35.8 although a fool if he walks therein cannot err 2. How shall this way be known It is to be known by the Revelation of the Son Mat. 11.17 John 3.35 Gal. 1.16 to whom all things are delivered which Revelation is in us by vertue of the Eternal and Holy Spirit of Truth 3. How shall the Spirit of Truth be known from the Spirit of Error It may be known according to that direction delivered in the Holy Scriptures by this may the Spirit of Truth be known from the Spirit of Error Joh. 16.8.13 because it reproves the world of sin so when any one finds in himself the Convictions and Reproofs of sin let him know it is by the discovery of the Spirit of Truth which Spirit will guide and lead all them that follow it into all Truth when I tell a lye that which discovers this to me is the Holy Spirit if I deal deceitfully Rob Murther or be tempted to any of these things that which discovers and reproves these things is this Holy Spirit by which if we suffer our selves to be guided we shall be lead and guided out of those things and gradatim as we become obedient to the motions thereof we shall be able with the Apostle Paul to say 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Plusquam victores sumus we are more than Conquerours Rom. 8.13.14 37. The knowledg of this then is that which leads to the knowledge of God and is that by which the deeds of the Body are to be mortified Gal. 4.5.6 7. and by which we also witness the Adoption of Sons 4. By what other names is this Spirit of Truth known or called It is called the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation teaching us Tit. 2.11 that denying ungodliness and worldly lusts we should live soberly righteously and godly in this present world John 14.26 It is called the Holy Ghost which shall teach us all things Joh. 16.8 The Comforter which shall reprove the world of sin of Righteousness and of Judgment 1 Joh. 2.27 The Anointing which is in us and abideth with us that no man need to teach us John 1.9 The Light which lighteth every man which cometh into the world Christ formed in us Gal. 4.19 when it comes to rule and have dominion in us and by many other names according to the state condition and growth of the Soul therein Isai 4.4 as the Spirit of Judgment and Burning when it comes to purge purifie and cleanse the Soul and destroy the sin thereof Jud. 24.25 A Saviour when it has Redeemed and keep the Soul not only out of sin but also from falling Mat. 1.21 The Breasts of Consolation when the Creature through obedience comes to witness a new Birth and to lie down in the will of the Father Isa 66.9.10.11.12 and is made partaker of the dayly incomes of the Spirit of Life in satisfaction and enjoyment thereof and by many other the like names 5. Have all men received a measure hereof Yea All men have received a portion thereof Isa 52.10 Ps 98.2.3 some one Talent some two and some five more or less according to the good pleasure of the the Giver Luk. 3.6 This Grace the Apostle Paul saith 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Tit. 2.11 Apparavit omnibus hominibus 1 Cor. 12.7 hath appeared unto all men and it was given to them to profit withal Eph. 3.12 that when they come before the Judgment Seat of God Rom. 1.19 20. they might either appear with boldness or be left without excuse 6. If all men have received thereof what is the reason that all are not saved by it or is it insufficient It is not insufficient but is the power of God to Salvation Isa 63.10 but the reason why all men are not saved by it 1 Tim. 1.19 is because they refuse its reproofs and will have none of its Instruction but making shipwrack of Faith and a good Conscience turn the grace of God into wantonness upon whom God shall not be slack Eph. 5.5 6. but render Vengance in flames of fire whose destruction is just 7. What do's this Holy Spirit teach us It Teaches us to know and fear the Lord our God and to love and obey him all the days of our Lives the knowledge of whom is life Eternal and the fear of whom is to depart from evil which is the beginning of Wisdome the love of whom is peace and joy in the Holy Ghost and the obedience to whom gives us the fulness of an assureance for ever more 8. What do's the knowledge of God teach us It teaches us the knowledg of the Son of God Luk. 1.27.31 which in the fulness of time was conceived of the Holy Ghost and born of a Virgin and made in all things like unto us sin only excepted Gal. 1.51.16 For so the Apostle Paul saith when it pleased God to reveal his Son in him 9. By what ways and means do's God usually reveal his Son to the Sons of Men Various ways sometimes by the immediate Inspiration of his Spirit Isa 7.14 and so he revealed him to his Prophets of old that he should come Mat. 1.23 and how and after what manner sometimes by the mouths of his Servants the Prophets and so them which received their Testimony by the witness of the Spirit of God in themselves Heb. 1.1 came also through faith to look to him which was to be after made manifest in flesh Luk. 2.26.30 To others by his real appearance in flesh according to the many faithful promises of God who having purged our sins Heb. 1.3 is set down on the right hand of the Majesty on high Joh. 1.14 And lastly to us by the witness of the holy Record the Scriptures of Truth by which we know he is come Luk. 2.7 and that he has given us a dispensation of the Spirit of Truth Mat. 2.1 even the Anointing which shall teach us all things 1 Cor. 12.7 which holy Unction beareth witness to that Record 1 John 2.27 whereby we know it is Truth which twofold cord we think is not easily broken 10. Why did God leave that Record amongst us Because it was his good pleasure 2 Tim. 3.16 to teach us and inform us and to direct us to his holy Spirit which gave that forth that by it we might be lead and guided into all truth and for the same reason that he gave some Apostles and some Prophets and some Evangelists and some Pastors and Teachers Eph. 4.11 12 13 14. for the perfecting of the Saints for the work of the Ministry for the edifying of the body of Christ till we all come into the Unity of the Faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God unto a perfect man unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ 11. If that Spirit be sufficient what need
AN APOLOGY FOR THE Innocency and Iustice OF THE QUAKERS CAUSE AND A short ELUCIDATION of their PRINCIPLES With some Reflections upon J. IVES his PAPERS Written in the Behalf of the CHRISTIAN RELIGION By William Salmon Professor of Physick Non enim possumus quicquam adversus veritatem sed pro veritate 2 Cor. 13.8 Thanks be to God which giveth us the Victory through Our Lord Jesus Christ London Printed in the Year 1674. TO THE READER OMnia Flumina properant ad Mare nec tamen Mare impletur Although all was written which might be written yet would not the Enemies of the Truth be satisfied should an Angel appear from Heaven with an evident Demonstration of the Justice of this Cause the Adversarys would hardly be enduced to confess their Error although the Evidence thereof be crowned with their own belief Such an Impression has the Spirit of the Enemy of Mankind the Devil made in their Souls that they had rather at present lose the Salvation of them than embrace that which would Eternally make them happy and only because it is our Friend and has had mercy upon us But my Counsel and Advice is that they would while there is a day and time lay hold of the Truth if not for our sakes or the Truths sake yet for their own Souls sake there would be more Comfort found in one hours enjoyment of the sweet Influences of that holy Spirit although in the ministration of Condemnation than in many days and months years living senceless thereof or in opposition thereto People may feed themselves up with Fables put their trust in broken Reeds the strength of the Aegyptian Hosts but shall at length come to know it may be when it is too late what they have dispised and how they have slighted and done dispight to that which only and alone was able to save them It is them that walk in disobedience to the Holy Spirit and make a mock at its reproofs which Crucifie the Lord afresh and put him to open shame this did our Enemies but seriously consider might put a stop to their slanderous Tongues if they made never so little inspection into their own Lives and Conversations A small reflection upon themselves by the Light of the Divine Spirit would strike their Souls with horror for that they should go to tax others with Denying the Lord and themselves his daily Murtherers I have only one small Objection to remove out of the way and that has relation to my self that whereas the following Papers are written in the Plural Number and I have put my self in that Discourse into the Body of that People this is to inform in the first place that I there speak what I know is the Truth according to the faithful perswasion of my Soul and so abstractly consider the cause according to the Justice thereof that only and simply for the real Truth sake But in the second place knowing the equity of their Cause the Excellency Glory and Power of that Truth which they hold I also put that Discourse in the aforesaid stile as being really one satisfied therein and so having by that conjunction a just cause to appear in their vindication and so the Adversary may take me if he pleases if not in the other sense But which way soever let him charge only me for what I have writ as being immediately concerned and responsable for the same and I have hope I shall approve my self to that holy and just Spirit of Truth in Faithfulness thereunto and by the Power and Assistance thereof not only maintain and defend that Truth which in the following Lines I have appeared in vindication of but take a part and portion with that and them from hence forth and for ever Fastend of Pauls neâ—r the Free-School William Salmon AN APOLOGY FOR THE Innocency and Iustice OF THE QUAKERS CAUSE I. Of our Religion and Faith in general 1. IT was an eminent truth which was delivered by our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ that the Disciple is not above his Master nor the Servant above his Lord if they have called the Master of the House Beelzebub how much more them of his Houshold It is the Portion of the little Flock to suffer Persecution which the Devil and his Instruments were ever ready to present them withal not only by exquisite tortures of their Bodies and ruine of their Estates but also by the wounding of their Reputation if possible through the detraction of slanderous and malitious Tongues But as we have learned of our Master to go through good report and evil so that holy and Christian Spirit has taught us to rejoice and be exceeding glad when Men speak all manner of evil of us falsly for its name sake And indeed there is little reason to be given why we should not be partakers of his Portion who enduring the Cross despised the shame and suffered the contradiction of sinners since we expect to be sharers with him in his glory How have Men incensed themselves with madness and sury against our Religion and taken up a resolution to condemn us without so much as hearing the reasons we offer for our defence And think that all the Calumnies slanders and abuses which Ignorance and Envy can heap upon us to be infinitely less than what we deserve Be pleased then to take this following refutation in Paper since you are dull of apprehension or will not understand it by word of mouth This truth which we profess and defend seeks no favour at your hands since we are without hope to meet with any better measure than what her Enemies have formerly given Our Religion drawing its Original from Heaven is indeed a Stranger upon Earth where we conclude it must meet with as many Enemies as the Author thereof all that we desire is that it might not be condemned unknown which if any shall refuse they will not only stand charged with manifest injustice but may be justly suspected to act wilfully against the secret witness in their Consciences 2. It is Ignorance of the truth we profess which makes your Censures against us unjust you say we are no Christians but it is because you know not what Doctrines we hold it is that which blinds your eyes which renders your Judgements faulty were it a thing which ought to be hated yet nothing is more unjust than to speak evil of it before it is known It is not the evil of the thing but a Mans knowledge thereof which gives him a right to condemn it till when we fall not under the lash of your Judgement Did you know our Religion the holiness and Piety thereof you could not but embrace it unless you wilfully should refuse the offers of the saving health We our selves when ignorant as you are believed as you do but when we became informed we were necessitated to hate what we formerly loved and the Progress which truth hath made in our Souls has forced us to
impossible to be avoided Either what Christ our Lord spake is Truth or not Truth if Truth then our Confession is in some measure a demonstration of our Justification mangre all the spight and malice of our Adversaries but if they I not own it to be Truth that 's no proof against us while we are faithful Followers of our Master in that we have taken him for our Example and if followers of Christ then Christians But we hope the Adversary will not dare to give our Lord the Author and God of Truth the Lye or yet presume without the Inspiration and Revelation of the Spirit of Truth to give any Construction or add any meaning to those plain words of the Truth it self for fear if he has any fear of God before his eyes that God should add to him the Plagues which are written in that Book 9. The Adversary hath not yet nor indeed can he shew in the least measure any thing of a reason in opposition to what we urged once in a former Paper the which was this Whether what we say is our Faith ought not rather to be taken for our Faith than what our Adversary says it is since we better know what we believe than what another do's if yea wherefore should the Adversary say the contrary if nay wherefore should they or any else be any more believed in any of their Verbal Confessions than we or any other man since there is no reason that their credit should exceed in the least measure ours or any other persons This Argument we think not only unanswerable but also strong enough to make invalid what ever the Adversary can say in opposition to us and not only so but also force him to give himself the Lye It was indeed great Policy in him to decline that which he could not approach to evade those things which neither his Abilities nor Malice dare venture to oppose and to let all those things pass by in silence the bare remembrance of which might be enough perfectly to overthrow his Cause But alas I talk to them who say the Confession of our Faith in Scripture Language is an Old Art of Deceivers Surely the Christian Faith and Holy Scriptures were never thus abused before But this is that the Scripture might be fulfilled they shall say all manner of evil against you falsely for my name sake 10. It is Policy in him that intends to tell a Lye to tell such an one as might have some seeming probabilities of Truth with it and not such as almost the whole world knows to be a notorious Falcity thereby rendring themselves not only void of Honesty but also Wit Let but this Calumny of the Adversaries viz. That the Quakers are no Christians be but seriously considered and you will not only find it look like an egregious Slander but such an apparent Lye as that nothing in the world could be told to exceed it either in Matter End or Evidence I hope there is none thinks but that we believe we have Souls as well as others and that we desire hope for and seek after the Salvation of them as well as others do or at leastwise that we have as much reason to do it as any have And if so who should be so simple as to believe that we should jest with Heaven or trample underfoot the blood of the Covenant as an unworthy thing What Mortal can be so void of Reason as to imagine that we should despise or slight that which has sought us or deny him from whom we not only know we receive all our Mercies here but of whom we hope to have an everlasting Life hereafter and by whom we do believe we shall be made partakers of Glory and Heirs of an eternal Inheritance The Adversary could tell no greater a falcity of us than to say that we deny him who is more to us than all the World beside for whose sake we esteem nothing we have in this world and account all things loss that we may gain him and without doubt his end of speaking of it was only to render us odious to the world and to make us the mark for all to shoot their Arrows at that if possible we might be rooted out from off the face of the Earth This is the Adversaries Charity II. Reflections upon J. Ives his Papers in Particular 1. IN the Adversaries first Paper he lays down his Charges against the Quakers upon a Chalenge to meet them to dispute but more properly to rail and that with so much Confidence and Impudence as if he intended to make the world think he positively believed them himself the which I supose and am perswaded any sober and rational man would judge the contrary and really conceive it was Prejudice not his Faith which made him lay down those Assertions 2. He says that By force of Argument he had driven them to that strait that they could make no reply but the true reason of his not having a reply was because he could not be induced by any means to stay to hear William Pen make his Answer wherein was plainly detected his falshood and Calumnies and to salve that he says he was under some indisposition of Body a notable come off and so it is not to be doubted but he may always be when he sees he is like to come by the worst 3. He says We own such Books as contain in them Doctrines no way reconcilable to Scripture Language or Christian Religion but are destructive both of the one and the other but all the proof he gives us is his bare Affirmation he needs but only say so though nothing be more false he thinks it is a good means of rendering us odious to the world there is no Artifice so excellent with him as to dare and say he will do it that people which know not his Impudence may believe he can though nothing is more impossible to be done 4. In his second Paper he reiterates his Charges and instead of seriously considering and answering of a Paper sent to him by W. S. he makes a long descant because he put not his name at length and then at length taxeth the said W. S. with Contradiction in these words that the Adversaries Tongue was no slander with sober Citizens yet that he never met with more Lyes and Slanders in so few Lines All which may well be true for in respect of the falsity of the Adversaries words themselves they are both Lies and Slanders but in respect of their acceptation with some sober Citizens they might be no Slanders because of their not believing of them 5. And totally to avoid an Answer to the said Paper he relates some Opinions he holds as That the same Body which is now the Habitation of the soul shall rise again and enter with the Soul into everlasting joy or Torment But we query whether this Body must be corruptible and Earthly Elemental or not if Earthly or Elemental the Adversary
his Soul and will not inform him of it unless the Person so misled be willing to be subservient to his way of doing it O no unless he will condescend to my way of doing of it he shall be damned he shall perish this is the Charity of the Adversary with whom we deal not only to root us off from the face of the Earth but to cut us off from heaven also if so be it lay in his power O! prodigious kindness surely it is as Elijah said he is a God cry aloud to him But if the Adversary cannot prove his affirmation then it will appear that his Charges are not only horrid Lyes of an immeasurable Latitude but also the Productions of Malice whose Center is Hell it self 10. He now comes to speak to my Paper but yet not one word of Answer to what I desired The chief matter which he says is that I use an uncivil Dialect with high Rants and boasting Rhodomontadoes insult over my Adversary and that I can Encounter him and all his abettors and that this my undertaking is in the name of that despised People called Quakers To which I Answer The speaking of truth is no uncivil Dialect to tell a Lyer he lyes are but the words of truth the same Spirit which taxes me with uncivil Language would without doubt have charged Paul with the same when he said to Elymas the Sorcerer O full of all subtilty and mischief thou Child of the Devil thou Enemy of all Righteousness c. It is not plain Language and Truth which makes a Dialect uncivil but the affirmation of Lyes and therefore the Adversary's Accusation is returned upon himself again he talks of high Rants and boasting Rodomontadoes but they are his own till he hath proved his Assertions the Adversary although in his altitudes sees not himself and yet pretends he sees all others he needs not say that that is the way of our resuting our Adversaries whilst his own way whether of refuting or proving is only by accusing and confidently affirming upon no greater credit than his own ipse dixit that his protestations are true He is the insulter who would force our belief without demonstration and make us subject our reason to what our sences only are able to evince a salcity He tells me that I say that I can Encounter him and all his abettors but leaves out the former of my words viz. through the assistance of the Divine Power by which it appears the Mans only intention is Slander and Infamy He says that I say I did it in the name of that despised People called Quakers and what then must a Man deny the truth because Slanderers and Lyers despise it Is iâ— not the duty of a Christian to embrace that which the World is not worthy to receive But I talk to Prejudice and Folly for should he be bray'd in a Morter I see little hopes of his learning to speak the truth or probabilities of his amendment 11. He says The former words were Reasons of Inducement to make him believe me to be a Quaker but upon Inquiry of Samuel Newton and others they did say that they did hear my Conversation was not answerable to my Profession and that they did disown me Since which I have spoken with Samuel Newton and he affirms that he neither heard nor spake any such words but says he is very much abused therein It is to be feared that it is his design to tax the Conversations of other men with Guilt to cover the Infamy of his own and by disparaging Language to wound the Reputation and Credit of those whom he has a particular design to abuse He says he had the same report of others also but what these others are he either may not or cannot tell however who or whatsoever they were having found already that he has belyed Samuel Newton I have as much ground to believe that his slanderous tongue has done the same by those too 12. This Accuser because that he understands that I am a Professor of Physick would fain Insinuate to the world that my particular and private interest not my love to the Truth was the only motive and induction of my appearing in the behalf thereof this day Certainly this man measures the honesty and actions of every man by his own he was resolved that if what he had said before would not disparage me enough this should if that he had not told a lye big enough he would strain a little more to tell a bigger as far as I can perceive it is the only Art in which his chief Excellencies lie The opposition of his belief concerning me and belying and slandering of my Reputation and Credit he thinks may pass for an answer to me an excelent way of encountring with irrefutable Arguments Who should believe or credit a man that is false to his own Principles who could blame with Cowardise and Temporising his Brethren Pitman and Shewwell and tell them in a Letter he wrote to them That they had quitted the cause of Righteousness and ways of Holiness complying with the Precepts of men because they had taken Oaths which is indeed contrary to the Principles of Christianity and yet he himself our present Accuser in about five days after to avoid suffering not only did the same but also justified his Apostacy as more fully may appear in Samuel Fishers Antidote against Swearing in Calce Libri 13. But why should the Accuser tax me in respect of the Interest of my Profession since had I designed Interest I could have espoused that which should have been very much a greater than this whose Appendices should have been accompanied with worldly Glory and Repute but contrarily meerly for the Truths sake I have chosen that wherein I can look to meet with only Contempt and Ignominy to be made the Scorn and Mock of the World and instead of gaining Interest and External Happiness can expect nothing but Persecution Contumely and Reproach Surely no man that has reason would judge but that if I had made my Interest my end but that I could have made a much better choice had the love of the World been my design I would have had my eye upon that which to the appearance of Reason might in some measure have answered my expectations and not upon a despicable People which the World tramples upon and make the off-scouring of all* things I have now done hoping I have said enough to that which I can never expect should be just to me since it has been so unjust to it self III. An Explication of our Principles by way of Question and Answer 1. WHat is the way of God The way of God is the way of Holiness and Truth the way of Salvation Isa 26.7 a way of Uprightness Joh. 14.6 that leads to an Eternal Life It is a plain and easie way not hard and difficult to be understood but a way in which the wayfaring man Isa