whole Book is this Men ought to teach and preach to others no further then they have a living Sense or Experience of what they so teach or preach that this was his Meaning by those Words Running into the Lines of what others have written hear the following Words in his Defence How dare any of you saith he make mention of his Name or speak of his Glory or of his Power seeing you have not beheld him yet made manifest in your selves Again thus For John testified that the giving forth of the Law was by Moses but Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ John 1. 17. Mark says he Grace and Truth were come unto John by Jesus Christ and he had felt the Vertue of it by which Moses ' s Admistration was fulfilled in him I say Reader his whole scope was to inforce the Necessity of coming into the Enjoyments of the Holy Ancients and an Experiencing of the Truth of those Doctrines they declar'd before Men are fit to teach them unto others And as this is the Tendency of his Words so does holy Scripture strongly warrant the same Particularly Jeremiah and the Apostle Paul to the Corinthians in Jeremiah thus He that hath my Word let him speak my Word faithfully What is the Chaff to the Wheat saith the Lord Is not my Wordlike a FIRE saith the Lord and like a HAMMER that breaketh the Rock in pieces Therefore I am against the Prophets saith the Lord that steal my Word every one from his Neighbour Chap. 23. Vers 28 29 30. The Meaning of which notable place is plainly this Such as have God's Word to declare which is known from all False Pretenders who steal the Word from their Neighbour and then cry he saith as the 31th Verse expresseth by the Resemblance it bears to Fire a thing easily to be felt let them faithfully speak it But those who steal and preach the Word or Testimony that came from the Lord by and through another as if the Lord spake the same by them unto whom the Lord never spoak it such Prophets the Lord is against which strikes J. Faldo dead respecting his Pretence for Preaching who abundantly proves it to be his Belief that such are as Good Ministers as any yea the only Orthodox and the other but a Pack of giddy-headed Enthusiasts The next place is in the Apostle's 2d Epist to the Corinthians Chap. 10. Vers 15 16. Not boasting of things beyond our measure that is of other Men's Labours but having Hope that when your Faith is encreased that we shall be enlarged by you according to our Rule abundantly to preach the Gospel in the Regions beyond you and not to boast in another Man's Line of things made ready to our Hands Of this sort of Boasters is John Faldo who hath nothing for his Religion but the mâ—er Bible and but an usurpt Title to that Reader take notice that all along J. F. hath made no Difference between the Truths the Scriptures truly declare of and Man's dark and unregenerated Conceptions upon Scripture about Truth and Error Thereby confounding that which in it self is most clearly different to the end he may bring all those Blows we give at Men's Traditions and Doctrines which they pretend to be rightly deduced from Scripture but in Reallity are their own Imaginations to bear hard upon the Scriptures themselves and those Doctrines and Traditions that are truly delivered by them which is a wretched begging of the Question that was not about the Scriptures to which he would turn it but his and their way of understanding them as if it were the same thing to decry the Scriptures as to disclaim against J. F.'s false Opinions concerning them But he thinks he has quite done our Business and sav'd himself from the Black Blemish of Forgery by another Testimony produced to the same purpose which is this And reading in the Scriptures that there were some who met together and exhorted one another they observe and do as near as they can what they read of the Saints Practice and so conceive a Birth in the same Womb and bring it forth in the same Strength that others do and in the Ground it differs not W. S. pag. 22. But what of all this J. Faldo Can this Saying rise higher then a Reproof of those who are but in the Form of Godliness whom the Scriptutes exhort us to turn away from But why was he so disingenuous as to refuse us our Friends words at large thereby making People believe that the Imitation reprov'd by W. S. concerns the holy Life and Conversation of the Saints For it s not two Lines before that he tells us expresly what sort of Practice he means when he writes thus And because they Baptists read of some that went into the Water and were baptized they do the same In short The Zeal of his Spirit runs against all Apish Religions and those Persons who take unto themselves the Name and Form they are Strangers to the Nature and Power of being not led by the Eternal Spirit to Worship God but with an Unregenerate Mind and Ambitious Will eagerly rush into those things for which they have neither Commission nor Quallification I could urge several Testimonies out of Authors that neither liv'd nor dy'd in Fellowship with the Quakers as a further Vindication of their Sense in this Particular but Three shall suffice at this time The first is given us by Jo. Canne stiled by Parson Ball an Eminent and Early Presbyter The Leader of the English Brownists or Independents at Amsterdam more then 30 Years ago viz. Labour to Experience the Power and Leading of the Spirit It is very dangerous to rest in any thing that comes from the Creature till you have the Witness of the Spirit which is not fleshly heady or empty but powerful inward and abides and settles the Soul In thy Light shall we see Light and no where else let them pretend never so high Attainments A Knock to J. Faldo The second is a Passage in W. Dell's Tryal of Spirits writ as I take it while he was Master of Cains Colledge in Cambrige They says he who want Christ's Spirit which is the Spirit of Prophecy though they preach the EXACT LETTER of the Word yet are FALSE PROPHETS and not to be heard by the Sheep And one Reason among many for this Assertion was this Under the New Testament we are not to regard the Letter without the Spirit but the Spirit as well as the Letter yea the Spirit more then the Letter And therefore Paul saith That Christ shall destroy Antichrist with the Spirit of his Mouth and the Brightness of his Coming He scarce saith this Author takes any notice of the Letter but calls the true Preaching of the Gospel the Spirit of Christ's Mouth or the Ministration of the Spirit His next Reason is this They that preach only the outward Letter of the Word without the true Spirit they make all things outward in the
118. G. Fox Great Myst Part 2. pag. 10. G. Fox Gr. Myst 12 J. Parnell Shield of Truth 22 23. W. Smith's Cat. 27. W. Smith's Prim. 37. Love to the Lost 40. W. Smith's Prim. 42. W. Smith's Prim. Part 3. pag. 94. W. Smith's Prim. Vindic. pag. 6 70. Thus much at present of False Citation which to say no more makes any Book uncapable of being answered IV. Several Passages Clipt and Maim'd J. St. Short Discovery Book 1. Part 1. pag. 42. Short Discovery 80. W. Smith ' s Prim. 88. J. N. Love to the Lost 89. E. B. Answ to Choice Experience 89. J. Story Short Discovery 89. W. Smith ' s Prim. 114. J. N. Love to the Lost 120. J. N. Love to the Lost Part 2. pag. 6. I. Penington ' s Quest 19 23. W. Smith ' s Cat. 26. W. Smith ' s Prim. 37. G. Fox Gr. Myst 40. J. N. Love to the Lost 43. W. Smith ' s Cat. 69. Love to the Lost 103. Reader These are but a very few of what we could offer for indeed there is scarcely one Passage that he hath not mangled on purpose to make it speak the better on his behalf which given at length would have cleared it self V. Certain Places more particularly Perverted by Adding or Mis-applying I. Penington ' s Question Book 1. Part 1. pag. 41. E. B' s Answ to Choice Exper. 89. I. Peningt Quest 109. W. Smith ' s Morning Watch 119 W. Smith ' s Morning Watch 126. Love to the Lost Book 1. Part 2. pag. 25. J. N. Love to the Lost 27. W. Smith ' s Prim. 42. I. Peningt Quest 46 47. W. Smith ' s Morning Watch 48 49. I. Peningt Quest 70 71. I. Peningt Quest 81. I. Peningt Quest 126. I. P. Quest 129. These Reader are but some Hints I was willing to give thee of our Adversary's Disingenuous Carriage towards us either in letting drop that which may be most material at least might be more explanatory of our Friends Intentions foisting in words wholely inconsistent with the Scope of our Passages or mis-applying them in favour of his black Charges all which may clearly be seen by a Comparison of his Books with our Friends Writings a great part of which I must confess it will be difficult to procure since to prove his Miscarriage in Citations I have not been able to compass above the one half of the Books he names but that carries this Woful Reflection with it if his use of 15. Books in Thirty affords us so many gross Instances of his Unfair Dealing with us what might we have expected upon our Examination of the rest In the mean time we shall without leave suspect him having so much Reason for it To compleat what I have done in this Particular let me tell thee Reader that in his Comparison of us with the Papists he sets down Twenty several Passages as our Doctrines and Opinions not producing so much as one Person Book or Page to avouch them a piece of Justice he denies not to the Papists themselves at what time he refuseth it to us though not they but we were the People against whom the Discourse was writ which though gross enough yet nothing compared with his Disingenuity at the end of his First Book where under the Pretence of furnishing his Reader with a Key to understand the Quakers Meanings by he sets down no less then about two Hundred and Fifty Particulars in our Name without so much as the bare mention of one Author Book or Page to countenance his Attempt Yet after all this he cannot bear to be told of his unfair Carriage and his Unjust Dealing towards us His Quality or his Pride is so great it will not bear a Reprehension I never met with a Man of so much Falseness and Stomach together He thinks it so great a Punishment to be told of his Miscarriages that if we will not let him pass for a Faithful Sober Meek and Christian Author however he hath proved himself the Contrary we must expect all that his Scorn and Anger can cast upon us But such Vindications of his Essayes will be Hand-writing enough against themselves and their Author who ought not to flatter himself after these great Evils with the Hopes of Impunity for such as he hath sown against us such shall he reap at the Hand of God the Righteous Judge of all who will reward every Man according to his Works But I desire with all my Soul that God may show him Mercy that Repentance may yet over-take him and this Iniquity be blotted out before he departs this World and is no more seen I would beseech him in the Love of God to fight no longer against the Truth and for a Cause his Conscience might it speak would tell him is not the only true God's but the Honour and Interest of the God of this World whom the formal Christian is lead and ordered by that is so sharp against us Let him not be afraid to take Shame for that which is shameful lest vain Credit here brings Sorrow hereafter I cannot be otherwise perswaded but that Reputation prevailed more with him then Conscience in this Controversie he tugs so hard to prop the one and there is so little savour of the other God could never be in that Design nor amidst those Thoughts that were laid with so great Mistake and which have been vented with so much Fury I must needs say There was neither Truth to inform us nor Charity to gain us It stumbled the Weak grieved the Tender offended the Peaceable among those Professions he pretended to vindicate gratifying only such as are of a Litigious and Contentious Nature whose unreasonable Heat it had been his Duty rather to abate by Sweet Perswasion and a meek Example I have this Comfort in my Conclusion of this Controversie that I most heartily forgive him all the Injustice and Vnkindness he hath shown at least so far as I am therein concerned and that I think is more then any Man And with the same Love that God hath loved me I do with all my Soul fervently wish his Solid Vnfeigned Repentance that he may receive the Love and Mercies of God in the Remission of his Sins and Reconciliation of him by the Power and Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord that he may knoâ— the Excellency and Glory of the Truth in the inward pâ—â—ts and what are those good things no Carnal Eye Ear or Heart hath ever seen heard or understood that God hath laid up for them that truly fear him and which he daily reveals unto all such by his Eternal Spirit The Conclusion THus Friendly Reader are we come to the End of our Task wherein I hope the Doctrines of that despised People in Derision called Quakers their Worship and Church-Practice are evidently and firmly vindicated against vulgar Mistakes and Reports and more especially those many black Charges so confidently exhibited by J. Faldo in his first
true and living God Fifthly We have proved our Doctrine of the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit as by us distinguisht and cleared from J. F.'s Perversions by abundance of such Authorities as I think he dares not gain-say So that we cannot be longer Hereticks and those continue Orthodox showing thereby that we are but pressing more intirely plainly and effectually what the best Protestants and Separatists have at times not only let drop from their Mouths and Pens but insisted on and prophesied also the increase and Enlargement of in the hearts of Men however forgot or denyed by their Dry and Degenerated Posterity Lastly That we do not therefore exhort People to hearken unto the Voice and Leadings of the Holy Spirit which strive with them as that by which God who is a Spirit comes truly to be known and the Scriptures themselves only to be read with a right Understanding and true Benefit with any the least Design to justle the Scriptures out of their place and Authority No God knows it is not our Purpose but for this very End do we so write and speak that People may come to possess what they declare of and witness them fulfilled in themselves instead of contending about what they do not understand and which can never be revealed to that dead dark and unregenerate State in which they live for the Lord is at work as I said before to gather People more and more into the Spirit and Life of his Son accomplishing his Glorious Promises in these latter Dayes and bringing People to the good Things themselves by which Out-sides are daily wearing off more and more and the Testimonies of Holy Scripture witnessed and fulfilled in them that believe Which is not to Overthrow but to answer the great End of their first Publication Preservation unto this very Day Whereas the contrary is not truly to esteem them but under the very vain Pretence of it to withstand and as much as in them lieth to bar out the Great Gospel-Ministration which stands in the Convictions Instructions Leadings and Orderings of the Holy Spirit And unto that must all come who in this Life would witness a Translation into Christ's Kingdom that is not of this World and know a being made free of that Jerusalem which comes down from above the Mother of the Free-born which they only are that have been born again by the Regenerating Word to whom the Formal and Literal Professors are but as Hagar and her Off-spring unto Sarah and the Seed of the Promise And this is the Word of the God of Heaven and Earth unto all those that are yet unacquainted with this Convincing Baptizing Reconciling Ingrafting and Regenerating Word Power or Spirit within And so I am thus far clear of your Blood and am at Peace with the God of my Salvation THE INVALIDITY OF John Faldo's Vindication Of his Book called Quakerism No Christianity PART II. CHAP. I. of Gospel-Ordinances in general such truly embraced THis second Part of my Rejoynder is a Consideration of his Defence of his Charge of our Denying Gospel-Ordinances the True Christ with his Transactions at Jerusalem also that we are guilty of Idolatry and own not the Resurrection of the Dead The Work of this Chapter will be to see how he will make good our Denyal of Gospel-Ordinances in general Be pleased to hear how he handleth both me and the Matter Reply pag. 49 50. The first Proof is out of Fox Myst p. 2. He hath triumphed over the Ordinances and blotted them out and they are not to be touched and the Saints â— Christ in them who is the End of outward Forms This saith W. P. pag. 103. is Scripture Language But why so because some Scripture-words are in it although the Text be mangled Corrupted and abused to the Contradiction of Scripture-Truth Thus they apply sinfulyenough False Prophets Dogs Serpents Hypocrites Devil Lyar c. But if I should call W. P. Thou Child of the Devil Thou Enemy of all Righteousness he would not therefore allow it to be all very true though so applyed it looks much more like Truth then G. Fox's scriptural Language who hath these Words about Baptism and the Lord's Supper Rejoynder For his Proof as he calls it it is not in pag. 52. of G. F's Book which were Answer enough to so shuffling an Adversary I confess in page 16. I find it but it is so far from being immediately directed to either Baptism or Supper that there is no such thing mentioned much lest insisted on from the Beginning of G. F's Answer to J. Timson's Book to the very place wherein the Words are found Now what to call this piece of Invention is sest with every Readers Discretion But it is not less worth our notice that of all my Explanation of G. F's Words he only reports these three viz. is Scripture Language who further told him Christ did blot out the Hand-writing of Ordinances Collos 2. 14. That he was to the Saints then and is to those now who rightly believe in him the End of all Meats Drinks Washing Dayes or any other Temporal Elementary or Figurative Worship according to verse 16 17. By this it will appear whether of us two have most honestly and most truely applyed Scripture I in thus expositing and vindicating G. F's Passage or J. Faldo in calling me by Implication a Child of the Devil and an Enemy of all Righteousness But again Reply p. 50. I also told Mr. Penn That if the Saints having Christ in them were the Consideration of which the Ordinances were not to be touched then not only we but even all other Saints under the Mosaical Administration sinned in their Practices of God's Ordinances also for they had Christ in them in those Dayes in the same Sence as the Saints in these Rejoynder This Saying carries with it a large Concession to Christ's Manifestation in the Hearts of his People as well under the Mosaical Administration as that which we call for Distinction Evangelical Indeed larger then true if by the same Sence he understands that all that he was to his Apostles and the Churches by them planted he was to the People of Israel under the Conduct of Moses for first it is manifest they were not capable of such Discoveries being weak-Sighted carnal and greatly addicted to embrace the Fopperies of the Heathen Secondly There would have been no need of shewing forth a further Glory by Types and Figures or to entertain minds so enlighted and Heavenly with such low and as the Apostle phraseth them beggarly things had they enjoyed Christ under the Administration of Moses as in more Gospel Times But above all that J. Faldo should plead for the Continuance of Ordinances after Christ had blotted them out and such Meats and Drinks c. as Christ ended being the Substance of them because Christ might be in some measure known to the Saints of old at what time such Ordinances were given forth and such Meats
Sermons upon Job 32. 8. It is the Spirit of God who dwells in Men c. Man sayes he cannot discern any whit of God's Secret until he be enlightned we can never by our Will reach so high as to know God we must put our Reason from us and renounce it utterly what sayes J. Faldo to this Doctrine of his Father Calvin Again If we will have our Lord to fill us with his Wisdom it behoveth us to become Fools that is to say We must not bring any thing of our own for that were the shutting of the Door against God H. Bullenger's 4. Decad. Serm. 5. p. 665. The Spirit of Man praying in this World being enlightned and kindled with the Spirit of God groaneth and maketh Intercession for the Saints W. Perkins the English Calvin in the same men's Thoughts p. 336. 21. writes thus All Exercises of Christian Religion are to be in the Spirit The Inward Motions of the Spirit are of themselves the Worship of God whereas our Words and Deeds are not simply but so far forth as they are found in the renewed Motions of the Heart Gualt Cradok upon Ephes 3. p. 169. That you may see the greatness of his Power what a World of Prayers doth the Spirit of God put into thy Heart that thou art never able to utter with thy Mouth All the Wisdom of the World cannot make one spiritual Petition We may make Forms of Prayer but now the Spirit of God that knows the Mind of God THAT makes Prayers according to the Will of God and HE Spirit prayes with Sighing and Groaning unutterably I speak to them that know the working of the Spirit If the Lord should only hear the Prayers thou makest with thy Mouth thou wouldst be a Poor Man but the Lord respects the Prayer of thy Heart W. Dell. Serm. Christ Spirit c. p. 35. When God hath a Mind to give us the Spirit he puts us in Mind to ask it yea God gives us the Spirit that by it we may ask the Spirit seeing no Man can ask the Spirit but by the Spirit Acts 1. 14. Dr. J. Everad the great Spiritual Separatist in King James and Charles the firsts Time Be assured whatever Prayers whatever Sighs whatever Groans thou puttest up to him he loaths all but what his SON MAKES but all his Requests are heard and granted pag. 225 Be sure that your Prayers be such as become God's Ear to hear for all the Prayers of ALL FLESH through the whole World is displeasing to God pag. 243. Not the best Duties you can perform will please him except they be salted and seasoned by his own Son p. 9. Never think that all your Prayers your Tears your Alms c. pleases him but only that which is his Son 's own Action and Work in you p. 355. But know he God regards none of these Prayers But when his Son in whom he is well pleased when he prayes he hears him alwayes but if any other Prayes he regards not p. 438. 442. Again It must be his Son's Work in us else he loaths all even the best of the Sacrifices if it be not Jesus Christ in us that doth all viz. that loves God and fears God and obeyes God and believes in God c. his Father regards it not But what thinks J. Faldo of all these Things J. Calvin W. Perkins H. Bullenger Gu. Cradok are unquestionable W. Dell Master of Cajus Colledge in late times And for Dr. J. Everad his Works were licenced Decemb. 6. 1652 by no less Man then J. Caril and approved by Tho Brooks and Mat. Parker all three Independent Pastors the first lately deceased the other two not many dayes ago living who I hope are able to justifie their Kindness to that notable and doubtless very religious Man Perhaps the Truth may find better Quarter for these great Authors Sake therefore I bring them though indeed it is truly lamentable that the Professors of our Age will not know the Doctrines of Men they hold in great Admiration when they meet with them in the poor Quakers Writings but instead of acknowledging miseraby brow-beat them with oppobrious Language thereby bringing the greatest Truths into Suspition with the Vulgar But Oh Lord God of Truth This hath been the Portion of thy People and Lot of thy Children whom thou hast gathered out of the World in all Ages at the Hands of those who boast themselves in other Mens Labours and have a Name to live but are dead to that Life in which they should live to thee They seem to honour the Prophets and garnish the Sepulchres of thy Servants that are at rest but having erred from the Conduct of thy Spirit and resisted the holy Motions of it they are become the greatest Persecutors Resisters and Vilifiers of thy holy living pure and spiritual Way Oh Lord God arise for thy great Names Sake seaze upon their Consciences by thy Invisible Word of Power Lay Judgment to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet Dash their fine carved Images in Peices and let thy consuming Fire take hold on their Chaff and Stubble and bring them to thy righteous Ballance that they may see they and their Religion to be lighter then Vanity that they may witness thy mighty Work of Redemption and Salvation before they depart hence and are never seen more through Jesus Christ the alone Advocate and Mediator Intercessor Redeemer and Saviour of all thy dear Children who have believed in his Heavenly Appearance by whom be Everlasting Honour Glory and Dominion Amen CHAP. VI. Of Positive Ordinances as our Adversary calls them to wit Baptism and the Supper HE introduced his Discourse of Baptism and the Supper with an Account of the Nature of these Ordinances distinguishing them by Natural and Positive He excepts against my reporting of one part of his Doctrine calling it by no milder a Name then Forgery I will give both our Quotations that my Reader may the better see what Ground he hath for such severe Reflection I cited him thus The Ordinances hitherto considered are called Morral from their Natural Obligation although respecting their Substance they deserve a more Evangelical Denomination without which we cannot call them Christian Ordinances This he calls Forging Corupting his Words and that he that hath the Conscience to deal with such an Adversary may make him say what he lists Reply p. 56. I will now puncually transcribe his Words as himself hath quoted them and a plain self-Defeat will lye at the bottom of all this Displeasure Reply p. 66. My Words were these to a Letter The Ordinances I have hitherto considered are called Morral from their Natural Obligation although that Substantial and Essential Part and Qualification of them their Respect to a Mediator will require a Denomination more Evangelical and without which we cannot call them Gospel or Christian Ordinances Let VV. P. make the best Advantage for his Causes these Words will afford him and spare not Rejoynder Having
Christ's eating the Supper with his Disciples just before his Death and their breaking Bread together soon after his Death Not a Year whereas the Pope showed not himself till near six hundred Years after I cannot see Friendly Reader how much more criminal I made my Adversary by charging him with saying in our Name The Bread and VVine Christ blessed is the Invention of the Pope then he hath made himself by his own Saying That we call the Lords Supper eaten soon after his Death the Popes Invention unless he should deny the Latter to be the same Sort of Supper with the former In short We cannot but repute this an Injury too apparent for John Faldo's utmost Invention to cover But that he may not suffer the Imputation of Forgery at least a very gross Perversion he thus braveth me Reply p. 70. If Pen dare deny it to be in W. Smith's Book which Iquoted three or four times over in pag. 39. I shall prove him a Deceiver to all that will but read it W. S. answers to this Question I would know Father how it is concerning these things called Ordinances as Baptism Bread and Wine which are much used in their Worship Answ Why Child as for those things they rose from the Pope's Invention Rejoynder This Citation as rankly and partially as he hath put down doth not prove that we account the Lord's Supper either as it was eaten by Christ and his Disciples before his Death or by his Disciples after his Death to be the Pope's Invention How can it since we know the Pope's Date to have been so many hundred Years after that Practice His Citation must therefore be understood of such a Baptism and such a Supper as the Apostate Church hath presumed to practice and that I put not a fairer Gloss then his own Answer will allow observe these Words and the whose Practice of those things AS THEY use them had their Institution by the Pope and were never SO ordained of Christ strongly implying that what was of Christ's Ordination was not of the Pope's Invention and Institution consequently That the Lord's Supper was neither a popish Invention nor Institution which is yet plainer from his following VVords For he did not ordain sprinkling Water in a Child's Face or to make a Sign of the Cross in his Forehead nor God-Fathers and God-Mothers to undertake for it Neither did he ordain Bread and VVine to be SO or after that Manner used and received So that nothing can be plainer then that his Reflection lies against their Manner of practizing and using them not against the Things themselves as at any time practiced by Christ or his Disciples Followers Therefore he is quite beside the Truth in telling the VVorld that he doth but apply these VVords Pope's Invention to the Name that is Lord's Supper which the Quakers apply to the Thing since we so clearly distinguish betwen Baptism the Lord's Supper Name and Thing and these Practices and Usages of them which have risen since the Apostacy Now it rests with thee Friendly Reader to pass Judgment which of us two hath acted the Deceiver to leave out a great many more of his hard VVords he that affirmed VV. Smith called that Baptism and Lord's Supper which was in Use some time as well after Christ's Death and Ascension as before the Pope's Inventions or I that affirmed and from VV. Smith's own Book have expresly proved that there was no such thing said as Primitively practiced but only as they have been since abused by the Apostate Church For the Supper it self I refer the Reader to the sixteenth Chapter of my Answer and shall only say at this Time that as it was a Commemoration or Remembrance of Christ to the Disciples who were at that Day so weak in Faith as Luke 24. 11. Mary Magdalen's news about Christ's Resurrection seemed to them as Idle Tales yet that the Service and consequently the Institution of it were of as they came to witness him the Evangelical Supper of Passover to their Souls and that we therefore discontinue it First Because the false Church hath made Market with her imitating that primitive Practice drawn the Minds of People abroad from the Heavenly Bread of Life which is only to be received within and hath been shedding so much Blood about it rendring it and Water Baptism the Seal of Christianity thereby puffing up People to believe that of themselves which they are not Next we have the Testimony of God's Spirit that he is withdrawn from such Observations that have been so much insisted on and magnified in the World Lastly and eminently we discontinue it because Christ is become unto our Souls that very Thing which it was most truly and properly the Sign of to wit the Heavnely Bread and Passover which nourisheth the Soul unto Eternal Life Where by the Way it must not be forgotten how perversly he wrongs Christ and Holy Scripture who turns this Passage Do this till I come after this strange Manner The Lord's Supper is a Remembrance of Christ's Death past NOT TO COME Rep. p. 71. wherein first he makes as if there were a Death to come Next Instead of exhorting People to look for his Coming until which he bid his Disciples practice it he turns back their Eyes from that Expectation and makes the Sign wholy to have Reference to what was past and not what was to come thereby seeking to perpetuate his Absence and bar out his Appearance implyed in these Words till I come which ends the Absence during which the Institution lasteth For the plain English of it framed into an Argument is this The Supper is to remember Christ's Death that is past but that will be alwayes past therefore it ought to be alwayes so remembred The like may be said upon the Word Remembrance for if it ought to be practised because of remembring Christ's Death then forever because his Death ought never to be forgotten Thus it perverts the Text in that it makes not the outward Supper to cease upon his Coming as John 14. 23. Rev. 3. 20. which is the Evangelical Supper till whose Coming Christ bid his Disciples do it But to continue upon the Score of remembring Christ's Death only which as I said before ought never to be forgotten is consequently to continue it upon Institution forever I shall only leave two things with my Reader and so proceed to the next Chapter first That from our discontinuing the Practice of these outward and temporary Observances J. Faldo concludes our absolute and general Denyal of them 2ly Because some of our Friends have denyed rejected and termed Popish the long Abuse of these Things he makes no Difficulty of charging us in so many Words with calling Water-Baptism and the Lord's Supper as laid down in Scripture and primitively practised Popish Inventions c. God if he please make this Man sensible of his notorious Injustice towards us CHAP. VIII Of the Doctrine of
by wicked Works degenerated into the Earthly and thereby rendered our selves Aliens yea Rebels to his pure Law of Life first declares or holds forth Forgiveness of Sins past upon true Repentance by the laying down of his Life and then works out by his Holy Power and Spirit in our Consciences the Sin that is inherent and in the room thereof brings in his own Everlasting Righteousness So that our being accounted Righteous is as Christ was accounted a Sinner That is he was not a Sinner by Commission or Guilt neither were we as of our selves Righteous by Innocency or Non-commission of Sin for then there had been no need of Remission to have been declared by his publick offering up of himself But he was so reputed from bearing away the Sins that were past through the Forbearance of God and we are accounted as Righteous upon Repentance and true Faith because of that Remission and perfect Acquittance of Sins that are past as if we had never committed them Therefore wofully will they be mistaken that shut out the inward Work of God in the Heart and stretch this to Sins past present and to come without any regard thereto when as the Benefit of Christ's Suffering can in no sense be known or enjoyed without the true Faith and unfeigned Repentance which must precede Remission it self by whom or where is that wrought if not by Christ within much more must they go before compleat Justification which comprizeth Sanctification and Redemption we cannot but pron ounce it a Dangerous Doctrine since it flatters People with that being compleated that is not thereby deluding their poor Souls into a Perishing Security CHAP. IX Of the True Christ We own and our Adversary prov'd to deny him THe sixteenth Chapter of his first Book charged us with the Denyal of the Christ of God Among other Testimonies that he brought out of our Friends Books to maintain it I did eflectually consider two viz. This we certainly know and can never call the Bodily Garment Christ but that which appeared and dwelt in the Body Again For that which he took upon him was but a Garment even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature I. Peninington Quest p. 20 23 32. To introduce my Answer I observed at the same time and in the very same page He confost That we don't deny there was such a Man as Jesus the Son of Mary and that God or rather Christ was in him which I then said makes up our Christ I meant God manifested in the Flesh He replyeth thus Reply p. 76 77. But this I told W. P. was no more then the Quakers profess themselves We witness saith Fox the same Christ that ever was now manifested in the Flesh Rejoynder He should have given us the Book and Page where G. F. hath so expressed himself however we deny not that Doctrine for God doth dwell and walk in his Children who are called his Temples and Tabernacles in Holy Scripture 2 Cor. 6. 16. Rev. 21. 3. But we must forever reject J. Faldo's ignorant or worse Consequence That because we own that God dwells in his Children therefore he dwelt no more in that Body of Flesh he prepared to manifest himself by then he doth in his People Or that our asserting that God appeared and dwelt in that Holy Body eminently prepared by him is to be understood in no larger Sense then that in which we understand him to dwell in his Children I might as well argue against the Scripture as J. Faldo doth against us Christ was full of Grace and Truth therefore when he fills his Children with Grace and Truth they have as much Grace and Truth in them as their Lord and Master Or thus God was in Christ and God was in Paul therefore he was as much in Paul as he was in Christ It is after this Rate Reader our Adversary essayes to confute us as if we made no Distinction between the Fulness and the Measure the Treasury and the Gift He was full of Grace and Truth and of his Fulness have we received and Grace for Grace Joh. 1. 14 16. The next Thing I observed from what he gave as our Confession of the true Christ was this That he whom we call Christ is not John Faldo ' s Christ for he was that Body only that dyed here he cuts my Answer of short and bestoweth this Reply upon it Reply pag. 76. Here the Word Only W. P. forgeth he makes my allowing Christ's Body to be his Garment to imply it is not Christ himself Rejoynder Why did he not give my Words who knows by what he quoted of my Answer that he had ever been so kind the Man knew it pincht him and seem'd resolved to conceal it It was this In the midst of his second Proof he inserts these two Words VERY RIGHT as his Assent to that Part of it which to me seems as inconsistent with his Purpose as may be to wit that which Christ took upon htm was our Garment even the Flesh and Blood of our Nature therefore said I John Faldo as well as we acknowledgeth That the Garment is not Christ unless there be no Difference betwixt Christ and his Garment Or that Christ was but the Garment of that divine Being that dwells therein which were unscriptural and very carnal and I still say That Christ's Garment can never constitute him Christ And that as he darkly calls it the intire Christ as I shall make appear so hath he in this Concession contradicted himself and utterly given away the Cause But he is of another Mind as his Reply will inform us Reply pag. 76. The Apostle Paul calls his and the Saints Bodies their Cloathing 1 Cor. 5. yet they were never the less a part of themselves Rejoynder A meer Rattle for Children Did the Body God prepar'd for his Son to do his Will in help to constitute him Christ as much as the Apostles Body did help to constitute him Paul If it did why may we not as well say that Paul was among the Fathers in the Wilderness so many hundred Years before he was born as the same Apostle doth assert Christ by Name to have been the spiritual Rock of which the Fathers drank in the Wilderness 1 Cor. 10. 4. for if the Body constitute him Christ as sayes J. F. then he could no more be Christ before he had that Body then Paul could be Paul before he had his Body and consequently There is no more Absurdity in affirming That Paul was Paul so many hundred Years before he was born then that Christ was Christ so many hundred Years before he was born Again If Paul's Body were but a Cloathing how much more remote doth J. F's Comparison make Christ's Body to be from his Divinity since Paul did not preexist Christ did but he that took that Body and that Body that was taken were not of equal Date for the Body was taken in the Fulness of Time but he that took it and
Vail and know not any Entrance into the Holy of Holies where the Divine Vnction from the High Priest is received and the Blessed Holy Spiritual Fellowship of the Gospel is witnessed for which Glorious Dispensation we contend through all Difficulties making it our Business to promote it in the World and though it be now but as a Cloud of a Span long yet it shall spread and cover the Heavens from whence the Inhabitants of the Earth shall receive Refreshment being bedewed and covered with the Vertue and Righteousness thereof for want of which the World is as a Wilderness being over run with all manner of Impiety under a specious Shew of Religion making up that Whore of Babylon and Mother of Harlots and City filled with all sorts of Abomination against which the Wrath of God is now and will yet be more and more revealed Oh! Compassion to the Souls of Men our Brethren in the Flesh opens our Mouthes with frequent Cryes that they would come out of her lest they be Partakers of her Plagues for knowing the Terrors of the Lord we therefore perswade them to a diligent search after the one Thing necessary which shall never be taken from them I mean the Testimony of Jesus in themselves that they are his by the Washing of Regeneration For with great Sorrow I write it God he knows Unspeakable and Irreparable is the Loss Multitudes have sustained by such Carnal Conceits as their Preachers through Blindness have begot a Belief in them of and a Zeal for as sufficient to Salvation to the suspecting and open decrying under the hateful Names of Error Heresie and Blasphemy the very Soul or Substance of True Christian Religion which only brings to the Inheritance of it For us our Appeal is to God and that Impartial Generation he is now bringing forth who will have an Ear to hear and a Palate to savour and taste the Truth of this Ancient Mystery Christ in them the Hope of Glory at what time these testimonies shall be of value however dis-regarded by the false Jew and Carnal Christian of the present Age. I will end my part herein with our most solemn Confession in the Holy Fear of God That we believe in no other Lord Jesus Christ then he who appeared to the Fathers of old at sundry Times and in divers Manners and in the Fulness of Time took Flesh of the Seed of Abraham and Stock of David became Immanuel God manifest in Flesh through which he conversed in the World preached his Everlasting Gospel and by his Divine Power gathered faithful Witnesses and when his Hour was come was taken of cruel Men his Body wickedly slain which Life he gave to proclaim upon Faith and Repentance a general Ransom to the World the Third Day he rose again and afterwards appeared among his Disciples in whose view he was received up into Glory but returned again fulfilling those Scriptures He that is with you shall be in you I will not leave you comfortless I will come to you again and receive you unto my self John 14. 3 17 18. and that he did come and abide at really in them and doth now in his Children by Measure as without Measure in that Body prepared to perform the Will of God in That He is their King Prophet and High Priest and intercedes and mediates on their behalf bringing in Everlasting Righteousness Peace and Assurance forever into all their Hearts and Consciences to whom be Everlasting Honour and Dominion Amen A few Testimonies in Defence of our Sense B. Jewel Serm. upon Jos 6. 1 2 3. My first Testimony is out of that great English Author and worthy Man B. Jewel who speaking of what Christ was to the Jews in the Wilderness sayes thus Christ had not yet taken upon him a Natural Body yet they did eat his Body He had not yet shed his Blood yet they drank his Blood St. Paul saith all did eat the same Spiritual Meat that is the Body of Christ All did drink of the same spiritual Drink that is the Blood of Christ and that as VERILY AND TRULY AS WE DO NOW and whosoever then did so eat lived forever I think a pregnant and apt Testimony to Christ's being the Christ of God before his Coming in the Flesh But this being the Language of a Bishop though more then an Hundred years old Perhaps his Stomach will not digest it and therefore let 's hear what some considerable Separatists will tell us Joshua Sprig Test to an Approaching Glory Pag. 80 81 86. I beseech you therefore be not offended whenas we say That Christ according to the History of him only and according to his Ministration in the Flesh is but a Form in which God doth appear to us and in which God doth give us a Map of Salvation Thou knowest it not to be thy real Salvation except it be revealed within thee by the Spirit A map serves until a Man knows the Country There is Christ in the Flesh and Christ in the Spirit Christ in the Flesh is the Witness the common Person in whom our Salvation is transacted as in a Figure Christ in the Spirit is the real Truth and Principle of Righteousness and of Life he is the real Salvation within us Again in his Preface he saith That in that Degree that the Spiritual Administration takes place the Fleshly Administration gives place in that Measure that Christ's Second Appearance draws on us we are drawn from under his first Appearance Thus far Joshua Sprig whose Book was licensed as we have formerly said by Joseph Caril a reverend Minister among the Independents C. Goad's Last Testimony pag. 76 77. Destroy the Vail and destroy Death the taking away of the Vail is the taking away of Death Death upon a true Account is nothing but a Vail upon God who is our Life even Christ's Flesh was a Vail Ordinances are Vailes If God be our Life the less we are in these things the more we are in Life T. Collier's Discovery of the New Creation pag. 399. We have had very narrow Apprehensions of Christ and the Manifestation of the Glory of Christ limiting it to the one Man when the Truth is that Christ and all the Saints make up but One Christ 1 Cor. 12. 12. And God as Truly manifesteth Himself in the Flesh of all his as he did in Christ although the Measure of that Manifestation is different What sayes John Faldo to these things Are not we Out-done in our Expressions by profest Ministers and those of the Independent and Baptist Way shall we be stiled Blasphemers that more modestly utter our Belief whilst these Men notwithstanding pass for Orthodox I hope J. Faldo has more Reverence for J. Caryl then to question his Judgment in the License of the first and not so little Respect for the two last as to cry out Heresie Blasphemy c. CHAP. X. Three Scriptures rescured from the false Glosses of our Adversary Joh. 1. 9. Rom. 10. 3. 2
second Books both by a fair Rescue of our Words from his gross Perversions and indirect and unnatural Meanings and the Confirmation of our real Sense with plenty of plain Scripture many Reasons and the unquestionable Testimonies of several Ancient and Modern considerable Authors My Design hath not been Conquest but Information that by these Religious Wars we may at last arrive at Peace And these Weapons be all beaten into Plow-shares so as to learn War no more That to fear God and work Righteousness the Life of Jesus Christ our Lord who hath left us his most Holy Example that we should follow his steps may be the very bent of our Hearts the Resolution of our Minds and constant Practice of our Lives which bring the Soul to the Inheritance of Substance establish the Heart forever Oh that all who read this Discourse may with me wind up their Spirits and lodge their Souls not in the Love of Controversie but of that Divine Life which stills resolves and fixes all and gives such Heavenly Waiters to feel and enjoy Immortallity To see and possess something that is beyond time these painful Exercises that are within it Oh this makes Men Weighty Serious Loving Meek Holy Forbearing and Constant the Image and Delight of God! Such become Livers of Pure and Vndefiled Religion who have been thitherto but so many vain and verbal Contenders for Religion so shall this Scripture be fulfilled to our unutterable Rejoycing Surely his Salvation is nigh them that fear him that Glory may dwell in our Land Mercy and Truth are met together Righteousness and Peace have kissed each other The God of Everlasting Strength Bless and Prosper this Glorious Work in the Earth to the Praise of hiâ— Holy and Blessed Name Amen W. P. THE END ERRATA THe Author 's frequent Absence from the Press with that continu'd Difficulty which attends us in printing has now as at other times made way for several Escapes The most offensive though few very obstructive to the Sense are here collected and corrected The other as Stops Parenthesis and some â—ew Improprieties are left for the Ingenuity of the Reader to excuse and amend Page 9. line 20. read Principle p. 10. l. 9. for were r. was pag. 20. l. 3. r. writ in p. 21. l. 11. r. charged p. 30. l. 27. r. should not p. 32. l. 16. for no r. not p. 33. l. 9. r. there are l. 10 11. r. as much p. 35. l. 27. f. who r. whom p. 38. l. 33. r. belief p. 42. l. 22. r. much more p. 50. l. 22. r. doubtful p. 53. l. 26. it dele p. 54. l 2. r. as are so l. 29. r. 1651. p. 55. l. 22. f. but even r. even p. 56. l. 2. in dele l 4. f. the r. his p. 59. l. 32. for this dele p. 64. l. 7. f. no r. any p. 78. l. 18. r. 〈…〉 7. l. 8. for dele l. 20. r. lame p. 88. l. 32. f. me r. 〈◊〉 l. 33. f. thy r. my p. 92. l. 23. r. praelect p. 117. l. 2. r. cull'd p. 129. l. 10. r. 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Barker p. 248. l. 27. f. they r. themselves p. 249. l. 21. f. with such an r. thus with his l. 22. r. 65 66. p. 253. l. 23. â— Sharers p. 259. l. 30. after dele p. 260. l. â—8 the Baptism dele p. 262. l. 17. to dele p. 263. l. 32. r. he wore p. 265. l. 6. r. trouble in his p. 266. l. 2. r. crowing l. 15. r. philosophical p. 269. l. 2. f. a r. of p 270. l. 18. r. were l. 30. f. yet r. so l. 31. r. wore off p. 255. l. 5. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 30â— l. 25. r. incompeâ—ible p. 308. l. 16. r. he that p. 310. l. 12 8 22. r. holys p. 311. l. 24. f. too short r. to show f. so as to r. so to p. 318. l. 26. it dele p. 319. l. 25 r. needs no. l. 22. r. or slip p. 320. l. 5. f. â— r. what p. 324. l. 14. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 325. l. 27. f. Propheâ—s r. Poets p. 326. l. 7. r. had p. 327. l. 14. r. that they p. 329. l. 15. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 17. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 l. 20. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 330. l. 11. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 332. l. 1â— 21. r. Polyglott p 339. l. 7. r. of some l. 23. r. 〈◊〉 p. 346. l. 21. r. ubiquitary p. 348. l. 15. r. â—leverly p. 352. l. 11. r. terreno p. 353. l. 19. r adventrdus p. 358. l. 11. f. then r. that p. 3â—0 l. 8 12 22. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 361. l. 21 r. imperious p. 365. l. 18. f. in r. is 〈◊〉 p. 369. l. 12 r. fictious l. 15. r. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 p. 372. l. 11. r. and bring l. 21. however dele l. 29. r. Souly Body p. 373. l. 24. r. pass p. 374. l. 27. r. up of p. 375 l. 15. r. numerical p. 370. l. 2. r. resuscitation l. 4. f. 32. r. 2. p. 379. l. 1. f. but r. and. l. 20. r. restituent semina l. 26. r. weigh'd l. 31. r. as dâ—stroyes p. 380. l. 17. r. intricate p. 382. l. 19. r. wrotâ— p. 383. l. 21. r. hath p. 408. l. 24. r. and would p. 419. l. 4. f. as r. and. p. 422. l. 24. r. of the Light p. 423. l. 18. r. and Inspiration l. 〈◊〉 r. Pretences p. 428. l. 9. r. Vind. pag. 47. l. 19. r. Vind. pag. 4. p. 429. l. 4. f. and r. greater then l. 5. and dele p. 430. l. 11 31. f. Chapters and Pages r. Chapters or Pages * advers Err. Johan Hierosoly mitani Qua. no Chr. pag. 2. My Answ pag. 2 3. pag. 5. Acts 4. 12. 1 John 1. 7. Rom. 8. 14 17. Qua. no Chr. pag. 13. pag. 8. pag. 21 22. D. Cave Primitive Christianity Rom. 8. 1 2 3 4. Tit. 2. 12. Heb. 1. 1. See my Answ p. 193. pag. 7. p. 15 16. See my Answ pag. 24 pag. 13. pag 25. See it in Dr. Wilkins Real char pag. 14. pag. 28.