Changed from Glory to Glory till they came into the Image of God And the Apostle saw c. And so ye may read at large in G. F.'s Fol which is to large to be set down here but R. W. hath taken about three lines of it and left out the rest And R. W. replieth As the Swinish Epicures and Dives's of this World what-ever they formally and loosly profess have no solid Hope of Peace and Joy to come after this Life and therefore like Brute Beasts practically confess it saying in their Hearts and Lives Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die c. Answ. What is this to the purpose for G. F.'s Answer R. W. might have put himself amongst his Company and Judged himself as well as others for it 's his own Condition R. W. thou sayst Thou knowest that same of the Quakers will not believe that G. F. and others of them deny the Resurrection c. Answ. And why should they believe a Lie as thou dost and why should not we stand by G. F.'s words when he speaketh Scripture and thou that dost not deniest Scripture and the Light of Christ and call'st it a Fancy And the Resurrection we own according to Scripture R. W. And here thou bringest the Ninth false Charge viz All that the Quakers Religion requireth externally and internally to make Converts or Prâ—selytes amounts to no more then what a Reprobate easily may attain to and perform Answ. This is false for Reprobates do not believe in the Light and become not Children of Light and recâ—ive not Christ in them from whence the Light cometh R. W. And thou hopest many of us will come to Abraham's Bosom But then why dost thou rail at us And how can we come to Abraham's Bosom and Attain to no further then to what a Reprobate may And then thou sayst Thousands may have gotten all their Religion requires or performs yea all that their Principles call for outwardly or Inwardly and yet not be accepted but rejected from the holy presence of God Answ. How now Roger and yet come to Abraham's Bosom O Roger thy Darkness cannot comprehend the Light that seest not our Condition no more then thou seest the Saints in the Apotles Days thou would'st have said the same of them had'st thou been in their Day We know our Assurance of God and our Acceptation through Jesus Christ his Beloved Son through whom we have peace with God and we do know the Son by Revelation and God that sent him which is Eternal Life Blessed be his Name for Ever And are grafted into him and built upon him the Rock and Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and thy words are but Chaff R. W. And then thou tell'st a story of Perkins and appliest that to us which he spoke of the Papists But thou hadst better to have applied this to thy self And thou fall'st a Judging the Common Protestants and Quakers and tell'st of their Great Reformations and Joys c. their enduring great persecution and burning of their bodies c. and yet be far from the true Protestant Religion either in the true Dâ—ctrine and Principles or in the true Life and Practice of it Answ. How can Roger Williams tell why doth he Judge such that they were not in the true Religion Who was this Protestant not in New-England nor R. W he never felt the Flame nor was BRANDED with an HOT IRON his Religion will not lead him to undergo such suffering for why did he not stand but go in the Woods when he was tried in Boston-Colony But R. W. would make people believe he was a High Protestant beyond all these but plainly he is nothing but a Railer as his Book doth make manifeâ—t But let the Reader see how he hath lost himself and gone from G. F.'s Answer And R. W. Tearmes our Faith to Rotten Nature c and our Prayyers and Fastings and Sufferings to Womens filâ—hy Clouts and dung of Men and Beasts put into the Ballance of God's Infinite Justice instead of the Infinite Righteousness and Satisfaction of the Son of God c. Answ. As for the Papists they may Answer for themselves but our FAITH Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of we had it not from Men nor Rotten Nature And we Pray as we are moved by the Spirit of God and â—ast as we are ordered by his Divine Wisdom And our Sufferings amongst the New-England-Professors have been for the Truth and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ's sake in whom our Poor Souls have had Satisfaction And we know Christ's words to be true Blessed are they that Suffer for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. And for all thy Vngratious Words the Lord will rebuke thee in one Day and in that Day of thy Torment remember thou hast wronged us R. W. And thou scoffingly sayst That if a Notorious Drunkard be convinced and come to hearken to a Spirit within to say Thee and Thou and thinks himself Equal and above all his former Superiors c. he is Justified Sanctified c. and so holy that he cannot sin in Thoughts and Words c. Thus they pretend Repentance Faith and a Change of Heart because they have changed their Talk and Garments Answ. The Spirit of God within leadeth to no such Sudden Thing neither is the Work so easily done as R. W. here would foist into the minds of the World to make them load the Truth neither shall he find it so easy himself if ever he should see a Day of Repentance And the Spirit of the Lord leadeth to Humility and that is a good Spirit that Leadeth to Modesty in Apparel and to True Words and from Evil Thoughts and from Drunkenness For after a Man is restrained from Actual Sins without him then he cometh to know the putting off the Body of it within and crieth as Paul did to Christ for no Man can help him then but He that did help Paul who Thanks God in Victory in the end But why should R. W. be so against the Spirit within in saying THEE and THOV and putting off our needless Apparel seeing it was the Practice of the holy Men of God in the Scripture hath not he proved himself that he is degenerated from the Spirit Life and Practice of the Primitive Church R. W. And thou say'st John Bradford said unto God Lord thou art Heaven and I am Hell Answ. And was not this Hell within him think'st thou and if so why dost thou find Fault with the Quakers R. W. Then thou fallest on a preaching but to no purpose to thy Position nor G. F.'s answer And dost thou not say The Blood of God doth Cleanse and Redeem thee Answ. And yet dost thou not find Fault with the Quakers for mentioning the Blood of God And the 2 Cor 7. doth not evidence thy True Repentance from a Pharisee's And R. W. Thou say'st That no Papist nor Quaker by
giveth him c. And how now R W. what a Babilon art thou building here in thy Contradictions but still the Apostle of Christ his words will stand over thy head Christ is the Light of the world and the True Light which lighteth every man though they hate it and the darkness cannot comprehend it And they that hate the Light hate Christ the Mediator and the New Covenant from whence it comes and they that love the Light which Christ enlightens them with all they Love Christ and believe on the Light and become Children of the Light and come to Repentance and come to Christ their Mediator who is their Door and the Author and Finisher of their Faith And such Believers in the Light as Christ Commands become Children of the Light and are grafted into Christ and suffer with Christ and such are the Elect. And so G F. doth not Confound the Elect and the World to ether and doth not bring in a Counterfeit New Birth nor a Counterfeit Christ nor a Counterfeit Salvation as thou falsly charges but this is thy own and belongs to thy self who speaks falsly of the Scriptures and contrary to John 1. and preaches another doctrine then he hath done which the world may believe thee but the Elect will not R W. And thou say'st All Man-kind being fall'n from God God gâ—ve the word to Abraham c. and made promises both to his Natural and Spiritual Seed hence came the distinction of the Jews and Gentiles c. And then thou say'st It pleased God to make two Bargains or Covenants the first wâ—s of Justice c. and the second was of Mercy and Pity c. Answ. But where dost thou read in the Scripture of Bargains why can'st thou not keep to Scripture-Language But here thou confesses that the promise of God is general both to the Spiritual and Natural Seed The first Covenant is plainly to be understood and so is the second with them that be the true Believers in Christ Jesus and Children of the New Covenant and they that dis-obeyed the Law in the Old Covenant received punishment and so do they that dis-obey the Gospel For the Apostle saith When the Lord Jesus shall be Revealed from Heaven with his mighty Angels in flaming fire taking Vengeance on all them that do not know God and that obey not the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his power 2 Thes. 1. And so thou call'st the Old Covenant and New Covenant Bargains and yet thou'I say in another place the Scripture is thy Rule and yet canst not speak Scripture-terms And then thou say'st It is common with the holy Spirit to speak figuratively in the holy Scripture c. But the Spirit that gave forth the Scripture has not called the two Covenants as thou do'st Two Bargains For we know the one Covenant is of Works and the other is of Grace and the Apostle speaking of the two Covenants saith The one is from Mount Sinai which gendereth to Bondage c. but Jerusalem which is above is the Mother of us all true Christians Thou may'st read Gal. 4. and the Hebrews and see there how he describes the two Covenants better then thou can'st R W. And thou say'st It is one thing for God to offer this Covenant or Bargain where-ever the sound of this Gospel or glad News comes and another thing to receive and embrace it as all the Elect do and another thing to work freely and give freely the Means and Power to fulfil this Covenant as God doth by the Merits of his Son and his own powerful working of Repentance and Belief in the hearts of all his Chosen Answ. What! will R W. lay the fault upon God concerning all the rest of the world that disobey his Gospel and hate his Light and turn his Grace into wantonness and quench his Spirit and make Shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience and disobey the Gospel and deny the Lord that bought them and Crucifie to themselves the Son of God afresh Had not these the free Gospel and Mercy of God if not how will God Judge the World in Righteousness by Christ Jesus according to the Gospel which the Apostle calls the power of God c. Rom. 1 And how will Christ beat them with many stripes that know the Will and do it not And they are the Elect that receive Christ whom he has given power to become the Sons of God and are grafted into him and walk in him R W. And then thou goes on and tells of the King pardoning and of a Bargain between two Chapmen c. and of a Marriage of a man and a woman though they be absent each from other and may in a figurative sense be called a Bargain or Covenant and yet not literally and properly as the Quakers would have their Christ to be Answ. What dark stuff is this For the Saints that are Marryed to Christ by his Spirit and receive him they are his Sheep that hear his Voice and according to his promise he will dwell in them and walk in them And the Saints are grafted into him and Abide in me and I in you faith Christ John 15. And Christ saith I in them and thou in me and Father I will that they also whom thou hast given me be with me where I am that they may behold my Glory which thou hast given me John 17. And the Apostle saith that Christ rules in their hearts by faith and he will come and Sup with the Saints and the Saints shall Sup with him And the Apostle saith Ephes. 5. As the Husband is the Head of his Wife so is Christ the Head of his Church as there is a nearness in Nature there is a nearness in the Spirit and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his And Christ Jesus is our New Covenant and Pasha-Lamb our Pass-over which has ended the Jews and is our hope of Glory and Mediator to God who pardons the Sins and blots them out through whom we can praise God And as for thy two Chapmen and Bargains and absent Marriage thou may'st keep at home for they that are Marryed to Christ do enjoy him in his Light and Spirit R W. And whereas thou speakest of Gods Inviting gently to come to his Heavenly Wedding and Supper c. and the Kingdom of Heaven is taken by Force c. it is not him that willeth nor runneth but in God that sheweth mercy and the rest he justly hardeneth that God may be All in All. Ans. We are sensible of Gods tender Mercies to all Man-kind in his Gospel and how he Invites to his Wedding-supper But the Rich Professors think they have enough that they have gotten by their willing and Running but we know it is not him that wills or runs but the Election obtains the promise And Jacob was the Second
word Lye and is it Civil for thee with the Mittins And we know that Christ after his Resurrection appeared unto his Disciples and that the Holy Ghost came to his Disciples after his Ascension but what is all this to the purpose to disprove G. F's Answer That Christ doth not dwell in his Saints now and that the Holy Ghost is not in them now And we do believe of Christ's birth sufferings Death and Resurrection and Manifest in people who will Judge the world in Righteousness R. W. And thou say'st That we maintain Christ's Second Coming to be Spiritual And doth R. W. maintain his coming to be Carnal And thou say'st They count all gazing fools that look after a man for Christ is come unto them in Spirit and in them he maintains his great Assizes and now passeth Judgment upon men by them c. Answ. Doth not Christ dwell in his peoples hearts by his Spirit and doth not he there Judge down Sin Evil that is in the hearts of Men and doth not he give a Judgement to his Saints to Judge the Evil of the world read 1 Cor. 5 And must the Saints deny this Judgement that he giveth his people because Christ will Judge the world in Righteousness and reward every man according to his works Nay Roger thou must feel it for belying and vilifying his people And if you look after Christ as a Carnal Man may they not call you Fools who is called the Second Adam THE LORD FROM HEAVEN R. W. And thou say'st If these poor filthy dreamers lived without food and Physick c. without procreation c. Answ. We may say to thee as Christ said to the Devil Man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And as for thy saying VVithout procreation and bringing forth of Children without the Stinks of Nature c. and a great deal of such Rambling stuff which thou hast filled thy book up withall thou may'st keep at home and where did ever the Prophets or Apostles use such Language concerning Marriage which is an Ordinance of God or of Nature which is good in it self And as for thy speaking of Eating of the flesh of Christ until they bâ—come Christ himself which thou say'st is Simple Monstrous and Blasphemous c. let the Reader see if there be any such words in G. F's Answer or if they be not words of his own forging and Lyes But we cannot deny our bread from Heaven for all R. W's Lyes and Slanders for which we can praise God for it as the Apostles did who are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And thou tell'st of Manicheans and of a Frantick Spirit As for the Manicheans these thou might'st have kept at home R. W. And thou say'st This Frantick Spirit saith Is not Christ in us how is he distinct from us what need you ask me how I do can Christ be sick can Christ do but well speaking of themselves And thou Observest God's wonderful Stroke in this world upon three sorts of persons c. Answ. It were well if R. W. did see the Stroke of God upon himself and let others alone to stand or fall to their own Master And Reader is there any of these Expressions in G. F's Answer to Tho. Moor for he hath not named any that hath spoken such words as he hath forged here And was that a Frantick Spirit in the Apostle who said Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates but doth not Christ say I was thirsty hungry naked in prison a stranger and sick c. whether this was not Christ in his members and if so then whether R. W. and the New-England-Professors have not been persecuting him all this while as the persecuting Jews did who looked on him as a Deceiver And as for the other Scoffing words we leave them they are not worth mentioning as in the 62 63 64 pages may be seen R. W. And thou bring'st S. Hamond Fol. 186 who saith What Warrant have you to go out to the Quakers shall a Man go hear the Jews and Popish Mass because Paul bids Try all things No no. And G. F. answereth Paul biddeth us Quench not the Spirit and where the Spirit is not quenched they may try Papists Jews Protestants who quench not the Spirit But who quench the Spirit and draw People from the Light within they draw them from that they should See withal then you stuff them up with Old Authors and Lying Stories as you Print abroad R. W. instead of Replying he asketh Questions Whether the Jews Papists or Idolaters have the Holy Spirit and whether they may go to hear God speaking in his Holy Promise among them c. Answ. Have not the Jews the Old Testament and the Papists the Old and New as well as thou to speak of And do not they hate the Light of Christ and quench the Spirit as well as thou and persecute them that believe and walk in it and I ask R. W Whether he can judge of them without hearing of them or reading of their Books And doth not the Lord say He would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh as well as thee though they grieve it and lighteth all as well as thee though they and thou hate it R. W. And thou say'st May I hear a Papist a Jew or an Idolater a False Worshipper c. when I am convinced that they speak not from the Holy Spirit c. Or May I go to worship God with them when thou believest they worship a False God Answ. If thou wast convinced with the Holy Spirit of God as we are then thou couldst not join with any false Worship nor hear them to uphold them in it for with the Spirit they are tryed and not followed in which Spirit of Truth God is worshipped But is it not Sam. Hamond's and R. William's Intent here that they would not have the People to hear the Quakers and to worship God in the Spirit and Truth Though the Apostles went up and down into all Nations to Preach the Gospel yet they did not join with their VVorships and hold them up and they that are convinced of the Falseness of them they have tryed them R. W. And thou say'st May I hear a False Prophet or be present at any False Worship but with Actual Reproving of them and labouring to reduce them c. Answ. If thou werest in the true Spirit out of the false lying slandering Spirit thou mightst Admonish and Reprove if thou wast in the Spirit of God as the Apostles were in but how cometh it to pass that the New-England Professors who are the Pesecutors and False Prophets cannot bear such as Actually reprove them And why do the New-England Professors make the Quakers pay Five shillings a day that do not go to hear them when they are convinced and have proved them and tryed them that they do not speak from the Spirit of God
A NEW-ENGLAND-Fire-Brand Quenched Being Something in ANSWER UNTO A Lying Slanderous Book Entituled George Fox Digged out of his Burrows c. Printed at Boston in the Year 1676. of one Roger Williams of Providence in New-England Which he Dedicateth to the KING with Desires That if the Most-High please Old and New-England may Flourish when the Pope Mahomet Rome Constantinople are in their Ashes Of a DISPUTE upon XIV of his Proposals held and debated betwixt him the said Roger Williams on the one part and John Stubs William Edmundson and John Burnyeat on the other At Providence and Newport in Rode-Island in the Year 1672. Where his Proposals are turn'd upon his own Head and there and here he was and is sufficiently CONFUTED In Two Parts AS ALSO Something in Answer to R. W.'s APPENDIX c. WITH A POST-SCRIPT Confuting his Blasphemous Assertions viz. Of the Blood of Christ that was Shed its being Corruptible and Corrupted and that Salvation was by a Man that was Corruptible c. Where-unto is added A CATALOGUE of his Railery Lies Scorn Blasphemies And His TEMPORIZING SPIRIT made manifest Also The LETTERS of W. Coddington of Rode-Island and R. Scot of Providence in New-England Concerning R. W. And Lastly Some TESTIMONIES of Antient Modern Authors concerning the LIGHT SCRIPTURES RULE the SOUL of Man By GEORGE FOX and JOHN BURNYEAT Printed in the Year MDCLXXVIII To the READER Christian Reader and all Sober People that have Read Roger Williams his Book and may come to Read this Answer THough we are sorry we have this occasion that R. W. hath given us to give forth this Reply and Dispute with him of his Slanderous Proposals we cannot look upon them otherwise but so and therefore for Truth 's sake as it is in JESUS and for the Name of Christ and true Christianity have we been constrained to Answer him as we have done both in Dispute and in this Yet we have so much Charity to believe that all the Professors in New-England are not of his Iudgment and those that are they are like to bear their own Burthen whether they are Priests or Magistrates But of all the Books I ever read I never saw so much Foul Language and Contradictions which would swell up a Book too much if we should let the Reader see them all distinct And also so many false Conclusions Inferences that he hath made and Invented Words and Principles to be ours which we never Heard of before neither ever were in our Thoughts and then when he hath done he Raileth at them and us If a Man had sold himself to Work Wickedness and Inspired with a dark Power and Spirit to invent Falshood against an Innocent and Suffering People Roger Williams hath done it who abuseth his Pen abuseth the Press abuseth his Neighbours and he living in a Peaceable Government Which when the People called Quakers had the Government they never molested him AND so 't is not only the Quakers but other Sorts of People that he flies out against which we question whether ever he had so much Modesty as to speak to any of their Faces But this has been his Work to defile Peoples Minds with his Lies Slanders Falshoods and Forgeries of things against us which we do Abhor as may be seen in his Book And that which we desire is That the Lord may give him REPENTANCE and all that join with him if it be his Will and it be not bid from his and his Consederates Eyes And let but the Reader read Roger Williams's former Books and compare them with this that he hath written now and see how he Contradicts himself and see what a great Occasion he and his Brother take against J. B. for calling him Old Man or saying He would not bear upon the Old Man because of his Age and that he pitied him c. when he brought his false Charges against us and could not make them good But let the Reader see all his foul Language in his Book who stiles himself an Orator to the King and let the Reader judge whether he is worthy of that Title out of whose Mouth are come so many Corrupt Words Accusing or Blaming us for saying in pity to him That he was an Old Man But let the Reader see if such Language becomes Gray Hairs together with his Forgeries that he has Forg'd and Publish'd against an Innocent and Suffering People And if the New England Priests and Governors have tolerated and aided and assisted him in the Printing of his Book against us we cannot expect any otherways who have been our Persecutors and some to DEATH and so we must leave him and them to the Lord and Vengeance is his and he will Reward every one of them according to their Words and Works Which certainly he will do and none shall escape the Omnipotent Hand of God And our Hope and Trust and Confidence is in the LORD the Living God and we do not fear what Man can do unto us for had we we had never stood your WHIPPING-STOCKS your GALLOUSES to DEATH whose BLOOD Cries to God through the Nations and your CUTTING OFF EARS and your HOT BRANDING-IRON and your Cruel Mockings and Threats and SPOILING of GOODS and besides all the Lies and Slanders and Forgeries that have been Forged against us So that Christ's Saying is fulfilled among you They shall speak ALL MANNER of EVIL for his Name 's sake against his People so it 's not One Manner but ALL MANNER But we can Triumph in the Love of God and the Lord IESUS Christ and desire the Lord to Forgive you if it be his Will for all your Wickedness that ye have done and spoken against us and that ye may all come to see your selves Whose Servants ye have been and Whose Work ye have been doing and Whom ye have followed And what Spirit ye are of not to be of Christ's who came to Save Mens Lives and not to Destroy them And we must further Declare that we cannot Trust our Bodies and Souls in the Hands of such that do not know what Spirit they are of themselves and have not Power over their own Raging and Persecuting Spirits who are Like unto a City whose Walls are broken down But our Trust is in Christ who is the Chief Shepherd whom we are turn'd to who Feeds us in his Pasture of Life Our Bishop to Oversee us and our Prophet that God hath raised up like unto Moses whom we do Hear c. And our Councellour and Leader that God hath given us our Priest that hath Died for us and Risen for our Justification and at the Right Hand of God who is our Mediator the Man Christ Jesus betwixt us and God and is the Author and Finisher of our Faith And is our High-Priest over the Household of Faith and doth Sanctify us and Wash us with his Precious Blood that he may present us to God without Spot or Wrinkle or Blemish oâ— any
God for his Presence c. and thou say'st a little before in the same page when thou hast made a speech of Nicholas Davis being drowned c. Some of these Blessed Ends it hath pleased God to propagate by this Occasion all this Colony over and all of us round about have put forth our selves in Disquisitions and Searchings after the true Grounds of Christian Religion and Worship Answ. If this was the Cause of your Searching after the true Grounds of Christian Religion and Worship what hast thou been doing all this while Roger how could'st thou go to Dispute of such things and hadst them to Search for which we do believe thee thou hadst them Then and hast them Yet to seek and canst not find them with this Dark Envious Spirit and thy Thoughts which thou Thought to Begin with Exercise of Prayer c. but thou knew'st very well that the people of God called Quakers could not receive thy Prayers from thy Many Thoughts they were not like from a Lying Slandering Spirit R. W. Thou say'st Thou hast Cause to Judge that the Word QVAKER was given to us from that strange Possessing of our Bodies of Quaking and Shaking Answ. Gervase Bennet Justice of Darby gave us that Name because I and we bid him and his Company Tremble at the Word of God in 1650 when he cast G. F. and others in prison R. W. Further he saith It is true that they are to wit the Quakers the Off-spring of the Grindletonians in Lancashire Answ. This is also false the Grindletonians and the people in Lancashire know it R. W. And R. W. saith The Ranters are but the Quakers Daughter And pag. 29. thou say'st That some Parliament-Men told thee that they themselves went to one of the Quakers Meetings about Charing Cross but they were so frighted with the Shaking of their Bodies of the Chairs and Stools c. and callest it Satan's Counterfeit Motions Answ. These are Two Horrid Lies for all the Ranters and people up and down England know this Charge of thine is false and is like the rest of the Lies of thy Book For many of the Ranters are come to be Sober in the Fear of God and are turn'd to the people called Quakers but not the Ranters come from the Quakers neither Are they their Daughter this hath been the spirit of the Devil that moved thee and not the Most-High And thy Book that is so sâ—uft up with Lies it will do little hurt where we are known here in England The 2d Lie And the Quakers never had any Meeting about Charing-Cross this is another Forgery that thou hast published the people that liveth about Charing-Cross will testifie against thee R. W. And thou bringest John Toldervy and Theora John and thou say'st The horrible Shaking of the Quakers We are tossed and tumbled up and down c. pag. 29. Answ. As for Th. John all people that knew him know he was no Quaker and John Toldervy the priest did give forth a Book in his Name wherein they much abused him as thou dost now but J. Told hath cleared himself in his own Book which is an Answer to the Priest that abused him called The Foot out of the Snare And doth R. W. think to feed the Sober Christians in England with such Lying Stories as these Nay they may serve his New-England persecuting Priests And R. W. Thou often mentionest the Father of Spirits and the Most-high who stir'd thee up to this Work but thy foul Mouth is not worthy to mention the Name of the Lord. R. W. The People called Quakers are not True Quakers according to Scripture Answ. The Lord God of Heaven and Earth knoweth that thou speakest falsly of us here And thou hast made a great Noise but provest nothing but hast brought several Lies to prove thy own as thou may'st see pag. 27.29 For the same Word of God and Power by which all things were made have we known the Operation in our hearts of it and Tremble at it which thou hast not konwn for if thou hadst thou would'st not have brought this false Charge out against us R. W. Thou say'st The Tumultuous Spirit of the Quakers 〈◊〉 Disputing and the Reason is That Three of the Speakers consulted openly and whispered and uttered themselves one immediately speaking after the other and sometimes all together as one man against me pag. 26. Answ. The Auditory knoweth whether thou speakest Truth in this and what must not Whisper one to another before R. W R. W. Thou say'st Thou wast first commanded this Work from Heaven pag. 25. Answ. We desire all that read thy Book to mind thy Many False Charges and thy Vnsavoury Expressions and then they may Judge whether Thy Command came from Heaven or from Hell for No Lie is of the Truth nor cometh not from the God of Truth but from the Father of Lies The First Part of thy Work thou undertook was To prove us No True Quakers according to the holy Scriptures Which thou did'st not then in the Dispute as I am satisfied the Generality of the Hearers can bear Witness neither hast thou yet done it in all thy Writing by the Scripture nor yet by any Sound Argument but goest on to Charge and Accuse us as if One of thy Accusation must prove Another unless this way can prove it so No Proof R. W. And with this thou beginnest in pag. 28. and say'st Thou wast the more confirmed when thou sawest our foul spirit to transport us not only in Lying Doctrines but also in Lying Quakings and Tremblings and Lying Preachings through the Streets Repent Repent c. Answ. Now let all Observe what he calleth Our Lying Preachings as if to preach Repentance by the Command and Power of God now were a Lying Preaching which is one of the things that Christ sent His forth to preach and let the Wise consider whether our Days and Generations do not need this Preaching Yea of Nay And this is still a false Charge to say He saw our soul spirit to transport us into Lying Doctrines But hath not yet made out these Doctrines and again With Lying Quakings and Tremblings but hath not proved it so it 's but still his False Charge And further as thou did'st then in the Dispute so now thou makest a great a do with our Men and Women going Naked We told thee then we own'd no such Practice in any unless they were called unto it by the Lord as a Sign of the Nakedness of the Professors of Our Age who want the Covering of the Spirit And though thou would'st exclude Signs Christ being come was not Agabus a Sign to Paul when he took his Girdle and bound himself with it R. W. And thou further Chargest us That Rantism is our Ugly Child and Daughter and rose from our Bowels and with the Practice of the Ranters in the Streets and in their Religious Meetings Answ. Now let all consider whether this be a proper Way
in them and he to be formed in them and he to Sup with them and they with him which is all according to the Scripture as you may read Rev. 3 20. Gal. 4 19. Ephes. 5 30. Read John 6. Rom. 12 5. Col. 1 18.24 27. Ephes. 1 22 23. 1 Joh. 5 12. 1 Cor. 12 27. Col. 3 3 4. 1 Cor. 6 19. Hebr. 3 6. Now who readeth these Scriptures may see that the Apostles and Primitive Christians did witness Christ within and the Light within even that Light which gave the Knowledge of the Glory of God as may be read 2 Cor. 4 6. And now this Appearance of Christ R. W. fighteth against Reprobate-like as if those that own him Now in this his Spiritual Appearing and are Witnesses thereof must needs own him in Opposition to his Appearing in that Body wherein he suffered And so doth Labour to make us Deniers of Christ that suffer'd at Jerusalem and was born at Bethlehem though he often confesseth We own him in our words and our True Christianity hath manifested it self against that Antichristian Spirit that you are in in New-England But he R. W. though he saith He hath not the same Spirit that Abraham had and the Holy men of God by which things were revealed to them yet he hath taken upon him to Judge our Hearts and Intents contrary to our Words and there-upon doth condemn us through his Book and this way he goeth To prove his Charges and hath Confidence to say He hath produced such Grounds as shall never be shaken as pag 41. R. W. Now let all observe how R. W. appeareth against Christ's Appearance according to the Experience of the people of God in the Scripture viz. Christ within which he calleth Our Christ he saith is but half a Christ a Light an Image a Picture or a Fancy of a Christ made up to the God-head and their Flesh Christ within an Imagination an Image a Christ in the Mystical Notion but in reality Nothing Answ. He may as well say The Christ the Apostle witnessed was Made up of the God-head and their Flesh for they are the Apostle's Words he thus quarreleth against Ephes. 5 30 for we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones R. W. In the same page he Confesseth That we say Christ was Born at Bethlehem and died at Jerusalem but he saith We intend in Truth and Reality no other Birth nor Life nor Death c. but what may be extant and wrought in the Heart of man Answ. Behold how this man Judgeth of our Intents contrary to our Words and we say contrary to our Intents for we never intended so But we always believed that he was SO born and did SO suffer as the Scripture doth declare and by his Life or Spirit within us we are confirmed in this Belief and so it is not in Opposition to his Appearance at that Day in that Body So we are not in a Bog and Swamp as he saith between Christ within and Christ without our Understanding is clear it 's his own State R. W. He also chargeth us To preach the Lord Jesus to be Our selves and saith Though we speak of Christ without that died at Jerusalem agreeing with Christ within Our Meaning is Mystical and he saith also Ask them What 's become of the Person that Suffered at Jerusalem and we are forc'd to say He is within and saith We answered so at Newport in Rode-Island Answ. That we deny that we ever said That Person that Suffered at Jerusalem was within us and appeal to the Sober people that was there whether he hath not wronged us in this Charge And That we preach the Lord Jesus to be Our selves We deny and lay it upon him as a false Charge let him prove it if he can R. W. He querieth Do we not hold the Light within Every man to Be all to Suffer all within that Christ without is or did or suffer'd without Answ. I say No it cometh FROM HIM and witnesseth TO HIM R. W. And pag 43 thy Second Position is That their Christ was not the True Lord Jesus Christ. To which we Answer This thou hast not proved though thou hast Uttered many False Words against us but this Position will be Thy own Condition and the N. Engl. Priests For doth the True Lord Jesus Christ give thee Command to Desire Magistrates to Punish the people of God and doth the True Lord Jesus Christ lead you New-England-Priests to CVT OFF their EARS WHIP HANG SPOIL Goods and BANISH of his people O No for Thou and You that do Evil hate his Light and will not come unto it because it Reproveth you And so you love the Darkness and do the Works of Darkness and the Works of the Prince of the Air that ruleth in you and not the Works of Christ. And again how can you own the True Lord Jesus and own not him the Light of the World which Lighteth every man that cometh into the World and canst thou and you believe in the True Lord Jesus who saith Believe in the Light that you may become Children of the Light and thou callest that Light 〈◊〉 Frantick Light and an Idol And therefore thy Position is come upon thy self Not to own the True Lord Jesus in his Light which giveth the knowledge of him who died without the Gates of Jerusalem and like the Jews in Words professed God so dost thou Christ and deniest the Light that giveth the knowledge of him 2 Cor. 4. R. W. Thou say'st pag. 35. I had observed and prepared many Quotations out of G. F. 's Book but they desired not to bear them read as in the following Day 's Conference they were read by my Continual Importunate Urgings And pag. 47. thou say'st That they were willing I should Produce out of G. F.'s Book c. And pag. 48. Thou say'st The Truth is they were Gravelled with those Considerations and they were Willing that G. F.'s Book and his Answers should answer for them And when I began to open and compare the Assertions of the Opposite and G. F.'s his Answer they would cry out like a Gall'd Horse winching Why dost thou make Observations upon G. F.'s Words G. F.'s Words need not thy Expositions Let G. F.'s Words alone they are able to speak for themselves Answ. R. W. How darest thou affirm That we desired not the Quotations read of G. F.'s Book when all the people knoweth that we Called for them so often And pag. 35. thou makest it Thy Importunate Vrgings the Occasion of the Reading of them but pag. 48 thou makest Our Being Gravelled the Occasion of our Desiring to have them read of our selves which is altogether false and to say That we were Gravell'd or Unwilling to have them read But our Calling for them was to Clear that which thou said'st was in them which was not and therein thou hast Gravell'd thy self which spake that which G.F. had not spoken with Charging
this Light an Idol R. W. And then thou Scoffingly say'st How J. Stubs began a large Speech or Sermon but both J. S.'s and W. E.'s Sermon if they were Large thou hast printed them very Short And then thou say'st W. E. that Pragmatical Insulting Soul Stopped thee so that thou openly complained'st of Incivility Answ. But why should not we have Liberty to Speak as well as thou And the people knoweth how many Long Speeches thou mad'st but nothing to the purpose what thou promised'st to prove out of G. F.'s Book which was quite the contrary and thou could'st make nothing Good out of it for thy Purpose R. W. as was Evident when G. F.'s Book was brought forth And when W. E. did Appeal to the People thou hast not shewed that the people was dissatisfied with W. E.'s Appeal and were not W. E.'s and J. S.'s their Speeches which thou scoffingly call'st Sermons to the Matter of the false Charges which thou could'st not make Good R. W. And thou Say'st Is it comely when persons are Disputing to fall upon our knees and Answer an Argument with a Prayer Answ. But did there any of the Quakers do so at this Three-Days Work at Newport let the people there Judge whether R. W. speaketh the Truth in this for we Remember no such thing done there by any But set the Case they had what doth R. W.'s Spirit so Envy Prayer and W. E. might very well say Why should we sit here when thou had'st kept them there to hear thy Lies Two Days together and had'st proved nothing to the Purpose therefore we had a great deal of Patience to bear thee so long to multiply thy false Charges and Blasphemies against Christ and his Light and Holy Spirit as thou did'st as may be seen at large in thy own Book And thou say'st That We Spoke so much but let the Reader see whether thou hast not here Spoken a great deal more than we all as thy own Book testifieth R. W. And again thou say'st That We be not Able to Answer nor to Bear thy words Answ. This the people knoweth that heard our Answers and thy Words whether we did not Answer to thy false Charges and disproved them out of G. F.'s Book which thou brought'st and by Scripture R. W. Thou say'st Thou took'st a little Boldness and told'st us that if Paul himself was present and Jesus Christ himself in their Bodily Presence which we confessed he died in at Jerusalem yet we would say unto Christ and Paul Thou hast falsly Charged us and Paul and Christ had proved nothing and Paul and Christ should be a Blasphemer and Beelzebub because he brought glad News of the Truth from Heaven to them Answ. R. W. These are False Charges of thine and Great Boldness and Wickedness and did'st thou Say all these words in the Dispute let the people Judge for we do not remember thou did'st And dost thou compare thy self with Paul and Christ Jesus here and must we look upon thy foul Slanders and Lies as News from Heaven Nay for thou deniest him and his Light who is the Good News from Heaven that 's God's Salvation that Old Simeon rejoiced at But R. W. what must we Infer from thy words That Jesus Christ himself in our Bodily Presence c. as thou say'st Is not this so much as to say That Jesus Christ was not in R. W.'s Bodily Presence at New-port in the Dispute which we do believe him it was not the Motion of the Spirit nor the Spirit of God and Christ that moved him to that Work but the Father of Lies For we can say that we felt the Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ manifest in our Mortal Bodies carrying us on in his Work at that Time Glory to his Name for Ever by his Light Power and Spirit but it 's like R. W. did not feel him who scoffeth at his Spiritual Appearance in his people So as for Blasphemer and Beelzebub he might have kept at home R. W. Thou makest a great Noise in page 64 and 65 and say'st As we have denied the Person of the Lord Jesus so we deny his Offices when it was demanded Wherein thou said'st Thou had'st many things to declare and then tell'st What the Papists hold and say'st The Quakers set up a Voice or Motion within them overtopping the Voice of Christ Jesus in the Scriptures and some of us maintaining that the Light within is that Great Prophet that was to come which Moses Prophesied of And that we are notoriously guilty of High Treason against the King of Kings the Lord Jesus c. and rob him of his Crown c. Answ. The Person of the Lord Jesus Christ we own and all his Offices in his Church which he exerciseth by his Light and Spirit which Light R. W. Blasphemously calleth an Idol and therefore he is not like to own and see Christ in his Offices in his Church how he exerciseth them there And our Motions of God's Spirit and of Christ are owned with the Spirit of Christ and the same that gave forth Scripture and so it will not Over-top or Over-pour it self And thou that hast not the Spirit of Christ art none of his and the Spirit of Christ in Our Age owneth the Voices and Motions given forth from it self in Ages past and doth not Over-top and Over-pour them as thou vainly and foolishly say'st And the Great Prophet which Moses spoke of to wit Christ IS COME and hath enlightned us with his True Light which is in our Hearts that giveth us the Knowledge of him and thou that call'st this Light within that giveth the Knowledge of Christ which cometh from him an Idol wickedly thou deniest this True Prophet in blaspheming his Light within whom we maintain For this Great Prophet saith I am the Light of the World and so is the True Light that Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World and so thy Thoughts that thou hast contracted of Notoriously guilty of High Treason against the Lord of Lords and KING of KINGS Christ Jesus is thy own R. W. Thou say'st They Rob him Christ the KING of KINGS of his Crown and Life and all Answ. R. W. and the Priests of New-England Can the Lord Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is Ascended far above all Heavens and at the Right Hand of God who is now manifest by his Spirit in his people be robb'd of his Crown and Life and All can R. W. and you New-England Priests take away his Crown of his Head and Life and All is this the True Christ that can be thus Robbed that R. W. pleadeth for We must tell him that the True Christ the King of Kings the Lord of Glory he cannot Rob him of his Crown and Life for no Robbers can Ascend where Christ is and here he speaketh like a Man that doteth and is this the New-England-High-priests Orator For doth not Christ Encourage his Saints to lay
by Instances out of G. F.'s Book all along that he confounded and made all one both Faith and Justification c. and made Believing in Christ but a meer Babel and fallest a railing because that G. F. saith He that hath Faith hath Repentance hath Justification Sanctification c. Answ. But dost not thou Confound thy self for thou sayst That Repentance is a Turning of the whole Soul from all Sin as Sin to all of God as God as this is R. W.'s Form of Words and yet R. W. have not they then that have Repentance Faith Justification and Sanctification And G. F.'s words are He that hath Faith hath Repentance Can any have Faith without Repentance or any Justification without Repentance and Faith or any have Sanctification without Repentance Faith thou wouldst have Justification Sanctification without Faith and Repentance Thou mayst keep thy Babel to thy self And Christ Jesus that preach'd Repentance saith Believe in the Light that you may become Children of Light and this Light thou callest an Idol and a Fancy and so hast plainly manifest thou art no true Believer in the Lord Jesus Christ nor true Christian and who wouldst have Faith Justification and Sanctification without Repentance hast neither true Faith Justification Sanctification And so as for Babel Non-sense Confusion Monstrous thou mayst keep at home R. W. And thou sayst Thou told'st us that we and the Papists talk of Faith and G. F. talk'd much of Faith Answ. As for the Papists Faith thou and the New-England-Priests might have applied at home But for the Saints Faith it is the True which Jesus Christ is the Author of and we have received it from him and not from Men. And thou in disproving our Faith thou hast prov'd thy self out of the True Faith in Christ which thou opposest R. W. And so thou sayst They have put out the True and Living Faith and have put in a painted or Glass-eye in the Room of it Answ. This is thy own condition who deniest the Faith in Christ Jesus that he is the Author and Finisher of Which in all this Work thou goest about to overthrow but thou canst not R. W. And thou sayst True Faith is Receiving of Christ Jesus as only King Priest and Prophet it is believing on and receiving of Christ distinct from God Joh. 14. And This true Lord Jesus Christ the Quakers turn into a meer Fiction Dream or Imaginary Christ in the Mind of Man c. And thou fall'st a-railing and tellest us We are like the Papists and sayst The Quakers Transubstantiation is worse then the Fantastick Transubstantiation of the Papists Answ. How can R. W. receive Christ Jesus as a Priest King and Prophet and believe in him who call'st the True Light of Christ an Idol which John bore Witness unto Or be a Believer as Christ Commanded and said Be a Believer in the Light and he calleth this Light a Fancy So no Believer in the True Christ nor no Receiver of Christ King Priest and Prophet Neither is R. W. in the True Faith which Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of who maintaineth The Scripture is the Ground of Christ's Faith and the Saints yet he saith Christ is afore Scripture And he confesseth that Abel Enoch Noah Abraham c had Faith afore Scriptures and again he saith That true Faith is Receiving of Christ. But let R. W. and his New-England-Priests prove by Scripture That God the Creator of all things and the true Lord Jesus Christ his Son whom we believe in according to Scripture as the Prophets and Apostles did can be turn'd into a Fiction and Dream let him make this Blasphemy good by Scripture if he can And R. W. who calleth himself Orator did the Apostles turn Christ into an Imaginary Christ Dream and Fiction when they preach'd Christ in you except ye be Reprobates and is this Worse than the Papists Transubstantiation prove this by Scripture And thou art degenerated and the New-England-Priests if this be their Doctrine and Preaching of Christ and the Apostles in the Primitive Times R. W. And then thou sayst that we say All Spirit and no Body and so not consisting of Flesh and Spirit and yet thou contradictest thy self and say'st We are of his flesh c And then thou fall'st a-railing and thou sayst That we say All must die and rot and never rise again and sayst So you have blown up and Juggled away the Flesh of Christ Jesus both his and your own altogether And further thou sayst We can give no Account of the Flesh of the Man Christ Jesus and thou fallest a-railing Answ. Dost not thou see how thou Contradictest thy self but instead of proving thy false Charge thou hast utter'd forth many more false Charges Where did ever we say in any of our Books That we shall not rise again or That Christ is not risen The same that Descended is the same that is Ascended and at the Right Hand of God did not we confess this before thee at Newport and yet thou Wickedly sayst That we can give no Account of when we gave Account according to Scripture as the Apostle saith And did not we say that we believe the Resurrection as the Apostle did and as we have born the Image of the Earthly so we shall bear the Image of the Heavenly 1 Cor. 15. R. W. And thou sayst The Quakers which grant Christ Jesus to have been born lived and died as we c. and here thou overthrowest thy Babel of false Charges And then thou Contradictest thy self and sayst And yet now Transubstantiated into a Spirit and the Quakers Flesh so that in the upshot the Christ in whom they believe is vanished by an Hellish Chymistry into themselves c. Answ. R. W. How far art thou degenerated from the Apostles Doctrine did the Apostles say so when they preach'd Christ within and said They were Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone And Christ saith Except ye eat my Flesh and drink my Blood ye have no Life in you c. and wouldst thou keep us from our Heavenly Food by which we have Life And art not thou worse then the Jews that loaded the Manna from Heaven who addest Lie unto Lie to prove thy false Charge but the Father of Lies hath set thee at Work and the Day will come when Christ will reward thee who Blasphemest him R. W. And thou sayst They do believe on themselves and that lying Spirit within them Answ. R. W. Thou canst not speak Truth thou art not like indeed this is another false Charge For we believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as he hath taught and the Apostles and deny Our selves and thy Lying Spirit within thee And we know thy condition where thou art and the New-England-Priests better than thy self and if you had been good we would not have forsaken you And R. W. Confessed That J. B. had delivered many Holy Truths of God and yet thou sayst At
THOV and yet thou confessest It is according to the Accidence and Grammar R. W. And then thou tellest us a Story of the Papists and Arminians Flattering c. Flatterers Answ. Which thou better might'st have applied at home and well might W. E. say We dealt plainly with thee and you and all Men. R. W. And thou say'st Thou Intended'st to add that the Quakers pretended to be as fine Flower sifted out from the Common Protestants Independants and Baptists And so goest on a-Railing Answ. Thou dost not know what thou say'st for we Pretend no such thing for we are the Off-spring of the Lord and of Abraham who walk in the Steps of the Faith of Abraham R. W. And thou said'st As the Whore of Rome deceived whole Towns and Cities c. so the Painted Quaker as a drunken Whore should follow the drunken Whore of Rome drunk with the Blood of Jesus c. c. Answ. R. W. here thou hast falsly charged us and speakest a false Divination of thy own Brain and not from the Lord. But let the Quakers and the New-England-Professors and the Papists be examined and see who hath DRVNK BLOOD and who is the Painted VVhore whether it be not R. W. and his New-England-Professors BVT R. W. Is the VVhore of Rome Drunk with the Blood of Jesus as thou say'st Is the Saints Blood the Blood of Jesus that cleanseth from all Sin For John saith here Drunk with the Blood of the Saints but doth not say Drunk with the Blood of Jesus We charge R. W. and the New-England-Priests to make this good that the Saints Blood is the Blood of Jesus For thou say'st Drunk with the Blood of Jesus for the obtaining of the Smoke of a Tobacco-Pipe c. We do believe thou wrongest the Papists here as bad as they are for to be Drunk with the Blood of the Saints which thou callest Jesus for the obtaining of the Smoke of a Tobacco-pipe Riches c. shew us the Chronicle for this R. W. And after thou hast told several Stories of David and Absolom Joab and Achitophel which is nothing to the purpose to prove thy false Charge thou say'st We and the Jesuites will be found at last to be Apostles Messengers Emissaries of Satan sent out from Hell to predicate the Goodness of rotten Nature Hell and Damnation that false Hellish Gospel And so goest on railing Answ. R. W. might have kept this at home and his New-England-Professors who have proved this already from whence they came with his Jesuits in their bloody Practice and not blasphemed the Everlasting Gospel and say It cometh from Hell Which was Revealed to the Apostle and Revealed now again which is the Glorious Gospel CHRIST which hath brought Life and Immortality to Light and preserves us in Life and in Immortality And this Gospel he cannot damn though he endevoureth it with his Rotten Nature And if he Saw but himself to Know whose Image he was and whose VVork he was a-doing he would dread the Lord God that heareth his VVords and seeth his VVork and will reward him accordingly R. W. And thou say'st The Devil knows that after the VVitnesses have done their VVork against Anti-Christ and after their Slaughters the Lord will send his Messengers abroad c. Answ. The Lord God hath sent his Messengers abroad with his Everlasting Glorious Gospel whom ye like BLOODY Butchers have slaughtered some of them in New-England and your Gospel needeth a Rope-maker's Shop to make VVHIPS and HALTERS and needeth a Smith's Shop to make you Swords and Chains and BRANDING-IRONS which manifesteth it is not the Gospel of the LORD IESVS CHRIST But New Jerusalem is come down from Heaven among the Sons of God and it 's you that have been stirred up against them with your outward Swords and Staves like Mahomet or the Jesuits or Papists who fish for smoke of this VVorld's Sodom thou speakest of and not the Quakers R. W. And thou say'st Cursed is that Charity that puts out the Eye of Reason c. and the Eye of true Affection to Christ Jesus Answ. And hast not thou in this Cursed thy self who callest his Light which openeth this Eye which cometh from him to see him an Idol And Christ said Believe in the Light c. and what thinkest thou this was an Idol he bid them believe in R. W. And thou say'st As to the Saving of Souls it was a Thunder from the Heavenly Mouth of Christ Jesus They that tâ—ke the Sword shall perish by the Sword As if he should say The Sword is not a Saving but a Destroying Tool in Soul-humbling and Soul-Saving making worlds of Hypocrites but not true Protestants and true Christians and Followers of the true Lord Jesus Answ. HERE Roger Williams who is going about to prove his false Charge upon the Quakers hath proved himself and his New-England-Priests one with Mahomet and with the Papists he hath proved them to be Hypocrites and not true Protestants and no true Christians and no true Followers of the Lord Jesus Christ no Soul-Savers by their Carnal Weapons and proved them Disobedient to the Commands of Christ Jesus from his Thundering Heavenly Mouth as he calleth it For have not the New-England-Men forced and compelled by the Sword to Religion let their WHIPS STOCKS their GALLOVSES their BANISHINGS upon Pain of Death their Cutting off EARS their BVRNING and BRANDING with an Hot Iron speak their Hypocrisy and declare that they are no True Followers of Christ Jesus nor no True Christians nor no True Protestants but Destroyers and Makers of Hypocrites nor no Soul-savers according to R.W. his own Doctrine and he amongst them who would have the Magistrates to PVNISH us pag. 200. And is not this Destroying Tool still in your Hands by which ye make Hypocrites and no true Protestants nor Christians nor Followers of the Lord Jesus And our VVeapons is the Sword of the Spirit the VVORD of GOD and this R. W. calleth Phantastick and VVeakness and Madness And thou say'st R. W. Thou knowest that the true Lord Jesus his Holy Father and Holy Spirit is as odious both to Jesuits and most Papists and Quakers as the Devil yea infinitely more than the Devil himself Answ. R. W. These are Horrid Lies and thou hast spoken thy own Condition who callest the Light of Christ Frantick Therefore thou art not like to know Jesus Christ nor the Father nor his holy Spirit And as for the Papists they may Answer thee themselves Thou dost not matter what thou sayst thou think'st Thy Tongue is thy own who vent'st all those Lies against us For had we not Loved Jesus Christ and the Father and been in his Holy Spirit we had never had such Language from the Evil Spirit in thee And Fisher Stubs and Pennington and Bishop their Words and Books will stand as a Testimony against thy persecuting Spirit in New-England and for the true Lord Jesus AND who are they that Kill with Tongue
declare against the vain Formalities either in Prayer or Preaching yet they own the true Preachers which are able Ministers in the Spirit and true Prayâ—ng in the Spirit and the One Baptisme Ephes. 4. And as the Apostle saith to the Corinthians They were Baptized by one Spirit into one body 1 Cor. 12 13. R. W. And thou say'st This is Treason and Rebellion in any Atheists or whomsoever but more abominable Hypocritical in these Pharisaical Quakers who cry out against the Apish Imitatours and yet themselves practise Preaching Praying Congregations Singings Conventings and Addings to Castings out c. full well as the Lord Jesus speaks abrogating the word and appointments of God that they may set up and establish their own Traditions c. Answ. Thou hast not told the Reader what our Traditions are which Christ told the Jews But here of all thy Abusive Expressions we are clear of thy Treason and Rebellion and abominâ—ble Hypocritical and Pharisaical which words suit thy own Spirit and thou may'st apply them at home And our Religion and Way and Preaching and Praying and Singing is according to Scripture and we are gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ where we find him in the mid'st of us a Prophet a Priest and a Bishop and a King to rule in our hearts who exerciseth his Offices in his Church And if any professes the Truth and doth not walk in it such we deny and the Believers are Added to Christs Church daily praised be the Lord. And why dost thou and you Priests of New-England separate your selves from the Papists and call her the bloody Whore of Rome when you are found in her Spirit and not in the Spirit of the First Primitive Christians R. W. And whereas thou say'st G. F. crys out against all Scriptures and common Sense and against all Forms Answ. These are more of thy Vntruths For he owns all Holy Scripture and doth not cry against all Forms but such as have the Form of Godliness and deny the power turn away from such And he and the Quakers own God's ways and manners of Gods worship in Spirit and Truth R. W. And thou say'st G. F. cryes up a Christ within a Scripture within and a Church within and Ministers within and Baptism and Supper within yet practises the most of these so many as their Idol requires will serve his turn as outwardly visibly as any in the world Answ. Is not Baptism of the Spirit within that burneth up the Chaff within how dark art thou and have not the Ministers of the Spirit the Spirit within And doth not the Apostle Preach Christ within the Saints and doth not Christ say I stand at the door knock and if any man will hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will Sup with him and he with me Revel 3 But where did ever the Quakers say in any of their books that the Church or Congregation was within them and these are thy own forged words not ours and is not the Spirit and the Truth within in which God is worshipped R. W. After thou hast commended R. Baxtâ—r our old Persecutor thou say'st It hath been his Observation viz. that the Churches of the Independents and Baptists have been the source and spring whence have flown the Generation of the Quakers And then thou contradicts him and say'st For my self I have observed the contrary in these parts Answ. Nay the Quakers spring is from that Fountain of Life which the Primitive Church was in Glory to the Lord God for ever who are built upon the Rock and Foundation Christ Jesus And R. W. do'st thou say That the Quakers sprung from the Ranters and Grindletonians what Babel is this R. W. And whereas thou say'st Although some rotten Professors or weak souls though true have been bewitched by these Soul-Witches yet generally where they have any Liberty the National Church fills up their numbers Answ Here thou judgest others as well as the Quakers but it is best to pply it to thy own Spirit and to see thy self first and your own Rotten profession at home And where they have any Liberty thou say'st but we know thy Spirit and the New-England Priests and Professors that call Light Darkness and persecute the Truth that is it you would not have to Have Liberty and call it the Soul-witches and therefore the Soul-witches thou may apply at home R. W. And thou say'st W. Edmonson boasted of their Numbers viz. their Religion is so Easiâ— never coming near the Roots of Rotten Nature but so wonderfully agreing with it and changing one Devil for another Answ. If the Quakers have Changed one Devil for another as thou say'st they are changed from your Religion of New-England and them that upheld it and from thee then thou do'st acknowledge that thou and the New-England Profession was a Devil and the Independents and the Baptists according to Baxter but thy Fore fathers the Jews said That Christ Jesus our Lord and Master whom we are Changed to that he had a Devil and by the Prince of Devils cast out Devils And as for the Roots of Rotten Nature that thou and you may apply to your selves which your Religion is made up of which thou would'st accuse the People of God withall which are in the pure Religion James 1 26 27. but thou hast manifested thy Religion with thy Unbridled Tongue And W. Edm. did not boast of our Numbers for that is the Abuses of thy Tongue but we can praise the Lord through Jesus Christ who adds to his Church daily R. W. And then thou say'st Thou adorest the Infinite power c. that they were not ten thousand-fold more c. then they are and then thou say'st I can demonstrate that if G. F. for all their Hypocritical prating against Carnal Weapons get a Sword as Mahomet did most of the Popish and Protestant and Pagan world will easily be brought to dance after him Answ. This is from thy Evil Thoughts and Cains Fear G. F. and the Quakers abhor thy words But this is your Condition in New-England and because the People of God will not dance after them therefore they have Hanged them and Banished them and Spoiled their goods For the Lord and his Son knoweth that Our Weapons are Spiritual that he hath armed us withall and if ever thou had'st set foot in the pure Religion which the Primitive Church and the Quakers walked and walk in thou would'st not say It is so easie But thou speakest Evil of that which thou knowest not and utterest forth the malice and envy of thy heart And we do pray to the Father to send forth Labourers into his Vineyard and that is his Work and not Mens and can praise the Lord at the Conversion of Sinners And as for Hypocritical prating that is thy own R. W. And thou say'st to M. B. Was there ever a Child of God in this world but he was a Nazarite separate from worldly
and other Blasphemers and the Devils themselves may have the Scripture the Word of God in their Hands and Mouths For may not a true Sword a choice Sword be in a Mad-Man's Hand whereby he may mischief and wound and kill himself and others hence Men make Merchandize of it Sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie c. Answ. The Strength of this Argument is That as a Mad-Man may have a Sure and Choice Sword in his Hand so may a Bad or Wicked Man have the Sword of God's Spirit in his Hand O Blindness O thick Darkness how art thou be nighted that thou shouldst thus grosly write When did the Word of God come to Wicked Men how often did Wicked Men receive God's Word for the one is a Fire the other is Stubble the one a Sword or Ax and the other an Old Rotten Tree But Roger is it not a saying of Wonder amongst Mens What! put a Sword in a Mad-Man's Hand and doth God put his Sword into Mad or Bad Mens Hands what dost thou make of the Lord one like unto thy self tremble at thy Presumption and Wickedness What! can Wicked Carnal and Devilish Men handle God's Heavenly Spiritual and New-Covenant-Weapons But Roger can Wicked Men handle the Fire and wound and kill with this Spiritual Sword what do they kill not the Good for God's Sword will wound and kill nothing but Wickedness so this is no Mischief And when did Wicked Men war against and kill Wickedness with God's Sword whil'st they remained wicked themselves A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand So that though Mad-Men may do Mischief with a Sword yet Bad Men cannot with the Word of God wherefore Bad Men are as good Servants and Souldiers as Good Men for they Fight with the same Weapon it seems against the same Wickedness But Roger when did the Scriptures kill any Body or do any Mischief for so thy Folly has driven thee to say Again is God's Sword so common hath he no more Care of his Weapons than to arm his Enemies with them But every Sword must have an Edge God's hath Two which be they And since a Sword can do no Execution without a Hand the Scripture is unable unless it hath a Hand to use it what Hand is this not the Spirit R. W. affirms who then Wicked Men as well as Good Men. This is the Doctrine of R. W. Dedicated to the King R. Baxter and J. Owen as the New-England-Priests Oratour against the People of God called Quakers But what is his Reason for this bâ—cause saith he Men make Merchandize of it Sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie Roger These are the truest Words thou hast said yet you New-England-Priests have made Merchandize of the Scripture we know very well you have Sophisticated and Adulterated them with your Inventions and turned them into a Lie and made them to speak or mean what they do not mean and yet call this the Mind and Sense of Scripture being dark in your Imaginations and rebelling against the Light that should enlighten you But none can sell the Lord's Sword nor Sophisticate nor Adulterate nor turn a Sword into a Lie Nor can God's Sword be lost broken torn burnt drown'd moulder'd or any otherwise perish as the Scriptures have by Carelesness Age in Fires in Ship-wracks or on purpose by some Wicked Men. And hadst thou known that Word that is a Fire an Ax a Sword c. thou wouldst not have writ such Blind Stuff as thou hast done which shall be thy Burthen one day Nor is this to slight the Holy Scriptures but such unholy ones as thou art that war against God's Spirit under pretence of standing for the Scripture that came from it which thou understandest not but we dearly own and love and honour them and they are good for Instruction Doctrine and Reproof that the Man of God may be Perfect through the Faith that is in Jesus But do not you New-England-Priests make Merchandize both of Scripture that you call the Word and Christ and his Blood and Miracles Death Resurrection and Ascension that have so much a Year for telling Stories and your Imaginations of him did the Apostles so And R. W. as Nathan said to David Thou art the Man as they that read thy Former and Latter Writings may see for thou hast Sophisticated Corrupted and Adulterated the Scriptures of Truth which thou callst the Word of God by mixing and adding of thy Imaginations with God's Openings and Discoveries which thou mightest have formerly had in thy younger Years when there was some Simplicity in thee and thou werest under Sufferings for thy Conscience But now thou say'st There is neither Motion nor Voice within to hearken to to turn to to listen to in Heavenly things in matter of Super-natural Light Though again thou say'st pag. 28. I find in all Mankind a Conviction that God is Again I find there is generally in all Mankind in the World a Conviction of an Invisible Omnipotent and Eternal Power and God-head And Roger is not this in all Mankind to be lissen'd unto R. W. Thou bringest Henry Hagger G. F. Fol. 253. saying You call all Men Dead and Carnal in the Serpent's Nature in what Form soever if they differ from you G. F. Answ. All that be not in the Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World which is the Way to the Father differ from us such be Dead such be Carnal in the Serpent's Nature for none cometh to the Life but who cometh to the Light in what Form soever they be And such as differ from us differ from Christ for none cometh from under the Serpent's Head and Nature but who cometh to the Light R. W. replyeth and saith The Quakers and Papists are of a Damning and Damned Spirit as David saith of some whose Teeth were as Swords and Solomon saith There is a Generation whose Teeth are as Swords Answ. And these are R. W.'s and the New-England-Priests Teeth as they have sufficiently manifested to the World for they have out-stript many of the Papists And as for Damning and Damn'd Spirit this is thy own Portion R. W. and God's Elect thou canst not charge whom he justifieth nor Damn R. W. And thou say'st If ever there were a Generation of such in the World the Papists and We are the Generations intended Answ. This is thine and your own Condition For did we ever desire that any should be punisht in matter of Conscionce as thou dost although formerly thou hast writ largely against Persecution for Conscience-sake Did we ever WHIP BANISH or HANG or SPOIL the Goods of any for Religion as your New-England-Professors have done unto which thou hast joined thy self And thou say'st It is in vain to tell us of Christ the Foundation and of Building Hay Wood and Stubble That is thy own Condition R. W. who hatest the Light which cometh from Christ in which the Saints Build upon Christ the Foundation
Preaching nor Baptism nor the Supper nor Afflictions avail except the Spirit of God set them home upon us and many have the Scriptures and yet know not Christ. So that this Answer is so Loose and Childish that none but Fools and Children and Frantick Persons can find any Savour in it Answ. The Reader may see how R. W. Contradicteth himself He saith The Scripture doth not avail except the Spirit of God set it home upon us and Many have the Scripture and yet know not Christ and yet The Scripture is the Sword the Only Sword and is counted the Sword with which the Lord Jesus vanquished the Devil and the Touch-stone and Judge and Tryer of Spirits and the Ground of Christ's and the Saints Faith saith R. W. And thou say'st This Choice Sword may be put in a Mad-Man's Hand whereby he may mischief and wound and kill himself and others pag. 88 89 and pag. 94. he saith The Scriptures do not avail except the Power of God set them home upon us and confesseth Many have the Scriptures and not Christ. Now R. W. and ye New-England-Priests how can the Scripture which will not avail without the Spirit in the Hand of the Wicked or Mad-Men Wound and Kill themselves and others and be the Only Sword and the Means to resist the Devil and yet will not avail which Scriptures they may have and not know Christ is this your Great Oratour that must steer the Church of New-England's Helm see his Contradictions And as for Fools Childishness Poyson Frantickness and no Savour nor Tast in my Answers this he might have kept at home with his Contradictions with his False Birth he hath struggled to bring forth R. W. For further Answer to this thou bidst Read Owen's Writings how he proves the Scriptures every Title of them to be the Word of God Answ. The People of God called Quakers never denyed the Scripture to be a Declaration of the Will or Mind of God and so R. W's and Owen's Work is Childish and Vain to prove that against the Quakers which they never denyed but maintain And Owen and R. W. how cometh it to pass that you have not written against the English School-Master which doth not tell us that the Scripture signifieth the Word but the Scripture signifieth Writing and put it down and called it in before now R. W. Thou bringst Samuel Palmer from G. F's Fol. 264. saying The State of the Soul in this Life is threefold Creation Corruption and Regeneration G. F. Answ. In Regeneration the Life is changed from the Life which is in the Fall So Regeneration and Corruption is not one in the New Life R. W. Replyeth and saith Regenerations and Corruptions are not one in the New Life Answ. But must they have this New Life while they be upon the Earth without Corruptions if so then how have the Saints a Battle and a Warfare all their days as in thy pag. 68. is not this a Contradiction R. W. saith What a foul Trick is this of a False Man to impute this to his Opposite which he abhorreth I guess or he means that in Regeneration there is a Perfection and no Sin or Corruption left Answ. Dost thou Abhor and J. O. a Sinless Regeneration without Corruption and Sin what Regeneration is that that must have Sin Corruption and Imperfection and what are People Regenerated from and are not they Regenerated and Born again c. R. W. Thou say'st Hence the poor Frantick Souls cry out that the Protestants plead for Sin Term of Life Answ. Dost not thou make it good and maintainest a Battle betwixt Flesh and Spirit all the Days pag 68. and how therefore canst thou call us Poor Frantick Souls for declaring that which thou maintainest And bringest Paul to prove it when Paul telleth thee The Law of the Spirit of Life hath made him free from the Law of Sin and Death Rom. 8. and that he had Fought a good Fight and kept the Faith then he was not FIGHTING when he had FOVGHT nor Crying nor Complaining nor Wailing as thou say'st from Rom. 7. And callest us Foolish poor Souls with Simple Answers and this thou might'st have kept at home who dost not understand Paul's Condition for Paul was not all his Days Complaining Crying and Bewailing in that Condition for he Preach'd the Gospel and bid others to rejoyce and rejoyced himself R. W. Thou say'st The Devil deals with Us as Pirates do with Ships he makes no Opposition against such he hath taken and is possessed of Answ. R. W. Thou and the New-England-Priests might have kept those Railing Words at home who do the Devil's Works not Christ's nor God's For thou and they out of the Light of Christ and his Spirit would gather all to your selves but Christ is Risen and is gathering People to God by his Light and Spirit that maketh thee to rage whose Ship is split in the Sea R. W. So that no question but the Quakers may be freed from many Transgressions and Temptations to them which others are assaulted with Answ. But R. W. how can the Quakers be freed from many Transgressions and Temptations to them which others are assaulted with when the Devil deals with them as the Pirate with Ships and he hath taken them and doth possess them and is possest of how can these be freed from Transgressions and Temptations dost not thou herein Contradict thy self R. W R. W. It is a great Mystery which neither Jews Turks Atheists Papists or Quakers know how the Seed of all Grace may be in the New-Born and yet the Seed of all Sin Answ. This is R. W's Mystery but he hath not proved it by Scripture That the Seed of all Sin is in the New-Born and the Seed of all Grace we charge R. W. and all the New-England-Priests to make this good by plain Text of Scripture as in his 96 Page And the Apostle saith If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Old things are past away behold all is become New 2 Cor. 5 and the Apostle saith Put off the Old Man which is Corrupt according to the deceitful Lusts and put on the New Man which after God is created in Righteousness and true Holiness Ephes. 4. Now is it not Blasphemy for R. W. to say The Seeds of all Sin are in the New-Born and the Seeds of all Grace so R. W. hath masht all together For there are Seeds of Sin in the Old Man which is to be Put off for John saith 1 Joh. 3. Whosoever is Born of God doth not commit Sin for his Seed remaineth in him and he cannot Sin because he is Born of God And whosoever is Born of God overcometh the World and this is the Victory that overcometh the World even our Faith Whosoever is Born of God Sinneth not but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself that the Wicked One toucheth him not So the Seed of Sins are not in the New-Born but in the Old
Receiving of the Law you never came though ye may boast of Mount Zion And G. F's Words The Saints are come to the Kingdom of God and witness Sin and Iniquity blotted out and Everlasting Covenant and Peace and Life with the God of the Life and thou Blasphemously callest it our Fancied Kingdom But R. W. doth any Sin or unclean thing enter the Kingdom of God and did not Christ and the Apostles Preach the Kingdom of God and said No Vnrighteousness should inherit the Kingdom of God Be not deceived c. and 1 Cor. 6 9. Envyings Murders Drunkenness Revilings and such like they which do such things shall not inherit the Kingdom of God Gal. 5 and doth not John say He was in the Kingdom and Patience of Jesus Rev. 1 9. And was Paul come no further then to Mount Sinai when he Trembled among the Corinthians and R. W. thou art as Ignorant of our Condition as thou art of his Is there no Fear and Trembling at the Word of God but at the Foot of Mount Sinai and was not this among the Jews after they came into Canaan and was Paul at Mount Sinai when he Came to the Corinthians in much Fear and Trembling Well! we do hear him whose Voice shaketh the Earth and not the Earth only but the Heavens also that that which can be Shaken may be Removed and that which cannot be Shaken may Remain and that is appeared Glory to God for ever which this Condition I see neither R. W. neither Priests in New-England have gone through R. W. Thou bringst Robert Tuchin from G. F.'s Fol. 365. his Saying The Most-Faithful Messengers of Christ have acknowledged that they came short of their Duty G. F.'s Answ. They that are Faithful Messengers of Christ have their Answer Well done Good and Faithful Servant Where did Paul John and Peter acknowledge they came Short of their Duty hast not thou slandered the Servants of the Lord thinking them to be like your selves and falsly accusest them that Ye may seem Justified who are False Messengers and come in his Name when you have no Commission from him and you come short of every good Work But it is not so with Christ's true Messengers for they Fulfil his Will that sent them it is the Lord that worketh in them whose they are whose Duty they perform by his Spirit R. W. replyeth and beginneth with Railing and saith The Heavens were not Pure in his Sight to wit God and he laid Folly to the Charge of his Angels c. Answ. This Eliphas the Temanite speak against Job as R. W. doth against us Job 4. when he Contended against Job and Reproved him of whom God said He was a Perfect man so this is thy Ignorance As for my Endowments and our Endowments they are from the Lord and I do grant That Adam and Eve was Perfect and yet they Fell and thou say'st R. W. We all by them are Fall'n Short of the Glory and Love of God into the Dunghil of Hellish Darkness THERE YOV ARE this is true R. W. in that which cannot Comprehend the Light of Christ which he Enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World withal but callest it an Idol which Shineth in your Darkness and your Darkness comprehendeth it not And thou bringst David's Sayings Psal. 143 and Psal. 19. Enter not into Judgment nor reckon with thy Servant c. Cleanse me from my Secret Sins c. but what is David's Adultery and Murther that the Most-Faithful Messengers of Christ come short of their Duty for thou must bring a Text of Scripture where they said They acknowledged they came short of their Duty let us have Chapter and Verse for this then thou hast said something And then thou speakest of Abraham and Isaac But where is the Charge of Abraham that he said he came short of his Duty or Enoch or Abel but as it is said The Righteous may fall but rise again but the Wicked shall fall into Mischief And doth John cry out 1 Joh. 2. that he acknowledgeth that he came short of his Duty there is no such saying there and thou wrong'st John but he writeth to the Young-men because ye are strong and the Word of God abideth in you and ye have OVERCOME the Wicked One. And John saith If we confess our Sins he is Faithful Just to forgive us our Sins to CLEANSE VS FROM ALL VNRIGHTEOVSNESS 1 Joh. 1. and further saith If we walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have fellowship one with another and the Blood of Christ CLEANSETH VS FROM ALL SIN R. W. And thou say'st Paul confest and bewailed his Coming short The Good that he would do he did not c. With his Flesh he served the Law of Sin and though it was not Paul that sinned but Sin that dwelt in him and thou more then fearest this Mystery is hidden from the poor Quakers Answ. But R. W. thou saidst now It was not Paul that sinned but Sin that dwelt in him and thou said'st pag. 96. of another Great Mystery How the Seeds of all Sin dwelt in the New-born and yet It was not Paul that sinned thou say'st for Paul saith It is not I but he speaketh of the Two I's and the Two ME 's which thou say'st the Seeds of all Sin is the â— and in the ME that serveth the Law of God But Paul Peter and John were not always in that Condition Peter of denying his Master and Paul crying out of Sin and the Law of Sin and coming short of their Duty thou callest for Peter Exhorted to Perfection and Paul said he was made free with the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus as I often said before and he had fought a good Fight and kept Faith and there was a Crown laid up for him And John said As he is so are we in this present World and he was in the Kingdom and Paul said The Life that I now live is by the Faith of the Son of God and I live yet not I but Christ liveth in me c. Therefore how did the Most-faithful Messengers of Christ acknowledge they came short of their Duty c. in the New Covenant to the End did they fall like Adam and Eve and we have had full Experience of the Saints Tryals Sufferings and Temptations both within and without And G. F. doth not say That the Servants of God never fail'd in Word or in Thought there is no such thing in G. F.'s Answer and therefore thou mightst have spared those Words but there is no Comparison to be made with the Faithful Messengers of Christ G. F. saith and your Pretended Messengers that never heard his Voice and so have no Commission from him And I must tell thee R. W. and you New-England-Priests that deny Christ the Light with which he Englightneth every Man that cometh into the World which is the Life in the Word and callest it a Frantick
Light and an Idol thou and they deny Christ that bought you Worse than Peter that Deny the Light which he Commandeth to believe in And so you are Come Short of every Good Work but not of the Evil who would parallel your selves with the Faithful Messengers of Christ and finding Fault with them ye do not see your own selves for the Faithful had Victory R. W. He bringeth Thomas Hodges G.F. Fol 372. saying The Scripture speaketh of God after the Manner of Men. G. F. Ans. The Scripture speaketh of God after the Manner of the Spirit and to the Spirit whereby Men may receive him and know him by the Spirit which Natural Man cannot R. W. replyeth and beginneth with Railing Language as he useth to do and saith Here he denyeth the Heavenly Mystery of God revealing himself to us after the Manner of Men having Head Eyes and Mouth c. Answ. His Heavenly Mysteries God Revealeth by his Spirit doth he not doth not the Apostle say The Mysteries and Things of God are Revealed by the Spirit and R. W. can the Things and Heavenly Mysteries of God be Revealed but by his Spirit to Men And if God be likened to a Husband-man a Shield a Rock c. he is not these Outwardly for when God Revealed himself to Abraham and them he spoke those things to he Revealed them to them by his Spirit by which they understood them and by the same Spirit he Revealeth them now R. W. Thou tell'st us of a Late Speech of one of the best Philosophers and of the best Christians that Old or New-England ever had viz. Then shall we know to wit in the Next Life in Heaven in the Heavenly State to come how to answer that Great Question What is God but this Poor Wild-Asses-Colt G. F. he can resolve that Question c. and so goest on Scoffing Answ The Apostle saith He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Hebr. 11. and did not the Saints know what God is while they were upon Earth and must this be laugh'd at by you Philolosophers and is this the best Christian both of Old and New-England that saith We must know what God is in the heavenly State to come and what not in this Life then how will they know him to be a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him if they do not know what God is in this Life how can they know how to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth if they do not know him to be the Spirit in this Life and what must we Infer from R. W's Words his best Philosophers and best Christians That we must not know what God is in this Life Then you may know what the Devil is and not what God is in this Life and the Great Reason and Abilities he hath as R. W. saith And do not the Scriptures say God will dwell in the Saints and walk in them see Corinth and they were to glorify God in their Spirits and in their Bodies which were God's And is not he called a God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and God said unto him Walk thou before me and be thou perfect for I am God Almighty and All-sufficient and did not he know what God is and did not all the Saints know what God is that gave forth Scripture while they were upon Earth And did not John say We are of God 1 Joh. 4 and did not he know him what he is and John said God dwelled in him and he in God Joh. 4 15 16. and whosoever confesseth the Son of God hath God and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4. And G. F. doth know That God is and is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him blessed be his Name for ever And did not the Apostles and Prophets know this while they were upon the Earth before the Next Life and Heavenly State to come else how could they declare it if they did not know it That God is and is the Rewarder of all that diligently seek him whil'st they were upon Earth But R. W. thou art out of this Diligence and in an Evil Work against God's People that are diligently seeking him that know That God is c. R. W. Thou speak'st of the Devil blowing out the Candle and Torch and Sun of the holy Books and Records c. and then thou say'st Is it not the Devil's Trade to play the suttle Hunter as do also his Journey-men who ly in wait to Catch men and to trim his Pits and Gins and Snares with Green Leaves c. viz. Fair Pretences of the Spirit Immediate Spirit Infallible Spirit Teachings of the Spirit the Manner of the Spirit Speaking to the Spirit and Christ within you the Hope of Glory c. and these are fair Leaves thou say'st and sweet and heavenly green Boughs on which the Old Serpent twineth and from whence he uttereth even Scripture it self and the names of God and Christ and Spirit in a Frantick Purpose to Stab the holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also Answ. R. W. Thou must apply this at home and the New-England Priests and Professors Can the Devil blow out the Torch and Sun of the holy Books and Records what is this Sun thou hast not manifest it if he could he would have blown it out afore now but the Sun of Righteousness or Substance of the Holy Records is too hot for him to blow out for Christ will destroy and consume him with the breath of his Mouth and the Brightness of his Coming And the Devil and Antichrist may get the Form of Godliness and the Sheeps-cloathing and so from that to talk of Christ without but neither the Devil nor thou nor Antichrist can endure to hear the Talk of the Spirit within Christ within and of his Infallible Spirit and the Teaching of the Spirit and the Manner of the Spirit 's speaking to the Churches and Christ in you the Hope of Glory was not this the Doctrine the Apostles preached He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches and the Apostle was Minister of the Spirit And what dost thou Blasphemously call this Doctrine of the Apostles a Trimming of the Devil and his Journey-men its Gins and Snares and the Serpent's Twining with these fair Leaves green Boughs And so dost thou call the Apostle's Doctrine a Frentick purpose to stab the holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also and is not this Blasphemy in thee can the Devil catch God and Christ and his Spirit and stab them what is the Devil here greater then God Christ and his Spirit O R. W. the Envy hath blinded thee I must tell thee Christ destroyeth the Devil and his Works the Devil can not stab Christ nor God nor his Spirit but he will cast him alive in the Lake of Fire and the Lord will judge thee
And is not he Changed from what he was And R. W. saith in his 13. page We have Indians at home Indians in Wales Indians in Ireland and the Body of the Protestant Nations is yet Vnconverted as to the Point of True Conversion and Regeneration by God's Spirit And further R. W. saith Who can deny but that the Body of this and all Other Protestant Nations as well as Popish are Vnconverted SO here R. W Judgeth all but himself But let him see in his Book against G. F. in 1676. how be Extolleth the N. England Protestants so called since they have DRVNK the BLOOD of the Righteous God's People called Quakers And R. W. saith in his Book of Hireling Ministers c. pag. 8. Jesus Christ never made Bargains with his Messengers or Pastors And R. W. saith He that maketh a Trade of Preaching No longer Pay No longer Pray no longer Preach no longer Fast c. Then ye have PAY Further he telleth you That if ye are brought up to that only Trade ye must make your Lively-hood of it p. 9. And further thou sayst The Hireling will not indeed he cannot having no other way to live move his Lip or Tongue And R. W. further telleth the Protestants of Tithes and Stipends Wages and Salaries and of your Removing from Lean into Fatter Benefices And hath not here R. W. spoken as much against Baxter Owen and his N. England-Priests as he hath done against the Quakers And ye Magistrates Priests of N. England doth not R. W. tell you pag. 3. in his Book of Hireling Ministry 1652. The Civil State cannot Restrain nor Constrain into Spirituals Then why have ye Magistrates and Priests persecuted WHIPT imprison'd and put to DEATH the Lambs of Christ when R. W. preacheth this Doctrine to you That the Civil State cannot Restrain or Constrain to Spirituals And why did not the Magistrates of N. England print this Book of R. W. over again of 1652. and his other Books that he wrote in 1652 where he flattereth the Parliament For did ye not give him Money to help him print his Book against the people of God called Quakers in 1676 But ye may see some of the Heads in R. W.'s Book in 1652. as followeth 1. The National and Parishional Constitution of Churches is found to be the Grand Idol of the Nation Then may not this be applied to your Nation of New-England 2. The Inforcing of the Nation to such a Constitution is the greatest Soul-Oppression in this Nation 3. The Hireling Ministry attending upon such Assemblies or Others is none of the Ministry of Christ Jesus c. Which the Reader may read the rest of them and read his other books and this Book in 1676. and see now how he Flattereth Owen and Baxter and Contradicteth and Confoundeth himself And R. W. saith in his Fifth Head It is the Absolute Duty of the Civil State to set free the Souls of all Men from that so long Oppressing Yoke of such Ministries and Churches But instead of this have not ye N. England States set up this Oppressing Persecuting Ministry and Church And is not R. W. now joind with you in the Work let your Practice speak R. W. further saith pag. 7. It is one of the Grand Designs of the Most High to break down the Hireling Ministry that Trade Faculty Calling and Living by Preaching and that if all the Princes States Parliaments and Armies in the World should join their Heads and Hearts and Arms and Shoulders to support it yet being a part of Babel and Confusion it shall sink as a Mil-stone from the Angel's Hand into the Deeps for ever And page 19. he saith It is not the Will of the Father of Spirits that all the Consciences and Spirits of this Nation should Violently vi armis be forc'd into One Way of Worship or that any Town or Parish so called in England Scotland or Ireland be disturbed in their Worship what Worship soever it be by the Civil Sword And page 20. he saith Such Priests and Ministers as can force a Maintenance of Tithes or otherwise by the Sword or else Cease Preaching for want of such or such a Maintenance or can Remove from Bishopricks or Benefices as Calves and Bulls of Bashan for fatter and ranker Pastures or wanting Spiritual Work and Maintenance are too fine to Work with their Hands as the first Patterns Christ's first Ministers did how can they say as Peter to Christ Jesus LORD thou Knowest all things thou knowest I Love thee c. And in his Epistle Dedicatory he saith If I give flattering Titles unto Men my Maker said Elihu would quickly take me away Yet R. W. would have us Persecuted because we cannot give Flattering Titles as may be seen in his Book of 1676. NOW Roger Williams may see how he now flattereth Baxter and Owen and the New England-Priests and Professors and how he Contradicteth himself in his own Testimony in his Book in 1652. as before TWO LETTERS one of William Coddington of Rode-Island and the other of Richard Scot of Providence in New-England testifying against R. Williams aforesaid and his Slanderous and Wicked Book Part of W. C's Letter Concerning R. W. HERE is a lying scandalous Book of Roger Williams of Providence Printed at Cambridge in New-England John Burnyeat was at the Dispute with W. Edmundson and John Barker with Roger Williams however here are yet many Witnesses living that can Witness with us even all unbyassed Spirits that he had made 14. Proposals to be Disputed 7. at Newport on this Isle and 7. at Providence His Inveterate Malice was so great against the Truth that he would have put us in a Lion's Skin and set Dog 's to worry us but the Lord Reproved his Madness That though there were many that did bear Evil Will to Zion the City of the Living God and said in their Hearts RACE it Race it to the Ground Yet was there not one found that would own his Propositions Blessed be God we are known in the Nations to be a People of another Spirit though William Edmundson and the rest did in and by the Power of the Lord Answer all his 7. Proposals in about two Hours I Reading of them at Newport and John Cranston that was Deputy Governour then and is so now was desired to moderate the Assembly that he might say what he had to say He began with a Thunder and had Three Days time to bewilder and befool himself and so ended in a great Eclips of the Sun which was taken notice of I have known him about 50. Years a meer Weather-Cock Constant only in Vnconstancy Poor Man that doth not know what should become of his Soul If this Night it should be taken from him He was for the Priests and took up their Principles to fight against the Truth and to gratify them and â—ad Magistrates that licked up his Vomit and wrote the said Scurrilous Book and so hath transgressed for a Piece