THE Strong Man Armed not Cast Out BUT Removed to a Stronger Hold VIZ. FROM PROFANENESS to HYPOCRISIE OR An Answer to a Book Entituled The Strong Man Armed Cast Out and his Goods spoyled Or The Poor Man sitting at Jesus's Feet Cloathed and in his Right Mind Written by James Jackson formerly a Parish Priest and afterwards a Teacher among the Independents And now Walking with the People called Quakers as he Testifieth of himself In which Answer is plainly Discovered the Ignorance and Darkness the Delusions and False Apprehensions of this James Jackson Concerning himself and the Churches and Assemblies which he Disowns and Separates from And also the Erroneous Interpretations and Applications of the Scriptures which he mentions in his Book Herein are also Discovered several Characters plain Marks of those False Teachers that the Spirit speaketh expresly should come into the World in these last days Written for the Vindication of the Truths of the Gospel the Stablishing of those who are in the Truth and the Reducing of those who have Erred from it And in all for the Exaltation of the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ By R.a. Austen 1 John 3.1 Try the Spirits whether they are of God for many false Prophets are gone out into the World Isa 8.20 To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this Word it is because there is no Light in them Jer. 8.9 Lo they have Rejected the Word of the Lord and what Wisdom is in them London Printed for Peter Parker at the Leg and Star over against the Royal Exchange in Cornhill 1676. The Epistle to the READER IT is certain that these are the Last Times and that many False Prophets are gone out into the World Deceitful workers Ministers of Antichrist transforming themselves into the Ministers of Christ It is time therefore and our Necessary Duty to try the Spirits whether they are of God and verily here is one as dangerous a Person with as subtil insinuating Doctrine as I ever yet met with VVhen I had Read his Book and Observed how he Exalteth and Magnifieth himself and those of his way as the onely Holy People in the World and Separateth from all the Godly their Societies and assemblies of all perswasions without Exception and not onely so but also vilifieth them Ranking them with the wicked and unregenerate world and how he asserteth and maintaineth a false Principle That the true Light meaning Christ is in every Man and Woman and is sufficient being believed in and Obeyed to bring them to Salvation and that whosoever will not Receive and own this Doctrine are accounted by him Enemies to Christ VVhen I considered these things with many other Lies in Hypocrisie and Blasphemies mentioned in his Book my Spirit was vehemently moved within me and I said in my self Shall this uncircumcised Philistine thus come forth and Challenge and Defie the Hosts and Armies The Light within shall be in Hell for ever p. 31. The Quakers draw people to Idolatry ibid. The Quakers are under spiritual Judgments p. 32. The Quakers Perfection in sin p. 34. The Quakers imperfection in grace 35. 1 In knowledge ibid. 2 In Faith and Hope 36. 3 In Love ibid. Paul preacheth Christ and not the Light in every man and woman p. 38. The Devils fundamental doctrine p. 39. Obstinate Quakers to be rejected p. 41. The Quakers sin is like the great sin of the hardned Jewes p. 42. Advice to the hearers among the Quakers p. 44. The Quakers great Idol near falling p. 45. Ten Arguments proving the Light within is not Christ p. 46. The Quakers Humility p. 56. The Quakers Vnity ibid. The true Vnity of the true Church 59. 1. One Body ib. 2. One Spirit ib. 3. One Hope 60. 4. One Lord. ib. 5. One Faith ib. 6. One Baptisme ib. 7. One God ibid. The Quakers Patience p. 62. A false perswasion of Conversion p. 63. The Light within converts none to the Lord. p. 65. Natural Light is Spiritual Darkness p. 67. This Scripture Joh. 1.9 grosly mistaken p. 68. The Quakers Doctrine is directly-contrary to the Scriptures p. 70 Conscience is a natural light 72. Christ the true Light is really in believers and in none else ib. The Scriptures are the word of God p. 74. The Scriptures are Gods Love letters to mankind p. 77. Characters of false Prophets whereby they are known p. 78. 1. Departing from the Faith p. 79. 2. Character Giving heed to seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils p. 80. 1. Against Christ ib. 2. Against the Scriptures ibid. 3. Against the Church 81.4 Resting upon their own Righteousness ib. The third Character of false Prophets Lyes in Hypocrisie p. 82. The first Lye in Hypocrisie p. 83 The second Lye in Hypocrisie ib. The third Lye in Hypocrisie p. 84. The fourth Lye in Hypocrisie ib. The fifth Lye in Hypocrisie p. 86. The sixt Lye in Hypocrisie p. 88. The Quakers Railing accusations p. 89. The fourth Character of false Teachers their Consciences are seared with an hot Iron p. 91. The fifth Character of false Teachers denying the Lord that bought us p. 92. The Apostle Peter and Jude both agree in the same Characters of false Teachers p. 93. Enoch Prophesied of these ungodly men p. 100. The Quakers have spoken many hard speeches against Christ ibid. The Quakers separation from Christ and his people proves they are no Christians p. 101. A Lying Spirit is gone forth among the Quakers which seduceth them p. 105. Births of the Spirit and of the Flesh p. 106. Spiritual sins are greater than fleshly sins p. 108. The false Opinions of the Quakers spring from Pride and Ignorance p. 109. The Quakers deceive weak and simple minds p. 110. The Quakers shall not long continue to deceive p. 113. Good Counsel to the Quakers p. 115. Leave the Quakers Meetings p. 116. Come to the Assemblies of the Saints p. 117. THE Strong Man Armed not Cast out BUT Removed to a stronger Hold VIZ. From PROFANENESS TO HYPOCRISIE WHen Man at his first Creation came out of the Hand of God he was then a Holy and a Righteous Creature But we all know to our sorrow he lost that Holy state and now and since then he is by Nature a Child of Wrath and an Enemy to God in his mind afar off from him and most unlike unto him So that there is no Recovering that Holy and Happy Estate again to have Fellowship and Communion with God but by Regeneration and Conversion from this Carnal state to a New Spiritual state by true Repentance and Faith in Christ wrought by the Mighty Power of the Spirit of God in those whom he according to his determinate Counsel and foreknowledge calleth in due time unto himself in whom he by degrees destroys the works of the Devil the Image of the first Adam and Creates and works the Image or Nature of the Second Adam Jesus Christ in Righteousness and true Holiness or as it is in some other
are come to Perfection to Perfection in Sin to the highest Degrees of sinning your Iniquities are even full or very near it for how can ye rise Higher what steps are there for you yet to ascend up unto above what ye have already attained Ye have already denied the Holy one and the Just our Lord Jesus Christ that bought us ye have Crucified the Son of God afresh and put him to an open shame yea ye have trodden him under foot and counted the blood of the Covenant as a common thing and done despight to the Spirit of Grace denying his true Operations in his People and also Blasphemously Attributing the Inspirations of the Devil unto the Spirit of God in your selves ye have despised the Word of God the Scriptures the Gospel of our Lord Jesus and therein the tenders of Rich and free Grace in the Covenant of Life and Peace and preferred your own vain Fancies yea the subtil insinuations and inspirations of seducing spirits before the clear truths of the Gospel of Christ and resting in your own Righteousness for Justification and what can ye do more or worse Ye have also Despised Rejected Disowned and Separated from the people of the Lord all the particular Churches Congregations and Assemblies of the Saints yea and Reproached them also and uttered many hard and bitter speeches against them and that for seeking to do you good in turning you from the ways of sin and Death And being lifted up in your selves in the height of your Pride and vain Minds ye have thought and said of your selves that ye are the most holy people upon Earth yea the onely people of God upon the Earth And what can ye say or do more or worse than these things Have ye not attained the highest degrees of sinning even to such a Perfection as the Nature of Man is capable of or that Satan can bring it unto and therefore we witness your perfection in these Respects But as to Perfection in Grace The Quakers Imperfection in Grace as ye vainly think of your selves and would have others to esteem of you also ye are at the remotest distance that may be 1. In Knowledge seeing that ye have not as yet laid the Foundation of the Knowledge of Christ Yea are Ignorant even your Teachers of the very first Principles of the Oracles of God ye know not the difference between Nature and Grace ye are not yet able to distinguish between Natural Light in the Conscience of every Man and Woman and the true Light Jesus Christ but mistake the one for the other Ye are not able to discern the workings of the Spirit of God and the seducing spirit but mistake the one for the other Ye are so Ignorant and Blind that ye think and say Men must be Justified by the works of the Law a Man 's own personal Obedience and not by the Imputed Righteousness of Christ by Faith quite contrary to the Gospel of Christ a deadly damning Doctrine Herein lies your Perfection in Knowledge And as for your Perfection in Faith and Hope 2. In Faith and Hope how can ye believe or in what or in whom do ye Believe seeing ye have denyed Christ the Object of Faith to all true believers denyed him in his Death Righteousness Merits and in all that he hath done and Suffered for his People these things are herein and by others made manifest against you by your own Writings 1 Cor. 13. And as for your Perfection in Love 3. In Love the chiefest of all Graces ye are far from Perfection in that also All the Love ye shew forth is but self-love to your selves and among your selves Every particular Person thinking and esteeming of himself more Highly than he ought to think and would that all others should esteem highly of him also And as for any Love to others it is but to your own party such as say as ye say and do as ye do And because they poor ignorant silly people are willing to hang upon your Lips the Teachers and to take all for granted that ye say as if your sayings were the Oracles of God for that ye Love them They esteem more of the sayings of their Teachers than of the sayings of God as one of them not long since expressing her desires to have some of her Friends Books one said to her she had the Scriptures she might employ her self there She Answered That the Bible indeed is a good honest thing but she had rather Read some of her Friends Books So we see That in all these things ye have Witnessed perfection as ye call it which indeed is at the furthest distance from perfection so far as not yet Witnessing the first beginnings of Grace in you But as for the other kind of Perfection that is Perfection in sin in the highest degrees of sinning ye do Witness it and have given many clear and manifold Proofs and Evidences of your perfection in that Respect and we all that fear God who know your deadly Principles do joyn with you in this Testimony and do Witness also that ye have Witnessed Perfection O how have ye Despised the Free Grace of God and Neglected great Salvation tendred in the Gosspel which all the Saints so highly prize and value seeing God in Christ doth vouchsafe to condescend so low to poor sinful Dust and Ashes in the sweet terms of the Gospel Offering Peace and Reconciliation Happiness and Glory to all those who will Accept thereof yea even Intreating and Beseeching of Miserable sinners to come in and be Reconciled to him 2 Cor. 5.20 We as Ambassadors for Christ as if Christ did beseech you by us be ye Reconciled to God How then shall they escape who Neglect so great Salvation Surely such as are deeply wounded and under the sight and sense of sin death and hell the Wrath of God the Curse of the Law they highly prize the Terms of the Gospel the Covenant of Grace the sweet and precious promises of Life Rest and Peace But those that are whole see no need of the Physitian as it appears ye do not that can make so light of the terms of Free-Grace and Love through Christ as we find ye do by many passages in your Books Where shall we find in all your Books and Pamphlets such Doctrine as the Apostle Paul Preached Paul Preacheth Christ and not the Light in every Man and Woman and wrote in all his Epistles by the Inspiration of God he set forth Christ crucified in all places where he came and instructed the people in that Fundamental Doctrine 1 Cor. 2.2 I determined not to know any thing among you save Jesus Christ and him Crucified Paul lays aside and slights all things for Christ Phil. 3.8 Yea doubtless and I count all things but loss for the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord for whom I have suffered the loss of all things and do count them but dung that I may
than the first This is for thee James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out Thou sayest in this thy Book that the strong Man Armed meaning the Devil is cast out of thee and Christ a stronger than he is come in and dwells in his stead this by the way plainly contradicts this Principle and great Doctrine of thy Friends the Quakers That Christ is in every Man and woman Thou confessest the Devil was in thee whilst thou Lived'st so wickedly as thou hast told us but now if Christ a stronger than he be come and entred into thee how was he there before according to this Scripture which says when a stronger than he cometh which plainly implies he was not there before but the Devil was there before and kept the House But now consider this well suppose it be so indeed That the Devil this strong Man Armed was cast out or in policy went out for a time intending to come into his House again and Fortifie himself in thee his House in a stronger hold and with greater strength bringing in seven other Spirits worse than himself more Subtile and Politick Fortifying themselves in a way of Hypocrisie and Religion the other hold of Profaneness not being so sure as this for now thou art perswaded as thou tellest us all is well with thee thou art a New Man a Converted Man as we see and Read thy long story to that purpose I Advise thee as thou lovest thy Soul and Regardest thy Eternal Welfare take heed lest this Scripture be not fulfilled in thee and upon thee for thou lookest as like one of those spoken of and intended in this Scripture as can be beware lest thy last state be not worse than thy first 8. Another Argument proving that Christ is not in all Men and women is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman who have not Faith Prop. 8. But the Wicked and ungodly have no Faith Therefore Christ is not in the wicked and ungodly The Apostle Prays to be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men for all Men have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 Now Christ is and dwells in those in whom he works Faith for he is the Author and Finisher of Faith in all his People and he dwells in them by Faith Eph. 3.17 He Prays That they may be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner Man That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith 9. Another Argument Denying the Quakers Assertion and Proving the Truth is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman Prop. 9. but in those to whom he doth communicate his Nature and Image But Christ doth not Communicate his Nature and Image to Impenitent and ungodly Men and Women Therefore Christ is not in ungodly Men and Women It is impossible that Christ should dwell in any Soul and not Manifest his Presence there by making Impressions of his own Nature Image and Likeness And therefore where he comes he doth Communicate his Image more or less 1 Cor. 15.48 As is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly v. 49. And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly And 2 Pet. 1.4 There are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises That by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature 10. Another Proposition confirming the same is this Christ is in none but in those onely who are joyned to him as Members of his Body Prop. 10. But wicked Men and Women are not joyned to him as Members of his Body Therefore Christ is not in wicked Men and women This Truth may be Illustrated and shadowed out unto us by a plain Similitude between Natural and Mystical Fruit-trees Similitudes of things with which we daily Converse obvious to our Natural Senses are very helpful unto us to shadow out and Illustrate Spiritural things which are Dark Abstruce and Difficult as they lye in intricate Spiritual Notions which without some plain Similitude would be discerned but dimly as in this particular As VVindows are to a House so are Similitudes to a Discourse They both let in Light VVe know the Root Body Boughs Branches and Twiggs of a Fruit-tree are all joyned together and do make but one Body or Substance And that the Root gives no Sap Life or Nourishment but onely to those parts of the Tree that are Vnited to it all those Boughs and Branches are Nourished from the Root they Receive Sap Spirit and Life the Innate Intrinsecal Form and Virtue of the Tree is in all the parts But the Virtue and Influence of the Root is not in any other Branches or Boughs which do not grow upon the Root though they are never so near this Tree though they are contiguous and mixed among or hang among the Living Branches yet they have no Life in them no Sap no Virtue from the Root because they are no parts of it Even so it is here in this Mystical Fruit-tree Christ and his Members his People who are Members of his Body they Receive Life Nourishment and Virtue from him he is in them by his Effectual Operations But as for others who are not of his Body who are not joyned to him by Faith wrought by the Spirit he is not in them they receive no Virtue Life or Nourishment from him he doth not Communicate himself to them as he does to his own People his Members for he is in them and they in him 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church And Col. 2.19 From the Head all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment Ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God This is plain from Christ's own words John 15.1 2 c. I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit be tâ—keth away and every Branch that beareth Fruit he pâ—rgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. Ver. 4. Abide in me and I in you Ver. 5. I am the Vâ—ne ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me ye can do nothing Thus have I drawn these Ten Pieces of Ordnance out of Gods own Magazine and levelled them against this Idol this false Christ the Light in every Man and Woman and it is sallen and broken and Christ the true Light set up and Worshipped in its stead by all that Worship God in Spirit and in Truth How dreadful is the Case of these People the Deceived ones among the Quakers who set up an Idol instead of Christ and Worship it and Teach others so to do thereby forsaking the Fountain of Living waters and digging to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water Well might the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Jude also call them Wells without water and Clouds without water 2 Pet. 2.17 Jude 12.
left off to be a Parish Priest yea and after that hast left off from being a Teacher among the Independents and hast disowned and forsaken the Congregations and Assemblies of the Independents and art now come and joyned with the People called Quakers And thou tellest us That these are the onely Holy People of God upon Earth and that all other Churches Assemblies and Congregations Naming the Presbyterians Independents Baptists and others are out of the way and that though they differ in Forms or Perswasions yet they agree in the same Faith Foundation and Root Answ For Answer hereunto briefly I shall not speak to Reproach thee or rail upon thee or any of thy way as thou hast done against many of the Precious Saints in the Churches of Christ saying of the Independents whose Assemblies thou hast forsaken That there was sufficient ground for thee to separate from the Tents of those ungodly Men Strong Man Armed p. 8. their Teachers who are no better than Filthy Dreamers Blind Guids and Belly-gods which belch out nothing but Lies Slanders Blasphemies and evil speeches against Christ his Ways Truths and People and this thou sayest thou seest and declarest against them in the Light I say I will not bring against thee Railing Accusations as thou dost against others but the Lord Rebuke thee and that Lying Spirit in thee and Convince thy Spirit of the Truth Concerning thy leaving off to continue a Parish Priest thou didst well but thou hadst done better if thou hadst never undertaken it for there are too many such Priests like the Priests of Old the Sons of Eli who by reason of their wickedness made the Sacrifices of the Lord to be Abhorred There are many in these Days of the same Tribe who make the Gospel of Christ his Ways Truths and People to be evil spoken of yea they make the Name of Christ to be Blasphemed and his People Reproached even through them and by their means And making others who are the true and Faithful Ministers and Ambassadors of Christ to be evil spoken of Reviled and Disowned for their sakes and because of them yea more They Occasion Separations in all parts of the Land Wo unto them for they have gone in the way of Cain and run greedily after the Error of Balaam for a Reward and get into the Priests Office that they may eat a piece of Bread that they may get a Living by it Many of them more sit for the Cart or the Plough than the Pulpit having neither Gifts of Nature nor of Grace fit for the Ministry Men that never learned Christ were never taught of God and how then can they Teach others Nay instead of Instructing others in the ways of Life and Salvation they by their wicked Examples draw them down to Hell they are the worst of Men upon Earth I have Indignation against such and am greatly grieved for the Misery of those poor Ignorant Souls of their Parishes who are like to perish for lack of Knowledge the Blind leading the Blind both will fall into the Ditch The Lord Remove them or Reform them and give Pastors after his own heart according to his Promise And for this I Commend thee James Jackson that thou didst leave off thy Profaneness and also deceiving the People as a Parish Priest But now take heed The Strong Hold of Hypocrisie is stronger than that of Profaneness lest thou art not yet deceived in the state and condition thou art now in lest the false spirit be not too subtill for thee lest Satan that strong Man Armed having quit one strong hold be not got into another that is stronger than the former for certain it is the Devil's power and policy in a way of Gross wickedness and profaneness is not half so strong a hold as the strong hold of Hypocrisie Where Reason Natural Conscience all outward Occurrences Moral Civilized Persons all can readily Reprove and help to draw a Man out of such an Estate but the strong hold of Hypocrisie and Erroneous perswasions and Practices in a way of Religion is more Dangerous and a stronger Hold where nothing but the spirit of God and an enlightned Vnderstanding to discern the Truth of the word of the Gospel can Instruct a Man especially when a Man hath passed through many or divers States Forms Opinions and perswasions and at last hath pitched upon one that he Judges and Concludes doth Exceed all the former if yet this be false and he know it not he is then in greater Danger than ever seeing his own Natural Reason and his Ignorant dim-sighted Conscience confirmed by the strong delusions of Satan that spirit that worketh and Ruleth in the Children of Disobedience do all concurre and joyn together and hold the poor soul in Bondage under Darkness which is by many taken for the true Light of Christ I say Take heed of being deceived in these things thou and thy Friends for I say the strong hold of the Devil in a way of Profaneness is not so strong as his strong hold in a way of Hypocrisie or false Worship this is Evident both by Scripture and Experience Christ told the Pharisees who were Zealous in a way of Hypocrisie That Publicans and Haâ—lots great and gross sinners in a way of Profaneness should enter into the Kingdom of Heaven before them Mat. 21.31 And that I may shew my true Love to your souls whether you will Accept it or no I will Endeavour to shew unto thee and them things in a clearer Light than yet shines in you Thou sayest the strong Man Armed the Devil is cast out of thee and Christ a stronger than he is come in and now keeps the House How is this made manifest Thy saying so does not prove it but thy Sayings and thy Doings prove the contrary and this I shall make good both by positive Scripture and by Example If any Man be in Christ The New Creature doth Evidence it self where it is he is a New Creature 2 Cor. 5.17 He that is Converted and changed from the state of Nature to the state of Grace out of whom Satan is cast and Christ come in he is New in his Vnderstanding Will Affections yea New in his whole Life and Conversation But now it appears plainly that thy Vnderstanding is still Old the same Ignorance Blindness Darkness remains upon it as is in all Natural Men and this is seen and manifest by thy false Interpretations of Scriptures and Secondly by thy false applications of them in Applying those Scriptures to the Saints true Believers Members of Christ as do belong only to the unregenerate World such as are yet in the state of Nature neither art thou changed in thy Will and Affections they are not yet New but according to the Old Nature in all unregenerate Persons as plainly appears in that thou shewest forth no true Love to the Lords precious People Members of the Body of Christ but contrariwise disownest them and
separatest from them nay more thou dost Revile them and falsly speak evil of them as is plainly seen in many passages of thy Book And as for thy Love and affections towards Christ it is Love but onely in Tongue in Word and Profession onely not in Truth Thou professest that thou Knowest and Lovest him but indeed thou denyest him in denying of his People and disowning of them for he hath said He that Despiseth you Despiseth me nay more Thou and those of thy way Deny and dishonour Christ in that ye set up his Creature and Adore it and Worship it for Christ and call it Christ in you and so make the Creator and the Creature all one Now seeing thou art an Old Creature still both in thy inner Man and outward Man in thy Conversation How canst thou think thou art changed or that the Strong Man Armed is cast out but rather that he is Removed to a stronger hold Nay Paul's Example a Looking-Glass further Let us try by another Touch-stone whether thou art true Gold or no Paul we know was once in a Carnal state in a state of Nature in Darkness but was Called and Converted And we see he shews forth and manifests to all that his state was changed for he soon after prayed earnestly to God and he Preached the Gospel he stood up Zealously to Preach that Jesus which lately before he persecuted in his Members He Banished them and Imprisoned them and did many mischiefs to them yea and thought verily he did well and that he ought to do many things against Jesus of Nazareth and this was from the Light within which thou and thy Friends say is in every Man and Woman and which ye adore for God and Christ But when he was Converted this Light was known to be but Darkness by the true Light Jesus Christ when he shined into his soul when this Sun of Righteousness arose it scattered his Darkness Now Compare thy Change and Conversion as thou callest it with Paul's Conversion for his was true and see how like thine looks to his or how unlike it and thereby thou and others may gain Instruction Thou and others may plainly see how much thou art Deceived in that thou thinkest and say'st The strong Man armed is cast out of thee Do but look thy self in this glass of the Example of Paul and thou wilt see thy self like him as he was before his Conversion as like him as one Man can be like another But if thou lookest thy self in the Example of Paul after his Conversion then thou art no more like him than an Ape is like a Man perhaps some dark shadows and simple Resemblances some seeming likeness but nothing of Truth or Reality in any Spiritual Respects Paul before his Conversion Raged against the Saints and was very bitter against them but afterwards when he was enlightned and Converted he joyns himself to them is one with them and counts it a great and precious Priviledge so to be He Preached to them that Jesus whom before he knew not but Persecuted him yea he is tender of them and Nourisheth them and Cherisheth them as a Nurse Cherisheth her Children Now consider with thy self James Jackson dost thou do so dost thou shew forth these clear Evidences of Conversion and a New state as Paul did if so then thou hast good grounds to believe that the strong Man is indeed cast out if thou say it is so then tell me what meaneth this Bleating of the Sheep and Lowing of the Oxen which I hear What meaneth thy loud out-crys and Clamours against the Lords People thy Railing Accusations against all the Churches and Congregations that are not just of thy Mind Is this Cherishing them as a Nurse cherisheth her Children as Paul did Paul Fed the Young ones and the Weak with Milk and tenderly dealt with them untill they were able to Digest stronger Meat Thou regardest not the Weak nor the Young no nor the Strong but Cryest them down all as Deceived Persons in Darkness in Babylon as Paul did before his Conversion So this proves thee to be like him before hÃs Change and consequently that the strong Man armed is not yet cast out of thee but removed to a stronger hold If thou say Nay but I Own and Love and Cherish the Holy People of the Lord unto whom I am now joyned which is a good Evidence of my Conversion and Change It is Answered That if it were supposed and granted that those People with whom thou walkest were indeed the People of the Lord as I hope many of them are who know not their false Doctrines for I will not be severe as the manner of some is to Condemn all for the Errors of some amongst them yet art thou far short of Paul's Spirit who owned all the Saints though under Different Forms To the Jews he became as a Jew to the Greeks as they to those under the Law as under the Law to those without Law as without Law he became all things to all in such Indifferent Un-commanded things as Forms are that so he might gain them to Christ But thou cleavest to a few and many of them under strong Delusions and there thou helpest to strengthen their Deceived Minds in Errors Deâ—eiving and being Deceived Why art thou not a Follower of Paul herein as he beseeches all to be as he is a Follower of Christ Now Christ Owns Loves and Accepts all his People under all Forms being United to him as Members of his Body Worshipping of him in Spirit and in Truth So the Apostle tells us In every Nation though they are not one in their Forms there being several in this Nation he that feareth God and worketh Righteousness is accepted with him Now how are we Followers of Christ or of Paul herein if they are not Accepted of us also The Apostle Paul was Exercised with such proud Proud Professors in Paul's Time Reproved self-conceited troublesome persons in his time as are now in ours and he deals with them and Reproves them even for this very thing that I am now speaking of that is Highly esteeming of themselves and Despising others as we see 2 Cor. 10.7 some High Proud Persons that Commended themselves and valued themselves above Paul and those that were of his Assemblies they thought that they themselves were the onely people of the Lord but as for Paul and his Followers they had no such perswasion of them But the Apostle Reproves them and tells them they have as good grounds and Reason to think as well of him and those with him as of themselves 1 Cor. 10.7 If any Man think that he is Christs let him think this again that as he is Christ's even so are we Christ's let them have as good an Opinion of us as they have of themselves for they have as good grounds for it But saith he they are a People that look upon some things in Themselves but take no Notice of any
I have no greater Joy than to see my Children Walk in Truth And Teacheth Love Vnity Peace Fellowship and Communion with all the Saints And so are all the Children of God thus inclined by the same spirit they shew forth the same Fruits and Effects in their Degrees and Measures But now on the contrary consider The false seducing spirit brings forth in its Followers the quite contrary Fruits and Effects as we plainly see amongst Men And hence are those high and proud Conceits and Apprehensions of themselves their Ways their Doctrines as better above and beyond all others being free from sin and become perfect saying in Effect stand further from me I am Holier than thou Despising that Low Childish Doctrine of sin abiding in us in the remainders of it whilst we Live though the Power and Dominion of it be Destroy'd I say these Fruits and Effects spring from a Cause like unto them whereby we may safely conclude what the Cause is so again when we see Men Separating from others better than themselves leaving and forsaking other Assemblies and Congregations sound in Doctrine and Holy in Life and Conversation excepting common un-avoidable Infirmities we may be sure hereby that this is from a seducing spirit not from the spirit of God whose contrary Fruits and Effects we heard before As Solomon The true Spirit is for Unity the salfe Spirit for Division by his Wisdom given him of God plainly Discerned and knew the true Mother from the false by this very thing by this clear Evidence She that was for Vnity and for preserving together and Nourishing the parts and Members of the Child was the true Mother But she that was for the Dividing of the Child and separating the Members of it he knew by that she was the Harlot and not the true Mother Just so it is in this Case The true spirit is for Vnity Love Fellowship and Communion with all the Members of Christ as Occasion and Opportunity is but the false seducing spirit is for separation and Dividing the Members of Christ's Body upon one pretence or another And herein it is too manifest that not onely some in our Days are more grossely guilty but also many of the true Members of Christ have been deceived and carried away very far by this deluding and seducing spirit through the remainders of Pride and self-love in them and have thought it their Duty to separate from others of their Brethren upon slight weak and insufficient grounds and Causes by which they have greatly Displeased and Offended their Head Jesus Christ and wronged their fellow-Members And as an Evidence of his Displeasure and a just Correction upon them he hath permitted a People in these days to separate from them all and to disown them all which I am perswaded is one End God hath in suffering these People to appear in this day which as from God is a just Retaliation to do to them as they have done to others the same Measure they have meeted to others of their Brethren is now Measured to them again Seeing no Rules in Scripture nor Councels nor Intreaties of their Brethren would perswade or win them to be of one mind and to keep in Fellowship together this now comes at last as the greatest and sharpest Reproof and Correction of all the former I hope and desire they will consider it and Learn from it to hear the voice of God's Rod as well as of his Word and be Instructed thereby And now having Tryed the Author of the strong Man armed cast out and proved that the strong man is not cast out but removed to a stronger Hold let us proceed further and make it appear also by divers other Proofs and Evidences taken out of his own Book which also are sufficient to convince all others of his Mind and Way that they may plainly see if the God of this World hath not blinded their Minds and hid plain and clear Truths from them the false and unsound Foundations which they Build upon as well as the Wood Hay and Stubble which they Build withal both as to their Opinions and Practices in esteeming themselves the onely Holy People of the Lord in this Day and Despising and Condemning those that are indeed the People of the Lord. First then 1. The Quakers Attainments above others This Author tells us what he and the People with whom he now Walks have attained unto above all others from whom they separate The People the Quakers he saith Build upon a true and right Foundation 1. In the Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ in us the hope of Glory but all other Professing People in the World Build upon the Writings of Men and all of them are strangers to that one Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures See strong Man Armed c. p. 12. In Answer to which I say plainly That if this were Truth which He hath spoken I would separate also and Build upon the same Foundation which he says they Build upon But he hath herein spoken falsely and that in a double Respect 1. In Respect of themselves 2. In Respect of other Professors the Churches of Christ As for themselves such of them as Build upon the Foundation the Light within every Man and Woman and believe in it and Obey it and look for Salvation from it as they Profess to do such Build upon a false and unsound Foundation and not upon Christ the onely true Foundation Secondly As for the other Professing People from whom they Separate he hath belyed them also grossely in saying they Build not upon Christ the true Foundation for it is the chief and Fundamental Doctrine which they Preach and Teach in all their Assemblies and Congregations according to the Word and Gospel of Christ And upon which we are sure many thousands have Built by the Guidance and Teaching and Operations of the spirit of the Lord and are by the same spirit joyned and Vnited in a firm and everlasting bond and Vnion to Christ whereby we have Light Life Vertue Strength Wisdom and all Grace from this Root and Fountain our precious Lord Jesus Christ This Author proceeds further 2. Strong Man Armed p. 13. and tells us That the Faith of the People called Quakers is the Faith of the Son of God Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of it it renews the whole Man 2. The Quakers Faith By this Faith sin is subdued slain and Mortified perfectly the heart purified the World conquered the Soul Sanctified Justified and Saved perfectly But the Faith of all others is an Vnholy Dead Imperfect Faith it Sanctifies but in part as they say and so will never save to the uttermost Thus far he Answ Here is another double gross untruth both as to themselves and others If their Faith be the true Justifying Saving Faith of God's Elect then it would Evidence it self by the Fruits and Effects of Faith which the Scriptures speak of and all the Saints
Seeing they have forsaken the Fountain of Living waters Jesus Christ and trust to a broken Cistern they shall return from it with their Pitchers empty and be ashamed they shall find no water of Life to refresh them They are now empty Vessels as all who have the true Light in them may perceive They have no Light Wisdom Knowledge nor Vnderstanding as Christ gives to his People No Sanctification no Justification no Reconciliation no Salvation But it is not so with true Believers for they have chosen the Fountain of Living waters the Fountain of Gardens the Well of Living waters Cant. 4.15 The Spring-head of the River of water of Life clear as Crystal proceeding out of the Throne of God and of the Lamb Rev. 22.1 Who also gives unto every one of them to have in themselves a Well of water springing up unto Eternal John 4.14 so that out of their Bellies shall flow Rivers of Living water John 7.38 In so much that they do therewith water others and so obtain yet more waterings themselves Prov. 11.25 So that their Souls are like watered Gardens and as Springs of water whose waters fail not Isa 58.11 We see then what a vast difference there is between these Wells without water these Clouds without water afore-mentioned who have set up their Idol and trust in it and those that have chosen the Fountain of Living waters The one sort are continually dry without any true Refreshings as the dry and barren wilderness without Fruit But the other continually watred and refreshed and bringeth forth much good Fruit As the Tree Planted by the Rivers of waters which bringeth forth his Fruit in due Season 4. I shall now proceed and shew some other particulars wherein the Quakers say they do Excell all other Professors in the World having already mentioned three particulars which James Jackson tells us of in his Book p. 14. Strong Man Armed cast out viz. In the true Foundation in Faith and in Knowledge The Quakers Humility So Fourthly in Humility and Spiritual abasement and subjection to the Power and Kingdom of Jesus Christ whereas other Professors are blown swell'd and puff'd up with Airy Notions vain boastings and self-conceitedness as he there saith Answ In Answer to which I say I should be glad to see these good words and Professions to have any thing of Reality in them that they may not be as the Apostle says of the Love of some which is in word and in Tongue onely not in deed nor in Truth For wherein does this Humility appear I see nothing that looks like Humility amongst them except it be in an Outward Garb of Comely and decent Apparel and for that they are in good earnest to be commended I wish others would take Example by them herein and avoid all Foolish Garbs and Fashions unbecoming for Professors of the Gospel Yet this alone is but a shew of Humility it is not the Grace it self But it is plain and manifest by their Principles Behaviour and Practice they Discover that which is Directly contrary and Opposite to Humility i. e. much Pride of Heart and are lifted up in themselves as the Proud Pharisee was and are perswaded and profess that they are not as other Men are all are Publicans and Harlots in Ignorance Blindness and Darkness but themselves Yea all Professors of all perswasions whatsoever that are not one with them in Judgment and Practice they are all Deceived and out of the way out of the Light the Truth and the Life Now what greater Evidence of Pride can Men Discover than this Little cause therefore has this Author to boast of his and their Humility and to accuse other Professors as blown swelled and puffed up with Airy Notions vain boastings and self-conceitedness when they themselves are plainly seen and known to be the Men void of Humility and swelled with Pride 5. Fifthly This Author of the strong Man Armed cast out P. 14. The Quakers Vnity Commends the People with whom he now walks for their Vnity not onely in Opinion and Judgment but in Spirit And their Love is as the soul that hath its Influence into all the parts and Members of the Natural Body so it is among them which as he says makes them in all their ways Doctrine and Practice to be but as one Man Answ It is Answered The Vnity Love and Concord amongst the Quakers is far from the Vnity that Christ Commandeth requireth to be amongst his People the Members of his Body the Church He commandeth Love Vnity Peace Communion and Fellowship to be between and amongst all his People his Members And there is so in their Degrees and Measures which is discovered as Occasions and Opportunities are Offered But though there were as there is not that Vnity of Judgment Opinion and Practice amongst themselves as he saith there is yet I say it is far from that Vnity and Love that is in the true Church of Christ for these People have cut off and separated themselves from the true Church and from all the particular Assemblies Societies and Congregations of the Church of Christ and do fansy themselves to be the onely People of God upon Earth excluding all others for so he hath said O Wonderful strong delusion A Darkness and Blindness not Natural onely as all Carnal Men are Blind but surely a Judicial blindness is upon them Blindness as a just Judgment from the Lord who hath given leave to the god of this World to blind the Minds of them that believe not This Vnity among themselves Dividing and Separating from all the Saints better than themselves if we should suppose that they are of the Body is the greatest Evidence of Enmity strife Schism and Dissention that can be for out of his own Mouth he is Judged He Alludes to the Vnion between the Members of the Natural body their Vnion and Love he says is such a Vnion Now consider Were it not a strange and Monstrous thing in Nature for some of the Members of the Natural body to combine together against all the rest to Neglect or disown the rest of the Members Nay the Members of the Natural body we know have mutual and tender care of and Love one to another even so it is in the Mystical body the Church The true Members Love one another and as they have Vnion with the Head so they have also one with another And where there is at any time any Dissention and External Separation Corruption and Satan are the Cause of it which should Occasion Repentance and Humiliation and not boasting The Apostle Paul shews us plainly wherein the Vnity of the true members of the Church of Christ consists which is another kind of Vnity The true Vnity of the true Church than that among these People He Discovers it briefly in this seven-fold Bond or Vnion See Eph. 4.4 There is one body and one spirit one hope of your Calling one Lord one Faith one Baptism one
God and Father of all c. First one Body 1. One Body All Believers in all Ages of the world past present and to come in all Nations Kindreds and People Worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth under all Forms do make this one body And this one body hath but one Spirit 2. One Spirit as the Members of the Natural Body have but one Soul to Actuate and Enliven them so also in the Mystical body they all are quickned taught moved and led by that one Spirit which is the Promise of the Father and of the Son Thirdly The Members of this one body having one spirit have also one hope even the hope and expectation of all the good things promised in the Gospel 3. One Hope Eternal Life the enjoyment of God for ever Fourthly Another Bond of Vnion in the true Church 4. One Lord. is One Lord even our Lord Jesus Christ unto whose Laws and Commands all his People are Subject Fifthly One Faith That is 5. One Faith the true Justifying Faith of Gods Elect wrought by that one Spirit apprehending that one Lord for Justification by him alone Paul calls it the Common Faith Titus 1.4 Titus mine own Son after the Common Faith Sixthly Another Bond of Vnion in the true Church 6. One Baptism is one Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all Baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Greeks whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit This one Baptism makes all Believers truly one Seventhly The last bond of Vnity of the true Church 7. One God is One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all All Believers are born of God and are all Partakers of the Divine Nature among the Lords People none of them have a better Nature than another as to the Truth but as it differs in the Degrees or Measures to some God is pleased to Communicate a greater measure to some a lesser Measure of Gifts and Graces that one and the self-same Spirit Divideth to every Man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 We see here these seven Bonds are the true Bonds of the true Members of Christ his Body the Church and are here mentioned and laid down by the Apostle as strong Reasons and Grounds why all the Members should endeavour to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace and not Divide and Separate one from another seeing they are all Members of one Body and have but one Spirit among them all and have all one hope all of them but one Lord one Faith one Baptism all but one God and Father here is good Reason then they should be one among themselves in Vnity Peace Love Fellowship and Communion one with another as Opportunity serves So that the Author above mentioned hath little Reason to boast of that kind of Vnity that is among the Quakers if he consider these things Sixthly 6. The Quakers Patience The Author of the strong man Armed cast out further tells us That the Patience and Faithfulness of these People in doing and suffering the Will of God is Remarkable for the World is against them though as he says they are the onely Innocent and harmless People upon the Earth and because there is more of God amongst these People the Quakers than others therefore are they hated of all Men and every where amongst all Religions evil spoken of Answ In Answer whereunto I say That Patient suffering for Well-doing is very Acceptable with God and shall certainly have a great Reward from God the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.14 If ye Suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye But there is a Suffering sometimes for Evil doings and Evil sayings And it is better if the Will of God be so that we Suffer for well doing than for evil doing v. 17. Now it is true These People the Quakers have been Sufferers as well as others but for what have they Suffered Has it been for well doing for doing the Will and Work of Christ They will say Yea for doing the Will of God but it follows not therefore that it is so Christ will rather say unto them who Required these things at your Hands Nay he hath forbidden them your False Doctrines and Opinions your Disownings Despisings and Separations from the Precious People of the Lord in all the Societies Assemblies and Congregations in the Land your Disturbing of them and Railing against them whilst they are about the work of the Lord ye your selves being drawn or driven by the Seducing Spirit have done his work and not the Lords work and have sometimes Suffered for it And herein ye boast and think your Patience is great and that ye suffer according to the Will of God But know That it is not the Suffering but the Cause that makes a Martyr It is possible a Man may give his body to be burned and that is more than to be Imprisoned and yet not suffer for Righteousness-sake 1 Cor. 13. Though I give my Body to be burned and have not Love it profiteth me nothing Jesuites and Papists have sometimes suffered for their false Principles and Practices and so may others and so have you Therefore speak no more of your Patient sufferings untill ye know that ye Suffer for a good Cause for well doing untill ye Suffer for Christ and for Righteousness-sake Thus I have gone through the several particulars wherein the Author of the strong man Armed cast out says He and the People called Quakers do Excell all other Professing People in the World wherein it appears to all Men that have in them the Spirit of God how grossely these People are Deluded and blinded by seducing spirits that they give heed unto which making strong Impressions in their Minds they are Seduced and carried away with them never Examining of them and Trying of them by the Scriptures and so are easily Deceived And it is a most dreadful Condition that they are in and an Evidence of the greatest and sorest Judgment of God that the Nature of Man is capable of on this side Hell a Judicial blindness and hardness of heart upon any Man or Men is the greatest of all Judgments And this is the punishment that God often lays upon Men that will not hearken unto him that Despise his Word and Ordinances his Worship and his People That will not Receive the Truth in Love that they might be saved Therefore God doth send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye that they all might be Damned who believe not the Truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness That which doth confirm this man James Jackson A false Perswasion of Conversion Author of the strong man Armed cast out that he is truly Converted by the Light within which he says is Christ is this for that he finds such wonderful Effects in himself as he Accounts them he is
is Christ the true Light according as they are Taught not understanding the Difference between Natural Light and Spiritual Light no more than their Teachers and so it passeth for a currant Doctrine amongst them though it be most Absurd and false and manifestly contrary to the Scriptures Do ye not know that there is a Conscience in every Man and Woman Conscience is a Natural Light and that it is a Light according to its Nature it hath so much Light as not onely to see and know Earthly things according to Reason and Humane Vnderstanding but also some things according to the Law of God Rom. 1. to see and to reprove for some gross evils and sins As Murder Theft Drunkenness Bestiality Deceitful dealings and such like things against the Light of Nature which also the Law of God forbids And this Light within every one does move unto some things that are Morally good and Honest Reproving and Troubling for the one and Excusing for the other But this Light can never lead to Christ without the Spirit of God and the Word of the Gospel which Reveals Christ fully Therefore give unto Caesar the things that are Caesars and unto God the things that are Gods Ascribe unto Conscience the things that belong to Conscience and unto Christ that which is his own Set not a Creature in the Throne of the Creator and by Worshipping an Idol forsake the Living and true God It is true Christ the true Light is really in Believers and in none else and a glorious Truth indeed a precious Priviledge of the Saints and peculiar People of God that Christ dwells in them and this is a great and Glorious Mystery made known unto the Saints onely Believers as we see Col. 1.16 17. Even the Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now is made manifest to his Saints ver 17. To whom God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of this Mystery among the Gentiles which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory Here is a glorious Mystery revealed to the Gentiles that they should now come in and be of the Church of Christ the poor Gentiles that never were call'd before that time the Gentiles who were formerly Excluded in all the Generations before those dayes they are now made fellow-heirs with the Believing Jews And this Rich and Glorious Priviledge is also revealed to them Christ dwelling in them by Faith by his Spirit and all his graces and operations communicating his Nature to them that they are as really partakers of the Image of the second Adam in righteousness and true holiness as they were of the Image of the first Adam in sin and darkness But what is this Priviledge to the wicked and unregenerate world that lye in sin and darkness what Communion hath light with darkness what fellowship hath Christ with Belial Will Christ Dwell in the Soul where the Devil Dwells and Reigns Nay verily If Christ come to dwell and abide in any Soul and be a light unto it he will surely cast out Sathan that Strong man Armed that keeps the house as Sathan does in all wicked men and Sathan shall Reign nor keep house no longer but Christ will remove him and come in his place and Reign and Rule and Dwell there and by his Presence and Dwelling in the Soul will give to such a believing Soul sure grounds of hope of Eternal Glory according to this word Christ in you the hope of Glory And seeing the Teachers among the Quakers The Scriptures are the Word of God do slight and undervalue the Scriptures and deny them to be the Word of God and to be a Rule for Christians in Faith and Practice and prefer their own Fansies and vain imaginations moved often by seducing Spirits before the written Word of God let us consider the tendency of this strong delusion The Apostle Paul writes to the Romans Chap. 15.4 Whatsoever things were written aforehand were written for our Learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope The Church of God was for a long time without the Scriptures God teaching his People immediately by his Spirit or by Angels mixed with some Providential dispensations but when he had gathered his Church and People out of Egypt he was graciously pleased to instruct them by a plain written Word to be a perfect standing Rule both for Faith and Practice And required upon divers sore Penalties on the one hand and Rewards and Promises on the other that they should observe them And those that were Godly amongst them took diligent heed thereunto and great delight therein How did the holy Prophet David a man after Gods own heart prize and value the written Word of God though he had but a small part of the Scriptures to what we now have as we see in all his Psalms more especially in the 119. Psal almost in every verse of that long Psalme he makes mention of the Law of God his Statutes Ordinances Judgments Precepts and Commandments how he loved them delighted in them meditated in them O how I love thy Law it is my meditation continually he aimed at the keeping and practice of them as at a mark and tells us it is the nature and property of all good men so to do Psal 1. The godly man meditates in the Law of God Day and night But now these Teachers and Leaders of the Quakers they express no love to the Scriptures but the quite contrary they Slight and Undervalue them and teach others to do so too and deny them to be a Christians Rule of Faith and Practice though spoken by Christ himself in his own Person a great part of them who is truly God as well as Man and the rest inspired by the Holy Ghost who also is God Yet these Unreasonable and Unthankful men deny them to be the Word of God though spoken by God himself We have much of the Scripture spoken by Christs own mouth and all was given by inspiration of God Holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and is not the Holy Ghost God How then are not the Scriptures the Word of God Are not these men infatuated that will not own these things When the believing Thessalonians had heard the Word of God spoken by Paul and received it effectually he thankes God for it for this cause thank we God without ceasing because when ye received the Word of God which ye heard of us ye received it not as the word of men but as it is in Truth the Word of God And when any one would draw us to hearken to any Private Spirit as of old they did and so now we are commanded by God not to hearken to them Isaiah 8.20 but we are directed to the Scriptures To the Law and to the Testimony if they speake not according to this Word it is because there is no light in them And Isa 8.9 Lo they
that by this Plain Character joyned to all the rest so visible also these being joyned and set altogether we may spell their Names and their Natures so plainly that we cannot mistake the men for although there are other false Prophets and Teachers in the world besides yet they are of another sort we must spell their Names and know them by other Marks Letters and Characters Now this Character which yet follows in this Epistle of Jude is in the 19. verse These are they who separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit Now let it be well considered who they are that separate and from whom they separate There is a Separation indeed that is not onely good and Lawful but also a Duty There is a Command for it but what is that Separation We see it plainly 2 Cor. 6.14 15 16 17. Believers that were Converted by the Ministry of the Gospel were Commanded to come out from among the Heathenish Idolaters and not to be partakers with them any longer in their Heathenish Idolatrous Worship in Worshipping Idols Wood and Stone the works of Mens Hands But what is that Separation to this Separation This separation the Apostle takes Notice of as a very gross sin and we see it is one of the Letters or Characters of these Men of whom they speak the false Teachers who being guilty of all those great and gross sins which these two Apostles Peter and Jude had newly mentioned he now adds to them all another plain broad conspicuous brand and sets it on with an Emphasis These are they that Separate themselves sensual having not the Spirit As if the Apostle had said in more words The false Prophets that I have been now speaking of and the many that follow their pernicious ways ver 2. These are they these are the People who separate themselves and from whom shall they separate Even from the People of the Lord the Churches Congregations and Assemblies of the Saints Now do not these Men so Do not the Quakers separate themselves from all the Saints from all the particular Churches and Assemblies of the Lords People in all the Land as if they were Heathens and Idolaters and speak evil of them and Reproach them with many bitter words and slanders Witness James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out in his Separation from the Churches of the Independents who Reproaches the Pastors and brings Railing Accusations against them and many other of the precious Saints even as the Apostles Peter and Jude do Declare as one of the Characters of these People as hath been shewed And yet he glories in this his Separation and Accounts it as we see as one special mark of his Conversion that he is turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan that strong Man Armed being now cast out he is come to God and to his People who as he tells us are the most Holy Innocent People upon the Earth And this his Conversion he ascribes to the Light within which Light as he also saith hath Converted Thousands in like manner unto God yea as he himself is Converted And counts it a Marvellous thing that those who think themselves Christians should not Acknowledge this Light within to be Christ the true Light that hath done such marvellous things for him and many others But that they should call it Natural Light or the Devil he accounts this Blasphemy But now if we do but Examine this his and others Separation according to the Scriptures and look upon it in the true Light indeed we shall see and find that it is so far from being a Mark or Sign of their true Conversion as he and they account it that it is indeed a Mark and Evidence of their Carnal Dark Vnregenerate state And so the Apostle Jude Accounts it to be and a Note or Character of the Ungodly Men the false Teachers which he had been speaking of throughout his whole Epistle And sets it on as a plain Mark for all People to see and take Notice of These are they that Separate themselves Jude 19. Yea and the Apostle John joyns his Testimony with him to the same purpose 1 John 2.18 19. The Apostle here speaks of some in his time that were like these very Men in our time As we see Little Children it is the last time And as ye have heard that Antichrist shall come even now are there many Antichrists whereby we know that it is the last time And he makes their Separation as we see a Character of their wickedness ver 19. They went out from us because they were not of us for if they had been of us they would no doubt have continued with us but they went out that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us We see here what separation from the People of the Lord and their Assemblies is Accounted by this Apostle also he tells us plainly it is a Mark or Character of wicked Men That such as so separate are none of the Number of Gods People they went out or separated from us because they were not of us they were none of Christ's Members no Believers as we are they were not of us For saith he if they had been of us if they had been of the same Body with us whereof Christ is the Head then no doubt they would have continued with us and not have separated from us but it is so they went out from us they forsook us and separated from us that it might be made manifest that such were not of us that such were not joyned to Christ as we are So then what grounds of boasting this James Jackson or any other of his Principles and Practice have in their separations from the true Churches of Christ and joyn with a deluded Ignorant People that Fansy themselves the onely People of the Lord as being Converted by the Light within we leave to those who are Taught of God to Consider and Judge Alas Poor Ignorant A Lying Spirit is gone forth amongst the Quakers which Seduceth them Deluded Men They Understand not That a false and Lying Spirit or many is gone forth among them and hath Deceived them If there were but this one Mark or Character though there are many more mentioned yet it were enough of it self to Discover them that they are led by a Lying Seducing spirit which hath perswaded them That is Their Disowning and Reproaching so many Thousands of the Lord's People Ministers and Ambassadors sent of God Pastors of particular Churches and Congregations all Professing People in the Land yea in the World without exception of any And although many that are called Ministers in the Land and many Professors are grossely guilty of sin and deny Christ in their Works and Doings which is to be Lamented Must therefore all the Saints and true Members of Christ be Disowned and Denyed also whereof there are many thousands If these Men had the Spirit of God and
no less than Blasphemy Rev. 2.9 I know the blasphemy of them that say they are Jewes and are not but are the Synagogue of Sathan The Church of Ephesus is commended for this That as they cannot bear these false Teachers so also to discover them to try them and make them manifest to others by Scripture Characters and Marks by which they may be known Rev. 2.2 I know thy workes and thy labour and thy patience and how thou canst not bear them which are evil And thou hast tryed them which say they are Apostles and are not and hast found them Lyars The Apostle speaking of deceiving and deceived persons The Quakers deceive weak and simple minds he tells us they shall not long continue thus to deceive for their folly shall be made manifest to all men 2 Tim. 3.8 9. The Apostle by the Teachings and Inspirations of the Spirit of God having in the former verses told us that in the last dayes perillous times shall come That men shall be lovers of themselves proud boasters blasphemers c. in the next verse he shewes us a Token and sets a Mark of distinction upon them Of this sort saith he are they which creep into houses and lead captive silly women laden with sins led away with divers lusts ver 7. ever learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth We see here what sort of men are active to deceive what they do privately creep into houses and also the subjects they work upon by their cunning craftiness whereby they lye in wait to deceive as the Apostle saith That is silly women simple people persons of weak understandings and naturall faculties of shallow capacities easily led away with divers Lusts and Errors such kind of weak and simple minds are easily deceived They know not how to distinguish between Truth and Errors they are still Hearing and Learning but are never able to come to the knowledge of the Truth at least they are never able to come to the knowledge of some Truths for some Truths lye more deep than others Some are more easie to be apprehended than some others some Truths are hard to be understood as the the Apostle observes which they that are unstable pervert yea and they that are but weak and shallow of understanding do also pervert mistake misapprehend and misapply As for instance in this very thing This Principle and Opinion of the Quakers concerning the Light within We know how they apprehend it Their Teachers and their hearers they call it Christ who lighteth every man and woman that cometh into the world This Notion borders upon a Truth and hath some small shaddowy resemblance of a Truth but is not a Truth as these weak people apprehend it For there is a light within which sees and works and moves several wayes toward that which appeares good according as it apprehends it and against what it thinks to be evil now this herein hath some resemblance of Christ and his Spirit and so weak minds silly men and women may think it to be so indeed especially when they hear it positively and plainly asserted affirmed and contended for by men who have gained their affections by their demure Countenances modest behaviour and apparell and many good words and fair speeches with seeming zeal they are thereby confirmed in this perswasion that surely it is Christ indeed But this perswasion cometh not of him that calleth us Gal. 5.8 as the Apostle here saith but ariseth from weakness and ignorance from the darkness of the understanding helped on and strengthned by that deceiver of deceivers the seducing spirit who is still ready as to beget so also to feed and nourish false Opinions in the minds of all as God permits him Certain it is Reason and Natural Conscience is a Light within and discerns many things both good and evil and acts towards or against them accordingly so far as it sees and discerns according to the measure of Light that is in the Conscience This is clear from Rom. 1. where the Apostle speakes of the worst of men who had this Light in them and therefore were inexcusable in going against it This Light within though it be not Christ yet it was created by Christ as all things else were but it cannot go beyond its bounds No more than Natural water can of it self rise higher than the spring head the light within cannot see Christ nor the way and means of Salvation by him without the light of the Scriptures and of the Spirit of God But the Quakers are strongly confirmed That the Light within every man and woman is Christ let all men say what they will to the contrary yet most certain it is that this Opinion of theirs was begotten by ignorance and is nourished and maintained by Pride for they having asserted it and so long stood to it in upholding it they have not the humility to retract and acknowledge an Errour though some may be secretly convinced that it is so for it is Natural to men to maintain and stand to what they have once owned and asserted they are loth to stoop and acknowledge ignorance no not unto God himself much less to Men. I am perswaded There were never any Sect or sort of People from the Creation of the World to this day that were more irrational and less spiritual than these People the Quakers are in all their Discourses Principles Books and Practices nor greater Enemies to Christ his Gospel and his People As the Lord Liveth who hath delivered me out of great Tribulations and saved me from the hand of the Enemy I will contribute my utmost abilities to throw down the Enemies of our Lord Jesus Christ and these and all Doctrines of Devils and Lyes in Hypocrisie and whatsoever else shall Oppose him or his Interest in the World Now The Quakers shall not long continue to deceive this being manifest by all these Marks and Characters that have been mentioned That these Men the false Teachers among the Quakers are the false Teachers spoken of in the Scriptures that should come in these last days The Apostle also tells us that they shall not long continue to deceive they shall be of no long standing for their Folly shall be made manifest unto all men 2 Tim. 3.9 The Apostle here compares them to Jannes and Jambres two of Pharaoh's Magicians whose Names are to be seen in some Ancient Authors who withstood Moses in his time so do these resist the Truth Men of Corrupt minds Reprobate concerning the Faith These Teachers Men of Corrupt minds resist the Truth a most dreadful sign of Reprobation though the Truths of the Gospel are brought and plainly laid before them to turn them from the Error of their way in their false unchristian Principles and Practices yet they resist the Truth they disown it and reject it and they that Offer it to them and that with many reviling hard speeches against them for so doing