to lay his Mouth in the Dust to see if there were hopes this was it the holy Prophets and Apostles could speak experimentally of and this is the narrow Way and strait Gate c. this was it that pricked Paul to the Heart and made him cry out Oh wretched man that I am c. and this was it which did overtake in an acceptable time these poor despised People called Quakers in our Age And whereas the Libeller in his 11. and 12. pages scurrilously tells of their Trances Distortions Quaking and Trembling comparing them to Conjurers and Bell-Founders c. Rep. That the Holy Ancients passed through such a State I have proved before and when in our day and time the Lord appeared unto us he appeared in the way of his Judgment for Sin and the powerful eternal Word of the Lord which is the Sword of the Spirit pricked many to their Hearts and I being one among them can do no less then give in my Testimony concerning the Operation or Working of the Heavenly Power it wounded as a Sword it smote like a Hammer at the whole Body of Sin in my Bowels it burned like Fire yea so dreadfully it burned that it made by Bowels boyl it pierced as a Sword it broke as a Hammer And then the Pangs of Death I felt in my Members which did make me to roar yea and to Quake and Tremble for this Fire when it burned it gave Light as its the Nature of Fire to do and it discovered to me and these poor despised People the great body of Sin and Death which was indeed terrible to behold and not only so but it discovered the narrowness of the Gate and that there was no going in thereat but by first having all that combustable Body of Sin and Death destroyed and burnt up at this time did great Terror and Amazement fall upon many and this my Opposer must come experimentally to know and witness in this Life or else his latter End will be miserable And as for his telling of a great Change within this 12. or 14. Years I say there is a Change Glory to God for the fame for many are passed from Death to Life and do witnesâ— the work of Regeneration in them and can sing the Song of Sion even the Song of Moses and the Lamb to whom by them and all the Host of Heaven be sung Halelujahs for evermore So here 's great alteration indeed Life and Immortality brought to Light through the Gospel them who were dead in Sins and Trespasses are quickened and made alive they who were Alians and Strangers to God made Fellow-Citizens of the New Jerusalem and the Prodigal Son who had been feeding among the Swine on Husks brought home into the Father's House where there 's living Bread enough yea and Wine also well refined and he saith Eaâ— Oh Friends yea drink abundantly Oh Beloved CHAP. II. of TYTHES THe Tythes Liâ—eller pag 24. the chief Cause of all his grumbling are but a Portion which God himself out of his own Word hath given such as minister about holy things Reply We do not read either in the Old or New Testament that God perpetuated the Levitical Priesthood to be in force in Gospel Times and it s my Faith in God That they who take Tythes or give Tythes in Gospel Times deny Christ come in the Flesh and so are of Antichrist my Reasons are as followeth First That the Levitical Priesthood was by it self a distinct Priesthood which Christ Jesus by offering up himself once for all hath ended Secondly That under that Priesthood the Priests were to have but a Part of the Tythes for the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widows were to be maintained out of it Deut. 14.28 And at the end of three years thou shalt bring forth all the Tythe of thine Increase the same year and shalt lay it up within thy Gates and the Levite because he hath no Inheritance with thee and the Stranger and the Fatherless and Widows which are within thy Gates shall come and eat and be satisfied that the Lord thy God may bless thee in all the Works of thy Hands which thou dost Mark Reader the Use of Tythes in their first Institution were for the Stranger the Fatherless and Widows they weâ—e to eat and be satiâ—fied of them a very pious Use under that Dâ—spensation and the Priests had only a share with them Deut. 18. vers 1 2 3. The Priests the Levites and all thè Tribe of Levi shall have no Inheritance with Israel they shall eat the Offerings of the Lord made by Fire and his Inheritance 2. Therefore they shall have no Inheritance among their Brethren the Lord is their Inheritance as he hath said unto them 3. And this shall be the Priests due from the People for them that offer a Sacrifice whether it be Ox or Sheep they shall give unto the Priest the Sholder the two Cheeks and the Maw Now if these Priests will have it in these Gospel Dayes as it was ordered by the Levitical Law to the Priests then this Clause of the Law doth tell them what is their Due Share or Portion and what was their Due of the other Encrease is exprest in the afore-going Text the Poor the Fatherless Strangers and Widow were to eat and to be satisfied and then the Priests were to have their Due or Portion as is read in Gen. 47.22 and that Portion was Pharaoh's free Gift there was no Law to enforce treble Damage if not paid Behold the Zeal of the Libeller for Tythes which were only due under the Levitical Priesthood One would think that so zealous a Son of the Church should be prefer'd unto a Benefice if he have none as some say he hath not for he hath stood up for Tythes as stoutly as the Presbyterians did in Oliver's dayes who had then a Law to enforce them with treble Damage but although he and the Priests hold up Levi's Priesthood they have changed the course of it for in Levi's time it was to be stored up for the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widow and the Priests were only to have a share of it and their share or due was of an Ox or Sheep they were to have one Sholder the two Cheeks and the Maw but now they have altered their course they have taken all the Tythes they could get to themselves and have turned the Poor the Stranger the Fatherless and Widow to beg not so much as giving them any share it had been Charity for them to have allowed them something if it had been but the Sholder or two Cheeks it had been better than nothing and since it s by Levi's Priesthood the Priests now claim their Tythes may not the Poor the Fatherless and Widows by it lay as good a Claim to it if not let the Priests or this Libeller their Agent shew us by the Scriptures of Truth when and where they were excluded if
David's rejoycing Rejoyce in the Lord alwayes c. There is a Light sprung up for the Righteous and joyful gladness for such as are true-hearted Reply It had become him here to have distinguished the Righteous and True-hearted and have told me the place where and time when any man comes to be such since its the Papist Doctrine That men first must go to Purgatory before they can be such And the profest Presbyter Independent and Baptist say None can be such in this Life then since it s our Faith as well as theirs that there is no such place of Purgatory after this Life my Opponent should have told then positively the place where and time when any is Righteous This was the Belief of those Saints who were no Quakers Libeller p. 5. however disgusted by those Quakers who are no Saints Reply Is not this to contradict himself again who confessed Vntil we have mortified our Lusts we ought to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling It seems as if it were part of his own Belief else he saith he ought to do that which is no pâ—rt of his Belief This doth not make it appear that the Saints he speaks of were no Quakers nor the present Quakers no Saints He quotes again pag. 10. Sorrow endures for a Night Libeller p. 10. but Joy cometh in the Morning Rep. Is not Sin the work of that Night the Prophet speaks of there since that Sorrow must continue during that Night then sure Quaking and Trembling may be comprehended in the word Sorrow then it still maintainâ— my Argument And what can be more clear then that all must pass through a state of Sorrow before they come to know true rejoycing And what 's that Joy which cometh in the Morning Is it not in this Life to witness the Morning Star Christ Jesus to expel all the Deeds of Darkness by his Bright Appearance in the Soul and who thus come to witness this Bright and Morning Star to arise in their Hearts such come to know the Rejoycing that Paul and David were come to and great cause they have when come truly to experience God's taking the Cup of Trembling from them and giving the Cup of Salvation unto them instead thereof And that it was thus with Paul and David that they passed through a great Gulf of Sorrow and Trembling will further appear by these following Testimonies of theirs Acts 9.5 6. And he said Lord what wilt thou have me to do I am Jesus whom thou persecutest its hard for thee to kick against the Pricks And he Trembling Astonished said Lord What wilt thou have me to do Rom. 7.24 Oh wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Death Read the Chapter thoroughout and see what Exercises he had in the Warfare with Sin 2 Cor. 11. Knowing therefore the Terrors of the Lord we perswade men with many more Testimonies cited in my Book to this purpose Now here what the Prophet David saith to this matter Psal 38.1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8. 2. Thine Arrows stick fast in me and thy hand presseth me sore 3. There is no Soundness in my Flesh because of thine Anger Neither is there any rest in my Bones because of my Sin 4. For mine Iniquities is gone over my Head as a heavy burden they are too heavy for me 5. My VVounds stinck and are Corrupt because of my foolishness 6. I am troubled I am bowed down greatly I go Mourning all the Day long 7. For my Loyns are filled with a loathsome Disease and there 's no soundness in my Flesh 8. I am feeble and sore broken I have roared by reason of the disquietness of my Heart Now had Paul and David been in our time and our Libeller had seen them in these Exercises and heard their Cryes their Groans Roarings and Terrors because of their Sins thou mayst judge by his Book how he would have treated them Hear David a little further Psal 55. Fearfulness and Trembling are come upon me and Horror hath overwhelmed me See more of him in my Antiquity of the Quakers Job 3.28 My Bowels boyled and rested not the Day of Affliction prevented me I went Mourning without the Sun I cryed in the Congregation my Skin is black upon me my Bones are burnt with heat my Harp also is turned to Mourning and my Organ unto the Voice of them that weep I might multiply Testimonies to this but these may evidence to all who are not given up to a Reprobate Spirit that it s yet too timely for my Adversary to come with his Song before the Lord our God Nay nay it s my Testimony to all of what Perswasion soever that there 's none shall enter God's Kingdom until first they have passed through a state of Sorrow and great Mourning yea Quaking and Trembling because of sin and he that gets out of this Furnis and not purified in it of his Dross and purged of his Tin he will not be currant Mettal to pass into the Kingdom of our Lord Jesus Christ but whosoever comes to witness a passing through this Dispensation of Sorrow and come to know experimentally the cause of it taken away viz. To be delivered from their Enemies Luke 1 such only may approach the Presence of our God with a Song yea with a Song of Deliverance even the Song of Moses and the Lamb. Then after he hath bespattered us with a great deal of Lyes and Dirt in pag. 5. as indeed little else is to be found in his Book except some Scripture-Quotations and to pursue him in all his Dirt were near to transcribe his Book In page 6. he begins on one of my Scripture Testimonies And this is evidenced by his 4th page where he observes with a World of Wit Libeller p. 6. Isaac trembled for having mistaken Jacob for Esau and then presently infers that Isaac was a Quaker A strong and choice way of arguing by which he makes him pay dearer for his inadvertance than ever Esau was forced to do Rep. This as much shews him a Stranger to the two Seeds Tipified by Jacob and Esau as what he hath said before shews him a stranger to the two States spoken of before he could not see how one Misery ushered in another on Esau First He had sold his Birth right for a mess of Pottage and now by Hunting had lost the blessing also And could Isaac be less then in great Sorrow and Dread to see the sad State that Esau was come unto And was not Esau's Hunting a true Figure of his and other mens wandring abroad from the Gâ—ft of God within them and Isaac having a true sence of this made him Quake and Tremble but how he paid dearer for his Inadvertance than Esau had need to do is yet for my Adversary to prove for Esau could not find a place of Repentance although he sought it with Tears By this any sober man may endued with heavenly Wisdom
Trembling is no New Thing among God's People but that it was a State that all God's People passed through and that all now must pass through before ever they can enter God's Kingdom according to these Scriptures Sion shall be redeemed with Judgment Isa 1.27 And they shall Mourn for him as for an only Son and be in Bitterness as for a first born Zach. 12. and must know God to be as a Resiners Fire and as Fullers Soap and must know his Word of Power to be sharper than a two-edged Sword to divide between the Joynts and the Marrow Thus Judgment must be set up in the Heart for Sin and then the Cry will be with the Apostle Paul Oh Wretched Man that I am who shall deliver me from this Body of Sin And this my Adversary must come to have Experience of before he be approved of God to come with a Song as he saith in pag. 4. And this I do assure him as one who hath known the Terrors of the Lord for Sin That this Power will make him Quake and Tremble as easie a matter as he now thinks it to get to Heaven And as for his saying That Balaam 's Ass the Demoniacks Foelix Judas and the Devils might put in for a share is very Absurd For First As to Balaam's Ass God had not accomplished him with an Immortal Soul to subsist after this Life therefore not in a capacity to come in for a share and as to the rest it s also very Absurd especially the last viz. the Devils for although they had a sence of God's Power and were terrified thereby and made to Tremble yet it was not possible for them to have acceptance with God although believing and Trembling also are acts in his Chiâ—dren which are accepted of him And if my Adversary do not in this Life come to witness Fear and Trembling to accompany his believing he may also when it s too late know the Addition of Quaking and Trembling to his Believing and then his believing nor trembling will stand him in no more stead than the Devil 's did unto them And as for Judas Faelix and the rest mentioned by him in this case I say as the Apostle saith God's Will is that all men may know the Truth and be saved God said by the Mouth of the Prophet I have no pleasure in the Death of the Wicked but that the Wicked turn from his Evil Way and live So Judas and Faelix and the rest had a Day or Time of Visitation from God in which Time they might have turned to God and have had a share in his Salvation And Judas and all others who have no share in the Salvation of God their Destruction is of themselves and the Lord God is clear and just in giving them their Portion in the Lake of Endless Misery because as he saith in Proverbs Chap. 1. When I called ye would not answer when I stretched out my Hand no Man regarded they set at naught all my Counsel and would have none of my Reproof c. And Christ said unto the Rebellious Jews Ye will not come to me that ye might have Life And he said to Jerusalem I would have gathered thy Children together as a Hen gathereth her Chickens under her Wings but ye would not And God said unto the Rebellious Jews O Israel thou destroyest thy self but in me is thy Help Christ lighteth every one that cometh into the World and God doth require all men to believe and obey Christ casted Death for every man as saith the Apostle And the Apostle John saith He is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for our Sins only but also for the Sins of the whole World Judas partook of the Ministry and by Transgression he Fell. In opposition to Trembling he goes on quoting Luke 1. The Libeller pag. 4. That being delivered from the hands of our Enemies might serve God without fear in Righteousness and Holiness all the dayes of our Lives Reply Is it not to be delivered from our Enemies to be delivered from Sin which is a cause of Fear and Trembling And if my Adversary had been really awakened as in his Scrullious Welch Letter he saith he is he might have seen two States or Conditions couched in these words First A State of Sin and Bondage And Secondly A State of being delivered from Sin and Bondage And I hope he or at least all Moderate men will grant that the Words being delivered are words in the Present Tense So that Deliverance was there witnessed which was the cause of his Confidence of serving the Lord without fear yet I must tell him Not without fear of sinning against God but without fear of Hell Devils Men or Punishment but this is a state the Priests do deny that deliverance from sin is attainable in this Life and then the other state of serving God in Righteousness and Holiness cannot be expected And let my Adversary know that God will not call that Righteous and Holy that is mixed with Sin neither are any delivered from their Enemies until they be delivered from Sin and until then let the Libeller Fear and Dread coming before the Lords Presence with a Song lest the Lord our God turn his Song into Howling and his Gladness unto Sorrow and Trembling which he now puts afar off as his Arguments make manifest yet in one of them he boggles standing to his Argument Hear him And though till we have mortified our Affections and Lusts Libeller p. 4. we ought to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling yet after a most hearty and profound Repentance we humbly hope all our past Vnrighteousness is forgiven and our sins covered we may then doubtless come before his Presence with a Song Reply Behold Reader what Confusion and Contradiction is this for in his last words of the same page in opposition to me and my making Quaking and Trembling to be a state that all must pass through before they come to be in favour with God he tells of serving God without Fear And now in Contradiction to himself granting me my Argument he saith Till we have mortified our Affections and Lusts we ought to work out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling This looks as if the man then immediately had found himself smitten of God in his own Conscience but how this will agree with the Priests Faith That no mans sin can be wholly mortified in this Life I leave to the Impartial to judge His Confusion is He hath left no room for serving God in Holiness and Righteousness for its Protestant Doctrine that none can be freed from sin in this Life If so they must be mortifying their Lusts during Life and so by his own Argument must Fear and Tremble during Life and so hath no place for his coming before God's Presence with his Song Yet in Cotradiction to Protestant Faith and to his own as he hath stated it Libeller p. 5. he quotes Paul and