and Congregations contrary to so many Reasons from Nature and Grace so positively expressed by the Holy Spirit in Scripture What Spirits are their Dumb Spirits in their Dumbe Meetings but those foul dumbe Spirits mentioned in that Gospel which the Lord Jesus will cast out and tumble down to Hell whence they came in his holy season What is their monstrous way of Singing and Toning and Humming many at once as they often do and notoriously did at Portsmouth on Rhode Island this last year when no man is edified nor understands what they say and it may be not themselves and this under colour of singing in the Spirit what is it I say but rendring their Tongues which should be their Glory and the Glory of God their scorn and shame and the holy Name of Gods holy Spirit contemptible also 4. I did also mention a fourth Reason against their Spirit and had prosecuted it but I knew that by reason of my Adversaries interposure I had exceeded my quarter of an hour It was taken from the Holy Spirit of God subjecting it self to be tried commanding all men to search the Records commending the Bereans for examining Pauls Preaching and Spirit by the Holy Scriptures and this is the true meaning of the Spirit of the Prophets are subject to the Prophets not that a true Prophet or Messenger of God can subject the truth of God which he believes so to be and will rather suffer many deaths then relinquish to be sentenced by all the Prophets in the Church to be false and he acquiess or rest in 87 or subject his Spirit and Conscience to that Sentence but that the true Prophets of God are willing to have their Teachings questioned examined and made clear by the holy Records to the Souls and Consciences of all men Hence it pleaseth God to give Rules for the trial and discerning between the true Spirit and the false 1 Iob. 3. 4. chapters On the contrary I would have shewed which indeed all men know that the thief endured not searching the galld Horse endures not rubbing the guilty Debtor endures not Reckoning the false and jugling Spirits escape in a Mist and by the help of dark Lanthorns and under the covert of the night who may not see this in G. Fox all along his Book running into the Thickets and Burroughs of Words of divers significations Scriptures notoriously wrested general and sometimes uncouth and barbarous Language which hath been the trade of the false and lying Murtherous Spirit in all ages and will be until that short time be finished wherein the Lord will tread him under the Saints feet and cast him into the Lake that burns with fire and brimstone How oft have I been visited by the Quakers crying Repent Repent hearken to the Light within thee c. And I never could perswade them to sit down and examine their sayings by the Holy Scriptures but when their Cuckoes note and song was over and their Fools Bolt shot then fell they to Cursing and pouring out the Thunder-bolts of Gods Iudgement and so be gone no less then Reve and Muggleton pretending to be Gods two last Prophets and Witnesses about twenty years since in London whose Cursings were notorious But to return while I was beginning to urge the tryal of the Spirits W. Edmundson said the Spirit of God was above the Scriptures and not to be tryed by them for it gave out the Scriptures c. And I said and say it is easie to boast of the Spirit but the true Spirit in a Sense and the holy Scriptures are one as the Father and Son are one and therefore can not but be willing to be examined by the holy Records as every man or author will stand to his own scripture work or writing for the Writers were but Pens of Heaven writing and used by the hand of the holy Spirit And I remember that I said to W. Edmundson Friend You yesterday in your long Sermon alleadged that holy Scripture viz Men will not come to the light least they should be reproved 88 because their deeds are evil This is the true cause of your quarrel against the Scriptures and of exalting the Spirit above them that is upon a true ballance your own Spirit yea the Spirit of Sathan to be God and Christ and Spirit and all After some few interchanges and altercations we descended to the fourth Position which they read out of the Paper as they did all the rest which was this viz. That the People called Quakers did not own the Holy Scriptures In one Copy it was written Really own viz. They did not really own the Holy Scriptures I said there was a twofold owning the Holy Scriptures or the Writings of God as there is a twofold owning the Scriptures or Writings of men the Proclamations and Declarations of Kings and Princes The one is verbal and literal viz. that such a writing or Declaration or Treatise is extant and that it proceeds from the Kings Authority and Command The second is real and actual when the Authority of it is in all humble obedience submitted to and obeyed when the Justice and Equity and the excellency and goodness as well as the royal Authority is embraced and magnified I said the Iews owned verbally and wonderfully that Writings of the Old Testament and the Papists owned both old and new but it is known that in many particulars they do in effect deny and damn them 1. They both set up their rotten Traditions their unwritten Verityes as they speak of equal authority with if not in cases above the holy Scripture 2. They set up the Papists by the authority of the Council of Trent a most defective Translation notoriously false in many places all over above the first Copyes of the Hebrew and Greek whence all Translations as Counterpanes and secondary Copyes or Duplicates ought to flow 3. The Papists set up the Pope as the only infallible Judg Interpreter in all Questions about the Scriptures and the Jews make their Rabbies as so many Popes also 4. Their Interpretations are so forraign and strange and many of them so absurd monstrous from the genuine proper Sence of the Scriptures and adulterated with Wresting and allegorizings c. that is truly said of them that they bring not their Doctrines Disciplines and Conversations to the Scriptures but force the 89 holy Scriptures of God to attend and wait upon their Abomination as a Negro Slave and Lacquey I said the Jews and Papists did not more disowne the holy Scriptures upon the account of their Popes and Traditions and Interpretations than the Quakers did upon the account of their Light and Spirit and Interpretations also Who knows not that in the beginning of their Profession they generally fell from the reading of them by themselves or in their Families or in their Publick Assemblyes only crying up the Light within the Spirit within
case being my self then in London whatever Fox the Quakers impudently affirm to the contrary 95 It is true that Iames Parnel and Fox and all of them sometimes miserably and after the Devils Method make use of Scripture as a Shield or Buckler to fence themselves against the Scripture and as a Sword to run through the Heart and Bowels of the Scripture the Saints and Christ and God himself they make use of it as Stirrops and Ladders and Scaffolds for their counterfeit Christ in pretence but in reallity themselves to mount up into their Saddles and Thrones of the Eternal power and Godhead that so the Earth may be theirs by Authority So that as the Lord speaks of the Iews Sacrifices that they were not his and of Iehoiakim that he did not know the Lord Jer. 22. and of the Corinthians 1 Cor. 11. that they did not eat the Lords Supper though they did eat it so I affirm from all the premises alleadged the Quakers do not own that is truely and Christianly as they say Bonâ fide and in reality but slight and villifie and abominate and nullifie the holy Scripture that their unwritten Lies and lying Spirits may be exalted We have a great word in use amongst Merchants and others to wit the word Effects they desire to see effects of money or Goods for want of a real and effectual prizing and loving obeying and magnifying the holy Scriptures The Iewes Pharises the Papists and Quakers do not owne the perfection Authority of the holy Scriptures but set up their Traditions and Popes Councils Spirits above them and therefore the Iewes Papists and Quakers do not owne the holy Scriptures I freely acknowledge that many of these Particulars I could not then express because of my Confinement to a quarter of an hour and sometimes the Interposure of my Opposites I remember I urged that dead and rotten esteem that both Papists and Quakers fling as dirt in the face of the holy Scriptures calling it a dead Letter a Nose of wax a leaden Rule which may be pincht and bow'd to every mans Opinion But First They horribly bow and pinch that holy Scripture 2. Cor. 3. which meddles not with all the Scripture but with the Covenant of the Law and Iustice opposite to the Covenant of Grace Mercy calls the Law a killing Letter compar'd with the Grace Mercy of an offended God now reconciled by Christ Iesus But Secondly These poor Foxes fly to their Burroughs and confound the matter of the Scripture or Writing being Paper 96 and ink c. with the contents the purport and as I may say the matter contained in the matter we use to say what have you to shew for it what evidences have you what Records and sometimes when no Witnesses are living or can be had an old poor Record is produced which proves the life and spirit of the business what Simpletons do these only wise ones shew themselves in affairs of men that know not that as Solomon sayes of the Tongue Life and Death is in the power of the Tongue so Life and Death is in the power of a piece of Paper what hath an Executor yea many thousand Executors to shew for their Estates sometimes of hundreds yea thousands years but a little paper and ink and wax from the Testators what gives life to a condemned soul but a Pardon or Reprieve in a piece of Paper who knowes not that a Writ or Paper signed by his Majesty the Lord Chancellour the Lord ceief Iustice hath Death in it and fetcheth off the heads of many yea the highest Offenders The Quotations out of G. Fox which then I could not insist on I shall present a few and then pass on to the fifth Position In the 47th Pag. G. Fox brings in Ios. Miller saying It is an Errour if not damnable to say Christ is the meanes and that there is no other meanes of Salvation He Answers And Christ saith no man comes unto the Father but by me and he is able to the uttermost to save and he shall be my Salvation to the end of the Earth saith the Lord and saith the Apostle God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself and he that hath the Son hath Life and the Father and the Son are one and there is no salvation in any other I reply I shall now freely declare to the Sence of this Allegation though in the Dispute my Adversaryes would not suffer me to meddle with the Sence of G. Fox his words contrary to our Covenant in my Writing viz. that each Party should speak as long as they pleased which Liberty they enjoyed without my Interruption and first I doe not think that Ios. Millers words run so loosely in his own Book I do not think that a man of Wisdom would call it an error to say that Christ is the meanes of Salvation But to the second part to which G. Fox opposeth I believe it is an Error and a damnable Error and a Doctrine of Devils to say there is no other meanes of Salvation for this wretched Iugler subtilly confounds the Instrumental Causes of Salvation with 97 the Efficient in God the Father and Meritorious in God the Son Christ Jesus 'T is true there is no Redemption and Forgiveness of sin but in his Blood Ephes. 1. though I know this Iugler as before means not a Christ nor his Blood nor Death as we do mean but Imaginary within c. And yet as Means and Instruments Christs Messengers are said to save themselves and others The holy Scriptures are said to make wise to Salvation A man may be Gods means or Hand to save his Wife and the Wife her Husband We are saved by hope saith Paul and saved by Baptisme saith Peter yea Women are saved by Child-bearing as God blesseth those painful Curses to be blessed means of bringing to or growing up in Christ the Saviour All these subtly and wickedly G. Fox sets at variance with the Meritorious Salvation by Christ Jesus between which there is an Heavenly Union and Concord as between a man saving his Brother by throwing a Rope or Oar or Board unto him c. or a Midwife saving both Woman and her Birth in Child-bearing by the Means of Women and Helps which her Skil and Labour administreth to her To talk of this Immediate Christ and Spirit without Scriptures without Preaching and other holy means is as silly as Impious as Blockish as Blasphemous and as Bedlam and Frantick as wicked and Anti-Christian Would not every body laugh at G. Fox if he should say that because the Kings Majesty graciously pardons Condemned Rebels at the Mediation of the Prince his Son therefore the Composing the writing the proclaiming of the pardon the bring of it to the Rebels hands written and sealed with the Kings broad Seal are no means of their Salvation and Deliverance In Pap. 221.
Prophecies of Scriptures or the written foretellings and utterings concerning Jesus Christ. Thus the God of Heaven most holy and only wise stoops to our weakness and calls his mind his word his works his word his Providences of mercy or Judgement his Word the Lord Jesus his only begotten his word his writings his Word and this in a way of Condescention to our Capacity seeing that all the World over Kings and Rulers Fathers Masters of Families of Ships c. give the word that is the manifestation of their mind and will and this as the Spring in Clocks and watches turn about all other wheels and motions Hence it is that if ancient Records and Deeds with Hands and Seals be produced at the Bar of Trial all mouths are stopt at such Evidences Thus the Word of God in the mouths of the Prophets written for after Generations is Comparatively beyond the Report of Peter 25 and Iohn themselves is in all Religions The Iews have their Talmud the Turks their Alcheron the Pope his Decretans and the Protestants the Written Word or Scriptures When therefore a Pardon is written and Sealed with the Board Seal of a King or State what a fancy is it for a condemned Wretch to hearken first to a Pardon revealed within to a voice within to a King within to a Writing within a Seal within and so slighting the true pardon in the Kings way to be conveyed from without to the Mind and Spirit within to lose his Pardon and Deliverance as thousands of such poor cheated Souls must do A 14 Instance G Fox brings in Pag. 49. his Opposite Ralph Hall saying It is against the Light of Nature for Women to Preach c. G. Fox Answers Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine and the mind of God and the Prophets who said God would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh and his Sons and Daughters should Prophesie So that he is a limiter of the Holy one a quencher of the Spirit and in the Darkness and this is above the Light of Nature I Reply First What is the Light of Nature but the Light in which every man comes into the World with as the Foxians speak a Light differing from that Light which Beasts wilde and tame and Birds and Fishes have And a Second Light differing from what is Supernatural as that Light revealed from Heaven in the Holy Scriptures and infused into the Souls of Men by the Holy Spirit or Power of God 2. What is the Light of Nature in Man but that Order which the most Glorious Former of all things hath set like Wheeles in Clocks or Watches a going in all his Creatures Some have observed that in the Insensible Creatures to which the most High hath only giving Beings that there may be observed a Male and Female amongst them This is more observable in Vegetables or growing Creatures as in Plants Trees Herbs Flowers c. More yet in Sensitives as Birds Beasts Fishes Most of all in Rationals Men and Women whom the most High hath so wonderfully distinguished It is true that in Religious and Christian Matters there is no 26 respect of persons with God as of Man before the Woman otherwise than to order Natural and Civil The Woman is Predestinated is Called is Justified is Glorified and wears that Golden Chain as well as the Wisest and Strongest of Mankinde And it is true the Wisdome of God perfers some Women before thousands of Men in their being born of Nobles in excellent parts as is observable in the Lady Iane and Queen Elizabeth c. in some special favour as Christ Jesus first appearing to Mary Magdalen and other Women and sending them to carry the first Tydings or Gospel of his Resurrection to his Apostles yea in effusions or powrings forth of an extraordinary measure of his Spirit before Christs coming as on Miriam Deborah Anna Huldah c. and at his coming according to Ioels Prophesie on his Daughters as well as his Sons so that as my opposites alledged to me in publick Philip the Evangelist had four Daughters thus extraordinarily endâ—wed yet this favour of God toward Women destroys not the order which the God of Order or Nature hath set in those Bounds and Limits and Distinctions between the Male and Female the Man and Woman though the Holy Scripture were silent yet Reason and Experience tell us that the Woman is the weaker Vessel that she is more fitted to keep and order the House and Children c. that the Lord hath given a covering of longer Hair to Women as a sign or teacher of covering Modesty and Bashfulness Silence and Retiredness and therefore not so fitted for Manly Actions and Employments Therefore because of Ioels Prophesie or because we must not limit or quench the Spirit as G. Fox saith there is no ground in Gods ordinary course of Nature to permit Women to pretend to be Apostles or Messengers to the Nation or Preachers and Teachers in the Publick Assemblies 1. Because we finde no such Commission given by Christ Jesus or any such Practice amongst the first Believers 2. The Lord hath set as Seamen speak a preventer to such an unnatural boldness by express Prohibitions with the Reasons and Grounds to the Corinthians and to Timothy and to answer those Scriptures with a flam viz. that Eve the Transgressor and Women that be Tatlers are forbidden and the Woman Iezebel 27 c. is all one to tell us that Paul was not a Man nor Timothy a Man nor the Teachers Men nor Corinth a City but all signifie Metaphorical and Mystical Business 3. Why may not Women much more be Lord Majors and Bailiffs and Sherriffs and Iustices and Constables Captains Colonels Generals and Commanders by Sea and Land 4. That Reason the Spirit gives to the Corinthians for the vailing of Women in publick Assemblies makes much more for their vailing and silence in matters of Prophesying Preaching and Praying viz. Because of the Angels I know not any fair and sober Exposition of this Scripture except as the blind Quakers who swallow down a fly Camel too but that of the Heavenly Angels and Spirits attending on and guarding the Assemblies of true Christians and rejoycing in the comliness order and beauty of their publick Administrations Some few years since there came to my House two Maries it is said they came from London they bid me Repent and Hearken to the Light within me I prayd them â—o sit down that we might quietly reason together they would not then standing I askt them the ground of their such Travel and Employment they alledged Ioels Prophesie I answered that was fulfilled that was not every dayes work besides their business was not Prophetical but Apostolical c. they regarded not my Answers nor Admonitions but powred the Curses and Judgements of God against me and hurried away to Barbadoes they went and being War
know not what you intend 2. I know it not to be any Crime much less a serpent-like spirit as your railing pen phrases it to give a true testimony and witness in private and publick even against the highest and dearest in the matters of God and Truth which ought to be only High and only Dear unto us 8. As to Womens preaching in the Church you tell me that I know not what that Woman is Answ. I know the allegoricall Interpretations given of both those Scriptures to the Corinths and Timothy But where the holy Scripture is plain and agrees 20 even with Nature it self where the holy Spirit of God gives Reasons why Scripture should be fo expounded which is an extraordinary signification of Gods soveraign will and pleasure where else one part must be Literall and an other part Allegoricall which is most improper and not suiting to the Majesty and Purity of Gods Spirit what can be soberly in the fear of God and with any sober reason collected but that the most High the God of Order and all Order and Wisdom it self is pleased there to set down the Order of his Worship in the Christian Congregations 9. Concerning W Harris you tell me I shift of the matter for you meant not W Harris his last Imprisonment You prove it by my taking Oath against your Wife upon an other mans word on purpose to allay my furious spirit against W Harris These are your words which may be taken three wayes but neither of them can I call to mind God knowes I truly desire to See Lament and forsake every Idle word or thought which my soul may be satisfied is so for I dare not goe beyond as you proudly doe that Direction of the Lord Iesus dayly to cry Forgive us our Trespasses I dare most confidently deny that simple Charge viz. that I should cry out Treason Treason against your Wife and others labouring to bring them into the same guilt with W. Harris whose facts and courses others of no small Authority and Prudence amongst us with whome I advised saw to be desperate high Treason against the Laws of our Mother England and of this Colony also When W Harris sent his writings or Books to the Main and to the Iland against all Earthly Powers Parliaments Laws Charters Magistrates Prisons Punishments Rates yea and against all Kings and Princes under that Notion that the People should shortly cry out no lords no masters and had in open Court protested before the whole Colony assembled that he would maintain his Writings with his Blood Was it my Fury as you call it or was it not Honesty and Duty to God and the Colony and the higher Powers then in England to act faithfully and impartially in the place wherein I then stood Centinell And it is not true that I sought his life as you upbraid me much less theirs who purposely as the most high God is witness were presented that some prudent course might be taken by the Court for the preventing of their greater danger and the Colonyes also By your reason the Kings Majesty his Iudges yea all Iudges 21 yea the King himself yea the most High and King of Kings shall be condemned as Blood-thirsty bloody seekers of the lives though of high handed wilfull and dangerous Transgressors as though Iustice and Mercy true Pitty and just Severity might not harmonize and make up the blessed concord of Peace together 10. You mind me again of my Books against Persecution and yet my self a Persecutor of my peacable Neighbours to the Death murthering the innocent yea that I still retain a Murtherous mind and you cry out against me Oh murtherous Man .c. To which I say I am not better than David nor in this case are you better than Shimei who rak't up Stones and Dirt and flung them with Railings at David crying out Come out thou bloody Man and this in the name of the holy Spirit also As to W. H. I never appeared In Town or Colony against him for any private matter although many wayes extraordinarily provoked and wronged by him but alwayes in Witness as I humbly appeal unto God I say in witnessing against his running down and destroying the Publick as at this day for his Private Covetous and Contentious Ends. And for your self who cry out so much of Blood and Murther for my being impartiall to God to the King and the Countrey I heartily wish that your hands were washed from the bloody trade of Liquours to the Indians which even the Quakers have practised telling the Indians that the Quakers only know God and therefore would sell them Powder and Liquors cheaper and they would not mix water with Rhum as others did so that by many sudden deaths what by Consumptions and Dropsies the Barbarians have been murthered hundreds if not thousands in the whole Countrey and more in this Colony than in any part of the Countrey beside that I have heard of against which I have witnessed from Court to Court in vain 11 You ask me how I can think as low of my self as you high of G. Fox when I boast of Education Experience .c. I answer I boast as Paul did who confest himself the least of all Saints and the chiefe of Sinners and yet reckons up the Priviledges end Favours which God had vouchsafed to him against the foule Clamours of his malicious and envious Opposites the false Apostles 12. You conclude with advising my Repentance and you propose to me the case of Nineve telling me that forty dayes is a short Speech 22 Answ. I humbly beseech the Lord to help you and me humbly and faithfully to examine our true laying of that Foundation of a true Repentance which is a totall turning of our Soul or Spirit unto God not out of Fear or self ends as Dissemblers do but in Mariage-love with God that it might be said unto us thy Maker is thy Husband As to your special Hint to me of forty dayes I can say it through infinite mercy that more than forty or fifty yeares I have been acquainted with Death and have not seldom familiarly discoursed with the Grave and Pit of Rottenness I have desired to be ready at a minutes warning waiting for a wind to transport me as Paul speaks unto Christ Iesus in Abrahams Bosome which is best of all I pray you to know that I believe there is a black Familiar that haunts the Quakers it may be he whispers to you that within forty dayes you shall be ridd of me except I repent he may see into the crazy temper of my house of Clay These Dog-dayes not to continue and abide a little of that time Or God may suffer him by some immediate Revelation to employ some malicious soul to Murther me that this foul Lyar and Murtherer may extoll and predicate himself in print by your Pens that he was a true Prophet applauding and triumphing in the righteous Judgment of God
Hence the Word of God is the Word preached as Paul 2 Thess. 1. Not as the word of man but as it is indeed the Word of God Act. 19 which preaching of the Word growing of the word were not competent and proper expressions to be affirmed of the perfon of the Lord Iesus especially I told them I would use the words of the Lord Iesus when he fought with the Devil that famous Combate Math. 4. No other Weapon did he use against him but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 It is written and again It is written It is written here Christ Iesus quotes Dut 8. Man shall not live by bread only but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God where Moses and Christ Iesus affirm 34 that God hath many words contrary to what some Quakers hath affirmed to me saying that God hath no more words but one and Christ Iesus here affirmeth That every appearance and providence of God is a word proceeding out of the mouth of God as well as this holy Scripture he alleadged Though yet it is true that Christ Iesus is the Word or declared Mind of God incomparably above all his spoken or written or providentiall Words and Expressions He came out of the Bosome of the Eternal Father and brought the brightest Revelations of his eternal God-head Councels and therefore is most justly and eminently stiled the Word of God I urged that the Word or Words of God were Figurative Speeches for properly God had no Mouth nor Tongue nor Lips nor Heart nor Brains c. but as our Kings Majesty his Declaration touching Religion his royal Charters his Letters from Breda are often insisted on and urged by the Quakers as the word of a King though his writings contain many hundred words so it is with the King of Heaven his Scriptures and writings c. I had oft occasion to mention G. Fox and Ed. Burrowes their Book in Folio called The great Mystery c. upon which W Edmundson reproved me for speaking of G. Fox and E. Burrowes in scorn and derision so his words were I guest he took me as if I had scornfully intended G Fox in his Burrowes but I had openly purged my self protesting before the Lord that I had no such thought yet this Passage was the occasion of the Title of the Book For the finger of Gods most wise and holy Providence is often wonderfully seen in small unexpected inconsiderable Turns and Occasions In such poor shells oftimes may be found the Kernels of rich and usefull Observations Sure thought I Gods holy Finger is in it that G. Fox and Ed. Burrowes Men so qualified and named should so notorioufly conspire against the true Lord Iesus Christ in their dark and subtle hellish Contrivings and Imaginations It was also Gods overruling hand that VV. Edmundson should so upbraid me and first put the Conceit and thought of such a Consideration into me which I apprehended as Digitus Dei the finger of God directing and pointing me to so proper and pertinent an use and Application Thus the only Wise and Righteous King catcheth the craftiest Foxes in their own Burrowes and turns their proud Surmises Censures upon their own Pates This occasioneth me with Amaze 35 ment and Astonishment to cry out O God how deep are thy Being thy Attributes thy Providences thy Self and all thy wayes beyond our thoughts and finding out To proceed I had observed and prepared many Quotations out of G. Fox his Book but they desired not to hear them read as in the following dayes of Conference they were read by my continual importunate Urgings I say at first I could not get oportunity to insist upon some Particulars a Tast whereof I think now fit to present the Reader with In Page 155. of G. Foxes aforesaid Book he brings in one I Stallam their Opposite saying To say the Light in every man gave forth Scripture and will open Scripture to us is palpable Darkness and contradicts the Scripture G. Fox answers All be in utter Darkness and know not the Scripture untill they come to the Light that every man was in that gave forth Scripture for the Light lets them see to what it was spoken and Christ the end of them The english of that Answer is That every man that is all Mankind Men and Women if they will can give forth Scriptures or write holy Scriptures I know they call this Light God and Christ and Spirit the Covenant of God the Life Truth and Grace of God I asked them in publick Since this Light comes into this World in and with all Mankind whether it comes into them at the Conception or at the Birth or when else Whether it was in all Mankind before the coming and death of Christ Iesus or whether to those that are in the world since his coming or both Whether it be in the Understanding Will Memory Affections in any of them severally or lodgd in all of them jointly For it was a prodigious Fable to imagine such a Sun to shine in every Room of an house and yet none of the Inhabitants nor any that come into the house discern and see it Christ Iesus saith as the mouth is the heart is and before a true turning unto God we are in darkness we are darkness we hate the light of God and endure not to see it but wish there were no God no Father of Lights to discover and plague us for our dark Courses yet our Hearts are so cunning and cheating that they will tell us that we have Light and Christ and God within us and that we can speak and write holy Scripture not remembring that as Christ Iesus said of the Temple our hearts are Dens of Thieves and like painted Tombs full of dead mens bones and rottenness 36 untill a second Birth by the VVord and Spirit of Christ Iesus Again in the same Page G. Fox brings his Opposite saying And to say every mans Light is the true word of Prophecy is an old Fable no man shall be able to spell out a syllable of the Gospel by all that is written in a mans Heart This subtle Fox answers The Light that enlightens every man is Christ and the sure Word of Prophecy to him he shall find it In this Passage who can but see their horrible and simple profaning and wresting of plain Scripture Is it not clear as day to him that is not willingly blind that this word of prophecy in Peter is the Word which the Prophets spake and writ of Christ Iesus unto whome the spirit of God in Peter sends us as being a more sure and convincing word to us then that voice which Peter and Iohn affirmed that they heard from heaven in the Mount of Transfiguration But thus profanely and simply do others of them affirm this Light to be that Prophet which Moses wrote of Deut. 18. whereas the holy Spirit in Stephen Acts 7. applyes expresly that
word in Gen. 2. might be viewed which he turned to and read viz. God breathed into him the breath of life and man became a living Soul About this time Sam. Gorton sen. desired to speak and said If it be affirmed that God can be divided that man was a Part of God the God-head was destroyed and the Soul of man and upon this Basis all the rest would follow which was asserted in this Position And whereas Iohn Stubs read it as it is in our Translation viz. God breathed into him the breath of life Mr. Gorton said it was Lives in the Margin the breath of Lives which Iohn Stubs acknowledged It is frequent in their Books when they will speak plainly for them to confess that God breathed forth himself into Adam and that ther fore mans Soul or Spirit is a part of the Divine Essence that the Soul is an increated substance that as for the Body it comes from the Earth and returns to the Earth and dust and rottenness and however they sometimes preach and print hat the Body shall rise again yet others again of them speak plainly that as the body of a dog or beast so it vanisheth But as for the Spirit they say that returns to God that is into God And although they talk to blind our eyes of a Resurrection and Iudgment and of Souls being punished with the Devil and his Angels yet others of them affirm that all Souls return into God and that the soul of Iudas is now as happy in God as the Soul of Peter yea others of 146 them speak plainly that they are Christ God therefore one of them being desired to give thanks at dinner asked roundly to whome should I give thanks to my self and Calvin relates how long ago one Quinitinus in his time a Leader this way being demanded how he did resolutely answered How can Christ doe but well and yet at that time he was very sick About this time W. E. said what dost thou tel us of storyes what this man said and that man said we will not believe thee But just here rose up a neighbour Ioseph Iinks who said he had no prejudice against the Quakers yet he could witness to the truth of these speeches of the Quakers for one of them had spoke as much to his face lately at Newport on Rhode-Island but I still laboured to keep down heat and therefore I told them I would not trouble them with Proofs from elsewhere but from their own writings and from that of G. Fox there present and therfore I prayed them to turn to Pag. 39. where G. Fox brings in Magnus Bine saying The Saints are neither in the fulness of the God-head nor part away with this Blasphemy which saith this is c. Fox answereth The work of the Ministry was to bring People to the Knowledg of the Son of God to a perfect man to the unity of the Faith to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ and Christ will dwell in the Saints and God will dwell in them and thou sayest they have no part of the Fulness of the Godhead and Iohn saith of his fulness have we all received in whome dwels the Godhead bodily and ye be all in the Blasphemy that be out of this part of the Fulness I said that G. Fox rose up contrary to what Magnus Bine affirmed to wit That the Saints are not in the fulness of the Godhead But W. E. bid me let G. F. his words alone his meaning alone and keep to the words I told them the substance of my proof lay there in the substance of G. Fox his answer to his Adversaryes I took Fox his own word for the Quotation out of his Adversary which may be thought to be taken with as much Favor and advantage to himself as may be and therefore if they stopt me from opening and comparing the words in a rational and just way they stopt me in the bringing forth of my Proofs and Arguments I think here it was that W. E. said further If thou goest on to make out G. Fox his Sence and meaning we tell thee that we will stop thee c. 147 But since our business is with G. Fox as well if not more than with W. E. especially because of his Book we shall now more freely inlarge upon the words c. and Sence and Meaning also For the Fulness of the Godhead is one thing and another thing our and all his works and Creatures partaking of that Fulness in some mercifull likeness and coformity as Moses and we behold his Back or dark Resemblance and by Reâ—lection as we behold the Sun take in some weak low thoughts and conceits of the Eternal and Invisible incomprehensible and inconceivable Power and Godhead Thus to partake of some drops of the Ocean of his Wisdom Power Goodness Holiness c. is not to become an Ocean of Power Wisdom Goodness Holiness yea Wisdom it self Power it self Goodness it self Holiness it self as God is This devilish Pride was the Sin of the Devils or wicked spirits this was the Sin of our first Parents unto which the Devil beguiled them and this is Sathans bait still to catch all Wise Rich High and especially Holy People with viz. to be as God to be in the fulness of the Godhead to be God himself 2. However this Iugler speaks here of the Fulness of the Godhead bodily in Christ yet if he be examined and searched it is clear that by Christ he meanes the Body the Quakers and every one of their Bodyes is Christ in whome the Godhead dwels bodily and the great Mystery of which the Holy Scripture speaketh 1 Tim. 3. Is God manifest in their flesh and therefore Sam. Fisher useth in his Writing Christ Iesus as Peter did in his denying of him saying that Person whome you call God-Man is as high Treason against the King of kings and King of Saints as hath ordinarily been acted since God most wonderfully gave life to a lump of Clay which now perks up to the eternal Power and Godhead Pag. 90. G. Fox brings in the same Author saying There is a kind of Infiniteness in the Soul and it cannot be Infiniteness it self He answers Is not the Soul without beginning comeing from God and returning into God again which hath it in his hand which hand goes against him that doth evill which throws down that which warrs against it and Christ the Power of God the Bishop of the Soul which brings it up into God which comes out from God hath this a beginning and ending and is not this infinite in it self and more than all the World 148 I Reply in these few lines let him that hath his sences make common sence and English of some of them However this is express that the Soul is without beginning or ending coming out of God and returning into God Hath this saith Fox a
Armies or Navies or any Commanders in chief signifie their minds by Speech by Writing yea by sign at a distance this Word or will which was before in the Kings breast and internal is now outward or external Hence Christ Jesus above all other wayes of Gods manifesting himself externally or outwardly is called the Word of God and the Word which was God Hence in common speech we call our Thoughts our selves So I think c. this is my Word my Vote or Mind And as it is the Field If a General himself who first gave the external Word from his own internal Thoughts if he forget the word in the night a common Sentinel will make him stand or fire upon him and shall men be so careful in these transitory businesses and shall we suffer open Enemies to the true Lord Jesus presumptuously to pass without the external word or mind of God and audaciously to deny such a word at all to be When Christ Jesus Luke 4 spake out of the Prophet Isaiah and when Paul disputed three Sabbath dayes out of the Scriptures and when Apollos mightily convinced the Iews from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Christ did they not use external audible Expoundings and Applyings of that written word or mind of God as the external and outward manifestation of his internal and eternal holy Pleasure A tenth Instance is in page 32. where G. Fox brings in Ellis Bradshaw saying The Quakers Spirit doth teach them to honour no Man He Answers That is a Lye for it teacheth them to have all Men in esteem and to honour all men in the Lord yet they are convinced by the Law to be Transgressors if they respect Mens persons as you doe I Reply I have spoken of their proud and lofty behaviour toward all men the Highest the Eldest the Holyest upon the 10th Position of their Pride c. and therefore briefly say 1. That all men may see how truely they honour and esteem all men in the Lord and what Lord and honour it is that they mean when G. F. his first word to his Opposite is in that most provoking Term viz. That is a Lye in his very pleading and the very first words of it It is true Christ Jesus and his Servants the Prophets and Apostles used sharp and bitter Reproofs Similitudes c. but thus suddenly at the first dash to give fire Thou Lyest That is a Lye c. It shews neither Religion nor Civility but a Barbarous Spirit for they that know the Barbarians know how common that word is in all their mouths T is true of late divers of Fox his followers have followed him in courtesie 200 looking toward you taking you by the hand bowing and half uncovering the head more or less c. But this is but a Revolt and Apostacy from their first Rigid Spirit and Cariage as Humphrey Norton rightly maintains against them Yea. 2. it is against all Foxes and their first Writings and this very place of Iames here urged viz. they are convinced by the Law if they respect mens Persons Again t is true in Christ Jesus there is neither Bond nor Free Male nor Female and consequently no Master no Man no Father no Child no King no Subject but all are one in Christ Jesus and the second Birth as all are of one kinde in the first Adam and the first Birth 1. Yet first how full is the Holy Scripture of Commands and Examples of Gods Children giving respective Words and Titles and Bowings even to persons that knew not God 2. Fox grants difference of gifts and saith that some in comparison of others of them not so grown c. are Elders sure this is some respect of persons according to that of the 1 Cor. 12. Are all Apostles are all Prophets are all Teachers c. Therefore how ever they Hypocritically lye and pretend to honour all men in the Lord yet the most Holy and only Wise knows how proudly and simply and barbarously they have run into uncivil and inhumane Behaviours towards all their Superiours the eldest and highest how that they have declared by principle and practice that there are no Men to be respected in the World but themselves as being Gods and Christs T is true our English Bibles and Grammar as Fox his great Learning often objects makes thou to a single person and Thou in Holy Scripture is used in a grave and respective way unto Superiours unto Kings and Parents and God himself But 1. As I have said the Hebrew and the Greek signifie no more Thou then You and so may be truely turned 2. Every Nation every Shire every Calling have their particular Properties or Idioms Speech which are improper and ridiculous with others Hence these simple Reformers are extreamly ridiculous in giving Thou and Thee to every body which our Nation commonly gives to Familiars only and they are extreamly and insufferably proud and contemptuous unto all their Superiours in using Thou to every body which our English Ideom or propriety of speech useth in way of familiarity or of Anger Scorn and Contempt I have therefore publickly declared my self that a due and moderate restraint and punishing of these incivilities though pretending Conscience is as far from Persecution properly so called as that it is a Duty and Command of God unto all mankinde first in Families and thence into all mankinde Societies 201 Having thus through Gods mercifull help gone through the 13th Position in publick and this private supply of some few Instances of their Lame writings of out G. F reserving the liberty if God please of presenting the Reader with a further Apendix or Addition of some few further Instances out of G. Fox his Writings I hasten to the 14 Proposition the last of the seven at Providence They read it publickly viz. the spirit of the Quakers tends mainly to the reducing of Persons from Civility to Barbarisme to an Arbitrary Government and the Dictates and Decrees of that sudden Spirit that acts them 3. To a sudden cutting off of People yea of Kings and Princes that oppose them and 4. To as fierce and fiery Persecution in matters of Conscience as hath been or can be practised by any Hunters or Persecutors in the World I told them I could adde more Branches to this Head as unto the peace and civil Societyes of Mankind in the world but I remembred my promise of Brevity and W. E. was often remembring me sayinge Is this thy Quarter of an hour for I believe they stood here upon Coals and were not willing that I should insist upon it my full Quarter and they hasted me on to prove that their spirit tended to Barbarisme they said one and an other that their spirit was an Holy Spirit the Spirit of God and the Grace of God had appeared to all men and had taught them to deny all ungodliness and wordly lusts and to live soberly righteously godly
Convictions of Nature one thing Conversion another Saving Convictions The State of Adam in his Fall Sathans Cunning with the Quakers Christs coming Two common Traps and Engines of Sathan in cheating the Foxians When Christ is welcome Ellis Bradshaw Two great designs of Sathan The Word and Words of God Whether God have any more wordsthen one Infinite millions of millions of Gods word The Voice of Gods works and Providences Gods Spirit in his word Christ the word of God The shameless wickedness of the Quakers against the Scriptures Christ himself The way of dealing with Indians They see infinite Reason in the holy Scriptures The preservation of the Scripture Tho. Weld As to Christen Names Names to Children The Foxians scornful pride Who are G. Fox his Heathen The Words Heathen 1 Insert R. W. Ms. Ann. Christ destroys not but beaufies Civility 1 Change for to but. R. W. Ms. Ann. The new Man and new Name The Popes flingiâ—g to the world their old Names G. Fox his great change 1 Place most of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Eccles. 11. 2 Place as the Pope and Cardinals and Iesuits do in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. 243. Rich. and Sherlock The Teachings of God 1 Erase new R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Change one to many R. W. Ms. Ann. Outward means Miracles 247. Christopher Wade 1 Place beside the Scripture in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. The Sword of the Spirit 2 Insert from R. W. Ms. Ann. Not the Spirit himself The Immediate Inspiration of the Spirit The Scripture horribly abused 253. Henry Haggar The Papists and Quakers of a damning and damne Spirit 1 Erase s in Idols R. W. Ms. Ann. The true Protestants Charity The Quakers far from the Spirit of Christ Jesus The meek and merciful Spirit of Jesus The differeut state of Gods Children 259. John Brown Number 16. Korah Dathan and Abirams Revolt applied to the pretended Quakers The Protestant Religion Revolted from by the Quakers Conspirators agaiust the Priestly Prophetical and Kingly Office and Power of Christ Jesus The conspiracy of the Quakers 1 Place some of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Against Christ Jesus Korah and the Quakers Confidence fierceness And lying Charges Ingratitude Impatience The Wonderful Judgements of God upon the Korathites in this world 62 George Johnson Thoughts about America Now Christ a Light Covenant N Englands Plantaaion The Indians of N. England The Indians of New England The Quakers desire of perverting the Indians John Owen 263 Owens writings about the Scripture Excellently learned and Spiritual and Invincible 264 Samuel Palmer Mans threefold Condition in this Life The Devil too Crafty for the Foxians A great mistery The Quakers devilish pride 275. Ricard Meyo The Devils bloody Craft The Kings Declaration of mercy and Liberty The Devils two sorts of Souldiers Anti-Christianisme The Figures in Scripture A lively picture of the Gospel Why it is called Pauls Gospel How it is hid 282. Daniel Gawdry The Varity of Spirits Why it is said the Spirits made perfect The Devil would be rid of Scripture and all Learning 325 Timothy Trevis G. Fox destroys the working of the Father and the Son G. Fox and the Arminians one as to predestination Mans wisdome about his Earthly business The Mistery of the Quakers Seed The Foxians gross Ignorance of the Godhead 326 Timothy Trevis The manifestation of the Spirit discussed 1 Change slanders to blunders R. W. Ms. Ann. The Garden of Christs Church and the Wilderness c. of the World differ as Heaven and Earth The partition Wall between Jews and Gentiles G. Fox his not cleaving the Hoof though full of Scripture G. Fox his wonderful Confusion The Spirit of God and the world are extream Contraries Prophners of the holy Spirit G. Fox c. resisting and fighting against the holy Spirit The striving of Gods Spirit The free and powerful working of Gods spirit The whole world unprofitable 328 Hugh Archbal The manifold Light mentioned in the Holy Scripture The Common offers of mercy The true Illumination As the first Christians were called The twofold success of the Gospel 330. James Dorram The sight of sin as Sin The Sins of the Regenerate Whit the Combate between the Flesh and Spirit in Rom. 7. The Sin of the Regenerate as a wound and Captivity The Souls delight in God and Hatred to Sin Sincerity the Crown of the true Quakers 338 John Nasmith The Foxians are both Pharisees and Sadduces An Item to G. Fox The Nature of the Devils 345 Hen. Foreside Ezek. 18 Considered The Spirit of Falling from Grace The Papists Arminians and Foxians one in this point Whab Grace it is that Papists Arminians and Foxians Fall from Necessary Observations The Word Righteousness of many significations God's Covenant with the first man The Law given so many hundreth of years after mans Fall G. Fox making use of the Scripture to Curse his Opposites Their horrible Contempt of Scripture 456 A Book from Hollaed G. Fox his proud Ignorance An Impious unsavonry Spirit against the godly of all Nations The Pharisees Perfection 2 Pet. 22 The Saints Continual warfere Scriptural dangers and spiritual Watch. Christs Discipline with his Saints and Churches The Quakers doleful mistake 365. Robert Tuchin c. G Fox prouder and prouder wo se and worse to the End of his Bookâ— The Fall of Angels Fall of Man Davids sin Sacrifice for Sins of Ignorance Great failing of Christs Disciples Paul John and Peter and all come short Peters great failings former and latter written for our Instruction 372. Thomas Hodges G Fox hath affirmed the Contrary to all the Heavenly Assertions of his Opposites which I have produced God sets forth to us in Scripture by Natural and Artificial things The great Question what God is The Devil Gods Ape in Inspirations The Subtlety of the Devil and his Agents in Câ—tching of men What G. Fox means by the maâ—ner of the Spirit G. Fox his proud Simplicity The Monstrous Ridle of the Foxians Spirit Job a perfect man yet abhors himself for his filthiness The Authors humble desire for himself and G. Fox The Authors fear as to G. Fox his case