and Hope shortly to see them shall now this Glad news or Gospel though but a few raggs made Paper be stiled a Dead letter yea a Killing letter though it contain nothing as the Christian Gospel or Glad news doth not but glad news or Tidings 8. Hence it is that we read so often of Preaching the Gospel of Believing the Gospel and that as before Paul calls it his Glad news or Gospel because it was his work to tell it Yea but saith this Deceiver throughout his Book A man may have the Letter and Form without the Power and Life c. I Answer Who knows not that and that a Form picture is not the man himself who knows not that Iudas notwithstanding his pretended Love and Kissing of Christ Iesus that yet he had not the Life power of true Love and heavenly affection but doth it follow that living and moving Bodyes have not Souls Spirits within them because that pictures have not That none preach Christ Iesus truly because that G. Fox preacheth an immaginary and Allegorical Christ in order to establish himself the only true Christ and the Eternal Son of God as many bewitched Souls call him 9. What is this but to cheat poor Birds with the Chaff Falacy of dividing the Body from the Soul the Letter from the Meaning the Instrument or Tool from the Workman or Husbandman using it the Gospel or glad news from Believing of it Ah poor cheated Souls called Quakers all of you why do you willingly out of pretended Enlightnings Experiences shut your eye of common Sense and Reason not daring to call good news good news because some or the most will not Believe it was it not so with the women preaching or telling the good news or gospel although few or none were found to believe that Christ was risen 10. The truth is search your cheating Familiars narrowly you will find that your selves and the Papists would make an Holy Day of that Day in which all the Bibles in the world were burnt that you may establish your infallible spirits Traditions I know I wronge you not I have too much proof of it which you would se if the heart were not the arrantest Cheater in the World and your selves not willing to be cheated T is true Antiochus attempted the burning of Moses and the Prophets out of the world some of the bloudy Emperours followed on in Antiochus his bloudy Steps raging against the Scriptures also the Romane Popes in theirs and common reason may tell all men and the Quakers themselves 195 that if the same power come into their hands as Antiochus the Romane Emperours had the holy Scriptures shall not if they can effect it trouble them or others one day in the world longer But of this more in the next and last Position A 5th Instance is pag 10 where G. Fox brings in Iohn Bunian saying It is not Faith and works that justifie in the sight of God but it is Faith and good works which justifie in the sight of men only c. He answers Abraham was not justified to men only by his Obedience but to God and where is Faith there is Iustification which works by Love and the Saints Faith works were not only to justifie them in the sight of men for the Work of God is to doe what he saith his Will which who doth not are not justified in so doing but to be beaten with Stripes who seek to be justified by their Faith and Works in the sight of men are Dead Faith Works both I Reply In this great business of justification Pardon of Sin which Luther called the great Wall of Seperation between us and the Papists I humbly hope to shew how lame this Fox is and that he his Foxians agree with the Papists Arminians Socinians against the true Protestants in this fundamental business For what is Iustification but a Pardon written and sealed and declared from the King of Heaven to poor condemned Traitors That this Pardon may be merited by any Price that we or all the World can offer is denied by true Protestants but affirmed in effect by the proud unbroken Souls of Papists Arminians Socinians and these Foxians called Quakers It is true after a condemned Soul hath received a Pardon or Iustification from his King freely without Desert upon the Princes Mediation he declares his loyal and thankfull Obedience c. but is this his Pardon Iustification as our subtle Simpletons imagine Again that Abraham was pardoned or justified it is all one for his Work sake as this blind Soul â—aith how doth Rom. 3 4. and the Epistle to the Galathians cry out and the experience of every true broken Heart cry out Lyar against such proud and Popish Blasphemies Further If all the Righteousness of the best of men that is their good Thoughts good Words good Actions Aims Prayers Preachings Sufferings be but as Womens Menstruous filthy Clouts as the Most High calls them what Popish and frantick Madness is it in Fox to talk of Iustification before God by works or by Obedience A 6th Instance is Pag 16. where he brings in Henoch Howet saying It is an Expression of a dark deluded Mind to say that God is not distinguished from the Saints G. Fox Answ. But God and Christ is in 196 the Saints and walks in them and he is is a Reprobate and out of the Apostles Doctrine I reply to this Canting Gypsie in Pag. 74. He denyes the Position of Ralph Farmer viz. That God the Creator is eternally distinct from all Creatures and that Christ being God only in one Person remains a distinct person from all Men and Angels Also in the same Page that God is distinct in his Being and Blessedness from all Creatures I Answer is it not Sufficient that poor Dust and Ashes poor Chaff and Stubble may be admitted to a Parly with the Heavenly Majesty and receive Smiles of his Countenance in the Face of the only begotten Prince Mediator to be cloathed with the Virgins diverse Collours and heavenly Affections but with the Devil and our first Parents we must aspire to the throne of the Incomprehensible Majesty and Godhead also Besides Let mans Common Sence be Umpire is there no Distinction between Infinite and Finite between the Infinite Ocean of Majesty power goodness Wisdom c. and the poor Dross of which Men Angles are Partakers The King dwells in White-Hall and in other of his Royal Palaces is therefore no Distinction between the King and his Houses though some may be braver then others And yet Fox saith his Opposite is a Reprobate I ask why The only Reason Fox gives is because he licks not up the filthy and hellish poyson of Foxes childish and hellish Blasphemy against the Eternal Godhead A 7th Instance is Pag. 22. where he brings in Ioseph Kellet saying They be all alienated from God and
fit to be thought on as to pretence of the Christian Name and Religion 9. At the coming of the Lord Jesus there were two great Com 19 petitours for preaching First the Pharisees who by Laud and Sea sent abroad their Emissaries to make Converts to the God of the Jews and their own Traditions Secondly The Apostles or Messengers of Christ Jesus sent abroad with the glad news of a new Bargain or Covenant of God with the Sons of men viz. this second sort It pleased the God of Heaven not to be thrown out as this Fox frantickly barks but to go out wonderfully miraculously yea also with the private labours and preachings of private Christians scattered by Persecution as the holy Scripture recordeth 10. For the slighting of this inestimable Pearl of this glad News or Gospel published by God to the World by writing preaching professing Suffering c. It hath pleased his Infinite Justice to plough the World with Popery a Religion a bastard Christianity suited as the Quakers is to rotten nature and fit to carry the world after them as Mahomet and the Pope have done 11. In this day the two greatest wonders in the world pretending to be Christs Messengers or Apostles to the Nations are the Jesuits and the Quakers Their Faces look divers but they both carry Firebrands in their Tails to burn up the holy Scripture all truly holy Christians yet all the world before them Gods Infinite wisdome hath suffered them to be like Absolom beautiful and plausible and fit to play Soul Thieves and steal away the hearts of thousands and ten thousands from the true David the Lord Jesus Christ. Beside they are so fortified with the Faces of Men and hair of Women like the Locusts Rev. 9. such pretences such Illuminations and Appearances such Assurances and Confidences such feelings of Experiences that it is Gods Infinite Power and wisdome and goodness to preserve the holy Scripture a standing Record of what the first Messengers and first Churches and first Doctrine and Christians were or else the world would fall down and adore the Images which the Lord hath suffered the Devil in them to set up 12. I know the Counsels of the Father of Lights are very deep yea the Revelation needs a Revelation the Prophecies and Canticles and Daniel need Heavenly Messengers and the most holy Spirit or finger of God to untie such knots Sure it is that Millions 20 of Jews and Gentiles must yet enquire with tears of blood after the Blood of a Saviour Sure they shall not awake out of their pits of Rottenness without some means Messengers sent from Heaven to rouze and wakâ—n them Sure their shall be no other words in their Mouths then what were in the mouths of the first Messengers according to the Prayer of the Lord Jesus on his Death bed to his Father through whose Word all that have believed the report ever since have believed Ioh. 17 and with which blessed word the Spirit of God will be in the mouths of all true Christians Isai. 59. 20. c. Surely the true Messengers of Jesus will say no other word then what Moses and the Prophets foretold and wrought Act. 26. therefore Fox and his Foxians that tells us they have all by the Spirit and need no Record are Thieves and Robbers whom Moses and the Prophets and Paul and the Apostles abhor'd to think of A 11. Instance is in Pag. 40. where G. Fox brings in I. Deacon saying The enjoyment of Immortulity is not till they have put off the Body He Answers Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who saith Immortality was brought to light through the Gospel this was when they were upon the Earth and the Word of God was in them which was Immortal 1. I Reply First G. Fox affirms an Immortality that is a not dying of the Soul and Body As for the Soul all true Protestants affirm that the Soul once raised up to Spiritual Life never dyes no more than Christ Jesus Rom. 6. as for the Body Papists and Protestants and the Quakers and all the World grants that all Flesh is as grass c. and the Sentence of Death by sickness Age or Casualty is impartially executed upon the Foxians as well as other Câ—ttel As to the Soul who of sober Papists or Protestants questions the Immortality of it and of the Body also in joy or Sorrow to Eternity As for the Body the Quakers say when the Soul is gone into God yea the Soul of Iudas as well as the Soul of Peter as some of them say and all of them by Argument will be forced to say the Body returns to Earth and Rottenness never more to be raised and no more then Bodies of the Beasts Birds and Fishes though we know who holds the Bodies of Beasts Birds and Fishes shall live again as the Soul mortalists do what is it then 21 that G. Fox sputters out for Immortality or a not dying in this Life If he speak of the Soul who denies it If of the Body he speaks a Beastly Contradiction to the doleful Sense of all mankind and their own also who die and rot as well as them 2. It is true 1 Tim. 6. God only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto what ever these Foxians bruitishly fancy of no distinction between God and themselves their Light and his It is true yet also that Iesus Christ 2 Timâ— 1. hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel But what is this but the joyful Condition of the Souls Bodies of the godly their Souls and Bodies raised up with Jesus to a Spiritual holy Life in this World their Souls going to Jesus and their Bodies sleeping in Iesus and the rising of their Bodies and uniting to their Spirits in a Life Eternal 3. As to this Immortality of G. Fox all that can be known of his mind is old H. Nichols and the Nicolaitans mad fictions and fancies of their becoming God and Christ. I hope charitably of many of them that run in their Simplicity Ignorance and weakness with a true Love to the true Lord Jesus as some did with Absalom who truly loved David but as for Absolom himself the Polititians the subtle Plotters and Ahitophels who love not the true Lord Jesus in sincerity I fear instead of their fancied Immortality before the Grave they will meet with a dreadful Mortality or death of Soul and Body to Eternity A 12. Instance is Pag. 47. where he brings in Ioseph Miller saying The wise heathen Philosophers had a greater Measure of Light in them which is the first Adam then I can think any man hath now G. Fox Answ. which shews that he knows nothing of Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit He knows no New Creature for who are in Christ are new Creatures nor none of Christ the Covenant of God of Light
Christ Iesus in all Humility self-denial Love Charity Tenderness in bowels of compassion in Gospel Peace and Unity only unto your Masters praise and Glory that the Auditors may receive the plain naked Truth of the Lord Iesus unto their Souls Edification even the real Truth as it in Iesus and not as words of man which is only Vanity and vexation of Spirit under the Sun of eternal and universal Righteousness whose infinite glory is witnessed by Robert Willams Newport August 6. 1672. THis was that poor Letter condemned unheard by these high Saints who now keep Judgement day to the fire and everlasting silence this was the two edged Sword which smote in the honest upright intentions of the Author every way reproving me reproving them and yet having so much Sugar with his Vinegar and Honey with his bitter Powder that had it been unsealâ—d and read at Newport or read at Providence whose taste could it have offended but theirs only who like the men of China judge all the World to have no eyes but themselves excepting the Men of Europe to whom they will grant one eye and that is more then our proud Pharisees will do to any that bow not down to their most grosse Phylacteries But from this finger of God this providential Letter appearing upon the Wall before us I return to the work of the day which was the Discussion and Probation on my part of the other five Proposals remaining I therefore after the Letter was put up unread into my pocket requested their Patience while I produced my Proof of the third Position which was viz. That the Spirit by which they were acted was not the true Spirit of God T is true I had many things in my mind and memory some of them I here express but I was forced to pick and chufe and lay by for I told them that according to my promise and their expectation I would present them with the Substance of my proof of this Position in the compass of about a quarter of an hour 76 I reminded them first of the nature of the Word Spirit in Latine Spiritus in Greek Pneuma in the Hebrew Ruch and Ruach signifying sometimes Breath sometimes Wind and from thence applied unto God himself unto Angels unto Men as denoting a spiritual powerful invisible fine Substance distinct from flesh and earthly Bodies Hence God was said to be a Spirit not properly but that his Being was pure powerful invisible c. 1 Whether God was properly a Spirit as the Quaker affirmed we had some controversie at Providence of which hereafter 2. Concerning Spirits I observed two great Sects 1 Those of the Pharisees who were accounted the most Orthodox Sound and right holding such a Spiritual Substance in Angels and Spirits and a Resurrection 2. The Sadduces which held neither Angel nor Spirit nor Resurrection as at this day c. 3. It is clear there is a two-fold Spirit 1. Holy and pure such a Spirit is God himself and the Holy Spirit proceeding from the Father by the Son such are the Spirits of the Angels the Spirits of Gods Children in part and the Spirits of just men made perfect the Quakers say here we say in the life coming The other Spirit is a wicked Spirit a lying and a murtherous Spirit in Sathan and his Children yet often counterfeiting the Holy and pure Spirit like the Oile and Ointment which God prescribed and forbad the like of it to be made on pain of death Therefore we are commanded not to believe every Spirit but to try even the very Spirits not only of men but of Doctrines Churches Religions pretending the Name of God as do the Turks Iews and Christians and of the Son of God as do all the Antichrists and Antichristians extant 4. The Holy Spirit of God being the seven Lambs of Fire the seven Eyes and seven Horns Rev. 5. he is pleased to work variously First in an ordinary way of Regeneration and Sanctification c. common to all the lowest and youngest of Gods Children Iohn 3. that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Hence we read of the Spirit of Prayer and of Holiness wrought in the Soul by the finger or power of God so that the knowledge of God the fear the love the trusting to and in God the calling upon God is natural to all Gods Children Gal. 5. Abba Father c. 77 The second is extraordinary and immediate such as was pour'd upon the Lord Jesus Isai. 11. such as Christ breathed upon the Apostles and by the Apostles hands upon others when they spake with Tongues fortelling things to come and penning the Holy Scriptures or Records as did the Prophets of old and the first Messengers the Apostles of Christ Jesus I told them I had many things to say as to the false Spirits of the false Christs and false Prophets the Spirits of Devils as well as the Spirits of God in the Revelation and the three wayes of deceit mentioned 1 Thess. 2. by Spirit by Word or by Letter but I would contract my self I say that their Spirit by which they were acted was not Gods Spirit 1. Because the Holy Spirit of God was given by means but the Quakers pretended all along in G. Fox and other Books that their Spirit was immediate or without means I said in the 8th of the Romans was a Golden Chain of Gods Order or Method of Working from Predestination to Glorification In the 10th to the Romans was a Golden Chain of the Means appointed c. How shall a Man be saved by calling upon God How shall he call on him except he believe in him how shall a Man believe in him except he hear of him how shall a Man hear of him except some Preach how shall a Man Preach except he be sent c Hence Peter Preaching Christ Jesus to the first Converts they were some thousands brought to Christ when they were pierced to the heart and cried out what shall we do Peter sends them nor to a light within them but bids them Repent and be Baptized Act. 14. Paul so spake that many believed Act. 16. while Paul spake the Lord opened Lydias heart and I appealed to the Consciences of those called Quakers at Newport there present whether in a contradiction this Spirit they now professed descended immediately upon them from God as they spake or was not conveyed unto them by the Ministry of the former Preaching Quakers that came unto them so that these now are but the waterers and confirmers of this Doctrine of the Spirit in them 2. As Believing and Conversion comes by hearing c. so these extraordinary gifts and powrings forth of Gods Spirits was generally by means also Christ used Breathing upon the Apostles the Spirit of God descended Act. 8. 19. in the laying on of hands in Peters Preaching Acts. 10. the miraculous Spirit of 78 Tongues and Prophecy descended upon Cornelius and his
Their great Blunderer Humphry Norton he deals as plainly and roundly as G. Fox his aemulous Corrival falsly and fraudulently when that holy Scripture If in this Life only we have Hope c. was here objected to Humphry Norton he clapt his hand on his Breast saying He had it there already that is opposing it to and denying the Hope in the Life to come especially as to their Bodies which are not raised up they say Spiritual Bodies being though of late more subtly and hipocritically all one with those deceived Souls that said the Resurrection was past already It is true they will pretend to owne the Scriptures Christs humane Nature the Resurrection and Judgement and Faith and Hope ahd Repentance c. as true and sound as any Protestant but still it is no otherwise but as G. Fox and Ed. Burroughs say in this Book that is as I have and shall open in a most Iugling and deceitful Sense and meaning It is reported that some of them at their Death have used those words Lord Iesus receive my Spirit some have Charitably thought that they intend thereby their going presently into the presence of Christ Jesus but as the Truth and bottom however they blind the world and the weakest of their Followers until they be fit to wean and fall to strong meat others of them Covertly say write and others of them more plainly say viz. That they believe no more Rising of their Bodies then the rising of a Dog and as to their Spirits they believe Souls are 122 patts of God and go unto God and into God and therefore their saying Lord Iesus receive my Spirit is no more then Lord Jesus receive thy self according to some of their plain Expressions To whom should I pray my self to whom should I give Thanks my self wherein their woful black and filthy Spirit Contradicteth it self amongst themselves though they agree in the Devils Bait which Catcht himself and with which he Catcht our first Patents and all his Posterity viz. Ye shall be as Gods live as God know as God be Gods and Christs for Evermore I shall now crave the Readers patience to hear some few Quotations out of G. Fox which my quarter of an hour would not then permit declaring thâ—ir Apostacie and Heresie in the matters of Repentance Faith c. In Pag. 127. he brings in Iohn Bunyan saying It is a Counterfietlng of the New Birth for men to follow the Light wherewith men coming into the World are enlightned G. Fox Answereth which none comes to the New Birth but who comes to the Light wherewith every man c. which believing in is a Child of the Light believing and receiving comes to receive power to be the Sons of God I Reply none are truly Converted born again c. but in a true Sense they come to Christ Jesus For the Scripture saith he gives Repentance to Israel He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith But that Jesus Christ as God so the Quakers owne him and as man for so they also owne him should be in every man and Woman and Child in the World I have proved and shall prove it to be a blockish and Devilish Fancy 2. If this Light this Christ the Mediator between God and man be only a Spirit and not man why do the Scriptnre why do the Quakere madly say there was such a man though they cannot tell now what is become of him except he be as they say within c. 3. If this Light this Christ this Mediator be in every man what should be the Reason that so many Thousands and Ten Thousand of Millions see him not Only a few persons Cursing and Reviling all the rest and that say all but the Quakers are deceived Can the Sun be in a Chamber and persons not blind but 123 seeing and awake and using his Light and yet not see it Certainly it is but a painted Sun that doth not shine equally on all it is but a painted Fire that doth not burn and the Quakers are but Pictures of Christians and pictures of men to argue aftet such a Rate that Christ not only as God and Creatour should be in every man but also as the Mediator as the Spirit and yet not operate according to the Nature of the Sun and Fire It is true the Lord Jesus came into the dark world and their darkness comprehended him not to be He that was to come the true Messiah but when Christ Jesus as Mediator the true or only Light shall dwell in the Understanding and Will and Memory and Affections of a man or Woman and those persons be savingly inlightened by him as you write and yet not Converted and saved by him it can be the Language of none but those that peep and mutter Isai. 8. but have no true Light but a false and painted Light within them Lastly saith Fox this turning to the Light within is the New Birth But the Holy Record saith that till the preaching of the Word or Gospel or glad News come to the mind of a man ordinarily by the Ear and hearing and preaching Rom. 10. there is no Faith nor Covenant nor Christ nor God in the Soul Ephes. 2. and we are not only in darkness but darkness it self Ephes. 5. and only by the holy Word and Spirit preached the blessing Isai. 59. God shineth in our hearts and not by any such Immediate Fantastick Faith or Spirit as the Anti Christian Quakers dream of yea against the Light of a twofold Experience in their own Souls 1. That many of them being enlightened and formerly Convicted by the reading or preaching of the Doctrine Word or Will of God revealed in the holy Scripture 2. That of their new Light as they falsly and foolishly prate pretended to be brought unto their Ears and knowledge by the means of these new Apostles Preachers and Ministers so pretended of Christ Jesus When God hides that is by Spiritual Iudgements the Light of Scripture of the Spirit of Reason and of Experience c. who can find it out No man no nor Devil can subsist one minute without the power of Christs Eternal Power and God-head 124 but when Christ Jesus comes into the Soul as Mediator of the new Covenant and be thus idle and not operative in all mankinde in the World and not to Convert and work belief in them which must be either because he cannot or because he will not as the Leaper said is as black and blasphemous a Fancy as any Atheistical or AntiChristian Soul can harbour He brings in George Willington saying He is Iustified by Faith alone without good works He Answers What without Faith that works by Love I Reply In this passage and in many others this subtle man clearly discovers what he makes true Justifying Faith to be viz. not one hair breadth more then the Faith that may be to God in the first Covenant the Covenant of
word in Gen. 2. might be viewed which he turned to and read viz. God breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living Soul About this time Sam. Gorton sen. desired to speak and said If it be affirmed that God can be divided that man was a Part of God the God-head was destroyed and the Soul of man and upon this Basis all the rest would follow which was asserted in this Position And whereas Iohn Stubs read it as it is in our Translation viz. God breathed into him the breath of life Mr. Gorton said it was Lives in the Margin the breath of Lives which Iohn Stubs acknowledged It is frequent in their Books when they will speak plainly for them to confess that God breathed forth himself into Adam and that ther fore mans Soul or Spirit is a part of the Divine Essence that the Soul is an increated substance that as for the Body it comes from the Earth and returns to the Earth and dust and rottenness and however they sometimes preach and print hat the Body shall rise again yet others again of them speak plainly that as the body of a dog or beast so it vanisheth But as for the Spirit they say that returns to God that is into God And although they talk to blind our eyes of a Resurrection and Iudgment and of Souls being punished with the Devil and his Angels yet others of them affirm that all Souls return into God and that the soul of Iudas is now as happy in God as the Soul of Peter yea others of 146 them speak plainly that they are Christ God therefore one of them being desired to give thanks at dinner asked roundly to whome should I give thanks to my self and Calvin relates how long ago one Quinitinus in his time a Leader this way being demanded how he did resolutely answered How can Christ doe but well and yet at that time he was very sick About this time W. E. said what dost thou tel us of storyes what this man said and that man said we will not believe thee But just here rose up a neighbour Ioseph Iinks who said he had no prejudice against the Quakers yet he could witness to the truth of these speeches of the Quakers for one of them had spoke as much to his face lately at Newport on Rhode-Island but I still laboured to keep down heat and therefore I told them I would not trouble them with Proofs from elsewhere but from their own writings and from that of G. Fox there present and therfore I prayed them to turn to Pag. 39. where G. Fox brings in Magnus Bine saying The Saints are neither in the fulness of the God-head nor part away with this Blasphemy which saith this is c. Fox answereth The work of the Ministry was to bring People to the Knowledg of the Son of God to a perfect man to the unity of the Faith to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them and thou sayest they have no part of the Fulness of the Godhead and Iohn saith of his fulness have we all received in whome dwels the Godhead bodily and ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the Fulness I said that G. Fox rose up contrary to what Magnus Bine affirmed to wit That the Saints are not in the fulness of the Godhead But W. E. bid me let G. F. his words alone his meaning alone and keep to the words I told them the substance of my proof lay there in the substance of G. Fox his answer to his Adversaryes I took Fox his own word for the Quotation out of his Adversary which may be thought to be taken with as much Favor and advantage to himself as may be and therefore if they stopt me from opening and comparing the words in a rational and just way they stopt me in the bringing forth of my Proofs and Arguments I think here it was that W. E. said further If thou goest on to make out G. Fox his Sence and meaning we tell thee that we will stop thee c. 147 But since our business is with G. Fox as well if not more than with W. E. especially because of his Book we shall now more freely inlarge upon the words c. and Sence and Meaning also For the Fulness of the Godhead is one thing and another thing our and all his works and Creatures partaking of that Fulness in some mercifull likeness and coformity as Moses and we behold his Back or dark Resemblance and by Reâ—lection as we behold the Sun take in some weak low thoughts and conceits of the Eternal and Invisible incomprehensible and inconceivable Power and Godhead Thus to partake of some drops of the Ocean of his Wisdom Power Goodness Holiness c. is not to become an Ocean of Power Wisdom Goodness Holiness yea Wisdom it self Power it self Goodness it self Holiness it self as God is This devilish Pride was the Sin of the Devils or wicked spirits this was the Sin of our first Parents unto which the Devil beguiled them and this is Sathans bait still to catch all Wise Rich High and especially Holy People with viz. to be as God to be in the fulness of the Godhead to be God himself 2. However this Iugler speaks here of the Fulness of the Godhead bodily in Christ yet if he be examined and searched it is clear that by Christ he meanes the Body the Quakers and every one of their Bodyes is Christ in whome the Godhead dwels bodily and the great Mystery of which the Holy Scripture speaketh 1 Tim. 3. Is God manifest in their flesh and therefore Sam. Fisher useth in his Writing Christ Iesus as Peter did in his denying of him saying that Person whome you call God-Man is as high Treason against the King of kings and King of Saints as hath ordinarily been acted since God most wonderfully gave life to a lump of Clay which now perks up to the eternal Power and Godhead Pag. 90. G. Fox brings in the same Author saying There is a kind of Infiniteness in the Soul and it cannot be Infiniteness it self He answers Is not the Soul without beginning comeing from God and returning into God again which hath it in his hand which hand goes against him that doth evill which throws down that which warrs against it and Christ the Power of God the Bishop of the Soul which brings it up into God which comes out from God hath this a beginning and ending and is not this infinite in it self and more than all the World 148 I Reply in these few lines let him that hath his sences make common sence and English of some of them However this is express that the Soul is without beginning or ending coming out of God and returning into God Hath this saith Fox a
beginning or ending and is not this infinite in it self and more than all the World I know I have had better Opinions and better Reasons from these poor Natives of America then this poor self conceited God and Christ. G. Fox expresseth concerning the Soul and Spirit of Man what is here but a bruitish notion of the Spirit of man and a bruitish notion of the Eternal Power and Godhead Among the six or seven Opinions of the Soul of man this is one and one of the grossest viz. that Mans Soul is an efflux efflation that is a flowing or breathing out of the Essence of eternal and infinite Godhead This worst and most Blasphemous Opinion of the rest the old Serpent hath taught these Foxians in so much that these bewitched Souls say and print that this World is God and the Godhead manifest no variety of appearances and returning all again into the center of the Godhead in which they shew horrible ignorance and Blockishness in heavenly or earthly matters for reason tells us that Finites be innumberable and yet numerable in time but Infinite is but one The Quakers and Manicheans are but one in many particulars Manicheus held two infinite powers or princes One infinitely good the other infinitely as bad which they say is the reason in some Disputes I have had with them why God nor the Devil good nor evil gets the final victory one over another in this World But this notion of two infinite or boundless Beings is soon found simple and bruitish for an infinite or boundless Being cannot possibly receive a Neighbour a Competitiour or second infinite or boundless for then the second would terminate and bound the first and it self also and so not one infinite at all be granted Beware of Dogs saith Paul the Holy Spirit saith Cant. 2. beware of Foxes take us the foxes sure it is we are to sly from bruitish fellowship with them in these bruitish Fancyes so also to fly from these their brutish Barkings and Blasphemings against the infinitely Glorious and inconceivable Excellencies of God and among the rest his incomprehensible patience which could not bear such horrible provocations were not his patience himself infinite and incomprehen 149 sible Alas poor lump of clay and dust and ashes poor finite vapours we are that are so far from being infinite that in a sence we are infinitely Blocks and Beasts and not able to give a guess at what Infinity and an infinite Majesty and Godhead is I quoted Pag. 67. where against Fr. Higinson he saith Again thou makest a great Puddir that one should witnes he is equall with God G. Fox answers that the English Divines in their Catechisme say that Holy Ghost and the Son are equall in Power and Glory with the Father yet if any one come to witness the Son of God revealed in him or come to witness the Holy Ghost in them as they that gave out Scriptures to witness the mind of Christ and witness that equality with the Father that equality which you speak of you Priests destroy that which you have put forth to the Nation and cry out horrible Blasphemie I Reply let these horrible Blasphemous lines be examined and when the black and hellish juyce is prest out of them will it not be this viz. The Quakers say that they are equal in power and Glory with God the Father Son and Holy Spirit Pag. 182. I will adde to this Pag. 282. where G. Fox brings in Daniel Gaudry saying surely they cannot be perfect here nor hereafter in equality but in quality G. F. answers Christ makes no distinction in his words but saith be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect and be you Merciful as he is and as he is so are we in this world c. I Reply whether it be G. Fox his Ignorance of the difference between Quality and Equality or whether it be his flinty Impudence or both sure I am there is an horrible monstrous Brat of hellish Blasphemy hatcht amongst them viz. that poor dust and ashes may not only by infinite Grace be like the King of Glory in Holiness c. but he may be and the Quakers are cheek by joll with him as great a King Prince and Monarch as he equal in Power Wisdome Goodness Iustice Holiness Mercy and all these Eternal Infinite and Incomprehensible G. Fox would not endure this in his own stinking Dignity and Preheminence for although he suffer his Inferiour and petty Saints to be like him in his pretended Holiness Goodness c. yet he is so great a Diotrephes and so jealous of his Crown that Humph. Norton himself must not dare to touch that simple Bable but himself and blind followers must all adore the Godhead and 150 none must dare to be equal or Corrival with him Unto this I adde Pag. 248. where G. Fox brings in an unnamed Author saying To say that God is substantially in man and essentially one with him can be no other but the Man of Sin the Devil himself hath transformed himself into an Angel of Light and if it were possible would deceive the very Elect. G. Fox Answers That God will dwell in man and the Saints had unity with the Father and the Son c. In which Answer it is plain 1. That G. Fox maintains that the Godhead is essentially and substantially in man 2. That his Proof is only some Mystical and figurative Expression as viz. of Gods dwelling in Man and walking in man c. whence he impiously ignorantly confounds that relative union by believing in the Son of God into an Essential or Union of Beings with the eternal Creator himself a Union of finite and temporal shadowes with the most Infinite and Eternal Creator of visible and vanishing and foolish dust with the invisible immortal and only wise God which no truly humble Soul can but tremble to hear and think of It is clear in these Passages 1. That the Quakers make themselves Father Son and Holy Spirit 2. They make no other work of Redemption on Iustification c. but what is wrought in their spirits minds and fancyes called within them 3. They make no other state of Heaven Resurrection Iudgment or Life to come then is in them and their Bodyes at present Now concerning their bold and blasphemous ascending into the Throne of God we shall hear a little more in G. Fox making no Distinction between the Father and the Son with that known Heretick Sabellius and 2. In his making no distinction between Christ Jesus himself and his Saints or Believers in him In Pag. 246. He brings in Christopher Wade saying God the Father never took upon him humane Nature G F. answers God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself And art ignorant of the great mystery God manifest in the slesh and his name is called the everlasting Father As for the word Humane which is from the
a greater pride then the Quakers have exprest and would aspire unto although many truly humble Souls may be captivated amongst them I have here two mighty Fields to expatiate and walk in viz. The pride of Christ Iesus his pretended triple-crowned Vicar and the pride of the new Papists pretending to be Christ himself of which the holy Spirit speaketh There is a Generation oh how lofty are their eyes and their eye lids are lifted up In publick Discourse I knew I was but to take a short turn of a quarter of an hour I am now at more liberty of inserting what I intended but was forced to abbridge wlth all possible brevity at that time I told them there was a pride in outward and external things in Parentage in Person in Beauty Strength Wit Aparrel Houses Money Shipping Land Cattle Offices Relations c. this I now past by All these like Diogenes on Platoes carpets the Quakers say they tread on c. There was 2. the devils pride and the devils Condemnation a pride in Spiritual Knowledg spiritual Gifts spiritual Priviledges and Excellencies This was the Devils Break-neck and will be 163 of the Popes and Quakers and of all that aspire to the Eternal power and Godhead for God or they must fall to all eternity I named then diverse Parallels between the Popes and Quakers I will now name all I can remember I named and will name some more at this present First The Popes have exalted themselves above all that is called God above all Civill powers Kings and Princes riding upon their backs disposing of their Crowns making them lead their horses hold their stirrups kiss their toes yea lye down under their feet bodyes and souls and submit their neck to this abominable foot of pride as the Scripture calls it As to the Quakers they know it is not yet time to put on the Lions and the Eagles but the Sheeps and the Foxes Skin but no man need question that if God should please to let loose the Quakers spirit to the full length of its tedder as he hath done that of the Popes the spirit of the Quakers would scorn to come behind the pope For who sees not how at the first fledging and creeping out of the Shell how they boast and vapour of their numbers We said W. E. to me in publick at Newport are a great People many thousands in England many thousands in London besides Virginia Barbados N-England and other places what would they say and doe if they had the popes Universality and could boast of the many Waters Peoples Nations Tongues and Multitudes upon which the Whore sitteth Beside W. E. a man fit to make a Bonefacius or a Hildebrand Iohn Stubs also though of a more prudent and moderate spirit was up with the same boasting of their Numbers and all of them are ready to cry up their Diana whome all Asia and the world worshippeth But 2. In their first creeping like Hercules out of the Cradle how doth this Spirit dare the Spirits of Kings and Keyfars and Popes themselves under the pretence of Translations and acceptations of words to Thou and Thee to the faces of mighty Monarchs with what Brasen Faces have they addrest the Royal presence of our Gracious Dread Soveraign without either bowing the knee or baring the Head signs of English reverence and civility and this out of an horrible and lying pretence that Christs amity even in Civil things respecteth no mans person that they may trample as Gods on all man-kinde c. 164 3. I can say what mine eyes and ears have seen and heard viz. our Honoured and Aged Mr. Nicholas Easton Governour of this Colony under his Majesty offering to speak once and twice in our late Contests at Newport and no question would have spoke for the Quakers against me yet Pope Edmundson put forth his hand imperiously toward the Governour saying Whist Whist which whisting and silencing Language if they use to their Friends in Authority what will they say or Thunder to their Enemies if ever they get up into the Papal Chair 2. The Pope sits in the Temple of God as over the Churches and Consciences of the Christian Name and Worship giving Canons and Decretals to be observed by all Christian People on peril of loss of Earth and Heaven c. And do not their new Popes not regarding as the Apostles and Bereans the Holy Scripture lay on the common Quakers Consciences and Congregations their Decrees t is true G. Fox in his Book in Folio gives the immediate Spirit of Infallibility to all his Saints yet must they in a ridiculous contradiction sit still possest with a Dumb Devil except some He or She Apostle come amongst them who send word of their coming to call the Country in many dayes before and seem to have a Command of their Diabolical Spirit more then other Quakers have though they as I said before in a ridiculous Contradiction ascribe it unto all their Saints and Quakers Thus did Humphrey Norton a Pope in his day in these parts overtopping and rating W. Brand at Newport he confirmed the Decree for the weekly Meetings not only on the first dayes but on the week dayes at Newport and Providence he ordered their sitting and departing Dumb unless a He or She Apostle came amongst them he left in writing which I can produce an overthrow of all civil Order and Government except in the hands of his Saints entituling his Paper thus the Saints Law and the Sinners Law as G. Fox his decree under the title of the Law G. Fox succeeds as Pope Humph. Norton in these parts and being angry with his Predecessour as some Popes have been he lets loose the Dumb Devil and gives Liberty to all to speak as the Spirit gives them utterance this shews what a lying Spirit of Unity they boast of such an one was in Nailors business though they most proudly deny Unity to all but to themselves as 165 the Papists do G. Fox also gave forth his Decree of loosing them from that bruitish and doggid Behaviour which W. Brand and Humphrey Norton left them in and by Word and Example commanded them to be more sociable and manlike so that many of them will speak in Salutations and shew some reverence by bowing the Heads or uncovering it as Fox himself did after his Sermon at Providence uncovering his Head and bowing to the People and passing through the midst of them his Hat in his hand with much respect and civility And he blames those as I hear which violently and madly have flung themselves upon unnecessary temptations and dangers whence follows in the eyes of the whole World that either the latter or the former Spirit was not Gods and perfect and the Spirit of Unity of which they childishly so crake and vapour as the chiefest Flower in their Crown of Pride 3. The Pope lifts up himself as God over
Night and Light from Darkness For it is known that I. Fox his Martyrs or Witnesses those blessed Souls under the Altar were slain for maintaining the Authority and Purity of the Holy Scriptures as the revealed word or will of the Eternal God against the Traditions and Inventions of men But G. Foxes Sufferers have generally suffered for their Childrens Baubles fantastical Traditions and Inventions for setting up a Dream of a Light and Christ within all Man kind above the holy Scriptures above the Son of God above all Earthly Dignityes and all their Betters endeavouring with the Pope to trample all souls and Bodyes under their proud feet 180 3. The carriage of these two Sorts of Sufferers differ as much as East from West and Heaven from Hell 1. The ground of Iohns Sufferers was that which Iohn so much writes of viz. love to the Heavenly Bridegroom without which Paul slights burning it self this appears in their wonderfull Love to the holy Scriptures the Love-Letters of Christ Iesus and unto all that loved Christ Iesus also The Quakers are known to be Fierce Heady Proud Self-conceited Stout Bold and driven on by an Audacious and Desperate Spirit which G. Fox and some subtle Foxes with him have of late blaâ—â—ed in H. Norton c. No question but some of them have a notion of Wrath yet to come and therefore rather then to endure Hell Fire they will give up their lives to the Flames others of them fast 40 dayes and yet be far from true Virgin Love to the Son of God A Virgin that loves a man for Himself will not slight his Love-letters nor his Near Relations least of all abhor them and sink and burn them as these Foxians doe 2. The carriage of I. Foxes Witnesses though in respect of Gods holy Truth it was couragious and gallant yet their lowliness and humility did shine forth gloriously also 1. As to God being more sensible of their sins then of their sufferings conâ—essing with many tears that although God did turn their sufferings unto his Glory and although ungodly men like Foxes and Wolves hunted them like innocent Lambs and Chickins yet they had deserved and calld for this Storm by their unthankfulness for their former peace and liberties by their drowsiness and sleeping upon the Earthen bed of worldly Profits and Pleasures Contrarily it is known to all that although sometimes the Quakers will say we come in love to your Souls yet the Quakers are far from confessing their sins as having no more sin then God hath and according to their Principles and some of them say it they can no more sin against God then God can sin against them As to Men Christs sufferers were meek patient respective contented thankful But as the Quakers hearts have an insensible brawniness and hardness like frozen Rivers come over their hearts in matters of God so as to men 181 1. Was there ever a People Men and Women professing such an height of Christianity so fierce so heady so high-minded and though generally not hardned so censuring reviling cursing and damning and so savage and barbarous as in the stark nakedness of men and women c. 2. As to Revenge how patient and pitiful and praying for their Enemies were I. Foxes Martyrs or Witnesses and G. Foxes how spitting Fire Brimstone witness the second part of N. England judged by G. Bishop because Christ in them is come to judgement wherein he pronounceth Destruction to Bodies and Souls of N. England men saying in his Epistle that their judgement lingreth not nor doth their damnation slumber T is true some of their Predictions have and may come to pass as do many also of Conjurers Witches for the Devil knows the Complexion of persons and things and what is like to come to pass as in Sauls case and in other events and still the poor Quakers and other his Captive Slaves with such Bables as these I told you what weather it would be I told you where the Wind would blow I told you what would come to pass and yet as blessed Mr. I. Dod used to say though the Devil was up early God was still up before him for the Proverb is here true God hath sent curst Cows short Horns his infinite Wisdome Power and Goodness is pleased to put an Hook into the Jaws of Sathan he shews himself the pitisui sparer and preserver of men When the Devil is a Fisher longing for troubled and bloody waters yet God hath graciously proved many of the bloody prophesies of his waspish Prophets and Prophetesses as I can prove to be lying and false already We now descended to the thirteenth Proposal the sixth to be discus'd at Providence which was read by them and is this viz. These many Books and Writings are extreamly Poor Lame and Naked swelld up only with High Titles and Words of Boasting and Vapour I told them that I had not shun'd as in the presence of the most High to read any of their Books or Letters I could come at but the truth is I could never pick out any Wheat of solid rational and heavenly Truth out of their heaps of Chaffe and Dreams and Fancies of new Christs new Spirits c. It is true that W. Edmund said that the Word of the Lord 182 was a Fire and a Hammer c. But I said the word they meant was but a painted Fire and a painted Hammer and that never broke nor burned up sin as sin Let a man read the Works of the Papists Lutherans Arminians and amongst our selves the Episcopal and Presbyterian Writings a man shall have wherein to exercise his Judgement Memory c. he shall have Scripture proposed Arguments alleadged yea he shall read Answers and Replies whereby to satisfie a rational Soul and Understanding But in the Quakers Books Writings Peter Iude tells us what I have found clouds high of an imaginary Christ and Spirit high swelling words strange from the Holy Scripture Language and all sober and Christian Writers and Speakers Let Io. Chandlers Writings and the Writings of Theora Iohn that Monster of Delusion be viewed whose bodily Raptures and frantick Writings of the Quakers Principles and of the Iews in Hebrew Greek Latin Arminiack Writings which he confest he understood not and let the rest of their Writings be brought to the Touch-stone and see if an honest Goldsmith can find ought else but the Dross Dreams and Fancies in stead of the solid Gold of Heavenly Scripture I have read Nichols and Nailor and Howgel and Burrows and Parnel and Farnworth and Fox and Dewsbury and Pennington and Whitehead and Bishop c. And I could readily and abundantly prove my position out of all of them but my desire and intention was as by my Paper to G. Fox appears to have made it good to G. Fox himself and to all Christians how poor and lame and naked G. Fox his writings are who seems
a right Answer how dirty then how filthy and bloudy are those Lips that in so many places debating with so many wise and learned and pious men drop not Honey and Milk but Wormwood and Gall the Venome and the Poyson of Asps to them that lick up such deceitfull and destroying Doctrines 4. In G. Fox his Book I observe that all along he notoriously nibbles ar VVords and quarrels at VVords which he saith are not Scripture as that wicked word Humane relating to the Person of the Son of God and man Also the word Trinity and Sacrament Oh how zealous is this Fox for the purity of Language Why may not the word Humane be used as well as the word Sabboth and Sabbaoth and Bethlebem and Ierusalem which are Hebrew words and as well as the words Baptisme and Iesus Christ which are Greek words Scribes and Scriptures and Pretorium which are Latine words That word Humane is odious c. for Christ Iesus sake and therefore the more I love and honour it as expressing the appearance of God in Flesh in that personal Individual Flesh of Christ Iesus the 186 Mediator petween God and Man the Man Christ Iesus 5. I observe the loose and wild Spirit of G. Fox in dealing with so many heavenly Champions the Leaps and Skips like a wild Satyre or Indian catching and snapping at here and there a Sentence like Children skipping ore hard places and Chapters picking and culling out what is common and easie with them to be paid of and answered 6. Any sober Soul may read in most of their Books and in G. Fox his Book such Tautologies and needless Repetitions that may even Turn his Stomach and make him abhor to touch a Quakers Book more How many hundred times have you Christ is within you except you be Reprobates Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone c. and I presume neer a thousand times if not a full thousand times repeated That lightens every man that comes into the World that lightens every man that comes into the world c. G. Fox had many Bullets flying about his eares and therefore at every turn like a man fighting for his life he is forced to hold out a Pretence a Buckler a Breast-plate simply called Light and at every turn to cry Oh the Light the Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World 7 Through all his Book like some great Commanders or Generals by Land or Sea yea like the Emperors or Dictators among the Romanes so doth this wild devouring Soul give forth his high and haughty Sentences this proud Bladder is big with Simon Magus his thoughts of being Some Body I shall preâ—ent one Instance Pag. 253. His Opposite Henry Haggar saith you call all men Dead and Carnall in the Serpents nature in what form soever they differ from you this proud Soul Answers All that be not in the Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World which is the way to the Father differeth from us such be dead such be carnal in the nature for none comes to the life but who comes to the Light in what form soever they be and such as differ from us differ from Christ for none comes from under the Satanical nature but who comes to the Light what Iulian the Apostate what Duke D' Alva what Wolsey could have spoken more imperiously insultingly bloudily then this wild Fox hath done against all the true Servants Witnesses of the Most High that ever have been or shall be to the end of this world they differ from Fox therefore are Devils c. 187 8. I observe that G. Fox all along his Book powres forth a flood of Fire Brimstone against all his Oppsites and tells us that it is not Railing c. for his chief Adversary the holy Scripture gives Instance of Christ Jesus himself giving such Language and also it is no other then the Opposites to the Quakers give unto them but Godly and Sober Souls will consider 1. That Moses and the Prophets and Christ Iesus and his Apostles do not universally absolutely and promiscuously fling out Fire-brands and shoot Arrowes and Death into the Sides and Souls of all that differ from them as here G. Fox doth We may observe in the holy Scripture that generally they were high handed hypocritical and hardned Sinners against whome the holy Spirit thundred out such Titles threatnings and Judgments But Fox in this place makes no Distinction but as boldly as Blind Bayard saith all that differ from us c. 2. This is no rare business but Fox and his Foxians common Language and Barkings Thou Cain thou Serpent thou Devil Devil Devil Devil as one of their She-Apostles have said amongst us 3. It is G. Fox his bruitish and ridiculous Song in the close of his Answers and sometimes in the beginning without any Truth Humanity or Modesty to cry out saying And as for the rest of thy Lyes and Slanders they are not worth the mentioning when he hath pickt out a few Sentences or pieces of Sentences easie for himself to carpe at c. his conclusion and Burthen of his bruitish ridiculous Song is As for the rest of thy Lyes and Slanders instead of holy Scripture or solid Arguments with Answers to his Opposites Reasons and Replyes and Rejonders that an humble soul may see some footing to rest on 4. As we say in the death of the Martyrs or Witnesses of Iesus it is not the Suffering but the Cause Spirit Cariage is to be considered So in bitter Language it is not lawfull to call every Prince or King Fox as Christ called Herod nor every Opposite Viper Serpent Fool and Blind and whited painted Wall and Sepulchre c. They seemed to speak Reason to Christ upon his Cross Thou that savest others thou that destroyest the Temple c. come down now save thy self c. and yet Gods Spirit calls this Reviling and Railing at him 9. All may see what a simple Craking Sound of vapouring and 188 boasting runs through all this Foxes Book Doubtless Sysera and his Mideanites Goliah and his Philistines Rabshekah and his Assirians were types of these Children of Pride whose Vapours whose Prophesies so me notoriously false already proved whose promised Victoryes Spoils Threatnings lye like black foul Blots of ink or grease over all his Papers and the Papers of most of them far from that Closet Content and Sincerity of the true Saints who are content with the eye of God alone in secret 10. For a more full proof of the Lameness and Stark nakedness of their Writings I shall select and mention some Particulars out of this Grand Alcoran of G. Fox 1. His Opposites Words then his Answer And 3. My Replyes c. Page 1. He brings in Sam. Eaton saying He doth not believe that there is Substantial Essential or Personal Union between the Eternal Spirit and Believers
Jesus have sitten down with him in those Heavenly Mansions and glories into which he is entred bodily and gone to prepare for their Reception and coming 4. The third Heaven the place of Pauls Rapture and Vision the place of Joy and Blessedness and Glory when these Heavens and Earth are burnt up and consumed It is like G. Fox hath been occasioned to these thoughts by the Papists Fables about Heaven and Hell and Purgatory and their curious Questions as whether the Torment of Hell be as real and terrible as this Elementary and Kitching Fire Whether the pain of Hell transcend not all pains of Childbirth Stone gout Collick Burning c. Whether it be possible for a Creature to Continue in such Torments perpetually without Intermission Whether there shall not be some end after some millions of years as well as of the pains of Purgatory G. Fox knows how the Papists get a world of Mony by these Notions of Heaven and Hell which the Atheistical Foxes amongst them count but Fables as the Pope speaks of Christ The Devils have a more real Faith or Belief of these things and tremble They cried out to the Lord Jesus why art thou come to torment us before the Time c. But G. Fox not believing as they think these Fables he fancies that Hell is some apprehensions in the mind of wrath to come and that is Hell and wrath it self and having had slashes of Pride and Peace in their minds these are the Joyes of Heaven whereas the Lord Jesus tells us that beside the hundred fold of Spiritual Ioyes viz a hundred Fathers Mothers c. there remains for his Followers in the World to come Eternal Life They are but short Flashes of Hell and Heaven which some of these poor Cheated Souls dream of I know they allow time more or less before they come into the perfect and heavenly State of Necessity Death prevents some from coming to it and makes the reign of the rest whom Satan has ticed into these 37 proud Vanities but short as Experience hath declared only they have a mad Fancy of their Souls going into God and becoming more God and yet this some of them grant to the Souls of all men to Iudas as well as Peter The true Protestant believes these three things First that there is a State Eternal of Joy to the Righteous bodies and Souls after this Life and a State of Eternal Misery of Soul and Body to the ungodly Although the exact knowledge of particulars exceed the present sight of our mortal eyes the hearing of our Ears and the Capacity of our Hearts c. 2. The first Fruits and a Tast both of the heavenly Ioyes and the Torments of the damned are given by God in this Life to the first in that Solid Peace and Ioy which they have in God To the other in that Horror and Despair and Enmity against God c. 3. Three Sorts of men especially will seek there is an Hell to come above other Sinners First The Volnptuous and Luxurious whose God is theii Belly and their Sences c. Ars. potenter 2. The Devourers of the Poor and helpless potenter c. 3. The proud puft up with foolish Confidences boldly Crying Lord open to us for we c. also the Contrary to these three I might inlarge on and not Impertinently but let him that readeth understand is in pag. 64. where G. Fox brings in Ieremiah Ives saying The Phariseel were far enough from having the Kingdom of Heaven within them He Answers contrary to Christs words who said it was within them I Reply G. Fox his Tutor and Teacher within him knows that the Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of Huaven signifie but one and not divers things and yet also he knows that both of them signifie in a Christian Sense First the Kingdome of Government of God and Christ in the Soul Secondly The Government of God in his holy Providence in the World 3. His Government in the Congregation or Churches of his Saints called out the World Fourthly the glorious State to come afâ—â—r this Life He knowes that his Iourney man G. Fox is fit Instrument to destroy all these and to erect in their stead a dull proud dogged Confusion or Babel within under the Name of God Christ Spirit Light Faith Righteousness Resurrection The Lord Jesus knowing that not the Pharâ—sees alone c. but the Iews generally also and his own Christian Followers were leavened 38 with a worldly notion viz. thar their Messiah should be a glorious temporal King that he should make his Entrance and Exalt his Throne with great Pompe Solemnity c. The Lord Jesus tells them their mistake and saith that his Kingdome was not such a Kingdome but that it was within them Of which words I find three Expositions First that the Kingdome of Heaven is a Spiritual inward and Soul Kingdome concerning God and the Soul and Spiritual matters according to the saying of Christ Jesus my Kingdome is not of this World c. 2. From the word Entos within you or amongst you as certainly it was then amongst the Iews and in the midst of them in their Temple Streets and Houses Hearts and mouths by the most wonderful speakings of the Lord Jesus as never man spake amongst them and the wonderful power and gracious works which never man wrought amongst them nor in the whole World beside 3. The Kingdome of God that is God and Christ and the Spirit were literally in the Pharisees and so Consequently in every hypocrite in the World and every wicked and prophane Sinner though they know it not yea in all Creatures But this is against a former fair Exposition from the Greek word Entos which cannot be refused since so agreeing with the Truth except Reasons more prevalent c. 2. The Spirit of God asks what agreement between Christ and Belial Light and Darkness Righteousness unrighteousness c. And whereas it is most Improperly and Impiously Objected that the Light shines in darkness c. I have said that it can not be in the same Subject or part predominate the mind or will or Affections but the Light is at the window and the Eye and the knock at the door by all the wayes and means by which God visits poor men but the Eye the door is shut c. and the man within is not only asleep but dead and rotten in Natures silthiness and actual Transgressions and Abominations 3. It is against all Colour of Reason to Imagine that the Lord Jesus should tell the Iews the Pharisees and the rest of his bloody Enemies who some weakly some maliciously opposed his Kingdome and coming to Rule by his Grace over them viz. that his grace was King within them what ever their Heart or Tongues said or Hands hid c. 4. It is notoriously contrary to
do believe from many Reasons which I have to shew they were from Satan yet I know also that Ignorance is shameful and that it pleased God miraculously to infuse the knowledge of Tongues to his first Apostles or Messengers to the Nations and what he will further do in this kind 45 before this Worlds glass is out who can tell only I am sure these Foxians talk like little Children in their grave Consultations without the least knowledge at all genrally of any thing but their mother English and yet as proudly and imperiously vapouring and triumphing c. like Theora Iohn proclaming to the World his mad Quaking Revelations Inspirations writing of Languages many which he Confest he understood not but Mysteries Mysteries 8. G. Fox is no wiser in affirming that Tongues came in place of the Spirit since the Apostacy For before the Apostacy the Lord furnished his Servants with understanding of several Languages miraculously with the Apostasie those heavenly miraculous gifts ceased In the Apostacy the Father of Spirits gave to his two witnesses power Authority Ability to prophesy preach declare witness to the Truths of Jesus against the Popish Inventions with the rising of Luther Calvin c. The Lord raised up the study of the Hebrew and Greek Tongues in many heavenly Witnesses who brought to Light the truth of the first Copies in Opposition to the Corrupt Latin Translation bruitishly settled under a Curse by the Counsel at Trent This mighty work of the Lord in his Protestant Witnâ—sses drove the Popish Foxes into their holes and hath driven for shame the Iesuits to study the Hebrew and Greek and by a new Stratagem partly made up of the pretence of their Spirit and partly of the pretence of Corruptions and Variations in the Copies to assault the Camp of the Protestant Witnesses 9. I despise not yea I praise God for and honour the helps and helpers we have in English yea I would not discourage the weakest English man or woman in Christian humility to sound forth the praises of God in writing speaking and printing in English what they have Experimented of the Son of God No though they should not write or print or speak true English as G Fox hath not done But when they lift up their Horns on high or their bruitish Ears as Foxes do in stead of Horns then I must tell G. Fox that although he prat le amongst the English and they be cheated with his dying Spirit yet if he go to other Nations as they simply pretend to do to Turks and Pope they must either be furnished with the Gift of Tongues miraculously or they must fling of their lazie Devil and study the Tongues of those Nations to whom they carry their pretended glad News or Gospel 46 The 23. Instance G. Fox in pag. 86. brings in the same Author saying Notwithstanding thy passing through the first and second Resurrection as thou saith there remains a Torment so thee at the last day and Woe He Answers They are blessed that have part in the first Resurrection The second Death have no power over them but are made free from Wrath that is to come and are passed from Death to Life and are translated into the Kingdome of the Son of God and are in union with the Son of God and the Father both and so thou utterest forth Lies I Reply G. Fox here Arrogates to himself and his Foxians 1. A Passing through the first and second Resurrection 2. He triumpheth in their Blessedness pronounced to their first Resurrection viz. of Communion with God and Freedome from Wrath to come 1. The Truth is G. Fox is in his Burrough of Words of divers â—ignifications He wrests and winds what is for his wicked ends but you shall never take him in Distinguishing and Defineing what the first and second Death is and what is the first and second Resurrection 2. The Truth is as soon as they hearken to this familiar Spirit they are so Elevated that they be in the heavenly glory the Resurrection is past and with K. Agags dream the Bitterness of Death and Wrath is past for ever with them 3. But no such grapes will be gathered of these Thorns nor Figs of these Thistles For if we talk of escaping wrath to come and of enjoying Blessedness we must prove to others as well as to our selves that the Expectation of the Iews and Mahumetans expecting a Carnal Blessedness to come is false We mâ—st prove the Papists and Common Protestants for all their Prayers and Alms c. are under that Sentence Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity 4. The Lord Jesus being questioned about the great point of Salvation he seems to Answer two things 1. That the most will hang their Souls upon the Hedge and venture like the high ways and hedges 2. Others will fear and look after Redemption Deliverance Salvation c. and of these two sorts First Some that will endeavour and seek to enter I Judge both 47 of Pagans and Mahumetans and Iews and Papists and Protestants and shall not be able The second is of such as sensible of the Narrowness of the way straightness of the dore and the Infinite necessity incumbing and the Infinite Excellency inviting fling away Preferments Profits and Pleasures and choose to enjoy the Mediator as lost and damned in our selves and follow him from his Cradle and Manger to his Cross and Gallows and labouring to draw other poor drowning Souls out of the pit of Eternal Rottenness howling with us 5. The Spirit of God tells us of three sorts of perisht Souls First Those without Law of which are Millions of Millions innumerable Secondly Such as had the Law or Word or will of God revealed to them in the Covenant of works Obedience or Iustice of which sort were Millions of Millions also A third is of such to whom Infinite pity hath vouchsafed the joyful Tidings of the Son of God his Mediation Interposition and Intercession Amongst these the Papists and the Protesters against the Papists are chief of the Papists the Iesuits of the Protestant thereso called Puritans run for it of these the Quakers pretend the highest but no otherwise then O thou Capernaum which art Exalted Exaltest thy self unto Heaven thou shalt be brought down to Hell c. For Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah c. the poor Iews and Mahumetans yea the Papists and common Protestants shall have an easier Cup to drink off then the Foxians c that are so high pure and lofty and yet abound with Luciferian filthiness The 24. Instance is in pag. 89. where G. Fox brings in the same Author saying The Saints are neither in the Fulness of the Godhead nor in part Away with this Blasphemy that saith this is He Answers The work of the Ministry was to bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God to
a perfect man to the Unity of the Faith to the measure and stature of the Fulness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them And thou saith They have no part of the Fulness of the Godhead and Iohn saith of his Fulness have we all received in whom dwells the Godhead bodily and ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the Fulness I Reply It was doubtless an horrible Crime which the Jews though maliciously and falsly Objected 48 1. Against the Lord Jesus viz. that be being a man should make himself God What shall we say to these bruitish and blasphemous Foxians vile worms of the Earth yesterday creeping out of their holes slaves and Hellhounds as we all bâ— Nature are so horribly to set their faces as David speaks again the Heavens vapouring themselves to be in the Godhead yea in the Fulness of the Godhead and that also bodily so that what was applicable and proper to the Body of the Son of God is proper and applicable unto them his Body in whom the Fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily 2. See the horrible Egyptian Darkness the Lord hath justly poured upon these feigned Goshenites They exclaim against us for using that Title God-man and ask where we find such a phraze in Scripture And yet they rest not in that Title Emanuel God with us nor the Fulness of the Godhead bodily in Christ but Sacrilegious Robbers in Effect arrogate the Title and thing to themselves to be God-men and God-women the Godhead dwelling in them bodily 3. Whereas G. Fox here saith the work of the Ministry was to bring men to a perfect man c. I Answer He grossly abuseth that heavenly Ephes. 4. which concerneth the Fulness and perfection of all the Elect of God the whole Body the Church of the first-Born applying it unto every particular deluded Convert of theirs as being as perfect as holy as much God as Christ Jesus God blessed for ever himself 4. I may use the Exprobations of Moses against Korah Dathan and Abiram Is it not enough for you c. but will you seek the Priesthood also Is it not enough that the most High Potter made us Men and Women and not Serpents and Toads c. not Pagans Turks Iews Papists c. but English Protestants c. but we will be also Infinites Eternals Omnipotents Omniscients Will not the Infinite favour of Leave to drink of some heavenly drops of the Infinite Inconceivable Ocean of his Goodness satisfie and content us but we will be Gods with the Devil and our first Parents We will be the Inconceivable Ocean it self Is it not enough for a Proud Rebel to be fetcht from the Gallows by a smile of his Prince but he must be the Prince and King himself 5. The Pagans of the World as they are wild to all Civility so to all Divinity and heavenly matters They apprehend a Doity 49 as a Lyon Whale Dragon Giant Tyrant they feignedly will strive to pacifie him to make use of his help in Sickness in Wars in Plagues and Droughts but they will call Men and Women Gods too yea Dogs and Geese yea any Creature Manittoo God that is or doth any thing strange unto them And thus the Melitans presently cried out of Paul that he was a God And the Gods are come down to us in the likeness of Men c. 6. Therefore doth it please the most High and only Wise to meet often with the Pharaoh's the Absolom's the Nebuchadezzars the Hamans the Herods of this World yea with whole Nations Cities Armies and Navies for their Pride as he did with Sodom in signal and remarkable strokes and Judgements yea with his Iobs and Hezechiah 's and Paul's in danger to be puffed up in voices and questions out of the Whirlwind till we more and more come to see how perfect we are in Dirt and Stink and Filth of Death and Hell crawling like Monsters of Pride and self-conceitedness upon this Earth his Glorious Footstool The 25. Instance is in Pag. 90. He brings in the same Author saying There is a kinde of Infiniteness in the Soul and it cannot be Infiniteness it self He Answers Is not the Soul without beginning coming from God and returning into God again who hath it in his hand which Hand goes against him that doth Evil which throws down that which wars against it and Christ the power of God the best of the Soul which brings it up into God which came out from him hath this a beginning or ending and is not this Infinite in it self and more than all the World I Reply More brieâ—ly having spoken of the Soul before That the Soul or Spirit of a Man should be boundless or without limits without beginning or ending is a Blasphemous Monster begotten of Hellish Pride the Father and Hellish Ignorance the Mother for Infinity and Infiniteness in that sence can be no other but the Infinite and Eternal Power and Godhead transcending the Capacity or Men or Angels to receive it or conceive the nature of it 2. It is true in a secondary way a posteriori as they say the Spirits of Angels and men are as a Lamp lighted by the most high and In 50 finite Majesty never to go out or be extinguished in joy or sorrow This Notion dazles the most sober and steady Eye and Braine but who can finde a Centre or Clod of standing from whence to entertain a thought of no Beginning no created finite power can reach to what Infinity is 3. We see the mighty Kings and Emperours their mighty Armies and Navies have Bounds as the-roaring Waves of the Ocean have the most Glorious Sun and Heavenly Bodies have their limited Motions the Dayes and Nights the Summer and Winter the Light and Darkness know their periods of beginning and ending c. All have their hitherto and no further set by the Infinite Eternal Arm no further But all the stars of heaven the drops of the Ocean the Sand on the Sea shore the Leaves and Grass of the whole World are all too short to reach to the thought of one Minute of that which properly is Gods only propriety to wit Infinity 4. Among all the Opinions of the Souls Being and Rise this of Infinity making it God himself commits two horrible Murthers First It Murthers and destroys the Soul And Secondly The Infinite God himself For the Soul of Man by such a world of woful experience being so subject to change to sins and sorrows of all sorts If this should be the Infinity of the Soul and so of God himsâ—lf there would be no Infinity at all so stopt so limited by sins and sorrows 5. We use to say hyperbollically that such and such a doing is Infinite Pride but surely it is wonderful and devilish lifting up of the mind of a poor Earthen Pot though never
yea in present joy unutterable and glorious Sometimes the Lambs Wife is visibly asleep though her heart wakes sometimes she is Alarmed by his knocking and is sluggishly unwilling to open to him sometimes she rises and opens but he is gone and she seeks for him by day and night and cannot find him 9. There is also a false feeling of Christ Jesus as I spake before of a false Conception in a Woman How many are bold to cry Lord Lord open for we have prophesied in thy Name c and yet I will not say as G. Fox here saith of his Feeling that all that have not my feeling or working of Christ are Reprobates yet 57 this I say as Solomon A Whore is Loud and Clamorous not so the Chaste and Sober and Modest Women and the Devil spake as Holy and Heavenly words as Angels could have spoken yet it was but the Divil in Samuels Mantle The 29th Instance is in pag. 117. where he brings in Giles Fermin saying Paul Swore after Christ and the Angels Swore I wonder Paul should so forget himself and sin so fearfully in Swearing so the Quakers Light that denies Swearing is of Satan and not the Light of Christ. He Answers Christ the Light which Satan is out of which is the Oath of God ends all Oathes Sworn by Prophets or Angels whatsoever and who Swares be fallen into the Condemnation of the Devil And it is no where said that the Apostle Swore but such as thou art matters not what thou speak so that Spirit that Preacheth for Swearing is not the Spirit of Christ but is the Spirit of Anti-Christ c. I Reply first G. Fox dares not deny but that the Angel and Paul Swore after Christ only he keeps his old Song viz That Christ put an end to Swearing and that it is not said that Paul Swore But 1. He waves that Sweareng of the Angel or Christ himself Rev. 10. for there he knows the very term of Swearing is used 2. As to Paul if the attestation of the Name of God be the formality of an Oath then if ever any Man Swore in this World Paul did saying to the Corinthians I call God to Record on my Soul that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth c. Secondly It is true that all Nations have used to Swear by or Appeal to the Gods they owned and worshipped It is true also that they have used to put Creatures into the room of God and Swear by them as the Iews did and som write out of a Superstitious Reverence in forbearing the Name of God and indeed the Reasons Christ Jesus gives Mat. 5. look that way Thirdly It is true also that for abuse of Swearing by and Prophaning the Holy Name of God a whole Land may mourn as Ieremiah speaketh Fourthly There seems to be a very fair colour put on a universal Prohibition of Swearing by Christ Jesus and by his Apostle Iames Swear not c. 58 This Conjuror hath taken with many precious Servants of God former and latter even with many of those called the Fathers and with those Famous Protesters against the whore of Rome the Waldenses and with Famous Usher who doth more then seem to vindicate their not Swearing when Convented and Examined by the Popish Inquiâ—itors 5. Notwithstanding this and more which may be granted and though I should humbly motion to all higher Powers for Christian tenderness as to the holy Majesty of Heaven his Name and to the Souls of any making Scruple yet I must proclaim against G. Fox his lame and simple Return to the Objection of his Opposite concerning Paul and the Angel For why may not Paul and all the Apostles and Christ and all the Angels of Heaven and all the Saints of God upon the Earth in the words of Paul call God to Record upon their Souls that this or this was the Cause and Truth c. Considering 1. That neither the most holy God nor the Lord Jesus who I think is the Swearing Angel Rev. 10. nor the heavenly Spirits the Angels nor Paul nor any of Christs Apostles or Messeâ—gers would have practiced a Ceremony or a Shadow like Circumcision or the Passover at the time of the Day c. 2. Swearing or appealing unto God immediately in Oaths or Vows or Lots or Fastings though higher and above the practice of ordinary Invocations Supplications Thanksgivings c. were never accounted Ceremonies or Types of Substances to come but Real and Substantial Services and Addresses unto the most holy and most high Creatour written in the hearts of all mankind before ever Ceremony or Moses was born and therefore as the fear of God is put for the whole worship of God so also is swearing in the holy Scripture and we may as well deny all worship and Service visible and all External Acts of Homage and Devotion of the Body unto God yea and all the fear of God is there in the mind Soul and Spirit or in any External Obeysance or Reverence as this Service and worship of calling upon God and appealing to his holy Majesty as Witness and Iudge in some Cases c 3. Whereupon it follows that this high point of Gods worship is as real as moral as holy and perpetual as Prayer it self as preaching yea as Baptisme and the Lords Supper and no more Ceremonial though I know the Foxians make Baptisme and the 59 Lords Supper but Ceremonies for a time and ere long if they continue to hearken to Samuel within them they will account Prayer and Preaching whether Apostolical or Pastoral but Types and Shadows also 4. It is a most simple and un-Christian and Atheistical whimsie that Christ was the end of Oaths the end of the Prophets the end of the Scripture the end of Reghteousness in their Sense though as Mediatour he was the End or Perfection of and fulfilling of the Law of God which never Soul beside the Lord Jesus ever kept in thought word and deed what ever the proud Pharisees and Papists and Foxians prate c. 5. It is a gross Fancy to imagine that the Lord Jesus in the 5 of Math. gave new Commands or Contradicted the holy pleasure of his Father concerning Revenge Adultery Oaths Prayers Fastings but opened his Fathers Law in the purity and Spirituality of it against the rotten Expositions Traditions and practices of the Pharisees 6. In particular let all the Reasons be expended and carefully weighed which the Lord Jesus so wonderfully exactly gives why they should not swear by Ierusalem nor the Temple nor their Head nor any Oath to wit of such a Nature and half a sober eye may see that the Lord Jesus intends only to reduce them to an holy Swearing only by God in Gods way c. and in their Common Converse to use yea and nay c. 7. I have read a sober and man like Answer of F. H. called
a Quaker against A. S. called a Doctour concerning Oaths not like G. Fox his bruitish barkings against all his Opposites and any that prate may see F. H. yields to A. S. that himself and I presume he speaks the mind of all the Quakers could yield to give a Testmony in weighty Cases by the Name and in the Name of God as in the presence of God and attest or call God to witness c. And he saith that they had offered so to give a Testimony and that his Opposite Doctour Snalwood and I think Bishop Gauden so called assented that this was Substantial and Formal Swearing only the Ceremonies were enjoyned by Law to which the Quaker could not yield but suffer as indeed they have done upon this Account most lamentably in London and Bristol and all England over 8. I have much to add both as to that Fancy of Christs end 60 ing Oaths as Ceremonies and of Cases that have beâ—allen my self in the Chancery in England c. and of the loss of great Sums which I chose to bear through the Lords help then yield to the Formality then and still in use in Gods worship though I offered to Swear as F. H. mentions they have done and the Judges told me they would rest in my Testimony and way of Swearing but they could not dispence with me without an Act of Parliament I believe this highly concerns the high Assembly of Parliament and all Law makers to search well and to appoint a Committee of Searchers to Examine if the Laws upon new appearances from Heaven have not need of rectifying and some of cancelling for sin against God or the Souls of men established by Law is like Iereboams making Israel to sin and most commonly after much patience of God brings double punishment in the end The 30th Instance where G. Fox brings in Tho Moor saying It is not properly nor in a full sense that God is manifest in the Flesh of his Saints He Answers The Saints are the Temple of God and God dwells in them and they come to witness the Flesh of Christ. And they glorifie him in their Souls and bodies And the Lord is glorified in their bringing forth much fruit And the witness is the Seed the one offering for sin to be manifest within and such are not Reprobates yet witness the one offering Christ Jesus and them that have not Him within they are Reprobates I Reply a great Designe of the Devil in all Ages hath been to Cavil at and hinder Gods love tâ— mankind Hence he plotted and effected Mans Fall from God God Infinite in wisdome and mercy out-shoots and out-plots him and designes a Reconciliation and a Marriage between the Son of God the Prince of Life and lost mankind He promised his coming in our Flesh prefigured Him prophesied of Him and in the Fulness of Time sent Him c. Against this Lord Jesus this old Serpent hisseth and rageth before his Birth at his Birth after his Birth and in all Ages ever since as fearing the crushing of his Brains and the downfall of his Throne if the Kingdome of the Lord Jesus stand Hence not long after Christs Assention he stirred up many Anti Christs 61 Simon Magus and his Followers the Arrians the Gnosticks Cerdonians Manicheans c. the great Anti-Christ of Rome and since the Reformation the new Manicheans those in Luthers and Calvins time called the Spirituals and Libertines and in our times the Adamites the Ranters the Quakers and all in order to his Dragons war against the person of the Arch-Angel Michael the word of God the Individual person the Man Christ Jesus and after him all that should dare to follow him Some as the Arians c. have denied him to be so but Man and not God some as the Manicheans c. deny his Manhood affirming him to be God and a Spirit but with Christs manhood and the Scriptures the Devil and the Papists and the Quakers for most of them could with all their hearts make an Everlasting parting The Devils and is to destroy this Saviour and Salvation to poor lost man The Quakers pretend their end to be the Exalâ—ing and glorifying of God in the Flesh of his Saints therefore some of these Manicheans render his Birth Life and Death to be only Imaginary and Allegorical a Figure of what should be done in and by Christians others of them say it is real but he only lived and died for an Example others that he was really so born he so lived and died but he is now only within c. and after his Flesh no Inquiry G. Fox here plays upon the various meaning of the word Flesh. Also he plays upon those holy Scriptures viz. God is glorified in the Souls and Bodies of his Saints c. This subtle Ionadab he knows also that the Protestants maintain that the Godhead and the Spirit of God so dwels not in the Souls and Bodies of his Servants as in that Soul and Body of the Lord Jesus It is true he was not born of a Woman but against their wills they are forc't to Confess that he was not born of a Wife but a Virgin though many Fancies are Coyned about that They Confess that no man was Father of his fleshly Nature He knows also that the Protestants hold that the Godhead dwels in him and dwels in him as the great Mediator and Propitiation surety and Undertaker so as not in any of the Bodies or all the Bodies of his Saints besides and after a more high Transcendent and Inconceivable manner G. Fox knows that his Opposite intends such a manifestation of God in the Flesh that renders the one single person Christ 62 Jesus the Head of his Church c. And that they hold that there is as much difference between that one Individual person Christ Iesus the Head and his Followers as between our Heads and our Bodies the King himself and his Body or Subjects yea every one singly in particular yea as between the Foundation and all the building thereon raised Now how poor and lame is it that because the Saints are Gods Temple therefore they must be God himself because 1 Tim. 3. Christ dwels in his Saints by believing Ephes. 3. therefore they are Christ himself Because God in an holy Sense became Flesh Therefore our Flesh is God and Christ therefore will they find those heavenly particulars 1 Tim. 3. affiâ—med of that man Christ Jesus to be inverted and dreadfully turned upon their proud and divilish Flesh in this manner viz. The Devil is manifest in their Flesh Condemned of the holy Spirit of God Abhord of the heavenly Angels The world shall abhor their memory and except Repentance they shall descend with all the Enemies of the true Lord Jesus into the Lake that burns with unquenchable Fire and Brimstone The 31st Instance is in pag. 136. where G. Fox
embrace the Gospel or glad News of a Saviour to them and this outward and inward hearing of this glad News it is the Devils and the Iews and all Atheists and these refined Atheists the Quakers work to hinder The 50th Instance of G. Fox his lame Answer is in Pag. 282. where he brings in Daniel Cawdry saying The Saints were come to the Spirits of just men made perfect but not on the Earth G. Fox Answers The just mens Spirits that led them to give forth the Scripture was the Spirit of God and that was perfect and was while they were upon the Earth The Saints were come to which was Christ the End of all words and so to God the Iudge of all the world I Reply I have spoke before that Spirits are Invisible Beings both good and bad Contrary to the Sadduces who held neither First That of good Spirits there are three sorts 1. The Increated God himself 2. The Spirit of God called because of his manifold operations the seven Spirits of God c 2. Those Invisible holy Messengers or Angels called Ministring Spirits and Flaming Attendants upon Christ and his Heb Opposite to these are the unclean Spirits spirits of Devils c. 3. The Spirits of men first saints as Mary sings my Spirit hath rejoyced in God my Saviour c. and opposite to these are the Spirits of the wicked as Peter tels us of the Spirits of the wicked of the old world now in prison c. 2. I observe that in this Heb. 12. the Spirit of God speaks not of the Bodies of the Saints neither Conjoynd nor a-part Nor secondly of the Righteous made perfect but the Spirits of First the Righteous Therefore it seems to hold forth not a perfect State of the Saints in this Life Consisting of Spirits and Bodies 99 which our proud Boasters say of themselves nor that they are perfect Nor secondly of the Estate of the Saints in the world to come where all true Protestants hold that the Bodies and Souls of the Saints shall be perfected and Everlastingly and as to us now Inconceivably glorified But the Estate of the Souls or Spirits of the Elect who are as some Translate perfected some Consummated or finished some grounded or now Everlastngly Established while their visible part the Body sleeps in Iesus until the joyful Resurrection 2. Thus it appears the rather to be because we find in all the holy Records the Spirits Souls and Bodies of the highest Saints in this world defective and subject to great failings c. 3. It is said 1 Pet. 3. the Spirits in prison not the Bodies nor the wicked but those Spirits of the wicked which believed not Noahs preaching c. 4. Doth the Scripture speak of the Spirit of God here at all but of the Spirits of men or of those Penmen of the holy Scriptures or of any present state of perfection in this Life at all which might occasion his Answer 5. What Truth or pertinency is in those words Christ the end of all words Doth he mean that now there ought to be no more words or writings or that Christ ends all Scripture Words and there is no further use of them so they hold out and yet they say and practice the Contrary The Truth is their horrible unclean and foul Spirit would fain be rid of all Scripture Words and all Learning also c. that he may bring the more of miserable mankinde under the cheating sound of Light into his Eternal Darkness The 51th Instance is in Pag. 325. where he quotes Timothy Trevis saying God hath ordained to Eternal Life all that shall be saved before they had a Being in this World But none comes to possession of this Salvation but through Obedience of the Spirit G. Fox Answers The ground of mans belief and obedience is Christ who doth inlighten him to the intent that he might believe and obey the Truth and who knows the Seed knows the Election before the World was made I Reply 1. If he means that Christ is the Ground or Author the Giver of Repentance and Faith to all the Elect whom God 100 the Father hath given him we say so c. But if he put in their Invented Light in the Room of Gods Election and Predestination as the Efficient and first Cause and of Christ as the Mediator and Meritorious Cause according to the golden Chain Rom. 8. and Ephes. 1. and the fifth Chap. He speaks blasphemously of God and of the Son of God and of the glorious work of their Redemption and poor mankinds Salvation 2 He is now in the Burrough of the Arminians who destroy Gods Election before the world was and say that when a man believes he is Elected when he is predestinate or being obedient is Inconstant he is then Reprobated 1 Contrary to all the precious beds of Flowers and Spices in the Garden of the Scripture which these rooting Swine getting in they root and tear up all the ways and methods of Gods Councels and Salvations 2 Contrary to the wit and skill of men who framing a Book an House a Ship a Navie an Army or any Sublunary matters have all in their Thoughts Minds and Councels before they begin their Enterprize they provide their Materials their Agents their means they fit all to their Ends though all may faile all mens Affairs being but Vanity and Vexations But to whom shall we liken the Eternal and Infinite Majâ—sty to whom all his works and Events are known in a most Inconceivable way as to us even from Eternity to Eternity his Iustice his Goodness his Power all being Infinite 3. As to the Seed and Election We know they make themselves the seed and the Election secondly They make Christ the seed that is in the End themselves And thirdly They make God and the Spirit of God the seed the seed in every man which is preached to by them the Imprisoned Seed and when one turns Quaker then God comes out of Prison The Truth is they make no distinction between God and Christ and Spirit and themselves as Fox in this Book as before plainly tels us but when this pretended seed of God or God himself is hearkened to then the soul so hearkning is become Goddified and God with God whose Infinite Being and Essence these poor proud Bruits have not so much sight of as the Devils have who cried out to Jesus I know thee whom thou art the holy One of God knowing that God and the Son of God were Infinitely distinct in them 101 selves and all Created Beings Yet such is the Inconceivable wrath and Iustice of the Eternal God upon these fallen Spirits who kept not their first Habitation as the pretended Quakers many of them have not done that as Pharaoh they can not but lye and slander and kill till the time of their Torment come The 52d Instance of G. Fox his slight dealing is in
The word Effects The Papists and Quakers call the holy Script a dead Letter The power of Writing in all Affairs Josh. Miller The Quakers notorious Covenant-Breakers Means of Salvation A Union between the Meritorious Cause and means and the Instrumental and Efficient or worker Hosanna to the Son of David The more sure Word of Prophesie Gods speaking by his Prophets is his Word The madness of leaving the Scriptures and turning to a Spirit within The workings of Satan by Spirits and Inspirations in all Ages The Devil and the Quakers alleadging Scriptures No Light in the bold pretenders to so much the Quakers The pure Scripture filthily abused Pag 14 Henoch Howet By the Weapon of the Scripture only Christ Conquered the Devil The Scripture mosh fit and proper Weapon against the De. The Devil a Fox too Crafty for all the Foxians Francis Duke The Quakers Rieiculous for and in their Tautologies The Quakers mad Fancies as to Christ and the Scripture The Humanity of Christ. Pag 16. John Timson The holy Scriptures the Rule 〈◊〉 leading of the Spir it Gods Spirit given by means The fifth Position The danger of being deceived Depths of Hipocriâ—y 1 In the copy in possession of Brown his autograph across the outside edge of University Roger Williams has placed this page Lies in Hipocrisie Two sorts of Soul Deceivers The Quakers of late have Changed much of their Spirit or else more notoriously Equivocators The Jugling of the Quakers about Christ. About the Church and Ordinances Inward and outward Preachers As to the Scriptures G Fox his last Book Exalting the Heathen As to Magistrates Pag 170 John Stallam The Quakers Principles are for Persecution The Quakers Zealous Persecutors Yet will not own it The Quakers Perfection and yet in Measure Pag. 221. Hosanna to the Son nf David The Old Romans with their Dii Minores or lesser Gods and the Papists and Quakers all one The Perfection of the Godhead The Quakers Fallacious Perfection Hosanna to the Son of David G Fox his Falla-Presence of Christ Visible and Natural or Miraculous and Supernatural Eating of Christ. Christ Head of the Church His Bodily presence The Quakers Count all Gods Children Apostates G Fox his Juglings and dreams about the person of Christ An Apostrophe or Peâ—tion to the Lord Jesus 259 James Brown Christs Kingdom in or among the Pharisees Horrible and hipocritical Chistianity A Monstrous King and Kingdome of the Quakers Abominable lyes in hipocrisie The Pharisees and Quakers hipocrisie wonderful The sixth Position The Heresie of the Quakers Heresy what The Quakers Hereticks against all the Christian Principles and more Heretical against the first Christian Religion then any Protestauts or Papists The Quakers Heresy in matter of Repeutance This 24th of Luke I earnekly Insisted on The Papists and Quakers Repentance The Quakers Converts The Protestants true Repentance The Quakets despiling And Revili others Their Covetousness A sowre Spirit is the Common Spirit of the Quakers The Quakers False Faith G Fox his horrible Confounding of Faith and all other Chistian Virtues and Graces together True Faiah what it is The Quakers Transubstatiarion worse then the Fantastick Tranâ—ubstantiation of the Pepists John Burnet his Sermon And my Answer The Quakers and the Papists general Faith and Repentance The Juglings of the Papists and Quakers The Hope peace and Joy of the Quakers Christ the Hope of Glory 1 Interline it is after world R. W. Ms. Ann. The Simplicity as well as Impiety of the Quakers Hope Humpry Norton his Hope The Quakers Hope of life to come The Quakers bait by which Satan takes them John Bunyan The new Birth of the Quakers The true and false new Birth 1 Interline is after preached R. W. Ms. Ann. The Quakers put out the Eyes of their own Experience Pag 44. George Willington The Quakers meer Jewish and Popish The doleful state of all men till mercy not justice pitty them Pag 47 Joseph Miller The Quakers Justificatson within us Fox his Babilonish tumbling of all in a Croud and Heap together Justification opened The Quakers Popish Justification by works The Papists and Quakers see no need of Christ. The Papists and Quakers know not the difference between the two Covenants Fox his playing with the word Justification The last of the seven Positions at Newport The Quaker Religion pieced up â— many old Heresies Of Natures its Impurity The Papists righter then the Quakers The power of Natuâ—e in Spirituals The way of Conversion both of the Papists and the Quakers The way of the trâ—e Protestants Acts 17. Rom. 9. 2. Falling from Grace The true Protestants Doctrine as to Falling away The Papists and Quakers agree against the holy Scripture The Papists and Quakers Enmity against the Hebrew aâ—d Greek The Papists and Quakers Judge of Scripture Interpretation of Scripture The Papists and Quakers slighting holy Scripture The Papists and Quakers would be rid of the Scripture The Papists and Quakers unite against the Blood of the Lord Jesus The Infallibility of Papists and Quakers The Quakers Popish Perfection The Popish Revelations of the Quakers Popists and Quakers one in Ceremonies and Inventions The Quakers and Papists agree that that hge Pope is not Anti-Christ The Quakers not owning freely their Names The Quakers and Popish Monks and Munns all one The Papists and Qâ—akers Cursing The Persecuting Spirit of the Papists and Quakers The Quakers Tongue and hand The Quakers Oneness with the Arminians The Quakers and Socinians Oneness Christ Jesus but a Fancy with the Quakers The Sabellians and Quakers all one The Quakers Judaisme The Quakers Traditious and Ceremonies Dumb Worship Either none or Immodest Salutations The Quakers disrespect to aâ—l Superiours The Qukers against Musick Fantastical singing Carving painting Ornaments The Conclusion of the Conference at Newport The quickest and last turn about where Christ is An Unexpected yet Seasonable and true Testimony from Elizabeth Williams The Conference at Providenceâ— Passages about Reading the former Recited Letter Thomas Olny About a strange Query put to my Autagonist by Captain Green A Moderator motioned The first of the Positions debated at Providence Alexander Ross G Fox his Non-Senâ—e Quakers blasphemous opinion about Goa and the Sovl About Gods Breath The Quakers Gross conceit of soul body Their high blasphemyes Pag. 89. Magnus Bine About the fulness of the God head Unreasonable Reasoning The great temptation of knowing and holy People The Quakers make themselvs God and Christ. Magnus Bine The Soul of man infinite The Quakers are the old Manicheans 1 Change no to in R. W. Ms. Ann. Municheus his 2 Principles The infinite patience of God The Quakers obstinate in horrible fancies Blasphemies Daniel Caudry The Quakers challenge an equality with God The Quakess make themselves Faâ—her Son Holy Spirit Christ. Wade H. Nortou more plain then G F. Fergison G F against the mystery of Father Son and Spirit The Quak blasphemyes as to the most holy Spirit Tee Quakâ—rs Chaos babel
favour of my Positions any might freely speak against them they sat in the midst of the Governour Magistrates of their Opinion and the whole Assembly of their way W. Edmundson though I. Stubs twice said in publick that I had not inter-interrupted them yet W. Edmundson would frequently and insolently interrupt me so that I was not only forced to bear patiently through Gods only help but to suppress my thoughts which here I have added in some places 8. I know that a great weight of your Opinions and Actings lye upon your believing your selves guided by the immediate Spirit of God but I believe that I have proved that it is no more the holy Spirit of God that speaks and acts in you then it was the true Samuel that spake such heavenly words in the appearance of Sam. Mantle amongst a cloud of other witnesses you shall never perswade Souls not bewitched that the holy spirit of God would perswade your Women and Maidens to appear in publick streets assemblies stark naked c. of which I have spoke more particularly in our disputations 9. It is hard to perswade a Fox or a Wolf that he is so c. or that he doth Rob or Steal or Murther it is hard to perswade a man while he dreams that he is in a Dream yea though he be a filthy Dreamer as Gods Spirit speaks In our Dreams we believe lyes and impossibilities to be true as that we are many thousand miles of that we talk with dead men c. that we are at Marriages or Burials and are Kings and Queens c. 10. All that I can hope for without Gods wonderfull mercy is to give my Testimony in my generation for as Solomon speaks of the Whore few or none of you return Yet I know Gods foundation is sure he knows who are his amongst you as amongst other perswasions I have proved and will prove if God please that spiritual Pride that is Pride about spiritual matters is the Root and Branch of your whole Religion and that the King Eternal who did cast out proud Angels out of his Palace will hardly open his Gates to proud and scornful Dust and Ashes Providence March 10. 1672 3 so called I am one of your best Friends R. W. To those many Learned and Pious Men whom G. Fox hath so sillily and scornfully answered in his Book in Folio Especially to those whose Names I have been bold to mention in the Narrativt and Apendix Mr Richard Baxter Mr Iohn Owen c. Sirs THrough your sides the Devil by the Clawes of this wily Fox hath tore at the heart of the Son of God it is no wonder then if he tear at the Heart of his Love-Letters and Institutions and the true Professors of his name who are innumerable in Abrahams Bosome and the rest travelling uprightly thither For Brevity sake I was forced to omit many excellent Passages selected by Fox out of your Writings to select short Sentences of yours unto which he gives short Answers As to matters in Difference between yourselves and me I willingly omitted them as knowing that many able and honest Sea-men in their Observations of this Sun one picture of Christ Iesus differ sometimes in their Reckonings though uprightly aiming at and bound for one Port and Harbour Eternally praised be the Father of Lights and mercyes that we are one in that most glorious ever fixed Cynosura about whom his true Prophets Messengers ever have and doe and shall move and he holdeth them in his right hand I humbly beg of you 1. That you will more and more earnestly candidly and christianly study the things that differ without reflecting upon Credit Maintenance Liberty and Life it self remembring who it was that said it He that loves his life shall lose it 2. More and more to study the Prophesies and the Signs of the Times You know when it was that sive Bishops twenty-two Ministers almost three hunared other precious Believers in the true Lord Iesus were sacrificed in the Flames for his ever blessed sake against that monstrous Man of Sin and bloudy Whore of Rome These Foxians fancy is but a feather to to those high Pico's and Tenariffs the Pope and Mahomet whom some of you may live to see flung into the Lake that burns with Fire and Brimstone Were it not that the infinite Compassions of Heaven had made our gracious Sovereign the Breath of our Nostrills the fiery Fornace had certainly burnt seven times hotter against Hananiah Mishael and Azariah Surely as for Conscience sake we ought to obey so sor Conscience sake we ought to be Instant and Constant at the throne of Grace for his Royal Preservation and Salvation Prov. March 10 1672 3. I am unworthy to be yours R. W. A Narration of A CONFERENCE OR DISPUTE This last August 1672 so called in the Colony of Rode-Iland and Providence Plantations in N. ENGLAND between Roger Williams of Providence who Challenged Fox by writing which followes and all his Friends then met on Rode-Iland and G. Fox withdrawing Iohn Stubs Iohn Burniat and William Edmundon three of their ablest Apostles on the other that is on the pretended Quakers Party HAving long heard of the great name of G. Fox a man cried up by the People called Quakers and having read his book in Folio some years since against as I think above six score Books and Papers written by pious and able pens against them and now this Summer hearing of his coming into these Parts of N England and the poor cheated Souls the Quakers with joy expecting his coming as the coming of an Angel of light from Heaven I read over his Book afresh as in the holy presence and eye of God with a single Eye and Heart and more clearly finding his Answers so weak and silly so Anti-Christian and Blasphemous and yet so Imperious and Scornfull so Cursing and Censorious 2 Damning and Reprobating all that bow not down to their new Upstart Image my Spirit rose up within me and I believe the holy Spirit of God in answer to my poor Petitions and Meditations resolved and quickened my Spirit to the present Undertake and Service And therefore for his most holy Names sake and the name of his most holy only begotten the true Lord Iesus the God-Man and Mediator c And for the honour of the most holy Spirit of God so horribly torn in pieces by this foul Spirit of the Quakers For the vindicating of many of the precious Truths of the old Christian purity and for the sake of so many precious Souls lying slain and bleeding before me I made this Offer following to G. Fox and any or all his Followers or Associates then together at New-port on Rode-Iland T is true G. Fox was at Providence some few dayes before and spake publickly and it was free for me publickly to have heard him and opposed him But going the last year to one of their general Assemblyes at New-Port
Before I come to Transactions between those three left behind him Iohn Stubs Iohn Burnet William Edmundson and my self I think fit to tell the Reader what a preparatory Conflict the most holy and only Wise Lord was pleased to exercise me with before I came to the Publick My former antient Neighbour and friend I. T. being bit by such infectious Teeth himself fell on me as a man would fall upon a Toad or Serpent and sent me this following Letter notwithstanding he was but newly bitten by them and for forty yeares pretended no small love and respect to God and me He first gave fire upon me in this following Letter Providence 18. 5. 72. Roger Williams THy Scurrilous Paper in thy Propositions to G. Fox and others who in scorn are called Quakers I advise thee to refrain any further publishing thereof and as it is written keep thee far from an evill matter thy paper being full fraught with impudent Lyes and Slanders with high flown airy imaginations which if thou shouldst live the dayes of Methuselah thou couldst not perform In Love to thy Person and Name 6 which ought to be precious I advise thee not upon a sudden motion as thou termest us to act by but from the spirit of Truth and tender love unto thy soul which Spirit by thy writing appears thou art a stranger to Consider thy latter end least with Cardinal Mazarin thou cry out in a dying hour Oh my poor Soul what will become of thee whither art thou a going And said if he should longer have lived he would leave the Court and be a Capuchin Time is precious Repent Repent and mind the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every one to profit withall and knocks at the door of thy Heart for entrance which being rejected will be thy Condemation If thou rejectest this my faithfull witness for the Lord I then say with John in the Revelation let him that is filthy be be filthy still and so remaines thy friend and Neighbour I. T. Having read this Letter and knowing this my Neighbour of late to have declined much from his former profession of Godli ness and many wayes by his Loosness had grieved my Soul I wondered not much at his Lines though now much unexpected of him as knowing the Quakers spirit to be a ready Ditch or Gulfe that readily sucks and draws into it Soules afrighted easily to skin over their Sores Proud and Self-conceited ones who gladly close with the Spirit of and Children of Pride and Loose fading Professors of which sort the Quakers Meetings do much consist as not being able to walk close with God not daring to turn wholy Profane or Atheists and so daube up the breach with untempered Morter the wild and foolish notions of the Devils Whisperings under the cloak of the immediate Inspirations of Gods holy and heavenly Spirit Many thoughts I had to pass by his Affronts and Insultations But considering that it was not my Name not worth the while but the most High Eternall Majesty and his most holy Spirit thus fouly pierced and debased I return'd this Answer following My ancient loving Friend IF you pluck out the eyes of your Understanding Profession and Experience yet through the mercy of the Father of Lights and Mercyes I cannot do so with mine You tell me my Paper to G. Fox is Scurrilous c. full fraught with 7 Impudent Lyes and Slanders c. And you say you write in Love from the Spirit of Truth to which you say I am a stranger You mind mee of Death c. and bid me Repent Repent or else be filthy still and be damned To which I will not Answer as G. Fox answered H. Wrights Paper with a scornfull and shamefull Silence Thus I say in generall you are my Witness that I have long said with David and I humbly hope have made it good I hate and abhor Lying but thy Law do I love for which I have lost in my time something c If I had not loved his Law and abhorred Lyes I had long ere this bowed down against my Conscience yea I had fired the Countrey ahout this barbarous Land as some in this Colony have done I had murthered the Indians and English by the Powder and Liquor trade to which you know I had Temptation as much as your self or any others in N. England but I loved the Name of God For your self if the God of heaven have terrified your Soul which I believe is the case of most Quakers and of the Devils themselves and made it tremble at the Wrath to come you must not think to run from his flaming Eyes and Hand as Adam amongst the Thickets you cannot talk of Mercy without a way of Satisfaction to an insinite Justice Who payes the Old Score It is impossible that all created Powers in Heaven or Earth can discharge for one sinfull Thought There must be an Equivalent discharge not by filthy Rags and menstruous Clouts of our own Holiness which must he thought of before we can say We can sin no more against God than he can sin against us as you know who Blasphemously and Horribly maintain it In your lines I pray you to Consider First Your Irrationality for how can you imagine that a serious Christian in humble Considence of the of the mercifull Presence and gracious Assistance of Gods holy Spirit and of no little Afsliction and Suffering should be so easily stird as a Rock with a Feather by your bare crying Repent Repent or be Damned hearken to the Light within thee c. 2. Can Reason imagine that after much strugling within my self and the Birth of my Propositions and Resolutions that I can so suddenly strike Sail and bear up and immediately 8 Stifle and Smother and Burn my Conceptions and Resolutions as soon as I hear your simple and childish spirit Countermand me 3. Is it not unmanly Childish and effeminate to cry out a Scurrilous paper Lyes Lyes impudent Slanders .c. and yet give me not one Reason or one Scripture against any one of them Is it not too like the irrationall and brutish Answer of Humphrey Norton to a sober and Sollid Paper of Thomas Olnys sen. crying out Lyes Lyes 224 Lyes without any serious Examination of Particulars 2. I charge your Lines with Impiety where you infer that the most holy Spirit from that Scripture The manifestation of the Spirit .c. is poured forth upon every Individuall person in the World Did the Oyl most precious and holy the holy Ointments and the Blood in the Law respect the whole world or the Messiah the anointed and his Members Christians or anointed also Was not 1. Cor. 12. written to the Christians or Saints gathered into the Christian slock or Congregation at Corinth unto whome the Father of Spirits as in that place vouchsafeth those three heavenly Favours 1. Gifts which he shews there to be different 2. Administrations
Justice who payes the old score .c. Also to consider my Irrationality that thy great Education great Search .c. as also thy great Travels and Struglings to bring forth thy Positions all being in thine own will and in the Apostacy wherin the great Whore hath made all Nations drunk with her Fornications which the Lord will in his Time consume with the breath of his mouth I know thou hast undertaken a great Burthen in Challenging G. Fox to answer thy Positions I wish thee to provide thy Armour of Proof as Golias that defied the Army of Israel G. Fox is furnished with that Armour that thou hast no skill to make use of having also the Sword of the Spirit to cut down all thy airy Imaginations Therefore cease from further troubling thee a Word to the Wise is Sufficient if thou haue a heart to make use of it thy Friend and Neigbour I. T. To this Second Letter I Replied in this following NEighbour in this your second Letter misdated as well as mine you pass by many Particulars which I wrote concerning G. Fox Hump. Norton your self and the stripping your Women Stark naked in publick c. you insist upon my Irrationall dealing 2. For your charging my Positions to be Lyes and Impudent Slanders without giving me one Scripture or Reason to prove them so and here you say For my charging upon thee Lyes and Slanders examine but thy Positions which will make manifest what I say But is this any more Rationall or Manlike or is it not bruitish to say you are a Lyar because you are a Lyar 12 Or you are a Lyar because you say these Positions are true and offer to prove them It is a Man-like spirit to lead a Beast with an Halter but a Man with Reason but to lead or drive a Man with an Halter or Cudgel and not with a Reason in Naturalls and Rationalls most of all in Spirittalls is not the Spirit of God nor of Humanity For what will my Chargings and Censures and Clamors and Cursings and Damnings effect and beget upon a rationall Soul without a proof of Reason but an Opinion of my wicked false bruitish and irrationall spirit 3. T is true in your Exhortation to me you bid me hearken to the Manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man c. This I acknowledg Scripture You say I wrested and added to an other Scripture but you mention it not so I am in the dark what you mean And for this of the Manifestation of the Spirit your self now consent to me that it was spoken to the Saints or Christians at Corinth and therefore I spake true in saying that as to my Positions by you call'd Impudent Lyes and Slanders you gave me not then nor now any one Scripture or Reason to prove any one of my Positions to be so 4. As to Iohn Burnet I said before him and afterwards that he delivered many Truths yet withall I then at the same time in their Publick Assembly at Newport I told them that it lay upon them to manifest to their own Souls and others 1. That their Christ was true 2. That their Spirit was Gods and the rather because they were charged with denying the Institutions of Christ Iesus and with the setting up of many Will-worships as Preaching of Women c. And I went on purpose to Discourse of these matters this being the time of their Generall Assembly and a great Concourse I was stopt by the sudden praying of the Governour 's Wife who also told me of her asking her husband at home meaning Christ which I had toucht upon I rose up and said if a man had so alleadged I would have answered him But I would not Countenance so much the violation of Gods Order in making a Reply to a Woman in Publick Hereupon I. Nicols stood up and said In Christ Iesus neither male or female c. I was Replying to him and to I. Burnets Speech also concerning their Spirit but I was stopt by Iohn Burnets sudden falling to Prayer and dismissing the Assembly I resolved with Gods help to be Patient and Civill and so I ceased not seing a willingness in them for me to proceed which experience made me not to trouble 13 G. Fox and the Assembly at Providence but rather to make a fair and Solemn offer of Dispute about these matters so that it is notorioufly false that I Owned or Countenanced any of their Opinions 5 You tell me of my foisting in that word Damning and I tell you that those words of Condemnation and Damnation are all one in your Greek and Latine and English and other Languages So that in your telling me if I hearken not to you it will be my Condemnation you all one tell mee it will be my Damnation There are two Damnations one which all Mankind is under He that believeth not is condemned already the other that finall Sentence Goe ye Cursed my Charity bids judge that you meant not the latter But my Knowledg tells me amongst Iews and Turks Papists and Protestants and Pagans with all of which I have conversed I never met with such a Judging Censuring Reviling spirit as is the spirit of the Quakers 6. As to my saying in my 14th Position that the spirit of the Quakers tends to a sudden Cutting off of people yea Kings and Princes It lyes upon me to prove it and you do only upbraid me with it but offer no disproof nor can you or any other evade it when the Roots of Affairs and Actions are dig'd up and examined 7. Next you cry out against my Blood-thirsty spirit in William Harris his Case and I answer that it is not the sign nor the part of Loyall and gratefull subjects having received such wonderfull Favours and Priviledges from so mighty a Monarch so to Slight and damn to Null and make void such Royall Grace and Favour Is it not high and monstrous abominable Presumption for any man to quarrel with Soveraign Majesty for granting Favour and Mercy to the Souls and Bodyes of their Subjects which he ought to doe even in Conscience to God and for dispensing with Laws made for Superstitions and Oppressions I think you have been an Officer your self in a Corporation in England I question how you durst then or durst now omit to take Cognizance of such Actings against your Corporations safety and the Honour and royall supream Authority of his Majesty I was in place and ingaged more than others to maintain the righteous splendor of the Kings Crown and Majesty and Prerogative and the Colonyes safety peace and Liberty and yet I acted not without the Counsel and Concurrence of all the rest of the 14 Magistrates who did no more but what belonged to our Duty and Alleagiance as faithfull Officers to his Majesty and this Colony under him nor did we any more then Necessity and common Prudence compeld us to for who knoweth what after Reckonings may befall
being President Also what I have spoken against W. Harris touching his firing the Town and Colony I thought so and therefore contended against him but I never sought his life note that R. W. Thou sayst 17 thou art not conscious of any recoyling in thy spirit so much as in a thought Here thou manifest's an impious spirit that seekes to murther the Innocent what Fury possesseth thee to talk of the God of peace yet retainest a murtherous mind not having repented of thy wickednesse how is thy heart hardned in seeking the lives of such as thou thy self hast confest to be the Children of God Oh murtherous man that hath not any Remorse for thy long-liv'd Wickedness I am sorry for thee though thou slight all my writings counsells take all in the worst sence yet I beseech thee to consider thy latter end my desire for thee is that the Lord would awaken thy Soul give thee Repentance unto life In the last place thou writest how highly I esteem of G. Fox and thou desirest to think as low of thy self How will this agree with thy boasting of great Education great Experiences great struglings and strivings within to bring out thy Positions and Conclusions which all my loving Testimonyes against as issuing from a diabolicall spirit did no more take place with then a Feather against a Rock Call to mind the preaching of Jonas to Ninive yet forty dayes and Ninive shall be destroyed a short speech yet they repented and the Lord pardoned And so I desire thou mayest repent and find mercy with the God of mercy Thy Neighbour I. T. THus Reader it pleased the Infinite Wisdom of the most holy and only Wise to pierce through my heart with the thrusts and stabs of a of a foul-mouth'd slanderous spirit by the hands of long professed friends and lovers yet pretending the name of God and of Scripture as wel as my self How doth it behoove us then to make sure that we can in truth say as Ieremiah Lam. 3. Thou art my portion saith my Soul O Lord Thou and none else Thou alone without Health Strength Beauty Honour Lands Goods Friends .c. How should we make sure that with Thomas we may say unto the Lord Jesus my Lord and my God for whose sake we ought joyfully to bear what false Christs false spirits and their Souldiers can dart from Earth or Hell against us My Answer was as followeth MY ancient Friend it pleaseth the most High to give to all mankind his Children also and them especially many bitter Cups and that oftentimes by the hands of dear friends and 18 dear Relations that we might fall more in love with himself then ever who isinfinitely more sweet and even Holiness and Power and Wisdom and Love it self Your Lines in this your third Fury against me being full of Bitterness in themselves are more bitter to my Spirit upon diverse accounts But the most High and only Wise will have it so and your judgment and Conscience and mine will have it so yet that will not acquit us we both say we must come to another Barr and there stand or fall eternally In this First You tell me you willingly omitted the Particulars I mentioned as not concerning the matters in handling I am not of your mind it is an Easie yet a Suspicious way of answering and implyes not only unwillingness but a willing Ignorance and Guilt also For is it not concerning the matter in hand especially when so personally provoked to vindicate our selves and friends our Teachers and Apostles our Spirits and Religion also 2. Next you blame my subtle spirit for not answering by Scripture or Reason your loving Admonitions I gave you my Reason shewing how simple it was for you to give fire upon me and tell me my Paper was Scurrilous full fraught with impudent Lyes and Slanders and yet give me not one Scripture nor Reason to prove any of them to be so 2. I shewed you how irrationall it was for you to think that I should so suddenly renounce my understanding and Conscience and Positions upon the sudden sound of your Outcry Repent Repent 3. You tell me it is childish bruitish and irrationall to say that you are worse then Barbarians Answ. I said not so in generall you and all the world ought to abhor the particular case viz. the stripping Naked of your Women and Maidens a case worse then Savage and Barbarous only practised by the Bruites and sometimes by Indians and Whores in their drink when all Modesty and Reason is overwhelmed with more then common Drunkenness Who can but abhor to think of such whorish and monstrous Immodesty such an hellish Incentive to filthy Lusts and that under the most holy name of the Spirit of God 4. As to my first Position you now tell me that it is childish and foolish for G. Fox to prove I suppose you mean for me to desire G. Fox to prove what he and all friends disown and thou in scorn callest Quakers Answ. I know the Quakers say 19 that name is given them in scorn and yet we also know it it hath its denomination from those great bodily Shakings which have been believed to have come in mightily upon them by the power of Devillish spirits for many Reasons of which afterward However G. Fox in 370th page of his Book in Folio writes thus in the title of each page The Quakers answer The Quakers Answer I know what may be said and I know may be said and justly to that excuse and what shall be said in the Dispute following 5. As to my 12th Position of Suffering of the Quakers and you say it is a Brat of mine own and that is an evidence against me and all os my Persecuting Spirit Answ. I shall by Gods assistance prove that you doe make it an Evidence of your Religion and then it must be your one Brat and Bastard As to my persecuting spirit the most High hath been a holy witness to my Travels and losses and hazards and other sufferings in my vindicating and procuring Soul-liberty and I humbly hope in his mercy he will preserve me from being like many Quakers fouly fallen from their former Christan Religion 6. You say How darest thou blame me for not giving Scripture or Reason against thy railing and impious Positions when thou challengest and assignest another to doe it G. Fox .c. Answ. I only blamed I. T. for being so fierce and furious so hot and hasty in crying out a scurrilous Paper fraught with lyes and impudent slanders and yet gave me not one Scripture or Reason against any one of them common Modesty and humane Sobriety would have taught a little Patience till G. Fox had answered or untill you had answered something of Scripture or Reason your self 7. Nextly you tell me of my Serpent-like spirit in witnessing against my neighbour secretly To which I lay before the most High I
know not what you intend 2. I know it not to be any Crime much less a serpent-like spirit as your railing pen phrases it to give a true testimony and witness in private and publick even against the highest and dearest in the matters of God and Truth which ought to be only High and only Dear unto us 8. As to Womens preaching in the Church you tell me that I know not what that Woman is Answ. I know the allegoricall Interpretations given of both those Scriptures to the Corinths and Timothy But where the holy Scripture is plain and agrees 20 even with Nature it self where the holy Spirit of God gives Reasons why Scripture should be fo expounded which is an extraordinary signification of Gods soveraign will and pleasure where else one part must be Literall and an other part Allegoricall which is most improper and not suiting to the Majesty and Purity of Gods Spirit what can be soberly in the fear of God and with any sober reason collected but that the most High the God of Order and all Order and Wisdom it self is pleased there to set down the Order of his Worship in the Christian Congregations 9. Concerning W Harris you tell me I shift of the matter for you meant not W Harris his last Imprisonment You prove it by my taking Oath against your Wife upon an other mans word on purpose to allay my furious spirit against W Harris These are your words which may be taken three wayes but neither of them can I call to mind God knowes I truly desire to See Lament and forsake every Idle word or thought which my soul may be satisfied is so for I dare not goe beyond as you proudly doe that Direction of the Lord Iesus dayly to cry Forgive us our Trespasses I dare most confidently deny that simple Charge viz. that I should cry out Treason Treason against your Wife and others labouring to bring them into the same guilt with W. Harris whose facts and courses others of no small Authority and Prudence amongst us with whome I advised saw to be desperate high Treason against the Laws of our Mother England and of this Colony also When W Harris sent his writings or Books to the Main and to the Iland against all Earthly Powers Parliaments Laws Charters Magistrates Prisons Punishments Rates yea and against all Kings and Princes under that Notion that the People should shortly cry out no lords no masters and had in open Court protested before the whole Colony assembled that he would maintain his Writings with his Blood Was it my Fury as you call it or was it not Honesty and Duty to God and the Colony and the higher Powers then in England to act faithfully and impartially in the place wherein I then stood Centinell And it is not true that I sought his life as you upbraid me much less theirs who purposely as the most high God is witness were presented that some prudent course might be taken by the Court for the preventing of their greater danger and the Colonyes also By your reason the Kings Majesty his Iudges yea all Iudges 21 yea the King himself yea the most High and King of Kings shall be condemned as Blood-thirsty bloody seekers of the lives though of high handed wilfull and dangerous Transgressors as though Iustice and Mercy true Pitty and just Severity might not harmonize and make up the blessed concord of Peace together 10. You mind me again of my Books against Persecution and yet my self a Persecutor of my peacable Neighbours to the Death murthering the innocent yea that I still retain a Murtherous mind and you cry out against me Oh murtherous Man .c. To which I say I am not better than David nor in this case are you better than Shimei who rak't up Stones and Dirt and flung them with Railings at David crying out Come out thou bloody Man and this in the name of the holy Spirit also As to W. H. I never appeared In Town or Colony against him for any private matter although many wayes extraordinarily provoked and wronged by him but alwayes in Witness as I humbly appeal unto God I say in witnessing against his running down and destroying the Publick as at this day for his Private Covetous and Contentious Ends. And for your self who cry out so much of Blood and Murther for my being impartiall to God to the King and the Countrey I heartily wish that your hands were washed from the bloody trade of Liquours to the Indians which even the Quakers have practised telling the Indians that the Quakers only know God and therefore would sell them Powder and Liquors cheaper and they would not mix water with Rhum as others did so that by many sudden deaths what by Consumptions and Dropsies the Barbarians have been murthered hundreds if not thousands in the whole Countrey and more in this Colony than in any part of the Countrey beside that I have heard of against which I have witnessed from Court to Court in vain 11 You ask me how I can think as low of my self as you high of G. Fox when I boast of Education Experience .c. I answer I boast as Paul did who confest himself the least of all Saints and the chiefe of Sinners and yet reckons up the Priviledges end Favours which God had vouchsafed to him against the foule Clamours of his malicious and envious Opposites the false Apostles 12. You conclude with advising my Repentance and you propose to me the case of Nineve telling me that forty dayes is a short Speech 22 Answ. I humbly beseech the Lord to help you and me humbly and faithfully to examine our true laying of that Foundation of a true Repentance which is a totall turning of our Soul or Spirit unto God not out of Fear or self ends as Dissemblers do but in Mariage-love with God that it might be said unto us thy Maker is thy Husband As to your special Hint to me of forty dayes I can say it through infinite mercy that more than forty or fifty yeares I have been acquainted with Death and have not seldom familiarly discoursed with the Grave and Pit of Rottenness I have desired to be ready at a minutes warning waiting for a wind to transport me as Paul speaks unto Christ Iesus in Abrahams Bosome which is best of all I pray you to know that I believe there is a black Familiar that haunts the Quakers it may be he whispers to you that within forty dayes you shall be ridd of me except I repent he may see into the crazy temper of my house of Clay These Dog-dayes not to continue and abide a little of that time Or God may suffer him by some immediate Revelation to employ some malicious soul to Murther me that this foul Lyar and Murtherer may extoll and predicate himself in print by your Pens that he was a true Prophet applauding and triumphing in the righteous Judgment of God
many foul lyes in their former deceived and deceiving Leaders and I was the more confirmed in my thoughts when I saw their foul spirit so transport them not only in lying Doctrines but lying Quakings and Tremblings lying preaching through the Streets Repent Repent and lying and abominable Nakedness of men and women untill their ugly Child and Daughter Rantisme rose from their Bowels and practised Nakedness of men and women in the Streets and in their religious Meetings as Adamites when it is notorioufly known they fell into many uncleannesses and Adulteryes To my face and to the world in print they maintaind there were no sins in them Saying That the Saints could not sin and God did all and was all and they were as pure as Adam and God himself this is known by the Writings extant c. 2. Again I said unto my Antagonists that the manner of these quakings and shakings were not as of those quakings and tremblings of David Moses and the Corinths receiving Titus with Trembling or the working out Salvation with Fear and Trembling for that may many wayes be proved to be the Soul and Spirit out of a holy Aw and Dread of the Majesty of Heaven with whome we have to deal who only can pitty and help us in our deplorable and forlorn conditions Hee it is who worketh the Will and the Deed and therefore with deep impressions of Aw and Dread we ought to attend upon all his holy meanes appointed wherein as of old in the Tabernacle and Temple he hath promised to come to us Beside as it is naturall for the Body to tremble when the mind doth as we see in many Persons in the beginning of a Battle or going over a deep Water or going to suffer Death or looking over a high Clift into the sea c. So when the Bodies of those holy men or any now doe so tremble Experience proves it that it is no ordinary motion but extraordinary and upon extraordinary occasions and those holy and heavenly Occasions as may be instanced But the quaking and shaking motions of the Quakers as I shall prove they proceeded not from those holie Affections 29 proper to Gods Children so also they were horrid and monstrous casting their bodies into horrid and monstrous motions and Gestures which mine eyes have seen Besides the abundance of notorious Instances what strange horrid motions are those which Theora Iohn as he madly calls himself and Iohn Toldervy were tost and tumbled up and down with which cannot be imagined to proceed from the holy Spirit of God but from Sathan to delude and cheat poor sinners with To this purpose I told them at the first coming of this spirit to London and Westminster some Parliament men told me that themselves went to one of the Quakers Meetings about Charing Cross but were so affrighted with the shaking of their own bodies and of their Chairs and Stooles under them that they could never again be got into their Assemblyes I added that such Shakings Motions Extasies c. were known to be the frequent workings of Sathan upon his Servants in all ages Such were the furious motions of Baals Preists the motions of the Possessed mentioned in the Gospells and other Historyes and known to be amongst the Barbarians our Neighbours about this time Iohn Burnet and William Edmunson rose up and said that I had laid many deep and heavy Charges upon the people of the Lord which I should never be able to prove I had denied them to be Christians and so had wronged the good Spirit of God in them and their Profession of worshipping God in the Spirit Yea I had taken away their being as men out of the World as a dangerous People to Nations and Kingdomes Common-weales yea to Kings Princes and so not fit to live amongst men in the World These Speeches were often uttered and enlarged by one or other of them and that with Zeal and Passion in W. Edmunson I waited patiently till these Gusts of their angry Spirit was over and then I told them I had not wronged them in a tittle But by the help of the most High I would make all good against them toen leave it to every mans and womens Soul to judge at their own Perill About this time Iohn Stubs alleadged that of Paul Phil 2. Work out salvatson with fear and Trembling I replyed I in no way opposed the awfull and most serious impressions of Gods Majesty in all his appearances ordinances upon the Soules and Spirits yea and Bodyes of Gods Children 30 But I denied that those places to the Corinthians and Philippians concerned any such bodily shakings and quakings as we now debated Beside I said if Quaking and Trembling were a Command and an Ordinance and institution of God to be practised then was it constantly to be practised as the Iewes say of Cain that the Mark which God set upon him was a constant Trembling Or if not alwayes yet alwayes in Worship or if not alwayes in Worship yet at some certain times But the plain truth is the Devill will be Gods Ape in most things He subornes and substitutes a bastard Quaking and Trembling of the body in Imitation of David Moses c. on purpose to thrust out the true Fear and Trembling which ought to be constantly in us raising up all our Affections and all within us to a due sence of the Terror of the Lord the dreadfulness of our Danger and the wonder of our Deliverance which we can never make too sure from sin and wrath to come to all eternity I also declared that the most High and holy one was free as he pleased to cause the trembling of the Soules of his People to over flow with influence upon their Bodyes also asin Moses David Daniel Habakkuk Paul c. this is like to be in some extraordinary cases and Conversions or turnings to God as Paul's was and that especially in bringing of great Sinners or old Sinners unto himself c. There were some few Speeches some from the Governour and his Wife and some few others that spake some in favor of and some against the Quakers but neither did my Opposites nor I so far attend them as to engage with them excepting some Turnes that were between William Edmunson and William Hitchcock an Inhabitaut of Newport who as others did witnessed against their upbraiding me with my age Old man Old man c. as also for their Interruptions Mine own Brother Mr Robert Williams School-Master in Newport desired to speak nor he nor others dissenting from them could be permitted except they would set their hands to my Paper My Brother unknown to me put in a paper to them which he took the liberty to read desiring that two things might be answered by the Quakers 1. The matter of the true sence of Sin as Sin 2. Of the Materiallity of such a Person as the Lord Iesus
Prophesie to the person of the Lord Iesus that God-man in one person whome Moses and Stephen preached the great Messiah or Christ the anointed Prophet Priest and King unto all that receive or believe in him Now diverse observing and publickly expressing how unsuitable it was that three of the ablest Speakers amongst them should Consult openly and whisper and utter themselves one immediately after each other and somtimes all together as one man against me W. Edmondson answered and excused it saying that it was mine own Paper which he often produced which exprest my Offer to make good my Positions against all Comers But I replyed once and again That as God is a God of Order and doth all things in Number Weight and Measure in most admirable Order and Method so I had thought that according as I writ and spake to them they would have had so much Ingenuity to conceive that nor I nor any man was so simple as to offer to Dispute with to oppose and to answer twenty or thirty or one hundred at once But thus like subtle and impudent Foxes and Iesuites they pleaded and practised from the beginning of the Conference unto the end of the 4th day resolving to make use of and like dying men by drowning to catch at any ridiculous Advantage though unchristian and uncivill But the truth is this and many other Discouragements and Disadvantages and Difficultyes the Lord Iesus graciously and faithfully 37 For his name sake enabled me to cut through otherwise I saw the Debate would not have held on so many Hours as it did Dayes I knew they had as much mind to this work no nor any guilty Soul in the world as Bears to be tyed to a stake to be baited and I must humbly declare and predicate it to the praise of the Father of mercyes and for the incouragement of others to be Patient for Christ Iesus sake that an hand from heaven caried me through to the end of each day and to the end of the whole business Sometimes I offered to proceed to an other Point but all this first day was spent upon the first Point of true and false Quakers For though many upon a sudden spake as Mr. Coddington Mr. Easton then Governour who spake sharply VVilliam Dyer VVilliam Harris and others against me yet I minded closely what my Antagonists vented who were placed on high in their Desk against me Iohn Stubs and Iohn Burnet were more sober and manly but VV. Edmundson who was the junior of three would speak all like Solomons foolish woman loud and clamorous simple and knowing nothing being in truth nothing but a flash of wit a Face of Brass and a Tongue set on fire from the Hell of Lyes and Fury One Instance here fell out for when I urged that it was not what man had within him already and brought into the world with him that made a true Quaker but the Spirit of God accompanying and blessing the Reading and Hearing of the writings of God preached and opened I said the Heart of man was shut up lockt and barr'd up in willing Ignorance and darkness until the finger of God in the use of those and other blessed meanes pick open in a more gentle way or break open by great afflictions and and terrours the Soul and Spirit of man I said that Paul preached the word by the River side but the Lord opened the heart of Lydia and while I was saying that It was not Paul nor Pauls Preaching nor the word that he preached at this word VV. Edmondson clamour'd out He speakes Blasphemy But it pleased God to move the heart of our Deputy-Governour Capt. Cranston justly and seasonably to witness against this Interruption saying Let him have liberty to make out his mind So I proceeded and said it may be VV. Edmnndson is offended as thinking I spoke against the word Christ but Christ Iesus knowes that I had no such thought but of the words which Paul spake And I added that it was not Lydia nor all her Light within her nor Paul nor 38 his Preaching nor the word nor words that he uttered but the Finger of Gods Spirit according to Election that set the word or words of Paul home opening her heart and not every heart shewing what free grace is against the Popish and Arminian and Foxians exalting of Cursed Nature and then it was that she being by the Lord turned she turned to attend apply to her soul the words which were spoken by Paul as a poor Rams-horn made use of in the hand of God Toward the end of the day VV. Edmondson fell into a long Invective how I had falsly slandered the People of God not only in this place but the whole Body of the People of the Lord called Quakers in all parts For said he we are a great people many thousands in England many thousands in London besides in Virginia and Barbadoes and other places and N-England And he and they said hast thou any more to say to make out thy Lyes against them I Answered as at other times that the Papists the common Protestants the Iews and the Mahumitans and Pagans c. fited the world with their Numbers and yet we jointly opposed them in Religious matters notwithstanding their innumerable numbers And as for more proof that they were not True Quakers and so truly Feariug and Trembling before God I told them I would produce an Argument that they were so far from being Christians that they were a to be exploded and abhorred of all Mankind as being fallen beneath the common temper and nature of the Humanity of men and women yea of the Savage and Barbarous in the world viz. their stripping stark naked their Men and Women and Maidens and passing along in publick places and Streets unto the Assemblyes of Men and Youths and so were beheld and gazed upon by them and this under a pretence of being stirred up by God as a Service or Worship unto God as an act of Christian Religion proceeding from the immediate moving of the most holy Spirit of God most glorious in purity and purity and holiness it self At first W. Edmundson seemed to make strange of the matter as if it could not be proved that any of their women should so appear in the Assemblyes of People I told them the matter of fact was so notorious that it would be loss of time and Impudence to question it being so fouly and openly practised both in Old and New England 39 Also I added further that G. Bishop of Bristow one of themselves in the second part of the Persecutions of New-England relates in print the names of two women in N-England that did so practice and he complains of N-England Persecution because those women suffered Whipping for those actions by the Courts and Officers of N-England Iohn Burnet said that the People called Quakers were a People known to abhor all Impurity and Uncleanness and the
him of his Mother a Virgin of the place of his birth Bethlehem of his bringing up at Nazareth of his Scourging and other sufferings drinking Vinegar and Gall the piercing of his hands and feet the numbring of him with Malefactors the parting of his Garments and casting Lots his burying rising and Asscending c. and I said all those Prophesies and many more were exastly literally and punctually fulfilled in and upon that Individual Person so that I affirm there is such an exact material and literal Harmony between the Prophesies and the historical Narration of his Birth Life Death Resurrection c. that he must needs be an Unbeliever Iew or Gentile that doth not acknowledge the admirable Consent and Musick of 45 them in a literal and historical Declaration On the other hand I affirmed their Christ was but half a Christ a Light an Image or Picture or Fancy of a Christ made up of the Godhead and their flesh I said they had set up a Christ within them which was but an Imagination an Image a Christ in the mystical Notion but in reality Nothing For as the Papists make use of the name Christ and the Pope saith he is Christs Vicar and Lieftenant and he doth all for Christ and the Iesuites soaring above all Christians pretend the name Iesus and yet the Protestant Witnesses have made it to appear that in many respects the Papists are infinitely against both Christ and Iesus and so are not Christians but Antichristians so I told them did they they blew a Trumpet for Christ Iesus God in Man the everlasting Father that we are bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh that he was so born at Bethlehem and dyed at Ierusalem c And yet all these fair Flourishes and Colours are but as an English Flag in a Spanish or Dutch or any other Enemies Bottome For do not all their Books declare that Christ is Spiritual that Christ God and Man is within us that his Birth his Life his Death his Burial his Resurrection his Ascension are wrought within us so that like the Oracles of Apollo and the Ecchoes of the Iesuites the Quakers say Christ was born at Bethlehem and dyed at Ierusalem but intend in truth and reallity no other birth nor life nor death c. but what may be extant and wrought in the heart of man To this purpose I told them that Humphrey Norton one that blew the Trumpet and beat up the Drums in the Name of Christ Iesus as loud as any of them expresly writes openly in his Book printed at London after his return from hence to wit Is not Christ God and is not God a Spirit you look for a Christ without you from what coast or Countrey shall he come what Country-man is he You stand gazing up in the clouds after a man but we stand by in white chiding of you So that if you fix now really and truly upon a Man the Manhood and Humanity of Christ and that he did consist and still doth of body and soul as we doe then you are gone from and Christopher Houlder in his late Answer to Nathaniell Morton are gone from your former Religion Tenents and Principles or else you are miserably bewilder'd in your Souls and Consciences and some of you most fearfully equivocate and others must be fearfully up to the ears in Boggs Swamps not knowing what to hold between this Christ without and the 46 Christ within which you so much charge upon all except they be Reprobates I told them I acknowledged Christ within as much as any of them infinitely more for I did confess that every believing soul did bring home and apply the power and virtue of Christs Birth and Life and Death c. according to that clear Scripture Eph. 3. 10. That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith I said there was a nearer union between Christ Jesus and a Soul believing on him then between a Man and his Wife and between the Soul and the Body That Union is Earthly and dissolving but that between Christ Iesus and the Believer it is eternal in Gods Decrees and Councells it is temporary in Gods calling of his chosen out of the World to Repentance belief in the Mediator Christ Jesus and it perpetuated and continues to Eternity I told them that as the holy Scripture saith they preached not Christ Iesus but Themselves yea they preached the Lord Iesus to be Themselves that whatever were their Pretencse as the Papists of God Christ Holiness Mortification yet they held not the Head as the Scripture speaks and if their head be but a painted and an Imaginary Head they are but a painted and Imaginary Body Their Sun of Righteousness they talk of is but a Sun painted upon a Sign or Wall which is not the true Sun but the picture of the Sun of Righteousness I told them they set up this Christ within opposite to Christ without as Opposites Contraryes Denying Destroying one an other for as it is with a King and his Palace if his person be without his person at that time is not within though he be within by his Right Authority and Influence if his Person be within the Palace at that time it is not without But the most clear Truth is though these subtle Foxians sometimes speak of a Christ without that dyed at Ierusalem agreeing with the Christ within yet they presently declare their meaning to be Mystical For ask them but these two Questions and if they make any Answer you will see the Cheat the Equivocotion and the Mistery of Iniquity in it 1. Do they not hold the Light within every man to be All to doe All and to suffer All within which the Christ without Is or Did or suffered without 2. Ask them now what is become of this Man this person that thus suffered at Ierusalem and they are forced to confess he 47 is within and can give no other account of him as they answered to me at Newport the last day of the Conference But to return I told them what I said I would prove out of their Writings and especially out of G. Fox attested by Ed Burrowes his large Epistle and as it was thought by Iohn Stubs present Iohn Burnet declared not nor any of them against what I spake but said as said the rest if G. Fox have spoken or written any thing that is not right and truth we profess not to follow him and they were willing I should produce out of G. Fox his Book what I could that might make for my proof viz. That they did not profess the true Christ. I said G Fox had pickt out some particular Lines Sayings Sentences out of the Books and Writings of his Opposites it is not to be questioned but to his utmost Advantage as knowing best how to Answer what he chose and cull'd out and since they were free and
no other Presence or Absence of a Christ but invisible and Spiritual and subtilly affirms that Christ Iesus hath no bodily Presence at all in the sence which all Christians of what sort or Sect soever but these Iuglers and themselves also in word and horrible hypocrisie do acknowledg and profess In Page 10 He brings in the same Author saying Christ was not in his Disciples when he said I am the Light of the world G Fox answers And so corrected by Christ I in you and you in me Pag. 12. He brings in the same Author saying The Body of Christ is out of the sight of all his Saints G. Fox Answers they sat with Christ in Heavenly places the Saints are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone were the Church which he is head of his Body In which I Answer and all his Book over though he own a Christ without and that died at Ierusalem in word yet he allows in effect no other Body to Christ Iesus but what is Mistical and Spiritual so that with notorious Iugling and Iesuitical Impudence they would make their simple Followers believe that they own such a Christ as shed his Blood at Ierusalem and yet leave him in his Body no more Blood to shed then is in a Spirit which hath no Bones Flesh nor Blood to shed at all Pag. 17. He brings in Enoch Howet Affirming That it is Blasphemy to say that Christ is in Man as God Man G. Fox Answers still like the Cuckow in one silly Note How are they of his Flesh and of his Bones And doth not the Scripture say Christ in you and God will dwell in you and walk in you and are not his Saints of his Flesh and of his Bones and there is one sentence added are they not partakers of the Divine Nature I Reply this Participation of the Divine Nature is saith Peter in the Saints by those precious Promises that is by receiving Christ Jesus by believing in him according to that Ephes. 3. 10. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by Believing not that the Divine Being or Essence and Nature or Godhead is communicable to a finite Creature from hence these proud Simpletons fancie and some have been such bold Bayards as to say they are Christ and God as much as he that died at Ierusalem Christed with Christ and Godded with God 51 It is remarkable that Nicholas the Deacon was the Father as I believed of the old Nicholaitans and Henery Nichols in King Iames his time the Father of the new Nicholaitans in London and other places crying up their perfection their Spirituality and Godhead all leading from the purity of Gods Worship and Authority of the Holy Scripture and at last to carnal Filthiness as the Daughters of these the Ranters declare evidently This Humane Nature humane Soul and Body of Christ Jesus is so cross opposite and contrary to their new whimsical Christ Jesus the Light within them that G. Fox in all this Book cannot endure to hear of the word Humane as being a new Name and never heard of in the Scriptures As to the word Humane such an odious Word and Bugbear to G. Fox in all this Book I said in publick many Words truely and properly English were well and commendably used that were not in the Scripture in English it is true the word Humane comes from the word in Latin Humanus signifying partaining or belonging to Man so a Humane Soul or Body is no more but such a Soul or Body as all Mankinde have Hence I told them that the word Anthropinos peirasmos 1. Cor. 10. I presumed Iohn Stubs knew might have been turned Humane but is truely turned no Temptation or Trial but such as is common to Men. This Fox knows that if Christ Jesus be granted to have had such a Soul and Body as is Humane or Common to Men down falls their Dagon before the Chest or Ark of God viz. their Horrible Monstrous Idol of a Christ called Light within them We went on thus in alleadging Quotations though not in a close Examination of them which they endured not though ever and anon I made some sallies out upon them and had some Skirmishings and sometimes sharp Disputes before I would retreat from the Quotation In Pag. 282. He brings in Daniel Gaudry saying We shall not see Christ as he is until he comes to Iudgement and then and not before we shall see him G. Fox Answers You where you are see him not nor know him as he is we do believe you but the Saints the true Church whom he is the Head of in whom he is in the midst and in whom he is c. I was not desirous to trouble the Audience with more Quotations but they still urged haste thou any more hast thou any more c. upon their provocation I Quoted many more to 52 make up an overwhelming Cloud of Witnesses against these Protestant Iesuites and Iudasites Betrayers of the Son of God the true Lord Jesus Christ. In Foxes Answer to his Opposite Daniel Caudry it is clear that he affirms the contrary to his Opposite to wit that Christ Jesus is as much now seen visibly as ever he shall be seen in which I believe he speaks the heart of all the Antichristian Wolves and Foxes who quake and tremble at the thought of Christs return again to judgment and therefore these deluded and deluding Souls in their dark Prisons of willing Blindness and the hellish Chaines of the pride and hardness and security of their hearts they dream they sit in Robes of Glory themselves now keep open the high Court of eternal Iudgment and pass Sentence upon this Christ without as a poor Outside Christ and all that worship him 2. I observe in Fox his answer that he can not keep out of his Burrow of confounding a visible eye and a Spiritual a visible and invisible seing you see him not saith he where you are that is you that look upon such a real person indeed such an one born living and dying as the History sets forth you cannot see him as he is but we that look at Christ Iesus and the history of him as Mystical immediate invisible though we use to please you children and fools with the words of Christ dying at Ierusalem we see him he is in the midest of us and he is the invisible Head of the Church in God while you talk of Visibles and seing him as Visible c. In Page 276. he brings in Richard Meyo saying that he did believe in a Christ that dyed at Ierusalem and that he doth not believe in a Christ within and preach Christ within is a Reprobate Colloss 2. 2. Cor. 13. And he is not in a true Belief of Christ without that doth not believe in a Christ within but is in the Devils Belief and believes as the Devils do In this his answer an
their obstinately continued Advantage of three constantly engaged against me beside their accidental speakers who had liberty when others were forbidden I say notable and Chief men in their way and Sect and having just then read a Letter as I sate there directed to my self and all of us to be read in the Assembly I begun with presenting the Letter to them and told them that just now it was delivered to me c. I knew not certainly from whome it came nor of one Tittle of the Contents of it only I judged it to be my Brother Robert Williams School-Master of Newport his hand I read the Superscription and offered if they pleased to unseal and read it or I would deliver it into their hand so to doe W. Edmundson answered that they came not thither to hear Papers but to hear how I would make out my false Charges against them and this he speaking none would whist against it and this he did speak because my Brother beyond my expectation and thoughts spake some words the first morning against their Insulting and domineering over me as also delivered a paper to them which was with much adoe handed and delivered to them but never read containing these two great Points in every true penitent Converts eye viz. the sight of Sin as Sin And 2. The sight of the material Lord Iesus as the true Messiah or anointed these were the two Daggers which they knew stab'd at the heart of their feigned Christ and Light within them I knew my Brother patiently waited there the two first dayes and was with others silenced and now I guessed he had sent them his mind and would trouble them no more I told them 70 the whole Assembly had Interest in the Letter as directed to us to read to the rest W. Edmundson and the rest desired the Auditors to speak if they desired to have it read some of the Quakers said it might be read when the business was over so I to make no breach put it up and in the end of the day offered it again claiming their Promise but they regarded it not so that after the Conference ended we of Providence being called away by a Boat preparing to depart I stept to my Brothers house and acquainted him with Passages who said that not only the Superscription was his hand but the Letter also and I might open and read it and if it might be present it to the intended Assembly at Providence of which we shall hear when it pleaseth the mercifull hand of the Lord to bring us to those Transactions In short it was refused there also therefore I have judged it fit since it was so solemnly flung out both at Providence and Newport that it should have as solemn a Publication to the whole world and the rather because it is a witness of Truth as to the two first dayes transactions impartially reproving my Opposites and me also where he conceived we were failing It is true I am not of my Brothers Conscience as to the Discipline of Christ viz. that I ought to have admonished the Quakers in private before I had so publickly c. since they proclaimed their sin like Sodom on the house top and it is preposterous to run from House-top-sins to closet Concealments and Admonitions 2. Nor can I own the Quakers in their wayes and worships to be Servants of the Lord as my Brother calls them any more then the greedy Wolves devouring the souls of the Ephesians Act. 20. were the meek and innocent Lambs and sheep of Christ. 3. Nor doe I think I charged them too deep or too sharply as my Brother speaks I knew the Foxes and Wolves the able Leaders amongst them do not run away with Pigs and Worldly Swine only but that some Lambs and Chickens of Christ Iesus are carried away in their Soul bloody jaws also whom I beseech to remember themselves and I humbly beseech the God and Father of mercies to pull them out and help all that love his Name to help pull them out as Brands from the Eternal Burnings As for the Wolves and Foxes the Blind Leaders the Chapmen that by feigned words make Merchandize of Souls 2 Pet. 2. their 71 mouths must be stopped and the Prey rescued from their Jawes and because we ought to save what is saveable and to recover poor sinners Leaders and Followers from their corrupt and rotten Profession we ought to use Sharpness Tit. 1. Reprove them sharply Apotómoce cuttingly that they may be found or recover in the Faith of Iesus These three words I thought fit to say as to my self let the Quakers answer for themselves who I fear will answer to my Brother as they did to me Lyes slanders false Accusations c. However the Reader is here presented with the Copy of it The Superscription To his Loving Friends Roger Williams and the Quakers now assembled at Newport deliver Humbly desiring the reading of it to publick Audience for the Truths sake of Christ Jesus LOving Friends though the Lord in his Wisdome hath denied me from Nature the gift of utterance yet in his infinite mercy he hath vouchsafed to me his free gift as to writing whereby the private motions arising between God and my own Soul without knowledge unto any may be declared being moved hereunto out of a sensible sadness which is upon my Spirit in beholding the Cloudings and Vailings of the most precious Truths of my Lord and Master Jesus Christ But Loving Friends herein mistake me not at first This is no charge nor discharge but an appearance unto my Soul even unto the moving of my Bowels within me For my Beloved at his putting in his hand at the hole of the door when all my Lovers Priests and Elders gave up the Ghost in the City for gladness is taken away and joy out of the pleasant field and in the Vineyard there is no true singing and the Treaders tread out no pure Wine for the Lord hath made the Vintage shouting to cease But to avoid Prolixity I write not to charge nor admonish neither for contending Argumentation it being against my understanding and as the taking of a Dog by the ear But â—incerely unto edification in signifying the appearances unto my Soul in what I have gotten from these your so earnest and tedious Debates 72 Therefore I am humkly bold to speak unto all the contending Disputants in the plainness of my heart And First unto the Complaining Disputant it appears unto my Soul that you have not dealt as a faithful Servant of the Lord Iesus with your fellow Servants for you should have admonished them both first and second time in private and if they would not have heard you then to have told it to the Church the great Congregation of God 2. It doth appear unto my Soul that you have assumed and presumed too much being so large and high proposals which do appear unto me not as charges
company and not before yea and what is that waiting in silence used in private and in the publick Assemblies of the Quakers but a confessed means in which they wait for the Spirit of God as poor Souls they think descending on them I was then forced to omit the Allegations out of G. Fox his book then by me and ready but I will now recite a few of them In page 6. of this Book in Folio G. Fox brings in Samuel Eaton saying The Prophets and Apostles drew people to an outward Word He Answers Now is that which lives and endures forever outward and did not they bring them to Christ the power of God which is the end of words which is immediate Again in the same Page Samuel Eaton Is not the Gospel an External way He Answers No the Gospel is a Living way which is revealed within and is the power of God to Salvation In the same Page Samuel Eaton Are not they seduced who are drawn off from the External means by which the Spirit is given and Faith wrought to wait for the receiving of the Spirit without any Word to convey it to them which Spirit when they have it is not the Spirit of Truth but of delusion For Answer The Spirit and Faith is not conveyed to any Man without the Word and they are seduced which rests in the External from the Eternal and the Spirit is not given by Eternal means neither is Faith wrought I Reply and observe how the wisdome of Men is enmity against God and how witty this Fox is to catch himself and others in the Traps of eternal Howling how doth he here confound the audible words or preachings of Gods mercy in Christ Jesus with the inaudible invisible mystical and metaphorical word Christ Jesus himself 2. Who sees not his gross and impudent denying of the Spirit and Faith to be conveyed by means from God unto us In Page 15. G. F. brings in Henoch Howet saying There is nothing in Man to be ministred to but man He Answers How then ministred the Apostle to the Spirit and Christ spake to the Spirits in Prison and Tim. was to stir up the Gift that was in him and the Spirit of the Father speaks within them and the Light shines in the Heart and the Son of God is revealed in me saith the Apostle that which may be known of God is manifest in man for God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1. and the Apostle was 79 manifest to every ones Conscience in the sight of God and that was of God which the Children disobeyed I Reply 1. As in his late Book exalting his Heathen Light above the Holy Scriptures he simply and prophanely joyns the Philistian Priests and Egyptian Conjurers with Holy Iob and his Friends c. so here he confounds and jumbles together the natural powers and faculties and Humane Light in all Mankinde with the Grace and Spirit of God both ordinary and extraordinary as may be seen at the first view 2. His Scope is abominably and horribly to make the holy Spirit of God capable of being preached unto to be converted and turned unto God yea to refuse and be damned for it is not Man he saith that is preached unto 3. How Sottish and Blind doth this Deceiver proclaim himself in the Christian Doctrines of Preaching Conversion Faith and the Grace and Spirit of God confounding Gold and Drosse Pearls and Pebbles Harps and Harrows as all one altogether In Page 136 137. He brings in Thomas Moor saying Nor are we to wait for a further Revelation to be given forth then the Scripture for the Word of God came not first immediately to the Gentiles but to the Apostles He Answers The Apostles that Preached the Word of God it was immediate to whomsoever they preached it for they had read it immediately for the Word it self is immediate with more that follows to the same senceless and absurd purpose Reply As if all that receive G. Fox his Book simply pretended to be from the Spirit of God receive it without G. Fox his Brain and Hand and Pen or Paper Printing and Letters or because a King delivers his minde to his Secretary and commands him to Pen it in a Proclamation Declaration c. therefore the Kings Word or Will comes to every man immediately without any such means as the Secretaries composing his Clarks Transcribing the use of Printing Letters Paper c. to talke after this sort what is it but to talk Frantick and Bedlam and without the guidance of a common rational Spirit In Page 5. he brings in Samuel Eaton saying Though all the Saints have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them which is Eternal and Infallible yet that this Spirit should do all which Saints do and should say all that Saints say and should judge for them both persons 80 and things after an infallible manner and that they should neither say nor do any thing by any understanding of their own but the Spirit all this we deny He Answers Which is contrary to the Apostle who saith as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and Christ acts all in them and for them and the fruits of the Spirit c. and the Spiritual man judgeth all things And that is it which leads the Saints to divide and discerne all things both temporal and spiritual the spiritual Wisdome of God which gives them a spiritual understanding which men must rule withal but not with their own which comes to nought and you that have not that which is infallible to judge in you know not the Spirit of Christ neither can you judge of persons or things that have not the infallible judgement nor have the Spiritual man neither have you the Word of God in your hearts nor Christ which is eternal and infallible all which the Quakers have to judge persons and things I Reply Mahomet the Grand Segnior or Elder and Prophet transcending Moses and Christ as he and his followers Mahumetans say he pretended that he had the mind of God by immediate Revelation and that by Revelation of the Holy Spirit in the shape of a Dove he wrote the Minde the Word or Scriptures of God the Alcoran But poor silly Souls were Mahomet and all his Disciples compared with the Seraphical Doctors the Foxians who neither say nor do any thing with any understanding of their own but the immediate and infallible Spirit of God says and does all in them who are fit to be Kings and Princes Governours and Judges Masters of Ships and Families c. indeed of any place of power or trust but these walking Gods and Christs and Spirits even the meanest of the Quakers May not the meanest Youth or Wench if but a pretended Quaker according to this rule or rate of being immediately inspired in all they do or say transcend all other Teachers Translators Interpreters Kings and Counsellors Navigators
Historians Geographers Rulers and Iudges c. It is true that Thomas Munster and Becold and Knipperdoling and Fifer pretending immediate Revelations and so have other Leaders of these Nicolaitans in France and England c. but none were so large and open hearted as to communicate so freely and bountifully to all their followers the immediate Inspirations of their pretended holy spirit as these 81 foolish and filthy Dreamers do for so saith Fox All the Quakers say or do is by the infallible and eternal Spirit but how horribly their Spirits Principles Divisions Miscarriages in many sinful practises and Apostacies amongst themselves give the lye and contradict this their infallibility is notoriously proclaimed on the house top and I may say something more to this Head afterward At present I return to my Antagonists who while I was Arguing against their immediate Spirit could not hold until my quarter of an hour and this Head about their Spirit was finished but brake silence and they said especially Iohn Stubs doth not the Scripture say if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his And as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the Sons of God and ye have an unction and need not that any man teach you and you know all things I then answered that there was a leading of a Beast by an Halter or Bridle and there was a leading of a Man with a Reason when his understanding and judgement is satisfied and if so I presumed they intended that the leading of the Spirit did not lead them as Beasts but as Rational satisfying their Reasons and Judgements and if so Reason grants that there are false Spirits lying Prophets Seducers and Deceivers c. Reason therefore further saith that every Soul must be satisfied whether this Leading or Anointing or Teaching of the Spirit be by means of Praying Preaching Reading Meditating Conferring c. or immediate without the use of these if motions without the use of these be pretended Reasons tells us that a Rational Soul must be able to try whether the Spirit pretending to be true or lying Spirit and that it must have some Rule or Touch-stone to make their Tryal by that the Rule must be my own Reason or some Testimony of unquestionable Witnesses satisfying my Reason or some heavenly inspired Scripture or Writing which my Reason tells me came from God Reason also tells each rational creature that it is very suspicious to be a false lying and develish motion which slights the Holy Scripture and other holy means wherein the Holy Spirit Presence and Power of God hath appeared to Gods People formerly Reason tells me that if I finde my self weak as who doth not to fight against the Devil the roaring Lion and old Serpent and I am bound to seek out for help and what help more powerful 82 and proper then that of the eternal and all powerful Father of Spirits and that it is best to take Iames his Counsel if any Man wants wisdome let him ask of God who gives to all Men liberally and upbraideth not if so then Reason tells us that except we suffer our selves to be led as Beasts by Sathan as the poor Quakers are we must come to the use of Means or a mediate leading and teaching and then what is become of these hellish fancies of only immediate Teachings and Inspirations I told them that beside this Counsel and Command of God in Iames the Lord Jesus tells us by an admirable similie that the holy Spirit of God is given in the use of means Luk. 11. If you who are evil give good gifts unto your Children how much more shall your heavenly Father give the holy Spirit to them that ask him and that is Isa. 11. the Spirit of Wisdome the Spirit of Knowledge the fear of the Lord and all Graces of the holy Spirit It is clear that the Pen-men and holy Scribes of Gods will unto us in whom God did speak and by whom he wrote immediately and infallibly those blessed chosen pens of his were not infallibly guided by an immediate Spirit in all that they said and did about this Scripture as these poor Dreamers say of themselves and therefore must necessarily dash against the Holy Scriptures and all holy means formerly used by the first Christians yea and all rational means to pieces for all that they say or do is the immediate Spirit and Christ and God himself as Fox here affirmeth I answered further that if that Scripture alleadged by Iohn Stubs To know all things be to be expounded litterally and as G. Fox in this Book viz. that the Saints know all things as God then why are not the Quakers Omnipotent and Almighty as well as Omniscient yea as it is said of the Pope if he can deliver all Souls out of Purgatory if he please without Money surely he is very inhumane impious and cruel that he doth not so I said what impiety is it what cruelty and inhumanity is it in the Quakers said I so insallibly knowing all things as God not to reveal unto Men and especially in their publick Assemblies so many deep points of the Godhead of Creation of the Holy Three in Heaven and Earth which they confess and all the deep Mysteries and Prophecies in the Holy Scripture especially in Iohn and Daniel their Revelations c. the Most Holy Omniscient and Eternal Iehovah knows that the Pope and his Purgatory the Quakers and 83 their Omnisciency are but Childrens and Frantick Persons Dreams and Phantasies and that the Saints knowing all things is the same with their doing all things through Christ which strengtheneth them that is not all things litterally for that were ridiculous and blasphemous to affirm it but all things figuratively and Comparatively which his holy Wisdome thinks fit to require them to know and do in order to his Glory and their Salvation But Iohn Stubs insisted how they knew the Mystical number of 1260 dayes the 42 Months the Time and Times and half a Time and that the Woman was come and coming out of the Wilderness in them and that now they were Preaching the Everlasting Gospel to them that dwell upon the Earth I Replied it is notorious how many excellent men have been bewildred and missed in the opening of these Mysteries I said that if their infallible and their all-knowing Light could open all things and was now the Everlasting Gospel or Glad News the Word Eternal c. and that it was not only in the Quakers and their Saints but in all Mankind I desired to know what they meant by this Word within whether they meant in the understanding the eye of the Soul or in the Will or in the Memory or in the Affections or in all of these joyntly for Light is only seen with the Eye not with the Tongue nor Ear nor Hand it is true in the 2 Cor. 4. it is said
and Congregations contrary to so many Reasons from Nature and Grace so positively expressed by the Holy Spirit in Scripture What Spirits are their Dumb Spirits in their Dumbe Meetings but those foul dumbe Spirits mentioned in that Gospel which the Lord Jesus will cast out and tumble down to Hell whence they came in his holy season What is their monstrous way of Singing and Toning and Humming many at once as they often do and notoriously did at Portsmouth on Rhode Island this last year when no man is edified nor understands what they say and it may be not themselves and this under colour of singing in the Spirit what is it I say but rendring their Tongues which should be their Glory and the Glory of God their scorn and shame and the holy Name of Gods holy Spirit contemptible also 4. I did also mention a fourth Reason against their Spirit and had prosecuted it but I knew that by reason of my Adversaries interposure I had exceeded my quarter of an hour It was taken from the Holy Spirit of God subjecting it self to be tried commanding all men to search the Records commending the Bereans for examining Pauls Preaching and Spirit by the Holy Scriptures and this is the true meaning of the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets not that a true Prophet or Messenger of God can subject the truth of God which he believes so to be and will rather suffer many deaths then relinquish to be sentenced by all the Prophets in the Church to be false and he acquiess or rest in 87 or subject his Spirit and Conscience to that Sentence but that the true Prophets of God are willing to have their Teachings questioned examined and made clear by the holy Records to the Souls and Consciences of all men Hence it pleaseth God to give Rules for the trial and discerning between the true Spirit and the false 1 Iob. 3. 4. chapters On the contrary I would have shewed which indeed all men know that the thief endured not searching the galld Horse endures not rubbing the guilty Debtor endures not Reckoning the false and jugling Spirits escape in a Mist and by the help of dark Lanthorns and under the covert of the night who may not see this in G. Fox all along his Book running into the Thickets and Burroughs of Words of divers significations Scriptures notoriously wrested general and sometimes uncouth and barbarous Language which hath been the trade of the false and lying Murtherous Spirit in all ages and will be until that short time be finished wherein the Lord will tread him under the Saints feet and cast him into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone How oft have I been visited by the Quakers crying Repent Repent hearken to the Light within thee c. And I never could perswade them to sit down and examine their sayings by the Holy Scriptures but when their Cuckoes note and song was over and their Fools Bolt shot then fell they to Cursing and pouring out the Thunder-bolts of Gods Iudgement and so be gone no less then Reve and Muggleton pretending to be Gods two last Prophets and Witnesses about twenty years since in London whose Cursings were notorious But to return while I was beginning to urge the tryal of the Spirits W. Edmundson said the Spirit of God was above the Scriptures and not to be tryed by them for it gave out the Scriptures c. And I said and say it is easie to boast of the Spirit but the true Spirit in a Sense and the holy Scriptures are one as the Father and Son are one and therefore can not but be willing to be examined by the holy Records as every man or author will stand to his own scripture work or writing for the Writers were but Pens of Heaven writing and used by the hand of the holy Spirit And I remember that I said to W. Edmundson Friend You yesterday in your long Sermon alleadged that holy Scripture viz Men will not come to the light least they should be reproved 88 because their deeds are evil This is the true cause of your quarrel against the Scriptures and of exalting the Spirit above them that is upon a true ballance your own Spirit yea the Spirit of Sathan to be God and Christ and Spirit and all After some few interchanges and altercations we descended to the fourth Position which they read out of the Paper as they did all the rest which was this viz. That the People called Quakers did not own the Holy Scriptures In one Copy it was written Really own viz. They did not really own the Holy Scriptures I said there was a twofold owning the Holy Scriptures or the Writings of God as there is a twofold owning the Scriptures or Writings of men the Proclamations and Declarations of Kings and Princes The one is verbal and literal viz. that such a writing or Declaration or Treatise is extant and that it proceeds from the Kings Authority and Command The second is real and actual when the Authority of it is in all humble obedience submitted to and obeyed when the Justice and Equity and the excellency and goodness as well as the royal Authority is embraced and magnified I said the Iews owned verbally and wonderfully that Writings of the Old Testament and the Papists owned both old and new but it is known that in many particulars they do in effect deny and damn them 1. They both set up their rotten Traditions their unwritten Verityes as they speak of equal authority with if not in cases above the holy Scripture 2. They set up the Papists by the authority of the Council of Trent a most defective Translation notoriously false in many places all over above the first Copyes of the Hebrew and Greek whence all Translations as Counterpanes and secondary Copyes or Duplicates ought to flow 3. The Papists set up the Pope as the only infallible Judg Interpreter in all Questions about the Scriptures and the Jews make their Rabbies as so many Popes also 4. Their Interpretations are so forraign and strange and many of them so absurd monstrous from the genuine proper Sence of the Scriptures and adulterated with Wresting and allegorizings c. that is truly said of them that they bring not their Doctrines Disciplines and Conversations to the Scriptures but force the 89 holy Scriptures of God to attend and wait upon their Abomination as a Negro Slave and Lacquey I said the Jews and Papists did not more disowne the holy Scriptures upon the account of their Popes and Traditions and Interpretations than the Quakers did upon the account of their Light and Spirit and Interpretations also Who knows not that in the beginning of their Profession they generally fell from the reading of them by themselves or in their Families or in their Publick Assemblyes only crying up the Light within the Spirit within
the Scriptures within their Teacher within They stil say The Scripture was not the Word of God the Scripture is but a dead Letter they have no need of Paper-Teachers having the spirit that gave it forth Yea as the Papists say if the Scriptures were lost and burnt out of the world the spirit within them could give new Scriptures T is true the Quakers in this Dispute professed to be tryed by the Scriptures which the first Quakers among us wholly denied but only by the Spirit within them But what avails this Confession Is it not but a subtle trick of Equivocation when stil they profess to owne G. Fox all along and he professeth the Soules of all men to be a part of God and the divine Essence and that their is no distinction between God Christ and Spirit and themselves what should hinder but that the Scripture is but a dead Letter and compared with their spirit a weak and needless Paper unto them that hath such a light and Spirit within to guide them I told them before and now that there was an Irish Papist in the late warrs that spoke the very heart and soul of Iews Papists and Common Protestants and the Quakers themselves as to the holy Scriptures In plundering and rifling a Protestants house he found a Bible and flung it in the Kennel and kickt and trod upon it saying The plague of God take this Book it is the cause of all these Quarrels My Opposite said they owned the Scriptures in their place as a Declaration of the Saints Conditions Iohn Burnet took a Bible and read publickly that Passage in Luke 1. where Luke calls his Writing a Declaration I urged that this will of God for this Declaration of what Christ said and did and of all the rest of the Scripture was a Declaration and Revelation of Gods Will to his People and to the whole World this written and revealed 90 will of God I said was the Judge and Decider of all Questions the tryer of all Spirits all Religions all Churches all Doctrines all Opinions all Actions They answered they did owne the Scriptures and would be tryed by the Scriptures which is a new trick meaning according to their own not to be questioned Interpretations I urged that they set up their Spirit above the Scriptures fathering all their Revilings Cursings and Abominations upon the holy Spirit I asked whether they owned the Scripture as the square Rule or Guide according to whose sentence all the Knowledge of God and of our selves the Knowledge of Gods Worship and Service and our own Blessedness and Salvation was to be determined yea and the Spirit within them to be tryed determined approved and condemned also They still fled to this Burrough the Spirit that gave forth Scripture is greater then the Scripture the spirit is in us that Spirit only opens the Scripture the Spirit is immediate and infallible and they only who have this Spirit know the Scriptures I answered that I maintained the inward breathing of the holy Spirit more than themselves for I quoted before Luke 11. viz. that we ought in all our Preachings Hearings Readings Prayings c. to beg the help of the Spirit called the Finger and Power of God and yet I also maintained that this Record this Word Will or Mind of God written and pen'd by chosen Pen-men as Pens in the hand of his holy Spirit and so miraculously preserved from the Rage of the Devils fiery Instruments Babilonian Assyrian Romane and Popish Tyrants and that much among the Jewes and Papists and much by their meanes also though they hate it I say this Record is the outward and external Light Lanthorn Iudge Guide Rule by which God witnesseth himself and his Truth in the World comforteth and feedeth his saints in their Dispersions discovers and reforms the defects and wanderings of his People as in Iosiah his finding this Record and Ezekiel Iohn eating the Book out of which the holy Spirit inspired them to prophesie to Kings and Peoples c. T is true who doubts it but that God and the Spirit were before the Scriptures and so he was before the Creation before Christ Jesus was born and his Redemption actually accomplished are the works of God therefore and the several Dispensations and Institutions and Instruments of God in their several times and 91 places of any whit less power or esteem because the most holy God and his most holy Spirit were before them Iohn the Baptist saith that Christ Jesus was preferred before him for he was before him and he was not worthy to unloose the Shoe-latchet of Jesus the Lamb of God and yet for the fulfilling of all Righteousness the Lord Iesus must come to Iohn to be baptized of him and the holy Spirit of Light will declare himself to be true by the holy Scriptures and discover all other Spirits to be spurious false and Bastards and notwithstanding their cracking and prating of Light if they slight this outward standing Record and Witness of God in the World it is because there is no light in them One of these two must be done either we must subscribe to the Papists and by their pretended Spirit and Church find out and authorize the Scriptures just as the Foxians say or else we must with Luther and his Associates Calvin and his followers maintain Learning study the Scriptures search the Originals Copyes and Translations and vindicate their Purity and Perfection their Authority and sole external Direction how to judge of all pretending Christs and Prophets and Doctrines Churches and Spirits While we were thus discoursing W. Edmundson propounded this Similitude if I should write a letter to a friend and subscribe my name W. Edmundson doth it follow therefore that the Letter is W. Edmundsons I answer that the Quakers do affirm that the Scripture is within them what is the english of that but that the Light which they and every man in the World hath within them the Christ the Spirit which every one hath is Scripture and in a sence I said it was a Truth that W. E. his letter to his friend was W. Edm. not only a Declaration of his word mind or will to his Friend but in a respect his mind and will it self that he sent in Writing to his Friend and so the Scripture in a Sence is Gods mind and Will to us Upon this occasion I told them that the Scriptures were the Love Letters of Christ Iesus to his Church as the Love-Letters of some mighty Monarch to his Betrothed Queen or Empress they are dear not as common Paper and Ink but as the Good-Will the dearest Love and heart of the King and Emperour himself and thus are holy Scriptures highly prized and embraced and laid up in the heart and bosome of the true Children of God 92 believed listned to and followed as the voice of Christ Iesus to his true sheep and Spouse the Bastard Children and
for the spirit lead them to speak forth Scripture I Reply If among the seven things that God hates he is an Abomination that soweth Discord what is he that would Oppose and set at Odds the most holy spirit against the holy scriptures Inspired by him and in Effect declares that Gods Children are not to attend to the voice of God in these his holy Inspired writings but to a secret Voice or whispering within them Contrary to the scriptures Voice both before and since Christs coming as I have and shall further manifest 2. As to the spirits leading into all Truth and the sons of God are led by the spirit of God Is not Fox here in his Burrough not distinguishing between the Extraordinary leading of the holy Apostles Appointed to be the Eye Witnysses of Christs Death 104 and Resurrection c. and the first Messengers or Apostles to the Nations in which Respect the one Author of those three Gifts Administrations Operations 1 Cor. 12. peremptorily asks the Question Are all Apostles are all Prophets have all the Gifts of Miracles and yet all Gods Children are Regenerated are sanctifiâ—d are guided and built up an habitation of God through the Spirit and yet also the gracious presence and working of the holy Spirit may be hindred and quenched by neglecting of the holy Fuel of the holy Scriptures and other holy means appointed And therefore the Lord Jesus Commands us to pray for the Spirit and Daved cries out Thy Spirit is good lead me c. and take not thy holy Spirit from me And this is the Devils the Old Fox his Devilish Subtlety to make the Cloak of the Spirit Extraordinary Assistance and the Angels Extraordinary protection a ground of Christ Jesus and his Servants flinging themselves down from the Pinacle of the Temple and this I say from the God of Truth will be the Breack neck of the People called Quakers without Repentance every Soul of them We now descend to the proof of the fifth Position with their Consent which was their Principles and Professions are full of Contradiction and Hypocrisies I told them that they knew well that the Spirit of God had given us abundant Warning against false Gods false Worships false Christs false Spirits false Prophets He Commands us in Scripture not to believe them c. but to try them to try all things as we do with Touchstones and with Ballances yea with Fire it self For some Counterfiet Coyne hath been so like pure gold so double guilt in the middle and the Ring round about pure gold that it hath deceived the Touchstone The Devil himself as black a Fiend as he is the Spirit of Darkness yet he knows how to wear Samuels Mantle and the white Robe of an Angel of Light c. I told them it was Common for Spanish Turkish or any other Enemy in Time of Warr to hang out English Colours the more easily to deceive Catch the poor Merchant man and Iudas the Traitour gave no other signe to the Iews in his betraying of his Lord and Master the Lord Jesus but God save my Master and a Kiss 105 Most of this I Remember I spake and then I told them that Paul tels Timothy of some that should speake Lyes in Hipocrisie I told them of these there were two sorts 1 Such as knowingly for wicked and Devilish Ends of Profit or Preferment take the Leading Staff in hand as 't is more then probable that the Misleader of so many Millions of Mahumetans did and as one of the Popes in Merriment to his Cardinals Confest it saying Quantum Lucri fecimus ex hac Fabula Christi What gain have we made of this Fable of Christ Thus Iudas knowingly for his Gain sought Opportunities to betray Christ Jesus Thus the Schechemites and Millions are their Successors as they are to Nebuchadnezzars Idolaters underwent that painful and shameful Ordinance of Circumcision partly to please their Princes and partly for that hope as Schechem told them that all that Israel had should be theirs A second Sort of Soul Deceivers that are and yet know not in their Consciences that they are blind Guides or blind Followers but for not loving Truth God hath given them up to believe Lyes for Truths false Christs and Spirits for true Christs and Spirits yea and with Paul to think that they verily ought to do many things against Iesus of Nazareth yea and as the Lord Jesus Positively Foretold they shall think to do God Service to kill himself in killing his Servants I told them my Charity bid me hope that the Quakers and themselves present were not of the first but of the second sort and I prayed them to be as patient as they could while I must prove that their Principles and Professions were full of Lyes and Contradictions and of Hipocrisies and Dissimulations I wondred that my Opposites and Auditors bare all this Load so silently But at this word W. Edmundson and the rest brake out saying We regard not what thou thinkest and sayest of us nor do we need thy Charity but go on to thy proofs c. I then said that their many Books and G. Foxes that thereby me and their Professions did so exceedingly Clash one with another and some of their latter Books as Christopher Houldsworths and some of theis latter Professions and Practices were such that many of their Observes Conclude that either they had altered their Religion in many of their Principles 106 and Practices and were turned from what they formerly held and were amongst us Or else their Hipocrisies and Dissimulations were more and more prodigiously Abominable I came to Instances and told them that when they were Charged to deny that man Christ Jesus they profess and preach they are wronged for they believe in that Christ which was born of a Virgin and died at Ierusalem and yet for all this it is but in Truth a Spiritual and Mistical and Allegorical Christ which under boord and in the bottom which they hold For in New-England before G. Fox came H. Norton and others say is not Christ God and is not God a Spirit and is there not a Spiritual Virgin a Mistical Bethlehem an Heavenly Ierusalem And do not G. Fox and Ed. Burroughs all along hold out such a Christ whose Body is not now to be found and such a man as is in every Saint or Quaker and in every person in the world except he be a Reprobate Again 2. They say they hold the Christian Church the Christian Ordinances the Christian Ministry the Christian Baptisme Supper the Resurrection the Iudgement the Life Everlasting but search their Books Examine their preachings and professings and you shall see and may admire their Juglings and Dissimulations Do not Fox and Burroughs all along disclaim any Church Ministers Baptisme c. but what is Immediate and Invisible Do they really own any Supper but Christs inward
Supping with them and they with him Or any Resurrection but the tising of their Bodies to perfect Holiness or any Iudgement and Eternal Life but what they have now attained and are now passing Judgement upon the world 3. Again though they do deny any Church but Invisible yet their Churches and Congregations are known and Visible and stated not attending Invisible Motions both first day and other dayes with prayers and Preachings and singings and real joynings or Addings to them Castings out These things necessitty forceth them to practice or else they cannot possibly keep together although in Monstrous Dissimulation they disclaim it 4. They profess that their Saints have an Unction yea that every person in the world is so enlightned by Christ Jesus that he hath Christ and Spirit and the Kingdom of God in them 107 as the Pharisees had and the very same the Saints have and if they will they have Teaching enough to Justifie Sanctifie and save them and yet again what a noise is there in the Worid about the Quakers Teachers He Apostles and she Apostles snch as the Lord Jesus never sent either the Twelth or the Seventh or their Successors How do they boast to be the only Ministers of Christ Jesus sent into Old England and New-England into Scotland and Ireland yea into Italy and Turky and other Nations as diligent and zealous as the Pharisees to pervert and poyson Souls with a false Conversion and Salvation 5. You profess the Scriptures to be the words of God but not the Word of God and yet now you profess to be tryed by them Anon again you need not the Scriptures you have that Light and Spirit within you that gave out the Scriptures and if all the Copies in the World were burnt yet you have the Scriptures within you therefore you not only as the Spirt of God saith deceitfully handle the Scriptures by deceitful Interpretations but by deceitful owning and not owning and as G. Fox in his late Book in Exalting Heathens above Christians owning them and yet Exalting the Spirit in the Philistian and Egiptian Sorcerers above them 6. As to Magistrates how full are their Books and Sermons against Persecution and Persecutors and yet how plainly do their Principles persecute all others that subject not to their Light when they have attained such godly Magistrates as they arc as they speak in the Light I told them I was Concerned to make this out more fully in the proof of my Fourteenth Position and therefore at present I would trouble them but with one Quotation out of G. Fox Pag. 170. where I Read and Iohn Burnet Read also how G. Fox brings in Iohn Stallam saying And the Magistrate is not to Level the Law with the Light in every mans Conscibnce Again if the Magistrate be in the Light and discern the mind of Christ and discern his Law is â—e to Compel all the Nation and Common-wealth to come to the practice of his Light G. Fox Answers 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 108 is not a faithful Magistrate and his Laws are agreeable and Answer according to that of God in every man when men act contrary to it they do evil so he is a Terrour to the Evil doers discern the precious and the just from the vile and this is a praise to them â—hat do well I urged from hence that the Quakers and G Fox in his Book in many places owne no Magistrates but such as are godly that is in their dark Sence that be Magistrates for their Christ be in the Light and Power of Christ for then say they their Laws are agreeable to that of God in every man 2. These their Magistrates in the Light ought to subject even the Consciences and Souls of all that be under them by Corporal punishments to come under the Power of Christ into the Light 3. This is Confirmed and sealed with a peremptory Doom upon the neglecter and failer viz. Else he is not a Faithful Magistrate 4. I observe the Reason and Equity which they alleadge of this subjecting all Subjects to the Light of Christ because such Magistrates Laws and Edicts are witnessed by God in every man and therefore he sins against God himself who breaks such a Magistrates Command and therefore is justly punished c. Upon my urging of some of these particulars some of them desired to hear the Quotation read again so Iohn Burnet read the whole passage again and said that G. Foz spake not there of matters of Religion and Conscience nor of the Magistrates compelling men to be of his Religion and Conscience but of punishing them for matters of wrong between man and man which are against the Light in every mans Conscience as Drunkenness Whoredome Murther Stealing and the like I Replyed the Terms were such both of the Question by the Opposite and the Answer by G. Fox which argue and Comprehend the matters of Religion and Conscience viz. If the Magistrate be in the Light and discern the mind of Christ c. and G. Fox his Terms are the same about Christ and the Light and bringing them subject to Christ. 2. It is not Imaginable that the Opposer would question whether the Civil Officer ought not to punish such incivilities and 109 Incivilities and Inhumanities as Drunkenness Whoredome Stealing Murther c. Therefore G. Fox must intend that their Magistrates for Christ must Fight for their Christ against all their Opposites though they cry Persecutors Persecutors c. In Pag. 221. G. Fox brings in the Author of the Book called Hosanna to the Son of David faying They know not absosolute Perfection that are admitting of Measures and Degrees nor come to the Day and the bright Morning Star is not Risen He Answers 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 and were they not come to Perfection and spoke wisdome among them that were perfect I Reply As to their Monstrous pride I shall speak when I come to Compare the Pope and them in the Tenth Position At present I Ask them whether Paul speak of his Measure in Holiness and Grace or no Some of them say that they are not only perfect as God in Holiness but also in Power Omnipotent Omnipresent Omniscient c. But if Paul be not brought in to speak of such a Perfection in Holiness as is in God G. Fox beats the Air comes not near the Question to save their Doctrine of Perfection from being a perfect Contradiction Lie and they would fain make themselves others believe that they are as truly perfect
who hath seen Sin as Sin the sin of his Nature his chief sin c. will see how far from the Doctrine of true Repentance true Faith c these mens Teachings be and for all their boasting what need they have to Examine themselves whether they be in the Faith and whether there be any other Christ Iesus within them then a Countersiet and painted Messiah and whether their Countersiet and painted Faith Repentance and Hope will yield them another Fruit then a dolefully Counterfieted and perishing Salvation At last by Gods merciful held I come now with their glad Consent to the seventh and last Position propounded to be discust at Newport viz. that their Religion was nothing else but a mixture of Popery Arminianisme Socinianisme Iudaisme c. Herein I knew I was not to exceed my quarter glass and there fore I take liberty now a little to inlarge to remember the Reader of the old Proverb that where God hath his Church the Devil will have his Chappel And that where Christ Iesus hath his Field of good Seed while the Servants sleep the Enemy will sow the Tares of rotten Doctrines and rotten Professors who like Windefals and Revolting Rebels fall from the holy Truths they have professed being loose aud weak believers or only affrighted and Terrified Hipocrites by Gods righteous Iudgement delivered over to listen too and believe Lyes as the only heavenly Truths of Iesus I had purposed to have shewed how in matters concerning God the Son of God the Spirit of God c. the Quakers have followed the Cerdonians the Priscillians the Valentinians the old Gnosticks and Manicheans but I Confined my self to the Terms of the Position and declared that the Quakers were downright Papists in many points some I then Insisted on and the rest 128 intended I shall now mention First In magnifying the rotten strength and Arm of dead and rotten Nature when it is Objected to G. Fox in his book that by Nature we are all dead in sins and Trespasses G. Fox Answers by d viding all men into three sorts Some are born holy from the wombe as Ier. Some the Saints that is only their Children born holy without any sinful corruption Thirdly the wicked who will not turn to the Light within them and they are only the Unbelievers dead in sin But the Protestants David and his Followers Confess their Natures Births and Conceptions to be all defiled with sin and with a sinful proneness to all Iniquity though miraculously some are Sanctified or set apart to God from the wombe as Ieremiah Iohn the Baptist c. Some after a more peculiar and miraculous manner as the Lord Iesus Some by New Birth and the wonderfal Supernatural Power of the holy Spirie Changing Regenerating and as it were New Creating the Soul and Spirit in Everlasting Unchangeable Holiness and Righteousness after the Image of his first and second Creatour It is true that the Papists come nearer the Truth as to Birth Corruption and Defilement then the Quakers acknowledging all â— be Conceived and born in Sin not that the Devil or the Papists care to acknowledge this Truth but that they may use it as a Cridge over which they may pass to the Necessity of Baptisme on pain of Damnation on which they may also build many other Superstitious Fanciee as to the holy Ordinances But the Quakers although they hold only their own Children to be Conceived and born holy without Sin yet they jump into one step with the Papists as to the Power of Nature in Spirituals ane that every man and woman in the world hath a sufficient Light within him to see God and Christ c. and to turn themselves unto them to Eternal Life Contrary to the Protestants who from the holy Scriptures maintain mans Natural Blindness and Darkness Ephes. 5. Mans Natural Deadness Ephes. 2. and that our wisdome can not difcern any Spiritual thing that is Spiritually 1. Cor 2. That our Quintessence of Nature our very wisdome is Enmity to God He hates us as we hate him and are at deadly fewd and mortal Hatred like two men of War 129 giving Fire one upon another we resolving to sink by Ejods side rather then to yield to God but God in Infinite pitty seeing our weakness and madness and certain Destruction hangs out a white Flag and offers a Parly on purpose to save us from our desperate minde Ruine which by many heavenly means of Free mercy he Effecteth The Papists speak more like Men and at last yield that men and Women have left them since Adams Fall power to listen too and obey Moral Perswasions and offers which God makes The Quakers talk only like Bruits of no means no means but Immediate Revelation of the Spirit and yet in Contradiction to themselves they make the Spirit an inward means and their Apostles or Messengers an outward means or else they make themselves idle Embassodors in vain and to no purpose The Protestants affirm from 2. Cor. 3. that we have not one good Thought but from God that it is God not we that turns the will Phil. 2. that when the Word of Faith is preached Rom. 10. and Faith or Belief is wrought by hearing yet is it Gods free Grace that makes the difference 1 Cor. 4. when several Hearers are Assembled and God opens Lidiahs heart and not others Acts 16. the learned Academians mock and only Dionisius and Damaris and a few believe because God sheweth mercy on whom he will and whom he will he hardneth The Papists and Quakers both maintain that dolefully uncomfortable and desperate Doctrine of falling away from true and saving grace The Truth is neither of them seem to know Experimentally what true and saving grace is It is true they differ the Papists make Saving Grace the Property only of the Regenerate The Quakers say it is in every man and Woman in the world they have it though they know it not and will not turn to it and believe in it yet both agree that they loose it whereas the true Protestants though they grant great Failings and Falls and Desertions of Gods Children yet they hold the Seed of God the holy Spirit and Word of God Isai. 59. and 1 Cor. 3. that Incorruptible Eternal Seed of which they are begotten never Final 130 ly nor Totally to be Ecclipsed and they justly account that Doctrine of Intercession viz. when Son-ship or Childship is cut off by Sin and Renewed by Repentance to be a simple Fantastical Notion as if David were a Child of God to day a Child of the Devil to morrow a Child of God this hour and a Child of the Devil the next c. only they fix this impiously upon mortal and great sins only as if Adam Eating of an Apple were not sufficient to his and our Destruction as well as Davids sinning with Bathsheba and Uriah c 3. I must be briefer
though not so brief as I was forced to be in our publick probations I told them that the Papists and the Quakers were great Confederates in their Endeavours to raze the Records of Heaven and to rob the Saints and the world of this Inestimable Iewel and Treasure of the holy Scriptures 1 The Papists own it not to be all the word or will of God revealed but that there be unwritten Verities that is Gods mind revealed from Father to Son by Tradition The Quakers will not vouchsafe it the Name of the word of God out of a simple pretence because Christ is the word of God that is he isindeed the chief manifestation of all the Appearances of God 2. The Papists horribly abuse it calling it a Nose of wax a Leaden Rule a dead Letter c. and so do the Quakers triumphing over it with base Insultations as over a deed Letter a Carkass c. 3. The whole world of Papists assembled in eighteen Years Labours Chymical Laboratories at Trent at last thundred out their Anathamaes and Curses against all that should not prefer the Vulgar Latin Copies before the Hebrew Copies and the Greek in which it pleased the holy Spirit of God first to write his mind and will or word unto us And do not the Quakers as simply and bruitishly bind themselves to the bare Letter of the Common English Though they know the Hebrew and Greek Copies are the Foundation and Touchstone of all other though millions of Translations Though they know there be more English Translations then one Though the English Translations wonderfully 135 differ Though Ravius that Famous Oriental Hebrician c. proclaims above a Thousand Faults and some gross in our last Translation though some of them as Iohn Stubs boast of their humane Learning produced his Hebrew Bible in our Conference yet will these Ephesians cry out like Frantick mad great is our Latin Translation great is our English Translation Yea one of them boasted to my self that the Spirit of God would teach them Scripture without the Hebrew and the Greek or the English either 4. The Papists set up a Judge in Controversies above the holy Scriptures who can dispense with Scriptures and do all that God can do And say not the Quakers the same of their Spirit which is above the Scriptures for it gave forth the Scriptures and is in every man 5. The Papists though they will not deny to make the Scriptures the Rule and profess to be tried by it yet their Church and the head of it the Pope must Interpret And do not the Quakers herein the same concerning themselves though some think more bruitishly for they will allow no Interpretations nor meaning at all but you must take the words as the Translators have given them us right or wrong and you must not enquire either into the meaning of words or the meaning of mind of God in the place Oh what a black deaf and dumb Lazie Spirit hath possessed the Souls of these great pretenders too and Monopolizers of the holy Spirit of God both Papists and Quakers 6 The Papists generally use not nor have the holy Scripture no not in their Devotions in their own Tongue but in the Latine the Whores Tongue of Italy therefore no wonder they prize it not but even the Lights or Luminaries so pretending amongst them disuse it Care not for it read it not c. many have it not So that Luther tels us that in Thirteen years or more he saw not a Bible in his College at Erford until by Gods merciful providence he came to see one to his own the Comfott of Thousands Luther tels us that at one great Assembly of the Emperour and Princes the Protestants of Germany had Conveyed a Bible on the Table The Cardinal being first come he opened the Book and read here and there in it it is like he had not seen 132 it before in his Life In comes one of the Popish Princes and askt the Cardinals Eminency what Book he had there He Answerred I know not but I am sure it is agaiust us and it is laid here for that purpose Oh the Infinite mercies of God to us in our times and our Infinite Debt to his Infinite goodness and our Infinite guilt in neglect of it The Quakers at first took off themselves Families and Assemblies from any use of it Their Spirit they Crake that made the Scriptures supplies all c. The Papists and Quakers both have said and printed that if the Scripture were consumed quite taken out of the world there would be no Loss so long as they have the Spirit The Truth is I could by Arguments many make it appear that the Papists and Quakers love the holy Scriptures no better than Goliah loved Davids stone and sling nor no better then the Devil loved Christs Gegraptai It is written It is written for the Papists and the Quakers and the Devil knows that if the holy Scriptures be Exalted as the revealed will or word or Declaration of the mind of God down-falls their pretences of Traditions and Revelations whereby the Devil deceivs themselves and himself also 4. The Papists and Quakers shake hands in the most hellish Doctrine of Justification by what is within us by what Christ works within us in short by what is called Sanctification put for Justification and the forgiveness of sin in and for the merits of the Lord Jesus freely imputed and given to us The Papists use the word Inherent Righteousness but the Quakers bogle at the word not finding it in the English Bible yet they agree that by the works of Obedience yea and also by the Acts of their own Inventions and Superstitions they can make a pardon under a hedge to themselves and Crake that they have received a pardon and Justification sealed under the Broad Seal of Heaven to them but it is against the glory of the King of Heaven and against the glory of the Son of God and his glorious Sufferings and their own Salvation 5 The Quakers are Papists in that Spirit of Infallibility which they arrogate to themselves pretending that the holy Spirit shall lead them into all Truth speak Immediately in 133 them c. though herein they differ the Pope infallibly expounds Scripture but the Quakers speaks Scripture and his word is Gospel c. yea all men have this Spirit and need no Teacher and yet what an horrible Contradictious noise is there of the Quakers Apostles Messengers Ministers Preachers He and she sent into Old-England and New-England Scotland Ireland Turky Italy to bid people hearken to the Immediate Spirit within 6. The Quakers are Papists in that high lofty Conceit of their Perfection when Calvins time this Spirit came from Hell under the name of Spirituals and when of latter years in Lancashire under the Name of Grindletonians all their Religion turned chiefly upon these two Hinges 1.
of the Hebrew and Greek Scriptures can yoke with such rude Bablings and Repetitions of simple ignorant Praters T is true the Lord Jesus and his Embassadors were not all traind up as Paul was at the feet of Gamaleel yet had they before the whole World the miraculous effusions of Fiery Tongues and heavenly Oyl upon them which these poor Simpletons ridiculously like Puppets in a Shew pretend too Beside the Commons among the first Christians were as learned if not more then our primest Academians the Hebrew being their Mother Tongue and the Greek and Latine familiar by the Greek and Romane Conquests over them all which Helps the most of the Leaders of the Quakers want only pretending to understand supernatural and miraculously in a trice and immediately what is to be gotten by honest and faithful labour and industry the holy will and mind of God from the true Original Copies 160 Thirdly I do admire that any sober modest Woman made so by nature and much more by Grace should ever dare to come into their Assemblies it is certain that the Ranters is a Sister or Daughter of them though they quarrel and fight and scratch one the other The Ranters more plainly according to their Principles make the Nakedness of Men and Women a part of worship unto God unto which they say they are restored by Christ Iesus the second Adam This Adamites Fowle spirit is no New-come spirit I have know nit almost sixty year and what a motion was made and urged by some whome I can name for Plantations in warmer Countreyes where they might practice that Ordinance of God viz Of Nakedness of men and women in Gods worship These our Adamites are led by a more Savage and Barbarous and Monstrous Spirit the which under the vizird and mantle of Religion deceives them and of being a sign to others And this very bruitish practise have kept some Women too much inclin'd to them from falling into their filthy puddle and of returning some which were left by Gods Justice to go too far amongst them sure we are the holy spirit of God all along abhors the appearance of uncleanness and commands the vailings of Women especially in Christian Meetings I have been too long upon the easiness of their Religion and of the agreement of it with corrupt and rotten Nature which slides into it as easily as Brooks and Rivers slide and run down into the Ocean There be two other causes of falling into false Religions or ways of worshipping God 1. Hope of Gain which was the Sechemites Bait the sweet Musick propounded by Nebuchadnezzar c. 2. The fiery Furnace c. These moderate times have not driven the Quakers to bow down to their Spirit for fear of persecution and the fiery Furnace but Sathan knew well enough that the Corruption of Nature and the hope of Gain and Glory would cheat to purpose as all may see it hath done Sathan knows that some have a moving and travelling Spirit and cannot rest in a sedentary or quiet life Some are of a rising aspiring Spirit though neither from Birth nor Breeding nor abilities and therefore cry down all Honour or respect to be given to any but themselves some are false and 161 rotten in their Profession and ready to fall and tumble when any strange wind of Temptation blowes upon them 7. Some may be Sincere and upright to God in the Root but Weak and not so rooted in the Holy Scriptures as the Disciples themselves who wondered for a time what the Rising from the dead should mean and had need of their Lord and Masters Take heed and beware of the Leaven of the Scribes and Pharisees and Sadduces c. Some truly fear God but have neglected the purity and chastity of Gods holy Worship and have reserved in a weak Conscience a liberty of playing the Whore against a jealous God and Husband But generally they that are taken by the Quakers Bait are such as never loved Christ Iesus in Sincerity as the Scripture speaketh neither within nor without and therefore suckt in Nicolds and Nailors and Foxes dreames of a Christ within them opposite to Christ without of a Christ a Light a Spirit within which had no Humane Body or if he were humane or a man they know not now what is become of him The Lord Iesus tels us that some will plead with him at the last day that they have heard him Preach that they have been at his Table that they have prophesied themselves cast out Devils in his Name and in his Name done many Wonderfull things should not this make every Soul that calls it self Christian startle and look about them especially when they hear Christ Jesus say depart from me I know you not ye workers of Iniquity I told the Quakers that their Theora Iohn pretended to write after the Spirits Dictate a volume in Hebrew Greek Latine Arminiack c. which he confessed he understood not what if it should please Gods infinite Wisdom to suffer the Quakers or others to speak and understand all Languages to work great Miracles yet if they come under the Note Christ gives them of Workers of Iniquity they fulfill the termes of my Position and prove but False and Reprobate This is the true and infallible distinguishing Character between the true Legitimate and the Bastard and false Christian The soul of the True is broken for Sin as Sin as opposite to God as filthy in his eye The soul of the False is broken for Sin as bringing temporal Loss or shame or pain and beside temporal Eternal The soul of the true is broke off from Sin from the least Sin 162 from the appearances of sin from the occasions of Sin from the thought of Sin as worse then all the Afflictions of this life or the Torments of Hell to come The soul of the False hath secret Friendship and Correspondence with Iniquity as Church-Papists with Popery c in the secret chambers and Closets of the heart at which they willingly wink and to find it when they are put to it yea and seem to doe it they are willingly remiss and negligent Hence it was a famous Principle of the first New-English Reformers viz. to be Christianly carefull 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 for ought I know is not changed by their Successors It is dolefully true that many seemingly Elect prove Reprobate and many truly Elect fall into many great Sins and Sorrows How black and dolefull then is their Condition such as the Papists the Quakers and others whose Religion Principles and Practices arise no higher then what a Reprobate may attain unto We came to the tenth Position the third in order to be discussed at Providence which they read out of their paper viz. That the Popes of Rome do not swel with and exercise
as a Merit or Desert for the pardon of their sin for though they both Sophistically and Hypocritically mention the Blood of Christ yet they count the business of this Christ as the Pope said but a Fable and indeed and truth through the Pride of their high spirits they think God is beholding to them I have spoken to this already and of that devilish Pride of their being without sin yet in this Doctrine of perfection the Quakers exceed the Doctrine of the Papists for generally the popes attribute this purity but to some of their rare Saints And 2. Generally the Popes themselves confess themselves to be sinners 3. They give respect and civill honour to all estates although in Spirituals and Civills too they overtop them But the high and lofty Devill of the Quakers pride transcends all this G. Fox makes all his Saints born of God that literally expounded they cannot commit sin yea G. Fox tells us that the Saints that is his Foxians are as holy and perfect as God not only like to God in quality but in equality also They have the fulness of the Godhead in them bodily That the mystery of godlinefs is God manifest in their flesh Hence he saith there is no distinction between God and Christ and the Spirit and themselves Hence it follows that they are the Father Son and Holy Spirit which by Devilish Chymistry they can prove and that they are the Three that bare Record in Heaven and the Three that bare Record in Earth The Scripture is within them They made it and all that they say and do is Scripture what they say God saith what they advise God adviseth what they do God doth c. It is true this is not believed no not by some Novices among them but this and more many of their lying Foul mouths Books express which may make a Soul that is truly humble to quake and 169 rend his heart at such Blasphemy the first Perfectist in these parts was one H. B. who came from Boston to Providence who affirmed that what he spake God spake what counsel he gave God gave c. It pleased God to leave him though a subtle man to ridiculous Folly amognst us and at Barbadoes and London since to worse practices as commonly God punisheth such height of Pride even in this present life before Death seize upon them I remember while we were declaring their proud Disrespect to all men Iohn Stubs said That it was their practice to pay tribute to Caesar and to give Honour to whome Honour belonged And I answered to this effect that it was against their Principles and practices to shew respect to any mans Person in the World As for tribute they paid none but what necessity and policy forced them to and notoriously backward here But they knew that I and G. Fox knew and all the world might know out of Fox his Writings that the Quakers are the Higher powers the Dignityes the Most High God and ought to have all Honour and Tribute paid to them by all the whole Creation T is true there seems to be a Change and some relenting and Giving of the Weather in G. Fox his own practice of Courtesie and others from him but while they own what G. Fox hath written and that he writ it with a perfect spirit I say untill they do make some Recantation or Retractation or shew the Reasons why they doe not H. Norton who keeps more plainly to his Principles is to windward of them and the Foxians do but strip themselves naked to be more derided and scorned as the more notorious Iuglers and Dissemblers We came easily with their Good-will to the 4th Position of the latter seven which they read out of the Paper as willing to be out of ther pain viz The Religion of the Quakers is more obstructive and Destructive to the Conversion and Salvation of Soules of People than most of Religions that are at this day extant in the World I said for the proof of this it was requisite to take a short view of Religions and Worships in the world We knew that the Sons of Men were justly divided all the world over into two Sorts First The wild and Pagan whome God hath permitted to run about the world as wild Beasts all this great fourth Part of the World and in some of the other three 170 They acknowledge a great supream God and Deity Maker of all things yet they acknowledge as other famous Civilized Nations formerly have done that there be many other Petty-Gods and Deityes in Heaven and Earth yea within their own Bodies yea whatever is extraordinary excellent or strange to them they are presently apt to ascribe a Deity unto it though it be but Beast Fowle c. and say it is a God It is commonly known that as their garments hang loose about their Bodyes so hangs their Religion about their Souls So that to my knowledge they are so far from hindring any to come to God that when they have seen the grave and solemn Worship of the English they have often said of themselves and their own that they are all one Dogs in comparison of the English The second sort of men are the Civill brought to Cloaths to Lawes c. from Barbarisme these also the infinite Wisdome of God have pleased to leave to variety of wayes of Worshipping the Heavenly Majesty Amongst others we find four most known and eminent First The Iewish Worship famous from Gods own appointment by Moses c. 2. The Turkish famous for spreading from Mahomet to most of thirteen parts of thirty in the World 3. The Popish famous for spreading over Europe and other western parts of the world 4. The Protestant famous for so wonderfull a Revolt and Seperation from the Popish All these four profess one God and supream Deity but they differ in two things 1. In the Prophet or Meanes by whome God speaks to man the Iews cry up Moses the Turks Mahomet the Papists the Pope the Protestants Christ Iesus in the Scriptures The second great difference is in the Form of Worship which every one of these four great Partyes practice in various and different wayes as they are perswaded Our selves the Protestants are divided into two Partyes The first is entituled Episcopal and Presbyterian in Parochyal or Parishional Assemblyes The second is Seperate from those National and Parochyal Assemblyes some more some less and those are now known to be First the People called Independants 2. The people called Baptists We that pretend the Christian Name against the Iewes and the 171 Mahumetans we mainly differ 1. In matter of Doctrine as Repentance Faith c. 2. Of Worship Discipline c. And we generally agree that as the Mahumetan and Iewish Worship have little in them to tempt a Soul to turn into them compar'd with the Christian so those Christians that differ each from other in point
to be as Pighius and Echius amongst the Papists and as Bellarmine the greatest Writer amongst them I told my Opposites I would therefore Answer this Bellarmine and I would not say Bellarmine thou liest but I would by Holy Scripture shew G. Fox and his deluding Foxians how the old Fox the old Serpent was too crafty for them all and had brought them and their Followers to the brim of the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone First then I said let who will that understands true English and are able to read and write true English though he know no more take G. Fox his Folio Book in hand and tell me whether 183 through his whole Book he writes like an English-man And though he upbraids all his Opposites scornfully and ridiculously as poor Children that know not the Bible nor their Accidence in saying you to a singular c. whether in many scores of places in his Book he confounds not the singular and the Plural I confess when I urged this in publick my Opposites desired of me no proof of this out of Foxes Book and therefore remembering my quarter hour Glasse I fpared Quotations but now through Gods patience and my Readers my Tedder being longer I shall give one or two brief Proofs and Instances In page 282. in G. Fox his second Answer he saith You where you are sees him nor where it should be the Plural see him not if this Proud Bruit had known either his Accidence or the Bible In Page 300. he saith The Scriptures is able to make wise unto Salvation which should be are able c. In Page 16. The Churches was to hear for were to hear In Page 110. As thou doth which should be as thou dost And abundance more of this Boyes English all his Book over which I cannot impute to his Northern Dialect having been so long in the South and London and read and answered as he dreams so many English Books nor to the Printer the faults of that kinde being so numerous but to the finger of the most High and most Holy whose property it is and therefore delights to run thwart and cross the shins of proud and insulting Souls and Spirits 2. I observe throughout his Book a Devillish Black Line of despising those that are Good as the Scripture speaketh He counts none Godly but himself and his Foxians yea there is no God no Christ no Spirit but what is in him and them feelingly though they say he is in every man and woman in the world and Christ Iesus the Sun of Righteousness and the Holy Spirit and the Kingdome of God which they confess consists in Righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirits and yet as they impiously and simply speaks these Inhabitants and Hosts to all these Guests know nothing of their lodging and dwelling within them G. Fox gives a shrewd suspition that he never knew what the true fear and love and peace and joy of God mean if he did is it possible that he could puff at so many Writers excellent for great Knowledge and godliness denying any thing of God or 184 Christ or Spirit or Grace to be in them some of them eminent servants of God I have known of others of them I have smelt the sweet Odour of an Heavenly report from the mouthes of others and in their Writings But as G. Fox will be found to adore an Image Crucifix for the true Lord Jesus so whatever he say of others will his Faith his Love his Spirit of Discerning and Hope of Glory and Salvation prove without Repentance dolefully false in the latter end For doth not this Proud Censor know that men may be true Saints in their persons and yet be subject to sudden Epileptical Falling Fits may not David walk with God with a perfect heart and yet in the matters of Bathsheba and Uriah and many other particulars fall down like a Jewel into the Dirt that Christ Jesus owns Peter and his Confession c. and yet in another case get thee behind me Sathan That Peter resolves to dye for Jesus and yet denies with Cursing and Swearing that he never knew him and after Christs Resurrection and Ascention even Peter plays the Hypocrite Dissembler Yea did not the high Fathers in Godliness famous Kings in Gods Church live long in the incivility of many Wives and the impiety of Worshipping in the High places c. to what purpose doth the Lord inspire his holy Pen-men to write these holy Histories was it to shame his Saints departed or to shame his own Holiness and to cast a stumbling block and a protection for after sinners and transgressors or amongst other holy ends to teach us like Moses to distinguish between an Egyptian whom he slew and the Israelites whom he chid for wronging each other since they were their Brethâ—en so that he is a poor Christian Goldsmith that knows not to discern the Gold of Holiness and the Copper of Hypocrisie yea and to give the best Gold in the World its due allowance with which it will pass currant in Earth and Heaven with God and such who truly know and love him But with G. Fox in all this great Book the most humble and able godly and conscientious are with him but Vipers Serpents Cains Iudasses false Prophets Pharisees dumb Dogs Sorcerers Witches Reprobates Devils c. 3. In this Book of G. Fox all along he denies the Scripture to be the Word of God and he said that every man in the world hath that Spirit that gave forth Scriptures and that all Saints are 185 acted by the same Spirit immediately that moved the Prophets and Apostles and holy Pen-men of the holy Scriptures all tending to vilifie and nullifie the Holy Scriptures Besides his Impiety in these Assertions which half an eye of Mahumetans Iewes Papists Protestants will see I note his Simplicity for a Fox though he be crafty is but a Beast still For out of his Piety he grants the holy Scriptures through all his Book to be the Words of God though not the Word of God and for this his Grant he quotes Exod. 20. God spake all these Words and the four Books of the Revelations which I nor my Opposites could tell in publick what to make of But if they are the Words of God and fome of them fearfully written by the inconceivable Finger of God once and twice then every particular word of these words must needs be the Word or Will or mind of God every grain of gold is gold and every drop in the Ocean is Water and Salt too as I urged to them before concerning every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God else the Words of God when brought to particular examination they are not the word of God but of Angels or Men or Devills How sweet are not Words but right Words every man shall kiss his lips that gives
Enemies until Faith G. Fox Answers So they have denied their School-Master which is until faith which will keep them out of the Alienation which is the Law I Reply with Ioseph Kellet and the rest of those excellent men whom Fox useth as Dishclouts that by nature our Alienation from God is so great that the finest and sweetest nature in the World is so alienated and opposite unto God that it resolves like some Ships against a Turk or other Enemy we resolve to kill or be killd yea and to sink by his side before we will yield to be taken by him therefore doth the Holy Spirit so often speak of mans hating of God and Gods hating of him yea of mans abhorring of God and Gods abhorring of him and Rom. 8. that not only mans wisdome is at enmity but enmity it self against God Hence it is few Kings few Counsellours few Nobles few Schollars few Merchants c. who use to be the wisest of men relish the Doctrine of the Manger and the Gallowes for the more natural Wisdome the more aversation from the foolishness of the glad news to poor lost drown'd and damn'd Mankind 197 2. Again I say as Solomon the legs of the lame are not equal c. for how doth it follow that we deny the Law to be a School-master pointing unto Christ because we deny the Law can bring us to Christ which is so indeed in the English Gal. 3. but is not fo in the Greek yea how could the Law of Ceremonies pointing out the Lamb of God or the Law of Do this and live keep out of the Alienation do they more then the Law of Creation leave any converting Impression from the Soul until Gods hand open a door of Believing The Dyal points to the Sun c. but who receives benefit by it but he that skills it and looks upon it c. and yet the Dyal is not the Sun c. but points as all the Proyhecies Ceremonies Commandmenâ—s before his coming unto that God Man the Sun of Righteousness Christ Jesus As to the rest of his Answer viz Which will keep them out of the Alienation which is the Law it is a piece of bruitish Nonsence as are not a few more in his Book and it may be taken like the Answer of the Devil at Delphos many wayes for it may be taken that Faith will keep them out Alienation or the School-Master will keep them out of the Alienation or whether the Alienation is the Law or Faith is the Law is doubtful and if his meaning should be that thy Law either of Ceremonies c. should keep them from being Alienated from God and so being actually to God how not only will all the Holy Scriptures but all Mankinde Iews and Gentiles call him a simple ane destroying Lyar An eighth Instance of Foxes poor lame Answer is in Page 27. where he brings in Richard Baxter saying To say that any is perfect and without sin is the Devil speaking in man G. Fox Answers contrary to the language of the Apostles and Christ who bid them be perfect and the Apostle spake Wisdome among them that be perfect and â—aid they were made free from sin and it is the Devil speaking in man that speaks for sin while Men are upon the Earth for the Devil holds him up that makes men not perfect which Truth makes men free again from the Devil speaks in Man and says be perfect I Reply whether this willingly ignorant Soul knows or no I know that the Devil knows that there is a Fallacie in this word Perfection 1. Sometime in Scripture it signifies no more then Sincerity Uprightness and so is translated sometimes Compleatness Fulness in its kinde though but in a small Vessel sometimes Fortified Strong Armed and sometimes the Fulness of the Godhead to whose incomprehensible Ocean not one Drop can be given nor one Drop taken from him In Mat. 5. Be ye Perfect c We are not exhorted 198 to be equal with God in Holiness for that is to be God our selves and being set down in the throne of the Godhead to thrust the Eternal God out for there can be but one in the Throne of the Godhead But we are commanded to labour to be like unto God who not only is kinde to his Friends but his Enemies also As when we are bid to be like the Sun to shine upon the Bad as well as the Good will a sober Soul imagine that we are bid to be as Pure as Glorious as Vast as Swift as the Sun is but the Spirit tells us of a Generation that are pure in their own eyes and yet are not cleansed from their filthiness Yea but saith Fox Paul spake Wisdome amongst them that were perfect Phil 3. I answer what if the Translators had turned that word among them that be strong intelligent capacious as the word often and there signifies why doth Paul also speaking of such a strength or capacity as the Saints may attain to in this life profess that he was yet as it were but clambring up the Hill this is the vote of all the highest Saints in Scripture lamenting their Brethren and Inabilities and the Battle between the old Man and the new Of which Battle G. Fox and his Foxians know not for Sathan having Possession all is in peace It hath been ever known that all Gods Children are like high and glorious Queens Empresses who wittingly endure not as the Holy Scripture speaks that such an ugly Fiend as the Devil should touch them no not in an evil thought 3. They are like Fields Gardens in which the Husbandman and Gardiner allows not nor endures not a Weed but with grief and endeavour of their extirpation 4. And this is far from being Proctors and Advocates for sin as G. Fox most simply and impudently urgeth for the known truth is that Fox and his Foxians fall most foolishly and fiercely upon such as profess most holiness most sincerity and most Mortification most love to God and his only begotten the Spirit of Holiness the Holy Scriptures or written Will of God A ninth Instance is in page 28. where G. Fox tells how the same Author preached an external word Which the Scripture speaks not of but of the word that lives abides and endures for ever and of the Scriptures of Truth that cannot be broken and of Gods words and Christs words and that is not external this is not agreeable to sound words that cannot be condemned but that is like his Doctrine that knows not the Eternal but the Ministers of Christ did not tell of an external word but you being made by the will of man speaks to the People of an external word I Reply The word whether external internal or eternal is a 199 similitude for we know God hath no Mouth nor Tongue nor Words as we have but as Kings and Generals of
offer Eternal Praise by and in the Eternal Son of God the true Lord Iesus Christ whome I desire joyfully to expect to return from Heaven as literally and personally as all true Christians hold Act. 1. he is ascended AN APENDIX OR Addition of Proofs unto my thirteenth Position Viz. That the Quakers Writings are Poor Lame and Naked not able to defend themselves nor comfort the Souls of others with any solidity I could produce most of their chief extant but I have been occasioned to deal with G. Fox their great Goliah in some Scores of Passages of his Book in Folio in the Narrative aforesaid Unto which I judge fit to adde the Scores following faithfully presenting his Opposites Words as he quotes them his Answers and then my Reply let him that Readeth understand I Have chosen out the short Assertions of G. Fox his Opposites as he quotes them and his short Answer for brevity sake c. 1. The first of this Addition I name is in pag. 6. of G. Fox his Folio Book where he brings in Samuel Eaton saying The Apostle faying to the Saints You know all things it is 2 an excessive speech G. Fox Answer contrary to Iohn and would make him a Lyar the Minister of God so he is in the false spirit gone out into the World contrary to 1. Ioh. 2. Who know all things I Reply 1. I cannot learn that they litterally hold that they know all things knowable as God though G. Fox writes that they know all things as God yet I can not think them so gross as to imagine that they know all things past present and to come as the Devil pretends he doth and offers to reveal so much to some Conjurers but I judge they must come to some figurative meaning as their opposite writeth For 2. What hinders as before but if the Quakers be Omniscient and know all things but they should be also Omnipotent and do all things for so Paul writes Phil. 4. I can do all things I know they say they are one with God and Christ and they know all things and can do all things and yet this sense which litterally is so Proud and Blasphemous must be made out by a meaning and by a figure which they cry out against in others 3. Therefore doth not the Spirit of God in Prov. 28. open this to us saying Evil men understand not Iudgement but they that seek the Lord understand all things that is God answers their Prayers and inables them to know and do all that he calls them to when the proud and scornful are rejected 4. Therefore I believe it is that the most Holy and most just and wise Lord leaves these poor proud and scornful Souls to seek wisdome and not to find it to be ignorant knowing nothing as Gods Spirit speaketh and to discover their Ignorance in so many Fundamentals of Christianity and in so many practices immodest irrational and more then savage as I have proved against them 2. In pag. 11. G. Fox brings in John Bunyan c. saying The Scripture plainly denies that Conscience can justifie though it may condemn He Answ. which is contrary to Scripture where the Apostle saith Rom. 2. their Consciences either accusing or excusing And again herein do I exercise my self to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men and the Light condemns which you call Conscience c. I Reply Conscience in greek Latine and English c. signifies a Knowing together a Reâ—lexion or looking back of a mans mind or Spirit upon it self in point of Iustification or pardon of sin 3 Conscience looks upon a cursed rotten Nature then upon millions of sins of Omiâ—â—ion and Commission which how to satisfie an infinite Justice for and to attain a new heart and nature is the high business and out of the reach or thought of that poor Conscience which every man Iew or Gentile Civilized or Pagan comes into the World with In the great Tryal of the three greatest sinners that ever were in this World the Devil and the first Man and first Woman two of them their Consciences condemned them and they confest the Fact though with extenuation and Excuses could this their condemning Conscience especially with mincing of sin as all mens natural Consciences do I say could this Conscience or Consession pardon their sin reniew their hearts and be their Justification or clearing and Salvation T is true Abimelechs Conscience justified him from the Fact of lying with Abrahams Wife as well as Iosephs Conscience justified him from the falsly imputed guilt of lying with his Mistress or attempting of it But was this the Pardon of Abimelechs sin his Justification and Salvation after the Canting Language of this poor Fox and all the Foxians that I have seen and I have read all I could come at c. Oh how little do these poor Beasts seek what infinite Justice infinite Punishment infinite Payment is what Conscience truly pacified is upon the Pardon of Sin and true peace of Conscience Sprinkled with the Blood of that only Lambe of God Christ Jesus Amongst the Indians I have known some falsely accused of stealing English Mens goods of killing English Mens Cattle yea of Murther and I have heard them say that Manit that is God and their own Souls know they are Innocent This Innocency who questions but that it is their plea and excuse and discharge from that guilt falsly charged on them If this be all that G. Fox saith he beats the Air and hath no Enemy No no It is a Conscience Justification within a Christ shedding his blood within in a subtle fly opposition to the pardon without us from the K. of Heaven for the sake of his Son without us this is the business which these Traitors to the K. of Heaven aim at Now they will be perfect and never more admit a sinful thought and this their present Honesty shall pay the old score of a Cursed Na 4 ture and millions of Treasons and Rebellions in Commissions and Omission against the God of Heaven It was a pertinent Similitude used before Q Elizabeth A King sent for his Lord Deputy of a Province to come home and give account c. The guilty Deputy goes to a great friend desires his Company c. he said He was sent for also himself and feard his own Issue He goes to others desires their Company c. They make excuse and promise to have him or the way c. Then goes the Deputy to an old friend who promised to go with him and what he could speak for him only if the K. asked he must speak the Truth and that will be said he your Destruction and therefore adviz'd him to make the young Prince his Friend and Mediator for whose sake the King would deny no Favour no pardon no Honour c. The Application may be large and useful but in short A
Soul Summond to Death and Judgement looks to Relations c. they all Answer they are in the same Case c. It looks to Wordly Estate c they tell us they will go with us as far as the Grave and provide a Coffin and a Sheet and a Burial c. 3. The old friend is Conscience who will go with us but can be a thousand witnesses against us c. It follows then clearly that the young Prince is the true Lord Iesus Christ not vanished away into a Light in every dark dungeon in the World but Conscience saith he is litterally ascended up into Heaven and will as literally make his speedy Return again to Iudgement The third Instance G. Fox pag. 12. brings in the same Author saying the Light doth not shine in the Consciences of them that be lost The Answer But Iohn saith he Light shines in darkness but the darkness cannot comprehend it and there is that of God in the Children of Disobedience and Reprobates as in Rom. 1. and 2. Chapters I Reply G. Fox is here in his Burrough and takes not the word Light in the same Sense his Opposite doth the Common trick of Cheators His Opposite takes it not for the heavenly Lights Sun Moon nor Earthly Light of Fire Candles precious Stones nor the Metaphorical Light of mens minds differing them from Beasts Birds Fishes Nor the Light of peace joy and Prosperity call'd in Scripture Light c. Nor the Light and Evidence of witness or Reason in Cases depending Nor the Light of the holy Scriptures and the preaching and offering of a 5 Saviour to poor lost Sinners But for that awakening saving Light convincing all mens Condition to be miserable and damnable of Grace and mercy offered and applied to a Soul by the good News of a Saviour someway heard of and the holy Spirit the finger or power of God G. Fox saith this saving Light is in mankind only persons don't mind it and so Christ Iesus is Crucified and slain in them and God and Christ and Spirit and Light c. are all captived hindred from working yea altogether killed slain in them because a Soul doth not mind them and hearken to Christ in them Ah poor simple bruitish Imagination that ever it should enter into the thoughts of Men professing to be Christians c. or of men professing to know more than the Wolves and Foxes in the wilderness I have spoke to this before therefore a word only to G. Fox his proof Rom. 1. and 2. Chapt. From these two Chapters he proves that there is that of God in the Children of Disobedience and Reprobates who denies it For there is something of God that is from the power and wisdome of God in the Fallen Spirits the Devils themselves But I know by that of God G. Fox means God himself prest down as a Cart with sheaves the holy Seed Christ Iesus under the Clods the holy Spirit in prison for the Soul is a part of the Essence or Being of God himself But that there is here a word or title of Colour to any of this dirt and filth flung in the face of the Majestie of Heaven This Scripture speaks of the work or working of the Law written in their hearts but what is this to a second writing of the holy Scriptures or writing inspired into the heart by the most holy Spirit yea what is this to a third writing of their Names written in Heaven in the Lambs Book of Life yea what is this to fourth writing the writing of the new Covenant Consisting of Sin and a new heart a heart of flesh in which his Law is written as formerly in Tables of Stone and yet we poor men of Iabesh Gilead must leave the Testimony as Gilead imports and suffer Nahush the Serpent to put out our right eyes and believe that every man hath the new Covenant Christ Iesus and the Kingdom of God c. with the Pharisees in every mans heart and yet he never knows of it 4. Instance In the same pag. 12 he brings in the same Author saying It is a Counterfeiting of the new Birth for men to 6 follow the Light wherewith men coming into the world are inlightned G. Fox Answ. which none comes to the new Birth but who come to the Light which every man c. in which believing is a Child of the Light c. I Reply G. Fox runs round agian and again like the windmil Sails It is saith he no Counterfeiting of a new Birth why because it is no Counterfeiting none comes to the new Birth but who comes to the Light c. As to the words in Iohn 1. Hitchcock at Newport alleadged that it was not in his Bible enlightneeth every man but lighteth every man c. John Stubs lockt in his greek Testament and confest it was Photizes which is not inlightneth but Lighteth 2. As to the Light We know there are two Opinions how Christ lighteth every man c. First as God in the Creation 2. As God man and Mediatour and that the Greeks word Erchomenon doth not relate to the word anthropon the man or every man that cometh into the world but phoce Light and that it must be read in this Sense viz that Christ Iesus the true Light cometh into the world lighteth every man that is in the world freely that will receive him Even as many whomsoever look up to him as Iohn 3. the stung Israelites to the brazen Serpent and that Christ Iesus is the Light of the world John 8. and 12. to as many as receive him according to 1 Iohn 12. and that the meer phrase imports no more then a Light held forth to all in the world as the Sun in the Heavens and Christs Followers Math. 5. are called by Christ Iesus the Light of the World Thus the word all and every man as I hinted before is used not absolutely but Comparatively and is figuratively taken in many places and four time in that one ver 1 Col. 28. viz. warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdome that we may present every man perfect in Christ Iesus which literally cannot be true Now G. Fox runs into his Burrough of the many significations of the word Light and the word all and the word inlightneth willingly ignorant that Christ Iesus as Mediator of the new Covenant inlightens none but those whom his Father gives him unto whom he gives Repentance to whom he opens the door of Faith and gives them to believe and suffer c. So that G. Fox Confounds the Elect and the World together and brings in a Counterfeit new Birth a Counterfeit Christ and at last a Counterfeit Salvation 7 5. Instance G. Fox pag. 20. brings in Henock Howet saying It is a fancy to say the Covenant of God is to all men in the world and the grace of God hath appeared to all men c. He Answ.
of Life of Peace who was glorified with the Father before the World began which is beyond the first Adam and hath shut himself forth not to be as high as his heathen Philosophers And many witness Christ in them in this Age as in the dayes of the Apostles which is above the heathen Philosophers I Reply 1. I know it pleased God in all Ages to stir up the Spirits of some Men as the Philosophers amongst the Greeks 22 Socrates Plato Aristotle to improve that excellent Light of Reason which he had given them as Men and in so great a measure above other men 2. This wily Fox he runs to his hole and Confounds this Common Light of Reason with Christ and God himself who also are called Light by Similies from the Creature 3. The Question then follows If this Light of Knowledge were Christ as God and King and Mediatour why is it that none of these excellent Men knew nothing of God nor Christ nor Spirit Name nor Thing but only of the first Creation Can such a Court be kept a Palace furnished and such Royal and heavenly Guests be entertaind and no Body know any thing of it nor themselves neither when Christ Jesus came into Ierusalem though but in a poor Contemptible way all Iorusalem was moved at his coming and shall this most glorious King now Infininitely more glorious make his Ingress into the Souls of such wise and Excellent Men and neither they nor others hear of it until just now twenty years since Some cheated Souls dream of it 4. The utmost of Reason in these Excellent Men it is known I say that the Activity of the highest Reason in this World falls short in two grand particulars 1. As to the Creatures For some of them must needs fall short when Plato granted a Creation and a kind of Father Son and Holy Spirit in the Creation of it Aristotle pretends to see further then his Mr. Plato and all his Arguments and asserts the World to have no Beginning nor Ending c. Some of them maintaind the Soul of man to be procreated by the Parents others as the Quakers that it was part of the Divine Essence others that it is created and infused by God c. Some that the Center of the World is the Terrestrial Globe and that the Sun and heavenly Bodies move about it others that the Ceuter of the world is the Sun and that this Terrestrial Globe moves about the Sun and many other such natural Mysteries 2. However that Paul tells us Rom 1. That by the Creation some come to know there is an Eternal Power and Godhead yet 1 Cor. 1. he tells us that the World by wisdome knew not God which must be expounded or else swallow a Contradiction as the Quakers guise is viz. that by the highth of their wisdome 23 they could not see God so as to make him alone their Summum bonum and Blessedness so as to glorify him as God So as the holy Scriptures and the most holy Son of God from his Bosome hath revealed him so that in the highth of Reasons Reasonings the Spirit of God concludes that the natural man can not reach or perceive the things of God and yet this foolish Man makes every mans heart in the World the Court of Heaven a thing which every Kingdom and all men may abhor to think of but men are vain in all their Reasonings and their foolish heart is darkned yea their wisdome is Enmity hating God himself as the Scripture concludes c. It is true We re read of Noah Ark of Moses his Tabernacle Solomon his Temple and we see many glorious Fabricks and Works of the Sons of men in his world which argue excellent Gifts of God to them both of wisdome Prudence Fortitude Patience Temperance c. but do they all amount in the Total to more then Natural parts good Education and Industrious diligence can reach too What are all these to the enlightning of my Soul with my natural undone and damned Condition to a sight of Sin as Sin to a sight of my utter Inability to pay or all the whole Creation for me one farthing to Gods Justice or to work my desire to have any thing to do with him What are these to the changing of and a total turning of my whole Soul unto God to an humble sight of my Infinite necessity of the alone Sufficiency and Excellency of the Lord Jesus the great and only Mediatour and of my becoming one with him in Loves Eternal Beside what a single Consequence doth this high Illuminiated Doctor give to his Opposite viz. that because I magnify the Gifts of God to many yea thousands of Excellent Men whom I nor G. Fox are worthy to hold the Candle to therefore I shut my self out from Christ and those wise men too It may be his Opposite had somewhat more in his Assertion but this is all this high wise man in his own eyes prints and Answers to Who knows not how full the World is of admirable Men and Women that are not Christians And yet what a base esteem hath this proud Spirit of all men yea of all Christians too that dance not after his foolish pipe c. A 13th Instance I mention though Instances are as Leprosie spread over his whole Book is in pag. 48. where he brings in the 24 same Ioseph Miller saying The Prophets are more certain then any other Revelation He Answers was not the Son of God revealed the end of the Prophets Did not God reveal him which came in the Volume of the Book to do the will of God And so the Prophets and the Law and Types and shadows which they that had the Law and Types and shadows knew not the Son of God that was revealed that was their End spoken of in the Prophets end Epistles who is now revealed I Reply G. Fox to pass by his un-English Nonsence obvious to any that understand publick writings I say G. Fox either ignorantly or willingly knows not that the Question is not here whether Christ be the End of the Law and the Prophets in a true sense or whether Christ was not more revealed at his coming in the Flesh then before in the Prophecies c. But whether the written word of the Prophets of which Peter speaks and I have spoke before be not a more sure word of Command and Comfort to us then any now to be expected yea then that Revelation which we have upon that holy Testimony of Peter and Iohn themselves As it is with an Anchor strong enough to ride a Ship in most weathers yet some are as the Seamen spake second and third Bowers and one the best and Sheet Anchor and as it is in Witnesses some speak the Truth and Substance of the matter and yet others speak more plainly and fully c. So speaks Gods Spirit in Peter of the Infinite Fulness of the
Prophecies of Scriptures or the written foretellings and utterings concerning Jesus Christ. Thus the God of Heaven most holy and only wise stoops to our weakness and calls his mind his word his works his word his Providences of mercy or Judgement his Word the Lord Jesus his only begotten his word his writings his Word and this in a way of Condescention to our Capacity seeing that all the World over Kings and Rulers Fathers Masters of Families of Ships c. give the word that is the manifestation of their mind and will and this as the Spring in Clocks and watches turn about all other wheels and motions Hence it is that if ancient Records and Deeds with Hands and Seals be produced at the Bar of Trial all mouths are stopt at such Evidences Thus the Word of God in the mouths of the Prophets written for after Generations is Comparatively beyond the Report of Peter 25 and Iohn themselves is in all Religions The Iews have their Talmud the Turks their Alcheron the Pope his Decretans and the Protestants the Written Word or Scriptures When therefore a Pardon is written and Sealed with the Board Seal of a King or State what a fancy is it for a condemned Wretch to hearken first to a Pardon revealed within to a voice within to a King within to a Writing within a Seal within and so slighting the true pardon in the Kings way to be conveyed from without to the Mind and Spirit within to lose his Pardon and Deliverance as thousands of such poor cheated Souls must do A 14 Instance G Fox brings in Pag. 49. his Opposite Ralph Hall saying It is against the Light of Nature for Women to Preach c. G. Fox Answers Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the mind of God and the Prophets who said God would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and Daughters should Prophesie So that he is a limiter of the Holy one a quencher of the Spirit and in the Darkness and this is above the Light of Nature I Reply First What is the Light of Nature but the Light in which every man comes into the World with as the Foxians speak a Light differing from that Light which Beasts wilde and tame and Birds and Fishes have And a Second Light differing from what is Supernatural as that Light revealed from Heaven in the Holy Scriptures and infused into the Souls of Men by the Holy Spirit or Power of God 2. What is the Light of Nature in Man but that Order which the most Glorious Former of all things hath set like Wheeles in Clocks or Watches a going in all his Creatures Some have observed that in the Insensible Creatures to which the most High hath only giving Beings that there may be observed a Male and Female amongst them This is more observable in Vegetables or growing Creatures as in Plants Trees Herbs Flowers c. More yet in Sensitives as Birds Beasts Fishes Most of all in Rationals Men and Women whom the most High hath so wonderfully distinguished It is true that in Religious and Christian Matters there is no 26 respect of persons with God as of Man before the Woman otherwise than to order Natural and Civil The Woman is Predestinated is Called is Justified is Glorified and wears that Golden Chain as well as the Wisest and Strongest of Mankinde And it is true the Wisdome of God perfers some Women before thousands of Men in their being born of Nobles in excellent parts as is observable in the Lady Iane and Queen Elizabeth c. in some special favour as Christ Jesus first appearing to Mary Magdalen and other Women and sending them to carry the first Tydings or Gospel of his Resurrection to his Apostles yea in effusions or powrings forth of an extraordinary measure of his Spirit before Christs coming as on Miriam Deborah Anna Huldah c. and at his coming according to Ioels Prophesie on his Daughters as well as his Sons so that as my opposites alledged to me in publick Philip the Evangelist had four Daughters thus extraordinarily endâ—wed yet this favour of God toward Women destroys not the order which the God of Order or Nature hath set in those Bounds and Limits and Distinctions between the Male and Female the Man and Woman though the Holy Scripture were silent yet Reason and Experience tell us that the Woman is the weaker Vessel that she is more fitted to keep and order the House and Children c. that the Lord hath given a covering of longer Hair to Women as a sign or teacher of covering Modesty and Bashfulness Silence and Retiredness and therefore not so fitted for Manly Actions and Employments Therefore because of Ioels Prophesie or because we must not limit or quench the Spirit as G. Fox saith there is no ground in Gods ordinary course of Nature to permit Women to pretend to be Apostles or Messengers to the Nation or Preachers and Teachers in the Publick Assemblies 1. Because we finde no such Commission given by Christ Jesus or any such Practice amongst the first Believers 2. The Lord hath set as Seamen speak a preventer to such an unnatural boldness by express Prohibitions with the Reasons and Grounds to the Corinthians and to Timothy and to answer those Scriptures with a flam viz. that Eve the Transgressor and Women that be Tatlers are forbidden and the Woman Iezebel 27 c. is all one to tell us that Paul was not a Man nor Timothy a Man nor the Teachers Men nor Corinth a City but all signifie Metaphorical and Mystical Business 3. Why may not Women much more be Lord Majors and Bailiffs and Sherriffs and Iustices and Constables Captains Colonels Generals and Commanders by Sea and Land 4. That Reason the Spirit gives to the Corinthians for the vailing of Women in publick Assemblies makes much more for their vailing and silence in matters of Prophesying Preaching and Praying viz. Because of the Angels I know not any fair and sober Exposition of this Scripture except as the blind Quakers who swallow down a fly Camel too but that of the Heavenly Angels and Spirits attending on and guarding the Assemblies of true Christians and rejoycing in the comliness order and beauty of their publick Administrations Some few years since there came to my House two Maries it is said they came from London they bid me Repent and Hearken to the Light within me I prayd them â—o sit down that we might quietly reason together they would not then standing I askt them the ground of their such Travel and Employment they alledged Ioels Prophesie I answered that was fulfilled that was not every dayes work besides their business was not Prophetical but Apostolical c. they regarded not my Answers nor Admonitions but powred the Curses and Judgements of God against me and hurried away to Barbadoes they went and being War
time the Ship bound for England they were set upon by the Dutch and though these Women animated the Seamen to fight and Prophesied that not an hair of their head should perish yet they two were both slain as afterward came certain Tydings of the whole matter I own that it may please the Father of Spirits in cases extraordinary he may please to alter his common course of Naâ—uâ—e as in Abrahams case with Isaak but we must not tempt God but if God hath powred forth the gifts of Knowledge and Utterance upon some Women more then other they have three large fields to walk in mentioned by the Holy Scripture viz. of their instructing their Children c. 2. As occasion justly calls them from home of instructing other women especially the younger 3. Of confessing boldly the Name and Truth of Christ Jesus 28 when he suffers Tyrants to bring Persecution on them c. A 15th Instance is in pag. 56. where George Fox brings in Thomas Higinson saying The sight of the Godhead without Faith in Christ is the Foundation of all false worships He Answers Can any see the Godhead have a siht of the Godhead and â—ot see Christ and have Faith in Christ And who hath Faith in Christ do they not see the Fulness of the Godhead dwels in him Christ And was not their mind turneh from that of God in them which declared the Invisible things of him from the Creation of his Eternal Power and Godhead which the Apostle found fault withal Let all Examine and Judge and read the Scripture Rom. 1. and try I Reply In former years I have Conversed with all the Indians of this New-England by Land and Seas and I have read the 1. of the Romans often and now once again at G Fox his motion and I find that First there is generally in all mankind in the World a Conviction of an Invisible Omnipotent and Eternal Power and Godhead 2. That this Conviction doth arise from the Creation though some of the wisest of the World as Aristotle c. though Confessing a Godhead yet hold the world an Eternal Deity it self and never to have been created 3. I find not that ever any man or men by all their natural Light or wit or Christ within could find out how the World or himself Man or Woman were created Though Iames Nailour told us in print that if never a Letter of Scriptâ—re had been written yet their Spirit could tell them all things 4. I find all men confess that the will or Word or mind of God is pure and as they could come to know it is to be adored kept and observed and that it was ever and is wickedness to Sin against it 5. All mankind having the Law or without it are perswaded that some actions are naught and against Gods will as to steal to Murther c. 6. None for all the Light and Spirit in every one could ever find out how Sin how Sorrow and Death came into the World Nor how such Inclinations and Dispositions to Sin came into themselves c. 7. I find in all mankind a Conviction that God is just and 29 powerful and doth bring plagues and punishments upon persons and Nations for those gross Sins of Adultery Murther c. 8. I could never leaâ—n for all that Christ in every man Fox sings of that ever any man living or all the Counsels of men could ever know or learn four things but as revealed by God by extraordinary wayes of Dreams Visions c. or the ordinary of his holy Records and the Doctrine of them opened preached c. 1. How to pacifie Gods Justice 2. How to resist the Devils Tyranny 3. How to worship God 4. How to get true Blessedness here and in the World to come 9. Hence according to Foxes Opposite all mankind have invented so many false Gods false worships c. all the world over yet out of no more Love to God then the Lamb bears to a Lyon but out of Fear as the old saying is primos in Orbe Deos c. Fear made the first Gods Hence the Philistins sends the God of Israel a present and offering with Ark or Chest Hence the Samaritans with the Sechemites for fear of Lyons 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 reveals that Incomprehensible Mystery of a Mediatour A 16th Instance of Foxes lame writings is pag. 56. where he brings in the same Author saying The Iustification and Redemption by obeying the Light within is the Mystery of Iniquity He Answers He that believeth is justified from all things and comes not into Condemnation and he hath the wietnss in himself and that lets him see the Redeemer the Saviour the Light which walking in it he is cleansed from all Sin and so no Mystery of Iniquity For the Mystery of Iniquity is out of the Light None sees Iustification and Redemption but with the Light within which comes from Christ who hath enlightened him I Reply This is subtle but being examined it will be a mystery of hellish Iniquity and lighter then vanity it self For 1. He usually and here as before I have opened confounds Justification and Light and Christ and Faith and obedience after his Babylonish wont all in a Juglers box within together So that the English of Faith is Christ Obedience is Christ Justification is Christ Light is Christ c. It is true sometimes it pleased Gods Spirit to speak figuratively and to 30 call Christ sometimes our Justification and sometimes a Curse for us Sometimes Sanctification and sometimes Sin for us But it is a mystery or subtle trick of Hell to call Faith Obedience and Obedience to the Light Justification and Redemption and yet mean Christ. So that Fox his words may be in plain English thus rendred None sees Christ and Christ but with the Christ within which comes from Christ who hath Christed him The true Sense as Mony Answers all things but it is a Mystery of Iniquity to darken any much more heavenly matters with Confounding and not distinguâ—shing aright when matters are in Examination 2. It is another Gospel or glad News yet not another but is a dream and dead picture of an Image or Idol to put in our Obedience and working though I know they Father this Bastard upon the most holy God himself saying it is his Obedience his Righteousness his working in the Room of the Death and blood shedding the Sufferings and merits of the Lord Jesus 3. It is a Mystery of Iniquity subtly and yet churlishly and selfishly with Laban to change wages and the Covenant or Bargain so often to pretend with the Papists great abhorring of the Iewish worship and Iewish Covenant the Bargain of Do this and live the Bargain of saving our selves
c. and the Bargain of flying out of our selves and only to Gods mercy in the Mediation of Christ Jesus And then again to render our selves to be so holy so righteous so obedient so loving so Chast 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. I know the writers of the Quakers make this high Obedience to be the Crown of some high Saints amongst them as the Papists do and that others come not so high are taken by the sleshly Spirit and repent and Confess and be more watchful as they say in a Contradiction of I. Naylor but this is Contradiction to their general grant viz that every Saint every one even the least that is born again he can not Sin and I know also that they have a foolish Salve or plaister for this sore too and Contradict their denying of meanings given to the Scripture and come to the meanings of the Protestants saying they cannot Sin willingly and so and so And yet again in a horrible Mystery of 31 Iniquity they exclaim against the Protestants for saying a Child of God can not fall from true grace Finally or Totally 4. Here is a Mystery of hellish Iniquity in that they Confess such a man Christ to have been and his blood shedding the Types and real predictions and figures of him a real Death Resurrection and Assention and yet upon the point by a Devilish Chymistry evaporate all these and leave nothing but a Christ within as God and as Man whose Name is now Light and our Obedience to the motions of this Light within this is Justification Righteousness Salvation God Christ Perfection perfect holiness c. 5. It is a Hellish Mystery of the Devil to Cozen poor Souls with a Notion of the Difficulty and height of their Profession and of worshipping God in Spirit and Truth which they say no Body in the World do but they c. and yet the Truth is as I told them in publick there is an Image in the Bed but David was gone yea and that their Religion was one of the easiest Religions in the world For as I have seen pluck but forth a small pin or peg in a Harpsycon and that wonderful Instrument will delight your Ear and mind with curious and various Tunes of Musick So if once a poor Soul gives way an Inch and sets in one thought of yielding to the voice of a Spirit within them they are filled and ravished with curious Notions of Justification Holiness God and Christ and Spirit within them they can now Thou the King himself they need no Scriptures nor Teachers and thus as in a dream their great Debts of Thousands and Millions are paid and discharged The Cage door flies open and they are delivered as a Bird c. from Sin and Devil and Hell c. yea Rapt up into Paradice and see and hear and speak unutterable Ioyes c. I Confess as I said in the Case of the two hundred following Absolom I hope there is many a precious Soul sincerely aiming at God and as precious Diamonds and Jewels fallen in the dirt c. As I hope in the Parishes of Protestants and Papists also who being only ignorant as the Disciples were of main points of Christianity yet aim uprightly at God truly love him and labour to increase in the knowledge and grace of Christ Iesus A 17th Inst. is in ag 63. where G. Fox brings in his Adversary Ieremiah Ives saying There may be a Light to Convince of Sin and yet not within man He Answers there is no people 32 Convinced of Sin but they are Convinced within themselves and with the Light within them It is the Light which makes manifest to a man when he is Convinced It Answers to something and reacheth to something in their particulars though the words be spoken without them from the Light I Reply First it is a doleful Business to read and hear how Satan in his Chains of Darkness yet hath Liberty to appear abroad as an Angel of Light from Heaven thus vapouring and swaggering under the Cloak and Colours of Light the Light which is Christ the Light by which all things were made the Light that was glorified with the Father before the World was the Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World the Light within you c. the Light which will guide you up to God up to Christ up to Salvation and Eternal Life and yet all this vapourings and Crakings are but Cheatings from the God of this World whose eyes being beat out by Gods most righteous Sentence he labours to keep all in blindness or to beat out the eyes of those whom God hath truly enlightned 2. As I have said before and I said truly the word Light is a Similitude from Light and darkness though my Opposites in the dispute affirmed that God was Light in a proper and not figurative Sense and it signifies and intends Truth of all Sorts whether Natural Moral or Heavenly The natural Truth or Light is received within by a natural Light or understandings The Civil and moral Light or Truth suits and agrees with those moral and Civil Convictions of the natural Light and understanding Hither to Natures Light will reach But when we mount up to Divine and Supernatural Truth here these very Foxians Confess that the Natural Man perceiveth not the things of God Only they say that beside Natural Light Natural Reason c. there is the holy Seed God and Christ c. within every Son and to this Spirit and Seed in Prison they preach and Fox in our discourses alleadgeth and affirmeth God in every man to be a Cart loaden with sheaves prest under and as it were in Prison c. blasphemous wretches if they keep not but go beyond Similitudes and Comparative Expressions to make â—s poor worms creep up to Heaven 3. All Light or Truth Natural Civil or Divine it comes from without and is received by the Internal Faculty according 33 to the Capacity Nature and measure of it All Truth or falshood Light or darkness is first espied by the watch or Sentinel Fancy or Comprehension c. From thence it is conveyed to the Court of Guard where Captain Reason or his Lieutenant common Sense and Experience taketh Examination and Memory keeps a Record of proceedings which go on by degreen to Actions c. 4. When I say it comes from without I intend not that Truth or Light comes any other way from without as by force and ravishment c. I say any other way then there is a door Room and Receptive Faculty within willing to receive and to make it welcome This G. Fox urgeth there must be a receiver and something that Answers I Answer Natural Truth or morals Civil matters are soon
Overseers to be Invisible for they saw with an Invisible Eye and so they was in the Spirit which is Invisible and not in the Flesh else they could not be Overseers in the Church of God and you are the visible apostatiz'd from them I Reply This is one of the most impudent Fooleries that either Fox or as the Proverb is any Dog could be impudent in For First 42 1. He acknowledgeth a publick Assembly of Christians as well as of other pretending Worsh ppers Turks Iews c. Also he acknowledgeth the Ministers Officers and Overseers of their Assemblies 2. His Reason is notoriously silly and impudent viz. because the Church is in God and the Overseers are made by the holy Spirit For are the secret works of God alwayes secret and never revealed The Child in the Wombe the precious Stones and Minerals when brought forth are no more Invisible then the Sun in the Firmament 3. The Christian profeâ—â—ion and professours however they were wrought and prepared and by divers means by Gods Spirits yet the Lord Jesus compares them to the most visible Conspicuous and glorious things and persons To the Sun and Moon in the Heavens and the Heavens and Stars also to Mountains and Cities on those Hills or Mountains To Kings To their houses and Palaces yea to Armes with Banners c. 4. Although the Lord Major of London and the several Officers of the City are not made and ordained in the public Streets nor Generals and other Officers appointed by his Majesty c. are they not therefore visible because their making and appointing was not Solemnized and performed in Cheapside c. 5. It is most true and most sweet that the Church is in God c. and is it not also true that in one Sense we live in God and move in God have our Being in God and yet the whole Creation is gloriously visible in another Sence the Saints their Assemblies and Officers are in God visible to the world abundantly though in an heavenly and spiritual Sence transcending the Being of the first Creation 6. G. Fox denies not but that although the first Churches were in God and the Officers of the Church and some of them were appointed immediately yet they were visible and audible by those with whom they Conversed 7. Yea G. Fox and his Foxians for all their being in God and some of their proud and silly Answerings in Courts that they live in God and dwell in God yet they disowne not their own visible Congregatings and Assemblings their visible Teachers Overseers or Bishops their visible and audible performances and Worships praying preaching singing c. and wâ—y then doth this 43 poor notoriously visible Cheatour thus prate of Invisibilities especially in times of peace and not in Elias Case The 22 Instance is in pag 84. where G. Fox brings in his opposite Magnus Byne saying The Scriptures may be understood by the help of Tongues He Answers All Scripture was given forth by Inspiration and so without the same Inspiration it is not understood again Pilate had the Tongues yet did not understand the Scripture nor Christ the Substance of it And this you have set up since the Apostacy your Tongues you Raveners from the Spirit I Reply First I make use of G. Fox his Confession viz. that all Scripture is inspired c. therefore say I he Consesseth that every word Syllable and Tittle in that Scripture or writing is the Word or immediate revealed will of God against his and his Foxians common Song hath God any more words but one 2. As to the Scriptures the understanding of them is threefold First Literal who understands not Thou shalt not kill Thou shalt not Steal c. The second is Metaphorical as I am the Dore I am the Bread c. The third is saving and Spiritual when it pleaseth God to set home the heavenly Commands Promisâ—s c. in particular Soul Application 3. I observe the End of G. Fox and especially of the old Serpent and Fox that acts him It is to destroy the coming of Gods holy Records and writings to poor lost men to their Salvation that he may foist and whisp in what his hellish malice pleaseth to their Damnation For if no knowledge of the Tongues in which the most wise and most holy Lord pend his Letters or writing to us then no preaching of the Doctrine in them to the world witout some new miraculous way then no translating and reading of them which is that the Devil in all Ages and at this day aims at with all his might 4. I therefore charge upon this proud Ignoramus and all his blind Disciples and Followers the horrible Crime of Unthankfulness and Ingratitude for were it not for Tindal burnt to ashes and other heavenly Spirits set on work from Heaven to dig out the knowledge of the Hebrew and the Greek and to turn it into French Dutch English and now praised be God into the very 44 Indian Language of this Country how would these Seraphical Doctors know whether there were such a Creation of Heavens and Earth or of man and his wife which we now so talk of I put this question once to a Soul in this Country who told me although they had no English Scripture Gods Spirit would teach them Greek and Hebrew but I can declare to any that ask me the dreadful End of that party 5. I Charge upon this Foxian party the horrible Crime of a proud Laziness for not studying the Original Languages themselves It is a shameful Trade and deceitful when persons have mony in their hands to take up all on trust I have known very Eminent Men and Women Independants and Baptists give themselves up to serious study of the Hebrew Language I never knew any of the Foxian Spirits so inclind but according to the Lazie fool under the Fig-Tree which I have seen in an Embleme almost threescore year since they lie down and cry Sweet Figs drop down in yielding wâ—se For Lazie will not let me rise 6. I Judge that G. Fox and his wild Spirit can not prove that Pilate had the Hebrew Greek and Latin for though he caused by an heavenly finger of God such a Title to be set up in the three then most known Languages Hebrew Greek and Latin yet he himself might have no knowledge of any more then the Latin which was his Mother Romane Tongue As a Book seller may deal in Books of Hebrew Greek Latin French Dutch Italian Spanish c. and yet understand no more then his Mother English 7. I know the Devil abounds with Tongues and can speak all Languages and I know and have seen his Inspirations and three thousands verses in shâ—w very heavenly inspir'd by him in an English woman of this Country who had no such skill ex tempore They were taken and written from her mouth and I have read them and
mankind of many due respects and favorable glaunces of Gods care of order and prudent distinctions and differences amongst the Sons of men in Families Cities Nations Armies Navies c. 3. Sure he can not but remember and his own and all the Light in the Quakers if seriously minded will tell them that 54 in robbing all the world of their several due moderate and sober Titles and Respects they do but by a jugling Hocas pocas a back dore c. rob all others of their points Ribbons and Laces wherewithal only to adorn and trim and trick their foolish selves Just as the Popish party practice to cry up their Pope servus servorum Dei and yet be Domine fac totum your holiness c. and yet the Pope and Papists herein out shoot the Quakers for the Papists give all men their Civil and Courteous different Respects and Acknowledgements which the dogged and scornful Quakers are far from their Spirit being prouder then the Papists 4. G. Fox knows how others of his Adversaries have in print told him that the English word Master Answers to many words in the Greek Kathegerese Didarkalos c. and that these words Rahbi and Pateer all shew that the Lord Jesus only Condemned the Pharisaical Popish and Foxian Itch of being called Masters Fathers Leaders Teachers in Religion undervaluing and slighting others c. Thus amongst the Papists their Magister noster their Patres c. their Irrefragable Seraphical and Angelical Doctors thus among the Foxians Iames Naylor Hosanna c. and G. Fox at this Town of Providence called the Eternal Son of God Christ Iesus 5. Half a Humane and sober Eye may see that in all his Declamations against the Pharisaical or Popish or Foxian Rabbies the Lord Jesus I say comes not near in a Title the Civil and Natural Respects of Inferiours to Heads of Families Cities Kingdomes c. all of which the very nature of man being von politikon a sociable Creature and the holy Scripture is all over from end to end full of most frequent Examples yea Commands and practices 6. How Childishly doth Fox Answer his Opposite viz that although it be unlawful to call Master yet it is not unlawful to call Father for there is a Birth which his Opposite is ignorant of c. I ask if G. Fox mean not their Immediate Birth of Light which for a Cover they call Spirit and Christ c. in Opposition to that true Christian Regeneration and Change which it pleaseth God ordinarily to Effect by means as Paul said though you have ten thousand Teachers yet I have begotten you c Sure it is their Immediate denies the mediate 55 7. Where there no Ordinary means appointed by God for Natural or Spiritual procreation yet how simple is that Consequence that because God is an Extraordinaâ—y Father therefore I may call men Fathers but not Masters when God is both Father and Master and both Titles are forbidden in a true Sense by one and the same heavenly Breath at the same time A 28 h. Instance is pag. 106. where G. Fox brings in W. Thomas saying Men are saved but not by Christ within us He Answers How is mans Salvaâ—ion wrought out but by Christ within How is the Iustification fels but by Christ wit in And the Seeds we manifest that suffered without is made manifest within there is Redemption and Life He that hath the Son of God hath Life Redemption to God out of the first Adam and who feels Christ within feels Salvation and who doth not are Reprobates though they may talk of him I Reply This subtle Fox is in his Burrough Confounding under the Terms Christ the person of Christ and the Love and Spirit and Grace or Favour of Christ as if they were all one As if where the Name and Authority and writing of G. Fox comes there of necessity must G. Fox in person be Or to rise higher wherever the Name and Authority of a King General or Admiral is there must their persons also be This Popish Ubiquitary Fancy all sober Reasons have long since laught at and justly as being most Fancyfull and Frantick what 2. What is this but to make the Kings of men yea the King of Kings poor Mechanicks yea lower that can do nothing by any Means Servants Ministers Legates Embassadours c. except they be personaly present 3. The Spirit of God resolves the Question Ephes 3. He dwels in the Heart by Faith or believing in him and Gal. 2. I live by believing or Faith in the Son of God This Faith is given of God to some and not to others This Faith or Belief is wrought by Christ Jesus and â—inâ—shed by him and may with as good Sense be called Christ himself as a shoo which G. Fox hath begun and finished be called G Fox himself 4. With what Colour of Reason or Sense is it that if I believe King Charles the second to be the King of English Men and my King I must of necessity because of my belief which He by gracious 56 means hath wrought in me I believe that K. Charles is personally present Ubiquitarily present in person in all his Dominions and all the world over where ever his Loving Subjects have their Residence 5. I grant if we as some Quakers and Humphry Norton by Name resolve Christ only into a Spirit and God only he is Ubiquitary But as man why may not the General of an Army say to his whole Army and every Individual Souldier as Paul to the Corinthians though I am absent in Body yet am I present in Spirit Christ Jesus is in his Command and Courage and Example in every Regiment every Squadron every Band and Troop and every Souldier of the mâ—ny Millions that have and shall believe in him and that in a Sense both as God and man 6. The Hinge and pinch of the Difference lies in the Opposition which the Quakers make against the Manhood of Christ Jesus to be yet Extant many of them alleadging why stand you gazing Acts 1 c. as if it were but gazing after a Manhood and all now were Spirit and Light within 7. Who ever questiond but that the Spirit or power of Christ Jesus worketh in the Souls of his Elect the great saving change or regeneration gives Repentance opens the heart to Believe and makes the heart of this Believer a Palace for three Kings yet but one the Father the Son and the Spirit in Holiness Love Meekness Patience c. and all these Royal Attendants 8. Who questions but Christ Jesus as the Sun in these Heavens inâ—luenceth all parts of the World in several respects and nothing is hid from his heat He is felt in the bruised Reed and smoaking Flax in the poor in Spirit in the hungry and thirsty after Righteousness sometimes in the hope of Glory to come
a dumb Devil in their dumb meetings and stand still and listen and lie upon their beds of laziness for Revelations and Notions c. 8. As for G. Fox his scornful sling against old Authors what is it but pride and Ingratitude pride to undervalâ—e much more to scorn my Progenitors and Ancestors Ingratitude to God for so many helps c. and to them who have laboured and broke the Ice and left their Labours behind them for the benefit of after Commers yea what Injustice when I disregard and slight their writings and reproach them calling them Old Authors compared with their new Fancies as W. Edmundson did me frequently at Newport Old Man Old Man c. The 33 Instance is in Pag 206 where he brings in Iohn Burton sading It is a Scripture of the Devils making to apprehend Christ within He Answers If there be any other Christ but he who was Crucified within he is the false Christ and the Scriptures hold forth this and the Devil never made it but he and his Messengers are against it And he that hath not this Christ that was risen and 66 Crucified within is a Reprobate though Devils and Reprobaes may talk of him without I Reply This is the great dispute between the Christians and the Pagans the Christians and the Iews the Christians and the Mahumetans and the Christians among themselves so called viz. Who is the great Prophet 2. To what purpose should I alleadge the whole history of the Birth Life Death c. of the Lord Jesus since the Quakers acknowledge all true c. 3. Why should I alleadge the Sermons and Preachings and Writings of the Apostles or Messengers of Christ Iesus after his Ascention all harmonizing with the four Evangelists writing his Life and Death c. 4. Certain it is that he that shall turn over all the former Relations and Histories and all the writings and Sermons of the Apostles since and predicate a Christ that was risen within Crucified within in Opposition to that Iesus of Nazareth without he must have the Forehead of a Reprobate and Devil as G. Fox phrazeth it 5. G. Fox knows the Protestants predicate in Life and Death the believing in Christ Jesus so born so living and dying And the applying of the price of his Death and merits unto God for Propitition And the Applying of the Promise and new Covenant and Bargain in that Blood for a new Heart a new Spirit c. 6. What shall then become of G. Fox his believing in a Christ that was Risen and Crucified within in Opposition to this Lord Jesus so Promised so Prophesied of so prefigured so brought forth so living and dying so preached so believed on and what a Forehead of Hell must he have that calls all those Reprobates and Devils that talk of Christ without The 34th Instance is in pag. 214. where G Fox brings in the Elders and Messengers of several Churches of Ilston Abergevenny c. saying We are Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity c. He Answers David doth not say you who were Conceived in Sin but I and W. saith Iohn was sanctified from the Wombe and the Scriptures speaks of such as were sanctified from the Wombe and Children that were clean And so you do not speak as Elders and 67 Messengers of true Churches or Men dividing the Word aright but you are one against another though you are all against them you call Quakers that be in the Truth I Reply 1. In the passage G. Fox discovers to any Intelligent and Savoury Spirit not only a weak and deluded Soul but a Popish and Arminian poyson about the Estate of all mankinde in their first Birth a strong presumption that he never felt what the woful Estate of all mankinde by Nature is and what to Cry out in his own particular with David I was Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity which Cry is one of the first Soul Cries of every Child of God 2. About 120 years since the Father of Spirits stird up the Spirit of his Famous Servant Calvin to batter down the Babel of a Franciscan Frantick who maintained that God from the first Created both Devils and wicked men in the same Condition of wickedness wherein we now find them Contrary to the holy Scriptures Testimony as that Excellent Soul proved declaring their pure Creation their Fall and their respective future Estate and condition to Eternity 3. In the Reign of our late Royal Sovereign K. Iames it pleased God to let loose this Devil of Pelagius who rowzed up the wits of Arminius and his Followers in the low Countries during their twelve years Truce with Spain so that the Civil Discord about this point and other Pelagian and Semi-pelagian Doctrines had almost ruined Holland c. but that the Lord mightily assisted them First By the personal presence and Forces of the Prince of Orange and Secondly By the Famous Assembly and Disputes of the Synod at Dort 4. To follow the Fox into his Burrough what if David say not you but I why should the Papists and Arminians or Foxians have a more holy Birth then David Wherein could holy David Father Iesse and his mother be charged Is not the English of the word Devil Accuser Reproacher Slanderer Is not Nature that Law and Order which the most Infinite Creator hath set in the propagation of all his Creatures though the choicest of them Man be degenerated into the soure Vine at first a sweet Vine Nature or Gods Order goes on though mankinde be Corrupted from the Womb and the Imagination of the Thoughts of mans Heart be only evil and that continually Gen. 6. and millions of 68 Experiences all the world over Confirm it what the Trade of all mankinde is from the Birth The Spots of the Leopard and the Blackness of the Neger comes not by Accident c. 6. The perversness and Crookedness of the motions of Nature may continue though Nature and the Course of it run on as we see in Rivers turn'd out of their Chanels in Clocks and Watches and Dâ—al and Lutes and Harps when out of Tune they give their Natural and Artificial though distempered Sounds and operations 7. Beside the holy Testimony of Moses Gen. 6 and David Psal. 51. and the Lord Jesus declaring what the heart of man is Mark 7. How doth Paul Rom. 5. and 7. declare the Entrance of Sin by the first Man until by the second Man Sin and Death and Hell be Conquered and at last Sin in Gods Children fully dissolved and abolished 8. I end this passage with Appellation to all that knâ—w what Children are all the world over the sweetest and the fairest born of the holiest and sweetest Parents how froward how proud how Revengeful against their Fathers Mothers and most tender Nurses 1. These rotten and crooked Dispositions in every Childe bring forth wilde Asses fruits in Youth
of God For what man knows the things of a man save the Spirit of a man c. now we have not received the Spirit of the world but the Spirit which is of God that we may know the things which are freely given to us of God In ver 6. the Spirit of God speaks of a twofold wisdome first the wisdome of this world and the Principles of this world which come to nought Secondly the wisdome of God in a Mystery even the hidden wisdome which God ordained before the world unto our glory Again ver 12. God tells us of two Spirits The Spirit of the world Secondly The Spirit of God Now this woful Cheator finding the word Spirit Confounds as his Course is all together and because Gods Spirit regenerates the Corintâ—ians and opens to them a glimpse of the Godheads power and wisdom and Goodness by Pauls preaching and opens their hearts to it therefore he must also enlighten the world with the same Light whereas that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit and that of Flesh is Flesh This Change and renewing of the Spirit by the Holy Spirit I fear G. Fox and most of his Foxians never Experimened 74 though they enjoy in common a Light of Nature though God hath endowed him and many of them with excellent Natural Parts yea with a Light from the holy Scripture yea with a Light of Experience and common Motions from Gods holy Spirit and have been lifted up by their own thoughts and others as Capernaum up to the Heaven and therefore my Soul fears as to most of them that God will bring them down to Hell with the greater Condemnation The 38th Instance is in Pag. 222. where he brings in the same Author saying Salvation and Faith are the gifts of God distinct from Christ He Answers They are all of him and from him and with him And how is he the Author of Faith in whom it ends and from whence it comes I Reply as Potiphars wife cries out against Ioseph and pretends Chastity so doth this subtle Whoremonger pretending that all is pure Christ the Light is Christ their Hope is Christ their Faith their Spirit is Christ himself yea the Saints are Christ No distinction between Christ and them for they are all of him from him and with him In short I pray the Reader to mind with me the first Chapter to the Colossians where ver 1. The Spirit of God declares how Gods Children poor slaves at first in Sathans Clutches are Translated from the Kingdome of Darkness into the Kingdome of his dear Son In whom we have Redemption through his Blood even the Forgiveness of Sins I know the Foxians turn Christ yea his Blood also into a Spirit a God How admirably doth the holy Spirit of God declare the Godhead or Divinity of Christ Jesus and his Manhood or Humanity unto ver 21 out of both which I shall select two or three Attributes of the Lord Jesus 1. The State of Christianity amongst many other high Expressions in the Scripture is here called the Kingdome of Gods dear Son which argues a distinction from all other Kingdomes and a distinction from his Saints as a King is not his Subjects nor their Gifts and Honours and Estates and peace and Ioy though given by him to them and procured by his great wisdome and love for them Oh poor Ungrateful Monsters not content to be taken from 76 the Kingdome from the Dungeon of Darkness and Hell and that by the Ransome and price paid and Blood and Death of his only Beloved the Prince of Life but we must be the King of Heaven and Prince of Life our selves 2. I observe The Instrumental and purchasing Cause or price is said to be his Blood which argues the Infinite value of his Sufferings in which Respect only it is called the Blood of God I know the slight esteem that some of these Foxians have of the Blood of the Lord Iesus saying that wicked men the Souldiers shed it that it was spilt upon the ground that there was no difference between that Blood and the Blood of another Saint That by Gods blood is only meant godly and heavenly power and Spirit by which God applies Mercy and pardon Iustification Righteousness c. I have read the Blasphemous Discanting of the Iesuit concerning Maries white Milk and Christs Crimson Blood in the close his preferring the Milk of the Mother before the Sons Blood I have heard also the foolish Blasphemy of one of my own Neighbours saying That the Blood of the Quakers and by name of W. B. was Saving and Salvation to the World 3. But I pass on The Lord Jesus is here called the Image of the invisible God If this should respect the Godhead only which is invisible how could Christ be a visible Picture of Invisibility If the Manhood only is God a Man and Man his Image or Picture as the old Heretick and late in London Reeves and Mugleton fancied The Truth is as Christs Blood is but figuratively for an Antitipe and fulfilling of all the Figures foregoing him and for all his Sufferings and many Blood-sheddings both of Minde and Body so this Image or Picture this Blessed Lamb of God consisting of the Godhead wonderfully assuming such a none such Manhood both which the Papists and Quakers are forced to confess I say it is clear he was the brightest Image or Picture of God to the World that ever God appeared in and therefore called the Word of God the fullest and loudest of all the Words of God in which ever he spake c. 4. Many more I might insist on but I must abbreviate and only mention ver 18. where the Lord Jesus is made the Pallace of 77 the Godhead that in him as the Head of the Body his Church should all fulness dwell reconciling and making peace through the Blood of his Crosse c. Iohn tells us that of this fulness in him we receive all the World receives the Mercy and Patience of God by him all his Followers receive his Grace and Spirit Converting Sanctifying Comforting c. so that his most holy and glorious Manhood visible amongst us c. was as a fair and spacious beautiful Conduit into which the eternal and inconceivable Counsels of the eternal Power and Godhead flowed and from whom by all those blessed means and Ordinances as by so many Cocks turned and let loose flow and run into poor empty Souls as Pails and Tankards all sorts of mercies to the whole World and especially to the Elect and Chosen his Church and Body that believe in him what poor Children and Frantick Souls are we then that cry out poor Pots and Pails and Tankards that we are the Conduit it self yea we the Well-head Fountain and Spring and as this frantick Fox in his Book once and again affirms no distinction between God Christ his Saints yea
though he often acknowledge that Christ is the Author and Finisher of Faith So that the Gift of God the words of God which are his Tokens Love Tokens and Love Letters they are God and Christ themselves the heavenly Father and his Son the heavenly Bridegroom John the Baptist cried out to all such proud Souls I am not He I am not worthy to untie his Shoe Latchet He it is that Baptizeth with Fire He is the Lamb of God c. He even that man upon whom he saw the Spirit descending like a Dove c. and blessed Paul with Iob abhors himself and counts his Holy Life his Prayers his Fastings his Righteousness Dung and Dirt compared with that of Christ Iesus in Opposition to that of the Law c. In which mud still the most zealous Papists and Quakers stick and talk idly of their fulfilling of the Law now by Christs Righteousness Grace and Spirit in them which they will at last find to be no more but the first Bargain or Covenant let them pride themselves never so much in their filthy menstrous Clouts and Rags of Holiness that is their Christ within them The 39th Instance is in Pag. 223. where he brings in the same Author saying The Light which discovers Sin and Iniquity 77 in Mans Heart is not Christ the dore He Answers The first Adam was the Dore whâ—reon all Sin and Transgression entred Christ the Light the second Adam which doth inlighten every man c. saith I am the Dore the Way and the Life which finish Sin and Transgression and brings in Everlasting Righteousness and the way of Dife out of Death which Light discovers Sin I Reply Edmund Burroughs in his large Epistle to G. Fox thiâ— hâ—s Book he tells us that this Light which they thus boast of shews mans threefold Estate before Transgression in Transgression and what he is by being saved out of Transgression It is true Christ Jesus doth this by many gracious means but not Immediately nor to every man that comes into the world For the World lies in wickedness and Darkness We are not only bleeding in our wounds but we are lost in the Wilderness We are stark dead in Sin and know no more that we are dead then a dead man knows of his Condition what do then these poor deluded Souls tell us of a Light and Christ within every man in the world discovering his pure Estate his foul Estate and his raised Estate which no man or woman in this world that I have read or heard of by Nature had any Spark or shine of such a Light no nor these proud Ignorants neither but they have read or heard of these things more or less from the holy Scriptures and Records 2. It is granted that Natures Light discovers a God some sins a Judgement as we see in Indians Education and preaching discovers more as in Saul Achitophel Iudas The Word and Afflictions makes Pharoah cry out I have sinned Miracles make Nebuchadnezzar and Darius cry out There is no God so great as Daniels and to make dreadful Laws against blasphemers of him though themselves continue in their old Idolatries yea doubtless Natures Light is able in self deceitfulness wonderfully to Counterfiet true heavenly Light and the Devil seem an Angel or Messenger of Light from Heaven 3. What is this to a saving Conviction which Gods Spirit worketh in those that shall be saved when they cry out as the wounded Iews what shall we do to be saved and as the Gaolour what shall I do to be saved until this saving Sense of my Condition and Gods Justice what is Christ a Physitian a Saviour a Redeemer Bread Water Wine and oil to me All is needless yea loathsome though an bony Comb to a full Soul what talk 78 you of a pardon to an honest man or if a Rope or Barr to save a secure Epicure in his downe Bed 4. Again how poor a plea is this Adam was the dore to sin therefore Christ is the dore to the discovery of sin For look upon Adam in his Fall 1. He saw his sin 2. He had horrour of Conscience 3. He run from God 4. He hides himself 5. He He fals to mincing end excusing his sin All this is revealed to us and not a word yet heard of Christ the promised Seed or a Light Christ Jesus to Convince him of sin That was another work a saving work which we may hope the Spirit of God wrought in him upon the preaching of Christ Jesus the Seedâ—nd â—nd Mediatour to come 5. I know the Song of the great deluder is Turn to the Light hearken to the Light thou seest it chides thee for thy Stealing for thy lying c. Is not this the Christ c. listen to him be still sink down obey him he will teach thee save thee c. But the Bottom is the English and meaning is hearken to Sathan the God of this world be ruled and taught and guided by him The Scripture is but a dead Letter the true Christ is within thee he will turn thee from these sins and make thee perfect as God is perfect c. Christ is come now in us the second Time without sin to Salvation He is come in us Ten thousand of his Saints to Judgement He within thee is the word of God the Christ of God the Light of God the Spirit of God God himself and He seeks Worshippers in Spirit and Truth for the visible things are temporal c 6. But what is there in all this but the noise of Fenny bitter in hollow Canes c What is here but that common Businesses may reach to 1. The Conscience of good and evil which every favage Indian in the world hath 2. The whisperings the blâ—ndings and cheatings of the Devil in Samuels mantle pretending vowing and Swearing to be the word of the Lord to be Christ Jesus yea that to your feeling c. 7. But what are these to Christ Jesus a dore of Hope to poor wounded and damned sinners God by his Law and Justice by outward hearing or reading and inward Convictions of Natural Conscience hath passed Sentence of Eternal Death and Hell on them They feel it they cry out now the Gospel or glad news of a Saviour a Jesus is Hony in the mouth c. Now Luke 4. he 80 heals the broken heart he sets free the Prisoners ho gives Light to them that see themselves blind and Cry to him as the blind man did Christ medles not with sound persons who have no need of his Bloud Righteousness and Merits c. The 40 Instance is in Pag. 224. where G. Fox brings in Ellis Bradshaw saying There is more words then one He Answers God is the word and the Scriptures are the words which Christ fulfil I Reply 1. As the designe of the bloudy Pope and Iesuits are to kindle wars between the Protestants
World knows not written in the Book of Life Here is the new Man known after God in Righteousness and true Holiness Now who is the New Man and this new Name the World may call him by the old so it is not a mystery of iniquity to say the World calls him so I Reply 1. As to Christian or Christen Names or Things bearing or pretending to bear the Name Authority or an Uniting of Christ Jesus as we know the word Christian signifies it is incumbent on every Christian Soul to search into the Root and Rise and Practise and Warrant of them with holy fear and trembling in the presence of God 2. But to the mystery of Iniquity here insinuated against them Is it not a proud trick of a Pharisee thus to scorn the poor Heathens and Publicans as not worthy to know the Foxians high Names or take up such sacred Names and Mysteries upon their Lips yea is it not a ridiculous Fancie thus to prate and like Pharisees to scold about washing of Hands and Pots and Cups therein placing invented Holiness c. For 1. VVhat are the Heathen this Heathenish Soul here strikes at doth he mean the wilde Savages who give Names to their Children and oft times full of Reason and Significance c. Or doth he account all Nations Savages and Barbarians that give Names to their Children and consequently themselves Savages and Barbarians also for they give Names unto their Children also 2. It is true that by the word Heathen the Goj in the Hebrew and Ethne in the Greek the Nations or Gentiles were signified as distinct from the Holy Nation or Church of God the Iews but so it is not common in our English Phraze to call all the Nations Heathen that are not of the Iewish Nation 3. Did not the Saints before the coming of Christ give Names to their Children did not Leah and Rachael by Iacobs leave give all those significant Names unto the twelve Patriarchs and 84 have not the Saints of God as well as all Nations still so practised 4. Doth Christian Regeneration or New Birth destroy Natural Births or Marriages or Procreations or Names and Educations Only as Diamonds in Gold-Rings and Aples of gold in pictures of silver Christianity beautifies and adorns all these Natural and Civil Actions with an heavenly Spirit Carriage in Earthly matters 5 Can there be any Instances given of any Servants of God before or since the coming of Christ Jesus disowning or slighting the Names which their Parents had given them yea though there were some seeming honour to false Gods in them Fortunatus Apollo Phebe c. 6. Why may we not though we are for his Heathens call the Foxians by the same Names by which they call themselves for in this great Book we find G. Fox and Edmund Burrough subscribed It is a Query why they so plainly subscribe and yet defend them that do not Have they a Priviledge Or do they thus quarrel with us poor Heathens about straws or things Indifferent and yet so weighty as the New Name and new man created in holiness c 7. But what is this new Creature and new Name they speak of How shall the world call them by it if they know it not Such are their Nonsensical Fancies of giving no Respect to any in word or gestures Such are their Fantastical Conceited Answers when being asked where they dwell they Answer they dwell in God and where they live they Answer They live in God c 8. Are not these Foxians a kin to the Popes in this Fancy also when raised to the Devils Pinacle to the Popedome they throw down their old Names to the world and though they be as subtle as Foxes yet now they will be called Leones Lions though they be as fierce and Cruel as Lyons they will now be called Clement and though they be as Impious as swine even as Os pores they must be called pius In the last place as the Pope cast away his net which he used as the Remembrance of the Fisherman Peter when he had catcht the Popedome so G. Fox having made his Fortune as it is prophanely called having attaind a great Marriage His new Carriage and Courtesie and Civility condemns Humphry Nortons 85 and his own former Rigidity as I am sure they will do most of them for worldly Advantages For as they abuse that Scripture The World is in their Heart I may truly use it and affirme the world and the pride and Advantage of it though they deny it as the Pope and Cardinals and Iesuits do is in their Heart and is the Body and Soul the Root and Branch of all their whole Religion The 42 Instance is in pag. 243. where G. Fox brings in Richard Sherlock saying We must not look for an Immediate Extraordinary and miraculous Teaching from the Lord. He Answers Yet he saith all men are taught of God what Confusion is here The grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto all men and this he calls an outward Teaching by the Lord Jesus Christ. Is that which brings Salvation outward All in the Truth may judge this and try thy Spirit And the Teachings of the Lord is not mediate but Extraordinary above all yours which are men got up since the dayes of the Apostles I Reply 1. Although I have spoken before of their Immediate Inspirations yet seeing how greedily and boastingly this deluded Soul with scorn and Contempt of all his Opposites sucks in the poyson of Devilâ—sh Inspirations in stead of the pure wine and milk of Christian Truth and milks out this poyson into the mouths of his poor bewitched Followers I shall add a few words G. Fox here affirmeth that the Teachings of the Lord are not mediate but Immediate Extraordinary and miraculous Contrary to the whole stream of Scripture and Experience 1. Contrary to the Ordinary and daily and mighty preaching of the whole Creation Psal. 9. The Heavens c. 2. Contrary to the Teachings of God in every mans Nature and making being taught of God above Gods Teaching the Fowls of the Air and Beasts of the Field Doth not Nature teach you 1 Cor. 11. as to long hair 3. Contrary to Abrahams Teaching of his Children and the Command of God to all Parents 4. Contrary to Ordinary Teachings of the Priests and Levites Commanded by God in so much that Christ Jesus Commanded the Scribes and Pharisees sitting in Moses Chair to be heard and attended 5. Contrary to the Ordinary and Constant feeding by Sheep 89 herds and Teachers in the Christian Flocks and Assemblies 6. Contrary to the Teachings of the holy writings or Scripture written by Immediate breathing of God for our Instruction and Consolation c. Ob. Yea but saith this great wrester of holy writings They shall be all taught of God I Answer 1. Who or how shall they be all taught of God that
teaching in the Hebrew applied from the new Prophets Isaiah and Ieremiah is the teaching of the new Covenant and that is the promise of Grace and Mercy to so many as are predestinate and called c. 2. That is no Immediate Extraordinary and miraculous business for this is common to all that repent or turn to God 3. Many had and may have the speaking with Tongues and working with Miracles and yet not know what the teaching of the Spirit in a new Birth is 4. In the Ordinary Teaching to Conversion the Lord owns his Servants as Fellow Labourers Workers Builders Husbandmen Fathers c. wherein he is pleased to open the hearts of one Thousand and Ten Thousand as he did in the first preachings of that glad News and I hope will do so again 5. The great Promise to Christ Jesus and his Seed is that there shall be a gracious Continuance in Christs mouth the mouth of his Seed of both the word that is preached and the holy Spirit more or less accompanying and Teaching Isa. 59. 6. What is there in G. Fox his wild Notion Can that which brings Salvation be outward Against all the Proofs before I mentioned and so many others concerning the Foolishness of Preaching c. Object He saith The grace of God teacheth every man to deny ungodly Lusts c. And I ask 1. If every man in the world hath this Immemediate work on them what 's the Reason we find none in the world no not the wisest until they have the Scripture or the Doctrine thereof some way opened to them that have been able to give us the least Tidings of any such business 2. What 's the Reason that so few in the world have any shew of Repentance c. much less a sound and and saving turning of the whole Soul unto God 87 Why do the Quakers make such adoe about their Apostles Men and Women as if that glorious Light the Father Son and Spirit in every man were not able to teach Effectually by his Extraordinary and miraculous power without their outward speaking to the Seed that is to God within them 4. If they themselves teach by such an Extraordinary and miraculous power as the Prophets of old and the Apostles of Christ Jesus did what should be the Cause why we see no such miraculous deeds done by any of them The Truth is God is pleased to chain up Sathan otherwise the Foxians would have their longing which it may be some shall after them But if they shall be permitted by God and assisted by the Devil to do as the Magicians did yet if their Doctrine be other then what is written as I have abundantly proved it to be while they cry out Light Light there is none as Isaiah speaketh not a Spark of Light within them The 43. Instance is in Pag. 247. where G. Fox brings in Christopher Wade saying The written Word is the Sword of the Spirit And he makes another Rule beside the Scripture false He Answers which we say is the Spirit which gave them forth whereby Peace is known upon the Israel of God And the Pharisees had the Scripture but had not the Sword of the Spirit the Scriptures testifies of the Sword of the Spirit I Reply 1. With all humble Reverence to the most holy Spirit of God who is God himself I affirme the Spirit or God can not here be the Sword intended For 1. This Spiritual Furniture being a Similitude taken from warlike and Military Provision and Artillery from Head to Foot the Helmet Breastplate the Shield the girdle the Shoes and every one applied to gifts and means flowing from Gods Spirit as Faith Hope Sincerity c. it were most improper then to bring in God or the Spirit to be the Sword or any of the other pieces 2. For there is no more Reason to make the Spirit or God to be the Sword then the Shield or any other piece 3. It seems too low to the holy Spirit and God to be here in this Similitude resembled to a Sword or Instrument in the hands of men to be drawn and brandished and fought withal for Offence and Defence at mens pleasure though in some Sence God 88 4. This was the Sword the only Sword is called a Sword with which the Lord Jesus fought and vanquished the Devil Gegraptas Gegraptai It is written it is written and we may well say of it as David of the Sword of Goliah by which Davidâ—nt â—nt off his head there is none to that c. The holy Spirit Christ and God are Authors of all these heavenly Gifts and Graces the Beginner and Finisher of Faith and therefore not Faith nor Hope nor any other piece of the Artillery themselves no more then the Armorer is the Helmet or the Cutler the Sword c. 6. In Revel 1. Christ and the Sword with two Edges which cometh forth of his mouth are distinct and can not be the same as G. Fox usually Confounds and mixeth all together Hence the the Word of Christ Col. 3. can not be Christ himself but that which cometh from him and tendeth to him 7. These great Interpreters are Confounded in themselves for here in Ephes. 4. the Spirit must be the Sword and Word of God But in Heb. 4. Christ must be the Sword with two Edges being the Word of God and not the Spirit So like Iuglers do they shift from one hand to another to Confound and beguile the Beholders Object But the Spirit saith G. Fox was before the Scripture and gave forth the Scripture I Answer what then G. Fox is before his Book and gave it forth is it not therefore G. Fox his word writing but G. Fox himself Or is it not the Kings Majesty before his Declaration or Proclamation to the world Is it not therefore the Kings word or is it the King himself This Immediate Inspiration of the holy Scripture from the Spirit makes it a Word so powerful a Magazine Store-house so full of Treasury so rich a Standard Touchstone or Weights so perfect for the trial of all Spirits all writings all Doctrines all Religions Worships Actions c. Object But the Pharisees saith G. Fox had the Scripture but they had not the Sword of Gods Spirit I Answer The Iews had and have and so the Turks have had much of it the Papists and the Quakers and other Blasphemors yea and the Devils themselves may have the Scripture the word of God in their Hands and mouths for may not a true Sword a choice Sword be in a mad mans hand whereby he may 89 mischief and wound and kill himself and others Hence men make merchandize of it sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie c. On the other hand the Spirit of God is promised to Gods Children Gods Spirit and Word are promised to go together in the mouths of all true Christians Isa. 55.
notoriously false against Moses as the Charge of the Quakers against such blessed Instruments which God hath used like Moses to bring the Protestants out of the Egypt of Popery viz. a Charge of Pride and Ambition wilt thou make thy self a Prince over us a Charge of which the Foxians are notoriously guilty 5. I observe their horrible Ingratitude both unto the most holy God himself and unto Moses and Aaron Gods Servants by whom he had wrought so many wonders for this people in so many wonderful and miraculous Directions Preservations and Deliverances 6. Their Impatiencci and Unbelief c. Thou hast not yet brought us unto a Land flowing with milk and hony as if God and Moses had only fed them with Sugred and honied Words and no Effects and performances 7. I observe their subtle and false pretences and Suggestions Is noâ— all the Lords people holy every one of them and the Lord is amongst them just the Quakers Language who so advance every one of the people of the Lord as they call their Proselites viz. that they are just now born of God and Literally can not Sin are Immediately Inspired need no Teachers no Scriptures c. 8. I observe and I humbly beg of the Father of mercies to cause these poor Foxians to observe the Conspiracy of the two Elements Earth and Fire to Consume and devour these Famous proud Conspirators I spare Applications begging mercy from the Father of Lights and mercies for their Humiliations and Salvation Only I Remember that every Plant the Heavenly Father hath not planted flourisheth it never so green so high so long shall be plucked up and cast into the Fire c. The 46th Instance is in pag. 262. Where he brings in George Iohnson sâ—ying The Americans were never ordained for Grace and Salvation and the Grace of God never appeared to the Americans 93 G. Fox Answers which is contrary to the Scriptures which saith the grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all men c. and I will give him for a Light and for a Covenant to the Gentiles a new Covenant to the House of Israel and Iudah and that he may be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth and many in America have received Truth and Salvation I Reply 1. To the Covenant or Bargain of God with Man first and secondly I have spoke as also to the figurative calling of Christ Jesus the Covenant to Iews and Gentiles and that this blind Soul taking it litterally he runs upon the Rocks of the Arminian general Redemption and the Universalists general Salvation and that with a known Contradiction against their own Foundation of none having any benefit of Christ that own not their Light c. as also with a known Contradiction to all Expeiience which saith the whole World lies in Wickedness and this America in Barbarisme and Barbarous Wickedness of all sorts 2. I have said Christ is the Light the Covenant the Brazen Serpent the Bridegroom held forth as the Sun in the Heavens to all the World So Christians are the Salt the Light of the World and the Church the Pillar and Firmament of Truth holding it out to all the World is therefore all the World seasoned enlightened converted saved yea doth he not only deny the Americans but the Europeans Asians and Africans also any Salvation though never so holy Professour of Christ except they bow down to their new black Image of Light within them 3. It was a large effusion of the Holy Spirit of God upon so many precious Leaders and Followers who ventured their All to New-England upon many Heavenly Grounds three especially First The enjoyment of God according to their Consciences Secondly Of holding out Light to Americans Thirdly The advancing of the English Name and Plantations These three ends the most High and Holy God hath graciously helpt his poor Protestants in a Wilderness to Endeavour to promote c. And as to these Barbarians the Holy God knows some pains I took uprightly in the Main Land and Islands of New-England to dig into their Barbarous Rockie Speech and to speak some 94 thing of God unto their Souls and surely God hath stirred up the Spirit of my ancient dear Friend Mr. Eliot to gain their Language to Translate them the Bible and many other wayes to bring the sound of a Saviour amongst them which I humbly beg of God to perfect and finish for the Glory of his Great Name c. 4. What G. Fox means by saying some in America have received Truth and Salvation I can but guess at It is known he owns nothing of God in Indians or English until they bow down to their Idol and that he intends none but such English in America as he and others have Poysoned and Bewitched with Helish Sorceries 5. This last Year a Paper was sent me from the Quakers desiring me to turn it into Indian that so it might be Printed in England and so dispersed amongst them it contained two things First That they had a Light within them which told them that it was evil to Steal c. Secondly That if they did hearken to this Light it would lead them to God c. I returned the Paper and my refusing in Writing affirming it not to be Truth c. and I questioned the Quakers themselves for a false Christ false Light and Spirit which they would infect the Indians with The 47th Instance is in pag. 263. Where he quotes Iohn Owen saying All Truth concerning God and our selves is to be learned from the Holy Scripture the Word of God G. Fox Answers There was Truth learned before the Scriptures were written and the Scriptures of Truth are the Words of God which ends in Christ the Word and there is no Truths learned but as the Spirit doth lead into all Truth And many has the Scriptures but know not Christ and the Truth c. so he hath thrown out Christ and the Spirit I Reply 1. I have more then once before Answered this Childish Answer There was Truth and the Spirit and Christ and Light before Scripture as also that which no true Protestant denies viz. that the Scriptures nor preaching nor Baptisme nor the Supper nor Afflictions avail except the Spirit the Fin 85 ger or Power of God set them home upon us As also that many have the Scriptures yet know not Christ which who questions So that his Answers are so loose and Childish that none but Fools and Children and Frantick persons can find any Savour and tast in them 2. I therefore further Answer to this Quotation pray the Reader to read some former passages but especially those publick discourses of this excellently learned and pious Author wherein he hath admirably both in Latin and English maintained the Authority and perfection of this Inestimable Iewel the holy Scripture both against Atheists and Papists and Iews and Quakers
c. and proved as clear as at Noon-day the holy Scriptures and every Tittle of them to be the holy Word or Will or Declaration of the holy mind of God The 48th Instance is in Pag. 264. where he brings in Samuel Palmer saying The State of the Soul in this Life is threefold Creation Corruption and Regeneration G. Fox Answers In Regeneration the Life is changed from the Life which is in the Fall So Regeneration and Corruption is not one in the new Life I Reply who saith they be who saith that Regeneration and Corruption are one in the new Life what a foul Trick is this of a false man to impute that to his Opposite which he abhorreth I guess or he means that in Regeneration there is perfection and no Sin or Corruption left c. Hence the plea of some of their Spirits for Adams nakedness being come to the State of Innocency Hence the poor frantick Souls cry out that the Protestants preach for Sin for Tearme of Life c I Answer questionless the Devil deals with the Foxians as the Pirat doth with Ships he makes no Opposition against such he hath taken and is possessed of So that no question but the Quakers may be freed from many Transgressions and Temptations to them which others are assaulted with 2. These poor Souls foolishly and extream simply Answer Pauls Complaints and Cryes and bewailing himself Rom. 7. with Pauls giving thanks for his sudden victory in the last words as if just then the Battel had turnâ—d and Paul had not spoke of the Constant Battel and Warfare which all the Saints of God in about four thousand years together throughout the holy Scripture 96 Experimented Noah Abraham David Peter Iohn Barnabas c. 3. It is a mistery which neither Iews nor Turks Atheists or Papists or Quakers know viz. how the Seed of all grace may be in the new born and yet the Seed also of all sin except the sin against the holy Spirit remaining in them Therefore when they hear of the Falls of the Saints in Scripture and so great Some question the Truth of the Scripture others make a sport of them and pretend a Cloak for their sins saying none are perfect why may we not as well as they Others as the Foxians say We are come to a more perfect and pure Estate then Paul at first was in or Iohn who saith If we Confess our Sin or Iames who saith In many things we offend all or the Father that cried help my Unbelief c. But the Papists and Quakers are so perfect and Superperfect that though they be full of pride Ambition Unbelief Unthankfulness Intemperancy Covetousness full of rash Anger bitter Railings and dreadful Blasphemies against Heaven yet they can with the Whore wipe their mouths and say they are pure from all uncleanness The 49th Instance of G. Fox his lame writings is in Pag. 275. where he quotes Richard Meyo saying To say the Gospel is the Power of God is but a Metaphorical Speech G. Fox Answers The Apostle doth not say so for the Apostle saith the Gospel is the Power of God unto Salvation to every one that believes in plain words Rom. 1. I Reply 1. As before and as thousands know that the word Gospel is in all Languages glad News the same which the Angel brought to the Sheepherds of a Saviour born and laid in a manger at Bethlehem this is the News the placid good News though set forth and beautified in the holy Scripture with variety of Figures and Metaphors 2. The great Fox the Devil who thirsts after the Blood of the Quakers and of all mens Souls he whispers viz. the Gospel is Christ it is the Spirit the Light and God himself why talk you of a written Gospel of a preached Gospel the Scriptures are within you the Gospel is within you Translations Interpretations within you why gaze you upon pen and Ink and after a man c. 3. As if the glad Tidings or Gospel to a dying man of a par 97 don of Life c. sounding to his Ear were not by the External Dore of his Ear conveyed by that Dore to the inward dore and Closet of his mind who but Frantick Souls in Bedlam will say what need you mind the Kings Declarations or Proclamations of pardon or Liberty The King himself is the Gospel the Declaration and the Librty the King is within you the Gospel or glad News is within you 4. The Devil hates the glad News of Christ Jesus as much as Darkness hateth Light therefore he hath two sorts of Souldiers 1. Some that say what tell you us of Reading and praying and preaching mind the Kernel within while the second sort are all for the outside which without the In-side are but Shels and Husks and Shadows 5. How commonly doth the holy Spirit in the Scriptures speak Ridles and Figures that they that see not may see and they that say they see Papists Quakers c. may be blinded why is the Lamb called the Passover Christ the Temple the Cup his Blood the Bread his Body c. There were many hundreds brought before King Henry and Queen Mary after him c. for Insurrections with Haltars about their Necks These Princes and others pronounced their inward mind by word External the Heralds and Proclamations and Trumpets were in a Figurative Sense all glad News and Gospel and yet the substance of the glad News or Gospel was the pardon offered and vouchsafed to them 6. Mine Eyes have seen a Condemned Soul turned off at the Gallows a Post comes galloping all drive waving his hat which being espied Execution is staid the people cried a pardon the Post cried a Reprieve The Sheriff cried neither no Reprieve c. until he saw the Kings hand or Authority from him the Post delivers to the Sheriff a bit of paper which the Sheriff reading He Commanded the Halter to be taken off and the Prisoner to be delivered to the Post the Prisoner with joyful lips bid Death and his Fellow Sufferers Farewel and with joyful Legs leaps up behind the welcome Messenger of his Deliverance for afterward he had his pardon under the broad Seal of England I ask here how many passages and particulars may Figuratively be stiled Glad News or the Gospel to this dying man 7. I ask whether the glad News or Gospel which this Post 98 Messenger or Preacher brought might not Figuratively be called his Gospel or glad News as Paul Rom. 2. calls it his Gospel and 2. Cor. 4. our Gospel if hid it is hid to them that be lost It is hid two wayes 1. When not by writing or preaching it is preached or declared as it is not as yet discovered to innumerable millions in the world 2. When the Power or Spirit of God opens not as he did Lidiahs the Ears and Hearts and Spirits of men to
Pag. 326. where he brings in the same Author saying The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man in the Church to profit withal and not to every man in the World G. Fox Answers The manifestation is given to every man to profit withal without distinction I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh For the Spirit of Truth shall lead the Saints into all Truth And he shall reprove the World and that which doth reprove the World is manifest to the World I Reply I spake to this Text before in Answer to the Letter of my Neighbour I. T. as is to be seen in the Letters before our Disputes who declared himself satisfied with my Answers but G. Fox like a Cow with a Kettle on her head giving every one warning to stand clear he boldly slanders on and tumbles Heaven Earth and Hell together c. 1. This 1 Cor. 12. expresly declares three things 1. That it pleased God to appoint in his Christian Church and Worship the Ministry of Apostles Prophets Teachers c. according to Rom. 12 Ephes. 4 c. 2. He bestoweth several Gifts and Endowments on such persons whom he pleaseth to call unto such Ministrations 3. He vouchsafeth to give a gracious Concurrent Operation of his Spirit unto these his Gifts Ministrations what now is this gracious promise of the Father of Lights to the Garden of his Church Saints the howling Desart of the whole world from whence the Garden is taken in inclosed and separate Because a Queen is a Woman must therefore all the Honours and kindneffes of a glorions Prince due to his Royal Consort be dispensed in Common to all the Women in his Kingdome or Dominions The Garment in which the Queen is brought is a Garment of Needle work richly and most curiouâ—ly embroydered with the graces and Operations of the holy Spirit doth it therefore follow that those Heavenly Embroyderies c. belong to every nnclean and Lousie Begger 102 Yea but this prophane Mouth hath something to say for it self three things he saith full of Prophaneness and Simplicity 1. I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh. But 1. Was this as he speaks without all distinction done actually was it Universally so with all the Individuals of mankind in the world at that time 2. Was not there a wonderful Wall of separation between the Iews and all other Nations which the Lord promised by the Prophets to break down and at the coming of the Lord Jesus and ever since hath more and more broke down and abolished Is not Gideons Floor which was dry the poor Gentiles and we English among them now wet with the Dews of Heaven while the poor Iews which were only wet at first are dry and barren 3. What is that Extraordinary Promise of Gods Extraordinary pouring out of his Spirit in Fiery Tongues and Prophesyings fitting some to go unto all Nations to carry the glad News or Gospel had others and all Believers those Gifts least of all with any shew of Reason belong they to all the Men and Women in the world who have never seen and heard of any Glimpse of the Sun of Righteousness 4. Again I observe how vainly and wickedly this deluded and deluding Soul cheats himself and others with this Tearme All Flesh Every man All the World and so with the Terms Light Christ Spirit his proud Fancy playeth c. not dividing the Hoof by just and holy distinguishing a Crime that he often upbraids his Opposites most odiously with in his Book not dividing c. but is most notoriously guilty as ever was filthy Camel in this world or any of the unclean Beasts c. G. Fox his second Answer here is The Spirit of God shall lead the Saints into all Truth I observe here how like a Skittish Jade this wild Soul runs in and out and cannot keep to one steady Affirmation Before he brings in the Spirit of God poured out upon the Common of the World now he brings in the spirits leading the saints Gods Garden and Paradice Yet again in his next words he concludes every man in the World to have the spirit because saith he The spirit reproves the World and that which doth Reprove the World is manifest to the World I Answer The holy spirit testifies that he is the Comforter of the saints but a Reprover of the World that he Comforts the 103 Saints in the Promises Assurances c. that he Reproves the world in his Threatenings and Judgments That the world knows not sees not the Spirit but mocks at receives it not but banisheth imprisoneth murthereth such in whom the true Spirit of God appeareth Hence it is that because of this Spirit of God in any soul three are against two two must be against three in the same house the Parents against the Children and the Children betray their Parents unto Death yea two in a Bed and two in a Belly and yet he whom Gods Spirit chooseth shall be mockt and murthered by the other and yet this lying Peor tells us that all the world without distinction have the manifestation of the Spirit of God to prosit withal 5. There have been persons professing the Order of the holy Ghost yet far from the favour of the holy Spirit there hath been a great Ship in the world full of Sailors and Souldiers called the holy Ghost and yet scarce one man in it known to have any Acquaintance with Gods Spirit Alas what are the Babilonish Orders of these pretenders to the Holy Ghost or Spirit what are they but a poor Ship full of Resisters of Gods Spirit and Enemies to the greatest Enjoyers of him in the World the true Protestant Witnesses whom they professedly oppose under the Name of Professors I hope as I have often said that many of them are of the two hundred that followed Absolom in honesty and simplicity 6. But Oh what Reproofs of Gods Spirit hath G. Fox and others of their Leaders had in and by so many excellent Opposites and Scriptures and Arguments which G. Fox here proudly tramples under his prophane feet without any savour of the holy Spirit of God! It is true it pleaseth God as I said to strive with men by preachings by writings by their own Readings by publick Iudgments and private and also by publick mercies and private for Acts 14. every Drop of Rain is Gods voice word or witness c but what is this Common grace to that Regenerating and changing Spirit John 3. to the opening of Lidiahs and so of all saints hearts by his free and holy spirit or Finger what is this to the same Power that raised Christ Jesus from the Dead Ephes. 1. that raiseth any poor sinner unto a new and holy and spiritual Condâ—tion 104 7. Excellent and most heavenly is that similitude Cant. 1. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments therefore do the
to Contain not the Combate of the Saints but of the unregenerate within themselves But the true Protestants have proved from the Scripture and the Experience of all true Saints that sin and grace Flesh and Spirit the Law of the Spirit and the Law of sin may and do continue Combating in the Regenerate or New born Contrary to that proud perfection of Papists and Foxians in this Life is more clear then Pauls Argumentation and upon that his Conclusion viz. That with his mind that is his Spirit will Affections renewed by Gods Spirit he served the Law of God But with his Flesh which must be his sinful Desires and Dispositions yet remaining in him he served the Law of Sin This was the Reason of his Cry O wretched man c. and G. Fox his silly shifts saying that in the End of the Chapter Paul was perfect and gave thanks for victory it is like that Fantastical saying of the Generalists being forced to Conâ—ess Repentance necessary to Salvation viz. In a moment in the Twinkling of an Eye wofully abusing that holy Scripture about the Resurrection 4. The same 7 of the Romans and other holy Scriptures and Experience prove that the Sin of the Regenerate whether of Ignorance as the Fathers many wives c. or of unwatchfulness as David and Peter's c. It is as an honest man taken prisoner or as Souldiers and Seamen wounded and carried Captive or as a Virgin by force deslowred and crying out whom therefore both Law and Reason and the holy Scripture in a holy Figure declare to be clear and Innocent 5. Hence Paul shews the Sincerity of the Chast Will and Affections unto the Heavenly Bridegroom saying I delight in the Law of God in the inner man Delight we know is the Top and Flowre and Cream of all the Affections and the siercest hatred flies in the Face of that which takes away our delight from us The wicked may desire and may act heavenly things for his own self Ends for his Credit his profit his Salvation but he can not make God to be himself and delight in God 6. What Confusion is it to affirm that the Saints of God though they see Christ fulfilling the Law of works for them which none in the world could ever do but He yet they ought to strive after perfect holiness and Righteousness to love the Lord with all their Heart soul might strength c. as a Child going after his Father the Scholar or maiden following their Copies and Samplers 108 though they never come near the full Exactness and perfection of them The 55th Instance of G. Fox his simple and soul Answer is in Pag. 338. where he brings in Iohn Nasmith from Scotland saying Tha the Evil Spirits are both sinful and Reasonable He Answers This is a lye for Reasonable is not sinful and unreasonable is sinful 1 Thes. 3. they have not the Faith And if the Evil Spirit be Reasonable and the Good Reasonable they are both one who is then unreasonable thou puts no difference between the precious and the vile Thou hast the mark of a blinde guide and of a false Prophet in thy Forehead 1. I Reply and observe First the filthy rash Fury of his mind and Pen Beginning with that 's a lye and after a silly Line and Answer Thou hast the Marck of a Blind guide and of a false Prophet in thy Forehead 2. This proud Pharisee will appear to be a Sadducee also and to hold no Angels nor Spirits It is true as they pretend to owne Scripture and a Christ and Resurrection They with Iesuitical Equivocations name Angels and Spirits but the bottom as some of them and that in print discover is they hold there is but one Spirit which is in All and into which All Return and the Soul of Iudas is as happy as the Soul of Peter 3. G. Fox runs into his Burrough of the various significations of the word Reasonable A man is a Reasonable Creature as Opposite to Wolves and Foxes c. and yet he may be unreasonable in in his Actings as Wolves and Foxes who though unreasonable in their Natures yet are not sinful though a plague to man since his Fall Oh happy were it for G. Fox that he had been of the wild Foxes in the Woods and had not been so sinful by so horribly abusing so great a Talent of Wit and Reason which the Father of Lights hath given him 4. We know the Admirable Wit and Reason as well as the Power of those unclean Spirits the Lord Jesus cast out they did believe and Confess the Lord Jesus and made their Request unto him This their knowledge and Ability is from God though their sinful hardness by Gods just Sentence runs them upon such mad and desperate Courses as it is with the Sons of men when the most holy and Righteous Judge delivers them up to the Councels 109 and Projects of their proud and deceitful Hearts and Spirits The 56th Instance is in Pag. 345. where he brings in Henry Foreside from Scotland saying Concerning those words of Ezekiel 18. 28. If the Righteous turn away from his Righteousness his former Righteousness shall be no more remembred and he said the meaning of that Scripture was They thought they had been Righteous but were not but supposed it had been so He Answers Herein thou art a Minister of unrighteousness thou goest about to make God a Lyar and the Prophets and perverts the Scripture For if he forsakes his Righteousness and commits Sin and Iniquity and Trespasses he shall dye and not live in the Righteousness But if he â—o sakes his Sins Trespasses and Transgressions in the Righteousness that he hath done and doth he shall live So Gods wayes are equal Ezek 18. And thou sayes they thought they had been Righteous but it was not so And the Lord by the Prophet saith it was so that they should live in their Righteousness and die if they did depart from it and Transgressed Here thou art a diminisher from the Prophets and Apostles words whose Name is diminished out of the Book of Life read Rev. 22. 19 I Reply The Question is about Falling away from saving grace and Righteousness wherein it is notorious as I have formerly proved that the Quakers joyn their Forces to the Standards of the Papists and Arminians though herein the Arminians though highly abusing an high wit as the Papists and Quakers do yet are they not so guilty and Insufferable as the Papists and Foxians are because they pretend not to such an Infallible Chair as the Papists and Quakers do which is the more wonderful and monstrous because the Papists are forced to grant that the Head of their Church the Pope may Himself fall away and be a Reprobate and the Foxians are forced to Confess as much even of divers of their Heads and Teachers some getting Saving Grace again as they say
and some never The Quakers yet are more gross in this point because they maintain that the least that hearken to the Light are born again That they which are born again cannot Sin that they which can not Sin are pure as God is pure and therefore they Falling away from them they must necessarily hold that which is blasphemous of all to be abhorred that God himself may fall from Grace also and is kept down as the 110 as this barking Fox speaks as a Cart laden with sheaves perverting the Scripture by wickedness wicked spirits which are too hard for God and Christ and Spirit in all the Men and Women in the world that do not hearken to their feigned Light and let loose the Imprisoned Cart and Seed c. Wee may make a stand here and observe three things 1. The horrible abuse of Gods Excellent Gifts of Reason and Acuteness which these men so grossly desile in handling the Misteries and Parables of the holy Scripture 2. Gods Infinite Patience in bearing with such a rotten stinking thing as man is 3. What kind of Grace it is that so easily persons Fall away away from and part withal 2. As to Ezek. 18. How doth it follow that because the word Righteousness in which Fox in his wonted Burrough signifies divers things that therefore in this first place it must signify the Imputed Righteousness of God in Christ from which a man really Invested with it may really Totally and Finally depart And Secondly the Sanctifying Righteousness of Christ Jesus adorning a poor sinner Justified and pardoned and of that true Righteousness a truly sanctified Soul and member of Christ Jesus may make shipwrack But is there not beside these a very thirdly Indian Rigâ—teousness when a Barbarian is Innocent and free from Crimes falsly charged on him 4. Is there not a Civil Righteousness when men are free from Gross and Barbarous Courses and live Civilly soberly and justly among their Neighbors 5 Yea is there not a Pharisaical Righteousness which Paul prided himself in viz that concerning the Law he was blameless and yet saith the Lord Jesus Except your Righteousness go beyond this Righteousness you shall not enter into the Kingdome of Heaven 6. Again Is there not a Righteousness of the foolish Virgins who hath a shew and Lamp of Profession and make as brave a shew in building as the house upon the Rock it may be fairer and yet no true work of Conversion of the Soul to God nor the Oyle of Gods Spirit in the heart for all their boasting of it The most High and holy will be clear when he is Judged Adam shall live if he keep his Bargain and so shall all his Posterity if they keep the first Covenant 111 If any shall say God knows the Bargain is too hard for us Our first Father did not how shall we c. I Answer what will become then of the Papists and Quakers who say they can and the Papists more also then God commandeth 2. Christ did not mock but meekly and savingly teach the young man when he Answered If thou wilt enter into Life keep the Commandments nor doth he mock the Iews dealing with them upon the Terms of Iustice Obey and live Transgress and die It is a pertinent question why was the holy Law of God written and given so many hundreds of years after man was Fallen and not able to keep his Bargain The Spirit of God Gal. 3 tels us that four hundred and Thirty Years after the Promise to Abraham the Law was written by Gods own Immediate Finger to shew unto man his Sin and Judgements and need of a Mediator promised 3. As to G. Fox Cursing his Adversary as a Diminisher from the holy Scripture I Answer Doth this Face of Brass who hath so horribly slighted the holy Scripture now adore them Is he now zealous for them and against the violation of them Doth he regard the adding to or Detracting from them or the Plagues and Curses therein denounced against the Adders to or Detracters from them Doth he not throughout all his Book and all of them in word and writing deny the holy Scripture to be the word of God and only that Frantick Light or Christ imagined by them to be in all mankinde to be the only Word of God yea is it of any use or more availe to them that have the Scripture in their heart as they say then a dead Letter and an Old Almanack c. O hear O Heavens and give Ear O Earth did ever the Devil vomit out more poyson against God and the Souls of men by the mouths and pens of Iews or Turks or Anti-Christans then these Foxians do in their undermining the holy Scriptures Some know it not Some of them speak Reverently of it The very Papists Confess it to be the very word or Speech of God But the Devil and the Quakers abhor to hear them Verbum Dei the Word of God These bewitched Soules affirme they have a higher Teacher yea 112 every man in the world hath him in them then the Scriptures are and yet they say in horrible simplicity and hypocrisy that they are the Words of God The 58th Instance of G. Fox his slight Answer as in Pag. 356 where he brings in a Book from Holland saying That God hath put out the Remembrance of your Sins and of your Corruptions within you wherein you must fight all your Life Time G. Fox whilst the Sins you are fighting withal are not blotted out in your own particulars this is not the Life of the Saints They are not fighting all their Life Time but come to the Kingdome of God witnessing sin and Iniquity blotted out and the Everlasting Covenant of Peace and Life with God I Reply This subtle Mountebank having gotten a Scaffold he acts Tricks wonderful in the Eyes of the simple yet as in all his Books he shews no knowledge of the Hebrew and the Greek whence our English Scripture comes as a Daughter from the Mother so falls he short of most English writers who scorns to disgrace their Mother English by so much bastard and false English as this poor Mountebank hath done in all his Books If ever any poor empty Soul have talkt of God without God Of a Christ and the holy Spirit within without them or any true Savour of them of the holy writings of God without any true Reverence and love to them Of Light without any Spark of true Illuminations of sin without any true Sence of the Exceeding Sinfulness of it This Empty Cask this loud Boaster and Censurer is one of them 1. His Answer saith three things in Effect 1 That no sin is blotted out until there be no more Root nor Seed of it in the Soul to fight against I Reply to this I have spoke much before and shewed how clear it is against so much holy Scripture against the Counsels and
purposes of God as to his holy ordering of this present world and his Saints in it and against the Constant Experience of all those high Saints in Scripture and of all that ever went before us All which shews the Devilish pride of these high Pharisees 2. He adds saying the Saints are not fighting all their Life Time I Reply if there be no Enemies no danger of Fleshly Lusts warring against our Souls as Peter speaks 113 2. Why then doth the holy Spirit speak of the Combate of the Flesh and Spirit Gal. 5. and that Paul did not the things that he would and did the Evil he would not of his being taken Prisoner 3. Why then doth Gods Spirit furnish us with all that Heavenly Artillery Ephes. 6. 1. And Commands his Servants even Timothy to flie youthful Lusts if he were past wounding by them 4. And to stand upon the Guard and watch against Gluttonly and Drunkenness and worldly Cares which would lull the Souls of the Disciples asleep except they kept the better watch c. Luke 21. 5. And why then doth the Lord Jesus Command us to pray daily against Temptations yea and to pray daily for the pardon of sin if his Followers be for ever escaped out of the reach of Sinful thoughts words and actions and many thousand sinful Omissions 6. What was the Reason of the Cemmand of Christ Jesus to the Churches to watch to Overcome to repent threatning them with discharging and Excommunication which we see dolefully Effected upon the Asian Professors and which was followed with a rich blessing upon that Ordinance Executed upon the Incestuous Corinthian which brought forth those seven Heavenly Fruits both in him and that Church also 2 Cor. 7. G. Fox his third Answer is The Saints are come to the Kingdome of God witnessing Sin and Iniquity blotted out and the Everlasting Covenant of Peace and Life with God But 1. Take these words in his Sense viz. that all that are in their Fancied Kingdome are thus free from Sin and come to this Peace and Joy why then do themselves still Confess themselves to be subject to quaking and trembling as if they were at the black and burning Foot of Mount Sinai where indeed they are and not upon the bright and shining Hill of Zion 2. Is not this Contrary to the Covenant of God with David concerning Solomon and in the Anti Type with all Christians viz. that if they Sin he will Chastise them with the Rods of men but not take away his mercy as he took it from Saul c. 3. Is there not a false Peace a false Ioy as well as a false quaking a false Repentance a false mortification and Sanctificatio and in Conclusion a false Salvation and therefore the Lord Jesus tels us of the high pretenders Math. 7. yet by him Everlastingly rejected 114 The 59th Instance is in Pag. 365. where G. Fox brings in Robert Tuchin c. saying The most Faithful Messengers of Christ have acknowledged that they have come short of their duty G. Fox Answers They that are Faithful Messengers of Christ have the Answer well done thou good and Faithful Servant where did John or Paul or Peter acknowledge that they came short of their duty Hath not thou slandred the Servants of the Lord thinking them to be like yourselves and falsly accusing them that you may seem Iustified who are false Messengers and come in his Name when you have no Commission from him and you come short of every good work But thus it is not with Christs true Messengers for they fulfil his Will that sent them It is the Lord that worketh in them whose thâ—y are and whose duty they perform by his Spirit I Reply this deluded Soul as it is written must grow worse and worse except the Lord wonderfully awaken him to all Eternity Instead of seeing any failing against God and Christ the Spirit and Servants of God c. he claps his wings upon his Dunghil and vapours that in all these Transactions he hath not faild no not in a sinful word or Thought 1. But he must remember that such was the Infinite Incomprehensible Purity and Iustice and wisdome of God that the Heavens were not pure in his sight and he laid Folly to the Charge of his Angels and I am sure their Natures their Endowments their Employments G. Fox comes short of and yet they came short of their duty and are now fast in Chains of Darkness expecting Iudgement and Torment to come 2. I presume G. Fox will grant that our first Parents were Innocent and perfect as highly Gifted and as highly Employed as ever G. Fox is like to be and yet they came short and We all by them fallen short of the Glory and love of God into the Dunghill of Hellish Darkness 3. After the Promised Restoration by the Son of God what Excellent Gifts had Noah Abraham Lot Isaac Iacob Ioseph Moses Aaron Sampson Iepthe Gideon Eli Samuel Nathan Solomon Asa Iehoshaphat Hezekiah Iosiah and many other glorious Saints what wonderful Assistance and Extraordinary Appearances of God had they in their high Services for God and yet how greaâ—ly some of them wonderfully fouly did they come short of their 115 duty I remember I was once asked by one of these high Boasters whether I would deny the Scripture viz that said David did not sin but in the Case of Uriah unto which I know many full Answers may be given Here only I observe how ready these willingly Ignorant Souls are to Catch at any Word that may Fortifie their proud Fancy though against many other Scriptures and unquestionable Examples c. 4. Until the coming of Christ Jesus we know the Command of the most holy God to private persons to the Princes to the Priests to the whole Assembly to offer up Sacrifice and Expiation for all sorts of failings yea for Sins of Ignorance yea and for their coming short in their holy offerings Hence David cries out Psal. 143. Enter not into Iudgement or Reckoning with thy Servant c. and Psal. 19. Cleanse thou me from secret sins for who knows how oft he offendeth 5. I know G. Fox useth to say all these were Types and Christ is the body â— I Answer There are more Anti-Types then the person of Christ for the Quakers themselves they make themselves Kings and Priests and the Temple as well as Christ c. But come to the time of the Lord Jesus and look upon the Famous first Apostles who had freely left all to follow him who enjoyed his personal preaching and praying his wonderful Miracles his Heavenly Converse his holy and Powerful Spirit in their own preaching healing all Diseases raising the dead casting out Devils c. and yet how doth the Lord Jesus frequently and sharply chide them for their coming short of their duty for their Ignorance negligence unbelief forgetfulness Inhumanity Ambition
c. 6. Yea as to those three whom G. Fox boasts of Iohn Paul and Peter Doth not Iohn cry out 1 Iohn 2. If we Confess our â—ins he is Faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Doth not Paul Confess and bewail his coming short when he cries out that the good he would do he did not but did the Evil he would not and with his flesh did serve the Law of sin though it was not Paul that sinned but sin that dwelled in him A Mistery which I more then fear the most High hath hidden from this poor Foxes Eye And as to Peter to say nothing of his stupendious failing of his 116 Master c. even after his awakening after the Lords rising and Peters seeing and talking with him his bold profession and preaching of him to the Conversion of hundreds and thousands yet how is he charged by Paul for coming short of his Duty for Gross Weakness and in a kind Hipocrisy and Dissimulation so that such a cloud of witnesses o'rewhelming these new Gods Papists and Quakers how Righteous is it with God to make their Faces ashamed with the filth of their own nakedness in the highth of the pride of their conceited Deities The 60 Instance of G. Fox his lame Answer is in pag. 372. where he brings in Thomas Hodges saying The Scripture speaks of God after the manner of men He Answers The Scripture speaks of God after the manner of the Spirit and to the Spirit whereby men may receive him and know him by the Spirit which natural men can not 1. I Reply This bewitched and bewitching Soul hath all along his Book been picking out sweet Flowers out of his Opposites Gardens from whence he hath suckt turned the sweet juice of Heavenly Truths into the poyson and Venome of his proud Conceits So here he denies this Heavenly Mystery of Gods revealing himself to us after the way and manner of men having Head and Hair and Eyes and mouth c. wherein his Incomprehensible Goodness is pleased to stoop to us even the highest and proudest Souls as Nurses do to Children or as Physitians to weak and Crazy and distempered persons 2. But what shall we say to all those holy Scriptures which not only liken God to a man a man of war a Sheepherd a Warfaring man an Husband man c. but also to a Shield and other Insensibles Natural or Artificial as a Sun a Tree a Rock an House a Fort a High Tower c. When God revealed himself to Abraham Gen. 15. I am thy Shield c. will this foul mouth say that this similitude of a Shield was not a Familiar Metaphor or Figure wherein God speaks to Abrahams weak Capacity Or will he say that God speaking so to Abraham spake not also in the way the Spirit Or that God is Literally a Shield 3. It was a late Speech of one of the best Philosophers and of the best Christians that Old England or New ever had Then shall we know to wit in the next life in the Heavenly State to 117 Come how to answer that great Question What is God But this poor wild Asses Colt G. Fox he can resolve the Question he can gather up the Ocean in the hollow of his hand he can weigh the Everlasting Mountains and Winds in Scales and Inclose not only the Sun c. but also the Incomprehensible Sun of Glory and Purity within his Iuglers Box c. 4. For what would this little Thief and Fox or the great Thief and Fox the Devil have but blow out the Candle and Torch and Sun of the holy Books and Records that so the Father of Lies and Murthers may be heard as he hath been heard in the Grecian Oracles in Mahomet and the Mahumetans in the Pope and the Papists so by his whisperings in the Foxians as if he were the most holy Spirit of the Eternal God himself Immortal Invisible and only Wise. 5. For is it not the Devils Trade to play the subtle Hunter as do also his Iourney-men who ly in wait to catch men and to trim his Pits and Gins and Snares with green leaves and Boughs and Twigs viz fair pretences of the Spirit the Spirit the Immediate Spirit the Infallible Spirit the Teachings of the Spirit the manner of the Spirit speaking to the Spirit and Christ within you Christ within you except you be Reprobates Christ within you the hope of Glory c. These are fair Leaves and sweet heavenly green Boughs on which the Old Serpent twineth and from whence he uttereth even Scripture it self and the sweet Names God and Christ and Spirit in a frantick purpose to stab for he knows he can not the holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also 6. More particularly what doth he mean that God speaks not to us after the manner of men but by the way of the Spirit after the manner of the Spirit He grants that the holy Scriptures were given forth from the Immediate Inspâ—ration of the Spirit He knows that we maintain from Isai. 59. the great Promise of the Word and Spirit together to the mouth of Christ Jesus and his Seed and his Seeds Seed And also that we affirme that no Reading no Hearing no Meditation no Afflictions c. can do a Soul any good until God by the Power or Finger of his own self or Spirit makes the means Powerful and Effectual All this serves not but that which Sathan drives at and which alone must serve his Ends is Immediate Immediate Inspiration with a damning or changing the means by the most Holy and only Wise God Appointed 118 7. It is one of the Proverbs of the Ancients Sus Minervam docet The Sow teacheth the Goddess of Wisdome It is most Infallibly true here this filthy Sow that seems to be washt from Common vices and yet wallows in the mud Dunghils of Mystical Filthiness He must teach wisdome it self how to speak and appoint him his way and by wresting and racing out what he can the Holy Records how to reveal himself unto the Sons of men 8. It is pertinent to Consider the ground of this his only owning the manner of the Spirit viz. This Immediate Spirit speaks to the Spirit within What is the English of this Ridle The Immediate Spirit within speaks to the Spirit within But their Spirit will tell us that God and Christ and Spirit and Light and New Covenant and Faith and Holiness c. are all in prison within in every man until the Immediate Spirit without means perswade a person to hearken within to him as to Christ Light and Spirit which will bring him to God and Christ round in a Conjuring Circle Christ brings to Christ the Spirit brings to the Spirit which though it be true after Conversion and in growth and Increase of the Grace and Knowledge of Christ by the use of
Convictions of Nature one thing Conversion another Saving Convictions The State of Adam in his Fall Sathans Cunning with the Quakers Christs coming Two common Traps and Engines of Sathan in cheating the Foxians When Christ is welcome Ellis Bradshaw Two great designs of Sathan The Word and Words of God Whether God have any more wordsthen one Infinite millions of millions of Gods word The Voice of Gods works and Providences Gods Spirit in his word Christ the word of God The shameless wickedness of the Quakers against the Scriptures Christ himself The way of dealing with Indians They see infinite Reason in the holy Scriptures The preservation of the Scripture Tho. Weld As to Christen Names Names to Children The Foxians scornful pride Who are G. Fox his Heathen The Words Heathen 1 Insert R. W. Ms. Ann. Christ destroys not but beaufies Civility 1 Change for to but. R. W. Ms. Ann. The new Man and new Name The Popes flingiâ—g to the world their old Names G. Fox his great change 1 Place most of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Eccles. 11. 2 Place as the Pope and Cardinals and Iesuits do in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. 243. Rich. and Sherlock The Teachings of God 1 Erase new R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Change one to many R. W. Ms. Ann. Outward means Miracles 247. Christopher Wade 1 Place beside the Scripture in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. The Sword of the Spirit 2 Insert from R. W. Ms. Ann. Not the Spirit himself The Immediate Inspiration of the Spirit The Scripture horribly abused 253. Henry Haggar The Papists and Quakers of a damning and damne Spirit 1 Erase s in Idols R. W. Ms. Ann. The true Protestants Charity The Quakers far from the Spirit of Christ Jesus The meek and merciful Spirit of Jesus The differeut state of Gods Children 259. John Brown Number 16. Korah Dathan and Abirams Revolt applied to the pretended Quakers The Protestant Religion Revolted from by the Quakers Conspirators agaiust the Priestly Prophetical and Kingly Office and Power of Christ Jesus The conspiracy of the Quakers 1 Place some of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Against Christ Jesus Korah and the Quakers Confidence fierceness And lying Charges Ingratitude Impatience The Wonderful Judgements of God upon the Korathites in this world 62 George Johnson Thoughts about America Now Christ a Light Covenant N Englands Plantaaion The Indians of N. England The Indians of New England The Quakers desire of perverting the Indians John Owen 263 Owens writings about the Scripture Excellently learned and Spiritual and Invincible 264 Samuel Palmer Mans threefold Condition in this Life The Devil too Crafty for the Foxians A great mistery The Quakers devilish pride 275. Ricard Meyo The Devils bloody Craft The Kings Declaration of mercy and Liberty The Devils two sorts of Souldiers Anti-Christianisme The Figures in Scripture A lively picture of the Gospel Why it is called Pauls Gospel How it is hid 282. Daniel Gawdry The Varity of Spirits Why it is said the Spirits made perfect The Devil would be rid of Scripture and all Learning 325 Timothy Trevis G. Fox destroys the working of the Father and the Son G. Fox and the Arminians one as to predestination Mans wisdome about his Earthly business The Mistery of the Quakers Seed The Foxians gross Ignorance of the Godhead 326 Timothy Trevis The manifestation of the Spirit discussed 1 Change slanders to blunders R. W. Ms. Ann. The Garden of Christs Church and the Wilderness c. of the World differ as Heaven and Earth The partition Wall between Jews and Gentiles G. Fox his not cleaving the Hoof though full of Scripture G. Fox his wonderful Confusion The Spirit of God and the world are extream Contraries Prophners of the holy Spirit G. Fox c. resisting and fighting against the holy Spirit The striving of Gods Spirit The free and powerful working of Gods spirit The whole world unprofitable 328 Hugh Archbal The manifold Light mentioned in the Holy Scripture The Common offers of mercy The true Illumination As the first Christians were called The twofold success of the Gospel 330. James Dorram The sight of sin as Sin The Sins of the Regenerate Whit the Combate between the Flesh and Spirit in Rom. 7. The Sin of the Regenerate as a wound and Captivity The Souls delight in God and Hatred to Sin Sincerity the Crown of the true Quakers 338 John Nasmith The Foxians are both Pharisees and Sadduces An Item to G. Fox The Nature of the Devils 345 Hen. Foreside Ezek. 18 Considered The Spirit of Falling from Grace The Papists Arminians and Foxians one in this point Whab Grace it is that Papists Arminians and Foxians Fall from Necessary Observations The Word Righteousness of many significations God's Covenant with the first man The Law given so many hundreth of years after mans Fall G. Fox making use of the Scripture to Curse his Opposites Their horrible Contempt of Scripture 456 A Book from Hollaed G. Fox his proud Ignorance An Impious unsavonry Spirit against the godly of all Nations The Pharisees Perfection 2 Pet. 22 The Saints Continual warfere Scriptural dangers and spiritual Watch. Christs Discipline with his Saints and Churches The Quakers doleful mistake 365. Robert Tuchin c. G Fox prouder and prouder wo se and worse to the End of his Bookâ— The Fall of Angels Fall of Man Davids sin Sacrifice for Sins of Ignorance Great failing of Christs Disciples Paul John and Peter and all come short Peters great failings former and latter written for our Instruction 372. Thomas Hodges G Fox hath affirmed the Contrary to all the Heavenly Assertions of his Opposites which I have produced God sets forth to us in Scripture by Natural and Artificial things The great Question what God is The Devil Gods Ape in Inspirations The Subtlety of the Devil and his Agents in Câ—tching of men What G. Fox means by the maâ—ner of the Spirit G. Fox his proud Simplicity The Monstrous Ridle of the Foxians Spirit Job a perfect man yet abhors himself for his filthiness The Authors humble desire for himself and G. Fox The Authors fear as to G. Fox his case