without which they had not been Martyrs The Work was now to promote Religion by Power who had so lately overcome It by Suffering Leagues stately Embassyes great Conventions raising of Armies War with one and Peace with another took up the Minds of most how to defend the Stateliness and Pompous Grandure of their Religion though they by so doing gave Testimony they had lost much of the true Sence of that very Religion they pretended to advance 'T was now that some appear'd dissatisfied with such Proceedings decry'd that Superstition and Formality which had been unadvisedly detain'd by the English Church as Decent for the Invention of that Church the Protestants themselves stil'd Antichristian They believed mens Lives were much corrupted and laid the fault upon the Pride Avarice Voluptuousness and Ignorance of the Clergy they stript themselves of most Superfluities and seem'd to promote a streighter Way then what was then generally professed these they called Puritans But such sowr Resentments had both the Powers and Prelates of their Procedure that Laws were enacted and executed to Blood as well to hinder Religion from being more refined as they had for preserving it from being again more gross Surely this look'd more like Care for Power Faction and Interest then Religiâ—… For without doubt the Plea of those Puritans was thus far unanswerable by their Adversaries By this time almost all People were taken with their Complaints especially those who seem'd more Religiously inclin'd which at last had so leavened the Gentry as well as the Commonalty that when that memorable Parliament was chosen and for their Sitting call'd afterwards The Long-Parliament the Sream clearly run on the Puritanical-side The Church of England disdaining their pretended Reformation and as resolved to abate in nothing of Her Splendor Wealth and Preserment in eâ—…ther Civil or Ecclesiastical Matters makes Head against thâ—…se supposed Disturbers of the Peace of both Church and State And as the blind Wrath of Heathens taught the Papists and the Papists the Protestants so the Protestants by their Coercive Power for Religion taught the Puritans to be resolute and fierce in the Defence of their Separation The Complaints of the one meeting with strong Denials from the other they came to Big Words and from thence to Heavy Blows Such Feud such Hatred such War Spoil and lamentable Slaughter as for many Ages had not been known were the most deplorable Effects of that Contest for Religion By this time Victory turning to the Puritanical Party now degenerated into harsh Presbytery they who before did fasten Anti-Christianism upon the Church of England for offering to act Coercively towards them in what concern'd Consciencious Separation become themselves the most Narrow in Religion and Vigorous in imposing upon the sharpest Penalties known to those times what they Synodically agreed to be Scripture-Faith Worship and Discipline forgetting or denying to leave that Liberty of Examination to others they had so earnestly contended for against the Prelates of the English Church So partial is Self so blind is Interest But neither doth our Story end here for these Men forgetting their Primitive Tenderness and that lowly Spirit which justly charged the English Clergy with some Degeneracy as had that done the Romish were quickly Reminded by the timely and honest Zeal of those they call Independants and Anabaptists who having a clearer Sight of things as I believe and more Regard for Reformation at once charg'd them with neglect and endeavour'd to push things a Step further They lowdly exclaim'd against the Loosness of their Parishes and their too free Administration of the Sacraments to mixt and unqualified Persons They decry'd the Absoluteness of their Church-Monarchy with the Necessity of Humane Learning to Ministerial Qualification And lastly with great Earnestness they disclaim'd against the Imposition of any Faith or Worship or punishing with Corporal Penalties such as dissented for the sake of Conscience One would have thought these Men had set the last bounds to the Spirit of Superstition and Revenge and that having seen the Rock on which their Predecessors split they should have learnt Safety by their Destruction and Construed those foregoing Calamities Land-marks for their preservation as was anciently said aliena pericula cautum that is having beheld so many fair Adventures for Reformation begun certainly from an inward sense of the corrupt and Un-Christ-like State of things to issue in Fulness Pride Superstition and base Coertion upon Conscience they should have liv'd in an holy Subjection and awful Regard to that holy Spirit of Truth that had given them some farther Illumination which would have taught the Denial of those Worldly Lusts that Covetousness and Revenge whetted their desires after and have preserved them in the Way of Meekness Patience Long-suffering and Holiness without which none shall ever see God But alas as Reformation from Popery and Prelacy was soon over-run by Party-Asperity and Self-Promotion so truly these Men made as little Conscience to employ the old Weapon of external Force to advance themselves and depress others as had those that went before them 'T is true the Presbyterian who shewed them the Way as had the Protestant him and the Papist the Protestant being so considerable in Number and these Peoples Maxime so narrow viz. Out of a Church out of the Faith Not Dipt not Christian'd That too great Division might not perish the whole Affair of continuing the Government in its present Channel of incredible Advantage unto them they much against their Will admitted the Presbyterian into a share with them especially of Parochial Churches as they are called and did not wholy exclude the more Moderate of them a part in the Administration of the Civil Government Thus then though with regret and no small Jealousie being tollerably well agreed like as he that from a poor Priest to a Pope was wont to be remembred of his Original by a Net because several of the Apostles were Fishermen which he commanded to be brought to his Table when Pope cried Take it away Take it away the Fish is caught So they having caught the Great Two-Headed Fish of Civil and Ecclesiastical Power and upon one a Crown upon the other a Miter Laodicea-like Full Rich and wanting nothing and willing to forget their small Original their Fathers House those Heavenly Convictions and their humble frame of Spirit their early Sense in some good measure had reduct them to O! Into what Falsness Cruelty Covetousness and Folly did they not precipitate themselves To violate Faith with Men and break the most Solemn Covenants that any Age have ever made with GOD himself to sayl to Security through Blood and establish their Church in Persecution not un-like the Ottoman Emperors that never think their Imperial Crowns better settled then in the Murther of their Brethren But above the rest to decry Tyranny and Persecution and yet to be the Authors of both â—…s if they could not have used their Power without abusing
the Priests might shew themselves some of them thinking it to long to wait the Magistrates Leisure turn'd their own Pay-Masters upon Heads Shoulders and other Limbs of Men and Women not distinguishing in either Sex or Age. The Cry of these Innocent People came up to the then Supream Authority but Relief could not be had One Book came out upon another conjuring the Magistrates to employ their Power to the utter Extirpation of these Seducers commanded the People that they should not so much as have any common Intercourse with them but avoid them as the Pest and fly them as Witches Sorcerers It were to irksom to tell the moity of their Stratagems O the Mercys of these Men were Cruelties But yet farther many things were writ by us in Vindication oâ—… our Innocency Some that sought for the Redemption of Israel and the Right Way of God believ'd here there a Simeon a Centurion a Priest a Lawyer a Physitian a Customer Fisherman and abundance of Handecrafts for the Poor receiv'd the Gospel But Alas Neither our Apologies nor grievous Sufferings were enough to allay that swelling spirit of Cruelty nor in the least affect the minds of Priests or Rulers with the Deploredness of our Condition so as to redress all these grievious Sufferings perhaps somtimes a little shew of Favour there might be but usually attended with a more terrible Storm They at last I mean the Magistrates by the detestable Suggestions of the Priests not having any Law in force by which they could justâ—…fie the Rigor of their Carriage towards us enacted first that no Man should Travel on the Sabboth-Day thereby to punish us as Criminals for going to our Assemblies to Worship the living God and next that such Persons as should be found above so many Miles from their own Homes not being able to give a good account of themselves should be whipt as Vagabonds by which Laws they miserably opprest our Friends many Men of considerable Estates being worse us'd then very Vagabonds Thus covering the one over with Devotion for the Day of rest and the other with prudent care for the Good of the Common-Wealth Nor was this all but as if they would out-do the Ages of cruel Popery and degenerated Prelacy they received both the Oath of Queen Mary made against such Protestants as came to decry the Idolatrys and Superstitions of the Romish Worship in the time of their Service thereby to justifie themselves in the Exercise of Cruelty and Revenge upon us for beaâ—…ing our faithful Testimony against their Formal and Hypocritical Preachments and that Oaâ—…h of Abrogatâ—…on of Popery that by the Advantage they took of our not Swearing at all they might the better fasten upon us the Character of Papists as Men Jesuited to that Interest with plain Design to render us odious and cover their own Cruelty Well may I say OUT-DONE when pretended reformed Protestants endeavour the Security of their Religion by the enaction of those Laws which were made by Inhuman Papists against such as in good measure we can say were truly reformed Protestants thereby condemning that in the Papists which they vigorously acted themselves and basely sought to entrap us by a colourable Oath wickedly forecast because they knew we could not Swear at all to punish us for not swearing against the Papists This was their Cloak they had to cover their Malice but it is grown to short scanty and out of date The Bruises Blood-shed grievous Beatings and tedious Imprisonments which followed this procedure are now seen with detestation of almost the very multitude it self and after Generations shall have it in utter abhorrance O what did not the Blood-thirsty Spirit in its Day These were the great pretending Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists Fighting Knocking Kicking Robbing Imprisoning and Murthering an Innocenâ—… People whose whole Business was to Deny the dawâ—…g Doctrines of the Times and to Direct People to a certain Holy Principle in themselves unto which being Obedient they should experience Sin conquer'd and Peace with God preferring this above all the Traditions of Men or utmost Power of Human Ministry But as many of us saw in the Eternal Light that such Obstinacy in both Priests and Rulers to the Heavenly Truth would provoke the Just God to overturn them forever which though we did once and again tell them by Writings and by Word of Mouth they slighted our plain-Dealing turning it upon us that we should vanish in a little while So within very few Years God wrought the wonderfull Revolution and those who had been Inflicters of Heavy Punishments upon us became the Objects of their greatest Dis-pleasure whose Power and Estates they had so long usurp'd I can call it no otherwise for not the Country but Self was wickedly advanc'd thereby Behold the Justice of the Almighty such as refused us our Liberty after their Solemn Oathes to God and Men for the Preservation of Liberties Civil and Religious became destitute of their Own and who spoil'd us were spoil'd by Others and we just now under their Feeâ—… came upon Equal Terms with Our Adversaries At what time though both They and We used our Endeavours to prevent Coertion upon Conscience yet whether they prevailed or no some were in Hopes that the Edge of their Spirits by this Change of Affairs had been so doubl'd as never more to cut or wound a People that had never wrong'd them and that their Retirement would have been rather employ'd in hearty Sorrow for their Abuse of Government in their Unjust Severity towards us as well as others then a Continuance of the same Enmity But thus far such fail'd in hopes their Displeasure against us surviving their Power to inflict it for though it is true that in time of Persecution they would inquire out of their By-Holes of our Well-fare for who had so long reigned shew'd they were most unfit for Suffering and like People upon City-Walls or from other convenâ—…ent standings would diligently observe the State of things and by their Observation or Inquiry carefully acquaint themselves with the Success for our Overthrow had been the End of them and as one of themselves said We were the Bulworks that receiv'd the Shot Yet so unabated hath their implacable Malice been at the King 's first coming in they thought to do great Matters by letting the Powers know they were no Abettors of the Quakers which indeed stood us in great stead least we might have been taken for those Tumultuous Blood-thirsty Covenant-breaking Government-destroying Anabaptists and that they might prove to the World we were not of them No sooner those Storms of Persecution have been over but like forgetful Mariners they have faln to their Old Work of bitter Envying Either some one of their Church leaves them or the Quakers are prosperous in their Labours or any thing else that is next for a Cover to palliate their Emulous Spirit in all its base Detractions from us and the blessed Truth
Mankind What more excellent Judgment can be given then that men quit their Contentions about Notions and Opinions and betake themselves to the Practice of that which God hath already shewn unto them as spake both the Prophet Micah 6. 8. and the Apostle Paul Rom. 1. 19. And if any thing be revealed to one more then another let the rest judge in the Spirit or be silent till God manifest more to them in order to Right Judgment 'T is good to try all things but we must have something to try them by and what ought that to be but the Spirit that searcheth the Anointing that teaches all things which is Truth it self Here Mankind will live in Love having at least Natural Affections now lost by the Bâ—…rbarity of some of their cruel Religions and a Judgment oâ—… things will be made not from the Rash Partial Short sighted a d Froward Mind of man but that eternal Light and Spirit that never erred which however disgustful to some Protestants in this Age was no False Doctrine in the Account of John Philpot and Bp. Latimer two great Founders of the Reformation The first in his Answer to the Bishop of Chichester reproving his Confidence about true Faith in Christ saying These Hereticks take upon them to be sure of all things they stand in Let him doubt saith John Philpot of his Faith that listeth God give me alwayes to believe that I am sure of true Faith and Favour in Christ. The second in his Answer to a Knight objecting the Uncertainty of Man in what he calls Truth thus recorded by J. Fox Your Friends deny not but that certain Truths are communicated to us according to Capacity But as to my Presumption and Arrogancy either I am certain or uncertain that it is Truth that I preach if it be Truth why may not I say so if I be uncertain why dare I be so bold as to preach it And if your Friends be Preachers themselves after their Sermon I pray you ask them Whether they be certain and sure they preach the Truth or no and send me word what they say that I may learn to speak after them If they say they be sure you know what follows if they say they be unsure when shall you be sure that have so doubtful and unsure Teachers Let not Protestants for Shame judge us for owning a Doctrine that is confessed to and confirmed by some of the Worthiest of their own Ancestors viz. That an Infallible Judgment in things necessary to Salvation is both possible and requisite and that God communicates it by his Spirit to the Souls of men The Conclusion TO Conclude Immanuel a word suited not only to that Appearance but whole Dispensation imports God nigh to or with men The Tabernacle of God is with men he will dwell in them and walk in them they shall be all taught of me and in Righteousness shall they be established And this admits not of any Book or literal Rule or Judge to come between that in-dwelling Light Life and Wisdom of God and the Soul as its Rule of Faith and Life And because it is the unutterable Goodness of God to People in these latter Dayes as the Sum of Scripture-Prophecy thus to make known himself we are incessant in our Cries unto them that they would turn in their Minds now abroad and taking up their Rest in the Externals of Religion that they may hear his Heavenly Voice and Knocks and let him in and be taught of him to know and do his Will that they may come to be experienced and expert in the School of Christ For never Man spoak and taught as he livingly speaks and teaches in the Consciences of those who diligently hear him and are willing to be taught of him the Knowledge of his Wayes The Priest was Outward but he is now Inward the Law Outward but it is now Inward And he is no more a Jew that is one outward nor that Circumcision which is outward in the Flesh but he is a Jew who is one inwardly and Circumcision is that of the Heart in the Spirit and not in the Letter whose Praise is not of Men but of God Which is so far from lessening the Scriptures of Truth that unless this be man's Rule and Judge in the reading and believing of them he can never either understand them or keep the things therein contain'd aright And indeed as before I have expressed I cannot but say That Man whilst unregenerated setting his Wit and Wisdom to fathom and comprehend the Intention of the Holy Ghost in many of those Writings hath occasioned that Confusion Darkness and perplext Controversie that now so lamentably pesters the World In which State for all the External Imitations of the Ancients in some temporary and visible Parts of Worship I am to tell such from the Spirit of the Lord God of all Truth they will never be accepted The utmost of that literal Knowledge historical Faith and outward Religion is at best but the Old Heavens that are to be wrapped up as a Scroul the Old Wine and Bottle that belong not to the Kingdom and Man's holding true Words in an unregenerated and unrighteous Nature where he may cry Lord Lord but shalâ—… never enter into the Rest that is Eternal For under such a Faith and Religion Envy Wrath Malice Persecution Pride Passion Worldly-Mindedness c. may and do live yea and are cloaked as with a secure Cover from the Stroak of God's Spirit insomuch as when any are moved of the Lord to decry such fair and hypocritical Shews of Religion they are reputed Rash and Censorious and presently a Plea must he made on this wise Do not we follow the Commands of the Scripture Did not such and such do so and so Never regarding from what Grounds the Performance springs whether it be according to the Rule of the NEW or OLD Creature buâ—… abuse and vilifie us for making such Distinctions as if the Prayers Preachings Singings outward Baptizings and Suppings c. of Men in their own Spirits Strength and Will were required and accepted of God for Evangelical Worship Thick Darkness and dangerous Presumption Thus are Men out of the Way concerning both Faith and Practice and the true Rule and Judge of them They make the former to lie in an Assent of the Understanding to such Propositions and in the performing of some visible Parts of Religion in their own Spirits and Wills which is far from the Immanuel-State And the latter to be the Scriptures which is but an Account of those Things which others were ruled to and directed in by the Holy Spirit before they were ever recorded or made Scripture and not another Rule or Judge can so regulate For as the Faith and Experience so the Rule and Judge of that Faith and that Experience must be one God by his Spirit begets Faith God by his Spirit rules Faith and governs the Life of his Children for
the World but that the World through him might be saved These weighty Considerations we have all along respect to in our asserting sufficient Grace or Light to be afforded of God to Mankind If the Light within be a sufficient Rule then no Man ought to repent of his Ignorant worshiping of the true God or of his worshiping a false God Nor ought men to repent of their Acts of Cruelty against the Saints wherin they think they do wel act according to their Light Nor ought the Quakers to repent of their Inhuman Actions of walking naked for they think in so doing they do well and act according to their Light therefore the Light within is not a sufficient Rule Answ. Still the man goes on in an absolute Strain of apparent Ranterism gross Inconsistencies and Blasphemous Inferences against the Light within while he renders it neither a sufficient Rule to discover Truth or Error in matter of Worship nor to lead men to repent of Idolatry Wickedness or Acts of Cruelty against the Saints but their thinking they do well therein this he deems according to their Light and all this to shew that the Light within which the Quakers preach is an insufficient Rule But it s then Non-sense in him to account it any Real Light at all by those his Discriptions of it before which one while renders the Light within so defective so mutable and so insignificant as a meer Nullity another while no better then Darkness it self another while the Author of Sin and Wickedness as being according to their Light What horrible Madness and gross Darkness hath the Devil led these Opposers into His accusing the Quakers with Inhuman Actions of walking naked 1st As it s in general its fals â—…or its neither a general Practice among us nor the constant Practice of any It was only some few particulars that have had a peculiar Burthen laid upon them to go naked for a Sign to such Hypocritical Professors as oppose and rebell against the Light within and are covered but not with the Spirit of the Lord that God would rent their false Coverings and discover their Shame and Nakedness as it is manifest at this Day So that its evident that some who have been made such Signs as before were therein true Prophers against a Generation of Envious Hyppocrites and Persecutors 2. His asserting that walking naked is an Inhuman Action as his Charge is general it s not true that all going naked is Inhuman but where corruptly intended for some Evil or Inhuman Act or End for 1st Were Adam and Eve Inhuman in their being naked when they were not ashamed being Innocent Gen. 2. 25. for the Shame came after Transgression from which came the Inhumanity 2ly When the Spirit of God was upon Saul it s said he stript of his Clothes also and prophesied before Samuel and lay down naked all that Day and all that Night wherefore they say is Saul also amongst the Prophets 1 Sam. 19. 23 24. It appears then that going naked was not counted such an Inhuman Action among the Prophets see also how Esaiah was made to be a Sign and a Wonder upon Aegypt and Aethiopiah Esa. Chap. 20. and so what know you but that the Lord hath made some of his Servants Signs and Wonders against many in Spiritual Aegypt and Bondage however covered with a Profession and Pretence of being redeemed as true Jews Partakers of Gospel and Church Priviledges of Spiritual Canaan whilst yet in Spiritual Sodom Aegypt and Babylon where both our Lord hath been Spiritually crucified and the Blood of his Prophets sound Here follows T. H. his after-Charge 1st And that the whole Religion and Principles of that People called Quakers wherein they difference themselves from others is of the Devil witness my Hand Thomas Hicks This Charge is not only General but also very dark and most disingenuous For if by OTHERS he means ALL OTHERS he should have specified those Principles wherein we differ from all others and produced his Proof But if by others he mean only his own Sect called Anabaptists then he hath made a very rigid Conclusion against all others differing from them that their whole Religion and Principles wherein they differ from Anabaptists are of the Devil 2dly They that deny the Resurrection of that Body that was committed unto Dust overthrows all Religion he saith To which I say these Baptists that affirm it of the same Carnal Body after turned to Dust and yet that it cannot be a New-Created Body and that the Body which God giveth to every Seed is the same Body as T. H. in his Dialogue doth Pag. 58. 59. with others of his Brethren they affirm they know not what and that which they can never give a reasonable or a convincing Demonstration of being also contrary to that Scripture 1 Cor. 15. 37 38 40 50. and while they make this their Opinion the Ground of their Religion and future Happiness their Religion is Carnal and their Opinion Non-sensical and their Foundation Sandy being grounded upon Dust and they themselves are very Ignorant of the Mystery of the Resurrection as will further appear hereafter upon the full Disquission of this weighty matter THE CHRISTIAN-QUAKER AND HIS Divine Testimony VIDICATED In a more particular and direct Answer to the Baptist's Dialogue Section I. The Light Within proved Divine and Saving c. FIrst That there is a divine Light in every man which is of a saving Property in its self and therefore sufficient to guide and direct man to God and so to Salvation And for its being a divine Light I have urged Joh. 1. 4. In him was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. Secondly That this Light is the certain Guide and Rule to true Believers in matters of Faith Spiritual Worship and Obedience to God and therefore that which can give a right Understanding of the Holy Scriptures These our Assertions are chiefly quarelled at by T.H. and some of his Brethren though he very smoothly pretends not to cavil but that he may understand the Truth as desiring to know First What this Salvation is 2dly What this Light is 3dly Who they are that do obey this Light and in obeying attain Salvation pag. 2. To which I answer It both hath appeared and will appear against thee T. H. that thy Envy and Cavilling hath kept thee from the right Understanding and Knowledge of the Light and Salvation that thou art now to seek at this time of Day And yet sayest that all thou intendest is my Conviction and Recovery as in thy 10th p. when as yet the Darkness covers thee and keeps thee from the right understanding of Truth But if thou hadst obeyed the Light of Christ within thee thou wouldst have known both its Power and Sufficiency unto Salvation and that this Salvation which it leads to is Christ who is both Redemption and Salvation to them who follow him in his Light from Darkness Sin and Defilement