Selected quad for the lemma: scripture_n

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
scripture_n	light_n	spirit_n	try_v	2,336	5	9.0608	5	false

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ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A57809	The Quakers refuge fixed upon the rock of ages, though the swelling waters dash never so violently to overturn it wherein is prov'd, that the narrative of Ralph James is an absolute lying-wonder, according to his own definition : and also, the great controversie between the people of God called Quakers, and others, about the holy spirit of God and the Scriptures, truly stated, and very briefly discoursed, as it is owned by the Quakers, and the truth cleared from the false suggestions and deceitful insinuatins of the anabaptists about the said controversie : in answer to a subtil pamphlet, lately published, intituled, The Quakers subterfuge or evasion overturned : also a few queries propounded unto Ralph James, and the author of the subterfuge &c. / by Robert Ruckhill ; to which is added another postscript in answer to some queries propounded in the said pamphlet, wherein many untruths are suggested ; but herein the truth is cleared, and the evasion and deceit of the Baptists made more fully manifest by John Whitehead.	Ruckhill, Robert.; Whitehead, John, 1630-1696.	1673 (1673)	Wing R2169; ESTC R21457	28,153	51

Light of the holy Spirit then may a whole Nation wanting the Guidance of the holy Spirit be Idolaters also Here you see the Ground and Cause of Blindness and Idolatry is their Eyes not being opened by the holy Spirit to understand the Scriptures so the Argument holds true throughout all and the aforesaid Position is clearly proved as before was promised And now oh ye Anabaptists and Independents who affirm That the Scriptures are to try and judge of the holy Spirit come let me expostulate with you a little What Assurance can you give the Quakers or what Grounds or Encouragements to believe in case the Judicial Power were in your Hands that in your Tryal of the holy Spirit by the Scriptures as he appears in the Quakers or in whomsoever your proceedings will be more equal just and clear and your selves more free from Mistakes of him then the professing Jews were when by the same Rule they would try the same holy Spirit as it appeared in an immeasurable Measure in Jesus of Nazareth Shew us I pray you wherein you are better wiser juster clearer in your Principles and Judgments then they Do you account your selves the Church of God So did they Do you say you have his Commandments and Ordinances So said they Have you Anabaptists such a high Esteem of your Baptism as to account it the Way of Life to avoid from Hell beneath The like Esteem had they of their Fleshly Circumcision as to teach that without it Men could not be saved Have you the Scriptures and do you reckon them a Competent Judge of the Spirit of God So had they and in them thought they had Eternal Life and yet for all this they knew not the Messiah of whom the Scriptures testified but having most wickedly Betrayed Apprehended and Arraigned him before the Roman Tribunal methinks I hear the Deputy and them thus implead each other in the Case of the true Messiah Pilate What Accusation bring ye against this Man Jews If he were not a Malefactor we would not have delivered him unto thee Pilate Deceit lurks in generals what Evil hath he done Jews He perverts the Nation forbids to pay Tribute to Cesar saying himself is Christ a King In Design doutbless to usurp the Empire and assume Cesar's Revenue Pilate Away away for Shame What nothing but Lyes and Slanders I now perceive your Envy I find no Fault in him at all ●●le release him Jews Crucifie him crucifie him Pilate Why what Evil hath he done Jews He is a Blasphemer A horrible Blasphemer and he ought to dye for it Pilate Take ye him then and Crucifie him for I find no Fault in him Jews By our Law he should be Stoned to Death but ye Romans have taken away that Power it is not lawful for us to put any man to Death Pilate Say then what is his Blasphemy Jews He is but a Carpenter's Son we know his Pedegree and yet he made himself the Son of God and the Saviour of the World and that 's horrid Blasphemy Pilate Son of God! my Heart Trembles at that word ye obdurate Wretches how appears it that he ought to dye for this Jews We have a Law and by our Law he ought to dye because he made himself the Son of God Pilate Produce your Law that I may see it Jews It is in the four and twentieth Chapter of Leviticus and the sixteenth Verse Pilate Read it verbatim Jews And he that Blasphemeth the Name of the Lord shall surely be put to Death all the Congregation shall Stone him to Death as well the Stranger as he that is born in the Land when he Blasphemeth the Name of the Lord let him be Slain And now ye Anabaptists and Independents and thou Author of the Subterfuge be ingenuous and tell the Quakers and the whole Nation truly Whether ye do believe that the Authority of the holy Spirit as he speaks in this precited Scripture did really intend the Murder of the Messiah as a Blasphemer yea or nay if nay as most certainly nay then tell us How it came to pass the Jews should so grosly mistake and misapply it and shew unto us and to all the World if you can what they wanted which might shew them the true Mind of the Lord in that place and in all other Prophesies which spake of the Messiah seeing you cannot deny but they had the Scripture and according to your deceitful way of wording it the Authority of the holy Spirit as he speaks in the Scriptures not onely read but expounded unto them every Sabbath Day If the Jews mistake arose from their Ignorance of the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit as he spoke forth the Scriptures as sure enough it did which it could not have done had they receiv d the Spirit then behold the Jews also are found misunderstanding the Scriptures for want of the holy Spirit as well as my Opposite was and here 's one clear proof more come unlooked for of my former position viz. That a Man nay a whole Nation of Men may have the Scriptures in his or their Mother Tongue and yet be utterly ignorant of the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit And therefore the matter standing thus ye are hereby required and obliged to produce some satisfactory and convincing Reason why the Quakers should expect more equal proceeding at your hands in the Judgment aforesaid in case you had the civil Power then our Lord Jesus Christ found at the Hands of the Jews seeing you have no more then they had to wit the Letter of the Scriptures to judge withal and that you have no more then they appears in this that you deny the holy Spirit as he appears in his Servants to be the Revealer of the Scriptures and supream judge of the Spirits and Doctrines of Men and if ye can produce no such convincing Reason as may give the Quakers reasonable acquiescence in this Concern forasmuch as they are verily perswaded that although you have the Scriptures you want the Guidance of the holy Spirit truly to discern them it lies upon you as a Work of absolute necessity ye Anabaptists and thou Author of this Subterfuge to exhibit unto the Quakers in the Sight of the whole Nation some pregnant Proof and infallible Demonstration that you are not deceitful Sophisters and cunning Jugglers in your doubtful and ambiguous Expressions and Amphibologies dispersed in sundry places of your Books and particularly in that called the Subterfuge as before is noted about the Scriptures the Spirits of Men and the holy Spirit as he speaks in the Scriptures c. which is corrupt and uncertain Language as you use it and it is apparent you do it not only of Ignorance but Wilfulness and your Deceits therein are made manifest unto all You are also oblieged and required to prove if you can positively and plainly to the Satisfaction of all Men that may doubt thereof that all Men whosoever that have the Scriptures have

THE QUAKERS REFUGE Fixed upon the Rock of Ages Though the Swelling Waters Dash never so Violently to Overturn it Wherein is prov'd that the Narrative of Ralph James is an absolute Lying-Wonder according to his own Definition And also The great Controversie between the People of God called Quakers and others about the holy Spirit of God and the Scriptures truly stated and very briefly discoursed as it is owned by the Quakers And the Truth Cleared from the False Suggestions and Deceitful Insinuations of the Anabaptists about the said Controversie ●n Answer to a subtil Pamphlet lately published Intituled The Quakers Subterfuge or Evasion Overturned Also A few Queries propounded unto Ralph James and the Author of the Subterfuge c. By ROBERT RUCKHILL To which is added another Postscript in Answer to some Queries propounded in the said Pamphlet wherein many Untruths are suggested but herein the Truth is cleared and the Evasion and Deceit of the Baptists made more fully manifest By JOHN WHITEHEAD The Lip of Truth shall be Established forever but a Lying Tongue is but for a Moment Prov. 12.19 Righteous Man hateth Lying Words but the Wicked causeth Slander and Shame Prov. 13.5 Printed in the Year 1673. Honest Impartial Reader WHen first the * There being about Nine Years between the Generation and the Birth Monstrous Production of the Anabaptists Lying-Wonder extant in their Narrative and prefixed Letters had so Vigorously alarum'd the Nation I was under some exercise of Mind as having the Ground and Design of the Anabaptists opened in me in that their Undertaking which I feared could not be so obvious to that Southern Friend who was first engag'd in the Detection of their Slanders by reason of his remote Residence from those Parts where those things were pretended to be acted But when I had seen the first and second Books of T. R. where their Deceits were so evidently discovered and so signally detected although their Ground was not so much perceived I did acquiesce in a patient Hope and Expectation of a Succesful Issue on the Truth 's behalf Afterwards came forth another Book put forth as I conceive by a Clandestine Author intituled The Quakers Subterfuge or Evasion Overturned c. whereat I was much stirred in mind to observe somewhat concerning the said Book but was still stay'd by a certain Expectation shortly to see the Answer by that Friend who was already engaged in that Service But being at Lincoln the 25th of December last where I expected to have sound the said Answer I not onely understood that the Book was unanswered but much contrary to my Expectation the Work it self brought to my Hands which I accepted not without Fear and Trembling wherefore my Soul humbly implores the Assistance of the Eternal Wisdom without which I am both unable and unfit to do Him any Service And now Reader sith the all-disposing Providence has thus order'd things I shall candidly address my self to communicate unto thee and to the whole Nation if they please what I have observ'd to be the original true Ground and Cause why the Anabaptists at this Season should produce their Lying-Wonder which the Author in hand affirms was brought ONLY to oppose the spirit of Falshood in Richard Anderson when as about Nine Years by this Authors Confession have expir'd since the Matter contain'd in their Narrative was acted see their Subterfuge p. 9 13. Surely if the Anabaptists had been as slow in the cure of Leprosies Pains Exstasies c. as they have been in opposing R. A's false spirit what had become of him his Leprous Child Wife and Family or of Mary Brown long ere this day But I proceed About the 26th day of the 6th Moneth 1669. was the Dispute at Wrawby mention'd by the Anabaptists and upon the last day of the same Moneth William Smith of Eltham late a Brother of the Baptists but now a faithful Follower of the Light of Christ that Light of the World gave forth a Writing thus dedicated To all such as deny that the holy Spirit ought to be Supream Judge in Man and in Matters of Faith above the holy Scriptures This was directed in particular to Ralph James and John Kirk by of Brigg but they have not answer'd it to this day though J. K. did promise to answer it At last after some Provocation used J. K. writes a reviling Letter about 17 Months after while R. James is imply'd to bring forth into the World this Monstrous Birth the Narrative which had lain in the dark womb of Oblivion about 9. Years thus after the mode of Antichrist to establish their false Doctrines by Signs and Lying Wonders at one fatal Blow to assassinate the Innocent Name Cause of the Quakers forever In this seeming Distress the Quakers flee to the Name of the Lord their strong Tower there to repose in Safety until a just Defence might advance in their Vindication which no sooner appears under the hand of T. R. but presently advances another Opposer of God's Everlasting Truth charges the Quakers in their chiefest Strength intending by fine Force to overturn their Subterfuge and render them obnoxious to the Pursuit and Chase at least of every insulting Enemy that none might forever hereafter dare to assert the Dignity and Power of the Spirit of God above the Writings of Men lest their Children should be smitten with Leprosie and themselves with intolerable Pains This R●ader is the Ground and Design as I perceive of the Anabaptists Envy and Wrath against an Innocent People and in all probability had it not been for the Writing aforesaid which they have not been able to answer and are therefore vex'd and gaul'd the Matter of their Narrative and Lying-Wonder might have rotted in the Grave forever without all Hope of a Resurrection whereas now after the Second Death thereof it must unburied stink above Ground to the Shame and Reproach of the Anabaptists in all succeeding Generations For the Truth on the Quakers behalf and the Anabaptists Deceits are so Perspicuous in two Books written by T. R. intituled The Anabaptists Lying-Wonder and The Anabaptists Preacher Unmask'd unto the serious Perusal whereof I refer the Reader for ample Satisfaction that its verily hoped their Envy against us in this Particular will not survive another Paroxism Le ts therefore leave it on its Death-Bed a while and examine what considerable Supplies the Author under Consideration hath brought to their Dying Cause in his last Expedition From Adlingfleet in Merceland the 8th day of the 11th Moneth 1672. Robert Ruckhill THE Quakers Refuge Fixed upon the Rock of Ages c. FOrasmuch as the Matter of Fact with its Circumstances contain'd in the two first Books of the Anabaptists with the Additions and also so much as concerns their Cross Examination of their own Member Richard Anderson extant in this Book now under search called The Quakers Subterfuge c. hath been sufficienly answer'd by my Friend T. R. I shall not need

were any thing at all he was most certainly an Anabaptist whereof T. R. in both his Books hath given evident Demonstration Upon the whole matter it 's worth remarking First That the Glory of the Anabaptist Churches is in its swift Declination toward the Western Horizon forasmuch as they are sai to fly to Signs and Lying Wonders to oppose the ●●th and to countenance their false Wayes and ●o●trines Secondly That the Anabaptists Cause in this hot Conflict between them and the ●●akers is now at the very utmost Crisis 〈…〉 this Champion who is mostly ingaged when the ●●se grows desperate is constrain'd in so eminent a Danger to make use of such poor Matter such pittifull shifts as are the Contents of this whole book now under tryal to the great Regret doubtless of their whole Party or such of them as have not yet sacrificed their Intellects to their Envy For it was foolishly boasted by divers Professors and others That the Book now under examination would be like Hercules 's Club or Goliah 's Spear in a word Unanswerable And this brings me to the very Heart of the great Controversie Whether the Holy Spirit or the Scriptures ought to have Priority The Controversie between the Anabaptists Independents together with other Professors the People of God called in Scorn Quakers concerning the Authority of the Holy Spirit in Judging or Discerning the Mind of God in the Holy Scriptures truly stated as owned by the Quakers WHether the first Pen-man of the Scriptures was Moses or Hermes or whether both these are not one or whether there are not many words contained in the Scriptures which were not spoken by Inspiration of the Holy Spirit whether some words were not spoken by the grand Impostor some by Wicked Men some by Wise Men ill applied some by Good Men ill expressed some by False Prophets and yet true some by True Prophets and yet false is not the Subject of my Argument at this time But such Scriptures and Prophecyes as have been written and prophesied by the Holy Men of God as they were moved by the Spirit of God treating of the Mystery of God in the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ and the Duty of Man in his Obedience to and Worship of the same God as his reasonable Service for the Gift of so great Salvation are the great Concerns now under our most serious Consideration The People of God scornfully called Quakers have unseignedly believed and often declared to the World That the Scriptures as above distinguished are a true Record and Declaration of the Love of God in the Redemption and Salvation of Mankind by Jesus Christ and also of the Duty of Man as before recited But they also believe and have declared to all the World That the Carnal Mind of Man being at Enmity with God and darkened by reason of Wicked Works cannot perceive nor discern the Mystery of God in the Scriptures declared and testified of For there is a Vail spread over the Hearts of all Men even in their Reading of the Scriptures so as they cannot see through the Letter unto the Mystery either in abolishing the old Covenant with its carnal Ordinances and Beggarly Elements or in introducing the new Covenant with its Spiritual Worship and Services and so being intricated and bewildered in the Letter cannot possibly attain unto the Knowledge of the Spiritual Mystery Now this most excellent Truth having by the Spirit of the Lord been opened and revealed to the Quakers they must of necessity be of this Faith viz. That without a Measure of the holy Spirit of God received and turned unto whereby the Vail is removed from the Heart no Man living can possibly discern or understand the great Mystery of Man's Salvation by Jesus Christ which was exhibited in Shaddow under the old but in lively Substance under the new Covenant although he had a Thousand Bibles in his House and every word of them at his Fingers ends So that upon this Consideration the People of God scornfully called Quakers do unanimously conclude and declare and testifie unto the whole World That the Holy Spirit of God is the only supream Judge Opener and Revealer of the Mind and Mystery of God and Duty of Man treated of in the Scriptures This oh ye Anabaptists and Independents and all other Opposers of this eternal Truth in the whole World this is the true State of the great Controversie betwixt the Quakers and you and if you will joyn issue with the Quakers in this Controversie you must do it as it is here stated at least in Substance for I am willing to give place to better words and order from whomsoever and you must lay aside all your prodigious Signs and lying Wonders and pretended Cures for these will not decide this great Controversie as ye vainly imagine And you must bring forth your strong Reasons and sound Arguments grounded upon plain Demonstrations of Truth and clear Evidence of Scripture and if the Truth be on your part you will be able to make it appear before wise understanding Men whoever your Opposers are and you will overcome us if you have the Truth for great is the Truth and will prevail and we must and will submit unto the Truth and to you But if the Truth appear on our part we in the Wisdom of God shall make it manifest the Truth will stand over your Heads and we will thresh you and winnow as the Chaff on the Threshing-Floor and the Wind of the Lord will blow you away with your Refuge of Lyes and your Nakedness will be discovered in the sight of all Men. Again This Author Subter pag. 5. falsly suggests to his too credulous Readers as if the Controversie depending between the Baptists Churches and the People called Quakers was touching the holy Scriptures or to express it more fully saith he The Authority of the Holy Ghost as he speaks in the Scriptures to try and judge the Spirits of Men which they term the Spirit of God Thus he But whether there be not a Lying Spirit however a Lying Tongue in the Mouth of this False Prophet let the Sober-minded judge And I here challenge him upon his Credit and Reputation with his own People either to produce in open view one clear Proof at least of any Declaration either by word or writing where any of the Quakers have termed the spirits of Men the Spirit of God or else let his stand opon record among his own People as a Lyar and a Slanderer to all Generations Again The Deceit of this Author further appears in his recital of the Narrative for the first Copy renders R. James and R. A. contending Whether the Spirit should try the Scripture or the Scripture the Spirit mark here is Spirit Spirit in the singular number as the Spirit of God is but one but in his recital Subter p. 7. he renders them contending Whether the Scriptures were to try the Spirits or the

Spirits to try the Scriptures It s possible some Readers may judge me too Nice and Critical in this Observe but I must beg their Excuse if it be worth begging for I see his Design in it is to steal a Conceit unperceived into the Reader 's Mind that the Quakers hold That the Multifarious Spirits of Men were to try the Scriptures and not the Scriptures to try that Many-headed Monster Let all sober People take notice of his spirit in this But its worth our Consideration what should be the bottom of this Man 's Meaning where he so often makes use of this unusual manner of speaking viz. The Authority of the spirit as he speaks in the Scripture to try and judge c. Does he mean that the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit respecting the Truths recorded in the Scriptures is the same at this day as it was in old time when it indicted the Scriptures in the Hearts of the holy Men of God If so I must confess I cannot assign him an Opposite for saving the change of Dispensations and Rudiments the blessed Truths revealed or declared of in the Scriptures are the same now as ever and with the holy Spirit there is no Variableness neither any shaddow of Turning Or if he intend thus for I would not mistake him Judging all labour lost that is spent upon mistakes That seeing it is true that the holy Spirit gave forth the Scriptures at the first there is unto this day such an inseparable and intrinsecal Conjunction between the Authority and Mind of the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures that he that hath the Scriptures hath the Authority and Mind of the Holy Spirit also This I confess of the two seems to be nearest his meaning by how much it is furthest from the Truth yet forasmuch as I have it not as his sence under his own hand and also have cause to fear that if it be his sence yet when he perceives a Quaker owns it he will recede from it he shall find me a fair Opposite That there is an inseparable Conjunction or Union between the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit and the essential or substantial Truth declared in the Scriptures I grant and confess unto it but do not start back now because a Quaker confesses the Truth as the manner of most of you is but that therefore he that has the Scriptures hath also the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit I deny If I have hit right of his meaning as till I know the contrary under his Hand I believe I have he ought to prove that part of his Position which is denyed but seeing Truth is precious as well as Time and the green-Grass to day may be withered to morrow I shall invert my Capacity take the sword by the Point and endeavour to prove That a Man may have the Scriptures in his Mother-Tongue and yet be utterly without or ignorant of the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit For Proof of this Position I shall not stir one Foot from my Opposite who in p. 7. of his Subterfuge now under search tells us That after R. Anderson had made his Confession of the Anabaptists Faith in that Cardinal Point of Water-Baptism he met with the Quakers who told him as he said that these things i. e. Water-Baptism was low Now here my Opposite interposes his own Faith and Judgment in the Case and is not afraid to tell the Quakers and the whole Nation That the Water-Baptism is the Way of Life above to the Wise so to procure their more reverend esteem of it and because he perceived such a bold Averment stood need of Scripture-Authority to back it he cites Prov. 15.24 the words run thus The Way of Life is above to the Wise to avoid from Hell beneath Now let the Spiritual Man judge in this case Is Water-Baptism to take it at the best the Way of Life Did the holy Spirit in the Wise Man mean so Can Water-Baptism deliver or save from Hell Is that the Authority or Mind of the holy Spirit in that Scripture Let the Spiritual Man judge I am the Way saith Christ Water-Baptism is the Way saith this Author I was manifest to destroy the Works of the Devil and to save from Death and Hell saith Christ Water Baptism is the Way on high to avoid from Hell beneath saith my Opposite Now whose Testimony will ye receive Let the sober Christian judge whither these Anabaptists are going The parallel Scriptures with this are Phil. 3.20 and Col. 3.1 both which direct us to set our Assections on things above where Christ is at the Right-Hand of God our Saviour Hence of necessity will follow these Conclusions First Though this Author hath the Scriptures yet he is ignorant of the Authority and Mind of the Holy Spirit Secondly Through Ignorance of the Authority and Mind of the Holy Spirit he hath erred from the Truth and fairly convict himself 1. Of a most gross Idolatry as hath been fully manifest 2. Of a Ridiculous Solecism in terming Submersion or Plunging under Water a Way on high From his Idolatry nothing but a Re-baptization in the Tears of Repentance towards God and Faith towards our Lord Jesus Christ can redeem him But for his Solecism that Offence being rather against Grammar then Scripture if the intelligent Reader will please but to indulge him with a favourable Aspect the Quakers will pass it by The Third and Last Conclusion is clearly this as before asserted That without a Measure of the holy Spirit of God received and turned unto whereby the Vail is ●ent from the Heart no Man living can understand or discern the Authority and Mind of the holy Spirit as he spake in old time by his Prophets of the great Mystery now revealed to wit Christ in you the Hope of Glory And this gives a full and undeniable Probation unto that grand Position the Ground and Original of the Anabaptists great Controversie with the Quakers That the holy Spirit of God is the only Supream Judge Discerner and Revealer of the Mind and Mystery of God and of the Duty of Man required in the Scriptures Now if any Man object against this and say I have been too rash and hasty to conclude thus only upon one Mans Error and Mistake and that many others may notwithstanding be more clear I answer Be it far from me to conclude all under this Man's Error and Idolatry nay I know there are many of the People of the Lord who by the Illumination of his good Spirit are inabled to discern in measure what his Mind and Will is but if you do but impartially consider the Ground and Cause of this Man's Error and Idolatry you may perceive the Argument will hold from Particulars to Generals as thus If one Man be blind for want of his Eyes then ten thousand Men wanting their Eyes must be blind also If this Author hath committed a gross Idolatry for want of the

with us nor received our Doctrine nor acted by that Spirit which guides us as in that Query thou affirmest for if he had been conversant with us some of us at least should have known him but that we never did witness this Certificate from a Quarterly Meeting at Lincoln who certainly know all that are or have been of us From a General Meeting of the People of God call'd Quakers in the County of Lincoln the 26th Day of the 4th Moneth 1672. WHereas a Report is gone out of this County from Ralph James and other Persons which have alwayes had a Prejudice against the Truth and People of God call'd Quakers by which Report the Nation is Abused and those which are over-credulous made to believe a Lye viz. That Richard Anderson of Panton was a Quaker These are therefore to certifie that the said Richard Anderson did never frequent any of our Meetings nor did he ever joyn with us in Worship nor was he ever owned by us nor any of us so that they have not any just Ground to call him a Quaker And this Testimony we give forth to preserve the Simple-hearted from being prejudiced against Truth and from believing a Lye Given forth at a Quarterly Meeting held at Lincoln where some Friends from each Meeting in the County were present William Garland Abraham Morice William Everatt Joseph Richardson Augustin Smith John Winklep Samuel Hobman John Richardson Tho. Summers Rich. Baxter John Walcot Tho. Sowter John Mills Joseph Pope Thomas Wresle William Ashby William Hargate James Browne William Bowman Robert Browne Tho. Everatt Rich. Parnell Joseph Wilson And if Richard Anderson had received our Doctrine he had been Still and Quiet in the Light of God till his Heart had been cleansed from Ignorance Pride and Wickedness and that would have preserved him from that Shame and Dishonour which his own Folly and Madness and your Subtilty hath brought him to And if he had been led by the same Spirit that leads us it would not have let him use his Tongue to say The Lord saith when the Lord had not spoken to him but his own Imaginations in a groundless Imitation of the Scriptures which Imaginations he followed and therefore both the Spirit and Scriptures and we who are led thereby are clear from all the Evil he hath done and it lies at his and your Doors amongst whom he both before then and after walked for he had not any Demonstrable Character of being a Quaker as in Reproach they were first called nor may any be justly termed so but those that fear God and tremble at his Word who have believed in the True Light and live in God's Power being exercised in Obedience to his Law written in the Heart and in Self-denyal taking up the daily Cross to their own Wills and Wisdom and in Silence to that waits on God that they may worship in Spirit and walk after the Spirit of God by which they are Baptized into the Body of Christ which is his Church who receives them as living Members having the Savour of that Life which the Spirit has given them And no other way do we take Members into the Church but are constant in this as is visible to those that are conversant with us have the immortal Eye open'd But we shut not our Doors to hinder any from coming into our Congregations to observe our Order and hear our Testimony Yet as the Apostle said concerning a Jew I say concerning a Quaker He is not one that is one Outwardly in Shew only but he is one that is one Inwardly whose Baptism is that of the Spirit and whose Praise is not of Men but of God But that Richard Anderson was neither one Outwardly nor Inwardly is sufficiently made manifest by what hath been already said In a Postscript writ by this Author he seems to own the Light within but hath sufficiently shewed his Ignorance of that True Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World as also of its Power and Efficacy putting Darkness instead of Light and then tells of several things that are wholly beyond the Common Principle of Light Understanding or Judgment of Man which Light being of Man is indeed Darkness since the Fall and therefore the things of God belonging to Man's Eternal Peace are all so far beyond it that the Natural Man with his own Light Understanding or Judgment that he hath of himself as a Man perceives them not And therefore we diswade Men from following their own Spirit Understanding or Judgment and perswade them to receive and follow Christ Jesus that True Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World that he may give them an Understanding that is True and a Judgment that is Sound And beyond him that was and is the True Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World there is nothing for by him was All Things made and whatsoever hath been known of God to Men he hath manifested or revealed it though at sundry Times and in divers Manners And though Men have the Scriptures which declare what was revealed to Men by that true Light and an Understanding or Judgment which is Natural yet thereby there is not any which truely know God or what he requires of them nor ever can they know him till they turn to that true Light which shines in their Hearts and is not of Man but of God who in his own Light or Son that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World manifests and reveals himself and his Will and Mind to Man being wholly sufficient and also present to teach man in this Age what belongs to their eternal Peace as he was in Ages past and also to give unto men positive Laws and Directions how they must Worship and Serve him being no more bound from altering or abolishing outward shaddowy things at first practised by some in the Church since the Coming of Chist then he was from altering Circumcision Sacrifices other Jewish Orders Observances which Moses some of the Prophets had said should continue sorever or throughout their Generations but may lay aside and draw his People from outward Observations or visible Signs and Shaddows of Things when he sees them Idolized or Abused or that the Substance of them is come as he did Circumcision Sacrifices and Pass-over And therefore this Author ought not to limit him to outward Ordinances and Shaddows from Christ's Coming to the End of the World no more then he was limited before Abraham's time or before the Coming of Christ nor ought he to accuse the Quakers as opposing themselves against things requir'd by the positive Laws because they cannot own his Water-Baptism Breaking of Bread in Imitation of the Apostles and primitive Christians no more then the professing Jews ought to have accus'd the Apostle Paul and his Fellow-Labourers in the Gospel for denying the positive Laws who by the Authority and Power of Christ in them cryed down their