coverings of their Idols and to slain the pride of all their fleshly performances and to 〈◊〉 no pleasure on their best observations and oblationâ—s and to snuff at their sacred services as at a stinking smeak coming up into his nose and to turn the songs of their Temples into howlings and to cause children to oppress them and very women to rule over them and to stir up the babes and the base ones to behave themsâ—lves boldly against the honourable and antient and to cut off both the head and the tail of a people even the antient and honourable Rulers which are the head and the Prophet that teacheth lies which is the tail and to spreadâ—dung upon their faces and that 's more than a mans breech upon a Pulpit Pillow even the dung of their sâ—lemn meetings and to sweep both one and t'other away together and in short to throw no less then shameful spuing upon all their glory Doth this offend you that the servants of the Lord are now made signs so far as to sit covered in your Mass-houses in reproof of your singing Davids Psalm with Sâ—uls spirit in such Meeter as I. H.T.S. Q. Elizabeths Fidlers have moulded them into and in â—uch manner as some Priest Clark or Sexton sayes them lineatim by a line at a time before you O Lord I am not puft in mind I have no scornfulâ—ye all â—he night loâ—g wash I my Bed and much more to the same Tune wherein most of your people mock God and sing more lyes to him than tâ—uths whilest they are as houghâ—y and scâ—râ—ful as ere they can look and o far from making their Beds swim and their eyes gush out with tears for sin that they rather are both full of daily Adulteries and defiled with nocturnal uncessant uncleannesses and pollutions Does this offend you that a man should sit and few upon a Cushion in rebuke of youâ— sottish ignoâ—ance who limit the Lords day which is an everlasting holy Sabbath or ceâ—ation from all mans own words works thoughts and pleasures typiâ—ed by the seventh day which ye now confeâ—s is no more holy than another within the narrow lists of one day of the seven and not the seventh neither which God instituted for a time but the first onely as if ye were then onely and on the fasts of your own appointment for a day bound to serve God in some certain outward shewes and then at liberty to serve lust self flesh sin and the Devil all the week beside Doth this offend you that as an Ecce signum any true Prophets Tayl should come neer the sâ—ft Cushion over which the Prophets that teach lyes who are the Tail lean and lye talk for money and do their business in order to the getting in of their gain from their quarters and follow their calling twice oâ— thrice a week and work upon their Tâ—ade which unless they would come freely to give what freely they have received and speak more truth than they do is not half so honest as that of a Taylour sewing of a garment Do these small matters which yet as despicable as they are in your own eyes are of more moment to you than ye are aware of offend and occasion you to stumble O ye Priests what if ye should â—ee men made to go naked and sit naked upon your Plush-Pulpit-Cushion and annoy them with very Dung before you for a Sign to a seemingly Saint-like seed of Serpents whose own righteouâ—neâ—s which they count gain is as very dung in the sight of God such a one would be a greater stumbling-stone in thy eyes T.D. and of thy offended fellows yea behold ye despisers and wonder and perish such works and strange acts as these is the Lord working in your dayes the mystery of which ye can in â—â—wise believe though ever and anon done in the sight of 100ds yea how have many been pressed in Spirit to pass naked into your Mass-houses and streets in Cities and Towns and to do what ye deem defilement as signs from the Lord to shew the nakedness and stark-stinking shamelesness of this most impiously impudent and impenitent generation of professing Priests and People who are apparently as richâ— Landicâ—a herâ—self in letter and increased with goods and needing nothing of Christs own councel light in their own consciences not knowing thâ—mselves to be poor and wretched and miserable and blind and naked And yet all this and much more no more than was done at the Lords command of old by the Prophet which was a fool and the spiritual man that was mad in the eyes of the blind Priesthood of that age wherein he lived witness Isaiah who went naked and bare-foot three years for a sign and wonder to Egypt and Aethiopia Isa. 20. And Ieremy who brake a Bottle in Tophet in token that the Lord would make Iudah as Tophet Jer. 19. 1 10 12. and put bands and yoaks on his own neck and sent yoaks to several Kings as a sign of the slavery they should come into Jer. 27. And Ezekiel who was dumb and bid to eat and drink with quaking and trembling to mingle his Bread with Mans Dung and made to mingle it with Cow Dung in the sight of Israel as a sign of that defiled polluted bread they should eat among the Gentiles and to burn a third part of his Hair and smite a third part of it with a Knife and scatter a third part of it with the Wind and bind a small part of it in his skirts to shew the famine sword and dispersion of Israel and salvation onely of a few Ezek. 3 c. 4. c. 5. and dig a hole in his house and remove his stuff in their sight Eze. 12. And Hosea that was bid to love an Adulteress and a Harlot T. D. Another example as thou callest it as Remarkable as this Thou sayest was in Christ-Church Octob. 6. 1659. where on a Day of publique Thanks-giving the Parliament L. Major Aldermen Common Councel and Officers of the Army being met together to hear Dr. Homes Mr. Caryl appointed by the Parliament to preach before them two Qua. made a great disturbance in the very presence of Authority Rep. By the humane Authoâ—ity it seems of the Parliament themselves two Ministers of mans making were appointed to preach before them and by the Divine Authority and Power of God himself two of his sending were appointed and pressed in Spirit to bespeak them in his Name to another purpose then that of those of their own chusing for whereas they had chosen to themselves such as should Prophecy to them not Truth nor right things but deceits and such smooth things as were pleasing and suitable to their dainty Dreams thanksgiving-thoughts sweet sacred solemnities fained festivities vainly hoped self-promised unities of that joyful day the Lord had chosen Seers who saw beyond all this and divined a storm through all theâ—e their Idol-coverings draw near upon them but to these Seers and Prophets they
as in many more if they do not Maliciously mis-represent us yet at best they most Miserably mis-understand us not well heeding these things that hereunder follow 1st That the Qua. themselves hold not out as attainable such a Perfection of Holynesse Grace or Glory as to degree here as admits of no addition of a greater degree of it hereafter for of the increase of Christs Image Glory and Kingdom there is no end but such a Perfection only as is without unholiness or committing any Sin or Transgression as whereby there is a perfect Defacing and Destroying in them the Works the Old Contracted Ugly Image of the Devil Anger Hatred Envy Wrath Blood Cruelty Uncleanness Drunkenness and all such like Lustings to Evil which whoever areÌ„ not purged from before can never enter into the Kingdom of God and Christ which is that Incorruption that Corruption cannot Inherit Full Deliverance from the doing of which Evills is a true perfection of Holiness according to the measure of it though not so great a measure of it but that hereafter there may be more as Adam in Innocency had no Sin yet not so much of God Good and Glory but that it might possibly be Augmented The Elect Peter writes to received the end of their Faith the Salvation of the Soul which is from Sin or nothing by him who was manifested a Light into the world to this end even here to Destroy the Works of the Devil 2dly That we hold not out a Condition of full Freedom from Temptation which if any be without he is wise enough to keep it to himself and not to prattle of it to the Priest who for all his Preaching against it can't with patience hear of turning yet from all Transgression And lest any should think of me as more then I yet am I am not yet that man who ere he is that 's free from Temptation but in our several measures what we witness in our selves by the Power of God and Gospel of his Light and Grace viz. a Liberty not to Sin which is that some long for but from Sin and a freedom from following any Lust and an Ability such as we found not while we were where Priests their people are to walk not after the Flesh but after the Spirit and to be saved from Sinning though not from sins Objecting it self to us and from Transgression though not from Temptation So it is a True State of Perfection and a State of True Perfection or else Christ himself who was often Tempted Matth. 4. yet never sinned was not Perfect 3dly That we hold not as there are some that sillily suppose of us saying the Qua. say they are so perfect they cannot Sin an Impossibility of those mens sinning who while they sin not are Saints for the Denominations of Sinners and Saints do tollere se invicem so as he who is a sinner while such while sinning is no Saint as T. D. dotes and he who is a Saint or Holy One clean from sinning is no Sinner specially not as David was while in his Guilt and Filth of Murder and Adultery as T. D. dreams also for no Sinner is a Saint while sinning nor is any Saint a Sinner while a Saint or Holy One but a Possibility only not to sin as men take heed to themselves by the Word and Light Non posse peccare is one thing and Posse non peccare is another and the Divines can see it so sometimes when they please though they will not own their own Distinctions when the Qua. make them They say men must needs sin while in this world measuring others by themselves who are yet sold under sin and so under a necessity of committing it and falling under the Law of it and because we own them not in their Extream which of the two is fartheâ—t off from the Truth they dream we are in the other so as to say men after they once one the Light cannot sin Thus the Vile Person Churl whose Instruments are Evil destroyes the poor with lying words when the needy speaketh right things for we say that men though they ought not to sin yet may or may not sin according as they heed the Light or heed not the Light which is the Power of God against it by which Psal. 119.9 a young man heeding it May cleanse his way not Must necessarily whether he heed it or no Let him that standeth take heed left he fall To say men must sin is one thing can't sin is another may or may not as the Light is kept to is the Truth 4thly That we Doctrinally hold not out such a full Freedom and Attainment of Poâ—er over Sin per Saltum at once or at the first Step of a Person from the Darkness wherein he dwelt toward the Light so that after once Converted to the Light only and to wait in it there 's a full Deliverance witnessed without any more ado as our National Ministry who are oft more willing to mistake us then rightly to understand us make it out in their muddy medlings against the Qua. before their people but that those that turn to the Light in their Consciences which Reproves and Condemns even the most Secret Sins in the flesh and obey it and abide by it waiting patiently on the Lord in the Way of his Judgments while the Spirit thereof and of burning passeth to the purging away the Filth Dross and Tinn to those only as well as to all those at last Judgement shall be brought forth into Victory over the Sin that 's Judged the Righteousness of the Law fulfilled by the Power of Christ in them bringing it near to such as Thirst after it and Revealing it in the Light from Faith to Faith Rom. 1. And the Salvation of God from sin which shall once come and not tarry to such as thus quietly hope and wait for it Isa. 42.12 13. Lam. 3.26.27 We say not it's the work of meer man nor of a day but the Work of Christ which in due time he will without failing and being discouraged in it perform and bring to passe for the Battle is not ours but the Lords in such as stand still beholding and following him in the leadings of his Light to the Rooting out of all Iniquity and Establishing of Equity in the Earth to the accomplishing of the work of Regeneration or begetting men back from the Image and Nature of the Devil and life of sin through the Death and Blood of Christs Cross which being but begun in the first Act of Conversion to God which our Prieâ—ts to the deceiving themselves and people think is Regeneration enough for them and to serve their turn though their turning to God as they call it be not yet from Darknesse Sin and the Power of Satan to God in his Light neither but from some one empty dead literal Form of Profession or other to another they look for the fulness of as to freedom from sin
not long of us that Our Wound is yet unhealed And though I never treated with Mr. Tombs about such a matter I am confident he and I should agree in one dayes Treaty upon Terms of Communion c. Thus we see how ready these men are to Creep into a Correspondency with the Metrapolitans themselves of that lately Exploded Hierarchy And whether an Exaltation to that Honour of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lords over the Clergy 1 Pet. 5. And such a Benefice as a Bishoprick may not be so Swallowed without straining as to stop the once open Mouths of SMECTYMNUUS his own Sides-men is shrewdly suspected by many whose Eyes are strictly set to see what some will do who seem to sit next dore to it What Edm. Calamy and such as with him seemed to be Pillars like Jachin and Boaz before the now Tottering Temple of the late Presbitery will do in such a Time if ever Temptation by such a Tender shall happen to attend them will be not a little Observed by their old Brethren who were once not a little Observant towards them A little Time to such as Doubt them may now Discover it Ye Clash against each other as Eagerly as ye are able in your Blind Zeal about many meer Accessaries yet Close as Cordially as Men of one Heart and one Soul under pretence of Love to it in Enmity against Christs true Light in all Men which is that Main and one Thing Necessary witness both Tomb's and Baxer's Epistles to that very Book of theirs against the Qâ—a herein reckon'd with wherein all their former fightings for and against Infant Baptism seem to be swallowed up in the Gulf of their Ghostly Agreement against us and Vnanimous Gainsayings of that saving Grace of God i.e. His Light which Tit. 2. 11.12 Appeares inwardly to All Men from appearing if it might be in its outward Ministry unto Any at all The Lord open your Eyes that some of you at least may yet see in this Day wherein ye are much Benighted what makes for your Peace before it be hid Eternally from your Eyes that Hell which is Enlarging her self to receive all your Pomp and present Glory may not open Her Mouth and Gape so wide upon you ere ye are aware that ye sink All down as uncircumcised ones into the sides of that infernall Lake and so the Pit shut her Mouth upon you All for ever 4ly And Finally O Ye the Present Rulers in this English Nation and the rest hereto pertaining whether Supream or but Subordinate Though I neither do nor may put what herein is put forth under Yours or any meer Mens Patronage whatever but under Christs alone by whose Power only in a Weak Earthen Vessel this Work was thus far Performed to whom only as it came through Me from Him so I Dedicate it back in Service to his Own Truth together with all the Honour Praise and Glory thereof which is due alone to his Own Name yet I both may and do hereby Present it unto You also as of no small Concernment to Your selves And more Peculiarly unto Thee O King Sith As Thy Personal Interest as to Outwards is now under God and Christ the Highest So Thy Personal Influence into all Temporall and Civill Affairs wherein Thou art Concerned to see to the Common Wealth of all People in This Thy Native Nation that own Thy Supremacy therein and in All but Truly Spirituals and meer Conscience Cases Relating Immediately to the Soul between which and God in matters of Faith Worship and Religion Christ himself by his Light and no Man much less the Pope is the only Judg is seen at present to be the Greatest upon Peoples Affections That Thou with Them maist have the more Perfect Understanding of the Principles of those People against whom ye are oft much Mis-Informed T is a Ticklish Time with Thee O King and Thy Government in the Nick of which Thou maist saon do That which may be the Making or the Marring of both thy Self and It for Ever It lyes on me from the Lord herein to clear my Conscience towards Thee and those under Thee in Bowells of Compassion to Your Pretious and Immortall Souls In His Name whom I serve in Humility of Mind to Warn you to take Good Heed what ye do leâ—t by Tampering beyond the Line the Lord hath â—ent you in the Matters of Religion and so by Leaning to some one Form thereof that may seem the Truest to some men whose minds meerly for their own Ends are Moulded into the Image of it ye Lead all the Rest away Captive after that and so not only Over-load the Seed of God in all his Saints but Over-charge your selves also so far as to Lay Wast not only that Religion which among all the Rest ye Ruinate is the Truest but your Own also which ye would Set up to Stand alone in the Ruines of the Rest Which said True Religion God hath Decreed so to Stand that all those that are peaceable toward it and let it alone shall stand the more Prosperously by it and all that rise up against it in their Vain hopes to Ruine it shall assuredly fall before it for its sake Caution is not Condemnation What ever cause there is for it at this time yet my Call is not in this Place to Complain of what Abuses Honest Men passe under both in City and Country as Contrary to what hath been Declared by the KING as they are without his Personal Cognizance thereof My Hearts Desire and Prayer to God yet for this though Divided English Israel is that its People may not Perish but yet be Saved for I Bear them Record they have a Zeal of God but not according to knowledg if it were they would all come down to that One Light of God in every of their Own Hearts in which God is in which alone as the Letter it came from Speaks 1 John 1.5 6 7. All True Union and Firm Fellowship both between God and Men and betwen men one with another stands Yet this I say as one that hath Obtain'd the Mercy from God in his Light to see it to my present Grief for them if they see not timely to it that there can be no Long Lasting Peace in these Latter Dayes to this or any Nation in the World of Christendom nor Beating back again of those Swords into Plowshares and Spears into Pruning Hooks which from Plowshares and Pruning Hooks have been of late beaten into Swords and Spears Till Secular Princes become so Prudent as by Blind Guides in Spiritualls to be no more beguiled into a Building up of some Babel or other with the Blood of all other Christians that cannot Blesse it and so Pollitick for themselves at least if not so Pittiful to others and Patiently Pious toward the Lord as according to Gods Will therein to let Tares and Wheat stand still together though not in the one Floor i. e. the Church yet at least
depressing the Light which is the Name of Christ exalted above all Names without any colour of light or tolerable evidence of Scripture or Reason that it is by ten thousand degrees so bad a business as thou makest of it into so low a condition as wherein to stand in need so far as a thing that needs no such thing but infallibly evidenceth its own Innocency and Excellency may be said to need it of such Apology as at the end of this work thou wilt find me making for it and so as to put it under every name that is named not only of things in Heaven or pertaining any way to the Kingdome thereof but of things in earth too and if ens be better then non ens as ye count it and a being though a bad one be better then none at all under things that are under the earth also setting it at naught so as to render it worse then naught till what in thee is thou quite annihilatest and mak'st just â—ought or nothing of it at all Having made unto thy self a Graven Image and Golden God of that meer Image thou hast by thee of the old Original Copies of the Scriptures in thy frothy vain light and yet dark and lightless mind thou dost Hos omnes naso suspendere adunco ironically fall a scoffing at the Qua. and the true Light of the true God and consequently at the true God from whom it comes puffing at it as if thou wouldst puff it out at a blast making thy self merry over it among thy Academical Admirers laughing both it and all that own it and so him that gives it out even to very scorn terming it as if thou knewst not what to call it that is bad enough for it I know not what Light that hath no community or correspondency with the Scriptures and jeeringly the Infaâ—lible Dâ—ctâ—r that counterfeited Light or Word within the feigned Imaginary Christ I know not what God or plenâ—iful Horn of the Heavenly Goat better then any God â— hâ—rrible figment a certain Imaginary Christ they lyingly devise which is a Light within common to all I know not what spiritual every thing that is truly nothing the meer imaginary and fancied Christ of a sâ—rt of Fanatical men I know not what Divine Quality or Soul of the World mingled into all things which may be every thing and in very need is just nothing Thus when thou hast made thy self sport enough with vilifying the Light of Christ and Christ who is the Light thou art pleased to end thy Play with a nullifying of it and so de nihilo nihilum nihil in nil c. out of this nothing there can come nothing and thou having done thy do with it hopest to hear no more of it away it must without more ado having nothing to do in rerum natura but to make I. O. merry a while and at his will to become nothing again But I. O. Hoc ego opertum Hoc Ridere meum tam nil nulla tibi vendo Scriptura vel inane tua quacunque vel ipsa As very nothing as this Light of Christ and Word within is with thee and thine whose thin somethings and empty every things in which you yet bless your selves are wearing out and mouldring to nothing yet such as know the true worth thereof will not so undervalue it as to sell it for any of thy vain Scripture for the Scripture nor for the best of that best Scripture which thy vain Scripture for it prefers before it which Scripture yet as to its own proper place and use they are far before thy self in preferring And howbeit thou deemest that the Light thou so damn'st down to nothing hath done with thee thou having thus done with it and done it away as far from thee as a man of thy Cloth can likely fling it yet there is an hour thou art not ware of wherein thy self and it must meet again in which it will find thee out for all thy floutings of it and come nigh to thee to Judgement as a swift Witness against thee for more things then that which thou hast forgotten and set all that thou hast done in thy vile body in remembrance and in order before thee and unless thou repent thee in the time wherein in the goodness of God its given men to lead them to repentance damn thee for ever far further from any sight as to enjoyment of it self and God then ever thou by all thy Judgement past against it canst condemn it from thy self or possibly judge it out of thy sight As for thy pair of Pamphlets T.D. they consist more particularly as follows viz. The first which besides its piece of Preface is a meer five-fold fiction of a treble Tale untrue Relation or cursory crooked crude and decrepid Account of the Three Disputations that were held at Sandwich on the twelf thirteenth nineteenth daies of the second Moneth 1659. between thy self and three of us called Quakers viz. R. Hubberthorn G. Whitehead and my self together with a short Answer as to the saving me that labour who should else have so entitled it thy self most truly superscribedst it p. 34. for indeed thy Devils Bow shoots too short either to hit the mark thou shootest at or hurt that innocent Lamb-like Spirit that speaks in that or any other of R. H. his writings to a trifling Pamphlet put forth by R. H. as thou triflingly termst it And lastly A brief Narrative so thou nam'st that last and most Remarkable part thereof of some Remarkable Passages The second which besides thy Epistle and Preface is but as it were a lesser Chump of the same old Wooden Block with the other subdividing and cleaving it self out also into five smaller chips fit for little else but fewel for the same fire by which as by the day that now declares the Workman and his Work of what sort it is they are all to be both revealed consumed and burnt up among the rest of those bryars and thorns that are setting themselves to battel against the Lord and of those buildings of wood hay and stubble which the Scornets of the Corner-stone are erecting to their own ruine viz. a kind of Epitomical repetition of what was shufflingly said by thy self in thy first Tritie concerning the four Heads or rather and indeed against these four points of Doctrine viz. 1 The Light of Christ. 2 Perfection 3 Iustification 4 The Scriptures with frequent references to thy so call'd Qua. folly for the rest of thy Replyes to us who had replied to them all ore and ore again before And lastly another Narrative not so call'd by thee yet for the lies and naughtiness thereof and nothing else much more Remarkable then the former as will be seen in my Animadversion of it Having said this little to you both I.O. and T. D. about your Books by way of Preface or Dedication of what hereafter follows to your selves and all your Followers and Fellow-Labourers
to that effect so not a little to the contrary and so I leave this your Tale of a Tub as I found it with the Bottom out to take place in such hearts as are given ore to strong delusion to beleive your lyes that they may be damned for no entertainment will it find among such as receive the â—â—ve of the Truth that they may be saved yea as thou sayst in p. 3. of thy half sheeâ— of that figment of your own viz. that I was sent for tâ— Dover by L.H. to the dispute with W. Russell That I came on other business will hardly be beleived on the word of a Qua. so say I in thy own words of both this and that non entity of your own Creating and of William Wingfields mâ—srepâ—â—sentation of L. Hs. words also viz. that those words were spoken by L.H. as W.W. sayes confdering the three Testimonies that his words were otherwise and those also by the dying Qua. as thou â—et'st them down upon the best evidence thou giv'st of it from either the Qua. fleshly Brother or thy Spirituall Brother I. D. will hardly be beleived upon the word of such an envious Quareller with the Qua. as thou art by them that know how little Conscience that sort of men among whom thou art not the least make of lying against them and against the truth T. D. Another story thou tellest of a Qua. that came into the Savoy Church and made such a dreadfull noyse as seemed to be of the Devill in him and so sadly afrighted the people that some ran one way some another to secure themselves from the danger they apprehended was near them and necessitated the Minister then Preaching whom thou callest Mr. Hook to hold his peace as Witnesses of which the said Mr. and Mrs. Hook are cited Rep. A palpable evidence if the Devill had been in him as truly as ye suppose it how little of God is in your Christian Congregations and in your Churches and Ministers that the Devils bellowing out of the mouth of one unarmed man could make the Minister hold his peace and affright and put to flight his whole Church before his face Who so hearkens unto Christ dwells safely and is quiet from feare of evill he is not afraid of evil tidings his heart is fixed trusting in the Lord he is kept in perfect peace his mind is staâ—d on the Lord he keepeth himself that the wicked one toucheth him not he resisteth the Devil and makes him flee and gives not place to the evill one but a token rather it is that the Power of God was of a truth in the man who ere he was in that the Dâ—vils trembled in the wicked whom he possesses were so astonished at his presence for hic murus Abaeneus nil conscire sibi nullapallescere culpa as this is the Brazen Bulwark and impregnable fort that true Saints have such Rejoycing in as all the Devills in Hell cannot impeach the Testimony of their Conscience that in simplicity and Godly sincerity they have their Conversation toward God and all men so the Sinners in Sion are afraid and fearfulnesâ— surprises the Hypocrites and being conscious to themselves that no good belongs to them they wax pale at the sence of their own iniquities as if the Devill were comming to fetch his own the name of the Lord is a Terrour to them a dreadfull sound of danger is alwayes in their eaâ—es and they are Magor-Misabib fear round about and a terrour eternally to themselves so that they are in great fear where no feare is as to any outward appearance or occasion of it much more when the Lord himself begins to roare out against them and thunder upon them out of Sion whoâ—e â—oâ—ce is as terrible among the Sinners as the Devills is contemptible among the Saints yea their own evills perâ—uing the wicked they flee someâ—imes when no man persues but God being in the midst of the Congregation of the Râ—ghteous they are ever as bold as a Lyn. T. D. Thou tellest of a woman one Mary Todde a Qua. that at the Bull and Mouth while her friends were speaking pulled up all her cloaths above her middle exposing her Nakedness to the view of all in the Room Rep. I see if thou canst not get it by Hook thou wilt get it by Crook if thou canst but thou gettest nothing against us by either for as the Tale that is testified by thy Master and Mistriss 〈◊〉 makes as little against us to thy purpose were it as perfectly true as it s probably false in some part of it at least for I cannot learn that there is at Lord. such a one as Wil◠〈◊〉 that is owned as a friend among the Qua. So this 〈…〉 thou 〈◊〉 the Qua. in above was done by one that was a Româ—â— and not a Qua. whose Râ—nting abominable practiâ—es the Qua. whom thou callest her friends are more at eâ—mity with then thy self nor will thy 〈◊〉 in the Margin thy Eye-witness T. Cresset Câ—â—rurgion Cure and Sâ—â—vâ— thee from the â—ust censure of a false Accuser of the Qua. to whose score thou wâ—â—nesâ— down all the Rudeness that by the Rabble of their and the Truths enemies is in absolute hatred of both them and it acted ever and 〈◊〉 in their Assemblies And albeit thou â—â—innest over this thy 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 business in thy last 〈◊〉 piece of work of half a 〈◊〉 by the Certificate of Iohn 〈◊〉 as thou didst bolster it up before by Th. Cressets Testimony in thy Narrative which I. Lagâ— as far as his envious assertion will assure assures thee who very conâ—â—dently â—akest on thee to assure the world thereupon that the Quak. at Lond. acknowledge the said M. 〈◊〉 to be one owned and 〈◊〉 by them I here contrariwise affirm whatsoever some certain Qua. that under that name shrowding themselves to do mischief to the truth as the false brethren did of old by whom Paul was in peril might say to I. L. that the Qua. in London do disown and deny both M. T. and her ill carriage in that particular so that instead of mending thy ill matter thou hast but made it worse and redoubled the lye thou wouldst have lickt the lyars whole of T. D. Thou tellest of a Qua. that at Alderman-Bury on a Lords day while the Psalm was singing gat up into the Pulpit with his Hat on his head and serting his breech upon the Cushion fell to sewing Rep. A great piece of business for a man to be so sharply censured for as he was who did that Our Princes and Priests in these dayes have forgot that the Lords Prophets of old were moved to do as strange matters as that or any other thing that is done in the Spirits motion in these dayes by the Qua. as a sign to a wicked and adulterous generation when the Lord being wearied with the multitude of their sins began once to loath their most solemn sacrifices and to defile all the
said as the same Seed did to the same sort of Seers whom God sent of old to a Rebellious people lying children that would not hearken to the Law of the Lord See not Prophecy not Soft and Gentle and not Right and Rough things are agreeable to to the duty of this day the Qua. speech the words whereof I have set down in the Margin referring both thee T.D. and the Sandwich doters on thy dowby-doings to a Printed sheet â—old by Tho. Simmons at the Bull and Mouth stiled the Prophet approved by the words of his Prophecy coming to â—ass where ye may read the residue of the Message from the Lord in that place of the Popish Priests consecrating falsly called Christ-Church in London on that day was deemed such a disturbance as was punisht with an orderless New-Gate imprisonment by the multitude at the present ratified by the Rulers order when they were more at leasure from their voluptuous feasting which iniquity of appointing men to preach to them in their own wills and time whether God appoint them yea or nay of despising the true Prophets true Words and trusting in the fraud of the fulse ones and in their own perversness and staying thereon Isa. 30.9 10 15. was then unto them as it ever was to the same generation as a breach swelling out in a high wall whose breaking came suddenly as at an instant for by the 13th of the same month they who were so hand in hand against Righteousness were turned tail to tail against each other for their wickedness yea the Lord spared them not but brake them as the breaking of a Potters vessel that is broken in pieces so that in the bursting of those brittle Potsheards of the earth there is scarce found a sheard of so much uâ—e as to take fire from the hearth ' or water withal from the pit Now as to the very great distuâ—bance thou sayest they made this is but the old Tone of the Tithe-taking Tide-turning Tune-serving Truth-belying Teachers and the wonted out-cry of that Noun-Adjective Ministry thou belongest to that cannot stand nor subsist of themselves without leaning for encouragement defence assistance and maintenance to meeâ— humane Laws to prop them up in the propagating of their meer humane Gospel who like the loud-lying women that having no better shift than to cry whore first are ever hideously bellowing out against the Qua. to the tune of Heresie Heresie disturbance of the Ministers to the Magistrates so that if any Qua. come quietly in and speak or do but ask that Reason which every Christian is bound to be ready to give of his hope to every one that asketh him in meekness and feare they strait call out to have them Punisht as the Iews neither did Act. 13. nor do at this day which said Ministers being in propriis Talpae in alien is linces are more sharp-fighted towards the good behaviour of one Qua. quietly questioning with them or saying any thing to them soberly that is of God then the misdemeanour and tumultuousness of twenty of their own unquiet Spirits stirred up by the Devill to call us Râ—gues-Faces Quaking Doggs to break Windows and bring in Dâ—ggs to fight and such like beastly and Bear-like behaviour in our solemn Assemblies till they are wearied with their own Pains towards us and our Patience towards them under it as well while we are speaking as we are moved of the Lord in our own allowed meetings as in theirs witness their leading a Bear through the place where the Qua. were Preaching publickly at Hith and also the rudeness of some of those that are under thy own Tuition T.D. at Sandwich and belonging to the Flock thou there feedest or rather feedest on who when G. F. E. B. my self and many others were publickly met in quiet in a place of our friends procuring shrew Stones and Gunpowder squibs that fired among us not so as to move us to cry out to the Rulers of Disturbance yet so as to give good occasion to the Lord to permit though ye forget it a sad fire to fall out within the Town no longer after then the next morning Thus ye men of Sin make men of God offenders for a word and hate them as of old they did that reprove sin within the Gate so that when any such stirrs arise upon occasion of the Gospels preaching as did in the Prophets and Apostles days which the Lords Messengers now are no more accessary to as causes then they then were it s still laid to the doore and put on the score of Truth and the Tellers of it which because none else will own it must hear it till against the foul mouth'd Beast the Lambs innocency be cleared as the light which till then may truly say of all mischief that falls out where he utters his voyce Cum nemini obtrudi potest itur ad me The Lambs cauâ—e is better then the Wolfs when charg'd by him for troubling the water with only drinking at the Fountain but the Wolfs Teeth are sharper then his and therefore the Innocent must be devoured And whereas to such like tales as thou hast told as abovesaid thou prefixest the conclusion thou inferrest in these words viz. T. D. What affronts these wretches offer to the Worship of God is notoriously known Rep. I â—ay your Parish Worship is not so truly the Worship of God as 't is true that ye so call it but that of the Qua. who Worship him in Spirit and Truth in the inner parts which ye are out of which those poor Wretches your Parish people are by your lyes instigated to offer such abominable affronts to as Beaâ—ings Buffetings of men in and draggings of them oâ— their own meetings as are notoriously known all the Land over is the true Worship of God indeed which except ye repent in time O ye Priests and Parish-people and own the truth 't were better for you and them that ye had never been born then offer such affronts to as ye do but full well may ye offer affronts to our Worship when ye stick not to do the like to your own Rule of all worship even to that ye call the Word of God for if the Scripture which is a true writing of it were as truly the Word of God as ye say it is ye bawlk not as occasion is to do despite to that witness the ungodly guise of those Giddy Heads about Westminster who when by G. F. holding out the Bible to them they were askt in the mid'st of their mad hurlings of Mud and Kennell dirt as they mostly do upon the Qua. in their meeting there to this purpoâ—e whether they would do such despite unto the Scripture which they say is their Rule and the Word of God ceased not to be dirt that their Word of God any more then they did from dirting him who held it out to thorn T.D. Another of thy Remarkable passages in the first Narrative is of one of
like had before Christ was crucified though in regard of inability to beare the sudden abolâ—tion thereof by permission more then commission practised after as circumcision and vowes and shavings and some other Rite and Ceremonies were in which case if any now will needs uâ—e them I meddle not to forbid though he that is in the spirit and substance and not the letter of them is not out of them but in them more truly then he that is in them outwardly according to the letter and not in the spirit for they are the Iewes the circumcision the Christians the baptiz'd ones the Suppers with the Lord the partakers of his Table who open when Christ knocks and let him in that he may Sup with them and they with him who rejoyce in Christ Iesus and have no confidence in the flesh and worship God in the spirit and are Jewes in heart and spirit not letter onely when they of the letter are but the Concision that say they are Iewes Christians Baptists Communicants with God children of God but lye and are not but are the Synagogue of Satan the end of which foresaid outward Commandments is love out of a pure heart a good conscience faith unfained which who serve in are the servants of God and who swerve from and turn aside into â—angling about the other and are zealous in teaching up the Law understand neither themselves nor what they say nor doe nor whereof they affirme and are but of the Gentiles that dwell in the outward Court which is given to them who tread down the holy Citty nor in the inward Temple nor of them that worship therein not to be counted thereunto but left out and not measured when the measuring line goeth out upon it to build and rear it up again in the latter dayes So then though I deny all the Ordinances Traditions and Doctrines Wayes and Worships of men innovated and impos'd at their wills as praecepts of God yet I deny not the due use of any thing that ever was in meer outside service required and appointed of God himself when performed in its proper place and season from a right Principle of inward power to the right end which they lead and tend to viz. Christ Iesus the head the body of those shadows the Image of God begotten and born not after the Law of a Carnal Commandment but after the Power of an endless life after which Image when men witness themselves to be truly created in righteousness and holiness of truth they will see how these pass away as to the use thereof as the Moon in a morning waxes pale and dies out as to its shining any more before the Sun as the lesser which must give way to the greater glory which lesser things while men busie themselves in and boast of crying the Temple of the Lord are these the Tythes Offerings New-moons the Sabbaths the solemn Assemblies the Sacrifices the Circumcision the Passeover the Baptism the Supper the Services the Ordinances of the Lord are these neglecting the weightier matters the washing and circumcising their hearts to the Lord the putting off the body of the sins of the flesh putting away the evil of their doings from before Gods eyes not minding but forgetting breaking the everlasting visible life way righteousness kingdom House Temple Gospel Glory Covenant which the Letter lays down as that which all these Ceremonies so call'd of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 from their standing but for a time and all these meer Temporals do but tend to the Lord loaths all that which was even of his own requiring the more men load him with it that love not-the other and says he required it not he spake not of it he would have none of it he could not away with it his delight is not so much in it as in obeying his saul hates it he is weary to bear it 't is the offering of Swines blood 't is the cutting off a Dogs neck 't is as acceptable to him as if one slew a man 't is the blessing of an Idol 't is but a trusting in lying words when trusted in 't is an apron of fig-leaves 't is a covering of Idols 't is a righteousness that shall not profit him 't is a refuge of lyes which the hail shall sweep away 't is a hiding place which the storm shall overflow by which shall be trodden down even all you that are hidden in it 't is a Covenant and agreement with death and hell the Drunkards of Ephraim make which must be disannul'd and not stand 't is a bed shorter then that a man can stretch himself on it 't is a covering too narrow for a man to wrap himself in it 't is a House on the sand and not on the Rock of Ages the fall of which on the head of the builders will be great when the wind of the Lords Spirit comes to blow upon it 't is flesh that must wither then as the grass and the flower of it 't is Ashur and Jareb that can't cure Israels wounds 't is Pharoah the broken reed that runs into the hand of the leaners thereon 't is the Egyptians and their horses which are men and flesh not God nor Spirit 't is the many mountains in which salvation is hoped for in vain 't is not the right Rest to the soul 't is the polluted rest which who ever is in and first or last ariseth not above and departs not out of it will destroy him with a sore destruction 't is iniquity 't is dung which God will spread upon mens faces who live like Swine yet will wallow in it even the dung and iniquity of their solemn meetings How untrue then thy Testimony is of my saying I was above Ordinances who am one that am under Water-Baptism being once baptized as the Sprinklers of Infants never were if there were any ground of glorying in or any stress to be put upon that and have also used Bread and wine till Christ who now cometh 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in myriads of his Saints came in me as few Parish Preachers do that prattle for that Supper though Christ be not yet come in them as he will ere long come nigh to judgement I suppose all save such Simplerous as either will see or at least seem to see nothing save what their Seers see may more easily discern then be ignorant But suppose it were all as true that 's here told by you three Thomasses would it follow at all from hence that I probably comply with the Pope and his faction or would it not rather free me among all save such as if they cannot by Hooke will needs have it so by Crooke from all suspition of such complyance more then such as cry out for Ordinances with the Pope yea more for meere mans Ordinances too then for Gods viz. that of sprinkling and Ordinances for Tribes and maintenance as his Priests do Is 't not a far clearer consequence to
how it should be otherwise in the latter dayes of this formal Christian Church called Christendom then he sayes it was in the latter daves of that Iewish Church both which National Churches say they are Iewes Christians and are not but lye and are the Synagogue of Satan he cannot see that will not purposely look besides the Scripture which intimates to us a necessity of the innumerable multitude of false Prophets by which People must be perplexed from submitting to the Testimony of Gods true Ones that now go forth from him to witnesse against the other since it sayes so long since as it was written that many Antichrists and false Prophets were even then already gone forth into the world which as according to Christs praediction Matth. 24. they then and not now as our Seers say who can't see themselves for their selves began to breed so have ever since spawn'd themselves by a successive generation of the same seed of blind Seers that suppose Gain to be Godliness in such Myriads over the face of the whole Earth that he must even go out of the Christian World at least that will find any clean Corner where these croaking Frogs and unclean Creatures and costly Caterpillars are not crawling So then by reason of the many subtilties and serpentine insinuations of the many false Prophets in these last dayes of the Gentile Christian Church in name not nature 't is now as 't was ever of old that the true Prophets of the Lord whom he reproves the other by are look'd on as Fanaticks fools and mad bare brain'd fellows 2 King 9.11 Acts 26.24 that do but pretend and seem to themselves to see that they do not and make themselves Prophets and are often punish'd as a sort of giddy guides with stocks stones prisons and such kind of rough Reproofs as the false Prophets the Shemaiahs or Dreamers which speak lying words in the Lords Name which he commanded them not suggest as most surable for the true Seers to the Officers whether Vice Chancellors Chief Priests or Earthly Powers that are as the Beast that bears her is the Subordinate willing Executioners of the Clergy or Whores wicked will as in the letter from the false Prophet to the Chief Priest against Ieremiah of old Ierem. 29.26 27. The Lord hath made thee Priest in the stead of Jehojadah the Priest that ye should be Officers in the House of the Lord for every one that is mad and maketh himself a Prophet that thou shouldest put him in Prison and in the Stocks Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth which maketh himself a Prophet unto you c. As for thee I.O. I know not but that thou art the first that fastned that wonted foul Name of Fanaticks upon the People of God called Quakers in these dayes by thy fighting against them and falsly accusing them as fit for their Frauds to be punished with Prisons c. under that Name so over-frequently used by thee for which it hath since justly enough as from God befallen Thee and thy fellow mongril Presbyter-Independents Haman-like who hang'd high upon the Gallowes of his own preparing to be whipt smartingly by that more smoakie sort of Locusts who are in the dark behind thee with this Rod of thy own gathering for now by that Papal Prelatical-Priesthood that hope but their hopes are as-thine and those of all Hypocrites are as the giving up of the Ghost to over-top you all even ye and all Sectaries that side not or ride not with them back to Rome are branded by that same Name Fanaticks of thy own faining which is become the common Charesteristical of all but either Romish or Canterburian Catholicks and thou thy self perhaps under that Notion of a Sectary and account of a Fanatick as well as on some others art justly Iudas-like who betrayed the Truth detruded down from that place of Preheminence from whence thou prated'st out that Preheminent piece of Latine lack-Light against the Quakers and according to Psal. 96.25 26 27 28. Psal. 109. 7. to 21. Acts 1.20 deprived of thy dainty Deanery and that thy Bishoprick or Episcopal Office hath another taken and like as he did Doeg the Edomite Psal. 52.1 to ult for the same Dog-like doings viz. devising Mischiefs being as a sharp Razor to the Saints deceitful workings loving evil lying devouring words more then good and rather then to speak righteously hath God pluck'd thee away from thy Prerogatives in that falsly called Christs-Church thou was 't lately Head of and if yet thou shalt as perhaps thou mayest happen ever to recover to any such outward Lordlinesse again over Christs true Church and Gods own Heritage who come Summer heat or Winter storms will still stand Green as an Olive in the House of God yet for all thy now flouting at them as Fanaticks and their way as Madnesse that day cometh on a pace spoken of Wisd. 4. 15. 5.1 ad sinem wherein those righteous Ones thou wrongest shall stand out in great boldnesse before the faces of all such as thee who hast afflicted them and made no account of their labours and ye shall be amazed at the strangenesse of their Salvation so far beyond all ye looked for then repenting and groaning for anguish of Spirit shall ye say within your selves This is he whom we had in derision and as a Proverb of reproach We fools couâ— his life madnesse and his end without honour How is he numbred among the Children of God and his Lot is among the Saints Therefore have we erred from the way of Truth and the Light of Righteousnesse hath not shinned to us and the Sun of Righteousnesse rose upon us We wearied our selves in the way of wickednesse and destruction gone throw Desarts where there lay no way but as for the way of the Lord we have not known it What hath Pride profited us and what hath Riches with all our vaunting brought us c. Thus far as to those Two Archi-Pseudo-Prophetical Titles by thee I.O. tauntingly imposed upon the People who at this day hear the Word of the Lord and Tremble at his Word viz. That of Quaking Fanaticks or in thy Sensu Composito Fanatical Quakers Now I come to those thy many other misprisions and mis-representations of us under the Terms of poor deluded foolish Knaves Crowes Vagrant Rogues or Vagabonds Enthusiasts Locusts and such like J.O. The clamour of every Fanatical Knave Ex. 3. S. 26. Epist. pag. 28. poor deluded Fanatical souls amongst us called Quakers for the instruction of the younger sort against whose abominations I have subjoyned the Theses in the close of the other Treatises To the Instruction of the younger Schollers who intending the accutenesse of their Wit to the study of the holy Letters or Scriptures have neither list nor leasure to follow these Crows the Quakers up and down pelting at them with Tiles and Dirt this shew of new Fanaticism refuted which swarms even every where
had never done so before till then Did not God speak in his Prophets and by them to the men of their several Ages from Moses upwards as well as from Moses downwards Did he not speak in Enooh the seventh from Adam in Noah in Abraham Isaac Iacob Lot and Iob who lived before Moses if Catholick Tradition be to be Credited in one thing as well as another and whose Book who ever Pen'd it whether himself or some other for ought thou knowest was written before Mosâ—s who thou thinkest wrote the first of the Scripture either lived or wrote and by them who were upright righteous just and walked with God to the wicked unrighteous Worldlings and wantons who walked with the Devil in their Generations who all were before Moses as well as by Moses and those that lived after him 2. Why sayest thou downwards to the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon in Ezra's days as if between his dayes and the dayes of Christs flesh the Spirit of the Lord was straitned as it never is Mic. 2. and God had limitted and bound up himself from manifesting his mind cut of his own mouth to any men at all for so many Hundred years together because some Prophets had been moved by him to commit to Writing or at least to permit to be Written by others some few of those things they saw and said concerning partly their own and partly the after times and other Nations Doth not Wisdom say of her self That in all Ages entering into holy Souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.27 And were there no Holy men of God in those dayes wherein ye imagine all Gods speaking in and by any Prophets then was ceased in and by whom he manifested his Mind as he moved them to speak and write as immediately as he had done others before them And who told thee That the Canon as thou call'st it or full standing Rule of Tryal or infallible Touch-stone of the Old Testament Scripture to which nothing must or might be added after it till the time of Christ in the flesh was Compleated and after its Consignation and Bounding by them delivered to the Judaical Church in the dayes of Ezra alias Esdras and his Companions the men as of your own heads ye are pleased to term them of the great Congregation Whence hast thou these fancies of thine Or suppose they be not simply Suppositions but real Truths whence dost thou fetch or take them to be so but from the untrusty-Traditional-Tales of thy Forefathers and such Iewes as are little lesse then unerring Oracles with thee when saying ought that suits with thee yea thou callest pag. 203. the Assertion of Iustin Martyr of the Iewes corrupting the Bible out of their hatred to Christians An Incredible Figment yet little better but much worse then ordinary Infidels men feeding themselvns with vain fables desperate cursed Opposers of Truth mischievous in their devices against the Gospel of a profound Ignorance in all manner of Learning and Knowledge but only what concerns their own Dunghil Traditions addicted to monstrous Figments bewitching bewitched with Traditions Idolaters Magicians blind crafty raging fools sets full of deceitfulness froth venome smoke nothing but faithlesnesse and infidelity it self what not that 's nought where any thing issues from their most Catholick Testimony that makes against thee Pag 241.242.244.303 Yea whence knowest thou who art easily apt to Question when it serves thee so to do whether there ever were such men as the 70. and such men as the Tiberian Massorites in Rerum Natura pag. 243.336 that ever there was such a thing in Rerum Naturâ as that Great Congregation thou art every where in thy Book so greatly taken with and ever and anon betaking thy self to for Refuge but only from thy putting more confidence in thy own uncertain Conjectures together with the Catholick Tradition of the with thee creditlesse Iewes and Christians then in the Conjectures of the Prolegomenâ as Learned as thy self at least who oppose thee in it For there 's not so much as any Scripture at all that mentions such a set Sanydrim of Ezra Nehemia Ioshua Zacharia Haggai c. as thou settest it down in the Book of thy own Brain and the Counting-house of thy own conceit that there was pag. 302.303 And let it be as it can be no more then imagined there was such a great Congregation which it being as not possible to know it so nor here nor there to mine or any mans Salvation I 'le not search into so far as to put my self into any Capacity of either saying or gain saying it that there was and to ground any as I. O. does many things upon its being so as he but thinks is as he sayes in another case pag 293. to build Towns and Castles of Imaginations which may be as easily cast down as they are erected yet when all 's done whence had that Sanydrim such Authority as to confine and bound out that Canon and Canonize some of the Writings of such Prophets as ye wot are Canonical and Cashiere the rest of the Writings of the same Prophets and all the Writings of some other Prophets as of no such divine Authority as to Command with their fellows in Gods Name as his Word and to abrogate them as Apocryphal as ye speak and disband them from the bench of Iudicature and to bind the sweet Influences of the holy Spirit so as to say O Spirit of God be silent now blow no more nor make any more Prophets now for these many hundred years to come but become subject thy self to be tryed by the Touchstone of the Writings of such Prophets as thou hast already moved to write Gods Mind or so many at least as it seems good to us now to Authorize and Establish into a standard for the Tryal of thy self as well as all false Spirits And if I. O. say as he does pag. 303. That was not called the Great Congregation from its Number but Eminency of Persons yet I say are any Persons so Eminent if I.O. be not a Lyar pag. 35. as to have Authority from God to Authorize and Canonize casting aside what they like not what seems good to them into the Name to bespeak I. O in his own feigned phrase of the Word of God that they themselves must be subject to the Authority of and of the Rule that themselves must be Ruled by and of the Foundation that themselves and all others must be built on and of the Basis of their own belief It is indeed quoth I.O. pag 35.36 a Contradiction for men to say and if for other men then for I.O. say I who sayes the same yet sees it not They give Authority to the Scriptures they Bound the Canon and deliver to the Church what it shall be which it hath antecedently to their Charter and Concession And again Moreover to say the same of his supposed Sanydrim that I O sayes to the digrading
for Money as Ministers do now adayes And if I. O. insist upon the next words viz. 2 Tim. 3.15 which place mentions the Holy Scriptures and is mentioned I know not how many times over in I. O's Book in proof of that which it in no wise evinces and must be more plainly spoken to by me in due place Rep. I Confess that next Verse doth mention the Scriptures but more against then to J. O's purpose and more disproves then proves what he draws from the other yea it assures us that it was not the Scriptures in any wise meant in the 14. Verse for Paul saith to Timothy That from a Child he had known the Holy Scriptures i.e. of the Old Testament for those of the New were not as yet Canonized nor All Written if any of them were at all Written in Timothies Nonage but the Things he had heard and learned of Paul and was bid to continue in and commit to other faithful men to Teach were such as he had come into the Knowledge and Assurance of after he was taken by Paul Acts 16.1 2 3. to Travel with him which was not till he was grown past a Child If that Expression Knowing of whom thou hast learned Vers. 14. be granted to relate to Paul which yet for ought you Literatists are able to gain say may rather relate to the Lord himself by the Gift of whose Grace i e the Light and Spirit in him Timothy was and yet according to the Scriptures taught both more lately 1 Tim. â— 14 and from a Child So that neither of these two Texts teach any such matter as any of the outward Text of the New Testament Scriptures being either Canonized by the Apostles in their dayes or ordered by them to be stated as a Standard in the Councels of succeeding Ages And whatever men did de facto that way in the Second or Third Centuries the Antiquity whereof as venerable as it is to some Anti-Scriptural and Anti-Spiritual Antiquaries is with us but Novelty and Superstition if it appear not to descend de Iure from the first yet we Quary still quo Iure by what Authority from God Christ or the Apostles the Synods and Men that so Authorized and Canonized what Scriptures seemed to them as Challenging so high a Title and Office as the Word of God Rule Foundation Canon Standard and such like secluding other Writings as Holy as these were Authorized or Commanded so to do themselves Neverthelesse how weakly doth I O. Confessing first That it doth not appear that the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of the several Writers of the Scriptures of the New Testament and the same say I of the first Manuscripts of the Old which were burnt and lost and scambled away before Ezraes Sâ—nydrim if the Consignation and Bounding of the Canon thereof was done by him and his Companions as I.O. sayes were ever gathered into one Volume there being now no one Church to keep them for the rest and that the Epistles though immediately transcribed for the use of other Churches Col. 4.16 as I. O. thinks at least all were because some were were doubtlesse kept in the several Churches whereto they were directed which Confession if true as sure enough it is clears it that the Original Copies were never viewed together in one Bulk by any Councel or Synod whereby to put it into a Capacity to Iudge and Determine of their fitnesse to make a Canon of but only mens Copies of the Original which but that every man will think his Think and I.O. think as well as may be of it yet who can assuredly insallibly uncontroleably tell as I O. sometimes though sometimes again he will seem but to Think so undertakes to do in his grand Assertion that they answer the first Original in every Tittle and Iota I say before-hand Confessing all this how weakly doth I.O. Assert with Confidence his Thoughts in this as a point of Faith Pag. 166 167. that from those 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there were quickly 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Transcribed Copies given out to faithful men whilst the infallible Spirit continued yet his guidance in an extraordinary manner alluding to 2 Tim. 2.2 as his only Proof thereof out of which Original Copies or rather Copies of the Originals so Transcribed for the Originals themselves never came together to be considered of by any Councel this supposed Canon was Composed by the Annexing of the Revelation to the rest by I O. said to be finally Compleated Paâ— 28. God quoth he doth Command the close of the immediate Revelation of his Will to be Written in a Book Rev. 1 â—â— And so gives out the whole of his Mâ—nd and Councel to us in Writing as a stedfast Relief against all Confusion Darknesse Vncertainty c. Reply As if all Canonical certainty were no where but in a Written Letter then which in regard of its liablenesse to be altered easily many wayes by lewd Criticks whom I. O. Teaches to do it Pag. 21 22 23 24 25. As also by meer mis-Transcriptions mis-Translations misâ—Constructions nothing is more uncertain to make a Standard of unlesse it be the unutterably erring Breast or Head of that Harlot that Rides the Beast and the unwritten Traditions that are Traducâ—d ad infinitum from the same 2. As if the Light and Spirit that shines and breaths in the Hearts of all but most brightly and powerfully in the Hearts of such as heed it were not more infallibly self evidencing and certainly and stedfastly demonstrative of the Mind and Will of God when looked on in its naked Native lustre then when beheld thorow the vail of a Letter which while Moses put over his face the Children of Israel could never see certainly nor distinctly discern nor look stedfastly to the end of that which is abolished but were blind in their minds as our Ministers of the Letter are at this day upon whose hearts the vail is untaken away and ever will be till according to the Call of the Letter they turn to the Light within that comes from and leads to the Lord himself Christ Iesus that Spirit in whom only the vail is done away 2 Cor. 3. Per totum 3. As if the truest and most infallible Demonstration were Non ex veris prioribus certioribus notioribus causis internis Scripturae but Ex fallibilibus flexibilibus posterioribus obscurioribus effectis not by the internal Causes the Truth and the Word it self the Scripture came from which are before it more certain and known then it save to such as are willingly ignorant of them but by the Scripture which is but Effectus per emanationem the Effect that externally flowes from it flexible fallible as alterable at Criticks Wiâ—ls and unavoidably by mens weaknesse in Transcribing Translating Expounding c. at a Nose of Wax a Lesbian Rule more obscure yea obscurity iâ—leâ—f in the most plain Places to the Seers that search it not in the Light and
Spirit but the dark Lanthorn of their own Imagination Ah poor deluded Soul I. O. whom I pitty more really and unfeignedly then thou the Quakers and for pitties sake dare not spare sharpnesse towards thy proud-fleshly Wisdom that interposes and opposes it self against the Light and Power of God in a shew of Science falsly so called that thy Spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus Thou talkest of certainty of thy Rule which is the Letter and of stedfast Relief against all Vncertainty thereby Alas poor heart whence come all those huge heaps and whole Chapters of Vncertainty it self which thy Tâ—o Treatises doth wholly stand in but from that utter Vncertainty that is in thy meerly literal Rule which thou there Treatest upon that is so far from stedfastnesse that thou art forced to Confesse more variety in it at last then at first entrance to Treat on its fixednesse thou wast either witting or willing enough to do which Rule or Letter as much as it hath been and is capable to be wrested is not by far at such uncertainty in it self as ye that Profess to be Ruled by it and stand upon it as your Basis are at endlesse odds and infinite uncertainty in your Conjectures and Guesses about it insomuch that it grieves me not a little for your sakes to see your Souls so sunk over Head and Ears in Confusion and confused Noises about it in which the sweet still voice and silent whisperings of the Spirit of Christ within can have no Audience in that crowd of Pro and Cons that ye are cumbred with about your very Foundation which ye have not found yet so as to this day to abide fixt and firm or to be quiet concerning it in any Academies upon earth but in vain Ianglings in all Corners thereof from one end of Christendom to another Yea I professe in the sight of God that in such grief and bowels I write about it that this Page and Passage passes not from under my Pen without being watered with many Tears for your sakes whom I see perishing by your own Iuglings unlesse happily ye will yet be pull'd as Brands out of the fire And in no wise think I.O. that I am so Angry at your Folly which the Deceit may suggest unto you as offended at the Enmity it self that flyes up within you and befools you And seeing that thou I.O. seemeth to beg wish and hope for such a thing Crying out 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in case of novelty of Points and variety of Lections as nor seeing any means of being delivered from utter uncertainty in and about all sacred Truth that those who have more Wisdom and Learning and are able to look throw all the Digladiations that are like to ensue on these Principles would nather take the pains to instruct thâ—e and such as thou art then be angry or offended with you that ye are not so wise or learned as themselves And desiring such as are shaken in mind to read the useful Miscellany Notes of as thou callst him the Learned Mr. Pocock Reply 1. Not as one Angry or Offended that ye are not so Wise or Learned as my self Nor 2. As one pretending to much of that ye call Wisdom and Learning which lyes more in outward Tongues Arts or Sciences falsly so called then in that of the Spirit for want of which Peter calls men never so wise and well Learned otherwise both unlearned and unstable and for all their buste buslings about it not Openers but Wresters of the Scripture to their own ruine which shelly shallow Theory into things of that nature perhaps I have forgotten more of for the naked Gospels sake then many of our Preachers of the Gospel for Pay ever learned and yet have enough left whereby to discern many Country Teachers or Doctors to be Dunces in it yet what ever my measure is more or lesse further then as an Earthly Talent foolish Instrument or Wooden Tool for a long time laid aside and here taken up again to serve the Truth with against those that fight therewith against Truth it s utterly lost and become dung and losse it self to me for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ my Lord that Spirit in the Spirit and Truth in the inward parts And of that aforesaid thin foamy Speculation I acknowledge that many of you have not only much more then my long since Countrified self but much more also then either does good or does you good unlesse ye had more of the true Wisdom from above whereby to use it to a better end then ye do Yet 3dly As one who have obtained so much Mercy and Ability froÌ„ God to see throw all the Digladations that are likely to ensue on the Principles that are now in agitation among your selves as wel as between the Quakers and your selves I herein take so much pains as is worth so much Patience as ye men of War are like to have with me for so doing and tell you in the Name and Dread of the living God whether ye bear or forbear that the shakings of mind that are among the learned Lievtenants of Antichrist at their Gates of Hell as honest Iohn Hus and learned Luthur stiled the Vniversities about their own literal and fallible Foundation will assuredly end in the final fall of it as a Foundation and all the Digladiations of those swattering Sword-men who pretend to be fighting with the Sword of the Spirit about their supposed Sword of the Spirit i.e. the bare outward Letter which they mistake for the Word of God when in Reality they are at it with but the Scabbard about the Scabbard will end in no lesse then the very sheathing of the true Sword of the spirit in the bowels of the Babel builders that are so blindly busie about it in their divided speeches confounded languages and in the bringing down the Babel which ye all agree to build upon it whereby to over-top the light and Truth it self the Letter talks on the fall and coming down of which Tripple Tower of the Tripple Tribe of Levi the Clergy or lot as they call themselves of the Lords own Inheritance hath already raised from their Thrones all the Kings of the Nations and moved Hell from beneath to meet them Isa. 14.9 And what work more will attend this great Catastrophe of that Chaos even the Old Heaven and Earth the worldly Rudiments of which begin to melt and the frail foundations thereof to shake that they may remove and the New come in place that must remain will as the Lord lives make the Eares to tingle in a little time to come that now refuse to hear of it from the Tongues and Pens of the Lords Prophets to whom it is revealed and their minds amazed and their Hearts shake and shiver that harden themselves against the troublesome Testimony of it Wherefore if thou art in earnest in thy Enquiry I tell thee I.O. by way of Answer
O. what Text of Scripture God ever made such a Promise in concerning the Text or the Scripture that he would in his Care and Providence preserve every Titt'e of that outward Writing for his Church and his Words sake which was written at the motion of his Spirit so that it never should be so mis-transcribed in any Tittle of it but that in the Greek and Hebrew Copies not English mark that nor any Translated but only Transcribed Copies he would keep it from being so adulterated vitiated altered depraved and interpolated as not to be every jot the same verbatim as at first I say I. O. where is that Promise so made to this purpose which his Providence is so engaged to answer Is it in Isa. 59.22 the place thou quorest together with a whole nest of others to the same end p. 155. viz. Matth 5.18 1 Pet 1.25 1 Cor. 11. Matth. 28.20 not one of which make one jot of mention of the Letter Text or any Tittle thereof at all That in Isaiah there cited is hinted at and harp upon to the same Tune in 7 or 8 pages in thy 2d Treatise viz. 155 167 168 169 273 317 319. In all which more or less in whole or part thou talkest much of the Transcribers lying under a loving and careful aspect from the Promise and Providence of God in beir transcribing alluding all along to Iâ— 59.12 as if God had there engaged himself by Promise as it were to guide their hands that they should not erre in a Tittle for his Word and Churches sake but is there the least Tittle of such a Promise there made and look it â—ore again and see if there be such a thing touche upon in the least either expressly or implicity 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as thou speakst or by consequence either immediate or far fetcht the words are these to the Church under the new Covenant or Gospel My words which I have put into thy mouth shall not depart out of the Mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of thy seeds seed from henceforth for ever Here I confesse is a promise to keep his words in the mouths of his Servants under the Gospel in the latter dayes especially so that they shall by word of mouth and writing bear Testimony against the world to his Truth and Name even the whole seed of the Righteous successively for ever without fail as now they begin to do even â—abes and Sucklings out of whose mouths and stammering lips the Lord is speaking to reprove the world and the proud Doctors Pharisaical self-seeking Teachers and to convince all ungodly ones of their ungodly deeds and hard Speeches they speak against him in his Saints in whom he comes to Judgement but what 's this to the preservation of I. O's Greek and Hebrew Texts to a Tittle without alteration This is not spoken of the continuance of any outward Scripture but of that word of Faith in the heart and mouth which the Apostles Rom. 10. preacht to turn men to telling them 't was nigh and they need not look without for it was ever man so bemoped as to draw such a Conclusion as thou dost from that Scripture viz. that every Tittle of the Text of Scripture given out of old should be secured without one jot of losse to the worlds end and if that were the promise there made it was never made good since as is shewed above the Scriptures of sundry whole prophecies and Epistles written by inspiration are lost since then nay rather and indeed that Text produces a Truth which thou deniest that in the last dayes his word and Spirit shall be de novo so poured out shed abroad and planted in the heares of his handmaids and servants Sons and Daughters that they shall Prophesie and reach as of old by word of Mouth his word as put into them by God himself Yet I. O. I know not how often betakes himself to that Text to make good his talk of the eternal Entirenesse to a Tittle of his outward Text in the Greek and Hebrew Transcripts thereof without which the word is as true entire and secure as it is when the Text is entire when the Text is torn to pieces and every Tittle of it mouldred away Beside if that were a promise of preserving the Text it must evince the Text is to endure for ever world without end as the word it self doth for its never to depart for ever from the seed that it 's there promised to but I. O. confesses the Scripture is not to abide for ever in its use which is onely faith he Ex. 3. S. 39. presenti statui c. suited to our present state and say I as it shall cease as to it's use so once to its esse or very being Obj. And if I. O. urge as he does in effect that it 's true the Word and Doctrine and Truth is the thing promised to be continued for ever primarily but consequentially the Letter and it's Tittles for as much as without it be preserved in that and that be preserved entire to a Tittle the word it self cannot be preserved from corruption Rep. He had as good have told me as soon I should have believed him in it that because Moses by Gods appointment made an Ark to lay the Book Tables and Letter in the two Tables and Letter written on it could not last any longer then the Ark or be kept from being lost any where be not kept so entire that not one bit or scrap of it be broken or lost there is no hopes that ever the light should shine out or be kept alive or be beheld yea if one inch of horn or a nail or the least Pin about the Ark had happened to be shattered or got any knock or any odd corner of it be broken off with being carried jumbled or tossed to and sro between Israel and the Philistines there had been no means of preserving the Letter from being lost or as if one should say the glasse window is set up that the Sun may shine through it therefore suppose that to be crackt or to have any flawes in it or to suffer the losse of but one little piece of a pane there 's no likelihood of enjoying the clear bright Beams of the Sun more distinctly or at any certainty nor can I be satisfied unquestionably that the Sun it self remains inviolate unlesse ye can assure me that there is every barley-corns bredth of the glasse-window without any losse as it was at first setting up though yet we see now the Sun both is the same and is better seen when beheld without a glasse then thorough it and is most clear when the glasse window is taken down and it beheld more immediately in the light that shines from it self he were fit to be Canonized for a fool that would count him a very wife man at least as to that affair that should so affirm so let who will esteem of I.
again when they have done yet was it a gift obtained in the way of such active obedience to God as by the said Law or light of God in the heart men stand obliged to and to be coveted and desired and was given in a certain way that ye are so far out of that ye hate it of holy waiting on God and learning of him alone in silence in all subjection in order thereunto for which work there are now as there were of old but those are not Oxford and Cambridge Vniversities as it were Schools and Nurseries of young Prophets at Iericho and Bethel alias by interpretation the House of God where Truth and true Wisdom and true Religion was and is learnt as truly and fully as it is falsly taught or rather fully and universally forgotten at our now Vniversities or Nursing-mothers of that Wisdom and Religion from beneath which is but earthly sensual or animal and deceitful See 2 K. 2.7.15 2 King 6.1 2 K. 9.1 yea in order to Gods manifestation of himself to men in such wise as he will not to World that lyes in wickedness it 's required that men keep his commandments so far as they are made known already in the light in the conscience Ioh. 14 and seperate themselves from the sensual ones that have not the spirit and not together with them from the truth Prov. 18.1 2. and that they come out of all that defileth and become holy for no defiled thing falls into Wisdom but in all ages this as well as any of old though ye own none to be now in rerum natura entring into holy souls she maketh them friends of God and Prophets Wisd. 7.23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30. But the reason why so few Priests are ever made true Prophets is because for the most part they are more prophane then other people from of old and much more now insomuch that as heretofore I mind at present but two of all that numerous Tribe Race and Party of Priests that the Jewish Church was fill'd with that became Prophets viz. Ieremiah and Ezekiel Ier. 1. 1. Ezek. 1.3 So now velduo vel nemo of all sorts of persons few or none of our Academical Levitical Race of Rabbiâ—s arrive to so much honour and happiness as to become obedient to the Faith yet so far many of them came in the primitives times notwithstanding I can't find that ever any of them commenced Prophets Evangelists or Apostles much less are many to be found so highly graduated as to become such in the true Church or School of Christ at this day they are not upon the Tower upon their Watch toward the Light They hearken not with Habbakkuk to what God saith in them Hab. 2.1 They stand not in the Lords counsel nor receive the word from his own mouth but as the false Prophets of old Ier. 23. in which respect they were false Prophets that profited not at all and such as God was against though speaking true words they steal the word they speak out of the true Prophets Writings whom God sent and spake to when he neither sent nor ever said the same unto them and so run crying Thus saith the Lord as ours do hear the Word of the Lord as you shall find it in such a Text such a Chapter such a Verse when they never heard God's voice at any time themselves nor saw his shape They hate and fight against Gods own counsel the Light in the Conscience which would lead them to purity in their own persons and so never come to see much less to shew his Secret which is onely with them that fear him Psal. 25. whose sear which is the beginning of Wisdom is to depart from the evil which the light discovers and so as none can bring a clean thing out of an unclean so none can receive much of a clean thing into an unclean But as Isaiah who was of unclean lips had his lips first toucht and his iniquity taken away before he was sent of Gods errand Isa. 6. And Ieremiah was sanctified to the work of Prophesie Ier. 1. So there must be more Holiness of Truth found among their Holinesses the Pope and all the Priests and Praters for pay thorowout all Christendom before they know how to prophesie themselves or tell truly as much as they are found from the Text of their Transcripts tatling to the World of what they know not how and in what manner Gods Prophets prophesie Thou addest I.O. pag. 6. That in writing they were not enabled by any habitual light knowledge or conviction of Truth to declare Gods mind and will but onely acted as they were immediately moved by him their hand in what they wrote was no more at their own disposal then the Pen in the hand of an expert Writer And p. 23. That no rational Apprehensions had any place in their Writing And p. 25. That this was the first spring of the Scripture and beginning of its emanation from the Counsel of God it was brought by the Power of the Holy Ghost into its Organs and Instruments us'd for the Declaration of it and that it was not left to their understandings wisdoms minds memories to order dispose and give it out But that they were born acted moved to write all and nothing but that to every tittle that was so brought to them And that they invented not words themselves but the words were immediately supplyed to them and that in writing they were but passive instruments for the reception and representation of words And that every Apex of the written Word i.e. Writing secundum te was as immediately from God to the writers as his voice in the Prophets p. 26 27. And p. 7. That they were but as an Instrument of Musick giving a sound according to the hand onely of him that strikes it Rep. These things are false being written by thee of all the Writings and first Writers of the Scripture universally as they are without exception and distinction for so indistinct and confused art thou in thy delivery of thy mind about the Bible that though it be a Bulk of Heterogeneous Writings compiled together by men taking what they could find of the several sorts of Writings that are therein and trussing them all up into one Touch-stone crouding them into a Canon or Standard for the trial of all Spirits Doctrines Truths and by them alone Yet thou speak'st so Homogeneously of it as if whatever can be predicated of any may be as properly predicated of it all yea whatever thou sayest falsly of the Writing thou denominatest the self-same of it all and every Apex and Tittle yea every Tittle and Iota with thee is no less then the Word of the great God wherein the â—ternal concernment of souls lyes p. 168 169. And so every part of it a Rule and the perfect Rule for so 't was with thee when there were none but Moses five Books and 't is but so with thee now so much
Inhabitants of that earthly Jerusalem which is from beneath the fleshly Church of Jews and Christians according to the meer Letter which is in bondage with her children Isa. 8.14 28.16 1 Pet. 2. And that it is Christ Iesus alone and not the Scriptures that is there call'd the Foundation is most evident not onely from the Text it self wherein Jesus Christ himself is instanced in as such for the same that is call'd the Foundation is there also call'd the Corner-stone but also from other Scriptures whereby the truth hereof is yet more illustrated viz. Isa. 28.18 where speaking both in the foregoing and following Verses of the false Foundations short beds narrow coverings and lying refuges that the Drunkards of Ephraim that erred from the simple plain truth thorow the Wine of their own Wisdom and were out of the way and stumbled in Wisdom and Iudgement thorow the strong Drink of their own devised Doctrines so that they could not discern nor learn the Lords Doctrine that was divined to them thorow the stammering lips of such as ministred Precept upon Precept Line upon Line here a little and there a little among them he summons all to fix their Faith on the one onely true and firm Foundation saying Behold I lay in Sion for a Foundation a Stone a tryed Stone a precious Corner-stone a sure Foundation he that believeth shall not make haste Where it 's very observable as it is in Eph. 2.20 That the self-same that is called the Corner-stone is also ca'led the sure Foundation Likewise 1 Cor 11. where it's expresly said That other Foundation can no man lay then that is laid which is JESUS CHRIST Now if no man can lay any other Foundation of the Church which is God's Building then Christ whom the Apostle sayes ver 10. He himself laid as a wise Master-Builder according to the Grace of God given unto him Then all things else besides Christ the Word of God the Light of the World and that measure of Light that shines from him which is not divided from him any more then that of the Sun from it but one with him whatsoever men go about to lay as the Foundation of the Church and her Faith Hope and Obedience are not truly really and properly so but imaginarily supposively fictitiously so and but falsly so called meerly seigned found out and founded onely in the Fancies of foolish blind Babel-builders which Founders and their fictitious Foundations must be confounded For the layers of a false Foundation and such are all they that with I.O. lay the Letter or Traditions with the Papists and Iesuits he justles with or any other then Christ the Light must come to confusion as wel as the meer Formalists their Wood Hey Stubble Trash Imitations empty forms and such like Superstitions and all sorts of Superstructions of the Babilonish Builders upon the true Whereupon as much as J.O. blesses himself in his holding the Foundation and feeds himself with hopes of salvation so long as he is found holding that though he build Hay and Stubble upon it and his Works come to be consumed saying p. 160. It will be well for us if we be found holding the Foundation if we build hay and stubble upon it though our Work perish we shall be saved Yet alas poor deluded man J.O. thou mistakest thy self exceedingly it would be well for thee indeed if thou held'st the Foundation Christ the Head the Light of men thy person might then be saved though thy Work of wood hay stubble will assuredly perish in the fire But thou art far from being found holding that Foundation then which there is no other and found laying another even thy uncertain Transcripts of the Greek and Hebrew Texts and an outward fallible Letter and its Points and Syllables and Tittles and Iota's one jot or tittle of which if it fail thou confessest all thy Faith and Fabrick of Religion falls to the ground confessing also that 't was not impossible for the chiefest Transcribers thereof to mistake in any thing yea that they did fail in their Work so rasing thy false feigned and fallible Foundation to the ground and pulling down thy House with thy own hands like the foolish woman And as for the true Foundation Christ the Light and Spirit which are infallible stable firm fixt sure and certain as every true laid Foundation ought to be and is though thy flexible Letter is not so which is of it self an Argument of its not being the Churches Foundation of Faith and Obedience This true one I say is by thee trampled on and flouted at under the Names of Nescio quod Lumen quem Deum seu 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Deo quopiam melius merae Tenebrae aecitas fines salutares quod attines non sufficiens ad salutem Christus Fanaticorum imaginarius fictitius qualitas nescio quae divina seu anima Mundi omnibus misia quae 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sit i.e. vere nihil Ex. 4. S. 15.17.21 Doctorem infallibilem nihil habens commune cum Scripturis Ex. 3. S. 22. I know not what Light what God or cornucopia better then any God infallible Doctor inconsonant utterly with the Scripture imaginary Christ of the Qua. I know not what Divine Quality or Soul of the World made up of all things that is all things and truly nothing Moreover if none can lay other Foundation then Christ then Paul himself by these words Ephes. 2.20 Ye are built on the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets cannot rationally be concluded as he is both senselesly and reasonlesly conceived by I.O. to intend any other Foundation then Christ himself neither can he be understood by any that have common understanding to intend himself and other Prophets and Apostles or his own and their meer outward Writings for then there are two whereof they must have one Foundation of Faith and Obedience and we another they Christ the Light and we them and their Letter which is an absurdity utterly unbecoming men call'd Christs Ministers to imagine seeing the Foundation quicquid id est of the Church and her faith hope and obedience from the beginning of the world to this day is but one and not many yea as the Faith is one and the Baptism one and the Temple and building one and the Body one and the Spirit one and the Lord and God and Father of all saints is one so the Foundation is but one what ever it is Eph. 4 5 6. Or else secondly if there be but one foundation for us and them to stand upon and that be the Apostles and Prophets themselves or thei Writings then Incidit in Scyllam c. the Apostles and Prophets must be supposed to be built not upon Christ but upon themselves their own Writings as to their faith and saving knowledge of the truth or at least on the Writings one of another which is an Imagination as if not more absolutely absurd than the former yet of the two I.O. having
affirm nor more nor less yet ye own and justifie your selves as owners and deny and judge us as deniers as of of the Scriptures Ye challenge us to dispute it against us that the Scripture is the Word of God the only Rule c. when we meet you before hundreds to that end you confess with us as Christopher Fowler did at Reading T.D. at Sandwich and I.O. doth in his Declartion or Latine Divinity Disputations that you mean not the Scripture formally considered the Letter or Text it self ye talk for not the Writing but the holy matter and doctrine contained held forth testified to therein the Word in the heart of which we say its a Light a Rule denying the letter only so to be yet the same truth when ye tell it is the truth when we tell it as a lye Ye venture upon the open stage against us a vile persons in our Tenets about the Scriptures when ye are there ye verefie the very self-same truth we vindicate against you and say with us the Scripture or Writing which is the formality of the Scripture quae dat esse Rei sormally considered is not the Word nor the Rule nor any thing but a dead letter only the matter and truth of the Text testified to is the Word Rule Light c. as we say it is only Yet when ye go away though from the first to the last ye give us the cause yet we must give you leave or else you will steal it to carry away the colours and boast and brag and vapour as the men that had the victory till by venting your lyes so fast to manifest the Qua. folly ye fling out your own folly to the view of all men T.D. But quoth T.D. p. 30.1 Pamph. All this while you go about to delude the simple as if you denied only this way of writing to have alwayes been the only way of conveyance and you magnifie the Spirit that with more security ye may throw down the letter of the Scripture and if you would speak out plainly that ye call the Spirit will be found to be the dictates of your consciences blinde and corrupt as they are the Lord knows and you are no further bound to obey the letter of the Scripture then you are willing to obey it Rep. As for thy lyes of the friends of truth that light stuff like the chaffe the winde will drive away The Lord knows whose consciences are blind and corrupt yours or ours and as to thy slighting the dictates of conscience which work I.O. is not behinde thee in flouting at what is dictated by the Light of God in it and by the light therein from it to men as Figment Fannaticism Enthusiasm and such like dirty denominations I need refer no further then too I.O. whose magnifications of the dictates of conscience otherwhiles may well serve to the contradiction and confutation of himself and thee too and stop both thy mouth and his own too who â—ayes pag. 42. â—3 44,45 of the conscience and the voice of God therein and the instinct of good and evil and self-judgement God hath placed and indeleably planted therein it declares it self to be from God by its own light and Authority there is no need to convince a man by substantial witnesses that what his conscience speaks it speaks from God whether it bear testimony to the righteousness of God or that obedience which is eternally and indispensably due to him it shews the work of the Law written in the heart and discovers its Author in whole name it speaks and much more to the like purpose so that he and thou too may with shame enough reflect upon your ignorant vilifications of it As for our obedience to the Letter we are by the Spirit so bound to that not so far only as we are willing as thou belieâ—t us but in a cross to our own wills that while we walk in the Spirit which is our Rule we cannot disobey the Letter but fulfill it while your selves who prate of your being bound to obey it walk at large after your own wills and lusts in the liberty of your flesh and through your boundless boasting of that ye as boundlesly break do dishonour both God and your selves As for our going about to deceive the simple we deny all Deceivers and Deceit teaching no other Doctrine nor Gospel then what Paul delivered then which whoever it is that brings or broaches another whether it be we who are hated as Devils or you who are honoured as Angels of light from heaven by such as dwell in the depths and darkness of hell I say with Paul let him be accursed but those are now marked and manifested plainly enough who cause the Divisions and offences contrary to the Doctrine the Saints learned of old by the children of the day are avoided also for they that are such serve not the Lord Iesus Christ but their own bellies and yet by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple Rom. 16.17 18. What T.D. sayes in his second Pamph. as to this question of the Scriptures being a Rule is no new thing but a Reference of men for an answer to G. Whiteheads Queries which he was shye of saying much to seeing he had not much to say to his old trite trivial Toy entituled the Qua. Folly the very book that G. Whitehead had Routed before and so dry is T.D. pumped that most of his two Butter-flyes excepting the wings it flyes with i. e. His Epistle and his Narrative consists of Repetitions of what he had uttered in the other that was Routed and new References of his Reader to that old one notwithstanding so much is added to to this head in p. 16. of his second Pamph. as more fully gives us the cause we contend for against him viz. That the Truth Doctrine Matter and not the Scripture Text or Letter is the Rule to men I must quoth he again refer the Reader for an answer to these Queries meaning G.Ws. to Qua. Folly in which yet none of them are answered and I adde the matter contained in the Scriptures is a Rule to all men so far as t is revealed to them and was so before it was put into writing and so much of it as is written upon the hearts of Heathens is a Rule to them Rep. Minde Reader how T.D. yeelds the Question to the Qua. again in his late last Lazy labours which Question between the Qua and the Priests is not about the holy Doctrine Truth and matter for the Qua. still own that to be as to the substantials before which the shadowy figurative part thereof flyes away everlastingly the same an inalterable fixt firm inward spiritual Word and Light which neither doth not can ever perish corrupt or pass away but about the outward Scripture Writing Text or Letter which uno ore with one voice all our Priests and people vote to be the Rule Touchstone Word c.
conceived in thy brain to be the power of God both in it self and in respect of you Look upon all litteral Professâ—rs that run a whoring from God the Lord the Spirit and the Light that shines in them there shewing moral good and evil and spiritual good and spiritual wickedness also for the fruites of the spirit and works of the flesh and the lusts thereof envy hatred lasciviousness c. are manifest and what ever manifests them and all things in the conscience is the light within which is the Armour against the one and the enabler to the other and not the Letter wihout which only sayes so of the Light and see what works most abound in the most Reformed Nations and Churches of it that are turned aside from the truth it self to a meer talking of the Text that talks of it are they not the same that are to be found among Papists that live by no other professed Rule but tradition and Popish putasion yea set aside that grosser sort of superstition and thicker cloud of superfluous Ceremonies in matter of outward observations in Religion in which the Kingdome of God which stands in inward Righteousnâ—â—s of the heart expressing it self outwardly in the life comes not as to Moralities Mercy Iudgement Equity Honesty Innocency Love Purity Humility Faith and Fear of God unfained which are the end of carnal Commandements contained in Ordinances and bodily exercises that else are profitable to little which said Moralities as little as thou makest of Moral obedience Moral good is that which the light in all mens hearts may avail to lead them to p. 42 43 45. as if these were some pedling trivial matters that God regards not which yet indeed being done in the Light out of which God who is Light accepts of nothing nor hath pleasure or delight in any of your litteral performances are nâ— less then Spiritualities fruits of the Spirit and of the Spirics only and not the Letter bringing forth for the Letter never yet brought forth the Spirits fruits in its Ministers and children who for all their searchings and lookings into and labouring for the letter sow to the flesh still as the Scribes and Pharisees did of old that trusted in Moses and the Prophets Writings and of the flesh reap corruption whilest the Ministers not of the Letter but the Spirit the children of the Light sow to the Spirit and of it and the Light reap the life it self and these are the weightier matters of the Law I say as to the foresaid Moral matters saving the grosser dimnest of their devotions are not the same that is to say as good fruits found among poor Papists as amongst you and as bad among you as with them and as unsound yea V in tu câ—rtis Iudaeis â—ppederâ— wilt thou judge and disdain the concised Letter-lauding â—ew O thou meerly Rantized Scripture-profissing-Christian when they who make their boast of the antient Ceremonies and Letter of the Law do not more through breaking the Law in the Morals and Spirituals of it then ye who boast of the later Letter and Ceremonies thereof through breaking the weightier Moral and Spiritual matters of it do dishonour God Is not your Vine aâ— the vine of Sodome to the Lord notwihstanding your solemn meetings and Sabbaths and Fasts and fained forms and many things that God never required at all as much as theirs who were punctualin performance of the very things that God himself required and are not your goodly Grapes of Injustice Cruelty Whippings imprisonings Persecutings of tender conscences for telâ—â—ng truth for not paying Tythes c. and all other iniquity dissoluteness and propaneness that overflows in Vniversities Cities Countries as the Grapes of Gommorrah as theirs were and as clusters of Gall and Wormwood yea shall not the Gentile the Heaâ—hen as ye call them the uncircumcistâ—n the unchristned people as to the Letter that by the remants of the pure nature for the corâ—upt nature only breakes the Law do the things contained in the Law and shewed them in the Light within them by which they are a Law to themselves and go accused or excused in their own conscences before God judge as well thee who by the Letter and Baptism transgressest it as the Iews who by the Letter and Circumcision do transgress the Law and Rebel against the Light is not as much of the true Righteousness found among many Heathens as among most litteral Christians who ever name the Name of Christ but never depart from iniquity What geat efficacy and power then hath the Letter alone of it self without any other helps advantages or any other Revelation by the Spirit and Light within put forth and exerted to the conquering of the world and the bringing forth of fruit in all the world when as it is evident that it never yet subjected any one whether Minister or Professor of it to the perfect obedence of it self in the main matters of it as the Light and Spirit hath done done the children of it As for our Parochial and Academical livers by the Letter temporally I mean for otherwise they live neither by the Letter nor the Light but beside both both they and their Bible-blessing Beleevers are far from answering the call of their very literal Rule which is all they own under that name and notion that they are not come by it into the faith that ever they shall conform to it or be perfected in holiness or cleansed from sin by it either in this world or that to come for whereas much of it is written in way of warning not to sin 2 Ioh. 2.1 and is profitable and powerful as they say themselves from 2 Tim. 3.16 which speaks of Timothy men of God only and also not exclusively of all other helps and advantages from the Spirit and Light as I.O. but as in conjunction with faith which is in the Light as is shewed above to make men wise to salvation and perfect in good works they are so far from beleeving it possible in this world not to sin and be perfected in holiness or good works that they deny it as little better than plain Popery to affirm any works done though by Christs own power in us to be truly or perfectly good or any better than dung and filthy Rags witness T.D. who as above said p. 13â— of his 1 Pamp. sayes the Righteousness wrought in Paul after his onversion was Christs and yet renounced by him as dung damn it down â—â— Doctrine of Devils to teach men that they may be fully free from sin here witness T. Rumsey whose blinde judgement therein T.D. justifiâ—r in p. 41. of his â— Pamph. and that its most false to say the Scripture either doth or can obtain its end fully towards us while we are in this world and yet that it is of no use to us in the world to come also so denying again what other whiles they affirm of the power and perfection of the Scripture
the light of God the wisdome saving truth immediate witness clearest way of Revelation soul-cleansing Law sure foundation most perfect Rule immoveable stedfast Standard of Gods setting up but it self is nos all nor any of this nor doth it at all any where avouch it self to be any of it at all The Scripture points to that which is the Power of God by the being of which in and upon his people who only own and joyn to it they are made a willing people in the day thereof when such as turn from and against the light which is the power and labour in the weak naked Letter labour in vain and are left unwilling to leave their lusts and lives for Christ as his Maryrs or outward witnesses did in all Ages But the Letter it self is not Power of God that sustained them in the suffering and inabled them to forgo what was dear to them and to undergo what was dreadful and destructive to nature in its dearest concernments The Letter tells us that the Saints did so and tells us and all Saints that we should do for Christ but the Power by which this is done is another matter then a Letter ad extra even the inward light Word and Spirit that thou doest despite to even that in the conscience that made them indure as seeing him who is invisible and discovered the darkâ—â—ss upon the discovery of which they rather chose death then to own it as Light and Truth not only in ages as high as Moses who by faith in the Light chose affliction rather then sin and feared not the wrath of Pharaoh but also from him downward as low as Maries dayes in which some died for denying the darknâ—ss of the Popes Dâ—ctrines of Transubstantiation c. which the Light in their consciences told them were too gross to be of God who yet by their confession could not dispute against it with Vniversity Sottish Sophisters Doctor Dunces out of Letter nor so much as read a letter therein and also as low as these dayes wherein by the Power of God many are born up to bear the Trials of the cruel Academical mockings scoffings scourgings inâ—lictings stonings bonds imprisonments abuses to death witness one of the first of the Lords two Hand-maids that were sent to warn the Vniversity of their universal abomiâ—ations at Oxford in the time of I.Os. Vice chancellorship there who perhaps may not be so learned literally though mystically and spiritually more in the Letter as obtuse aÌ„cuti â—omunâ—ioneâ— many of those dull-beaded nimble disputers out of it are in their bald fashion of Syllogistical form Neither did the Letter either of the Old Testament which is the Letter without of what things soever written or the outward Letter of the New ever conquer the world in which thou sayest it brought forth so much fruit further then into a meer empty fruitless form of Godliness without the power thereof insomuch that though as to the Primitive Christian Churches while they kept in the Light which the Apostles Ministry whether by word of mouth or Writing Letter Scripture was to turn them to walk by and beleeve in and in the Spirit in which they began till fooâ—ishly being bewitched from obeying the truth it self they turned aside to the outward Text that tells it and so thought to be made perfect by the flesh and the fleshly bodily exercises they found in the Letter which once used were as low weak beggeâ—ly elements for a time the power of God and godliness was much â—elt among them and abode with and upon them to the prevailing against the Powers of the earth and the overcomming the world it self and Satan the Prince of it by the blood of the Lamb and the Word of his Testimony not loving their lives to the death and much fruit of the Spirit and of righteousness was brought forth to the glory and praise of God But when Synods and Councels doting Doctors infatuated Ghostly-Fathers and such as admired their persons as they the persons of the Apostles and primitive Disciples began to bundle together what they could get of the Wâ—itings of such as were coaetaneous with Christ and the Apostles and without any such order from either Christ or the Apostles to canonize what in their conceits might be useful to others as they had found them t is like to be to themselves into a Rule or Canon and stated them into a common Standard for all to have their sole recourse to in soul-cases and matters of Christian faith and holy life and so to adore the dead letters of those holy living men and to run a whoring after some remnants of Writings that dropt from them then in the whole world now called Christendome instead of an Apostolical Spouse of Christ as Christians were at first presented a chaste Virgin to himself by them there stands up an Apostatical Strumpet that had the Letter and good words written there but neither the life of God nor the Word of life therein testified to that according to the nature of Error which is ever multiplying degenerated more and more into the dark till at last being gone from the Word Spirit Light and Life within to the outward Letter that relates of it they ran into the Wildernes of their own numberless senses upon it so that they lost the Letter also and fell from it into Tradition and a thousand Old Wives Fables and though it is good and acknowledged so to be so far as it is that the Protestants have marched from Rome under the conduct of the Leâ—ter yet for all they are come back from the blinde screel scrawls of the Popish Scribes for their smoaky imaginations to a pretensive profession of and prate prâ— Scripturis for the Scriptures unless they march on according to the conduct of the Scriptures till they come into the Light and Spirit which they point to and by a dotage upon the Scriptures ye would run from they are not so much as come yet to the Scriptures nor to conform to that counsel of the Prophets and Apostles given in it but are yet erring from the Scriptures even in and by their very eager Scriblings for it as the only most perfect Rule and from the only Rule of faith and way to Life the Letter is as loud for but that they are dull of hearing as they in their naked Writings are loud for the naked Letter it self And so it comes to pass that as Israel was of old who was as laborious in the Letter busie about the Bible and strict for his Scripture-standard as our Israel for the self-same which yet they confess too is abolished as to the Litteral observation of it with the Appendix of a few of Stories and Letters and Revelations of those holy men next to Christs time who by the Spirit wrote much more then is there own'd as their Standard I say as the old Israel proved as to God an empty vine Hos. 10.1 bringing forth
fruit only to himself so is our National Gospel Israel an empty Vine fruitful to themselves in temporals and in suâ— gerere in such spiritual also as their Religion lyes in viz. in empty forms of fastings prayings praâ—sings preachings singings of Davids Psalms with Doegs Spirit Text applauding Treatises talkings for Tithes multiplyings of Ministers of the Old Testament not of the Spirit but of the Letter that may labour soundly to the blowing out if they couâ—d tell how of the Qua. extolled light magnifyings of the maintenance for such Ministers as maintain themselvs out of Augmentations by the Impropriations of Kings Bishops Deans Chapters Lands Tenths first fruits and such Levitically legal â—molumenis far better than they are able to maintain either the true internal eternal Gospel which they are utterly ignâ—rant of or their own external Gospel either against the Qu. who maintain the true But utterly as fruitles to God as full of leaves and broad Shews wherein they flourish yea as barren as the figtree that God came three years together seeking fruit from and finding none for which the Word had long since gone forth effectually from the Lord but that intercession is yet made for it by the dresser of the Vineyard who digs and dungs it in hopes of somewhat but hath yet from it as small thanks for his great pains as the unskilful dressers not to say devourers of it have great thanks for their small pains Cut it down why cumbreth is the ground So what thou so pompously utterest I O. on behalf of the efficacy of the Letter in this particular as the All-sufficient All-accomplishing power of God in its self and to us ward to salvation and such like is nothing so nor doth any one of all Scriptures cited by thee in proof thereof evince any such thing they all excepting that in 2 Tim. 3. which as it may relate to an inward Scripture thou yet searchest not if intended of the outward yet not without the Light and Spirit within which said Light and Spirit thou still excludest and damnest down as detestable and no way needful to be so much as concurrent with the Scripture toward salvation as is shewed above intend no other Word or Light then that which is uttered and shines within in the eâ—rt Iam. 1.21 expresly speaks of the wording rafted there which is able to save the soul which 〈…〉 â—innate word for it s there put planted and sowed as his seed by the Lord himself some refuse and reject to walk by whose condemnation it is some receive it hear it mix it with faith in it beleeve in it to the salvation of the soul. In Joh. 17.20 Christ speaks of the same and not of any outward Scripture for by that word their word is intended the Word which they preached or held forth or testified to by their words in their preachings and writings as that which men were to come to hear and beleeve in and do till tâ—eir beleeving in which though they shâ—uld or do beleeve Historically the outward declaration as the Papists do the litteral declaration at this day with their heart and confess it with their mouths that the Lord Iesus was raised frâ—m the dead yet they perish and beleeve not on the Name of God savingly or to salvation Which Word is not the Letter nor their preachings but that which the Letter and their oral preachings testified to that it was nigh men in their hearts and mouths that they might hear and do it even the word of faith which they preached Compare Ioh 17.20 with Rom 10.8 9. Which word that they preached was not their Preachings or Writings or Scriptures but that which in their preachings and writings they called them to hear which was not a word without but the word nigh in the heâ—rt between which Words and Writings of the Preachers and Writers of the Scriptures and the Truth Faith Doctrine Light Gospel Holy matter which they preached and wrote of if our Divines couâ—d keep constant in distinguishing at all times as they do sometime they would come out of their conlusions wherein they are found jumbling things on heaps without heed into the clear understanding and comprehendings of the truth in their heads at least whether it may have place in their hearts and lives or no that is saving their being ashamed to own it from Babes and chusing rather to be ignorant then submit to be taught by them so often told them by the Qua. T D. sayes It s evident the Word spoken of Rom. 10.8 in the heart is the holy matters contained in the Scriptures the things contained there pag. 30 31. of his 1. Pamph. Rep. Who doubts of that But are not the holy matters one thing and the outward Letters that write of those matters another the things written of which the Scripture sayes are in the heart one thing and the Scriptures that write of those things another why then do you jumble these together as one in your blindly busie brains which are so bewitcht that ye either cannot or will not own that from the Qua. without crying out of them as deniers of the Scriptures to be the Word of God which your very selves are forced to confess to the Truth of For T.D. dances between within and without in the fore-named pages as if he could not well tell where to be nor what to say the Word of faith they preached is himself denies not from Col. 3.16 which I urged but that it was within the Colossians but yet because we say its within a light within he will needs say and so he had need or else he could not out word us it s the Letter without also the Word spoken of in the heart is meant quoth he of the holy matters contained 1. Declared of in the Scriptures which are say we the living Word Light Gospel c. and yet in the same page the Word spoken of is without or it is the Letter of the Scriptures quoth he also though at the beginning of the dispute upon that subject when I told him wee denied the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the outward writing or Letter written on paper with inke to be the Word of God himself p 26.1 Pamp. he denied the same with me saying You cannot beleeve us so simple surely as to affirm the Scriptures in that sense to be the Word of God but we mean the matter contained in the Writing c. And p. 30. When I said the Scripture is not the Word of God for that is within but the Scripture is without â—rging Rom. 10. The word is nigh thee in thy heart You read not all quoth he t is in thy mouth too so that it is without as well as within Rep. Oh gross what an absurdity is here as if that which is in the mouth of a man were not within but without him if T.D. should tell mee of a man that is no Monster that his
that beleeves not both beleeves neither But what of that what follows hence this quoth I O. for that is the very end hee infers this Text for and the very conclusion he infers from it viz. that Moses writings of Christ are more sure and of greater certainty as to the Churches use then Christs own words from his own mouth or then Christs Revelations of Gods minds to men as revealed to him from the mouth of God from the very bosome of the Father Siccine Itane is it so I O. indeed what the ouâ—â—ard remotely transcribed Copies of the writings of the Old servant that put a vail over his face too and spake so darkly in types and figures and shews and shadows that 't was hard to behold stedfastly to what end he spake more plain and stedfast and sure and certain then the immediate Voice Words Revelations of the Son himself whom Moses called to hear as coming and speaking more distinctly out of the very bosome of the Father O the dotage of our Vniversity Doctors the dimness of our Divines who profess to dive daily and deeply into the Scriptures that make the dark Writings and dead Letter and servant more clear and worthy and useful to the Church then the express Voice and Words of the Son which are Spirit and life it self I shall set but one Scripture to face this fancy of I.O. and so leave and let it stand to the shame of it self and its Father Heb. 3. vers 1. to the 8. See and read it Thus of the first The words of the second are these Be not soon shaken in minde nor troubled neither by spirit nor by word nor by letter as from us as that the day of the Lord is at hand Rep. The business I.O. cites this in proof of is for this and that next before are of those that are subscribed to that purpose that the certainty of the Scripture is preferred before the certainty of true Revelations and Miracles but which way so much can be drawn unless it be as I.O. draws iniquity with cords of vanity and sin as it were with Cart Ropes from that Text is more then I can tell Paul Silas and Timothy had told them it seems of the coming of the day of God both by Spirit Word and Letter they whose great hope lay in the comming of that day like such as look and long for what they love and are apt to thinke and hope it to be as they would have it did hope it to be nearer hand then it was and fearing left finding it further off then they thought they might bee troubled and shaken in minde and failing in their faith of it he gives them to understand the worst of it that the best might the better help it self that they should not mistake them in their Doctrine about that day as if they had said it was immediately to shine out upon them and so waver in their mindes flag in their faith and be troubled with doubts as if it would never come to them because not so soon as they wisht it might for there was a long night to interpose it self first he wills them withall to remember v. 5. that he told them no less in the Spirit by Word of his mouth as now he doth over again by Letter or Writing when was present with them howbeit as that 's never long that comes at last so that day would come at last to their salvation and destruction of the man of sin who caused the night with the brightness of it Here 's the short and the long of the business of that verse and those about it from which I who can see the Sun can see no such Doctrine follow as I.O. dreamingly draws from it nor one dram of Reason nor the least grain of Assent to his Asasâ—inated Assertion that the Scripture is of more certitude as to the Churches use then any true Revelations Other Arguments I.O. urges why the Light and Spirit cannot bee the Rule c. Therefore the Scripture must be it J.O. That to which we are never no where sent of God that we might learn the knowledge of himself and his will and take direction in our duty that cannot be the Rule Canon Principle or directory of our Faith Learning Knowledge and obedience But we are never no wheresent of God to any inward Light or internal Private spirit c. Therefore c. Les the Fanaticks produce but one place of Scripture wherein we or any are sent to their Rules or directions of faith and obedience and we will not say but they have cause to triumph in earnest but if they speak of their own they are Lyars they bear witness to themselves and their witness is not true Reply As for thy word Private Spirit we deny all leading by any Private Light and Spirit It is the Common Light and Publick Spirit of God which is one and the same in all though not in the same measure and not any thing of our own that we testifie to and profess to follow as our guide It is the gift of Gods grace in us that appears to all bringing salvation which teaches all that are led by it and learn at it to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts and live godly righteously and soberly here that we intend nor do we so much as pretend to any other inwardlight but that of God in the conscience which though thou foolishly stile it Natural yet thy self be â—rest such an ample testimony to sometimes that we need use no other then thy own words to prove it to be infallibly of God and from him an infallible guide and that we are sent of God to this inward Light Word or Spirit in answer to thy challenge to produce one Scripture I say what need wee produce one Thy own pen if thou l't beleeve it points out almost iâ—numerable places yea all in which the Word of God is said to be preacht publisht multiplied received where the Word nigh in the heart is meant and the outward Scripture that is the declaration of it considered formaliter or as written not at all intended yet for fear thou shouldest not beleeve thy own pen when such Truths drop from it as make against thee and indeed it hath let fall so many untruths pro and cons and fellaries from it that it little deserves to be beleeved by thy self but rather suspected when it writes the truth I am free here to produce some out of many more that might bee produced wherein men are sent in the Scripture if that be of God by whom thou sâ—yest they nunquam nusquam never no where are so sent to the rules and directions we call to which are not any mans own private spirit or fained light or Enthusiasms or dreams as thou dreamest and to the abusing of us to the world out of thy own narrow private light-loathing spirit divinest they are but the Word Light and Spirit of God which is
same rule thereof Phil. 3. Galat. 6 Walk they not in the same spirit walk they not in the same steps which that Spirit of God in them treads out for them Have they not that Spirit of Christ And if any man have it not for his Guide Leader Governour in all he doth as well as his Comforter is he Christs He that hath it not dwelling in him infallibly directing divinely inspiring him is he Christs Do not all that are in Christ Iesus to whom there is no condemnation all save such as go condemned in themselves to whom there is nothing but condemnation from God walk not after the flesh but after the spirit Do they not live in the Spirit walk in the Spirit pray in the Spirit sing in the Spirit serve in the Spirit and not in the Letter minister every one as of the ability God giveth from the Spirit not barely from the Letter And so though they may use the very words that are Letter and be well read in the Letter and quote the Letter as Christ did and the Prophets and Apostles did the outward writings one of another and by the Spirit be guided to utter the same words verbatim See Isa. 2. Mic. 4. and be mightier in the Letter then those that are Ministers of no more then the Letter yet are Ministers not of the Letter but the Spirit Are they as well as the Spirit is in them not in the Flesh but in the Spirit Are not all that are not in the night and in the darknesse and the children thereof but the children of the day of the light which is the Lords day in in the Spirit Rev. 1.10 Do they not by the Spirit mortifie the deeds of the body Are they after the flesh Come they not by walking in the Spirit not to fulfill the lusts of the Flesh but to crucifie the flesh with the affections and lusts thereof Doth not the Spirit of God in them I ust against the flesh Doth not the law of the spirit of Life which is by Christ Jesus deliver them that follow it from the law of Sin and Death that they were once captivated by Doth not the Spirit quicken and give them life Doth it not help their infirmities pray in them with sighs and greanes and because they know not how to aske any thing as they ought doth it not make intercession for them according to God Are they not born of the Spirit and after the Spirit Doth not the Spirit of God bear witnesse to their spirit that are his children that they are so Doth it not reveale the great things of God and by that revelation make them know the things that are freely given them of God Is it not the unction from the holy one whereby they know all the things the Anoynting which was the Canon or Rule of the Saints from the beginning before any Letter was which is truth and is no lye which if they quench not grieve not let it not but let it abide and remain in them will teach them infallibly of all things so that they shall not need that any man teach them and which they abiding in the Doctrine or teaching of do not erre as the wicked world thinks they do but continue in the Son and in the Father Are they not led by it from under the Law and out of the Letter up into the life which the Letter speaks of but it self onely giveth out of the works of the flesh which in and by the light are manifest into the fruits that it self brings forth Doth it not bring all things to the remembrance of such as are led by it as all the Sons of God are that ever Christ spake Doth it not guide all such into all truth and onely into truth and not into any falshood delusion or deceit Doth it not take of Christs and shew it unto them Doth God do all this first or last more or less for all his people and doth none of all this amount to so much as the motion of the Spirit or divine inspiration Are there no spirituall men now in the world and is not every spiritual man a Prophet or more then a Prophet for though all in the Church are not Prophets on such a score and in so high a rank as thou reckonest on i.e. such as have witnessed a sending forth abroad on some service to others the service of some lying yet nearer home and in present reference onely to themselves some like the Sons of the Prophets at Iericho and Bethel 2 Kings 2.2 Kings 6. being yet under the Schoolmaster that leads to Christ in their nonage going as it were to schoole not at Athens nor yet at Oxford nor Cambridge where the Schools are not like that of theirs neither is the waiting in order to the Ministry like that of the Sons of the Prophets at Iericho but rather like that of those to whom it was said tarry at Iericho till your beards be growne which injunction many of our Iunior Academicall Students do not keep neither for howbeit Barbá non facit Philosophâ—m nec cucullus Monachum much lesse do either of these make Ministrum Christi yet severall of them if a good Living can be had before do not abide so long as till they be Masters of either beard or hood but are ready to run out with the shells on their heads and to hasten into their humane work of Prophesie before that time But at Bethel i.e. the house of the Lord waiting at the gates of wisdome it self and watching daily at the posts of her house taking councel at the mouth of God out of which onely cometh knowledge and understanding learning of him in silence with all subjection to his will as in the light it is manifest concerning themselves first in the particular purging their own persons first from youthfull and noysom lusts that they may go forth if the Lord please to send them and say go as Vessels of honour sanctified and fitted for the Masters use and prepared to every good work tarrying at Ierusalem till they he indued with power from on high till of carnall Babes in Christ as they are at first walking as other men having a remainder of strife and such divisions as are seen in children they may proceed Men indeed skilfull in the work of righteousnesse having their senses exercised to discern both good and evil and commence Masters not of Arts but over their own hearts and spiritual or Prophets which are intimated to be all one by the Apostle in the same Epistle wherein he saith some are yet but babes and in a measure carnal and all are not yet spiritual nor Prophets 1 Corinth 3.1 2,3 1 Corinth 12.29 1 Cor. 4.37 yet all to covet the gift of Prophecy as the best of Spirituall Gifts yet inferiour in excellency to that way of love Though then I say all be not Prophets yet all spiritual ones are prophets or more then Prophets and
repentance and if need be to expound the Scripture unto them according to the true mind of Christ exprest therein which these Theopneustoi only have and not the most excellent and expert of their Expositors who have it not by pure Revelation from the Spirit 1 Cor. 2.10.15 16. for there are true Prophets abroad that are truly moved in what they speak and write by the Spirit of the Lord though I. O. saith they are not as well as false who are not moved of the Spirit when they say they are there are pneumaticoi and agioi Theou anthropoi upo tou agiou pneumatos pheromenci spiritual and holy men of God carried out by the holy Spirit as of old as Amos and other Prophets were who are able to manifest more of the mind of God and open the old Scripture and give out more of the true meaning thereof by writing and preaching in an houre being in the Light and Wisdome of that Spirit of God which gave it forth then is opened truly by the worldly-wise and spiritually-dim-sighted-Divines in all those vast Volumes that they vent out of their own infinite inventions and in all the Sermons that such Simonists from the supposed spiritual gifts they have got with their own money and give out again by way of sale to the people for their money throughout the year yea there 's more truth told and more of the riches of Christ and of the hidden mysteries of the Gospel that have as of old been kept secret again since the dayes of Apostacy from the Apostolical ministration brought to light in this iuncture and much more will be in the day that 's yet but dawning by some one Sheep of Christ that went astray after the hollow voice of selfish Shepherds who served and fed themselves under a seeming shew of serving and feeding the Flock but is now returned to hear the Voice of the great Shepherd and Over-seer of Souls then by ninety and nine of thoâ—eforesaid hireling Shepherds that never yet went astray from themselves or the serving of themselves since they began to be other mens Masters and their own servants to this day there are I say sundry such spiritually inspired ones not a few of which are moved and sent of the Lord as his Messengers and Scribes both by writing and word of mouth to warn a wicked seed of Serpents and Generation of Vipers to repent and bring forth fruits worthy of amendment of life and to flee from the wrath that is now neer to come upon them as on children of disobedience to the Light of God in their own consciences who lay the Lords Axe to every stout Oak of Bashan and tall Cedar of Lebanon and every tree that 's lofty and lifted up to the root of every fruitless fig-tree that hath long cumbred the ground since the Lord hath spared it in hopes of fruit and is yet covered with no other covering then Adam and Eve made to themselves when they had sinned even the broad fig-leaves of fair forms good words sacred shews ample appearances Cains Sacrifices Esau's tears fleshly Israels formal fastings proud Pharises misfigured faces hypocrites holinesses painted pretences as little possession as much profession as little walking in as much talking of Truth Bible beautifying letter landing Anti-Scriptural Scripture defending discourses without that Life of Holiness Power of Godliness and fruits of Righteousness it calls for There are several who with Habakknk Ch. 2.1 are got upon their watch Tower hearkning to what God saith in them who have found nothing to answer when the Lord hath risen up to visit them and when they have been reproved by him Iob 31. but have sat speechle sand ashamed in silence before him bearing his indignation because they have sinned against him and have had their filth purg'd away by the Spirit of Iudgement and burning and felt woe within themselves as men undone of unclean lips and dwelling among people of unclean lips at the sight of the King the Lord of Hosts whose iniquity hath been taken away and their sin purged by the touching of their lips with a live coal from the Altar to whom as they have waited for it the Vision hath come at the time appointed and hath not tarried who having tasted of the cup of trembling within themselves Hab. 3. and known the terrour of the Lord as all the Prophets and true Apostles did before they were sent of the Lords Errand to perswade others 2 Cor. 5. and having seen the Son of man coming in his Kingdome in righteousness to judge the world and all the people with equity have since been sent among such as hate them that reprove in the gates and make men offenders for a word from the Lord to sound an Alarum to cry aloud and not spare but lift up their voice as a Trumpet telling the people that seem to delight in approaching to God and seek him daily asking of him the Ordinances of Iustice and not for saking the outward Ordinance of their God but are frequent in fasting and afflicting their Souls and hanging down their heads like a bull-rush for a day and calling out Lord give us light for we are in the dark direct us in thy truth lead and guide us in right paths and such like as if they did delight to know Gods wayes as a Nation that did righteousness telling such I say that they may fast long enough and yet God take no knowledge of it and find no pleasure in their fasts so long as in and after their fasts they find their own pleasure and live in strife and debate and sue Christs sheep at the Law for Tythes and not only tear off the Fleece from their backs but flea their very skins and flesh from their bones and smite with the fist of wickedness and that this is not at all to fast to the Lord nor the way to have their voice to be heard on high while their hands are full of blood and their singers defiled with blood and their lips speak lies and their tongues mutter perversenesse proudly contemptuously and disdainfully against the righteous and they hatch Cockatrice Eggs and weave the Spiders web and make such Laws as intangle the innocent which venemous creatures can crawl over and escape out of That the Fast which God hath chosen is to loose the bands of wickedness to let the oppressed Israel or just Seed of God go Free from the house of Bondage into which that spirit of Pharoah hath brought them and to undo the heavy burden and break every yoke within and without c. which doing their light shall break forth as the morning and their health shall spring forth speedily and they shall call and the Lord will answer and say Here am I when they cry and he will guide them himself continually by his light from himself in their own hearts and their light shall rise out of obscurity and their darkness be as the noon-day otherwise
Spirit also by himself as saying one thing and meaning another and so would set the Spirits words and the Spirits meanings at odds and together by the eares against themselves Christ enlightens only such men as are spiritually inlightned Nor secondly if he had said so would it have followed that every individual man is not enlightned for of a truth every individuall man is not only enlightned but also spiritually enlightned for he that is enlightned to discern spiritual things good or bad spiritual wickednesses or spiritual righteousness many sins and duties and divine attributes which are all spirituall objects and some of them some of those things of the Spirit which the meer natural man without the Spirits revealing cannot know because they are spiritually discerned that man must be spiritually enlightned so out of a better Bow then the Devils even that of Iosephs which abides in strength I shoot back T Ds second Arrow again thus against himself as that which hath done us no harm howbeit he meant it otherwise it being in his mind to have mischief'd the Truth viz. Christ enlightens every man that is spiritually enlightned witness T D p 36 but every individuall man is more or lesse even spiritually inlightned i. e. to discern spiritual objects which by the Spirits revealing them only and not naturally but spiritually only or by the Spirit are to be discerned witness T D again p 1 therefore Christ inlightens every individuall man 3 T D who hath mostly two hath here a third string to his Bow left the two first should not hold from which he shoots thus viz. He enlightens some of every Nation Kindred Tongue and People as the phrase is Rev. 5.9 Repl. And this however he meanes pinchingly yet is true too in terminis that Christ enlightens some every where a number in all Nations as he expresses it over again p. 36. for the termes all and every one are conclusive continually of some but that Arrow reaches not far enough to wound our universal construction so long as the termes some a number many without a but put to them whereby to bolt out othersome which is wanting here though elsewhere added and by and by to be talkt with is not exclusive of all men of every man nor of any man and so his bow and bolts shoots too short to hit the Butt still Nor is the Phrase Rev. 5 9 which T D in his fancy fellows and Identifies with this in Iohn 1 9 like it in any wise for one is enlightens every man in the world the other Redeemed us out of every Nation c. were it Redeemed every man in every Nation and made every man in every Nation and Kindred c. a King a Priest to God c. then it had been somewhat neeâ— a Kin to it indeed Thus T D by his single self with all his sharpest shafts or sorry shifts can make nothing stick to the gaining of any ground against us nor so much as to stirre us a hairs breadth from our interest in it much lesse to storm us out of the strong Hold we have in that high place of Scripture wherein the Qua. stand over the head of the Serpent to the bruising of it Let us see sith vis unita fortior what the joyned forces of him and I. O. together can do for they two who fight as under from that Text in some of their several senses against the Qua. fall in together in one of their four or five senses even that which hath the least sense and reason in it of all the rest and so of two make one most senselesse head against the Qua. and the Text and the Truth or true sense of the Spirit no lesse plainly imported and implyed to any but that darkness which comprehends not the true light when it shines in it then it is plainly end evidently exprest therein That sense I shall joyn issue in against them both at last but there lies on single sense of I O wherein T. D. joyns not with him wherewith I. O. shoots out of the same Bow as hard as he can against us though too short to hit or hurt us the which must be shot back again upon himself first in the service of the Qua. and the Truth which it serves perfectly while not at all themselves nor their own false doctrine and then I shall have the more Field-Room to fight them both in about the other The sense of I. O. which is not only his own neither though T. D. appears not to own it with him for I have seen others besides as himself seeking to shuffle off the Truth with it is this viz. Christ coming into the world inlightens every man and this sense seems to be ushered in with a deal of pâ—mp and ceremony as if I O was confident of carrying the cause by it when it first Center'd within his conciet and so intended to act his Triumph over the Qua. before his effecting of the victory I shall set down some of his triumphant matter wherein he marches on towards the Text where he meets us and make some occasionall notes on some crosse whets to himself and halts and inter-feeres he makes by the way I. O Videanâ—us porro quid contra garriunt Fanatici ut que operam dent quacum ratione aliqua insanire videantur c. Ex. 4. S. 23 24. Le ts see quoth he what the Quakers prate to the contrary and how they do their best to shew that they are not mad without some Reason but they bring no new thing they are old worn out Arminian matters they bring a thousand times confuted already they have nothing more frequently in their mouth then those words concerning Christ John I. 2 They never make a more horrid out-cry then when they come upon this place here they fain wonderfull triumphs to themselves and not a little cast ignominy on their adversaries Repl. No otherwise I say still do we reproach then as the Virgin of Sion Isai. 37.21 22. Despised laughed to scorn shook her head at the insolent filliness of the haughty Assyrian that reproached blasphemed exalted his voice and lifted up his eyes on high against the Holy One of Israel in his Truth and People o're whom he looked so superciliously as if he would pluck them out of Sion by the eareâ— when he was not so much as to shoot an Arrow that should reach to do any execution there No otherwise then as plain Ephraim the people and the honest hearted Sons of Sion are at this day in the Spirit and Power of the Lord to be raised against thy silly-seemingly-wise Sons O Greece and to be made against you Greekish Scribes and Disputers of this world as the Sword of a mighty man and a polished Shaft and his Bow and Arrows and Battel-Axe in his hand to beat down aud break in pieces the Horse and his Rider and as the Potters Clay the works of them that turn Gods things
distemper drunken thoughts imaginations and a mans own reasonings it s the Gospel the first Principle of pure Religion they that profess to believe the Scriptures in God in Christ yet believe not in this Light deny Christ and though they profess some of Christs and the Apostles words yet none confess Christ but who confess the Light that they who teach not this are Teachers of the world Antichrists Deceivers c. the Letter i.e. Scripture is not the Light nor the Word More to the same purpose is say they and truly enough say I delivered by G. F. Hubberthorn and many more insomuch that Faâ—nworth saith Loving the Light it will guide you to God from all men that ye need never look at man more And page 37. They i.e. Qua. assert 1 That there is a Light in every man 2 That this is sufficient to guide them to God of it self 3 That it is a Rule to shew duty and sin 4 That there need no other teaching of man 5 That this is one in all 6 That it is the Gospel This is the main prop of the new Antichristian Religion or frenzy of the Qua. By all which its plain that these Four do as one man withstand and resist this Truth the Qua. testifie concerning the general love and Grace of God in Christ Iesus to all mankind i.e. every individual man in their above cited sayings so far as to give them All any such measure of saving Light as puts them but into a possibility for life if they never so well improve it and the universality of a Light in men sufficient to save them or which is all one the sufficiency of that Light to save from sin which is asserted by the Qua to be in some measure given by Christ universally to all men I shall therefore address my self to a little farther examination of what the Scriptures declare for and our Four Divines against the Truth of God in these particulars whose oppositions of it are much what from the same grounds and those no other then the same that are made use of by all personal Electionists to push at that precious Doctrine of the general Love of God to the Whole World in vouchsafing some measure of no less then truly saving Grace universally to all and every individual in it or of Light sufficient to lead to life such as follow it to each particular person among mankind so that not any perish for want of the Love of God and Christ to them or of willingness in God and Christ to have them saved or of true strivings of their Holy Spirit with them to draw them from the way of death or of Light sufficient to lead them out of that darkness that destroyes them or of Power and Saving Grace given them from God to work out their own Salvation or of Christ the Saviours dying for them and offering himself a Ransome for every one as well as any one or of sufficiency in him to save such as come to God by him or of true tender of life peace and Reconciliation with God to him or of true purpose and intent in God and Christ to receive them to mercy on condition of their repentance or of space given them to repent in and return or upon the account of any particular personal Pâ—â—destination or Râ—pâ—bation of them to condemnation per saltum peremptorily inalterably before they were born without reference had to impenitency in ungodliness foreseen or upon any such like considerations as our Divines hold forth but meerly through their own slighting of that Love resistings of the foresaid strivings despising of the riches of that Grace long-suffering and forbearance refusing to be led to Repentance by that Light and by it to come to that Saviour from whom it comes not turning at the reproofs of it not improving the said Gift of the Power of God and manifestation of the Spirit given to profit withall not putting themselves forth according to the measure of it in them but receiving it in vain not trading with the Talent but trifling away the acceptable time the day of Gods Salvation the day given to them wherein the Lord would hear and succour them not minding therein the things that make for their peace till hid from their eyes These and such like as fall out only on mans part who remains in the Enmity when God is in Christ reconciling not imputing trespasses to the world but as the world goes on obstinately therein destroying themselves whilst in God still is or was their help nevertheless whether they hear or forbear live or die be saved or damned are the sole causes of mens destruction and perdition who perish not at all according to the Will of God desiring it should be so if salva veritatis voluntatis immutabilitatis justitiae gloria without violation to his Iustice Truth and purely good and immutable will which is that the godly shall prosper and the ungodly perish it may be otherwise though yet permitting it so to be when there is no remedy CHAP III. ANd this that Christ died for all men without exception and God in him intends salvation to all as truly willing they should have it rather then not if in their own obstinate wills they withstand it not by refusing to return when he draws them as he truly tenders it to them and hath of his own free Love and Grace impowered them as well to receive it if they will as to reject it if they will and vouchsafed them all some measure though not the same measure of the true Light which is sufficient to guide All that follow on to know him in it to that saving knowledge of himself and Christ which is Life eternal is from the whole scope of Scripture as certain to him who is not blinded with that Sorcerer that could not see the Sun as 't is that I O sayes falsly the contrary is certain from innumerable places of it out of which I argue in proof of the foresaid Truths as followeth Argum. 1. If it were so certain as these men say 't is by their spokesman I O Ex. 4. S. 13 17. that God doth not savingly enlighten all and every man but some only i.e. the Elect that he must be blind and void of all spiritual understanding that dreames to the contrary and that Christ in no wise vouchsafes saving Light to all and every man nor any measure of that Gracâ— that is sufficient to save men let them attend to it never to well then he could not say truly and honestly without a lye that this wayes are equall and as he lives he had rather the wicked should turn from his wickedness and live then die in and for it fith he might in a way of consistency with the unchangeableness of his unchangeable Decree concerning the death of finall Impenitents put them at least into a capableness to chuse life and possibility to come to it if they would as
which yet ye count an unalterable Rule is variable alterable flexible at Criticks wills by the changing of some one point or Hebrew Letter alike in sound or shape no less then eight several wayes in that one very word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and some of those as countradictory each to other as Life to Death as is shewed more at large above besides all various Lections that are risen by I. Os. confession from the actual mistakes of them it Transcribers But the Light however men run out into various conceits and imaginations about this or that which and what is or is not agreeable to it is inviolably the same for ever the Councell and foundation of God which is Christs Light in the heart the Rock of ages stands sure let the drunkards of Ephraim rock and reel too and fro or ramble about and run out whether they will after their own councells and inventions Reas. The 3 and 4 are both of one unlearned leven and coincident with what 's urg'd above viz. if the light within men were a safe guide and ride then 't were unnecessary unsafe and foolish for men to seek councell of others each might be guided by his lightâ— also then the meetings of Quakers to consult about and 〈◊〉 in Commuâ—â—on to Teach each other or to Communicate revelations is needless and vain sith each may guide himself That 's done in vaâ—â— by more which may be done by 〈◊〉 c. Rep. Frustra sit per pâ—ara quod porest fleri tâ—m bene per pauciora that 's done in vain by more that may be done as well by lesse Is true but what may be done better by more then fewer is not in vain and therefore as vis unita fortior is true among Schollars so in the multitude of councellors there 's in many cases so much the more safety is as true among Christians yet it proves not but that there 's also security to assurance enough wheee every one attends to that of God within himself Therefore it 's neither unsafe nor foolish as ye foolâ—shly affirm but may be both safe and profitable for so the Apostles and Elders did of old Act. 15. Who yet in all were guided by the Spirit to meet together in councell but it s in no wise so absolutely necessary as ye make it to seek for other Teachings then that of the Light and Spirit of God within in order to each mans holy living much lesse such as is given out in your Synods where ye teach Gods worship and fear after your own thoughts and traditions yea to such as are turn'd to the Spirits teaching 't is said ye need not that any man teach you save as the same anointing teacheth you of all things which is truth no lye and if we do hear men speak that are moved by the Spirit it s not in vain it being all one whether that holy Spirit speak in me or in another to me we still own no other teaching but that of the anointing and so the Apostles though met in councell yet concluded no other things to be imposed on men then what seemed good to them and the holy Spirit which taught them and impos'd not as ye do what seems good to your selves who deny also the guidance of that infallible Spirit to be present in the world at this day Reas. 5. Then it s in vain to desire and expect revelations and discoveries which they had not before sith they have the light within of themselves Therefore when they compose themselves to their quaking fits that they may have some word of the Lord to speak to people what 's this but an hypocriticall devise blasphemous false and unrighteous or else needless Sith they have a light within them sufficient to guide them without other revelation Rep. This is nothing but an addition to these mens many lyes for which they must know part in the laâ—â— and blasphemâ—us reproachâ—s of the Qua. Who own no such thing as a light in men that is of themselves but that only which is though in them yet of God As for composing of themselves to quaking fits Hypocriticall devices and pretences of new revelations and much more such like Riff-raff as is reckon'd to them in this 5th Reason the Qua. deny them who expect no other then true revelations of that old true Gospell in that way of waiting on God in that true old Light R. B. and I. Ts. Title Page pretends to exalt but their book ignorantly and impiously depresses as new light and darknesse in which true old light â—f God in the heart it was ever revealed from faith to faith to the Just who lived by faith in that light before the letter was Reas. 6. By ascâ—ibing so much to the light within them Satan hath advantage to draw men to hoâ—â—id acts sith what ever he can imprint on them as their light they must receive it without any examination and obey it Rep. What silly stuff is this As if because Satan may transform himselfe as an Angell of Light in mens hearts to decieve them if they look not well to the true light of God that shines therein and receive not the truth told by it in the love thereof Therefore there 's no true light there shining As if because there 's much errour and many lyes that the Father of lyes and Ruler of the darkness seeks to beguile by and does beguile unstable soules by Therefore there 's no truth to be beguiled from and to be sâ—aid upon Scilicet sic aiunt praedicâ—nt clamitant non probant Reas. 7. Then he that 's counted unlearned and foolish if he follow his own light doth as well as he that 's never so wise and learned whereas Solomon tells Eccl. 2.13 14. That wisdome excells folly as far as light excells darkness Rep. Why not He that 's counted unlearn'd and foolish by the wise men of this world who follow the foolishnesse of their own fleshly fancies whose wisdom is foolishness with God if he follow the light of God doth not only as well but a thousand-sold better then such wise and learned as abovesaid and the wisdome of these that are fools with you excelleth your seeming wisdome in which ye are acting real folly as far as light excelleth darkness by all which wisdome of your own ye cannot discern so much as your own Scipture which tells you of a way which is called the way of holiness in which the unclean cannot walk though never so worldly wise yet the way-faring man that walks in it though a fool shall not erre therein Isa. 35.8 Reas. 8. Then the Phylosophers Light was sufficient to guide them for surely they had as much Light without the Scripture as any and did improve it to the utmost and the Jewish Rabbins besides the natural light in them did by the study of the Law and Traditions of Elders endeavour to attain the knowledge of God to whom yet Christ was foolishness
to pay his Creditor 20l. should never pay it him upon the pretence of an impossibility to perform his promise if he do once pay the mony I must ever owe him the monâ—y and stand engaged to endeavour to pay it therefore unlesse I make my selfe uncapable of performing my promise which I am alwayes mindfull of performing I must never actually pay it But now as to T. D's place who would it seems willingly be alwayes in Gods debt during his life but never come out of it till after death ever owing so much love as fulfills the Law but never practising it so as to fulfill the Law I must arrest him for all his shift and deny the minor of his Argument We are not required to be alwayes doing or endeavoring to suppre is and mortify sin so as never to bring the work to accomplishment in th ss life but once to effect it before we dye for As they are blamed that are over learning and never able to come to the knowledg of the Truth So are they as little accepted that are allwayes seeking to God dayly in pretence as a Nation that had a mind to do Righteousness asking of him the Ordinances of Iustice seeming to take delight in approaching to God that they might know his wayes alwayes when the appointed time comes Fasting and Praying humbling and afflicting their Souls for a day and hanging down their heads as a Bullrush thinking that to be a Fast of the Lords chusing and the acceptable day of the Lord yet never loosing the bands of wickednesse nor undoing the heavy burden nor breaking every yoak nor letting the oppressed Seed of God in their own hearts nor without neither go free ever and anon fasting for sin never from it ever reforming never reformed ever running never obtaining alwayes making a shew of mortifying sin never making any true effectuall mortification of it ever warring never overcoming nor quenching the fiery darts of the wicked nor dislodging the vain thoughts that are in them nor coming to the end of the Commandement which is love from a pure heart good conscience and faith unfamed allwayes beating the aire but never keeping under the body nor bringing it into subjection to the power of Truth ever owing that love which works no ill but fulfills the Law never performing any thing but that hatred which breaks the law debtors alwayes to the Spirit but living after the flesh and never by the Spirit mortifying the deeds of the body that they may live to God such sluggardly wishers and wouldens and seekers and respecters and pretenders and striuers and runners fighters reformers and mortifiers will be cast away at length for all their constant endeavours sith they do not so much as look to overtake what they run after nor reach the high prize they professe to presse to in this life which if they do not themselves say also t is to late to effect and obtaine it after death But Qui cupit optatam cursu contingere metam Multa tulit fecitque puer sintavit alsit 'T is good for a man to bear Christs Yoak in his youth sith the Soul of the sluggard desireth and hath nothing but the Soul of the diligent shall be made far As for the residue of T. Ds. reply to the argument above as some of it has bin toucht on before so what was not is scarce worth mentioning He tells us v. 6. which talks of respect to all Gods Commands explaines all the other Rep. T. D. sayes so but wher 's his proof beside if it be so a true real respect though such a slender one as he rests in does not stands in a due and true observation of them is he worthy to be respected as a true respecter of Gods Commandements that breaks them T.D. David excludes himself from the blessed Estate if undefiled and doing no iniquity be meant strictly here sith his wish v. 5. and other passages shew he was not free from sin which surely David did not intend because Psal. 32.2.5 he pronounces blessednesse to the man in whose Spirit is no guile who is sincere as himself was at that time though then under the guilt as is supposed by interpreters of his great sin of murder and adultery for which Psal. 51. was composed Rep. 1st some of this dirty stuff I spoke to but a little before the falsehood of which is evident for whereas the Scripture sayes David was not upright in the matter of Uriah T.D. sayes yea he was sincere and had no guile in his Spirit when under the guilt of those great sins 2d as to the rest what if David did exclude himself If he were under those great evills he might well exclude himself from the blessednesse of sincere ones till he came into the sense of Gods Love again to repentance while he pronounced the undefiled ones blessed that did no such iniquity he had reason to take the curse as his own portion to himself and to cry out of himself Talaiporos Anthroyos O wretched man that I am more deservedly then Paul who though in zeal of God shedding blood yet was 't is like never such a deep Adulterer and deliberate Murderer as David was in Vriahs case and as God said to Israel Hos 9.1 so might David say to himself rejoyce not thou as other honest people for thou aâ—t gone a who â—ing from thy God and if that were his case as thou intimatest it was wherein he was so desperately defiled with filth and blind he might well exclude himself from it having no reason to take to himself the blessing of the undefiled or whether he excluded himself or no from it this I am sure for all thy foolish dreams about Davids good Condition Iustification Blessednesse and Vprightness whilst under the guilt of those sordid Iniquities that the Scripture excludes him in that case so far from blessednesse that it concludes him neither upright as thou simply dost not so much as a respecter of Gods Commands which at least thou dorest he was even when he called that all abomination whiles thou Judg him as Indeed thou doest to have respect to Gods commandments that despises both God and him for 2 Sam. 12. as much as thou smoothest over those abominable businesses the better to sooth thy self and some sinful Saints like thy self in your lusts and iniquities as no more then Saints infirmities who have respect to all Gods Commandemets in respect of design and indeavour though falling short in accomplishing yet when Nathan came to him well-nigh a year after he had lyen in that dirty pickle in impenitency under the guilt of those gross impieties he is so far from sowing pillows and daubing with such untempered morter as thou dost and from including him in the lists of sincerity and owning him as one that had respect to all Gods Commands that he convinces him of his wicked hypocrisies and condemns him as one that had despised both God himself and
good as any of that Religion or Righteousness of our morally unrighteous Pharisaical Christians now gloryed in by our literallists legallists must be made no other then parralel'd with that of man Phil. 3. 6. which had no more also then the Testimony of man as to that denomination of blamlesness Righteousnesse yet was in truth because lying in outward observation of fleshly ceremony more than inward Righteousness and morality no more worth than meer dung with God and as to justification of any one in his sight that doted on it As to that of Zachariah's being guilty of acting sin at that very time in which be as said to be Righteous for which he was punished with dumnes whereupon I told him then that in Elizabeth their was no fault found however and so one instance might stop his mouth who call'd for an instance of one single person only but quoth he shee might be no more free from sin then he though there 's no mention of any sin of hers Rep. I prov'd her to be blameless and righteous from the Text it self it lyes in him to assign some sin of hers if shee had any but that he cannot do but confesses there 's no mention of any So that instance stands ore his head still and whereas at the Taile of his double Tale about his and her sins he tells another to make them three viz. that my mouth was stopt and I was silenced had nothing to Reply because I thought fit to be silent when enough was said T. D. doth but mistake himself for 't was his own mouth that was then stopt insomuch that I saw and heard some of those that stood about him take notice of him as meerly cavelling in that matter but he that chuses to Outword them he cavills with though to little purpose must chuse to have the last word if he can But whereas T. D. sayes thus but in a word to put it out of doubt Zachariah was at that time found guilty of the sin of unbelief and was punisht for it I say it s more then he will ever prove while he lives that he was so at all much lesse in the very time of which its said that he was Righteous For 1st that time was before the time of his not-believing of which its said that in it he was Righteous But 2d in a word to put it out of doubt and bring both instances clear ore his head again ther 's no such thing mentioned in the least of Zachariahs sinning much lesse of being punisht for his sin for howbeit he did not so fully at first as he did after believe the Angells news of his having a Son it being very unlikely sith his wife and he both were very old and thereupon desired honestly a sign by which he might the more assuredly know and give credit to it as others without sin desired in like cases the like before him yet is he neither blamed nor threatned nor lesse puisht as T. D. dreams with dumbnesse for not believing till he had a sign as for a Sin but his dumbnesse was given as an answer of his desire of a sign and as a sign of the certainty of the thing that he might the more undoubtedly believe it Eccle. 1.18.19.20 whereby shall I know this glad Tidings quoth Zachariah for we are old Behold quoth the Angel thou shalt be dumb till the day that these things shall be performed since thou believest not my words which shall be fulfilled in their season There remains one Scripture more that T. D. urged against perfection which he desired my answer to at the propounding of which he sayes I was silenced and yet brings me in himself as answering to it in the very next words that I spake at all whereby men may see how he makes a matter of nothing of it to utter lies and to prove them to be lyes as soon as he has done The Text is Eccles. 7.20 there is not a just man upon earth that doth good and sinneth not the sum of my answer which T. D. renders as raggedly as he can so that men may not tell what to make of it was this viz. There are no dwellers upon earth that sin not but there are some that have a bodily abode upon earth whose dwelling is not on earth but in Heaven whose conversation or Politeuma or habitation Mil. 3.20 cheif businesse being abode and dwelling is in Heaven whom all the inhabitants of the earth or earthly minded men on all whom the day of the Lord comes as a snare Luke 21. viz. the Beast and his worshippers who are said to dwell on earth Rev. 11.10 do Blaspheme Rev. 13 6. and these people of God in Heaven who also are Heaven where God himself dwells Isa. 57. Isa 66. Rev. 18.20.19.1 Sin not as all they do wo to them therefore that are inhabitants of the earth for the Devil is cast out of Heaven and hath no place there and is come down to the other in great wrath But they that are in Heaven are on Mount-Sion with the Lamb redeemed from the earth and in their mouth is found no guile for as the Lamb himself who is their Saviour is unspotted doing no evill so are they without fault before the Throne of God Rev. 14.1.3.5 which answer of mine which was also G.Ws. is mine here again to T.D. so far was I then from using it as a meer evasion as T. D. sayes he verily believes I then did in mine own Iudgment and intention But T. D. not well knowing what to reply to it replyes nothing at all to it in his Rejoinder but p. 7.2 pamp calls it absurd and not worth a further reply then what he gives p 13. 1 pamp which is so jejune that I can find nothing in it but skin and bone he tells us the Iust man being in Heaven in our sense excludes not his local being here on earth Rep. Nor do we say it does though he there thinks we do think so but what of this we deny not his bodily and local abode here on earth T.D. who can do no other then give us all our questions cannot and therefore doth nor deny but confesse it that he hath a present being also in Heaven and that 's as much as we need wish him to yeild to as in order to the yeilding us our cause and if he should deny a true real being of the Sons of God in Heaven while they are locally and bodily here on earth we should force him to confesse it from Iohn 3.13 where it s said of the Son of man mark in praesenti that he is in Heaven while yet he stood bodily on the earth He tells us we run very low in this answer but alas it is too high for him who is on earth with all his reason to reach any sound Reply to as in us seems to be without us and inward to be outward to him who lives
the world by some measure of Light at least shining from himself enlightening as it 's said every man that comes into the world shining in darkness in the dark consciences of men though the darkness comprehend it not holding by the hand also as it were leading by the hand those that being in nared in chains of darkness thrust down into the Pit do not winke with their eyes to the further blinding of them but according to the councel of Christ himself believe in the Light whilst they have it that they may become children of the Light for I am the Light of the world saith Christ He that followeth me shall not walk in darkness but shall have the Light of Life also I am come a Light into the world that whosoever believeth in me may not remain in darkness I came not to damn the world but to save the world 8. In this manner therefore is Christ the Salvation of the world as he is the Light of the world destroying the works of the Devil who hath wrought in the darkness to the setting up of a Principality and a Kingdom to himself in the hearts of men and redeeming men from the power of the Prince of the darkness of this world unto God who is Light and to see Light even the Light of life in his Light 9. In like manner doth the Prophet Isaiah affirm Christ to be given of God for a Covenant to the people for a light to the Nations to open the blind eyes and to bring out of Prison them that sit in darkness even the blind which have eyes and see not and after him Paul testifieth that Christ was set as a Light to the Nations that he might be the Lords Salvation to the ends of the earth Simeon also speaking by the holy Spirit of the child Iesus calls him that Salvation of his which the Lord had prepared before the face of all people to be a Light to lighten the Nations and the glory of his people Israel 10. In as much therefore as Christ is the light of the world he is the Saviour of the world and so far only are men saved by him as they believe in him who is the Light and in that Light wherewith he doth enlighten every man in his own conscience and set themselves to walk after it which leads no man into iniquity and so far forth are all men liable to condemnation before God as they walk not in this which is in them howbeit not consenting to any but testifying against all iniquiry even the least and also reproving and condemning it even in them who are not in it but walking contrary to it in the darkness 11. For although God in his great love gave his Son for a Light not that he might damn the world but that the world through him might be saved and be that believeth in him is not condemned yet he that believeth 〈◊〉 is condemned already and this is the condemnation that Light is come into the world into the inmost consciences of men there manifesting good and evill but men love the darkness rather then the Light because their deeds are evill for he that doth evill harsth the Light neither cometh to the Light â—ast his deeds should be reproved but who so doth truth he cometh to the Light what his deeds may be made manifest that they are wrought in God 12. And al though all that obtain justification are justified freely by the grace of the Lord through the Redemption that is made in Iesus Christ alone Yea cursed be he and cursed will he be that seeks for justification any other way for he who is the Light of the world is also that Corner stone which however it be set at nought by a thousand and thousand of the 〈◊〉 is yet made the head of the corner neither is there salvation in any other nor is there any other name save that of Christ the Light under heaven given among men whereby they must be saved Nevertheless no further is any man accepted of God or justified by Christ or the grace of God in Christ then as he is directed by Christ the Light and is by the grace of God by that inward with 〈◊〉 of God by the light of God and Christ in his conscience which is given of God for this very end that it may teach and lead taught and led unto repentance from the unfruitfull works of darkness 13. For this Light shewes the riches of the goodness and long suffering and forbearance of him who is long suffering to-us-ward not will that any should perish but that all should come to us by repentance is that very grace of God bringing Salvation that hath appeared to all men teaching all that will learn what it teacheth that denying ungodlyness and worldly lusts they should live soberlys righteously and godly in this 〈◊〉 world which kind of life will otherwise be to late to begin to live in the world to come which grace being received in vain how much more being despised by the hardness of the heart refusing to repent wrath is treasured up against the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgement of God who will render unto every one according to his works to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and immortality eternall life but unto them that are contentious and obey not the truth but obey unrighteousnes indignation and wrath For tribulation and anguish is to come upon every soul of man that worketh evill but glory honour and peace to every one that worketh good hath to the Jew and also to the Greek for there is no respect of persons with God but in every Nation he that â—eaâ—eth him and manketh righteousness is accepted with him but the wicked and him that loveth violence his soul rateth 14. And howsoever the world which is call'd Christian together with the manifold Sects Professors and meerly nominal Christians and Ministers thereof may dream that they have Christ their Redeemer very often calling him Lord Iesus continuing in the mean time in all disobedience to his Light yet the foundation of the Lord standeth sure having this Seal the Lord knoweth who are his and let every one that nameth the of Christ depart from iniquity 15. For the day of the Lord draweth nigh wherein both every man and his deeds shall be made manifest for the day which is the Light shall declare them for they shall be revealed by fire and the fire shall try every mans works of what sort they are and in that day all those Dâ—eamers shall be awakened and shall know that as concerning the truth they have erred far from the mark and that not every one that saith unto Christ Lord Lord shall enter into the Kingdome of Heaven but he that doth what Christ saith and what the will is of his Father whâ—ch is in heaven and though they have prophecyed
in his name and done great things nevertheless for as much as they departed not from iniquity they shall be doom'd from Christ with Dâ—part from me ye workers of iniquity I know you not 16. Then shall the whole multitude of Transgressors of the Law i. e. of the Light of God in the conscience by which all even those that have not the Law written in an outward letter are a Law to themselves having the work of the Law written in their hearts that the Lamb of God came not to tolerate but to take away the sin of the world and that Iesus was sent not to give liberty to sin but to set his people at liberty from their sins and that in the greatest liberty wherwith Christ freeth his people there is the least licence and that the Father having raised up his Son hath sent him to blesse men they turning away every one of them from his iniquitie that those blessed ones to whom the the Lord imputeth not sin whâ—se iniquities aâ—e forgiven whose sin is covered are such in whose Spirit there is no guile and that there is in no wise any remission of sins unto those who still accustome themselves to a dayly commission of them 17. Moreover the great and terrible day of the Lord now cometh wherein the Light which is risen in the conâ—ciences of men shall dayly more and more clearly shine forth in which also the â—he book of conscience must be opened that â—ut of it all men may be judged according to all things that are written therein where by the Light which is Gods faithfull witness all sin is written down in the sight of God as with a Pen of Iron in which day by the Light God will come night to us to judgement and then the righteousness grace and mercy of God shall be revealed towards all who standing still in his Light wait for him to come as a Redeemer to them from their impieries that they may be saved from the wrath that is to come upon all the children of disobedience by which light the wrath of God shall be manifested from Heaven in their own conâ—ciences against all ungodliness unrighteousness of men who retain the Truth in unrighteousness in which day God will reign down upon the wicked Snares Fire Brunstone and an horrible tempest all which things shall be the portion of their Cup. 18. Moreover in the hand of God there is now a cup and the Wine thereof is Red and it is full of mixture and he poureth one of the same and Iudgment is begun at the House of God and God hath begun to bring evil upon the people upon whom his Name is written and his Nature Image is imprinted they whose portion it is not in such a measure as they have drunk of the Cup of abomination and fornication have drunk also of the Cup of indignation and wrath before they could take the Cup of Salvation and praiâ—e the name of the Lord in no wise therefore shall the wicked go unpunished but the worshippers of the Beast and those that receive his image must drink also of this wine which is poured one of the mixture into the cup of his indignation and shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy Angells and of the Lamb yea the very dregs hereof the top whereof the Children of the Light and of the Day have tasted the Children of the Night and of the Darkness that is all the wicked ones of the earth shall drink and wring them out 19. Wherefore whilst in the long suffering of God opportunity is not wanting unto you whilst the day of your Visitation is neer unto you from God let my councell be accepted of you All and turn your selves to the light of Christ in your own consciences and take councell thereat for ever which seriously and sincerely minding you shall be taught by Christ himself whose Testimony to you from heaven that is to your both externall internall and eternall Peace and Salvation and shall be brought to Christ himself and to see him and his Father from both whom it comes to the saving knowledg of whom there can be no coming any other way whatsoever for as the Sun of this outward world is not seen but by that Light which flows from it self unto us so neither is the Sun of righteousnesse but by that measure of Light how little soever it be that shines from him in the heart 20. For although the Scripture which speakes of the Light and directs to the Light maketh mention of the Father and of the Son so that there ye may read of them and speak of them also according to what ye there read yet this the Scripture it self witnesseth that none can know either the Father or the Son but he to whom the Father and the Son do mutually reveal each the other whose revelation also is made within for that which may be known of God sufficient to Salvation is manifest in men saith Paul for God doth manifest it in them and the Gospell is preached in every creature which is under heaven by the Light of God in the conscience so that they are left inexcusable before God who else would be excusable blameless forasmuch as though they know God yet they glorify him not as God neither like to retain God in their knowledge but knowing the judgement of God that they which do such things as they do are worthy of death yet not onely do the same but have pleasure in those that do them 21. In the mean while we do not affirm Christ himself to be in all men who yet is known to be in all that are not Reprobates as that hope of glory nevertheless all for there is no difference but what is made by different degrees of light which do not vary the nature of the thing have some measure or other of his Light at least one Talent committed to them that they may trade therewith to profit withall which using well and doubling they have entrance into the joy of their Lord but hiding of which and not gaining therewith they shall be thrust out at last from the light they have into the utter darkness where there is weeping and gnashing of teeth This Light therefore shines in all even the heatheâ— in some measure although not in all in the same measure 22. To the measure of which Light of Christ which in you is you will do well to take heed while you have it as unto a light shining in a dark place to give you the knowledge of your Salvation and guide your feet in the way of peace and that you may find true rest to your burdened and wearied souls and lest darkness come upon you for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whether he goeth nor at what he stumbles 23. This Light is the Law of God for the law is light saith the wise man written not
Answer yet is Answered by Richard Hubberthorn that what Swearing was then allowed of as before a Ruler it then was to end a Strife among men who are yet in Strife is now unlawful among his Saints who are Redeemed out of Strife and the rest of those fleshly works which it is one of Gal. 5. Nor doth John Tombs's insisting on the Greek word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 1 Thes. 5.27 adde a jot to his proof for howbeit it is Ordinarily us'd to signifie to Adjure or bind one by Oath yet being as some suppose of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to confine or as some of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 a bound or limit it Originally signifies to bind limit confine oblige any way by Word or Promise as well as Oath And J. T. confessing Pauls Charge in that place and those 1 Tim 6.13 2 Tim. 4.1 to be alike therein confuses himself however For the words 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 there used are no more then to Engage before some Witness God or Man or solemnly to Command or Charge and not to Swear one and cannot be taken so strictly as to Adjure though 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may be taken in the moderate sense i.e. any way to oblige as well as in that rigid way of Swearing And as for his saying 〈◊〉 is a Particile of Swearing I say it is not necessarily so but oft of Affirming onely as Quidem Profecto Truly Verily c. And however where Paul uses it 1 Cor. 15.31 he does not Swear as J.T. divines he did for sith he and all confesse none are to Swear by any but God alone Pauls swearing there had it been an Oath had been unlawfull it being not by God but by his and the Corinthians rejoycing * What Works Wagings of War and Fallings out have formerly been between R. B. and J. T. may be seen no farther off then in that self same foresaid Book of R. B's own putting forth to the slashing of his own Back soundly in that particular with that Rod of hiâ— own making wherein these Two Foes Fall into such Fraternall Fellowship as to knit themselves into One Foe-ship against us to the Contents of which Book after all those Denominations of Reverend Brother that passe between them in the Epistles of it is 〈◊〉 not only a Catalogue of J. T 's Books against that foresaid Tradition which R. B. Bâ—angles For but among the rest that of Felo de se being J. T 's Collection of 20. Arguments Against Infant Baptism out of R. B's own disputations For it * Witnesse Blomes Book of Sundry Slanders and Calumnies against the Qua. Stoln out of T. D's Story Books and some others Answered already by R. H. Dedicated by Blome to the King with as Strong Desires of our Suppression as there are in it long False Tales of our Transgression * Who is not Inferiour in Flouting as it to that their Creature of the Clergyes Creating into those Course Conceits and Scurâ—ilous Scoffings at it viz. Francis Duke Master of that Ordinary or House Ordinarily called Hell Next to West-Minster Hall in the Pallace Yard who in his very dately Extant Plâ—ce of Prate against the Quakers Stiles the Light within An Antichrist in Villanies Surmounting All Antichrists that have done Villanously p. 40. A Lousie Christ A Vermin Bread of an Addle Brain p. 19. and the Quakers being Led by the Light into the Lords Rest so as not so much as to think their own Thoughts nor Speak their Own Words A Stinking Idoll Forsooth p 62. and Store more of such Sordid Stuff as Stinks among Sober Men which I fâ—bear to Name Geo. Whiteheâ—â— having allready so Soberly Answered it * Fanatici sunt erroribus stultitia hisce diebus notissimi quos in primis hic aggredimur J.O. ad lectorem The Qua. are in thâ—se daies most notoriously known by their errours and foolishness whom we here that is in his Latine Labours do principaâ—ly encounter * Non quaerit angulos premi haud supprimi potest * So thou stilest them thy self in this Epistle and that as fitly as may be for howbeit thou barest as broad sails as thou couldst yet thy Tackling was so lax and loosed that thou couldst not well strengthen thy Mast nor arrive at the Cape of thy vain hope without shrewd shipwrack as to that false Faith thou dâ—fendest or else the Qua. would not have so encreas'd there ever since * Witness one juncture more notable then the rest in the second daies work wherein G.W. had the Serpents Head in such a string as would have led him away captive but that the whole Seed and Generation of Vipers then present with one joynt consent would have violently broke up the Meeting rather then G.W. should proceed to utter a word more and so rescued T.D. at that time from his hands * Which as brief as 't was was tâ—o long by one loud lye that was told in it viz. that I was engaged for by L.H. to be there which was not so for L.H. only did me word of it and laid it before me but laid nothing on me so much as by way of desire of me to be there nor did I ingage any way at all to him that I would * The more 〈◊〉 for thee that thou art no more ashamed at them considering the whole score of dirty rank ones ranked and reckoned up and laid at thy door as Brats of thy own Patronizing at the end of G.Ws. book * Cum turpis inhonesta sit hominum sententia dubiae ac incertae significationis vocibus ludere strophis ac fucis impâ—sturam facere ipsam non palam verbis consutis consareloqui eam mangonizare â—â—nâ—scicinatis silium sermonitus obtente connihil magis cavere quamebrare telligant necâ—intelligant ne inuâ— * That God offers Salvation to those he intends it not That David was not in a condemned but justified Estaâ—e when guilty of Adultery and Murder c. * Hear hear hear the Word of the Lord O ye mountains and inhabitants of the earth The day even the day of his Visitation is upon your heads for ye have chosen the way which is not good Wherefore Assemble your selves together O ye strong Oakes that the Lord might pour upon your heads his indignation for deceit and hypocrisie the Lords Soul abhors As sure as the Lord overturned them that went before you so sure will the Lord overturn you * For de te fabuâ—a thou art the said unkind Kinsman thou tel'st this Remarkable Tale on Mr. Tho. Foxton Iurate â— Tho. Barber Cooper Mr. Tho. Foxton Iurate Tho. Barber Cooper Iohn Boys Esq Mr. Ch. Nichols Mr. Th. Foxton c. * Where also other Qu. have been in the service of Truth as J. Lough who died in Prison there J. Parrot who is in Prison therestill and John Stubs with whom I went thither * And so I said to T.F. and T.B. if any who