Selected quad for the lemma: water_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
water_n	baptism_n	spirit_n	word_n	4,420	5	4.7104	4	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A65867	The glory of Christ's light within expelling darkness being the sum of the controversie between the people called Quakers, and some of the non-conformist priests, as manifest at two publick disputes in Essex : between George Whitehead (called a Quaker) and Stephen Scandret (Presbyter) being at the latter dispute assisted with five more of his brethren, the priests, to wit, Nathaniel Barnard, Henry Havers, Henry Coleman, Nath. Ball, and Robert Billoes : wherein are several.	Whitehead, George, 1636?-1723.	1669 (1669)	Wing W1930; ESTC R39125	35,191	47

Flock whereupon the Episcopal Priest is contented to let them drive a trade under his Nose But now you who are the Followers and Hearers and Benefactors these cunning creeping Priests you should do well to try them a little be not too free of your purses to them lest afterward you repent of it for we do not believe that many of them are so consciencious as to scruple conforming to the Common-Prayer if they had but a dead trade among you or were put upon trial for now you have fed them so full and fat that they make such a vapour and blustering against us who have been the Sufferers and whom they know in stormy times have endured the storms and born the heat and the blows very much from them when they have skulkt and crept into holes and corners and very few of them durst shew their heads in any Testimony for God or Christ but have been ready to run away out at back-doors or over the houses rather then be taken prisoners though now they can in their Meetings Houses and Barns most unworthily and unjustly rail against and revile us called Quakers and grosly pervert and misrepresent our Principles vilifying and reproaching the Truth that we profess concerning the Light of Christ that is in every man and the sufficiency of it but it is set over all their heads and the Truth hath confounded and shattered them for they were commonly wont to tell people it was but a natural light the light of a natural Conscience a created light but now this their representative S. S. hath confest that it is a spiritual Light yea a Light of the Spirit of God that is in every man so what he hath asserted to the contrary in his declaring it insufficient and bidding people turn their backs upon it is all against the Spirit of God and the Light of it wherein his folly and confutation is so signally discovered that he and the rest that owned him have neither cause now to boast nor yet to urge for any more meetings with any of us nor we much so regard them except that we should order some of our women Friends to dispute with them for many of them are able to confute these shatter'd Priests whom the Sun is set upon and the day is become dark and the Lord is delivering many out of their mouthes and that is their torment especially when they are like to lose any of their Benefactors then they are ready to call for disputes with us and to make a bussle and stir by which they still lose and are disappointed of their ends for at the last Dispute when they would not suffer us to explain our selves or give an answer some of the people said We shall like the Quakers never the worse if you will not give them leave to speak and indeed many were then convinced so far as to see the folly and madness of this S. S. and his Assistant Priest Bernard who was there proved a manifest Lyar in interrupting G. W. contrary to his plain promise The Questions which we propounded to be disputed on before the first Dispute were three as first Whether every man be enlightned with a spiritual saving Light which we affirmed Secondly Whether Perfection be attainable in this life which we affirmed Thirdly Whether impure persons while such be justified by the imputation of Christ's Righteousness which we denied This last Question S. S. altered and stated it thus Whether Justification be by the works of the Law or by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith which Question could not in these general terms so reach the controversie between us as the Question we proposed these Priests holding That men are imputatively righteous and justified when actually Sinners and we holding the contrary That men are justified when really and actually righteous or partakers of the Righteousness of Faith in Christ wherein they are obedient to the Word or Spirit of God in their hearts to which the righteousness of Faith requires obedience and we further affirm that it is a false imputation to reckon men righteous or just whilst they are really or personally unrighteous and unjust for the Faith that was reckoned to Abraham and by which the Believers are justified is a Living Faith that purifieth the heart and that is accompanied with those works of obedience which answer the Law of Faith in the heart Moreover to these Questions before S. S. added three more as in the first place Whether the Scriptures are not to be our Rule of Life to which we affirmed Not the Writings but the thing written of to wit the same that was the Saints Rule in all Ages or the Spirit and Light of Christ within which gave forth the Scriptures and brings to the right understanding true use and fulfilling of them and without which Light people cannot truly understand them Then S. S. added for the two last Queries viz. Whether Baptism with water be an Ordinance of Christ which he affirmed though he durst not tell us whether Babes or Believers were to be the Subjects of it or whether he were a true administrator of it for when G. W. in a Letter would have put him to prove his call to the Ministry and whether he own'd immediate Revelation in these dayes he must have George to prove his call first thus he shuffled And then his last Question was Whether the Lords Supper be not an Ordinance of Christ binding us this Question we got not to to discuss nor did he explain what he meant by the Lords Supper howbeit he hath told G. W. in a paper That this Light within doth not dictate that Baptism by water is Gods Will nor that we ought to celebrate the Lords Supper c. So that you the Hearers and Followers of this S. S. may take notice that if he does celebrate as he Popishly saith and delivers to you Bread and Wine and tell you it is the Lords Supper he is not led to it by the dictates of the Light within which he hath confest to be the Light of the Spirit of God and therefore we may conclude his pretended Celebration and Ordinance not binding to us because the Light of the Spirit of God does not enjoyn us to it for we must worship in the newness of the Spirit and we know the Spirit of Truth leads into all Truth so that what is of Truth the Light dictates to us and therefore we must not follow Priest S. S. his darkness for our Dictator or Guide Secondly If sprinkling Infants be a part of his Trade in houses and corners you may understand that the Light of the Spirit of God doth not dictate it unto him and therefore you will be exceeding blind and dark if you give your selves to be bound to submit to his darkness or to any of his impositions which are neither Scriptural nor Spiritual therefore we caution you not to follow such dark and blind Guides and not to turn your

it was to the Saints and true Believers of old who according to their several attainments were to walk by the same Rule and God would reveal to them Phil 3 16. and they had attained to divers measures and degrees of the Spirit of God and accordingly their states were written unto in several Epistles that which was to one state was not to every particular state and condition among the Churches neither do we read that the Church at Gorinth was to go and make the Epistle to the Church at Rome their Rule nor that the Churches at Ephesus Philippi or Thessalonia were to go to the Corinthians for Paul's Epistles to them to compare theirs with and to be their Rule but that of the Spirit or Light within to which they were all directed and which was the Rule of the new Creature whereby the things of God were revealed and made known unto the Saints who could say we have not received the Spirit of this World but the Spirit which is of God whereby we know those things that are freely given us of God III. S. S. Go Baptiz● there is a Command for it the Light saith nothing of it Go Teach and Baptize that 's Christs Command And then he urged to have us speak to Water Baptism but durst not declare who he intended as the Subjects of it whether Babes or Believers which G. W. and some of us often urged to know whereupon if he had told us ingeniously his intention we proffered fairly to dispute it but S. S. and his Brethren durst not be plain with us in this matter but shuffled and evaded calling out over and over Do ye grant Baptism with water Go Baptize with water water c. You Rebels you Rebels go Baptize you Rebels can Rebels be saved c. Thus and after this manner he continued bawling and railing for some time that little fair dealing we could have Answ. Go teach all Nations baptizing them cannot intend Infants neither is there water mentioned in the Command Matth. 28. And it was proffered these Priests that if they would stand for Baptizing Infants or Plunging Believers we would dispute that with them Or if S. S. would be plain and ingeniously tell us in what capacity he stood in whether in the capacity of a Popish Priest Episcopal Priest Presbyterian Priest or Baptist but hereunto we could have no other Answer then his general clamor as before for water water c. and therefore G. W. proferred to speak something to both Sprinkling Infants and Plunging Believers to shew the rise of the one and the other not to be in force nor continuance under the Gospel but G. W. was interrupted as often he was by these Priests S. S. Water Baptism is Gospel a Dispensation of the Gospel was committed to Paul c. Answ. The Gospel is Everlasting so is not Water-Baptism and Paul said Christ sent me not to Baptize but to preach the Gospel 1 Cor 1. 17. and surely his Commission was as large as the rest of the Apostles S. S. Christ sending him not to Baptize but to Preach is meant not so much to Baptize c. as in Hosea 6. 6. it is said I desired mercy and not Sacrifice c. Reply This instance doth not prove his meaning which perverts the Apostles words who thanked God he baptized none of them but such as he mentioned 1 Corinth 14. 15 16. For Christ sent him not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel a full reason for his not continuing that then permissive practice of Water-Baptism which if it had been a Command in force surely he would neither have thanked God for not obeying it nor yet have said Christ sent me not to Baptize And where it is said in Hosea 6. 6. I desired Mercy and not Sacrifice those mentioned verse 5 7. whom he had hewed by his Prophets who transgressed and dealt treacherously against the Lord their Sacrifice could not be accepted therefore he desired Mercy and not Sacrifice and the Knowledge of God more then Burnt-offerings and indeed if this Mercy and the Knowledge of God had born sway among them there had been no need or occasion for Sacrifices Burnt-offerings or Sin-offerings the Sacrifices of God being a broken spirit and a contrite heart Psalm 51. 16 17. S. S. Water Baptism is necessary to Salvation being affirmed to be Gospel to be binding of necessity c. Answ. What then will become of all them that never came under it Must they all be damned for want of Sprinkling or Plunging in Water A sad sentence that Baptism which saveth is not the putting away of the filth of the Flesh but the answer of a good Conscience c. Giles Barnadiston urged That there is one Faith one Baptism Ephes. 4. And asked these Priests what Baptism it was whether that of Water or the Baptism of the Spirit to which S. S. answered S. S. There is but one Baptism and it consists of two parts an inward part and an outward the inward part was with the Spirit and the outward with water Reply Did you ever read or hear such Doctrine before he makes the Baptism of the Spirit and the Baptism with outward Water both but one Baptism and so whereas he hath made such a bawling for water-Water-Baptism now it is but the outward part of Baptism he should rather have said as it is in the Common-Prayer-Book It is the outward and visible sign of an inward and spiritual Grace However in Scripture there is a plain distinction between the Baptism of Water and the Baptism of the Spirit as there is between John's baptizing with Water and Christ's baptizing with the Holy Ghost and with Fire but this ignorant Opposer S. S. makes them both but one Baptism IV. And further we add an other instance against him and his Brethren in behalf of the Light within out of the Common-Prayer-Book in the Collect for the third Sunday after Easter viz. Almighty God which sheweth to all men that be in error the Light of thy Truth to the intent that they may return to the Way of Righteousness c. Now here is the Light of the Truth confest unto both in its general extent and in its sufficiency as Guide and Rule to lead men into the Way of Righteousness which these men have all this while opposed here is more of Truth confest in this particular in the Common-Prayer-Book then these men will confess to who think themselves better Reformed with their Covenant Directory Confession of Faith and Catechisms while yet in their Darkness they are opposing the Light of Truth within but it is set over all their heads and hath manifested their darkness and confusion V. Now concerning Justification the question being asked what it is it was answered Priest To make Righteous and S. S. confest That Justification is by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith Answ. That 's true but men are not Justified that is made Righteous nor in the

time of Calm unless you were resolved to stand a Storm with us however prudence in these matters would become all c. howbeit G. W. did signifie that he was not unwilling in the Lord's Will and time both to answer the will and desires of moderate people in the case as also to stand up for God and his Truth as required by him or necessitated upon such occasions being put upon him withal urging that S. S. would engage there should be no Tumult nor Disturbance made against us but when S. S. saw that G. W. could not meet him so soon as he desired he seemed to be the more urgent for a second Dispute and so writ again for that end probably thinking either that that might excuse him to his Hearers if George should not meet him or else if he should that he might amend his matter and salve up the sore wherein he was defective before though he has more marred his work and stained his credit at the last dispute in the eyes of all moderate people then ever before for his confessing to several Truths at the former Dispute though to the breaking the neck of his and his Brethrens corrupt Cause was better resented by all indifferent Auditors then his insolently opposing and gainsaying the Truth in a most irregular manner at the last Dispute as one resolved both to stop his ears and shut his eyes against plain demonstration and conviction as also to hinder the People from hearing the Truth by his frequent interruptions when answers should have been given being with his Assistant Nathaniel Barnard resolved to bawl and make a noise when any thing of Truth was like to pinch them or inform the people against their Errors and Corruptions But notwithstanding all this Scandret's pressing for this second Dispute when he was sent to by John Childe and Joseph-Smith upon G. W. his order to inform him of George's being in the Country as also of his willingness to meet him for a Dispute also George writ several times to him upon his seeming to evade disputing because that George at first took not notice of his propositions he having pretended that it was in love to Christ in love to Truth it self and in good will to Souls that he would dispute again though he would have shuffled it off when it came to trial whereupon he used these words in his Letter to George viz. Who would come over the threshold to Discourse with such a one I do still look upon you to deny to dispute with me thus he both slighted him and uttered falshood for George did not deny to dispute though he could not joyn with him in prayer which was one of his main Propositions in these words I shall still urge that we begin with solemn Prayer wherein none of us could joyn with him judging it a very unreasonable thing in him to impose any such thing upon us while we are so opposite and contrary in our spirits and principles to him and his Brethren for there cannot be a real joyning in worship where there is not an union in Principle though the Duty of Prayer it self we really own where it is perform'd and brought forth in the Spirit of Truth and from its immediate teachings and motions Now when S. S. saw that this Proposition could not be assented to he stood peremtorily upon other two which were in these words viz. That you speedily and expresly consent under your hand the Dispute shall not hold above five or six hours in a day Secondly That what Question be asked pertinent to the point in hand it be answered by affirming or denying of it expresly if it be capable of such an answer c. to which G. W. returned this answer viz. as for thy two demands which thou art so peremtory in to the first I say Thou art left to thy liberty to cease disputing when five or six hours are out provided thou dost not break of abruptly to a disturbance as before To the second I do intend according to my understanding to be as positive and intelligent in my answers to questions pertinent as I can and in my answers to signifie an affirmation or denial if the question be capable of such an answer upon which the time and place for the meeting which was on the first day of the fifth Moneth 1669. was prefixt in the same Answer by G. W. which S. S. could not well evade As for the manner of this S. Scandret and those his Brethren that assisted him their behaviour and mannagement of the second Dispute on their parts it was quite contrary to what he proffered and pretended in his Letters before for he had pretended to meet and dispute in an amicable and friendly manner as also that equal liberty should be granted to each party to explain their sence but instead thereof there were frequent noises interruptions on his and their parts when things should have been explained on our parts as first when our Friend James Parks was exhorting the people to Christian moderation and sobriety which was before this S. S. was come into the Meeting to dispute Nathaniel Barnard Priest being a proud vapouring Fellow stood up in a frothy scornfull spirit and interrupted James in his speaking making a bawling noise to stop the peoples ears from hearing the Truth declared and after some little progress was made in the Dispute with S. S. his manner also was to make a noise and a bawling freequently interrupting G. W. when he should have explained his answers and sence frequently using these words to George viz. a trifle a trifle a trifle you ramble you ramble you ramble c. when he was neither able to make replication nor render a reason against what George had urged in his answers and it was usual with this S. S. when he could not reply to keep a noise in that manner also using these words if you dare if you dare as when he had affirmed the Scriptures to be the only Rule of Life and the full Rule to guide us to Heaven and Glory he would add affirm the same of the Light within if you dare and would be daring often to stop the Peoples ears and to stop an answer from being given and this was his manner often times and when we both durst and positively did affirm the same of the Light of Christ within that it is a sufficient Rule c. he would continue his bawling several times and either say you dare not you dare not or if you dare and being willing to pass over the questions about the only Rule and the Light that is in every man he run to his fifth question about Baptism with water whether it be an Ordinance of Christ but G. W. pressed and desired that the question about the Light might be more fully discust which S. S. refusing George desired to know first in what capacity he stood for Water Baptism whether as a Popish Priest or an Episcopal Priest

or as a Non conformist Presbyterian Priest or a Baptist seeing that all these pretended Water Baptism but differed greatly about it some being for sprinkling Infants others for plunging Believers therefore we urged to know whether he own'd Infants or Believers to be the subjects of this Baptism but neither would he or his Brethren pitch upon nor give an answer though George many time proffered to dispute either of them which he would pitch upon but S. S. durst not stand to either as a man affraid either to maintain or contradict his own practice viz. Sprinkling Infants and instead of being ingenious in this matter he made a bawling noise crying out it s with water water water and calling out against us you Rebels Rebels Rebels go baptize you Rebels for many times together appearing then rather like one of Bedlam then either a Minister or a sober man and thus he manifested his deceit and hypocrisie and breach of promise in railing and reviling us And now where was his amity and friendliness and the equal liberty he proposed in his Letter to G. W. dated from Haverill Febr. 12. 68 But it was observed how well these Priests were furnished with strong Liquor when they were at the dispute which they often made use of to keep up their spirits for their work as when S. S. had spent himself a while that he must be fain to go to the Bottle then that proud scornfull Fellow Nathaniel Barnard he would stand up and make a bawling till he must be fain to get to the Bottle also and thus they were fain to relieve one another this S. S. and N. B. being as the mouthes of the rest but chiefly S. S. who making such a hidious noise and bawling and so often crying out water water as also using these words You Rebels you Rebels go baptise you Rebels and that Priest Bernard bawling his story over and over not like sober or ingenious men but more like men infatuated but Henry Havers and the other three they behaved themselves more soberly then either S. S. or N. B. though they took their part and all brought shame and disgrace upon themselves by suffering such a shallow bragging and vapouring man as S. S. who shewed himself in his Ribbonds like a Fiddler to be their mouth and to mannage their cause as if he were their Chieftain and over them all Again When he stated a Question or read an Argument for he had his Arguments patch'd up aforehand in papers which was not capable of a direct answer by affirming or denying presently he would not admit of an explanation of it but would cry affirm or deny and if at any time in the first place any thing was affirmed or denied he would not suffer us further to render a reason but make a noise to stop the Truth and when any of us granted to a question according to Truth he would turn up his eyes and thank God as if he had wrought some great conviction upon us whereas what we either affirmed or granted we did not learn of him but spoke the naked truth as we had it of the Lord before as for instance after this S. S. had affirmed the Scriptures which are the Writings to be our only Rule of Life which being denied by us that the Writings abstractivly can be the only Rule because the Spirit of Truth is said to guide into all Truth hereupon he confest that it was not the Scriptures abstractively that he meant to be the only Rule but the Will of God contained or declared of in the Scriptures where though he manifestly contradicted himself yet when we granted that the Will of God declared of in the Scriptures is the Rule which Will is that we should follow the Light within hereupon this S. S. would again turn up the white of his eyes and thank God that we granted to this Truth though it was so apparently contradictory to his error who went about to set up the Scriptures as the only Rule and to cause people to turn their Backs upon the Light within telling them You must follow the Scriptures for they will lead you to Heaven and Happiness but you must turn your backs upon the Light within as not sufficient and yet at another time again was necessitated to confess That it is by the spiritual enlightning of the understanding that the Scriptures are understood so that here the spiritual Light in the understanding was the Rule to know the Scriptures so by his own confession they could not be the only Rule but the Spirit or Light that gave them forth and gives the understanding of them hath the preserment and preheminence of them Besides what great Hypocrisie and Dissimulation for these Presbyterian Priests thus to pretend the Scriptures to be the sole absolute or universal Rule when they do not really so own them neither are they their Rule while they put their meanings false interpretations and glosses upon them many times contrary to the very intent of Scripture when it goes positively against their Principle whereby they will either make themselves the Rule over the Scriptures or else tell us that it hath another meaning or signification in the original and so dare not stick to plain Scripture as their Rule when they are brought to trial and this is their course from time to time to keep people in blindness and ignorance when they set up the Writing above the Spirit or Light written of and tell people that immediate Teaching and immediate Revelation are ceased in these dayes and whither must people go then to ground their faith must they pin it upon their sleeves must they turn their backs on the Light of Christ within to be captivated with the Popes and Priests darkness with their dark and implicite faith and so be kept ever learning that they may be always paying and maintaining a Company of Hypocrites who were wont to cry against the Quakers for creeping into houses whilst they had Cromwell to uphold them and whilst they counted him the light of their Eyes and breath of their Nostrils but now these Presbyterian and Independant Priests are fain to creep up and down themselves into houses though it is evident they are no better then blind and dead men since the light of their Eyes and breath of their Nostrils is extinguished howbeit they have gotten a cunning way to drive a trade now more hiddenly then when they were Parish Priests having at their Meetings large Collections at some places a great Bason or Platter held at the door and at some other places their Agents to go from house to house to procure or beg money for them and thus many of them it is supposed and credibly reported drive a greater trade then many of the Parish Priests and in some places some of their Company have made a cunning bargain with the Episcopal Parish Priests as allowing them part of the Fleece or money that they take from off their