adds Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh for the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 5. 13. Purifying the heart Act. 15. 9. doth by that means not only resist occasional prejudices or Lustful desires of revenge but begets also a composure of offences and a healing of injuries which are apt to arise from one Saint towards another hence the Apostle infers walk in the Spirit that is saith Calvin in loc be ye exercised therein wrestle in Spirit against all prejudicial returns of the flesh following the motions sayings and actings of the Rule of the Spirit which is the inspired word for 2 Pet. 1. 21. Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and in so doing saith Calvin ye shall not fulfil the lusts of the flesh i. e. of corrupt sinful nature as in the 16th ver above asserted surely then the Spirit of God doth not send us from the written rule to a Quakers Spirit their Idol Light within as the only infallible rule of Faith and Life 2. Arg. The Spirit was before the written Scriptures and therefore the Spirit in us ought to be our Rule for Faith and Life Reply We know that Seducing Quakers teach because the Spirit is anticedent to the Scriptures therefore none can walk in the Scriptures till they walk in the Spirit the Consequence is as lame as a Teaching Quaker is blind however it is granted that the Spirit is anticedent to the Scripture in respect of time or as to the revelation of the Scripture howbeit the Scriptures are before the Spirit in respect of aid assistance thus the Apostle 1 Pet. 1. 12. But unto us they did minister the things which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the Gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from Heaven which Text of Scripture clearly shews that the Holy Spirit in respect of special help and assistance is subsequent to the Scriptural Gospel Preached this receives further confirmation from the Prophet Isai 8. 20. To the Law and to the testimony the written word if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light or beam of the Spirit in them fairly intimating that the Spirits walk in a way of aid is in the paths of the Scriptures and consequently no Christians can walk in the Spirit unless he first walk in and by the Scriptures Again Joh. 7. 38. He that believeth on me as the Scripture hath said but this spake he of the Spirit ver â—9 sc of the power and help of the Spirit as subsequent to the Scriptures and in Luk. 5. 17. And as he Christ was Teaching the Power sc the Spirit of the Lord was present to heal them likewise Joh. 16. 13. When the Spirit of truth is come he will guid you into all truth that is into all Scripture Truth so then though the Spirit be anticedent to Scriptures in regard of Revelation yet in respect of aid help and assistance which is the matter in hand the Spirit is subsequent to the Scriptures and in this sense the Holy Scriptures are the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Rom. 1. 2. 2 Tim. 3. 15. 3d. Argument That there was a Rule of Faith and Life long before the Scriptures were written Therefore the written Scripture is not the Rule of Faith and Life Reply This Consequence also is weak and infirm it doth not therefore follow that the wrâ—tten Scripture is not our Rule because there was a Rule before the Scripture was written For this is that which we affirm sc That the matter contained in the Holy Scriptures is the only infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life which matter now contained in the written Scripture is the same with that which was before the Scriptures were written for when God revealed himself by visions Dreams c. It was still the sâ—me Gospel matter even the same that is expressed in the written word of the New-Testament There hath not been since the Gospel was Preached to Adam Gen. 3. 15. any increase of Gospel truths in respect of essentials but only in respect of explications though the manner of conveyance is different then and now yet the matter or Gospel Doctrines conveyed is still the same T is true from Adam to Moses more then 2000. years the People of God had no word written yet they had a word given from God to be their Rule else their Worship would have been like a Quakers Will worship A contrived or devised Worship to pacific or please God he could never bear with had not the Law of Sacrificing and the like been by Gods institution and appointment the Lord would have rejected it now though Sacrifices which typed out Christ were offered before the Law of Sacrificing was written yet not before the Law of Sacrificing was given for it was given from the beginning as all other parts of worship were being carried from one to another by tradition from the Fathers to the Children as in the holy stories of the Patriarchs it doth appear as it were from hand to hand till at last the Laâ— was written and the Scriptures penned by Moses well then though the Rule they had before was not an institution written yet it was an institution sent forth given by God himself which Rule of Faith and Life then given was I say again as to the matter therein contained the same with the instituted Rule written now then all that ye Teaching Quakers have said is no more but this sc That you deny this way of written Scripture to have alwayes been the only way of Gospel-conveyance and from thence ye pretend to advance and extoll your unwritten Scripâ—ure that Idol light within that thereby ye may the more craftily throw down the Scriptures inspired of God surely this Plot cannot be from the spirit of the true Christ but from your own as the Lord knows blind rotten and wicked spirit which tells you that you are no further bound to obey the written Scriptures then your Light that false Christ within shall make you willing to obey Arg. 4. That the Spirit is not to be tried by the Scriptures but the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit therefore the spirit not the Scriptures is our standing Rule for Faith and Life Reply The Father of lies cannot make a greater lie then that which is contained in this Argument for it plainly makes the inspiring Spirit and the inspired Scripture to be of different natures which is contrary to the many Scriptures of truth afore asserted there 's not any Quaker that hath to this day produced one Text of Scripture to make good this Argument where is that place of Scripture to be found which saith the Scriptures are to be tried by the spirit doth not the spirit it self require us 1 John 4. 1. not to believe every spirit but to try not the Scriptures but the spirits i. e. spiritual
New-Testament And instead of a Reply Francis tells us of his experimental interest in that Text saying that he was washed and justified in himself from his sins and at length he told us how to wit in some measure Hereupâ—n â—emanded what the sins in particular were from which he was in himself washed and justified in some measure whether it were from 〈◊〉 or Drunkâ—ness Oathes or Adultery he replied I am not to tell thee then more seriously I requested the Assembly to take notice of his want of knowledge in the Scriptures inasmuch as that he makes justification from sin not only a work withâ—n him but to be daily wrought in himself by measure or degrees which assertion of his is directly contrary to the manifold Scriptures of truth which proved the third Argument to wit that our justification from sins was at once finished and perfected without 〈◊〉 on the Cross by the offering of the one body of Jesus Christ one for all and so already doâ—e by Jesus Christ and in being in him our head nevertheless it was readily granted by me sc that all things relating to our washing and justification from sins by that one sacrifice of the body of Christ as above is to be believed in for the remission of sins and for the making of that blessed work so already finished effectual in us it is to be received and wrought not at once but by degrees and in measure by the working and operation of the Spirit of God in us until Mortality be swallowed up of life hereunto agrees the words of the Apostle Paul 1 Tim. 2. 5. 6. The man Christ Jesus who gave himself a ransome for all to be testified in due time Gave referring to the time past the work of ransome being already done and perfected To be testified i. e. by the spirit of Faith 2 Cor. 4. 13. and bâ— its effects in the hearts of Believeâ—s â—â—due time i. e. in Gods appointed time so then when the spirit saith as above sc That the Man Jesus Christ gaâ—e himself a ransome For all i e. for all them by whom the ranâ—â—mer is believed on and in whom â—he virtue and effâ—cts of the ransome are by the spirit influenced 〈…〉 these things are according to the Scriptures giveâ— by the conspiration of God 2 Tim. 3. 6 whereas this Doctor 's new Divinity to wit That he is in himself washed and justified from his sinâ— in some measure it is most false and dangerous Doctrine for it doth clearly deny that the Mâ—ssias Jesus Christ of 〈◊〉 hath at once by his own crucified boâ—y without uâ— on the Crosse finished Tranâ—â—ressâ—â—n and 〈…〉 all which and much more is the joynt Testimony of the Prophets aâ—d Apostles concerning the Man Jesus Christ and the work 〈…〉 some effected by him for sinners while 〈…〉 to God 〈…〉 Note that this truth doth â—â—lly answereth Quakers caâ—il about this matter how is sin say they finished without a Man while no good is wrought within him and seeing as they further say Christ works all things in us by his Spirit how then can all things be finished by Christ without us before any good is wrought by him in us Answ It is most necessarily presupposed that all things were finished by the Man Jesus Christ as above explained for satisfaction to his Fathers justice for sin before we could receive that satisfaction by Faith or its effects by the spirit within us Now it s most certain that before Faith with its fruits and effects was wrought in us by the spirit we were unbelievers ungodly unjust and enemies to God in our minds by wicked works Col. 1. 21. then according to right reason if the one had not been first wrought by Jesus Christ without us it had been altogether impossible for the oâ—her to have been wrought in us or received by Faith and to witnessed unto by us consider once more if the Man Iesus Christ had not first given himself a ransome for our sins we could not have received it by Faith nor could it have been Testified or witnessed unto by us Moreover let it be well observed that all the righteousness of Sanctification that is in us from Christ is but a fruit of that righteousness of Iustification which â—esus Christ of Nazareth wrought out by his own personal obedience and sufferings upon the Crosse yea all the graces and operations of the Spirit wrought in us were thereby merited and purchased for us Therefore Francis your being in your self washed and justified from your sins in some measure is plainly to deny that one Propitiatory Sacrifice of the one crucified body of the true Man Iesus Christ which can be no other then a wretched design to blot out of our hearts the blessed Name and Remembrance of that one great propitiation once offered for sins together with the redemption righteousness and reconciliation to God as already in Christ our head and surety purchased and perfected for us until no other righteousness or redemption be known but that of obedience to the Light that unbloody Redeemer which is ye say in every man that comes into the World and thus so much obedience to the Idol-light within so much redemption washing justifying and no more Here hence Francis comes thus in some measure in thy self this is the voice of your Law-working spirit within teaching that he that doth these things shall live by them The Pope without is become a Quakers Light within I have now done with the enlargements upon his affirmation to wit That he was In some measure washed and justified in himself from his sins The next Apparition is of William Bullock again And he tells us the Law of the spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made us free from sin Answ 1. I prayed him to tell me where I might find those words as uttered by him he had been taught his Answer sc It is Scripture But I told him that he had according to a Quakers practice mâ—ngled and abused that holy Text of Scripture intended by him Namely Rom. 8. 2. For the Law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus hath made me free from the Law of sin and â—â—ath But he repeated Vs for Me and free from sin for free from the law of sin aâ—d left out the word Death 2. I desired him to frame his Argument to prove the matter controverted sc That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true not the false Christ But no Argument from the Text nor any thing like it was alledged by him long faâ—ting perhaps made him so empty Thereâ—ore 3. I said That it is the Law of the Spirit of life not in a Quaker but in Christ Jesus and that there is not nor ever was any other Jesus Christ a Savâ—our from sin but the Holy Child Jesus born of Mary in Bethlehem the City of David Luk. 2. 4 11. which Saviour is not to be sound in any Quaker and therefore this place of Scripture
it is I my self meaning your Lord and Master and likewise after his ascention Act. 22. 8. And I answered who art thou Lord and he said unto me I am Jesus of Nazareth whom thou persecutest to these many more might be added to evidence that by Lord in the Text above 〈◊〉 man hood of Christs person is to be understood at least not to be excluded For in ver 11. Christ saith I am Alpha and Omega the first and the last here Alpha and Omega are explained by the terms Of the first and the last that is to say the Lord Christ is the first to wit subsisting in the beginning with God and equal with the Father and the last having taken the 〈◊〉 of a Servant i. e. of the meanest man and so last in reputation Phil. 2. 6 7. Third part Which is and which was and which is to come the Almighty by the distribution of the threefold time is meant as Aretas and Brightman on the 4th verse the trinity of persons which is or I am as in the first part are here of the same import and do refer to the Father Exod. 3 14. and which was to the Son Joh. 1. ver 1. And which is come to the Holy Ghost Iohn 16. 8 13. The Almighty This last word of the verse denotes the omnipotency eternal essence and Godhead of Christs person the sum of both sc 1. 11. verses above do reveal unto us only two things 1. The union of the two Natures in the person of Christ namely that he was and is true God and true man in one person 2. The Trinity of persons in the unity of Essence Now Francis doest thou think that either of these things containing the true sense of the Texts alledged by thee will prove your cause That a Quakers pretended Saviour within him is the true Christ surely thou canst not be so bruitish as to think so but rather the contrary sc That it is the false Christ the Devil this Conclusion made Patience an impatient Bullock she being unable to forbear any longer calls to me What quoth she dost thou make our Christ within us to be the Devil To her I made Answer saying that I did solemnly and with much reverence as 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 is the false Christ the Devil whom ye ignorantly believe in and worship and with whom ye will be damned in Hell if ye repent not to this most serious Declaration she made no reply at all But F. E. forthwith replied saying Thou hast no warrant from the Scripture thus to speak I told him that I had sufficient warrant from the Scriptures to make good what I had in the fear of God declared and forthwith I alledged the words of Jesus Christ of Nazareth himself Ioh. 8. 24. I said therefore unto you that ye shall die in your sins this Scripture silenced him likewise and thereupon I told him that the true Christ had stopt his mouth Let me here add some other Scriptures for some further warrant as Ioh. 3. 18. He that believeth not sc on the Son of God sent into the World ver 17. is condemned already that is he is as sure to be damned as if he was actually in Hell and in ver 36. He that believeth not on the Son sc boâ—n of Mary Luk. 1. 35 shall not see life but the wrath of God abideth on him likewise in Luk. 19. 14. And his Citizens hated him sc the Son of Man the Saviour ver 10 and sent a message after him saying we will not have this Man to reign over us let it be here well Noted that the true Christ calls those Citizens his Enemies and such Enemies as he would destroy ver 27. But those mine Enemies which would not that I the Son of Man ver 10. above should reign over them bring hither and slay them before me in Mark also Chap. 16. ver 16. He that believeth not sc on Jesus risen from the dead ver 9. shall be damned Now Frank didst not thou speak under the Power of Satan when thou didst so openly and confidently affirm that I had no warrant to speak as I did when I spake to thy fellow-Labourer in the work of the false Christ The next Bolt was shot by William Bullock and he tells us The Light makes manifest lifting up his voice lowder and lowder crying out tell me tell me the true and real meaning of those words the Light makes manifest I surely thought that his lowd Lowing and Bellowing was to prevent my asking of him where those words might be found in the Scriptures which I did forbear to ask because I knew his Answer sc t is Scripture Answ 1. I told him that he was at his old trade of mangling the Scriptures and then shewed him wherein namely that it was not the Light maketh manifest but whatsoever doth make manifest is Light which the â—ext made to appear in Eph. 5. 13. But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever doth make manifest is light 2. By Light here we are to understand a Sin-reproving-light inasmuch as the latter part doth interpret the former part of the verse sc But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the Light i. e. by the Light of Scripture whence Paul argues thus for whatsoever doth make manifest in a way of Reproof is light sc Scriptural light as before for the written Scriptures are frequently described by Light Psal 119. 105. Thy Word is a Light unto my path Isai 8. 20. To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Here the written Word such was the Law and Testimony is the only manifesting and so determining-light either for reprehension or satisfaction in cases of error and doubts and the reason of it is assigned by the Apostle 2 Tim. 3. 16. All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Reproof for Instruction or manifestation and hereunto agrees the words of our Lord and Saviour Joh. 3. 26 21. For every one that doth evil hateth the Light neither cometh to the Light lest his deeds should be reproved But he that doeth truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be made manifest 1. By Light in these verses Christ understands the Doctrinal-light contained in the written Scripture of the New-Testament which was preached by him and his Apostles hence it is that the Lord Christ Joh. 8. 12. and his Apostâ—es Mat 5. 14 are called the â—ight of the Wonld 2. That this Light doth reprove ver 20. and manifest ver 21. well then William thy â—emâ—â—d is granted thee namely that the true and real meaning of the Text 〈◊〉 by thee is this to wit That the light of Scripture doth make reproved evils manifest or evils
darkness which is most evident from a due consideration of the foregoing truths Oh how suitable is the Prophets Vision to a Quakers condition Obad. 1. ver 1 2. Behold I have made thee small thou art greatly despised the pride of thy heart hath deceived thee c. From the whole be ye advised 1. To cease from making your Idolized Thou and Thee the spring of your scurvy and surly deportment with their mask to wit that holy men in Scriptur recorded did oft use thou and thee one to another and to God himself Now what is your design herein can it be ought else then to put a cheat on the judgements of some ignorant creatures as thus Oh surely say they the Quakers do make Conscience of the Scripture for their warrant and authority thus poor ignorant ones are deluded by your equivocations though its most certain that the Scripture no here commands a Quaker to thou or thee any man much less Christian Rulers Governours and Magistrates yet thâ—se things the unmannerly Quakers will do But the Scripture doth command all men to pray for Rulers Governours and Magistrates to submit unto them and to give the honour which is due to them as Fathers of the Country 1 Tim 2. 1 2. 1 Pet. 2. 13. Isai 49. 23 yet these things they will not do so that in a word of truth the professâ—d perfection of a seemingly sanctified Quaker is a conscience of obeying his proud lusts and disobeying Gods inspired Laws 2. Cease from calling the reverential Presidenâ—s above the corruptions that are in the World through Lust for this is to make the fore expressed precepts of God and the Practises of his eminent Sainâ—s guilty of these corruptions but it s no new thing for a Quaker boldly to Blaspheme 3. Cease from wresting the Holy Scriptures especially that of Christ himself John 5. 44. How can ye believe which receive honour one of another The other part of the verse giving light to these words is usually omitted by them sc and seek not the honour that cometh from God only Quest What is that Honour which cometh from God only Answ The 23d verse tells us All men should honour the Son even as they honour the Father he that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him meaning to fulfill all righteousness Mat. 3. 15. It s then clear that the Son of God is the honour intended above if any ask who is this Son of God the good Angel tells us Luk. 1. 35. That holy thing which shall be born of thee Mary ver 34. shall be called the Son of God so then the Man Jesus Christ is the honour that cometh from God only which honour the Jews like the Quakers received not as this Son of God told them ver 43. I am come in my Fathers Name and ye receive me not sc by Faith hence Christ infers ver 44. above How can ye believe which receive Honour one of another and seek not the Honour which cometh from God only Now the Honour which the Pharisees received one of another was the Doctrine of Justification and Eternal Life by the works and righteousness of the Law fulfilled in and by the Son of God alone which righteousness of the Son is the justifying and saving honour that cometh from God only to right Believers will it hence follow because the proud Pharisees took divine honour to themselves and thereby received honour one of another therefore civil honour ought not to be given one to another let me tell you ye Quakers could not have brought a Scripture more full against your selves for under Heaven there are not a People to be found that receive more honour one of another then the men of your Sect do For ye affirm and boldly teach That he who made Heaven and Eearth 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 fins is in each of your vile bodies It s not to be wondred at that ye are so possessed with the infernal Spirit of superlative pride against Jesus of Nazareth the man approved of God and all true Believers on and lovers of him So much for some further satisfaction to William Bullock and his Light making manifest The next to him was F. E. He makes another motion on the behalf of his Cliant the false Christ and pretended Saviour within him to wit The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin The Text intended by him is in the 1 Joh. 1. 7. And the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son His Son he left out cleanseth us from all sin Answ Nor doth this Text of Scripture prove the thing for which it is brought For 1. Jesus Christ the Son of God in this 7th verse is that Word of Life which the Apostles ve 1 2. had heard and seen with their eyes and looked upon and with their hands had handled who could be no other than the Man Iesus Christ which to prove they bring in the operations of three of their five senses Now this Man Jesus Christ the Son of God as such he cannot be in a Quaker 2. By the Blood of this Son of God is meant the grievous sufferings pains and tortures which he endured on the Cross to the death and therefore called the blood of the Cross Col. 1. 20. as the Man Jesus Christ cannot be in a Quaker so consequently his bloody sufferings cannot be in a Quaker 3. That this blood of Christ cleanseth meaning all right Believers on it from all sin i. e. from all the pains and eternal sufferings due to the nature of sin for cleansing here is the same with washing in Rom. 1. 5 And from Iesus Christ the faithful Witness that loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood i. e. in the sufferings of the Manhood of his pâ—rson for the former part of the verse concerns Christs Propetical Office and the latter part his Priestly Office which referred to Christs humane Nature and for that reason the cleansing or washing cannot be within but without us sc in Heaven Heb. 10. 19. Having therefore Brethren boldness to enter into the Holiest by the blood of Iesus So then to be cleansed from all sin by Christs blood is to be acquitted and justified in the sight of God from all the deserved miseries of sin as Rom. 5. 8 9. But God commendeth his love towards us in that while we were yet sinners Christ died for us much more then being now justified by his blood we shall be saved from wrath through him And the same Apostle tells us Col. 1. 21 22. Yet now hath be reconciled in the body of his flesh through death or through the death of his body of flesh Heb. 10. 20. To present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in his sight not in our selves for Rom. 4. 5. He justifieth
will rather believe the Elect Angels of God then Apostate men or Angels 4. They do in their meetings and aimes make the Apostles of Christ Lyars and false witnesses of God for the Apostles have with one mind and mouth often witnessed this truth to wit That Iesus the Son of Man is the Christ the Son of the living God Mat. 16. from ver 13. to ver 18. as above particularly ver 17. Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jona flesh and blood that is meer man hath not revealed this to thee but my Father which is in Heaven as if the Lord Christ had said all men are flesh and blood so dull sighted and blind that they could never have perceived this truth by any study or observation it comes only by gift and revelation and in Ioh. 6. 69. we the Apostles that then lookt upon the person of Christ conversing with him Believe and are sure that thou art that Christ the Son of the living God and of whom the Apostles further testifie 1 Ioh. 4. 14. And we have seen and do testifie that the Father sent his Son to be the Saviour of the World Furthermore We are say they witnesses of these things Namely That the God of our Fathers raised up Iesus from the dead and exalted him to be a Saviour Act. 5. 32. We also read in Acts 10. from ver 38. to ver 43. That God anointed Iesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power whom they slew and hanged on a tree him God raised up the third day and shewed him openly even to us who did eat and drink with him after he rose from the Dead and we the Apostlss are witnesses of these things and he commanded us to Preach unto the people and to Testifie that it is he which is ordained of God to be judge of quick and Dead When I had thus proved the second part of the charge also I then called to the Disputants for their Answer or Assent But they betook themselves to their former practice of repeating some Texts of Scripture to beget Believers in their new invented-Mystical Invisible Christ their Spiritual heavenly Man of internal and eternal Flesh Blood and Bones their everlasting Gospel their tender part that Idol light within William Harriot was as to the second part of the Charge the first Champion that stood up in defence of their meetings above saying That Paul travelled in birth till Christ was formed in the Gallatians I demanded of him where those words might be found he told me they were in the Bible his Answer being like himself an impertinent Simpleton inforced me as at other times to name this place of Scripture intended by him sc Gal. 4. 19. My little Children of whom I travel in birth again until Christ be formed in you To which I Answered 1. If when Paul writ to the Galatians Christ was to be formed in them then the light that is in every man a Quakers rotten Principle by natural Generation is not the true Christ but according to this Disputant when Paul was travelling in birth for the Galatians Christ was not formed in them Therefore the Light that is in every man that comes into the World is not the true Christ Though this poor deluded soft and fair had so deeply lasht himself yet he felt it not 2. That Christ formed in a Saint is Christ framed and wrought in him by the spirit of Faith as the same Apostle explains it to the Galatians Chap. 5. ver 5. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by Faith so that a work of the Spirit of Grace in the heart is Christ operated and formed in the heart as afore illustrated 3. The Apostle his trauelling in birth c. is an Allegory for the Apostles were instead of Fathers As the natural Father begets the bodily form so the Apostles begot the spiritual form of the mind which is Faith or confidence of heart laying hold upon the righteousness of that one man Jesus Christ alone Rom. 5. 15. above to be made righteous in the sight of God ver 19. For as by one mans Disobedience many were made sinners so by the obedience of one sc the one Man Jesus Christ ver 15. shall many be made righteous sc in the sight of God ver 21. here William Harriot interrupted me saying we are not come here to hear thee Preach As I was about to take up his Bolt I was hindred by William Wilkinson who called to me Friend hear Friend I replied I am none of thy Friend for I am an Enemy to the Devil and all his Works Christ quoth he called him Friend who was without the Wedding Garment I then asked him who made his Wedding Garments Now that which invited this Queston was a confident report that he had at once two Wives and in the time of his pretended distraction he called the one his Spiritual Wife and the other his Fleshly Wife Surely had this felonious Quaker been really but half so Lunatick as he feigned himself it would have rendred him uncapable of receiving this crafty and knave like distinction from the Master of his Religion and Maker of his Wedding Clothes face't with dissembling Madness but letting this pass I shall add a little more to the alledged Text above Gal. 4. 19. herein Paul doth reprove the false Apostles who had abolished the professed form of Christ in the Galatians and withal devised another form Gal. 6. 13. But they desire to have Circumcised that they may glory in your flesh thus the Seducing Teaching Quakers have learnt their ignorant Disciples to glory in their own flesh whereas the blessed Apostle like a true Gospel Father travelled in birth i. e. spiritually pained and troubled till Christ was formed namely by a through work of Faith in their hearts that they might truly believe in the righteousness of the Law fulfilled by Jesus Christ of Nazareth alone without Circumcision or any other work of the Law wrought in or by themselves as causal of justification in the sight of God this being the true mind of the holy Spirit It cannot therefore be any advantage to their cause nor doth it in the least justifie the bold and open wickedness of thee O William Harriet who didst reflâ—ct Blasphemous contempt upon the glorified Manhood of the just and holy one existing in Heaven above calling him the outside Christ When Jesus Christ of Nazareth was in this World he was as Man so far approved of God that he commanded all the Elect Angels to worship him Heb. 1. 6. but with condemned thee W. H. a contemned out side Christ no Saviour no true Christ W. Harriot I will ask one Question of thee which if thou canst soberly Answer I do assure thee it shall be seriously considered the Queston is this to wit Why shouldest thou not be whipt by the Christian Magistrate for this thy notorious and open Blasphemy viz. For Nick-naming the Lords Christ and our only
were perfect from all sin in this life would be a miserable perverâ—ing of the places of Scripture they being only perfect comparatively i. e. in comparison of all other men which lived in their Ages and Generations And as for the 22d verse In all this Iob sinned not Reply These words are not to be taken in a Quakers sense as if Iob had been at any time without sin in this world for in the 11th verse he Iob will curse thee to thy face Satan was confident that Iob would Blaspheme by cursing God to his face this Satan did promise to himself and did undertake with God which plainly interprets the words sc In all this Iob sinned not that is such a sin in thought or word as to Curse God he was not transported by passion or impatiency to Reproach or Curse the Living God but gave him Glory saying ver 21. The Lord gave and the Lord hath taken away blessed be the Name of the Lord As to the phrase perfect above Obj. If any of you say as some Teaching Quakers have said sc That it was in the time of Iobs affliction when he said If I say that I am perfect it will prove me perverse but after his deliverance he was perfect without sin Ans This is wholly false for the character given of Iob viz. a perfect man was before his affliction for Gods commending of him as perfect and upright was the occasion of the Devils desiring leave of God to afflict him and of Gods grant ver 12. that his Word might be found true upon the whole observe in Iob Chap. 25. ver 4. How then can Man be justified with God or can he be clean that is born of a Woman This Question carrieth a strong denial viz. it cannot possibly be or it is impossible to be as if Iob had said do but acknowâ—edge that any one is born ordinarily of a Woman and we may conclude him to be sinful and unclean with or in the sight of God Second Scripture Psal 37. ver 37. Mark the perfect man and behold the upright Rep. Vpright in the latter clause doth interpret perfect in the former so then the perfect man is the upright or sincere hearted man we read in Iacobs character Gen. 25. 27. and Iacob was a plain man this phrase plain man here is the same wite perfect man in the Text above a plain man and a perfect man in a Scriptural account are convertible terms 1 Chron 29. 9 27. and do signifie a man that hath not a heart and a â—cart or a double minded man Jam. 1. 8. not a compound man speaking one thing and meaning another It is also the same word that is given to Noah Gen. 6. 9. He was perfect in his Generation or he was sound upright plain hearted with God And it is that God spake to Abraham Gen. 17. 1. Walk before me and be thou perfect or sound upright plain in thy walking before me now though Job Noah Jacob Abraham are said to be perfect yet it is not to be found in the Scriptures that God ever said of all or any one of them or of any other meer Saint they were perfect without sin in this world but the contrary is as may afterwards appear often found in Holy Writ forasmuch as it is sincerity or the Law written in the heart Psal 40. 8. which is the only Gospel Perfection Third Scripture Psal 39. 1. I said I will take heed to my wayes that I sin not with my tongue compare with Jam. 3. 2. If any man effend not in word the same is a perfect man Reply Though David heedfully endeavoured circumspection not to offend with his tongue yet he sinned with it Psal 116. 11 I said in my haste all men are Lyars yea frequently did he offend with his tongue in and about the matter of Vriah the Hittite 2. Might it be supposed that David sinned not with his tongue yet he might sin in thought although it be most true which the Apostle James speaks above sc If any man offend not in word the same is a perfect man Reply 1. These words Jam. 3. 2. in their litteral sense denote a supposition If any man offend not in word that is as Dr. Manton in loc saith If there be such a man who never spake a word untruly nor unseasonably nor uncharitably a man whose words were alwayes without vanity and folly without obsenity rash Oathes and Passion speaking only known truths if these be such a man who at all times avoids the evils of the tongue I will as if the Apostle should say make bold to call him a perfect man such another as is not to be found among Mortals And thus Moses by way of supposition said unto the Children of Israel Lev. 18 5. Which If a man do he shall live in them here Moses proposeth an unlikely yea an impossible practice under the word If which if a man 〈◊〉 But where is the Man that can do the law of God as exactly as he commands it to be done implying there 's not such a man to be found in the World so here If a Man offend not in word the same is a perfect man but such a non offender is not to be found and consequently not a Man of a perfect tongue 2. Some take the word Perfect for Upright Sincere that is to say if a man offend not in word he is perfect or upright sincere without guile those that are so are expressed by the Term perfect as in Psal 37. â—7 afore noted so in 1 Chron. 29. 9. With a perfect heart they offered willingly to the Lord compare ver 17. In the uprightness of my heart I have willingly offered Again we read in 1 Chron. 12. 38. All these sc an hundred and twenty thousand ver 37. men of War came with a pâ—rfect heart to Hebron surely he must have a Legion within him that would interpret perfect here referring to the hundred and twenty thousand men of War above for a perfect freedome from sin 4th Scripture Psal 119. 1. Blessed are the undefiled in the way ver 3. they do no Iniquity Reply The sixth verse following explains the two foregoing verses sc 1 3. above Then shall I not be ashamed when I have respect to all thy Commandments hence ver 5. The Prophet Wishes O that my wayes were directed to keep thy Statutes furthermore he strongly affirms Psal 39. 5. Verely verely Man at his best estate is altogether vanity Therefore he cries out Psal 143. 2. Enter not into judgement with thy Servant for in thy sight shall no man living be justified Now if to be undefiled and to do no iniquity be to be understood in a Quakers sense that is to say strictly for an absolute freedome from all sin in heart and life then David had excluded himself out of a blessed estate 5th Scripture Mat. 5. 48. Be ye therefore perfect even as your Father which is in Heaven is perfect
Walking sc Zecharias and Elizabeth ' his Wife ver 5. in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless here the Quakers think they are perfect Saints Reply The word Blameless doth not as the Quakers would have it signifie Sinless before the Lord but Rebukeless before men in this World no man can be so blameless as to be sinless in the sight of God 't is true we read Numb 23. 21. He hath not seen iniquity in Jacob that is not with an eye of revenge but pity God saw iniquity in Jacob his people but not so as to destroy them which was the unwearied design desire of Balack the Princes of Moab ver 17. in which sense the not seeing of iniquity in Jacob is only meant Indeed at the glorious second coming of the Lords Christ then the persons of the just shall be sinlesly blameless before the Lord as in 1 Cor. 1. â— That ye may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ in that day of Christs coming in glory the Saints shall be found of God in peace without spot and blameless 1 Pet. 3 4 14. but not thus in this life nevertheless I willingly grant that Believers may walk in all the Commandments and Ordinances of the Lord blameless that is to say rebukeless in regard of Men this is verified by the Apostle Phil. 2. 15. That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without rebuke in the midst of a crooked and perverse Nation among whom ye shine as lights in the World in which sense alone Zecharias and his Wiâ—e Elizabeth were blameless for Zecharias was so far from being perfect without sin that he was found at the very time that the words above were uttered of him guilty of the great sin of Vnbelief and for it was punished with dumbness Luk. 1. 20. Behold thou shalt be dumb and not able to speak until the day that these things shall be performed because thou dost not believe my words Obj. Here the Quaker will be apt to say But there is no sin charged upon Elizabeth so that she might be perfect without sin Ans 1. The phrase Blameless on which the Quaker puts his whole stress may refer to an Unbeliever yea to a persecutor of Jesus Christ of Nazareth Phil. 3. 6. Touching the righteousness which is in the Law Blameless even then when Paul was graceless he was blameless this I have only noted by way that Teaching Quakers may plainly see that the word Blameless simply in its own nature will be so far from proving perfection of Grace that it will not prove any truth of Grace 2. It will not therefore follow that Elizabeth was perfect without sin because there is no mention made of her sin let it be well observed that in the 6th verse above They are both said to be righteous and blameless even then when the best of them both was guilty of actual sin now if the expressions of Righteous and Blameless were applicable to Zecharias when he was under sin then the same expressions sc of Righteous and Blameless will not argue her to be more free from sin then her Husband there being the same reason for the one as for the other to deny this were to destroy the rules of right reasoning besides death took hold of her as well as of him which is the wages of sin Rom. 6. 23. 3. If the Term Blameless should prove Zecharias and Elizabeth in their life time sinless or perfect without sin it would prove the Scriptures of God sinful which to assert were Blasphemy for the Holy Scriptures do utterly deny such a blamelesness or freedome from sin in Mortals As in Eccless 7. 20. For there is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not that is that sinneth not in doing good the Spirit doth say simply that there is not a just man that sinneth not but a just man that doth good and sinneth not intimating that in our most religious Actions there is some mixture of sin hence the Prophet Isai 64. 6. That all our Righteousness is as filthy rags Noting to us that no righteous work of ours is so pure but there is some taint and filth of sin cleaving to it which without a Mediator in the rigor of the Law would be damnable so then though the action as to the matter be not sinful yet there is some sin in the Action this difference is exprest Exod. 28. 38 where the High-Priest is said to bear the iniquity of the holy things holy things in the matter of them yet iniquity in the manner of performing them Rom. 7. 18. How to perform that which is good I find not here hence it is that we read 1 King 8 46. If they sin against thee for there is no man that sinneth not and again 2 Chron. 6. 36. For there is no man that sinneth not whence the Apostle James Chap. 3. 2. For in many things we offend all he saith We including himself though an eminent Saint and an Apostle of great holiness All of us offend in many things and many of us in all things likewise our blessed Lord and only Saviour teacheth the choicest of Gods Children to pray unto their Father in Heaven for dayly and continual pardon of sin Mat. 6 12. There is in all true Believers a cursed root of bitterness which God doth mortifie but not nullifie in this World 't is subdued but not removed 't is cast down but not cast out though Grace makes the combat yet death only makes the conquest over sin I proceed to the Quakers Second Principle To wit That the written Scriptures are not 1. The Word of God 2. Nor the infallible standing Rule of Faith and Life Reply 1. VVhereas they say The written Scriptures are not the Word of God if thereby they mean the Scriptures as expressed by humane tongues or as written or printed with ink and paper by the art of the VVriter or Printer if so considered we do not affirm the Scriptures to be the VVord of God But as the Written Scriptures do declare the mind of God to us so the matter therein contained is the declarative VVord of God as in Heb. 1 2. God who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in times past unto the Fathers by the Prophets hath in these last dayes spoken to us by his Son Qu. What hath the Son of God spoken touching the Scriptures Ans He tells us that the Scripture is the VVord of God Mark 7. 13. Making the Word of God of none effect Here the Son of God calls the fifth Commandment in the written Scriptures the VVord of God and in Iohn 2. 22. They believed the Scripture the word which Jesus had said Also Ioh. 10. 34 35. And Jesus answered them It is written in your Law I said ye are Gods if he called them Gods unto whom the word of God came and the Scripture cannot be broken Note in these Texts