy-Ghost fell upon c. So where ever did Christ or the Apostles call the Holy-Ghost a Person S. B. is to prove this Word by Scripture which he saith is his Rule Now concerning the Scriptures which Priest Bond calls the Word of God first doth not the Scripture signify Writings And do not you teach your Children so that Scripture signifies Writings in your Catichisme and Matthew the Book of the Generation of Jesus Christ and Christ read in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and in the Book of the Words of Isaiah the Prophet Luke 3 and 4. and Luk. 4.17 Written in the Book of the Law Gal. 3.10 and Written in the Book of the Psalms Acts 1.20 And doth not Luke set forth a Declaration Luke 1. And so doth he not call that a Declaration which he set forth and so Daniel calls them the Scriptures of Truth Daniel 10.21 And Mark calls them the Scriptures Mark 12.10 and Luke 4.21 Christ calls them Scriptures and John 2.22 and in Acts 1.16 The Apostle calls them Scriptures Rom. 10.11 and 11.2 The Apostle calls them Scriptures 2 Tim. 3.16 James 2.8 2 Peter 1.20 Acts 17.2.11 Rom. 15.4 1 Cor. 15.3 Here in all these places and many more Christ and the Apostles calls them Scriptures which signifies Writings Now Scriptures of truth which signifies Writings they are called the Words of God God spake all these Words Exod. 20. And Christ saith John 3.34 The Words of God And John 5.47 John 6.62 And John 8.20.47 John 10.121 John 12.47 48. John 14.10.23.17.8 All these are concerning the Words And Acts 2.14.5.20 1 Tim. 4.6.6.3 The words in all these places and many more Revelations 1.3 that hear the words of this prophecy and until the Words of God shall be fulfilled Revel 17.17 These Words are true Revel 21.5 Testifie saith John to every Man the words of the Prophecy of this Book if any Man shall take away from the words of the Prophecy of this Book c. So here you may see the Scriptures are called Words Books Declarations and the Writings and Scripture and are called the Words of God and the Words of Christ but Christs Name is called the Word of God John 1.8 And again Christs Name is called the Word of God Revelations 19.13 So here the Quakers own the Scriptures as they have been called by Christ and his Apostles and the Prophets S. Bond saith The written Word of God the Scriptures are an infallible Rule of Faith and Life Page 88. The matter contained in Scriptures is the only Infallible Rule of Faith and Life Page 91. See here how Priest Bond contradicts himself Let the Word of Christ dwell in your hearts in all Wisdom Coloss 3. And what Priest Bond is this the Letter Priest Bond saith The Quakers worship cannot be acceptable to God Page 89. These are Priest Bonds Lyes for Quakers worship God in the Spirit and the Truth as Christ commanded and hath taught us John 4. And Priest Bond saith The Quakers reproach the Lord when they deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God Page 88. And yet Priest Bond contradicts himself in Page 87. and saith We do not affirm the Scriptures to be the Word of God but as the written Scriptures do declare the Mind of God to us So here Priest Bond is made to confess the Quakers principles but presently after he confounds it again and saith The Scripture is the Word of God And then contradicts himself again and saith The matter therein contained is the declaritive Word of God Page 87. Priest Bond saith the Quakers are apt to say there is no sin Charged upon Zachariahs Wife who was Righteous and blameless but saith Priest Bond Death took hold as well of her as of him which is the wages of sin Rom. 6. So what must we understand from Priest Bonds words Here they that put off the Earthen Tabernacle and dye in the Lord that natural death is the Wages of Sin Rom. 6.23 But let the Reader see how he abuses the Scripture for the Wages of sin is death But saith the Apostle Now being made free from sin and become the Servants of God This is while they were upon the Earth alive and is it not a denying of Christ that dyed for Sin to say that Death took hold of Elizabeth as well as Zachariah and so upon all other People to wit a natural death and that natural death which is the wages of sin as in Page 86. where he perverts Rom. 6. But the Saints and we tell Priest Bond Christ dyed for our Sins and is risen for our Justification and so whether we live or dye we are the Lords and if we dye we dye in the Lord and Blessed are they that dye in the Lord. Priest Bond They have a Light of direction from the Law of the Creation and this Light is clear and full enough to make them Guilty in Page 82. But Priest Bond dost not thou call this Light within an Idol Light Page 90 And where doth the Scripture call the Light of Christ a Law of the Creation or a natural Light And Priest Bond thou saist in Page 81. The Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law There is naturally in all Men as such a Light of direction or natural Light And Priest Bond dost not thou call this a Natural Light or by Generation this Law written in the Gentiles hearts as thou saist in Page 81. But who writ the Law in the Gentiles hearts and how doth this Light come by nature or generation prove this by express words in Scripture which thou callest thy rule Noah was a just and a perfect man c. Job was a good and perfect man And Priest Bond saith to infer and say that Noah or Job were perfect from all Sin in this Life would be a miserable perverting of other places of Scripture c. Page 78. And in Page 87. There is in all true believers a Cursed Root of bitterness not cast out Death only
she had not had something more than her outward eyes and ears she would not have left her Water Pots And Priest Bond goes often over in his Book telling the Quakers of the spiritual heavenly man and of eternal flesh and blood and their everlasting Gospel and this thou calls the Quakers Idol light within page 57. And in page 56. Invisible flesh and blood And again spiritual inside Christ Here the Reader may see how Priest Bond utters forth his own folly for he confesses Christ to be the heavenly spiritual man himself and immortal flesh and bone page 75. And the Apostle saith Christ is in you except you be Reprobates But it seems Priest Bond 's Gospel is not everlasting The Apostle saith it was everlasting and so do the Quakers And Priest Bond one while he saith the Flesh is Humane and another while it is spiritual but whether or no doth Priest Bond eat and drink Christs Humane Flesh and Blood as he calls it And Priest Bond saith to teach a denyal of Jesus Christ of Nazareth a man approved of God to be the true Christ and our only Saviour This the Quakers never did nor never was in their thoughts to deny the Lord knows and therefore Priest Bond cannot charge it upon the Quakers as in page 54. Priest Bond thou saist page 53. that Christ is the true Jacobs Ladder John 1.51 But let the Reader read John 1.51 there is no such saying in that Verse And thou saist the bottom of which to wit the Ladder there is his humanity or vail of flesh and blood and the top reaches to Heaven and there is his Divinity But where must we find these words of Priest Bonds in Scripture which he saith is his Rule And where doth the Scripture call the Blood of Christ a Vail which cleanseth from all sin and sprinkles the Conscience from dead works c Priest Bond saith The visible material body of Jesus Christ is not the Saviour c. page 52. This he charges upon some of the Quakers but he hath not quoted the Page where we shall find it So we believe he hath wronged their words But is the visible material Body of Christ the only Saviour without God And Priest Bond saith in page 72. Christs Flesh and Bones after the Resurrection was spiritual and immortal Flesh and Bones page 75. And he saith visible and material in page 52. And Priest Bond saith in page 53. I have often heard some of them to affirm that the Quakers do believe in Christs Body of Flesh and Blood and that he dyed for sin and rose again and that he is mans only Saviour Yes say we the Quakers never believed otherwise and can praise God through Jesus Christ who is our Saviour and way to God for the Quakers always affirm that Christ as he was Man dyed and tasted death for every Man once for all and rose again and sat down at the right hand of God And yet Priest Bond confesses That very offering of Jesus Christ could not save us but by the will and ordination of the Father Here he is made to confess the Quakers Principles according to the Scripture Priest Bond saith this Blood of Christ cleanseth all right believers from all sin and yet he saith None can be made free from sin in this Life and there is in all true Believers a cursed root of bitterness not cast out Death only makes conquest over Sin page 87. And page 47. The Blood of Christ cleanseth all right Believers from all sin What contradiction is this And again he saith And Christ c. washed us from our sin in his own Blood And Priest Bond saith again The cleansing or washing cannot be within but without us But this Priest Bond hath not proved in so many Scripture words and though Christ was a Sacrifice and his Flesh and Blood suffered without upon the Cross yet Christ tells Priest Bond If he do not eat his Flesh and drink his Blood he hath no life in him and if Christ be not in him he is a reprobate And doth Christ justify Reprobates And is not the Sin within a Man And must not the Blood sprinkle the Conscience from dead works c And Priest Bond saith to be cleansed from all sin by the Blood of Jesus Christ So here Priest Bond he hath left out his Son And in page 47. and 46. he is finding falt with F. E. for leaving out his Son But Priest Bond saith is to be understood for a cleansing from all the guilt c. But hath Priest Bond no guilt when he commits sin But where doth the Scripture say that Christ cleanseth from the guilt of sin only and that we must have sin while we be in the world and in all true Believers there is a cursed root of bitterness not cast out Death only makes a conquest over Sin And Priest Bond what doth this cursed root of bitterness bring no guilt of Sin But we say Christ who hath taken away the Curse and redeemed us from under the Curse of the Law cleanseth from all sin Priest Bond saith page 46. The Pharisees took Divine honour to themselves and thereby received honour one of another Christ said ye receive honour one of another and seek not the honour that comes from God only John 5. But thou wrongs the Scriptures for Christ doth not say the Pharisees received Divine honour to themselves thou adds that to the Scriptures But what is the honour thou would have from the Quakers thou would have them to say you to thee and put off their Hats to thee c. would thou And if so prove such a practice by Scripture which thou calls thy Rule And S. Bond saith He that made Heaven and Earth Angels Principalities and Powers that hath a name above every name that is named King of Kings and Lord of Lords the Prince and only Saviour that gives repentance and remission of sins is in each of your vile bodies to wit you Quakers Then Priest Bond falls a railing and saith Is it not to be wondred at that they are so possest with the infernal sulfer of pride against Jesus of Nazareth These base words Priest Bond may apply to himself But we are not ashamed to confess Christ Jesus who is our only Saviour who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords who rules in our hearts by Faith who is ascended above all Principalities and Powers by whom all things were made whom the Angels worships I say this Christ Jesus of Nazareth rules in our hearts and is revealed in us and the Son of God is come and we are in him as John witnessed and therefore all Priest Bonds scoffing lying words are returned back again upon himself and so we know that our Bodies are Members of Christ and Temples of the Holy-Ghost 1 Cor. 6. And the Apostle said Ye are the Temples of the living God who saith I will dwell in them and walk in them and I will be
Judgment and opinion because he cannot receive his Doctrine was this for which they were Whipped Judgment or Opinion was it not rather matter of Fact and so justly deserving Corporal punishment for they were Buying and Se ling contrary to the Law of God And how c nst thou be justified S. B. who art found doing the same things who pretending to be a Minister of Christs and to have received a gift for the Service of the Church which is Christs Spiritual Temple and yet contrary to the Doctrine of Christ who Taught his Discâ—ples to dispence their gift freely thou makes Sale of this thy pretended gifâ— making Merchandice of the Scriptures and of thy Prayers and of that which ye commonly call Sacraments and thus thou art making Traffick of thy pretended gifts So now do thou seriously consider and tell me which way thou canst clear thy self from this Transgression and so from just punishment according to thy Transgression Secondly thy Transgression is beyond the Transgression of William Harriot if thou couâ—dest make him out to be a Transgressor or if thou couldest make good thy charge against him he did not Curse or Reproach or Villifie Christ as thou hast done against the inward manifestation of the Spirit in the Saints whom we believe and are suâ—e is that very Spirit in Measure in each that dwelt in Jesus Christ without Measure whom thou hast Reviled Blasphemed and Reproâ—ched whom the Lord wiâ—l reward according to thy Works And thus thy persecuting Spirit doth manifestly appear so that we see plainly had thou Power in thy Hands what would become of all such as Decented from thy Doctrine Corporal punishments would soon attend them Whipping Posts and Gibbets and Halters and such-like would soon be our Portion from thee whom I once heard to say that we Lackt a Halter to Choak our Errors a manifest Token of a Persecutor who art also found here pressing the Magistrate as much as in thee lyes to Execute their Power against such as Dâ—scent not from the Scripture but from thy Judgment or opinion of the Scripture nor from the true Christ The next Prater he saith was William Wilkinson who becâ—use himself hath answered the several particulars wherein he was chiefly corcerned I do not find such a necessity so much to concern my self with the same In the 62 Page this Priest reasoning strongly with William Wilkinson against the inward appearance of Jesus Christ the Saviour of the World he saith that Fran. Estlack shot his Boult and said the Deity was in him Answer The word Deity was not mine but his own Nevertheless I did bear my Testimony to the Indwelling of the Spirit of Christ And here Mark he undertakes to know and declare my meaning meaning said he that the Deity only was my true and only Saviour which by adding this Word only seeks to perswade People that I deny the Body of Christ but to this I have said sufficient before but immediately in a kind of deriding manner in answer to my Words said So he is in Catts and Doggs Judge is not that an Irreverent Expression But here by the way I cannot but take notice of his exposition of the words of the Apostle 2 Cor. 5.16 Though we have known Christ after the flesh yet henceforth know we him so no more Here he saith Flesh is not here taken for the mankind nature of Christ but Flesh is to be understood in this sense viz. we must know him no more after worldly greatness and honour creature Pomp and Dignity So this Priest saith the word Flesh is to be understood To which I answer although the Jews did expect the Messiah so to come this was but their blind imagination But when was he ever known so to come When did either Jew or Gentile so know him Therefore I say plainly to me it doth appear that S. B. hath greatly wronged this Scripture for he viz. the Apostle doth seem to confess that they had known Christ after the Flesh but sure I am they never so knew him as decked with the Glory of this world for he said The Son of man hath not where to lay his head So by the Flesh could not be meant of a fleshly glory From whence I thus argue If Christ must be known no more after the Flesh then he must now be known only after the Spirit or else the knowledg of Christ must cease for that will truly follow And if so then the Flesh of Christ as Man and the Spirit which is God is truly distinguished so God is not the Flesh of the outward Man neither is the Flesh of the outward man God as this Priest doth presumtuously seem to affirm without any true ground of Scripture to maintain his Doctrine But this by the way But to return again to the words or expression of this Priest for which I did before charge him with Blasphemy he sought to gloss it over before the people as if he spake of God in a more general way although by his own confession in his Book he spake of him as a Saviour as the Being of all Beings and gives Life and Breath unto all living and is the upholder of the Creation without whom nothing could consist Which he pretending this to the people it was not at all out of the good order to press the inward presence or manifestation of Christ in his Saints Yet a little farther I still making use of the former Scripture which is Christ in you the hope of Glory At which he said he was moved and it was manifest by his prophane and ungodly expression If Christ be in you whether is he in your Brains Leggs or Guts But this expression as S. B. then spake it he hath not truly set it down in his Book But it appears he hath been exercising his File he spake of in the bâ—ginning of his Book having seen some Ruggedness in his expression which hath perhaps caused him to mince it and also to change the word Guts into Bowels to which he saith my answer was ready this is an Ishmael Yea and I say again thou art an Ishmaelite and I believe according to the name in one sence thou art heard of God for the Lord hath heard thy revilings and thy Scornings and they are recorded and written as with the point of a Diamond which shall never be razed out except thou repent And by these thy mocking and sâ—offing expressions that Nature doth manifest it self in thee more and more to be Ishmael's Nature the Son of the Bond-woman who hath no part in the Inheritance with the Son of the Free woman but must be cast out because he was seen to mock at Isaac the figure of the blessed Seed But thou art here sound mocking at the true Seed as it is raised up to raign in the hearts of Gods Elect. The next thing I take notice of was the passage about old Henry Smith who was as at that day above Eighty years of Age
to whom he said positively he spake them words there inserted in his Book which I believe the one half of them were not expressed by him though what he spake was to that purpose But whether the Old Man heard his words so as to understand them or not I know not for that sence was greatly decayed iâ— him and he was likewise at a pretty distance from him but it is likely he perceived he spake to him which made him come down from his standing And had the old Man perfectly heard what he said it is probable he would hardly have answered being a Man slow of speech and not free of utterance and being aged he was constantly possessed with a trembling in his Body so that none can say truly that he trembled for any thing the Priest had said But for what end he went to this Priests House neither what he did there I know not but this I say from that day forward I never knew him any ways inclineable after any of that Generation to the day of his death who is now deceased and I believe is at peace with the Lord. But to go forward in Page 68. S. B. saith of Jesus Christ That he is in the third Heaven above and that he hath in the Heavens above true Flesh and Blood the nature and properties of a true man-kind Body And this he proves chiefly by bringing in of Four Questions so where Scripture fails they seek another way to prove their assertions Reply That Christ had a Body we own which was of the Seed of David according to the Flesh as it is said he took upon him the form of a Servant and as the Children were partakers of Flesh and Blood he himself also took part of the same and in that Body performed the Will of the Father in all things that was given him to do and dyed and the Lord raised it up again and he had shewed himself many days and he ascended and a Cloud received him out of sight of whom the Angels witnessed that the same Jesus should in like manner come again afterward And John in his Revelation when he saw him in the Heavenly Visions he describes him far exceeding the outward Son in glory And as he is declared in the Scriptures we so believe avoiding his unscriptural imaginations But to go back a little to speak a few words to the matter or Argument of Sampson Bonds to prove that the Spirit of God was not in William Wilkinson in page 66. which Argument was this Because the Spirit that was in W. W. and so consequently in every Quaker doth not agree with the Water of Baptism nor the Blood of the Supper And thou said he denies both the Sacraments To which he said William Wilkinson answered he had both Baptisme and the Lords-Supper within him Reply I say also with William Wilkinson Baptisme and the Supper is within but for the word Sacrament I deny it being a non-Scriptural expression But as to your Water-Baptisme as ye now use it it is of your Father the Pope whose Children ye are while ye observe his works and do them for it neither is nor never was an Ordinance of God neither is there any express Rule in Scripture for it neither Precept nor example And farther I say as to John's Baptismes which was with Water That was to decrease as John did affirm saying I must decrease He must increase I indeed Baptise you with Water but he that cometh after me he shall Baptise you with the Holy-Ghost and with Fire And as John testified so it came to pass for as the Baptisme of the Spirit increased so that of Water decreased and the Disciples and Christians in that day did not lay such stress upon the Water then as ye do now saying That it is a matter absolute necessary to Salvation and Children cannot be saved without it if it might be had For Paul himself who was not behind the chief of the Apostles in Preaching of the Gospel what he did in that particular it is probable he did in his own freedom having no positive command for it for he said he was not sent to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel 1 Cor. 1.17 And the rest of the Disciples when they were sent forth to Teach and Baptize in Matt. 28. there is not a word of Water mentioned And the Apostle Paul in Ephes 4. saith there is one Lord one Faith one Baptisme which Bâ—ptisme is spiritual and Baptizeth or plungeth into the death of Christ all true Believers by which they feel a dayly dying to sin And their Consciences washed with pure Water which Water agrees with the Spirit in purging the Soul from Sin and this Baptisme is within known and witnessed there by the Spirit But for your Baptisme without it agrees not with the sanctifying Spirit for it reacheth no farther than to wash the Flesh And speak ingenuously now S. B. and tell me among the many Hundreds thou hast Baptized with the outward Water canst thou say in the presence of God that there is one Soul that has thereby received any true spiritual profit I conclude not one Now as the Baptisme is within so the Supper is within also for we do witness Christ Jesus to be come nigh unto our Souls who is the heavenly Substance the living Substance of which the visibles were but shadows and now the thing signified the true and heavenly substance is possessed and enjoyed inwardly by which the Souls of the Faithful are nourished up unto eternal Life for the Church is in God a spiritual House a spiritual Temple a spiritual people being born a new of the Spirit and witnessing a birth brought forth in them that cannot be sed nor nourished with shadows but its meat must be Meat indeed and its drink must be Drink indeed suitable to its own Nature which is Spiritual and Divine Neither do we who witness the Day of the Lord appeared feel the Spirit of the Lord to lead our minds back again into the signs and shadows otherwise we should be ready to follow for he is the Saints guâ—de and leads them into all Truth and gathers the mind inward to wait for the teachings of the Spirit who is their Prophet Christ within their Bishop their Shepherd their King their Lord and Law-giver on whom they wait to receive the Law from his mouth Well said Christ when he was to depart in the outward It is expedient for you that I go away for if I go not away the Comforter will not come but if I go away I will send him For great is the profit indeed that the Saints have and do possess in and by the Spirit Nevertheless this heavenly treasure that we do possess and enâ—oy it is in the earthen Vessels in which it doth manifestly shine forth so that we are thereby led into a good and comely order having our meetings also in the good and wholsom order where the presence of the Lord is felt