needs be in the World not before they come into it And as in the 14th verse Death reigning from Adam to Moses even over them who had not sinned after the Similitude of Adam's Transgression c. This thou wilt needs have to be Infants in the Womb what gross Darkness is this How can Death reign over any until they come under the Dominion and Government of it and so be Transgressors of a known Law either in Thought Word or Deed It is Non sense and Ridiculous But Death hath reigned over many who have not sinned after the Similitude of Adam's Transgression for Death reigned over Drunkards Swearers Lyars Sodomites the Old Wicked World Whoremongers and many who are called by other Names which was not all a sinning after the Similitude of Adam's Transgression for he was no Sodomite Drunkard nor Swearer Whoremonger nor Adulterer that we read of And so Death reigns over all Sinners be the Similitude of sinning what it will but answer me after what Similitude is the Child's sinning Is it after the Similitude or Likeness of Adam's sinning or the Similitude of any other And whereas thou queriest how it comes to pass that Death is inflicted upon Infants if they have no Sin I answer It cannot be for their Sin because they have none and the Reason why they dye is because they are Mortal and must dye sooner or later even Mankind as well as other living things on Earth but to the Innocent and True Believers in Christ Jesus this is no Sign of God's Displeasure but rather a Translation into a better State except thou reckons the State and Being in this Life to the Innocent and Regenerate better then that which is to come and many holy men have had great Joy at their Departure So that the Cause of the natural death cannot be as is foolishly imagined because Adam sinned for if he had not sinned he might have dyed as to his natural Life being of the Earth made of the Dust and it was said to him In the Day thou eatest thereof thou shalt dye mark in that Day yet he lived after his Fall many Years as to his natural Life but he dyed spiritually instantly upon his sinning even in that Day and at that time And as for those other Scriptures thou bringest Ephes 2.3 And were by Nature Children of Wrath as well as others Gal. 2.15 We who are Jews by Nature and not Sinners of the Gentiles these Scriptures speak of Children of Wrath and Jews by Nature and not Sinners of the Gentiles what is this to Infants in the Womb who are no Sinners neither can be Children of Wrath These Scriptures relate to a sinful state before Conversion whether young or old so that herein thou wrests and abusest the Scriptures and this is plain for me to see with that blessed Light of Christ Jesus thou art an Enemy to As I did so I do affirm Jesus Christ to be the true Light and Saviour who enlightneth every man that cometh into the World with a Measure of his own Light but W. H. is one that cannot endure this Light or the Reproof of it upon his Conscience but still would call it something otherwise then what it is and quotes Rom. 2.15 which speaks no such thing as that the Light within every man is nothing but the Law of Moses written in the Heart or another while No more then Nature as he calls it p. 17. whereas the Inward Law or Light within in all its Manifestations and Appearances alwayes came by Jesus Christ and contains in it not only the Substance of Moses's Law but Gospel-Virtue and Power the true Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World by Virtue of which Divine Light and Power within the Gentiles obeyed the Lord spiritually and were accepted in so doing though they had not the Outward Law in the Letter and set the Letter aside What Law is that that is written in the hearts of People must it not needs be the Law of Christ inward in the Heart and Conscience and so of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus that makes free from the Law of Sin and Death and it was alwayes so that the Doers of this Law or Light within in the Heart and Conscience were justified Rom. 2.13 and thus was Abraham justified by Works James 2.21 when he had faithfully offered up his Isaac upon the Altar in Obedience to God it was a Good Work by which he was justified in the Sight of God who commanded and he believed and it was imputed to him for Righteousness the Word of his Faith by which he believed and knew the Will of God was the Light within we bear Testimony unto which was before Moses was or Abraham was he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear but this Man's Understanding is shallow sure who one while saith This Light in Man is nothing but the Law of Moses written in the Heart another while It is no more then Nature and what Nature But a Guilty Defiled Nature p. 17. Oh sad Confusion And must the Work of this Inward Light and Power of God be no more then Legal Righteousness and Regeneration Legal Righteousness and a man 's own Righteousness which is as great an Error as a man can utter It is true that by the bare Works of that Law of Moses never man was justified before the Lord or made Righteous for if that could have made the Comers thereunto perfect there had been no need of Faith in Christ the Light to have received Power but that could not do though great Strictness might be used in the outward Observance of those outward things and Shadows and through such outward Conformity they might appear Righteous before man yet this was but that outward Righteousness of the Scribes and Pharisees in like manner as now W. H. and such as he who seem to be very zealous for the Gospel and the Body of Jesus yet deny his Light and Power of God within with as much Violence as ever the Pharisees denyed Christ Jesu at Jerusalem to be the Son of God and they are in the Steps of the Pharisees in their own self Righteousness and Profession of the Gospel without the true Power of Godliness let the Heavenly Light which they so wickedly blaspheme be Judge in the Case even in their own Consciences and yet they will Hypocritically acknowledge Christ is All in all and all Power and Judgment is committed to the Son Christ Jesus and then they cry this down again and call it A natural Light and Darkness which judgeth mens Thoughts and Deeds of Darkness and thus would rob Christ both of his Authority and Judgment to escape Judgment for Sin Whilest they imagine this Light within to be a natural Light or Ignis fatuus or what they please a devilish wicked Project for if so then what need they care what they do when there is nothing to judge them but an Ignit fatuus or
plainly affirmed the thing viz. That God ordained People to be wicked before they were born And whereas he daringly saith If I dare come to the Tryal he offers two Substantial Witnesses to prove that I said The Doctrine of Election was a Devilish Damnable and Blasphemous Doctrine and also to prove that No such thing was said by him as that God ordained People to be wicked before they were born and if I please he will enter the Lists with me and the like I answer That my God is the Living God above all the false Gods whom I serve and reverence in his Name and Power he hath kept me hitherto over the Heads of such Gilded Hypocrites as thou art and I fear not to meet thee nor thy Master's Strength and thy witnesses in the Name of my God in any convenient Place equally agreed on to manifest the Truth of my Cause and to try thy Power and I deny thy Spirit who denies the Power and Heavenly Light of the true God and Christ and callst his Blessed Image and Saving Health the Work of Regeneration Legal Righteousness and a man 's own Righteousness I tell thee I deny thy Spirit and Work and stand up for the true God and his Christ whom thou knowest not but by Imagination nor where he is but by Imagination Thou Dreamer hast thou not lost the Sight of the true Saviour and now thou imagines the Place of his Residence thou knowst not where nor what thou sayest nor whereof thou affirmest a Cloud hath received him out of thy Sight and you are parted if ever thou hadst any Acquaintance with him in any Measure and where he is thou canst not see him with thy blind Eye nor come unto him for indeed the Heavens have received him and the Heavenly Host see him but thou shalt never see him to thy Comfort but Condemnation in that Dark and Wicked Mind thou livest in profess what thou wilt and babble what thou canst in a vain Mind Thou wouldst be disputing about the Body of Jesus where it is and what it is but thou canst not find it out no more then the Devil could in disputing with the Angel about the Body of Moses and thou art sufficiently answered elsewhere as to that Surely the Apppearance Sight of Christ will be to their Condemnation who believe in thy Doctrine of Antichristianism in denying the Light within to be Spiritual and Christian for as the Devils saw him and knew him and were tormented by him in the Dayes of his Flesh as accounting his Coming then a Torment tormenting them before the time so shalt thou and those of thy Spirit except ye repent for your Torments are begun already and your Gnashing of Teeth because he is come to reign and he must reign who is our Joy and your Sorrow must encrease and have no End who are wilful and mad in your opposing of him in this Day of his spiritual Appearance The Substance of his Answer to my Postscript is this First Concerning Personal Reprobation he affirmeth That God willeth to permit Evil by denying Grace which would prevent it As much as to say God having fore-ordained the greatest part of the World to be Reprobated and Damned therefore to bring about his End he denies the Means of their Salvation that is Grace to the End that they may be damned for they must be damned there is no Remedy why Because God hath so decreed before they be born and this Purpose and Decree of his must stand and it cannot be otherwise because the Lord denieth them the Benefit of his Saving Grace If Ely was punished with Death because he restrained not his Sons Wickedness and had not that Indignation against it as it deserved what would they make God to be who as they say restrains his Grace because he hath ordained them to Damnation and also Christ did not dye for them and so it is impossible for those for whom Christ did not dye that they should be saved this is the natural Consequence of such a Doctrine and so it is of the Devil and to make the Lord the hardest of Masters and greatest of Tyrants to require that of man which he hath decreed aforehand it shall be impossible for him to do and yet he must for not doing it be condemned as much as if a Tyrant should first command a man's Legs to be cut off and then command him to go and kill him for not going or put out a man's Eyes and then command him to see and for disobeying such a Command he must be slain In like manner the Lord requires Faith and Repentance where aforehand he hath deprived him of Power to do either on purpose to destroy him because he hath decreed him before he was born to such an End and therefore denyeth him Grace Now William Haworth dost thou believe we can believe this to be Christian Doctrine which hath so much Contradiction and Confusion in it for the Grace of God hath certainly appeared to all men according to Scripture and the Invitation is unto all to believe in Christ that they may be saved without Respect of Persons Thus in short I leave this and pass on to detect the rest of thy Non-sense and Confusion because much hath been writ in this particular by other Hands c. Secondly Concerning Original Sin I said The Devil was the Original of Sin in Mankind and that I understood not how Infents could be guilty of Sin in the Womb c. To this W. H. answers thus That the Devil is the Original of Sin in Mankind i. e. The first Tempter to Sin is a Doctrine we learned from Moses not from the Quakers but what is this ad rem Ergo there is no Original Sin except it be the Devil Astrange Argument saith he Now Reader mark this man's Logick because I said that the Devil alwayes was and is the Original of Sin in Mankind who obey him he makes this Ergo or Conclusion There is no Original Sin except it be the Devil and so the Argument must stand thus The Devil alwayes was and is the Original of Sin in Mankind who obey him Ergo The Devil is Original Sin What abusive Non-sense and Perversion is this But however we say the Devil is the Original of Sin and now I shall look into the Scriptures he brings to prove the Sin of Infants in the Womb. First Rom. 5.12 Wherefore as by one man Sin entered into the World and Death by Sin and so Death passed upon all men for that all have sinned Mark Reader what is this to Infants in the Womb who have not yet sinned read the next verse following the latter part of it viz. Sin is not imputed where there is no Law but where is the Law to Infants in the Womb before they come into the World surely there is none therefore no Sin nor Condemnation it must needs be an Innocent Sinless State so that the state of sinning must
Light within contradicts as thou sayest And for thy Confidence it s but like to thy consistency and fixedness But I will assure thee I neither itch to be a Doctor of Allegories nor yet to exercise my self in things too high for me Glory to Abraham's God who hath weaned me from it Therefore take heed of thy Confidence for else it will deceive thee to the Ruin of thy Soul Haworth The Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation be upon thee while thou art reading these following Lines c. Crook Hast thou such a high Conceit of thy own Writings that they cannot be understood without divine Revelation and ye denyes the Antecedency of the Spirit and Light of Christ within to be necessary to the true understanding of the holy Scriptures and the Mysteries of God therein mentioned Haworth In vain was that Revelation of the Everlasting Gospel to Adam if the Light within would have shewed it Book p. 4 c. Crook In vain had that Revelation been if Adam had not had some Light within to see what was tendred and made known to him Haworth Let us see what Faith it was that these departed from in 1 Tim. 19. Crook Instead of she wing what Faith they departed from thou either ignorantly or wilfully takest up the time about the Faith they turned to and imbraced after their departure which is nothing to the purpose for my words are these And others departed from that Faith which Paul exhorts Timothy to hold fast in Opposition to thy asserting it impossible to forsake the Gospel being once truly received And thus like the Horse mumbling the Tâ—istle thou art unwilling to let it alone and yet knowest not how to answer it Haworth Thou hadst better not named that Scripture c. Crook It had better for thee indeed that I had neither named it nor thou gone about to answer it for then hadst thou saved thy Credit Haworth God's essential Power cannot be communicated for then would the Creature to whom it is communicated be Omnipotent Book p. 6 c. Crook Who would think that a man that pretends so highly to Scripture Rule should be so much besides it as to use Terms of Distinction not once named in Scripture its sufficient to silence all Flesh that both Scripture and experienced Saints do tell us That the Spirit it self bears witness in them and that they were made Partakers of the Divine Nature and Power of God whereby they were more then Conquerors and able to do all things c. without busying the mind with forged Notions and unscriptural Distinctions c. Haworth Either thou hast forgotten that this Phrase which I make use of was ever used by Paul Gal 4.19 or else thou dost plainly gibe at the Apostle and Church of Galatians at least through our Sides thou woundest them they had some Knowledge of Christ but it was too confused and dim p 10 c. Crook I very well remembred the Apostle's words in Gal. 4.19 bâ—t find no such words as distinctly formed in you dim and too confused are imaginary words of thy own coyning as if Christ could be formed in a man and yet that man in whom he is so formed either to be wholely ignorant of it or so confused and dim that he is unable to disting ish it from any thing else so that this Falshood and Confusion may be added to the rest for I neither forgot the Place nor yet gibe at the Apostle Neither do I believe that either the Apostle and thy self or the Church of Galatia and thy Church at Hartford to be in such Union that the hitting of you must needs wound them through your sides Haworth Now John is this Language becoming thee viz. Paul what is thy Labour and Travail worth whenas thou hast not brought the Galatians to have Christ formed in them And Paul what a Church is this Church thou writest to in Galatia and what a Pastor Preacher and Apostle art thou and what dear Brethren are they to thee c p 10 c. Crook Thou art like him that makes a Man of Straw and then to shew his Valour fights with it Thou knowest I use no such Language to Paul nor the Church of Galatia in my whole Book but thou like a man having lost his way pryes into every Turning to recover his Loss yet the more he goes on the further he is out of his Way But why dost thou plead for mixt Communions with such as are turned to another Gospel whom the Apostle calls bewitched and foolish and thought to be made perfect by the Flesh being removed from the Grace and Spirit of Christ into which he begat them at the first when they began well and therefore his Labour and Travail was both of Worth and Value and not in vain as thine and others are at this day who like those false Teacher the Apostle speaks against do but make Work for the true Labourers to travail in Birth again to recover your Proselytes out of those outward things and forms to have Christ truly formed in them that neither the people themselves nor the true Ministers may be perplexed or stand in doubt of them as the Apostle speaks Gal. 4.20 But whither art thou going Friend Is thy pleading for such mixt communion the way to be a Pastor of a separate Church at Hartford or to be a Parish Priest again Think not that this turning will set thee right viz. because the Apostle calls the Galatians Little Children and Brethren c. for these and such like are but amicable terms frequently used in Scripture and doth not alwayes imply them so called to be Children in a spiritual Sense and Brethren in the true Gospel-Brotherhood as Christ calling him Friend that had not on the Wedding-Garment and yet was not really so in the Sense he calls his Disciples no more Servants but Friends and Stephen Acts 7.2 calls the High Priests and Jews Men Brethren and Fathers and Paul Acts 23.1 calls the Council Brethren c. Haworth I 'le grant that the main Work was to preach the Gospel they did but preach the Law in Subserviency to the Gospel thus they were Ministers not of the Letter only for this doth but kill but of the Spirit p 12 c. Crook If preaching the Law be in order to the Gospel to prepare the Spirit of man by convincing of Sin and so humbling the Soul to a welcome reception of the Grace of the Gospel c. as thou affirmest p. 11. then why is it not as main a work to preach the Law or is there a way to Salvation from Sin without being first convinced of Sin c But let the Readers observe how thou swarvest that from thy Rule thou pleadest so much for Subserviency is a term not used in Scripture and besides thou addest the word Only for the Scripture saith Able Ministers not of the Letter and thou addest Only which is an Addition to Scripture but in further Confusion
and to thy own Consutation thou makes Christ the Author of both saying He wounds at well as heals kills as well as makes alive the one he doth by the preaching of the Law the other by the Gospel Doth not this prove Law and Gospel to be one in their End and Nature for which thou tauntest so much at me and spendest the whole 13th page by way of Derision saying It will cost me some Sweat to untye this Knot c. But before thou art aware thou hast done it For if it be Christ that kills by the Law as thou sayest and Christ that makes alive by the Gospel Is not he one and the same and is not his End the same like a wise Physician to cure and restore his Patient Haworth The Law in its own Nature is spiritual page 16 c. Crook And is not the Gospel so too What is it this man quarrels with is it not written The Ministration of Condemnation is glorious but the Ministration of the Spirit exceeds in Glory In it self it is not glorious but dreadful and terrible but because of its End by convincing of Sin and so humbling the Soul to a welcome reception of Christ or the Grace of the Gospel as thy self speaks p. 11. And the Apostle doth not say the Ministration of the Spirit differed in Nature and Kind but exceeded in Glory and therefore saith Diversity of Ministrations but by the same Lord or Spirit pag. 11 c. Haworth Yet hitherto tends this admitting of no Distinction of Law and Gospel p. 13. Crook My words are not so but thus viz. Why dost thou divide betwixt Law and Gospel Surely thou art not so ignorant as thou makest thy self as if there were no diffence between distinguishing and dividing But because the Scripture distinguisheth between Father Son and Spirit therefore by thy Logick they are divided and because the Scripture distinguisheth between Justification and Sanctification therefore it divides them according to thy dealing with me for I ask why thou dividest between Law and Gospel and thou abusest and pervertest my words as if I admitted of no Distinction between them Is this sair dealing William Haworth But remember for the time to come That a Man may lawfully Distinguish where he ought not to Divide as is proved Haworth The Law is spiritual i. e. requires that all the Thoughts of Man and Desires and Motions of the Heart should be holy and spiritual continually p. 14. c. Crook Here thou hast plainly confessed to that which thou hast been so long fighting against viz. that the Law is spiritual c. and is not the Gospel spiritual also if yea are they not One in Nature I never laid in Degree but want in Degree varies not the Truth in Nature and Kind and is it the End of the Law to require that all the Thoughts of Man and Desires and Motions of the Heart should be holy and spiritual continuaelly doth not the Gospel also do the same how now William who is infatuated now to speak that thou never intendest viz. that Law and Gospel are One in the End and Nature as thou speakest p. 12. But more of this may be seen in Title Contradictions c. and Title Scoffs c. Haworth I challenge thee to produce one Scripture where Law and Spirit â—re one c. Crook If I prove that the Word or Term Law is applyed to the Spirit I make good my own Assertion and overthrow thy vain boasting Challenge Now the Law is called Truth Psal 119.142 So is the Spirit 1 Joh 2.27 and 1 Joh. 5.6 The Law is called Light Prov. 6.23 and so is the Spirit If the Eye be single the whole Body is full of Light Rom. 7.14 We know the Law is spiritual how dost thou know it I feel it in my Mind by the Spirit saith Beza and also a Law in my Members warring against it Rom. 8 2. The Law of the Spirit of Life which is in Christ Jesus c. saith Beza is the Power and Authority of the Spirit against which is set the Tyranny of Sin Thus he c. The Term Law is applied both to Works and to Faith or the Spirit in Opposition to Works Rom. 3.27 The Law is also called the Testimony to the Law and to the Testimony Isa 8. The two Tables of the Law are called the Testimony Exod. 25.16,21 The Gospel or Spirit is called the Testimony 1 Cor. 2.1 2 Thes 1.10 Rom. 7.7 Except the Law had said thou shalt not lust by Law is understood the Law of the Spirit for the outward Law saith not so 1 Tim. 2.6 Where Christ is called the Testimony who gave himself a Ransom for all men that Testimony in due time c. by all which it may appear notwithstanding William Haworth's vain Challenge and confident to the contrary that the Term Law and Testimony c. are applied to Christ to the Spirit and to the Gospel or New Testament Haworth I have known the Spirituallity of the Law convincing me of that to be Evil which you say is not Sin viz Evil Thoughts arising in my Heart though not consented to Crook Here thou confessest that the Spirituallity of the Law which was the thing I affirmed to be one in End and Nature with the Gospel to be the Spirit or Power of God which is called the Gospel and is said Hebr. 4.12 to be A Discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart which thou sayest it doth in thee this must needs be the Spirit by thy own Acknowledgment p. 14. calling the Law a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of so that it 's the Spirit 's Work whatever is the Instrument that is the Agent by thy own Acknowledgment But I perceive the Scriptures quoted by me have qualified thy Heat page 15. so that now it is the Doctrine of the Gospel not Law taken strictly c. but it may be called the Law so it be not taken strictly but in a mild or common Acceptation so that thou hast both made the Challenge viz. to produce one Scripture where Law and Gospel are Terms that signifie the same Thing as I asserted and to which thou makest this Challenge and also undertakest to make it good against thy self Haworth My tasting of the Grace of Jesus Christ was the Reason why I did not take up with the Quakers Christ finding so much Sweetness and Comfort in the Knowledge of him crucified and so abhorring to believe in the Light within as the Christ of God Crook David invites to Tasting as the best Way of knowing how Good and Gracious the Lord is Psal 34.9 and Paul also accounted the Revelation of Christ within to be the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Gal. 1.12,15,16 compared with Phil. 3.8,10,11 And called me by his Grace to reveal his Son in me but contrariwise that which thou callst the Grace of Jesus Christ caused thee to abhor believing in any such Revelation of
Christ the Light within whereby it 's manifest thou hast not so learned Christ as the Apostle did viz Living and dwelling in him and by hearing of him and being taught by him but by Hatred and despising art grown past Feeling of these things according to Ephes 4.18,19,20,21 Haworth Well now let these stand together and John do thou speak for thy self either these are no Quakers and thou disownest them and their Writings or the Light within not Jesus of Nazareth is the Quakers Christ so not the Lord 's Christ therefore John thus dost but juggle c. By this you may know what he means by his Testimony to Jesus in the latter End of his Book p. 18. c. Crook The Page before is stuffed with railing Accusations which have been sufficiently spoke to by G. W. W. P. against Faldo and I. Pennington's late Book titled The Flesh and Blood of Christ c. I say Christ is not divided and thou art a Transgressor for putting asunder what God hath joyned together Jesus of Nazareth calls himself the Light of the World and thou confessest as before is shewed that it 's neither Law nor Gospel that convinceth the Vnbelieving World but the Spirit making Vse of them Now is not the Father the Son and the Spirit One 1 Joh. 5.7 And this is the Lord Christ that is One with the Father and thought it no Robbery to be equal with God and this is no jugling but plain Scripture-dealing as they that are spiritual can judge what I say to be the Truth as it in Jesus but without the Spirit no Man can say that Christ is the Lord 1 Cor. 12 3. and if any Man will be ignorant let him be ignorant 1 Cor. 14.38 but the Spirit of Blindness like a Man in the dark makes thee so suspitious and jealous that although I speak never so plain Nichode muslike thou cryest out how can these Things be when the Inconsistency is in thy self And what I speak in the latter End of my Book as well as what I speak of in the Beginning is what I believe in my Heart and thy calling of me Jugler and Mountebank c. are but as Gems in my Crown but shall be as black Charges against thee in the Day of thy Arraignment Haworth This Blood and Sufferings of Christ the Value of them towards God for the Expiation of the Guilt of Sin I apply to my own Soul that is guilty of the Breach of the Law and have Peace hereby Rom. 5. p. 19 c. Crook I wonder thou shouldest so soon forget thy self who in p. 14 15. sayest that neither Law nor Gospel can either convince or convert without the Spirit but as the Spirit useth them being as a fit Instrument for the Spirit and yet thou that hast the Filth of Sin remaining in thee canst apply to thy own guilty Soul the Value of Christ's Blood c. and have Peace thereby while Christ told his poor Disciples without him they could do nothing and the Apostle said it was God by his Spirit that made Christ their Righteousness and Redemption c. not their own Application of them to their guilty Souls as thou speakest like a Man void of all Sense of what thou sayest c. that Faith which gave them Peace with God purified their Hearts and kept Christ dwelling therein as a Prince in them being stronger then he that is in the World Haworth I charge thee with the highest Blasphemy imaginable c. if thou dost it knowingly and wittingly such as never shall be forgiven if thou attribute any of these Titles viz. First-born of every Creature the Brightness of his Father's Glory the eternal Word the Alpha and Omega the All in all to any Thing that is in Man besides the very Person of JESUS CHRIST p. 19. c. Crook The very repeating of this Paragraph and Charge is sufficient to shew its Folly and vain Boasting of its Author who now by his Words allows the very Person of Jesus Christ to be in man and yet saith p. 4. His Righteousness is wholely without him c. take his Words strictly and they import 1 that those Titles mentioned by him belong only to the Person of Jesus Christ 2 That this Person is in man 3 That 't is Blasphemy in the highest to attribute any of those Titles to any thing in man besides the very Person of Jesus Christ Now if he meant otherwise viz That it is the highest Blasphemy to attribute any of these Tules to any thing in man but only to the Person of Jesus Christ without man and also that by the Person of Jesus Christ he means as he saith viz. that the Eternal VVord and first born of every Creature the first and the last the All in All is this Person then he doth not only exclude God the Father Son and holy Spirit from being in Man i.e. Saints or others contrary to the whole Corrent of Scripture dialect but also falls into the Nestorian Opinion viz That in Christ were two Persons as well as Natures Besides it's Blasphemy to limit and shut out the holy only One for how is he then the All in All is he in all and yet must we be charged with Blasphemy for consessing him or his Name in his People But further if by the Person of Christ he intends not as he saith viz. the Eternal VVord or Deity of the Father or Son c. but only the prepared Body that the Son took upon him in Time then he doth not only vary from the Creed of a Trinity of coeternal Persons but also himself is guilty of Blasphemy in attributing those Titles to the Body which properly belongs to him that took it viz. the Eternal VVord the only Potentate the Alpha and Omega the All in All c. who was before that Body was But if William Haworth will allow neither the Eternal VVord nor the first-born of every Creature to have any Place in Man then what is become of his Convert to Christianity he is but a counterfeit Convert and he and his Leader are both Aliens without God and without Christ in the VVorld Haworth The Scriptures are revealed by the Apostles and by the Wisdom and Judgment of Man enlightned by the same Spirit that gave them forth we may attain the Knowledge of them and not without p 21. c. Crook Thou speakest now like a Quaker take heed of making thy self a Transgressor any more by the denying the Necessity of the Light and Spirit within to understand the Scriptures or by condemning the Quakers for preaching the Light in the first Place to give People the Knowledge both of Christ and Scriptures Haworth Thou must understand by these heavenly Things themselves either Christ himself or the Church and People of God who are the heavenly Jerusalem or Heaven it self whereinto Christ is entered with his Blood p. 21. c. Crook How now William how doubtful art thou of the
not sufficient for Salvation without the Truth be inwardly taught by the Spirit yet how often hath this man affirmed That whatever the Spirit works in us is but our own Righteousness yet here to the Confutation of all his former Affirmations saith That without the inward Teachings of the Spirit there is no Salvation no not by Jesus of Nazareth c. so big is this man with the prodigious Monsters not only of dividing the Holy Ghost from Christ but of horrible Confusion Ignorance Unbelief and Blasphemy 1st Confusion in that he is so Contradictory to himself 2. Ignorance because it implies a Distrusting of Christ even while we are acted by the Holy Ghost which is impossible 3. Vnbelief because he saith he dares not trust to the Holy Ghost and yet saith we cannot be saved except we be inwardly taught by the Holy Ghost 4. Blasphemy because he supposes it is possible for the Holy Ghost to deceive us else why doth he say that he dares not trust to the Holy Ghost but to Christ c Neither will it at all help him for to say He intends only as to Justification because he acknowledgeth there can be no Salvation by Jesus of Nazareth and consequently no Justification by Christ without the inward Teachings of the Spirit for saith he historical Knowledge cannot do it but the inward Knowledge which the Spirit gives doth do it so that what he hath said though against his Will amounts to this viz. That true experimental Justification by Christ cannot be savingly known without it be inwardly taught by the Spirit by which Grant he hath renounced these two Erroneous Opinions viz. 1st That what the Holy Ghost works in us is our own Righteousness and 2dly That he was deceived and mistaken when he said he durst not trust to the Holy Ghost but to Christ and hath confirmed the Truth to be on my side viz. That we are justified in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 Haworth Faith as a Habit or Act in us is our own Righteousness p. 54. Crook He hath conveyed all his right to this by his former Grant only he hath that left which still renders him more suspitious viz. That his Claim is nought because it will not indure Scripture-Terms but no marvel seeing he dares not trust to the Holy Ghost But let his late Recantation include his uncouth word Habie amongst his other Mistakes of Unscund Expressions c. for the Scripture no where calls that Faith which is wrought by the exceeding Greatness of that Power which raised up Christ from the Dead Eph. 1.19,20 our own Righ cousness which is as absurd an Affimation as to say the Apostle intended viz. by not having on our own Righteousness c. not having Faith c. Haworth That Error of the Quakers viz. that first Risings to Evil in the Heart if not consented to are not Sin and here in a Digression I will take Leave to propound some Arguments against that Error of the Quakers desiring J. C. to give a fair Answer to them p. 56. Arg. 1. Haworth That which the Apostle calleth Sin we ought to call it so but the Apostle giveth this Name to those Metions to Evil Ergo. Crook The Apostle Rom. 7.5 distinguisheth between Motion and Sin Ergo Motion in some Sense is not Sin 2. He distinguisheth between his former State in the Flesh when Motions brought forth Sin unto Death and his present Condition which implies unconsented to Motions do not 3. Though Motions in a strict Sense may be called Sin yet not unto Death or damning because as it is subjected in Vn-consenting Persons it looseth its own Natural Venome and Relation to Guilt Vid. Dr. Taylor upon Original Sin Chapter 6. Arg. 2. Haworth That which is a Transgression of the Law of God delivered by Moses is a Sin but a Motion tâ—… Evil though not consented to is so Ergo. Crook To this thou hast answered thy self in confessing all the Commandments save the last forbid consent to evil Thoughts arising in the Heart according to Christ's Interpretation of them Mat. 5. so that if there be not consent there is no Transgression and consequently not Sin but thou would'st have the 10th Commandment as it were to be different in Nature from all the rest and to forbid more as if to covet my Neighbour's House were worse then to kill my Neighbour and to covet my Neighbour's Ox were worse then to steal it Arg. 3. Haworth That which is to be mortified and crucified must needs be Evil c. I ask from wherce they arise c Crook To deny resist and refuse to consent to Motions to Evil is a mortifying and crucifying of them And for thy further Information they arise a naturae vitio i. e. from a Defection of Nature and inclines to Sin c. Arg. 4. Haworth If they are such as are a Burden to one that is made Partaker of the new Nature then they must be evil and sinful c. Crook This is as true of Outward Afflictions and Punishments as of Inward Motions and Risings and no man will say that these are sinful in themselves and yet they are burdensome to such as are made Partakers of the New Nature c. Arg. 5. Haworth If these Motions bring so much Guilt upon a man that there is need of the Attonement of Christ and if it were not for the Grace of God in Christ we should be condemned for them c. then they are Evil but c. Crook It is the Grace of God in Christ that enables a man to wrestle with and deny to consent unto these Motions and therefore these Motions unconsented to are not his Sin and consequently bring neither Guilt nor Condemnation Arg. 6. Haworth That which flows from an Evil Fonntain must needs be Evil but c. Crook By thy own Confession in pag. 59. thou sayest That in Case we yield not to Satan's Temptations we are not guilty so that thou hast answered thy self For either those Temptations which come from Satan come not from an Evil Fountain or else there is no Necessity that that which flows from an Evil Fountain must needs be the Evil of Unconsenting Persons Arg. 7. Haworth That which is a Privation of that Righteousness and Image that was at first in man and should be now in man and the Law requires it should be in everyone of us that must needs be Evil but c. Crook I deny that Evil Risings or Motions to Evil have made such a Privation of that first Image of God in man that there is not so much of it remaining in man as to resist or shew a dislike to them for the Heathen Poet proves the contrary Video meliora proboque tamen deteriora sequor i.e. I see the best things and approve them to be so yet I follow the worst Arg. 8. Haworth These Motions must be either Good Evil or Indifferent
for that Flesh he was made of as Man was his real Person or Body and not a Phantastick Body as some conceited and yet saith Whose Goings have been of Old from Everlasting is certainly spoke of Christ's Deity Was not this then the Goings forth of the Eternal Word the Alpha and Omega c Thy high Charge of Blasphemy is like to fall upon thy self for to say Christ is not at all in his People is contrary to the whole current of Scripture and is contradictory to thy self in many Pages of thy Book c. as may be seen in my Rejoynder Haworth The Spirit conveyed it self into the Hearts of the Hearers by this Doctrine and wrought Faith in them to receive it pag. 6 c. the Gospel declares Remission of Sins by the Sacrisice of Christ and that by the Obedience of this one we are made Righteous his Obedience without us p 7. c. Crook One while God is not at all in his People another while there is nothing good before Faith and now all is done by Christ's Obedience without us and again the Spirit was there before Faith to work Faith c. But hear thy own Author Richard Baxter in his Appeal to the Light p. 3. The Day of Judgment will not be to try Christ and his Righteousness but to honour it and try us and ours and all men shall be judged according to their own Works and to be judged is to be justified or condemned saith he and Salvation or Damnation will be adjudged us as we are found to be personally Righteous or Unrighteous c. Dr. Sâ—bbs Soul's Conflict cap. 15. pag. 224. The Happiness of man consists chiefly in a gracious Frame of Spirit and Actions suitable sweetly issuing therefrom But what will become of William Haworth who saith He dares not trust to the holy Ghost c Haworth We are converted from Darkness that imbred natural Darkness that we are in and all men unto Light which Light is Christ's Person and the Gospel which declares of him and so to all things the Gospel requires of us c. we are not perfect nor think we shall ever attain it in this Life pag. 8. c. Crook Thou seemst to allude to the Apostle's Words Acts 26.18 who was sent to the Gentiles to open their blind Eyes and to turn them from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to God but why dost thou vary from Scripture Conversion Is it because yours is not Scripture Proof that thou wholely leaves out three Parts of five viz. 1 st The Opening their Blind Eyes 2 dly And from the Power of Satan 3 dly unto God so that your Conversion is without having your Blind Eyes opened or being turned from Satan or being turned to God only you believe that there is a natural inbred Darkness in you and all men which you ought to turn from but do not think to be so perfect as ever to attain it in this Life and you are turned to Light that is Christ's Person and the Gospel that is the Scriptures which declare of him and so to all things that Christ in the Gospel requires of you but ye do not think to be so perfect as to do them or everattain it in this Life but we are made righteous by his Obedience without us p. 7. But for the Holy Ghost we dare not trust to it p. 52. If the Members of thy Church at Hartford be no better Converts then their Pastor no marvel thy Proselite The Young Man p. 6. of his Book calls most of them a Loose Wanton and Proud People that adorn their Bodiâ—s more then their Souls Haworth What tends this to but Rantism indeed and Atheism viz. that the Law and Gospel are one in the End and Nature p. 13. c. The Law is spiritual i. e. requires that all the Thoughts of Man and Desires Motions of the Heart should be Holy and Spiritual continually therefore it is a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of by enlightning the Soul in the Knowledge of it to convince not of outward gross Evils only but of Heart-Polutions p. 14. c. Crook Thou wilt not deny that the Gospel doth require continual Heart-Spirituality and is also a fit In strument for the Spirit to make use of to the same End what Consusion is this then to affirm that that which requires all the Thoughts of man Desires and Motions of the Heart should be holy and spiritual continually tends to Rantism Atheism yet calls it a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of so that thy Argument runs thus That which tends to Rantism and Atheism is a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of or thus take thy choice That which is a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of rends to Rantism and Atheism but the Law which requires that all the Thoughts of Man should be Holy c. and the End and Nature of the Gospel being and requiring the same are fit Instruments for the Spirit to make use of Ergo the End and Nature of the Spiritual Law and Gospel tends to Rantism and Atheism Who is the Ranter and Atheist now William Haworth The Spirit that convinceth the Vnbelieving World of Sin John 16.8 is neither the Law nor Gospel p. 11. We preach the Law in Order to the Gospel to prepare the Spirit of man by convincing of sin c. p. 12. The Law doth but kill p. 14. The Law requires the Heart should be holy and spiritual continually c. The spirit makes use of the Doctrine of the Law to convince of sin and the Doctrine of the Gospel as an Instrument to turn the Soul to Christ c. Crook One while the Law doth convince of Sin another while it doth not one while it doth but kill another while it requireth continual Heart-Spirituallity and Holiness one while Law and Gospel are as different as Heaven and Earth p. 13. and another while they are both made use of by the Spirit to the same End viz. Inward Holiness and continual Heart-Spirituallity one while the Gospel doth all and the Law can do nothing but kill another while neither Law nor Gospel can do any thing but as the Spirit useth the Doctrine of both And this is great Babel that William Haworth hath built for the Honour of his Profession and Re establishing of his young Convort c. Haworth The Law is here taken for all the Writings of the Scripture viz. Psal 19.7 c. The whole Nation is called properly the Land is therefore every Piece of Ground in it good to bear Wheat because Ground or Land in general is c. Crook If the Law be taken in the Spirituallity of it as comforting the Soul c. then it is taken as I alledge it for I alledge it as it is written but this Psal 19.7 cannot be taken for all the Writings of the Scriptures in general because the
New-Testament to be sure was not then written and how much of the old is hard to say but that some of it was written after is easie to prove but let us see if thy Similitude will relieve thee The whole Nation sayest thou is properly the Land so all the Writings of the Scriptures are here call'd the Law of God is therefore every Piece of Ground in that Land good to bear wheat sayest thou Answ Here are two things to be noted 1 st That thou ta kest all the Writings of the Scriptures for the Law of God which is not Universally true because there is a Record of the Devils and wicked mens Words as well as good mens in the Scriptures 2 dly That some of the Law of God is like barren and sandy Ground that will bear no Wheat according to thy Similitude and consequently that the Law of God and the Scriptures are imperfect Who undervalues the Law of God and the Scriptures now William hast thou forgotten that the Law of the Lord is perfect and that the Scripture cannot be broken and that all Scripture given by Inspiration of God is profitable c I have read that Christ compared the Unfruitful Hearers to the several Grounds but I never heard of any Stony Thorny High-way-Ground Law of God or Scriptures before Haworth I know the Spiritualluy of the Law convincing me of Evil Thoaghts c. p. 14. The Spirit that convinceth the Vnbelieving World is neither Law nor Gospel The Law is a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of It is the Dectrine of the Gospel not Law taken stricily that declares Non-imputation of Trespasses it was the Doctrine of Righteousness by the Gospel relieved me as it did Paul p. 15. Crook What Confusion is here Sometimes the Law convinceth of secret Thoughts and sometimes again the Spirit makes use of the Doctrine of the Law to convince of Sin and sometimes it is neither Law nor Gospel that doth it sometimes absolutely denying that wicked men have the Spirit and here he confesseth it is the Spirit that convinceth the Vnbelieving World by the Doctrine of the Law c. so that it a properly the Work of the Spirit as when one man cuts or wounds another with a Knife c. we say he man hath cut him not the Knife or Instrument c. But sometimes it is the Doctrine of the Gospel doth all by by the Spirit doth but make use of the Doctrine of the Gospel sometimes he intimates as if the Law Gospel in a mild gentle Sense might be taken one for the other else what means those Words viz. It 's the Doctrine of the Gospel not Law taken strictly that declares Non-imputation of Trespasses yet p. 14. The Law requires all the Thoughts of the Heart to be continually spiritual and Holy and discovers or convinceth not of Gross Sins only but of Heart-Polutions c. But Heb. 4.12 the Discovery of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart is ascribed to the Gospel and W. H. calls it the spirituallity of the Law is not this to make them one But by this Mess or altogether the Reader may see how the poor man is tossed notwithstanding he talks of being relieved and being come to a Fixedness and Consistency but alas alas how may the least Child of Light see him lie fettered in Babylon's Dungeon Haworth This cannot be for the Law in its own Nature is spiritual c. and discovers the Holy Nature of God although the Spirit should never make use of it p. 16. c. Crook My Words to which these are an Answer are these viz. The spirituallity of the Law in the Apostle's Sense is the Inward Convictions of the Spirit c. That cannot be saith he because the Law is Spiritual and Holy in its own Nature c. As if the Spirit and what it doth were not Holy and spiritual also Again he saith The Law discovers the Pure Nature of God and in p. 15. he saith the Spirit makes use of Doctrines of different Natures and the Law is a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of Thus he continues building his Baocl sometimes the Law of it self discovers the Pure Nature of God although the Spirit should never make use of it and just before he saith the Spirit doth make use of it and the Law is a fit Instrument for the Spirit to make use of p. 16. c. Haworth That Christ which delivered Paul from the Guilt and Punishment of Sin while Sin dwelt in him p. 18. c. Crook What! delivered and yet Sine dwelt in him what Christ and Sin dwell both together in the same House this is contrary to Christ's Doctrine Mark 3.24,25 That Kingdom or House that is divided against it self cannot continue or stand Haworth But doth not the spirit who is God give us the Meaning of the Scriptures in the Scriptures do not they interpret themselves best p. 22. c. Crook If the Scriptures can best interpret themselves then what need of God's spirit to open them or is God and the Scriptures all one If so then none in the World that have the Scriptures are without God in the World but the Apostle saith some were without God in the World notwithstanding they had the Scriptures one while the Spirit who is God gives the meaning of them and another while they interpret themselves best what Consusion is here Haworth Everlasting Righteousness was not actually brought in till Jesus was born at Nazareth c. then it was to be and not till then not before he offered not himself before Hebr. 9.26 p. 26. c. Crook Thou callst it the Righteousness of the Eternal Word the Righteousness of the Deity of Christ which thou confessest to be in his People as before and thou likewise confessest it to be an Everlasting Righteousness and of an Eternal Virtue and Efficacy and yet sayest the working of it was now as if it was alwayes in being and yet did not work or was not efficacious till after Christ was born at Bethlehem and yet to go round again It was Efficacious to Abraham David Daniel Job c. p 26. Where 's now this man's Consistency Haworth If Salvation be only by Jesus then not by the Light within for that is not Jesus that witnessed before Pontins Pilate p. 27. Crook The Scripture saith we are saved by Grace doth it therefore follow that we are not saved by Jesus Christ Grace is Light within and those that are saved are saved by the Grace that is Light within and yet are they saved only by Jesus the Light of the World and that which witnessed before Pontius Pilate was the Spirit of God in the man Jesus which Spirit was the Light within him as he saith If I bear witness of i. e. only of my self without the Spirit my witness is not true yet if I do bear witness of my self i. e. by the Spirit of my Father that
to him Gen. 3. when he had sinned c. Distinguish between the Immediate Voice of God and Revelation here if thou canst else all thy Labour to undervalue the true Light is in vain Could Adam see a Way of Deliverance without Light And is not God that spoke to Adam Light and doth not his Voice reveal what reveals then if not God by his Voice who shewed Adam his Nakedness and who shews unto man his Thoughts Amos 4.13 Doth not one man reveal or declare his Mind to another when he speaks to him if not what doth it signifie consider it and then see thy Perversion of John's words chapter 3.6 as if he spoke of a common Light and called it Flesh and then look back into thy own Confusion about it saying It teacheth the Things contained in the Law and yet counts it Impure as I have shewed already this is your Wild-Goose Chase ye like not to hear of but as I told you last time your Folly must be made manifest as Jannes and Jambres's was that withstood Moses In page 149. thou sayest I scarce know one Gospel-Truth but this common Light contradicteth c. And yet confessest It works a Change in the Life and Conversation I thought that work had not been contradictory to the Gospel which was to be adorned with a Blameless and Holy Conversation in the Apostles Dayes who said God was Light and Christ who gives Light to all as thou sayest But why W. Dimsdale dost thou teach People to deny the great progress they have made by doing Good and abstaining from Evil which is of use in its Place as thou hast said p. 154. And to deny all they think is of Christ in them c. Is not this well-pleasing to the Devil and wicked men thinkest thou Reader and then he saith I know thou wilt count it a notorious Lye Thou mightest have said Notorious Wickedness for it is Wickedness much to be taken notice of to deny all that I think is of Christ in me as thou would have me do in point of Justification is it not God that justifieth and did not Paul think he had the Spirit of God 1 Cor. 7.40 and did not that Spirit justifie them 1 Cor. 6.11 and bear witness with their Spirits that they were the Children of God is this nothing to Justification to have God's Spirit witness for me and is not God Light and his Spirit too must I deny all this now let the wise in Heart judge if this be not to deny God and Christ Jesus and the Spirit and in the same page sayest viz. But apply thy self to the Glass of the Law for by the Law is the Knowledge of Sin So here I must deny all that I think is of Christ in me the Light Life and Peace within me as he saith and apply my self to the Glasse of the Law c. O strange Doctrine where are ye now ye Babylonians who have so much cryed out against the Quakers for bringing People to the Bondage of the Law and Covenant of Works What! are you now come to be Teachers of the Law not knowing what ye say nor whereof ye affirm 1 Tim. 1.5,6,7 But the Quakers know what they say and do affirm with John that great Prophet that That was the True Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1.9 though you say It s Corrupt Nature Fallen Blind Nature and Impure Flesh and an Unsound Thing I never heard any Man of God call it by such Vilifying Names as ye do such Confused Doctrine as I have not heard of but from you like that again in pag. 156. where thou sayest Our State is sure and certain on God's part his Foundation is sure yet as to us its brittle and very uncertain c. What! have you a little Fear then that you may lose your Salvation now if you have you are brittle indeed for you seem very contrary in Judgment sometimes as witness the Tenure of both your Books But thou sayest in the same page The one Half of your selves warring against the other viz. the Flesh against the Spirit VVhere do you find the Spirit called Half a Man's Self You having denyed the true Light and called it Flesh and Corrupt Nature c. this must go with that Half that wars against the Spirit so Flesh and the Light being denyed by you ye will be left as bare and naked in the dark as indeed your Confused Brittle Work hath rendred you in the Eyes of such as fear the Lord. And in pag. 157. thou sayest again viz. That all men are lighted by a Light that is true in its Kind by Jesus Christ as he was the Creator of all things I deny not But now mark the Kind of this true Light as these men have interpreted and affirmed It is True in its Kind then True Corrupt Unsound Light True Fallen Blind Nature and Flesh For these are the Kinds and Denominations you have placed on the True Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1.9 And you shall never get from under the Guilt of Blasphemy against God without speedy Repentance and Acknowledgment of your Evil herein as publickly as you have spread these your Errors The Lord hath spoken it And as for all thy Arguments for being a Quaker and W. H's digging deep to bring forth this Lying Wonder it s all in vain as I have shewed at the beginning of this Treatise for he nor thee nor any other can never prove nor manifest that thou wast ever such a Quaker as he hath affirmed though as I said I believe thou wast convinced of some Sins as thou acknowledged and wast kept from stealing Herrings and doing wrong to thy Neighbour c. but not went farther then most of them c. nor was fully of their Way Spirit Faith and Principle and so in striving against the Truth you do but manifest to the World your Ignorance Error Confusion Enmity and Blindness and so the farther ye stretch your selves upon this Bed the shorter it will be and the more your Nakedness will appear and your Covering will be too narrow And though you and all wicked men call the Quakers Principle Rotten Unsound Gross and Damnable c. yet we can bless the Lord for its Soundness and its Sound Doctrine for it was the first and will be the last upon the Earth and it will not only keep from Stealing and Wronging of Neighbours but it will teach to Love Enemies and forgive them that trespass against us and what else the Lord doth require of us And it s so sound and durable that it will last and be exalted established and magnified and stand when all your airy Smoke of Enmity Opposition Confusion and Darkness shall come to an end and be swept from off the Face of the Earth The Lord God who breathed into Man the Breath of Life hath spoken it Through WILLIAM BAYLY The 9th Moneth 1674. Postscript