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A few Positions of the Sincere Belief and Christian Doctrine of the People of God called Quakers (to obviate Mis∣representations and Calumnies about the same.)
Being Inserted as an Appendix to a Book, entituled, A Sober Expostulation with some of the Clergy, &c.
I. WE, the said People, are bound in Conscience and Duty, by the Holy Spirit, and Light of Christ Jesus, only and humbly to Adore and Worship the only True and Living God, Creator of Hea∣ven and Earth, the Sea, and all Creatures; and not to Adore or Worship any Mortal Man, or Creature, or any other God whatsoever.
II. To believe and confess the Holy Divine Three (or Scripture-Trinity) that bear Record in Heaven, the Father, the Word (or Son) and Holy Spirit; and that these Three are Essentially One in the Divine Being and Substance; One God, Blessed for Ever.
III. We are livingly Taught and Led by the Light and Spirit of Christ Jesus, the Living Word in our Hearts (and that according to Holy Scrip∣ture) to Believe, Own, and Confess the Incarnation of Jesus Christ; that is, his Real Coming in the Flesh, without us; even the same Jesus of Naza∣reth, that was Conceived in the Virgin Mary, by the Power of the Holy, Ghost overshadowing her, and Born of her in Bethlehem of Judea, Mat. 2. 1. and that he was Crucified, and put to Death, as concerning the Flesh, without the Gates of Jerusalem; and we highly do Value and Esteem his Sufferings, Death, Precious Blood, and whole Sacrifice for Sinners; together with his Resurrection and Ascension into Heaven and Glory; and that he only was and is the Promised Messiah, the very Christ, the Only Begotten Son of the Living God: And as for his Divinity, That he is the true Light, Life, Power, and Wisdom of God, and none other, according to plain Scripture-Testimony.
IV. The Divinity and Humanity (i. e. Manhood) of Christ Jesus, that as he is True God, and he is most Glorious Man, our Mediator and Advocate, we livingly Believe, and have often sincerely Confessed in our Publick Testi∣monies and Writings.
V. That as sincere and fervent Prayers to God, in the Name and Spirit of Christ Jesus, is the Duty of all true Believers and Christians professing. Him, for whatsoever they stand in need of, especially with respect to the Peace and Happiness of their Immortal Souls; so all who are truly humbled under a Sense of their Sins, in order to true Repentance and Conversion, ought to crave Forgiveness in the Name, and for the Sake of Christ Jesus; which hath been our Practice, both Publick and Private; and God in Mer∣cy hath accordingly answered us; who, by his Grace in our Hearts, hath led many both to confess and forsake Sin, that they might find Mercy in Christ Jesus.
VI. Though we are bound in Conscience truly to Esteem and Magnifie the Divine Light, the Ingrafted Word, the Spirit and Power of Christ in Us, as suffi∣cient and able actually to save and deliver the Soul from Sin, Death, and Condemnation; and thereby we Confess the Man Christ Jesus, with respect to his intire Existence, or Being, as without Us, as well as we do Own Him Spiritually within Us; knowing that this Light, Life, and Spirit of Christ Jesus, Testifie of Him, and certainly Guide the truly Obedient and Sincere Believers in his Name and Power, Inwardly, Livingly, and Experimentally, to partake of the Real Benefits, Fruits, and Blessed Ends of his outward Suffering, Sacrifice and Death for Mankind; to wit, their Repentance, Conversion from Sin, Ef∣fectual Reconciliation unto God, Eternal Salvation, and Compleat Redemption, which Christ Jesus has obtained for us (i. e. for all Mankind) through his Mediation and Sufferings.
VII. Our Really Believing and Confessing the Lord Jesus Christ, his Passion, Sufferings, Death, Attonement, and Reconciliation made for Us, and his Re∣surrection, Ascension, and Glorification (as without us) according to Scrip∣ture, cannot be to Allegorize these away, as if only transacted within Us, (as we have been unduly Accused) for they were really done and transacted without Us, by our Blessed Lord Jesus Christ; tho' our true Knowledge of the Power and Effect of his Resurrection, and Fellowship of his Sufferings, and our being Conformable to his Death, must be Experienced within Us, if ever we Live to Reign with Him.
VIII. We sincerely Prefer and Esteem the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testament, contained in that excellent Book, commonly called the Bible (as most Eminently Confirmed by Divine Authority, and Faithful Witnesses) be∣fore all other Books whatsoever extant in the World; and yet our preferring the Holy Spirit (from whence the Scripture came) before the Letter of the Scripture, is not to undervalue the Scripture; for the Spirit must needs have the Preference and Preheminence, as being the Author, and Original Cause, and Dictator of the Holy Scriptures, and Giver of Light and Life also, whereby truly to understand them, and to live accordingly.
IX. As for Baptism and the Lord's Supper, they are Scripturally considered by us, in their several Dispensations, both as in the Figure, and in the Substance, in the Type and Antitype; as the outward, or Litteral, were Typical or Figu∣••••tive of the Inward and Spiritual, we confess and own, considered in their Places, and proper Dispensations; but the Substance is more Excellent and Permanent than the Shadow; as the Inward and Spiritual Grace is more. Excellent than the Outward and Visible Signs; and as Christ's Spiritual Bap∣tism, which is the saving Baptism, was Typified by John's. And to Eat and Drink, or Sup with Christ in his Kingdom, of that Spiritual Meat and Drink which he gives for Life to the Soul, was Typified or Figured forth by his Outward Supper of the Passover, Bread and Cup; for the Outward Element of Water cannot wash away Sin from the Soul, neither can the Outward Bread or Cup, give Life or Nourishment to the Soul.
The Shadows flee away, but the Sun and Substance remain.
X. We sincerely Believe, and have often Confessed the Immortality of the Soul of Man, that was Created in God's Image, and the Doctrine of the Re∣surrection of the Dead, according as laid down in Holy Scripture, 1 Cor. 15th Chapter; and of Eternal Judgment by Jesus Christ, as being Judge of the Li∣ving, and of the Dead, in the Great and Last Day of Judgment, at the Great Harvest, which is the End of the World; God having appointed a Day wherein he will Raise the Dead, both the Just and Unjust, and also Judge the World in Righteousness, by that (Heavenly and most Glorious) Man Christ Jesus whom he hath ordained, Acts 17. 31. before whose Tribunal Seat all must appear, to Receive their Final Judgment and Sentence, accord∣ing to their Deeds done in the Body, whether they be Good or Evil.
XI. That Christ's Gospel Ministry must be Free, without forced Mainte∣nance, filthy Lucre, or Covetousness.
XII. That Magistracy, or Civil Government, is God's Ordinance; the good Ends thereof being for the Punishment of Evil Doers, and Praise of them that do Well.
These Things we sincerely Believe and Own; and we know no Doctrine or Principle (Preached, Maintained, or Received among, or by Us, since we were a People) contrary to these before mentioned; nor do we Own any contrary thereunto.
Signed in Behalf of the said People, and to Clear my own Innocency in Par∣ticular; By George Whitehead.