outward But the end of that teaching was to the Soul the inward Man and against Spiritual Wickedness in high places Eph. 6.12 And this outward Teaching in its end and in its continuance is that it may bring People in their several Generations to witness the Spiritual Baptism of Christ with the Holy Ghost whereby they may be brought to witness that they are begotten to God Ibid. p. 168. This outward Baptism with Water was an Ordinance instituted as a means of Grace whereby the Inward Baptism with the Holy Ghost was conveyed This is saying but not proving We deny that Baptism with Water was Instituted as a means of Grace for then had the far greater number of those who were converted to Christianity by the Ministry of Paul wanted the means of Grace Because they were very few as himself testifies that he did Baptize with Water And to them whom he did so Baptize is was not the means of Grace Because if it had been so it must have perpetually attended his Ministry in that Grace and Truth which comes by Jesus or otherwise the Apostle Paul was not compleatly as the rest of the Apostles a Minister of the Spirit which I think this Snake will hardly venture to affirm But himself declares it did not perpetually attend his Ministry 1 Cor. 1.17 For Christ sent me not to Baptize but to Preach the Gospel Ibid. p. 168. Vpon all which accounts it was necessary even where the inward Baptism with the Holy Ghost was already attained as St. Peter said Acts 10.47 If where the inward Baptism with the Holy Ghost be attained the Outward Baptism with Water be still necessary because the Holy Apostle Peter commanded Acts 10.48 Cornelius and his Family to be Baptized Then why is not Circumcision also necessary because the same Apostle did compel the Gentiles in general to be Circumcised and concerning which at that time when Cornelius was Baptized it was not determined whether they should be Circumcised This sufficiently shews that the Apostles words in this place cannot be understood to Intend or Command Outward Baptism with Water to be a standing and perpetual Ordinance in the Church Ibid. p. 169. It is very Observable that among those things wherein St. Paul was instructed thus immediately from Christ he tells us 1 Cor. 11.23 That one was the Institution of the Lord's Supper Vpon which he lays so great stress that he charges grievous Diseases sent among the Corinthians and Death it self vers 30. upon their Neglect and Abuse of this Holy Mystery It is very observable that this Snake by begging every matter in question takes them for granted which we deny And then in usual assurance runs on in his Doughty Manner without so much as offering at any Authority to prove what he says or disprove what we have often said upon this Subject Thus he will have the Apostle 1 Cor. 11.23 delivering to that People the Institution of the Lord's Supper Yet has not proved from the words that they are any Institution at all The words of the Apostle are these vers 23. For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you that the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took Bread These words of the Apostle are plainly a Narration of somewhat done by our Saviour but contain not any Institution or Command as the observing Reader may find And had the Apostle herein intended to deliver an Institution or Command of something that was to be perpetually obligatory in the Church and not to deliver singly an account of matter of Fact he had no doubt deliver'd it in words whose import could not be questioned But he saith not For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you That as the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was deliver'd took Bread So c. The Apostle saith not thus but the contrary and when he repeats the imperative words of Christ to his Disciples on this Head he seemeth of set purpose so to have placed them that they do not import any Command For he saith vers 25. This do ye as oft as ye drink it in remembrance of me vers 26. For as often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do shew the Lords death till he come These I say do not import any Command or Institution which because the Snake will have that they do let him shew wherein If he thinks the words as often to have some imperative force let him see if he can prove that that imperative Force is more than if one should say to him As often as thou goes to Westminster call upon John Thompson late one of the King's Messengers I easily think the Snake will conclude the imperarative Force of these words none at all and will go as occasion calls to Westminster and not think himself obliged to make that Visit. But the Snake goes on with wonderful assurance and will have the Apostle lay so great stress upon this Institution That he charges grievous Diseases sent among the Corinthians and Death it self vers 30. upon their Neglect and Abuse of this Holy Mystery But from the place it self it does not appear that the Apostle lays any such stress upon it For first as I have already shewn the Apostle makes a narration of Fact Tells what our Lord did do that Night in which he was betrayed but gives no Command does not declare it to be instituted makes no Mystery of it as the Snake would suggest Secondly The Apostle redargueth the Corinthians evil practices of Drunkenness and Unseasonable Eating even then when they were pretending to have in remembrance the Death of Christ. And queries of them vers 22. What! have ye not houses to eat and drink in or dispise ye the Church of God and shame them that have not What shall I say unto you Shall I praise you in this I praise you not Thirdly The Apostle does in the 30th verse shew them some of the Consequences which had attended their Irreverent Greedy and Drunken practices and tells them For this cause many are weak and sickly among you and many sleep And a very natural Consequence it is and nothing strange that Intemperance should bring Weakness and Sickness and finally Death But the Snake would put the Apostles words upon the Tenters and stretch them to signifie grievous Diseases All Weakness and Sickness may in some sense be said to be grievous But when we say Grievous Diseases are sent among a People it does at least imply something more than the common Infirmities which usually our Nature is subject to by way of Eminence as a Judgment This the Snake seems to suggest but offers not to prove neither can he or that those Corinthians were more Weak and Sickly c. than what might be the natural effect of the Intemperance above spoken of Ibid. p. 169. How then would he have censured the Preaching down this and the other
And that to this Holy Spirit Wicked Men and Devils are disobedient yet still have such degrees of Knowledge which are the proper Distinction of their Being Ibid. p. 39. Sometimes it makes them as Infallible as the Apostles nay as Christ himself But at other times when they are pressed they bring down this Infallibility to mean nothing in the World that does distinguish them from other Men. It is utterly false no Quaker hath said he was as Infallible as the Apostles or Christ himself I demand an Instance But without pressing we have often said that a Manifestation of the Light and Infallible Spirit or Grace is 1 Cor. 12.7 given to every Man to profit withal without distinction That which makes the Distinction is Obedience to it By this it was Paul could say 1 Cor. 15.10 By the Grace of God I am what I am and by the same Grace we say we are what we are Ibid. p. 40. But this will no more prove it to be Infallible or sufficient of it self to bring us to Heaven than it will follow that Man cannot die because God breathed into him the Breath of Life or that he is omnipotent because his strength comes from God That the Holy Spirit is Infallible and sufficient for the purposes for which God hath given to Men manifestations of it is very certain from the testimony of God himself 2 Cor. 12.9 My Grace is sufficient for thee But it follows not from this that Man cannot Die or that he is omnipotent because his Life and Strength came from God God hath been pleased to give to Men such Natural Powers as are agreeable to the Nature of their Humane Being And these Natural Powers being employed according to that Great Law of Order in which we stand in the Creation we may act in them our appointed time But the Principles of our Humane Being being finite their power to act is the same and must come to an end With Spirits It is otherwise They are more simple and uncompounded Beings therefore of eternal Duration And the God of the Spirits of all Flesh in Infinite Compassion when Man had forfeited his Title to Happiness to us that this Eternal Duration might be in happiness gave the Son of his Love that we who were afar off might be reconciled to himself which cannot be but as the Spirit of Man which hath rebelled and been in Disobedience comes by the Operation of the Spirit of God upon it to be restored into obedience to its Guidings Which if he will be in the day of his Visitation That Grace and Truth which comes by Jesus Christ will sufficiently and infallibly lead him into Reconciliation with God from whom through disobedience he was fallen And this is not as the Snake says p. 41. Derogatory to the Satisfaction paid by Christ for our Sins But on the contrary places the true value upon it It being that by which we are put into a capacity of being reconciled and not by any power of our own And when the Apostle bids Phil. 2.12 To work out our own Salvation We never understood it otherwise than by the assistance of that Grace which comes by Jesus Christ to Men during the day of their visitation Ibid. p. 41. That does not make the Light within the efficient cause of our Salvation or give it any Title to Infallibility more than vers 13. of the 4th Chap. in the same Epistle can entitle us to Omnipotence because St. Paul says there I can do all things That Christ in his Spiritual Appearance the Light within is the Efficient cause of our Salvation I need not give a greater proof than this same 13th vers which the Snake has quoted For there the Apostle Phil. 4.13 says I can do all things through Christ which strengthneth me that is all things relating to his Ministry as an Apostle or his Duty as a Christian. I come now to the Snake's 4th Head of Distinction which is little more than Profane and Scornful Banter after the first Paragraph p. 41. But if any could pretend to Infallibilty They will be found to have the best title to whom the Quakers would most unwillingly grant it For it is written Prov. 16.10 A Divine Sentence is in the Lip of the King and his Mouth transgresseth not in Judgment Why then does the Snake deny that best Title and not obey that Divine Sentence which confirmed the present Government Why would he flee the Judgment of a Mouth which transgresseth not in Judgment By fleeing and denying he loudly proclaims his unwillingness to grant it But as for us we do not unwillingly but readily grant That God is ready to supply Kings with Wisdom and Justice suitable to their High Station for the good of themselves and those they govern if they in humility will receive it But as with God there is no respect of persons so we do as readily grant That God by his Spirit does as infallibly teach the Governed in their private capacities all that is necessary to their Salvation if they will but attend and learn Ibid. p. 42. Do you think that the Quakers infallibility is limited to speaking only They can make an Infallible Judgment of Men's Hearts and tell who are Saints and who are Devils by very winks and glances At the first glance and so throughout this appears to be a very Lye for no Quaker hath so said But we do say that such who be in the Power and Life of Truth can discern between Saints and Devils for all true Spiritual Discerning is in the Holy Spirit Not but that there often are exteriour marks of inward wickedness Hence Gen. 4.5 When Cain was very wroth his Countenance fell Hence David saith Psal. 10.4 The wicked through the pride of his Countenance will not seek after God And the Prophet Isaiah chap. 3.9 The shew of their Countenance doth witness against them and in the 16th vers the Lord numbers up among the exterior marks of inward wickedness wanton Eyes mincing and tinkling with their Feet Yet these exterior infallible marks as they have been declared by God himself is in the language of this Profane Adversary p. 43. Dwindled down to a meer Gypsie a paultry Fortune-teller to nothing but a little skill in Physiognomy Reader Is it possible for one who so profanely ridicules both the Inward Discerning and the Outward Marks of Secret Iniquity to advance the great end of good Life and Conversation No such ridiculing is in direct opposition to them and is distructive to Exemplary Modesty how great soever his pretence may be of love to Souls I come now to his Fifth Head of Distinction of divers Stories of particular Failings which he brings in opposition to that Infallibility I have so largely spoken of which Plea the Snake says p. 48. leads us naturally into this sort of Redargution Though here as before he is altogether out For tho' to give a Man a Fall is it 's true a plain Conviction
so many Meetings and so great stir among theâ— For G. Keith was not so much as accused for Preaching any thing else but this But now Snake who mumblâ—â—â—â—istles was not he accused of very many Turbulent and Indecent Actions and Expressions as is at large seen in The State of the Case which I have above quoted and which the Snake also quotes with perversion as I have before shewn Snake p. 67. Here is a many forked and involved Infallibility one Meeting Justifying another Condemning G. Keith and all for the very same Doctrine Ibid. p. 68. This will not only overthrow the Infallibility in each particular Person but even of their Churches or Meetings That particular Persons may make Defection from the Guidings of the Spirit of Truth and may Apostatize from that Union and Fellowship which they had once with the Friends of it I have already largly shewn and what particulars may do Assemblies made up of such particulars may also do Floods and Parties as the Snake expresses it may Apostatize as well as particulars nay a whole Community may Apostatize and yet the Infallibility of the Guide of any one particular Person who continues Faithful and Obedient to the Holy Spirit remains firm and sure Thus 1 Cor. 10.4 The Apostle testifies of the Jews They all Drank the same spiritual Drink for they Drank of that Spiritual Rock that followed them and that Rock was Christ. Now this Rock could have as Infallibly preserved the whole Tribes of Israel from Egypt thro' the Wilderness to the promised Land had they been Obedient to it as it did Caleb and Joshua who were the only two of all the Thousands that left Egypt and entered in But further that Assemblies or Churches may Apostatize and Backslide the Holy Spirit is sufficient Warrant by the particular reproofs or cautions it gives to the seven Asiatick Churches mentioned Rev. 2.2 and 3. And sure the Snake will not be so hardy as to say that the Holy Spirit was able only to give Reproof and Caution suitable to their wants and defects but not to have preserved them blameless and to have guided them Infallibly in that way he appointed them to go Ibid. p. 68. Besides this first proof in Pensilvania there is yet another more express and positive called The Barbadoes Judgment c. And besides the detecting the Snake's false conclusion in that I have to say to this that according to his usual Injustice he herein makes use of an Adversary's Book Babel's Builders c. without taking notice of the Answer which was published to it Intituled A Babilonish Opposer of Truth reproved c. By S. C. I. P. and R. R. as he also passes over in Silence tho' mentioned in that Adversaries Book a Letter of G. â—'s and others writ to Barbadoes concerning this very thing wherein they are shewn their cause is not right that they had taken which Letter and the matter it relates to is fully spoken to in our Answer above mentioned wherein is also S. E's condemnation of his rashness in those words spoke by him to J. S. mentioned p. 125. foregoing Ibid. p. 69 70. I was told by one present at the Quaker Meeting at Ratcliff on Sunday the 17 th of February 1694 5 That Mr. Penn having Preached and after G. Keith rising up and expounding some Scripture in another manner than Mr. Penn had done Mr. Penn stop'd him and solemnly denounced these words against him In the Name of the Lord I pronounce him an Apostate over the Head of him Vpon which occasion I have these few Questions to ask Q. Whether this was a Sentence from Mr. Penn himself or from their Church Whether by an Ordinary Commission of Succession to Christ and the Apostles Whether by an Extraordinary Commission such as the Prophets and the Apostles had To the first W. Penn being in Unity with the Church declared this of one who had broken Unity by making defection from that term of Union which in time passed he had declared he was by the Light of Christ in him led to profess and believe Secondly All who are kept living by the Spirit of Truth in that bond of Union which that did at first lead into such have ordinary Commission therefrom to testifie against Apostates And this not by such falsly pretended Succession as the Papal Chair or others may pretend to from the Apostles But by succeeding in a measure of that same Light and Holy Spirit which they were in To the Last W. Penn tho' then knowing G. K. to have broken Union as is before expressed he might at that time in the Openings of the Spirit of Truth have a larger and fuller Sight of his Apostacy and so a Warrant to Declare it And for this there needed no new Credentials viz. Miracles it being no more than what hath been confirmed by those the Apostles wrought Ibid. p. 72. But for the present I only apply it to the point of their Church Authority over the Light within particular Persons their original and great pretence The Light within particular Persons is as much our Characteristick now as ever and we have no Church Authority over it or repugnant to it and that in the case of G. K. no such Authority was used Consider the following Lines G. Keith hath often Printed and Declared that he did believe and profess the same Doctrines and Principles of Faith with us and that he was led so to do only by the Light of Jesus Christ shining into his Heart Through and by which Light he did profess to have true union and fellowship with us and accordingly he so was denominated and distinguished Now the Light of Jesus Christ is not contrary to it self and if by the inshinings thereof and his obedience to it it was that G. K. did profess as above Then it naturally follows G. K's innovation to the contrary of what he hath so professed cannot proceed from that Light of Jesus Christ from which the above profession of Unity and Fellowship did Therefore to give Judgment against G. K. is not to give Judgment against the Light of Jesus Christ but agreeable to it even in G. Keith against himself The like is to be said of J. Story c. and others who have innovated and made defection as these did whose Works being bad the issue is the same with what Gamaliel shews Acts 5.28 They are come to naught And therefore after all the Boast which the Snake makes about Separation and Faction We may concerning all of them now declining and towards their end hope and have ground to believe that as many as are yet in a Spirit of Separation in whom are any true desires towards God for his guidance in the Truth such he will restore to the Fold they have strayed from And he will scatter them whose end is not his Honour agreeable to what the Psalmist said concerning the Wicked Psal. 37.36 He is gone I sought him but he could not be
Numerical Body that was the Natural for so the Natural and Spiritual Body are the same But suppose J. Faldo's relative It to hold I do utterly deny that this Text is concern'd in the Resurrection of Man's Carnal Body at all I will recite it with the 5 following verses as they are in our English Translation Here W. P. at length gives the 44 45 46 47 48 49. Verses which I omit for brevity and then continues I say this doth not concern the Resurrection of Carnal Bodies but the two States of Men under the first and second Adam Men are sown into the World Natural and so they are the Sons of the first Adam but they are raised Spiritually through him who is the Resurrection and the Life and so they are the Sons of the second Adam the Lord from Heaven a quickning Spirit The very words of the Apostle undeniably prove this to be the Scope How else could the first Adam's being made a living Soul and the second Adam a quickning Spirit be a pertinent Instance to prove Natural and Spiritual Bodies Upon which follows that the Natural was first that is the first Adam and then that which is Spiritual which is the second Adam the quickning Spirit the Lord from Heaven who came to raise up the Sons of the first Adam from their Dead to his Living from their Natural to his Spiritual Estate But perhaps it will be objected that the 47. v. The first Man is of the Earth Earthly And part of the 49. v. We shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly Seem to imply a Bodily Resurrection but let the whole verses be considered and we shall find no such thing The first Man is of the Earth Earthly the second Man is the Lord from Heaven Who sees not that this is rather spoken of earthly Mindedness than of the earthly Body of Adam It was mentioned to shew the great Disparity p. 371. that is between the Nature and Qualification of the first and second Adam The following verses puts this Interpretation out of doubt As is the Earthly such are they that are Earthly and as is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly For those words We shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly I cannot see how they should relate to the Resurrection of the Carnal Bodies of Men for the Image of the Heavenly is a renewed State to God through the Operation of the Spirit and Power of Christ The first part of the verse clears it And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall or rather let us bear the Image of the Heavenly as Ambrose and Theophylact read it and 6. or 7. Copies besides have it which is as much as to say As we having born the Image of the God of this World by becoming his Children so may we bear the Image of the true and living God by being redeemed from a vain Conversation having our Consciences sprinkled from dead works and being born again of the Incorruptible Seed by the Word of God which lives and abides for ever Thus far W. Penn both with respect to the Resurrection of Carnal Bodies and in his Defence of his Interpretation of the 1 Cor. 15. to all which he adds from p. 374. to 380. some Testimonies from H. Moore T. Collier Farellus H. Hammond and Jerome were not all these Members of the Catholick Church against the Gross conceit of his Opponents of a Carnal Resurrection To which I may subjoyn that what efforts so ever our Enemies shall make against us concerning the Identity or Numericalness of Bodies in the Resurrection with those of Flesh and Bone which we lay in the Grave We shall content our selves with answering them not in the modes of Philosophy but in the Language of Holy Writ and esteem it our Duty as well as Wisdom in a Question so Mysterious not to be wise above what is Written And when our Adversaries can produce any farther declaration herein which they shall prove to be of equal Authority with what is so already declared we will not be backward in our hearty acknowledgement of it Snake p. 162. When I urged to a Quaker-Preacher towards a proof of the Resurrection of Bodies That Text Matth. 27.52 53. He made Answer that that was not meant of the Litteral or Earthly Jerusalem that any Dead Body arose there But of the Spiritual Jerusalem which John saw coming down from Heaven And others told me they heard the same exposition in a Quaker Sermon at one of their Meetings That any Quaker-Preacher so acknowledged by us did so tell the Snake I find cause not to believe on his bare word knowing his readiness both to pervert words rightly spoken and to tell false Stories of things that never were as is before shewn And what others told him we are little concern'd for but if it may be worth his while to produce better proofs and be more clear in his Charge he will not want an Answer Ibid. p. 162. Here we have Spiritual Graves Spiritual Dead Bodies Spiritual Jerusalems Spiritual Resurrection and Spiritual Christ whenever any Text pinches them Pray what Text pincht the Prophet when speaking from the Lord Ezek. 37.13 14. Ye shall know that I am the Lord when I have opened your Graves O my People and brought you up out of your Graves and put my Spirit within you c. Did any Text pinch our Saviour When he bid his Disciple Matth. 8.22 Follow me and let the Dead Bury their Dead Or the Apostle Eph. 2.5 6. Even when we were Dead in Sins hath quickned us together with Christ by Grace ye are saved and hath raised us up together and made us sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus Nor was John the Divine more pincht when in the Apocalyps he saith 3.12 The Name of the City of my God which is New Jerusalem which cometh down out of Heaven from my God Thus would I be large herein I am not pinch'd for Examples which do abundantly shew that Sin and Iniquity hath been term'd a Grave and they who are securely a sleep herein have been accounted Dead and when they have witnessed the Power of God to break that false security they have seen that Grave and Death they were in and many in this State have cried to God that he would make them partakers of his Resurrection from their Sin and Death which came by it God in Mercy and great Compassion hath heard and answered and hath raised and is raising many who through the Spiritual Power of Christ in them are measurably made to sit together in Heavenly places in Christ Jesus This without being pinch'd we freely own before God and Men and do as freely own that there are in Scripture spoken of Outward Graves and Dead Bodies an Outward Jerusalem and a Resurrection of Bodies to General Judgment and that Christ hath a Body glorified in Heaven yet is Spiritually in his People Ibid. p. 163. These
the Papists print her answers and particularly Her Apology which was published 1617. From which it will be necessary to give briefly as I can her Answers to some of the Papists Charges afore-mentioned For it would take me up too much room and time to transcribe the Answers to them all tho' they are all well worth reading The Apology is writ in Latin and divided into 61 several Articles or Answers I shall give it as it is in the Book it self and then render it in English In doing of which if I hurt not the sense I desire of my Reader that less faults may be overlook'd The first Answer that I shall transcribe is to that Charge and Objection of the Romanists that they had Contention and Division among themselves And is in these words Eant ergo sane pacem potiùs inter suos domi sanciant Vnitas quidem consensio maximè convenit Religioni Non tamen est ea propria nota Ecclesiae Dei. Summa Enim erat consentio inter eos qui adorabant Aureum vitulum inter eos qui conjunctis vocibus in Servatorem Nostrum Jesum Christum clamabant crucifige Neque quia Corinthii Dissensionibus inter se laborabant aut quia Paulus à Petro aut Barnabas â Paulo aut Christiani Statim sub ipsis initiis Evangelii aliqua de re à se mutuò dissidebant idcirco nulla erat inter eos Ecclesia Dei Illi quidem quos isti contumeliae causà appellant Zuinglianos Lutheranos re autem verâ sunt utrique Christiani inter se amici ac fratres Non de principiis aut fundamentis Religionis nostrae non de Deo non de Christo non de Spiritu Sancto non de ratione Justificationis non de aeterna vita tantum de una nec ea ita gravi aut magna quaestione inter se dissentiunt Nec desperamus vel potiùs non dubitamus brevi fore concordiam et si qui sunt qui aliter sentiant quam par est positis aliquando affectionibus nominibus Deum id illis esse Patefacturum ut re melius animadversâ atque exploratâ quod olim in Calcedonensi Concilio factum est omnes dissentionum causae fibrae ab ipsis radicibus extirpentur 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sepeliantur Sempiterna Amen Let them rather therefore go and establish Peace among themselves For in the forgoing Article is objected the variety of Dissentions amongst the Papists in their several orders Unity and Agreement is indeed most seemly in Religion yet it is not a certain and proper Mark of the Church of God For among those who worshipped the Golden Calf and among those who with conjoined Voices cried out against our Saviour Jesus Christ Crucifie him there was greatest agreement and accord Neither because the Corinthians laboured under Dissentions among themselves or because Paul from Peter or Barnabas from Paul or that under the very beginnings of the Gospel the Christians did in some things differ among themselves Was there therefore among them no Church of God Truly those who they in reproach and taunt call Zuinglians and Lutherans are really both Christians and among themselves Friends and Brethren For not concerning Principles or the Fundamentals of our Religion not concerning God or Jesus Christ or the Holy Spirit not concerning the reason of Justification and Eternal Life Only concerning one and that not weighty or great Question Do they differ among themselves Neither do we despair but rather doubt not that that shortly will be agreed And if there are who think otherwise than is equal which sometimes hath its foundation in Names and Affections God will make it manifest to them that the thing may be better considered and more certainly known which was sometime done in the Council of Calcedon where were extirpated all Dissentions from their roots and causes and buried in a perpetual Oblivion Amen Upon which it may not be amiss to ask the Snake what certain proofs he can give that the Divisions since such there were or to use his own words the various Sects which were sown and set up about the middle of the last Century were not sown and set up by Rome And that these about the middle of this Century were It also will be proper for him to shew why the Church's Answer concerning Dissension does not suit us in answer to him as it did Her in answer to Rome For it is no proof barely to affirm as he does p. 187. Of this many Instances may be given and Proofs undeniable I say this is no Proof and any further he does not offer for he hath not given one of the many Instances of which he with great assurance says they are Proofs undeniable He expected surely that his Reader should take his Ipse dixit and ask no further Proof But that knowing it as I do in this as in many other particulars to be false and Scandalous I do therefore so far as his Assertion relates to us viz. That the Quakers were sown and set up by Rome deny his Charge and require him to prove it by the best Instances which he can which when he shall offer if we cannot disprove them I shall be content to say with him That Romish Emissaries did set up Quakerism in England But till then it must be accounted for one of his Falshoods Ibid. p. 187. Enthusiasm when it is a Delusion or falsly pretended is the surest means to overthrow all Church-Government and Order and all Sobriety of Religion for it is no less than Blasphemy falsly to pretend to extraordinary Inspirations from God Enthusiasm or Inspiration falsly pretended is all this But what is that to the purpose The Question is not now what Enthusiasm falsly pretended is But whether that Enthusiasm or Divine Inspiration of which we speak be false If the Snake prove not that which he can never he does but Plough the Air or strive to make Ropes of Sand. His attempts are foolish as well as false because that whatsoever Enthusiasm falsly pretended may be yet the Inspirations of the Holy Spirit of God which is the Enthusiasm that we own and profess does at this day as in all the Ages of the World first beget a People to be the Church of God and having so begotten them does lead them into such Order and Sobriety as does become that Holy Religion which it teaches Ibid. p. 188. And this Doctrine of Enthusiasm came chiefly from the Church of Rome Labade a Jesuit set it up in Holland and Robert Barclay the Quaker was tinctured with it in his younger Years in the Stotch Convent at Paris and John Vaughton was a Roman Catholick who is now a great Preacher among the Quakers in London and William Southby a Preacher now among them in Pensilvania As particular and positive as the Snake here is concerning the place from whence Enthusiasm came and who set it up in Holland
above-mentioned p. 45. made a Quotation from T. E's Further Discovery p. 99. thus In comparing the Books of Friends to the Books of them called the Greek and Latin Fathers He has not done as a Friend and Brother but as an Enemy in supposing Friends Books to have been written by no better Guidance or clearer Sight than theirs who lived and wrote in those dark Times Upon this G. K. remark'd to his Auditory You see how modest they are here At this Remark G. K. says his Auditors gave a Shout signifying as he says Their dislike that the Quakers Books should be preferred so far to the Greek and Latin Fathers next to the Days of the Apostles To all this T. Ellwood in his Answer to G. K's Narrative as above in p. 177 178. replies One might wonder here at the cause of his Auditors Shouting For such of them as could understand what was meant by Greek and Latin Fathers one might expect should be Men of greater Wisdom and Gravity than to Shout in such Assemblies and for the Vndiscerning Mobb it was a subject so much above their Capacity and Pretences that it cannot be supposed they should Shout at that if they had not been excited thereunto by some little Antick Gesticulation from him But to the matter They shouted he says signifying their dislike that the Quakers Books should be prefer'd so far to the Greek and Latin Fathers next to the days of the Apostles These are not my words I did not refer to the Times next to the days of the Apostles But my words were Who lived and writ in those Dark Times Must those Dark Times needs be next to the Days of the Apostles See what an unfair stretch is this Thus T. Ellwood And yet as unfair as G. K's stretch was the Snake has stretch'd beyond him and pronounces They the Quakers run them down by wholesale But whether it be so or not I leave with the sober Reader to judge and shall observe by the way that how jealously tender soever he is of the names of them he calls Ancient and Holy Fathers Yet Bishop Jewel being prest with some Authorities brought from them by his Opponent Harding the Jesuit makes no scruple to do what this Snake calls run them down by wholesake for applying to his Reader he says That Doctors in all Ages and in all parts of the World were brought against him And the Bishop then queries Who would not be afraid to see such an Army come against him Howbeit gentle Reader be of good Cheer all this is but a Camisado These be but Vizards they be no Faces they are brought in like Mummers for a Shew and say nothing Jewel against Harding p. 6. Printed 1566. What will the Snake think of the light Character given of Doctors in all Ages and in all parts of the World And were it proper in this place I could add plenty of Instances that many of the Reform'd have made so bold with those this Snake calls Ancient and Holy Fathers as to run them down If to discover their Errors and slight their Authority as incompetent when offered in Contradiction to the Holy Scriptures and the Holy Spirit which gave them forth be so Ibid. p. 194. But now what Quarters shall we have If the Snake ask for himself the answer is ready if it be such as he deserves it will be none of the best For one who tells Lyes for Bread and can pawn all the pretences of Religion upon the Score of Malice and base Design may easily guess what value is to be put upon such an Undertaking Ibid. p. 194. How shall we be able to stand before them It is a Question the Snake may well ask concerning himself after so many Injuries of divers sorts and so great Injustice as he is guilty of towards us the weight of which may well be some pressure upon a Spirit that is at all on this side Obduration Ibid. They damn us all together to Hell i. e. all Christians It is false we Damn none no not the Snake much less all Christians Ibid. But they are more favourable to the Heathen whom they think Worshippers of the same Light with them and not led to Outward Things by the Belief of an Outward Christ and Faith in his outward Sufferings Death c. This Snake has an unusual degree of Impudence for he is not contented only to suborn our Books and pervert our Words and forge Lyes but he does bely our very Thoughts and say we Think what we never declared we did Think For we have never declared That the Heathens indefinitely speaking were obedient to the Light of Jesus Christ But we have often said according to the Apostle Acts 10.35 In every Nation he who feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted of him And concerning the Heathen in particular with the Apostle Rom. 2.14 15. For when the Gentiles which have not the Law do by nature the things contained in the Law these having not the Law are a Law unto themselves Which sheweth the work of the Law written in the Heart And of such Heathens who do thus shew forth the Work of the Law written in their Hearts we may say when considered and compared with meer Nominal Christians who have not known the Inward Vertue of what they believe Christ did Outwardly Suffer as our Saviour did say concerning the Pharisee and the Publican Luke 18.14 I tell you this Man departed to his house justified rather than the other For a Man may have a Historical Faith of all the Outward Things which are recorded in Holy Writ that Christ did and suffered Yet through disobedience to the Holy Spirit which Reproveth for Sin John 16.18 he may never know that Faith begotten in him which gives victory over the World Yet hence it 's not to be concluded that such who are obedient to the Holy Spirit in its Reproofs for Sin do therefore slight much less disbelieve any part of what Christ outwardly did and suffered No they cannot but must and do highly value and esteem It knowing the Benefits that we receive by it and do bless God that it is our Lots to have the means of the Knowledge of what Christ did outwardly do So that the Snake is most injuriously Abusive in his false Insinuations to the contrary The Snake now turns again to G. F's Great Mystery from whence not unlike the Quacks of the Town who of their pretended Panacea's boast they will cure all Diseases he pretends to fetch proofs for every Charge tho' contradictory to themselves but how falsly I have at least in some measure shewn As that the Quakers at first setting up pretended to be equal and of the same substance with God And it must also prove that the Quakers now abated from that and do now only claim to be Infallible as Prophets and Apostles Again Great Mystery must prove that there was a time when there was no God p. 122. And also that not the
Parliament deviated and thereby Justifies the Committee of Safety against the Parliament And so every thing that is uppermost to the end of the Chapter They too have stumbled upon the Doctrine of Success No such matter we have not so stumbled for tho' we know that God can and will bring his own works to pass and he will cause to succeed that Work which he doth appoint Yet every matter which doth succeed according to the desire of those who are Instrumental in the accomplishing of it is not therefore approved of God As to the Deviating of the King I need not trouble my self to say more than what his Son King Charles the Second hath declared in his Declaration from Dunfirmling before quoted p. 327. viz. Sect. 2. Tho' his Majesty as a Dutiful Son be obliged to Honour the Memory of his Royal Father and have in Estimation the Person of his Mother Yet doth he desire to be deeply humbled and afflicted in Spirit before God because of his Father's hearkning to and following Evil Councels and his Opposition to the work of Reformation and to the Solemn League and Covenant by which so much of the Blood of the Lord's People hath been shed in these Kingdoms c. Now if the Snake will answer this Declaration and shew that the King did not Deviate I shall not engage to reply to it no more than the Snake would to those Tracts of the Royallists which do affirm that that Parliament deviated As they are Questions which concern us not in our private Capacities so I shall not pretend to meddle in them further than under the good Authority of what is given under the Hand of a King as is the Testimony above And in this I had been wholly silent had not the necessity of shewing that the Snake had no cause to Cavil and Misrepresent Francis Howgill for using the word Deviate while there was such publick Allegations of it For with respect to States and the unhappy differences which have sometimes happened in them we do continue to say with Edward Burroughs as before quoted Neither are we for one Party or another nor do we side with one sort and rebel against another neither do we joyn our selves to this sort or the other nor do we War against any by Carnal Weapons neither shall we over provoke the Nation against us otherwise than by our Righteous and Holy Walking c. But now we come to a very Grievous Charge which the Snake in his Romantick Method calls p. 219. A formal Association the Quaker Solemn League and Covenant wherein they bind themselves under their Hands their Lives and Estates to Extirpate the Church and the Laws and Government which support it c. Which most Scandalous and Impudent Assertion will vanish when I shall have Informed my Reader both of the Nature of that which he so Intitles and the Ground and Occasion of it which are briefly these In the Year 1659 the then Parliament had among other things under their Debate The Maintenance of Church-Ministers And upon this occasion there were different Endeavours of the People in this Question according to their different Liking and Belief by Petitioning by Remonstrating or otherwise for it being a Question then handled de novo as to the manner of their Maintenance it appears each side did suppose they had an equal Right to express their Sense of the Matter and to endeavour their ease and safety in the Conclusion of it And when for this purpose the Clergy c. found themselves so nearly concern'd as to procure and send up Petitions in the Name of Six Thousand or more to pray The Parliaments Establishment of Tythes and had thus lead the way by Solemn League and Covenant into a Formal Association as the Snake will have it then others found it their Season to Remonstrate the contrary and to shew that great Spoil and Havock that had been made by the Clergy upon their Conscientious Neighbours and particularly by Means of an Act which they had before obtain'd for the Recovering of Treble-Damages for they love an abundance upon the Refusers of them And under that grievous Oppression the Women who did find themselves included in their several Capacities did speak their Sentiments of the Matter then in Question Some might be sensible of the Oppression in their own Persons others as Wives of those who did so and some as the Children of Parents whose Estates were impaired by that means and as Sufferers they from their several Counties did send to the Parliament And if a Petition from Six Thousand or more Men might then be offer'd as Reason why that Parliament should determine the Question to their Sense Pray why might not the like be offer'd from Seven Thousand or more Women shewing their past Grievous Sufferings which they or some of them had lain under and therefore desire that the Question might be determin'd to their future ease This Reader is what the Snake calls a Solemn League and Covenant but that it 's vastly differing in Nature from that which his Country afforded the fore-going brief Account does truly shew And as it was no such Association as this Adversary doth falsly Suggest so neither was it in its Nature or Terms binding under their Hands Lives and Estates to Extirpate the Church and the Laws and the Government c. For while a Question is yet undetermin'd and is under the Cognisance of Superiours as this then was I cannot see that they who Petition against it do more bind themselves Lives and Estates to Extirpate the Laws c. than they who Petition that that might be Enacted viz. the Establishment of Tythes which was then a Question whether it should be so or not But that these Papers Subscribed by the Women were an Association for the Extirpating of the Government the Snake gives himself the Lye because they were delivered to those whom I doubt not he will acknowledge were Vsurpers And he hath said as I have observed P. 326. fore-going that we Joined with all the Vsurpations from our first Rise And I think they give no great mark of Joyning with a Usurpation who bind themselves under their Hands Lives and Estates to Extirpate it Yet thus Contradictory is the Snake Ibid. P. 220. They Exult That Strafford 's Head was cut off and Canterbury 's and Charles Stuart 's as Traytors for endeavouring to Subvert the Fundamental Laws For these and many more Scraps pick'd here and there a Line he quotes The West Answering the North Printed 1657. But that there is no such Exulting as the Snake does Suggest will soon appear both from the Form and Occasion of the Words First to the Occasion This Book West Answering the North was Writ to lay open the Illegal Practices and Grievous Persecutions which some then in Authority did do and use against many of our Friends in the Counties of Cornwal and Devonshire which was by the way no Mark of Joyning with them as
is the Change the Snake speaks of who says that we did Change just as the times did Change Why indeed there is no such thing For to all the Governments since we have been a People our Endeavours towards them in much Truth and Fidelity have been that they would Rule for God and his Truth and not impose any thing upon the Consciences of Men. Thus the Long Parliament 1652. was warned in their Day not to persecute they not harkning their Power was taken from them Thus the Council of State 1653. was warned but hearkned not and the Oppression was very great Thus the Little Parliament in the same Year was warn'd but they received from the Priests Petitions against us whereby Bondage and Oppression continued but They ended Thus Oliver Cromwell who in the same Year was made Protector and instead of removing Persecution he caused new Acts to be made to persecute by of which he also was then warned His Second Parliament call'd in 1654. were also warned but they going on in the same Road of Persecution were soon stop'd and laid by His Third Parliament in 1657. they also made Laws for Persecution of which they also were admonished but they rejected and they also were laid by Thus also Richard Cromwell who in 1658. was made Protector was also warned but no Redress ensued for he as those that went before him harkned to the Numerous Petitions of the then Priesthood for the enslaving of Conscience His Parliament in 1659. continued the same Course were warn'd but not hearkning they were broken In the same Year succeeded the Long Parliament who according to their very great Pretences for Liberty of Conscience did set some free who were in great Sufferings for their Consciences towards God but they continued not herein of which they were warn'd and laid by In the same Year the Army and Council of State set up but they not receiving nor hearkning to the just desire of Freedom in matters of Conscience towards God were laid by In the same Year the Long Parliament had another day but the Fury of Oppression being exalted among them of which they being warn'd and not hearkning they were finally overthrown Lastly the Secluded Members who brought on the Restauration of the King as also the King and his Parliament were timely admonished the first instance of which was the Declaration lately spoken of But here Reader it may be fit to remark to thee that under all the several Changes before-mentioned the Sufferings which our Friends underwent in Name Person and Estate were very Great for our Religious Meetings and our Conscientious Obedience to God who hath called Us to be a People which Sufferings might have been prevented could we have joined with them as the Snake hath falsly said we did But that we neither did nor could do but were under all of them a suffering People who neither were for one Party or another nor sided with one Sort or another nor rebell'd against any being brought out of Warring with Carnal Weapons to witness the Work of the Gospel of Peace in which the Ground of all outward Wars is taken away But to return to the Declaration above spoken of the Snake says p. 225. that there was great Opposition to the first Draught of it because of the words Loyal Subjects And the Opposition to these words he affirms to have been grounded upon the Conscienciousness of some then present that they the Quakers had not been True and Faithful which is a Gross Falshood First from the Terms of the Declaration it self for the Expressions in that of Truth and Faithfulness are at least equally significant and expressive with the word Loyal which word it is possible might be opposed as a new way of expressing our Constant Practice under all Governments But if the word Loyal was opposed from a Consciousness to the contrary it may not be amiss for the Snake to procure from his Informer who at the time of the Drawing of this Declaration did declare himself to be one of the People called Quakers some Testimonial that he the said Informant whilst called a Quaker and owned by that People as such was conscious to himself of Vntruth and Vnfaithfulness to the King or any of the former Governments and give some Instances to corroborate that Testimonial and then it may be allowed a degree of Credit in proportion to its Truth But the Snake comes off from this contending for the word Loyal and in page 226. declares This contest about the word Loyalty was perfectly needless since they suffer'd the words which I have quoted to stand viz. Truth and Fidelity to the King for these imply all that Loyalty can mean If the Contest about the word was needless so also was the Snake's Long Observation of near two pages upon it more especially when it is considered that he hath beat down all that he said before For here he acknowledges that the words Truth and Fidelity mean all that Loyalty can Very well but then it is to be consider'd that had E. Billing whom the Snake says was one of open Sincerity and Courage or others who opposed the word Loyal known that themselves with the People called Quakers had not been True and Faithful which the Snake says is all that Loyalty can mean they ought as much to have opposed them as this And had this been the cause why the word Loyalty was refused by E. Billing it could not consist with the Character which the Snake gives him of open Sincerity and Courage to have accepted the words Truth and Fidelity So that let the matter be which it will the Snake must still be a Liar But he goes on in the same page and says They the Quakers had the Face to upbraid others for their Changing and Trimming Hear the words of their Declaration that before mentioned p. 6. And those Priests turn'd to every Power and every Government as it turned and made Petitions and Addresses and Acknowledgments to every Change of Government what follows the Snake had the face to leave out and conform'd to every Power and shewed much Love and Zeal to every Present Power for their own ends tho' many of them were Instruments to throw others out Yet through their Deceit and Subtilties have kept themselves in in all these Times and Changes Now let any Honest Hearted People Judge c. This Conforming Deceit and Subtilty which was objected to those Priests the Snake had the Face to leave out least it should seem too sharp a Lampoon upon them But this the Priests who were then in being could neither discharge themselves from nor lay it upon the Quakers though there was opportunity enough favourable for such an undertaking could they have prov'd it But to go on the Snake says and quotes from p. 8. They the Quakers tell the King False Dealing we do utterly deny and speak the Truth in Plainness and Singleness of Heart But tho' he was willing so much shou'd
done but Ironically as the Snake says and that they did not mean what they said in their Address The Snake instead of doing them a kindness by endeavouring so to bring them off hath given the Reader cause to suspect that those Priests when they did so Solemnly Promise and Engage if they did not mean one word of what they then spoke they were as well guilty of deep Hypocrisie as of Soothing and Flattery Ibid. p. 233. They the Quakers represent to him the King that the Professors could not be good Subjects to him because that in his Exile some of them call'd him only the King of the Scots E. Burroughs 's Works p. 762. Edw. Burroughs or any of the Quakers had great cause to represent to the King that those Professors who only for and because of our difference in Judgment and Practice concerning Spiritual things did Murder and most Barbarously use some of our Friends in New-England could not be good Subjects Nor can any be good Subjects to a Government who for such cause endeavour to raise Persecution disturb the publick Peace and raise Jealousies and Evil Surmisings whereby all Civil Prosperity is overthrown and this had then been the practice of the New-Englanders among themselves and for their own excuse and colour of their wicked Practices they did send over a Petition and Address from the General Court at Boston Anno. 1660. In answer to which E. B. writ a piece intituled Some Considerations which was presented to the King In which among other things to shew the changeableness of the Petitioners who in that Petition stiled him High and Mighty Prince and Dread Soveraign He gives an Instance well known to him of a Letter from Boston subscribed by some of these same Petitioners wherein it was said There is more danger in these Quakers to trouble and overcome England than in the King of Scots and all the Popish Princes in Germany Of these it is E. B. did shew they were Changable As for the Snake's Charge of Bloody and Diabolical Invectives against the King by E. B. for which he refers to what he hath said before I have already answer'd it in the order which it's first quoted in and therefore judge it needless to repeat my Answer to him here either in this or those many other Instances in which he does but repeat to shew the Strength of his Malice what he has said before Of this sort are the many little scraps of perverted Quotations about which he spends near two Pages to endeavour to prove concerning E. B. That all his Fighting was chiefly against the King But that E. B. was not a Man of a Fighting Principle it may for Conclusion to what I may say of him on this head be proper to give a Testimony from himself It is in his Standard lifted up c. printed 1658. p. 28. Again all Kings Princes Rulers and People whatsoever know ye assuredly that we are not Enemies against but Friends unto all Civil Government and to all Just and Righteous Orders and Decrees and wholesome Laws and Customs of any Common Wealth and no way no not by the Sword are we destructive to or destroyers of the Peace and Welfare and wholesome Laws which are according to God of any Nation whatsoever But are preservers of the Peace of all People and wait in Patience for the establishment of Justice and true Judgment and that Righteousness may spring forth and the Government of all Nations may be according to the Law of God Neither are we such who make void the just Government of any Nation or City neither are we such who through evil purposes Plot Conspire or Contrive Evil in our Hearts against any Governors or Government whatsoever but wish Peace and Truth and the fear of the Lord unto all Men and Nations and desire not the overthrow or evil to any People or their Government but are Subject to just Government every where by Obedience to it and Subject to evil Government by Suffering in Patience under it and for that cause we Suffer patiently under our Enemies Thus E. B. This Principle vouch'd by an agreeable Practice in E. Burroughs F. Howgil G. Bishop and all others who were truly Quakers did occasion a Letter to the Parliament of England An. 1653. wherein is set forth a brief Account of the Sufferings of our Friends at that time And there in p. 8. it is Testified by the Author Anthony Pearson concerning the Quakers at that Day They are says he above all others I know it Innocent Harmless Peaceable they Dispute not Authority with any Man nor Question Forms of Government nor trouble their Heads what becomes of the World but as Strangers and Pilgrims they have their Conversation on the Earth wandring to and fro seeking another City c. This Testimony as it was given to the then Parliament so had the above relation concerning the Quakers been false it had been easie to have Detected it and shewn the contrary I could heap up Instances on this Head from our Friends would I be tedious but I choose Brevity where Truth easily appears Wherefore I shall here only add the following Testimonies of our Early Peaceable Obedience to Magistracy and Government The first is from James Parnel in his Book Entituled A Shield of Truth c. Printed 1655. p. 18. We own it Magistracy and Government in its place for while the Devil hath Power over Man there will be Transgression For this end was the Law given forth to Curb Evil Doers and to Preserve and Encourage them that do well And all Magistrates who Fear God and hate Covetousness and are guided by the Light of God in the Conscience and executes the Law in its place and this we Own and Honour and are Subject to for Conscience sake The next is in the same Year 1655. from James Naylor in his Book Entituled A Fool Answered according to his Folly written as the former of Ja. P's was In Answer to the Charges of our Enemies among which one was The Magistrates to you are no Magistrates viz. the Magistrates during the Vsurpation which by the way I would desire the Reader to observe is yet some Testimony for us against the direct contrary Charge of the Snake who says we joined with them To this J. N. Answers p. 12. Magistrates we own and the Power of God who bear the Sword of God which is a Terror to the Evil Doers and is to be laid upon the Offenders Ordained of God for that purpose and to this Ordinance for Conscience sake we are subject Thus Reader thou hast here some Testimonies both against Fighting and of our Subjection to Magistracy during those Years from which the Snake falsly Suggests the contrary and with these do concur those Testimonies which the Snake Cites out of the Declaration of our Friends An. 1660. and in the Quakers Plea 1661. And all of them are no more nor less than we have held and practised ever since
if he did not reckon them any part of her ten pound Estate he might if he had sold them somewhat encreased that Ibid. p. 277. Nihil Dicit is Confessing of Judgment c. Supposing Nihil Dicit to be Confessing of Judgment yet that is not our Case we have been far from saying nothing for we have replyed I think to all that Bugg hath writ against us at least while he pretended to bring a Stock of new Charges and so Contentious a Man deserves not to be hearkned to or answered only for his noise sake But now to Nihil Dicit which the Snake says is Confessing of Judgment Sure he unluckily forgot the Suspicions he lay under to which he never yet dare appear to make answer so that Nihil Dicit is Confessing of Judgment Ibid. If they could prove Tythes to be Abrogated by Christ then indeed Bugg 's Impeachment would appear to be Malicious Very well I am contented to put it to that Issue because they have not only been proved heretofore to be abrogated by Christ in the Writings of several of our Friends but herein also as I take it it is fully proved that Christ by coming in the Flesh and offering up himself hath abrogated Tythes And that confirmed by Scripture Reason and Authorities Ibid. It is no Objection that Quakerism has not been voted in St. Stephen 's Chappel as bad things have c. What he means by Quakerism being voted in St. Stephen 's Chappel may seem doubtful yet that the Parliament have given us a Christian Liberty we are truly thankful tho I question not but this Malicious Abdicated Priest is sorry for it But why Snake that scurvy and saucy flurt upon the House of Commons as bad things have Can't the Parliament escape the Lash of this Lurking Snake who by the base treatment he has given to the Reformation in England from Popery and also to the present Government seems to intimate both these to be some of the bad things he flurtingly means to have been voted in St. Stephen 's Chappel This brings me to the end of this Section of Tythes SECT XVIII Shewing that the Pretensions of the Present Quakers as of the Former to the Spirit of Prophecy Infallibility c. is according to and agreeable with the Scriptures of Truth THe Snake that he may encrease the Bulk tho' not the Weight of his Charge does in a Multiform manner repeat the same thing We have before had one Section and that not a very short one Concerning the Quakers Infallibility and another Section Concerning the Quakers Pretence to Immediate Revelation And in both these are included this Section Entituled The Pretensions of the Quakers to the Spirit of Prophecy Infallibility c. In almost every particular Instance which he has here mentioned so that to be distinct and particular in this to all the Parts of it were but to say the same thing over again which would be equally unnecessary both for my self and Reader But if in my way through it I meet with any thing new and not answered before I shall not willingly escape it or pass it over The three first pages and it hath but seven are near all taken up in quibling and foolish unprov'd Reflections not worth a Confutation when they are not dress'd in a false shew of Reasons Garb and then only for this Cause that by Derecting an Enemies false Reasoning he may not be able to deceive or impose upon his Readers which this Snake doth frequently endeavour both by false Relations of fact by false Quotations from our Books by gross known Perversions of our Words and giving meanings to them which were never ours and also by boldly affirming of things utterly false As where he says p. 280. Our present Obstinate Quakers refuse to be brought to disown their own False Prophets We have not refused to Disown and Testifie against any who have spoken falsly in the Name of the Lord No but have according to the Examples of like kind recorded in Holy Writ denied them of which I have already in the Section concerning Infallibility given some instances Ibid. But do still fearlesly go on and pretend themselves to the same Extraordinary Commission of Immediate Divine Revelation That Divine and Immedate Revelation to which we do pretend is no other than that which is declared and held forth in the Scriptures of Truth as I have already shewn Section IV. and which the Snake does acknowledge p. 27 28. In some sense they may be called Revelations and Immediate too And as to Extraordinary Commissions or the Special Manifestations of God to his Children in the Higher Degrees of Immediate Revelation those which we own are not repugnant to the Scriptures but are consistent and agreeable therewith as I have there more largely shewn to which I shall only add that God hath not in the Scriptures of Truth declared or bound himself that he would not any more manifest himself to Men in such special Manifestations or extraordinary Commissions which it is recorded he did give to his Ministers in the breaking forth of the Gospel Dispensation Nay on the contrary the Apostle Peter shewing the People what was the Dispensation of God to Men in the Gospel-day Acts 2.17 18. he saith having reference to the Prophecy of Joel 2.28 And it shall come to pass in the last days saith God I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh and your Sons and your Daughters shall Prophesie and your Young Men shall see Visions and your Old Men shall dream Dreams And on my Servants and on my Handmaidens I will pour out in those days of my Spirit and they shall Prophesie Are not Etraordinary Commissions herein promised I think there be so that there is not any uncertainty or doubt to know whether such Commissions may be or not Which though the Snake wou'd suggest yet he dare not undertake to prove And therefore chuses to oppose the Spirit of Prophecy in the Servants of God at this day by saying they affix God's Seal Thus saith the Lord to whatever their Rage their Malice or Folly shall suggest This is to affirm but not to prove and unless it be proved it deserves not be believed Ibid. This is nothing short of Blasphemy Rank Wild Blasphemy To affix Thus saith the Lord to Rage Malice or Folly it is indeed as the Snake says nothing short of Rank Blasphemy But that the Quakers do affix Thus saith the Lord to Rage Malice or Folly is nothing short of Rank Lying in the Snake to affirm unless he can prove it It is no Objection to give particular Instances of some that have been called Quakers and have spoken falsly in the Name of the Lord and thence conclude and say therefore none of the Quakers speak truly in the Name of the Lord. For by such undue Inference all the True Prophesies in the Old and New Testament are at once denied and refused as not from the Lord because some
Understanding and so the Disputer was raised to Life and that which was for Condemnation having darkned the Light of the Sun form'd it self in the shape of the True Light and so Deceit got the Power and led out of the true Obedience in things before related by which the Simple be-became exceedingly deceived But when he was restored by the Clear Light of Life being guided in that Obedience which was professed by those People among whom he was being the Quakers and his Witness Here is a Clear Testimony that the Truth and Light professed by the Quakers leads out of the Works of the Flesh to worship God in Spirit and in Truth And that by this J. Toldervy's Understanding was opened What hinder'd then that the Work of Regeneration did not go on in him Why they say that he being of a hasty and forward Mind it was in part a Covenant of his own which raised a Fiery Zeal by which he lost his Vnderstanding and thereby the Sun was darkned a very natural consequence of that Covenant which was his own and not of the Spirit of God and here it was that that which was for condemnation formed it self in the shape as they express it of the True Light And thus indeed the Enemy of Man the Devil works in a Mystery to drive Men to make Covenants in their own Wills for their Regeneration which as they can never last so according to the various Disposition of the Person so Covenanting are the extreams which they run into Thus they acknowledge in direct opposition to the Snake that that Deceit which was in J. Toldervy was so far from encouraging him in the Principles of Quakerism that it did lead him out of the True Obedience to that Prinliple which they say he learned from the Quakers Ibid. p. 291. He made a sort of a half Vindication and half Recantation not of the matters of Fact of his aforesaid Delusions for these were undeniable but to free the Quakers from the Imputation and Scandal of them and to clear himself to have been and still continue a true Quaker which makes the Cause much worse on their side Supposing John Toldervy did endeavour to clear himself to have been and still continue a true Quaker at a time and in things wherein we had by Word and Writing denied him I pray how shall that make the Cause much worse on our side any more than it makes bad of the side of the Church of England because the Snake a former Scandalous Member does pretend to have been and still continue a True Member in her Communion But to proceed the Snake is here forc'd to acknowledge that J. Toldervy did free the Quakers from the Imputation and Scandal of his Delusions which whether he had or not the Quakers had freed themselves from them by denying of him both by Word and Writing And as he stood thus denied by them so they could not be chargeable with any of his after Actions But if he had sincerely repented of his great Wickedness and thereby found favour in the sight of God to have restor'd to him the Light of his Countenance and had so been received again into fellowship with those from whom he had been separated this would have been far from making the Cause much worse on their side For with respect to their own satisfaction it would make the Cause much better Because the People of God in all Ages did always rejoice when one that had err'd and stray'd from the Fold did by sincere Repentance return into it again Ibid. p. 292. That same Year viz. the 24th of October 1656. all the Good and Evil Spirits entred into Naylor himself Profane Snake why must both Good and Evil Spirits be thus flouted It shews no true Sense of Religion in one who can with so much ease ridicule both the beginning of all true and saving Religion in Man viz. the entrance of the Good Spirit of God and the beginning of all Misery viz. the entrance of the Evil Spirit into Man But with respect to Jame Naylor and his Great Fall and yet greater deliverance from it I have already spoken from p. 111 to 118. and therefore need not enlarge further here The Snake now turns to Quotations again where in p. 295. he quotes Patrick Levingston in a Piece of his Entituled Plain and Downright Dealing with them that were with us and are gone out from us in p. 10 of which Book P. L. makes an Allusion of the Operations of Physick upon the Body to the Operation of the Spirit or Power of God upon the Soul and shews thence what melting into Tears and Shakings he had known upon his own Body and also what some others had known when the Lord did first appear with a mighty hand as he says p. 9. to bring his People out of Spiritual Egypt in this our Age. And he here goes on and shews that these emotions of Body and terrible breakings the Soul were but for a little time and that the Voice of the Lord was not distinctly discerned there they being only preparatory of that way of Peace Stilness and Quietness in which as they continued obedient they came to be established This briefly is the substance of what the Snake hath pick'd and quoted from p. 10. And I will now shew thee Reader his strange perversion of all this Ibid. p. 296. Now here is a Comparison made betwixt the State of the Quakers from 1650 to 1660. and from thence to this time No Snake the Comparison does not lie in any date of Years but in the Progress of the Work of God in Men. Ibid. Their first State was their time of Physick The first State of all who have been Regenerated and Born again may by allusion be called a time of Purging or Cleansing and so it hath been frequently term'd in Holy Writ Our Saviour speaks of this first State in such Pathetick Terms Mark 3.27 as does evidently denote it to be a State of Trouble For the binding the Strong Man of Sin by the Stonger Power of God is not to be effected while the Soul is at ease and secure in Sin Nor can the Strong Man's Goods be spoil'd in Man unless through Obedience he comes under the Workings of the Power of the Holy Spirit and that will not give Deliverance to Man before he sees the great necessity he is in of a Deliverer Ibid. But there was worse than that For as Levingston here informs us The Voice of the Lord was not distinctly discern'd among them the Mind was so Hurried and tossed so that there was not a clear discerning what might be done or left undone in many things This is a very sad Reckning For what will become of the first Quaker Infallibility This is nothing so Sad a Reckning as the Snake is like to make when he shall account for all that Profaneness Injustice and Hypocrisie which he hath delivered under the gilded pretence of advancing the Glory
Discoveries are often small not only to try the Obedience but to encourage to Faithfulness And they who will not thankfully receive its lowest Manifestations and obey the Discoveries of the Light of Christ in the forsaking and denying vain Honours and Language are not likely to be obedient to greater Discoveries if they had them Ibid. p. 332. But G. Keith for his Christian Doctrine of a Christ without was condemn'd by their Late Yearly Meeting in their Bull of Excommunication It was not for Christian Doctrine but Unchristian Practice which G. Keith was denied as the Testimony given against him does fully shew in these words George Keith of late hath been and yet is acted by an Unchristian Spirit which hath moved and led him to stir up Contention and Strife in the Church of Christ and to cause Divisions Separations and Breaches amongst them that Profess the Truth and that the tendency of Divers of his late Writings and Actings hath been to expose the Truth and Friends thereof What has Christian Doctrine to do with such Unchristian Actions They have no agreement and this was the Cause there assigned of our denying him The Snake now gives p. 333. part of a Letter which he says W. P. sent to R. Turner of Pensilvania in which speaking of G. Keith are these words I love his Spirit and honour his Gifts and his Peculiar Learning especially Tongues and Mathematicks his Platonick Studies too all being sanctified to the Truth 's Service which is worthy to have the Preheminence Upon which the Snake says here will be a sad account of that Infallible Discerning Spirit which the Quakers do appropriate to themselves To which I shall first say that it is utterly false that the Quakers have ever appropriated to themselves the Spirit of Discerning It is only appropiated to the Holy Spirit and what true Discerning of Spirits is given to Men must be from that Fountain Now as to the Letter the words above quoted do well consist with that Spirit of Discerning because in order of Time it appears not but that that Letter was writ some Years before the Testimony of the Yearly Meeting against G. K. which I have before quoted And if G. Keith's accomplishments in Learning had continued to have been all sanctified to the Truth 's Service as it is there exprest which was the ground of that Love therein declared He could not have stirred up Contention and Strife nor caus'd Divisions Separations and Breaches which was the reason of his being denied But further If that Letter was writ when there was some small beginnings of Misunderstanding betwixt G. K. and those in Pensilvania Yet the words of that Letter referring the Love declared to his Spirit and Learning to be as all are sanctified c. they are very safe as G. K. would also have been had he kept to the Holy Spirit which sanctifies and that would both have prevented further Disturbance and removed all Misunderstanding Ibid. p. 336. I do here demand Reparation in the behalf of the Church of England But particularly in behalf of one whom they have most Scandalously Robb'd The Person wronged is Mr. Selden and the Thief is Francis Howgil A Snake turn Knight Errant the Scandal of the Church presume to set up for her Representative O Monstrum But to his Ridiculous Arrogance I do here demand c. What mighty I is this What Ratling Snake Why an Anonymous who is as fear ful of putting his Name to his Demand as he is to appear before Justice One who Jugler-like plays Tricks in the Dark Therefore sure no true Pleni-Potent of the Church not one Legally Delegated by Her And he is not less the Church's Delegate than he is John Selden's who in his time was one of the Glories of this Nation one whose Living Labours may at once endear and preserve his Memory with those who know his Works And with what Forehead one so differently qualified as is the Snake should pretend to demand Satisfaction if the Demand were just in his Behalf is no small wonder But the Demand is Arrogant Trifling and Impudent in that he says F. Howgil has stoln whole Paragraphs verbatim out of J. Selden's History of Tythes I have with what care I can examined the Charge by comparing the Books and cannot find one whole Paragraph so taken I find that F. H. does in some places treat of Tythes in the same manner as J. Selden does and the Books which are his Authorities he puts mostly in his Margin And among others which he quotes J. Selden by Name is one in his History of Tythes and upon this Subject of Tythes he is twice quoted by F. Howgil viz. p. 482 and in p. 567. which is sufficient to shew that F. H. is no Plagiary But since the Snake hath thus taken upon himself to be a Knight Errant I will direct him to a piece of Work of the sort he here speaks of and if he can get satisfaction he may pretend to be Captain of the Band of Knight Errants He may find it in John Daille's Treatise of the Right use of the Fathers first Book p. 104. In these words St. Hilary St. Ambrose and others who robbing poor Origen without any Mercy do not yet do him the Honour so much as to name him scarcely This is certain that you shall find in St. Ambrose many times whole Periods and whole Pages too taken out of St. Basil but unless my Memory fail me very much you shall never find him once named there Thus he I spare to give more such Instances till the Snake shall here have demanded Reparation in due form But now we are speaking upon the vice of Stealing it may not be improper to remind him that it had been highly necessary for him to have surveyed himself and considered with what Face he could unjustly object Theft to F. Howgil because he speaks of the same Subject in the same manner with John Selden whom he also names While himself if he had been duly prosecuted for Theft must of necessity have been hang'd if at least the Law of the Country where he stole the Virgin whom he made his Unhappy Wife be in that case agreeable to ours But as to the Punishment I shall not now enquire nor yet what Reparation he made to the injur'd Parents or Relations But as to the Fact it had the Forms of Theft in that he had not their good leave before he took her and whether the Canons do not declare the Theft of Souls the Stealing of a Wife to be in the same Class of Crimes in which himself puts Obedience to the King de Facto It may be proper for him to consider which if he find and that he squares himself in his Repentance for that by his practice in this his Repence will be as singular as his tenacious Disobedience hath been observable But of this now no more nor had there been so much nay here none at all had
his own ipse dixit and much such Raillery but know no plain Texts of Scripture yet produced by him that so detects us but his own Falshood and great Ignorance about the Light is very apparent Again he falsly defames and reproaches me from p. 28. Of Innocency Triumphant with excusing and justifying Diabolical Suggestions in the Quaker-Refuge he saith against the Authority of the Sacred Scripture by saying That it questioned but some not all This Accuser has a most odious injurious course of defaming and perverting as well as curtalizing our Words wherein he has taken part with his famous Author F. Bugg to whom the Answer was given on which he grounds his black Charge against me Of Justifying Diabolical Suggestions c. In which Answer I expresly declare thus viz. His Accusation that the Quakers Insinuate in a Book called The Quakers Refuge That What the true Prophets spake was false and What the false Prophets spoke was true p. 47. New Rome Vnm. p. 23. We disown these Expressions and I think they are not duly inferred from the said Book questioning whether some Words were not spoken by wicked Men some by wise Men ill applied some by good Men ill expressed c. Now at my saying Yet this questioned but of some Words in Scripture not all he takes occasion to Rail fearfully against me as a Justifier of Diabolical Suggestions When my Answer was not with the least intent to oppose or lessen the Authority of the Sacred Scriptures but in direct opposition to F. Bugg's Calumny in these general odious and false Expressions viz. That the Quakers insinuate that What the true Prohets spake was false Which Expressions we utterly deny as both in themselves grosly false against the true Prophets and falsly charged on the Quakers to defame them And as to the Questions cited out of the Quak. Refuge at which Offence is taken 1. They are not mine 2. I do not believe they are the Author 's of that Quak. Refuge though Cited by him 3. It is apparent he does not espouse them as his own Judgment nor make them the Matter in that present Controversie nor resolve them in the Affirmative but seems to recite and wave them as Originally proceeding from some other Person as I understand The furthest that can be drawn from my said Answer to F. B. that may seem offensive which I should be sorry for if 't were really so is my seeming to grant the Question That in some Words some true Prophets were mistaken And if this be made an Offence I think 't is no real one for I designed none However I still confess I believe the Record of Scripture to be true Good Men and some true Prophets also have been and may be mistaken in some things and have had their Weaknesses and Failings truly recorded in Scripture and also their Deliverances for good Ends and Admonition to others Was not Samuel a good Man and a Prophet and yet mistaken when he took Eliab for the Lords Anointed 1 Sam. 16.6 7. And in the Argument upon Job in the ancient Bible is marked That Job maintaineth a good Cause but handleth it evil Again his Adversaries have an evil Matter but they defend it craftily Moreover he was assured that God had not rejected him yet through his great Torments and Afflictions he burst forth into many Inconveniences both of Words and Sentences See the Argument at large And was not the Prophet Elijah mistaken when he thought himself alone or none in Israel but himself that was zealous for the Lord God of Hosts But what saith the Answer of God unto him I have reserved unto my self seven thousand Men that have not bowed the knee to Baal 1 King 19.10 18. Rom. 11.3 4. And to say but little of the Old Prophet that persuaded the Young Prophet contrary to the Word of the Lord 1 King 13. I could instance Jonas David and several others that were good Men who had some Weaknesses and Mistakes in Words and Actions yet the Lord was good to them and helped them according to the Integrity of their Hearts towards him And these Things being truly recorded in Scripture for Instruction and Admonition we truly esteem the Scripture-Record thereof And even where the Words Lies Blasphemies and Actions of the Devil wicked Men and Persecutors and the Judgments which befel them are recorded in the Scriptures we own the Record or History thereof to be true and highly esteem it for Instruction and Warning to Men. And to distinguish between the Words of God in Scripture and the Words of the Devil is but what the Scripture it self doth which can be no Contempt to it for I have known some stumble by some of the Priests making no distinction but calling all that 's written in Scripture the Word of God as one that was the Mayor of Thetford near forty Years ago told me That a Priest wanting Induction into the vacant Benefice and preaching there for Approbation took his Text out of the Words wherewith the Devil tempted Christ Mat. 4. And bidding the People hearken to the Word of God as they should find it written in such a Chapter and Verse whereupon this Person that told me of it was so offended that he would not give his Voice to chuse the said Priest because he had told them that was the Word of God which was the Words of the Devil Now let none be so disingenuous as to take this as in Contempt of the Holy Scripture Doctrine or Precepts therein for where either the Words Blaspemies wicked Actions or Persecutions of the Devil or Men are therein mentioned the Record thereof is true and in Testimony against them and the intent of such Record holy just and good Farther my Accuser tells me Nor is my Salvâ— more ingenuous in the Eleventh Article And why so It is really say I contrary to our Faith and Principle to make Christ Jesus himself Only a Figure a Veil or Garment p. 178. Which was in direct opposition to his Author F. Bugg's falsly saying The Quakers would make Christ only a Figure a Veil a Garment implied by way of Question p. 58. New Rome Ar. Here he quarrels with the word Only as with the word Amply and accuseth me with Equivocating and that this is but a Negative Confession But really George quoth he this is not re-assuming your Christian Testimony in the Affirmative as thou didst promise c. still hiding your self in the Dark in Negatives But we would know affirmatively what it is you do profess and this thou didst promise and this thou hast not perform'd p. 179. Here he accuseth me with breach of Promise but very falsly as in the said 11th Article it is plain that my Confession of Christ Jesus himself is not only Negative but affirmative namely He being the Substance and End of all Figures Types and Shadows Is not this Affirmative pray And as remote from Truth is his accusing the Quakers Books of calling