all Arm-Holes The Lord is against you and he will break down your Wall and rent your Pillows from you as in dayes past Ezek. 13. who have turned away your Ears from the Truth Christ Jesus the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the VVorld and cause the People to Err by your Lyes and by your Lightness like your Brethren the False Prophets of old Was there ever such a Doctrine preached by any of the Holy Men of God as this since the beginning of the World Search the Scriptures and see which you call your Rule where ever they preached That the Faith that justified them and their Salvation was wrought out by a Righteousness or Person wholy without them as you do Did they not say Their Faith workt by Love and purified their Hearts Acts 15. 9. And that the Righteousness of the Law was fulfilled In them who walkt not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 4. And that the Anointing was In them and was their Teacher and that it was Truth and no Lye And is not Christ the Truth who lighteth every Man And was not he their Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And much more might be declared of their Testimony how their Salvation was wrought out with Fear and Trembling and that it was God that workt in them to Will and to Do of his own Good Pleasure And yet again thou W. H. saith in thy foresaid Epistle viz. Jesus Christ is amongst us we eat his Flesh and drink his Blood he dwelleth in us and we in him we have both Christ Within and Without we have both Word and Spirit and so we have the better of them that divide these Now if Jesus Christ dwelleth IN you as you say doth not the Saviour dwell in you And if you eat and drink his Flesh and Blood is it not then IN you O William Haworth Dost thou not yet see thy Darkness thy Confusion Contradictions and False Doctrine Hath thy Envy so far blinded thee to cry one while wholely without you and then again he dwelleth in you How will this hold together in the Day of thy Account which hastens And then thou sayest in thy Epistle pag. 9. viz. Our own Righteousness is within us inhering in our Souls it confists in those Vertues and Gifts that the Spirit of God works in our Minds And pag. 10. calls it The Righteousness of meer Man So then the Gifts and Vertues the Spirit of God works in our Minds is but of meer Man by thy Account and as Filthy Rags for so said the Prophet concerning their own Righteousness Isa 64. 6. Would not this be Blasphemy to call the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds Filthy Rags Consider it And would not this be Madness and Folly for Paul to say I count all Loss and Dung that I may win Christ and that I may be found in him not having those Gifts and Vertues which the Spirit of God's work in my Mind Oh Heap of Confusion how hath thy Envy and Pride blinded and befooled thee And then in page 11. thou sayst viz. The Quaker goes about to make his own Righteousness to stand Yes and blame him not if it consists in those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in his Mind as thou sayst it doth how is any one a true Christian without these O Will. Haworth How is the wise foolish man taken in his own Envy and Craftiness against the poor honest Quaker The Lord hath found thee out and rebuked thy Madness thou back-sliding treacherous Man And thou art even proclaiming thy Folly like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses which is now made manifest And be it known to thee and all the World that the Quaker owns no other Righteousness to be justified by but the Righteousness of Jesus Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith in him according to the Scriptures of Truth nor no other Name under Heaven by which Men can be saved whatever any of you dream of them and yet they desire those Gifts and Vertues the Spirit of God works in their Minds may stand and be increased according to that good Exhortation 2 Pet. 1. 5. Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance c. for he that lacketh these things is blind c. Had not Gamaliel more Wisdom Patience and Understanding then thee and thy Companion in this Work who said If the Work were of God it would stand and they could not overthrow it And you call the Work of God the Righteousness of meer Man and say its rotten and must fall as in the last page of your Book Who is Anti-christ now W. H. the Quaker or thee Read 1 Joh. 4. 2 3 4. and consider your Babel where God is confounding your Language and the Language of all the Earth whole Weapons shall not prosper against his Truth and People but he will condemn every Tongue that rises up against them as he hath thine And why dost thou call the Quakers Spirit a Spirit of Delusion and say their Doctrine is Anti-christian in diametrical Opposition to the Doctrine delivered by the Apostles of Jesus Christ which Way wilt thou go about to prove this false envious Charge against us thou canst never prove it while thou livest but it shall turn upon thy own slandering Head for we can prove our Doctrine to be parrellel with the Doctrine of the Apostles and of Christ himself by the Scriptures of Truth and we are made manifest in mens Consciences as the true Ministers of the Gospel were and we witness that in Truth which thou hast stole the Words of for we do eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood c. which didst thou really witness thou wouâ—dst have Fellowship with us and not revile and belie us as thou dost But whose Doctrine is yours like think you who cry wholy without and the Devil had Cards to pâ—ay against Satisfaction from wholy without for all your Sins past present and to come and that the Father hath poured forth all his Wrath upon his Son Jesus Christ Oh ye Blasphemers who blaspheme God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven for I testifie for God ye call his true and faithful Witness in you the Devil and the Hour is coming in which you shall feel his heavy Stroaks for these things and he will play you such Cards as you call them as all your Skill Wit and Strength will not be able to prevail against and then your false Hope Joy and Peace will perish It s the Word of the Lord God unto you all who deny his pure Light wherewith he hath lighted you and call his Gifts and Vertues but of meer Man And then you shall know there is Wrath left enough to punish the Hypocrite Lyar and Slanderer and that God is angry with the wicked every Day Psal 7. And thou W. H. â—ayst
the Knowledge of the Gospel might discourage thee from making his Book publick c. Answ I wonder at it seeing thou saidst before that it is not possible for any to receive it truly and forsake it which if he hath not done thou speakest unadvisedly with thy Lips in saying It s an Experience which the Lord in rich Mercy gave him whom thou also callest Dear Elect Child and sayst Flesh and Blood hath not revealed this to him but our Father which is in Heaven But how can he that thus Contradicteth himself agree with the Truth in others Again Oh! that every one of you my dear Brethren and every one in Hartford had the Knowledge of Christ thus distinctly formed in you till which thing be the Soul of him to whom Christ hath committed you as his Charge shall Travel in Birth and be in Pain Blessing God that his poor Labours have not altogether been in vain as to this matter Answ What is that Travel and Labour worth that brings not to the distinct Knowledge of Christ And what a Church is that and what a Pastor is he and how can they be Dear Brethren in Truth in whom the dictinct Knowledge of Christ is not yet formed Thou sayst That thy daily Prayers to Christ is that we all meaning thy Brethren in the Ministry may be made able Ministers of the New Testament Answ Then it seems you are not yet so by thy own Confession therefore be silent till you are made so Thou sayest You have but Law and Gospel to preach Answ Where in all the New Testament dost thou find the Apostles preaching the Law and saying They were sent to preach the Law But a Dispensation of the Gospel was committed to them and they were made able Ministers of the New Testament not of the Letter or Law but of the Spirit But why dost thou divide between Law and Gospel as if they were not one in their End and Nature saying The Law for the Conviction of Sin c. and yet thou call'st it Spiritual Answ The Spirit is said to Convince or Reprove the Unbelieving World John 16. 8. Jude 15. saith He shall Convince all that are Vngodly of all their Vngodly Deeds c. Again The Law is said to be perfect converting the Soul and making Wise the Simple Psalm 17. 7. So that Law and Spirit are frequently used as Terms that signifie the same thing and if thou Experimentally knewest the Spirituallity of the Law thou wouldst not go about to divide them or quarrel with us about them But hence hath risen the Mistakes of many viz. because they have found several Names or Terms in Scripture therefore concluded they must needs intend several things while it is frequent in Scripture to intend one and the same thing under several Names as Father Son and Spirit have several Names given to them yet one in Nature or Beeing several Ministrations divers Operations c. and yet all by one and the same Spirit 1 Cor. 12. We know the Spirituallity of the Law in the Apostle's Sense is the inward Convictions of the Spirit manifesting also God's holy Will and Commandments requiring perfect Obedience thereunto which man finding himself unable to do then the Sword or Law of the Spirit slayes him and he dyes being made willing so to do by God's Power or Law within though Self and Flesh cryes out to escape here thou fledst and savedst thy Life But into this Death thou must come if ever thou enterest into God's Kingdom the Talking of it will not serve in this State the Dead hear the Voice of the Son of God and live and his own Arm being then revealed raiseth up this Dead Man when no Eye so much as pittied him his Condition being so hid and unknown to all living in his former Estate then he gives Thanks from the very inward of his Soul to God through Jesus Christ crying out now as in a holy Triumph That there is no Condemnation now to them that are in Christ Jesus who walk not after the Flesh but after thâ— Spirit Rom. 8. 1 2. where that Ransomed Captive renders the Reason of his Joy viz. because the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus had made him free from the Law of Sin and Death Mark How he attributes that to the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus which before he ascribed to Jesus Christ as having an inward Sense and Feeling both of his Saviour and the Salvation come to his poor Soul thereby Thou either Ignorantly or Enviously if not both affirmest That whoever hath tasted that the Lord is Gracious never takes up with the Quakers Christ Oh! that the Gospel were studied by us more and preached by us more Answ The Quakers Christ is the Lord 's Christ as is shewed before the same that deliver'd Paul from his wretched State And if thou hadst understood what thou saidst immediately before concerning the Blood of Christ which thou call'st as Oyl poured into the Gashes of Conscience thou wouldst not have spoken thus sleightingly if not blasphemously of the Quakers Christ For all the Tasters and Feelers inwardly know him to be God's own Arm revealed when no Eye else pitties them But thou with many more have the outward words concerning these things yet are inwardly and experimentally Strangers to the Life and Vertue of them in your own Hearts and Consciences which Knowledge the Quakers account with the Apostle to be the Excellency of the Knowledge of Christ Oh vain man Dost thou think by thy Fleshly Study and preaching from the same to Advance the True Christ Nay but Man and Self instead of Christ and his Righteousness For the Gospel is a Mystery and the true Preaching of it Foolishness to all that Perish and the Things of it are the Heavenly Things themselves searched out only by the Spirit of God for they are too deep for Man's Will Study or Wisdom to find out Therefore cease from thy own Study and wait in the Silence of all Fleâ—â— for the pouring forth of the Spirit which only can open the Mysteries of Christ and his Righteousness and shew them unto thee Thou say'st We are to conceive of God according as the Scriptures set him forth to us Answ But the Scriptures contrariwise condemn all Man's Conceivings saying Eye hath not seen Ear hath not heard neither hath it entred into the Heart of Man to conceive what God hath laid up for them that love him The Scriptures are true as God means them not as Man by his Conceivings interprets them and the Understanding of every True Disciple must be opened by Christ before he can rightly know them as 't is written He opened their Vnderstandings that they might undâ—rstand the Scriptures for until then they are a sealed Book both to the Learned and Unlearned Isaiah 29. 11 12. Thou utter'st many words about the Confession of Sin as if the Quakers were against the Confession of Sins to God
c. Answ We own the holy Scriptures which say If we confess our Sins he is faithful and just to forgive us our Sins and to cleanse us from all Vnrighteousness c. 1 John 1. 9. But Confession of Sins ought to be performed from the Sense of the Evil of Sin upon the Conscience and not out of Formality and Custom only as most do Yet we say where the Heart is sprinkled with the Blood of Christ from an Evil Conscience at that time and whilst remaining so Thanksgiving is proper to be given to God for Praise is comely for the Upright And such know the Blood of Christ to be a speaking Blood it speaketh saith the Apostle c. causing that Soul that is washed with it alwayes to be mindful of it and truly to prize it For the Ransomed shall pass with singing when the Hypocrites shall remain in Bondage notwithstanding their daily Confessions Thou say'st Jesus Christ of Nazareth c. brougbt this Righteousness c. Answ If thou believest that none were really saved or made Righteous by the Righteousness of Christ till then or after that time thy Faith is contrary to Scripture which calls Christ s Righteousness an Everlasting Righteousness Dan. 9. 24. Isa 45. 17. Micah 5. Yet we believe Salvation only by that Jesus which witnessed a good Confession before Bontius Pilâ—tâ— c. For answer to the Heathens Knowledge of God's Vengeance and Sight in the Deity c. I refer the Reader to the Reply to the Young-man's Book but for thy own Knowledge of it I find thee like the Pharisees of old fleeing from the Wrath to come by casting all God's Vengeance upon Christ an Easie Way if thou couldst so eâ—cape it by imagining his doing and suffering God's Pleasure to be reckoned thine by a bare Belief of it wholely without theâ— Here we differ in our Account I say according to Dan. 9. 24. speaking of Christ to finish Transgression and to make an Eâ—d of Sin and to make a Reconciliation for Iniquity and to bring in Everlasting Righteousness c. I know and believe Salvation by the Imputed Reckoned and Real Everlasting Righteousness of Jesus Christ brought nigh which in the Fulness of time was manifest in and by him and in due time really made mine by the Work and Application of his Spirit in my Inward Parts and that God is well pleased or satisfied in and with him in whom I am accepted and not for Works of Righteousness that I have done nor yet for the Works sake only or quatenus Works though wrought in me by his Spirit but in and for the sake of him that works all our Works in us and for us according to Isa 26. 12. But thou believest to be saved by a Righteousness wholely without thee Reckoned but not Real which Righteousness Christ wrought One Thousand Six Hundred Years since not that we undervalue that Righteousness nay cursed is he that so doth really no nearer to thee then the place where he personally lived and dyed Now it is the great Lord of all that must view both our Accounts for the Goods we have received of him Mat. 25. 14. therefore I leave them both to him to determine which is Right This may serve for Answer to much of thy Epistle touching this Subject For Proof of thy Belief thou sayest We are made Righteous in the same way he was made Sin but he was not made Sin by Inhesion or really as thou speakest else-where for he knew no Sin therefore by Imputation Answ The same Way when Christ knew no Sin nor was any Sin inherent in him must we then be made Righteous without either knowing or enjoying any real Righteousness in us as this Comparison holds forth But did not Christ Really suffer and bear our Sins in his own Body upon the Tree Did not he suffer under the Burden thereof upon whom the Iniquities of all were made to meet But besides if we are made Righteous in the same way in all things that he was made to be Sin for Sin is mention'd in the Abstract then we must be without or free from all manner of Good as he was without or free from all manner of Sin or Evil which destroyes the Doctrine of Sanctification the New Creature c. where all things are of God In the next page save one thou affirmest That the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds is our own Righteousness 1st Because our Souls are the Subjects of it And 2dly Because it is really in our Minds therefore ours and yet in this place thou sayest Christ is really our Righteousness as thy self interprets Jehovah Tsidkenu What! one while he is really Righteous and another while not Real but Reckoned I would not wrong thee but thy words are plain but more of this afterward Thy calling William Penn a Novice manifests only Pride in thy self but is no Proof against him and the truly Considerate will account thy Charge upon him to belong to thy self till thou hast confuted his Arguments Thou sayest If Christ Jesus had the Guilt of Sin really charged upon him c. Answ What! dost thou suppose the Innocent Lamb of God to be really guilty of Sin What Blasphemy is this What! really guilty of that which thy self sayest he really neither did nor had Yet thou bring'st Scripture to prove it saying What else is to be understood by that 2 Cor. 5. ver ult For he hath made him to be Sin for us who knew no Sin c. Thou usest many words to prove the Imputation of Christ's Righteousness to Men while in Sin and Rebellion against God As if Contraries while in Contrariety could at the same moment of time be in perfect Unity O vain Man Doth not the Apostle James Chap. 2. Vers 20. say That Faith without Works is dead c But I have spoken my Experimental Knowledge and believe according to Scripture of this Subject before and may have Occasion to touch at it hereafter In the next place thou bring'st forth thy own strange Conceivings about Man's own Righteousness for Error is seldom alone Thou say'st Our own Righteousness consists in those Gifts and Vertues which the Spirit of God works in our Minds and we express these outwardly in the Observation of the Moral Law in our Walkings amongst Men. Answ This is such a Heap of Confusion that I remember not the like The Scripture calls what is wrought by the Holy Spirit in us the Vertues of Christ 2 Pet. 1. 3 5. And Paul Rom. 8. saith To be Spiritually-minded is Life and Peace Then according to thy Interpretation we must have Life and Peace in our own Righteousness Thus like the Foolish Woman dost thou build a House and pull it down with thy Hands For take away the Gifts and Vertues which the Spirit of God works in our minds and what remains but a Body of Sin and Death and thoughts only Evil continually and yet Man as bold
and confident as if he needed nothing for all true Sense flows from the Spirit and all it works in us is but our own Righteousness sayst thou and to be all Glorious within as is spoken of the King's Daughter Psalm 45. 13 is to abound in our own Righteousness according to thy Interpretation And 2 Pet. 1. 5 8. speaking of the Vertue of Christ saith He that lacketh these things is blind and contrariwise it maketh them in whom these Vertues abound that they are neither barren nor unfruitful in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ Wâ—at is this less then the calling Christ Belzebub And what follows but that he has a Devil viz. And we express these outwardly in the Observation of the Moral Law in our walking amongst men So the worse people are and the looser they walk the greater Right they have unto the Righteousness of Christ and in a better Condition to receive it then those that from the Sense of the Evil of Sin turn from it because say'st thou this is properly our own Righteousness which consists in those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds c. Is not this Rantism in the highest Degree And for the Moral Law Christ is so far from repealing of it that in Mat. 5. he binds it closer and faster to his Disciples For of old it was said Thou shalt not commit Adultery but by him Thou shalt not Lust c. And of old Thou shalt not Kill but by him Thou shalt not Hate c. But remarkable is Mat. 7. 13 14 15. where he commands doing as we would be done by and calls it the Straight Gate fore-seeing that False Prophets would preach another Broader Way and Wider Gate therefore the next words say Beware of False Prophets c. And at present thou art one of them O that thy Eyes were open to see it Thy Reasons are as Ridiculous as thy positions one is because it is called your Faith and our Righteousness and your Love c. Answ By the same Reason Christ himself must be our own Righteousness for he shall be call'd The Lord our Righteousness Jer. 23. 6. And their Righteousness is of me saith the Lord Isa 54. 17. And 1 Cor. 1. 2. Christ our Lord c. And the Scripture saith He that dwells in Love dwells in God and this Love is shed abroad in the Hearts of the Righteous do they therefore dwell in their own Righteousness Oh thick Darkness Another Reason thou givest is because our Souls are the Subjects of this Righteousness 't is really in our Minds therefore ours Answ What wouldst thou have to be the Subjects of true Righteousness Is it not our Souls that are saved Do not they and we by them reap the Benefit of Salvation And is not that the Subject of Righteousness which is saved by it And by the same Reason the Grace of God must be our own Righteousness because our Souls are saved by it and the Subjects of it It is said God loves Truth in the Inward Parts and that he will write his Law in our Hearts thou sayest All that is in our Inward Parts is our own Righteousness though wrought by the Spirit of God which is said to lead into all Truth Therefore by thy Conclusion God saves us by our own Righteousness But the Ground of thy dislike of the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds which thou callest our own Righteousness is because it is really in our Minds therefore ours What! a Christian and an Enemy to Reallity What! a Spiritual-Man and an Opposer of those Gifts and Vertues the Spirit of God works in our Minds calling them our own Righteousness What! must the Poor in Spirit the Meek the Mourner the Hungerer and Thirster the Merciful the Pure in Heart the Peace-maker c. deny their Blessedness which they must do if these be their own Righteousness according as thou affirmest they are viz. Those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in their Minds What! must they turn from Reallity and lay hold of Imagination from real Enjoyments and Possessions to conceived or imagined Apprehensions Who ever besides Hypocrites were Enemies to Reallity VVho ever besides the Vitious Debauched Proud and Letter-learned Pharisees withstood and opposed the real Gifts and real Vertues that the Spirit of God really works in our Minds This is a Doctrine so contrary to the very Tenure and Scope of Scripture that it may well be called A New-invented Fable which all sober People must needs abhor the very Thoughts of It is very strange that 〈◊〉 Reality of a thing should make it nothing worth for our own Righteousness is said to be as Filthy Rags And thou sayest Because the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit of God are Really in our Minds therefore our own Righteousness The sum of the Matter seems to be this That our Heads and not our Hearts our Bodies and not our Souls our own Conceivings and not Reallity our Imaginations without and not the Gifts and Vertues of the Spirit within our Minds are the Subjects of true Righteousness according to thy Account Another Reason thou givest to prove the Gifts and Vertues afore-mentioned to be our own Righteousness because we put forth the Actions wherein this Righteousness consisteth both internal and external is it not we that believe and we that repent and that we are said to pray Answ By this Argument its best neither to believe nor repent nor pray because these are but our own Righteousness and the more we do them the heavier are we loaden with the Filthy Rags of our own Righteousness These things manifest thy Estrangedness to the VVork of Regeneration and Helpings of the Spirit of God A Heavy Charge upon all the Prophets and Apostles of Christ who were obedient to these inward Gifts Vertues and Motions of God's Holy Spirit For by thy Account they did but obey their own Righteousness in what they did they knew and understood that their Hearts was but as the Pen of a ready Writer as David speaks And must there be nothing written spoken or acted because the Spirit makes use of Men and Women to do these things but if they do it it must be charged upon them as their own Righteousness doth the yielding of the Members of our Bodies Instruments to the Holy Spirit of God to act by according to the Exhortation therefore make all its Performance in us our own Righteousness while the Scripture saith 'T is not I that Live c. but Christ Lives in me Neither is it we that speak as we are kept truly Silent out of all our own Thoughts but the Holy Ghost in us Mark 13. 11. Thou say'st Our Righteousness is but the Righteousness of meer Mâ—n c. and yet before saith It consists in the Gifts and Vertues the Spirit of God works in our Minds See thy Confusion from thy own words Thou say'st One
Wo from the Lord God to every one that settles therein For I testifie in the Name of Jehovah that made the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in them That the True Name of this CANAAN is SODOM and EGYPT and that our Lord is daily Crucified therein And now William Dimsdale if there be a Day for thee to Repent in Repent of this thy great Wickedness in calling Christ Pharoah and his holy Burdens the Egyptian-Tasks and those Tastes of Comfort which thou hast felt to Encourage thee in thy Obedience to be like the Peace with the Egyptians when the Tale of Brick was delivered Oh Miserable Man if thou Perish thy Blood is upon thine own Head God never Required any thing of thee by his Light that was Unreasonable never to make Brick and find Straw but he gave thee a Measure of his Grace in which thou foundst Power to deliver thee and hadst thou kept Faithful to it thou hadst known Salvation by it But now thou hast cast off Christ's Yoak and Burden and endeavourest to betray him into the Hands of the Priests and Pharisees Oh Repent and Pray if it be possible that this thy Wickedness may be forgiven thee for if not the Weightof it will sink thee into Everlasting Misery S. Crisp AN ACCOUNT FROM HARTFORD HAving taken notice of a late Pamphlet set forth one part by William Haworth and the other part by W. D. the Title thereof A Quaker Converted to Christianity and that it was in Hartford We whose Names are under written being Inhabitants of the said Place could not but admire that such a thing should be in that Place and we wholely Strangers to it And One so Eminent as W. H. doth describe him that he need not fear to Encounter any Quaker in England in Discourse This set some of us on Enquiring who it should be upon which Enquiry it was found to be One who had been Apprentice and now is Servant to one Thomas Grigson of Hartford who by Trade is a Weaver and with his Wife hath belonged to our Meeting these many years They being asked concerning their Man Whether he was in any wise accounted a Quaker say They know nothing that be was ever so much as Convinced of that Blessed Truth owned by the Quakers so as to be in Society with them or Conformable to their Testimony And further They know not that he was ever looked upon by any Person whatsoever to be a Quaker in the least but only that he behaved himself soberly towards them And further his Master and Dame with whom he lived sayes He might come to the Meetings many years ago among the Boys somtimes but so that they never understood that he had any Convincement upon his Mind And so they with us do think strange that any Man or Men dare be so Impudent as to set forth in Print a thing so notoriously False and in it further to affirm That He to wit the said W. D. was fully of their Way Spirit Faith and Principle meaning the Quakers Now do but mind what the Lad saith of himself in his Part of the Pamphlet p. 7. First As to Silent Meetings he was not satisfied 2dly That he used to salute his Friends and others with Pulling off his Hat How now William Haworth Was this to be Fully of our Way Spirit Faith and Principle one with us Let them that know us judge For he that comes not to know a Benefit in Silent Meeting knows little of the Quakers Faith or Principle although we appoint none with the Limitation before-hand as to be Silent Meetings but if any have any thing to speak from the Lord is as much at Liberty as at other times But however a Benefit we know by them though no Words be spoken we whose Minds are gathered Inwards * Hab. 2. 1 2 3. James 5. 7. Acts 3. 19. to wait upon the Lord in the Silence of all Flesh or Fleshly Thoughts and to have an inward Ear open to hear what the Spirit saith and have and do blessed be the Lord often at such Meetings feel the Times of Refreshing which come from his Presence And here is the True Worship known which is in Spirit and in Truth and such the Lord seeks to worship him And so the Intent of the True Ministry * Acts 26. 17 18. is to direct the Minds of Men and Women to God's Spirit manifest in their Hearts and there to worship and not as W. H. saith That those Gifts and Vertues wrought by the Spirit of God in our Minds are a Man 's own Righteousness to wit that which Paul calls his own Phil. 3. 9. but the Righteousness of meer man which is as Gross a Contradiction and Corrupt Doctrine as if he should tell us That Paul in his desiring to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which was of the Law desired to be found in Christ not having those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds Oh wonderful Darkness but this is answer'd else-where And then as to the World They can know a Quaker by his not pulling off his Hat which this Lad by his own Confession used to do Now William Haworth where is this Great Goliah Quaker that was thus Converted and yet was never known by us nor by the World to be a Quaker But rather then W. H. will want a Prodigy or a Wonder to the World he will call him a Quaker No doubt William thou deservest the Right-hand of Fellowship of Tho. Hicks for he only forges a silly Quaker and then makes him speak what he pleases but thou hast Converted a Quaker O Wonder if this had been true William the next time thou writest things of this kind lay them a little closer together and remember the old Proverb That it is Old Men and far Travellers that Lye without Controle So far we were willing to let the World know the Truth of the Matter believing that at times something of God hath been stirring both in William Haworth and the Young-Man which we desire they may Return to and Repent before it be too late We have subscribed our Names as followeth William Faireman Thoman Grigson Thomas Chalkley Henry Sweeting Nathaniel Gerrard Abraham Rutt Richard Martin Richard Thomas Edward Plumsted Henry Stout Nicholas Lucas AH William Haworth what is become of that Tenderness that once was upon thy Heart Then wast thou little in thy own Eyes then didst thou confess to the Truth and the Quakers were Honest People in thy Account How well had it been for thee if thou hadst grown in that Tenderness But it is just with the Lord that all who Rebel against the Light of his Son should be Hardned It would be well for thee to consider where thou art and what thou art doing for doubtless thou art now found fighting against the Lord and his Glorious Work which he hath begun in the Earth but it is all in vain and to no purpose for it will Prosper And if thou canst stop the Sun in its Course and set Bounds and Limits to the Sea then mayst thou accomplish thy Desire For the Lord hath Blessed us yea and we shall be Blessed and there is no Inchantment against us And thy Printing Books and spreading them and Preaching so much against the Quakers and Villifying them as thou dost doth but manifest that Spirit of Envy and Bitterness which is not of God and so is a Diâ—advantage to thy self and will be turned unto Advantage to us and all sober People and such as are of an Honest Upright Heart will soon discover thee For what is the Chaff to the Wheat And although thy Understanding be so darkened that thou canst not see the Dawning of the Day of God yet 't is not in thy Power to shut the Eyes of others from seeing the Glory of it nor to stop their Ears from hearing and knowing the True Shepherd's Voice from the Voice of the Stranger It is too late for thee to begin thy VVork at this time of the Day for the Son of God is come and hath given us an Understanding to know him that is True and many are in him and do know the Elect Seed born that cannot be Deceived And thy terming the Quakers Spirit to be Delusion and their Doctrine Antichristian these words if ever thy Eyes come to be opened will be a Burden too heavy for thee to bear For it is no less then Reviling the Light of the Son of God which he hath given for a Leader to his People to lead out of all Evil into all Truth and those who have followed the Lord fully and faithfully therein have found Life and Salvation according to that Promise He shall save his People from their Sins not in their Sins and of this there are Thousands of Living VVitnesses And therefore come down out of that high and lofty spirit and bow unto that which convinceth thee of Sin for all that will not bow thereunto will be broken thereby There is not an easier way unto Life for thee then there was for us and yet we have no Cause to complain of a Burdensom Yoak or that the Lord is a Hard Master for the Yoak of Christ is easie and his Burden is light And do not flatter thy self with vain Hopes of our Fall for the Eyes that look for that will perish in their Holes for we are built upon the Rock of Ages and though the Storms of Affliction beat on the one hand and the Raging Sea which casts up Mire and Dirt on the other yet shall we stand for our Foundation is unmovable and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against us And this is my Testimony for the Lord to thee and all who joyn with thee in this VVork Cease striving against the Lord in his People and Repent of your Evil else you and your VVork will fall together For no Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper Mary Stout ERRATA PAge 3. line 22. for banes read â—ands Page 4. line 13. for which read with P. 31. L. 38. for ontrary r. contrary P. 37. L. 31. for Babe r. Babel P. 39. L. 14. for withou twith r. without with P. 41. L. 36. for Burthen r. Burthensom And where any other Faults or Defects are escaped the Press the Unbyassed Reader is desired to Correct them according to the Sense of the Matter and none to impute them to the Authors THE END
Righteousness is Perfect and Compleat the other is Faulty Imperfect Incompleat as to degree Answ Thou wouldst make them two in Nature and Kind the one from Heaven the other on Earth the one Christ's the other ours and yet say'st its incompleat as to degree then they must be one in Kind for degrees varies not Kind or Nature So 't is manifest thou knowst not what thou say'd such is thy Confusion No marvel while thou errest from the Form of sound words calling it A Righteousness Contrived Where findest thou such a word in Scripture Sometimes calling Faith our own Righteousness And again saying Without Faith it is impossible to please God as if Man could please God by Man's Righteousness c. Thou say'st The Quaker goes about to make his own Righteousness to stand c. Answ Thou art the Man that goest about to make thy own Conceivings as thou speakest of God and Christ and his Righteousness by using Unscriptural Words to make good that Righteousness which thy self saith is not real Must not thou needs wonder and perish for want of the True Righteousness of Christ Thou sayest The Young-man may now engage without any Peril any Quaker in England Answ This is like Goliah's Boast but let not him that putteth on the Harness boast as he that putteth it off I suppose others if not thy self will be of another mind when you have impartially perused the Reply to the Young-man's Book to which I refer the Reader to judge of his great Ability or rather his Confused Indigested Thoughts concerning the Mysteries of God and Christ Thou writest to thy Brethren to be greatly Incouraged c. in reducing others in the same manner Answ How can any be Encouraged to Reduce others by their own Righteousness which thou sayest the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds are And if it be but in the same manner that the Young-man is reduced such Confusion will never turn to your Reputation among the Sober-minded Whereas thou sayest The Quakers keep people in perfect Popish Slavery Answ The Quakers knew no Bondage and Slavery like the Bondage and Slavery of Sin which you believe all men must continue in term of Life But I refer the Reader to the Reply to the Young-man's Book for a farther Answer to this Particular Thou sayest As high as Heaven is above the Earth so far is that Spirit of the Faith of Jesus in you above the spirit of Antâ—christ that is in them viz. Quakers Answ How now Is your own Righteousness grown so mightily Hast thou forgotten that thou calledst the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in your Minds is but your own Righteousness And what good can your own Righteousness do you But take heed of the Blasphemy of the Holy Ghost lest Francis Spira's Condition become thine or Madness and Distraction befall thee My Soul could even pitty thee because if thou Repent not of these and like Passages as that the Quakers Spirit is a Spirit of Delusion and their Doctrine Antichristian c. God's Displeasure will kindle as a Fire to burn thee up amongst the Bryars and Thorns that muster up themselves in Battel against him and his ever-blessed Appearance in Spirit and Power in the Hearts of that Poor Despised People For I testifie in the Amen that God hath and doth bless the Faithful amongst them and they shall be blessed And in Vain do the Heathen Rage and such foolish Imaginary Back-sliding People as thy self Imagine a Vain Thing For their Redeemer lives and the Shout of a King is amongst them even the King of Sion sitting upon his Holy Hill Halelujah for evermore Postscript William Haworth OH that these Smitings may be as Balm for they are the Words of a Friend to thy Poor Lost Soul as at present thou art Oh! feel them feel them and be not Wrath because of them lest the Gate of Mercy forever be shut against thee I. C. AN Additional Postscript THE Enemy of Man's Soul knowing how Destructive the Inward and Experimental Knowledge of Christ is unto his Kingdom and Government hath in these late times stirred up many Instruments both in their Preaching and Printing to prejudice the Minds of the Simple-Hearted against it as the Pharisees of old stirred up the Devout Women against the Apostles our Enemies suggesting therefore that the Quakers must needs deny the Man Christ c. For Prevention of his Wiles and Information of all that desire to know the Truth as it is in Jesus I have published this short Testimony Concerning Jesus of Nazareth that was born at Bethlehem c. I know not any of us that ever so much as questioned the Truth of the History as recorded in Holy Scripture concerning Jesus of Nazareth c. But setting aside the Envy of our Adversaries their Mistakes about us arise from our affirming That the bare Historical Knowledge of this Jesus of Nazareth will not save the Soul of any Man without the Light of the Spirit of Christ opening Man's Vnderstanding that he may know the Mystery of God the Father and of Christ as the Apostle saith Col. 2. 2. and Ephes 3. 4. That ye may know mine Understanding in the Mystery of Christ and 1 Tim. 3. 16. Without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh c. Mark 4. 11. Christ said to his Disciples viz. To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but unto them that are without all things be done in Parables Therefore we declare a Necessity for the Light to be first turned to and received before this Jesus can be savingly know Which Doctrine is also confirmed to us by Experience in that we had as others now have while in that Nature by which all are Children of VVrath the Historical Knowledge and Belief of Jesus of Nazareth yet we wanted the Light of the Knowledge as the Apostle excellently calls it 2 Cor. 4. 6. Bare Historical Knowledge being a dark dead Thing until the Light give Life to that Knowledge Concerning the Righteousness of this Jesus of Nazareth c. We believe and testifie That this Jesus of Nazareth wrought out or fulfilled all Righteousness in his Obedience both in Doing and Suffering the Holy Law and Will of God and that this Righteousness so wrought out and fulfilled was not for himself but for or because of all such as truly seeing they have no Covering or Righteousness of their own flee unto and lay hold of him and his Everlasting Righteousness by a True and Living Faith And do further testifie That this Choice Rayment of Christ's Righteousness is not brought forth and put upon the Back of any Prodigal while he remains in the Far Country feeding amongst the Swine but at or upon his Return to his Father's House Luke 15. 22. And such Poor Naked Starved Undone Sinners as in themselves seeing their own Righteousness to be as a Menstruous and Filthy
which more may be written by another Hand towards the End of this Book as also a further Account from Hartford where he dwells concerning him which I would have the Reader take good notice of And in that he saith The Light by which the Heathens did the things contained in the Law Rom. 2. which shewed the Work of the Law written in their hearts is not the Light of the Spirit of Christ he is found a Denyer of the Scriptures John 1. 9. and Tit. 2. For if every Man that cometh into the World be lighted with the Light of Christ then the Heathens and all other Men were lighted And if the Grace of God which brings Salvation hath appeared to all Men then it appeared to the Heathens for they were Men and came into the World And herein W. D. thou contradicts thy Companion and great Adorer of thee W. H. who calls it the Deity Godhead as aforesaid and the Godhead is the same Spirit or Life and Light which was in Christ Jesus as it is written Col. 2. 9. which is Grace and Truth John 1. 16. 17. So then it was the Light Spirit Grace and Truth which was in Christ Jesus That appeared to the Barbarous or Heathen People by his Confession And so now let this Tree be judged of by its Fruits according to the Young man 's own Saying and let us see what kind of Fruits it bears for I have read That Men do not gather Grapes of Thorns nor Figs of Thistles and that A Good Tree cannot bring forth Evil Fruit neither can a Corrupt Tree bring forth Good Fruit Mat. 7. Luke 6. 43 44. So by this true Rule let all who reads and tastes of these Fruits judge of this Tree the Light First pag. 7. It assented to the Words of Christ and his Apostles 2dly It Convinced him of Sin and Reproved him and called to him when he was going or thinking to Steal and it kept him from obeying that Temptation about the Herrings though he loved them and had a brave Oportunity to steal or slip one into his Pocket 3dly It caused him to be of Few Words and kept him from Lying or telling of Lyes 4thly It delivered him from Sinning outwardly and from doing any Wrong to his Neighbour 5thly It gave him Strength or Power to do that which was Good Just and Right in the Sight of God and Man 6thly It convinced him of one Sin or Evil one day and delivered him from it and another day another Evil and he had Power over it 7thly He had Joy Peace Quietness of Spirit and Comfort in Obedience to it Reply Now whence or from what kind of Tree cometh these Blessed Fruits and Effects if not from the Tree of Life Or who is the Author of or from what Spirit comes this Light if it be not the Light of Christ Jesus Is it not the Spirit of Truth that convinceth of Sin and keeps from Lying and Stealing and wronging of Neighbours and leads into all Truth to do that which is Good and Just and Right in the Sight of God and Man And was not that their Comforter who were lead and guided by it Did it not give them Joy and Peace and Comfort when they were obedient to it Read and understand Or who gives Peace to his People besides him And is it not the same Grace of God which Paul declared of Tit. 2. which taught them to deny all Ungodliness and Worldly Lusts and to live Soberly and Righteously Then did it not teach them to deny Lying and Stealing and Wronging their Neighbours and to do as they would be done by according to Christ's Doctrine Or is there any other Spirit or Light which can deliver from Sin and give Power over it but what is of Christ Jesus Is it not written of him That there is no other Name under Heaven by which Men can be saved or delivered And is he not called the Deliverer and Counseller who is the true Light that lighteth every man that cometh into the World Read the Scriptures and consider these things Acts 4. Isa 59. John 1. 9 Is it not the Light of Christ that makes Sin manifest Eph. 5. And doth not the Apostle say in that same place vers 8 9. The Fruit of the Spirit is in all Goodness Righteousness and Truth So judge of this Tree by its Fruits if it be not all Goodness Righteousness and Truth which it brings forth And doth not W. H. say It is the Spirit that maketh known Sin which is not seen before Mark Then whensoever any one seeth Sin it is the Spirit that makes it known for it is not seen before And that it was the Godhead in which the Barbarous People saw c. Acts 28. And yet how Enviously he Clamours against the Quakers in his confused dark Mind calling their Spirit Delusion and their Doctrine Antichristian like the Foolish Clamerous-tongued Woman Solomon speaks of whose Feet are without pulling down her own House How do you think your Babel will now stand when ye thus throw up and pull down your own Work and Revile us for the same Truth you acknowledge in Words like the Hypocrites of old who said They had one Father even God and yet called Christ Jesus Deceiver and Blasphemer and judged him worthy of Death because he acknowledged himself to be the Son of God who was truly so John 19. 7. So read your Spirit and Way which is not like Christ Within nor Without though thou sayest you have both but the contrary appears in thee And ye are more like the Mad-Man Prov. 26. who cast Fire-brands Arrows and Death at you know not what comparing the Light of Christ to Pharoah or Egypt and Light of Nature Contemning and Undervaluing it as if it were not of God but what ye know not like the Jews one while A Good Man and then Nay but he Deceiveth the people So you one while it s the Deity and then Nay it s Not the Light of the Spirit of Christ but the Light of Nature Thus are you confounded about that which delivers from Sin and Temptations from Lying Stealing and doing Wrong and keeps out of Evil and gives Power over it and convinceth of Sin and reproveth for Sin and which gives Strength to do that which is Good Just and Right in the Sight of God and Man and Joy and Peace in it Take heed of the Sin against the Holy Ghost for it is near when that which casts out Devils is called Belzebub Your Reproaching of us is little to us but beware how you sport your selves with a Consuming Fire and be you Warned in time for your own Souls sake And consider your Confusion and Darkness Whether the Lord requireth Obedience Service or Worship to any other Light or Spirit of Christians but his own or what Tree or Plant would the Heavenly Father have to grow but what is of his own planting as it is written Every Plant which my Heavenly Father hath
rely upon the Inward Instructions of the Lord when thou prayedst in that confused Manner as aforesaid consider it And did ever any wholy rely upon the inward Instructions of the Lord and their Hope perish bring one Example for this or else conclude thou hast blasphemed against the Lord and belyed him and his People in all Ages as thou hast And in p. 19. thou sayst Thou hadst Peace of Conscience by the powerful Work of God without thee Is this like Scripture-Language Surely thou hast got a peace and out of thy Trouble the wrong Way if it be so and into much more Trouble must thou come then ever before thou canst have true Peace with God The Lord hath spoken it For thy Flight was in the Winter as I told thee and thou hast fled the Cross and slipt thy Neck from under the Yoak of Christ Jesus which W. H. calls the Burthen Yoâ—kâ—â— which is so indeed to all the Rebellious whose Tongues are at Liberty to lye and Slander as he hath done But did not the Saints and People of God in all Ages witness their Salvation and Peace of Conscience by the powerful Work of God within them Did not God work in them when their Salvation was wrought out with Fear and Trembling And did they not say God who commanded the Light to shine out of Darkness hath shined in our Hearts to give us the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ And we have this Treasure in earthen Vessells 2 Cor. 4. 6 7. Of which much more might be spoken We deny not the Work of God and Christ without as some have imagined but do also know as our Brethren did that no man knows the Things and Works of God which are spiritually discerned but by the Spirit of God and it s the same Spirit that raised up Jesus from the dead that dwells in his People which quickens their mortal Bodies And they never cryed up wholy without as you do but preached Christ in them after they had testified of his Appearance and Work without as you may read Rom. 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16. And Christ Jesus preached the Kingdom of Heaven within People Luke 17. 20. And the true Worship of the Father in the Spirit and in the Truth Joh. 4. And said What if ye shall see the Son of Man ascend up where he was before It is the Spirit that quickneth the Flesh that profits nothing when they cryed how can this Man give us his Flesh to eat whose Minds were wholy without like many of you John 6. And said Peter 2 Epist Ch. 1. v. 19. We have also a more sure Word of Prophesie to which ye do well to take heed as unto a Light that shines in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-Star arise in your Hearts And Jesus is the bright and Morning-Star as ye may read Revel 22. 16. And Jesus Christ bid People believe in the Light that they might become the Children of the Light Joh. 6. 62. and so do we And he said He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the Churches And the same Jesus said He that eateth my Flesh and drinketh my Blood hath Eternal Life And said the Apostle 1 John 1. 7. But if we walk in the Light as he is in the Light then have we Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all Sin So they were to drink his Blood and that was it by which they were cleansed from Sin and had Eternal Life and if they drank it was it not then within them Read and understand for People have drunk Iniquity as an Ox drinks Water which hath defiled them as Christ Jesus said Mat. 15. 18 19. For out of the Heart proceeds evil Thoughts Murthers Adulteries Fornications Thefts false VVitness Blasphemies and these Things defile a man and Mark 7. 21 22 23. For from within out of the Heart of Men proceed evil Thoughts Adulteries Fornications Thefts Covetousness Wickedness Deceit Laciviousness an Evil Eye Blasphemy Pride Foolishness All these evil Things come from within and defile the Man Now must not these Evil Things be purged out according to that Saying of Paul 2 Tim. 2. 21. If a Man purge himself from these he shall be a Vessel unto Honour sanctified and meet for the Masters use and prepared unto every Good Work Is any fit for the Master's Use but who is purged and sanctified as aforesaid or prepared to every good Work till the Evil Works are laid aside purged out and forsaken Or can People serve both these Masters For he that committeth Sin is the Servant of Sin as it is written John 8. 34. 1 John 3. 8. Now how or by what must these Evil Things which defiles People be purged out seeing they are within them Must not the Antidote be taken inwardly to expel the Poyson that works within to the corrupting and endangering the Ruin of the Body What is it then must cleanse the Inward Man of Corruption and Defilement but the precious Blood of Jesus Christ as of a Lamb without Spot and Blemish Did not that Redeem People formerly from their Vain Conversations 1 Pet. 1. 18 19. Rev. 5. 9 10. And did they not drink it and bless the Lord and called it The Cup of Blessing But this is a Mystery hid from the Fleshly Birth all that are in the dark Imaginations of their own Brains as the Spiritual Birth was hid from Nicodemus who came by Night And did not God say I will dwell IN them and walk IN them c 2 Cor. 6. And does not the Scripture say By Mercy and Truth Iniquity is purged Prov. 16. And did not the Son of God the Truth and the Light of the World walk in the midst of the Golden Candle-sticks And did he not say He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And is not God a Spirit and his Worship in the Spirit and in the Truth And is not the Spirit within and the Truth required in the Inward Parts And is not God Light Read and understand you that cry wholely without you you that clamour against the Light and Work of God within for we confess Jesus Christ to be come in the Flesh as it is written 1 Joh. 4 c. And so we are not of Antichrist as William Haworth doth falsly charge us in his Epistle to that Pamphlet aforesaid titled The Quaker Converted which is a Lye uttered in the very opening of his Mouth against us for which the Lord will plead with him For the Young-man whom he hath thus vainly boasted of was no Quaker as I have before shewed to any Unprejudiced Eye and by his own Confession but a poor tossed unstable bewildred Lad as may be seen who went to prove Religions with he knew not what as in the 3d page of his Book may be read and