Or should not the people have listened to and followed their doctrines because of those their confessions See then people that we may reprove and cry out against the Quakers and warn you of them though we consess we have been too guilty in not arming you as we ought against them The Apostle Paul intimately faults the generality of the believers and Teachers of his time as too much guilty of neglecting Christ and abusing his Truth when he sayes he had none naturally minded as Timothy for all seek their own and none the things that be Jesus Christs Phil. 2. 20 21. Did he say therefore that they should leave preaching Christ Surely not Christ also faults the Church of Laodicea for the like evils contained in lukewarmness did he bid them therefore not preach his truth Nay but to be zealous and amend Rev 3. 14. 15. 19. W. and F. They ask if they be a judgement of God upon us why we do not bear the Judgement of God more patiently seeing we have sinned so against him why we rage so against God and say all people may be satisfied that we be not contended with Gods Judgement Reply All this is but deceit For First what impatiency or rage do we discover against Gods judgement Is that rage or impatiency to reprove and warn men to beware of deceivers Were not the false prophets and deceivers alwayes a judgement And did not the Prophets and Apostles alwayes reprove them and warn People of them Did they therefore rage against Gods judgement Secondly Had God sent us instead of these some judgement of Savage Beasts Lyons VVolves c. might we not have used our best diligence to sray them away and destroy them without impatience under Gods hand or judgement Or if God should send an Army of Turks or Spaniards to punish us in this Nation for our neglect of Christ and abuse of his Truth may we not fight against them what we can and endeavour to beat and destroy them and yet not rage against Gods Judgement but bear patiently what he orders to us So if God send strong delusions is not that a Judgement Must we be content and satisfied with them and not discover and resist them for fear of being impatient under his Judgement Even so may we and ought we to be diligent against these by word and writing to oppose and discover their filthy dreams and deceits and yet we may be patient under his hand and have no grudge in our spirits against him as the Prophet Micah who was exercised in his dayes with some such evil generation Mic. 7. 8 9. he resolved to bear the indignation of the Lord because he had sinned against him he owned himself a sinner though the hypocrites his enemies rejoyced against him till God should plead his cause c. and yet he ceased not to reprove and endeavour to keep people from being harmed by such enemies They threaten They will be an heavier judgement and a burthensome stone c. Reply We blesse God we see in some measure what they are and we are above their reach and the more they strive against the Truth of Christ with us we are sure the more to discover and lay open their wickednesse we shall be able through the strength of Christ to scatter their mists and fogs and their weapons of deceit shall have no force upon us the more we strive with you ye Quakers the more through Gods help we overcome you and get above you so as to be strengthened in our Spirits against you and your swelling words of vanity that you think to fray the simple with And where as they bid us Learn to prize Christ the Salvation of God and Truth and believe therein and fight no longer against the Lord and his Truth and his Servants least he shorten our dayes c. Reply We hope we prize Christ so as we think all our service for him against them and for his Truth against their destructive deceits too little to be performed to him and that our greatest diligence to know and serve him is so far below his excellency as that we judge our selves guilty of neglecting him in serving him no more and our greatest services for his Truths and Servants too much abusive of them as Job confessed though he spake many excellent things of God that he but darkened Counsel by words without Knowledge but far be it from us to fight against the Lord or his Truth or Servants t is against their errors and in them that serve another Master then the Lord as through Gods strength we have made them manifest that we fight and we say they that have their life in heaven and their hope stedfast for the Resurrection of their Bodies and the Glory of Christs Kingdom fear not either that God will shorten their dayes for their service against his adversaries nor what death can do to them if it shorten their dayes in the flesh and we blesse God that we have thriven the better both in Souls and Bodies since we contended against them and their errors W. and F. They say The Lord hath searched and tryed our Hearts and found us guilty of much ungodlinesse and his Light hath often made us sensible of it c. and we have long sleighted his call and hardened our Hearts against his reproof Reply Herein they set themselves above their places and makes themselves knowers of our hearts of which they are ignorant It were better for them to judge themselves and repent of their own errors and deceits while there may be space of repentance as for Gods searching and reproving us we blesse him for it and desire him yet in mercy and faithfulnesse to search us and see if there be any way of iniquity in us and purge it out and lead us in the way everlasting but should we not search and try our hearts if God have searched them had not God often searched the Prophet Jeremies heart and reproved him too Yet he saith Let us search and try our wayes and turn unto the Lord Law 3. 40. But as for their self-exaltations and vilifying and reproaching us we shall leave them and bear their Rabshekah-like language knowing that he that abases himself shall be exalted when he that lifts up himself as they proudly do shall come down with a witness That their prevailing is not of the Lord otherwise then was foreshewed the strong delusions be should send should prevail upon them that perish is evident from what we have discovered And therefore all those self-commendations of themselves are but so many deceitful words of vanity we know they tread much in the Pharisees and salse apostles steps they compass Sea and Land as much to make proselites and served their Master therein as freely as they do and bragged of it too as they do as the Apostle implies 2 Cor. 11. 10 11. and yet they lead people to destruction Whereas they reproach us for laying open one anothers
their deceits into light that people might be warned of them and so avoid them To their foolish Questions in their Post-script we say First That they begin their questions with a falshood for we are not called Moorians or Manifestarians that we know of nor are so for we call no man our Father or Master after that forbidden manner nor own we any such callings as they do that own themselves Calvinists Lutherans c. nor are we Authors of what they say we hold forth in either the first or second branch of it The first is Pauls flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom of God nor can corruption inherit incorruption And as to the second that flesh and bones may We say not that flesh and bones as natural in natural bodies may we say that that Body of Christ which had Flesh and Bones after the Resurrection of it is taken up into heaven and is in heaven and the Scripture is clear for it Luke 24. 39 40. 51 52. what change or transmutation further it had in its ascension and Glory we know not but we believe that as the Apostles see him taken up into Heaven and they see him taken up in that Body in which was Flesh and Bones so he shall come again in like manner Acts 1. 11. their reproaching us for that faith shall not drive us from it because they are none of the True Apostles and Prophets nor if they were might we give credit to them bringing a contrary Doctrine to what we have from the Holy Apostles received Gal. 1. 8 9. Quest. 1. THey ask if Eliahs flesh and bones could enter into Gods Kingdom when he was taken up and if his blood could not Then when where and how and by whom was his blood taken and separated from his flesh and bones and what is become of it Ans Secret things belong to God things revealed to us and to our children that we might believe and do them Whether Eliahs body is in Heaven or in what form or manner we neither read it nor can determin nor they neither Quest 2. And what is it that hinders the blood that it cannot enter the Kingdom as well as the flesh and bones which ye say may is the transgression of the blood greater then the transgression of the flesh and bones And shall the flesh and bones be redeemed from corruption and shall not the blood What is the cause For though the Lord doth what he pleaseth yet doth he do any thing without a cause Ans These are prophane Scoffs and Reproaches against Gods Truths that the body which is sown a natural body shall be raised a spiritual body after the pattern of Christ who is the first fruits of them that sleep we believe and that the Body of Christ raised had Flesh and bones in it we read and believe also and that flesh and blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God we believe too but prophane and vain bablings we are to shun which will increase to more ungodlinesse and eat like a Canker especially the Word and Doctrine of such as Hymeneus and Philetus who erred concerning the Truth and said the Resurrection is past or made already and that 's these mens error as above shewed when they said The coming of Christ spoken of 1 Thes 4. 15 16. in which the dead are to be raised was while the Apostles believers lived and remained Therefore these words and prophane bablings of theirs we and all people are to avoid being wise to sobriety knowing that God hath no cause higher then himself and his own good pleasure in what he doth and that he gives not an account of all his matters and what he keeps secret is not for us to search Quest 3 Whether do you own that Doctrine that when Christ appeared amongst his Disciples after his Resurrection when the doors were shut John 29. 19. that then his body being spiritualized it glided in at the key-hole of the door Which Doctrine Thomas Moore Senior hath formerly preaobed as some hath affirmed who heard him Answ No but we owne that this is a slander raised maliciously against Thomas Moor Senior either of their own heads or by some that render him evil for good and hatred for his love to whom appertains and upon whom will fall Judas his curse and portion if they repent not mentioned Psal 109. 5 6 7. c. Quest 4. And where do the Scriptures say that flesh and bones may inherit the Kingdom Heaven Answ Where do we say so or in any tearms but what the Scriptures own The Scriptures say Christ shall so come even in like manner as his Disciples see him go up and he was taken up in that Body in which was flesh and bones as before which Body is now his Glorious Body further we affirm not or inquire not Quest 5. And whereas you John Horn and Thomas Moor in page 16. say That Sathan doubtlesse may reprove of some sins and presse to some duties now have you not herein shewed your selves to be ministers of Sathan and not of Christ c Answ No no more then Paul was in saying Satan himself is transformed into an Angel of light 2 Cor. 11. 13 14. sure an Angel of light will reprove of sin and presse to duty and if Satan do not so as to form or outside at least he is not in the form of an Angel of Light Whereas they ask further What duties or any things that are duties doth Satan press men to bidding us answer directly or let shame cover our faces which they say will at length come upon us for our deceits We answer To such duties as in which his Ministers may be transformed into Ministers of Righteousnesse which they could not be if not Zealous for some things that are in their place and order in duties 2 Cor. 11. 14. as to be diligent to go up and down and preach Righteous Works or VVorks of Righteousnesse together with their own evil mixtures and to evil unrighteous ends that he might by drawing them from gross evils as the Pharisees their Proselites from Heathenism and gross idolatry make them more Children of hell by spiritual iniquity and wickedness and so more serviceable to his designs and so he presses the Quakers to reprove many fins and evils which indeed is a duty ought to be done in Gods way but as they do it they serve Sathan in it making it a means to beguile unstable souls to their delusion The Lord stop their mouths as he hath promised in Psal 63. 11. A multitude of Questions under 26. Heads sent by George Whitehead and since owned by him and by John Whitehead and George Fox the younger as sent by them all to John Horn and Thomas Moor junior for this they say in their pretended Answer to us subscribed by all the three that they sent queries in Manuscript to John Horn and Thomas Moor see the latter end of their 33. page meaning these they
the Kingdom of Grace of Salvation of Life is meant that Declaration or Revelation of his Name and Grace in Christ as witnessed and spoken forth by the one mouth of his Holy Apostles and Prophets since the World began who have spoken to us in the Name of the Lord Psal 147. 19. Mark 7 13. Acts 3. 21. and 10. 36. Tit. 1. 3. Col. 3. 16. John 5. 24 38. and 8. 31. Mat. 13. 19. Acts 20. 32. Phil. 2. 16. 2 Cor. 3. And it is the Word in this sence the Gospel of Christ or Preaching of his Crosse that is the Arm or Power of God to save even to open the eyes of the blind and turn them from darknesse to light and from the Power of Satan to God and to the further saving the believers here in this Life 1 Cor. 1. 18. Rom. 1. 16 17. This is made able through him that is declared in it and Spiritually present with it to save the Soul to build up and give the inheritance in the first fruits of the Spirit to the making the Spirit alive for the Righteousnesse sake while yet the body is dead because of sin and to preserve the whole man blamelesse to the coming of Christ For this is that which he the Son of man sowes in the heart and ingrafts there for the saving the Soul Jam. 3. 21. Mat. 13 19. Acts. 20 32. And so his faithful Servants that have it in their hearts Ministering in this Word are said instrumentally to convert and save the Soul Jam. 5. 20. Acts 26. 18. with 1 Cor. 3. 5. 11. and 4. 15. 2 Cor. 3. 3 And so our further answer is 1. The saving or Salvation of the Soul includes the Salvation of the whole man 1 Pet. 1. 9. Jam. 5. 20. with Psal 33. 19 20. and 34. 22. and 72. 13 14. For that which is not received now in some first fruits of enjoyment yet is assured in and with Christ and received by Faith and in the hope that is by him as Rom. 8. 10 11. 23. Col. 1. 27. with Heb. 6 19 20. Besides some of the forementioned Scriptures speak of the Redemption and Salvation to be revealed in the last time in which the body shall by him be redeemed from death and all deceit and violence and their former sufferings be remembred as Rom. 8 18. 23. And do evidently include that under the redeeming of their Soul as Psal 72. 13 14. 2. Though no Scripture saith the Soul onely as distinguished from the body is to be saved by Christ But contrariwise that through him both may be saved Yet in this saving work effected by his word or through the Preaching of his Crosse the Soul is onely mentioned in divers Scriptures as the subject of it for these Reasons 1. It is the Spirit or Soul distinct that is made alive and so chiefly the subject of the Saving or Redeeming here effected in this day while yet the body distinct though devoted and yeilded up to his dispose and so in some 〈…〉 yet remaineth mortal and so dead by reason of sin and so even those that have the first fruits of the Spirit yet wait for the Adoption that is the Redemption of the body and though the inward man be renewed day by day yet the outward man decayes and perisheth Rom 8. 10. 23. 2 Cor. 4 16. 2. The saving which is now effected in them is wrought mediately through that word Preached in and by outward means wayes and instruments whereas that compleat saving in which the dead body shall be raised redeemed and fashioned in to the likenesse of his glorious body though it shall be by Christ and by his mighty Voice which now breathes and is put forth in and with the Gospel yet by an immediate and wonderful putting forth of it without the use of outward means and instruments according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself Phil. 3. 21. Rom. 8. 11. The next part of their Query is what is the difference between the Soul and the Spirit seeing the Word of God divides them asunder To that we answer 1. The text saith not that the Word of God makes a difference between or devides them asunder one from another But that it pierceth even to the dividing asunder both Soul and Spirit and so of the Joints and Marrow and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart That is it pierceth through all and so as much through Spirit as Soul to a discerning and manifesting too at his pleasure the counsels of the heart even after the similitude of a Sword that pierceth through a man which devides not one part from another but makes way for it self Yet 2. There is distinction between Soul and Spirit in the Scriptures though sometimes both are comprehended under either of the termes and as distinguished the Spirit of a man his mind or understanding with the inclination or bent of his Soul is the Candle of the Lord which when lighted by him by his inspiration giving understanding and fixing it searcheth or the Lord by it searcheth all the inward parts of the belly And the Soul is that belly or inward parts in Solomons sence searched by it Prov. 20. 27. Even all the faculties of the Soul and its exercises with the thoughts and intents of the heart c. as Heb. 4. 12 13. Answerable to which distinct sence of Soul and Spirit is that profession Luke 1. 46 47. and calling upon both Psal 103. 1. And the Apostles prayer that their whole Spirit and Soul and Body might be preserved blamelesse c. 1 Thes 5 23. Both which Soul and Spirit are oft included in one of the tearms as 1 Cor. 6. 20. and 3 John 2. And so the whole Soul or Spirit and Soul may here be renewed delivered and preserved through the Grace of God in Christ bringing Salvation from under the guilt and bondage of sin while yet the body is dead and by putting on that new man the body also may be delivered and preserved from under the dominion of sin that henceforth it should not serve or fulfill it though sin be still in the members warring against that new Law of the mind Rom. 6. 12 13 14. 19. and 7. 15. to the end and 8. 1. 13. and 12. 1. 2. Gal 5. 16 17 18. Ephes 4. 20. 24. c. Col. 3. 1. 5. 10. 25. Question Whether men must be justified by the same Righteousnesse of Christ in them which Sanctifies them yea or nay Answ The true Prophets and Apostles never use the phrase of Christs Righteousnesse in men when speaking of that by which men are Sanctified or Justified for though the sanctifying and justifying effecacies of it be in them as also in Heaven with the Father for them yet that which hath those effecacies and so by which they are sanctified and justified is the Righteousnesse wrought and perfect in himself for them in whom they are compleat For he
the foolish woman they pursue their wicked enterprize in this order as may be seen in these Queries 1. Seeking to make void and of no effect the Personal Cross of Christ in what he hath already done and compleated in himself thereby for men and so privily to deny the Lord that bought them and render the Preaching of his Cross and faith in him of no effect 2. To overthrow the Hope of the Gospel even of the second personal coming of Christ from Heaven and the Salvation then to be revealed and so to undermine the Doctrine of the Resurrection of the dead and of eternal judgment by the man Christ Jesus 3. Thereby to render needless useless and contemptible those his wayes and Ordinances in which he hath appointed us to remember him in what he hath done and thence to consider him in what he is thereby become for us and to us and to be exercised in our waiting for his second coming and the salvation then to be revealed and surely where they can prevail in the two first they may easily prevail in the latter for to what end or purpose should they observe any of those his wayes and Ordinances that are appointed for remembering and shewing forth the Lords death and the infinite and abiding virtue and pretiousnesse of that and that in them we should be exercised to an expectation and waiting for his second coming who believe neither so as to have their faith in the first and from thence their hope of the second for if the dead rise not then is not Christ risen from the dead and then neither can there be any expectation of his coming again in that body in which he suffered or of any hope by him in or of another life after death and then the Apostles preaching is vain and the Ordinances as delivered by them of no use or worth to be kept by us baptizing in the Name of Christ as delivered by them and so the Supper of the Lord empty and unprofitable things And doublesse if these men as they seem to intimate do grant any use of such an Ordinance for shewing forth the Lords Death at any time yet then either they mean it not otherwise then as for commemorating and shewing forth a type or shadow whose truth and body is to be sought for in something else and not in the thing commemorated or else by the Lord they mean not that Jesus of Nazareth whom God hath made Lord and Christ and by that they call the Lords death they mean not that death of his Crosse which he once suffered in that body of his flesh for our sins and can suffer or die no more And however that they have no Faith in him or these things of him is fully manifested in their former questions but seek to lift up something else in the Name and place of him and then what profit can there be to them in treating with them about his Ordinances while they are so wholly void of judgement in the great things of his Law as before is shewed But for the help of others that are not yet wholly turned aside after Satan we answer to this Query That the taking blessing and breaking Bread and the taking and blessing the cup and so eating and drinking of them as Christ hath appointed to shew forth the Lords death is an Ordinance to continue in the Church till the end of the World or which is all one till his coming again 1 Cor. 11. 23 24 25 26 and 10. 16. Mat. 24 3. and 28. 20. And for further helpfulnesse in the understanding and use of it we add I. The thing to be commemorated and shewed forth in that Ordinance is not our Mortifications sufferings qualifications or works wrought in or by us but the Lords death 1. The death of him that was the Lord from Heaven before he died even in the beginning with God the proper Lord and heir of all the Kingdom and glory of God for the Father sent forth his onely begotten Son by his Grace to taste death for us which shews our sinfulnesse miserie and helplesnesse and so the necessity of his death for us in respect of us as also its Excellency for our help likewise 2. It s the death of him that is the Lord Gloriously made both Lord and Christ in that body in which he died and by means of his death for us for he died once and can die no more but is now alive for evermore and hath the keyes of Hell and Death which shewes the preciousnesse of his death for us seeing by means of it he ever liveth for us in the Power and Glory of God II. This is to be remembered and so commemorated and shewed forth in that Ordinance as that which is alwayes and for ever to be remembred and that imports 1. That the thing itself the Lords death as to the actual accomplishment and sustaining of it is already past and over being finished in his own body For remembrance is of things past as is fore hinted 2. And that the precious virtue and efficacie of it abides for ever with the Father for us in his appearing in his presence in that body Glorified as Lord and Christ by means thereof and so remaines in and through him that is the Lord in the Name of the Father to us Likewise 3. That the vertue efficacy and fruit of it is brought to us in the Preachin of his Crosse and through the witnesses of it and of the Grace in and through it and to be met within the believing remembrance and acknowledgment of it for with the heart man believeth unto Righteousnesse and with the mouth confession is made to Salvation III. That therefore he hath appointed together with the Preaching of the Crosse this outward Ordinance for the remembering and shewing forth the Lords death till he come Which implyes that there is even in believers in their several ages till that his coming again natural dulnesse and pronenesse to forget it and with that also a natural aptnesse to be either looking singly on their sins or enemies to their discouragement and fainting in the way or else on their personal Mortifications Sufferings Victories or Works to a rejoycing and lifting up themselves in something that is not the Lord and therefore need of such mementoes And it shews the Gratious mind of God to us that we should have the Lords death alwayes in remembrance and in our acknowledgement which onely will keep us from fainting in the way and instruct and strengthen to relinquish all rejoycing in the flesh for the Excellency of the knowledge of him and therefore he hath appointed such means to stir us up by putting in remembrance often IV. This Ordinance is by the Lord appointed to the Church and so to be used in it and in the societies of it whereever two or three are gathered in his Name in the beliefe of his sayings and of the Grace commended through his death drawn