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A40216 A New-England-fire-brand quenched being something in answer unto a lying, slanderous book, entituled, George Fox digged out of his burrows, &c. printed at Boston in the year 1676, of one Roger Williams of Providence in New-England ... : of a dispute upon XIV, of his proposals held and debated betwixt him, the said Roger Williams, on the one part, and John Stubs, William Edmundson, and John Burnyeat on the other at Providence and Newport in Rode-Island, in the year 1672 where his proposals are turn'd upon his own head, and there and here he was and is sufficiently confuted : in two parts : as also, something in answer to R.W.'s Appendix, &c. with a post-script confuting his blasphemous assertions ... : also, the letters of W. Coddington of Rode-Island, and R. Scot of Providence in New-England concerning R.W. and lastly, some testimonies of ancient & modern authors concerning the light, Scriptures, rule & the soul of men / by George Fox and John Burnyeat. Fox, George, 1624-1691.; Burnyeat, John, 1631-1690. 1678 (1678) Wing F1864; ESTC R3637 449,863 526

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and to him that Justifieth freely by his Grace and without Holiness none shall see the Lord. And doth not the Scripture say plainly that God saith I will be your God and ye shall be my People and that he would dwell in them and walk in them 2 Cor. 6 and doth not the Apostle say that None can call Jesus Christ Lord but by the Spirit and is not that within R. W. And thou say'st They can now Thou the King and they need no Scriptures nor Teachers Answ. May be thou art offended because we say Thee and Thou to thee for I never heard the King was And such Teachers as thee we have No Need of we can praise the Lord and the Scriptures we have the Comfort of them and can praise God for them R. W. And thou say'st Thus as in a Dream their great Debts of Thousands and Millions are paid and dis-charged Answ. Yes by the Blood of Christ Jesus who dyed for our Sins and is risen again for our Justification And we can praise God that we are come out of your Cage that thou speakest of and can say The Turtle-Dove is heard in our Land and Christ doth Deliver us from the Devil of Hell and Death and giveth us the Victory And what if some have been Rapt up into Paradise as Paul was and speak and see Unutterable Joys which thou Scoffingly speakest of the People of God and what is this to them that Followed Absolom And thou speakest of Jewels fallen into the Dirt truly this is thy own Work that art flinging thy Dirt at God's People R. W. And then thou say'st As I hope in the Parishes of the Protestants and Papists also who being only Ignorant as the Disciples were of main points of Christianity yet aim uprightly at God truly love him and labour to increase in the Knowledge and Grace of Christ. Answ. How now R. W. What! art thou now flattering the Papists and the Parish-Protestants and before The Papists would burn the Bible And do'st not thou say Old and New-England may flourish when the Pope and Rome are in Ashes and such as have True Love to God and labour to increase in the Knowledge and Grace of Christ and yet The Papists will burn the Bible And as for all the sober Protestants they will be ashamed of thy foul words and if they read thy Book they will see how thou hast abused us with foul words the Lord knows R. W. And thou bring'st Jer. Ives's saying There may be a Light to Convince of Sin and not yet within man G. F. Answ. There is no people Convinced of Sin but they are Convinced within themselves and with the Light within them It is the Light which maketh manifest to a Man when he is Convinc'd it answereth to something and reacheth to something in their particulars though the words be spoken without them from the Light R. W. Replyeth against G. F.'s words which are very good Truth and cryeth It is doleful Business to read and hear how Satan in his Chains of Darkness yet hath Liberty to appear abroad as an Angel of Light from Heaven thus Vaporing and Swaggering under the Cloak and Colours of Light Answ. R. W. cannot endure to hear talk of the Light of Christ but like the Jews who said That Christ by the Prince of Devils cast out Devils And how doth R. W. prove that it is the Devil that is as an Angel of Light from Heaven in his Transforming and not the Light of Christ in us for Christ saith he is Out of Truth but we know that this Light and Spirit leadeth Into all Truth And we do believe according to the Scriptures of Truth that the Light which enlightneth every one that cometh into the world is the Life in the Word by which all things were made and Christ who said I am the Light of the world was Glorified with the Father before the world b●gan And they that believe in the Light of Christ do become Children of the Light and no man can Come to God but by Christ the Light and to Salvation but by the Light of Christ which giveth them the knowledge of it And this Light of Christ R. W. calleth a Devil in Samuels Mantle and a Dragon and a Devil of Darkness the God of this world Vapourings Crackings and Cheatings and He laboureth to keep all in Blindness or to beat out the Eyes of those whom God hath truly enlightned this is thy own Condition R. W. And thou say'st That God was Light c. then why do'st thou rail against the People of God called Quakers for professing That God and Christ is Light R. W. And thou Scoffingly say'st That the Quakers confess That the Natural Man perceiveth not the things of God only they say that beside Natural Light and Reason there is the Holy Seed God and Christ within every Son and to this Spirit and Seed in Prison they preach And Fox in our Discourses alledgeth and affirmeth God in every man to be a Cart loaden with Sheaves prest under and as it were in Prison c. Blasphemous wretches c. Answ. Reader see if there be any such words in G. F.'s Answer to Jer. Ives as R. W. bringeth here And whereas he saith Fox in our Discourses alledgeth c G. F. had never no Discourse with R. W. And whereas he saith That God and Christ is the Seed within in all men Those are not our words for we say that Christ is the good Seeds man that Soweth the good Seed on all sorts of ground And to say That the Eternal God is in Prison these are his own Blasphemies and The Natural man perceiveth not the things of God that is true and is his own Condition And as for the Lord 's saying He was prest under the Transgressing Jews as a Cart with Sheaves and therefore R. W. saith that the Quakers say God was in Prison which is false And we say That which may be known of God is manifest in Every Man which God hath shewed unto them which we tell all people of as the Apostle did and turn them to the Light and Grace that cometh from Jesus that they may turn to God and Christ from whence it cometh And thy Vngodly Railing words touch us not R. W. And thou confessest All Light or Truth Natural Civil or Divine it cometh from without and is received by an Internal Faculty according to the Capacity c. of it from thence it is conveyed to the Court c. to be Examined Answ. What! is not this Court or Guard or Captain within the Light of Christ within to know Truth from Falshood And then thou say'st That G. F. urgeth There must be a Receiver and something that Answereth and thou say'st That Natural Truth or Moral c. are soon received by Moral Vnderstandings G. F. doth not speak of Morals here but the Light of Christ which Convinceth which is Super-natural that bringeth the Christians that love
say'st R. W. That we are Saved by Hope Faith c. Answ. But doth not Paul tell thee That this Hope is Christ and Faith he is the Author of And thou say'st R. W. Saved by Baptism Answ. And what without FAITH And R. W. Women are Saved by Child-bearing Answ. But what without Faith by Christ And what are all Women Saved by Child-bearing all that are in the World with their Bastards for thou dost not say Some Women and thou dost not put in FAITH But can they grow up in Christ the Saviour without Faith And then thou say'st R. W. All these Subtilly and Wickedly G. F. setteth at Variance with the Meritorious Salvation by Jesus Christ. Answ. G. F. Setteth them not at Variance but he saith again There is no Salvation in any other Name under Heaven but in the Name of Jesus Christ And thou that say'st There is givest the Apostle the Lie and dost not own the True Lord Jesus R. W. Thou tellest of a Man saving his Brother by a Rope and a Mid-wife saving a Woman in Child-bed Answ. What is this this is Outward from a Natural Death but it is Christ Jesus that Saveth his People from Eternal Death through Faith in him which is more than from Outward Death And R. W. Thou say'st To talk of this Immediate Christ and Spirit without Scriptures without Preaching and other Holy Means is as Silly as Impious as Blockish as Blasphemous and as Bedlam and Frantick as Wicked and Anti-christian Answ. R. W. hath not described what his Means are But Reader is not the Means the Faith in Christ Jesus and is not that Revealed and is not the Means the Holy-Ghost that Proceedeth from the Father and his Son that leadeth all True Believers into all Truth And they are not the True Preachers that are not in the same Holy Ghost that gave forth the Scriptures and all their Means are good for nothing seeing the Apostle saith That no Man knoweth the Things of God but by the Spirit And so as for thy Ungracious Words Silly Impious Blockish Blasphemy Frantick Wicked Anti-christian and Bedlam thou may'st keep to thy self and so all thy Means that hast No Motion of Heavenly Things And all they that be in the Faith of Christ and the Holy Ghost that leadeth into all Truth which the Ministers of the Spirit they have their Means from Christ in whose Name is Salvation and Preach Christ and not themselves and such we are One withal and such cannot but own the Scriptures So the Holy Means are in the Holy Spirit but what is this to the Means of all your Priests and Thee who ownest not the Light of Christ but callest it an Idol And thou talkest of an Immediate Christ without the Scripture Will R. W. say That Christ and the Spirit is in the Scripture is not Christ in Heaven and the Spirit of God was in them that gave forth Scripture And Christ saith Search the Scriptures for in them ye think ye have Life but ye will not come to me that ye might have Life But we tell R. W. We and whosoever else owneth the Lord Jesus Christ own the Scriptures and cannot deny them nor none of his True Preachers which carry their Message from Christ for the Good of People and such the World receiveth not that come in the Name of the Lord but such as come in their own they will Receive R. W. And again thou bringest a Comparison of the King's Pardon sealed with his Broad Seal to a Condemned Rebel which thou often bring'st over and over Answ. What dost thou think to prove by this That the Scripture is the Pardon or is the Evidence if it were then the Papists that thou Comparest us so often to and many Wicked Men might have Pardon and Remission But is it not the Spirit that Sealeth according to Ephes. 1 23.4 30 and is it not Christ that Bringeth the Glad Tidings of Life unto the Soul and by his Holy Spirit beareth Witness according to Rom. 8. and is not the Assurance thus known R. W. bringeth Hosannah c. G. F.'s Fol. pag. 221. saying The Sure Word of Prophecy the Apostle speaketh of is the Prophecy of Scripture G. F. Answ. Doth the Scripture shine in a Dark Place until the Day Dawn and are they them that must be Taken heed unto as to a Light Can any see the Scripture or know the Scripture but by the Light within cannot a Cain a Balaam a Korah bring Scripture that is gone from the Spirit of Prophecy within and then put the Letter for it R. W. Replieth and beginneth with Blasphemy and Railing and saith I know that Fox maketh their Idol Within called Light to be the More Sure Word of Prophecy and his Vsual Proof is The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy c. And why must all the Prophets or Messengers of God who from the Beginning of the World were God's Mouth and Pens concerning the Birth Life and Death of Christ c. here be ●ast out from the Word of Prophecy Answ. What! cannot R. W. endure to hear talk of the Scriptures are not John's Words in Revelation The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy and thou deniest it both Scripture and Spirit who say'st I Vsually bring this Proof And Peter's Saying We have a more Sure Word of Prophecy which ye do well to take heed unto as unto a Light that shintth in a Dark Place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in your Hearts This the Apostle lets them see the Sufficiency of that Light till they came to the Day-Dawning and the Day-star-Arising And what is this Day-dawning and Day-star-arising in the Heart if it be the Outward Scriptures of the Prophets prove it by Scriptures And is this Day-Star-Arising in the Heart and Day-Dawning and Idol as thou callest the Light within an Idol a More Sure Word of Prophecy than the Voice which was Heard in the Mount And this is not to Cast away the Prophets and Peter who directed the Saints to this Sure Word of Prophecy the Light that shineth in a Dark Place did not Cast out the Prophets that Prophesied of Christ's Birth Death c. as thou Dotingly speakest no more do we but own them all And Luk. 1. and Rom. 16. and the Apostles that had this Light shining this More Sure Word of Prophecy they saw the Fulfilling of the Scriptures in Christ Jesus which none doth without the Light of Christ by which he is seen And R. W. Thou say'st The Written Word or Prophecy of the Prophets is a more Sure Word and Evidence to us c. than the Voice from Heaven of which Peter here speaketh c. Answ. Now what must we Observe from R. W.'s Words here That the Written Word or Prophecy of the Prophets shineth in a dark place Now R. W. saith that the Scripture is the Rule and Touch stone We do Charge him and the New-England-Priests to make
Changed from Glory to Glory till they came into the Image of God And the Apostle saw c. And so ye may read at large in G. F.'s Fol which is to large to be set down here but R. W. hath taken about three lines of it and left out the rest And R. W. replieth As the Swinish Epicures and Dives's of this World what-ever they formally and loosly profess have no solid Hope of Peace and Joy to come after this Life and therefore like Brute Beasts practically confess it saying in their Hearts and Lives Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die c. Answ. What is this to the purpose for G. F.'s Answer R. W. might have put himself amongst his Company and Judged himself as well as others for it 's his own Condition R. W. thou sayst Thou knowest that same of the Quakers will not believe that G. F. and others of them deny the Resurrection c. Answ. And why should they believe a Lie as thou dost and why should not we stand by G. F.'s words when he speaketh Scripture and thou that dost not deniest Scripture and the Light of Christ and call'st it a Fancy And the Resurrection we own according to Scripture R. W. And here thou bringest the Ninth false Charge viz All that the Quakers Religion requireth externally and internally to make Converts or Pr●selytes amounts to no more then what a Reprobate easily may attain to and perform Answ. This is false for Reprobates do not believe in the Light and become not Children of Light and rec●ive not Christ in them from whence the Light cometh R. W. And thou hopest many of us will come to Abraham's Bosom But then why dost thou rail at us And how can we come to Abraham's Bosom and Attain to no further then to what a Reprobate may And then thou sayst Thousands may have gotten all their Religion requires or performs yea all that their Principles call for outwardly or Inwardly and yet not be accepted but rejected from the holy presence of God Answ. How now Roger and yet come to Abraham's Bosom O Roger thy Darkness cannot comprehend the Light that seest not our Condition no more then thou seest the Saints in the Apotles Days thou would'st have said the same of them had'st thou been in their Day We know our Assurance of God and our Acceptation through Jesus Christ his Beloved Son through whom we have peace with God and we do know the Son by Revelation and God that sent him which is Eternal Life Blessed be his Name for Ever And are grafted into him and built upon him the Rock and Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and thy words are but Chaff R. W. And then thou tell'st a story of Perkins and appliest that to us which he spoke of the Papists But thou hadst better to have applied this to thy self And thou fall'st a Judging the Common Protestants and Quakers and tell'st of their Great Reformations and Joys c. their enduring great persecution and burning of their bodies c. and yet be far from the true Protestant Religion either in the true D●ctrine and Principles or in the true Life and Practice of it Answ. How can Roger Williams tell why doth he Judge such that they were not in the true Religion Who was this Protestant not in New-England nor R. W he never felt the Flame nor was BRANDED with an HOT IRON his Religion will not lead him to undergo such suffering for why did he not stand but go in the Woods when he was tried in Boston-Colony But R. W. would make people believe he was a High Protestant beyond all these but plainly he is nothing but a Railer as his Book doth make manife●t But let the Reader see how he hath lost himself and gone from G. F.'s Answer And R. W. Tearmes our Faith to Rotten Nature c and our Prayyers and Fastings and Sufferings to Womens fil●hy Clouts and dung of Men and Beasts put into the Ballance of God's Infinite Justice instead of the Infinite Righteousness and Satisfaction of the Son of God c. Answ. As for the Papists they may Answer for themselves but our FAITH Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of we had it not from Men nor Rotten Nature And we Pray as we are moved by the Spirit of God and ●ast as we are ordered by his Divine Wisdom And our Sufferings amongst the New-England-Professors have been for the Truth and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ's sake in whom our Poor Souls have had Satisfaction And we know Christ's words to be true Blessed are they that Suffer for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. And for all thy Vngratious Words the Lord will rebuke thee in one Day and in that Day of thy Torment remember thou hast wronged us R. W. And thou scoffingly sayst That if a Notorious Drunkard be convinced and come to hearken to a Spirit within to say Thee and Thou and thinks himself Equal and above all his former Superiors c. he is Justified Sanctified c. and so holy that he cannot sin in Thoughts and Words c. Thus they pretend Repentance Faith and a Change of Heart because they have changed their Talk and Garments Answ. The Spirit of God within leadeth to no such Sudden Thing neither is the Work so easily done as R. W. here would foist into the minds of the World to make them load the Truth neither shall he find it so easy himself if ever he should see a Day of Repentance And the Spirit of the Lord leadeth to Humility and that is a good Spirit that Leadeth to Modesty in Apparel and to True Words and from Evil Thoughts and from Drunkenness For after a Man is restrained from Actual Sins without him then he cometh to know the putting off the Body of it within and crieth as Paul did to Christ for no Man can help him then but He that did help Paul who Thanks God in Victory in the end But why should R. W. be so against the Spirit within in saying THEE and THOV and putting off our needless Apparel seeing it was the Practice of the holy Men of God in the Scripture hath not he proved himself that he is degenerated from the Spirit Life and Practice of the Primitive Church R. W. And thou say'st John Bradford said unto God Lord thou art Heaven and I am Hell Answ. And was not this Hell within him think'st thou and if so why dost thou find Fault with the Quakers R. W. Then thou fallest on a preaching but to no purpose to thy Position nor G. F.'s answer And dost thou not say The Blood of God doth Cleanse and Redeem thee Answ. And yet dost thou not find Fault with the Quakers for mentioning the Blood of God And the 2 Cor 7. doth not evidence thy True Repentance from a Pharisee's And R. W. Thou say'st That no Papist nor Quaker by
then thou say'st R. W. We are not exhorted to be Equal with God in Holiness for this is to be Equal with God ourselves Answ. But Christ who said Be ye Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect and the Apostle said Be ye Perfect In his saying so he doth not say that they should be Christ themselves and sit down in the Throne of God or the Godhead and thrust out the Eternal God Ah! poor Mortal in the Imaginary Fancy as I may well say can the Eternael God be thrust out of his Throne Is not this Blasphemy to say that the Eternal God can be thrust out of his Throne If this be R. W.'s and the New-England-Priests Doctrine that the Eternal God can be thrust out of his Throne if ye hold such Principles of God the Eternal Living God before whom all Nations are but like a Drop of a Bucket and if they are but a Drop and yet if he can be Thrust out of his Throne by so few people this is gross Ignorance and Blindness to mention any such thing And thou say'st R. W. There is a Generation that are pure in their own Eyes yet are not cleansed from their Filthiness Answ. Roger this is thy own Condition And what Dost thou bring this to oppose Christ who saith Be ye Perfect as your heavenly Father is Perfect And the Apostle saith We speak Wisdom among them that are Perfect 1 Cor 2 6 And Paul doth not contradict himself in Phil. 3. R. W. And thou say'st G. F. and we do not know the Battle between the Old Man and the New for Satan having possession all is in peace Answ. This R. W. might have applied to himself who knoweth not our Condition which we have gone through nor the New Man that is born after God for how can he when he believeth not in the Light by w●ich he may become a Child of Light but speaketh evil of it And therefore he is not like to know the battle betwixt the New and the Old And R. W. Thou say'st It hath been ever known that all God's Children are like High and Glorious Queens and Empresses who wittingly endure not as the holy Scripture speaketh that such an Vgly Fiend as the Devil should touch them no not in an Evil Thought Answ. R. W. why dost thou deny here the people of God called Quakers who witness Sanctification and Redemption by Christ Jesus and Freedom from Sin here But Roger How can those high glorious Queens and Empresses which thou callest God's people who cannot endure the Evil Fiend the Devil to touch them no not with an Evil Thought how canst thou say then they have a Combate or a Battle all their Life Time and Cry out like Paul Who shall deliver me And make good the great Mystery Append p 6. How the Seeds of all Sin are in the New-born and the Seeds of all Grace And G. F. and We have Esteem and Love to all that profess Holiness and Sincerity who are begotten of the holy Spirit R. VV. bringeth G. F. Fol. p. 28. Rich Baxter's Saying where G. F. telleth How the same Author preacheth an External Word G. F. Answ Which the Scripture speaketh nothing of nor the Prophets nor Christ but saith The Word that liveth and abideth and endureth for Ever and of the Scriptures of Truth that cannot be broken and of God's Words and Christ's Words and that is not External This is not agreeable to Sound Words that cannot be Condemned but that is like his Doctrine that knoweth not the Eternal But the Ministers of Christ did not tell people of an External Word but of an ETERNAL WORD but ye being made by the Will of Man speak to the people of an External Word NOW whereas R. VV. in Answer to this saith That the Word whether External Internal or Eternal is a Simitude because God hath no Mouth nor Tongue nor Words Answ. He sheweth his Ignorance of God and Divine things for God in his Words is more truly Real then those things of Man that are obvious to the outward Changes and therefore are rather to be called a Similitude of God's words then God's a Similitude of Man's words The like Ignorance he sheweth in his Comparing of Kings and Generals of Armies which Comparison is Lame For God as an Omnipresent Being can and doth signify his Mind unto all his Children Inwardly by his Spirit which the other cannot do and therefore must of necessity make use of outward Words and Writings The like gross Ignorance he sheweth in stretching this Comparison to a Sentinel's making the General stand if he forget his Word Which cannot be applied to God without great Blasphemy Neither do we deny but that the Mind of God is outwardly express'd in Words in many things in the holy Scriptures and therefore as R. VV. saith That Christ and Paul and Apollo sp●ke and Disputed from the Scriptures neither do we deny but the same may be done as we our selves oft do which yet will signify nothing without the Leadings and Guidings of that Spirit from whence the Scriptures come By which Spirit we are fully satisfied they were guided in their Testimonies and Disputing from the Scriptures and so are the Faithful in this Day R. VV. bringeth G. F. Fol. p. 32. Ellis Bradshaw saying The Quakers Spirit doth teach them to honor no Man G. F. Answ. That is a Lie for it Teacheth them to have all Men in Esteem and to Honor all Men in the Lord. Yet they are convinced by the Law to be Transgressors if they Respect Mens Persons And the Saints are not to hold the Faith of our Lord Jesus Christ with Respect of Persons as ye do This last Sentence which was the Reason of G. F.'s Assertion he hath deceitfully kept out and yet now hath little to say but his Saying That is a Lie Answ. Which being Really a Lie in Ellis Bradshaw it is neither contrary to Christianity nor Civility to say it is so But Reader mind but how often R. VV. useth the Word Lie And yet he findeth Fault with G. F. It is also false that ever the Quakers were against Taking by the Hand or true Courtesy though to Bow and Vncover the Head whether half or whole they are against and look upon as in Apostacy if done by any of them Neither can R. VV. prove that so to do is true Civility It is false in him to insinuate that to assert That in Christ there is neither Bond nor Free as if used by us to destroy the Mutual Relation of Master and Man Father and Child Which is false and might the same way be alledged upon the Apostle Such Respective Words and Titles as the Scripture owneth and commandeth especially under the New-Covenant we deny not if R. VV. thinketh we do let him prove it And as for his Charges of our Vncivil and Inhumane Behaviour he only affirmeth it saying God knoweth it but giveth no manner of Proof for
all things and yet this sense which literally is so proud and Blasphemous c. Answ. Roger Why dost thou abuse the Quakers For where doth G F or any of the Quakers write and say They know all things as God or that they are Omniscient or Omnipotent And why dost thou find fault with G F who brings the Apostles words to the Saints But ye have an Vnction from the Holy One and ye know all things c. and Let that therefore abide in you which you have heard from the beginning and If that which ye have heard from the Beginning shall remain in you ye also shall continue in the Son and in the Father And These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you but the Anointing which you have received of him abideth in you and ye need not that any man teach you but as the same Anointing teacheth you of all things and is Truth and is no Lye and even as it hath taught you ye shall abide in him c. Here John explains his own words better than R. W. can do and such as continue in the Son of God they continue in the Father and know the Antichrists and the Seducers to shun them 1 John 2. And dost thou not wickedly bring That the Devil pretends that he knoweth all things and offers to reveal so much to his Conjurers and dost not thou bring this in Opposition to John's words who exhorted the Saints to the Anointing within them which will teach them to know all things and had'st thou been in John's days thou would'st have said as much in Opposition to him as thou hast done to G. F. who bringeth but John's words And John saith That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you that ye also might have fellowship with us and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ and must not this Fellowship be witnessed by the true Believers in Christ Jesus But it 's like thou art more acquainted with the Devils pretences and what he reveals to his Conjurers then with that which the Apostle John did declare which he had seen and heard and therefore I believe if R W. declared nothing but what he hath seen and heard from the beginning as John did he would have little to say 1 John 1. And as for Paul's saying I can do all things as R. W. brings but R. W. has left out Christ for the Apostle saith I can do all things through Christ who hath strengthened me and so can all that walk in his Spirit for without Christ they cannot do any thing that is good And Christ saith I am the Vine and ye are the Branches and he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much fruit for without me ye can do nothing John 15 5. And thou say'st to take the Apostles words he can do all things c. and the Saints know all things according to John's doctrine and say'st Yet this sense which literally is so Proud and Blasphemous c. Here thou hast judged the Apostles to be Proud and Blasphemous which directed the Saints to the Unction within from the Holy One which taught them all things And the Apostle could do all things through Christ that strengthened him R. W. And thou say'st Doth not the Spirit of God Prov. 28. open this to us saying Evil men understand not Judgment but they that seek the Lord understand all things ver 5. that is God Answers their Prayers and enables them to do all that he calls them to when the proud and scornful are rejected Answ. It 's well thou wilt confess so much though thou hast added to Salomon's words But I question much whether ever thou heard God or Christ's Voice immediate from Heaven by his Spi●it For Salomon's words are true as he speaks and gives a better sense then thou canst R. W. Thou say'st Therefore I believe it is that the most Holy most Just and Wise Lord leaves these poor proud scornful souls to seek Wisdom and not to find it to be ignorant knowing nothing as God's Spirit speaks and to discover their ignorance in so many fundamentals of Christianity and in so many practices immodest irrational more then Savage as I have proved against them Answ. No such proofe hast thou proved And here thou fall'st a railing in thy false judgment but as Christ saith With what judgment ye judge ye shall be judged Thou think'st thou art plucking a Mote out of our eyes but sees not the Beam in thy own and truly Roger thou hast hit thy own Condition and mist us As for proud scornful and savage c. and immodest practices these are but thy railing Expressions a wave of the Sea which thou had better have kept at home and applyed to thy own Spirit for we can praise God through Jesus Christ for what he hath revealed unto us And I strange that thou darest take the most-Holy Just Lord in thy mouth and utter such foul Languages against his People And who those many are that practise Immodesty which thou tell'st the World of thou hast neither mentioned their Names nor their Immodest practices therefore it is a slander And wherein are we Ignorant of the fundamentals of Christianity seeing we believe all that is written in the Scriptures concerning God and Christ R. W. And thou say'st The Quakers confest their Light to be Conscience and J. Bunion denyes plainly that Conscience can justifie And R. W. replyes and saith That Conscience looks back of a mans mind or spirit upon it self in point of justification or pardon of sin and Conscience looks upon a cursed rotten nature And J. Bunion calls the Light Conscience A poor Dunghill-Creature that will convince of sin as in G. F's Folio pag. 10. Oh how doth R. W. J. Bunion contradict each other the one says It will not justifie the other says In point of Justification or pardon of sin And thou says that Adam and Eve's Conscience● condemned them they confest the Fact and thou say'st That poor Conscience which every man Jew or Gentile Civilized or Pagan comes into the world with c. and the first man and woman their Consciences condemned them c. and thou further say'st Could this their Condemning Conscience especially with mincing of sin as all natural mens Consciences do I say could t●is Conscience or Confession pardon their Sin renew their Hearts and be their Justification or clearing and Salvation Answ. Hast not thou Answered thy self in the Second page Do'st not thou say that Conscience in point of justification looks upon a mans mind and spirit c. in point of Justification or pardon of sin and yet thou call'st it a Natural Conscience and Adam and Eve and every man has it thou say'st that Abimelecks Conscience justified him from the Fact of Abraham 's Wife and Joseph's Conscience justified him c And thou wrong'st the Quakers in saying that
persons c. as he comes to see them and endureth not that the Evil One should touch him Answ. If this were your Faith and Practise both of New-England and all our Old Persecutors then we should be One with you But have not all our Opposites both here and in New-England persecuted us for worldly Maintenances which Christ nor his Apostles never did who said Freely ye have received freely give And if you could not endure the Evil One to touch you then you would be a People free from sin R. W. And then thou makest a great Ramble and call'st it Considerations touching the Seperate Churches and say'st Hath not Gods Jealousie raged against the Jewish Whore-mongers who defiled his first Bed and will he wink at the Christian-Adulterers and Adulteresses either in worship or Conversation Answ. Nay therefore hath the Lord sent forth his Servants to bid you Repent whom you have persecuted for you are fallen from the Tenderness you were in at first that the Lord knoweth R. W. Thou say'st With what Conscience can I a National Protestant separate from my Father the Pope or my Mother the Church of Rome and my Brethren and Sisters the Papists c. and yet must not be a Christian for other Souls to see further degrees of that Separation necessary I must bring up the foot of every mans Light Sight and Conscience to my last Answ. Here thou acknowledgest The Pope to be thy Father and the Church of Rome to be thy Mother and not the Primitive Church or Jerusalem that is above which is the Mother of us all but thou would'st bring all to thy dark Last and so would every persecuting Spirit and dark Conscience And why do you talk of Separating from your Mother or Father the Pope when you are found in their Spirit but the Quakers would have every Man and Woman to turn to the Grace and Light of Christ Jesus and not bring them into a Form without the power as your New-England Professors have done And we labour to bring all People to Christ Jesus and if thou callest him the Last thou hast given him a New Name but the New-England Priests bring People to their Last and dark Conscience as is manifest R. W. Thou say'st This is my main ground of my Controversy with the proud Quakers in themselves and condemn others Answ This is false for we tell them the Light is their Condemnation that hate it But we must walk in the Light as Christ Commands who hath enlightened us by which Light we see you where we have left you R. W. And thou say'st But they magnifie with the Papists and Arminians Cursed rotten Nature their Converts and Proselytes have but a painted Formal Repentance Faith c. only if they can come to their Church and Thou and Thee and disrespect all Superiors then are they high Saints and cannot sin Answ. All these be Lyes and it 's thy own Condition And as for the Papists and Arminians they may answer for themselves for Repentance which is a Returning from Sin to the Lord is not Formal and the Faith which Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of And we do not say Such as can say Thee and Thou are free from Sin neither do we say that they are High Saints that dis-respect all Superiours for we say as the Apostle said We must honour all men and They that rule are worthy of double honour And we do challenge thee and all the Priests in New-England and all our Opposites that thou hast quoted to shew us Where ever Christ or his Apostles for men to keep on their Hats and say Thee and Thou to them dishonoured them and dis-respected Superiors so the ground of thy Controversie is false And whether that is the Honour and the Respect that they must shew to all men and to Superiors as to say You to a single Person and put off his Hat to him and whether this be the Honour from above and whether the Honour the Pharisees looked for was not some Outward Gesture so distinguished from the Christians Honour And as for Converts of Cursed Rotten Nature thou might have kept that at home for the Converts that we own are such as are turned from Darkness to Light and from the power of Satan to God R. W. And whereas thou say'st This was the Heavenly principle of those many precious gallant Worthies the Leaders and Corner-Stones of New-England they desired to worship God in purity according to those perswasions in their Consciences which they believed God had lighted up Answ. Here thou flatterest New-England Persecutors who have drunken the Blood of Gods People Whipt Banished and Spoiled their goods because they would not follow their Bloody Spirits Worship out of Truth for thou might have said as much for the Spirit of the Church of Rome For the Professors of New-England have lost their Tenderness that was first in them and despised that Birth-right Esau-like and their Written and Printed Laws against the People of God are abhorred and make their Names stink in Europe yea and in America For thou wilt confess the Devil is a Murderer and Christ is a Saviour and did not come to destroy mens Lives but to save them and therefore it is manifest whose Work thy Gallant Worthies and Leaders have done and Thou who art joyned in a Confederacy against God's People uttering sorth thy Lyes against them in a peaceable Government where thou hast not power to Persecute them R. W. And thou say'st They desired such for their Fellow-worshippers as they upon a Christian Account could have evidence of to be true and real Worshippers of God in Spirit and Truth also Answ. The New-England-worshippers and the Joyners with them their Practice Evidenceth them in their Persecution not to be in God's Spirit nor his Truth R. W. And thou bringest Priest E. B's words which saith The Spirit of God doth not teach to judge before the time and others say Saints shall not judge while they be upon the Earth And G. F. Answering saith But the Spirit did teach the Apostle to Judge and his Time was come and he told some that they were of Old ordained for Condemnation their Damnation slumbred not and then it was their time to Judge And because the Printer mistook and put in high for their and not which should not have been in but then which was the Printers mistake therefore thou cryest Non-sense c. But thou say'st to the point The great Jugler hath taught G. F. and his Foxians to out-face Death and Judgment to keep the great Sessions and call all the world to their Bar and Judgment Answ. Let the Reader see if there be any such words in G. F's Answer but repeating of the Apostles words that makes him to break out into such an Outrage and Gust as he calls it Therefore was the Apostle a Cheat or a Jugler and out faced Death and Judgment c. because the Spirit of God did
that is Entered among you and burneth your Esau. stuff And as for Burning the Scriptures we abhor thy words and did'st not thou say The Papists Owned the Bible and the Jews part of it and now thou fay'st Th●y Burn it how do'st thou Contradict thy self But Gods Living Free Messengers we have been to New-England c. but you have Spoyled our Goods Banish'd Whip'd and Martyred to death and Burnt our Books which quote a many good Scriptures And as for Absolom's Beauty you may look at home among your Whited Walls and fair Out-side Professors but they begin to look black with your Murdering Laws And it 's thy own Spirit 's work to draw Souls from the Lord Jesus Christ with thy Lyes as the Old Serpent drew Adam and Eve from God's Teaching and you exceed Sampsons Foxes that carryed Fire-brands in their Tails for you have Carryed them in your Hands by which you have Branded the people of God And we do Esteem the Scriptures and the Practice of them better then you R. W. And thou say'st They are fortified with the Faces of Men and the Hair of Women like the Locusts Rev. 9. such Pretences and such Illuminations and Appearances and Assurances and Confidences and Feelings of Experiences c. that it is God's Infinite Power and Wisdom c. to preserve the Scriptures a Standing Record of what the first Messengers and Churches and first Doctrine and first Christians were or else the world would fall down and adore Images c. Answ. It is by the Lord's Power and Wisdom that the Scripture hath been preserved yet we see such that have the Scriptures and fall down to Images and others to the Imaginations of their own hearts that are not in the Spirit that gave them forth And as for those Locusts that came out of the smoak of the Bottomless-pit let R. Williams and the New-England Professors keep that at home apply it and their Experiences at home but as for the people called Quakers it is that which the Lord has wrought in them by his Spirit and opened to them by believing in the Light that so they are become Children of the Light which you were and are Strangers to and hate And God hath Sealed us and set his Mark in our Fore-heads but your Mark is easily seen to be of the Beast's that maketh War with the Saints And did Abraham and Isaac and Jacob fall down to Images before Scripture was written for as the Apostle saith None can call Jesus Lord but by the Holy-Ghost and though some people have the Scriptures yet they fall down to Images But it is the Holy-Ghost that brings them to fall down to God and bow to Jesus their Lord that leads them into all the Truth of the Scriptures that brought the Prophets and Apostles to testifie against them that Bowed to Images yea though they had the Scriptures as in the days of Jeremiah and Ezekiel and other Prophets And our Experiences and Assurances are of the Lords Christ. R. W. And thou say'st Thou knowest the Counsels of the Father of Lights are very deep yea the Revelation needs a Revelation and the Prophets and Canticles and Daniel c. Answ. And thou confessest this must be by the Spirit of God c. and in this thou confounds thy self who hast been Railing against G. F. and the Quakers who saith T. C. hath left cut the power and Spirit of God to Regenerate and Convert and that the Scriptures cannot do this without the Spirit or power of Christ and that it is the Spirit that doth Convert both Jews and Gentiles to God and this is the Quakers principle according to Christs words I will send you the Spirit of Truth that will lead you into all Truth as you may see in John And so it is all this while thou hast been Confounding thy self and Beating the Air. R. W. And whereas thou speakest How that Jews and Gentiles must yet enquire with Tears of Blood after the Blood of a Saviour sure they shall not awake out of their pits of Rottenness without some Means and Messengers c. Answ. And yet these have the Scriptures and are not Converted and yet thou railest against G. F. because he saith They cannot be Converted and Regenerated by the words of the Apostles but by the power and Spirit of God and because that G.F. saith That I.K. in saying The Scripture is the Means he throweth out Christ and God the Author and Giver of Faith as pag. 9 Yet now R. W. saith There must be a Messenger from Heaven to awaken Jews and Gentiles surely this must be a Spiritual Messenger then and here he Contradicts himself and throweth down all his Railing stuff against G. F. as afore-mentioned And yet There is no Voice and Motion to be heard of Spiritual things within R. W. And thou say'st Surely there shall be no other Words in their Mouths then what were in the Mouths of the first Messengers and according to Christs prayer c. Answ. We answer Nay The very same Word and Words both in thy and your Mouths when you are Converted if ever you be Converted which now thou hast a Form of without the power and Holdest the Truth in the Unrighteousness and so that in John 17. and Isa. 59. and Act. 26. we own And the Apostles which Preached Christ Jesus said no other Words then what Moses and the Prophets fore-told Act. 26. That Jesus Christ should come according to the Prophets and He is come and hath given us an Vnderstanding and we are in him R. W. And thou say'st Therefore Fox and his Foxians that tell us They have all by the Spirit and need no Record are Thieves and Robbers whom Moses and the Prophets c. and the Apostles abhorred to think of Answ. Moses and the Prophets were led by the Spirit of God and saw Christ who fulfilled the Scriptures of the Prophets c. and the Apostle said No man knew the things of God but by the Spirit of God are not the Scriptures the Things of God And why do'st thou belie G. F. and the Quakers if it be them thou meanest and say'st that they say They need no Record which is false for There are Three that bear Record in Earth and Three that bear Record in Heaven which they have need of And there is a Record of the Son of God and there is a Record of John concerning Christ John bore Record saying I saw the Spirit descending from Heaven upon Christ Joh. 1 32 34. and the Father bore Record of the Son Joh. 8. and God is the Record of his people Phil. 8. Joh. 1 5 7. And there is a Record of the Old and New Testament which we have the Comfort of for we never read that either Moses the Prophets or Apostles did abhor the Spirit of God to be their Leader and call them Thieves and Robbers but those are Thieves and Robbers that do not hear the Voice of
New-England-People must not we Love one another and Esteem one another and Love Enemies and Pray for Persecutors R. W. would have us to observe the Conspiracy of Korah c. which was consumed by Earth and Fire Answ. If R. W. had done this and the New-England-Priests he and they had never Conspired against God's People but let them take heed of the Judgments and is it not come upon some of them since R. W. writ this Book And let the Reader see if R. W. have touched upon G. F's Answer which saith They that do not bring People to the Light of Christ within are of Korah and Dathan c. and the Priest saith They that bring People to the Light of Christ within are as Korah Dathan c. And now what must we observe from R. W's and J. B's Doctrine but that They that turn People from the Light are not Korah and they that turn People from the Darkness to the Light are Korah So then the Preachers of Christ the Light within are Korah and the Rebellers against the Light of Christ within are not Korah and they that will not believe the Doctrine of R. W. and the New-England-Priests must be Korahs Dathans c. by them and must be Punished Goods SPOILED IMPRISONED BANISHED WHIPT BVRNT in the Hand and EARS CVT OFF c. And are not ye herein worse than Korah And a great deal more Railing Language thou hast here not worth the taking notice of R. W. Bringeth George Johnson from G. F's Fol. 262. saying The Americans were never ordained for Grace and Salvation and the Grace of God never appeared to the Americans G. F. Answ. Which is contrary to the Scripture which saith The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto ALL MEN c. and I will give him for a Light and for a Covenant to the Gentiles a New Covenant to the House of Israel and Judah and that he may be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And many in America have received Truth and Salvation R. W. replyeth To the Covenant or Bargain of Ged with Man First and Secondly I have spoken Thou say'st Thou hast spoken but thou hast proved no where in the Scripture where it is called a Bargain And also thou say'st Thou hast spoken to the Figurative Calling of Christ to the Jews and Gentiles and that this blind Soul taking it Literally he runs upon the Rocks of the Arminian General Redemption and the Universalists General Salvation and that with a known Contradiction against their own Foundation of none having any Benefit of Christ that own not their Light as also with a known Contradiction to Experience which saith The whole World lies in Wickedness Answ. R. W. saith G. F. hath contradicted themselves I say Nay For R. W. saith that G. F. is a blind Soul and taketh Christ the Covenant literally for he calleth Christ the Covenant Figurative but he hath not proved it by Scripture neither told us what Christ the Covenant Figureth forth and then in plain Words contradicteth himself in the same page saying Christ is the Light the Covenant c. as the Sun in the Heavens to all the World And G. F. doth not say that any are saved but who believe in the Light as Christ commandeth and so have Faith in him this is no Contradiction to Christ our Foundation And God saith I will give thee for a Covenant to the people Esa. 42. and what THEE is this if it be not Christ And I will give thee for a Covenant of the people to establish the Earth Esa. 49. and thou blasphemously callest this Covenant of Life which lighteth every man that cometh into the World our New black Image of Light within R. W. why dost thou Blaspheme against Christ and his Light which shineth in our hearts to give us the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus where was ever any of the Antichrists and false prophets thy Fore-fathers so gross as to call the Light of Christ a black Image R. W. And thou callest the Light of Christ Jesus within a false Light and Spirit which we would infect the Indians with Answ. What doth R. W. and the New-England-Priests preach to the Indians if it be not Christ his Light Spirit and doth the Light of Christ Poyson and Bewitch People with Hellish Sorceries And what must we understand by R. W's Words but that he draweth them from the Light of Christ and his Spirit but the Apostle was sent to Open the Eyes of the Blind turning them from the Darkness to the Light And do not they that Draw People from the Spirit bewitch People read Gal. 3. R. W. saith What G. F. means by saying Some in America have received Truth and Salvation I can but guess at it is known that he owns nothing of God in the Indians or English until they bow down to their Idol Answ. Let the Reader see and consider the Wickedness of this Man against the Light of Christ and the Grace of God which G. F. saith hath appeared to all Men which bringeth Salvation and are not the Indians Men And God hath given Christ for a Covenant of Light to be his Salvation to the Ends of the Earth and this Covenant of Light and Grace he enviously calleth our Idol and saith We own nothing of God in Indians or English So let the Reader read my Answer to G. J. and judge but such as hate the Light of Christ which they should believe in and turn the Grace of God unto Wantonness which should teach them and bring them Salvation how should they be saved Now by this the Reader may see what R. W. and the New-England-Priests have brought the Indians and the People to seeing to turn People from Darkness to the Light of Christ and to Preach the Grace of God by which the Saints were saved Poysoneth and Bewitcheth People with Hellish Sorcery and to bow down to Christ the Light and his Grace is to bow down to an Idol as you may see his Blasphemous Doctrine in his Reply to G. F. And many more Malicious Words are here which are not worth the taking notice of R. W. Bringeth John Owen G. F. Fol. 263. saying All Truth concerning God and our selves is to be learned from the Holy Scripture the Word of God G. F. Answ. There was Truth learned before the Scripture was Written and the Scriptures of Truth are the Words of God which end in Christ the Word and there are no Truths learned but as the Spirit doth lead into all Truth And many have the Scriptures but know not Christ and the Truth c. so he hath thrown out Christ and the Spirit R. W. replyeth and calleth it a Childish Answer and saith There was Truth and Spirit and Christ and Light before Scripture So here R. W. and J. Owen are in Confusion they Contradict one another And further R. W. saith That the Scriptures nor
Light and an Idol thou and they deny Christ that bought you Worse than Peter that Deny the Light which he Commandeth to believe in And so you are Come Short of every Good Work but not of the Evil who would parallel your selves with the Faithful Messengers of Christ and finding Fault with them ye do not see your own selves for the Faithful had Victory R. W. He bringeth Thomas Hodges G.F. Fol 372. saying The Scripture speaketh of God after the Manner of Men. G. F. Ans. The Scripture speaketh of God after the Manner of the Spirit and to the Spirit whereby Men may receive him and know him by the Spirit which Natural Man cannot R. W. replyeth and beginneth with Railing Language as he useth to do and saith Here he denyeth the Heavenly Mystery of God revealing himself to us after the Manner of Men having Head Eyes and Mouth c. Answ. His Heavenly Mysteries God Revealeth by his Spirit doth he not doth not the Apostle say The Mysteries and Things of God are Revealed by the Spirit and R. W. can the Things and Heavenly Mysteries of God be Revealed but by his Spirit to Men And if God be likened to a Husband-man a Shield a Rock c. he is not these Outwardly for when God Revealed himself to Abraham and them he spoke those things to he Revealed them to them by his Spirit by which they understood them and by the same Spirit he Revealeth them now R. W. Thou tell'st us of a Late Speech of one of the best Philosophers and of the best Christians that Old or New-England ever had viz. Then shall we know to wit in the Next Life in Heaven in the Heavenly State to come how to answer that Great Question What is God but this Poor Wild-Asses-Colt G. F. he can resolve that Question c. and so goest on Scoffing Answ The Apostle saith He that cometh to God must believe that he is and that he is a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him Hebr. 11. and did not the Saints know what God is while they were upon Earth and must this be laugh'd at by you Philolosophers and is this the best Christian both of Old and New-England that saith We must know what God is in the heavenly State to come and what not in this Life then how will they know him to be a Rewarder of them that diligently seek him if they do not know what God is in this Life how can they know how to Worship God in Spirit and in Truth if they do not know him to be the Spirit in this Life and what must we Infer from R. W's Words his best Philosophers and best Christians That we must not know what God is in this Life Then you may know what the Devil is and not what God is in this Life and the Great Reason and Abilities he hath as R. W. saith And do not the Scriptures say God will dwell in the Saints and walk in them see Corinth and they were to glorify God in their Spirits and in their Bodies which were God's And is not he called a God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob and God said unto him Walk thou before me and be thou perfect for I am God Almighty and All-sufficient and did not he know what God is and did not all the Saints know what God is that gave forth Scripture while they were upon Earth And did not John say We are of God 1 Joh. 4 and did not he know him what he is and John said God dwelled in him and he in God Joh. 4 15 16. and whosoever confesseth the Son of God hath God and he that dwelleth in Love dwelleth in God and God in him 1 Joh. 4. And G. F. doth know That God is and is the Rewarder of them that diligently seek him blessed be his Name for ever And did not the Apostles and Prophets know this while they were upon the Earth before the Next Life and Heavenly State to come else how could they declare it if they did not know it That God is and is the Rewarder of all that diligently seek him whil'st they were upon Earth But R. W. thou art out of this Diligence and in an Evil Work against God's People that are diligently seeking him that know That God is c. R. W. Thou speak'st of the Devil blowing out the Candle and Torch and Sun of the holy Books and Records c. and then thou say'st Is it not the Devil's Trade to play the suttle Hunter as do also his Journey-men who ly in wait to Catch men and to trim his Pits and Gins and Snares with Green Leaves c. viz. Fair Pretences of the Spirit Immediate Spirit Infallible Spirit Teachings of the Spirit the Manner of the Spirit Speaking to the Spirit and Christ within you the Hope of Glory c. and these are fair Leaves thou say'st and sweet and heavenly green Boughs on which the Old Serpent twineth and from whence he uttereth even Scripture it self and the names of God and Christ and Spirit in a Frantick Purpose to Stab the holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also Answ. R. W. Thou must apply this at home and the New-England Priests and Professors Can the Devil blow out the Torch and Sun of the holy Books and Records what is this Sun thou hast not manifest it if he could he would have blown it out afore now but the Sun of Righteousness or Substance of the Holy Records is too hot for him to blow out for Christ will destroy and consume him with the breath of his Mouth and the Brightness of his Coming And the Devil and Antichrist may get the Form of Godliness and the Sheeps-cloathing and so from that to talk of Christ without but neither the Devil nor thou nor Antichrist can endure to hear the Talk of the Spirit within Christ within and of his Infallible Spirit and the Teaching of the Spirit and the Manner of the Spirit 's speaking to the Churches and Christ in you the Hope of Glory was not this the Doctrine the Apostles preached He that hath an Ear let him hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches and the Apostle was Minister of the Spirit And what dost thou Blasphemously call this Doctrine of the Apostles a Trimming of the Devil and his Journey-men its Gins and Snares and the Serpent's Twining with these fair Leaves green Boughs And so dost thou call the Apostle's Doctrine a Frentick purpose to stab the holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also and is not this Blasphemy in thee can the Devil catch God and Christ and his Spirit and stab them what is the Devil here greater then God Christ and his Spirit O R. W. the Envy hath blinded thee I must tell thee Christ destroyeth the Devil and his Works the Devil can not stab Christ nor God nor his Spirit but he will cast him alive in the Lake of Fire and the Lord will judge thee
Record That tell us They have all by the Spirit and need no Record are Thieves and Robbers 25 26. Id. pag. 47 48 Regeneration Natural Man perceiveth no Spiritual Matter but when he is Born Again pag. Id. 72 The Seed of all Grace may be in the New-Born and yet the Seed of all Sin c. remaining 186 187 193 199. See Sin pag. Id. 172 The State of the Soul in this Life is three-fold Creation Corruption and Regeneration Samuel Palmer pag. 170 171 Religion Their Religion is so easie Changing one Devil for another 68. R. W. pag. 34 The Sechemites for hope of Gain will be of any Religion or Worship pag. Id. 64 The Protestant Religion is a Religion protesting against the Bloody Man of Sin the Pope 166. pag. Id. 165 Resurrection Notwithstanding thy passing through the First and Second Resurrection there remains a Torment for thee at the Last Day and Wo. 127. M. Bine pag. 99 100 Revelation The Prophets are more certain than any other Revelation 28 46 91 200. Iosh. Miller pag. 54 Revilings Their Rash Revilings c. R. W. pag. 39 Revolt Korah Dathan and Abiram's Revolt applied to the Quakers pag. Id. 165 The Quakers are Revolted from the Protestant Religion c. a sullen proud and dogged Conversation Id. pag. 166 167 Righteousness If the Righteous Man turn away from his Righteousness his former Righteousness shall be no more Remembred The Meaning is They thought they had been Righteous c. 179 199. Hen. Foreside pag. 191 192 193 G. F. 's Reason 190. Evil Spirits Sinful and Reasonable R.W. 188. Repentance 60 67 101. Respect pag. 152 S. SAlvation 9 21 23 28 90 94 116 126 127 143 154 167 168 177 178. Sanctification pag. 28 65 176 SCRIPTVRE They cry Burn up the Scriptures 45. R.W. pag. 27 A Blessed Candle Lanthorn or Torch sent down from Heaven to Guide us into the Saving Knowledge of God 26 46. pag. Id. 23 The Devils may have the Scripture the Word of God in their Hands and Mouths for may not a Choice Sword be in a Mad-Man 's Hand 118 183. pag. Id. 161 They make Vse of the Scriptures for their Ends. 183. pag. Id. 23 They say The Scripture is but a Declaration of the Saints Faith c. 25 27 28 pag. Id. 22 The Scripture speaketh of God after the manner of Men. 206. Thomas Hodges pag. 200 This Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scriptures c. 97-99 R. W. pag. 160 They say The Scripture is but a Dead Letter 29 195. pag. Id. 147 They deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God calling them a Dead Letter 29 150 159 170 195. pag. Id. 194 To say The Light in every Man gave forth Scripture and will open Scripture to us is palpable Darkness and contradicteth Scripture Part I. p. 33 58 91 92 100 112 149 208. Iohn Stallam pag. 31 If God hath appointed the Holy Writings as Means c. of Faith 22-24 27 28. R. W. pag. 23 Men make Merchandize of the Scriptures Sophisticate Adulterate and turn it into a Lie 163. Id. pag. 162 163 Which Mysteries they have only from the Scriptures 72 95 145. pag. Id. 25 Slighting the True Pardon without c. a Written Pardon pag. Id. 25 Is it not a Writing or Record of Heaven 26 46. pag. Id. 25 G. F. objects That the Spirit was afore the Scripture and gave forth the Scripture 160 195. pag. Id. 159 To Stab the Holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also c. pag. Id. 202 The Devil's End is To tear down the Sun-Dial c. 46. pag. Id. 149 The Written Word is the Sword of the Spirit and he maketh another Rule besides the Scripture false 157 158 161. Christopher Wade pag. 155 156 A Touch-stone or Weights so perfect for the Trial of all Spirits c. R. W. pag. 160 They Trample under Feet the Scriptures 194 pag. Id. 183 All Truth concerning God and our selves is to be Learned from the Holy Scripture the Word of God I. Owen pag. 169 They would be glad that there were not such a Person called the Word of God nor such a Writing 26 29 45 150. R.W. pag. 30 They say The Scriptures are Words not the Word 169 195. pag. Id. 29 This was the only Sword with which the Lord Jesus fought and vanquisht the Devil It 's Written It 's Written c. pag. Id. 156 Scripture-Words They would be rid of all Scripture-Words and Learning also pag. Id. 177 Seed G. F. saith There is a Seed though but as a Grain of Mustard-Seed to which Christ the Word is preached c. abusing Scriptures 12 71 179. see Regeneration pag. Id. 73 We know they make themselves the Seed c. pag. Id. 178 Sin The Believer is not in Sin as the Vnbeliever is he Sinneth not as the Vnbeliever doth And in another place he saith That the Law is the same to the Believers that it is to the Vnbelievers James Dorram pag. 186 We are Conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity 135 136. Eld. Mess. pag. 134 I find in all Mankind a Conviction that God is Iust and Powerful and doth bring Plagues and Punishments for Sin 70 146. R. W. pag. 63 The Papists and Quakers are not Cleansed from their own Filthiness 125. pag. Id. 139 God hath put out the Remembrance of your Sins and the Corruptions within you wherein you must Fight all your Life-time 14 196 197. Catech. Holland pag. 195 It was not Paul that Sinned but Sin that dwelled in him R.W. pag. 199 The Regenerate or New-Born can touch no more with Sin than Fire can delight in Water 34. pag. Id. 186 Repent c. as they say in Contradiction to He that is Born again cannot Sin 60. pag. Id. 66 67 Sin and Grace c. The Law of the Spirit and the Law of Sin may and do continue in the Regenerate or New-Born 13 14 19 172. See Regeneration pag. Id. 187 They cry out That the Protestants plead for Sin Term of Life 172 173 196. pag. Id. 171 None ever could find how Sin c. came into the World c. pag. Id. 63 Sitting His Sitting with Christ in Heavenly Places 205. pag. Id. 206 SOVL They have a Mad Fancy of their Souls going into God and becoming more God c. 49 179. pag. Id. 79 There is a kind of Infiniteness in the Soul which cannot be Infinite in it self 12 110. M. Bine pag. 108 109 SPIRIT They are far from the Spirit of Christ Jesus R. W. pag. 165 The Manifestation of the Spirit is given to every Man in the Church to profit withal and not to every Man in the World Timothy Travers pag. 180 181 Vntil the Spirit of God truly Change the Heart and whole Frame of Nature we are Vnprofitable c. 41 42 46. R. W. pag. 184 The Evil Spirits are both Sinful and Reasonable 190 191. Part I. 180. Iohn Nasmith pag. 188 Lying Peor tell us That all the World
Cut off Ears Burnt with hot Iron Banisht Whipt so many of the true Protestants and King's Subjects too did ever the Papists do worse R. W. And yet thou sayst to the King If the Most-High please Old and New-England may flourish when the Pope and Mahomet Rome and Constantinople are in Ashes Ans. How now Roger what a selfish Prayer is this Dost thou think that God or Christ or the King or any at White-Hall will hear this Prayer is this a Loyal Subject or an Affectionate Orator at the Throne of Grace But why wouldst thou have Rome and Constantinople in the Ashes why wouldst have these two Cities in the Ashes What hurt do these Cities to thee and the New-England Priests Professors And why wouldst thou have the Pope and Mahomet burnt and not only so but the Cities of Rome and Constantinople also what smoak is this that is come out of thy Pit Wast thou not speaking but now of the Popish and Arminian Opposites that did offend the Kings Royal Eyes and why wouldst have Rome and Constantinople and Mahomet and the Pope in Ashes to smoak and offend the King's Eyes But dost thou think that either God or Christ or the King or any true Protestant will receive thy unmerciful unnatural and wicked Prayer Here the King and his Councel may see what Spirit the New-England Priests are of by Roger Williams their great Oratour For if the Pope and Mahomet be Enemies were not thou to love them according to Christ's Doctrine where is thy Christianity now Roger And if the Pope or Mahomet have destroyed any for Religion art not thou as bad as they nay worse because thou professest thyself a better Christian And yet thou wouldst not only have Pope and Mahomet burnt to Ashes but their Cities also which include hundreds of thousands of People and some Protestants too that may be there But here it is plain as in Luke 9. that thou dost not know what Spirit thou art of as Christ told James and John better men then thee when they said Wilt thou that we command Fire to come down from Heaven even as Elias did but Christ turned him about and rebuked them and said You know not what Spirit you are of for the Son of man is not come to destroy mens lives but to save them And so R. W. thou dost not know thy own Spirit and therefore art very unfit to direct other Men's But if R. W. had been such an Oratour and able Minister of Christ he had better have gone and Preach'd Repentance to the Pope and Mahomet and not to rail against them behind their backs as he doth here against G. F. and others who never had to do with him And would not many people suffer besides Papists and Mahometans if Rome and Constantinople should be burnt would this cause Old and New-England to flourish this is rising by the Ruins of others Is this his Christian Practice and Doctrine and way of Converting the Nations to God but how short is R. W. of the Royal Law of God To do unto all men as he would have them do unto him But the People of God called Quakers are not of R. W.'s mind for they have the mind of Christ and would have the Pope and Papists and Mahometans to r●pent and do no●●●sire to see Rome nor Constantinople in their Ashes but in the Truth as it is in ●ESVS But all may see what is in this New England P●iest's heart his mouth has published it and spoken it to the King● who hath not the Spirit nor words of a true Christian which is To love Enemies and pray for them not Persecute and burn to Ashes them that evilly entreat them O this wicked envious destroying Spirit that would depopulate the Earth to satisfie it's evil mind the Lord rebuke it But now would New England Professors and R. W. their Oratour like it well if the Pope and Turk should pray that New-England and he and them should be burnt to Ashes And R. W. saith in his Epistle to the people called Quakers From his Childhood now above Threescore years the ●ather of Light and Mercy hath touched his soul with a love to himself to his only begotten the true Lord Jesus to his Holy Scriptures c. His infinite wisdom hath given him to s●e the City Court and Country the Schooles and Vniversities of his Native Country to converse with some Jews Turks and Papists and all sorts of Protestants and by Books to know the affairs and Religions of all Countries Ans. Roger if thy Judgement and knowledge be no better of Jews Turks Papists and Protestants and Religions then it is of the People of God called Quakers thy Knowledge and Judgement is little worth for all thy great boast Thou tells us of thy Knowledge and if th●s be the end of thy Threescore-years work it 's sad to publish so many falshoods to the world against the People of God which thou hadst not from the Father of Lights and at this Age to desire Pope Turk Rome and Constantinople were in Ashes which thou received not from the God of Mercies nor his only begotten the true Lord Jesus nor from the Holy Scriptures but from the Father of lyes the destroyer who appeared against the Prophets Christ and the Apostles and against Adam and Eve in Paradice And Roger we desire that thou may'st see a day of Repentance if it be not hid from thy eyes R. W. Thy Conclusion is Be of good chear thy sins are forgiven thee Mat. 9. and it is one of the joyful●t sounds that ever came to poor sinful ears How to obtain this s●und from the mouth of the Mediator that spoke it is the greatest Dispute betwixt the Protestants and the bloody Wh●re of Rome this is also the great point betwixt the Protestants and your selves to wit the Quakers Ans. As for the Papists we leave them to answer R W. themselves but we never had this Dispute before how to obtain this sound from the mouth of the Mediator to wit Christ Jesus that is to say be of good chear thy sins be forgiven thee Now if R. W. or any of his dark Company doth not know how to obtain this sound from the mouth of Christ the Mediator which he says is the Dispute betwixt the Papists and them and them and the Quakers though they both hear the sound or report of it if this be the Question we tell him and them by faith as they did in Matth. 9. and by believing in the Light which comes from Jesus which Jesus hath enlightened them withall with which they may see their sin and by believing in it see Christ their Saviour and Mediator and hear his Heavenly voice saying be of good chear thy sins be forgiven thee Which the Quakers have heard and so are his Sheep and know his voice and follow him who gives them Life Eternal and would have none to perish Joh. 10. So we are to hear him and
their Bishop to Over-see them and their Prophet that God hath raised up like unto Moses whom they were to hear who would open to them the things of his Kingdom and to know Christ Jesus their Councellour and Leader and Priest made higher than the Heavens who had offered up himself for them and would present them to God without Spot or Wrinkle Hebr. 7. And these 14 Propositions are from thy Vain Thoughts R. W. Again thou say'st I drew up my Thoughts into fourteen Propositions Answ. And indeed thy Fourteen Propositions are but so many Fictions from thy Evil Thoughts and not from the Spirit of God nor Christ but by the Spirit of Christ they are favoured and judged by all the True Christians that fear God and honour the Lord Jesus Christ in his own Light and Spirit R. W. Thou complainest That One called thee Blind Sot and that thou durst not send thy 14. Proposals to G. F. Answ. So he might well enough for R. W. never Sen● them to G. F and what is this to G. F And thou say'st J. T. took a Copy of them to wit thy Papers and read them in their Meeting Still what is that to G F who saw them not nor heard of them R. W. And thou say'st In the Juncto of the Foxians a Scoffer and a Mocker at Newport it was concluded for Infallible Reasons that his Holiness G. F. should withdraw seeing there was such a Knot of Apostles of Christ Jesus now at Newport together c. and it was agreed that my Letters should not be delivered to the Deputy-Governour till G. Fox was gone Answ. These be all horrid Lyes the Lord God knows as W. Edmundson and John Burnyeat and the Rest that where there know that there was no such Agreement Therefore thou stuffest thy Book full of Lyes to feed others withal and abusest both the Press and the Minds of people with Lyes And as for thy scoffing Words of His Holiness I shall leave them to the Sober Christian to judge of this scoffing Spirit R. W. And thou say'st That one said that G. F. was the Eternal Son of God Answ. But who that One is thou dost not name As for the people of God they are the Sons of God as Job 1 6 and Job 38 7 All the Sons of God shouted for Joy And As many as receive Christ he giveth them power to become the Sons of God even to them that believe in his Name Rom. 8 14 They that are led by the Spirit are the Sons of God vers 19. And Phil. 2 15 That ye may be blameless and harmless the Sons of God without Rebuke c. and Behold what manner of Love hath the Father bestowed upon us that we should be called the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3 1 2. R. W. Next thou tellest the Reader What a Great Conflict thou wast in before thou camest to the publick c. Answ. I do believe thee that the Judgements of God were upon thee which thou wrestlest against and thy Greatest Conflict is yet to come for thy false Birth of Lyes and Slanders thou hast brought forth in this Travail R. W. Thou further say'st My Antient Neigbour J. T. being bit by such In●ectious Teeth fell upon me as a Man would fall upon a Toad or a Serpent c. he was but newly bitten by them to wit the Quakers and for fourty years pretended no small Love to God and me He first gave fire upon me in this following Letter c. Answ. Let all the Sober Christians read and see what an Vnsavoury Spirit and Language this Old Man R. W. hath Thou confessest He gave fire which fired thy Combustible Stuff And now this Old Man J. T. being lately turn'd to the Lord Jesus Christ his Teacher and Saviour his Way Truth and Life thou Roger Scoffingly say'st He is bitten with Infectious Teeth and fell upon thee as a man would fall upon a Toad or a Serpent What a foul spirit is there in thee and what Vngracious Words flow from it but we cannot expect any other from such a Corrupt Tree R. W. In his Answer to J. T 's Letter saith My Antient Loving Friend J. T. pag. 6 and pag. 9 Your Old Vnworthy Friend R. W. And then J. T.'s Letter to R. W. again and then R. W's to J. T. again pag. 15 R. W. calleth J. T. his Antient loving Friend White Devil and saith in these Words But it is not the Light of Truth or Reason or Scripture or Experience or the Testimony of the Prudent that will satisfie this White Devil of this pretended Light and Spirit within c. Answ Now Roger who pretendeth much of God Christ and Scripture-Language calleth his Neighbour J. T. his Loving Antient Friend a White Devil but where did ever any of the Prophets or Apostles call any of their Antient Friends a White Devil but all may see such kind of Rusty Cankered Language as this his Book is stufft up withal which is uttered proc●edeth from his Ill Fountain as Jam. 3. I do not believe that J. T. only pretendeth to a Light and Spirit within or any of the people of God called Quakers but really have received the Light and Spirit of Christ but thou and they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his as the Apostle saith Rom. 8. And what are all thy Notions of Experience good for when thou scoffest at the Light of Christ and the Spirit within and callest Light Darkness and Darkness Light as thy Forefathers the Antient Apostate-Jews did that had lost their sense and became blind and hardned R. W. Again thou say'st Can Reason imagine that after much strugling within my self and the Birth of my Propositions and Resolutions I can so suddenly strike sail and bear up and Immediately stifle and smother and burn my Conceptions c. Answ. Thou had'st better to have Burnt it and stif●'d it and smother'd it then to have brought forth such a false Birth or Brat of thy own Conceptions for it will be no honour to them that be of thy Spirit being Lyes and Ignorance are the Ground thereof R. W. And thou say'st Knowing The Quakers Spirit is a ready Ditch and Gulf that readily sucketh and draweth into it Souls c. pag. 6 Answ. Roger This is thy own Condition as thou writest to J. T. and thou knowest it not but art wilful desperate and blind R. W. Thou say'st Thou hoped'st that thou had'st Conjured down at least for the present that waspish Spirit of J. T. thy Antient Loving Neighbour whom thou callest a White Devil Answ. But it seemeth that thy spirit deceived thee Thou must not think with thy foul spirit from whence cometh thy Evil Language to Conjure God's Spirit or to Limit it but be sure that God will Limit thee when he pleadeth with thee for all thy Lyes and Slanders therefore Repent And well might J. T. say to R. W. How Childish yea how
in them and he to be formed in them and he to Sup with them and they with him which is all according to the Scripture as you may read Rev. 3 20. Gal. 4 19. Ephes. 5 30. Read John 6. Rom. 12 5. Col. 1 18.24 27. Ephes. 1 22 23. 1 Joh. 5 12. 1 Cor. 12 27. Col. 3 3 4. 1 Cor. 6 19. Hebr. 3 6. Now who readeth these Scriptures may see that the Apostles and Primitive Christians did witness Christ within and the Light within even that Light which gave the Knowledge of the Glory of God as may be read 2 Cor. 4 6. And now this Appearance of Christ R. W. fighteth against Reprobate-like as if those that own him Now in this his Spiritual Appearing and are Witnesses thereof must needs own him in Opposition to his Appearing in that Body wherein he suffered And so doth Labour to make us Deniers of Christ that suffer'd at Jerusalem and was born at Bethlehem though he often confesseth We own him in our words and our True Christianity hath manifested it self against that Antichristian Spirit that you are in in New-England But he R. W. though he saith He hath not the same Spirit that Abraham had and the Holy men of God by which things were revealed to them yet he hath taken upon him to Judge our Hearts and Intents contrary to our Words and there-upon doth condemn us through his Book and this way he goeth To prove his Charges and hath Confidence to say He hath produced such Grounds as shall never be shaken as pag 41. R. W. Now let all observe how R. W. appeareth against Christ's Appearance according to the Experience of the people of God in the Scripture viz. Christ within which he calleth Our Christ he saith is but half a Christ a Light an Image a Picture or a Fancy of a Christ made up to the God-head and their Flesh Christ within an Imagination an Image a Christ in the Mystical Notion but in reality Nothing Answ. He may as well say The Christ the Apostle witnessed was Made up of the God-head and their Flesh for they are the Apostle's Words he thus quarreleth against Ephes. 5 30 for we are Members of his Body of his Flesh and of his Bones R. W. In the same page he Confesseth That we say Christ was Born at Bethlehem and died at Jerusalem but he saith We intend in Truth and Reality no other Birth nor Life nor Death c. but what may be extant and wrought in the Heart of man Answ. Behold how this man Judgeth of our Intents contrary to our Words and we say contrary to our Intents for we never intended so But we always believed that he was SO born and did SO suffer as the Scripture doth declare and by his Life or Spirit within us we are confirmed in this Belief and so it is not in Opposition to his Appearance at that Day in that Body So we are not in a Bog and Swamp as he saith between Christ within and Christ without our Understanding is clear it 's his own State R. W. He also chargeth us To preach the Lord Jesus to be Our selves and saith Though we speak of Christ without that died at Jerusalem agreeing with Christ within Our Meaning is Mystical and he saith also Ask them What 's become of the Person that Suffered at Jerusalem and we are forc'd to say He is within and saith We answered so at Newport in Rode-Island Answ. That we deny that we ever said That Person that Suffered at Jerusalem was within us and appeal to the Sober people that was there whether he hath not wronged us in this Charge And That we preach the Lord Jesus to be Our selves We deny and lay it upon him as a false Charge let him prove it if he can R. W. He querieth Do we not hold the Light within Every man to Be all to Suffer all within that Christ without is or did or suffer'd without Answ. I say No it cometh FROM HIM and witnesseth TO HIM R. W. And pag 43 thy Second Position is That their Christ was not the True Lord Jesus Christ. To which we Answer This thou hast not proved though thou hast Uttered many False Words against us but this Position will be Thy own Condition and the N. Engl. Priests For doth the True Lord Jesus Christ give thee Command to Desire Magistrates to Punish the people of God and doth the True Lord Jesus Christ lead you New-England-Priests to CVT OFF their EARS WHIP HANG SPOIL Goods and BANISH of his people O No for Thou and You that do Evil hate his Light and will not come unto it because it Reproveth you And so you love the Darkness and do the Works of Darkness and the Works of the Prince of the Air that ruleth in you and not the Works of Christ. And again how can you own the True Lord Jesus and own not him the Light of the World which Lighteth every man that cometh into the World and canst thou and you believe in the True Lord Jesus who saith Believe in the Light that you may become Children of the Light and thou callest that Light 〈◊〉 Frantick Light and an Idol And therefore thy Position is come upon thy self Not to own the True Lord Jesus in his Light which giveth the knowledge of him who died without the Gates of Jerusalem and like the Jews in Words professed God so dost thou Christ and deniest the Light that giveth the knowledge of him 2 Cor. 4. R. W. Thou say'st pag. 35. I had observed and prepared many Quotations out of G. F. 's Book but they desired not to bear them read as in the following Day 's Conference they were read by my Continual Importunate Urgings And pag. 47. thou say'st That they were willing I should Produce out of G. F.'s Book c. And pag. 48. Thou say'st The Truth is they were Gravelled with those Considerations and they were Willing that G. F.'s Book and his Answers should answer for them And when I began to open and compare the Assertions of the Opposite and G. F.'s his Answer they would cry out like a Gall'd Horse winching Why dost thou make Observations upon G. F.'s Words G. F.'s Words need not thy Expositions Let G. F.'s Words alone they are able to speak for themselves Answ. R. W. How darest thou affirm That we desired not the Quotations read of G. F.'s Book when all the people knoweth that we Called for them so often And pag. 35. thou makest it Thy Importunate Vrgings the Occasion of the Reading of them but pag. 48 thou makest Our Being Gravelled the Occasion of our Desiring to have them read of our selves which is altogether false and to say That we were Gravell'd or Unwilling to have them read But our Calling for them was to Clear that which thou said'st was in them which was not and therein thou hast Gravell'd thy self which spake that which G.F. had not spoken with Charging
our Bodies which are his Temple have him alwayes Absent Then how should he Dwell in us how should he be Our Life how should we F●ed upon him and how should our Hearts be Sanctified by him and how should we be His seeing the Apostle saith He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his And If Christ be in you the Body is dead because of Sin and If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the Dead dwell in you he shall also quicken your mortal Bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you Rom. 8 10 11. and as G. F. Answereth That the Life of Christ is manifest in our mortal Flesh and manifest in our Body according to the Apostle's words 2 Corinth 4 10 11. Now R. W. wouldst thou have us Deny G. F. in this and not to Plead for him why dost thou not speak out and say Thou wonderest that we will not deny the Apostles but plead for them for did not they preach this Doctrine and did not they preach Christ within after his Resurrection and said he was their Life and they that had him not had not Life And did not the Apostles say they were Of his Flesh and Bone c why should'st thou wonder that we own G. F. in holding according to the Scriptures And dost not thou often in thy Book say G. F. owneth that Christ that died at Jerusalem as pag. 50. thou say'st he Owneth Christ without and that died at Jerusalem and page 52. thou say'st He confesseth him to have been a Real Man dying at Jerusalem now whether we may with more safety take his own words to be his mind or take thy sayings He Intends so contrary to his words for this is thy way of proving him and us all to deny Christ by thy Meanings that thou bring'st Contrary to our Words all may see that read thy Book See pag. 45. where thou say'st That Quakers say Christ was born at Bethlehem and died at Jerusalem but intend in truth and reality no other Birth Life nor Death but what may be Extant and wrought in the Heart of Man Here as in many other places of thy Book all may see how Contrary to our Words thou Judgest our Intents and from this Ground which we say in the presence of God is false and nothing but thy own Inventions thou thus Judgest and Condemnest us as Deniers of Christ's Coming and Suffering in the Flesh for Sin but here we find thee in the Bog and Swamp lost between Christ within and Christ without which the Apostles preached their Gospel being hid from thee thy Eye being darkned And R. W. thou say'st Thou wondrest we should be so blinded and hardned as to plead for G. F. in all particulars And in the same page thou say'st Thou dost not Remember that any of thy Three Opposites answered to any of thy Observations on Fox's Principles Answers and Evasions Is not h●re a Palpable Contradiction first to say We did so much plead for and excuse G. F and then to say Thou dost not remember We gave any Positive Answer if so what did we plead Thou say'st All our work was to keep our selves within our burrows R. W. He bringeth Francis Higginson's Saying Christ's Humane Nature c G. F.'s Fol. 71. G. F. Answ. Where doth the Scripture speak of Humane the word HVMANE where is it written that we may search for it Though we do not deny that Christ according to the Flesh was of Abraham but not the word HVMANE and Christs Nature is not Humane which is Earthly for that is the First Adam R. W. replieth and saith This Ignorant simple Cavil as I have before proved it to be from 1 Corinth 10. is often brought by G. F. in his Book in a horrible Equivocation to overthrow and destroy that Humane Nature that Flesh and Body of the Lord Jesus who yet had such a Body they say that died at Jerusalem Answ. Dost not thou here Contradict thy self in saying We say That he had such a Body that died at Jerusalem they are not G. F.'s words the Humane Body of Christ it 's the Priests for we own the Flesh and Body of Jesus Christ and as for Equivocation thou may'st keep it at home And Christ saith his Flesh and Blood is Meat indeed and he is the Bread of Life that came from Heaven and is it Humane Flesh R. W. that the Saints eat and is it Humane Blood the Saints drink but thou should'st have proved this by Scripture in plain words And doth not Christ say That he is from above and ye from beneath I am from Heaven and ye are from the Earth and as is the Earthly such are the Earthly and as is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly The First Man is of the Earth Earthly the Second Man Mark Man is the LORD FROM HEAVEN 1 Cor. 15 47 48. and Christ is of the Seed of Abraham according to the Flesh This is according to Scripture But R. W. saith This is a Mental Reservation according to their Flesh God in their Flesh and Christ in their Flesh s●ffering at Mystical Jerusalem within them Answ. R. W. read in any of the Quakers Books or let the Reader see whether there be any such word in G. F.'s Answer as Christs suffering in Our Flesh at Mystical Jerusalem these are R. W.'s words which he hath forged as the Reader may see he often forgeth many words which were never spoken by us and then he crieth out Traiterous and Blasphemy Mental Reservation which indeed is his own Condition For we declare that God was manifest in the Flesh of Christ and Christ Suffered in the Flesh without the Gates of Outward Jerusalem and is Risen and is at the Right Hand of God and nevertheless Christ is manifest in our mortal Bodies and God dwelleth in us and walketh in us and we are his Temple And now we cannot deny this which is the Apostle's Doctrine though R. W. opposeth the Apostle's words and saith That we deny Christ without and God manifest in the Flesh his Sufferings at Outward Jerusalem Death and Resurrection which we own But this is his Wickedness and Wilfulness and he putteth us in his Bear 's Skin to set his Dogs at Us to make people believe That We do not believe Christ died at Jerusalem because we say that he is manifest within Us 2 Cor. 4 10 11. And we are of the Seed of Abraham and Isaac and are in Christ Jesus the Light in whom all Nations are Blest and thou that art not in him and He in thee art in the Serpent's Nature and Reprobate as thou speakest of R. W. And thou bring'st Act. 13. At Antioch Barnabas and Paul in a Synagogue of the Jews made the Humane Nature of the Lord Jesus as also in other places the great Subject of their Discourse and Preaching c. Answ. And had Christ no Body till Paul and Barnabas made it
their Discourse in the Synagogue at Antioch Nay it was God that prepared him a Body before Paul was converted or Barnabas either and Act. 13 38. speaketh no such thing of Christ's Humane Nature there is no such word there let the Reader see how thou hast added to the Scripture For is not Christ the Spiritual and Heavenly Man 1 Cor. 15 Therefore do not rail and say we deny the Body of Christ because we deny thy Term or Title Humane of thy Imagination R. W. Thou tellest of a Diabolical Christ and Fancy within us begotten by the Devil on a proud lazy Ignorance Answ. This is thy own Condition and thy own Christ R. W for the True Christ that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World with the True Light which giveth us the knowledge of him we own and honour For how can'st thou and the New-England-Priests own the True Christ and do not own his Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World you are not like to Own the true Christ. And Roger sometimes thou call'st the Scriptures the Word sometime the History sometimes the Word of God and art Angry with the Quakers because they will not call them the Word and yet thou say'st I could not prove wherein the Scripture was called the Word of God So it is clear R. W. will call them that which he cannot prove and yet the Scriptures are his Rule and not the Spirit R. W. He bringeth Thomas Collier's Sayings G. F.'s fol. pag. 37 If the very Christ of God R. W. saith Christ God-Man be within those that are called Quakers he cannot come down from Heaven G. F. Answ. Here he standeth against the Promise of Christ That he shall come and dwell in you and walk in you and I will come again unto you And He hath revealed his Son in me saith the Apostle and thus thou T. C. and J. B. are ignorant of plain Scripture the Scripture declareth it And the Apostle said Know ye not that Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates and The Spirit of the Father speaketh in you And how Contrary art thou to the Prophets Christ and the Apostles And then R W. Replieth and telleth a Great Story and saith That G. F. plainly denieth the expected Personal Coming of the Lord Jesus Answ There is no such thing in G. F.'s Answer the Reader may see but how God and Christ will dwell in his Saints But G. F. doth not say That Christ a Man of Four foot long is dwelling in the Saints ● pag. 57. for God and Christ dwelleth in his Saints by his Spirit And where did ever G. F. say That Christ God-Man dwelt in him where is any such Expression in his Book Christ God-Man where doth he find these words in Scripture though God and the Man Christ Jesus is owned as the Scripture speaketh R. W. And when John Stubs was speaking to thee what the Hebrew Word of Everlasting Father Signified thou said'st Some had rendred it the Father of Ages or an Age but then thou told'st John It was not a Seasonable Time to spend time about Translations And thou say'st J. Stubs understood Hebrew Greek and other Languages as well as thy self and better too and did J. Stubs tell thee he understood Hebrew Greek and other Languages as well a thou and better too and then say'st Thou wast about to say how wonderfully they were changed from their former Principles and Practices c. Answ. No such thing Roger but it seemeth here It was not a Seasonable Time when J. S. had Gravell'd thee though thou begunst thy self with Hebrew and yet when thou wert stopped with it it was not a Seasonable Time R. W. And thou say'st They have profess'd to thee that they have no need of Books no not of the Scripture it self but who those are thou hast not named for they had the Teacher within them that gave forth the Scripture c. now they are perswaded to study the Scripture and the Translation of it c. Answ. Thou that Studiest the Scripture and outward Translations without the Spirit that gave them forth thou wilt not understand them no more then Antichrist and the Wolves in Sheeps-Cloathing And it was always our Practice to Study the Scriptures with the Spirit that gave them forth as thou may'st see in the End of G. F.'s Fol so we are not Erred from our First Principles as thou Scoffingly speakest nor did we ever Neglect and Slight them as Vseless and Needless as thou maliciously say'st R. W. And thou scoffingly say'st What Simplicity is it in us to stoop down to Pen an Ink when the Light is sufficient to bring us to Heaven to guide us Immediately and Infallibly c. Answ. We tell R. W. that Pen and Ink and Fallible Translations will not guide him nor his New England-priests to Heaven and therefore do not scoff at the Sufficiency of the Light for in the Light we see more Light Nor do not mock at the Immediate and Infallible Teaching of the Spirit of God for They that are lead with the Spirit of God are the Sons of God for the Spirit of God leadeth into all Truth and that is Sufficient R. W. And thou say'st again The truth is they look at the Scriptures still but as the Ceremonies which the Apostles dispensed with for a Season they care no more for the Scriptures than the Papists do Answ These words R. W. hath forged himself and they are none of ours he might have applied them at home And we have Esteem of the Scriptures and know them by the Spirit that gave them forth and to what End R. W. And then thou railest at W. Edmundson who said unto thee Thou kept them long but proved nothing and that he truly said but thou manifestest thy own Folly And thou say'st W. E. fell into a down right Speech or Sermon but why did'st thou not print the Sermon And thou say'st He declared how notoriously thou had'st wronged them in laying and publishing so many false and some of them dangerous Charges against them and how they had been so patient towards thee and suffered thee to produce so many Allegations out of G. F.'s Book and yet they spake nothing for thee R. W. but G. F.'s his words cleared him from all thy Vnjust Challenges and Charges And That W. E. Appealed to the people how willingly they had shewed themselves to own the Scriptures and to have all their Teachings and Differences tried by the Scriptures And so W. E.'s words will stand upon R. W. and all his Teachers as ye may see pag. 62 63. And when W. E. mentioneth the Preaching of the Light of Christ Roger putteth in his Margent And his Vain Extelling of their Idol Light Answ. Now is it not Clear that R. W. who calleth himself Oratour denieth the true Christ the Light of the World which Lighteth every man with the true Light that cometh into the World who blasphemously calleth
this Light an Idol R. W. And then thou Scoffingly say'st How J. Stubs began a large Speech or Sermon but both J. S.'s and W. E.'s Sermon if they were Large thou hast printed them very Short And then thou say'st W. E. that Pragmatical Insulting Soul Stopped thee so that thou openly complained'st of Incivility Answ. But why should not we have Liberty to Speak as well as thou And the people knoweth how many Long Speeches thou mad'st but nothing to the purpose what thou promised'st to prove out of G. F.'s Book which was quite the contrary and thou could'st make nothing Good out of it for thy Purpose R. W. as was Evident when G. F.'s Book was brought forth And when W. E. did Appeal to the People thou hast not shewed that the people was dissatisfied with W. E.'s Appeal and were not W. E.'s and J. S.'s their Speeches which thou scoffingly call'st Sermons to the Matter of the false Charges which thou could'st not make Good R. W. And thou Say'st Is it comely when persons are Disputing to fall upon our knees and Answer an Argument with a Prayer Answ. But did there any of the Quakers do so at this Three-Days Work at Newport let the people there Judge whether R. W. speaketh the Truth in this for we Remember no such thing done there by any But set the Case they had what doth R. W.'s Spirit so Envy Prayer and W. E. might very well say Why should we sit here when thou had'st kept them there to hear thy Lies Two Days together and had'st proved nothing to the Purpose therefore we had a great deal of Patience to bear thee so long to multiply thy false Charges and Blasphemies against Christ and his Light and Holy Spirit as thou did'st as may be seen at large in thy own Book And thou say'st That We Spoke so much but let the Reader see whether thou hast not here Spoken a great deal more than we all as thy own Book testifieth R. W. And again thou say'st That We be not Able to Answer nor to Bear thy words Answ. This the people knoweth that heard our Answers and thy Words whether we did not Answer to thy false Charges and disproved them out of G. F.'s Book which thou brought'st and by Scripture R. W. Thou say'st Thou took'st a little Boldness and told'st us that if Paul himself was present and Jesus Christ himself in their Bodily Presence which we confessed he died in at Jerusalem yet we would say unto Christ and Paul Thou hast falsly Charged us and Paul and Christ had proved nothing and Paul and Christ should be a Blasphemer and Beelzebub because he brought glad News of the Truth from Heaven to them Answ. R. W. These are False Charges of thine and Great Boldness and Wickedness and did'st thou Say all these words in the Dispute let the people Judge for we do not remember thou did'st And dost thou compare thy self with Paul and Christ Jesus here and must we look upon thy foul Slanders and Lies as News from Heaven Nay for thou deniest him and his Light who is the Good News from Heaven that 's God's Salvation that Old Simeon rejoiced at But R. W. what must we Infer from thy words That Jesus Christ himself in our Bodily Presence c. as thou say'st Is not this so much as to say That Jesus Christ was not in R. W.'s Bodily Presence at New-port in the Dispute which we do believe him it was not the Motion of the Spirit nor the Spirit of God and Christ that moved him to that Work but the Father of Lies For we can say that we felt the Presence of the Lord Jesus Christ manifest in our Mortal Bodies carrying us on in his Work at that Time Glory to his Name for Ever by his Light Power and Spirit but it 's like R. W. did not feel him who scoffeth at his Spiritual Appearance in his people So as for Blasphemer and Beelzebub he might have kept at home R. W. Thou makest a great Noise in page 64 and 65 and say'st As we have denied the Person of the Lord Jesus so we deny his Offices when it was demanded Wherein thou said'st Thou had'st many things to declare and then tell'st What the Papists hold and say'st The Quakers set up a Voice or Motion within them overtopping the Voice of Christ Jesus in the Scriptures and some of us maintaining that the Light within is that Great Prophet that was to come which Moses Prophesied of And that we are notoriously guilty of High Treason against the King of Kings the Lord Jesus c. and rob him of his Crown c. Answ. The Person of the Lord Jesus Christ we own and all his Offices in his Church which he exerciseth by his Light and Spirit which Light R. W. Blasphemously calleth an Idol and therefore he is not like to own and see Christ in his Offices in his Church how he exerciseth them there And our Motions of God's Spirit and of Christ are owned with the Spirit of Christ and the same that gave forth Scripture and so it will not Over-top or Over-pour it self And thou that hast not the Spirit of Christ art none of his and the Spirit of Christ in Our Age owneth the Voices and Motions given forth from it self in Ages past and doth not Over-top and Over-pour them as thou vainly and foolishly say'st And the Great Prophet which Moses spoke of to wit Christ IS COME and hath enlightned us with his True Light which is in our Hearts that giveth us the Knowledge of him and thou that call'st this Light within that giveth the Knowledge of Christ which cometh from him an Idol wickedly thou deniest this True Prophet in blaspheming his Light within whom we maintain For this Great Prophet saith I am the Light of the World and so is the True Light that Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World and so thy Thoughts that thou hast contracted of Notoriously guilty of High Treason against the Lord of Lords and KING of KINGS Christ Jesus is thy own R. W. Thou say'st They Rob him Christ the KING of KINGS of his Crown and Life and all Answ. R. W. and the Priests of New-England Can the Lord Jesus Christ the King of Kings and Lord of Lords who is Ascended far above all Heavens and at the Right Hand of God who is now manifest by his Spirit in his people be robb'd of his Crown and Life and All can R. W. and you New-England Priests take away his Crown of his Head and Life and All is this the True Christ that can be thus Robbed that R. W. pleadeth for We must tell him that the True Christ the King of Kings the Lord of Glory he cannot Rob him of his Crown and Life for no Robbers can Ascend where Christ is and here he speaketh like a Man that doteth and is this the New-England-High-priests Orator For doth not Christ Encourage his Saints to lay
bring none into the Country and IMPRISONED Multitudes and CVT OFF the EARS of such as came to visit the Prisoners to see what God's people lacked in their Doleful Prisons Have they not BVRNT and BRANDED with a Hot Iron Have they not SPOILED MVLTITVDES of the Lord's peoples Goods and been Worse then ever the Bishops were in Old-England FINED them five Shillings a day that do not come to Hear them whereas they know in England the Law was but Twelve Pence And all this for their OBEDIENCE to CHRIST IESVS Whose BLOODY CRVEL MVRTHEROVS ACTIONS will be CHRONICLED TO POSTERITY And these are R. W.'s Living Stones Actual Believers True Disciples Converts Heavenly Fundamental Principles of the true matter of a true Christian Congregation Fle●k and Society and these come nearer to the First Instititutions and Appointments of Christ Jesus as R. W. saith Now we charge Roger Williams and his New-England-Teachers and Church to shew us where-ever the Living Stones the Converted that were in the Fundamental Principles of a Christian and the Disciples of Christ Jesus used all or any of these Carnal Weapons to Hang Burn Whip Spoil Goods Cut off Ears as R. W.'s Converts have done in New-England and also we Charge him and the New-England-Priests to shew us a Scripture where-ever Christ and his Apostles did command to WHIP HANG BVRN with a Hot Iron CVT OFF EARS BANISH on PAIN OF DEATH SPOIL GOODS of the people of God Lay GREAT FINES upon Masters of Ships and such that received the people of God as the NEW-ENGLAND Priests and Professors have done which are R. W.'s Converts Living Stones Actual Believers True Disciples And now is not here the Mark of the BEAST and the WHORE because God's people would not drink their Cup and because they would not receive the Beast's Mark they in that RED DRAGON'S power have made this War against them And these are NEW ENGLAND's CONVERTS and BELIEVERS And these are them R. W. saith That can give an Account of the Grace of God that hath appeared unto them and wrought that Heavenly Change in them And if this be R. W.'s HEAVENLY CHANGE of the New-England-Church as he calleth it and in his Account with all these Devilish Wicked Fruits of the Old Man and Carnal Weapons in Cain's Spirit and Judas with his Sword and Staves against Christ's Followers which hath been a Shame to Christianity and a Dishonour to the Name of Christ and a Scandal to Religion yea the very Profession of the Name of Christ and have Caused his Name to be Blasphemed among the Heathen Yea the Turks Jews and Papists and Indians may HISS AT THEM as many have done already And we do say That they know not themselves what Spirit they are of for Christ came not to destroy Mens Lives but to save them and he Rebuked such that would have had Mens Lives destroyed So it 's Clear you that have Destroyed Mens Lives are not of God but of the Devil for doth not he Destroy Mens Lives and doth not the Devil signify a Destroyer And so it 's Clear that you have not the Mind of Christ nor his Spirit and so None of his for his Spirit and Mind leadeth into no such Actions or Practices but to Love one another and to Love Enemies as he commandeth And if this be a HEAVENLY CHANGE in R. W.'s Account then we must needs judge him Blind and knoweth not what the True Heavenly Change is nor True Converts nor Fundamental Principles nor True Disciples and Believers and therefore no wonder though he hath Judged us as he hath done in his Book who calleth Darkness and its Works Light and Light Darkness R. W. And thou say'st There is a Time of Purity and Primitive Sincerity a Time of Transgression and Apostacy a Time of Coming out of Babilon's Apostacy a Time of many Flocks pretending to be Christ's and saying Lo here and Lo there c. a Time when Christ Jesus his Doves cry c. and when thou hast gone on by way of Preaching thou say'st Thou dost not know that there was made any Reply to this by thy Opposites Answ. Roger this was beside the Matter Thou should'st prove the Charges We did not come there to hear thee Preaching but to Prove thy False Charges but when thou could'st not thou fell a Preaching to us And well might W. Edmundson and J. Stubs tell thee Thou had'st spent so much time and say They had other Business in hand than to Attend upon thy False Charges when thou should'st have made them good and fell a Preaching to them as in page 66. R. W. And thou say'st Thou used'st all possible Brevity but the Reader may see how thou wentst beside the Matter in thy Preaching and thou say'st I rather chose thus to Apologize for my self than down-right to blame them on whom they saw well enough I laid the Blame of our Long Proceeding Answ. Surely Roger if thy Heart were not hardned thou durst not thus speak as to Lay the Blame upon us of our Long Proceeding when as all the Sober People that was there at the Dispute know well that our Long Proceeding was upon the Occasion of thy Long Impertinent Speaking and not bringing that which was Material for the Proof of thy Positions And since thou hast taken thy own Time now at Large to write further for the Proving of them let Sober People Judge whether in all that thou hast yet done thou hast Proved any of thy False Charges And so i●'s-Evident that our Long Proceeding was upon no other Occasion on our sides than our Long Patient Waiting upon thee to prove thy Charges and False Accusations which thou didst not then nor hast not yet done it R. W. And thou say'st Thou spake nothing but the Eternal Truth of God and thou said'st The Words I have spoken shall Judge you at the Last Day and then thou did'st with-draw Answ. R. W. how darest thou take the Words of the Lord in thy Mouth and speak of the Eternal Truth of God with a Dark Spirit and say Thy Words shall Judge us in the Last Day when thou hast utter'd so many Lies and False Charges and makest thy Lies and Slanders Equal with Christ's Holy Words and call'st his Light a Fancy and an Idol which will be thy Burden at Last except thou dost Repent which we fear it will be Hid from thy Eyes And any False Prophets or Persecutors or the D●vil may use the Words of Christ against his Children the Lambs of Christ as thou hast done here and so Abuse and P●rvert the Scriptures as to a wrong End to which they were never spoken but Alas Poor Man thy Words are nothing to us R. W. Thou callest W. E. Proud Mouth because he called upon thee to make good thy False Charges for we had used Long Patience to hear thee and we would not endure any Long and Tedious Discourses Answ. And well we might say so to hear thee tell a Tale
there are which thou would'st not have us to take as Charges in thy Paper which indeed is not Worthy to be taken Notice of but let the Vn-prejudic'd people in Rode-Island that was there Judge whether thou hast not wronged us And did not a stranger speak aloud there and said I am no Quaker yet I see that Mr. Williams hath rather proved against himself and not for himself R. W. And doth not R. W. say The Spirits of Just Men made Perfect the Quakers say Here and we say In the Life to come Answ. And doth not the Apostle say to the Heb. YE ARE COME to the Spirits of Just Men and was it not HERE while they were upon the Earth And Isa. 11. 1 Thes. 2. Rom. 8. and Act. 8 19.10.14.16 what are all these Scriptures who denieth them And Gal. 5. Joh. 3. what 's all this to the Purpose for here thou goest on in way of Preaching And all these Scriptures do not prove thy false Chorge For thou say'st R. W. The Holy Spirit of God was given forth by Means but the Quakers pretend in G. F.'s Book and other Books That their Spirit was without Means And thou bringest The Lord open'd Lydia's heart c. and Christ's Breathing upon his Apostles c. Answ. Did not the Apostles receive the Holy Ghost by his Breath and what was that Mediate and were not the Apostles Able Ministers of the Spirit and was that Mediate And that which Open'd Lydia's Heart was that Mediate And did not Peter Preach Christ Jesus and his Light and the Holy Ghost fell upon them and was not the Light of Christ within them that received it And was that Mediate or Immediate that bid Cornelius send to Joppa And what was that when the Apostle which was a Minister of the Spirit was Preaching Christ Jesus was it not something within them that answered to the Apostle's Preaching that pricked the Heart that made them cry out What they should do was not this the Light Within that lets them see that they had Done Evil according to the Apostle's words Whatsoever doth reprove and make manifest is Light and if they turn at the Reproof this is Repentance And what was that that Saul Kikt against when he was a Professor like R. W. and the New-England-Priests and Professors and Persecuted God's people and is not R. W. and all his New-England Persecuting Priests and Professors kicking against it now and therefore they will not receive Christ Jesus But we never denied the Means of the Spirit of God to work withal but your Means which are without the Immediate Spirit of God and the Light of Christ Jesus which thou Blasphemously callest an Idol And goest about to prove that the Spirit of Christ is not the Spirit of Christ which Leadeth us and Mortisieth us and Circumciseth in which we Worship the Living God as Christ commandeth and this Spirit thou goest about to prove a False Spirit which will prove thy own Destruction if thou repentest not And so our Assertions are no Contradictions to the Spirit of God they are thy own R. W. And thou bringst pag. 6. in G. F.'s folio Samuel Eaton's Saying The Prophets and Apostles drew people to an Outward Word G. F.'s Answ. Now is that which Liveth and Endureth for Ever Outward Did they not bring them to Christ and the Power of God which is the End of Words which is Immediate And in the same page Samuel Eaton Is not the Gospel an External Way G. F. Answ. No The Gospel is a Living Way which is revealed within and is the Power of God to Salvation And in the same page S. E. Are not these seduced who are drawn off from the External Means by which the Spirit is given and Faith wrought to wait for the Receiving of the Spirit without any Word to convey it to them he means External which Spirit when they have it is not the Spirit of Truth but of Delusion G. F. Answ. The Spirit and Faith is not conveighed to any Man without the Word to wit Christ and they are seduced which rest in the External from the Eternal And the Spirit is not given by External Means it is God and Christ that giveth it Neither is Faith wrought by External Means R. W. Replieth I Observe how the Wisdom of men is Enmity against God and how witty this Fox is to catch himself and others in the Traps of Eternal Howling how doth he here confound the Audible Words or Preachings of God's Mercy in Christ Jesus with the Inaudible Invisible Mystical and Metaphorical Word Christ Jesus himself 2ly Who sees not his gross and impudent Denying of the Spirit and Faith to be conveighed by Means from God unto us Answ. Let the Reader see R. W.'s Reply here if there be any thing in it to prove That we have not the Spirit and That the Spirit by which we are acted is not the Spirit of God And what must we infer from R. W.'s words here and S. Eaton the Priest That the Spirit is given by External Means and That the Faith is wrought by External Means and The Gospel the Power of God is an External Way and That the Apostle directed people to an Outward Word and not to God Christ the Eternal Word the Word that liveth and abideth and endureth for ever but then how is God the Giver of the Spirit and how is Christ the Author and Finisher of their Faith And how is the Gospel the Power of God which was Revealed to the Apostles an External Way and doth any know the Gospel the Power of God but by Revelation And was it not the Wisdom of Man which was Enmity against God that with-stood the Preaching of the Revealed Faith and Gospel and called it foolishness then and now And as for Traps and Eternal Howling Gross Impudency c. R. W. might have applied and kept at home R. W. Bringeth Enoch Howet G. F. Fol. 15 saying There is nothing in Man to be Ministred unto but Man G. F. Answ. How then Ministred the Apostles to the Spirit or sowed as to that and Christ Spake to the Spirits in prison And Timothy was to stir up the Gift that was in him and the Spirit of the Father speaketh within them and the Light that shineth in the heart and giveth Knowledge c. And The Son of God is Revealed in me saith the Apostle Here the Scriptures are for Correction of thee and Reproof of thee who say'st There is nothing to speak to in Man but Man When the Apostle saith That which may be known of God is manifest in Man for God hath shewn it to them Rom. 1. And the Apostle was manifest to Every Man's Conscience in the sight of God and that was of God which the Children disobeyed And R. W. replieth saying I was forc'd to omit the Allegations out of G. F.'s Book then by me and ready And why so R. W Why could'st not thou have
take his things out of it and when they were reproved they said That the Goaler's Wife was the First Inventer of the stealing of his Victuals from him and so they were Imboldned the more And the Goaler's Wife Swore several times THAT SHE WOULD HAVE HIS BLOOD and told James's Friends so And as for his Fasting Voluntarily the Witnesses deny it that were with him when e was Weak But the Ground of the Taking of James Parnel was There was a Fast held at the Town of Great Cox-Hall in Essex upon the 12 day of the 5th Month. 1655. where there were about 9 or 10 Priests and 4 Justices and many of the Independent and Presbyterian Faction And this James Parnel hearing that they Railed against the Truth and the People of God called Quakers he went to the Steeple-House and there was one Priest Wells an Independant And when this Priest had done James spoke a few words unto him as concerning his Railing against the People of God called Quakers and all these Priests having the Justices on their sides they interrupted the Youth James Parnel And after a Whi●e when he had spoken what was upon him from the Lord to them he went away and many Sober People went after him out of the Steeple-House And as he was passing away to his Friend's House a Justice called Wakering came behind him and said He Arrested him in the Name of the Protector So after when their Fast was done they made a Mittimus and sent him to Colchester-Goal Now here are some of the Names of the Persecuting Priests that had a Hand in James Parnel's Blood First Priest Wells of an Independant Company at Brantry and Priest Shams a Teacher of the Independant Company at Great Cox-Hall and Priest Sparrow a Teacher of an Independant Company at Halstead and Priest Steltam a Teacher of an Independant Company at Tarling and yet all Parish-Priests And the Goaler when they sent him to Prison would not let him have so much as a Truckle-bed and they Chained this youth among the Thieves and Murtherers day and night and led him Eighteen miles to the Assizes and had Irons upon one of his hands as you may see in the Book of his Life in the 243. and 244. pages And the Goaler put him into a little Hole called the Oven up in the Castle-Wall after he returned from the Assizes and would not suffer him a little Char-coal and so for Want of Air his Naturals grew weak and they not suffering him to have a Bed and his Friends being denied to come at him And the Goaler's Wife did not only Beat him her self several times and Swore she would have his BLOOD but set others to beat him and so he was forc'd to Lie on Stones in a Wet Season another time And when he was so beaten and abused with the Goaler's Wife and her Company they would not suffer his Friends to give him a little Meat to pluck up by a Rope in a Basket he being too weak to come down out of the Oven And the Ladder was Six Foot too short to reach the Hole and therefore there was a Rope ti●d above the Ladder for him to swing up into the Oven And though so Weak and so Stupiffed in ●is Joints yet he must Swing down and up that Rope to the Ladder and fetch his Food or else he must Famish t● the Hole For ●●ese Hard-Hearted Priests and Justices and the Goaler agreed together as by these Proceedings appeareth to destroy him For when Some of James's Friends profered to the Justices and Goaler forty pound Bond it would not be accepted though they profered Body for Body to let him have a little Liberty And one time when he got down into the yard to get a little Air the Goaler Lockt him in the Yard all night it being in Cold Winter And so after a time climbing up the Ladder he being grown very weak he mist the Rope that he was to swing down by and so fell down from the top of the Ladder and hurt himself And so grew weaker and weaker they not suffering his Relations and Friends to give him necessary things nor suffer him to walk to the Castle-door And therefore said James If I die they have this Body And all Means were used that could be ●ound that the Justices and Goaler might be clear of his Innocent Blood but no Mercy could be found among them And when he died he said I DIE INNOCENTLY and so fell asleep in Christ Jesus And at his Departure there were some of his Relations Anne Langley and Thomas Shortland who through great Trouble got to him and heard him speak these words afore-said I MUST DIE AND I DIE INNOCENTLY And after he was dead the Wicked Priests and their Confederates went and made a Book and said That James Parnel fasted himself to Death And this is the Food and Lies which Roger Williams and the Priests of New-England feed upon that Old Jezabel's Fast the Fruits of it were for Persecution and Blood And James Parnel's INNOCENT BLOOD LIETH ON THE HEADS OF THEM And much more might be written but the Testimony of many sober good Christians in Cox-Hall and Colchester and Essex with the several Certificates that are in print which is too large to Instance here of the Innocency of James Parnel and of the Cruelty of his Persecutors may testifie And also beside Mayor Beard which was one of the Jury upon James Parnel afterwards much Lamented his Death and the Barbarous Cruel Sufferings of James Parnel and was sorry That ever he should have a hand in his Persecution which he saw was stirred up by the Priests But this is no strange Work with the Presbyterian and Independant Priests to say James Parnel fasted himself to Death when the Priests their Fore-Fathers said That Christ's Disciples stole him away by Night while the Souldiers slept And this was the Work of their Day to make Lies their Refuge and to sow them abroad like Roger Williams and the Whore that Solomon speaketh of to Wipe their Lips as though they were Clean. And this may serve Roger Williams and the Persecutors of New-England which have BANISHED and WHIPT CUT OFF EARS and HANGED the Servants of the Lord and then Wipe their Mouths and say They are Clean or Good Christians and they have done Christ Good Service in so doing But Christ rebuketh such and telleth them They know not what Spirit they are of for he came not to D●stroy Mens Lives but to Save them R. W. Thou say'st We after the Devil's Method make use of the Scripture as a Shield or Buckler to fence our selves against the Scripture and as a Sword to run through the Heart and Bowels of the Scriptures the Saints and Christ and God himself c. and then fall'st a-railing Answ. Jer. 22. 2 Kings 17. 1 Cor. 11. These Scriptures do not prove this nor that we Disown Scriptures Now R. W. and ye New-England-Priests can the
Heart and Bowels of Christ be run through with a Sword who can but tremble to hear those Words We do charge R. W. and the New-England-Priests that say The Scripture is their Rule to give us Chapter and Verse for these Words that we may see where they be written that we may Search for them Is the Incomprehensible God and Christ his Son whom he hath given all Power in Heaven and Earth unto and at the Rig●t Hand of God so light unto you and of so low a Value doth R. W. own any God or Christ but whose Bowels and Heart may be run through with a Sword and is not that a false God and Christ We tell him the true Christ and the living God is far above his Reach and Sword and his unholy Hands And is not this Blasphemy to say The Living God and his Son Christ Jesus who is at the Right Hand of God can be run through with a Sword we tell him He dieth no more but such as thou art Crucify him to themselves a fresh Imprison and Persecute him in his people as Christ saith in Matth. And we own the Scriptures and the Saints and the true Christianity and not for this wicked End as thou wickedly speakest And as for thy Ladders and Scaffolds and a many such Ill favour'd Comparisons that thou hast in thy Book might'●t have kept them for thy self with all the rest of thy Vngracious Expressions R. W. The Merchants desire to see Effects c. the Jews Pharisees the Papists and the Quakers do not own the Perfection Answ. But R. W. where are thy Effects of thy Religion and the rest of the Priests where are the Effects of true Christianity where are the Effects of the Fruits of a Good Spirit for this is not the Language of the Spirit of God but of the Evil Spirit is but of the Effects of the Pharisees and Papists thou speakest of which are Envy Bloodshed and Murther And ye persecuting his Servants with Tongue and Hand and HANGING his people these are not the Effects of the Good Spirit but of the Evil One as the Apostle hath described it in the Scriptures And as for the Effects in the Practice of Religion in any Duty that may appear for with whom dost thou Meet and Pray and Preach or whether or no thou art not found in the Manner of them whom the Apostle condemneth and exhorteth the Saints not to have Fellowship withal Heb. 10 25. we think thou may'st forbear to upbraid any thy self bringing forth so little Effects but Effects of an Evil Heart and Vnbelief according to the Apostle's words And is not the Authority of the Scripture the Holy Ghost that moved the Holy Men of God that spoke them forth which lead the Disciples in all Truth of them which we witness For dost not thou say They are of no Value without the Spirit of God set them home to the Heart as in Append. p. 94. And so if they be of No Value then that which maketh them Valuable is the Power and Spirit of God and then that must be the Authority of them R. W. But thou say'st The Quakers and Papists call the Scriptures a Dead Letter and say'st They are of no Value c. as before Answ. And as for the Papists thou had'st better join'd them to thy self they are nearer thee then we are And where did we ever Throw Dirt at the Holy Scripture and said It was a Nose of Wax and a Leaden Rule let the Reader see if there be any such words in G. F' s Answer or any other Books And truly if any make a Nose of Wax of them twisting them up and down it is thy own Condition thou giving Meanings of them this Way and that Way and findest fault with us because we take them Literally And 2 Cor. 3. that is nothing to the purpose If the King giveth a Pardon for Death in Writing this cometh to a Man and preventeth his Execution But what must we infer from R. W.'s Words here That every Man that hath the Writings of the Scripture hath the Pardon of Eternal Death and why doth he cry against Papists then and all others for they have the Scriptures therefore they have the Pardon So in this R. W. stoppeth his own Mouth and shutteth out Revelation of the Son of God which Scripture speaketh of and Revelation of Faith Revelation of Grace Revelation of the Gospel Revelation of the Spirit which is the Seal of all Believers of the Pardon from Eternal Death by the Blood of Jesus Christ and the Witness with themselves by which they can set to their Seal that God is True in all his Promises and Figures and Shaddows of his Son Christ Jesus Blessed forever R. W. Bringeth G. F. Fol. p. 47. Joshuah Miller saying It is an Error if not Damnable to say Christ is the Means and that there is no other Means of Salvation G. F. Answ. And Christ saith No man can come to the Father but by me and he is Able to save to the uttermost and He shall be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth saith the Lord. And saith the Apostle God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself And He that hath the Son hath Life the Father and Son are one and there is no Salvation in any other And R. W. replieth and saith His Adversaries would not Suffer him to meddle with the Sense of G. F.'s words But G. F.'s words are Plain enough and what doth he give a Sense of that where is your Nose of Wax now Yet he thinketh not that a man of Wisdom would call it an Error to say That Christ is the Means to Salvation Then he falleth a-railing and saith For this Wretched Juggler to wit G. F. subtily confounds the Instrumental Causes of Salvation with the Efficient in God the Father the Meritorious in God the Son Christ Jesus Answ. How can this be when G. F. saith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and God saith He shall be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And the Apostle saith Eph. 1 17. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood Forgiveness of Sin according to the Riches of his Grace And R. W. saith I know this Juggler meaneth not a Christ nor his Blood nor his Death as we mean but an Imaginary Christ c. Answ. This Knowledge of thine and this Meanes of thine is false the Lord knoweth it and the Imaginary is in thyself But R. W. saith Christ's Messengers are said to Save Answ. And what then is not this through Christ R. W. Secondly Thou say'st The Scriptures are said to make Wise to Salvation Answ. But why will not R. W. put in THROVGH FAITH as though the Scriptures can Make Wise to Salvation without Faith Thou say'st R. W. A Man may be God's Means to Save his Wife and she her Husband Answ. And is not this Means FAITH which Christ is the Author of And thou
This was the true Light which he bore witness to that Lighteth every Man which was the Life in the Word and R. W. with all his Evil Speakings witnesseth against it and calleth it a Fantastick Light a Childish Vapour and Whispering and Peeping but he might have kept this at home And The Father of Lights he saith proclaimeth us to he Children of howling Darkness and that there is no Light in them Answ. The Father of Lights proclaimeth no such thing nor his Son but saith Every One that doth the Truth cometh to the Light and every one that doth Evil hateth the Light and will not come to it because it reproveth him And this is R. W.'s Condition R. W. asketh What Light have the Papists Jews and the Devil when they bring Scripture to Christ and so falleth a railing Answ. But if the Jews and Papists do hate the Light like R. W. yet I never heard the Jews and Papists call it an Idol and a frantick Light as R. W. doth and we say neither he nor the Papists or Jews can see neither the Scriptures nor Christ without the Light And we never did say That Christ did enlighten the Devil himself with his true Light for Christ saith There is no Truth in him but R. W. saith That there is something of God that is from the Power and Wisdom of God in the fallen Spirits and the Devils themselves which we Charge R. W. and all his New-England-Priests to give us Scripture for those Words as in his Append. p. 5 and therefore why doth R. W. ask G. F. What Light hath the Devil himself And thou say'st The Devil bringeth a pertinent Scripture and Promise to Christ Jesus as ever the Papists or Quakers This R. W. might have kept at home with the Jesuitical Diabolical Reservations and venemous and poisonous with his Unsavory Ungratious words R. W. bringeth Enoch Howet G. F. Fol. p. 14. his sayings The Scriptures to be the Only Weapon whereby Christ overthrew the Devil G. F. Answ. Who bruiseth his Head to wit Christ was before the Scripture was yet the Scripture is for Correction and Doctrine furnishing the Man of God in his place And Christ the Seed was before the Scripture was and all that have Scripture and not Christ cannot Overcome the Devil ye and the Papists doing his Work For they that Overcome him it is with the Power of Christ for Christ saith Without me ye can do nothing and those have the Scriptures of Truth which the Devil is out of R. W.'s Reply How doth Christ's bruising of Satan's Head and being before Scripture was disprove c. and so falleth a-railing Who sees not Fox in his Burrough Answ. R. W. doth not or will not state G. F.'s words right as he hath spoken them as the Reader may see viz As Christ who bruiseth his Head being before Scripture was who bruiseth his Head by his Power and destroyeth Death and the Devil the Power of Death who is manifest in Time c. And R. W. saith As for G. F.'s saying They that have the Scripture and not Christ cannot overcome the Devil And R. W. Replieth What News doth he tell the World which no body denieth and yet thou say'st again How doth this deny that Christ Jesus overcame the Devil by Scripture which is the Sword the Only Sword and is called a Sword Append. p. 88. Answ. But R. W. thou must show us a Rule for it in Scripture Chapter and Verse That the Scripture is the Sword the Only Sword and yet thou say'st Append. p. 94. That it the Scripture doth not avail without the Spirit of God And how doth this hang together R. W That they that have the Scripture without the Spirit cannot overcome the Devil and yet The Scripture is the Sword and the Only Sword by which Christ overcame the Devil and The Scripture doth not avail without the Spirit and yet it is thy Only Sword and in thy Book called Experiments Epist. to Lady Vane the Younger 1652 thou say'st That the Two-edged Sword is of his God's most Holy Spirit which pierces between the very Soul and Spirit c. But these things are Answered more Largely in the Appendix R. W. saith Is all Scripture or Writing given forth by Inspiration of God and is profitable though G. F. alledgeth the Scriptures by Halves for Correction and Doctrine c. and Then it clearly follows that as Christ Jesus overcame the Devil by the Scriptures so c. Answ. Christ was the Power of God and the Devil brought Scripture to him and said It is written but Christ overcame him by the Power who is the Substance of the Scriptures And Christ through Death destroyed the Devil the Power of Death and was that by Scripture And G. F. doth confess he doth not write all the Scriptures which thou Scoffingly callest Halves neither doth R. W. write all the Scriptures nor half neither And Christ did not Overcome the Devil by the Scripture when he corrected him by Scripture in his Power and Spirit And the Apostle saith All Scripture given forth by Inspiration of God is profitable for Doctrine Reproof for Correction for Instruction in Righteousness that the Man of God may be perfect and throughly furnish'd to all good Works 2 Tim. 3. and this he doth not say to the Men of the World that be in the Evil Work like R. W. and his New-England-Priests and Professors are R. W. And thou say'st So by the same Weapon this Suttle Fox and all other of Satan's Foxes must be corrected confuted catch'd and destroyed except they repent for ever Answ. What! must the Scripture destroy us and that which is of no value without the Spirit of God R. W but this is Answered as I said afore Largely in the Appendix R. W. And with Scoffing words to no purpose thou say'st How he runneth in and out of his Holes c. As for the Quakers Power here pretended in Opposition to the Scriptures c. and Thus sometimes a Devil of Drunkenness Swearing Stealing runs away from the Sermons of the Quakers as a Naughty Devil sometimes as the Chiding and Conjuring of a good Witch that he may get the faster hold by c. Self-Conceit and Contradiction to the Scriptures by Will-worship and superstitious Inventions against the Holy Institutions and Commands of the true Lord Jesus Christ. Answ. R. W. and his New-England-Priests and Professors might have all those Vngratious Vnsavory Words kept at home But what is this good Witch he speaketh of for we own the Holy Scriptures and the Commands c. of the true Lord Jesus Christ and his Worship in Spirit and Truth And if thou had'st Overcome the Devil by the Only Sword of the Scripture we should never have such Railing Expressions from thee which proceed from him And thou tell'st a Story of the Devil and how a Child lieth down and crieth but thou might'st have kept this at home with all the rest of
the Ground of the Saints Faith and yet he saith The Scripture availeth nothing is of no value without the Spirit c Append. p. 94. And further we say If the Scripture was the Ground of the Saints Faith and the Scripture availeth nothing without the Spirit How was it that the Pharisees and the Papists whom thou mentionest so often had not Faith from that Ground for they all say they believe Scripture But what must we Observe from R. VV.'s Words here That the Scripture is the Ground of Christ's Faith and yet he will acknowledge Christ was before Scripture and Abraham Isaac and Jacob Abel Enoch and Noah had Faith before Scripture was written And now if Christ be the Author and Finisher of the Saints Faith and they are to look unto him I query Whether he be Scripture if it be the Ground of the Saints Faith And the Spirit of God which lead his Saints to give forth Scriptures leadeth into all Truth of them And the Spirit and the Scriptures are not at Odds one with another neither did we ever set them so as thou us in Effect chargest neither can the Children of God know the Scriptures given forth by the Spirit of God but by the Spirit of God within which thou scoffingly callest a Secret Whispering Voice within contrary to Scriptures And the Voice that owneth not the Scripture is not the Voice of the Spirit of God that gave them forth both before Christ's Coming in the Flesh and since And R. W. As to the Spirit 's Leading into all Truth the Sons of God thou answerest and say'st Is not Fox here in his Burrough not distinguishing betwixt the Extra-ordinary Leading of the Holy Apostles appointed to be the Eye-witnesses of Christ's Death and Resurrection c. Answ. What must we Infer from R. W's Words That because the Leading of the Apostles and Preaching the Resurrection of Christ Jesus by the Holy Ghost that others therefore were not reproved by the holy Ghost and must not every Son of God be led into all Truth to know Christ and his Resurrection but G. F. doth not say that all were Messengers and Apostles c. 1. Cor. 12. And thou ●urther sayst Yet all God's Children are Regenerated and Sanctified and dost thou not say in another place They must have a Combate all their Life and thou sayst That God's Children are Guided and Built up together an Habitation c. And then R. W. must not the Spirit of God be within and if so then thou ownest the Quakers Principle and confessest that which thou all this while hast been fighting against And as for what David said if he had been in thy Day thou wouldst have cried against him as thou dost against us who said I have hid thy Word in my Heart R. W. And this is the Devil's the Old Fox his Devilish Subtlety to make the Cloak of the Spirit 's extra-ordinary Assistance c. and the Angels Extra-ordinary Protection a Ground of Christ Jesus and his Servants flinging themselves down from the Pinnacle of the Temple and thou pretendest to tell us from God that this will be the Break-neck of the People called Quakers without Repentance every Soul of them Answ. How now R. W hast thou not here given rash Judgement against the Assistance and Protection and Sufficiency of the Spirit of Christ and his Grace which God saith is Sufficient to Paul in his Trouble And hast not thou broken thy own Neck here and falln down from the Pinnacle who dost not look at the Grace of God and his Light and Spirit to be Sufficient Is it sufficient to condemn them that Erre from the Spirit and turn the Grace of God into Wantonness And God sent an Angel and brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and Exod. 23 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the Way vers 23. For my Angel shall go before thee and bring thee c. and Chap. 22 24 And behold my Angel shall go before thee And was not this Angel sufficient to bring them into the Land of Canaan if they hearkened unto him and is not Christ Sufficient by his Light Power and Spirit to bring us out of Spiritual Egypt and Christ saith to his Sheep that hear his Voice I give unto them Eternal Life and they sha●l never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my Hand John 10 28. But R. W. how canst thou say Thou passest thy false Judgement upon us from the God of Truth and yet sayst There is no Voice nor Motion within to be lissen'd or hearken'd unto in Heavenly Things in Matters that are Super natural pag. 83. R W. Thou say'st Our Principles and Practices are f●ll of Contradiction and Hypocrisy Answ. Our Principles and Professi●n are Holy and Pure and Contradictions and Hyppocrisy thou might'st have kept at Home for we Profess the Lord Jesus Christ and all the Prophecies and Things in the Law that Figured them forth and the Things in the Law as truly as the Prophets and the Apostles did Profess him and own all that is Written in the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation And we own the Worship in the Spirit and Truth and are in it that Christ set up Sixteen-hundred Years since and the Religion that the Apostle describeth above Sixteen-hundred Years since which is Pure and Vndefiled before God And the One Faith which Chri●t is the Author of and the One Baptism and the One Spirit into One Body and One God and Father of All who is above All and through All and in you All as the Apostle speaketh And the Lord Jesus Christ who was Born of the Virgin Conceived by the Holy Ghost c. and Preach'd and Suffered under Pontius Pilate before whom he made a Good Confession and Died and Rose again and is at the Right Hand of God and remaineth in the Heavens till all things are Restored c. who will Judge the World in Righteousness and Reward every Man according to his Works and therefore no Salvation in any other Name but in the Name of Jesus c. And let New-England-Professors see if our Principles and Practice Life and Doctrine hath not Out-stript theirs let the Witness of God in them Answer And R. W. saith He told us of False Gods and Worships and Prophets c. but this is nothing to the Purpose to prove his False Charge for we are Not to Believe thee and the False Prophets but to Try them but thou say'st We must Try them with Fire it self Answ. Yea R. W. Ye and the New-England-Priests did Try us God's True Prophets with FIRE whom ye Tried with your HOT IRON when ye BRANDED them and your GALLOWS when you HANGED them And so ye are TRIED not to be in the true Principles and Profession of the Apostles and of Christ. And didst not thou say afore That the Scripture was to Try and what R. W is the Scripture now become a FIRE where
this there was a deep Silence a● If I had turn'd a Proselite at least it pleased them to be applauded Answ. Nay R. W. we saw the Subtilty of the Serpent in thee And if I B. had spoken many Holy Truths why didst thou not join with them it seemeth thy spirit could not join with Holy Truths And then thou speakest of Repentance and Being saved by the Blood of Christ Jesus and of Living soberly and righteously Then how cometh all this Vngratious Language from thee if thou art to live soberly and righteously these are but Words R. W. And how canst thou be Saved by the Blood of Christ and Repent and not believe in the Light as Christ commandeth by which thou must see thy Sin and Evil Heart And so thou hast prov'd thy Faith and Repentance to be Antichristian and not at all disprov'd ours And so thy Faith and Repentance may go along with the Papists as thou speakest of who opposest the Faith of God's Elect that purifieth their hearts and that is thy false Faith that purifieth not the heart R. W. And thou scoffingly say'st That we might have preach'd to wit I B. and I S. this Doctrine of Faith and Repentance before the Pope at Rome at his Chappel Answ. Here R. W. scoffeth at True Faith and Repentance and maketh himself unsensible of it but it s very well he hath manifested himself to be so much One with them and the New-England Professors But some of us have preach'd Repentance and the Faith of Christ at Rome where neither he nor his New-England Priests dared to shew their Heads and suffered there Death for it though thou and the New-England-Priests may rail at them behind their Backs And so thou might'st have applied at home the Sayings of the Lord Jesus Christ Depart from me ye Workers of Iniquity I know you not whose Light thou callest an Idol R. W. And thou sayst Thou hadst intended to Charge us with the Falseness of our Hope Love Peace and Joy which they often Crake thou say'st c. their Heaven consisteth and all the Eternal Life to come they look for they are now in present and full Possession of Answ. Why did not R. W. do it there what he Intended But where doth R. W. prove these Lies That our Heaven c. and all the Eternal Life that is to come that we say We are now in present full Possession of it he hath brought no Proof for these his Lies From the Seed which Christ hath sown in their hearts some bringeth forth Thirty Sixty Hundred-fold in this Life and in the World to come Life Eternal So these Words of his we turn back as R. W.'s forg'd Lies And as for true Love Hope and Faith he and his New-England-Priests have banished that long ago R. W. Thou sayst What Scripture is more Common in their Mouths and Pens c. than Col. ● Christ in you the Hope of Glory Whereby they insinuate Two of their grand Deceits and Lies 1. That there is no other Christ but what is in every Man in the World 2. That there is no other Glory to be hoped for or by or with the Lord Jesus Christ but what is in the Saints c. Answ. The Reader may see R. W.'s Contradiction here in this very Scripture but still he is forging Lies which we never heard of a fore Christ in you the Hope of Glory Mark of Glory And are not the Saints to grow up in the knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ unto a Perfect Man and do not our Writings and hath not our Mouth and Pens declared it So as for Deceits thou might'st have kept this at home But R. W. and the Rest of the Priests which G. F. hath brought could not endure to hear of Christ Within us the Hope of Glory but ye would only have him Without and so keep people in the Reprobate State And how can R. W. have him Within when he calleth his Light an Idol and a Fancy And So R. W. thou tell'st of Hopes like unto Spiders but this thou might'st have applied to thy self with the Hope of the Hypocrite not to us R. W. And R. W. thou sayst Do they not overthrow the very Nature of Hope which they prate of and give the Spirit of God the Lie which telleth us That Hope is not of things in Possession c. Rom. 9. Answ. When did we tell to R. W. this Lie he hath forg'd it himself And so as for a Dead and Painted Hope thou might'st have kept thy self for our Hope which is Christ maketh not ashamed for we are Saved by Hope But Hope that is seen is not Hope c. Rom. 8. But R. W. bringeth Rom. 9 but let the Reader see if there be the Word Hope in the Chapter But the Living Hope as Peter speaketh of we witness 1 Pet. 2 3. We whom Christ hath begotten again to a Lively Hope ou● Faith and Hope standeth in God and Christ our Hope of Glory ankers our Immortal Souls see Col. and Hebr. And our Hope is Steadfast that keepeth us above all the Waves and Storms and Floods that R. W. and all the New-England-Persecutors can cast upon us for we have the Hope of Eternal Life and Glory as Paul writeth to Titus and we know we are the Sons of God 1 Joh. 3. as the Saints did that were the First Fruits But let us return again to Try R. W. and his New-England-Priests their Love Faith Hope and Peace c. whether they are not degenerated from the Love of the Primitive Christians and the Apostles and Messengers First doth not the Apostle say Faith worketh by Love and Christ Jesus is the Author and Finisher of Faith and is not Faith called a Shield now is not R. W. and his New-England Priests degenerated from this Faith and this Shield that worketh by Love have not their Fruits Manifested them by their HANGING BURNING with an Hot Iron BANISHING and SPOILING the GOODS of God's people and R. W. would have them PUNISH'D for Matter of Conscience Nay have not ye prov'd your selves to be the Tinkling Cymbals Sounding Brass 1 Cor. 13. have not they persecuted such as would not run after the Sound of their Tinkling Cymbals and Sounding Brass Charity suffereth long and is Kind have ye not been Unkind and full of Envy out of this Charity Vaunting yourselves pufft up and rejoicing in Iniquity And how did the Mayor General Vaunt and boast when he told the Prisoners How Mary Dyer hang'd like a Flag when ye had Hanged her This was your Charity and your Joy and your Love to Enemies and to Christians So neither your Faith Love nor Hope nor Peace nor Joy is according to the Primitive Christians your Practice showeth your Error from them And likewise ye are not in the Wisdom of God which is pure gentle and peaceable c. which the Apostles were in as in Jam and are gone into a Devilish and Destroying Wisdom And so
Faith that purifieth their hearts giveth them Victory and Access to God they need not plead for a Purgatory when they are dead nor thou for a Body of Sin and Death to the Grave R. W. Thou sayst The Quakers are Papists in that Infallible Spirit c. to wit the Spirit of Truth which Christ and his Father hath sent to lead us in all Truth Answ. This Holy Ghost the Papists have denied to our Faces and therefore thou Abusest the Papists And ye have confest ye have not the same Holy Ghost that the Apostles had and therefore they and the New-England-priests are of one Nature for they have said the same And this Spirit shall reprove the World of Righteousness c. as Christ saith And if all men did believe in the Light and not turn the Grace of God into Wantonness nor grieve the Spirit which God hath poured out upon them it would Teach them and instruct them And that we do exhort people to that they may escape the Dreadful Judgements of God who will Judge the World in Righteousness And then thou scoffest against our Preachers c. But we have preach'd the Everlasting Gospel in New-England and other places and it had been very well if thou had'st turn'd to the Spirit of God within thee that thou makest slight of R. W. Thou sayst The Quakers are Papists in a high Lofty Conceit of Perfection when in Calvin's time this Spirit came from Hell c. Answ. Dost not thou Contradict thy self and sayst The Papists hold a Purgatory then how are they like the Quakers that hold Perfection And so they are near thee that must have a Combate or a Fighting all thy Life and no Overcoming And how darest thou to say The Spirit and Doctrine of Perfection came from Hell in Calvin's Time c. for it is the Doctrine of Christ and his Apostles to his Saints and Followers R. W. And thou sayst The Quakers in the latter Years in Lancashire came from the Grindletonians Answ. This is also false the Grindletonians know otherwise and the people in Lancashire R. W. And thou sayst The Quakers and Papists are great Friends in their Notions and Practice of Revelations c. and Inspirations Answ. How can the Papists own true Revelation that own not the same Holy Ghost as they were in that gave forth Scriptures So their Dreams and Visions are like thine and so not like the Quakers who know the things of God that are reveal'd by the Spirit of God And thou that scoffest at Revelation Inspiration c. knowest not the things of God but art in the Natural dark State thou speakest of And R. W. Thou sayst What a Noise we make about Vncovering the Head Knee Wearing of Lace c. and saying of You and Thou and Musick and Painting and thou callest it Idle Popish Trash and Trumpery Answ. These are thou and thy Protestants that make such a Noise about them Nay would'st thou not have us to be punish'd for doing those things p. 200. And What must we infer from all this R. W. would have his Musick and the Head Vncovered and Knee bowed to him and Wearing of Laces and You instead of Thou said to him and he is offended at us because we deny such things and so are the Papists his Brethren And we tell R. W. and his New-England-priests that they never shall know true Religion till their Flesh be Silent to know what it is to Tremble at the Word of God and to work out their Salvation with Fear and Trembling for it is God that worketh in us both to Will and to Do. But this Voice and Motion hath R. W. not known nor heard yet R. W. Thou sayst The Papists and Quakers are Brethren in Iniquity in their Affirming ●hat the Pope is not the Anti-Christ Answ. And how can this be when G. F. said Anti-Christ was come in the Apostles Days and the World went after him And thou and ye New-England-Priests and the Papists that are inwardly Ravening from the Spirit and Grace and Truth in the heart and Anointing and Word and Faith there though ye do profess Christ and the Apostles Words in the Sheeps-Cloathing and drink the Blood of the Saints as the Papists and New-England have done must needs be the Whore and Anti-Christ your Fruits have declared it and thou art Stirring up the Magistrates to punish us who were the Livery of the Bloody Whore R. W. Thou sayst The Papists change their Names and why the Quakers guided by the same Hellish Spirit and Fancy are so tender about owning their Old Names Answ. Let the Reader see how Angry this Old Doting Man is where had any Quakers changed their Names as the Papists have done this is no Comparison But I must tell thee as John said He that overcometh hath a New Name And Our Names are written in the Lamb's Book of Life and doth R. W. think this is the Old Name nay this is not And yet we do not say we are weary of our Old Names which our Parents have called us by But will R. W. say that was a Hellish Spirit that changed Paul's Name and therefore was he like a Papist And if thou dost call the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth a Hellish Spirit and so blasphemest against the Holy Ghost remember Christ's Sentence R. W. Thou sayst again The Papists and Quakers are led by one Spirit of feigned Holiness c. Monkish Solitariness c. must be sequestred from Wordly Business is the Beggars Life and Paul wrought night and day with his hands which I never read of any of these Lying Apostles Quakers in all their Travails to have done Answ. All people may Judge thee here Led with a Lying Spirit For of whom hath our people Begg'd and where are our Nuns and our Fryaries thou fillest up thy Book with such Lying Stories The Spirit of God Leadeth us to no such things no more then he did the Apostles But R. W. to prove us that we are not According c. as thou sayst because thou hast not read that we labor night and day in our Travails as the Apostles and therefore our Doctrine our Practice our Faith and our Religion must not he according to the Apostles Herein he hath proved all his Priests in New-England not to be in the Doctrine of the Apostles which have so much a Year which the Apostles had not and that you are gone from the Religion Practice and Profession of the Primitive Messengers and Teachers And it is known that we have Labored night and day in our Travails though he hath not read it and have not been Chargeable to any and coveted no Man's Gold nor Silver And let him enquire in Rode-Island and Long-Island whether J. B. did not work there or no R. W. Thou might'st have kept that at home to say The Quakers Tongues and the Papists are both spitting and belching out Fire from one Fire of Hell Answ. And this is thy
Pope and neither King nor Governour are offended at it So R. W. hath proved the New-England-priests and himself like the Pope and not the Quakers with his Hat and Knee R. W. Thou say'st That the Pope sits in the Temple of God as over the Churches and Consciences c. Answ. So doth R. W. and his New-England-priests BRAN● HANG WHIP and SPOIL the GOODS of such as will not Bow to the Image of their Religion c. R. W. And thou say'st That We do not regard as the Ap●stle and the Bere●ns the Holy Scripture Answ. This is false for we trying you by the Scriptures maketh you so to Rage whose words and practice is Contrary to them and therefore you cry so often for Meanings And it is the Spirit of Truth that proceeds from the Father and Son that leadeth into all Truth and leadeth us into the Truth of the Scriptures AND why should not we send Word to our Friends of Coming into the Country c. this doth Torment thee Yea and the Lord will Torment you more who is gathering his people and drawing them to his Son and bringing them from your Barren Mountains and he has set his Shepheard over them Christ Jesus Read Ezek 34. how ye have Marr'd Pastures and Foul'd Springs and Thrust the Sheep with your Shoulder And R. W. is offended because our Meetings are Established in New-England And thou tell'st of Laws Papers and Decrees but thou hast not produced them And it was always our Practice as thou scoffingly say'st There was not Liberty for all to speak as the Spirit gave them Vtterance till G. F. came into New-England That is false And our Vnity stands in the Holy Spirit of God which is the Bond of peace if any go from it they are reproved And why did'st not thou produce the Decrees thou say'st G. F. gave forth of loosing from that brutish and dogged Behaviour c. and commanding them to be more Sociable and Man-like Answ. This is Untruth for G. F. gave them no such Command this is a base Reflection upon thy Neighbours for they were Sociable and Manlike afore And as for brutish and dogged Roger may keep at home for he had not so much Civility as to speak to G. F. when he was at Providence but snarling behind his back Base and Vn-manlike And did not we Bow and Vncover our Heads in Prayer c. before G. F. came to New-England R. W. But thou say'st of G. F. uncovering his Head and Bowing to the people and passing through the midst of them with his Hat in his Hand with much Respect and Civility and he blames others that did not so c. Therefore thou Concludest that either the Former Spirit or the Latter is not of God Answ. According to thy forged Lies or false Reports Neither did G. F. Vncover his Head nor Bow to the people when he past through them it is not his Practice though he might take his Hat in his hand when he was Hot and walked through the people And G. F.'s putting off his Hat was in Reverence to the Lord the God of Heaven and not to Man R. W. Thou say'st The Pope lifts up himself as God over the Scriptures and He is Sole Judge c and dispenseth of Oaths and Marriages c. Answ Might not R. W. have kept this at home with his New-England-Priests that They must be the Interpreters of the Scriptures and so Over the Scriptures For doth not R. W. cry out against us for Want of Meanings and saith We take it Literally and we are Fools and Silly and will not own your Meanings And therefore do not thou claim the power of the Expounding as the Pope doth AND are not the New-England-Priests and Professors both the Dispensers of Oaths and Marriages Pope like But we neither Swear nor Marry none but are Witnesses to them R. W. For dost not thou say We admit of no Interpreter but Our selves Answ. Nay R. W. It is not Self that Interprets Scripture we tell thee they were given forth from the Holy Ghost and it is the Holy Ghost that leadeth into all Truth of them which the Papists and ye cannot endure to hear of and so are of one Birth that persecutes him that is born after the Spirit R. W. And thou say'st That we said We would be tried by the Scriptures and yet thou say'st We admit of no Interpreter c. Answ. Then the Scripture it self is not the Trier but the Meaning which the Interpreter giveth must be the Judge according to thy sense How is the Scripture the Judge then as thou say'st And so the Meaning is set up and not the Spirit and this makes the Confusion in the whole World and is not this One with the Pope And we say The Spirit of God is the Interpreter of its own words that gave them ●orth R. W. And thou say'st over and over That the Papists and Quakers said that there would be no Loss if the Scriptures were gone out of the World Answ. These are but thy own words to prove thy false Charges that thou say'st We most horribly and hypocritically trample the Scriptures under our proud Feet R. W. And whereas thou say'st Tha● the Quakers and Papists most Insultingly lift up themselves against the Servants and Children of God all the World over that bow not to their Images Answ. R. Williams hath mistaken himself it 's he and the New-England-Professors and the Papists for never did the Quakers force any to their Religion by WHIPS c So they are Brethren in Iniquity And so the tender Babes have been TORN and received MARKS in their Backs with your WHIPS and the BRAND with your Hot Iron and your CVTTING OFF EARS and your Immodest STRIPPING of Women and Maidens at your Whipping-posts NOW we do Charge R. W. and all his New-England-Priests where ever Christ or the Apostles or the Church in the Primitive Times did Strip Men and Women Young and Old as ye have done O! ye have been a Shame to Christianity among the very Indians R. W. saith And say not the Quakers as the Pope c. All that believe not in their pretended Light their Repentance Holiness Zeal Preaching c. is nothing Answ. The Papists do not own the Light for Papists do not believe in the Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the World no more than thou and you of New-England And so in this thou canst not compare us with the Papists but thee that callest the Light of Christ which Christ bids us Believe in that we may become Children of the Light an Ido● and a Fancy But thou and they that do so are in a blind Zeal and cannot see Repentance And what is your Holiness and Preaching good for without the Light of Christ that shineth in the Heart that should give the Knowledge of him AND we do profess and preach Christ that Died without the gates of Jerusalem without us and yet is
manifest to us by his Spirit and dwelleth in our Hearts by Faith Eph. 3 yea it is for his sake that the Birth of the Flesh Persecutes us and so we follow the Lamb his Leading AND so as for Apollo's Worshippers by whose Priests the Devil gave Oracles R. W. might have applied at home who owneth no Voice or Motion of Heavenly things in him and therefore how can he Worship God in Spirit and Truth AND this Hebrew Child the Lord Jesus Christ will stop thy Mouth as he did the Devil's whom Apollo Consulted withal as thou say'st for neither he nor thou have proved your Lying Charges And G. F.'s words stand against thee clear from thy Charges R. W. And why dost thou say We upbraid all other Ministers and people for being out of the Infallible Spirit Answ. Do not your Ministers and Peopl● and Professors Confess Ye have not the same Immediate Holy Ghost as the Prophets and Apostles had So then are not ye Fallible Pope and Papist-like and not true Ministers and Over-seers made by the Holy Ghost who are not led by the same Holy Ghost as the Apostles were and so degenerated from the Apostles Spirit in the Primitive Times And J. Stubs witnessing the Vnction and saying as in John c. Hereby we know that we dwell in him because he hath given us of his Spirit John 1. and W. Edmondson they did not proudly boast of the Spirit as thou scoffingly say'st but they spoke what they knew R. W. saith The Apostles were Eye-Witnesses of the Resurrection of Christ c. but who are you c. Answ. Yea but Who are you and who art thou that callest the Light of Christ a FANCY R. W. And thou say'st That G. F. said at Providence that he opened the Eyes of the Blind Answ. But thou didst not hear him say so for thou wast not there and yes he and we do turning them from Darkness to Light But thou that callest the Light a Fancy stoppest their Eyes As for the Pope's and Balaam's thou migth'st have put in Balak too Saying This he and his New-England Priests might have applied to themselves and not to the Quakers for they have not only railed and cursed but HANGED outstript Balak and Balaam AND as for the Quaker in London and She-Apostle that called some Devil in New-England That was not of God that SHED his Servants BLOOD nor that Envyes them AND the Quaker at London carrying Dung in to the Priest It was to shew him that it was Like his and your Profession who ventur'd his Life But you New-England-Professors could cast him into your Prison at Boston That is your Entertaining of Strangers at Boston R. W. Thou say'st It is the great point of horrible Pride both among Papists and Quakers exalting Dung and Dirt of their own Qualifications ●xcellencies Graces c. and so goest on railing and say'st That we count the Business of this Christ as the Pope said but a Fable Answ. This is false the Lord knoweth it It never enter'd in our Hearts And thou that art to prove thy false Charges with such horrid Lies add'st Lie unto Lie and therefore what are your Qualifications and Excellencies but Dung and Dirt which thou might'st have applied to thy self and not to us And let the Papists Answer for themselves And R. W. should go to Rome and tell them so but there he dare not shew his Head R. W. And thou say'st That We exceed the Pope in our Doctrine of Perfection Answ. Yes Roger and Thee too who say'st Thou must have a Combate to the Grave and be Fighting all thy Life time and givest the Apostle the Lie who said He had Fought a good Fight c. and then he was not Fighting R. W. Thou say'st G. F. mak●s a● the Saints born of God Answ. What is a Saint R. W The Apostle tells thee He that believeth is born of God John 1 5. So thou manifestest that thou art not a Believer that opposest his Doctrine But these and many other things are Answered which he bringeth over and over to fill up this Book R. W. Thou say'st They can prove that the Three that bear Record in Heaven and the Three that bear Record in the Earth and the Scripture is within them they made it c. Answ. R. W. Thou art a Forger of these words which thou bringest to prove thy false Charge and to say That we are the Father Son and Spirit when we never spoke such words neither are such words in G. F.'s Book neither did we ever hear such words before as thou hast invented What! because Christ saith He and his Father are One And We have the Spirit of Christ and he dwelleth in us and We are the Temple of God Doth it follow that the Apostle had preached this Doctrine and said The Saints were GOD And because John saith There is Three that bear Record in Heaven c. and therefore doth it follow that They are the Three Well! but R. W. thou may'st do thy work and those Lies may be Food for the Persecutors in New-England but not for the Children of God And H. B. affirming that which he spoke to you was that God gave him c. But what was his Ridiculous Folly acted amongst you at Barbadoes and London since that thou hast not set it down And thou should'st have put down his Name at large for we do not know who it is thou speakest of But R. W. would have us to know that His Words were from God yea and his Sisters but his Words and Spirit are favored not to be from GOD. AND J. Stubs spoke Truth That it is our practice to pay Tribute to Caesar and Honor to whom Honor c. But R. W. saith It was against our Principle and Practice to shew Respect to any Person Answ. That is false and thou knowest much Respect was shewed unto thee and Patience yet thy Peevish Spirit was offended because we called thee Old Man AND there are no such Words in G. F.'s Writings that say That we are the Higher Power the Dignities the Most-High GOD but that every Soul must be Subject to the Higher Power O. R. W how darest thou speak those Forged Lies without Shame Blushing and Trembling if thou ha●'●● any Fear of God in thy Heart Do the Magistrates in Rode-Island profess any such thing which have the Government or the Governours And where did we desire Tribute of R. W. or the New-England-Professors or the whole Creation We charge thee and them to Answer it mention the Person and Time And we are the same as ever we were AS for Juggling and Dissembling thou may'st keep at home and it would be well if thou and the New-England-Priests and Professors could find a Day of Repentance For have not the New-England-Priests and thou taken the Authority of God to Judge and Rule over Mens Consciences which is the Seat of GOD R. W. And thou scoffingly say'st That we
read the Fourth Charge as willing to be out of Pain Answ. R. W. thou appearest to be Light Frothy Scoffing and Scornful and not like an Aged Man that should be a Good Example to the Younger And so thou hast plainly proved thy self and the New-England Priests to be the Swellers thou speakest of in the Third false Charge at Providence exercised with Pride and that your Religion Principles and Practice rise no higher than what a Reprobate may attain unto Who hatest and scoffest at the Light of Christ and callest it an Idol which thou must believe in before thou art a true Christian or else it will be thy Condemnation R. W.'s Eleventh False Charge The Religion of the Quakers is more Obstructive and Destructive to the Conversion of Souls and People than most Religions that are at this Day extant in the World Answ. Our Religion is the pure Religion and undefiled which was in the Apostles Days and thy Religion and the New-England-Priests that callest the Light of Christ a Fancy which John was a Witness to and Christ said Believe in is Destructive to people both to Conversion and Salvation For how can they see Christ their Salvation without the Light of Christ And how can they see the True Religion from the False without the Light of Christ And therefore we tell thee without the Light of Christ thou knowest neither our Religion nor thy own nor others in the World which in thy Darkness thou would'st seem to be a Judge of AND then to prove thy false Charges thou bring'st us a great Story and Tale of the Pagans and the Pope's and Mahom●ts Worship and the Jews Who art as Ignorant of theirs as thou art of the true Worship Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since R. W. And thou tellest How the Protestants have revolted and separated themselves from the Papists and have cried up the Lord Jesus in the Scriptures Answ. But how is R. W. and the New England-Priests revolted and separated from the Popes when they are found in their Envious BLOODY Spirit And how doth R. W. cry up Christ in the Scriptures Is Christ in the Scriptures to wit in the Writings Christ saith They testify of him and what Sense is this to say Ye cry up Christ in the Scriptures The Apostles and the Quakers Preach Christ at the Right Hand of God which the Scriptures testify of And Christ saith And it is Written of me he doth not say He is in the Scriptures And the Apostle doth not say Christ is in the Scriptures if he doth let us see where it is Written and keep to the Form of sound VVords R. W. And then thou tell'st us a Story of the Episcopalians and Presbyterians and Independants c. Answ. As though R. W. was a Judge of all these and many others and yet denieth any Voice or Motion of Heavenly things within himself and calleth the Light of Christ an Idol Yet in all this he hath not discovered his own Religion and what he is of himself for we do not understand that he is setled or joined with any of these Protestants Religion in any way of VVorship except by his Slanderous Book he may get into Favour with some Loose and Persecuting Spirits R. W. And thou say'st Those Religions differ each from the other as the Quakers do from the Papists Answ. And doth not R. W. himself differ with them all And R. W. if the Papists and the Quakers differ dost thou say so which wa st making us one all this while R. W. And thou say'st That we are more Destructive to the Souls of Men than the Papists who wildly profess all Ordinances and Ministers to be Invisible and yet are found to be as Visible and Open as any Answ. Here is a false Charge we never profess'd but the Bodies of the Saints and Ministers were Visible but being Able Ministers of the Spirit the Spirit is Invisible And we do believe thou hast more Love to the Papists than to us and that we are more Destructive to thine and your Hypocritical VVay and VVorship than the Papists But as for Destructive to the true Religion and the Souls of People this the New-England-professors and thou might have applied at home who call'st the Light an Idol by which Light they should see their Sins and know their Saviour that died for their Sins and saveth them AND it is in vain for thee to tell of Repentance and Faith and Saving of Souls and the VVorship of God in the Spirit and Truth and knowest of no Voice nor Motion of Heavenly things within thee to be hearken'd unto All thy Religion and thy VVorship and Profession hath been but from the Lips and the Mouth not from the Heart And we never Crack't of Quaking and Trembling as thou scoffingly say'st but we do VVork out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his pleasure And all that come to VVorship God in Spirit and in Truth they must come to the Truth in their Hearts the Spirit of God there to mortify their Evil Nature c. and this they will not find Easie. R. W. And then thou say'st The Turks and Papists to thy knowledge take more pains in their Religion than the Common Protestants and thou Confessest they do all but paint and gild over Nature's old and rotten Posts Answ. This is thine and New-England's Condition far of a true Faith and Repentance and that thou and you cannot see that callest the Light of Christ a Frantick Light and a Fancy And did Paul that turned people from Darkness to Light c. turn them to a Fancy And R. W. Thou say'st The Quakers come not near that Care of New-England I am sure at first for the personal true Repentance and Holiness of their Churches and Congregations and in the Margent thou say'st That the Quakers Conversion is not comparable to the VVay of New-England Answ. What ever their Conversion was at the first this we know that the Church in New-England are not now true Converts they are not turned from dead Works to serve the Living God Nay they are not turned from the Cruelty Persecution and Envy of the Vnconverted Jews and Heathens as their Fruits at large have manifested it Then they are degenerated from what they were at first Therefore the Comparison will not hold between the Quakers Conversion who like Lambs have suffered even unto DEATH and yours who Cruelly have persecuted even unto DEATH Therefore their Conversion is made no Conversion R. W. And then thou fall'st a-Railing again at our speaking THEE and THOV c. and bowing down to a dumb Image and Worship c. and that we say we are God and Christ. Answ. Which is Answered over and over and thy false Charge denied for we never of our selves said any such thing but God and Christ dwelleth in us AND why art thou angry so much at THEE and
Spirit the Finger or Power of God Answ. Here thou seems to help off thy Brother J. B. but thou hast made it worse with thy Confusion Thou say'st He takes it not for the Light of Peace and Joy c. called in Scripture nor the Preaching and Offering of a Saviour to poor lost Sinners c. and here thou mistakes thy self and J. B. For it was the true Convincing and Saving or Condemning Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the world which John came for a Witness to bear witness unto to poor lost Sinners and the Light which Paul turned People to from darkness that our discourse was about And is not the Awakening and saving Light the Light of Peace and Joy and Prosperity called in Scripture Light And is there any Light but the Light of Christ that lets people see their miserable Conditions and their damnable state by which Light they see their Saviour that saves them from their Sin and by believing in the Light they are grafted into Christ that dyed for their sin And doth not the Scripture say As the Law came by Moses Grace and Truth came by Jesus Christ and is not that within in the heart And thou say'st Of Grace and Mercy applyed to a soul by the good News of a Saviour some way heard of and the holy Spirit and Finger or power of God And what must we understand from thy words here Thou hast heard of the News of a Saviour and the Finger or Power of God and this must be applyed to a soul. And wilt thou come no nearer to Christ nor his Grace Mercy nor the Spirit nor the Power of God but thy Applying But doth not the Apostle say He that hath not the Son of God hath not Life and doth not he say If any Man hath not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his and They that are led by the Spirit of God are the Sons of God And as many as receive Christ he gives them power to become the Sons of God And it was Grace that established their hearts and seasoned their words and it was the Grace that was their Teacher and brought their Salvation And may not all the Papists and others that thou speaks of apply to themselves as much as thou do'st and yet be Reprobates and hear the News of a Saviour c For first People may hear the News of a Saviour but then to receive him as Christ saith He that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me And John saith He that hath the Son hath Life and he that hath him not hath not Life and then what good doth thy Applying the News of a Saviour to thy lying slanderous Spirit And John saith The Son of God is come and hath given us an understanding and we are in him that is true even in his Son Jesus Christ and this is the true God and Eternal Life Glory to his Name for ever R. W. And thou say'st that G. F. saith That the saving Light is in all Man-kind only persons do not mind it and so Jesus Christ is Crucified and Slain in them and God and Christ and Spirit and Light c. are all captivated and hindred from working yea altogether Killed and Slain in them because the Soul doth not mind them and hearken to Christ in them And then R. W. when he has invented the aforesaid words himself cryes Ah poor simple bruitish Imagination that ever it should enter into the thoughts of Men professing to be Christians or of Men professing to know more then the Wolves or Foxes in the Wildernesses Answ. Christ Lighteth every Man that cometh into the world with the Life in him the word and saith he is the Light of the world and saith Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of Light and he that believeth is saved and he that doth not is Condemned And the Condemnation is the Light that is come into the world which Light is Saving to them that believe in it and Condemning to them that do not believe in it but hate it whose deeds be evil c. Joh. 3. But R. W. is a Forger of many Lyes for where ever did he read in any of the Quakers Books or in G. F.'s Answer to J. B. that the Quakers should say that God and his Spirit and his Light c. and Christ who has all power in Heaven and Earth given to him and fits at the Right Hand of God and dyes no more and death has no more dominion over him that we say That God is Slain and Crucified and Christ and his Spirit and Light is slain and Crucified yea altogether kill'd and slain in us c. and Captivated and hindred from working and the reason is that the Soul doth not mind to hearken to Christ within Now we charge these upon R. W. to be Horrid Lyes For Christ was Crucified according to the flesh but the Scripture doth not say that the Eternal God dyed nor his Eternal Spirit And David when he sinned was afraid that God would take his holy Spirit from him and therefore we charge R. W. with these Lyes and Slanders which were never in our thoughts And Christ saith to John Revel 1. I am he that liveth and was Dead and behold I am alive for Evermore and have the Keys of Hell and Death though we say as the Apostle said of some that Crucified to themselves the Son of God afresh and put him to open shame like R W and as Christ says to Saul why persecutest thou me c. and as Christ saith Math. 25. I was in Prison and naked and sick and hungry c. and I say unto you In as much as you have done it unto one of the least of my Brethren ye have done it unto me c. And as for poor simple bruitish Imaginations and Men professing Christianity or Men professing to know more then the Wolves and Foxes in the wildernesses These Expressions R. W. may keep at home for it suites his own Abusive spirit the best and not the People of God called Quakers And R W. confesses that there is something of God in the Disobedient and Reprobates we do believe it doth Judge him sometimes and its like it might struggle with him before he brought forth this Birth of Confusion R W. Thou say'st There is something of God that is from the power and wisdom of God in the fallen Spirits the Devils themselves Answ. But R W. has not proved this doctrine of his by Scripture The Wisdom of God is gentle and pure and the power of God is pure and holy and something of God is pure Is this something of God of his divine being wisdom and power in the fallen Spirits the Devils R W for thy words are There is something of God that is from the power and wisdom of God in the fallen Spirits the Devils themselves but no proof from Scripture thou hast brought For Christ said unto the Jews Ye are
Author and Finisher of their Faith nor a Means of their Faith for had not they Faith in God before and Solomon and Moses did that which God commanded them And wilt thou say that Clay and Spittle was the Author of the Faith of Christ and none of these threw out God or the Father as being the Author of their Faith for those things were done by Faith R W. And thou say'st O what a throwing Spirit who toss and throw the Eternal and the Invisible God and his only begotten Son in their wild fancies as if they were Wool and Feathers of Lambs and Chickens which these Foxians have devoured Answ. As to Devouring Lambs and Chickens of Christ thou might have kept this at home for it 's thy own work And we must tell thee that the Eternal Invisible God cannot be tossed nor his only begotten Son who sits at his Right Hand cannot be tossed at all much less like Wool and Feathers as thou wickedly speakest and in this thou hast manifested that thou hast little knowledge of God or Christ who say'st They can be tossed like Feathers And is this the Mad Doctrine of the Priests in New England let the Reader see if Nebuchadnezar and Darius had not more Knowledge of God then R W. who saith God may be tossed like Feathers read Dan. 4 3 34. and c. 7 14 27. Isa. 40 28. Psal. 41 13. Psal. 19 2. 1 Pet. 1 11. 1 Tim. 6 16. And as for thy Throwing Spirit and Wild Fox thou may'st keep it at home for our desires are that all may come to Christ their Saviour and Salvation and not have them devoured by such a Spirit as thine is And thou must not think that the Eternal God can be tossed like thy self this is a base Language but the Lord will rebuke thy Spirit and it is a shame to the New-England-Priests if they have any to encourage this Orator in Printing this Unworthy stuff And the Quakers do not deny that the Scriptures are a Record of Heaven and a Record of the being of the Eternal Power and God-head of the Practice of the holy men of God and the death and sufferings of Christ and of the holy Men of God c. And is not the Scripture a Declaration of the Faith of God and of Christ and the holy Men of God Luk. 1. R W. And thou say'st For is it not a writing or Record of Heaven Answ. These are thy own words For the Quakers say The holy men of God spoke forth the Scriptures as they were moved by the Holy Ghost and they do believe that the Scriptures are a True Record of the glorious works of his Creating and Forming the Earth and the Sea and all things therein and of Making Man and Woman in his Image and of the Fall of Man-kind from their glorious First State in Paradise which R W. saith some talk Idly to be Every day Roger go and tell them of it to their faces and not backbite them R W. And thou say'st Which mysteries the Quakers have only from the Scriptures Answ. For the Apostle saith Through Faith we understand that the Worlds were framed by the word of God so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear Heb. 11. now what will R W. and his Company say to the Apostle here And we say that the Scripture doth declare of the Promise of the Father of Mercies and of Christ a Restorer a Redeemer of fallen Man-kind who is a Maker-up of the breach and how that the Seed of the Woman should bruise the Serpents head that made the breach And the Scriptures are a Record of all the Travails of the Children of Israel with all their Types and Figures which Christ is the Substance of who set up his worship in Spirit in Truth above 1600. years ago Joh. 4. And we say and believe that the Scriptures are a True Record of Christ's fulfilling the Promise of the Father and Prophets and of his Birth Life Doctrine Miracles Death Resurrection Ascension of the Son of God the Man Christ Jesus And it 's a true Record of the Believers in the Light of Christ before he was Crucified and after his Ascension and of his glorious Church in the Primitive times which he was the Head of And we believe it 's a true Record of the Apostacy of such as are err'd from the Faith and from the Spirit and inwardly ravened and become Anti-Christs and went forth from the Apostles and such as went in Balaam's Cain's and Korah's way and became Raging waves of the Sea casting up mire and dirt like R W. spoken of in Jude and became Gain-sayers of the Truth and Killers about Religion like Cain and the New England Priests and People And R W. c. would have us punished and here you appear with your Horns like them that are spoken of in the Revelations against the Lamb and his followers but the Lamb will have the Victory Glory to God for ever And the Writing in the Revelations is a true Record of the Whore drinking the blood of the Saints and the Beast making War with them which Beast rise out of the Sea and out of the Earth and so not from Heaven and the Beast received his power from the Dragon and so not from God nor Christ by which he persecutes his Saints And of the Witnesses Rising and of the Church's going into the Wilderness and of the Beast taken and the Dragon and the false Prophet cast alive into the Lake of Fire and of the burning up of the Whore and of the Marriage of the Lamb and the Everlasting Gospel Preached again to all Nations Kindreds Tongues and People and of the Heavenly Jerusalem and of the Nations of them that are saved shall walk in the Light of the Lamb c And doth any come into this City but by the Light of Christ and the Scriptures are a true Record of such as are without the City Whoremongers Dogs and Lyars c. like R W. that hath so belyed the People of God And the Spirit and the Bride saith Come to this City and Tree of Life and Let him that heareth say Come let him that is a thirst Come and whosoever will let him take of the water of Life freely And we believe all that is written in the Scriptures of Truth and can sing Hallelujah and praise the Lord for all his Mercies that he hath revealed to us through his Son And the Scripture is a true Record of the Joys of the Saints in this life and after this life and of the Torment of the wicked as Christ saith Go ye Cursed c. in his day of Judgment And thou say'st It may be G F. and the Quakers will say they grant all this Answ Yes and more too which is not mentioned here R W. Saith I question whether you speak bona fide and in truth without Jesuitical Equivocations Answ. We abhor thy words and
heareth the Words of this Prophesie if any man shall take away from the Words of this Book So were all these Audacious and blockish in a foul Spirit and a mad wild fancy that called them words and not the Word For the Scripture saith In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word and Christ his Name is called the Word of God Joh. 1. Rev. 19. therefore let God and Christ have their Due and the Scriptures have its due which are recorded by the holy men of God and are profitable c. And the Saints that have Christ have the comfort of them And doth not the Apostle say That they were made able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life and doth not the Apostle say If the Ministration of Death written graven in stones c. and further the Apostle saith For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistles of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in Tables of Stone but in the ●●eshly Tables of the heart and dost thou call those Blockish Expressions which we have often used Poor man thou knowest little of the Saints Conditions And we have an Esteem of the Scriptures blessed be the Lord for all his Mercies R. W. And thou say'st They dare not though what dares not thei● Hellish Spirit against the King of Heaven c and many words thou usest to prove the Scriptures to be the words and usest the Kings Name and Declarations c and then thou say'st The bottom and the truth is the Spirit by which the Quakers are acted would be glad that there were not such a Person called the Word of God nor such a writing declaring so sweetly so plainly so fully and so Heavenly of him Answ. These be all Lyes of thy own forging And as for Hellish Spirit against the King of Heaven it 's within thy own breast for we can praise the King of Heaven who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and own the Person of Christ by the Spirit of Christ that he hath given us as fully and plainly and as Heavenly as the Scriptures declare him whose Name is called the Word of God but not the Scriptures Rev. 19. And we are built upon him who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and all Believers praises to the Lord for ever R. W. And thou say'st G. F. is in his burrough of the various sense of the word Form Answ. Because G. F. saith The Apostles work was to bring People off the Form to wit the Jews to the Substance Christ and they that keep People in the Form without the power was an Error and was not in the Apostles work Which is true And as for thy various sense of the word Form which hath respect to Nature to Arts to Civil Natural and Divine matters G. F. mentions not such things and the Apostle would have them to live in the power of the Form of Divine Matters R. W. And thou say'st Shall I now like a Fool or a Mad Man cry down all Natural Civil and Divine beings are not all the Internal and External Forms Shapes and Beings of the Creation in Heaven and Earth and Sea of Angels Sun and Moon Men Birds Beasts and Fishes c. glorious Answ. Doth G. F. cry down any of these Forms or Shapes I say thou art a Mad Man if thou do'st And what is all this to the Apostle's saying who saith Having the Form of Godliness but denying the Power from such turn away that they might live in the Substance Christ Jesus And yet the Form of Godliness the Apostle doth not bid them turn away from R. W. Thou say'st G. F. runs to the Picture or Forms of these forms and saith Childishly That the Form or Picture without the Life is nothing And then thou say'st Who knoweth not that Answ. And then thou hast answered thyself Childishly as thou Scoffingly confesses But doth G. F. mention Picture in his Answer R. W. Thou say'st But to come to worship was there not a Form or manner of Circumcision the Pass-over the Tabernacle the Temple Answ. Yes among the Jews But do'st thou follow that Form and must the Christians follow that Form or Christ and doth not the Apostle say If you be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5 and is not the Jews Temple and Tabernacle abolished by Christ R. W. And whereas thou say'st Did ever the Servants of God when they inveighed against the Customarines● the Carelesness the Pictures and the meer formality of the worshippers Jews or Christians inveigh against the worship it self and the Appointments of God and of his Son Jesus Christ Answ. The true Prophets judged the Jews when they lived in the Form without the Power and told them their Service was no more then Cutting off a Dogs neck though the Prophets owned their worship till Christ came And then the Believers in Christ denyed the Jews worship and Altars which they offered upon when Christ was offered up once for all and denyed the Circumcision though it was death to a man that was not Circumcised among the Jews And they that have the Form of Christianity and deny the power though they turn away from them they do not turn away from Christ Jesus nor from the worship which Christ hath set up in Spirit and in Truth nor from the Christians Form of Godliness And it was the Labour of Gods Servants to bring People to the worship of God it self and to bring them off their dead and meer formalizing of them without the power and their Pictures R. W. And thou say'st What a shameless falshood is it that any of Gods Messengers brought Gods people off from those Heavenly Fabricks which God erected by their Ministry or Service all the world over Answ. Those Services and Offerings in the time of the Law it was no Shame nor falshood to bring them off them to Christ the substance And it is no Shame nor Falshood to turn away from them that have the Form of Godliness and deny the power now among Christians as the Apostle commandeth R. W. And thou say'st May not Gods Messengers now cry out against the Apish Imitations and the Formalities of the Papists so horribly and bloodily abusing Prayer and Preaching and Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. but like the Assyrians or Babilonians all these Christian Appointments must be broken and tumbled down with Axes and Hammers c. Answ. The Axes and Hammers as thou speakest of are the New-England Priests and Professors Weapons with their Whips and Goales and Gallowses For have the Papists been more bloody in this Age then you have been or the Babilonians or Assyrians and though you cry against the Papists yet you use their Weapons which you call Apish Imitations and Formalities But God's Messengers Weapons are Spiritual who
declare against the vain Formalities either in Prayer or Preaching yet they own the true Preachers which are able Ministers in the Spirit and true Pray●ng in the Spirit and the One Baptisme Ephes. 4. And as the Apostle saith to the Corinthians They were Baptized by one Spirit into one body 1 Cor. 12 13. R. W. And thou say'st This is Treason and Rebellion in any Atheists or whomsoever but more abominable Hypocritical in these Pharisaical Quakers who cry out against the Apish Imitatours and yet themselves practise Preaching Praying Congregations Singings Conventings and Addings to Castings out c. full well as the Lord Jesus speaks abrogating the word and appointments of God that they may set up and establish their own Traditions c. Answ. Thou hast not told the Reader what our Traditions are which Christ told the Jews But here of all thy Abusive Expressions we are clear of thy Treason and Rebellion and abomin●ble Hypocritical and Pharisaical which words suit thy own Spirit and thou may'st apply them at home And our Religion and Way and Preaching and Praying and Singing is according to Scripture and we are gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ where we find him in the mid'st of us a Prophet a Priest and a Bishop and a King to rule in our hearts who exerciseth his Offices in his Church And if any professes the Truth and doth not walk in it such we deny and the Believers are Added to Christs Church daily praised be the Lord. And why dost thou and you Priests of New-England separate your selves from the Papists and call her the bloody Whore of Rome when you are found in her Spirit and not in the Spirit of the First Primitive Christians R. W. And whereas thou say'st G. F. crys out against all Scriptures and common Sense and against all Forms Answ. These are more of thy Vntruths For he owns all Holy Scripture and doth not cry against all Forms but such as have the Form of Godliness and deny the power turn away from such And he and the Quakers own God's ways and manners of Gods worship in Spirit and Truth R. W. And thou say'st G. F. cryes up a Christ within a Scripture within and a Church within and Ministers within and Baptism and Supper within yet practises the most of these so many as their Idol requires will serve his turn as outwardly visibly as any in the world Answ. Is not Baptism of the Spirit within that burneth up the Chaff within how dark art thou and have not the Ministers of the Spirit the Spirit within And doth not the Apostle Preach Christ within the Saints and doth not Christ say I stand at the door knock and if any man will hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will Sup with him and he with me Revel 3 But where did ever the Quakers say in any of their books that the Church or Congregation was within them and these are thy own forged words not ours and is not the Spirit and the Truth within in which God is worshipped R. W. After thou hast commended R. Baxt●r our old Persecutor thou say'st It hath been his Observation viz. that the Churches of the Independents and Baptists have been the source and spring whence have flown the Generation of the Quakers And then thou contradicts him and say'st For my self I have observed the contrary in these parts Answ. Nay the Quakers spring is from that Fountain of Life which the Primitive Church was in Glory to the Lord God for ever who are built upon the Rock and Foundation Christ Jesus And R. W. do'st thou say That the Quakers sprung from the Ranters and Grindletonians what Babel is this R. W. And whereas thou say'st Although some rotten Professors or weak souls though true have been bewitched by these Soul-Witches yet generally where they have any Liberty the National Church fills up their numbers Answ Here thou judgest others as well as the Quakers but it is best to pply it to thy own Spirit and to see thy self first and your own Rotten profession at home And where they have any Liberty thou say'st but we know thy Spirit and the New-England Priests and Professors that call Light Darkness and persecute the Truth that is it you would not have to Have Liberty and call it the Soul-witches and therefore the Soul-witches thou may apply at home R. W. And thou say'st W. Edmonson boasted of their Numbers viz. their Religion is so Easi● never coming near the Roots of Rotten Nature but so wonderfully agreing with it and changing one Devil for another Answ. If the Quakers have Changed one Devil for another as thou say'st they are changed from your Religion of New-England and them that upheld it and from thee then thou do'st acknowledge that thou and the New-England Profession was a Devil and the Independents and the Baptists according to Baxter but thy Fore fathers the Jews said That Christ Jesus our Lord and Master whom we are Changed to that he had a Devil and by the Prince of Devils cast out Devils And as for the Roots of Rotten Nature that thou and you may apply to your selves which your Religion is made up of which thou would'st accuse the People of God withall which are in the pure Religion James 1 26 27. but thou hast manifested thy Religion with thy Unbridled Tongue And W. Edm. did not boast of our Numbers for that is the Abuses of thy Tongue but we can praise the Lord through Jesus Christ who adds to his Church daily R. W. And then thou say'st Thou adorest the Infinite power c. that they were not ten thousand-fold more c. then they are and then thou say'st I can demonstrate that if G. F. for all their Hypocritical prating against Carnal Weapons get a Sword as Mahomet did most of the Popish and Protestant and Pagan world will easily be brought to dance after him Answ. This is from thy Evil Thoughts and Cains Fear G. F. and the Quakers abhor thy words But this is your Condition in New-England and because the People of God will not dance after them therefore they have Hanged them and Banished them and Spoiled their goods For the Lord and his Son knoweth that Our Weapons are Spiritual that he hath armed us withall and if ever thou had'st set foot in the pure Religion which the Primitive Church and the Quakers walked and walk in thou would'st not say It is so easie But thou speakest Evil of that which thou knowest not and utterest forth the malice and envy of thy heart And we do pray to the Father to send forth Labourers into his Vineyard and that is his Work and not Mens and can praise the Lord at the Conversion of Sinners And as for Hypocritical prating that is thy own R. W. And thou say'st to M. B. Was there ever a Child of God in this world but he was a Nazarite separate from worldly
and thou art as dark about Christ that enlightneth every one that cometh into the world as thou art about the Temple who callest them Excellent Natural gifts in Noah Moses and Solomon R. W. And thou goest on and say'st What are those to a sight of my utter Inability to pay or all the Creation for me one farthing to God's Justice c Answ. It 's Christ that hath Shed his Blood and Tasted Death for all men and Enlightens all men and he is above the Heathen Philosophers in the first Adam and so all must believe in him the Light who hath enlightned them for Life and Salvation And many more slighting words there are in thy pretended Answer which are not worth mentioning And how do'st thou Magnifie the Gifts of God to many whom thou say'st neither thou nor G. F. is worthy to hold the Candle to when thou art setting up the Wisdom of the Heathen Philosophers with the Light in them which is the first Adam above then any man hath now as I. M. thinketh And what is this to know Christ and the New Creature and he the Quickning Spirit and the New-Covenant for they that Magnifie Christ will do as John did Bear witness to Christ who enlightens every man that cometh into the world R. W. And thou say'st Who knoweth not how full the world is of Admirable men and women that are not Christians and yet what a base Esteem hath this proud Spirit of all men yea of all Christians too that dance not after his foolish pipe c. Answ. Here thou abusest G. F. and the Quakers again if it be them thou meanest who hold forth the Universal Love of God to all Man-kind through Christ Jesus who shed his Blood and dyed for all and enlightens all and his Grace hath appeared to all and we exhort them to Believe in the Light that they may become Children of the Light And the Grace of God will teach them and bring their Salvation if they do not turn it unto Wantonness and do'st thou call this sound Doctrine Foolish Pipe R. W. And whereas thou bringest I. M's words The Prophets are more certain then any other Revelation And G. F. Answers Was not the Son of God Revealed c. and did not he Come in the Volumn of the Book to do the will of God and so they that had the Prophets and the Law to wit the Jews knew not the Son c. And R. W. Answereth and saith To pass by G. F s. Un-English and Non-sense c. Answ. It 's like this may be Non-sense to him though there may be some fault in the Printer but Charity would have past this by as I have often done in R. W.'s Book R. W. And thou say'st that G. F. knoweth not that the Question is not here whether Christ be the End of the Law and the Prophets c. and whether Christ was not more Revealed at his coming c but whether the Written Word of the Prophets of which Peter speaketh be not a more sure word of Command and Comfort to us then any now to be expected c. Answ. I. M. says The Prophets are more certain then any other Revelation and what is this to R. W's Questions And I say Christ being revealed which is the End of the Prophets and the Law c. He is a More and a Certain Revelation c. for he is the Salvation and the Foundation that the Law Typed forth and the Prophets Prophesied of for he is the Substance For many may have the Law and the Prophets in words as the Jews had and not receive the great Revelation of Christ Jesus and many have the New Testament of the Apostles and Christ but Christ says plainly None knoweth the Father but the Son and to whom he Revealeth him though they may have the Prophets like Jews and know him not But thou say'st But whether the Written words of the Prophets of which Peter speaketh be not a more sure word of Command and Comfort to us then any now can be expected What is this to the Revelation of the Son of God And thou wrongest Peter's words for Peter saith also We have a more sure word of Prophecy not of the Prophets as thou hast thrust in whereunto you do well that you take heed unto as unto a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in your hearts And is this Sure word of the Prophets of Command and Comfort to you more then any can be expected what do'st thou not own Christ the End of the Prophets a greater Comfort and a Revelation then the Prophets who is the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles But what dark place is this that the Light shineth in that people must take heed unto until the day dawn and the day-Star arise in their hearts for we say that all the Prophets of God did fore-tell of Christ which the Apostles and Peter preached Christ the Fulfilling of them praised be his Name for ever R. W. And thou say'st That God called his Mind his Word his works his Word his writings his Word and his Providence of Mercy and Judgment his Word in a way of Condescension to our Capacity c And this thou comparest with Rulers and Masters of Ships word c. or Records and Deeds with Hands and Seals c. And then thou say'st The word of God in the mouths of the Prophets written for after-generations c. and then thou tellest that the Jews have their Talmud and The Turks their Alcoran and the Pope his Decretals and the Protestants the Written Word or Scriptures Answ. Thou hast made many Words here if God's Work his Creation c. be his Word and if Scriptures which signifieth Writings be his Word and thou confessest the Word was in the Prophets which is true none opposeth that But the Scriptures of Truth are called the Words of God as Exod. 20. and in the Revelations and Christ calleth them Words Joh. 5 47. And if any man hear my Words Joh. 12 47 48. 14 23. John 15 7. My Words abide in you Jer. 5 14. I will make my Words in thy mouth fire Isa. 51 16. I will put my Words in thy mouth And Job 42 7. After the Lord had spoken all these Words So here you may see they are called the Words of the Lord and Christ's Name is called the Word of God Now the Apostle saith Through Faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the Word of God but where doth R. W. prove that God's Works are called his Word he hath given no Scripture for this And why do the School-Masters make Books for Children and tell them that Scriptures signifies Writings as in the English School-Master and other Books and you say They are the Word and give them the Title that belongeth to Christ and why cannot you give them the Title that the Holy Men of God gave to them which gave them
forth who called them the Holy Scriptures of Truth And thou needest not tell us What the Pope and the Jews and the Turk have and the Jews had the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets but would not receive Christ the Word R. W. And thou tellest of a written Pardon sealed with a broad Seal of a King or State and say'st What a fancy is it for a Condemned wretch first to hearken to a Pardon within to a King within a Writing within a Seal within and to slight the true Pardon in the King's way to be Conveyed from without to the Mind and Spirit within and to lose his pardon and deliverance as thousands of poor cheated souls must do Answ. The King 's written Pardon to Condemned men setteth them free but the Written in Scripture doth no● set men free nor Pardoneth mens Sins and Trespasses but it is Christ that dyed for their sins and shed his Blood for them and this the Scriptures testifie of that he hath purchased them with his Blood and he is the Offering for Sin And if the written Scripture be the Pardon of Sin of the Condemned World as the King 's written Pardon is for Condemned persons then all that have the Scripture have their Pardon by thy meaning but pag. 64. thou say'st The Scriptures avail nothing without the Spirit of God set it home upon us so here thou contradicts thy self And Christ saith Search the Scriptures for they testifie of me and in them you think to have Eternal Life but you will not come to me that you might have Life So the Life is in Christ and he that hath Christ hath Life and they that have not him have not Life and they that have not the Spirit of Christ are none of his though they may have the Scriptures And they who had their Garments made white it was by the Blood of the Lamb and not by written Pardons and they that are the true Believers in Christ the Light and are in the New Covenant as Heb. 8. he blotteth out their Sins and Trespasses in whom God writeth his Law in their hearts And 1 Cor. 15 3. Christ dyed for our Sins according to the Scripture so it is not a written Pardon though the Scriptures declare this And Christ dyed for the Vngodly Rom. 5 6. Christ dyed for us 1 Thes. 5 10 So he it is that Pardoneth And the Apostle said This is a faithful saying and worthy of all Acceptation that Christ Jesus came into the world to save Sinners of whom I am chief 1 Tim. 1 15. so it is God and Christ that doth Pardon and Forgive Sin Col. 2 13 and Luk. 5 20 and they that witness this their Sins are forgiven them For the true Believers are Sealed with the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God is within and hear the Voyce of Christ their Shepherd Thy sins are forgiven thee and so have their Testimony of pardon within and so come to be built upon Christ the Rock and Foundation So it is one thing to have the Writings and another thing to have the Seal of the Spirit of Christ as they had that gave forth the Scriptures and they that are Sealed with it have the comfort of God and Christ and the comfort of the Scriptures c. R. W. And thou bring'st R. H. which saith It is against the Light of Nature for Women to preach c. And G. F. Answers R. H. and saith Contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine the mind of God and the Prophets who said God would pour out of his Spirit upon All Flesh and his Sons and Daughters should prophesie So that he is a Limiter of the Holy One a Quencher of the Spirit in Darkness and this is above the Light of Nature And R. W. Replyeth and saith What is the Light of Nature but that Light in which every man cometh into the world with as the Quakers speak which differeth from the Light of Beasts c. Answ. What is this to G. F's Answer for G. F. and the People of God in Scorn called Quakers which thou in Scorn callest Foxians do not say That the true Light which is the Life in the Word which enlightneth every man that cometh into the world which is a Light to be revealed to the Gentiles as Simeon speaketh is a Natural Light or Light of Nature For this is the Super-Natural and Light from Heaven which John speaketh of in the Scripture and as God said I will give him for a Covenant and a Light to the Gentiles and he shall be my Salvation to the ends of the Earth and where doth John or the Apostles call the true Light which is Life in the Word which Lighteth every man that cometh into the world a Natural Light or Light of Nature And then thou goest on and tellest a great Tale of the Natural Light in man which is nothing to the purpose to G. F's Answer R. W. And then thou say'st It 's true that in Religious and Christian matters there is no respect of persons with God as of man before the woman otherwise then to Order Natural and Civil And thou say'st It 's true the Wisdom of God preferreth some Women before thousands of men c. as Lady Jane and Q. Elizabeth c. And thou say'st Christ appearing to Mary Magdalen and other Women and sending them to carry the first Tydings of his Resurrection to his Apostles c. and Mirjam and Huldah c. Prophecying before Christ's coming and at his coming according to Joels Prophecy his Spirit on his Daughters as well as his Sons c. yet this favour of God towards Women destroyeth not the Order which the God of Order or Nature hath set in those Bounds Limits and Distinctions between Male and Female c. Though the Holy Scripture were silent yet Reason and Experience tells us that the Woman is the weaker Vessel that she is more fitted to keep and order her House c. And the Lord hath given a Covering of longer hair to Wom●n as a sign of covering Modesty and Bastfulness Silence and Retiredness and therefore not so fitted for Manly Actions and Employments Answ. Here doth not R. W. contradict himself Though the Apostle doth say That the Woman is the weaker Vessel and it is so known yet is not Christ and his Spirit as strong in the Female as he is in the Male For thou say'st There is no respect of persons with God as the Man before the Woman and God preferreth some Women before thousands of Men as Lady Jane and Q. Elizabeth and Deborah and yet thou say'st Women are not so fitted for Manly Actions and Employments These were Manly Actions and Godly of Q. Elizabeth and Deborah c. And then thou say●st She being the weaker Vessel she is more fit to keep and order her House and Children c in Silence and Retiredness c. but in this thou confoundest thy self for these were Fitted with
Spirit to cause the Elder women to Instruct the Younger as Occasion calls them from home and is it not their Duty and do'st thou make this a Comparison with Abraham in the Case of Isaac as thou say'st surely no for it is the Duty of all Christian Women in their Families To instruct their Children But what is this to Daughters Prophesying for did not Priscilla Instruct Apollo as well as Aquila and doth not the Apostle speak of Women that Laboured with him in the Gospel Phil. 4 and were these only their Families or as occasion justly called them from home Did Mary Magdalen and other Women preach Christ's Resurrection As occasion called them from home or as Christ sent them and did not they confess and preach Christ at other times as well as in times of Persecution and all true Christian Believers that Believe in the heart with the mouth they will make Confession unto Salvation Rom. 10. R. W. And thou bringest T. H. that saith The Sight of the God-head without Faith in Christ is the foundation of all false Worships And G. F. Answers to T. H. Can any see the God-head or have a sight of the God-head and not see Christ and have Faith in Christ and who hath Faith in Christ do not they see the fulness of the God-head and dwell in Christ And were not their minds turned To that of God in them which declared the Invisible things of him from the Creation of his Eternal power God-head which the Apostle found fault withal c. Rom. 1 let all Examine and Judge Read the Scripture and try R.W. Replyeth to G. F. and saith I have Conversed with all the Indians of New-England c. and I have read Rom. 1. often and I find that first theris generally in all Man-kind in the world a Conviction of an Invisible and Omnipotent and Eternal Power and God-head and thou say'st That this Conviction doth arise from the Creation c. And then thou tellest what men hold c. Answ. Do'st not thou here speak contrary to the Apostle's Doctrine for doth not the Apostle say Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them and God hath shewed it unto them why do'st thou speak contrary to the Apostle's Language and say'st It riseth from the Creation And must not that which Is general in all Mankind in the world be the Spirit of God which Convicteth them of the Invisible and Omnipotent and Eternal Power and God-head and yet thou say'st There is no Voice nor Motion to be hearkned to in Heavenly things in matters of Super-natural Light p. 83. for the Apostle saith That which may be known of God so it is Of God which God hath shewed unto them therefore God will Judge the world in Righteousness who acteth contrary to that which he Sheweth them Rom. 1 19. R. W. saith I find not that every man or men by all their Natural Light or Wit or Christ within could find out how the world or himself man or woman were Created though Naylor telleth us in Print that if never a Letter of the Scripture had been writ yet their Spirit could tell them all things Answ. We do believe thee that thou and All men in their Natural State or Natural Light cannot find out the worlds nor how they were made c. because that Solomon saith The world is set in thy heart c. Eccles. 2. And whereas thou say'st Nor the Light of Christ within In that thou speakest Ignorantly for the true Light of Christ which is Life in the Word by which All things were made this Light that shineth in their hearts giveth them the Light of the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus the Word by whom All things w●re Created And as for I. N's saying that If they had not had the Scripture yet the Spirit of God teacheth them all things and why not Did not the Spirit of God teach them all things that gave forth the Scripture and is not the Spirit of God the same which led the holy men of God to give forth Scriptures which the Holy Ghost now leads into the Truths of them And the Apostle saith By Faith we understand the worlds were made by the word of God c. Heb. 11. and so by the same Faith it is understood now in the same Faith Moses describeth it who saw him that was Invisible and saw Christ who is the Author and Finisher of this true Faith which Faith thou and the New-England-Priests are erred from as is manifest R. W. Thou say'st All men confess that the Will or Mind of God is pure and as they could come to know it it is to be adored and kept and observed and that it was ever and is wickedness to sin against it Answ. Then must not this be the pure Spirit of God that maketh them to confess to his pure Will or Mind and to confess that it was ever sin and wickedness to sin against it R. W. And thou say'st None for all the Light and Spirit in every one could ever find how Sin and Death and Sorrow came into the world nor how such Inclinations and Dispositions of sin came into themselves Answ. Then thou art out of the Faith and Spirit and Light that Moses was in and the Apostles for the Apostle that turned people from the Darkness to the Light of Christ Explaineth it Rom. 5. And do'st not thou think that he saw it with the Spirit of God within and the Light of Christ which lighteth every man that cometh into the world and that Moses did not see it with the same Light of Christ and the Spirit of God because thou say'st None for all the Light and Spirit in every man could find it And such that did understand Visions and Dreams and the Scriptures c. it was by such as Obeyed the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God Revealed such things to them R. W. And further thou say'st Thou findest in all Men a Conviction that God is just and powerful and doth bring Plagues and Punishments upon persons for gross sins as Adultery and Murder c. Answ. And before thou confessest more General That it was ever and is wickedness to sin against it to wit the Mind of God pag. 28. And will not this Teach them to Resist the Devil that Teacheth them to Forsake sin and will not that Teach them to Glorifie God as he is God if they obey it and what is all this that thou hast spoken in thy Answer here to the purpose for sometimes thou grantest what G. F. saith in Rom. and then thou speakest slightingly of the Light of Christ and callest it Natural which is from the Spiritual man But all that see their Happiness and their Blessedness in the world that is without End they must see it by the Divine Light of Christ and do Resist the Devil with the Faith that Christ is the Author
up his Cross and deny himself he that will be his Disciple and they must Die with Christ if they Live with him and suffer with him if they Reign with him and his Spirit teacheth Temperance Patience and Holiness yea to deny that which is Unholy both in Word and in Thought And the Righteousness of Christ Jesus is our Fine Linnen and it is God and Christ that doth justifie by the Spirit who art thou that dost Condemn And where did we say that Our Holiness is Christ and God though we cannot deny Christ to be Our Holiness c. who deny Self-holiness R. W. And thou say'st I know the Writers of the Quakers make this high Obedience to be the Crown of some high Saints among them as the Papists do and that others come not so high are taken by the fleshly Spirit and Repent and Confess and be more watchful as they say in a Contradiction of J. Naylor Answ. These are most horrid Lyes and Reader see if G. F. speaketh any of these words in his Answer to T. H. as to the Crowning of high Saints like the Papists for their Obedience or Making their Obedience a Crown for it is the Lord Jesus Christ that Crowneth his Saints that believe in his Name and grow up in his Grace and Truth And as for a Fleshly Spirit and Repent and Confess this you may apply at home for we own no Repentance nor Confession but what is made by the Spirit of God in which we have Unity and for Exhorting to the watchful that is Christ's Doctrine And it is no Contradiction to say He that is born of God cannot sin for the Apostle John explaineth this in his Epistles better than thou can'st which the Quakers own which thou makest a great Jumble about For the Apostle saith He that believeth is born of God and overcometh the world and is not that the world in mens hearts and he writeth to Young-men and Fathers which had Overcome the Wicked one and to Little Children that they sin not and if any man sinneth we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is a Propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. R. W. Thou say'st Yet again in a horrible Mystery of Iniquity they exclaim against the Protestants for saying A Child of God cannot fall from the true Grace Finally or Totally Answ. Here are no such words in G. F.'s Answer to T. H. Or how hangeth this together thou say'st They say He that is born of God cannot sin then how Can they Fall from the true Grace But what say'st thou to them that Crucifie the Son of God afresh and do despite against the Spirit of Grace and turn it into Wantonness and these are such as do not Own the True Grace of God which is their Teacher though it hath appeared to them nor do not Believe in the Light of Christ Jesus but hate it And If the Righteous Fall they rise again but the Wicked Fall into Mischief R. W. And thou say'st Here is a Mystery of Hellish Iniquity in that they confess such a Man Christ to have been and his Blood-shedding the Types and real Predictions and Figures of him a real Death Resurrection and Ascension yet upon the point by a Devilish Chymistry evaporate all these and leave nothing but a Christ within as God and Man whose Name is now Light c. Motions within Answ. As for Hellish Mystery of Iniquity and Devilish Chymistry thou may'st keep at home for according to the Scriptures of Truth we do believe Christ Jesus his Birth Sufferings Resurrection and Ascension who fulfilled the Prophets and the Types and Shadows of him And what must we not call God and Christ as the Scriptures call them for God is called the Light and Christ saith I am the Light And though Christ is Risen and Sitteth at the Right hand of God yet he doth dwell In his Saints his Temple according to the Apostle's Doctrine as you may see 1 Cor. 6. and 2 Cor. 6. And what must not God's people Obey the Motions of the Spirit of Christ and his Light and to take heed to it by which they may see Christ their Saviour and Justification and Salvation and the Lord their Righteousness and the Apostle stirred up to Perfection and to Holiness which all the Saints are to follow R W. And thou say'st It is a Hellish Mystery of the Devil to Cosen poor souls with a Notion of the Difficulty and Hight of their profession and of Worshipping God in Spirit and Truth which they say no body in the world doth but they Spirit within Answ. Our good Profession which we make is of Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour who hath enlightned us to follow him and his Worship that he hath set up in Spirit and Truth and they that quench the Spirit and hate the Light and will not come to Truth cannot worship God in Spirit and Truth John 3.4 And this Truth and Spirit of God is Within people and thou or they that draw people from the Truth in the Inward parts and Spirit within you draw them into the Hellish Mystery and Cosen poor souls as thou speakest of for coming to Christ and his Worship And whereas thou say'st Thou toldest them of an Image in the Bed but David was gone c. but this is thy own Condition And then thou say'st That their Religion is one of the Easiest in the world Nay thou never trod the Path thou do'st not know what it is the Gallowses and Goals and Whip-Stocks manifest whether Our Religion be Easie. R. W And whereas thou tellest us What will delight our Ears and Minds to wit various Tunes of Musick c. Answ. But that which Delighteth Vs is the Lord Jesus Christ and his Holy Ghost and the Joy of the Lord is our Strength And that which thou applyest to Us thou may'st keep at home it 's thy own and none of ours R. W. And thou say'st If a poor soul give way an Inch and lets in one thought of yielding to the Voice of a Spirit within they are filled and ravished with Curious Notions of Justification Holiness and Righteousness God and Christ and the Spirit within them Answ. How endlesly do'st thou speak against the Voice of the Spirit of God in his People And the Apostle exhorteth Not to walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8 1 2 5 6 9 10 11 13 16 26 27. Rom. 12 11. and 1 Cor. 6 20 34. 1 Cor. 12 13. Gal. 5 5 16 18 25. Eph. 4 3 5 9. Phil. 1 27 That you stand fast in one Spirit Phil. 2 1 If any fellowship of the Spirit c and those are the Poor souls that do not hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And they that Obey the Voice of God and Christ must Obey the motions of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit leadeth to Holiness
Spirit as literally and properly as the Scripture declareth him And thou say'st again That W. Edm. shewed but little Philosophy and Divinity Doth not the Apostle bid the Saints Beware of Philosophy and if they had known God and Divinity by it the Apostle would not have bidden them beware of it surely And thou say'st That W. Edm. affirmed that properly and really that Scripture of Wolves coming in Sheeps-Cloathing was to be understood Literally without Meaning And what meaning wilt thou give to Christ's Words are not Men called Wolves really that worry Christ's Sheep about Religion for Christ doth not say They are Wolves with four Feet and when Christ spoke Parables he said He that hath an Ear let him hear and sometimes he expounded them to his Disciples And the Scripture calling God a Father and a Husband and Christ a Rock and Christ's Believers are called a Body a House a Flock are they not really so for it doth not say They are a Flock of Sheep as outwardly or other Creatures nor an outward House c. And then thou goest on with a great Tale and tell'st What the Papists hold and what is amongst them Roger though thou and you of New-England are separated from the Church of Rome yet you are found in the same Old Spirit of Persecution R. W. And whereas thou say'st By God's holy and wise Permission the Devil sends out his old known Spirit of pure Invisibles and pure Immediate and pure Worshippers in Spirit and Truth Answ. Roger do not Blaspheme against the Holy Spirit of God For is not God's Spirit and Truth Holy and Pure in which he is Worshipped and is not God's Holy Spirit Invisible or is it Mediate R. W. And thou say'st This Spirit to wit of the Quakers being Cozen German to or Sworn Brother in Hellish Equivocation with the Jesuites c. Answ. These are thine and the New-England Priests Conditions as your Fruits have declared it for the Quakers obey the Commands of Christ who saith Swear not at all R. W. For thou say'st The Quakers Churches they are as they Childishly vapour Bodies without Wants or Distempers c. Answ. Reader see if there be any such Words in G. F's Answer for G. F. speaketh of the Mystical or Spiritual Body he doth not speak of Naturals nor Bodies of outward Families or Bodies of Nations and Cities or Armies Nor Visible Churches nor the Body of Visible Churches but the Spiritual Body For doth not the Apostle speak of a Spiritual Body and a Natural Body and so it is God that doth supply both And G. F. doth not speak of the outward Bodies of the Saints for is that Mystical R. W. And then thou say'st What known Divisions and Passions about J. Naylor's and others Cases what Envyings Cursings Apostasies and Moral Idolatry as that of Covetousness in this Colony known notoriously Answ. Thou hast not particulariz'd who they be and what is their Covetousness who is known so notoriously as thou say'st in that Colony therefore we look upon this as a Slandering of thy Neighbours for we question whether thou hast admonished them if it was so before thou told the World And as for Cursings and Envyings and Divisions thou mightst have kept that amongst you New-England Professors but if any one do not walk as becometh the Gospel we do Admonish them And if there be any Difference about outward Matters according to the Apostle's Doctrine we do end it amongst our selves according to Truth and Righteousness 1 Cor. 6 and God hath given us Judgment in such Matters as well as Spiritual R. W. And thou say'st I have fairly Collected that the Spirit of the Quakers tends to Incivility and Barbarisme and to suddain Assassinations Murthers and Persecutions Answ. This is thine and the New-England Spirits whose Persecution is known for you have proved it already And thou wouldst have us punished and yet thou wouldst not have it called Persecution as in thy 200 page Is not your Law standing by which you Murdered God's People and do not your Laws and thy stirring up to Punishment Collect or declare your own Spirit not to be the Spirit of Christ for where would it have any to be punished for Matters of Religion and Conscience towards God And so as for thy Lies and abusive Speeches we can say The Lord forgive thee if it be his Will R. W. And thou say'st I believe that I have and can further make it good that the Eternal Father of Mercies stops millions of Mischiefs in the world daily which the Natures Grounds and Principles of Men and the Quakers Spirit also now to turn and overwhelme the world withal Answ. Here thou hast manifested thy self to be of the Spirit of them that opposed Paul who said he was a Pestilent Fellow and a Turner of the World upside down And as for the Principles of Men beside the Quakers they may answer for themselves and thy Slanders may serve such as are given up to believe Lies but sober People that know us will not receive nor believe thy Lies but it will make more to believe the Truth which thou canst not stop But let the Reader see if R. W. in all his Rambling Reply hath said any thing to the Spiritual or Mystical Body which was G. F's Question R. W. And thou bringst J. Clapham his saying Men may be called of Men Masters and it is but a Cavel to deny it and they may deny to be called Father as well as Master And G. F. Ans. Thou hast in this denyed the Doctrine of Christ and slighted it who saith Be not ye called of Men Master for ye have all one Master which is Christ and ye are all Brethren and thou hast shewed thy self out of that Brotherhood And there is a Birth to be born which calls no Man Father upon Earth which thou art ignorant of And R. W. replyeth and falleth a Railing and calleth it G. Foxs's lame Answer Answ. Let the Reader see if it be not Christ's Doctrine which he might as well have called Christ's Doctrine Lame which he Preached to his Disciples R. W. And thou say'st Among other Foolish Passions and Affections haunting all Men and the Quakers especially these two are notorious viz. Pride and a lazy Ignorance these two are the Sir and Dame of most of these Wild Monsters Answ. R. W. might have kept this at home for it is his own Condition who kicketh at Christ's Doctrine that G. F. brings who saith Neither be ye called of Men Master for one is your Master even Christ and ye are all Brethren And he manifests himself to be in the steps of the Pharisees who love to be called of Men Rabbi And so for his Foolish Passion and Pride c. and Lazy Ignorance and wild Monstrous Spirit he may apply at home who doth not obey Christ's Doctrine And we know that those Opposites have written against Christ's Doctrine who love to be called of Men Masters and against us
after thou hast rambled a great while but nothing to purpose to G. F's Answer thou say'st In the last place I affirm and have made it good that the Generation of the Papists and Quakers are so Pure in their own Eyes yet they are not cleansed from their own Filthiness the Papists are justly charged with Superstition and Idolatry and Drinking the Blood of Saints and have not the Generation of the Quakers their Images and Idols also as I have manifested their Pride Ignorance and Idleness in not using Means and their Passionate Railings c. And if this Spirit had got the Sword it would drink the Blood of its Enemies as Hereticks Idolaters Reprobates and Devils Answ. Roger Williams thou hast measured the People of God in scorn called Quakers with thy own Measure and Rule which thou hast put with the Priests and Professors of New-England and Judgest Vs thereby like unto Your selves Have any of the People called Quakers that have had the Magistrates Power in their hands used any of these Weapons to Dissenters in Rode-Island or elsewhere Nay have not some suffered in New-England and Run the Gantlop because they would not take up the Sword And as for Drinking of Blood Railing Passion c. let the New-England WHIPS GALLOWS and Laws and SPOILING of Goods and R. W's own Desire in his page 200 to Magistrates to Punish us speak which is most like We or They to the Papists And why was our BLOOD DRVNK in New-England was it not because we could not bow to their Image they set up like Nebuchadnezar and the Papists And as for Pride Ignorance Passion Railing Cursing let R. W. look at home and his New-England Brethren the Priests And for their Ignorance and Idleness in not using Means what Means are they they should use any that come from this Persecuting Spirit nay you may keep it your selves for we do tell thee and the New-England Priests There is no other Name given under Heaven for Salvation than the Name of Jesus And for Idleness R. W. may keep that Charge too at home that lyeth Lazily at home Railing in the Woods for if he be a Minister of the Gospel why doth he not go and Preach the Gospel to Pope and Turk he so much Raileth against behind their Backs But it 's like he will say He findeth no Call nor the New-England Priests any further than they can find a great Benefice but neither He nor They can say The People called Quakers are Idle that left their own Country and Kindred to come to New-England to Preach the Gospel freely whom they WHIPT IMPRISONED BANISHED and HANGED But thou dost affirm that the Papists and Quakers are not cleansed from their Filthiness Let the Papists speak for themselves but as for the People of God called Quakers thou darest not say that thou hast an Infallible Spirit to Judge and therefore thou know'st not our Condition and affirmest thou dost not know what But we must tell thee that as John saith We who walk in the Light as he is in the Light we have Fellowship one with another and the Blood of Christ Jesus Cleanseth us from all sin And because thou art not Cleansed thou measurest us by thy self who art pure in thy own Eyes but not in the Eyes of Christ or his People R. W. Thou bringest the Priest's Words G. F. Fol. 220. saying Man is not able to Discern the Things of God till he be Born again And G. F. Answ. The Scripture speaketh of Discerning the Eternal Power and God-head and that was a Thing of the Spirit of God and the Apostle saith not that they were Born again And yet I say that None knoweth the Things of God but by the Spirit of God and that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it to them for that of God in them was of the Spirit who is the God of the Spirits of all Flesh which bringeth them to Discern the Eternal Power and God-head R. W. replyes in a Railing Spirit and saith With amazement at the dreadful Justice of God hardening this daring Soul for playing away his own Light and the Name of God and the Light which the Lord hath sent him from so many Excellent Pens out of which he hath raked nothing but handfuls of Reproaches to fling in the Faces of his best Friends and turned Truth into Lies and Poyson to Murther himself and others Answ. Now let the Reader read G. F's Answer and R. W's Reply and see where G. F. hath cast any Handfuls of Reproaches in the Faces of those he calleth his best Friends which were our Old Persecutors in Oliver's days And as for Lies and Poison and Murthering my self and others thou mightest have kept that to thy self which is sufficiently manifested in thy own Book but I know the Truth is the Savour of Death unto such as thou art and therefore it doth Amaze thee For G. F. hath not played away his own Light that God hath sent him nor his Name these Words come from thy Frothy Airy Spirit but what doth this prove that People have not the Spirit of God nor the Light of Christ nor his Grace which they hate and turn into Wantonness R. W. And thou say'st The Eternal Power and Godhead cannot be seen by Mortal Eyes And again thou say'st All Mankind are bound by the Law of their Nature to put forth their utmost in searching after God and we may gain a Great Sight of the God-head c. Hast not thou Contradicted thy self for is not Nature Mortal And further thou say'st Yet this Sight of God which Men and Devils may get of God by their Natural Abilities c. and yet thou say'st No Mortal Eye can see the Eternal Power and Godhead and again We may gain a great Sight of the Godhead and yet not see him nor glorifie him that is Love him as Paul 1 Cor. 8 Answ. Here in thy own Distinction thou hast Confounded thy self For first thou wilt grant that Paul was a Believer 1 Cor. 8 secondly thou say'st The Eternal Power and God-head cannot be seen by a Mortal Eye then this great Sight of the God-head must be seen by a Spiritual Eye according to the Apostle's Words and thy Consequence because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them And this must be by the Spirit by which they know the Invisible things of him even his Eternal Power and Godhead Rom. 1 and so it is by the Spirit of God the Things of God are known according to 1 Cor. 2 and such as quench the Spirit and vex and rebel against the Spirit of God and resist the Holy Ghost and hate the Light of Christ and turn the Grace of God into Wantonness are those Born again of God his Power and Spirit or prate like thee in the Imaginations for John saith He that is Born of God overcometh the VVorld R.
of Christ's mouth that which is not of him was not that of Christ that he breathed upon his disciples when he said Receive ye the Holy Ghost what was that a Figure of if not of a Participation of his own Breath Life and Spirit and if so it seemeth this that cometh out of Christ's mouth must be his breath By the Brightness of his Coming and the Breath of his mouth he shall destroy the man of sin that is by his Spirit what now Roger is it not Christ's Breath that goeth out of his Mouth that destroyeth and is it not his Breath his Spirit doth not both the Hebrew and the Greek say so wherefore the Sword with Two Edges that cometh out of Christ's mouth is the Spirit by which he destroyeth and will destroy the man of sin and all such scornful men as thou art if you repent not R. W. The●e great Interpreters are confounded in themselves for in Ephes. 4. the Spirit must be the Sword but in Hebr. 4. Christ must be the Sword with two edges being the Word of God and not the Spirit Answ. Thou writest as if thou ravest there is no such passage in Ephes. 4. Next for Hebr. 4 there is no such thing as making Christ the Two-edged Sword For the words are That the Word of God is sharper then any Two-edged Sword but that the Scriptures are not Christ and the Spirit as thou wouldst have it neither can they pierce even to the dividing asunder of soul and Spirit and of the joynts and marrow nor are they a discerner of the Thoughts and Intents of the Heart this were to make the Scripture a Spiritual and Invisible Being yea an Omnipresent one yea God For they declare that he that searcheth the Heart and trieth the Reins and telleth unto man his Thoughts the LORD OF HOSTS is his Name Thou art like the Apostate Jews that by thinking to Honour the Scripture dishonour God Christ Spirit and Scripture too But thou callest us Juglers for shifting from Christ to Spirit and Spirit to Christ again what Vnsavoury Words hast thou Is not Christ Jesus called the Word of God and is he not called the Quickning Spirit and is not the Spirit Christ's Spirit and can Christ be separated from his own Spirit but thou art Ignorant of that Vnion being in the Death and Alienation from Christ and his Spirit R. W. But it is Objected by G. F. That the Spirit was before the Scripture and gave forth the Scripture I answer What then G. F. is before his Book and gave it forth is it not therefore G. F's Word and Writing but G. F. himself Or is not the King's Majesty before his Declaration to the World is it not therefore the King's Word or is it the King himself Answ. What I say is true and R. W. shall not be able to deny it if he own plain Scripture For before the Scriptures were the Word was it was In the Beginning so were not the Scriptures The Word was with God and was God so were never the Scriptures All things were made by it that were made but nothing was ever Created by the Scriptures therefore not the Word of God but Words Again the Word of God that came to the Prophets was not the Written Word yet the Word therefore the Written Word was not that Word but a Declaration of that Word and came from the Word so that which was before the Scriptures and from whence they came is the Word and not themselves So that what thou Alludest to confoundeth thy self G. F. is before his Writing and the Writing is not G. F the King is b●fore his Declaration and the Declaration is not the King In like manner the Word is before the Scripture and the Scripture is not the Word but a Declaration of that Word and the Words of that great Word So we are for the Form of Sound Words that proceed from that Divine Word that dwelt in Enoch Abraham and the Patriarchs before the Scriptures were and in the Holy Prophets and Apostles before they gave forth the Old and New-Testament-Writings which they directed the Antient Saints to and desired that it might dwell richly in them R. W. Thou say'st This Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scripture from the Spirit makes it a Word so powerful a Standard Touch-stone or Weights so perfect for the Tryal of all Spirits Writings Doctrines Religions Worships Actions c. Answ. The Immediate Inspiration of the Holy Scripture is no Scripture-saying neither can the Scripture Inspire Thou bringest-in From the Spirit if thou meanest that they are Given forth by Inspiration we own it if thou intendest more 't is Erroneous for Inspiration is by the Spirit of God only Now the Scripture is a S●aled Book to thee and thy Generation neither knowest thou the Meaning of it for it is only given to the Spiritual Man to Discern he that is lead and guided by the Spirit but thou shuttest the Spirit out the Scripture is sufficient Wherefore thou art ignorant of the Scriptures for they are not to be learned but by the Spirit that gave them forth they are shut up from all the Wisdom of this World therefore the Jews understood them not but persecuted Jesus by them as they d●rkly imagin'd as thou dost us and thought in them to find Eternal Life and not in Christ whom they discerned not as thou dost not the Children of Light But do the Scriptures try Spirits they say the Anointing is to do it whom shall we believe But Roger Tryal of Spirits is more than Tryal of Doctrines Writings and External Truth What! if a Man profess all the Doctrines of the Apostles and were outwardly not to be condemned in his Conversation yet might have a Deceitful Spirit to gather to himself and endeavour to supplant the true Servants of God and an all occasions use the Words of the Prophets and Apostles and say Thus saith the Lord but God never spoke by him how wouldst thou try this Spirit and this Power what Chapter or Verse would give thee a Savour and Discerning of the Spirit of this Deceiver this Wolf in the Sheeps-Cloathing to try not the Words but the Nature Life and Spirit that useth them But it hath ever been the Devil's Way in his Instruments since the Scriptures were given forth to pretend to Stand up for the Scripture when the Design is to war against and undervalue the Power Spirit and Anointing endeavouring to bring it into Disgrace But the Lord beholds these things and he will overtake such Evil Instruments with his Judgments and his Power and Spirit and Seed of Life and Holy Anointing which the Scriptures of Truth testifie of shall appear more and more and go over all R. W. Thou say'st further But the Pharisees saith G. F. had the Scriptures but they had not the Sword of the Spirit I answer The Jews had and have and so the Turks have had much of it the Papists and the Quakers
and other Blasphemers and the Devils themselves may have the Scripture the Word of God in their Hands and Mouths For may not a true Sword a choice Sword be in a Mad-Man's Hand whereby he may mischief and wound and kill himself and others hence Men make Merchandize of it Sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie c. Answ. The Strength of this Argument is That as a Mad-Man may have a Sure and Choice Sword in his Hand so may a Bad or Wicked Man have the Sword of God's Spirit in his Hand O Blindness O thick Darkness how art thou be nighted that thou shouldst thus grosly write When did the Word of God come to Wicked Men how often did Wicked Men receive God's Word for the one is a Fire the other is Stubble the one a Sword or Ax and the other an Old Rotten Tree But Roger is it not a saying of Wonder amongst Mens What! put a Sword in a Mad-Man's Hand and doth God put his Sword into Mad or Bad Mens Hands what dost thou make of the Lord one like unto thy self tremble at thy Presumption and Wickedness What! can Wicked Carnal and Devilish Men handle God's Heavenly Spiritual and New-Covenant-Weapons But Roger can Wicked Men handle the Fire and wound and kill with this Spiritual Sword what do they kill not the Good for God's Sword will wound and kill nothing but Wickedness so this is no Mischief And when did Wicked Men war against and kill Wickedness with God's Sword whil'st they remained wicked themselves A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand So that though Mad-Men may do Mischief with a Sword yet Bad Men cannot with the Word of God wherefore Bad Men are as good Servants and Souldiers as Good Men for they Fight with the same Weapon it seems against the same Wickedness But Roger when did the Scriptures kill any Body or do any Mischief for so thy Folly has driven thee to say Again is God's Sword so common hath he no more Care of his Weapons than to arm his Enemies with them But every Sword must have an Edge God's hath Two which be they And since a Sword can do no Execution without a Hand the Scripture is unable unless it hath a Hand to use it what Hand is this not the Spirit R. W. affirms who then Wicked Men as well as Good Men. This is the Doctrine of R. W. Dedicated to the King R. Baxter and J. Owen as the New-England-Priests Oratour against the People of God called Quakers But what is his Reason for this b●cause saith he Men make Merchandize of it Sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie Roger These are the truest Words thou hast said yet you New-England-Priests have made Merchandize of the Scripture we know very well you have Sophisticated and Adulterated them with your Inventions and turned them into a Lie and made them to speak or mean what they do not mean and yet call this the Mind and Sense of Scripture being dark in your Imaginations and rebelling against the Light that should enlighten you But none can sell the Lord's Sword nor Sophisticate nor Adulterate nor turn a Sword into a Lie Nor can God's Sword be lost broken torn burnt drown'd moulder'd or any otherwise perish as the Scriptures have by Carelesness Age in Fires in Ship-wracks or on purpose by some Wicked Men. And hadst thou known that Word that is a Fire an Ax a Sword c. thou wouldst not have writ such Blind Stuff as thou hast done which shall be thy Burthen one day Nor is this to slight the Holy Scriptures but such unholy ones as thou art that war against God's Spirit under pretence of standing for the Scripture that came from it which thou understandest not but we dearly own and love and honour them and they are good for Instruction Doctrine and Reproof that the Man of God may be Perfect through the Faith that is in Jesus But do not you New-England-Priests make Merchandize both of Scripture that you call the Word and Christ and his Blood and Miracles Death Resurrection and Ascension that have so much a Year for telling Stories and your Imaginations of him did the Apostles so And R. W. as Nathan said to David Thou art the Man as they that read thy Former and Latter Writings may see for thou hast Sophisticated Corrupted and Adulterated the Scriptures of Truth which thou callst the Word of God by mixing and adding of thy Imaginations with God's Openings and Discoveries which thou mightest have formerly had in thy younger Years when there was some Simplicity in thee and thou werest under Sufferings for thy Conscience But now thou say'st There is neither Motion nor Voice within to hearken to to turn to to listen to in Heavenly things in matter of Super-natural Light Though again thou say'st pag. 28. I find in all Mankind a Conviction that God is Again I find there is generally in all Mankind in the World a Conviction of an Invisible Omnipotent and Eternal Power and God-head And Roger is not this in all Mankind to be lissen'd unto R. W. Thou bringest Henry Hagger G. F. Fol. 253. saying You call all Men Dead and Carnal in the Serpent's Nature in what Form soever if they differ from you G. F. Answ. All that be not in the Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World which is the Way to the Father differ from us such be Dead such be Carnal in the Serpent's Nature for none cometh to the Life but who cometh to the Light in what Form soever they be And such as differ from us differ from Christ for none cometh from under the Serpent's Head and Nature but who cometh to the Light R. W. replyeth and saith The Quakers and Papists are of a Damning and Damned Spirit as David saith of some whose Teeth were as Swords and Solomon saith There is a Generation whose Teeth are as Swords Answ. And these are R. W.'s and the New-England-Priests Teeth as they have sufficiently manifested to the World for they have out-stript many of the Papists And as for Damning and Damn'd Spirit this is thy own Portion R. W. and God's Elect thou canst not charge whom he justifieth nor Damn R. W. And thou say'st If ever there were a Generation of such in the World the Papists and We are the Generations intended Answ. This is thine and your own Condition For did we ever desire that any should be punisht in matter of Conscionce as thou dost although formerly thou hast writ largely against Persecution for Conscience-sake Did we ever WHIP BANISH or HANG or SPOIL the Goods of any for Religion as your New-England-Professors have done unto which thou hast joined thy self And thou say'st It is in vain to tell us of Christ the Foundation and of Building Hay Wood and Stubble That is thy own Condition R. W. who hatest the Light which cometh from Christ in which the Saints Build upon Christ the Foundation
not Hay Wood and Stubble R. W. If you come not roundly to the Pope c. or to the Light within c. nothing remaineth but Fire and Brimstone and Damnation c. Answ. Dost thou call the Light of Christ within the Pope or makest as small a matter thereof And whom have we burnt with Fire and Brimstone let all the People witness against thy Blasphemous Lying Spirit And for thy Comparing us with the Pope they own the Light within no more than thou and the New-England-Priests And thou further say'st Their Idol called the Light within here we do Charge thee with Blasphemy for calling the Light of Christ which shineth in the Heart to give the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Jesus Christ an Idol R. W. And thou say'st The Protestants overcome the Papists not only by Scripture and Argument but in Charity for they have hope of many among the Papists as also among the Quakers But the Papists and Quakers like Fire-ships burn and blow up all that bow not down to their Image Answ. Why how now Roger What! have you overcome Papists and Quakers by Scripture Argument and Charity and yet the Papists and Quakers blow up all that will not bow to this Image the Light of Christ as thou scornfully callest it R. W it's not the New-England-Protestants that have this Charity But hath the Light of Christ blown up R. W. and his New-England-Protestants and scorcht you so that it maketh thee and you thus rage and blaspheme against the Light of Christ and call it an Idol beast like But what Hopes have you of Papists and Quakers if they burn you and blow you up as thou say'st but thou wrongest the Papists for they own not the Light of Christ within as we do witness they persecuted us both at Rome and Paris But this know this Light thou blasphemously callest an Idol will be thy Condemnation R. W. Then thou tellest us The Quakers Spirit is far from the Spirit of Christ Jesus and how the Poor Woman desired the Crumbs as a Dog and how Christ Proclaimeth the Kingdom to the Poor in Spirit and his Blessedness to bleating Lambs and New-born Babes and how Christ Bore with his Disciples and their Ignorance of his Death and Resurrection Answ. What is all this to G. F's Answer let the Reader see alledging Christ's Promise and his Kingdom proclaimed to the Poor c. but if they hate the Light of Christ they neither receive the Kingdom nor Promise Neither did the Woman nor Cornelius hate the Light of Christ for if they had they would not have received him nor have had Faith in him And as for Christ's Disciples thou art short of them and the Quakers are not far from the Spirit of Christ for they have it or else they would be none of his like thou And we have the Mind of Christ 2 Cor. 2. R. W. Thou bringest John Brown G. F. Fol. 259. saying And them that bring People to look at the Light within them are as Korah Dathan and Abiram G. F. Answ. All that go from the Light within them are as Korah Dathan and Abiram against the Lord's Prophets Exalting themselves and Persecuting them R. W. replyeth That this Famous History of Korah Dathan and Abiram's Revolt may most properly be Applicable to the pretended Quakers and saith I know G. F. chargeth this to wit Korah Dathan and Abiram upon all that pretend to Spiritual Ministration and have not the Immediate Spirit of God as the Apostles had The Protestant Religion is a Religion protesting against the Bloody Man of Sin the Pope Answ. This is not New-England's Protestant Religion the Laws their GALLOWS their WHIPS their BANISHING their SPOILING of Goods declare it to the World And thou and thy Ministers that have not the Immediate Spirit of God and Christ as the Apostles had are in the Revolting Spirit of Korah which is truly applyed to thee and thy Ministers in Jude and not to the Quakers For you that have not the same Spirit and Power as the Apostles had are to be turned away from though you may have a Form but denying the Power R. W. And thou say'st The Quakers are Revolted from the Protestants Doctrine and Worship and sets up a Flag of Defiance against all but pretended Immediately Inspired Persons Invisible Worship and Ministers and a Sullen Proud and Dogged Conversation Answ. The New-England's Bloody Doctrines and Religion and Ministers which are not Inspired by the Spirit of God and have not the Mind of Christ and his Spirit the Quakers are turned away from such who are none of Christ's And though ye may Protest against the Bloody Whore yet you wear her BLOODY GARMENTS and do her Work with your BLOODY HANDS And as for Dogged Sullen and Froud Conversation R. W. and the New-England-Professors might have kept at home for how often have your Dogs-Teeth been in the Flesh of the People of God called Quakers with your WHIPS and HOT-IRON and CVTTING OFF OF EARS And R. W. now thou dost shew thy Teeth who desirest the Magistrates to punish us though it be for Conscience and thou wouldst not have this called Persecution no more would thy Brethren in New-England when they put God's People to Death And the Spirit of God that inspired them and maketh us Ministers of the Spirit this we do set up the same Spirit that the Prophets and Apostles were in And thou and the New-England Priests and Professors that Worship not God in his Invisible Spirit and Truth but scoff at it ye are not in the same Spirit and Power the Apostles were in and so have not the Spirit of Christ. So out of thy own Mouth you are proved to be of Korah Dathan and Abiram against God's People that are in the Spirit of Christ the Apostles were in and Truth wherein they Worship God So it 's You that are Revolted from the Spirit of Christ and God's Worship and Rebel against his Light as Korah did against his Law And there is no such Word in G. F's Answer as Invisible Persons Invisible Ministers they are of thy own shameless Forging R. W. Thou say'st As to the Pretending Quakers it is known they are not Sons of Obscurity as Reeve and Muggleton and then thou fallest a railing against the Papists and Mahome●ans Answ. Let R. W. read his Book again and see if his Brethren be not worse in many things and as bad as Mahomet and the Papists and therefore why shouldst thou rail against your own Spirit who manifest their Fruits And the People of God called Quakers are not the Sons of Obscurity New-England-GOALS and their Persecution giveth thee the Lie though Christ said to his Disciples the World knew them not as it did not know him and therefore thy Charge is false against the Quakers as Korah's was against Moses R. W. saith The Quakers do advance their own People Answ. And what doth this torment R.W. and the
of the Spirits of Men So the Question lieth here Whether or no the Saints do come while they are upon the Earth to the Just Mens Spirits made Perfect and to God the Judge of all and to the Heavenly Jerusalem the City of the Living God For the Apostle saith Ye are come hither YE ARE COME and the Apostle and the Saints were alive upon the Earth when he spoke this And thou makest a jumble about the Saints Bodies and say'st We are proud Boasters and we never said of ourselves that we were Perfect of our selves but perfect by Christ who doth perfect for ever by one Offering them that are Sanctified Heb. 10 14. mark them that are Sanctified And we do own the States of the Saints in this World and the States in the World to come Life Everlasting and so we can truly turn thy lyes back again seeing they are not ours And the Spirit in the Apostles encourageth the Saints to Perfection and the Apostle saith he spoke Wisdom amongst them that are perfect 1 Cor. 2 And Be ye Perfect and of good Comfort 2 Cor. 13 Let us as many as be perfect Phil. 3 12 and Col 1 their work was that they might present every man perfect in Christ Jesus so the Imperfection was in Old Adam That ye may stand perfect and compleat Col. 4 how should they stand perfect and compleat if they were not in it That the Man of God may be Perfect 2 Tim. 3 and Christ saith Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father which is in Heaven is Perfect Christ saith Every one that is Perfect shall be as his Master Luk. 6 David saith Mark the Perfect Man Psal. 37 and David saith Many shoot in Secret at them that are Perfect but if R. W. and the New-England-Priests say There is none disseit the Grave to be Perfect then there is none to shoot at nor to be markt at And Christ saith Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect Matth. 5 and Peter saith After you have suffer'd a while make you Perfect Signifying that it is Attainable or else Peter would not have encouraged to it And God saith Job was a Perfect Man and upright and one that feared God and by one Offering hath Perfected for ever them that are Sanctified Heb. 10 14 And the Apostle saith An Inheritance amongst them that are Sanctified mark that ARE SANCTIFIED were not these upon the Earth the Apostle saith He that Sanctifieth and they that are Sanctified are all of One Heb. 2 And the Apostle saith I beseech you Brethren through the Mercies of God that you present your Bodies a Living Sacrifice Holy and acceptable to God which is your Reasonable Service Rom. 12 Now must not the Saints R. W. present their Bodies thus Holy and a Living Sacrifice to God while they be upon the Earth and how can they present them to God if they must not be Perfect but carry a body of Sin to the Grave or must they present their Bodies when they are Dead and doth not Sin make their Bodies dead while they be upon the Earth before they be dead outwardly Now if the Spirit of Christ that raised him from the Dead dwell in you he that raised up Christ from the Dead shall quicken your Mortal Bodies and this we witness Rom. 8. R. W. Thou askest What Truth is in these Words Christ is the End of all Words and further thou say'st The truth is their horrible unclean and foul Spirit would fain be rid of all scripture-Scripture-words and Learning also that he may bring the more of miserable mankind under the Cheating sound of Light into his Eternal Darkness Answ. R. W. that is thy own Condition with the Cheating sound of Light and these reviling Words of thine I abhor And the Scripture Words we own and all true Learning of that which is Good both Natural and Spiritual but thou wouldst rid the Spirit and Light out of the Peoples Hearts if thou couldst who hatest and grievest and vexest it in thy self and so railest against them that walk in it And I tell thee Christ is the End of all these Words that are spoken of him and doth fulfil them and that is my Meaning if thou wilt have a Meaning R. W. bringeth Timothy Travers G. F. Fol. 325. saying God hath Ordained to Eternal Life all that shall be saved before they had a Being in the World but none cometh to Possession of this Salvation but through the Obedience of the Spirit G. F. Answ. The Ground of Man's Belief and Obedience is Christ who doth Enlighten him to the Intent that he might Believe and Obey the Truth And who knoweth the Seed knoweth the Election before the World was made c. R. W. replyeth and saith If he meaneth that Christ is the Ground or Author the Giver of Repentance and Faith to all the Elect whom God the Father hath given him we say so Answ. You say so in Words but not in the Faith and in the Repentance if you did we should have Unity with you for who should be the Author of Faith and Caller and Giver of Repentance but Christ Jesus R. W. Thou say'st But if he put in their Invented Light in the Room of God's Election and Predestination as the Efficient and First Cause and of Christ as the Mediatour c. he speaks Blasphemously of God and of his Son c. he is now in the Burrough c. who destroys God's Election before the World was and says That when a Man Believes he is Elected when he is Predestinate c. Contrary to all the Pretious Beds of Flowers in the Garden of the Scriptures c. Contrary to the Wit and Skill of Men who frame a Book or a House or a Ship c. Answ. Let the Reader see how R. W. wrongeth G. F's Words or if there be any such Words in his Answer to T. T. the great Ranter But what are all R. W's Words which he hath framed here which are not G. F's Can a Man know Election Ordination Reprobation or Predestination or Christ the Mediatour and Redeemer and Saviour without the Light of Christ Jesus must not he first be turned from Darkness to Light and from the Power of Satan to Christ and God in whom the Election is before the World began In whom the Election is And doth not Christ command to believe in the Light and the Light giveth him the Knowledge c is not this Blasphemy in thee R. W. to say That I Invent the Light of Christ which lighteth every Man that cometh into the World which is Life in the Word Joh. 1 and Rom. 8. Ephes. 1. those Scriptures we own as they speak And can God's Election be destroyed before the World began thou say'st Who destroy God's Election before the World began I tell thee that neither thou nor the Devil can destroy God's Election before the World began 't is like Thy Election which is Reprobation may be destroyed
from his Spirit and resist the Holy Ghost But thou say'st The Men and Women in the World have never seen or heard of any Glimps of the Sun of Righteousness What! have they never heard of Christ the Sun of Righteousness I believe there is Millions of Men and Women in the World that will say thou art a Lyar. For were not the Apostles to Preach the Gospel Christ Jesus the Sun of Righteousness to all Nations and doth not the Apostle say The Gospel was preached to EVERY CREATVRE VNDER HEAVEN whereof he was made a Minister Col. 1 23. and the Apostle saith Have they not all heard YES VERILY Rom. 10 and the Prophane Mouth thou speakest with is thy own If they hate the Light of Christ and quench his Spirit that God hath poured upon them and erred from his Spirit then they are not like to See him indeed and will not Hear him in the Spirit and his Light they will not See him nor Hear him like the Pharisees and thou R. W. And why dost thou fret thy self about the Light and the word ALL and EVERY MAN but thy Spirit is the Sect-maker and would not have ALL nor EVERY MAN who art opposite to the Prophets and Apostles Doctrine Peter saith It shall come to pass in the last Days saith the Lord I will pour out my Spirit upon ALL FLESH to wit Sons Daughters Young-Men Old Men Servants Hand-maids Joel 2. Act. 2 and John saith This is the true Light which was Life in the Word which lighteth EVERY Man that cometh into the World And Paul saith to Titus The Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared unto ALL MEN and Christ bid his Disciples To go into All Nations to Preach the Gospel unto Every Creature and the Apostle saith That the Gospel was Preach'd unto Every Creature under Heaven But R. W. saith Men and Women in the World who have never seen or heard of any Glimps of the Sun of Righteousness and yet thou say'st pag. 28. I find in all Mankind a Conviction that God is IVST and Powerful and again I find all Men confess that the Will or Word or Mind of God is PVRE I find that First There is Generally in all Mankind in the World a Conviction of an Invisible Omnipotent and Eternal Power and Godhead and pag. 102. Men and Women in the World have never seen or heard any Glimps of the Sun of Righteousness thou say'st how now R. W. dost not thou Contradict thy self here dost thou Divide the Word here as thou accusest me is this New-England's Great Oratour And so as for Vnclean Beast and Proud Fancy and Vainly and Wickedly deluding and Soul-Cheating thou might'st have kept this in thy own Bottle R. W. Thou say'st G. F's 2d Answer here is to wit The Spirit of God shall lead the Saints into all Truth and R. W. saith I observe here how like a Skittish Jade this Wild Soul runs in and out c. before he brings in the Spirit of God poured out upon the Common World and now he brings in the Spirit leading the Saints the next word he concludes is Every Man in the World to have the Spirit c. Answ. Dost not thou confess that the Holy Spirit testifieth that he is the Comforter of the Saints and is he not the Leader also and dost not thou confess that the Spirit is the Reprover of the World p. 102 103. then hast not thou made thy self the Skittish Jade thou speakest of and Running in and out are not these Vnsavoury and Vnseemly Words out of an Old Man's Mouth that professeth Christianity And if the Spirit of Truth doth Reprove the World and God hath poured his Spirit upon All Flesh then is not this the Common World and if it be upon All Flesh is not Every Man come into the World else how will God Judge the World in Righteousness according to the Gospel Thou confessest That the Holy Ghost is a Reprover of the World and that he Reproveth the World in his Threatnings and Judgments and doth not he then Reprove the World for its Unrighteousness Judgment and Unbelief also and if thou didst not Resist it it would Reprove thee for thy Vnrighteousness False Judgment and Vnbelief as Christ saith R. W. Dost not thou say The World mocks at this Holy Spirit Banisheth Imprisoneth and Murdereth such in whom the true Spirit of God appeareth And further thou say'st It is Lying Peor tells us That all the VVorld without Distinction have the Manifestation of the Spirit of God to profit withal There have been Persons professing the Order of the Holy Ghost yet are far from the Savour of the Holy Spirit Answ. This is thy own Condition R. W. and thy own New-England-Professors who Resist it as Stephen saith Act. 7. and Mock at it and BANISH IMPRISON and MVRTHER such in whom the Spirit of God appeareth this hath been the Practice of the New-England-Priests and Professors to the Dishonour of Christianity And doth not the Apostle say God will pour out his Spirit upon all Flesh WITHOVT DISTINCTION as Peter saith and is not this All the Men and Women of the World what Flesh dare say but they have the Reproofs of God's Spirit when they do Ill except it be such as R. W. and R. W's Professors that quench it and have erred from it so thou may'st take thy Lying Peor to thy self And so it is thou that art resisting and fighting against the holy Spirit of God And can any profit in the things of God without the Manifestation of the Holy Spirit that is given to profit withal and Peter and Paul say to All flesh and to Every Man so it is their Doctrine thou oppossest not with the Spirit but with the dark fleshly mind And thou tellest a story of Babilonish Orders and of Absolom which if thou did'st see that thy own Condition in the Light of Christ thou hatest it would be better for thee R. W. Thou say'st Oh! what Reproofs of God's Spirit hath G. F. and others of their Leaders had in and by so many Excellent Opposites and Scriptures and Arguments which G. F. here trampleth under his Prophane Feet without any Savour of the Spirit of God Answ. R. W. thou highly extollest the Ranters here Tim. Trav. the great Ranter one of our Opposites but thou hast manifest thy Spirit and what thou takest part with-al against the People of God And we have a Savour of the Holy Spirit of God and in it can Savour our Opposites or Old Persecutors Spirits not to be of Christ and it hath been the Evil Spirit is in thee and them that hath stroven against us And we know you may bring Scripture to a wrong End as the Devil did to Christ and the Lord hath given us Power over the Devil's Spirit blessed be his Name for ever and he hath blasted it and brought down which was up in Oliver's Days that Persecuting Spirit And we do own the Scriptures let●it
be out of whose Mouths it be though we cannot own their Meanings nor have Unity with such as hold up the Truth in Vnrighteousness And as for Trampling we trample nothing that is good under our Feet that is thy own Condition but we do own the Appearance of God in all People But R. W. thou say'st Without any Savour of the Spirit of God and yet thou say'st I find in all Mankind a Conviction that God is Just and Powerful and I find Generally in all Mankind a Conviction of an Invisible Omnipotent and Eternal Power and Godhead yet thou say'st Without any Savour of the Spirit of God read pag. 28. 102. thy Contradiction And thou say'st It pleaseth God to strive with Men by Preaching but not by such as thou and the New-England-Priests are that stir up the Punishment Persecution and HANGING R. W. Thou askest Why David complaineth Psal. 53. that all the Children of Men not one excepted are Unprofitable c. are Abominable to Spiritual Matters and Heavenly Things and further thou say'st until the Spirit of God comes and truly change the Heart and whole Frame of Nature until then we are as profitable as Hogs and Moles in a Garden c. and as devouring Foxes amongst the true Lambs and Chickkins of Christ Jesus Answ. R. W. thou hast writ thy Condition and the New-England-Priests there to wit the Devouring Foxes and Hogs of the Lambs of Christ and his Chickkins For mark the Word VNTIL the Spirit of God change their Hearts c. and we believe your Hearts and Natures are not changed but you are Vnprofitable for how can it be when thou say'st There is no Voice nor Motion within in Heavenly things in Matters of Supernatural Light to hearken to to turn to to listen to p 83. And was David's Complaint of the Children of Men Vnprofitable And doth not David bid All that hath Breath praise the Lord and how can they Praise the Lord if there be nothing of the Spirit of God in them And do not they quench that which God hath manifested in them which God hath shewn unto them and which convinceth them of an Invisible and Omnipotent and Eternal Power and God-head so is not this Conviction of the Spirit of God in them and will not the Lord pour out his Wrath upon all the Heathen that call not upon his Name And now is there not a further Manifestation in these Last Days by Christ who Enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World and the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to All Men and God poureth out his Spirit upon All Flesh but from this Spirit Grace and Light in all Men thou art erred from and canst not endure to hear of it R. W. Bringeth Hugh Archbal G. F. Fol. 328. saying Christ doth Enlighten none but those that do receive him G. F. Answ. Contrary to John 3. which speaketh of them that hate the Light and are Enlightned and will not come to it because the Light will Reprove them so he that hateth the Light is Enlightned will not Receive Christ. To which R. W. replyeth and after his wonted manner with foul Expressions saith G. F. abuseth 2 Cor. 4. saith Joh. 1. is not Enlightneth but Lighted and the word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 may signify both c. They which hate the Light are Enlightned no question but with the General Offer of Mercy as of a Candle or Sun to the Eyes of a Blind Man which is yet their Condemnation c. And before thou say'st There is a Higher Light which some are affected tinctur'd and Enlightned with and yet not the True and Saving Light that in Heb. 6. where some Persons as the pretended Quakers c. have seen much of the Nature of God of his Holiness and Justice c. and had a Tast of the Joys of the Next World Answ. If ENLIGHTNING and LIGHTED signify both then do not oppose it And here thou confessest They that hate the Light are Enlightned as well as the Believers in the Light it is the same Light but thou say'st It is a General Offer as a Candle or the Sun to the Eyes That is an Outward Light and a Blind Man can neither see Candle nor Fire and so that which he doth not see is his Condemnation according to thy Doctrine But is this according to Christ's Words Joh. 3. are his Words no more than a General Offer as a Candle or the Sun to the Eyes of a Blind Man for Christ saith One Hateth the Light and the other Loveth the Light and bringeth the Deeds to the Light that they may see they are wrought in God so that is not Natural which giveth the Knowledge of God which shineth in his Heart as in 2 Cor. 4. which I do not abuse but it is thou that abusest it And Christ saith This is the Condemnation the Light is come in the World and Men love Darkness rather than the Light because their Deeds be evil here Christ giveth the Reason for the Light discovereth the Darkness and their evil Deeds or else how should they know them For Every one that doth evil hateth the Light mark Every one neither cometh to the Light least his deeds should be reproved and so by the Light he knoweth this Evil Deeds and knoweth he doth Evil and knoweth he hateth it and that is his Condemnation And this is more than a Candle or the Sun to the Blind Man's Eyes that cannot see it and every one that doth the Truth cometh to the Light so it is the same Light that he that doth Evil hateth and he that doth the Truth loveth and this is the Light of Christ. And how darest thou say the Light was or is not Saving Hebr. 6 was not the Holy Ghost Saving and the Word of God Saving or is not the Word of God Sufficient to reconcile to God and the Holy Ghost Sufficient to lead into all Truth But thou say'st In Hebr. 6. the higher Light which enlightneth and yet not the True and Saving Light we charge thee to make this good all the New-England priests by the Scripture That the Light spoken of in Hebr. 6. is not the True and Saving Light it's like thou never tryed'st it But thou art such as they that are fallen away from the good Word of God and resist the Holy Ghost and become a Hater of this Light though thou hast tasted of the Gift and Crucifiest the Son of God a fresh to thy self as the New-England-priests and puttest him to open shame and then HANG punish and persecute others where he is manifest I tell you your Earth beareth Thorns and Bryars and read what will be your End Heb. 6. R. W. bringeth James Dorram saying The Believer is not in Sin as the Vnbeliever is he sinneth not as the Vnbeliever doth And in another place he saith That the Law is the same to the Believers that it is to the Unbelievers
say'st There is but One Spirit and that in all And all in one Sentence confoundest thy self And so as for Silly Rash Fury of Mind and Pen thou mightst have kept this at home R. W. Thou say'st A Man is a Reasonable Creature as opposite to a Woolf and Fox c. and yet he may be Unreasonable in his Actings as a Woolf and Fox who though Unreasonable in their Natures are not Sinful though a Plague to a Man since his Fall Answ. Let the Reader see what a Silly Reply R. W. bringeth here to G. F.'s Answer to J. N. G. F. doth not speak of Wolves and Foxes Vnreasonableness but he speaketh of Men that have not Faith are Vnreasonable and that have Faith are Reasonable and the Priest J. N. maintaineth that Evil Spirits are Sinful and Reasonable which R. W. saith nothing unto but telleth us of Wolves and Foxes though Vnreasonable yet not Sinful that have been a Plague to Man since the Fall and falleth a Railing And who knoweth not that a Man is a Reasonable Creature and opposite to a Woolf and Fox and his Actings Vnreasonable like a Woolf or Fox out of the Faith of Christ as thou and the New-England-Priests and Professors have done to the People of God and Herod and the Chief-Priests against Christ and his Apostles R. W. Oh! Happy were it for G. F. that he had been a Wild Fox in the Woods and had not been so Sinful by so horribly abusing so great a Talent of Wit and Reason which the Father of Lights hath given him and yet Knoweth no more than a Parret p. 35. Answ. And why would R. W. have G. F. to have been a Wild Fox in the Woods because he would not follow his Imaginations and such like in others but followeth Christ Jesus and he is his Prophet his Bishop and Shepherd Counseller and High-Priest But R. W. thou say'st G. F. hath so great a Talent of Wit and Reason which the Father of Lights hath given him but it 's thou that so Sinfully and Horribly abusest it not he And then thou Contradictest thy self and say'st pag. 87. They cry out Light Light and there is none as Isaiah speaketh not a Spark of Light within them and here thou abusest Isaiah for Isaiah doth not speak so Isa. 8. as let all read And thou may'st see in the Margin There is no Morning in them and there are many Stars Outwardly before people cometh to the Morning and is it not so Inwardly as it is Outwardly But dost not thou deny the Prophecy of Isaiah of Christ who saith I give him for a Covenant of Light to enlighten the Gentiles I must tell thee we Gentiles have received this Light according to John's Witness who Enlightneth every man that cometh into the World Christ Jesus And pag. 100. R. W. saith These poor proud Bruits have not so much sight of as the Devil to wit of God and pag. 108 So great a Talent of Wit and Reason which the Father of Lights hath given him c. so here R. W. New-England's Mouth and Oratour may see how he contradicteth himself R. W. saith We know the Nature of the Devils Admirable Wit and Reason as well as the Power of those Vnclean Spirits the Lord Jesus Christ cast out they did believe and confess the Lord Jesus Christ c. and This their Knowledge and Ability is from God though their Sinful Hardness by God's Just Sentence runs them upon such mad and desperate Courses as it is with the Sons of Men when the most holy Judge deliveres them up to the Counsels and Projects of their Proud and Deceitful hearts and Spirits Answ. R. W. thou hast spoken thy own Belief and the Belief of New-England's priests and professors and the Practice of your proud deceitful hearts and Spirits hath manifested themselves But R. W. is the Vnclean Spirits their Wit and Reason so Admirable with thee and thou say'st Their Knowledge and Ability is from God but where did ever Christ and the Apostle say so For Christ wilt thou give him the Lye he saith He was a Murderer from the beginning and he abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him and when he speaketh a Lye he speaketh it of his own mark not from God for he is a Lyar and the Father of it Joh. 8 44. Now I query from R. W. and the New-England Priests What Knowledge and Ability hath the Devil from God and what Admirable Wit and Reason seeing Christ saith There is no Truth in him and what Wit and Reason can a Murderer have which Christ calleth a Murderer from the Beginning And he that is called a Murderer from the Beginning thou allowest Admirable Wit and Reason and say'st you know it and say'st that their Knowledge and Ability is from God If from God it must be Truth and Christ telleth thee There is no Truth in him And it 's like R. W. and the New-England-priests have more Knowledge and Acquaintance with the Devil and Vnclean Spirits than with God and Christ Jesus and your Belief and Confession is like theirs And though the Devil did Confess the Son of God yet this was not Truth in the Devil but in the Son of God for in the Devil is no Truth if there be no Truth there can be no true Reason and Reason doth not run into mad and desperate Courses as thou say'st the Evil Spirits run into And have the Saints their Knowledge and Abilities from God and the Devils their Knowledge and Abilities from God too but is not the Devil's Knowledge and Ability Wit and Reason SIN and EVIL seeing Christ saith There is no Truth in him then how is the Truth in his Knowledge and Abilities Admirable Wit and Reason seeing when he speaketh a Lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it so his Abilities nor Wit nor Reason is not from God And he abode not in the Truth because there is no Truth in him then what can all his Abilities and Knowledge Admirable Wit and Reason be And Christ destroyeth the Devil and his Works what doth Christ destroy Admirable Wit and Reason and the Knowledge and Ability that is from God no surely that was out of the Truth in whom there was no Truth whom Christ the Truth destroyeth the Lyar the Murderer who abode not in the Truth R. W. Bringeth Henry Foreside a Scotch Priest G. F. Fol. 345. saying Concerning those Words of Ezek. 18 28. If the Righteous Man turn away from his Righteousness his Former Righteousness shall be no more remembred and he said The Meaning of that Scripture was They thought they had been Righteous and were not but supposed they had been so G. F. Answ. Here-in thou art a Minister of Vnrighteousness and thou goest about to make God a Lyar and the Prophets and pervertest the Scripture For if he forsake his Righteousness and commit Sin and Iniquity and trespasse he shall die
and Writing deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God and only that Frantick Light of Christ imagin'd by them to be in all Mankind to be the only Word of God yea is it of any use or more Value to them that have the Scriptures in their hearts as they say then a Dead Letter and an Old Almanack c. and thou say'st They undermine the Scriptures Answ. As for Face of Brass R. W. might have kept for himself his Face of Brass and Frantick Spirit he speaketh of we do not in no place in any of our Books or Writings as the Reader may see deny undermine or slight the Scriptures but do esteem them with the Spirit that led the Holy Men that gave them forth who learned them of God And they are called the Words of God and Christ is the Word of God who lighteth every man that cometh into the World with the Light which is the Life in the Word And this we must own if we own God and Christ and the Scriptures and are not a shamed of it afore men to wit of Christ the Light which lighteth every man that cometh into the World which thou callest Blasphemously that Frantick Light or Christ but Roger it will be thy Condemnation And we never compared the Scriptures with an Old Almanack or esteemed them so in that thou belyest us and we cannot give the Titles to Scriptures which are belonging to God and Christ for the Word became Flesh and so not the Scriptures And Christ doth not say that the Life is in the Letter but in him and they testify of him who is the Life But R. W. is the Life in the Letter and is the Letter Living seeing thou say'st The Scripture availeth nothing except the Spirit of God set them home upon us pag. 94 and dost thou not say then The Word is good for nothing as thou callest the Scripture without Life and what sense is this R. W And can any people know the Scriptures except by the Spirit of God which leadeth into all Truth of them which we say in Truth and Sincerity as Christ and his Prophets call them to be the Words of God and thou that say'st otherwise dost not thou Add to the Scriptures and read thy Portion Revelat. the last And when thou hast forged many Words of thy own then thou makest a Reply to them and fall'st a railing at them and dost not reply to G. F's Words and the Reader may see there is none of these bad Words in G. F's answer as thou here falsly assertest R. W. quoteth a Book from Holland G. F.'s fol. 356 saying That God hath put out the Remembrance of your sins and the Corruptions within you wherein you must fight all your life time G. F. Answ. Whilst the Sins you are fighting with-al are not blotted out in your own Particulars this is not the Life of the Saints that are not fighting all their Life-time but come to the Kingdom of God witnessing Sin and Iniquity blotted out and the Everlasting Covenant of Peace and Life with God R. W. replyeth and falleth a railing with many Vnsavoury Words and saith He shews no Knowledge of the Hebrew and Greek whence our English Scriptures come from them as a Daughter from the Mother and falls short of many English Writers who scorn to disgrace their Mother English by so much Bastard and False English c. Answ. Here R. W. would seem to be some Body in his Hebrew Greek and Latin and let the Reader see if he hath not Condemn'd himself in Judging G. F though some Words may have been mist in the Printing or in Paging as many have in his but he hath not shewn which is the False English in this Place R. W. saith further If ever any poor empty Soul have talked of God without God and the Holy Spirit within without them or any true Savour of them and of the Holy Writings c. without them or any true Reverence of them and Love to them of Light without any Spark of true Illumination c. Answ. How angry and furious is R. W. here this is thy own Talk R. W. and not G. F's And Poor Empty Soul thou mightst have kept at home for can any Talk of the Holy Spirit within and have not a Savour or Sense if it be truly there within which we witness and we do Reverence the Scriptures and God and Christ with his Holy Ghost by which the Holy Men of God did speak them forth But how now R. W. do I Talk of the Light without any Spark of true Illumination and yet so great a Talent of Wit and Reason which the Father of Lights hath given me what hast thou forgotten this in thy App. p. 108. R. W. Thou say'st That no Sin is blotted ou● until there be no more Root or Seed of it in the Soul to Fight against and these are thy own Words of which thou makest a large Reply and not mine for my Words are The Saints are not Fighting all their Life-time And thou bringest Paul and the Galatians to Combate with Flesh and Spirit Gal. 5. and Paul did not the things that he would c. and Eph. 6 and Luk. 21 and 2 Cor. 7. c. and Christ speaking to the Churches to Watch to Overcome to Repent c. Answ. What is all this to the purpose to prove That the Saints were Fighting all their Life-time and had a Combate all their Life-time all these Scriptures do not prove it nor Paul's Warfare For Paul as I said before to thee said He had FOVGHT the good Fight and he was made free by the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ Jesus from the Law of Sin and Death though the Apostles and the Saints went through many Conditions before they came to this And the Prayer of Christ to Pray against Temptations c. so it is not a Sin to be tempted but a Sin to Enter into Temptation is owned And Christ's Prayer Forgive us as we forgive others c. if New-England-Priests and Professors had minded the Practice of this Prayer they had not CVT OFF THE EARS nor WHIPT or BANISHT SPOIL'D Goods and HANG'D God's People And doth not the Lord say I will blot out your Sins and your Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more and must not the Saints witness this upon the Earth in Growth in Grace and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ and in the New-Covenant of Light R. W. saith If all that are in their Fancied Kingdom are freed from Sin and come to Peace and Joy why then do they themselves still confess to be subject to Quaking and Trembling as if they were at the Foot of Mount Sinai which indeed they are And then thou tellst of a False Peace Joy False Repentance Mortification Sanctification and Salvation c. Answ. R. W. that is thy own and Priests and Professors in New-England Condition and not ours And to Mount Sinai the
is because there is no Light or Morning risen in him see his Works pag. 249. Again Others know no other Touch-stone nor Trial no other Light by which they judge of Truth then Scripture thus putting it in the room of the Spirit which is Light and the greater Light For they say they cannot know Truth till they bring it to the Letter for Tryal thus making an Idol of the Letter setting it up in the ●oom of God Ibid pag. 248. Testimonies concerning the RULE IRenaeus pag 242 384 389 The Writing in the Heart is the Rule Again l. 5. c. 8. The Word giveth his Spirit to All to Some according to Condition And l. 4. c. 30. The Fathers being Iustified by the Righteousness of the Law of God in them therefore had no need of Reproving Letters W. Perkins Works Vol. 3. pag. 220 The Light of Nature and Grace teacheth To do as we would be done to Pag. 221. It is the Fulfilling of the Law the Rule to Iudge Scripture That of God made the Rule something in the Conscience Happy Times if Men would follow it Bishop R. Sanderson De Obligat Conscientiae p. 127. saith A Rule of Discerning without the Scripture Regula discernendi extra Scripturam T. Collier saith The Spirit of God who is God is the alone Rule of a Christian Gen. Epist. to the Saints Chap. 12. The Spiritual Man Iudgeth all Things by the Rule of the Spirit ibid. The Law of the New Testament is Written in the Heart ibid. Testimonies concerning the SOUL TErtullian De Animâ pag. 297. Asserts the Immortality and Divinity of the SOUL D. Fagius in Gen. 2.7 Rabbi Nehamanides hath observed That he that Breatheth on any contributes something of his own to it whence Christ our Saviour when he would Communicate his Holy Spirit to his Disciples he did it by Breathing upon them signifying that he contributed to them something of his own that was Divine The Word 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 signifies something Divine and Heavenly something 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 because the Immortal Soul of Man is a certain Divine Thing Peter Martyr speaks of the Soul thus in Psalm 94 We are Taught not to with-draw from the Divine Nature those Things that are Perfect and Absolute in us pag. 12. And pag. 122. They say saith he 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul doth chiefly signify that which is Divine and Reasonable which God doth give unto us H. Bullinger saith The Soul is a Spiritual Substance poured of God into Man 's Body in his 4. Decas 10. Serm. Augustine saith It is felt in the Life it is Vnutterable Breathed into Man 's Body from the Secret Power of God Henry Ainsworth Annot. in Pentateuch brings the Rabbines saying The Form of the Soul of Man is not Compounded of the Elements c. but is of the Lord from Heaven Therefore when the Material Body which is Compounded of the Elements is separated and the Breath perisheth because it is not found but with the Body and is needful for the Body in all the Actions thereof this Essential Form is not destroyed but continueth even for ever and ever This is that which Solomon by his Wisdom said And Dust shall Return unto the Earth as it was and the Spirit shall Return unto God who gave it Id. in Gen. 2 7. The Lord Animated or Inspired him with a Living and Reasonable Soul or Spirit which presently appeared by Breath at his Nostrils For the Soul of Man is not educed derived or fetched out of any Power in the Matter of the Body nor made of any Matter at all as the Body is but as it is a Spirit Material and Immortal so it had its Immediate Original from the Father of Spirits Hebr. 12 9. Walter Rawleigh 's Hist. of the World pag. 18. Man is said to be after the Image of God in respect of his Immortal Soul only because as God is Invisible so the Soul of Man is Invisible as God is Immortal and Incorporcal so is the Soul of Man Immortal and Incorporcal and as there is but one God which Governeth the World so but one Soul which Governeth the Body of Man and as God is Wholly in every Part of the World so is the Soul of Man Wholly in every Part of the Body Henry More Philosophical Writings pag. 37 The Specifick Nature of the Soul of Man is an Immaterial Substance endued with those two Eminent Properties of Understanding and Power of Moving Corporal Matters Peter Charron 's Wisdom pag. 22 The Immortality of the Soul is a Thing Vniversally received throughout the World I mean by an Outward Profession seriously and Inwardly not so witness so many Epicures Libertines and Mockers in the World Iohn Smith 's of Queen 's Colledge in Cambridge Discourses pag. 87 The Soul of Man acting upon it self and drawing forth its own Latent Energy finds it self able to tame the Outward Man and bring under those Rebellious Motions that arise from the meer Animal Powers and to tame and appease all those Seditions and Mutinies that it finds there Ibid. p. 92. There is a Naked Intuition of Eternal Truth in the Soul which is always the same which never Rises nor Sets but always Stands still in its Vertical and fills the Whole Horizon of the Soul with a Mild and Gentle Light There are such Calm and Serene Ideas of Truth that shine only in Pacate Souls and cannot be discern'd by any Troubled or Fluid Fancy Plotinus En. 4. l. 8. c. 1. pag. 99 The Soul of a Divine and Immortal Being c. Id. Ibid. When he shall behold his own Soul fixt in an Intelligible and Pure Nature Contemplating Things Eternal looking into the Intellectual World being it self made all Lucid to wit Light Intellectual and Shining with the Sun-Beams of Eternal Truth borrowed from the First Good which perpetually Rayeth forth his Truth upon all Intellectual Beings William Robertson in his Key to the Hebr. Bible sub Lit. Nun 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 the Soul a Noun Primitive from which is derived the Verb in Piel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Nippesh he Breathed because the Soul is the Principle of Life and Breath c. Henry Moor 's Philosophical Writings of the Immortality of the Soul libr. 2. cap. 1. pag. 58 There is such an Immaterial Substance in Man which from the Power it is conceived to have in actuating and guiding the Body is usually called the SOUL Id. Ibid. Cap. 3. pag. 72 No Essence in it self can vary its Modification For there is an Essence in us what-ever we will call it which we find endued with this Property as appears from hence that it has Variety of Perceptions Id. Ibid Cap. 11. pag. 109 The Soul is a Substance distinct from the Body and her very Essence is spread throughout all the Organs thereof Lactantius The Soul whereby we Live comes as it were from Heaven from God G. F. J. B. ERRATA I. Part. Pa.
shameful Lie And then concludes That they were his Witnesses that he had long said with David and he humbly hoped he should make it good that he hates and abhors Lying Providence in New-England Richard Scot. SOME TESTIMONIES of Ancient and Modern Authors concerning the LIGHT SCRIPTURES RULE and the SOUL of Man Testimonies concerning the LIGHT within MVnsterus Castalio Vatablus Drusius Clarius Codurus upon Iob 24 13 and Chap. 25 3. They ●re of those who rebel against the Light Vpon whom doth not his Light arise say That this Light is of the Divine Wisdom and Fountain of Light Alluding to the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mat. 4 19. The People that sate in Darkness saw great Light Also see Erasmus and Camerar upon Ioh. 1 4 9. Orpheus His Hand reacheth to the end of the Sea his right Hand is every where then within Of him alone are all things Clem. Alexandr Strom lib. 5. Thales thus There is but one God he is Glorious forever he knows Hearts and tells Thoughts He maketh the Teller of his Thoughts God as in Amos 4.13 Pythagoras thus GOD resembleth Light and Truth he is One He is not out of the World he is the Salt of all Ages ONE HEAVENLY LIGHT and Father of all things only Wise Invisible yet Intelligible Jambl. Iust. Mart. Heraclitus thus God is not made with Hands Pythagoras What things are agreeable to God cannot be known unless a man HEAR GOD himself Again Having overcome thy rebellious Appetites thou shalt know the Cohabitation of the Immortal God and mortal Men whose work is Immortality Eternal Life Trin. de Animâ Mundi Sophocles speaking of the Precepts written in Man's Heart saith God is their Father not Mortal Nature neither shall they ever be abrogated for there is in them a great God that never waxeth old Again saith he This is with respect to Man's Conscience a Divine a Sacred Good God the Overseer Oedip. Tyr. Clem. Alex. Str. l. 5. Socrates had the Guide of his Life within him and preached as he was moved by it even in the Streets and died for reproving the Corruptions of the Athenians in Manners and Religion Plotin taught That Man had a Divine Principle in him which maketh a True and Good Man Hierom called it a Domestick God The Good said Socrates shall be united to God in an In accessible place the Wicked in convenient places suffer due Puni●●ment Iustin. Martyr in his Apology saith God hath built to himself a natural Temple in the Consciences of Men. Clem. Alex. Admon ad Gent. It is the Voice of Truth that Light will shine out of Darkness Therefore doth it shine in the Hidden Part of Mankind Strom. l. 5. Man cannot be void of Divine Knowledge who naturally partakes of Divine Inspirations Lactan. de Cult Ver. The Law of God is made known to us The Law is pure and unspotted Reason diffused through all the World Athanasius contr gent. The way to attain to the knowledge of God is within us which is proved from Moses who saith The Word of God is within thy heart and from this Saying of Christ The Faith and Kingdom of God is within you Minutius Felix saith God is every where not only very near us but infused As is observed by Grotius Crit. Tom. 7. on Acts 17 27. Testimonies concerning the SCRIPTURES LVther taught That the Spirit is required to the understanding of the whole Scripture and of every part thereof Again The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were wrote Tom. 3. fol. 169. Iohn Bradford thus answered the Arch-Bishop of York We do believe and know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep not because the Church saith they are the Scriptures but because they be so being thereof assured by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them Book of Mart. Vol. 3. p. 298. W. Tindal a faithful Martyr in Hen. 8. his time writes thus It is impossible to understand the Scriptures more then a Turk for him that hath not the Law of God written in his Heart to fulfil it Again Without the Spirit it is impossible to understand them W. Tindal's Works p. 319 and p. 80. B. Iewel against the Papists hath this Passage Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without special Revelation therefore Christ gave Thanks to his Father and likewise opened the Hearts of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Without this special Help and Prompting of God's holy Spirit the Scriptures are unto the Reader be he never so Wise or well Learned as the Vision of a Sealed Book Calvin saith It is necessary that the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophets should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us of the Truth of what they delivered Instit. lib. 1. cap. 8. Beza saith That the understanding of the Scriptures should be fetch'd from the same Spirit that dictated them Beza in Nov. Test. 2 Pet. 1.19 Peter Martyr taught That the Spirit is the Arbiter by whom we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's words and a Stranger 's Quoting Christ's words My Sheep know my voice and follow not a Stranger And among other Scriptures he quot●s these The Spirit searcheth out the deep things of God The Comforter shall declare all things that I have said unto you The spiritual Unction shall shew you all things Com. Loc. part 1. pag. 6. Again The Spirit of God reveals the truth in the holy Scriptures Com. loc p. 2. cap. 18. Again in an Oration to the Vniversity of Strasburgh concerning the Scriptures he expresseth himself thus The School of this Philosophy is Heaven Again We must remember that the Teacher hereof is the Holy Ghost Doct. Ames a Great Father of the Independents upon 1 Ioh 2. saith We require no more the Anointing of the holy Spirit doth teach the fait●ful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles there from to understand those things which are necessary to Salvation for these things those Believers had received of the Apostles With more to the same purpose in that Chapter lib. 1. c. 5. Thes. 32. contr Bellarm. H. Bullinger asserts in his 4 Decas and 8. Serm. dedicated to K. Edw. 6. That Men fetch'd the understanding of heavenly things and knowledge of the holy Ghost from no where else then from the same Spirit Doct. Owen saith The only publick Authentick and infallible Interpreter of the Holy Scriptures is he who is the Author of them from the breathing of whose Spirit it derives all its Verity Perspicuity and Authority Exerc. 2.7.9 T. C. an Antient and Considerable Baptist saith There is the Law and Testimony in the Spirit as well as in the Letter The Law of God is in the Heart there it is written and there it testifieth the Truth of God and if any Man speak not according to this Rule it