Christ revealed in themselves and that there is not another Christ from him that came in the Flesh and died without the Gates of Jerusalem but one and the same Christ and that the Light of Jesus Christ which they so much despise and contemn this would end all their Controversies heal their Diseases remove all their Doubts bind up all their Wounds and Breaches if they would but come to the Teachings of God's Spirit and the Anointing in themselves this would be an Infallible Touch-Stone and Rule of Trial unto them for one and all And truly my desire is he may return to this that he may be healed and know the Breach made up which he hath made if it were the Lord 's Will. Ch. Oh my old Friend if thou art sincere herein and what thou say'st be true of him he is not the Man that some take him for Qua. I am sincere and what I say is true of him and he himself hath declared this great Truth That the People and Children of God in all Ages have been strangers unto the World and unknown to it and have been for Signs and Wonders their Doctrine their Laws their Conversations hath always been accounted strange and ridiculous and they have been reckoned Deceivers and Blasphemers c. And yet now this Man that with us reckoned himself to be of this Number and continued among us about Thirty Years and said Such viz. The Children of God having one Mind Soul Spirit and Life in them all they cannot but know one another in that wherein their Unity stands p. 186 187. and Fellowship and Communion one with another and this Unity of Spirit is the Bond of Peace And he farther saith If they did not Infallibly know one another they could not have Peace and Unity and Concord one with another How could they discern the true Friend from the secret Enemy the Deceiver which is the most dangerous Enemy and comes into all outwards and appearances can put on the Sheep's Cloathing yet be a rotten Hypocrite a Limb of Satan a Brat of Babylon void of all fear of God And he further adds That these many Churches that have been set up in the Apostacy have not been true Churches by reason of their Warring Hatred Variance Strife Emulation and where-ever any thing of this Spirit of Strife Hatred p. 189. Envy Persecution enters it eats as a Canker and cuts off of the Body that Member or Members whereinto it gets enterance and so going from the Unity and the Peace the Love they become past feeling Death rotten Members and are to be cut off and denied And for this Cause we have denied him and now he Rages and Joyns with those that Belie and Slander us and licks up what the foul Stomachs of Persons that were overcharged with prejudice cast forth against us Ch. Hold a little and consider whether what he chargeth you with is not some old dangerous Errors of yours altho lately discovered by him that were re-writ by some of your old Friends that F. Bugg and the Norfolk Clergy-men that have also charged you would have you retract and blame you for Cloaking and accuse you with Painting Tricks and render your Friends G. W. and W. P. and your Chief Leaders to seem to have some of the Policy of the Jesuits and other Popish Orders that to Lie and Disemble is no Sin providing the Peace of the Church can be preserved thereby Qua. Truly my old Acquaintance I must say to me it 's very observable how Glib their Tongues and Swift their Pens run against us how Loud their Clamour and Severe their Charges are and yet how empty are their Alligations and how barren they are of Arguments and void of Proof as if the Mountains had travelled and brought forth a Mouse or according to the Proverb A great Cry and little Wool Can any Man that is Serious and Impartial think that if these Men had any Proof that were as clear as the Sun at Noon-day and as evident as could be demonstrated they would not produce them but no doubt they know they must put the picked Sentences out of our old Friends Books upon the Tenters and stretch them as the Romanists do Hereticks on the Wheel to see if by that they can get any thing from them or by some false Inference and strain'd and undue consequences that they might make the unwary prejudiced Reader conclude that if The Snake in the Grass F. Bugg and G. Keith or the Noisie Rectors of Norfolk which like empty Casks makes the greatest sound being supposed especially the 2 Country-Men and Brethren Snake and G. K. to be learned it must needs be true for they say it And since many of the Country Parsons have got that Book called The Snake in the Grass and Pilgrim's Progress they hug and applaud them as if they were undoubted Truths for alas they see it in Print and if they meet with a Reply and the words they object against be cleared from what they falsly suggest and represent the sense and meaning to be either by other parts of the same Authors Writings out of which they are picked or by a more natural and due Conclusion or fair Interpretation of the words than they cry out for Painting Tricks and Glossings But hear what G. K. saith to such a Case If it be so among Men that the Law-Maker is admitted in point of Controversie the expounder of the Law and if he who writes a Book amongst Men be accounted the fittest to Interpret or give sense or meaning of his words how much more is it necessary that the Spirit of the Lord which gave forth the Scriptures be the expounder of them Now if this Justice be allowed us and this Rule observed why should our Friends G. W. and W. P. and our Chief Leaders so called be rendred to have some of the Policy of the Jesuits and other Popish Orders that to Lie and Dissemble as thou thinks Is no Sin providing the Peace of the Church can be preserved thereby Is this the way of a fair Adversary Or doth this become Men that would be esteemed Just and Fair or is it like Learned Ministers of the Gospel Or have they any Precept President or Example for this in the Holy Scriptures Do not they rather Imitate those they would Insinuate the Quakers to be like Do not they herein more resemble them And is it any Reputation to your Church or any Principal Member of it to Hug Promote and Recommend the Works of such Men that neither own you nor you them for I conclude your Church doth not own the Author to The Snake in the Grass nor G. K. to be approved Ministers of your Church if you do why is the first Suspended and the latter not Instituted and Ordained by you Is it not because they do not own you nor you them Be plain and answer me herein and tell me whether you allow that Men now have that
render'd your Christian Brethren and you are represented Anthropomorphites and Muggletonians Qua. We cannot expect better Treatment nor to be allowed to mean what we say or believe what we really do by those whose endeavours have been and are from their Prejudiced Spirits to misrepresent us and to put as ugly a Vissage and as frightful a Dress on us as they can that we might look Odious and be Contemptible in the Eyes of those who they would Curry Favour with for their own Ends and to gratifie their Ill-will which as the Proverb is never speaks well Ch. But Friend if thou accountest you are so much wronged consider and tell me why you do not accept of G. K's Challenge For in his Postscript to this Dialogue he saith I shall once more appoint Time and Place to them and prove out of their Friends Books owned by them that their new Creeds are utterly Repugnant to the Doctrine formerly delivered in their Printed Books and he saith I am ready to prove as I hinted before Face to Face what is asserted in this Dialogue Qua. G. K. began to expose us in publick Print and that way was answered and he hath been Industrious since with his few Abetters to spread his Books in this and other Nations and after that to take upon him to Summon us to a Corner to discover in those things so publickly Exposed and relating to what hath been so long Published in Print Our Friends did not esteem themselves obliged either to follow his Conceited Methods or to regard his Peremtory Summons nor to take Cognisance of his empty and boasting Challenge But this I may observe and would have thee well consider how Officious he is to be a Drudge or Journey-Man for the Norfolk Priest and his Brother Bugg which I conclude is from the great Conceit he hath of his own Abilities as if he could do that which they could not at West-Dereham which neither he F. B. nor they have yet done viz. Proved every one of the People called Quakers to be Blasphemers on all those Heads they were charged with by them Priests by express words out of their Ancient Friends Books without the wild and undue Consequences strained Inferences and wrong Conclusions And this I would have thee well observe and consider that he and F. B. seem to be in a wonderful and great Travel to prove our of their Friends Books written whilst they were amongst them that they held gross Errors and printed and approved many Blasphemies and that their new Creeds are utterly Repugnant to the Doctrine formerly delivered in their Books Now if their new Creeds be utterly Repugnant to what they formerly writ and for that they formerly writ are render'd Erroneous and Blasphemous surely they cannot be charged with Blasphemy and Error in what they have lately writ So that now the Quakers grow better and they grow worse they know how to avoid Suffering and the Quakers are liable to Suffer they would Incense the Government against them Surely their tender Mercies are Cruelty and their Forgiveness short of the Governments who have past several Acts of Indemnity If they had been formerly Guilty which I grant not they acted more like the Lord that forgave freely and those Men more like that Servant that was forgiven and yet took his Fellow-Servant by the Throat a plain Proof of an ill Spirit and ungrateful Temper And take notice G. K. saith He is ready to prove what 's in the Dialogue Then why doth he not Who hinders him He to me seems willing to Brag and speak Big altho' he doth little Ch. Truly I think it's pity you should be blamed when ye are accounted to mend but I would not have you think there is any more fear of Persecution therein than you think there is for those Men that have so generally Charged you all with Blasphemy to prove that by Express Words that will really appear to be so And truly I could and do heartily wish there might more good Nature appear among us and we all might be better Neighbours one to another and be no more angry one with another simply upon the account of Conscience and our Religious Dissent for I think there is no more reason for that than our being angry one with another for not being all of one Size and our Hair not all of one Colour Qua. Thy Moderation and thy Sentiments are more like to prevail upon me than all the Peevish Carriage and Bitter Invectives and Envious Attempts of those Angry Hot-headed Men who can better Rail than Reason and Clamour than Convince And so Farewel A REPLY IN Answer to a late Pamphlet P. 4. THE Answerer quotes the Quaker p. 5. for saying By the Light within he means no other than Christ as the Divine Word or 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which enlightens every Man that comes into the World and for the Reformation of Man God hath given unto every Man and in and by this Light Invites Calls Exhorts and Strives with every Man in order to save them which as it is received and not resisted works the Salvation of all Answer There he discovers his design without any disguise Reply Oh how Eagle-eyed this conceited Answerer G. K's Friend pretends to be How sharp and quick in his pretended Discovery of Error and Deism Let him next time advise with somebody that is better acquainted with the Holy Scriptures that he may be informed whether to Assert that Christ the Divine Word that God hath given for the Restoration of Man works his Salvation as the is believed in received and not resisted And in p. 5. he saith And here this real Quaker gives us a plain account what his Christ is to wit the Divine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Word without Christ's Manhood and all that he did and suffered for us without and all that he 's now doing for us in Heaven Reply Where in all that Dialogue he pretended to Answer doth he find the real Quaker say so What hath this Friend of G. K's no Conscience or Honesty I assure him he that in that Dialogue is termed the real Quaker believes in owns not neither expects Salvation by any other Christ than he that is the only begotten Son of the Eternal God which all true Christians did and do believe in and expect Salvation by who is not any other Christ than he that was the Word that was in the beginning with God and was God P. 6. In answer to the real Quakers saying We search the Scriptures diligently and find that in Man that Reproves for Sin is the Spirit of him that never Sinned John 16. 7 8 9 10 11 and 13. The Answerer G. K's Friend p. 6. saith Here the Quakers Ignorance and Blindness is manifest that he is not taught according to Scripture Reply I am well assured notwithstanding this gross Reflection on the real Quaker that he is not so Ignorant and Blind nor Unacquainted with the Holy Scriptures but
the Answerer complains that the word Simply was left out in the repeating some words out of the Dialogue between a Country Friend and a London Friend and one of G. K's Friends which by the way observe who began this Dialogueing way which now being taken up by them they are followed in but to return the unfair Quaker saith the Answerer leaves out the Word Simply which was mainly necessary truly to the State of the Controversie viz. whether that Principle within Men that only reproved or condemned them for Sin and but convinceth of some Moral Duties and doth not propose to them the great Object of Faith Christ Jesus as he suffered Death on the Cross for the Remission of our Sins doth Save them without Christ Crucified and without all Faith in him as such Reply Let this learned Answerer that pretends truly to state the Controversie tell in his next what that Principle in Men is that Only or Simply Reproves or Condemns them for Sin and but Convinceth of some Moral Duties and doth not or is not sufficient to propose to them the greater object of Faith Christ Jesus who suffered on the Cross for the Remission of our Sins For the Quaker believes and declares that the same Christ that by his Light in Men Reproves and Condemns for Sin shews Man his Duty to God is sufficient being the alone Saviour to Save Man from his Sin and to enable Men to perform their Duty and to propose to them the great Object of Faith as he is the Author of it P. 9. The Answerer saith He i. e. Author to that Book he pretends to Answer blames his Opponent for saying that Cornelius was not to be saved by the Light within without something else Reply And when this Answerer shews that Cornelius was saved by any other than Christ the Light which shines within the Hearts of Men to shew Sin to Convince and Reprove for it he may expect farther Answer Again the Answerer saith p. 9 10. The true Controversie is not what God can do but what Sufficiency of help he hath given to all Men for their Salvation as whether their help is only and alone the Light within Reply When he proves that Christ who the Quakers assert to be that Light within which they Preach is not sufficient for Salvation or that he is not only and alone able to save he may expect a farther Answer or when he proves that Christ or that Divine Word is only sufficient to discover some Moral Principles of Sobriety and Justice and general Piety towards God considered only as a Creator and not sufficient to save and reveal Christ Crucified he will do more than he hath done yet And as to what he saith p. 10 11. that Rom. 3.25 Isa 42. and 60. were perverted and misapplied and his complaint of bringing in the Church-Man to assent and approve of his Gross Perversion and Misapplication of the Scriptures and makes his Church-man assent to the Quakers Proof out of the Gospel to be read on Christmas day Reply I deny that those Scriptures are either perverted or misapplied notwithstanding thy Confident Say so and Gross Dealing that they have no special-reference to Christ within and his being given as a Covenant of Light to the Gentiles who shall bring forth Judgment to them and the Forces of the Gentiles shall come unto him and let him bring if he can a more full Proof of Christ or the Life of the Word that was in the beginning with God and was God being the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World that 's that which is out of the Gospel to be read on Christmas-day viz. the 9. Verses of the 1st Chapter of John and I do not esteem that Church-man or the Church of England Ficttiious and Treacherous as well as Ignorant as he abusively saith for I am of Opinion that the Church of England do expect Salvation only by Christ and do pray to him to Save them who is the Word in which is Life and whose Light is the Light of Men. And John Norris as quoted by G. K saith in his Reflections c. Reflect 2. N. 9. p. 69. The Right and Only method of Inquiry after that Truth which is perfective of the understanding is to consult the Divine Logos or Ideal Word for this is the Region of Truth and here are hid all the Treasures of Wisdom and Truth this is the great universal Oracle lodged in every Man's Breast and he saith this is Reason this is Conscience this is Truth this is the Light within And as to the Clamour that the Dialogue and Answerer makes against G. W. and W. P. and the Quakers not owning the Fundamental Doctrines of the Christian Religion I may say as G. K. did to C. Mather in his Serious Appeal he being one of G. K's Friends He shall never be able to prove that the Quakers deny allmost all or most of the Fundamental Articles of the Christian and Protestant Faith either in respect of the Body of that People called in Scorn Quakers or in respect of any particular Writers or Publishers among us and particularly George Whitehead and William Penn I do solemnly Charge C. M. to give us but one Single Instance of any one Fundamental Article of Christian Faith denyed by us as a People or by any one of our Writers or Preachers generally owned and approved by us I know none that are Guilty of such Heresies and Blasphemies and indeed those that do pretend to prove us Guilty in that kind generally Quote some ancient Writings of our Friends and alledge although with a design against us that we are changed from what we formerly held and therefore I refer to that noted Treatise as G. K. calls it writ by John Crook called Truth 's Principles lately reprinted and with which my Doctrine said G. K in all particular doth well agree But if like the Weather-Cock he is since turn'd consider as that he may again FINIS