Blood was Corruptible and Corrupted and that you were Washt and Cleansed by such a Blood then ye might have said What a Hellish Doctrine is this indeed Which we abhor and such Doctriâ—es as R. W. hath preached to us in the Dispute And our Desires are that the Lord God of Heaven may deliver all people from such Doctrines Of all the Doctrines that ever we read we never heard the like And this is New-England's Orator that so doth Flatter the King But let the King but read his former Books and his Book of the Bloody Tenant in 1652. and there he may see R. W. was in another Mind when he flattered the Parliament and justified their High Court of Justice against the Opposers And yet he pleadeth for Liberty of Conscience and against Persecution But R. W. is fallen from that Plea who now desireth the Magistrates to persecute us and punish us c. and it must not be called Persecution neither as in his pag. 200. And many things we could bring out of his former Books which would render him very Vncertain but we shall forbear at present and leave him to the Lord for his Books declare themselves what he said then and what he saith now But the Reader may see how R. W. hath invented and Forged many Words against us the People of God in Scorn called Quakers which we never spake nor wrote so that they are none of ours but his own And of those his own invented blasphemous Words he hath made an Image and set it up and hath proclaimed an Herault against it and us but is fallen upon him self And so the Light of Christ he calleth Fancy and a Dunghil a Feigned Whimsical Light a Frantick Light and an Idol and he hath affirmed that the Man Christ is Corruptible and his Blood is Corruptible and Corrupted And this is like the Priest's Saying which R. W. hath printed in his Book p. 57. because we say Christ is in his People viz. Can any Man Contain Christ a Man of four Foot long Might not the Bad and Ignorant people like him have said so to Paul when he told them Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates So thou art Ignorant of Christ and his Spirit how he dwelleth in his people and art far degenerated from the Apostle's Doctrine else R. W. would never have brought this against us as to say We did not own the true Lord Jesus because that a Man cannot contain a Man of four Foot long in him therefore Christ doth not dwell in the Hearts of his Saints by Faith But this is a gross Ignorance and Error from the Apostle's Doctrine For we never asserted That a Man should contain a Man of four Foot long this is the Priest's Doctrine and not ours who are the People of God And have not the New-England-Men Priests and Professors Burn'd Scriptures yea many very good Scriptures when they Burn'd our Books which were full of Scriptures and how could they Burn them without Burning Scriptures Yet we cannot but believe we have so much Charity that all the people nay all the Professors in New-England are not of the same wicked Judgment with R. W. and the rest of the New-England-priests and professors whose Hands have been deep in the BLOOD of our Brethren So our Design is all that are Simple and Tender-Hearted and have a Love to the true Lord Jesus Christ whose Flesh saw no Corruption and doth Redeem with his Pretious Blood and not with Corruptible things that they may Repent and turn to the Lord Jesus Christ who saith Learn of me who is the Way the Truth and the Life and No Man cometh to the Father but by him And God saith This is my Well-Beloved Son Hear ye him And so we say Hear him by his Light Grace and Truth and do not hate his Light nor turn his Grace into Wantonness nor quench his Spirit least the Light be your Condemnation For we declare unto you God will pour out his Fury upon all the Families upon Earth that call not upon his Name And God saith In the last Days which are the Days of his New Covenant he will pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh That so with his Spirit they may call upon his Name from whom they have both Help and Strength through Jesus Christ who is the Beginning and Ending the First and the Last who is manifest in his People by his Light Grace Power and Spirit through whom they can Sing HALLELVIAH and PRAISE THE LORD And R. W. saith Append. p. 76. I observe the Instrumental and Purchasing Cause or Price is said to be his Blood which argues the Infinite Value of his Sufferings in which Respect only it is called the Blood of God I know the Light Esteem that some of these Foxians have of the Blood of the Lord Jesus saying That wicked Men the Soldiers shed it that it was spilt upon the Ground and there was no difference between that Blood and the Blood of another Saint Answ. R. W. We desire thee to observe if it be us whom thou meanest in thy scornful Word Foxians how thou chargest upon us a Light Esteem of the Blood of the Lord Jesus in sayiny That wicked Men shed it and that it was spilt upon the Ground and that there was no difference between that Blood and the Blood of another Saint Which Charge we do believe is false like the rest of thy Charges and the Matter we do disown from ever entering into our Thoughts to think much less to speak of his Pretious Blood by which we have been Redeemed That there was no difference between that Blood and the Blood of another Saint For none are Saints but such as are Redeemed by it and have Faith in it and therefore is above the Blood of all Saints But Roger recollect thy Thoughts and call to mind thy own Sayings at Newport if thy Memory be so good as thou in thy Book seemest to hold forth in writing things from thy Memory for thou say'st None writ for thee And when thou hast reviewed thy lines in page 76. of the Append. and called thy Words at Newport into Remembrance and then see if this saying be not fulfilled upon thee The Wise are taken in their own Craft In thy Book thou say'st It is called the Blood of God though at Newport thou said'st It was Material Blood as another Man's and was Corruptible and Corrupted and further said'st Thou did'st not know but that the Fowls or some other Creatures might eat it up How now Roger Art not thou now fallen into the Pit thou digged'st for others As thou did'st at Newport when thou charged'st the like thing upon G. F. and thought'st thereby to prove our Christ not to be the true Christ which upon Trial did prove to be the Sayings of the Priest And when thou found'st it to be his Sayings and G. F.'s to the Contrary than that which thou had'st Condemned in G.
any such Proposals from the Deputy Governour or knew of any such thing when he went off the Island And yet R. W. says page 5 That G. F. knew he was furnisht with Artillery out of G. F.'s own writings and that he knew the Consequence that would follow and therefore the old Fox thought it was best to run for it and leave his Journey-Men c. An. This also is untrue for G. F. knew nothing of his Accusations or pretended proof which R. W. vainly calls his Artillery nor that he ever read much less objected any thing against G. F.'s Book Oh! how darest thou Roger Williams publish such false lyes to the World when thou knowest in thy Conscience that G. F. had never any Writing or Letter or Proposals from thee neither did he ever exchange a word with thee The Lord God of Heaven knowes it and the Deputy Governour knowes that I received none of thy Writings or Papers of Proposals by him Behold all sober people the foundation of this mans Attempt the beginning of his work and since the foundation of thy Book is a notorious lye the building upon such a foundation of lyes is not like to be otherwise which lyes thou hast made thy refuge as throughout thy Book may be evidently seen For except a man had sold himself to work falshood and make lyes he could not have done more wickedly and have uttered falser charges then thou hast done But the Lord God which knows them and sees thy evil design in them will sweep them away with the besom of Destruction and clear his people from thy manifest false tongue And I doubt not but the Deputy Governour will testifie for me that I am clear of this charge and that I never saw nor knew that which R. W. writ and sent to him But which is strange though G. F. was several weeks at Rode-Island and at Providence where it seems this old Priest R. W. dwells and in all that time he never spoke to G. F. nor writ to him of any such thing but sends its like these his Papers to the Deputy Governour what was in them as I said I knew not they being delivered to him after I was gone of the Island as he writes himself For his dating of his Letter what was that to G. F for J.T. tells R. W. of his misdating of his Letter as R. W. confesses himself in his 11 p. wherein he writes to J. T. Your second Letter I received misdated as well as mine But by this all may see the wickedness that is in the Bottle of this R. W. by what does flow out of it in his Book to wit A malitious spirit against G. F. who was never concerned with him by word or writing much less did G. F. ever do him wrong And yet he says G. F. well knew what Artillery he was furnisht with out of his own bald writings as he scoffingly calls them c. when never a word of this is true though he presumes to present it to the King for Truth concerning G. F. R. W. Again he says p. 4 5 that it was concluded and agreed in a Juncto at Newport that his Letter should not be delivered to the Deputy Governour until G. F. was gone Ans. This also is an abominable falshood the Lord knows it a groundless untrue imagination of his own for there was no such Agreement or Consultation Is this man fit to write of Religion that lyes a vain man What is he and his designs that they should require Consultations and Junctos So let the honest Reader Judge from whence R. W. had all these lyes if not from his Father the Devil who is out of Truth but with the Truth is both his Father and he Judged And this is R. W.'s Landskip as he calls it of the Battle fought betwixt him and the Quakers But G. F. never spoke with him nor received any Challenge from him and yet this man can boast saith G. F. slily withdrew and fled Which untruth is more then slily suggested for it is impudently asserted by R. W. But it 's well known by many in that Countrey that G. F. was long enough upon Rode-Island that if R. W. had any mind to have written to him or spoken to him he might have easily had an opportunity But it was R. W. that was slily in his burroughs then and kept in his Horns who had nothing to say to G. F. to his face whilst he was upon the Colony and Province of Rode-Island And it seems but reasonable that he should have written to G. F. as well as to the Deputy Governour if he had a mind that G. F. should have seen it but the Lord who is over all knows and sees his creeping and lying Spirit and from whence it doth proceed And though he may deceive some with these his lyes and very vain boasts as that G. F. knew what he had against him what Artillery he had gotten and what Consequences would rowl down the Mountains upon him these are R. W. his own expressions yet G. F. stands in his innocency in the power of God over it all nor can such Trash deceive any that are of a sober and temperate Spirit and make Conscience of what they believe But this lying Spirit would be seen to defend the Protestant Religion but it is his own Religion if he has any that is out of Truth that he would defend And this is like the persecuting Spirit of the professors of New-England as will be further manifested in time R. W. And all that read his Epistle may see how he goes about to flatter the King but the Lord knoweth his heart and the hearts of you New-England Professors were and are manifest And all that read his Epistle to the King may see what meer flattery it is who says That because he heard it affirmed that the King had one of most of the Quakers Books therefore says R. W. he will present the King the Protestant Truth more justly then his Popish Arminian Opposites did offend his Royal Eyes with smoak out of the deep Pit Ans. Doth not R. W. here abuse the King and yet hopes for Patronage under him But does R. W. think that the King will not see through his flatteries and vain applauses R W. And after this Roger thou tells the King The Pope and the Quakers pretend to Enthusiasme and Infallibilities and then thou boasts that thou hast detected much of their Impostures and then thou desirest His Royal Spirit may he preserved from both their cheats which is the Oracle of Hell in their mouths Ans. Ah! R. W. dost thou think the King will not see through thy words here again But for the Oracle of Hell thou shouldst have lookt at home for it as thy following words will manifest it But is New-England such a Glory to the Protestant Name as thou boasts of and wouldst have the King believe the King knows you better who have Hanged
J. O. thou bids them Remember he that loveth his life shall loose it And of the 5 Bishops and 22 Ministers and many other precious believers in the Lord Jesus that were sacrificed in the flames for his ever-blessed sake against that Monstrous Man of Sin and bloody Whore of Rome These Foxians fancy is but a feather to those high Pico's c. the Pope and Mahomet whom some of you may live to see flung into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone Ans. Here you may see what a desire and a Spirit is in this R. W hath not be manifested the same mind that is in Mahomet and is in the Bloody Whâ—re and the Man of sin c. that is the Destroyer And why wouldst thou have them To live to see any flung into the Lake of Fire for this is not like the mind of the Lord that would have All men to be saved and come to the knowledge of Truth neither was it the mind of the Martyrs that prayed for their Enemies nor the mind of Christ that Commands to pray for Enemies and Persecutors and love Enemies But all may see what a Devilish and Unchristian mind is in this R. W. whose desires are to R. B. and J. O. That they may see Mahomet and the Turk and the Whore of Râ—me and us that he joyns with them c. flung into the Lake of Fire that burns with Brimstone Now would R. W. and the New-England Priests be served so themselves who are found in this Nature How doth R. W. say the Lord's Prayer The Lord forgive us c and so is not his Eye double and full of Darkness Roger give over Railing against the Quakers and the Pope and the Turk in the Woods and in a Peaceable Government but rather go and preach Repentance to them and see if thou darest say those Words to their faces in the Streets at Rome or in the Streets at Constantinople that thou hast written here behind their backs For Christ tasted Death for Every Man for Turk and Pope and what canst thou tell but they may Repent therefore why should'st thou desire them To be in Ashes or To be flung into the Lake that burneth with Fire and Brimstone For it is Christ that will Reward every man according to his Works that hath dyed for all men and tasted death for all men out of whose Command and Doctrine thou manifestest thy Spirit to be And take heed that which thou speakest of others to see that it doth not come upon thy self that the same place is not thy portion for it will be sure enough except thou repent And thou hast had enough of outward Burning and Consuming to Ashes in the Province where thou livest since thy Book was written And as for the Five Bishops and Two and Twenty Ministers thou and you New-England priests are in the same Nature that persecuted them R. W. saith That you viz. R. B. and J. O. more and more should study the Prophecies and the Signs of the Times c. and that you ought to be Instant and Constant at the Throne of Grace c. Answ. R. Williams c. you are to Study to be Quiet and keep the Royal Law To love your Neighbours as your selves and Give over Slandering and Lying and Persecuting God's people with the Tongue and Hand and Desiring to have them punished for their pure Conscience to God for Christ saith Let the Tares and the Wheat grow together till the Harvest which is the End of the World c. much more let the Wheat grow For you are not like to Study the Prophets nor the Signs of the Times when you do not know what Spirit you are of your selves as Christ saith in Luke to such as would have had fire to come down from Heaven upon them that would not receive Christ Nay you are worse for you would kindle fire on Earth to burn them that would not receive you R. W. And in thy Narration of the Conference thou say'st I have read over G. F's Book in Folio against as I think above Six Score Books and Papers written by Pious and Able Pens against them the Quakers And this Summer hearing of his Coming into New-England the poor Cheated Souls the Quakers expecting his Coming as the Coming of an Angel of Light from Heaven I read over his Book afresh as in the presence of the Eye of God with a single Eye c. and more clearly finding his Answers so weak silly Antichristian and blasphemous yet so imperious and scornful so cursing and damning c. all that bow not down to their New-upstart Image c. Answ. Roger W. All that read thy words may see it hath been an Evil Eye that thou hast read G F's Book withal and Herod and Pilate Pharisees and Sadducees are agreed against the Lord's Christ and his people For these are Pious to thee and Able Pen-men Now that Once thou wast in Difference but now dost joyn withal meerly because they have Written and Printed against and persecuted God's living Witnesse as in the Days of Oliver there were several persecuted and Imprisoned to death besides what were PVT TO DEATH in New-England by that Generation which practice was Antichristian And thou being joyned with that Spirit and envious against the people of God that receivâ—d G. F. Willingly in New-England therefore with thy Evil Eye thou readst his Book and brought'st forth thy Monstrous Birth of Lyes and that which G. F. did write which thou callest Silly or Weak is come upon them And as for Blasphemy Imperious Scornful Damning c. thou may'st keep these words at home which are the fruits of thy own spirit as thy Book sheweth But what this New-Vpstart Image is that we would have All bow down to thou hast not manifested to us for He that we would have All people to come to is CHRIST IESVS and to receive him whom all that are called Christians profess in words For as John saith He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath not the Son hath not Life he that believeth in the Son of God hath the Witness in himself c. AND THIS IS THE RECORD that God hath given to us Eternal Life and this Life is in his Son 1 Joh. 5. who is the Brightness of God's Glory and the Express Image of his Person or Substance and upholding all things by the Word of his Power when he had purged by himself our Sins sate down on the Right Hand of the Majesty on High Hebr. 1 and dost thou call this the New-Vpstart Image and blasphem'st against it And how darest thou open thy Mouth and talk of the Holy Spirit of God and the Lord Jesus and call him an Vpstart Image who is manifest in the people of God called Quakers and dwelleth in their hearts by Faith which he is and hath been the Author of R. W. And thou would'st make people believe what thou hast done hath been for
falleth in Corse R. W. Next thou say'st I know the Foxians turn Christ yea his Blood also into a Spirit a God Answ. Where and when did they so speak or write this also is one of thy Calumnies and Lies Christ's Blood on the Cross for the World we own and Christ's Blood and Life we own and partake of by which we have Life Eternal but what hast thou to do with Christ's Blood that art not washt from thy Lies nor so much as Repentest of them that I hear of R. W. Thou say'st I have heard also the Foolish Blasphemy of one of my own Neighbours saying That the Blood of the Quakers and by Name of W. B. was Saving and Salvation to the World Answ. This is a General Charge and therefore no Charge for it 's a Charge against No Body he nameth not his Neighbour nor have we any Evidence of it and if he will both add to take from and wrest our Words yea invent Lies against us as he hath done we have Cause to suspect that this is a Slander also R. W. Again thou say'st What a Proud Frenzy is it in the Quakers to cry out We are the Conduit it self we are the Well-head Fountain and Spring and as this Frantick Fox once and again affirms no Distinction between God and Christ and his Saints Answ. O Roger Williams that ever thou shouldst at this Age and after so long a Profession of Religion so Irreligiously abuse my Book and me and those that read thee there is nothing I have ever writ to any such purpose as thou wouldst have the Lord Rebuke thee Nay thou confessest a little further that I call Christ the Author and Finisher of Faith yea that I often acknowledge Christ to be so how then are we the Well-head Spring and Fountain if Christ be so if he be our Alpha and Omega our Author and Finisher in Faith and Salvation Thus thou gropest in the Dark and â—ontradicts thy self as all Babilons-Builders do which endeth in Confusion and Destruction R. W. Bringeth the same Author saying The Light which discovers Sin and Iniquity in Man's Heart is not Christ the Door G. F. Answereth The First Adam was the Door where all Sin and Transgression entred and Christ the Light the Second Adam which doth Enlighten every Man c. saith I am the Door the Way the Truth and the Life c. which finisheth Sin and Transgression and bringeth in Everlasting Righteousness and the Way of Life out of Death which Light discovereth Sin R. W. Replyeth and after he hath rambled a while he saith What then do these poor deluded Souls tell us of a Light and Christ within every Man in the World discovering his Pure Estate his Foul Estate and his Raised Estate which no Man or Woman in this world that I ever read or heard of by Nature had any Spark or Shine of such a Light c. but they have read or heard of such things from the Holy Scriptures c. Then thou Contradicts thy self and say'st in the same Page It is granted that Nature's Light discovers a God some Sins a Judgment as we see in Indians Answ. But what Scriptures had Nabuchadnezar and Darius who spoke of the Kingdom of God and of Christ and when he had cast the Three Children into the Fiery Furnace what Scripture had Nebuchadnezar for saying That he saw Four and one like the Son of God And what must we observe from R. W's Words that he can see his Pure Estate and his Foul Estate and his Raised Estate without the Light of Christ within him And thou may'st say John was a Deluded Soul that came for a Witness to bear witness to that Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the world which he calleth the Light in the Word Joh. 1. R. W. And thou say'st Yea doubtless Nature's Light is able in Self-Deceitfulness wonderfully to counterfeit true Heavenly Light and the Devil seem an Angel or Messenger of Light from Heaven Answ. Roger thou might'st very well have applyed this at home for these are none of my Words for the Light which I speak of that Lighteth every Man that cometh into world is Life in the Word Christ Jesus and Christ saith Believe in the Light and he that believeth in it shall be saved therefore it is Saving And could the Goaler and his Company have seen their Sins without the Light of Christ to shew them their Sins with which they might see Christ their Saviour Physitian and Redeemer who fed them with his Heavenly Bread Water Wine and Oil but all this is needless and loathsom to thy full foul Soul and Stomack And can any see Christ that pardoneth Sin but by his Light by which they see their sins but thou and all thy Race would see Christ and not see your sins but that cannot be therefore you hate the Light because YOVR DEEDS ARE EVIL R. W. Thou say'st How poor a Plea is this Adam was a Door to Sin therefore Christ is the Door to the Discovery of Sin Answ. Have not all dyed in Adam and doth not Christ enlighten very Man that cometh into the world that they might see their Sin and evil Deeds and him their Saviour and Door and Way again to God and with the same Light to see how their Deeds are wrought in God and is this Natural and is it not Christ that saith He is the Light of the World the Promised Seed And as for Adam's mincing and excusing his Sin R. W. saith All this is Revealed to us and not a word yet of Christ the Promised Seed or a Light Christ to Convince of Sin as R W. saith But by what Means was this Doctrine Revealed to R. W. and the New-England-Professors to wit the State of the Fall of Adam c. if it was not Revealed by Christ and his Light R. W. Thou say'st I know the Song of this great Deluder is Turn to the Light and Hearken to the Light thou seest it chideth thee for thy Lying for thy Stealing c. is not this the Christ c. obey him and he will teach thee and save thee But the bottom is â—he English and Meaning is to hearken to Satan the God of this World Answ. Was it not the Apostle's Doctrine To turn People from Darkness to Light and are they not such as steal and lie that will not come to the Light because their Deeds are Evil such as thou art with thy Bottom and Meaning to hearken to Satan the God of this World to be ruled and guided by him and not by the Light of Christ nor to walk in it how canst thou and the New-England-Priests be saved by Christ and cleansed from all Sin and not walk in his Light And is it now become with thee and the New-England-Priests matter of Delusion to turn People from Darkness to Light to walk in it and take heed to it and did the Apostle that turned People from
him in Spiritual and Corporal Torments to all Eternity AND let the Gentle Reader see how that above 12 times he mentioned NAKED over over how often over over he mentioneth SAMVEL'S MANTLE and above 110. times he scornfully saith FOXIANS that he might fill up his Book with such scornful Expressions and Vngratious Language And there are not many pages where he doth not call us one bad Name or the other or compareth us with Papists or some others to make us Ridiculous Such Vngratious Language and Unwholesom Words we have never met with in any one 's Writings for a Volumn to be so stuft with such Abundance before as may be seen by what is here before written And pag. 85. and p. 117. of his Book the Reader may Observe how he judgeth and condemneth us to be as Far from the Ministers of Christ as Lambs and Doves are from Ravenous Popish and Devilish Lions ond Eagles and likewise he judgeth from as he saith the Irrationality and Vnruliness of our Spirit and saith It is apparent from our bitter and frantick Revilings c. and so compareth us to the Devilish Inquisitors Monks and Friars c. Now if these be certainly Fruits of a Wrong Spirit to wit Bitter and Frantick Revilings Vnruliness Irrationality Unwholesom and Ungratious Words as they are and do manifest a Man to be Contrary to Christ's Messengers as far as Doves and Lambs do differ from Lions and Eagles Then hath he largely manifested himself not to be one of Christ's Messengers but the Contrary as all Sober Readers may see by his Language given in his Book upon us R. W.'s Temporizing Spirit made manifest AND the Reader may see how R. W. flattereth the King in his Epistle to him and saith Charles the Great was one of the Greatest Princes of that Name in the World and Charles the Fifth both Emperours had his Wonderful Trick at Helm also but both and all turn into the Cabbin of Rottenness Charles the Fifth in his 58. Year Charles the Great in his 72. Year But were every drop of Water between your Old England and New a Million of Years yet Mors ultima linea Death the last Line and it is but Momentum unde pendet Aeternitas a Moment whereon dependeth Eternity c. And R. W. in his Book of Experiments in the Epistle to Lady Vane 1652. saith How hath he Crowned the Memory of those his Second Zealous Servants in King Henry the Seventh his Days with a most Eminent Blessed Succession of such Names and Spirits at this Day Cromwel and Lambert c. Is not here R. W.'s Flattery and Temporizing Spirit made manifest let the Reader judge And R. W. who hath now so much flattered the King in his Epistle in his Book 1676 and would have us to be punished but let R. W. read his Book called The Bloody Tenant c. 1652. and his Epistle to the High-Court of Parliament what he saith there of the King R. W.'s words are as followeth The late King Charles his Conscience to oppress the Consciences of others no small Occasions of the Ruin of him and his So Roger read thy words in thy Book 1652. and those in thy Epistle to the King now in 1676. against the Quakers And in Bloody Tenant p. 186. the Reader may see how R. W. there flattereth the Parliament who saith as followeth The Drawing of the Sword of Justice against such Tyrants I believe hath prevailed in Heaven for the Parliament's Succesâ— and Prosperity c. and a great deal more to the same Effect in this page And R. W. in his Letter to Governour Indicot saith Had it not pleased the God of Heaven who bound the Insolent Rage of the Furious Ocean to raise up a Second Cromwel like a Mighty or Merciful Wall or Bull-wark to stay the Fury of the Oppressor whether English Scottish Popish Presbiterian Independent c. And now here thou flatter'st Cromwel in thy pag. 305. and seemest to be against Persecution yet in this Book 1676. when thou flatterest the King thou would'st have us persecuted And thou say'st in thy Epistle to the High-Court of Parliament The Act of Civil Engagements of great Necessity c. SO see Roger what a FLATTERER thou hast been of the Parliament and Oliver and now the King and once wast against Persecution and now would'st have us punish'd and yet we must not call it Persecution as thou may'st see thy Book in 1676. p. 200. AND so the Reader may see how R. W. is Changed in his Book of Hireling Ministry none of Christ's in 1652 see his pag. 18. where he saith The Civil State never made a Good Woork in Spirituals NOW what say the Governours of N. England to R. W. in this hath not he Judg'd you here who have given so much Money for Printing of his Book And doth in the 17 page tell you How you Priests are like the Pharisees in the Vpper-most Rooms in the Synagogues and Feasts and of their Titles and Salutations And yet would not he have the People of God called Quakers Persecuted because not Giving Titles and is offended because he hath not their Salutations As ye may read what R. W. saith of them that came to his House J. Stubs and J. Burnyeat c. and did not give him a Salutation when they were in Dispute with him And pag. 16. of the said Book of Hireling Ministry c. doth not R. W. Cry against the Priests How they are fitted in the Way of Prentiship to set up the Trade and Way of Preaching and calleth them Spiritual Merchants a Trade of selling God himself Christ Jesus the Holy Spirit Heaven and Hell too their own Souls and the Souls of Thousands HOW now Roger Wast thou of this Trade And are the New-England-Priests of this Trade who served Apprentiship But if they Sold God himself and Christ Jesus and his Holy Spirit and Heaven and Hell and their own Souls and the Souls of Thousands more Then what is left But R. W. Who hath bought them The Scripture speaketh of Judas selling his Master But the N. England Magistrates may see what the N. England Priests are and others and what they have bred them up to do according to R. W.'s Doctrine in 1652 whom now ye have given Money to print his Book And further R. W. saith p. 14. in the Margent Universities as to the Ministry of Jesus Christ are none of his Institutions the Title SCHOLAR appropriated to the Ministers is a Sacrilegious and a Theevish Title robbing all Believers and Saints And pag. 15. in the Margent he saith Universities in Order to Christ's Ministry are but Refined Monasteries And Batchelours of Divinity or Godliness and Doctor of Divinity are so Clearly and Expresly Opposite to the Command of Christ Jesus and in the Margent Pharisaical and Popish Titles NOW what think ye now ye Magistrates of N. England and ye Priests of R. W.'s Doctrine here Hath not he paid you off
A NEW-ENGLAND-Fire-Brand Quenched Being Something in ANSWER UNTO A Lying Slanderous Book Entituled George Fox Digged out of his Burrows c. Printed at Boston in the Year 1676. of one Roger Williams of Providence in New-England Which he Dedicateth to the KING with Desires That if the Most-High please Old and New-England may Flourish when the Pope Mahomet Rome Constantinople are in their Ashes Of a DISPUTE upon XIV of his Proposals held and debated betwixt him the said Roger Williams on the one part and John Stubs William Edmundson and John Burnyeat on the other At Providence and Newport in Rode-Island in the Year 1672. Where his Proposals are turn'd upon his own Head and there and here he was and is sufficiently CONFUTED In Two Parts AS ALSO Something in Answer to R. W.'s APPENDIX c. WITH A POST-SCRIPT Confuting his Blasphemous Assertions viz. Of the Blood of Christ that was Shed its being Corruptible and Corrupted and that Salvation was by a Man that was Corruptible c. Where-unto is added A CATALOGUE of his Railery Lies Scorn Blasphemies And His TEMPORIZING SPIRIT made manifest Also The LETTERS of W. Coddington of Rode-Island and R. Scot of Providence in New-England Concerning R. W. And Lastly Some TESTIMONIES of Antient Modern Authors concerning the LIGHT SCRIPTURES RULE the SOUL of Man By GEORGE FOX and JOHN BURNYEAT Printed in the Year MDCLXXVIII To the READER Christian Reader and all Sober People that have Read Roger Williams his Book and may come to Read this Answer THough we are sorry we have this occasion that R. W. hath given us to give forth this Reply and Dispute with him of his Slanderous Proposals we cannot look upon them otherwise but so and therefore for Truth 's sake as it is in JESUS and for the Name of Christ and true Christianity have we been constrained to Answer him as we have done both in Dispute and in this Yet we have so much Charity to believe that all the Professors in New-England are not of his Iudgment and those that are they are like to bear their own Burthen whether they are Priests or Magistrates But of all the Books I ever read I never saw so much Foul Language and Contradictions which would swell up a Book too much if we should let the Reader see them all distinct And also so many false Conclusions Inferences that he hath made and Invented Words and Principles to be ours which we never Heard of before neither ever were in our Thoughts and then when he hath done he Raileth at them and us If a Man had sold himself to Work Wickedness and Inspired with a dark Power and Spirit to invent Falshood against an Innocent and Suffering People Roger Williams hath done it who abuseth his Pen abuseth the Press abuseth his Neighbours and he living in a Peaceable Government Which when the People called Quakers had the Government they never molested him AND so 't is not only the Quakers but other Sorts of People that he flies out against which we question whether ever he had so much Modesty as to speak to any of their Faces But this has been his Work to defile Peoples Minds with his Lies Slanders Falshoods and Forgeries of things against us which we do Abhor as may be seen in his Book And that which we desire is That the Lord may give him REPENTANCE and all that join with him if it be his Will and it be not bid from his and his Consederates Eyes And let but the Reader read Roger Williams's former Books and compare them with this that he hath written now and see how he Contradicts himself and see what a great Occasion he and his Brother take against J. B. for calling him Old Man or saying He would not bear upon the Old Man because of his Age and that he pitied him c. when he brought his false Charges against us and could not make them good But let the Reader see all his foul Language in his Book who stiles himself an Orator to the King and let the Reader judge whether he is worthy of that Title out of whose Mouth are come so many Corrupt Words Accusing or Blaming us for saying in pity to him That he was an Old Man But let the Reader see if such Language becomes Gray Hairs together with his Forgeries that he has Forg'd and Publish'd against an Innocent and Suffering People And if the New England Priests and Governors have tolerated and aided and assisted him in the Printing of his Book against us we cannot expect any otherways who have been our Persecutors and some to DEATH and so we must leave him and them to the Lord and Vengeance is his and he will Reward every one of them according to their Words and Works Which certainly he will do and none shall escape the Omnipotent Hand of God And our Hope and Trust and Confidence is in the LORD the Living God and we do not fear what Man can do unto us for had we we had never stood your WHIPPING-STOCKS your GALLOUSES to DEATH whose BLOOD Cries to God through the Nations and your CUTTING OFF EARS and your HOT BRANDING-IRON and your Cruel Mockings and Threats and SPOILING of GOODS and besides all the Lies and Slanders and Forgeries that have been Forged against us So that Christ's Saying is fulfilled among you They shall speak ALL MANNER of EVIL for his Name 's sake against his People so it 's not One Manner but ALL MANNER But we can Triumph in the Love of God and the Lord IESUS Christ and desire the Lord to Forgive you if it be his Will for all your Wickedness that ye have done and spoken against us and that ye may all come to see your selves Whose Servants ye have been and Whose Work ye have been doing and Whom ye have followed And what Spirit ye are of not to be of Christ's who came to Save Mens Lives and not to Destroy them And we must further Declare that we cannot Trust our Bodies and Souls in the Hands of such that do not know what Spirit they are of themselves and have not Power over their own Raging and Persecuting Spirits who are Like unto a City whose Walls are broken down But our Trust is in Christ who is the Chief Shepherd whom we are turn'd to who Feeds us in his Pasture of Life Our Bishop to Oversee us and our Prophet that God hath raised up like unto Moses whom we do Hear c. And our Councellour and Leader that God hath given us our Priest that hath Died for us and Risen for our Justification and at the Right Hand of God who is our Mediator the Man Christ Jesus betwixt us and God and is the Author and Finisher of our Faith And is our High-Priest over the Household of Faith and doth Sanctify us and Wash us with his Precious Blood that he may present us to God without Spot or Wrinkle or Blemish oâ— any
come into the World and the Believers witnessed it to Shine in their Hearts And Abraham saw his Light or Day and in it David saw more Light which was before Christ came in the Flesh. John saith In the Word which was in the Beginning was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. This in Answer to what followeth in the same page R. W. He again Compareth us with the Papists Common Protestants Jews Mahometans and Pagans and beginneth again to upbraid us with our Men and Women's going Naked as if it were a thing Ordinarily or Commonly allowed amongst us in their Wills without the Motion of God and would bring this as his Main Proof to prove us No True Quakers Answ. I have already answered to this and in his own Book it may be seen how that we own no such Practice unless the Lord upon an Occasion should call for it as a Sign as before said as may be read in our Answers to him quoted by himself pag. 39. But this Way is to Charge and Accuse us with all his Might as if that were the Way to prove his Charge against us And he telleth of Our being on High in our Desk pag. 37 when as the people there at Rode-Island that was at the Dispute know that it was but upon a Common Seat as was at the other End where he sat and on both Sides R. W. He also chargeth us with Exalting Cursed Nature Answ. Now I desire the Serious Reader to weigh well when thou readest his Book whether by all that he hath said he hath Proved his Charge or whether in stead of Proving this One he hath not Charged many more and left both it and them Vnproved and so gone off as a false Accuser And as for Exalting Cursed Nature R. W. with the New-England Priests had better to have kept it at home Now further observe that in the Conclusion of the First Day we having a Discourse upon the Commands of God upon the aforesaid Occasion as Of Abraham's Offering his Son R. W. said They could Discern and See in those Days That Abraham's Command To kill his Child was the Command of God which we cannot now in these Days do We asked what they Discerned by was it not the Spirit of Revelation that they Tried and Discerned by He confest It was but said We have it not so Now nor is it to be Expected Then we desired seeing the same Spirit was not to be Expected with what did he Try our Spirits and how did he know Ours not to be the same as theirs was seeing he had so Charged and Condemned us he said again They had that Way of Discerning of Spirits which none hath now But as he saith in his Book We must attend to the Scripture Only and to use the Weapon It 's Written It 's Written against Satans Immediate Inspirations and Temptations and this he calleth Christ's Weapons by which he resisted the Devil and so biddeth us Follow his Example and to use the Weapon of It 's Written It 's Written If this be All or the Only Weapon It 's Written the Devil when he cometh to tempt may Vse the same for he did use it to Christ as Matth. 4 6. he said It 's Written he hath given his Angels Charge over thee c. So all may see R. W. is not for the Apostle's Weapons his Helmet his Shield his Breast-plate his Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which he said was Nâ—gh in the Heart c. A Question was put to him Whether the Anointing which the Apostle John directed the Saints unto to Try the Spirits by was not the same that Abraham understood and knew the Mind of God by But this Question he never would answer although he promised that he would Answer it the Next Day yet though it was often urged he still evaded and would not answer for if he had and confessed then he knew it must follow That the Saint's being directed to the same that was Abraham's Guide Discoverer and that by which he tried the True from the False it could not be the Scripture but that which was before the Scripture was written And yet though he could not deny it not would not grant it the thing is True Abraham saw his Day whom the Apostle saith the Saints were in and they that had him to wit the Son of God had Life And thou and the New-England Priests that have not the same Discerning as Abraham had are out of the Faith of Abraham and so no Children of Abraham but of that Father that Christ told the Jews they were of The Second Day of the Dispute the Question afore-said was put again to him and he was desired to answer according as he promised the Evening before but would not and so evaded and made a great Narration and began to tell us of Certain Bow-men that bent their Tongues like Bows So the Discourse upon this afore-said Matter he hath let fall in his Relation as he hath done a great part of the Dispute and instead thereof hath put in his own Guessings Conceits Imaginations and Inventions divised in Secret when there was none to oppose him and brought forth at last as a Monster to reproach belie and slander the Innocent As all may see that read his Book how Invective and Bitter he is and whether he is not one of that Generation which Jeremiah speaketh of That bend their Tongues like Bows for Lies I leave the Sober Reader to Judge that doth read his Book And so take some few Observations of his Manner and Way of Proving his Second Position viz. That the CHRIST we profess is not the TRUE LORD Jesus CHRIST R. W. He telleth us We were not Christians nor Professors of the Christian Religion We might with Jews Turks and Papists profess One God yet Christians we could not be And to prove it he saith That the Description and Character which the Holy Scriptures give to the True Lord Jesus no way agreeth with the Image which we have set up Answ. Which Image and Idol as he calleth it is Christ the Light his Spiritual Appearance in Man so that we find he laboureth to set up Christ in his Appearing in that Body which was prepared for him wherein he suffered without the Gates at Jerusalem in Opposition to Christ Spiritually dwelling in his people As if it could not be Consistant with his then Appearing in that Body and taking that Flesh upon him and becoming a Sacrifice therein for Sin that he should afterwards Appear in his people and be in them the Hope of Glory and be their Life and they to become his House or Temple and he to dwell in them and to be their Head and they to be his Body and Members in particular and of his Flesh and of his Bone and they to Eat his Flesh and Drink his Blood which he said All must do or they had No Life
up Treasure in Heaven where the Thieves come not but by R. W.'s Argument as far as in them lay they can Rob him of it Thou say'st As far as in them lay but we must tell thee this cannot he said and thou speakest vainly though thou may'st Crucifie him to thy self a fresh And R. W. hath not proved this Assertion That we go about to do any such thing but it is his own Assertion that calleth his Light an Idol and we might very well Deny all thy Proofs seeing that thou could'st make none of them Good out of G. F.'s Book R. W. Thou say'st We deny that Visible Kingdom and Church and Institutions which he Christ as King over all his Subjects hath Soveraign Right unto and most faithfully and wisely Ordained to continue till his Coming again And thou say'st Thou Told us that G. F.'s his Book and all our Books and Professions denied any Visible Church of Christ at all and Visible Officers and that we maintain the Church was in God Answ. Christ saith His Kingdom is not of this World but an Everlasting Kingdom And how wilt thou prove that Christ's Kingdom is Visible is it not Spiritual and ruleth in the Hearts of his people and is not that a Spiritual Rule He Ruleth the Nations with a Rod of Iron is that Outward His Kingdom we do own though all his Subjects his people as to the Bodies be Visible and his Church yet he Ruleth them by his Invisible Power and Spirit And doth G. F.'s Book that thou brought'st and other Books or any of the Quakers Profession prove that the Church of Christ or Outward Congregations to wit the Bodies of his people were Invisible though we do maintain That the Church is in God as the Apostle saith 2 Thes. 1. And we Worship God in Spirit and in Truth and is not the Spirit Invisible and though the Outward Bodies of the Saints and Officers of the Church are Visible but the Holy Ghost that maketh them Officers and Over-seers is Invisible and is not Christ's Baptism with the Holy Ghost and Fire Invisible and is not this within And Christ saith If any one hear my Voice and open unto me I will come in to him and Sup with him and he with me Is this Supper Visible Revel 3 20. And as for Outward Bread Water and Wine art thou in that Practice thy self R. W. And thou say'st J. Stubs demanded of thee why thou Charged'st us of being Guilty and not Living in Church-Ordinance thy self Answ. J. Stubs had Good Reason to ask thee this Question seeing thou livest not in the Practice nor under the Exercise of none thy self as we understand And whom hath R. W. Fellowship withal or of what Church is he a Member of but is not R. W.'s like wild Ismael his Hand against every man the Bond-Woman's Son cast out of Abraham's Family the Father of the Faithful and well might J. Stubs reprove thee who livest in none and opposest us that do And thou goest over and over with thy Tautologies of Christ the King of Kings his Visible Kingdom and how that we turned all to Notions and Fancies of an Invisible Kingdom Roger are not the True Christians Christ's Army and Officers though they outwardly be Visible are the Weapons of Christ's Ministers and Officers Visible yet do not they say Their Weapons are Spiritual and not Carnal and is Spiritual Visible And doth not the Apostle say The Kingdom of God standeth not in Words but in Power and Joy in the Holy Ghost and is the Power of God and the Holy Ghost Visible in which the Kingdom standeth prove thou and the New-England priests this by Scripture though the Saints Bodies that possess this are Visible and thou may'st take thy Notions and Fancies to thy self of God and Christ's Kingdom R. W. After thy Search thou say'st Thou dost believe that some come nearer to the First Primitive Churches and Institutions and Appointments of Christ Jesus then others as in many Respects so in that Gallant and Heavenly and Fundamental Principle of the true Matter of a Christian Congregation Flock or Society viz Actual Believers True Disciples and Converts Living Stones c This was and I hope is the Principle of the New-English Church Answ. How now Roger art thou Flattering the NEW-ENGLAND-CHVRCH and Daubing of them here with thy Untempered Morter to get Favour who hast so long lived in the Woods and Wildernesses like Ismael but let us Examine this NEW-ENGLAND-CHVRCH with their Heavenly Fundamental Principles and try thâ—se Actual Believers True Disciples and Converts Living Stones c. which thou say'st Come nearer to the First Primitive Churches and Institutions and Appointments of Christ. And yet R. W. professeth That if his Soul could find Rest in Joining with any of the Churches professing Christ Jesus now Extant he would readily and gladly do it How now Roger canst thou not Join with those Actual Believers True Disciples and Converts Living Stones to wit The CHVRCH in NEW-ENGLAND which was and hopest she is and comes nearer to the Primitive Churches and Institutions and Appointments of Christ's Gallant and Heavenly Fundamental Principle Why canst not thou Join with this R. W. that thou hast extoll'd so high But Roger as we said before we must Try this CHVRCH of NEW-ENGLAND by the Fruits as Christ Commandeth us whether she be not the Whore and False Prophet and Strumpet and Anti-Christ and the Beast that hath her Power from the Dragon that made war with the Saints and the Whore that drunk the Bâ—ood of the Saints and the inwardâ—y Ravening Wolves that devour the Sheep in the Sheeps-Cloathing and inwardly Ravened from the Spirit of God and the Light which cometh from Christ Jesus which thou call'st an Idol and so have denied the True Lord Jesus Christ. And Christ saith We shall know them by the Fruits and so we must try them by the Fruits as Christ saith For Do men gather Grapes of Thorns or Figs of Thistles And now let AMERICA and EVROPE whom the Sound of the Fruits of this CHVRCH of NEW-ENGLAND is come into see if they be such as R. W. hath Characteriz'd them to be Have they not manifest themselves to be the Thorny Trees not the Vines and the Thistles not the Fig-trees by their Pricking and Tearing of God's Chosen Have they not manifested themselves to be the Wolves Worrying and Devouring of God's Lambs and Sheep and have they not HVNTED them with their Outward Dogs up and down the Woods Have they not WHIPT and TORN the very Bodies of Men and Women on Whip-stocks till they Tore the very Paâ— of the tender Breast Have they not WHIPT WITH PITCHED ROPES the very Body to a Yelly Have they not HANG'D FOVR OF THE SERVANTS OF GOD upon the Gallows and BANISH'D MANY upon PAIN of DEATH Have they not made FINES that none should receive God's people nor a Book and â—aid GREAT FINES upon Masters of Ships that they should
thy false Charges For thy Brother was a Party though he would not subscribe to thy false Charges yet would busy himself and make himself concerned But it s like thou may'st Charge the Chinaes falsly as thou hast done us for thou art full of such Tales and Stories And many times when thou should'st have proved the matter thou tell'st us of Papists Arminians c. and truly thy Brother's Letter is not worth the taking Notice of Rob. W. He saith I write not to Charge nor to Admonish c. p. 71. and thou say'st Thou wouldst not have us to take it as a Charge and then say'st That we never dealt Faithfully pag. 72. Now let the Reader Judge whether this is not a High Charge and a Judgement too And 2ly say'st That we assumed and presumed beyond the bounds of Moderation and Christianity yet we must not take these as Charges and further say'st Our Expressions and Behaviours in our Actings were not for Edification of the Auditors but Advancing of self and that we limited the Holy One of Israel we break the Apostolical Command we dealt not Faithfully and Christian like pag. 73. And if these be not Charges let the Moderate Judge Answ. And should we suffer any to speak and make a Confusion and Cavil except they would Join with thy Brother in the Matter and yet would not own the thing but only Speak to Interrupt and to Put by and to Bring-in New Matter taking up only Time and to hinder the Matter in hand For thou wouldst make us believe that thou Vnderstood'st the Order in Courts of Judicature pag. 73. in Temporal Matters but where and in what Court are such things allow'd that when a Man hath a Cause or Complaint against another that many are suffered to Oppose yet will not to join with the Complainant will not the Court look upon such as being Disorderly and Busy-Bodies and cry SILENCE IN THE COURT And though it was profered fair to you or to any that if they would have owned and joined with him in all or any of the Positions we offered them Liberty to speak what they would Which is Clear that you manifest your selves as Disturbers who would not own or speak to the Matter in Hand For it 's known that several there did speak to bring in other things beside the Matter as R. Hitchcock and many others And was not R. Hichcock Answered fully in Season and so might'st thou have been if thou hadâ—t had Patience and appeared in the Meeting to have spoken in Season when we had done with thy Brother Robt. W. And thou tellest us a Story of a Man's Wife being big with Child which came with him to the Arch-Bishop and he gave her Liberty to speak to the full What is this to the purpose for did not she speak to her Husband 's Concern So if thou wouldst have taken thy Brother's Concern thou might'st have spoken too But thou say'st It appeared to thee that thy Brother had assumed and presumed too much being so large and high Proposals Answ. And if this was the Ground why thou could'st not join with thy Brother then thou might'st have had so much Moderation and Patience and waited till we had done with him then thou mightest have been Answered and Drunk of Our Common Wine-press freely which is open to all But thou wast so great with Child but not of the Man Christ Jesus to bring forth these false Charges which thou wouldst not have us to take as Charges wherein thou didst abuse both our Liberty and thy own in not having the Patience till we had done with thy Brother and then we might have Answered thee if thou hadst appeared and demanded it For what need we a Letter from a Man that was there present that had Opportunity to speak And as for True Liberty infringed and Insulting Spirit of the Quakers Truly thou and thy Brother might have kept this at home who went about not only to Insult over us but with his false Positions and Charges to put us in his Bear-Skin that the Dogs of New-England might have worried us Rob. W. And because thou say'st Your Indecorum Behaviours both in words and gestures unto your Elder fellow-Servant and Aged Father complaining as not performing your Duty as Young-men according unto Rule of honouring Gray Hairs c. saying often Thou Old Man thou Old Man thereby to provoke to passion pag. 74. Answ. Is not Wisdom called Gray Hairs wherein did we break the Rule And what was our Indecorum-Behaviours Words and Gestures and where did we Not perform our Duty did we not suffer him patiently and bear him till he went quite beside the Matter and spent Two Days with Two Positions and did not prove them neither hearing his long Tales and Stories to no purpose And pray thee read thy Brother's Book and see what Names and Evil Language he giveth us whether he be a Good Example to Young-men and us where thy Brother writeth to J. T. pag. 6. calling him his Antient Loving Friend an Old Man at Providence and pag. 15. he calleth his Antient Loving Friend to wit J. T. WHITE DEVIL and thou art offended at us here because we call him OLD MAN thereby appearing to provoke to Passion And so if these be not Charges which thou would'st not have them to be so let the Sober judge which thou wast with Child to bring forth But as to our saying OLD MAN to thy Brother it was not in Dis-respect to his Person nor to set at Nought his Old-Age for we have learned better but it was a True Title to him and not Dis-honorable nor by us given in Derision though thou and thy Brother take it so who hath it in his Book and telleth the World of it and wrongeth us And thou dost Extol His exceeding Great Patience but wrong'st us in Charging us with seeking to take an Advantage against the Aged and say'st Contrary to Covenant by Three or Four baiting him at once c. This is another false Charge but let the Vnprejudic'd then there judge And as for Charging thy Brother with Blasphemy and for him to prove it Let the Ingenuous Reader but read over his Book and see whether he hath not manifest a Great Deal more of Blasphemy and not proved that which we Charged him withal nor his own Charge R. W. Whereas thou say'st It is acknowledged by Auditors that as the Complainant brought substantial Proof so far as he proceeded so you the Defendants also brought substantial Defence c. but thou say'st who shall judge you will not suffer the Gospel-Rule that the Standers-by the Spirits of the Prophets shall Judge c. Answ. This is not True and a False Charge though thou would'st not have us take it so for we did refer over and over the People knoweth the matter to the Judgement of the People there that were the Standers-by to Judge Whether he had proved his false Charges And many more Charges
Fancy and an Idol and would'st have the Magistrates to punish us and the Magistrates and Priests in New-England their Persecutions instead of Loving Enemies doing unto all Men as they would have them to do unto them have declared it So 't is plainly proved that ye are neither in the Royal Law nor in the Gospel nor do not Really own the Scriptures that do not practise them Love thy Neighbour as thy sâ—lf Love one another Love Enemies Are the Commands of Christ but thou callest the Lord Christ Jesus his Light a Fancy and an Idol and therefore thou art not nor canst not be in his Spirit that callest his Light an Idol and so None of his but a Ravening Woolf. And we always did own the Scriptures and have said We and the Priests would be tried by the Scriptures and to see which was in the Practice of Christ and his Apostles by the Fruits And so we are Faithful Witnesses for Christ and his Light as John was for we are Come for Witnesses and do bear a True Witness for Christ and his Light which enlighteth every Man that cometh in the World which is the Light of the World And the Occasion that we must speak this over and over is because thou bring'st it so often R. W. And thou tell'st us of an Irish Papist that flung the Bible in the Kennel and kickt it saying The Plague take this Book And what 's this to us is it not a shame to print such Fruits of a Wicked Spirit over and over which we abhor And thou say'st That John Burnyeat took a Bible and râ—ad publickly Luke 1. How the Scripture was a Declaration and yet thou say'st and Contradictest thy self that we would not endure the searching of the Scripture as pag. 78. See his Margent And thou goest on to no Purpose and say'st Still they sied to this Borrow The Spirit that gave forth Scripture is greater than the Scripture Answ. Why R. W. and the New-England-Priests is not the Spirit above the Scripture Cannot the Devil get Scripture and the Wolves and Anti-Christ but can they get the Spirit of God would ye have the Spirit less than the Scriptures which was before they were written and gave them forth R. W. thou say'st Thou maintainest the Inward Breathing of the Holy Spirit more than we Answ. But where is it R. W dost not thou say pag. 83. There is no Voice or Motion within Man that is to be hearken'd unto turn'd to or lissen'd to in Heavenly and Supernatural Light And R. W. Thou say'st We ought in all our Preaching Hearing and Reading c. beg the Help of the Spirit c. Answ. But R. W. Are ye to Preach and Pray of Heavenly Things without the Spirit of God or a Motion in you and can a Man Hear or Read the Scriptures with understanding without the Spirit of God which we affirm They cannot truly And if the Spirit of God then must be a Motion within hearken'd to and so R. W. overthroweth his own Assertion and proveth himself a Doter Then R. W. Telleth a Story of Babilonian Assyrian and Popish Tyrants Devils c. Answ. What are all these he might have kept them at home to prove The Quakers do not own Scriptures R. W. And thou say'st This Record is the Outward and External Light Lanthorn Judge and Guide and Rule c. Answ. Now but can an External Rule and Judge and Guide guide the Eternal Spirit of God doth not the Spirit of God Lead into all Truth of it But R. W. that seemest to own the Scriptures and ye New England-Priests where is it written that the Scriptures are called an External Judge and Guide let us see Chapter and Verse for it do not tell us of a Gall'd-back-Horse but give us Chapter and Verse and abide the Search But are not ye New-England-Priests and Professors gone beside this External Judge Rule and Guide so that ye neither walk according to the Light of the External Guide as thou callest it the Scriptures nor according to the Light of Christ for the Light of Christ thou call'st a Fancy and an Idol And thou art made to confess That God and Christ were before Scripture and then why wouldst thou set the Scriptures above his Spirit And then thou tell'st us in a Way of Preaching of John Baptist what he said of Christ All this we own and the Scriptures that speak of him but how can'st thou own the Scriptures and not John's Tâ—stimony who came for a Witness to bear Witness of the true Light And we also can say God sent us amongst you R. W. And thou tell'st us of Prating of the Light and say'st If they slight the Outward Standing Record and Witnesses of God in them there is no Light in them Answ. That is thy own Condition thou slightest both Scriptures and Light which John bore Witness to as the Scriptures testify R. W. saith telling us of subscribing to the Papists or else he saith ye must study the Scriptures and search the Originals c. Answ. R. W. may subscribe to the Papists How can he search the Scriptures and study the Originals without the Light of Christ no more than They can see without the Light of Christ than a Blind-Man can see to read the Writings And so without the Heavenly Light of Christ thou can'st not Judge of pretending Christs Prophets Doctrines Churches and Spirits nor see what is in thy self R. W. Thou say'st That the Quakers do affirm that the Scripture is within them and What is the English of that but that the Light which they and every Man in the World hath within them the Christ the Spirit which every one hath is the Scripture Answ. Who did ever hear any of the Quakers say or in G. F.'s Book here That Christ the Light and Spirit in Man was Scripture to wit Writings or Paper and Ink Though this we must needs tell R. W. That is Scripture within when God writeth his Law in the Heart that is Heavenly Scripture that is the Table in the Heart that every true Christian readeth that is Law there And every one that hath the King's Declaration he hath not the King in his House so every one that hath the Scripture hath not Christ but he that hath the Word hath Christ the Scripture declareth of so that he hath both the Declaration and the Word it self to wit Christ in his Heart then he hath the Comfort of Scriptures And we own the Scriptures to be Love-Letters and can bless the Lord God for them and have the Comfort of them though thou may'st say what thou wilt R. W. And then thou say'st The Light Christ which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World and the Spirit the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth which proceedeth from the Father and from the Son which we have received from the Lord Jesus Christ this Light this Spirit thou say'st thou hast proved
God Figure forth prove it by Scripture And can the Jews receive the Gospel but by the Power of God and then by Revelation And we question whether R. VV. and his New-England-priests ever knew the Gospel for if he did we should not have such foul Language of him And we own the Gospel Rom. 2. as the Apostle calleth it Rom. 1. For the Gospel is not called the Power of God Figuratively but Properly according to the Apostle's words and if the Declaration of the Gospel can be called the Gospel that is Figurative as when the Description or Map of England is called England And G. F. had good Reason to oppose the Priest calling the Letter the Gospel because thereby they would assume to themselves the Priviledge of being Preachers of the Gospel because of their preaching the Letter which at best is but Figuratively so while they are both Strangers and Enemies to that which is really the Gospel to wit the Power of God AND as for Paul's calling the Gospel HIS GOSPEL it maketh nothing for R. VV.'s purpose no more than David calling God HIS GOD which any Saint may do For David meant God Really there and not Figuratively And Paul was a Minister of the Power of God and of God and Christ and the Spirit and therefore God and Christ and the Power and the Spirit may in a true Sense be said to be HIS as freely given him of God And the Story of the Three Foxes is wholly Impertinent and serveth only to show thy Folly and Malice Where did we deny a Distinction in such a Case that Fox a Beast should be distinguished from Fox a Man And how appliest thou that to the present Matter And is not thy Malice great to upbraid G. Fox with his Name while thou commendest John Fox as an Heavenly Man having the same Sir-Name How is it a Reproach to the one and not to the other Thy Comparison of the Traitor and the King's Pardon as applied to the Gospel c. is Lame and Silly because thy Pardon to the Traitor is positive and particular and there needs nothing further but the Writing and the Seal to make it Effectual But the Letter is General and Conditional and a Testimony only of the Gospel which is the Power of God which bringeth the true Pardon where it is received in the Soul which the Letter doth not R. VV.'s Example of G. F.'s writing News to his Friends may be the same way Answered and shews his light and malicious Mind And whereas thou acknowledgest That some may have the Letter and Form without the Power as G. F. affiâ—meth there thou hast thereby over-turned thy self For so some may have the Letter and want the Gospel which is the Power of God and such what-ever they pretend to are but still Pictures and not Members of Christ. The rest of thy work to thy Fifth Instance pag. 195. is nothing but Falshood and Malice as to say That G. F. preacheth an Imaginary and Allegorical Christ That he accounts himself or others call him the Only True Christ Which is returned upon thy head as Lies Neither do we Divide the Letter from the Meaning nor the Instrument from the Husband-Man We refuse not to call Good News Good News But we know it is one thing to talk of good things and another thing to enjoy and possess them And as for thy malicious Talk That we would be glad to have the Bible Burned We return it upon thee as a malitious Lie and dare thee to prove it We honor the Scriptures in their Due Place and by them can prove R. VV. and such as he to be false Teachers and Enemies to Christ and his Gospel And R. VV. Bringeth in John Bunyan G. F. Fol. p. 10. It is not Faith and Works that Justify in the Sight of God â—ut it's Faith and Good Works which Justify in the Sight of Men only c. And G. F. Answ. Abraham was not Justified to Men only by his Obedience but to God and where Faith is there is Justification which worketh by Love And the Saints Faith and Works were not only to Justify them in the Sight of Men but the Work of God is to DO what he saith and his Will which who do not are not Justified in so doing but to be beaten with Stripes Who seek to be Justified by their Faith and Works in the Sigâ—t of Men are in a Dead Faith and Works both This R. VV. hath brought in his Book p. 150. and 195. and also he brings it p. 125. and 126. in the same Book which is fully Answered pag. 142 143. And in p. 125. he calls him John Bunyar and pag. 195. he calls him John Bunian and yet they are both one Man's Sayings as the Reader may see in G. F.'s Fol. p. 110. and he himself quotes them both of this page And if G. F. should have said Bunyar for Bunyan as R. VV. who calls himself Orator doth he would have cried Simple and Lame and Tautologies to Answer the same Man's words Twice over in one and the same Book And R. W. thou say'st For what is Justification but a Pardon written and sealed and declared from the King of Heaven to poor condemned Traitors That this Pardon may be merited by any Price that either we or any in the World can offer is denied by true Protestants c. Answ. What must we understand from R. W.'s words but that Every one Protestant Papist Arminian as he crieth against c. that hath the written Scripture which they may purchase for a small Price hath both Pardon and Justification without Faith and Spirit And then the Papists Arminians and Socinians that he crieth so much against as well as us have the Justification and written Pardon and Seal though they know not the Son and Father but by Revelation Then why doth the Apostle say They are Justified by FAITH and what is this to over-throw James's words that saith Our Father Abraham was Justified by WORKS Was this in the Sight of Men R. W. or in the Sight of God Which Works were wrought by Faith And the Apostle telleth thee that As the Body is dead without the Spirit so is Faith without Works Jam. 3. And the Apostle saith Rom. 3 28. Therefore we conclude that a Man is Justified without the Deeds of the Law being Justified freely by his Grace But this doth not prove Abraham's being Justified by his Works only but by his Faith And doth not the Apostle say Have ye received the Spirit by the works of the Law or hearing of Faith Now where is this Voice to be heard if not within And many may cry out of their Sins and may have the written Pardon or Justification and may have the outward written Pardon which thou callest Justification and some may cry out of their Sins and some may not be sensible of their Sins But thou confessest it was the Lord that opened Lydias Heart to give
Attentions unto the Gospel and so receive a Pardon Therefore as the Apostle saith No Man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit of God nor the Son nor the Father but by Revelation Christ saith But do any receive that Pardon but who receive the Light which Lighteth every Man that cometh into the world by which they see their Sins and him that pardoneth them Seeing the Pharisees and the Jews this Day who have the Scriptures do not receive this Pardon seeing the Jews have the Scriptures now or may have them And the Pharisees in the Days of Christ would not receive this Pardon or Justification who did not believe in the Light of Christ as he taught as ye may see it seeing Christ said to the Jews If ye continue in my words c. and Ye shall know the Truth and the Truth shall make you Free And so they are so now And those professing Jews could say to Christ's Face They were of Abraham because they had the Scriptures but Christ told them They were of their Father the Devil and his Lust they would do As R. VV. and his New-England-Priests say They are Christians but whose Works have they done and still do But If the Son therefore shall make you Free ye shall be Free Indeed And if all the Righteousness of the Best Men as R. VV. saith to wit good Thoughts good Words good Actions Alms Prayers Preachings Sufferings be but as Womens Menstruous and Filthy Clouts then why doth Christ say Let your Light so shine before Men that they may see your good Works and glorify your Father which is in Heaven And doth not the Apostle say He hath Created us unto Good Works And what are the Works of the Saints in the New Covenant so bad as the Transgressors were in the Old Covenant seeing thou hast made no Distinction but Jumbled all together But these are thine and the New-England Persecutors Best-Mens Works R. VV. bringeth Enoch Howet's Saying Fol G. F. p. 16. It is an Expression of a dark deluded Mind to say that God is not Distinguished from his Saints And G. F. Answ But God and Christ is in the Saints and walketh in them and he is a Reprobate and out of the Apostle's Doctrine that denieth it And R. VV. saith I Reply to this Canting Gypsie Answ. And that is all that he saith here who cannot endure to hear of God and Christ dwelling in his people But may not he as well call the Apostle Canting Gypsie who preached this Doctrine as 2 Cor. 13 and 1 Cor. 6. and 2 Cor 6. And R. VV. bringeth in Ralph Farmer p 74. That God the Creator is distinct from all Creatures That Christ being God only in One Person remaineth distinct from all Men and Angels Let the Reader read G. F.'s Fol. p. 74. and there is no such thing in that page And therefore he hath not done as becometh an Orator as he calleth himself to the King Nevertheless R. VV. hath given an Answer to these words which are not found in the page in G. F.'s Book that he quoteth and saith Is there no Distinction between Infinite and Finite Answ. We never said that the Finite was the Infinite but this doth not prove that God and Christ is Distinct from his people and doth not dwell in them And R. VV. saith G. F. saith his Opposite is a Reprobate R. VV. asketh Why And he saith The only Reason G. F. gives is because he licks not up the filthy and Hellish Poison of Fox's Childish and Hellish Blasphemy against the Eternal Godhead and crieth poor Dust and Ashes Answ. And let the Reader see It is because G. F. saith God and Christ will dwell in his Saints and walk in them according to the Apostle's Doctrine Aad this Doctrine of Christ and the Apostle he calleth Hellish Poison Childish and Hellish Blasphemy against the Eternal Godhead Now let the Gentle Reader see how this Man raileth and doteth against the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles with a Venom under his Tongue And again R. VV. bringeth Joseph Kellet G. F. Fol. 22. saying They be all alienâ—ted from God and Enemies untiâ— Faith but these are R. VV.'s words instead of until this should be Non-sense in G. F. but with R. VV. who calleth himself the King's Orator it must be Good Sense who found fault with G. F. because there was an â— to much though this might be the Printers G. F. Answ. So they have denied their School-master which is until Faith which will keep them out of the Alienation which is the Law as Paul speaketh of And R. W. replieth and falleth a-railing with many Filthy Words Answ. Which are not worth mentioning here And Paul Rom. 8. Is not this as Solomon saith The Legs of the Lame are not Equal to Contradict thy self Gal. 3. And then thou goest on in a kind of Preaching but nothing to the purpose who cavil'st against the Apostle's words and manifestest another Spirit and canst not disprove them And where-as thou alledgest That G. F. his words are uncertain as Whether the Alienation is the Law c. If thou werest not willfully Prejudicate and Blind thou might'st understand that the last word Which is Relative not to the Word Alienation but School-master for Paul saith The Law was the School-master unto Christ and who were under this School-master were not in the Alienation because they had a Belief in him to come although not as when he was come R. W. Thou bringest G. F. Fol. p. 27. Baxter's Sayings To say that any is Perfect and without sin is the Devil 's Speaking in Man G. F. Answers Contrary to the Language of the Apostles and Christ who bid them Be Pefect And the Apostle spake Wisdom amoâ—g them that were Perfect and said They were made free from Sin And it is the Devil 's Speaking in Man that speaketh for Sin while Men are upon the Earth for the Devil holdeth him up that maketh Men not Perfect which Truth maketh Men Free again from the Devil and speaketh in Man and saith Be Perfect Here R. W. saith that Be Perfect and G. F. saith that Are Perfect but is that Be Perfect according to the Grammar seeing thou findest so much Fault with G. F And R. W. saith The Perfection signifieth no more then Sincerity and Uprightness Answ. Then is R. W. or any of his New-England-Priests and Professors Perfect in Sincerity and Vprightness and compleat Fulness in its Kind What Fulness is this R. W. And thou say'st Sometimes it 's Fortified Strong and Armed and sometimes it s the Fulness of the Godhead to whose Incomprehensible Ocean not one drop can be given nor one drop can be taken from him Answ. And doth not the Apostle say Of his Fulness we have received Grace for Grace And Grace and Truth cometh by Jesus Christ and is not this in the Hearts of God's people And Christ saith Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect And
of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do he was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him mark no truth in him to wit the Devil when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it Mark this R W. Christ saith there is No Truth in him to wit the Devil and God is the God of truth and that which is of him or of his power and wisdom is True which thou say'st There is something of God that is from the power and wisdom of God c. in the fallen Spirits and the Devils themselves mark in them and Christ plainly saith There is no truth in the Devil Is not something of God to wit his power and wisdom Truth so do'st thou not here oppose Christ's doctrine as well as ours and we charge him and the N. England Priests to make this good by Scripture R W. And whereas thou say'st G F. meanes God himself pressed down as a Cart with sheaves the holy Seed Christ Jesus under the clods the holy Spirit in Prison for the Soul is a part of the Essence or being of God himself But that there is here a word or title of colour to any of this dirt and filth flung in the face of the Majesty of Heaven Ans. Here R. W. surely wants matter when he gives his meanings to G F's words and when he has done he says This dirt and filth flung in the face of the Majesty of Heaven R W This is thy own dirt and filth but in the face of the Majesty of God in Heaven thou cannot fling it he is too high above thee or any one else to fling so far dirt and filth in his face Oh R W that ever thou professing thy self to be a Christian should'st utter forth such words And it may be seen Amos 2 13 how the Lord said to the transgressing Jews I am prest under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of Shâ—aves and this was not Flinging dirt in the face of the Most High and may not the same be said to the Christians and to you Priests professors in N. England that rebell against Gods Spirit that they press it and quench it And doth not Christ say I was in Prison and ye visited me not to wit in his members and what must not these Scriptures be owned And doth not Christ say he is the Seeds-man thas Sowes the good Seed in all grounds and is not the same Seed Sown upon the Thorny ground c. as well as the Good and doth not this spring through the gooâ— Earth and bring forth 30 50 c And did not God breath into Man the breath of life and he became a Living Soul and is not that part of his breath c. R W. And thou say'st This Scripture Rom. 1 2. speaks of the works or working of the written Law in their hearts here thou art made to confess the truth But thou say'st What is this to the second writing or the holy Scriptures or writing inspired into the hearts by the most Holy Spirit yea or what is this to a third writing of their names in Heaven in the Lambs book of Life and what is this to a fourth writing of the New Covenant consisting of sin and a new heart a heart of flesh in which the Law was written as formerly in tables of stone Ans. The New Covenant doth exceed the Old for the one was in Tables of Stone and they had their Offerings and Sacrifices c. and the Priests Lips were to preserve the peoples knowledge But Christ is come our High-Priest which ends the Priesthood of Aron and so he is the New-Covenant promised Heb. 8 And the Lord saith Jer. 31 33. I will put my Laws in their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and this writing is with the Spirit or Finger of God And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest And I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more So the First Covenant waxeth old and decayes but this is an Everlasting Covenant the New Covenant and Christ is an unchangable Priest who is holy harmless separate from Sinners and made higher then the Heavens And so they that know Christ to be their High-Priest know him to be a more greater and perfect Tabernacle then that made with hands all the true believers in him can say he is the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge And such as be in Christ Jesus are New Creatures and the old things passe away whether they be Jewes oâ— Gentiles And the Church of Christ which is in the New Covenant the true Believers is come to Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God and to New Jerusalem and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of Sprinkling c. and to the general Assembly and Church of the First born which are written in Heaven and here the Saints did and do know the Heavenly Genealogies and their Names written in the Lambs book of Life before the foundation of the World glory to his Name for ever And such can say that the Blood of Christ ends the blood of Bulls and Goates and he the offering ends the offerings in the times of the Law and so Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness sake to them that believe And the work of the Law written in the hearts which doth the work of the Law is not opposite to the written Law for it Judged them that had the written Law and did not live in it And the Children of the New Covenant can say If the Ministration of death written and graven in stone was glorious c. how shall not the Ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious for if the Ministration of Condemnation be glorious much more doth the Ministration of Righteousness exceed in glory for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excells it c. 2 Cor. 3. So we can praise the Lord through Jesus Christ who is come and has ended the Priesthood of Aaron and his Temple and Tythes and his Services who said to his Disciplâ—s and Ministers Freely ye have received freely give And Christ is our New and Living Way to the Father praises be given to the Lord God for ever And what dost thou talk of these 4. Writings and hast No motion in Heavenly things within thee R W And then thou tells us of a New Covenant consisting of Sin and a new heart and a heart of flesh Answ. All the Believers in the New Covenant have a new heart and a heart of flesh and Christ
of Christ's mouth that which is not of him was not that of Christ that he breathed upon his disciples when he said Receive ye the Holy Ghost what was that a Figure of if not of a Participation of his own Breath Life and Spirit and if so it seemeth this that cometh out of Christ's mouth must be his breath By the Brightness of his Coming and the Breath of his mouth he shall destroy the man of sin that is by his Spirit what now Roger is it not Christ's Breath that goeth out of his Mouth that destroyeth and is it not his Breath his Spirit doth not both the Hebrew and the Greek say so wherefore the Sword with Two Edges that cometh out of Christ's mouth is the Spirit by which he destroyeth and will destroy the man of sin and all such scornful men as thou art if you repent not R. W. Theâ—e great Interpreters are confounded in themselves for in Ephes. 4. the Spirit must be the Sword but in Hebr. 4. Christ must be the Sword with two edges being the Word of God and not the Spirit Answ. Thou writest as if thou ravest there is no such passage in Ephes. 4. Next for Hebr. 4 there is no such thing as making Christ the Two-edged Sword For the words are That the Word of God is sharper then any Two-edged Sword but that the Scriptures are not Christ and the Spirit as thou wouldst have it neither can they pierce even to the dividing asunder of soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow nor are they a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart this were to make the Scripture a Spiritual and Invisible Being yea an Omnipresent one yea God For they declare that he that searcheth the Heart and trieth the Reins and telleth unto man his Thoughts the LORD OF HOSTS is his Name Thou art like the Apostate Jews that by thinking to Honour the Scripture dishonour God Christ Spirit and Scripture too But thou callest us Juglers for shifting from Christ to Spirit and Spirit to Christ again what Vnsavoury Words hast thou Is not Christ Jesus called the Word of God and is he not called the Quickning Spirit and is not the Spirit Christ's Spirit and can Christ be separated from his own Spirit but thou art Ignorant of that Vnion being in the Death and Alienation from Christ and his Spirit R. W. But it is Objected by G. F. That the Spirit was before the Scripture and gave forth the Scripture I answer What then G. F. is before his Book and gave it forth is it not therefore G. F's Word and Writing but G. F. himself Or is not the King's Majesty before his Declaration to the World is it not therefore the King's Word or is it the King himself Answ. What I say is true and R. W. shall not be able to deny it if he own plain Scripture For before the Scriptures were the Word was it was In the Beginning so were not the Scriptures The Word was with God and was God so were never the Scriptures All things were made by it that were made but nothing was ever Created by the Scriptures therefore not the Word of God but Words Again the Word of God that came to the Prophets was not the Written Word yet the Word therefore the Written Word was not that Word but a Declaration of that Word and came from the Word so that which was before the Scriptures and from whence they came is the Word and not themselves So that what thou Alludest to confoundeth thy self G. F. is before his Writing and the Writing is not G. F the King is bâ—fore his Declaration and the Declaration is not the King In like manner the Word is before the Scripture and the Scripture is not the Word but a Declaration of that Word and the Words of that great Word So we are for the Form of Sound Words that proceed from that Divine Word that dwelt in Enoch Abraham and the Patriarchs before the Scriptures were and in the Holy Prophets and Apostles before they gave forth the Old and New-Testament-Writings which they directed the Antient Saints to and desired that it might dwell richly in them R. W. Thou say'st This Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scripture from the Spirit makes it a Word so powerful a Standard Touch-stone or Weights so perfect for the Tryal of all Spirits Writings Doctrines Religions Worships Actions c. Answ. The Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scripture is no Scripture-saying neither can the Scripture Inspire Thou bringest-in From the Spirit if thou meanest that they are Given forth by Inspiration we own it if thou intendest more 't is Erroneous for Inspiration is by the Spirit of God only Now the Scripture is a Sâ—aled Book to thee and thy Generation neither knowest thou the Meaning of it for it is only given to the Spiritual Man to Discern he that is lead and guided by the Spirit but thou shuttest the Spirit out the Scripture is sufficient Wherefore thou art ignorant of the Scriptures for they are not to be learned but by the Spirit that gave them forth they are shut up from all the Wisdom of this World therefore the Jews understood them not but persecuted Jesus by them as they dâ—rkly imagin'd as thou dost us and thought in them to find Eternal Life and not in Christ whom they discerned not as thou dost not the Children of Light But do the Scriptures try Spirits they say the Anointing is to do it whom shall we believe But Roger Tryal of Spirits is more than Tryal of Doctrines Writings and External Truth What! if a Man profess all the Doctrines of the Apostles and were outwardly not to be condemned in his Conversation yet might have a Deceitful Spirit to gather to himself and endeavour to supplant the true Servants of God and an all occasions use the Words of the Prophets and Apostles and say Thus saith the Lord but God never spoke by him how wouldst thou try this Spirit and this Power what Chapter or Verse would give thee a Savour and Discerning of the Spirit of this Deceiver this Wolf in the Sheeps-Cloathing to try not the Words but the Nature Life and Spirit that useth them But it hath ever been the Devil's Way in his Instruments since the Scriptures were given forth to pretend to Stand up for the Scripture when the Design is to war against and undervalue the Power Spirit and Anointing endeavouring to bring it into Disgrace But the Lord beholds these things and he will overtake such Evil Instruments with his Judgments and his Power and Spirit and Seed of Life and Holy Anointing which the Scriptures of Truth testifie of shall appear more and more and go over all R. W. Thou say'st further But the Pharisees saith G. F. had the Scriptures but they had not the Sword of the Spirit I answer The Jews had and have and so the Turks have had much of it the Papists and the Quakers
And is not he Changed from what he was And R. W. saith in his 13. page We have Indians at home Indians in Wales Indians in Ireland and the Body of the Protestant Nations is yet Vnconverted as to the Point of True Conversion and Regeneration by God's Spirit And further R. W. saith Who can deny but that the Body of this and all Other Protestant Nations as well as Popish are Vnconverted SO here R. W Judgeth all but himself But let him see in his Book against G. F. in 1676. how be Extolleth the N. England Protestants so called since they have DRVNK the BLOOD of the Righteous God's People called Quakers And R. W. saith in his Book of Hireling Ministers c. pag. 8. Jesus Christ never made Bargains with his Messengers or Pastors And R. W. saith He that maketh a Trade of Preaching No longer Pay No longer Pray no longer Preach no longer Fast c. Then ye have PAY Further he telleth you That if ye are brought up to that only Trade ye must make your Lively-hood of it p. 9. And further thou sayst The Hireling will not indeed he cannot having no other way to live move his Lip or Tongue And R. W. further telleth the Protestants of Tithes and Stipends Wages and Salaries and of your Removing from Lean into Fatter Benefices And hath not here R. W. spoken as much against Baxter Owen and his N. England-Priests as he hath done against the Quakers And ye Magistrates Priests of N. England doth not R. W. tell you pag. 3. in his Book of Hireling Ministry 1652. The Civil State cannot Restrain nor Constrain into Spirituals Then why have ye Magistrates and Priests persecuted WHIPT imprison'd and put to DEATH the Lambs of Christ when R. W. preacheth this Doctrine to you That the Civil State cannot Restrain or Constrain to Spirituals And why did not the Magistrates of N. England print this Book of R. W. over again of 1652. and his other Books that he wrote in 1652 where he flattereth the Parliament For did ye not give him Money to help him print his Book against the people of God called Quakers in 1676 But ye may see some of the Heads in R. W.'s Book in 1652. as followeth 1. The National and Parishional Constitution of Churches is found to be the Grand Idol of the Nation Then may not this be applied to your Nation of New-England 2. The Inforcing of the Nation to such a Constitution is the greatest Soul-Oppression in this Nation 3. The Hireling Ministry attending upon such Assemblies or Others is none of the Ministry of Christ Jesus c. Which the Reader may read the rest of them and read his other books and this Book in 1676. and see now how he Flattereth Owen and Baxter and Contradicteth and Confoundeth himself And R. W. saith in his Fifth Head It is the Absolute Duty of the Civil State to set free the Souls of all Men from that so long Oppressing Yoke of such Ministries and Churches But instead of this have not ye N. England States set up this Oppressing Persecuting Ministry and Church And is not R. W. now joind with you in the Work let your Practice speak R. W. further saith pag. 7. It is one of the Grand Designs of the Most High to break down the Hireling Ministry that Trade Faculty Calling and Living by Preaching and that if all the Princes States Parliaments and Armies in the World should join their Heads and Hearts and Arms and Shoulders to support it yet being a part of Babel and Confusion it shall sink as a Mil-stone from the Angel's Hand into the Deeps for ever And page 19. he saith It is not the Will of the Father of Spirits that all the Consciences and Spirits of this Nation should Violently vi armis be forc'd into One Way of Worship or that any Town or Parish so called in England Scotland or Ireland be disturbed in their Worship what Worship soever it be by the Civil Sword And page 20. he saith Such Priests and Ministers as can force a Maintenance of Tithes or otherwise by the Sword or else Cease Preaching for want of such or such a Maintenance or can Remove from Bishopricks or Benefices as Calves and Bulls of Bashan for fatter and ranker Pastures or wanting Spiritual Work and Maintenance are too fine to Work with their Hands as the first Patterns Christ's first Ministers did how can they say as Peter to Christ Jesus LORD thou Knowest all things thou knowest I Love thee c. And in his Epistle Dedicatory he saith If I give flattering Titles unto Men my Maker said Elihu would quickly take me away Yet R. W. would have us Persecuted because we cannot give Flattering Titles as may be seen in his Book of 1676. NOW Roger Williams may see how he now flattereth Baxter and Owen and the New England-Priests and Professors and how he Contradicteth himself in his own Testimony in his Book in 1652. as before TWO LETTERS one of William Coddington of Rode-Island and the other of Richard Scot of Providence in New-England testifying against R. Williams aforesaid and his Slanderous and Wicked Book Part of W. C's Letter Concerning R. W. HERE is a lying scandalous Book of Roger Williams of Providence Printed at Cambridge in New-England John Burnyeat was at the Dispute with W. Edmundson and John Barker with Roger Williams however here are yet many Witnesses living that can Witness with us even all unbyassed Spirits that he had made 14. Proposals to be Disputed 7. at Newport on this Isle and 7. at Providence His Inveterate Malice was so great against the Truth that he would have put us in a Lion's Skin and set Dog 's to worry us but the Lord Reproved his Madness That though there were many that did bear Evil Will to Zion the City of the Living God and said in their Hearts RACE it Race it to the Ground Yet was there not one found that would own his Propositions Blessed be God we are known in the Nations to be a People of another Spirit though William Edmundson and the rest did in and by the Power of the Lord Answer all his 7. Proposals in about two Hours I Reading of them at Newport and John Cranston that was Deputy Governour then and is so now was desired to moderate the Assembly that he might say what he had to say He began with a Thunder and had Three Days time to bewilder and befool himself and so ended in a great Eclips of the Sun which was taken notice of I have known him about 50. Years a meer Weather-Cock Constant only in Vnconstancy Poor Man that doth not know what should become of his Soul If this Night it should be taken from him He was for the Priests and took up their Principles to fight against the Truth and to gratify them and â—ad Magistrates that licked up his Vomit and wrote the said Scurrilous Book and so hath transgressed for a Piece
of Bread And so are all Ioined with the Red Dragon to pour out their Flood against the Man-Child Into their Secrets let not my Soul come my Honor be not thou Vnited Dear G. F. I may yet more prove what I have said One while he is a Separatist at New-Plymouth in New-England Ioining with them till they are weary of him as from Morton's Memorials in Print doth appear Another time you may have him a Teacher or Member of the Church at Salem in New-England O! Then a great deal of Devotion is placed in Women wearing of Vails in their Assemblies as if the Power of Godliness was in it and to have the Cross out of the Colors and then be against the King's Patent and Authority and writteth a large Book in Quarto against it And another time he is Hired for Money and gets a Patent from the Long Parliament so that it is not long but he is off and on it again One time for Mens wearing Caps and not Hats for Covering their Faces and again Hats and no Caps One time for Water-Baptism Men and Women must be plunged into the Water and then throw it all down again So that Cotton who in his day did know the Power of God to Salvation said of him That he was a Haberdasher of small Questions against the Power So they ought to have feared God and the King that is To punish Evil-doers and therefore not to meddle to their hurt with him that is given to Change In a Letter to Walter Clark he doth bewail and detract that he hath Cut himself off from us And for John Leverat Governour of the Massachusets to say as I am Credibly Informed That he would give 20. Pound rather than this Mocking Persecuting Book should not be Printed and the Governour of the New-Plymouth-Iurisdiction other 5. Pound and yet to say I am their Friend and their Father-friend and they will not forsake that is they will not persecute my Friend But the Governour of Boston doth persecute as witness their Whips and Goals So far W. C. of Rode-Island 28. day 4 Mon. 77. Followeth the Letter of R. S. concerning R. W. viz Friends COncerning the Conversation and Carriage of this Man Roger Williams I have been his Neighbour these 38. years I have only been Absent in the time of the Wars with the Indians till this present I walked with him in the Baptists Way about 3 or 4 Months but in that short time of his Standing I discerned that he must have the Ordering of all their Affairs or else there would be no Quiet Agreement amongst them In which time he brake off from his Society and declared at large the Ground and Reasons of it That their Baptism could not be right because It was not Administred by an Apostle After that he set upon a Way of Seeking with two or three of them that had dissented with him by way of Preaching and Praying and there he continued a Year or two till Two of the Three left him That which took most with him and was his Life was To get Honor amongst Men especially amongst the Great Ones For after his Society and he in a Church-Way were parted he then went to New-England and there he got a Charter and coming from Boston to Providence at Sea-conck the Neighbours of Providence met him with fourteen Cannoes and carryed him to Providence And the Man being hemmed in in the middle of the Cannoes was so Elevated and Transported out of himself that I was condemned in my self that amongst the Rest I had been an Instrument to set him up in his Pride and Folly And he that before could reprove my Wife for asking her Two Sons Why they did not pull of their Hat 's to him And told her She might as well bid them pull off their Shoos as their Hats Though afterward she took him in the same Act and turned his Reproof upon his own Head And he that could not put off his Cap at Prayer in his Worship Can now put it off to every Man or Boy that puls of his Hat to him Though he professed Liberty of Conscience and was so zealous for it at the first Coming home of the Charter that nothing in Government must be Acted till that was granted yet he could be the Forwardest in their Government to prosecute against those that could not Join with him in it as witness his Presenting of it to the Court at Newport And when this would not take Effect afterwards when the Commissioners were Two of them at Providence being in the House of Thomas Olney Senior of the same Town Roger Williams propounded this Question to them We have a People here amongst us which will not Act in our Government with us What Course shall we take with them Then George Cartwright one of the Commissioners asked him What manner of Persons they were Do they Live quietly and peaceably amongst you This they could not deny Then he made them this Answer If they can Govern themselves they have no need of your Government At which they were silent This was told again by a Woman of the same House where the Speech was spoken to another Woman whom the Complaint with the rest was made against who related it to me but they are both Dead and cannot bear Witness with me to what was spoken there He was too forward in spreading False Reports abroad as witness that Letter that he wrote to one of his Friends at London about the year 1660 Scandalizing W. B. with committing Adultery with Horred Garner Which when W. B.'s wife heard thereof she wrote to her Husband about it and he read it in the Meeting at Providence And as soon as I had heard it read I desired a Woman Friend to go along with me to his House who is now out of the Body And I asked him Why he wrote to London that W. B. had Committed Adultery with Horred Garner And I told him I verily believed that he was as Innocent of any such Act as a Child of a Year old To which he Answered He believed so too and added this to Confirm his former Speech That the Man he believed was an Honest Man Then I replied upon him again If thou believest that he is an Honest Man how comes it to pass that thou hast wrote such a Report of him To which he Answered It was so Reported at Rode-Island by others and he had writ no more than what others had Reporâ—ed Now let the Sober judge of this Man One particular more I shall mention which I find written in his Book pag. 7. concerning an Answer to John Throckmorton in this manner To which saith he I will not Answer as George Fox Answered Henry Wright's Paper with a scornful and shameful Silence I am a Witness for George Fox that I Received his Answer to it and delivered it into Henry Wright's own hands So that to his former Lie he hath added another scornful and
shameful Lie And then concludes That they were his Witnesses that he had long said with David and he humbly hoped he should make it good that he hates and abhors Lying Providence in New-England Richard Scot. SOME TESTIMONIES of Ancient and Modern Authors concerning the LIGHT SCRIPTURES RULE and the SOUL of Man Testimonies concerning the LIGHT within MVnsterus Castalio Vatablus Drusius Clarius Codurus upon Iob 24 13 and Chap. 25 3. They â—re of those who rebel against the Light Vpon whom doth not his Light arise say That this Light is of the Divine Wisdom and Fountain of Light Alluding to the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mat. 4 19. The People that sate in Darkness saw great Light Also see Erasmus and Camerar upon Ioh. 1 4 9. Orpheus His Hand reacheth to the end of the Sea his right Hand is every where then within Of him alone are all things Clem. Alexandr Strom lib. 5. Thales thus There is but one God he is Glorious forever he knows Hearts and tells Thoughts He maketh the Teller of his Thoughts God as in Amos 4.13 Pythagoras thus GOD resembleth Light and Truth he is One He is not out of the World he is the Salt of all Ages ONE HEAVENLY LIGHT and Father of all things only Wise Invisible yet Intelligible Jambl. Iust. Mart. Heraclitus thus God is not made with Hands Pythagoras What things are agreeable to God cannot be known unless a man HEAR GOD himself Again Having overcome thy rebellious Appetites thou shalt know the Cohabitation of the Immortal God and mortal Men whose work is Immortality Eternal Life Trin. de Animâ Mundi Sophocles speaking of the Precepts written in Man's Heart saith God is their Father not Mortal Nature neither shall they ever be abrogated for there is in them a great God that never waxeth old Again saith he This is with respect to Man's Conscience a Divine a Sacred Good God the Overseer Oedip. Tyr. Clem. Alex. Str. l. 5. Socrates had the Guide of his Life within him and preached as he was moved by it even in the Streets and died for reproving the Corruptions of the Athenians in Manners and Religion Plotin taught That Man had a Divine Principle in him which maketh a True and Good Man Hierom called it a Domestick God The Good said Socrates shall be united to God in an In accessible place the Wicked in convenient places suffer due Puniâ—â—ment Iustin. Martyr in his Apology saith God hath built to himself a natural Temple in the Consciences of Men. Clem. Alex. Admon ad Gent. It is the Voice of Truth that Light will shine out of Darkness Therefore doth it shine in the Hidden Part of Mankind Strom. l. 5. Man cannot be void of Divine Knowledge who naturally partakes of Divine Inspirations Lactan. de Cult Ver. The Law of God is made known to us The Law is pure and unspotted Reason diffused through all the World Athanasius contr gent. The way to attain to the knowledge of God is within us which is proved from Moses who saith The Word of God is within thy heart and from this Saying of Christ The Faith and Kingdom of God is within you Minutius Felix saith God is every where not only very near us but infused As is observed by Grotius Crit. Tom. 7. on Acts 17 27. Testimonies concerning the SCRIPTURES LVther taught That the Spirit is required to the understanding of the whole Scripture and of every part thereof Again The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were wrote Tom. 3. fol. 169. Iohn Bradford thus answered the Arch-Bishop of York We do believe and know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep not because the Church saith they are the Scriptures but because they be so being thereof assured by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them Book of Mart. Vol. 3. p. 298. W. Tindal a faithful Martyr in Hen. 8. his time writes thus It is impossible to understand the Scriptures more then a Turk for him that hath not the Law of God written in his Heart to fulfil it Again Without the Spirit it is impossible to understand them W. Tindal's Works p. 319 and p. 80. B. Iewel against the Papists hath this Passage Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without special Revelation therefore Christ gave Thanks to his Father and likewise opened the Hearts of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Without this special Help and Prompting of God's holy Spirit the Scriptures are unto the Reader be he never so Wise or well Learned as the Vision of a Sealed Book Calvin saith It is necessary that the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophets should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us of the Truth of what they delivered Instit. lib. 1. cap. 8. Beza saith That the understanding of the Scriptures should be fetch'd from the same Spirit that dictated them Beza in Nov. Test. 2 Pet. 1.19 Peter Martyr taught That the Spirit is the Arbiter by whom we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's words and a Stranger 's Quoting Christ's words My Sheep know my voice and follow not a Stranger And among other Scriptures he quotâ—s these The Spirit searcheth out the deep things of God The Comforter shall declare all things that I have said unto you The spiritual Unction shall shew you all things Com. Loc. part 1. pag. 6. Again The Spirit of God reveals the truth in the holy Scriptures Com. loc p. 2. cap. 18. Again in an Oration to the Vniversity of Strasburgh concerning the Scriptures he expresseth himself thus The School of this Philosophy is Heaven Again We must remember that the Teacher hereof is the Holy Ghost Doct. Ames a Great Father of the Independents upon 1 Ioh 2. saith We require no more the Anointing of the holy Spirit doth teach the faitâ—ful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles there from to understand those things which are necessary to Salvation for these things those Believers had received of the Apostles With more to the same purpose in that Chapter lib. 1. c. 5. Thes. 32. contr Bellarm. H. Bullinger asserts in his 4 Decas and 8. Serm. dedicated to K. Edw. 6. That Men fetch'd the understanding of heavenly things and knowledge of the holy Ghost from no where else then from the same Spirit Doct. Owen saith The only publick Authentick and infallible Interpreter of the Holy Scriptures is he who is the Author of them from the breathing of whose Spirit it derives all its Verity Perspicuity and Authority Exerc. 2.7.9 T. C. an Antient and Considerable Baptist saith There is the Law and Testimony in the Spirit as well as in the Letter The Law of God is in the Heart there it is written and there it testifieth the Truth of God and if any Man speak not according to this Rule it