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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57809	The Quakers refuge fixed upon the rock of ages, though the swelling waters dash never so violently to overturn it wherein is prov'd, that the narrative of Ralph James is an absolute lying-wonder, according to his own definition : and also, the great controversie between the people of God called Quakers, and others, about the holy spirit of God and the Scriptures, truly stated, and very briefly discoursed, as it is owned by the Quakers, and the truth cleared from the false suggestions and deceitful insinuatins of the anabaptists about the said controversie : in answer to a subtil pamphlet, lately published, intituled, The Quakers subterfuge or evasion overturned : also a few queries propounded unto Ralph James, and the author of the subterfuge &c. / by Robert Ruckhill ; to which is added another postscript in answer to some queries propounded in the said pamphlet, wherein many untruths are suggested ; but herein the truth is cleared, and the evasion and deceit of the Baptists made more fully manifest by John Whitehead.	Ruckhill, Robert.; Whitehead, John, 1630-1696.	1673 (1673)	Wing R2169; ESTC R21457	28,153	51

Light of the holy Spirit then may a whole Nation wanting the Guidance of the holy Spirit be Idolaters also Here you see the Ground and Cause of Blindness and Idolatry is their Eyes not being opened by the holy Spirit to understand the Scriptures so the Argument holds true throughout all and the aforesaid Position is clearly proved as before was promised And now oh ye Anabaptists and Independents who affirm That the Scriptures are to try and judge of the holy Spirit come let me expostulate with you a little What Assurance can you give the Quakers or what Grounds or Encouragements to believe in case the Judicial Power were in your Hands that in your Tryal of the holy Spirit by the Scriptures as he appears in the Quakers or in whomsoever your proceedings will be more equal just and clear and your selves more free from Mistakes of him then the professing Jews were when by the same Rule they would try the same holy Spirit as it appeared in an immeasurable Measure in Jesus of Nazareth Shew us I pray you wherein you are better wiser juster clearer in your Principles and Judgments then they Do you account your selves the Church of God So did they Do you say you have his Commandments and Ordinances So said they Have you Anabaptists such a high Esteem of your Baptism as to account it the Way of Life to avoid from Hell beneath The like Esteem had they of their Fleshly Circumcision as to teach that without it Men could not be saved Have you the Scriptures and do you reckon them a Competent Judge of the Spirit of God So had they and in them thought they had Eternal Life and yet for all this they knew not the Messiah of whom the Scriptures testified but having most wickedly Betrayed Apprehended and Arraigned him before the Roman Tribunal methinks I hear the Deputy and them thus implead each other in the Case of the true Messiah Pilate What Accusation bring ye against this Man Jews If he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee Pilate Deceit lurks in generals what Evil hath he done Jews He perverts the Nation forbids to pay Tribute to Cesar saying himself is Christ a King In Design doutbless to usurp the Empire and assume Cesar's Revenue Pilate Away away for Shame What nothing but Lyes and Slanders I now perceive your Envy I find no Fault in him at all ●●le release him Jews Crucifie him crucifie him Pilate Why what Evil hath he done Jews He is a Blasphemer A horrible Blasphemer and he ought to dye for it Pilate Take ye him then and Crucifie him for I find no Fault in him Jews By our Law he should be Stoned to Death but ye Romans have taken away that Power it is not lawful for us to put any man to Death Pilate Say then what is his Blasphemy Jews He is but a Carpenter's Son we know his Pedegree and yet he made himself the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and that 's horrid Blasphemy Pilate Son of God! my Heart Trembles at that word ye obdurate Wretches how appears it that he ought to dye for this Jews We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God Pilate Produce your Law that I may see it Jews It is in the four and twentieth Chapter of Leviticus and the sixteenth Verse Pilate Read it verbatim Jews And he that Blasphemeth the Name of the Lord shall surely be put to Death all the Congregation shall Stone him to Death as well the Stranger as he that is born in the Land when he Blasphemeth the Name of the Lord let him be Slain And now ye Anabaptists and Independents and thou Author of the Subterfuge be ingenuous and tell the Quakers and the whole Nation truly Whether ye do believe that the Authority of the holy Spirit as he speaks in this precited Scripture did really intend the Murder of the Messiah as a Blasphemer yea or nay if nay as most certainly nay then tell us How it came to pass the Jews should so grosly mistake and misapply it and shew unto us and to all the World if you can what they wanted which might shew them the true Mind of the Lord in that place and in all other Prophesies which spake of the Messiah seeing you cannot deny but they had the Scripture and according to your deceitful way of wording it the Authority of the holy Spirit as he speaks in the Scriptures not onely read but expounded unto them every Sabbath Day If the Jews mistake arose from their Ignorance of the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit as he spoke forth the Scriptures as sure enough it did which it could not have done had they receiv d the Spirit then behold the Jews also are found misunderstanding the Scriptures for want of the holy Spirit as well as my Opposite was and here 's one clear proof more come unlooked for of my former position viz. That a Man nay a whole Nation of Men may have the Scriptures in his or their Mother Tongue and yet be utterly ignorant of the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit And therefore the matter standing thus ye are hereby required and obliged to produce some satisfactory and convincing Reason why the Quakers should expect more equal proceeding at your hands in the Judgment aforesaid in case you had the civil Power then our Lord Jesus Christ found at the Hands of the Jews seeing you have no more then they had to wit the Letter of the Scriptures to judge withal and that you have no more then they appears in this that you deny the holy Spirit as he appears in his Servants to be the Revealer of the Scriptures and supream judge of the Spirits and Doctrines of Men and if ye can produce no such convincing Reason as may give the Quakers reasonable acquiescence in this Concern forasmuch as they are verily perswaded that although you have the Scriptures you want the Guidance of the holy Spirit truly to discern them it lies upon you as a Work of absolute necessity ye Anabaptists and thou Author of this Subterfuge to exhibit unto the Quakers in the Sight of the whole Nation some pregnant Proof and infallible Demonstration that you are not deceitful Sophisters and cunning Jugglers in your doubtful and ambiguous Expressions and Amphibologies dispersed in sundry places of your Books and particularly in that called the Subterfuge as before is noted about the Scriptures the Spirits of Men and the holy Spirit as he speaks in the Scriptures c. which is corrupt and uncertain Language as you use it and it is apparent you do it not only of Ignorance but Wilfulness and your Deceits therein are made manifest unto all You are also oblieged and required to prove if you can positively and plainly to the Satisfaction of all Men that may doubt thereof that all Men whosoever that have the Scriptures have

were any thing at all he was most certainly an Anabaptist whereof T. R. in both his Books hath given evident Demonstration Upon the whole matter it 's worth remarking First That the Glory of the Anabaptist Churches is in its swift Declination toward the Western Horizon forasmuch as they are sai to fly to Signs and Lying Wonders to oppose the ●●th and to countenance their false Wayes and ●o●trines Secondly That the Anabaptists Cause in this hot Conflict between them and the ●●akers is now at the very utmost Crisis 〈…〉 this Champion who is mostly ingaged when the ●●se grows desperate is constrain'd in so eminent a Danger to make use of such poor Matter such pittifull shifts as are the Contents of this whole book now under tryal to the great Regret doubtless of their whole Party or such of them as have not yet sacrificed their Intellects to their Envy For it was foolishly boasted by divers Professors and others That the Book now under examination would be like Hercules 's Club or Goliah 's Spear in a word Unanswerable And this brings me to the very Heart of the great Controversie Whether the Holy Spirit or the Scriptures ought to have Priority The Controversie between the Anabaptists Independents together with other Professors the People of God called in Scorn Quakers concerning the Authority of the Holy Spirit in Judging or Discerning the Mind of God in the Holy Scriptures truly stated as owned by the Quakers WHether the first Pen-man of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes or whether both these are not one or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit whether some words were not spoken by the grand Impostor some by Wicked Men some by Wise Men ill applied some by Good Men ill expressed some by False Prophets and yet true some by True Prophets and yet false is not the Subject of my Argument at this time But such Scriptures and Prophecyes as have been written and prophesied by the Holy Men of God as they were moved by the Spirit of God treating of the Mystery of God in the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ and the Duty of Man in his Obedience to and Worship of the same God as his reasonable Service for the Gift of so great Salvation are the great Concerns now under our most serious Consideration The People of God scornfully called Quakers have unseignedly believed and often declared to the World That the Scriptures as above distinguished are a true Record and Declaration of the Love of God in the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ and also of the Duty of Man as before recited But they also believe and have declared to all the World That the Carnal Mind of Man being at Enmity with God and darkened by reason of Wicked Works cannot perceive nor discern the Mystery of God in the Scriptures declared and testified of For there is a Vail spread over the Hearts of all Men even in their Reading of the Scriptures so as they cannot see through the Letter unto the Mystery either in abolishing the old Covenant with its carnal Ordinances and Beggarly Elements or in introducing the new Covenant with its Spiritual Worship and Services and so being intricated and bewildered in the Letter cannot possibly attain unto the Knowledge of the Spiritual Mystery Now this most excellent Truth having by the Spirit of the Lord been opened and revealed to the Quakers they must of necessity be of this Faith viz. That without a Measure of the holy Spirit of God received and turned unto whereby the Vail is removed from the Heart no Man living can possibly discern or understand the great Mystery of Man's Salvation by Jesus Christ which was exhibited in Shaddow under the old but in lively Substance under the new Covenant although he had a Thousand Bibles in his House and every word of them at his Fingers ends So that upon this Consideration the People of God scornfully called Quakers do unanimously conclude and declare and testifie unto the whole World That the Holy Spirit of God is the only supream Judge Opener and Revealer of the Mind and Mystery of God and Duty of Man treated of in the Scriptures This oh ye Anabaptists and Independents and all other Opposers of this eternal Truth in the whole World this is the true State of the great Controversie betwixt the Quakers and you and if you will joyn issue with the Quakers in this Controversie you must do it as it is here stated at least in Substance for I am willing to give place to better words and order from whomsoever and you must lay aside all your prodigious Signs and lying Wonders and pretended Cures for these will not decide this great Controversie as ye vainly imagine And you must bring forth your strong Reasons and sound Arguments grounded upon plain Demonstrations of Truth and clear Evidence of Scripture and if the Truth be on your part you will be able to make it appear before wise understanding Men whoever your Opposers are and you will overcome us if you have the Truth for great is the Truth and will prevail and we must and will submit unto the Truth and to you But if the Truth appear on our part we in the Wisdom of God shall make it manifest the Truth will stand over your Heads and we will thresh you and winnow as the Chaff on the Threshing-Floor and the Wind of the Lord will blow you away with your Refuge of Lyes and your Nakedness will be discovered in the sight of all Men. Again This Author Subter pag. 5. falsly suggests to his too credulous Readers as if the Controversie depending between the Baptists Churches and the People called Quakers was touching the holy Scriptures or to express it more fully saith he The Authority of the Holy Ghost as he speaks in the Scriptures to try and judge the Spirits of Men which they term the Spirit of God Thus he But whether there be not a Lying Spirit however a Lying Tongue in the Mouth of this False Prophet let the Sober-minded judge And I here challenge him upon his Credit and Reputation with his own People either to produce in open view one clear Proof at least of any Declaration either by word or writing where any of the Quakers have termed the spirits of Men the Spirit of God or else let his stand opon record among his own People as a Lyar and a Slanderer to all Generations Again The Deceit of this Author further appears in his recital of the Narrative for the first Copy renders R. James and R. A. contending Whether the Spirit should try the Scripture or the Scripture the Spirit mark here is Spirit Spirit in the singular number as the Spirit of God is but one but in his recital Subter p. 7. he renders them contending Whether the Scriptures were to try the Spirits or the

pedetentim to tract this Author onely shall endeavour to wipe away that immerited Aspertion of Untruth and Immodesty which the Author under hand hath cast upon the Title Page of T. R's Book by proving their Narrative to be worthily stiled The Anabaptists Lying-Wonder and so proceed to such other Particulars as lie in my way That the Narrative of R. James is deservedly called A Lying-Wonder and that by their own Definition of a Lying-Wonder appears thus First Because it is False in it self 2dly It is brought to maintain a Falshood 3dly To Oppose a Truth That the Narrative is False in it self hath abundantly appeared in the two Books of T. R. beforesaid both by Testimonies Certificates sufficiently witnessed beyond all Contradiction But in regard this Author and some Independents in these Parts still urge That Rich. Anderson was a Quaker at least in Principle let 's hear what they say for themselves wherefore they should be believed This Author in the 10th page of his Subterfuge urgeth That R. A. was a Quaker n Principle and that for these Reasons First In that he restifies at a high rate for the Light Within 2. In that he hath proclaimed the Quakers to be the People of God and owned of God as was Moses 3. Because R. A. went in the Conceits of his own Heart on an Unsent Errand But what 's this to the Quakers Here is all the united Strength the Anabaptists and other Professors are able to make to prove R. A. a Quaker But will these poor Remains of their shattered Forces do it Surely nay Will the Devil 's frequent and open Confession that Christ is the Holy One of God prove him to be a Christian Or will that Pythoniss Acts 16. her following Paul and Silas many dayes perhaps more then they affirm R. A. conversed with the Quakers crying These Men are the Servants of the Most High God which shew unto you the Way of Salvation prove her a true Proselite and Convert to that Way of Salvation unto which with the Preachers thereof she had born so clear a Testimony Let the Sober-minded judge And if so ample Testimonies as clear and full as any they instance R. A. gave to the Quakers will not prove the said Conclusions then let Shame cover the Faces of the Anabaptists and their envious Confederates until they have Repented and taken as much Pains in the Vindication of God's Eternal Truth owned by the Quakers as they have taken in Opposing it Neither ought R. Anderson his pronouncing R. J. a Leper from the consideration of a Scripture as he confesseth and they own see Subterfuge p. 11. and then not sent by the Light the Quakers witness to to their own Contradiction as they before suggested nor his falfe Pretending to Heal the Sick which they urge he attempted but sail'd I say neither of these ought of Right to reflect upon the Principles or Doctrines of the Quakers or prove him one of their Prophets any more then the Sons of Sceva the Jew their naming over them that had Evil spirits the Name o● Je●us and Paul was reflective upon the Principles and Doctrine of Paul or proved them to be Prophets of the Christians who though they were not smitten with Leprosie or other inward Pains yet got they their Coates rent off their Backs and their Bones Beaten for their Presumption Thus it is manifest their Narrative is false in respect of the Father and no truer in the Child which R. J. affirms in his Narrative was smitten all over with Spots which they call Leprosie and since Dead as his Letter affirms but now after their Cross Examination of R. A. they are glad with Shame enough to exchange their Lepresie for a Simple Sore and the Dead Child is yet Above to the shame of chose Impostors were they not past Shame See Subterfuge p. 13. As Impious also is their Pretence That the Child was smitten with Leprosie for the Father's Offence sith R. A. has affirmed before two credible Witnesses men of honest Repution namely Tho. Markam and Edw. Gilliat both of Brigg That the Sore which they call Leprosie was upon the Child some time before the Father pronounced the Leprosie And the Truth of this is yet further demonstrable from R. Anderson's own word as recited by this Author himself in the 13th page of his Subtersuge where as in a vain flourish pretending to produce some considerable Proof of the Child's Reprosie he hath these words But now saith he let us hear what R. Anderson himself saith who being asked by their own Witnesses there named Whether he had not a Child that was smitten with Leprosie after he had pronounced R. James a Leper R. Anderson answers as this Author records it That he had a Child THEN that did break out into Sores Mark Reader he does not answer directly to the Question as they expected he would for then he should have said His Child was smitten with Leprosie afterwards but on the contrary his Answer clearly implies what is before proved viz. That the Child had the Sore upon it even THEN when the Father pronounced the Leprosie And here R. James and his Adherents have not onely Abused the World with their Lying-Wonder but also falsly Accused the Impartial Justice of the Most Righteous God who never yet would edge the Teeth of any Child when the Father only had eaten Sower Grapes much less would smite an Innocent Child for the Father's Offence with so Sore a Punishment as Spots which they call Leprosie all over whilst yet the Father's Sin was not Committed Let every sober man consider what spirit these men are of As for the Eye and Ear-witnesses of the Asslictions of R. A. his Family which the Quakors with good Reason call'd for this Author proceeds in his old mode of Subtilty and instead of producing them he tells us That there are Neighbours that say They dore member some Afflictions in R. A 's Family about Nine Years since but would not be brought into Question c. Would any man in his Wits bring such pittiful stuff as this in such a Concern Who knows not but most Families where Children are at one time or another are under some Affliction This is just like the Author But doubtless if he had any Witnesses to the Purpose he would not fail to produce them in such a Case as this where the Credit of their whole Party lies at stake therefore since he produceth none Reason must needs conclude he hath none for in such Cases the Maxim hold true De non apparentibus et non ex●●●e●●ibus eadem est Ratio And thus as their Narrative is proved salfe in it self so it was brought to maintain all the Falshood before said to wit concerning R. A 's Leprous Child afflicted Family and the Manner of their Healing all proved Falshoods And it was brought to oppose this Truth that the holy Spirit of God is the only true Standard to Judge and

nay then shew when that Precept was abrogated and if yea then whether are not they that call and are called Mr. Ralph James Mr. Ben. Morley Mr. John Green c. Breakers of that plain Command and being guilty of that are guilty of all notwithstanding their Water-Baptism Let these Queries be answered plainly and in sound words and think not to solve one Query by propounding another R. R. Another Postscript TO RALPH JAMES And those which have taken part with him by JOHN WHITEHEAD AS in a Postscript annexed to the Answer to your Narrative of the Eminent Hand of God that besel a Quaker and his Family called Richard Anderson at the Town of Panton in Lincolnshire I queried and that upon just Grounds Why thou and thy Brethren had conspired together to utter a Slander and Reproach against the People of God called Quakers in affirming Richard Anderson to be one of them And again in a Book intituled The Quakers Subterfuge or Evasion Overturned ye have given me just Ground to say How long will you make Lyes your Refuge and under Falshood seek to cover your Selves For instead of Answering what was Righteously and Reasonably propounded to you which ye should have done if ye would have approved your selves Innocent Men ye have utterred more deceitful and pernicious Slanders against me as is manisest in your Anti-queries to me whilst ye have utterly declined proving your former not being able to mention one of the People of God called Quakers that ever owned Richard Anderson nor any of their Meetings to which he did belong nor who of them he did ever joyn with in the Worship of God nor any thing in Proof That his Child was smitten with Leprosie nor himself and Family with a grievous Malady saving his own word whom you conclude was a false Prophet and deluded Creature both subject to speak and believe Lyes And therefore your Narrative and ye are justly fallen under Censure having no better Foundation whereon to stand then the Testimony of a Simple Deluded Man whom ye have manifest to be a Lying Prophet which Testimony ye have by cross Examination if not Subornation obtained and therefore not any can give credit to it but such as are willing to believe a thing because a Lying Ignorant Man saith it who hath unsaid it again before many Witnesses as before is manifest And therefore I shall not further insist upon it but proceed to answer your Anti-Queries In the first of which ye affirm that I hold That the Gospel was never Preached in England till George Fox preached it and then queries Whether I did not assert it thereby manifesting your Rashness and Injustice who first Condemn and then make Enquiry not being able to prove what ye have charged me with For sure I am That I never thought that George Fox was the first that ever preached the Gospel in England and therefore have been far from affirming it for there have been Openings and Breakin gs forth of the Gospel Light and Power in divers Ages in England in a Despised Suffering Remnant though not in that Fulness a● in our Age. I am also sensible ever since I knew God or was acquainted with him how the Glorious Gospel was preached to or in every Creature which is under Heaven Col. 1.23 and it s own Light shined in Men's Hearts as the Apostles testified in their dayes about which time there were also Witnesses of that Glorious Gospel came to preach it in this Island according to History who turned People from Darkness to Light as we do and from Satan's power to the Power of God in which Power a Remnant have been preserved through Ages and Generations though many who have got the Form have denyed the Power and reproached and perfecuted those which have been in the Power Light and Life which the Apostles and primitive Christians were in From which Power Light and Life there hath been an Apostacy so that Darkness has covered the Earth gross Darkness has bin upon the generallity of People who have been estranged from the Life of the Prophets and Apostles and primitive Christians Martyrs of Jesus since which Apostacy or Falling away from the Life which the Witnesses and Martyrs of Jesus were in George Fox was the first stable Minister of the true Light in this Age that God raised up in his Power to turn People from Darkness to the True Light and from Satan's power to God unto which he first and many more since in these latter dayes have given witness That he lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that all through him might believe and receive the Remission of Sins And in this Gospel I have Laboured and not in vain and of it am not ashamed for it is the Power of God to Salvation in all them that believe Though unto those that are Disobedient it is a Stone of Stumbling and Rock of Offence And 't is no marvel that those which stumble at the Word which is nigh in their Hearts and are unsensible of its Power and Virtue stumble at the Testimony which is given of it by those which have felt and handled it and do know 't is the same Glorious Gospel which in the Apostles dayes shined in their Hearts and gave them the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ and this Treasure they had and we have in Earthen Vessels that the Excellency of the Power may be of God to whom be the Praise forever 2 Cor. 4.6 7. Secondly thou enquirest whether he that holds that nothing which was mortal was called Christ doth not thereby deny the Death of Christ thereby intimating that I asserted That nothing which was Mortal was called Christ But what Occasion thou Thomas Grantham who was then my Opposite and I am perswaded Opposite to Truth it self gavest me to speak Words to that Purpose with other Words that did declare my Sence of them thou sayest nothing nor hast thou been so ingenuous as to declare what I writ many Years ago to William Smith of Elshem to be communicated to thee and thy Brethren wherein the Truth of what I said in that Case also the other whereupon thou groundest thy third Query concerning Christs having no Body of Flesh as thou imaginest besides his Church is made apparent and therefore I shall here insert the substance of it seeing it stands upon thy Head unanswered so that the intelligent Reader may understand that he who sayeth that I told him nothing which was mortal was called Christ hath both wronged me and the Truth it self by relating some of my Words out of that Order and Sence wherein they were spoken as also in that he hath left out and not declared the rest of my Words which were spoken at the same Time whereby the true Sence of those Words which he relates might and may be understood and therein he hath shewed First That his Mind is so prejudic'd and by assed against us