said Book occasionally coming to my hand by a Friend of mine in the fourth month last as I remember and I looked into the Book and read some part of it over and did fully observe the current of the matter conteined in it and the drift and intent of the Spirit of the Author and in my Meditations upon the same I found his work composed and made up of such kind of ingredients as these following First Ignorance Secondly Malice Thirdly Lyes and Slanders Fourthly Contradictions And fifthly Downright opposition to the Truth I say a certain composition I found in his Book made up of all these mixtures which he had published to the world 1 His Ignorance was apparent to me in asmuch as he had in some things mistaken and placed such and such things upon Account against us ignorantly and then seemed to confute them and give his Judgment against us thereupon and this meerly upon mistake through Ignorance fasly supposing we held such a thing which indeed we held not and so flying out against us in Judgment upon his ignorance and mistakes 2 His Malice was apparent in asmuch as he had slandered us and belied us without good Ground and Cause at all having perverted our words and meaning in many things and placed things against us deeply charging of us without any sound Reason at all rendred by him but meerly as to me doth appear upon his own malice and hatred purposely to render us odious to the World and to our enemies which must needs be out of malice and emnity and not out of love and Gentleness to inform us better and convert us if wee had been in error But I found him to be so far from that Spirit of love and good will towards us that he hath taken every occasion he could and also made occasions falsly to traduce us and to reproach us in the sight of our Enemies as it were on purpose to enrage the Spirit of the ungodly world to destroy us 3 His lyes and slanders were apparent in such an abundant manner throughout his Book that every page almost had some contained even as great reproaches and accusations as well could be as if we were Hereticks deniers of Christ having familiar Spirits Witches and what not Such kind of lyes and slanders as these I found a very great number in his Book it is true I have not accounted them in particular but made a guesse at the whole sum which I suppose may be above 200 of Lyes Slanders Callumnies falsereproaches Back-bitings Bitter words and such like 4 His Contradictions were apparent throughout his book in divers particulars sometimes saying thus and so and sometimes quite contrary sometimes accusing us of one occasion and some time accusing us of a contrary And thus his contradictions were made manifest as in our Answer is at large discovered as the Reader may observe 5 His down-right opposition to the Truth was apparent in as much as throughout his book he hath opposed the very Truth of the Gospel as particularly the Light of Christ which every man in the World is enlightned withall and concerning Quaking and Trembling and concerning the anointing and the sufficiency of its Teaching and concerning destroying the Whore the Word of God and Scriptures all these things cum multis aliis c. he hath opposed and gainsayed directly or indirectly and thus as is made manifest in this following Answer his whole work is compounded of such mixtures and ingredients as aforesaid as every impartial man may judge Well upon my further Considerations of his Book I found he had subtilly directed the current of his matter so as it might be taken notice of to be an eminent Work as he thought and yet not so to be taken notice of as if he had directed it immediatly is opposition to us called Quakers for I found not that name once mentioned in all his Book and yet implicitely he had directed it to us for his intent was I discovered to be against us by that word so often scornfully rehearsed To the Preachers of and to the Light within all men c. And by divers other things I found that his Book was intendedly against us and also that his said Book well deserved an Answer from us that the malicious intent thereof might be diverted though many other Considerations presented themselves in my mind at my first looking into his work as 1. The unreasonablenesse of the time of its bringing forth and publication to the world thought I is this a time and fit season for us and them to fall into contention one with another and to oppose each other to the end to discourage and dishearten each other in the sight of our publique Enemies who stands ready themselves to devour us both and by all means seeks occasions against us and to ruine us both if it were possible who doth account us as two parties of their greatest adversaries and are persecuting and imprisoning of us as one in opposition to them and would be glad to see us destroyed and it being thus with both us and the Baptists so called thought I again how unseasonable this mans work is at this day to fall to reproach us and traduce us in the fight of our Enemies thus opposing of us with tooth and nail giving thereby occasion both to his and our enemies to mock at us and laugh us to scorn rejoycing to see us whom they count their Enemies falling together by the ears and as it were tearing one another this I knew would be a great occasion to them against us both in such a season as this when as it would have been more meet to have encouraged one another and strengthned one another in the way of Truth and Righteousnesse and to have been helpfull to one another in our afflictions and sufferings espâ—cially in the things wherein we do agree against the common open prophanenesse and idolatry and persecution which abounds at this day in the world that we might have been a rejoycing one to another as Brethren in Truth seeing we are both a suffering People at this day and accounted Brethren by our Enemies rather then a cause of affliction and grief and greater tribulation one to another as this same J. W. had endeavoured in his Book to be the occasion of this and such like was my considerations upon which I concluded the unseasonablenesse of the time of publication of his Book and the folly and weaknesse of its Publisher 2. I considered the errour and ignorance of the man in respect of the subject of his matter as stated by him and prosecuted which is this against and in opposition to the Light within many times rehearsed oppositely and scornfully to the Preachers of and to the Lâ—ght within all men making this the subject matter of his opposition as if it were the greatest heresie that could be that any should preach up a Light within and this I found he had set himself to
Answ. As for discerning of Spirits I do say it is the gift of God that God giveth unto his People and there is such a gift in the true Church as discerning of Spirits and secrets and this same gift God hath given some at this day but that we discern not the mystery of Christ Jesus nor of God manifest in the flesh this is J. W. his accustomed language to wit of lyes and falshood which I sum up to the rest of his Lyes and as for our being guided by the Spirit of Antichrist and deceiving others thereby this is spoken in his haste if not in his malice and because he gives no proof for it I passe it with the Answer of a plain denial And as for mistake of persons or things which he imputes to us suppose it be true which he saith yet this proves us not to be dissemblers and deceived as he concludes of us for was not the Apostle Paul who had the gift of discerning sometimes mistaken as particularly in the case of the High-Priest and afterwards said he wist not that it was Gods High-Priest now J. W. would have charged Paul by the same rule he charges us that he was ignorant of the mysteries of Christ and led by the Spirit of Antichrist and a deceiver and dissembler and deceitfull dealer and that he had not the Spirit of discerning but was proud in heart Why because he mistook a Person but such false judgement J. W. spends in his haste and malice Now I come to the fifth Particular about sufferings and J. VV. saith It is not sufferings onely which makes a Martyr but the cause for which the sufferings are and he bids leave off boasting in our sufferings for Romish Priests though great Adversaries to the Truth yet for sufferings they exceed us and we suffer many times as evil doers and there is a Spirit in us that waits but for an opportunity to make others to suffer and he speaks of one that hath been threatned to be thrust out of doors by head and shoulders and sayes you will be as free to execute punishment whensoever you obtain Power to enable you to do it c. page 190 191. Answ. 1. As for sufferings we do confesse that we are and have been a suffering people under cruel persecutions even to death and banishment out of the Dominions where some of us have lived and such our sufferings have been for the Name of the Lord and for good Conscience sake this the Lord himself from Heaven bears witness of daily and then what need we care for all J. VV. saith with his lying Spirit to the contrary and some of our Friends have been Martyrs not because of their sufferings onely but for the cause for which they have suffered which is the direct cause of God and of a good Conscience and J. VV. is never able to prove the contrary though we do not boast of our sufferings as he falsly saith nor do we look upon our selves to be the People of God because we suffer but we know we are the people of God and therefore we suffer and herein is Christs words fulfilled upon us who said as they have done unto me so shall they do unto you and they shall speak all manner of evil on you for my Names sake and he that suffers as a Christian it is a Testimony to him that he is of God and that his Persecutors are of the Devil 2. As for the Romish Priests who have deeply suffered though I will not say for Truth and Righteousness sake yet their sufferings are a shame to your Generation who cannot suffer for that which you call the Truth as they do for that which you call falshood and do not they here shame you who can suffer death for their Religion but you Baptists that was lately tryed by Imprisonment though at first many of you refused to swear as out of point of Conscience yet afterwards the generall part of you did deny your own Principles and did swear contrary to the command of Christ and to what once your selves professed and for which you were imprisoned and thus you proved deceitful Persons and Hypocrites and such as would neither keep Conscience to God nor Faith to men and J. VV. himself came feebly off in this point as some well knowes and so indeed he had need to plead that suffering is no good sign seeing he and his Brethren could not suffer no not so much as the Romish Priests to their shame be it told who were many of you in great confusion about that very thing of Swearing some of you holding against it and some writing for it and suffering a while for refusing and at last did swear and so made your selves a scorn to your Enemies and proved your selves to be in confusion and treacherous to your own Principles and Consciences 3. In that he chargeth that we suffer many times as evil doers and not for the sake of Christ and Truth we charge him to prove this in his next or else silence shall be taken that he acknowledgeth himself to be a Lyar and Slanderer and as for our waiting an opportunity to make others to suffer this is onely his envious surmise and for some threatning others as he saith and cursing them having no better weapons this I account like the rest of his stories not worth answering though t is possible J. VV. judgeth of us by himself as if we wanted Power to execute what our wills could do this I verily believe is the state of him and his Brethren for we have Power enough according to the will of God and out of his will desires no more Power though J. VV. wickedly suggests as if we would be cruel like himself but this is but his imaginations and not worth heeding for God hath made us long-suffering and patient towards all men CHAP. XI Concerning the word of God and the Scriptures and the word and writings truly distinguished NOw I passe over to his fifth Chapter as finding little to oppose between the 192. page and the 205. excepting half a score of Lyes which I leave till J. W. and I meet which I hope may be in a good season and his fifth Chapter contains Concerning the Scriptures and the word of God and he charges us that we deny the Doctrine of the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be the word of God and uses reproachful language concerning it and speaks of one laying the Bible upon the ground and setting his feet upon it and we delight to abuse the Scriptures and are filled with rage against the Word of God and that we foam out disdain against the Scriptures and then takes in hand to prove the Scriptures to be the VVord of God c. page 205. Answ. 1. Here is a grievous charge laid down and managed in manner as aforesaid for it is utterly false that we use any reproachful language concerning the holy Scriptures neither ever have
which doth convince and convert and turn from darknesse to Light and how can their Doctrine be from the same inspiration which is against the Doctrine of the Scriptures page 219 220. 222. Answer Here Joseph Wright hath jumbled some illiterate Logick which may be proved false as thus the Scriptures its true doth declare of the things that ought to be done and believed and the things that ought not to be done as to the general part of things Yet there are many particular Actions and things which the Scriptures do not make manifest and we would have J. W. to leave a little room and work for the Spirit of God and not thus utterly to reject it for the scripture saith it is the Spirit that reveals the Things of God and the Mystery of Salvation and not the scriptures viz. the writings and that sure word of Prophesie which Peter speaks of that was as a Light shining a dark place was something more sure then the very words which Christ spoke with his mouth to them which were written by Matthew and the light which shone as in a dark place to which they were to take heed was more sure to them then Christs words which were written and were scriptures and thus J. W. may see his mistake and perverting of scriptures if he will be but sober and reasonable and that the Commandement of the Lord is Pure and the word is a Lamp we do not deny but gives as full witnesse of as J. W. can do and therefore he needs not cite these scriptures to oppose us for it s thy malitious Spirit that opposeth us not the scriptures for we acknowledge to the truth of these scriptures by the Spirit which gave them forth which is greater then the scriptures and as for the powerful operation of the Doctrine of the Scriptures it is not of themselves that they do operate in any but it is by the Spirit that gave them forth which worketh in the Hearts of Believers to comfort and refresh with the Love of God and it is the spirit according to the scriptures that doth convince and convert and not the scriptures without the Spirit as J. W. would say and it was the Gospel that Paul Preached that turned them from darkness to Light and not the writings which say that the Gospel is the Power of God and not the writings and it is meer ignorance in J. W. to intimate that our Doctrine is against the Doctrine of the Scriptures this I shall account amongst thy slanders and it is not the least of them And whereas thou flyest out high in high words against us That we must consider and leave our inventions else sin will lye at our doors and our bloods will be upon our heads c. and there is no less then four lies in thy last page but these words are to thy self and not unto us for we are not the persons concerned we follow not vain inventions but we are saved out of our blood through Jesus Christ and for J. W. now to exhort us to repentance when as in page 47. he hath given absolute judgement on us without limitation That the mist of Darkness is reserved for ever for us This is a direct contradiction which shews what spirit he has been guided by in all his work And thus we have searched and examined J. W's whole work from the beginning to the end and given an answer to the material parts thereof saving that we have not mentioned many lies and slanders which we have passed over and do reserve them till we come face to face otherwise till our next reply and what we have written we must commit to the judgement of the Spirit of God in all sober persons who may for their own edification compare his work and ours together and truly weigh each of them in the ballance of equity and to the spirit of found judgement and to the Fear of the Lord all are committed and commended in the reading and considering and judging of these things Last of all for a final Conclusion for present if it be supposed by J. W. that this is not a sufficient Answer to his Book I do propound unto him this further in order to the satisfaction of any sober persons if any be doubtfull in this case That first both of us may agree to appoint a convenient time and place for a meeting to dispute it out face to face that which yet remains in controversie between us 2. This being done that all his Friends and ours that are doubtfull or desirous of such a thing may have knowledge of it 3. That in such meeting no foul reflections nor impertinences nor bitternesse of Spirit be allowed on either part but discretion and moderation 4. I shall first take in hand to prove a very great number of Lyes contradictions and falshoods in his Book 5. Then I shall hear his Defence for himself and his Objections against any thing in ours and answer them and after this manner shall be our proceedings if we do meet It s true times and seasons are unsuitable for such a meeting and work yet rather then any Detriment should fall upon the Truth or the cause of preaching the Light within be endangered to harm I am willing to hazard the greatest adventure hoping we may do such a thing if necessity require in that Wisdom and Prudence as may not offend any This I shall leave as my farewell to my Antagonist at this time and thus seal up the whole sum E. B. THE END ERRATA IN the 6. page of the Preface line 5. for contra read contrary in the 7â— page of the Preface line 27. for this work read his work in the 2. page of the book line 9. read we vindicate l. 14. read and his pleading against free-grace to all confuted p. 3. l. 29. for own while r. one while p. 6. l. 31. for strife r. self p. 17. l. 29. for arising which r. arising with p. 27. l. 9. for then r. their p. 31. l. 13. r Ignorant of it p. 48. l. 22. for receive r. reverence p. 50. l. 11. r. tell Lyes * Witnesse Jer. Ives who openly swore to get himself out of prison after he had written against swearing for which some of them called Quakers openly witnessed against him also divers others of the Baptists did swear for fear of suffering as also the said Jer. Ives and John Tombs and Hen Den who have long been Teachers did divulge their deceitful stuff in their books for swearing as those that sought to betray the simplicity of God in others of their brethren who were more conscientious then themselves who could not with a safe Conscience swear though some through the deceit of their Teachers were diverted from the Truth in their own consciences
and given up to hardness of heart he would never thus grosly have belyed us and these lies must be his onely proof for he can give no better testimony that we are proud in heart the Lord rebuke his lying tongue it s enough here onely to deny his lies for most of the particulars are before spoken of to wit of the Commandements and Promises of Christ of the Immortality and the Resurrection but he goes on in his accustomed manner of falshoods and sayes we acknowledge not any superiours and that we wholly neglect Faith and Gospel Obedience and that our hearts are too high to submit to anything of the Spirit Faith and Obedience and that we have an eye of scorn and disdain all which are lies and thus J. W. goes on like as if he had devoted himself to tell a lies and studied to frame falshood seeing that every page which I have now under hand carries in it number of lies but he charges it to be the pride of our hearts because we will not put off our Hatts This is false also as much as the rest for though we cannot put off our Hat is in Honour to any mans person nor give them flattering Titles of honour yet this is not from the pride of our Hearts our God knows but from another ground as I could demonstrate were it the present case of controversie But being brought by J. W. as a proof of this matter therefore now I pâ—sse it so that his onely proofs that we are not more humble but more proud then others which is his present assertion is poorly and weakly mannaged with Proofs and Arguments of absolute deceits and falshoods who hath not one better proof from his Pen then a lie to prove his proposition and thus I passe this particular commiting him to the reward of God according to his work which must come upon him one day and as for the matter of our Humility we commit the cause of that also to God who judgeth more justly then vain man Now I come to the second Particular of Unity and J. W. saith Our Vnity he doth absolutely deny for Vnity in the truth we have not but in Iniquity for we do not hold the Head Christ Jesus and we are not in Vnity but in confusion we are not Vnited unto Jesus Christ by Faith and intimates that we deny Jesus Christ his Person and contemn his Ordinances and trample his word under their feet and this do the Preachers of the Light within in saith he for saith he We are not at Vnity among our selves but one Preaching one thing and another Prints the contrary and he speaks of one that affirmed that the Bread and Wine spoken of in Scriptures appointed to be eaten and drunken in remembrance of Jesus Christ is not Temporal nor External but Spiritual and Eternal Another he saith should Print that that Bread and Wine is common such as may be eaten by unbelievers at their Feasts thus are we divided from the Truth and one from another saith he For some do hold that Bread and Wine were to be received until he came by which we understand until he come in us and thus the Preachers of the Light within are divided in Doctrine because one sayes the Bread and Wine is Eternal another saith it is visible and Temporal and one Teacher calleth another Dog and hath disproved each other c. page 183 184 185. Answer To all this I answer in opposition to his charge we are in Unity and Fellowship with the Lord in Spirit and one with another in him notwithstanding J. W. his seeming detection as if it were otherwise and his charge is high that we have not Vnity in the Truth but in Iniquity and his proof for it is like the proof of the former assertion to wit absolute lies for he saith we do not hold the head Christ Jesus nor are United to him by Faith nor have any accesse by him and that we deny him and his Person and contemn his Person and trample his Word under feet these are falshoods altogether and by this means he proves his point that we have Vnity in Iniquity and not in the Truth t is wickedly affirmed and as wickedly proved by one of Satans Messengers who hath set himself to oppose the Lords Truth and his People and that by his Masters order and in his Masters way who was a Lyar from the beginning Thirdly And now I come to his Charge That we are not in Vnity among our selves which he has proved according to his accustomed manner For what if some did say though he names none that Christ broke Bread and drank Wine with his Disciples Temporal and Visible Bread and he also broke Bread and drank of the Cup with his Disciples which was Spiritual and Eternal and Invisible and these may be both affirmed without any contradiction Christ did eat of the Bread with his Disciples which might be eaten at unbelievers Feasts and Christ did eat of the Bread with his Disciples which unbelievers could not eat of both these are true and hath no such weight of contradiction in them as J. W. ignorantly supposes and what would he say of the Apostle Paul and the Apostle Iohn the one saith God is a consuming fire the other saith God is Love and of the Prophets one of whom said God is angry everyday and another said there is no anger in God would not J. W. had he lived in their dayes have said the Prophets and Apostles were divided among themselves and as for some calling another Dog and disowning one another and yet are all Preachers of the Light within though he mentions neither the time place nor persons and therefore because in other cases he speaks so falsly of which I well know therefore I may have jealousie this is false also But however suppose a deceitful person that never knew the work of Regeneration should speak of ye Preach of the Light within may not he be called a Dog and disowned and yet no division among us for such are not of us but contrary to us and we are onely divided from them and not among our selves and had J. W. lived in the Apostles dayes what would he have said when some of the Apostles withstood others in some controversies would not he have said ye are dissemblers ye have not Unity among your selves but are in confusion and so and so and also when some deceivers got up and Preached Christ and the Gospel pretendedly for filthy lucre and for covetousness and had the form of godliness and were sometimes conversant in the Churches but the Apostles cryed against them and disowned them though they were among the Churches and Preached the Apostles words but were the Apostles therefore divided and deceivers and in confusion because of some such amongst them Thou ignorant man I tell thee nay no more are we though Hypocrites may get the words of Truth from our mouths for such are not of us