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
Expressions in Scripture he casteth out the strong Man Armed that keepeth the House and Divideth the Spoyls when this stronger than he cometh he turns out this first strong Man though Armed and in his strong Hold of every Faculty of the Soul and Enters himself and takes Possession of the Soul and turns all to his own Use and Interest even for his own Glory the Exaltation of his Free-Grace and that for ever Now here comes this great Question to be Debated and Determined The Author of the Strong Man Armed Tryed Concerning the Person here mentioned James Jackson Author of the Book Entituled The Strong Man Armed cast out which also Comprehends and includes all others of his Mind with whom he hath now joyned himself He is strongly perswaded it appears That the strong Man the Devil with all his wares and works is cast out and that Christ is entred and dwells in his stead He tells us in his Epistle to his Friends and Relations what an Vngodly Dissolute Debauched and Extravagant Course of Life the had Lived against all Counsels Admonitions Reproofs Vows Promises and Engagements breaking all these as so many Bonds and Fetters alluding to the poor Man that was possessed with Devils and bound with Chains and Fetters and brake all in pieces and no Man could tame him So did he to the grief and wounding of his dear Friends But the Lord working mightily and Revealing his Son in him he saith and making a wonderful and great Change he would not eat his Morsels alone but thought it his Duty to Communicate these things to his Friends and Relations and to tell them what great things God hath done for him and hath had Compassion on him in turning him from Darkness into his Marvellous Light and from the Power of Satan into the Kingdom of his dear Son So that now our work is to bring him and his works to be Weighed in the Ballance of the Sanctuary and to try them by the true Touch-stone whether they be true Metal or Counterfeit for many Foolish Builders Build upon the Sand and not upon the Rock Yea and some that Build upon the firmer Foundation yet they Build much Wood Hay and Stubble instead of Gold Silver and Precious Stones 1 Cor. 3.13 but every Man's work shall be made Manifest for the Day shall Declare it because it shall be Revealed by Fire And the Fire shall Try every Man's work of what sort it is Now this Fire is the Spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures if Men speak according to his Mind and Will then it is the Truth but if they speak or Act otherwise then it is not according to Truth but is from a False Spirit That is either from the Devil the Spirit that worketh in the Children of Disobedience or from a Man 's own Spirit or from both Therefore that we may know which to follow when Men Differ and Contend about things this is the sure and onely way according to the Apostlâ—s Counsel to try the Spirits whether they are of God or not 1 John 3. But it may readily be asked how shall we know the Spirits which is which which is the true Spirit and which the false when they speak in men different things who disagree in their Sayings and Apprehensions I Answer That the Spirit of God speaking in any Man How to know the true Spirit from the false Spirit or if any Man speak by the Spirit of God he speaketh according to what he hath already spoken and not contrary That is according to what he hath already spoken in the Scriptures by those Holy Men of God that wrote the Scriptures and were Inspired by the holy ghost and if any man speak contrary to what the Spirit of God hath already spoken and Revealed in the Scriptures he is a Lyar and speaketh from a false Deluding Spirit and not by the Spirit of God The Apostle Paul tells us plainly 1 Cor. 2.13 We speak things which the Holy Ghost teacheth comparing Spiritual things with Spiritual Paul had the Spirit of God and spake and taught by the Spirit of God But if a Natural Man one that hath not the spirit of Christ in him doth go about to compare spiritual things with spiritual things he is sure to mistake and speak Erroneously For the Natural Man as he there saith perceiveth not the things that are of God neither can he know or perceive them because they are spiritually Discerned That is they are seen in the Light and by the Discovery of the Spirit of Christ the true Light and not otherwise So that this being laid down as a Ground and Foundation an Infallible truth as it is we may then proceed to the Examination and Tryal of the Spirits and Doctrines of Men for no Man speaking by the spirit of God will or can speak contrary to the Scriptures if he do let it be Rejected Paul saith If any Man Preach any other Gospel than that which we have Preached unto you let him be accursed yea if an Angel from Heaven bring any other Gospel than that ye have Received and is written in the Scriptures let him be Accursed He saith not onely let him or them be Disowned and Rejected but let him be Accursed so Zealous was he and so shou'd we be to hold fast and maintain the Doctrine of the Gospel the Scriptures given out by God himself spoken and written by the Men of God in their Day and Generation by the immediate Dictates Teachings and Movings of the Holy Ghost the Spirit of God so that as was said whatever Spirit it be in whomsoever that speaketh contrary or not according to the Scriptures is to be disowned and rejected as false and erroneous Now therefore here comes in the Tryal of Particulars the several Doctrines Opinions and Practices of Men of any perswasions whatsoever Either they speak according to the Spirit of God in them or from some other Spirit if they speak from the spirit of God in them then it must needs be according to what he hath already spoken as was said for he is one and the same Spirit and changeth not But if it be otherwise then it may be said as Paul said of some in his Time This Perswasion cometh not of him that calleth you Gal. 5.8 it cometh not from the Spirit of God but from a false and Deluding Spirit And here now is thy Tryal and thy Judgment James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out and all that are of thy Mind and Way who speak contrary to what the Holy Ghost hath spoken already in the Scriptures as is hereafter shewed in several particulars First 1. Strong Man Armed p. 3. That Spirit in thee Declares to all People That thou art now Converted and turned from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan unto God that thou art changed from a wicked Profane course of Life unto a Holy Life walking with a Holy People and that thou hast
win Christ Ver. 9. And he found in him not having mine own Righteousness which is of the Law but that which is through the Faith of Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith We can hear no such Doctrine as this amongst the Quakers nay the very contrary slighting the Person of Christ and the Righteousness of Christ Imputed to Believers who of God is made Righteousness to them And setting up their own Righteousness and the Perfection of it which may be made appear by their Books And yet they tell and so deceive their simple silly Hearers that they do Declare Christ unto them the Light within every Man and Woman that is God and Christ the Saviour of the World But will this serve their turn to put the Name Christ upon one of his Creatures Will Christ allow any to take away his Name and his Glory and cloath an Idol with it and then say they Declare and set forth Christ This is the way to divert and draw off the minds of poor Ignorant People from Christ as he is Revealed in the Gospel This is the great Fundamental Doctrine of the Devil The Devil 's Fundamental Doctrine The chief point of Doctrine that he Teacheth his Disciples That is to say To Deny Christ Eo disown him according as the Gospel hath Revealed him and then to set up something else in his stead Let them call it Christ if they will that 's no Matter to give it the Name so it be not Christ he knows it will deceive Ignorant Minds the sooner the more easily For thereby he knows they do but Mock Christ and disown him the more and also the more provoke him that Men should give his Name and Title to any thing and disown himself as these Men do They call the Light within Christ but deny Christ himself as the Gospel sets him forth Now this the Devil knows is enough to serve his turn and destroy them and therefore he still keeps the Eye of their Mind upon this and makes them look upon it through a Multiplying Glass and shuts the Eyes of their Mind against Christ as he is Revealed in the Scriptures The God of this wicked World hath Blinded the Minds of them that believe not lest the Light of the glorious Gospel of Christ should shine unto them And if the Gospel be hid from them it is hid to them that are lost We see in all their Declarings in all their Books and Pamphlets this is the Main and Chief point to Teach their Hearers to take heed to the Light within to the Witness of God within with variety of Expressions to that purpose But what do we hear in all their Books and Teachings concerning Christ that was Promised long before he came into the World of Christ that was born when the fulness of time was come of Christ that Lived amongst us and Preached and Taught amongst us the way of Salvation of Christ that Dyed for us and rose again and Ascended into Heaven that is now at the right Hand of God making Intercession for us of Christ that shall shortly come again in glory and yet in his Humane Nature to Judge the World in Righteousness This is the Christ that the Gospel Declares and that all true Believers know and own and Teach plainly and clearly without Equivocations and subtil Evasions as these false Teachers among the Quakers use to speak of him and whom all believers have Received by Faith who dwells in them and they in him But what do we hear of all this in the Teachings of these Men among the Quakers Nay on the contrary their Doctrines in their Books and Pamphlets that they frequently send forth do Directly Oppose these things And therefore we may safely conclude their Doctrine is the Doctrine of Devils for if all the Devils in Hell should combine together and joyn their Cursed Craft and Malice against Christ and the Souls of Men they could not bring forth a more Damning Doctrine than this is For to Deny Christ is to deny all What then shall we say to these Men or of them Surely Obstinate Quakers to be Rejected seeing these things are so That they have thus denyed the Lord that bought us and Preach up another Christ and maintain and uphold this their Idol in Opposition to Christ as the Gospel hath Declared him and slight and Despise the Scriptures we have grounds to conclude they are Men of Corrupt Minds of Seared Consciences Idolaters and Hereticks Now the Apostle by the Inspiration of God gives us a Rule 1 Tim. 3. Reject an Heretick after once or twice Admonished but these Men have been often Admonished Pleaded and Disputed with and they regard not Admonition they resist the Truth and the Spirit of Grace and Truth speaking in the Scriptures and in and by his People they will not hear they will not regard the Counsel of God But in their Ignorance and Pride they despise both God and Men and do prefer their own Idle and vain Fancies and Satans subtile false Insinuations before the Teachings of the Spirit of God If God should work a Miracle and raise up the Apostle Paul from the Dead to Declare against them and their Doctrines they would no more regard him nor his Teachings than they regard Tho. Hicks in his three Dialogues Between a Christian and a Quaker or than they regard any other Messenger of Christ who pleads with them and lays the very truths of God before them as it is Revealed by the Spirit in the Gospel We are assured of this from Luke 16.31 If they will not Hear Moses and the Prophets neither will they hear though one should rise from the Dead So if they will not hear Christ and his Apostles in the Gospel if they will not hear the Scriptures neither will they be perswaded to imbrace the Truth though one should be sent to them from the Dead Nay if Christ himself should come and speak to them in that mean state and condition that he was when he conversed among us here below these People would regard him no more than the hardned Jews did in their Day For they Reject and Deny him now his Doctrine and his Person in his Merits Righteousness Satisfaction c And so would do if he were Personally present So that my Judgment is Let them alone they be blind Leaders of the blind they talk of a Light within but the Light in them is Darkness and it is a great darkness a double darkness more than a single Natural darkness as is the state of all Mankind by Nature but also a darkness added to that even a darkness as a punishment or a Judgment a Judicial darkness Natural darkness is the sin of man but this darkness is the Judgment of God That because they regard not the Truth they will not receive it in the Love thereof therefore hath God given them up to strong delusions to believe lies That seeing they will not believe
that by this Plain Character joyned to all the rest so visible also these being joyned and set altogether we may spell their Names and their Natures so plainly that we cannot mistake the men for although there are other false Prophets and Teachers in the world besides yet they are of another sort we must spell their Names and know them by other Marks Letters and Characters Now this Character which yet follows in this Epistle of Jude is in the 19. verse These are they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Now let it be well considered who they are that separate and from whom they separate There is a Separation indeed that is not onely good and Lawful but also a Duty There is a Command for it but what is that Separation We see it plainly 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Believers that were Converted by the Ministry of the Gospel were Commanded to come out from among the Heathenish Idolaters and not to be partakers with them any longer in their Heathenish Idolatrous Worship in Worshipping Idols Wood and Stone the works of Mens Hands But what is that Separation to this Separation This separation the Apostle takes Notice of as a very gross sin and we see it is one of the Letters or Characters of these Men of whom they speak the false Teachers who being guilty of all those great and gross sins which these two Apostles Peter and Jude had newly mentioned he now adds to them all another plain broad conspicuous brand and sets it on with an Emphasis These are they that Separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit As if the Apostle had said in more words The false Prophets that I have been now speaking of and the many that follow their pernicious ways ver 2. These are they these are the People who separate themselves and from whom shall they separate Even from the People of the Lord the Churches Congregations and Assemblies of the Saints Now do not these Men so Do not the Quakers separate themselves from all the Saints from all the particular Churches and Assemblies of the Lords People in all the Land as if they were Heathens and Idolaters and speak evil of them and Reproach them with many bitter words and slanders Witness James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out in his Separation from the Churches of the Independents who Reproaches the Pastors and brings Railing Accusations against them and many other of the precious Saints even as the Apostles Peter and Jude do Declare as one of the Characters of these People as hath been shewed And yet he glories in this his Separation and Accounts it as we see as one special mark of his Conversion that he is turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan that strong Man Armed being now cast out he is come to God and to his People who as he tells us are the most Holy Innocent People upon the Earth And this his Conversion he ascribes to the Light within which Light as he also saith hath Converted Thousands in like manner unto God yea as he himself is Converted And counts it a Marvellous thing that those who think themselves Christians should not Acknowledge this Light within to be Christ the true Light that hath done such marvellous things for him and many others But that they should call it Natural Light or the Devil he accounts this Blasphemy But now if we do but Examine this his and others Separation according to the Scriptures and look upon it in the true Light indeed we shall see and find that it is so far from being a Mark or Sign of their true Conversion as he and they account it that it is indeed a Mark and Evidence of their Carnal Dark Vnregenerate state And so the Apostle Jude Accounts it to be and a Note or Character of the Ungodly Men the false Teachers which he had been speaking of throughout his whole Epistle And sets it on as a plain Mark for all People to see and take Notice of These are they that Separate themselves Jude 19. Yea and the Apostle John joyns his Testimony with him to the same purpose 1 John 2.18 19. The Apostle here speaks of some in his time that were like these very Men in our time As we see Little Children it is the last time And as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time And he makes their Separation as we see a Character of their wickedness ver 19. They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us We see here what separation from the People of the Lord and their Assemblies is Accounted by this Apostle also he tells us plainly it is a Mark or Character of wicked Men That such as so separate are none of the Number of Gods People they went out or separated from us because they were not of us they were none of Christ's Members no Believers as we are they were not of us For saith he if they had been of us if they had been of the same Body with us whereof Christ is the Head then no doubt they would have continued with us and not have separated from us but it is so they went out from us they forsook us and separated from us that it might be made manifest that such were not of us that such were not joyned to Christ as we are So then what grounds of boasting this James Jackson or any other of his Principles and Practice have in their separations from the true Churches of Christ and joyn with a deluded Ignorant People that Fansy themselves the onely People of the Lord as being Converted by the Light within we leave to those who are Taught of God to Consider and Judge Alas Poor Ignorant A Lying Spirit is gone forth amongst the Quakers which Seduceth them Deluded Men They Understand not That a false and Lying Spirit or many is gone forth among them and hath Deceived them If there were but this one Mark or Character though there are many more mentioned yet it were enough of it self to Discover them that they are led by a Lying Seducing spirit which hath perswaded them That is Their Disowning and Reproaching so many Thousands of the Lord's People Ministers and Ambassadors sent of God Pastors of particular Churches and Congregations all Professing People in the Land yea in the World without exception of any And although many that are called Ministers in the Land and many Professors are grossely guilty of sin and deny Christ in their Works and Doings which is to be Lamented Must therefore all the Saints and true Members of Christ be Disowned and Denyed also whereof there are many thousands If these Men had the Spirit of God and
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
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.
God and Father of all c. First one Body 1. One Body All Believers in all Ages of the world past present and to come in all Nations Kindreds and People Worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth under all Forms do make this one body And this one body hath but one Spirit 2. One Spirit as the Members of the Natural Body have but one Soul to Actuate and Enliven them so also in the Mystical body they all are quickned taught moved and led by that one Spirit which is the Promise of the Father and of the Son Thirdly The Members of this one body having one spirit have also one hope even the hope and expectation of all the good things promised in the Gospel 3. One Hope Eternal Life the enjoyment of God for ever Fourthly Another Bond of Vnion in the true Church 4. One Lord. is One Lord even our Lord Jesus Christ unto whose Laws and Commands all his People are Subject Fifthly One Faith That is 5. One Faith the true Justifying Faith of Gods Elect wrought by that one Spirit apprehending that one Lord for Justification by him alone Paul calls it the Common Faith Titus 1.4 Titus mine own Son after the Common Faith Sixthly Another Bond of Vnion in the true Church 6. One Baptism is one Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all Baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Greeks whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit This one Baptism makes all Believers truly one Seventhly The last bond of Vnity of the true Church 7. One God is One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all All Believers are born of God and are all Partakers of the Divine Nature among the Lords People none of them have a better Nature than another as to the Truth but as it differs in the Degrees or Measures to some God is pleased to Communicate a greater measure to some a lesser Measure of Gifts and Graces that one and the self-same Spirit Divideth to every Man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 We see here these seven Bonds are the true Bonds of the true Members of Christ his Body the Church and are here mentioned and laid down by the Apostle as strong Reasons and Grounds why all the Members should endeavour to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace and not Divide and Separate one from another seeing they are all Members of one Body and have but one Spirit among them all and have all one hope all of them but one Lord one Faith one Baptism all but one God and Father here is good Reason then they should be one among themselves in Vnity Peace Love Fellowship and Communion one with another as Opportunity serves So that the Author above mentioned hath little Reason to boast of that kind of Vnity that is among the Quakers if he consider these things Sixthly 6. The Quakers Patience The Author of the strong man Armed cast out further tells us That the Patience and Faithfulness of these People in doing and suffering the Will of God is Remarkable for the World is against them though as he says they are the onely Innocent and harmless People upon the Earth and because there is more of God amongst these People the Quakers than others therefore are they hated of all Men and every where amongst all Religions evil spoken of Answ In Answer whereunto I say That Patient suffering for Well-doing is very Acceptable with God and shall certainly have a great Reward from God the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.14 If ye Suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye But there is a Suffering sometimes for Evil doings and Evil sayings And it is better if the Will of God be so that we Suffer for well doing than for evil doing v. 17. Now it is true These People the Quakers have been Sufferers as well as others but for what have they Suffered Has it been for well doing for doing the Will and Work of Christ They will say Yea for doing the Will of God but it follows not therefore that it is so Christ will rather say unto them who Required these things at your Hands Nay he hath forbidden them your False Doctrines and Opinions your Disownings Despisings and Separations from the Precious People of the Lord in all the Societies Assemblies and Congregations in the Land your Disturbing of them and Railing against them whilst they are about the work of the Lord ye your selves being drawn or driven by the Seducing Spirit have done his work and not the Lords work and have sometimes Suffered for it And herein ye boast and think your Patience is great and that ye suffer according to the Will of God But know That it is not the Suffering but the Cause that makes a Martyr It is possible a Man may give his body to be burned and that is more than to be Imprisoned and yet not suffer for Righteousness-sake 1 Cor. 13. Though I give my Body to be burned and have not Love it profiteth me nothing Jesuites and Papists have sometimes suffered for their false Principles and Practices and so may others and so have you Therefore speak no more of your Patient sufferings untill ye know that ye Suffer for a good Cause for well doing untill ye Suffer for Christ and for Righteousness-sake Thus I have gone through the several particulars wherein the Author of the strong man Armed cast out says He and the People called Quakers do Excell all other Professing People in the World wherein it appears to all Men that have in them the Spirit of God how grossely these People are Deluded and blinded by seducing spirits that they give heed unto which making strong Impressions in their Minds they are Seduced and carried away with them never Examining of them and Trying of them by the Scriptures and so are easily Deceived And it is a most dreadful Condition that they are in and an Evidence of the greatest and sorest Judgment of God that the Nature of Man is capable of on this side Hell a Judicial blindness and hardness of heart upon any Man or Men is the greatest of all Judgments And this is the punishment that God often lays upon Men that will not hearken unto him that Despise his Word and Ordinances his Worship and his People That will not Receive the Truth in Love that they might be saved Therefore God doth send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye that they all might be Damned who believe not the Truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness That which doth confirm this man James Jackson A false Perswasion of Conversion Author of the strong man Armed cast out that he is truly Converted by the Light within which he says is Christ is this for that he finds such wonderful Effects in himself as he Accounts them he is
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
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
were enlightned and led by him they would make a Difference and separate the precious from the vile but they do not Distinguish between the Righteous and the Wicked but Condemn them together and so are Abomination to the Lord So that thereby it is plainly seen that they are not of God that they are not as his Mouth to the People as they pretend Jer. 9. It is the Seducing Spirit we may be sure that doth bely and Reproach the Lord's People and his Works and Operations in them By this and other Characters afore-mentioned we may be as sure who the Men are as if their Proper Names whereby the World knows them from other Men were Recorded in Scripture For as the Lords People may certainly know that their Names are in the Scriptures and are Written in Heaven in the Book of Life Gods Eternal Decree and Secret Counsell by Seeing and Reading their Natures Properties and Qualifications in the Scriptures to which Eternal Life is promised I say they may know thereby that they themselves are the Persons as certainly as if their Proper Names were there Recorded whereby they are known amongst Men So on the contrary of Wicked and Ungodly Men they are also known in like manner by their Natures Properties and Qualifications We know who hath said Births of the Spirit and of the Flesh That which is Born of the flesh is flesh and that which is Born of the spirit is spirit We may know of what it is Born by the Birth that is brought forth Satan he broods upon the Carnal Spirits of wicked Men and begets false Notions Opinions and Principles we may know they are of his begetting by their Form and shape when they are brought forth Principles of Pride self-love false Notions and other Deformed shapes when they are Conceived then after a while they are brought forth they are born they are Published and Declared in Discourse Preaching Writing or Printing the Births of Mens minds their Fleshly Carnal Minds are brought forth into the World and they are so like their Father the Devil that thereby they may be known who was the Father of them So on the contrary That which is Born of the spirit is spirit the spirit of God dwells in his People and he daily works and moves in them he Inspires them with Truths according to the Mind of God which the Spiritual Mind Conceives and brings forth in Prayer Preaching Discourse and Writings and these Conceptions are Born and brought forth into the World to the View and Knowledge of all And that which is thus born of the spirit is spirit or spiritual it is Truth According to the Mind of the spirit for he that is joyned to the Lord is one spirit one with him of his Mind The Saints are Unanimous of the same Mind with God as Wicked and Unregenerate Men are unanimous with the Devil they are of his Mind and he of theirs for he Ruleth in the Children of Disobedience The Devil speaks against Christ and so do they though they will own him in Words in Form in Shew and Pretence yet in Deed in Works really they deny him The Devil will own the Scriptures in words as he does Christ in words and say Thou art the Holy one of God so will those who are one spirit with him but will deny him really and according to Truth The Devil will own the Scriptures and Argue from them to attain his ends but never to prove a Necessary Truth So false Teachers are unanimous with him in these things for he that is joyned to the Devil is one Spirit even as he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit How great then is the sin of these Men Spiritual sins are greater than fleshly sins who Conceive in their Minds and bring forth the Births of the Devil as all Doctrines of Devils are Surely These Spiritual sins are greater than fleshly sins as Drunkenness Gluttony Adultery Murder c. If Robbery or Murder of a Man be so great a sin what is it to Rob God and to Crucifie and be guilty of the Blood of Christ Though for these and such like when Men will not be reclaimed from them God often gives them up to a Reprobate Mind Rom. 1. Even so he does also for these spiritual sins false Opinions Doctrines and Principles Concerning Christ his Natures Righteousness Merits and the things of God when they will not be Instructed but hate to be Reformed and change their Mind when they will not hearken to the Truth but still resist it disown it contradict and Blaspheme when the Truths of the Gospel have been often Offered and tendred to them yet they will not hear nor regard but rather believe Lyes than the Truth then God gives them up to strong delusion to believe Lyes and to hearken and give heed to seducing spirits this is a very dreadful state indeed they draw these spiritual Judgments upon themselves by these spiritual sins The Quakers setting up this Idol The Light within every Man and Woman is a greater sin in them than for Jezebels false Prophets to set up Baal and Pray unto it and trust in it instead of the God of Israel May it not Ironically be said to them as Elisha said to those false Prophets Cry aloud for he is a god as ye say but he is but a Blind god he hath Eyes indeed but he cannot see Ears but he cannot hear Hands and Feet but he cannot move to help or do any thing for those who Trust in him without help from another If these Men will not be pleaded nor perswaded out of their Vain Ignorant sottish Opinion of the Light within every Man and Woman being Christ let Men endeavour to Shame them out of it for it hath not so much as a shew or shadow of Truth in it but is plainly a most dreadful delusion of the Devil and a great Blasphemy against Christ This Opinion of theirs The false Opinions of the Quakers spring from Pride and Ignorance with other of their false Principles springs from Pride and Ignorance And this the Apostle Observes concerning such Men 1 Tim. 6.3 4. If any Man teach otherwise and consent not to wholsome words even the words of our Lord Jesus Christ and to the Doctrine which is according to Godliness Ver. 4. He is Proud knowing nothing but Doting about Questions and strife of words whereof cometh Envy Strife Railing Evil surmisings Ver. 5. Perverse Disputings of Men of Corrupt Minds and Destitute of the Truth c. Such kind of men were also in the Apostle Johns time as we see Rev. 3.17 They were Proud and Ignorant They thought themselves Rich and had need of Nothing whereas indeed they were poor and miserable and blind and naked It is our duty to discover these kind of people to try them and to make them manifest to the world as much as may be for their false Opinions of God of Themselves and of Others is
no less than Blasphemy Rev. 2.9 I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Sathan The Church of Ephesus is commended for this That as they cannot bear these false Teachers so also to discover them to try them and make them manifest to others by Scripture Characters and Marks by which they may be known Rev. 2.2 I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil And thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyars The Apostle speaking of deceiving and deceived persons The Quakers deceive weak and simple minds he tells us they shall not long continue thus to deceive for their folly shall be made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3.8 9. The Apostle by the Teachings and Inspirations of the Spirit of God having in the former verses told us that in the last dayes perillous times shall come That men shall be lovers of themselves proud boasters blasphemers c. in the next verse he shewes us a Token and sets a Mark of distinction upon them Of this sort saith he are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ver 7. ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth We see here what sort of men are active to deceive what they do privately creep into houses and also the subjects they work upon by their cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive as the Apostle saith That is silly women simple people persons of weak understandings and naturall faculties of shallow capacities easily led away with divers Lusts and Errors such kind of weak and simple minds are easily deceived They know not how to distinguish between Truth and Errors they are still Hearing and Learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth at least they are never able to come to the knowledge of some Truths for some Truths lye more deep than others Some are more easie to be apprehended than some others some Truths are hard to be understood as the the Apostle observes which they that are unstable pervert yea and they that are but weak and shallow of understanding do also pervert mistake misapprehend and misapply As for instance in this very thing This Principle and Opinion of the Quakers concerning the Light within We know how they apprehend it Their Teachers and their hearers they call it Christ who lighteth every man and woman that cometh into the world This Notion borders upon a Truth and hath some small shaddowy resemblance of a Truth but is not a Truth as these weak people apprehend it For there is a light within which sees and works and moves several wayes toward that which appeares good according as it apprehends it and against what it thinks to be evil now this herein hath some resemblance of Christ and his Spirit and so weak minds silly men and women may think it to be so indeed especially when they hear it positively and plainly asserted affirmed and contended for by men who have gained their affections by their demure Countenances modest behaviour and apparell and many good words and fair speeches with seeming zeal they are thereby confirmed in this perswasion that surely it is Christ indeed But this perswasion cometh not of him that calleth us Gal. 5.8 as the Apostle here saith but ariseth from weakness and ignorance from the darkness of the understanding helped on and strengthned by that deceiver of deceivers the seducing spirit who is still ready as to beget so also to feed and nourish false Opinions in the minds of all as God permits him Certain it is Reason and Natural Conscience is a Light within and discerns many things both good and evil and acts towards or against them accordingly so far as it sees and discerns according to the measure of Light that is in the Conscience This is clear from Rom. 1. where the Apostle speakes of the worst of men who had this Light in them and therefore were inexcusable in going against it This Light within though it be not Christ yet it was created by Christ as all things else were but it cannot go beyond its bounds No more than Natural water can of it self rise higher than the spring head the light within cannot see Christ nor the way and means of Salvation by him without the light of the Scriptures and of the Spirit of God But the Quakers are strongly confirmed That the Light within every man and woman is Christ let all men say what they will to the contrary yet most certain it is that this Opinion of theirs was begotten by ignorance and is nourished and maintained by Pride for they having asserted it and so long stood to it in upholding it they have not the humility to retract and acknowledge an Errour though some may be secretly convinced that it is so for it is Natural to men to maintain and stand to what they have once owned and asserted they are loth to stoop and acknowledge ignorance no not unto God himself much less to Men. I am perswaded There were never any Sect or sort of People from the Creation of the World to this day that were more irrational and less spiritual than these People the Quakers are in all their Discourses Principles Books and Practices nor greater Enemies to Christ his Gospel and his People As the Lord Liveth who hath delivered me out of great Tribulations and saved me from the hand of the Enemy I will contribute my utmost abilities to throw down the Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ and these and all Doctrines of Devils and Lyes in Hypocrisie and whatsoever else shall Oppose him or his Interest in the World Now The Quakers shall not long continue to deceive this being manifest by all these Marks and Characters that have been mentioned That these Men the false Teachers among the Quakers are the false Teachers spoken of in the Scriptures that should come in these last days The Apostle also tells us that they shall not long continue to deceive they shall be of no long standing for their Folly shall be made manifest unto all men 2 Tim. 3.9 The Apostle here compares them to Jannes and Jambres two of Pharaoh's Magicians whose Names are to be seen in some Ancient Authors who withstood Moses in his time so do these resist the Truth Men of Corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith These Teachers Men of Corrupt minds resist the Truth a most dreadful sign of Reprobation though the Truths of the Gospel are brought and plainly laid before them to turn them from the Error of their way in their false unchristian Principles and Practices yet they resist the Truth they disown it and reject it and they that Offer it to them and that with many reviling hard speeches against them for so doing