Soul Summond to Death and Judgement looks to Relations c. they all Answer they are in the same Case c. It looks to Wordly Estate c they tell us they will go with us as far as the Grave and provide a Coffin and a Sheet and a Burial c. 3. The old friend is Conscience who will go with us but can be a thousand witnesses against us c. It follows then clearly that the young Prince is the true Lord Iesus Christ not vanished away into a Light in every dark dungeon in the World but Conscience saith he is litterally ascended up into Heaven and will as literally make his speedy Return again to Iudgement The third Instance G. Fox pag. 12. brings in the same Author saying the Light doth not shine in the Consciences of them that be lost The Answer But Iohn saith he Light shines in darkness but the darkness cannot comprehend it and there is that of God in the Children of Disobedience and Reprobates as in Rom. 1. and 2. Chapters I Reply G. Fox is here in his Burrough and takes not the word Light in the same Sense his Opposite doth the Common trick of Cheators His Opposite takes it not for the heavenly Lights Sun Moon nor Earthly Light of Fire Candles precious Stones nor the Metaphorical Light of mens minds differing them from Beasts Birds Fishes Nor the Light of peace joy and Prosperity call'd in Scripture Light c. Nor the Light and Evidence of witness or Reason in Cases depending Nor the Light of the holy Scriptures and the preaching and offering of a 5 Saviour to poor lost Sinners But for that awakening saving Light convincing all mens Condition to be miserable and damnable of Grace and mercy offered and applied to a Soul by the good News of a Saviour someway heard of and the holy Spirit the finger or power of God G. Fox saith this saving Light is in mankind only persons don't mind it and so Christ Iesus is Crucified and slain in them and God and Christ and Spirit and Light c. are all captived hindred from working yea altogether killed slain in them because a Soul doth not mind them and hearken to Christ in them Ah poor simple bruitish Imagination that ever it should enter into the thoughts of Men professing to be Christians c. or of men professing to know more than the Wolves and Foxes in the wilderness I have spoke to this before therefore a word only to G. Fox his proof Rom. 1. and 2. Chapt. From these two Chapters he proves that there is that of God in the Children of Disobedience and Reprobates who denies it For there is something of God that is from the power and wisdome of God in the Fallen Spirits the Devils themselves But I know by that of God G. Fox means God himself prest down as a Cart with sheaves the holy Seed Christ Iesus under the Clods the holy Spirit in prison for the Soul is a part of the Essence or Being of God himself But that there is here a word or title of Colour to any of this dirt and filth flung in the face of the Majestie of Heaven This Scripture speaks of the work or working of the Law written in their hearts but what is this to a second writing of the holy Scriptures or writing inspired into the heart by the most holy Spirit yea what is this to a third writing of their Names written in Heaven in the Lambs Book of Life yea what is this to fourth writing the writing of the new Covenant Consisting of Sin and a new heart a heart of flesh in which his Law is written as formerly in Tables of Stone and yet we poor men of Iabesh Gilead must leave the Testimony as Gilead imports and suffer Nahush the Serpent to put out our right eyes and believe that every man hath the new Covenant Christ Iesus and the Kingdom of God c. with the Pharisees in every mans heart and yet he never knows of it 4. Instance In the same pag. 12 he brings in the same Author saying It is a Counterfeiting of the new Birth for men to 6 follow the Light wherewith men coming into the world are inlightned G. Fox Answ. which none comes to the new Birth but who come to the Light which every man c. in which believing is a Child of the Light c. I Reply G. Fox runs round agian and again like the windmil Sails It is saith he no Counterfeiting of a new Birth why because it is no Counterfeiting none comes to the new Birth but who comes to the Light c. As to the words in Iohn 1. Hitchcock at Newport alleadged that it was not in his Bible enlightneeth every man but lighteth every man c. John Stubs lockt in his greek Testament and confest it was Photizes which is not inlightneth but Lighteth 2. As to the Light We know there are two Opinions how Christ lighteth every man c. First as God in the Creation 2. As God man and Mediatour and that the Greeks word Erchomenon doth not relate to the word anthropon the man or every man that cometh into the world but phoce Light and that it must be read in this Sense viz that Christ Iesus the true Light cometh into the world lighteth every man that is in the world freely that will receive him Even as many whomsoever look up to him as Iohn 3. the stung Israelites to the brazen Serpent and that Christ Iesus is the Light of the world John 8. and 12. to as many as receive him according to 1 Iohn 12. and that the meer phrase imports no more then a Light held forth to all in the world as the Sun in the Heavens and Christs Followers Math. 5. are called by Christ Iesus the Light of the World Thus the word all and every man as I hinted before is used not absolutely but Comparatively and is figuratively taken in many places and four time in that one ver 1 Col. 28. viz. warning every man and teaching every man in all wisdome that we may present every man perfect in Christ Iesus which literally cannot be true Now G. Fox runs into his Burrough of the many significations of the word Light and the word all and the word inlightneth willingly ignorant that Christ Iesus as Mediator of the new Covenant inlightens none but those whom his Father gives him unto whom he gives Repentance to whom he opens the door of Faith and gives them to believe and suffer c. So that G. Fox Confounds the Elect and the World together and brings in a Counterfeit new Birth a Counterfeit Christ and at last a Counterfeit Salvation 7 5. Instance G. Fox pag. 20. brings in Henock Howet saying It is a fancy to say the Covenant of God is to all men in the world and the grace of God hath appeared to all men c. He Answ.
contrary to the Apostle who saith the grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all men contrary to the Prophet who saith I will give him for a Light unto the Gentiles a Light to the people Salvation to the ends of the Earth and a new Covenant to the house of Israel and Iudah and they that do not believe this are Condemned I Reply in these Considerations presented to the Conscientious 1. All mankind being fallen from God He graciously gave the Word or call to Abraham and made Promises both to his Natural and Spiritual Seed hence came the distinction of Jews or the Children of Abraham and the Gentiles as we English it 2. It pleased God to make two Convenants or Bargains with mankind 1. that of Justice and due debt to any man that yielded obedience in all things c. Rewards according too yea above desert This Bargain was made with our first Parents and with all mankind to this day yea even with the most savage and barbarous The second is of mercy and pity c. The Labans of the world change Covenants and Bargains ten times and still for the worse c. but the Father of mercies pitying Mans Misery and Inability offers a New and Infinitely easier and sweeter Bargain upon the Terms of only Mercy and free grace and pity 3. It is one thing for God to offer this Covenant or Bargain wherever the sound of this Gospel or glad News comes and another thing to embrace and receive it as all the Elect of God do and another thing to work freely and give freely the Means and Power to fulfil this Covenant as God doth by the Merits of his Sâ—n and his own powerful working of Repentance and belief in the hearts of all his Chosen 4. It is Common with the holy Spirit to speak Figuratively in the holy Scripture To call the Sign the thing signified and the Instrument or Means the work done Thus the Lamb is the Passover the Bread is Christs body the Cup is his Blood God and Christ is called the Hope of his people and Christ Iesus the Mediator of the Covenant called the Covenant it self The King pardons Rebels for his Sons sake his Son may in a Sense be said 8 though not literally to be the pardon it self A man drives a Bargain between two Chapmen that are absent and distant drives on a marriage between a Man and a Woman absent each from other and may in a Figurative Sense be called the Bargain or Covenant and yet not literally and properly as the poor Quakers would their Christ to be 5 The grace and mercy of God the Gospel or glad News is many wayes offered some are invited gently to come to the heavenly Wedding and Supper other Messengers more vehement even force persons in and the Kingdome of Heaven is taken by force many seek to enter many run It is not in him that willeth nor runneth but in God that sheweth mercy and the rest he justly hardeneth that God may be All in All. For as God walketh in the midst of his most wonderful Creation with his two feet of Mercy and Justice so he hath his two fingers and with one he wrote the Covenant of Justice in the Tables of Stone and with thâ— fingers of his Mercy and Grace he freely writes his Mind and Will in the Tables of Flesh and Hearts of his Chosen Many offers of Bargains and Marriages are made which never are embraced c. but in the new-new-Covenant God gives a new heart to his Chosen and gives not and is not the Covenant to any but his Chosen all the World over even to the ends of the Earth 6. For is it not a monstrous Dream of the Quakers to say that God and Christ Spirit and Covenant is in all Mankinde and that in a Gospel sence t is true as I said if G. Fox mean that the Knowledge of God in a sence is offered to each mans Conscience in the World though more expresly and gloriously where he sends his Messengers Wisdomes Virgins c. G. Fox beats the Fire I oppose him not but to say the Covenant or Bargain the Mediatour of the new Bargain and the Applyer of it the Holy Spirit is in every of Mankinde and if they will turn to it â— and yet persons know no such thing nor never heard of it and none ever had it so as to be saved by it but these Foxians is as wise as for a Man to have Fits of the Stone or Gout or a Woman have Pangs of Child-bearing and yet neither of them know any such matter no nor how she had any such Marriage Covenant or Husband nor ever any Word or Thought of it 7. The Bottome is this G. Fox cares not for the Iews nor 9 Gentiles no more then the Fox cares for Lambs and Chickins but to make a Prey of them he pretends Love to all Man-kinde and tells them they have Christ and the New Covenant and the Spirit within them yea he tells them he means not the Covenant of works but the Covenant of Grace he means that Christ that dyed at Ierusalem but when it comes too they mean no other Christ but a Spirit as Humphrey Norton more plainly then Fox confesseth and this Spirit will be found to be an Evil Spirit by Gods most wonderful wise and righteous hand as one saith upon them A 7th Instance G. Fox brings in pag. 24. Ioseph Kellet c. saying The Scriptures are the means of Faith He Answers and have thrown out Christ the Authour of it and God the Giver and the Scripture is but a Declaration of the Saints Faith and men had Faith before the Scripture was as Instance Abraham and Enoch I Reply G. Fox Answers three things First That his Opposites throw out God if they make the Scripture the means of Faith Secondly He slights the Scripture with a But it is but a Declaration of the Saints Faith Thirdly He slights the Novelty of it saying There was Faith before there was Scripture I reply I have had many Occasions to speak of the Scriptures already I shall therefore briefly say it is wonderful what an aking Tooth against the Holy Writings of God The old Serpent and all the Wolves and Foxes of this World have had who hath more or less damned and cursed it and longed to have it out of the World The Iews the Turks the Papists the Common Protestants the Quakers c make use of it for their ends but none can rightly use it but as a blessed Candle Lanthorn or Torch sent down from Heaven into this dark Dungeon of the World to guid us out unto the Saving Knowledge of God and Eternal Bleâ—â—edness with him For how doth this follow that if God hath appointed the Holy Writings as means that God and Christ are thrown out can there not be an Harmony between the first and all
a dumb Devil in their dumb meetings and stand still and listen and lie upon their beds of laziness for Revelations and Notions c. 8. As for G. Fox his scornful sling against old Authors what is it but pride and Ingratitude pride to undervalâ—e much more to scorn my Progenitors and Ancestors Ingratitude to God for so many helps c. and to them who have laboured and broke the Ice and left their Labours behind them for the benefit of after Commers yea what Injustice when I disregard and slight their writings and reproach them calling them Old Authors compared with their new Fancies as W. Edmundson did me frequently at Newport Old Man Old Man c. The 33 Instance is in Pag 206 where he brings in Iohn Burton sading It is a Scripture of the Devils making to apprehend Christ within He Answers If there be any other Christ but he who was Crucified within he is the false Christ and the Scriptures hold forth this and the Devil never made it but he and his Messengers are against it And he that hath not this Christ that was risen and 66 Crucified within is a Reprobate though Devils and Reprobaes may talk of him without I Reply This is the great dispute between the Christians and the Pagans the Christians and the Iews the Christians and the Mahumetans and the Christians among themselves so called viz. Who is the great Prophet 2. To what purpose should I alleadge the whole history of the Birth Life Death c. of the Lord Jesus since the Quakers acknowledge all true c. 3. Why should I alleadge the Sermons and Preachings and Writings of the Apostles or Messengers of Christ Iesus after his Ascention all harmonizing with the four Evangelists writing his Life and Death c. 4. Certain it is that he that shall turn over all the former Relations and Histories and all the writings and Sermons of the Apostles since and predicate a Christ that was risen within Crucified within in Opposition to that Iesus of Nazareth without he must have the Forehead of a Reprobate and Devil as G. Fox phrazeth it 5. G. Fox knows the Protestants predicate in Life and Death the believing in Christ Jesus so born so living and dying And the applying of the price of his Death and merits unto God for Propitition And the Applying of the Promise and new Covenant and Bargain in that Blood for a new Heart a new Spirit c. 6. What shall then become of G. Fox his believing in a Christ that was Risen and Crucified within in Opposition to this Lord Jesus so Promised so Prophesied of so prefigured so brought forth so living and dying so preached so believed on and what a Forehead of Hell must he have that calls all those Reprobates and Devils that talk of Christ without The 34th Instance is in pag. 214. where G Fox brings in the Elders and Messengers of several Churches of Ilston Abergevenny c. saying We are Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity c. He Answers David doth not say you who were Conceived in Sin but I and W. saith Iohn was sanctified from the Wombe and the Scriptures speaks of such as were sanctified from the Wombe and Children that were clean And so you do not speak as Elders and 67 Messengers of true Churches or Men dividing the Word aright but you are one against another though you are all against them you call Quakers that be in the Truth I Reply 1. In the passage G. Fox discovers to any Intelligent and Savoury Spirit not only a weak and deluded Soul but a Popish and Arminian poyson about the Estate of all mankinde in their first Birth a strong presumption that he never felt what the woful Estate of all mankinde by Nature is and what to Cry out in his own particular with David I was Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity which Cry is one of the first Soul Cries of every Child of God 2. About 120 years since the Father of Spirits stird up the Spirit of his Famous Servant Calvin to batter down the Babel of a Franciscan Frantick who maintained that God from the first Created both Devils and wicked men in the same Condition of wickedness wherein we now find them Contrary to the holy Scriptures Testimony as that Excellent Soul proved declaring their pure Creation their Fall and their respective future Estate and condition to Eternity 3. In the Reign of our late Royal Sovereign K. Iames it pleased God to let loose this Devil of Pelagius who rowzed up the wits of Arminius and his Followers in the low Countries during their twelve years Truce with Spain so that the Civil Discord about this point and other Pelagian and Semi-pelagian Doctrines had almost ruined Holland c. but that the Lord mightily assisted them First By the personal presence and Forces of the Prince of Orange and Secondly By the Famous Assembly and Disputes of the Synod at Dort 4. To follow the Fox into his Burrough what if David say not you but I why should the Papists and Arminians or Foxians have a more holy Birth then David Wherein could holy David Father Iesse and his mother be charged Is not the English of the word Devil Accuser Reproacher Slanderer Is not Nature that Law and Order which the most Infinite Creator hath set in the propagation of all his Creatures though the choicest of them Man be degenerated into the soure Vine at first a sweet Vine Nature or Gods Order goes on though mankinde be Corrupted from the Womb and the Imagination of the Thoughts of mans Heart be only evil and that continually Gen. 6. and millions of 68 Experiences all the world over Confirm it what the Trade of all mankinde is from the Birth The Spots of the Leopard and the Blackness of the Neger comes not by Accident c. 6. The perversness and Crookedness of the motions of Nature may continue though Nature and the Course of it run on as we see in Rivers turn'd out of their Chanels in Clocks and Watches and Dâ—al and Lutes and Harps when out of Tune they give their Natural and Artificial though distempered Sounds and operations 7. Beside the holy Testimony of Moses Gen. 6 and David Psal. 51. and the Lord Jesus declaring what the heart of man is Mark 7. How doth Paul Rom. 5. and 7. declare the Entrance of Sin by the first Man until by the second Man Sin and Death and Hell be Conquered and at last Sin in Gods Children fully dissolved and abolished 8. I end this passage with Appellation to all that knâ—w what Children are all the world over the sweetest and the fairest born of the holiest and sweetest Parents how froward how proud how Revengeful against their Fathers Mothers and most tender Nurses 1. These rotten and crooked Dispositions in every Childe bring forth wilde Asses fruits in Youth
Their great Blunderer Humphry Norton he deals as plainly and roundly as G. Fox his aemulous Corrival falsly and fraudulently when that holy Scripture If in this Life only we have Hope c. was here objected to Humphry Norton he clapt his hand on his Breast saying He had it there already that is opposing it to and denying the Hope in the Life to come especially as to their Bodies which are not raised up they say Spiritual Bodies being though of late more subtly and hipocritically all one with those deceived Souls that said the Resurrection was past already It is true they will pretend to owne the Scriptures Christs humane Nature the Resurrection and Judgement and Faith and Hope ahd Repentance c. as true and sound as any Protestant but still it is no otherwise but as G. Fox and Ed. Burroughs say in this Book that is as I have and shall open in a most Iugling and deceitful Sense and meaning It is reported that some of them at their Death have used those words Lord Iesus receive my Spirit some have Charitably thought that they intend thereby their going presently into the presence of Christ Jesus but as the Truth and bottom however they blind the world and the weakest of their Followers until they be fit to wean and fall to strong meat others of them Covertly say write and others of them more plainly say viz. That they believe no more Rising of their Bodies then the rising of a Dog and as to their Spirits they believe Souls are 122 patts of God and go unto God and into God and therefore their saying Lord Iesus receive my Spirit is no more then Lord Jesus receive thy self according to some of their plain Expressions To whom should I pray my self to whom should I give Thanks my self wherein their woful black and filthy Spirit Contradicteth it self amongst themselves though they agree in the Devils Bait which Catcht himself and with which he Catcht our first Patents and all his Posterity viz. Ye shall be as Gods live as God know as God be Gods and Christs for Evermore I shall now crave the Readers patience to hear some few Quotations out of G. Fox which my quarter of an hour would not then permit declaring thâ—ir Apostacie and Heresie in the matters of Repentance Faith c. In Pag. 127. he brings in Iohn Bunyan saying It is a Counterfietlng of the New Birth for men to follow the Light wherewith men coming into the World are enlightned G. Fox Answereth which none comes to the New Birth but who comes to the Light wherewith every man c. which believing in is a Child of the Light believing and receiving comes to receive power to be the Sons of God I Reply none are truly Converted born again c. but in a true Sense they come to Christ Jesus For the Scripture saith he gives Repentance to Israel He is the Author and Finisher of our Faith But that Jesus Christ as God so the Quakers owne him and as man for so they also owne him should be in every man and Woman and Child in the World I have proved and shall prove it to be a blockish and Devilish Fancy 2. If this Light this Christ the Mediator between God and man be only a Spirit and not man why do the Scriptnre why do the Quakere madly say there was such a man though they cannot tell now what is become of him except he be as they say within c. 3. If this Light this Christ this Mediator be in every man what should be the Reason that so many Thousands and Ten Thousand of Millions see him not Only a few persons Cursing and Reviling all the rest and that say all but the Quakers are deceived Can the Sun be in a Chamber and persons not blind but 123 seeing and awake and using his Light and yet not see it Certainly it is but a painted Sun that doth not shine equally on all it is but a painted Fire that doth not burn and the Quakers are but Pictures of Christians and pictures of men to argue aftet such a Rate that Christ not only as God and Creatour should be in every man but also as the Mediator as the Spirit and yet not operate according to the Nature of the Sun and Fire It is true the Lord Jesus came into the dark world and their darkness comprehended him not to be He that was to come the true Messiah but when Christ Jesus as Mediator the true or only Light shall dwell in the Understanding and Will and Memory and Affections of a man or Woman and those persons be savingly inlightened by him as you write and yet not Converted and saved by him it can be the Language of none but those that peep and mutter Isai. 8. but have no true Light but a false and painted Light within them Lastly saith Fox this turning to the Light within is the New Birth But the Holy Record saith that till the preaching of the Word or Gospel or glad News come to the mind of a man ordinarily by the Ear and hearing and preaching Rom. 10. there is no Faith nor Covenant nor Christ nor God in the Soul Ephes. 2. and we are not only in darkness but darkness it self Ephes. 5. and only by the holy Word and Spirit preached the blessing Isai. 59. God shineth in our hearts and not by any such Immediate Fantastick Faith or Spirit as the Anti Christian Quakers dream of yea against the Light of a twofold Experience in their own Souls 1. That many of them being enlightened and formerly Convicted by the reading or preaching of the Doctrine Word or Will of God revealed in the holy Scripture 2. That of their new Light as they falsly and foolishly prate pretended to be brought unto their Ears and knowledge by the means of these new Apostles Preachers and Ministers so pretended of Christ Jesus When God hides that is by Spiritual Iudgements the Light of Scripture of the Spirit of Reason and of Experience c. who can find it out No man no nor Devil can subsist one minute without the power of Christs Eternal Power and God-head 124 but when Christ Jesus comes into the Soul as Mediator of the new Covenant and be thus idle and not operative in all mankinde in the World and not to Convert and work belief in them which must be either because he cannot or because he will not as the Leaper said is as black and blasphemous a Fancy as any Atheistical or AntiChristian Soul can harbour He brings in George Willington saying He is Iustified by Faith alone without good works He Answers What without Faith that works by Love I Reply In this passage and in many others this subtle man clearly discovers what he makes true Justifying Faith to be viz. not one hair breadth more then the Faith that may be to God in the first Covenant the Covenant of
offer Eternal Praise by and in the Eternal Son of God the true Lord Iesus Christ whome I desire joyfully to expect to return from Heaven as literally and personally as all true Christians hold Act. 1. he is ascended AN APENDIX OR Addition of Proofs unto my thirteenth Position Viz. That the Quakers Writings are Poor Lame and Naked not able to defend themselves nor comfort the Souls of others with any solidity I could produce most of their chief extant but I have been occasioned to deal with G. Fox their great Goliah in some Scores of Passages of his Book in Folio in the Narrative aforesaid Unto which I judge fit to adde the Scores following faithfully presenting his Opposites Words as he quotes them his Answers and then my Reply let him that Readeth understand I Have chosen out the short Assertions of G. Fox his Opposites as he quotes them and his short Answer for brevity sake c. 1. The first of this Addition I name is in pag. 6. of G. Fox his Folio Book where he brings in Samuel Eaton saying The Apostle faying to the Saints You know all things it is 2 an excessive speech G. Fox Answer contrary to Iohn and would make him a Lyar the Minister of God so he is in the false spirit gone out into the World contrary to 1. Ioh. 2. Who know all things I Reply 1. I cannot learn that they litterally hold that they know all things knowable as God though G. Fox writes that they know all things as God yet I can not think them so gross as to imagine that they know all things past present and to come as the Devil pretends he doth and offers to reveal so much to some Conjurers but I judge they must come to some figurative meaning as their opposite writeth For 2. What hinders as before but if the Quakers be Omniscient and know all things but they should be also Omnipotent and do all things for so Paul writes Phil. 4. I can do all things I know they say they are one with God and Christ and they know all things and can do all things and yet this sense which litterally is so Proud and Blasphemous must be made out by a meaning and by a figure which they cry out against in others 3. Therefore doth not the Spirit of God in Prov. 28. open this to us saying Evil men understand not Iudgement but they that seek the Lord understand all things that is God answers their Prayers and inables them to know and do all that he calls them to when the proud and scornful are rejected 4. Therefore I believe it is that the most Holy and most just and wise Lord leaves these poor proud and scornful Souls to seek wisdome and not to find it to be ignorant knowing nothing as Gods Spirit speaketh and to discover their Ignorance in so many Fundamentals of Christianity and in so many practices immodest irrational and more then savage as I have proved against them 2. In pag. 11. G. Fox brings in John Bunyan c. saying The Scripture plainly denies that Conscience can justifie though it may condemn He Answ. which is contrary to Scripture where the Apostle saith Rom. 2. their Consciences either accusing or excusing And again herein do I exercise my self to have a Conscience void of offence toward God and toward Men and the Light condemns which you call Conscience c. I Reply Conscience in greek Latine and English c. signifies a Knowing together a Reâ—lexion or looking back of a mans mind or Spirit upon it self in point of Iustification or pardon of sin 3 Conscience looks upon a cursed rotten Nature then upon millions of sins of Omiâ—â—ion and Commission which how to satisfie an infinite Justice for and to attain a new heart and nature is the high business and out of the reach or thought of that poor Conscience which every man Iew or Gentile Civilized or Pagan comes into the World with In the great Tryal of the three greatest sinners that ever were in this World the Devil and the first Man and first Woman two of them their Consciences condemned them and they confest the Fact though with extenuation and Excuses could this their condemning Conscience especially with mincing of sin as all mens natural Consciences do I say could this Conscience or Consession pardon their sin reniew their hearts and be their Justification or clearing and Salvation T is true Abimelechs Conscience justified him from the Fact of lying with Abrahams Wife as well as Iosephs Conscience justified him from the falsly imputed guilt of lying with his Mistress or attempting of it But was this the Pardon of Abimelechs sin his Justification and Salvation after the Canting Language of this poor Fox and all the Foxians that I have seen and I have read all I could come at c. Oh how little do these poor Beasts seek what infinite Justice infinite Punishment infinite Payment is what Conscience truly pacified is upon the Pardon of Sin and true peace of Conscience Sprinkled with the Blood of that only Lambe of God Christ Jesus Amongst the Indians I have known some falsely accused of stealing English Mens goods of killing English Mens Cattle yea of Murther and I have heard them say that Manit that is God and their own Souls know they are Innocent This Innocency who questions but that it is their plea and excuse and discharge from that guilt falsly charged on them If this be all that G. Fox saith he beats the Air and hath no Enemy No no It is a Conscience Justification within a Christ shedding his blood within in a subtle fly opposition to the pardon without us from the K. of Heaven for the sake of his Son without us this is the business which these Traitors to the K. of Heaven aim at Now they will be perfect and never more admit a sinful thought and this their present Honesty shall pay the old score of a Cursed Na 4 ture and millions of Treasons and Rebellions in Commissions and Omission against the God of Heaven It was a pertinent Similitude used before Q Elizabeth A King sent for his Lord Deputy of a Province to come home and give account c. The guilty Deputy goes to a great friend desires his Company c. he said He was sent for also himself and feard his own Issue He goes to others desires their Company c. They make excuse and promise to have him or the way c. Then goes the Deputy to an old friend who promised to go with him and what he could speak for him only if the K. asked he must speak the Truth and that will be said he your Destruction and therefore adviz'd him to make the young Prince his Friend and Mediator for whose sake the King would deny no Favour no pardon no Honour c. The Application may be large and useful but in short A
Times and persons But what is this to the Natural Death of all mankind 16 Heb. 9 I know the Foxians would turn this Scripture and that golden Chain Heb. 6. the first Christian Principles and the Eternal Judgement into Mysteries and that they now Judge the Secrets of Men Rom. 2. by Pauls Gospel therefore by looking on a man they can discern the inward parts and what each person is For the Lord is now come saith Enoch and Iude in ten thousands of his Saints and now is the Day appointed in which God judgeth the World by that man Christ Iesus which man they are of which the word of God hath approved in that they are raised from the Dead in Souls and Bodies to keep the Eternal Iudgement This Mystery many of their young Scholars and many that are truely fearing God amongst them will not believe But they spare not to owne their high Court of Iustice when they were put to it by Speech and writing and were it not for some obstacles especially two this were a fine Colour for their Courts like a Company of drunken Sots that kept a Court in Hartford-Shire and feigned themselves Judges and Justices and Officers had almost brought themselves all to the Gallows c. by hanging up one man until he began to look black and some of them began to fear their own Necks and to repent of their rash madness The first Obstacle against this their pretended high Court of Justice is their own Confession viz. Christ Iesus was real a Man as any of us and so continues except they can give an account of what is become of him which at Newport they could not do The second is their own Spirit and Practises which I have proved to be so far from Iude and Enochs 10000 Saints that their Pride and Scornfulness their Rash Revilings and Railings their Rash Cursings and Judgings their Superstitious and New Inventions their Blasphemies and Hypocrisies their Inhumanities and Impudencies such as render them so far from being the high Saints and Judges of the World that they fall under the Judgement of all sober end modest persons The 10. Iustance is in pag. 38. where he brings in Tho. Collier saying All that hath been are or shall be Converted since the Gospel Ministration are Converted by the Apostles words He Answers So he hath thrown out the Spirit which doth regenerate and Christ the way to the Father the Word that Sanctifi 17 eth and Christ the power of God to Salvation who said that they would not come to him that they might be converted so if they get all the Apostles Words and come not to Christ they are not Converted and none are Converted by the Apostles Words but who comes to the Life that the Words come from I reply and ask G. Fox what colour of Truth or Modesty is in his Inference viz. That if God please to appoint the Words his first Apostles used to be still the means of Conversion to he end of the World that then he hath thrown out himself c. For 1. Is not this Gods Covenant with Christ and all Christians that his Word and Spirit should be in their Mouâ—hs to all Generations wo be then to these wild frantick Inserences which disjoyn and separate what the most powerful most wise and holy hath joyned together 2. For may there not be as before many Agents Imployed by one glorious Efficient as in Moses building the Tabernacle Solomon the Temple Kings in their Royal Navies and Armies Fights and Battels is Moses here thrown out Solomon thrown out and Kings thrown out c when Abraham sent his Servants or Kings their Embassadours to Espouse Brides to their Sons and Heirs must Abraham and all wise Princes be thrown out c. Doth not rather this mad Soul throw out Moses and Solomon and Abraham and all Kings and great Efficients or first Causes yea and his own Brains in a mad proud Frolick all overboard together 3. For doth not Paul tell the Corinthians that they were Gods Husbandry and Gods Buildings inferring that under God not throwing him out he was a prime Husbandman yea as himself saith further a Master Builder yea doth not Paul tell the same Corinthians that they were the Messengers were co workers or Labourers together with God Hence Paul Preaching the Lord opened the Heart of Lydia and Philip Preaching the Lord opened the heart of the Eunuch and Panl so speaking Joh 14. and Barrabas that a great Multitude both of Iews and Greeks believed 4. It is true that without God and Christ Pauls Planting and Apollos Watering is nothing who denies this but therefore shall not Paul Plant and Apollo Water though much in vain as it was with the Lord Jesus his own heavenly Preaching and amazing Miracles 18 5. Do these Foxians themselves throw out God and Christ when as they say they use the Apostles words to gather Stones and build up the Church of God do they not say as much for their new fresh Foxian as ever was spoken of the Apostles or any pretending to succeed them I could give many Instances 6. There have been many Conversions to the Christian Name in these parts of the World called Christendome These the Papists brag to have effected in all the four parts of the World both in the East and West-Indies Asia and America as also in Africa and especially in Europe where theiâ— Man of sin chiefly resideth these Conversions have been wrought sometimes in parts and by degrees and sometimes of the whole Nations and this sometimes by the Sword sometimes by the Marriages of Princes all which are easily effected because as in the Shechemites and Samaritains case whose Peoples Nations Tongues and Multitudes will easily turn to the Beast with seven Heads and ten Horns and that very formidable Beast also for Fear and Gain and Hope c. will easily suffer the Whore of Rome to ride him 7. From these Peoples Tongues and Nations c. it hath pleased the most Holy and only Wise to gather out a Peaple to Himself by his Heavenly Witnesses the Waldenses in France the Wickclevists in England the Hussites in Bohemia the Lutherans in Germany the Calvanists in France c. out of the bloody Romish Whores Dominions 144000. Virgin Protestants thirsting after the Blood of Christ Jesus only for Salvation 8. The Father of Spirits hath stirred up some Witnesses in all Protestant Nations to preach against a Formal National or Parochial Conversion to witness against the Formality and Prophaness of the Common Protestants all one in Life and sometimes worse then the Papists and to bring thousands and ten thousands even the one hundred forty four thousand Virgins to endeavour after purity of heart and Life purity of Doctrine purity of worship purity of Churches c. These the Jesuits call Puritans and Confess that they only among the Protestants as themselves among the Papists are
teaching in the Hebrew applied from the new Prophets Isaiah and Ieremiah is the teaching of the new Covenant and that is the promise of Grace and Mercy to so many as are predestinate and called c. 2. That is no Immediate Extraordinary and miraculous business for this is common to all that repent or turn to God 3. Many had and may have the speaking with Tongues and working with Miracles and yet not know what the teaching of the Spirit in a new Birth is 4. In the Ordinary Teaching to Conversion the Lord owns his Servants as Fellow Labourers Workers Builders Husbandmen Fathers c. wherein he is pleased to open the hearts of one Thousand and Ten Thousand as he did in the first preachings of that glad News and I hope will do so again 5. The great Promise to Christ Jesus and his Seed is that there shall be a gracious Continuance in Christs mouth the mouth of his Seed of both the word that is preached and the holy Spirit more or less accompanying and Teaching Isa. 59. 6. What is there in G. Fox his wild Notion Can that which brings Salvation be outward Against all the Proofs before I mentioned and so many others concerning the Foolishness of Preaching c. Object He saith The grace of God teacheth every man to deny ungodly Lusts c. And I ask 1. If every man in the world hath this Immemediate work on them what 's the Reason we find none in the world no not the wisest until they have the Scripture or the Doctrine thereof some way opened to them that have been able to give us the least Tidings of any such business 2. What 's the Reason that so few in the world have any shew of Repentance c. much less a sound and and saving turning of the whole Soul unto God 87 Why do the Quakers make such adoe about their Apostles Men and Women as if that glorious Light the Father Son and Spirit in every man were not able to teach Effectually by his Extraordinary and miraculous power without their outward speaking to the Seed that is to God within them 4. If they themselves teach by such an Extraordinary and miraculous power as the Prophets of old and the Apostles of Christ Jesus did what should be the Cause why we see no such miraculous deeds done by any of them The Truth is God is pleased to chain up Sathan otherwise the Foxians would have their longing which it may be some shall after them But if they shall be permitted by God and assisted by the Devil to do as the Magicians did yet if their Doctrine be other then what is written as I have abundantly proved it to be while they cry out Light Light there is none as Isaiah speaketh not a Spark of Light within them The 43. Instance is in Pag. 247. where G. Fox brings in Christopher Wade saying The written Word is the Sword of the Spirit And he makes another Rule beside the Scripture false He Answers which we say is the Spirit which gave them forth whereby Peace is known upon the Israel of God And the Pharisees had the Scripture but had not the Sword of the Spirit the Scriptures testifies of the Sword of the Spirit I Reply 1. With all humble Reverence to the most holy Spirit of God who is God himself I affirme the Spirit or God can not here be the Sword intended For 1. This Spiritual Furniture being a Similitude taken from warlike and Military Provision and Artillery from Head to Foot the Helmet Breastplate the Shield the girdle the Shoes and every one applied to gifts and means flowing from Gods Spirit as Faith Hope Sincerity c. it were most improper then to bring in God or the Spirit to be the Sword or any of the other pieces 2. For there is no more Reason to make the Spirit or God to be the Sword then the Shield or any other piece 3. It seems too low to the holy Spirit and God to be here in this Similitude resembled to a Sword or Instrument in the hands of men to be drawn and brandished and fought withal for Offence and Defence at mens pleasure though in some Sence God 88 4. This was the Sword the only Sword is called a Sword with which the Lord Jesus fought and vanquished the Devil Gegraptas Gegraptai It is written it is written and we may well say of it as David of the Sword of Goliah by which Davidâ—nt â—nt off his head there is none to that c. The holy Spirit Christ and God are Authors of all these heavenly Gifts and Graces the Beginner and Finisher of Faith and therefore not Faith nor Hope nor any other piece of the Artillery themselves no more then the Armorer is the Helmet or the Cutler the Sword c. 6. In Revel 1. Christ and the Sword with two Edges which cometh forth of his mouth are distinct and can not be the same as G. Fox usually Confounds and mixeth all together Hence the the Word of Christ Col. 3. can not be Christ himself but that which cometh from him and tendeth to him 7. These great Interpreters are Confounded in themselves for here in Ephes. 4. the Spirit must be the Sword and Word of God But in Heb. 4. Christ must be the Sword with two Edges being the Word of God and not the Spirit So like Iuglers do they shift from one hand to another to Confound and beguile the Beholders Object But the Spirit saith G. Fox was before the Scripture and gave forth the Scripture I Answer what then G. Fox is before his Book and gave it forth is it not therefore G. Fox his word writing but G. Fox himself Or is it not the Kings Majesty before his Declaration or Proclamation to the world Is it not therefore the Kings word or is it the King himself This Immediate Inspiration of the holy Scripture from the Spirit makes it a Word so powerful a Magazine Store-house so full of Treasury so rich a Standard Touchstone or Weights so perfect for the trial of all Spirits all writings all Doctrines all Religions Worships Actions c. Object But the Pharisees saith G. Fox had the Scripture but they had not the Sword of Gods Spirit I Answer The Iews had and have and so the Turks have had much of it the Papists and the Quakers and other Blasphemors yea and the Devils themselves may have the Scripture the word of God in their Hands and mouths for may not a true Sword a choice Sword be in a mad mans hand whereby he may 89 mischief and wound and kill himself and others Hence men make merchandize of it sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie c. On the other hand the Spirit of God is promised to Gods Children Gods Spirit and Word are promised to go together in the mouths of all true Christians Isa. 55.
Pag. 326. where he brings in the same Author saying The manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man in the Church to profit withal and not to every man in the World G. Fox Answers The manifestation is given to every man to profit withal without distinction I will pour out of my Spirit upon all Flesh For the Spirit of Truth shall lead the Saints into all Truth And he shall reprove the World and that which doth reprove the World is manifest to the World I Reply I spake to this Text before in Answer to the Letter of my Neighbour I. T. as is to be seen in the Letters before our Disputes who declared himself satisfied with my Answers but G. Fox like a Cow with a Kettle on her head giving every one warning to stand clear he boldly slanders on and tumbles Heaven Earth and Hell together c. 1. This 1 Cor. 12. expresly declares three things 1. That it pleased God to appoint in his Christian Church and Worship the Ministry of Apostles Prophets Teachers c. according to Rom. 12 Ephes. 4 c. 2. He bestoweth several Gifts and Endowments on such persons whom he pleaseth to call unto such Ministrations 3. He vouchsafeth to give a gracious Concurrent Operation of his Spirit unto these his Gifts Ministrations what now is this gracious promise of the Father of Lights to the Garden of his Church Saints the howling Desart of the whole world from whence the Garden is taken in inclosed and separate Because a Queen is a Woman must therefore all the Honours and kindneffes of a glorions Prince due to his Royal Consort be dispensed in Common to all the Women in his Kingdome or Dominions The Garment in which the Queen is brought is a Garment of Needle work richly and most curiouâ—ly embroydered with the graces and Operations of the holy Spirit doth it therefore follow that those Heavenly Embroyderies c. belong to every nnclean and Lousie Begger 102 Yea but this prophane Mouth hath something to say for it self three things he saith full of Prophaneness and Simplicity 1. I will pour out my Spirit upon all Flesh. But 1. Was this as he speaks without all distinction done actually was it Universally so with all the Individuals of mankind in the world at that time 2. Was not there a wonderful Wall of separation between the Iews and all other Nations which the Lord promised by the Prophets to break down and at the coming of the Lord Jesus and ever since hath more and more broke down and abolished Is not Gideons Floor which was dry the poor Gentiles and we English among them now wet with the Dews of Heaven while the poor Iews which were only wet at first are dry and barren 3. What is that Extraordinary Promise of Gods Extraordinary pouring out of his Spirit in Fiery Tongues and Prophesyings fitting some to go unto all Nations to carry the glad News or Gospel had others and all Believers those Gifts least of all with any shew of Reason belong they to all the Men and Women in the world who have never seen and heard of any Glimpse of the Sun of Righteousness 4. Again I observe how vainly and wickedly this deluded and deluding Soul cheats himself and others with this Tearme All Flesh Every man All the World and so with the Terms Light Christ Spirit his proud Fancy playeth c. not dividing the Hoof by just and holy distinguishing a Crime that he often upbraids his Opposites most odiously with in his Book not dividing c. but is most notoriously guilty as ever was filthy Camel in this world or any of the unclean Beasts c. G. Fox his second Answer here is The Spirit of God shall lead the Saints into all Truth I observe here how like a Skittish Jade this wild Soul runs in and out and cannot keep to one steady Affirmation Before he brings in the Spirit of God poured out upon the Common of the World now he brings in the spirits leading the saints Gods Garden and Paradice Yet again in his next words he concludes every man in the World to have the spirit because saith he The spirit reproves the World and that which doth Reprove the World is manifest to the World I Answer The holy spirit testifies that he is the Comforter of the saints but a Reprover of the World that he Comforts the 103 Saints in the Promises Assurances c. that he Reproves the world in his Threatenings and Judgments That the world knows not sees not the Spirit but mocks at receives it not but banisheth imprisoneth murthereth such in whom the true Spirit of God appeareth Hence it is that because of this Spirit of God in any soul three are against two two must be against three in the same house the Parents against the Children and the Children betray their Parents unto Death yea two in a Bed and two in a Belly and yet he whom Gods Spirit chooseth shall be mockt and murthered by the other and yet this lying Peor tells us that all the world without distinction have the manifestation of the Spirit of God to prosit withal 5. There have been persons professing the Order of the holy Ghost yet far from the favour of the holy Spirit there hath been a great Ship in the world full of Sailors and Souldiers called the holy Ghost and yet scarce one man in it known to have any Acquaintance with Gods Spirit Alas what are the Babilonish Orders of these pretenders to the Holy Ghost or Spirit what are they but a poor Ship full of Resisters of Gods Spirit and Enemies to the greatest Enjoyers of him in the World the true Protestant Witnesses whom they professedly oppose under the Name of Professors I hope as I have often said that many of them are of the two hundred that followed Absolom in honesty and simplicity 6. But Oh what Reproofs of Gods Spirit hath G. Fox and others of their Leaders had in and by so many excellent Opposites and Scriptures and Arguments which G. Fox here proudly tramples under his prophane feet without any savour of the holy Spirit of God! It is true it pleaseth God as I said to strive with men by preachings by writings by their own Readings by publick Iudgments and private and also by publick mercies and private for Acts 14. every Drop of Rain is Gods voice word or witness c but what is this Common grace to that Regenerating and changing Spirit John 3. to the opening of Lidiahs and so of all saints hearts by his free and holy spirit or Finger what is this to the same Power that raised Christ Jesus from the Dead Ephes. 1. that raiseth any poor sinner unto a new and holy and spiritual Condâ—tion 104 7. Excellent and most heavenly is that similitude Cant. 1. Because of the savour of thy good Ointments therefore do the
c. 6. Yea as to those three whom G. Fox boasts of Iohn Paul and Peter Doth not Iohn cry out 1 Iohn 2. If we Confess our â—ins he is Faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Doth not Paul Confess and bewail his coming short when he cries out that the good he would do he did not but did the Evil he would not and with his flesh did serve the Law of sin though it was not Paul that sinned but sin that dwelled in him A Mistery which I more then fear the most High hath hidden from this poor Foxes Eye And as to Peter to say nothing of his stupendious failing of his 116 Master c. even after his awakening after the Lords rising and Peters seeing and talking with him his bold profession and preaching of him to the Conversion of hundreds and thousands yet how is he charged by Paul for coming short of his Duty for Gross Weakness and in a kind Hipocrisy and Dissimulation so that such a cloud of witnesses o'rewhelming these new Gods Papists and Quakers how Righteous is it with God to make their Faces ashamed with the filth of their own nakedness in the highth of the pride of their conceited Deities The 60 Instance of G. Fox his lame Answer is in pag. 372. where he brings in Thomas Hodges saying The Scripture speaks of God after the manner of men He Answers The Scripture speaks of God after the manner of the Spirit and to the Spirit whereby men may receive him and know him by the Spirit which natural men can not 1. I Reply This bewitched and bewitching Soul hath all along his Book been picking out sweet Flowers out of his Opposites Gardens from whence he hath suckt turned the sweet juice of Heavenly Truths into the poyson and Venome of his proud Conceits So here he denies this Heavenly Mystery of Gods revealing himself to us after the way and manner of men having Head and Hair and Eyes and mouth c. wherein his Incomprehensible Goodness is pleased to stoop to us even the highest and proudest Souls as Nurses do to Children or as Physitians to weak and Crazy and distempered persons 2. But what shall we say to all those holy Scriptures which not only liken God to a man a man of war a Sheepherd a Warfaring man an Husband man c. but also to a Shield and other Insensibles Natural or Artificial as a Sun a Tree a Rock an House a Fort a High Tower c. When God revealed himself to Abraham Gen. 15. I am thy Shield c. will this foul mouth say that this similitude of a Shield was not a Familiar Metaphor or Figure wherein God speaks to Abrahams weak Capacity Or will he say that God speaking so to Abraham spake not also in the way the Spirit Or that God is Literally a Shield 3. It was a late Speech of one of the best Philosophers and of the best Christians that Old England or New ever had Then shall we know to wit in the next life in the Heavenly State to 117 Come how to answer that great Question What is God But this poor wild Asses Colt G. Fox he can resolve the Question he can gather up the Ocean in the hollow of his hand he can weigh the Everlasting Mountains and Winds in Scales and Inclose not only the Sun c. but also the Incomprehensible Sun of Glory and Purity within his Iuglers Box c. 4. For what would this little Thief and Fox or the great Thief and Fox the Devil have but blow out the Candle and Torch and Sun of the holy Books and Records that so the Father of Lies and Murthers may be heard as he hath been heard in the Grecian Oracles in Mahomet and the Mahumetans in the Pope and the Papists so by his whisperings in the Foxians as if he were the most holy Spirit of the Eternal God himself Immortal Invisible and only Wise. 5. For is it not the Devils Trade to play the subtle Hunter as do also his Iourney-men who ly in wait to catch men and to trim his Pits and Gins and Snares with green leaves and Boughs and Twigs viz fair pretences of the Spirit the Spirit the Immediate Spirit the Infallible Spirit the Teachings of the Spirit the manner of the Spirit speaking to the Spirit and Christ within you Christ within you except you be Reprobates Christ within you the hope of Glory c. These are fair Leaves and sweet heavenly green Boughs on which the Old Serpent twineth and from whence he uttereth even Scripture it self and the sweet Names God and Christ and Spirit in a frantick purpose to stab for he knows he can not the holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also 6. More particularly what doth he mean that God speaks not to us after the manner of men but by the way of the Spirit after the manner of the Spirit He grants that the holy Scriptures were given forth from the Immediate Inspâ—ration of the Spirit He knows that we maintain from Isai. 59. the great Promise of the Word and Spirit together to the mouth of Christ Jesus and his Seed and his Seeds Seed And also that we affirme that no Reading no Hearing no Meditation no Afflictions c. can do a Soul any good until God by the Power or Finger of his own self or Spirit makes the means Powerful and Effectual All this serves not but that which Sathan drives at and which alone must serve his Ends is Immediate Immediate Inspiration with a damning or changing the means by the most Holy and only Wise God Appointed 118 7. It is one of the Proverbs of the Ancients Sus Minervam docet The Sow teacheth the Goddess of Wisdome It is most Infallibly true here this filthy Sow that seems to be washt from Common vices and yet wallows in the mud Dunghils of Mystical Filthiness He must teach wisdome it self how to speak and appoint him his way and by wresting and racing out what he can the Holy Records how to reveal himself unto the Sons of men 8. It is pertinent to Consider the ground of this his only owning the manner of the Spirit viz. This Immediate Spirit speaks to the Spirit within What is the English of this Ridle The Immediate Spirit within speaks to the Spirit within But their Spirit will tell us that God and Christ and Spirit and Light and New Covenant and Faith and Holiness c. are all in prison within in every man until the Immediate Spirit without means perswade a person to hearken within to him as to Christ Light and Spirit which will bring him to God and Christ round in a Conjuring Circle Christ brings to Christ the Spirit brings to the Spirit which though it be true after Conversion and in growth and Increase of the Grace and Knowledge of Christ by the use of
the Scriptures within their Teacher within They stil say The Scripture was not the Word of God the Scripture is but a dead Letter they have no need of Paper-Teachers having the spirit that gave it forth Yea as the Papists say if the Scriptures were lost and burnt out of the world the spirit within them could give new Scriptures T is true the Quakers in this Dispute professed to be tryed by the Scriptures which the first Quakers among us wholly denied but only by the Spirit within them But what avails this Confession Is it not but a subtle trick of Equivocation when stil they profess to owne G. Fox all along and he professeth the Soules of all men to be a part of God and the divine Essence and that their is no distinction between God Christ and Spirit and themselves what should hinder but that the Scripture is but a dead Letter and compared with their spirit a weak and needless Paper unto them that hath such a light and Spirit within to guide them I told them before and now that there was an Irish Papist in the late warrs that spoke the very heart and soul of Iews Papists and Common Protestants and the Quakers themselves as to the holy Scriptures In plundering and rifling a Protestants house he found a Bible and flung it in the Kennel and kickt and trod upon it saying The plague of God take this Book it is the cause of all these Quarrels My Opposite said they owned the Scriptures in their place as a Declaration of the Saints Conditions Iohn Burnet took a Bible and read publickly that Passage in Luke 1. where Luke calls his Writing a Declaration I urged that this will of God for this Declaration of what Christ said and did and of all the rest of the Scripture was a Declaration and Revelation of Gods Will to his People and to the whole World this written and revealed 90 will of God I said was the Judge and Decider of all Questions the tryer of all Spirits all Religions all Churches all Doctrines all Opinions all Actions They answered they did owne the Scriptures and would be tryed by the Scriptures which is a new trick meaning according to their own not to be questioned Interpretations I urged that they set up their Spirit above the Scriptures fathering all their Revilings Cursings and Abominations upon the holy Spirit I asked whether they owned the Scripture as the square Rule or Guide according to whose sentence all the Knowledge of God and of our selves the Knowledge of Gods Worship and Service and our own Blessedness and Salvation was to be determined yea and the Spirit within them to be tryed determined approved and condemned also They still fled to this Burrough the Spirit that gave forth Scripture is greater then the Scripture the spirit is in us that Spirit only opens the Scripture the Spirit is immediate and infallible and they only who have this Spirit know the Scriptures I answered that I maintained the inward breathing of the holy Spirit more than themselves for I quoted before Luke 11. viz. that we ought in all our Preachings Hearings Readings Prayings c. to beg the help of the Spirit called the Finger and Power of God and yet I also maintained that this Record this Word Will or Mind of God written and pen'd by chosen Pen-men as Pens in the hand of his holy Spirit and so miraculously preserved from the Rage of the Devils fiery Instruments Babilonian Assyrian Romane and Popish Tyrants and that much among the Jewes and Papists and much by their meanes also though they hate it I say this Record is the outward and external Light Lanthorn Iudge Guide Rule by which God witnesseth himself and his Truth in the World comforteth and feedeth his saints in their Dispersions discovers and reforms the defects and wanderings of his People as in Iosiah his finding this Record and Ezekiel Iohn eating the Book out of which the holy Spirit inspired them to prophesie to Kings and Peoples c. T is true who doubts it but that God and the Spirit were before the Scriptures and so he was before the Creation before Christ Jesus was born and his Redemption actually accomplished are the works of God therefore and the several Dispensations and Institutions and Instruments of God in their several times and 91 places of any whit less power or esteem because the most holy God and his most holy Spirit were before them Iohn the Baptist saith that Christ Jesus was preferred before him for he was before him and he was not worthy to unloose the Shoe-latchet of Jesus the Lamb of God and yet for the fulfilling of all Righteousness the Lord Iesus must come to Iohn to be baptized of him and the holy Spirit of Light will declare himself to be true by the holy Scriptures and discover all other Spirits to be spurious false and Bastards and notwithstanding their cracking and prating of Light if they slight this outward standing Record and Witness of God in the World it is because there is no light in them One of these two must be done either we must subscribe to the Papists and by their pretended Spirit and Church find out and authorize the Scriptures just as the Foxians say or else we must with Luther and his Associates Calvin and his followers maintain Learning study the Scriptures search the Originals Copyes and Translations and vindicate their Purity and Perfection their Authority and sole external Direction how to judge of all pretending Christs and Prophets and Doctrines Churches and Spirits While we were thus discoursing W. Edmundson propounded this Similitude if I should write a letter to a friend and subscribe my name W. Edmundson doth it follow therefore that the Letter is W. Edmundsons I answer that the Quakers do affirm that the Scripture is within them what is the english of that but that the Light which they and every man in the World hath within them the Christ the Spirit which every one hath is Scripture and in a sence I said it was a Truth that W. E. his letter to his friend was W. Edm. not only a Declaration of his word mind or will to his Friend but in a respect his mind and will it self that he sent in Writing to his Friend and so the Scripture in a Sence is Gods mind and Will to us Upon this occasion I told them that the Scriptures were the Love Letters of Christ Iesus to his Church as the Love-Letters of some mighty Monarch to his Betrothed Queen or Empress they are dear not as common Paper and Ink but as the Good-Will the dearest Love and heart of the King and Emperour himself and thus are holy Scriptures highly prized and embraced and laid up in the heart and bosome of the true Children of God 92 believed listned to and followed as the voice of Christ Iesus to his true sheep and Spouse the Bastard Children and
the Wolves covered only with the sheepskins they have other Words Letters Spirits 2 Thes. 2. whatever they prate of Scripture and speak brave swelling empty words as Iude speaketh T is true as G. Fox all along in his Book vapours that the Spirit was before Scripture and gave forth Scripture but I proved before that their Spirit their Light their Christ were but hellish Darkness the spirit of Sathan and a false lying Christ c. 2. The Dispensations of God were many and divers as before the Law and after but in this last and third dispensation he hath spoken that is his word mind and will whatever the Quakers as well childishly as Blasphemously prate to the contrary by his Son And as the Son himself the Lord Jesus in his own person when he personally maintained that famous combat with the Devil used no other weapon but Prayer and Fasting and the Holy Scripture so he left written this holy patern and example that we through Patience and Comfort of the Scriptures might have hope Rom. 14. Luther being demanded how he gain'd such knowledge and abilities in such blind Popish darkness he freely confessed that the holy Scripture was his first help the second Meditation the third earnest Prayer to God to vouchsafe his Spirit to bless the two former unto him The Lord Jesus therefore not only ordained his Messenger or Preachers of his glad Tydings to Iews and Gentiles but his Pen-men also Ioh. 20. for those two great ends as to us to wit 1. These things are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ to wit that that individual person and man called Jesus was the Christ the Messiah so long promised and expected contrary to the Blasphemous Fancies of the Quakers And 2. That Believing in him that individual person called Jesus and not in a Fancy within we might have Life and Blessedness It is no wonder therefore that the Devil the great Thief as he compasseth Sea and Land with the Pharisees Iesuites and Quakers to make Proselytes so wherever he comes he labours to blow out the Candle of the Holy Scripture It is the Spirit Breath or wind of the Devil in the lips of Atheists Iews Papists Quakers Ranters c. that puffs and blows 93 against this Holy Light more precious infinitely then the Sun in the Heaven it hath been most wonderfully to amazement preserved like the Sun in the Firmanent and shines most gloriously again and again after the blackest and longest storm and night of Apostacies and Persecution The Turkish Hystory tells us of a Woman appearing in the Heavens with a Book open in her hand some of their Mahumetan Priests dared to say for which one greatly suffered that the Woman was the Christian Church and the Book was their Bible or Scriptures which threatned ruine to their Mahomet and Alcoran Iohn was not commanded and in him the Protestant Witnesses to stand still and listen to a Light to a motion or voice within but to eat up the little Book open once again in the hands of Christ Jesus Rev. 10. and after this eaten up to prophesie to Peoples and Nations to Tongues and Kings Whether this Book be the Book of the Revelation or the Book of the whole Bible or Scripture it is apparent that during the 42 Months of the the Papal Reign and Darkness Christ Iesus hath given Authority and power to his Witnesses to search after the Holy Records in the Original Hebrew and Greek Copies and to bring them forth by Translating and Preaching the Doctrine of them c. for which they have suffered Death and Burning as Tindal and many other excellent men of God The Walls of Rome yea the Gates of Hell have shaken and felt the might of this Heavenly Artillery It lies therefore the Devil and all his Messengers in hand to break to pieces or to nail up their heavenly Ordinance It hath been observed that there never were any more than others famous for Christanity but they first were famous for an admirable Love kindled by God in their Hearts to the Holy Scriptures It is true the Iews to whom the Oracles of God were committed to wit in the Old Testament how studious have they been in it even to every Word and Letter they accounted it a crime for any Book to ly upon it but this alwayes to lye uppermost My self have seen the Old Testament of the Iews most curious writing whose price in way of trade was threescore pound which my Brother a Turkey-Merchant had and shewed me But I speak of an inward love a Soul-love c. It is wonderful what Luther relates of that blessed Duke of Saxony whom 94 God stir'd up to favour and cherish Luther c viz. that he caused his six Pages each of them to read to him daily everyone his hour in the Holy Scripture This was the affection in all the first Witnesses the Waldensians the Bohemians the English French Dutch Scotch c. who together with the Scriptures had mighty Affection to the study of the Hebrew and Greek in which golden Cups and Bowles the King of Kings was pleased to convey the Wine like Ahashuerosh of his Eternal Majesty and Goodness to us It is wonderful to consider how much the study of the Scriptures and of the Hebrew and Greek Tongues confounded and put to flight the Papists and forced them to study the Scriptures and the Tongues also both which the barbarous dark Spirit of the Quakers hate as darkness hates the Light It is no wonder this Spirit of Lying cries out so fiercely against the Schools of Learning in Old and New England it knows that the right and regular propagation of natural of civil and especially of Divine Knowledge scatters the thick Fogs of the Quakers affected hellish ignorance The blessed Martyrs and Witnesses of Jesus in all ages have been ravished with holy delights like David in the holy Scripture in Q Maries dayes that famous Ridley called Bishop of London he had got most of the holy Epistles in Greek by heart even before he left Pembrook Hall in Cambridge and as the fire of persecution grew hotter so did those blessed Witnesses like Jesus with Moses and Elias and Paul at Troas spend hours and nights in Prayer and holy Conference upon the Scriptures and those things which the Lord Jesus should and hath now accomplished according to the Scriptures It is true in print Iames Parnel spake like a Papist an Atheist and a Quaker of the holy Martyrs or Witnesses of Jesus Christ and of the book of Martyrs it self It is no wonder that the most Righteous and jealous Lord left him not to dye the common death of all Mankinde but to Murther himself by a proud presumptuous attempt of declaring himself to be Christ by fasting 40 dayes and 40 nights I believe this to be a Truth from the Testimonies I have seen of Parnels
G. Fox Answers Though the Scripture saith the Spirit dwells in the Saints 1 Cor. 6. And he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit 1 Joh. 1. As though the Saints had not Union with God which the Scripture say they have I Reply concerning the Essence or Being of the Immortal Invisible Infinite Eternal Omnipotent and Omniscient and only Wise we know no more then a Fly knows what a King is and therefore 1 Tim. 9. He dwells in the Light that no man can approach to how fully doth the Holy Spirit in the Book of Iob and especially in that dreadful Word or Voice of God in a Whirlwind knock out the brains of all these proud Fancies let this proud Fox or any of the stoutest Lions or Lionesses amongst them look but a few minutes upon the glorious Sun in the Heavens and then tell us how their eyes do and yet thus like proud and pratling Children do they make a noise about their Bibs and Aprons and Muckingers and how they are one with God his Being and Essence c. Is it not enough for Sun Moon and Stars and Men to be enlightned by his Infinity but they must be God himself and Light it self in the highest sence because God is Light c. What impudence would it be in a Wife because she is one with her Husband in Relation to say She is the Husband himself and not to keep her just distinction and distance or in a Subject because the Subjects and the King are Relatives and in a sence one 189 therefore to say that they are the King himself Again we know that the word Spirit is taken in Holy Scripture for a Spiritual Nature Hence it is said that God is a Spirit not that God is properly a Spirit no more then he is Light though my Opposites in our Dispute affirmed he was but of such a Heavenly and Spiritual Nature For the Devils also are Spirits though defiled with sin and wickedness thus Ioh. 3. That which is born of the Spirit is Spirit not that Spirits beget Spirits and that a new Creature is a young holy Spirit or God himself as I told one of the chief of the Quakers at Newport And that 1. Cor. 6. shews us in what respect he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit For know you not saith Paul that your Bodies are the Temples of the Holy Spirit and Ephes. 2. For an Habitation of God through the Spirit Thus God dwelt in his Temple of old as a Man in his House and a King in his Palace not that a Mans House or the Kings Palace is of his Substance or Essence no more then an house is of the Suns Essence c. and no more was Gods Temple of old nor his Temples his Saints now after the blockish and blasphemous nonsence of the Quaker In Page 2. He brings in Sam Eaton saying The Scripture is to be judge of Doctrines and Manners G. Fox Answers The Iews had not the infallible Iudgement that had Scripture but stood against Christ the Light and judged him to be a Devil that judgement was not infallible and that Doctrine and Manners of theirs was not right which goes against Christ the Light I Reply as the Sun in the Heavens is the Epitomy or Center of all Natural Light though some eyes are sore look a squint or are stark blinde And as the Rule or Canon though Fox simply bogles at that as not a Scripture word is the same for it is in the Greek though millions know it not and millions as the Pharises pervert and misapply it The Holy Scripture is granted by G. Fox to be Gods Words though in a subtle fancie not his Word but if it be every word of their Gods then is every Word as Dâ—vid saith a Light to our feet and a Lanthorn to our Paths though we despise it and wilfully refuse it as some sometimes do Lanthorns and wilfully stumble 190 into the Ditch Eternal and other poor Souls after us Thus the Heavenly Sun-Dial is one and constant in its guidance and direction to us poor Travellers though we neglect to look on it or be ignorant of the figures and lines of it and be willingly ignorant c. We are not only commanded to read and meditate in the Holy Scriptures and to search them as the Bereans did but we are commanded to try all things to try the very Spirits The Papists slap us in the mouth with the infallible Spirit of the Pope and that he is not to be judged the Quakers say the same of themselves which is no more then as I said in the Dispute when W Edmund interrupted me crying out Blasphemy for a Man to go for Counsel to an arrant Cheater and Jugler then cheating most when he calls all others Cheaters In Page 3. He brings in the same Author saying That God did not intend immediate Teaching nor to give out an immediate voice in after ages which should direct and guid men in the way of Salvation He Answers which is contrary to the Scripture which saith All the people of the Lord shall be taught of the Lord and he that is of God heareth Gods word and that is immediate and living and doth endure for ever there is no fallibility nor delusion in the Revelation of God but all fallibility and delusion is out of it I Reply it is granted that God speaks mediately unto us by the light of Nature within us doth not nature teach you that it is a shame for a man to have long hair c. 2. By his works of Creation 3. His Providence without us in his mercies and judgements so that every drop of Rain and crumb of Bread and grain of Corn is Gods word and witness And 4. The pains of the Body and Dreams in the night have much of Gods word and voice in them Iob 33. God speaks once and twice but man hears it not and is not Gods speaking his Word And 5 All grant that the words of Scripture are the words of God And 6. The teachings of men Ephes. 4. are granted to be means c. both for the gathering of the Church as Apostles and for the Governing of the Flocks as Pastors and Shepherds c. 191 7. The Water the Bread the Wine c. are appointed by Christ Jesus to be means while profession of Christ Jesus is made on earth to hold forth a remembrance of him until his second coming 8. The private Prayers and Fastings and Meditations of the Saints day and night are holy Meanes in and by which the Eternal God speaks Peace Instruction Reproof and Comfort to to them that fear him 9. Sometimes it pleaseth God by the Ministration of his Ministring Spirits the invisible Angels to work by unknown and unseen wayes to us thus in Pauls Light and Voice and Blindness and the Iailors Earthquake but afterward in Ananias his sending
fit to be thought on as to pretence of the Christian Name and Religion 9. At the coming of the Lord Jesus there were two great Com 19 petitours for preaching First the Pharisees who by Laud and Sea sent abroad their Emissaries to make Converts to the God of the Jews and their own Traditions Secondly The Apostles or Messengers of Christ Jesus sent abroad with the glad news of a new Bargain or Covenant of God with the Sons of men viz. this second sort It pleased the God of Heaven not to be thrown out as this Fox frantickly barks but to go out wonderfully miraculously yea also with the private labours and preachings of private Christians scattered by Persecution as the holy Scripture recordeth 10. For the slighting of this inestimable Pearl of this glad News or Gospel published by God to the World by writing preaching professing Suffering c. It hath pleased his Infinite Justice to plough the World with Popery a Religion a bastard Christianity suited as the Quakers is to rotten nature and fit to carry the world after them as Mahomet and the Pope have done 11. In this day the two greatest wonders in the world pretending to be Christs Messengers or Apostles to the Nations are the Jesuits and the Quakers Their Faces look divers but they both carry Firebrands in their Tails to burn up the holy Scripture all truly holy Christians yet all the world before them Gods Infinite wisdome hath suffered them to be like Absolom beautiful and plausible and fit to play Soul Thieves and steal away the hearts of thousands and ten thousands from the true David the Lord Jesus Christ. Beside they are so fortified with the Faces of Men and hair of Women like the Locusts Rev. 9. such pretences such Illuminations and Appearances such Assurances and Confidences such feelings of Experiences that it is Gods Infinite Power and wisdome and goodness to preserve the holy Scripture a standing Record of what the first Messengers and first Churches and first Doctrine and Christians were or else the world would fall down and adore the Images which the Lord hath suffered the Devil in them to set up 12. I know the Counsels of the Father of Lights are very deep yea the Revelation needs a Revelation the Prophecies and Canticles and Daniel need Heavenly Messengers and the most holy Spirit or finger of God to untie such knots Sure it is that Millions 20 of Jews and Gentiles must yet enquire with tears of blood after the Blood of a Saviour Sure they shall not awake out of their pits of Rottenness without some means Messengers sent from Heaven to rouze and wakâ—n them Sure their shall be no other words in their Mouths then what were in the mouths of the first Messengers according to the Prayer of the Lord Jesus on his Death bed to his Father through whose Word all that have believed the report ever since have believed Ioh. 17 and with which blessed word the Spirit of God will be in the mouths of all true Christians Isai. 59. 20. c. Surely the true Messengers of Jesus will say no other word then what Moses and the Prophets foretold and wrought Act. 26. therefore Fox and his Foxians that tells us they have all by the Spirit and need no Record are Thieves and Robbers whom Moses and the Prophets and Paul and the Apostles abhor'd to think of A 11. Instance is in Pag. 40. where G. Fox brings in I. Deacon saying The enjoyment of Immortulity is not till they have put off the Body He Answers Contrary to the Apostles Doctrine who saith Immortality was brought to light through the Gospel this was when they were upon the Earth and the Word of God was in them which was Immortal 1. I Reply First G. Fox affirms an Immortality that is a not dying of the Soul and Body As for the Soul all true Protestants affirm that the Soul once raised up to Spiritual Life never dyes no more than Christ Jesus Rom. 6. as for the Body Papists and Protestants and the Quakers and all the World grants that all Flesh is as grass c. and the Sentence of Death by sickness Age or Casualty is impartially executed upon the Foxians as well as other Câ—ttel As to the Soul who of sober Papists or Protestants questions the Immortality of it and of the Body also in joy or Sorrow to Eternity As for the Body the Quakers say when the Soul is gone into God yea the Soul of Iudas as well as the Soul of Peter as some of them say and all of them by Argument will be forced to say the Body returns to Earth and Rottenness never more to be raised and no more then Bodies of the Beasts Birds and Fishes though we know who holds the Bodies of Beasts Birds and Fishes shall live again as the Soul mortalists do what is it then 21 that G. Fox sputters out for Immortality or a not dying in this Life If he speak of the Soul who denies it If of the Body he speaks a Beastly Contradiction to the doleful Sense of all mankind and their own also who die and rot as well as them 2. It is true 1 Tim. 6. God only hath Immortality dwelling in the Light which no man can approach unto what ever these Foxians bruitishly fancy of no distinction between God and themselves their Light and his It is true yet also that Iesus Christ 2 Timâ— 1. hath brought Life and Immortality to Light through the Gospel But what is this but the joyful Condition of the Souls Bodies of the godly their Souls and Bodies raised up with Jesus to a Spiritual holy Life in this World their Souls going to Jesus and their Bodies sleeping in Iesus and the rising of their Bodies and uniting to their Spirits in a Life Eternal 3. As to this Immortality of G. Fox all that can be known of his mind is old H. Nichols and the Nicolaitans mad fictions and fancies of their becoming God and Christ. I hope charitably of many of them that run in their Simplicity Ignorance and weakness with a true Love to the true Lord Jesus as some did with Absalom who truly loved David but as for Absolom himself the Polititians the subtle Plotters and Ahitophels who love not the true Lord Jesus in sincerity I fear instead of their fancied Immortality before the Grave they will meet with a dreadful Mortality or death of Soul and Body to Eternity A 12. Instance is Pag. 47. where he brings in Ioseph Miller saying The wise heathen Philosophers had a greater Measure of Light in them which is the first Adam then I can think any man hath now G. Fox Answ. which shews that he knows nothing of Christ the second Adam the quickning Spirit He knows no New Creature for who are in Christ are new Creatures nor none of Christ the Covenant of God of Light
of Rebellion against Superiours and of wicked desires of Wine and Women and fighting and pleasures in persons of greater growth this rotten Nature appears in their rooting like Swine for earthly profits or preferments or fighting like Lions Tygers in Wars and Law-conttntions and oppressing of Inferioâ—rs especially if they dare to reprove or witness their Idolatries Superstitions and Abominations 2. The experience of all the Saints of God in the Holy Scripture who maintained a Battel between the Flesh and Spirit all their dayes accord-to Gal. 5. A Battel within them sometimes the Spirit or new Man the new Creature or the Grace of Christ prevailing sometimes the Corruption or Rottenness of Nature like the two Houses of Saul and David the old Man getting the victory as we see generally in Abraham Isaak Iacob Moses Aaron Eli Samuel David Solomon c. till we come down to the highest Saints Paul and Peter the one shamefully again and again vanquished and the other Paul crying 69 out that the good he would do he did not and yet when he did evil he had two men within him the Law of his Spirit Heavenly and the Law of sin which dwelt within him â—tc they that know not and feel not this they are either dead or rotten and so feel nothing or if there be any life of God in them and yet say in the litteral sense they sin not their weakness is such that like very low and far gone weak bodies their Filth and Excrements come from them but they know nothing of it nor will believe or acknowledge any such matter The 35. Instance is in Pag. 217. where G. Fox brings in Iohn Iackson saying False Prophets and Christs and Deceivers many should come if it were possible to deceive the very Elect. He Answers Yes Christ said they should come to the Apostles which before their Decease they did come and went forth from them which Christ said should inwardly Ravin and get the sheeps cloathing which since the dayes of the Apostles all the World went after them as thou maiest read in the Revelations and now are People but coming from them to the Rock and now shall the Everlasting Gospel be preached to them that dwell upon the Earth over the heads of the Beast and their false Prophet and they shall be taken and the Lambe and the Saints shall have the victory I Reply 1. As that great Fox the Pope of Rome and his Foxians the Worshâ—ppers of that Beast maintain that Antichrist is not yet come that so he may scape a scouring or rather a burning or dashing in pieces so doth our little Fox G. Fox and his Foxians cry out another Lurry Antichrist why he is come and gone long ago c. As if false Christs might not be then and now too as if there were no more greedy Wolves to be found then in Act. 20 and no more Sheep-skins for them in Matthew 7. c. The Spirit of God proclaims 1 Cor. 11. that there must be Heresies and Peter tells us 2 Pet. 2. that there must be false Teachers false Prophets and Damnable Heresies for the trial of the sincere c. And were all the Foxes hunted out and destroyed in the Apostles dayes and none left since Iohns time to our times to be hunted after and digd out of their Burroughs 70 Are there none sound sincere and chaste to be tried at this day to the Lord Jesus the Heavenly Bridegroom and to his Eternal King and Father God blessed to Eternity 2. The Protestants maintain that the Pope or Papacy is the great Antichrist the Man of Sin with seven heads and ten horns c. why should not the Devil be able to raise besides the Pope the Ceredonians Valentinnians and the Arians Manicheans Gnosticks c. and since or at the beginning of the Reformation the Quintinians and Munsterian Mousters why should he not be able to raise in our time the Nicholaitans and Foxians 3. It is true that in the times of warm peace c. many Vermine breed whom the cold winter of Persecution utterly destroyes I know also that in the late times of Freedome to mens Opinions in England Many Opinions and promoters of them arose Sharp times God hath to make discovery I know some say that Iudas and Theudas and Barchochas and Rabbi-Iudah c. were the false Christs the Lord Jesus spake of I know also that amongst the Professours of the Christian Name false Christs and false Prophets Apostles Preachers c. must pretend to the Christian Name also 4. I know some affirm that though the Pope be Antichrist yet that he that letted was not the Roman Emperour until he was taken out of the way but that he that letted was the Holy Spirit to which the Quakers now pretend which Spirit being taken away the Popes arose But in the dayes of Iohn when those gifts did most flourish yet then there were many Antichrists and the gift of the Holy Spirit did not hinder their rising so that all ages are full of false Teachers 5. What Ignorance doth this little Fox yet great Boaster discover in saying Now are People coming forth from them c. doth he proudly look over all those Glorious Protestant Witnesses of Jesus before and since Luther whose Names many of them God commanded that Heavenly I. Fox to make Record of 6. Do the Foxians just now about twenty years preach the everlasting Gospel Now saith W. Edm. in our discourse we preach the everlasting Gospel to you that you shall be free from sin c. But Gods Spirit tells us in Peter and Iude of pretenders to liberty while themselves are the Servants of Corruption or Rottenness 71 7. Both Jews and Gentiles have done by the Name of Christ as the Jews and Romans with Christ Jesus before they murthered him they mockd him c. and then Murthered him that so they might be the Heir and Messiah themselves Just as the great Fox the pope and these little Foxians pretend to be the sole great Heir apparent to the Crown of Heaven and all other Rebels and Reprobates against and from their Heavenly Majesties The 36. Instance is in page 218. Where G Fox brings in the same Author saying I hope you will not condemn the Generation of the Righteous because they are vot perfect He Answers That which condemneth is Righteous it condemns that which is not perfect and the Generation is Righteous and not to be condemned I Reply He Answers four things First that which Condemns is righteous Secondly That which is Righteous Condemns that which is not perfect Thirdly That which is righteous is perfect Fourthly The Generation is Righteous that is them selves being perfect and not to be Condemned the Summe of his Answer is Himself and his Foxians are Gods as pure holy as God is and therefore now keep the Eternal Sessions and Assizes at the Tribunal of their high
Court must all the Generations of the World receive their Eternal Doom and Sentence I know they know this is the bottom 1. But stay this Fox is in his Burrough of Equivocation for Iudgement is twofold First Iudgement Righteous Secondly According to Appearance as the Lord Jesus distinguisheth How many are declared by Appearances to their Eyes Clouded pride malice Envy Lasciviousness Covetousness Ambition c. And therefore away with the Son of God hang him and give us Barrabas though a Boutefeau and Murtherer c. 2. It is not true that all that is not perfect in the Foxians Sense is not Righteous For 1. as hath been before observed the words Tam and Tomjin in Hebrew and Telos and Teleios and Teleion in the Greek have divers significations and accordingly must be and are translated and expounded Contrary to the proud Ignorance of these Cheators 2. The Generation of all Gods Children in all the holy Scrip 72 ture have ever acknowledged their weakness folly pride and many Transgressions with true Quaking and brokenness and bitter weeping c 3. In a true Sense that which is Righteous is perfect Iustification or Remission of Sin for Christ Jesus sake is perfect it admits as they say of no magis minus more or less the truely humble Ethiopian is as truly and perfectly pardoned and Iustified as David himself and the blessed Mother of the Lord Jesus the Virgin Mary 4. We maintain though pardon of Sin and Justification and Acceptation with God before Angels Men and Devils be perfect and though a poor Child of God be born of God be past from Death to Life can not Sin in a Sense nor suffer the Devil to touch him yet there remains till Death a Combate to be fought between the Law of the Spirit and Law of the members the old Man and the new Man the Flesh and the Spirit c. 5. Hence in an holy Sense Paul saith it is not I but Sin that dwels in me that is in my Flesh wherein dwels no good thing So that David might say in one Sense It was not I that committed Adultery and Murther and Peter say It was not I that denied my Master with Swearing and Cursing c. but the rotten old man and Sin dwelling in me He that knows not to untie these Knots and yet prates of Righteousness and perfection He is proud and foolish and ignorant and he will proudly and foolishly sooner or later commit these five great evils 1. He will not discern what the Generation of the Righteous is 2. He will say Sin is nothing but Imagination 3. He will cast wickedness upon God and say God doth all and what God doth that is good therefore no Sin 4. He must call David and Peter fools for Confessing their Guilt and weeping bitterly c. 5. That it is in vain to watch against Sin and to cry Lord lead us not into Temptation c. In the last place I Affirm and have made it good that the Generation of the Papists and Quakers though so pure in their own eyes yet they are not cleansed from their filthiness The Papists are justly charged with Superstition and Idolatry with drinking the Blood of Saints And have not the Generation of the Quakers 73 their Images and Idols also as I have manifested their pride and Ignorance Idleness in not using means and their passionate Railings and Cursings and I believe if their Spirit get a Sword what ere they ignorantly prate they will drink the Blood of all their Enemies as Hereticks Idolaters Reprobates and Devils The 37th Instance is in Pag. 220. wherein G. Fox brings in the Author of Hosanna to the Son of David saying Man is not able to discern the things of God till he be born again He Answers the Scripture speaks of discerning the Eternal Power and Godhead and that was a thing of the Spirit of God and the Apostle saith not that they were born again And yet I say that none knows the things of God but the Spirit of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewd it to them For that of God in them was of the Spirit who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh which brings them to discern the Eternal Power and Godhead 1 Reply 1. With Amazement at the dreadful Justice of God hardening this daring Soul for playing away his own Light and the Name of God and the Light which the Lord hath sent him from so many Excellent pens out of which he hath raked nothing but handfuls of Reproaches to fling in the Faces of his best Friends and turned Truth into Lyes and poyson to murther himself and others 2. It is clear that as in all Answers to the Quotations of his Opposites which he picks out that he holds the Contrary to his Opposite so here viz. That a man may be able to discern the things of God before he be born again 3. He proves his point from two Scriptures Rom. 1. Cor. 2. As to the first I will not repeat what I have before written as to the Nature of the holy Spirit his Godhead his Operations seven Eyes seven Horns and seven Lamps his Common workings in all men his special working in the Elect Regenerating Iustifying Sanctifying quickning Comforting c. Nor will I repeat matters concerning the power of Nature in the Philosophers and all mankinde Only from this Rom. 1. I observe 1. That the Eternal Power and Godhead cannot be seen by mortal Eyes 2. We may reach some mental Light of this Eternal Power 74 and Godhead by a serious pondering of his works 3. All mankinde are bound by the Law of their Nature to put forth their utmost in searching after God 4. We may gain a great sight of the Godhead and yet not see him nor glorifie him that is love him as Paul 1 Cor. 8. 5. Natural men until changed and born again of Gods power and Spirit doe but prate as the Devils do and tremble their imaginations are vain and their foolish hearts are darkened 6. Yet this sight of God which men and Devils may get of God by their own Remainders of natural Abilities will leave them without excuse whatever Papists Arminians and Quakers talk of Gods requiring no more then he gives for in Justice God is not bound to give Sampson his Locks or his Eyes when he hath willingly suffered Dalilah and by her the Philistims to cut them off and pluck them out 2. Beside our wils and wisdome are now become Enmity against God and no man spends equal Care and pains for God until Gods Spirit in free grace châ—nge and quicken him with what he does for these temporary Dreams and Shadows The second Scripture is 1 Cor. 2. viz. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit For the Spirit searcheth all things yea the deep things
means appointed by Christ Jesus yet I deny it ever to be done in the first turning of the Heart and working of Faith that is by any such Immediate Spirit and Christ and God in every of mankind before or since the coming of Christ Jesus especially for they say that he is the true Light of which Iohn spake then Come to Inlighten the World c. 9. I Conclude this Instance and the whole with a Reâ—lection upon Gods wonderful dealing with Iob In the 1. Chap. the Lord boasts of his servant Iob to the Devil to be a perfect man as the Foxians often urge this place But God Schoold him for his pride and Impatience c. by Elihu and by his own Voice out of a Whirlwind and now Iob Confesseth his Pride and Ignorance and professeth his Risolution to prate no more c. but to abhor himself that is as some loathsome Thing in Dust and Ashes G. Fox in this his Book abhors the Term of Dust and Ashes as being Elevatedabove Abraham Iob punies to him with high Fancies of his Immortality though we see they dy stink Rot as well as others But if God please to shew him and me truly what Sin is What Gods Justice is what an Infinite price must pay for the least Evil Thought and Natural Disposition on the Old Score 119 If God please by any of those many gracious means he useth to Imprint these other such Heavenly Considertions upon our Souls We shall then for all our pretences cry out with Peter depart from me for I am a sinful man O Lord and with Iob Once have I spoken yea twice c. but no more c. I abhor myself as a loathsome Rotten stinking Carrion in Dust and Ashes But alas I fear G. Fox is so taken up with his sitting with Christ in Heavenly Places with Immediate Dictates of his supposed holy Spirit That Gods speaking thus to his poor Worms after the way of Men and by these outward means stinks in his Nostrils which if so and so Irrecoverably I desire and desire all that love God and their own Salvations to flee from him as from Korahs Pride and Korahs Plagues for his Viol is pouring on him in spiritual Indgements and shall be pouring on him in spiritual and Corporal Torments to all Eternity FINIS The Occasion of the Disputation G Fox his Book in Folio weighed A Spirit of Confusion in the Quakers Meetings My Offer of Disp. on 14 Propositions The sirst usage to the Author his Proposals The deceit fulness of Fox Foxians one of the subtil Tricks of this subtil Fox viz. to steal handsomly from the Dispute yet not to seem at all to run for it A great private Conflict before my publick I T. his Letter to me upon the sight of my Propositions to G. Fox A Note of Card Mazarin Fuel for the Quakers Fire of Hell My Answer to the fore-going Letter from I. T. Crying sins in N. England The infinite Justice of God must be satisfied The Bruitish Simplicity of the Quakers Spirit The Manifestation of the Spirit 1. Cor. 12. Gods wonderful Justice The words All and every one Considered The Impudency and Uncleaness of the Quakers Spirit I. T. his second Letter to me The high Opinion G Fox his Followers have of him yet he saild run for it Unreasonable kind of Reasoning I can give many Instances of their abusing the Ordinance and Name of the Spirit of Prayer for a sudden Silencing of their Opposites W. Harris his late Case of denying that the King hath power to dispence with his Subjects in Religious matters His Majestyes Declaration against W. Haris his presumptious Attempt I. T His third and last Letter to me a Whore is as bold in her whoredoms as a Chast Wise in her Inocency If there were any Colour for any of these horrible Out-cryes I should have heard of them from W. Edmunson who rak'd up all he could against me both in the Dispute at Newport and Providence My Answer to I T. his 3d Assault upon me A deceitfull way of Answ. The horrid Nakedness of the Q Women shews the worse then barbarous nakedness of their Spirits the name Quakers The Quakers Sufferings Womens Preaching W Harris his former practices against all Goverment but that of Saints as the Quakers now speak My Righteousness as to my dealing with W. H. The horrible Murthering of the Indians by Liquors which the Qu have notoriously practised They were the Dog-dayes when these hot and doged barkings were made at me Death and the Resurrection The first Intervenience at Providence of the Qu. and my self G Fox his cunning Departure My care of ingaging them to my whole Offer and of discussing the latter seven at Providence Scruples about meeting in the Quakers Meeting house at Newport the way to Conquer The Persons disputing with me W Edmundson described I Stubs his Ingenuity The beginning of the Dispute The Occasion of it My ends Nicholas Davis drowned at Newport a little before the Dispute What Prayer was used The first Position The name Quakers The Rise of the word Protestant The Grindletonians The Libertines The Ranters are but the Quakers Daughter True Quaking The horrid shaking of the Quakers Satans Counterfeit motions The Quakers Answer Quaking and Trembling No Ordinance of God Counterfeit Quaking and Trembling A Paper put in of two great Considerations The unequall Termes of the Quakers enjoining Subscription their open Partiality The Quakers evill spirit toward the holy Scriptures The Light of each man in the World above the Scriptures The Pope and the Quakers great affection and ownness against the holy Scriptures An Instance of a long-haird profane Qua. slighting Nature and the Scriptures An horible Instance in Ireland against the Holy Scriptures The Scriptures the word of God The Occasion of the Title of this Book G Fox his prodigious Folly and Impiety Pertinent Queryes and unanswerable The tumultuous spirit of the Quakers in Disputing T is hard to hold the Foxians or any guilty disputant to a fair Dispute W. Edmondsoo justly reproved by the Deputy Governor Capt. Cranston The Foxians boast of their Number Two of the Foxian women naked in New England Isai. 20 discussed touching Nakedness The true voice of God and many false and pretended Immeâ—iate Inspirations and Revelations The Eclipse of the Sun in the midst of the first dayes Disputation A Note of W. Hunter burnt in Essex at Burnt wood My great Indisposedness of body to the second dayes Contest Prayer and Patience Spiritual Bow men Gunners The second days Contest 1 though private Vizt R. W. Ms. Ann. A black and senceless Imputation The confused spirit of the Quakers In the copy of this book belonging to the Library of Brown University are many manuscript erasures corrections and annotations in the well-known hand-writing of Roger Williams They were possihly made with the intention of correcting a second edition of the
Convictions of Nature one thing Conversion another Saving Convictions The State of Adam in his Fall Sathans Cunning with the Quakers Christs coming Two common Traps and Engines of Sathan in cheating the Foxians When Christ is welcome Ellis Bradshaw Two great designs of Sathan The Word and Words of God Whether God have any more wordsthen one Infinite millions of millions of Gods word The Voice of Gods works and Providences Gods Spirit in his word Christ the word of God The shameless wickedness of the Quakers against the Scriptures Christ himself The way of dealing with Indians They see infinite Reason in the holy Scriptures The preservation of the Scripture Tho. Weld As to Christen Names Names to Children The Foxians scornful pride Who are G. Fox his Heathen The Words Heathen 1 Insert R. W. Ms. Ann. Christ destroys not but beaufies Civility 1 Change for to but. R. W. Ms. Ann. The new Man and new Name The Popes flingiâ—g to the world their old Names G. Fox his great change 1 Place most of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Eccles. 11. 2 Place as the Pope and Cardinals and Iesuits do in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. 243. Rich. and Sherlock The Teachings of God 1 Erase new R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Change one to many R. W. Ms. Ann. Outward means Miracles 247. Christopher Wade 1 Place beside the Scripture in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. The Sword of the Spirit 2 Insert from R. W. Ms. Ann. Not the Spirit himself The Immediate Inspiration of the Spirit The Scripture horribly abused 253. Henry Haggar The Papists and Quakers of a damning and damne Spirit 1 Erase s in Idols R. W. Ms. Ann. The true Protestants Charity The Quakers far from the Spirit of Christ Jesus The meek and merciful Spirit of Jesus The differeut state of Gods Children 259. John Brown Number 16. Korah Dathan and Abirams Revolt applied to the pretended Quakers The Protestant Religion Revolted from by the Quakers Conspirators agaiust the Priestly Prophetical and Kingly Office and Power of Christ Jesus The conspiracy of the Quakers 1 Place some of them in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Against Christ Jesus Korah and the Quakers Confidence fierceness And lying Charges Ingratitude Impatience The Wonderful Judgements of God upon the Korathites in this world 62 George Johnson Thoughts about America Now Christ a Light Covenant N Englands Plantaaion The Indians of N. England The Indians of New England The Quakers desire of perverting the Indians John Owen 263 Owens writings about the Scripture Excellently learned and Spiritual and Invincible 264 Samuel Palmer Mans threefold Condition in this Life The Devil too Crafty for the Foxians A great mistery The Quakers devilish pride 275. Ricard Meyo The Devils bloody Craft The Kings Declaration of mercy and Liberty The Devils two sorts of Souldiers Anti-Christianisme The Figures in Scripture A lively picture of the Gospel Why it is called Pauls Gospel How it is hid 282. Daniel Gawdry The Varity of Spirits Why it is said the Spirits made perfect The Devil would be rid of Scripture and all Learning 325 Timothy Trevis G. Fox destroys the working of the Father and the Son G. Fox and the Arminians one as to predestination Mans wisdome about his Earthly business The Mistery of the Quakers Seed The Foxians gross Ignorance of the Godhead 326 Timothy Trevis The manifestation of the Spirit discussed 1 Change slanders to blunders R. W. Ms. Ann. The Garden of Christs Church and the Wilderness c. of the World differ as Heaven and Earth The partition Wall between Jews and Gentiles G. Fox his not cleaving the Hoof though full of Scripture G. Fox his wonderful Confusion The Spirit of God and the world are extream Contraries Prophners of the holy Spirit G. Fox c. resisting and fighting against the holy Spirit The striving of Gods Spirit The free and powerful working of Gods spirit The whole world unprofitable 328 Hugh Archbal The manifold Light mentioned in the Holy Scripture The Common offers of mercy The true Illumination As the first Christians were called The twofold success of the Gospel 330. James Dorram The sight of sin as Sin The Sins of the Regenerate Whit the Combate between the Flesh and Spirit in Rom. 7. The Sin of the Regenerate as a wound and Captivity The Souls delight in God and Hatred to Sin Sincerity the Crown of the true Quakers 338 John Nasmith The Foxians are both Pharisees and Sadduces An Item to G. Fox The Nature of the Devils 345 Hen. Foreside Ezek. 18 Considered The Spirit of Falling from Grace The Papists Arminians and Foxians one in this point Whab Grace it is that Papists Arminians and Foxians Fall from Necessary Observations The Word Righteousness of many significations God's Covenant with the first man The Law given so many hundreth of years after mans Fall G. Fox making use of the Scripture to Curse his Opposites Their horrible Contempt of Scripture 456 A Book from Hollaed G. Fox his proud Ignorance An Impious unsavonry Spirit against the godly of all Nations The Pharisees Perfection 2 Pet. 22 The Saints Continual warfere Scriptural dangers and spiritual Watch. Christs Discipline with his Saints and Churches The Quakers doleful mistake 365. Robert Tuchin c. G Fox prouder and prouder wo se and worse to the End of his Bookâ— The Fall of Angels Fall of Man Davids sin Sacrifice for Sins of Ignorance Great failing of Christs Disciples Paul John and Peter and all come short Peters great failings former and latter written for our Instruction 372. Thomas Hodges G Fox hath affirmed the Contrary to all the Heavenly Assertions of his Opposites which I have produced God sets forth to us in Scripture by Natural and Artificial things The great Question what God is The Devil Gods Ape in Inspirations The Subtlety of the Devil and his Agents in Câ—tching of men What G. Fox means by the maâ—ner of the Spirit G. Fox his proud Simplicity The Monstrous Ridle of the Foxians Spirit Job a perfect man yet abhors himself for his filthiness The Authors humble desire for himself and G. Fox The Authors fear as to G. Fox his case