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
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.
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
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
case being my self then in London whatever Fox the Quakers impudently affirm to the contrary 95 It is true that Iames Parnel and Fox and all of them sometimes miserably and after the Devils Method make use of Scripture as a Shield or Buckler to fence themselves against the Scripture and as a Sword to run through the Heart and Bowels of the Scripture the Saints and Christ and God himself they make use of it as Stirrops and Ladders and Scaffolds for their counterfeit Christ in pretence but in reallity themselves to mount up into their Saddles and Thrones of the Eternal power and Godhead that so the Earth may be theirs by Authority So that as the Lord speaks of the Iews Sacrifices that they were not his and of Iehoiakim that he did not know the Lord Jer. 22. and of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. that they did not eat the Lords Supper though they did eat it so I affirm from all the premises alleadged the Quakers do not own that is truely and Christianly as they say Bonâ fide and in reality but slight and villifie and abominate and nullifie the holy Scripture that their unwritten Lies and lying Spirits may be exalted We have a great word in use amongst Merchants and others to wit the word Effects they desire to see effects of money or Goods for want of a real and effectual prizing and loving obeying and magnifying the holy Scriptures The Iewes Pharises the Papists and Quakers do not owne the perfection Authority of the holy Scriptures but set up their Traditions and Popes Councils Spirits above them and therefore the Iewes Papists and Quakers do not owne the holy Scriptures I freely acknowledge that many of these Particulars I could not then express because of my Confinement to a quarter of an hour and sometimes the Interposure of my Opposites I remember I urged that dead and rotten esteem that both Papists and Quakers fling as dirt in the face of the holy Scriptures calling it a dead Letter a Nose of wax a leaden Rule which may be pincht and bow'd to every mans Opinion But First They horribly bow and pinch that holy Scripture 2. Cor. 3. which meddles not with all the Scripture but with the Covenant of the Law and Iustice opposite to the Covenant of Grace Mercy calls the Law a killing Letter compar'd with the Grace Mercy of an offended God now reconciled by Christ Iesus But Secondly These poor Foxes fly to their Burroughs and confound the matter of the Scripture or Writing being Paper 96 and ink c. with the contents the purport and as I may say the matter contained in the matter we use to say what have you to shew for it what evidences have you what Records and sometimes when no Witnesses are living or can be had an old poor Record is produced which proves the life and spirit of the business what Simpletons do these only wise ones shew themselves in affairs of men that know not that as Solomon sayes of the Tongue Life and Death is in the power of the Tongue so Life and Death is in the power of a piece of Paper what hath an Executor yea many thousand Executors to shew for their Estates sometimes of hundreds yea thousands years but a little paper and ink and wax from the Testators what gives life to a condemned soul but a Pardon or Reprieve in a piece of Paper who knowes not that a Writ or Paper signed by his Majesty the Lord Chancellour the Lord ceief Iustice hath Death in it and fetcheth off the heads of many yea the highest Offenders The Quotations out of G. Fox which then I could not insist on I shall present a few and then pass on to the fifth Position In the 47th Pag. G. Fox brings in Ios. Miller saying It is an Errour if not damnable to say Christ is the meanes and that there is no other meanes of Salvation He Answers And Christ saith no man comes unto the Father but by me and he is able to the uttermost to save and he shall be my Salvation to the end of the Earth saith the Lord and saith the Apostle God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself and he that hath the Son hath Life and the Father and the Son are one and there is no salvation in any other I reply I shall now freely declare to the Sence of this Allegation though in the Dispute my Adversaryes would not suffer me to meddle with the Sence of G. Fox his words contrary to our Covenant in my Writing viz. that each Party should speak as long as they pleased which Liberty they enjoyed without my Interruption and first I doe not think that Ios. Millers words run so loosely in his own Book I do not think that a man of Wisdom would call it an error to say that Christ is the meanes of Salvation But to the second part to which G. Fox opposeth I believe it is an Error and a damnable Error and a Doctrine of Devils to say there is no other meanes of Salvation for this wretched Iugler subtilly confounds the Instrumental Causes of Salvation with 97 the Efficient in God the Father and Meritorious in God the Son Christ Jesus 'T is true there is no Redemption and Forgiveness of sin but in his Blood Ephes. 1. though I know this Iugler as before means not a Christ nor his Blood nor Death as we do mean but Imaginary within c. And yet as Means and Instruments Christs Messengers are said to save themselves and others The holy Scriptures are said to make wise to Salvation A man may be Gods means or Hand to save his Wife and the Wife her Husband We are saved by hope saith Paul and saved by Baptisme saith Peter yea Women are saved by Child-bearing as God blesseth those painful Curses to be blessed means of bringing to or growing up in Christ the Saviour All these subtly and wickedly G. Fox sets at variance with the Meritorious Salvation by Christ Jesus between which there is an Heavenly Union and Concord as between a man saving his Brother by throwing a Rope or Oar or Board unto him c. or a Midwife saving both Woman and her Birth in Child-bearing by the Means of Women and Helps which her Skil and Labour administreth to her To talk of this Immediate Christ and Spirit without Scriptures without Preaching and other holy means is as silly as Impious as Blockish as Blasphemous and as Bedlam and Frantick as wicked and Anti-Christian Would not every body laugh at G. Fox if he should say that because the Kings Majesty graciously pardons Condemned Rebels at the Mediation of the Prince his Son therefore the Composing the writing the proclaiming of the pardon the bring of it to the Rebels hands written and sealed with the Kings broad Seal are no means of their Salvation and Deliverance In Pap. 221.
the Holy Scriptures He is the sole Judge and Interpreter of them and the sole decider of all controversies in Religion about the expounding of them yea he hath power to dispence with Peter and Paul c. yea what Christ and God can do that gave forth Scripture that can the Pope their Lieutenant do hence all this Dispensations of Oaths of Marriages c. Do not the Quakers also tread this Holy Scripture this inestimable Jewel of Gods Writing and Book under their proud feet as formerly I noted upon the fourth Position of their not owning the Holy Scripture Do they not upon the point say that they made they wrote and gave out the Holy Scripture and though in our late Conference they said they would be tryed by the Scriptures yet as the Papists they admit no Interpreter but themselves for the Spirit within them they say gave forth the Scripture and is above the Scripture and both they and the Papists have said that there would be no losse if they were gone out of the World for the Papists say their Traditions and their infallible Spirit would supply the loss and the Quakers say the Scriptures is within them in effect they say that all that they do and say is Scripture so far are both Papists Quakers from a Christian and Candid Profession of being tried by the Holy Scripture that they most Horribly and most Hypocritically trample it under their proud feet 166 4. These Romanists or Proud ones as the Hebrew signifies both Papists Quakers most insultingly lift up themselves against the Servants and Children of God all the world over that bow not down to their Images be a Soul never so humble and penitent never so holy and mortified believe the Scriptures c. and give his life for the truth of of them yet he is damned if he believes not the Pope to be the head of the Church and say not the Quakers the same of all that believe not in their pretended Lights your Repentance is nothing your Holiness nothing your Zeal Praying Preaching Fasting Suffrings nothing and they think they have reason to say so because you believe not in the true Christ and therefore you are in Cains Nature in the Satanical Delusion Reprobates c. so that all the blessed Souls under the Alter calling for vengeance against the shedders of their blood the Roman Emperour or since the Roman Popes they are all branded with a black cole of damned Souls and Reprobates by G. Fox because they professed preacht and died for a Christ without them though that Christ without them dwelt in their hearts Ephes. 3. by believing and for his sake they loved not their lives to the Death I told them that the Pope and they were one in the great point of the Infallibility they both pretended the Spirit of God as did the Apostles c. but I have proved their pretence is as true as that of Apollo's Worshippers by whose Priests the Devil gave Oracles Extripode from their threefold stool and that so subtilly and cunningly that whatever Oracle or Voice it was and whatever the event were yet the Devil would save his own Apollo should be the true God of Wisdome and Apollo's Priests true Prophets At last when Christ came Apollo being consulted and failing to give answer the Devil was forced to answer that there was an Hebrew Childe borne that stopt his mouth I am sure this Hebrew Childe the true Lord Jesus Christ hath often also stopt the mouthes in one sense of Pope Quakers for their Predictions have not come to pass though some which the Devil could guess at have and he will shortly stop their mouths forever It was truely said of that long eighteen years hatching Devilish Junto of Trent that the Holy Ghost that is the Popes Holy Ghost came every week from the Pope at Rome c. to his Legates at Trent in a Cloak-bag and do not G. Fox his Books 167 and all their writings declare for their corrivality and competition with the Pope for this their pretended Holy Ghost do they not upbraid all other Ministers and People for being out of the infallible Spirit Do they not say their Ministers and their Commissions are invisible because immediate and infallible do they not assigne this to be the cause of all the Sects and Divisions among the Protestants because they have not the infallible Spirit as the Quakers have Here as I remember Iohn Stubs stood up and alleadged that place in 1 Iohn 4. Hereby we know that we dwell in him because he hath given us of his Spirit And again you have the unction and know all things And W. Edmondson boastingly and proudly said that they had the same immediate and infallible Spirit which the Apostles had and that Iohn Peter were but their elder Brethren Unto which I answer Peter I know and Iohn I know but who are you For 1. They were Eye-Witnesses of the Lord Jesus his Life and Death and Resurrection 2. They were immediately endowed with fiery Tongues and fiery hands to preach in all Languages and to pen from Gods mouth his holy word and Pleasure and to work real Miracles not metaphorical ones only as G. Fox said at Providence the Quakers did that is open the eyes of the Blind by Conversion c. I added that it might please the infinite Wisdom of God to send higher Pretenders to Apostleship then the Quakers who should speak all Tongues doe Miracles But as Gods Servants had a Rule Isa. 8. the written Law and Testimony and were not to believe their Dreames though they came to pass Deut. 13. So have Gods Servants now viz. The Doctrine of Christ Iesus both concerning Faith and Order and to strive earnestly for the Faith once delivered The Pope like Baalam sayes he is the Mouth of God whome he blesseth they are blessed and whom he curseth c. therefore sendeth he his Curses like Thunderbolts yea among Kings Kingdomes in other Nations and our own as K. Henery 8th K. Edward 6th Queen Elizabeth experimented c. and is there any People bearing the name Christian so like the pope their Father as these whose Mouth saith David is full of Cursing and Bitterness like Floods out of the Dragons Mouth and fire-brands arrowes and Death crying out against the most Humble and Con 168 scientious Cain Saul Iudas Viper Serpent Reprobate Dragon Devil yea one of their Shee-Apostles Devil Devil Devil all at once to one that opposed her amongst us and such foul stinking exprefsions like the Quakers in London about the Dung of Mankinde that modesty especially the bashfulness and modesty of Women would have been far from A seventh is that great point of horrible Pride in both Pope Quakers exalting the Dung and Dirt of their own Qualifications Excellencies Graces Labours Fastings Satisfactions Believings Suffering as a price and satisfaction to Gods Justice
ever the Servants of God when they inveighed against the Customariness the Carelessness the pictures and the meer 13 Formality of the Worshippers Jews or Christians inveigh against the worship it self and the Appointments of God and of his Son Christ Jesus 3. Did the Servants of God ever labour to bring and hale off Gods people from the worship it self but only from the dead and meerly formal using of them until the time appointed by God himself for their withdrawings disappearing and abrogation What a shameless falshood is it that any of Gods Messengers brought Gods people off from those heavenly Fabricks which God erected by their Ministry or Service all the World over 4. May not Gods Messengers now Cry out against the apish Imitations Formalities of the Papists so horribly and bloodily abusing Prayer preaching Baptisme the Lords Supper Excommunication c. but like the Assyrians or Babilonians Psal. 74. All these Christian Appointments must be broken and tumbled down with Axes and Hammers c. 5. This is Treason and Rebellion in any Atheists or whomsoever but more abominable Hipocritical in these Pharisaical Foxians who Cry out against the apish Imitators and yet themselves practice preaching praying Congregations or Churches singings Conventings and implicite though real Addings to Castings out c Full well as the Lord Iesus speaks abrogating the word and Appointments of God that they may set up and establish their own Traditions c. 6. T is true the Protestants have made separation from the Church of Rome as whorish and Bloody in order to the Return to the first Primitive purity from which the whore of Rome hath departed 7. G. Fox Cries out against all Scripture and Common Sense against all Forms that is wayes and manners of Gods Worship Cries up a Christ within Scripture within Church within Ministers within Baptisme and Supper within yet practice they most of these so many as their Idol requires and will serve his turn as outwardly and visibly as any in the world 8. I know it is the observation of one of G. Fox his Opposites a man of excellent knowledge piety industry M Baxter viz. that the Churches of the Independents Baptists have been the source and Spring whence have flown the Generation of the Quakers For my self I have observed the contrary in these parts 14 and that although some rotten Professors or weak Souls though true have been bewitched by those Soul-witches yet generally where they have any Liberty the National Church fills up their nuâ—bers My Reason I gave them in publick when W. Edm. Boasted of their Numbers viz. their Religion is so easie never coming near the Roots of rotten Nature but so wonderfully agreeing with it and changing one Devil for another as I have before instanced so that I told them I adored the Infinite Power wisdome and goodness of God that they were not ten thousand fold more and I say Millions more then they are For I can demonstrate that if G Fox for all their hypocritical prating against Carnal Weapons get a Sword as Mahomet did most of the Popish and Protestant and pagan World will easily be brought to dance after him 9. As to the point of Separation I pray Mr. Baxter and others of G. Foxes learned and godly opposites who are yet in their Judgement and Conscience perswaded to the National Worships to hear me patiently four words 1. I pray them to remember what the word Nazarite is in English The word Nazareth and the word Iesus of Nazareth and in plain English 2. Was there ever Child of God in this world but he was a Nazarate separate from worldly persons worldly practice and worldly worships as he comes to see them c. and endureth not that the evil one should touch him 3. Is not Gods name Iealous in this end of the World not the west-world as well as since he first proclaimed it in the East 4. Hath not his Jealousie raged against the Iewish whoremongers who defiled his first Bed and will he wink at the Christian Adulterers and Adulteresses either in Worship or Conversation 5. With what good Conscience can I a national Protestant separate from my Father the Pope and my mother the Church of Rome and my Brethren and Sisters the Papists and yet it must not be Christian for other Souls to see further degrees of that Separation necessary and I must bring up the foot of every mans Light and Sight and Conscience to my Laste 6. This is the main ground of my Controversy with the proud Quakers they stir up in their Illuminations in themselves and 15 Condemnations against others but they magnify with the Papists and Arminians Cursed rotten Nature their Converts and Proselites have but a painted formal Repentance Faith c. Only if they can come to their Church c. and Thou and thee and disrespâ—ct all Superiours then are they high Saints cannot Sin c. 7. This as before I hinted was the heavenly Principle of those many precious and gallant Worthies the Leaders and Corner Stones of these New-England Colonies viz. they desired to worship God in purity according to those perswasions in their Consciences which they believed God had lighted up 8. They desired such for their Fellow Worshippers as they upon a Christian account could have evidence that to be true and real Worshippers of God in Spirit and Truth also But I forget this is but an Appendix and therefore I return to another Instance of G. Fox his poor and lame and naked Answers c. A 9th Instance is pag. 32. where G. Fox brings in Ellis Bradshaw saying The Spirit of God doth not teach to judge before the time and he adds that others of them say The Saints shall not Iudge while they be upon the Earth To which he Answers But the Spirit did teach the Apostle to judge and his Time was come And he tells some that they were of old ordained for Condemnation and their Damnation slumbred not and they went on to Eternal Judgement and it is high Time not to judge I Reply Some of this his Answer is some of his wonted Nonsence or the Printers oversight c. But to the point the great Jugler hath taught G. Fox and his Foxians a trick to outface Death and Indgement They now keep the great Sessions and call all the world to their Bar and Judgement Thus did the poor cheated Souls in London lately Reeves and Mugleton thunder out their eternal Sentence of Damnation upon the Souls and bodies of their Oppoâ—ites that with such Seriousness Confidence Majesty that I have known sollid Christians put into a fright by them It is true there is a lawful judging not according to rashness or pride as the Quakers is but according to righteous Judgement It is true the spiritual man judgeth and discerneth all things that is looks into the Causes and Natures of things
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