a greater pride then the Quakers have exprest and would aspire unto although many truly humble Souls may be captivated amongst them I have here two mighty Fields to expatiate and walk in viz. The pride of Christ Iesus his pretended triple-crowned Vicar and the pride of the new Papists pretending to be Christ himself of which the holy Spirit speaketh There is a Generation oh how lofty are their eyes and their eye lids are lifted up In publick Discourse I knew I was but to take a short turn of a quarter of an hour I am now at more liberty of inserting what I intended but was forced to abbridge wlth all possible brevity at that time I told them there was a pride in outward and external things in Parentage in Person in Beauty Strength Wit Aparrel Houses Money Shipping Land Cattle Offices Relations c. this I now past by All these like Diogenes on Platoes carpets the Quakers say they tread on c. There was 2. the devils pride and the devils Condemnation a pride in Spiritual Knowledg spiritual Gifts spiritual Priviledges and Excellencies This was the Devils Break-neck and will be 163 of the Popes and Quakers and of all that aspire to the Eternal power and Godhead for God or they must fall to all eternity I named then diverse Parallels between the Popes and Quakers I will now name all I can remember I named and will name some more at this present First The Popes have exalted themselves above all that is called God above all Civill powers Kings and Princes riding upon their backs disposing of their Crowns making them lead their horses hold their stirrups kiss their toes yea lye down under their feet bodyes and souls and submit their neck to this abominable foot of pride as the Scripture calls it As to the Quakers they know it is not yet time to put on the Lions and the Eagles but the Sheeps and the Foxes Skin but no man need question that if God should please to let loose the Quakers spirit to the full length of its tedder as he hath done that of the Popes the spirit of the Quakers would scorn to come behind the pope For who sees not how at the first fledging and creeping out of the Shell how they boast and vapour of their numbers We said W. E. to me in publick at Newport are a great People many thousands in England many thousands in London besides Virginia Barbados N-England and other places what would they say and doe if they had the popes Universality and could boast of the many Waters Peoples Nations Tongues and Multitudes upon which the Whore sitteth Beside W. E. a man fit to make a Bonefacius or a Hildebrand Iohn Stubs also though of a more prudent and moderate spirit was up with the same boasting of their Numbers and all of them are ready to cry up their Diana whome all Asia and the world worshippeth But 2. In their first creeping like Hercules out of the Cradle how doth this Spirit dare the Spirits of Kings and Keyfars and Popes themselves under the pretence of Translations and acceptations of words to Thou and Thee to the faces of mighty Monarchs with what Brasen Faces have they addrest the Royal presence of our Gracious Dread Soveraign without either bowing the knee or baring the Head signs of English reverence and civility and this out of an horrible and lying pretence that Christs amity even in Civil things respecteth no mans person that they may trample as Gods on all man-kinde c. 164 3. I can say what mine eyes and ears have seen and heard viz. our Honoured and Aged Mr. Nicholas Easton Governour of this Colony under his Majesty offering to speak once and twice in our late Contests at Newport and no question would have spoke for the Quakers against me yet Pope Edmundson put forth his hand imperiously toward the Governour saying Whist Whist which whisting and silencing Language if they use to their Friends in Authority what will they say or Thunder to their Enemies if ever they get up into the Papal Chair 2. The Pope sits in the Temple of God as over the Churches and Consciences of the Christian Name and Worship giving Canons and Decretals to be observed by all Christian People on peril of loss of Earth and Heaven c. And do not their new Popes not regarding as the Apostles and Bereans the Holy Scripture lay on the common Quakers Consciences and Congregations their Decrees t is true G. Fox in his Book in Folio gives the immediate Spirit of Infallibility to all his Saints yet must they in a ridiculous contradiction sit still possest with a Dumb Devil except some He or She Apostle come amongst them who send word of their coming to call the Country in many dayes before and seem to have a Command of their Diabolical Spirit more then other Quakers have though they as I said before in a ridiculous Contradiction ascribe it unto all their Saints and Quakers Thus did Humphrey Norton a Pope in his day in these parts overtopping and rating W. Brand at Newport he confirmed the Decree for the weekly Meetings not only on the first dayes but on the week dayes at Newport and Providence he ordered their sitting and departing Dumb unless a He or She Apostle came amongst them he left in writing which I can produce an overthrow of all civil Order and Government except in the hands of his Saints entituling his Paper thus the Saints Law and the Sinners Law as G. Fox his decree under the title of the Law G. Fox succeeds as Pope Humph. Norton in these parts and being angry with his Predecessour as some Popes have been he lets loose the Dumb Devil and gives Liberty to all to speak as the Spirit gives them utterance this shews what a lying Spirit of Unity they boast of such an one was in Nailors business though they most proudly deny Unity to all but to themselves as 165 the Papists do G. Fox also gave forth his Decree of loosing them from that bruitish and doggid Behaviour which W. Brand and Humphrey Norton left them in and by Word and Example commanded them to be more sociable and manlike so that many of them will speak in Salutations and shew some reverence by bowing the Heads or uncovering it as Fox himself did after his Sermon at Providence uncovering his Head and bowing to the People and passing through the midst of them his Hat in his hand with much respect and civility And he blames those as I hear which violently and madly have flung themselves upon unnecessary temptations and dangers whence follows in the eyes of the whole World that either the latter or the former Spirit was not Gods and perfect and the Spirit of Unity of which they childishly so crake and vapour as the chiefest Flower in their Crown of Pride 3. The Pope lifts up himself as God over
willing I would produce some Instances I took up the Book and read in the 3d. page where he brings in his Opposite Samuel Eaton saying The Saints have not Christ in the Flesh G. F. his Answer is Contrary to Christ and the Apostles Doctrine who said they were of his Flesh and of his Bone and should eat his Flesh and they that eat his Flesh have it in them Whence I affirmed that Christ Jesus had such a Body as might be really and materially in the Saints and ii was clear that they were one with the Papists in their Sayings and Doctrines denying the Flesh Body and Person of Christ Jesus For as the Papists in stead of a Spritual feeding upon his bloud and Merits they substitute and bring in a Real Material and Carnal in their horrible and fantastical Transubstantiation so do the Quakers professing to eat Christ spiritually wholy destroy his material and fleshly being I proceeded saying in the 4th Page G. Fox brings in the same Opposite saying The Saints do not see Christ the Heavens contain him And G. F. Answers And the Apostle saith they sate with Christ in heavenly places so he is contrary to the Apostle and Christ was in them and walked in them and God dwelt in them and Christ in you except you be Reprobates I said that as the Papists were up ridiculously odiously with Hoc est Corpus meum This is my Body c. so they with The Light within you the Light that enlightens every man Christ within you except you be Reprobates c. 48 For if the Heavens do contain that Man Christ Jesus bodily as they grant in word saying They believed he dyed rose and ascended then in that same sence and respect the Saints cannot now sit bodily with Christ in heavenly places and therefore to alledge Christ within and their sitting with Christ in heavenly places was but irrational Nonsence and Jesuitical Equivocation The truth is they were gravel'd with these Considerations and they were willing that G Fox his book and his Answers should answer for them and although the oppositions of G. Fox his Opposites were mighty and G Foxes were meer simple barkings of dogs or foxes compar'd with the rational and prudential Answers of a man yet when I began to open and compare the Assertions of the Opposite and Fox his answer they would cry out especially W E. like a galled horse winching Why dost thou make thy Observations upon G. Fox his words G. Fox his words need not thy Expositions let G. Fox his words alone they are able to speak for themselves I told them it was a senceless business for me to alleadge and they to be willing I should G. Fox his sayings and his Answers and we should not debate and discuss the Sence and I make out my Proof out of G. Fox his words and his Adversaryes compar'd together when they had spoken they knew their liberty to take of my Answers with their own and leave what was spoke to every ones Conscience in the sight of God They were Obstinately that is in Greek Heretically resolved to avoid this Course therefore I was glad to hale my Tacks Bolings close home and make my best of a bare Wind and now and then loof up into the wind and get liberty to say something and omit abundance of my Thoughts Once I was forced to say to W. Edmondson Friend yesterday you quoted the 9 of Nehem. how it pleased God to send them his good Spirit to guide them I pray remember now a word in the 8 of Nehem. They read and gave the Sence and caused the People to understand the Reading Without this searching for the Sence and meaning the Pith and Marrow of the holy Scriptures or any other Scriptures or Writings we make use of what are our Readings but the Papists Latine the reading Ministers the pratling of Children and Parrets yet notwithstanding all that I could say and urge it is known to all the Audience the Song was let G. Fox words alone to speak for themselves if thou hast any 49 more to bring forth let us have them so that as before I was forced to wave my Observations and Intentions and pass on to new Allegations Though now I shall crave liberty to touch and point at as with the finger the Opposites Assertions of Truth and G. Fox his unsavoury and rotten Answers In Page 8. He brings in Iohn Bunyan c. saying The Lord Iesus Christ is afar in his bodily presence and G. Fox answers And yet he saith the Lord is at hand and the Apostle said he was in them and Christ said he would dwell with them I here observe and reply the holy Scripture abundantly tells us of a twofold presence of Christ 1. His bodily visible Presence which Iohn Bunyan speaks of and the Quakers in words grant The 2. His Spirituall invisible Presence of which many Scriptures speak and that most clearly Eph. 3. 10. That Christ may dwell in your hearts by believing c. Concerning this visible bodily presence of which the Question is First G. Fox his impertinent and silly Answer is not to the Point no more then the East and the West is to one point of the Compass 2. He fallaciously most unchristianly and impiously denyes the body of Christ Iesus to be any where and as Conjurers do Hocas Pocas that which all now see is gone vanished so that with the ancient enemies of Christ Humane Nature the Manicheans they say and unsay and at last affirm a Christ only God and Spirit dwelling in them and in all mankind also About this time these subtle Foxes minded to spin out Time and wave the close Fight of examining Particulars concerning Christs humanity G. Fox his Book was brought forth the same with mine Iohn Burinat took it and went along with me in the Quotations I read and alwayes endeavoured to make my proof out of the Allegation But W. Edmundson kept strict watch and stood Centinel that no Observations of Sences or Meanings should pass resolving to keep out the Fire and Light of Christ Jesus with Stand or I le let fly a Fire from Hell upon you Well I knew what froward Children and bruitish Spirits I dealt with resolved to go softly and to speak softly and as I could gain ground by inches at least for liberty to give my witness for the Lord Iesus In Page 9. He brings in Iohn Bunyan c. affirming that the Son of Mary God-Man is absent from his Church G. Fox answers but never touching Scripture about it contrary to 50 Christs words I in them and they in me and I will be with you to the ends and Christ the Head of the Church where two or three are gathered c. and the Saints are bone of his bone and flesh of his slesh I Reply here half an eye may see as before how he gives
company and not before yea and what is that waiting in silence used in private and in the publick Assemblies of the Quakers but a confessed means in which they wait for the Spirit of God as poor Souls they think descending on them I was then forced to omit the Allegations out of G. Fox his book then by me and ready but I will now recite a few of them In page 6. of this Book in Folio G. Fox brings in Samuel Eaton saying The Prophets and Apostles drew people to an outward Word He Answers Now is that which lives and endures forever outward and did not they bring them to Christ the power of God which is the end of words which is immediate Again in the same Page Samuel Eaton Is not the Gospel an External way He Answers No the Gospel is a Living way which is revealed within and is the power of God to Salvation In the same Page Samuel Eaton Are not they seduced who are drawn off from the External means by which the Spirit is given and Faith wrought to wait for the receiving of the Spirit without any Word to convey it to them which Spirit when they have it is not the Spirit of Truth but of delusion For Answer The Spirit and Faith is not conveyed to any Man without the Word and they are seduced which rests in the External from the Eternal and the Spirit is not given by Eternal means neither is Faith wrought I Reply and observe how the wisdome of Men is enmity against God and how witty this Fox is to catch himself and others in the Traps of eternal Howling how doth he here confound the audible words or preachings of Gods mercy in Christ Jesus with the inaudible invisible mystical and metaphorical word Christ Jesus himself 2. Who sees not his gross and impudent denying of the Spirit and Faith to be conveyed by means from God unto us In Page 15. G. F. brings in Henoch Howet saying There is nothing in Man to be ministred to but man He Answers How then ministred the Apostle to the Spirit and Christ spake to the Spirits in Prison and Tim. was to stir up the Gift that was in him and the Spirit of the Father speaks within them and the Light shines in the Heart and the Son of God is revealed in me saith the Apostle that which may be known of God is manifest in man for God hath shewed it unto them Rom. 1. and the Apostle was 79 manifest to every ones Conscience in the sight of God and that was of God which the Children disobeyed I Reply 1. As in his late Book exalting his Heathen Light above the Holy Scriptures he simply and prophanely joyns the Philistian Priests and Egyptian Conjurers with Holy Iob and his Friends c. so here he confounds and jumbles together the natural powers and faculties and Humane Light in all Mankinde with the Grace and Spirit of God both ordinary and extraordinary as may be seen at the first view 2. His Scope is abominably and horribly to make the holy Spirit of God capable of being preached unto to be converted and turned unto God yea to refuse and be damned for it is not Man he saith that is preached unto 3. How Sottish and Blind doth this Deceiver proclaim himself in the Christian Doctrines of Preaching Conversion Faith and the Grace and Spirit of God confounding Gold and Drosse Pearls and Pebbles Harps and Harrows as all one altogether In Page 136 137. He brings in Thomas Moor saying Nor are we to wait for a further Revelation to be given forth then the Scripture for the Word of God came not first immediately to the Gentiles but to the Apostles He Answers The Apostles that Preached the Word of God it was immediate to whomsoever they preached it for they had read it immediately for the Word it self is immediate with more that follows to the same senceless and absurd purpose Reply As if all that receive G. Fox his Book simply pretended to be from the Spirit of God receive it without G. Fox his Brain and Hand and Pen or Paper Printing and Letters or because a King delivers his minde to his Secretary and commands him to Pen it in a Proclamation Declaration c. therefore the Kings Word or Will comes to every man immediately without any such means as the Secretaries composing his Clarks Transcribing the use of Printing Letters Paper c. to talke after this sort what is it but to talk Frantick and Bedlam and without the guidance of a common rational Spirit In Page 5. he brings in Samuel Eaton saying Though all the Saints have the Spirit of Christ dwelling in them which is Eternal and Infallible yet that this Spirit should do all which Saints do and should say all that Saints say and should judge for them both persons 80 and things after an infallible manner and that they should neither say nor do any thing by any understanding of their own but the Spirit all this we deny He Answers Which is contrary to the Apostle who saith as many as are the Sons of God are led by the Spirit of God and Christ acts all in them and for them and the fruits of the Spirit c. and the Spiritual man judgeth all things And that is it which leads the Saints to divide and discerne all things both temporal and spiritual the spiritual Wisdome of God which gives them a spiritual understanding which men must rule withal but not with their own which comes to nought and you that have not that which is infallible to judge in you know not the Spirit of Christ neither can you judge of persons or things that have not the infallible judgement nor have the Spiritual man neither have you the Word of God in your hearts nor Christ which is eternal and infallible all which the Quakers have to judge persons and things I Reply Mahomet the Grand Segnior or Elder and Prophet transcending Moses and Christ as he and his followers Mahumetans say he pretended that he had the mind of God by immediate Revelation and that by Revelation of the Holy Spirit in the shape of a Dove he wrote the Minde the Word or Scriptures of God the Alcoran But poor silly Souls were Mahomet and all his Disciples compared with the Seraphical Doctors the Foxians who neither say nor do any thing with any understanding of their own but the immediate and infallible Spirit of God says and does all in them who are fit to be Kings and Princes Governours and Judges Masters of Ships and Families c. indeed of any place of power or trust but these walking Gods and Christs and Spirits even the meanest of the Quakers May not the meanest Youth or Wench if but a pretended Quaker according to this rule or rate of being immediately inspired in all they do or say transcend all other Teachers Translators Interpreters Kings and Counsellors Navigators
say look for a glorious Temporal King that should make his Ingress with Pomp and Meta pur oteresio as the Scripture speaks with Observation but he came in as some Kings in disguize and as they speak Incognito and yet his Kingdome was among them in the midst of them by his perâ—onal presence his power sulp eaching and his glorious Miracles 2 Since in Opposition to Christs Visible Kingdome his Church you predicate a Kingdome within Consisting of Righteousness peace and joy in the holy Spirit do you think indeed that the Hipocritical Cursed Pharisees were snch Righteous peaceable and joyful Souls as your selves As sure as God is Light They and their Successors your selves will find your selves when you wake in horrid Quaking and except you repent Hell Flames about your Ears as the Lord Jesus told those whited Walls and painted Sepulchres 3. Must you take Measure of the Pharisees and tell us that the Pharisees in a Measure as a grain of Mustard Seed and Leaven are the same with your selves Do not you Cry out that you are perfect not in Measures and Degrees but that you are all one in Quality and Equality of Power and Glory with God and must 113 this must be the same with Christ Jesus and his Saints and you and the Pharisees all together Can two walk together live and love together board and bosome together and not be agreed together no other wayes then Light and Darkness Christ and Belial Righteousness and unrighteousness What stinking work do these provd Pharisees make of Christianity How justly doth the Son of God give them their proper Titles Ye Fools and Blind 4. If it be the same Kingdome in Christ Jesus and in Saints and in the Pharisees and every wicked man in the world though but as a grain of Mustard Seed and Leaven what is the Reason this Mustard Seed grows not up this Leaven spread not in them Can a Nation be subject to the King of England of Spain or any osher Ptince or Monarch and yet not know how nor have no knowledge nor feeling of it at all Can there be such a God such a Spirit such a Fire yea but such a Mustard Seed or Levven such a Teacher and yet not grow not prevail not prosper nor be perceived ye Fools and Blind are all your Mustard Trees stunted all the world over no Shelter for the Heavenly Birds your pure flowre of Holiness and sincerity mixt and-blended with the black Weeds Cockle and darnel of open Idolatries and prophaneness and Pharisaisme and Hipocrisie What abominable Contradictions and Lyes in Hipocrisie are here The Pharisees have Christ and his Kingdome of Righteousness peace and joy in the Holy Spirit within them and yet live in pride and Covetousness and Extortion and Excess and Cruelty and Hipocrisie and Blasphemy and all this Rottenness and Dead mens bones stinking and ruling all within notwithstanding all the white and paint and garnishing without your selves their Hipocritical Off spring have and live in you say this Kingdome of Christ Jesus this Kingdome of Righteousness and Ioy in the holy Spirit as perfect and pure as God himself all one with us Infinite in Majesty Holiness Power and Glory not only in Quality but Equality c. as this wretched G. Fox affirmeth And yet within and withont Idolatrous and Superstitious Inhumane and uncivil passionate and sierce Censorious and Cursing and most Impudent and worse then Barbarous in some of your Impudently monstrous and avowed practices Having dispatched our Agitations about the fifth Assertion 114 and the Quotations out of G. Fox which I could not then Insist on in publick I descended to the sixth Position which was viz. The Religion of the Quakers is not only an Heresie in the matters of Gods holy worship but also in the Doctrines of Repentance Faith c. This Assertion hath two main Branches First that the Quakers Religion is an Heresie and themselves Hereticks in the matters of Gods worship 2. Not only so about the Circumstances of which Gods own dear Servants themselves greatly differ but also which is more Lamentable and dangerous in the Doctrines of Repentance and Faith and the rest of the graces of Christ Jesus I told them first that the word Hairesis Heresie in Greek from whence the word Hairetikos an Heretick signified an Opinion or Opinions chosen and stood in by one or more against the Christian Religion I said the matter mighâ— be aggravated and a ugmented from the Greatness and Vitallity of the matter of the Opinions but the Formality and Nature of it lay in the will and obstinacy thereof Iohn Stubs stood up and said that Heresie was defined by some to be an Opinion obstinately stood in against the first Christian Purity I Answered yea and the Opinion of some was that Heresie was an Error in the Foundation obstinately stood in But I said we had not time to enter upon a Dispute about the word or thing at this time the Substance of my Affirmation was that their Religion Sect or way was false and gone from the Institution and way of the Lord Jesus delivered by himself and his Apostles or Messengers 1. As to worship they denyed the Converting and gathering of the Saints into visible Assemblies or Congregations affirming the Chnrch to be Invisible the Ministers Invisible the Baptisme and Supper Invisible c. The second which was aur Position was in those two great Fundamentals the Beginning or A. B. C. of the Christian Religion viz Repentance from dead works and Faith towards God As for those two Doctrines of laying on of hands and of Baptismes they concerned the Church and worship concerning the Circumstances of which God is pleased to permit his 115 Children to be lovingly differing and discussing the other four Repentance Faith Resurrection and Iudgement in which generally Gods Children agree in these also as well as in the matter of worship these wandring Souls are Hereticks that is obstinately maintaining Notoriously false and Anti-Christian Abominations In so much that the many Sects amongst the Protestants yea and the Papists themselves do not so differ from a true Protestant and true Christian as do these wilful ignorant and wandring Souls 1. Then as to Repentance I said it was the first heavenly and saving work of God upon the Soul wherein he turned back home again the whole Soul unto himself being revolted and run from him into the Arms of Rebellion in the Fall of our first Parents This was the great point preached by Moses and the Prophets and more expressly by Iohn the Baptist and by the Lord Jesus himself and when he sent abroad his Apostles or Messengers into all Nations they were to preach the Gospel or glad News of the Forgiveness of sins according to Luke 24. viz. that Repentance and Remission of sins should be preached in his Name unto all Nations beginning at Ierusalem Here about I remember they
offer Eternal Praise by and in the Eternal Son of God the true Lord Iesus Christ whome I desire joyfully to expect to return from Heaven as literally and personally as all true Christians hold Act. 1. he is ascended AN APENDIX OR Addition of Proofs unto my thirteenth Position Viz. That the Quakers Writings are Poor Lame and Naked not able to defend themselves nor comfort the Souls of others with any solidity I could produce most of their chief extant but I have been occasioned to deal with G. Fox their great Goliah in some Scores of Passages of his Book in Folio in the Narrative aforesaid Unto which I judge fit to adde the Scores following faithfully presenting his Opposites Words as he quotes them his Answers and then my Reply let him that Readeth understand I Have chosen out the short Assertions of G. Fox his Opposites as he quotes them and his short Answer for brevity sake c. 1. The first of this Addition I name is in pag. 6. of G. Fox his Folio Book where he brings in Samuel Eaton saying The Apostle faying to the Saints You know all things it is 2 an excessive speech G. Fox Answer contrary to Iohn and would make him a Lyar the Minister of God so he is in the false spirit gone out into the World contrary to 1. Ioh. 2. Who know all things I Reply 1. I cannot learn that they litterally hold that they know all things knowable as God though G. Fox writes that they know all things as God yet I can not think them so gross as to imagine that they know all things past present and to come as the Devil pretends he doth and offers to reveal so much to some Conjurers but I judge they must come to some figurative meaning as their opposite writeth For 2. What hinders as before but if the Quakers be Omniscient and know all things but they should be also Omnipotent and do all things for so Paul writes Phil. 4. I can do all things I know they say they are one with God and Christ and they know all things and can do all things and yet this sense which litterally is so Proud and Blasphemous must be made out by a meaning and by a figure which they cry out against in others 3. Therefore doth not the Spirit of God in Prov. 28. open this to us saying Evil men understand not Iudgement but they that seek the Lord understand all things that is God answers their Prayers and inables them to know and do all that he calls them to when the proud and scornful are rejected 4. Therefore I believe it is that the most Holy and most just and wise Lord leaves these poor proud and scornful Souls to seek wisdome and not to find it to be ignorant knowing nothing as Gods Spirit speaketh and to discover their Ignorance in so many Fundamentals of Christianity and in so many practices immodest irrational and more then savage as I have proved against them 2. In pag. 11. G. Fox brings in John Bunyan c. saying The Scripture plainly denies that Conscience can justifie though it may condemn He Answ. which is contrary to Scripture where the Apostle saith Rom. 2. their Consciences either accusing or excusing And again herein do I exercise my self to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men and the Light condemns which you call Conscience c. I Reply Conscience in greek Latine and English c. signifies a Knowing together a Reâ—lexion or looking back of a mans mind or Spirit upon it self in point of Iustification or pardon of sin 3 Conscience looks upon a cursed rotten Nature then upon millions of sins of Omiâ—â—ion and Commission which how to satisfie an infinite Justice for and to attain a new heart and nature is the high business and out of the reach or thought of that poor Conscience which every man Iew or Gentile Civilized or Pagan comes into the World with In the great Tryal of the three greatest sinners that ever were in this World the Devil and the first Man and first Woman two of them their Consciences condemned them and they confest the Fact though with extenuation and Excuses could this their condemning Conscience especially with mincing of sin as all mens natural Consciences do I say could this Conscience or Consession pardon their sin reniew their hearts and be their Justification or clearing and Salvation T is true Abimelechs Conscience justified him from the Fact of lying with Abrahams Wife as well as Iosephs Conscience justified him from the falsly imputed guilt of lying with his Mistress or attempting of it But was this the Pardon of Abimelechs sin his Justification and Salvation after the Canting Language of this poor Fox and all the Foxians that I have seen and I have read all I could come at c. Oh how little do these poor Beasts seek what infinite Justice infinite Punishment infinite Payment is what Conscience truly pacified is upon the Pardon of Sin and true peace of Conscience Sprinkled with the Blood of that only Lambe of God Christ Jesus Amongst the Indians I have known some falsely accused of stealing English Mens goods of killing English Mens Cattle yea of Murther and I have heard them say that Manit that is God and their own Souls know they are Innocent This Innocency who questions but that it is their plea and excuse and discharge from that guilt falsly charged on them If this be all that G. Fox saith he beats the Air and hath no Enemy No no It is a Conscience Justification within a Christ shedding his blood within in a subtle fly opposition to the pardon without us from the K. of Heaven for the sake of his Son without us this is the business which these Traitors to the K. of Heaven aim at Now they will be perfect and never more admit a sinful thought and this their present Honesty shall pay the old score of a Cursed Na 4 ture and millions of Treasons and Rebellions in Commissions and Omission against the God of Heaven It was a pertinent Similitude used before Q Elizabeth A King sent for his Lord Deputy of a Province to come home and give account c. The guilty Deputy goes to a great friend desires his Company c. he said He was sent for also himself and feard his own Issue He goes to others desires their Company c. They make excuse and promise to have him or the way c. Then goes the Deputy to an old friend who promised to go with him and what he could speak for him only if the K. asked he must speak the Truth and that will be said he your Destruction and therefore adviz'd him to make the young Prince his Friend and Mediator for whose sake the King would deny no Favour no pardon no Honour c. The Application may be large and useful but in short A
yea in present joy unutterable and glorious Sometimes the Lambs Wife is visibly asleep though her heart wakes sometimes she is Alarmed by his knocking and is sluggishly unwilling to open to him sometimes she rises and opens but he is gone and she seeks for him by day and night and cannot find him 9. There is also a false feeling of Christ Jesus as I spake before of a false Conception in a Woman How many are bold to cry Lord Lord open for we have prophesied in thy Name c and yet I will not say as G. Fox here saith of his Feeling that all that have not my feeling or working of Christ are Reprobates yet 57 this I say as Solomon A Whore is Loud and Clamorous not so the Chaste and Sober and Modest Women and the Devil spake as Holy and Heavenly words as Angels could have spoken yet it was but the Divil in Samuels Mantle The 29th Instance is in pag. 117. where he brings in Giles Fermin saying Paul Swore after Christ and the Angels Swore I wonder Paul should so forget himself and sin so fearfully in Swearing so the Quakers Light that denies Swearing is of Satan and not the Light of Christ. He Answers Christ the Light which Satan is out of which is the Oath of God ends all Oathes Sworn by Prophets or Angels whatsoever and who Swares be fallen into the Condemnation of the Devil And it is no where said that the Apostle Swore but such as thou art matters not what thou speak so that Spirit that Preacheth for Swearing is not the Spirit of Christ but is the Spirit of Anti-Christ c. I Reply first G. Fox dares not deny but that the Angel and Paul Swore after Christ only he keeps his old Song viz That Christ put an end to Swearing and that it is not said that Paul Swore But 1. He waves that Sweareng of the Angel or Christ himself Rev. 10. for there he knows the very term of Swearing is used 2. As to Paul if the attestation of the Name of God be the formality of an Oath then if ever any Man Swore in this World Paul did saying to the Corinthians I call God to Record on my Soul that to spare you I came not as yet to Corinth c. Secondly It is true that all Nations have used to Swear by or Appeal to the Gods they owned and worshipped It is true also that they have used to put Creatures into the room of God and Swear by them as the Iews did and som write out of a Superstitious Reverence in forbearing the Name of God and indeed the Reasons Christ Jesus gives Mat. 5. look that way Thirdly It is true also that for abuse of Swearing by and Prophaning the Holy Name of God a whole Land may mourn as Ieremiah speaketh Fourthly There seems to be a very fair colour put on a universal Prohibition of Swearing by Christ Jesus and by his Apostle Iames Swear not c. 58 This Conjuror hath taken with many precious Servants of God former and latter even with many of those called the Fathers and with those Famous Protesters against the whore of Rome the Waldenses and with Famous Usher who doth more then seem to vindicate their not Swearing when Convented and Examined by the Popish Inquiâ—itors 5. Notwithstanding this and more which may be granted and though I should humbly motion to all higher Powers for Christian tenderness as to the holy Majesty of Heaven his Name and to the Souls of any making Scruple yet I must proclaim against G. Fox his lame and simple Return to the Objection of his Opposite concerning Paul and the Angel For why may not Paul and all the Apostles and Christ and all the Angels of Heaven and all the Saints of God upon the Earth in the words of Paul call God to Record upon their Souls that this or this was the Cause and Truth c. Considering 1. That neither the most holy God nor the Lord Jesus who I think is the Swearing Angel Rev. 10. nor the heavenly Spirits the Angels nor Paul nor any of Christs Apostles or Messeâ—gers would have practiced a Ceremony or a Shadow like Circumcision or the Passover at the time of the Day c. 2. Swearing or appealing unto God immediately in Oaths or Vows or Lots or Fastings though higher and above the practice of ordinary Invocations Supplications Thanksgivings c. were never accounted Ceremonies or Types of Substances to come but Real and Substantial Services and Addresses unto the most holy and most high Creatour written in the hearts of all mankind before ever Ceremony or Moses was born and therefore as the fear of God is put for the whole worship of God so also is swearing in the holy Scripture and we may as well deny all worship and Service visible and all External Acts of Homage and Devotion of the Body unto God yea and all the fear of God is there in the mind Soul and Spirit or in any External Obeysance or Reverence as this Service and worship of calling upon God and appealing to his holy Majesty as Witness and Iudge in some Cases c 3. Whereupon it follows that this high point of Gods worship is as real as moral as holy and perpetual as Prayer it self as preaching yea as Baptisme and the Lords Supper and no more Ceremonial though I know the Foxians make Baptisme and the 59 Lords Supper but Ceremonies for a time and ere long if they continue to hearken to Samuel within them they will account Prayer and Preaching whether Apostolical or Pastoral but Types and Shadows also 4. It is a most simple and un-Christian and Atheistical whimsie that Christ was the end of Oaths the end of the Prophets the end of the Scripture the end of Reghteousness in their Sense though as Mediatour he was the End or Perfection of and fulfilling of the Law of God which never Soul beside the Lord Jesus ever kept in thought word and deed what ever the proud Pharisees and Papists and Foxians prate c. 5. It is a gross Fancy to imagine that the Lord Jesus in the 5 of Math. gave new Commands or Contradicted the holy pleasure of his Father concerning Revenge Adultery Oaths Prayers Fastings but opened his Fathers Law in the purity and Spirituality of it against the rotten Expositions Traditions and practices of the Pharisees 6. In particular let all the Reasons be expended and carefully weighed which the Lord Jesus so wonderfully exactly gives why they should not swear by Ierusalem nor the Temple nor their Head nor any Oath to wit of such a Nature and half a sober eye may see that the Lord Jesus intends only to reduce them to an holy Swearing only by God in Gods way c. and in their Common Converse to use yea and nay c. 7. I have read a sober and man like Answer of F. H. called