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
this holy Spirit is to be praid for Luke 11. and is therefore powerfully present with Gods true Messengers while they Translate Expound Preach as Paul did Acts 26. No other things but what Moses and the Prophets wrote of The 44th Instance is in Pag. 253. where he quotes Henry Haggar saying You call all men dead and Carnal in the Serpents Nature in what Form soever if they differ from you G. Fox Answers All that be not in the Light that inlightneth every man that cometh into the world which is the way to the Father differeth from us such be dead such be Carnal in the Seepents Nature For none comes to the Life but who comes to the Light in what Form so ever they be And such as differ from us differ from Christ For none come from under the Serpents head and Nature but who comes to the Light I Reply 1. As David said of some whose Teeth were as Swords and Solomn saith there is a Generation c. of such whose Teeth are as Swords and if ever there were a Generation of such in the world the Papists and these Foxians are the Generations here intended For it is in vain to tell them of Christ the Foundation and of building Wood Hay Stubble c. If you come not roundly to the Pope with the Papists Or to the Light within c. nothing remains but Fire and Brimstone Damnation c. 2. It is true in some of their writings and in Edmund Burroughs himself there seems to be some charitable hopes of some having something of Sincerity in them and of breathing after the Lord but I observe they fall in with G. Fox again viz. except that those persons owne their Idols called Light within them 3. The Protestants overcome the Papists not only by Scripture and Argument but in Charity also for they profess to have Hope of many among the Papists as they do also of many amongst the Quakers But the Papist and Quaker like Fire-ships burn and blow up all that bow not down to theis Image c. 90 4. How far are these from the Spirit of Christ Jesus toward the poor Woman the Syrophenician who by her worship was a dog and he told her so yet believing in him and content to gather up Crumbs as a Dog under his Table he grants her Suit and magnifies her personal Excellency Thus dealt he with the Centurion and Cornelius and with every poor Reed if truly bruised for Sin and every Lock of smoaking Flax reaking in truth of Love to God and the Lord Jesus He proclaims the Kingdome of Heaven to the poor in Spirit who see themselves dead and lost and damned and seeing no help no Grace not a penny nor a patch of any good in them but waiting as Beggars at the gate the beautiful and glorious gate of mercy He proclaims Blessedness and Promises to the bleating Lambs as the fruitful Sheep to the Infants and new born Babes that hunger and thirst for the milk of Righteousness that by the Patience and Comfort held forth in the writings or Records they may have hope although yet they cannot be Consident of any work of God in them and are not so bold to Confess Christ Jesus openly and kiss him in the Streets but steal to him by night as Nicodemus and Ioseph until they saw him bleeding on the Gallows He bare with his Disciples though foolish and slow of Heart hard-hearted ignorant of his Death and Resurrection and loath to hear of such metters The 45th Instance is in Pag. 259. where he quotes Iohn Brown saying And them that bring people to look at the Light within them are as Korah Dathan and Abriam G. Fox Answers All that go from the Light within them are as Korah Dathan and Abiram amongst the Lords Prophets Exalting themselves and Persecuting 1. I Reply and Examine unto whom this Famous History may most properly be Applicable for sure it was a Type and word of God 1. Then that which the Spirit of God chargeth upon Korah is a rising up a Revolt and Rebellion against the Lord his Appointments and Ministers or Officers Moses and Aaron c. I know G. Fox chargeth this upon all that pretend to any Ministry and Ministration and have not the Immediate Spirit of 91 God as the Apostles had but as he speaks simply are Ravened from it and are still Apostates c. But I Answer the Protestant Religion is a Religion protesting against the abominations of that bloody man of Sin the Pope both in his Doctrines and Worships and Conversations These Protesters have been since the Waldenses in France and Germany and low Countries and England Scotland Denmark Swedland Polonia Transylvania Norway Ireland c. Conflicting Contending with their Tongues their pens and their Blood against the Bloody Whore and Church of Rome according to many passages in the Revelations most wonderfully and miraculously fulfilled upon them From these all their holy Doctrines and Endeavours after Gods pure worship are the Quakers Revolted and set up a Flag of Defiance against all but pretended Immediately Inspired persons Invisible Worships and Ministers and a sullen proud and dogged Conversation for the general of them 2. As Absoloms and Shebahs Conspiracies were notable and Signal against King David the Prophetical and Kingly Type of the Lord Jesus so was Korahs and his Conspirators very Considerable and Eminent against Moses and Aaron Types of the Prophetical Priestly and Kingly Office of the blessed Lord Iesus Christ It is said Numb 16. that Korah the Levite and Dathan and Abiram the Sons of Reuben and two hundred and fifty Princes and Notable Men of Fame in the Assembly thus kindled the Coals of this proud Conspiracy which had broke forth into devouring Flames except that the Sheepherd of Israel who never slumbers nor sleeps had most graciously and wonderfully watcht for the timeous and early Extinguishing of it As to the pretending Quakers it is known that they are not Sons of Obscurity as Bull and Farminton Reeves and Mugleton but for Estate and parts for Education and Learning some of them for pretences of Piety Conscience patience Zeal and Mortification yea and also for their Numbers all which they predicate in their Books and in my dispute with them with loud Trumpets they are known to be Considerable and as like to spread as did the Arrians Papists or Mahometans 3. Korah and Dathan c. they were by Gods righteous Judgement so fixed and setled and hardned in their Perswasion 92 and Confidence that they Contemned all Moses meekness and Answered stoutly We will not come up when he Cited them before the Lord yea say they wilt thou pluck out the Eyes of these men and they daringly and desperately brought their Censers to offer Incense and Worship to God as may be applied to these proud and Confident and desperate Foxians 4. Their Charge was
scorn and hate and fly from as the Devils did crying out What have we to do with thee Iesus thou Son of the most High God art thou come to torment us hesore the time Hence the former Arch-deacon or Arch-bishop of these parts Humphrey Norton he mocks at an outward Christ he asks what Countryman he was and shall be He reproves the Fools that have their Eyes abroad and gazing after a man into Heaven he jeers at the Crosse aud asks what manner of wood it was made of seeing we must take it up dayly And Fox saith this Jesus Christ without and within is Jesus Christ yesterday and to day and the same for ever therefore in the Logick or Reason of this Bruite Christ had no body that was born at Bethlehem or died at Ierusalem For he was born yesterday and to day and he is born forever he dyed yesterday and he dies to day and he dies forever which is a most Heavenly Truth relating to Gods purpose Christs Merit and to Forefathers our present times and such as yet must be born and follow after us But such Mystical and figurative Scriptures which are in themselves like Sampsons Lion and Riddle through Satans Policy and the proud simplicity of these simple Foxes are made the common Holes and Burroughs where you may be sure to find them just like the Iesuites whose Cosens if not Brethren of one belly of Hell 56 they are who usually confound clear Scriptures with Spiritual and Mystical Illusions and sly from Distinctions and openings necessary in places more dark figurative and allegorical In pag. 211. He brings in Iohn Burton saying That the man that was crucified his body is now in the presence of his Father absent from his People as touching his bodily presence He Answers Doth not the Apostle say he is the Head of the Church and doth not the Apostle say they are of his Flesh and Bone and sit it heavenly places with Christ and Christ saith they must eat his flesh and he is in them As I remember at the reading of this Quotation I urged that herein G. Fox did plainly deny as indeed in all the rest I have quoted Christ Jesus to have had such a body as could be born of a woman wrapped in swadling Cloathes c. as could be hungry weary sleep discourse apprehended buffeted whipped nail'd to the Gallowes die be buried arise and ascend up visibly into these visible Heavens now in the presence of his Father and absent from his People on Earth as touching his bodily presence But one of my Opposites I think two of them bid me not wronge G. Fox by my Observation for his words were not so I Answ. In effect and Substance they were for G. Fox here and in all his Answers maintains the Negative to what his Opposites Affirm And 2. As to the grounds of his deniall it is clear that sometimes they are most plain and clear and sometimes most subtle and commonly such as will bear a twofold Sence on which they commonly ground some Iesuitical equivocation In Pag. 210. He brings in Iohn Burton saying Christ went away into Heaven from his Disciples and so not within them He Answers Did not he say that he would come again to them Did he not say he was in them I in you And did not the Apostle say Christ was in them except they were Reprobates the hope of Glory was he not revealed to the Apostle and so in him and did not the Apostle Preach Christ within and you preach Christ without Again in the same Page Those Believers that are in the body at this day are absent from the Lord He Answers again Doth not the Aposte say Christ is in them except they be Reprobates and he is in them the Hope of Glory and they have fellowship with God and God will dwell in them and walk in them and he that believes believes in him and Christ and so notabsent Again in the same Page they say He is absent from them as touching his slesh He Answers Doth not the Apostle say they 57 are of his Flesh and of his Bone and he that eates not his Flesh hath no life in him and they sit in heavenly places with him and he that eates his flesh hath it in him And again in the same Page they say There is not any Heaven within into which the Man Christ is ascended or can any man contain a man four foot long He Answers Christ is a Mystery and is he not to be revealed within who is a Mystery He who did descend to be revealed and made manifest in his Saints in slesh and Spirit that did descend which is now manifested that the World wonders at that is ascended far above the Heavens who is the Saints life living Bread and Drink and where ever used the Ministers of Christ any such expression as thou doth which shews that Christ to thee is a Mystery Reply In all these four Passages G. Fox expresly denies that Christ is ascended into Heaven from his Disciples That Believers now in the Body are absent from the Lord that he is absent from Man as touching his Flesh that there is a Heaven into which Christ is ascended and that Christs Body is not containable in a place according to his stature and proportion 2. In his Answers he notoriously jugles and equivocates as if he maintained Christ in Truth he that lived and died at Ierusalem and visibly ascended into Heaven though the whole scope and the plain open faced meaning of his words with loud cries tend altogether to another business to wit to set up himself by setting up the Image and Picture this Imaginary Christ which he calls the Light within them The same Author saith Pag. 206. A false Christ hath a new false Faith to apprehend this Crucified Christ within He Answers Which is contrary to the Faith of the Apostles which Preached Christ that 's Crucified within and not another Him that was raised from the dead was risen that Lord Jesus Christ within the same yesterday to day and for ever by whom the World was made glorified with the Father before the World began it was he that was manifest in the Saints that was and is not another for the other is Antichrist Again in the same Page it is a Sceipture of the Devils making to apprehend this Christ within He Answers Now I say if there be any Christ but he that was crucified within he is a false Christ and the Scripture holds forth this and the Devil never made it but he and his Messengers are against it And he that hath not this Christ 58 that was risen and Crucified within is a Reprobate though Devills and Reprobates may talk of him without This Quotation was read again in their own Book by Iohn Burnet and they magnified the Christ within but they would not suffer me to observe the sence and argue from
he brings in the Author of Hosannah to the Son of David saying The sure Word of Prophesie the Apostle speaks of is the Prophesie of Scriptures He Answers Doth the Scripture shine in a dark place until the Day dawne Are they them them that must be taken heed unto as to a Light Can any see the Scripture and know the Scripture but with the Light within Can not a Cain a Baalam a Core bring Scripture that is gone from the Spirit of Prophesie within and then put the Letter for it 98 I Reply 1. I know that Fox makes their Idol within called Light to be the more sure word of Prophesie and his usual proof is The Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie But first why must all the Prophets or Messengers of God who from the beginning of the world were Gods mouth and Pens Concerning the Birth Life Death Burial Resurrection Ascention and coming to Judgement of the Lord Jesus be here cast out from the Word of Prophesie Is it nothing Luk. 1 that God spake surely Gods speaking is his word God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the World began And Heb. 1. God spake sundry times and in divers manners in Time past unto the Fathers but how did God thus speake or utter his word but by the Prophets And Rom. 16. But now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment c. Therefore how oft is it written concerning the Lord Jesus These things were done that the Scriptures might be Fulfilled in which regard as to our satisfaction and belief the written word of Prophesie of the Prophets are a more sure Word and Evidence to us concerning the Lord Jesus then the Miraculous Appearance from Heaven of Moses and Elias and the voice from Heaven of which Peter here speaketh though in it self a true Testimony yet not so sure so firm and pregnant as the Word that God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the beginning of the World c. Hence the Answer of Abraham and indeed of Christ Jesus If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe though one should rise from the Dead 2. How sure is the Quakers Light their Word of Prophesie A sober mind can not but admire that Face and Forehead of Brass and Adamant with which God the Righteous Judge of the whole hath plauged Satan and his Followers so that they blush not to prefer such a simple Image a meer Babie and Childs Puppet of their Immediate Word of Prophesie before the Word the mind and will of God by the mouth of all the Prophets For is it not known in the holy Scripture in all Histories in all Ages in all Nations what Cursed Opinions horrible Uncleannesses Bloody Murthers and Slaughters have been Conceived and brought forth from the Spirit within and Revelati 99 on s from Divilish Lights and Spirits and the horrible End that generally the Authors and Promoters of such Spirits and Inspirations have come to 3. This Scripture Revel 19. The Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie what is it but Goliahs Sword to fetch off the head of this proud Philistin for doth not the Angels forbid Iohn worshipping of him upon this ground viz. that the Angel was his Fellow Broker Fellow Servant Fellow Worshipper Fellow Witness Is not this the Argument whereby he prohibits him viz. that one Testimony of Jesus was the work of Gods Spirit in the Angels in their way as well as in Iohns and Peters in theirs c. and shall we say that the Angels too are Quakers and Christ hath enlightened them also as well as every man that comes c And Revel 22. Doth not Christ threaten the Adders to and Diminishers from the word of this Book of this Prophesie what Affinity hath a written Book a written Prophesie with Immediate whisperings and Inspirations 2. Why should G. Fox here mention Cain Balaam Core what Scriptures could they bring what Scriptures were written in their times I think it no breach of Charity to guess that the Quakers and G. Fox are so used to Cursing and Censuring their Opposites at the first dash for Cains Baalams Cores that they could not well tell how to miss them Such persons no question and the Foxians and the lying Spirit the Old Fox and Serpent bring Scripture But doth the Divel cordially prize and love the word of Prophesie the Testimony and Witnesses of Jesus However he plainly here Confesseth that the holy Scripture is so powerful that the very Counterfeit the picture and Name of it will do him good Service with such whom he desires to cheat and Ruine And yet secondly this shews the Quakers horrible wickedness that although they love the holy Scripture for the general of them as well as doth their lying Father yet turn they the Truth of God into a lye and with the ugly Spider sucks that which he turns into poyson even from the same Flowers of Paradice the holy Scriptures from whence the hony Bees the true Believers suck the pure hony of Eternal Truth and Comfort 3. Again what madness is it for this blind Dreamer to ask his Opposite whether the Scripture shines in a dark place until the 100 dawne whether they must be taken heed unto as to a Light For how often is the holy Scripture even the very Law before the Gospel or glad News was preached adorn'd and beautified with the Illustrious Title of Light and all the subtle Foxes in the world must know that if they attend unto whisperings and peepings Isai. 8. and leave the written Law the Word and other Prophesies of Scripture or written Prophesies Words and Oracles of God! For all their Childish Vapourings and pratings of their Light the Eternal Father of Lights proclaims them to be Children of howling darkness and that there is no Light within them I speak it with horrour and Amazement and also with sorrowful Confidence that he that shall find a spark of true Light either of the knowledge or grace of the true Lord Jesus in this their Fantastick Light he shall find the Living among the Dead he shall prove the Prophets that spake and the Lord God of the Prophets whose word was spoke to be Lyars for saying there is no Light within them But Fox again demands Can any know the Scripture but with the Light within And I ask him what Light have the Papists and Iews and the Divel himself when they and he bring Scripture to Christ himself I know very well what he means in his Iesuitical Diabolical Reservations by the Light within and by knowing the Scripture his meaning is known and Common viz. except he be one of those dark Souls called Quakers But did not the Devil bring a pertinent Scripture and promise to Christ Jesus as ever Papist or Quaker could have alleadged though pointed and directed
of Doctrine and Worship both as the Papists and the Quakers doe to be farther from the truth of the Profession of Christ Iesus and more obstructive and destructive to the Souls of men then the other partyes yea and the Papists not so much as the Quakers who wildly profess all Ordinances and Ministers to be invisible and yet are hypocritically and ridiculously found to be as visible and open as any If the true Foundations of Repentance and Faith be cast down it is in vain to talk of saving of Soules it is in vain to talk of Worshipping of God The Quakers for all their craking of Quaking and Tremhling their way is more easie of Worshipping God and of bringing persons to their worship of God then the way of Iewes or Turks or Papists who to my knowledge take more paines in Religion then do the common Protestants I confess they all do but paint and guild over natures old and rotten Posts only the real Protestants have and profess the greatest care of any in the world for true Faith and Repentance The Quakers came not neer that care of N-England I am sure at first for the personal true Repentance and Holiness of their Churchâ—s and Congregations For it is notoriously known that if persons notoriously Deboist come but to acknowledge a God and Christ within them that is in English that themselves are God and Christ and can practice Thou and Thee and Cheek by Ioll with all their Betters and can rail at and curse all that oppose them and can come and bow down to a dumb Image and Worship without any great business of Contrition and Brokenness and Godly Sorrow they are enrold and canonized for Saints and Gods c. they are free from Sin born of God and cannot sin they now sit upon the twelve thrones and judge the unbelieving Iews and Gentiles in their heavenly places The wound lyes here as it is with Papists Arminians and indeed with all mankind in the soothing up and flattering of rotten Nature from whence from within the Lord Iesus tells us proceed all the rotten and hellish Speeches and Actions 172 I told them it was in this case as it was with Kings and Princes there were two great Enemyes that haunted the Pallaces of Kings and Princes 1. Traiterous Spyes c. 2. Traiterous Flatterers Just here it was as I remember that W. Edmundson stopt me saying thou hast here been telling us Storyes of Turks and Iewes but what is that to thy Charge against us we are none of those that flatter Kings and Princes we deal plainly with all men I said they mistook me for I did not say they slattered Kings I used a similitude only viz. that as Flatterers c. of Kings and great men were their deadliest Foes so such Religions and Doctrines as most slatter and sooth up our rotten hearts and natures they are most dangerous and destructive to us I intended to add that the Quakers pretended to be as fine Flower sifted out from the common Protestants yea from the Independants Baptists that Sathan was too subtle for the subtlest Foxes of them all for he knowes that by pretence he more easily dangerously conveys the Poyson of exalting corrupt and cursed nature in the room of true Soul-saving Humiliation I did say as the Whore of Rome deceived whole Towns Cities Nations and Kingdomes with her glorious Trimmings and her Golden Cup so that the Painted Quaker as a Drunken Whore should follow the Drunken Whore of Rome drunk with the blood of Jesus c. for the obtaining of the smoak of a Tobacco-pipe the Riches and Honour of this World There are two sorts of godly Soules catcht up a while by the Devils Craftiness 1. Weak and unstable for there are Children strong Men old Men in Christianity 2 The unwatchful and secure The holy wisdome of God discovers in Holy Scripture what the Devil that Sathan an old Serpent is viz. not only a Roaring but a vigilant Lyon David Gods beloved as his Name is he fails in his managing of Government therefore the Devil stirs up Ioab and Achitophel to help the grand Rebel his Son Absolom and afterwards Sheba and all in wonderful Figures in all Ages an in this our age and day A famous Iesuit prints it that all the Religion in the World lies in competition between the Iesuits and Puritants c. About 173 this time Iohn Stubs told me that they and I say so do the Iesuites pretend to do had left the Glory and Pleasure of this world their Wives and Children Friends and Relations to Preach the Everlasting Gospel For the Woman had been 1260 years 42 months in the wilderness and she was now come and coming forth and they were now preaching the everlasting Gospel and therefore they advised me to make haste and dispatch and not to hinder the Lords work I spake what then I thought fit and now adde that the Pharisees the Apostles the Quakers and Iesuites do compass Sea and Land but the Pharisees Iesuites and Quakers will be found at last to be the Apostles Messengers Heralds Envoys Embassadors and Emissaries of Sathan sent out from Hell to predicate the goodness of rotten nature hell and damnation and that false and hellish Gospel or good news of poor rotten Natures Righteousness Satisfaction Penances and to the damning of Souls c. The Devil knows that after the witnesses have done their work against Antichrist and after their slaughters the Lord Jesus will send abroad his Messengers to other Nations Iews Gentiles and New Ierusalem or a new vision of peace shall then come down from Heaven among the Sons of men but for the present he stirs up these Jesuites and Quakers with brave titles and pretences like so many Mahomets under pretence of Diogenes treading on Platoes Carpets to fish for the smoak of this World 's Sodome and no doubt but the Quakers will use the Sword as much as Mahomet or the Iesuites under the cloak and colours of love to Jesus and saving of Souls I confess that Charity hopes and believes all things and yet I say cursed is that charity that puts out the eye of Reason the eye of Experience the eye of true affection to Christ Jesus his Father and his Wife to the Souls of his followers and the Souls of poor sinners Iews Gentiles As to the saving of Souls it was a Thunder from the heavenly mouth of Christ Jesus They that take the Sword shall perish by the Sword as if he should say the Sword is not a saving but a destroying Tool in Soul-humbling and Soul-saving making worlds of Hypocrites but not true Protestants true Christians Followers of the true Lord Jesus and of his Father and of his Holy Spirit 174 The Spirit say the Quakers why that 's our Weapon the Sword of the Spirit the Word of God why that 's the word of God Christ Jesus our Weapon
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
Soul Summond to Death and Judgement looks to Relations c. they all Answer they are in the same Case c. It looks to Wordly Estate c they tell us they will go with us as far as the Grave and provide a Coffin and a Sheet and a Burial c. 3. The old friend is Conscience who will go with us but can be a thousand witnesses against us c. It follows then clearly that the young Prince is the true Lord Iesus Christ not vanished away into a Light in every dark dungeon in the World but Conscience saith he is litterally ascended up into Heaven and will as literally make his speedy Return again to Iudgement The third Instance G. Fox pag. 12. brings in the same Author saying the Light doth not shine in the Consciences of them that be lost The Answer But Iohn saith he Light shines in darkness but the darkness cannot comprehend it and there is that of God in the Children of Disobedience and Reprobates as in Rom. 1. and 2. Chapters I Reply G. Fox is here in his Burrough and takes not the word Light in the same Sense his Opposite doth the Common trick of Cheators His Opposite takes it not for the heavenly Lights Sun Moon nor Earthly Light of Fire Candles precious Stones nor the Metaphorical Light of mens minds differing them from Beasts Birds Fishes Nor the Light of peace joy and Prosperity call'd in Scripture Light c. Nor the Light and Evidence of witness or Reason in Cases depending Nor the Light of the holy Scriptures and the preaching and offering of a 5 Saviour to poor lost Sinners But for that awakening saving Light convincing all mens Condition to be miserable and damnable of Grace and mercy offered and applied to a Soul by the good News of a Saviour someway heard of and the holy Spirit the finger or power of God G. Fox saith this saving Light is in mankind only persons don't mind it and so Christ Iesus is Crucified and slain in them and God and Christ and Spirit and Light c. are all captived hindred from working yea altogether killed slain in them because a Soul doth not mind them and hearken to Christ in them Ah poor simple bruitish Imagination that ever it should enter into the thoughts of Men professing to be Christians c. or of men professing to know more than the Wolves and Foxes in the wilderness I have spoke to this before therefore a word only to G. Fox his proof Rom. 1. and 2. Chapt. From these two Chapters he proves that there is that of God in the Children of Disobedience and Reprobates who denies it For there is something of God that is from the power and wisdome of God in the Fallen Spirits the Devils themselves But I know by that of God G. Fox means God himself prest down as a Cart with sheaves the holy Seed Christ Iesus under the Clods the holy Spirit in prison for the Soul is a part of the Essence or Being of God himself But that there is here a word or title of Colour to any of this dirt and filth flung in the face of the Majestie of Heaven This Scripture speaks of the work or working of the Law written in their hearts but what is this to a second writing of the holy Scriptures or writing inspired into the heart by the most holy Spirit yea what is this to a third writing of their Names written in Heaven in the Lambs Book of Life yea what is this to fourth writing the writing of the new Covenant Consisting of Sin and a new heart a heart of flesh in which his Law is written as formerly in Tables of Stone and yet we poor men of Iabesh Gilead must leave the Testimony as Gilead imports and suffer Nahush the Serpent to put out our right eyes and believe that every man hath the new Covenant Christ Iesus and the Kingdom of God c. with the Pharisees in every mans heart and yet he never knows of it 4. Instance In the same pag. 12 he brings in the same Author saying It is a Counterfeiting of the new Birth for men to 6 follow the Light wherewith men coming into the world are inlightned G. Fox Answ. which none comes to the new Birth but who come to the Light which every man c. in which believing is a Child of the Light c. I Reply G. Fox runs round agian and again like the windmil Sails It is saith he no Counterfeiting of a new Birth why because it is no Counterfeiting none comes to the new Birth but who comes to the Light c. As to the words in Iohn 1. Hitchcock at Newport alleadged that it was not in his Bible enlightneeth every man but lighteth every man c. John Stubs lockt in his greek Testament and confest it was Photizes which is not inlightneth but Lighteth 2. As to the Light We know there are two Opinions how Christ lighteth every man c. First as God in the Creation 2. As God man and Mediatour and that the Greeks word Erchomenon doth not relate to the word anthropon the man or every man that cometh into the world but phoce Light and that it must be read in this Sense viz that Christ Iesus the true Light cometh into the world lighteth every man that is in the world freely that will receive him Even as many whomsoever look up to him as Iohn 3. the stung Israelites to the brazen Serpent and that Christ Iesus is the Light of the world John 8. and 12. to as many as receive him according to 1 Iohn 12. and that the meer phrase imports no more then a Light held forth to all in the world as the Sun in the Heavens and Christs Followers Math. 5. are called by Christ Iesus the Light of the World Thus the word all and every man as I hinted before is used not absolutely but Comparatively and is figuratively taken in many places and four time in that one ver 1 Col. 28. viz. warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdome that we may present every man perfect in Christ Iesus which literally cannot be true Now G. Fox runs into his Burrough of the many significations of the word Light and the word all and the word inlightneth willingly ignorant that Christ Iesus as Mediator of the new Covenant inlightens none but those whom his Father gives him unto whom he gives Repentance to whom he opens the door of Faith and gives them to believe and suffer c. So that G. Fox Confounds the Elect and the World together and brings in a Counterfeit new Birth a Counterfeit Christ and at last a Counterfeit Salvation 7 5. Instance G. Fox pag. 20. brings in Henock Howet saying It is a fancy to say the Covenant of God is to all men in the world and the grace of God hath appeared to all men c. He Answ.
received by all Natural and Moral Understandings yea in natural Commands and Threatnings Beasts and Birds are admirably capacious and observant But when we speak of Supernatural Heavenly and Eternal matters of Spiritual things to be discerned Spiritually What a difference is there as between Heaven and Earth and Infinitely greater When the Lord Iesus asked his Disciples how many loavs they had their Natural Faculty or Reason could give an Answer When he asked them whom do Men say that I the Son of man am This was a Divine and Supernatural Question and for the outside and Truth of the Fact the Devils could Answer as well as the Disciples not only that same said he was Elias Iohn Baptist c. but that he was the Son of God All this exceeds not Natural first Birth Powers or Faculties But to give a believing and an affectionate Answer as Peter did this requires a Faculty and Power which Flesh and Blood could not reach too but the Spirit or secret working Power of God in the means wrought Peters heart and the Disciples hearts and to this day all Believers Hearts to receive and welcome all truly Divine and Heavenly Doctrines Whereas therefoâ—e G. Fox talks of something within which is preached to I may Answer as they do viz. that the natural man perceivs no spiritual matter but when he is born again then he acts and works and it is most certain that as an House receivs his Master as Candle kisseth Candle the Clasp the Hook the mortise the Tenant so do Natural or Spiritual Faculties receive Natural 34 or Spiritual Faculties receive Natural or Supernatural Motions and Impressions The Protestants say that before it pleaseth God by some word read preached c. to set up a Candle of wisdome in the Souls and to work a spiritual favour in the Soul all heavenly matters are nauseous and odious though as pleasant profitable and honourable to self Ends they are welcome all the word over yet as spiritual and heavenly abominable G. Fox saith there is a something a Seed though but as a Grain of mustard Seed a Seed of God of Christ of the Spirit to which Christ the Word is preached and which maketh Answer Hence horribly abusing Scripture phrazes they so often say God is all within and without Hence they maintain c. though men be dark and dead yet Christ within is Light and alive in them and them only Hence appears G. Fox his lying Cheats of a Sufficient Light withiâ— to lead to God and to Salvation a Teacher within all Sufficient for then no need yea it is a simple Superfluity c. to hold a Candle of outword words to awaken and enlighten such a glorious all-Sufficient Sun within 5. I ask where this something this something of God yea God and Christ and Spirit If he Answer in the understanding he grants it that is dark and perceives no heavenly matters c. If in the Heart and Affections he Confessieth all there is hard and dead only he saith the Light shineth in the darkness c. Implying that in the dark understanding there is some heavenly Light in the hearts hardness there is some softness and the Light shineth in darkness c. I Answer Christ Iesus tâ—e Sun of Righteousness arose with saving Rayes or wings of Salvation but the blind Iews could not own him for the Expected Messiah what is this G. Fox his something a Light of Christ inlightning every man that comes into the World though the man see it not 2. What is this to all the Generations of the World about four thousand years before Christ came and was in that visible person as Iohn saith of him that lightens every man that comes c. what is this to a mixture of Light and darkness in the same faculty the eye blind and yet seeing the man dead and yet alive It is true the Lambs wife confesseth that her Hearâ—t was awae 35 while she slept But what is this to the heart being dead and no Life at all and yet waking 6. The Conclusion is as before I hinted and they Confess when God in his own Means ordinarily works the will to hear to turn to believe to pray he then graciously works the work for us and being thus turned with Ephraim we mourn and lament and say what have we done when he turns our wilderness wholly a wilderness into a Garden then we bring forth his sweet Fruits Flowers and Spices when he turns the Wolf into a Lamb then we are meek and Innocent and patient but to talk of preaching to the Spirits in Prison yea of the Seed of God and the Spirit of God in prison when the Lord speaks of his warning and moving men by Noahs preaching in the old World as may be evidently evinced is like the prophane teaching of Parrots to prate of Grace and Heaven like that admirable Parrot in France who could say her Pater noster her Creed and Ten Commandments and yet knew as much of grace and the workings of God in the Soul as her Popish Teachers c. An 18th Instance of G. Fox his lame and cheating Answers is in pag. 64. where he brings in the same Author Ieremiah Ives saying It is a known Error to say that a man was in Hell and in Heaven He Answers who in this shews his Ignorance of Scripture for it gives Testimony of men that did witness that they had been in Hell in the Nethermost Hell and witnessed again they were in Heaven and sate in heavenly places in Christ Iesus and such were in Heaven as is spoken of in the Revelations I Reply G. Fox and millions more talk of Heaven and Hell as the Notable Parrot above said our Fore-Fathers some from the Scripture and some out of Reasons Light talkt of places of Ioy Eternal for the Righteous and of misery Eternal for the bad and wicked But the new Light from Christ Jesus and his pen-men is the clearest that ever shined in this world especially that famous Parable or Word proceeding out of the mouth of Christ Jesus Luke 16. that of Dives and Lazarus declaring in substance the state of the Life to Come and of the two great Parties of the poor afflicted Righteous and the wicked living in pleasures c. G. Fox is in his Burrough of the various signification of the words Heaven and Hell He knows that a state of Sorrow and 36 Bitterness is called Hell That a state of Death and the grave is set out by the word Hell in the same Hebrew phrase And to either of these he wickedly applies the thirst State of which the Lord Jesus 1. so clearly speaks viz. The State of the ungodly after this Life in the Life and World to come 2 Again he knows the visible State of the true Profession of Christ Jesus is called Heaven 3. Such as have Interest in Christ
Jesus have sitten down with him in those Heavenly Mansions and glories into which he is entred bodily and gone to prepare for their Reception and coming 4. The third Heaven the place of Pauls Rapture and Vision the place of Joy and Blessedness and Glory when these Heavens and Earth are burnt up and consumed It is like G. Fox hath been occasioned to these thoughts by the Papists Fables about Heaven and Hell and Purgatory and their curious Questions as whether the Torment of Hell be as real and terrible as this Elementary and Kitching Fire Whether the pain of Hell transcend not all pains of Childbirth Stone gout Collick Burning c. Whether it be possible for a Creature to Continue in such Torments perpetually without Intermission Whether there shall not be some end after some millions of years as well as of the pains of Purgatory G. Fox knows how the Papists get a world of Mony by these Notions of Heaven and Hell which the Atheistical Foxes amongst them count but Fables as the Pope speaks of Christ The Devils have a more real Faith or Belief of these things and tremble They cried out to the Lord Jesus why art thou come to torment us before the Time c. But G. Fox not believing as they think these Fables he fancies that Hell is some apprehensions in the mind of wrath to come and that is Hell and wrath it self and having had slashes of Pride and Peace in their minds these are the Joyes of Heaven whereas the Lord Jesus tells us that beside the hundred fold of Spiritual Ioyes viz a hundred Fathers Mothers c. there remains for his Followers in the World to come Eternal Life They are but short Flashes of Hell and Heaven which some of these poor Cheated Souls dream of I know they allow time more or less before they come into the perfect and heavenly State of Necessity Death prevents some from coming to it and makes the reign of the rest whom Satan has ticed into these 37 proud Vanities but short as Experience hath declared only they have a mad Fancy of their Souls going into God and becoming more God and yet this some of them grant to the Souls of all men to Iudas as well as Peter The true Protestant believes these three things First that there is a State Eternal of Joy to the Righteous bodies and Souls after this Life and a State of Eternal Misery of Soul and Body to the ungodly Although the exact knowledge of particulars exceed the present sight of our mortal eyes the hearing of our Ears and the Capacity of our Hearts c. 2. The first Fruits and a Tast both of the heavenly Ioyes and the Torments of the damned are given by God in this Life to the first in that Solid Peace and Ioy which they have in God To the other in that Horror and Despair and Enmity against God c. 3. Three Sorts of men especially will seek there is an Hell to come above other Sinners First The Volnptuous and Luxurious whose God is theii Belly and their Sences c. Ars. potenter 2. The Devourers of the Poor and helpless potenter c. 3. The proud puft up with foolish Confidences boldly Crying Lord open to us for we c. also the Contrary to these three I might inlarge on and not Impertinently but let him that readeth understand is in pag. 64. where G. Fox brings in Ieremiah Ives saying The Phariseel were far enough from having the Kingdom of Heaven within them He Answers contrary to Christs words who said it was within them I Reply G. Fox his Tutor and Teacher within him knows that the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Huaven signifie but one and not divers things and yet also he knows that both of them signifie in a Christian Sense First the Kingdome of Government of God and Christ in the Soul Secondly The Government of God in his holy Providence in the World 3. His Government in the Congregation or Churches of his Saints called out the World Fourthly the glorious State to come afâ—â—r this Life He knowes that his Iourney man G. Fox is fit Instrument to destroy all these and to erect in their stead a dull proud dogged Confusion or Babel within under the Name of God Christ Spirit Light Faith Righteousness Resurrection The Lord Jesus knowing that not the Pharâ—sees alone c. but the Iews generally also and his own Christian Followers were leavened 38 with a worldly notion viz. thar their Messiah should be a glorious temporal King that he should make his Entrance and Exalt his Throne with great Pompe Solemnity c. The Lord Jesus tells them their mistake and saith that his Kingdome was not such a Kingdome but that it was within them Of which words I find three Expositions First that the Kingdome of Heaven is a Spiritual inward and Soul Kingdome concerning God and the Soul and Spiritual matters according to the saying of Christ Jesus my Kingdome is not of this World c. 2. From the word Entos within you or amongst you as certainly it was then amongst the Iews and in the midst of them in their Temple Streets and Houses Hearts and mouths by the most wonderful speakings of the Lord Jesus as never man spake amongst them and the wonderful power and gracious works which never man wrought amongst them nor in the whole World beside 3. The Kingdome of God that is God and Christ and the Spirit were literally in the Pharisees and so Consequently in every hypocrite in the World and every wicked and prophane Sinner though they know it not yea in all Creatures But this is against a former fair Exposition from the Greek word Entos which cannot be refused since so agreeing with the Truth except Reasons more prevalent c. 2. The Spirit of God asks what agreement between Christ and Belial Light and Darkness Righteousness unrighteousness c. And whereas it is most Improperly and Impiously Objected that the Light shines in darkness c. I have said that it can not be in the same Subject or part predominate the mind or will or Affections but the Light is at the window and the Eye and the knock at the door by all the wayes and means by which God visits poor men but the Eye the door is shut c. and the man within is not only asleep but dead and rotten in Natures silthiness and actual Transgressions and Abominations 3. It is against all Colour of Reason to Imagine that the Lord Jesus should tell the Iews the Pharisees and the rest of his bloody Enemies who some weakly some maliciously opposed his Kingdome and coming to Rule by his Grace over them viz. that his grace was King within them what ever their Heart or Tongues said or Hands hid c. 4. It is notoriously contrary to
Overseers to be Invisible for they saw with an Invisible Eye and so they was in the Spirit which is Invisible and not in the Flesh else they could not be Overseers in the Church of God and you are the visible apostatiz'd from them I Reply This is one of the most impudent Fooleries that either Fox or as the Proverb is any Dog could be impudent in For First 42 1. He acknowledgeth a publick Assembly of Christians as well as of other pretending Worsh ppers Turks Iews c. Also he acknowledgeth the Ministers Officers and Overseers of their Assemblies 2. His Reason is notoriously silly and impudent viz. because the Church is in God and the Overseers are made by the holy Spirit For are the secret works of God alwayes secret and never revealed The Child in the Wombe the precious Stones and Minerals when brought forth are no more Invisible then the Sun in the Firmament 3. The Christian profeâ—â—ion and professours however they were wrought and prepared and by divers means by Gods Spirits yet the Lord Jesus compares them to the most visible Conspicuous and glorious things and persons To the Sun and Moon in the Heavens and the Heavens and Stars also to Mountains and Cities on those Hills or Mountains To Kings To their houses and Palaces yea to Armes with Banners c. 4. Although the Lord Major of London and the several Officers of the City are not made and ordained in the public Streets nor Generals and other Officers appointed by his Majesty c. are they not therefore visible because their making and appointing was not Solemnized and performed in Cheapside c. 5. It is most true and most sweet that the Church is in God c. and is it not also true that in one Sense we live in God and move in God have our Being in God and yet the whole Creation is gloriously visible in another Sence the Saints their Assemblies and Officers are in God visible to the world abundantly though in an heavenly and spiritual Sence transcending the Being of the first Creation 6. G. Fox denies not but that although the first Churches were in God and the Officers of the Church and some of them were appointed immediately yet they were visible and audible by those with whom they Conversed 7. Yea G. Fox and his Foxians for all their being in God and some of their proud and silly Answerings in Courts that they live in God and dwell in God yet they disowne not their own visible Congregatings and Assemblings their visible Teachers Overseers or Bishops their visible and audible performances and Worships praying preaching singing c. and wâ—y then doth this 43 poor notoriously visible Cheatour thus prate of Invisibilities especially in times of peace and not in Elias Case The 22 Instance is in pag 84. where G. Fox brings in his opposite Magnus Byne saying The Scriptures may be understood by the help of Tongues He Answers All Scripture was given forth by Inspiration and so without the same Inspiration it is not understood again Pilate had the Tongues yet did not understand the Scripture nor Christ the Substance of it And this you have set up since the Apostacy your Tongues you Raveners from the Spirit I Reply First I make use of G. Fox his Confession viz. that all Scripture is inspired c. therefore say I he Consesseth that every word Syllable and Tittle in that Scripture or writing is the Word or immediate revealed will of God against his and his Foxians common Song hath God any more words but one 2. As to the Scriptures the understanding of them is threefold First Literal who understands not Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not Steal c. The second is Metaphorical as I am the Dore I am the Bread c. The third is saving and Spiritual when it pleaseth God to set home the heavenly Commands Promisâ—s c. in particular Soul Application 3. I observe the End of G. Fox and especially of the old Serpent and Fox that acts him It is to destroy the coming of Gods holy Records and writings to poor lost men to their Salvation that he may foist and whisp in what his hellish malice pleaseth to their Damnation For if no knowledge of the Tongues in which the most wise and most holy Lord pend his Letters or writing to us then no preaching of the Doctrine in them to the world witout some new miraculous way then no translating and reading of them which is that the Devil in all Ages and at this day aims at with all his might 4. I therefore charge upon this proud Ignoramus and all his blind Disciples and Followers the horrible Crime of Unthankfulness and Ingratitude for were it not for Tindal burnt to ashes and other heavenly Spirits set on work from Heaven to dig out the knowledge of the Hebrew and the Greek and to turn it into French Dutch English and now praised be God into the very 44 Indian Language of this Country how would these Seraphical Doctors know whether there were such a Creation of Heavens and Earth or of man and his wife which we now so talk of I put this question once to a Soul in this Country who told me although they had no English Scripture Gods Spirit would teach them Greek and Hebrew but I can declare to any that ask me the dreadful End of that party 5. I Charge upon this Foxian party the horrible Crime of a proud Laziness for not studying the Original Languages themselves It is a shameful Trade and deceitful when persons have mony in their hands to take up all on trust I have known very Eminent Men and Women Independants and Baptists give themselves up to serious study of the Hebrew Language I never knew any of the Foxian Spirits so inclind but according to the Lazie fool under the Fig-Tree which I have seen in an Embleme almost threescore year since they lie down and cry Sweet Figs drop down in yielding wâ—se For Lazie will not let me rise 6. I Judge that G. Fox and his wild Spirit can not prove that Pilate had the Hebrew Greek and Latin for though he caused by an heavenly finger of God such a Title to be set up in the three then most known Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin yet he himself might have no knowledge of any more then the Latin which was his Mother Romane Tongue As a Book seller may deal in Books of Hebrew Greek Latin French Dutch Italian Spanish c. and yet understand no more then his Mother English 7. I know the Devil abounds with Tongues and can speak all Languages and I know and have seen his Inspirations and three thousands verses in shâ—w very heavenly inspir'd by him in an English woman of this Country who had no such skill ex tempore They were taken and written from her mouth and I have read them and
Pag. 326. where he brings in the same Author saying The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man in the Church to profit withal and not to every man in the World G. Fox Answers The manifestation is given to every man to profit withal without distinction I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh For the Spirit of Truth shall lead the Saints into all Truth And he shall reprove the World and that which doth reprove the World is manifest to the World I Reply I spake to this Text before in Answer to the Letter of my Neighbour I. T. as is to be seen in the Letters before our Disputes who declared himself satisfied with my Answers but G. Fox like a Cow with a Kettle on her head giving every one warning to stand clear he boldly slanders on and tumbles Heaven Earth and Hell together c. 1. This 1 Cor. 12. expresly declares three things 1. That it pleased God to appoint in his Christian Church and Worship the Ministry of Apostles Prophets Teachers c. according to Rom. 12 Ephes. 4 c. 2. He bestoweth several Gifts and Endowments on such persons whom he pleaseth to call unto such Ministrations 3. He vouchsafeth to give a gracious Concurrent Operation of his Spirit unto these his Gifts Ministrations what now is this gracious promise of the Father of Lights to the Garden of his Church Saints the howling Desart of the whole world from whence the Garden is taken in inclosed and separate Because a Queen is a Woman must therefore all the Honours and kindneffes of a glorions Prince due to his Royal Consort be dispensed in Common to all the Women in his Kingdome or Dominions The Garment in which the Queen is brought is a Garment of Needle work richly and most curiouâ—ly embroydered with the graces and Operations of the holy Spirit doth it therefore follow that those Heavenly Embroyderies c. belong to every nnclean and Lousie Begger 102 Yea but this prophane Mouth hath something to say for it self three things he saith full of Prophaneness and Simplicity 1. I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh. But 1. Was this as he speaks without all distinction done actually was it Universally so with all the Individuals of mankind in the world at that time 2. Was not there a wonderful Wall of separation between the Iews and all other Nations which the Lord promised by the Prophets to break down and at the coming of the Lord Jesus and ever since hath more and more broke down and abolished Is not Gideons Floor which was dry the poor Gentiles and we English among them now wet with the Dews of Heaven while the poor Iews which were only wet at first are dry and barren 3. What is that Extraordinary Promise of Gods Extraordinary pouring out of his Spirit in Fiery Tongues and Prophesyings fitting some to go unto all Nations to carry the glad News or Gospel had others and all Believers those Gifts least of all with any shew of Reason belong they to all the Men and Women in the world who have never seen and heard of any Glimpse of the Sun of Righteousness 4. Again I observe how vainly and wickedly this deluded and deluding Soul cheats himself and others with this Tearme All Flesh Every man All the World and so with the Terms Light Christ Spirit his proud Fancy playeth c. not dividing the Hoof by just and holy distinguishing a Crime that he often upbraids his Opposites most odiously with in his Book not dividing c. but is most notoriously guilty as ever was filthy Camel in this world or any of the unclean Beasts c. G. Fox his second Answer here is The Spirit of God shall lead the Saints into all Truth I observe here how like a Skittish Jade this wild Soul runs in and out and cannot keep to one steady Affirmation Before he brings in the Spirit of God poured out upon the Common of the World now he brings in the spirits leading the saints Gods Garden and Paradice Yet again in his next words he concludes every man in the World to have the spirit because saith he The spirit reproves the World and that which doth Reprove the World is manifest to the World I Answer The holy spirit testifies that he is the Comforter of the saints but a Reprover of the World that he Comforts the 103 Saints in the Promises Assurances c. that he Reproves the world in his Threatenings and Judgments That the world knows not sees not the Spirit but mocks at receives it not but banisheth imprisoneth murthereth such in whom the true Spirit of God appeareth Hence it is that because of this Spirit of God in any soul three are against two two must be against three in the same house the Parents against the Children and the Children betray their Parents unto Death yea two in a Bed and two in a Belly and yet he whom Gods Spirit chooseth shall be mockt and murthered by the other and yet this lying Peor tells us that all the world without distinction have the manifestation of the Spirit of God to prosit withal 5. There have been persons professing the Order of the holy Ghost yet far from the favour of the holy Spirit there hath been a great Ship in the world full of Sailors and Souldiers called the holy Ghost and yet scarce one man in it known to have any Acquaintance with Gods Spirit Alas what are the Babilonish Orders of these pretenders to the Holy Ghost or Spirit what are they but a poor Ship full of Resisters of Gods Spirit and Enemies to the greatest Enjoyers of him in the World the true Protestant Witnesses whom they professedly oppose under the Name of Professors I hope as I have often said that many of them are of the two hundred that followed Absolom in honesty and simplicity 6. But Oh what Reproofs of Gods Spirit hath G. Fox and others of their Leaders had in and by so many excellent Opposites and Scriptures and Arguments which G. Fox here proudly tramples under his prophane feet without any savour of the holy Spirit of God! It is true it pleaseth God as I said to strive with men by preachings by writings by their own Readings by publick Iudgments and private and also by publick mercies and private for Acts 14. every Drop of Rain is Gods voice word or witness c but what is this Common grace to that Regenerating and changing Spirit John 3. to the opening of Lidiahs and so of all saints hearts by his free and holy spirit or Finger what is this to the same Power that raised Christ Jesus from the Dead Ephes. 1. that raiseth any poor sinner unto a new and holy and spiritual Condâ—tion 104 7. Excellent and most heavenly is that similitude Cant. 1. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments therefore do the
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
Hence the Word of God is the Word preached as Paul 2 Thess. 1. Not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God Act. 19 which preaching of the Word growing of the word were not competent and proper expressions to be affirmed of the perfon of the Lord Iesus especially I told them I would use the words of the Lord Iesus when he fought with the Devil that famous Combate Math. 4. No other Weapon did he use against him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is written and again It is written It is written here Christ Iesus quotes Dut 8. Man shall not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God where Moses and Christ Iesus affirm 34 that God hath many words contrary to what some Quakers hath affirmed to me saying that God hath no more words but one and Christ Iesus here affirmeth That every appearance and providence of God is a word proceeding out of the mouth of God as well as this holy Scripture he alleadged Though yet it is true that Christ Iesus is the Word or declared Mind of God incomparably above all his spoken or written or providentiall Words and Expressions He came out of the Bosome of the Eternal Father and brought the brightest Revelations of his eternal God-head Councels and therefore is most justly and eminently stiled the Word of God I urged that the Word or Words of God were Figurative Speeches for properly God had no Mouth nor Tongue nor Lips nor Heart nor Brains c. but as our Kings Majesty his Declaration touching Religion his royal Charters his Letters from Breda are often insisted on and urged by the Quakers as the word of a King though his writings contain many hundred words so it is with the King of Heaven his Scriptures and writings c. I had oft occasion to mention G. Fox and Ed. Burrowes their Book in Folio called The great Mystery c. upon which W Edmundson reproved me for speaking of G. Fox and E. Burrowes in scorn and derision so his words were I guest he took me as if I had scornfully intended G Fox in his Burrowes but I had openly purged my self protesting before the Lord that I had no such thought yet this Passage was the occasion of the Title of the Book For the finger of Gods most wise and holy Providence is often wonderfully seen in small unexpected inconsiderable Turns and Occasions In such poor shells oftimes may be found the Kernels of rich and usefull Observations Sure thought I Gods holy Finger is in it that G. Fox and Ed. Burrowes Men so qualified and named should so notorioufly conspire against the true Lord Iesus Christ in their dark and subtle hellish Contrivings and Imaginations It was also Gods overruling hand that VV. Edmundson should so upbraid me and first put the Conceit and thought of such a Consideration into me which I apprehended as Digitus Dei the finger of God directing and pointing me to so proper and pertinent an use and Application Thus the only Wise and Righteous King catcheth the craftiest Foxes in their own Burrowes and turns their proud Surmises Censures upon their own Pates This occasioneth me with Amaze 35 ment and Astonishment to cry out O God how deep are thy Being thy Attributes thy Providences thy Self and all thy wayes beyond our thoughts and finding out To proceed I had observed and prepared many Quotations out of G. Fox his Book but they desired not to hear them read as in the following dayes of Conference they were read by my continual importunate Urgings I say at first I could not get oportunity to insist upon some Particulars a Tast whereof I think now fit to present the Reader with In Page 155. of G. Foxes aforesaid Book he brings in one I Stallam their Opposite saying To say the Light in every man gave forth Scripture and will open Scripture to us is palpable Darkness and contradicts the Scripture G. Fox answers All be in utter Darkness and know not the Scripture untill they come to the Light that every man was in that gave forth Scripture for the Light lets them see to what it was spoken and Christ the end of them The english of that Answer is That every man that is all Mankind Men and Women if they will can give forth Scriptures or write holy Scriptures I know they call this Light God and Christ and Spirit the Covenant of God the Life Truth and Grace of God I asked them in publick Since this Light comes into this World in and with all Mankind whether it comes into them at the Conception or at the Birth or when else Whether it was in all Mankind before the coming and death of Christ Iesus or whether to those that are in the world since his coming or both Whether it be in the Understanding Will Memory Affections in any of them severally or lodgd in all of them jointly For it was a prodigious Fable to imagine such a Sun to shine in every Room of an house and yet none of the Inhabitants nor any that come into the house discern and see it Christ Iesus saith as the mouth is the heart is and before a true turning unto God we are in darkness we are darkness we hate the light of God and endure not to see it but wish there were no God no Father of Lights to discover and plague us for our dark Courses yet our Hearts are so cunning and cheating that they will tell us that we have Light and Christ and God within us and that we can speak and write holy Scripture not remembring that as Christ Iesus said of the Temple our hearts are Dens of Thieves and like painted Tombs full of dead mens bones and rottenness 36 untill a second Birth by the VVord and Spirit of Christ Iesus Again in the same Page G. Fox brings his Opposite saying And to say every mans Light is the true word of Prophecy is an old Fable no man shall be able to spell out a syllable of the Gospel by all that is written in a mans Heart This subtle Fox answers The Light that enlightens every man is Christ and the sure Word of Prophecy to him he shall find it In this Passage who can but see their horrible and simple profaning and wresting of plain Scripture Is it not clear as day to him that is not willingly blind that this word of prophecy in Peter is the Word which the Prophets spake and writ of Christ Iesus unto whome the spirit of God in Peter sends us as being a more sure and convincing word to us then that voice which Peter and Iohn affirmed that they heard from heaven in the Mount of Transfiguration But thus profanely and simply do others of them affirm this Light to be that Prophet which Moses wrote of Deut. 18. whereas the holy Spirit in Stephen Acts 7. applyes expresly that
Prophesie to the person of the Lord Iesus that God-man in one person whome Moses and Stephen preached the great Messiah or Christ the anointed Prophet Priest and King unto all that receive or believe in him Now diverse observing and publickly expressing how unsuitable it was that three of the ablest Speakers amongst them should Consult openly and whisper and utter themselves one immediately after each other and somtimes all together as one man against me W. Edmondson answered and excused it saying that it was mine own Paper which he often produced which exprest my Offer to make good my Positions against all Comers But I replyed once and again That as God is a God of Order and doth all things in Number Weight and Measure in most admirable Order and Method so I had thought that according as I writ and spake to them they would have had so much Ingenuity to conceive that nor I nor any man was so simple as to offer to Dispute with to oppose and to answer twenty or thirty or one hundred at once But thus like subtle and impudent Foxes and Iesuites they pleaded and practised from the beginning of the Conference unto the end of the 4th day resolving to make use of and like dying men by drowning to catch at any ridiculous Advantage though unchristian and uncivill But the truth is this and many other Discouragements and Disadvantages and Difficultyes the Lord Iesus graciously and faithfully 37 For his name sake enabled me to cut through otherwise I saw the Debate would not have held on so many Hours as it did Dayes I knew they had as much mind to this work no nor any guilty Soul in the world as Bears to be tyed to a stake to be baited and I must humbly declare and predicate it to the praise of the Father of mercyes and for the incouragement of others to be Patient for Christ Iesus sake that an hand from heaven caried me through to the end of each day and to the end of the whole business Sometimes I offered to proceed to an other Point but all this first day was spent upon the first Point of true and false Quakers For though many upon a sudden spake as Mr. Coddington Mr. Easton then Governour who spake sharply VVilliam Dyer VVilliam Harris and others against me yet I minded closely what my Antagonists vented who were placed on high in their Desk against me Iohn Stubs and Iohn Burnet were more sober and manly but VV. Edmundson who was the junior of three would speak all like Solomons foolish woman loud and clamorous simple and knowing nothing being in truth nothing but a flash of wit a Face of Brass and a Tongue set on fire from the Hell of Lyes and Fury One Instance here fell out for when I urged that it was not what man had within him already and brought into the world with him that made a true Quaker but the Spirit of God accompanying and blessing the Reading and Hearing of the writings of God preached and opened I said the Heart of man was shut up lockt and barr'd up in willing Ignorance and darkness until the finger of God in the use of those and other blessed meanes pick open in a more gentle way or break open by great afflictions and and terrours the Soul and Spirit of man I said that Paul preached the word by the River side but the Lord opened the heart of Lydia and while I was saying that It was not Paul nor Pauls Preaching nor the word that he preached at this word VV. Edmondson clamour'd out He speakes Blasphemy But it pleased God to move the heart of our Deputy-Governour Capt. Cranston justly and seasonably to witness against this Interruption saying Let him have liberty to make out his mind So I proceeded and said it may be VV. Edmnndson is offended as thinking I spoke against the word Christ but Christ Iesus knowes that I had no such thought but of the words which Paul spake And I added that it was not Lydia nor all her Light within her nor Paul nor 38 his Preaching nor the word nor words that he uttered but the Finger of Gods Spirit according to Election that set the word or words of Paul home opening her heart and not every heart shewing what free grace is against the Popish and Arminian and Foxians exalting of Cursed Nature and then it was that she being by the Lord turned she turned to attend apply to her soul the words which were spoken by Paul as a poor Rams-horn made use of in the hand of God Toward the end of the day VV. Edmondson fell into a long Invective how I had falsly slandered the People of God not only in this place but the whole Body of the People of the Lord called Quakers in all parts For said he we are a great people many thousands in England many thousands in London besides in Virginia and Barbadoes and other places and N-England And he and they said hast thou any more to say to make out thy Lyes against them I Answered as at other times that the Papists the common Protestants the Iews and the Mahumitans and Pagans c. fited the world with their Numbers and yet we jointly opposed them in Religious matters notwithstanding their innumerable numbers And as for more proof that they were not True Quakers and so truly Feariug and Trembling before God I told them I would produce an Argument that they were so far from being Christians that they were a to be exploded and abhorred of all Mankind as being fallen beneath the common temper and nature of the Humanity of men and women yea of the Savage and Barbarous in the world viz. their stripping stark naked their Men and Women and Maidens and passing along in publick places and Streets unto the Assemblyes of Men and Youths and so were beheld and gazed upon by them and this under a pretence of being stirred up by God as a Service or Worship unto God as an act of Christian Religion proceeding from the immediate moving of the most holy Spirit of God most glorious in purity and purity and holiness it self At first W. Edmundson seemed to make strange of the matter as if it could not be proved that any of their women should so appear in the Assemblyes of People I told them the matter of fact was so notorious that it would be loss of time and Impudence to question it being so fouly and openly practised both in Old and New England 39 Also I added further that G. Bishop of Bristow one of themselves in the second part of the Persecutions of New-England relates in print the names of two women in N-England that did so practice and he complains of N-England Persecution because those women suffered Whipping for those actions by the Courts and Officers of N-England Iohn Burnet said that the People called Quakers were a People known to abhor all Impurity and Uncleanness and the
Appearance of it and if any of their women should so practice they should condemn it in them yet nevertheless if it should please the Lord God to stir up any of his Daughters so to appear as a Sign and Testimony against the Nakedness of others they durst not condemn it Iohn Stubs said that they did condemn all immodest Appearances in women both in Behaviour and Gestures But if God stirred them up and commanded them to this service to discover the Nakedness of others they could not but acknowledge Gods hand and submit to it And he further added that it was a great Cross to a sober womans spirit so to act as well as an affliction and suffering to her body Iohn Stubs likewise alleadged the Prophet Isaiah as also did W. E. and the Sign of the Prophet Ezekiel and Iohn Stubs read the 20th of Isa. where Isaiah was commanded to goe naked for a Sign to the Egyptians and Ethyopians to prophesie and denounce that they also should go naked with their buttocks uncovered as the words are and this is said they a proof that the People of the Lord might be stirred up by God to such actions for Signs unto others I Answered that this was in the dayes of Figures and Signs Shadows and Ceremonyes And though this was G. Fox his Answer in his Book which I had there by me yet G. Fox throughout all this his Book in Folio turns of the Allegations and Arguments of many of his Opposites with this Answer to wit The Substance is come the Body is come Christ the End of the Law the End of the Command the End of the Scriptures the End of the Prophets and of all Signs and Shadows and Figures 2. Although it were so threatned that the Ethiopians and Egyptians should so goe totally and stark Naked and that Isaiah did so which is much questioned yet it is not to be questioned but that the Egyptians and Ethiopians in their flight would cover 40 their Secret parts with the first cloaths or raggs they could get as it is no question but the Prophet Isaiah did 3. The difference of Nakedness of Mankind and Womankind is very great in all Nations The Sex of Women is more fitted and framed by God for a Covering for Retiredness and keeping at home and for Modesty and Bashfulness nor do we ever read that ever God commanded such a thing to Women or that ever it came into his heart or that ever any Godly Woman did so practice there is no shadow or colour of Proof from the holy Scripture nor from any Civill and sober People no nor from the naked Barbarians themselves who though they suffer their Male Children to go naked till about seven years old yet cover they their Females from their birth T is true it is said in Brasil and other bruitish places some Savage bruits go so but they are Canibals Men-eaters c. and other Barbarians do not so except in Drunkenness and Madness They still answered that they would not Countenance any such Practice but if the Lord God so commanded his Sons and Daughters it must be obeyed I demanded of them how it should be known that it was the voice and command of God the God of Holiness and not the command of the unclean spirit for I told them that under that Cover that one of them might be so commanded and sent of God in such a posture and behaviour amongst men why might not ten or twenty yea all the women in this present Assembly be so stirred up as it were by the Spirit of God to the horror and amazement of the whole Countrey yea of the whole World They seemed to me to be Confounded with this Argumnet and weary to hear of it and not willing to speak to it I therefore took occasion my self to say that it was true in former Dispensations The Command of God came to Abraham to kill his own Child his son Isaac and this fact enjoined him did seem as horrible unnatural and cruel as this Nakeduess of the Women unwomanly and unnatural But 1. It was in the day and dispensation of such wonderfull Signs and figurative teachings unto men And 2. I said God did furnish them with a Spirit of discerning the true dream from the false the true voice from the false the voice of God from the voice of Sathan But in our day wherein God had altered his Dispensations and Revelations which he 41 used to the Fathers and had spoken to us by his Son and had left his mind both in the old and new Scriptures or Writings We have the example and President of the Lord Iesus that is to attend to the holy Scriptures only and to use the weapon of It is written it is written against Sathans immediate Inspirations and temptations Here W. Edmondson fel into a great heat against me and said that I spoke Blasphemy in saying that Abraham and the Saints then had a way and Spirit of discerning the Spirits which we had not implying that Gods Spirit was not the same He added that I had kept them long and had proved nothing and yet we had not done with the first Position I replyed that I had produced such Grounds as should never be shaken and that I presumed did appear to the Consciences of many and I heartily desired might also appear unto their Spirits Soules and Consciences Some of the Auditors spake to this Purpose especially W. Hitchcocks who insisted upon the Water Baptisme And thus by Gods Mercy and Patience the Discourse of the first day ended which very day was notable and significant as to the created Sun in the Heavens who in the midst of our Contest was eclipsed and hid his Face remarkably and preached aloud to us that although the true Lord Iesus Christ the Sun of Righteousness do suffer in his infinite wisdom and and Patience false Christs and false Prophets and Herod and Pontius Pilate and his enemies of all sorts Iewes and Gentiles to cloud his Face and Glory a little from the World and his own People yet he will break forth again in his eternal brightness splendor and glory When that heavenly young Martyr or Witness of Iesus Christ William Hunter was burnt at Burntwood in Essex it was a close and gloomy day but this gallant young Champion of Iesus Christ crying out aloud at the stake Son of God look on me Son of God shine upon me immediately that most wonderfull Light Fire of Heaven the Sun tore the clouds and brake forth and shined gloriously aud remarkably upon the face of this blessed Witness at the suffering of the flames of fire for Iesus his truth sake against the whorshi Principles of both the Papists Quakers and thus do the holy writings tel us that this most glorious light the Sun of Righteousness visibly appeared in his glorious and glorified Form and Shape to the visible eye of his servant Steven while he
it saying G. Foxes Words were plain concerning the true Christ And so indeed I say they are to any penitent Soul truly like Paul unbottom'd from weak and filthy self and his own Dunghil Righteousness and burning with sincere Affection to the true Lord Iesus For these subtle Foxes and their Words discover as the Sun at noon day that as plainly as ever Absalom Achitophel Shimei Sheba rose up in conspiracy and Rebellion against David c. as plainly as ever Iudas and Peter for a time and Alexander the Copper-smith and Hymeneus and Iulian the Apostate denied Davids Antitype the true Lord Iesus so under the Cloak and Colour of Christ Crucified within do their Rebellious Traitors bear Arms against the Mediator between God and Man the Man Christ Jesus For although it be Scripture Phrase that we are Crucified Dead and Buried and Risen with Christ yet what a poor proof is this that Christ was Born and Crucified c. yesterday and to day within us and there is no other Birth nor Life nor Death nor Grave but what is within us and all are Reprobates and Devils that bow not down to this painted devouring Monster Still my Opposites were catcht in their own Craftiness they seemed well pleased that G. Fox should be heard in his Answers to his Adversaries and I restrain'd and stopt from making out my Proofs from the Sense and Scope and Meaning I was yet glad that so much was discovered that I had by Catches liberty to give fire sometimes and intended to make use of this present Advantage which I from the first intended when I saw I should be stopt and they would not afford me the liberty I gave to them without the least Interruption as Iohn Stubs confessed Page 135. He brings in Thomas Moor saying Christ is absent from us while we are in this Mortal Body He Answers contrary to the Apostle who saith the Life of Christ is manifested in their mortal Flesh. And Page 136. The same Author saith Christ is distinct from every one of us and without us in our particular persons He An 59 swers The Apostle said Christ was in them except thed were Reprobates and they were of his Flesh and of his Bone and they eat his Flesh and drank his Blood then it was in them and he is distinct from none but Reprobates who hates the Light Reply I wondred not so much at this Thunder and Fire and stinking Brimstone from this Foxes mouth and that all are Reprobates with him that bow not down to his Carved Image but I wondred at my Opposites who declared publickly as before that they would not follow G. Fox but in the Truth c. and yet when I read all their plain Evidences to them of Foxes denying the true Lord Iesus God and Man and making only a Spiritual Christ a Mystical Inviâ—ible Iesus c. that yet they should be so blinded and hardened as to cover excuse and plead for G. Fox in all particulars and stop me from drawing the Curtain and letting in the Light by Opening and Arguing from the Sence and Meaning I do not remember that any one of my three Opposites gave any positive answer to any of my Observations on Foxes Principles Answers and Evasions All their work was to keep themselves within their Trenches or Burroughs and to cry out Thou must keep to Foxes Words or Wilt thou go on to another In Page 71. He brings in Frances Higginson saying Christs Humane Nature He Answers Where doth the Scripture speak of Humane the Word Humane where is it written that we may search for it Now we do not deny that Christ according to the Flesh was of Abraham but not the word Humane And Christs Nature is not Humane which is Earthly for that is the first Adam Reply This ignorant and simple Cavil as I have before proved it to be from 1 Cor. 10. is often brought by G. Fox in this Book in an horrible equivocation to overthrow and destroy that Humane Nature that Flesh and Body of the Lord Jesus who yet had such a Body they say that died at Ierusalem These Traiterous Jesuits or Iudasites tell us Humane is of the Earth or Earthly and that is the first Adam but Christ Jesus is of the Seed of Abraham according to the slesh that is in their mental Reservation according to their slesh God in their flesh Christ in their flesh suffering at a Mystical Ierusalem within them They are Abrahams Seed Isaaks Seed in whom all Nations by this Christ the Light within them must be blessed And all that are not this Seed this Flesh 60 this Christ which they are are in the Serpents Nature and Reprobates But amongst all the most full and heavenly Scriptures for the Humane Nature of the Lord Jesus I shall touch but one at present Act. 13. at Antioch Barnabas and Paul in a Synagogue of the Iews made the Humane Nature of the Lord Jesus as also in other places the great Subject of their Discourse and Preaching and concludes ver 38. Be it known unto you therefore Men Brethren that through this Man is Preached unto you the Forgiveness of sins and by Him all that Believe are Iustified from all things from which you could not be justified by the Law of Moses By the meritorious Sufferings Death and Blood-shedding of this Jesus literally in the History born at Bethlehem as the Quakers say c. is only forgiveness of sin and justification c. and not by a Chimical and Diabolical Christ and Fancy within us begot by the Devil on a proud and lazie Ignorance Let therefore as it follows the Proud Despisers wonder and perish believing not in him the true Light of the World the true Brazen Serpent to all that look up unto him In Page 37. He brings in Thomas Collier saying If the very Christ God Man be within those called Quakers he cannot come down from Heaven He Answers Here he stands against the promise of Christ that he shall come and dwell in you and walk in you I will come again unto you And he hath revealed his Son in me saith the Apostle and know you not that Christ is in you except you be Reprobates and the Spirit of the Father speaks in you and see how contrary thou art to the Prophets Christ and the Apostles I urged that here G. Fox did plainly deny the expected personal coming of the Lord Iesus but they charged me to give none of my Sences and Meanings to G. Fox his words but now I have leave by Gods merciful hand here to say that their Hypocrisie and Deceit whereby they cheat themselves and others is so much the more gross and abominable because they pretend in words to own Christ Jesus Humane descending or Ascending as a Man into Heaven and Christs there abiding until the time of the Restitution and Christs return the second time They know also that all those
Interruption as he twice openly confest that I had not interrupted them but when he had finished his Sermon and I had gained a little calm and liberty of Speech immediately before I could finish one Sentence that Pragmatical and Insulting Soul W. Edmundson stopt and Interrupted me so that I openly complained of incivility and inhumanity that hearing patiently their two Sermons they were set down and common Reason said that it was my turn to speak and every body desired what Answer I could frame to hear it that then I should be disturbed and stopt was no way befitting the Societies of Civil and Morral men I then Answered that those very Sermons or Orations which they had now made to the People were so far beneath the merit of an Answer to them that they ministred and afforded to me a mighty and invincible Argument that the Spirit of God 64 was not the Author of them For we all knew that the Spirit of God was most purely Rational and a Spirit of pure Order and did not prompt or move men to break Hedges and leap over one Ordinance into another We were engaged in a mutual Conference and Disputation we were in the midst of it how came we then to fall into Popular Orations and Sermons is it comely when persons are Disputing to fall upon our knees and Answer an Argument with a Prayer as it is a frequent practice with the Quakers is it proper to break off Prayer and fall to disputing or out of Disputation into Preaching But I said my Opposites Spirit was far from the Holy Spirit of God and his movings are far from the Motions with which my Antagonists were acted for they had neither power to keep civil Order nor to be patient for not being able to answer nor bear my words W. Edmundson said expresly what should we sit here and suffer him to vent his Blasphemies and Lies he hath kept us here two dayes and have proved nothing c. I took a little boldness and told them that if Paul himself were present or Iesus Christ himself in their bodily presence which they confessed he died in at Ierusalem yet they would say unto them even unto Christ himself thou hast falsely charged but thou hast proved nothing Paul himself should be an Enemy and Jesus Christ should be a Blasphemer and a Beelzebub because he brought glad news of the Truth from Heaven to them I further said that I had more to offer in the name and in the cause of the true Lord Jesus Christ and after I had got liberty of speech I said that as they which denied the person of the true Lord Jesus denied the true Lord Iesus himself so they which denied the Offices which God the Father had invested him with and designed him to fulfil the denied the true Lord Iesus Christ. They demanded of me wherein they denied the offices of Christ Iesus I Answered I had many things to declare in which they denied the Offices of Christ Iesus as well as the Papists for which we seperated from them as Antichristans not holding the Head the true Lord Jesus the Sacrifice and Sacrificer the only Prophet Apostle and Messenger bringing in the last times the last Dispensation and Will of his Father contrary to the Papists who set up some of them the Pope and some of them the general counsel above the Lord Jesus declaring his mind in the Holy Scriptures and con 65 trary to the Quakers who set up a voice or motion within them over topping and over pouring the voice of Christ Jesus in the Scriptures some of them maintaining that this Light within them is that great Prophet that was to come which Moses Prophesied of Deut. 18. I said I would contract my thoughts and speak at present only a little of his Kingly power and Office and I plainly denounced that they were all notoriously guilty of High Treason against the King of Kings the Lord Jesus yea as far as in them lay they robd him of his Crown and Life and All. In particular I told them I had abundant proof there ready to bring forth from G. Foxes Book that he and his Associates denied yea all of them that visible Kingdome and Church and Institutions which he as King over all his Subjects hath Sovereign Right unto and most faithfully and wisely ordained to continue until his coming again I told them that G. Fox his Book and all their Books and Professions denied any visible Church of Christ at all and though they maintained and kept up Congregations of pretended Christan Worships and Worshippers in a direct contradiction unto their own Tenents yet they maintained the Church was in God and so not visible the Officers of the Church were invisible and immediately made by the immediate and invisible Spirit The Baptisme was within and only the Baptisme of the Spirit and of Fire The Lords Supper appointed by the Lord Jesus to be a Spiritual Feast remembring him until his coming was with them nothing else but Spiritual joy which they have one in and with another which they have by the second coming of the Lord Jesus to them who they said was come again to the Apostles the second time and unto themselves also Upon this as I remember there fell out some words between my Opposites and some of the people called Baptists But some of them especially Iohn Stubs demanded of me why I thus charged them and was my self so guilty not living in Church Ordinances my self I Answered that it was one thing to be in Arms against the King of Kings and his visible Kingdome and Administration of it to turn off all to Notions and Fancies of an invisible Kingdome and invisible Officers and Worships as the Quakers did Another 66 thing among so many pretenders to be the true Christian Army and Officers of Christ Jesus to be in doubt unto which to associate and to list our selves After all my search and examinations and considerations I said I do profess to believe that some come nearer to the first primitive Churches and the Institutions and Appointments of Christ Jesus then others as in many respects so in that gallant and heavenly and fundamental Principle of the true matter of a Christian Congregation Flock or Society viz. Actual Believers true Disciples Converts Living Stones such as can give some account how the Grace of God hath appeared unto them and wrought that Heavenly Change in them I professed that if my Soul could finde rest in joyning unto any of the Churches professing Christ Jesus now extant I would readily and gladly do it yea unto themselves whom I now opposed But Thirdly Not finding rest they themselves knew there is a Time of purity and Primitive Sincerity there is a time of Transgression Apostacy there is a time of the coming out of the Babilonian Apostacy Wilderness there is a time of many Flocks
as are the Papists Iews and Quakers Allegations to a Venemous and poysonous End He brings in Henoch Howet saying The Scripture to be the only Weapon whereby Christ overthrew the Devil He Answers who bruiseth his Head and was before Scripture was yet the Scripture is for Correction and Doctrine furnishing the man of God in his place and Christ the Seed was before the Scripture was And all them that hath Scripture and not Christ cannot overcome the Devil you and the Papists doing his work for they that overcome him that is with the Power and those have the Scriptures of Truth which the Devil is out of 101 I Reply How doth Christs bruising of Satans Head and being before Scripture was disprove Fox his Opposites saying viz. the only weapon whereby Christ Jesus overcome the Devil was the Scripture what is this to the point of the Compass may not half and Eye see what a simple Sophister this is to make such Yawes as not to come near the Ships Course and point in hand 2. Who sees not Fox in his Burrough of the divers Acceptation of the Word Christ For in the Sense of his Opposite that man Christ Jesus who fought the Devil and Fox Confesseth died at Ierusalem was not before the Scriptures But his Birth and Life and Death were Proppesied and declared by the Scripture long before he was born 3. As for this saying They that have the Scripture and not Christ can not overcome the Devil What News doth Fox tell the World which no Body denies and how doth this deny that Christ Jesus overcome the Devil by the Scripture 4. Is all Scripture or writing given by Inspiration of God and is profitable though Fox alleadgeth this Scripture by halves for Correction and Doctrine c. then it clearly follows that as Christ Jesus overcome the Devil by the Scripture so by the same Weapon this subtle Fox and all other of Satans Foxes must be Corrected Confuted Catcht and destroyed except they repent for ever But what is this Confession that the Scripture is profitable for Correction c. but a kind of grant to his Opposite that Christ did overcome the Devil by this Weapon for he Confesseth it profitable for Correction c. though yet all this running about in and out into his holes in this Answer is a whispering and yet loud enough to be heard viz. that Christ did not overcome the Devil by the Scripture 5. As for the Quakers Power here pretended in Opposition to the Scripture as being those that have Scripture within them and so overcome the Devil How doth the Devil deal as one that pretends to Fight with Children who lies down and Cries as if those poor Childish Souls had Overcome him Thus sometimes a Devil of Drunkenness of Swearing of Stealing runs away from the Sermons of the Quakers as a naughty Devil sometimes at the Chiding and Conjuring of a good Witch That he may get the faster hold by spiritual pride hypocrisie 102 self Conceit and Contradiction to the Scripture by will worship and Superstitious Inventions against the holy Institutions and Commands of the true Lord Jesus Christ. Pag. 289. He brings in Francis Duke saying When Christ told the Devil that man should not live by Bread alone but by every Word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God that was believing the Scripture And this Word of God in the Scripture was the Ground of Christs Faith and so to all that are his He Answers Many may have the Scripture and never hear the voice of God as the Jews in the fifth of Iohn and they said they believed the Scriptures though they were out of the true belief But receiving the Word from God is as they that gave forth the Scriptures which man lives by and not by bread alone and so knows him who was before Scripture was given forth And for saying that the Scripture was the Ground of Christs Faith he was afore the Scripture was writ and so fulfils their Words and is the Author and the Finisher of the Saints Faith which was before the Scripture was given forth him by whom the World was made and is the Author of the Saints Faith that bruised the Serpent under his feet which was before the Scripture was 1. I Reply How Notorious for Tautologies are these brutish Clamours Thrice in this small Answer have we of Christ which was before Scripture was who was before Scripture was c. shall we believe their Notorious Lyes viz. that the Light within them gave forth Scripture and that they speak and write as they are moved by the most holy and Infallible Spirit when their writings are so weak lame and Childish just like the talk of Aged doting Women and so full of Idle Repetitions 2. What Answer is this how brutish and Impious viz. that a man may have the Scripture and yet not be in the belief therefore the Word of God was not the Ground of Christs belief so again the Devil and wicked men may have the Scripture and yet believe not in them therefore Christ Jesus and his saints believe them not neither this Inference is clear you say Christ was before Scripture was c. I Reply He was and he was not But let Heaven and Earth Hear and abhor the Sophistry of these Deceivers they would fain 103 have no such Christ as man a Christ without an out-side Christ but a Spirit and God only and that in their Flesh yet again for shame of the world they are forct to Confess that there was such a man or person c. and yet to Cloak and Cover that Confession from Crossing their Principle they say that before Scripture was Christ bruised the Serpents Head that is Christ that made the World Christ the Light the Word But this again we say is false also for the Promise is Gen. 3. that the Seed of a Womau which was Christ in his Manhood born in the Fulness of Time Gal. 4. And let G. Fox or any of their Iuglers Answer If they speak honestly and bona fide if there was really such a man called Jesus at Ierusalem c. as there was such a man called G. Fox lately in New-England was there not such a man called Jesus after the Scripture was written or penn'd was dot this man forty dayes tempted of the Devil and did not this man called Jesus Christ Overcome the Devil by the Weapon of the writing or Scripture and was not the holy Scripture the Ground of his Faith as he makes the Will or Word of God declared in this holy Writing or Record the Ground of his saints Faith also He brings in Iohn Timson saying The Scripture is the Rule of Life He Answers Contrary to Christ who said the Spirit should lead them into all Truth And they that are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and the Churches was to hear what the spirit said
told me that it was known that they preached the Doctrine of Repentance and of turning from all sin unto God c. I Answered that the Papists and they made a shew and Colour of Repentance but it had not the Life and Substance of Repentance in it It was no more but an empty Title and shadow of Repentance we know the Papists define their Repentance by these three First Contrition Secondly Confession and Thirdly Satisfaction or Restitution But I said the Protestants protested against this Repentance of the Papists and so against the Quakers for who knew not the sorrow and Confessions of Saul and Ahab and Pharaoh and the Philistins and Iudas yea and also the Restitution which Iudas made not daring to keep in his hands that which he had unjustly and wickedly gotten and yet who can truly ascribe unto these mens Repentance the Character and blessedness of a true Christian returning and coming home to God 2. I said it is known in daily practice that when some times 116 Notorious and openly Flagitious Persons profess to be Quakers for all their craking of fear and trembling and Quaking there hath appeared no Sense of godly sorrow of godly Contrition and brokenness of heart in them for their sinful Nature and Life against so Infinitely pure an Holiness and Majesty but immediately upon their bowing down to Satan and owning him as a Light and Christ and Spirit within them they are having less Prophaneness now pure and holy as God is they can no more sin then Christ can the Mistery of godliness is God manifested in their Flesh I know some of them say they come to perfection by degrees yet they say the least of their new-born Quakers can not sin and what is that but Perfection yea they are Christ and God and therefore why should they give respect to any King or Kings c. why should they not Thee and Thou the Aged Learned holy and High why should they not sit silent even scores and hundreths of them possessed with a dumb Spirit as in a Form and Order of Christian worship waiting for this Spirit and then be perfect Christians 3. The Protestants both English French and Dutch c. have manifested against the Papists and therein against the Quakers that Repentance is a turning of whole Soul from all sin as sin to all of God as God from the sin of Nature and that Heart filthiness which we bring into the world with us and from whence even from within as Christ Jesus tells us what ever Satan and the poor Quakers prate proceed our evil thoughts Adulteries Fornications Murthers Thefts Covetousness Wickedness Deceit Lasciviousness an Evil Eye Blasphemy pride Foolishness Mark 7 c. 4. I urged that their Proselites and Converts are but like the Pharisees of old though oftentimes dearly bought by Sea and Land I say but tâ—rned from one sin to another from one Image to another from one Devil of Drunkenness of Swearng c. to a Devil of Pride horrible pride the worst of all prides in Earth or Hell to wit a Spiritual Pride swelling with the Dropsies and Tympanies of their Conceited knowledge Conceited Repentance Conceited Faith Love patience joy holiness Iustification Sanctification Mortification and Salvation 2. How horribly do they despise the true broken hearted Pub 117 licans who can see nothing but sin and Damnation in themselves and cry out for mercy and Forgiveness How do they Superciliously and Pape-like belch out as from Hell God I thank thee that I am not like these Publicans 3. How bitterly do they Instantly raile and revile Condemn and Curse breathing out Fire of Damnation as Fire and Brimstone from the Mountains in Sicily or else Hell it self against all that oppose them as far from the Teaching of Christ and his first Messâ—ngers as Lambs and Doves are from the Ravenous popish and Devilish Lyons and Eagles 4. To name no more at present How doth the Devil of worldliness and Covetousness domineer over many of them By a strict Profession all persons are taken off from Drunkenness Whoredome Swearing c. und put on Theiftiness and Industry and if their hearts Centre and fix not on Christ Jesus and the Heavenly Records of Christ the Scriptures and on the Life to come but upon Self Exalting self a self Christ and Spirit and Heaven and Resurrection c. which is the Truth and bottom of the Quakers Religion what can the most of them run in but a Course of greedy gaping after and getting and raking and gathering the muck and dung of this present Life It is true that many that hold the same Fanciful Notions with the Quakers yet are of Ranting jovial spending Spirits but the Spirit that haunts the Quakers most is a soure proud and Melancholy Devils and his Commission is to turn such persons into the Gadarens Swine rooting up all that ever they come at for their own Ends and Belly How many are the Instances even in this Colony in some especially as able and as active Souls as any in this Colony or Country and as guilty of murthering the Natives by the Liqour Trade as any and as suddenly and strangely snatcht away by the hand of Gods Power and Iustice as any usually can be but being departed I will touch no more upon this string From their Doctrine of and their Heresie or Obstinacy in a false Repentance I touch next npon their false Faith I said it was true they spoke much of Faith and Justification c. as the Papists did and as G. Fox in his Book by me did yet if they pleased I would demonstrate by Instances out of his Book all along that he Confounded and made all one both Faith and Ju 118 stification yea and Sanctification and made believing in Christ Jesus but a meer Babel and Chaos of Nonsence and Cnnfusion For although which is Foxes Common Burrough he that Faith hath Repentance hath Justification Sanctification and all Christian graces yet to Confound and make them all one is as to go into a fair Garden and say a Rose is every Flower in the Garden or to say that the Letter A or O is every Letter in a Printers Box or Book Or to say that a Rebels receiving the Kings pardon that is the King himself his receiving it is the pardon it it self that is the Rebels Conviction Conversion Condemnation Execution Resurrection Acceptation Exaltation and Adoption into the Favour and Communion with the King for the Future All this Monstrons and Nonsensical Language is the Tongue or Speech of the Quakers and G. Fox especially 2. I told them that although with the Quakers and Papists G. Fox talkt much of Faith in Christ yet I had proved and further should that the Quakers put out and obliterate the true Christ or Object to be received and believed on as before in the matter of Faith they put out the true living Eye of
through all these things and kept us in the hollow of his hand and under the shadow of his wings and gave us dominion in Spirit over all our enemies and subdued them before us and though Rulers and People were combined against us and executed their violence and in 177 justice against us yet the Lord made us to prosper and grow exceedingly in Strength Wisdome and Number and the hearts of the people inclined to us and the Witness of God in many stirred for us for to that in all Consciences Words and wayes we did commend our selves to be known and approved Hereto they suddenly said What canst thou make of this but that Edward Burrowes said the truth that the Sufferings of the people called Quakers were very great that he acknowledged the powerfull hand of the Lord toward them in supporting and delivering them But this was far from boasting or making it any Evidence of the truth of their Religion and Principles I replyed I prayed them to consider why pious and conscientious Souls as they would be reputed should give so large a Catalogue of their Sufferings 2. Profess it was only for their Faithfulness to the Lord. 3. Declare that it was the hand of the Lord that kept them 4 That he only could do it I sayd the Weaving and inter-weaving of these Particulars speak plainly that for their Faithfullness to the Lord and his Truth in declaring and suffering for it the Lord had been faithfull to them in supporting them and comforting them in all these Sufferrings for his Name sake Why should wise men use all these words but to this end of Evidencing their Faithfulness to God and Gods Faithfulness to them After some words had about these kind of passages in Ed. Burrowes and other of their Writings I told them that we must come to that ancient and true Maxime Causa facit Martyrem not the Suffering of Burning it self that is the evidence of a true matter I therefore told them that as it was in the case of Signs Wonders Deut. 13. though they be Signs which false Prophets give which come to pass yet God commands his Children not to be moved from his written word and his holy revealed and recorded Ordinances and Institutions I told them that I had other places which I had turned down in Edward Burrowes to produce but these I had suppressed in my thoughts for expedition sake and would if they pleased pass on to my proof of my next Position to this they readily assented but being now out of my Shackles of a quarter of an hour to which I wink'd to draw them on I crave the Readers Patience and leave to hear me say something now which then I could not say 178 First To what I have said before of E. Burrowes insisting so largly on the Sufferings of the Quakers and yet my Antagonists denying them to make their Sufferings an Evidence of their Truth I present the Reader with a witness of G. Fox his words in his Pag 64 And there is a Proof to thee that the Quakers are sent of God who speak to thee of the Scripture right as they are He that reads the place shall see that G. Fox useth these words against his Opposite Ieremiah Iewes because that his Opposite had said viz. That the Word of God was contained in the Scripture and G. Fox checks him for it and saith if he had said the word which it speaks of he had spoken right c. And this G. Fox makes an Evidence of the Quakers being sent of God that they only can speak properly How much more is what I have produced and have much more to produce a Proof that they do roll their Souls upon their Sufferings as an Evidence and Confirmation that they are sent of God 2. It is wonderfull what the Iewes and Papists have suffered for their Lyes and Blasphemyes What a wonderfull Story doth Manasseh Ben-Isrel relate of a Noble man a Portugal turned Iew burn'd in Portugal for the Iewish Faith What Devotion and Zeal have many of the Popish Party shewn at Tiburn Sure it is that a natural Valour and Magnanimity a natural Melancholy and Stoutness a natural Pride and Vain-Glory will give wings which fire and Burning cannot scorch and conquer 3. I doubt not but that t is possible for not only Christians but also Iewes and Papists c. like Paul in his mad Conscience to be zealous for his Conscience and to put others to death for their Consciences and yet neither of them to sin against their Consciences but ignorantly as Paul did 4. I believe that not only Paul and such as he in Unbelief may so practice but even the true Saints and Children of God He that shall ponder the Fathers Poligamy the best Kings of Iudah suffering the High places Davids slaying Uriah Asahs imprisoning the Prophet Peters rash using the Sword Davids and Nathans unadvised Advise to build God a Temple the Disciples calling for Fire from Heaven and shall see cause to reprove the Quakers for their rash damning of others from whome they have suffered For 5. As t is possible for Gods own Children to hold and that 179 obstinately false Principles so it is possible for other of Gods Children as obstinately to afflict and punish those others to Death and so bring Affliction and Destruction one upon an other which is that the Devil aimes at 6. Because the Quakers do so abundantly glory in their Sufferers and in comparison of them slight the Saints under the Altar in our Book of Martyrs as Iames Parnel impiously calls it casting all that differ from them into the Satanical Delusion and Serpentine nature as Fox doth Pag. 5. and 253. and 99. Who forbids to receive into their Houses no not Kings and Princes nor to bid them God speed that are not in their Light I think it fit to observe at this Turn some Differences between true Sufferers and false both pretending the Name of Christ Iesus First The Persons whome the heavenly man Iohn Fox describes they were men and women known to be of holy and heavenly Spirits towards God and of low and meek Spirits towards all yea their very enemyes I would I could say so of the Quakers though no question but a a gold Ring may fall into the Channel and Iewel into the Dirt of worldly and Antichristian errors But for the Quakers I have cause to fear that generally they are Proud ambitious and Worldly-minded Wretches Some of them have literal Knowledge of the Scripture and some stirring Affections with the stony Ground others with the thorny Ground have suffered formerly but the Cares and lusts of this world have drild them into this way of Antichristian Worship others are Fierce Pragmatical Discontented c. and they must travel and be Apostles to preach and bring in Proselites The Cause of Iohn Foxes and G. Foxes Martyrs differ as much as Day from
fit to be thought on as to pretence of the Christian Name and Religion 9. At the coming of the Lord Jesus there were two great Com 19 petitours for preaching First the Pharisees who by Laud and Sea sent abroad their Emissaries to make Converts to the God of the Jews and their own Traditions Secondly The Apostles or Messengers of Christ Jesus sent abroad with the glad news of a new Bargain or Covenant of God with the Sons of men viz. this second sort It pleased the God of Heaven not to be thrown out as this Fox frantickly barks but to go out wonderfully miraculously yea also with the private labours and preachings of private Christians scattered by Persecution as the holy Scripture recordeth 10. For the slighting of this inestimable Pearl of this glad News or Gospel published by God to the World by writing preaching professing Suffering c. It hath pleased his Infinite Justice to plough the World with Popery a Religion a bastard Christianity suited as the Quakers is to rotten nature and fit to carry the world after them as Mahomet and the Pope have done 11. In this day the two greatest wonders in the world pretending to be Christs Messengers or Apostles to the Nations are the Jesuits and the Quakers Their Faces look divers but they both carry Firebrands in their Tails to burn up the holy Scripture all truly holy Christians yet all the world before them Gods Infinite wisdome hath suffered them to be like Absolom beautiful and plausible and fit to play Soul Thieves and steal away the hearts of thousands and ten thousands from the true David the Lord Jesus Christ. Beside they are so fortified with the Faces of Men and hair of Women like the Locusts Rev. 9. such pretences such Illuminations and Appearances such Assurances and Confidences such feelings of Experiences that it is Gods Infinite Power and wisdome and goodness to preserve the holy Scripture a standing Record of what the first Messengers and first Churches and first Doctrine and Christians were or else the world would fall down and adore the Images which the Lord hath suffered the Devil in them to set up 12. I know the Counsels of the Father of Lights are very deep yea the Revelation needs a Revelation the Prophecies and Canticles and Daniel need Heavenly Messengers and the most holy Spirit or finger of God to untie such knots Sure it is that Millions 20 of Jews and Gentiles must yet enquire with tears of blood after the Blood of a Saviour Sure they shall not awake out of their pits of Rottenness without some means Messengers sent from Heaven to rouze and wakâ—n them Sure their shall be no other words in their Mouths then what were in the mouths of the first Messengers according to the Prayer of the Lord Jesus on his Death bed to his Father through whose Word all that have believed the report ever since have believed Ioh. 17 and with which blessed word the Spirit of God will be in the mouths of all true Christians Isai. 59. 20. c. Surely the true Messengers of Jesus will say no other word then what Moses and the Prophets foretold and wrought Act. 26. therefore Fox and his Foxians that tells us they have all by the Spirit and need no Record are Thieves and Robbers whom Moses and the Prophets and Paul and the Apostles abhor'd to think of A 11. Instance is in Pag. 40. where G. Fox brings in I. Deacon saying The enjoyment of Immortulity is not till they have put off the Body He Answers Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who saith Immortality was brought to light through the Gospel this was when they were upon the Earth and the Word of God was in them which was Immortal 1. I Reply First G. Fox affirms an Immortality that is a not dying of the Soul and Body As for the Soul all true Protestants affirm that the Soul once raised up to Spiritual Life never dyes no more than Christ Jesus Rom. 6. as for the Body Papists and Protestants and the Quakers and all the World grants that all Flesh is as grass c. and the Sentence of Death by sickness Age or Casualty is impartially executed upon the Foxians as well as other Câ—ttel As to the Soul who of sober Papists or Protestants questions the Immortality of it and of the Body also in joy or Sorrow to Eternity As for the Body the Quakers say when the Soul is gone into God yea the Soul of Iudas as well as the Soul of Peter as some of them say and all of them by Argument will be forced to say the Body returns to Earth and Rottenness never more to be raised and no more then Bodies of the Beasts Birds and Fishes though we know who holds the Bodies of Beasts Birds and Fishes shall live again as the Soul mortalists do what is it then 21 that G. Fox sputters out for Immortality or a not dying in this Life If he speak of the Soul who denies it If of the Body he speaks a Beastly Contradiction to the doleful Sense of all mankind and their own also who die and rot as well as them 2. It is true 1 Tim. 6. God only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto what ever these Foxians bruitishly fancy of no distinction between God and themselves their Light and his It is true yet also that Iesus Christ 2 Timâ— 1. hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel But what is this but the joyful Condition of the Souls Bodies of the godly their Souls and Bodies raised up with Jesus to a Spiritual holy Life in this World their Souls going to Jesus and their Bodies sleeping in Iesus and the rising of their Bodies and uniting to their Spirits in a Life Eternal 3. As to this Immortality of G. Fox all that can be known of his mind is old H. Nichols and the Nicolaitans mad fictions and fancies of their becoming God and Christ. I hope charitably of many of them that run in their Simplicity Ignorance and weakness with a true Love to the true Lord Jesus as some did with Absalom who truly loved David but as for Absolom himself the Polititians the subtle Plotters and Ahitophels who love not the true Lord Jesus in sincerity I fear instead of their fancied Immortality before the Grave they will meet with a dreadful Mortality or death of Soul and Body to Eternity A 12. Instance is Pag. 47. where he brings in Ioseph Miller saying The wise heathen Philosophers had a greater Measure of Light in them which is the first Adam then I can think any man hath now G. Fox Answ. which shews that he knows nothing of Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit He knows no New Creature for who are in Christ are new Creatures nor none of Christ the Covenant of God of Light
mankind of many due respects and favorable glaunces of Gods care of order and prudent distinctions and differences amongst the Sons of men in Families Cities Nations Armies Navies c. 3. Sure he can not but remember and his own and all the Light in the Quakers if seriously minded will tell them that 54 in robbing all the world of their several due moderate and sober Titles and Respects they do but by a jugling Hocas pocas a back dore c. rob all others of their points Ribbons and Laces wherewithal only to adorn and trim and trick their foolish selves Just as the Popish party practice to cry up their Pope servus servorum Dei and yet be Domine fac totum your holiness c. and yet the Pope and Papists herein out shoot the Quakers for the Papists give all men their Civil and Courteous different Respects and Acknowledgements which the dogged and scornful Quakers are far from their Spirit being prouder then the Papists 4. G. Fox knows how others of his Adversaries have in print told him that the English word Master Answers to many words in the Greek Kathegerese Didarkalos c. and that these words Rahbi and Pateer all shew that the Lord Jesus only Condemned the Pharisaical Popish and Foxian Itch of being called Masters Fathers Leaders Teachers in Religion undervaluing and slighting others c. Thus amongst the Papists their Magister noster their Patres c. their Irrefragable Seraphical and Angelical Doctors thus among the Foxians Iames Naylor Hosanna c. and G. Fox at this Town of Providence called the Eternal Son of God Christ Iesus 5. Half a Humane and sober Eye may see that in all his Declamations against the Pharisaical or Popish or Foxian Rabbies the Lord Jesus I say comes not near in a Title the Civil and Natural Respects of Inferiours to Heads of Families Cities Kingdomes c. all of which the very nature of man being von politikon a sociable Creature and the holy Scripture is all over from end to end full of most frequent Examples yea Commands and practices 6. How Childishly doth Fox Answer his Opposite viz that although it be unlawful to call Master yet it is not unlawful to call Father for there is a Birth which his Opposite is ignorant of c. I ask if G. Fox mean not their Immediate Birth of Light which for a Cover they call Spirit and Christ c. in Opposition to that true Christian Regeneration and Change which it pleaseth God ordinarily to Effect by means as Paul said though you have ten thousand Teachers yet I have begotten you c Sure it is their Immediate denies the mediate 55 7. Where there no Ordinary means appointed by God for Natural or Spiritual procreation yet how simple is that Consequence that because God is an Extraordinaâ—y Father therefore I may call men Fathers but not Masters when God is both Father and Master and both Titles are forbidden in a true Sense by one and the same heavenly Breath at the same time A 28 h. Instance is pag. 106. where G. Fox brings in W. Thomas saying Men are saved but not by Christ within us He Answers How is mans Salvaâ—ion wrought out but by Christ within How is the Iustification fels but by Christ wit in And the Seeds we manifest that suffered without is made manifest within there is Redemption and Life He that hath the Son of God hath Life Redemption to God out of the first Adam and who feels Christ within feels Salvation and who doth not are Reprobates though they may talk of him I Reply This subtle Fox is in his Burrough Confounding under the Terms Christ the person of Christ and the Love and Spirit and Grace or Favour of Christ as if they were all one As if where the Name and Authority and writing of G. Fox comes there of necessity must G. Fox in person be Or to rise higher wherever the Name and Authority of a King General or Admiral is there must their persons also be This Popish Ubiquitary Fancy all sober Reasons have long since laught at and justly as being most Fancyfull and Frantick what 2. What is this but to make the Kings of men yea the King of Kings poor Mechanicks yea lower that can do nothing by any Means Servants Ministers Legates Embassadours c. except they be personaly present 3. The Spirit of God resolves the Question Ephes 3. He dwels in the Heart by Faith or believing in him and Gal. 2. I live by believing or Faith in the Son of God This Faith is given of God to some and not to others This Faith or Belief is wrought by Christ Jesus and â—inâ—shed by him and may with as good Sense be called Christ himself as a shoo which G. Fox hath begun and finished be called G Fox himself 4. With what Colour of Reason or Sense is it that if I believe King Charles the second to be the King of English Men and my King I must of necessity because of my belief which He by gracious 56 means hath wrought in me I believe that K. Charles is personally present Ubiquitarily present in person in all his Dominions and all the world over where ever his Loving Subjects have their Residence 5. I grant if we as some Quakers and Humphry Norton by Name resolve Christ only into a Spirit and God only he is Ubiquitary But as man why may not the General of an Army say to his whole Army and every Individual Souldier as Paul to the Corinthians though I am absent in Body yet am I present in Spirit Christ Jesus is in his Command and Courage and Example in every Regiment every Squadron every Band and Troop and every Souldier of the mâ—ny Millions that have and shall believe in him and that in a Sense both as God and man 6. The Hinge and pinch of the Difference lies in the Opposition which the Quakers make against the Manhood of Christ Jesus to be yet Extant many of them alleadging why stand you gazing Acts 1 c. as if it were but gazing after a Manhood and all now were Spirit and Light within 7. Who ever questiond but that the Spirit or power of Christ Jesus worketh in the Souls of his Elect the great saving change or regeneration gives Repentance opens the heart to Believe and makes the heart of this Believer a Palace for three Kings yet but one the Father the Son and the Spirit in Holiness Love Meekness Patience c. and all these Royal Attendants 8. Who questions but Christ Jesus as the Sun in these Heavens inâ—luenceth all parts of the World in several respects and nothing is hid from his heat He is felt in the bruised Reed and smoaking Flax in the poor in Spirit in the hungry and thirsty after Righteousness sometimes in the hope of Glory to come
of Rebellion against Superiours and of wicked desires of Wine and Women and fighting and pleasures in persons of greater growth this rotten Nature appears in their rooting like Swine for earthly profits or preferments or fighting like Lions Tygers in Wars and Law-conttntions and oppressing of Inferioâ—rs especially if they dare to reprove or witness their Idolatries Superstitions and Abominations 2. The experience of all the Saints of God in the Holy Scripture who maintained a Battel between the Flesh and Spirit all their dayes accord-to Gal. 5. A Battel within them sometimes the Spirit or new Man the new Creature or the Grace of Christ prevailing sometimes the Corruption or Rottenness of Nature like the two Houses of Saul and David the old Man getting the victory as we see generally in Abraham Isaak Iacob Moses Aaron Eli Samuel David Solomon c. till we come down to the highest Saints Paul and Peter the one shamefully again and again vanquished and the other Paul crying 69 out that the good he would do he did not and yet when he did evil he had two men within him the Law of his Spirit Heavenly and the Law of sin which dwelt within him â—tc they that know not and feel not this they are either dead or rotten and so feel nothing or if there be any life of God in them and yet say in the litteral sense they sin not their weakness is such that like very low and far gone weak bodies their Filth and Excrements come from them but they know nothing of it nor will believe or acknowledge any such matter The 35. Instance is in Pag. 217. where G. Fox brings in Iohn Iackson saying False Prophets and Christs and Deceivers many should come if it were possible to deceive the very Elect. He Answers Yes Christ said they should come to the Apostles which before their Decease they did come and went forth from them which Christ said should inwardly Ravin and get the sheeps cloathing which since the dayes of the Apostles all the World went after them as thou maiest read in the Revelations and now are People but coming from them to the Rock and now shall the Everlasting Gospel be preached to them that dwell upon the Earth over the heads of the Beast and their false Prophet and they shall be taken and the Lambe and the Saints shall have the victory I Reply 1. As that great Fox the Pope of Rome and his Foxians the Worshâ—ppers of that Beast maintain that Antichrist is not yet come that so he may scape a scouring or rather a burning or dashing in pieces so doth our little Fox G. Fox and his Foxians cry out another Lurry Antichrist why he is come and gone long ago c. As if false Christs might not be then and now too as if there were no more greedy Wolves to be found then in Act. 20 and no more Sheep-skins for them in Matthew 7. c. The Spirit of God proclaims 1 Cor. 11. that there must be Heresies and Peter tells us 2 Pet. 2. that there must be false Teachers false Prophets and Damnable Heresies for the trial of the sincere c. And were all the Foxes hunted out and destroyed in the Apostles dayes and none left since Iohns time to our times to be hunted after and digd out of their Burroughs 70 Are there none sound sincere and chaste to be tried at this day to the Lord Jesus the Heavenly Bridegroom and to his Eternal King and Father God blessed to Eternity 2. The Protestants maintain that the Pope or Papacy is the great Antichrist the Man of Sin with seven heads and ten horns c. why should not the Devil be able to raise besides the Pope the Ceredonians Valentinnians and the Arians Manicheans Gnosticks c. and since or at the beginning of the Reformation the Quintinians and Munsterian Mousters why should he not be able to raise in our time the Nicholaitans and Foxians 3. It is true that in the times of warm peace c. many Vermine breed whom the cold winter of Persecution utterly destroyes I know also that in the late times of Freedome to mens Opinions in England Many Opinions and promoters of them arose Sharp times God hath to make discovery I know some say that Iudas and Theudas and Barchochas and Rabbi-Iudah c. were the false Christs the Lord Jesus spake of I know also that amongst the Professours of the Christian Name false Christs and false Prophets Apostles Preachers c. must pretend to the Christian Name also 4. I know some affirm that though the Pope be Antichrist yet that he that letted was not the Roman Emperour until he was taken out of the way but that he that letted was the Holy Spirit to which the Quakers now pretend which Spirit being taken away the Popes arose But in the dayes of Iohn when those gifts did most flourish yet then there were many Antichrists and the gift of the Holy Spirit did not hinder their rising so that all ages are full of false Teachers 5. What Ignorance doth this little Fox yet great Boaster discover in saying Now are People coming forth from them c. doth he proudly look over all those Glorious Protestant Witnesses of Jesus before and since Luther whose Names many of them God commanded that Heavenly I. Fox to make Record of 6. Do the Foxians just now about twenty years preach the everlasting Gospel Now saith W. Edm. in our discourse we preach the everlasting Gospel to you that you shall be free from sin c. But Gods Spirit tells us in Peter and Iude of pretenders to liberty while themselves are the Servants of Corruption or Rottenness 71 7. Both Jews and Gentiles have done by the Name of Christ as the Jews and Romans with Christ Jesus before they murthered him they mockd him c. and then Murthered him that so they might be the Heir and Messiah themselves Just as the great Fox the pope and these little Foxians pretend to be the sole great Heir apparent to the Crown of Heaven and all other Rebels and Reprobates against and from their Heavenly Majesties The 36. Instance is in page 218. Where G Fox brings in the same Author saying I hope you will not condemn the Generation of the Righteous because they are vot perfect He Answers That which condemneth is Righteous it condemns that which is not perfect and the Generation is Righteous and not to be condemned I Reply He Answers four things First that which Condemns is righteous Secondly That which is Righteous Condemns that which is not perfect Thirdly That which is righteous is perfect Fourthly The Generation is Righteous that is them selves being perfect and not to be Condemned the Summe of his Answer is Himself and his Foxians are Gods as pure holy as God is and therefore now keep the Eternal Sessions and Assizes at the Tribunal of their high
book if such had proved desirable These alterations will all be noted in this reprint and will be designated as Roger Williams ' Manuscript Annotations The seconâ— Position Concerning true false Christs Traitors Rebells against the King eternaâ— Murtherers of him The true Lord Iesus Christ His humane nature which G. Fox alâ— night long so barks against The Quakers Christ allegorical and meerly Fancy destroying the History Humphrey Norton deales plainly against the Person of Christ The Equivocation of the Foxians Eph 3. 10. The true Union that is â—etween Christ Iesus Believers The Quakers painted Christ. Christ winhin and Christ without Two Questions to Quakers G Fâ—x his Book in Folio produced Page 3. The Papists Quakers destroy the Person of Christ. The being of Christ in the Heavens The Quakers endure not trying but are willingly ignorant Willing Ignorance Nehem 8 they gave the Sence The Quakers nonsensical Spirit Iohn Bunyan Christs twofold Presence The Quakers Conjure with Christs Body The Quakers endure not Sences or Meanings just as the Papists and yet talk all of light The old question of Christs Presence Fox Bonnet no difference The Quakers pretend to ownâ— Christs Bloud yet in truth allow him no Bloud to shed Enoch Howet The divine and humane nature of the Lord Iesus Nicholas the Deacon and Nicholas Fathers of the old and new Nicholaitans 1 believe R. W. Ms. Ann. So Cristopher Houlder he boggles at the word Manhood The word Humane considered Used in the Scripture 1 Cor 10. Dan. Grudry Christ not seen as he is until the day of Iudgement The personal coming of the Lord Iesus A visible and in visible eye and object Christ â—ithin Christ without The Papists and Quakers Christ is no where Christoph Wade The Author whome G. Fox opposeth and in Pride and madness rageth against The Quakers Christ but a whimsical Christ Hosanna to the Son of David 1 Ye poor Apostates R. W. Ms. Ann. The Spirit of the Papists the Quakers but one The Quakers notoriously dissemble for they do own and not own the Christ that dyed at Ierusalem Humph. Norton more plain in words then other Quakers Christ yesterday and to day The Quakers endure not to be searched temer of false and thievish spirits 1 Interline be R. W. Ms. Ann. The Quakers Apolloes Oracles the same Iohn Burton If ever there Equivocating Iesuites in the world the Quakers are The Quakers wonderful jugling about the true Christ John Burton The Quakers Traitors Rebels against the true Lord Iesus I have known the poor Lobsters catch the Foxes The wonderful blindness and hardness of my Antagonists 1 the plain Evidences R. W. Ms. Ann. Frances Higginson The Quakers endure not the word Humane Acts 13. Opened of Christs Humanity Tho. Collier The second coming of the Lord Iesus The Everlasting Fathâ—r Christ Iâ—su how The Quakers wonderfully changed yet but in Dissimulation as to learning the Scriptures W. Edmund leaves the Dispute is hurried into Preaching W. Edmund his story concerning Benefices And his vain extolling of their Idol Light John Stubs his sermon The Quakers unruly and rash interruptions A short Answer to 2 Sermons The motions of Gods spirit not those of the Quakers Tâ—e Quakers not orderly nor patient The Offices of Christ Iesus The Kingly office of the Lord Iesus The visible Christian Church Ordinances Touching the several Churches extant Churches nearest to Christ Iesus This was and I hope is the principle of the N English Church The various appearances of Christ Iesus 1 their R. W. Ms. Ann. My offer in the end of the second dayes conference Lying pretenders to Gods service The Authors just Apologie agaiâ—st the unjust clamors of the Quakers A mutual agreement for a third dayes conference A quarter of an hour much canvased The Quakers spirit policy The Quakers would not dispute on the first day and why The third dayes conference at New-port A Letter sent in to all of us The Letter refused to be opened by the Quakers The Sum of the Letter My self reproved in the Letter in 3 particulars The dâ—fference of the Quakers Sharpness sometimes a duty The Letter it self True librety infringed Quenching of the Spirit The insulting Spirit of the Quakers The true cause of our long discourse at Newport The modesty of this letter The third Position against the Quakers spirit Discussed The word spirit The quality of Spirits All spirits must be tried Gods Spirit given by Gods means The Spirit of God working by means The Quakers at Newport appealed too publickly Samuel Eaton Henoch Hoâ—vet G. Fox ignorant of the true spirit of God Tho. Moor. The use of means Fox and the Quakers above all Kings and Princes Popes Emperors Saints and Angels The Mahumetans Quakers considered and found one The Quakers Gods upon Earth all other Beasts Reprobates Devils The leading of the Spirits debated The tryal of Revelations Reason sanctified and rightly improved The Spirit gotten of prayer The Quakers Spirit The omnisciency of the Quakers Their in humanityâ— and cruelty Knowing and doing all things The Light within 2 Cor. 4 God hath shined in our hearts The darkness within An Evidence that the Quakers spirit and a deceitful Heart are one The testimony of the Deputy Governour Câ—pt Cranston and others against W. E. slanderous rashness The great Cheater who cheats all Cheaters The great Magna Charta xi Iâ—a 59. The true Seed The railng spirit of the Quakers Their Cursing Mens and Womens Nakedness Their Womens Preaching Dumb Meetings The monstrous Singing of the Quakers The true Spirit willing to be examined by the Scripture and every mans Consceence The false and Iuglers endure not searching The Quakers cry is Light but they dare not come to it The two pretended Witnesses Reeve and Muggleton The Quakers would set the Spirit and Scripture at odds The 4th Position concerning the Scriptures A twofold owning of any scripture or Writing The Iews and Papists and Quakers all of them in effect deny the holy Scriptures The Quakers slighting the holy Scriptures in many horrible Particlars A dissembling Show of Quakers respecting the Scriptures An Irish Papist confessing the Truth The Scriptures miraculously preservd to be Gods standing outward Record witness The holy Scripture the only outward standing Rule Record like the Records in the Tower The Holp Scriptures are Gods Love-letters The admirable excellency of the Scripture Luthers Light Ioh 20. 2. considered A famous vision in Turkey The two Witnesses eat up the book of Script Tindal the first heavenly Translator burned 1 nail up this R. W. Ms. Ann. The Iews outward reverence to the Script The first Protestants affâ—ction to the Scripture The Scriptures put both Papists Quakers to flight Christs Martyrs or Witnesses love to Scriptures Iames Parnel his horrible sin Iudgment How the Quakers own Scripture 2. King 17. the Samaritans feared the Lord and yet feared him not
works and a looking to be Justified and saved be God for a mans own Abilities performances and Righteousness far from the Faith of the Gospel which though good works in Love follow it yet not one good work in the world goes before it Nor one good work in the world goes with it in the point of Justification or pardon of our Transgressions and therefore G. Fox hath not only George Willington his Opposite but the express word and Declaration of the Spirit of God saying Rom. 3. Therefore we Conclude that a man is Iustified by Faith and not by the works of the Law Alas porr Bankrupts who owe more Infinitely to God then we are worth who are over head and Ears in Debt to God to our own Souls to Men and Angels and the whole Creation having sinned against Heaven c. that have not one farthing toward the discharge of so many Infinite Millions of Talents God of his rich Infinite mercy convinceth some of the proud Sons and Daughters of men of their deplorable Condition makes them cry for mercy and for Christ Jesus sake and Mediation he freely Iustifies and forgives them Thus saith the Scripture all along and that our Faith our believing or receiving of this grace though it be followed with Mary Magdalens Love contributes not one farthing toward the payment of our Infinite Millions no not so much as one good Thought He brings in Ioseph Miller saying It is an Errour to say we are Iustified by that which Christ doth in us He Answers Contrary to the Apostle who saith We are Iustified by Faith in his Blood 125 And the Faith is in the Heart and the Blood is in the Heart that purifies it and held in a pure Conscience And the Word of Faith is within Rom. 10. And Faith gives Victory over the World and that which gives Victory Justifies And Christ is within you who is Iustification Sanctificotion and Redemption either of them is found within and thou art in the Errour and not fit to talk of these things thou understandest not I Reply Grant that in a true Respect and Sense Faith is within and the Blood within and the Word of Faith within and Christ within and Iustification and Sanctification within will it therefore follow I say will it therefore follow with any Colour of Common Reason that therefore in one and the same Sense they are all within and they are all one and they were not without before they were within I know this subtle Fox and he that helps his deluded pate to bind up such a Bundle of wrested Scriptures would have it so that he may jumble and blend all together in a Babilonish Mystery and subtly deny the Truth of the holy Scriptures History It is true Cheist dwels in our Hearts by believing Ephes. 3. and Consequently his Cross yea his Manger yea his Blood yea his Grave are within c. But that Christ Literally shed his Blood within us as a Ransome to his Eather for the sins of the whole world is as Fine and bruitish a Fancy as that the Cross the Spear the Soulders the High Priests Scribes and Pharisees and People Pilate the Romans Ierusalem Iude the whole world as some of them have idly ofteuprated are Literally within us It is true in a Sense the King and his pardon and Counsellours and Scribes and writings and Seals c. are all in a Rebels heart as he believes and applies all these within him and his belief works by love But if they be within otherwise then we Affirm c. and as G. Fox would have it then they are not withont also which is the mark all these Arrows from Hell fly at and Consequently Christ Jesus and his Blood shedding and a Literal Ierusalem and a true and real man Christ Jesus and the holy real Literal Scriptures are blown up and vanished altogether Pag. 10. He brings in Iohn Bunyar saying It is not Faith and works that justifies a man before God but it is Faith and good works which justifie in the sight of men only and such works will not 126 justifie in the sight of God and he saith that works is only to justifie their Faith to be true before men G. Fox Answers Abraham was not Justified only to men by his Obedience but to God And where there is Faith there is Iustification which works by Love And the Saints Faith and works were not only to Justifie them in the sight of men For the work of God is to do what he saith the will which who doth not is not Justified by 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 and works both I Reply He that reads this passage may without doubting Conclude that G. Fox and his Foxians are as perfect Pharisees Iewish and Popish as ever burroughed in Rome or Ierusalem maintaining a Covenant of works Justification by works and renouncing Christ Jesus his Blood and merits For if Abraham was Justified and received his pardon by his Obedience to God what need was there for him and us to look out for a Surety a Redeemer a Mediator to pay his Blood for our Ransome and to fetch us out of the miserable state of Sin Death and Hell c. 2. Whereas G. Fox asketh what is the work of God but to do what he saith I Reply 1. The work of God according to Christs Doctrine is to believe on him whom God sent It is true it is the Command of God to keep his Commands but since the deadly Fall of man none not one being able Rom. 3. though Fox deny it it is the work the great work of God to fly to that blessed Propitiation for poor sinners throughout the world But G. Fox cannot distinguish between the Covenant of works of Iustice and of Debt and that of mercy and of receiving all as a Beggar and Condemned Rebels poor proud Souls they know not any difference between the Blood of Christ Iesus and their own Blood as we shall see afterward 3. Whereas he saith that they do not Gods will are not justified in so doing I Answer therefore it follows ronndly as his Conclusion that they that do Gods will are justified in so doing that is their sins are pardoned as David and Paul by pardon of Sin describe justification 127 Who sees not the subtlety of this Fox cheating himself and others with the divers signification of this Latin word Iustification It is true a man can not be justified or defended for Thieving Whoring Murthering c. Doth it follow therefore that they that do not Steal whore murther c. by this abstaining from Sin and by this their work they obtein the pardon and stand by this their work legally right and justified in the Court of Heaven I Conclude that by these hints a broken hearted sinner
who hath seen Sin as Sin the sin of his Nature his chief sin c. will see how far from the Doctrine of true Repentance true Faith c these mens Teachings be and for all their boasting what need they have to Examine themselves whether they be in the Faith and whether there be any other Christ Iesus within them then a Countersiet and painted Messiah and whether their Countersiet and painted Faith Repentance and Hope will yield them another Fruit then a dolefully Counterfieted and perishing Salvation At last by Gods merciful held I come now with their glad Consent to the seventh and last Position propounded to be discust at Newport viz. that their Religion was nothing else but a mixture of Popery Arminianisme Socinianisme Iudaisme c. Herein I knew I was not to exceed my quarter glass and there fore I take liberty now a little to inlarge to remember the Reader of the old Proverb that where God hath his Church the Devil will have his Chappel And that where Christ Iesus hath his Field of good Seed while the Servants sleep the Enemy will sow the Tares of rotten Doctrines and rotten Professors who like Windefals and Revolting Rebels fall from the holy Truths they have professed being loose aud weak believers or only affrighted and Terrified Hipocrites by Gods righteous Iudgement delivered over to listen too and believe Lyes as the only heavenly Truths of Iesus I had purposed to have shewed how in matters concerning God the Son of God the Spirit of God c. the Quakers have followed the Cerdonians the Priscillians the Valentinians the old Gnosticks and Manicheans but I Confined my self to the Terms of the Position and declared that the Quakers were downright Papists in many points some I then Insisted on and the rest 128 intended I shall now mention First In magnifying the rotten strength and Arm of dead and rotten Nature when it is Objected to G. Fox in his book that by Nature we are all dead in sins and Trespasses G. Fox Answers by d viding all men into three sorts Some are born holy from the wombe as Ier. Some the Saints that is only their Children born holy without any sinful corruption Thirdly the wicked who will not turn to the Light within them and they are only the Unbelievers dead in sin But the Protestants David and his Followers Confess their Natures Births and Conceptions to be all defiled with sin and with a sinful proneness to all Iniquity though miraculously some are Sanctified or set apart to God from the wombe as Ieremiah Iohn the Baptist c. Some after a more peculiar and miraculous manner as the Lord Iesus Some by New Birth and the wonderfal Supernatural Power of the holy Spirie Changing Regenerating and as it were New Creating the Soul and Spirit in Everlasting Unchangeable Holiness and Righteousness after the Image of his first and second Creatour It is true that the Papists come nearer the Truth as to Birth Corruption and Defilement then the Quakers acknowledging all â— be Conceived and born in Sin not that the Devil or the Papists care to acknowledge this Truth but that they may use it as a Cridge over which they may pass to the Necessity of Baptisme on pain of Damnation on which they may also build many other Superstitious Fanciee as to the holy Ordinances But the Quakers although they hold only their own Children to be Conceived and born holy without Sin yet they jump into one step with the Papists as to the Power of Nature in Spirituals ane that every man and woman in the world hath a sufficient Light within him to see God and Christ c. and to turn themselves unto them to Eternal Life Contrary to the Protestants who from the holy Scriptures maintain mans Natural Blindness and Darkness Ephes. 5. Mans Natural Deadness Ephes. 2. and that our wisdome can not difcern any Spiritual thing that is Spiritually 1. Cor 2. That our Quintessence of Nature our very wisdome is Enmity to God He hates us as we hate him and are at deadly fewd and mortal Hatred like two men of War 129 giving Fire one upon another we resolving to sink by Ejods side rather then to yield to God but God in Infinite pitty seeing our weakness and madness and certain Destruction hangs out a white Flag and offers a Parly on purpose to save us from our desperate minde Ruine which by many heavenly means of Free mercy he Effecteth The Papists speak more like Men and at last yield that men and Women have left them since Adams Fall power to listen too and obey Moral Perswasions and offers which God makes The Quakers talk only like Bruits of no means no means but Immediate Revelation of the Spirit and yet in Contradiction to themselves they make the Spirit an inward means and their Apostles or Messengers an outward means or else they make themselves idle Embassodors in vain and to no purpose The Protestants affirm from 2. Cor. 3. that we have not one good Thought but from God that it is God not we that turns the will Phil. 2. that when the Word of Faith is preached Rom. 10. and Faith or Belief is wrought by hearing yet is it Gods free Grace that makes the difference 1 Cor. 4. when several Hearers are Assembled and God opens Lidiahs heart and not others Acts 16. the learned Academians mock and only Dionisius and Damaris and a few believe because God sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth The Papists and Quakers both maintain that dolefully uncomfortable and desperate Doctrine of falling away from true and saving grace The Truth is neither of them seem to know Experimentally what true and saving grace is It is true they differ the Papists make Saving Grace the Property only of the Regenerate The Quakers say it is in every man and Woman in the world they have it though they know it not and will not turn to it and believe in it yet both agree that they loose it whereas the true Protestants though they grant great Failings and Falls and Desertions of Gods Children yet they hold the Seed of God the holy Spirit and Word of God Isai. 59. and 1 Cor. 3. that Incorruptible Eternal Seed of which they are begotten never Final 130 ly nor Totally to be Ecclipsed and they justly account that Doctrine of Intercession viz. when Son-ship or Childship is cut off by Sin and Renewed by Repentance to be a simple Fantastical Notion as if David were a Child of God to day a Child of the Devil to morrow a Child of God this hour and a Child of the Devil the next c. only they fix this impiously upon mortal and great sins only as if Adam Eating of an Apple were not sufficient to his and our Destruction as well as Davids sinning with Bathsheba and Uriah c 3. I must be briefer