lingering Desires to Evil that dwelt in me which would have led me to Evil which Desires I could not be delivered from any manner of Way which was the Cause of my Grief and Sorrow some considerable time until the Lord opened mine Eyes and shewed me Salvation by a Person wholly without me which Person is Jesus Christ whose Righteousness being imputed unto me and accounted as mine own that Righteousness being every way compleat he having fulfilled the Law of God in every respect by submitting unto this and accepting of this as my own I had Peace of Conscience which no otherways I could attain to Now by the light which every Man hath saw I no Beauty in this But by a Light which every Man hath not did I see a Beauty in this From whence I may conclude what that Light which every Man hath is for every Man in Reason seeth not a Beauty in this Righteousness Quest Had I not Joy and Peace and Quietness in my Spirit when I was obedient to that Light in me which reproved me for Sin And doth not the Scripture say The Kingdom of God is Righteousness and Peace and Joy in the Holy Ghost Wherein do they differ then Answ I had a Joy and a Peace and a Comfort in both states But the Joy of the first was not so great as the Joy of the Second For as Israel was in Egypt under hard tasks Exod. 5. And so long as they fulfilled their Tasks doubtless they had Joy and Peace and Quiet which when they did not fulfil they were beaten But doubtless they had more Joy and Peace when they were brought into Canaan where the Tasks were not laid upon them So was it with me So long as I did obey that which did reprove me for Sin I had peace and quiet judging my Condition happy But I found a greater Joy and Peace when I saw Salvation by the Righteousness of Christ without me being a more compleat and surer Righteousness than that wrought in me being hereby delivered from Fear of Miscarriages to the loss of my Salvation Quest Was there not a Power when I obeyed the Light reproving me for Sin which did deliver me from sinning and gave me Strength to do that which was good and right and just before God and Man and would carry me through Sufferings for it with Peace and Comfort if I submitted unto it according to that passage To as many as received him to them gave he Power to become the Sons of God Answ Yes There was a Power which did deliver me from sinning outwardly or doing any thing to wrong my Neighbour or telling Lies but choosed rather to suffer anger than to do it whereas if I had lied I might have been free from it it bore me up when I was hissed at for what I did to my Face saying These are the things which I must look for it was the portion of Christ when He walked upon the Earth and I must not wonder at it the Scriptuee saith it For it is enough for a Servant to be equal with his Lord But notwithstanding I met with a time when I could not have Peace of Conscience by that Power within me but by the powerful Work of God without me in preparing a Body which was perfectly holy to die for me to bear my Sins in my place in my room to free me from the Curse of the Law imputing his Righteousness unto me To as many as receive this gave he Power to become the Sons of God heing manifest to me in the Spirit at that time I mentioned before working Faith in me which Faith engageth to serve the Lord By this Faith I had Peace of Conscience this was the Power of God unto Salvation to my Soul according as it is written The Preaching of the Cross is to them that perish Foolishness but to them which are saved it is the Power of God 1 Cor. 1.18 Quest Do I despise that Light Knowledg or Conscience which reproveth Man for Sin in him and judg it not to be obeyed Answ No I believe it is the Duty of every one to walk in the Commandments of the Law of God and to keep a Conscience void of Offence according as it is written Holding Faith in a pure Conscience hoping to be found in the same my self Quest For what Ends do I desire to be found in Obedience to this Light Answ Because it is my Duty to God Not for Life but from a Principle of Life not for Salvation but because I have Salvation through Faith in Christ not that my Peace might be made but because my Peace is made already not that I might get into the Love of God but because I am in the Love of God through Faith in Christ who gave himself a Ransom to redeem me from the Curse of the Law He being made a Curse for me Friends To whom these few Lines may be presented written by the Hand of him who is Weak in Knowledg and of low Degree having done this at the request of my worthy Friends who thought it might be of use to those which might be in the like Trouble as I have been After the viewing of this many Censures do I expect perhaps it may be said by most I was no such Person as I have here exprest my self to be which if it be I matter not God knoweth the things I have been led through my Conscience also bearing me Witness to the things I have written and therefore leave it to the Souls in Christ to judg Perhaps it may be further said of me That I have written some things herein out of Envy and Malice To which I answer I have not written any thing herein out of Envy or Malice but for the relief of those that are in trouble if the Lord please to make it instrumental by his Spirit for that end Perhaps it may be said I could not attain to Joy and Peace and Comfort by Obedience to the Light reproving me for Sin seeing I walked not in all things as the Quakers did To which I answer I have seen one of them do that which another of them had not Freedom to do yet I believe he that did it had Peace in what he did because he saw no Evil in it why might not I have Peace and Joy in my Spirit though I did not walk in every Point as they did seeing I did that which I believed was good in the sight of God when I durst not do that which some of them did Perhaps it may be said This is nothing but an invented Story of mine own having picked up bere and there a word by Head-knowledg seeing I was not in open Profession with them which expect Salvation by Obedience to the Light in them To which I say Though I was not in open Profession with them yet was I of the same Faith and fought my Salvation the same way And as to taking hold of Words or inventing Stories I
say in thine Heart or have such things arise in thee saying Would such pg a Man's House or Lands were mine Or is he in a fair Trade Dost not thou desire or wish in thy Heart That thou couldst get into his Trade or Doth he live bravely in the World Dost not thou desire his Trade that thou mightest live as he Or art not thou ready to envy him because thou canst not do as he doth If there be any such things as these it is not right in the sight of God Hebr. 13.5.1 Tim. 6.8 Art thou a Servant art thou at all times content in thy Heart with thy Wages Doth not something arise in thee to the contrary Luke 3.14 If there be any such things though they are not known to Man yet God knoweth them all and they are enough to bring Man under the Curse Now all these things ought to be done at all times Deut. 18.19 For Christ did that which pleased God always After all these and hundreds more that might be reckoned up if thou canst say thou dost them it will be required whether thou dost them all purely out of Love for whatever is done if it be not in Love to God it availeth not Now if thou keep the Commandments of the Lord and walk in his holy Statutes that thou mightest get into his Love and Favour and that thy Peace might be made thereby and that thou mightest be free from Condemnation Hell Death and eternal Torment I cannot judg it to be purely of Love as though thou waft Free from fear of the Wrath of God to all Eternity For suppose two Men in this Nation should commit Treason ye know the Law is Death but the King thereof being merciful pardoneth the first for ever and solemnly engageth never to punish him according to the Law in token of which he maketh him his Chamberlain or other Officer promoting him to Honour Unto the second he faith I will forgive thee also If thou for the time to come hearken to me and keep all my Statutes thou shalt be advanced to the like Honour but if thou walk in Disobedience to my Will I will assuredly cut thee off Whether of these two judg ye serveth the King purely in love So is it in this Case if thou dost walk in the Commands of God that you mightest be delivered from the Wrath to come it is a slavish thing out of this number did the Lord find Arrows to wound me with I had several Objections which perhaps may be in the Spirits of some I will name some and answer them as I am able Object 1. If I do walk in all things which the Lord hath made known unto me is it not enough Will the Lord punish me for that which I do in Ignorance Answ Art thou ignorant May not I bring thee into the number of those that are willfully ignorant or willingly ignorant seeing the Scripture faith The knowledg of Sin is by the Law Rom. 3.20 7.7 Wherefore had it thou searched the Law and enquired into the Mind and Will of God to the utmost of thy Power mightst not thou have attained to more Knowledg than thou hast done in the Law of God But if thou art ignorant thy Ignorance will not excuse thee For the Lord did institute an Offering for Sin committed in Ignorance which declares He required Satisfaction to be made for all Sin if committed in Ignorance Also he that knew not the Will of his Lord and did things worthy of Stripes is not to be freed Lev. 4.2,3 Luk. 12.48 Sometimes I have had this Objection but am satisfied as followeth Object 2. There are Temptations arising in me to Evil but Christ was tempted and was it not so with him had not he these arising in him Answ No. If those Temptations do proceed from the Lust of the Flesh which the Scripture mentions Jam. 1.14 Rom. 1.27 then had he none For he was in the Form of God thought it not Robbery to be equal with God seeing he was the Son of God he was his righteous Servant the Man his Fellow He was Holy Undefiled knowing no Sin therefore he had no sinful Nature then was there no Temptations no inclinations no desire to Evil in him proceeding from from his Flesh Col. 2.6 Isa 53.11 Zech. 13.7.2 Cor. 5.21 Luke 1.35 But if you say these Temptations and Inclinations proceed from the Devil then had he none for he saith Joh. 14.30 The Prince of this World cometh and bath nothing in me If then he had nothing in him then he had not so much as a place to stir up evil Motions or evil Desires in Him for when he was tempted the Devil spake to him with a Voice as I conceive from those Passages which say he said unto him Mat. 4. Luk. 4. which I do not remember is mentioned on that accompt but in Gen. 3. to them in Paradise Object 3. But this is a Third which lodged long with me The Lord hath commanded Man to walk in his Law to love the Lord his God with all his Heart Soul and Strength and his Neighbour as himself and if it be not attainable wherefore did the Lord command it Answ In these things have I found the Law to be of use 1. By it I was convinced of Sin Spiritual 2. And saw the height and strictness of the Righteousness which the Lord did require for Salvation 3. My failings and inability to keep this Righteousness 4. To humble me and lay me at the Feet of God for Mercy 5. That my proud Spirit might submit unto the Righteousness of a Person acted without me which before would not 6. The Commands of God to Holiness were of use to me when I was stirred up to Ranting to turn the Grace of God into Wantonness and sin that Grace might abound 7. Also when I was falling into Despair of the Grace of God saying Christ died for the remission of Sins committed before he manifested his Love to me but afterwards I must work for Life and Salvation keep all the Commandments of the Lord or else Damnation will be my portion Then it was of use to me to turn me or drive me to the Grace of God because I saw I could not come up to the height of those Commands 8. And is of use to me to this day when I consider the Height and the Depth the length and the Breadth of the Law of our God to cause me to prize the glorious Gospel of Jesus Christ in which is Justification Sanctification Redemption to include all sure Salvation being lifted up through Faith in Christ above the Law and the Power of Works Death and Hell that from henceforth we should serve him without fear to the Praise of his Holy Name for ever Amen Having thus run over the Heads of these things it pleased the Lord I should be hamper'd in and according to the knowledg He hath given me I have laid them down if happily they might be of use to others not as though I were able to contend and Answer all Objections that my Adversaries may raise against me having had but a little time in these things And though I am compassed about with troubles yet will I call upon the Lord for Strength to stand up under them For in my Infancy in Christ great was my trouble yet did the Lord bear me up and deliver me which giveth me ground to believe He will yet stand by me and strengthen me and preserve me unto his Heavenly Kingdom Many more things might I reckon up but in those may be seen these two things First The Backwardness of Man the Unwillingness of this Spirit to come unto Christ and submit to his Righteousness Secondly Being come to see this Life and Salvation by the Death of Christ alone how ready is Man to for sake it and join something with it some Works some Duties some-thing which pleaseth Man and eclipses the Glory of Christ then all is well enough Unto this I might reckon up many things but this I say The Light of the Gospel to me for many Months was as the light of a Gloworm by the way-side a small thing ready to be passed by or as a By-way in comparison of the chief Road to the great City the heavenly Jerusalem It was so much against Reason being without the Works of the Law The way of the Gospel is as an unbeaten Path the Lord knows People walk not by Troops in it For the Gospel is too glorious for Man's Reason to comprehend Therefore the Law is embraced and Errours do flow as Water from a Spring but forget not this That by the Will of God ye are sanctified through the Offering of the Body of Jesus once for all He is our Righteousness our Peace our All we are compleat in Him perfected for ever through Faith without the Deeds of the Law this will stand when all the rotten righteousness of Man shall fall Therefore unto the King Everlasting and only Wise God be Glory Honour and Praise for ever and ever W. D. FINIS
that He is our Righteousness not only giveth Righteousness but He is our Righteousness by Imputation The Doctrine of Imputation of Christ's Righteousness though W. Pen in his Serious Apology pag. 148. blasphemously calls it A Doctrine of Devils is very rational to them that are taught of God 1. If the Guilt of Adam's first Transgression was ours by Imputation which cannot be denied from Rom. 5.12 In whom all have finned If that first Sin so many thousand Years since why not the Righteousness of Christ sixteen hundred Years since If that to all his Seed and Children why not this to Christ's Seed and Children 2. If Christ Jesus had the Guilt of Sin really charged upon him and imputed when as He had no Sin inherent what else is to be understood by that 2 Cor. 5. ult He was made Sin If as some would have it only the punishment of Sin in being offered and sacrificed Punishment hath always respect to Sin otherwise it is not poena but must change its Name then the Guilt of the Sin of his People must be imputed to him And this was plainly sigured in the Sacrifices under the Law when all the Sins of Israel were confessed over the Heads of the Beasts and so offered and slain If this be true why not then Christ's Righteousness to become ours the same way viz. by Imputation 3. Was not Christ the Second Adam and so a common Head and Representative Now what such an one doth is as much as if they did it that are represented Christ was a Surety Heb. 7.22 Why then his Paiment is ours what he had did and suffered was not so much for Himself as for his Members Fifthly There is much difference betwixt this Righteousness of Christ and that which the Apostle Paul calls his own in Phil. 3.9 in which he saith he would not be found in the Day of Judgment to be justified by in the sight of God There be makes a plain difference betwixt those two Righteousnesses viz. his own which he calls the Righteousness of the Law and that which is through the Faith of Christ which he calls the Righteousness of God 1. Our own Righteousness is within us inhering in our Souls It consists in those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds and we express these outwardly in the observation of the Moral Law in our walkings amongst Men Now that this is properly our own Righteousness though it is effected by the Spirit in us 1. See how the Scripture speaks of it Faith is called your Faith and Love is called your Love Col. 1.4 In Deut. 6.25 It shall be our Righteousness if we keep his Commandments Job 27.6 My Righteousness I hold fast and will not let it go Matth. 5.20 Except your Righteousness exceed c. 2. Our Souls are the Subjects of this Righteousness it is really in our Minds therefore ours 3. We put forth the Actions wherein this Righteousness consists both Internal and External Is it not we that believe and we that repent though the Spirit works Faith in us God is said to work in us to will Phil. 2. yet we will to do yet we act and we perform Are not we said to pray though the Spirit works Prayer in our hearts 4. Was not Adam's grace which was concreated with him properly his own Yes surely Then this is our own Righteousness though wrought in us by the Spirit But that Righteousness of Faith by which we are justified is wholly without us in the Person of Christ It was wrought out Six Hundred Years since And not one Act either of our Bodies or Minds contributes any thing to it our Faith is no part of it only by Faith we receive and view and apprehend that which justifies us And whereas it is said Abraham believed and it was accounted to him for Righteousness Not the Action of bebelieving but that which he rested upon by Faith justified and was his Righteousness One then is Christ's personal Obedience the other is our personal Obedience one that which Christ wrought the other that which we work one is given of God from Heaven and rests upon Faith the other is here upon Earth by Works Our Righteousness is but the Righteousness of meer Man the other the Righteousness of Him that was God as well as Man otherwise we ought not to trust unto it for Cursed is every one that trusteth in the Arm of Flesh One is perfect and compleat the other is faulty imperfect incompleat as to degree 6. This Righteousness thus opened is marvellously well-pleasing to the Father Mat. 3. This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well-pleased This is spoke of Christ as Mediator representing all his People the Father looks through Him at all his Members and is well-pleased with them The Father's Love from Christ the Son is diffused to all the Elect this Voice came for our sakes Ephes 5.2 An Offering and a Sacrifice to God for a sweet-smelling Savour The Father's Heart is at rest in this it perfumes all the Church with its Odour 2 Cor. 5. ult it is called the Righteousness of God i. e. the Righteousness which he approves highly of because the Righteousness which he in his infinite Wisdom contrived and the Righteousness of his own Son that is of the same Nature with the Father in this our Persons are accepted Ephes 1.6 We are accepted in the Beloved and our Prayers and Works 1 Pet. 2.5 Spiritual Sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ Heb. 11.4 By Faith Abel offered a more acceptable Sacrifice and without this it 's not possible to please God This Righteousness we have to offer to Sinners in the preaching of the Gospel and by preaching it thus we do not make void but establish the Law We see by this how we are saved by the Law viz. Christ keeping it for us by a Covenant of Works Christ being made under the Law He fulfilled it Here is a sweet Harmony between Law and Gospel now they kiss each other in Christ so far from being one against the other The poor heavy laden Soul will thankfully receive this Righteousness and rejoice and glory in it the Sick this Cordial the starved Prodigal this which is Bread indeed But the proud Pharisee the Self-righteous One the rich Justiciary he that is whole The Quaker goes about to make his own Righteousness to stand and will not submit to this but despiseth it and what will be the issue but to wonder and perish Give me leave to say That want of inculcating these things in our Ministry hath been the cause that so many have been led away with the Error of the Quakers and that Professors are not out of danger till they be made more skilful in the Word of Righteousness Who sees not by reading these following Lines but this young Lad may now engage without any peril any Quaker in England in Discourse I likewise humbly entreat that our Brethren would use
how this came to pass And it was thus answered That I being obedient to the Light which worked in me had fulfilled the whole Will of God having regard to that in Jeremiah 31 and 33. I will put my Law in their inward Parts and write them in their Minds And having fulfilled this Law I judged my Condition happy having Joy and Peace and Comfort in my Spirit as to God judging my Condition to agree with the Scripture About this time the Person before-named grounded his Discourse on Isa 55. and did run over the greatest part of that Chapter but in the 7th Verse these words Let the Wicked forsake his Way and the unrighteous Man his Thoughts Which thing did reach my Condition having had some struglings in my Spirit concerning this thing for I thought that the Motions in me to Evil were only the Temptations of the Devil But having now found many places in Scripture to this purpose that they were Sin The places forenamed for one Mat. 5.27 28. 13.44 7.12 22.37 38. Rom. 7.14 For we know that the Law is Spiritual which did convince me that the Motions the Desires that arose in me to Evil were Sin against God though not consented to because they did spring from my Flesh Being convinced of this as a Sin I expected to be delivered from it as I had been from other Sins before but I found it otherwise for it was with me then according to that Passage in Rom. 7.9 When the Commandment came Sin revived and I died for the more I looked upon it the more I saw and the more I strove against it the more did it work in me and I began to be in sore trouble being taken in it many a time But I considered with my self Hath not the Lord promised to make us free from Sin and is He not faithful will He not not perform Yea surely before I die if I am obedient to Him But it was ordered by the Providence of God that I did bear in mind the words of the said Mr. Haworth from John 5.40 And ye will not come unto me that ye might have Life In the carrying on which Discourse he put forth several Questions of this Nature Thou that hast the Riches of this World couldst thou not relieve thy poor Neighbours more than thou hast done And thou that hast sworn mightest not thon have sworn fewer times than thou hast done And thou that hast kept evil Company mightest not thou have refrained from them more than thou hast done These with several more And I applied this to my self When I said the Lord will make me free if I am obedient to Him could I not be more obedient than I have been could I not think of other things to prevent those Thoughts and Desires arising in me And I was speechless as to that but to heal up my self in this thing I would be wiser I would take better heed for the time to come but e're two or three days to an end I was taken in the same Desires again yet did I comfort my self in this also hoping that I should overcome it before I died before my departure out of this Life But then it arose in me When should the departure out of this Life be and I had no ground for any thing but that it might be the very next hour after I had broken the Commandment of the Lord. Then did my Burden become exceeding heavy finding no deliverance then I down on my Knees before the Lord many a time in Prayer to Him with Sighs and Groans and Tears beseeching Him for Power to withstand this Evil that I was taken in so many times but I found no deliverance nor power that was given me though I prayed earnestly and in several ways as in Prayer learn'd by the Letter viz. the Lord's Prayer Mat. 6. and I prayed in or by the Spirit as I thought and to Christ in me and to Christ in the Heavens according to that God who silleth Heaven and Earth Thus for several Weeks was I in this trouble making my Condition known to no one because I would not be perswaded to any thing but did wholly rely upon the inward Instructions of the Lord. Thus did my Hope perish my Burden increased Destruction was set before me seeing no deliverance any manner of way so that I might say in some measure The Snares of Death did compass me about and the Pains of Hell took hold on my Soul having nothing to say for my self but the Lord might justly punish me because I could not say but I might have been more obedient than I had been When I reflected upon my self I might have thought of things to prevent those Desires more than I had done and this dwelt with me Who knows but the Lord had delivered me if I had always thought to the utmost of my Power on Thoughts which were good to prevent those evil Desires in me After all this when I was One and Twenty Years of Age and somewhat more being alone bemoaning my Condition what would become of me the Lord cast these words into my Heart Christ died for me And in the meditation of them the Lord gave me light into them opening mine Understanding to see that it was in my place in my room in my very stead and set it before me by this thing Suppose I was a Murderer in this Kingdom of England and by the Law condemned to Death and was carried to the place of Execution and was at the point of Death and a Friend unknown to me of his own free Will offered himself being no way guilty of the Fact to die for me to bear the Penalty of the Law in my room his Life went for my Life and I went free Then was I as one afrighted or in a maze to behold the wonderful Love of God and the change which was with my Soul in a moment in the turning of an hand from Sorrow to Joy from a burdened State to a free from Death to Life from Hell to Heaven even in a moment saying in my Spirit Who would but love such a Lord as this But e're a quarter of an hour to an end it was clouded again for the Devil had two Cards yet to play which were Objections against the Doctrine of Christ making Satisfaction for all my Sins both past present and to come and now he came with Power to drive me into them they are these Loosness and Despair But first upon the Subject of Loosness Rom. 6.1 Shall we continue in Sin that Grace may abound For if I am justified by looking unto the Sufferings of Christ for all my Sins and to be saved thereby then may I take my swing in Sin and go on in my Course To be satisfied in this I betook my self to search the Scriptures if the Servants of the Lord in Days past did so and found that they did no such thing but did always reprove for it having much
The Quaker Converted OR The Experimental Knowledg of Jesus Christ Crucisied In opposition to the Principles of the Quakers declared In a Narrative of the Conversion of one in Hartfordshire who was for some Years of their Faith and Principle and inclined unto them The manner how he was wrought off from them by the Lord. And several dealings of Christ with his Spirit afterwards With some things annexed for detection of their Errors and Delusions and prevention of the growth thereof Written by Himself in his own Words and Phrases Likewise an Epistle Dedicatory by W. HAWORTH Minister of the Gospel at Hartford John 5.39 Search the Scriptures They are they which testify of me Mat. 24.24 For there shall arise false Christs and false Prophets and shew great Signs and Wonders insomuch that if it were possible they shall deceive the very Elect. John 4.22 Ye worship ye know not what we know what we worship for Salvation is of the Jews Acts. 2.30 Therefore David being a Prophet and knowing that God bad sworn with an Oath to him that of the Fruit of his Loins according to the Flesh he would raise up Christ to sit on his Throne 31. Spake of the Resurrection of Christ 30. Therefore let all the House of Israel know assuredly that God hath made that same Jesus whom ye have crucified both Lord and Christ Ch. 5.31 Him hath God exalted with his right Hand to be a Prince and a Saviour for to give Repentance to Israel and forgiveness of Sins John 15.26 When the Comforter is come be shall testify of me Ch. 16.14 He shall glorify me for be shall receive of mine and shall shew it unto you 1 Joh. 4.2 Hereby know ye the Spirit of God every Spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the Flesh is of God Heb. 9.28 Christ was once offered to bear the Sins of many Ch. 10. 12. This MAN after he had offered one Sacrifice for Sins for ever sat down on the right Hand of God Act 13.39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things from which ye could not be justified by the Law of Moses 〈◊〉 3.28 Therefore we conclude that a Man is justified by Faith without the Deeds of the Law Read likewise Rom. 10.4 Ch. 4.25 2 Cor. 5.21.1 Cor. 1.30 Act. 23.48 London Printed for J. Robinson at the Golden-Lion in Paul's Church-Yard 1690. The Epistle Dedicatory To the Church of Christ at Hartford Well-beloved in the Lord. IN this Relation which follows you may see some of the Quakers rotten Opinions You may remember how joyful we were when the Lord cast this Young-man unexpectedly amongst us how our hearts were refreshed in the speaking forth of these ensuing things And whereas we had mourned that some had gone out from our Meetings to them in this one instance the Lord hath abundantly made it up to us let Christ have the glory None of those that went out from us were properly of us had received the Gospel that we believe No it 's not possible for any to receive it truly and forsake it But this young Man was fully of their Way Spirit Faith and Principle as any may see by reading this little Book Though he made not such an open Profession as others of them yet went farther than most of them towards that which they call Perfection yea he was as Luther said of himself before his Conversion an honest Monk so an honest Quaker true to his perswasion I have thought it meet by the advice of my worthy Brethren in the Ministry to expose this Narrative to the open view although the meanness of the Person 's Education and the little time he hath had for proficiency in the knowledg of the Gospel might discourage in this matter on the one hand yet on the other hand the profit that we hope may be reaped through the Lord's Blessing by many especially at Hartford in the reading of it both as to the reducing some from them and preventing some staggering ones confirming also others in the Faith of the Gospel hath prevailed with me to print it And indeed Instances of this nature are so famous and rare VIZ. For any to be recovered from this Betwitching and this Instance none of the least that I could in Conscience do no other This withal being an experience that the Lord in rich Mercy gave him I hope will take the deeper impression upon the Minds of People For my own part I see such clear distinct sound Gospel knowledg in it that I dare say confidently it is no other than the Finger the eminent Finger of God upon his dear elect Child And the more remarkable is it in that be was a stranger to us all conversed with none of us most of these things were taught him alone in the reading of the Scriptures Flesh and Blood hath not revealed this to thee may we truly say but our Father which is in Heaven the Spirit of Wisdom and Revelation in the Mystery of the Father and the Son hath been upon him O that every one of you my dear Brethren and every one in Hartford had the knowledg of Christ thus distinctly formed in you till which thing be the Soul of him to whom Christ hath committed you as his charge shall travail in birth and be in pain Blessing the Lord that his poor Labours have not altogether been in vain as to this matter O that it might please Christ to direct my faithful Brethren in the Ministry in their respective places where they are cast in the Countreys to open and insist more on the great New-Testament fundamental Truths in the Blood of Christ My daily Prayer to Christ is that we all may he made able Ministers of the New-Testament We have but Law and Gospel to preach let us keep them distinctly in their places the Law for the knowledg and conviction of Sin yea of first evil Motions to be sin The Law is spiritual Rom. 7. and requires perfect and perpetual Obedience of every one that will be justified by it and admits of no Repentance at all in case of any failure Now the Law is weak through the flesh Rom. 8. Man is breaking it every moment by his crooked thoughts this would let a Man see his Sins to be mountanous and innumerable and so bring down every high thought and lay him low giving him to see the need of the Righteousness of another not being able to answer the requirements of the Law thus the Law is our Schoolmaster to Christ Then the Gospel the Balm of the Doctrine of the free Justification of a Sinner in the Blood of Christ for the Wound this Oile to be poured into the Gashes of Conscience how would it Heal Settle Confirm Comfort and the Soul thus finding a Saviour and Sweetness in Christ this would be as new Wine and be would soon discern all poisonous drinks Whoever bath tasted that the Lord is Gracious never takes up with the Quakers Christ
of Zion hath despised thee and laughed thee to scorn the Daughter of Jerusalem hath shaken her Head at thee I conclude with this Remember how you have heard and received and hold fast Rev. 3.3.1 John 2. Read the 18 19 20 21 22 23 and this is the 24th Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning If that which ye have heard from the beginning remain in you ye shall also continue in the Son and in the Father Amen I subscribe my self your Servant for Jesus sake Will. Haworth The Bookseller to the Reader There is a Reply to an Answer of the Quakers to this Tract Writ likewise by the same Person And if thou wouldst see farther into the Errors of the Quakers read Mr. Faldo's two Books entituled Quakerism no Christianity c. Sold at the Golden-Lion in Paul's Church-yard The Quaker Converted God which appointeth unto Man the Bounds of his Habitation and dealeth with Man as it pleaseth Him in bringing him to himself deal with me in manner and Form following FIrst I was brought up to the Publick Worship that was in England at that time And as my Parents were able I was put to School And the Lord did restrain me that I did not break out into open Sins as many did And being of Age fitting I went to be an Apprentice in Ignorance that my Master was of that Opinion namely a Quaker My Parents after they had knowledg thereof laboured that I might have the Priviledg to go to the Publick to worship which Priviledg I had for a time But after the Prayer-Book was made use of there I was permitted to go no more which was a great trouble to me After a considerable time I grew desirous to go to the Quakers Meeting having heard much talk of them and of the Gifts their Ministers had and whilst it was thus with me I was commanded to go and I went several times as other Boys did only this I was taken off from having delight in Sports and Pastims quickly after my going and did refuse going to such Delights when I might go But being about Sixteen Years of Age as I remember having some workings upon my Spirit it was set home upon me That there was a God that would take Vengeance on them that did not obey him nor keep his Commandments And that there was no escaping of this God and withal it would be my Portion to fall under his Wrath if I continued as I was for I had broken his Commands this presently followed Have I Sinned I will do so no more and from that time I went on by Degrees to keep my Conscience void of offence according to that Light which I had And at that time I was of that Frame of Spirit that I was ready to assent to every thing the Quakers did whether I had ground for it or not For when I had not a real Perswasion that that thing which I did was Sin I had these reasonings in me There are such and such Men that are mighty Men in Gifts and of great Fame and very just Men and they do not do these things therefore it is Sin And I was ready to go upon this Ground My Parents also at such times as I was with them desired me to go to Church with them as I had done before and I refused and would not go Soon after this there arose great Suffering-times after which it was ordered that I went not frequently to the Meetings but to some few in which they spake not yielding to any thing I did believe was Sin before God And after a time being at a Meeting with Alexander Parker as I remember he made use of these Words which I found upon my Search in the 1 Thessal 5.21 Prove all things hold fast that which is good Knowing by the Words he spake that it was written in the Scripture And he did explain it in this manner Prove all Religions all Sects all Opinions and Words to this purpose But as for the way of proof I do not well remember But there was this thing that was cast into my Heart That they that are of the same Spirit with the Servants of the Lord which were in former Times must of Necessity in all things agree with the Scriptures whereupon I searched the Scripture comparing my Condition with it And as I grew up to understanding by Degrees I considered with my Self that there was a Jesus Christ which came to save Sinners and He was this Light within and by hearing their Discourses and by one means or other and knowing that there was such a thing in me as did convince me of Sin and if I was Obedient to it I was delivered from Sin I did believe this was the Christ Now the ends of his Coming I did believe were to change me from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan unto God to bring me into his own Image to be free from Sin and by Degrees as I was convinced of Sin I was Obedient unto the Light within which did reprove me and had Power over Sin and I rejoiced in it and counted my condition Happy and thought it would not be long before I was delivered from all my Sin and be brought into the Image of Christ Now to understand the frame of my Spirit I will insert one remarkable Passage which I did when I was about Nineteen or Twenty Years of Age which is this I being sent to the Shop for Herrings and had them delivered unto me I did dislike some of them and being sent to the Barrel alone to change some of them I being a great lover of them it arose in me what a Brave opportunity I had to slip one into my Pocket for my self this was the Temptation On the other Hand came the Light reproving of me in this manner I must not do this thing why if it should be known it would be a dishonour to my Name and I should be ashamed to look any Body in the Face and if it were not known to Man yet God would know it and he would Punish me if I sinn'd against Him Through which means I did Obey that which did reprove and touched none but what was my due and I went Home rejoicing with my Self in this manner How happy was my Condition now beyond what it had been if I had disobeyed the reproof and how good was the Lord to me in calling to me when I was tempted to do that evil Oh who would but love such a Lord as this But little did I think at that time that I had sinned against God So was I convinced of one evil one Day and was delivered from it and another Day another Evil and had Power over it and I had Joy and Peace in it Now there were some things which the Quakers did that I was not convinced of and I was ashamed to be found in them having no Ground for them in my self which things
bred some trouble in me yet all these things were retained in mine own Breast For I made known my Condition to no one because I would not be perswaded to do any thing but what I was fully perswaded of in my own Heart Now about the time of my being free from my Master Mr. Haworth's coming to Hartford was ordered to be and having heard of his boldness in what he did profess which the Quakers did commend him for I was desirous to hear him and through a Fellow-Servant of mine which had been there and told me the Passages the next day I went with him to hear but when I came away I concluded I had heard a strange Doctrine and in a strange manner it was preached I cannot call to mind what it was notwithstanding I went again having this in my thoughts all along that I would prove this way according as I had liberty from that Passage before-mentioned and to return to them which I did believe were the People of the Lord But I had some affection for his Preaching because he did open the Scriptures which I had a desire to know and he did preach often-times to convince of Sin and deliverance by Faith in Christ But I did apprehend that he did mean that Light within me which did reprove me for Sin only he did not speak in so plain a manner as the Quakers did but I thought he did it through Ignorance and was willing to bear with that for I had better thoughts of him than to preach a Doctrine that leadeth to looseness having that apprehension of the Doctrine of Christ making Satisfaction for all my Sins by his Death at Jerusalem But as I went on I had many ups and downs concerning him and my Heart was many times in one place and my Body in another and had many such reasonings as these in me saying What shall I stay any longer here When he spake that which my Spirit could not relish and here are but few in this Assembly that live as they ought to do And if there cometh a time of Persecution most of them will be dispersed But the Quakers they stand through all as the Apostles did therefore they are the People of the Lord. But on the other hand I had such reasonings as these Notwithstanding most of these are a loose and wanton People and a proud People which adorn their Bodies more than their Souls and may be Righteous if they will if they would but obey the Voice of the Lord which calleth to them in their inward Parts Though this is not a Rule for me to do as they yet I will follow that which reproveth me for Sin and I will see the bottom of their Ways that I may stand the more boldly against them in the time to come having liberty from the place forementionened to prove all things And he did preach many things which did agree with my Spirit Amongst the rest he fell upon these words Luke 3.16 He shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with Fire Which word Fire was a strange word to me but as he opened it it was plain to me that the Spirit did operate after the manner of Fire which is by Light and Heat which I shall speak a little of First As to Light The Spirit maketh known Sin when it cometh which was not seen before As the shining of the Sun through a Crack into a dark Room we may behold every small Dust within that compass so in this case it openeth dark Mysteries unto us And as to Heat as the Fire softeneth the hard Iron so doth the Spirit soften our hard Hearts and as it bringeth or changeth Iron into its own Image so doth the Spirit change us into its Image and as the Wood is consumed so doth it waste and consume our going on in Sin and in like manner to Purification with several others which things I much liked concluding I had experienced these things upon my own Spirit and concluded he did speak in a more plain way than he had done before From whence arose this reasoning in me when he spake things which I could not apprehend it may be it is through my Ignorance because I do not see that which he seeth though sometimes I was ready to set them down for false Doctrines And when I thought of going to the Quakers these things which I did not like among them kept me back having not ground in my self for to do them of which Silent-Meetings was the Chief putting off my Hat was another for when I met with one Friend or other if I saluted him with my Hat I knew not that I did offend God any more than if I did it not but yet I concluded That though I could not agree with them in all things yet I ought to be with them that would be faithful to the Lord and walk in his Commandments these with many more after trial of this way And as I went on I met with a Passage Ephes 5.4 Foolish talking and jesting And Mat. 12.36 Ye shall give an account for every idle Word and the Light in me assented to it that I ought not to do so And when I was reproved for it I was obedient and by Obedience was delivered from such Sins from whence I became of sew words And being lifted up in my Spirit to see round me how I should dispose of my self for the time to come that I might be delivered from the Snare of Sin then I beheld the Actions between Husband and Wife in Families which are Envy Strife Malice that if a Father corrected his Child the Mother was ready to be offended And there was scarce one in an hundred which lived as he ought therefore it was not good for me to be in that State I beheld the Actions between Man and Man in Trading and behold Cozening Cheating Defrauding one another and at the lowest many foolish idle Words and it was not good for me to be in their Condition Shall I continue as I am a Servant but what is here Discontent Masters will think Servants may do more than they do and blame them for that they cannot help and Anger will arise therefore it is not good for me to be here Then I brake out in my Spirit Would God it was my portion to live in a Cave of the Earth and to have society with no Man my Food to be the Fruit of the Hedges and the Fowls of the Air the wild Creatures of the Earth such as I could get my Drink the Water of the Brooks then should I be srce from all these things not that I was entangled with any at that time and I think as I was at that time I could be contented with that State I was in Not long after I had this Thought or Suggestion in me If it pleased God to take me out of the World at this very moment I have not one Sin to answer for And I queried with my self
Satisfaction from Rom. 6. most eminent for this thing By which thing I was pretty easily turned from this thing but in my Search met with that Passage Rom. 3.25 Whom God hath set forth to be a Propitiation through Faith in his Blood to declare his Righteousness for the Remission of Sins that are past From whence I did apprehend that Christ died for the Remission of my Sins which I had committed before He did manifest his Love to me but afterwards I was to work for Life and for Salvation and to keep all his Commandments or else Hell would be my Portion And being taken in the same Snare of Sin as I was before Convictions grew Strong upon me my Burthen grew heavy upon me Insomuch that I did say at length Christ was of no Advantage of no prosit to me if he had never died it had been as well with me Under which troubles I was a great while until the Lord gave me light into two Scriptures which did in some measure relieve me which are these Rom. 10.9 That If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus and shalt believe in thy Heart that God hath raised Him from the Dead thou shalt be saved Heb. 10.14 For by one Offering He hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified And being able to see a Sanctification by being justified by the Death of Christ and viewing the Word ever I had much relief yet was I not at quiet having not settlement of Spirit but had Reasonings lay in the Bottom of my Heart in this manner If I might not go on in Sin and when I did not go on in Sin my Works did not make any thing for my Justification for I was Justified without them then what use were they for or for what end And the Lord gave me light into Four Things which did greatly settle me which are these First It was for the Glory of God in my Generation and for the Honour and Praise of his Name which hath begotten a lively Hope in me through Jesus Christ Secondly To manifest my Love to Jesus Christ which gave his Life a Ransom for me For how should I make it appear that I love Him but by keeping his Commandments Thirdly To convince the World of Sin by my refraining from that which is evil Fourthly It is my Duty as I am a Son to God in Jesus Christ to keep his Commandments and to obey and do his Will from whence I had settlement in my Spirit having Joy and Peace with God through Jesus Christ seeing a Beauty in Death now more than in Life often-times because then I should be freed from the Corruption of my Flesh and be at rest with the Lord. It being near Eighteen Months since I had the view of the Love of God in Jesus Christ After which time I was desirous to have some Discourse with some that I judged honest Men that I might see whether there was a Difference between them and me and accordingly had retaining to my self most part of my Experiences After which I returned for the most part to my former Life keeping little Company yet aiming to grow in the knowledg of the Mysteries of God in Jesus Christ Having after this manner been carried on by the Will of God having known two Faiths two Joys two Peaces and two sorts of Hope perhaps it may be thought requisite to speak something as touching the difference between them For satisfaction therefore I will insert some few things by way of Question and Answer Quest Was that Light by which I was convinced of Sin and by Obedience thereunto thought I should be brought into the Image of Christ and in that Righteousness be accepted with God and delivered from the Wrath to come Was it the Light of the Spirit of Christ Yea or Nay Answ Nay if I may judg of the Tree by the Fruit. Quest What Light is it then Answ The same with that which the Heathens had by Nature Sixteen Hundred Years since mentioned Rom. 2.14 Quest How know I that since they lived so many Years before my time Answ Because it chiesty pointed unto the same things which are recorded that they did namely the things contained in the Law Quest What things did I see or what things did I apprehend by that Light which now I see are false things Answ Three things I shall Name at the present First I did apprehend by the Light within that the Motions the Desires which arose in me to Evil were no Sin if I did not consent to Act according to them Secondly That the Doctrine of Christ making Satisfaction for all my Sins was a Doctrine tending to Loosness Thirdly I thought by the Righteousness in which I lived wrought in me by the Light which I thought was Christ himself I then Judged I should be saved at the Day of Judgment Quest What do I now apprehend by the Light of the Spirit which is now in me as concerning the First of these Three Answ I apprehend that every Motion and Desire arising in me to Evil tho not consented to nor put into Action is a Sin against God because it doth spring from the Corruption of Mine own Flesh and from the Root of Bitterness dwelling in this Body wherefore if this Body be mine then is that which dwelleth in it mine Quest What do I apprehend concerning the Second Answ To this I say Far be it from me that I should say That Christ being offered once for all should be a thing tending to Looseness having found by Experience Faith in this Doctrine is the only Spring from whence true Christian-Works do flow For so soon as ever the Lord gave me light into that Doctrine and seeing a Glorious view of Christ that very moment was my Soul drawn out in Love to serve the Lord and to keep his Commandments From whence my Faith is That whoever counteth it a Doctrine tending to that purpose they never truly knew the Want of a Saviour For how irrational a thing would it be if I was a Slave in Turkey or in some other barbarous Nation out of which Servile Work I could by no means nor art deliver my Self and in the midst of my Bondage a Nobleman of mine own Countrey of his own Free and Voluntary will ransom'd me home would it not engage my Soul to love the Man that redeemed me out of Bondage much more being delivered by Faith out of Bondage and Slavery from the Devil And how should we manifest our love to Christ but by keeping his Commandments Quest What do I apprehend as to the Third thing Answ If I had never known another Righteousness than that which I attained unto or could attain unto by that Light and Power which worked in me before Conversion I must have expected my Portion in the Lake of Fire and Brimstone to be tormented Day and Night for ever For in the greatest of my Purity and the highest Degree of Perfection there were
leave it to those indued with the Spirit of God to judg Whether it be in the Power of Man to place aright such things as I have spoken without experience of these things Though I might speak other things as concerning my Judgment both then and present which was not by the perswasion of any one as may appear by what I have said before Who once wondered why the Law written by Moses was retained seeing there was another Law given since him by Jesus Christ whose Law I was to obey But I thought it was retained for a Memorial of what was in Days past as though that Law given by Moses did differ from the Law of Jesus But if there be another Law by Christ it is the Law of Faith and not of Works which is the Moral Law For if Christ made a difference it was in the Ceremonial Law which was then in Type and Figure but now in Substance For our High-Priest is not entered into the Holy Place made with Hands but into Heaven it self not with the blood of Bulls or Goats but with his own Blood because he gave himself an Offering and a Sacrifice to God and He bare our Sins upon his Body on the Tree by the which we have Peace with God But as to the Moral Law or the Law of Works I do not know any change in that though I once thought there was from that of Matth. 5. where he faith Ye have heard that it hath been said by them of Old time but I say unto you as concerning the Oath and other things there mentioned where He interprets the Law For he faith He came not to destroy the Law but to fulfil the Law Neither do I find in those places where He speaketh of putting his Law in their inward parts that He doth mention another Law or a part of that which then was But the Law is of the same length and breadth that it was and doth require as great a Righteousness to be saved thereby as ever it did to them which expect to be saved and accepted with God by Works Then how much doth it concern them which look for Salvation by a Righteousness in which they Live seeing the Scripture faith He that is in Christ ought himself to walk even as he walked 1 Joh. 2.6 Now how did Christ walk Christ so walked that He fulfilled the Law of God Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy Heart with all thy Soul and with all thy Strength and thy Neighbour as thy Self He was the Just One which was offered for the unjust in whose Mouth was found not Guile which in Himself knew no Sin For he did that which was pleasing in the sight of God always at all Times Joh. 8.29.2 Cor. 5.21 But it may fall out these few Lines may be presented to the Hands of some one or other which in their Hearts may say as I once said I have done the Will of the Lord and I have kept all his Commandments and if the Lord should take me out of this World I have no Sin to answer for but my Condition is good I need not to fear For the trial of which I shall repeat the things by which the Lord wounded me with some Additions But first remember these two things First The Lord seeth not as Man seeth for Man looketh upon the outward appearance but the Lord looketh on the Heart for the Lord doth require the Heart in what He hath commanded Man to be found in 1 Sam. 16.7 Prov. 23.26 Secondly All things are open to Him and He knoweth the Heart and every Thought and Desire thereof and there is nothing hid from his Eyes 1 Joh. 3.20 Luke 16.15 Psal 94.11 Heb. 4.13 Now to the things by which I was wounded thou may'st remember the Law is Thou shalt love the Lord thy God and thy Neighbour as thy self under which is comprehended these words Do unto all Men as thou wouldst be done unto Now ask thy self Wouldst thou have thy Neighbour speak an evil word of thee which I believe thou wouldst not then thou must not speak an evil word of thy Neighbour Wouldst thou not that an evil Thought should arise in him concerning thee then thou and I ought to do the same to him If thou hast done a thing that proveth an Injury or a Wrong to any Man unawares Wouldst thou in thine Heart he should say nay have such a thought in him that thou didst it on purpose out of Envy or Malice or some Spite towards thee to do thee a Mischief See that thou do the same to him or this will follow Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the Book of the Law to do them Again it is said Love your Enemies do good to them that hate you c. Which must be out of a pure Heart for the Lord looketh thereupon Now ask thy self O Man Art thou of the same frame of Spirit to him that is thine Enemy as thou art to him that is thy Bosom Friend Art thou of the same Temper Affections Coldness in thy Spirit at all times to him as thou art to thy Friend If he wrongeth thee is there not something in thee in thy Heart that would avenge thy self of this Man Doth it not say in this Language He had as good have held his Tongue or he had as good not have done this thing or that other thing for I will do him as good a kindness another time If he had done wrong to thee or some evil thing dost not thou declare it abroad to make him odious or hateful and to be a wicked Person in the Eyes of all or is it not in thy Heart at sometimes thus to do by him Tit. 3.1 2 3. If he be one that hath stood as an open Enemy against thee or one that thou hast received some Damage or wrong by though thou durst not Avenge thy self of him yet hast not thou rejoiced in thy Heart and did it not make thy Heart glad and didst not thou clap thy Hands as it were when some Evil hath befaln him or some other hath taken vengeance If thou hast is not this to take pleasure in them that commit wickedness Rom. 1.32 And is this to do unto Man as thou wouldst be done unto and the Lord will not let such Sins go unpunished Ezek. 25.6 Then this will follow Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things written in the Book of the Law to do them It is further written Matth. 5. Thou shalt not commit Adultery but he that looketh upon a Woman to lust after her hath committed Adultery with her in his Heart and so of all other Evils And dost thou never look upon a Woman having this arising in thee saying Would I might have my Pleasure my Hearts delight with this comely person Also it is farther said Thou shalt not covet any thing that is thy Neighbours Now dost thou at no time