read the Fourth Charge as willing to be out of Pain Answ. R. W. thou appearest to be Light Frothy Scoffing and Scornful and not like an Aged Man that should be a Good Example to the Younger And so thou hast plainly proved thy self and the New-England Priests to be the Swellers thou speakest of in the Third false Charge at Providence exercised with Pride and that your Religion Principles and Practice rise no higher than what a Reprobate may attain unto Who hatest and scoffest at the Light of Christ and callest it an Idol which thou must believe in before thou art a true Christian or else it will be thy Condemnation R. W.'s Eleventh False Charge The Religion of the Quakers is more Obstructive and Destructive to the Conversion of Souls and People than most Religions that are at this Day extant in the World Answ. Our Religion is the pure Religion and undefiled which was in the Apostles Days and thy Religion and the New-England-Priests that callest the Light of Christ a Fancy which John was a Witness to and Christ said Believe in is Destructive to people both to Conversion and Salvation For how can they see Christ their Salvation without the Light of Christ And how can they see the True Religion from the False without the Light of Christ And therefore we tell thee without the Light of Christ thou knowest neither our Religion nor thy own nor others in the World which in thy Darkness thou would'st seem to be a Judge of AND then to prove thy false Charges thou bring'st us a great Story and Tale of the Pagans and the Pope's and Mahomâ—ts Worship and the Jews Who art as Ignorant of theirs as thou art of the true Worship Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since R. W. And thou tellest How the Protestants have revolted and separated themselves from the Papists and have cried up the Lord Jesus in the Scriptures Answ. But how is R. W. and the New England-Priests revolted and separated from the Popes when they are found in their Envious BLOODY Spirit And how doth R. W. cry up Christ in the Scriptures Is Christ in the Scriptures to wit in the Writings Christ saith They testify of him and what Sense is this to say Ye cry up Christ in the Scriptures The Apostles and the Quakers Preach Christ at the Right Hand of God which the Scriptures testify of And Christ saith And it is Written of me he doth not say He is in the Scriptures And the Apostle doth not say Christ is in the Scriptures if he doth let us see where it is Written and keep to the Form of sound VVords R. W. And then thou tell'st us a Story of the Episcopalians and Presbyterians and Independants c. Answ. As though R. W. was a Judge of all these and many others and yet denieth any Voice or Motion of Heavenly things within himself and calleth the Light of Christ an Idol Yet in all this he hath not discovered his own Religion and what he is of himself for we do not understand that he is setled or joined with any of these Protestants Religion in any way of VVorship except by his Slanderous Book he may get into Favour with some Loose and Persecuting Spirits R. W. And thou say'st Those Religions differ each from the other as the Quakers do from the Papists Answ. And doth not R. W. himself differ with them all And R. W. if the Papists and the Quakers differ dost thou say so which wa st making us one all this while R. W. And thou say'st That we are more Destructive to the Souls of Men than the Papists who wildly profess all Ordinances and Ministers to be Invisible and yet are found to be as Visible and Open as any Answ. Here is a false Charge we never profess'd but the Bodies of the Saints and Ministers were Visible but being Able Ministers of the Spirit the Spirit is Invisible And we do believe thou hast more Love to the Papists than to us and that we are more Destructive to thine and your Hypocritical VVay and VVorship than the Papists But as for Destructive to the true Religion and the Souls of People this the New-England-professors and thou might have applied at home who call'st the Light an Idol by which Light they should see their Sins and know their Saviour that died for their Sins and saveth them AND it is in vain for thee to tell of Repentance and Faith and Saving of Souls and the VVorship of God in the Spirit and Truth and knowest of no Voice nor Motion of Heavenly things within thee to be hearken'd unto All thy Religion and thy VVorship and Profession hath been but from the Lips and the Mouth not from the Heart And we never Crack't of Quaking and Trembling as thou scoffingly say'st but we do VVork out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his pleasure And all that come to VVorship God in Spirit and in Truth they must come to the Truth in their Hearts the Spirit of God there to mortify their Evil Nature c. and this they will not find Easie. R. W. And then thou say'st The Turks and Papists to thy knowledge take more pains in their Religion than the Common Protestants and thou Confessest they do all but paint and gild over Nature's old and rotten Posts Answ. This is thine and New-England's Condition far of a true Faith and Repentance and that thou and you cannot see that callest the Light of Christ a Frantick Light and a Fancy And did Paul that turned people from Darkness to Light c. turn them to a Fancy And R. W. Thou say'st The Quakers come not near that Care of New-England I am sure at first for the personal true Repentance and Holiness of their Churches and Congregations and in the Margent thou say'st That the Quakers Conversion is not comparable to the VVay of New-England Answ. What ever their Conversion was at the first this we know that the Church in New-England are not now true Converts they are not turned from dead Works to serve the Living God Nay they are not turned from the Cruelty Persecution and Envy of the Vnconverted Jews and Heathens as their Fruits at large have manifested it Then they are degenerated from what they were at first Therefore the Comparison will not hold between the Quakers Conversion who like Lambs have suffered even unto DEATH and yours who Cruelly have persecuted even unto DEATH Therefore their Conversion is made no Conversion R. W. And then thou fall'st a-Railing again at our speaking THEE and THOV c. and bowing down to a dumb Image and Worship c. and that we say we are God and Christ. Answ. Which is Answered over and over and thy false Charge denied for we never of our selves said any such thing but God and Christ dwelleth in us AND why art thou angry so much at THEE and
God for his Presence c. and thou say'st a little before in the same page when thou hast made a speech of Nicholas Davis being drowned c. Some of these Blessed Ends it hath pleased God to propagate by this Occasion all this Colony over and all of us round about have put forth our selves in Disquisitions and Searchings after the true Grounds of Christian Religion and Worship Answ. If this was the Cause of your Searching after the true Grounds of Christian Religion and Worship what hast thou been doing all this while Roger how could'st thou go to Dispute of such things and hadst them to Search for which we do believe thee thou hadst them Then and hast them Yet to seek and canst not find them with this Dark Envious Spirit and thy Thoughts which thou Thought to Begin with Exercise of Prayer c. but thou knew'st very well that the people of God called Quakers could not receive thy Prayers from thy Many Thoughts they were not like from a Lying Slandering Spirit R. W. Thou say'st Thou hast Cause to Judge that the Word QVAKER was given to us from that strange Possessing of our Bodies of Quaking and Shaking Answ. Gervase Bennet Justice of Darby gave us that Name because I and we bid him and his Company Tremble at the Word of God in 1650 when he cast G. F. and others in prison R. W. Further he saith It is true that they are to wit the Quakers the Off-spring of the Grindletonians in Lancashire Answ. This is also false the Grindletonians and the people in Lancashire know it R. W. And R. W. saith The Ranters are but the Quakers Daughter And pag. 29. thou say'st That some Parliament-Men told thee that they themselves went to one of the Quakers Meetings about Charing Cross but they were so frighted with the Shaking of their Bodies of the Chairs and Stools c. and callest it Satan's Counterfeit Motions Answ. These are Two Horrid Lies for all the Ranters and people up and down England know this Charge of thine is false and is like the rest of the Lies of thy Book For many of the Ranters are come to be Sober in the Fear of God and are turn'd to the people called Quakers but not the Ranters come from the Quakers neither Are they their Daughter this hath been the spirit of the Devil that moved thee and not the Most-High And thy Book that is so sâ—uft up with Lies it will do little hurt where we are known here in England The 2d Lie And the Quakers never had any Meeting about Charing-Cross this is another Forgery that thou hast published the people that liveth about Charing-Cross will testifie against thee R. W. And thou bringest John Toldervy and Theora John and thou say'st The horrible Shaking of the Quakers We are tossed and tumbled up and down c. pag. 29. Answ. As for Th. John all people that knew him know he was no Quaker and John Toldervy the priest did give forth a Book in his Name wherein they much abused him as thou dost now but J. Told hath cleared himself in his own Book which is an Answer to the Priest that abused him called The Foot out of the Snare And doth R. W. think to feed the Sober Christians in England with such Lying Stories as these Nay they may serve his New-England persecuting Priests And R. W. Thou often mentionest the Father of Spirits and the Most-high who stir'd thee up to this Work but thy foul Mouth is not worthy to mention the Name of the Lord. R. W. The People called Quakers are not True Quakers according to Scripture Answ. The Lord God of Heaven and Earth knoweth that thou speakest falsly of us here And thou hast made a great Noise but provest nothing but hast brought several Lies to prove thy own as thou may'st see pag. 27.29 For the same Word of God and Power by which all things were made have we known the Operation in our hearts of it and Tremble at it which thou hast not konwn for if thou hadst thou would'st not have brought this false Charge out against us R. W. Thou say'st The Tumultuous Spirit of the Quakers 〈◊〉 Disputing and the Reason is That Three of the Speakers consulted openly and whispered and uttered themselves one immediately speaking after the other and sometimes all together as one man against me pag. 26. Answ. The Auditory knoweth whether thou speakest Truth in this and what must not Whisper one to another before R. W R. W. Thou say'st Thou wast first commanded this Work from Heaven pag. 25. Answ. We desire all that read thy Book to mind thy Many False Charges and thy Vnsavoury Expressions and then they may Judge whether Thy Command came from Heaven or from Hell for No Lie is of the Truth nor cometh not from the God of Truth but from the Father of Lies The First Part of thy Work thou undertook was To prove us No True Quakers according to the holy Scriptures Which thou did'st not then in the Dispute as I am satisfied the Generality of the Hearers can bear Witness neither hast thou yet done it in all thy Writing by the Scripture nor yet by any Sound Argument but goest on to Charge and Accuse us as if One of thy Accusation must prove Another unless this way can prove it so No Proof R. W. And with this thou beginnest in pag. 28. and say'st Thou wast the more confirmed when thou sawest our foul spirit to transport us not only in Lying Doctrines but also in Lying Quakings and Tremblings and Lying Preachings through the Streets Repent Repent c. Answ. Now let all Observe what he calleth Our Lying Preachings as if to preach Repentance by the Command and Power of God now were a Lying Preaching which is one of the things that Christ sent His forth to preach and let the Wise consider whether our Days and Generations do not need this Preaching Yea of Nay And this is still a false Charge to say He saw our soul spirit to transport us into Lying Doctrines But hath not yet made out these Doctrines and again With Lying Quakings and Tremblings but hath not proved it so it 's but still his False Charge And further as thou did'st then in the Dispute so now thou makest a great a do with our Men and Women going Naked We told thee then we own'd no such Practice in any unless they were called unto it by the Lord as a Sign of the Nakedness of the Professors of Our Age who want the Covering of the Spirit And though thou would'st exclude Signs Christ being come was not Agabus a Sign to Paul when he took his Girdle and bound himself with it R. W. And thou further Chargest us That Rantism is our Ugly Child and Daughter and rose from our Bowels and with the Practice of the Ranters in the Streets and in their Religious Meetings Answ. Now let all consider whether this be a proper Way
Magistrate of Christ the Help-Government for him he is in the Light and Power of Christ and he is to subject all under the Power of Christ into his Light else he is not a Faithful Magistrate to wit the Higher Power And his Laws are Agreeable and Answerable according to that of God in every Man When men act contrary to it they do Evil. So he is a Terror to the Evil-doers and discerneth the Pretious and the Just from the Vile and this is a Praise to them that do well I Query of R. W. Whether the Fundamental Laws are not according to the Spirit of God and Scripture whether it is not said The Laws of England hang upon these two Hinges and then Whether Magistrates must not be according to the Laws And the Higher Power never did the Prophets cry against but the Corruption in Magistrates neither doth G. F. as here was testified in OLIVER's Dayes when these Priests-Opposers said That we denyed Magistrates But R. W. Must not the Christian Magistrates be in the Light of Christ and must they not punish Evil-doers to wit Adultery Fornication Theft Murder c. and are not these Actions Contrary to Christ And then if they punish these things do not they subject unto the Light of Christ For our Principle is To bring all people from those and other Evils Or must not these Evils be punisht and the Magistrate of the Laws keep down such Evils with his Higher Power c. But what is this to matter of Religion seeing R. W. saith That they are a Praise of them that Do Well Such as Do Well walk in the Light and walk in the Spirit that mortifieth Sin and worship God in Spirit and Truth Such the Magistrate is a Praise unto and doth not Punish except they turn their Sword backward as the New-England-Priests and let Evil-doers at Liberty But more of this hereafter But let the Reader see if there be any such thing in G. F.'s Answer to John Stallam That G. F. intendeth there that Magistrates in Christ must fight for their Christ against all Opposers Answ. This is R. W.'s false Surmising Charge but these are the New-England-Men that Fight for their Religion and false Christ. But G. F. saith The Magistrates in the Light are for the punishing of the Evil doers as the Apostle saith And will not R. W. have the Christian Magistrates enlightned by Christ and to have the Higher Power that they may punish Drunkards Perjurous persons Whoremongers and Thieves c. for such is G. F. speaking of he doth not speak of Religion and the worship of God as the unprejudic'd Reader may see his Words R. W. Bringeth Fol. G. F. p. 221 Hosannah c. saying They know not Absolute Perfection that are admitting of Measures and Degrees or come to the Day of the Bright Morning-Star and the Bright Morning-Star is not Risen G. F. answereth Did not the Apostle speak that they were Children of the Day and the Night was over and knew the whole Body and yet said he would not go beyond his Measure and doth he not speak of the Stature and Measure and Fulness of Christ were they not come to Perfection and spoke Wisdom among them that were Perfect And R. W. Replieth and falleth a-Railing his Wonted Course Monstrous Pride c. and then thou askest whether Paul speaketh of his Measure in Holiness or no Answ. What should it be in else But R. W. is this thy Way to prove thy false Assertions by asking of Questions But let R. W. show these Words Omnipotent Omnipresent Omniscient in G. F.'s Book or any other of our Books where we say That we are in Power Omnipotent Omnipresent and Omniscient as he chargeth us And G. F. speaketh of the Perfection that God and Christ and the Apostles exhort unto And thou makest a great Story about Perfection but to no purpose And Paul saith he spoke Wisdom among them that were Perfect but not that Wisdom of this World which denieth Perfection And as for all thy Railing Expression and Vnsavory Language they are all return'd home again to thee thou hadst better to have kept them within And where doth G. F. say That a Child though Perfect is equal to a Man or a Cup is equal to a Tun or Pipe all this thou might'st have kept at home this is no Proof against our Principle and Profession As for Blâ—ckish Blasphemous Fallacy and Contradictions R. W. thou might'st have kept at home thy Railing Expressions it doth not become thy Gray Hairs but that the whole Body may be known which serve to Compleat the Saints into an Entire Stature see Ephes. 3 18 19. Col. 2 10. and 4 12. and yet here may be a Growth still Ephes. 4.13 14. R. W. bringeth Hosannah c. G.F. Fol. p. 222. saying Christ is without his Saints in Respect of his Bodily Presence G. F. Answ. How are they Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone How can they Eat of his Flesh and Drink his Blood And how have they his Mind and Spirit and he in them and they in him and sitting in Heavenly Places And he is the Head of his Church and how then is he Absent ye poor Apostates from him that feel not Christ But he is with the Saints and they feel him And R. W. replieth and asketh Is this Eating of the Flesh of Christ and Drinking his Blood Corporal or Visible or Spiritual Answ. Why Dost not thou know R. W. Christ saith His Words are Spirit and Life And is this thy Proving when to prove thy Charges thou art asking Questions We tell thee None can eat the Flesh of Christ without Faith And thou further Beggest Questions concerning a sitting in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus We tell thee the Apostle speaketh We sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus Ephes. 2. and He that Sanctifieth and they that are Sanctified are all of One the Hebr. telleth thee And we hold that Christ is the Head of the Church as the Apostle did and we do not direct you to the Pope But we bid you Repent and turn you from Darkness to Light and so to Christ whom ye must come to know Christ the Head And did not the Heavens open so that Steven saw Christ by the Holy Ghost at the Right Hand of God And what Body was that that some did Eat as the Apostle saith as ate and drank Vnworthily nor discerning the Lord's Body and then must not the Lord's Body be discerned by True Believers and was not this after Christ was Ascended And the Ground of R. W. and the persecuting Priests is They would neither have Christ nor his Light to be within them nor to feed upon his Heavenly Bread which cometh from Heaven which he calleth his Flesh nor drink his Blood which is the Saints Food upon which they Live And the Jews said of Christ How can we eat his Flesh and so persecuted the Apostles which were of his
Consciences are not so sear'd with an Hot Iron as R. W.'s is against the True Lord Jesus Christ who casteth a Flood of Wickedness against him and his Light but we expect no other it is nothing to us R. W. Bringeth James Brown that saith The Kingdom of Heaven that is in the Saints is not in the Pharisees Fol. G. F. p. 259. G. F. Answ. That which is in the Saints is in the Pharisees in a Measure though it be but as a Grain of Mustard-seed or as a Little Leaven But this is fully Answered in the Append. where he bringeth it there And R. W. Replieth and bringeth Luke 11.12 Christ's Saying If I by the Finger of God cast out Devils no doubt the Kingdom of God is come upon you And this R. W. Malitiously bringeth to Oppose Christ's Words cited when the Pharisees demanded of Christ When the Kingdom should come he answered them and said The Kingdom of Heaven cometh not with Observations neither shall they say Lo here or Lo there for behold the Kingdom of God is within you Luke 17. Now whether must we believe Christ or R. W And this he bringeth to Disprove our Principles and Profession not to be True and hath here manifest his own Profession and Principle not to be according to Christ. And R. W. Thou say'st That the Pharisees expected a Temporal Kingdom and yet thou say'st Christ's Visible Kingdom is his Church And the Apostle telleth thee His Kingdom standeth in Power c. and the Holy Ghost and what is Visible but Temporal And we do not say That the Pharisees had such a Kingdom as the Saints in Joy and Peace with the Holy Ghost for their Darkness could not comprehend the Light therefore they were not like to receive such a Kingdom And what Kingdom was this in the Pharisees if it was not a Measure of the Seed which Christ Soweth in all Grounds and of the Spirit and of the Light which enlightneth every man that cometh into the World R. W. And whereas thou Scoffingly say'st What do We talk of Measures but that We are all one in Quality and Equality c. Answ. Let the Reader see if there be any such Words in G. F.'s Answer R. W. cannot bridle his Tongue and keep in the Rule But R. W. Thou say'st What a Stinking Work do these proud Pharisees make of Christianity how justly c. Answ. This R. W. might have applied at home his Stinking Work and proud Pharisees c. What! must not we own Christ's words nor Scripture Were not they Fools blind Guides and Pharisees that would not own Christ's Doctrine and so it may be said Still of R. W. R. W. Asketh the Reason Why this Seed doth not Grow and this Leaven doth not Spread within the Pharisees Can a Nation be Subject to the King of England or Spain c. and yet not know how nor have no Knowledge or Feeling of it at all Can there be such a God such a Spirit such a Fire â—ea but such a Mustard-seed or Leaven such a Teacher and yet not grow not prevail nor prosper nor be perceived ye Fools and Blind And so goeth on a-railing to the end of pag. 113. Answ. Here thou hast manifest thy self to be as Blind as the Pharisees concerning the Doctrine of the Kingdom of Heaven within as Christ preached For is it not the same Seed that is sown upon all Sorts of Grounds by the Seeds-Man though Christ tellâ—th thee Ye are Thorns and Stony Hearts and what ye do to the Seed And is it not the same Light that enlightneth every man that cometh into the World which the Saints believed in which Thou and the Pharisees and the New-England-Professors hate and thou callest an 〈◊〉 So thy principle and profession is False and not agreeable to the Primitive profession and principle And is not the same Grace which bringeth Salvation appeared to All Men which the Wicked turn into Wantonness and walk despitefully against it And is not the same Spirit which is poured out upon All Flesh by which the Sons and Daughters Prophesy c. but if thou quenchest the Spirit and turnest the Grace of God into Wantonness and the Carnal Mind choke the Seed and erre from the Spirit then thou may'st say Why doth it not Grow Why doth not Leaven Spread Why doth it not Spring Why don't it Grow and Why are they not Subjects to the King and yet thou art building the Tombs of the Righteous And all such that erre from the Spirit turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and hate his Light and by their Carnal Mind choke the Seed and are Rebels to the Kingdom of Heaven and go read the Talent of the Slothful Servant However thou hast improv'd the Devil's Talent and hidden the Lord's thou and the New-England-Priests and therefore ye persecute him with your Tongue and Hand and a many Vnsavoury Words that are in this page which are not worth mentioning And so in all this thou hast prov'd thy self not to have the Spirit of Christ Jesus but an Opposer of his Doctrine and prov'd thy own profession and principle False and contrary to Christ's and the Apostle's words R. W. Thou say'st That the Quakers Religion is Heresy and they themselves Hereticks in the Matters of God's Worship Answ. The Religion we maintain which the Apostles above 1600. years since set up which is Pure c. and therefore we forsake yours And the Worship of God which Christ set up 1600. years ago this we in Practice maintain and we do not differ from the Servants of God the Prophets and Apostles but we have Unity with them in the Faith and Spirit of God Glory to the Lord God for ever And we believe we Shall prove thee in the Heresy thou speakest of which thou confessest John Stub stood up and said That Heresy was defined by some to be an Opinion obstinately stood in against the First Christian Purity and this thou confessest too First thou say'st R. W. That our Religion Way or Sect was False c. and upon this Ground R. W. will prove Our Religion is not only Heresy in Matters of Worship but also in Doctrines of Repentance Faith c. Now come on R. Williams make good thy Charge and see if thou hast not thrown thy self in the same Condition as thou chargest us R. W. Thou say'st First as to Worship We deny the Converting or Gathering of Saints into Visible Congregations affirming the Church to be Invisible the Ministry Invisible the Baptism and Supper Invisible Answ. Let the People in New-Engâ—and Judge whether we do not Gather people into Visible Assemblies let their Meetings there speak And though we do say as the Apostle saith 1 Thes. 1.2 2 Thes. â— The Church is in God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ yet the Saints Bodies were Visible upon the Earth and thou that deniest this Doctrine deniest this Primitive Doctrine and so holdest another Opinion than the
Spirit and have drunk the BLOOD as they did in Queen Mary's Days c. And had those Martyrs been in your Days Men and Women that preached Christ ye would have served them as ye serve us now And Our MARTYRS of IESUS will be Recorded to POSTERITY against you for the Martyrs bore this same Testimony in many things as we do And again thou speakest over and over of our Women going stark Naked but this is Answered fully in other places R. W. Thou say'st Thou wonderest how any Godly Soul how any Learned c. who have studied the Primitive Copies of Hebrew and Greek Scriptures can yoke with such rude Bablings and Repetitions of simple ignorant Praters Answ. R. W. might very well have applied this to himself for let him look back and the honest Reader and see his Simple Repetitions and Ignorant Prating over and over and therefore are we constrained to speak the same things over and over and then in some places we have left the same things because we have Answered them so often And so its true I do not know where Any Godly Soul either in New-England or here doth Join with R. W. for he hath not discovered what Fellowship he is of R. W. Thou say'st The Hebrew Greek and Latin c. which Helps most of the Leaders of the Quakers want Answ. But what Fruits have either the Papists or R. W. and his New-England-priests brought forth by these Helps seeing ye are found in the Spirit that Crucified Christ What Help was the Latin to the Romans when they persecuted the Martyrs of Jesus in the Ten Persecutions What Help was the Hebrew to the Jews who Crucified Christ What Help was the Greek to the Grecians seeing Christ faith It is the Spirit of Truth that leadeth into all Truth and No Man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit of God and No Man knoweth God but by Revelation And therefore what Helps are those Natural Languages to any people concerning their Salvation But R. W. hast not thou been poring and doting about the Natural Languages till at last thou art grown so dark with thy Helps that thou callest the Light of Christ an Idol and a Fancy And if we must study the Hebrew Greek and Latin as thou hast done 't is to no purpose and may be some of the Quakers know these Languages better than thou R. W. Thou tellest a great Story of the Ranters and thou seemest to Join the Quakers with them but thou canst not when the Lord hath separated them by his Holy Spirit where thou say'st Thou hast known the Ranters almost Sixty Years and thou say'st p. 28. The Ranters are but the Quakers Vgly Child and Daughter and Rantism rose from their Bowels and then again thou say'st p. 27. The Quakers are but a New-upstart Party or Faction risen up little above 20. Years since in the Northern Parts of England Lancashire Answ. Now let but the Reader read his pages and see his Confusion and Contradictions and how he hath Lost himself in his Accounts in proving the Ranters the Quakers Daughter who confesseth to his own Knowledge He hath known the Ranters nigh 60. years ago and saith The Quakers are but a New-Upstart Faction little above 20 Years since so he hath made the Child the Daughter according to his own Knowledge nigh 40. Years Elder then the Mother This is like the Rest of his doting Proofs to prove our Religion false And as to the Adamites and Monstrous Religion thou might'st have kept that to thy self which the Spirit of God abhorreth R. W. Thou say'st These Moderate Times have not driven the Quakers to bow down to their Spirit for Fear of Persecution c. Answ. This ye know well enough in New-England where it concerned our Lives in the Heat of your Persecution we could not Bow to your Image no more then the Three Children could Bow to Nebuchadnezzar's R. W. Thou say'st Some are false and rotten in their Profession and ready to fall and tumble when any strong Wind of Temptation blows upon them Answ. This is the New-England-Priests and Professors and R. W.'s own Condition For how did'st thou stand in Boston-Colony And how did ye stand in New-England And how have ye Received God's Servants but with your WHIPS and GALLOVSES c. And so the Lord hath tried your spirit and we have stood your Tempests and Winds of Persecution and did not Tumble down And Christ bids his Disciples Take heed of the Leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees Truly so his Disciples must still of you who are found in that Leaven And many things thou writest here which thou might'st have applied to thy self And R. W. Thou sayst They that are taken by the Quakers Bait are such as never Loved truly the Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity as the Scripture speaketh neither within nor without c. Answ. This is like the Rest Roger for we declare None can Love the Lord Jesus Christ in Sincerity and in Truth as the Scripture speaketh on within and without but such as own the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned them withal and believe in his Light Then there is a Belief in the Heart and with the Mouth a Confession is made to Salvation and this is not Opposite to Christ without as thou falsly speakest And thou say'st And some will plead with Christ at the Last Day c. Yea R. W. that will be a Sad Day to thee when thou art rewarded according to thy Works who call'st his Light an Idol and a Fancy R. W. Then thou say'st I told the Quakers that their Theora John pretended to write after the Spirit c. a Volumn in Hebrew c. Answ. What is this Why dost thou call him Our Theora John when he never was no Quaker But this is like the rest of thy Proofs And then goest on with thy If 's and thy And 's to no purpose R. W. Thou say'st It was a famous Principle of the first New-England Reformers viz To be Christianly careful that their members gave Christian Evidence so far as Godly Eyes of Charity could reach of the truth of their Conversion and turning unto God which thou say'st for ought thou knowest is not changed by their Successors Answ. Which if so that the Successors Evidence be the same that the First New-England Reformers was then it cannot be the Evidence of a True Christian as witness their Fruits of Persecution and Cruelty in BLOOD-SHED which never was an Evidence of a true Church of the true Lord Jesus Christ but the Evidence of the false Church the Whore that drunk the Blood of the Saints as the Church of New-England hath Evidenced and proclaimed to Christendom and the Indians also R. W. saith That our Religion Principles and Practice arise to no higher then what a Reprobate may attain unto Answ. What! because New-England's Religion Principle and Practice has risâ—n no higher then what a Reprobate may attain
Record That tell us They have all by the Spirit and need no Record are Thieves and Robbers 25 26. Id. pag. 47 48 Regeneration Natural Man perceiveth no Spiritual Matter but when he is Born Again pag. Id. 72 The Seed of all Grace may be in the New-Born and yet the Seed of all Sin c. remaining 186 187 193 199. See Sin pag. Id. 172 The State of the Soul in this Life is three-fold Creation Corruption and Regeneration Samuel Palmer pag. 170 171 Religion Their Religion is so easie Changing one Devil for another 68. R. W. pag. 34 The Sechemites for hope of Gain will be of any Religion or Worship pag. Id. 64 The Protestant Religion is a Religion protesting against the Bloody Man of Sin the Pope 166. pag. Id. 165 Resurrection Notwithstanding thy passing through the First and Second Resurrection there remains a Torment for thee at the Last Day and Wo. 127. M. Bine pag. 99 100 Revelation The Prophets are more certain than any other Revelation 28 46 91 200. Iosh. Miller pag. 54 Revilings Their Rash Revilings c. R. W. pag. 39 Revolt Korah Dathan and Abiram's Revolt applied to the Quakers pag. Id. 165 The Quakers are Revolted from the Protestant Religion c. a sullen proud and dogged Conversation Id. pag. 166 167 Righteousness If the Righteous Man turn away from his Righteousness his former Righteousness shall be no more Remembred The Meaning is They thought they had been Righteous c. 179 199. Hen. Foreside pag. 191 192 193 G. F. 's Reason 190. Evil Spirits Sinful and Reasonable R.W. 188. Repentance 60 67 101. Respect pag. 152 S. SAlvation 9 21 23 28 90 94 116 126 127 143 154 167 168 177 178. Sanctification pag. 28 65 176 SCRIPTVRE They cry Burn up the Scriptures 45. R.W. pag. 27 A Blessed Candle Lanthorn or Torch sent down from Heaven to Guide us into the Saving Knowledge of God 26 46. pag. Id. 23 The Devils may have the Scripture the Word of God in their Hands and Mouths for may not a Choice Sword be in a Mad-Man 's Hand 118 183. pag. Id. 161 They make Vse of the Scriptures for their Ends. 183. pag. Id. 23 They say The Scripture is but a Declaration of the Saints Faith c. 25 27 28 pag. Id. 22 The Scripture speaketh of God after the manner of Men. 206. Thomas Hodges pag. 200 This Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures c. 97-99 R. W. pag. 160 They say The Scripture is but a Dead Letter 29 195. pag. Id. 147 They deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God calling them a Dead Letter 29 150 159 170 195. pag. Id. 194 To say The Light in every Man gave forth Scripture and will open Scripture to us is palpable Darkness and contradicteth Scripture Part I. p. 33 58 91 92 100 112 149 208. Iohn Stallam pag. 31 If God hath appointed the Holy Writings as Means c. of Faith 22-24 27 28. R. W. pag. 23 Men make Merchandize of the Scriptures Sophisticate Adulterate and turn it into a Lie 163. Id. pag. 162 163 Which Mysteries they have only from the Scriptures 72 95 145. pag. Id. 25 Slighting the True Pardon without c. a Written Pardon pag. Id. 25 Is it not a Writing or Record of Heaven 26 46. pag. Id. 25 G. F. objects That the Spirit was afore the Scripture and gave forth the Scripture 160 195. pag. Id. 159 To Stab the Holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also c. pag. Id. 202 The Devil's End is To tear down the Sun-Dial c. 46. pag. Id. 149 The Written Word is the Sword of the Spirit and he maketh another Rule besides the Scripture false 157 158 161. Christopher Wade pag. 155 156 A Touch-stone or Weights so perfect for the Trial of all Spirits c. R. W. pag. 160 They Trample under Feet the Scriptures 194 pag. Id. 183 All Truth concerning God and our selves is to be Learned from the Holy Scripture the Word of God I. Owen pag. 169 They would be glad that there were not such a Person called the Word of God nor such a Writing 26 29 45 150. R.W. pag. 30 They say The Scriptures are Words not the Word 169 195. pag. Id. 29 This was the only Sword with which the Lord Jesus fought and vanquisht the Devil It 's Written It 's Written c. pag. Id. 156 Scripture-Words They would be rid of all Scripture-Words and Learning also pag. Id. 177 Seed G. F. saith There is a Seed though but as a Grain of Mustard-Seed to which Christ the Word is preached c. abusing Scriptures 12 71 179. see Regeneration pag. Id. 73 We know they make themselves the Seed c. pag. Id. 178 Sin The Believer is not in Sin as the Vnbeliever is he Sinneth not as the Vnbeliever doth And in another place he saith That the Law is the same to the Believers that it is to the Vnbelievers James Dorram pag. 186 We are Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity 135 136. Eld. Mess. pag. 134 I find in all Mankind a Conviction that God is Iust and Powerful and doth bring Plagues and Punishments for Sin 70 146. R. W. pag. 63 The Papists and Quakers are not Cleansed from their own Filthiness 125. pag. Id. 139 God hath put out the Remembrance of your Sins and the Corruptions within you wherein you must Fight all your Life-time 14 196 197. Catech. Holland pag. 195 It was not Paul that Sinned but Sin that dwelled in him R.W. pag. 199 The Regenerate or New-Born can touch no more with Sin than Fire can delight in Water 34. pag. Id. 186 Repent c. as they say in Contradiction to He that is Born again cannot Sin 60. pag. Id. 66 67 Sin and Grace c. The Law of the Spirit and the Law of Sin may and do continue in the Regenerate or New-Born 13 14 19 172. See Regeneration pag. Id. 187 They cry out That the Protestants plead for Sin Term of Life 172 173 196. pag. Id. 171 None ever could find how Sin c. came into the World c. pag. Id. 63 Sitting His Sitting with Christ in Heavenly Places 205. pag. Id. 206 SOVL They have a Mad Fancy of their Souls going into God and becoming more God c. 49 179. pag. Id. 79 There is a kind of Infiniteness in the Soul which cannot be Infinite in it self 12 110. M. Bine pag. 108 109 SPIRIT They are far from the Spirit of Christ Jesus R. W. pag. 165 The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man in the Church to profit withal and not to every Man in the World Timothy Travers pag. 180 181 Vntil the Spirit of God truly Change the Heart and whole Frame of Nature we are Vnprofitable c. 41 42 46. R. W. pag. 184 The Evil Spirits are both Sinful and Reasonable 190 191. Part I. 180. Iohn Nasmith pag. 188 Lying Peor tell us That all the World
of the Turk and the Pope as many times thou hast done over and over in thy Book here to no purpose when thou should'st have Proved thy Charges And thou say'st Our own Souls know and the Auditory that thou used'st to be Brief When Our own Souls know the Contrary for W. E. might well tell thee of the Quarter of an Hour at Providence when thou forgottest thy self and fel'st a Rambling and Doting beside the Matter R. W. Thou say'st Thou wast told at Providence that thou knewest that we would not stand a Disputation for if we did we would not Continue without great Advantage c. and break off Abruptly as our Spirit hurried us Answ. Was not this thy own Condition R. W. And we had Advantage enough upon thee for thou could'st make nothing good R. W. And thou say'st Thou wast Queried at Newport by some Why we did not proceed on the First-Day and then thou say'st That we do not Cordially own that Day for the Quakers work upon it but we wisely resolved to have the whole First-Day to make up the Breaches stop Leaks dress Wounds that might be in the fore-going Agitations against our Consciences and Credits And It is doleful that Men of Excellent Parts and of Great Knowledge in the Scripture should yet so lie under the Sentence of Gospel-Justice that they cannot but Deceive as they are Deceived that they cannot but Believe Lies and Tell Lies Horrible and Blasphemous Lies as Confidently as the Purest Truths and suck-in and pour-out the Poison of Dragons the Great Red Dragon the Father of Lies c. Answ. R. W. this thou might'st very well have kept at Home with the Red Dragon which ruleth in thee and the New-England-Priests and Professors who are under the Sentence of Gospel-Justice and Judgement though thou may'st talk of the Scripture And thy Lies thy Horrid Blasphemous Lies they did not as thou scoffingly say'st make Leaks neither make Breaches among us but we are confirmed in the Lord against them knowing the Tree by its Fruits And what Quakers those are that Work the First-Day thou hast not named them so this is like the rest and we shall not say much to it till thou dost name them But we Meet together on the First Day of the Week as the Primitive Christians did and so bestow it better than to Hear thy Lies and Blasphemies any other day would serve R. W. But we do not understand that R. W. maketh any Conscience or hath such a Zeal either for God or that Day as to Meet to Worship God upon that Day and who dost thou Meet with or hast thou not driven all People from thee with thy Dark Spirit Thou callest W. E. Braggadocia thou migh'st have kept that at home R. W. Telleth a great story of his Brother sending a Letter to be read in the Assembly And W. E. told thee That we did not come to hear Papers read but how thou could'st make out thy false Charges Answ. It seemeth both thy Brother and Thou were offended because it was not And thou confessest thy self thy Brother judged us as Insultors and Dominerers therefore we had little Reason to take Notice of his Letter or give any Credit to it And we had Just Cause enough either for Hitchcock or him or any others that came to ask Questions that Time in the Disputing with thee who hadst Challenged us and all the Comers when we saw they came to make Inter-ruptions to desire them to set their Hands to the Charges and so to have join'd with thee that we might have kept to the Matter in Hand or if they would not it was Vncivil for them to make Inter-ruptions when we had thee to deal withal for to hear thee prove thy false Positions and Accusations And if they had had the Civility and Patience and stayed till we had done with thee and then appeared like Men they might have been Heard and Answered in Season but to come and make a Brabble and ask strange Questions beside the matter in Hand This we do not count to be Civil though ye may count it so But we knew that thou wouldst willingly accept of any to make a Noise for to ease thy self and take thee off from proving thy false Charges And as for thy Brother thy Religion and his is both Alike R. W. And thou tellest of a Paper containing the Sight of Sin and the Sight of the Lord Jesus these two were the Two Daggers which stab at the Heart of their feigned Christ and Light within Answ. Here Roger hath discovered himself and his Blasphemy in Denying the Lord Jesus Christ and his Light And often he bringeth the word STABBING manifesting his Evil Spirit And the Feigned Christ thou might'st have kept at home for the Real Christ we own with the Light that cometh from him by which we see Sin and See our Saviour which saveth from it R. W. And thou say'st Thou art not of thy Brother's Conscience that thou ought to have Admonisht the Quakers before thou had'st so publickly c. since they proclaim'd their Sin as Sodom on the House-Top c. and so goest on in Railing and Slandering and say'st further Nor do I think I charged them too deep or too sharply c. for I know the Foxes and the Wolves the Able Leaders amongst them do not run away with Pigs and Swine only but Lambs and Chickins of Christ are carried away in their Soul-bloody Jaws c. and so fallest a-railing c. tellest of Blind Leaders and Chapmen that by feigned words make Merchandize upon mens Souls 2 Pet. 2. Answ. R. W. and his New-England-Priests might have kept a great part of this at home But is R. W. too high for the Command of Christ First tell thy Brother c but what are these Sins we proclaim as Sodom and the House-top that the Quakers hold we do abhor his false Charges here we own no such things And whereas thou think'st thou dost not Charge us deep enough thou hast nor couldst not make good the things thou hast Charged us withal And as for Wolves Soul-Bloody Jaws Fire-brands blind Leaders Foxes Chap-men that by feigned words make Merchandize of mens Souls 2 Pet. 2. If there be any such in the World they be in New-England their Fruits have declared it And R. W.'s his Brother's Letter beginneth pag. 71. and endeth pag. 75 which R. W. highly extolleth and saith This is the poor Letter Condemn'd Unheard c. who like the Men of China Judge all the World to have no Eyes except the Men of Europe to whom they grant One Eye and that is more than our Proud Pharisees will do to any that bow not down to their Gross Phylacteâ—ies Answ. These are thy scoffing words but R. W. is Judging the Chinaes as well as us And it 's false to say we Condemn'd the Letter Unheard but we count It was not Time for thee to bring-in the Letter but to make good
own Condition let any read thy Vngratious Words and see if the Papists can be worse R. W. Thou sayst The Protestants hope and speak Charitably of the Salvation of many of the Papists Answ. But ye shall hear R. W.'s Charity viz If it please the most-High Old and New-England may Flourish when the Pope and Mahomet Rome and Constantinople are in Ashes in his Epistle to the King And further in his Epistle to Baxter and Owen The Pope and Mahomet whom some of you may live to see flung in the lake which burneth with Fire and Brimstone Here is R. W.'s his Protestants Charity R. W. And thou sayst G. F. and the rest they Judge all that differ from Christ that is themselves Answ. This is a scoffing Word to say That Christ is Ourselves for he teacheth us to deny Ourselves who Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World And they that hate the Light hate Christ from whence it cometh and are not the true Believers and have not Vnity with Christ or with us who walk in the Light or amongst themselves either So with the Light they are condemneâ— that hate it Joh. 3. R. W. Thou sayst The Quakers and Papists are Fire brands both in the matter of Persecution c. and thou sayst The Protestants cried out against all Persecution and further I say the Quakers most vehemently cry out against Violence against Creatures but against their Corruptions and Corrupt Principles Answ. Is this good Sense R. W. those are thy own words And further this is a false Charge as to say The Papists and Quakers are Fire brands both in the matter of Persecution For this thou shouldst have applied to the New-England priests whose BLOODY HANDS have been embroiled in the BLOOD of the Lambs of Christ. And therefore thou and the Papists are one and not the Quakers as thou hast proved them all along thy self and the priests and Professors in New-England to be one with the Papists and not the Quakers For whom have we IMPRISON'D whom have we WHIPT whose EARS have we CVT OF Whom have we BANISHT and whose GOODS have we SPOILED because they would not hear us nay R. W. Christ hath given us better Weapons And we do believe that the Word of the Lord that we preach'd amongst you is Cutting but thou art afraid we shall get an Outward Sword O! we have better Weapons to maintain our Religion the Lord hath abled us withal the Shield of Faith and the Sword of the Spirit c. And what is Cain that kill'd Faithful ABEL now afraid Well he may but we leave God to revenge the BLOOD of his Faithful Servants which hath been drunk in New-England And there is no such thing neither in G. F. nor E. B nor J. Stubs maintaineth that any should be punish'd for Religion Conscience Faith or Worship as thou falsly chargest but that Magistrates are to punish Evil-doers and as Christ saith He that doth Evil to wit any Murther Theft Adultery c. hateth the Light And as for our Agreement with Papists Arminians Pelagians c. This is like the rest of thy false Charges and Comparisons And what dost thou talk of Election and Predestination c. when thou callest the Light of Christ an Idol For these are Mysteries to thee who art not come to take heed unto the Light that shineth in a dark place R. W. And thou tellest us of the Protestants Doctrine of a Certain Number of God's Elect that are Chosen and drawn by Mercy out of the Lump of lost Mankind Answ. Now if they be drawn by Mercy must not this be by the Spirit of God within And is not this contrary to thy own Doctrine to say There is no Voice nor Motion within of heavenly things and supernatural Light And thou speakeâ—◠〈◊〉 his Call in Time by his holy Word and Spirit c. And is not this Spirit and Call within then is there not a Voice and a Motion And how canst thou talk of the New Birth and believe not in the Light to become a Child of Light Those things indeed ye New-England-Protestants hold in Talk but not in Possession R. W. And thou sayst The Quakers are Brethren with the Socinians c. in making Christ a Type and Figure an Example how Christians ought to walk not that the Blood that was shed upon the Cross at Jerusalem was a sufficient Price and Satisfaction c. for the Sins of the whole world Answ. It 's like thou wrongest the Socinians as thou dost us For we tell thee thy Charge is false and a Lie in thy Mouth For we say Christ is the Substance of all Figures and Types but doth not the Apostle say He left us an Example how Christians ought to walk even as he did But R. W. and his New-England-priests cannot endure to hear talk of this Walking and this Example This is Socinian this is Quaker's and yet the Apostle's Doctrine and thou that deniest this art degenerated from the Apostle's Doctrine Practice and Walking For even hitherto were ye called because Christ also suffer'd for you leaving you an Example that ye should follow his steps 1 Pet. 2 So we can commit our Case to God who judgeth righteously and doth not heed thy false Judgement And so we own the Lord Jesus Christ both his Birth Suffering Death Resurrection though thou falsly drawest this Consequence upon us That the Body and Blood and Death of Christ is nothing but a Fancy We have heard thy Foul Words and Slander the Lord knows there is no such thing in our Hearts and if thou hadst the Fear of God in thy Heart thou wouldst never have publisht such things to defile peoples minds with such Lying Imaginations of thy own Brain And thou shalt know one day that the Lord will return Judgement upon thee for all thy Hard Speeches against us R. W. And as for Devilish Jesuitical Tricks thou might'st have kept at home who sayst G. F. buggles at the Word Humane as at a Ratle-snake Answ. Nay he doth not but to give a New Name to Christ which the Scripture doth not give which thou sayst is the Rule And we do not find the Word in the Scripture and therefore why canst not thou keep Scripture-Terms R. W. Thou sayst Yet then examine them as I have done what is become of him then he is vanisht into a Spirit and Ghost Answ. R. W. had not a Word to say to G. F. when he was at Providence where was the Spirit and Ghost then as thou callest it but railest upon him behind his back And art thou like to Examine us or our Principles without the Light of Christ that callest it an Idol Nay R. W. thou knowest not thy own Condition and therefore thou art not like to Examin ours R. W. saith The Sabellians and Quakers are one confounding Father Son and Spirit in one Answ. Then thou mayst say Christ confounded the Father and the Son when he said
Changed from Glory to Glory till they came into the Image of God And the Apostle saw c. And so ye may read at large in G. F.'s Fol which is to large to be set down here but R. W. hath taken about three lines of it and left out the rest And R. W. replieth As the Swinish Epicures and Dives's of this World what-ever they formally and loosly profess have no solid Hope of Peace and Joy to come after this Life and therefore like Brute Beasts practically confess it saying in their Hearts and Lives Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die c. Answ. What is this to the purpose for G. F.'s Answer R. W. might have put himself amongst his Company and Judged himself as well as others for it 's his own Condition R. W. thou sayst Thou knowest that same of the Quakers will not believe that G. F. and others of them deny the Resurrection c. Answ. And why should they believe a Lie as thou dost and why should not we stand by G. F.'s words when he speaketh Scripture and thou that dost not deniest Scripture and the Light of Christ and call'st it a Fancy And the Resurrection we own according to Scripture R. W. And here thou bringest the Ninth false Charge viz All that the Quakers Religion requireth externally and internally to make Converts or Prâ—selytes amounts to no more then what a Reprobate easily may attain to and perform Answ. This is false for Reprobates do not believe in the Light and become not Children of Light and recâ—ive not Christ in them from whence the Light cometh R. W. And thou hopest many of us will come to Abraham's Bosom But then why dost thou rail at us And how can we come to Abraham's Bosom and Attain to no further then to what a Reprobate may And then thou sayst Thousands may have gotten all their Religion requires or performs yea all that their Principles call for outwardly or Inwardly and yet not be accepted but rejected from the holy presence of God Answ. How now Roger and yet come to Abraham's Bosom O Roger thy Darkness cannot comprehend the Light that seest not our Condition no more then thou seest the Saints in the Apotles Days thou would'st have said the same of them had'st thou been in their Day We know our Assurance of God and our Acceptation through Jesus Christ his Beloved Son through whom we have peace with God and we do know the Son by Revelation and God that sent him which is Eternal Life Blessed be his Name for Ever And are grafted into him and built upon him the Rock and Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and thy words are but Chaff R. W. And then thou tell'st a story of Perkins and appliest that to us which he spoke of the Papists But thou hadst better to have applied this to thy self And thou fall'st a Judging the Common Protestants and Quakers and tell'st of their Great Reformations and Joys c. their enduring great persecution and burning of their bodies c. and yet be far from the true Protestant Religion either in the true Dâ—ctrine and Principles or in the true Life and Practice of it Answ. How can Roger Williams tell why doth he Judge such that they were not in the true Religion Who was this Protestant not in New-England nor R. W he never felt the Flame nor was BRANDED with an HOT IRON his Religion will not lead him to undergo such suffering for why did he not stand but go in the Woods when he was tried in Boston-Colony But R. W. would make people believe he was a High Protestant beyond all these but plainly he is nothing but a Railer as his Book doth make manifeâ—t But let the Reader see how he hath lost himself and gone from G. F.'s Answer And R. W. Tearmes our Faith to Rotten Nature c and our Prayyers and Fastings and Sufferings to Womens filâ—hy Clouts and dung of Men and Beasts put into the Ballance of God's Infinite Justice instead of the Infinite Righteousness and Satisfaction of the Son of God c. Answ. As for the Papists they may Answer for themselves but our FAITH Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of we had it not from Men nor Rotten Nature And we Pray as we are moved by the Spirit of God and â—ast as we are ordered by his Divine Wisdom And our Sufferings amongst the New-England-Professors have been for the Truth and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ's sake in whom our Poor Souls have had Satisfaction And we know Christ's words to be true Blessed are they that Suffer for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. And for all thy Vngratious Words the Lord will rebuke thee in one Day and in that Day of thy Torment remember thou hast wronged us R. W. And thou scoffingly sayst That if a Notorious Drunkard be convinced and come to hearken to a Spirit within to say Thee and Thou and thinks himself Equal and above all his former Superiors c. he is Justified Sanctified c. and so holy that he cannot sin in Thoughts and Words c. Thus they pretend Repentance Faith and a Change of Heart because they have changed their Talk and Garments Answ. The Spirit of God within leadeth to no such Sudden Thing neither is the Work so easily done as R. W. here would foist into the minds of the World to make them load the Truth neither shall he find it so easy himself if ever he should see a Day of Repentance And the Spirit of the Lord leadeth to Humility and that is a good Spirit that Leadeth to Modesty in Apparel and to True Words and from Evil Thoughts and from Drunkenness For after a Man is restrained from Actual Sins without him then he cometh to know the putting off the Body of it within and crieth as Paul did to Christ for no Man can help him then but He that did help Paul who Thanks God in Victory in the end But why should R. W. be so against the Spirit within in saying THEE and THOV and putting off our needless Apparel seeing it was the Practice of the holy Men of God in the Scripture hath not he proved himself that he is degenerated from the Spirit Life and Practice of the Primitive Church R. W. And thou say'st John Bradford said unto God Lord thou art Heaven and I am Hell Answ. And was not this Hell within him think'st thou and if so why dost thou find Fault with the Quakers R. W. Then thou fallest on a preaching but to no purpose to thy Position nor G. F.'s answer And dost thou not say The Blood of God doth Cleanse and Redeem thee Answ. And yet dost thou not find Fault with the Quakers for mentioning the Blood of God And the 2 Cor 7. doth not evidence thy True Repentance from a Pharisee's And R. W. Thou say'st That no Papist nor Quaker by
Early or Late will over-take thee for all thy Vngodly Speeches and Calumnies if thou repentest not But Roger thou hast writ thy own State and the State of the New-England-Priests And it is a Wonder ye do not Kill one another as ye have done the People of God called Quakers for Thou and They that own the Scripture to be your only Rule and â—eny the Eternal Spirit to be necessary which alone giveth to savor Spirits ye may in your Imaginations to Imitate Abraham offer up your Children and think Ye Act Moses upon the Egyptian when ye kill those that are not of you And no question but ye made the poor Quakers the Egyptians and the Agags when you WHIPT them and BVRN'D them and HANGED them to Justify your selves in your Wickedness But the Lord hath Discovered you and he will Reward you As for thy Charge against James Parneâ— which thou bring'st over and over viz That he was moved to fast 40 Days and perish'd the 11 Day It is utterly false there was no such thing But after some of thy Generation about Colchester for all their Cries and Pretences for Liberty of Conscience and after all the Blood that had been Spilt in the Nations about it had beaten him and bruised him and shed his Innocent Blood and cruelly intreated him as hath been already said he like a Lamb laid down his Innocent Life O! this Harlot's Spirit that would kill the Living Child to be Revenged on the true Mother which would lay it's own Abominations to the Charge of God's Elect and suggest that against the Innocent People of God which daily leads those into that Partake with it and are Joined to it For thy Story of Henry the Fourth of France that was stabb'd by a Friar pretending a Vision of Angels What is that to us who deny Friars false Visions and all Stabbings to Death what-ever yea and maintain that God's Spirit leadeth no man to any such Work But Roger Let thou and the New-England-Priests and all your Brethren else-where look at home For thy Story and Anger against William Harris who is thy Neighbour he is of Age and able enough to Answer for himself R. W. The Last Point and Branch of thy 14. Position is this viz Their Persecuting Spirit The Proof thou bringest for this Accusation is a passage out of G. F.'s Book p 170 Fol viz. That the Magistrate ought to subject the Nation to his Light else he is not a Faithful Magistrate Answ. But Roger Though thou hast given his words very Imperfectly this proves nothing of thy Charge And to the end the Reader may see that thou hast here-in used thy Fears and Imaginations as before and not in a Real Proof here are all G. F.'s words in that page upon that Subject following The Magistrate of Christ the Help-Government for him he is in the Light and Power of Christ and he is to subject all under the power of Christ into his Light else he is not a faithful Magistrate And his Laws here are Agreeable and Answerable according to that of God in every Man when men act contrary to it they do Evil. So he is a Terror to the Evil-Doers discerneth the Pretious and the Just from the Vile And this is a Praise to them that do Well Now is there one word of Persecution here Or can R. W. think himself a Christian and look upon it to be Persecution for Christ's Magistrate by Christ's Light and Power to subject all under the Power of Christ and to bring all into this Light of Christ Or can he think such an one an Vnfaithful Magistrate Or are those Laws and the Execution of them Persecution that are Agreeable and Answerable to that of God in every Man These are G. F.'s words Such Magistrates such Laws such Power and Light and Subjection is G. F. for and no other And O Roger Canst thou expect to escape the Judgment of the great God when the very words of G. F. relate not to Opinion Religion and Faith and Conscientious Worship which Persecutors employ their Power to Impose or Restrain but to Well or Evil-Doing Common Justice Righteousness Truth Industry and those Vertues that are so necessary and commendable between Man and Man Wherefore saith G. F. The Magistrate is a Terror to Evil-doers and a Praise to them that do well who discern the Just from the Vile And thus do G. F.'s own words at length prove the Innocency and Soundness of his mind in writing them And the Malice and Envy of R. Williams in mis-representing and mis-construing them But Roger How doth Terrifying Evil-doers destroy Government When we speak of Punishing Evil-doers then thou turnest it to Persecuting Conscientious Dissenters And when we speak of being made Free by the Light and Spirit of God from the Impositions and Traditions of Men thou construest it presently that we are against Law and Government and set up an Arbitrary Government of our own And thus To the Vnholy all is Vnholy One while we are accused of being against Magistracy another while for being for Magistracy But the Lord hath delivered us out of thy Hands and in some measure out of the Hands of thy Generation and will do more and more for his own Seed's sake R. W. The 2. Proof thou givest that we are of a Persecuting Spirit is this Was there ever any known professing the Fear of God in so high a Measure so sharp and Cutting in their Tongues even to Eminently Knowing and Conscientious Persons Thou Liar Serpent Cain Judas Hypocrite Devil Answ. The Tongues of God's People have in all Ages been as a Fire and a Sword to the Wicked and if thy Eminent Persons were as well Known as thou say'st they are Knowing we knew what to say to thee For since thou hast thought best to conceal them we shall only say that Liar Serpent Cain Judas Hypocrite Devil are Names given to the Evil One and his Children by the Spirit and People of God Yea they are the Form of sound Words which thou and thy Generation wince and spurn at And therefore many of our Dear Friends Men and Women have been bitterly Bruised and Beaten by and at the Instigation of such Professing Priests as thou art when they have been so called And we do believe the Word of the Lord hath Cut you which maketh thee to cry out They are CVTTING Words But the Spirit of the Lrod will Cut you more and will Answer the Witness of God in you and make you to Confess GOD is IVST And R. W. and his New-England â—Priests need not to fear Carnal Weapons to be hurt by from us Well but thou proceedest in these bitter words and sayâ—st R. W. Shall we rationally question whether their Hands like Simeon's and Levi's will not be as Fierce and Cruel if the Most-Holy and Only Wise permit Whips and Halters Swords and Faggots so fall into their Hands Answ. It may be as Rationally question'd
of the People of God in this Age as of God's people in former Ages And God will reckon with thee thou Vngodly Vnjust Man that insinuatest these wicked things against a Suffering as well as Harmless People This Spirit thou art led by in Writing against us would BVRN us as it led thy Fore-Fathers to Burn the Martyrs in Smith-field For ye are all of CAIN'S Race and ye are found in his Steps and shall have Cain's Reward if You repent not Nevertheless thou Instancest Sam. Fisher and Edw. Burrough to prove this most Uncharitable Saying of thine But this thou might'st have applied to the New-England-Professors who have been in the Practice of it their Fruits have discovered them to the World and so it 's like they are afraid the same Measure to be measured withal as they have measured to us but Vengeance we leave to God for him to repay it And is this a Proof that we would Whip and Hang and Burn and Destroy people for their Religion Did S. F. and E. B. mention Whips Halters Swords and Faggots Were the Soldiers to over-come the Pope and his Followers with such Tools and Instruments as they are Or was it not rather to destroy those destroying Courses But Roger if this be the Sign of a False Religion what hast thou to say for thy New-England Brethren into whose Hands the Only-Wise God hath permitted Whips Halters and Swords to fall What Use have they made of them Is not this to measure us by your selves Because ye have been False to God your own Consciences and your own Principles therefore we must be so too Witness thy following words which are the last Proof alledged by thee to manifest our Persecuting Spirit they are these R. W. Have we not known the Deceitfulness of Mens Hearts fly out into greater Matters than Persecution Hasael earnestly asked whether the Prophet thought him a Dog that he should do such matters c. Answ. What is this to the Business Roger Are we Hasaels or art thou the Prophet or hast thou a true Prophetical Spirit that thou canst tell us We shall be what thou thy self pag. 204. twice confessest we are not But thou hast another Instance to prove us Persecutors saying R. W. Pendleton vow'd his Collops should fry ere he would to Mass in Q. Mary's Days and yet to Mass he went and Persecuted others also that would not bow to the Image as he had done Answ What Proof is this that we must Change our Principles and turn Persecutors Either this Instance concerns us not at all or else it must be applied thus Persecution is no more our principle now then it was Pendeton's when he was a Protestant and as he turned not Persecutor till he turned to Mass so we shall not turn Persecutors till we turn to thee and the New-England-Professors For the plain Meaning of this Instance of thine is That though we have good Principles and resolve to stand by them yet we may turn from them and Persecute our own Friends who keep to them which thou say'st was Pendleton's Case But Roger is not this thine and the New-England-Priests Case And is not this Measuring us by your selves as before mentioned with your false Rule your false Yard and that R. W. though he is not a Thief yet he may be a Thief Which he may be before the Quakers turn to their Principles and Practice For we see them plain enough and had they any Good in them we should never have forsaken them For did not ye Pendleton like renounce and deny the Hierarchy of the Church of England and severely plead against the Persecution raised by the Bishops against you in former Times And did not ye Vow If God gave power into your hands ye would not do as ye have been dealt by And have not ye done the same things and far Worse Bitterly WHIPT BEATEN BURN'D with an HOT IRON BANISHED and HANGED a poor and Conscientious people which are the Christians in Nature and the Followers of the true Lord IESUS Christ because they would not bow to your Image in New-England after ye had fled from the Bishop's Image in Old-England Like to the Scribes and Pharisees that praised the Prophets and blamed the Fore-Fathers and committed greater Wickedness themselves by putting to Death the LORD of LIFE and GLORY O Roger Williams That thou might'st yet know the things that belong to thy Eternal Peace That thou might'st yet find a place of Repentance for thy poor Soul and feel the Mercies of the Lord in thy Eternal Salvation O that thou had'st been Wise and had'st not done these things Verily thou art Treasuring up Wrath against the Day of Wrath And if thou comest not down into the Dust and mournest for these things thy Day will always be Darkness and thy End EUERLASTING DESTRUCTION G. F. I. B. A New-England-Fire-brand QUENCHED The Second Part. BEING Something in ANSWER to Roger Williams his APPENDIX Wherein he hath taken and pickt up some of G. F.'s words and some of G. F.'s Old Persecutors here and there that writ against him and the People of God called QUAKERS what he thinketh he can pick out for his own Advantage who is of the same Spirit as they that writ against us and persecuted us in Oliver's Days With a POST-SCRIPT Confuting his Blasphemous Assertions viz Of the BLOOD of CHRIST that was Shed its being Corruptible and Corrupted and that SALVATION was by a Man that was Corruptible Where-unto is added a CATALOGUE of R. W.'s Envious Malitious Scornful Railing Staff false Accusations and Blasphemies which he foully and Un Christian-like hath Scattered and Dispersed throughout his Book and calls it Scripture-Language Together with the LETTERS of W. Coddington and Rich. Scot of Providence in New-England testifying against the said R. Williams and his Slanderous and Wicked Book And Lastly some TESTIMONIES of Antient and Modern Authors concerning the LIGHT SCRIPTURES RULE and the SOUL of Man By George Fox and John Burnyeat In the Year M DC LXXVIII A NEW-ENGLAND Fire-brand Quenched Or an Answer to Roger Williams APPENDIX Wherein he hath taken and pickt up some of G F's words and some of G. F's old Persecutors here and there that Writ against him and the People of God call'd Quakers what he thinks he can pick out for his own Advantage who is of the same Spirit as they that Writ against us and Persecuted us in Oliver's days R. W. IN the 2d page of the Appendix thou say'st that G F. writeth that the Saints know all things as God c. And then thou tells what the Devil pretends he doth and offers to reveal so much to some Conjurers And then thou say'st What hinders but if the Quakers be Omniscient and know all things but they should be also Omnipotent and do all things for Paul so writes Phil. 4. c. And R. W. saith I know they say they are one with God and Christ and they know all things and can do
of R. W. And thou say'st Hence according to G. F. 's Opposite all Man kind have invented so many false Gods false worships c. yet out of no more Love to God then the Lamb beareth to a Lyon c. and then thou quotest the Philistines Samaritans and Sechemites c. Answ. Thy words are General All Man-kind all the world over What! did Methuselah and Jared and Lamech and Abraham and Moses and the Prophets and the Apostles Invent did they Invent any False Gods for thy words are All Man-kind have Invented so many false Gods and Worships all the world over What! is there no part of the World free hath not God his Seven Thousand still as he had in the days of the Prophets that Do not bow their knee to Baal 1 King 19. And did not all those that Invented all those false ways and worships go from that of God In them which God had shewed unto them R. W. And then thou say'st The Sechemites for fear of Lions or hope of Gain will be of any Worship or Religion as most this day in the World will be yea all and every soul except to whom in and from the Holy Scriptures the Holy Spirit Revealeth the Incomprehensible Mystery of a Mediator Answ. Then they are not All Man-kind And as for Being of any Religion for hope of Gain that thou and the Priests might have kept at home for the Gain that Gods Servants got that were sent to preach the Gospel among you was Gallowses Whips Prisons and bad Language And they that own the Holy Spirit to Reveal Christ the Mystery the Mediator which Holy Spirit leadeth into all Truth they will own us and not them that talk of it and live out of it R. W. And then thou bring'st I. H. his saying The Justification and Redemption by obeying the Light within is a Mystery of Iniquity G. F. Answ. He that believeth is justified from all things and cometh not into Condemnation for he hath the Witness in himself and that lets him see to wit the Light of Christ the Redeemer the Saviour the Light which walking in it he is cleansed from all sin So no Mystery of Iniquity for the Mystery of Iniquity is out of the Light and none seeth Justification and Redemption but with the Light which cometh from Christ who hath enlightned them To this R W. Replyeth and beginneth with his Foul Language and saith This is subtle but being examined it will be a Mystery of Hellish Iniquity and lighter then Vanity it self Answ. Poor Man he might very well have kept this at home And then he goeth on and saith G. F. confoundeth Justification and the Light of Christ and Faith and Obedience after his Babilonish wont all in a Juglers Box within together so that the English of it is Faith is Christ Obedience is Christ Justification is Christ c. And then thou say'st It is true Figuratively Answ. If it be True Figuratively why do'st thou call it Babilonish and Juglers Box and Lighter then Vanity and Hellish Iniquity but G. F.'s words are plain enough as they speak but thou that art in the Hellish Iniquity and the Juglers box c. may'st Cavil at them R.W. And because that G.F. saith None see Justification Redemption which cometh from Christ who hath enlightned them but with the Light within R. W. saith That G. F.'s words may be in plain English thus rendred None sees Christ and Christ but with the Christ within which cometh from Christ who hath Christed him Answ. Now Reader see if G. F.'s words speak as he Maliciously saith For can any see Christ Jesus their Sanctification Justification and Redemption but by the Light which Christ hath enlightned them withal for with the same Light they see their sins and Christ their Saviour and Redeemer c. And thou say'st It is a Mystery or a subtle Trick of Hell to call Faith Obedience and Obedience to the Light Justification c. Reader read G. F.'s words and see if G. F. hath either mentioned the word Obedience or Faith p. 29. So R. W. Inventeth words and then he called them a Mystery and a subtle Trick of Hell to call them as he hath invented them which is his own subtle Trick of Hell for there is no such word in G. F.'s Answer And then he calleth it True sense and saith True Sense as Mony answereth all things but we cannot deny the Apostle's Doctrine how that Christ is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption and thy Distinguishing of Heavenly matters is like thy Distinguishing of G. F.'s words as hath been shewed before in thy Contradictions R. W. And then thou say'st It is another Gospel and yet not another but is a Dream and dead Picture of an Image or an Idol to put-in our Obedience and Working Answ. What Contradictions and Confusions are these and what work makest thou about Obedience for G. F. hath not mentioned the word Obedience but thou fightest with thy own words but seeing thou makest such work with Obedience read Rom. 1 5.6 16.16 19. and 2 Cor. 7 15.10 5 6. 1 Pet. 1 2. R. W. And then thou say'st I know they Father this Bastard upon the most-Holy God himself saying It is His Obedience His Righteousness and His Working in the room of the Death and Blood-shedding the Sufferings and Merits of the Lord Jesus Answ. I did never hear so many foul words and such Perversions from any man in my Life the Reader may see in R. W.'s own Book there is not the word Obedience in G. F's Answer which he replyeth to And we do say that Christ Jesus was Obedient unto Death even the Death of the Cross Phil. 2 and the Apostle saith As by the Disobedience of one Man many were made Sinners so by the Obedience of One to wit Christ many were made Righteous And the Saints are Obedient to Christ's Faith and Spirit c. R. W. And then thou goest on and tellest of Laban changing wages c. and then thou tellest us of the Papists and Jews c. and the Bargain of Do this and Live and a Bargain of Saving our selves and a Bargain of Flying out of our selves only to Gods Mercies in the Mediation of Christ Jesus and then again render our selves so Holy so Obedient so Righteous so Loving so Chaste so Meek so Patient so Temperate that in thought word or deed we sin not And this our Holiness is Christ and God and Spirit and Justification c. Answ. Reader did'st thou ever hear how he hath jumbled things together here Where did Christ and the Apostles use these words as Making of Bargains with his People it's like R. W. thinketh he is Wiser then they that gave forth the Scriptures and their words are too simple for him to speak but R. W.'s Scoffing Expressions here do not touch us he may apply this at home And this we say Every one that followeth Christ must Take
give Act. 26. Luk. 24. and as you may see in the Evangelists But they have gotten the Form of Godliness and deny the Power thereof and persecute them that be in the Power of Godliness R. W. And thou talkest of Four sorts of Hearers of the Glad News that received and believe with a false and overly loose and Sandy Belief Answ. This is thy own Condition R. W. and the Priests in New-England And as for those that Receive Christ by believing in the Light are grafted into him and united to God And as for the Men of Samaria hearing the VVoman who preached Christ to them A Man that told her all that ever she had done this may shame thee and the Priests in New-England that did not receive God's Sons and Daughters which Preached Christ to them That told them all that ever they had done and would have turned them and thee to Christ and instead of receiving them you persecute them with Tongues and Hands Answ. And thou say'st I know these poor Foxians do hear a kind of a Motion within them Then that is more than the Parrots which thou speakest of pag. 35 and so in this thou confoundest thy self But thou say'st It is but as poor VVomen that go with False Conceptions or with Tympanies of Wind and Water or with the Mole that will resemble the Motion of a True Child but after all their Thoughts and Fancies by Day and Night after all their Seeming Feelings Perswasions Experience and Preparations this False Conception False Faith False Christ False Light shall vanish in shame and grief as did Q. Maries after the Thanksgivings and Bell-Ringings for her Deliverance Answ. This is R. VV's and the New-England Priests and Professors Condition he knows it better than the Quaker's Condition For do not their Laws and Persecutions declare it to the World to be the Birth of the Flesh that hath so Persecuted Hanged and Whipt God's People who are Born of the Spirit Is not their Faith prov'd false and not that which Christ is the Author of which worketh by Love and is not their False Light or False Christ made manifest who destroyeth Men's Lives about Religion for the Quakers true Christ said he came To save Men's Lives and bid them Love Enemies And so R. VV. and the New-England Professors their False Birth of all their Experiences appeareth to be but like a Tympany of VVind and VVater as he speaketh that vanisheth away and all their Preparations with their Elders and Members and their persecuting Priests that helped to beget this Birth is it not all passed away into Persecution with Tongue and Hand and not the true Birth and into Grief and Shame and Sorrow and did not the Indians say That their own God they Professed fought against them And as for R. VV. bringing Q. Mary let them that are concerned answer for that and thou art not to Speak Evil of the Dead R. W. And whereas thou say'st For my self I dare these Self-Confident to particularize any one Scripture where the Spirit of God directs any poor Soul to listen or hearken to a Light and Voice within him affirming that this is the Hearing by which Faith is wrought c I ask for some Solid Instances where Souls have been truly Converted the whole Soul unto God by any such Notion and not by some External Means and out-ward Hearing of this Glad News and Gospel Answ. In this thou hast shewed thy Ignorance of the Scriptures and the Holy Men of God Conditions For did not the Jews hear the External Means and outward Hearing of Christ and his Apostles and yet were not Converted to God Now we Challenge thee and all the New-England Priests Where ever any one was Converted to God by an Outward and External Hearing to answer this by plain Scripture And whereas thou hast said Listning to the Light but our Words are commonly Take heed to the Light as the Apostle doth until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your Hearts and was not the Light the Means to take heed unto And what External Means had Abraham that saw the Day of Christ and his Gospel and what External Means had Moses when God spoke to him or Outward Hearing of Man's Preaching to him And what External Means had Mary Magdalen and other Women when the Lord sent them to Preach the Resurrection And what External Means had Daniel when he Heard the Voice of God and was not this Voice of God within though we deny none that God and Christ speaketh to and sendeth But did not the VVord come to Jacob and was not that the Author of his Faith and was not he Converted and did not all the Holy Men of God speak as they were Moved by the Holy Ghost And doth not Christ say He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches and is that an Outward Hearing or External And doth not the Apostle say No Man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit of God which Revealeth them and doth not Christ thank his Father for Revealing his things to his Disciples and hid them from such VVise as you are And can any come to Christ but whom the Father draweth and is that by an External and Outward Hearing And doth not the Lord say He openeth the Mouth of Babes c And did not the Lord open Lydia's Heart to hear Christ that Paul Preached who was a Minister of the Spirit and did not he and the Apostles Sow to the Spirit and was that an Outward and External Means And doth not the Lord say He will put his Laws in their Minds and write them in their Hearts and he will be their God and they shall be his People and they shall not teach every Man his Neighbour and every Man his Brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me from the Least to the Greatest saith the Lord and is this your External Means in New-England and Outward Hearing who persecute the Children of the New Covenant that are Taught of God for not following of you R. W. And thou say'st I ask if it be not a Ridiculous Contradiction to fill the VVorld with a Sound of their New He and She Apostles Answ. We say Nay who are sent of God and have heard God and Christ's Voice as the Prophets and Apostles did And you who are feeding of your External Means of your Outward Hearing and hate the Light of Christ and are Erred from the Spirit that gave forth the Scriptures persecute us as your Fore-Fathers did Christ and his Apostles R. W. And thou say'st I ask if this Light within without and opposite to the Hearing without which is the Question be the Means of Faith how is it possible that so many serious enquiring Men in all Ages should not perâ—eive a Breath of this VVind no not in their own Bosoms and that Famous Paul should be Conscientiously and fully perswaded that he ought to do
W. And further thou say'st Now this Woful Cheater finding the word Spirit confounds as his course is all together and because God's Spirit Regenerates the Corinthians and opens to them a Glimpse of the Godhead's Power c. Answ. As for Cheating and Confounding thou mayst keep those Words at home but the Apostle telleth the Corinthians that were the Believers and Babes in Christ and Born again That the Light which shined in their Hearts giveth the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus and calleth this the Light of the Glorious Gospel which is the Image of God Now hath R. W. manifested himself to be Born again who doth not distinguish between them that is Born of the Spirit and them that Grieve the Spirit for G. F's Words were Such as were not Born of God by the Spirit yet they had the Spirit by which they might Know the things of God for how can they quench the Spirit and err from it if they have it not and how will God Judge the World in Righteousness according to the Gospel And whether is the Gospel Natural or all the Judgments of God Natural or Spiritual and if Spiritual whether or no it is not according to the Divine Light and Grace that enlightneth all Men and his Spirit that he poureth upon all Flesh R. W. And thou say'st I fear that G. F. c. never Experimened though they enjoy in Common a Light of Nature though God hath Endowed him and many of them with Excellent Natural Parts yea with a Light from the Holy Scripture yea a Light of Experience and Common Motions from God's Holy Spirit and have been lifted up c. and then thou fearest most of them will be brought down into Hell and Cast into great Condemnation Answ. R. Williams thou hast shewed thy Ignorance of G. F. and the People called Quakers Conditions What! dost thou call the Divine and Heavenly Light of Christ which is the Life in the Word the Light of Nature which Christ commands to believe in this is thy Darkness which cannot Comprehend the Light And as for our Experiences and Knowledge of the Holy Scripture it is by this Divine Light and Spirit of the Lord which if thou didst Live in thou wouldst never Rail so much against us And as for thy foolish Fears I tell thee they are Cain's and as for being lifted up as Capernaum being brought down into Hell and Condemnation this thou wilt know who hast been pufft up and erred from that Spirit which formerly hath opened thee therefore thou railest against them that walk in it And Roger thou reprovedst G. F. too soon for False English and Boys English and Non-sense as thou callest it but indeed I must needs tell thee that here is much False English and Non-sense in thy Book but whether the Fault be in thee or the Printer I shall leave it but how-ever I think the Printer that hath printed thy Book hath grown weary of it or at least been Careless for it is paged 74 74 76 77 77 78 80 what is this right Roger R. W. And thou bringest-in the same Author Fol. 222 saying Salvation and Faith are the Gifts of God distinct from Christ To this G. F. Answereth They are all of him and from him and with him and how is he the Author of Faith in whom it endeth from whence it cometh R. W. replyeth As Potiphar's Wife cries out against Joseph and pretends Chastity so doth this subtle Whore-monger pretending that all is pure Christ the Light is Christ their Hope Faith Saints and their own Spirits are Christ no Distinction between Christ and them for they are all of Him from Him and with Him Answ. Thou Justifiest what thou Condemnest thou cryest out against Potiphar's Wife and thou art guilty Spiritually of the same Evil that she would Carnally have committed Fain wouldst thou have enticed J. T. and others to thy Polluted and Defiled Bed and because they would have nothing to do with thee nor that Spirit that leadeth thee but refused Communion with thee thou wipest thy Mouth and complainest against Joseph and wouldst bedirt him now thou canst not have thy will of him and that he refuseth thy Harlotty Well but I am an Whore-monger yea a Subtle One how so Roger how provest thou this Black Charge why because I say That Salvation and Faith are of Christ from Christ and with Christ behold now ye New-England-People what Spirit this Man is of what Language he useth what Comparisons he maketh and Slanders he casteth upon me And for what doth he these things because I own and declare That Salvation and Faith are of Christ and from Christ and with Christ. I hope then none will say We but R. Williams denyeth Christ for they that deny Christ to be the Author of their Faith and Salvation deny Christ but it 's plain that R. W. doth so for his Salvation and Faith is not of Christ and what Regard should any have to what such an Anti-Christ saith But R. W. saith that we say That the Saints are Christ c. but Roger these are none of my Words but thy False Consequences But why is not Christ made to the Children of Light in this Day Light Salvation Hope Faith c. as well as he was made to them Sanctification and Redemption in the Days past where hast thou been hast thou lost thy Bible as well as thy Religion in the Woods see what cometh of thy Vnfaithfulness thou that werest an Opposer of the Priests art turned their Oratour against the People of God But what a Forgery 't is in thee Roger to say We make the Saints Christ and our own Spirit Christ were those my Words to God's witness in all Consciences I appeal against thee in this thing and let my Book be read True Christians are of Christ yet not Christ yet One with Christ 't was Christ's Last Prayer that they should be One in the Father and the Son And for our own Spirit it 's enlightned by Christ but it is not that Light nor Christ the Light for he is our Lord and King and we are his Servants and Subjects and Friends and Children so thy Malice and Ignorance will not do the Day hath discovered thee Thou goest on to prove That Christ is not the Saints nor the Saints are not Christ And who said They were and callest us Vngrateful Monsters and such Monstrous Names for believing so that never believed so nor never writ so it 's a Faith of thy own making Yet Christ is in the Saints and the Saints are in Christ but that the Devil cannot abide for he would fain get at them but that he cannot do while they are in Christ and this maketh all his Instruments rage and thee Roger amongst the rest And thou takest up much room to prove The Saints are not Christ from Col. 1 ver 11 and who said they were so so that
of Christ's mouth that which is not of him was not that of Christ that he breathed upon his disciples when he said Receive ye the Holy Ghost what was that a Figure of if not of a Participation of his own Breath Life and Spirit and if so it seemeth this that cometh out of Christ's mouth must be his breath By the Brightness of his Coming and the Breath of his mouth he shall destroy the man of sin that is by his Spirit what now Roger is it not Christ's Breath that goeth out of his Mouth that destroyeth and is it not his Breath his Spirit doth not both the Hebrew and the Greek say so wherefore the Sword with Two Edges that cometh out of Christ's mouth is the Spirit by which he destroyeth and will destroy the man of sin and all such scornful men as thou art if you repent not R. W. Theâ—e great Interpreters are confounded in themselves for in Ephes. 4. the Spirit must be the Sword but in Hebr. 4. Christ must be the Sword with two edges being the Word of God and not the Spirit Answ. Thou writest as if thou ravest there is no such passage in Ephes. 4. Next for Hebr. 4 there is no such thing as making Christ the Two-edged Sword For the words are That the Word of God is sharper then any Two-edged Sword but that the Scriptures are not Christ and the Spirit as thou wouldst have it neither can they pierce even to the dividing asunder of soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow nor are they a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart this were to make the Scripture a Spiritual and Invisible Being yea an Omnipresent one yea God For they declare that he that searcheth the Heart and trieth the Reins and telleth unto man his Thoughts the LORD OF HOSTS is his Name Thou art like the Apostate Jews that by thinking to Honour the Scripture dishonour God Christ Spirit and Scripture too But thou callest us Juglers for shifting from Christ to Spirit and Spirit to Christ again what Vnsavoury Words hast thou Is not Christ Jesus called the Word of God and is he not called the Quickning Spirit and is not the Spirit Christ's Spirit and can Christ be separated from his own Spirit but thou art Ignorant of that Vnion being in the Death and Alienation from Christ and his Spirit R. W. But it is Objected by G. F. That the Spirit was before the Scripture and gave forth the Scripture I answer What then G. F. is before his Book and gave it forth is it not therefore G. F's Word and Writing but G. F. himself Or is not the King's Majesty before his Declaration to the World is it not therefore the King's Word or is it the King himself Answ. What I say is true and R. W. shall not be able to deny it if he own plain Scripture For before the Scriptures were the Word was it was In the Beginning so were not the Scriptures The Word was with God and was God so were never the Scriptures All things were made by it that were made but nothing was ever Created by the Scriptures therefore not the Word of God but Words Again the Word of God that came to the Prophets was not the Written Word yet the Word therefore the Written Word was not that Word but a Declaration of that Word and came from the Word so that which was before the Scriptures and from whence they came is the Word and not themselves So that what thou Alludest to confoundeth thy self G. F. is before his Writing and the Writing is not G. F the King is bâ—fore his Declaration and the Declaration is not the King In like manner the Word is before the Scripture and the Scripture is not the Word but a Declaration of that Word and the Words of that great Word So we are for the Form of Sound Words that proceed from that Divine Word that dwelt in Enoch Abraham and the Patriarchs before the Scriptures were and in the Holy Prophets and Apostles before they gave forth the Old and New-Testament-Writings which they directed the Antient Saints to and desired that it might dwell richly in them R. W. Thou say'st This Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scripture from the Spirit makes it a Word so powerful a Standard Touch-stone or Weights so perfect for the Tryal of all Spirits Writings Doctrines Religions Worships Actions c. Answ. The Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scripture is no Scripture-saying neither can the Scripture Inspire Thou bringest-in From the Spirit if thou meanest that they are Given forth by Inspiration we own it if thou intendest more 't is Erroneous for Inspiration is by the Spirit of God only Now the Scripture is a Sâ—aled Book to thee and thy Generation neither knowest thou the Meaning of it for it is only given to the Spiritual Man to Discern he that is lead and guided by the Spirit but thou shuttest the Spirit out the Scripture is sufficient Wherefore thou art ignorant of the Scriptures for they are not to be learned but by the Spirit that gave them forth they are shut up from all the Wisdom of this World therefore the Jews understood them not but persecuted Jesus by them as they dâ—rkly imagin'd as thou dost us and thought in them to find Eternal Life and not in Christ whom they discerned not as thou dost not the Children of Light But do the Scriptures try Spirits they say the Anointing is to do it whom shall we believe But Roger Tryal of Spirits is more than Tryal of Doctrines Writings and External Truth What! if a Man profess all the Doctrines of the Apostles and were outwardly not to be condemned in his Conversation yet might have a Deceitful Spirit to gather to himself and endeavour to supplant the true Servants of God and an all occasions use the Words of the Prophets and Apostles and say Thus saith the Lord but God never spoke by him how wouldst thou try this Spirit and this Power what Chapter or Verse would give thee a Savour and Discerning of the Spirit of this Deceiver this Wolf in the Sheeps-Cloathing to try not the Words but the Nature Life and Spirit that useth them But it hath ever been the Devil's Way in his Instruments since the Scriptures were given forth to pretend to Stand up for the Scripture when the Design is to war against and undervalue the Power Spirit and Anointing endeavouring to bring it into Disgrace But the Lord beholds these things and he will overtake such Evil Instruments with his Judgments and his Power and Spirit and Seed of Life and Holy Anointing which the Scriptures of Truth testifie of shall appear more and more and go over all R. W. Thou say'st further But the Pharisees saith G. F. had the Scriptures but they had not the Sword of the Spirit I answer The Jews had and have and so the Turks have had much of it the Papists and the Quakers