it appears how thou contradictest thy self pag. 8. Thou pretendest Grief for thy Country-men who sayest thou flee from the Antichrist the Whore of Babylon and falls into the Pit of the Damnable Heresie of this Antichrist the Quakers Now can any be led by a Damnable Principle and they at the same time not in a State of Condemnation O gross Darkness And doth not Christ say This is the Condemnation that Light is come into the World and Men love Darkness And doth not the Scripture say He that believeth not is condemned already But saith F. H. There is none in a state of Damnation until with Dives they lift up their Eyes in Hell O great Confusion and Contradiction and contrary to the Scripture of Truth Pag. 13. F. H. saith He brings me in reading the Grace of God that brought Salvation hath appeared unto Men leaving out the word All which I testifie in God's Sight to my best Knowledge is utterly Falshood Rep. A pitiful Shift indeed to cover thy Deceit but altogether too short to do it What dost thou and thy Brother Oddey cry out against me for belying thee in this Matter in saying thou readst it wrong Tit. 2.11 and left out the word All and now bringest no Witness to prove me a Lyar nay far short of that for thou hast not here affirmed it thy self that thou read the Scripture as it is but sayst To the best of thy Knowledge thou didst but yet while thou art giving an Account of the Matter thou tellst us That thou dost not use to read that Scripture as it is But Francis in the Light that that thou hatest art thou comprehended and thy Subtilty seen and thy Deceit made manifest And I tell thee again I can prove it to thy Face that to be true which I have charged thee withal in that Matter although thou hast willingly forgotten it and further it appears by thy own words which thou hast here published in Print that what I have said of thee is true whereby there needs no further Witness then what I have from thee and thy Brother Oddey under your Own Hands Pag. 13. Read his own words which are these whereby all may see what Cause this man hath to Rail at me for saying the Truth that he left out the word All excepting this they would not have their Hearers and others know what wicked Perverters they are of the holy Scriptures pag. 13. lin 15. his words are these Now take All Men here for Every Particular I have thought it not agreeing to the Analogy and Rule of Faith to say The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared or shined on All Men. Rep. But Francis what Faith is thine that doth not allow thee to believe the Scriptures of Truth to be true or sound as they are declared by the Holy Ghost that dwelt in them that spake them as it is written 2 Pet. 1.21 For the Prophecy came not in Old Time by the Will of Man but Holy Men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost May not I and others that read thy words justly judge thee out of thy own Mouth that thou art the Man and art in that State that thou sayest of the Quakers and canst not prove it neither by our Words or Writings but thou art apostatized from the true and living Faith that was once delivered to the Saints For the Apostle saith Titus 2.11 For the Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto all men and further it is said 1 Tim. 2.4 where it is said God would have all men to be saved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth And thou sayst that it doth not stand with thy Rule of Faith whereby it appears that thou art not of the Apostles Faith for if thou wast in their Faith thou wouldst own and believe their words to be more certain to be the Mind of God then thy Thoughts But I tell thee thou Merchant of Babylon Thy Corrupt Thoughts have deceived thee in this weighty Matter and the Enemy of thy Soul hath blinded thee as he hath in several other things concerning us But how should we expect better from thee but Wresting and Perverting our Words when thou art so much in the dark as to tell us in print That to read and take the Apostles words as they are spoken doth not agree with thy Rule of Faith whereby it plainly appears thou hast not the Faith of God's Elect for if thou hadst thou wouldst be of the same Mind thâ—â—â—â—ey were in Pag. 13. F. H. saith these words I say in the Fear of Jehovah all you that believe or fear no New or Strange Gods no False Christ not this False Christ of the Quakers that Light that is in all men Rep. It was alwayes the Way and Practice of Deceivers in all Ages to labour to keep the People in Darkness and Blindness and ignorant of the Appearance of the true and living God as God is pleased to appear and manifest himself unto the Sons and Daughters of men for the saving of their Souls and the Way by which they carry on their Ungodly Wâ—rks was the Way that this our Adversary and Enemy of the Appearance of the true God and Jesus Christ in our Day now taketh whereby he is manifeâ—ted by his Fruits to be in the Steps of his Fore-fatherâ— who envy d the lust who said that which was really True was False and that which was God was a Devil and that whiâ—h was of God and came from God to be of the Devil whereby they stirred up the People that followed them and believed them to envy the Prophets and in their Envy â—age and Fury the Priests had stirred them up unto to persecute Christ although the Scriptures bear Testimony very plainly that he was the true Messiah and Saviour of the World yet they would call him a Deceiver and those that were Followers of him and Believers in his Name deceived by him and so said of him He deceived the People And thus doth F. H. now who treads in the Steps of his Fore Fathers the High Pâ—iests who calls the True Christ a False Christ and those that believe in his Name and are led and guided by his Heavenly and Spiritual Light which is the Way of Life to be deceived and Deceivers F. H. saith pag. 13. towards the latter-end of his Book And know Deceivers though you tell us a Thousand Times over that you own Jesus of Nazareth till you repent and renounce youâ— False Christ the Light in all men till you CAST THAT YOUR IDOL TO THE BATS AND MOLES WE WILL LOOK UPON YOU AS DECEIVERS Rep. Herein thou hast manifested thy self to be of that Generation who said to Christ Come doâ—â—â—â—â—m the Cross and we will believe thee and commanded the Apostles that they should preach no more in the Name of Jesus And thou sayst Till we cast away the Christ which is the Light in all men thou wilt
Odious and this thou knowest we can prove to thy Face and shalâ— dâ— it if the Lâ—râ— give â—s an Opportunity And now read what is said in the Holy Scriptures of Christ which thou nor all the cunning Crafts-men that the old Serpent makes use of to with-stand the Universal Appearance of God's Grace and Light to all men in this the Day of his Love can do Joh. 1.4 In him is Life and the Life was the Light of Men Vers 9. Which was sent to bear witness of that Light that was the True Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World which is spoken of Christ 2 Cor. 4.6 God that commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Iesus and this is the True God and Christ that we believe in and turn People unto who hath shined by the Power and Coming of his Heavenly and Divine Light into our Hearts and Souls whereby he hath made us to inherit Comfort whereby we see the Scripture is fulfilled The People that sate in Darkness have seen a Great Light and those that sate in the Regions and Shadow of Death unto them Light is sprung up Mat. 4.16 whereby we see the fulfilling of the Prophet Isaiah's Prophecy Isa 60.19 The Sun shall be no more thy Light by Day nor for Brightness shall the Moon give Light unto thee but the Lord shall be unto thee an everlasting Light and thy God thy Glory and this Light is the Way that the Holy Men of God travailed in though thee and thy Fore-fathers know it not saith Solomon The Path of the Just is as the shining Light c. Prov. chap. 4. ver 18. Isa chap. 2. ver 5. O House of Jacob come ye and let us walk in the Light of the Lord and Christ saith I am the Way and there is none comes to the Father but by me who saith also I am the Light of the World and this is the Way that the true Ministers of Christ turned People unto and were made Ministers of Acts 26.23 to open their Eyes to turn them from Darkness to Light c. that by it they might see their Way out of Sin and Evil and to know their Feet guided in the Way of Peace Luke 1.79 which Light and Truth was that which the Prophets prayed for Psalm 43.3 O send out thy Light and thy Truth let them lead me let them bring me unto thy Holy Hill and to thy Tabernacle Psalm 36.19 For with thee is the Foundation of Life in thy Light shall we see Light And now thou that makest it thy Business to cry out against the Quakers Light whose Light is God and Christ and the Truth and Way to Life to so many as walk therein and are guided thereby for this I can say and my Conscience beareth me witness that I never preached nor declared any other Light to be the Way of Life then the true God and Jesus Christ which the Scriptures of Truth largely witness to be so as I have here proved and thou that say'st this God and Christ that lighteth all Men that the Quakers preach is a God that neither you nor your Fathers have known whereby you have manifested your gross Darkness and Ignorance both of the true God and Jesus Christ whom to know is Life Eternal and if I should say no more of this thy railing envious Piece of Confusion which thou and thy Brother Oddey have sent abroad you are largely made manifest to be in that State which you say the Quakers are in who preach another God another Jesus and are of another Spirit then what the Prophets and Apostles were of who said God is Light and Christ is the true Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World and this the God that thou say'st neither you nor your Fathers have known and I do tell you that I do believe that you speak Truth in that and do judge you out of your own Mouthes to be in their Steps that crucified Christ of whom he said These Things they do because they know not the Father nor me And this I can truly say notwithstanding all your railing Words and unsavoury Speeches concerning me I desire that the Lord may give you Repentance of your Abuses offered against Christ and his Appearance that so you may come to have the Benefit of his Request unto his Father Father forgive them for they know not what they do for I hope your Envy manifested against us and the Truth which we profess is more out of Ignorance then Wilfulness which if so I desâ—re the Lord may open your Eyes that you may come to see what you are doing of Page 3. thou say'st That thou offeredst to prove that the Quakers preached another Jesus and had received another Spirit and another Gospel then what was preached by the Apostles Rep. We acknowledge thou said'st so then and now tellest us as much in thy Book but thou didst not go about to prove it then neither hast thou done it now so that it is sooner said then proved and thy pittiful Shift to evaâ—e the proving of what thou hast promised is already in Print which was to ask us whether we owned the true Christ yea or nay to which then I did freely confess and have mâ—re largely now confest my Faith and Belief and Hope of Salvation to be in the true God and Jesus Christ whereby it appears thy Accusation against me and the rest of my Brethren is false and that you are the Men that preach another Gospel and are out of the Faith that was once delivered unto the Saints whose Faith stood in the Light and Power of God which was and is the Author of the true Faith and the Finisher in all those that continue therein which Faith gives Victory over the World and gives Power and Courage to follow the Lord as faithfully and confess Christ as openly in Times of Suffering and Persecution as in Times of the greatest Freedom and Liberty which Faith hath been made manifest by our Fruits to be in and amongst us ever since we have been a People whereby it appears that good Daniel's Spirit is revealed in amongst us who would not so much as shut his Windows to shun Persecution but prayed as openly as he did at other Times Page 3. thou say'st One of the Quakers said to a Friend of thine that the Body of Christ consumed in the Grave as others do And Francis why didst not thou set down the Name of that One thou speakest of whereby we might have known who it had been for until thou dost I do charge it upon thee as a false Accusation as knowing it to be none of us that said so neither doth it agree with our Principles and thou knowest that I have confessed otherwise in Print to thy Shame Again page 3. F. H. saith Although I have
desired that some few might speak yet the Men and Women let loose their Tongues at their Pleasure some railing and gnashing on us with their Teeth Rep. But Francis why hast thou not set down the Names of those that did so Oh shameless Man to publish such Lyes in Print dost thou think to hide thy self under this pitiful Covering but Francis I have not yet forgot thine and thy Brother Odde's rude Speeches and unsavoury Carriages some of which are already in Print what he said at his coming in and going out of the Meeting calling us Dogs Dogs and Vipers too In page 4. Francis saith Know you Deceivers that many already see by the Light of the Word of God and many I hope more daily shall that these are no slanders but a faithful witnessing given by us against you Reply And to prove us Deceivers he tells us of some of his Brethren he calls Ministers have writ Books against us which Books have been already answer'd by us and their dark Works detected but Francis if thou wast not wholly in Darkness thou would'st see thy Folly in taking this Way to prove the Matter for if this be the only Way to prove thee and thy Brethren Deceivers then remember how many Books have been published in Print with our Names to them against you Hireling Priests Envious Professors these twenty Years whereby you have been marked out by your Fruits and Doctrines to be apostatized from the true Faith and Practice of the true Apostles and Ministers of Christ and are discovered thereby to be walking in the Steps of the false in whose Steps I number you who appear to be Enemies to the true Light Page 5. F. H. saith He is falsly reported of to have said and affirm that every one is enlightned with the Light of Christ is cursed Idolatry and again he is falsly reported to say that every one is enlightned I grant but not with the Light of Christ Reply But F. H. art not thou ashamed thus to tell Lyes in Print and to deny that which thy Tongue spake then in the hearing of many Witnesses and which thy Hand here hath set down whereby thou contradictest thy self for say'st thou at the very following Words by which thou chargest us for wronging of thee in saying that the Light of Christ is cursed idolatry say'st thoâ— What the Idolatry is you shall hear more largely whereby thou hast acknowledged the Charge Again page 5. F. H. saith Thus I constantly affirm that all Men are by Christ who is the true God and Eternal Life enlightned with the Light of Nature of which you shall hear more hereafter and what he saith of this Christ which he saith gives unto all Men a Natural Light Page 5. S. C. asks what is it then that they are enlightned with F. H. A Creature S. C. What Kind of Creature c. passing by your absurd asking whether it be a Man or a Beast I answer I said Deceivers that the Light in all Men is created c. Rep. I shall place this to thy Account which increaseth thy Lyes and Slanders of the Innocent for thou didst say that the Light was a Creature and now thou say'st that the Light in all Men is created but what Advantage thou hast gotten by telling this Lye and altering thy Word from a Creature to Created I cannot see except it be to abuse us by thy Lyes whose Reward will be according to thy Work if thou repentest not And whereas thou say'st That we rend thee or rail on thee because thou wilt not blaspheme the true God with the Quakers and term the Light that is in all Men by Nature is the one Jehovah I say this is a false Accusation and to call the Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World Natural is gross Darkness and are thy Words and not ours nor Scripture-Words for we say and affirm that Light that shineth in and unto every Man and which gives him the Knowledge of what is good and what is evil is pure and spiritual and comes from God who is a Spirit Page 6. F. H. saith Col. 1.27 To whom God will make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery amongst the Gentiles which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory this saith he they prophainly with daubing Flattery apply to all men and the Light that is in all men this is Christ in them all the Hope of Glory Rep. Here thou hast ignorantly or willingly belyed us for we never did fo say or affirm that the Light of Christ that shines and appears unto all Men is Salvation unto all or the Hope of Glory in all for many there be that are condemned by it because they hate it and as Christ saith will not bring their Deeds unto it because their Deeds are Evil Joh. 3.19 20. So that the Light of Christ is the Hope of Glory in them that believe in it and obey it which is according to Simeon's Testimony a Light to lighten the Gentiles and the Glory of thy People Israel Luke 2.32 Page 6. F. H. saith Another Scripture they bring to set up their false God is Rom. 10.8 The Word is nigh in thy Heart and in thy Mouth that is the Word of Faith which we preach this they compare with John 1. and from these Words here spoken of is Christ the Word who was in the Beginning Christ the Light who is God who is they say in the Heart of every man Rep. Now Francis if thou were not wholly in Darkness thou would'st not thus manifest thy own Shame and give me so fair an Opportunity to lay open thy Weakness unto all People but the Day is come in which the Secrets of all Hearts are to be made manifest and the hidden Things of Esau sought out and the Lord is uncovering the Skirts of the Whore and stripping her of all her various Dresses and uncovering the Nakedness of her and her Merchants and now at the Light of this glorious Day the Heathens rage and the People that live in Darkness are angry and now consider thy own Confusion who art speaking against us for accounting that to Christ or the Appearance of Christ which is spoken of Rom. 10. now read what the Scriptures say and see if thou canst make any Thing else of it without wresting of the Scriptures but Christ and his spiritual Appearance to the Heart and Soul of Man Bâ—â— the Righteousness which is by Faith speaketh on this wise say not in thy Heart who shall ascend into Heaven that is to bring Christ from above or who shall descend into the Deep that is to bring Christ again from the Dead but saith it the Word is nigh thee even in thy Heart c. And John 1. In the Beginning was the Word and that Word was with God and that Word was God c. And so we declare it to be as we have received it even as the Scriptures testifie of it
not believe us which Christ is the true Christ that lighteth all men and witnessed so to be by the Scriptures of Truth spoken by the Prophets and Jesus Christ himself and the holy Apostles which I have before largely proved and in whose Light the Church of Christ had Fellowship one with another 1 John 1.7 And it s said by the Apostle That they that say they have Fellowship with God and walk in Darkness they lye and do not the Truth amongst whom I number thee who hast manifested so much Envy against the Light and the Servants of it and tells us until we cast that away namely Christ the Light which is the Guide and Way to Heaven as before I have proved you will look upon us as Deceivers that we cannot help but I say the more is the pity that thou or any man should be so overcome and led captive by the Power of Darkness that you will not own us nor our Testimony unless we will deny the true God and Jesus Christ I tell thee Francis thou hast set us too dear a Price for us to give you for your Approbation of us nay although you had as much to proffer as your Master the power of Darkness proffered Christ if he would fall down and worship him I hope neither I nor any one amongst us who loves the Light and believes therein and hath seen and felt how good the Lord hath been unto our Souls thereby shall ever so deny the Lord that bought them as in casting away so precious a pearl as this Heavenly and Divine Light of Christ which hath ever been and yet is to all them that believe in it and no man ever was nor can be truly happy without they believe in it and obey it which thou sayest we must cast away but I tell thee that if thou dost expect it thou art mistaken and thy Eyes will sink in their Holes and thy carnal Imaginations will rot in thy Head before thou seest that That ever a People should turn from the Light and Truth of God made manifest in our Hearts and Consciences for the purifying of our Hearts and saving of our Souls to turn unto your dark Imaginations who are such bitter Enemies unto the Light which gives the Knowledge of God and r veals the Mysteries of Life unto all them that believe therein 2 Cor. 4.6 Now I testifie That Widdowhood and Loss of Children must be the Portion of all you Professors as it hath been ever since we have been a People to bear Testimony unto the blessed and spiritual Appearance of God in the Light of his dear Son And I am not without Hope that some that are late turned from you and your dark Imaginations are and will be the more confirmed in this precious Truth unto which their Minds are turned and that those that yet sit under your Dark and Confused Teaching who hate the Light and are Reproachers and Railers against the Lovers of it may thereby be awakened to consider what they are a doing in following such Teachers who are against the True Light and Universal Love of God held forth to all men thereby for there is but Light and Darkness and they that hate the Light must needs be in Darkness And the Apostle John saith They that walk in Darkness they lye and do not the Truth Now I would have all People take notice that F. H. doth not Rail against us for Darkness and express his Envy against us as being led by the power of Darkness for he intitles us that and saith the Quakers God and Christ as you may see all along in his Book the Light that is in All Men which the Scripture witnesseth to be the True God and Jesus Christ which I have before proved by the Scriptures only this I would have all People take notice of which I have hinted at before which is the Practice of him and all such Blind Gâ—ides as he is to call that which is True False and that which is really True he calls False and that which is the True Light he calls Darkness For there is nothing that giveth Light to every Man but the True God and Christ and thus he puts Light for Darkness whereby it appears according to the Scriptures he is under the Wo Isa 5.20 And now I shall take a little Notice of what Joseph Oddey saith page 14. who writes to one Samuel Cater a Deceiver amongst the Quakers who at that Meeting at Thriploe And for what he hath said now in this Paper he deserveth just Reproof for his rude and unsavoury Words which do not become a Man that professeth himself to be a Minister of Christ Rep. And now J. O. I do tell thee that the Light of Christ tâ—at I with many more have received teacheth us not to render Evil for Evil nor Railing for Railing but contrarywise to speak the Truth in Soberness and with sound Words to demonstrate and declare the Truth as it is in Jesus And now thou hast called me a Deceiver which is a false Accusation and thou might'st better have left it until thou hadst proved me so which thou nor thy Brother could not do although promised to do it and thou called'st us a Generation of Vipers and said'st Thou would'st prove us so to be before you went away and did'st not then do it so that it appears it is an easier Matter to cast Reproaches and Slanders upon a People then it is to prove it when you have done But Joseph thou manifests by thy Fruit what Spirit rules thy Heart for saith the Scripture An Evil Man out of the Evil Treasure of his Heart brings forth Evil Things from that cometh Railing and Evil-speaking and Backbiting Page 14. he pretends to examine me with what Face I could say that his Brother Holdcraft did not read the Scripture right Tit. 2.11 The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared unto Men and that he left out the Word ALL and impudently said it was not in the Greek can this be a bare mistake in thy self and others Rep. I say no it is no Mistake we do still affirm the same to be true of him as we have published and there are three of our Names to it and many more will witness it to your Faces to be true if an Opportunity be afforded and further there was a Man that at the same time when Francis said that the Word ALL was not in the Greek as it is in our Books reproved him and asked him why he brought his Bible hither if it were wrong translated a Man that stood by as a Hearer well known in the Country to be a Man of Estate and Credit who was not then nor is now one with us in Principle or Practice Page 14. How J. O proves that I have belyed his Brother Holdcraft saith he I stood next him on the one side had my Hearing through God's Goodness I think I may say as well as you could this
be and I not hear it I forgot not wholly the Contention with Mr. Holdcraft about the altering of the Reading of it from what it is ordinarily in our English Bibles Rep. Here thou hast granted that thou knowest that he did not read it as it is in our Bibles whereby thou hast contradicted him who saith he read it no other Way then it is in our Bibles and thus these two Brethren in Iniquity contradict and confound one another But saith J. O. I call God for a Record upon my Soul that I know nothing of this you say But Joseph I must tell thee I do greatly question whether thou now speakest Truth or no but however I shall leave that to God and thy own Conscience But if this be true thou dost say that thou knowest nothing of it hast thou done wisely to call me a Lyar for saying that that I know to be true and have several Witnesses to prove it and thou say'st thou know'st nothing of it then I tell thee thou had'st been wiser and honester if thou had'st held thy Tongue and now tellest us thou thinkest thou had'st thy Hearing as well as I c. This is like thy Brother who saith in page 3. observing as I thought in some of these People that Lightness c. and page 13. where F. H. speaks concerning the Grace of God Now take all men here for every particular man I have thought it not agreeing to the Rule of Faith I tell you both that your Thoughts have deceived you and your Folly is made manifest and whereas you thought to have done proudly in exalting your Names and dark Imaginations above the Light and Truth of God and to have insulted over them that believe therein and are led and guided thereby your Weakness is thereby made manifest and your Deceit laid open Page 14. Joseph Oddey saith I appeal to all that were present whether any such Thing was spoken only I desire to know their Names According to his Desire here is a Testimony under the Hands of some of them that were there and many more remember the same and are also ready to witness it if there were Need for it This we testifie whose Names are here under-written who were Eye and Ear-Witnesses to what was said at the Meeting at Thriploe the 15th Day of the 2d Moneth 76. that Francis Holdcraft when he read Tit. 2.11 left out the Word ALL and said it was not in the Greek John Harvey John Claydon John Butcher Giles Waklen Samuel Reader John Salmon Richard Web Matthew Duy Jonathan Johnson Henry Bostock John Cathen John Love Thomas Miller Robert Salmon And now concerning the Grace of God spoken of in Tit. 2.11 which these Men are so angry with me for detecting their Folly therein and now see what he saith and hath given under his Hand as his Thoughts and Judgment concerning that Scripture and compare his Words and F. H. in page 13 in their own Book with what they spake concerning tâ—e Grace of God and its Appearance that Day at Thriploe which we have given a true Account of in Print whereby all may see what Wrong we have done them in saying that of them which here they have spoken as much themselves Page 14. J. O. saith Thus the Grace of God though it brings Salvation to all men where the Gospel comes in Respect of the Proffer and Tender thereof yet it doth not appear to all men in that Largeness you contend for And in page 13. F. H. saith concerning the second of Titus 11. Now take all men here for every particular man I have thought it not agreeing to the Analogy and Rule of Faith to say The Grace of God that brings Salvation hath appeared or shined on all men In the same page J.O. calls me a Lyar for saying that he said that some Children before they are born were guilty of Original Sin and were Vessels of Wrath and for Destruction Rep. Which I am able to prove he did at that Time say and hath at other times often declared the same and further hath here declared as his Judgment page 14. toward the latter End Children while they are in the Womb before they are born so soon as they have Life and are a living Soul are guilty of Original Sin I own this for Truth c. Now the same Scripture that proves them to be guilty of Original Sin proves them to be Children of Wrath and under Condemnation By this all may see that to be his Judgment that he calls me a Lyar for reporting of him whereby his Envy and Folly is made manifest and my Innocency cleared and out of his own Mouth that is proved which I have charged him with so that it is proved that this Man hath calâ—ed me a Lyar out of Envy and not that I have wronged him which Doctrine of theirs is false and altogether contrary to the Mind and Will of God declared in the Scriptur s of Truth as I told them before that is to say that Children are guilty of Sin before they are born and under Condemnation and are Vessels of VVrath which to say is a Damnable Doctrine and altoge her contrary to the Equal and Just VVayes of God who saith Are not my Wayes Equal and there is no Scripture that saith Children are guilty of Original Sin and it is a dark Imagination for any to believe or affirm it and the Scripture proves the contrary Ezek. 18.2 The Soul that sinneth it shall dye the Son shall not bear the Iniquity of the Father c. Jer. 31.29 They shall say no more the Fathers have eaten sour Grapes and the Childrens Teeth are set on Edge but every Man shall dye for his own Iniquity he that eateth his Teeth shall be set on Edge S. C. Pag. 15. line 27. Joseph Oddey bids me ask Henry Bostock whom saith he knows our Doctrine whom I think would have done us so much Right as to have told you what our Doctrine is concerning Children before they are born And now here follows a Testation under the Hand of Henry Bostock concerning the Doctrine of Francis Houlcraft and Joseph Oddey which is That some Children before they are born are in a State of Damnation This I have known to have been their Principle this Seven Years and at that Meeting at Thriploe Joseph Oddey did affirm the same Henry Bostock Now see these Mens CONFUSION and how they CONTRADICT Themselves F. H. PAge 5. line 16. I Constantly affirm that All Men are by Christ who is the true God and eternal Life enlightned with the Light of Nature F. H. pag. 7. lin 4. Who clothes their False Christ and Cursed Idol the Light which is in All Men by Nature F. H. pag. 7. towards the latter end saith Christ the Word made Flesh enlightens Every Man with Natural Knowledge and Light F. H. pag 8. lin 5. The Light which is in every man is Darkness F. H. pag. 10. lin 5. I call to
mind what one of you one Henry Bostock an Apostate said to me God forbid that I should own such a God that hath Hands and Feet F. H. saith towards the latter end of this page There is but one living and true God Everlasting Without Body Parts or Passions c. F. H. pag. 11. towards the latter end That we never said that any Children before they were born or any else were in a state of Damnation till with Dives they lift up their Eyes in Hell J. O. pag. 16. lin 3. I speak of Children before they be born the same Scripture that prove them to be guilty of Original Sin proves them to be Children of Wrath and under Condemnation F. H. pag. 13. lin 13. My Friends may know for some time my Reading that Word no other then what is in the English Bible J. O. pag. 14. lin 14. I forgot not wholely the Contention with Mr. Houldcraft about the altering of the Reading from what it is ordinarily in our English Bibles Their Controversie stated here is little else but Fictions Which we have plainly made appear behold their Contradictions The Truth of what is here declared wee 'l certainly Maintain And turn your Cursed Forgeries upon your Backs again Shall Impudence with open Face thus act and not be blamed Who have thus with such foul Disgrace God's Glorious Light defamed Shall Forgeries be counted Zeal or Lyes upon us fall No no the Power of God we feel to Triumph over All Jacob Bakeâ— Here followeth a Testimony against the False Doctrines asserted by these Men who say that Children before they are born are Vessels of Wrath and under Condemnation because of their Fathers Sin which Judgment of theirs is here detected by the Scriptures of Truth and the contrary proved and their wresting the Scriptures discovered THis is the Testimony that God Almighty hath put into my Heart to bear with many more Brethren That God who is rich in Mercy and desires not that any should perish but that all might turn from the Evil of their Wayes and live that the Day of his Power is now in this our Day Age and Generation dawned and broken forth which John saw in the Vision of the Almighty when he was in the Spirit by which the Things of God were revealed unto him who said Rev. 14.6 I saw an Angel fly in the midst of Heaven having the Everlasting Gospel to preach unto them that dwell upon the Earth and to every Nation and Kindred and Tongue and People which Time is now come in which the Lord's Power and Holy Spirit moves upon our Hearts to preach the Word of Reconciliation unto all men which is according to the ancient Testimony of the Servants of God and Ministers of Christ which went before us whereby it appears according to the Scriptures of Truth that the Gospel which we preach is the same that was begun to be preached by the Lord Jesus and was confirmed by them that heard him 1 Tim. 3.4 For this is acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour who would have all men to be saved and come to the Knowledge of the Truth And this is the Gospel that the True Ministers now preach which is Glad-tidings unto all that are in their Sins That there is Mercy with the Lord for them all that they may be saved For Christ is come a Light into the World that whosoever believes in him should not perish And The Grace of God that brings Salvation appears unto all men to teach them to deny Vngodliness and whosoever bows to the Teachings of it shall be saved And as Christ stood up in the great Day of the Feast saying If any Man thirst let him come unto me and drink whereby it appears that God's Love is unto all Men and blessed be the Lord there is a Remnant whom God by the Light of his dear Son that shineth in our Hearts he hath brought us to see the same and hath inlarged our Hearts by Faith in his Power to publish Peace by Jesus Christ unto all Men whereby the VVords of Christ are fulfilled Joh. 3.14 As Moses lifted up the Serpent in the Wilderness so must the Son of Man be lifted up whereby the Folly of these Men is made manifest and their false Doctrines detected who would tye up the Love of God in Jesus Christ to but a few a certain Number of People now see Numb 21.9 whether that Serpent of Brass that Christ speaks of that was set upon a Pole was only for one or two Tribes of Israel to be healed by as these Men vainly imagine concerning the Love of God now manifested in Christ which they say is but for a few if so that was not a true Figure of the Love of God in Christ or there is a Shortness in Christ the Substance of performing to and for Man that which figured it out if these Mens Doctrines be true for it came to pass that if a Serpent had bit any Man when he beheld the Serpent of Brass he lived Now these Men will readily grant that all are bit or stung by the old Enemy of Man the Serpent that beguiled Eve in the Beginning but they have not so much Faith as to believe that there is Vertue enough in Christ to cure us all or if there be it is not intended for all let such Teachers hold their Tongues that are out of the Faith that was and is delivered unto the Saints and Ministers of Christ for they give an uncertain Sound and are but like sounding Brass and tinkling Cymbals who make a Din in Peoples Ears but do not reach to the VVitness of God in the Hearts and Consciences of Men and VVomen who have not received that Commission that Christ gave unto his Disciples Mark 16.15 who bad his Disciples go and preach the Gospel unto every Creature which Gospel was Glad Tidings to the poor and the opening of the Prison Doors to them that were bound and Light to them that sate in Darkness and in a word to give Knowledge of Salvation and of a Physician that hath Virtue in him to cure all Diseases that come upon Mans Heart and Soul because of Sin and this is freely tendered unto all Men that will believe in him and look unto him And now whereas these Men make a Noise about a State of Children being under Condemnation because of their Fathers Sins which Saying of theirs is altogether contrary to the Scriptures of Truth Jer. 31.30 And concerning Children Christ saith Of such is the Kingdom of Heaven and further saith Whosoever receiveth not the Kingdom as a little Child he shall in no Wise enter therein which Words do plainly imply Children to be in an innocent State and free from Sin and Evil for the Scripture saith Nothing that defileth can enter into God's Kingdom But J. O. having a Desire to prove Children Sinners before they are born he brings iâ— Eph. 2.3 Among whom also we all had our