as are the Papists Iews and Quakers Allegations to a Venemous and poysonous End He brings in Henoch Howet saying The Scripture to be the only Weapon whereby Christ overthrew the Devil He Answers who bruiseth his Head and was before Scripture was yet the Scripture is for Correction and Doctrine furnishing the man of God in his place and Christ the Seed was before the Scripture was And all them that hath Scripture and not Christ cannot overcome the Devil you and the Papists doing his work for they that overcome him that is with the Power and those have the Scriptures of Truth which the Devil is out of 101 I Reply How doth Christs bruising of Satans Head and being before Scripture was disprove Fox his Opposites saying viz. the only weapon whereby Christ Jesus overcome the Devil was the Scripture what is this to the point of the Compass may not half and Eye see what a simple Sophister this is to make such Yawes as not to come near the Ships Course and point in hand 2. Who sees not Fox in his Burrough of the divers Acceptation of the Word Christ For in the Sense of his Opposite that man Christ Jesus who fought the Devil and Fox Confesseth died at Ierusalem was not before the Scriptures But his Birth and Life and Death were Proppesied and declared by the Scripture long before he was born 3. As for this saying They that have the Scripture and not Christ can not overcome the Devil What News doth Fox tell the World which no Body denies and how doth this deny that Christ Jesus overcome the Devil by the Scripture 4. Is all Scripture or writing given by Inspiration of God and is profitable though Fox alleadgeth this Scripture by halves for Correction and Doctrine c. then it clearly follows that as Christ Jesus overcome the Devil by the Scripture so by the same Weapon this subtle Fox and all other of Satans Foxes must be Corrected Confuted Catcht and destroyed except they repent for ever But what is this Confession that the Scripture is profitable for Correction c. but a kind of grant to his Opposite that Christ did overcome the Devil by this Weapon for he Confesseth it profitable for Correction c. though yet all this running about in and out into his holes in this Answer is a whispering and yet loud enough to be heard viz. that Christ did not overcome the Devil by the Scripture 5. As for the Quakers Power here pretended in Opposition to the Scripture as being those that have Scripture within them and so overcome the Devil How doth the Devil deal as one that pretends to Fight with Children who lies down and Cries as if those poor Childish Souls had Overcome him Thus sometimes a Devil of Drunkenness of Swearing of Stealing runs away from the Sermons of the Quakers as a naughty Devil sometimes at the Chiding and Conjuring of a good Witch That he may get the faster hold by spiritual pride hypocrisie 102 self Conceit and Contradiction to the Scripture by will worship and Superstitious Inventions against the holy Institutions and Commands of the true Lord Jesus Christ. Pag. 289. He brings in Francis Duke saying When Christ told the Devil that man should not live by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God that was believing the Scripture And this Word of God in the Scripture was the Ground of Christs Faith and so to all that are his He Answers Many may have the Scripture and never hear the voice of God as the Jews in the fifth of Iohn and they said they believed the Scriptures though they were out of the true belief But receiving the Word from God is as they that gave forth the Scriptures which man lives by and not by bread alone and so knows him who was before Scripture was given forth And for saying that the Scripture was the Ground of Christs Faith he was afore the Scripture was writ and so fulfils their Words and is the Author and the Finisher of the Saints Faith which was before the Scripture was given forth him by whom the World was made and is the Author of the Saints Faith that bruised the Serpent under his feet which was before the Scripture was 1. I Reply How Notorious for Tautologies are these brutish Clamours Thrice in this small Answer have we of Christ which was before Scripture was who was before Scripture was c. shall we believe their Notorious Lyes viz. that the Light within them gave forth Scripture and that they speak and write as they are moved by the most holy and Infallible Spirit when their writings are so weak lame and Childish just like the talk of Aged doting Women and so full of Idle Repetitions 2. What Answer is this how brutish and Impious viz. that a man may have the Scripture and yet not be in the belief therefore the Word of God was not the Ground of Christs belief so again the Devil and wicked men may have the Scripture and yet believe not in them therefore Christ Jesus and his saints believe them not neither this Inference is clear you say Christ was before Scripture was c. I Reply He was and he was not But let Heaven and Earth Hear and abhor the Sophistry of these Deceivers they would fain 103 have no such Christ as man a Christ without an out-side Christ but a Spirit and God only and that in their Flesh yet again for shame of the world they are forct to Confess that there was such a man or person c. and yet to Cloak and Cover that Confession from Crossing their Principle they say that before Scripture was Christ bruised the Serpents Head that is Christ that made the World Christ the Light the Word But this again we say is false also for the Promise is Gen. 3. that the Seed of a Womau which was Christ in his Manhood born in the Fulness of Time Gal. 4. And let G. Fox or any of their Iuglers Answer If they speak honestly and bona fide if there was really such a man called Jesus at Ierusalem c. as there was such a man called G. Fox lately in New-England was there not such a man called Jesus after the Scripture was written or penn'd was dot this man forty dayes tempted of the Devil and did not this man called Jesus Christ Overcome the Devil by the Weapon of the writing or Scripture and was not the holy Scripture the Ground of his Faith as he makes the Will or Word of God declared in this holy Writing or Record the Ground of his saints Faith also He brings in Iohn Timson saying The Scripture is the Rule of Life He Answers Contrary to Christ who said the Spirit should lead them into all Truth And they that are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and the Churches was to hear what the spirit said
Pag. 326. where he brings in the same Author saying The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man in the Church to profit withal and not to every man in the World G. Fox Answers The manifestation is given to every man to profit withal without distinction I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh For the Spirit of Truth shall lead the Saints into all Truth And he shall reprove the World and that which doth reprove the World is manifest to the World I Reply I spake to this Text before in Answer to the Letter of my Neighbour I. T. as is to be seen in the Letters before our Disputes who declared himself satisfied with my Answers but G. Fox like a Cow with a Kettle on her head giving every one warning to stand clear he boldly slanders on and tumbles Heaven Earth and Hell together c. 1. This 1 Cor. 12. expresly declares three things 1. That it pleased God to appoint in his Christian Church and Worship the Ministry of Apostles Prophets Teachers c. according to Rom. 12 Ephes. 4 c. 2. He bestoweth several Gifts and Endowments on such persons whom he pleaseth to call unto such Ministrations 3. He vouchsafeth to give a gracious Concurrent Operation of his Spirit unto these his Gifts Ministrations what now is this gracious promise of the Father of Lights to the Garden of his Church Saints the howling Desart of the whole world from whence the Garden is taken in inclosed and separate Because a Queen is a Woman must therefore all the Honours and kindneffes of a glorions Prince due to his Royal Consort be dispensed in Common to all the Women in his Kingdome or Dominions The Garment in which the Queen is brought is a Garment of Needle work richly and most curiouâ—ly embroydered with the graces and Operations of the holy Spirit doth it therefore follow that those Heavenly Embroyderies c. belong to every nnclean and Lousie Begger 102 Yea but this prophane Mouth hath something to say for it self three things he saith full of Prophaneness and Simplicity 1. I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh. But 1. Was this as he speaks without all distinction done actually was it Universally so with all the Individuals of mankind in the world at that time 2. Was not there a wonderful Wall of separation between the Iews and all other Nations which the Lord promised by the Prophets to break down and at the coming of the Lord Jesus and ever since hath more and more broke down and abolished Is not Gideons Floor which was dry the poor Gentiles and we English among them now wet with the Dews of Heaven while the poor Iews which were only wet at first are dry and barren 3. What is that Extraordinary Promise of Gods Extraordinary pouring out of his Spirit in Fiery Tongues and Prophesyings fitting some to go unto all Nations to carry the glad News or Gospel had others and all Believers those Gifts least of all with any shew of Reason belong they to all the Men and Women in the world who have never seen and heard of any Glimpse of the Sun of Righteousness 4. Again I observe how vainly and wickedly this deluded and deluding Soul cheats himself and others with this Tearme All Flesh Every man All the World and so with the Terms Light Christ Spirit his proud Fancy playeth c. not dividing the Hoof by just and holy distinguishing a Crime that he often upbraids his Opposites most odiously with in his Book not dividing c. but is most notoriously guilty as ever was filthy Camel in this world or any of the unclean Beasts c. G. Fox his second Answer here is The Spirit of God shall lead the Saints into all Truth I observe here how like a Skittish Jade this wild Soul runs in and out and cannot keep to one steady Affirmation Before he brings in the Spirit of God poured out upon the Common of the World now he brings in the spirits leading the saints Gods Garden and Paradice Yet again in his next words he concludes every man in the World to have the spirit because saith he The spirit reproves the World and that which doth Reprove the World is manifest to the World I Answer The holy spirit testifies that he is the Comforter of the saints but a Reprover of the World that he Comforts the 103 Saints in the Promises Assurances c. that he Reproves the world in his Threatenings and Judgments That the world knows not sees not the Spirit but mocks at receives it not but banisheth imprisoneth murthereth such in whom the true Spirit of God appeareth Hence it is that because of this Spirit of God in any soul three are against two two must be against three in the same house the Parents against the Children and the Children betray their Parents unto Death yea two in a Bed and two in a Belly and yet he whom Gods Spirit chooseth shall be mockt and murthered by the other and yet this lying Peor tells us that all the world without distinction have the manifestation of the Spirit of God to prosit withal 5. There have been persons professing the Order of the holy Ghost yet far from the favour of the holy Spirit there hath been a great Ship in the world full of Sailors and Souldiers called the holy Ghost and yet scarce one man in it known to have any Acquaintance with Gods Spirit Alas what are the Babilonish Orders of these pretenders to the Holy Ghost or Spirit what are they but a poor Ship full of Resisters of Gods Spirit and Enemies to the greatest Enjoyers of him in the World the true Protestant Witnesses whom they professedly oppose under the Name of Professors I hope as I have often said that many of them are of the two hundred that followed Absolom in honesty and simplicity 6. But Oh what Reproofs of Gods Spirit hath G. Fox and others of their Leaders had in and by so many excellent Opposites and Scriptures and Arguments which G. Fox here proudly tramples under his prophane feet without any savour of the holy Spirit of God! It is true it pleaseth God as I said to strive with men by preachings by writings by their own Readings by publick Iudgments and private and also by publick mercies and private for Acts 14. every Drop of Rain is Gods voice word or witness c but what is this Common grace to that Regenerating and changing Spirit John 3. to the opening of Lidiahs and so of all saints hearts by his free and holy spirit or Finger what is this to the same Power that raised Christ Jesus from the Dead Ephes. 1. that raiseth any poor sinner unto a new and holy and spiritual Condâ—tion 104 7. Excellent and most heavenly is that similitude Cant. 1. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments therefore do the
subordinate Causes Did Moses throw out God because he took the Rod in his hand when he wrought all those Wonders Did Solomon 10 throw out God because he used as Moses about the Tabernacle so many means in rearing that Wondrous and Glorious Temple Or did Samson throw out God when he made use of the Jaw-bone of an Asse c. Or Christ Iesus throw out his Father when he made use of Clay and Spittle O what a throwing Spirit is this wild Fox and his wild Foxians of who toss and throw the Eternal Immortal and Invisible God and his only begotten Son in their wild Fancies as if they were the Wool and Feathers of Lambs and Chickens which these Foxians have devoured Secondly How is it that G. Fox here saith That the Scripture is but a Declaration of the Saints Faith For is it not a Writing or Record of Heaven 1. Of the Being and Names of the Eternal Power and Godhead 2. Of his Glorious and Incomprehensible Works Creating and Forming the Heavens and all that is in them the Earth and all that is therein the Sea and all that is therein out of nothing which Mystery the Quakers have only from the Scripture 3 Of the special and more particular framing of Men and Women above all his visible Creatures 4. Of the Fall of Mankinde from their glorious and first Making and Creation which some talk idly to be every day 5. Of the gracious Promise of the Father of Mercies of a Redeemer and Restorer of undone mankinde 1. By his Threatning to the Devil and promise to the Woman of a Saviour to be born in time of a Woman 2 By Erecting such a state of Israel prevailers with God with all their Typical Lands Governours Worships Wars Captivities Deliverances c. 3. Fulfilling of that Promise in the Wonderful Birth Life Doctrine Miracles Death Burial Resurrection and Assention of the Son of God the Man Christ Jesus c. 4. The Estate of the Believers in him after his Assention called the Primitive Church 6 Of the great change since his coming in the rising of his many Enemies or Antichrists especially of one with seven heads and ten Horns and of another with two horns c. 7 Of the Protestant rising and witnessing against these Devilish Heads and Horns of which the Revelations speak and of 11 the burning up of the Whore and of all Christs Enemies and Antichrists 8. Of the never-ending Joyes of the Righteous after this life and the everlasting Worm and Fire of the ungodly which shall never dye nor be quenched until the Eternal Power and Godhead revealed in the Holy Scriptures come to a Period and Dissolution It may be G. Fox will say we Quakers grant all this I Answer I question whether you speak bona fide and in Truth without I suitical or Foxian Equivocations For 1. What means this But The Scripture is But a Declaration of the Saints Faith O blinde Guids that undertake as in Lincolnshire c. to guide men through the Washes upon Life and Death where K. Iohn of Englands Treasure and Supply perished to guid Souls through Hells Eternal Washes what is your But but the Iews and Papists and Quakers cry Crucifie him Hang up Christ Jesus burn up the Scriptures and all Bibles Old and New-Tements c 2. What is this Saints Faith You acknowledge none but the Faith of the wild Souls called Quakers or Foxians we poor Iews and Papists and Protestants though we own the Scriptures some a part and the rest all yet we are all but Infidels Devils c. 3. What is this Faith this Saints Faith this Foxes and the Quakers Faith is it any thing else but as before I have said but a meer Babel or Confusion of God and Faith Christ and Faith Spirit and Faith Light and Faith Iustification and Faith Sanctification and Faith Salvation and Faith c. and this in every one of Mankinde in the World if they will believe it c. The third Branch of G. Fox his Answer is Men had Faith before the Scriptures were I Answer Neither Abraham nor ever any Man had Faith before it pleased the Eternal and Invisible Deity to disclose himself by Word or Sight or Dream or Motion or Writing as Heb. 1. at several times and wayes it pleased him to speak and last of all by the best and clearest of all his only Begotten Christ Jesus 2. When it hath pleased the incomprehensible Majesty to Command his Appearances by Words Visions Dreams c. 12 to be written to stand upon File and Record for all Generations shall we be such Fools and Franticks as to say it was his Word when God spake it to and in his Prophets but now it is written it is but pen ink and paper it is but a dead Letter it is not Gods word God hath but One Word Christ. The Scripture is his Words c. Oh the audacious brockishness of the foul Spirit in these wild Foxians They dare not though what dares not their hellish Spirit against the K. of Heaven yet they dare not they do not deny but predicate that the Kings Letters from Breda are the Kings Word that the Kings Speeches and Declarations are his royal Word shall a Bargain a Covenant a marriage a Last Will be our mind our will our Word when it is spoken But when it is written fairly drawn and engrossed subscribed and sealed unto before many Witnesses attesting then it is not our word mind or will but words c The bottom and Truth is The Spirit by which the Quakers are acted would be glad that there were not such a person called the Word of God nor such a writing declaring so sweetly so plainly so fully and so heavenly of him 8. Instance In the 25. pag. G. Fox brings in the same Author saying that the Power which justles out the Form is an Error He Answ. which was the Apostles work to bring of the Form into the Power the substance Christ which was not an Error but you bring in the Error keep people in the Form out of the Power and not in the Apostles work I Reply G. Fox is in his Burrough of the various Sense of the word Form It hath respect to Nature to Art to Civil Natural and Divine matters Shall I now like a Fool and a mad man Cry down all Natural Civil and Divine Beings Are not all the internal and external Forms shapes or Beings of the Creatures in Heaven Earth and Sea of Angels Sun Moon c. Men Birds Beasts Fishes admirably glorious and stupendious G. Fox runs to the Picture or Forms of these Forms and saith childishly that the Form or picture without the Life is nothing who knows not that that as to Life it is good as nothing 1. But to come to worship was there not a Form or manner of Circumsion the Passover the Tabernacle the Temple c. 2. Did
yea in present joy unutterable and glorious Sometimes the Lambs Wife is visibly asleep though her heart wakes sometimes she is Alarmed by his knocking and is sluggishly unwilling to open to him sometimes she rises and opens but he is gone and she seeks for him by day and night and cannot find him 9. There is also a false feeling of Christ Jesus as I spake before of a false Conception in a Woman How many are bold to cry Lord Lord open for we have prophesied in thy Name c and yet I will not say as G. Fox here saith of his Feeling that all that have not my feeling or working of Christ are Reprobates yet 57 this I say as Solomon A Whore is Loud and Clamorous not so the Chaste and Sober and Modest Women and the Devil spake as Holy and Heavenly words as Angels could have spoken yet it was but the Divil in Samuels Mantle The 29th Instance is in pag. 117. where he brings in Giles Fermin saying Paul Swore after Christ and the Angels Swore I wonder Paul should so forget himself and sin so fearfully in Swearing so the Quakers Light that denies Swearing is of Satan and not the Light of Christ. He Answers Christ the Light which Satan is out of which is the Oath of God ends all Oathes Sworn by Prophets or Angels whatsoever and who Swares be fallen into the Condemnation of the Devil And it is no where said that the Apostle Swore but such as thou art matters not what thou speak so that Spirit that Preacheth for Swearing is not the Spirit of Christ but is the Spirit of Anti-Christ c. I Reply first G. Fox dares not deny but that the Angel and Paul Swore after Christ only he keeps his old Song viz That Christ put an end to Swearing and that it is not said that Paul Swore But 1. He waves that Sweareng of the Angel or Christ himself Rev. 10. for there he knows the very term of Swearing is used 2. As to Paul if the attestation of the Name of God be the formality of an Oath then if ever any Man Swore in this World Paul did saying to the Corinthians I call God to Record on my Soul that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth c. Secondly It is true that all Nations have used to Swear by or Appeal to the Gods they owned and worshipped It is true also that they have used to put Creatures into the room of God and Swear by them as the Iews did and som write out of a Superstitious Reverence in forbearing the Name of God and indeed the Reasons Christ Jesus gives Mat. 5. look that way Thirdly It is true also that for abuse of Swearing by and Prophaning the Holy Name of God a whole Land may mourn as Ieremiah speaketh Fourthly There seems to be a very fair colour put on a universal Prohibition of Swearing by Christ Jesus and by his Apostle Iames Swear not c. 58 This Conjuror hath taken with many precious Servants of God former and latter even with many of those called the Fathers and with those Famous Protesters against the whore of Rome the Waldenses and with Famous Usher who doth more then seem to vindicate their not Swearing when Convented and Examined by the Popish Inquiâ—itors 5. Notwithstanding this and more which may be granted and though I should humbly motion to all higher Powers for Christian tenderness as to the holy Majesty of Heaven his Name and to the Souls of any making Scruple yet I must proclaim against G. Fox his lame and simple Return to the Objection of his Opposite concerning Paul and the Angel For why may not Paul and all the Apostles and Christ and all the Angels of Heaven and all the Saints of God upon the Earth in the words of Paul call God to Record upon their Souls that this or this was the Cause and Truth c. Considering 1. That neither the most holy God nor the Lord Jesus who I think is the Swearing Angel Rev. 10. nor the heavenly Spirits the Angels nor Paul nor any of Christs Apostles or Messeâ—gers would have practiced a Ceremony or a Shadow like Circumcision or the Passover at the time of the Day c. 2. Swearing or appealing unto God immediately in Oaths or Vows or Lots or Fastings though higher and above the practice of ordinary Invocations Supplications Thanksgivings c. were never accounted Ceremonies or Types of Substances to come but Real and Substantial Services and Addresses unto the most holy and most high Creatour written in the hearts of all mankind before ever Ceremony or Moses was born and therefore as the fear of God is put for the whole worship of God so also is swearing in the holy Scripture and we may as well deny all worship and Service visible and all External Acts of Homage and Devotion of the Body unto God yea and all the fear of God is there in the mind Soul and Spirit or in any External Obeysance or Reverence as this Service and worship of calling upon God and appealing to his holy Majesty as Witness and Iudge in some Cases c 3. Whereupon it follows that this high point of Gods worship is as real as moral as holy and perpetual as Prayer it self as preaching yea as Baptisme and the Lords Supper and no more Ceremonial though I know the Foxians make Baptisme and the 59 Lords Supper but Ceremonies for a time and ere long if they continue to hearken to Samuel within them they will account Prayer and Preaching whether Apostolical or Pastoral but Types and Shadows also 4. It is a most simple and un-Christian and Atheistical whimsie that Christ was the end of Oaths the end of the Prophets the end of the Scripture the end of Reghteousness in their Sense though as Mediatour he was the End or Perfection of and fulfilling of the Law of God which never Soul beside the Lord Jesus ever kept in thought word and deed what ever the proud Pharisees and Papists and Foxians prate c. 5. It is a gross Fancy to imagine that the Lord Jesus in the 5 of Math. gave new Commands or Contradicted the holy pleasure of his Father concerning Revenge Adultery Oaths Prayers Fastings but opened his Fathers Law in the purity and Spirituality of it against the rotten Expositions Traditions and practices of the Pharisees 6. In particular let all the Reasons be expended and carefully weighed which the Lord Jesus so wonderfully exactly gives why they should not swear by Ierusalem nor the Temple nor their Head nor any Oath to wit of such a Nature and half a sober eye may see that the Lord Jesus intends only to reduce them to an holy Swearing only by God in Gods way c. and in their Common Converse to use yea and nay c. 7. I have read a sober and man like Answer of F. H. called
embrace the Gospel or glad News of a Saviour to them and this outward and inward hearing of this glad News it is the Devils and the Iews and all Atheists and these refined Atheists the Quakers work to hinder The 50th Instance of G. Fox his lame Answer is in Pag. 282. where he brings in Daniel Cawdry saying The Saints were come to the Spirits of just men made perfect but not on the Earth G. Fox Answers The just mens Spirits that led them to give forth the Scripture was the Spirit of God and that was perfect and was while they were upon the Earth The Saints were come to which was Christ the End of all words and so to God the Iudge of all the world I Reply I have spoke before that Spirits are Invisible Beings both good and bad Contrary to the Sadduces who held neither First That of good Spirits there are three sorts 1. The Increated God himself 2. The Spirit of God called because of his manifold operations the seven Spirits of God c 2. Those Invisible holy Messengers or Angels called Ministring Spirits and Flaming Attendants upon Christ and his Heb Opposite to these are the unclean Spirits spirits of Devils c. 3. The Spirits of men first saints as Mary sings my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour c. and opposite to these are the Spirits of the wicked as Peter tels us of the Spirits of the wicked of the old world now in prison c. 2. I observe that in this Heb. 12. the Spirit of God speaks not of the Bodies of the Saints neither Conjoynd nor a-part Nor secondly of the Righteous made perfect but the Spirits of First the Righteous Therefore it seems to hold forth not a perfect State of the Saints in this Life Consisting of Spirits and Bodies 99 which our proud Boasters say of themselves nor that they are perfect Nor secondly of the Estate of the Saints in the world to come where all true Protestants hold that the Bodies and Souls of the Saints shall be perfected and Everlastingly and as to us now Inconceivably glorified But the Estate of the Souls or Spirits of the Elect who are as some Translate perfected some Consummated or finished some grounded or now Everlastngly Established while their visible part the Body sleeps in Iesus until the joyful Resurrection 2. Thus it appears the rather to be because we find in all the holy Records the Spirits Souls and Bodies of the highest Saints in this world defective and subject to great failings c. 3. It is said 1 Pet. 3. the Spirits in prison not the Bodies nor the wicked but those Spirits of the wicked which believed not Noahs preaching c. 4. Doth the Scripture speak of the Spirit of God here at all but of the Spirits of men or of those Penmen of the holy Scriptures or of any present state of perfection in this Life at all which might occasion his Answer 5. What Truth or pertinency is in those words Christ the end of all words Doth he mean that now there ought to be no more words or writings or that Christ ends all Scripture Words and there is no further use of them so they hold out and yet they say and practice the Contrary The Truth is their horrible unclean and foul Spirit would fain be rid of all Scripture Words and all Learning also c. that he may bring the more of miserable mankinde under the cheating sound of Light into his Eternal Darkness The 51th Instance is in Pag. 325. where he quotes Timothy Trevis saying God hath ordained to Eternal Life all that shall be saved before they had a Being in this World But none comes to possession of this Salvation but through Obedience of the Spirit G. Fox Answers The ground of mans belief and obedience is Christ who doth inlighten him to the intent that he might believe and obey the Truth and who knows the Seed knows the Election before the World was made I Reply 1. If he means that Christ is the Ground or Author the Giver of Repentance and Faith to all the Elect whom God 100 the Father hath given him we say so c. But if he put in their Invented Light in the Room of Gods Election and Predestination as the Efficient and first Cause and of Christ as the Mediator and Meritorious Cause according to the golden Chain Rom. 8. and Ephes. 1. and the fifth Chap. He speaks blasphemously of God and of the Son of God and of the glorious work of their Redemption and poor mankinds Salvation 2 He is now in the Burrough of the Arminians who destroy Gods Election before the world was and say that when a man believes he is Elected when he is predestinate or being obedient is Inconstant he is then Reprobated 1 Contrary to all the precious beds of Flowers and Spices in the Garden of the Scripture which these rooting Swine getting in they root and tear up all the ways and methods of Gods Councels and Salvations 2 Contrary to the wit and skill of men who framing a Book an House a Ship a Navie an Army or any Sublunary matters have all in their Thoughts Minds and Councels before they begin their Enterprize they provide their Materials their Agents their means they fit all to their Ends though all may faile all mens Affairs being but Vanity and Vexations But to whom shall we liken the Eternal and Infinite Majâ—sty to whom all his works and Events are known in a most Inconceivable way as to us even from Eternity to Eternity his Iustice his Goodness his Power all being Infinite 3. As to the Seed and Election We know they make themselves the seed and the Election secondly They make Christ the seed that is in the End themselves And thirdly They make God and the Spirit of God the seed the seed in every man which is preached to by them the Imprisoned Seed and when one turns Quaker then God comes out of Prison The Truth is they make no distinction between God and Christ and Spirit and themselves as Fox in this Book as before plainly tels us but when this pretended seed of God or God himself is hearkened to then the soul so hearkning is become Goddified and God with God whose Infinite Being and Essence these poor proud Bruits have not so much sight of as the Devils have who cried out to Jesus I know thee whom thou art the holy One of God knowing that God and the Son of God were Infinitely distinct in them 101 selves and all Created Beings Yet such is the Inconceivable wrath and Iustice of the Eternal God upon these fallen Spirits who kept not their first Habitation as the pretended Quakers many of them have not done that as Pharaoh they can not but lye and slander and kill till the time of their Torment come The 52d Instance of G. Fox his slight dealing is in
Convictions of Nature one thing Conversion another Saving Convictions The State of Adam in his Fall Sathans Cunning with the Quakers Christs coming Two common Traps and Engines of Sathan in cheating the Foxians When Christ is welcome Ellis Bradshaw Two great designs of Sathan The Word and Words of God Whether God have any more wordsthen one Infinite millions of millions of Gods word The Voice of Gods works and Providences Gods Spirit in his word Christ the word of God The shameless wickedness of the Quakers against the Scriptures Christ himself The way of dealing with Indians They see infinite Reason in the holy Scriptures The preservation of the Scripture Tho. Weld As to Christen Names Names to Children The Foxians scornful pride Who are G. Fox his Heathen The Words Heathen 1 Insert R. W. Ms. Ann. Christ destroys not but beaufies Civility 1 Change for to but. R. W. Ms. Ann. The new Man and new Name The Popes flingiâ—g to the world their old Names G. Fox his great change 1 Place most of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Eccles. 11. 2 Place as the Pope and Cardinals and Iesuits do in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. 243. Rich. and Sherlock The Teachings of God 1 Erase new R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Change one to many R. W. Ms. Ann. Outward means Miracles 247. Christopher Wade 1 Place beside the Scripture in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. The Sword of the Spirit 2 Insert from R. W. Ms. Ann. Not the Spirit himself The Immediate Inspiration of the Spirit The Scripture horribly abused 253. Henry Haggar The Papists and Quakers of a damning and damne Spirit 1 Erase s in Idols R. W. Ms. Ann. The true Protestants Charity The Quakers far from the Spirit of Christ Jesus The meek and merciful Spirit of Jesus The differeut state of Gods Children 259. John Brown Number 16. Korah Dathan and Abirams Revolt applied to the pretended Quakers The Protestant Religion Revolted from by the Quakers Conspirators agaiust the Priestly Prophetical and Kingly Office and Power of Christ Jesus The conspiracy of the Quakers 1 Place some of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Against Christ Jesus Korah and the Quakers Confidence fierceness And lying Charges Ingratitude Impatience The Wonderful Judgements of God upon the Korathites in this world 62 George Johnson Thoughts about America Now Christ a Light Covenant N Englands Plantaaion The Indians of N. England The Indians of New England The Quakers desire of perverting the Indians John Owen 263 Owens writings about the Scripture Excellently learned and Spiritual and Invincible 264 Samuel Palmer Mans threefold Condition in this Life The Devil too Crafty for the Foxians A great mistery The Quakers devilish pride 275. Ricard Meyo The Devils bloody Craft The Kings Declaration of mercy and Liberty The Devils two sorts of Souldiers Anti-Christianisme The Figures in Scripture A lively picture of the Gospel Why it is called Pauls Gospel How it is hid 282. Daniel Gawdry The Varity of Spirits Why it is said the Spirits made perfect The Devil would be rid of Scripture and all Learning 325 Timothy Trevis G. Fox destroys the working of the Father and the Son G. Fox and the Arminians one as to predestination Mans wisdome about his Earthly business The Mistery of the Quakers Seed The Foxians gross Ignorance of the Godhead 326 Timothy Trevis The manifestation of the Spirit discussed 1 Change slanders to blunders R. W. Ms. Ann. The Garden of Christs Church and the Wilderness c. of the World differ as Heaven and Earth The partition Wall between Jews and Gentiles G. Fox his not cleaving the Hoof though full of Scripture G. Fox his wonderful Confusion The Spirit of God and the world are extream Contraries Prophners of the holy Spirit G. Fox c. resisting and fighting against the holy Spirit The striving of Gods Spirit The free and powerful working of Gods spirit The whole world unprofitable 328 Hugh Archbal The manifold Light mentioned in the Holy Scripture The Common offers of mercy The true Illumination As the first Christians were called The twofold success of the Gospel 330. James Dorram The sight of sin as Sin The Sins of the Regenerate Whit the Combate between the Flesh and Spirit in Rom. 7. The Sin of the Regenerate as a wound and Captivity The Souls delight in God and Hatred to Sin Sincerity the Crown of the true Quakers 338 John Nasmith The Foxians are both Pharisees and Sadduces An Item to G. Fox The Nature of the Devils 345 Hen. Foreside Ezek. 18 Considered The Spirit of Falling from Grace The Papists Arminians and Foxians one in this point Whab Grace it is that Papists Arminians and Foxians Fall from Necessary Observations The Word Righteousness of many significations God's Covenant with the first man The Law given so many hundreth of years after mans Fall G. Fox making use of the Scripture to Curse his Opposites Their horrible Contempt of Scripture 456 A Book from Hollaed G. Fox his proud Ignorance An Impious unsavonry Spirit against the godly of all Nations The Pharisees Perfection 2 Pet. 22 The Saints Continual warfere Scriptural dangers and spiritual Watch. Christs Discipline with his Saints and Churches The Quakers doleful mistake 365. Robert Tuchin c. G Fox prouder and prouder wo se and worse to the End of his Bookâ— The Fall of Angels Fall of Man Davids sin Sacrifice for Sins of Ignorance Great failing of Christs Disciples Paul John and Peter and all come short Peters great failings former and latter written for our Instruction 372. Thomas Hodges G Fox hath affirmed the Contrary to all the Heavenly Assertions of his Opposites which I have produced God sets forth to us in Scripture by Natural and Artificial things The great Question what God is The Devil Gods Ape in Inspirations The Subtlety of the Devil and his Agents in Câ—tching of men What G. Fox means by the maâ—ner of the Spirit G. Fox his proud Simplicity The Monstrous Ridle of the Foxians Spirit Job a perfect man yet abhors himself for his filthiness The Authors humble desire for himself and G. Fox The Authors fear as to G. Fox his case
Before I come to Transactions between those three left behind him Iohn Stubs Iohn Burnet William Edmundson and my self I think fit to tell the Reader what a preparatory Conflict the most holy and only Wise Lord was pleased to exercise me with before I came to the Publick My former antient Neighbour and friend I. T. being bit by such infectious Teeth himself fell on me as a man would fall upon a Toad or Serpent and sent me this following Letter notwithstanding he was but newly bitten by them and for forty yeares pretended no small love and respect to God and me He first gave fire upon me in this following Letter Providence 18. 5. 72. Roger Williams THy Scurrilous Paper in thy Propositions to G. Fox and others who in scorn are called Quakers I advise thee to refrain any further publishing thereof and as it is written keep thee far from an evill matter thy paper being full fraught with impudent Lyes and Slanders with high flown airy imaginations which if thou shouldst live the dayes of Methuselah thou couldst not perform In Love to thy Person and Name 6 which ought to be precious I advise thee not upon a sudden motion as thou termest us to act by but from the spirit of Truth and tender love unto thy soul which Spirit by thy writing appears thou art a stranger to Consider thy latter end least with Cardinal Mazarin thou cry out in a dying hour Oh my poor Soul what will become of thee whither art thou a going And said if he should longer have lived he would leave the Court and be a Capuchin Time is precious Repent Repent and mind the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every one to profit withall and knocks at the door of thy Heart for entrance which being rejected will be thy Condemation If thou rejectest this my faithfull witness for the Lord I then say with John in the Revelation let him that is filthy be be filthy still and so remaines thy friend and Neighbour I. T. Having read this Letter and knowing this my Neighbour of late to have declined much from his former profession of Godli ness and many wayes by his Loosness had grieved my Soul I wondered not much at his Lines though now much unexpected of him as knowing the Quakers spirit to be a ready Ditch or Gulfe that readily sucks and draws into it Soules afrighted easily to skin over their Sores Proud and Self-conceited ones who gladly close with the Spirit of and Children of Pride and Loose fading Professors of which sort the Quakers Meetings do much consist as not being able to walk close with God not daring to turn wholy Profane or Atheists and so daube up the breach with untempered Morter the wild and foolish notions of the Devils Whisperings under the cloak of the immediate Inspirations of Gods holy and heavenly Spirit Many thoughts I had to pass by his Affronts and Insultations But considering that it was not my Name not worth the while but the most High Eternall Majesty and his most holy Spirit thus fouly pierced and debased I return'd this Answer following My ancient loving Friend IF you pluck out the eyes of your Understanding Profession and Experience yet through the mercy of the Father of Lights and Mercyes I cannot do so with mine You tell me my Paper to G. Fox is Scurrilous c. full fraught with 7 Impudent Lyes and Slanders c. And you say you write in Love from the Spirit of Truth to which you say I am a stranger You mind mee of Death c. and bid me Repent Repent or else be filthy still and be damned To which I will not Answer as G. Fox answered H. Wrights Paper with a scornfull and shamefull Silence Thus I say in generall you are my Witness that I have long said with David and I humbly hope have made it good I hate and abhor Lying but thy Law do I love for which I have lost in my time something c If I had not loved his Law and abhorred Lyes I had long ere this bowed down against my Conscience yea I had fired the Countrey ahout this barbarous Land as some in this Colony have done I had murthered the Indians and English by the Powder and Liquor trade to which you know I had Temptation as much as your self or any others in N. England but I loved the Name of God For your self if the God of heaven have terrified your Soul which I believe is the case of most Quakers and of the Devils themselves and made it tremble at the Wrath to come you must not think to run from his flaming Eyes and Hand as Adam amongst the Thickets you cannot talk of Mercy without a way of Satisfaction to an insinite Justice Who payes the Old Score It is impossible that all created Powers in Heaven or Earth can discharge for one sinfull Thought There must be an Equivalent discharge not by filthy Rags and menstruous Clouts of our own Holiness which must he thought of before we can say We can sin no more against God than he can sin against us as you know who Blasphemously and Horribly maintain it In your lines I pray you to Consider First Your Irrationality for how can you imagine that a serious Christian in humble Considence of the of the mercifull Presence and gracious Assistance of Gods holy Spirit and of no little Afsliction and Suffering should be so easily stird as a Rock with a Feather by your bare crying Repent Repent or be Damned hearken to the Light within thee c. 2. Can Reason imagine that after much strugling within my self and the Birth of my Propositions and Resolutions that I can so suddenly strike Sail and bear up and immediately 8 Stifle and Smother and Burn my Conceptions and Resolutions as soon as I hear your simple and childish spirit Countermand me 3. Is it not unmanly Childish and effeminate to cry out a Scurrilous paper Lyes Lyes impudent Slanders .c. and yet give me not one Reason or one Scripture against any one of them Is it not too like the irrationall and brutish Answer of Humphrey Norton to a sober and Sollid Paper of Thomas Olnys sen. crying out Lyes Lyes 224 Lyes without any serious Examination of Particulars 2. I charge your Lines with Impiety where you infer that the most holy Spirit from that Scripture The manifestation of the Spirit .c. is poured forth upon every Individuall person in the World Did the Oyl most precious and holy the holy Ointments and the Blood in the Law respect the whole world or the Messiah the anointed and his Members Christians or anointed also Was not 1. Cor. 12. written to the Christians or Saints gathered into the Christian slock or Congregation at Corinth unto whome the Father of Spirits as in that place vouchsafeth those three heavenly Favours 1. Gifts which he shews there to be different 2. Administrations
scorn and hate and fly from as the Devils did crying out What have we to do with thee Iesus thou Son of the most High God art thou come to torment us hesore the time Hence the former Arch-deacon or Arch-bishop of these parts Humphrey Norton he mocks at an outward Christ he asks what Countryman he was and shall be He reproves the Fools that have their Eyes abroad and gazing after a man into Heaven he jeers at the Crosse aud asks what manner of wood it was made of seeing we must take it up dayly And Fox saith this Jesus Christ without and within is Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever therefore in the Logick or Reason of this Bruite Christ had no body that was born at Bethlehem or died at Ierusalem For he was born yesterday and to day and he is born forever he dyed yesterday and he dies to day and he dies forever which is a most Heavenly Truth relating to Gods purpose Christs Merit and to Forefathers our present times and such as yet must be born and follow after us But such Mystical and figurative Scriptures which are in themselves like Sampsons Lion and Riddle through Satans Policy and the proud simplicity of these simple Foxes are made the common Holes and Burroughs where you may be sure to find them just like the Iesuites whose Cosens if not Brethren of one belly of Hell 56 they are who usually confound clear Scriptures with Spiritual and Mystical Illusions and sly from Distinctions and openings necessary in places more dark figurative and allegorical In pag. 211. He brings in Iohn Burton saying That the man that was crucified his body is now in the presence of his Father absent from his People as touching his bodily presence He Answers Doth not the Apostle say he is the Head of the Church and doth not the Apostle say they are of his Flesh and Bone and sit it heavenly places with Christ and Christ saith they must eat his flesh and he is in them As I remember at the reading of this Quotation I urged that herein G. Fox did plainly deny as indeed in all the rest I have quoted Christ Jesus to have had such a body as could be born of a woman wrapped in swadling Cloathes c. as could be hungry weary sleep discourse apprehended buffeted whipped nail'd to the Gallowes die be buried arise and ascend up visibly into these visible Heavens now in the presence of his Father and absent from his People on Earth as touching his bodily presence But one of my Opposites I think two of them bid me not wronge G. Fox by my Observation for his words were not so I Answ. In effect and Substance they were for G. Fox here and in all his Answers maintains the Negative to what his Opposites Affirm And 2. As to the grounds of his deniall it is clear that sometimes they are most plain and clear and sometimes most subtle and commonly such as will bear a twofold Sence on which they commonly ground some Iesuitical equivocation In Pag. 210. He brings in Iohn Burton saying Christ went away into Heaven from his Disciples and so not within them He Answers Did not he say that he would come again to them Did he not say he was in them I in you And did not the Apostle say Christ was in them except they were Reprobates the hope of Glory was he not revealed to the Apostle and so in him and did not the Apostle Preach Christ within and you preach Christ without Again in the same Page Those Believers that are in the body at this day are absent from the Lord He Answers again Doth not the Aposte say Christ is in them except they be Reprobates and he is in them the Hope of Glory and they have fellowship with God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he that believes believes in him and Christ and so notabsent Again in the same Page they say He is absent from them as touching his slesh He Answers Doth not the Apostle say they 57 are of his Flesh and of his Bone and he that eates not his Flesh hath no life in him and they sit in heavenly places with him and he that eates his flesh hath it in him And again in the same Page they say There is not any Heaven within into which the Man Christ is ascended or can any man contain a man four foot long He Answers Christ is a Mystery and is he not to be revealed within who is a Mystery He who did descend to be revealed and made manifest in his Saints in slesh and Spirit that did descend which is now manifested that the World wonders at that is ascended far above the Heavens who is the Saints life living Bread and Drink and where ever used the Ministers of Christ any such expression as thou doth which shews that Christ to thee is a Mystery Reply In all these four Passages G. Fox expresly denies that Christ is ascended into Heaven from his Disciples That Believers now in the Body are absent from the Lord that he is absent from Man as touching his Flesh that there is a Heaven into which Christ is ascended and that Christs Body is not containable in a place according to his stature and proportion 2. In his Answers he notoriously jugles and equivocates as if he maintained Christ in Truth he that lived and died at Ierusalem and visibly ascended into Heaven though the whole scope and the plain open faced meaning of his words with loud cries tend altogether to another business to wit to set up himself by setting up the Image and Picture this Imaginary Christ which he calls the Light within them The same Author saith Pag. 206. A false Christ hath a new false Faith to apprehend this Crucified Christ within He Answers Which is contrary to the Faith of the Apostles which Preached Christ that 's Crucified within and not another Him that was raised from the dead was risen that Lord Jesus Christ within the same yesterday to day and for ever by whom the World was made glorified with the Father before the World began it was he that was manifest in the Saints that was and is not another for the other is Antichrist Again in the same Page it is a Sceipture of the Devils making to apprehend this Christ within He Answers Now I say if there be any Christ but he that was crucified within he is a false Christ and the Scripture holds forth this and the Devil never made it but he and his Messengers are against it And he that hath not this Christ 58 that was risen and Crucified within is a Reprobate though Devills and Reprobates may talk of him without This Quotation was read again in their own Book by Iohn Burnet and they magnified the Christ within but they would not suffer me to observe the sence and argue from
Historians Geographers Rulers and Iudges c. It is true that Thomas Munster and Becold and Knipperdoling and Fifer pretending immediate Revelations and so have other Leaders of these Nicolaitans in France and England c. but none were so large and open hearted as to communicate so freely and bountifully to all their followers the immediate Inspirations of their pretended holy spirit as these 81 foolish and filthy Dreamers do for so saith Fox All the Quakers say or do is by the infallible and eternal Spirit but how horribly their Spirits Principles Divisions Miscarriages in many sinful practises and Apostacies amongst themselves give the lye and contradict this their infallibility is notoriously proclaimed on the house top and I may say something more to this Head afterward At present I return to my Antagonists who while I was Arguing against their immediate Spirit could not hold until my quarter of an hour and this Head about their Spirit was finished but brake silence and they said especially Iohn Stubs doth not the Scripture say if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and ye have an unction and need not that any man teach you and you know all things I then answered that there was a leading of a Beast by an Halter or Bridle and there was a leading of a Man with a Reason when his understanding and judgement is satisfied and if so I presumed they intended that the leading of the Spirit did not lead them as Beasts but as Rational satisfying their Reasons and Judgements and if so Reason grants that there are false Spirits lying Prophets Seducers and Deceivers c. Reason therefore further saith that every Soul must be satisfied whether this Leading or Anointing or Teaching of the Spirit be by means of Praying Preaching Reading Meditating Conferring c. or immediate without the use of these if motions without the use of these be pretended Reasons tells us that a Rational Soul must be able to try whether the Spirit pretending to be true or lying Spirit and that it must have some Rule or Touch-stone to make their Tryal by that the Rule must be my own Reason or some Testimony of unquestionable Witnesses satisfying my Reason or some heavenly inspired Scripture or Writing which my Reason tells me came from God Reason also tells each rational creature that it is very suspicious to be a false lying and develish motion which slights the Holy Scripture and other holy means wherein the Holy Spirit Presence and Power of God hath appeared to Gods People formerly Reason tells me that if I finde my self weak as who doth not to fight against the Devil the roaring Lion and old Serpent and I am bound to seek out for help and what help more powerful 82 and proper then that of the eternal and all powerful Father of Spirits and that it is best to take Iames his Counsel if any Man wants wisdome let him ask of God who gives to all Men liberally and upbraideth not if so then Reason tells us that except we suffer our selves to be led as Beasts by Sathan as the poor Quakers are we must come to the use of Means or a mediate leading and teaching and then what is become of these hellish fancies of only immediate Teachings and Inspirations I told them that beside this Counsel and Command of God in Iames the Lord Jesus tells us by an admirable similie that the holy Spirit of God is given in the use of means Luk. 11. If you who are evil give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him and that is Isa. 11. the Spirit of Wisdome the Spirit of Knowledge the fear of the Lord and all Graces of the holy Spirit It is clear that the Pen-men and holy Scribes of Gods will unto us in whom God did speak and by whom he wrote immediately and infallibly those blessed chosen pens of his were not infallibly guided by an immediate Spirit in all that they said and did about this Scripture as these poor Dreamers say of themselves and therefore must necessarily dash against the Holy Scriptures and all holy means formerly used by the first Christians yea and all rational means to pieces for all that they say or do is the immediate Spirit and Christ and God himself as Fox here affirmeth I answered further that if that Scripture alleadged by Iohn Stubs To know all things be to be expounded litterally and as G. Fox in this Book viz. that the Saints know all things as God then why are not the Quakers Omnipotent and Almighty as well as Omniscient yea as it is said of the Pope if he can deliver all Souls out of Purgatory if he please without Money surely he is very inhumane impious and cruel that he doth not so I said what impiety is it what cruelty and inhumanity is it in the Quakers said I so insallibly knowing all things as God not to reveal unto Men and especially in their publick Assemblies so many deep points of the Godhead of Creation of the Holy Three in Heaven and Earth which they confess and all the deep Mysteries and Prophecies in the Holy Scripture especially in Iohn and Daniel their Revelations c. the Most Holy Omniscient and Eternal Iehovah knows that the Pope and his Purgatory the Quakers and 83 their Omnisciency are but Childrens and Frantick Persons Dreams and Phantasies and that the Saints knowing all things is the same with their doing all things through Christ which strengtheneth them that is not all things litterally for that were ridiculous and blasphemous to affirm it but all things figuratively and Comparatively which his holy Wisdome thinks fit to require them to know and do in order to his Glory and their Salvation But Iohn Stubs insisted how they knew the Mystical number of 1260 dayes the 42 Months the Time and Times and half a Time and that the Woman was come and coming out of the Wilderness in them and that now they were Preaching the Everlasting Gospel to them that dwell upon the Earth I Replied it is notorious how many excellent men have been bewildred and missed in the opening of these Mysteries I said that if their infallible and their all-knowing Light could open all things and was now the Everlasting Gospel or Glad News the Word Eternal c. and that it was not only in the Quakers and their Saints but in all Mankind I desired to know what they meant by this Word within whether they meant in the understanding the eye of the Soul or in the Will or in the Memory or in the Affections or in all of these joyntly for Light is only seen with the Eye not with the Tongue nor Ear nor Hand it is true in the 2 Cor. 4. it is said
case being my self then in London whatever Fox the Quakers impudently affirm to the contrary 95 It is true that Iames Parnel and Fox and all of them sometimes miserably and after the Devils Method make use of Scripture as a Shield or Buckler to fence themselves against the Scripture and as a Sword to run through the Heart and Bowels of the Scripture the Saints and Christ and God himself they make use of it as Stirrops and Ladders and Scaffolds for their counterfeit Christ in pretence but in reallity themselves to mount up into their Saddles and Thrones of the Eternal power and Godhead that so the Earth may be theirs by Authority So that as the Lord speaks of the Iews Sacrifices that they were not his and of Iehoiakim that he did not know the Lord Jer. 22. and of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. that they did not eat the Lords Supper though they did eat it so I affirm from all the premises alleadged the Quakers do not own that is truely and Christianly as they say Bonâ fide and in reality but slight and villifie and abominate and nullifie the holy Scripture that their unwritten Lies and lying Spirits may be exalted We have a great word in use amongst Merchants and others to wit the word Effects they desire to see effects of money or Goods for want of a real and effectual prizing and loving obeying and magnifying the holy Scriptures The Iewes Pharises the Papists and Quakers do not owne the perfection Authority of the holy Scriptures but set up their Traditions and Popes Councils Spirits above them and therefore the Iewes Papists and Quakers do not owne the holy Scriptures I freely acknowledge that many of these Particulars I could not then express because of my Confinement to a quarter of an hour and sometimes the Interposure of my Opposites I remember I urged that dead and rotten esteem that both Papists and Quakers fling as dirt in the face of the holy Scriptures calling it a dead Letter a Nose of wax a leaden Rule which may be pincht and bow'd to every mans Opinion But First They horribly bow and pinch that holy Scripture 2. Cor. 3. which meddles not with all the Scripture but with the Covenant of the Law and Iustice opposite to the Covenant of Grace Mercy calls the Law a killing Letter compar'd with the Grace Mercy of an offended God now reconciled by Christ Iesus But Secondly These poor Foxes fly to their Burroughs and confound the matter of the Scripture or Writing being Paper 96 and ink c. with the contents the purport and as I may say the matter contained in the matter we use to say what have you to shew for it what evidences have you what Records and sometimes when no Witnesses are living or can be had an old poor Record is produced which proves the life and spirit of the business what Simpletons do these only wise ones shew themselves in affairs of men that know not that as Solomon sayes of the Tongue Life and Death is in the power of the Tongue so Life and Death is in the power of a piece of Paper what hath an Executor yea many thousand Executors to shew for their Estates sometimes of hundreds yea thousands years but a little paper and ink and wax from the Testators what gives life to a condemned soul but a Pardon or Reprieve in a piece of Paper who knowes not that a Writ or Paper signed by his Majesty the Lord Chancellour the Lord ceief Iustice hath Death in it and fetcheth off the heads of many yea the highest Offenders The Quotations out of G. Fox which then I could not insist on I shall present a few and then pass on to the fifth Position In the 47th Pag. G. Fox brings in Ios. Miller saying It is an Errour if not damnable to say Christ is the meanes and that there is no other meanes of Salvation He Answers And Christ saith no man comes unto the Father but by me and he is able to the uttermost to save and he shall be my Salvation to the end of the Earth saith the Lord and saith the Apostle God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself and he that hath the Son hath Life and the Father and the Son are one and there is no salvation in any other I reply I shall now freely declare to the Sence of this Allegation though in the Dispute my Adversaryes would not suffer me to meddle with the Sence of G. Fox his words contrary to our Covenant in my Writing viz. that each Party should speak as long as they pleased which Liberty they enjoyed without my Interruption and first I doe not think that Ios. Millers words run so loosely in his own Book I do not think that a man of Wisdom would call it an error to say that Christ is the meanes of Salvation But to the second part to which G. Fox opposeth I believe it is an Error and a damnable Error and a Doctrine of Devils to say there is no other meanes of Salvation for this wretched Iugler subtilly confounds the Instrumental Causes of Salvation with 97 the Efficient in God the Father and Meritorious in God the Son Christ Jesus 'T is true there is no Redemption and Forgiveness of sin but in his Blood Ephes. 1. though I know this Iugler as before means not a Christ nor his Blood nor Death as we do mean but Imaginary within c. And yet as Means and Instruments Christs Messengers are said to save themselves and others The holy Scriptures are said to make wise to Salvation A man may be Gods means or Hand to save his Wife and the Wife her Husband We are saved by hope saith Paul and saved by Baptisme saith Peter yea Women are saved by Child-bearing as God blesseth those painful Curses to be blessed means of bringing to or growing up in Christ the Saviour All these subtly and wickedly G. Fox sets at variance with the Meritorious Salvation by Christ Jesus between which there is an Heavenly Union and Concord as between a man saving his Brother by throwing a Rope or Oar or Board unto him c. or a Midwife saving both Woman and her Birth in Child-bearing by the Means of Women and Helps which her Skil and Labour administreth to her To talk of this Immediate Christ and Spirit without Scriptures without Preaching and other holy means is as silly as Impious as Blockish as Blasphemous and as Bedlam and Frantick as wicked and Anti-Christian Would not every body laugh at G. Fox if he should say that because the Kings Majesty graciously pardons Condemned Rebels at the Mediation of the Prince his Son therefore the Composing the writing the proclaiming of the pardon the bring of it to the Rebels hands written and sealed with the Kings broad Seal are no means of their Salvation and Deliverance In Pap. 221.
as a Merit or Desert for the pardon of their sin for though they both Sophistically and Hypocritically mention the Blood of Christ yet they count the business of this Christ as the Pope said but a Fable and indeed and truth through the Pride of their high spirits they think God is beholding to them I have spoken to this already and of that devilish Pride of their being without sin yet in this Doctrine of perfection the Quakers exceed the Doctrine of the Papists for generally the popes attribute this purity but to some of their rare Saints And 2. Generally the Popes themselves confess themselves to be sinners 3. They give respect and civill honour to all estates although in Spirituals and Civills too they overtop them But the high and lofty Devill of the Quakers pride transcends all this G. Fox makes all his Saints born of God that literally expounded they cannot commit sin yea G. Fox tells us that the Saints that is his Foxians are as holy and perfect as God not only like to God in quality but in equality also They have the fulness of the Godhead in them bodily That the mystery of godlinefs is God manifest in their flesh Hence he saith there is no distinction between God and Christ and the Spirit and themselves Hence it follows that they are the Father Son and Holy Spirit which by Devilish Chymistry they can prove and that they are the Three that bare Record in Heaven and the Three that bare Record in Earth The Scripture is within them They made it and all that they say and do is Scripture what they say God saith what they advise God adviseth what they do God doth c. It is true this is not believed no not by some Novices among them but this and more many of their lying Foul mouths Books express which may make a Soul that is truly humble to quake and 169 rend his heart at such Blasphemy the first Perfectist in these parts was one H. B. who came from Boston to Providence who affirmed that what he spake God spake what counsel he gave God gave c. It pleased God to leave him though a subtle man to ridiculous Folly amognst us and at Barbadoes and London since to worse practices as commonly God punisheth such height of Pride even in this present life before Death seize upon them I remember while we were declaring their proud Disrespect to all men Iohn Stubs said That it was their practice to pay tribute to Caesar and to give Honour to whome Honour belonged And I answered to this effect that it was against their Principles and practices to shew respect to any mans Person in the World As for tribute they paid none but what necessity and policy forced them to and notoriously backward here But they knew that I and G. Fox knew and all the world might know out of Fox his Writings that the Quakers are the Higher powers the Dignityes the Most High God and ought to have all Honour and Tribute paid to them by all the whole Creation T is true there seems to be a Change and some relenting and Giving of the Weather in G. Fox his own practice of Courtesie and others from him but while they own what G. Fox hath written and that he writ it with a perfect spirit I say untill they do make some Recantation or Retractation or shew the Reasons why they doe not H. Norton who keeps more plainly to his Principles is to windward of them and the Foxians do but strip themselves naked to be more derided and scorned as the more notorious Iuglers and Dissemblers We came easily with their Good-will to the 4th Position of the latter seven which they read out of the Paper as willing to be out of ther pain viz The Religion of the Quakers is more obstructive and Destructive to the Conversion and Salvation of Soules of People than most of Religions that are at this day extant in the World I said for the proof of this it was requisite to take a short view of Religions and Worships in the world We knew that the Sons of Men were justly divided all the world over into two Sorts First The wild and Pagan whome God hath permitted to run about the world as wild Beasts all this great fourth Part of the World and in some of the other three 170 They acknowledge a great supream God and Deity Maker of all things yet they acknowledge as other famous Civilized Nations formerly have done that there be many other Petty-Gods and Deityes in Heaven and Earth yea within their own Bodies yea whatever is extraordinary excellent or strange to them they are presently apt to ascribe a Deity unto it though it be but Beast Fowle c. and say it is a God It is commonly known that as their garments hang loose about their Bodyes so hangs their Religion about their Souls So that to my knowledge they are so far from hindring any to come to God that when they have seen the grave and solemn Worship of the English they have often said of themselves and their own that they are all one Dogs in comparison of the English The second sort of men are the Civill brought to Cloaths to Lawes c. from Barbarisme these also the infinite Wisdome of God have pleased to leave to variety of wayes of Worshipping the Heavenly Majesty Amongst others we find four most known and eminent First The Iewish Worship famous from Gods own appointment by Moses c. 2. The Turkish famous for spreading from Mahomet to most of thirteen parts of thirty in the World 3. The Popish famous for spreading over Europe and other western parts of the world 4. The Protestant famous for so wonderfull a Revolt and Seperation from the Popish All these four profess one God and supream Deity but they differ in two things 1. In the Prophet or Meanes by whome God speaks to man the Iews cry up Moses the Turks Mahomet the Papists the Pope the Protestants Christ Iesus in the Scriptures The second great difference is in the Form of Worship which every one of these four great Partyes practice in various and different wayes as they are perswaded Our selves the Protestants are divided into two Partyes The first is entituled Episcopal and Presbyterian in Parochyal or Parishional Assemblyes The second is Seperate from those National and Parochyal Assemblyes some more some less and those are now known to be First the People called Independants 2. The people called Baptists We that pretend the Christian Name against the Iewes and the 171 Mahumetans we mainly differ 1. In matter of Doctrine as Repentance Faith c. 2. Of Worship Discipline c. And we generally agree that as the Mahumetan and Iewish Worship have little in them to tempt a Soul to turn into them compar'd with the Christian so those Christians that differ each from other in point
received by all Natural and Moral Understandings yea in natural Commands and Threatnings Beasts and Birds are admirably capacious and observant But when we speak of Supernatural Heavenly and Eternal matters of Spiritual things to be discerned Spiritually What a difference is there as between Heaven and Earth and Infinitely greater When the Lord Iesus asked his Disciples how many loavs they had their Natural Faculty or Reason could give an Answer When he asked them whom do Men say that I the Son of man am This was a Divine and Supernatural Question and for the outside and Truth of the Fact the Devils could Answer as well as the Disciples not only that same said he was Elias Iohn Baptist c. but that he was the Son of God All this exceeds not Natural first Birth Powers or Faculties But to give a believing and an affectionate Answer as Peter did this requires a Faculty and Power which Flesh and Blood could not reach too but the Spirit or secret working Power of God in the means wrought Peters heart and the Disciples hearts and to this day all Believers Hearts to receive and welcome all truly Divine and Heavenly Doctrines Whereas therefoâ—e G. Fox talks of something within which is preached to I may Answer as they do viz. that the natural man perceivs no spiritual matter but when he is born again then he acts and works and it is most certain that as an House receivs his Master as Candle kisseth Candle the Clasp the Hook the mortise the Tenant so do Natural or Spiritual Faculties receive Natural 34 or Spiritual Faculties receive Natural or Supernatural Motions and Impressions The Protestants say that before it pleaseth God by some word read preached c. to set up a Candle of wisdome in the Souls and to work a spiritual favour in the Soul all heavenly matters are nauseous and odious though as pleasant profitable and honourable to self Ends they are welcome all the word over yet as spiritual and heavenly abominable G. Fox saith there is a something a Seed though but as a Grain of mustard Seed a Seed of God of Christ of the Spirit to which Christ the Word is preached and which maketh Answer Hence horribly abusing Scripture phrazes they so often say God is all within and without Hence they maintain c. though men be dark and dead yet Christ within is Light and alive in them and them only Hence appears G. Fox his lying Cheats of a Sufficient Light withiâ— to lead to God and to Salvation a Teacher within all Sufficient for then no need yea it is a simple Superfluity c. to hold a Candle of outword words to awaken and enlighten such a glorious all-Sufficient Sun within 5. I ask where this something this something of God yea God and Christ and Spirit If he Answer in the understanding he grants it that is dark and perceives no heavenly matters c. If in the Heart and Affections he Confessieth all there is hard and dead only he saith the Light shineth in the darkness c. Implying that in the dark understanding there is some heavenly Light in the hearts hardness there is some softness and the Light shineth in darkness c. I Answer Christ Iesus tâ—e Sun of Righteousness arose with saving Rayes or wings of Salvation but the blind Iews could not own him for the Expected Messiah what is this G. Fox his something a Light of Christ inlightning every man that comes into the World though the man see it not 2. What is this to all the Generations of the World about four thousand years before Christ came and was in that visible person as Iohn saith of him that lightens every man that comes c. what is this to a mixture of Light and darkness in the same faculty the eye blind and yet seeing the man dead and yet alive It is true the Lambs wife confesseth that her Hearâ—t was awae 35 while she slept But what is this to the heart being dead and no Life at all and yet waking 6. The Conclusion is as before I hinted and they Confess when God in his own Means ordinarily works the will to hear to turn to believe to pray he then graciously works the work for us and being thus turned with Ephraim we mourn and lament and say what have we done when he turns our wilderness wholly a wilderness into a Garden then we bring forth his sweet Fruits Flowers and Spices when he turns the Wolf into a Lamb then we are meek and Innocent and patient but to talk of preaching to the Spirits in Prison yea of the Seed of God and the Spirit of God in prison when the Lord speaks of his warning and moving men by Noahs preaching in the old World as may be evidently evinced is like the prophane teaching of Parrots to prate of Grace and Heaven like that admirable Parrot in France who could say her Pater noster her Creed and Ten Commandments and yet knew as much of grace and the workings of God in the Soul as her Popish Teachers c. An 18th Instance of G. Fox his lame and cheating Answers is in pag. 64. where he brings in the same Author Ieremiah Ives saying It is a known Error to say that a man was in Hell and in Heaven He Answers who in this shews his Ignorance of Scripture for it gives Testimony of men that did witness that they had been in Hell in the Nethermost Hell and witnessed again they were in Heaven and sate in heavenly places in Christ Iesus and such were in Heaven as is spoken of in the Revelations I Reply G. Fox and millions more talk of Heaven and Hell as the Notable Parrot above said our Fore-Fathers some from the Scripture and some out of Reasons Light talkt of places of Ioy Eternal for the Righteous and of misery Eternal for the bad and wicked But the new Light from Christ Jesus and his pen-men is the clearest that ever shined in this world especially that famous Parable or Word proceeding out of the mouth of Christ Jesus Luke 16. that of Dives and Lazarus declaring in substance the state of the Life to Come and of the two great Parties of the poor afflicted Righteous and the wicked living in pleasures c. G. Fox is in his Burrough of the various signification of the words Heaven and Hell He knows that a state of Sorrow and 36 Bitterness is called Hell That a state of Death and the grave is set out by the word Hell in the same Hebrew phrase And to either of these he wickedly applies the thirst State of which the Lord Jesus 1. so clearly speaks viz. The State of the ungodly after this Life in the Life and World to come 2 Again he knows the visible State of the true Profession of Christ Jesus is called Heaven 3. Such as have Interest in Christ
Jesus have sitten down with him in those Heavenly Mansions and glories into which he is entred bodily and gone to prepare for their Reception and coming 4. The third Heaven the place of Pauls Rapture and Vision the place of Joy and Blessedness and Glory when these Heavens and Earth are burnt up and consumed It is like G. Fox hath been occasioned to these thoughts by the Papists Fables about Heaven and Hell and Purgatory and their curious Questions as whether the Torment of Hell be as real and terrible as this Elementary and Kitching Fire Whether the pain of Hell transcend not all pains of Childbirth Stone gout Collick Burning c. Whether it be possible for a Creature to Continue in such Torments perpetually without Intermission Whether there shall not be some end after some millions of years as well as of the pains of Purgatory G. Fox knows how the Papists get a world of Mony by these Notions of Heaven and Hell which the Atheistical Foxes amongst them count but Fables as the Pope speaks of Christ The Devils have a more real Faith or Belief of these things and tremble They cried out to the Lord Jesus why art thou come to torment us before the Time c. But G. Fox not believing as they think these Fables he fancies that Hell is some apprehensions in the mind of wrath to come and that is Hell and wrath it self and having had slashes of Pride and Peace in their minds these are the Joyes of Heaven whereas the Lord Jesus tells us that beside the hundred fold of Spiritual Ioyes viz a hundred Fathers Mothers c. there remains for his Followers in the World to come Eternal Life They are but short Flashes of Hell and Heaven which some of these poor Cheated Souls dream of I know they allow time more or less before they come into the perfect and heavenly State of Necessity Death prevents some from coming to it and makes the reign of the rest whom Satan has ticed into these 37 proud Vanities but short as Experience hath declared only they have a mad Fancy of their Souls going into God and becoming more God and yet this some of them grant to the Souls of all men to Iudas as well as Peter The true Protestant believes these three things First that there is a State Eternal of Joy to the Righteous bodies and Souls after this Life and a State of Eternal Misery of Soul and Body to the ungodly Although the exact knowledge of particulars exceed the present sight of our mortal eyes the hearing of our Ears and the Capacity of our Hearts c. 2. The first Fruits and a Tast both of the heavenly Ioyes and the Torments of the damned are given by God in this Life to the first in that Solid Peace and Ioy which they have in God To the other in that Horror and Despair and Enmity against God c. 3. Three Sorts of men especially will seek there is an Hell to come above other Sinners First The Volnptuous and Luxurious whose God is theii Belly and their Sences c. Ars. potenter 2. The Devourers of the Poor and helpless potenter c. 3. The proud puft up with foolish Confidences boldly Crying Lord open to us for we c. also the Contrary to these three I might inlarge on and not Impertinently but let him that readeth understand is in pag. 64. where G. Fox brings in Ieremiah Ives saying The Phariseel were far enough from having the Kingdom of Heaven within them He Answers contrary to Christs words who said it was within them I Reply G. Fox his Tutor and Teacher within him knows that the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Huaven signifie but one and not divers things and yet also he knows that both of them signifie in a Christian Sense First the Kingdome of Government of God and Christ in the Soul Secondly The Government of God in his holy Providence in the World 3. His Government in the Congregation or Churches of his Saints called out the World Fourthly the glorious State to come afâ—â—r this Life He knowes that his Iourney man G. Fox is fit Instrument to destroy all these and to erect in their stead a dull proud dogged Confusion or Babel within under the Name of God Christ Spirit Light Faith Righteousness Resurrection The Lord Jesus knowing that not the Pharâ—sees alone c. but the Iews generally also and his own Christian Followers were leavened 38 with a worldly notion viz. thar their Messiah should be a glorious temporal King that he should make his Entrance and Exalt his Throne with great Pompe Solemnity c. The Lord Jesus tells them their mistake and saith that his Kingdome was not such a Kingdome but that it was within them Of which words I find three Expositions First that the Kingdome of Heaven is a Spiritual inward and Soul Kingdome concerning God and the Soul and Spiritual matters according to the saying of Christ Jesus my Kingdome is not of this World c. 2. From the word Entos within you or amongst you as certainly it was then amongst the Iews and in the midst of them in their Temple Streets and Houses Hearts and mouths by the most wonderful speakings of the Lord Jesus as never man spake amongst them and the wonderful power and gracious works which never man wrought amongst them nor in the whole World beside 3. The Kingdome of God that is God and Christ and the Spirit were literally in the Pharisees and so Consequently in every hypocrite in the World and every wicked and prophane Sinner though they know it not yea in all Creatures But this is against a former fair Exposition from the Greek word Entos which cannot be refused since so agreeing with the Truth except Reasons more prevalent c. 2. The Spirit of God asks what agreement between Christ and Belial Light and Darkness Righteousness unrighteousness c. And whereas it is most Improperly and Impiously Objected that the Light shines in darkness c. I have said that it can not be in the same Subject or part predominate the mind or will or Affections but the Light is at the window and the Eye and the knock at the door by all the wayes and means by which God visits poor men but the Eye the door is shut c. and the man within is not only asleep but dead and rotten in Natures silthiness and actual Transgressions and Abominations 3. It is against all Colour of Reason to Imagine that the Lord Jesus should tell the Iews the Pharisees and the rest of his bloody Enemies who some weakly some maliciously opposed his Kingdome and coming to Rule by his Grace over them viz. that his grace was King within them what ever their Heart or Tongues said or Hands hid c. 4. It is notoriously contrary to
Overseers to be Invisible for they saw with an Invisible Eye and so they was in the Spirit which is Invisible and not in the Flesh else they could not be Overseers in the Church of God and you are the visible apostatiz'd from them I Reply This is one of the most impudent Fooleries that either Fox or as the Proverb is any Dog could be impudent in For First 42 1. He acknowledgeth a publick Assembly of Christians as well as of other pretending Worsh ppers Turks Iews c. Also he acknowledgeth the Ministers Officers and Overseers of their Assemblies 2. His Reason is notoriously silly and impudent viz. because the Church is in God and the Overseers are made by the holy Spirit For are the secret works of God alwayes secret and never revealed The Child in the Wombe the precious Stones and Minerals when brought forth are no more Invisible then the Sun in the Firmament 3. The Christian profeâ—â—ion and professours however they were wrought and prepared and by divers means by Gods Spirits yet the Lord Jesus compares them to the most visible Conspicuous and glorious things and persons To the Sun and Moon in the Heavens and the Heavens and Stars also to Mountains and Cities on those Hills or Mountains To Kings To their houses and Palaces yea to Armes with Banners c. 4. Although the Lord Major of London and the several Officers of the City are not made and ordained in the public Streets nor Generals and other Officers appointed by his Majesty c. are they not therefore visible because their making and appointing was not Solemnized and performed in Cheapside c. 5. It is most true and most sweet that the Church is in God c. and is it not also true that in one Sense we live in God and move in God have our Being in God and yet the whole Creation is gloriously visible in another Sence the Saints their Assemblies and Officers are in God visible to the world abundantly though in an heavenly and spiritual Sence transcending the Being of the first Creation 6. G. Fox denies not but that although the first Churches were in God and the Officers of the Church and some of them were appointed immediately yet they were visible and audible by those with whom they Conversed 7. Yea G. Fox and his Foxians for all their being in God and some of their proud and silly Answerings in Courts that they live in God and dwell in God yet they disowne not their own visible Congregatings and Assemblings their visible Teachers Overseers or Bishops their visible and audible performances and Worships praying preaching singing c. and wâ—y then doth this 43 poor notoriously visible Cheatour thus prate of Invisibilities especially in times of peace and not in Elias Case The 22 Instance is in pag 84. where G. Fox brings in his opposite Magnus Byne saying The Scriptures may be understood by the help of Tongues He Answers All Scripture was given forth by Inspiration and so without the same Inspiration it is not understood again Pilate had the Tongues yet did not understand the Scripture nor Christ the Substance of it And this you have set up since the Apostacy your Tongues you Raveners from the Spirit I Reply First I make use of G. Fox his Confession viz. that all Scripture is inspired c. therefore say I he Consesseth that every word Syllable and Tittle in that Scripture or writing is the Word or immediate revealed will of God against his and his Foxians common Song hath God any more words but one 2. As to the Scriptures the understanding of them is threefold First Literal who understands not Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not Steal c. The second is Metaphorical as I am the Dore I am the Bread c. The third is saving and Spiritual when it pleaseth God to set home the heavenly Commands Promisâ—s c. in particular Soul Application 3. I observe the End of G. Fox and especially of the old Serpent and Fox that acts him It is to destroy the coming of Gods holy Records and writings to poor lost men to their Salvation that he may foist and whisp in what his hellish malice pleaseth to their Damnation For if no knowledge of the Tongues in which the most wise and most holy Lord pend his Letters or writing to us then no preaching of the Doctrine in them to the world witout some new miraculous way then no translating and reading of them which is that the Devil in all Ages and at this day aims at with all his might 4. I therefore charge upon this proud Ignoramus and all his blind Disciples and Followers the horrible Crime of Unthankfulness and Ingratitude for were it not for Tindal burnt to ashes and other heavenly Spirits set on work from Heaven to dig out the knowledge of the Hebrew and the Greek and to turn it into French Dutch English and now praised be God into the very 44 Indian Language of this Country how would these Seraphical Doctors know whether there were such a Creation of Heavens and Earth or of man and his wife which we now so talk of I put this question once to a Soul in this Country who told me although they had no English Scripture Gods Spirit would teach them Greek and Hebrew but I can declare to any that ask me the dreadful End of that party 5. I Charge upon this Foxian party the horrible Crime of a proud Laziness for not studying the Original Languages themselves It is a shameful Trade and deceitful when persons have mony in their hands to take up all on trust I have known very Eminent Men and Women Independants and Baptists give themselves up to serious study of the Hebrew Language I never knew any of the Foxian Spirits so inclind but according to the Lazie fool under the Fig-Tree which I have seen in an Embleme almost threescore year since they lie down and cry Sweet Figs drop down in yielding wâ—se For Lazie will not let me rise 6. I Judge that G. Fox and his wild Spirit can not prove that Pilate had the Hebrew Greek and Latin for though he caused by an heavenly finger of God such a Title to be set up in the three then most known Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin yet he himself might have no knowledge of any more then the Latin which was his Mother Romane Tongue As a Book seller may deal in Books of Hebrew Greek Latin French Dutch Italian Spanish c. and yet understand no more then his Mother English 7. I know the Devil abounds with Tongues and can speak all Languages and I know and have seen his Inspirations and three thousands verses in shâ—w very heavenly inspir'd by him in an English woman of this Country who had no such skill ex tempore They were taken and written from her mouth and I have read them and
Virgins love thee Oh how many prate of this spirit or Ointment and yet hate the true Lord Jesus hate his Love Letters the holy scriptures and would be glad to see them in a Bone fire hate his poor true Quakers that desire to fear before him and tremble at his Word and to mourn that having received such manifestations of the holy spirit of God they have profited others so little and glorified God in their Generations 8. I might Insist upon the End which G Fox insisteth on viz. to profit withal and ask why David Psal. 53. Complains that all the Children of men not one excepted are unprofitable good for nothing yea abominable that is to spiritual matters heavenly things the world to come All even the sweetest Natures the fairest the wittiest the wisest the learnedst the devoutest untill the spirit of God come and truly change the heart and whole Frame of Nature Till then we as profitable as Hogs as Moles in a Garden as Water or Fire breaking into a ship and as devouring Foxes amongst the true Lambs and Chickens of Christ Iesus The 53d Instance of G. Fox his lame Answer is in pag. 328 where he quotes Hugh Archbal saying Christ doth enlighten none but them that do receive him He Answers Contrary to John 3. which speaketh of them that hate the Light and are enlightened and will not come to it because the Light will reprove them so he that hates the Light is enlightned and will not receive Christ. I Reply though I have spoken much of the Light and of receiving Christ Jesus c yet since this proud Boaster drags his Opposites out of Scotland also I pray the Readers patience while I tell him of a manifold Light which the Holy spirit mentions under a Metaphor or Figure of Light 1. The Natural perceiving of Natural things as Christ Jesus saith The Light of the Body is the Eye 2. The Light of peace and joy whether Corporal or spiritual Temporal or Eternal The Iews in Hamans down-Fall and their own Deliverance had Light and Joy c. and Light is sown for the Righteous c. 105 3. The common offers of the Gospel as Light whence some have observed that the word so cried up in Iohn 1. is not inlightneth but lighteth but the word Photizei may signifie both and yet be no more then the Common offer preaching and sound of the glad News or Gospel The people that sate in Darkness saw great Light c As the Light of a candle coming in lightens or enlightens the Walls and Room but being taken away again leaves no Impression or change upon the Wall or as the Sun shining or guilding the Earth being clouded leaves no Impression of shining on the Earth behind it So is it with the Common offers of Trading or marriages in the world and so of the heavenly Offers of Merchandize and Heavenly Marriage c. 4. There is yet a higher Light which some are affected Tinctur'd and enlightened and yet not the true and saving Light that in Heb. 6. where some persons as the pretended Quakers and G. Fox especially have seen much of the Nature of God his holiness his Iustice c. and had a Tast of the Ioyes of the next world but proudly turned from the holy Scripture from the true Lord Jesus and the true holy enlightning humbling and saving Spirit of God 5. The true Lighting or Enlightning of which the holy Scripture speaketh is that of 2 Cor. 4 a place fouly and simply abused by G. Fox to prove the Light in every man where Paul shews how by the preaching of the glad News or Gospel God had shined in their hearts not in the hearts of all the men in the world nor in the hearts of all the Corinthians and had given them a sight of the glory of God in the Face or from the Reflexion or means of the face of the Mediator the man Christ Jesus Hence all those Heavenly Appellations or phrazes or Names Children of the Day Illuminated or Inlightned Ones You were Darkness but now you are not only Inlightened but Light in the Lord that is become not as Fox pretends Christs and Gods and no distinction but of a bright Spiritual Nature longing humbly and mournfully in the use of the holy Scripture and all other means more to come out of Darkness into the Light of holiness and likeness unto God Object G. Fox alleadgeth Iohn 3. They which hated the Light were inlightned I Answer No question but with the general Offer of mercy 106 as of the Candle or Sun to the Eyes of a blind man which is yet their Condemnation because if they had power yet their wills and Lusts and Resolutions refuse and abhor it and abhor their eyes should be opened to see it Whereas the Gospel or glad News is published or preached there is a twofold Effect of it as Acts 13. and Acts 17. and Acts 28. and through all Experience in all Ages and in all parts of the world some mock some demur some persecute others the Spirit or Power of God opens their hearts to fear to believe to submit and in Gods time to rejoyce for ever in a Saviour The 54th Instance is in Pag. 330. where G. Fox brings in Iames Dorram saying The Believer is not in sin as the Unbeliever is he sins not as the Unbeliever doth and in another place he saith the Law is the same to the Believer that it is to the Unbeliever G. Fox Answers Here any may read thy Confusion but I say unto thee He that believeth doth not commit Sin but the unbelief is Sin Rom. 11. 20. And Christ is the End of the Law to every one that believes for Righteousness sake Roms 10. 4. and yet thou puts both Believers and unbelievers under the power of the Law I Reply The Devils no question know Sin they see Sin but not in the true glass of the holy Scripture They see sin as Saul and Iudas c. in the fire of the Coal as dreadful in the punishment but not in the blackness of the Coale as against their new Life and Nature and the purity of the Eternal who hath begotten them unto holiness The Robber and Murtherer bewails his offence at the Gallows though yet his heart is not changed but could he he would murther the Judge and all that had a hand in his Condemnation and Execution The Drunkard hates his Sin as a Tyrant over him only as it brings Discredit to him so is it with the unclean person and every other sinner But it is not so with the Regenerate or new Born who can no more unless deceived and Circumvented touch Sin then the Devil the Father of it nor then Fire can delight in Water nor Light in Darkness 3. It is true that 7 of the Romans is contended for by the Papists and Arminians and in a great measure by the Quakers 107
and some never The Quakers yet are more gross in this point because they maintain that the least that hearken to the Light are born again That they which are born again cannot Sin that they which can not Sin are pure as God is pure and therefore they Falling away from them they must necessarily hold that which is blasphemous of all to be abhorred that God himself may fall from Grace also and is kept down as the 110 as this barking Fox speaks as a Cart laden with sheaves perverting the Scripture by wickedness wicked spirits which are too hard for God and Christ and Spirit in all the Men and Women in the world that do not hearken to their feigned Light and let loose the Imprisoned Cart and Seed c. Wee may make a stand here and observe three things 1. The horrible abuse of Gods Excellent Gifts of Reason and Acuteness which these men so grossly desile in handling the Misteries and Parables of the holy Scripture 2. Gods Infinite Patience in bearing with such a rotten stinking thing as man is 3. What kind of Grace it is that so easily persons Fall away away from and part withal 2. As to Ezek. 18. How doth it follow that because the word Righteousness in which Fox in his wonted Burrough signifies divers things that therefore in this first place it must signify the Imputed Righteousness of God in Christ from which a man really Invested with it may really Totally and Finally depart And Secondly the Sanctifying Righteousness of Christ Jesus adorning a poor sinner Justified and pardoned and of that true Righteousness a truly sanctified Soul and member of Christ Jesus may make shipwrack But is there not beside these a very thirdly Indian Rigâ—teousness when a Barbarian is Innocent and free from Crimes falsly charged on him 4. Is there not a Civil Righteousness when men are free from Gross and Barbarous Courses and live Civilly soberly and justly among their Neighbors 5 Yea is there not a Pharisaical Righteousness which Paul prided himself in viz that concerning the Law he was blameless and yet saith the Lord Jesus Except your Righteousness go beyond this Righteousness you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 6. Again Is there not a Righteousness of the foolish Virgins who hath a shew and Lamp of Profession and make as brave a shew in building as the house upon the Rock it may be fairer and yet no true work of Conversion of the Soul to God nor the Oyle of Gods Spirit in the heart for all their boasting of it The most High and holy will be clear when he is Judged Adam shall live if he keep his Bargain and so shall all his Posterity if they keep the first Covenant 111 If any shall say God knows the Bargain is too hard for us Our first Father did not how shall we c. I Answer what will become then of the Papists and Quakers who say they can and the Papists more also then God commandeth 2. Christ did not mock but meekly and savingly teach the young man when he Answered If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments nor doth he mock the Iews dealing with them upon the Terms of Iustice Obey and live Transgress and die It is a pertinent question why was the holy Law of God written and given so many hundreds of years after man was Fallen and not able to keep his Bargain The Spirit of God Gal. 3 tels us that four hundred and Thirty Years after the Promise to Abraham the Law was written by Gods own Immediate Finger to shew unto man his Sin and Judgements and need of a Mediator promised 3. As to G. Fox Cursing his Adversary as a Diminisher from the holy Scripture I Answer Doth this Face of Brass who hath so horribly slighted the holy Scripture now adore them Is he now zealous for them and against the violation of them Doth he regard the adding to or Detracting from them or the Plagues and Curses therein denounced against the Adders to or Detracters from them Doth he not throughout all his Book and all of them in word and writing deny the holy Scripture to be the word of God and only that Frantick Light or Christ imagined by them to be in all mankinde to be the only Word of God yea is it of any use or more availe to them that have the Scripture in their heart as they say then a dead Letter and an Old Almanack c. O hear O Heavens and give Ear O Earth did ever the Devil vomit out more poyson against God and the Souls of men by the mouths and pens of Iews or Turks or Anti-Christans then these Foxians do in their undermining the holy Scriptures Some know it not Some of them speak Reverently of it The very Papists Confess it to be the very word or Speech of God But the Devil and the Quakers abhor to hear them Verbum Dei the Word of God These bewitched Soules affirme they have a higher Teacher yea 112 every man in the world hath him in them then the Scriptures are and yet they say in horrible simplicity and hypocrisy that they are the Words of God The 58th Instance of G. Fox his slight Answer as in Pag. 356 where he brings in a Book from Holland saying That God hath put out the Remembrance of your Sins and of your Corruptions within you wherein you must fight all your Life Time G. Fox whilst the Sins you are fighting withal are not blotted out in your own particulars this is not the Life of the Saints They are not fighting all their Life Time but come to the Kingdome of God witnessing sin and Iniquity blotted out and the Everlasting Covenant of Peace and Life with God I Reply This subtle Mountebank having gotten a Scaffold he acts Tricks wonderful in the Eyes of the simple yet as in all his Books he shews no knowledge of the Hebrew and the Greek whence our English Scripture comes as a Daughter from the Mother so falls he short of most English writers who scorns to disgrace their Mother English by so much bastard and false English as this poor Mountebank hath done in all his Books If ever any poor empty Soul have talkt of God without God Of a Christ and the holy Spirit within without them or any true Savour of them of the holy writings of God without any true Reverence and love to them Of Light without any Spark of true Illuminations of sin without any true Sence of the Exceeding Sinfulness of it This Empty Cask this loud Boaster and Censurer is one of them 1. His Answer saith three things in Effect 1 That no sin is blotted out until there be no more Root nor Seed of it in the Soul to fight against I Reply to this I have spoke much before and shewed how clear it is against so much holy Scripture against the Counsels and