but they that are subject and are led by the Spirit of God they are the Children of God and Heirs according to the Promise Most Ungodly then must T. Hicks's Consequences be that because we say Christ enlightens every Man Saul persecuted the Church and the Heathens multiplied their False Gods by the Light within Like unto which is his Arguing p. 14. where he thus pretends to answer his feigned Quaker If indeed thou knowest not what I aim at in this Question then thy Light cannot be God as thou sayst it is for God knows the Hearts and Intentions of all Men thereby confounding the Light and Creature together and concluding Imbecillity Insufficiency and Ignorance in the Light which are the Imperfections of the Creature Was there ever any thing more Scoffing Prophane and Dark then this might not the Gentiles have treated the Christians after this manner that if they knew not all things whether it concerned them to know them or not the Christ and Spirit they pretended to be led by were not God This is so far from proving the Light not to be God that admitting of it it were to prove every Man a God Is every Master as ignorant as his Schollar because his Schollar knows not as much as his Master T. Hicks knows not all truth nay T. Hicks may be led into many Mistakes Is his Bible which he calls his Rule therefore the Cause Certainly by his way of Arguing against the Light if he be not Perfect Infallible the Scriptures must needs be Insufficient and Errable But if it be an Evil to make the Scripture accessory to T. H's Mistakes of equal Reason is it Impious in him to charge Men's Infirmities upon the Light and repute that Insufficient because they are Rebellious Education Prejudice Interest Self-Righteousness Evil Living bring Vails over the Understanding that though the Light shine in Darkness they comprehend it not When Saul's Formality and Pharisaical Righteousness became shaken by the Law of Light in the Conscience then and not till then he cries out Oh wretched Man that I am Whilst Saul gave more heed to his Outward Religion then the Light in his Conscience he did Persecute and thought it a Duty 't was when the Light struck him that he became awâ—kened But if he persecuted the Church by the Light within why not by the Spirit too since God gave the Jews his good Spirit If T. Hicks will say But he resisted that so say I as to the Light Formality Tradition and many Superstitions attended with an Ignorant and Harsh Zeal darkened him that he could not behold it But it is a gross Contradiction in T.H. to say The Light ought to be obeyed and yet say That it led Saul to persecute the Christians And he abuses many of the Heathen-Philosophers as well as the Light in saying That the Light within reproved them not for multiplying their Deities For all Learned Men must needs know as I have else-where at large proved that by the Light within they have decryed the Heathen-Gods maintained the Doctrine of the One only Wise God and for their Faith and Perseverance they have been Taken Imprisoned Arraigned Condemned and Executed though it went for justice upon the Enemies of the Gods Who knows not this is a Stranger to Story But hear T. Hicks I demand an Instance among the many Thousands of Mankind that hath been convinced or reproved for not believing Jesus to be the Christ by the meer Light within before any Revelation was brought unto them though I grant that the Light in them may reprove for those Sins the Common Light in all Mankind will not because thou hast borrowed much Light from the Scriptures which all have not Answ I may well suppose that as many have been reproved for not believing Jesus to be the Christ by the Light within as by the Scriptures and my Reasons are First Because those who crucified him were Admirers of the Scripture and pretended to prove out of their own Law that it was both lawful and necessary he should be put to Death whereas had they brought that Deed to the Light the Light would have shown it not to have been wrought in God which the Scriptures without that Light could not so effectually do 2 ly Those who by Scripture came to any Convincement originally received it from the Revelation of the Light within which both opened the Scriptures and their Understandings 3 ly Peter Andrew Matthew Nathanael the Centurion Ruler Diseased Woman c. confess'd him from the Illumination and Operation of the Light within since whatever makes Manifest or works Conviction is Light They were not Disobeyers and Rebellers against it who most readily received and followed Christ They who waited for Israel's Consolation lived in the Just Man's Path a shining Light which shined brighter and brighter to the leading such as walked in it to the great Light of Israel when he appeared Further To say that the Light we have being much of it borrowed from Scripture Reproves for those Sins the Common Light in all Men will not is great Wickedness for it is to say that the Light wherewith Christ hath enlightned all Men will not Reprove for all Sin thereby placing the Defect manifestly upon the Light as before and not upon the thick and gross Darkness through Disobedience of the People as well as that he attributes to the Scripture that Conviction which is chiefly due to the Light For by what Way can Mankind arrive at true Sight Discerning and Knowledge in the Understanding part but by the Light and that as it shines into the Understanding is it not the Light to whom every Deed should be brought to see if it be wrought in God or no What can any Man solidly and beneficially learn by the Scriptures but through the Discoveries of that Inward Light Are they not dark Sayings or rather Man dark to those Sayings if the holy Light arise not to shine forth and give to understand their Scope and Tendency All Scripture but Prophecy which was given forth by Inspiration as Reproof Exhortation Doctrine c. were first experienced or witnessed at whom Tho. Hicks may equally cavil and scoff What 's your Witnessing to me that through walking in the Light of the Lord the Just Man's Path and were written for the sake of others that they might be asisted and helpt to the same Experience but not another Way then through the same Steps they had trodden so that the Ground of the holy Ancients Experiences now written and of the true Knowledge of the Scriptures and Comfort from them as an outward Mean and whatever is to be obtained and enjoyed within is originally and chiefly ascribable to the Discoveries Convictions and Leadings of the blessed Light of Christ within through every Generation however variously the Principle may have been denominated as the Word of God nigh Wisdom Light Spirit c. under the Old Testament and Light Grace Truth
the Propagation of that Inward Religion however their Form may be more scriptural the same Spirit enters them that reigned in their old Persecutors and they at last run back and end in that from whence they at first reformed So dangerous is it to rest satisfied with a finer Form which in Truth is but a better Covering for the old Enemy of God's Spirit and Power to act more disguisely and securely in But lest any should think that all this is said to justle the Scriptures out of all Use and Service read these few lines following with Patience and Impartiality Though we eminently account the Light or Spirit of Christ to be the Gospel Living and Immediate Rule as the great Promise of the Father and that without being ruled and lead or guided by there is no being a Child of God yet we do not thereby intend an Exclusion of the Scriptures from being Obligatory or as not Declaratory of those heavenly blessed Truths that are fit to be read believed and practised God forbid No we know better and practise otherwise and have good Satisfaction therein Nor do we say that those essential Things relating to Faith and Godliness mentioned therein are by us to be sleighted or contradicted or that the Light and Spirit we are led by doth or can lead to any such thing for by its Holy Discoveries and Convictions are we made acquainted with them and our Faith concerning them is firm and they are thereby made our Duty and such is their Correspondence and Agreement that from an INWARD ASSENT AND LIVING AMEN FROM GOD's LIGHT IN OUR CONSCIENCES do we testifie of their Truth Vse and Dignity And very vain is T. Hick's Objection If your Light be Sufficient why do you read them since we may return to him the same If the Scriptures be Sufficient why dost thou use other Means Though God's Grace be Sufficient of it self therefore is the Creature always in that Condition wherein he needs not Means And notwithstanding it be the Dispensation of Light and Life more Immediately then has been known to former Ages yet we deny not the Use of such Means as may be used of God's Light and Spirit as will be spoken more largly to elsewhere Man's Mind being Carnal and abroad Means in God's Power are us'd not as settl'd Teachers but as Instruments in God's Hand to testifie of and direct to that one Great Prophet and Living Teacher in the Hearts of Men that all may come thither and be taught of him CHAP. V. Of his Insinuations against us concerning the Scriptures BUt T.H. that he may be true to his Ungodly Way of perverting our Principles would insinuate First That we esteem the Scriptures no farther then as they were the Experiences of Ancient Saints thereby rendering the many Prophecies and Promises therein recorded not yet fulfilled Vnprofitable But to take off all Credit to this evil Suggestion let our sober Readers know that by the Light of Christ in our own Hearts and Consciences as to confirm what of the Scriptures we have experienced and press after the Compleatment of those Enjoyments therein expressed so are we taught reverently to believe those holy Prophecies and Promises yet unaccomplished to have been given forth by the Inspiration of the Almighty and that they shall be as certainly fulfilled as they are written Yet we dare boldly affirm and that in the Name of the Lord before whom we shall give an Account for every Deed done in the Body that the greatest Reason of our Belief concerning them is not from any Outward thing but that Inward Testimony Record and Heavenly Amen that we have frequently received from the holy Light within us to the Truth and Faithfulness of those Sayings And if any Quakers there be that are not thus minded they are to me unknown and I publickly renounce and protest against that Principle that would in the least derogate from those Holy Writings which leads me to his Second Insinuation viz. As if because we do deny the Scriptures to be the Rule of Faith and Practice in Honour to that Divine Light which was the Author of them in the Holy Pen-men that we should therefore deny all those holy Precepts Commandments and Rules relating to Life and Godliness that are therein contained A Consequence so foul that God forbid any of us should ever give any Just Occasion for it For we both believe Men ought to livâ— up to them and that they are highly Reprovâ—able if they transgress against them But the Reason why is that Conviction they meet with from the Light in their own Consciences wherefore the Scriptures are so far from being the great Rule of Faith and Practice that the Light of Christ within is both our Warrant and Rule for Faith in and Obedience to them And let T.H. say if he can that the Waldenses Albigenses Loâ—lards Hussites Lutherans Calvinists and other Protestants made not the Testimony of God in their Conscience the chief Ground of their Belief of the Scriptures to say nothing of the primitive Christians and most uncorrupted Fathers who are many and positive on our behalf 3 ly He insinuates that we equal nay prefer our Books before the Scriptures because of the Titles we give our own Books viz. The Voice of Wisdom A Testimony for God c. and what we give the Scripture namely Letter c. This I have largely spoken to in my Answer to J. Faldo but not knowing whether ever that may be where this probably may come I shal say thus much If at any time we call the Scripture the Letter it is not that we mean thereby our Books are the Spirit or that we would irreverently set them below our Writings but upon a Comparison only betwixt the Scriptures and the Spirit that gave them forth and that I hope may be done without the least Disrespect though such whose Religion stands in Letter and Time and not in Spirit and Power be angry at it But that we should be thought to sleight the Scriptures because we bestow such Names upon our Books is a strange kind of Consequence Are not our Books mostly written in a plain familiar and Scripture-stile Do we not earnestly endeavour to confirm what we write by Scripture which not only renders it a Paâ—t of our Book but the most Noble Part too And shall we notwithstanding be reputed Sleighters of the Scriptures Certainly if our Books are called The Voice of Wisdom and A Testimony for God because from the Voice of Wisdom and God's Witness in the Conscience by good Reason must the Scriptures be interested therein who are both a part of them and such a one too as unto whom our Quotation implies a Manifest Preference His next Insinuation is that it is Dangerous for Ignorant People to read the Scriptures flinging those hateful Names of Jesuit and Romanist upon us This Doctrine he layes to the Charge of G. Fox and Rich. Hubberthorn in a Book called Truth
how knows he that the Scriptures were writ by Inspiration If he sayes he was told so I ask how they knew it If they say they were told so too and so upwards I ask what Assurance can any Man 's Say-so or Hear-say be in a Matter of such Importance Nay Suppose I should grant them a True Tradition from the Apostles times I ask how knew they to whom they were writ that they were the Fruits of Divine Inspiration In short take away all Inward Testimony or the Certainty and Sufficiency of it and Farewell to all Right Belief of the Scriptures themselves Behold the Strait he is run into But if at last T.H. shall desire a little more room and acknowledge the Spirit must give the Discerning and Relish and most Convincing Testimony will it not follow that he believeth the Scriptures and performeth what may be his Duty therein upon that Conviction and not meerly because written or recommended by any Man whatever But he proceeds to prove E.B. as he thinks an Enemy to God's Commandments and a very Lyar. The thing he Wickedly but in vain aims at He quotes him thus Quak. You are not dead with Christ who are yet subject to Ordinances E.B. p. 105. To which hear him Christ The Spirit of God in the Scriptures assures us that they who are subject to and keep the Commandments of God are the Children of God and they who do not are Lyars See the first Epistle of John 2.3 4. and Chap. 5.2 3. Yet this Wicked Man saith That they who are subject to Ordinances are not Dead with Christ Edw. Burroughs's Words are those of the Scriptures of Truth therefore true Words in themselves But how does E.B. abolish what God perpetuates I am sure I can plainly perceive that Tho. Hicks does call a Conscientious Departed Sufferer and Prisoner unto Death for the Testimony of Jesus Wicked Man because he dared not be guilty of Will-Worship by going into any Practice of Worship without the Leading of God's Spirit Six Particulars comprehend my Answer in brief First That Edw. Burroughs only pleaded against such Performances under the Name of Ordinances as were but Shadowy Elementary and Perishable Things and which they were not led to by God's Spirit but took up unwarrantably and by meer Imitation and therefore Will-Worship 2. That Thomas Hicks implies by calling him Wicked Man that it is a Wickedness not to take up any Outward or Visible Part of Worship in a Man 's own Will ' and Time But to stay God's Time and wait for the Leadings of God's Spirit From whence I infer â—e is no Child of God for every such one is led by the Spirit of God therefore no better then an Ape or Imitator of the Out-sides of Religion In short a Will-worshipper and not a Worshipper of God in the Spirit and in the Truth 3. Let it be observed that there is not so much as the least mention made in all the Epistles of that Beloved Disciple of any of those Ordinances which stood in Visible and Corruptible Elements but the Scope and Tendency of them is the most Inward and Spiritual of any of the Apostolical Writings So that to bring in things of a Temporary Shadowy Nature among the Spiritual and Durable Commands of Christ under the New Covenant State without keeping of which Men incur Eternal Wrath is an Abuse both of the Apostle's Words and E. B's which he intended by them to confute 4. T. Hicks does as good as tell us That the Commandments of God may be kept without the Spirit of God since he opposes the Necessity of our Doing God's Commandments to our doing them in the Time and Will and by the Assistance of God's Spirit O Irreligious Man and Enemy to God's Spirit 5. It plainly tells us that Tho. Hicks has no Command in himself for doing what he does that the bare Authority of the Scripture is all he has to induce him which raizes to the Ground that old Protestant Doctrine of Believing the Scriptures from an Inward Testimony and Worshipping God in Spirit and Truth 6. Lastly If all are Lyars that keep not God's Commandments and therefore none of his Children as saith the Place as asserts T. Hicks then either T.H. keeps God's Commandments and so is perfect or he must be a Lyar and so no Child of God That he keeps not God's Commands I prove If such as say that Man cannot fulfil obey or keep the Law nor the Gospel pray preach dip eat Bread and drink Wine nor live without Sin keeps not God's Commandments but so doth T.H. expresly or implicitely therefore he keeps not God's Commandments and consequently is a Lyar and no Child of God For the Lyar is for the Lake To say we deny Obedience to God's Commands because we deny the present Necessity or Use of their Water Bread and Wine will never hurt us For First we know and they confess that they were in the beginning used as Figures and Shadows of a more Hidden and Spiritual Substance 2. That they were to endure no longer then till the Substance was come Now the time of the Baptism of the Holy Ghost Christ's only Baptism therefore called the One Baptism has been long since come Consequently the other which was John's was fulfilled and as becomes a Fore-runner ought to cease The like may be said of the Bread and Wine for as there is but One Baptism so is there but One Bread The Least in the Kingdom was Greater then John 's Water-Baptism He was to Decrease Christ to Increase Jesus Baptized not with Water 'T is true he bid his Apostles Go Teach Baptizing c. but no Water is mentioned But Luke in the 1st of the Acts sayes that before Christ gave that Commission mention'd by Matthew said John Baptized with Water but ye shall be Baptized with the Holy Ghost not many dayes hence and then comes the Commission in Force Go Teach Baptizing c. How With the Holy Ghost turning People from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God 3. They were but the more Noble among the Meats and Drinks and divers Washings that the Apostle said were but Shadows of the Good Things to come For I would not that any should be so Sottish as to think that Christ came to abolish those Shadows of the Jews and institute other in their room by no means He came to remove change and abolish the very Nature of such Ordinances and noâ— the particular Ordinances only to wit an Outward Shadowy or Figurative Worship and Religion For it was not because they were Jewish Meats and Drinks and divers Washings but because they were Meats Drinks and divers outward Washings at all which never could nor can cleanse the Conscience from dead Works nor give Eternal Life to the Soul else wherein would the Change be I affirm by that one Scripture Circumcision is as much in force as Water-Baptism and the Paschal Lamb as
Christ Spirit Anointing Gift of God c. under the New Testament Two short Scripture Arguments spring in my Mind for the Divinity and Sufficiency of the Light and from thence I shall conside this Objections I. If God be Divine and sufficient to Salvation and the Word be God and the Life of the Word One with the Word and the Life of the Word the Light of Men then is the Light of Men Divine and Sufficient to Salvation But God is Divine and Sufficient to Salvation and the Word is God and the Life of the Word One with the Word and the Life of the Word the Light of Men. Therefore I conclude that the Light of Men which is the Life of the Word which Word is God is Divine and Sufficient to Eternal Salvation II. That which was in all Ages the just Man's Path and there where the Blood of Cleansing is known to cleanse and by which Fellowship is enjoyed and the Light of Eternal Life obtained is ever was and ever will be a Divine Sufficient and Saving Way But such a Way is the Light as the several Scriptures in the Margent will testifie Consequently the Light is Divine and Sufficient to Salvation The only Cavil at these Arguments will be this I deny this Light to be the Common Light in all Men. To which I say that there cannot be Two Spiritual Lights of the Life of the Word and not the same if Two could be For whatever is of the same Nature though not of the same Degree is still the same in Kind If there be another Light that is Saving tell us from whence it comes but first prove this not Saving And as these things are too Difficult I hope for him to compass so is it as Ridiculous and Blasphemous to think that God should give Man an Insufficient Light But why any if not Sufficient I have heard and read often That all God's Gifts are Perfeâ—t 'T is strange that his Light to Men should be so Lame Defective and Imperfect as T.H. represents it But suppose this Light to be so Why an Insufficient Light and a Saving Light both The lattâ—r would have done our Business It is Injurious to Man to let him have a Fallible Guide For when he may think himself certain he may be in the greatest Danger by mistaking one for the other or thinking not of them as they are But Thanks be to the God of Light we know for WE WITNESS better things how ill a Reason and how offensive soever Witnessing is to Thomas Hicks an Anabaptist-Teacher to whose Brethren Experiences once were the great Foundation of both their Knowledge and Comfort though now mockt at by him with great Derision in a Quaker But to his Objections faithfully contracted 1. If this Light ever was and is Sufficient how comes it that Men have been and are so degenerated in Faith Discipline and Worship They have all this Light by your Principle 2ly If this Light had been Sufficient wherefore should God have superadded so many other Wayes and Means they would be then needless 3ly Christ being the Only Saviour who was born of a Virgin at Bethlehem wrought Miracles was cut off bore our Sins c. I query how all this can be affirmed of the Light 4ly Are not all the Generations of Christians since Christ's time till within these very few Years certainly Lost and Damned forasmuch as they acknowledge not this Light within as the True Christ To the first I answer There is nothing therein which may be thought to reflect upon the Light but what falls as heavily upon all other Wayes Helps Ordinances Appointments yea the Scriptures and which is more upon God and Christ and the Holy Spirit too For if the Degeneracy of Man that is the sad Effect of his own Rebellion shall be a valid Proof of the Insufficiency of the Light within then must we conclude from the Degeneracy that hath been among Jews and Christians and which remains to this Day that all those Assistances Wayes and Helps which have been given in reality were not Potent nor Sufficient for the End they were given The Consequences of which Opinion of our Adversaries are these Two and sad enough 1. That God in his Wayes must have been and is Insufficient and 2. That Man never was neither is any wayes faulty In short that may be sufficient to Salvation which if neglected will never work Salvation as in the Parable of the Talents may be seen To the Second I briefly say That Man's Mind being so much abroad through unstable and vain Wandrings from God's Light the Lord in Wisdom and Condescension to the Weakness of Man and Darkness of that Carnal State did accommodate both his Discoveries to Man and that Worship he required from Man according to his Capacity to receive the one and perform the other If God went into Outward Things to meet with Man's Mind that was abroad to the End that gradually it might return home shall we infer Weakness in the Light Man in that State was incapable he must have been new-molded and as another Creation to have then received that Testimoy in all its Plainness which God hath brought forth in after Ages If any will undertake to charge Weakness upon Man let him But I warn all how they conclude it against the Light since the same falls on God and his good Spirit who made Use of such Wayes and Means in order to gain upon Man's Mind and beget a right Understanding and Sence of what was his Will concerning him Besides not only did the Divine Light and Life appear unto Man in and through those things as Vailes But that which gave Man true Discerning Repentance and to do the Thing that ever was acceptable with God in any measure and which was as the Soul Life and Spirit of all the true and well-pleasing Sacrifices was a measure of that Divine Light of Life in their Hearts at that time though as Samuel in a like Case they knew it not Let none then charge the Weakness of the Administration upon the Light but the Generation to whom he that is the Light of and in Men appeared as Mankind has been able to receive the Knowledge of him It was not Insufficiency in God nor in his Light or Spirit if Man's Eyes were not strong enough to behold the Brightness of what after Ages have beheld But it was his Mercy and Goodness that he proportioned both his Discoveries and Requirings according to Man's Ability To conclude The Light is still the same in it self through all Ages and not a whit the less Sufficient because through its Invisibility and Spirituallity and the Wandrings abroad and great Carnallity of Man's Mind some External Means were used suitable to Man's Weakness through which to reach into Man and raise up some further Knowledge of the Spirtuallity of God's Worship Nor because of the Light 's Sufficiency as to it self ought any to infer that those Wayes
of the Darkness that hath covered the Earth the Superstition Idolatries humane Inventions Will-Worships Violence Cruelty Wantonness Intemperance Avarice and all manner of Vngodliness all are required to harken to the Lord's Voice to obey his Call to let him in and bring their Deeds unto the Light that Christ who is that true Light may discover the Enemy may bind him spoil his Goods and cast him out that he may reign over Thoughts Words and Deeds so shall such be able to say as David did O all that is within me praise his holy Name For Christ will be known as he is the Saviour of the Soul from Death the Restorer of Paths to dwell in who destroyes the Works of the Devil and brings in Everlasting Righteousness to the Soul And though few observe it That which is truly commend able in any People proceeds from the secret Power and Efficacy of that Inward Principle we so much testifie of 'T is that convinces discovers reproves restraines tenders humbles and affects the Soul and not their several Outward Forms which with Robbery to the Light or Grace within they are apt to attribute it to and whereby the Devil beguiles them into a Continuance of them Wherefore let all our Opposers be dehorted from their vehement out-crys for who withstand revile and set at naught this Blessed Appearance God the Lord of Heaven and Earth will break them to pieces if they come not to timely Repentance for it CHAP. IV. Of the True Evangelical Rule ANd this forever raises the Foundation of T. H's Building as indeed how can any thing so infirm long continue built upon Forgery and the hight of all Partiality who makes us Hereticks that he may be found and abusive that he may either shew his own Patience or colour his frequent base Revisings of us I say this overthrows his whole Discourse about the Scriptures being the Rule of Faith and Practice under the New Covenant For what ever is more Ancient more Vniversal and Able to Inform Rule and Guide that must eminently be the Rule but that has been and is the Light within consequently that has been and ought to be the Rule of Faith and Practice That it has been and ought still to be the Rule exprest is proveable thus That which led those holy Men into those things of which the Scripture is a Declaration must needs have been the Rule But that was the Principle of God within by what Name soever denominated That this is true let it suffice to say That who walked in the Light in any Age so far walkt in the Counsel of God And that all Mankind had an Ability from God so to do is our Belief what Abbridgement soever T. Hick's detestable Opinion of Reprobation may make of the Love of God That it ought still to continue to be the Rule of Faith and Life I prove thus That which is every where which makes manifest that which is displeasing and that which is acceptable to God without which the Scriptures are unintelligible and by living up to which Men only may come to witness the Truth of those things declar'd of in the Scriptures must be and ought to be the Rule of Faith c. But all this is true of the Light which is further proved thus The Light Thomas Hicks acknowledges all Men have The Light Thomas Hicks acknowledges all Men ought to attend unto Now unless some Man who hath lived unblameably up to the Light can give us a Demonstration of its Insufficiency to shew and teach him that further thing that God requires him to believe and do there can be no valid Argument against the Light 's Sufficiency If T.H. dare be the Man we shall joyn Issue with him in the Tryall of the Matter But if the Light be before hand with Man-kind furnishing him still with Work enough to do as it certainly ever hath done and still doth let it be known to T.H. that such as would know more of Christ's Doctrines must first do his Will according to what they do know And as it is the common Method of the Dealing of God towards the Sons of Men So is it great Impiety in any Man to infer or conclude Insufficiency to be in the Light to discover and teach Man what he ought to know and do from Man's Ignorance of all that he ought to know and do since the Ground of that Ignorance is his not doing what the Light of God requires from him as his present Duty to perform That the Scriptures are Vnintelligible without it is easily prov'd from the Variety of Judgments that are in the World about most of the Fundamental Doctrines contained therein as about God's Essence and Similitude Christ and the Spirit their Divinity Predestination Original Sin Free-Will Redemption Satisfaction Justification Faith and Works In short the whole End of Christs Coming Living and Dying they are strongly controverted Now were the Scriptures so clear capable to determine in these Matters the Differences would quickly end But since the utmost Ability they of themselves can give is not enough to render those Things obvious that are now doubtfull and disputable There is a Necessity of Man's Recourse to some other thing which is able to discover the Mind and Intendment of the holy Pen-Men Now I would be glad to know of any sober Man if any thing besides the Light shining into the Understanding is able to give true Sight Discerning and Judgment about the Points controverted would it not be reputed Madness to bid Men read that have no Eyes or if they have Eyes at least no Light to read with them The whole Scripture as it relates to Man's Duty is a Declaration of the woful State of Darkness and the blessed State of Light and Life with the Way of Translation out of the one into the other And was this Knowledge without Experience or by and through Experience I hope no Man will say the holy Pen-Men were not Witnesses of the things they wrote and if they were I would fain know by what other Way they came to understand and comprehend the Darkness that was within then by the Light within And to know the Temptations and Subtilties of the Spirit of Darkness the Discoveries Reproofs and Leadings of the Light the Tryals Travels Exercises and finally the perfect Translation so frequently expressed in these holy Writings but through the Manifestation of the Light of Christ in the Conscience their Obedience to it and ' its Operation to their Redemption and Sanctification So that the State of Judgment Repentance Remission Regeneration called the New Birth and perfect Justification were their Experiences or Witnessings for all T. Hicks from the Inward Work of God's Light upon their Hearts and their Souls which though the Scriptures declare of them they can never bring Man into nor can any Man groundedly aver the Truth of those things till he comes through Obedience to the Light in his own Conscience to
such are cleansed from all Vnrighteousness and yet the Light neâ—ther a Rule nor Saving then what else can be either a Rule or Saving But this Light says he could not tell any that Jesus should be born of a Virgin dye for Sinners and rise again But this is so great a Mistake that had he conversed with the Sibylls or other Heathen Writers he might in good part have informed himself to the contrary But here I distinguish of Faith There is an Historical and Saving Faith and there is an Historical and Saving Rule as the Faiths so the Rules differ If T. Hicks sayes that 't is the Scriptures that give the Knowledge of those Transactions I mâ—st then understand him to mean Historically if I assent which is not Saving for then all who believe those things to have been must therefore be saved the contrary to which is daily seen with our Eyes since who believes not that Report among those who are yet in great Wickedness But if we are to penetrate deeper and that T Hicks should hold as he seems plainly to do that what Faith we can have of the most weighty Truths declared of in the Scriptures is from it and not from the Light or Spirit within I must firmly deny it For Faith is God's Gift not the Scriptures Gift No so far is the Scripture from giving Faith that it is God's Spirit alone that gives both to understand and believe them The Scripture tells me of such Prophecies Histories and Epistles and of such Men as Moses Job David Isaiah Matthew Paul and John But what is it that gives me to believe the Things they writ of to be true Is it not the Testimony and most certain Amen in the Conscience and what is that there which seals to those excellent Truths Which way then can the Scripture be a Rule to me in believing the Scripture when that Faith is begotten of God by his Light and Spirit concerning the Scripture If the meer Scripture could give me Faith then it might be allowed to rule my Faith but when God by his Spirit alone begets Faith and without which I can neither understand nor believe the Scriptures tell me If God's Spirit be not the Rule of my Faith what how far and which way I am to believe them or the things believed Certainly they can never be my Rule How far and which way I am to believe themselves who of themselves cannot give me that Faith but it must be wrought by another thing so that what gives to believe rules the Belief and not the Thing believed Therefore the Scriptures cannot be the Rule of Faith Now as to this of Christ's Outward Manifestation I say so far as it is Historical the Scripture is that which furnisheth me with a Belief But I utterly deny that they give to believe it in that deep Sense which may be truly called a Saving Faith The Pharisees had the Scriptures and they pretended to admire Moses and the Prophets yet they crucified Christ and sought to countenance their Murder by Scripture Now had they believed and esteemed the Writings of Moses and the Prophets from an Inward Sence of Gods Spirit which the meer Scriptures could not furnish them with they had rightly understood them and not made so ill an Use of their Historical Knowledge as to crucifie the Lord of Life and Glory This shews that Men may have an Historical Faith and yet not the True Faith nor Knowledge of the Scriptures what then gives to believe aright now why truely that which did then the Light and Spirit of Truth no Man could call Jesus Lord without it that is truly so or upon good ground No Man could confess that Christ was come in the Flesh but whose Spirit was of God yet now nothing is more common yet nothing is more True then that Thousands of them are not of God but lie in Wickedness alienated from the Life of God c. what is the matter then why this Those who then confest that Jesus was come in the Flesh did it by Virtue of an Invisible Sight and through a Divine Illumination in their Souls For impossible had it otherwise been for them in any measure to have seen through the Vail of his Flesh into that Divine Life Power and Wisdom that Vnmeasurably filled it but having some inward Sence and Taste of that most excellent Being that was manifested in and by that bodily Appearance therefore did they confess to it and their Spirits truely reputed by John to be of God And as in that day it was Impossible for any truly and acceptably to confess to Christ without a Discerning given and Faith wrought by the Light and Spirit of God in the Heart which was the saving Faith so is it now equally Impossible for any to believe that Christ appeared and that he spake and did all these great things so as to be benefitted thereby and any wayes accepted of God therein but as the Light and Spirit of Truth open those Things to the Understanding and from a measure of that Divine Life which then immeasurably appeared for we have all received of his Fulness and Grace for Grace true Faith comes to be begotten in that Manifestation and a right Confession unto it In short He that calleth Christ Lord must now as then do it by the Holy Ghost that is from an Experience or Witnessing of his Dominion and Rule which through the Operation of the holy Spirit the Soul is to be subjected to so that who believes more then Historically that Christ came in the Flesh must do it by Virtue of the Divine Light and Spirit who alone gives to relish and savour the Truth Nature and End of that Appearance And though it may be allowed that the Scripture is a Rule respecting the History as it was to those of old in reference to the particular Prophecies fulfilled in Christ's coming yet as there was then a more Inward and Heavenly Sence of Christ which drew many after him and begot deep Faith in him so must there now be a more Inward Spiritual and deep grounded Faith of those things recorded in Scripture of Christs Appearance c. then the meer Letter is able to give And therefore that Light and Spirit which gives that discerning and works that deep Sence and Faith must needs be as well the Rule as Author of it and not the Scriptures For if the Scriptures be the Rule then either of Themselves or by Interpretation If of Themselves then either in their Translations or Originals Not in the Translations unless the Translators had been so inspired that they mist not a tittle which I am sure is not so and consequently none but Schollars have a Rule for the Unlearned are secluded therefore the English Bible is not a Rule If in the Originals of Hebrew and Greek Query In what Copies There are various Lections in Hebrew And for the New Testament so called there are no less then
Thirty Copies and all differing in fine there are many Thousands of various Readings Now let 's Dialogue a little upon Supposition only Quaker If by Interpretation who shall interpret Meer Man Anabaptist No. Q. The Light within A. No. Q. The Spirit A. No. Q. The Church A. What Church Q. Shall Right Reason interpret A. Yes sayes T.H. Q. I Query Which of them is the Rule And when that 's found out and determined then let T. Hicks prove that it is unquestionably true and has remained Uncorrupted through every Generation And by that time he has done all this he shall have done a great deal towards our Satisfaction But what is this Right Reason A. 'T is a Faculty in Man rectified Q. Very well But who has this rectified Faculty A. Thomas Hicks say Q. Has none it but he A. Yes Q. Have none Right Reason but such A. It was an old Saying Dip or Damn but Interest has taught us more Discretion Q. Well then Others may have Right Reason that are not dipped A. We say so whatever we think among our selves Q. What 's the peculiar benefit of Dipping A. Much every way Q. But which way A. We are brought into Church-Fellowship Q. Are you brought into Fellowship with God by it A. No I cannot say so Q. No! what 's your Fellowship worth then the Saints Fellowship was in the Light and the true Church-Fellowship was in Spirit What do you receive when you are dipt A. Nothing Q Are you no better A. No. Q Why I once thought you received the Holy Ghost out of hand A. I thought so too but was Mistaken Q. Why wert thou dipt then A. To fulfil the Scripture Q. But what led thee to it A My own desire Q. Is not that Will-Worship A. What to do as the Scripture exhorts Q. How knowest thou it exhorted to it A. I thought so Q. Is that enough Where 's your being lead by God's Spirit But to our Business Q. How shall I know Tho. Hicks has this Reason before mention'd A. He loftily sayes so Q. But is that sufficient Well but where is this Right Reason A. In Men. Q. Is it so Then it seems that which gives the true Knowledge of the Scripture is in Man But tell me honestly Do ye believe this Right Reason may Err A. No For then it were not Right Reason if it could be Wrong Q. Well argued But if a Man Errs is it not the Fault of Right Reason A. By no means Q. Thou speakest honestly But why then does T. Hicks charge the Light the Quakers profess with every short-sighted imperfect Saying or Action of this or any other Generation A. Does he Q. Yes it is the great Drift of his Books A. Truly that 's not fair Q. Honestly said But if this Right Reason cannot Err then Man cannot Err A. No that does not follow for Man may not submit to it Q. Why may Man have something in him that cannot Err and he not be Unerrable A. Yes Q Rightly said But why then does T. Hicks conclude so of â—â— A. It is unfairly done Q. Very well But you say that this Right Reason is part of Man's Soul or I am mistaken see Dial. pag. 32. If so then Man's Soul must be Infallible A. Oh Infallible that word affrights us What Infallible Pray what 's Infallible Q. Poor Man I see it scares thee indeed Why Unerrable and Infallible are all one Yea Right Reason is Infallible by the same Reason that it cannot be Wrong A. But the Popes talk of being Infallible are not you like them Q. Never the more like them for that Talking and Being so are Two Things Men should not deny the true Christ because of an Imposture nor any fear Infallibility because the Pope makes Market with such Pretences If thou art not certain of what thou believest thou hast not that Faith which was once delivered to the Saints for that was Certain and therefore Infallible A. Why Is Certain and Infallible all one Q. Yes Certainty and Infallibility is the same But what think'st thou of the Light in this Case under Debate for either it is the Rule or it is given to understand use the Rule or else it s given for nothing A. 'T is not the Rule we are taught to say and yet we cannot conclude it to be given for nothing Q. Very well then it must be given in order to understand and use the Rule Now supposing the Scriptures be the Rule that which informs me of my Rule and teaches me how to use it must be greater then my Rule in that it teaches me to know and do that my Rule cannot do of it self I query then If this Light be not my Rule how and which Way I come to understand and use this Rule So that it is eminently the Rule because of its Present Immediate and Certain Direction and Knowledge and the Scripture at most but a kind of Declaratory and Secondary Rule and therefore subject to the Holy Spirit in the Apostles and primitive Christians who took not Measures by it when it distinguisht the Ceremonial from the Moral Precepts so intermixed in the 19th of Leviticus and other places but their Minds being exercised and guided by that Holy Living Rule they left off or continued for a time several Jewish Observations as there might be a Service therein signified to them from that Living Rule The Light and Spirit of God then is both THE Rule of Faith and Guide of Life superior to the Scriptures and That by which only they can be rightly known believed and fulfilled A Doctrine Evangelical and not disowned by those first Protestants who testified that no Man could understand the Scriptures given forth by Inspiration but by a measure of the same Spirit To conclude Historical Faith Scripture is a Rule of but Doctrinal and Saving Faith the Light and Spirit of God can only be the Rule of for that which giveth Faith is only that which rules Faith 3 But says he how could you have known that Swearing in any Case were Vnlawful if it had not been written Swear not at all Is not then that Scripture your Rule in this Case But this shews both the Ignorance of T. Hicks in the Writings of the best Gentiles and his Acknowledgment of the Light 's Sufficiency in case we are able to prove Swearing disallowed and dispractâ—ised before Christ's Coming in the Flesh The Seven Wise Men famous among the Greeks and Contemporaries above five hundred years before Christ came in the Flesh esteemed Swearing but a Remedy against Corruption in Evidence To be sure they both believ'd and exhorted People to that State which needed it not Socrates plainly sayes that there is a Life more firm and unquestionable then an Oath Consequently Swearing not the best State And Xenocrates was had in that Veneration in Athens for his exceeding Virtue that the Magistrates thought it a questioning of his Honesty to offer
him any Oath and therefore refused implying that Oaths were not made for the best of Men and that there is a State attainable which is more excellent then that in which Oaths are used And thus was that Evangelical Precept Swear not at all arrived at preferred and honour'd by profest Gentiles about five hundred years before it was uttered by our Lord Jesus Christ therefore the Light from T. H's Objection answered is proved Sufficient 4 But here is an utter Insufficiency if we will believe him in this meer Light within to direct us the right Way of Worshipping God This sayes he is manifest from the great Loss the Wisest among the Heathen have been and are at about this very thing the Multiplying their Deityes Worshipping Devils c. He is an incompetent Witness against the Light 's Sufficiency that has never tryed the Extent of its Ability by a Life conform'd to what it leads to If T. Hicks walkt without all Reproof it were something But for a Man to talk of its Insufficiency whilst it shews that which he is not come up to as well as that it condemns for daily Failings is Arrogancy with a Witness But why is it Insufficient to direct him the Right Way of Worship Because T. Hicks has not found it Is it a good Argument against the Scripture that because those who pretend to Square their Faith by it manifestly Err therefore it is Insufficient to direct them Right Tho. Hicks will never allow this against the Scriptures and yet he calls us Names for not tacitly suffering his base Abuses against the Lord's Light What if any of the Heathen became vain in their Imginations who when they knew God worshipped him not as God will it follow that God's Manifestation of himself as the Apostle plainly speaks in Man was an Insufficient Manifestation The Jews turned Idolaters they worshipp'd a Calf and offer'd their Children to Moloch Devotion made up of Murder and Idolatry was God's Light Law or Good Spirit and that whole Series of Love and Mercy shown unto them Insufficient because of their Rebellion I affirm that Thomas Hicks by this Argument is the horridst Blasphemer that ever lived among Men For if the false Deities of the Heathen and their worshipping of Devils with the horrid Idolatries of the Jews were not the Effects of their own Erring from a Sufficient Light or Manifestation to have better informed directed them but through the Insufficiency of the Light to discover the True God how to worship him T.H. has evidently laid that horrid Charge at God's Door for he could not reap where he had not sown And thus far doth he render the Almighty accessory to those Impieties that he gave not Man a Sufficiency of Light to inform him better that he might have escaped so gross Abomination which ends in that detestable Doctrine of Eternal Vnconditional Reprobation an Off-spring of Satan a Murderer from the beginning In short Christ is the Light of Men The Way of the Just is a shining Light He that is the Way Truth and Life is the Light Therefore those who Worship God according to the Light Worship him in the Spirit and in the Truth and walk in the Just Man's Path For that Men should walk up to the Light of Christ and yet be Ignorant of the Right Way of Worship is gross Ignorance and Darkness For Tho. Hicks then to say that God doth make more known then is or can be known by the Light is false and contradictory For unless there be two Distinct Divine Lights by Nature which is an absurd Thing so much as to conceive or that God can manifest any thing without Light it will follow that both the Light is One and that by that One Light it is whereby God hath revealed himself through all Ages And here I would be well understood for I know one Age hath been attended with larger Discoveries yet this argues no Deficiency to have been in the former Manifestation though it implies Weakness in the People that they could not receive the same Light in a greater The Light is therefore One in it self however variously it may break forth in any Age and Generation I know it hath arisen higher and higher the Difference is in Degrees not in Nature and so T.H. in great contradiction to himself acknowledges Dial. pag. 36. What hath been the Duty of every Age it hath shewen and the best Reason and Rule for the Obedience to any thing superadded hath been the Convictions and Leadings of the Light according to that Manifestation it gave before Those that went from the Light and sat down grew Rich in Literal Knowledge were the Opposers of the more glorious Breaking forth of Light and not those who kept close to what was revealed So 't is at this Day Such as have kept to the Tendering Grace and Spirit among Professors such are most moderate to us and inclin'd after us The Hard Dry and Cavilling amongst them as they are strongest in their Combattings like the Pharisees of old so are they most darkened from the Light and most of all despise the Testimony of it and set at nought and oppose as to the Death all those who are become Witnesses of the fresh Resurrection of Light and Life If I may so speak in the Hearts of People I know not what better to call them then Thieves and Robbers spoken of by Christ who have gone aside from the tender Spirit of Jesus Christ that in Dayes past strove with them and with whose secret Voice they were in some measure affected and have set up themselves in a Form without Power Praying Preaching Dipping and all other Acts of Worship Ordinance c. without the Leadings of God's Spirit Wherfore said Christ of the like People All that came before me are Thieves and Robbers they climbe over the Wall they come not in at the Door which Door is that State of Witnessing at which that Light and Frothy Prophanist T.H. bestowes so many foul Reflections forgetting how much of the ancient Puritan Brownist and Baptist Religion 〈◊〉 made up of Experiences which with Men that understand Words hath the same Signification as well as that Witnessing is more Scriptural And indeed I wonder not at all at it for where Men that have had some Inward Sense of Life Eternal give not way to the more full Breaking forth of the same but run into Forms and take up their Rest by the way and so come to withstand it they â—ose what they had and center where those be who at first oppos'd them emptying from one to the other till they arrive at Rome again that so the Battel may be of Michael and the Devil the True Church against the False Power and Form of Godliness against Form without Power and the Traditions Superstions and Inventions of Men by which they have endeavoured to make void God's Law For whoever have lost their Inward Sense of God and withstand
Talking the other a Doing Christian I in short argue thus If none can enter into the Kingdom of Heaven but they that do the Father's Will then none are justified but they who do the Father's Will because none can enter into the Kingdom but such as are justified Since therefore there can be no Admittance had without Performing that Righteous Will and Doing those Holy and perfect Sayings Alas to what Value will an imputative Righteousness amount when a poor Soul shall awake polluted in his Sin by the hasty Calls of Death to make its Appearance before the Judgment Seat where 't is impossible to justifie the Wicked or that any should escape uncondemned but such as do the Will of God 2. For not the Hearers of the Law are just before God but the Doers of the Law shall be justified From whence how unanswerably may I observe Unless we become Doers of that Law which Christ came not to destroy but as our Example to fulfil we can never be justified before God wherefore Obedience is so absolutely necessary that short of it there can be no Acceptance Nor let any fancy that Christ hath so fulfill'd it for them as to exclude their Obedience from being requisite to their Acceptance but only as their Pattern For unless ye follow me saith Christ ye cannot be my Disciples And it is not only repugnant to Reason but in this place particularly refuted for if Christ had fulfill'd it on our behalf and we not enabled to follow his Example there would not be Doers but One Doer only of the Law justified before God In short if without Obedience to the Righteous Law none can be justified then all the Hearing of the Law with but the meer Imputation of anothers Righteousness whilst actually a Breaker of it is excluded as not justifying before God If you fulfill the Royal Law ye do well so speak ye and so DO as they that shall be judg'd thereby 3. If ye live after the Flesh ye shall dye but if ye through the Spirit do mortifie the Deeds of the Body ye shall live No Man can be dead and justified before God for so He may be justified that lives after the Flesh therefore they only can be justified that are alive from whence this follows If the Living are justified and not the Dead and that none can live to God but such as have mortified the Deeds of the Body through the Spirit then none can be justified but they who have mortified the Deeds of the Body through the Spirit so that justification does not go before but is subsequential to the Mortification of Lusts and Sanctification of the Soul through the Spirit 's operation 4. Was not Abraham our Father justified by Works when he had offered Isaak his Son upon the Altar Ye see then how that by Works a Man is justified and not by Faith only He that will seriously peruse this Chapter shall doubtless find some to whom this Epistle was writen of the same Spirit with the Satisfactionists and Imputarians of our tâ—me they fain would have found out a Justification from Faith in and the Imputation of anothers Righteousness but James an Apostle of the most high God who experimentally knew what true Faith and Justification meant gave them to understand from Abraham's self-denying Example that unless their Faith in the Purity and Power of God's Grace had that effectual Operation to subdue every beloved Lust wean from every Dallila and intirely to resign and sacrifice Isaak himself their Faith was a Fable or as a Body without a Spirit and as Righteousness therefore in one Person cannot justify another from Unrighteousness so whoever now pretends to be justified by Faith whilst not led and guided by the Spirit into all the Wayes of Truth and Works of Righteousness their Faith they will find at last Fiction Consequences Irreligious and Irrational 1. It makes God guilty of what the Scriptures say is an Abomination to wit that he justifieth the Wicked 2. It makes him look upon Persons as they are not or with respect which is unworthy of his most Equal Nature 3. He is hereby at Peace with the Wicked if justified whilst Sinners who said There is no Peace to the Wicked 4. It does only imply Communion with them here in an Imperfect State but so to all Eternity for whom he justifieth them he also glorifieth Therefore whom he justify'd whilst Sinners them he also glorify'd whilst Sinners 5. It only secures from the Wages not the Dominion of Sin whereby something that is sinful becomes justify'd and that which defileth to enter God's Kingdom 6. It renders a Man justify'd and condemn'd dead and alive redeemed and not redeemed at the same time the one by an Imputative Righteousness the last by a Personal Unrighteousness 7. It flatters Men whilst subject to the World's Lusts with a State of Justification and thereby invalids the very End of Christ's Appearance which was to destroy the Works of the Devil and take away the Sins of the World CHAP. X. Of the Doctrine of Sanctification and Perfection The Ignorance or Malice of T. Hicks Detected OF the Doctrine of Sanctification he has several Vnsanctified Passages though he bestows not much time upon that Important Subject some of which I shall take a little notice of Christ Let us understand your Opinion of Sanctification what it is Out of Ed. Burroughs he answereth himself thus Quak. 'T is Christ Hence we conclude to say Sanctification is Imperfect in this Life is as much as to say Christ is Imperfect To which he replies Christ 'T is true 't is Jesus Christ by his Spirit is the Author and Worker of Sanctification but will it therefore follow that the Work of Sanctification in us is Christ or that this Work is perfect in all its Degrees Now let any tell me wherein T. Hicks could have more grosly mistaken E. Burroughs who frequently insults over the Grave and Labours of that Faithful Servant of the Lord then he has done on purpose I doubt not to insinuate his Belief of the contrary to what he opposed But hear Edw. Burrough's Words at large in Answer to Priest Eaton Thou sayest Sanctification is not Perfect in this Life And the New Man the Spirit or Law of the Mind is that Grace or Imperfect Sanctification Then Christ is not Perfect in this Life for He is made of God unto us Sanctification 1 Cor. 1.30 In this it is evident First That the Priest did not so much strike at the Work done in the Creature as at the Perfection of the Principle by which the Work should be perfected in the Creature 2dly E. Burroughs did not in that place meerly intend the Work of Sanctification but the Author and Worker of it who is oftentimes called by the Name of the Work it self the Cause by the Effect as is plain from the Scripture quoted in which he used but Paul's Words How basely done was it
and in which his Holy Spirit leads not by the which only Self is abas'd kept under and in perfect Obedience to and watchfull Observance of God's Holy Will But Tho. Hicks makes this a Strange and Dangerous Doctrine insinuating that we perform nothing but upon a kind of Spiritual Compulsion as if that God required Man to do all his Commandements without his holy Spirit alwayes ready to incline and help them either to begin or perform any such Duty or that there were no Difference between waiting for the natural Springs of Divine Power to assist and being compell'd to worship But this shews his great Ignorance of God's Spirit its dayly Movings upon the Heart of Men either as a Reprover or Comforter for Good for were he better acquainted with its Dealings it would not be so uncouth to him to hear of our Waiting to feel the holy Stirrings of it in order to every Religious Performance wherefore let not his Ignorance be any Argument against our holy Gospel Practice The Saints of old had a Warrant in themselves for what they did They were not wont to run into the Imitation of former Generations as to any External Appointments because then commanded and practised as proper but consulted the Anointing they had receiv'd about the Continuation or Dis-use of such Figures or outward Services and as they receiv'd Wisdom and Counsel therefrom either to use or decline the Practice of them they acted and no otherwise making good the Apostles Saying that as many as are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God Are we led by It in ALL things then in and about God's things Had it not been for this how could the Apostles have preach'd down the whole Ceremonial Worship of the Jews The meer Letter of Scriptures could never have been their Rule in the Case If any say they were extraordinarily Inspired I answer how did such as then believ'd know that if not from an Inward Testimony Nay what Rule had the many Thousands then to worship God by The Hebrew Bible was little or not at all known to the Gentiles The Scripture tells us that whole Churches were setled in the Faith before the Epistles were writ And it is hard to think when they were writ that they could be suddenly collected and when collected that every Individual could get a Coppy that to be sure ought to have a Rule for Printing was not so early in the World and Transscribing must needs have been to Irksome for every Person to obtain a Coppy for his or her peculiar Benefit But because we are taught to believe that they wanted not True Rule of Faith and Practice and that the Scriptures especially of the new Testament could not be all that to them our present Adversaries conclude to make the great Rule let them not be displeas'd if I infer from hence that a Measure of that Holy Spirit which was given to every one to profit with was their Rule and therefore ought to be our great Rule and Guide in all things relating to Faith and Worship And let it be remembred that Christ promised to send the Spirit of Truth to lead into all Truth as much as to say none are led into the Truth nor in the Truth but by the holy Spirit of Truth or that their Practice is a Ly or they are led into a Ly who are not led by the Spirit of Truth that alone leads into all the Wayes of Truth where by Truth is not to be understood the meer Letter of the Scripture which notwithstanding is True but the Living Powerful Truth Christ the Way the Truth and the Life of which the Scripture is but a Record or Declaration Many may run into a Practice of several Outward Things mentioned in the Scriptures to have been the Practices of the Saints of former Ages and yet not be led into the Truth for all that is but Will-Worship Imitation and Unwarrantable To be led into the Truth is to be led into God's Living Power Wisdom and Righteousness whose Fruits are Peace and Assurance for ever This is the Truth the Spirit leads and is all-sufficient to Certainly Christ intended This for the Great Evangelical Leader Rule Judge Law-giver and Guide through the whole course of Regeneration the only Way into the Everlasting Kingdom And all those who are not by this Holy Spirit prepared moved and assisted to perform Divine Worship unto God but run into that weighty Duty or any other supposed Ordinance without its pure Leadings which makes it a Spiritual and Living Worship they are but those anciently fore-told of LORD LORD-CRYERS whose Portion shall be that dismal Depart from me I know you not who has requir'd these things at your hands Let this therefore be a Warning unto all Professors in the Name of the Lord that they run no longer Vnsent nor think to be accepted for their many Words God regards the Heart that he has broken and is made contrite before him and which trembles at his Word 'T is not meer Worship but that which is Spiritual which he expects and accepts and to perform that Man must Cease from his own Spirit Strength Strivings and Imitations and become Dumb before the Lord and as a Man dead to Self-Performance and then will he breath into him the Spirit of Supplication and raise him up in the Newness of his own Divine Life whereby though but in Sighs and Groans a Spiritual and most Acceptable Worship shall be offered unto God in which his Soul will be well pleased and every such one come to be refresht and establisht in Righteousness For all Offerers and Vpholders of strange Fire of what sort of People soever they may be in the Great and Notable Day of the Lord God will he cause to lie down in Sorrow And because he thinks his Advantage is not small that he hath against us by basely inferring and aggravating such Consequences as this What of Duty we neglect we are to charge upon the Spirit 's not moving us to it or because we must not obey without a Motion we are acquitted from all Fault till then c. Let me tell him that he striketh himself and not the Quakers For they hold that God's Spirit ought to be daily waited for And that it is alwayes ready to inform and instruct Man's Soul and to move it to those Thoughts Words and Deeds with respect to God and Man as are Well-pleasing to the Almighty For we do not only teach that the Spirit of God is alwayes present to convince of Sin but to lead out of it and in that Way of holy Living which is well-pleasing unto God In short God's Worship stands in the Spirit and I testifie from the Eternal God all other Worship then what springs from a Mind touch'd sanctify'd and mov'd of his holy quickning Spirit is abominable to him His Righteous Soul loathes it And what else were their Sacrifices as theirs were who in my hearing said Pray
upon which shewing it to be none of his Faith or Practice and so no Spiritual Worshipper Yet the Men testified against in that Book were such as had been in Unity with us before and in going from that into differing and opposite Practices we imposed nothing upon them but they innovated Vnseemly Customs upon us so that which Thomas Hicks's Conscience had no Mind to observe least he should loose the Force of his Cavil removes it out of the Way Let Thomas Hicks tell me by what other Rule then God's Spirit Men's Spirits and the Inside of their Religion can be tryed relisht or favoured and he doth something The Devil can transform into all Outward Forms and subscribe the best Methodiz'd true Articles that ever were written Who or what shall unmask him God gave us the true Taste Savour and Discerning of that Spirit that leads out several from the Heavenly Unity and from thence we gave our Judgment If Men become darkn'd and led by a Delusive Spirit and call that the Light though it give the Lye to the Light and strikes at the Life they whilst faithful felt among us they must look to that You say Every Man ought to make the Scripture his Rule some that say they do you say do not do you think your Judgment the less valid By no means Neither do We. Will you not desist from censuring those that answer not the Scripture though they fancy that they do Why may not we also by the Light of Christ judge those to be deluded who notwithstanding pretend to be ruled by it Ye turn People to the Scripture and they mistake it We direct People to the Light but they mistake it So that here is the Difference between our Saying that Men should do nothing but what the Spirit requires and your Teaching that Men ought to do nothing but what the Scripture requires For if we disown them for not doing what we know the Spirit requires you daily disown such as do not somethings you suppose the Scriptures do require And as you think the Scripture to mean the same you ever did notwithstanding your Opposers Suggestion we are by you justified in mantaining our judgment against those Pretenders to the Guidance of the Light To conclude I see no Difference between Tho. Hick's saying to me William Penn thou bidst me obey the Light within me and because I do thou disownest me and my saying to him Thomas Hicks thou bidst me obey the Scriptures and because I do thou censurest me This dâ—ives unavoidably to an Infallible Spirit whereby to savour all Spirits Words and Works for the Anointing is Judge and meer Pretenders weaken not its Judgment And till Men come thither their best Duties are Unholy Things indeed Let none fancy an Impossibility of Trying Spirits by that without which it is utterly impossible to try them God's Spirit gives his Children to savour and discern Spiritual Bad as well as Spiritual Good Things It is not unknown to such as are led by God's Spirit of what Nature and to what Tendency such Words or Actions may be It was on this alone and upon no other Foundation the Spiritual Gospel Sound and Heavenly Fellowship stood of old for by One Spirit were the true Christians baptized into One Body O You that are Professors of Religion who in dayes past and years that are gone over your Head Prayed loud and fervently for the Spirit rise not up against it because it stains your Beauty subjects your Wills brings you out of Self and overturns your dead Forms where the Spirit of this World has had its Seat for Ages and in a Mystery insnared and beguiled you But wait upon God in deep Silence to all Fleshly Conceivings and Will-Worships so shall you come to feel God's Pure Quickening Spirit to Inliven Tender and Affect your Hearts in which State one Sigh or Groan is more Valuable then Years of unprepared and unsanctified Will-Sacrifice The next thing aimed at in this Cavil attended with so much Bitterness and rude Language is this that Thomas Hicks being desirous to represent the Quakers to greatest Disadvantage takes not a little Pains to incense Parents Magistrates and Masters against them as Neglecters of all Lawful Commands without an Immediate and Extraordinary Impulse to perform them Were we such Wretches as he would render us we should not deserve to live in Civil Societies What I shall say in our Defence is briefly this 1. The Quakers Principles and Practice have proved themselves consistent with Government because they have encouraged to Good Life Peace and Honest Industry I shall not here seek an Eye for an Eye nor tell any of those Black and Horrible Tragedies that go up and down the World under great Authors Atestations of the People called Anabaptists No I have more regard to the Sincere and Moderate among them though 't is a great Shame to the Profession that T.H. should be suffered among them at least as a Teacher after such Forged Prophane and Abusive Trash which lies more dangerously exposed to the Lash of Story then we do But for this time I spare him yet if he proceeds on this wise against us perhaps â—e may hear further of me and that People to whom he belongs if they take not some other Course with him 2. As to the Commands of Parents I have this to say and that by good Experience of more then one That those who have had Children of our Way though with great Disquiet and not a little Displeasure and Severity against them at the first they have left the World with this Testimony of their Children they never disobeyed them but for Conscience sake and from Threatning them with the Loss of all have become so Affectionate towards them and Confident in them as to entrust them with the Whole of their Worldly Substance 'T is true here and there a Crooked Perverse Professor whose Husbands Wives Children or Servants convinced have the worst of Lives through their extream Opposition and Watching for Evil may perhaps have spy'd an Indiscretion which though against his own Blood or Family his Enmity has aggravated to an Heinous Offence and then it must be given for a Demonstration of the Erroneousness of the Quakers Way But how Just Natural or Conscientious such Proceeding is against such Dissenting Relations or the People they associate with let all Impartial Persons judge This is not doing as they would be dealt by Liberty of Conscience Tyranny and Egyptian Oppressions I ask Would the Anabaptists be thus served concerning their own Proselytes Did they never any of them suffer from their Parents And have not their Parents complained of them And has that been taken by their Church alwayes for sufficient Proof And for the Story of the Woman that went rambling from her Family and Husband bidding him take another Woman c. with some pretending Revelations to refuse just Debts I shall say no more but thus We know of no
makes haste over you if your Visitation be shut up in God's Withdrawing the Light of his Countenance inwardly to be felt and known by such as turn to it your Condition will be miserable for ever I beseech you in the Bowels of the Love of Christ Jesus unto whom this comes Be Still Cool and Moderate let him in whose Right it is He will affect your Hearts purifie your Souls destroy your Enemies and finally save you from Sin here and Wrath to come for to that End was he given a Light to lighten the Gentiles and for Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And hold no Communication with such Unsavory Persons as Thomas Hâ—â—ks a Man turn'd I testifie from the Grace of God into Dryness and Wantonness and Prejudice who makes a Mock at Experience and to whom the Weighty Work of Witnessing is Matter of Derision O the Ill Use he has made of Religion and the Lamentable End he is come and coming to My Friends get to Experience get to Witnessing by all Means and that with all Speed for those who cannot witness God's Work and Will done in them to their Sanctification shall never see Heaven That is the Word of the Lord God of Life and Power and it is sealed for ever Ah! Life for your Souls or you perish which is only known in the Light and ye must be born again or you enter not into the Kingdom of God No splendid Shew no Methodical Articles no Outward Fellowships will serve turn Friends they will all stay behind when you must go away once and for ever Therefore be not Opposers of God's Work in your selves nor others but seek after Invisible Life for your Souls that will go with you And if you will believe in the Light you shall not abide in Darkness but shall have the Light of Life which blessed be God we do Experience yea Thomas Hicks we Witness it And though thou hast bestowed much time to Abuse Belye Slander and Traduce our Friends in general and my self a Stranger to thee in particular yet I can forgive thee and the Lord is Record for me I wish thy Salvation O that these heavy things might not be layed to thy Chargeâ— For so sure as God liveth Great will be the Wrath that shall follow yea God will visit for these Unrighteous Dealings And I testifie to thee from God's Living Spirit if thou desist not and come not to deep Repentance the Lord will make thee an Example of his Fury and thy Head shall not go down to the Grave in Peace and by this shalt thou know that not a Lying or Delusive but a true and Infallible Spirit hath spoken by me yea the Light within will bear Witness to the Truth of these things on thy Dying Bed and then remember me I wish well to all I seek the Good of all I have nothing in my Eye but the Glory of my God the Prosperity of his Truth and the Salvation of all People through their Belief in it and Obedience to it Wherefore my Heart is not discomforted but I have Peace with him whose Presence I feel in which is Life to my Soul Strength towards my Labours Sâ—pport under Sufferings and a plentifull Reward for them all A Conclusive Supplication O Lord God! Plead thy own Cause and the Innocency of thy own poor People O Lord Reach into the Consciences of all thy Enemies Breath a Blast upon all their pleasant Shews Stain the Glory of their Will-Worship Bring them down that thou mayst exalt them Wound them that thou mayst heal them Break them that thou mayst bind them up O that they may all Hunger and Thirst after thy Appearance that thy Life and Power and Wisdom they may come to witness that they may be all saved in this thy Day O Lord from every Barren Way and from every Evil Work that the Life of thy Puâ—e Spirit may shine forth by them to thy Eternal Praise who over all art worthy who art God Blessed forever Amen Magna est Veritas Prevalet Great is the Truth and it doth Prevail A Postscript of Complaint Against the Unfair Dealing of our Publick Enemies SInce God visited us by his Glorious Light and that he Alarm'd Qâ—ickenâ—d aâ—d Raâ—s'd us by his Almighty Power that broke in upon our Hearts and Consciences to Discover Sin wound for it and redeem from under the Yoak of it that our Religion might not stand iâ— Word and in Form only but in Power and Life But specially since our Out-cry against the Formality and Emptiness of the many Religions in the World preaching the Necessity of Obedience to the daily Cross unto Salvation many have been our Enemies and those of divers sorts What Stratagems they have used may be better known when it shall be considered what they have not used to our Destruction Indeed â—ew or none For if Lyes Forgeries Perversions Mis-representations Aggravation of Invented Miscarriages would have done we had not been now in the World But God has preserved us to this day and the Point of their Arrows have retorted upon themselves and the Hole they have digg'd for us they have oâ—ten fallen into themselves and our Patiâ—nce and Resolution will wear out their Envy aâ—d Cruelty Among other of their Essayes Writing hath not been the least in Practice and Request But this we have publickly to declare of and that in a way of Just Complaint Our Enemies multiply their Books against us yet never answer our Defences The utmost of their Endeavours towards it seems to end either in Cavilling Perverting Mis-representing our Words and Meanings rather disguising then confuting our Principles or else inventing Error and Weakness in our Name that they may the more easily convict us of both though guilty of neither Since therefore they afford us no Just Dealing but instead of weighing our Reasons in Vindication of our so much decryed Way seek to defame it through Ignorance or Malice or both We thought it fit to let them know that we have several Books already out which contain a large effectual Defence of our Principles and Practices which we demand a serious Consideration of and full Answer to before we shall think our selves obliged to any further Tracts in our Vindication then what have been already writ and which we are now in hand withal For that we should so often defend our selves and our Defences be neglected and instead of an effectual Consideration of them that they should fall to their old and so often repell'd Charges and Accusations as if they writ not to have us clear our selves nor yet that they would justifie their Mis-representations of us by confuting our Apologies but to be dirt and disguize us to the People is most Unreasonable on their side as well as that it would argue great Indiscretion on ours to follow them into every repetitious Accusation For our parts we can never think our selves obliged to justifie our Principles so many times over against
Conscience to appeal to God as one not guilty of such vile Injustâ—ce as that of charging us with false things and refer the Reader to Examine the Quotations when here â—s not one Quotation nor the colour of one that the Quakers did ever thus speak of or render the Holy Scriptures to be of no more Authority then the Fables of Aesop What will not Envy and Wickedness had this Man to say against us Doth this agree with â—is Pretence That all he intended was only our Conviction and Recovery Dial. p. 10. Is it not rather to do us what Injury and Mischief he can by Slanders and Forgeries Tho. Hicks's Charge against Nicolas Lucas viz. That N.L. a Real Quaker was moved to declare his Mind thus to one I know very well Thou mayst burn thy Bible and when that is done thou mayst serve God as well without it and if thou hast a mind to have a Scripture thou mayst write as good a one thy self N. L's Answer follows These words whereof T. Hicks hath thus publickly and positively accused me and that divers times over in his Pamphlet were never spoken by me nor was it ever my Principle Way or Motion to Dis-esteem Undervalue or speak evil of the Holy Scriptures for I really believe that Holy Men of God spake them forth as moved by the Holy Spirit Therefore this Charge against me is an Abominable Lye and Wicked Slander And with a clear Consience I speak it I do neither know nor remember that ever any words past from me whereby Tho. Hicks could so much as colour this Lye and Slander against me And I cannot but look upon my self to be greatly Injur'd and Abus'd by T.H. until he oâ— his Brethren do me Right in this thing in as publick a Manner to the World as he hath done me Wrong Which iâ— they do not I commit my Cause to God to judge between us and clear my Innocency herein London the 29 th of the 3 d Moneth 1673. Nicolas Lucas Whereas Nicolas Lucas was referr'd to Owen Horton and his Wife for Proof of Tho. Hicks's Charge before to whom Nicolas spoke about it and she referr'd her self to Hen. Stout to witness the Charge to which Hen. Stout answers thus viz I Hen. Stout of Hertford never in all my dayes heard Nicolas Lucas speak the Words nor any of the like Import or Tendency as charged on him before nor any Man else before Tho. Hicks that I can call to mind But am satisfied in my Conscience that he hath most grosly Wronged Nicolas Lucas To which I subscribe H. Stout Another Accusation is viz. That S. Eccles discoursing with a Friend of his in London told him The Scriptures were a Lye But that this may appear a very likely Lye against S.E. he adds 'T was replyed Why then dost thou mention them that The Quaker answer'd To silence thee That he should say the Scriptures were a Lye or that he made use of a Lye to silence his Opposer appears a most absurd Slander and where is his Quotation the Reader must examine for Proof Hath he not here Abused his Reader But let S. Eccles's own Words clear him of this Lye and Slander In his Book Mus Lect. he often cites the Scriptures calls them The Holy Scriptures pag. 13. Thou that sayst the Quakers deny the Scriptures belyest the Innocent pag. 20. Do not belye the Scriptures nor the Spirit that gave it forth for Holy Men wrote as they were moved by the Holy Ghost pag. 22 Whereas Tho. Hicks begins his Continuation thus Chr. I have formerly detected you of several Pernicious Opinions concerning the Scriptures the Light Within the Person of Christ and the Resurrection c. I presume by this time you have considered what say you thereunto To this he feigns the Answer thus viz. Quak. I say the Plagues and Judgments of God will follow thee G. Whitehead Rep. I testifie against this as a Fiction for this was not my Answer neither has he referred us to any Quotations of mine though upon this he is pleased to accuse me with Passion Furious Replies and Sarcasms for his own Fiction to which he hath counterfeited my Name I question not but the Judgments of God will follow him and such Forgers and Spreaders of Lyes But that was not my Answer to the said Objection This Dialogue-Man's Liberty in these Forgeries and silly Botcheries is neither Christian nor Civil As to what he sayes pag. 3. I answer 1. That the Life which is the Light of Men John 1. is not a Creature but Divine and of the very Being of God I still affirm and have else-where proved though the whole Essence or Being of God is not contained in Man yet enlightens all Men. And 2. That the Inward Speaking or Living Ministration of the Spirit of Truth is of greater Authority then the Scriptures or Writings in the Abstract 3. S. Crisp doth own the True and Real Christ the Son of the Living God in his Spiritual Divine Being to be without either Beginning Date or End This he hath fully answered else-where 4. That the Soul or Spirit of Man as it relates to the Creaturely Being is a distinct Being from the Infinite Being of God and is not properly a Part of God For he is not divided into Parts or Particles but with respect to its Original Life whereby it immortally subsists we are God's Off-spring and the Breath of Life or Immediate Inspiration of God by which Man became a Living Soul or the Original Life of Man's Soul Of this G.F. spoke when he said Is not that of God which cometh out from God viz. the Breath of Life His words are perverted and mis-cited by T.H. For in another Consideration and State he owns the Infinite Being of God and the Soul or Spirit of Man to be distinct Beings where he speaks of the Soul being in Death in Transgression Man's Spirit Vnsanctified the Soul being in Death Transgressing the Law see Great Myst p. 91. This he could never intend or speak of the Infinite Incorruptible Being of God for that never sinned 5. That G.W. denies the Resurrection of the Body that is of the Dead or any Body at all is false nor is this prov'd against G.W. from his Saying Thou sowest not the Body that shall be it 's raised a Spiritual Body and Flesh Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God 1. Cor. 15. And T.H. may as well charge it upon the Apostle and upon his Brother Tho. Collier who in his Marrow of Christianity p. 40 94 95. plainly saith The Form in which they shall be raised that is in a Spiritual Form not in a Fleshly c. All Flesh shall be swallowed up in Spirit and our Body shall be changed and made like his glorious Body But Tho. Hicks plainly contradicts him saying That the Apostles and all true Christians say This Body of Flesh and Bones shall rise again Dial. p. 59 60. which he could never yet
or in any case He now to vinâ—icate himself from such Injustice hath given us a Second Part wherein he hopes to make good what he charged upon us in his First by Quotations out of our owâ— Books which if faithfully done I shall freely acknowledge that a Quaker is quite another thing than a Christian And as this may suffice all but such as are resolved never to be satisfied with any thing that comes from us of the Reason of deferring our further Answer so having now that Ground to proceed upon which we never had before I shall with God's Assistance make the best of it I can in Defence of the Truth and the Innocency of them that profess it only give me leave to hint at a few Things which may not be improper to the Matter in hand because they do not a little discriminate and give to relish the Spirit of our Adversary CHAP. II. Something of the manner of his Dealing with us FIrst then he has taken a very unequal Way to represent our Faith Doctrine and Practice to the World in that he hath rather delivered his own Fury then a true Quaker and shews to the World rather what he would have us to be then what we are Can it be fairly done to propose the most knotty Questions for himself and give the weakest Answers for us Had he but had the Generosity of a Roman he would have given us fair Dealing for our Reputations To make a Fool and an Heretick both and then call him a Quaker is no less then a Rape because a violent Robbery committed upon those that go under that Name The best of Men can never escape let their Adversaries have but the Characterizing of them It had become T. Hicks if he would have shown himself a Christian and a Champion too first to have set down our Principles and Arguments as delivered and urged by us and then have enervated both by his pretended greater Strength of Scripture and Reason before he had made so many Trophies of Conquest But because had we been in the wrong this had been the Practice of a true Christian and that this has not been his Practice we are taught to infer that T. Hicks is thus far Antichristian Secondly He has not only made us Weak and Ridiculous by Answers no wayes to the Purpose but to belye our very Consciences and Principles For when he asks us Do you believe the Scriptures to be true Sayings of God he makes us to answer So far as they agree to the Light in me An Answer never so delivered by us And when he queries Will you be so liberal of your Revilings whether your Adversary gives Occasion or not He answereth for us It concerns us to render them as Ridiculous as we can and to make our Friends believe they do nothing but contradict themselves which is enough to us Certainly these things shew such premeditated and wilful Obstinacy to be wicked that were we what he represents us to be in this very Matter the severest Plagues and Judgments of the Eternal God we might justly expect to be our Portion forever I fear T. Hicks measures us by himself and that the Answer he feigns to the Second part of his Dialogue will be his Lot as truly as he has there feignedly said it It would take up too much time to enlarge only thus much let me say That Man is hard put to it and Unjust with a Witness who not only invents Answers to dis-repute a Man or People but such as are very Lyes too against their Faith and Practice Thirdly Nor is this all but he hath managed the whole of his Dialogues in a Spirit of Prophanation by a tanting and inapplicable Use of many serious Words that have at one time or other been seasonably uttered by Sober Simple and Religious People to the insnaring Questions of such Trapanners as himself As for instance Thou manifests thy Darkness that thou art still in thy Imagination What dost thou witness in thy self I see thou art a poor dark Creature as by thy Talking is manifest yea it is manifest in the Light yea verily Alas for thee I bear witness against thee We are dead to Distinctions Thou manifestest a Perverse Spirit These Reader with the like Expressions doth this Ungodly Scoffer give to the World in the Name of a true Quaker as some of his best Answers and that to such Questions whose Matter hath been effectually considered and answered in many of our Books however his Spirit shows to whomsoever those Answers are improper in one sense they are not so to him But above all that a Man pretending to Religion himself and such a one too as next to us stands fairest for Reproach should give our serious Language in a Jeer as if we were fitter to be Derided than Informed is horridly wicked Can his Conscience be so seared as to handle holy Things without Fear Is Singularity grown so odious to an Anabaptist Preacher that he should make it a Subject for his Scorn and Drollery However this may resemble T. Hicks he does not herein answer the First Love of the People who go under that Name while he shews so much implacable Hatred to his Conscientious Neighbour thereby not discountenancing the prophane Rabble in their frequent Scoffs at us but furnishing them with such a Work of Darkness as excites them further to it making us to inherit those cruel Mockings which were once the Portion of his own Profession We know what answers not God's Witness shall never be able to abide the Tryal and therefore we are the less concerned in his Comical Abuses of us more becoming a Morefield or a Smithfield Stage-Play than a Christian Treatise Thus much and no more of the Spirit of the Man in general because more largely handled else-where CHAP. III. The Question Stated and accordingly Pursued Our Adversary proved false and weak WE shall now descend to the main Question and that which is the Ground of his Second Dialogue and without which there can be no Defence of his First viz. Whether those Doctrines and Expressions charged upon the People called Quakers by Tho. Hicks in both his Dialogues be really the Doctrines and Sayings of that People or not And afterwards Whether what we do own and is by him charged with Error is sufficiently opposed or proved such He affirms they are and undertakes to prove his Assertions out of their own Works which naturally leads me to consider what are those Doctrines and Expressions he hath charged upon us to be ours and what are those Proofs by which he endeavours to make good that Charge I shall first of all treat upon the more weighty Parts of Doctrine and reserve the more trivial Matters to the latter end The first considerable thing he endeavours to suggest against us is Our making the Light in every Man to be God which he undertakes to prove from G. Whitehead's Discourse upon John 1.4 In him
experience the same Judgment Repentance Remission Regeneration called the new Birth and perfect Justification before God Since then the Scriptures can do none of these things of themselves however Instrumental they may be of Good but the holy Light in the Conscience and that these things are not knowable though they may be read talked and writ of without being lead by the same Spirit and treading the same Steps of deep Experience the holy Ancients trod in and have left us for an Example it must be granted whether T. Hicks will or no That the Author of those Discoveries Convictions Judgments c. must be the Standing Immutable Rule to the Soul what how far and which way we are to deny or own reject or embrace relinquish or follow with Respect to those things that please God or that please him not His Objections I shall contract into these Four urged by him for the Scriptures and against the Light 's being the Rule of Faith and Practice and indeed they are the greatest Strength of his Book if any it has First The Light within cannot give a clear and distinct Account how Sin came to be if we consult the Wisest Philosophers we shall find a deep Silence touching this Point They saw Sin did overflow but could not by all the Improvements of the Light in them find out how Sin came to be I am perswaded T. Hicks never consulted so much as the meanest of them at least effectually had he his Dialogue would have savoured of more true Science and Morality for I will make it appear that he has contradicted himself abused the Philosophers and blasphemed the Light in this one Passage Where there is no Law there is no Transgression then where there is Transgression there is a Law Now T. Hicks granting that the Heathen knew there was Sin they must know it by Virtue of some Law that made it so This Law was not written but themselves declared God had imprinted it upon their Hearts as an Immutable and Infallible Guide to them in their Actions If so how could they be Ignorant of Sin 's coming into the World Who knew it to be a Deviation from God's living Commandment in their own Conscience and a Committing quite Contrary Things If T. Hicks means by clear and distinct Account the History of Moses that is that Adam and Eve were beguiled by the Serpent who tempted them with an Apple c. 't is no wayes to his Purpose For that which is Sufficient to that Faith which concerns Salvation is to know that God is that he is Pure and Holy that he has given Man the Knowledge of himself and his Will concerning Him by some Inward Law Command Light Grace or Spirit and that who acts not correspondently to this Guide is a Transgressor and incurs the Penalty and that the Heathen had this their Books at large tell us Nor does Tho. Hicks deny it so that he manifestly contradicts Himself and abuseth the Philosophers in saying They could not find out how Sin came since they expresly say That God made all Good and that Man's Erring from the Divine Law in him brought Evil into the World And I boldly affirm and in the next Head will prove that the meer History is not absolutely necessary to Salvation Now that herein he has Blasphemed against the Light is evident since it is to say That God gave Men a Law and Light not sufficient to let them see how Sin entered the World which is to say in plainer English what is Sin it will and must end there Besides suppose the Philosophers had been Ignorant must it needs follow that the Fault and Want was in the Light and not in them Will T. Hicks become their Warrant in the Matter that they arrived as high as the Light could teach them and that the Deficiency lay on the side of their Teacher and not on theirs Confident yea Impudent Man Why should either the Darkness of any Age be charged upon the Light or render it Insufficient or the more clear Breaking forth of Light in a following Generation be reputed another Light because another Degree then what obscurely shined forth in the former since it was not the obscurer in it self but through the gross Blackness that might have over-cast that People because of Disobedience it seemed so to them But let us hear him further 2. Nor can this Light give any Account of that Remedy which God in his infinite Wisdom provided Jesus Christ that he should be born of a Virgin dye for others and rise the third day This is the Pinch But I answer First That the Prophets saw it by this Light unless that they saw it without Light or that the Light they saw it by was not the Light of Christ as the Word that was with God and was God which I hope T. Hicks upon serious Thinking will not say for of no other do we speak 2 ly Those that believed him when he came could never have received him had they not seen him by an Inward Eye enlightned by that Light in measure in themselves which then so unmeasurably appeared in him For the Jews had the Scriptures and according to their Understanding of them they reputed him a Blasphemer and both plotted promoted and obtained his Crucifixion The Question will be Why did they not better understand them The Answer is because they Rebelled against that Spirit which could only so inform them Had they brought their Deeds to the Light they had received sound Judgment and a true Measure would have been given them which they rejecting that was both the Ground of their Ignorance and the Just Reason of their Condemnation Hence we see that Light and not the Scriptures was the higher Rule and Judge of Thoughts Words and Deeds yea and which way the Scriptures themselves were to be understood And truly it is strange that the Light in Men should not lead naturally to its own Being and Fountain 'T is Proverbial among Men The Way to the Fountain Head is to trace the Stream Iâ— the Light in Man leads not to Christ who gives thâ— Light let us leave off all Talk of Religion for tâ— what or whom else was it given to lead us But Thomas Hicks tell me Who or what wâ—â— Christ in that Manifestation it self but that Dâ—vine Word Life or Light manifested in Flesh Wilâ— not then a Measure of the same in Man lead him â—â— course to acknowledge the Fulness or in following its Leadings bring to Eternal Salvation Or can that Light resist that Manifestation as thou dost elsewhere seem to affirm If Christ his enlightned Men with the Light of his own Life and if they are required to bring their Deeds to be tryed by it and if they are invited to follow it and in following it are promised no more to abide in Darkness but have the Light of Life because of the Blood of Cleansing that is therein met with whereby
that his Obedience unto Death was in order to make Men Righteous because it was in the Nature of a Sacrifice by which God testified unto the World his Desire of Reconciliation through the Remission of the Sins that are past which was held forth and came and was confirmed by that Obedience even to the Death of the Cross In which Sence the Just sufferd for the Vnjust and whilst we were Sinners Christ dyed He was made Sin that is to take away Sin for us an Hebraism and he justifieth the Vngodly that is remitteth the Vngodly upon Repentance and bore our Iniquities or bore away our Iniquities that is by this Offering for Sin was Remission for Sins past declared and confirmed unto all as an Vniversal Propitiation For God was in all these Sufferings shewing forth his Love and reconciling the World unto himself not imputing their Trespasses unto them But still Repentance was that which brought home the general Pardon promulgated in and by that holy Offering up of his Body once for all unto every particular Soul Thus by the Obedience of that one Man even to the Death of the Cross many come to be made Righteous that is justified from many Offences see Rom. 5.6 7 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17. But if this first part of Justification which is Remission of Sin be not obtainable by any however general it be in Christ without Repentance from dead Works which implyes Faith Contrition and Amendment of Life How miserably is T. Hicks out who brings this very Scripture we are upon to prove that we are compleatly justified which takes in both Forgiveness of Sin past and a being Inwardly made Just through the casting out of Sin by the just and holy Power and Spirit of God operating in the Heart and Conscience by Christ's Righteousness WHOLELY WITHOUT US I grant it that Forgiveness of Sin is God's free Love meer Grace and rich Mercy declared in and by Christ Jesus to the World and that this Grace abounded unto all for He was a Propitiation not only for the Sins of those that believe but of the Whole World yet the whole Benefit thereof should never redound unto any whilst alienated from God by wicked Works Peter preached another Doctrine For though Christ dyed for the Vngodly yet they were not thereby Justified that is pardon'd for Sin past while Unrepentant Peter sayes Repent and then they should receive Remission of Sins Now I would fain know how this Repentance is wrought by which as a Condition any come to have an Interest in that great Pardon held out to the whole World Is the Spirit of Christ unconcern'd in it Can we think one Good Thought of our selveâ— Are we not altogether degenerated Plants of a Strange Vine by Nature Children of Wrath c. Is not this frequently confest by the Professors of Religion in our times and the most affected piece of their Righteousness too Well then If we cannot repent of our selves and that Repentance is a Condition that it is in the Soul and that it cannot be there without the Spirit of Christ work it tell me plainly if something is not to be done within and therefore of the Nature of Inward Righteousness before any Benefit be procured deriv'd or receiv'd from Christ's Death and Sufferings to any particular Person This is close to our Point for therefore is it that we affirm that such as go on to transgress against the Law of the Spirit of Life and so disobey the Light and grieve the Holy Spirit by wicked Works are not in that State Justified I mean now that they are not so much as forgiven and least of all that they should be look'd upon as compleatly justified that is by Qualification and Participation of the Divine Nature truly and inwardly made Just since it would be to say that by the Obedience of one many shall be made Righteous who notwithstanding remain Disobedient and Rebellious to God's Grace which has appeared unto them We do say again that such a Doctrine so speaking Peace to a State of Sin and Death and shutting out an Inward Work many wayes necessary to the Forgiveness of Sin past or dayly Acceptante with God IS NO LESS THEN THE DOCTRINE OF DEVILS and the worst they have to propagate to the Dishonour of God and the Eternal State of People Souls In short here lyes the gross Mistake of our Adversaries They make the Sufferings of Christ which peculiarly relate to the first part of Justification Remission of Sins past to be that which has answered not only for Sins past but present and to come so as to acquit them from all Inward Work as necessary to Justification compleatly taken contrary to express Scripture Rom. 5.25 and the great End of Christ's Spiritual Manifestation in his People There might be much more said in this matter but because he thinks I have not made a little for him in my Book truly entituled The Sandy Foundation Shaken and that I am to be short I shall proceed to dispatch what remaines as God shall enable me To that Answer he gave out of the Romans by the Obedience of one c. already with other Scriptures explained and vindicated from his Abuse of them he makes me thus to answer him Quak. It is a great Abomination to say God shall condemn and punish his Innocent Son that he having satisfied for our sins we might be justified by the Imputation of his perfect Righteousness O why should this horrible thing be contented for by Christians Penn. ibid. p. 25.30 To which he returns Chr. How now Mr. Penn Is this the Doctrine of Christ's Sufferings for Sinners to make Satisfaction to Divine Justice an horrible thing and an Abomination to you Do you consider what you say And thus brings me in answering him Qu. This I do say that the Consequences of such a Doctrine are both Irreligious Irrational Penn. ibid. P. 16. Now that he has dealt Blasphem ously with God and Injuriously with me as well as that he has given me no account of his thoughts upon the Errour he makes me guilty of in case I held it besides that impertinent Question plainly appears First he has dealt Blasphemously with God in calling Christ's Suffering God's condemning and punishing his Innocent Son c. which his Censure of my so Phrasing their Opinion manifestly implyes Now I appeal to all Impartial People which of us two is most to be blamed I that confess to Christ's Sufferings as the Effect of Gods's Love thereby not to satisfie himself as a Revenger or as he could not forgive for none of that is in the Verse at all which yet is in their Sordid Opinion but as a God full of Mercy Forgiveness and Pardon to all true Penitents to declare to the World his free Remission of Sins and that he would not impute their Iniquities unto them if they would repent believe obey or T. Hicks who holds
Question Anab. Did the Primitive Christians use to answer thus Quak. We deny Imitation We are to speak as we are moved O Ungodly Mocker and Forger Here 's your Anabaptist a Preacher a Perverter a Forger and a Prophaner of wholesom Words Who moved him to this Romance but the Father of Lyes What Quaker can this be besides his I mean that Vnchristian Tho. Hicks God will avenge the Quakers Cause upon his Head as sure as he is God if he for these things repent not But yet a little more upon Perfection Anab. Will this convince me or any other of your Perfection Ibid. p. 72 73. Quak. Though it do not yet thereby we shall render you so Odious to our Friends that they will believe nothing that is spoken by you against us Anab. Then may I not conclude that the Reason why you so freely Rail against and Reproach your Opposers is only to secure your Credit with your own Proselytes Quak. I cannot deny but that there may be something of that in it O Unreasonable Man Anab. Will you be so liberal of your Revilings whether your Adversaries give Occasion or no Quak. It concerns us to render them as Ridiculous as we can and to make our Friends believe they do nothing but contradict themselves And if this fail we will insinuate something by way of Question that may be Reproachful to them O Horrible Impiety God our God vindicate our Innocency from these Hellish Slanders Anab. But doth not this signifie a very Dishonest and Malitious Mind in you Quak. We care not what you think provided our Friends think not so Again We will give it out that we have both Answered and Confuted our Adversaries and our Friends will believe us which is enough to us Observe Reader what a very Villain this Anabaptist has made of a Quaker But where will it light when the Anabaptist shall be known to be the Maker both of the Quaker and the Villain too If this be not Forgery there is no such thing in the World O my Heart trembles within me to think of this detestable Piece of Cheat. He writes as if he were hardened against God desperate against us and resolved to the Abuse of the poor People to make them believe his Fictions to be Truths But the Devil always spoils his own Business For who not quite distracted can think it to be more our Interest to please our Friends that we are already sure of then those who are not yet such with Design to make them ours I charge these things with abundance more relating to both our Doctrine and Practice upon him as abominable Forgery And the Weight hereof shallly upon his Soul in the day of his Death And the Righteous God of Heaven and Earth will terribly plead our Cause in his Conscience to his great Amazement and perpetual Anguish if he repent him not of these Undertakings But he objects what Fierce and Impertinent Language he has given in Answer to several Questions E.B. furnisheth him with in his Answer to one Philiâ— Bennet â— Priest As these Thou art a wicked Creature Blackneâ—s of Darkness is reserv'â— for thee Thou art a Serpent and the Curse of God is eternally upon thee Tâ—oâ— Beast to â—hom the Plagues of God are due with which he makes â— great Bâ—ast in his Continuation of the Dialogue written in part to prove the first no Fiâ—â—ion But till it be better done he will remain a Forger in the Minds of all Impartial People For that iâ— not the â—wentieth part of what he haâ— given under the Quaker's Name Should that be admitted for a Proof so â—ar as it extends We have little Reason to believe that to be a sufficient Proof of the Reality of the fâ—rst whose very first Question â—nd Answer is a downright Forgery in G. Whitehead's Name and that with no Quotation though he promis'd it at once proving himself Lyar and Foâ—ger too But in Defence of that worthy Sufferer and dâ—ceased Prophet of the Lord I have this to say 1. First God having raised him with others by his Eternal Power which was very dreadful lived as a flaming Fire in the bosome of them against the Formality Hypocrisy Covetousness Persecution and other Wickedness of that Generation of Covenant-Breaking Professors both with God and Men from whom they under-went bitter Mockings and cruel Sufferings He and they have been drawn forth of the Lord to check rebuke and strike dumb that Vnclean Vnregenerate and Serpentine Spirit and Nature which was predominant and that under the shew of Worship and Forms of Religion acted in a Mystery against the Life and Power of Godliness Wherefore when this Priest in his Subtilty and unclean Wisdom of the Tribe and Trade of the Ungodly Pharisee proposed these Deâ—p and Weighty Queries not so much to be inform'd as to ensnare that 's God's Word of Truth whose State was to come to Judgment for Sin and into the deep Fear Aw and Dâ—eaâ— of Allmighty God because of Iniquity that through God's Righteous Terrors and Judgments he might learn the true and experimental Knowledge of what was convenient for him to know For they that do the Will of God can only know the Life and Truth of his Doctrine I warrant it from God and by the Sence of his Eternal Spirit do declare that it was the Portion and only fit Answer to be given to those trapanning Questions And had E.B. gone into a familiar Opening to his Vulturous Unclean Serpentine Eye all the deep Things of the Spirit of God and Mysteries of his holy Kingdom who was in that Nature that crucified the Lord of them E.B. had brought the Wrath of the Eternal Allwise God upon himself instead of the Priest whose righteous Judgments were come and at that time abroad in the Earth And I do believe they struck him home or we had heard of him ere this For Hypocrites and Disobâ—dient Men sometimes are sooner struck with Judgment then Argument 2. Nor did the Priest enquire so harmlessly as Th. Hicks would falsly insinuate It is the Language of a white Devil onset to Carp Cavil Catch and Ensnare the Innocent for the Promotion of the outside and formal Religion then cryed up and secretly to smite at and withstand the Lord's Spiritual Appearance then breaking forth in the Nation But the Priest queries smoothly And what then Is it ever the farther from being Serpentine for that Was it not Then the Jews sought to entrap Christ by their Questions when they came with a seeming Veneration and Acknowledgment calling him Master and the like Are sharp Words a greater Provocation then a subtil Twining and Decâ—itful Spirit If Tho. Hicks can no better discern Spirits than to believe every thing fairly spoken to be true his Judgment is like to be little minded he is dead to all right Feeling Every Spirit and Question is not to be answered And can he so basely misconstrue our planest and most upright Assertions and
and Railing wherewith he was charged at Bristol upon the Holy Spirit and that neither he had nor I have Words enough to signifie our Venom and Malignity because I said of James Nailors Book writ long before his being so charged That if he had treated that accursed Stock of Hirelings ten thousand times more sharply it had been but enough is like the rest of his Vngodly Perversions already noted For first I speak against Hirâ—lings and I have said nothing of them that the Holy Prophets have not exceeded who called them Dumb Dâ—gs Greedy Dogs Wolves and such like But T. Hicks's Concern for Hirelings shews both that he is one himself and indeed has been so a long time and next that he is fallen with many more from the fiâ—st Love and Principle of that People called Anabaptists 2. From my Justifying James Nailor's Sharpness in a particular Contrâ—vâ—â—sie â—gainst a Deceitful Lâ—ing Prâ—eâ—â— he infeâ—s thâ—t I dâ—fend him as to his pâ—blick Miscâ—riâ—gâ—s at Bristol Iâ— this thy Conscience hath all thy pretended Scâ—iptural Doctrines Knowledge â—tudy Preachmâ—nts c. brought thee no further God will bâ—â—â—t it all and bring thee to Judgmâ—nt for â— clerâ—â—â—gs Well may I return the third particular against thy self and Warn all People how they adhere to a Man fâ—â—'d with so much Vnâ—ruth Slander Perversion and Forgery who art alienâ—ted from Gâ—d's Light as near as it is to thee and that Heavenly Life that is felt therein of all those who believe and obey the Light Reader Let us not be esteemed Railers because we rebuke Railing Nor our Relâ—gious â—ensure of their Perversions Forgeries and Prophâ—ness be accounted Reviling 'T is Trouble enough to us to be thus conceâ—ned in Controversie We would find other Employment if such Envious Spirits found not this for us 'T is not our Choice but theirs They began and which is worse when the Powers left off Their Restlesâ— Spirit shows it must have its Vent some way Policy and Enmity together have turn'd it upon us so that our Peace from the Powers proves a Persecution from some of the Professors as the Experience of the base Cowardize of many among them gives us to remember that the Powers Peâ—secution was the time of their Peace who like Insects lay dead during those Winter Seasons We were then their made Walls to flat the Shot and Bulworks to resist the Assaults and the more Moderate prayed that we might be enabled to stand But no sooner were we come out of that Fiery Furnace then we were saluted with an Imposture from Lincoln and a Lâ—e from Dover both subscribed by Anabaptist â—reâ—chers with several Clamorâ—us Books since An Ill Recâ—mpencâ— indeed for our Love and Sufferings But frâ—m God is our Reward therefore we are not moved with whom we leave our Innocency and â—e will Effectually plead our Cause with our Adversaries His SCOFFS or slight ESTEEM of WITNESSING With a Word to Professors With a Conclusive Supplication to the Lord. Arg. VI. He that Slights and Scoffs at Witnessing is no True Christian but that doth Tho. Hicks therefore no true Christian It was the Way of the True Prophets Apostles and Churches of Christ to declare of what they had known Experimentally of God and his Work otherwise they must have been uncertain of the Truth of those Things they have recommended to us And since the Times of Reformation from the Thickness of Popery Experiences have been very Excellent Things I remember though very young to Thousands what a great Stir and Flockings there has been in my time after such Preachers who could by any Experiences approach the Consciences and tell People upon Tryal what God was and what Christ was and the Holy Spirit with respect to the Soul of Man as to Manifestation Operation Conviction Faith Temptation Victory over Sin Regeneration and the like Indeed it was the Want of this Preaching that gave such a Dis-relish to People of the National Priests and they suffered not a little for their Change Sure I am some Forms reputed less Phanatical then that in which T. Hicks is prest closely after such a Ministry and utterly decryed all other to be Beneficial in the Church of Christ But the Lord God having appeared in a more Immediate and Spiritual Manner some having taken up their Rest by the way therby losing their first Desire and Love and so the more Insensible of these further Breakin gs forth of God's Power amongst them under the more refined Form they have sat down in and where the Lord in some Measure might have appeared to them do they in this Day set themselves to War against the Light and Life of Christ within For indeed it is a State too Inward Self-less and Spiritual for their Carnal Minds that can only perform an Outward and Formal Worship to arrive at Now such being closely beset in their Fading and Dying Forms and many on all hands in whom there are any tender Desires after God's Invisible Presence falling from them like Men that seek themselves and not the Lord they are belabouring hard to prevent such a Separation from them and indeed they are grown so Dry Barren of all Good by their Opposition to the Lord's Truth as now revealed among us that they come to lose with their former good Desires their very Doctrine And that which above all things was once most desirable to the better Sort of them and applauded by all is become a Theam for Scorn and Derision I mean WITNESSING Thomas Hicks though an Anabaptist-Preacher cannot abide to hear of Witnessing He had as lieu meet with the Lye as Witnessing for an Answer He commonly bestows Ignorance Folly or such like upon It for a Companion And though another Return might be as easily found out by him yet because it may not so well suite the Scoffer and Prophane WE WITNESS IT is to go in its room To which kind of Answer he usually replies What is Thy Witnessing to Me Do not put us off with your Witnessings which signifie nothing to us Thy Commands and Witnessing are much alike to me with more of this kind My Friends In the Love of God that would have you redeemed and saved I beseech you turn away from such Blind Guides their Paths are Darkness and the End thereof Death If ever you will know and worship God aright you must come to the measure of his Spirit in you that is given to convince the World of Sin and you must know the Work thereof Experimentally in you or your Souls perish for ever My Friends I have a great Stress upon me concerning you would I could reach into every Soul of you that you might be toucht with this true Testimony for I know not more truly that God is then that I feel him to be a Rewarder of every Man according to his Works and such as Men sow they must reap And truly my Friends Time passeth away apace and the Day
the same Charges till our Answers have been better weighed For as such Trouble would be almost endless so in reality it looks more like making us Work then Refuting us Besides I must needs tell the World the base Cowardize of this Adversary in hand for we have offered him a free Meeting with his Books in our hands proffering to refute them viva voce before the World but instead thereof or any other way as several have been tendered he disingenuously slincks away and â—uts us off by meer Shifts and Evasions His Business is to write Dialogues which he is sure to answer himself and to back his Forgeries with Lyes But avoiding all Party-Reflection or any further Aggravation of this base Fear and Injustice too we shall among the many Books writ by us in general in Defence of our Way we profess lay these few upon the Heads of our several Adversaries as containing much of what can be said in behalf of our Principles and Practices 1. Priests Professors Principles writ by G. Fox 2. Rusticus ad Academicos writ against J. Owen R. Baxter J. Tombs and T. Danson by S. Fisher 3. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 writ against Bishop Gauden by Samuel Fisher 4. Edward Burroughs's Works 5. The Divinity of Christ c. writ against J. Owen T. Danson T. Vincent W. Maddox by G.W. 6. Oaths no Gospel-Ordinance against A. Smalwood writ by Francis Howgil 7. The Great Case of Tythes by Francis Howgil 8. Immediate Revelation c. writ by Geo. Keith 9. The Serious Apology c. writ against T. Taylor and T. Jenner by G. Whitehead and W. Penn. 10. The Nature of Christianity c. writ against R. Gorden by G. Whitehead 11. Christ Ascended c. writ against J. Newman by G. Whitehead 12. The Light and Life of Christ within c. writ against W. Burnet by G. Whitehead 13. No Cross no Crown c. writ by W. Penn. 14. The Spirit of Truth Vindicated c. writ against the Socinians by W. Penn. 15. Quakerism a New Nick-Name for Old Christianity c. writ against J. Faldo by W. Penn. 16. The Christian-Quaker c. writ against the Strength of all our many Adversaries in general and several of them in particular divided into two Parts the first by W. Penn the second by G. Whitehead These with our present Discourse let them answer and if they have any thing that 's new to offer we shall we hope by God's Assistance freely and faithfully consider it otherwise let Shame cover the Face of our Enemies for their Unjust Out-cries and Base Forgeries against us whom they cannot by Reason silence nor sober Argument confute W.P. AN APPENDIX Being some SOBER and SHORT ANIMADVERSIONS UPON Certain Passages in Tho. Hicks's Dialogue and Continuation of the Dialogue by which his Vnchristian Spirit is further Detected to the WORLD Also a Collection of those Doctrines and Principles which have been chiefly Controverted between us Granted and Confest to by our present Opposer Thomas Hicks and others of the Baptists Perswasion Drawing the Present Controversie to an End By George Whitehead His Mischief shall return upon his own Head Psal 7.16 Printed in the Year 1673. Moderate Reader IF any of these our present Opposers to wit some angry Anabaptists and traducing Dippers be minded to Quarrel and Scold at us for the Last Word or Pamphlet I do not think it any Disparagement to our Religion nor any Lessening of our Christian Reputation if they should have the Last Word and we should mutely sleight their Revilings but as yet we have a Necessity on us both for True Religion and Christianity's sake to manifest to the World their Abuse of both together with the Envious Lying Perverse and Abusive Spirit that appears in their Scornful Irreligious Agent Thomas Hicks who will bring no Honour to them nor their Religion but Disgrace who hath forged up a second Dialogue to render the True Quaker no Christian but the most implacable Enemy to the Christian Religion p. 68. and hath therein improved his Study to render us Odious and not in any serious oâ— solid way of Treatise to answer our Principles but with a bundle of impertinent Introrogatories Cavils Scoffs Jeers Flouts Forgeries malitious Revilings perverting our Words in divers places mistaking them for his own Malitious Dsiegn to render us our Sufferings and Consciences Odious and Contemptible and to destroy our Reputations both as Men and Christians as appears in the whole Tenour of his Work in these two Pamphlets and as may be seen particularly in the 67 68 69. pages of his Continuation And to conclude his Work as one consciously Jealous of what he had done that he might be detected for Prevention and to keep us mute he gives us a kind of severe Threat saying I have been sparing touching your Practices horrid Enormities raigning c. if therefore you will provoke me to speak all I can either respecting your Opinions or Practices blame me not c. They that have read his Dialogues may judge how sparing he hath been and if we were guilty of horrid Enormimities or Immoraâ—lities what Mercy we should have from such Judges as he who is thus liable and ready to be provoked But as we expect no Christian-Dealing nor that Charity from him which is not easie to be provoked so his Threats shall not deter us from making our Just Christian Defence on Truthâ—s behalf aâ—â— such Malitious Forgers and Perverters whilst nâ—â—â—â—ve the Testimony of a good Conscience to plead and a holy Confidence in God's eternal powâ—rful Truth which shall out live all the Emnity of its Adversaries wherein they fret and weâ—ry themselves for very Vanity who have conceived Chaff and brought forth Stubble they have travelled in Pain and brought forth a Lye whose own Breath as Fire shall devour them and they shall be caught in their own Snares and fall into the Pit which they have digged Observe that Ingenuous Disputants or Contenders especially for Christianity will diligently take notice of the very Strength Stress of their Opponents Objections and Arguments and endeavour their Conviction by a candid and fair Answer but instead thereof the Dialogue-Man frames Objections and Interrogatories in the Christian's Name with what Subtilty he can and feigns Answers in the Quaker's Name as silly feeble and contemptible as he can together with gross Calumnies and manifest Slanders to render them Ridiculous and Odious passing by the Strength of their Arguments and perverting both their Words and Intentions in their Books against their Opposers particularly those of his Party therefore while he pretends that all he intends is only our Conviction and Recovery he is guilty of gross Hypocrisie and Falshood as in the Sequel will surther appear G.W. Vnprejudiced Readers LEt it be observed that after Thomas Hicks hath pretended faithfully to represent some of the chief Opinions of the Quakers in his first Dialogue Tâ—tle Page â— And in his second to give a
more full Relation of their Dangerous Tenets Continuation Epist pag 2. He saith The Doctrines delivered by them are such as neither themselves nor any for them can give us a distinct and intelligible Account of and that the Tendency of all their Writings and Declarings doth but lead People into the Thickets of Absurd Inexplicable and Vnintelligible Dotages Epist How plain is it that the Absurdity and Dotage yea and Falshood is his own let the Rational Reader judge in his pretending Faithfully to Represent those Opinions and Tenets which he confesses neither themselves nor any for them excluding himself with all others can give a distinct and intelligible Account of and that they are inexplicable I do not so much regard his absurd Lye herein as take notice how Inconsistent Fruitless and Absurd his Work against us is But why can neither themselves nor any else give a distinct and intelligible Account of their Doctrines If you 'le believe him he saith They talk like Mad-Men as having lost their Common Reason and were absolâ—tely Infatuated Cont. p. 67. and would make the World beliâ—ve as if they were either Distractâ—d or â—orse p. 70. and saith That scarce a Man that reads W. Penn but thinks him to be either Distracted or worse p. 87. Surely if this Man believed all this of us he would not perplex and trouble himself with so much Studying and Scribling against us as he doth his Vexation and Torment would not encrease as it doth What! Mad-men absolutely Infatuated Distracted or worse and yet their Doctrines and Tenets Dangerous How can this be especially if neither Intelligible nor Explicable His Lye against W.P. is so apparent that all in their Wits who read him may see it O T. Hicks why hadst thou not so much Wit as to have hid thy Folly in Silence Thy Prayer is The Lord in Mercy vouchsafe to us in this Hour of Tryal wherein the Spirit of Error doth so fearfully prevail that his Holy Truth may shine out c. Epist Shine out Must not that be in Man's Conscience then How agrees this with his opposing the Light within as a Rule By Spirit of Error no doubt but he means the Spirit of the Quakers But what need this Hour of Tryal thereby come so near him or he fear its prevalency with Errors if it appear in such Distraction and so unintelligible and inexplicable therein as he renders it But how Mad and Distracted soever he represents us his charity and pretended Christianity leads him not to pitty us but grosly to Revile Slander and Abuse us both as Men and as Professors of Religion His Malice cannot enough vent it self against us by counting us Mad-Men absolutely Infatuated Distracted c. but also Cheats Wicked or Vile Impostors Monsters in Religion Dissemblers Prophane Immoral Knave Impudent Fellow and guilty of Deceiâ— and Hypocrisie Equivocation Idle Praâ—ing Horriâ— Blasphemy Arrogance little Respect to Magistrateâ— Wilful Lying Vile Hypocrisie and Deceit the most Implacable Enemies to the Christian Religion as Vile Impostors as ever were Destructive to all Humane Society Horrid Enormities c. But how well this kind of tâ—â—aâ—iâ—â— us with most Calumnious Reviling agrees eitâ—eâ— with his Accusation before of Mad Men Distracted c oâ—â—ith his Pretence to Meekness and Fear p. 3â— Scripture Language and Terms p. 38. or with his intending only our Conviction and Recovery let all sober Readers judge we are sure that this Way of Desâ—ming rendering a People so grosly Odious to the Nation and Obnoxious to the Powers is not the Way either to convince or recover them if deceitved or mis-guided much less to Belye and Slander them in Matters wherein they know themselves clear as he hath done by us As when we declare ouâ— Faith in a Matter and give as plain and sincere Answers as we can that according to plain Scripture he tells us We do notoriously Equivocate and Dissemble p. 54 that we do not in truth believe what we perswade many well-meaning People we do p. 69. Such is the measure we meet withal from this Malitious Accuser who most falsly presumes to be a Judge of our Minds and Intentions contrary to what we in Plainness express wherein our Consciences bear us Recoâ—d in the Sight of God he grosly belyes us and the Deceit and Falshood lies upon himself and he cannot wash his hands of it He told us in his Dialogue p 90. That if the Quakers return him the Common Answer that they are Lyes and Slanders and that he is an Envious Railing Man To the first he should not think himself concerned to give any Reply because he is fully satisfied c. Upon which as I had sufficient Ground I did charge him with being Guilty of â—oth Lyes and Slanders against the Quakers of which â—instanced Seven Dipper Plung pag. 16 17. Notwithstanding he hath promised he should not think himself concerned to give any Reply on this Occasion yet he hath not only written a second Dialogue to vindicate himself from bâ—ing a Slanderer and a Forger but for â—roof of his own Lyes and Forgeries hath added more against us And for the most â—art of his Contradictions I charged against him in the said Dipper â—lung'd he has not so much as made â—n Essay to reconcile them Neither has his Brother V. Kiffin nor any else of his Brethren appeared in â—rint either to vindicate or excuse him though rferred to therein but he must either stand solely â—on his own Legs or fall In that they do somewhat Wisely and Warily but neither Prudently â—r like Christians to suffer their Brother Hicks thus Headily and Out-ragiously to persist in his Perverse Spirt to Clamour Vilifie Reproach and Defame both particular Men and a Body of People fearing God together with their Religion and Sufferings nor will he Grace the Anabaptists Cause with â—is Defaming Pamphlets nor they in spreading them being patcht up with both Lyes and Falshood Be it further observed That Tho. Hicks would perswade the Reader of his Honesty and Conscienciousness touching his Work against us in his seeming Solemn Appeal Epist p. 2 saying God forbid that I should be guilty of such vile Injustice as to charge them with false things Examine the Quotations and thâ—â— judge He would make the World believe he is very Just But let us try him though he be fully handled before if he be not guilty of such vile Injustice as he mentions Where he saith The Holy Scriptures are esteemed by them viz. the Quakers inferiouâ— to their own Pamphlets yea they render them to be of no more Aâ—thority then the Fables of Aesoâ— Epist Where are his Quotations from the Quakers that they thus render the Holy Scriptures He refers us to none at all I charge him with an Abominalle Slander Vile Injustice and Gross Deceit in thâ— And we utterly Disown and Abominate such an Undervaluing Comparison of the Holy Scriptures as here he hath accused us of O seared
prove The Contradiction I placed upon T. Hicks was not between his Denying the Light within to be a Sufficient Rule and his Granting it ought to be obeyed as he falsly states it Contin p. 8. but between his Saying the Light within which we attend to hath in many things misguided thee and his granting it ought to be obeyed appealing to it See Dip. plung p. 5. Is that which ought to be obeyed or appealed to in things relating to Salvation a misguiding Light T.H. his Comparison between those Signs wrought by the Light within and what is spoken of the Man of Sin 2 Thess 2 9. or that what we have said thereof may as well prove Mahomet to be the true Christ as the Light within Dial. p. 11.12 I say still this is Blasphemy and contradicted by T.H. himself in his Saying that Christ is the Life and Light of Men Dial. p. 22. Of which Contradiction he takes no notice but abuseth and accuseth me with Deceit and Falshood His sleighting our Obeying the Commands of the Living Eternal Word in us and reflecting upon our owning Jesus Christ as being with such a mental and mystical Reservation as he falsly saith which that it is no other than a meer Mystical Romance Dial. p. 10. and now to mend the Matter that the Christ we own is no other then a Mystical Romance Herein I must still look upon him to have acted the Prophane Romancer and Irreligious Miscreant And the Condemnation and Deceit he would cast upon me falls on his own Head and not mine I speak my Conscience We attending upon the Light of Jesus Christ in us it naturally leads us to know and own Him who is our Life and Light whom to call a Mystical Romance is Horrible Blasphemy He puts me off at an easie Rate when he saith Thâ—se other things are so frivolous that I think â—hem not worth any Reply Contin p. 9. Will this reconcile his many Contradictions which I have jusâ—ly charged him with in his own words He hath only seemed to take notice of one before and that he has falsly stated as is hinted Why should he charge me with affirming the Light within to be the Divine Essence p. 10. though they are not my words when he himself has confessed Christ to be the Light and Life of Men And Philip Bennit whose Queries are cited and commended by him confesseth Query 17. That Christ in respect of his Divine Nature is in all Places p 34. What sayest thou T.H. to this Dost thou not believe this If not why didst thou cite it without opposing it It was never my Assertion that the Principle of Divine Light within is but an Effect of Power or Thing made as thou beggest the Question in calling the Light within but an Effect or meer Creature Dial. p. 3 4 46. but that God's Immediate Illumination or In-shining is a Natural Effect flowing from himself which therefore is Divine I never could intend much less affirm that all kinds of Effects were in every Respect such as the Cause though in some sense they are but God's Immediate Illumination or Shining in Man is Natural to himself and so Divine as the Effects of the Law written in the Gentiles Hearts were agreeable and natural to the Law it self which is Spiritual Holy Just and Good and so were the Effects His Proof that we deny the Person of Christ without us is veâ— lame being from something he would lay hold on since he did first so accuse us and that is Jesus Christ a Person without us is not Scripture-Language pag. 10. Mark here he vaâ—ies fâ—â—m the Person of Christ to Jesus Christ a Person without us wherein he has also vaâ—â—â— in his own words in â—is first Dialogue p. 9. Jesus Christ God-Man a Person without thee Which Phrase I did and do say is not Scripture-Language but the Anthropomorphites who prosest a Personal God denying him to be an Infinite Spirit Doth it therefore follow that I deny the Man Christ Jesus in his Being either without or within us But T.H. his words God-Man a Person without thee equally excluding God under the Limitation of Man and Person without us he is pleased now to leave out the word God-Man and to accuse us of Denying the Person of Christ without us he should have explained what he means by the Word PERSON for though we are not satisfied with the Words before being Unscriptural this is no Denying of Jesus Christ in his being either as without us or within us We confessing that he is ascended into Glory far above all Heavens and that he is at the Father's Right Hand of Power in his Glorious Being which yet doth not exclude or limit him from being within us Of Election T.H. saith viz. Why art thou so much concerned about Election who believes no such thing of Persons either absolute or Conditional That Election you generally hold is only of the Seed which is Christ himself p. 11. He sayes I do not know his Belief in this Matter but I am sure he mistakes our's If he counteth us in Error he should have informed and not reproacht us Though we own That God's Election or Choice is originally of and in the Seed Behold mine Elect. c. Isa 42. yet this also extends to Men and Women as chosen in him through Sanctification of the Spirit and Belief of the Truth I have chosen you out of the World saith Christ The Saints are a chosen Generation But an Eternal Absolute Personal Election or Reprobation as held by some Predestinarian Anabaptists and others I own not nor a Perpetual Hatred to particular Persons as absolutely and unchangeably designed of God fâ—om all Eternity but that in the first place God's Free Love and Saving Grace is free to all Mankind till Men rejâ—ct it He calls all Men to Repentance tenders Life and Salvation in his Son to all and condemns none upon meer Will and Pleasure but for Unbelief and Rebellion which God is not the Author of If T.H. deem us in Error herein he should have Informed and not Reviled and Abused us And seeing he often in his Continuation mentions Election without explaining his Belief therein if he have any settled Belief in the Point I ask him 1. First Whether doth he not intend it as absolutely designed and unchangeably decreed of God from Eternity to particular Persons 2. Whether this be not one main Ground of his and some others consining or limiting Saving Grace or Divine Light to such a narrow Compass as only afforded of God to a few particular Persons 3. How should I believe that God doth not afford a Divine or Saving Light to every Man but only to some few or that the Light within that is given to every Man is but a meer Creature Natural Vncertain Variable and no Sufficient Rule to direct to God unless it can be proved unto me Either that God hath from all Eternity particularly and absolutely designed and decreed
we affirm viz. 1st That Jesus Christ in the Flesh was more thâ—â— a meet Exemple of Holiness 2dly And his Blood was of peculiar Value and Estimation with God Thomas Hicks Proceeds in his Envy and Falshood stiâ—â—â—â— bring our Sufferings into Dis-esteem viz. 〈…〉 People that ever boasted so vainly of their Sufferings 〈◊〉 you do that scarce a Pamphlet can come out from yo◠〈◊〉 but the World must hear of your Brags of this kind Contin p. 6. A manifest and two-fold Falshood for 1st We do not vainly boast of our Sufferings but have rejâ—yced in Christ Jesus that we have been counted worthy to suffer for his Name when you who now enjoy our Prosperity durst not shew your Heads in publick for your Profession or Worship but fled into Corners and Obscurities and your publick Meetings were deserted and put by For thy part T.H. I do not think thou hast much Suffering for Conscience or any for Christ to boast of 2. Scarce a Pamphlet Is also false for many of our Bookes and Papers relate not our Sufferings but other Subjects much less vainly boast or brag thereof But it seems that it both judges and vexes thee and such Creeping Envious Spirits to hear of our deep Sufferings since they have had such a blessed Effect in the Nation as the inclining the Hearts of many to the Living Truth and the Increase of our Number in it Thou T.H. and such Envious Spirits are most quiet towards us when you see us under Persecution and appear most outragious against us when we have Liberty as if you were discontented and perplexed at our Liberties and as desirous of Persecution and Ruin upon us 3. I am not sorry that I was made Instrumental in obtaining the Liberty of some of thy Brethren the Baptists out of Prison the last Somâ—er who among a great Number of our Friends were released though I am but sorrily and badly requited by thee but thou art one of them who art more ready to persecute and scandalize our Sufferings then to suffer or sympathize with them that suffer for Conscience sake but have not some of thy Brethren both commended of our Sufferings and the Service thereof both to themselves and other Dissenters why then dost thou insinuate as if Carnal Interest Wills and Lusts were our chief Motive to suffer God and his Witness in many Consciences will judge thee for this gross Abuse Again T.H. did most falsly insinuate though by way of Query That our Sufferings were only to satisfie our Wills and Lusts and for Carnal Advantage which to excuse he now saith In this I only queried what it should be that doth influence you to suffer forasmuch as you deny that this Body shall rise And G.F. maintains that the Soul is part of God's Being Contin p. 6. 1. To the first I answer that every Seed shall have its own Body as it pleaseth God and every Man shall be reserved spiritually in his own proper Being though not in the gross fleshly Form Is this either to deny the Resurrection or an Eternal Advantage 2. To the second G.F. doth not so speak of the Soul or Spirit of Man nor are his Words directly and truly cited but of the Immediate Inspiration of God or original Life or Soul of Man's Soul by which Man became Living a Living Soul in this he queries Is not that of God which came out from God 3. It s an absurd and most abusive Insinuation that our Sufferings either were or could be for any carnal Advantage or Interest seeing we freely have often offered up our Lives and our All in this World therein 4. It s still a manifest Slander that we deny any Eternal Advantage to Persons after Death neither is it any much less direct Consequence of our saying Not that Body which thou sowest shall be and Flesh and Blood shall not inherit the Kingdom of God or That the Body which God giveth shall not be in a Fleshly but in a Spiritual Form as Tho. Collier confesseth dare he say this is to deny any Eternal Advantage But with T.H. This is no more then the Genuine and a direct Consequence of denying the Resurrection of this Body Is it not then the reaping Eternal Advantage must be placed upon this Earthly Tabernacle or Carnal Body though it must be dissolved and no New one to be created according to his former Doctrine Dial. p. 58. O wonderful Philosophy Eternal Advantage placed upon these same Earthly Bodies yet they not to be renewed by Creation after dissolved and turned to Dust and how contrary to the Apostles Testimony is his so much placing Eternal Advantage upon this Earthly disolvable Body see the 2. Cor. 5 1 2 8. Phil. 1.21.23 Our experiencing Christ's second Appearance without Sin unto Salvation in Answer to our Hope and testifying to Eternal Life and Felicity as Inwardly and Spiritually receiv'd by those that now suffer for Christ can be no Denyal of any Future or Eternal Advantage according to his Instance against me p. 7. seeing we know that to live is Christ and to dy is Gain unto us they that walk up to his Light in them here cannot miss of an Eternal Advantage hereafter Our light Affliction which is but for a moment worketh for is a far more exceeding weight of Glory see 2 Cor. 4 10 11. to the end of the Chapter Concerning Justification Imputation and Sanctification p. 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 wherein we differ he is fully answered in our Books viz. Divin Chr. Serious Apol. But where he saith viz. I know of none that hold Justification of Persons in their Vngodliness p. 55. Are there not those that hold Justification before Sanctification or in a sinful Estate by a meer Imputatation And those that thus argue for it by the Rule of Contraries As Christ was made to be Sin for us who knew no Sin i.e. by an inherent Guilt or Operations of Sin in him so we are made the Righteousness of God in him they adding as and so as he so we i.e. we are not actually made Righteous by any inherent Righteousness or Holiness of Christ wrought in us any more then Christ was made Sin but reckened Righteous only from his active and passive Obedience without us This Doctrine we have not only opposed but refuted Divin Christ Ser. Apol. The wicked Slander he calls upon us in this is his own T.H. we plead not for a Righteousness Imputed to overthrow a Righteousness Inherent or the Exercise of Christian Virtue p. 55. But do you not oppose a Righteousness inherent as to Justification or deny that those Christian Virtues within are reckoned or esteemed of God unto Justification T.H. 'T is you would separate and divide them not we p. 55. False we make no such Separation between Christ's Righteousness Inherent in us and Justification on the Imputation as ours we experiencing a Participation thereof Christ being made unto us both Righteousness Sanctification Redemption
T.H. Doth not this import that a Man must be formally Just before he be Justified for nothing is imputed or reckoned to us according to your Reasoning but what is inherent in us p. 55. Answ Your Reasoning It seems 't is not his then would he not here separate and divide between a Righteousness imputed and a Righteousness inherent or the Exercise of Christian Virtues if so be that a man must be justified i.e. in his Sense imputed or accounted Righteous before he be formally just how agrees this with his Concession before viz. that they would not separate divide between Imputed Inherent Righteousness T.H. I would ask you Whether Remission of Sins be not one part of Justification Answ yes 't is a Degreee of it the next Step to an absolute Justification Remission is of Sins past receiv'd upon true Repentance and Conversion from â—in to newness of Life Justification and Acceptance with God in Christ is enjoyed in the Newness of Life by such as continue in sincere Obedience to Christ This Remission Pardon or Justification from Sins past though not inherent in the Natural Fallen or Sinful Man yet 't is inwardly received through Faith in the Name of Christ by such as truly depart from Sin and Evil and give up to serve the Living God T.H. Certainly he that 's pardon'd must be a Sinner p. 56. Answ No He must be one that ceaseth from Sin for if I sin then thou markest me and thou wilt not acquit me from mine Iniquity Job 10.14 And certainly he that 's not acquited is not pardon'd nor justify'd But I must confess â—e somewhat mends the Matter in adding viz. That is such that were so viz. Sinners till Justified not such as remain so being Justified p. 56. At length we agree in this 1st That such as are pardoned were sometimes Sinners Disobedient before 2. But being pardoned and justified by the Grace of God in his beloved Son they do not remain Disobedient therefore they that remain Sinners and Disobedient are not in a Justified State I had writ something against T. Hicks's gross Abuse of our Reputation as we are Men as well as Christians by his most false and Unjust Consequences he draws from our Owning the Light within as the Rule Immediate Motions Directions of the Spirit of Christ within especially in Matters of Worship T.H. his Persecuting Spirit in his falsly Accusing us with Disrespect to Parents Magistrates c. being destructive to all Humane Society But W.P. having reprehended him in these things in his part before I forbear to publish mine at present for I have in this endeavoured Brevity G.W. THE Present Controversie Drawing to an End Or those Doctrines and Principles which have been chiefly Controverted between us Granted and Confest to by our present Opposer Thomas Hicks and his Brethren Here the Reader may see how like to us called Quakers divers of the Baptist-Teachers have been made some times to speak and hold forth Truth in Words which I would have them seriously to review and lay aside all Envy and Prejudice which hath caused so much Contradiction and Gain-saying on their parts both to themselves and the Truth professed by us Our Principles and their Concessions truly Stated and Compared 1. Quaker THat God is and that he is Light the Eternal Word of Life and Power which was with God c was God was that in which was Life and the Life was the Light of Men and that was the True Light that enlightens every Man coming into the World John 1.1 4 9. Baptist Christ in you and he is the Life and Light of Men Dial. p. 22. And Jesus Christ is God the most high God of the same Substance and Essence H.G. Light from the Sun p. 83 84 c. II. Qua. The Light of Christ or the Eternal Word in Man is Divine and Increated Bap. The Lord Jesus Christ as the Eternal Word enlightens all Men and Women that come into the World Light from the Sun of Righteousness p. 8. III. Qua. God is Infinite and Omni-present and his Presence doth both afford Life Virtue and Light to Man and Jesus Christ as God over all in respect of his Divinity or Divine Nature is therefore in all through all and over all though not revealedly nor unitedly Bap. Christ in respect of his Divine Nature is in all places Contin pag. 34. How could you call the Light Within Christ if some Scriptures had not mentioned Christ in you and that he is the Life and Light of Men Dial. p. 22. IV. Qua. The Light of Christ in Man is a certain Rule and Guide to direct Man out of Sin and Death into the Way of Life and Peace and for that End ought to be obeyed Bap. I grant it ought to be Obeyed I acknowledge there is something within that checks for many Evils and excites to many Good Things and that I ought to shun those Evils and do that Good It will be our Wisdom yea our Duty to attend to the Light Within we being accountable to God for every Dispensation of Light Dial. p. 7 8 13. V. Qua. Though this Divine Life or Light of the Son of God be manifest by Degrees in Man yet the Degrees alter not the Property of it and it ought to be obeyed with respect to God and Man 's own Salvation Bap. No Disparagement to the Light Within Each Degree of Light is Serviceable to its End Dial. p. 36. VI. Qua. This Light Within is that General Rule extending to Man alwayes or throughout Ages and that is the Will of God that Man should alwayes be under the Obligation of this Rule that he might acknowledg God's Soveraignity and Power and be in Subjection to him as having the sole right to Rule in the Creation that Man may truly discharge the Duty he owes to his Maker in true Obedience and Worship Bap. Indeed 't is not to be denyed but that Man was alwayes under an Obligation of a Rule that God's Soveraignity over him and his Inferiority unto God might be acknowledged This Rule must be the Will of God revealed to us for it is the Will of God which is the Formal Reason of the Obligation The Will of God being the Ground of the Creation of Men and Angeâ—s therefore as it is the Ground of their Being it must be the Rule of their Acting Dial. pag. 31. There was something commendable in the Heathens p. 36. That Light in every Man that doth convince of Sin and reprove him for Sin Christ as he was the Woâ—â— with Gâ—d so he was the Light of the World c. W. Burnet's Capitâ—â— pâ—in p. 8 10 16 17. VII Qua. That the Holy Spirit Unction or Living Word within which is received by them that wait in and obey the Light thereof is to be preferred as a more Eminent and Universal Rule then the Scriptures and it opens them and brings Man to the true Understanding of them and leads
separate Christ in them the Hope of Glory Newman's Light within p. 81 82 83 86. XIV Qua. That through Faith in the Power of Christ Perfection that is a Freedom from Sin is attainable and comes to be attained in this Life by the Soul that experienceth the Restauration by Christ Bap. If God in his Son draw up the Soul to himself Jo. 6 44. The more Special and Spiritual Condition of Souls thus drawn up to God in Christ is not only a Restauration to the Condition of the first Adam with relation to a Freedom from Sin this every Believer enjoys by Christ a Freedom a Justification from Sin But secondly every Soul drawn â—p out of it self to God is brought into the Condition of the second Adam Marrow Christian p. 29. XV. Qua. That Soul that 's restored unto the New Covenant-Dispensation and come to taste how good he is to partake of his Spiritual Wisdom and Counsel therein doth own and follow this Spirit and the Light thereof as the Chief Rule of Faith Obedience and Worship above the Scripture or Letter and the Spiritual Saving Knowledge of God and Christ therein beyond all Literal Knowledge and Profession of him received from without Bap. This Wisdom namely of the Spirit which is spiritual and heavenly sets the Creature out of himself in the Power of God that Wisdom namely of the Flesh and first â—dam carried on the Creature to the Answering of God in the Letter and yet in all this come sâ—oâ—t This 〈…〉 of the Spirit carries on the Soul where It 〈◊〉 is nâ—â—â—fter the Oldness of the Letter but after the Newness of the Spirit In â— wâ—rd that Wisdom could not helâ— to the Knowledge of God in the Spirit This doth 1 Câ—r 1. Marrow of Christian p. 35. Certainlâ— that â—oul who hath once tasted how Good and how Gracious the Lord is in the Spirit 〈◊〉 never be satisfâ—â— with â— Knowledge of him in the Letter The Knowledge of a Spiritual Vâ—iâ— with God produceth an acting 〈◊〉 and â—â—er the Spirit of God How doth the Creature 〈…〉 work and â—â—ls it self even in the Letter of the Gospel as well as formerly in the Letter of the Laâ— for want of Knowledge of the Vnion in the Spiritual Power of the Lord Marrow p. 44. XVI Qua. Christ's Second Appearance or Coming to the Salvation of them that truly wait and look for him is a Spiritual Appearance or Coming in Spâ—â—â— to sâ—vâ— his People and not in Scripture callâ— a Pâ—â—â—â—â—d or Fleshly Coming nor his Reign a Personal Reign in his Kingdom for 't is a Spiritual Kingdom and his Reign in it Spiritual Bap. Christ's Presence and so his Kingdom will be a Spiritual Presence and not a Personal His Reign in the Latter Dayes will not be Personal but Spiritual Jesus Christ is no more to be known of the Saints after the Flesh therefore his Presence so and his Kingdom will not be a Fleshly or Personal Presence and Kingdom but a Spiritual his Glory Spiritual his Kingdom not of this World c. See the Point argu'd at large Marrow Christian p. 77 78 79 80 81 82 83 84 to the end of the Section XVII Qua. That there is an Immortal and Incorruptible Seed of the Nature of Christ Jesus to be known in the Soul whereof true Believers come to be born again even by the Word of Life and Power which liveth and abideth forever and so comes Christ to be formed and Spiritually born in them and they to be renewed up into his Nature and Image Bap. Although we have known Christ after the Flesh yet know we him no more why If any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature Christ is formed in him after the Spirit and he comes now to 〈◊〉 a Spiritual Christ within him Marrow p. 55. Faith may be acted not only on Christ's Dying 〈◊〉 the Cross but in Christ's Living in the Soul that is my believing That Christ is Spiritually formed in me as well as that he dyed for me Ibid p. 56. XVIII Qua. We are fully satisfied that God is so far from having absolutely and particularly decreed Men's Destruction from Eternity or designing perpetual and meer voluntary Hatred to particular Persons or with-holding his Saving Grace from them that his Love is in the first place Universal to all Mankind his Grace which brings Salvation hath appeared and is free to all Men till they reject it the Appearance whereof is in and by the Light of his Son in all which is sufficient to leave all the Disobedient without Excuse whereby Men are at sometimes put into such a Capacity as that they may be saved and so receive the Benefit and good End of Christ's Coming Suffering Death and becoming a Ransom for ALL for a Testimony in due time of God's fâ—â—e Love and Grace And with this the General Baptists agree against the Contrary Partial and Pinching Opinion of the Particular Electioners Bap. 1. We believe and are very confident that there is one Lord Jesus Christ by whom are all things who is the only begotten Son of God whom God freely sent into the World because of his great Love unto the World who as freely gave himself a Ransom for all 1 Tim. 2.5 6. tasting Death for every Man Heb. 2.9 a Propitiation for our Sins and not for ours only but also for the Sins of the whole World 1. Jo. 2.2 2. That God is not willing that any should perish but that all should come to Repentance 2. Pet. 3.9 and the Knowledge of the Truth that they might be saved 1 Tim. 2.4 for which End Christ hath commanded that the Gospel to wit the glad Tiding of Remission of Sins should be preached to every Creature Maâ—k 16.15 So that no Man shall eternally suffer in Hell for want of a Christ that dyed for them but as the Scripture saith for denying the Lord that bought them 2 Pet. 2. or because they believe not in the Name of the only begotten Son of God Jo. 3 18. Vnbelief therefore being the Cause why the Just and Righteous God will condemn the Children of Men it follows against all Contradiction that all Men at one time or other are put into such a Capacity as that through the Grace of God they may be eternally saved Joh. 1.7 Act. 17.30 Mark 6.6 Heb. 3.10 18.19 1 Joh. 5 10. Joh. 3.17 See Art 3.4 of Confession of Faith presented to the King subscribed by 46 of them Serious Reader I having diligently traversed the present Controversies between some of these Water-Baptists and us called Quakers have thus far laboured for Quietness and Reconciliation by thus obviously laying down those Principles and Doctrines of ours that have been chiefly struck at by the Dialogue-Man and some others of them together with his and his Brethren's own intermixt Concessions and Assenting to the Truth thereof in most things very nearly concurring in Matter and Substance which while he or any of them otherwhiles oppose and
him into all Truth as he obeyes it Bap. Abel Enoch Abraham Isaac Jacob Noah c. had a Sufficient Rule before the Scriptures were written viz. the Spirit 's Rule God's Speaking and Directions from his own Mouth and that they had a more Infallible Word to waâ—k by then now is to us For 't is possible that some Scriptures may be corrupted having been in the hands of corrupted Men. The Scriptures may be and is corrupted by Man This may be graâ—ted that the Spirit is the Rule Of more Efficacy then the Letter The Spirit is greater then the Letter Jo. Newman's Light Within page 19 20 104 105 106 108 110 112. VIII Qua. 'T is possible for True Believers through the Power and Help of Jesus Christ to attain to such a Perfection in this Life as the keeping the Commandments of God Bap. The Spirit of God assures us that they who are subject to and keep the Commandments of God are the Children of God and they who do not are Lyars 1 John 2.3 4. cap. 5.2 3. Contin p. 61. IX Qua. That Remission and Pardon of Sins past thrâ—ugh the Blood Righteousness of Christ Jesus tâ—e Justification of Persons whether it import the making or declaring them Righteous in Christ by a Living Faith are neither imputed nor reckon'd of God tâ— thâ—m in an Unconverted Unsanctified Disobedient or Ungodly State but to the truly Repentant Converted Believing and Obedient Souls Bap. I know of none that hold Justification of Persons in their Vngodliness We plead not for a Righteousness Imputed to overthrow a Righteousness Inherent or the Exercise of Christian Vertues He that is pardoned were a Sinner till justified not such that remain so being satiâ—fied Contin p. 55 56. The Saints are made the Righteousness of God that is God now as in Christ dâ—â—â—'s and â—â—â—s in the Saints hâ— hâ—â—â—pirit writes his Law in their Hearts makes them Partakers of his own Nature and so goes oâ— in Fulfilling his own Righteousness in thâ—â— For the Righteousness of the Law in the Spirit is fulfilled in us Marrow Christian p. 38. X. Qua. Though the Soul and Spirit of Man be not of God's Divine and Infinite Being but related â—o the Being of Man and as Corruptible hath a mutâ—blâ— Habit yet as we are his Off-spring and Man is the Image and Glory of God the Original â—ife oâ— Soul of the Soul that came from God and is immutable is of his own Being In short God in whom we live move and have our Being is the Life of Lives and Great Soul of Son's and the Soul thâ—t is Saved and United to God doth partake of his Divine Nature and he that is joyned to the Lord is one Spirit Bap. The Condescension of God and Christ into the Hearts of his People to woâ—k up his Saints into the sâ—â—â— Nature with himself c. God aâ—d Christ iâ— Holy so his Word is Holâ— and through Faith in tâ—is 〈◊〉 Christians are wrought up into the Nature of it self and into God J. Newman 's Book Light Within p 78 84 87 88. There were the Propeâ—ties oâ— Gâ—â— iâ— some measure imparted to Adam Adam was in the Image of God in respect of Eternity he hâ—d given hâ—m an Everlasting Being Marrow of Christianity pag. 4 5. Christ was both the Power and Wiâ—dom â—f God and as Christ so all the Saints are 〈◊〉 one iâ— thâ—s Wisdom Christ is made unto us Wisdom nâ—t only by wâ—y of Imputation but by the Operatiâ—n of the same â—pirit who dwells as truly in every Believer as in Christ ibid. pag. 34 35. And have not sâ—me of their Brethren confâ—st That there is a kind â—f Infiniteness in the Soul XI Qua. The Children of the Resurrection shall be equal unto the Angels of God in Heaven and their Bodies not Natural Earthly and 〈◊〉 the very Gross Mâ—ttâ—r that nâ—w they are 〈…〉 Celestial Spiritual like uâ—to Chriâ—â—'◠〈◊〉 Body God giveth a Body as it plâ—asâ—th 〈◊〉 in Subjection to whose Good Pleasure we 〈◊〉 quiesce till it be effected as he seâ—th 〈…〉 own Praise Bap. That there shall be a Resurrection of the â—ody at the Last Day is Evident John 5 〈◊〉 11. with 1 Cor. 15. Rev. 20. although 〈…〉 some denyed and by others too caâ—â—lly looke◠〈◊〉 Some thinking that our Bodies of Flesh shall be Raised in the same Form in which it Dyed c. The Form in which they shall be raised that is a Spiritual Form not in a Fleshly It is sown a Natural Body it is raised a Spiritual Body When Christ who is our Life shall pâ—eâ—r we shall appear with him in Glory all Flesh shall he swâ—llowed up in â—pirit and our Bodies shall be changed and made like unto his Glorious Body Marrow of Christianity by T.C. pag. 93 94 95. And those Saints who are alive at the Coming of Christ shall be changed in a Moment in the Twinkling of an Eâ—e 1 Cor. 15.51 52. and so shall be caught up in the Spirit to meet the Lord in the Air 1 Thes 4.17 Ibid. p. 92. XII Qua. The Son of God doth not consist or is not made up of a Humane Body of Flesh Blood and Bones For he was the Word and One in Being with the Father from Everlasting But in the Fulness of Time he took upon him Flesh or that Body prepared for him and being Ascended into Glory his Body is a Glorious Body surpassing all Humane Earthly Carnal and Corruptible Bodies Bap. Christ was a Son by a Spiritual Proceeding and Coming from the Father who was Eternally One in the Father Marrow of Châ— p. 30. Our Bodies shall be changed and made like his Glorious Body Ibid. p. 95. Theâ— shall be raised in a Spiritual Form not in a Fleshly p. 94. The â—on took Flesh upon him the Word took Fleâ—h the Father did prepare him a Body Dialogue p. â—5 4â— and 83. XIII Qua. Christ being so highly exalted and Glorified as it God's Right Hand as he is can be neither Proof nor Argument that he is not iâ— any Man nor that either Christ or God's Right Hand is limited and circumscribed to such Remotâ—ness as not to be in the True Believers to save and uphold their Souls Bap. When a Soul is satisfied from its Vnion with God and its Dwelling in God that all the Administrations and makings forth of God is Love unto it thus it dwells in Love and from hence is filled with Joy It causeth the Soul alwayes to dwell at the Right Hand of God where is Joy and Pleasure for evermore Marrow of Christian p. 28. Christ the Son was Eternally one in the Father so in him all Believers are made by the same Spirit the Adopted Sons of God being made Partakers of the same Divine Nature Marrow of Christian p. 30. Christ dwells Spiritually in all the Saints If Christ be in you you shall be sensible of it Ibid p 31.32 Tâ—is Indwelling of Christ in his People God and Christ cannot be