is Christ the true Light according as they are Taught not understanding the Difference between Natural Light and Spiritual Light no more than their Teachers and so it passeth for a currant Doctrine amongst them though it be most Absurd and false and manifestly contrary to the Scriptures Do ye not know that there is a Conscience in every Man and Woman Conscience is a Natural Light and that it is a Light according to its Nature it hath so much Light as not onely to see and know Earthly things according to Reason and Humane Vnderstanding but also some things according to the Law of God Rom. 1. to see and to reprove for some gross evils and sins As Murder Theft Drunkenness Bestiality Deceitful dealings and such like things against the Light of Nature which also the Law of God forbids And this Light within every one does move unto some things that are Morally good and Honest Reproving and Troubling for the one and Excusing for the other But this Light can never lead to Christ without the Spirit of God and the Word of the Gospel which Reveals Christ fully Therefore give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Ascribe unto Conscience the things that belong to Conscience and unto Christ that which is his own Set not a Creature in the Throne of the Creator and by Worshipping an Idol forsake the Living and true God It is true Christ the true Light is really in Believers and in none else and a glorious Truth indeed a precious Priviledge of the Saints and peculiar People of God that Christ dwells in them and this is a great and Glorious Mystery made known unto the Saints onely Believers as we see Col. 1.16 17. Even the Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints ver 17. To whom God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory Here is a glorious Mystery revealed to the Gentiles that they should now come in and be of the Church of Christ the poor Gentiles that never were call'd before that time the Gentiles who were formerly Excluded in all the Generations before those dayes they are now made fellow-heirs with the Believing Jews And this Rich and Glorious Priviledge is also revealed to them Christ dwelling in them by Faith by his Spirit and all his graces and operations communicating his Nature to them that they are as really partakers of the Image of the second Adam in righteousness and true holiness as they were of the Image of the first Adam in sin and darkness But what is this Priviledge to the wicked and unregenerate world that lye in sin and darkness what Communion hath light with darkness what fellowship hath Christ with Belial Will Christ Dwell in the Soul where the Devil Dwells and Reigns Nay verily If Christ come to dwell and abide in any Soul and be a light unto it he will surely cast out Sathan that Strong man Armed that keeps the house as Sathan does in all wicked men and Sathan shall Reign nor keep house no longer but Christ will remove him and come in his place and Reign and Rule and Dwell there and by his Presence and Dwelling in the Soul will give to such a believing Soul sure grounds of hope of Eternal Glory according to this word Christ in you the hope of Glory And seeing the Teachers among the Quakers The Scriptures are the Word of God do slight and undervalue the Scriptures and deny them to be the Word of God and to be a Rule for Christians in Faith and Practice and prefer their own Fansies and vain imaginations moved often by seducing Spirits before the written Word of God let us consider the tendency of this strong delusion The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans Chap. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforehand were written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope The Church of God was for a long time without the Scriptures God teaching his People immediately by his Spirit or by Angels mixed with some Providential dispensations but when he had gathered his Church and People out of Egypt he was graciously pleased to instruct them by a plain written Word to be a perfect standing Rule both for Faith and Practice And required upon divers sore Penalties on the one hand and Rewards and Promises on the other that they should observe them And those that were Godly amongst them took diligent heed thereunto and great delight therein How did the holy Prophet David a man after Gods own heart prize and value the written Word of God though he had but a small part of the Scriptures to what we now have as we see in all his Psalms more especially in the 119. Psal almost in every verse of that long Psalme he makes mention of the Law of God his Statutes Ordinances Judgments Precepts and Commandments how he loved them delighted in them meditated in them O how I love thy Law it is my meditation continually he aimed at the keeping and practice of them as at a mark and tells us it is the nature and property of all good men so to do Psal 1. The godly man meditates in the Law of God Day and night But now these Teachers and Leaders of the Quakers they express no love to the Scriptures but the quite contrary they Slight and Undervalue them and teach others to do so too and deny them to be a Christians Rule of Faith and Practice though spoken by Christ himself in his own Person a great part of them who is truly God as well as Man and the rest inspired by the Holy Ghost who also is God Yet these Unreasonable and Unthankful men deny them to be the Word of God though spoken by God himself We have much of the Scripture spoken by Christs own mouth and all was given by inspiration of God Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and is not the Holy Ghost God How then are not the Scriptures the Word of God Are not these men infatuated that will not own these things When the believing Thessalonians had heard the Word of God spoken by Paul and received it effectually he thankes God for it for this cause thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in Truth the Word of God And when any one would draw us to hearken to any Private Spirit as of old they did and so now we are commanded by God not to hearken to them Isaiah 8.20 but we are directed to the Scriptures To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them And Isa 8.9 Lo they
THE Strong Man Armed not Cast Out BUT Removed to a Stronger Hold VIZ. FROM PROFANENESS to HYPOCRISIE OR An Answer to a Book Entituled The Strong Man Armed Cast Out and his Goods spoyled Or The Poor Man sitting at Jesus's Feet Cloathed and in his Right Mind Written by James Jackson formerly a Parish Priest and afterwards a Teacher among the Independents And now Walking with the People called Quakers as he Testifieth of himself In which Answer is plainly Discovered the Ignorance and Darkness the Delusions and False Apprehensions of this James Jackson Concerning himself and the Churches and Assemblies which he Disowns and Separates from And also the Erroneous Interpretations and Applications of the Scriptures which he mentions in his Book Herein are also Discovered several Characters plain Marks of those False Teachers that the Spirit speaketh expresly should come into the World in these last days Written for the Vindication of the Truths of the Gospel the Stablishing of those who are in the Truth and the Reducing of those who have Erred from it And in all for the Exaltation of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ By R.a. Austen 1 John 3.1 Try the Spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the World Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Jer. 8.9 Lo they have Rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them London Printed for Peter Parker at the Leg and Star over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1676. The Epistle to the READER IT is certain that these are the Last Times and that many False Prophets are gone out into the World Deceitful workers Ministers of Antichrist transforming themselves into the Ministers of Christ It is time therefore and our Necessary Duty to try the Spirits whether they are of God and verily here is one as dangerous a Person with as subtil insinuating Doctrine as I ever yet met with VVhen I had Read his Book and Observed how he Exalteth and Magnifieth himself and those of his way as the onely Holy People in the World and Separateth from all the Godly their Societies and assemblies of all perswasions without Exception and not onely so but also vilifieth them Ranking them with the wicked and unregenerate world and how he asserteth and maintaineth a false Principle That the true Light meaning Christ is in every Man and Woman and is sufficient being believed in and Obeyed to bring them to Salvation and that whosoever will not Receive and own this Doctrine are accounted by him Enemies to Christ VVhen I considered these things with many other Lies in Hypocrisie and Blasphemies mentioned in his Book my Spirit was vehemently moved within me and I said in my self Shall this uncircumcised Philistine thus come forth and Challenge and Defie the Hosts and Armies The Light within shall be in Hell for ever p. 31. The Quakers draw people to Idolatry ibid. The Quakers are under spiritual Judgments p. 32. The Quakers Perfection in sin p. 34. The Quakers imperfection in grace 35. 1 In knowledge ibid. 2 In Faith and Hope 36. 3 In Love ibid. Paul preacheth Christ and not the Light in every man and woman p. 38. The Devils fundamental doctrine p. 39. Obstinate Quakers to be rejected p. 41. The Quakers sin is like the great sin of the hardned Jewes p. 42. Advice to the hearers among the Quakers p. 44. The Quakers great Idol near falling p. 45. Ten Arguments proving the Light within is not Christ p. 46. The Quakers Humility p. 56. The Quakers Vnity ibid. The true Vnity of the true Church 59. 1. One Body ib. 2. One Spirit ib. 3. One Hope 60. 4. One Lord. ib. 5. One Faith ib. 6. One Baptisme ib. 7. One God ibid. The Quakers Patience p. 62. A false perswasion of Conversion p. 63. The Light within converts none to the Lord. p. 65. Natural Light is Spiritual Darkness p. 67. This Scripture Joh. 1.9 grosly mistaken p. 68. The Quakers Doctrine is directly-contrary to the Scriptures p. 70 Conscience is a natural light 72. Christ the true Light is really in believers and in none else ib. The Scriptures are the word of God p. 74. The Scriptures are Gods Love letters to mankind p. 77. Characters of false Prophets whereby they are known p. 78. 1. Departing from the Faith p. 79. 2. Character Giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils p. 80. 1. Against Christ ib. 2. Against the Scriptures ibid. 3. Against the Church 81.4 Resting upon their own Righteousness ib. The third Character of false Prophets Lyes in Hypocrisie p. 82. The first Lye in Hypocrisie p. 83 The second Lye in Hypocrisie ib. The third Lye in Hypocrisie p. 84. The fourth Lye in Hypocrisie ib. The fifth Lye in Hypocrisie p. 86. The sixt Lye in Hypocrisie p. 88. The Quakers Railing accusations p. 89. The fourth Character of false Teachers their Consciences are seared with an hot Iron p. 91. The fifth Character of false Teachers denying the Lord that bought us p. 92. The Apostle Peter and Jude both agree in the same Characters of false Teachers p. 93. Enoch Prophesied of these ungodly men p. 100. The Quakers have spoken many hard speeches against Christ ibid. The Quakers separation from Christ and his people proves they are no Christians p. 101. A Lying Spirit is gone forth among the Quakers which seduceth them p. 105. Births of the Spirit and of the Flesh p. 106. Spiritual sins are greater than fleshly sins p. 108. The false Opinions of the Quakers spring from Pride and Ignorance p. 109. The Quakers deceive weak and simple minds p. 110. The Quakers shall not long continue to deceive p. 113. Good Counsel to the Quakers p. 115. Leave the Quakers Meetings p. 116. Come to the Assemblies of the Saints p. 117. THE Strong Man Armed not Cast out BUT Removed to a stronger Hold VIZ. From PROFANENESS TO HYPOCRISIE WHen Man at his first Creation came out of the Hand of God he was then a Holy and a Righteous Creature But we all know to our sorrow he lost that Holy state and now and since then he is by Nature a Child of Wrath and an Enemy to God in his mind afar off from him and most unlike unto him So that there is no Recovering that Holy and Happy Estate again to have Fellowship and Communion with God but by Regeneration and Conversion from this Carnal state to a New Spiritual state by true Repentance and Faith in Christ wrought by the Mighty Power of the Spirit of God in those whom he according to his determinate Counsel and foreknowledge calleth in due time unto himself in whom he by degrees destroys the works of the Devil the Image of the first Adam and Creates and works the Image or Nature of the Second Adam Jesus Christ in Righteousness and true Holiness or as it is in some other
Experience in their Measure as might be made evident in particulars It would as it does in all true Believers purifie the Heart and work by Love to God to his People to his Word and Ordinances to all the things that are of God But fine Words and Professions will not prove or evidence true Faith This Author does plainly manifest to a Spiritual Eye that that which he calls Faith in himself and in such as are like him is but presumption wrought by the great Deceiver the seducing spirit in weak Ignorant Proud Hearts and Minds for it hath not purified their Hearts neither doth it work by Love but on the contrary their Hearts are yet Dark Blind Ignorant of God of themselves of the Truths of God of the People of God they know not the Difference between Nature and Grace They call Natural Conscience and Reason which is in every Man and Woman by Nature God Christ his Spirit the true Light which will Save and Justisie whosoever hearkens to it and believes in it I say Faith hath not Purified their Hearts from this Blindness and Ignorance nor from Pride Self-love and many other Corruptions Manifest and Evident in and amongst them as any gross sins or Abominations are in the Profanest Persons in the World Neither does this Faith of theirs which they boast of work by Love Love to God Love to all his People to the Law and Word of God as it did in David O how I love thy Law it is my Meditation continually Psal 119. but they Love not the Scriptures neither are they led by the spirit speaking in them but by a false spirit speaking in themselves contrary to the spirit in the Scriptures And as for their Love it is but a self-love it confines it self to their own party that say as they say and do even as they do that are one with them in the same things and in the Pride of their Hearts reject all others though the most eminent Saints upon the Earth How far then is this Faith of theirs which they boast of accounting it far better than all others from purifying their Heart perfectly as he there says that hath not yet purified it from these groâ—â— and apparent Corruptions and sins as Ignoranâ— Pride in a high Degree Self-love Hatred Despising Disowning Scandalizing and Separating from the Lords People of all perswasions though Select Congregations and Precious in the sight of the Lord and dear as the Apple of his Eye O the subtil strong seducing spirit is got into a strong Hold indeed and Fortified himself therein that can make them Speak and Declare these Lyes in Hypocrisie and these Doctrines of Devils as the Apostle calls them 2 Tim. 3.1 Thirdly This Author of the Strong Man Armed cast out goes on 3. The Quakers Knowledge and tells us what Knowledge the People the Quakers have attained unto above all others and saith it is Spiritual and Experimental from the immediate Vnction of the Holy Ghost and proceeds not from hear-say but Divine Revelation this is Life Eternal to know God which is Light yea the Father of Lights and that the Light within is the Son of God This is that Mystery that is hid from the Wise and Prudent and Revealed unto Babes They know him not but say it is the Devil or at best but the Light of Nature and so they know not whence it is and yet he hath enlightned Thousands and it was never known that the Devil or the Light of Nature Converted any to the Lord. For Answer hereunto Quakers put Light for Darkness and Darkness for Light I say it is a very dreadful thing for any Man to put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness as this Man does a Dreadful Woe is Denounced against such Isa 5.20 Woe to them that call Evil Good and Good Evil that put Darkness for Light and Light for Darkness If therefore the Light in thee be Darkness how great is that Darkness Mat. 6.23 But the Light in Thee James Jackson is Darkness That is to say Thy Vnderstanding is Darkned and Blinded not onely by Corrupt Nature as all Unregenerate Men and Women are but Darkned also by the Prince of Darkness as is Manifest by all thy Writings that thou put'st Darkness for Light For the Minds of all natural Men are dark yea darkness it self they cannot see Spiritual things no more than a Blind Man can Distinguish Colours or than a Man that hath his sight in a dark Dungeon can Discern or Distinguish of Objects The Natural Man perceiveth not the things of God neither can he know them because they are Spiritually Discerned 1 Cor. 2.14 Such an understanding and knowledge hast thou and others of thy Principles and Ways Thou and they it seems have attained to this Knowledge which others though the most Wise of other Perswasions have not attained to That the Light within is the Son of God whom he hath sent and that this is in every Man and Woman and to know and abide in this Light is Life Eternal I am grieved for this thine and their Ignorance though thou callest it Knowledge Now if ye will Hearken to the true Light indeed he will drive away and dispell this Darkness and shine into the Heart and give the Light of the Knowledge of God in the Face of Jesus Christ Thou despisest the Knowledge of all others that comes by hear-say meaning the Scriptures as it plainly appears thine thou sayest is by Immediate Revelation But let me ask thee and them how comes any one to know Christ and to Believe in him but by the Scriptures How shall they Believe in him of whom they have not heard but by the Word of the Gospel Rom. 10 As for Immediate Revelations we are not to Believe any of them further than as they are Consonant and Agreeable to the Scriptures which the Holy Spirit of God hath already spoken else we may believe a Lye from a false Spirit Witness thy own Case with many others also who have listned to Immediate Revelations and prefer them before the Revelations of the Spirit of God in the Scriptures which undoubtedly will be your undoing except ye Repent and see your Error for in thus doing ye prefer the Devils Doctrine before the Doctrine of Christ Yea ye shut out the sayings of Christ and take in the sayings of Satan If we have no way to try the Spirits Three Spirits speak in Men. how shall we know what Spirit it is that speaketh in us for there are three distinct Spirits that speak in Men at certain times Sometimes the Spirit of God moves and works in Meâ— he dwells and abides in his People but not in his Enemies he sometimes Reproves wicked Men the World of sin Righteousness and Judgment Secondly There is the seducing spirit he also moves in the Minds of Men both in the Godly and Vngodly He moved David and prevailed with him to his hurt This spirit all are to Watch
good in Us and so they Measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves and in so doing they are not wise v. 8. Howsoever we know our Measure and our Time our Gifts and Graces that God hath gìven us and although they think highly of themselves and but Meanly of us yet we know that not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth as v. 18. Is it not so in our Days are there not a People among us who have high esteem of themselves and that think of themselves more highly than they ought to think that account themselves the onely Holy People of the Lord and all others to be of the World and cast off and disown and separate from all other Societies Communities Congregations and Churches of the Saints and people of God in all the World and Measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are thereby grosly mistaken and misled they Commend and Applaud themselves above all other People as being in the right and true way and all others out of it but not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth and approveth he shall stand and be accepted v. 18. Now let us consider the ground and cause of all this Apostacy from the Faith what it is whence is it that many have such high thoughts of themselves and Despise others better than themselves The Apostle tells us and the Spirit hath spoken it expresly and plainly that in the last days which are these we now Live in Men shall depart from the Faith that is from Faith in the Doctrine of the Gospel not from Justifying Faith and shall give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils they having once departed from the Doctrine and Truths of the Gospel they shall then give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils they shall slight and make light of the Scriptures and then shall give heed to seducing spirits a spirit within them yea many spirits are watchful to insinuate into such a mind as take no heed to the Scriptures for in such a Frame of Mind what should direct them what Touch-stone or Rule of Tryal can they have when the Scriptures are laid aside of what spirit speaks in them In such a case Men often think it is the spirit of God when it is but a seducing spirit who hath Transformed himself into an Angel of Light and resembles the spirit of God under the pretence of Holiness and Truth In some things that are like Truth it Resembles it but is not so And hereby their Weak and Dark Minds are missed and deceived For the Devil does often in many things speak the very Truth but it is with an intent to deceive in other things that are of greater Moment and Consequence like cunning deceitful Tradesmen who bring forth and shew some good and right Commodities that so amongst these they may put off their counterfeit Wares the better and with less suspition Now The Spirit within known by the Scriptures know this That men shall not be able to know the false seducing spirit from the true but by the Fruits and effects of it and by trying it by the spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures and by these it may be known and not otherwise And hence it is That many in our Days finding and feeling strong impressions and impulses in their minds and not Examining of them and trying of them by the spirit speaking in the Scriptures do erre grosly and are mis-led by them both in Doctrine and Practice They give heed to and are carried away with the present Impression moving in their minds looking upon it immediately by and in it self as Christ the true Light speaking in them when oft-times it is a seducing spirit Quest But if it be asked How then shall we certainly know the Impressions of the seducing spirit in our minds and the Impressions of the Spirit of God Answ The spirit of God which is given to them that Believe Instructeth them how to know its own Operations First by Comparing these immediate Impressions in the Mind with what is already written in the Scriptures dictated by the same spirit concerning the same things now in the Mind or Judgment therefore we ought to compare them together and Examine whether they agree and are one and the same if the Impressions of the Spirit in the mind be contrary to the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures we may then be sure it is a false and a seducing spirit but if it be the same with the Spirit in the Scriptures and confirmed thereby then it is the true spirit The Spirit of God gives more especially to some of his People the Gift of discerning of spirits As we see 2 Cor. 12. To another he gives the Discerning of Spirits And it is by this means afore-mentioned And Secondly Causes known by Effects we may know the true spirit from the seducing spirit by the Fruits and Effects of it we may know Causes by the Effects as in Nature so also in Grace And therefore when we are doubtful what Spirit it is that speaketh in us or others let us try it by the Effects the Fruits that it produceth for every Tree is known by its own Fruits The Effects and Fruits of the Spirit of God are such as the Scripture tells us of in many places as in the 5th Gal. The Fruits of the Spirit are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Patience Humility Temperance c. Our Lord Christ the Head who was filled and Annointed with this Spirit above his Fellows what Effects did it work in his Humane Nature as our Mediator he tells us Mat. 11.28 he is Meek and Lowly in heart and again 2 Cor. 10.1 I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ What wonderful Humility did he shew forth in all his Life amongst us and in that astonishing Example of Washing his Disciples Feet And though he were a King yea the King of Kings yet behold he came Meek and Lowly Riding upon an Asse and so tender of his Young Lambs his Weak ones that he carries them in his Bosom and gently leads such as are Young and tender he will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax Though Faith be but as a grain of Mustard-seed it shall be watered to grow up and increase to more strength Now the like Effects the same spirit works in his Members in every one in their Measures Paul fed his New-born Babes with Milk and not with Meat because they were not able to bear it and cherished them as a Nurse cherisheth her Children often weeping over them Travelling from place to place to strengthen the New gathered Churches Teaching and Instructing them in those two great and chief Doctrines Faith in Christ and Love to all the Saints So the Apostle John the same spirit brought forth the same Fruits and Effects in him 1 John 1.
I have no greater Joy than to see my Children Walk in Truth And Teacheth Love Vnity Peace Fellowship and Communion with all the Saints And so are all the Children of God thus inclined by the same spirit they shew forth the same Fruits and Effects in their Degrees and Measures But now on the contrary consider The false seducing spirit brings forth in its Followers the quite contrary Fruits and Effects as we plainly see amongst Men And hence are those high and proud Conceits and Apprehensions of themselves their Ways their Doctrines as better above and beyond all others being free from sin and become perfect saying in Effect stand further from me I am Holier than thou Despising that Low Childish Doctrine of sin abiding in us in the remainders of it whilst we Live though the Power and Dominion of it be Destroy'd I say these Fruits and Effects spring from a Cause like unto them whereby we may safely conclude what the Cause is so again when we see Men Separating from others better than themselves leaving and forsaking other Assemblies and Congregations sound in Doctrine and Holy in Life and Conversation excepting common un-avoidable Infirmities we may be sure hereby that this is from a seducing spirit not from the spirit of God whose contrary Fruits and Effects we heard before As Solomon The true Spirit is for Unity the salfe Spirit for Division by his Wisdom given him of God plainly Discerned and knew the true Mother from the false by this very thing by this clear Evidence She that was for Vnity and for preserving together and Nourishing the parts and Members of the Child was the true Mother But she that was for the Dividing of the Child and separating the Members of it he knew by that she was the Harlot and not the true Mother Just so it is in this Case The true spirit is for Vnity Love Fellowship and Communion with all the Members of Christ as Occasion and Opportunity is but the false seducing spirit is for separation and Dividing the Members of Christ's Body upon one pretence or another And herein it is too manifest that not onely some in our Days are more grossely guilty but also many of the true Members of Christ have been deceived and carried away very far by this deluding and seducing spirit through the remainders of Pride and self-love in them and have thought it their Duty to separate from others of their Brethren upon slight weak and insufficient grounds and Causes by which they have greatly Displeased and Offended their Head Jesus Christ and wronged their fellow-Members And as an Evidence of his Displeasure and a just Correction upon them he hath permitted a People in these days to separate from them all and to disown them all which I am perswaded is one End God hath in suffering these People to appear in this day which as from God is a just Retaliation to do to them as they have done to others the same Measure they have meeted to others of their Brethren is now Measured to them again Seeing no Rules in Scripture nor Councels nor Intreaties of their Brethren would perswade or win them to be of one mind and to keep in Fellowship together this now comes at last as the greatest and sharpest Reproof and Correction of all the former I hope and desire they will consider it and Learn from it to hear the voice of God's Rod as well as of his Word and be Instructed thereby And now having Tryed the Author of the strong Man armed cast out and proved that the strong man is not cast out but removed to a stronger Hold let us proceed further and make it appear also by divers other Proofs and Evidences taken out of his own Book which also are sufficient to convince all others of his Mind and Way that they may plainly see if the God of this World hath not blinded their Minds and hid plain and clear Truths from them the false and unsound Foundations which they Build upon as well as the Wood Hay and Stubble which they Build withal both as to their Opinions and Practices in esteeming themselves the onely Holy People of the Lord in this Day and Despising and Condemning those that are indeed the People of the Lord. First then 1. The Quakers Attainments above others This Author tells us what he and the People with whom he now Walks have attained unto above all others from whom they separate The People the Quakers he saith Build upon a true and right Foundation 1. In the Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ in us the hope of Glory but all other Professing People in the World Build upon the Writings of Men and all of them are strangers to that one Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures See strong Man Armed c. p. 12. In Answer to which I say plainly That if this were Truth which He hath spoken I would separate also and Build upon the same Foundation which he says they Build upon But he hath herein spoken falsely and that in a double Respect 1. In Respect of themselves 2. In Respect of other Professors the Churches of Christ As for themselves such of them as Build upon the Foundation the Light within every Man and Woman and believe in it and Obey it and look for Salvation from it as they Profess to do such Build upon a false and unsound Foundation and not upon Christ the onely true Foundation Secondly As for the other Professing People from whom they Separate he hath belyed them also grossely in saying they Build not upon Christ the true Foundation for it is the chief and Fundamental Doctrine which they Preach and Teach in all their Assemblies and Congregations according to the Word and Gospel of Christ And upon which we are sure many thousands have Built by the Guidance and Teaching and Operations of the spirit of the Lord and are by the same spirit joyned and Vnited in a firm and everlasting bond and Vnion to Christ whereby we have Light Life Vertue Strength Wisdom and all Grace from this Root and Fountain our precious Lord Jesus Christ This Author proceeds further 2. Strong Man Armed p. 13. and tells us That the Faith of the People called Quakers is the Faith of the Son of God Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of it it renews the whole Man 2. The Quakers Faith By this Faith sin is subdued slain and Mortified perfectly the heart purified the World conquered the Soul Sanctified Justified and Saved perfectly But the Faith of all others is an Vnholy Dead Imperfect Faith it Sanctifies but in part as they say and so will never save to the uttermost Thus far he Answ Here is another double gross untruth both as to themselves and others If their Faith be the true Justifying Saving Faith of God's Elect then it would Evidence it self by the Fruits and Effects of Faith which the Scriptures speak of and all the Saints
have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdome is in them So then here we see plainly they that speak not and write not according to the Scriptures they have neither wisdome nor Light in them Consider this ye deluded People among the Quakers that give more heed to a dim natural light within darkned also by deluding spirits than to the Light of the Scriptures though the Sun of Righteousness shine Bright and Gloriously in them The Apostle John hath marked out such men for wicked men 1 John 4.6 We are of God he that knoweth God heareth us he that is not of God heareth not us hereby know we the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of Error What can be more plain hereby then it is Evident what sort of men these are in this Generation who will not hear the Prophets and Apostles speaking by the Spirit in the Scriptures he that will not hear Vs is not of God but on the contrary he that heareth us that is obeyeth us and is ruled and guided by that which we have spoken and written he is of God and is guided and taught by the Spirit of God which God hath also given to them that believe And farther This truth is also spoken by our blessed Lord and Savionr Christ himself even from his own mouth Joh. 8.47 when the Proud unbelieving Jewes such another proud self-conceited People as are now in our dayes would not receive his doctrine he tells them plainly what they are ver 47. he that is of God heareth Gods words ye therefore heard them not because ye are not of God Tremble and Quake at this Dreadful word ye seduced People of the Quakers who will not hear nor be guided by the Scriptures the written and declared word of God Ye are here pronounced by Christs own mouth his Prophets and Apostles that ye are not of God That is ye are not born of God ye are not born of the Spirit for that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit ye are not regenerate ye are not believers ye are no members of Christ ye are not taught of God nor led by his Spirit but by a false Spirit When Paul wrote to Timothy he commended him for that he had known the Scriptures from a child which were able to make him wise unto salvation 2 Tim. 3.15 And sayes that all Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for Doctrine for Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness ver 17. That the man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all good workes But these men are so farr from being furnished to all good workes that they are reprobate to every good work they having cast-aside the Scriptures they can never be furnished any other way to any good Work Let us consider how great a favour it is from God that we have the Scriptures The Scriptures are Gods Love-letters to Mankind which are Gods Love-letters to Mankind indited by his own Spirit and written by his own servants to woo them and win them to accept of his own and only beloved Son in marriage that there may be a Contract and an everlasting Vnion between them and so they may become the Spouse of Christ the Lambs Wife And that although they have no Beauty nor Comeliness upon them yet that he will accept of them notwithstanding their Deformity if they will but but consent to the motion And Oh who would not consent to such a wonderfull condiscension in the Great and Holy God to such poor miserable creatures as we are blind and deaf deformed foul and filthy poor and needy wanting all things that might make us acceptable in his eyes But though it be so yet he hath promised that he will make us Comely and Beautiful and Rich with Ornaments and a Crown of Glory and no good thing shall be wanting to them that love him Therefore all these things considered let us have the Scriptures in high esteem and walk by them for we shall be judged by them at the last day But what a sad case are they in then who deny them as a Rule to walk by and disown them And if so great a curse shall be the portion of those who take away any part of the Scriptures as that God will take away their part out of the Book of Life and out of the holy City and from the things that are written therein Rev. 22. what shall we think will be the Portion and Punishment of those who take away all the Scripture at once and make it as a void thing and deny them to be a perfect Rule to Christians of Faith and Obedience and do instead thereof direct men to a blind guide that had need of a guide it self for that it sees nothing of the true way the truth and the life without the Scriptures Now because the spirit of God who indited the Scriptures Characters of false Prophets whereby they are known and spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets and Apostles and Christ himself also in his own person hath told us That false Prophets and Teachers should be in the later dayes and should seduce and deceive many And so subtle shall their carriage and their Doctrine be like their Teacher that they shall deceive if it were possible the very Elect And because also we know that these are the last times the last daies even these dayes wherein we live in which dayes these false Teachers foretold should come it is our duty therefore and it highly concerns every Christian to try the Spirits because even Now many false Prophets are in the world among us Let us consider and examine than who these false Prophets and Teachers are how they may be known What Marks and Characters there are set down in the Scriptures whereby these men may be known for the Spirit of God hath marked them out whereby they may be discerned from other men even whereby they may be known to be the very men foretold that should come in these last dayes Our Lord Christ hath bid us take heed of them Luk. 13.23 Behold saith he I have foretold you of these things Let us therefore consider some particulars as marks of these men First then that in the Epistle of Paul to Tim. 1 Tim. 4.1 Now the spirit speaketh expresly that in the later times some shall depart from the faith giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils 1. Some shall depart from the Faith 1. Departing from the Faith Now what kind of Faith is here meant it is not a true and justifying faith for that none can depart from but it is a Temporary Faith some shaddows and fancies resembling faith such a faith as our Lord Christ speakes of Mat. 10. They believed for a while but in time of Temptation fell away 2. They also cast off and departed from Historical Faith for they regard not what is written in the Scriptures either concerning Faith or Practice
it Teacheth Men to have a low esteem of themselves and when they have done all they can in the ways of Obedience to account that yet they are but unprofitable Servants This Humble Spirit was seen in Paul who though he were a great Apostle yet he accounted himself less than the least of all Saints yea and teacheth all others to be of the same Mind In lowliness of Mind let each esteem other better than themselves Phil. 2.3 How far then are these Men from true Humility Sixthly The Sixth Lye in Hypocrisie Strong Man Armed p. 15. Another Lye in Hypocrisie is this They say their Patience is Invincible to them is this Grace given The World hath been against them not for their own sakes but for Christ's sake in them though they are he says the most Innocent and harmless People upon Earth Now whether this papears to be Truth or a Lye in Hypocrisie may appear by their Speeches and Writings wherein they express and manifest much Bitterness of Spirit Wrath Anger Malice and Impatience as is in their frequent foul harsh Language that proceeds from them both by their Tongues and Pens against those who do Converse with them or ask them questions Soberly and Modestly with a real desire to be Resolved or that ask them a Reason of the hope that is in them or of their perswasions about such or such things Their Answers ought to be given with Meekness and Love That they may satisfie those who ask them according to Truth But instead thereof they commonly pour out harsh words and speeches like those Enemies of David Psal 64.4 They whet their Tongues like a Sword they bend their Bows and shoot their Arrows even bitter words Witness Edward Burrough's Works p. 20 21 c. against a Servant of Christ asking him serious questions he Answered in such Language as this which others also of their Teachers do likewise own and approve of To all or most of the questions he mixeth this Language The Quakers Railing Accusations and many Expressions to the like purpose in his Answers Thou Reprobate and Child of Darkness we witness thee to be in the Sorcery and Witchcraft thou Dragon thy queries are Conjured in the Black Art out of the Bottomless Pit thou Diviner we witness thee to be the Beast thou Antichrist who looks at Christ's Death at Jerusalem alone thou Jesuite art pleading for Christ afar off thee thou art Accursed thou Beast to whom the Plagues of God are due Thou Blind Hypocrite thou Cain thou full of Subtilty with the Light thou art seen and with the Life thou art Judged and Condemned These words were poured out with many more such like Invectives against him the Querist and others from time to time as Men have conference with them But are these the Fruits and Evidences of Patience which they boast of which they say they have attained above all other Professing People Then what is Impatience Wrath Bitterness and Anger Are not their Tongues set on fire of Hell and moved by the Devil who brings the Fire from thence and kindles it and blows it up to a great Flame Nay doubtless they are not onely Pinch'd and vex'd by serious Questions and sound Scripture Arguments but also even cut to the Heart as the Jews were against Stephen when he dealt truly and plainly with them as we see Acts 7.54 When they heard these things they were cut to the Heart and they gnashed on him with their Teeth So these Men they are vex'd and Angry when they are Opposed and cannot Answer they are Pinch'd and cut to the very Heart which they shew and manifest by such speeches as these aforementioned for out of the abundance of the Heart the Mouth speaketh These I say are Lyes in Hypocrisie This then is another Character plainly seen upon the Quakers whereby compared with the rest of the Characters spoken by the Holy Ghost they are manifested to be the false Prophets that should come into the World in these last days In this day is this Scripture fulfilled The false Teachers who were fore-told expresly by the Spirit of God that they should come in these last days even now are they come in this Generation They are Departed from the Faith they give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils they speak Lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron which is the next Character to be Discovered Fourthly The Fourth Character of false Teachers Their Consciences are seared with an hot Iron Another Character whereby false Prophets Teachers are known which the Spirit of God tells us of is this They have their Conscience seared with an hot Iron 1 Tim. 4.2 This Expression seared with an hot Iron taken properly is a Similitude of what is done Spiritually in and upon the Consciences of some more than Ordinary notorious sinners under a Judicial as well as Natural hardness of heart Blindness and Reprobate sense unto which Judgment God sometimes gives them up for refusing to Receive and Hearken to the Truth often tendred and Discovered to them with some other Notorious sins For as Natural Flesh seared with an hot Iron is thereby made hard dead and insensible so as it will not receive any Impression nor is sensible as soft tender lively Flesh is so it is with the Consciences of some Men which are seared they have no Spiritual sense nor feeling of spiritual things but are dead and hardned blind and deaf as concerning the things of God of which those Christians that have tender Consciences and soft hearts have a clear sight and sense of Men whose Consciences are seared with an hot Iron they do think apprehend and believe and that strongly too many things that are quite contrary to the Truth both as to Reason and Faith which things they speak and write accordingly Secondly Another Sign or Evidence of those whose Consciences are seared with an hot Iron is this They will Reject and Despise all plain Truths in Scripture as being contrary to their Corrupt Natures Principles and Interests though they are never so much concerned therein and though brought and tendred to them with never so much Love and earnest desire for their good and welfare yet these things take no Impression upon their hearts no more than upon a stone they remain still the same and no good is done upon them by any means Nay Thirdly as another Evidence of a seared Conscience The means used to Reform them does the more harden them and makes them the more Desperate in sinning which is seen in their many Imprecations Revilings Slanderings and bitter Reproachful speeches which proceed from them against those that would do them good Now is it not hereby Evident and plain That very many of the Quakers are under this Judgment of having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron So that this Character is also plainly seen upon them as is made manifest particularly by their Speeches Books and Practices Fifthly
Like Swine they trample Pearls under their Feet and turn again and rent you Being Men of Corrupt minds and Reprobate concerning the Faith their minds are Corrupt Carnal Filthy Defiled with false Notions Erroneous Opinions and Conceptions of things according to their dark carnal apprehensions mixed also with Satans false glosses and deceitful appearances in their minds and so they become Reprobate concerning the Faith That is without Judgment or any true Vnderstanding in Matters of Faith according as the Scriptures have revealed them But it follows ver 9. They shall proceed no further for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men as theirs also was After they have done their work and filled up the measure of their Iniquity and fulfilled the Scriptures what was fore-told of them then they shall be Discovered and made manifest and that to all men even to their own party also as well as to others who have been long deceived and seduced by them they shall then fall off from them by degrees and leave them and forsake their meetings They shall be known to be deceitful workers their folly shall be made manifest as theirs also was that is as the folly of Jannes and Jambres the Sorcerers or Magicians which deceived the People for a while with false shews and appearances of things which were not so in Reality and Truth afterwards they were discovered to be but a Cheat and deceitful workings So these men with all their Counterfeit Coin and Deceitful Wares which they expose and offer to People in the dark and which they will not by their good will bring unto the Light of the Scriptures which would make things manifest unto all yet they shall in due time be brought to the Light their folly shall be made manifest unto all And is not this Scripture in a great measure fulfilled already even at this day The Men these false Teachers their Opinions Principles and Practices have been of late time more than ever before laid open and their Folly and gross Ignorance and Errors made manifest unto all and so will be still more and more See three Dialogues between a Christian and a Quaker by Tho. Hicks where they are made Naked before all Men to their shame God hath of late time more especially stirred up the Spirits of some of his People to search into and Examine their Opinions and Doctrines and to try them by the Scriptures spoken by God himself and they find that these Men have spoken contrary to what God hath spoken The Doctrine of these false Teachers is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ made known to us in the Gospel they are detected discovered and made manifest to all except some of their own Party Friends as they call them who it 's like are so Charmed by them as that they will not hear nor hearken to any thing that is said against them or their Principles though spoken according to truth Nay they will not hear God himself speak for they Neglect and Despise the Scriptures and prefer their own simple Pamphlets before them Now Good Councel to the Quakers seeing these things are so I shall in sincere Love and Pity to the Souls of these People the Quakers give them my Advice and Councel according to Truth whether they will hear it or whether they will reject it I am perswaded there are some amongst them who have true and real intentions and desires after the truth to hear it and to do it and therefore there is some hopes of such that if they would give themselves to search the Scriptures concerning the Principles of their Teachers and be earnest with God to give them his Spirit to Open their Vnderstandings they might clearly see the gross Folly and Errors of these Men and that they would read other mens Books wherein they are concern'd as well as their Friends Books thereby also their Light within would be the clearer But whilst they Neglect or Decline the means of knowledge no marvel though they remain Ignorant and are seduced My Advice and Councel is further Leave the Quakers Meetings That you would leave the Assemblies of these Men separate your selves from their Congregations and Meetings Now is separation seasonable according to the Scriptures separate from them because they have separated from Christ and from his Church and People they are gone from the truth and are turned unto Fables and they give heed unto seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron so that they will not hear nor hearken to the Truth as it is in Jesus They slight and despise the Scriptures and therefore what Light is in them what Wisdom is in them Nothing but Darkness and Ignorance improved also by subtil seducing spirits which except they speedily Repent will draw them down into the Bottomless Pit And next I advise you Come to the Assemblies of the Saints Come and joyn your selves to the Lord and to his People come into their Assemblies Societies and Congregations there ye shall hear Christ truly Preached and set forth according to the Gospel whereby your minds may be enlightned to see the Beauty of Christ indeed with all his Benefits and Priviledges purchased for his People and this may make you fall in Love with him and to chuse him for your Lord and Husband O take heed of forsaking or Neglecting the Assemblies of the People of the Lord as the manner of some is it is a very Dangerous thing See the Consequences of it which the Apostle tells us of in the 10. of the Hebrews it is a Sign or forerunner of that great sin the sin against the Holy Ghost as it is there set forth Come then to the Assemblies of the Saints for the Lord is among them and in them and Communicates himself unto them he reveals his Mind his Secrets to them that fear him Ye are now in a dry and barren Wilderness where there is no Water no Water of Life your Souls will be lean and starved for want of Food for want of the Bread and Water of Life unless ye come unto him that ye may have Life your teachers themselves want this having forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters and run to broken Cisterns which hold not a drop of Water The Light within is but Darkness to the true Light Jesus Christ Your Teachers themselves want water being Wells without water and Clouds without water carried about with winds Therefore come to the Fountain of Living waters to the Fountain of Gardens that waters all the Gardens all his Churches and every particular soul and their souls are as watred Gardens and as springs of water whose waters fail not For there is in them a Well of water springing up unto Eternal Life Come then and be partakers of these Priviledges be one with Christ and with his People and ye shall be enlightned by Christ the true Light indeed and Life indeed who will guide you and lead you into Green Pastures by the Rivers of waters who will feed you with the Bread and Water of Life unto Eternal Life FINIS THere are lately Published Three Dialogues Between a Christian and a Quaker wherein are faithfully Represented some of the Chief and most Concerning Opinions of the Quakers together with their Method and Manner of Reasoning in the Defence thereof Also the Quakers Appeal Answered All Written by Tho. Hicks Sold by Peter Parker at the Leg and Star in Cornhil against the Royal Exchange