in the room of Abraham for ordering the House of God to see that the Seed of Isaac be Inheritors which is like to be deprived by the Egyptian Brood Rep. My Desire is that they may be guided by the Spirit of Abraham who denyed his Country and if they walk in the Light they will be like him and will see that Things be ordered in the Nation in Righteousness but if they will take thy VVord who is the Isaac that thou would'st should inherit thou wilt present them Ishmael But is it not the Inheritance of Tythes and Augmentations and to have People to fall down to worship the Image that they have set up that is it thou would'st have ordered for who are of Abraham are of the Seed which the Promise is to and such you stir up the Magistrates and People by your Flatteries and Lyes to have a Law to keep them in Bondage and so them that dwell in the Light see it is the Egyptian that thou would'st have to inherit And further thou art telling of some that profess high Attainments which hath put the Kingdom in confusion and a flame and thou sayst they ought not to suffer the preaching of the Word to go down nor the Sacraments to fail There is profession enough in the Nation but little Possession and all who profess high things and do not possess them are Hypocrites And now blessed be the Lord Christ is come and made manifest which is the highest Attainment and he comes not to send Peace on the Earth but a Sword and he shall confound the mighty and lofty and they that have lived at ease shall be poured from Vessel to Vessel and now is War proclaimed betwixt Michael our Prince and all the Inhabitants of the Earth and all Inchanters and Deceivers and all such as have made Merchandize of Souls are now made manifest and now the Nations are angry and the men of the Earth are afraid and now Gog and Magog compasseth the Camp of the Saints about and the Beast upon which the Whore rides and the false Prophets and as many as have traded with the Beast and the Whore are troubled for her sorrow is coming in a day and all the Powers of the Earth cannot nor shall not uphold her for she shall be made desolate and burned with Fire and now thou and the rest of the Merchants are troubled and are petitioning to the Powers of the Earth to uphold you I say unto thee and unto all that joyn themselves against the Anointed which is now appearing who was dead and is alive and lives for evermore You shall all be broken and your eyes shall consume in their Holes Gather your selves together howl ye Caterpillars strengthen your selves build up your batteries cast up your mounts for a mighty and terrible one is coming up against you his voice is as the roaring of a Lyon he is greedy of his Prey he shall devour at once and he is bringing about his Determination to cut off every one that withstands him and no VVeapon formed shall prosper the eternal VVord is preached and the Angel is flying through the midst of Heaven with the everlasting Gospel and by it shall Antichrist be consumed And because this Gospel is declared and preached and witnessed thou art angry But that which thou calls preaching the VVord is nothing but thy own Imaginations This they have preached long enough and what hath it done all your divining None hath been turned from his Iniquity And as for thy Sacrament thou wast complaining of the Pope's Emissaries and here thou art one Thou mayst return thy Word back from whence thou hadst it And all who come to witness the word and the preaching of it and the Body and Blood of Christ which is the Saints Communion and the Supper of the Lord will deny all your Inchantment and all your canker'd rusty worm-eaten Divination and all powers which seek to uphold this which was and is Abomination to the Lord they must partake of her Plagues let all consider God hath overturned all the Powers that have pretended to establish Religion by a Lavv whenas they have but established a Form a Husk and so Satan hath crept into that and all the Priests in this Nation have they not transformed into every Image vvhat vvay soever Authority and the Povvers of the Earth bend and so have made merchandize and sold that vvhich is not Bread and so have deceived the People And further thou sayst The Apostle requires them to mark them that cause Divisions diligently And thou goes on and reckons up many that have been polluted in Religion and thou sayes he will cast her into a Bed of Torment if they do not repent Rep. They who are turned from the Light of Christ are turned into Division and they that have not the same Spirit by which the Apostle spake that said so are divided from Christ and from the Body and from the Saints and are in Contention And here I charge thee and all the Priests in England that you are divided from Christ and turned from the Light who prophesie for Hire and divine for mony who go in long Robes who are called of men Master who have the chiefest Place in the Assembly and stand praying in the Synagogue who go to Law with your Hearers and who give Meanings upon the Scriptures who add and diminish who speak but that which you have gathered from other mens Words there doth Sects and opinions strife and division arise And here thou art marked by many in the County of Durham praised be the Lord to be one that is divided from the Light and causes Division who took away Four Oxen for five Pence Halfpenny and so they have turned away from thee and all vvho stand in that Nature wherein thou stands And therefore thou art petitioning that thou might have a Law to bind us under thy Witchcraft wherein the Nations have been deceived And it is true God hath overturned Kings and Princes and Dukes and Earls and Emperors for the sake of his chosen Ones and all they vvho have made an Image like the true God and like the Gospel and have made a Decree and whosoever now make a Decree that any shall fall down to worship any thing which is contray to the Light of Christ in the Conscience God hath hewed them down and he will hew them down who go about to limit the Holy One who is Lord over all and who will have Dominion over the Consciences of men and the time is already when Jezabel is to be cast into the Bed of Torment and all who commit Fornication with her whether they be Kings Emperors Dukes or Earls they shall all go down with the Dukes of Edom into the Pit and with the rest of the Uncircumcised and the Saints shall rejoyce in their overthrow And thou sayest There is yet little doth appear in England but the old Beast under new Habits acts his old Tragedies
though he had been a Block or a Stone altogether insensible Shameless men and full of Impudency and Hard-heartedness in whose Hearts there is no Remorse nor Fear of God witness your cutting off the Ears of John Copeland Christopher Holder and John Rous men fearing God and as well educated as your selves and for no Transgression at all of any Law of God neither of any of your own but when you had none that could reach to be a Cover for your Cruelty you go into the nethermost Hell to invent Laws Christians are ashamed of and all sober People detest it and so let your Actions bear witness to your Faces and let all sober People judge who are in the Malignity and who are Slayers of the Witnesses And these Quakes by open Profession thou say'st tend to ruin all Christian Society compassing Sea and Land to that End Thou vomitest out thy Rage and castest up Mire and Dirt like a raging Wave but thy Bond is set that which the Quakers profess tendeth to the uniting all that believe unto Christ and one unto another in Love and Unity and Peace in Meekness Long-suffering and Patience but all such Societies that thou art of who art associated with Death and Hell and in Confederacy with all the Army of the Beast who is full of Rage Venome Insolency and Wickedness whose Heart is set on Fire of Hell which makes all this Flame and Smoak ascend out of the Pit where thou and the rest are associated with the Residue and have your dwelling-Place And thou say'st Their Religion is to speak Rebellion and Sedition in the Presence and to the Face of Authority God will confound thy lying Lips and bridle thy deceitful Tongue and cause Sorrow to fill thy Heart in the Day of his righteous Judgments for all thy hard Speeches false Accusations slanderous Words all sober People in England Scotland and Ireland know thee to be a Lyar All People in every Sect have been Stirrers up of Parties and have in one thing or other striven to rebell against that Power which hath gone about to limit them in their Ends but the People scornfully reproached called Quakers have born all have suffered under all in Patience and have let many Floods go over them and many Waves compass them and yet have rested in Patience knowing that it is better to suffer Wrong then do Wrong though I tell thee the Quakers so called might more justly in the three Nations claim Property and Liberty for the Exercise of their pure Consciences and also their Persons and Estates then any other People in the three Nations besides for they are they that have stood by the Authority in time of greatest Danger in time of the Bishops when Persecution was the greatest which you like Cowards fled from they staid in the midst of it hearing their Testimony against the gross Ignorance of them who exercised Lordship over the Heritage of God in that time and also in the late Wars in the three Nations there are few of them but have joyned with them that cryed up Reformation and seemed to seek after righteous things and their Fidelity to righteous Government Magistracy and Ministry is manifest to all unbiassed Spirits and though now at last when we expected free Liberty for the Exercise of our Consciences and Preservation of our Persons and Estates which had been a just Recompence for all our sore Tryals Travails and Labours but behold a Troop of Robbers have laboured to nip and spoil the Plant of Renown which God is bringing forth and have made Havock of our Estates and cry up the Powers of the Earth to stand by them for their own Ends only to maintain their covetous greedy Practices behold the Priests of these Nations they are now as they have been in former Generations Fomenters of Mischief Stirrers up of Sedition and Patronizers of Rebellion and seeking to make Parties to hold up their Deceit and call upon Authority to persecute and tell the Magistrates they ought to do so and teach them to abuse their Power to the provoaking of the Wrath of God against a Nation or People And thou say'st In the Presence of Authority they labour to make the Magistrate to be a Man of Blood Thou ignorant man who hast lost thy natural Reason will a Magistrate who is become a man of Blood become advantagious to us But rather have not we suffered And would not you be counted bloody Magistrates then cease your shedding of Blood your whipping your beating your burning and stigmatizing and cutting off Ears for else your own Actions have and will evidence and demonstrate you to be men of Blood and you will be recorded amongst the blood-thirsty and cruel Persecutors and you can expect nothing from the Hand of God but severe Destruction And thou say'st They encourage People against lawful Authority not regarding their Lives so they may attain their Ends. Would you be counted lawful Authority what Sword of God hath authorized you to turn your Sword against the innocent and upright and many love not their Lives to the Death to finish their Testimony against the Dragon and his Power the Beast and his Authority which would compell all both great and small to worship him and were you not blind you might see that you are his Followers and not the Lamb's Followers Thou say'st Was there ever State so bereaved of Reason as to suffer such Things the Honour of God the Safety of Religion the Peace of the Country invaded by these Emissaries of Satan You are that State that is bereaved of Sense and bereaved of Reason who think to defend your Religion by Clubs and Staves Caâ—n's Weapons and think to bring Honour to God by killing his Servants and defacing his Workmanship which he hath made and are amongst the Pharisees recorded who thought they did God Service when they went about to kill his Members and are not your thoughts the same you blind and slow of Heart to believe And shall not the Magistrate be as confident to punish as they to offend capitaâ—â— What is the Offence you had no Law till you had made one to saâ—â—â—fie your wicked End and your insatiable Cruelty and though you 〈◊〉 be confident that this will stop the spreading of the Truth of God over 〈◊〉 Earth you shall know ye Potsherds your Confidence will fail and Truth shall go over you Hills as a Flood At this Time thou say'st we have twelve Quakers in Prison in Boston To thy Shame be it spoken who give such Entertainment to Strangers and to Men of your own Nation you are far from Abraham's Spirit and Jacob's or Job's Spirit who opened his Door to the Travailer and entertained the Stranger and you are out of the Law of God who commanded to entertain Strangers and were not you once Sâ—râ—ngers in that Land and do you thus requite the Lord for his Kindness as to shut them up in Holes and Dens and Caves and Pharaâ—h-like have
a visiâ—le Pâ—litical Ordinance 14. That Baptism is a visible Political Church-Ordinance 15. That to Christ belongs the Prerogative of being the only Politician 16. That there is much Darkness in the Hearts of all Children of Light in this Life pag. 42. Likewise at a Lecture at Boston John Norton taught That the Justice of God is the Armour of the Devil Take a View of thy Doctrines again and be ashamed and blush and repent of thy Deceit and false Doctrines and lying Stories and cease to pervert the Way of the Lord for all this which thou hast waded through will little advantage your Kingdom neither all this Covering which thou hast made will not vindicate your wicked Practices nor shelter you from the Storms and Thunders and Plagues and Terror and Wrath which is to be poured upon all his Enemies and then thy Order from the General Court will stand thee but in little stead when the Terror of God comes upon thee and when the witness of God is awakened in thee to bring all thy Iniquities to Remembrance and thy Deceit that hath been hid to the Light then shalt thou see that thou hast not let thy self only against Man but also against God and his dear Servants whom he hath redeemed by his precious Blood who know a Habitation unto which you cannot reach with your Clubs Whips and Ropes and their Habitation is as the Munition of Rocks their Bread is sure and their Water doth not fail and happy are they who suffer for the Truth 's sake for they shall receive Honour and Glory and Immortality and the Crown of Life which he hath laid up for all them that endure the Cross and despise the Shame which will be given in the Day of his glorious Appearance to them that keep the Word of his Patience and the Word of his Testimony committed to them unto the End London the 12 th Day of the 11 th Moneth 1659. F. H. AN INFORMATION AND ALSO ADVICE TO THE ARMY On both Parts and this present Committee of Safety NEVVLY ERECTED And to the late PARLIAMENT And also to all People who seek Peace and Righteousness and are for the Good Old Cause so much talked on This is presented by him who stands off and from all Self-Interests and Parties and wisheth that the Wisdom of God may guide you all and Division and Destruction may cease F. H. WHat is there not a wise Man among you who seeks not himself but the Good of all that you so blow the Sparks on every Hand and exasperate the Spirits one of another and rather are for Strife then for Healing And would ye have the Fire kindled to rise up in such a great Flame as both to destroy your selves and many innocent People in the Nation What is every one seeking to gratifie his Interests and Party and to satisfie his Will And is there none that seeks that the Will of God may be done in Earth among the Sons of Men that God might once delight to do us good and settle these Nations in Peace and Freedom as men and as Christians I. Consider hath not this been the End which hath been proposed by all good men who have not sought themselves but have ventured all that this might be accomplished which if it had been or were or could be attained unto would be a perfect Recompence and Satisfaction of all and to all who have sought it in their Heart viz. Freedom from Oppression in their Persons and Estates which hath not been by Reason of the many wicked Laws which have been imposed to satisfie the Self-Interests of some particular Men which did imbondage all other Secondly Liberty and Freedom of Conscience in the Exercise of their Consciences to Christ who is God's Anointed according to the Manifestation of his Light and Spirit to them unto whom and before whom all must give an Account and be judged but this hath been hitherto hindered by them who have re-assumed a Power and have usurped Authority to themselves and have made laws to the imbondaging of the dear and precious People of God in these Nations though you have been talking of the Good Old Cause these are not revocated and over-turned by which very many suffer to this Day II. It is not Names Titles Denominations and VVords that we look after and which will effect the Thing proposed which while some have been contending after have let got the Thing in Hand and have lost it and so set up a particular Interest and it clothes it self with the Words and fair Speeches but nothing is brought forth and so by fair Speeches and Flatteries the People have been deceived and cheated III. Should not all Rule and Authority be for the Good and Safety and well-being of a Nation or Common-wealth and not to set up an arbitrary Power in their own Wills to rule in Tyranny and Oppression to satisfie their own to the imbondaging of all the People And when any Power or Authority have deviated or swerved from this they became no other but Tyrants and Oppressors for the Thing intended being lost the Ruler or Rulers rule no more for God neither he account them such whatsoever they may account themselves and therefore hath raised another Thing to overthrow that Power as hath been evident in this Nation in these many Revolutions although that Power which was first in being which was ordained for the End aforesaid being swerved from the thing might say to that which rose up against it That it was Rebellion and Treason and declare it to be such in the Ears of the People as hath been done by divers which is in the Memory of most so that I need not instance when I say it was not so accounted by the Lord and he hath given a Testimony of this by the overthrowing the former and raising up the latter and hath stood by it while it stood in his Counsel IV. Was not Israel governed sometime by Judges sometime by the Elders and sometime by Kings And while they stood in the Counsel of the Lord and the people hearkened to them was not the Lord among them and sometime raised up unlikely Means as to Man's Wisdom as David a Shepherds Boy ' and Gideon a Thresher and he was made a Judge and a Redeemer of Israel out of their Slavery but mind this still while they stood in God's equal Counsel which led to do equally to and for the Good of all according to God's Institution and Appointment then they were blessed but when either Ruler Governour or Governours went from the Power of the Lord in which they only had Authority to rule and to do justly when they went from that and became corrupt in their Minds and Hearts and Blindness came upon them as it is said Blindness happened to Israel through their Unbelief and what was the Effect thereof The Judges judged for Rewards and Gifts the Prophets prophesied for Hire and the Priests divined for Money and the
The Scripture was given by divine Inspiration 't is freely granted and â—s of no private Interpretation and is able to make wise unto Salvation â—â—rough Faith in Christ Jesus for without Faith in him it hath no Power in 〈◊〉 to make wise unto Salvation witness the Pharisees and the Jews outward â—ow for they had the Scripture-Promises as thou callest them which thou callest the Gospel and the VVord yet they were not turned changed nor sanctified nor knew not the new Birth as many do not now who have the scriptures or writings or words written and so thine is a private Interpretation who callest that the Power of God and the Word of God and the Gospel which one may have and not have the Gospel or the Word or the Power of God for Proof Joh. 5.37 38. And it 's no Argument against the Scripture to say the Gospel was preached to Abraham or as thou sayest to Adam but it is an Argument to prove that there was a Gospel and that the Gospel was preached before that which you Parish-Teachers use generally to call the Gospel which is Matthew Mark Luke and John and the Epistles written to the Churches which you raise Doctrines from and Arguments from and sell to People for money and call it preaching of the Word and preaching of the Gospel what dost thou think we are not come past Midnight Is not the Night over and the Morning sprung forth in Brightness without Clouds wherein we now discover betwixt the Husk and the Kernel the Husk will feed Swine but Men must have Bread and a sound without will not serve to administer Life to the Soul and now no longer Talkers of the Gospel will be received or can feed the hungry but it 's he that eats of the Flesh of Christ that hath eternal Life in him Thou sayest Thou wilt remove a gross Mistake from us who think that you cry up the Letter of the Scripture and separate the Word from the Spirit for we own the Spirit going along with the VVord for the VVord and the Spirit are united as the instrumental Cause and Christ and his Spirit in the Gospel is the principal Cause The gross Mistake is not upon our Parts but yours in that you think that the Scriptures or the VVritings are not separated from the Spirit we know the VVord and the spirit is one and cannot be separated but here lyeth the Mistake in putting the sentences or scripture or VVords of Declaration for the word and then say they cannot be separated from the spirit that is another Mistake on your Part for if you so judge then this must needs follow that they that have the words or scripture have the spirit if they be inseparable and why makest thou such Distinctions between the word Christ and his spirit they are one and that which is the principal Cause of every good thing brought forth useth what Instrument he will to effect it we know the Word and the Spirit doth convert and convince and bring to Christ and Salvation through him that we know but doth the Scripture convince without the Spirit And is not the Spirit and Power of God often wanting Doth the Scripture convince then or convert or bring any to salvation And we know there is union betwixt the Word and the Spirit for they are one and that which is attributed to the one is to the other the Word sanctifieth and the Spirit sanctifieth but the Question is still unanswered and the Charge stands still good against you Whether the scripture sanctifies without the Spirit or whether is the Spirit and the Scripture so united together as that when a Hâ—â—â—ling or a Deceiver or a false Prophet speaks the Words of Scripture that the Spirit must needs go along with it and cannot be separated from it And thou sayest The Scriptures are the Word of God as it is a Declaration of what God would have us do and therefore God hath declared his mind Heb. 1.1 God who spoke in times past by the Prophets hath in these dayes spoken by his Son And thou bringst Isaiah 38. The Word of the Lord came to Isaiah saying c. Were it not a gross Absurdity to say that this word of the Lord was Christ in the New Testament The Word of the Lord endures forever and by it the Heavens and the Earth were framed and the things that are therein and without him was nothing made that was made and we can and do distinguish betwixt the word and the Declaration and what a declaration is that which consisteth but of one word a Declaration consists of many words and it s an improper Speech to call that which consists of many words one word and that in Heb. 1. was spoken after the Ascension of Christ and the Voice from Heaven by his Son I question whether thou hast heard or read and we can distinguish betwixt the words of Isaiah and the Word of God and betwixt the words of Jeremiah and the Word of God Jer. 1.2 The words of Jeremiah the son of Hilkiah unto whom the Word of the Lord came and there see if thou canst distinguish betwixt the words of Isaiah and Jeremiah and the word of God and how many words can properly be called one word and why is it an absurdity to say that the word of the Lord or the Power of the Lord came upon Isaiah or the Father through the Power or through the word did speak unto Isaiah and is not the Power of God Christ and Christ the Power of God and the Wisdom of God in the New Testament Now see thy own absurdity and Glory not when thou puts on thy Armour but when thou puttest it off As for John 12.4 8. He that rejecteth me and rejecteth my words c. where the VVords of Christ and Himself are distinguished thou sayest I say Yes and therefore thou hast brought this Scripture against thy self and likewise this the word that I have spoken shall judge you at the last Day and thou sayest this must make us Tremble nay why should we Tremble at this we are one with his words and his words are not against us And thou hast brought all these Scriptures against thy self and fightest with thy own shadow for all the words which God and Christ and the Apostles have spoken we own and now learn thou to distinguish betwixt words and Word for all that thou hast said to prove the Scripture to be the Word of God amount to just nothing but that it is the word as it 's a Declaration and what a Declaration that is the wise will judge which is but one word And now when thou hast Vindicated thy self as thou judgest thou goest to make War abroad to see if thou canst get any into the Pit of Darkness with thy self and now thou fallst upon the stumbling Stone and the Rock of Offence which will break thee to Pieces the true Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the
none effect by your Traditions and as for Rom. 10.8 The Word is nigh thee in thy Mouth and in thy Heart and this is the Word of Faith which we preach here the Apostle saith the word is nigh thee in thy Heart but he doth not say the Scriptures is nigh thee in thy Heart which is the Word of God And 2 Cor. 2.17 For we are not as many which corrupt the Word of God he doth not say we are not as many that corrupt the Scriptures which are the Word of God or the Word of God which is the Scriptures And as for 1 Pet. 1.25 But the Word of the Lâ—rd endures forever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto yâ—u he doth not say the Scriptures endures forever or this is the Word the Scriptures which by the Gospel is preached unto you And as for 1 Thes. 4.15 For this we say unto you by the Word of the Lord that we whâ—ch ar◠〈◊〉 and remain unto the coming of the Lord shâ—ll not prevent them which are asleep he did not say this we say unto you by the Scriptures for there was not such a Scripture written before and therefore we sâ—y this unto you by the Word of the Lord And what a foolish Mâ—n is this to assert his own Imaginations and then imagines the Scriptures will prove it and what â—n improper speech were this to call twenty â—housâ—â—d Sentences one word and it is called a Declaration and what a Declâ—â—ation would that be thâ—t consisteth but of one word but enough of this hath been published before concerning the particular by divers hands so I shall be brief however R. I doubts his proof already that it will not satisfie F. H. and therefore he thought good to make this Conclusion upon him That he doth not believe the Scripture at all and though F. H say that these Sciptures are nothing at all to prove that thing to deny his Imaginations is not to deny the Scripture but F. H. believes what the Scriptures say of themselves and doth not deny the Scriptures at all but R. I. his Lye and also his false Conclusion And further saith R. I. The Scripture was delivered to the Church in writing that it might be an infallible Standard of true Dâ—ctrine and a determiner of Controversies and the Saints rule of knowing God and living to him Answer Reader take notice here is no room for the Spirit at all the Scriptures and writings have taken up the room of it in R. I. his account for it hath lost its Office if his Doctrine be true the Letter is become the infallible Judge and standard to try Doctrine and a Determiner of all controversies and of the Saints Rule of knowing God and living to him and indeed is become all in this man's Account then what doth R. I. bring Esop's Fables Oviâ—'s fictions Plato's and Diogenes Stories in this Controversie to joyne with this infallible rule and because he hath the Scriptures so high to be a tryer of Doctrines without the Spirit doubtless is the Cause here is no mention made of it and so he shall be Judged by his Rule in the 42th page take his Exposition upon the Words of Joel I will pour out of my Spirit upon Sons and Daughters and they shall Prophesie This is not meant of a ghostly Power but of an extraordinary measure of enlighting Grace Ignorant man is not Ghostly Power or spiritual Power an Extraordinary measure of enlightning Grace and was it not a spiritual Power and an extraordinary Light the Prophets Prophesied by But it is this Mans meaning that must be the Standard when all comes to all and the Determiner of Cases and he speaks contrary unto his own Rule as may be seen through his whole Book who hath either added to the Scriptures or perverted them or otherwise given his false Interpretations or Villified them in calling them the True Cards and so though he extolled them in Words he denyes them in Practice The Jews tryed Christ's Doctrine by the Scriptures and â—udged him a Blasphemer and a breaker of the Law and the Apostles Seditious and so though a man have the Scripture and have not the Spirit it is all as a sealed Book wherein such Unlearned men as this R. I is cannot read and therefore he saith in his 55th page That it is a great fault in us because we say the Law of the Spirit of Life is the Rule and so like him will not say it is imperfect as he doth and so saith R. I. it is not fit to be a rule so Blasphemously he detracts from the Authority and Power of the Spirit and like Anti-christ and his Ministers sets the Letter above it and calls it Living and an infallible standard and saith Thâ— Scripture inclines the Heart unto obedience and like a Drunken man this R I. reels up and down and contradicts himself Before he said The Law of the Spirit chiefly gave Power to conform to the Rule and wiâ—hin four Liâ—â—s Contradicts himself and saith The Scriptures incline our Hearts to the Oâ—edience of the Rule and the Scripâ—ures it self hath caused us to know it as we have it from the Church it is a probable aid and yet giveth but a confused Belief with a light Impression Answ. It is probable enough indeed that thy Faith is confused and the Faith of your Church and that makes thee utter forth all this confused Heap but in what hath been said the Spirit of this man and his Doctrines will be manifest to all whose Eyes God hath opened and so will depart out of his Paths and not give heed to his fabulous Stories It is true saith R. I. There iâ— an inward Law written in our Hearts called the Law of the Spirit of Life Rom. 8.2 And there is the outward Law written in the Scriptures now the outward and external Law is properly the rule of a christian Life and not the inward and internal Law for the outward is perfect in that it declares in what is the Will of God and in what it is not but the inward Law received and written on the Heart is imperfect and therefore unfit to be our rule the Law within is that thing that is to be ruled Psal. 17.4 The outward Law is therefore the rule Answ. This Man would set the sun by his Dial as it might be said although he confess in the very same page that the Law of the spirit of Life giveth Power to the Creature yet now it is become imperfect and not fit to be a rule this man like one unlearned sets the Law which was written in Tables of stone which the Apostle calls the Ministration of Condemnation and was glorious this he sets above the Ministration of the spirit of Life which the Apostle saith is much more glorious but nay saith R. I. the Law written in the Heart is iâ—perfect and not fit to be a rule but to be ruled contrary to
in England a larger Volumn might be made then hath been in many Years past and yet this Spirit which hath made them suffer hath pretended more Righteousness then before both in that which is called Church and State but the devilish Enmity of that which would be call'd the higher Power hath been such which hath transcended the cruel Actions of the Beast in former Dayes under the Name of Holiness and Propagation of Gospel and Religion the Power of Godliness hath been despised and them that have walked and lived in it have been set at nought and persecuted imprisoned whipped scourged afflicted and tormented and have been killed all the day long but many of them who have been the Actors of these Cruelties they are sunk as a stone into the Sea and God hath overturned that Horn and broke it off although it exalted it self high a while and reigned one Hour with the Beast in compelling forcing the Righteous by their wicked Instructions unrighteous Decrees But Reader if thou wilt hear the Beast's Judgment the Harlot's Censure they will tell thee This hath been done only to that People who were not subject to the higher Power nor to the Faith of the holy Church and therefore though they have been afflicted and have suffered yet it was not for well-doing but for Evil and so it is just upon them and that as hath been done it hath been for the Glory of God and for the Peace of the Nation but the greatest Deceiver never wanted a Cover nor the greatest Transgression an Excuse to hide its Deceit And now when the Lamb hath appeared to make War in the Earth with the Beast his Followers Gog Magog gather together all the Powers of Darkness with their whole Strength are mustered up to withstand and the Dragon Beast Whore and false Prophet all joyn in one Battel to resist to keep their Kingdom Reader thou canst not be ignorant of the War that is begun in England and the Battel hath been hot for a short time and though the Oppression hath been great upon the Beast and the Whore's Party yet their Power is weakened and their Strength more feeble for the Lamb prevails and his Followers shall overcome although the Way by which he and they overcome even by Suffering the VVorld will not own yet happy are they who love not their Lives unto the Death and that do suffer the spoiling of their Goods for his Names sake and his Truth 's sake their Reward shall be great And now Reader thou shalt see what Rage the Devil is in who hath got the Name of higher Power and the Mother of Harlots who goes under the Disguise of holy Church in America of the Dragon's Power thou hast heard in New-England how he hath compelled or at least would compel all to be subject unto him or else would kill banish and destroy and lay waste all that will not bear his Image and receive his Mark and the Harlot which is decked there she hath shed the Blood of the Saints because they would not drink her Cup of Fornication so seek to destroy and to lay waste the Heritage of God and to root out the Righteous and all they have done unto the dear Servants of the Lord must go upon the Account of Evil doing and â—o the Seed of Evil-doers thou may'st see is one in their VVorks in their Judgment in their Practice in all Generations And the Indians whom they judge to be Heathen exceeded in Kindness in Courtesie in Love in Mercy unto them who were Strangers altogether unto them and not of their Nation nor People which is a Shame to the mad rash Rulers of Mariland that have acted so barbarously to their own People and them that came to visit them in the Name of the Lord that instead of receiving them and the tender Visitation of God's Love wholly rejected them and made Order after Order and VVarrant after VVarrant for prisoning banishing and whipping of them who came unto them in the Name of the Lord in such Heat they were that I have seen fifteen VVarrants out against one Man in a little Time and in one Province the which I shall not trouble the Reader with all which VVarrants are for taking of one Man and the Accusations or Things laid to his Charge the same as that the old Enemy of God used to accuse withal dangerous to their Province and destructive to their Church a seditious Person and a Blasphemer and so though none of these Things were true yet he must suffer with the rest who stood in God's Counsel and did his VVork and testified of him all that hath been done must go upon the Account of Evil-doing And thus the Devil hath holden up his Kingdom in all Ages by laying Things to the Charge of them that did the VVill of the living God that thereby he might cover himself and that People who are in Ignorance might believe they suffered as Evil-doers that so he might keep his Kingdom in Peace and all People subject unto his Power of Darkness And Oh what Havock and Spoil have these Rulers in Mariland made upon their own People and their own Inhabitants in a short Time what fining Force have they used what Spoil have they made of many poor Peoples Goods and how have they exceeded in Cruelty and what torturing and prisoning and whipping and scourging have they made not only of Strangers whom they ought to have received and entertained especially seeing they sought not themselves but the Good of them all and their Country but also upon their Inhabitants And how have they grinded the Faces of the poor and instead of protecting them in that Province and saving them from VVrong have themselves been the chief Instruments of doing them Harm and wronging them and oppressing them and yet not for Evil-doing it may be for not doffing a Hat or because they cannot learn to be swift to shed Blood and these are become so great Crimes in these Mens Sight that five or seven or ten Pounds or more which are great Sums among poor People will not satisfie for such Offences as they look upon them But what have they no weightier Matters to call Councils about but to make Laws and Orders in their proud envious Nature to fine them who cannot flatter nor complement these are no Rulers for God but for the Beast and and in his Power they act and have done all these wicked Things for which the Lord God will plead with them when he riseth in his Power to make the Mountains melt and to shake terribly the Earth and plead the Cause of the Poor who have no Helper in the Earth and yet this would be counted a lawful Authority and the higher Power whose VVorks demonstrate them to be from the lowest Pit of utter Darkness and their VVorks to be VVorks of Death and Darkness and the God of the World having so blinded there mens Eyes
Ease Hardness of Heart is generally over People and clearly to me it doth presage Judgment Tenderness of Heart and Spirit is generaly lost among people and the most have made Shipwrack of all their Hope Faith and Profession to please the time and men of this Generation who are perverse and froward they have been treacherous to God and to their own Souls and cannot do Good to his People keep as much as in you lyes out of their Spirit Manners for they are corrupt and though God's Judgments be abroad in the Land and his Anger kindled and broken forth yet few enquire the Cause or say What have I done but if any do enquire it is generally in that dark Spirit that leads them to Evil which God hides his Counsel from and will not be found of and yet they make Conclusions and give Judgment as the Heathen of old if any Pestâ—leâ—ce Famine or Drought or Judgment came upon them thâ—y said The Christians were the Cause and so stirred up Persecution against them the like and Dreamers of this Age in their Mock fasts and Humiliâ—tions they say Heresie the Cause and because all dâ— nâ—t conform and are not willing to submit to the changeable Institutions of men though never so repugnant to the Law of God they tell the Magistrates The I hanaticks and Quakers are the Cause and so they fast for Strife and to kindle Debate and to stir up Persecution and they seem to cleave so close to the Magistrates that will force and exâ—ct Gain for them and give them large Pay they will cry them up as the higher Power that all are to submit unto in all things under the Pain of Condemnation and they will cry them up and dance and clap their Hands and rejoyce as Israel did about the Calf when they had forgotten God so the Lord is provoaked more and more and they think by rooting out his People if possible will stay his Judgments it 's lamentable to see what Blindness is over the Hearts of the Seers of this Generation who cry Peace Peace and how Peâ—ple are given up to believe their Lyes and to Hardness of Heart and never consider their own Estate neither the Afflictions of Joseph is remembred Another thing also hath been in my Heart many Weeks and a Query hath been in my self and I know hath been on many Spirits why in this common Calamity and in God's Visitaâ—ion of the City of London and many other Places of this Nation that they that have suffered so greatly so long and so faithfully and have born such a Testimony for the Lord why also they should be taken away among the rest seeing the Lord was able to deliver and also command his destroying Angel to pass over as it pleased him and spare and take away as he pleased and why it should not be wholly upon his Enemies and upon them that called not upon his Name in Truth and Righteousness I had many sad Thoughts of Heart and have waited upon the Lord concerning these things with Supplications and Tears concerning his afflicted Peâ—ple and concerning his Name and Truth and this Satisfaction I have received in my self and do communicate unto you First of all it is said That Paul stayed and preached the Gospel at Ephesus two Years so that not only them of Ephesâ—â— but all Asia heard the Word of God both Jews and Greeks and many were gathered unto God and believed and the rest were hardened When I considered this that not only two Years but twelve Years that City of London hath heard the Word of the living God declared and published plentifully in it and the everlasting Gospel of Christ in the Demonstration of the Spirit and with Power insomuch that the Sound went through and through and many believed and the rest were hardened having lost the Day of their Visitation but alas it was but a few considering the Labour and Travail and considering so many Thousands who counted the things of God a slight Matter and for them that were worthy and did believe they were hated and despised and evilly entreated with the most and shut up in Holes and miserable Bonds and Prisons and lingring Torments which oftentimes were the Cause of their Death whose Lives God is requiring at the Hands of that Place and the Messengers of God were mocked abused and evilly entreated and shut up in Bonds till Death and Wickedness did abound and Peoples Hearts grew hard in Ease Riches Pride and vain Glory till the Wrath of God broke forth and cut down Thousands in his Displeasure and this was seen and foreseen full three whole Years and upwards by some of the faithful Servants of God who laid down their Lives in Bonds in that City and are gathered unto the Lord and also some who remain in the Body unto this Day and it was prophesied of and the City was warned thereof Rulers and People but the most made a Mock of it till the just Judgment of God seized upon it Secondly The Lord took away these faithful Men of God Edward Burroughs Richard Hubberthorn and George Fox junior who had been much conversant there who were faithful Watchmen and prevailed often with the Lord till they were shut up in Bonds for all their sore Travail and Labour amongst the Inhabitants thereof and that Place being unworthy of them any more he delivered them and took them away to himself from the Evil to come that they had seen and prophesied of that they might see none of that Misery that is now come Thirdly They were gathered unto the Lord as a Token and Sign unto them that believed of many following after and of their Dissolution Fourthly The Lord did fore-know and fore-see and also had determined Evil against that City and that which is now come to pass and that this Generation notwithstanding all the Entreaties Woings Warnings and Exhortations which they had and slighted and they would proceed on to more Mischief and Persecution in presumption against God and his people and are yet determined and have said in their Hearts Though the Bricks be fallen down we will build with hewn Stone to fortifie themselves that their End might not fail which the Lord God will blast and confound and though Friends have born their Iniquity they shall at last bear it themselves and know the Reward thereof and have none to help so the Lord hath taken away many in his Love and Mercy from the Evil to come and hâ—th freed them from further Misery and hath translated them out of the Reach of all their Enemies Fifthly Seeing they have suffered long and faithfully in that plaâ—e and and elsewhere and have born a living Testimony many to the Loss of their Lives and to their ruinating in this World against the Abominations that did abound and their righteous Souls were vexed as Lot's was with the Sodomites the Lord hath considered and hath said It is enough your Afflictions I will end and
sometime that and changeable whenas every true confession and Testimony is equivalent thereunto in the presence of the God of all Truth and who ever denyed this And there is no necessity so to Judge that he that fears to Swear and take an Oath yet refuseth not to give Testimony about any matter whether it doth concern the Lord or his Neighbour that therefore he denyes the Magistrates Authority or yet disobeys their legal commands so that though all Swearing should be denyed yet that which answers the cause in hand is not denyed true Testimony and therefore the Magistrates Authority and their lawful commands may well stand and be obeyed and right done unto every Man and Christ's command stand also these are but the Secret smitings and suggestions of A. Smalwood to render them Odious to the Magistrates and all People who dissent from him in Judgment And indeed such like Discourses and Instigations from such like Mouths and Pens as his is who is accounted Learned and Eminent hath not a little added afflictions unto our Bonds and they have made wide the Wound and have made the Breach seem greater then it is and the matter more grievous then there hath been any Cause for I desire they may consider of it and Repent And in page 13. from this Text Mat. 5.34 But I say unto you swear not at all he layes down this Proposition or Doctrine viz. Our Saviour did not intend by these Words Swear not at all an absolute universal and limited Prohibition of all manner of Swearing and goes on to prove it by divers Reasons The first he gives is That the Father and the Son are one in Nature Power Wisdom Immutability and Eternity and one in Will and Wisdom therefore they cannot give forth contrary Commands but God the Father hath commanded Swearing in these Words Thou shalt fear the Lord and swear by his Name and serve him Deut. 6.13 And therefore it is not possible that God the Son should forbid it Answ. Though the Father and the Son be one in Nature Power and Wisdom and Immutability and Will as in themselves and alter not but keep Covenant from Age to Age and from Generation to Generation there is no Contrariety in them yet there are Diversities of Gifts but the same Spirit and there are Differences of Administrations but the same Lord It is granted that after Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin and Diffidence and Unbelief Variance and Strife and many Transgressions for which the Law was added and because of which the Law was added and the Command given forth unto the Jews to swear by the Name of God as Jerome saith upon Mat. 5.3 37. It was permitted the Jews under the Law is being tender and Infants and to keep them from Idolatry which the rest of the Nations did run into they might swear by the Name of God not that it was rightful so to do but that it was better to swear by the Lord then by false Gods or Devils but the great Evangelical Sincerity and Truth admits not of an Oath Secondly For the ending of Strife and Variance being in the Unbelief which was the Occasion of the adding of the Law and the Cause of the Command given forth Deut. 6.13 with divers more Words specified by Moses and the Prophets And though Christ came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil it and to destroy that which the Law was against and which it took hold upon and to finish Sin and Transgression and bring in everlasting Righteousness and to restore to the Beginning and we say according as we have believed and received of the Lord and have a Cloud of Witnesses both them that are gone before and of them that yet remain alive As Christ said of Divorcement It was not so from the Beginning so we say Oathes were not from the Beginning but were added after Hardness of Heart and Sin and Unbelief entered into the World but Christ who was made under the Law and fulfilled the Law put an End to the Transgression Sin Unbelief Variance and Strife in whom all the Promises of God are fulfilled he is the Righteousness of God and who are true Christians indeed are come out of Unbelief Variance and Transgression and do see and know Christ to be the End of the Law for Righteousness unto them that believe who exhorted to do the Truth confess the Truth and speak the Truth who said Swear not at all by Heaven and which after more shall be said God willing to the Text it self And so A. Smalwood his Reason is made void and his Impossibility made possible that God gave forth a Command and permitted the Jews to swear in that Covenant and Ministration and yet Christ in the New Covenant countermands it as in the Text being the Minister of a better Covenant which stood upon better Promises who leads to the Beginning and is the Restorer of all Mankind that do believe and yet the Father and the Son are one in Will Wisdom Power And though A. S. and others cannot understand or else have no Mind in that Latitude as generally prohibitive of all Swearing because he sayes God did require it no less then he did his own Worship and Service in the moral Law these nice Distinctions of Moral Judicial and Ceremonial have confounded Peoples Understandings though it is still acknowledged they did vow and did swear in the first Covenant under the Law but whether he or any other making Swearing moral judicial or ceremonial is not much matter seeing that Christ the Righteousness is the Sum and Substance of all and the End of the Law for Righteousness to them that do believe and in him is Life and Righteousness enjoyed for the Law was given by Moses but the Grace and the Truth cometh by Jesus Christ who in the Sum of all Types and Shadows and therefore the Apostle said We are circumcised in him and baptized in him and we do look upon an Oath under the Law to have some Type and Figure in it notwithstanding A.S. sayes It was none and that Christ is improperly called the Oath of God no more improper then he is a Vine a Door a Way a Shepherd for all the Promises are fulfilled in him and are yea and amen And as for the Morality of it so far as it is moral and perpetual to all under the Gospel is in Confession of Truth and bearing Witness thereunto as before the Lord or in his Presence and speaking the Truth when there is Necessity as when any man's Person or Estate or any Part thereof is in Danger and this we have ever owned and do own and have and are ready to testifie the Truth before the Lord or in his Presence as concerning any Matter which concerns the Glory of God or the Good of our Neighbour without being pinched or bound up to a certain Form of Words imposed upon us but according as Necessity requires so amply and largely
that he so vehemently contends for that ought to be observed as well as God's Fear Service it 's but their own Traditions Inventions for that under the Law will not serve As the Lord lives or that he calls Swearing under the Gospel will not serve The Lord is Witness or I speak the Truth in Christ or thâ—s is Truth in the Presence of God or the like none of these will serve but though he the Rulers do say they are Oaths yet when at any time we have proffered willingly to declare the Truth in this or that particular Causes or to make as ample Confession in Demonstration for clearing any Cause in Debate that hath either conduced to the Glory of God or the Good and Profit of any particular Man in the Nation among whom we converse and not without some Attestation of God or of his Wisdom Power and Presence yet it would never yet be received but reckoned as Insufficient though both the Rulers of this Age and A. S. have said it It might be that in private it might but in Judicature never as received though I do believe the most do believe we dare not lye in ordinary Communication much less in Judicature yet we have been set aside as Objects of Wrath as deluded erronious factious seditious Contemners of Law Obstructors of legal Procedings except we would lay our Hand upon a Bible and kiss it and say I swear and by the Contents of the Book and so help me God or else fined imprisoned for Term of Life our Lands and Goods confiscated and we sentenced to be banished our Wives and Children ruinated Husband and Wife parted Children and Parents separated and such Monsters of Christians have we to deal withal in this Age and how many brought into this sad Condition in England as little A. S. knows as cares But for ought I know that he and such as he in such publick Discourses as this of his have blown the Sparks and have kindled a Flame in the Rulers and incensed them and stirred them up to Severity and Harshness against them who fear the Lord and do maintain Peace with all men as much as in them lyeth and keep their Consciences void of Offence towards God which makes us to chuse rather all this Hardship then to offend the Lord who serve and fear his Name and reverence it more then they who seem to honor it and pretend God's Honour through their Swearing But to make amends for this A. S. saith The Magistrates must act by the Law and that enjoyns such a Form of Swearing and they cannot allow it Unto that I answer it had been a more necessary Discourse for A. S. to have exhorted the Magistrates if the Law had been answered in the Substance not to be so severe in the Form and also to have told them where any Law was made contrary to the Law of God either in Matter or Form the Consciences of Believers could not yeild Obedience thereunto when it was repugnant unto the Law of God and not according to the Form thereof and in such Cases to be wary and he and the rest of the Clergy to have advised with the Rulers and Law-makers and to have informed them from whom they receive such great In-comes and Revenues for the Preservation and Peace of all Men tnat they need not stand so much upon the Form seeing that so many conscientious People questioned it so that there needed not such tying up to Form under such great and heavy Penalties as Banishment Confiscation and perpetual Imprisonment but have informed them so that the Truth might have been found out and no judicial Proceedings hindered which I am sure may be without any Swearing true Testimony never being denyed when required by any Magistrate and let but a Penalty be upon him that gives false Evidence or speaks an Untruth about any Proceedings in Judicature or otherwise called to bear Evidence in any Controversie if found let them suffer as them that swear falsly and as perjured and the Case is one and here all Scruples and Contentions about Swearing would end and there would not be the least Obstruction in legal Proceedings or in Administration of Justice and let me tell Doctor Smallwood and the rest of his Brothren that if they would move such a thing in Parliament peradventure it would be readily received from them and in so doing they would do as acceptable a Piece of Service and as well-pleasing to God and would conduce as much to the Peace and Tranquillity of the Nation as any thing that ever they will do in their Age or hath been effected many Ages and so all these Heart-burnings Contentions and evil Surmisings and evil representing one another would cease and end and which if not effected nothing can be looked for but sad Suffering and great Oppression and Persecution which will provoke the Lord to Anger and ever did against all them that were the Cause of it in Ages past But I come to his second Argument Second Argument Some without any Colour Reason or Possibility of Proof will needs have Swearing a ceremonial Rite but God ranks it with his Fear and Service therefore it must needs be moral and therefore what at all Times as well under the Gospel as under the Law as well among the Gentiles as the Jews tends to the Glory of God that is not a ceremonial Ordinance nor forbidden by Christ but such is Swearing and therefore it cannot be thought to be prohibited Reply It hath been said and often asserted that all the ten Words and ten Commandments were moral and perpetual as well under the Gospel as under the Law then I wonder what A. S. and divers others intend to do with the fourth Commandment if it be moral and perpetual and to be observed in the same Manner and with the same Service as then commanded and the same day and time then he and most of them who contend most for the Morality of these ten Commandments are great Transgressors and if he grant there was something ceremonial in it and typical or figurative which then was the seventh Day which was given for a Sign of the World's Rest from its Labour and of keeping after it an everlasting Sabbath to the Lord by Man's Cessation from his own Works as God did from his Isa. 58. and the last of Hebrews ver 4. which Jewish Observation of the seventh Day as a Sabbath now though never so solemnly as then commanded will have no Acceptation at all no more then he and he as much that is none at all that never so solemnly swears by the Name of God in such ceremonious Way as the Jews did of old or goes beyond the bare Asseveration or Testimony of Truth with some Attestation of God's Power and Veracity which hath never been denyed which to do we do not only think but know it to be a superfluous Ceremony to Judaism not to say Brat of Jewish Extraction
that led into variance and he leads out of the occasion of Evil and from that which was the cause of the Addition of the Law unto everlasting Righteousness again which was in the beginning before Sin entred and they that come to believe in him are not under the Law but under Grace moreover the Apostle saith Rom. 7.14 The Law hath Power over a Man so long as he liveth even as a Wife is bound by the Law of her Husband so long as he liveth and no longer so as long as Man liveth in Sin Unâ—elief Transgression Discord Variance and Strife and Idolatry the Law hath Power over him to correct and reprove him and judge him and was to be a limit unto that Nature but Christ leads out of the occasion of all these for which the Law was added to do the Truth and speak the Truth and ceaseth Strife for which the Law was added Again the Law was added as a cure and a remedy to decide Controversies and ill distempers that were entred into the Hearts of Men in the unbelief and that is one reason which Doctor Gauden gives why solemn Swearing should and ought to be in judical proceedings among Christians to take away Jealousies Distrusts Dissimulations frauds unsatisfactions and insecurities and Quotes Grotius That Swearing is necessary not absolutely and morally or preceptively but by way of Consequence and remedy as to the state of the Jews we shall not nor have not denyed it but as to the State of Christians who are truly such we say that the cause is taken away and the effect follows all Jealousies distrusts Dissimulations and strifes and Insecurities and so the remedies to wit Oathes cease and the necessity of them and that was one main thing why Oathes were permitted to end Strife and Strife is a Work of the Flesh and variance and discord and it is inconsistent with true love to our Neighbour to hold that which Answers the Strife and that part for love fulfills the Law works no ill to the Neighbour ends Strife and so puts Swearing the means to end strife and the remedy out of place and date But A. S. goes on and tells us That Oaths advisedly and reverently taken upon necessary occasions are so far from displeasing God or hurting our Neighbour that on the contrary they are acceptable to the one and advantagious to the other for by them Princes are secured of their Subjects Allegiance and Generals of their Souldiers fidelity Leagues confirmed betwixt Nations every Man 's just right maintained Offenders discovered and duly punished and Controversies and Suits decided and these are such great and good Ends that Men cannot be in any Degree of security or happiness without them Reply To this I answer that notwithstanding all the great and good ends and the necessity of Oathes which A. S. conceives that Men cannot subsist in any degree of security without yet we see by experience notwithstanding all the reverent taking and all the solemn taking and the necessity that is put upon Oaths yet they have never answered the end purposed for where perfidiousness and unbelief and distrust and jealousies and strifes are which is no where so much as among those that plead for Swearing yet Oaths do not nor have not bound them when they had a mind to be loos'd and see that to stand to such Obligations will not be for their profit or present safety many instances might be given what security had the Pope when all the Nobility and Clergy in England were bound to maintain his Supremacy by Oaths and no doubt but they Swore reverently and it was judged both by the then Church and State to be binding and yet notwithstanding all the Obligation all was broken and the Pope's Supremacy denyed in the time of Hen. 8 th and Edward 6 th in their time all Swore against the Pope's Supremacy either in Church or State and how much security was the Nation in when Queen Mary came to the Crown though the Nobles and the Bishopes and Prelates did all Swear against the Supremacy yet behold it was brought in again and confirmed by Oath again and yet in the dayes of Elizabeth renounced again and of lâ—tter days what Oaths have been exacted first by one and then by another and one party contrary to another though every pâ—rty fancyed a security for the time but it proved of no more effect neither were they in degree more secure then if there had been none at all for indeed that frequent Swearing hath made Men being got into a Custom of it that it is become a light thing unto them though otherwise they look upon themselves as bound Generals how have they turn'd one way and another way and Soudiers the like so that one may conclude indeed that Oaths are made no more of but even to stand in force while that bears up head and is exalted that to please the present time and Power they seem to be devoutly obliged to it but if it come under any Ecclipse or diminution then they reckon themselves no longer obliged so that indeed their Oaths are become of little or no force at all and for Controversies we see they begin many and are the cause of much disiention and discord but end few for why may not all these foresaid states and conditions be secured and as well and the good and great ends accomplished that A. S. pleads for by true evidence of every one concerned in any of the foresaid relations by declaring and confessing the Truth and speaking it unto Men as necessity requires without Oath yea and all the foresaid States have as much security and subsist as well if not better then by all this Swearing which more properly belonged to the Judaism then to Christians and there is no such necessity of them among Christians if any at all who dare not Swear for fear of offending Christ or denying his Doctrine and yet will not Lye but speak the Truth and indeed it is the custom of Swearing that hath been used in the Nations since the Apostacy entred in that is more looked upon then any thing else more then any legality necessity or security under the Gospel seeing in the Primitive times truly so called it was enough to say Christianâ— sum and that sort of Swearing that is imposed now hath no other Ground but Custom which Jer. 10.3 is accounted to be vain neither hath it so much as an inch of Ground from the Scripture and therefore doth not bring so much â—lory to God as A. S. tells on because whatsoever is added or super-added to whatever God commanded as to matter or Form is but Will-worship at the best and a making whatsoever was said or commanded or practised before imperfect and no way sufficient but more of this shall be said after if the Lord permit Fourth Argument Had Christ intended Universally to forbid all kind of Oaths in the words Swear not at all then those amplifications neither by Heaven
and are ready to answer all these necessary ends and as well and this is as good and expedient to be put in practice among Christians as interposition of Oaths enjoyned by God in the first Covenant and far more Evangelical and therefore shall conclude with that of Jerome The Gospel Truth admits not of an Oath His eighth Argument is That Christ did never any things without some Ground of reason but no reason can be shewed why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden in a due manner and upon a just and necessary occasion and therefore we may well believe that such Swearing was neither here or any where else forbidden Reply We shall not much dissent or disagree about terms with A. S. that Christ did never any thing without some Ground or Reason but yet we must deny his Conclusion that no Reason can be given why all manner of Swearing should be forbidden first of all there was a time since Man had a being in this Creation when he was in the Image of God and stood in the Covenant of God when there was no Oath neither any necessity thereof Man being endued with Power from God which was placed in him so that he was in a capacity to fulfill obey and serve and believe his Maker without an Oath for unbelief or Sin had not entred and this was before the Fall Gen. 1.26 27. Secondly Christ the unspeakable gift of God who is the Mediator of the everlasting Covenant yea the Covenant is self who is given for a Leader to the People and who is made a Propitiation for Sin and Transgression to end both Sin Transgression and Unbelief which was the cause of the Addition of the Law who leads to the beginning again all that truly do believe and are worthy to be called true Christians or by the Name of Christ to have Union with God again in that Life Power Truth Righteousness and Wisdom in which the Image of God truly consists which was before Sin and Transgression and before the Law which was added because of it which was commanded four hundred and thirty Years after the Promise was made Gal. 3.17 Thirdly After Sin was entred and Death by Sin an unbelieving part got up in all the Sons of Adam so that they could not believe God nor his Promises and yet such was his love unto Mankind considering the State into which they were plunged for confirmation of his Word unto Man he Swore by himself this was the Lord's condescension unto their low and unbelieving Estate all that time and no way exemplary for Christians truly such who are come into the Faith and to the Truth in it self who do believe that all the Promises are fulfilled in Christ yea and Amen who is the Author of Faith and of eternal Salvation to them that believe Heb. 9.12 who prohibited that by his command Mat. 5.23 which sometimes was permitted yea and commanded yea and added because of Transgression and for which the Law and the command for Oaths was only added which he did not destroy because he leads from under the Power of that which the Law came against which is just and good and Holy and the Seed fulfills it and hath Unity with it and with him who is the Judge and Law-giver and Saviour of all that do believe in him from Sin and Transgression Fourthly At that time when the Law was given forth at Mount Sina Exod. 19.20 generally all the Nations were given to Idolatry and to serve and Worship strange Gods as Baal Ashtaroth Chemosh Rimphan and many others as the Gods of Samaria which were said to be according to the number of their Cities and their Idols were called the Sin of Samaria Amos saith They Swear by the Sin of Samaria that did say thy God O Dan lives and the manner of Barsheba lives even they shall fall and never rise again Amos 7.14 Which was no other then the Calves which Jeroboam set up at Dan and Bethel which they feared Worshipped and Swore by therefore God having chosen a peculiar People to himself to Worship and serve him and honour him who should not walk after the manner of the rest of the Nations who knew not God he commanded them to serve him and Worship him and Swear by his Name as Jerome saith well to keep them from Idolatry and that they should not Swear by the Gods of the Heathen as the rest of the Nations did round about yet still this must be considered that this State of the minority of the Jewish Church wherein God gave them Ordinances suitable to their State but it doth not follow neither can it be reasonably concluded that these Ordinances were to be perpetually binding unto all future Generations especially when Christ the Seed unâ—o whom all the Promises are in whom the Law is fulfilled and in whom the former Ministrations end that his Disciples and true Christians should always be bound to these things once commanded especially seeing Christ their Master in whom the Father is well pleased hath prohibited this about Swearing and also did Prophesie of the time to come after his Resurrection and his Ascension that those Visible things which were as a Ministration for a time should end as to the outward exercise and Typical and Figurative appearance of them and that all these things should be revealed within by the Spirit and felt in the Power of God in all that did believe when the Holy Ghost should be poured forth and the Promise of the Father be made manifest Fifthly Now considering that the Name of God is believed in and he is confessed unto and his Christ and that there is not that Idolatry especially outward as there was in the Nations before and after the Flood especially in that which is called Christendom though we dare not conclude that all are Israel that are of Israel or that all are Christians that have the Name yet generally I say the Name of God and his Christ is acknowledged and worshipped and not Idols and false God's therefore there is no necessity of Swearing by the Name of God as there was at the time of the giving forth of the Law but especially among them that the Father will reckon as truly his subjects and Disciples of Christ who are partakers of his divine Nature here is not that necessity among them for they through the Law being dead to it it hath no more Power over them and therefore no reason that they should be kept as under Tutors and Governours seeing that the Age and Ages is come which the Apostle spoke of Eph. 2.7 wherein Christ is revealed the hope of Glory and whom he makes free are free indeed Joh. 8.32 36. Sixthly and lastly The command of Oaths was given for the ending of Strife and Controversies among Men Heb. 6. which hath relation to the Law and to the State of the Jews and their Political proceedings the Apostle brings but that in as an instance or an example and
is but to set Bryars and Thorns in Battel against the Lord. Thy Book thou callst Hell broke Loose or a History of the Quakers published to preserve Christians against formality of Religion and Apostacy and to the intent that thy Book might not grow old nor stick upon thy Hands as such other moudly stuff hath done thou saist London Printed in the Year 1660. and so hast Printed a lye in the Frontis-piece of thy Book thy Book by that time thou may'st hang up with old Almanacks or sell for waste Paper and if thou beginst with a lye and Scorn how dost thou think that this will be an Antidote as thou callst it against formality and Apostacy Is not a Lyar an Apostate is not he that pleads for Popish Trumpery a formalist in Religion without the Power he that reads but thy Title page may see what thy Book is within if he go no further the Covenant of Death is not yet broken in thee and the agreement with Hell is not yet disannulled and therefore all this Smoke is come out of the Pit in which thou delights to dwell And is this such a worthy Piece in thy account that thou must needs shelter it under the Wings of the Officers of the Army of England Scotland and Ireland art thou so great a Friend to them and in thy Book tell'st them they were the in-let of Heresie and Blasphemy who art but yet an Episcopal stem or at best a Presbyterial Branch I believe many amongst them will savour thy Spirit and know what Uniformity and unity thou art for which may be more properly called deformity and Enmity and so thy Flattering Epistle when they see thy Spirit will hardly merit thanks and so that wicked Spirit which could not be satisfied in the time of the former Parliaments and Protectors still persists in the unsatiable desire to see if the Army will gratifie thee and turn Persecutors but thou hast mist it far in crying a confederacy to the reverend Pastors or Priests of Scotland the Army knows right well or at least might do that the Priests of Scotland whom thou so reverencest have been alwayes Hinderers and Obstructors of the Way of God and of his Work these divers Years instance two â—o three Hundred of them before the sight at Dunbar who Prophesied all like Zedekiah for the poor Scots against the English Army to go up and Prosper and Cursed them and Excommunicated them and gave them up to Satan and for Distruction but such Prophets were made fools and their divinations were Madness and God gave a sufficient Testimony against them and their deceived Followers which I hope the English Army have not 〈◊〉 forgotten and for the Scotish Priests and their Doctrine and Practice 't is so grosly ignorant and abominably Prophane as I believe many of the Army do right well know but such as are not satisfied I refer them to a Book called The Doctrines and Principles of the Priests of Scotland wherein may be seen their deceit and how some of them have said they had Reason to curse the Magistrates from morning to Night because that Allowance was granted unto any to Worship God in Spirit and Truth who could not be subject to their Traditional uniformity and thou tellest the Army in thy Epistle That ruin is like to come upon all Religion and Piety if God prevent it not by you or some other way they may see what Religion thou art of which may be rather called Irreligious and Impious the Government of Religion and Piety lyes upon the shoulders of him who is a wonderful Counsellor and mighty to save and able to defend them that are subject to him and wouldst thou have the Souldiers or any others intrude themselves into Christ's Throne unto whom all Power is committed both to make Religious and preserve pious them that do believe in him this were to derogate from the Honour and Power which belongs to Christ who is the Head of the Church who will not give his Glory to another and let all take notice of this that whosoever hath sought to take Honour from him and glory from him he hath laid their honour in the Dust and their Glory is become as the moth-eaten Garment as hitherto it hath been evident and thou tellst them They know the Scripture is God's written Word and a Holy perfect rule of Faith and Practice and that it holds out that Christ is now in his human glorified Body in Heaven If thou hadst said the Scripture are the Words of God written thou hadst said something for the Word of God is one thing and the Words are another though the words are a Testimony of the Word and the Word and the Spirit which is one which gave forth the Words are the perfect Rule and Foundation of Faith which was before the Words and is greater then the Words as we have often declared to thy dearest Generation though they would not hear and where doth the Scripture hold forth a Human glorified Body in Heaven thy deceit and ignorant mind holds out a Human glorified Body we say according to the Scriptures that Christ's Body is spiritual and he is raised a spiritual Body and is Glorified in a spiritual Body and in a Heavenly Body which thou never knewest neither art like while the Nature lives in thee in which thou now stands And thou say'st in thy Epistle that one day in seven should be set apart for rational Souls to mind the things of Eternity And which is that Day that thou wilt set apart some of Babylon's Merchants have cryed up one day and some have cryed up another day and some have called the seventh day the Sabbath and some have called the first day the Sabbath and whether was Sabbaths made for Man or Man for Sabbaths and whether was dayes made for man or man made for dayes all time is in the Hand of the Lord and they that have Communion with him do mind the things of Eternity every day and so they come to know the day of the Lord in which rest is given to the Soul and the Creature hath rest though he labour in the Creation when that is done away in himself which hath Opprest thou may'st go learn what this means In thy Post-script as thou callst it thou saist If any shall take offence for thy seeking to civil or Military Power to Support Religion thy defence is thy belief is That thou ought to seek to the higher Powers to support Religion and this is the Liberty of thy Conscience and that this thou may do more acceptably then they who Cross their own profest Opinion as they have done of late Years by motions Counsels Books and Papers which they have delivered for these many Years for â—he pulling down the Ministry and Steeple-houses and that their importuning the Magistrate to pull down Ministry and Worship is a yielding of the Cause I say thy belief is without the true Foundation and so
may properly be called unbelief and thou errst in thy Judgment who seekst to civil or Military Power to uphold Religion which as I said before belongs to him who is the higher and highest Power Civil and Military Officers are not for making Religion or setting up Religion but are to keep the Peace and to stop the Violent-doer and to be a Terror to Evil works and workers and a Praise to them that do dwell and that is their place to govern in Righteousness but not to exercise Lordship over the Conscience which Power belongs only to Christ and as for them who have delivered Books and Papers and words and writings to them who are in Authority to pull down the Ministry and Steeple-houses or publick Ministry and Worship if thou intendest the Quakers as I believe thou dost thy Arrows being shot only at them we have delivered or caused to be delivered divers Book and Papers wherein we have shewed them the grievous Suffering of the People of God by the heavy Oppressions which they did suffer under because of the Hirelings Wages and upholding of Mass-houses things which have been introduced since the Primitive times in the Apostacy which aforesaid things have been guarded and upheld by Laws made in the Beast's power now to make null those Laws which were the Ground of many Oppressions and an offence to many tender Consciences this is not to pull down Religionâ— and that Ministry which can be pull'd down by taking away of Tythes and forced maintenance is no Ministry of Christ but Ministers of Anti-christ and to deny paying to Steeple-houses Clark-Wages burying for the Dead and such other like invented Things which many have groaned under is not to pull down Religion for this I say to thee and that which I can say to all which no reasonable or equitable man will deny to be equitable or Just take the Hireling Ministry to thee and give him the fifth part of thy Estate if thou wilt and erect thy Steeple-house like Babel's Tower but trouble not us with none of these things and for declaring to the Magistrates that these things ought to be done away and the Law by which they stood which was made in Transgression ought to be taken away this is not to pull down the Ministry nor true Religion but to overturn deceit and Invocation which hath Obstructed and hindered pure Reformation which hath been talkt on for these are but the rotten Raggs of the Whore's Menstruous Garment so thy defence is made void and ours standeth true that the Magistrate or Military Power hath nothing to do to Prescribe any form of Religion to bind all unto for this is an Intruding into those things that belong not to them Thou say'st That thou dost freely and sincerely affirm that thou hast not knowingly wronged the Quakers in the least but dost engage thy self to make good every Thing thou chargest against them that shall require it of thee That we shall see afterwards how thou wilt make good that which thou hast charged some with hast thou not knowingly wronged us when thou hast brought all those which thou countest Hereticks all Europe over and some Parts else and whatsoever they did or said must be imputed unto us I know thy Envy in Times past with the rest of the Priests was as much agaâ—nst them who were separate from your Assemblies as now against us and all these Things that thou hast raked up in this Book out of Histories of Germany of New-England which I am not credulous to receive from thy Mouth no more then I shall thy History as thou callest it of the Quakers for thou who wilt lye of them which are so near thee may report many Untruths at a Distance and these Things the hireling Priests were wont to charge upon the Baptists and Independents but now we are become the Object of all your Reproach and your Butt to shoot at but we are in that which the Devil cannot prevail against neither the Gates of Hell In thy third Chapter thou say'st Thou wilt treat of the Predecessors of the Quakers and thou reckonest up Simon Magus Menander Saturnus how he taught that Marriage and Generation was of Satan and Arrias who denyed the Divinity of Christ and Pelagius a Monk who held that a Man without the Grace of God was able to fulfil all the Commandment of God and of Basilides that he taught that it was not Jesus but Simon of Cirene that was crucified in his Shape These are none of our Predecessors take them to thy self and whether hast thou not knowingly wronged us in these Things and how wilt thou make every Thing good which thou hast charged us withal These things fore-mentioned and many more which I shall pass over as not to trouble the Reader with in which thou hast charged us falsly wherein thou art required to make good the Charge or else cease thy clamorous Tongue these that thou hast reckoned up you use to call them Arians Saturnians and Pelagians but now thou hast made them all Quakers In thy 13th Page thou manifestest what Spirit thou art of thou tellest of the Old Church-Government being taken away to wit the Common-Prayer-Book tâ—ken out of the Mass-Book then began Sects to arise So that it seems thy chief Reformation and Religion is but the Old Lithurgy which is little better then the Mass and the Ministers the old corrupt Bishops that the Earth groaned with the Burthen thereof whose Ordination and Call is from the Pope their Original and from the Church of Rome your Mother from whence these State-hirelings which burthen the whole Creation sprang forth thou would'st have all confined unto this dark Mist and compelled to worship according unto those Popish Traditions held forth for publick Worship in that time Further thou bring'st a Heap of Lyes out of Baxter a Man at Enmity against all Goodness who hath written many lying Books against the living TRUTH for which the Lord God will call him and thee to Account Thou set'st down some of that which thou call'st our Principles in the 16th Page How that we deny all Officers in a Common-wealth and how we deny all Relation as Brother and Sister Magistrate Master Father Mother Son and Daughter Husband and Wife and that Husband and Wife should part assunder and that all Things should be common all these things shall turn upon thy own Head and now to the Light in thy Conscience I speak which thou despisest whether thou hast not wilfully wronged us And I require of thee according to thy Promise to make these things good but I believe thy Proof is out of our Adversaries Books Baxter's and the Priests of New-castle which things have been answered and their Lyes turned upon their own Heads In the 17th Page thou hast gathered some Words and Sentences out of our Books many of them are so evident and manifest Truths to all that are come to a good Understanding that they need no Vindication for they