And whereas he saith Let us labour with God for his blessed Spirit to guide us in all Truth He therein seems to own Truth to be a Mystery within also for if the Spirit be to be receiv'd it must be within and the Spirit is Truth because as J. N. elsewhere confesseth It is of the same beeing nature power and tendency with God who is Truth and with Christ who is the Truth And the Spirit is the Unction which was received from the Holy One which was True and not a Lye so here he seems to own Truth a Mystery within the Spirit being Mystery which before he said was contrary to Truth 's Intent and thus his Confusion appears from time to time And moreover if in such a dangerous time as he supposes this to be the Spirit be the only Thing to be labour'd for as a Guide to lead in all Truth wherefore then does he so much cry against the Quakers whose Principle it is and also their Practice To labour with people to wait for the Spirit 's Operation that by it as the most certain Guide they may be led into all Truth Hath he not also oppos'd himself hereby who not long before asserted the Scriptures to be the only Rule which do but testifie of the Spirit which now he would have people labour for as a Guide in all Truth which indeed is the only Guide without which the Scriptures cannot be known because they are things of God and the things of God know no man but the Spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit of God reveals them And he saith Let us not be hasty to receive an Opinion before we have weighed the same by the Law and Testimony seeing there are many false spirits gone out into the world Answ That there are many false spirits gone out into the World I grant and that is a false babilonish spirit that contradicts it self as the spirit of J.N. has done as before shew'd And that is the true Spirit of Grace which teacheth to live God-like in this present World but that which leads into Confusion is not God-like but such is the spirit of J.N. therefore not to be receiv'd And that all Opinions and Spirits are to be try'd by the Law and Testimony I own but what is this Law and Testimony is it not the Light and Spirit in the inward parts for Solomon said The Law is Light and the Angel said The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie Pro. 6.23 Rev. 19.11 So here is the Law and Testimony declar'd which I dare say J.N. never intended to direct people to as a Touch-stone to try Opinions by as he call them And is not this Light the Law of the Spirit which the Apostle speaks of and which he sometimes called The perfect Law of Liberty Jam. 1.25 And by this Law indeed Paul said He was set free from the Law of sin and death So as the Prophet said Let all to the Law and to the Testimony or as the Apostle said Look into the perfect Law of Liberty the Law of the Spirit or Light thereof in the inward parts for this is that perfect Rule that leads in the Way in which a Wayfaring-man though a Fool cannot err And without this there are none able to understand the Scriptures nor to practise them because of our selves we can do nothing yet we are willing to having our Doctrines Principles and Practices try'd by the Scriptures of Truth But then saith J.N. the most dangerous spirit is this that draws all the Happiness of this Life and that which is to come into man and finishes all the Glory of man at the brink of the Grave Answ If by the Glory of man he means the Glory of Man as simply a Creature then I do say all that is to be finish'd at the brink of the Grave for it s but the glory of Flesh which as the Flower of the Grass passeth away But if by the Glory of man he means that which the Wise in Heart shall inherit Prov. 3.35 and which is the Reward of those before whom the Righteousness of God goeth then I know none except Athiests and Ranters that affirm or assert any such thing and I say also that is the most dangerous spirit of all and to be shun'd by all But that spirit which would keep people out of an Expectation of seeing and beholding that Glory that is endless while on this side the Grave is not much inferior as to the Ill-consequences of it to the other for that would deprive people of the chief Happiness of this Life and of the happy Enjoyment of that Glory which their Peace and Joy is full of in believing while they remain on this side the Grave and may also endanger to deprive them of the enjoyment of that which is to be receiv'd in the Life that is to come For if the Earnest of the incorruptible Inheritance which is a part thereof be not receiv'd in this Life what true Comfort can there be enjoy'd in this Life So then that Spirit of Grace or Word of Grace which manifests its Light and Strength in the Inward Parts by its own Operation for the begetting of Faith in and concerning it self in all that hear and receive it this I say is not to be shunn'd but adhered unto by all as unto the Author of true Faith seeing Faith cometh by Hearing and hearing by the Word of God and the Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10.17 and the Spirit is in the inward parts which with the Word is one by which Faith is given And all that hear this Word and obey this Spirit of Faith shall doubtless behold the Glory of the Word as the Apostles did even as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth and shall doubtless know that Faith in which is Peace and Joy unspeakable and full of Glory and this will be unto them an Earnest of the Everlasting Inheritance that never fades by which they will be assured of the full Possession thereof when time shall be no more And thus having examin'd the principal matters in this Book viz. Concerning the Scriptures being the Word of God and the perfect Rule and the sad Consequences which he saith will follow the denying of them so to be and concerning Christ being the Word really so and as he saith but comparatively so and concerning Christ being a Saviour as he is God or a Saviour only as he hath a Body of Flesh and concerning his being in Heaven with the Father at his Right-hand and his being in man really so I say having gone through with these things and spoken as to them I shall leave them to the Judgement of the Judicious Reader desiring of God by his own Spirit to give a right Understanding unto all that desire after him that they may know him that is true to be manifested in them that they may by his spirit be baptized into him to live and have their Beeing in him that so they may understand the things that appertain to his Kingdom and to their own everlasting Peace that in the Faith of the Unchangable Truth they may stand as Mount Sion that cannot be moved And the rest of his Book consisting of a large pretended Answer to six Queries that were sent to him by a certain Person whom I do not well know I shall not much concern my self therein at this time though I do acknowledge that divers things therein contained do concern the Truth which I profess and therein I am concerned but it consists chiefly of things that I have already spoken to so that what I have written may serve for an Answer to all for it would be superfluous to reiterate that which in substance I have already gone over J. C. A TESTIMONY Concerning LODOWICK MUGGLETON FOR as much as I have been informed That Lodowick Muggleton hath vaunted concerning my departure out of the Body because of his pretended Sentence of Damnation given against me I am moved to leave this Testimony concerning him behind me viz. That he is a Son of Darkness and a Co-Worker with the Prince of the Bottomless Pit in which his Inheritance shall be forever And the Judgment I passed on him when with him stands seal'd by the Spirit of the Lord by which I then declar'd unto him That in the Name of that God that spanneth the Heaven with his Span and measureth the Waters in the hollow of his Hand I bind thee here on Earth and thou art bound in Heaven and in the Chain under Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day thou shalt be reserved and thy faith and strength thou boastest of I defie and trample under Foot And I do hereby further declare the said Lodowick to be a false Prophet in what he said to me at that time who told me That from henceforth I should be always in fear of Damnation which should be a Sign to me that I was damned which Fear I was never in since so that his Sign given by himself did not follow his Prophesie which sufficiently declares him to be a false Prophet Josiah Coale What Josiah Coale spake a little time before he died to Friends that were about him WEll Friends Be faithful to God and have a single Eye to his glory and seek nothing for self or your own glory and if any thing arise judge it down by the Power of the Lord God that so you may be clear in his Sight and answer his Witness in all People then will you have the Reward of LIFE For my part I have walked in Faithfulness with the Lord and I have Peace with the Lord and his Majesty is with me and his Crown of Life is upon me So mind my Love to all Friends Then he ceased speaking After he spake to S. C. saying Dear Heart keep low in the Holy Seed of God that will be thy Crown He said after A minister of Christ must walk as he walked THE END
he would Pray the Father and he should send them the Holy Ghost the Conforter John 16.7 13. Which should ABIDE with them for ever and they did receive it and were led by it into a Heavenly Habitation Ephes 1.3 For they were made to sit together in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus So it s hereby clear that the Apostles knew from whence the Spirit came and whither it led them and it s also plain that A. S. either wilfully or sottishly wrests the Words of Christ and by his additious to them would make them import another thing than was intended by him of purpose to divert People from being led by the Spirit of God or to disswade them from adhering to the leadings of it under pretence that they cannot tell whence from God or the Devil it doth come or whither to Heaven or to Hell it goeth when indeed Christ's words in themselves importeth quite another thing as above shewed Wherefore let all mind and obey the Spirit of Truth which will lead into all Truth and condemn sin in the Flesh and will lead out of all Unrighteousness and Errours and Heresies which the Church of Rome is full of and that Spirit which condemns the Abominations of the Whore and all Sin and Unrighteousness that is the Spirit of God and comes from God through the Son of his love who is the Light of the World that lighteth every man that cometh into the World and leadeth up unto God the Father from whence it commeth all who are Taught and Guided by it but condemneth from God all who in Unbelief or in Rebellion do dispight unto it and disobey the Motions thereof But to return to the matter concerning the Churches being Judge First I find A. S. in the beginning of his seventh chapter saying Methinks I hear a Quaker whispering The Light that is in thee is the Judge of all Controversies and the Law and Rule according to which thou must walk Answ I answer Yea The People called Quakers do believe and say That the Light which every man is enlightened with is the Law and Rule according to which every man ought to walk and is the Judge in all Controversies in Matters of Faith for as before All Judgment is committed unto the Son Joh. 5.22 Who lighteth every man that cometh into the World so all Judgment being committed to the Light that lighteth every man the Light that is in every man must of necessity be the Judge of all Controversies And this I further add That all who are Baptized into Christ hath put on Christ and all who are by one Spirit Baptized into one Body though they were sometimes Darkness are made Light in the Lord and so they being in him and he in them are all one even as Christ and the Father is one and he that sanctifieth and they that are Sanctified are all of one by which its clear that Christ in his Church who is Light with him is the onely Judge of all Controversies and indeed this supernatural Light is the true Touch-stone by which all spitits may be tried whether they be of God or not for as the Apostle said Whatsoever makes manifest is light Ephesians 5.13 so that without this Touchstone none can try spirits because an evil spirit may speak good words Again Christ is in all things to be the Example of all Believers and he lighteth every man that cometh into the World John 1.9 so every man being enlightened with the light of his Spirit who is to be our example in all things it must of necessity be that the Light that is in us is this Judge and the Law and Rule according to which all ought to walk Secondly But then A. S. replyes That the Light that is in thee tells thee that thou must hear Christ and Christ tells thee that thou must hear the Church c. Answ I answer Yea the Light that is in us teacheth us to hear Christ who hath enlightened us and also to hear his Church with whom he dwells and that hears him and in whom his Spirit speaks so as I said before I shall not go about to deny the Authority of the True Church but the usurped authority of the Church of Rome I do deny usurp'd I say because she hath been and here is sufficiently proved not to be the true Church to whom Christ gives power and authority both to bind and to loose therefore her authority if usurp'd and she is not to be heard but to be turned away from Thirdly A. S. saith If you object that the Spiritual judgeth all things and the Spirituall is judged of no man I answer that the godly Spiritual judgeth all things c. But I deny that you or any other Sectaries in the World is Godly Spiritual for as St. Augustine saith they have not the Holy Ghost that are out of the Church Reply To which I say that as A. S. hath confessed That the spiritual man judgeth all things its according to my own belief but what doth this avail the Church of Rome who as I have proved is not godly spiritual but is sensual and devilish and is not the true Church but the Whore for although as he saith The godly spiritual is judged of none yet the Whore is judged of all who are godly spiritual and although A.S. denyeth that the Quakers are godly spiritual yet he is never able to prove his affirmation for though they have not the holy Ghost who are out of the Church yet it doth not follow that they have it not who are out of the Church of Rome except she could be proved to be the true Church The contrary whereof I have already proved for the people called Quakers though they are out of the Church of Rome are led by that Spirit which teacheth them to live soberly righteously and godly in this present World as thousands of their Neighbours can bear witness therefore the people called Quakers are godly Spiritual Again That Prophet which is of God is godly spiritual Jer. 28.9 and that Prophet which speaketh a thing and the thing come to pass that Prophet is of God But the people called Quakers have prophesied several things as to the late overturn'd Powers of this Nation * Witness the Book Intituled Good Counsel and Advice Rejected with divers other things which accordingly came to pass as to their sorrow they were made to know therefore they are of God and godly spiritual Fourthly A. S. again said If you say Know ye not your selves how that Jesus Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates 2. Cor. 13.5 I answer The true sence and meaning of this place is this c So here A. S. is again undertaking that which himself saith is the Churches work for saith he in his eighth Chapter the Church is the alone Interpreter of all Scriptures and yet he himself who is but a particular man is here undertaking to give an interpretation or meaning to the
old saith Sware not at all Jer. 31.31 32. and though Moses and the Prophets were to be heard under the ministration of the first Covenant yet they said when Christ the second Covenant was come people must hear him for said Moses a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall ye hear Deut. 18.15 And the Prophet said that Nation and people that will not serve thee that Nation shall perish Isa 60.12 So that although Moses said thou shalt perform thy Oath to the Lord yet Christ that Prophet who is the end of that Law and whom Moses said the people must hear or else be cut off he said Sware not at all and although the Prophet said thou shalt Sware the Lord liveth c. yet Christ who is the end of the Prophets whom the Prophets said people must serve or else perish saith Sware not at all and although it may be alledged that the Angels swore yet Christ the first born amongst many Brethren to whom all the Angels must bow saith Sware not at all and although it may be further alledged that God himself swore and therefore its lawful for Christians to Sware yet God himself said concerning Christ This is my beloved Son hear ye him Mat. 17.5 And this beloved Son of God whom all Christians ought to hear saith Sware not at all All which being rightly weighed and considered it plainly appears that Swearing by any Oath whatsoever was forbidden by Christ Jesus who is the Law-giver unto all Christians and therefore it is not lawful for Christians to Sware at all And that spirit that tollerates Swearing or would set it up as a Religious Act is an Antichrist spirit because it is against the command of Christ And although the Apostle might or did call the Lord to witness concerning the Truth which he spake yet that doth not prove that the Apostle swore as A. S. affirmeth that he did neither do we read that ever any of the Apostles did either propagate or tollerate Swearing since Christ forbid it But contrariwise the Apostle James saith Above all things my Brethren Swear not neither by Heaven nor by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation So that although A. S. would wrest the words of Christ to perswade people that his intent was they should not Swear but in Truth and in Righteousness yet the words of Christ and the Apostle whom all true Christians are to hear doth clearly import that their intent was that people should not Swear at all by any Oath whatsoever But this Antichristian spirit which opposes the Doctrines and Commands of Christ and his Apostles we have had large experience of and we have oft-times seen that it leads people to swear and also to forswear themselves both which are an Abomination to the Lord and in the Transgression against God and the new Covenant Ninthly and A. S. saith the Apostle said salute one another but the Devil saith salute not one another for Christ saith he sending his Disciples bid them salute no man by the way Luke 10.4 this Devil follows all Quakers but alas Christ's meaning there was that none should hinder them by the way c. Answ To which I answer here again A. S. goes about to make us believe that the Commands of Christ are the Impositions of the Devil or at lest that the Devil stirs up people to keep the Commands of Christ the first of which is Blasphemy in the highest degree and the second is little less for if the Devil would teach people to keep the Commands of Christ then might they serve Christ and Belial but as Christ said that cannot be And indeed we do experimentally see find that the Devil always opposeth the keeping of Christs Commands As now in A.S. Who would diswade them from it under pretence that its the Devil that leads them to it And as to his saying this Devil follows all Quakers I answer It s true but alas its intentionally to destroy them for it was said to the Serpent in the beginning that the Seed of the Woman should bruise his Head and he should bruise its Heel Gen. 3.15 And even so it s now come to pass for the Lord Jesus Christ the promised Seed Gal 3.16 being become the Leader of his people and the Angel of Gods present going before them the Devil as A. S. saith comes after them and follows them with his fiery darts of persecution and Serpent-like is snarling at the Heel But blessed be the Lord he that goes before them and is in them is greater and mightier then the Devil that follows them and he hath been their Preserver hitherto and I doubt not but he will unto the end perserve all who trust in him And as concerning Christs words there needs no meaning to be given to them for he meant as he spoke but if they did according to A. S's own conclusion he is not the Interpreter but the Church Therefore A.S. being not the Church but a particular man according to his own Argument his interpretation is not to be heeded Again he saith Every man is not the Interpreter for saith he Every man is a Lyar And indeed he hath conformed unto us that himself is a Lyar because he hath belyed the intent of Christs words aforesaid by giving his meaning to them Then saith A. S. Yet these deluded Souls think that this their deluding Spirit is of God and why forsooth because it reprehends them of sin c. and did not Judas his spirit rebuke him of sin and notwithstanding induce him to desperation and to hang himself Answ Here A. S. is again putting Light for darkness or calling the Spirit of Truth a deluding Spirit for is not that the Spirit of Truth that reproves the World of sin John 16.7 8. Did not Christ say that he would send the Comforter that should reprove the World of sin and we never read of any other Spirit that did reprove sin but the Spirit of Truth which A. S. blasphemously calls a deluding Spirit neither did I ever read that a deluding Spirit was the Comforter which that Spirit that reproves for sin is as Christ said And again is it not clear that A. S. puts Light for darkness in calling that a deluding Spirit which reproves sin for the Apostle said that whatsoever things are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever makes manifest is Light Eph. 5.13 and the deluding spirit is darkness it self so that hereby it manifestly appears that A. S. cannot discern betwixt Light and darkness so is a miserable Blind-Guide indeed And though the Spirit of Truth did rebuke Judas for his treachery doth it therefore follow that it was the same that led him to hang himself no this is great Ignorance in A. S. to affirm for he might as well have said That the same Spirit that led him
nor stood in his Counsel therefore have they not profitted the people nor turned them from the evil of their wayes neither are they brought to the knowledge of the Truth by which Freedom and Redemption is witnessed So their Preaching is vain and their Faith is vain and they remain in their sins which separates them from God and are dead while they live and are unrestored and unreconciled and have no assurance of their eternal wel-being And when any comes into a serious Consideration and unto a true sence of the sad state they are in and how they have lived and spent their time all their Life long Then Judgment and Wrath Condemnation and Pangs and the Sorrows of Hell conpasseth them about and then seeing themselves in the perishing state are even at their wits end yet these things they consider not in the time of their prosperity Wherefore all people every where who desire to come out of these Distractions and Confusions and Hurryings and Contentions about Faith and Worship and Ordinances and out of the Pollutions which the World lives in and to come into the Spiritual Worship which is in the Spirit and in the Truth To you I say that is the Spirit of Truth in you all in which God will be worshipped which reproves you of sin in your hearts and as you come into obedience to that it will bring you into the Spiritual Worship For the Spiritual Worship consisteth in Obedience to the Spirit and this is the everlasting Ordinance of God viz. Christ the Light the quickening Spirit for him hath God ordained of old to all that believe and work Righteousness for Salvation So all being exercised in the Light and with the quickning Spirit here you are exercised in the Ordinance of God and here the living Substance is known in which the Shadows Types and Figures end And here the Hand-writing of Ordinances is blotted out And here the Law ends which was contained in Ordinances mark that in Christ the everlasting Ordinance Concerning FAITH ANd the Living FAITH which gives the Saints victory over the World this cometh by hearing of the Word which is nigh unto you all even in your hearts and in your mouthes and as every one comes to hear and obey it you will thereby be begotten in the Faith which was once delivered to the Saints by which they wrought Righteousness and that is the Faith which giveth victory over the World and which worketh by love for the purifying of the Conscience from dead works to serve the living God and without this Faith it is impossible to please God for whatsoever is not of Faith is sin So search your selves and see whether you are in this Faith yea or nay or whether your Faith be not a dead Faith For that which doth not lead to work righteousness is a dead faith for as the body without the spirit is dead so faith without works is dead also yet by works only there is none justified and faith without works is dead for the Faith of Abraham wrought with works and by works Faith is made perfect So let not any deceive themselves with a fained faith or framed in the imagination for that is a vain faith and not able to save you Also beware that your Faith towards God be not taught by the Precepts of men for that will stand you in no stead neither will it give you victory over the Pollutions of the World nor purifie your hearts from sin Wherefore mind the Word which is nigh by the hearing of which Faith cometh even the Living Faith by which the Just live which was once delivered to the Saints and which we earnestly content for Concerning HOPE ANd the living Hope which maketh not ashamed but puryfieth the heart even as God is pure This is not witnessed nor known but through the tribulation patience in the experimental working and operation of the Spirit of Life in the inward parts and Word of Life For by the Word of God which lives and abides for ever are we begotten again unto a lively Hope which we have for an anchor both sure and stedfast in all our Tryals and tossings and hurryings which we meet withal in the World and amongst the hypocritical Professors thereof whose Hope will perish in the day when the Wrath of God is revealed from Heaven upon all who hold the Truth in unrighteousness But he whose Hope is begotten by the operation of the Word and Spirit of Life even he it is that purifies himself even as God is pure So all who desire the Way of Life to knowe and to walk in the Path of Peace which the Worker of Iniquity knows not I say unto you all it is in the midst of the Paths of Judgment which Christ the Light the wisdom of God leads unto So every one the light in your own Consciences minde wherewith Christ Jesus the Son of the Fathers love hath enlightened you and as you Wait in it you will finde it checking and reproving you for sin and iniquity in the secret of your hearts and Consciences and as every one comes to be guided by this Light which is the way it will be an infallible guide unto you to lead you in the way of Righteousness and in the midst of the paths of Judgment and the worker of iniquity you will see judged in your own particulars daily and the Prince of this World will come to be cast out as you dwell in the Judgment and this is the way whereby Sion comes to be redeemed Wherefore dwell in that which judgeth the man of sin in your own particulars and joyn not to that Nature which would lead to work iniquity or unrighteousness but joyn to that which in your own particulars judgeth it and here the Cross you will know which the whole World are Strangers to and then the Old man will come to be weakened and to be put off with his deeds that the New man be put on which is created in Righteousness and true Holiness but this work is not wrought nor effected but though many Combats Trials and great Tribulations which formerly you were not acquainted with while you were lead captive at the Devils will and followed his lusts and the strong man armed kept the house then all was at peace but when the stronger is come the other must be bound and a spoil of his goods must be made and his heritage must be laid waste for the coming of the second Adam Christ Jesus the Light of the World is not to send Peace on Earth but a Sword and then you will hear of Wars and rumors of Wars see then that ye be not troubled for these are but the beginning of sorrow but the end is not yet So as every one are exercised with the Spirit of Truth in your own particulars which reproves you of sin this will lead you into all truth and to work Righteousness and will bring you to fulfil the Royal Law and
Jesus yet it doth not follow according to the sequel of the major that the Scriptures the Faith in Christ Jesus being left out as J. N. hath done are a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other because it s through that Faith which is in Christ Jesus that they are able to make wise c. which Faith he makes no mention of in his Assumption and Conclusion that they are a Perfect Rule c. by which the Falaciousness of his Argument appears And indeed its necessary that all should understand how the Scriptures are able to make wise unto Salvation through Faith c. for the Scriptures here spoken of and which Christ spoke of when he said Ye search the Scriptures c. cannot be otherwise understood then the Scriptures of the old Testament because the other was not then written And those Scriptures of the Prophets were they that testified of Christ who is the great Salvation of God And God said by the Prophet He had given him a Covenant of Light to lighten the Gentiles to be for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And the Prophets likewise shewed the time when and the place where this Messiah should be born and brought forth in that Body which was prepar'd for him in which old Simeon beheld the Salvation to wit The Light of the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel so that the Scriptures of the Prophets containing in them so many clear and infallible Testimonies of the great Salvation of God and of the time and place of the Appearance thereof they were able through Faith in Christ to make him wise or to give an Understanding that he was the great Salvation of God that was then appear'd according to the Testimonies of the Prophets which from a Child he had known And so on this wise coming to the Knowledge of the great Salvation of God by Faith in him he in the same Faith did doubtless follow him as a Sheep that knew his Voice that so he might receive Life Eternal which he gives to his Followers and become an Heir of that Salvation which through Faith in Christ he was made wise unto and so coming as a Sheep to be a Follower of the true Shepherd he own'd him for his only Guide and his Spirit as the only Zule to walk by and to speak by whose Preaching was thereby even with words that it self taught 1 Cor. 2.13 And this is that Perfect Rule which cannot be corrupted as the Scriptures may as J.N. confesseth and so cannot be said to be a Perfect Rule if corrupted And indeed J.N. is one that greatly corrupts them as he states them thinking thereby to prove them a Perfect Rule even as before shewed The next Argument to prove Scriptures a perfect Rule is That if the Scriptures be given by Inspiration and are profitable for Doctrine for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect throughly furnished unto all Good Works then the Scriptures are an Absolute and a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other but the Scriptures are c. therefore c Answ That the Scriptures though not all Scriptures were given by Inspiration of God I shall grant and that they are profitable as aforesaid I shall acknowledge but that they are therefore an absolute and a perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other as J.N. affirmeth that I do not acknowledge but deny because that may be profitable to man in order to the persecting of him to all Good Works which may not be an absolute and perfect Rule for him to walk by and none other as for instance One man may be profitable to another in teaching and instructing of him by the Spirit of the Lord to walk in the Light and Spirit of the Son of God which the Father hath sent into the Heart that so by that Spirit and the Power of it he may be able to deny all Unrighteousness and be furnished thereby perfectly to perform all Good Wooks herein I say one man may be profitable to another and yet it cannot therefore be said That that man who is so profitable c. is an absolute and perfect Rule for all men to walk by and no other for it were ridiculous so that although the Scriptures be profitable as aforesaid it doth not at all follow as J. N. concludeth that they are therefore a Perfect Rule and no other But that Word Light or Spirit of Truth in the inward parts from whence the Scriptures proceeded and which by the Scriptures we are instructed to walk in to hear and obey which cannot be corrupted as the Scriptures may that is the alone absolute and perfect Rule all men ought to walk by and none other as saith the Scripture Nehemiah 9.20 I gave them my Good Spirit to instruct them And this is that Rule or Leader which Christ directeth to Even the Spirit of Truth which will lead into all Truth Joh. 16.13 the same the Apostle directeth to saying Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfil the Lusts of the Flesh Mark What more Perfect Rule can be then that which keeps from the fulfilling the Lusts which bring forth sin for if the Lusts be not obey'd and fulfilled the sin is not acted therefore said the Apostle He that abideth in him sinneth not by all which it appears that J.N. hath not proved that the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule and none other Neither do the Scriptures any where testifie of themselves as a Perfect Rule excluding all other But frequently bear Testimony unto that one antient standing RULE which was from rhe beginning from which the Scriptures were given forth and which they direct unto Again saith J. N. pag. 26. For further Confirmation of this Truth I shall add some few Arguments more that the New Testament Way is a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other Answ This wholly alters the Case for it is not the New Testament Way being a Perfect Rule c. that we are contending against neither will his proving the new Testament Way to be a perfect Rule at all prove the Scriptures to be a perfect Rule except he could first prove the Scriptures to be the New Testament Way which he is never able to do for it s declared in the Scriptures called the New Testament That Christ who is God's Covenant of Light said I am the Way the Truth and the Life Joh. 14.6 Abide in me c. cap. 15.4 And my Sheep bear my Voyce and they follow me and I give to them Eternal Life Joh. 10.27 28. Another New Testament Way or Perfect Rule then this for men to walk in and by I no where read of in the Scripture of Truth but this Way as the New and Living Way which leads to the Holiest of all is frequently borne witness of in the Scriptures which as before I have said contain many Testimonies concerning this Just
earnestly contend for But J. N. by this Assertion signifies that he is a Stranger to the Power of God in which true Faith standeth and therefore we may rationally conclude That he is also Reprobate concerning that Faith which Christ the Power of God is the Author and Object of Fourthly He saith It denyeth the Comforts of Faith for all Comforts that Faith can bring to the soul must be brought from the Promises of God according as they are laid down in the Scripture c. Answ Here J.N. absolutely limits God without any Ground or Reason or Warrant for so doing as though God who is the Fountain of all true Comfort could not convey true Comfort to the soul of a Believer by his Faith but he must first fetch it from the Scripture and so in effect the Scripture must be set above God or at least in the Place of God But what Scripture J. N. hath to prove this his absurd Affirmation I know not he hath produced none to prove that nor indeed any of the sad Consequences which he saith will follow the denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Perfect Rule c. we have only his bare word for it but whether that be of sufficient authority to enduce us to believe his Assertions I leave to the juditious Reader to judge seeing that Christ said to the Woman of Samaria That the Water that he would give should be in him that received it as a Well springing up to Eternal Life Joh. 4.14 again Joh. 7.38 39. said He that believeth on Me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water But this spake-he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive Mark Reader The Spirit that they should receive that believed on him and whose Faith stood in the Power of God was that Living Water that should be in them springing up unto Eternal Life or that should flow up in them through Faith and this Comfort their Faith did not fetch from Scripture but by their Faith was known to dwell in them as their Everlasting Comforter that was to abide with them forever even the Spirit of Truth according as Christ promised Jo. 14.16 17. so that to deny the Scripture to be the Word is not to deny the Comforts of Faith because that the true Comforter was known by Faith and is known by Faith to remain though the Scripture may be taken away and yet it doth not deny the Comfort of the Scripture neither unto those who have the understanding thereof Fifthly J. N. saith It destroyes the Support and Supplies of Grace to the soul in a time of Affliction c. and to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is to deny the very Foundation and Well-spring of Comforts to the soul in Affliction which is brought out of the Promises in the Scriptures to the soul c. Answ This Assertion is like the former only the last part thereof somewhat more gross Blasphemy without any Scripture Argument to prove any part thereof only his own Assertion as in the rest though full contrary to the Testimony of the Prophet who speaking of the Affliction of the soul said When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him That was the Support and Relief of the soul in the time of its Affliction according to the Prophets Testimony and the same Support the Children of Light do still witness whose Faith stands in the Power of God and whose Trust is in that Name which is a strong Tower And for his calling the Scriptures the very Fountain and Well-spring of Comforts c. It s gross Blasphemy and a Robbing of God who is a Spirit and who is the Fountain of all Good whose Spirit as before shewed is in them that believe as a Well springing up unto Eternal Life for the Scriptures no where call themselves the Fountain nor have the holy Men of God so called them but they testifie of him-who is the Fountain of all Good Neither are they in them selves any where called the Well-spring of Comforts but they testifie of the Spirit of Truth the Comforter that it shall be in them that believe a Well springing up unto Eternal Life so that J. Newman to make good his Argument if he could Blasphemously putteth the Dead Letter in the place of God and in the place of the Living Spirit Sixthly He saith It denieth the Knowledge of Acceptance with God for if the Scriptures be deny'd to be the Word of God then who knoweth what God will accept c and who knoweth what God counteth sin and wickedness c. Answ To which I answer This is in part answer'd already for Enoch c. had this Testimony That he pleased God Heb. 11.5 before the Scriptures were written and that Testimony was the Seal of Acceptance with God which I dare affirm every true Believer will acknowledge and this Testimony of Acceptance he did not receive from Scripture for there was none but he obtain'd it by Faith which the Word that was in the Beginning was the Author of as the Apostle said He that believes hath the Witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 by which it appears That the Knowledge of Acceptance or the Seal of being Well-pleasing unto God is not the Scriptures but the Spirit of Faith But that J. N. and others may see the Confusion that he runs into while he is fighting against the Truth I insert his own words in the 77th page of his Book and compare them with this Assertion he saith I shall freely own the giving forth of his blessed Spirit into the Hearts of his Children whereby they are directed into his Most Holy Will by the enlightening of their spirits by that Holy Spirit of Promise by which they know their Adoption and also by the same Spirit can own God to be their Father c. Thus far are his own words by which the Reader may easily judge whether or no J-N. doth not speak absolutely contrary to the Belief or Perswasion of his mind in saying If the Scriptures be deny'd to be the Word of God it denieth the Knowledge of Acceptance and who then knoweth what God accounteth sin and wickedness c. I say let the Reader but compare his Confession concerning the Spirit with his Assertion concerning the Scripture and he shall see his Contradition sufficiently for if the giving forth of the Spirit directeth into the Knowledge of the Most Holy Will of the Father then by the same Spirit what is contrary to that must absolutely be known also and how then can it be said that without Scriptures be owned to be the Word of God the Ground of the Knowledge of Acceptance with God is deny'd seeing that which manifests the will of the Father manifests that which is acceptable to him and thereby it s known And all this may be known by the Spirit
Delight is with the Sons of men Again If the Spirit in the Saints be as J. N. to the wounding of his own Cause saith of the same nature tendency and power with the Father and Son then there is a sufficient Saviour in man for the Tendency of the Son is to save as J.N. himself I dare say will acknowledge and his Nature is to save which was the end of his coming and he is of power to save For all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to the Son and the Nature of the Father is to save as I have befor shewed out of the Prophets therefore the Spirit that is given into the hearts of People which reproves them for sin being of the same nature power and tendence with the Father and Son is sufficient to save else it cannot be said to be of the same nature tendency and power so that none need go far or look to the Hills and Mountains for a Saviour but look unto him that is nigh who is of power to save even to the Light or Grace that hath appear'd as a Reprover of the deeds of Darkness and this will lead into all Truth and save out of all Unrighteousness and unto them that walk here in Christ the Light not after the Motions of the Flesh but after the Leadings of the Spirit there will be no Condemnation And although this God who is Light and is a Spirit be a God afar off also as being that Infinite Incomprehensible Fulness that fills all things yet all that can be known of him by any man is manifested within man Rom. 1.19 And thus the Confusions and Contractions of J. N. appears who thereby declares that he hath not the knowledg of Christ nor of God to exercise his Faith in nor yet doth he keep to Scripture neither to exercise his Faith therein but is seen and discovered to have his mind and his Faith exercised in Fancies and Imaginations which is the cause of his thus contradicting himself of his affirming so many Absurdities and Blasphemies without sound reason or Scripture Arguments sometimes dividing Christ and his Spirit and sometimes acknowledging them to be of one and the same beeing and sometimes joyn the Spirit and Scriptures and arguing that they cannot be separated and the reasons he gives is because the Scriptures are the givings forth of the Spirit and yet notwithstanding will say Christ hath a distinct beeing from his Spirit which is of his givings forth and thus as fancy leads him he affirms things as in Page 43. he saith If Scripture be denyed to be the Word of God it maketh void the exercise of Faith for Faith must be exercised in the Scriptures or else upon fancy and imagination and in Page 73. he saith if there be no personal beeing of Christ then there is no Christ to exercise Faith in so by this kind of Arguments of J. N. if Faith be exercised in a personal being of Christ it s exercised upon fancy and imagination which is very true for a personal beeing of Christ is not Scripture and he saith Faith must be exercised in Scripture or else upon fancy and imagination But the truth is he cannot tell what the true Faith is nor what it is exercised in sometimes Scripture is the only thing and another while a personal beeing of Christ and what will it be next but even what his Fancy and Imaginations bring forth which he appears full of like one that knows not Christ the Power of God manifested in him who is the Author of true Faith or the begetter thereof and is also the object thereof in which it is exercised and in whom it stands whom all must hear that receive the true Faith which is the victory that overcometh the World and which giveth access unto God in which Faith there is Peace and Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Again in Page 87. mentioning that Scripture which seems as a Block in his way which I perceive he would fain remove Gal. 4.19 till Christ be formed in you and therefore gives this meaning viz. This forming of Christ in the Saints was but to bring them forth into a Gospel-Purity c. this is his Interpretation of that Scripture and a very favorable one too but whereby should they be brought forth into a Gospel Purity Was it not by the Spirit 's operation that was in them which they received by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 which J. N. acknowledged to be of the same beeing of the Father and the Son If so then was not Christ according to Measure who fills all things really in them who hath diversity of operations who came for judgment and to send Fire on the Earth and were they not to be brought forth into that Gospel Purity that J. N. speaks of by his Spirit of judgment and of burning which they had received who came for judgment and to send Fire seeing God signified by his Prophet that the Filth of the Daughter of Sion should be purged away with the Spirit of judgment and of burning Isa 4.4 and this was that Spirit by which the Saints were washed cleansed sanctified and justified when the Apostle told them they were so in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 and they that were thus washed and brought forth into this Gospel Purity they were made a Habitation for God who as J. N. Confesseth is that Spirit even through the Spirit 's operations which is of the same Being or Substance with Christ so that the filth being purged away there was room for him to dwell there and so was really in them formed and they brought forth in his own Image by his own operation with whom the Apostles were Co-workers and therefore travelled for this forming of Christ in them or for the subjecting them in the Faith wholly unto Christ's Goverment that he might raign in them over all who is God Blessed forever One thing more which I find in the close of his Book which he entitules A Caution to all I cannot well pass by with silence where he saith Seeing God has cast us into a day wherein there is such a spirit running too and fro in this Nation that will seemingly own Truth and yet will draw all into a Mystery within man denying Truth according to Truth 's Intent let us therefore labour with our God for his blessed Spirit to guide us into all Truth Answ Mark Reader Is it contrary to Truth 's intent to own the Truth to be a Mystery within man Doth not God love to have Truth manifested in the inward parts Is not Christ the Truth which the Apostle declared to be the Mystery within saying Christ in you the Hope of Glory How then can it be said That that Spirit that owns Truth to be a Mystery within does not own it according to Truth 's intent Surely J. N. hath besotted his Understanding else he would not thus speak
Burdens and so fulfil the Law of God and in that you are a strength one to another and so in this feel the Salutation of my Love which is to you beyond declaring And to the Keeping and Protection of the Arm of the Lord I do commit you Amen So in the Peace and Life which hath no end I remain London the 2d Day of the 7th Moneth 1667. Your Faithful and True Brother Josiah Coale Let this be sent amongst the Friends in Holland To all People in JAMAICA Unto whom the MESSAGE OF Eternal Life is sent and amongst whom the Gospel is now preached FRIENDS Now the Everlasting Gospel of Peace and Glad-tidings is preached amongst you and the Word of Reconciliation reacheth forth towards you every one with Meekness receive it for it is able to save your Souls and to build you up and give you an Inheritance amongst the sanctified Ones For now is the Message of the Lord to be declar'd unto you and amongst you by True and Faithful Messengers whom he hath sent forth in his Name and endew'd with Power for that Service and hath made them willing for your sakes to give up their Lives that the Way of Life might be made known unto you and you might come to walk therein And their Message you are all to receive as you prize the Salvation of your Souls for they are Messengers of the New Covenant into which the Lord in this Day of his Glorious Appearance is gathering his People that they might be all taught of him and come to the Knowledge of him from the Least to the Greatest And Friends This Covenant of which I speak which they are Messengers of is Light and this Light lighteth every man that cometh into the World which if you give heed unto in your own Consciences you will find it reproving for the Deeds of Darkness and condemning sin in the Flesh and will lead all who are guided by it out of sin and will lead in the Way of Righteousness and in the Path of Peace and Way of True Holiness which is a Way that the World knows not who live in Iniquity Wherefore now all People The Day of your Visitation being upon you and the Lord striving with you by his Good Spirit in your Hearts and being also calling unto you by the Mouthes of his Messengers to Returns Now every one encline your Ears and hear what the Spirit saith in your inward Parts and prize the Day of the Visitation of the Lord's Love who after the long time that you have passed away in Rebellion and Disobedience against his Good Spirit should now be pleased to accept of you and to pass by your Transgressions past and the Sins of your Youth therefore I say Let the Rich Love of the Lord which is now manifested constrain you to Fear before him and to learn Obedience unto his Faithful Witness which he hath placed in your Hearts For Friends it concerns your Eternal Peace and now is the Day wherein you may come to the knowledge thereof before they be hid from your Eyes For truly Friends If you be not attentive unto that which will give unto you the knowledge of those things the time will come that they will be hid from your Eyes and then shall you cry out saying How have we hated Instruction and despised the Day of Healing And so Now the Day is wherein you may come to know and witness your Reconciliation made with the Lord by his Word of Power which is nigh you even in your Hearts and in your Mouthes which Word reconciles to God all who hear and obey it and it will also purge you from all Iniquity if you submit to the Working and Operation of it And this I testifie That no other Way can you come to know a being sanctified and reconcil'd to the Lord but by the Word of his Power and through your Obedience thereunto And this Testimony I send amongst you to the end that you might believe in the Light of the Son of God wherewith you are enlighttened And this Testimony will be further confirmed unto you by the Mouthes of these whom the Lord hath now sent amongst you and their Testimony is true of which I am a Witness for we have been all Baptized by one Spirit into one Body even the Glorious Body of him who is the Head And so we are all Eye-Witnesses of his Majesty and of his Glory and can give in our Testimony together That by the Mouthes of several Witnesses even so many as the Lord shall call the TRUTH may be confirmed to you that so you may no longer follow them who cry Lo here or Lo there For behold the Kingdom of Heaven is within you and comes not with Observations and all that enter into it must become as little Children for of such is the Kingdom of God which is now come with Power and is nigh unto you And Blessed and Happy are all they that come to know an Entrance administred into it for they are Heirs of that Inheritance which shall never fade away Written in Barbadoes this 18th of the 7th Moneth 1661. From one who is a Labourer in the Lords ' Vineyard called Josiah Coale An Epistle to FRIENDS IN New-England The First Epistle DEAR FRIENDS My Love which is sincere and fervent in the Lord's Truth which is as precious as ever in this Day of Tryal is freely and fervently extended to you For oft are you in my Remembrance in much tenderness and truly do I Respect you as such whom the Lord hath accounted worthy to bear his Name and which he hath made choice of to be a Peculiar People to himself and to be Witnesses for him in the mid'st of a Crooked and Perverse Generation And let your Holy Life and Chaste Conversation be such as may preach Righteousness unto all that if they speak Evil of you as of Evil-Doers you may have cause to Rejoyce having the Peace of God in your Hearts And Friends I am not unmindful of you neither are you forgotten by me For oft I am even amongst you in the Spirit of Love and Life in which my Desires and Prayers to God are and oft have been for you that you may grow and encrease and prosper and flourish in the precious living glorious Truth of God of which you are made Partakers and into which you are gather'd through the working of his Divine Power that so the Heavenly Image may be borne by you all that by your Good Example in Holiness and Righteousness many may be made to confess unto the Truth and be convinced of it and that to the Brightness of your rising in it many may be gather'd that so the Borders of the Sanctuary of the Most High may be enlarg'd unto the ends of the Earth For Friends You know full well that in the Power of God yea the Power of an Endless Life We whom the Lord sent unto you labour'd amongst you for the Exaltation
are of the Election of Grace and of the true Shepherds Fold whom it hath pleased my heavenly Father in his Love Life and Spirit to gather out of the World and to sepatate from amongst men to be the first fruits unto Him and to the LAMB in this Day of his Power and glorious Appearance and hath manifested his Power and reveal'd his glorious Arm of Strength in and amongst you and hath made known his blessed sweet refreshing Presence in the midst of you whereby you have been refreshed comforted and strengthened in the midst of many Trials Tribulations and Temptations which have been suffered to come upon you for the trial of your Faith since you were a People unto him and you know right well that he hath not been wanting unto you in any state or condition that you have been brought into as you abode faithful unto him And the mighty things which he hath done for you and the great delieverances which he hath brought unto you in the time when you were in great distress surely cannot be forgotten by you but is worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance And the things which you have seen of this kind and the endless loving-kindness of God unto you therein manifested is and I hope will be for ever sufficient to engage you to walk with the Lord in singleness and uprightness of heart that in all tryals of what nature or kind soever that you meet withal for the future time you may hold fast your testimony for him and your Faith and Confidence in him and be nothing daunted in your minds hearts nor spirits but in all things give up unto the Lord and resign up your Cause unto him alone and he will certainly plead for you in the hearts of your Enemies and they shall assuredly know that his controversie is very great with them for your sakes For he hath regard unto your sufferings and the Cryes and deep Groans of his Oppressed suffering Seed is continually before him and he is near to bring deliverance unto all who in patience and contentedness wait upon him and that trust in him with an upright and with a perfect heart Wherefore I say unto you all my beloved Friends Lambs and Babes of God be patient and therein wait upon God for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh and the day of a great deliverance is at hand wherein he will do and bring to pass such things which cannot be believed by many though they should be told unto them Therefore murmur not against the Lord in any wise because of these things which are come to pass and happened unto us nor because of the greatness of the rage of the Adversary for it is because he hath but a very short time and though you have born long and suffered much in divers kinds and the oppressive yoke of Antichrist is not yet removed nor taken away yet I say my Friends Fear not nor faint not in your minds but endure to the end in the Faith and Patience of Jesus and when the things determined shall be accomplished and the measure of iniquity shall be filled up then shall the day of a great deliverance come unto you and your eyes shall see Jerusalem a quiet habitation the praise of the whole Earth And then shall the Lord God Almighty be known to reign in the Kingdoms of Men and his Glory shall spread forth its self to the ends of the World and be declared of throughout all the Nations of the Earth and the Knowledge of God shall cover the Earth as the waters cover the Sea These sayings are faithful and true and things that must shortly come to pass and be fulfilled the Lord hath spoken it and blessed are all they who believe and obey the Word of the Gospel and wait for the fulfilling of these things Wherefore my dear Friends dwell low in God's Fear and in his Covenant of Light into which you are gathered and wait to receive his pure Divine Heavenly wisdom to order you and be you ordered thereby and that will keep you out of all extreams so that none will be lifted up above what is meet because of the Promises of God nor yet be cast down because of the threatnings of the Enemy that so you may neither turn aside to the right hand nor to the left but that you may walk on in the even way which is the path of peace and feel the Eternal Life which is of God to remain and abide in you so will you be kept fresh and lively in the beauty of Truth and Holiness and shine as Lights to the World For you are the Salt with which the Earth must be seasoned and with which all things must be salted to make it savory unto God and acceptable unto him For as the state of the World is in which they now lie they are unsavoury unto God and not at all a pleasant smell neither hath he any delight in their Sacrifices for even their prayers are abominable unto him and their solemn Assemblies he hath no pleasure in but his soul even loaths and abhors them and he will certainly work a Reformation is the Earth and he will beat down Babylon with a mighty blow and will bring a great desolation upon her and amongst her Merchants shall the noise of a great howling be heard and all her delicacies shall come to nought and all her costly attire the works of cunning Workmen shall be consumed for she is come into remembrance before the Lord and as she hath loved blood so must she have blood to drink for the Cup of God's Fury is already filled into the hands of the Saints of the Most High to pour out unto her And as she hath lived deliciously and glorified her self so much torment and sorrow must she have given unto her yea she shall have doubled unto her according to all her works and then shall the Saints Prophets and holy Apostles rejoyce over when God shall have avenged us on her And now my beloved Friends this I say unto you in and by the Spirit of the Lord That the time hastens and draweth nigh in which these things must be brought to pass yet nevertheless the things decreed and determined of the Lord must first be accomplished So that although the power of darkness hath been long working and doth still work as it were in a prevalent manner by which sufferings and tribulations are brought upon us yet I say it is by the permission of the hand of the Lord that these things are so and he hath an end in suffering it so to be and that for his own glory and who shall say him nay for so doing or reason with him about matters of so deep concernment seeing his way is hid from man and is not known unto any but only them unto whom he reveals it But this my Friends I know from the Lord That he hath an intent and purpose of good unto us thereby and
the Lord and their own engagements they have made them more stronge and thereby added afflictions unto the sufferings of Gods people and by these things is the Lord provoked for he hath seen it and it displeaseth him And therefore is his controversie great with thee Oh England and his hand is stretched out in Judgment against thee O Land of my Nativity because of which my heart is even afflicted within me for the sake of thy Inhabitants and I am even pressed in spirit to declare unto thee thy Abominations and wherein thy Sin lyeth that hath thus provoked the Lord that if happily those within thy Borders who have not quite sinned out their Day may hear and fear and repent and find Mercy at the Hand of the Lord that their tranquility may be lengthened for he is a God of tender compassion and wills not the death nor destruction of any and therefore hath his hand been long stretched forth in mercy and love unto thee and his spirit hath long strived with thee to have gathered thee and he sent his Prophets and Servants unto thee even riseing early and sending them before the day of his Judgments broke forth and they proclaimed in thy streets Gods mighty day at hand and forewarned thy Inhabitants both high and low great and small bond and free male and female Rulers and people of the dreadful Day of Gods Judgments which is now begun to be revealed but they hearkned not neither would they receive the councel of wisdom that cryed in thy streets but despised all her reproofs and although she hath continued sending her Prophets and wise men unto this day yet hitherto they have not hearkned nor regarded but have gone on in pride and presumption in persecution and cruelty and have nourished their hearts as in a day of slaughter and given up themselves to follow pleasures and have walked in the lusts and devices of their own hearts and as much as in them lies they have fulfilled the desires of their own minds and lived carelesly and wantonly upon the earth as though there was no God therefore is thy Judgments just from the Hand of the Lord and thy reward is the recompence of thy own doings for thy iniquities hath pulled his Judgments upon thee and thy sins have brought his Plagues and thou must confess that he is just in all his wayes and righteous in all his doings For consider Oh Nation and let me expostulate the matter with thee a little and then judge thy self what reward thou art worthy of What could the Lord have done for thee more then he hath done or hath he done so for another Nation as for thee he hath even filled thee with all manner of temporal blessings and benefits that the hearts of thy Inhabitants could desire Corn and Oyle and Wine in abundance have been brought into thee and all kind of Necessaries both for food and raiment hath he caused to abound in thee that thy Inhabitants might be fed and cloathed and that want might not be unto any within thy Borders and also that thou mightst therein be a blessing unto other Nations about thee but alas how hast thou abused his Mercies even in these Temporal things and converted them unto another use then that for which they were ordained and given unto thee How have many of thy Inhabitants spent much of their time to invent what to be cloathed with and after what manner to be arrayed in all kind of gorgeous Apparel when others with all their care and industry could scarce get Raiment to put on to cover their nakedness but have been even ready to starve for want And how have many been inventing what to eat and drink also making waste and havock of Gods good Creatures while many aged poor and feeble have been in want of bread to eat and in necessity of food convenient for the preservation of the natural health and in this their distressed state and condition they have not had compassion on them nor commiserated their state but even vaunted over them as though they had not been their fellow Creatures and as though God had not appointed them to pertake of the fruits of the Creation and in these things the Mercies of God have been abused and his Creatures have been converted to a wrong use and the Lords Love and Goodness therein hath been very evilly requited by Thee and will it not be very just if the Lord sends want and scarcity and famine instead of this great plenty amongst those who have thus evilly requited the Lord in abusing his Mercies Yes verily For consider Do not the sins of Sodom abound in thee by which God was provoked to consume it yea and greater sins then were charged upon Sodom which was Pride Fulness of Bread and Aboundance of Idleness But Oh Nation thou hast not been only found in these Sins and yet they have abounded in thee also as God's faithful Witness in the Hearts of thy Inhabitants will testifie but over and above all this many of thy Inhabitants even those who ought to be Examples of Chastity to others have given up themselves to Whoredoms and took delight therein as though it were a thing not forbidden but allow'd of God but unto many of them it is happen'd and doubtless it will unto more according unto that saying Whoremongers and Adulterers God will judge Well But this is not all that I have to charge this Nation guilty of for How do Oaths cause this Land to Mourn even near unto Desolation And how are the hearts of many of the Inhabitants thereof harden'd and even sear'd as with a Hot Iron so that without any sense of the Reproofs of God's Witness in them they blaspheme the pure and worthy Name of the Holy Lord God by Cursing Swearing Ranting and Sporting themselves in the day time in all kind of Pastimes as though they endeavoured with all their Force and Might to draw one another as much as in them lie out of the Fear of God And beside all this What Lying and Dissembling is there amongst thy Inhabitants notwithstanding all their profession of a Reformed Christian Religion yet what cousening cheating and defrauding one another is there within thy borders and so treacherous have thy Inhabitants bin one towards another and such rotten heartedness and double dealing have they sound one in another that few of them dare trust one another Again O how doth drunkenness also abound in thee oh England and how are many Houses filled even night and day with riotous persons spending and wasting the Creation upon their ungodly lusts and assembling themselves together even great multitudes to their invented Stage-Playes and all kind of Vanities and Abominations when the people of the Lord who fear his Name are not suffered to meet peaceably together to wait upon God and to worship him but they must be thrust into Prisons or beat and abused and knockt down and by these things hath the Lord been
therefore she is infallible I answer He hath not at all confirmed that by any proof neither hath he any farther proof than his own affirmation except he would produee that saying of the Mother of Harlots viz. I sit as a Queen and am no Widdow and shall see no sorrow Rev. 18.7 And indeed that would be a very pittiful Argument to prove the Church of Rome infallible but none other can he produce except he could first prove her to be the true Church which he is never able to do his best Argument by which he hath undertaken it being already confuted Therefore we have no more cause to believe his Affirmation than we have to believe the sayings of the forementioned Mother of Harlots for they are both alike to us and though she said she should see no sorrow yet John who was in the Spirit of the Lord said that in one day her Desolation should come Rev. 18.8 And although A. S. saith That the Church of Rome shall alwayes remain to the end of the World yet I say in the Name of the Lord and by the same Spirit that John was in That the one day of which John spake is already dawned in which the Desolation of that Great Whore the Church of Rome shall come and as surely as when Sodom was overthrown the Cities round about it were overthrown also 2 Pet. 2.9 Jude ver 7. so certainly when this great City Babylon is overthrown and made desolate the Suburbs thereof shall be overthrown and made desolate also The Mouth of the Lord hath spoken it and therefore she must fail in her Prophesies and cease in her Beeing which as A. S. saith the true Church cannot Fourthly And farther the Church of Rome is variable in her Judgments as the diversities of Councels that she hath held concerning matters of Faith beareth witness for the following General Counsel hath oft-times excluded that which was concluded on by the former and surely both cannot be infallible they being quite contradictory one to the other Read the 15th chapter of F. H. his Book entituled THE GLORY OF THE TRUE CHURCH DISCOVERED c. wherein the contradictions of the General Counsels which the Church of Rome hath held are sufficiently made manifest so that I need not trouble my self to insert them here and thereby its evident enough that the Church of Rome is not infallible Fifthly Again if A. S. or any other could prove that the Church of Rome had alwayes remained since Christs time yet as aforesaid that is not a sufficient Argument to prove her infallible or that she cannot fail nor cease For consider the Dragon that old Serpent called the Devil who was a Murtherer from the beginning who gave power to the Beast that carries the Whore that drinks the Saints blood that said she should see no sorrow was before the dayes of Christ's appearance in the flesh yet the Dragon is not infallible But the Church of Rome is upheld by the Murtherer or carried by the Dragons power in the Beast as the Murthers acted by her beareth witness therefore she is no more infallible than the Dragon is Seventhly And as to the 7th part of A. S. his Argument wherein he saith The True Church is inerrable and then saith that the Church of Rome is this inerrable True Church for all the Sectaries Schismaticks and Hereticks in the World saith he could never yet shew wherein she erred nor ever shall Therefore she is inerrable Answ 1. I answer although the Hereticks could not prove that the Church of Rome hath erred yet there are many who are members of the true Church of which Christ is Head and supreme Governour alone that can prove wherein she hath erred and doth still grosly err from the Doctrine Practice and Discipline of the true Church as it stood in the Apostles dayes for the Apostle in his dayes said Let every man be fully perswaded in his own Conscience Rom. 14.5 and did not go about to force People to conform to such things that they were not perswaded of in their consciences nor to compel them by outward Laws to conform thereunto but the Church of Rome doth not admit that every one should walk or act according as they are perswaded in their own Consciences but goes about by outward Laws to compel them to conform to that which she calls her holy Ordinances and Institutions which many for conscience sake towards Gods dare not conform to because they know them to be invented Idolatries and they who cannot for Conscience sake submit to her Impositions or drink of her Cup of Abominations then to be sure she will drink their Blood Witness the Blood she hath drunk for above this thousand years past of them that could not for Conscience sake towards God conform to her Ordinances And therefore she hath erred from that Spirit which was in the true Church and from the Apostles Doctrine and is still in the Error Secondly In the true Church in the Apostles dayes every one as he had received the Gift of the Spirit of God so he might Administer 1 Pet. 4.10 and the Prophets might speak two or three and if any thing was revealed to him that stood by he might speak and the first should be silent 1 Cor. 14.29 30 31. But this is not the order of the Church of Rome as is sufficiently manifested to all Christendom therefore she hath erred from the Apostles Spirit and Order and is still in the Error And thus I might produce many more Arguments to shew wherein the Church of Rome hath erred and doth err only my desire is to be as brief as may be so that satisfaction may be given for which I doubt not but this is sufficient as to that particular 8. And as concerning Miracles in the true Church I do confess and bear witness that there are Miracles wrought in her daily but that all Miracles are an Argument sufficient to prove a people to be the true Church that I do not acknowledge but deny For First the Magicians of Egypt could by their Sorceries or Inchantments imitate those things in the sight of the Egyptians that Moses and Aaron did by the Power of God Exod. 8.7 and the false Prophet he wrought lying Miracles before the Beast that carries the Whore insomuch that he caused fire to come down out of Heaven in the sight of men Rev. 13.13 14. and chap. 19. ver 20. And this the Whore might have said was done in confirmation of her faith doctrines as A. S. doth yet nevertheless it was done by the Dragons power who was a Murderer from the beginning For he gave power to the Beast that carries the Whore to do such things Rev. 13.2 and therefore the Miracles in the Church of Rome if now there be any is no infallible evidence to prove her to be the true Church Well 2. But then it may be some will say that this is harsh judgment and how can you tell but
that the Miracles wrought in the Church of Rome are wrought by the Power of God or how can you distinguish between Miracles wrought by the Power of God and Miracles wrought by the Dragons power Answ I answer we have an infallible way to judge in this particular For all Miracles wrought by the murdering power are not wrought by the Power of God but by the Dragons power for the Dragon that old Serpent who is called the Devil was a Murderer from the beginning but Christ the Power of God is not a murdering power for he came not to destroy mens lives but to save them Luke 9.56 Therefore the Miracles wrought by Christ the Power of God are not wrought by a murdering power But the Miracles of the Church of Rome if now there be any are wrought by a murdering power for the many murders she hath acted sufficiently testifieth to the whole Christendom that a murdering power rules in her By which its clear that the Miracles wrought in the Church of Rome if there be any are wrought by the Dragons power and not by the Power of God So that my judgement concerning the Miracles in the Church of Rome is not harsh but according to the Spirit of Truth and sound Reason Thirdly but for all A. S. in his Epistle Dedicatory hath made such a great noise about Miracles wrought by a Roman Catholick Priest in and about London and Westminster yet when he comes to prove that the Church of Rome is powerful in Miracles then he doth just as much as nothing but takes an easie way to get out from that thing which seemingly he undertook to go thorow with by referring of us for a witness of his Affirmation to nostre dame de Loretto nostre dame de Montague nostre dame de Hall and to the whole World c. Now what a pittiful proof or witness is this which A. S. directs us to For as the Apostles saith the whole World lies in wickedness 1 John 5.19 and wonders after the Beast by whom lying Miracles are wrought Rev. 13.3 So that the Miracles which the World bears witness to are lying Miracles for the World knows not Christ nor his Church 1 Joh. 3.1 by whom true Miracles are wrought for when Christ wrought Miracles amongst the World they did not bear witness to him but said he did it by the Prince of Devils Mat. 9.34 So that the witness that A. S. calls for confirmeth my forementioned Affirmation viz. That the Miracles in the Church of Rome are wrought by the Dragons power in the Beast and false Prophet that the whole World wonders after Fourthly and for nostre dame de Loretto and the rest mentioned they signifie nothing as to our satisfaction in this particular because they are altogether unknown to us neither can we attain to a certain knowledge of them if we would for the information of the Church of Rome is to us no satisfaction so as I said before that A. S. for matter of proving his Affirmation hath done just as much as nothing only made a shew like a Cloud without Rain But methinks if there were so many Miracles wrought daily by a Roman Priest about London c. as A. S. seems to make a noise of he should have instanced some of them particularly for our satisfaction but seeing he hath not instanced any we have just cause to believe that there are none at all Ninthly So to proceed to the ninth part of A. S. his first Argument viz. Out of the True Church none can be saved I answer That thing I do not at all deny for all that are saved are of the true Church but that none can be saved out of the Church of Rome that I do deny for the Church of Rome is not the true Church but the Whore that drinks the Blood of the Saints as afore-proved therefore out of the Church of Rome people may be saved Wherefore let all who expect or desire Salvation make haste out of this great City Babylon And run for your lives towards Jerusalem the holy City the true Church the Lambs Wife in whose Light the Nations of them that are saved must walk Rev. 21.24 lest you perish within the Borders of Babylon whose desolation shall certainly come in one day Yea Death and Mourning and Famine for strong is the Lord who is now arisen and judgeth her The Mystery of the Whore farther discovered Well But if the Church of Rome saith That she doth not drink the blood of the Saints but the blood of Hereticks c. and therefore she is the true Church 1. I answer so or to that effect said the Destroyers and Murderers in all Ages even they that put Christ to death they did it not in their own account as he was the Son of God but as a Blasphemer and the Apostles were persecuted as Spreaders of Heresie and Shedders of Sedition and not as Saints and Servants of the Lord in their Adversaries account Acts 24.5 and thus the murdering persecuting spirit hath in all Ages as at this day sought to shelter it self but this covering must now be ript off for the Power of God is arisen that rends the vail of Darkness and the Day is dawned that makes all things manifest 2. And further If they were Heretick c. whose blood the Church of Rome drinks yet that doth not argue that she is the true Church but the contrary for the true Church did never drink the blood of Hereticks nor persecute any because they were Hereticks but the greatest punishment that ever Christ appointed for Hereticks was that they should account them as Publicans and Heathens Mat. 18.17 3. So its clear that Christ the Power of God and the true Church that had the mind of Christ did never kill nor persecute any because they were Hereticks or did not believe nor yet because after they believed they made shipwrack of faith but laboured in the Spirit of Love and Meekness to restore them and to convince them by sound Doctrine but if they refused to receive admonition or to submit to the Church after due admonition given then they let them receive the punishment aforesaid and refused to have fellowship with them and this was the greatest punishment that ever the true Church inflicted upon any though they were Rebellious and this was the way to make true Believers of people which force and compulsion by penal Laws will never do though its true compulsive Laws may make many of them Hypocrites who fears man more then God but they who fears not man that can kill the body and can do no more but fears the Lord God almighty above all such will not bow to the compulsive Laws of men which violates the righteous Law of God in their own hearts no more then Shadrach Meshach and Abednego would bow to the Image that Nebuchadnezar set up though for their stedfastness they suffer the pangs of death as many of their Predecessors
have done whose blood the Church of Rome hath drunk Thus much in brief to the nine particulars of A. S. his first Argument by which I perceive he thought he had infallibly proved the Church of Rome to be the true Church but what his Argument is worth for his purpose let all who reads this judge And the next thing he undertakes is to prove Peter to be the Rock or Foundation upon which Christ built his Church and to accomplish this design he rambles through several Languages into which the Scripture hath bin translated and in the conclusion he saith a great lie to Peter then Christ said upon thee I will build my Church c. when none of the several Languages which he makes use of to prove it say any such thing according to his own interpretation of them and indeed its blasphemy in A. S. to affirm it But then he saith That Christ is the primary Rock and Peter the secondary Rock Reply But how can that be that Peter should be a secondary Rock for A. S. cannot prove that God ever ordained or appointed a secondary Rock to build his Church on neither do we in all the Scriptures read of a secondary Rock once mentioned for the Apostle affirmeth the contrary saying Another Foundation can no man lay then that which is already laid 1 Cor. 3.11 which is Jesus Christ So he is the first and the last the beginning and the end and A. S. his Affirmation is nothing worth for his purpose nay it s worse then nothing for it discovers his Deceit and Ignorance though I perceive his intent and aim was to gratifie his Master the Pope by pleading his Supremacy under pretence of setting Peter above the rest of the Apostles when indeed its manifest enough that his intent was to set up the Pope as Lord and Master over Gods Heritage Gentile like contrary to that saying of our one Lord Christ viz. Be not many Masters for one is your Master even Christ and all ye are brethren Mat 23.8 So that Peter was not set up as a visible head over the Church of Christ as A. S. saith the Pope is over the. Church of Rome neither was Peter above other of the Apostles but a fellow-Servant with them and they all fellow-workers together with Christ 2 Cor. 6.1 and Paul was not at all inferiour to Peter in relation to his spiritual authority for he himself said yet not boastingly but truly that he came not behind the very chiefest Apostles 2 Cor. 12.11 So that Peter was no more the Rock then Paul was and what was Paul or what was Apollo or Peter either but Ministers by whom the Church believed 1 Cor. 3.5 So it was not the work of the Apostles to set themselves one above another for they abased themselves that the Lord Jesus Christ might be exalted Neither did they preach themselves but Jesus Christ the Lord and themselves Servants c. 2 Cor. 4.5 by which it appears that the Pope doth not truly succeed Peter in the same spirit that he and the rest of the Apostles were in who had the Spirit and mind of Christ who made himself of no reputation Phil. 2.7 but the Pope truly succeeds those whom the Apostle saw would come that would be covetous Boasters and proud Blasphemers 2 Tim. 3.2 as doth appear by his preaching up himself and his boasting of his great power and superiority witness Fox his Acts the first Volume pag. 1023. and so on where you may read at large how several of the Popes of Rome have sufficiently declared themselves to be covetous Boasters and proud Blasphemers and have also laid themselves open enough to the view of all who have an eye to see so that I need not produce any farther Argument to prove the Pope a proud Blasphemer Then 〈◊〉 A. S. in his third chapter undertakes to prove That neither all Sects nor any one of them is the true Church c. Whose Cause I am not engaged in nor intend to plead therefore I shall let that pass But his fourth and fifth Chapters contains several Arguments by which he undertakes farther to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church together with some Queries propounded To which I intend to return a brief and sober Answer 1. First A. S. saith That which was once the true Church is now c. But the Roman Pontificial was once the true Church c. I answer I do not deny but that there was a true Church at Rome in the Apostles dayes but that the Church now at Rome is therefore the true Church that doth not follow for as I have before proved the true Church in the Apostles dayes was far different both in Discipline and Practice from the Church of Rome that now is But then A. S. saith If the Roman Pontificial did fall what Church did she fall from If she did fail when c I answer Paul in the first Chapter in his Epistle to the Church of Rome spake of some who when 〈…〉 God did not glorifie him as God but became vain in their imaginations and changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an Image made like to corruptible man and so not liking to retain God in their knowledge God gave them up to a reprobate mind and they were filled with unrighteousness fornication and wickedness covetousness envy murder c. Rom. 1.21 23 28 29. And is not this the very state of the Church of Rome at this day is she not now filled with these things Surely yes Thousands of thousands must acknowledge it if they consider it and speak the truth Oh the murders acted by her and the blood she hath drunk as before hinted and the Adulteries committed within her Borders Indeed these and many other her abominations are innumerable as she her self full well knows therefore she is indeed faln and deeply revolted from that pure Spirit in which the true Church stood in the Apostles dayes Thence she is faln and the time when she fell was when she began to enter into these aforesaid abominations that is now found in her Well 2dly But then A. S. saith That if the true Church be infallible she must have alwayes remained without interruption since Christs time to this day c. I answer although the true Church be infallible yet it doth not absolutely follow that she must have alwayes remained without interruption unto this day for as I have already proved the true Church was interrupted by the Dragon and was persecuted into the Wilderness but she did not fail but remained there and had a being there a place prepared of God for her concerning which I shall have occasion to speak more fully shortly 3dly But A. S. saith That no other Church on Earth hath remained unto this day without interruption beside the Roman Pontificial and therefore she is the true Church I answer no she is not therefore the true Church but the Whore for as I have
said he they are continually doing the Works of the Devil and are his children and consequently cannot truly call God Father I answer therefore the Church of Rome cannot call God Father for she is and long hath been doing the works of the Devil the Murderer as before proved therefore she is of her father the Devil and cannot call God Father in Truth and in Righteousness Then A. S. rambles through several other particulars in which he controverts with Sectaries c. whose cause I am not concerned to plead only this small hint before I have given to prove the Church of Rome one of those Sects who cannot speak the fore-mentioned words truly and so I shall leave the Sectaries with whom A. S. controverts to plead their own cause for the thing that was chiefly in my heart when I took in hand to write this brief Reply was to prove the Church of Rome not to be the true Church and the Chief Arguments by him Produced to prove her the True Church I have already in brief answered Again A. S. in his 6th Chapter makes it his business to prove the Church to be the Judge of all controversies in matters of faith and saith That not every man nor human reason nor the private Spirit nor the Bible is this Judge and to prove it he quotes Matth. 18.17 where Christ said tell the Church c. Answ To which I answer That the Judgement of the true Church of which Christ is Head in matters of Faith I do not deny for being governed in all things by the Head Christ to whom all Judgment is committed John 5.20 the Judgment thereof must of necessity be Ture for the Strength of Israel cannot Lye and ought for to be submitted unto by all But the Church of Rome being not the True Church she being not Governed by the invisible Head Christ to whom all Judgment is committed as before proved Therefore she is not Judge of Controversies in matters of Faith And the True Church to whom Christ said He that Heareth you Heareth me were such as heard Christ and in whom the Spirit of the Father spake Mat. 10.20 But the Church of Rome doth not hear Christ as hereafter I shall prove therefore they who hear the Church of Rome do not hear Christ But surely when A. S. began this work of deciding Controversies he had forgotten that the Church was the only Judge in that particular and not every man nor the private spirit for had he considered that he being but a particular man would not have undertaken the Churches work as appears by the Title of his Book he hath for he calls it A brief Decider of all Controversies in matters of Faith which Book we have cause to judge is his own only work and not the Churches in which we find him condemning himself for the thing which he is doing for as appears by his aforesaid Title himself undertakes to decide controversies and in his 6th Chapter he affirmeth ' That the Church is the only Judge or decider of all controversies But this is that his confusion may the more appear as it hath done in many other things as may be seen in this small Treatise and surely if the Pope have no better Servants then A. S. to do his work for him he had better keep them idle than to employ them in such a work for in the end they will bring more shame to him than they will honour for such like confusions and other abominations have already made the very name of the Pope an ill favour to all true Christians And one thing more in A. S. his 6th Chapter I cannot well omit to observe where he said The spirit inspireth when he will and you hear his voice but cannot tell whence from God or the Devil he doth come or whither to Heaven or to Hell he doth go and then saith So is every one that is born of the spirit and to prove this he quotes Luke 9.55 where Christ said Ye know not what Spirit ye are of Now consider the blindness and ignorance or else the wilful wickedness of A. S. who jumbles a deal of Scriptures together blasphemously wresting of them to his own destruction or at least to the destruction of his own work in hand thinking thereby to blind the minds of people and with his good words mixed with blasphemies and fair speeches to deceive the hearts of the simple as his Predecessors have done in the long night of Apostacy which hath been over all Nations since the Apostles days But it s in vain for him to strive to accomplish his end for the Day is dawned unto many and there is an eye opened in many thousands in this Nation of England that gives them to see over and beyond all this Babylonish or confused trumpery and stuff and have a feeling of that which was before Babylon was and shall out-last Babylon to the praise of God and to the glory and honour of his Name who is blessed for ever Well Although it was so that Christ said unto his Disciples You know not what spirit ye are of yet consider the time when he spake these words was it not before they were born of the Spirit although called to be Apostles for Christ said unto them you must be born again John 3.7 8. and that he would send them the Spirit of which he said they must be born which shall lead them into all Truth John 16.13 and he did not say as A. S. doth that they should not know whence from God or the Devil the Spirit came or whither to Heaven or to Hell it went Oh horrid blasphemy in A. S who saith so is every one that is born of the Spirit as much as to say that he that is born of the Spirits knows not whether he be from God or the Devil or whither he shall go to Heaven or to Hell Oh wickedness indeed Christ said no such things as A. S. doth although that blessed worthy saying of our Saviour and Lord Christ was and is very true viz. Marvel not that I say unto you that you must be born again for the wind bloweth where it listeth and men hears the sound thereof but cannot tell from whence it cometh nor whither it goeth adding even so is every one that is born of the Spirit John 3.7 8. Mark they that were born of the Spirit were unknown to the World for said the Apostle after they were born again the World knows us not So although they were in the World and men saw them yet the World knew them not no more than they knew from whence the wind came and wither it went which they heard the sound of and indeed so is the state of the True Church in the World at this day And the Apostles did know from whence the Spirit came and of what Spirit they were after they received the Spirit of Truth and were born of it for Christ told them John 14.16 That
forementioned Scripture by which it is plain that he condemns himself in the things he is doing 5. Again Fifthly he saith That the Spirit of God saith Hear the Church but the spirit of the Devil contradicts and saith Hear not the Church but Christ alone for of Christ saith he it s written This is my beloved Son him hear ye behold the Devil pleads for Christ of purpose to deceive Christions c. Answ To which I answer That I think I need not say much to convince all that reads but A. S. his own words that he is either grosly ignorant or else abominably wilful and wicked for who can believe that the Devil will plead for Christ or perswade people to hear Christ and disswade them from hearing of the Church certainly if he would perswade people to hear the greater he would not disswade them from hearing the lesser And how can people possibly be deceived that hears Christ and obeys him I cannot believe that its the spirit of the Devil that perswades people to hear Christ but rather that its the drawings of the Spirit of the Father that invites them to come unto the Son and to hear him for Christ said None cometh unto me except my Father who hath sent me draw him Joh. 6.44 But A. S. contrariwise in effect saith That the Devil draws people to come unto Christ and to hear him By which he hath manifestly shewed that he is of a contrary spirit unto Christ Therefore A. S. is an Antichrist and one that puts Light for darkness and darkness for light against whom the woe is pronounced Isa 5.20 And although A. S. so much pleads for the Church whom I know all will hear that hears Christ yet upon serious consideration I find its of purpose to deceive Christians and so he hath shewed himself as bad as the Devil he speaks of being found doing the same work of which he seems to accuse the Devil for in his sixth Chapter I find him as afore declared in effect perswading people Not to adhere to the motions of the Spirit of Christ under pretence that they cannot tell whence from God or the Devil it comes or whither to Heaven or Hell it goeth c. And as above he is again perswading people That its a dangerous thing to hear that Spirit that invites them to hear Christ calling it the Devil because it doth not invite them to hear the Church of Rome also But I never read or heard before that any spirit did invite people to hear Christ but the Spirit of the Father and his Spirit said This is my beloved Son him hear ye Mat. 17.5 Therefore that Spirit that invites people to hear the Son of God is not the Devil but the Spirit of the Father and ought to be heard and obeyed by all Sixtly Again S. A. affirmeth that the Spirit of God saith That Carpenters Smiths Masons and other Tradesmen must not meddle with Ecclesiastical things as to Preach or Teach c. But saith he the evil spirit affirmeth the quite contrary by perswading them they may all prophesie one by one But alas then saith A. S. He deceiveth for that place is understood of the real and True Prophets of whose number all the Devils in Hell cannot prove all Tradesmen to be Answ Here A. S. seems to oppose that which for my part I know none affirms for who is there that saith all Tradesmen have the Spirit of Prophesie I know none Yet although all Tradesmen have it not it doth not therefore follow that no Tradesmen have it neither did I ever read that the Spirit of God did forbid Tradesmen to meddle with those things nor doth that Scripture which A. S. quotes confirm any such thing which he affirmes but rather the contrary And we do read in the Scriptures of Truth that Christ did call some of several Tradesmen to Teach the Way of God and to Preach the everlasting Gospel witness St Peter a Fisher-man St Paul a Tent-maker with divers others that might be mentioned so that though all Tradesmen have not the Spirit of Prophesie yet we see that some had and they were not forbidden but commanded to Preach and Teach and therefore they who have the Testimony of Jesus which is the Spirit of Prophesie although they be Tradesmen they may Preach and Teach according to the Gift thereof received for the Apostle said Every one as he hath received the Gift of the Spirit so let him administer 1 Pet. 4.10 Seventhly And saith A. S. the Apostle said Women must not speak in the Church but the Devil saith they may For the Scripture averreth saith he That your Sons and Daughters shall Prophesie this Devil deceiveth the Women-Quakers But alas that Scripture was fulfilled in the Apostles and in the true Prophetesses in their times as Anna Luke 2.28 and now is in such as have the True Spirit of Prophesie which Quakers Wives and Daughters can never prove themselves to have Answ Here A. S. hath confessed that there was Prophetesses in the Apostles dayes and that there now is at this day also and the Apostle spake of Women that were helpers with him in the Gospel Phil. 4.3 So then its undeniable that Women did speak and Prophesie and now may though the Apostles did not Permit Busie-bodies and Tattlers to be asking Questions in the Church but said they should ask their Husbands at Home So the thing disputable is whether or no Quakers Wives and Daughters have the true Spirit of Prophesie concerning which I say this The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie and many Wives and Daughters of the people called Quakers have received the Testimony of Jesus and knows the Life of Jesus manifested in them as by their fruits of Love Meekness Gentleness Patience Long-suffering c. which are fruits of the Spirit doth appear unto those who have a knowledg of them Therefore they have the Spirit of Prophesie And further several of the Wives and Daughters amongst the people called Quakers have Prophesied of the desolation of the great Whore the Church of Rome and when that comes to pass it will be thereby proved that they have the true Spirit of Prophesie and then shall every Tongue confess to it and in the mean time let none speak evil of the things they know not lest they be found fighters against God Eightly Again A. S. saith That the good Spirit saith It is a Religious Act to Swear by God in a Just Cause but the Evil-spirit contradicts for it s written saith he Sware not at all Behold the Puritanism of this impure spirit but alas he deludeth for God expresly commands Jer. 4.2 Thou shalt Swear the Lord liveth in Truth in Judgment and in justice c. Answ I answer although in the Law and Prophets people were commanded to Swear in Truth and Righteousness and to perform their Oaths to the Lord yet Christ the new Covnant whom God promised should not be according to the
to betray his Master did afterwards rebuke him for it but then his Ignorance would have somewhat more plainly appeared But it was indeed the same spirit which led Judas into that presumptuous act as to betray his Master that afterwards led him to desperation and to hang himself and that Spirit which let him see his wickedness which he had done and rebuked him for it was Light For whatsoever makes manifest is Light Eph. 5.13 Eleventhly then lastly he saith Thus far have we digressed for the Conversion of Quakers c Answ To which I say that if he hath no better way to convert Quakers nor no better Arguments to produce in order to their Conversion then what he hath made use of in his pretended reconsiler of Religions he were better be silent and save his Labour for I cannot believe that a thousand such Books will ever convert or rather divert one Quaker nay nor convince them neither except it be of his own gross Ignorance or wilful wickedness of which there is enough appears as before manifested Thus having briefly answered the most remarkable Arguments produced by A. S. to prove the Church of Rome the true Church and also the several particulars by which he endeavoured to render the people called Quakers as a people led by a deluding Spirit I find the rest of his Book consists of divers Arguments in which he controverts with Sectaries and their Bibles and Ministers c. whose cause as aforesaid I am not ingaged in therefore it doth not concern me to answer his Charges against them but shall leave them to answer for themselves Although there are indeed many things contained in the remaining part of his Book from which I might lay open much of the deceit and Ignorance of A. S. and the Abominations of the Church of Rome But the generality of people being alreadly so fully satisfied concerning her and the confusion and ignorance of A. S. also being herein so fully manifested already I look upon it as superfluous at present to inlarge on this account and indeed if never a word had been said the very fruits brought forth by the Church of Rome in the view of all Nations are enough to foreware them of adhering to her for can a man touch Pitch and not be defiled A hint towards the discovery of the true Church But for all that hath been said It may be some will say that grand Question propounded by A. S. in the second Chapter of his Book Remains yet unanswered viz Which is the true Church c. First to which I answer that is the true Church and no other whose fruits make manifest that they are govern'd by the invisible head Christ and that continue in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and that are found in the same order or discipline in their Assemblies that the true Church was in the primitive times and that have the same way of ordaining Ministers that the true Church had and that lives soberly righteously and godly in this present World as the true Church did But the people called Quaekers are such as hereafter I shall prove Therefore the people called Quakers are the true Church Secondly It is manifest by the fruits of the people call'd Quakers that they are governed by the invisible Head Christ for Christ commands his Followers not to swear at all which command the aforesaid people observe and keep as this Nation of England full well knows Again Christ came not to destroy mens lives but to save them and commanded his Followers to love their Enemies And it is manifest that the people called Quakers have the mind of Christ because they seek not the destruction of any but the preservation and good of all and that they love even their Enemies who hate and persecute them because they are ready to assist or be helpfull to them upon all occasions or opportunities in any thing that may tend to their present and future well-being therefore they are governed by the invisible Head Christ Again Christ commanded saying whatsoever ye would that men should do unto you even so do ye unto them Mat. 7.12 which command the aforesaid people observe and keep as thousands can bear witness for them Therefore they are governed by the invisible Head Christ and are the True Church Thirdly Again the people called Quakers continue in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles for Christ preacht the Doctrine of Perfection saying Be ye perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect Math. 5.48 And the Apostle preacht the same Doctrine Heb. 6.1 and Laboured to persent every man perfect in Christ Col. 1.28 having received gifts for that very work Ephes 4.11.12 And the people called Quakers do preach the same Doctrine of Perfection and Labour in the Power and Spirit of the Lord to present people perfect in Christ as the Apostles did as thousands can bear Testimony by which it sufficiently appears that they continue in the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles and therefore they are the true Church But this Christian Doctrine is opposed by all the Antichristian Ministers thoughout the whole Christendom or by all Babylons Merchants in every part of her Teritories who ignorantly produce many good words to oppose this Doctrine 1. As First they urge Solomons words viz There is not a just man upon the Earth that doth good and sinneth not Therefore say they people cannot be perfect But alas they do not discern the signs of the times neither do they consider the time and season when these words were spoken for at that time all were gone out of the Way and there was none that did good Psa 14.3 and they had forsaken the Lord and knew not so much of him as the Oxe did of his Owner Isa 1.3 and were in the transgression of Gods Covenant which he made with their Fathers Jer. 31.32 so that although there were none without sin at that time yet it doth not follow the people can never be free from sin no more then their being then ignorant of God doth argue that people should never come to the knowledg of him the contrary of both which may be easily proved by plain Scripture for at that time when Israel were strangers unto God and were all gone out of the way and none amongst them did good c. even then did God promise that the day should come in which he would make a new Covenant with the house of Judah and with the house of Israel who were in the transgression of the first Covenant Jer. 31.31 and that he would finish transgression and make an end of sin Dan. 24. who had hid his face from them and by which they were made Strangers to him Isa 59.2 and that he would remember their Iniquities no more and that they should all know him from the least to the greatest Jer. 31.34 by which it is evident that although in the Prophets days they were all in transgression and had not
shall they believe in him whom not of whom as their Bible saith of purpose to excuse themselves See above they have not heard or how shall they hear without a Preacher or how shall they Preach unless they are sent 4. Note this well gentle Reader and consider seriously with your self how deplorable a thing it is to see such Hypocritical Intruders to stand in a Pulpit or Tub with such a brazenfac'd Book as is their unjust corrupt and perverse Bible in their hand lulling the Poor Ignorant people to the sleep of death with these words Thus saith the Lord when the Lord saith no such thing Are not these they of whom the Lord himself saith Jer. 14.14 They prophesie falsly in my Name I sent them not and I did not bid them neither did I speak unto them a lying vision and divination and fraudulence and sedition of their own hearts they prophesie unto you See more Dent. 13.5 Item 18.20 c. And when they have done with their Thus saith the Lord and can say no more then they rowse up their slumbering spirits by singing unto them one of Tho. Sternholds Jack Hopkins or Rob. Wisdoms Psalms suppose From Turk and Pope c. which Sacrilegious Psalm or Diabolical Song passeth with these Deluders and their deluded Auditors and Chorists for holy Scripture and the Word of God as well as Dixit Dominus Domino meo c. Oh times Oh manner Oh God amend them Amen See Erastus senior and jun. who copiously prove this Subject The Last Testimony OF That Faithful Servant of the Lord and Minister of Jesus Christ RICHARD FARNSWORTH Whereunto is prefixed a brief Testimony concerning his Life Death and Travels c. To which is added a few words of Exhortation unto those that believe in the Light of the Lamb. Published for the Consolation of the Houshold of Faith and for the stopping of that Mouth which is open'd in Blasphemy against God his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven FOrasmuch as it hath pleased God Almighty after the long Night of woful gross Darkness Apostacy and Ignorance which hath been over the Nations amongst those who have had a Profession of Christianity again to make known and manifest the true new and living way which leads unto Life Eternal even by and through the Revelation and Operation of his Eternal Power and Word of Life in the hearts of a Remnant whom in this our day he first reached unto and visited and raised up to be Witnesses thereof that by them it might be born Testimony unto amongst those who were strangers to it and that thirsted after it that so thereby they also might receive the manifestation and knowledge thereof for want of which many perish and are strangers to the way of Life having only at best a Form of godlyness without the Power In which dead Forms or outside empty Professions some are at ease and rest as though they were in the true Heaven that should never pass away and some are at rest and at ease without any profession living in all uncleanness unrighteousness and abomination and some cannot find rest in either The faithful and true Witness of God being awakened in their Hearts and Consciences which takes the false peace from them and lets them see the emptiness of all outside professions which are without Life and Power and also the Abominations and vanities of the World and makes sin exceeding sinful to them And by this true and faithful Witness are desires and breathings and pantings begotten in their hearts after the Knowledge of God and Christ after fellowship and acquaintance with the Father and the Son which desire cannot be satisfied without the Knowledge and enjoyment of the Presence of the Lord and of the Light of his Countenance And for this cause many run to and fro and wander like Sheep gone astray from the true Shepherds Fold and are wearying themselves upon the barren Mountains in vain looking thereunto for Salvation and seeking the Living amongst the Dead and so spend their labour for that which doth not satisfie And in these several states and conditions aforesaid the whole Christian World lieth who are not turned to the Light and Spirit of Jesus in themselves and true rest and salvation cannot be found by them until they return to the Light and Power of the Spirit of God in their own hearts which is that whereby a dislike of sin is begotten in them and also desires after Life and Salvation and Freedom from sin is thereby begotten and that is it alone which can answer every desire which is begotten by its self Well But when it pleased the Lord to reveal the Son of his Love and to make known his eternal Power in these latter dayes for the rending of the Vail of Darkness that had long been over the heart by which he caused the Light to shine out of Darkness which gives the Knowledge of his own Glory he did not then give the knowledge and manifestation thereof unto all People but he chose certain Witnesses whom he raised up to declare of the manifestation of this Power and to preach the Word of Life nigh in the Heart and in Mouth and he furnished them with Armour of Righteousness and with all spiritual Weapons which were mighty through him to break down the strong holds of Iniquity and the spiritual wickednesses that were in the high places and impowred them as Instruments in his hand to turn many from Darkness to the Light that the Salvation of God they might come to see and the Work of God greatly prospered in their hands and multitudes were brought to the acknowledgment of the Truth to the saving of their Souls and though they met with great opposition and persecutions by the Emissaries of Sathan even in all Quarters where they came yet that was not prevalent to hinder the prosperity of that Work whereunto they were called of God but it still prospered and doth still prosper to the spreading of the unchangeable Truth abroad even as is seen at this day And of this number whom God Almighty at the first raised up by his Power for this Work aforesaid the late deceased Richard Farnsworth was one concerning whom the chief occasion of this my present writing is that so a Testimony concerning him and of what the Lord did by and through him may remain upon Record for Generations to come and that this present Generation of the Just may see and hear his last Testimony which proceeded from his own mouth a little before his departure out of the body and I doubt not but thereby the Consolation and spiritual Comfort of the Houshold of Faith will be added unto And for these Causes I could not well rest satisfied in my spirit without taking in hand to publish these things though I well know that there are many living Witnesses that knew the Life Labours and Travels of the said R. F. who are the Seal of his Ministry And also
therefore if their Preachings and Teachings be the Perfect Rule for all men to walk by then the Scriptures are not indeed that Perfect Rule they containing in them such a small part of what they preacht and taught Again It cannot be understood That the Scriptures were the Gospel that was preacht to every Creature under Heaven for a great part of the People under Heaven never heard nor heard of the Scriptures But the Gospel was preached to or in every Creature under Heaven Col. 1.23 Therefore the Scripture is not the Gospel And again The Gospel that they preached was and is Everlasting But the Scriptures cannot be rationally understood to be Everlasting because they are things that are seen which are temporal therefore the Scriptures are not the Everlasting Gospel but the Power of God is Rom. 2.16 And what doth that saying of Moses avail to prove the Scriptures a perfect Rule for all men to walk by For if that Prophet was and is to be heard in all things then he is to be looked unto as a Guide and Commander and Ruler and if a Ruler then his Spirit by which he rules is the Perfect Rule above Scripture And as to his saying The Apostle confirms the Scripture to be a Perfect Pule by these words The Mystery that was kept secret since the World began is now made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets c. Answ What though that great Mystery was made manifest according to the Scriptures of the Prophets that doth not prove the Scriptures a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by for the Manifestation of that Mystery by the Scriptures of the Prophets was no more but their perswading or shewing them out of Moses and the Prophets concerning Jesus Acts 28.23 of whom all the Prophets bore Testimony For this Jesus concerning whom the Apostles by Revelation and Commandment of the Everlasting God perswaded the People was the Mystery that had been hid as the Apostle to the Collosians cap. 1. ver 26 27. declareth saying The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and Generations but now is made manifest c. Which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory Mark Is now made manifest So here was the manifesting of that Mystery by the Scriptures of the Prophets even by perswading them or shewing them out of the Prophets concerning Jesus so that the Apostle doth not affirm nor in effect affirm in the Scripture That the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule but simply declares That by the Commandment of the Everlasting God they made known that Mystery or preached Jesus by or out of the Scriptures of the Prophets who had testified of him that was to come and was then come according to their Testimony who is the Way the Mystery and the Word which all are to hear obey and keep But then saith J. N. This is that Rule that Christ directeth unto in Joh. 5.39 40. where Christ saith Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and to take away all Objections as if it were only their thoughts and not really so he addeth these words And they are they which testifie of me and by way of Reproof because they did not so do he again saith You will not come to me that you may have Life by which he plainly sheweth that there was Life therein by dutiful Obedience by Faith in him so that here the great Prophet and Teacher of his People sendeth us to the Scriptures as a Rule through Faith to come to Life Answ How wilfully blind this man seems to appear or like one that would put out his own Eyes and others also to wrest and pervert the words of Christ in such a gross and shameful manner by tearing of them in sunder and mixing his own Imaginations therewith to make them look quite another way or to import another thing for that which J. N. argueth Christ confirmeth viz. Their thoughts of having Life in the Scriptures he indeed reproved as the words in themselves without wresting clearly signifie for some Translations render it thus Ye search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they are they which testifie of Me and ye will not come unto Me Mark Ye search c. he tells them they did search but why because they thought to have Eternal Life in them which were but a Testimony of him who was the Life and he by way of Reproof to them for not believing on him in whom Life was and of whom the Scriptures which they searched did testifie said Ye will not come unto me that ye may have Life Mark his Me here spoken of that they would not come to for Life was not the Scriptures but Christ Jesus of whom the Scriptures testified so that he did not plainly shew That there is Life in the Scriptures as J. N. either wilfully or ignorantly affirmeth nor directs to them as A Rule to come to Life But reproves them because they did not come unto him for Life of whom the Scripture testified so that the most J. N. hath done by this Argument is even manifested his perverse crooked spirit by which he wrests and perverts the Scriptures and would set them in the place of Christ to give Life But what is the End of the crooked Serpent in this Work but to keep people from coming unto Christ the Power of God through which Life Eternal is received by all that follow and obey him who is the Truth whose Spirit of Truth will lead into all Truth as a certain Rule for all to walk by and in which Christ directed them to wait for as a Guide to walk by and the Apostle exhorted them to walk in the Spirit saying There is no Condemnation to such c. Rom. 8.1 Gal. 5.16 Asts 1.4 5. And all this the subtil Serpent doth under pretence of Promoting and not Perverting the right Way of God and Rule of Life but this serves not as before shewed to prove That Christ directed to the Scriptures as a Rule to come to Life but that he reproved them for that they would not come to him who was the the Life that they might have Life But then saith J. N. This Truth is confirmed in Paul's Epistle to Timothy chap. 3. vers 15 16 17. where the Apostle sheweth the Scriptures are able to make us wise unto Salvation through Faith in Christ Jesus And from hence J. N. argueth That if the Scriptures are able to make us wise to Salvation through Faith that is in Christ Jesus then the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other But the Scriptures are able to made us wise unto Salvation through Faith that is in Christ Jesus therefore the Scriptures are a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other Answ To which I answer That Argument is falacious for though the Scriptures are able to make wise to Salvation through Faith that is in Christ
One who is the Way the Word the Truth c. And indeed the whole scope or drift of the Scriptures or of what is contained therein is to direct and enduce people to walk in him and according to him who is the Way the true Shepherd that carries his Lambs in his Arms Mark if his Lambs are in his Arm then he is essentially present with them And I do no where read in the Scriptures that they are called the New Testament or the New Testament Way but they testifie of the New Testament that it is the Spirit that giveth Life as in 2 Cor. 3.6 the Apostle saith Who hath made us able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life And they testifie of the Way that it is Christ so that the Way of the Spirit which is the New Covenant is Christ and they that are led by the Spirit they walk in Christ the New Testament Way so that if J. N. had proved the New Testament Way to be a perfect Rule c. it had served nothing for his purpose to prove the Scriptures a perfect Rule they being proved not to be the New Testament as also said the Angel unto John cap. 19. vers 10. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie though I do acknowledge as before That this New Testament or New Covenant or Testimony of Jesus is testified of in the Scriptures of Truth yet they are not the thing nor do they contain the thing in them which they testifie of as J. Newman seems to imply they do as hereafter may be signified But instead of proving the New Testament Way a perfect Rule he goeth about to prove the Scriptures a perfect Rule but never proves nor goes about to prove them to be the New Testament Way but takes that for granted as far as I perceive although that is the principal matter wherein the Controvesie lies betwixt us which I plainly perceive J.N. doth not understand though he hath so deeply engag'd himself For if he could have proved the Scriptures called the New Testament to be the New Testament Way I should not have put Pen to Paper to have contended against their being a perfect Rule for all men to walk by But herein is the great Mistake amongst many as also in this man They put the Dead Letter for the Living Word and the Scriptures for the Way and so would set them in the stead of the thing which they do but testifie of and thereby keep people alwayes learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth which sanctifieth and setteth free 2 Tim. 3.7 Joh. 8.32 Joh. 17.17 Then J. N. like a man fighting with the Wind or like one that sets up a Poppit of his own and supposeth it to be anothers and then lies fighting with it when he has done rumbles over a great deal of stuff like one that wanteth Work contending against a Third Covenant or a Third Testament Way arguing in the 26th page of his Book That if a Third Covenant or a Third Testament Way hath not been any where promised of God then the Second is still in force for all men to walk by and none other And for my part I know none that assert a Third Covenant or a Third Testament Way nor yet any that deny the Second to be in force so that J.N. hath busied himself to no purpose as I said before like one beating of the Air but I do not intend so to busie my self to contend against him about things in which I am not concern'd For as I said I own no other Covenant nor Testament Way but the Second Covenant which God promised by the Mouthes of his Prophets saying Jer. 31.33 This shall be the Covenant that I will make c. I will put my Law in their Inward Parts and write it in their Hearts and will be their God and they shall be my People And they shall no more teach every man his Neighbour saying Know the Lord for they shall all know me c. And in Isa 59.21 he said This is my Covenant with them saith the Lord my Spirit which is upon thee and my Words which I have put into thy Mouth shall not depart out of thy Mouth nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed nor out of the Mouth of thy Seed's Seed saith the Lord from hence forth and for evermore Mark This Law and Spirit within the New Covenant the New Testament Way testified of in the Scriptures of Truth to be an Everlasting Covenant this we own to be a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by unto the End of the World and none other And for a third Covenant or third Testament Way I know none assert it therefore I shall not trouble my self to contend about it but shall leave that part of his Book for those whom it concern if there be any though I cannot well but observe that he hath offer'd many foolish falacious and ignorant Arguments pretending thereby to prove the New Testament Way still in force and to be so to the End which I have already granted and shall be ready so to do at all times but still he mistakes the matter by putting the Dead Letter in the place of the Quickning Spirit and directeth people to the Letter for Life when it s only the Spirit that giveth Life as before is signified and so he stumbleth at the Stumbling-Stone a Rock which many have run against and have been split And so after he hath rumbled over divers sylogistical Argments which serve to signifie that he loves to hear himself talk Logick thereby still labouring to prove That no Third Covenant or third Testament Way is to be expected for which cause the Second is to stand in force unto the End c. He then in page 42. of his Book comes to lay down some sad Consequences Which will as he saith follow by denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and by making them insufficient as a Rule in order to Man's Salvation and first saith he It taketh away the general Ground of Faith from all men 2dly It denyeth the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins 3dly It maketh void the Exercises of Faith in the precious Promises of God for what hath Faith to exercise it self in but only the Promises of God in the Scriptures 4thly It denieth the Comforts of Faith for all the Comforts that Faith can bring to the soul must be brought from the precious Promises of God in the Scripture 5thly It Destroyeth the Support and Supplyes of Grace to the Soul in a time of Affliction and to deny the Scripture to be the Word of God is to deny the Fountain and Well-spring of Comforts to the Soul 6thly It denieth the Knowledge of Acceptance with God 7thly If the Scriptures be denied to be the Word of God and thereby made insufficient as a Rule
c. then all men are left in the dark for no man is able to know that God will save any but by his Word which is contain'd in the Scriptures for this is the Word of Salvation or that which directeth to the Means by which we shall obtain Life 8thly Without this meaning Scripture we know not that there is any God or Christ or Salvation by God in Christ c. Lastly It leaveth men to walk by Fancy or Imagination c. Answ To all which I shall answer That for as much as we the People of God called Quakers do not assert or own a third Testament Way which J.N. seems to fight against and oppose it would be as superfluous for me to reply to his Sylogisms as it hath been in him to offer them and I should therein but answer a Fool according to his Folly and so become like unto him which I am no way enclined to do but shall proceed to examine whether or no those dreadful Consequences asserted by J. N. will follow the denying of the Scriptures to be the Word of God and a Perfect Rule for all men to walk by and none other First How doth it take away the general ground of Faith from all men to deny the Scriptures to be the Word and Rule c. seeing the Word is still owned to be in beeing and to be heard which was the Ground and Author of the Faith of Abraham and the Holy Men of God who believed before the Scriptures were written 2 Cor. 4.13 And because they believed therefore they spoke forth the Scriptures by which it appears That the Faith that was once deliver'd to the Saints which we are earnestly to contend for was received by them through hearing of the Word before the Scriptures were written and therefore the Scriptures were not the Ground of their Faith so that to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is not to deny or take away the Ground of that Faith which by the Spirit or Word was once deliver'd to the Saints For the Apostle in 1 Cor. 12. â— declares the Ground of the Faith which the Church had receiv'd and which he labour'd in the Word which wrought mightily in him for the building of them up in to be the Spirit when he spoke of the diversity of Gifts which they had receiv'd he said To another is given Faith by the same Spirit And this doth not at all oppose or contradict that Scripture which saith Faith comes by Hearing and Hearing by the Word of God because the Father Word and Spirit are one Substance and are not divided but the Scripture is not one Substance with the Father and Spirit so that he who heareth the Word heareth the Father and the Quickening Spirit also And this Author of Faith as I said before was heard and believed before the Scriptures were written and remains the same this day as yesterday and the same forever a Foundation of Faith that standeth sure and is not a far off from every one but is nigh even the Word nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth and this is the Word of Faith which the Apostle preached and which we preach by the hearing of which Faith cometh so that denying the Scriptures to be the Word is not to deny the Ground and Foundation of true Faith neither is it in the least to under-value the holy Scriptures which so frequently testifie of the Ground and Foundation and Author of the true Faith Secondly And as for his affirming That to deny the Scriptures to be the Word is to deny the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins Answ I answer No if the Word be the Ground as most true it is the Ground is not deny'd by denying Scriptures to be the Word because the Scriptures which testifie of the Word are before proved not to be the Word And they which had the Seal of Acceptance with God had without Controversie the Seal of Remission of sins because without Remission there can be no Acceptance But the Servants of God had the Seal or Testimony of Acceptance with God even some before any part of the Scriptures were written as Abel Enoch Abraham c. therefore the Scriptures were not the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins but the Word which was before the Scriptures were written so that to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is not to deny the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins And the Prophet David who sometime complained Psal 38.4 That his Iniquities were gone over his head as a Burden too heavy for him to bear afterwards declar'd Psal 103.12 That as far as the East is from the West so far had the Lord removed his Transgressions from him Now where did the Scriptures tell him that his Iniquities were put so far from him Or how were they the Ground of this Faith by which he thus spoke and by which he had this Evidence of the Remission or Removing of his sins Was not the Word which was settled in the Heavens and which was a Light to his Feet c. the Ground of this Faith Which Word healed him when he was in Distress and when his Wounds stunk because of his Folly which Word still remaineth and is owned as the Ground of Faith for the Remission of sins though the Scriptures be not acknowledged to be the Word Thirdly And for his saying It maketh void the Exercises of Faith in the precious Promises of God for what hath Faith to exercise it self but only the Promises of God in Scripture c. Answ I answer The true Faith which Christ is the Author of hath the Power of God in which it stands to exercise it self in as the Objects thereof through which Power of God which is the Gospel Life and Immortality is brought to Light 2 Tim. 1.10 as Fruit of that Faith which stands in Christ the Power so that Vertue and Knowledge is thereby added to the Faith by which the true Believer is built up in his Holy Faith so that denying the Scriptures to be the Word doth not make void the Exercises of Faith nor take away the Ground in which true Faith standeth as J. N. vainly imagineth because the Scripture is not the Power of God in which the true Faith standeth Neither doth it follow as J. N. asserteth That Faith must be exercis'd in Scripture or else upon Fancy and Imagination because it may be exercised in the Power of God as in the true Ground thereof which is neither Scripture nor Imagination nor Fancy for the Apostle said That his Speech and Preaching was not with enticing words of man's Wisdom but in Demonstration of the Spirit and of Power that their Faith might not stand in the Wisdom of Man but in the Power of God 1 Cor. 2.4 5. And in this are the Exercises of that true Faith which by the Spirit or Word was once deliver'd to the Saints and which we now
as J. N. confesseth to the wounding of his own Work And indeed What he hath acknowledged is to be known by the Spirit is even enough for any man to know or enough to give Satisfaction to every Soul who breathes after the Knowledge of Acceptance with God For what can give more satisfaction to a man then to know the holy Will of God by his Spirit and to know his Adoption and to know that God is his Father Certainly there is no cause for him that hath this Knowledge to question his Acceptance with God And this may be known without Scripture even by the holy Spirit of Promise as J.N. confesseth therefore to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God doth not deny the Knowledge of Acceptance with God and thus out of his own Mouth he is judged Seventhly He saith If the Scriptures be denied to be the Word of God c. then all men are left in the dark c. for no man is able to know that God will save any but by his Word which is contain'd in the Scriptures for this is the Word of Salvation or that which directeth to the Means by which we shall obtain Life c. Answ That none are able to know that God will save any but by this Word that I shall easily acknowledgd because it s the Word only that is able to save but that the Scriptures are this Word or alone able to save that I do not acknowledge but deny and J. N. hath produced no Proof for his Assertion but only his own Affirmation nor indeed can he although he boldly saith They are the Word of Salvation yet they no where say so of themselves but they testifie of the Word of Salvation and That it was sent unto the Children of Abraham and unto all amongst them that feared God Acts 13.26 Mark This was not the Scriptures that were sent amongst them but the Word of Salvation or that Word which is able to save Jam. 1.21 which the Apostle there besought the Children of Abraham to receive with Meekness calling it the Ingrafted Word or as some English Translations have it The Word that is grafted in you so this is the Word that is able to save the Word of Salvation the Word of Faith in the Heart c. which Word was in the Beginning the Author of the Faith of the Fathers by which Jacob knew that God would save even before Scriptures were written which made him say Gen. 49.18 O Lord I have waited for thy Salvation By all which it appears That to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God doth not leave men so in the dark as J. N. affirmeth but that they are still in a capacity to know that God will save and also to see the Salvation of God which is promised to them that order their Conversation aright And whereas he saith That the Scriptures direct to the Means by which we shall obtain Life I Answer I shall easily acknowledge that for as I have before said they contain many true Testimonies of him who is the alone Leader unto Life and they are profitable for Doctrine for Instruction c. that people may be directed to Christ the Way which they testifie of and that they may be turned from Darkness to the Light which discovers the Darkness and that they may come to receive with Meekness the ingrafted Word or the word which is grafted in them by it to be taught and led unto the Possession of Life for this is the Means by which Life is obtain'd which the Scriptures testifie of and direct unto and for this Work we own the Scriptures to be profitable But this doth not run paralel with the Affirmation of J. N. in the 24th page of his Book where he affirmeth That Life was in the Scriptures for its one thing to say that there is Life therein and another thing to say they direct to the Means by which Life is obtain'd If John Newman asserted no other thing then the latter there had been no Controversie about this Point for so far we own the Scriptures But his Confusion sheweth what his spirit is oft-tmes contradicting and opposing himself as is usual with those that oppose the Unchangeable Truth But I perceive an Objection may arise in the Ignorant concerning this thing That if the Word which is able to save be grafted in people and be nigh unto all even in the Heart and Mouth why then are not all saved or why do not all see the Salvation of God or why did the Apostle Exhort them to receive it with Meekness if it were in them already I Answer though the Word or Spirit which is one was in them yet they being disobedient thereunto did not receive it or had not received it but had alwayes resisted it as the Apostle tells them Acts 7.51 and so were like unto those that Job spoke of saying They are of them that rebel against the Light who know not the Way of it c. Job 24.13 so that although the Word or Light or Spirit be in a people and they rebel against it or resist the reproofs and Instructions thereof or do dispite to the strivings thereof how can such be said to have received it for they only receive the Word and the Spirit that receive the Reproofs and Instructions thereof and in them it is known to be a Spirit or Prince of Peace and a Word of Life and Consolation and such know their Beloved to lye all might betwixt their Brests but although he be nigh even in the hearts of many they cannot be said to receive him while they rebel against him and therefore they are not saved but condemned by him For this is the condemnation that Light is come and men love Darkness rather then Light Joh. 3.19 and though he lighteth every man that comes into the World yet it s only they that receive him the Light that he gives Power unto Joh. 1.12 by which it appears that all that were englightned by him did not receive him so that the Light the Word the Spirit may be in people and yet they that received it but reject it in its Reproofs Counsels and Instructions and therefore they are not saved by it but condemned for which cause it was needful for the Apostle to Labour to turn them from Darkness to the Light wherewith they were enlightned to Exhort them to receive with meekness the engrafted Word or to submit unto the operation of the Word that was in them that by it they might be saved for none experimentally knows its ability to save but they who receive the Reproofs and Instructions of it and are Doers or Obeyers thereof and such are taught thereby as by the Universal Grace which hath appeared unto all men which bringeth salvation to order their Conversation aright through which they come to see the great Salvation of God Eighthly Now I come to the eighth sad Consequence that J. N. saith
will follow denying the Scripture to be the Word of God Without this saith he we know not that there is any God or Christ c. neither do we know what God counteth unclean or what he counteth holy c. Answ If by what God counteth Unclean and what Holy he meaneth the things appertaining to the Life and Conversation of People then the denial of Scripture to be the Word of God doth not hinder People from knowing what is Unclean and what is Holy Notwithstanding we cannot own the Scriptures to be the Word yet we own that to be unclean which is so accounted in the Scriptures of Truth in the Gospel Dispensation and that to be holy which in them is so accounted and that the one ought to be chosen and the other refused but if there were no Scriptures in beeing yet are people in the same capacity to receive the Knowledge of those things as they were before the Scriptures were written or as the Gentiles were who had not the outward Law yet in Life and Conversation shewed forth the Works of the Law that was written in their Hearts and if those Gentiles were now here they would condemn the Ignorance of J. N. who saith Without Scripture none know whether there be a God or what he counteth Unclean and what Holy For all the Heathen Poets and Philosophers who had not the Scriptures generally acknowledged a Supream Power and Beeing which all were to be subject to some calling of it by one name and some another but while they acknowledged the thing it is sufficient to signifie that if the Scriptures were not in beeing yet People might know that there is a God And they are not only in the capacity that the Gentiles were who knew and confessed That there was a God and shew'd forth the Works of the Law written in their Hearts but also in the capacity that the Fathers of old were who did not only know that there was a God but knew the only true God and were the acceptable Worshippers of him before Scriptures were written And these things I speak not in the least to under-value the Scriptures or out of a slight esteem of them for they are very profitable for Instruction c. and so I own them and have great esteem of them yet if people have no more Knowledge then what they carnally receive therefrom I may say as the Apostle said That what they know they know naturally as bruit Beasts and indeed knew nothing as they ought to know And those that he thus spake to had the Scriptures that were then in beeing yet had not the Knowledge of God which he spoke to their shame 1 Cor. 15.34 So that the End of my thus speaking is to enduce people not to rest in a Notional or Traditional Knowledge concerning God which is fecht into the Comprehension out of Scripture by the Wisdom that is from below but that all may encline unto the Inspiration of the Almighty which giveth Knowledge and wait in the Light which shineth in the Darkness or take heed unto the Word in the Heart as unto a Light that shines in a Dark place until the Day-star arise there that will expel the Darkness by which the Understanding hath been clouded and until the Light shine out of the Darkness which gives the Knowledge of the glory God in the Face of Christ Jesus And this is that Knowledge which is saving and is of concernment for all to come to because whatsoever notional Knowledge they have they that have not the Knowledge of God shall be punished with Everlasting Destruction from his Presence 2 Thes 1.8 9. Ninthly And Lastly J. N. saith That to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God c. is to leave men to walk by Fancy or Imagination leaving that holy Rule wherein Life and Salvation is declar'd c. Answ This is but like the rest viz. His own Assertion without farther Proof But whether denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God be to deny them to be believed as containing true Testimonies concerning the Word for so I have alwayes owned them I may leave to the Reader to judge and how it leaves men to walk by Fancy or Imagination while J. N. himself saith That the Blessed Spirit directeth into the Knowledge of the most holy Will of the Father and that thereby the Adoption is known and God owned c. seems very strange for the Light and Spirit reproves all Imaginations and Fancies and leads into all Truth those who receive the Reproofs and Instructions thereof And therefore the denying of the Scripture to be the Word while the Word in the Heart which the Scripture testifieth of is owned people are not left to walk by Imagination but by the Word which is a Light to the Feet of those who take heed unto their Wayes according to the leadings of it And the Help and Comfort that is to be found in the Scriptures People are not depriv'd of neither though they are not owned to be the Word So that J. N. hereby and others may see plainly that those sad consequences do not follow the denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Rule c. as J. N. vainly imagin'd and boldly without Proof affirmed And what do all those Affirmations signifie more then this That J. Newman for all his large Profession of Knowledge and Understanding is ignorant of the Holy Spirit Power and Word of God without which none can be born again And so himself is found in the Unregenerate-state and worshipping according to the oldness of the Letter a Blind Leader of the Blind which all are to beware of for its such that lead people captive laden with Sins and divers Lusts alwayes learning but never able to come to the Knowledge of the Truth which sets free and which sanctifieth which is the Word as Christ said John 17.17 but labours to keep them from enclining to the sanctifying Word which the Prophet declared should be their Teacher which their Ears would hear behind saying This is the Way walk in it when they turn to the Right-Hand or to the left Isa 30.21 And thus having briefly gone through with the principal Scriptures and Arguments produced by him to prove the Scriptures to the Word of God and Perfect Rule c. and with the sad Consequences which he affirmed would follow by denying of them so to be I shall leave it to the Reader to judge 1st Whether the Word so oft spoken of as before may be understood to be the Scripture or 2dly Whether that Word may not be understood to be that which was before the Scriptures were written which so oft-times came unto the Prophets by vertue of which they gave forth the Scriptures and 3dly Whether the Rule of the New Covenant be the Scriptures called the New Testament or 4thly Whether the Rule of the New Testament be not the Law written in the Heart even the Law of that
by which he confessed Christ was the Word before he took Flesh by which also in effect he acknowledgeth That the Flesh that he took in the Womb of the Virgin was not Christ but the Flesh that Christ took thus much his own words import but I know he will not like to hear of it because it so deeply woundeth his own Cause And so after J. N. hath rumbled through many Non-sensical Arguments labouring thereby to prove That Christ is not really the Word of God but only comparatively so call'd c. he findeth another Objection in p. 56. brought against his Affirmation And is saith he in 1 Pet. 1.23 where the Apostle saith Being born again not of corruptible but of incorruptible by the Word of God which liveth and abideth forever Which Word saith the Objector is Christ and the great Reason that is urged is Because it liveth and abideth forever But saith he these words make nothing to prove this Word here to be Christ for saith he the Apostle saith in vers 25. The Word of the Lord endureth forever and this is the Word which by the Gospel is preached unto you And from hence J. N. argueth That the Preachings of the Apostles according to the Gospel was that Word by which they were born again and which endureth forever Answ To which I answer as sometime before upon occasion have said There is a difference betwixt the the Thing Preached and the Preachings of the Thing and betwixt the Thing Witnessed or Testified of and the Testimony or Witness concerning the Thing So that although the Apostle by the Gospel which is the Power of God preached the Word and preached Christ yet the Preachings or Declarations of the Apostle cannot properly be called Christ who is without beginning of Dayes or end of Life nor can they properly be call'd the Word which abideth forever and so cannot be concluded to be that by which they were born again This Shift will not serve the turn of J. N. to perswade us That the Word which the Apostle preached was not Christ or that Christ was not that Word by which they were born again for when ever he preached the Word he preach'd Christ and yet his Preachings were neither the Word preached nor yet Christ but Christ preached was the Word by which they were born again which liveth and abideth forever as is evident by the Scripture before mention'd which proves a Block too heavy for J. N. to remove out of his way Again In pag. 57. he saith This Word cannot be understood of Christ because it is here called the Seed Answ Yet it may be understood of Christ and cannot otherwise be rightly understood of Christ because as the Apostle said Gal. 3.16 The Seed is Christ Again In pag. 58. he saith thus Neither do I go about to rob Christ of his Title but do acknowledge him to be called the Word of God comparatively as he is the Father's Mouth and speaketh the Father's words c. Answ Hereby we may perceive that J. N. will not own Christ to be the Word no more then in effect he owns the Prophets and Apostles to be the Word for he owns Christ to be the Word but comparatively and not really so and but as he is the Father's Mouth to speak the Father Words and so were the Prophets and Apostles the Father's Mouth and spoke his words as the Spirit gave them utterance So that if he was called the Word only because of that every one of the Prophets may be as well called the Word also because they were his Mouth and spoke his words But what Absurdities are these that J. N. runs into to make Christ not to be the Word really so I must needs acknowledge he exceeds in one thing all sorts of People professing Christianity that ever I spoke with or heard of for I never heard of any nor spoke with any but would acknowledge Christ to be really the Substantial Word though they will many of them plead for the Scripture to be the Word or as some stile it the Material Word also But J. N. affirms the Scriptures to be properly and principally the Word and Christ but comparatively the Word and not really so So that he out-strips all in promoting the Scriptures and in under-valuing Christ that ever I heard of and it is not his wresting of Scriptures and jumbling his own Intepretations and Imaginations amongst them that will effect his Design or will prove Christ not to be the Word of God really so nor yet to be Christ before he took Flesh c. For the Testimonies of himself and of his Servants concerning him which J. N. by his Imaginations labours to make of none effect will stand valuable and credible viz. That Christ who as J. Newman confesseth took Flesh in the Womb of the Virgin was the Word with God in the Beginning and that the Rock which follow'd Israel was Christ before he took Flesh and that this Word which by the Gospel the Apostle preached was Christ which he preached and that the preachings declarations or words of the Apostles were not the Word preached and that the Word preached and not the Preachings of it was that by which they were born again and which lived forever and that the true Christ was the Son glorified with the Father before the World was and is without Beginning of Dayes or End of Life the Root of David and his Off-spring also the First and the Last the Beginning and the End and the Joy of many Generations the Quickening Spirit that dwells in his People the express Image of the Father's Substance whom the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain who is ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things who is the Light of the Gentiles and the Glory of Israel This is my Beloved and this is my Friend and he that hath an Ear to hear let him hear Concerning Christ Within being the true Saviour THe next thing he undertakes is pag. 60. to prove that the true Christ doth not dwell in any man as he is Christ but instead of so doing he goes about to prove that the Body of the true Christ that he took upon him and in which he suffered rose again out of the Sepulchre and that it doth not dwell in man and so as in divers things before he appears like one that beats the air or that loves to hear himself talk for he opposeth that which I know none affirm and affirms that which none that I know of deny for I know none that deny that his Body was raised out of the Sepulchre nor none that affirm that Body to dwell in man so that I am not concerned to take farther notice of those things though the true Christ which was the Rock that followed Israel in the Wilderness and that was the Son glorified with the Father before the World was for whom that Body was prepared to do the Father's Will in who is ascended where
he was before and is again glorify'd with the same Glory that he had with the Father in the Beginning who is ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things This true Christ I say I must own to be a Quickening Spirit and to dwell in man and this is that Intercessor which the Apostle spoke of saying Rom. 8.26 27. But the Spirit it self maketh Intercession for us with Groanings which cannot be utter'd And he that searcheth the Heart knoweth the mind of the Spirit because he maketh Intercession for the Saints according to the Will of God And although it be asserted by J. N. That Christ is with the Father and sits at the Right-hand of the Father in Heaven with a Body of Flesh and therefore cannot be in man Answ I answer I do not deny that he sits at the Right-hand of the Father in Heaven with that very Flesh and Blood which gives Life Eternal to all that partake thereof but J. N. hath no Proof for his being there with an Humane Body of Flesh and Blood that cannot inherit the Kingdom But what Doth his being at the Right-hand of God in Heaven hinder his In-dwelling in man more then it hinders his being in the Bosom of the Father Might he not as well have said That he cannot be in the Bosom of the Father as John testified cap. 1. vers 18. because he sits at his Right-hand as say he cannot be in man because he is there Or might he not as well have said He cannot be at the Right-hand of the Father because he is in the Father's Bosom For by what he hath said he appears to exclude him out of his People who is the Image of the Father which the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain and to confine him only to a Body of Flesh though the Apostle said plainly That he ascended far above all Heavens that he might fill all things Eph. 4.10 by which it may plainly be understood That his being at the Right-hand of the Father and in the Bosom of the Father doth no way hinder his being in man but as he is at the Right-hand of the Father and in the Bosom of the Father so he is in man also And they that know not this Christ in them they are Reprobates as the Apostle said 2 Cor. 13.5 Again In pag. 65. of his Book he saith thus If he did ascend as Jesus or a Saviour then he had a Body of Flesh for he was not Jesus or a Saviour as he was God but as he was Man Answ That he ascended as he was Jesus and a Saviour I own but it doth not therefore follow That God was not a Saviour for although J. N. boldly and blasphemously affirmeth without any Proof as his usual manner is that he was not a Saviour as he was God but as he was man Yet it is easie to prove the contrary because the Word which was with God in the beginning and which was God is able to save and therefore is a Saviour as he is God and also as the Word manifested in the Flesh the Man Christ Jesus who is God's Salvation for the diversity of Names doth not add to his Ability but to express his Dignity and the diversity of his Operations the diversity of Names hath been given him and yet still is the same Lord under either of these Names or in either of his Operations whom the Prophet said should come forth of Bethlehem Ephratah to be Ruler in Israel VVhose Goings forth saith he have been from of Old from Everlasting Mich. 5.2 Mark Is not Christ he that is to be Ruler in Israel And is it not he that is the Saviour Then the Goings-forth of the Saviour have been from of Old even from Everlasting therefore he is a Saviour as he is God and was so before he took Flesh And if this be too little to give satisfaction That he is a Saviour as he is God or that he was a Saviour before he took upon him Flesh then take farther the sayings of God himself by his Prophets and if you will not hear them you will not hear though one arise from the Dead Hosea 13.4 Thou shalt know no God but Me for there is no Saviour besides Me And again In Isa 43.11 he saith I even I am the Lord and besides Me there is no Saviour By all which it appears sufficiently that he is a Saviour as he is God and that his ascending as a Saviour doth not prove that either the Spirit or God was not the Saviour or that the Flesh simply was the Saviour because it appears he was a Saviour before he took Flesh upon him and is Christ the same this day as yesterday and the same forever the Spirit that quickeneth For the Flesh profiteth nothing as Christ himself said and therefore can be no Saviour Joh. 6.63 And Isa 45.21 22. he saith There is no God else besides me a just God and a Saviour look unto me and be ye saved c. Mark Reader beside the Saviour there is no God as saith God himself by the Prophet so that if the affimation of J. N. and other such Professors be true That the body of Flesh that Christ took which in Scripture is called the body of Jesus be the onely Saviour then the Prophets Words must be false or else there must be no God but the Body of Flesh because there is no God else but the Saviour as said God But to say There is no God but that body of Flesh that the Word took would be gross and horrid Blasphemy but such is the effect of the Affirmation of J. N. by which he may see his Ignorance Presumption and Blasphemy and this may suffice forever to stop the Mouthes of those who affirm the body of Flesh that Christ took to be the Saviour and do deny him to be a Saviour as he is God And that all may be informed where to look unto him according to the exhortation of the Prophet and be saved observe what the Prophet Amos saith Chap. 4. vers 13. he that declareth unto man what is his thought the God of Hosts is his Name and Jer. 17.10 I the Lord search the Heart c. by which thou mayest understand that this is God the Saviour and Christ the quickening Spirit for Christ is God Rom. 9.5 that searcheth thy Heart and sheweth thee thy thoughts though thou hast thought him to be such an one as thy self and hast set him at a distance in thy Imaginations yet he is near at Hand unto thee the Word in thy Heart who is a Searcher thereof and a Discerner of thy thoughts which he shews unto thee that so thou mayst look unto him to be led and instructed by his good Spirit of Grace which bringeth Salvation unto Light in all who are taught thereby to order their Conversation aright Psal 50.13 and this is that free Grace which hath appeared unto all men Tit. 2.11 12. by which the
primative Christians were taught as by a standing Rule according to which they walked And by which through Faith they were saved as the Apostle testified Eph. 2.8 though many turned from this Grace into Wantonness and did dispite to the Spirit thereof as they do at this day And those are they that Rebel against the Light wherewith every one is enlightned and labours to render it insufficient to save not considering that this is that Grace that hath appeared to all and by which they were saved and which God said unto Paul was Sufficient for him and so they trample under foot that blood of the everlasting Covenant which is Drink indeed by which they that walk in the Light are clensed from all sin But then he saith in page 68. There is an Objection brought against him from 2 Cor. 5. where Paul saith Though he had known Christ after the Flesh yet henceforth know I him so no more But in page 70. he saith The Apostle is so far from denying to know Christ in a Body of Flesh though Glorified that he doth affirm the same to the Church of the Ephesians Eph. 5.30 where he saith We are Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone but saith he the Apostle did not intend to know Christ in the Flesh attended with all those Infirmities as he was subject to in his suffering Estate Answ If by the Body of Flesh that Christ had he means the Church which the Apostle speaks of which was the Body of which Christ the Power and Word was Head and they Members of then I am one with him for his having that Body after his Ascention I never denyed nor intend to do so but that Body could not be call'd the Saviour for Christ was the Saviour of that Body of which they were Members was yet on Earth And the Apostle was not without expectation of the same Sufferings in measure to attend Christ in those Members of his Body as had attended him before for in Col. 1.24 he saith thus Who now Rejoyce in my Suffering for you and fill up that which is behind of the Afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his Body's sake which is the Church by which it appears that Afflictions did still attend those Members of Christ's Body who as J. N. confesseth was Flesh of his Flesh and Bone of his Bone And such a Body we own Christ had after his Ascension and still hath though not free as yet from suffering Afflictions yet his Body shall be fashioned like unto his glorious Body which is not so confined as he vainly imagins they were Flesh of his Flesh c. This doth not in the least prove that Christ is not in man but rather the contrary for can it be rationally concluded that he should be at a distance from the Members of his own Body No certainly If the Body be divided from the Head it is no more a perfect Body but dead Members So that Christ the Head the Quickening Spirit having men to be Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bone we may rationally conclude if we had no other Evidence That he is not at a distance from his Body but present with them and therefore in them as himself said Joh. 14.17 He is with you and shall be in you And in verse 20. At that day you shall know that I am in my Father Mark in the Bosom of the Father and you in me and I in you Well Reader There are many things remaining in this Book of J. N's concerning Christ's being in man and also out of him to which an Answer might be return'd to manifest his Ignorance and Confusion which for brevity-sake I shall omit for it would fill too large a Volumn to publish to the World at this time especially because those same things have been answer'd by us again again yet I cannot well but observe some few things more that his Confusion and Opposing of himself may further appear Concerning the Spirit 's Guidance IN pag. 84. speaking of the Spirit being given to the Saints he saith It is of the same Beeing of the Father and Son and also of the same Nature Power and Tendency of both And in pag. 54. he said ' That Spirit is God Answ If the Spirit given to the Saints be of the same Beeing of the Father and Son as J. N. in this place truly affirmeth then it is of the same Substance of the Father and Son for the same Beeing is the same Substance and the same Substance or Beeing is not divided into several Beeings therefore if the Spirit which is of the same Beeing of the Father and Son be in man then the Father and Son is according to the measure thereof in men also And herein J. N. hath contradicted his own sayings in pag. 78. where he tells us of a distinct Beeing of God and Christ out of all men For if a part of the same Beeing of them be in man how can it rationally be concluded that they are a distinct Beeing from their own Beeing in Man Mark Reader I would not be mistaken but rightly understood in this matter it being a matter of the greatest weight and moment I do not oppose the Beeing of God and Christ out of man in the highest Heavens nor in the lowest Hell because Infinite and Incorruptible but his so being distinct as to exclude his Nature and Presence from man thereby denying his In-dwelling is the thing which I oppose and which J. N. hath confounded himself about because the Beeing of God who is a Spirit and Christ who is the Quickening Spirit cannot be divided and J. N. in pag. 62. also saith Christ cannot be divided And the Spirit of God which is in man being of the same Beeing or Substance with the Father and Son All which is that Infinite Beeing or Substance which the Heaven of Heavens cannot contain it cannot be said they have not a Beeing in man but a measure of the same Beeing or Substance which is not divided ought as properly to said in man as in the highest Heavens And this is that God who is Light 1 Joh. 1.5 who is in all through all and over all blessed forever whom the World by wisdom can never attain to the knowledg of Again If the Spirit be God as J. N. in pag. 54. affirms which is certainly true because God is a Spirit and the Spirit be in the Saints and in Man leading into his most holy Will as J. N. also confesseth in pag. 77 84. Then how can it be said That God that fills Heaven and Earth who is a Spirit dwells not in man as he elsewhere saith Unless he will conclude the Spirit of God to be divided into several Beeings which cannot be therefore his Beeing is not only afar off but near at hand even in man but that lofty One that dwells in the high and holy place is known also with him that is poor c. and his
to his chief Arguments therein produced by which he hath in vain endeavour'd to accomplish the aforesaid work by him undertaken A. S. His first Argument produced to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church consisteth of nine particulars as followeth viz. That is the true Church and no other which is one Holy Catholick and Apostolick Church Which is visible infallible inerrable in which is power of miracles out of which none can be saved But the Roman Pontificial that is to say the Faithful People dispersed all the World over in communion with the high Priest Bishop or Pope of Rome is such and no other Therefore the Roman Pontificial alone is the true Church Reply To which I reply that the true Church of which Christ alone is Head and Supreme Governour is in it self one holy Apostolick Church c. I shall not go about to deny But as touching that grand Question by A. S. stated before his Argument here inserted viz. which is this Church c. I answer this is a thing indeed disputable amongst many yea amongst many thousands yet not at all questionable nor yet doubtful unto me for I am well satisfied therein and in all other things that appertain to the way of Life and Salvation but that the Church of Rome is the true Church as A. S. affirmeth and by his many Arguments hath endeavoured to prove I do not acknowledge but deny and doubt not but I shall in this short ensuing Treatise prove the contrary to the Satisfaction of every judicious Reader First Although the true Church of which Christ is in visible Head is one yet the oneness of the Church of Rome is not a sufficient Argument to prove her to be the true Church for wherein doth her oneness consist farther then in Idolatry Superstition Murther and such like abominations of which much might be mentioned which was never practised by the true Church in the Apostles dayes but in these things the Church of Rome is one Witness her Worshipping Idols or Images bowing to that she calls her Altars and the rest of her Supestitious Ceremonies witness the Killing Burning or Drinking the Blood of so many Thousands as she hath done for many hundred yeares past as the whole Christendom full well knows therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church Secondly And consider was not the company of Priests one in Hosea's dayes who murthered in the way by consent whom the Prophet compared to troops of Robbers Hos 6.9 And is not the Church of Rome one as they were for hath not she murthered many by consent of most of her members in the way that she is in consider these things But then A. S. saith That she is one in matters of Faith and governed by one invisible Head Christ and by one visible Head the Pope the true Successor of Peter c. and therefore she is the true Church Answ 1. I answer that she is perfectly united in matters of Faith I utterly deny witness the History of the Counsel of Trent which copiously relates the Divisions and Contradictions amongst them there about matters of Faith But admit that it were so that she were one in matters of Faith that doth not prove her to be the true Church unless she could prove her Faith to be the true Faith by which righteousness is wrought Heb. 11.13 And which is made perfect by works of righteousness James 2.22 But the Faith of the Church of Rome is not the true Faith as her works of unrighteousness before mentioned clearly make manifest therefore the Church of Rome is not the true Church Secondly That the Church of Rome is governed by one invisible Head Christ that I also deny and her fruits before mentioned and that which I shall hereafter mention sufficiently declares the contrary and as Christ said to the Jews If you were of Abraham you would do the works of Abraham but now you go about to kill me thus did not Abraham So say I of the Church of Rome If she were governed by the one invisible Head Christ as the true Church was then she would have the mind of Christ who came not to destroy mens lives but to save them as the true Church had 1 Corinth 2.16 but she hath not the mind of Christ Witness her destroying the lives of many not onely of those that believe not but of those that believe Therefore she is not governed by the invisible Head Christ and consequently is not the true Church but the Whore that drinks the blood of the Saints Thirdly But that the Church of Rome is governed by her visible Head the Pope I shall not go about to contradict for although that proves her to be one in subjection to the Pope yet it doth not prove her to be the true Church because Christ never ordained a visible Head to his Church but that the Pope is the true Successor of Peter as A. S. affirms that I do deny and it remains for him to prove it or for some of his Servant to do it for him for after Peter was converted he never gave consent to the murthering of any as the Pope hath done many Therefore he is not the true Successor of Peter 2. That the true Chu ch is holy or as A. S. saith the spotless Body of Christ that I do acknowledg but the Church of Rome of which the Pope is visible head is not holy nor the spotless Body of Christ 1. For the spotless Body of Christ the true Church was baptized with the holy Ghost and with fire the Spirit of Judgment and of burning and thereby her filth and her spots were purged away from her and she was washed from Idolatry and covetousness c. as the Apostles testified 1 Cor. 6.11 and thereby she was fitted for Gods Kingdom and was made to sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus and had the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 who came not to destroy mens lives c. Luk. 9.56 But the Church of Rome is not washed from Idolatry nor free from Murther as her worshipping of Idols or Images doth testifie and as her killing and destroying about Religion and Worship beareth witness which the Spirit of Christ never allowed of not the spotless Body of Christ never practised Therefore the Church of Rome is not holy nor the spotless Body of Christ And as to that affirmation of A. S. in the third Number of his first Chapter viz. Every man as he is Regenerated in Christ and a member of his body is holy and a Saint though as he is the Son of Adam be is a lyar and a sinner Answ To this I answer That the most part of all the Sectaries in the World will joyn with him in that particular therefore he need not so much cry against them but the True Church will not own that Doctrine neither can I own it because it is the Doctrine of Devils and the Spirit of God testifies against
it For it is impossible for any man to be both a Saint and a sinner at one season for if that could be then might a man serve two Masters which Christ said could not be Luk. 16.13 And the Apostle said He that commits sin is the Servant of sin Joh. 8.34 and is free from righteousness Rom. 6.22 So hath no part in Christ who is the righteousness of God And whosoever loveth or maketh a Lye shall not enter the Holy City which is the true Church Revel 21.27 Therefore is no member of it Now let A. S. consider his Ignorance for according to his own confession the true Church is built of living believers elect and precious but he that is a lyer and a sinner is dead for the soul that sins shall dye Ezek. 18.4 Therefore he that is a Lyer and a Sinner is not a living Believer nor yet holy and a Saint Yet I do not deny but that he that is regenerated in Christ and is baptized into him and is thereby made a member of his spotless body is holy and a Saint for by and through the second Adam he is redeemed out of the first fallen Adams state Well but A. S. saith That all the members of the Church of Rome are baptized and sanctified in Christ and that all her Institutes and Ceremonies c. are holy and therefore she is holy Answ I deny it and he cannot prove it for all who are baptized into Christ and are sanctified in him have put on Christ Gal. 3.27 and doth live holy and have the mind of Christ 1 Cor. 2.16 But the Church of Rome hath not the mind of Christ neither doth she live holy as afore proved Therefore she is not holy And as concerning her Institutions and Ceremonies as Bowing to Images and Altars and such things we never read that the holy Church in the Primitive times did practice such things therefore we have no ground to believe they are holy 3. That the true Church is Catholick or Universal I shall not go about to deny but I do deny that the Universality of the Church of Rome is a sufficient Argument to prove her to be the true Church for consider 1. What Church is more Universal then the great Whore the false Church who hath a name written MYSTERY BABYLON THE GREAT THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATION OF THE EARTH Rev. 7.5 Who sits upon the many waters which are Nations Kindreds Tongues and People Rev. 17.15 And did not the Whole World wonder after the Beast that carries the Whore Rev. 13.3 And did she not sit as a Queen over them all with her fair Profession or golden cup in her hand full of Abominations and Filthiness of her Fornication Rev. 18.7 and 17.4 And did not all the Inhabitants of the Earth and the Kings of the Earth drink of the Wine of her Fornication and commit Fornication with her Rev. 18.3 17. â— Mark how universal was this great Whore the false Church and how confident she was for she said in her heart that she should see no sorrow Rev. 18.7 And did she not glorifie her self and reign over the kings of the Earth Rev. 17.18 mark this thing Is not this the very state of the Church of Rome now at this day doth she not reign over the Kings of the Earth and over the Inhabitants of the Earth and hath she not so done long even for many ages Witness Fox his Acts and Monuments the first Volume which copiously relates the Authority she hath exercised over Kings and how Pope Adrian made Fredricus the Emperour hold his stirrup while he got upon his horse yea and shent him for his pains because the poor Emperour not being us'd to that work held his stirrup on the wrongside of his horse And again Did not the great Whore which John spake of drink the blood of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus as Rev. 17.6 And was she not to have blood given her to drink And hath not the Church of Rome drunk the blood of many thousands of the Saints and Martyrs of Jesus Surely the Histories of many Generations past will testifie she hath Therefore she is not the true Church but the Whore And have not many Nations gone into her and committed fornication with her and doth she not sit upon many Waters the People Kindreds Tongues and Nations and this kind of universality she makes use of as an argument to prove that she is the true Church which may be truly said to be a part of her Witchcrafts and Sorceries with which she hath long bewitched the Nations even all this long night of Apostacy in which Antichrist hath reigned who hath blinded the invisible eye in people and with this same pittiful shallow stuff she would fain still blind that eye which God hath opened in us But blessed be the Lord the day is dawned which makes all things manifest Secondly And farther consider what a slender or blind Argument it is to plead universality to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church Surely A. S. did not consider that they are many who goes in the broad way that leads to destruction and that the whole World wondred after the Beast that carries the Whore the false Church neither did he consider that they are but few who finds and walks in the straight way which leads unto life for had he considered these things he would have been ashamed to have produced such an Argument to prove the Church of Rome to be the true Church But it s clear that the universal Church of Rome sits upon the many Waters and reigns over the Kings of the Earth and goes in the broad way Therefore she is not the true Church but the Whore Fourthly Again That the true Church is Apostolick and built upon the Foundation of the holy Apostles and Prophets Eph. 2.20 and was propagated through the World by the Apostles that I acknowledge but that the Church of Rome is Apostolick or had her beginning in Christ and his Apostles as A. S. affirmeth or that she was propagated through the World by the Apostles in that discipline Ceremonies worshipping of Idols or Images Murthering the People of God c. in which she now stands that I do deny and its Abomination in A. S. to affirm it For consider First When or where did Christ or his Apostles begin the practice of Bowing to Images or Worshipping Idols or when did any of them Bow to an Alter of Wood or Pray with a String of Beads or Pray to Saints or carry a Silver or Wooden Cross about with them or Murder any because they were not of their Faith The Church of Rome cannot prove that ever Christ or his Apostles began or practised any of these things nor that they were in being in their dayes we defie them but they are inventions set up in the false Church in the dark Night of Apostacy that hath been over the Nations since the Apostles dayes