good in Us and so they Measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves among themselves and in so doing they are not wise v. 8. Howsoever we know our Measure and our Time our Gifts and Graces that God hath gìven us and although they think highly of themselves and but Meanly of us yet we know that not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth as v. 18. Is it not so in our Days are there not a People among us who have high esteem of themselves and that think of themselves more highly than they ought to think that account themselves the onely Holy People of the Lord and all others to be of the World and cast off and disown and separate from all other Societies Communities Congregations and Churches of the Saints and people of God in all the World and Measuring themselves by themselves and comparing themselves among themselves are thereby grosly mistaken and misled they Commend and Applaud themselves above all other People as being in the right and true way and all others out of it but not he that commendeth himself is approved but whom the Lord commendeth and approveth he shall stand and be accepted v. 18. Now let us consider the ground and cause of all this Apostacy from the Faith what it is whence is it that many have such high thoughts of themselves and Despise others better than themselves The Apostle tells us and the Spirit hath spoken it expresly and plainly that in the last days which are these we now Live in Men shall depart from the Faith that is from Faith in the Doctrine of the Gospel not from Justifying Faith and shall give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils they having once departed from the Doctrine and Truths of the Gospel they shall then give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils they shall slight and make light of the Scriptures and then shall give heed to seducing spirits a spirit within them yea many spirits are watchful to insinuate into such a mind as take no heed to the Scriptures for in such a Frame of Mind what should direct them what Touch-stone or Rule of Tryal can they have when the Scriptures are laid aside of what spirit speaks in them In such a case Men often think it is the spirit of God when it is but a seducing spirit who hath Transformed himself into an Angel of Light and resembles the spirit of God under the pretence of Holiness and Truth In some things that are like Truth it Resembles it but is not so And hereby their Weak and Dark Minds are missed and deceived For the Devil does often in many things speak the very Truth but it is with an intent to deceive in other things that are of greater Moment and Consequence like cunning deceitful Tradesmen who bring forth and shew some good and right Commodities that so amongst these they may put off their counterfeit Wares the better and with less suspition Now The Spirit within known by the Scriptures know this That men shall not be able to know the false seducing spirit from the true but by the Fruits and effects of it and by trying it by the spirit of God speaking in the Scriptures and by these it may be known and not otherwise And hence it is That many in our Days finding and feeling strong impressions and impulses in their minds and not Examining of them and trying of them by the spirit speaking in the Scriptures do erre grosly and are mis-led by them both in Doctrine and Practice They give heed to and are carried away with the present Impression moving in their minds looking upon it immediately by and in it self as Christ the true Light speaking in them when oft-times it is a seducing spirit Quest But if it be asked How then shall we certainly know the Impressions of the seducing spirit in our minds and the Impressions of the Spirit of God Answ The spirit of God which is given to them that Believe Instructeth them how to know its own Operations First by Comparing these immediate Impressions in the Mind with what is already written in the Scriptures dictated by the same spirit concerning the same things now in the Mind or Judgment therefore we ought to compare them together and Examine whether they agree and are one and the same if the Impressions of the Spirit in the mind be contrary to the Spirit speaking in the Scriptures we may then be sure it is a false and a seducing spirit but if it be the same with the Spirit in the Scriptures and confirmed thereby then it is the true spirit The Spirit of God gives more especially to some of his People the Gift of discerning of spirits As we see 2 Cor. 12. To another he gives the Discerning of Spirits And it is by this means afore-mentioned And Secondly Causes known by Effects we may know the true spirit from the seducing spirit by the Fruits and Effects of it we may know Causes by the Effects as in Nature so also in Grace And therefore when we are doubtful what Spirit it is that speaketh in us or others let us try it by the Effects the Fruits that it produceth for every Tree is known by its own Fruits The Effects and Fruits of the Spirit of God are such as the Scripture tells us of in many places as in the 5th Gal. The Fruits of the Spirit are Love Joy Peace Long-suffering Gentleness Goodness Faith Meekness Patience Humility Temperance c. Our Lord Christ the Head who was filled and Annointed with this Spirit above his Fellows what Effects did it work in his Humane Nature as our Mediator he tells us Mat. 11.28 he is Meek and Lowly in heart and again 2 Cor. 10.1 I beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ What wonderful Humility did he shew forth in all his Life amongst us and in that astonishing Example of Washing his Disciples Feet And though he were a King yea the King of Kings yet behold he came Meek and Lowly Riding upon an Asse and so tender of his Young Lambs his Weak ones that he carries them in his Bosom and gently leads such as are Young and tender he will not break the bruised Reed nor quench the smoaking Flax Though Faith be but as a grain of Mustard-seed it shall be watered to grow up and increase to more strength Now the like Effects the same spirit works in his Members in every one in their Measures Paul fed his New-born Babes with Milk and not with Meat because they were not able to bear it and cherished them as a Nurse cherisheth her Children often weeping over them Travelling from place to place to strengthen the New gathered Churches Teaching and Instructing them in those two great and chief Doctrines Faith in Christ and Love to all the Saints So the Apostle John the same spirit brought forth the same Fruits and Effects in him 1 John 1. I have no greater Joy than to see my Children Walk in Truth And
And it is not so with these Men of whom we speak consider and Judge They give heed to Seducing Spirits 2. Character they give heed to Seducing Spirits and Doctrines of Devils and Doctrines of Devils This Mark and Character is also seen conspicuously and plainly upon the Teachers among the Quakers yea so Evident is it as if written with a Beam of the Sun Now what Doctrines do the Devils Teach when they are permitted of God for his Secret ends to use the Tongues of Wicked Men we may be sure his Aim and drift will be to Preach against Christ 1. Against Christ to darken his Glory as much as he can both in his Humane and Divine Natures and in his Merits Works Sufferings Righteousness Satisfaction Reconciliation Benefits and Priviledges that he hath wrought and brought unto his People These things are manifest in several particulars in their Books and Pamphlets And Secondly 2. Against the Scriptures Another particular of the Doctrine of Devils which he will be sure to Teach his Disciples it is to weaken or Destroy the Authority of his Word the Scriptures the Gospel of Salvation by which Truth and Error may be known and proved For if he once Destroy the Rule and Measure of Doctrines so that Men do not try them by a known plain fixed Rule then he knows Men may Preach and pretend their Fancies and vain Imaginations and obtrude them upon others as most certain Truths And hath he not Taught the Men of this Generation this point of his Devilish Doctrine Do they not slight and Despise the Scriptures the Word of God and Offer and prefer their own vain Idle Fancies instead of the Scriptures even the Men of whom we are speaking the Teachers among the Quakers This is evident and clear to the Eyes of all who are enlightned by Christ and by the Scriptures Thirdly Thirdly Against the Church As the Doctrines of Devils are against Christ his word and Gospel so also against his People his Church all his Members they shall be sure to be Cryed down Slandered Despised Reproached and Condemned as Hypocrites in all that they say and do in and about the Worship of God in his Ordinances which he hath appointed for as the Devil hath great spight and Malice against the Head so also against the Members Now do not the Quakers deal thus with the Lords People at this day This is another particular point of the Doctrine of Devils which the Seducing Spirits have Taught those who give heed unto them how have they cryed down with a Blasphemous Noise every where all the Congregations Assemblies and particular Churches of the Saints of all perswasions without exception of any as being all in Darkness in Babylon and set up themselves as the most Holy Innocent People yea the onely People of God upon Earth Fourthly Another of the Doctrines of Devils is this 4. Resting upon their own Righteousness When he hath done all he can to darken and hide from his Disciples the true and onely way of Salvation by Christ Revealed in the Gospel and weakned the Authority of the Scriptures and the Credit and Esteem of his People Then he introduceth and brings in something of a Man 's own instead thereof that he knows is insufficient and will fail in Order to Salvation That is to say Man 's own Righteousness Obedience and works and puts them upon trusting to these and so Return again to the Old Covenant of works and to neglect the New Covenant of Grace which course he knows is the ready way to Destruction And he doth this with the more Efficacy in the minds of Wicked Men because it is a Remnant of Corruption even in the Minds of Good Men of all by Nature there is something of this remaining in the best a Secret esteeming and over-valuing of something of their own which is seen in the clear Light of the Spirit and confessed by all but the Quakers although they have it in them most of any People yet through the Darkness of their minds they see it not neither will own any such thing but tell us they own and witness Perfection Having mentioned these four particulars which are the Chief Points of Doctrine which the Seducing Spirits do Teach those that give heed unto them I shall now proceed to he rest of the Characters which the Apostle plainly sets down by the Directions of the holy ghost whereby false Teachers may be known as we see ver 2. Speaking lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron Now The Third Character of false Teachers Lies in Hypocrisie it is easie to mention many lyes in Hypocrisie which the Quakers are guilty of Whereby this Character is deeply stampt upon them and made manifest to all This is one Lye in Hypocrisie That Christ the true Light is in every Man and Woman that cometh into the World First Lye in Hypocrisie and that if they give heed unto and Obey the Light that is in them it is a sufficient Guide unto Salvation without the Scriptures I say This is false Doctrine and a Lye in Hypocrisie Christ doth not dwell in Wicked and Ungodly Impenitent sinners the Devil dwells in them and Rules and Reigns in them he Ruleth in the Children of Disobedience Col. 1. What Concord hath Christ with Belial Eph. 2.2 Christ often stands at the Door and Knocks if any Man hear his Voice and open the Door he will come in Rev. 3. but not otherwise See the Arguments against this falshood Secondly 2. Strong Man Armed cast out p. 12. This also is another Lye in Hypocrisie That the Quakers build upon the true Foundation Jesus Christ and all other Professing People Build upon some other false Foundation This is a double Lye in Hypocrisie both as to themselves and other Professing People many of them I will not say all do professedly Build upon a false and Sandy Foundation which certainly will fail i. e. the Light within every Man and woman that come into the world and that is not Christ but a Creature There is a Natural Light we know in every Man and Woman Reason and Conscience but it is not Christ he Created it as all things else in the World but what Comparison between the Creator and the Creature This is at large spoken to else-where And concerning other Professing People though many of them it is to be feared do Build upon false Foundations yet sure we are many thousands of them do Build upon the true and onely Foundation Jesus Christ This Lye then is against those who Build upon the true Foundation Thirdly The Third Lye in Hypocrisie Strong Man Armed p. 13. This is another Lye in Hypocrisie That they the Quakers have a true Faith that Faith whereof Christ is the Author and Finisher but the Faith of all others is an unholy dead Imperfect Faith it Sanctifies but in part and so will never save to the utmost
Like Swine they trample Pearls under their Feet and turn again and rent you Being Men of Corrupt minds and Reprobate concerning the Faith their minds are Corrupt Carnal Filthy Defiled with false Notions Erroneous Opinions and Conceptions of things according to their dark carnal apprehensions mixed also with Satans false glosses and deceitful appearances in their minds and so they become Reprobate concerning the Faith That is without Judgment or any true Vnderstanding in Matters of Faith according as the Scriptures have revealed them But it follows ver 9. They shall proceed no further for their folly shall be made manifest unto all men as theirs also was After they have done their work and filled up the measure of their Iniquity and fulfilled the Scriptures what was fore-told of them then they shall be Discovered and made manifest and that to all men even to their own party also as well as to others who have been long deceived and seduced by them they shall then fall off from them by degrees and leave them and forsake their meetings They shall be known to be deceitful workers their folly shall be made manifest as theirs also was that is as the folly of Jannes and Jambres the Sorcerers or Magicians which deceived the People for a while with false shews and appearances of things which were not so in Reality and Truth afterwards they were discovered to be but a Cheat and deceitful workings So these men with all their Counterfeit Coin and Deceitful Wares which they expose and offer to People in the dark and which they will not by their good will bring unto the Light of the Scriptures which would make things manifest unto all yet they shall in due time be brought to the Light their folly shall be made manifest unto all And is not this Scripture in a great measure fulfilled already even at this day The Men these false Teachers their Opinions Principles and Practices have been of late time more than ever before laid open and their Folly and gross Ignorance and Errors made manifest unto all and so will be still more and more See three Dialogues between a Christian and a Quaker by Tho. Hicks where they are made Naked before all Men to their shame God hath of late time more especially stirred up the Spirits of some of his People to search into and Examine their Opinions and Doctrines and to try them by the Scriptures spoken by God himself and they find that these Men have spoken contrary to what God hath spoken The Doctrine of these false Teachers is contrary to the Doctrine of Christ made known to us in the Gospel they are detected discovered and made manifest to all except some of their own Party Friends as they call them who it 's like are so Charmed by them as that they will not hear nor hearken to any thing that is said against them or their Principles though spoken according to truth Nay they will not hear God himself speak for they Neglect and Despise the Scriptures and prefer their own simple Pamphlets before them Now Good Councel to the Quakers seeing these things are so I shall in sincere Love and Pity to the Souls of these People the Quakers give them my Advice and Councel according to Truth whether they will hear it or whether they will reject it I am perswaded there are some amongst them who have true and real intentions and desires after the truth to hear it and to do it and therefore there is some hopes of such that if they would give themselves to search the Scriptures concerning the Principles of their Teachers and be earnest with God to give them his Spirit to Open their Vnderstandings they might clearly see the gross Folly and Errors of these Men and that they would read other mens Books wherein they are concern'd as well as their Friends Books thereby also their Light within would be the clearer But whilst they Neglect or Decline the means of knowledge no marvel though they remain Ignorant and are seduced My Advice and Councel is further Leave the Quakers Meetings That you would leave the Assemblies of these Men separate your selves from their Congregations and Meetings Now is separation seasonable according to the Scriptures separate from them because they have separated from Christ and from his Church and People they are gone from the truth and are turned unto Fables and they give heed unto seducing spirits and Doctrines of Devils speaking lyes in Hypocrisie having their Consciences seared with an hot Iron so that they will not hear nor hearken to the Truth as it is in Jesus They slight and despise the Scriptures and therefore what Light is in them what Wisdom is in them Nothing but Darkness and Ignorance improved also by subtil seducing spirits which except they speedily Repent will draw them down into the Bottomless Pit And next I advise you Come to the Assemblies of the Saints Come and joyn your selves to the Lord and to his People come into their Assemblies Societies and Congregations there ye shall hear Christ truly Preached and set forth according to the Gospel whereby your minds may be enlightned to see the Beauty of Christ indeed with all his Benefits and Priviledges purchased for his People and this may make you fall in Love with him and to chuse him for your Lord and Husband O take heed of forsaking or Neglecting the Assemblies of the People of the Lord as the manner of some is it is a very Dangerous thing See the Consequences of it which the Apostle tells us of in the 10. of the Hebrews it is a Sign or forerunner of that great sin the sin against the Holy Ghost as it is there set forth Come then to the Assemblies of the Saints for the Lord is among them and in them and Communicates himself unto them he reveals his Mind his Secrets to them that fear him Ye are now in a dry and barren Wilderness where there is no Water no Water of Life your Souls will be lean and starved for want of Food for want of the Bread and Water of Life unless ye come unto him that ye may have Life your teachers themselves want this having forsaken the Fountain of Living Waters and run to broken Cisterns which hold not a drop of Water The Light within is but Darkness to the true Light Jesus Christ Your Teachers themselves want water being Wells without water and Clouds without water carried about with winds Therefore come to the Fountain of Living waters to the Fountain of Gardens that waters all the Gardens all his Churches and every particular soul and their souls are as watred Gardens and as springs of water whose waters fail not For there is in them a Well of water springing up unto Eternal Life Come then and be partakers of these Priviledges be one with Christ and with his People and ye shall be enlightned by Christ the true Light indeed and Life indeed who will guide you and lead you into Green Pastures by the Rivers of waters who will feed you with the Bread and Water of Life unto Eternal Life FINIS THere are lately Published Three Dialogues Between a Christian and a Quaker wherein are faithfully Represented some of the Chief and most Concerning Opinions of the Quakers together with their Method and Manner of Reasoning in the Defence thereof Also the Quakers Appeal Answered All Written by Tho. Hicks Sold by Peter Parker at the Leg and Star in Cornhil against the Royal Exchange
than the first This is for thee James Jackson Author of the strong Man Armed cast out Thou sayest in this thy Book that the strong Man Armed meaning the Devil is cast out of thee and Christ a stronger than he is come in and dwells in his stead this by the way plainly contradicts this Principle and great Doctrine of thy Friends the Quakers That Christ is in every Man and woman Thou confessest the Devil was in thee whilst thou Lived'st so wickedly as thou hast told us but now if Christ a stronger than he be come and entred into thee how was he there before according to this Scripture which says when a stronger than he cometh which plainly implies he was not there before but the Devil was there before and kept the House But now consider this well suppose it be so indeed That the Devil this strong Man Armed was cast out or in policy went out for a time intending to come into his House again and Fortifie himself in thee his House in a stronger hold and with greater strength bringing in seven other Spirits worse than himself more Subtile and Politick Fortifying themselves in a way of Hypocrisie and Religion the other hold of Profaneness not being so sure as this for now thou art perswaded as thou tellest us all is well with thee thou art a New Man a Converted Man as we see and Read thy long story to that purpose I Advise thee as thou lovest thy Soul and Regardest thy Eternal Welfare take heed lest this Scripture be not fulfilled in thee and upon thee for thou lookest as like one of those spoken of and intended in this Scripture as can be beware lest thy last state be not worse than thy first 8. Another Argument proving that Christ is not in all Men and women is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman who have not Faith Prop. 8. But the Wicked and ungodly have no Faith Therefore Christ is not in the wicked and ungodly The Apostle Prays to be delivered from unreasonable and wicked Men for all Men have not Faith 2 Thes 3.2 Now Christ is and dwells in those in whom he works Faith for he is the Author and Finisher of Faith in all his People and he dwells in them by Faith Eph. 3.17 He Prays That they may be strengthned with might by his Spirit in the inner Man That Christ may dwell in your Hearts by Faith 9. Another Argument Denying the Quakers Assertion and Proving the Truth is this Christ is not in any Man or Woman Prop. 9. but in those to whom he doth communicate his Nature and Image But Christ doth not Communicate his Nature and Image to Impenitent and ungodly Men and Women Therefore Christ is not in ungodly Men and Women It is impossible that Christ should dwell in any Soul and not Manifest his Presence there by making Impressions of his own Nature Image and Likeness And therefore where he comes he doth Communicate his Image more or less 1 Cor. 15.48 As is the Heavenly such are they also that are Heavenly v. 49. And as we have born the Image of the Earthly we shall also bear the Image of the Heavenly And 2 Pet. 1.4 There are given unto us exceeding great and precious Promises That by these you might be partakers of the Divine Nature 10. Another Proposition confirming the same is this Christ is in none but in those onely who are joyned to him as Members of his Body Prop. 10. But wicked Men and Women are not joyned to him as Members of his Body Therefore Christ is not in wicked Men and women This Truth may be Illustrated and shadowed out unto us by a plain Similitude between Natural and Mystical Fruit-trees Similitudes of things with which we daily Converse obvious to our Natural Senses are very helpful unto us to shadow out and Illustrate Spiritural things which are Dark Abstruce and Difficult as they lye in intricate Spiritual Notions which without some plain Similitude would be discerned but dimly as in this particular As VVindows are to a House so are Similitudes to a Discourse They both let in Light VVe know the Root Body Boughs Branches and Twiggs of a Fruit-tree are all joyned together and do make but one Body or Substance And that the Root gives no Sap Life or Nourishment but onely to those parts of the Tree that are Vnited to it all those Boughs and Branches are Nourished from the Root they Receive Sap Spirit and Life the Innate Intrinsecal Form and Virtue of the Tree is in all the parts But the Virtue and Influence of the Root is not in any other Branches or Boughs which do not grow upon the Root though they are never so near this Tree though they are contiguous and mixed among or hang among the Living Branches yet they have no Life in them no Sap no Virtue from the Root because they are no parts of it Even so it is here in this Mystical Fruit-tree Christ and his Members his People who are Members of his Body they Receive Life Nourishment and Virtue from him he is in them by his Effectual Operations But as for others who are not of his Body who are not joyned to him by Faith wrought by the Spirit he is not in them they receive no Virtue Life or Nourishment from him he doth not Communicate himself to them as he does to his own People his Members for he is in them and they in him 1 Cor. 12.27 Ye are the Body of Christ and Members in particular Col. 1.18 He is the Head of the Body the Church And Col. 2.19 From the Head all the Body by Joynts and Bands having Nourishment Ministred and knit together increaseth with the Increase of God This is plain from Christ's own words John 15.1 2 c. I am the Vine and my Father is the Husbandman Every Branch in me that beareth not Fruit be tâ—keth away and every Branch that beareth Fruit he pâ—rgeth it that it may bring forth more Fruit. Ver. 4. Abide in me and I in you Ver. 5. I am the Vâ—ne ye are the Branches he that abideth in me and I in him the same bringeth forth much Fruit for without me ye can do nothing Thus have I drawn these Ten Pieces of Ordnance out of Gods own Magazine and levelled them against this Idol this false Christ the Light in every Man and Woman and it is sallen and broken and Christ the true Light set up and Worshipped in its stead by all that Worship God in Spirit and in Truth How dreadful is the Case of these People the Deceived ones among the Quakers who set up an Idol instead of Christ and Worship it and Teach others so to do thereby forsaking the Fountain of Living waters and digging to themselves broken Cisterns that can hold no water Well might the Apostle Peter and the Apostle Jude also call them Wells without water and Clouds without water 2 Pet. 2.17 Jude 12.
God and Father of all c. First one Body 1. One Body All Believers in all Ages of the world past present and to come in all Nations Kindreds and People Worshipping God in Spirit and in Truth under all Forms do make this one body And this one body hath but one Spirit 2. One Spirit as the Members of the Natural Body have but one Soul to Actuate and Enliven them so also in the Mystical body they all are quickned taught moved and led by that one Spirit which is the Promise of the Father and of the Son Thirdly The Members of this one body having one spirit have also one hope even the hope and expectation of all the good things promised in the Gospel 3. One Hope Eternal Life the enjoyment of God for ever Fourthly Another Bond of Vnion in the true Church 4. One Lord. is One Lord even our Lord Jesus Christ unto whose Laws and Commands all his People are Subject Fifthly One Faith That is 5. One Faith the true Justifying Faith of Gods Elect wrought by that one Spirit apprehending that one Lord for Justification by him alone Paul calls it the Common Faith Titus 1.4 Titus mine own Son after the Common Faith Sixthly Another Bond of Vnion in the true Church 6. One Baptism is one Baptism 1 Cor. 12.13 By one spirit we are all Baptized into one body whether we be Jews or Greeks whether we be bond or free and have been all made to drink into one Spirit This one Baptism makes all Believers truly one Seventhly The last bond of Vnity of the true Church 7. One God is One God and Father of all who is above all and through all and in you all All Believers are born of God and are all Partakers of the Divine Nature among the Lords People none of them have a better Nature than another as to the Truth but as it differs in the Degrees or Measures to some God is pleased to Communicate a greater measure to some a lesser Measure of Gifts and Graces that one and the self-same Spirit Divideth to every Man severally as he will 1 Cor. 12.11 We see here these seven Bonds are the true Bonds of the true Members of Christ his Body the Church and are here mentioned and laid down by the Apostle as strong Reasons and Grounds why all the Members should endeavour to keep the Vnity of the Spirit in the bond of Peace and not Divide and Separate one from another seeing they are all Members of one Body and have but one Spirit among them all and have all one hope all of them but one Lord one Faith one Baptism all but one God and Father here is good Reason then they should be one among themselves in Vnity Peace Love Fellowship and Communion one with another as Opportunity serves So that the Author above mentioned hath little Reason to boast of that kind of Vnity that is among the Quakers if he consider these things Sixthly 6. The Quakers Patience The Author of the strong man Armed cast out further tells us That the Patience and Faithfulness of these People in doing and suffering the Will of God is Remarkable for the World is against them though as he says they are the onely Innocent and harmless People upon the Earth and because there is more of God amongst these People the Quakers than others therefore are they hated of all Men and every where amongst all Religions evil spoken of Answ In Answer whereunto I say That Patient suffering for Well-doing is very Acceptable with God and shall certainly have a great Reward from God the Apostle Peter saith 1 Pet. 3.14 If ye Suffer for Righteousness sake happy are ye But there is a Suffering sometimes for Evil doings and Evil sayings And it is better if the Will of God be so that we Suffer for well doing than for evil doing v. 17. Now it is true These People the Quakers have been Sufferers as well as others but for what have they Suffered Has it been for well doing for doing the Will and Work of Christ They will say Yea for doing the Will of God but it follows not therefore that it is so Christ will rather say unto them who Required these things at your Hands Nay he hath forbidden them your False Doctrines and Opinions your Disownings Despisings and Separations from the Precious People of the Lord in all the Societies Assemblies and Congregations in the Land your Disturbing of them and Railing against them whilst they are about the work of the Lord ye your selves being drawn or driven by the Seducing Spirit have done his work and not the Lords work and have sometimes Suffered for it And herein ye boast and think your Patience is great and that ye suffer according to the Will of God But know That it is not the Suffering but the Cause that makes a Martyr It is possible a Man may give his body to be burned and that is more than to be Imprisoned and yet not suffer for Righteousness-sake 1 Cor. 13. Though I give my Body to be burned and have not Love it profiteth me nothing Jesuites and Papists have sometimes suffered for their false Principles and Practices and so may others and so have you Therefore speak no more of your Patient sufferings untill ye know that ye Suffer for a good Cause for well doing untill ye Suffer for Christ and for Righteousness-sake Thus I have gone through the several particulars wherein the Author of the strong man Armed cast out says He and the People called Quakers do Excell all other Professing People in the World wherein it appears to all Men that have in them the Spirit of God how grossely these People are Deluded and blinded by seducing spirits that they give heed unto which making strong Impressions in their Minds they are Seduced and carried away with them never Examining of them and Trying of them by the Scriptures and so are easily Deceived And it is a most dreadful Condition that they are in and an Evidence of the greatest and sorest Judgment of God that the Nature of Man is capable of on this side Hell a Judicial blindness and hardness of heart upon any Man or Men is the greatest of all Judgments And this is the punishment that God often lays upon Men that will not hearken unto him that Despise his Word and Ordinances his Worship and his People That will not Receive the Truth in Love that they might be saved Therefore God doth send them strong Delusions that they should believe a Lye that they all might be Damned who believe not the Truth but have pleasure in unrighteousness That which doth confirm this man James Jackson A false Perswasion of Conversion Author of the strong man Armed cast out that he is truly Converted by the Light within which he says is Christ is this for that he finds such wonderful Effects in himself as he Accounts them he is
Teacheth Love Vnity Peace Fellowship and Communion with all the Saints And so are all the Children of God thus inclined by the same spirit they shew forth the same Fruits and Effects in their Degrees and Measures But now on the contrary consider The false seducing spirit brings forth in its Followers the quite contrary Fruits and Effects as we plainly see amongst Men And hence are those high and proud Conceits and Apprehensions of themselves their Ways their Doctrines as better above and beyond all others being free from sin and become perfect saying in Effect stand further from me I am Holier than thou Despising that Low Childish Doctrine of sin abiding in us in the remainders of it whilst we Live though the Power and Dominion of it be Destroy'd I say these Fruits and Effects spring from a Cause like unto them whereby we may safely conclude what the Cause is so again when we see Men Separating from others better than themselves leaving and forsaking other Assemblies and Congregations sound in Doctrine and Holy in Life and Conversation excepting common un-avoidable Infirmities we may be sure hereby that this is from a seducing spirit not from the spirit of God whose contrary Fruits and Effects we heard before As Solomon The true Spirit is for Unity the salfe Spirit for Division by his Wisdom given him of God plainly Discerned and knew the true Mother from the false by this very thing by this clear Evidence She that was for Vnity and for preserving together and Nourishing the parts and Members of the Child was the true Mother But she that was for the Dividing of the Child and separating the Members of it he knew by that she was the Harlot and not the true Mother Just so it is in this Case The true spirit is for Vnity Love Fellowship and Communion with all the Members of Christ as Occasion and Opportunity is but the false seducing spirit is for separation and Dividing the Members of Christ's Body upon one pretence or another And herein it is too manifest that not onely some in our Days are more grossely guilty but also many of the true Members of Christ have been deceived and carried away very far by this deluding and seducing spirit through the remainders of Pride and self-love in them and have thought it their Duty to separate from others of their Brethren upon slight weak and insufficient grounds and Causes by which they have greatly Displeased and Offended their Head Jesus Christ and wronged their fellow-Members And as an Evidence of his Displeasure and a just Correction upon them he hath permitted a People in these days to separate from them all and to disown them all which I am perswaded is one End God hath in suffering these People to appear in this day which as from God is a just Retaliation to do to them as they have done to others the same Measure they have meeted to others of their Brethren is now Measured to them again Seeing no Rules in Scripture nor Councels nor Intreaties of their Brethren would perswade or win them to be of one mind and to keep in Fellowship together this now comes at last as the greatest and sharpest Reproof and Correction of all the former I hope and desire they will consider it and Learn from it to hear the voice of God's Rod as well as of his Word and be Instructed thereby And now having Tryed the Author of the strong Man armed cast out and proved that the strong man is not cast out but removed to a stronger Hold let us proceed further and make it appear also by divers other Proofs and Evidences taken out of his own Book which also are sufficient to convince all others of his Mind and Way that they may plainly see if the God of this World hath not blinded their Minds and hid plain and clear Truths from them the false and unsound Foundations which they Build upon as well as the Wood Hay and Stubble which they Build withal both as to their Opinions and Practices in esteeming themselves the onely Holy People of the Lord in this Day and Despising and Condemning those that are indeed the People of the Lord. First then 1. The Quakers Attainments above others This Author tells us what he and the People with whom he now Walks have attained unto above all others from whom they separate The People the Quakers he saith Build upon a true and right Foundation 1. In the Foundation the Rock of Ages Christ in us the hope of Glory but all other Professing People in the World Build upon the Writings of Men and all of them are strangers to that one Spirit which gave forth the Scriptures See strong Man Armed c. p. 12. In Answer to which I say plainly That if this were Truth which He hath spoken I would separate also and Build upon the same Foundation which he says they Build upon But he hath herein spoken falsely and that in a double Respect 1. In Respect of themselves 2. In Respect of other Professors the Churches of Christ As for themselves such of them as Build upon the Foundation the Light within every Man and Woman and believe in it and Obey it and look for Salvation from it as they Profess to do such Build upon a false and unsound Foundation and not upon Christ the onely true Foundation Secondly As for the other Professing People from whom they Separate he hath belyed them also grossely in saying they Build not upon Christ the true Foundation for it is the chief and Fundamental Doctrine which they Preach and Teach in all their Assemblies and Congregations according to the Word and Gospel of Christ And upon which we are sure many thousands have Built by the Guidance and Teaching and Operations of the spirit of the Lord and are by the same spirit joyned and Vnited in a firm and everlasting bond and Vnion to Christ whereby we have Light Life Vertue Strength Wisdom and all Grace from this Root and Fountain our precious Lord Jesus Christ This Author proceeds further 2. Strong Man Armed p. 13. and tells us That the Faith of the People called Quakers is the Faith of the Son of God Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of it it renews the whole Man 2. The Quakers Faith By this Faith sin is subdued slain and Mortified perfectly the heart purified the World conquered the Soul Sanctified Justified and Saved perfectly But the Faith of all others is an Vnholy Dead Imperfect Faith it Sanctifies but in part as they say and so will never save to the uttermost Thus far he Answ Here is another double gross untruth both as to themselves and others If their Faith be the true Justifying Saving Faith of God's Elect then it would Evidence it self by the Fruits and Effects of Faith which the Scriptures speak of and all the Saints