Saints will not do the business as thou scornfully sayest to us but thou Communicate an unclean spirit and thou writest Epistles and spreads thy Doctrine by Letters or Books and the Apostles run up and down from one Nation Country and City to another and what need you do this if the annointing within be sufficient to teach them and if it be sufficient why does not every particular Saint do that which some do Why doth not every one of the Christians go up and down Preaching as well as some few of you Apostles Thus and after this manner might thou J. W. have reasoned against the Apostles and Saints as well as against us and doubtless hadest thou lived in their dayes thou wouldest have said no less by them then thou dost by us but this is to manifest thy own folly and weaknesse who cannot understand how the annointing dwells in the Saints and teacheth them into all Truth and how notwithstanding they edifie one another and instructs one another by words and writings this same thing was true amongst the Apostles and Primitive Christians and is true also at this day among us though thou objects against it nay reviles and slanders the witness of the same at this day and this is thy ignorance and weakness who art not worthy to be named a defender of the Gospel of Christ as thy works makes to appear And as for J. W. his saying as if we should say They should receive virtue and life from us and that we intend to give a spirit and of taking hold of the wrists of some c. And that we lay aside Gods Word and reject Scriptures and exalts our own unholy writings c. These are slanderous accusations and malitious suggestions as if we were Witches and such like And this is spoken by him with a tendency as doth appear to enrage the spirits of ungodly men against us We do not say they shall receive Life from us but if they wait upon God in the Ministration of his Life and Spirit they shall receive Life from him and sufficient instruction by his Grace and Gift within them if they never see us more and they shall receive the Spirit of Truth from God though we are made Ministers of the Spirit which the Father giveth to all his Children and as for our taking one another by the hands by way of kind Salutation one of another Why doth he wickedly surmize against us for this practice but that out of the abundance of his malitious heart his tongue speakes fraudilently as if we did bewitch people thereby thus much he seems to intimate by his reproachful expressions that we intend by taking one another by the hands to communicate a spirit which is onely his ignorant and malitious suggestion and as for our denying the Word of God and rejecting Scriptures we shall pass it here onely tell thee J. W. thou hast slandred us and speak fuller to it by and by 1. But concerning immediate teaching of God by the light and anointing within I would yet more fully explain that I might be understood of all First We do not affirm that every man in the world to wit unbelievers as well as believers have received the anointing and spirit within them so as they need no man to teach them for this is onely proper to the Saints of God who have believed in and received Christ Jesus and his Spirit that anointing which teacheth them all things and leadeth into all Truth and they abiding in this anointing they need no man to teach them but as it teacheth and this is the new Covenant of God and according to his promise I will put my spirit within them and write my Law in their hearts and they shall need no man to say know the Lord but from the least to the greatest they shall all know me saith the Lord But as we have said this is only proper to the Believers and Sanctified in Christ Jesus and this state is not proper to the unbelievers in the world in their state of unbelief who rejects the Counsel of God and refuses to be taught by him and led of him and quenches the Spirit of the Lord. 2. But though this state was promised by the Lord that his people should be thus taught and the Saints did in the Apostles dayes witness it as in Johns Epistle before cited and the Saints of God now in this age do witness the same Yet notwithstanding the Saints did and may edifie one another and build up one another in the most holy Faith and Comfort one another by advice and Counsel and instruction through declaring the Word of the Lord one to another and Ministring the Gospel of Christ and of his free gift one to another as the anointing within moveth and teacheth this was the Saints practice in the dayes of old and is their practice at this day for let none mistake us as if any were so taught of God by the anointing and Light within that they were thereby uncapable of and freed from all good instruction edification and counsel visitations and salutations of Love amongst them and one towards another like as if they were so taught of God as their state admited of carelesness and rejecting of love and exhortations one from another we tell thee nay but we are so taught of God at this day as the Saints before us were by the light and annointing within which we have received from God that alwayes we are capable of and willing to receive edification and counsel and advice through the Word of the Lord and by his Spirit that dwells in us and extends one to another by good advice and counsel consolation and comfort so that these two do agree to wit immediate Teaching by the anointing and light within us and exhortation and edification one of another by the same spirit and anointing among us and these two are not contrary one to the other 3. Yet we do say though the unbelievers have not so received the anointing and spirit within them as that they need no man to teach them as the believers have received it yet the Gift of the Spirit of God and the light of it is given to them and manifested in their Consciences and hath its operation of conviction and reproof because of their unbelief and Iniquities and these needs to be taught without them even turned and directed to this same light within them that they may believe in Christ Jesus and wait upon the Lord in it thereby to receive the anointing and pouring forth of the Spirit through Faith in Christ Jesus that they may be also-taught of God as believers and regenerate persons and may need none to teach them but as the Gift and Grace of God within them and such in the state of their unbelief have need to be Preached unto that they may believe and be renewed and receive more of the Spirit and of the Grace of God in a greater measure and may
I known any of us ever set his feet upon the Bible in contempt and abuse of the Scriptures as he saith though it is very true there was one Richard Stokes in the North of England that was then an Anabaptist so called and so yet for ought I know that did in contempt and scorn tread upon the Bible in the presence of many witnesses so it may be J. W. mistakes one of his own friends and thinks he is one of ours for it is not delightful in us to abuse the Scriptures nor are we filled with rage against the Word of God nor do we foam out disdain against the Scriptures these things are utterly false 2. This Testimony we have often given concerning the Scriptures and here again I give it upon this occasion The Scriptures are writings in which are contained many words of God and may be properly called the words of God declared by writing and as they were given forth by the Spirit of God and no whit altered in Translation they are a perfect Testimony of God and his works of Christ and his Salvation and of the Experiences and Testimonies of the Servants and holy men of God and also in the Scripture is contained many words of the Devil and the words of wicked men so that the Scriptures are a true Testimony as they were first given forth of all these things and we believe that the Scriptures were spoken forth by the holy Spirit as the holy men of God were moved thereunto and whatsoever is written ought to be believed and received for Truth and a true relation given by the Spirit of God but the Scriptures cannot properly be called the Word of God for they are words and writings and admits of alteration and change and therefore cannot properly be called the word of God but onely a Declaration of the Word and of that Truth which lives and abides for ever and which must be believed and practised for Salvation and the Scriptures do say that the Word of God was in the beginning but the Scriptures began but to be written by Moses which was many hundred of years since the beginning and therefore the Scriptures cannot be the word of God which was in the beginning Again the Scriptures do say that the Word of God made the world and lives and abides for ever but the Bible the Scriptures did not make the World nor can abide for ever but will passe away as we see daily Books wears away though the Truth therein declared of shall abide for ever and therefore the Scriptures are not the Word of God which must endure for ever and thus we do distinguish and we would have all to do so between the Book the writings which are most properly called Scripture and that Truth Salvation Word of Life and the things declared of in Scriptures the one endures for ever the other not the one is the Word of God the other a Testimony of it and thus we distinguish and yet not denying the Truth and Life and Salvation and Redemption nor the Christ which the Scriptures speaks of but fully acknowledging that they are infinite and everlasting and the Scripture declare of these things but are not the things themselves neither do we deny to ascribe all lawful Dignity and Title and Reverence to the Scriptures but yet we cannot account them what they are not nor give that honour to them which God gives not nor which he appointed them to receive though further we do acknowledge there is no other Gospel nor way of Life and Salvation nor no other Christ for Redemption and Eternal Life nor no other Truth for substance but what is declared of in the Bible which we do account as I have said as it was given forth by the Spirit of God to be a true Testimony of all these things this and such like Testimonies we have often given concerning the Scriptures yet still acknowledged Christ Jesus to be the word of Eternal Life he and no other and yet this confession we make not contrary unto or to oppose but according unto the Scriptures and our Testimonie concerning the Scriptures is so well known both by word and writing for these many years that I need not here say much more in this case onely that the Scriptures all along calls Christ the Word of God and no where that I know of in the Scriptures doth it call it self the Word of God but a Declaration and a Treatise Luke 1. Acts 1. And whereas J. W. saith Is not the Truth exprest in the Scriptures eternal and incorruptible and what lesse then an Almighty hand hath preserved that Book and this is devised deceitful Doctrine to teach all men to hearken to the Light within them thereby to turn away their minds from the Scriptures And he mentions that Scripture the words of the Lord and every word of God are pure and the entrance of thy word gives Light and my words shall not passe away and whosoever shall be ashamed of my words c. page 208 c. Answ. To all this I answer why is J. W. so blind as to bring this in opposition to us as if he confuted us in something we held contrary to this when as it is nothing so for we say the same as these Scriptures testifie that the Truth expressed in the Scriptures is eternal and incorruptible yet the writings which are properly Scriptures will corrupt and change and alter and we do know the hand of God hath been in preserving of that Book to this day and our benefit by the Scriptures are not the least of others as I might instance in divers particulars and we confesse fully to the Truth of all these Scriptures cited by him and there is not any one of them opposite to us in any thing that we hold but why doth he secretly here weave in his slander as if we did direct People to the Light within them thereby to turn their minds from the Doctrine of the Scriptures which is utterly false for we direct People to the Light of the Spirit of God within them not contrary to or to make void the Scriptures to them but according to the Scriptures and that they may come to the fulfilling of them and witnesse the Truth wrought in them whereof they speak and therefore his secret slander is turned out of doors and further he falls out in high tearms that God will punish such severely as do speak against the Scriptures and do disdain and reproach them and that do add to or take from them and against such as do vent their rage against the Scriptures and tread them under their feet as the Adversaries of Christ the Preachers up of the Light within do saith he who are Blasphemers of God and his Truth when they cast the Scriptures on the ground and call the Scriptures lifeless c. page 212. Answer These Threatnings and Judgements do not belong to us as not being guilty of his charge so
let the judgement be to himself for we are not guilty but he guilty of wickedness in charging us so falsly like as if he had given up himself to rail and accuse the innocent for be it known to J. W. we esteem as well and truly of the Scriptures as he doth And thus I count it a sufficient answer to deny his false Charges and to turn back his own sentence to him again God will punish him severely for his wickedness CHAP. XII Concerning the Infallible Teacher and that it is the Spirit of God and not the Scriptures NOw I shall proceed to J. W. his Proofs That the Scriptures are an Infallible Teacher of the Doctrine of Salvation c. To which I Answer this is a false assertion for first the Scriptures as he hath confessed are subject to change and alteration and that which is so is not infallible for that onely is infallible which admits of no change nor alteration but such are not the Scriptures the writings and therefore not infallible though it is alwayes acknowledged the Truth and Way of Salvation declared in the Scriptures are Infallible Secondly This assertion seems absolutely to deny the Spirit of God and its Teachings which is given in the new Covenant unto all that believe for God hath promised I will put my Spirit within them and pour it upon them and they shall need no man to teach them but as that spirit teacheth them And the spirit was promised by Christ that it should be given to lead into all Truth and be the Everlasting Comforter and it is the spirit that quickeneth and gives Life and Sanctifies and Teaches to do the Will of God all this the Scriptures testifie and not as if the Scriptures were the Teacher the Comforter the Leader but the Scriptures say the spirit doth all this but J. W. has accounted the Scriptures to do all and accounts not of the Spirit to do any thing for he hath hardly mentioned it in this case and thus his folly and weakness hath appeared in giving the Scriptures Authority above the spirit and as it were dis-throning the spirit that gave forth the Scriptures and exalting the Scriptures in its place but we say that its the spirit that works all things in order to mans Salvation God works in us to will and to do all good things by his spirit that he hath given us according to the Scripture and not contrary to it for the spirit is Infallible which gave forth the Scriptures but the Scripture is changeable in translation and interpretation as we see by experience and therefore not infallible And though J. W. say First The Scriptures do make mention of all Works of Righteousness which ought to be observed by the sons of men Secondly And the Scriptures do most severely forbid all works of wickedness which ought not to be done Thirdly And the Scriptures declare of the Promise of Peace and Happiness which ought to be imbraced Fourthly And the Scriptures speaks of the punishment which God would inflict upon sinners Those are four of his Reasons page 216. by whith he would prove the Scriptures to be the Infallible Teacher of Salvation Answer Though it be true that the Scriptures do declare of every work of Righteousness which ought to be done and of works of unrighteousness which ought not to be done and of the Promises of God which ought to be embraced yet it is the spirit of God that teaches men to perform and observe that Righteousness which ought to be done and to deny that wickedness which ought not to be done and to receive the Promises of God though I say the Scriptures declares of these things yet it is the spirit of God that gave forth the Scriptures that teacheth and leadeth into these things that the Scriptures speak of and it is that spirit that is the infallible Teacher and the Scriptures are onely a declaration of the things which the spirit is infallibly to teach and as for thy fourth Reason though generally the punishment of sinners is declared in Scriptures yet it were an easie thing to mention particular punishments for particular people upon particular occasions which the Scriptures do not make mention of for I am of that mind that some of his Fraternity are at this day under a punishment for their sin which the Scripture makes no particular mention of and if he scruple it in his next return J. W. shall have particular instance in our next reply so that this reason is partly true and partly false also Deut. 28.61 t is signified that there are Plagues and punishments for sinners which are not mentioned in the Book of the Law and as for thy 5 6 7 and 8 Reasons to prove the Scriptures are an infallible Teacher all of them are much like the former and the same answer in kind may be said as thus we acknowledge the Scriptures declares sufficiently for Truth and Righteousness and against deceit and unrighteousness and of the Promises of God and threatnings for sin c. Yet still this proves not the Scriptures in themselves infallable to teach infallibly but as I have said it is onely the Spirit of God that is the infallable Teacher into all that Truth which the Scriptures declares of and by the spirit men receives power to be the Sons of God and to do his Will and not by the Scriptures and thus we give the Spirit of God its prerogative and priviledge and the Scriptures also what belongs to them but we dare not give that dignity to the Scriptures which belongs to the Spirit of God thereby abridging the Spirit of God of what belongs to it and setting up the scriptures in opposition to it as J. W. hath clearly done for want of knowledge and understanding in the Mysteries of God Again he saith The Scriptures are very far in Authority and clearness before any spirit or light in any mortal man in the world page 218. Whereby he hath clearly given more dignity and authority to the Scriptures then he hath to the Spirit of God and so hath set up the Scriptures above the Spirit which is direct errour if not Blasphemy that he should say any thing is far greater in Authority and clearness then the Spirit of God which dwells in mortal man even in his Saints and thus the result of J. W. his Reasons and Arguments about Scriptures is a clear denyal of the Spirit of God and setting the Scriptures above it furthermore he saith VVhatsoever doth make manifest is Light the Scriptures doth make manifest the Mystery of Salvation therefore the Scriptures is Light Again he saith That the Scriptures are the more sure word of Prophecy which Peter speaks of which was as a Light which shined in a dark place the Commandements of the Lord is Pure and the VVord is a Lamp unto the Feet Then he speaks of the powerful Operation of the Doctrine of the Scriptures upon the Hearts of such as believe
said Book occasionally coming to my hand by a Friend of mine in the fourth month last as I remember and I looked into the Book and read some part of it over and did fully observe the current of the matter conteined in it and the drift and intent of the Spirit of the Author and in my Meditations upon the same I found his work composed and made up of such kind of ingredients as these following First Ignorance Secondly Malice Thirdly Lyes and Slanders Fourthly Contradictions And fifthly Downright opposition to the Truth I say a certain composition I found in his Book made up of all these mixtures which he had published to the world 1 His Ignorance was apparent to me in asmuch as he had in some things mistaken and placed such and such things upon Account against us ignorantly and then seemed to confute them and give his Judgment against us thereupon and this meerly upon mistake through Ignorance fasly supposing we held such a thing which indeed we held not and so flying out against us in Judgment upon his ignorance and mistakes 2 His Malice was apparent in asmuch as he had slandered us and belied us without good Ground and Cause at all having perverted our words and meaning in many things and placed things against us deeply charging of us without any sound Reason at all rendred by him but meerly as to me doth appear upon his own malice and hatred purposely to render us odious to the World and to our enemies which must needs be out of malice and emnity and not out of love and Gentleness to inform us better and convert us if wee had been in error But I found him to be so far from that Spirit of love and good will towards us that he hath taken every occasion he could and also made occasions falsly to traduce us and to reproach us in the sight of our Enemies as it were on purpose to enrage the Spirit of the ungodly world to destroy us 3 His lyes and slanders were apparent in such an abundant manner throughout his Book that every page almost had some contained even as great reproaches and accusations as well could be as if we were Hereticks deniers of Christ having familiar Spirits Witches and what not Such kind of lyes and slanders as these I found a very great number in his Book it is true I have not accounted them in particular but made a guesse at the whole sum which I suppose may be above 200 of Lyes Slanders Callumnies falsereproaches Back-bitings Bitter words and such like 4 His Contradictions were apparent throughout his book in divers particulars sometimes saying thus and so and sometimes quite contrary sometimes accusing us of one occasion and some time accusing us of a contrary And thus his contradictions were made manifest as in our Answer is at large discovered as the Reader may observe 5 His down-right opposition to the Truth was apparent in as much as throughout his book he hath opposed the very Truth of the Gospel as particularly the Light of Christ which every man in the World is enlightned withall and concerning Quaking and Trembling and concerning the anointing and the sufficiency of its Teaching and concerning destroying the Whore the Word of God and Scriptures all these things cum multis aliis c. he hath opposed and gainsayed directly or indirectly and thus as is made manifest in this following Answer his whole work is compounded of such mixtures and ingredients as aforesaid as every impartial man may judge Well upon my further Considerations of his Book I found he had subtilly directed the current of his matter so as it might be taken notice of to be an eminent Work as he thought and yet not so to be taken notice of as if he had directed it immediatly is opposition to us called Quakers for I found not that name once mentioned in all his Book and yet implicitely he had directed it to us for his intent was I discovered to be against us by that word so often scornfully rehearsed To the Preachers of and to the Light within all men c. And by divers other things I found that his Book was intendedly against us and also that his said Book well deserved an Answer from us that the malicious intent thereof might be diverted though many other Considerations presented themselves in my mind at my first looking into his work as 1. The unreasonablenesse of the time of its bringing forth and publication to the world thought I is this a time and fit season for us and them to fall into contention one with another and to oppose each other to the end to discourage and dishearten each other in the sight of our publique Enemies who stands ready themselves to devour us both and by all means seeks occasions against us and to ruine us both if it were possible who doth account us as two parties of their greatest adversaries and are persecuting and imprisoning of us as one in opposition to them and would be glad to see us destroyed and it being thus with both us and the Baptists so called thought I again how unseasonable this mans work is at this day to fall to reproach us and traduce us in the fight of our Enemies thus opposing of us with tooth and nail giving thereby occasion both to his and our enemies to mock at us and laugh us to scorn rejoycing to see us whom they count their Enemies falling together by the ears and as it were tearing one another this I knew would be a great occasion to them against us both in such a season as this when as it would have been more meet to have encouraged one another and strengthned one another in the way of Truth and Righteousnesse and to have been helpfull to one another in our afflictions and sufferings espâ—cially in the things wherein we do agree against the common open prophanenesse and idolatry and persecution which abounds at this day in the world that we might have been a rejoycing one to another as Brethren in Truth seeing we are both a suffering People at this day and accounted Brethren by our Enemies rather then a cause of affliction and grief and greater tribulation one to another as this same J. W. had endeavoured in his Book to be the occasion of this and such like was my considerations upon which I concluded the unseasonablenesse of the time of publication of his Book and the folly and weaknesse of its Publisher 2. I considered the errour and ignorance of the man in respect of the subject of his matter as stated by him and prosecuted which is this against and in opposition to the Light within many times rehearsed oppositely and scornfully to the Preachers of and to the Lâ—ght within all men making this the subject matter of his opposition as if it were the greatest heresie that could be that any should preach up a Light within and this I found he had set himself to