to be God are not like to be much the wiser for what they read This cuts off all Hopes of J. Faldo's being wiser for I suppose he read what he writ as blind as he is However for the sake of others I will endeavour to reconcile this seeming Contrariety In the first Passage he grants that within Man was not mentioned and by his Silence I suppose I may conclude it Orthodox For no Man that believes Scripture will dare to deny that God is Light That every Man is enlightned by Him and that by Him who is call'd Light all things are upheld and that He alone is Saviour A Doctrine J. Faldo teaches pag. 84. 85 89. To the other Scraps of Matter I answer That we never did do nor shall assert the God that made Heaven and Earth to be comprehendable within the Soul of Man No it is more impossible then that the Sun in the Firmament could be contain'd within the Body of any individual Person But that God who is the great Sun of Righteousness doth as truly cause his Light Spiritual to arise upon the Souls of Men as his Sun Natural upon their Bodies and as what Knowledge we have of the Natural Sun is by its Light Operations and Effects upon the World so our Knowledge of the Eternal Sun of Righteousness God who is Light and in whom is no Darkness at all is only and alone by his Divine Light Operations and Effects in and upon our Understandings and Consciences so that when we say that the Light is within any we do not intend the whole Being of Light nor was it in this gross sense that G. Fox the Younger ever meant it But that He who is the Eternal Fountain of all Life and Sun of Light causeth his Light to visit the Hearts and shine into the Consciences of all Mankind as well of such as Rebel against it and scorn it to reprove them as those who Receive it and gladly submit to it to direct and justifie them Wherefore we utterly deny that the Manifestation in Man strictly consider'd is the most-high God but a Manifestation of or from God by the Inshinings of his blessed Light And we cannot be said to Worship the Manifestation but that Eternal God which is Light that is thereby manifested and all Worship otherwise founded is not of God nor pleasing to him but of the Invention of Men which he will confound and this Scripture and Reason are ready to defend Scorning the Light in them and not owning the Light in them by our Adversary so strongly insisted upon is no more then scorning and disowning him who is the Light that shines in them and that gives Light to them What very vanity then is all his Boast And how does his Charge retort upon himself But that we may send it quite back to the Pit from whence it came le ts hear how he proves our Belief of the Soul to be God which he begins to do with no small Shew of Assurance that he shall cleaverly compass his End § 2. Every Man has that which is one in Union and like the Spirit of Christ even as good as the Spirit of Christ according to its measure E. Burroughs True Faith c. And what 's this to the Purpose Can any Man be so stupid as to think that E. Burrough ever intended the Soul of Man that purely simply constitutes him such For he is speaking of that Universal Grace Light and Spirit which God has given unto all whereby they may be led to Eternal Felicity And unless he will say that a Measure of the Holy Spirit a Scripture-Phrase which God hath given to every Man to profit with is not in Union with Christ nor as Good in Kind as the Spirit of Christ which our Adversary sayes is God it will evidently follow that what E. B. writes is found and Scriptural however this makes nothing for our Adversaries present Charge But he ends not with him Now my Soul and Spirit is center'd in its own Being with God and this Form of Person must return from whence it was taken F Howgil Test of E. B. This Expression is deliver'd to us by Francis Howgil as Edward Burorghs's a little before his Departure in that sensible Testimony he gave to the late Life Labours and Death of that worthy painful effectual Labourer and his Companion in the Gospel of Jesus But to help J. Faldo's Intellects that they may no more look asquint upon such weighty dying Words Let him know that E. B. spoke not of God as his Souls Being by Nature or as of that very Being for so the Soul would be God indeed and yet subject to all those Pollutions and Punishments which do and will attend Wicked Men Blasphemy with a Witness but God as that Being which by Regeneration the New Nature and Spirit of Adoption all the Righteous Souls are gather'd too and center'd in as their Everlasting Habitation and Life Eternal The World may perceive with ease at what rate and what Tearmes J. Faldo swaggers over the Quakers But let him boast that puts off his Armour § 3 The next Person he singles out is G. Fox thus answering a Priest But God and Christ is in the Saints and dwells in them and he the Priest is a Reprobate and out of the Apostles Doctrin Great Myst pag. 16. I perceive J. Faldo will rather quarrel Scripture when he meets it in a Quaker's Book then not have something against them But certainly if that be the Way to prove that we believe the Soul is God to wit that God and Christ are in the Saints what will become of the Scriptures Will they escape J. Falao's heavy Censures who say That Christ is in his Saints the Hope of Glory I in them and they in me The Tabernacle of God is with Men and he will dwell in them Must every thing that is in another be necessarily of that in which it is But I hope his Heat being abated he may discern the Weakness of his Attempts against us To proceed I. Pennington he also brings in to make good his Charge How serviceable he may prove will better appear when we have examin'd the Passage That which the Lord from Heaven begetteth of his own Image and Likeness of his own Substance of his own Seed of his own Spirit and pure Life Quest 27. But J. Faldo has mist his Aim and mistaken his Man For I. P. is not now speaking of the Soul of Man simply consider'd but of that Divine Life Nature Image and Birth that God by his Word of Life creates or begets in the Souls of those who once lived not to God but themselves bearing the Image of the Earthly and do turn at his Reproof to walk in the Way of Life This will not move the Business one Jot further on the behalf of our Enemies Charge § 4. We will close this Point with a Passage out of Samuel Fisher's
Rich Benefices full and stately Livings many of you grew dry again were turned to Pillars of Salt my Soul wandered for Rest and at last found it in that Tender Holy Pure Principle of Life and Righteousness which had been wont from a Youth to attend me mollifie my Heart allay my Affections and preserve me out of gross Pollutions which whilest such of you in some Measure kept that are now manifestly gone from it there was another Kind of Spirit that rul'd in you And 't is to this First Love and Works we desire your Return such of you whose Day is not utterly past over your Head And what any shall think of me as this uncharitable Adversary hath expressed himself as that I should seek Credit a Party c. I heed not for what I am at this Day I am by through and to God Almighty the Righteous Lord of Heaven and Earth alone It is basely done of any Man that is a Professor who pretends to some Acquaintance with tender Conscience and those Tryals that attend it to censure another Man's Change and Afflictions for Counterfeit and meer Designe Oh! The Righteous God will reckon with such Uncharitable Disingenuous Perverse Spirits in the Day that hasteneth to Try all and then will he recompense this ungodly Censurer of an Innocent Stranger to him who were I upon my Tryal at the Bar of his own Party there be of them enough to give Evidence of another Spirit then that of vain Glory or Self For where none of these things have induced but Sharpeness and Severities have met me there has been a Faithful Answering of Convictions to some of their knowledge who I believe to be better Men then to refuse me a ful Testimonial if sought for But as I shall not think my self so deeply engag'd or my Reputation so shaken in the Minds of Thousands as to need or desire it by any Power or Force J. Faldo can attacque me with so shall I leave the Concern of God's Truth the Innocency of his People in General and my own in Particular to his Holy Wisdom and Providence who we are well satisfied will plead our Cause in the Consciences of Ten Thousands to the Shame and utter Confusion of all our Obstinate Adversaries A KEY Opening a Way to every Common Understanding whereby to discern the Difference betwixt the Quakers Faith Doctrine and Practice and the Pervertions and Traducings of their several Adversaries Reader THere is not any thing more Indiscreet then for People to deny what they do not understand It has been our Unhappiness far more then all that our Adversaries have been able to say against us that hitherto we remain unknown by those who yet stick not to condemn us I will confess that our Principles as disguised and mis-represented in the World have given Offence or rather those who have so besmear'd them nor indeed can we be displeased that People should refuse them Entertainment under those frightfull Vizzards some make them to wear But it will be the Business of this little Key to explain the Difficulty and give Entrance into so clear and plain an Understanding of the Quakers Principles from the Priests Perversions as I doubt not but with Impartial Inquirers it may be an Ending of much of that Controversie which is now on foot between us and our Opposers Priest THe Quakers hold That the Natural Light in the Conscience of every Man in the World is sufficient to Save all that follow it and so overthrow Salvation by Christ Quaker This is false For our Belief and Assertion is that Christ who is the Word that was with God and was God and is so forever hath enlightned every Man that cometh into the World with his own Light as he is that true Light or such a Light as there is no other to be compared to him which is the Meaning of the Emphasis True and that such as follow the Reproofs Convictions and Leadings of that Light with which he enlightens the Understandings and Consciences of Men shall not walk in Darkness but have the Light of Life which Life is a State of Salvation for which End he was given I will give him for a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth So that we assert the Light of Christ Sufficient not a Natural outward Light which may be properly so called in opposition to Spiritual nor yet that bare understanding Man hath as a Rational Creature Priest The Quakers hold the Light within them is God Christ and the Holy Spirit so that every Quaker has whole God Christ and Spirit in him which is gross Blasphemy Quaker This is also a Mistake of our Belief We never said That every Illumination in the Hearts of Men was whole God Christ or the Spirit whereby to be guilty of the gross and blasphemous Absurdity they would fasten on us But that God who is Light or Christ who is Light the quickning Spirit and God over all blessed for ever hath enlightned Mankind with a saving Measure of Light So that the Illumination is from God or Christ but not therefore whole God or Christ There are no such harsh and Un-scriptural Words in our Writings it is only a frightfull Perversion of our Enemies to bring a Scandal upon our Faith yet in a sense the Scriptures say I in them and they in me Christ in us the Hope of Glory Unless Christ be in you ye are Reprobates I travel again a second time until Christ be formed in you If they who deny'd his Coming in the Flesh though high professing Jews were Anti-Christs What must they be reputed who as stiffly disown his Spiritual Coming Formation and Dominion in the Soul Certainly though call'd Christians yet no whit less anti-Christs then the obstinate Jews of old Priest By the Quakers Doctrine every Man must be saved for every Man is savingly enlightened Quaker I deny that For though the Light or Grace of God hath and doth more or less appear to all Men and that it brings Salvation to as many as are taught by it to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly and Righteously and God likely in this present evil World yet it no way follows that Men must obey and learn so to do whether they will or not God tenders saving Light or Grace to all he strives and pleads with all but if they will not hearken his Spirit Grace or Light is clear of their Blood In short Though Men are Lighted or Visited with a saving Light or Grace yet we never Concluded nor is rightly Concludable that such Men must necessarily be saved whether they obey or Rebel Priest By the Quakers Light or Spirit they may be moved to Murder Adultery Treason Theft or any such like Wickedness Quaker This never was our Doctrine For herein know we the Spirit of God and Motions of it from the Spirit of this World and its Fruits that it condemns all Ungodliness
QUAKERISM A NEW Nick-Name for OLD Christianity BEING An Answer to a Book Entituled Quakerism No Christianity subscribed by J. Faldo In which The Rise Doctrine and Practice of the Abused Quakers are Truly Briefly and Fully Declared and Vindicated from the False Charges Wicked Insinuations and utmost Opposition made by that Adversary With a KEY Opening the True Meaning of some of their Doctrine from that Construction which their Enemies Ignorantly or Enviously Affirm Report and Dispute to be theirs By one of them and a Sufferer with them in all their Sufferings William Penn. Behold I will make them of the Synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not but do Lye Behold I will make them to come and Worship before thy Feet and to know that I have loved thee Rev. 3. 9. Printed Anno 1672. The Author TO THE READER HOwever our many sorts of Enemies may please themselves with their brisk Endeavours against us the Expectation they thence have of our Utter Overthrow especially some Independents Anabaptists and Socinians Be it known to the whole World Professor and Prophane our Confidence is in God for whose holy Truths sake we are as Men killed all the Day long and it is our Perswasion that many Thousands in these Nations have that Sense of us in their own Consciences which it is as impossible for the utmost Power or Artisice of our angry Adversaries to exstinguish as the Sun in the Firmament We matter not their Flourish Number Threat or Force though Gog and Magog are combin'd to seek our Ruin God that made the Heavens and the Earth the Sea and Fountains of Water hath them all in Derision and will not be wanting to assist us otherwise fore-lorn upon Earth in this juncture of close Attacque we waiting on him with that Divine Courage Wisdom and Patience which may enable us to surmount the Difficulty of the Work and through the Tribulations of our Day bring us to the Recompence of that Peace which is Eternal And indeed this is our Joy above all worldly things that the Lord is our Light and our Salvation we know it we experience it therefore whom should we fear Though all Sects seem met in one as a mighty Man of War to our Overthrow the despised Stripling by this great Goliah has a Sling and a Stone that however contemptible yet coming in the Name of the Lord will give this Giant 's Head a Victim to his Faith We know in whom we have believed and cannot be Cudgell'd Jeer'd Rail'd or Smooth'd out of our most Holy Faith who has God for its Father and Victory for its Off-spring A Birth unknown to the Bawling Pharisees of the Age nor can any but a Conquerour inherit Reader their Cries for Scripture Christ Fundamentals and the like are meer Pretences that make but up a Cloak to cover the Avaricious and Ambitious Ends of those leading Men in every Party that as deeply and vigorously prosecute our Ruin as a Jew doth Riches but the Reason is known to Almighty God Because the Quakers having been taught that Inward Heavenly Straight and Narrow Way to Life by an Internal Living Teacher they would say they srustrate all Hope of further Advantage the Ignorance of People in the things of God has hitherto benefited us withal by their most vehement Declaration to the World that no Man can be a Child of God who is not begotten of God and that no Man can be so begotten but by the Internal Operation of his Spirit to Wash Cleanse and Inliven the Mind to God-ward that this is the Deepest and most Excellent End for which Man was made the Law was given Prophets raised and Christ Came Lived Died Rose and Ascended That who know him not thus let into the Conscience in order to Purge it from Dead Works by the Destruction of that Power which product them to lead Captivity Captive and Raign as King Lord Judge and Law-giver are Enemies to the Cross of Christ and are at best but Carnal Historical and meerly Out-side Christians And this we standing by and they knowing full well with the fatal Consequence to their Designs that would attend the Universal Reception of this kind of Doctrine they seek to divert the Minds of tender and enquiring People by all the Hideous Devilish Falsities Satan's utmost Interest can furnish them withall deforming us with what Mire they can either borrow or invent hoping by such Besmeerings to make the Dogs fasten us for some Monstrous Beasts and chusing rather to Solemnize our Funeral with the Merriment of the Vulgar then suffer them to know us truly as we are lest their sober Conscience should enquire or be toucht with any the least Pitty for our so hard Dealing at their Cruel Hands Well! but for Your sakes O Impartial People am I this time engaged in Spirit to concern my self otherwise against my Will to take an Angry Scoffing Independent Priest in hand a Man I know not but by his Book and certainly an Ignorant Malicious and Scurrilous one too I perceive how unknown soever he is to me I am not to him and he has taken great Care to tell me so but mine own Concern would have suggested Silence to me for an Answer to his Uncivil Reflections for Arguments I cannot call them had not my earnest Desires been for the Vindication of that Truth Living upon all Occasions offer'd which the Grave will prevent me doing It is my Satisfaction God has made it my Lot and that of suffering from Detractors I esteem not the least part of my Crown for whose Holy Service he is my Witness I have long since chearfully sacrific'd my All of Contentment in this World and yet am not without a share from his peculiar Providence But let us see if the Quakers are those Miserably Deluded Wretches this Taunting Priest would represent us whose Triffling Quirks show the Emptiness of the Head and Airiness of the Mind from whence they came If we are what he asserts we are the worst of Men by how much we pretend to greater things but if it shall appear we are Scripturally Orthodox in some of those very Points for which he represents us Heterodox and mistaken by him in the rest I hope it will not be without Good Reason that I have entituld this short Discourse Quakerism a New Nick-Name for Old Christianity Reader the whole of what I have to desire from thee is an Impartial Mind in the Perusal of this Defence and Iust Explanation of our so much mis-represented Faith and Doctrine with that we dare adventure our Cause and without it there is no Truth so clear that Prejudice may not question it Let not the Multitude of our Adversaries be an Argument against our Cause Their Reviling ought not to pass for Reason nor Noise for Conquest With God Almighty and his holy Witness in thy Conscience do I leave the Issue of this Endeavour Be Serious be Considerate Farewel Thy Friend very ready to
with a more glorious Manifestation of the same Divine Power Purity Truth Wisdom and Righteousness then former Ages were either capable of or attended with To exclude then all Antecedent Times from any share in Christianity is both Weak and Cruel since it plainly shuts them out of all hopes of Eternal Salvation for if no Name be given but the Name of Christ under the whole Heaven by which Men can be saved then either Christ was alwayes in some measure or other a Saviour and such as were saved in some degree or other Christians or there was one Saviour before Christ's outward coming and another since or lastly all that were antecedent to that Appearance were damn'd § 6. I appeal then to the Consciences and Understandings of all impartial People if our Belief be not the most Just Merciful and True that however it pleased God to send his Son a Light into the World at that time more eminently then before yet that he was so far Spiritually manifested in all Ages as the Word of God nigh in the Heart and great Commandment in the Consciences of Men as who believed and obey'd obtain'd Remission of Sins and Eternal Salvation This is clear for if no man could ever see or know the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son reveals him then because many of the Holy Ancients both spiritually saw and knew God otherwise they could never be saved it follows that Christ did in all Ages reveal God who being Light and that it is Light alone which can Reveal or Manifest it was as a Light within that he communicated unto the Soul of Man which is within Man the Knowledge of the Pure God Whatever may be known of God is manifest within Man for God hath shewed it unto him so that the Contradiction and Error of the Man's Definition of Christianity is evident § 7. But yet a little further He plainly Heathenizes that notable Christian Passage of the refusing it all Priviledge within the bounds of Christianity viz. Whatsoever things are True Honest Just Pure Lovely of Good Report if there be any Vertue if there be any Praise think on these things Now if this Religious Chymist shall once extract all things that are Honest Just Pure Lovely and of Good Report from Christianity which the Apostle maketh the Sum of what he had been writing unless it is not a Christian Epistle and therefore ends with a Finally my Brethren tell me O sober Reader what a kind of Christianity there would be in the World O Monstruous Impiety Is this Man fit to write of Christianity that places it beneath the lowest step of Purity making manifest Difference betwixt being a Child of God and a Christian True the outward History of Christ's exceeding Love to Man-kind deserves all humble and reverent Credit as a Godly Tradition and it should forever bind Men to receive and fear and worship him yet I boldly affirm that though the Manifestation was clearer yet Salvation was Salvation and a Child of God a Child of God in all Ages For what is it but to say that Pure Religion and Undefiled which is to keep our selves unspotted from the World belongs not stricktly to the Christian but Jewish or Pagan Religion and that James was but a moral Man in the Matter and not writing on a Christian Subject What an empty Trunk a Vox praeterea nihil a sounding Brass and Tinckling Cymbal would this Man make of true Christianity Yet thus far we may force him to speak Truth though in double Contradiction to himself that since Christianity takes in all that was worthy in all Ages not as Alien then but related to her self something of the Nature of true Christianity was in the World before that more Visible and Glorious Manifestation of it unless Christianity be supposed to take into it self what is not of its own Nature thus was Christ the Rock the Ancients built on before Abraham was whose Day he had a Sight and Sence of and from it exulted greatly § 8. Christianity then is not an Historical Belief of the exteriour Acts the true Christ did in that bodily Appearance which is but Historical Christianity as our Adversary weakly argues for that was the least part of it since Christianity is that which brings to God which thousands that believe the other will never arrive at but a firm belief in him that so Appeared Lived Died Rose and Ascended both as testified of in the Scriptures of Truth and more especially as he breaks in upon the Soul by his Divine Discoveries as the true Light inlightning every Man this I call Christianity and that Man is a Child of Light who obeys that Light a true Christian who is Christ-like a Child of God and Heir of the Promise who is inwardly renewed and begot anew of the Incorruptible Seed and Word of God For those who were Christians of old were such as came to know Christ no more after the Flesh but as the second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Quickning Spirit who said I am the Resurrection and the Life really witnessing him to be that in themselves wherefore they Believed and upon Repentance received Remission of Sins and Eternal Salvation And I do affirm that Christianity stands in the Manifestation of a Measure of that Righteous Power Wisdom Truth and Life in the Soul which appear'd so largely and gloriously in that Body at Jerusalem to work Repentance then give Remission so Renew Redeem and finally Save and who came to be made sensible of that Heavenly Treasure in their mortal Bodies and to improve it as good Stewards were Possessors of true Christianity and therefore Right Christians The Distinction betwixt Moral and Christian the making holy Life Legal and Faith in the History of Christ's outward Christianity Manifestation has been a deadly Poyson these latter Ages have been infected with to the Destruction of Godly Living and Apostatizing of those Churches in whom there might once have been begotten some Earnest Living Thrist after the Inward Life of Righteousness § 9. By this I think it may be pretty well known what we mean by Christianity and a True Christian How far this will agree with his Definition of Quakerism and a Quaker I will proceed to examine Quakerism is a heap of Tenets with the usurped Names of true Christian Principles which are yet really no such thing but subverting both Foundation and Fabrick of true Christianity And I call him a Quaker that professes the Light within every Man to be the Lord and Saviour and very God So that then I say Quakerism is no Christianity § 10. Indeed if Quakerism respecting us were this I would say so too but because it is justly a Stranger to any such Imputation I rightly fasten that of Ignorance or great Malice upon our Adversary I have already exprest our Judgment of Christianity which I suppose to be the Quakerism struck at what ever may be pretended at
Spirit O the Hell-dark Expressions of the Quakers Spirit frightful and amazing Words bitter Curses Howlings and Roarings and what else J. Faldo's Devil pleaseth by which to render the Quakers Odious Well! But to Answer him It was a time of Joy and a time of Sorrow the Spirits of the Just rejoyced that he was born forth into the World and that Sun of Righteousness risen whose Discovering Light and Refreshing Beams would renew the World that had been in great measure bewilder'd since its first Innocent State but therefore was it not a time of Wo Sorrow Terror and Grievous Distress to all the Workers of Iniquity did not Christ come to bring War as well as Peace a Sword a Fire upon Earth Did not his Fore-runner come in an Astonishing Manner in Differing Attire of another Diet and from a Desolate Place to Preach Repentance and to Warn them with an O Generation of Vipers to flee the Wrath to come Did he not say that an Ax a Sharp and Terrible Instrument should be laid to every unfruitful Tree And did not the Apostles Preach to the Pricking of the Hearts of Thousands and Paul by name that Felix himself Trembled and all as knowing the Terrors of the Lord themselves they warn'd others wherefore Judgment is said to have begun at the House of God Finally did not the Devils Howl Roar and Tremble foreseeing they should be dislodg'd by one stronger then themselves Christ the Son of the Living God and was there no Terror Dread and Amazement in all this I perceive it may be a Vertue in the Primitive Christians but a Vice in the Quakers at least in J Faldo's Account § 7. But this know O Impartial People the Quakers were overtaken by the mighty Hand of God and great were their Travels and Pangs of Sorrow under the Righteous Terrors of the Lord whose hour of Just Judgments was come and being thereby made Witnesses of his handy Work and redeem'd through Judgment they became Ministers of Judgment unto others and the Terror of it struck Thousands the Devils Trembled and all Flesh at least in some was as Grass and the Beauty of their Carnal Outside Religion but as the Flower of the Field which in the Name of the Lord we testify fell and wither'd before the Brightness of his Appearance to us who put on Strength like a Giant that was to run his Race and girded himself with Power and who was able to stand before him the Hills melted at his Presence and the Mountains fled before him into the Sea And art thou given up J. Faldo to call Light Darkness and Darkness Light the Terrors of God the Possessions of Satan and the Remorse of Conscience Hell Broke Loose O Unhappy Man The Lord will reckon with thee for this Blasphemous Impiety and this I say to thee and all thy Associates that Eternal Misery will be the End of you for all your sweet Notions of Religion unless you obtain it through the Fire the firy Judgments of the Lord reveal'd in your Consciences For that end is Christ now as formerly manifested that Judgment might be laid to the Line and Righteousness to the Plummet in all and because we earnestly contend for the Inward Work of Christ as the most beneficial to Mankind therefore is it that you Priests have us in Hatred Scorn and Derision all the Day long and indeed we are grievously wronged by your Wickedness and Cruelty but the Lord is our Strength of whom therefore should we be afraid and why do you Rage and Imagine a Vain Thing concerning us § 7. Now for the time when Christianity and Quakerism came as he is pleas'd to distinguish them Some says he date Christianity from the Birth of Christ others WITH MUCH MORE REASON FROM THE RESURRECTION OF CHRIST witness that place All Power is given unto me in Heaven and in Earth The Consequence of this Assertion is thus much That Christ taught not Christianity That his Disciples who believed in him were but better kind of Carnal Jews That Christ's Life Doctrine and Miracles were not perform'd under a State of Christianity That he had not all Power before his Resurrection contrary to the Scripture In short That Christ and Christianity did not go together and if you will that Christ was not Christ but a good extraordinary Jew before his Resurrection for I am sure his Notion of the Beginning of Christianity warrants the Consequence O the Orthodoxality of this Wiffling Priest Busy-Body and Conceited enough Well but this is not all we have a Contradiction to add to his Burden Christianity made its Way by many Signs and Wonders wrought before Multitudes and that not only by Christ himself but also by his Disciples and Servants BOTH BEFORE AND AFTER HIS DEATH If this be not Giving and Taking Granting and Denying there is no such Thing in the World For here is Christianity before Christ's Death and yet WITH MUCH MORE REASON here is a Denial of that Assertion and AFFIRMING THAT IT TOOK ITS RISE AFTER HIS RESURRECTION Truly we need not much fear the Consequence of such Encounters when our Adversary puts Weapons into our Hands to his own Shame and Overthrow § 8. But that he may be further kind to us he proceeds The Disciples were called Christians at Antioch Act. 11. 26. but the Thing Christianity might well be before the Name Christian Enough for us Sober Reader to defend our first Chapter but a Woful Contradiction to himself where we say that what was call'd Christ was before the Name and something of the Excellent Nature of Truth Purity Holiness which leads to Salvation c. which the Word Christianity with us imports at large unless they should be excluded as any parts thereof which supposeth a Christianity Destitute of Truth Purity Holiness c. like that of this Age though in no appearance so clear as in that in which Christ visibly manifested himself § 9. But upon Peter's Words If any Man suffer as a Christian let him not be ashamed 1. Pet. 4. he observes Here Christianity is Distinguisht both from Judaism and Heathenism Both the Gentiles and the Jews were bitter Enemies to the Christian Name and that not for the Name but the Thing 's sake This must either regard the Apostate Jew and Gentile and so we close or the Jew and Gentile upon their Inward Knowledge of God and Obedience to him and here we recede and must deny his Assertion nay it would be a Contradiction to that Justice Purity and Worth he allows them to have had since it were to say that such Qualifications could be Ignorant of Christianity the Perfection of them for the Good among them became Disciples at least Lovers of the Christian Religion then not Haters of either Name or Thing For where among Jews or Gentiles their Hearts were Upright to God according to that Discovery he made of himself to them and that they kept to the divine Sence and Relish which they
of the Light within every such Rebellious Person in which the Love of God is marvelously expressed who by his holy Light within and its Testimonies without endeavours the Conviction and Reformation of the Children of Men. § 13. But hear him in his second and last Inference upon the same Ground the Tenets and Assertions of all the Heathens are to be received as of equal Authority with the Scriptures for they resulted from their Light Within improved much more orderly and to Purpose then the Quakers do theirs Yea the bitter Scoffs of Lucian and Julian the Apostate must be admitted into the same Orders for if it be admitted they did not Vilifie and Scorn and Deride the Scripture and Christianity according to the Dictates of their Consciences it cannot be denyed that they therein acted from the Power within which whether it were the Power of Darkness or not the Quakers having no Rule to judge it by but their own Sentiments it is left by them undetermined And I know not hardly any Worse they said of Jesus of Nazareth the Scripture and Christianity then the Quakers have done under other Names This Passage Impertinent enough to the purpose and as Black as Hell it self in Malice against that despised Remnant of People Called Quakers by God's Assistance I will effectually answer to the shame of this ungodly Slanderer The Gentiles Light was one in Nature with that which the Evangelist saith inlightneth all Men a Text whose Plainness Expressness yields that Advantage to us against the utmost Force of all our Adversaries which they are Angry at but can never Invalid I say one in Nature with that Divine Being and as such transcending all Writings whatever yet that the Gentiles had that Light in a more excellent Degree then that in which the Prophets and Apostles enjoyed it whence came those excellent Writings I utterly deny and that in the Name of all true Quakers I say again that though the least measure of Pure Light it self is to be preferred before all the Writings in the World as meer Writings yet that it may not be comparable to that Degree and further Discovery of Light which was witnessed by those who gave forth those Writings I grâ—â—t so that to bring the Sayings and the Assertions of the Heathens upon an Equality with the Writings of the holy Prophets and Apostles we dare not assent to but vehemently oppose any such Inference made to be the Product of our Belief For though as I said before any measure of Light it self is beyond the most excellent meer Writings of a far greater yet the Writings or Sayings given forth by that lesser Appearance are not to be brought into Comparison with those of a greater Discovery no more then the Degrees of Discovery or Manifestation of the Light it self This the Apostle Paul practised who notwithstanding that he rightly knew that Administration to supercede and transcend what want before stuck not to remind the Heathens of their own Authors as Aratus Menander c. by an apt Application of them to this Purpose in Defence of his Doctrine And if Those who became a Law unto themselves Doing the things contained in the Law were to be preferred before the Circumcision who kept not the Law and that who lived without Law outward yet according to Law inward should be judged by Law inward which was substantially the same as testifies the Apostle with what was required by the Law outward Then their Law within Substantially consider'd did not fall short of that Law without nor they who kept it of the Circumcision themselves which most clearly overturns that Ignorant or Malicious Cavil to wit that the Quakers have no Mean by which to judge of the Ground of Wrong and Right Actions For if the Scriptures be that only Judge then there could have been no Knowledg of right or wrong Actions Spirits or Powers before they were given forth which because the Patriarchs and Gentiles had an evident Sight and true Sence of by that Internal Law of Light in the Heart and Conscience without Scripture it follows that the Quakers owning the same Light and that in a more eminent Discovery can not be guilty of such an Ignorance § 14. But a litle further to inspect his Argument If the having no Outward Rule was to be without all Rule whereby to Try a Right from a Wrong Power I would gladly know how the Prophets themselves were assured of the Truth of their Motions being without any outward Touch-Stone and by what means the Apostles knew that the Spirit or Power which acted them to reject and decry the whole Service of the Jews which God had so peculiarly Instituted Circumcision for Instance that was given for a Sign FOREVER was the right Spirit or Power I ask Was it the Scripture without or the Son of God otherwise called the Light or Word of God revealed in them But I will yet proceed Suppose any Man who is call'd an Independent and owns the Scripture to be that which J. Faldo reputes them should pretend a Vision of very strange and unwonted Things should imitate a Trance personate some extraordinary Inspired Person by what place of Scripture would J. Faldo assure himself or others of the Sincerity or Imposture of such a Person his Rationals being otherwise Sound his Life Sober and his Pretences no way anti-Scriptural O Weak Man Is thy Religion without a secret Light Life Power Vertue Sight or Relish of the Root and Ground of things or rather doest thou conclude that all Mankind however Christian are left Destitute of any Inward Power to Try or Discern Spirits because it is thine own State of Darkness I affirm to thee and all the World that in this Case no outward Mean whatsoever decides the Matter or clears the Doubt only the invisible Light Power or Spirit of God Yea and that in far less Cases too In which sense chiefly it is the Dispensation of the Gospel so call'd and justly preferr'd before all other And this I leave with him that nothing can judge of the Root and Ground of Evil but the Root and Ground of Good The Works of Evil the Scriptures tel us are abominable But the Question is How do I know what they declare to be Evil is so what works the Conviction in me and where an Evil Spirit brings it self not forth into those Works what shall discern him except it be the Good Spirit It is the Power of God within that crusheth the Power of the Devil within The Scriptures without Reprove his Works without But since the things contained in the Scriptures were such in themselves and true and experienc'd before they were written will it not follow that the inward Power was both a sufficient Judge and their Author too and consequently Greater § 15. But above all the Impudence of his Wickedness both to charge the Impiety of Julian and Lucian upon the Light within by placing them in the same Order with
the best of Heathens and Quakers walking up to the Light within and to affirm for all that the Quakers have to judge to the contrary they acted by a Divine Power Ranking the Quakers Faith in Christ upon an Equality in Evil with their horrid Blasphemies The Top of all Uncharitableness a very Lye for this is to say That the best worst of Heathens were all alike that they wanting Scriptures could not rightly discern the Difference between the Bad and Good that those who live up to that Light as he cannot deny the Quakers to do in a great measure are but in Julian the Apostate and scoffing Lucians Ranck In short that the Quakers Believing in one God that he has Enlightned all Men that he has Striven by his Light and Spirit in the Consciences of Men through all Ages and by it in the Hearts and Mouths of his Prophets and above all by that blessed Appearance of Christ Jesus who Tabernacl'd among Men in that Body prepared for that purpose who there in preach't the heavenly Kingdom within worked Miracles laid down his Life for the World rose again and ascended to the Father leading Captivity captive and gave Gifts for Men that who believes in him and takes up his Cross shall be his Disciple and persevering have Everlasting Life That the Quakers Faith I say in this Solemn Conscientious Manner upon which they place the Eternal Happiness of their Souls should scarely be a Jot better then the APOSTACY OF JULIAN AND THE IMPIETY OF LUCIAN AND BUT ONLY SERVE TO RENDER US AS GREAT DESPISERS AND CONTEMNERS OF CHRIST AND ALL HIS RELIGION AS THEY WERE O strange Comparison̄ Well they tell us of a Book coming out of our Hard Sayings to our Opposers But match this impartial Reader But however the Devil blinds and hardens this J. Faldo sure I am the Devil himself knows better What shall I say Truly nothing more but leave it with the Righteous God of Heaven and Earth to plead our Cause in the Hearts of all People and avenge himself upon his Adversaries to whom Vengeance belongs § 16. For his Comparison of us with the Papists we little heed it He tells the World the Papists own Revelation which he proves at large and the Quakers hold Revelation also Therefore the Quakers are Papists or very near them as his Story indeed an arrant Lye either in him or the Papist will inform us where he says that a Papist upon being ask't which of all Sects in England approach'd them most replyed the Quakers How near we are to the Papists in Faith Worship and Discipline shall be left to them that know and have seen more then this conceited Priest But Argumentum ad hominem Thus The Papists own a God a Trinity of Persons c. and J. Faldo owns a God and a Trinity of Persons also therefore J. Faldo is a Papist or very near a Kin to one Would this be just If not neither is his Conclusion of Force against us What is Truth is not discommendable where ever and by whatsoever held It is high Weakness to exclaim against true Christians for holding any Truth in common with the very Turks and much more Condemnable to conclude them Turks But we must be run down if they can and therefore no matter what ugly Skin they cast over us so the Dogs will but fasten The Lord God plead our Cause on Earth CHAP. V. The Charge Stated not Proved The Scriptures not the most Excellent nor only General Rule God may speak by Instruments The Instruments not the Rule but that which useth them That the Scriptures being Obligatory does not conclude it the General Rule under the Gospel The Disingenuity of our Adversary in citing the Apostle's words Reprehended The Scriptures no Judge in that sense wherein they are not the General Rule The Scriptures Confest to § 1. HIs Fifth Chapter designs to Prove That we Deny the Scriptures to be a Rule of Faith and Judge of Controversies And that he may sufficiently prejudice his Reader against us and our most Holy Faith He not only tells him that to deny them to be the Word of God is a good Reason why he should conclude us to deny them to be a Rule though at the same time it manifestly shows that we would acknowledge them to be such were they the Word of God and that therefore the Word of God is our Rule but he suggests that we believe a Conformity to their Guidance cannot render a prophane Man less prophane To prove this he quotes James Parnel thus And he also that saith The Letter is the Rule and Guide of the People of God is without feeding upon the Husks and is ignorant of the true Light which was before the Letter was Shield of Truth p. 10. William Smith thus And if thou lookest upon the Scripture to be for a Rule and for Trying thou givest that unto them which is due unto Christ for He is the Rule and leads his People and he alone searches the Hearts and tryes the Reins and not the Scripture Again But if you will see a Mouth full of Blasphemies against the Authority of the Scripture read with Horror and Amazement the following words God is at Liberty to speak to his People by them if he please and where they are given by Inspiration he doth so but says J. Faldo the Sting is behind and in the Tayl of this non-such Sentence and so he is at liberty to speak by any other created thing as to Balaam by his Ass Nayl Light of Christ c. p. 19. In Answer to all which he says just nothing but thinks it is enough to have cited these Passages and seems to triumph as reasonably as the Man which dreamt he did eat but awaket anhungry delighted himself in his sleeping Feast Let us trie to rouse him out of this Lethargy of Ignorance and Conceit § 2. I shall freely confess that for the same Reasons that we deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God we cannot own them as the General Rule of Faith But also as we acknowledge them to be the Words of the holy living and powerful Word of God so that they express and declare unto us many holy Rules for Godliness and I declare in the Name of all the Right-born Quakers in the World that we utterly reject all such as Deny the Scriptures to be profitable for Reprehension Instruction Exhortation and Eaification How vain then is this Man's Impeachment of us as Persons void of all true Respect for them § 3. In short as the Scriptures are not the Word of God but a Declaration of the Word of God so the Scriptures are not the general Rule but a Declaration of the true general Rule which I prove thus That which alwayes was and is a more general Rule then the Scriptures must needs be and is most properly THE general Rule and not the Scriptures but that was and is the Light
of God in the Hearts of Men Consequently not the Scriptures but the Light was is most properly The general Rule The middle Proposition only to be excepted against is clear in that before the Scriptures were writ and since where they have not been known Men have been are Convinc'd Reprov'd Inclined Taught Order'd and Ruled by the inward Appearance of God's Light in the Conscience And among those who are called Christians let them be just to God and their own Souls and they must confess that there is something very near them when the Scriptures are quite remote both from their Persons and their Thoughts which upon any Miscarriage is as a swift Witness to smite and upon the approach of Temptation is as quick to warn and diswade the Mind from falling into the Foulness of it Is not this then more Living Immediate and General that neither Sea nor Land Day nor Night nor any condition but a Seared Conscience can exempt People or deliver them from the secret living and sensible Touches of this holy Witness whether they be to Counsel Justifie or Condemn This searcheth the Heart this tryeth the Reins of which David said It had made him Wiser then his Teachers who read and expounded the outward Law unto him § 4. And indeed it is unworthy of the Excellency of the Administration of Life it self more glorious then that of Condemnation the State of the Law that an outward Book though declaratory of never so much good and not the Good it self should be the sole general Rule of such as are under it What is it but to subject the Spirituallity of the Gospel to the Letter of the Law And thus much worse that then it self they had either the daily Living Voice of God or a Law engraven on Stone whilst the Scriptures which they call the present Gospel Rule are but in Paper But can any true Christian think that God is so wanting to his Promise who promised to Write a Law in the Hearts of his People as to bound them by meer Literal Prescripts No surely but much rather that the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which he promised to write in the Hearts of Men and Women should be the Rule of this Administration which is a Living Powerfull Rule present upon all Occasions and in all straights and ready to assist with Counsel Wisdom and Knowledge all who act agreeably to the Mind of God who will reward every Man according to his Works So that J. Parnel and W. S. their Expressions are clear'd For J. N's the last of the three it was not written in Derision of Scripture as is unworthily suggested but to prove that God is not limited to Instruments God whose holy Spirit is the living substantial Rule may appear after divers Manners either by bringing into the very Conscience the Truth of some weighty Passage in the Scripture or by a Ministry or any other Way yea by Balaams Ass to Balaam and that without Blasphemy or Prophaneness For by whom or what may not the Almighty direct the Sons of Men still it was not so mean a Creature as an Ass which God spoke by to aggravate the Stupidity of Balaam and greaten the Miracle No Nor the Apostles themselves much less their Writings but the Word of the Lord that was as a Fire to the Workers of Iniquity and Sanctification and Reconciliation to them that believe it That was the True Rule wherefore said the Prophet Hear the Word of the Lord. What Word that nigh in the Heart which Moses and Paul preach'd Still the outward Instrument is not the Rule the Prophet is not the Rule the Apostle is not the Rule much less are their Writings being they are but all external Instruments And this I will abide by against all the Insults of our Enemies by God's Assistance that both they are but such Instruments and that such Instruments are not the Gospel-Rule but that Light Life Power or Spirit which useth them and who attributes that Honour to the Instrument which is due to the chief Mover in it or by it commits down-right Idolatry Therefore what is flung upon the Quakers by their Adversaries is more justly chargeable upon their Adversaries But we cannot help it if that People will not work through the Outward to the Inward the Writings or Persons to the Light Life and Power that employ them for any Use or Service in the World Nor shall we ever be condemned of God that we therefore decline to attribute those Titles to the Scriptures otherwise worthy above all Books which are only due to that which gave them forth especially since what we believe in the Matter is with an holy Fear and Reverence towards our God and Good-Will towards all Men. § 5. But he Objects 1 That what is therein affirmed by the Lord we ought to believe proved from Christ's Words O Fools and slow of Heart to believe all that the Prophets have spoken Luk. 24 25. 2 That what is thereby commanded not being repeal'd by the coming of Christ it is our Duty to obey Deut. 5. 34. 3 That the holy Scriptures do in their kind determine or discover to us whether we believe and walk or practice aright or not proved hence All Scripture is given by Inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be Perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works and herein all things which are written in the Law and the Prophets do I excercise my self to have a Conscience void of Offence 2 Tim. 3. 16. 17. Acts 24. 16. To all which I say we do with him acknowledge that whatever the Lord hath by his Prophets and Apostles who writ the Scripture affirmed and required taking in his Exception about Christ's Coming it is our Duty both to Believe and Obey so that there is no Difficulty in that Matter For the last Passage there is some sober Scruple in our Minds about it For there are manifest Contests in the World both about Faith and Practice They result not from the Scriptures I grant but that they proceed from Mens wrong Apprehensions of Scripture in a great Measure that I affirm and I know no Man so stupid as to deny Now I would fain know which way those wrong Apprehensions are to be rectified He says by Scripture I say Not for the Key is wanting What is that Key may some say The Spirit of Truth who gave them forth Who can explain any Man's Mind so well as Himself in a Matter wherein he is not rightly understood or it is hard to understand Him And if none but what is indued with Reason is capable of understanding a Rational Proposition Neither can any Man whatever understand spiritual Propositions or Propositions about spiritual Matters in the Scriptures but by the Illumination of the Holy Spirit in some Degree or other This is so clear that the Sun is
possibly can be which he makes them but to be § 9. In short either the Scriptures are not obscure a thing we daily see or if so yet sufficient which is impossible or they must have a Judge which is most true and necessary and what Judge but the Spirit of Truth which leads into all Truth And so far are Decrees from determining because written that they are therefore determinative of Controversie because of that Conviction the Power from whence they came works upon the Conscience So that though what is true in it self is not the less so because written yet is not the Writing subject to an hundred Casualities nor Matter therein declared as there eminently the Rule much less the Judge after our Adversaries Notion of a Judge But that Living Powerful Spirit which gave it forth and who are made spiritual Men by it For the spiritual Man judges all things Such Writings may be declaratory of the Mind and Determination of the Living Rule or Judge I grant but also I utterly deny that the Writings themselves are that Rule how People are to believe them and a Judge how to determine of the Difficulties and Obscurities within themselves A meer Begging of the Question and a thing altogether absurd We cannot end this Chapter without an Acknowledgment of the Goodness of God in Opening things so clearly to the making known his Divine Light and Truth and manifestly Discovering the great Darkness and Blindness of its Opposers CHAP. VI. We deny the Charge His Proof no Proof but against himself We Own Believe and desire to Obey the Scriptures they afford Comfort and are as Lights in the World but not that True Light The Light and Spirit Superior to them § 1. THe next Charge he brings against us is a Consequence of his already mistaken Judgment and untrue Assertions concerning us viz. That we take People off from Reading the Scriptures and Looking into them for Instruction and Comfort to prove which as he thinks for none else can that is not either as deeply Ignorant of us or as Malicious against us as J. Faldo shows himself in almost every particular he brings out W. Smith speaking thus in his Catech. pag. 95. And this is the Meaning of our Doctrine to bring People to the Everlasting Word of God in themselves O Ungodly Man What Evil Spirit hath possest J. Faldo into this wretched and impious Consequence Certainly he is grosly blind or he has sinned against the Light of his own Conscience if he hath Conscience enough to think it a Sin which I profess I doubt when the Malignity Frothiness Envy and Impious Unjustice of the Man are set before me For 1 let any tell me if it be a Sin to bring People to the everlasting Word of God in themselves though he Dirts us not a little for so doing 2 If we do hereby take Men off from reading and looking into the Scriptures I do affirm against this Ungodly Priest and that by Authority from God the Scriptures Reason and the first Reformers too that no Man on Earth can understand them but by being first brought to the Everlasting Word of God nigh in the Heart by which the Lord speaks forth his Will to the Creature and the Scriptures themselves direct to this and never said that of themselves some over-doing Priests assert concerning them whose whole End is this that by Exalting the Letter and Excluding the Spirit they may lock up all Knowledge in their own Areanum and plead the Impossibility of Knowing the things of God any other way then by their literal Ministration for should Men be but turned to the Certain Witness of God in their own Consciences there placed of the Lord their whole Trade Power and Reputation would fall and their Deceits be made manifest in the View of the World which God the Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth is now accomplishing § 2. But he says that J. Parnel censures such that draw Peoples Minds from the Light within to the Light without putting the Letter for the Light c. Shield of Tr. pag. 10. And what then Because we say that he who inlightens all Men God that is the Sun and Fountain of all Divine Light and in whom there is no Darkness at all is greater then the Scriptures therefore will it follow that we take People off from Reading or Looking into them Behold your Priest you that hear him Is this Man to be accounted of as a Minister of the Gospel that thus unrighteously deals with us But God will recompense upon his Head in the Day of his terrible Vengeance for all his Hard and Ungodly Sayings against us We do say and that rightly Whoever puts the Letter in Opposition to or above the Spirit is an Idolater For there can be no Comparison rightly made between them the Heavens don't excell the Earth more then the Spirit does the Letter and the Power the Form But if we do not therefore deny the Form of Godliness because we prefer and press more earnestly the Power neither do we exclude the Scriptures because we prefer and press the Everlasting Word of God nigh in the Heart And this I will tell him that to busie the Minds of Men with the Depth of those Truths the Scriptures declare of by reading and exercising their Minds in Meditating thereon before they have been turned unto the Measure of the Light or Grace of God in the Heart to believe and obey that in its secret Discoveries Reproofs and Strivings is to set Men about Images to conceive a God a Christ a Salvation a Damnation an Heaven an Hell by which the Inward Work of God is overlook't and they become Rich in Notion whilst most barren in Obedience and of all People that live upon the Earth the Greatest Idolaters because they bow down to their own Imaginations for real Truths And this is the State of every Opposer to the Sacred Light within how full soever of the meer Literal Knowledg of the very Scriptures themselves for indeed who knows the new Birth though the Scriptures declare of it but who really experience it § 3. But J. Story he thinks has Contributed much to prove his Assertion in this Passage And although the holy Scripture without and the Saints Practices are as Lights in the World yet far be it from all true Christian Men so to Idolize them as to set them in Esteem above the Light which is sufficient to guide or to esteem them Equal with the Light and Spirit of God within J. S. Short Discourse Pag. 2. To this he objects that J. S. confesses them to be as Lights but not a Light and that our Commendations of that Idol the Light within are such that if they were true he were a stark Fool that would direct his Eyes to the Scripture But here the Priest fail's egregiously For if the Scriptures are as Lights I cannot see how they should be denyed to be as in the
spin out the Hour-Glass I mean saying over the same things in other words yet that we may remove all Ground of Scruple I will lay down the several Charges of the remaining Chapters concerning the Scriptures and the best Proofs he brings for them and briefly examine both § 2. The Quakers affirm the Doctrines Commands Promises holy Examples expressed in the Scriptures as such not at all to be binding to us This sayes he is a Denying of the Scriptures and the Authority of the God of the Scriptures For Proof of this he brings out E. Burroughs Speaking thus That is no Command of God to me what he Commanded to another neither did any of the Saints which we read of in the Scripture act by that Command which was to another not having the Command to themselves I challenge to find an Example to it To this I answer briefly and plainly Edward Burroughs's Expression may be taken two wayes and both safe enough to the Honour and Credit of the Scriptures though not to the Charity or Honesty of J. Faldo No Command in the Scripture is any further oblieging upon any Man then as he finds a Conviction upon his Conscience otherwise Men should be engaged without if not against Conviction a Thing Unreasonable in a Man Therefore the Apostle when he wrote to the Churches exhorted them Not to do those things whereof they were ashamed to shun what was manifested to be Evil and affirms That whatever might be known of God was manifested Within for God had shown it unto them So that Conviction can only obliege to Obedience and since what works that Conviction is the Manifesting Light Universal Grace or Quickning Spirit in the Heart of Mankind it follows that the principal Ground for our Faith in the Scriptures and Reason of our Obedience to the Holy Precepts therein contained is the Manifestation Conviction and Secret Drawings of the Light or Spirit of God in the Conscience And thus E. B's Words are Sound and Scriptural for the Scriptures are chiefly believed to be true upon Conviction therefore every Practice therein and when any Man is convinced that what was Commanded another is required of him then and not till then he is rightly authoriz'd to perform it Again § 3. Such Commands are either relating to Ordinary or Extraordinary Cases By Ordinary Cases I mean such as chiefly concern Faith and Holy Life which are General Permanent and Indispensible and then I deny his Consequence By Extraordinary Cases I understand Moses ' s going to Pharaoh the Prophets several Manner of Appearance to the Kings Priests and People of Israel with other Temporary Commands relating to Outward Services c. And so we do say that what is Commanded one Man is not binding as such upon another But when the Lord shall say If thou Sinnest thou shalt Dye If thou keepest my Commands thou shalt Live Be ye Holy for I the Lord your God am Holy Also in case of Example as the Priest cites Whose Faith follow consider the End of their Conversation Leaving us an Example that we should follow his Steps For your selves know you not how you ought to follow us For after this manner in the old time the Holy Women also who trusted in God adorn'd themselves I say these Precepts and Examples are oblieging upon all Why because they more or less meet with a Conviction in the Consciences of all For I am perswaded none that has a reasonable Soul who has not out-lived their Day and on whom the Night is not come among the Indians themselves but would readily say These are true and weighty Sayings for Faith in God and an Holy Self-denying Life are necessary both to Temporal and Eternal Happiness Thus then are we clear from his Ungodly Consequence indeed Aspersion to wit That the Quakers affirm the Doctrines Commands Promises Holy Examples expressed in Scripture as such not to be binding But let 's hear another of his Consequences by way of Charge and see if he will acquit himself better then before § 4. The Quakers deny the Scriptures to be any Means by which we may come to know God Christ and Our selves To prove this he quotes W. Smith's Primmer p. 2. Q. Is there not another Way by which we may come to know God Answ Nay Child there is not another Way for Christ is the Way To which he replies Christ saith I am the Way no Man can come to the Father but by me but he doth not say that there is no Coming to the Knowledge of God but by Christ For some Knowledge of God may be attained not only without Christ as the Means but without the Scriptures also Quoting that Passage in the first of the Romans For the Invisible Things of him are clearly seen being understood by the things that are made c. To all which I say 1. That greater Untruth Irreverence and Impertinency could not well have been exprest then in his saying That no Man can come to the Father but by Christ and no Man can come to the Knowledge of God but by Christ are two different things For it manifestly implies that Men may know God without Christ either inwardly or outwardly though no other Name be given and that to know the Father was to know some other kind of Being then to know God Or that when they did know the one they did not know the other 2. That it was never denyed by any Quaker that God might and sometimes does reach into the very Heart and Conscience by the Scriptures Shall I allow that a Man may be convinced of his Evil by reading one of our Books and shall I deny it to be as possible for any to be convinced by reading some Passages in the Holy Scriptures God forbid Neither did William Smith ever mean that Christ was so the only Way to the Father as thereby to exclude all Instruments for then he had both cut off all Benefit that could accrue to People by his Books and also from that Ministry God had given him to profit others with which was far from his Thoughts we may be sure So that the great Wickedness of this Priest is herein manifest without further Cost to know him for he argues from our denying that there is any other Way to the Father but Christ to our excluding the Scriptures and consequently our own Books and Ministry with them from being any way Instrumental of Good Reader what can be said to such a Man but that he is either Ignorance or Malice it Self I wish it were the former but his Book makes me fear the latter § 5. In short through all Instruments He who in time and with respect to that Manifestation was call'd Christ was is and ever will be the alone Way to the Father And though he may discover himself by divers Instruments yet it is but in order to incline Man to his Holy Voice in Man Some they hear and obey and live Others
they resist the Grace grieve the Spirit turn from the Way of the Light and are in a State of Death God hath been frequently pleased to move in the Hearts of the Obedient to visit the Rebellious that the Inward Strivings of the Holy Spirit might be the more Efficacious by its Strivings through some Outward Instruments but still it is the same Light Grace or Spirit of God Nor is the Light within any whit the more Insufficient to reclaim the Rebellious if minded for it is the same Light with that which moves in the Hearts of the Obedient to bear Record for God against their Ungodly Deeds Only Mens Minds being far strayed from that Holy Light or Word in the Heart and gone abroad into the wide World of Lusts and Vanities it hath pleased God to visit Mankind so degenerated by those who have been Obedient Children to the End they might be the more easily gained to a Subjection unto the Holy Light in themselves so that all Conviction and Conversion are to be ascribed to the Light Grace and Spirit of God whether immediately in the Creature or mediately by any Instrument Only take this by the way that whatsoever is Efficacious mediately is not to be understood simply of another Man's Measure of Light or Grace but in Conjunction with what God hath given and may be at work in the Party convicted and converting for every Mediate Conviction gives and Addition of Life and Strength to the Immediate Conviction that is wrought by the Operation of that so long neglected Measure of Light Grace or Truth in the particular Conscience We appeal then to every Impartial Person that reads us if we own not the Scriptures in that very Sense he would have People believe that we deny them to wit That God may and doth speak to People through the Writings of the Holy Prophets and Apostles which are commonly call'd Scriptures and consequently we do not deny the Scriptures to be any means by which we may come to know God Christ and Our selves so often as it shall please the Eternal God to reach into the Hearts of Men by any of those Truths therein declared of CHAP. VIII His Charge of our denying the Scriptures any means by which God does enable Men to resist Temptations and that we say they are Dangerous to be read rejected His Proofs Lame The Scriptures are believ'd to be a means c. The true Knowledge of them Divine No Knowledge of Divine Things but upon Experience It does not destroy Faith W. Penn's Words safe and sound The Priest a meer Shuffler Learning a Servant to Truth Christ the Word of God Faith by our Adversary prefer'd before Scripture The Scripture ought to be Read Believ'd and Obey'd § 1. HE further charges us with denying the Scriptures to be any Means whereby to resist Temptation and that we say That they are Dangerous to be read For Proof of which he quotes a Book called Love to the Lost and mine Entituled The Spirit of Truth Vindicated The first is this For those only are Children of God who are led by the Spirit of God to whom they who were led by the Letter were Enemies From whence he concludes That we account it a very dangerous thing to read the Scriptures Now if this Passage hath any relation to his Charge or Conclusion no Man ever saw the like the whole Scope of which is but this That there are Children of the Fleshly Literal and Historical Knowledge of the Scriptures and Religion who are Strangers to and therefore Persecutors of the Children born of the Spirit And that in all Ages there hath been more or less of this among Inward and Outward Jews and Christians and let J. Faldo deny it if he dare How Wicked then is he to extort indeed invent an Inference so forreign to the Matter and then charge it upon the Quakers in general and as if it were prov'd by that Passage in particular which can no wayes be concern'd in any such Unrighteous Doctrine I perceive it is as impossible for our Adversaries to do any thing against us without they have the Making of our Consequences as we are sure to find them mis-shapen enough by that time they get clear of their Hands but blessed be the Name of our God who has given us an Understanding and Boldness both to search the Reins of our Enemies Cause and defend his which he has put into our Hands in this our Day § 2. But hear him further if it may be worth while That this Abominable Tenet is the Quakers Take one Instance more out of their Famous Author W. P. or William Penn. But I will assure them they shall grope in the Dark till they come into the dayly Obedience of the Light and there rest contented to know only as they experience and not from a ravening comprehending Brain that would in its Unregenerated State grasp at the clear Mysteries of the Kingdom into which Fleshly Comprehensions and Notions can never enter but all must be as Unlearned from their first Birth Education and Traditional read Knowledge as he is unman'd that is again become a little Child before the Secrets of God's Work come to be made known Spir. Truth Vind. p. 23. Upon which hear his Comment That W. P. of all others should talk at this rate is most Ridiculous What! Know only as they experience know what God is no farther then they experience Can we experience his Omnipotency What! Know the Death of the Man Christ Jesus the Life to come and judging of all Men by the Lord Jesus only by Experience Where is Faith all the while If none but Believers are Saints such as W. P. are professedly none If Reader we are got beside the Matter charg'd against the Quakers to wit that they deny the Scriptures to be any Means whereby to resist Temptation our wandring Adversary who led me thither is only to be blam'd But since I am here I shall endeavour to clear the Truth and My self before we return to the Point in hand It cannot be so ridiculous in W. P. to assert the Impossibility of any Man 's Knowing God or the Things belonging to his Everlasting Kingdom but by Experience or as God hath been pleased by the Inspiration or Illumination of his Light or Spirit to demonstrate or discover unto Mankind as it is Impious and Antichristian in J. Faldo to assert the Right Knowledge of God obtainable any other way then by Experience And this Reader choaks J. Faldo and the rest of his Partners more then they are willing their Followers should know who for all their Cries against us as Overturners of a Gospel and Establishers of a Legal Righteousness dread the Consequence of having their own Strivings Runnings Willings and Literal Knowledge laid aside in which their Life Faith Worship and whole Religion mostly stand and of being reduced to the very Alphabet of Inward and Experimental Religion where the Righteous Judgements of
God are known for Sin which they shake off on another mistaken Account and in this Mystery the Devil works most subtilly and vigorously against the Light of Christ within and its True and Holy Birth § 3. But says he How Know God's Omnipotency experimentally Very well say I against the Folly of this cavilling Priest Experience is Demonstration and the World without and the Redemption I know within which no Power but what is Almighty could ever have effected make up that Demonstration which is that Experience therefore I only know God's Omnipotency by Experience § 4. But is it thus that you know Christ died that there shall be a Judgment and an Immortality I answer not altogether thus One Part is Matter of Story and is believed first Historically upon the Credit of History and then upon the Account of Inward Conviction too The other is Knowable only upon Experience For we feel in our selves Rewards and Punishments for Good and Evil in this Life and receive them as Earnests of what will attend Man-kind in the next And we have an inward Sence of a never dying Life which as we are Gather'd into it and Grow up in it we shall Inherit Eternal Felicity and as there is an Erring from that Holy Spirit of Life the Wages of such Rebellion will be the direful Portion of Death and Misery to every Soul forever § 5. Nor does this clash with Faith whatever the Priest would suggest For Faith is a believing in or relying upon God with respect to a further Knowledge and Enjoyment of him which no wayes impugnes or withstands a Knowledge of God upon Experience so far as Men do experience wherein they simply believe they do not yet so perfectly experience which ends Faith yet it abides certain that when they do experience that further Revelation of the Goodness and Mercy and Riches of the Love of God as the End of their Faith then and not before they may be said to know those things Why then should we be denyed to conclude and that most rightly that to Know and to Experience are equivalent Terms No Knowledge without Experience no Experience without Knowledge And though Men may believe in a further Enjoyment of what they now have but an Earnest of yet that as such they know not consequently they experience it not And so much this insolent Vilifier of that serious Expression confesseth to us and disputes for as he thinks against us when he sayes where is Faith all the while and if none but Believers be Saints such as W. P. are professedly none Since then my Affirming no Knowledge of God without Experience strikes not at Faith because Faith says our Adversary is not a clear knowing but believing or relying upon God as to things not yet clearly known and enjoyed what has the Man been a doing all the while But here was his shameful Mistake and Contradiction That Knowing and Believing are one and the same thing and this I will make appear from his own Words and a Contradiction to himself at the End of it § 6. He quarrels my affirming all Knowledge to rest upon Experience and opposes to it this question Can we experience his Omnipotency as much as to say yet we know it else he queries impertinently If so then that God's Omnipotency may be known and not Experienced the purport of his Query it must be only by Faith and if by Faith then a Man may certainly know any thing to be what it is and yet at the same time only believe it to be so which he as earnestly withstands when he asks Where is Faith all the while c. I would then sain be resolv'd whether that Man suppose J. Faldo who says that Knowing and Believing are One and Knowing and Experiencing are Contraries be more ridiculous or W. P. who affirms that Faith which stricktly taken is but an Evidence of things not yet clearly seen experienc'd or known and Knowing are not one and the same thing and that experiencing and knowing can never be Contraries § 7. I would advise this Priest to be less conceited and better grounded the next time he has to do with us for even in those places where he seems most Insulting he appeares most Weak Reader what we experience we know and from hence are taught to believe that Fulness to be in God which we can never comprehensively Know so that our Knowing God from Experience does not weaken Faith but as Enjoyment is the End of Faith so from thence great Encouragement is to be taken to press on from Faith to Faith till there is an Arriving at the Measure of the Stature of the Fulness of Christ But he leaves not off here § 8. I shall not Comment on his ravening comprehending Brain a most affected Pharisee among the Quakers nor his clear Mysteries as clear a Contradiction as it is nor Fleshly Comprehensions as much Untruth and Non-sense as according to their Meaning of it it Comprehends for I have not Room to spread all his Rubbish I wonder not at his course Usage of me 't is like a Man of his Breeding Fury and Profession there is abundantly more yet behind some of which will be observ'd in a more proper place But to reply Ravening is a most proper Word and due to J. Faldo with his whole Tribe of Priests and if he will Raving too some few more moderate ones excepted for we commonly understand by a Ravenous Dog one that is Greedy Sharp-set that hunts hard for Prey that snatches and ketches at every thing it likes or may answer his hungry Appetite now whether this may relate to that greedy pursuit of the Priests after Hire the Bason the Box the Purse or that insatiable Thirst they have after Knowledge of those Religious Matters which were the dear-bought Experiences of ancient Saints whilst Strangers to the Fiery and Refining Judgments of the Lord through which alone it is obtained certain it is that the Word is most aptly used by the Quakers against that Ravenous Generation § 9. Comprehending Brain is compassing or mastering of any thing in the Understanding and where People are more studious to fill their Heads with Knowledge then to adorn their Hearts with Righteousness we use those Words in a way of Reproof Since having learnt of God what we know of him through the Operation of his Light in our Consciences it is our Testimony and our work in the World to beat down that Thirsting Spirit after much Head-Knowledge and press all to the continual Observance of an humble and constant Obedience to the Grace of God manifested in their Hearts that teacheth to deny all Ungodliness and Worldy Lusts and to live Soberly Righteously and Godlikely in this present Evil World which is the Undefiled Religion Nor his Clear Mysteries as clear a Contradiction as it is It was not Clear but Clean in my Copy which I suppose I can produce and has been so corrected by me Ingenuous Men
would allow some Grains for Ill-Printing to us especially who have not the Press open nor those Advantages for Well-Printing which our Adversaries Enjoy that Day is not yet come to us J. Faldo's Title is Imprimatur enough we swim against the Stream such as be with it But God can and will turn the Rivers of Waters and make the Sea Dry Land Vincit qui patitur § 10. But once more hear him What is to my present purpose is in the last part of his saying All must be as unlearned from their traditional read Knowledg as he is unman'd c. Where he falls out of all bounds upon us and draws this Consequence and asks these Questions Sure the Scripture-Knowledge being Read-Knowledge or Knowledge that comes by reading as one means is a most hateful thing to God That he will impart none of his Secrets to those that will understand any thing by his written Word How came God to fall out with his own Off-spring Did he write and cause it to be written and yet never intended we should read it or reading it that we should not believe a Word of it Shall they be judged by the Law who live under it and yet the Knowledge of God thereby be a Sin and Hinderance to their Salvation To what a height of Wickedness and Folly do they quickly go who are poysoned with that Abomination of holding the Light in every Man's Conscience to be God Father Son Spirit Christ Scripture all W. P. what means your Latine Greek Authors Logick Scripture-Quotations Did you learn all those things by Immediate Inspiration But I smell your Design you would have us throw away all the Knowledge we have by Reading or Tradition till we come to be regenerate that is Quakers But in the mean time you would have us without the Armour of Light For whatsoever makes manifest is Light that we may not be able to defend our selves against the most Ignorant Non-sense that the meanest of your Votaries can attempt us with But the GOD ABOVE and the Scriptures without have taught us better things I am not unwilling to quote a few Scriptures Put on the Armour of Light Rom. 13. 12. The Word of God is quick and powerful sharper then any two-edged Sword Hebr. 4. 12. Above all taking the Shield of Faith wherewith ye shall be able to quench c. and the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God Observe Faith in the 16th verse is preferred above the Words of God in the 17th verse therefore it is not Christ the Word but the Scripture the Word For Faith is not above Christ Jesus Christ who had less need of Scripture then any of us all resisted Satan's Temptation by Scriptures It is written It is written Mat. 4. I have Reader given his Mind at large and the rather that the Inconsistency of it with the Charge he begun his Chapter upon and the Contradiction of it to himself might more evidently appear My Meaning is too fouly conceal'd and disingenuously evaded by the Man How could he think that I should speak so reverently of the Scriptures and quote them diligently and very often to the Proof of my Assertions and yet mean nothing less abusive of them then his untrue Consequences I intended no more then this That Men in a State of Degeneracy from God may have a Profession of God and Religion taken up from the Words of Scripture and outward Practice of the Saints not being so much as sensible of the Remorse Convictions and Judgments God brings upon every Soul for Sin which is the Beginning of his Work of Redemption and that many are Rich in Notion and a Shew of Religion who never begun right but must know a being stript of all their Knowledge and those wrongly apply'd Promises they have taken as to themselves out of the Scriptures and those Imaginations they have raised thence towards a Fabrick of Religion and so become Poor and Naked and Hungry and Thirsty as a little Child or new Bottle fitted for the new Wine of the Spirit and to which the Scriptures testifie Many can talk of Christ from the Scriptures which crucifie him in themselves by Wicked Works and do render Praises to him as the Seed that hath bruised the Serpent's Head while the Serpent may be yet raigning in them All such Knowledge and Profession of Religion from the meer Letter of the Scriptures distinct from the Revelation and Operation of the Eternal Spirit within must be Unlearnt Unravill'd Unbottom'd one Stone must not be left standing upon one another that there may be a Beginning upon a right Foundation But far be it from me to say that a Man must unlearn that Knowledge he has had of the Scriptures from the Key of David the Living Word of God when it has opened the Mysteries therein declared of By no means for such Knowledge is Right Natural Sanctified from God and to be esteem'd very Excellent and Divine § 11. My Latin Greek Authors Logick Scripture-Quotations I therefore us'd and urg'd with plainness and brevity to prove and recommend the Truth I defended to the World that lying under great Discredit with too many they might see that ready to its Confirmation which they perhaps would not otherwise have thought upon But the Priest has been as Uncandid with me here as with my Friends and Self abundantly elsewhere for he infers general Affirmatives or Negatives from particular Propositions because I affirm'd that Unregenerate Men must begin again that their Religion must be unlearn't as to their way of acquiring it the Priest concludes the Quakers deny all Knowledge which comes from reading Meditation or any such Means however sanctified then which there can be nothing of that kind more Untrue since it were to say because we deny an erroneous Understanding therefore we deny all Understanding or in as much as we comdemn all ill-acquired or wrong-gotten Knowledge for that cause we are to be concluded Enemies to all true and well gotten Knowledge But we must bear this and a great deal more and the rather since he does so seasonably assist to his own Confutation by acknowledging that the Scriptures without and God above has taught him better things Now what is this Teaching of the God above If it be in the Scripture it was impertinent to say any more then that the Scriptures have taught them better things but if he meant that God taught by his immediate Discoveries with and beside the Seriptures then wherein do we differ Why has he taken so much Pains and flung so much Dirt He bids us also to put on the Armour of Light If he means that of the Scriptures he errs egregioussy for no Man can put them on neither are they that Light which manifests every Thought Word or Deed but that Light which we assert to have been before the Scriptures were and now is where they are not or at least when they are not thought upon which
hereafter The Old Leaven must be purg'd out and the New Wine have a New Bottle Men must become Children and Religion taken up not upon Conviction must be abandoned for the least Appearance of God's Light breaking in upon the Heart and Conscience reproving the unfruitful Works of Darkness CHAP. XI The first of the particular Ordinances he says we deny is the Ministry His Proof lame W. P. and his Friends defended J. F. and his Gang reproveable We own a Gospel one but not his The Calling abused by such Pretenders § 1. HE now descends to show our Denial of the Ordinances of the Gospel in particular and we to examine what he says wherein if he succeed no better then in his Endeavours to manifest our Denial of them in general I think the Reader will have reason to think we shall not sit down by the loss But hear him § 2. They Deny all Ministry that hath a mediate Call to that Office quoting J. Parnel's Shield c. p. 16. And their Call to the Ministry we deny which is Mediate Also G. Fox in his Gr. Myst pag. 45. But who can witness an Immediate Call from God and speak as they are moved by the Holy Ghost and such travel from place to place having no certain Dwelling-place this Ministry we own and witness The Charge against the Priests I esteem sound but not J. Faldo's against the Quakers We do for several Reasons already urg'd deny that any Man can be a True Minister who is not immediately Call'd for it 's not go ye forth into all the World and preach the Gospel that belongs unto all Men no more then because Princes send Ambassadors to Princes with their Credentials therefore every Man ought to do the like in Imitation without considering those necessary Qualifications that belong to such an Action Peter John c. were a great while Disciples not at Academies but in Christ's School which taught the Mortification of Lusts and an holy self denying Life To such it was that the Commission came but neither was their Commission of force till they had received that Anointing which was to enable them to act by it If then every Holy Man as such is not fitly gifted and impowerd to be a Minister but that it depends upon a more Immediate and Extraordinary thing certainly those who take upon them the Ministry that have neither learnt by true Mortification to be Holy nor receiv'd any Power from Heaven to be Ministers but explode both as to the present Age and Teach for Hire and Divine for Money are not of Christ's making but their own and therefore to be denied And thus much J. Faldo to his own apparent Overthrow grants us where he says we acknowledge that all True Ministers of Christ ought to have an Immediate Call such as consists in Grace and Gifts And such as have not this Immediate Call we account unworthy of the Thing and Name What more has any Quaker said Why is James Parnel quoted to prove that what he charges upon the Quakers as to their Denying the Ministry of the Gospel is a Truth when it is become no Crime at all in J. Faldo to assert that who are not Immediately call'd are Unworthy both of the Name and Thing Is he become an Enemy himself to that Gospel-Ordinance If Immediate then not Mediate and if not Mediate then J. Parnel and G. Fox writ Orthodoxally consequently we are not to be reputed Denyers of the Ministry of the Gospel because we assert that no Man is a Gospel-Minister who is not Immediately call'd thereto So that his Mincing of the Matter in the next page will no ways qualifie it viz. That Motions by the Holy Ghost he allows yet he affirms that those who are moved by the Commands of the Spirit in the Scripture are mov'd by the Holy Ghost For if any holy Man reading the Apostle's Commission shall at that instant of Time receive an Heavenly Power to make it his laying that same Injunction upon him and induing him with such a Measure of that Divine Power as they received We shall cheerfully grant him to be truly call'd yet not because Go ye into all Nations and preach the Gospel is there written but because God respoke those Words by the same Living and Eternal Power immediately to that Particular Person which made what otherwise was but the Commission of the Apostles his Commission also § 3. But there is a Word or two which having layn hard upon his Stomach he vomits up thus As for having no Certain Dwelling-place and leaving Houses Lands and Possessions let them repair to William Penn and others of their Ministers for an Answer to it who have large Possessions and brave Habitations such as few Ministers as they disclaim especially the POOR NON-CONFORMISTS enjoy What Answer this is to that part of G. Fox's Words which it pretends to refute is obvious to the meanest Capacity that is not prejudic'd For my part I know not what induc'd him to any Answer at all being Scripture Words unless it were that he might reflect upon the Plenty God hath given some of us What! Doth he envy Men the Blessings of Heaven upon their Industry or the Love of Parents to their Children Is his Eye Evil because God's Eye is Good Doth his Mouth water after the Quakers Possessions now the Government hath justly and seasonably prevented him of a fat Benefice But why must William Penn's Name be question'd about Houses and Possessions Is he Angry that an Enmity like his own in his deceas'd Father depriv'd him not of that Estate for Conscience sake he now begrudges him the Injoyment of but he dyed a better Man a more Natural Father and sincere Christian then a Man of J. Faldo ' s Sordid Conscience will ever do But let me tell the Man if yet he be worthy of that Name that W. Penn first lost his Estate before he got it and sacrific'd it the Comfort of his Fathers House and whatever was dear of this World to the Quiet of a Conscience void of Offence before it pleas'd Almighty God to make all his Such as have known him better then J. Faldo's Informers of the most eminent both of Presbyterians Independents and Anabaptists could tell him he hath had a Conscience whatever they believe now that was not to be caught by the Bait of Pleasure Estate Preferment or Esteem in this World as well as that no Severity us'd to bow or balk it could prevail to renounce what it had believ'd upon pure Convictions To conclude his Defence in this place He got not what he hath by Preaching as perhaps Mercenary J. Faldo and many of his Coat have done but having it by God's Providence and Faithfulness can notwithstanding through the continued Love of God freely bestow his Strength Labour Estate and Life too for the Promotion of the Unchangeable Pure Way of God in which he has believ'd from whom he received and to whom
What Charge that upon us which our Practice gives the Lye to every day But when we urge this against him and such like Adversaries then it is not that he hath Mis-represented us but that we have Contradicted our selves But to clear the Point if it can yet be doubtful We do believe there is One and but One Universal Church the Ground and Pillar of Truth and that is in God anchor'd establisht and built upon him the Rock of Ages and Foundation of many Generations and as such neither is every Visible Society making Profession of Religion nor are all of them together that Church but such alone who are washed in the Blood of the Lamb and ingrafted into the True Vine bringing forth the Fruits of Holiness to the Eternal Honour Glory and Renown of Christ the Head who is over all God blessed for evermore And though there be a Mediate Preaching which is to say that the Spirit speaks by such whom he hath anointed to preach yet it cannot be strictly said that Man preaches or it is Man's Ministry but rather the Spirit by Man and that it is the Spirit 's Ministry and Man only a Mean or Instrument through which the Teaching is convey'd or Direction rather to the true Teacher the Light in the Conscience Not that the Lord doth not sometimes plentifully teach his Children without any such Means too who are turned to the Grace in the Heart and believe and walk in his Holy Light where God is to be found and an Access to this Holy Blessed Presence administred for he hath both promised it of old and perform'd it in our Dayes Thus the Apostles were Preachers not from Man nor by Man but by the Revelation of the Son of God declaring of the Mysteries of God's Everlasting Kingdom as they were moved by the Holy Ghost And so none are exempted for all may Prophesie one by one that the Church may be edified Yet I cannot but observe that 1 the Man implicitely denies that to be a True Church which is the Ground and Pillar of Truth for such the Quakers style a Gospel-Church 2 That he affirms the True Church to have other Teachers then the Spirit which is to say that the Primitive Churches were not led guided and taught by the Spirit of God only but by some other Teachers also contrary to express Scripture the Promise of God and very End of the blessed Gospel If he sayes that he meant the Apostles that were inspired I answer that was never deny'd by us because that was the Teaching of the Spirit by them which was very little less then if it had been immediately in them So that one of these two things must follow from his kind of Arguing Either the Apostles preacht without the Motions of the Eternal Spirit Or Preaching as they were moved of God's Spirit was their Preaching and not the Holy Spirit 's that so plentifully dictated to them what they were to say But in as much as neither can be reputed true by true Christian Men I conclude the Quakers sound and their boasting Adversary Heretical § 2. But he thinks he hath clearly got the Point of us about a Quaker's telling him they knew that one of the Dutch Nation spoke by the Spirit in a Meeting of ours though in that Language which was not understood by the Meeting because they all found Refreshings I will be faithful in giving his Observation upon it Of the unknown Language he sayes This was orderly according to the Popish Mass who read Prayers in an Unknown Tongue to the People but herein he wrongs us for though we do acknowledge that the pure and single Power of the Almighty may both strike Astonishment and give Refreshment where the words utter'd are not alwayes understood since he doth both frequently without them and that Understanding and Sence are two things for the Devil may speak the best words in the Bible and be an undiscover'd Devil still except by this Divine Light Power or Spirit he be inwardly manifested consequently a right Sence may be had where words may not be understood which is the One Tongue to the Children of the Light Yet we not only decry all design'd Obscurity by Praying and Preaching in unknown Languages but with the Apostle say that we choose rather by far to speak in a known Tongue that the People may understand our Words as well as have a sence of our Spirits Nor did ever any Quaker yet pretend to be moved to pray in an Unknown Language whilst he was Master of that which was well known to the People since then we don't affect such Obscurity the Case of all those Papists who pray in Latin rather then in their Native and vulgar Tongue he is very disingenuous in that reflection § 3. Upon the Quakers Reason why they knew that Declaration was from the Spirit of God viz. because they found Refreshings he bestows this Confutation so have Children many a time AT PUPPET-PLAYES What a pass are these People come to who yet deny all Teachings of Man But what a Pass may I rather say hath this Man 's implacable Spirit against the Truth of God brought him to who to his Dishonesty before adds Prophaneness joyn'd with Scoff and Impudence when he denies all Refreshment that comes not by sound of Words in a known Tongue to be any more Certainty from God's Spirit then the Pleasure Children take at Puppet-Plays though he could not but think the Person that spoak to him meant by Refreshings what came from God that there can be no Proportion or Comparison betwixt that Pious Answer and the Ungodly Sport of Puppet-Playes Ben. Johnsons ALCHYMIST which all good Men detest and himself dying abhorr'd hath nothing in it half so gross in Abuse of Religion I even tremble at the Thoughts of that Hand writing upon the Wall which this Man's Impiety is writing I fear with indeleble Characters against him who will receive a just and certain Recompence at the hand of the Righteous Judge of Heaven and Earth for all his hard Speeches against the Holy Way of the Lord. § 4. But let me not omit to show the Blow he gives his own Cause in this Expression since by the same Reason that we know no Refreshment to be any more of God without known Words then that of a Puppet-Play he knows not any more the Teachings of the God above p. 113. nor the Motions of the Holy Ghost or Dictates of the Grace of God within 2. Part. 9 10. known Words being excepted to be of God then that Refreshment little Children have in a Puppet-Play The Consequence of which Diabolical Comparison is nothing less then to overthrow all inward sence of God's Presence or that Refreshment which comes from it And then indeed we must confess we should be necessitated either to deny all Teaching or conclude with this Antichristian Priest That Man 's Teaching or Ministry ought to be adhered to Where if Puppet-Playes be
be the outward Commandments and Statutés For the Question was not about them but about the Commandment of Commandments and Word of Words which he resolves thus Let none say who shall ascend descend or go beyond the Seas to fetch the Great Word and Commandment But the Word is very nigh thee 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies the Innermost parts of Men. Whereinto the Outward Commandments could never come Nay I do affirm and that with holy Boldness in the Spirit Power and Illumination of the blessed Gospel that all the by rote Learning of the Letter of either Law or Gospel as they are conâ—â—â—-distinguisht is of no more Value to the true Knowledge or Worship of God then the Cutting off a Dog's Neck either to God's Honour or Man's profit without the Inward Living Word should powerfully write and engrave upon the Soul its Holy Precepts neither could there be any Conviction in the Conscience concerning the Truth of those Statutes nor indeed any Conscience at all since Conscience is no other then that manifest Judgment Man makes of the Truth or Falshood of things with respect to his own Soul from the Word or Light of God in his Heart according to the Practice of the Apostle who was manifest and desir'd to Commend himself to the Consciences of all Men Not as to a blind unsensible Thing but that Judgment in Man though not from him which was right and not learned of Man but received of God Whereas J. Faldo scoffs at such kind of Knowledge the Perniciousness of which Doctrine ought to antidote all sober Persons from ever adhering to it or him that preacheth it For I will be bound to make it appear that by his own Principles he is assured of nothing and must set down under the extreamest Scepticism in the World Or if concludable by any thing it must be by the way Rome takes to resolve all Scruples that is Plurality of Votes however directed and this too rather for Peace sake then any Certainty there can be in it For who bars out of all Inward Senses Motions Revelations Inspirations or Enlightnings resolving only to insist upon what may arrive them from meer Books because of the Fallibility of Man and Difficulty of the Matter they do contain which Way can there be to compass any tolerable Certainty to rest Men's Souls upon This is your once Phanatical t'other day Enthusiastical now Pragmatical and Scoffing J. Faldo The first in the very beginning of Independency in the World the best part that belong'd to it I meane Enthusiasm but now deserted by many as much as the true Religion is by the Church of Rome § 9. The third and last Scripture he undertakes to secure us from all Share in is that of Peter We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy whereunto ye do well to take heed as unto a Light that shineth in a dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts By this more sure Word of Prophecy says J. Faldo is meant those Prophecies written in the Old Testament which are call'd Verse 20. Prophecy of Scripture and are called the Light that shineth in a dark Place I hope it will be alwayes forreign to me to detract from the holy Scriptures But the Truth I will take Liberty to defend The whole Chapter is a very weighty and zealous Recommendation of the Gospel to the Churches pressing them to call to Mind the Love of God unto them and to mind their Duty to him who had so loved them And as a great Ground both of their Faith Love and Duty the Apostle in the 16th verse tells them For we have not followed cunningly divised Fables when we made known unto you the Power and Coming of our Lord Jesus Christ But were Eye-Witnesses of his Majesty for he received from God the Father Honour and Glory when there came such a Voice to him from the Excellent Glory THIS IS MY BELOVED SON IN WHOM I AM WELL PLEASED And this Voice which comes from Heaven we heard when we were with him in the Holy Mount We have also a more sure Word of Prophecy c. Now that this cannot be meant of the Scriptures and take in the Comparison I thus prove If the Reason of their Assurance that what they delivered to the Churches was not Fabulous but true was their being Eye-Witnesses of his Majesty and Eye and Ear-Witnesses of that Testimony God gave of his Son in the Mount by that Honour Glory and Voice of Words which were there utter'd and did in that Plaee uppear then the Scriptures not only were not a surer Word of Prophecy but not so sure because they never heard nor saw them so delivered nor yet had any of the Prophets so Glorious so Transcendent and Unquestionable a Testimony to their outward Eyes and Ears that we read of J. Faldo's most infallible Way of true Knowledge see pag. 91. as was that which God gave to the Disciples when he testified This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased But we may inform our selves from the Verses recited that they were a more eminent Ground for their Knowledge Assurance and Belief then the meer Scriptures And consequently the Scriptures are not the more sure Word of Prophecy Again the written Account of another's Revelation cannot be more sure to me then that Revelation which I do immediately receive from God suppose it be from God But this was a Revelation to the Disciples and they were sure it was from God Consequently the writen Account of another's Revelation as were the Prophecies of the Old Testament so called to the Disciples could not be a more sure Word of Prophecy For it were to say that they were more sure that he among them who was called Jesus was the Son of God from Isaiah's Testimony That he would give him for a Light to lighten the Gentiles c. then the Immediate Voice of God when he pointed so clearly at him This is my beloved Son He that is amongst you whom you have followed This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased Then which what could be more demonstrable on God's part and incredulous on their side who should yet subject that living Testimony to any the best Tradition Let me not forget to add That what the Disciples then saw and heard from God and the Epistle Peter wrot by the holy Ghost being made part of the New Testament-Writings and they accounted more eminent by far then the Old with respect to the more eminent Pouring forth of the Holy Ghost in that Day which the Prophets fore-saw and they enjoyed the Old cannot in any wise be reputed a more sure Word of Prophecy as J. Faldo asserts therefore this more sure Word of Prophecy must be another thing § 10. What that is which may be reputed a more sure Word of Prophecy will much deserve our serious Consideration If it was not the Voice in the Mount which
and moves and inclines to Purity Mercy Righteousness which are of God We deny and abominate that Ranting Spirit that would charge the Spirit of God with their Unholy Liberty God's Spirit makes free from Sin not to Sin Neither can we distinguish as they wickedly do between the Act and the Evil of it wherefore we say that as the Tree is known and denominated from the Fruit so the Spirits by their Motions and Inclinations and the Spirit of God never did incline to Evil. So we renounce that Construction of their esteeming Evil no Evil when any pretend to be lead to it by God's Spirit for that is not the Way and Method of his Spirit that is Pure and Holy forever Priest The Quakers must be all Infallible and Perfect if they have such a Light Quaker This also is a great Abuse of our true Meaning We say the Principle is Pure Perfect Unerrable in it self but we never did assert our selves such meerly because it was in us by no means but that all who are lead by it are so far Perfect and Infallible and no Jot further Who can lay down a more independent Doctrine upon Self and hourly depending upon the Grace or Gift of God Let us not be mistaken nor suffer for these things Priest The Quakers deny the Scriptures for they deny them to be the Word of God Quaker We own the Scriptures as they own themselves a Declaration of those things most truly believ'd given forth in all Ages by the Inspiration of the Holy Spirit That they are profitable for Reading for Exhortation for Reproof in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfectly furnished They are the Form of sound Words We believe in them read them and it is the Work we have to do in this World and the Reason why we are so separated from it and the earnest Desire of our Souls to Almighty God that we may witness the Fulfilling of them That God's will may be done in Earth as it is in Heaven But to call them the Word of God which they never did themselves but which they peculiarly denominate Christ by in Reverence to Christ alone and no Slight to them do we as in Duty and Reason bound attribute that Title to him only Priest They deny them to be any Means whereby to resist Temptation Quaker This is a very Aspersion True it is that we deny the Scriptures of themselves to be sufficient to resist Temptation But that we should deny them to be any Means whereby to do it when we allow our own Writings may be such is either great Ignorance or Malice God has doth and will make Use of them for Reproof Comfort and Edification Priest The Quakers assert the Spirit of God to be the Immediate Teacher and that there is no other Means now to be used Quaker We never spoak such Language but perceive the Subtilty of the Devil in this thing as in others For since he cannot hinder the Exaltation of the Spirit above all visible Instruments and the Necessity of its Motions and Operations in the Hearts of Men and the great Suitableness of it to the Gospel Administration he would spoile us by Overdoing that is by inferring beyond that our Assertion will allow For we never denyed Means but to this Day from the Beginning we have been in the Use of them But then they are such Means as are used in the Life and Power of God and not in and from Man's meer Wit Will or Imitation the thing we strike at Strange because we deny all false Means or Means not used in the Leadings of God's Power and Spirit that therefore we must deny all Means however rightly employed Behold the Injustice of our Enemies Wherefore be it known unto all that Evangelical Means and Order we love and keep For we Assemble Our-selves together to Worship God where we Pray in the Motion of the Spirit and Prophesie One by One as any thing is revealed Nor are we without Spiritual Songs making Melody in our Hearts to God our Redeemer Priest The Quakers deny the two Great Ordinances of the Gospel Baptism and the Supper Quaker What ever is a Gospel-Ordinance we own and practise We know no such Language in the Scriptures as in the Calumny of our Adversary 'T is true those two Practices are found but that is no Institution That they were then proper we believe but that they were at most but Figures and Signs you acknowledge that are called Protestants Now prove to us that there ought to be any Figures or Signs under the Gospel-Administration when Christ who is the Substance is come 'T is to overthrow the whole Dispensation and to make his Coming of none Effect If it be said But they were used after his Coming and Ascension too I answer So were many Jewish Ceremonies not easily abolished If any say But Christ bid that one should be done till he came Very well and he that said so told his Disciples that He would come to them Some should not taste of Death till they saw him come And he that was then with them should be in them And he would drink no more of the Fruit of the Vine till he drank it New that is the New Wine that was to be put in the new Bottel which is the Wine of the Kingdom as he expresseth it in the same place which Kingdom also is within Luk. 17. 20. He was and is the Heavenly Bread that they had not yet known nor his Flesh and his Blood as they were to know it So that though Christ was come to end all Signs yet till he was known to be the Substance to the Soul as the Great Bread of Life from Heaven Signs were usefull to shew forth and keep in hand especially the People of that Day whose Religion was attended with a Multitude of the like Types Shaddows and Signs of the One Good Thing and Substance of all Hence it is that we don't deny them that is too hard a Word but truly witnessing the very thing they signified to be come we leave them off as fulfill'd and henceforth have but One Lord One Faith One Baptism One Bread and but One Cup of Blessings which is the New Wine of the Kingdom Priest The Quakers deny Christ's Transactions at Jerusalem and the Shedding of his Blood to be Beneficial unto them It is the Light within only they expect to be saved by Quaker This is a wicked Suggestion against us We do say That the Appearance of that Second Adam the Lord from Heaven the Quickning Spirit in that Holy Body prepared of the Father for him was for the Salvation of the World who had fain in the First That whatever he then did both Living Dying had a great Influence for Good upon all that then believed and hath still for all that now believe in him as he manifests himself to us by his Light in the Conscience For we do affirm that to come to that is