for as the one decreased the other increased as the Sun 's light swallows up the Moon 's for as the Moon has its time of service in which Mankind is much benefited by its Light although it be a borrowed one from the Sun even so was John's Baptism of great Benefit when he preach'd Repentance to the People and Baptized them in Jordan as they confess'd their Sins being the Preparer of the Way of Christ for though he was a burning and shining Light in his Ministry yet he was but a Witness to bear witness of the Light that all Men through him might believe who was the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World John 1. 7 8 9. This is the Son of Righteousness this is the Lamb of God this is the Baptizer with Holy Ghost and Fire who when he comes the Lesser the Witness the Forerunner the Baptizer with Water must give place too As when the Sun appears in our Horizon the Moon 's light is so overcome that we have no Advantage by it by reason of the more transcending Light of the Sun so that it 's very evident John and Christ's Ministry and Baptisms were as much two distinct Ministrations as John the Son of Zacharias and Jesus of Nazareth the Son of Mary were two distinct Persons or the Sun and Moon are two great yet distinct Lights for the Moon is not the same Light that the Sun is though she has her Light from the Sun nor is John the Baptist's Ministration the same with Christ's though he came from God and had obtained such Credit amongst the People for his time that it was said All Men mused in their Hearts of John whether he were the Christ or no Mat. 3. 15. Nay they were by John himself declared to be two distinct Baptisms as the Text declares he shall c. I do c. mine with Water his with the Holy Ghost See the Text Mat. 3. 11. Mark 1. 8. John 1. 15 to 34. and make the Application But how preposterous is it to think that Christ should send his Disciples in John's Errand or Service who was but the Forerunner for so to do was to set his Disciples to run counter and therefore though the Disciples for the sake of the Jews and new Converted Gentiles did do it it 's plain they did it upon the foot of Discretion and not by Commandment and when these Men of the Circumcision as well as the Gentiles had received the Holy Ghost by the Apostles Ministry since Baptizing with Water was practiced amongst them from John's Example the Apostle did say Who can forbid Water c. but that this proves the Baptism of the Holy Ghost and Baptism of Water to be but one Baptism I deny as I do also that this Practice proves it to be of Divine Institution notwithstanding it was not then forbidden but they went into the Water and were Baptized Again there is a vast difference between receiving the Gift of the Spirit by the Ministry of the Disciples and a being Baptized by the same Spirit for by the Gift received they came unto a Convinc'd Estate which Convincement was wrought by the Holy Ghost through the Apostles Ministry and was to them the Glad-tydings of Salvation if from that state of Convincement they prest on to a thorough Conversion So that the receiving of the Holy Ghost mentioned in that Text may be very aptly compared to the Leaven in the Parable Mat. 13. 33. Luke 13. 20 21. which as it is subjected to leavens the whole Lump and Plunges or Baptizeth the Soul with all its Faculties into its own Nature and this is the Baptism we own it being that of the Holy Ghost But to winde up the whole matter if Mat. 28. 19 20. was a Commission to the Disciples to Baptize with Water then they were obliged to perform it in the Terms of that Commission But they never performed it in the Terms of that Communion Therefore c. Again the Terms of that Commission was to Baptize in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost But the Disciples Baptized none with Water in the Name of the Father Son and Holy Ghost Therefore c. And so I end this part and shall only add with respect to breaking Bread and drinking Wine in a Sacramental way as they call it that we have disused it because we do certainly know that to us the Substance is come the Heavenly Bread and Wine of the Kingdom to our great Joy and Refreshment which are the Principal Memento's to us of the breaking of Christ's Body and shedding his most Precious Blood for us And as often as we are made Partakers hereof we shew forth his Death and bear in our Bodies the Marks of the Dying of the Lord Jesus which Marks are a Death to Sin and a New Life to Holiness for he was Crucified for our Sins and Rose again for our Justification as well as a perfect Resignation to the Will of God For though our Adversaries have set times for the Receiving of what they call the Lord's Supper and without doubt such set times are to them the most Religious and Sacred part of their Devotion and we have not yet let it be known to them that there are certain Times and Seasons that are more than in the common or ordinary way Sacred to us but these Times and Seasons are in the Father's Hands and not ours and for them we wait in all our Religious Meetings and though we do not always Enjoy what we wait for yet we meet with so much Encouragement as to continue our Waiting and Attention until He we wait for who is the Bread of Life indeed is pleased to make himself known to us by a Spiritual breaking of Bread and therefore what need is there for such to use the Outward and Visible Sign when the Inward and Spiritual Substance is come But for all those that are not come to this Substance but are Religiously and Devoutly Travelling after it and hope to get it with the Visible Sign we are not for being Censorious upon them knowing that the Light of a Candle Moon or Stars are serviceable till the Suns light break forth and overcome it all I have but one Point more to speak to and then I shall end and that is about the Light within which our Adversary saith page 78. we commonly understand by it Conscience now that this Man should so affirm when in page 79. he pretends to have read R. B. upon it shews his wilful Blindness Ignorance and Envy for he that has read R. B's Apology and shall yet say That the Quakers understand by the Light Conscience must be Mad Envious or Foolish but if he were not all three think you he would in page 78. say They understand by the Light Conscience and in page 79. say Some Friends makes it God but R. B. a Substance and calls it Vehiculum Dei this is the Man that will
either with or against the Resolves of Councils and Synods c. but being truly exercised in the Gift of the Spirit in Waiting and Attention on it as well as Prayer and Supplication it 's most certain the Matter will be cleared up and the Doubts resolved as it shall conduce to their Spiritual Advantage In short it 's not so much about plain Scripture Authority we differ but about the Authority of those Councils Synods and Assemblies of Divines so called that have undertaken to Expound Scriptures and Decree Articles of Faith For all our Confessions of Faith and Acknowledgment to the Truth of Christianity in plain Scripture Terms is little with them but Cant unless it be in the Terms of the several Councils or Westminster Divines c. and yet they are the People that cry up the Scripture for their Rule though they make it a meer Nose of Wax to turn to every thing that either Humour or Interest trumps up Thus one Council hath Contradicted what the other hath Determined And another thing in which 't is common for these People to Abuse and Belie us in is about our Lord Jesus Christ which this Adversary saith page 80. That he was the Anointings of God and when Dead his Body turned to Dust and that afterwards the same Anointings were in others But who or when any Quaker said so he mentions not a word and in Answer to it I say he would have as truly represented the Presbyterians as he hath done tho Quakers If he said of them that they held Universal Grace and that there was never any such thing in the World as the Solemn League and Covenant and no such Man as the Bishop of St. Andrews Murthered or that King Charles the First cut off his own Head or that they never Hanged Men only for being Quakers or that their Brethren in Scotland were for Universal Liberty notwithstanding their Barbarity to the Episcopal Clergy and their Design to Excommunicate the last Year all Persons that should Buy or Sell with or Entertain a Quaker which had took effect had not the Clemency of the King interposed to break their Mischievous Designs I say as the Matters and Things abovementioned lye are as true the one as the other so I Charge him for a Notorious Impostor thus to abuse and deceive his Reader and under the specious pretences of speaking Truth to vent such apparent Fals-hoods Now although I positively deny what Anonymus affirms and put him upon the proof which I am sure he can never do yet for the sakes of others that may be deceived by this Lying Spirit I shall freely express our Faith herein since that is the part which affords me the greatest Satisfaction in this Undertaking But if I should not do it in the Terms of the Schools though in never so plain Scripture Terms perhaps it will find but little Credit with our Adversaries notwithstanding the great Talk and Boast they make about the Authority of the Scripture But however let them do as they please I hope we shall not receed from the Testimony of Holy Scripture As to the Heresies of the Socinians and Sabelleans which he endeavours to fix on the Quakers since so much has been said already in Confutation thereof so to reassume the Argument and give it a fresh Confutation would swell this beyond my Intentions but besides many others that has done it I shall refer to one that in this Author's Esteem is both Honest and Ingenuous whose word I hope then he will not question and that is G. K. in his Way Cast up which was Written in Defence of us and our Principles to which I refer the Reader for though G. K. hath changed his Mind since that time the Quakers have not and therefore his Arguments in Defence of our Principles are as much in force against our Adversaries as ever since we did then and do now approve of them whate'er we may do by the Man for many a Man has declared the Truth and turned from it afterwards but Truth is not to be denied because of that In short besides G. K. and the many Quakers that has Writ on that Subject the Quakers believe the Substance of the Nicene Creed as truly as any of their Adversaries which cuts up all this Hammerers Allegations at the Roots as it is reported by Socrates Scholasticus in his first Book of the Ecclesiastical History Chap. 5. Page 222. which I shall insert the Substance of save also the Curse at the latter end of it upon them that held contrary Opinions WE Believe in One God the Father Almighty Maker of all things visible and Invisible and in One Lord Jesus Christ the Son of God the Only Begotten Son of the Father that is of the Substance of the Father by whom all things were made both the things in Heaven and the things in Earth Who for us Men and for our Salvation came down and was Incarnate He was made Man He Suffered and Rose the third Day He ascended into the Heavens He shall come to Judge both the Quick and the Dead And we Believe in the Holy Ghost Now though we chuse rather to express our Faith in plain Scripture Terms than in the Terms of any Council whatever yet where Matters of Faith are laid down in plain Scripture Terms by them we never were so cross-grained to refuse an Assent because it was the Determination of a Council But though the above abundantly clears us from his false and wicked Charges of denying the Divinity and Humanity of Christ and the Trinity yet we have more to say for the sakes of those whose Innocency has been destroyed by such Impostors as this Adversary Know then that as the Holy Scripture declared the Divinity of Christ so we as Faithfully believe it according to Micah But thou Bethlehem Ephratah though thou be little amongst the Thousands of Judah yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be Ruler in Israel Whose going forth have been from of old from Everlasting or the Days of Eternity Again In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God The same was in the Beginning with God All things were made by him and without him was not any thing made that was made Again Who is the Image of the Invisible God the First-born of every Creature Again for by him were all things Created c. Who was the Root and Off-spring of David the Bright and Morning-Star The Heir of all things the Brightness of God's Glory and the Express Image of his Substance who upholds all things by the Word of his Power And by whom also all things were Created And for his Humanity according to the Hebrews Forasmuch then as the Children are partakers of Flesh and Blood he also himself likewise took part of the same that through Death he might destroy him that had the power of Death that
for being in a perfect Estate but acknowledged he was not so But in another place if you will believe him he tells you We don't think of any Imperfection in us or desire of Forgiveness or to that effect But now L. S. don't pretend to it but wisht he was so Who will Credit such a Sayer and Unsayer But as we are exhorted to Confess our Faults one to another and not to hide our Sins for then we shall not prosper but confess and forsake and we shall find Mercy so the Quakers believe and also practice And if he is Ignorant hereof it 's his Fault and not ours In short Confession we own and know it to be our Indispensible Duty To God for every Sin against him either in Thought Word or Action To Man wherein we have Trespassed against him To the Church wherein we have offended her And when the Lord is pleased by his Spirit to draw forth any of his Servants and Ministers into either an Acknowledgment of Sins past or Desire of Forgiveness or both in the exercise of their Gifts amongst the People they represent and on whose Behalf their Petitions are put up we are so far from disapproving hereof or thinking our selves above it that it is exceeding Comfortable and Edifying to us But this we shall never deny that those inward Pangs of a Penitent Soul those Sighs and Groans as well as Words that arise from a wounded Spirit are more acceptable to God than such a Customary Formal crying out Lord the best of our Performances are Sin yea our Holy Duties are Sin but do thou be merciful to us miserable Sinners and so go and so come from Year to Year as if after such a Confession God Almighty was obliged to forgive not considering that 't is those only that Confess and Forsake that shall find Mercy Then again How often are we scofft and mockt at and compared to the Pope because we assert That Men ought to be Infallibly assured of their Duty to God and that the Spirit of God a measure of which is given to every Man to profit withal is Infallible and if minded will so Infallibly assure them that they shall be beyond doubt which is a tossed but not Comfortable Estate From this 't is common with our Adversaries to say That the Quakers pretend to Infallibility and when once turn'd Quakers are Infallible Now that we pretend to Infallibility is true but 't is as before expressed not placing it in Persons or Opinion but the Spirit of God which they themselves can't deny to be Infallible And as Man is governed by that Spirit he will Infallibly be led out of all that which is Fallible and Erroneous both in Faith and Life Yea they themselves will I hope allow the Scripture to be an Infallible Rule and if so the Spirit of God must be yet much more so since from it the Scripture came For Holy Men of Old spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost But for my part I would not give a Rush for that Religion that is only Certain in Vncertainty which is the state of all that hath not an Infallible Rule to walk by Again about the Holy Scriptures how abominably have our Adversaries abused us particularly this Hammerer saying 'T is no Rule to us and that we have Cursed more than a Thousand times those that call the Scriptures the Word of God This needs no Confutation from me since every Body that know the Quakers know also that they use Cursing no more than Swearing yet this is the Man that if he don't speak Truth of us Desires to be Esteemed a Persecutor or the greatest Defamer on Earth c. Now although we do not commonly call the Scriptures the Word of God because we distinguish between them and Jesus Christ who is called in Scripture the Word of God yet it is not in the least to derogate from the Honour and Dignity that is due thereto but because it is an Attribute peculiar to Jesus Christ the Word although as they declare the Mind of God with respect to us and are his Commands to us they may in that respect be called the Word or Command of God and so the Quakers Own and Esteem them and Rejoice in them since they afford such a Comfortable History of the Dealings of the Lord with his People through many Generations and of the Coming of his Son our Lord Jesus Christ his Birth Works Doctrine Miracles Sufferings Death Resurrection Ascention Glorification and present Mediation and of his Coming at the End of the World to Judge both Quick and Dead of the Resurrection of the Just and Unjust with many more Precious and Comfortable Doctrines all which are contained in the Holy Scripture and Writ for our Learning that by Faith in Christ the Man of God through them may be thoroughly furnisht to every good Word and Work And to that end we may have the true and right use of them it is requisite Men apply themselves to the Spirit of God in the reading thereof which never Contradicts its own Testimony in the Scripture but Corroborates it and makes it much more Effectual for Edification and Comfort as said the Prophet I will put my Spirit within you and cause you to walk in my Statutes and keep my judgments c. and to this end we have direc 〈…〉 People to the Spirit of God within them For without the Assistance thereof the Reader hath not the true Comfort of them and therefore it 's false in Fact that the Quakers deny the Holy Scriptures and esteem them but Dirt Serpents Meat Death and Dead Letter as this Hammerer the Snake in the Grass Crisp Bugg c. saith For we sincerely believe the Scripture in it self is very good and profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness That the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good Works But the Best Instruments in the World put into the Hands of a Fool or one of no Capacity is no more to him than those which are worse unless to do Mischief with but in the Hand of an Artist the Work is excellently done Even so the Capacity for the right use of the Scripture is the Qualification of the Spirit without which the Scripture is not of that advantage though otherways very excellent in it self Now as some part of the Scripture is Allegorically to be understood as well as some other Literally and some both as our Adversaries confess so to turn that to an Allegory which is to be understood Literally is equally Foolish with taking that Literally that is to be understood Allegorically For the right understanding hereof can there be any better Method proposed than for Men to have recourse to that Spirit from whence it did at first flow And in that Gift of the Spirit to wait with patience until the Matter is clearly opened to them and not be hasty to conclude
is the Devil For verily he took not on him the Nature of Angels but he took on him the Seed of Abraham Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his Brethren that he might be a merciful and faithful High-priest in things pertaining to God to make reconciliation for the Sins of the People Again For we have not an High-priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our Infirmities but was in all points tempted like as we are yet without sin And as to his Suffering both in Body and Soul and thereby becoming a most compleat Sacrifice for the Remission of the Sins of the whole World according to Isaiah Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise him he hath put him to grief when thou shalt make his Soul an Offering for Sin he shall see his Seed he shall prolong his Days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in his Hand He shall see of the travel of his Soul and be satisfied by his Knowledge shall my Righteous Servant justifie many for he shall bear their Iniquities Neither by the Blood of Goats and Calves but by his own Blood he entred in once into the holy place having obtained Eternal Redemption for us How much more shall the Blood of Christ who through the Eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God purge your Conscience from dead Works to serve the Living God Again Who gave himself for us that he might Redeem us from all Iniquity and purifie unto himself a peculiar People zealous of good Works Again For Christ also hath once suffered for Sins the just for the unjust that he might bring us to God being put to Death in the Flesh but quickened by the Spirit Again And walk in love as Christ also hath loved us and hath given himself for us an Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet smelling savour That I may know him and the Power of his Resurrection and the Fellowship of his Sufferings being made conformable unto his Death With many more all which we as truly and as faithfully Believe as any Protestants whatever and he must have a Face of Brass that will say the Quakers either deny or undervalue any part of it And for the Trinity as he calls it we as much believe it as the Scripture declares it viz. For there are Three that bare Record in Heaven the Father the Word and the Holy Ghost and these Three are One. And there are Three that bare witness in Earth the Spirit and the Water and the Blood and these Three agree in One. And as for the Body of Christ turning to Dust is so great an untruth that he must set up for the Trade of Lying that attempts a greater for the Quakers Believe according to the Acts of the Apostles which saith Ye Men of Galilee why stand ye gazing up into Heaven this same Jesus which is taken up from you into Heaven shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into Heaven Again He seeing this before spake of the Resurrection of Christ that his Soul was not left in Hell neither his Flesh did see Corruption This Jesus hath God raised up whereof we all are Witnesses Therefore being by the Right Hand of God exalted and having received of the Father the Promise of the Holy Ghost he hath shed forth this which ye now see and hear For David is not ascended into the Heavens but he saith himself The Lord said unto my Lord Sit thou on my Right Hand until I make thy Foes thy Footstool Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have Crucified both Lord and Christ Again Whom the Heaven must receive until the times of restitution of all things which God hath spoken by the Mouth of all his holy Prophets since the World began So that as his Flesh saw no Corruption he Ascended far above all Heavens and sits at the Right Hand of the Majesty in the Heavens c. Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum We have such an High-priest who is set on the Right Hand of the Throne of the Majesty in the Heavens And though Christ was Anointed with the Oyl of Joy and Gladness above his Fellow referring to his Manhood which the Quakers readily confess yet never called it Anointings as he says for what reason I know not unless to abuse the Quakers And that all Christians have a degree or measure of the same the fulness of which was in him is sound Doctrine and to be believed and lookt for since he that has not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and since the Hammerer don't expect it no marvel he is so great a Slave to Sathan as he is His Scoffs at Perfection and Freedom from Sin I shall next take notice of and answer as follows That by Perfection the Quakers never pretended to any other than a being freed from Sinning and of a growth from one degree of Grace to another to the perfecting of Holiness but a Perfection of the fulness of Knowledge or of Glory is what is not to be expected in this World nor did we ever pretend to it but if a being delivered from sinning is not attainable the Quakers are indeed Fools to pretend to it and our Adversaries are in the right to reflect on us for it but if it be who is Fool then And that it is is most clear from Mat. 5. 48. Luke 6. 40. 2 Cor. 13. 9. 2 Tim. 3. 17. Eph. 4. 11 12 13. Heb. 6. 1. or else we must Charge an Absurdity on the Holy Ghost for injoining what was impossible to be attained to and where will that Centre And whereas he often reflects and abuseth the Quakers for denying Prayer and particularly Page 78. They must wait for the Spirit 's Call to Prayer saith he then asks how they and the Spirit came to be such Strangers that it calls not to them all the Day Week Month or Year long to pray alone or in their Families This also is like the rest and what that is is plainly made appear for 't is a hard matter for him to speak Truth in any one thing unless it be where he can strike us in the Teeth with a Demas or Judas an Alexander or Hymeneus or Philetu or a Nicholas c. which that we should be without is more than can be expected since the first Planters of Christianity were not yet that neither rendred the Christians Impostors or Apostates nor their Religion the Sink of Heresie though our Hammerers Elder Brethren thought it and them so and prosecuted them accordingly as their Rabbies did their Lord and Master Now as to Prayer in Families and alone as well as in publick Meetings this is the known practice of the People called Quakers but because they have not set hours for it any more than
Hand or to the Left or that Grace that brings Salvation and in order to it it teaches to deny Ungodliness and Worldly Lust and to live soberly in this present World or lastly We mean by it that Great Mystery reserved for the Gentiles which is Christ within the Hope of Glory Col. 1 26 27. yet not in opposition to his being glorified in the Heavens as he is the Man Christ or Heavenly Man or Advocate Intercessor and Mediator with God for us this is what we understand by that Principle of the Light within And whoever thinks to get Heaven or Happiness another way I wish them Repentance and Amendment of Life being assured that there is not another Name or Power whereby Men can be saved besides the Name of Jesus who is the true Light that enlightens every Man that comes into the World And though many there be that do not own him as he is believed in and confessed to by us yet nevertheless are by him in some degree enlightned in whom if they believe and live up to what they know to be their Duty to God and their Neighbour the Lord will without doubt accept of their Sincerity though they are labouring under the Prejudice of Tradition and Education And now Reader if I have not defended the Quakers from this Hammerers Charge and proved him the Impostor I must confess I have neither understood him nor my self neither as well as I have done my endeavour to remove those Prejudices many People have entertained against us which they have received one from another not knowing us as we are nor will they give themselves the opportunity of knowing us from our selves but without hearing or examining if Mr. such a one or such a one the Minister say so or so we are at once Condemned for Hereticks and then upon pain of Excommunication or something else the People must not so much as Discourse with us For is there among any sort of profest Christians save the Priests Friars c. a greater degree of Dominion and Rule over the Souls and Consciences as well as Purses of the People than is now reigning among our Presbyterians And yet who but they for exclaiming against the Hierarchy of the Bishops But to avoid Reflections as much as may be I shall conclude with true desires for his and all the rest of our Causless Enemies their Repentance to Amendment of Life that the Mercy and Favour of God to the Remission of their Sins they may all Witness through Faith in the Lord Jesus Christ And for this Adversary I shall desire him if he thinks fit to write any Reply to this that he will do it under the Umbrage of some intelligent Person or other if he can get any that we may apply our selves to for Satisfaction for his Abuses or else let him conclude that if he be not Reply'd to again it s not because his Arguments are thought unanswerable or that we decline it from any Consciousness of the Weakness of our Cause but because it s not worth while to detect him since the Rhetorick of Bedlam and his Welsh Letter with a deal more as from page 43 to 46. and from 55 to 57. and from 83 to 88. are so much alike that it would be no Honour to any one to Reply to it nor Benefit for any to Read it though such as that makes up a great part of his Book And for his Wickedness therein as I have not called him The Devil 's Bloodhound c. though he insinuated I would yet I can in the Knowledge of our own Innocency say The Lord Rebuke him THE POSTSCRIPT SINCE the foregoing Answer was sent to the Press I observe this Day another Scurrilous Pamphlet is come forth by a Nameless Author Intituled The Spirit of Quakerism and the Danger of their Divine Revelation laid open in a Faithful Narrative of their Malicious Prosecution of Henry Windor and his Wife at Carlile Assizes By Henry Windor London Printed for John Harris 1696 In p. 17. At the end of the Narrative is Henry Windor again July 9. 96. I observe that H. W. owns the Narrative and for that reason is made Midwife to this Monster that shews its Teeth the Day of its Birth That Account of the Delusion of those s 〈…〉 Women mentioned in the Narrative I sâ—â— long since in Manuscript though never w 〈…〉 those Aggravations as now it appears with and though 96. be the Date thereby to make the deeper Impression on the Ignorant and 〈◊〉 Amuse the Unwary Reader and to Enâ—â—â—â— the Multitude against Thousands of Innocent People called Quakers that know no more of it than the Child unborn yet 73. was the time this Narrative Commenced all which with what is yet behind shews the Malice Envy and Rage of our Adversaries who cannot think us fit to have a Being in the Land of the Living What should be the Reason of their Intolerable Rage at this time of Day when we have for so many Years given such undeniable proofs of our Peaceable and Inoffensive Conversation I cannot think unless this viz. since it hath pleased the Lord to favour us with Ease and Relief from those Long and Cruel Persecutions and Sufferings that did attend us for our Consciencious Dissent by the Particular and Extraordinary Indulgence the Government has extended to us for all which as we are highly sensible of the great Love and Favour of God to us therein so are we truly and humbly Thankful to the Government for the same and Hope Believe and Pray that in all things we may walk worthy of it and by no means abuse so great Mercy But this without Controversie has extreamly enraged our Adversaries who like Cain are Angry at our Acceptance But my desire is that none of these things may move any of us no not so much as to the Desire of Revenge yet Justice to our selves as Christians as well as Men will not admit of Silence I shall therefore examine this present Adversary Whether the Narrative be true or false I will not determine without doubt it may be partly both for I have heard of such a Story that Two Women did pretend they had a Dream or Vision that this H. W. had Committed such an Act but what of all this Did he ever hear that the Quakers Embarqued their Cause upon such a bottom Or that they owned or espoused the Imaginations of these Women Yes saith he page 23. Many Friends was Concerned in it Testified and Vindicated it at Carlile Assizes Oh heighth of Impudence and Falshood What did they Testifie and Vindicate Was it that these Women were in the right and that the Spirit they viz. the Quakers profest which was the Holy-Spirit was the very Spirit that Acted these Women in their Impeaching H. W surely no but they did not immediately disown them and their Spirit too What then Do it therefore follow that they must own them and it An Envious as well as Foolish
that Matter that he hath so confused himself about that in Eight Lines has told so many Lies but perhaps shortly we may see his Reply to this for if he have any Regard to his Credit he is obliged to it since I positively Charge him for a Malicious Publisher of Notorious Falshoods and then it will be time enough in mean time I observe his Directions like such another Doctor as S. Y. a true Representation of the Author viz. a Rambling Confused Adversary see it page 46. Grieve not the Holy Spirit of Truth Ah! where wilt thou run when he ceases to lead thee This in a Quaker had been rank Herefie enough to have had him write a Book to lay open the Danger of it but in him Orthodox In the next Paragraph and first Sentence of it he saith Dread the Methods whereby others are inveigled viz. a Pretence to all inward Spirituality in Religion You may see what a Religion he is for nothing of Spirit but all Flesh But to fix the aforesaid Character upon him read his next words A Form of Godliness without Life and Spirit God abhors saith he 't was well in one respect he did not set his Name to his Book for if he should be known to be a Member of any Society at all we might if we would act like him Accuse them for Madness or Folly since this Member has shewed himself so in this Case for till he can reconcile the aforesaid Directions viz. Dread Inward Spirituality in Religion viz. Beware of it don't pretend by any means to such a thing yet don't grieve the Spirit of God for a Form without the Spirit God abhors I say until he can reconcile these two opposite Directions I shall not forbear thinking him a Mad-man or worse but this is no more a wonder to me than his Envying the Quakers both for the sake of their Religion as well as for their Temporal Enjoyments since believing the Saving Grace of God in all Men is with him an Intoxicating Notion one would think he was no better acquainted with the Holy Scriptures than he seems to be with the Principles of the Quakers for had he not been intoxicated himself and a Stranger to both how could he have belied the one or contradicted the other as he hath done And until he is better informed of both I intend to leave him or at least for the present since he is so foul and abusive from End to End that hardly one Paragraph is to be found free from Lying Detraction and Perversion It shall suffice me that all Men in their Senses and that are of a good understanding will agree with me in this that this Adversary has most notoriously abused the Quakers by Intituling them to the Mad and Foolish Freaks that some silly People has run into For who would think it just to charge the Church of England for Libertinism because some Men Professors of that Communion has been Convicted for Theft and Murther c Or that the Presbyterians Doctrine is Damnable because some of their Members have Hanged or Stabb'd themselves Or that the Baptists Religion is Lunacy because some of their Members has Drowned themselves A very unjust and uncharitable Conclusion So let the sober Reader judge whether supposing but not granting many such like Idle and Foolish Stories to be true concerning here and there one amongst many Thousands of a regular People is our Christian Communion and Society answerable for it And our Principles Destructive and we Hereticks because of it The Answer I hope is easie In short we know there has been much Industry us'd and what Wit and Malice as well as Madness could rake up has been thrown at us to Reproach our Christian Profession and render its Professors obnoxious to the Government that our Liberties might be by a Legal Power stâ—eightned But Blessed be the Merciful God who hath hitherto helped us by his Grace and good Spirit that though our Adversaries hath not forborn but with open Mouth hath spoken all manner of Evil of us yet it is falsly and we know it to be for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ in whom we have believed Psalm 2. 1. Why do the Heathen Rage and the People imagine a vain Thing Isaiah 37. 22 23. The Virgin Daughter of Zion hath despised thee c. London September the 12th 1696. FINIS * Bedlam and Box places for Cure of Mad People Page 48. Page 48. See C. M. of W Page 60. Page 71. Page 60. a Ezek. 36. 27. b 2 Tim. 3. 16 17. c 2 Pet. 3. 16. d Mic. 5. 2. e John 1. 1 2 3. f Col. 1. 15. g Ver. 16. h Rev. 22. 16. i Heb. 1. 1. 2 3. k Eph. 3. 9. l Heb. 2. 14 16 17. m Heb. 4. 15. n Isa 53. 10 11. o Heb. 9. 12 14. p Tit. 2. 14. q 1 Pet. 3. 18. r Eph. 5. 2. Å¿ Phil. 3. 10. t 1 John 5. 7 8. u Acts 1. 11. x Acts 2. 31 to 37. y Acts 3. 21. z Heb. 8. 1. a Eph. 4. 13.