And whereas he saith Let us labour with God for his blessed Spirit to guide us in all Truth He therein seems to own Truth to be a Mystery within also for if the Spirit be to be receiv'd it must be within and the Spirit is Truth because as J. N. elsewhere confesseth It is of the same beeing nature power and tendency with God who is Truth and with Christ who is the Truth And the Spirit is the Unction which was received from the Holy One which was True and not a Lye so here he seems to own Truth a Mystery within the Spirit being Mystery which before he said was contrary to Truth 's Intent and thus his Confusion appears from time to time And moreover if in such a dangerous time as he supposes this to be the Spirit be the only Thing to be labour'd for as a Guide to lead in all Truth wherefore then does he so much cry against the Quakers whose Principle it is and also their Practice To labour with people to wait for the Spirit 's Operation that by it as the most certain Guide they may be led into all Truth Hath he not also oppos'd himself hereby who not long before asserted the Scriptures to be the only Rule which do but testifie of the Spirit which now he would have people labour for as a Guide in all Truth which indeed is the only Guide without which the Scriptures cannot be known because they are things of God and the things of God know no man but the Spirit of God and he to whom the Spirit of God reveals them And he saith Let us not be hasty to receive an Opinion before we have weighed the same by the Law and Testimony seeing there are many false spirits gone out into the world Answ That there are many false spirits gone out into the World I grant and that is a false babilonish spirit that contradicts it self as the spirit of J.N. has done as before shew'd And that is the true Spirit of Grace which teacheth to live God-like in this present World but that which leads into Confusion is not God-like but such is the spirit of J.N. therefore not to be receiv'd And that all Opinions and Spirits are to be try'd by the Law and Testimony I own but what is this Law and Testimony is it not the Light and Spirit in the inward parts for Solomon said The Law is Light and the Angel said The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophesie Pro. 6.23 Rev. 19.11 So here is the Law and Testimony declar'd which I dare say J.N. never intended to direct people to as a Touch-stone to try Opinions by as he call them And is not this Light the Law of the Spirit which the Apostle speaks of and which he sometimes called The perfect Law of Liberty Jam. 1.25 And by this Law indeed Paul said He was set free from the Law of sin and death So as the Prophet said Let all to the Law and to the Testimony or as the Apostle said Look into the perfect Law of Liberty the Law of the Spirit or Light thereof in the inward parts for this is that perfect Rule that leads in the Way in which a Wayfaring-man though a Fool cannot err And without this there are none able to understand the Scriptures nor to practise them because of our selves we can do nothing yet we are willing to having our Doctrines Principles and Practices try'd by the Scriptures of Truth But then saith J.N. the most dangerous spirit is this that draws all the Happiness of this Life and that which is to come into man and finishes all the Glory of man at the brink of the Grave Answ If by the Glory of man he means the Glory of Man as simply a Creature then I do say all that is to be finish'd at the brink of the Grave for it s but the glory of Flesh which as the Flower of the Grass passeth away But if by the Glory of man he means that which the Wise in Heart shall inherit Prov. 3.35 and which is the Reward of those before whom the Righteousness of God goeth then I know none except Athiests and Ranters that affirm or assert any such thing and I say also that is the most dangerous spirit of all and to be shun'd by all But that spirit which would keep people out of an Expectation of seeing and beholding that Glory that is endless while on this side the Grave is not much inferior as to the Ill-consequences of it to the other for that would deprive people of the chief Happiness of this Life and of the happy Enjoyment of that Glory which their Peace and Joy is full of in believing while they remain on this side the Grave and may also endanger to deprive them of the enjoyment of that which is to be receiv'd in the Life that is to come For if the Earnest of the incorruptible Inheritance which is a part thereof be not receiv'd in this Life what true Comfort can there be enjoy'd in this Life So then that Spirit of Grace or Word of Grace which manifests its Light and Strength in the Inward Parts by its own Operation for the begetting of Faith in and concerning it self in all that hear and receive it this I say is not to be shunn'd but adhered unto by all as unto the Author of true Faith seeing Faith cometh by Hearing and hearing by the Word of God and the Word is nigh thee in thy Heart and in thy Mouth Rom. 10.17 and the Spirit is in the inward parts which with the Word is one by which Faith is given And all that hear this Word and obey this Spirit of Faith shall doubtless behold the Glory of the Word as the Apostles did even as the Glory of the only Begotten of the Father full of Grace and Truth and shall doubtless know that Faith in which is Peace and Joy unspeakable and full of Glory and this will be unto them an Earnest of the Everlasting Inheritance that never fades by which they will be assured of the full Possession thereof when time shall be no more And thus having examin'd the principal matters in this Book viz. Concerning the Scriptures being the Word of God and the perfect Rule and the sad Consequences which he saith will follow the denying of them so to be and concerning Christ being the Word really so and as he saith but comparatively so and concerning Christ being a Saviour as he is God or a Saviour only as he hath a Body of Flesh and concerning his being in Heaven with the Father at his Right-hand and his being in man really so I say having gone through with these things and spoken as to them I shall leave them to the Judgement of the Judicious Reader desiring of God by his own Spirit to give a right Understanding unto all that desire after him that they may know him that is true to be manifested in them that they may by his spirit be baptized into him to live and have their Beeing in him that so they may understand the things that appertain to his Kingdom and to their own everlasting Peace that in the Faith of the Unchangable Truth they may stand as Mount Sion that cannot be moved And the rest of his Book consisting of a large pretended Answer to six Queries that were sent to him by a certain Person whom I do not well know I shall not much concern my self therein at this time though I do acknowledge that divers things therein contained do concern the Truth which I profess and therein I am concerned but it consists chiefly of things that I have already spoken to so that what I have written may serve for an Answer to all for it would be superfluous to reiterate that which in substance I have already gone over J. C. A TESTIMONY Concerning LODOWICK MUGGLETON FOR as much as I have been informed That Lodowick Muggleton hath vaunted concerning my departure out of the Body because of his pretended Sentence of Damnation given against me I am moved to leave this Testimony concerning him behind me viz. That he is a Son of Darkness and a Co-Worker with the Prince of the Bottomless Pit in which his Inheritance shall be forever And the Judgment I passed on him when with him stands seal'd by the Spirit of the Lord by which I then declar'd unto him That in the Name of that God that spanneth the Heaven with his Span and measureth the Waters in the hollow of his Hand I bind thee here on Earth and thou art bound in Heaven and in the Chain under Darkness to the Judgment of the great Day thou shalt be reserved and thy faith and strength thou boastest of I defie and trample under Foot And I do hereby further declare the said Lodowick to be a false Prophet in what he said to me at that time who told me That from henceforth I should be always in fear of Damnation which should be a Sign to me that I was damned which Fear I was never in since so that his Sign given by himself did not follow his Prophesie which sufficiently declares him to be a false Prophet Josiah Coale What Josiah Coale spake a little time before he died to Friends that were about him WEll Friends Be faithful to God and have a single Eye to his glory and seek nothing for self or your own glory and if any thing arise judge it down by the Power of the Lord God that so you may be clear in his Sight and answer his Witness in all People then will you have the Reward of LIFE For my part I have walked in Faithfulness with the Lord and I have Peace with the Lord and his Majesty is with me and his Crown of Life is upon me So mind my Love to all Friends Then he ceased speaking After he spake to S. C. saying Dear Heart keep low in the Holy Seed of God that will be thy Crown He said after A minister of Christ must walk as he walked THE END
upon the blind persecuting Professors in New-England these Professors were in as much Unbelief as ever they were before as it may appear more at large in the Record of New-England's Persecutions And also this Josiah Coale's Labour and Travels in Holland and in the Low Countries concerning the Gospel of God and his Truth where ever he came he did bear his Testimony against that spirit that did oppose the Truth and he did live to see much of it over-thrown And also when this Josiah Coale was weak the Power of the Lord was fresh in him and a little before he died I spoke to him that the Friends that were with him might go forth of the Room for I had something to say to him and when they were gone I asked him if that he was clear or whether any thing did lie upon him to write to Friend in England or any other Parts of the World beyond the Seas to Friends and he said that he was clear of writing to them and how that the Lord by his Power and Majesty had carried him through England and other Nations and so he had nothing to write but desired his love might be remembred to all the Friends and said that one thing did lie upon him He did understand that I had a Book in answer to Muggleton and that when he was gone Muggleton and his Company would boast against him wherefore he desired that I would put a few words of his last Testimony against Muggleton in my Book and I bade him to write them out for I was to go to see a Friend hard by and would come to him presently again and at that time as he was sitting in his Chair by the fire he spoke them forth in the Power of the Lord God as fresh as if he had ayled nothing and a Friend took it in writing which Testimony is inserted in the latter Part of this Book as is before noted After this was done Josiah Coale desired me to pray that he might have an easie passage and when I came to him again he was sitting by the fire as before in the Power of the Lord and full of it and after seeing him to begin to be haevy I bade him to go and lie on the Bed which he did and with Friends help rose up again and sate on the side of the Bed and Friends sate about him and heal'd him and I went to him and heal'd him and he was full of the Power of the Lord and his Seed and Life that was over all and so in that he departed away in the Arms of Friends as he sate on the side of his Bed and had a very easie passage through the Life in which he remaines His Age when he died was 35. Years and two Moneths and he was in the Service of the Lord preaching his Gospel about twelve Years and did convince many to the Lord's Truth and brought many from the vain Rudiments of the World to the Gospel You may see some of his Epistles and Writings in this following Book which he left in writing being carefully copied out and placed together which is but some of what he hath written and spoken Gorge Fox A few Lines concerning Josiah Coale IS dear Josiah gone yes he is gone He 's gone from us in the Eternal One Where he from all his Labour is at Rest I' th Bosom of the Father who is forever Blest Ah Valiant Champion for God's Truth so pure Thy Name 's as precious Oyntment thy Memory shall dure In upright Hearts from them nothing can hide Thy Worth thy Faithfulness shall still abide To their Refreshment though thy Body 's laid I' th Bowels of the Earth yet as thou said God's Majesty was with thee and the Crown Of Immortal Life is on thee and that will renown Thy Name to Generations yet unborn When they shall hear Josiah did adorn The Gospel of our Lord by Doctrine that was sound Within his Native Land ye he was found In forraign Islands spreading forth the Fame Of his beloved Lord and that his Name Might be advanced thought no Travel long Let God be Magnified that was his Song His Travels they were sore within and eke without His Recompence was large yes there 's no doubt Now he shines as a Star of no small magnitude Who by the Power of God hath convinc'd a Multitude Many are the Children he hath gathered To the Knowledge of the Lord and Christ their Head He rightly did divide the Word of God Gave Milk to Babes but Fools are for the Rod He sweetly comforted the Meek Ah he was strength unto the Weak But terrible he was to the Stout-hearted Who verily was smote before they parted The Workers of Iniquity by him Were trampled under foot the man of sin Was sorely wounded by his powerful Hand The Hypocrites before him could not stand But by the Power of God he did them slay But now alas he 's gone he 's gone away And we who lov'd him though our Loss is great Yet being fix'd in God we are compleat There meet we with his Spirit who gather'd is Into the Mansion of Eternal Bliss Praised be God and Magnified be He Who never waxeth old nor chang'd can be M. F. THE CONTENTS OF HIS EPISTLES 1 AN Epistle to Friends in the Prisons of London Hartford c. pag. 33. 2 An Epistle to Friends Exiled or sentenced to Exilement p. 37 3 An Epistle to Friends in Holland p. 44 4 An Epistle to all People in Jamaica p. 47 5 The 1st Epistle to Friends in New-England p. 51 6 The 2d Epistle to Friends in New-England p. 54 7 The 1st Epistle to Friends in the Province of Maryland p. 57 8 The 2d Epistle to Friends in the Province of Maryland p. 63 9 An Epistle to the Flock of God p. 71 10 The first general Epistle to Friends p. 80 11 The second general Epistle to Friends p. 85 12 The third general Epistle to Friends p. 90 13 The fourth general Epistle to Friends p. 95 THE CONTENTS OF THE BOOKS 1 AN Invitation of Love to the Hungry and Thirsty p. 3 2 A Salutation to the Suffering Seed p. 7 3 To all the Babes in Christ c. p. 15 4 A Warning to the King and both Houses of Parliament p. 21 5 England's Sad Estate Lamented and her Abominations Discovered p. 28 6 The Whore Vnvail'd or the Mystery of the Deceit of the Church of Rome reveal'd p. 53 7 A Testimony concerning that faithful Servant of the Lord Richard Farnsworth p. 117 8 A Song of the Judgments and Mercies of the Lord p. 131 9 A Vindication of the Light Within against the Darkness Error and Blasphemy of John Newman in his Book entituled The Light Within c. p. 369 10 A Testimony concerning Lodowick Muggleton p. 343 11 What he spoke a little before his death p. 344 To all Dear Friends OF TRUTH Who are Sufferers at this day for their TESTIMONY to the TRUTH And for
Performances without the Inward Leadings of the Spirit of the Lord and in this Antichristian-spirit by which they have been exercised in the aforesaid Idolatrous Abominations they have been Killing Destroying and Devouring one another about those things which are their own Inventions set up in their own Wills which they would have all to conform to and have long imposed it one upon another by Penal Laws and thereby have enforced many who fear'd Man more then God to conform contrary to what they were perswaded in their own Consciences to worship the Image set up by them yet a Remnant there was alwayes whom God preserved and rais'd up by his Power to stand faithful Witnesses against their Idolatrous Worships and Traditions whose Blood this Antichristian-spirit in the Beast and false Prophet that carries the Whore hath always drunk and many Faithful Martyrs of Jesus in times past have seal'd their Testimony against this false Church of Apostate Christians in which this Antichristian spirit rules even with their very Lives though they did not see nor understand the things that are now seen and understood by many yet blessed be the Lord they were by his Power and Spirit so furnished and sustained and so filled with Love to God and his Cause and with Zeal against the false Church and her Antichristian Impositions and Idolatries that they loved not their Lives unto death but laid down their Lives with Chearfulness as a Testimony against them and so through Faith have obtained a Good Report amongst us who are now following the Lamb in the same Foot-steps of the Flock And so my Beloved Friends Seeing that now in fulness of time God hath rais'd us up by his Power according to his Purpose and Determination and Fore-knowledge to be faithful Witnesses for his Name and Truth and to the Power of his Appearance in our Hearts and to bear Testimony against the aforesaid Superstitions and and Idolatrous Impositions which are practis'd at this day amongst them that know not the only true and living God nor Jesus Christ whom he hath sent a Light into the World I say my Friends These things are sufficient to engage our Hearts unto the Lord follow him unto the end through all Trials and Exercises of what nature or kind soever that for the future may come upon us for our Testimonies sake For my Friends We know right well that God hath not been wanting unto us in any Tryal or State whatsoever if we have not been wanting in or Obedience unto him but hath been alwayes present with us and hath oft caus'd his Love to abound unto us and in us being shed abroad in our hearts by his good Spirit so that for joy of Heart we could even sing Praises to the Name of the Lord in the midst of our Sufferings and Afflictions so that we have no Cause to be discourag'd at the Sufferings which attend us nor at the Threats and Frowns of Wicked Men who hate and persecute us without a just Cause but we have rather great Cause of encouragement to persevere and go on bearing forth our Testimony for the Lord through all Sufferings if it be Death it self knowing the Reward thereof to be so exceeding great and having this Confidence in our selves That none of these things shall be able to move us nor to seperate us from the Love of God which we have in Christ Jesus Nay but rather shall confirm us for as the Apostle said It is an evident Token to us of Salvation but to our Adversaries of Perdition and that of God And so my Beloved Friends You who are already Exil'd and sent into forreign Parts of the World for your Testimony 's sake I doubt not but you experimentally know in an especial manner the Largeness of the Extent of God's Love unto his People in a Suffering Condition you having been in measure exercis'd therein beyond many others though I doubt not but have the Testimony of God's Holy Spirit that many are as freely given up in the same Faith for the same Testimony to partake with you outwardly of the same Sufferings as they do inwardly sympathize with you therein if the Lord see it meet for the Honour of his Name so to suffer them to be exercised Yet nevertheless All who have been and are faithful to God in their Places have and do enjoy so much of the Peace and Presence of God as is fully satisfactory unto them so that in the Unity of the Spirit of Life which from God we have receiv'd and by which we are seperated from the World and its Wayes and Works of Darkness and by which we are rais'd up to be faithful and true Witnesses for God and against the Traditions of men by which they have made void God's Commandments I say in this Spirit we do sympathize and partake with you both in Suffering and in Rejoycing and have a real Sence upon our hearts and spirits of your Estate and we are not unmindful of you but do heartily pray That Grace Health Mercy and Peace together with all Spiritual Blessings in Christ our Lord may be continually multiplied and encreased amongst you that the Aboundings thereof you may know unto your great Consolation that so being thereby watered and refreshed you may grow in the Grace of God and in the Knowledge of our Lord Jesus and may feel his Life to encrease in you and so to strengthen you that you thereby may be able to teach others also and to instruct them in the Way of Life and Salvation that so your Sufferings and Exilement may make for the Furtherance of the Gospel of God and for the spreading of his Blessed Glorious Truth through the Nations and for the gathering into it them who are yet afar off from God and Strangers unto him that so the Witness of God in all Consciences being answer'd by you both in Life Conversation and Doctrine you may be a good savour unto God both in them that believe and also in them that perish that the Justification of Life in the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ you may all feel and witness and that will be your alone Satisfaction in all Conditions and therein my Love doth dearly salute you all And in this my Dear Friends pray one for another and walk together in Love and be of one Mind and Practice in all things that appertain to the Worship of God and to your Testimony for Him and against the World and its Wayes and Worships and live in Peace one with another and build up one another in your most precious Faith and watch over one another in the Spirit of Love and Meekness and let there be no Straightness nor Strangeness one towards another but be Open-hearted and Tender one to another And if any thing appear amongst any of you which tends to the Hurt of any Particular or to the Truth in general in the Spirit of Meekness let it be spoken to them and in the same Spirit let
Showers of his Love to descend amongst you and refresh and consolate you therewith that you may walk chearfully in his Presence and not with Bowed-down Souls but that every one may possess his Soul in Peace Amen And my Friends Although some things contain'd in this Epistle may seem strange unto many of you yet those whom they concern will not be ignorant of the ground of my thus writing and for their sakes I have written with Boldness and Plainness And so the Grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirits Amen From the Common Goal in Kendal in Westmoreland this 29th of the 7th Moneth 1665. I am your dear Brother a Sufferer for the Testimony of the blessed unchangeable Truth and hate the Garment spotted with the flesh Josiah Coale An EPISTLE TO THE Flock of God WHO Are called to bear Testimony for the Name of the Lord at this Day through Sufferings Sent unto them for the building up of the Weak of the Flock in their Most Precious FAITH and for the strengthening of them in their Persecuted and Suffering Estate In which also for their Encouragement the Purpose of God in their present Sufferings is declared My Beloved Dear Friends WHOM the Lord God Almighty hath visited with his Everlasting Loving-kindness and unto whom he hath caused the Everlasting Day to dawn and the Son of Righteousness to arise and whom he hath called out of the World and separated from its Wayes Worships and Traditions and from the Defilements and Abominations thereof that you might be a peculiar People unto himself zealous of Good-works that he might make known unto you that Mystery of his Kingdom which hath been hid from Ages and Generations past that so you might stand faithful and true Witnesses for his Name and Truth and appear on his behalf in the Demonstration of his own Life and Spirit and that you might bear a faithful Testimony for that Blessed Everlasting and Unchangeable Truth which he hath manifested in your Inward Parts not only in Doctrine Life and Conversation but also by suffering for its sake whatsoever the Enemies thereof shall be permitted to inflict upon you that thereby you may be approv'd not only in the sight of God but also of all good Men. I say unto you my beloved Friends Prize your honourable and holy Calling wherewith the Lord Almighty hath called you and therein walk with God and think it not hard nor strange that he suffereth you so long to be try'd and exercised in Sufferings as you have been hitherto and are at this day for your Testimony sake but look over it all and lift up your heads above all for the Lord hath assuredly an End in it for his own Glory and for the Exaltation and Spreading abroad that Blessed Truth which we possess and live in and which we suffer for and also for the gathering into it many who are yet far off from him and Strangers unto him so that whatsoever come whether Bonds or Exilement or what Exercises soever we meet withal in this we may be satisfied That it shall make for the Furtherance of the Gospel of Christ and for good unto all who continue their Obedience in him unto the End and abide faithful unto Death Wherefore my dear Friends If the Lord see it meet further to permit the Enemy to sift and winnow us and that we must be further tryed nay if he should so order it that we must be a suffering People all our dayes yet let none be weary or faint in your minds For In the Lord JEHOVAH who is certainly with us there is Everlasting strength and he fainteth not neither is weary but he giveth power to the Faint and to him that hath no might he encreaseth strength And so let your Trust be in him and let that godly Resolution be put on by every one of you that was in Job who when God suffer'd Satan to smite and afflict him said Though thou kill me yet will I trust in thee And indeed it 's far better to suffer Persecution with the People of God for good Conscience towards him then to dwell in the Tents of Wickedness out of which God hath call'd and redeem'd us And my Friends Consider Whither can any go or whether can any flee to escape Persecutions Certainly I know no place neither do I believe there is any professing Christianity except it be in the Tents of Wickedness For he that will live Godly in Christ Jesus must suffer Persecution And if any to escape Persecutions and Sufferings should return to the Tents of Wickedness again out of which by the Power and Arm of God they are brought and should disert their Testimony which God hath committed to them to bear for his Name it would happen unto them as the Apostle said according to the old Proverb The Dog is turned to his Vomit and the Sow that was washed to her wallowing in the Mire And the Hand of the Lord would find such out and the Terrors of the Almighty would certainly seize upon them and surprize them which would be manifold more grievous to be borne then all the Sufferings that man can possibly inflict upon them For it s a fearful thing to fall into the Hands of the Living God for out of his Hands no man can deliver but out of the hands of Blood-thirsty and Wicked Men God can and certainly in his own time will deliver all who trust in him Wherefore my dear Friends Put on Boldness and Courage in the Name of the Lord and stand valiant Witnesses for his Truth through all Sufferings which is the thing he hath call'd you unto that so you may answer the End for which he hath visited you and made known himself unto you For consider Was it in Loving-kindness and Compassion unto you that the Lord visited you and made choice of you to be Witnesses for him that his Name might be Glorified by you Or else Was it because he had such need of you that he could not Glorifie his Name without you Surely all who are of an understanding Heart will confess and acknowledge that it was only in Love and Mercy unto you that he thus made choice of you to suffer for his Name and to Glorifie himself thereby because he can work for the Glory of his own Name as he sees meet without you or any of you and can Magnifie his Power in the Destruction or Desolation of a Nation or People as in time past he hath done and is doing at this day though he takes no Delight therein and therefore he hath no need of you for that End but you have need of him So that its only in Love and Compassion towards you that he hath thus visited you and also that you might have strong Consolation in your Obedience unto him through all Sufferings which he hath called you unto And therefore my Beloved Friends Gird up the Loins of your minds and keep close to and stedfast with the
old saith Sware not at all Jer. 31.31 32. and though Moses and the Prophets were to be heard under the ministration of the first Covenant yet they said when Christ the second Covenant was come people must hear him for said Moses a Prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you like unto me him shall ye hear Deut. 18.15 And the Prophet said that Nation and people that will not serve thee that Nation shall perish Isa 60.12 So that although Moses said thou shalt perform thy Oath to the Lord yet Christ that Prophet who is the end of that Law and whom Moses said the people must hear or else be cut off he said Sware not at all and although the Prophet said thou shalt Sware the Lord liveth c. yet Christ who is the end of the Prophets whom the Prophets said people must serve or else perish saith Sware not at all and although it may be alledged that the Angels swore yet Christ the first born amongst many Brethren to whom all the Angels must bow saith Sware not at all and although it may be further alledged that God himself swore and therefore its lawful for Christians to Sware yet God himself said concerning Christ This is my beloved Son hear ye him Mat. 17.5 And this beloved Son of God whom all Christians ought to hear saith Sware not at all All which being rightly weighed and considered it plainly appears that Swearing by any Oath whatsoever was forbidden by Christ Jesus who is the Law-giver unto all Christians and therefore it is not lawful for Christians to Sware at all And that spirit that tollerates Swearing or would set it up as a Religious Act is an Antichrist spirit because it is against the command of Christ And although the Apostle might or did call the Lord to witness concerning the Truth which he spake yet that doth not prove that the Apostle swore as A. S. affirmeth that he did neither do we read that ever any of the Apostles did either propagate or tollerate Swearing since Christ forbid it But contrariwise the Apostle James saith Above all things my Brethren Swear not neither by Heaven nor by the Earth neither by any other Oath but let your yea be yea and your nay nay lest you fall into condemnation So that although A. S. would wrest the words of Christ to perswade people that his intent was they should not Swear but in Truth and in Righteousness yet the words of Christ and the Apostle whom all true Christians are to hear doth clearly import that their intent was that people should not Swear at all by any Oath whatsoever But this Antichristian spirit which opposes the Doctrines and Commands of Christ and his Apostles we have had large experience of and we have oft-times seen that it leads people to swear and also to forswear themselves both which are an Abomination to the Lord and in the Transgression against God and the new Covenant Ninthly and A. S. saith the Apostle said salute one another but the Devil saith salute not one another for Christ saith he sending his Disciples bid them salute no man by the way Luke 10.4 this Devil follows all Quakers but alas Christ's meaning there was that none should hinder them by the way c. Answ To which I answer here again A. S. goes about to make us believe that the Commands of Christ are the Impositions of the Devil or at lest that the Devil stirs up people to keep the Commands of Christ the first of which is Blasphemy in the highest degree and the second is little less for if the Devil would teach people to keep the Commands of Christ then might they serve Christ and Belial but as Christ said that cannot be And indeed we do experimentally see find that the Devil always opposeth the keeping of Christs Commands As now in A.S. Who would diswade them from it under pretence that its the Devil that leads them to it And as to his saying this Devil follows all Quakers I answer It s true but alas its intentionally to destroy them for it was said to the Serpent in the beginning that the Seed of the Woman should bruise his Head and he should bruise its Heel Gen. 3.15 And even so it s now come to pass for the Lord Jesus Christ the promised Seed Gal 3.16 being become the Leader of his people and the Angel of Gods present going before them the Devil as A. S. saith comes after them and follows them with his fiery darts of persecution and Serpent-like is snarling at the Heel But blessed be the Lord he that goes before them and is in them is greater and mightier then the Devil that follows them and he hath been their Preserver hitherto and I doubt not but he will unto the end perserve all who trust in him And as concerning Christs words there needs no meaning to be given to them for he meant as he spoke but if they did according to A. S's own conclusion he is not the Interpreter but the Church Therefore A.S. being not the Church but a particular man according to his own Argument his interpretation is not to be heeded Again he saith Every man is not the Interpreter for saith he Every man is a Lyar And indeed he hath conformed unto us that himself is a Lyar because he hath belyed the intent of Christs words aforesaid by giving his meaning to them Then saith A. S. Yet these deluded Souls think that this their deluding Spirit is of God and why forsooth because it reprehends them of sin c. and did not Judas his spirit rebuke him of sin and notwithstanding induce him to desperation and to hang himself Answ Here A. S. is again putting Light for darkness or calling the Spirit of Truth a deluding Spirit for is not that the Spirit of Truth that reproves the World of sin John 16.7 8. Did not Christ say that he would send the Comforter that should reprove the World of sin and we never read of any other Spirit that did reprove sin but the Spirit of Truth which A. S. blasphemously calls a deluding Spirit neither did I ever read that a deluding Spirit was the Comforter which that Spirit that reproves for sin is as Christ said And again is it not clear that A. S. puts Light for darkness in calling that a deluding Spirit which reproves sin for the Apostle said that whatsoever things are reproved are made manifest by the Light for whatsoever makes manifest is Light Eph. 5.13 and the deluding spirit is darkness it self so that hereby it manifestly appears that A. S. cannot discern betwixt Light and darkness so is a miserable Blind-Guide indeed And though the Spirit of Truth did rebuke Judas for his treachery doth it therefore follow that it was the same that led him to hang himself no this is great Ignorance in A. S. to affirm for he might as well have said That the same Spirit that led him
earnestly contend for But J. N. by this Assertion signifies that he is a Stranger to the Power of God in which true Faith standeth and therefore we may rationally conclude That he is also Reprobate concerning that Faith which Christ the Power of God is the Author and Object of Fourthly He saith It denyeth the Comforts of Faith for all Comforts that Faith can bring to the soul must be brought from the Promises of God according as they are laid down in the Scripture c. Answ Here J.N. absolutely limits God without any Ground or Reason or Warrant for so doing as though God who is the Fountain of all true Comfort could not convey true Comfort to the soul of a Believer by his Faith but he must first fetch it from the Scripture and so in effect the Scripture must be set above God or at least in the Place of God But what Scripture J. N. hath to prove this his absurd Affirmation I know not he hath produced none to prove that nor indeed any of the sad Consequences which he saith will follow the denying the Scriptures to be the Word of God and Perfect Rule c. we have only his bare word for it but whether that be of sufficient authority to enduce us to believe his Assertions I leave to the juditious Reader to judge seeing that Christ said to the Woman of Samaria That the Water that he would give should be in him that received it as a Well springing up to Eternal Life Joh. 4.14 again Joh. 7.38 39. said He that believeth on Me as the Scripture hath said out of his Belly shall flow Rivers of Living Water But this spake-he of the Spirit which they that believe on him should receive Mark Reader The Spirit that they should receive that believed on him and whose Faith stood in the Power of God was that Living Water that should be in them springing up unto Eternal Life or that should flow up in them through Faith and this Comfort their Faith did not fetch from Scripture but by their Faith was known to dwell in them as their Everlasting Comforter that was to abide with them forever even the Spirit of Truth according as Christ promised Jo. 14.16 17. so that to deny the Scripture to be the Word is not to deny the Comforts of Faith because that the true Comforter was known by Faith and is known by Faith to remain though the Scripture may be taken away and yet it doth not deny the Comfort of the Scripture neither unto those who have the understanding thereof Fifthly J. N. saith It destroyes the Support and Supplies of Grace to the soul in a time of Affliction c. and to deny the Scriptures to be the Word of God is to deny the very Foundation and Well-spring of Comforts to the soul in Affliction which is brought out of the Promises in the Scriptures to the soul c. Answ This Assertion is like the former only the last part thereof somewhat more gross Blasphemy without any Scripture Argument to prove any part thereof only his own Assertion as in the rest though full contrary to the Testimony of the Prophet who speaking of the Affliction of the soul said When the Enemy shall come in like a Flood the Spirit of the Lord shall lift up a Standard against him That was the Support and Relief of the soul in the time of its Affliction according to the Prophets Testimony and the same Support the Children of Light do still witness whose Faith stands in the Power of God and whose Trust is in that Name which is a strong Tower And for his calling the Scriptures the very Fountain and Well-spring of Comforts c. It s gross Blasphemy and a Robbing of God who is a Spirit and who is the Fountain of all Good whose Spirit as before shewed is in them that believe as a Well springing up unto Eternal Life for the Scriptures no where call themselves the Fountain nor have the holy Men of God so called them but they testifie of him-who is the Fountain of all Good Neither are they in them selves any where called the Well-spring of Comforts but they testifie of the Spirit of Truth the Comforter that it shall be in them that believe a Well springing up unto Eternal Life so that J. Newman to make good his Argument if he could Blasphemously putteth the Dead Letter in the place of God and in the place of the Living Spirit Sixthly He saith It denieth the Knowledge of Acceptance with God for if the Scriptures be deny'd to be the Word of God then who knoweth what God will accept c and who knoweth what God counteth sin and wickedness c. Answ To which I answer This is in part answer'd already for Enoch c. had this Testimony That he pleased God Heb. 11.5 before the Scriptures were written and that Testimony was the Seal of Acceptance with God which I dare affirm every true Believer will acknowledge and this Testimony of Acceptance he did not receive from Scripture for there was none but he obtain'd it by Faith which the Word that was in the Beginning was the Author of as the Apostle said He that believes hath the Witness in himself 1 Joh. 5.10 by which it appears That the Knowledge of Acceptance or the Seal of being Well-pleasing unto God is not the Scriptures but the Spirit of Faith But that J. N. and others may see the Confusion that he runs into while he is fighting against the Truth I insert his own words in the 77th page of his Book and compare them with this Assertion he saith I shall freely own the giving forth of his blessed Spirit into the Hearts of his Children whereby they are directed into his Most Holy Will by the enlightening of their spirits by that Holy Spirit of Promise by which they know their Adoption and also by the same Spirit can own God to be their Father c. Thus far are his own words by which the Reader may easily judge whether or no J-N. doth not speak absolutely contrary to the Belief or Perswasion of his mind in saying If the Scriptures be deny'd to be the Word of God it denieth the Knowledge of Acceptance and who then knoweth what God accounteth sin and wickedness c. I say let the Reader but compare his Confession concerning the Spirit with his Assertion concerning the Scripture and he shall see his Contradition sufficiently for if the giving forth of the Spirit directeth into the Knowledge of the Most Holy Will of the Father then by the same Spirit what is contrary to that must absolutely be known also and how then can it be said that without Scriptures be owned to be the Word of God the Ground of the Knowledge of Acceptance with God is deny'd seeing that which manifests the will of the Father manifests that which is acceptable to him and thereby it s known And all this may be known by the Spirit
the many Writings of his own which remain upon Record will speak forth to those who are of a true spiritual understanding what he was yet notwithstanding all these things were in my mind and divers other Considerations which occasioned me to defer the publication hereof so long as till now yet being I could not be so clear in my duty towards God and my Brother in neglecting to give forth this my Testimony concerning him and in suffering so precious a Testimony as his last was wholly to be put in oblivion I have with freeness and cheerfulness of heart undertaken it And when it pleased God to manifest his Eternal Power in the heart of the aforesaid R. F. it is well known unto many how effectually it wrought in him insomuch that although he was before a man of great abilities and parts and knowledge accounted of among men even excelling many of his equals yet he was content and willing in obedience to the Power of God to become a Fool to the World and to be stript and emptied of his own wisdom and knowledge which stood in the state faln from God and his Power and to suffer the loss of all worldly reputation and favour and the pleasures and delights thereof that he might win Christ Jesus and be found his Servant clothed with the Righteousness of Faith preferring the simplicity that is in Christ beyond all worldly wisdom and honour whatsoever and his Sufferings for the sake of Christ beyond all worldly reputation and so great was the change that was wrought it him that he became a wonder amongst many and the Word of God and his Power was great and mighty in him and through him in which he was sent forth by the Lord who had manifested himself unto him to preach the Everlasting Gospel to the Poor and to declare of that great Power of God of which he was made a Witness and of the Effects of its operation and so powerfull was his Message and Testimony that many were begotten into a firm belief thereof and believing the Report were turned from Darkness to the Light of Jesus with which they were enlightned and from Sathans power unto the Power of God which wrought mightily in their hearts to the changing of their minds and affections from things that are below towards things that are above all that is fading and corruptible and to the bringing of Life and Immortality to light in them And although they were atttended with many foul temptations because of their obedience to the Truth and Light of the Spirit of Grace and brought in many distresses in their passage from Death unto Life yet was he so experienced in the Depths and Subtilties of Sathan and also in the Dealings and Goodness of God in such conditions and estates that he had obtained the tongue of the Learned and could as oft times he did speak words in Season to the strengthning of the weak and refreshing of the weary and to the reviving of that which was near ready to faint So that he was in the Lords Hand even as a Father to the fatherless and as eyes to the Blind and feet to the lame and the eye that truly saw him blessed hm and the ear that heard him gave witness unto him for through the Power of God which enabled him he delivered the Poor and the needy and built up many that believed in their most precious Faith and confirmed them therein And went about from place to place through the Land of his Nativity turning many from Darkness to Light and confirming the Churches and doing good And his Service was very great for the Lord in his day for he was so furnished with Heavenly Wisdom and Understanding through the Grace of God and also so seasoned thereby that his Patience Meekness and Humility exceeded many And although God had so endued him with Heavenly Vertues and Abilities exceeding many yet was he not pufft up therewith neither sought to exercise Lordship over those that were weaker and younger then himself but gave place unto any that had the least Gift of God to exercise so that through the Spirit of Meekness and Humility with which he was adorned he was exceeding lovely and beautiful and the hearts and souls of many were affected therewith who in simplicity thirsted after Righteousness and such waited for him as for the Rain upon whom his Doctrine so dropped Yet nevertheless he was terrible to the Worker of Iniquity and the Sword of his Mouth was very sharp for the Word of God was therein and when he had to do with any who opposed the Truth and Way of Life and Salvation which we profess and walk in as oft-times he had his Weapon was very sharp to them and they were not able to resist the Wisdom of the Spirit by which he spoke for thereby he confounded their wisdom and broke their Weapons in pieces so that they were oft ready to Blaspheme God because of the plague that it was to them and a Conqueror he was over the Beast and false Prophet against whom he made War in Righteousness in and though the Power of the Lamb in whose Spirit he finished his Testimony and Course in the Faith And as the Enemies of the Truth of God were many and in divers shapes that this valiant Souldiers of the Lamb had to encounter withal so he was alwayes furnished with Armor and Weapons fit for the Work and Service in which he was exercised by which he was enabled to encounter with and Conquer all But at last that his Armor and Weapons might be proved to be sufficient to encounter with the Enemy of Truth in all kind of Appearances and Transformations it was his lot with me and divers others of the Servants of the Lord to be engaged against the Enemy of Truth who had transformed himself into the likeness of an Angel of Light and under a seeming pretence of appearing on the behalf of God and his Cause c. and against Formality and Traditions begun strongly to oppose the Truth of God and the Ministry thereof in and through his Servants and Messengers who have approved themselves as the Ministers of God and as his Embassadors and to cry against our Assemblies and manner of Worship and our Exercise therein as only Formal in which we have always found the glorious Presence Power and Majesty of the Lord amongst us refreshing comforting and strengthening of us even according as our Hearts Souls can or could desire so that we were engaged to justifie the Lord in opposition to that gainsaying spirit of delusion by which many were beguiled led away after Satan to their hurt And in our Testimony for the Lord and against that self-separating gainsaying Spirit the Power of the Lord did greatly accompany and assist us and was as greatly with us as in any service that he had called us unto The sincere and upright in heart who have kept their first Love and their first Faith
J. N. cannot see but there must of necessity be more then one Christ if by the increase of the Word be understood of Christ so that although he concludeth it must needs be the Doctrine contain'd in the Scriptures intended by the increase of the Word yet here he may see his Ignorance therein Again In pag. 9. 10. J. N. saith That in Acts 19.20 the Preaching and Teaching of Jesus Christ is call'd the Word of God Answ To this I have already answer'd that the preaching of Jesus Christ is the Preaching of the Word for his Name is call'd the Word Yet is doth not follow as J. N. would have it that all the Disputings which the Apostle had for the space of three Moneths was the Word It s true he disputed and perswaded the things of the Kingdom according to the Scriptures of the Prophets by Vertue of the Word that was in him so that all they of Asia heard the Word or the sound thereof when the Doctrine thereof was by it self demonstrated For from you sounded out the Word of the Lord said the Apostle 1 Thes 1.8 But the Apostle did not call his Preachings and Disputings the Word but that which he preached For he preached Christ but his Preachings were not Christ but a Testimony of him as Christ said concerning the Scriptures They are they that testifie of me Joh. 5.39 By which it apprears that Christ was the Word which he preached and which they in Asia heard the sound of according to that Saying of Christ The Hour cometh and now is when the Dead shall hear the Voice of the Son c. And therefore this Argument is but like the rest which make nothing to prove the Scriptures to be principally call d the Word of God Again saith J.N. I should have left prosecuting this Subject but this Truth yet finding more Friends to plead its Cause I am not willing to be a Hinderance c. And then quotes 2 Cor. 4.1 2. where the Apostle said He had not handled the Word of God deceitfully Now saith J.N. what Word of God was this which he had not handled deceitfully but the Ministry he had receiv'd even the Preaching and Teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ as is plain in the 3d 4th 5th verses For what he calleth the Ministry in the 1st verse in the 2d the Word of God in the following he calleth it the Gospel and the preaching of Christ according to the Gospel so that its clear by this Witness also that the Preaching and Teaching of Jesus Christ according to the Scriptures of the New Testament c. is properly and principally call'd The Word of God Answ Truly J. N. had need find better Friends or some that speak more pertinent to his business then this which he hath here produced or else he may labour as before he said he should long enough to prove Scripture the Word of God and have all to do when he hath ended For if I should grant that he called his Ministry or that of and from which he ministred the Word yet that doth not prove the Scriptures to be the Word because the Life and Spirit of his Ministry is not contain'd in the Scripture Or if I should acknowledge the Gospel to be the Word yet that doth not prove the Scriptures to be the Word For The Gospel is the Power of God as the Apostle said Rom. 1.16 and so are not the Scriptures and the Gospel is Everlasting but the Scriptures are not so But J.N. would make the Scriptures to be the Word the Gospel the Ministry and all and jumbles all together and then says The Apostle calls it so when the Apostle saith no such thing but speaks of his Ministry and of the Gospel which is the Power of God and of the Word which endureth forever which by the Gospel the Power was preached unto them 1 Pet. 1.25 And as to that Question What Word of God was this that he had not handled Deceitfully Answ I answer It was the Word which was from the beginning as John said 1 Joh. 1.1 Which they had Seen and Handled which were not the Scriptures for they were not from the beginning but the Word was which they had handled and which they handled not deceitfully but in Simplicity declar'd openly what they receiv'd by its secret operation and mighty working in them according as Christ commanded them without adding thereto or diminishing therefrom and hence it was that they said They Handled it not Deceitfully Again saith J. N. The second VVitness that appeareth to countenance this Truth is in Col. 1.25 where the Apostle calleth the Preaching of the Gospel the Word of God but for the better understanding of this VVitness let us see vers 23. where the Apostle useth these words to the Church If you continue in the Faith grounded and settled and not remov'd from the Hope of the Gospel which you have heard and which was preached to every Creature under Heaven Whereof he saith in vers 25. I Paul am made a Minister But what to do He answereth To fulfil the Word of God Now what Word of God was this that Paul did fulfil but only his Ministry in Preaching and Teaching of Jesus Christ according to the Gospel which he here calleth the Word of God So that there is no Truth more plain then this that the Scriptures of the New Testament are properly and principally call'd the Word of God Answ Surely J.N. hath a great Conceit of his blind Affirmations it appears as oft times I have seen it viz. That Ignorance in some is as great a Cause of Confidence as sound Knowledge is in others VVhat Reason hath J. N. from the Scriptures before mention'd to affirm the Scriptures of the New Testament to be properly call'd the Word of God Or the Word there spoken of by the Apostle to be meant the Scriptures which he said were given him to fulfil For in the next verse he declareth what that VVord was viz. The Mystery which hath been hid from Ages and from Generations but now made manifest in his Saints To whom saith the Apostle God would make known what is the Riches of the Glory of his Mystery amongst the Gentiles which is Christ in you the Hope of Glory Mark Reader He saith The VVord which he was to fulfil was the Mystery c. and the Mystery was Christ in them c. So that the VVitness that J. N. produceth testifieth against his Affirmation as absolutely as may be to the utter overthrow of his Cause by which the Ignorance and Blindness of J. N. appears But then he saith in pag. 12. I shall give but one Scripture more for the Proof of this Truth and that is Tit. 2.5 Where the Apostle calleth the Doctrine of Christ the Word of God For saith he let us see what the Apostle saith in the first verse where he giveth Titus a Charge to preach sound Doctrine and layeth down the particulars thereof
Delight is with the Sons of men Again If the Spirit in the Saints be as J. N. to the wounding of his own Cause saith of the same nature tendency and power with the Father and Son then there is a sufficient Saviour in man for the Tendency of the Son is to save as J.N. himself I dare say will acknowledge and his Nature is to save which was the end of his coming and he is of power to save For all Power in Heaven and Earth is given to the Son and the Nature of the Father is to save as I have befor shewed out of the Prophets therefore the Spirit that is given into the hearts of People which reproves them for sin being of the same nature power and tendence with the Father and Son is sufficient to save else it cannot be said to be of the same nature tendency and power so that none need go far or look to the Hills and Mountains for a Saviour but look unto him that is nigh who is of power to save even to the Light or Grace that hath appear'd as a Reprover of the deeds of Darkness and this will lead into all Truth and save out of all Unrighteousness and unto them that walk here in Christ the Light not after the Motions of the Flesh but after the Leadings of the Spirit there will be no Condemnation And although this God who is Light and is a Spirit be a God afar off also as being that Infinite Incomprehensible Fulness that fills all things yet all that can be known of him by any man is manifested within man Rom. 1.19 And thus the Confusions and Contractions of J. N. appears who thereby declares that he hath not the knowledg of Christ nor of God to exercise his Faith in nor yet doth he keep to Scripture neither to exercise his Faith therein but is seen and discovered to have his mind and his Faith exercised in Fancies and Imaginations which is the cause of his thus contradicting himself of his affirming so many Absurdities and Blasphemies without sound reason or Scripture Arguments sometimes dividing Christ and his Spirit and sometimes acknowledging them to be of one and the same beeing and sometimes joyn the Spirit and Scriptures and arguing that they cannot be separated and the reasons he gives is because the Scriptures are the givings forth of the Spirit and yet notwithstanding will say Christ hath a distinct beeing from his Spirit which is of his givings forth and thus as fancy leads him he affirms things as in Page 43. he saith If Scripture be denyed to be the Word of God it maketh void the exercise of Faith for Faith must be exercised in the Scriptures or else upon fancy and imagination and in Page 73. he saith if there be no personal beeing of Christ then there is no Christ to exercise Faith in so by this kind of Arguments of J. N. if Faith be exercised in a personal being of Christ it s exercised upon fancy and imagination which is very true for a personal beeing of Christ is not Scripture and he saith Faith must be exercised in Scripture or else upon fancy and imagination But the truth is he cannot tell what the true Faith is nor what it is exercised in sometimes Scripture is the only thing and another while a personal beeing of Christ and what will it be next but even what his Fancy and Imaginations bring forth which he appears full of like one that knows not Christ the Power of God manifested in him who is the Author of true Faith or the begetter thereof and is also the object thereof in which it is exercised and in whom it stands whom all must hear that receive the true Faith which is the victory that overcometh the World and which giveth access unto God in which Faith there is Peace and Joy unspeakable and full of Glory Again in Page 87. mentioning that Scripture which seems as a Block in his way which I perceive he would fain remove Gal. 4.19 till Christ be formed in you and therefore gives this meaning viz. This forming of Christ in the Saints was but to bring them forth into a Gospel-Purity c. this is his Interpretation of that Scripture and a very favorable one too but whereby should they be brought forth into a Gospel Purity Was it not by the Spirit 's operation that was in them which they received by the hearing of Faith Gal. 3.2 which J. N. acknowledged to be of the same beeing of the Father and the Son If so then was not Christ according to Measure who fills all things really in them who hath diversity of operations who came for judgment and to send Fire on the Earth and were they not to be brought forth into that Gospel Purity that J. N. speaks of by his Spirit of judgment and of burning which they had received who came for judgment and to send Fire seeing God signified by his Prophet that the Filth of the Daughter of Sion should be purged away with the Spirit of judgment and of burning Isa 4.4 and this was that Spirit by which the Saints were washed cleansed sanctified and justified when the Apostle told them they were so in the Name of the Lord Jesus and by the Spirit of our God 1 Cor. 6.11 and they that were thus washed and brought forth into this Gospel Purity they were made a Habitation for God who as J. N. Confesseth is that Spirit even through the Spirit 's operations which is of the same Being or Substance with Christ so that the filth being purged away there was room for him to dwell there and so was really in them formed and they brought forth in his own Image by his own operation with whom the Apostles were Co-workers and therefore travelled for this forming of Christ in them or for the subjecting them in the Faith wholly unto Christ's Goverment that he might raign in them over all who is God Blessed forever One thing more which I find in the close of his Book which he entitules A Caution to all I cannot well pass by with silence where he saith Seeing God has cast us into a day wherein there is such a spirit running too and fro in this Nation that will seemingly own Truth and yet will draw all into a Mystery within man denying Truth according to Truth 's Intent let us therefore labour with our God for his blessed Spirit to guide us into all Truth Answ Mark Reader Is it contrary to Truth 's intent to own the Truth to be a Mystery within man Doth not God love to have Truth manifested in the inward parts Is not Christ the Truth which the Apostle declared to be the Mystery within saying Christ in you the Hope of Glory How then can it be said That that Spirit that owns Truth to be a Mystery within does not own it according to Truth 's intent Surely J. N. hath besotted his Understanding else he would not thus speak