hold them are guilty of Heresy and bring upon themselves swift destruction 2 Pet. 2.1 2. The Socinians say that Christ is a mere Man and that he had no Being or Existence before he was conceived and born of the Virgin and so utterly deny he is the Most High God The Arians assert Christ was the first and most glorious Spirit which God made and that Spirit they affirm as I think did assume our Nature in the Womb of the Virgin We have also other Hereticks raised up among us who I hear are headed by one Matthew Caffin and swarm in Kent and Sussex who seem to favour the Arians but with this difference these seem to say that that Spirit was converted into a sort of Flesh or was made Flesh in the Virgin 's Womb but partook not of her Substance so that they deny both his Divine and Human Nature viz. affirm that he is not God of the Essence of the Father nor Man of the Substance of Mary not the Most High God tho he be a God yet a lesser or Demi-god a God by Office only and not God by Nature The Eutichians hold that the Divinity or Godhead was turned into Flesh and this I hear Câ—ffin once asserted The Quakers say that Christ is the Light which is in all Men the same in Turks Pagans as those called Christians which is nothing more nor less than an inward quality of Light flowing from Christ considered as Creator Job 1.1 2 3 4 5. and it is the Substance of the Law that was given to Israel which Law the Gentiles having not in that Ministration in two Tables of Stone have it written in their Hearts Rom. 1.15 Now evident it is that all these deny the true Christ or Christ of God i. e. God-man or God with us God in our Nature I having only now to do with this last sort shall add a little more to discover their deceit who whilst they pretend to own him to be the Christ who died on the Cross it may appear evident to all they mean no such matter for they own no other thing to be Christ but that Light which is in all Men which is no body of Flesh True they own that which died was his Body i. e. Christ dwelt eminently in him but that Body faith Pen is in no Man ergo that can't be the Christ in his Sense which is incapable to dwell in Men. Now Reader consider that Christ was one of our Brethren and that the Divine Nature took on him the same Flesh and Blood the Children have Heb. 2.14.15 that he was Abraham's Seed and the Seed of David according to the Flesh and tho David's Lord as to his Divine Nature yet David's Son as to his Human Nature and so the Root and Off spring of David But if what these Men say be true then Christ did not die for that could not be the Christ that died because that Body could not be in any Man Christ being only a Spirit in their judgment Paul says Christ died according to the Scripture I might mention I think 30 or 40 Scriptures that affirm that Christ died for our Sins and that he that died was the Son of God because his Human and Divine Nature make but one Person We say such a Man died but we do not mean his Soul died so we do not say the Divine Nature died that was impassible yet it is as true that Christ died as to say that Thomas or John died But now did the Light within die Did that bear our Sins on its Body on the Tree Did the Light within shed its Blood to satisfy God's Justice Was the Light within conceived and born of the Virgin crucified dead buried and raised again Did the Light within ascend to Heaven and sits now at the Father's right hand to make intercession for us All this is affirmed in the Holy Scripture of the Christ of God therefore the Quakers Christ is none of God's Christ 1. The Quakers say they own him to be the Christ that was born of the Virgin yet affirm the true Christ is the Light within all Men and that he was never seen with any outward bodily Eyes and that that Body was called Christ because the true Christ was in him Why then may not they be called Christ for he they say is in them Is it not strange they should give such a plausible Confession of their Faith as is written in the beginning of this Letter and yet do often declare quite contrary Doctrine viz. What good can a Christ without do us Let us mind the Light within that is enough for us and not trouble our selves with a Christ without See Margaret Everard's late Sheet page 2 3. who was a great Preacher among them for many years but is now saved out of the Snare of the Devil Also further she says They call the preaching Christ without Wisdom and feeding upon the Tree of Knowledg and Scripture-notions and that they did not mind Scripture-notions 2. They say they believe the Scriptures to be of Divine Authority yet deny them to be the Rule of our Faith and Practice 3. They say they own Baptism and the Lord's Supper yet deny Water-baptism and condemn breaking of Bread and drinking of Wine in remembrance of Christ's Death and call both carnal and beggarly Elements 4. They say they deny not Justification by Christ but own it But we do deny say they Justification by that Man or Person that died that his Righteousness wrought without us should justify us Thus Pen. 5. They say they own the Resurrection of the dead yet deny that that Body that is buried in the Grave of the Earth shall ever rise again they mean other things and like the Papists have their Equivocations and mental Reservations Secondly And as they who deny Christ to be God and Man in one Person do deny the Lord that bought them so from hence it follows they must be guilty of other Heresies nay of Idolatry and Blasphemy also viz. 1. They deny Christ's Satisfaction and the Imputation of his Obedience or Righteousness as the material Cause of our Justification before God as apprehended by Faith alone because his Satisfaction depends on the Worth and Dignity of his Person he being God in our Nature 2. They assert Unless we become Doers of that Law which Christ came not to destroy but to fulfil as our Example we can never be justified before God nor say they let not any fancy that Christ hath so fulfilled it for them as to exclude their Obedience from being requisite to their acceptance but only as their Pattern Pen's Sandy Foundation p. 26. If it be our own Righteousness by keeping the Law that justifies us why do they call this the Righteousness of Christ who as they say only kept the Law as our Pattern and Example and how is it then true which Paul affirms i. e. By the Righteousness which is of the Law no Flesh can be
The True CHRIST And the Quakers CHRIST compar'd IN A LETTER SENT TO Mr. Richard Hardcastle Wherein is a short Review of some things asserted by the Quakers in their Norfolk-Disputation with the Clergy c. 1698. BY ROBERT PRUDOM Matth. 24.26 Wherefore if they shall say unto you Behold he is in the Desert go not forth Behold he is in the secret Chamber believe them not London Printed for William Marshal at the Bible in Newgate-street and John Marshal at the Bible in Gracechurch-street 1699. Richard Hardcastle I Shall not trouble my self with the Jars of these two contending Parties about their prefixing a Meeting but only recommend to thee and others of you the Truth in the Simplicity of it and how you are gone from it which if God see good to open your Eyes to behold I shall greatly rejoice I shall draw two or three Heads out of this Book which is An Account of a Dispute betwixt the Quakers and the Clergy of the Diocess of Norwich and some of your other Writings which may be of use unto thee Page the 11th of this Book Ever since we have been a People gathered by the Power and Spirit of God we have sincerely believed and do still believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the Holy Scriptures do declare of him and do not only plainly say but also firmly believe that there is no other name given under Heaven whereby Man can be saved neither is there Salvation in any other name and this we hope is no Blasphemy Page the 15th We believe in God the Father Almighty Maker of Heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only begotten Son our Lord and Saviour who was born of the Virgin Mary whom the Holy Ghost overshadowed who appeared in the World in that Body prepared for him who died for our Sins and rose again for our Justification and we believe in the Holy Spirit and own the three that bear Record in Heaven and that these three are one We own the Holy Scriptures of truth and believe they were given forth by Divine Inspiration and that they are profitable for Doctrine for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness and are able to make the Man of God wise unto Salvation through Faith which is in Christ Jesus and we esteem the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the best Book in all the World and could be glad that People did spend more of their time in reading of it and the Ordinances of Jesus Christ his Baptism and the Supper according to the Holy Scriptures If the Truths laid down in Scripture-words in these two Paragraphs were duly kept unto and the mind of the Spirit of God in them then would there be no need of charging of Error and Blasphemy upon that poor deluded People call'd Quakers But in order to a thorow discovery of their Errors and the Truth in the Spring and Streams that issue from it and how plausibly they cover deceit read this Passage Page the 14th Speaking of the Priests For do they not of Malice rail upon the Truths of God's Word manifestly perceived and as Enemies thereunto persecute the same in charging so many Blasphemies upon the Light within for the Light within is Christ and Christ is the truth of God's Word the Way the Truth and the Life John 14.6 The Word that was in the beginning with God and was God the Sum and Substance of the Gospel and that which the Holy Scriptures give Testimony of and we believe and teach In order to a clear discovery of the Truth in the spring of it and the Streams that come from it I shall lay it down under four Heads First That the true Christ presented unto us in the Holy Scriptures who is the Object of Faith is God and Man in one Person Secondly That the Work of our Redemption was in the state of his Humiliation and the Work of an Intercessor is now in the state of his Exaltation performed by this Christ who is God and Man in union the two Natures of God and Man being concerned in the Work of Redemption and Intercession Thirdly The Holy Ghost's work within being subservient to the Blessed Mediator without and leading to the Father through him doth bring the Soul into an experimental Injoyment of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Fourthly That the two Ordinances of Baptism and the Supper do represent unto the Faith and visible Sight of Believers what Christ hath done for them and that he was a Man dead buried and raised again from the dead and he is now existent in our human Nature in Heaven First That the true Christ presented to us in the Holy Scriptures who is the immediate Object of our Faith is God and Man in one Person dos appear in that when we have an account of his Person in the Old or New Testament we have his Manhood join'd to the Divine Nature Isa 9.6 Many Scriptures do give the Name CHRIST alone to his Manhood not thereby to exclude his Divine Nature Luke 24.25 26. Then he said unto them O Fools and slow of heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Ought not Christ to have suffered these things and to enter into his Glory compared with Acts 2.36 Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Whenever the Holy Scripture doth speak of him in his Divine Nature it leaves not off the Discourse but by the hand doth lead us to his Manhood John 1.1 to 13. he speaks of his Divine Nature in v. 14. he takes in the Manhood And the Word was made Flesh and dwelt amongst us and we beheld his Glory the Glory as of the only begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth compared with Phil. 2.5 to 12. Let this Mind be in you which also was in Christ Jesus who being in the Form of God thought it not Robbery to be equal with God as to his Divine Nature but made himself of no reputation and took upon him the Form of a Servant and was made in the likeness of Men And being found in fashion as a Man he humbled himself and became obedient unto the death even the death of the Cross Wherefore God hath highly exalted him and given him a Name which is above every Name that at the Name of Jesus every knee should bow of things in Heaven and things in Earth and things under the Earth And every Tongue should confess that Jesus is the Christ to the Glory of God the Father Secondly That the Work of our Redemption was in the state of his Humiliation and the Work of an Intercessor is in the state of his Exaltation performed by this Christ who is God and Man in one Person the two Natures of God and Man being concerned in the Work of Redemption and Intercession I shall divide this Head into two parts 1. Shew that the Work of our
justified in God's sight Rom. 3.20 Moreover how is it true that as by the disobedience of one man many were made sinners so by the obedience of one many shall be made righteous Rom. 5.19 If it be by every one 's own Obedience to the Law or Light within it is then not of one but of many and how doth Paul come to say He was made sin for us that knew no Sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in him 2 Cor. 5.21 Also in vain then were all those typical Atonements and expiatory Sacrifices for Sin under the Law nor has Christ by one Offering put away sin c. by the Blood of his Cross Nor are all our Works whether internal or external excluded in point of Justification as Rom. 4.5 They say they are justified by the Righteousness of Christ but they mean the Righteousness wrought in their own Persons by their Christ within which is the Law within and so still 't is by the Law Their evil Doctrine renders the whole design of God in our blessed Mediator Jesus Christ in coming into the World in his taking our Nature on him and in his Body to work to bring in a Righteousness in obedience to the Law and in his Death c. vain and of none effect 3. They seek Justification by the Law i. e. by their Obedience to the Light within them which is as I said but the Law of the first Covenant or Law written in two Tables of Stone as to the Substance of it which is also much darkned 4. They justify the Jews who charged our Lord with Blasphemy for saying he was the Son of God and so made himself equal with God 5. They give spiritual Worship or Divine Adoration due to God only to a mere Creature The Quakers give no Divine Worship to Jesus the Son of Mary not to him but to a Christ within i. e. the Light or Law in their Hearts Pray read these Scriptures and I 'll conclude Thou shalt conceive and bare a Son and shalt call his name Jesus he shall be great and shall be called the Son of the Highest unto you is born this day in the City of David a Saviour which is Christ the Lord Mark it which is Christ not the Light in him Christ signifies the Anointed the Spirit is the anointing I know saith the Woman of Samaria the Messiah shall come Jesus saith unto her I that speaks unto thee am he Joh. 4.25 26. Who do Men say I the Son of Man am But who dost thou say I am Thou art Christ there is his human Nature the Son of the living God There is his Divine Nature owned and upon this Faith this Christ as thus owned he says he will build his Church c. Mat. 16. Peter affirmed that God had made that same Jesus whom the Jews crucified both Lord and Christ Acts 2.36 Paul affirms that all that would be saved must keep in remembrance what he had preached unless they believed in vain which was first how Christ died for our Sins according to the Scriptures and that he was buried and rose again the third day and that he was seen of many 1 Cor. 15.3 4. Can this be said of the Light within The true Church is built upon this Faith i. e. that Christ is the Son of Man made of a Woman and yet the Son of the Living God or God of the Essence of the Father or his Son by an eternal Generation who thought it not Robbery to be equal with God So that those Churches that are not built on this Faith are false Churches and their Teachers but Deceivers and Impostors O what an age are we in what Errors abound among us Beware Friend thou art not deceived And let such also take heed who tho they own Christ's Person yet deny Justification by his Righteousness i. e. his Active and Passive Obedience as the only matter or material cause of it but secretly bring in with others a Popish Doctrine viz. Justification by a new Law of Grace or by their Faith and sincere Obedience The Quakers may as soon be justified by the Law or Light within and the Jews by the Law written in Stone and the moralized Person by living a sober Life as they can be justified by their new Law For if righteousness come by the Law Christ is dead in vain Gal. 2.21 by any Law either within us or without us contained in either the Old or New Testament If it be of Works it is not of Grace Rom. 11.6 all Works done in us or by us are excluded that all boasting might be excluded and God in Christ and free Grace exalted Now to the Father Son and Holy Ghost be Glory and eternal Praises for ever and ever Amen F I N I S. THere is in the press A short Survey of the Kingdom of Christ here on Earth with his Saints in which the New Heavens and New Earth the Restoration of all things and other important matters are clearly handled By way of Supplement to a Tract lately publish'd call'd The Mysteries of God finish'd by the same Author and proper to be stitch'd up with it Price 6 d