was ever the Doctrine of any of the Leading-Quakers as he terms them to Deny Christ Jesus in any of his Appearances or Manifestations whether within or without and though Men in their prejudiced Spirits do judge us as Denyers of Christ Jesus Yet be it known unto all That we expect Salvation and Redemption by no other Thing or Means whatsoever then by that Christ Jesus declared of and born witness unto in the Holy Scriptures But if our Adversaries and men of corrupt Minds who are satisfied in their Bed-ridden Performances and their Duties Fly-blown with Sin cannot believe us be it known unto them That we never did go about to impose a Belief upon any without inward Conviction but we still did and do commit our Testimony to the Witness of God in the Consciences of all men knowing that it is God only that can perswade the Hearts of men and Women to love the Truth and to walk in Subjection thereunto The next thing I shall take notice of is in the 6th page of my Adversary's Book his words are these They acknowledge such a Christ as Vnchrists Christ for his Proof he hath these words They deny him to be God Man in one Person they deny him to be a Distinct Person from the Person of the Father and they deny him also to be a Distinct Person from any of his Members We own God the man Christ Jesus by whom God will judge the Secrets of all Hearts and the true Unity and Fellowship as they owned them that writ the Scriptures howbeit we confess both that Christ after the Flesh was born of the Virgin Mary yet is God over all blessed forever that the Father is greater then the Son and yet one and that Christ is Head and Lord of his People yet one with his People but for T. P's School-Distinctions and School-Gibberish we shall not trouble our selves therewith for his Words are not according to the Form of sound Words laid down in the Scripture yet he pretends the Scripture to be his Rule If any desire further Satisfaction concerning us in the matter above hinted at they may peruse these Books entituled The Divinity of Christ asserted The Christian-Quaker and Quakerism a new Nick Name for old Christianity And for his saying that it had been better for me to have entituled my Book No Christ but Conscience and in this said he thou wouldst have been true to thy principle Here 's a notorious Untruth for we never preacht such a Christ as could be defiled with sin but Conscience may be defiled and may be seared and if this be his State Wo and misery will be his Portion notwithstanding his Imagination of Christ's Righteousness to be his and his Sin Christ's And to proceed he saith and avouches that the Discourse between us save a passage or two was feigned page 6. of his Pamphlet in which he saith I relate this as our greeting one another i. e. you Quakers hold damnable and erroneous Doctrines And to prove him a L in this I refer my Reader to the 3d page of my Book and the Title of that part of the Discourse which passed between us my words are these Something of a Discourse c. not all nor yet our greeting for he having formerly given me a Book wherein he pretends he discoursed the Devil and that he had almost perswaded him to believe he was the true God the thing seemed to be fictious but however I asked him whether the thing was real and whether he had seen the Devil if he had after what manner he said He was cloathed with black like a Minister I queried how he knew that he was the Devil he said he asked him whether he created the Heavens and the Earth and he said Yea and you too by this said he I knew him to be the Devil my answer to him was this how doth this prove him to be the Devil for he that did create the Heavens and Earth and gave man Life Breath and Being was and is the true God but T. P. said He told me also that him whom I and the greatest part of the World worshipped was not the true God and by this also I knew him to be the Devil How doth this prove him to be the Devil wa st not thou at that time in Distraction he said he wâ—s then said I thou couldst not worship the true God for a man must first know him before he can worship him then he in his Fierceness breaks forth and said You Quakers hold damnable and erroneous Doctrines And though he saith the Discourse is fictious both in its Dependency and in its Matter yet I do affirm that the Discourse that past between us his Questions and my Answers and my Questions and his Answers are placed in my Book according as they were spoken and if I had done otherwise it had been somewhat like that notable Forger Tho. Hicks a man so much in his Esteem for his Dexterity in such matters that he counted him a Divine in the presence of the People at his Meeting in Hartford Shire but T. H. gives him the Lye and in plain Words said I am no Divine if T. P. thinks that I have placed this passage of T. H. and his upon my Memory only he will be mistaken for I have it and much more of that dayes work in writing from divers Persons who took it in short Hand from their Mouths One thing more I shall take notice of that is his telling his Reader He durst not enter into Disputation with us on the Lord's Day yet notwithstanding he sends me a Challenge to meet him on that Day he calls the Lords Day and procures T. Hieks to help him the Words of his Chalenge I thought meet to insert to the End that his Brethren might see what Attempts this late upstart Preacher though in vain doth make who threatned with one more in one day to shake our Foundation quite down which is more then all his Brethren have could or ever shall doÌ„ The Words of Thomas Powel's Challenge are viz. John Vaughton I expect thee for to make good what thou hast fathered up on me next Sabbath Day at my Meeting in the Country I shall be sure to be there and another with me where I with him shall shake your Foundation quite down for it is sandy and I perceive you are upon your last Legs already this day I go into the Country being the 31. of August to prepare my self for expelling that Soul-damning Doctrine which thou hast vented in the poor Country thy Friend Tho. Powel By this People may see the notorious Falsness of this man who challenges me into the Gountry yet would insinuate into his Reader that we assaulted him dog'd him and followed him into all places when I can truly say that since this Controversie hath depended between us that neither I nor the Friends concerned with me have followed him into no other place but publick
THE DEVIL THE Greatest Sinner IN THE WORLD Or A REPLY to THOMAS POWEL who calls himself A Minister of the Gospel yet Affirms JESVS CHRIST was the Greatest Sinner in the VVorld By JOHN VAUGHTON The Lord frustrateth the Token of the Lyars c. Isaiah 44.24 25. He that justifieth the Wicked and he that condemneth the Just even they both are Abomination to the Lord Prov. 17.15 Printed in the Year 1676. AN Epistle to Thomas Powell T. P. here follows a Copy of the Words thou gave under thy Hand the 29th of the 2d Moneth 1676. to J. V. Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World I Thomas Powel Minister of the Gospel affirms SInce thy giving forth of the fore-mentioned Words thou hast publish'd in print a Paper in Vindication of the aforesaid Wordâ— though thou wast in Love several times desired to condemn them before the printing of the said Paper so no more to have been made of them but thou refusing to do it put forth thy printed Paper as aforesaid to which Paper thou hast received an Answer entituled A Vindication of Jesus Christ c. to which thou hast replyed still vindicating thy former Words viz. That Jesus Christ was the greatest Sinner in the World In thy printed Papers thou say'st by Imputation but thou said'st not so in thy first Paper In thy Epistle to thy Book entituled Mr Powell 's Answer c. thou say'st Christ was the greatest of Sinners I query of thee whether thou believest the Devil was not and is not the greatest of Sinners he being the Original and first Cause of it by whom it was brought into the World and by whom it 's continued and increased in it I hope thou wilt not deny but that the Devil is the greatest of Sinners and dost thou think that the Devil must have no Sin imputed to him who is the greatest Sinner dost thou think he must bear no Punishment for the Sin of Mankind seeing he is the Original and first Cause of it all Consider of this thou and the Divines of thy Way and answer in Plainness according to plain Scripture which you profess to be your Rule remember what God hath said unto the Serpent or Devil the greatest of Sinners Because thou hast done this thou art cursed above all Cattel and above every Beast of the Field c. Here thou may'st see what Punishment God justly brought upon him for leading Man and Woman into Sin here thou may'st see how God both imputeth Sin to him and punisheth him for it and thou may'st consider Christ's Words to the Goats on the left Hand Mat. 25.41 Go ye cursed into everlasting Fire prepared for the Devil and his Angels here again thou may'st see God imputes Sin to the Devil the greatest of Sinners the Original of all Sin and not only to him but also to his Disciples and doth and will punish them both for it John 3. 8. He that committeth Sin is of the Devil for the Devil sinneth from the Beginning for this Purpose the Son of God was manifested that he might destroy the Works of the Devil which is Sin Iohn doth not say he came to take the Guilt of Sin upon him which is the Devil's Work but saith he was manifest to take away our Sins and in him is no Sin and Iohn further saith In this the Children of God are manifest the Children of the Devil whosoever doth not Righteousness is not of God neither he that loveth not his Brother 1 Joh. 3.10 T.P. I would have thee to consider whether thou hast not charged that upon Christ Jesus the immaculate Lamb of God which is justly and properly to be charged upon the Devil to wit that he was the greatest Sinner in the World I could rejoyce to know thee to come out of that Spiritual Blindness which thou art fallen into through the Delusions of that Evil One who certainly is the greatest of Sinners whatever thou or any other may think or say to the contrary And in Order to convince thee of the Falseness of thy Charge against Christ to wit That he was the greatest sinner in the World I ask thee to shew by plain Scripture if thou canst how Christ can be a Sinner or the greatest Sinner in the World and not sin Sin is the Transgression of the Law of God Christ did not transgress the Law but fulfilled it that which renders Man a Sinner in God's Sight is the transgressing of his holy Law which the Serpent did when he tempted the Woman to eat of the Tree which God commanded she should not eat of he told her a Lye to encourage her to transgress God's Law and she and the Man did transgress the Law of God in eating that which God had forbidden and thus they were lead into Sin by him who is the greatest of Sinners for he became a Sinner by transgressing the Law of God and he being the first Sinner and the Original and first Cause of it in all Mankind doth justly merit the Name of a Sinner and not only so but the greatest of Sinners by Action and Imputation and to him belongs the greatest Punishment and thus the Man and Woman came properly and justly to merit or deserve the Name of Sinners by transgressing the Law of God to have it imputed unto them or charged upon them and to be judged condemned or punished for it in their impenitent and unbelieving State T. P. take notice that though we deny and oppose thy Charge against Christ as unscriptural and unsound whe sai'st He waes the greatest Sinner in the World And in thy Epistle thou sai'st that the Word He was made Sin for us many understand a Sacrifice for Sin c. which thou sai'st thou acknowledges to be a Godly Sense the Godly Sense is the true and right Sense which Sense we own and hadst thou kept to this Godly Sense thou had'st not been opposed by us but thou giving another Sense contrary to this that is an Ungodly one and therefore we oppose it yet we own that holy man Christ Jesus to be that one Offering who hath perfected forever them who are sanctified I say we dearly own him who offered up himself through the Eternal Spirit as a Lamb without Spot and Blemish he is the Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but for the Sins of the whole World we have received Power from God the Father to preach Forgiveness of Sins that are past in the Name of Christ Jesus through the Forbearance of God John Baptist saith Behold the Lamb of God which takes away the Sins of the World be did not say behold the greatest Sinner in the World neither did he say he was gâ—ilty of the Sins he took away And so T. P. and thy Brethren keep to Scripture Language which is a Form of found Words which Words were given forth by the holy men as they were moved by the holy Spirit of God which Spirit gave
shall take a little notice of his Passage wherein he tells his Reader He shall make him Smile by which those that are serious may see what Spirit this Man is of who scoffs at Revelation and makes ado about my going as he saith into the Country when he was at London and there was neither Preacher nor People Now I declare and that in Truth That at that time I went into the Country to a Meeting of our Friends and I being told that it was T. P's Day to be there according to his usunl manner and having Time enough before our Meeting to go to his Meeting I did go not upon Revelation after that manner as he would insinnate but upon the Information as I had before and when I came to his Meeting I was told that he altered his Day on that day I was there before whether it was to prevent my meeting with him or not I shall leave I do say that we do not place our going to enquire for a Place or Person upon Immediate Revelation And I shall refer my Reader to that Passage of his to his Reader that saith They made us who were a great People to desert our Place whether we met with him and his People or no So that I have good Cause still to trust in the Revelation of God's Power which did not only confound and drive him away from disturbing ‖ Note T. P. came into his Meeting when I was speaking to the People in the Fear of God and the People were generally still and after he came in he endeavoured to stir up the Bad but the Lord's Power was with us and T. P. went away and took the roughest of the People with him then we had a Peaceable and a Quiet Meeting for about Three Hours and though he tells his Reader That we were so rude that one would have thought that we came out of a Bear-Garden Yet I say this is a great Vntruth for such Behaviour was not on our Parts who were sober and kept in God's Fear and to Scriptural Expressions but on thine whose saying to one of us when at thy Meeting was Sirrah come down which I am sure savours more of a Bear Garden Expression then of a Minister's of Christ Jesus And thou further saidst at that time and in thy Book since avouchest That we deserve to be whiped scourged and put in the Stocks by which people may see was thy Power as great as thy Will that Whipping Scourging and putting us in the Stocks should be the Weapons or Arguments that thou wouldst use instead of the Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God and true Ministers Weapons So that its manifest that a Measure of the old persecuting spirit that ever was a Mark of the false Church and her Ministers hath entred thee but thy Horn is too short We were sober and kept in God's Fear and the Rudeness was with him and those that followed him of whom I do say Except they come to Repent and turn from the Evil of their Doings they cannot lay down their Heads in Peace For it is not every one that cryes Lord Lord shall enter the Kingdom of Heaven but he that doth the Will of my Father which is in Heaven of us and hindring the Testimony which God had put into our Hearts that day but also setled the minds of the greatest number of the people and the Hearts of many were tendered and I hope the Sense that a Remnant had of God's immediate Power will be as an Engagement for them to wait daily for to feel the same that so their Hearts may be engaged unto the Lord and that his Fear may be ever placed in their Hearts that they may know him to be to them as a Fountain of Life to keep them from the Snares of Death And for Thomas Powell's Railing against me and calling me False Prophet and pronouncing me accursed and such like Expressions comes from the Heat of his Spirit and so may justly be reckoned amongst his Bed-ridden Performances and his Fly-blown Duties as he calls them which Phrases he sayes Christians understand very well I would have T. P. to tell me Whether the Spirit of God leads to such Performances and Duties or the spirit of Satan And mayst not thou be ashamed to take Money of People for such Duties and Performances Well God's Hand is against thee and thy Practice and it had been better for thee to have stood still as I have formerly told thee and to have known God's Salvation and his Power to have kept thee from venting forth such Bed-ridden and Fly blown Stuff and if thy best Performances be such what is the worst And T. P. in his 5th Page saith He shall first consider the Title of my Book which is this A Vindication of Jesus Christ the Immaculate Lamb of God Note He leaves out what I vindicate him from which was from the Foul and Blasphemous Imputation of one Thomas Powell a Preacher among the Independâ—nts who affirmed * Note It was not a Position as he would insinuate but it was an Affirmation That Jesus Christ was the Greatest Sinner in the World he takes no notice of it as though it concerned him not and yet he calls his Book an Answer to mine furely he still persists in Lying notwithstanding I warned him to the contrary But he goes on and sayes He admires at my Confidence to stile my Book A Vindication of Christ Jesus if I had not been a Quaker he sayes it had been something What! is it nothing now or is it become a Crime for a Quaker to vindicate Christ Jesus from such foul and blasphemous Expressions as he hath uttered and is his admiring at it and his saying He cannot believe it and calling my Title but a Pretence and a Bait to catch poor Souls a sufficient thing to prove it so But it is no Wonder why the Man is grown to such a Degree of Incredulity as to believe after this rate seeing he excludes having any Dependency on Christ within as the Quakers own him and how do the Quakers own him as to his inward Appearance To be the True Light that Lighteth every man that cometh into the World And T. P. sayes We say we own every Principle of the Christian-Religion Is that become a Crime in this pretended Minister's Account It s very probable it is so for he tells his Reader That our owning Christ or any other Principle of Religion to be a meer Mystical Romance and that we own such a Christ as Vnchrist's Christ such kind of Stuff and Matter as its like he has learned from Thomas Hicks the Forger and the rest of his Brethren he communicates to his Reader instead of bringing plain Scripture to clear himself from his soul and blasphemous Charge of Sin to Christ I need not much enlarge to prove we own Christ Jesus or our selves Christians seeing it never entred into the Hearts nor
of Isaac to save him from being executed by them for after they perceived his Money they consulted and agreed to save his Life but it may be supposed if this Story of his be true that he had taken so much of the Vintner's sweet Wine that he was not in his Right Senses for he also said They put him into a Coach and set him down at the Stocks Market London and that he knows not the Persons Tavern nor Street where this thing was done To his Reader I take notice of these Passages where he saith viz. The Father accounted Christ a Sinner and that the Father punished his Son or inflicted Punishment upon his Son Sin set the Father against Christ that Christ's Sufferings are penal God the Father punishing his Son and that Christ suffered justly For these Sayings I desire thee or any of thy Divines to give me plain Scripture for seeing you call it your Rule and give us no more your Corrupt Meanings upon it neither your Feigned Humble Conceiving nor Vain Imagination but let it be plain Scripture it self Here follows some of T. P's brief seasonable soul-affectionate and good Advice as he calls it unto the Principal Leaders of the Quakers c. O profligate flagitious Wretches that must imbrue your Hands in the Blood of Souls that you cannot go to Hell alone but you must have Company with you O ye Promulgaters of Errors Leaders of a great many to Hell c. This with much more Stuff that is fly-blown with Sin as he saith his Holy Duties are who also sayes Our Books have Croaking Toads and Creaking Vipers that swarms therein c. Which Expressions of his savour more of Railing Rabshekah's spirit then of the Meek Spirit of Jesus Thomas Powell thou in thy Postscript having desired us to clear our selves from those notorious Lyes and Forgeries that thou hast charged us with I have done it and do return them upon thee and thy Witness with the rest of thy Confederates to whom they do belong And T. P. as to the Promise that Thomas Hicks hath made thee it will be unsafe for thee to give Credit to it or to conside in it for that which he hath promised thee is a Work too ponderous for him to wit to prove the Quakers No Christians and their Religion a Cheat for Gog and all his great Army cannot do it Moreover Thomas Hicks of all men should cease boasting of what Help he will minister to thee or others seeing he hath undertaken more Work of his own already then himself or any other that he has brought for his Assistance could perform the Task he hath already undertaken lieth still at kis Door JOHN VAUGHTON Postscript CHrist Jesus was the Father's free Gift as it is said God so loved the World that he gave his only begotten Son a Light into the World that whosoever bolieveth in him should not perish but have Everlasting Life so that Christ Jesus was not bound or forced for saith he I lay down my Life freely so that it was his free Love and will the Professors now after all their seeming pretended Love to him brand him with being guilty of their Sins Well we do say he is not guilty of any man's Sin but hath all power in Heaven and Earth-committed unto him and can pardon Sin without being guilty of it and is the Lamb of God that taketh away the Sins of the World and the Father hath committed this Power unto him and he doth not charge his Son with the guilt of the World's Sins therefore T. P. and the rest of the Divines of thy Way repent of your Evil and of all your hard Speeches which you have uttered against the Spotless Lamb of God and those that follow him in the Regeneration and content not your selves in saying your Sins are imputed Christ's and his Righteousness imputed yours whilest you are in the Act of Sin and Rebelling against his Spirit for this Covering or vain talking will be too short in the Day of the Lord that hastens to be revealed against all Unrighteousness of Men who hold the Truth in Unrighteousness or make a Profession of Christ the Truth and live still in the Unrighteousness and in the Sin and in Rebellion against God's Light and Spirit which makes Sin manifest and reproves for it in the very Heart where Sin hath been and is committed and this Light many of you have been calling with many opprobrious Names and Terms for which you must repent or else you cannot lay down your Heads in Peace that is the Word of Truth unto you all whether you will hear or forbear John Vaughtâ—on Thomas Firth's Testimony to the Truth of so much of the Discourse that past between Thomas Powell and John Vaughton as was printed in J. V's Book Entituled A Vindication of Christ Jesus c. WHereas Thomas Powel relates That the Discourse in the aforesaid Book was Feigned or Fictious save a Passage or two I who was an Eye and Ear-Witness do affirm it to be True as it is there related and I have Unity with the publishing of it Thomas Firth THE END