thou impudently dost in thy comparing the principles of the Ranters with the Quakers And to save thy brother from shame and guilt thou art fallen thy self into the Snare and justly may be judged to exceed him in Wickedness and thou sayst with shame to thy self I repeat it that the Quakers will not own Christ without them but thou brings not testimony of this Assertion till then art thou reckoned and shall be plauged for a Lyer which will be forever for we own him as he is ascended far above all Heavens who fills all things yea and without us too So that instead of proving the first false Accusation thou adds another Slander and the second thing wherein thou comparest them is unsound for though we witness yea thousands that we need no man to teach us as the Saints did 1 Iohn yet we cry not down the Ministry of God but owns it and cryes down such by whom people cannot come to the Knowledge of the Truth though they be ever learning who Preach for Hire and goes for Gifts and Rewards loves the Wages of Unrightousness this was the Apostles Doctrine as it was ours and is no Heresie though thou mayst so judge it for we say by the same Spirit as the Apostles did they that are of God heareth us who are in the Truth which is but one and there is not another and the Apostles which witnessed Saints needed no man to teach them did exhort them and yet did not condemn principles by practice Then thou goest on and sayst The Ranters are not for Baptism and Breaking if Bread and are not the Quakers the same But what doth this prove and thou sayst the Ranters are they that would profess themselves without sin and how far short of 〈◊〉 Opinion are the Quakers and the Ranters would not own the Resurrection c. And how say you Do you believe the very Bodies shall rise c. Reply Friend this is far short of proving these things upon us by querying them to us let the Reader consider But it may be impudency hath not so wholy eaten out honesty in thee as that thou darest charge us wholy with these things but would intrude into us be thy Questions as though the thing were so indeed but thou mayst by ashamed of thy work Is this sufficient proof of evil against us to ask us whether it be so what hast thou proved in all this against us if we were guilty thinkest thou we will accuse our selves this is absurdity and wickedness in thee falsly to charge us and to bring no better evidence but thy bare words and as we deny the Ranters so do we thee and sees you both to be Enemies to the Life of God But thy last and chieâ—… proof as thou thinkest that we are one is that the Ranters are Sinners and the Quakers are Lyers the first I wilâ— not vindicate but this last is disputable and thy proof of it is first thoâ—… sayst from what thou hast said already to some pages of my first Book to which I 〈◊〉 Replyed and leaves it to the Reader only doth say thou hast not yet proved one Lye against me in the sight of God nor men thou art the Lyer if thou say thâ—… hast and honest men shall be judge betwixt us And thy second proof is moâ—… to the discovering thy ignorance then yet hath been And to clear thy self from my charge against thee viz to be a wrester of the Scripture which yet I stand to thou art fain into grievous error my first charge is true upon thee 〈◊〉 thou perverted or wrested that Scripture Rev. 13. 18. in saying the Lamb was 〈◊〉 before the Foundation of the World for that Scripture saith since or from 〈◊〉 Foundation of the World hast thou no more sence art thou and all thy compaâ—… so ignorant that you know not betwixt before and since a time how are you blinded and yet persists in your wickedness and will not be reproved therefore this is a double iniquity in thee to thy shame remember it for I have said true though thou understand it not there is as much difference betwixt before and since in that thing as betwixt a Lye and Truth for to say the blood was shed before the Foundation of the World as thou didst is a very Lye but to say iâ— was shed since or from is truth and that Scripture is truth Rev. 13. And thou art the Lyar and Wrester of it and I have not wronged thee in my first though thou impudently and ignorantly wouldst clear thy self and lay iniquity upon me But further to clear thy self thou sayst thou said in Gods account it was shed before the World was and this is little less then Blasphemy what is God a Hypocrite like thy self to account that for Truth which is a Lye as I have proved O horrid error and perfect blindness but this will not cover thee nor thy shame from the eye of men where is thy Proof for such a Doctrine that God accounts that which is a Lye for Truth largely is manifest thy folly Repent if thy heart be not void of shame for what thou hast spoken heâ—… in and let the Reader understand this difference thou sayst the Blood of Christ was shed before the Foundation of the World according to that Scripture Rev. 13. I say thou perverts the Scripture and lyest grosly in the main thing it self and saith it is* since or from the Foundation of the World let the honest judge and now it is seen the Lye rests upon thy own Head who wrests the Scripture and belyes the Lord and me and goes on in thy wickedness after reproof and take thou the Ranters they are thy Companinons in lying and sinning and not ours And further thou art offended that I should say and would fain reckon it for a Lye that all thy work is a secret smiteing and an obscure shooting against the manifestation of Christ within which words I own to be truth concerning thee and am not ashamed of them though thou say I say falsly and when the Book of thy Conscience is opened thou shalt confess it only I leave this to be considered seriously and judged by them who are spiritual and they shall be my Witnesses and the Lye is of thee and thy Father whose wickedness is sufficiently seen by what is said if I should say no more Again thou sayst it is an untruth of thee to say thou art one of those that do preach for Hire through Covetousness making merchandize of Souls my words are not so laid down thou hast wrested them for thy purpose though it availes nothing but I said thou art in their steps that through covetousness with fained words makes merchandize of Souls and thou art found among them that preaches for Hire and I have spoken the truth herein let the Light in all Consciences judge who are not feared in many things I might instance that
are not in the Scripture words in terms yet I have 〈◊〉 said falsly herein and do not thou be a reprover of that which thou cannnot 〈◊〉 self deny then thou sayst How feeble an argument is this to prove that every one 〈◊〉 Spirit c. Reply Thou blind man did I go about to prove any such thing or 〈◊〉 any Argument thereupon we are about the Light which Christ hath giâ—… or lighted every man in the World withal which Light convinceth of 〈◊〉 and is not contrary to the Spirit of Christ unto this was I speaking 〈◊〉 this I stand by and thou conceives another thing from my words and 〈◊〉 against thy own consequences like a man too irrational to understand coâ—… English c. Then thou sayst Thou passed by other lame Arguments which I tumble evâ—… 〈◊〉 blind man in a thicket of bushes O be ashamed for ever thus to evade and shuffle with such scornful 〈◊〉 I said that which reproves of sin is the gift of the Spirit of God Iohn 1◠〈◊〉 that which makes manifest sin is Light and whatsoever is reproved is made 〈◊〉 fest by the Light Ephes. 5. how darest thou call these lame Arguments tumbâ—… over what impudence is in thy heart so to say when thou art put to 〈◊〉 fusion then such excuses thou bringst Well some may see thy folly 〈◊〉 to my Question which was whether that Light which every man is liâ—… withal is sufficient in it self for Life and Salvation to every one 〈◊〉 believes if thou say not wherein is the blame in God in his Liâ—… 〈◊〉 in the Creature thou sayst No it is not sufficient I take it for an 〈◊〉 and leaves it to be weighed by the sober Reader and though there be veâ—… honour and of dishonour made of the same lump as thou sayst yet I 〈◊〉 Query is not every mans blood that perisheth of his own head 〈◊〉 not the Lord clear from the blood of all men even though they go to dâ—… ction and if the Reader try thy Book over he may judge whose Arguments 〈◊〉 lame Then whereas thou sayst Christ as God hath lighted every man that comâ—◠〈◊〉 the World To which I said then why dost thou say we wrest that Scriâ—… Iohn 1. 9. seeing thou thy self hast confessed no less then what thou callest wâ—…elling in us and this is truth let all men consider else that when thoâ— câ—…nfesses Christ as God hath lighted every man in the World it is no less then wâ—… we say and that Scripture sayes which is That Christ is the true Light 〈◊〉 that is he which lighteth every man that comes into the World and mayâ—◠〈◊〉 thou be ashamed to call this so scornfully a glavering Answer not being 〈◊〉 clear thy self from my just charge in that herein I charged thee with coâ—… to oppose us in that which thy self confesseth to be true consider well oâ—… and let not thy blood go for the truth of all what thou sayst for I deâ—… not Further thou cries out Is this all the wit I have and wonderful igâ—… 〈◊〉 Because I said it is not good to neglect following the Light but that 〈◊〉 one minde the Light of Christ Jesus in them in answer to thy words 〈◊〉 having said the Light which convinceth of sin is the Light of Christ as 〈◊〉 which the neglect of will be sure to damn as thou sayst and now let wiseâ—… judge of my answer but thou falls heavily on it proving that obedâ—… to the Law will not justifie and the like which I do not at all affirm 〈◊〉 to that I say the Law having its opperation upon the disobedient the 〈◊〉 comes to be seen which is he that is the end of the Law and the Law mâ—… him be obeyed or fulfilled in thee if ever thou be saved from being damned 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 â—…ul bid listen â—ithin telling me of making sheâ—â—â—r for my errâ—â— c. Tâ—…â—o 〈◊〉 say that Paul bids listen within let the Reader judge from that Scâ—…ture 〈◊〉 10. 6. The righteousness of faith sâ—…ks on thâ—…s â—…se â—â—rs 〈◊〉 which is the 〈◊〉 of the Gospel and vers 9. what saith it the Word iâ— nigh tâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Mâ—… and in thy Heart was not that the end of these words to lisâ—… 〈◊〉 the Word is in the Heart what saith it there now the error iâ— thine 〈◊〉 â—…e truth and the Lye is returned to the Founder who denyes thâ—t Pâ—…lâ—…en â—…en within when its plain he saith The Wâ—â—d 〈◊〉 i◠〈◊〉 Hâ—…t what 〈◊〉 it â—…ere O that a man professing knowledge and enterprzing such things should â—…e so 〈◊〉 and so unable to finish what he hath â—…in then thou cryest oâ—t â—…sly and notes it in the margent for wresting of thy words in that I â—…d â—…ou sayst They are ignorant of the Gospel who closâ—… in with thesâ—â—…s of th◠〈◊〉 â—…in or Conscience which doth command to abstain from the â—â—ll and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and thy own words are How the poor souls through ignorance of the Gospel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 these motions of its own Conscience viz. the motions which convinceth of sin â—…in which doth commâ—… abstain from this evil and practice thâ—â— gâ—dd so â—et wâ—â—e men consider whether I have wronged that intent of thy words and â—e not so soon angry â—or thou canst not vindicate that they that closes â—n with these motions of the â—â—science or the Light of Christ within which oâ—…ceth of sin within which doth command to abstain from-this evil and â—o practice thi◠〈◊〉 is igâ—…nce of the Gospel and do not evade it by words without knâ—…dge in picking of quarrels and seeking offences by different tearms of worâ—…â—…e â—o occasion justly is given thee Then my Question thou see â—…est to aâ—swer which was what and how doth the Light of the Gospel work of not in the â—…ce and to command from evil and to practice goodâ— this 〈◊〉 â—…nds over thy head not confuted nor fully answered for the true 〈◊〉 â—…ang of it thou hast not comprehended but to thy own conception thou 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ed as if I should say that every man hath the Light of the Gospel â—…g â—n thâ—m to Salvation which I never said nor thought so thy answer 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 tâ—…e purpose Then thou hast passed by full sligâ—… as disable to clear thy Godâ— and his Spirâ—â— that guides thee which is the Godd of this World of that great 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 justly charged upon thee Page 19. of my last which a â—…ing to â—…e collection is by turning the mind within to the Light which doth 〈◊〉 of sin and listning thereunto and clasping in with the motions of 〈◊〉 Conscience which doth command to abstain from evil aâ—d to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and closing with somthing within which thou confessess 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 â—…f 〈◊〉 these things preceding then thou sayst Hereby 〈◊〉 thâ—…s 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ried headlong and at the end of its life doth fall into the â—…lly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a sum of wickedness set forth by thee which when
fighting That we might enjoy the Freedom of Conscience as well as outward Rights not only in the inner-Man but the free Exercise in all Acts of Piety and Religion of what the Lord should make manifest unto us But whether this was then intended or is now perverted it is that which is our Right which we must claim and no man may take it from us for this we know That Christ Jesus alone hath right to rule over the Consciences of men unto whom every one must give an Account of himself according to the just perfect and unchangeable Law of God which is revealed with that alone of God which is made manifest in man which he hath shewed unto him by which every one shall be judged at the Last Day when the Book of Conscience shall be opened And therefore all unequal imperfect and changeable Laws of men we do deny and by them and for their Transgression we shall not be judged of the Lord and all Laws made in their wills by their wisdoms in the things of God which concern Religion and the free Exercise of a Good Conscience towards God and Man against them all we do bear witness 〈◊〉 knowing the Commandments of the Lord and what he required of us and having tasted his tender Love to those that keep them and felt his Terrors against 〈◊〉 Disobedience we are made willing to bear the greatest Sufferings rather then 〈◊〉 against God And in this Ground we stand not careful what man can do unto 〈◊〉 or say of us nor to give him an Answer in this Matter For whether it is better 〈◊〉 obey God or Man let him judge Yet here to prevent Mistakes we do with the like clearness declare our free and willing Subjection in the things of this World to every Ordinance of 〈◊〉 that is just according to the Righteous Law of God and our Work is not to weaken but strengthen the hand of the Magistrate by labouring to bring all to own that of God which should exercise their Consciences To do in all 〈◊〉 as they would be done unto in which is fulfilled the Law and the Prophets whicâ— takes away the occasion it self of the Law and brings to live in Peace and Love wherein should be the Magistrates Joy and Glory And do but look on the Crimes charged against us and all the Sufferings we lie under and you may clearly see That not for any Evil done or just Law broken that concerns man are we thus punished but for things which concern our God and chiefly for bearing our Witness as we are moved of the Lord against the false Prophets and Hirelings of these dayes who by their Fruits are made manifest not only unto us but to many Thousands besides yea the greatest part of all the sober People of the Nation their own Hearers will confess it And we see and know that they and all Ministers and Worships in the World set up and standing in the will of man shall perish and come to nothing and the Rice of these men their Growth and End we comprehend and see their Downfall hastens greatly and all the Powers of the Earth shall not be able to support them and with them shall fall their Tythes their Temples their Gleab lands and Offerings their set dayes of Worship in their wiils and all Laws limitting the Holy One made to uphold their Craft and blessed are they who through the Day of Tryal shall stand in their Witness faithful unto God not fearing what man can do unto them Do not you approve Christ Jesus his going into the Temple And do not you own the Apostles who went into the Iews Synagogues every Sabboth Day and into the Market-places to testifie of Christ Jesus and reason with the people And do not you commend Luther and Calvin Iohn Wicklisf and others is Famous for their Zeal in publishing abroad what then was manifest unto them and those Persons which in Queen Mary's dayes went into the Popish Steeple-Houses to bear witness against their Superstitions which caused her to make a Law against them by which many of them then suffer'd and by which the Priests of England till the last Parliament were guarded and is it now become an Offence to practice the same things And is that a just Law made by the late Parliament by which many have suffered Are not the Priests sprung from the old Root of Popery and are they not forced to flee thither for their vindication and is not the spirit the same which makes these Laws to support hem How shall the Kingdoms of the Earth the Papists Turks Infidels Heathens be converted Your Priests sit down in their Ease and will not go they call themselves Ministers of the Reformed Churches And have not you taught other Nations how to make Laws to restrain the Testimony of those whom the Lord â—ends and is sending into all the Corners of the Earth Did the Command of God which gave Tythes to the Jewish Priesthood concern the Gentiles Was not the Command to the Iews themselves disannulled when the Priesthood was changed Did ever any of the believing Iews pay Tythes to the Apostles or did any of the Gentiles pay Tythes either Did not the Papists bring in this Doctrine and Oppression Did not many of the Martyrs in Queen Mary's dayes witness against Tythes And was not that an Article for which some of them suffered And do not you own and commend those Martyrs or do you judge them for holding an Error Have not all or most of those Countries that turned from the Pope and are called reformed cast off Tythes with the Pope and were ashamed of them And is it the Glory of ENGLAND who pretendeth to the highest Reformation to keep up Tythes the Popish Priests Maintenance and First-Fruits and Tenths the Wages of the very Pope himself and to hale before Courts cast into Prisons and spoil the Goods of all who for Conscience saâ—e cannot pay them Let that of God answer And how many have and at this day do suffer because they cannot Swear which Christ Jesus and his Apostles above all things forbid How are the Commands of Christ made void by the Customs and Traditions of Men Were it not easie by turning the Law against Lyars and false Witnesses which the Law of God is against to find out that which your Law against false Swearing never did or could discover Do you own Christ Jesus of whom the Iews that put him to Death gave this Witness That he Respected no mans Person Do you commend Mordecai who could not give the outward Honour and bow to Hamon And do you regard his words who said I know not how to give Flattering Titles to men for my Maker would soon take me away Hath not God made of one Mould and one Blood all Nations to dwell upon the Face of the Earth And doth not he that respects Persons commit sin and is convinced of the Law as a Transgressor And must it now
weight thereof as to encourage such a Work of value and worth for many know what a great Sufferer F. H. was and how he lay many years in a bad Prison at Appleby in Westmoreland for the Testimony of Jesus and of a good Conscience for that he could not Swear so that in the same Prison under the Hands of his Persecutors he cheerfully and with much Satifaction and Peace gave up his Life and ended his Dayes in Peace Oh! the remembrance of these two Faithfull Witnesses who both died Sufferers being Prisoners for Truth is never to be forgotten And thus Dear Friends as the Salutation of our dear Brother E. B. according to his desire while in the Body I recommend unto you this Volumn of his Books with my Love in the Truth to you all being therein The Truth 's and your Servant and Friend Ellis Hookes London the 1st of the 2d Moneth 1672. THE EPISTLE TO The Reader TO all the World to whom this may come to be Read that they read with a good understanding and hereby they may come to the perfect knowledge of the ground of difference between the Priests and Professors and all Sects in these Nations and Us who are in scorn called Quakers shewing that the Controversie on our part is just and equal against them all and that we have sufficient cause to cry against them and to deny their Ministry their Church their Worship and their whole Religion as being not in the Power and by the Spirit of the Living God as commanded of him or ever practiced by his Saints But this declareth the ground and Foundation thereof to be another thing and not the same on which the true Church and Ministry and Practice and Worship and true Religion was builded in the days of the Apostles And also this is an Invitation to all Sects and Professions of People to come forth and try if what they hold and profess be according to the Scriptures of truth and to do this in tryal by evident and sound Arguments and by the best spiritual Weapons they have and to lay aside all this Persecution and unrighteous Dealing and Stocking and Whipping and Imprisoning of us for speaking against their Religion and that they come forth in fair dispute to contend in the Spirit of meekness for what they Profess and Practice and to prove according to the Scriptures their Ministry Church and whole Religion that it is in and by the Spirit and Power of God or otherwise to renounce and deny all their Religion and the Profession and Practices thereof that every man may be satisfied who it is that are in the true and right Way and of the true Worship and true Religion and who it is that are not and this is desired by us who are called Quakers and also a true Account of our first beginning and coming forth in the World and of that great Sufferings we have sustained and how we have been carried on and are preserved to this day The Lord God everlasting who is true and faithful hath fulfilled his promise in us and unto us and we are gathered from the Mouths of all dumb Shepherds and out of the mouths of all Hirelings who have made a prey upon us and fed themselves with the fat and devoured souls for dishonest gain And we are come to the Fold of Eternal Rest where Christ Jesus is the chief Shepherd and he is the Shepherd and Bishop of our Souls that feedeth his Flock with living Bread that nourisheth us unto Life Eternal he hath called us by his Name and put us forth and he feedeth us in green Pastures and we are fed with hidden Manna and lie down at Noon with his gathered Flock and out of Nations Kindreds Multitudes and Peoples are we redeemed to God and are come out of the World and out of great Babylon and out of spiritual Sodom and Egypt where the Lord Christ was and is crucified and lieth slain to this day and a top of the World hath the Lord set us on the Mountain of his own House and Dwelling where we behold and feel the Life and Glory and Crown of the World that hath no end and the world that hath an end is seen over and its crown and glory is his Footstool that reigns amongst us And as for all that which this perishing world brings forth which men seek after only it s reckoned our temptation though all the Sons of Adam are seeking its glory its riches its crowns its contentments but of that Birth are we which hath no crown no glory nor rest under the Sun and a Birth is brought forth amongst us which is Heir of another Kingdom and Possessor of another Crown whose glorying is in the Lord all the Day long and he is our Refuge our Rock and our Fortress against all our Enemies and what though the Wicked arm themselves and the Ungodly bend their Bow what though all sorts of People from the Prince upon his Throne to the Beggar upon the Dunghil exalt themselves against the despised People of the Lord's Inheritance who for his Name 's sake are kill'd all the day long What though the Wise-men bring forth their Arguments and what though the Rulers bring forth unrighteous Judgments against the Seed that God hath blessed what though the Revilers and Scorners open their mouthes and Reproachers and Revilers cast out their bitter words as a Flood against the Remnant of the Woman's Seed that has long been fled into the Wilderness And what then if the Teachers the Prophets and the Elders and the Heads and Wise men of the World set themselves to pray and preach and print against the chosen Seed of Iacob yet notwithstanding all this though this is come to pass and Hell open her Mouth and her Floods break forth to overflow and be much more increased yet shall the King of Righteousness rule among his People and his Presence will not forsake his chosen Ones but the Lord is with us a Mighty and Terrible One and the shout of a King is amongst us and the Dread and Terror of the Almighty covereth us and it goeth before us and compasseth us about And the Lord is working a Work in the Earth mighty and wonderful he is gathering the Scattered and binding up the Broken-hearted and his People shall dwell in safety and none shall make them afraid and no Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper nor no Hand that is lifted up shall prevail for Sion shall rise out of the Dust her beautiful Garments shall be put on and Mourning and Sorrow shall flee away and her Light is risen that is everlasting and the Sun shall never godown but his day shall remain for ever and the Night shall not again cover her brightness nor the Sun set upon her habitations the City that hath long laid waste shall again be builded and the dwelling that hath long been without Inhabitant shall be replenished for the numberless seed of
or in the day of Judgment when we and all Man-kind shall appear and come sorth to tryal and every mans work shall be tryed and all shall receive according to their deeds And so gladly would we be made manifest to all the World if that after the reading of this Book any be unsatisfied still in this matter And if any especially of the Heads and Rulers have doubts or Jealousies raised in them concerning us and the Priests and that they further would be satisfied and resolved for that end let any Wise-men propound for full satisfaction of all sorts of People that we with the consent of the chief in Authority that have power in this Nation who may preserve peace and safety among people and thereby to stop all Jealousies may freely and chearfully Four Ten Twenty Thirty more or fewer of us give as many of the wisest and ablest of the Priests and Professors a meeting for dispute at any place in England at what place time and for what continuance as they shall ascribe and consent unto and to dispute and controvert betwixt us and them any such thing and every such particular as shall or may be objected by any of the Heads and Rulers or other Grave Understanding Men wherein they are doubtful betwixt us and would thereof be satisfied that by such Dispute and opening of such causes objected full and real and toal satisfaction may be given to the whole Nation and every particular man and member therein Otherwise Let the Priests or Professors or any of them object what they can against us in our Principles Profession Faith and Practice and our whole Religion And if they shall affirm and alledge any one or more things against us that any Principle we hold or Practice we profess in any part throughout all our Religion are false Principles and false Practices and not according to Truth nor the Scriptures but shall affirm that our Religion is not the true Religion nor we of the true Church of Christ and they shall have free liberty to give their best proof and reason for what they affirm and alledge yet by the Strength of Christ and in the power and authority of God and according to the Scriptures we shall confute all their Proofs and strongest Reasons and on the contrary we shall joyn our Principles Doctrines and Practices and all our Religion and every part and particular thereof to be the very truth and agreeing with the Scriptures according to that shall maintain by lawful Arguments and plea that our Religion and Worship and all that we profess and Practice is according to the mind of the Lord and justified of him and that whatsoever is and may be spoken against us upon that account is utterly false and to be condemned and upon this we will ingage with them and with any of our Enemes of what Sect and Profession soever to the intent onely that Truth may be manifest and embraced and Deceit and Error discovered and denied And also upon such an Engagement we should agree to have the liberty freely and soberly to object against the Priests concerning their Ministry their Call their Practice their Maintenance and their Fruits and Effects and concerning their Church and Principles and Worship and whole Religion and shall hear patiently all that can be said in defence thereof by any or all of them and shall prove by the Spirit of the Lord and according to the Scriptures that their ministry is not the true Ministry of Christ nor they true and lawfull Ministers of the Gospel but shall manifest by evident Arguments that their Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects are not according nor agreeing but contrary and differing to what the true Ministry was and its Call Practice Maintenance Fruits and Effects were in the true Apostles and among the true Churches and furthermore by the Grace of God we shall prove their Church their Worship and their whole Religion in all parts thereof to be degenerated from what the true Church was the true Worship and true Religion in the days of the Apostles and true Churches of old and these things shall we make manifest by faithful and sound Arguments according to the Scriptures that all the Earth may know and all people perceive who is in the Truth and of the true Worship and Religion and who are in the contrary and whether the Priests and that which they profess and practice for Religion or the Quakers and that which they profess and practice for Religion be of God and according to him and whether are contrary that the end of this long Travel and War and controversie may be desided and justly ended between us and all people may be resolved and satisfied concerning us and them that do oppose us And let all the Priests and Professors lay aside and give over their Houses of Correction and imprisoning people and whipping of them and stocking of us and dealing in this manner of violence and cruelty as for years by-past they have done in defence of their Religion and resisting of ours and let them lay aside their carnal Weapons and fighting against our persons and imprisoning of us about our Religion and let them come forth in sound Arguments the best they have and let us see what spiritual Weapons they have to resist us and defend themselves and let us try whether their spiritual Weapons or ours be the strongest and the most powerful and mighty and let theirs that are so prevail against the other be it ours or theirs and this is the way to try the truth and to make all things manifest and to deside and end all the whole controversies between us and them which hath been great this many years and let the Truth be set up and exalted where ever it is and all Deceit thrown down to the Ground and let us war with the Weapons of the Spirit against Errour and false Religion one in the other but le ts not hurt Creatures nor imprison Persons nor stock and whip Creatures and make them to suffer but let us thresh Deceit and whip and beat that and all false Opinions let us throw them down where they are found whether in them or in us and let us fight with the Weapons of the Spirit that are spiritual let them fight no longer with such cruel carnal Weapons and then let such as get the victory and overcome appear to be in the truth of the Church and such as falls and is overcome be manifest to be in the Error and of the false Church and Religion and let us love one anothers persons and let them act no otherwise towards our persons then we do upon theirs and towards them and let them take the liberty to deal with us and our persons as we deal with them and their persons and no otherwise And let such whether them or us that cannot prove our selves to be the true Church of Christ nor of the true Worship and true
while many despised thy youth And how have I seen thee with thy Sling and thy Stone despised Weapons as to war with wound the Mighty and that which hath seemed contemptible to the Dragon's Party even as the Jaw-bone of an Ass with it thou hast slain the Philistines Heaps upon Heaps as Sampson Thou hast put thy Hand to the Hammer of the Lord and hast often fastened Nailes in the heads of the Lamb's Enemies as Deborah did to Sisera and many a rough Stone hast thou polished and squared and made it fit for the Building of God and much knotty Wood hast thou hewed in thy day which was not fit for the building of God's House Oh thou Prophet of the Lord and shalt for ever be recorded in the Lamb's Book of Life among the Lord's Worthies who have followed the Lamb through great Tribulations as many can witness for thee from the beginning and at last hath overcome and found worthy to stand with the Lamb upon Mount Sion the Hill of God as I have often seen thee and thy heart well tuned as a Harp to praise the Lord and to sound forth his great Salvation which many a time hath made glad the hearts of them that did believe and strengthened their Faith and Hope Well thou art at rest and bound up in the Bundle of Life and I know Tears were wiped away from thy Eyes because there was no cause of sorrow in thee For I know thou witnessed the old things done away and there was no curse but blessings were poured upon thy head as rain and peace as a mighty shower and trouble was far from thy dwelling though in the outward man trouble on every side and hath had a Greater share in that for the Gospel sake though a Youth in thy time than many besides But now thou are freed from that and hast obtained a name through Faith with the Saints in Light Well hadst thou more to give up then thy Life for the Name of Jesus in this World Nay and to seal thy Testimony committed unto thee with thy blood as thou hast often said in thy day which shall remain as a Crown upon thee for ever and ever And now thou art freed from the temptations of him who had the power of death and art freed from thy outward Enemies who hated thee because of the Life that dwelt in thee and remaineth at the right Hand of God where there is joy and pleasure for evermore in the everlasting Light which thou hast often testified unto according to the Word of Prophesie in thy heart which was given unto thee by the Holy Ghost and art at rest in the perfection thereof in the beauty of Holiness yet thy Life and thy Spirit I feel as present and have unity with it and in it beyond all created and visible things which are subject to mutation and change and thy Life shall enter into others to testifie unto the same truth which is from everlasting to everlasting for God hath raised and will raise up children unto Abraham of them that have been as dead stones whose Power is Almighty great in his people in the midst of their Enemies This same Edward Burroughs was born in the Barrony of Kendal in the County of Westmoreland of honest Parents who had a good report among their Neighbours for upright and honest dealing among men who brought up Edward in his Youth in Learning and good Education as the Countrey doth afford He was a very understanding Boy in his Youth and his knowledge and understanding did far exceed his years He had the Spirit of a man when he was but a child and I may say grey hairs was upon him when he was but a Youth for he was cloathed with Wisdom in his Infancy for I had perfect knowledge of him from a Youth He was inclinable from his Youth upwards to Religion and the best way always minding the best things and the best and nearest way of Worship to the Scriptures of Truth and always did accompany the best men who walked in godliness and honesty insomuch I have often admired his discreet carriage and his great understanding of the things of God He was never known to be addicted to any vice or malignity or bad behaviour neither followed any evil course of life from his childhood but feared the Lord and walked uprightly according to the light and knowledge received in all things In his natural disposition he was bold and manly dexterous and servent and what he took in hand he did it with his might loving kind and courteous merciful and flexible and easie to be entreated His whole delight was always among good people and to be conferring and reading the Scriptures and little to mind any sports or pastimes which there is an insidency unto in Youth but his very strength was bended after God and was separted I may say from his Mother's Womb and fitting for the Work 's sake whereunto he after was called And when it pleased the Lord to raise up unto us the ancient Horn of Salvation among us who were reckoned in the North Part of England even as the Out-casts of Israel and as men destitute of the great Knowledge which some seem'd to enjoy yet there was more Sincerity and true Love amongst us and desires after the living powerful Presence of God then was among many in that day who seem'd to make a great flourish who ran into Heaps and Forms but left the Cross behind them and indeed were Strangers to it God out of his everlasting Love did appear unto us according to the desire of our hearts who longed after him when we had turn'd aside from Hireling-Shepherds Tents we found him whom our Souls loved and God out of his great Love and great Mercy sent one unto us immediately by his Power a Man of God one of Ten Thousand to instruct us in the Way of God more perfectly who laid down the sure Foundation and declared the acceptable Year of the Lord who indeed made the Mourners to rejoyce and the Heavy-hearted glad which yet was terrible to all Hypocrites and all formal Profession which Testimony reached unto all our Consciences and entred into the in-most part of our Hearts which drove us to a narrow search and to a diligent inquisition concerning our state which we came to see through the Light of Christ Jesus which was testified of and found it to be even what it was testified of and the Lord of Heaven and Earth we sound to be near at hand and as we waited upon him in pure Silence our Minds out of all things his Dreadful Power and Glorious Majesty and Heavenly Presence appear'd in our Assemblies when there was no Language Tongue nor Speech from any Creature and the Kingdom of Heaven did gather us and catch us all as in a Net and his Heavenly Power at one time drew many Hundreds to Land that we came to know a place to stand in and what to wait in
is neither hast cleaved to it and so art raâ—ed out from the Life and from the Foundation and the Apostle who had his Commission not from man nor by man he exhorted those he preached and wrote to to take heed to the sure Word of Prophesie as unto a Light that shined in a dark place and to wait in it till the Day did dawn and the Day Star did arise and for distinguishing of that in the Conscience what it is he that is not separate from the darkness knows not how to do it But this I say unto thee as we declare unto all the Light which shines into the Conscience is the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one withal and it is spiritual like himself and eternal and it leads out of sin and declares against all iniquity and he that comes to own it and to be guided by it it leads out of sin to know the Cross of Christ which is a Mystery to thee and it leads to the eternal Word which was in the beginning before sin was and it will judge all thy imaginations and vain conceivings and it leads to the Inheritance incorruptible out of corruptible if thou hast an ear to hear thou mayst hear it is that which will let thee see thy vain frothy imaginations which thou hast of God and will condemn all thy vain imaginations and hating it it will be thy condemnation and there is the issue of it and all such as steals other mens words and the true Prophets words and never knew the life that was in them all such we deny and shut them up within utter darkness where they and thou art and for the glorious things that thou and thy Partner speaks of which call your selves the two last Witnesses it is manifest that your mysteries are as in thy Book and thy queries where thou putst Elect and Reprobate together and as for tryall of spirits we give liberty and exhort all that may to try and we direct them to that to try by which is infallible and eternall whereby they may see and comprehend thee and all who have not the Spirit But that they should try who have nothing to try with let all such be silent for ever for none understands the Spirit but the Spirit with which we see thee and all who stands in their imaginations are ignorant of it therefore stop thy mouth in the dust and be silent 9 Quer. Do not they that speak to a people that declares against all appearances which are contrary to his way discover himself unto a true discerning Spirit not to be of the Lord unless they can demonstrate a spiritual Commission that he hath received from Heaven by voyce of words through the glorious mouth of the Lord so that no mortal man can disprove him though few for want of understanding receive him Ans. The Way that leads to the Father is but one which is Christ and he that declares from him made manifest in him declares against all Sects and Opinions that which thou calls appearances and the Way is one and the Truth one where there is no rent nor division and he that dwels in the life hath discerning and he that witnesses the annointing discerns he is able to judge and discern and in that thou art seen who wouldst sit on the throne but thou must come down and lick the dust dust is the Serpents meat and they who had their Commission from God and have their Commission from God now they were made manifest to every mans Conscience in the sight of God and this we witness this the Scripture witnesseth and he that believes hath the witness in himself and the father bears witness and they witness the voice of the Lord which is spiritual speaking to them and they declare from that which is spiritual to the Consciences of Gainsayers and this is witnessed but thy voice of words is carnal and is denyed and who art thou made manifest unto that which is mortal cannot discern and disprove thee but that which is immortal can and they who are guided by the immortal denies thee and will receive none of thy Testimony because it is not the same which the holy men of God witnessed and doth now witness which voice shakes the Wilderness and rents the Rocks and makes the Earth to reel to and fro but to thee this is a mystery and sealed 10. Again he that speaketh of an invisible spiritual God or Christ living in the Consciences or Spirits of men thou sayst He questions the truth of all the Scripture records concerning the Life Death and Resurrection and Ascension of the blessed Body of Christ into the Throne of his Immortal Glory And doth he not question Whether the Consciences of the Saints being sprinkled with the Blood of Iesus which dyed without the Gates of Jerusalem are purified from the pollutions of the Flesh and Spirit doth he not question the Resurrection of the Souls and Bodies out of the Earth at the last Day Answ. Here again thou hast made thy shame and ignorance manifest and knows not so much as the Letter of the Scripture Paul an Apostle of Jesus Christ not by the will of man and a Minister of the Everlasting God he witnessed the Son of God revealed in him and he said Know ye not that Christ is in you or else you are Reprobates And Christ is not divided And he that is joyned to the Lord is onâ— Spirit And I and my Father are one And where Christ dwells the Father dwells And if thou hast an ear to hear thou mayst â—ear and if the same Spirit be not in you that raised Christ from the dead you are none of his and he that declared these things spake of a spiritual Christ and an invisible God and who shall ascend up to Heaven the word is nigh in thy mouth and in thy heart and this is the same Christ that suffered without the Gate at Ierusalem and no other which Paul travelled till he was born in them if thou hast an ear thou mayst hear and the Apostle did not question the Scripture records for they spoke it and recorded it and they witnessed the Life of Christ and his Death and Resurrection and Ascension and they witnessed him ascended above Thrones and Dominions and to sit at the right-hand of the Father and we witness the same Christ made manifest in us and his Resurrection not because Paul said so but we have seen it and are Witnesses of it the same that ever was the same that did Ascend the same did ascend this is a riddle unto thee and seven seals is upon it and thou that queriest shall never see them opened and they who had Christ in them and the Father and the Son supping with them they had their Consciences sprinkled and none else for his blood thou knowst not and so I say unto thee thou art not sprinkled nor thy Conscience purified from dead works and they who know
but what is declared of in the Scripture by the Holy Men of God and neither without it nor above or beyond it do we speak I challenge thee to prove what thou hast asserted and all the City of London whether we have spoken or declared any thing but what the Scriptures bears witness to and the Light which we declare of is the Light of Christ which the Scripture saith hath enlightened every one that comes into the World and it is not besides the Scripture so as contrary to it but the Scripture bears witness of the Light And here I charge thee with Blasphemy who calls the Pure Light of Christ thick Darkness and that the Light of Christ which is the Light which we declare of hath led men or leads any to contemn God or his Ordinances or Righteousness let shame strike thee in the face thou impudent one who blasphemously sayes that the Light of Christ is thick Darkness and leads into contempt of God let the Light in thy own Conscience condemn thee thou Enemy of God for thy Lyes and Slanders and Blasphemy which in this thy Book thou hast uttered And whereas Thou exhortest to labour to see an excellency in Christ in the Word of Christ and in the Church and Ordinances of Christ. I answer For the simple Ones sake that they may not be deceived none ever shall see any excellency in those things but who owns and walks in the Light of Christ which lets every one see themselves first and your talking of the same and report of Christ and of his Word and Ordinance is not to know the excellency of those things for death in you talks of the same but the thing in Substance you are ignorant of and you who stumble at the Light wherewith Christ lighteneth every one are above the Door which is the entrance unto the life of these things And so I exhort all to mind the Light of Christ and to walk in it and it will lead unto Christ from whence the Light comes and it will lead to the fulfilling of Christs Words and to the one Bread and to the one Baptism and the Light is the Door and Entrance unto the Life of those things But you who hate the Light and deny it to be in every one hath but the Husk and outward Declaration of those things and are without the Life And whereas thou sayst They that are of God will hear John Peter and Paul and the rest that were the Servants of Christ not the fleshly conceits of those or any other men and Christ Sheep hear his Voyce and a Stranger they will not hear I answer They that are of God do own the writings of all the Servants of Christ but many may profess their words as the Pharisees did the Prophets words and as thou dost now and yet not be of God but children of the Devil but that our conceits are fleshly I do deny for all conceits of the flesh we deny and bears witness against and it shall stand for thy own condition and thy voice is the voice of a stranger and they that are of God will not follow it though thou bringst the Saints words in thy mouth as the Devil did unto Christ yet in the Light of Christ thou art seen and comprehended and from the Light of Christ answered and by it judged to be without the life of those Scriptures which thou speakst of and they are to thee but as an empty sound And whereas thou cites many more Scriptures which are exhortations of the Apostles to the Church and exhorts thy Brethren with them To which I answer as before The Scriptures I do own but to thee thou envious man they do not belong for as in this thy writing thou art proved a Lyar and a Scorner and a Slanderer and a false Accuser and a Blasphemer out of thy own mouth be a Witness against thy self and let all thy whole Assembly bear witness against thee that the Scriptures which were spoken to the Saints who walked in the light and had denyed ungodliness do not belong unto thee who art an hater of the light and lives in the pollutions of the world but the Scriptures will surely be fulfilled upon thee The wicked shall be turned into Hell and the Lyar shall have his portion in the Lake and he that works abomination is to be troden in the winepress of the wrath of God without the City and such like And now somthing in answer to some things in the Epistle to the Reader Whereas thou and the rest of you there say although the light hath appeared yet there is a Generation of men in the world that do hate the light and endeavour to put it out crying against the Scriptures of Truth it s a dead letter and against the form of doctrine therein contained To which I answer It is true the light hath appeared Christ who is the Light lightneth every one that comes into the world which light hath appeared in every mans conscience and there is a Generation which hates the light and you are of that Generation which say every man hath not the light and calls the Light of Christ thick darkness and endeavour to put it out and here you have read your own condition though you make a large profession of the Scriptures which is not the light but words declared from the Light as the Iewes did profess the Prophets words but persecuted Christ and spoke against him who was the light and substance of the Prophets words and if you know any who cry against the Scripture and against the doctrine therein contained we cry and declare against such for the Scripture we own in its place to be a true declaration of God of Christ and of the Saints conditions but they are not the light but Christ is the light as themselves bear witness nor are they the Saints guide but the Spirit that gave them forth as they themselves bear testimony neither were the Scriptures given forth to give your own imaginations and suppositions upon but they themselves are doctrine and are as they speak he that hath the same spirit which speak them forth reads them and understands them and none else And whereas thou sayst Lest that simple plain meaning men should be kept in Babels darkness or the enlightned fall into the errour of the wicked for that reason your Book came to publick view I answer truly you are deceived who think to gain into your form the simple plain meaning men by Lies and false Slanders and false Accusation who are simple and plain unto God will descern your deceits and how falsly you have accused the innocent and will see you to be in Babels darkness and who walks in in the light wherewith they are enlightned will see you to be in the errour of the wicked and out of the Truth and it is well for the Truths sake that your Book came forth that thereby your filthiness and deceitfulness and
any Creature was made and the whole World is comprehended and mans state in his first Creation is here known what it was and mans state in Transgression is also known what it was and mans state restored again is also witnessed and the difference perceived betwixt the first Adam which was overcome of the Devil though he was innocent and without sin and bore the likeness of his Maker and of the second Adam who cannot be overcome of the Devil whom Satan hath nothing in who is the express Image of the Creator it self He that hath an ear to hear let him hear Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard it hath not entred into the heart of man that which the Father hath revealed by his Spirit things not lawful to be uttered of which there is no declaring that which is Infinite Endless Eternal and in this I shall end By one who hath measured and viewed in true Iudgment the condition of all Mankind who is a Lover of Souls and a Friend to the Creation of God known in England by the name of EDWARD BURROUGH London the 6th of the 3d Moneth 1656. Truth Defended OR CERTAIN ACCUSATIONS ANSWERED CAST Upon us who are called Quakers by the Teachers of the World and the People of this Generation WITH A clear Discovery who are the false Prophets and when they came in and how they may be known and who they are that deny Christ and that preach another Gospel and who deny the Scriptures Churches Ministers and Magistrates whereby the Magistrates and People of this Nation may see they justifie that which the Scripture condemns and condemns that which the holy men of God justified and may read their example and our example through the Scriptures The Epistle To all you who call your selves Ministers of the Gospel and all People in all Relations under what form of Worship soever in England or in all the World whâ— profess your selves Christians THe mighty day of the Lord is come according as he promised of old and this day is witnessed wherein he is establishing his Mountain and exalting it above all Mountains and is gathering his People which have been scattered in the dark and loâ—â— Night of Apostacy which Christ and his Apostles saw coming into the Churcâ—… then and hath had dominion long over the World and hath reigned till now and reigns nâ—â— in all the Professors in all Forms every where But now the time is come wherein the Kingdâ—… of the World are become the Kingdoms of the Lord and of his Christ and thousands witness it to the praise of his everlasting Name And therefore the Nations are angry and 〈◊〉 Pâ—inces of the Earth because Michael one Prince is arisen to plead with all who make 〈◊〉 against him And now Herod and Pilate and all Jerusalem are in an uproar and Ammâ—â— and Amaleck and the Egyptians and the Philistines are joyned now against him And all you who live in Forms and know not the Power do now persecute and joyn your selves tâ—gether being in the same nature as the Persecutors of old which were born after the Flesh. And now you Sons of Bondage and of Hagar are to be cast out and now you are all 〈◊〉 manifest that you are in the Flesh for all your Bows are bent and all your Arrows are 〈◊〉 at a People which are accounted by you as the filth of the World and as the off-scouring of all things whom the World calls Quakers in whose foreheads is written the Name of the living God and unto you I say that make war against them and now take part with the Dragâ—â— against the Lamb you shall all drink of the Cup of Fury and indignation of the Lord 〈◊〉 unto the Living God who is holy and jealous for his own Glory and Name which hath manifested his Mind and Will by his eternal Spirit unto us shall you all bow and stoop For now the Lord hath rent the Vail of the Covering which hath been spread over 〈◊〉 the Nations in all Professions and you are all seen by the ternal Eye which is opened in thousands even all from the highest to the lowest who have stolâ—n and painted your selves with 〈◊〉 â—ens words And all your Images which you have set up and all your traditions from â—en in which you have walked are all seen to be stubble and â—ill not abidâ— in the day of the Lord. And all your Churches which you have gathered together by imitation from the 〈◊〉 shall all be scattered and there you all are for you all deny Revelation and say it is ceased and so you call the Letter the Light and the Word but with that which was before the Scripture you are seen and judged even with that which shall endure for ever And seeing you have cast reproach upon the Name of the God of Heaâ—â—â— and Earth whom we worâ—â—ip and which you call delusion for the truths sake are we moved to lay open your â—akedness that you may be judged by that which you say is your rule Here in this Little Book thou who hast any honesty in thee or any desire of truth and wilt search the Scripture thou wilt see thâ—◠〈◊〉 the teachers of the world in all Forms and all Professors ever cryed out who had but the Form against them who had the Life and Power as you all 〈◊〉 now against them who Worship God in the Spirit and have no confidenâ—e in the flesh and therefore in this following Discoâ—rse which 〈◊〉 written by the same Spirit that gave forth the Scripture thou shalt see who are the false Prophets and who they are that preach another Gospel and who they are that deny the Scriptures and thou mayst see when the false Prophets came in and who they are clearly proved to be by their own rules And all you who call your selves Magistrates and Christians you may see your selves to hold up that which Christ the Prophets and Apostles cryed oâ—â— against and Persecute them who stand in the counsel of God and them thâ—â— Declare against all the deceit as the Holy men of God did and so you are the beast which holds up the false Prophets and those whom the Scripture declareth against God is arisen to dâ—… to pieces all them who withstand him and therefore come out of Babylon â—â—d out of all your painted forms and come to own the first Principle which will change your mindes even the Light of Christ which he hath enlightned every one withal and by it you shall see what you are doing Now if you deny this you deny the Corner-stone and you stumble and shall be broken and by thâ—â— which you call natural shall all your Image of gold and silver and all your mixed invented worship be dashed to pieces and 〈◊〉 for the Pit Therefore all be silent and speak not evil of those thingâ— you know not for now you are all seen you who say you are â—â—ws and are not but are of the Synagogue
a blind Ministry which leadeth not unto God but keeps in Darkness ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth And in thy Page ninteenth Thou hast put forth a Question which is How shall we know this transformed Angel of Light c To which I answer Where he rules he is not known nor discerned for the god of the World hath blinded the eye which should make him manifest and this is true in thee who art led by him and perceivest it not and art doing his work and understandest not but the brightness of the coming of the Son of Man in the Children of the Father hath discovered him in the World and in thee and though thou woulst fain put him among the Quakers yet he is found in thy own house thou endeavourest to prove thy Accusation by vain consequence and false conclusions but our Assertion is proved by the Spirit of God and stands upon thy head and shall be witnessed by the Light in thy own Conscience Now something in answer to thy Arguments and false Conclusion And thy first Argument is That the Light of the Quakers will not admit of nor endure the Trial therefore the Light of the Quakers is the light of Satan c. Answ. Thy proposition and ground of thy Argument is a Lye and so thy conclusion is to no purpose for we deny not a Trial but exhort People thereunto that they search the Scripture to see whether these things be not so and are tried by the Scriptures in Doctrine and Conversation and proved to be simple thereby to be in the Truth as it is in Jesus and are testified of in Scripture by the Holy men of God who are unto us a Cloud of Witnesses in our Faith and Life and Sufferings and Tryals c. Friend thou hast fained a Lye upon us and hast confuted thy own Lye this is an easie way to prove us Deceivers if it would stand in trial neither is thy proof That wâ— do deny tryal any wit to this purpose as I. N. against F. Harris Page the tenth which thou quotest let the honest hearted read but subtilly hast thou wrested the words to bring thy false Conclusion and Lye about to take place among the ignorant People Thy Lye is condemned and thy refuge is taken away and thou art left naked for the Destroyer Thy second Argument is The Light of the Quakers putteth out the Light of Nature therefore their Light is the light of Satan c. Thou sayest by the Light of Nature thou meanest the inward Law which God set up in the heart of all mankind châ—â—king many sins against God and man c. Answ What blind confusion is this which is uttered from thy dark mind no whit savory but stuff hardly worth stirring in and quite contradiction to thy own words Page fifteen where thou chargest us with directing to the Light in the Conscience which thou callest Natural but we call it Spiritual and this is it which cheeks the sins against God which thou sayest our Light puts out and that we preach any thing for Light which puts out this light which is the work of the Law of God written in the heart this Argument is also a Lye and so thy conclusion is made void likewise but that the Knowledge and Wisdom and Prudency of the natural man which is corrupted must be put out this we own and the Quakers Light which is the Light of Christ shall confound the Wisdom of the World and be no transgression against God nor from a light of Satan but of Christ and the proof of thy Argument is as thou sayest Wâ— deny honour to all Superiours and seemest to be greatly offended with the word Thou quoting many Scriptures against it but let the wise in heart judge thee herein none of all these Scripture will prove that ever any of the Saints gave flattering Titles unto men or spoke You to a particular Person which thou art to prove or else thou sayest nothing that the word Thou to Superiours is any denying of honour due unto them and herein thy conclusion is also false being the foundation of thy Argument is a Lye and thy Argument made up of confusion saying That Light is Natural which is the inward Law set up in the heart checking the sins against God and man this is one Lye also saying That our Light puts out the Light This is another Lye Friend if Lyes would prove us Deceivers thou wouldst accomplish it How easie a thing it is for thee to confute thy own Lyes when thou hast made them Thy third Argument is Such is the Quakers Light viz. which teacheth men to forsake the Scriptures setting up a spirit in man which shall not be examined by the Scriptures therefore it is the light of Satan c. Answ. The first part of thy Argument is a very Lye and also the last as thou hast laid it down our Light teacheth not men to forsake the Scriptures but into the fulfilling of them to walk in the Life of them and it teacheth to exalt the Spirit of God in man above all things and in its fruits and opperation may be examined by the Scriptures but it self is the Searcher of all things even of the deep things of God and this is not the Light of Satan but of Christ which teacheth men into the fulfilling of the Scriptures and to exalt the Spirit in man which gave forth the Scriptures which is the trial of all spirits and whatsoever conclusion be gathered for an Argument whereof a Lye is the foundation as of this the conclusion must needs be vain and a Lye like its foundation And in thy proof of the major position thou sayest The Scriptures are left by God to be your Light and Rule c. And the Scriptures say Christ is the Light the Way the Truth and the Life and so the Rule and so thou hast set up the Scriptures above Christ and by thy lying spirit crosseth the Scriptures but thou art accustomed to Lye and so art expert therein And thou sayest Christ bids you seâ—â—câ— the Scriptures Iohn 5. 39. It is true he bids the Pharisees who had not Christ Word abiding in them and who had not heard God's Voice nor seen his Shape but persecuted Christ them he bad search the Scriptures and justly hast thou thrâ—â—â— in thy self among the Pharisees and so art an Enemy to Christ according to thy own confession And for the proof of the minor position thou hast not at at 〈◊〉 proved by any way of the Books quoted thy proposition That the Quakers Ligâ—â— teacheth men to forsake the Scriptures c. Let the wise in heart judge And thou sayst But to speak truly The Quakers make nothing of Scriptures c. This is the very falsness and of thy lying tongue and no truth in it and a Question here I ask Whether he be the more guilty of forsaking Scriptures which live the Life thereof
it is said yea a lively stones are built up a spiritual house and where it is said 〈◊〉 Salt in your selves He asked if a mans belly must be filled with salt Mark this Expositor and his blindness and ignorance and the cause why 〈◊〉 is silent And forbears to aggravate sin is least hard thoughts should be entertained against him Let men judge whether this be not an unfaithful man to the Lord who rather then harsh thoughts should be against him in the wicked he will be silent and hide and cover sin in sinners O wickedness indeed He saith that Christ Ascended into Heaven in our nature viz in his nature and they that are one with him and he and they are proved to be in corrupt nature as they will confess it O what wickedness to hold forth that Christ is at the right hand of God in sinfull nature as his words holds forth from his own mouth Iohn Burton said That men may depend too much upon something called Christ and 〈◊〉 righteousness of Christ within He saith that the Devil Knows how to take the Childrens bread viz. Christ Jesus who only is the Childrens bread and give him to dogs O sâ—d error and damnable He said That the Devil deceives souls by bidding them follow the Light which they brought into the World with them And he confesses that Light is the Light of Christ as God O unutterible ignorance can a sober man read this and not be ashamed to hold forth that the Devil deceives souls by bidding them follow the Light of Christ as God He saith they that follow Christ aright must follow him without to the cross wiâ—… for Iustification or monut Calvery without they must seek for Iustification without 〈◊〉 the Spirit of Christ it leads to Christ without Reader see if this be not near unto Popery or enquire else what he means as if he would have people to go a Pilgrimage and this is contratry to Rom. 10. 6 7 8. He said That the soul of man is the Light wherewith every man is lighted by Christ as God and this is the Light that every man brought into the World with him and the Devil deceives souls by this Light viz. by the soul this is true from his own words let it be marked by sober men what damnable doctrines these are hardly fit to be raked in He saith further That the Devil deceives souls by perswading them to follow the Light within which he confesses is the Light of Christ and that all man hath it He saith Conscience is the Light of God and yet in another place saith Conscieâ—… defiled what concurrence is here let the Reader judge to hold forth that the Light of God is defiled his words plainly shews to say that the Law is the Schoolmaster to bring to Christ. He saith This is a frothy Argument And to make up his wickedness he said He is ruled by Scripture conâ—… whether those doctrines and lyes be not quite contrary to Scripture what is pudency is in this mans heart to say he is ruled by Scripture he saith Thy that look upon Christ no otherwayes then as he was before the World was be dare 〈◊〉 bold to say they are no Christians but Antichristians he said That Christ as he is â—…diator so he hoth not lighten every man that comes into the World though as he is God 〈◊〉 doth Mark here he would divide Christ not to be the same the Son as he is the Father yet he confesses in his Book What the Father doth the Son doth also see what contradiction here is not worth the raking in O blindness that may be felt in the grossest darkness he inhabits He saith That the Devil hath more experience of the knowledge of the eternal power and Godhead then unregenerate men Mark the word more signifies something He saith The Light of Christ 〈◊〉 God is Conscience and Nature it self Mark nature is sinful and wicked and all are children of Wrath in it so are all by the Light of Christ as God wicked and children of wrath if Ioh. Bunions doctrine be true let him make it good as he can O wonderful trash and muddy stuff unheard of before He saith The Devil deceives souls by bidding them listen within and see if there be not that which doth convince of sin Mark his doctrine well He denyes That Pauls bids listen within contrary to that Scripture Rom. 10. 8 9. He said Conscience may be hardned and seared and is naturally evill and yet saith Conscience is the Light of Christ as God see what an agreement is here the Light of Christ as God is hardened and seared and evil else Iohn Bunion must revoke his doctrine or else prove this Consider what stuff this is which is held forth by him He saith he preaches not for hire indeed he had no need to receive money for such doctrines as these He saith Christ is some four or five foot long This is more then he can tell He reckons the doctrine of Christ within a false or among false opinions He saith measureâ—or â—or manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man though Paul saith so plainly to the Corinthians 1 Cor. 12. 7. Mark here he hath spoken quite contrary to Scripture denyed that which Paul affirmed or else counted Pauls words no Scripture He saith They that are born of God do daily sin absolute contrary to 1 Ioh. 3. 9. And therefore he would give the Apostle the lye Now Reader consider whether thou wilt believe Iohn Bunion or the Apostle Iohn for they are at odds and speaks quite contrary one to the other He saith That the Light that shews thee there is a God and that this God is eternal would lead to life then might Devils be delivered from damnation and the Devils knows God as a Creator c. He saith That the Light spoken of John 3. is the man Christ Iesus and yet saith that the man Christ Iesus is not a condemning Light Mark that Scripture saith that Light was condemnation to them that did evil he saith not who must you believe He saith That the Lyar and Slanderer is an Unbeliver and his condition is sad Consider here how out of his own mouth he is condemned who is at large proved a Lyar and Slander out of his own mouth will the Lord condemn him He saith That a man cannot give a more right description of a false Prophet then the Prophets Christ and the Apostles did give Reply In this thou hast truly said Now le ts consider how thou hast confessed to thy own shame and laid open thy own nakedness the Prophets said such were false Prophets as Preached for Hire and divined for Mony and fed themselves and clothed themselves with the wool and that used their Tongues and said the Lord saith it when God had not spoken to them and that cryed peace to the wicked and Christ said such were Deceivers who had the chiefest place in
of the Power of God and we shall not much seek or beg our Adversaries belief for to God are we known and one to another in the Spirit and not to the wisdom of the World which is devilish and knows not nor receives not the things which be eternal His last Reason They teach but such like Dostrine and takes the like course as many of the Hereticks did and saith he Shall we run our selves into the fire which hath consumed such Heresie through former Ages c. Answer To this I answer The Doctrines of the Gospel we hold forth and teach to all people and in that way that is called Heresie worship we indeed the God of our fathers but it is but such as this man with whom I deal who is a false witness-bearer and a reproacher and the Company of Hireling-Teachers and such like that doth call the Way of God Heresie And though he say presently after the Apostles dayes such Hereticks arose and troubled the Church To which I answer Nay it is just such like as himself who appeared in the Apostles dayes who taught for filthy lucre and for gain made merchandize of souls and it was such lying Prophets which Iohn saw the whole world run after in his days and they were them that troubled the Church even such as were heady and high minded and covetous men and such as are false Accusers and fierce men and his shame and folly is made manifest and so his lyes and slanders are turned upon his own head And in his conclusion he doth beseech Professors to consider impartially of these 24. Reasons to which I say The most of them are so reasonlesse that they will rather turn to his own confusion then to his praise to any man of understanding And he bids all bethink themselves first What a doleful thing it is that Professors should be so loose and unstable c. Answ. Doleful it is indeed that after so much preaching of Priests of England people should be so ignorant loose and unstable as indeed they are and this is a very shame to Teachers and shews that they were not sent of God because that the people are not profited at all but continues ignorant loose and unstable and wicked according to their own confession and indeed people are to be pittied that are under their Ministry who by it can never come to the Knowledge of God but must be ever learning fifty or sixty years and ignorant loose and unstable at their very end and yet these are members of this Church of England so called which the very Pastors thereof confesseth to be loose and unstable andwicked and brands us to be denyers of this Church as indeed we have good reason to see the Members thereof so wicked loose and unstable as is confessed by their own Teachers therefore we cannot be condemned for denying such a Church Secondly He bids consider what a heavy judgement it is to Professors themselves to be self-condemned and self-divided from the Church c. To which I answer A heavy judgement indeed that such as are of the Church should be self-condemned and self-divided from it but yet it is a blessed thing that any that have been deceived with false likeness now should come to see the error thereof and be turned to the true Church which is in God and to be drawn away from all windy Doctrines of Englands Teachers and this many doth witness Then he exhorts Christians to be serious and be true to the Light which they have received To which I say All that are true to the light which they have received from Christ Iesus will deny this man I now deal withall and all his Lyes and Slanders Then he bid-stick close to the Word of God and I say All that do so will find it as a Fire and a Hammer and will be gathered from under the dead Doctrines of men in this Age. And he exhorts them to stick close to a faithful Ministry To which I say Then must they deny all Hirelings and such as preacheth for hire for such are not of the faithfull Ministry but Deceivers of people And thus in few words return is sent in the pursute of a Sheet of Lyes and Slanders put forth into the World and all sober-minded people by this may come to a good understanding between Truth and error And though he hath taken a course to spread his Books 〈◊〉 Ballads and Fables by having them cryed up and down the streets which is not for his advantage altogether but doth shew his Work ridiculous to all wise men And so hereby it may be seen that all his Strong Reasons are confounded and overturned that would hinder a man from being a QUAKER THe main and chief things I have spoken of and by what is written in short men of understanding may understand what his whole matter can be But in the beginning of his Book he falls a complaining of the lamentable ignorance and ungodliness of common People and of the pride and seâ—…conceitedness of Professors of godliness and of the weakness and giddiness and unstableness of others To this I Answer It is true abundance are ignorant and abundance are proud and self-conceited and abundance unstable and giddy in their minds and substract these from the whole Company of the Hearers of the Teachers of England and there is but a few left if any at all that are truly righteous in the Sight of God and so to the shame of all the Teachers of England hath he confessed the truth in this particular and sheweth that indeed the People is not profited by them and this is a strong Argument that they were never sent of God but hath ran and were never sent But presently after that he cryes out of Hereticks and Deceivers even like as the Pope doth but What is he afraid of That they that are ignorant and ungodly and proud and self-conceited unstable and giddy should be deceived they that are in those iniquities are deceived already and cannot possibly fall into greater deceit or delusion But it appears That many of the Priests of England cares not how little their Hearers profits by them so if they can get their wages their Hire their great sums of money for one of them said I mean a supposed Minister of England in Cambridge-shire That he mattered not if all his Hearers went to the Devil so they would but give him his dues to wit Tythes and Maintenance So that by this instance you may judge what stock they are of and what their endeavours are and we desire that people may be undeceived of that wherein they are deceived and that they may turn from such a Generation of covetous Teachers who care so little for their souls And whereas he saith The Quakers are but of a few years standing and that they arose from among the Papists but a few year ago c. To this I Answer the people of God received that name but a
and Assemblies of the Lord's People practiz'd the same thing in Ages past as the Servants of the Lord do at this day so this Practice is to be upholden and maintained because it is proved to be according to the Scriptures for the same thing was practiz'd heretofore And we read Acts 20. 7. That the Church met in the Night for Paul continued his Sermon till Midnight And as for their Practice in Speaking either man or Woman as the Spirit gives utterance this is according to the Scriptures though it be much wondred at and cry'd against by the Wise-men and People of this Age for we read Acts 2. that they spoke in their Meeting as the Spirit gave them utterance without studying before-hand what to say And the Lord promised That Sons and Daughters should Prophesie And in Acts 21. 9. we read of one that had four Daughters that did Prophesie And divers other places in Scripture do shew That Women labour'd in the Gospel which doth prove that a Woman speaking and declaring the things of God is not contrary but according to the Scriptures and that any who are moved of the Lord may declare the things of God Man or Woman And the Apostle saith 1 Pet. 4. 10. As every man hath received the Gift even so minister the same one to another So that this Practise in Religion is proved to be according to the Scriptures And as concerning their call to the Ministry some are called from their ordinary callings as from the Plough or from handicraft work or tradings or such like this is according to the Scriptures also for we read Matt. 4. 18 19. where the Disciples were called from their Nets and some were called from the receipt of Custom and we read Amos 7. that he was a Herdsman and a gatherer of Sycamore fruit and Elisha was called from the Plough and some others were called from keeping of Sheep So that their call to the Ministry and Practice in the Ministry is according to the Scriptures for the Servants of the Lord in former Ages were called to the Ministry after the same manner so in that they do agree to the Scripture both in Ministry and ministring and so may own protection herein by the Protectors Oath And as concerning their going up and down through the Countries and from City to City and from one Town to another and from one Nation to another this is according to the Scriptures though some seek occasion thereby against them and unjustly take them as for Vagabonds and executes their envy upon them yet it was the Apostles Practice as you may read in the Book of Acts where the Apostles travelled from Country to Country and from one City to another And though some of the Servants of the Lord are moved now to speak and dispute in the Markets and reprove Sin in the Gates and in the Streets and in the High-wayes and threatning God's Judgments against the Wicked all these things are according to Scripture and their Practice herein is justified by the Scriptures for we read Acts 17. 17. That Paul disputed in the Synagogues with the Jews and with the devout Persons and in the Market daily with them that met with him And we read Ier. 7. That he was commanded to stand in the Gate of the Lord's House and to speak to all that passed into it And Ier. 26. we read That he was commanded to stand in the Court of the Lord's House without doors and to speak to all the Cities of Judah And we read in the Book of Ionas How he was commanded to go through the Streets and to reprove Sin and to threaten God's Iudgments against the Wicked and these Practices were strange in that Generation as they are at this day unto the World who are not acquainted with the Wayes of God But all people may see though the Servants of the Lord do practice these things now as they are moved their Practice herein is according to the Scriptures for the Servants of the Lord in former Ages acted the same things so that in this Practice the Servants of the Lord ought not to be persecuted but protected and maintained in it and that by the Protector 's Oath because it is proved to be according to the Scriptures which he is sworn to maintain And as concerning their crying against such and declaring against them by word and writing That Preach for Hire and Divine for Money and seek for their Gain from their Quarter and such who go for Gifts and Rewards and have Sums of Money by the Year for Preaching and though they deny such that act those things to be Ministers of Christ this Practice also is according to the Scriptures for we read in Mic. 3. that he declar'd against such as Preached for Hire and Divined for Money and such were no Ministers of Christ And we read Isa. â—6 that he declared against them that sought for their Gain from their Quarter which were Greedy Covetous men such as are many of the Teachers of England Again we read Mat. 23. where Christ declar'd against such and did not own such to be any of his Ministers Who were called of men Master who stood praying in the Synagogues and had the chief Places in the Assemblies And we read in 2 Pet. 2. and in many other places where the Apostles declared against such and deny'd such to be Ministers of Christ that preached for filthy Lucre and took Gifts and Rewards for Preaching and by feigned words made Merchandize of Souls who were Heady and High-minded-men as you may read 2 Tim. 3. chap. and such men were deny'd to be Ministers of Christ by the Prophets Christ and his Apostles so that all people may see this Practice of the Servants of the Lord at this day who are moved to declare against such men that act these things mentioned is perfectly according to the Scriptures for the Servants of the Lord spoken of in Scripture did the very same things in this particular as are done at this day Therefore for this Practice they ought not to be persecuted as they have been but ought to be protected and maintained in it and that by the Protector 's Oath who hath sworn to maintain that practice which is according to the Scripture and to declare against them that preach for Hire and have great sums of Money for Preaching and that are called of men Master and that take Gifts and Rewards of people for Preaching I say to do thus is a practice which the Scripture gives a large Example for and so it must needs be according to Scripture and ought to be protected in this Government Again as concerning their denying to respect Persons or to bâ—… with the Hat or Knee in respect of worshipping any Creature this also is according to the Scriptures though the people of the World who live in pride and vain customs are offended with them in this Practice for we read that God commanded
be instructed in the right way to God and be converted out of every false Way and this is the very end of their work and their intent in doing it and they ought not in justice to suffer for it for it is according to the Law of God and in Reason and a good Conscience and the Lord justifies them in it then that Law and Judgment must needs be corrupt and unjust which condemns the People and Servants of the Lord as for Evil-Doers for obeying the Commands of God and for the Exercise of their pure Consciences and no mans Person or Estate being wronged or injured but onely Sin and Wickedness reproved and exhorted from and hereby thus is the Law perverted and true Judgment turned backward and the guiltless is condemned guilty and the guilty is set free and the obeying the Commands of God and the Exercise of a good Conscience is unjustly judged a Transgression and this is a shame and will be great condemnation to such in the Day of the Lord by whose Authority this is done even that the Exercise of a good Conscience even reproving of sin and exhorting unto that which is good to follow that and to forsake all evil should be judged and punished as a hainous Transgression in a Nation and Common-wealth professing Christianity and pure Religion and this makes the sin much more great and unpardonable because the practise and faithfull excercise in Chistianity and in the pure and true Religion is adjudged Transgression and condemned by such who profess the same thing in words and yet persecute and punish the Exercise of it in others and this shews them unjust Judges and Hypocrites who cause the Servants of the Lord to suffer for the practice of that which themselves profess in words to wit Religion and Christianity for I affirm against all Opposers whatsoever that it is a Practice in Religion according to the Scriptures to go into the Steeple-Houses Meeting-places Markets High-wayes or other places and reprove sin and wickedness and cry against evil in Priests and people and exhort to good and to forsake evil and therefore it ought not to be prosecuted and punished but defended and maintained by the Just Government of a Common-Wealth and by Just Laws and Magistrates for this the Lord requireth that Justice and Truth and true Judgement be exalted and the Innocent and Unright defended in all their wayes of a good Conscience and that Evil-doers and Sinners and Transgressors be condemned and righteously judged Also many of the Servants of the Lord do deeply suffer and is deeply afflicted by injustice for the exercise of a good Conscience in other things as because they cannot put off their Hats and bow in respect to mens persons according to the vain customs of the Heathen and because they cannot Swear upon a Book by kissing it and laying the hand upon it according to the idolatrous form and for such like causes because many cannot fulfil the lusts and wills of men that live in pride and evil wayes in these and other things therefore are the people of God put to great sufferings though they deny not the honour due to all men in the Lord without bowing the Hat nor to affirm the truth in every cause in faithfulness without an Oath now to keep on the Hat which is a cover for the head to keep from cold or heat for healths sake before any man whatsoever though never so great or noble is not any wrong or injury to the mans person or estate before whom it is done but onely the high minde and the proud nature and that which is exalted above the fear of God which would be Lord over his fellow creatures that same is offended and troubled which bears not the Image of God but of the Devil as Hamman was and would be bowed to and had in honour and respected because of knowledge or parts and proud gestures or apparel and the Children of the Lord cannot do it nor give honour to him nor be subject and pleasing to that man who is of that spirit and of that nature which is not of God but exalted in pride and vain-glory above the fear of God and against him and would be worshipped and had in honour and reverenced of his Fellow-creatures who hath not so much riches in this World as he nor is so proud in apparel as he and because of that he looks to be bowed unto with Hat or Knee and is offended if he be not and then in his pride he rages and is vexed and seeks revenge against such as cannot honour him and respect him in his pride and vain-glory but as I said this is not done as a matter of wrong unto any though the Hat be not bowed or put off but it is a matter of Conscience unto the people of God and for a good Conscience sake they do deny and may not give obedience and honour and respect out of the fear of God to proud flesh and to men which is not in the fear of God which expects reverence out of the Lord and they know it is nothing else that is offended but proud flesh and an exalted mind and a man that fears not God neither walks in his ways I say it is nothing else nor any besides that is offended or troubled because the Hat is not put off and bowed and the people of God are not careful to please or offend that in men and men as such for they know nothing of God nor any man that truly Fears God will be offended at the want of a Hat bowed to him and thus it is a matter of Conscience unto many and for a good Conscience sake they do deny to honour and subject themselves by obedience to any man as he is a man out of the fear of God and in the glory of the vain World expecting reverence out of the Fear of God and contrary to his Law which forbids the respect to persons and all honour which is not according to God for who doth fear to offend a man as a man without the Fear of God and doth obey and honour any man by putting off the Hat before him or otherwise and not onely in the Lord such are Servants to the wicked one and not unto God who fears the wrath of the wicked and subjects in honour to please the wicked by putting off and bowing the Hat and such like and such knows not the excercise of a pure Conscience to God so this is a matter of Conscience to deny to honour and to please wicked men as such by bowing the Hat and no man in justice ought to be made to suffer because oâ— it for the Law of God justifies it and that Law and Judgement is corrupt and perverted which condemns it And likewise though many deny to swear at all though not to testifie the Truth yet they do not wilfully wrong hereby to any mans Person or Estate but it is a matter of conscience unto
brought forth in the Earth and all that do well will have Praise and live in Rest and Peace and all Evil-doers whatsoever may stand in awe and be afraid of God and just Men and the Execution of Iust Laws Concerning Religion we believe That it is only the Spirit of the Lord that makes men truly Religious and that no man ought to be compell'd to or from any Exercise or Practice in Religion by any outward Law or Power but every man ought to be left free as the Lord shall perswade his own mind in doing or leaving undone this or the other Practice in Religion and every man of what Profession in Religion soever ought to be protected in Peace provided himself be a man of Peace not seeking the wrong of any mans Person or Estate And we believe That to oppose false Opinions and unsound Doctrines and Principles seeking to convince them that oppose themselves by Exhortation or sharp Reproof by word or writing ought nor to be counted a Breach of the Peace or to strive about the things of the Kingdom of God by men of contrary Minds or Judgments this ought not to be punishable by the Magistrates and their Laws for we believe the outward Laws and Powers of the Earth are only to preserve mens Persons and Estates and not to preserve men in Opinions neither ought the Law of the Nation to be laid upon mens Consciences to bind them to or from such a Judgment or Practice in Religion And we believe that Christ is and ought only to be Lord and Exerciser of mens Consciences and his Spirit only must lead into all Truth And we believe That Obedience and Subjection in the Lord belongs to Superiors and that Subjects ought to obey in the Lord those that have Rule over them and that Children ought to obey their Parents and Wives their Husbands and Servants their Masters in all things which are according to God which stands in the exercise of a pure Conscience towards God But where Rulers Parents or Masters or any other command or require subjection in any thing which is contrary to God or not according to him to such causes all people are free and ought to obey God rather then man and we believe That herein God will justifie them being guided and led by his Spirit in all that which is Good and out of all that which is Evil. Again We believe concerning Election and Reprobation That there is a state of Election and a state of Reprobation a state chosen of God and a state rejected of God and that all Man-kind are in one of these states all that are elected are elected in Christ and all that are out of him are in the state Reprobate bringing forth fruits of Death and Darkness being Children of Wrath and Disobedience in the alienation and separation from God in the Transgression unreconcil'd to God the Enmity ruling in the Heart being in the Fall and not restor'd to God again but ignorant of his Power and of his Wisdom having the Understanding darkened that they cannot see nor perceive the things that are Eternal and in this condition his best Works are Sin and whatsoever he doth he cannot be accepted of God for he is dead to God and alive to all evil bâ—inging forth all his works out of that Ground which is cursed This is the condition of all Mankind upon the face of the Earth in the first Adâ—… and this is the state of Reprobation and all that abide herein are rejected of God and â—…ll never inherit eternal Life but go inâ—â— Perdition yet have all such a Day of Visitation that they may return out of the state of Reprâ—…tion 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—…ledge and desâ—…sing the Love of God â—â—ey conâ—… iâ—â—he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrath of Gâ—…d abides upon them â—…t they tâ—…t 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Wrath for they believe in the Light and becâ—…â—…ldren of the Light and are renewed in Mind and Hâ—… and receiâ—… the Love of the Father and become planted into Christ the second Adâ—… 〈◊〉 are 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to bring forth Fruit â—nto the Father and â—ll their Fruit 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 â—â—om 〈◊〉 grâ—…d which is â—…ssed for they are led by the Spirit of thâ— Faâ—…r and â—…ch are in the state of Election who are â—ade Heâ—rs with Christ 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eveâ—… Inheritance that never fades away And this we faithfully believe That â—…cy is not shewed to the Reprobate nor Judgment to them that are chosen of God And this is to go abroad in the World that all pâ—…ple mâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and whâ—◠〈◊〉 have receiv'd of God and they that believe this and walkâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Father shall be saved but they that belieâ—e 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be condemned because they do not believe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be â—…tten 〈◊〉 in â—…rt this is given forth by one that hath believed and received the Knowledge of thâ—se things from God A Friend unto all People E. B. Some of the PRINCIPLES OF THE QUAKERS Scornfully so called by men VINDICATED And proved Sound and True and according to the SCRIPTURES In Opposition to the False Charges and Lying Reports given forth against the Truth in two Printed Books put forth by one Philip Taverner a supposed Minister of the Gospel in Middlesex near Uxbridge And hereby Truth is Manifested and Discovered and the Controversie determined by the Judgment of Truth between Philip Taverner aforesaid the Accuser and Edward Burroughs Defendant of the Truth who contends for the Faith of the Gospel and for the Word of God in the Heart against all such Gainsayers as have the Form of Godliness but deny the Power and many such are in this Age. WHereas P. Taverner one of Truth 's Opposers whether throâ—… Ignorance or Subtilty I now determine not hath again appear'd against me and the Truth in Print as in Vindication of himself and his former Work who about four Moneths ago gave a false Relation of a Dispute but instead of mending the matter he hath made his own cause the more vile as may appear to such who take a perfect view of the Proceedings from the beginning to the end thereof Now the intent of this my Reply is to clear the Truth further and to take off his false Aspersions which he hath cast upon my innocent words in my former Book in answer to his first And as for the rest of his Book which hath no relation to mine nor to the Dispute I shall pass it by The Title of my first Book was Something of Truth Made Manifest c. To which sayst thou A plausible Title to cover a Railing and Bitter spirit under that it may walk in the World less suspected c. Reply My words are truth for in 〈◊〉 â—â—ok Truth was made â—â—â—ifest to â—…y in relation to the former Dispute to the Satisfaction of many and as 〈◊〉 â—…ing anâ—â—â—â—â—erness of spirit I do deny only I am zealoâ—â— for the
Truth so well agreed that it is possible to wrong us both 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. pag. 4. Rep. That he wronged me it appears in his not relating all that I said 〈◊〉 the Dispute the Ground of this Quarrel not by half and more I kâ—… and in relating more then himself spoke by far And let sober men judge â—…ther he did not here wrong me in relating a thing that passed between us 〈◊〉 relating much more then ever he spoke and much less then I spoke if the truth of that Matter were it wrong or right Matter and my self also be not by this kind of Doctrine wronged I appeal to all honest People whilst both he and I 〈◊〉 silent so the False-Dealing and Wrong in his first Book is upon him still according to my Charge unremoved And the Lye in this his last Book in that he saith I say Falsly when I have spoken the Truth which is a Lye in the highest degree in saying when I spokâ— the truth That I spoke Falsly and his Proof in that the Truth and I do not agree is because I said in my first The Saints have no need of Scriptures to teach them but the Spirit of the Father leadeth and teacheth into all Truth Rep. My words are justifiable for It is the Spirit that leadeth into all Truth John 16. and the Saints need no man to teach them but they have the Aâ—â—inting within them and they know all things by the Unction 1 John and the Spirit of the Father is given them by which the Scriptures were given forth And the Lord is the Teacher of his People and they need not any to say to them Know the Lord Ier. 31. Ye they that witness this do not make the Scripture of none effect but own it in its place yet not as their Teacher for then they should deny the new Covenant Ier. 31. and then something besides the Spirit leads into Truth and they have something to teach them besides the Anointing but if this be all the Proof that can be given against me That I and the Truth do not agree I doubt not but â—ll Spiritual men will see the Emptiness and Weakness of the Witness against me and will be more confirmed rather then shaken that I and the Truth do fully agree though P. T. speaks otherwise falsly against me and as if I had contradicted the Apostles words which he quotes against me who saith Whatsoever things were written afore time were written for our learning which Scripture I do own and no way contradict it s the Error of his Judgment which so judgeth for even they for whom the things that were written were for their learning yet they were led into all Truth by the Teachings of the Spirit and they were taught of the Father and what was written to them was not written because they knew not Truth or to teach them Truth 1 Iohn 2. 21. let him learn what this means The next thing he notes is whereas I said I then proved meaning at the Dispute bâ—… Scriptures That some were perfect in this life 1 Cor. 2. 5. even perfect without sin John 1. 47. 1 John 3. 7. And to gainsay this he hath brought 2 John 1. 8. If 〈◊〉 say we have no sin we deceive our selves and the Truth is not in us and saith he Who speaks truth in this E. B. or the Apostle as if I had spoken contrary to the Apostle Solomon also saith he tell us There is not a Iust Man upon Earth that doth good and sinneth not which also he brings as a Witness against what I have affirmed Rep. It s true I held forth a state of Perfection to be waited for and attained â—â—to upon Earth and I am not ashamed of my Principle neither is it found too light For that Scripture 1 Cor. 2. 5. doth testifie that some were perfect upon Earth in the dayes of the Apostles and if they were so the same is to be waited for and witnessed in this Age for the Hand of the Lord is not shortened And that Scripture 1 Iohn 3. Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not and 〈◊〉 is born of God doth not commit sin vers 6 9. doth clearly manifest there is a â—â—â—te upon Earth free from sin wherein Power is received and felt over all Temptations and over the Devil even such an estate That the Wicked One canâ—…â—â—ch such that are born of God and this was the thing I held forth and do vindiâ—…e against all Opposers That the Saints may wait for and witness upon Earth to have power over sin and over its Temptations and free from the committing of sin by the Power of the second Adam living and dwelling in thâ—â— And thus must thou believe P. T. or else thou believest not Scripture â—â—â— that any are born of God or abide in Christ if thou believest not that tâ—… confess thou errest in Judgment who art unbelieving of what the Scriptâ—… bears witness of Therefore tell me plainly if thou believest That there â—…y that are born of God and abide in Christ then must thou believe 〈◊〉 do not commit sin elâ—e thou deniest the Scripture And what I held forth herein I do not contradict the Apostle nor Solomon's words for its true the Apostle said If we say we have no Sin we deceive our selves but art thou so blind that thou dost not see he speaks there of a state before Confession of Sins and the words saith the Apostle If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us 〈◊〉 Sins and to cleanse us from all Unrighteousness so I do agree with the Apostle's words and do not contradict them For I do say If any say they have no sin before they do confess their sin and forsake their sin and be cleansed from it I do say they are Lyars and the Truth not in them and I also say If that after a maâ— hath confest his sin and be cleansed from it and hath his sin forgiven him and witnesseth that he is born of God and does not commit sin I say he 〈◊〉 the Truth also and the Truth is in him And though Solomon did say There is not a just man upon Earth that doth good and sins not yet is my affirmation true notwithstanding for Solomon forgat the Lord and his Heart went after many strange Women and became a Transgressor and in that state did not know the Birth born of God which doth not commit Sin for he was but under the Administration of the Law which doth not make perfect as pertâ—… to the Conscience and peradventure in that state he being erred from God he did not see any that did not sin These things will be plain to some though perhaps thou mayst shut thine eye against them and Solomen was not our Example in Conversation I am sure nor hardly in Doctrine And thus I 〈◊〉 weighed thy Text which thou seemest to say before I have not weighed and my Principles are proved sound and
these Doctrines upon the Apostles then upon the Papists and as for joyning to your Ordinances there is many that fears God who are not Papists that for good conscience sake cannot joyn to your Ordinances nor own your Ministry neither in its Call Practise nor Maintenance and if these things were in dispute I should shew you according to Scripture that it is not lawful for the Saints of God to joyn themselves to your Ordinances nor own your Ministry but it is lawful for them both to deny your Ordinances and Ministry in their present standing and as for printing and vending so many Popist Books as you say Oh it had been your wisdom to have mentioned the Books by name that all might have known which were Popish Books but because your Charge is general I cannot answer particularly either to clear or to condemn except you had mentioned in particular which you ought to have done rather then to have slandered in the dark Your fourth reason whereby you would make your people believe that there is fear of the return of Popery is That the whole body almost of Popery is published by Sectaries especially Quakers and you say you cannot but observe a ready co-incidency with Papists in their Opinions c. Answ. As for the Quakers which you have long opposed by Prisons Goals and Persecutions and your carnal Weapons and now also charge great things upon them to make them odious to the people Alas do you not know that they are blessed of the Lord Is there never a man among you sixty one Priests so wise as Balaam was he saw there was no Inchantment against Israel nor durst he curse whom God had blessed but however they have born with patience and they do therein continue all that you have caused to be acted and all that you have spoken against them and your words and works against them shall be your own burthen in the day of the Lord and shall sink you into misery who hath made the innocent people the people of your malice and fury but God is with them I need say nothing and why have you not particularly instanced what particular part of Popery they do publish Why will you charge in secret and prove nothing in particular therefore I do charge you to mention what particular things they do publish which is Popery and not the truths of the Gospel and then you shall have a further answer Your fifth reason is Jesuitical designs and you mention the Protestant Universities and the impoverishing and disgracing and overthrowing a goodly learned Ministry c. Answ. As for the Universities thousands are satisfied concerning them that they are of Popish institution and are not the Fountains of Divinity as they have been falsly called for its possible I could give large testimonies of the wickedness of the educations which is there in those places and how little good they learn and how much evil but you have stated the Cause wrong for the plucking down the Universities would rather seem to be the removing part of Popery then to be the way to let in Popery And as for a godly Ministry that is truly godly and truly learned alas there is no fear of impoverishing disgracing and overthrowing of that for that is alwayes poor and low and contemptible to the World and so it must be and it is Antichrist's Ministers that fears to be made poor and that their Tythes and Stipends should be made less and it is they that fear to be overthrown and not the Ministers of Christ for the Ministers of Christ are out of all such fears because their standing and falling depends not upon earthly powers but are builded upon the Rock of Ages and cannot be overthrown Your sixth Ground is Tolleration for Popery is publickly pleaded for in Print c. Answ. That Popery is Idolatry and the Church of Rome a false Church that I have said and I hope shall never renounce it but shall alwayes give Testimony until death against the Church of Rome but I must tell you plainly it is not my judgment that the Papists ought to be burned for their Religion or if a Jesuite be taken in England I would have him so tollerated that he should not have his life taken away by inhumane cruelty not for Religion sake except something can be charged upon him besides matters of his Religion or Conscience This is my judgment that both the Papists and you are Antichristian in this in that you kill each other when they take one of your Ministers and you theirs to destroy each other this is not of God but of the Dragon's power in both and there ought to be more tolleration in both that lives may be spared and you ought to conquer with spiritual Weapons if that you have them and not to kill and murder persons but to judge Spirits That is contrary to Scripture and the Apostles Example to destroy mens lives for Religion sake And why may not the Papists have tolleration in matters concerning God as well as others So those that plead for their Tolleration upon this account that they may be converted from sin and not destroyed in their sin this is no Error that their lives may be spared but to plead for their tolleration as the right Religion this is sin And thus your sixth Ground wherefore you fear the return of Popery is answered Now I come to the second consideration which is The present distracted estate of Religion which you say is evidenced in divers particulars First your division in civil and spiritual things so that the wonted love and communion in holy Duties is interrupted strangeness and distances fomented censures and hard Opinions of each others entertained c. Answ. Here is your Error for true Religion is not distracted nor divided in it self but it is one in unity and peace and so are all they that are in it their hearts being united by the Spirit of the Lord in their Faith Practice and Worship and in all things pertaining to their Religion It s true there is distraction amongst all the false Sects and Churches upon the Earth and it must be so Babylon is divided and confounded in it self and one part of it against another so the distractions is amongst your selves among Papists Prelates Prefbyters and the rest tearing and rending one another about Church-Worship and Religion all like Wolves in Sheep's clothing biting one another being divided in civil and spiritual things one crying for this and another for the other way of Government in Church and State and you are out of the true love and true communion in holy Duties and interrupts one another and what one faith is right another saith is wrong and all this is in Babylon among your selves and none of it among them that are in the true Religion and in true Church-Union who are gathered by the Spirit of the Lord. Your second Evidence of the distracted estate of Religion as you say is
and divers practises thereunto pertaining it is not the true Worship of the True and Living God though never so zealously practised because it cannot be believed that the Authors and Composers of it were moved led and guided by the Holy Spirit of God in their very Institution and forming of it and whatsoever is brought forth whether in Faith or any practise in any kind of Profession and practises in any way of Religion and not onely by the Spirit of God is not the true Worship of God which is only in Spirit and Truth and consists onely of such practises moved unto and guided in by the Spirit and the true Worship of God is not otherwise neither for matter nor manner but in what things and after what manner as the Spirit of God leadeth unto and guideth in for the Father seeketh such to Worship him as Worship in Spirit and Truth 4. As for the Method and Form of the matter it is not according to the example of the Holy Scriptures nor agreeing to the practise of Worship held forth by the Apostles but different from and partly contrary to the Spirit that was in the Saints and their example of Worship as in many circumstances pertaining to the orders of common-prayer-Common-Prayer-Book might be instanced but even some of the Practises themselves and the manner of performing them are for the most part Invention and Tradition traduced into the World long since the Apostles days and they are not according to the Scriptures nor example of the Saints Worship in the Church of Christ in their days and therefore the Matter in it self partly and the Method of it are not the true Worship of the Living God which is not after the traditions of men as the manner of performance of Common Prayer-Book is when as the Worship of God is in and by the Spirit of God as before witnessed 5. And as for the Practice of it in this Nation as by Imposition and force upon pains penalties as it was practised for many years together as so held forth it was not the Worship of God but Abomination to him as I have shewed and that Worship which is practised by any people being forced upon them is but Hypocrisie and deceit and outward conformity in such Worshippers and God requires it not of them and such was the Worship in the Common-Prayer so called for there were many who did bow and conform thereunto even because of the terror of men even many in the Ignorance of their Consciences and some against their Consciences and contrary to the Light thereof and some were persecuted because they could not conform all which was Abomination in the sight of the Lord even the consequence of the thing was as evil as any part of either matter or manner also even while many conceited themselves in their Ignorance that they had Worshipped God and done well while they had onely performed such Worship forced upon them and which the Lord never required at their hands and that cannot be the true Worship of the true and Living God which can be performed by a People without the Spirit of God by which alone and without it God cannot be Worshipped and the practise of Worship after the order of Common-Prayer did many thousands if not most perform without the Spirit of God whereby it fully appears that in the practise of the Book of Common-Prayer the Worshippers did not Worship the true and Living God but walked only in a part of the Form of Godliness but had not the Power 6. But as for the Practise of it as now in England without Imposition upon all by force and penalty but by some out of supposition that it is the best way of worship and that willingly and neither forced upon them nor they forcing it upon others as thus practis'd is not so great Idolatry nor of so bad effects as if it were violently forced upon all but if any suppose it to be the best way of worship and be so perswaded such may more equally have their Liberty in the exercise thereof while they allow Liberty to others to follow what worship as they are preswaded and as it is unjust to impose by violence that or any other Form of worship upon people so it is unjust to impose penalty or punishments on the Bodies or Estates of any for their conformity to the Book of Common-Prayer or any other kind of Worship for as it is contrary to God to compel by force to that Practise of Worship so it is unjust to stop by force from that Way of Worship or to inflict Penalties upon the Persons or Estates of any because thereof for though many exceptions may be justly made by sound Arguments against that way of Worship in matter manner and effects as I have said yet none ought to be afflicted in Person or Estate for the error of their minds while their error extends not to destroy the Person and Estate of another for all force by violence that hath been put on the Bodies and Estates of men about Church-Worship Ministry and Religion of any kind hath been Antichristian and not of God even for many Generations 7. And therefore them that read the Book of Common-Prayer and all other sort of Worshippers that are either perswaded by the Spirit of God or suppose in their hearts of the Verity and Truth of their Way let them all have their Liberty in their way of Worship without force or restraint by outward Laws while they impose not one upon another violently for the true Worshippers ought not to be persecuted for their Worship but if they are it will confirm them in the truth of their Way the false Worshippers ought not to suffer affliction of Persecution nor loss of Estate though they do err in their Minds and Judgments about Worship in spiritual things but if they are afflicted because thereof it will harden them in their evil wayes and not convert them nor turn them from the evil of their wayes for men are converted to the right way and out of that which is evil by the Spirit of God and through perswading of the Conscience inwardly and not by force or violence put upon their Bodies or estates outwardly never any were converted to God by such means And this is my Answer to the Objection and my judgment of the case inquired into The Book of Common Prayer so called partly the Matter it self and the Method of it and the Manner of its performance is not the true Worship of the True and Living God no not the free Practise there of without Imposition much less the Practise of it by Imposition and force for that is altogether Abomination and hath with it woful effects upon whatsoever People it hath been or shall hereafter be forced and violently Imposed This is given forth for the Satisfaction of all that desires in this Matter The 5th Moneth 1660. E. B. A Postscript AND some set up the Institution
not read that the Iews persecuted them for so doing And will you that have the name of Christians persecute the People of God though they meet together in private houses and their own hired houses and cannot come to your Temples and Steeple-houses And will not you suffer such to meet together out of your Publick Places but you will persecute them and call them Hereticks and such like Is not this worse than ever the Iews did to the Apostles And so you are out of the Example of the true Christians who met together and preached and prayed often and not in a Synagogue or Publick Place but you cry against them that do so and threaten to persecute for it and thus you shew your selves out of the true Christian Example and in this you are worse than the Iews and more cruel if you should persecute People for meeting to wait upon the Lord in their own houses or in what place or time as the Lord should move their hearts but if you proceed in this way and will not permit the People of God to meet together in their own houâ—â— and not in your Idol-Temples then the Power of the Lord will confound you and God will break you to peices and you will feel his heavy Wrath upon your Consciences and God will smite you with his Judgements inwardly and outwardly Now for your restraining of people from one way of Worship and forcing them to another and compelling them about Religion by cruel Laws and Commandments of men this is of Antichrist for you to do and of the Devil for all forcing of People to this kind of Worship and from another 〈◊〉 posing upon their Consciences in matters of Gods Kingdom this is also of â—…tichrist and contrary to Christ and his Way for he won People by sound Doctrine and by Love and by a good Conversation and so did his Disciples for they never forced any by outward violence to their Worship nor 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Church-Government and Ordinances but it was the practice of the Beast and the Dragon that first forced People and compelled them 〈◊〉 â—â—â—ship since the dayes of the Apostles Rev. 13. It was Antichrist that first 〈◊〉 upon People in the Ignorance of their Consciances and contrary to their â—…ences by the Commandments of men false Faith false Worship false Ministry false Doctrine and false Religions so that now if you should force any contrary to their Consciences to your Steeple-houses to 〈◊〉 and say your Form of Prayers we shall say then you are Antichrist 〈◊〉 of the Devil if so be you should endeavour to compel any either against 〈◊〉 Consciences or in the Ignorance of their Consciences to your way of Worship or Religion Therefore take heed how you meddle in these things lest God confound you And as for us we are the People of God we fear his Name and worship him and cannot bow to the Devil and we need not be forced to worship the Lord for his Spirit leads us into all Truth and we need none of your outward Prescriptions or Form of Prayers for the Spirit of God teacheth us in all these things when and where and how we should worship the Lord God who is a Spirit and will be worshipped in Spirit and in Truth which is free and not by outward force and all the Worship that is otherwise and not in the free Spirit of Christ is of great Babylon whom the Lord will confound and destroy Another general Objection answered Object 2. Again whereas it is said by some Now there must be no more private Preachers unlearned men and men not ordained must not now preach anymore Lay-Persons must not be Preachers that are not so qualified nor so and so ordained and this is the present talk among some People Answ. To this I also answer and say Wo to them that would stop or quench or limit the Spirit of God in Sons or Daughters for such are Denyers of the Scriptures and the Power of God and such bring guilt upon their own Consciences and work fearful Abomination against God And what must not the Spirit of the Lord speak now where it is in this Age as it did in the dayes of old as you may read in the Scriptures for was not Elisha a Plow-man and was not he called from the Plow 1 King 19. and became a Prophet of the Lord unto the House of Israel and had the spirit of Elijah poured upon him and would not you have said he was a Lay-man a Plow-man unordained not fitting to preach if you had lived in his dayes And was not Aâ—â—â— called from following the Flock who had been no Prophet nor no Prophets Son but an Herds-man Amos 7. 14 15. and it was lawful for him to preach the Word of the Lord though he was but an Herds-man and had been no Prophet nor Prophets Son which if he had lived in your dayes you would have called him a Lay-man an unfit Person unlearned and one not ordained for the Ministry and you like Amaziah the wicked Priest of Bethel would now quench the Spirit as he would have done in Amos who was a Trades-man and such a one as you call Lay-men who are not as you say fitting to preach And did not Christ Jesus himself chuse Fisher-men and sent them forth to preach the Gospel and such as were men of Trades and unlearned in Books as it is written Act. 4. 13. When the Ruâ—â—â—s saw the boldness of Peter and John and perceived they were Unlearned they â—â—velled and these were Ministers of Christ and preached the everlasting Gospel whom you would have called Lay-men and men unfit to preach 〈◊〉 you lived in their dayes And Paul himself by Occupation was a Tent-â—…er it is said and he laboured with his Hands and yet was a Preacher of the Gospel and there are multitudes of Witnesses in the Scriptures of these things how that men of Trades and unlearned in Letters and Books and never were brought up at Schools and Colledges but followed the Plough and were keepers of Cattel and some followed Fishing such as these in old 〈◊〉 had the Spirit of God given them and they preached the Gospel And what if the Lord at this day give his Spirit to such as these and send them 〈◊〉 to preach the Gospel even to such as were brought up and educated 〈◊〉 â—ay be at Handy-craft Trades and are labouring men and are not 〈◊〉 at Schools and Colledges will you limit the Lord and quench his 〈◊〉 and reproach his Wayes and Servants and now call them Lay-perâ—… and say they are not fitting to preach for they are not Learned nor â—…ed say you and calling them Mechannicks and private Preachers and 〈◊〉 they must not now be admitted to preach the Gospel and in this you 〈◊〉 the Scriptures and the Example of the Saints in former Ages and so neither 〈◊〉 the Scriptures nor the Spirit that gave them forth though you say 〈◊〉 own the Scriptures yet
Matter and Manner of it and by the Effect that would follow if the Author's Aim and Purpose were fulfilled By all which I must in true Judgment conclude from the Appearance Disposition Temper and Constitution of the spirit of the man and from all Causes and Effects pertaining to the said Semper Iidem That the Author thereof is indeed chiefly a Member of the Church of Rome to wit mostly a down-right Papist holding forth the Principles of Antichrist in perfect form and manner for the perfect End and Cause of Persecution even Burning again in Smithfield and else-where and killing and destroying even all sorts of people under the scurrilous reproachful name of Phanaticks that are in Iudgment and practice of Profession contrary to this man's Way and differing from the Papists Religion This I say I truly find to be the current and disposition of the Nameless Author and his Proceedings in his Method and Matter of his Semper Iidem c. and I have taken in hand at this time to answer him a little and to unfold some of the dangerous Intents towards England which may inhabit and secretly lodge in that spirit of the Church of Rome according to the current of the said Book and from which I have just cause to suppose the thing that I partly assert even that the spirit which hath Indicted the said Book waits its Opportunity to effect its end and to revive and renew Fire and Faggot again to the extinquishing and destruction of all that differ and are contrary minded in Principles and Practices of Religion and Worship from themselves for the Fury and Reproach of the said spirit that indicted and published Semper Iidem reacheth not only to others whom they call more Phanatical as Quakers Anabaptists c. but to the very Protestants themselves even to all whatsoever that differ from the Church of Rome for such by the Nameless Author are no less termed and vilified by that scornful term PHANATICKS distinguished by the Name of Ancient and Modern as hereafter I shall make it appear And First I shall shew a little concerning the Signification of the Term Phanatick as of late used and the first use of it in these late Dayes and the exchange of the word from one Sort to another and in whose mouthes it now remains and who are now so accounted 1. NOt to discuss the Etimology and signification of the word Phanatick in it self and what its Original is and from whence derived this I shall not now proceed to do as being not needful to my Occasion though there is difference of Judgment amongst some in this matter and some say the original and root of the word is from Phanos a false Godd and some say otherwise and they are not in unity among themselves that do most of all use the word concerning the Derivation and Signification of the word in it self Neither shall I spend time to seek out a Judgment and to give it in this case as counting the recompence that can be obtained not answerable to such a work but the signification of it as now used at this day among People is this All that differ in Iudgment and Practice of Religion and Worship from the generality of People and cannot conform unto such Way of Religion as generally practiced in the Land such are called PHANATICKS and this Signification the word beareth among People as now practiced Such as meet together to Preach and Pray out of Publick Places and cannot either out of Knowledge or Conscience conform to the Publick Way of Worship held forth such are called Phanaticks and Reproached by that Name from the Mouthes of Scorners and Revilers of the Wayes of God Numbers of whom do now abound and also Such who make Conscience of their Wayes and cannot run on in the Wayes of Iniquity in Lying and Drunkenness and such like but have been and are more sober and do walk more in Meekness and the Fear of God and have separated themselves from the Evil Company of men and from all Evil Wayes and could not run into the same excess of Riot with the Multitude such have been called of these late dayes Phanaticks by the Scorners Generation And thus much in brief of the signification of the word as used of these late dayes 2. As for the first use of the word Phanatick in this Age it is but of very late use for till within these two Years or less we had very little or no use of the word Phanatick until about the time of then General Monk's Army coming out of Scotland to London when the Army was new model'd and many of the Sectaries so called were turned out of Places about the Eleaventh Moneth 1659. then began the common use of this word Phanatick and the Anabaptists and such as were turn'd out of the Army and called all by the Name of Sectaries that were different from the publick Way of Worship then held out which was for the most part of it Presbyterians these were called Phanaticks and then the use of the word so common began about this time as I have said as now practiced in our dayes For the Rage and Indignation of the then Presbyterians so called and that Party was such against the Anabaptists and such as differed in Iudgment and Practice from them that scornfully they called them in Derision Phanaticks And so far as I know this was the Time and Occasion of the first use of this word as of late Practiced or at least it was the first Time and Occasion of my Observation of the common use of the word Phanatick 3. And now as concerning the exchange of the word from one sort of People to another and how it hath been used by divers sorts of People against others that have differed from themselves this is also observable That the word Phanatick hath not so much proper relation to any one sort of People as that it is only perfectly true to one sort of People more than to others but the properness of the word Phanatick is only as Scorners and Revilers will wickedly use it and as they will turn it to this sort of People or to the other to scorn them by it whom they have an Emnity against and whom they list to abuseby reproaching And this is the end of the use of the word to this day and not of any truth or verity in it to any People but only it s used as a Term of Reproach and Scorning by the Mouthes of ungodly men against such as differ from them and their Wayes though they are better in Practice of Life and Conversation than themselves And the Term hath been changed divers times and divers sorts of People reproached by it by others since its first use as first The People called Presbyterians as aforesaid they used it towards such as were otherwise-minded than themselves and reproached the Anabaptists and others that differed from them in Iudgment and Practice of Religion by the
against you that Imprison us for that Cause And let the Lord God Angels and just Men give their Judgment in this Case we a poor Afflicted people do appeal to you for just Sentence of Judgment between us and our Opponents Secondly Let our Neighbours give their Judgment though we do refuse to take any Oath because of the Commands of Christ and his Gospel as aforesaid yet what harm hath this ever yet been to any of our Neighbours let them speak or what detriment ought this to be to any of them they will tell you Though we cannot formally take an Oath yet we are ready at all times to do the Truth and to speak it on all good occasions as much as if we did Swear upon a Book and they can trust us upon our words as much if not more then they can do any that Swear upon their Oaths and therefore they shall give judgment that according to their best knowledge we ought not to be Imprisoned and Banished though we cannot Swear formally upon a Book being the Truth is not suppressed nor yet the administration of justice ought to be obstructed for our refusing to Swear Thus the Neighbourhood bears witness for us and against such as deal hardly by us and Persecute us because hereof Fourthly We are accused as Heinous Offenders and imprisoned because 't is supposed We do not submit to obey the known Laws of the Land but break them and will not conform to the Church pay Tythes take Oaths leave meeting together c. though we know the Laws of the Land command these things Plea First As to submitting to all known Laws of the Land this is known to God and our Neighbours that our Principle and Practice is and ever hath been to submit to every Government and to submit to all Laws of men either by doing or by suffering as at this day we resist not the greatest of Afflictions and Tribulations that can be imposed on us and this is well known to our Neighbous and all People that we are submissive to all Laws of Men by patient Suffering without Resistance even when any Law requires any thing of us which we cannot perform for Conscience sake that Law we fulfil by patient suffering resisting no man noâ— rendring Evil for Evil to any And the Judgment of the Scriptures which are according to both Law and Gospel and the Presidents of Saints justifie us in this Case in chusing patiently to suffer the greatest Penalties of the Law rather than to obey by doing any such Law as requires things contrary to our pure Consciences as in the Example of the Three Children Dan. 3. who were commanded To fall down and worship the Golden Image at what time soever they heard the sound of the Musick upon the Penalty of being cast into the midst of the burning Fiery Furnace which Commandment they could not obey nor could Truth fall down to worship the Image but rather chused to suffer the Penalty of being cast into the midst of the burning Fiery Furnace which accordingly was done unto them Again in the Case of Daniel chap. 6. who was commanded To make no Petition to any God or man for Thirty Dayes save to King Darius upon the Penalty and Affliction of being cast into the Lyons Den But Daniel did rather chuse to suffer the Penalty to be cast into the Den of Lyons than to obey the Commandment and was cast into the Lyons Den. By these Examples of holy Men with many more that might be given out of the Scriptures 't is evident That Righteous Men will rather chuse to suffer than to obey any Law of Men contrary to their Consciences So the Law of God and Example of Saints and holy Scriptures give Judgment for us in this Case of rather chusing to suffer than to obey Laws contrary to our Consciences and consequently must needs condemn such that Persecute and Imprison us because they require Obedience of us in Things against our Consciences Secondly Though we do disobey Laws and cannot actively obey every Law of man when it requireth and commandeth things contrary to a good Conscience yet herein also are we justified by the Law of God Example of Saints and holy Scriptures and they give Judgement for us and consequently against our Enemies in this Case and in particular in the two Examples before mentioned in Daniel the Three Children were expresly commanded To fall down and worship the Golden Image and Daniel was also required by the King's Decree Not to pray to any God or Man save to King Darius yet all these Holy Men of God did absolutely disobey the Law and Decree so requiring of them and did contrary to the Commandment for the three Children did not how nor Daniel cease to pray to his God but prayed as at other times and yet were justified of God in so doing Also the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ Acts 4. 18. were commanded To Preach no more in the Name of Iesus but the Apostles did disobey their Commandment and went on and preached in the Spirit and Power of Christ contrary to the Commandment of the Rulers and appealed to them Whether it were not better to obey God than man Many Examples we might collect out of the Scriptures that the Servants of God did disobey the Commands of Kings and Rulers and could not obey by doing any Command contrary to God but rather choosed to suffer Afflictions and Death it self than to obey such Laws and Decrees as required any thing contrary to a pure Conscience and this is our case at this day we cannot obey by doing any thing against our Consciences but must break the Laws of men and disobey their Commandments rather than break the Law of God and sin against their own Consciences whatsoever we suffer because hereof and yet the Examples of Saints and Scriptures justifie us in this behalf And let all our Enemies cease to cry out Rebellious and Disobedient to Laws and Government for we are not such as do wilfully and obstinately disobey any Laws of Men but for Conscience sake and that we may not sin against God nor offend his Witness in us therefore we cannot obey Laws contrary to our Consciences whatsoeveâ— we suffer which we resist not nor rebel against any in this Case So that our Principles and Practices are to obey every Law and Government either by Doing or Suffering And though we disobey such Laws as are not according to the Law of God and rather do chose to suffer yet herein we are justified by the Law of God and the holy Scriptures Thirdly And as for our Conversations among men in respect of our daily walking and converse with them in our dealing in respect of Honesty and Faithfulness and Truth and Justness in Works and Words our Neighbours shall give Witness for us We will not justifie our selves 't is God that justifies us and the Law of God Gospel of Christ Scriptures Examples of Holy Men our