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
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
a perfect man to the Unity of the Faith to the measure and stature of the Fulness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them And thou saith They have no part of the Fulness of the Godhead and Iohn saith of his Fulness have we all received in whom dwells the Godhead bodily and ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the Fulness I Reply It was doubtless an horrible Crime which the Jews though maliciously and falsly Objected 48 1. Against the Lord Jesus viz. that be being a man should make himself God What shall we say to these bruitish and blasphemous Foxians vile worms of the Earth yesterday creeping out of their holes slaves and Hellhounds as we all bâ— Nature are so horribly to set their faces as David speaks again the Heavens vapouring themselves to be in the Godhead yea in the Fulness of the Godhead and that also bodily so that what was applicable and proper to the Body of the Son of God is proper and applicable unto them his Body in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily 2. See the horrible Egyptian Darkness the Lord hath justly poured upon these feigned Goshenites They exclaim against us for using that Title God-man and ask where we find such a phraze in Scripture And yet they rest not in that Title Emanuel God with us nor the Fulness of the Godhead bodily in Christ but Sacrilegious Robbers in Effect arrogate the Title and thing to themselves to be God-men and God-women the Godhead dwelling in them bodily 3. Whereas G. Fox here saith the work of the Ministry was to bring men to a perfect man c. I Answer He grossly abuseth that heavenly Ephes. 4. which concerneth the Fulness and perfection of all the Elect of God the whole Body the Church of the first-Born applying it unto every particular deluded Convert of theirs as being as perfect as holy as much God as Christ Jesus God blessed for ever himself 4. I may use the Exprobations of Moses against Korah Dathan and Abiram Is it not enough for you c. but will you seek the Priesthood also Is it not enough that the most High Potter made us Men and Women and not Serpents and Toads c. not Pagans Turks Iews Papists c. but English Protestants c. but we will be also Infinites Eternals Omnipotents Omniscients Will not the Infinite favour of Leave to drink of some heavenly drops of the Infinite Inconceivable Ocean of his Goodness satisfie and content us but we will be Gods with the Devil and our first Parents We will be the Inconceivable Ocean it self Is it not enough for a Proud Rebel to be fetcht from the Gallows by a smile of his Prince but he must be the Prince and King himself 5. The Pagans of the World as they are wild to all Civility so to all Divinity and heavenly matters They apprehend a Doity 49 as a Lyon Whale Dragon Giant Tyrant they feignedly will strive to pacifie him to make use of his help in Sickness in Wars in Plagues and Droughts but they will call Men and Women Gods too yea Dogs and Geese yea any Creature Manittoo God that is or doth any thing strange unto them And thus the Melitans presently cried out of Paul that he was a God And the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men c. 6. Therefore doth it please the most High and only Wise to meet often with the Pharaoh's the Absolom's the Nebuchadezzars the Hamans the Herods of this World yea with whole Nations Cities Armies and Navies for their Pride as he did with Sodom in signal and remarkable strokes and Judgements yea with his Iobs and Hezechiah 's and Paul's in danger to be puffed up in voices and questions out of the Whirlwind till we more and more come to see how perfect we are in Dirt and Stink and Filth of Death and Hell crawling like Monsters of Pride and self-conceitedness upon this Earth his Glorious Footstool The 25. Instance is in Pag. 90. He brings in the same Author saying There is a kinde of Infiniteness in the Soul and it cannot be Infiniteness it self He Answers Is not the Soul without beginning coming from God and returning into God again who hath it in his hand which Hand goes against him that doth Evil which throws down that which wars against it and Christ the power of God the best of the Soul which brings it up into God which came out from him hath this a beginning or ending and is not this Infinite in it self and more than all the World I Reply More brieâ—ly having spoken of the Soul before That the Soul or Spirit of a Man should be boundless or without limits without beginning or ending is a Blasphemous Monster begotten of Hellish Pride the Father and Hellish Ignorance the Mother for Infinity and Infiniteness in that sence can be no other but the Infinite and Eternal Power and Godhead transcending the Capacity or Men or Angels to receive it or conceive the nature of it 2. It is true in a secondary way a posteriori as they say the Spirits of Angels and men are as a Lamp lighted by the most high and In 50 finite Majesty never to go out or be extinguished in joy or sorrow This Notion dazles the most sober and steady Eye and Braine but who can finde a Centre or Clod of standing from whence to entertain a thought of no Beginning no created finite power can reach to what Infinity is 3. We see the mighty Kings and Emperours their mighty Armies and Navies have Bounds as the-roaring Waves of the Ocean have the most Glorious Sun and Heavenly Bodies have their limited Motions the Dayes and Nights the Summer and Winter the Light and Darkness know their periods of beginning and ending c. All have their hitherto and no further set by the Infinite Eternal Arm no further But all the stars of heaven the drops of the Ocean the Sand on the Sea shore the Leaves and Grass of the whole World are all too short to reach to the thought of one Minute of that which properly is Gods only propriety to wit Infinity 4. Among all the Opinions of the Souls Being and Rise this of Infinity making it God himself commits two horrible Murthers First It Murthers and destroys the Soul And Secondly The Infinite God himself For the Soul of Man by such a world of woful experience being so subject to change to sins and sorrows of all sorts If this should be the Infinity of the Soul and so of God himsâ—lf there would be no Infinity at all so stopt so limited by sins and sorrows 5. We use to say hyperbollically that such and such a doing is Infinite Pride but surely it is wonderful and devilish lifting up of the mind of a poor Earthen Pot though never
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
this side the Grave I utterly deny G. Fox Answereth Where Glory is in the least degree it is in perfection and who have not Glory and doth â—ot attain to Glory on this side the Grave they are in a sad condition for the Saints rejoyce with joy unspeakable and full of Glory c. I Reply as the Swinish Epicures and Dives's of this World what ever they formally and loosely profess have no solid hope of peace and joy to come after this life and therefore like Bâ—uit Beasts practically confess it saying in their hearts and Life 154 let us eat and drink for to morrow we shall dye so do this cynical and doggid kind of Philosophers the Quakers profess plainly though some would cover it no hopes of a rising of the Body but what they have here no hopes of a Heaven but what they have here no hell but what they in their minds have past through no Judgement but what as Saints they are now executing I know that some of the Quakers will not believe that G. Fox and others of them deny the Resurrection c. but if they will not willingly fish let them read and consider these my Quotations from G. Fox Ed. Burrowes and Iohn Stubs their Book in Folio and let them also know that whatever they profess against this that I have said that is but horrible Hypocrisie and Deceit for they would not in all our Disputations depart one hair from those horrible and monstrous Blasphemies and bruitish Reasonings in G. Fox and Edward Burrowes We came to the ninth Proposal the second in order to be debated at Providence viz all that the Quakers Religion requires externally and internally to make Converts or Proselytes amounts to no more then what a Reprobate may easily attain to and perform I did not the Father of Spirits is my holy witness sling this in as a Firebrand of Reprobation against either Teachers or Followers called Quakers it is true they do so against all that ever were not or are not or shall not be in their Opinion but my hope is that many amongst these misled and wandring Souls may come to Abrahams Bosome c. yet this I assert that thousands and ten thousands may be of their Religion and may have gotten all that their Religion requires or performs yea all that their Principles call for outwardly or inwardly and yet not be accepted but rejected from the holy and gracious presence of God I told them that I had this notion from a man famous in his day Mr. W. Perkins who having been a deboist young man in Cambridge after the call of God to him he proved famous in Preaching and Writing and with a lame Club hand he wrote admirably against the Papists and maintained that all Popery preacht to the making of Converts or Proselytes amounted to no more then what Reprobates may easily attain unto I say the same of common Protestants and of the Quakers they may have a great measure of sorrow for sin great resolu 155 tions great Reformations great Rejoycings great and wonderful performances endure great persecutions endure burning of the Body in the Flames and yet be far from the true Protestant Religion either in the true Doctrine and Principles or in the true life and practice of it For the Foundation both of the Papists and Quakers Faith is laid upon the Sand of Rotten Nature which they both only adorn and trim as the dead Carcasses and Coffins with Roses and Lillies and other Flowers and Garlands their own penances satisfactions Alms Prayers Fastings Suffrings which are but Womens filthy Clouts and Dung of Men and Beasts put into the ballance of Gods infinite Justice instead of the infinite Righteousness and Satisfaction of the Son of God poor Souls they know not that the whole Creation visible and invisible seen and unseen known and unknown cannot reach Gods most holy and inconceivable justice for the least evil word or thought Neither of these nor millions of Protestants much less millions of millions in one evil word or thought then in all the sorrows and calamities felt in this life or justly feared in the liâ—e a coming With the Quakers 't is known that if a notorious Drunkard c be convinced and come to hearken to a Spirit within him to say Thou and Thee and think himself equal and above all his former Superiours c. he is Justified he is Sanctified and so Holy that he cannot sin in Thoughts Words and from this high Mount looks down on all others especially if opposite as Pharisees Publicans Cains c. Thus they pretend Repentance Faith and a change of heart because they have changed their talk their Garments c. But 1. I told them that true Repentance lay in a discovery of sin as sin as greater than the greatest filthiness in the world no poverty no shame no loss like unto it c. 2 In an utter inability to contribute one mite either from self or from the whole Creation toward satisfaction to infinite Majesty and Justice for the least evil thought or imagination 3. That as blessed Iohn Bradford said to God Lord thou art Heaven I am Hell viz. that in the best natural Soul in the World there is nothing but a Kennil an Hogstie a den of Atheisme Murther Theft Fornication Adultery and all kinde of Wickedness 156 4. That I have not so much in me as to desire Deliverance nor to be sensible of any need of it 5. That it is only mercy and rich free Grace that worketh in me or any Soul a Sence of my Condition a Sence of Justice a Sence of Mercy 6. That it is Mercy only worketh a willingness a new desire new Affections towards my Maker towards my Ransomer who paid his Bloud his Heart-Bloud the Bloud of God to ransome and redeem me 7. That in this work Mercy not only worketh a Sence a thirst after Pardon and Peace with my Maker but also after a Conformity and Likeness unto God 8. Because I cannot reach this the Mercy and Pitty of God worketh in my Soul a longing after God and after the turning of the whole Soul unto God and after those seven Evidences of true Repentance 2. Cor. 7. 9. This is in true Christian Repentance and turning of the whole Soul unto God viz. to receive every thought every motion every desire upon the account of Mercy and Pitty as ever poor Dog received Crum or Bone under the Table Much of this I spake publickly as also that no Papist nor Quaker by their grounds could get up this Iacobs Ladder much less upon those higher grounds and steps of casting off Self of doing all purely for God and in Gods eye of meekness and Mercy to other poor drowning Soules of pure Love to God for Himself for his Holiness Mercy Goodness yea for his Iustice of quiet and patient and thankfull resting in his holy Pleasure whatever he
a greater pride then the Quakers have exprest and would aspire unto although many truly humble Souls may be captivated amongst them I have here two mighty Fields to expatiate and walk in viz. The pride of Christ Iesus his pretended triple-crowned Vicar and the pride of the new Papists pretending to be Christ himself of which the holy Spirit speaketh There is a Generation oh how lofty are their eyes and their eye lids are lifted up In publick Discourse I knew I was but to take a short turn of a quarter of an hour I am now at more liberty of inserting what I intended but was forced to abbridge wlth all possible brevity at that time I told them there was a pride in outward and external things in Parentage in Person in Beauty Strength Wit Aparrel Houses Money Shipping Land Cattle Offices Relations c. this I now past by All these like Diogenes on Platoes carpets the Quakers say they tread on c. There was 2. the devils pride and the devils Condemnation a pride in Spiritual Knowledg spiritual Gifts spiritual Priviledges and Excellencies This was the Devils Break-neck and will be 163 of the Popes and Quakers and of all that aspire to the Eternal power and Godhead for God or they must fall to all eternity I named then diverse Parallels between the Popes and Quakers I will now name all I can remember I named and will name some more at this present First The Popes have exalted themselves above all that is called God above all Civill powers Kings and Princes riding upon their backs disposing of their Crowns making them lead their horses hold their stirrups kiss their toes yea lye down under their feet bodyes and souls and submit their neck to this abominable foot of pride as the Scripture calls it As to the Quakers they know it is not yet time to put on the Lions and the Eagles but the Sheeps and the Foxes Skin but no man need question that if God should please to let loose the Quakers spirit to the full length of its tedder as he hath done that of the Popes the spirit of the Quakers would scorn to come behind the pope For who sees not how at the first fledging and creeping out of the Shell how they boast and vapour of their numbers We said W. E. to me in publick at Newport are a great People many thousands in England many thousands in London besides Virginia Barbados N-England and other places what would they say and doe if they had the popes Universality and could boast of the many Waters Peoples Nations Tongues and Multitudes upon which the Whore sitteth Beside W. E. a man fit to make a Bonefacius or a Hildebrand Iohn Stubs also though of a more prudent and moderate spirit was up with the same boasting of their Numbers and all of them are ready to cry up their Diana whome all Asia and the world worshippeth But 2. In their first creeping like Hercules out of the Cradle how doth this Spirit dare the Spirits of Kings and Keyfars and Popes themselves under the pretence of Translations and acceptations of words to Thou and Thee to the faces of mighty Monarchs with what Brasen Faces have they addrest the Royal presence of our Gracious Dread Soveraign without either bowing the knee or baring the Head signs of English reverence and civility and this out of an horrible and lying pretence that Christs amity even in Civil things respecteth no mans person that they may trample as Gods on all man-kinde c. 164 3. I can say what mine eyes and ears have seen and heard viz. our Honoured and Aged Mr. Nicholas Easton Governour of this Colony under his Majesty offering to speak once and twice in our late Contests at Newport and no question would have spoke for the Quakers against me yet Pope Edmundson put forth his hand imperiously toward the Governour saying Whist Whist which whisting and silencing Language if they use to their Friends in Authority what will they say or Thunder to their Enemies if ever they get up into the Papal Chair 2. The Pope sits in the Temple of God as over the Churches and Consciences of the Christian Name and Worship giving Canons and Decretals to be observed by all Christian People on peril of loss of Earth and Heaven c. And do not their new Popes not regarding as the Apostles and Bereans the Holy Scripture lay on the common Quakers Consciences and Congregations their Decrees t is true G. Fox in his Book in Folio gives the immediate Spirit of Infallibility to all his Saints yet must they in a ridiculous contradiction sit still possest with a Dumb Devil except some He or She Apostle come amongst them who send word of their coming to call the Country in many dayes before and seem to have a Command of their Diabolical Spirit more then other Quakers have though they as I said before in a ridiculous Contradiction ascribe it unto all their Saints and Quakers Thus did Humphrey Norton a Pope in his day in these parts overtopping and rating W. Brand at Newport he confirmed the Decree for the weekly Meetings not only on the first dayes but on the week dayes at Newport and Providence he ordered their sitting and departing Dumb unless a He or She Apostle came amongst them he left in writing which I can produce an overthrow of all civil Order and Government except in the hands of his Saints entituling his Paper thus the Saints Law and the Sinners Law as G. Fox his decree under the title of the Law G. Fox succeeds as Pope Humph. Norton in these parts and being angry with his Predecessour as some Popes have been he lets loose the Dumb Devil and gives Liberty to all to speak as the Spirit gives them utterance this shews what a lying Spirit of Unity they boast of such an one was in Nailors business though they most proudly deny Unity to all but to themselves as 165 the Papists do G. Fox also gave forth his Decree of loosing them from that bruitish and doggid Behaviour which W. Brand and Humphrey Norton left them in and by Word and Example commanded them to be more sociable and manlike so that many of them will speak in Salutations and shew some reverence by bowing the Heads or uncovering it as Fox himself did after his Sermon at Providence uncovering his Head and bowing to the People and passing through the midst of them his Hat in his hand with much respect and civility And he blames those as I hear which violently and madly have flung themselves upon unnecessary temptations and dangers whence follows in the eyes of the whole World that either the latter or the former Spirit was not Gods and perfect and the Spirit of Unity of which they childishly so crake and vapour as the chiefest Flower in their Crown of Pride 3. The Pope lifts up himself as God over
to be as Pighius and Echius amongst the Papists and as Bellarmine the greatest Writer amongst them I told my Opposites I would therefore Answer this Bellarmine and I would not say Bellarmine thou liest but I would by Holy Scripture shew G. Fox and his deluding Foxians how the old Fox the old Serpent was too crafty for them all and had brought them and their Followers to the brim of the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone First then I said let who will that understands true English and are able to read and write true English though he know no more take G. Fox his Folio Book in hand and tell me whether 183 through his whole Book he writes like an English-man And though he upbraids all his Opposites scornfully and ridiculously as poor Children that know not the Bible nor their Accidence in saying you to a singular c. whether in many scores of places in his Book he confounds not the singular and the Plural I confess when I urged this in publick my Opposites desired of me no proof of this out of Foxes Book and therefore remembering my quarter hour Glasse I fpared Quotations but now through Gods patience and my Readers my Tedder being longer I shall give one or two brief Proofs and Instances In page 282. in G. Fox his second Answer he saith You where you are sees him nor where it should be the Plural see him not if this Proud Bruit had known either his Accidence or the Bible In Page 300. he saith The Scriptures is able to make wise unto Salvation which should be are able c. In Page 16. The Churches was to hear for were to hear In Page 110. As thou doth which should be as thou dost And abundance more of this Boyes English all his Book over which I cannot impute to his Northern Dialect having been so long in the South and London and read and answered as he dreams so many English Books nor to the Printer the faults of that kinde being so numerous but to the finger of the most High and most Holy whose property it is and therefore delights to run thwart and cross the shins of proud and insulting Souls and Spirits 2. I observe throughout his Book a Devillish Black Line of despising those that are Good as the Scripture speaketh He counts none Godly but himself and his Foxians yea there is no God no Christ no Spirit but what is in him and them feelingly though they say he is in every man and woman in the world and Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousness and the Holy Spirit and the Kingdome of God which they confess consists in Righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirits and yet as they impiously and simply speaks these Inhabitants and Hosts to all these Guests know nothing of their lodging and dwelling within them G. Fox gives a shrewd suspition that he never knew what the true fear and love and peace and joy of God mean if he did is it possible that he could puff at so many Writers excellent for great Knowledge and godliness denying any thing of God or 184 Christ or Spirit or Grace to be in them some of them eminent servants of God I have known of others of them I have smelt the sweet Odour of an Heavenly report from the mouthes of others and in their Writings But as G. Fox will be found to adore an Image Crucifix for the true Lord Jesus so whatever he say of others will his Faith his Love his Spirit of Discerning and Hope of Glory and Salvation prove without Repentance dolefully false in the latter end For doth not this Proud Censor know that men may be true Saints in their persons and yet be subject to sudden Epileptical Falling Fits may not David walk with God with a perfect heart and yet in the matters of Bathsheba and Uriah and many other particulars fall down like a Jewel into the Dirt that Christ Jesus owns Peter and his Confession c. and yet in another case get thee behind me Sathan That Peter resolves to dye for Jesus and yet denies with Cursing and Swearing that he never knew him and after Christs Resurrection and Ascention even Peter plays the Hypocrite Dissembler Yea did not the high Fathers in Godliness famous Kings in Gods Church live long in the incivility of many Wives and the impiety of Worshipping in the High places c. to what purpose doth the Lord inspire his holy Pen-men to write these holy Histories was it to shame his Saints departed or to shame his own Holiness and to cast a stumbling block and a protection for after sinners and transgressors or amongst other holy ends to teach us like Moses to distinguish between an Egyptian whom he slew and the Israelites whom he chid for wronging each other since they were their Brethâ—en so that he is a poor Christian Goldsmith that knows not to discern the Gold of Holiness and the Copper of Hypocrisie yea and to give the best Gold in the World its due allowance with which it will pass currant in Earth and Heaven with God and such who truly know and love him But with G. Fox in all this great Book the most humble and able godly and conscientious are with him but Vipers Serpents Cains Iudasses false Prophets Pharisees dumb Dogs Sorcerers Witches Reprobates Devils c. 3. In this Book of G. Fox all along he denies the Scripture to be the Word of God and he said that every man in the world hath that Spirit that gave forth Scriptures and that all Saints are 185 acted by the same Spirit immediately that moved the Prophets and Apostles and holy Pen-men of the holy Scriptures all tending to vilifie and nullifie the Holy Scriptures Besides his Impiety in these Assertions which half an eye of Mahumetans Iewes Papists Protestants will see I note his Simplicity for a Fox though he be crafty is but a Beast still For out of his Piety he grants the holy Scriptures through all his Book to be the Words of God though not the Word of God and for this his Grant he quotes Exod. 20. God spake all these Words and the four Books of the Revelations which I nor my Opposites could tell in publick what to make of But if they are the Words of God and fome of them fearfully written by the inconceivable Finger of God once and twice then every particular word of these words must needs be the Word or Will or mind of God every grain of gold is gold and every drop in the Ocean is Water and Salt too as I urged to them before concerning every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God else the Words of God when brought to particular examination they are not the word of God but of Angels or Men or Devills How sweet are not Words but right Words every man shall kiss his lips that gives
and Hope shortly to see them shall now this Glad news or Gospel though but a few raggs made Paper be stiled a Dead letter yea a Killing letter though it contain nothing as the Christian Gospel or Glad news doth not but glad news or Tidings 8. Hence it is that we read so often of Preaching the Gospel of Believing the Gospel and that as before Paul calls it his Glad news or Gospel because it was his work to tell it Yea but saith this Deceiver throughout his Book A man may have the Letter and Form without the Power and Life c. I Answer Who knows not that and that a Form picture is not the man himself who knows not that Iudas notwithstanding his pretended Love and Kissing of Christ Iesus that yet he had not the Life power of true Love and heavenly affection but doth it follow that living and moving Bodyes have not Souls Spirits within them because that pictures have not That none preach Christ Iesus truly because that G. Fox preacheth an immaginary and Allegorical Christ in order to establish himself the only true Christ and the Eternal Son of God as many bewitched Souls call him 9. What is this but to cheat poor Birds with the Chaff Falacy of dividing the Body from the Soul the Letter from the Meaning the Instrument or Tool from the Workman or Husbandman using it the Gospel or glad news from Believing of it Ah poor cheated Souls called Quakers all of you why do you willingly out of pretended Enlightnings Experiences shut your eye of common Sense and Reason not daring to call good news good news because some or the most will not Believe it was it not so with the women preaching or telling the good news or gospel although few or none were found to believe that Christ was risen 10. The truth is search your cheating Familiars narrowly you will find that your selves and the Papists would make an Holy Day of that Day in which all the Bibles in the world were burnt that you may establish your infallible spirits Traditions I know I wronge you not I have too much proof of it which you would se if the heart were not the arrantest Cheater in the World and your selves not willing to be cheated T is true Antiochus attempted the burning of Moses and the Prophets out of the world some of the bloudy Emperours followed on in Antiochus his bloudy Steps raging against the Scriptures also the Romane Popes in theirs and common reason may tell all men and the Quakers themselves 195 that if the same power come into their hands as Antiochus the Romane Emperours had the holy Scriptures shall not if they can effect it trouble them or others one day in the world longer But of this more in the next and last Position A 5th Instance is pag 10 where G. Fox brings in Iohn Bunian saying It is not Faith and works that justifie in the sight of God but it is Faith and good works which justifie in the sight of men only c. He answers Abraham was not justified to men only by his Obedience but to God and where is Faith there is Iustification which works by Love and the Saints Faith works were not only to justifie them in the sight of men for the Work of God is to doe what he saith his Will which who doth not are not justified in so doing but to be beaten with Stripes who seek to be justified by their Faith and Works in the sight of men are Dead Faith Works both I Reply In this great business of justification Pardon of Sin which Luther called the great Wall of Seperation between us and the Papists I humbly hope to shew how lame this Fox is and that he his Foxians agree with the Papists Arminians Socinians against the true Protestants in this fundamental business For what is Iustification but a Pardon written and sealed and declared from the King of Heaven to poor condemned Traitors That this Pardon may be merited by any Price that we or all the World can offer is denied by true Protestants but affirmed in effect by the proud unbroken Souls of Papists Arminians Socinians and these Foxians called Quakers It is true after a condemned Soul hath received a Pardon or Iustification from his King freely without Desert upon the Princes Mediation he declares his loyal and thankfull Obedience c. but is this his Pardon Iustification as our subtle Simpletons imagine Again that Abraham was pardoned or justified it is all one for his Work sake as this blind Soul â—aith how doth Rom. 3 4. and the Epistle to the Galathians cry out and the experience of every true broken Heart cry out Lyar against such proud and Popish Blasphemies Further If all the Righteousness of the best of men that is their good Thoughts good Words good Actions Aims Prayers Preachings Sufferings be but as Womens Menstruous filthy Clouts as the Most High calls them what Popish and frantick Madness is it in Fox to talk of Iustification before God by works or by Obedience A 6th Instance is Pag 16. where he brings in Henoch Howet saying It is an Expression of a dark deluded Mind to say that God is not distinguished from the Saints G. Fox Answ. But God and Christ is in 196 the Saints and walks in them and he is is a Reprobate and out of the Apostles Doctrine I reply to this Canting Gypsie in Pag. 74. He denyes the Position of Ralph Farmer viz. That God the Creator is eternally distinct from all Creatures and that Christ being God only in one Person remains a distinct person from all Men and Angels Also in the same Page that God is distinct in his Being and Blessedness from all Creatures I Answer is it not Sufficient that poor Dust and Ashes poor Chaff and Stubble may be admitted to a Parly with the Heavenly Majesty and receive Smiles of his Countenance in the Face of the only begotten Prince Mediator to be cloathed with the Virgins diverse Collours and heavenly Affections but with the Devil and our first Parents we must aspire to the throne of the Incomprehensible Majesty and Godhead also Besides Let mans Common Sence be Umpire is there no Distinction between Infinite and Finite between the Infinite Ocean of Majesty power goodness Wisdom c. and the poor Dross of which Men Angles are Partakers The King dwells in White-Hall and in other of his Royal Palaces is therefore no Distinction between the King and his Houses though some may be braver then others And yet Fox saith his Opposite is a Reprobate I ask why The only Reason Fox gives is because he licks not up the filthy and hellish poyson of Foxes childish and hellish Blasphemy against the Eternal Godhead A 7th Instance is Pag. 22. where he brings in Ioseph Kellet saying They be all alienated from God and
offer Eternal Praise by and in the Eternal Son of God the true Lord Iesus Christ whome I desire joyfully to expect to return from Heaven as literally and personally as all true Christians hold Act. 1. he is ascended AN APENDIX OR Addition of Proofs unto my thirteenth Position Viz. That the Quakers Writings are Poor Lame and Naked not able to defend themselves nor comfort the Souls of others with any solidity I could produce most of their chief extant but I have been occasioned to deal with G. Fox their great Goliah in some Scores of Passages of his Book in Folio in the Narrative aforesaid Unto which I judge fit to adde the Scores following faithfully presenting his Opposites Words as he quotes them his Answers and then my Reply let him that Readeth understand I Have chosen out the short Assertions of G. Fox his Opposites as he quotes them and his short Answer for brevity sake c. 1. The first of this Addition I name is in pag. 6. of G. Fox his Folio Book where he brings in Samuel Eaton saying The Apostle faying to the Saints You know all things it is 2 an excessive speech G. Fox Answer contrary to Iohn and would make him a Lyar the Minister of God so he is in the false spirit gone out into the World contrary to 1. Ioh. 2. Who know all things I Reply 1. I cannot learn that they litterally hold that they know all things knowable as God though G. Fox writes that they know all things as God yet I can not think them so gross as to imagine that they know all things past present and to come as the Devil pretends he doth and offers to reveal so much to some Conjurers but I judge they must come to some figurative meaning as their opposite writeth For 2. What hinders as before but if the Quakers be Omniscient and know all things but they should be also Omnipotent and do all things for so Paul writes Phil. 4. I can do all things I know they say they are one with God and Christ and they know all things and can do all things and yet this sense which litterally is so Proud and Blasphemous must be made out by a meaning and by a figure which they cry out against in others 3. Therefore doth not the Spirit of God in Prov. 28. open this to us saying Evil men understand not Iudgement but they that seek the Lord understand all things that is God answers their Prayers and inables them to know and do all that he calls them to when the proud and scornful are rejected 4. Therefore I believe it is that the most Holy and most just and wise Lord leaves these poor proud and scornful Souls to seek wisdome and not to find it to be ignorant knowing nothing as Gods Spirit speaketh and to discover their Ignorance in so many Fundamentals of Christianity and in so many practices immodest irrational and more then savage as I have proved against them 2. In pag. 11. G. Fox brings in John Bunyan c. saying The Scripture plainly denies that Conscience can justifie though it may condemn He Answ. which is contrary to Scripture where the Apostle saith Rom. 2. their Consciences either accusing or excusing And again herein do I exercise my self to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men and the Light condemns which you call Conscience c. I Reply Conscience in greek Latine and English c. signifies a Knowing together a Reâ—lexion or looking back of a mans mind or Spirit upon it self in point of Iustification or pardon of sin 3 Conscience looks upon a cursed rotten Nature then upon millions of sins of Omiâ—â—ion and Commission which how to satisfie an infinite Justice for and to attain a new heart and nature is the high business and out of the reach or thought of that poor Conscience which every man Iew or Gentile Civilized or Pagan comes into the World with In the great Tryal of the three greatest sinners that ever were in this World the Devil and the first Man and first Woman two of them their Consciences condemned them and they confest the Fact though with extenuation and Excuses could this their condemning Conscience especially with mincing of sin as all mens natural Consciences do I say could this Conscience or Consession pardon their sin reniew their hearts and be their Justification or clearing and Salvation T is true Abimelechs Conscience justified him from the Fact of lying with Abrahams Wife as well as Iosephs Conscience justified him from the falsly imputed guilt of lying with his Mistress or attempting of it But was this the Pardon of Abimelechs sin his Justification and Salvation after the Canting Language of this poor Fox and all the Foxians that I have seen and I have read all I could come at c. Oh how little do these poor Beasts seek what infinite Justice infinite Punishment infinite Payment is what Conscience truly pacified is upon the Pardon of Sin and true peace of Conscience Sprinkled with the Blood of that only Lambe of God Christ Jesus Amongst the Indians I have known some falsely accused of stealing English Mens goods of killing English Mens Cattle yea of Murther and I have heard them say that Manit that is God and their own Souls know they are Innocent This Innocency who questions but that it is their plea and excuse and discharge from that guilt falsly charged on them If this be all that G. Fox saith he beats the Air and hath no Enemy No no It is a Conscience Justification within a Christ shedding his blood within in a subtle fly opposition to the pardon without us from the K. of Heaven for the sake of his Son without us this is the business which these Traitors to the K. of Heaven aim at Now they will be perfect and never more admit a sinful thought and this their present Honesty shall pay the old score of a Cursed Na 4 ture and millions of Treasons and Rebellions in Commissions and Omission against the God of Heaven It was a pertinent Similitude used before Q Elizabeth A King sent for his Lord Deputy of a Province to come home and give account c. The guilty Deputy goes to a great friend desires his Company c. he said He was sent for also himself and feard his own Issue He goes to others desires their Company c. They make excuse and promise to have him or the way c. Then goes the Deputy to an old friend who promised to go with him and what he could speak for him only if the K. asked he must speak the Truth and that will be said he your Destruction and therefore adviz'd him to make the young Prince his Friend and Mediator for whose sake the King would deny no Favour no pardon no Honour c. The Application may be large and useful but in short A
Prophecies of Scriptures or the written foretellings and utterings concerning Jesus Christ. Thus the God of Heaven most holy and only wise stoops to our weakness and calls his mind his word his works his word his Providences of mercy or Judgement his Word the Lord Jesus his only begotten his word his writings his Word and this in a way of Condescention to our Capacity seeing that all the World over Kings and Rulers Fathers Masters of Families of Ships c. give the word that is the manifestation of their mind and will and this as the Spring in Clocks and watches turn about all other wheels and motions Hence it is that if ancient Records and Deeds with Hands and Seals be produced at the Bar of Trial all mouths are stopt at such Evidences Thus the Word of God in the mouths of the Prophets written for after Generations is Comparatively beyond the Report of Peter 25 and Iohn themselves is in all Religions The Iews have their Talmud the Turks their Alcheron the Pope his Decretans and the Protestants the Written Word or Scriptures When therefore a Pardon is written and Sealed with the Board Seal of a King or State what a fancy is it for a condemned Wretch to hearken first to a Pardon revealed within to a voice within to a King within to a Writing within a Seal within and so slighting the true pardon in the Kings way to be conveyed from without to the Mind and Spirit within to lose his Pardon and Deliverance as thousands of such poor cheated Souls must do A 14 Instance G Fox brings in Pag. 49. his Opposite Ralph Hall saying It is against the Light of Nature for Women to Preach c. G. Fox Answers Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the mind of God and the Prophets who said God would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and Daughters should Prophesie So that he is a limiter of the Holy one a quencher of the Spirit and in the Darkness and this is above the Light of Nature I Reply First What is the Light of Nature but the Light in which every man comes into the World with as the Foxians speak a Light differing from that Light which Beasts wilde and tame and Birds and Fishes have And a Second Light differing from what is Supernatural as that Light revealed from Heaven in the Holy Scriptures and infused into the Souls of Men by the Holy Spirit or Power of God 2. What is the Light of Nature in Man but that Order which the most Glorious Former of all things hath set like Wheeles in Clocks or Watches a going in all his Creatures Some have observed that in the Insensible Creatures to which the most High hath only giving Beings that there may be observed a Male and Female amongst them This is more observable in Vegetables or growing Creatures as in Plants Trees Herbs Flowers c. More yet in Sensitives as Birds Beasts Fishes Most of all in Rationals Men and Women whom the most High hath so wonderfully distinguished It is true that in Religious and Christian Matters there is no 26 respect of persons with God as of Man before the Woman otherwise than to order Natural and Civil The Woman is Predestinated is Called is Justified is Glorified and wears that Golden Chain as well as the Wisest and Strongest of Mankinde And it is true the Wisdome of God perfers some Women before thousands of Men in their being born of Nobles in excellent parts as is observable in the Lady Iane and Queen Elizabeth c. in some special favour as Christ Jesus first appearing to Mary Magdalen and other Women and sending them to carry the first Tydings or Gospel of his Resurrection to his Apostles yea in effusions or powrings forth of an extraordinary measure of his Spirit before Christs coming as on Miriam Deborah Anna Huldah c. and at his coming according to Ioels Prophesie on his Daughters as well as his Sons so that as my opposites alledged to me in publick Philip the Evangelist had four Daughters thus extraordinarily endâ—wed yet this favour of God toward Women destroys not the order which the God of Order or Nature hath set in those Bounds and Limits and Distinctions between the Male and Female the Man and Woman though the Holy Scripture were silent yet Reason and Experience tell us that the Woman is the weaker Vessel that she is more fitted to keep and order the House and Children c. that the Lord hath given a covering of longer Hair to Women as a sign or teacher of covering Modesty and Bashfulness Silence and Retiredness and therefore not so fitted for Manly Actions and Employments Therefore because of Ioels Prophesie or because we must not limit or quench the Spirit as G. Fox saith there is no ground in Gods ordinary course of Nature to permit Women to pretend to be Apostles or Messengers to the Nation or Preachers and Teachers in the Publick Assemblies 1. Because we finde no such Commission given by Christ Jesus or any such Practice amongst the first Believers 2. The Lord hath set as Seamen speak a preventer to such an unnatural boldness by express Prohibitions with the Reasons and Grounds to the Corinthians and to Timothy and to answer those Scriptures with a flam viz. that Eve the Transgressor and Women that be Tatlers are forbidden and the Woman Iezebel 27 c. is all one to tell us that Paul was not a Man nor Timothy a Man nor the Teachers Men nor Corinth a City but all signifie Metaphorical and Mystical Business 3. Why may not Women much more be Lord Majors and Bailiffs and Sherriffs and Iustices and Constables Captains Colonels Generals and Commanders by Sea and Land 4. That Reason the Spirit gives to the Corinthians for the vailing of Women in publick Assemblies makes much more for their vailing and silence in matters of Prophesying Preaching and Praying viz. Because of the Angels I know not any fair and sober Exposition of this Scripture except as the blind Quakers who swallow down a fly Camel too but that of the Heavenly Angels and Spirits attending on and guarding the Assemblies of true Christians and rejoycing in the comliness order and beauty of their publick Administrations Some few years since there came to my House two Maries it is said they came from London they bid me Repent and Hearken to the Light within me I prayd them â—o sit down that we might quietly reason together they would not then standing I askt them the ground of their such Travel and Employment they alledged Ioels Prophesie I answered that was fulfilled that was not every dayes work besides their business was not Prophetical but Apostolical c. they regarded not my Answers nor Admonitions but powred the Curses and Judgements of God against me and hurried away to Barbadoes they went and being War
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
what G. Fox and his so often 39 Clamour that the Kingdome of God consists in or its Nature is in Righteousness and Peace and Ioy in the holy Spirit as opposite to the Kingdome in the Pharisees and all Hipocrites and prophane c. as Hell to Heaven 5. The thing is so notoriously childish and ridiculous c. that a King should affirm he was an actual King in his Enemies Country where the whole is up in Arms against him Or for a Lamb to say he was amongst the Wolves and held his Government in them Or that a man pretending Love to a Woman in way of marriage should boldly affirm though she abhord to hear of the motion yet that he was in her Heart and Affections as an Husband Lord c. It is true the motions of War and Love are made and offerd from the King warring and the man suing but that their motions and Commands that is Government and Kingdome should be in them is nothing but impious and impudent and childish prating The 20th Instance is in pag. 75. where G. Fox brings in Thomas Weld c. saying How clear the Scripture is that Faith comes by hearing and not by minding the Light within He Answers Doth any man know Christ but by the Light within And is not Christ the Word And can any see without Christ the Word Doth it not make â—anifest Nay doth it not give the Light of the knowledge of God in the face of Iesus Christ read 2 Cor. 4. 1. from whence Faith comes and so Fâ—ith comes by minding the Light within Christ the Author of it and brings to look at him and hear him I Reply mine eyes have seen a poor distracted aged woman walking in State boasting of her Majesty Iewels and Crown with a Straw in her hand for her Scepter c. and thus doth this poor mad Soul walk even like Nebuchadnezzar upon his Babel All is Christ and he is Christ Christ is Faith and all c therefore 1. He slights this so known and unquestionable Record Faith comes by hearing and that heavenly Chain of Diamonds Rom. 10. concerning true Salvation true worshipping true praying true believing true preaching true sending which holy writing or Record Fox dares not seriously and impartially and in the fear of the most High consider as to the various means and wayes of Gods sending unto man 2. For all G. Fox his Scepter of Straw his mad fancy of a 40 Light that works Faith c. I ask what Faith is and if it be not First a believing the Gospel or Glad News to be true Secondly a receiviving of it and believing in it mine own particular As First that a pardon is certainly come Secondly that my Name is in it my deliverance and Salvation is wrapt up in it The great King of Heaven like Ahashuerosh his Angeâ— is evâ—r now he hath thoughts of marriage Loves and Ioyes and Secondly I though a poor Captive Iew poor Esther I am she his Eye hath fixt on and his Soul delights in 3dly I askt what preaching is but the publishing or divulging telling or declaring what the Word or mind or will of the King Eternal is which he hath revealed or declared to the Patriarchs Moses and the rest of his Prophets or Messengers from the beginning of the World And what said the Apostles or Messengers of Christ Jesus declare but what Moses and the Prophets did say should come to pass Act. 26. which all was Scripture Was not this Proclamation of Good News or a pardon to be made over all the World and the first proclaiming of it to be at Ierusalem Luke 24. And was there not to be four sorts of Hearers of this glad News 4. That receive and believe with a false and overly and loose and sandy Belief A fourth only with a deep and rockie Belief closing and uniting to God Thus the men of Samaria told the woman that they did not believe because of her word that must be taken Comparatively for the Hearing from her this glad News was he first means of their believing but because they had heard Christ themselves 5. I know these poor Foxians do hear a kind of Motion within them but it is but as poor women that go with false Conceptions with Tympanies of wind and water or with the mola that will resemble the Motion of a true Child but after all their thoughts and fancies by day and night after all their seeming feellings perswasions Experiences and preparations this false Conception false Faith false Christ false Light shall vanish in shame and grief as did Queen Maries after the Thanksgivings and Ringings for her deliverance 6. For my self I dare these self Confidents to particularize any one Scripture where the Spirit of God directs any poor Soul to listen and hearken to a Light and voice within him affirming that 41 this is the Hearing by which Faith is wrought I dare them to clear Candidly and solidly this 10. to the Rom. wherein as in the 8th is the Golden Chain of Election c. so in this 10th Chap. the Golden Chain of the means of praying preaching c. 3. I ask for some sollid Instances where Souls have been truly Converted the whole Soul unto God by any such Notion and not by some External means and outward hearing of this glad News and Gospel 4. I ask if it be not a ridiculous Contradiction in them to fill the World with the sound of their new and only preachers He Apostles and she Apostles c. 5. I ask if this Light within without and opposite to the hearing without which is the question be the means of Faith how is it possible that so many serious Enquiring men in all Ages should not perceive a breath of this wind no not in their own bosomes and that famous Paul should be Conscientiously and fully perswaded that he ought to do many things against Christ Jesus c. If it be said Paul had not only the Light within him but he had heard of the Doctrine of Christ and of his Followers he heard Stephens Sermon and yet he believed not and therefore it is Grace doth all I Answer this is something but reacheth not home for if all the men in the world have this Light which is sâ—fficient without hearing why should not some especially the wise and Enquirours c. perceive it or something of it as Paul did not until he had heard something and because God had a purpose to make Extraordinary use of him an Extraordinary hand from Heaven humbling and preparing him to publish or preach unto the Nations The 21 Instance is in pag. 80. where G. Fox brings in Tho. Pollard saying To say the Officers of the Church are Invisible It is plain of their Father the Devil He Answers The Holy Ghost made the Officers of the Church Overseers and that made the Officers the
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
a Quaker against A. S. called a Doctour concerning Oaths not like G. Fox his bruitish barkings against all his Opposites and any that prate may see F. H. yields to A. S. that himself and I presume he speaks the mind of all the Quakers could yield to give a Testmony in weighty Cases by the Name and in the Name of God as in the presence of God and attest or call God to witness c. And he saith that they had offered so to give a Testimony and that his Opposite Doctour Snalwood and I think Bishop Gauden so called assented that this was Substantial and Formal Swearing only the Ceremonies were enjoyned by Law to which the Quaker could not yield but suffer as indeed they have done upon this Account most lamentably in London and Bristol and all England over 8. I have much to add both as to that Fancy of Christs end 60 ing Oaths as Ceremonies and of Cases that have beâ—allen my self in the Chancery in England c. and of the loss of great Sums which I chose to bear through the Lords help then yield to the Formality then and still in use in Gods worship though I offered to Swear as F. H. mentions they have done and the Judges told me they would rest in my Testimony and way of Swearing but they could not dispence with me without an Act of Parliament I believe this highly concerns the high Assembly of Parliament and all Law makers to search well and to appoint a Committee of Searchers to Examine if the Laws upon new appearances from Heaven have not need of rectifying and some of cancelling for sin against God or the Souls of men established by Law is like Iereboams making Israel to sin and most commonly after much patience of God brings double punishment in the end The 30th Instance where G. Fox brings in Tho Moor saying It is not properly nor in a full sense that God is manifest in the Flesh of his Saints He Answers The Saints are the Temple of God and God dwells in them and they come to witness the Flesh of Christ. And they glorifie him in their Souls and bodies And the Lord is glorified in their bringing forth much fruit And the witness is the Seed the one offering for sin to be manifest within and such are not Reprobates yet witness the one offering Christ Jesus and them that have not Him within they are Reprobates I Reply a great Designe of the Devil in all Ages hath been to Cavil at and hinder Gods love tâ— mankind Hence he plotted and effected Mans Fall from God God Infinite in wisdome and mercy out-shoots and out-plots him and designes a Reconciliation and a Marriage between the Son of God the Prince of Life and lost mankind He promised his coming in our Flesh prefigured Him prophesied of Him and in the Fulness of Time sent Him c. Against this Lord Jesus this old Serpent hisseth and rageth before his Birth at his Birth after his Birth and in all Ages ever since as fearing the crushing of his Brains and the downfall of his Throne if the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus stand Hence not long after Christs Assention he stirred up many Anti Christs 61 Simon Magus and his Followers the Arrians the Gnosticks Cerdonians Manicheans c. the great Anti-Christ of Rome and since the Reformation the new Manicheans those in Luthers and Calvins time called the Spirituals and Libertines and in our times the Adamites the Ranters the Quakers and all in order to his Dragons war against the person of the Arch-Angel Michael the word of God the Individual person the Man Christ Jesus and after him all that should dare to follow him Some as the Arians c. have denied him to be so but Man and not God some as the Manicheans c. deny his Manhood affirming him to be God and a Spirit but with Christs manhood and the Scriptures the Devil and the Papists and the Quakers for most of them could with all their hearts make an Everlasting parting The Devils and is to destroy this Saviour and Salvation to poor lost man The Quakers pretend their end to be the Exalâ—ing and glorifying of God in the Flesh of his Saints therefore some of these Manicheans render his Birth Life and Death to be only Imaginary and Allegorical a Figure of what should be done in and by Christians others of them say it is real but he only lived and died for an Example others that he was really so born he so lived and died but he is now only within c. and after his Flesh no Inquiry G. Fox here plays upon the various meaning of the word Flesh. Also he plays upon those holy Scriptures viz. God is glorified in the Souls and Bodies of his Saints c. This subtle Ionadab he knows also that the Protestants maintain that the Godhead and the Spirit of God so dwels not in the Souls and Bodies of his Servants as in that Soul and Body of the Lord Jesus It is true he was not born of a Woman but against their wills they are forc't to Confess that he was not born of a Wife but a Virgin though many Fancies are Coyned about that They Confess that no man was Father of his fleshly Nature He knows also that the Protestants hold that the Godhead dwels in him and dwels in him as the great Mediator and Propitiation surety and Undertaker so as not in any of the Bodies or all the Bodies of his Saints besides and after a more high Transcendent and Inconceivable manner G. Fox knows that his Opposite intends such a manifestation of God in the Flesh that renders the one single person Christ 62 Jesus the Head of his Church c. And that they hold that there is as much difference between that one Individual person Christ Iesus the Head and his Followers as between our Heads and our Bodies the King himself and his Body or Subjects yea every one singly in particular yea as between the Foundation and all the building thereon raised Now how poor and lame is it that because the Saints are Gods Temple therefore they must be God himself because 1 Tim. 3. Christ dwels in his Saints by believing Ephes. 3. therefore they are Christ himself Because God in an holy Sense became Flesh Therefore our Flesh is God and Christ therefore will they find those heavenly particulars 1 Tim. 3. affiâ—med of that man Christ Jesus to be inverted and dreadfully turned upon their proud and divilish Flesh in this manner viz. The Devil is manifest in their Flesh Condemned of the holy Spirit of God Abhord of the heavenly Angels The world shall abhor their memory and except Repentance they shall descend with all the Enemies of the true Lord Jesus into the Lake that burns with unquenchable Fire and Brimstone The 31st Instance is in pag. 136. where G. Fox
brings in the same Authour saying Christ is distinct from every one of us and without us and our particular persons He Answers The Apostle saith Christ was in them except they were Reprobates and they were slesh of his slesh and of his Bone and eat his flesh and drank his Blood then it was within them and he is distinct from none but Reprobates who hate the Light I Reply 1. This and the former look face upon face as in a Glasse and yet G. Fox herein carries two faces under one hood A Face for God and a Face for the Devil one Face for Christ another for Antichrist For is it not known by all that there be divers wayes of eating Christs Flesh and drinking his Blood Although there be a Mystical and Spiritual feeding upon Christ Jesus his Love his Passions his Merits c. which we maintain against the bloody Transubstantiators of Rome and Hell yet can ought but Hellish Bewitching and Impudence conclude that litterally the Flesh profiteth nothing and therefore their Flesh is as good as the Flesh of Christ and their Blood as some of 63 the Quakers have Printed is of as much virtue as the Blood shed of the Man Christ Jesus Hence so many of them contend that Gods Blood Act. 20. and Gods Flesh Redeems us c. and their Blood and Sufferings are Gods Flesh and Blood Redeeming Saving c I know what one of their chief said He is a Fool that speaks all at once and I know also that in the Bottome which their Herods and Apostles know better then I these Foxians are God and Christ and Spirit and Resurrection and Life and Heaven c. 2. But for true Believers in Jesus it is enough for them to believe Ioh. 16. That for a little while he must leave them and after a little while he would come again to them even the same Man that left them that God man and the Man Christ Iesus 1. I know these poor Foxians say that he did come again to them and I know also that a Man may feel this Lye with a pair of Mittins For I know that the Comforter came not to them upon his Resurrection for then he was forty dayes with them but after his Assention 2. Who knows not that the Foxians maintain Christs second coming to be Spiritual and count all gazing Fools that look after a Man for he is come anto them in Spirit and in them he maintains his great Assizes and now passeth Judgement upon all the Children of Men by them 3. If these poor filthy Dreamers lived without Food and Evacuations without Physick which some of them cry down and no Physick but Faith without Procreation and bringing forth of Children without the filthiness and stinks of Nature yea without the many thousands of Holy Words and Thoughts and Actions omitted and the many thousand passionate impertinent unreasonable discontented Words and Actions c. then might we say as the men of Iconium touching Paul and Barnabas The Gods are come to us in the likeness of Men till then we must look upon the Foxians eating so Christ his flesh c. until they become Christ himself as Simple and Monstrous and Blasphemous as the Papists in their Foolish Monstrous and Bloody Transubstantiations 4. Alas these are old tricks plaid by the Manicheans in former times by Quintinus and Pocqueius c. in Luther and Calvins time Did not some thousands of this frantick spirit 64 then say is Christ in us how is he Distinct from us what need you ask me how I do can Christ be sick can Christ do but well speaking of themselves But I observe Gods strokes in the World most just wonderful upon three sorts of persons 1. Voluptuous 2. Oppressors and Tyrants 3. Ringleaders of Blasphemies Opinions Let every Soul consider I can give abundance of Instances of former and later times had I here time and season for it and were not all Hystories full c. The 32d Instance is in Pag. 186. where G. Fox brings in Samuel Hamond saying What warrant have you to go out to the Quakers shall a Man go hear the Iews and Popish Masse because Paul bids try all things No No. G. Fox Answers Paul bids us quench not the Spirit and where the Spirit is not quenched they may try Papists Iews Protestants who quench not the Spirit But who quench the Spirit and draws people from the Light within they draw from that they should see withal then you stuff them up with old Authors and lying stories as you permit abroad I Reply 1. And ask of G. Fox and all his Foxians Have the Papists the Iews or any Idolaters the Holy Spirit of God amongst them whom we may go to hear God speaking in his own holy Promise Ordinance and Appointment unto us 2. May I hear a Papist or Iew or any other False Worshippers or Idolaters to try them when I am convinced and satisfied already that they speak not by the Holy Spirit c. 3. May I go to Worship God with them who either as I believe Worship a False God or Worship the true and living God in Wayes and Worships of Mens Inventions and Appointments 4. May I hear a false Prophet or be present at any false worship but with actual reproving of them and labouring to reduce them to the true God and his most holy Institutions and Appointments Upon this Reason I went to the General Assâ—mbly of the Quakers at Newport the last year I queried with them about the true Christ and the true Spirit but I was stopt by a sudden Spirit of Prayer in a Woman and the unseasonable Spirit of Prayer in a man which forced me to stop and occasioned me to take this 65 way of offering an appointed and solemn discourse and disputation with them 5. I ask may any Soul out of Curiosity go to hear a strange Preacher in whom I have not Faith that he is sent from God c. especially if there be not a free liberty for my Queries and Objections and searchings as the Bereans did 6. Are there not two great Cautions given us by the Spirit of God! Take heed whom you hear Take heed how you hear and both of these in reference to Gods worship and mine own Salvation 7. What do these Foxians mean by the Spirits quenching Can the Spirit of God be really quenched or put out any more then the Sun in the Heavens by all the water in the Ocean Is the Spirit of God Metaphorically quenched any other ways then by withdrawing the means or fuel which were to keep the Fire burning that came down from Heaven upon the Altar why then do these proud lazie Souls so horribly slight reading studying Books yea Gods Book as one of their chief said to me laying his hand upon the Bible of Iunius c. art not thou past these yet And why do they worship
of God For what man knows the things of a man save the Spirit of a man c. now we have not received the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God In ver 6. the Spirit of God speaks of a twofold wisdome first the wisdome of this world and the Principles of this world which come to nought Secondly the wisdome of God in a Mystery even the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory Again ver 12. God tells us of two Spirits The Spirit of the world Secondly The Spirit of God Now this woful Cheator finding the word Spirit Confounds as his Course is all together and because Gods Spirit regenerates the Corintâ—ians and opens to them a glimpse of the Godheads power and wisdom and Goodness by Pauls preaching and opens their hearts to it therefore he must also enlighten the world with the same Light whereas that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and that of Flesh is Flesh This Change and renewing of the Spirit by the Holy Spirit I fear G. Fox and most of his Foxians never Experimened 74 though they enjoy in common a Light of Nature though God hath endowed him and many of them with excellent Natural Parts yea with a Light from the holy Scripture yea with a Light of Experience and common Motions from Gods holy Spirit and have been lifted up by their own thoughts and others as Capernaum up to the Heaven and therefore my Soul fears as to most of them that God will bring them down to Hell with the greater Condemnation The 38th Instance is in Pag. 222. where he brings in the same Author saying Salvation and Faith are the gifts of God distinct from Christ He Answers They are all of him and from him and with him And how is he the Author of Faith in whom it ends and from whence it comes I Reply as Potiphars wife cries out against Ioseph and pretends Chastity so doth this subtle Whoremonger pretending that all is pure Christ the Light is Christ their Hope is Christ their Faith their Spirit is Christ himself yea the Saints are Christ No distinction between Christ and them for they are all of him from him and with him In short I pray the Reader to mind with me the first Chapter to the Colossians where ver 1. The Spirit of God declares how Gods Children poor slaves at first in Sathans Clutches are Translated from the Kingdome of Darkness into the Kingdome of his dear Son In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins I know the Foxians turn Christ yea his Blood also into a Spirit a God How admirably doth the holy Spirit of God declare the Godhead or Divinity of Christ Jesus and his Manhood or Humanity unto ver 21 out of both which I shall select two or three Attributes of the Lord Jesus 1. The State of Christianity amongst many other high Expressions in the Scripture is here called the Kingdome of Gods dear Son which argues a distinction from all other Kingdomes and a distinction from his Saints as a King is not his Subjects nor their Gifts and Honours and Estates and peace and Ioy though given by him to them and procured by his great wisdome and love for them Oh poor Ungrateful Monsters not content to be taken from 76 the Kingdome from the Dungeon of Darkness and Hell and that by the Ransome and price paid and Blood and Death of his only Beloved the Prince of Life but we must be the King of Heaven and Prince of Life our selves 2. I observe The Instrumental and purchasing Cause or price is said to be his Blood which argues the Infinite value of his Sufferings in which Respect only it is called the Blood of God I know the slight esteem that some of these Foxians have of the Blood of the Lord Iesus saying that wicked men the Souldiers shed it that it was spilt upon the ground that there was no difference between that Blood and the Blood of another Saint That by Gods blood is only meant godly and heavenly power and Spirit by which God applies Mercy and pardon Iustification Righteousness c. I have read the Blasphemous Discanting of the Iesuit concerning Maries white Milk and Christs Crimson Blood in the close his preferring the Milk of the Mother before the Sons Blood I have heard also the foolish Blasphemy of one of my own Neighbours saying That the Blood of the Quakers and by name of W. B. was Saving and Salvation to the World 3. But I pass on The Lord Jesus is here called the Image of the invisible God If this should respect the Godhead only which is invisible how could Christ be a visible Picture of Invisibility If the Manhood only is God a Man and Man his Image or Picture as the old Heretick and late in London Reeves and Mugleton fancied The Truth is as Christs Blood is but figuratively for an Antitipe and fulfilling of all the Figures foregoing him and for all his Sufferings and many Blood-sheddings both of Minde and Body so this Image or Picture this Blessed Lamb of God consisting of the Godhead wonderfully assuming such a none such Manhood both which the Papists and Quakers are forced to confess I say it is clear he was the brightest Image or Picture of God to the World that ever God appeared in and therefore called the Word of God the fullest and loudest of all the Words of God in which ever he spake c. 4. Many more I might insist on but I must abbreviate and only mention ver 18. where the Lord Jesus is made the Pallace of 77 the Godhead that in him as the Head of the Body his Church should all fulness dwell reconciling and making peace through the Blood of his Crosse c. Iohn tells us that of this fulness in him we receive all the World receives the Mercy and Patience of God by him all his Followers receive his Grace and Spirit Converting Sanctifying Comforting c. so that his most holy and glorious Manhood visible amongst us c. was as a fair and spacious beautiful Conduit into which the eternal and inconceivable Counsels of the eternal Power and Godhead flowed and from whom by all those blessed means and Ordinances as by so many Cocks turned and let loose flow and run into poor empty Souls as Pails and Tankards all sorts of mercies to the whole World and especially to the Elect and Chosen his Church and Body that believe in him what poor Children and Frantick Souls are we then that cry out poor Pots and Pails and Tankards that we are the Conduit it self yea we the Well-head Fountain and Spring and as this frantick Fox in his Book once and again affirms no distinction between God Christ his Saints yea
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
The tongue of the Quakers is the Vipers what will their hand be The Quakers common language The cheating of mans heart Capt Green his 2 points with my Antagonist Pardon Tillinghast his discourse with my Opposite The Conclusion was ordered by the Father of Mercies with much peace and quietness which had not been if I had ininsulted upbraided as W Edm. did More Proofs of the Quakers lame writings 1 John 2. You know all things About knowing all things The Quakers proud of knowledge yet knowing nothing Pag. 11. Joh Bunyan Conscience condemning not Justifying The Quakers confest their light to be Conscience The great Tryal of the 3 greatest actual Sinners that ever were The excusing of Conscience A fit Simlitude used before Q. Elizâ—beth concerning pardon of sin or Justification which I had from one that heard it being near the Queen Conscience the greatest Friend or Foe Pag. 2. Jo. Bunyan c. The various meanings of the word Light Rom. 1. 2 Nor favouring Christ in all mankind Four writings considered Several Expositions of the Light in Jhon 1. 1 Insert W. R. W. Ms. Ann. The World All Men And Every Man 1 3 times R. W. Ms. Ann. Christ as Mediator enlightens none but the Elect. Henoch Howet Jews Gentiles The two great Bargains of God with mankind Scripture language God offers the Gospel divers wayes Two Feet and 2 Fingers of God 1 Air not Fire R. W. Ms. Ann. The Quakers monstrous Marriages G. Fox and the Quakers pretences of Soul kindness are Soul cruelties Pag. 24. Joseph Kellet God is glorious in the means appointeth The Quakers simple and wild boldness with the eterna power Godhead The wonderfulâ— Revelations of in the Script Wonderful Guids Wonderful faith of the Quakers Gods several wayes of revealing himself The mad fancies of the Quakers as to the Holy Scriptures The word of a King and the word of God Pag. 25. Joseph Kellet c. The word Form debated Gods Ordiances and Institutions The Quakers gross Hypocrisie A passage of Mr. Baxters weighed Whence the Quakers Proselites do arife 1 Add the saviour of the separate R. W. Ms. Ann. Consideration touching separate Churches The Quakers Converts N. E. glory the very top bough of it Ellis Bradshaw The two pretended last witnesses Reves and Muggleton The Jugling of the Quakers to make themselves eternal Judgs A dangerous counterfeit Court Two great Bars to the Quakers high Court of eternal Judgâ— P. 38. T. Collier G. Fox his throwing God overboard and his own Reason and Sense also The Harmony between God and his Messengers 1 Acts not Joh. 14. R. W. Ms. Ann. God doth all yet his meanes must be used by which he is pleased to work The Papists brag of their Conversions The Protestant Conversions The Jeâ—uits and Puritans the two great Corrivals The two great Corrivals in Christs time The Jesuits and the Quakers the two great Corrivals abroad 1 plague not plough R. W. Ms. Ann. 1 yea not yet R. W. Ms. Ann. False Apostles figured by Absolom The holy Scriptures the great Box both to Jesuits and Quakers Great Conversion of Jews and Gentiles yet expected The true Apostles and Fox and his lying ones Compared I. Deacon The Quakers dream about not dying or Immortality The Doctrine of Immortality A Charitable hope of some Quakers 1 Put as some did with Absolom in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Joseph Miller The Ancient Philosophers Considered The madâ—ness of George Fox his Fancy about them The failing of the highest Reason in this world in many especially in two particulars The drep knowledge of some The greater depth of the Creator himself the Trinity the Fall Redemption Incarnation Resurrection c. The Excellent Gifts of Nature reach not heavenly and Spiritual things Spiritually 1 Simple not single R. W. Ms. Ann. Joseph Miller The Prophets witness of Christ how stronger then the Apostles their own Speeches were Bebaioteron Iogon a more sure Word The Word of God Considered The Sripture or written Testimonie Much more their feigned Spirit of Prophecy the Quakers prate of 1 Erase is in all Religions R. W. Ms. Ann. The Quakers Sandy Quicksauds P. 47. Preaching of Women Ralph Hall The light of Nature discussed 1 Insert there is R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Erase Super. R. W. Ms. Ann. Male and Female Men and Women compared The kindness of God to women Womens unfitness for manly employments And for being Preachers and postles especially 1 Change the period to R. W. Ms. Ann. A memorable and doleful story What teaching the Lord requires of Women Tho. Higginson The knowledge of God by nature The convictions of nature which the 4 Quakers so foolishly talk of The loss of all men as to God hravenly things Men naturally frame a God as the Devils do but cannot love him Babilonian Jugling Egyptian canting Christs Name horribly prophaned The Old and new Bargain to Love The great Delusion of Quakers as to pardon of Sin and Righteousness The Quakers bewildred as to Perfection The Quakerr devilish Chimistry 1 Insert according to R. W. Ms. Ann. The feined â—ardness but the real easiness of the Quakers Spirit The wonderful Harpsicon The vain dreams of the Quakers and their fools Paradice Jeremiah Jves The Devil in Samuels Mantle An Angel of Light but a Dragon and Devil of darkness Truth and Light the same thing 1 Insert used by the Lord. R. W. Ms. Ann. The way of Truth or Lights goings Where no Receiver no Thief 1 Change any to no. R. W. Ms. Ann. Natural Understanding in Men and Beasts An Instance of a meerly Rational and an heavenly Power and Faculty 1 Change too to to R. W. Ms. Ann. A close Companion between all Faculties and Objects Nothing truly Spiritual in Nature as now degenerate About the light shining in darkness 1 Adds is after Spirit R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Insert it R. W. Ms. Ann. Gods grrcious workings with and in the Souls of men A wonderful Parrots Religion Jeremiah Ives 1 Infert so did R. W. Ms. Ann. Heaven and Hell to come Fox his Hell and Heaven 2 Erase thirst R. W. Ms. Ann. The Papists Queries about Hell The Scripture Hell and Heaven but Fables with G. Fox and other Popish Foxes The Heaven and Hell to come 1 Erase of necessity R. W. Ms. Ann. The Foxes mad Fancy of the Soul and next Life The Protestants Faith as to the Life to come 2 Erase k in seek R. W. Ms. Ann. Three Sorts will find Hell above others 1 Erase Ars. potenter R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Erase potenter R. W. Ms. Ann. 3 Change is in to yn. R. W. Ms. Ann. 4 Erase where R. W. Ms. Ann. Jeremiah Ives The Kingdom of God signifying divers things 5 Erase the parenthesis and insert a. R. W. Ms. Ann. The false and true Messiah The Kingdome of God within you Three Expositions The Quakers Exposition The Light shining in darkness The grace of God is offered