life read John 8 47. was not this the cause they could not hear Christ because they were of the Devil for saith Jesus He that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore hear them not because ye are not of God then said the Jews say we not well thou art a Samaritane and hast a Devil is not this thy mind concerning my words in my Book because I say the carnal eye and ear did never see nor hear the voice of the Son of God vers 43. why do ye not understand my speech even because they cannot hear my words 2. Thou sayest George Fox said the flesh of Christ is a figure and Joseph Fuce saith the Baptists make flesh their arm Answ The words of George Fox as thou sayest is in his Book I never read them there nor ever heard him speak the words but this I say there is a flesh that profiteth not yea and a vail too which was a figure of him that was to come as saith the Scripture Rom. 5.14 and I witnesse the words of Joseph Fuce true who hath been a Teacher amongst you my self that all such as thou art make flesh their arm who art an enemy to the light which is the arm and power of God to Salvation 3. Thou sayest Humphry Smith in his Book saith Christ is come and this by thee is counted a great errour I say the same and much more the Kingdom is come and the Righteousnesse thereof glory is come and we are come into it Righteousnesse is rained down from Heaven Truth is springed up in the earth Salvation is come and we sit in Heaven with Christ yet do not I say or deny but there is a further weight of glory and the increase of this kingdom and glory hath no end neither do I deny but Christ is yet to come the second time the Kingdom and the Righteousnesse thereof is yet to come to all such dark sots as thou art although the seed the light is come into thee already to thy condemnation 4. Thou goes on slandering Humphery Smiths Book intituled The everlasting Rule and sayest in the face of men and Devils he affirms that there is no other rule way means or name by which man shall ever come to walk with God but by that which is manifest of God in him My heart is one with Humphery Smith in these words and in the face of the Devil and against him and all such men as take his part I affirm the same that he which was the Light in whom all the Patriarchs and Fathers walked with God before the Scriptures which is thou sayest thy rule and guide was written is the Saviour of the world and changes not his Spirit a perfect guide and instructer in all the wayes of Righteousnesse and besides him I do not look for another yet the Scriptures I own which are things too high for thee who art an enemy to him that giveth life Now I shall come a little to take notice of the form of thy own words which begins in the 59. page of thy Book where thou hast drawn up scornfully many words in thy own form and replyes an answer thy self and sayest Turn to the Light within saith the Quaker this thou dost not speak so as to own it for Truth or the Light and its teaching sufficient but as if it were a doctrine contrary to what God Angels Prophets and Apostles taught therefore I shall prove thee exceeding blind concerning the Scriptures to all who are not filled with envy as thou art thou sayest God spake by the Prophets and all should hear the words that were cryed by the words of the former Prophets and not to the Light within as saith the Quaker Again thou sayest Iohn sent two of his Disciples unto Jesus saying Art thou he that shall come or do we look for another but thou sayest the true Light turned him to outward means for his satisfaction which outward means neither I nor any of the Quakers deny if the Light within lead thereunto Again thou speaks of Iohn and the people and Souldiers that came unto him saying Master what shall we do and thou mocking sayest turn to the Light within says the Quaker but sayest thou Iohn who had another Spirit then the Light within saith let him that hath two coats impart to him that hath none exact no more then that which is appointed do violence to no man neither accuse any man falsly but be content with your wages and so thou wouldst make a great difference and divide between the Light of Christ in the Quakers and the Light and Spirit that spake in all the Prophets or as if the Light of Christ within the Prophets now adayes did teach to deny the words that were spoken by the same Christ and Light in the former Prophets doth not the Light within I appeal to the simple amongst the Baptists which convinceth you of sin in your bed-chambers whether it doth not teach to do righteously and impart a coat to him that hath none or if thou hast bread to feed the hungry and to do to thy neighbour yea and unto all men as thou wouldst have them to do unto thee and whether the whole Law and the Prophets be not contained in these things and whether they which were without the Scripture and outward Law had not the Law which is Light as Solomon saith Prov 6.23 written in their hearts by which nature they did the things spoken of in the outward Law and whether this be to deny the Scripture or contrary to the words of the former Prophets or the Apostles to turn people to the Light of Christ within which doth fulfill the Scriptures and is the end of both the Law and the Prophets answer these things or confesse them true Again thou goest on in thy former manner saying a certain young man came to Christ and said what shall I do that I may have eternal life and the Jews came and demanded what shall we do that we might work the works of God and then again mocking sayest turn to the Light within says the Quaker but sayest thou as if Christ were of another mind then that they should turn to the Light within keep the Commandements and sell that which thou hast and give to the poor and also to the Jews he said this is the work of God that ye believe in him whom the Father hath sent that thou sayest wast Christ himself that talked with them but was not in them Answ My answer is nay Christ was not in them so as he was in the Saints to justifie them but the Devil and darknesse was in them which had blinded the pure eye which did convince them in their Consciences many times as thou thy self hast been convinced that never man spake as he spake neither were the words which he spake the words of one that had a Devil as they said he had And further I say that Christs whole Doctrine and the
his Scepter known and his dwelling place is become great in Israel eternal God King of Kings and Lord of Lords is his Name thoughout all Generations Kings shall hear of him and submit themselves Princes shall be turned aside by the brightnesse of his rising who is the Resurrection and the life who comprehends the Heavens and the Earth with a span and layes up the Sea as in store houses this is our God the living and true God which you Baptists are fighting against What was Pauls the Saints Weapons I querie of you Baptists and what was his Armour which he and the Saints put on was it not the Lord Jesus Christ the Light who is called a Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit Is it not the Word of God which is Light unto which word Paul did commit the Saints and told them it was able to keep them from falling Or do you imagine the Letter to be the Armour of Righteousnesse which I say doth but only declare of them Is your faith begotten by the Preaching of the dead letter which the Jews thought to have eternal Life in or by the Preaching of the Gospel which is the eternal Word of God which was Preached to Abraham and which was and is and is to come a Preacher of Righteousnesse in all Generations and which the Apostle saith Was Preached to every Creature under Heaven where the Scripture is not known nor heard of but this light which you Baptists trample on I say all have so heard so as to be convinced thereby though not saved because they have not obeyed but as the Apostle saith so say I by the same Spirit and Faith Faith comes by hearing and hearing by this Word of God the Jews had not this Word and Faith and therefore fought against the Life as ye do but the Light within they could not indure no more then you but hated it Therefore said Christ Ye shall die in your sins except ye believe that I am he the Light is the eye in which Abraham saw his day and by which I will guide my people saith the Lord What is that eye that must be made blind and that hand that must be cut off Is it not the eye that sees not the Son and therefore is not satisfied And was not this eye in Herod which is the eye of the Adulterour and hunteth for the pretious Life And was not this life in Esau who missed the Blessing and in Nimrod and in all the Children of confusion who are hunting mightily before the Lord without the Spirit who is the Lord and should lead you by the Fountains of living Water and feed you with the Living Bread of Heaven which Living Bread you are seeking among the Graves and Tombs dead forms carnal Ordinances which I say with J. Fuce makes nothing perfect but Christ the better Hope who doth thorowly walk and reform change and translate out of death into Life out of darknesse into Light out of Satans power and kingdom into Gods Power and Kingdom as the Saints were and is not this the same state that Adam was created in who was the Son of God before either Types Shadows Vails Coverings Death or Grave Hell or the Bottomless Pit were What is your Water Baptism Is it not a figure which gives not the answer of a good Conscience What is your Bread Wine and Ordinances which ye like the Jews so much cry up having lost the Spirit which the true Jew they that had the one Baptism into the one spirit and the new wine in the Fathers Kingdom and the living Bread which came down from Heaven had MATTHEW CAFFIN For the Truths sake and simâ—â—â—â— an open enemy to it and hatest the Light and canst not abide that it should be so much Preached I shal answer to those things charged against us in thy book so far as they are our words and not thy own with wicked inventions cast upon us by thy venemous tongue And as for our Principle it is the Way the Truth and the Life and it is clear and innocent in it self though its image and beauty hath been more mared by such as thou who like the Jews are crying up the Ordinances of the Lord which makes the comers thereunto no more perfect then theirs did then by any Professors besides in the Nation and it will clear it self should we be silent and spew such as thou art out of its mouth 1. The first thing thou chargest the Quakers with is That they say the eternal Spirit of Light and Power is the Saviour of the world Ans This is owned and not denyed but that I or any of the Quakers deny the man Christ Jesus is not our Principle but thy own lie cast upon us and my words do not agree with thine but with the Scripture and Christs words John 5. where he saith Ye have neither heard his voice nor seen his shape at any time Now if thou sayst this was not spoken of Christ but the Father I say it was spoken of both for they are one if thou couldst but believe the Scripture or own the Light John 14. I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me he doth the work blessed is the eye that sees him it is satisfied vers 8. Philip said unto him Lord shew us the Father and it sufficeth mark Philip a hearer with the outward ear but being dull of hearing and dim sighted at the present he was unsatisfied though he had seen and heard with the outward ear vers 9. Jesus said unto him have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me Phillip he that hath seen me hath seen the Father also but thou sayest the eyes of all in the Synagogue saw him and were fastned on him and thou supposest the Quakers have no shew of Scripture to prove that they which crucified him had any other eyes here thy malice hath transported thee beyond thy own rule the Scripture saith expresly The Vail was over their Hearts and they had outward eyes and saw him and said he was the Carpenters Son but Christ said they were blind leaders of the blind mark the Light which he bids them believe in whilst they had it is the eye and that they had eyes and saw not ears and heard not and hearts but understood not Mark 8.18 Ezek. 12.2 Jer. 5.21 Therefore what eye did Paul open or what ear was he sent to unstop and what prisoner was that which he was sent to proclaim liberty unto and what was that house and prison he was to bring him out of what did he minister and what did he minister to was he not a Minister of Christ after his own eye was opened and Christ revealed which before was vailed in him did he not minister to the Spirit in prison Answer if thou canst and sow the seed of eternal
Apostles and Prophets did proceed from the Light within for there is a Spirit in man and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth him an understanding how to speak and their very end was to turn them to the Light within and they testified God was a Spirit and dwelt in the Light and they that walked in the Light had fellowship with him and his Son Jesus Christ and in which both them and their worship was accepted with the Lord and all the rest worshipped they knew not what as Christ saith Iohn 8.4.24 and what if Christ had said as the Quakers say in thy own words turn to the Commandement within I say and the Spirit of Christ in Solomon saith the same Prov. 6. thy Commandement is Light and what if he had said this is the work of God that ye believe in him who is the Commandement and given for a Commander for a Covenant of Light wouldst thou not have scorned him as thy Brethren the Jews did and as thou dost the Quakers did not David say I believe in thy word and it hath quickned me and did he not say it is a Light to my feet and a lanthorn to my paths and that it kept him from sin and was the way for a young man to have his way cleansed if he took heed thereunto and doth not Paul say this word in which David believed and is the Author and begetter of the true faith in all that hearken to it which faith I know thou art a reprobate concerning though the Title of thy Book is Faith in the promises is the Saints best weapon yet thy self hast another weapon and as for thy hiding place slanders and lyes is thy refuge Rom. 10.8 is not this word nigh in the heart and did not Christ say to the unbelievers who rejected the word and Law which is Light While ye have the Light walk in the Light that you may be Children and hath not this enlightened every one that cometh into the world and doth not Christ say Iohn 8. He that follows me shall not abide in darknesse but shall receive the Light of Life but I say and the Lord hath said it the Life is the Light of man and shineth in the darknesse though such blind guides and sottish Children as thou art comprehend it not Iohn 1. vers 1. to the 10. Thou bidst thy Brethren take the shield of faith and so concludes thy Book The Lord hath said thy faith is false and let thy Brethren be warned least they believe as thou dost but as thou sayest in scorn I say in the integrity of my heart let the simple among thy Brethren or elsewhere turn to the Light within and word which is nigh them in their hearts and if thy own day of visitation be not over do thou hear and fear but consider for the time to come the Jews had thy word the Letter and the unbelievers and Apostates had thy rule guide and leader but were reprobates concerning this faith which was once given to the Saints and came by hearing of the eternal word in their hearts but how canst thou believe on him thou hast not heard but art vexing thy self because the Quakers cry turn to the word within Thou likest such a word and rule well and the Children of thy Father ever did which thou canst wrest and turn as thou dost the Letter to fight against the Life but that which is a more sure word and foundation a tryed stone and a perfect rule from generation to generation of them that seek the Lord this thou canst not endure but it is my Crown and the Ornament of the Righteousnesse in which I rejoyce and tread upon the Serpents head and should I never speak more this I say the eye is open that sees thee and comprehends thy muddy mind thou art weighed in an even ballance the Lord will bruise thee with the stone thou art lifting at and the sword and weapon which thou fightest with shall be a perpetual pain and terrour in thy own bowels And in the 59. page of thy Book thou goest on in a scoffng way to oppose the Light within which is to give the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ Jesus and thou brings the Prophets words and John Baptists words and Christ and the Apostles words and Paul and Silas their words that speaks of Repentance and concerning the gifts of the holy Ghost and these thou brings to oppose the Light within Now to all sober people this needs no answer but that thou shouldst not exalt thy self among the ignorant these Queries are sent unto thee Can any repent or have their minds changed but they must have the Light within and be turned to it can any receive the gift of the Holy Ghost but they must be turned to the Light within Is not the gift received within And further thou goes on and sayest Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ And then thou scoffest and sayest The Quakers say turn to the Light within Now can any believe but such who are turned to the Light within which gives the Light of the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus as Cor. 24. And do not they that believe come to the Witness in themselves and are past from death to life And is not that Witness within What hast thou Preached all this while that sets such things upon Record that Generations to come may see thy Ignorance This shews that thou art not as the Churches was in the Primative times that canst not endure the annointing within nor light within the annointing within must needs be light and how many of the Baptists Teachers has brought people to the annointing within them that they need no man to teach them but as the same annointing teacheth them And how many have they brought to the Light within which shines in the heart to give the knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus And how many have the Baptist Teachers brought to the New Covenant the Law written in their hearts and put in their minds that they need not teach every man his brother saying Know the Lord for they shall all know him from the least to the greatest How have you Baptists Apostatized from this practice Doctrine who now appear as Antichrist in opposition to it which was in the Apostles dayes who now look upon Christ and see him as the Pharisees did who with the same eye that looks stedfastly upon him runs upon him and rages at him and these are them that stops the pure eye within that denies the Light as the Pharisees did so you are like to see with no other eyes then the Pharisees did who know him no further then the Pharisees did which flesh and blood does not reveal him to be the Son of God and Christ is the substance of all Figures yet to the world he is a sign see if thou canst read that figure and