THE Son of Perdition REVEALED By the brightness and light of the Son of God in his Saints And the Preachers of his Light within and their Doctrines Principles concerning the mysteries of God the weighty things of Salvation Vindicated and Cleared from the Reproacheâ— Slanders Calumnies cast upon them by the spirit of Satan and Antichrist which hath largely appeared in one Joseph Wright who esteems himself one appointed by the Flock of Christ for a Defence of the Truth of the Gospel as is apparent in his Book intituled A Testimony for the Son of man and against the Son of perdition c. which he hath given forth against them that preach the Light within But herein his Pride Insolency and Impudency are Reproved and his bundle of Errors Blasphemies Confusions and Slanders in his book against the Light and the Children of it Discovered And the eternal Truth in its own clearnesse touching many weighty Principles of the True Religion made manifest for the satisfaction of the people and of all that are doubtful By the Light of the Son of God in his Servants Geo. Whitehead Edw. Burroughs LONDON Printed for Thomas Simmons at the sign of the Bull and Mouth near Aldersgate 1661. A Table of the Chief Heads of the following Discourse 1 COncerning the Light within Christs coming in the flesh and dying for all men 2 Concerning the Nature and State of Christ of the soul of man and of the Saints partaking of the Divine Nature 3 Concerning the Resurrection from the dead 4 Concerning that Light in the Consciences of people which the Preachers of the Light within appeal to and the subject of their Exhortations by which men are converted and edified 5 Concerning Ordinances 6 Concerning Quaking and Trembling 7 Concerning the sufficiency of the Light and the Annointing within to teach all that do believe 8 Concerning meeting together and silent waiting upon the Lord with somewhat about Back-sliders and the spirit that acts them 9 Concerning Humility and Vnity 10 Concerning destroying the Whore discovering secrets and sufferings c. 11 Concerning the Word of God and the Scriptures and the Word and the Writings truly distinguished 12 Concerning the Infallible Teacher and that it is the Spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures and not the Scriptures The Epistle to the Reader FOR as much as it hath pleased the God of Truth and Righteousness most gloriously to appear in these last dayes in the hearts of his people according to his promises of old who hath said That he would exalt his Mountain upon the top of all Mountains and his House should be established and his Kingdome should be set up spiritually in the Hearts of the Children of men and he hath promised to dwell in men and to walk in them and write his Law in their Hearts and put his Spirit within them and they should be his People and he would be their God and he alone would be their Teacher and Comforter and his Day-star should arise in their Hearts and the Light of his Glorious Gospel should shine in their Consciences These things hath the Lord promised and he is a fulfilling of them in these our dayes in and amongst his People Blessed be his Name for ever for he hath opened the eyes of the blind and caused them to see and Light is risen out of obscurity and darkness is passing away and the Light of the Day even of the Day of God is approached nigh unto his People and Life and Immortality hath he brought to Light in his People by the Light of his Glorious Gospel which shines in their Hearts and they are become the Temple of the Holy One and his Habitation is with them and his Promises are fulfilled and fulfilling abundantly this Day our Eyes have seen our Ears have heard and we have tasted of the VVord of Life which is revealed in us and these things we cannot but bear witness of and testifie concerning them unto all the world that they may partake with us of that heavenly virtue and be satisfied therewith for evermore through faith in Christ Jesus and receiving of him to dwell in them that they may not be reprobates for all in whom Christ is not are reprobates as it is written in the Scriptures of Truth But notwithstanding though the Lord hath promised these things and is now fulfilling of them amongst us to his Glory and Honour yet that adversary the Devil and Satan doth not cease to make opposition against this good work of the Lord if it were possible to prevent and stop the purpose of the Almighty in his proceedings of fulfilling his promises unto his people and it is not unknown through these parts of the world how many and divers kinds of oppositions the Devil hath made through his Children against the VVork of God What woful Persecution of these late rears hath been brought forth upon the Innocent people in whom the Lord is fulfilling his Promises What cruelty exercised What reproaches and slanders uttered And what obstructions and oppositions hath been made of these late years against an Innocent people t is hard to be exprest every City and Town and Country must bear witness of that cruel Persecution and hard dealing that hath been exercised upon the Innocent people and for no other end but for Truth and Righteousnesse fake and from no other cause but from the enmity of the seed of Wickednesse in the ungodly world for the end to oppose and stop the work of the Lord and these things are so God and Angels and Saints do bear witnesse And also the opposition hath been great against the work of the Lord not onely by outward open opposition and persecution through prophane and cruel men but also by the Professors of Religion of our age even of such as have cryed the Temple of the Lord the Temple of the Lord are we and such as have professed Ordinances Churches and Fellowships and that have thought themselves to be men of Wisdome and Conscience even such as these have lift up their hands against the Lords Work and have consulted and imagined mischief against the Lords interprize for as the prophane World have persecuted by cruel reproaches and abuses Imprisonments and unjust dealing as aforesaid so also have the professors and wise men of this Generation Preached and Prayed and written Books and published their principal Reasons and Arguments against the Way of the Lord and all this in the opposition to the Work of the Lord an evidence hereof is manifested by Joseph Wright in his Testimony for the Son of Man so called in which Book he hath fully opposed and gain sayed the Truth of the Gospel and the People bearing witness thereunto amongst whom the Work of the Lord is blessed and prosperous yet hath he partly out of Ignorance and partly out of malice set himself in opposition against the work of the Lord and against his Truth and people as aforesaid And his
said Book occasionally coming to my hand by a Friend of mine in the fourth month last as I remember and I looked into the Book and read some part of it over and did fully observe the current of the matter conteined in it and the drift and intent of the Spirit of the Author and in my Meditations upon the same I found his work composed and made up of such kind of ingredients as these following First Ignorance Secondly Malice Thirdly Lyes and Slanders Fourthly Contradictions And fifthly Downright opposition to the Truth I say a certain composition I found in his Book made up of all these mixtures which he had published to the world 1 His Ignorance was apparent to me in asmuch as he had in some things mistaken and placed such and such things upon Account against us ignorantly and then seemed to confute them and give his Judgment against us thereupon and this meerly upon mistake through Ignorance fasly supposing we held such a thing which indeed we held not and so flying out against us in Judgment upon his ignorance and mistakes 2 His Malice was apparent in asmuch as he had slandered us and belied us without good Ground and Cause at all having perverted our words and meaning in many things and placed things against us deeply charging of us without any sound Reason at all rendred by him but meerly as to me doth appear upon his own malice and hatred purposely to render us odious to the World and to our enemies which must needs be out of malice and emnity and not out of love and Gentleness to inform us better and convert us if wee had been in error But I found him to be so far from that Spirit of love and good will towards us that he hath taken every occasion he could and also made occasions falsly to traduce us and to reproach us in the sight of our Enemies as it were on purpose to enrage the Spirit of the ungodly world to destroy us 3 His lyes and slanders were apparent in such an abundant manner throughout his Book that every page almost had some contained even as great reproaches and accusations as well could be as if we were Hereticks deniers of Christ having familiar Spirits Witches and what not Such kind of lyes and slanders as these I found a very great number in his Book it is true I have not accounted them in particular but made a guesse at the whole sum which I suppose may be above 200 of Lyes Slanders Callumnies falsereproaches Back-bitings Bitter words and such like 4 His Contradictions were apparent throughout his book in divers particulars sometimes saying thus and so and sometimes quite contrary sometimes accusing us of one occasion and some time accusing us of a contrary And thus his contradictions were made manifest as in our Answer is at large discovered as the Reader may observe 5 His down-right opposition to the Truth was apparent in as much as throughout his book he hath opposed the very Truth of the Gospel as particularly the Light of Christ which every man in the World is enlightned withall and concerning Quaking and Trembling and concerning the anointing and the sufficiency of its Teaching and concerning destroying the Whore the Word of God and Scriptures all these things cum multis aliis c. he hath opposed and gainsayed directly or indirectly and thus as is made manifest in this following Answer his whole work is compounded of such mixtures and ingredients as aforesaid as every impartial man may judge Well upon my further Considerations of his Book I found he had subtilly directed the current of his matter so as it might be taken notice of to be an eminent Work as he thought and yet not so to be taken notice of as if he had directed it immediatly is opposition to us called Quakers for I found not that name once mentioned in all his Book and yet implicitely he had directed it to us for his intent was I discovered to be against us by that word so often scornfully rehearsed To the Preachers of and to the Light within all men c. And by divers other things I found that his Book was intendedly against us and also that his said Book well deserved an Answer from us that the malicious intent thereof might be diverted though many other Considerations presented themselves in my mind at my first looking into his work as 1. The unreasonablenesse of the time of its bringing forth and publication to the world thought I is this a time and fit season for us and them to fall into contention one with another and to oppose each other to the end to discourage and dishearten each other in the sight of our publique Enemies who stands ready themselves to devour us both and by all means seeks occasions against us and to ruine us both if it were possible who doth account us as two parties of their greatest adversaries and are persecuting and imprisoning of us as one in opposition to them and would be glad to see us destroyed and it being thus with both us and the Baptists so called thought I again how unseasonable this mans work is at this day to fall to reproach us and traduce us in the fight of our Enemies thus opposing of us with tooth and nail giving thereby occasion both to his and our enemies to mock at us and laugh us to scorn rejoycing to see us whom they count their Enemies falling together by the ears and as it were tearing one another this I knew would be a great occasion to them against us both in such a season as this when as it would have been more meet to have encouraged one another and strengthned one another in the way of Truth and Righteousnesse and to have been helpfull to one another in our afflictions and sufferings espâ—cially in the things wherein we do agree against the common open prophanenesse and idolatry and persecution which abounds at this day in the world that we might have been a rejoycing one to another as Brethren in Truth seeing we are both a suffering People at this day and accounted Brethren by our Enemies rather then a cause of affliction and grief and greater tribulation one to another as this same J. W. had endeavoured in his Book to be the occasion of this and such like was my considerations upon which I concluded the unseasonablenesse of the time of publication of his Book and the folly and weaknesse of its Publisher 2. I considered the errour and ignorance of the man in respect of the subject of his matter as stated by him and prosecuted which is this against and in opposition to the Light within many times rehearsed oppositely and scornfully to the Preachers of and to the Lâ—ght within all men making this the subject matter of his opposition as if it were the greatest heresie that could be that any should preach up a Light within and this I found he had set himself to
Brethren as if his Book could not be answered but he had confuted us so and so highly unanswerably and it s said by some that he was a whole year or more in bringing forth the said Book whereby it is proved a Monster and being brought forth its now imperfect and effects not the end propounded by its Author well upon these reasons at my first spare opportunity I have looked thorow his Book and a dear friend of mine while I was absent hence in the work of the Lord elsewhere begun the work for me and hath answered a part of it and it is published with no other end nor intent but onely to discover the Truth and to reprove falshood and if it prove effectual to any as to inform them to a distinguishment between Truth and Errour to discern the difference between the one and the other and if any be edified in the Truth hereby I have my end and desire and if it shall work through the Spirit of God any conviction in the heart of our adversaries and if Io. Wright shall see what he hath done and repent my end is fulfilled but if not I am satisfied in what I have done finding it to be my duty to send forth this Answer in pursuit of and to detect J.W. his slanders and reproaches errours and contradictions And now I must commit the serious Reader to the grace of God and to the Spirit of sound Judgement that thereby he may read and weigh the one and the other and that he may justly Judge by the rule of equity and Scripture proof the difference of the controversie and the Right Truth and Justice of the one and the errour and falsity of the other that he may be edified in this matter for the end that he may follow Truth and Righteousnesse as it is discovered to him and deny deceit and falshood where ever he shall meet with it And thus I shall leave the Reader to the serious view of the whole matter as hereafter it followes London the 9th day of 7th month 1661. Being a true friend to all that love Truth and Righteousnesse and one that loves his Enemies Edward Burroughs A Preface To the People called Anabaptists who are herein concerned for the clearing of the Truth to them and others who scruple concerning it or the Light of it within FRIENDS WHat a sad thing is it that you that profess the Name of Christ and to be his Flock should be so unwise and shew your selves so indiscreet and irrational as to discover such a spirit of bitternesse and enmity especially in this day of Tryal both of you and us against such as are conscientious towards God in what he hath made known though in Judgement differing from you as here that spirit of enmity and malice is plainly discovered in what hath proceeded from it in this Book called A Testimony for the Son of Man c. Subscribed by one Joseph Wright who it appears is accounted no mean man amongst you for he accounts himself so nearly related to you whom he calls The beloved Flock of Christ who are the People called Anabaptists which he intends that he saith he hath been appointed by many of you though unworthy for a defence of that Truth of the Gospel which you profess but if you were in the Truth of the Gospel you would not have appointed such a Reviler and Insolent man for a defence of it nor of you in it as this Jos. Wright hath clearly discovered he is as is clearly manifest in his Reviling Reproaching and Slandering such as he calls Preachers of and to the Light within all men whom his Book is contrived against he intending the suffering People called Quakers who own and walk in the Light of Christ in them against which Light he hath also so greatly manisted his enmity as if he could not contain his Malice nor these many sad Aspersions and black revilings in his Book which he hath produced from the Spirit of Antichrist and Blasphemy in him and though he hath appeared in his Pride Presumption and boasting Spirit and as one appointed by you for an eminent defender of your way as if he were some wonderful Champion and great Warriour yet by the Light which he hath reproached is he discovered and his weakness and folly made manifest and he seen to be as feeble a Warriour and Child of Babylon as ever formed a Weapon or lifted up a hand so publickly as he hath done against the Israel of God and if you were in Gods fear and true humility and well considered your own state and the state of such as are reviled by this your Defender you would not own nor suffer such Babylonish Bratts and dirty frothy stuff to proceed from amongst you as this said Book of J. Wrights considering these things First These are Suffering times which both you and we are in and how especially we are lyable to suffer for our Consciences in our obeying that Testimony committed to us not onely by mens reproaches but also by Acts of cruelty and Persecution inflicted upon us because we cannot deny the Lord in what we are perswaded he requires of us 2. Such Revilings Reproaches as J. Wright hath spread forth against us in the sight of our Persecutors tend rather to add afflâ—ction to us and to stir up our Persecutors in cruelty against us then otherwise Seeing that he hath so much accused and reviled us under the names of workers of Wickedness forerunners of the man of Sin Lyars Blasphemers Deluders with many more reviling names which falsly and unjustly he hath cast upon us chiefly for Preaching up the Law Light within men which is the Light of Christ and in all his mater there is no just evidence against us wherein he hath manifested himself as a partaker with the persecuting Generation who smite against us with the fist of wickednes wch his work tends to encourage and strengthen whilest he is smiting with the tongue like the wicked who shoot their Arrows against the Righteous and casting out his mire and dirt upon such as fear the Lord and walk in his Light Thirdly If you truly weighed your own state and minded the rule of equity in your own Consciences To do to others as you would be done by you would not spread abroad such reviling Books and bundles of confusion as tend to cause others to suffer who are concientious towards God in what they know knowing that in these times if you be true to your own Principles you are lyable to suffer also for your Consciences by such as would assume to themselves a power to be Judges in matters of Conscience and Religion though they dare not own themselves to be infallible in their Judgements notwithstanding Fourthly Considering how many have opened their Mouths and published their Books and Pamphlets against us and how little all their work hath effected or brought forth against us and how we have in the testimony of
2 Cor. 5.14 1 John 2.2 Which also as a testimony against J. W. in many of our Books vindicate the free Grace of God in Christ to all men and his dying for all as in a Book Intituled The Voice of Wisdom by G. W. page 12. and at large in a Book Intituled Rusticus ad Accademicos by S. F. in both which Priest Danson is answered and his pleading against Christs death for all men and his free Grace to all confuted as also in a Book called A brief Discovery by G.W. as in many more Books of ours the free Grace of God to all and Christs dying for all men is declared Also J. W. his third Proof for his said charge against all that Preach the light within is as false as his former where he laies down these words to wit Thou dost not gather men and women into Communion with Christ by Faith teaching them to believe in Jesus Christ c. Which thing he himself who hath openly opposed the light of Christ in all and counted the Doctrine of it a stratagem of Satan is guilty of and not we that own the light for it is the light that brings into communion with God and his Son Jesus Christ for they that say they have fellowship with him and walk in Darkness they lye and do not the truth but they that walk in the Light are in the true fellowship and faith and know the Blood of Christ to cleanse them from all sin Also J. VV. his charging us with gathering by works and not by Faith in warning all people to look to the light within and such as receive this Doctrine with being as ignorant as heathens and absolute infidels in this hath he slandered us and shewed himself to be an Infidel who sees not the light within 〈◊〉 owns it for the Infidels were such as in whom the God of the World did blind their minds from seeing the light of the Glorious Gospel which shineth in the heart and giveth the knowledge of the Glory of God to them that believe in it and so works without Faith we deny but the works that are wrought in the Faith and in the light we own and though J. W. hath so much warned people from looking to the light within as that which must bring them to reconciliation and justification yet in pages 124. and 125. he hath contradicted his matter against the light within for there he speaks of being set free and justified by performing the condition of the second Covenant as Repentance Faith and Gospel Obedience which those that have sined may perform through the assistance of Gods Spirit c. as also he saith so far forth as Persons come to be in Covenant with Christ and are enabled by him to walk according to his direction so far are these said to have Christ formed in them that is to be brought into a blessed destate of freedom from the guilt of sin of freedom from the power and dominion of sin of assurance of redemption from the first death and of deliverance from the second and so by Christ to be Intituled to Eternal Life c. Now how should those who have sinned perform the condition of the second Covenant through the assistance of Gods Spirit or come into the True Faith and Gospel obedience and to know Christ formed in them unless that Gods Spirit or Light be known or owned within and if those that have sinned may come to this state of Faith and Obedience and freedom from the guilt and power of sin by the Spirit of God then a measure of this Spirit or light is given to all men without exception seeing that the sinners themselves are not exempted from it according to J. W. his own words and thus hath he grosly confounded himself in his own while rayling against the Preaching up of the light within and another while confessing to the Spirit of God or light even in the wicked J. W. his fourth Charge is thus viz. Thou which Preachest that all men should mind the light which is within them dost deny the Christ of God which dyed at Jerusalem because thou hast said to me when I have made as large a confession of Christ as I now have done that I am ignorant of Christ c. Answer What a silly Reason is this against those that Preach that all should mind the light within as if he had said that because he has made a large confession of Christ therefore he is not ignorant of him when as the Devil who favours not the things of God hath been made to confesse Christ and many do confess Christ in words as largly as J. W. and yet are ignorant of him and of the Power of his death and Sufferings as J. W. is whilest he shews him self an enemy to the Light of Christ which we own and we do not deny either the coming of Christ or his suffering in the flesh as we are falsly accused by this reviler neither do we deny Christs reconciling of the world nor teach any thing contrary to that of Rom. 5.10 2 Cor. 5.19 as J. W. hath implicitely accused us for we know and Preach reconciliation through Christs death and Salvation through his life whose life is the light of men and this is not any establishing of our own Righteousnesse as falsly we are accused neither are we strangers unto the Doctrine of Justification by the Grace of God through the redemption that is in Christ whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood but how are any justified by the Grace of God whilst they deny the light within for is not the light of Christ within the free gift of his Grace which hath appeared to all men and which by his Righteousness hath come upon all men Rom. 5.18 Titus 2.11 Which Righteousness is received where the light of Christ within is obeyed and he thereby made known to be a propitiation through Faith in his blood and we who are come to own this in the true Faith are come to self-denyal and to deny self-righteousness contrary to J. W. his false accusations against us who Preach the light within Who also saith in his twelfth page But self must be denyed and self righteousness which is of the Law yea when men have done all whatsoever they are commanded they are to say with humble hearts they have done but what was their duty c. Answer What an Ignoramus is this man who puts no difference betwixt Self-righteousness which is to be denyed and the doing whatsoever we are commanded which is our duty as if he had said in denying self-righteousness you must deny your duty or that self-righteousness is mens duty when as that which brings men to do their duty to God in obeying his commands is of God and though man as in the Servants state may abase and humble himself yet that Principle of Faith which brings him to do his duty is to be esteemed
I known any of us ever set his feet upon the Bible in contempt and abuse of the Scriptures as he saith though it is very true there was one Richard Stokes in the North of England that was then an Anabaptist so called and so yet for ought I know that did in contempt and scorn tread upon the Bible in the presence of many witnesses so it may be J. W. mistakes one of his own friends and thinks he is one of ours for it is not delightful in us to abuse the Scriptures nor are we filled with rage against the Word of God nor do we foam out disdain against the Scriptures these things are utterly false 2. This Testimony we have often given concerning the Scriptures and here again I give it upon this occasion The Scriptures are writings in which are contained many words of God and may be properly called the words of God declared by writing and as they were given forth by the Spirit of God and no whit altered in Translation they are a perfect Testimony of God and his works of Christ and his Salvation and of the Experiences and Testimonies of the Servants and holy men of God and also in the Scripture is contained many words of the Devil and the words of wicked men so that the Scriptures are a true Testimony as they were first given forth of all these things and we believe that the Scriptures were spoken forth by the holy Spirit as the holy men of God were moved thereunto and whatsoever is written ought to be believed and received for Truth and a true relation given by the Spirit of God but the Scriptures cannot properly be called the Word of God for they are words and writings and admits of alteration and change and therefore cannot properly be called the word of God but onely a Declaration of the Word and of that Truth which lives and abides for ever and which must be believed and practised for Salvation and the Scriptures do say that the Word of God was in the beginning but the Scriptures began but to be written by Moses which was many hundred of years since the beginning and therefore the Scriptures cannot be the word of God which was in the beginning Again the Scriptures do say that the Word of God made the world and lives and abides for ever but the Bible the Scriptures did not make the World nor can abide for ever but will passe away as we see daily Books wears away though the Truth therein declared of shall abide for ever and therefore the Scriptures are not the Word of God which must endure for ever and thus we do distinguish and we would have all to do so between the Book the writings which are most properly called Scripture and that Truth Salvation Word of Life and the things declared of in Scriptures the one endures for ever the other not the one is the Word of God the other a Testimony of it and thus we distinguish and yet not denying the Truth and Life and Salvation and Redemption nor the Christ which the Scriptures speaks of but fully acknowledging that they are infinite and everlasting and the Scripture declare of these things but are not the things themselves neither do we deny to ascribe all lawful Dignity and Title and Reverence to the Scriptures but yet we cannot account them what they are not nor give that honour to them which God gives not nor which he appointed them to receive though further we do acknowledge there is no other Gospel nor way of Life and Salvation nor no other Christ for Redemption and Eternal Life nor no other Truth for substance but what is declared of in the Bible which we do account as I have said as it was given forth by the Spirit of God to be a true Testimony of all these things this and such like Testimonies we have often given concerning the Scriptures yet still acknowledged Christ Jesus to be the word of Eternal Life he and no other and yet this confession we make not contrary unto or to oppose but according unto the Scriptures and our Testimonie concerning the Scriptures is so well known both by word and writing for these many years that I need not here say much more in this case onely that the Scriptures all along calls Christ the Word of God and no where that I know of in the Scriptures doth it call it self the Word of God but a Declaration and a Treatise Luke 1. Acts 1. And whereas J. W. saith Is not the Truth exprest in the Scriptures eternal and incorruptible and what lesse then an Almighty hand hath preserved that Book and this is devised deceitful Doctrine to teach all men to hearken to the Light within them thereby to turn away their minds from the Scriptures And he mentions that Scripture the words of the Lord and every word of God are pure and the entrance of thy word gives Light and my words shall not passe away and whosoever shall be ashamed of my words c. page 208 c. Answ. To all this I answer why is J. W. so blind as to bring this in opposition to us as if he confuted us in something we held contrary to this when as it is nothing so for we say the same as these Scriptures testifie that the Truth expressed in the Scriptures is eternal and incorruptible yet the writings which are properly Scriptures will corrupt and change and alter and we do know the hand of God hath been in preserving of that Book to this day and our benefit by the Scriptures are not the least of others as I might instance in divers particulars and we confesse fully to the Truth of all these Scriptures cited by him and there is not any one of them opposite to us in any thing that we hold but why doth he secretly here weave in his slander as if we did direct People to the Light within them thereby to turn their minds from the Doctrine of the Scriptures which is utterly false for we direct People to the Light of the Spirit of God within them not contrary to or to make void the Scriptures to them but according to the Scriptures and that they may come to the fulfilling of them and witnesse the Truth wrought in them whereof they speak and therefore his secret slander is turned out of doors and further he falls out in high tearms that God will punish such severely as do speak against the Scriptures and do disdain and reproach them and that do add to or take from them and against such as do vent their rage against the Scriptures and tread them under their feet as the Adversaries of Christ the Preachers up of the Light within do saith he who are Blasphemers of God and his Truth when they cast the Scriptures on the ground and call the Scriptures lifeless c. page 212. Answer These Threatnings and Judgements do not belong to us as not being guilty of his charge so
which doth convince and convert and turn from darknesse to Light and how can their Doctrine be from the same inspiration which is against the Doctrine of the Scriptures page 219 220. 222. Answer Here Joseph Wright hath jumbled some illiterate Logick which may be proved false as thus the Scriptures its true doth declare of the things that ought to be done and believed and the things that ought not to be done as to the general part of things Yet there are many particular Actions and things which the Scriptures do not make manifest and we would have J. W. to leave a little room and work for the Spirit of God and not thus utterly to reject it for the scripture saith it is the Spirit that reveals the Things of God and the Mystery of Salvation and not the scriptures viz. the writings and that sure word of Prophesie which Peter speaks of that was as a Light shining a dark place was something more sure then the very words which Christ spoke with his mouth to them which were written by Matthew and the light which shone as in a dark place to which they were to take heed was more sure to them then Christs words which were written and were scriptures and thus J. W. may see his mistake and perverting of scriptures if he will be but sober and reasonable and that the Commandement of the Lord is Pure and the word is a Lamp we do not deny but gives as full witnesse of as J. W. can do and therefore he needs not cite these scriptures to oppose us for it s thy malitious Spirit that opposeth us not the scriptures for we acknowledge to the truth of these scriptures by the Spirit which gave them forth which is greater then the scriptures and as for the powerful operation of the Doctrine of the Scriptures it is not of themselves that they do operate in any but it is by the Spirit that gave them forth which worketh in the Hearts of Believers to comfort and refresh with the Love of God and it is the spirit according to the scriptures that doth convince and convert and not the scriptures without the Spirit as J. W. would say and it was the Gospel that Paul Preached that turned them from darkness to Light and not the writings which say that the Gospel is the Power of God and not the writings and it is meer ignorance in J. W. to intimate that our Doctrine is against the Doctrine of the Scriptures this I shall account amongst thy slanders and it is not the least of them And whereas thou flyest out high in high words against us That we must consider and leave our inventions else sin will lye at our doors and our bloods will be upon our heads c. and there is no less then four lies in thy last page but these words are to thy self and not unto us for we are not the persons concerned we follow not vain inventions but we are saved out of our blood through Jesus Christ and for J. W. now to exhort us to repentance when as in page 47. he hath given absolute judgement on us without limitation That the mist of Darkness is reserved for ever for us This is a direct contradiction which shews what spirit he has been guided by in all his work And thus we have searched and examined J. W's whole work from the beginning to the end and given an answer to the material parts thereof saving that we have not mentioned many lies and slanders which we have passed over and do reserve them till we come face to face otherwise till our next reply and what we have written we must commit to the judgement of the Spirit of God in all sober persons who may for their own edification compare his work and ours together and truly weigh each of them in the ballance of equity and to the spirit of found judgement and to the Fear of the Lord all are committed and commended in the reading and considering and judging of these things Last of all for a final Conclusion for present if it be supposed by J. W. that this is not a sufficient Answer to his Book I do propound unto him this further in order to the satisfaction of any sober persons if any be doubtfull in this case That first both of us may agree to appoint a convenient time and place for a meeting to dispute it out face to face that which yet remains in controversie between us 2. This being done that all his Friends and ours that are doubtfull or desirous of such a thing may have knowledge of it 3. That in such meeting no foul reflections nor impertinences nor bitternesse of Spirit be allowed on either part but discretion and moderation 4. I shall first take in hand to prove a very great number of Lyes contradictions and falshoods in his Book 5. Then I shall hear his Defence for himself and his Objections against any thing in ours and answer them and after this manner shall be our proceedings if we do meet It s true times and seasons are unsuitable for such a meeting and work yet rather then any Detriment should fall upon the Truth or the cause of preaching the Light within be endangered to harm I am willing to hazard the greatest adventure hoping we may do such a thing if necessity require in that Wisdom and Prudence as may not offend any This I shall leave as my farewell to my Antagonist at this time and thus seal up the whole sum E. B. THE END ERRATA IN the 6. page of the Preface line 5. for contra read contrary in the 7â— page of the Preface line 27. for this work read his work in the 2. page of the book line 9. read we vindicate l. 14. read and his pleading against free-grace to all confuted p. 3. l. 29. for own while r. one while p. 6. l. 31. for strife r. self p. 17. l. 29. for arising which r. arising with p. 27. l. 9. for then r. their p. 31. l. 13. r Ignorant of it p. 48. l. 22. for receive r. reverence p. 50. l. 11. r. tell Lyes * Witnesse Jer. Ives who openly swore to get himself out of prison after he had written against swearing for which some of them called Quakers openly witnessed against him also divers others of the Baptists did swear for fear of suffering as also the said Jer. Ives and John Tombs and Hen Den who have long been Teachers did divulge their deceitful stuff in their books for swearing as those that sought to betray the simplicity of God in others of their brethren who were more conscientious then themselves who could not with a safe Conscience swear though some through the deceit of their Teachers were diverted from the Truth in their own consciences