or as a Non conformist Presbyterian Priest or a Baptist seeing that all these pretended Water Baptism but differed greatly about it some being for sprinkling Infants others for plunging Believers therefore we urged to know whether he own'd Infants or Believers to be the subjects of this Baptism but neither would he or his Brethren pitch upon nor give an answer though George many time proffered to dispute either of them which he would pitch upon but S. S. durst not stand to either as a man affraid either to maintain or contradict his own practice viz. Sprinkling Infants and instead of being ingenious in this matter he made a bawling noise crying out it s with water water water and calling out against us you Rebels Rebels Rebels go baptize you Rebels for many times together appearing then rather like one of Bedlam then either a Minister or a sober man and thus he manifested his deceit and hypocrisie and breach of promise in railing and reviling us And now where was his amity and friendliness and the equal liberty he proposed in his Letter to G. W. dated from Haverill Febr. 12. 68 But it was observed how well these Priests were furnished with strong Liquor when they were at the dispute which they often made use of to keep up their spirits for their work as when S. S. had spent himself a while that he must be fain to go to the Bottle then that proud scornfull Fellow Nathaniel Barnard he would stand up and make a bawling till he must be fain to get to the Bottle also and thus they were fain to relieve one another this S. S. and N. B. being as the mouthes of the rest but chiefly S. S. who making such a hidious noise and bawling and so often crying out water water as also using these words You Rebels you Rebels go baptise you Rebels and that Priest Bernard bawling his story over and over not like sober or ingenious men but more like men infatuated but Henry Havers and the other three they behaved themselves more soberly then either S. S. or N. B. though they took their part and all brought shame and disgrace upon themselves by suffering such a shallow bragging and vapouring man as S. S. who shewed himself in his Ribbonds like a Fiddler to be their mouth and to mannage their cause as if he were their Chieftain and over them all Again When he stated a Question or read an Argument for he had his Arguments patch'd up aforehand in papers which was not capable of a direct answer by affirming or denying presently he would not admit of an explanation of it but would cry affirm or deny and if at any time in the first place any thing was affirmed or denied he would not suffer us further to render a reason but make a noise to stop the Truth and when any of us granted to a question according to Truth he would turn up his eyes and thank God as if he had wrought some great conviction upon us whereas what we either affirmed or granted we did not learn of him but spoke the naked truth as we had it of the Lord before as for instance after this S. S. had affirmed the Scriptures which are the Writings to be our only Rule of Life which being denied by us that the Writings abstractivly can be the only Rule because the Spirit of Truth is said to guide into all Truth hereupon he confest that it was not the Scriptures abstractively that he meant to be the only Rule but the Will of God contained or declared of in the Scriptures where though he manifestly contradicted himself yet when we granted that the Will of God declared of in the Scriptures is the Rule which Will is that we should follow the Light within hereupon this S. S. would again turn up the white of his eyes and thank God that we granted to this Truth though it was so apparently contradictory to his error who went about to set up the Scriptures as the only Rule and to cause people to turn their Backs upon the Light within telling them You must follow the Scriptures for they will lead you to Heaven and Happiness but you must turn your backs upon the Light within as not sufficient and yet at another time again was necessitated to confess That it is by the spiritual enlightning of the understanding that the Scriptures are understood so that here the spiritual Light in the understanding was the Rule to know the Scriptures so by his own confession they could not be the only Rule but the Spirit or Light that gave them forth and gives the understanding of them hath the preserment and preheminence of them Besides what great Hypocrisie and Dissimulation for these Presbyterian Priests thus to pretend the Scriptures to be the sole absolute or universal Rule when they do not really so own them neither are they their Rule while they put their meanings false interpretations and glosses upon them many times contrary to the very intent of Scripture when it goes positively against their Principle whereby they will either make themselves the Rule over the Scriptures or else tell us that it hath another meaning or signification in the original and so dare not stick to plain Scripture as their Rule when they are brought to trial and this is their course from time to time to keep people in blindness and ignorance when they set up the Writing above the Spirit or Light written of and tell people that immediate Teaching and immediate Revelation are ceased in these dayes and whither must people go then to ground their faith must they pin it upon their sleeves must they turn their backs on the Light of Christ within to be captivated with the Popes and Priests darkness with their dark and implicite faith and so be kept ever learning that they may be always paying and maintaining a Company of Hypocrites who were wont to cry against the Quakers for creeping into houses whilst they had Cromwell to uphold them and whilst they counted him the light of their Eyes and breath of their Nostrils but now these Presbyterian and Independant Priests are fain to creep up and down themselves into houses though it is evident they are no better then blind and dead men since the light of their Eyes and breath of their Nostrils is extinguished howbeit they have gotten a cunning way to drive a trade now more hiddenly then when they were Parish Priests having at their Meetings large Collections at some places a great Bason or Platter held at the door and at some other places their Agents to go from house to house to procure or beg money for them and thus many of them it is supposed and credibly reported drive a greater trade then many of the Parish Priests and in some places some of their Company have made a cunning bargain with the Episcopal Parish Priests as allowing them part of the Fleece or money that they take from off their
THE GLORY of CHRIST's LIGHT WITHIN Expelling DARKNESS Being the sum of the Controversie between the People called Quakers and some of the Non-conformist Priests as manifest at Two Publick Disputes in Essex Between George Whitehead called a Quaker and Stephen Scandret Presbyter being at the latter Dispute assisted with five more of his Brethren the Priests to wit Nathaniel Barnard Henry Havers Henry Coleman Nath. Ball and Robert Billoes Wherein are several weighty Matters and Principles discussed to inform and undeceive the deceived that they may know the Truth as it is in Jesus which is really desired By us who are Lovers of Truth and Well-wishers to our Enemie's Souls Robert Ludgater William Allen John Furly John Childes Giles Barnadiston George Whetherley Whereunto is added a Brief and Scriptural Examination of that private Principle of a Personal Election and Reprobation of certain definite numbers from Eternity wherein that ridged Spirit that denies Grace to be free for all men is detected By G. Whitehead Evil men and Seducers wax worse and worse Printed in the Year 1669. A Narrative to Professors and Followers of Presbyterian Priests and others concerned ALthough perverse Disputes of men of corrupt minds are things neither desirable nor pleasing to us yet when such men do appear with impudence and open face against the Precious and Living Truth professed by us we are necessitated to appear on Truth 's behalf and to stand up for the Lord in these weighty matters as namely on the behalf of his Universal-Love and Free-Grace to mankind therein we bearing witness unto that true Light of his within and the sufficiency of it both as Rule and Guide in the Way to Salvation and in vindication of this true Light which enlightens every man coming into the World as also for the Power and Work of Christ in his restoring and freeing man perfectly out of Sin and Death for this through his Grace we are engaged to appear against the Devil and Darkness and against all his sinfull Agents and Messengers who dispute against the sufficiency of the Light of Christ that is in every man and against Perfection being attainable in this life wherein they do but contend for the Devil Error Darkness and the works thereof and so against God his Truth Free-Grace and his Work whom we desire ever to serve and testifie to And now as to the occasion of our having thus to do with this Stephen Scandret and some of his Brethren the two Disputes as they were deemed that were between him and our Friend George Whitehead were chiefly occasioned by the said S. S. and some of his Hearers and Benefactors both proffering and urging for dispute it appears that some of his Hearers had in that matter better conceits of him then he deserved as judging him a man of competent parts and abilities for that purpose as also probably supposing that his Cause on Principles had had such Truth in them that they should have had the more power and prevalency with them to have stood the trial better then they did As for the first Dispute on the 20th of the 11th moneth 68 it was managed with more calmness and moderation on S. S. his part than the latter excepting that many times he would interrupt when an answer was a giving and at the latter end he broke off to be gone in such an abrupt manner that as he occasioned some disorder leaving some false insinuations against us implying as if we did not own the Righteousness of Christ for Justification c. without staying to receive answer thereto which tended to stir up the ruder sort against us Howbeit the Controversie having been managed before with some moderation this S. S. as no doubt being then under some conviction was forc'd to confess to several truths which G. W. urged As first after he had asserted the Scriptures to be the only Rule of Life he confessed that the Light within was a spiritual Light and the Light of the Spirit of God that every one is enlightened with Secondly That this Light many have who have not the Scriptures Thirdly That this Light within might through the blessing of God with a good improvement save them that have not the Scriptures So that to his own confutation he did herein confess to the Light within as being more universal than the Scriptures And in his confessing this Light within to be Spiritual or a Light of the Spirit of God he hath flatly contradicted his denying the Light within to be saving and in divers other things at the other Dispute he did manifestly contradict himself and yet would not appear to see or confess his Error when several times urged upon him at the Dispute Howbeit afterwards he writ a Paper to G. W. wherein he confessed himself defective in the Disputation howbeit as appeared upon some of his Hearers pressing him for a second Disputation as also being reflected upon by some of the professing Party who reported that he had given away their Cause he himself writ and pressed several times upon G. W. for another Dispute using very smooth words as Beloved Friend I am willing again to meet you in a friendly and amicable manner to dispute but at this last Dispute all his pretended amity and friendship was turned into enmity railing interruptions and disorderly proceedings not at all like a man either serious or composed in his mind for to mannage a Dispute nor yet moderately to search into matters To his earnest urging to a second Dispute to be on the 25th or 30th of March G. W. could not then lay aside his occasions to attend upon him at that time but rather endeavoured to perswade this his more forward and confident then prudent Antagonist to weigh the business a little longer that he might forbear pressing such a thing until the Lord should order his coming from London into this Country George proposing these things following to his consideration in the mean time a little to quiet him as in his Letter to S. S. in these words viz. Seeing that thou dost appear as one so willing and forward in this case to gratifie the peoples desires I judge it meet that thou take the matter into more serious consideration before there be a positive conclusion between us of the time and place for such a meeting as first to mind that Sectaries among whom thou and I with our Friends are numbred have their present Liberty and Meetings rather by connivance then by Law or Tolleration granted by the present Power so that if occasion of provocation should be taken at such Meeting or Meetings we must consider aforehand what in probability may be the issue Secondly I have not observed those Leaders of the People of thy perswasion to be so forward or ready to suffer imprisonment and exile in Stormy Times as many of us or our Friends have done that now you should seem to be so forward to make a flourish and perk up so high in a
backs upon the Light of Christ within lest you be shut up under the chains of these Priests darkness and ignorance who have perverted and deceived you one while endeavouring to keep you from the Light within another while pretending to pray for God's Teaching as this S. S. hath done where in his papers he saith The whole Congregation stand in need of Gods teaching and the Lord God of Heaven lead us into all truth thus prayeth saith he your truly well-wisher in the Lord S. Scandret But we pray you how should you know and receive Gods teachings or leading into all Truth if not by his Light within Are you like to receive his teachings in the darkness or by turning your backs on the Light whereas if God be your Teacher you must know and own his Law in your hearts and his Spirit in your inward parts as he hath promised and not follow Hypocrites that one while pray to God to teach you another while say You must turn your backs on his Light within as insufficient whereas the Light of the Spirit of God is to be the only Teacher and is both true infallible and a perfect Guide to all them that obey and follow it therefore reject it not as you tender your own eternal happiness and desire to be delivered from under the power of Darkness Hell and Destruction We have Copies of the Disputes more at large and circumstancially as they were then taken by several in short-hand and after compared which are here abreviated into this method following for plainness to the Readers with some passages added in the Answers where we met with interruptions And if Steph. Scandret shall undertake to appear in print in vindication of his own and his Brethrens Principles we hope we shall have more opportunity to make them further manifest then they would allow us at the Disputes SECT I. Here followeth some of S. Scandret his Principles and Doctrines disputed on between him and G. W. at the first Dispute on the 20th of the 11th Moneth 68. with a brief Answer and Reply S. Scandret affirmed That the Scriptures are the sole universal and most certain Rule of Life more full then any other to us and that they most fully discover and reveal the Mind and Will of God which cannot be known but by the Scriptures therefore we are directed to search them and if it be certain that the Scriptures come from God as none dare deny then am I not so certain if any thing else be dictated to me said he Answer Although we own the Scriptures of Truth in their place yet they are not to be set up above that Spirit that gave them forth as here our Opposer hath done for it is the Spirit of Truth that leads into all truth that reveals the Mind and Will of God and it is the Inspiration of the Almighty that giveth understanding without which men are ignorant of the Scriptures and how comes this man to be so certain of the Scriptures whilst his certainty depends not upon the Spirit 's guidance and whence hath he his certainty whilst he hath excluded the immediate teachings and guidance of the Spirit of Truth which searcheth all things even the deep things of God is he not among them that searched the Scriptures to find Eternal Life in them but would not come to Christ that they might have Life besides he doth not rely upon the Spirit of Truth for certainty both as the most absolute Rule and Leader we have little cause to believe his spirit his faith and perswasion being implicite and dark and how will he convince them meerly by the Scriptures who question them or the Translation of them seeing his Brother Tho. Danson hath confessed that it is but petitio principii a begging of the Question to bring a Testimony of Scripture concerning it self for their conviction that question its Authority whereby he hath apparently shaken their Foundation but if the Scriptures be the only most certain universal Rule as S. S. affirms then it seems the course he 'll take to convince Papists Jews and Turks who question or oppose much of the Scriptures is by the Scriptures themselves and herein he still comes under his Brother Danson's censure of begging the question and imposing upon his Opposers But how manifestly did this S. S. contradict himself when he confessed that the Light of the Spirit of God within was more universal then the Scriptures in that many have it who have not Scripture and to such the Light within might through the blessing of God be saving as also if he and his Brethren did really own the Scriptures to be the sole and most certain and full Rule of Life what needed they have Assemblies in Scotland and England to make them a Directory Confession of Faith Catechisms and Covenant if the Scriptures were so full and of such esteem with them as they pretend S. S. Paul by the Light within did and thought he might do many things contrary to the Name of Jesus and so was misled and mistaken by following the Light within c. Answ. This is a gross mistake it was not by following the light within but by following his own thoughts and darkness that he was mistaken wherein he was zealous for Traditions more then for Light or Spirit within so that here our Opposer hath done no less then put Darkness for Light and what and where were the pricks that it was hard for him to kick against were they not from the Light within S. S. What is dictated to me within may come from the Darkness and I may take it for Light but what comes from Scripture I am certain is from the Spirit of God there is no darkness in the Scriptures it is true the Spirit of God is a Spirit of Truth but in as much as within us there is Darkness as well as Light we are not able to discern the one from the other without the Scriptures as Paul was subject to mistake by following the Light within Answ. Here he hath sufficiently manifested himself to be one that understands not the dictates of the Light from Darkness as one yet in the blindness of his mind and in the Darkness that comprehends not the Light and Paul when he was mistaken and thought he might act contrary to Jesus was in the unconverted state as it plainly appears this Priest S. S. is who discerns not between Light and Darkness and what signifies his saying there is no darkness in the Scriptures is he any whit the nearer the understanding of them whilst he is so full of Darkness in himself that he discerns not the Light from it the God of the World having blinded his mind And did not Paul when he was Saul and a Persecutor own the Scriptures of Moses and the Prophets as his Rule and yet acted contrary as one out of the Light when he persecuted but yet when he was turned to the Light and Law of God within then
he saw himself and sin to be exceeding sinfull and it was the Law of the Spirit of Life in Christ that was inward and spiritual that made him free and this was his Rule in the converted state when he was come to serve the Lord not in the oldness of the Letter but in the newness of the Spirit But again how did this S. S. contradict himself in granting that the Spirit was to give the understanding of Scripture and did as certainly reveal the Mind and will of God as the Scriptures but then again in contradiction to himself asserted that the Spirit of God must be tried by the Scriptures whereby he still hath ascribed the Supremacy to the Scriptures and not the Spirit absurdly preferring the effect before the cause as if the Spirit of God were not sufficient to manifest it self to them that believe in it and yet be sufficient to lead into all Truth what gross ignorance and apparent contradiction is this our Opposer involved in certainly the Spirit of Truth is all-sufficient and must have the preferment among all that are spiritually minded And seeing it was granted by S. S. That where the Scriptures did not come the Light within was to be their Rule and the Spirit of God listned unto and obeyed but the Scriptures must be our only Rule who have them c. Upon this we query whether yet he will own the Spirit of Light within to be greater and preferr'd before Scripture as doubtless the Spirit of Truth that gave them forth is the greater and then we ask if the Heathen or Gentiles that shewed the work of the Law written in their hearts were led or guided by that which is greater then the Guide which the Christians now are to rely upon or whether or no professed Christians in England must be inferiour to the Gentiles or Heathen Let these things be seriously considered for Christ is given for a Light unto the Gentiles to be Salvation to the ends of the Earth and he said Believe in the Light that you may be Children of the Light and he that doth Truth cometh to the Light that his deeds may be manifest that they are wrought in God John 3. 21. So that here the Light is the Rule to manifest and try mens actions whether they are wrought in God yes or nay SECT II. S. Scandret confest That it was a spiritual Light and that it was the Light of Christ that every one was inlightned with G. W. asked him what Spirit it related to or was the Light of for the word that is the primative of the derivative SPIRITUAL is SPIRIT to this S. S. answered that it was the Spirit of God which it was a Light of c. Reply A plain confession no wit is the Light of the Spirit of God that is in every man enough to overthrow all our Opposers work to the contrary and his reason from his own and the Creatures darkness and mistakes against the sufficiency of the Light of the Spirit of God this is the Stone and Rock that breaks and will break him and such Opposers to pieces S. S. Objection The Light within doth not change all mens hearts all do not obey God it brings not all to God all heard not the joyfull sound all had not satisfaction in God therefore the Light within is not saving Reply The same he might as well object against the Spirit of God as against the Light of it which he hath confest to before for many had the good Spirit given to them who rebelled against God and grieved his holy Spirit therefore their hearts were not truly changed by it because of their Rebellion and they that rebel against the Light know not its ways because they abide not in its Paths Job 24. 13. and there are many who resist the Spirit of God and reject his Counsel until they are given over to hardness and unbelief Now what doth S. S. think that the Spirit or Light of the Lord will inevitable or irresistably inforce a change and Salvation upon rebellious gainsaying Persons who hate his Light and reject his Counsel if he suppose this why is it not inforc'd upon all in the same capacity what doth he render man like a Block or a Beast not to go or act in obedience or subjection but as he is forc'd or driven surely man hath a better capacity given him of God then so and seeing S. S. did confess That the Light in its common operations was in the unbelievers upon which we ask what those common operations are and what do they tend to and what is the good end of God in affording this Light of his Spirit to all and such operations in unbelievers surely if it be to their conviction and reproof for sin and evil God's good end and Will therein is that they may come to see and hate sin and evil and so be by degrees drawn out of it and find mercy peace and satisfaction with the Lord in forsaking sin and embracing righteousness surely the universal Love of God in giving Light to all is of this tendance and effect to all that really accept of his Love and good will S. S. The common Light may misguide a man for it may become darkness if the Light that is in you be darkness c. Answ. The Light of the Spirit of God is infallibly true and cannot misguide any neither is it proper or true to call this darkness for the Light in every man is confessed to be the Light of the Spirit of God however S. S. and such Blind-Guides to their own confusion may put light for darkness and darkness for Light as such whose minds and eyes are evil do and it was such that Christ spoke of who if they put darkness for light then how great was their darkness for to be sure no light in it self or in its own being can properly be called darkness S. S. Object Deut. 29. 4. Yet the Lord hath not given you a heart to perceive and eyes to see and ears to hear unto this day therefore c. Reply There were those who closed their eyes and stopped their ears as did the rebellious Jews Zach. 7. 11 12. Matth. 13. 15. and though these whom Moses reproved did not continue in the tenderness of heart and true Light unto that day yet it is evident verse 2. they had seen all that the Lord did before their eyes in the Land of Egypt and the signs and miracles verse 3. as also of the same people an ample testimony is given in Nehem. 9. what great things the Lord had done for them and how he gave also of his good Spirit to instruct them verse 20. SECT III. UPon the Question about Perfection S. S. affirmed That Perfection that is a state free from all Sin is not attainable in this Life but God would take his own time to do it in the other World after Death Sin shall never be wholly taken away in this
then the Scriptures and contains that which the Scriptures contains and more so the tenor and tendance of S. S. his work is to turn people from the greater wherein they can never truly own the lesser for by turning of their backs upon the Light within they oppose and violate the Scriptures of Truth although he could hypocritically pray to God to lead us into all truth and also in contradiction to himself did grant that without Spiritual Illumination and Regeneration he could not come to the Excellency and Knowledge of the Will of God in the Scriptures so that here the Spiritual Illumination is the Rule preferred before the Writings and now the Question is whether those Gentiles had not a sufficient Rule in them who had not the Scriptures who yet did the things contained and enjoyed the things declared of to this we could not have an Answer but the same thing before asserted of the Scriptures over and over as being the full Rule c. and that we must turn our backs upon the Light within whereas people had need turn their hacks upon the darkness and blindness of such at S. S. who notwithstanding in contradiction to himself was made to grant that we have but a part of the Scriptures many things being written acted and spoken from the Spirit of God which we have not in the Bible however we must not turn our backs upon the Light of the Spirit of God within nor deny or question its sufficiency for we have experience of it and that this Spirit is the Guide into all truth without which the Scriptures are not truly understood the Will of God declared of in the Scriptures we grant is the full Rule hereupon the Priest interrupted and said thanks be to God for this truth they have granted c. whereas we still added that it was the Will of God we should follow his Light and Spirit within to guide us into all truth for this is that which unvails the heart enlightens the understanding to know the Scriptures but the Jews had the Writings of Moses and the Prophets yet they understood not what they read they could not see the end because their hearts were vailed even until the Apostles dayes so their reading the Scriptures did not discover Life and Glory to them because it did not remove the vail from off their hearts but the Inspiration of the Almighty giveth understanding the Light of the Spirit of God within can unvail the hearts and enlighten the minds and to this S. S. hath in effect granted when he said I did never affirm that without Spiritual Illumination we could come to the knowledge of the Will of God in the Scriptures c. To which we further add that it is the man of God who is in the Faith being led by his Spirit who truly knows the right use and service of Scriptures they being of use and profitable as given by divine inspiration but the Writing or Letter outward is not of absolute universal necessity to Salvation for many may be saved who neither have it nor can read it for from the Light of Christ within they have so much of the Instructions or precepts therein contained as are necessary to Salvation And Christ is the Way the Truth and Life and it is by the Fathers drawings that men come to him and his Light is universal and enlightens every man that cometh into the World now it is no where so said of the Scriptures and if the Spirit of Truth Guide Believers into all truth then the Light of this Spirit within must needs be a sufficient Rule of Life c. And this S. S. did confess it was a Spiritual Light the Light of the Spirit of God that is in every man II. S. S. Grant I did that it is a Light of the Spirit of God but not given to all it is only the Elect are savingly enlightned c. Answ. It is given to all if God gave his good Spirit to wicked and rebellious men then none are excluded from it but God did give his good Spirit to rebellious men Nehemiah 9. 20 26. To this with several other Arguments our Opposer gave no Answer but asserted his old Matters over and over and added some things but not material S. S. This is not a full Light c. for God created the Stars which are a Light Must they therefore be the full Light of the Day c Answ. We are speaking about the Light which is Spiritual and of God which his instance of the Stars makes nothing against nor did we ever read that the Light of the Stars was Spiritual neither doth it follow that the Light of the Spirit of God is not a sufficient Rule because it is given by measure and not in the fulness of it to all for however it is pure and holy the degrees do not alter the property to every one of us saith the Apostle is given Grace according to the measure of the Gift of Christ were they then to turn their backs of the measure of Grace given because it was not given in its fulness no sure for the Light within though manifest by measure doth gradually lead men out of darkness and sin as they take heed unto it it is truly spiritual pure and universal though it reveal not all things at once and the Path of the just is a shining Light that shineth more and more until the perfect day and the more sure Word of Prophesie is to be taken heed unto as a Light that shineth in a dark place until the day dawn and the Day-Star arise in the hearts but it is questionable whether S. S. or his Brethren will not say that this is meant the Scriptures if so then we ask Are they more sure then what and whether the Day dawning and the Day-Star arising in the hearts be the Scriptures Again the Spirit of Truth doth convince the World of sin and of righteousness and declares the will of God S. S. It doth not convince of righteousness if it convinceth of sin then not of the contrary Answ. We will appeal to the people whether any of them can say when they are reproved of sin that they are not convinced of a contrary staâ—e as namely of a state of Righteousness which they ought to come into S. S. No no we will appeal to the Scriptures Answ. It is noâ— contrary to the Scriptures to appeal to mens Consciences the Apostle was manifest in mens Conscience in the sight of God and sure it was the Light of Christ in them which he was manifest unto S. S. I deny that this Light within doth convince of Chist's Righteousness imputed Answ. It being the Light of the Spirit of God which both convinceth and leadeth out of Sin that must needs lead to a state of Righteousness which is no other but Christ's Righteousness even that of Faith wherein those Gentiles that feared God and obeyed this Light within were accepted and in
Flock whereupon the Episcopal Priest is contented to let them drive a trade under his Nose But now you who are the Followers and Hearers and Benefactors these cunning creeping Priests you should do well to try them a little be not too free of your purses to them lest afterward you repent of it for we do not believe that many of them are so consciencious as to scruple conforming to the Common-Prayer if they had but a dead trade among you or were put upon trial for now you have fed them so full and fat that they make such a vapour and blustering against us who have been the Sufferers and whom they know in stormy times have endured the storms and born the heat and the blows very much from them when they have skulkt and crept into holes and corners and very few of them durst shew their heads in any Testimony for God or Christ but have been ready to run away out at back-doors or over the houses rather then be taken prisoners though now they can in their Meetings Houses and Barns most unworthily and unjustly rail against and revile us called Quakers and grosly pervert and misrepresent our Principles vilifying and reproaching the Truth that we profess concerning the Light of Christ that is in every man and the sufficiency of it but it is set over all their heads and the Truth hath confounded and shattered them for they were commonly wont to tell people it was but a natural light the light of a natural Conscience a created light but now this their representative S. S. hath confest that it is a spiritual Light yea a Light of the Spirit of God that is in every man so what he hath asserted to the contrary in his declaring it insufficient and bidding people turn their backs upon it is all against the Spirit of God and the Light of it wherein his folly and confutation is so signally discovered that he and the rest that owned him have neither cause now to boast nor yet to urge for any more meetings with any of us nor we much so regard them except that we should order some of our women Friends to dispute with them for many of them are able to confute these shatter'd Priests whom the Sun is set upon and the day is become dark and the Lord is delivering many out of their mouthes and that is their torment especially when they are like to lose any of their Benefactors then they are ready to call for disputes with us and to make a bussle and stir by which they still lose and are disappointed of their ends for at the last Dispute when they would not suffer us to explain our selves or give an answer some of the people said We shall like the Quakers never the worse if you will not give them leave to speak and indeed many were then convinced so far as to see the folly and madness of this S. S. and his Assistant Priest Bernard who was there proved a manifest Lyar in interrupting G. W. contrary to his plain promise The Questions which we propounded to be disputed on before the first Dispute were three as first Whether every man be enlightned with a spiritual saving Light which we affirmed Secondly Whether Perfection be attainable in this life which we affirmed Thirdly Whether impure persons while such be justified by the imputation of Christ's Righteousness which we denied This last Question S. S. altered and stated it thus Whether Justification be by the works of the Law or by the Righteousness of Christ through Faith which Question could not in these general terms so reach the controversie between us as the Question we proposed these Priests holding That men are imputatively righteous and justified when actually Sinners and we holding the contrary That men are justified when really and actually righteous or partakers of the Righteousness of Faith in Christ wherein they are obedient to the Word or Spirit of God in their hearts to which the righteousness of Faith requires obedience and we further affirm that it is a false imputation to reckon men righteous or just whilst they are really or personally unrighteous and unjust for the Faith that was reckoned to Abraham and by which the Believers are justified is a Living Faith that purifieth the heart and that is accompanied with those works of obedience which answer the Law of Faith in the heart Moreover to these Questions before S. S. added three more as in the first place Whether the Scriptures are not to be our Rule of Life to which we affirmed Not the Writings but the thing written of to wit the same that was the Saints Rule in all Ages or the Spirit and Light of Christ within which gave forth the Scriptures and brings to the right understanding true use and fulfilling of them and without which Light people cannot truly understand them Then S. S. added for the two last Queries viz. Whether Baptism with water be an Ordinance of Christ which he affirmed though he durst not tell us whether Babes or Believers were to be the Subjects of it or whether he were a true administrator of it for when G. W. in a Letter would have put him to prove his call to the Ministry and whether he own'd immediate Revelation in these dayes he must have George to prove his call first thus he shuffled And then his last Question was Whether the Lords Supper be not an Ordinance of Christ binding us this Question we got not to to discuss nor did he explain what he meant by the Lords Supper howbeit he hath told G. W. in a paper That this Light within doth not dictate that Baptism by water is Gods Will nor that we ought to celebrate the Lords Supper c. So that you the Hearers and Followers of this S. S. may take notice that if he does celebrate as he Popishly saith and delivers to you Bread and Wine and tell you it is the Lords Supper he is not led to it by the dictates of the Light within which he hath confest to be the Light of the Spirit of God and therefore we may conclude his pretended Celebration and Ordinance not binding to us because the Light of the Spirit of God does not enjoyn us to it for we must worship in the newness of the Spirit and we know the Spirit of Truth leads into all Truth so that what is of Truth the Light dictates to us and therefore we must not follow Priest S. S. his darkness for our Dictator or Guide Secondly If sprinkling Infants be a part of his Trade in houses and corners you may understand that the Light of the Spirit of God doth not dictate it unto him and therefore you will be exceeding blind and dark if you give your selves to be bound to submit to his darkness or to any of his impositions which are neither Scriptural nor Spiritual therefore we caution you not to follow such dark and blind Guides and not to turn your
this were they justified see Acts 10. and Rom. 2. S. S. I deny that the Light within reveals Christ Jesus prove it Answ. The Light was given to believe in before they were Believers and shined in their hearts to give them the knowledge of the Glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ therefore it was sufficient to answer the end of its being given as to bring them into that knowledge see 2 Corinthians 4. 6. S. S. This doth not prove that the Light doth reveal Christ Is this Grace that hath appeared to all the Light in every man prove that this Grace was the Light within the Light in every man never heard or taught that the Gospel should come by Christ c. Answ. The Light shineth in Darkness and the darkness comprehends it not but the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men therefore it is sufficient and it hath been confest by S. S. that the Light of the Spirit of God did appear in every man now that this Grace which teacheth to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts is a spiritual inward Light and that which reveals Christ to Believers is plain in that it both teacheth them to live Godly to look for that blessed Hope and Appearance of that great God and Jesus Christ Titus 2. 11 12 13 14 15. therefore this Light or Grace within is both sufficient to reveal Christ and Gospel unto Salvation whatever this Blind-Guide say to the contrary Another Priest with S. S. alledged That the Grace of God appeared to all men but not not in all Reply Was not its appearance Spiritual how then did it appear to all and not in all Surely its appearance to all was in all seeing it is spiritual and spiritually to be seen though many close their eyes against it S. S. The Light within is not nor ever was from the Foundation of the World a sufficient or full Rule none from Adam in Innocency to Moses and the Prophets nor from them to the Apostles nor any to this day that had a Light in them sufficient to be a Rule of Life but something was super-added to the Light within as Gods Prohibition to Adam and to the Jews the Law of Ordinances as Circumcision Sacrifices c. and to the Apostles Baptism and the Supper c. Answ. What a heap of ignorance and darkness is here uttered against the Light of the Living And how is the sufficiency of it in all Gods People opposed by this our Opposer who denies the Light in Adam in Innocency to be the full Rule was not God and his Light in him Surely the Scriptures were not Adams Rule for they were not written till many hundreds of years after and the Holy men of God had a Rule before they were written as Abel Enoch Abraham c. And what was the Rule to the Prophets and Apostles which directed them in writing and giving forth the Scriptures Was not their Rule within and the Revelation of the things contained in Scripture inward before they were written Was not the Spirit the Law and Light of the Lord within And whatsoever may be known of God is it not manifest within S. S. Did not God require more of Adam then the Light did dictate for if there be twenty Trees in a Garden looking about upon the Trees in the Grove there where the dispute was how should we know by the Light within which of the Tree were prohibited if there were not a super-added Command c. Reply Here all along he manifested his ignorance both of God of his Law within which is Light and of the forbidden Fruit And being asked whether it was outward Fruit and an outward Tree that Adam was prohihited â—â— some of them answered yes still opposing the sufficiency of the Light in Adam when they could not deny God to be in him And as for those Laws of Ceremonies and Shadows to the Jews Salvation doth not depend upon them but upon the Light of Christ within who is the Substance And when we urged that Christ was the Image of the Invisible God and the First-born of every Creature and that Adam was made in the Image of God which Image was Inward and Spiritual and that God is not like to corruptible man it was no ingenious Answer for S. S. to cry out A triffle a triffle or to cry Ye Ramble ye ramble c. As often he did when he was baffled and confounded And being asked whether the appearance and Law of God to Adam was inward or outward his answer was I am willing not to be wise above what is written I do not know I am satisfied to be ignorant of it and yet he was ready to assert in his ignorance That the Light in Adam was insufficient when he did not know whether the appearance of God to him was inward or outward yet granted that Adam in Innocency had the enjoyment of God and so plainly contradicted himself as not able to mannage what he had asserted against the Light nor yet his Brethren with him though when he was put to a nonplus his Brother Priest B. to help him argued in this manner though to little purpose Priest viz. If those people to whom the Apostles were sent did never hear the words of Life and Salvation till they came to preach unto them then the Light in them did not declare the words of Life and Salvation but they did never hear the words of Life and Salvation until the Apostle came to preach to them therefore c. But this Priest being manifest to be but a scornfull vopouring proud Fellow with neither common sobriety much less any weight or sence of Truth upon his Spirit his filly shallow matter was slighted and the Query was put to him and the other Priests in this manner Query Whether or no wilt thou grant the same thing that S. Scandret hath done viz that a Light of the Spirit of God is in every man or will you deny it If there be any of the same mind with him let them speak Priests We do own what Steph. Scandret hath laid down Reply Then this Light of the the Spirit of God was able to teach all the words of Life and Salvation and the Apostles did not preach to turn Peoples backs upon this but to turn them to it and confirm them in it as that which taught many before to fear God and work Righteousness wherein they were accepted and this overthrows the Argument before that was so often repeated and S. S. his vain Assertions and Totoligies to the contrary who turned his back on the Light within till he is turned into gross darkness and would have others do as he hath done S. S. You dare not say the Light within is the full Rule Answ. That 's false we both dare say it and have affirmed and proved that the Light of the Spirit of God is a full Rule to lead to Salvation where it is obeyed as