at all in Vindication of the Popish Clergy in any of their Devilish doings nor scornful or spiteful speakings against the Scripture but of another Interest even that of the true Clergy or Heritage of God as remote from Theirs and Thine too 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 I am an Opposer of thee as to that same Book wherein thou so vehemently Opposest the Papists hence many may as some already do suppose I am in far firmer friendship and fellowship with that Fry of fighters against the Scripture then with thee and thy fellows who wouldest fain seem at least to fight against them for it but if any man will be ignorant of me and my honest meanings let him be ignorant for my part as I am a well-wisher to all Souls and am in friendship with all men having and holding as truly Pacem cum Personis as cum Peccatis Bellum so I am in no fellowship with that in all men whether of the Romish Religion or that which informe is more Reformed that is not in fellowship with the Scriptures for that which is not in union therewith is not in fellowship with God fighting against neither smal nor great save only against the sinful seed of the Serpent in them which from the spirits of the spiritually throughout all Christendom spawnes it self forth in spite and spiritual wickednesse against the seed of the Woman who must bruise his head at last though he obtains for a while to bruise her heel between whose seed which is one and his seed of every sort whose name is Legion for they are many the most endlesse enmity is so that though I appear against those Paper-works of thine wherein thou appearest upon the Stage in part against that Synagogue of Satan but more palpably against the Synagogue of the Saints yet this is not all to gratifie the Romanists in their scurrilities against the Scriptures more then thee and thine Abettors in your scarce Schollar-like much lesse Scripture-like scoldings for them but as occasion is Pro Scripturis for the Scriptures which notwithstanding thy empty Apologetica's for them ye and the Papists also are both utterly against I shall not spare to grate hard against you both as such who while you are scribling of the Scriptures whether Pro or Con are yet our of that precious Truth the Scripture tells of and against that living Word that eternal and internal Light it calls to which leads to that Life of God that the Scripture calls for 3. In regard that I am and shall unavoidably be found in this present Controversie with thee saying some things against thee and thy untrue Assertions for Truths sake yet with a due Respect thereunto which the very Papists say though truly enough yet too disrespectfully about the Scriptures In this respect though I would not have them so yet I believe some are and some will be if peradventure these Premises prevent it not so blind as to believe I own the Pope and his Apostolical Church because I cannot own all that as true and Apostolical which some Prime Protestants tell for Truth but rather tell the Truth with him when he tells it about the Scripture or any other thing then Errour and Lyes with those who pretendedly for the Truth and Pro Scripturis Protest against him For I must give the Devil his due so as to acknowledge his Words to be true when he speaks the Truth though to a false end rather then sooth up thee I.O. or any other men so as to say the Crow is white and that ye utter Truth when ye tell utter untruth though against the Devil himself to please either thee or them Howbeit many men in these dayes and not a few of those who are called Christs Ministers and counted well studied Schollars or at least would not be well contented to be not so accounted are yet so dim as without any more ado to deem them to be Romish Priests under Pay from the Pope who own some Truths which his Priesthood owns as if because at Rome they own Christ to be the Son of God they must needs be of that Church who deny him not so to be but more especially any Truths which by these Divine Deemers are not Deemed to be Truths and thereupon disowned by their non-discerning selves upon whose crazy Concerts and cloudy Accounts and crooked Conjectures some that do more service to the Truth against Popish Fictions in a year then themselves do in an Age are thorow their shallow surmises by their implicit Faith't People as sinisterly supposed to be Supporters of the Papal Hierarchy because themselves whose Idol the Letter is are not digested in all their Extravagant Exaltings of it though the Popes extream of Exalting his leaden Legends and Holy Chaire above it be more professedly distasted and detested Thus such as believe according to the Scripture the general Grace and Love of God in giving Christ to die for all men for as much as that also is believed at Rome seem to these senslesse ones to favour too much of Popery because the empty understandings narrow Nodels and heedlesse Head-pieces of many Protestant Parish Priests are not as yet enlarged enough to comprehend it who notwithstanding being blear-eyed at home whilest Eagle eyed abroad Nunquam vident id manticae quod in tergo est never come to see or sent that plain Popery of their Parish Posture and Parish pay by way of Tythes which the Night is now too far spent for any but Owles Bats and Night-birds not to see that its of the Pope sith though its a piece of stark rank and Popery not held without the guilt of Perjury yet as it s their own suus cuique crepitus bene olet so it s that which serves their turn better at this time then the Extirpation of it Root and Branch according to their Oathes which would savour lesse of Popery and more of pure Pietv will ever do Of this sort of Evil Surmisers is T. D. who not only as thou I. O. dost Accuses us me in particular as one big with and spitting out venome against the Scriptures for not owning those outward Writings as the only Rule of Faith and holy Life but also accounts of us as no other then broachers of Popish Doctrines and bringers in of the Popes Baggage for dissenting as in other points so from his blind Tenets about the Scriptures Yea so earnestly doth T. D. drive on his Design of Insinuating it into mens minds concerning me that I am Popishly affected that he finds occasion of Accusation against me as so as well where I more fully own the Scripture then himself does as where I may more easily seem to one that 's blind to deny it Witnesse his words Page 27. 1. Pamph where for owning the Epistle of Paul to LAODICEA which he sputns at as Spurious he flyes thus foolishly in my face T.D. We know quoth he your Brethren of the Popish Party have laid many such Brats at
they had not canst thou tell me what Church had the exact Tale of so many Books of the Scripture as ye talk on and call your Canon committed to her of God any more then they or if thou say the whole True Apostolical Church of Christ under the Gospel had that Scripture we count the Canon and no more committed to it where was there ever such a thing done by whom or when canst thou tell us any of this thou talkst on or give us any Testimony of Scripture for this or trusty Tradition or any ground whereupon to act divine faith in this with thee so fundamental a matter save â—he fiction of thy own fancy and thy own meer untrusty thoughts and blindly confident Conjectures thou thinkst that in 2. Tim. 2.2 will serve thy turn in this case but I have overturned that already and if ever there were such a divine Commission of so many writings as a Canon by Christ or his Apostles to the Gospel-Church though I abhor that paultry novelly pretended Primacy of Rome over other particulars yet while it remained in its Primitive Apostolical Purity it had as deep a share as any other in that Commission of the Canon to her and so thy two Questions Ep. p. 3. what Scripture was this they say was committed to them and when was this deed of Trust made unto them have full as much in them but that plane nibilest to answer thee withall as thou hast to answer me who of the Church to whose care and custody thou sayest the Scripture was committed since Christ and by him or his Apostles do here ask thee what Church is that for thou amazest thy own and seek'st as Priests do to stun other mens minds with the name of the Church the Church but what Church is that whose care is said by thee to be so great whilst Rome's was so little to keep every Tittle of the Text entire and to whose care and custody it was to that end committed and intrusted and in thy own words to Rome so I to thee propound what Scripture was this or where was this deed of Trust made unto them And since it was not the Church of Rome as I freely agree with thee it was not what Church was it or where liv'd it or by what name or Title beside that generall blind people-confounding name of Church dost thou call it was it some one universal Catholick visibly constituted true Christian Church that had such a constant clearly visible continuance and successive outward orderly being in a Body as that Romane Harlot hath ever seemed to have from Christ downward to this day was it your what should I call it mingle-mangled Episcopall-Presbyter-Independant Church that 's run out from the Womb of that Babylonish Bawd through the loines of your late Fathers the Prelates and Scottish Presbyters into that Ragged Patcht Posture wherein it now stands like a Participle that 's neither this nor that nor Noun Substantive that can stand by it self without the Magistrates help nor Verb that betokens either doing or suffering any great matters for the Truth but most like an Adjective that leans upon Parliaments and earthly Powers to uphold it partaking with all sides as occasion is and of all formes something yet is just nothing but some Participle or PapalPrelatical-Presbyterian 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 i.e. vere nihil but a mongrel Was it this Church that is one not individually but specifically the same with what yours is at this present derived downward and carefully receiving the Scripture downward entirely in all its Hebrew and Greek Letters Accents Points Tittles and Iota's without change or losse in the least is so shew us but some few footsteps of such a thing through the time of the Catholike Apostacy as a visible constituted Church which might have been known by the distinction of Elders Bishops Deacons c. in the dark dayes of Romes dominion except that of Rome it self that had the Canon constituted of no more nor lâ—sse but just so many Scriptures Letters Stories Tittles Iota's as thou trislingly tatlest by the Apostles and so committed to their care and as carefully handed down to you Linguists in every Letter of the Original Languages without alteration addition or diminution But I more than suppose thou shalt as soon find and follow to a hairs breadth the very way of a bird flying or an Arrow shot through the air as decypher such a matter and if the Papists should put the Question de novo to thee as they did long since to the Protestants where was your Church before Luther if thou couldst prove the Pedegree of thine so high as Luther though witnesses to the Truth more or lesse in all times suffering in sackcloth in the most dismall dayes I own yet thou wouldst be as much puzled to prove any other constituted Church that kept so entire as thou talkst thy constituted Canon in all Christendom beside that of the Romish Synagogue that corrupted it as that namelesse Author was who wrote an answer to it 1624 entituled Luthers Predecessors who though he quits himself well in proving downward from Iohn Wicklisse who was well nigh 200. years afore Luther but 1370. after Christ a company of particular successive sufferers for some truth that began to shine out again from under the Romish smother yet can instance no higher then Io. Wicklisse for at least a 1000. years upward any thing at all but an universal dominion of the Church of Rome confessing that if the Papists will tye him to prove any visible constituted Church beside theirs before Luther the Task is unequall because the records are wanting and also because the Church was not in the long time of Apostacy nor yet was to be alwaies in such a manner visible which is the very Truth for the true Church was to be and was according to the word of Prophesie Rev. 12. in a waste suffering afflicted desolate forlorn widernesse condition trodden under feet by the Gentiles coming into the out Court the outward name and profession of Christianity Rev. 11. And as when in her primitive glory she was cloathed with the Sun and a crown of twelve stars on her head i.e. the doctrine truth word of faith the 12 Apostles Preached and not simply those few of their naked writings and Letters and Texts and their Tittles and thou simply contendest on her head and the Moon i.e. all changeable things such as all Texts and Transcripts and Tittles and Iota's are under her feet so when she came into her forlorn solitary state in the time which was while the Whore or Clergy began to Ride the Beast and fit upon the Waters Tongues Nations Kings and Kindreds of the Earth and to cry Ecce duo gladii hic to claim both swords and to become supreamly as she made her sub-sub or Magistratical Power that bore her up subordinately to her not onely Custos utriusque Tabulae Vice-preserver of both Tables but pretendedly
Reason why I went so far in a talk comparatively to the Truth of Toyes and Trifles and was so taedious to my self and such as look't long since for an end of this labour and wasted so much paper in a work so worthless as it may seem to some as is fitter for J. O's Iuniors to be busyed in at their Schooles where Pueri tam Puerilia tractant then for men cal'd Ministers to medle too much with whose wisdom lies more if not in forgetting yet at least in forgoing frivolosities that are so Remote to the Souls Redemption then to fight so fiercely and foolishly for them as J. Owen does whom neither For nor Against but About them only I have much to do with so that bear with me in it if it must be deem'd my Folly the Ground of which piece of Folly is as followes In His Threefold Thing I found J. O. 1st in the Theses of his Latine Thoughts Glorying not a little in being on behalf of the Collegians among whom he was then a Chieftane intruâ—ted as he talks with the Task of contending for the Text of Scripture not so much against the Foes as under that name against the Truest Friends of both the Text and Truth as the Word of God properly as to Name and Thing and not only consequently but most expresly also both there and in the 1st of his two English Treatises the only most perfect Rule of all Belief and Holy Life Stable Standard True Touch-stone for Triall of all Truth Doctrines Spirits Speeches yea it s own also and the Sole sure Foundation for all True Faith to stand on and be discerned by from Falsehood Fable and meer Fancy and not only so but also Tiring himself in his Taedious second Treatise to evince the Entireness and Integrity of the said Text to every Apex and Tittle as at first it was given out without Addition Ablation or Alteration in the least â—ota or Syllable p. 153. in the Trans-scripts of it in the Original Languages how ever confessed by him to be Corrupted and Egregiously Adulterated in all Translations and insisting so uncessantly eagerly and earnestly in proof of the said Integrity of the outward Text as for hast to outrun all his own Reason and to Reject also the Uncontrolable Reasons of All others to the contrary putting also so great a stresse upon that poor Punctilio of the Hebrew Punctation as from a self-conceived Imagination and dangerlesse Affrightment to stickle for its Antiquity againâ—t those that on better grounds Iudg it to be Novelty and not Coaevous with the Consonants with such stricâ—ness as to deem all Divine Saving Truth lyes at stake and is Eternally Liable and likely to be lost if it be not as he conceives in these particulars for as is seen at larg in the book ensuing he Trembles to think what will be the Isâ—ue how desperate will be the conâ—equences of such a conclusion that the Text-mens Hebrew and Greek Transcripts are by mistake Mis-transcrbed in a Tittle and that the Points Vowells and Accènts were added to the Hebrew Text by the Tyberian Mastorites A Firebrand is brought into the Churches Bread Corn quoth he All 's utterly undon for ever as to any true Distinct Sound Certain Saving Knowledge of God or understanding of his Mind Will without either Remedy or hope of Recovery 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ther 's No firm footing nor Foundation to stand on No abiding Bottom at all to build on No Right Rule for the Faith and Obedience of the Church to be Regulated by No Word of God remaining uncorrupted No more means to be seen of being delivered from utter uncertainty in and about all Sacred Truth Epiâ—t p. 25. Nay though it be yeilded by his Antagonists that howbeit the Copies are Corrupted Altered and found Various in their Lections as to the meer Letter nevertheless the saving Doctrine as to the Substance of it Remains Sound and Entire in the Copies of the Original and the Translations that remain yet this is no Satisfaction to him he deems that the Saving Doctrine can't continue entire and uncorrupt and that their is no Relief against the Absolute Perishing of All Truth one of the World without any Rule or Measure of Iudging and Determining any more of it or Principle of Discovery or Medium of its Rectification or Recovery if every Tittle and Iota be not Preserved Entire or on supposition of any Corruption to have befallen the outward Writing p. 17. 18 19. Yea upon such Supposition that we have not every Letter Tittle Point Iota Syllable Accent c. as 't was in the Beginning of its Writing without Alteration by Ablation of any Apex or Addition of the Hebrew Punctation Gods Promise Isa. 59.21 Mat 5.18 Fails his Care of his Word and Church Fails he leaves it in uncertainties about the things that are the Foundation of all that Faith and Obedience he requires at our Hands so that we know not where to lay â— Sure Foundation of Believing yea 't is impossible we should come to any certainty almost of any Individual Word or Expression whether it be of God or no p. 55. Yea p. 212. out of Jo. Isaac He that Reads the Scripture without Points and so must they Read it â—oho did Read it before Points were say I as they did before Ezraes dayes if the Points were not from Moses is like a man that Rides a Horse without a Bridle and p. 214. 215. on this Hypothesis that the Points are added I know not saith J. O. how Bellarmines Inference can be avoided then which I know nothing in all his opposition to the Truth more Pernitiously spoken that partly by their Addition and partly by the Negligence and Ignorance of the Transcribers the Hebrew Scriptures which are not Uuniversally Corrupted by the Malitious Work of the Jewes are not yet so Wholly Pure and Entire but that Errours are Crept into them Yea they that are otherwise minded then those are who Maintain the Antiquity of the Vowels and Accents and with Radulph Cevallerius whose Opinion he sayes is his own that the Hebrew Language was written with them from the Beginning do not only make doubtfull the Authority of the Scriptures but even pluck it up by the Roots for without the Vowells and Notes of Distinction it hath nothing firm and certain p. 213. Yea so dangerous in the Consequenceâ— of contending for Various Readings though not false nor pernitious that there 's nothing remaiÌ„ning upon that account firm and unshaken p. 219. Without the owning of these Points to be of Divine Original we shall be left unto great uncertainty in all Translations and Expositions of the Scripture p. 292. Yea the distemper that there are corâ—uptions befallen the Text Varieties from the first Copies is dreadfull and such as may well prove mortall to the Sacred Truth of the Scripture These Cuen multis aliis c. are the Extremities J. O. Asserts his Position in insomuch
one that receive a Pension from him which is the Top-stone of thy brittle building that I am to take down and the Conclusion in proof of the probability whereof at least all the rest is alledged I shall not as much Countryfied as I am be so Dunsical as to begin with the denial of the Conclusion nor would my nay prevail against thy yea among thy Creditors if I should but discover first the falseness weakness nakedness and inconsequences of the Premises that every indifferent Reader may conclude the utter improbability of the truth of thy confident conclusion within himself and remove the under stones which thou lay'st for thy foundation and among the rest that of my holding some Doctrines held at Rome which thou makest the very head of the Corner that so the foreâ—aid Topstone may tumble down of it self What is true among thy Premises I shall own the Truth of but deny the consequence thereof as to that which by thee is from thence deduced and what is false not only deny but also deny the consequence of it if it were true 1. That I have been at Rome and there born my Testimony against the Pope and Cardinals in such wise â—as was required of me by the Lord who sent me who only and not I my self as thou quippingly recitest that passage suffer'd them not to meddle with me that I made light of thy charging me with Popery and that I was at Dunkirk and in discourse with the two men of Sandwich T. Foxton and T. Barber at the time thou speakest of and that somewhat by me was spoken about Friars and Iesuits holding some sound Doctrines which some Protestant Priests deny and somewhat about the non-necessity or indifferency of the use of the things ye call Ordinances where the substance of which they were shadows and to which as figures they pointed was come in place like as of a Candle where the Sun shines and that I said good Works intending Christs are the meritorious cause of our Iustification and argued a contrariis to this effect viz. Evil works are the meritorious cause of our condemnation therefore good Works are the meritorious cause of our non-condemnation or Iustification all these Premises are own'd and thy elf also Asserting thus far only of me artown'd as standering me of no more then Truth but quid hoc ad Rhâ—mbum all this yet is of no consequence as to thy deduction And 2. As to all the Rest viz. my having Bils of Exchange to and from Constantinople to Rome and my Broaching Doctrines that are not only theirs but a fair inlet to their Bag and Baggage and my saying to T. F. and T. B. at Dunkirk in those very Terms thou settest down vâ—z that I looked upon the Iesuits and Friars there to be sounder in Doctrine then those ye call the Reformed Churches and that I my self am above Ordinances and that I have great Bils of Exchange from a Quaking London-Merchant as thou quippest it out again and that the Terms of the third Question which I held in the Affirmative were whether OUR good Works viz. done by us only and not by Christ in us are the meritorious cause of our Iustification and that I undertook to prove it under thoâ—e Terms of OUR Good Works in thy sense its all as false to the full as the other is truâ— but if it were every whit as true as it is utterly false yet would not thy Conclusion viz. that I have a Pension or am in pay from the Pope follow from it so much as probably as thou dotest much less so necessarily as throw their dotage upon thy Do-little Disputings many Ignorant ones of thy instructing do as ordinarily as ignorantly infer it the falsehood of that which is false and the inconsequence of both that which is true and that which is false and the utter invalidity of what is false in case it were never so true to prove thy Charge against me of complying with or having pay from the Pope I shall yet a little more particularly explain 1. Then that I have been at Rome and that in a double sense is true enough first spiritually and mystically when I was but a Protestant at large and so born and bred as English people for the most part still are I then dwelt together with them and you National Ministers and Parishpay-Preachers in the Suburbs and out-works of that Great City Rome or Mystery Babylon the Great the Papacy the Arch-Whore and Mother of her Daughters the two younger Harlots Prelacy and Presbyterie that are both separated from her bowels and as like her in many matters viz. persecution for conscience sucking Saints blood greediness of gain Lording it by a Lordly Clergy over the true Clergy or Heritage of God Parish-pay of the Popes first Imposing Parish-Church Posture of his Constituting Traditional Infant-Sprinkling and sundry other Romish Remnants and Relicks of Romes Religion yet abiding unabandoned and alâ—o pleaded for as one kind of Christ'n Creatures that are unlike to Christ himself can be to each other and as a Pair of young smooth-faced Sisters Quâ—bus facies non omnibus una est nec diversa tamen can well look like so old and wither-fac'd a Mother in the said Suburbs and out-works of which said Great City which once was in one Room but before its Ruin stands divided into three P.P. Parts canina utentes facundia barking and concarâ—ing together by the ears with one another and like some old Bawd and her two Bâ—ats Bâ—awling and breaking each other to pieces about their Bastardy ye dwell to this day not only being in the same inward but in somethings also in the same outward form and Image while ye hold your Pontifical Orders by vertue of which you so Pope it in your Parishes from such Presbyters as had theirs from the Prelate who had theirs from the Arch-Prelates who had theirs from the Pope by lineal succession who had his as the great Whore hath Rev. 17. from the Beast that bears her who Rev. 13. had his from the Devil or Dragon who whether he had his Power Seat and great Authority from Peter or no Credat Apella 2. That I have been bodily in Rome literally so cal'd as I did not so I do not deny and that as its evident by what of mine is extant against the C.C. Clergy I have done here so I bore my witness against the Pope and Cardinals there in such wiâ—e as I was cal'd to do I might make manifest here were I so minded but need not foâ—asmuch as though Weâ—â—hercock-like thou preâ—ently upon it go'st about to deny and disprove it again as unprobable yet thou seemest first both to believe and prove it to be probable thy self for thou saist the Qua did Report it of me and thou supposest they would not bely me and that I am since in safety from their hands thy self hast seen iâ— thou canst believe thine own eyes but what of all
men but if they were asleep as they say they were is the Testimony of those men fit to be entertaind for Truth or of force among any but such infatuated fancies as every ignis fatuus befooles into a following of it self wheresoever it goes before them that stand up to beare witness of what was done while they were asleep yet how strongly and strangely did this filly shift work upon the misbeleiving faculty of that foolish Nation to the finall falsifying of their Faith in so high an Article of it insomuch that as that Saying is commonly Reported so that Article of Christs Resurrection is thereupon not beleived to this day said the Evangelists 16 hundred years ago and say I who have been an Eare Witness of the same to this very day wherein we live The like effectual operation upon the prejudicate opinions and Imaginations of such people to whom there is deceptio visus and in whose visible faculty there 's a deep defect through their living in the Night and not loving the Light hath T. D's mis-reports and mis-representations of the Qua. going to Rome which as little or no truth as they are of yet if less then none can be are of less consequence to prove that he intends by them to be Truth sith of force to prove the very contrary S. F. Quoth he hath no visible Estate hath Bills of Exchange to take up 400 l. if he will had to and from Constantinople to Rome Bills of Exchange to take up money there Therefore 't is probably as true that he there receiv'd a Pension from the Pope His Tripartite Antecedent is as false as the Popes Tripple Crown is foolish but suppose it were all as True as 't is false I know no hurt in it if it were for such as Travail whether to Rome or elsewhere to have Bills to take up money if they need it and what I had or where or from whence or from whom let him that lyes go look yet â—ile tell the truth to him so farr at least as will tell his Tale to be a Lye I had none to Constantinople nor from thence to Rome neither Received I any money by any Bill at Rome much less any Pension from the Pope which is that he makes the consequent of the other so that T. D.'s Consequence is utterly inconsequent and a most non-sensicall non sequitur Some wise man that had been willing to know the Truth would have argued thus ad Contrarium viz. He went with coals from New-Castle to London therefore 't is very probable he went not to London to fetch or to get any there He carried great Bills with him to Rome to take up mony there therefore 't is utterly unlikely that he had any Pension of his own to Receive there from the Pope for then he might have sav'd his labour in the other For verily it had been as silly and superfluous for me to have Merchants Bills to take up mony by at Rome had I had a Pension to Receive there from the Pope as 't is as the Proverb is to carry coals to New-Castle which what fool doth may carry them home again when he hath done So then this Text of T. D's Triviall Talk as threefold a Cord as it may seem to him that is not quickly broken is indeed though strong enough to conclude the clean contrary way yet as to his purpose but a threefold thread of Toe so ill spun that it fails like flax when it feels the fire Nevertheless Note one Point of Doctrine more before I quit it that arises from it more against then for T. D. and his fellow forgers and foul falsifiers of the truth i.e. that whereas the National Ministry dare trust to the benevolence of their own people for outward means and maintenance no further then they have the Magistrates Mittimusses to take it from their people and raise it for them for we may have little enough and do full ill cry they if we stand to the good will and affections of our Parishes being it seems for all the shallow shews and Love-tokens and fair words that pass between them which buy no lands as little affected by their people as their people are trusted by them for each of them love money much more then they love each other yet such love credit and confidence in each others faithfulness there is among the Ministers of Truth and the children of it that they that for the Gospels sake chuse to have little of their own in their Ministry to it need not lack but serving it for its own sake and not for hire nor by constraint but willingly not for filthy lucre but of a ready mind may not by force of Arms but freely not by the greedy distraint of Tythe-mongers and Bumbayliffs but willingly have what is needed which is not so many 100's by the year as the Priests that stirring not far from their own fires need it not are ever needing in the service of the truth and rather then it shall want promoting for lack of so much no less then 400 li at once if they please T. D. Another of T. D's Antick Autecedents from whence he endeavours as by the rest he doth tooth and nail to evidence me to be of the Popish faction is that I affirmed my self to be above Ordinances saying there 's no more use of them in this life to some then of a Candle when the Sun shines instancing in Baptism and the Lords Supper Rep. In which Antecedent this is utterly false at least though affirmed by T. D. and his Sides-men viz. that I said of my self that I am above Ordinances I use not to bear Testimony to my self but to the Truth unless where the Truth is so much concern'd as it is in my clearing of my self from the clouds that not only I but that also comes under through your Lyes that are told and attend me in the service of it in the case in hand neither in the point of perfection which if I be but moved to speak the Truth in presently cry the blind leaders and the blind whom they lead he faith he is perfect did I ever say of my self that I am perfect but of myself and almeâ— that so we should be even in this life and may be too if we be not wanting to our selves and must be also or else shall never be as our heavenly Father is perfect and as for my self by the grace of God I am what I am and what ere I am where I am you are not though what and where you are both as to this woâ—ld and that to come I have been now long ago Neither as to Ordinances did I ever say I was above them I should not a little bely my self in so â—aying and that I have little need at all to do being belyâ—d moâ—e then enough already both by your selves and others for to meet and wait with his Saints on the Lord to stand in his
the Scripture which only Testifies of him without ever coming to him that they may have the life or to the Pope I leave it A little time will now detect it howbeit some may go one way some another and like to like and each to what and to whom he best loves and likes but Christs Sheep to whom he onely gives Eternal Life they will assuredly heare his voice which who doeth not must be cut off from among his people 9 Our Doctrine of the Vniversal grace and general love of God to all mankind in giving Christ Intentionally to be a Saviour to all that all that are lost in the fall of the first man may be in possibility and true capability of Redemption and Salvation by him without a bolt by any personal Reprobation of the most therefrom with no reference to their acting any evill and that unchangeably before they had a being unless themselves pâ—nendo obicem debarr themselves from the benefit thereof by Rejecting the council of God against themselves by an obstinate resisting the strivings of his Spirit with them to bring them to it and a wilful putting away of the word of eternal life when by Christ its brought nigh even in their hearts and mouths that they may hear and do it this is no fair In-let to their Bag and Baggage This perhaps is assented to as truth by the Papists the more shame for the most of our hypocritical Churles that gainsay it who would be but must be no more called liberal and bountiful while they are bold to utter errour against the Lords large love as if he were such a niggard as themselves who care not how few men be saved provided that their ever-sinning-selves be not damned but elected to be saved in their sins without being perfectly purg'd from them before they die by Christ of whom they must yet once know what yet they will not that he came to save all people from all sin who aâ—e willing to be saved and not to give any such darlings of his as they darkly deem themselves to be an allowance in the least or a dispensation to sin throw infirmity till they die and then to save them from the desert thereof after death the Instruments of which vile Chuâ—lâ— aâ—so are evil to destroy the poor people of God with their lying words when they speak no other then right things But what if the Romish Clergy do hold such a general grace of God they are by so much the more of a noble spirit then your selves who deny it in the owning of that most pretious truth if they were not far worse then yourselves in other mattters And as for us called Qua. who preach it here for Truth as against I. O. and T. D. it must anon be prov'd to be in the proper place as we take neither it nor ought else to be truth by tradition from Papists or eâ—e the more because they own it but as our selves have received it from the muoth of God so I hope you wise men will grow wiser by then I have done then to judg we must either reject truth it self if their Church once hold it or else be judged to be of them while we hold it with them and as in holding it out freely as we do other Truths we neither fill nor feed as you do your own by holding In the Truth their as Hypocritical as Hydropical Bag so it being no worse then that Golden Gospel Truth which ye Divines darken so much by your dirty distinctions and meer guilded glosses could we make such â—a fair In-let for it that it might shine forth in its brightness as it once will do from one end of England to another we should in so doing usher in no part of their Baggage But indeed your selves in standing against it have not only stor'd your Bag more then is fit for men to do that make a Trade of treading down the Truth But have brought in a piece of Babylonish Baggage of your own as bad if not worse then all the Popes for its all one to me what outward Religion men be of true or false Papism or Protestanism or whether they have any at all among them yea or nay if it be so as our personal Electionists absit blasphemia breath it forth verbatim or at least doctrinally and in effect that the mercy of the Almighty which is said to abound to and over all and extend beyond all his other works and his infinite large and incomprehensible love to all men is yet no larger then may be comprehended in that little corner whereinto they croud it so as to say that one of a thousand only are decreed to be saved and a thousand to one of the Sons and Daughters of men without respect to any evil foreseen in their proper persons to be acted in time are from all eternity decreed by God himself and that unchangeably and everlastingly to be damned For then that one of a thousand shall assuredly be saved and a thousand to one as inalterably perish and die eternally and this or that outward Religion is no remedy against that which was so ordered long before the poor Creatures had any being And as one said once unto me for whom t will be better then he deserves if our God take him not at his word viz he would not own that God that would own a Qua. to be one of his Children so say I but not so desprately as he did the other I know and own no other God but him who will own all to be his Children who will unfainedly own him to be their Father and save all them that are truly willing in his way to be saved from their sins by him who never yet declared himself willing to save any in them who sent his Son a light in the world not to condemn it but to that intent that the world which loving darknesse rather then light will needs be damned through his Light notwithstanding might be saved and will shew mercy upon all them who will have pitty upon themselves so far as not to despise the riches of his grace and reject his unfained tenders and honest offers thereof when they are made neither do I own him to be my God for my God is a God of mercy and truth to all who without any respect to their personal rejectings thereof in time wills never to have mercy upon thâ— most who would have any to perish and not have all to come to Repentance who would not truly have all as well as some to be Saved and come to the knowledge of the Truth who hath any pleasure at all that the very wicked much more that the innocent should die that delighteth in the death of him that dieth and had not really rather that he should turn from his wickednesse and live that means any otherwise then he sayes or is quite contrary to what he seems to be in his speeches to either good or bad
the Scripture is so far from hindering any from coming to but only that the blind Porers in it with their natural Eyes cannot see Wood for Trees that it sides with us in helping to call People to the Light in the Heart which thing is as well the end of its being written as it was the end of Paul and Iohn's and all the Prophets Ministry by word of mouth Act 26.17 18. 1 Ioh. 1.1 5 6 7. And is the end of all our Ministring now as we are moved of the Lord by Voice or Writing the Letter bids look to the Light as that which leads on to the Life but both Letter and Light are a cloud to the Egyptians that pursued them which to Israel that obeyed it was a help And as it serves with us to call to the Light so before it passe away it must be used against them to send them packing first that have Abused it as thou hast done and to accuse as a Witnesse against them such as have owned it as their Rule and Foundation yet lived and built so much as ye have done beside it And as Christ said to the old Scripture searchingScribes Joh. 5. that would never come to him the Life whom they Testified of so say I to you of the same Seed Do not think that Christ by his Light within you only whereby ye are made as all men are who have not the Law in a Letter a Law before God to your selves will accuse you to the Father ye have another that accuses you for your Vanities and Deceits even Moses and the Apostles and Prophets Writings in whom ye trust to get Life for if you had believed them you would not have belyed but beleeved in and obeyed the Light and Word in the Heart which they call you to for the Scriptures testifie of that but fith you believe not their Testimony to the Light how can we look that by our Words ye should come to believe in the Light it self So that ye stand Condemned and must be Judged by the Law or Light within as well as such as are without the Law in a Letter without and fining under and against the Law in the Letter by the very Letter of the Law throw boasting and yet breaking of which ye dishonour God much more then the Heathen do Rom. 2. Ye must be condemned also So that the Scripture is of much use yet and we are free it should stand and not be blotted out that by the Testimony of it which is one and the same with ours to the Light ye might be if yet it may be brought to look to the Law of Christ which and not the Letter is the Light and Life but if you will not come to Christ and his Light in you that ye may have the Life it s all of a price to you whether the Scripture stand or be blotted out for your Names are not while ye are Enemies to the Light written there for Life but as yet blotted out even by the Scripture while it abides unblotted out from under Heaven I.O. Ex. 2. S. 26. Thou sayest The Quakers little regard the understanding of the Scripture and this is one of their Eminent Deceits so long as they have the Words they are well enough without the sense as nothing appertaining to them Reply Saving I. O's fine figment in this matter which may be more manifested in its proper place howbeit we are well satisfied without so many several silly Senses and mis-meanings of it as are ministred cut by the unlearned Ministers that know not the Mind of the Lord nor ever shall while they lean to their own meer Natural empty Understandings and lye-poring in the Letter as they do without the Spirit which only Receives and Reveals the deep things of God and opposing the Light that only opens it yet we are not against the true sense and meaning of the Spirit which expounds the Mysteries and shews the Secrets thereof to those few Babes that fear the Lord which are hidden from the worldly wise and prudent but whether the Renowned Rabbies Preach for prize or hold their peace we neverthelesse still have true meanings and mind of Christ. I.O. Ex. 2. S. 21 22. That they affirm it is not lawful for any to Interpret the Scriptures or give the sense thereof And S. 22. That altogether with the Interpretation it self they reject damne curse all Mediums of Opening Scriptures the weighing the Words and Phrases and daily Prayer and comparing of divers places together that the Opening of hard Places the clearing and proving of the Truth the Conviction and Confutation of Heresies Errours false Doctors and Doctrines the Edifying any by Instructions and Exhortations and all the other ends of lawful Interpretation of the Scriptures are odious and abomination to them they not only prosecute with Enmity all Expositions of the Scripture by word of mouth in private Families Meetings Churches Schools of Believers to the Opening of the Sense of the Word and the giving of Knowledge by the Scripture it self but also as little esteem and most Childishly defame both Commentaries and all other Books wherein part of the Scripture is Interpreted or any Truth cleared or confirmed out of it or the Faithful perswaded by Exhortations to Holinesse and Gospel Obedience or men are Instructed in any other manner whatsoever in the Knowledge of God Reply Whether all these stories of I.O. which I have here put together do more savour of the French Galimafrey or wild-Irish bonni-clabber I 'le not determine but I am sure they are an unsavoury Mess of Omnigatherums made up of many sorts of lying Reproaches that have no Consistency with the Truth which would far better have become a Doctor of Divinity to have told of the Devil himself had he been accusing of him who is the false Accuser of the true Brethren rather then such a legend of Lyes as lye here legenda legible to all that know them of the Quakers I cannot say of this indeed as of T.D. his doings in his way of sharp shooting out his false Tales against us that it will sound much to our shame in a Countrey Church because it s well nigh all laid out not to say lyed out in the Latine Tongue though only Englished here but it will ring such a Peal in the University Colledges among the Iunior sort of Haters of whom God loves and among all save the lack-Latine-Country-Clergy men against the Quakers as will make them prick up their Ears and listen that they may learn how to lye against them also more then ever they did to the Quakers themselves that of them they might learn the Truth but the best on 't is though here 's a Nest of them together if that would do any good to I.O. or hurt to the Quakers yet by Lyes and Deceits none ever did or ever must prevail against the Truth Yet to all this thou addest That we turn the Church of God into a
better hath been seen by some Quakers and how the Name of Christian stinks more then it would do among the Gentiles for the sake of such as Preach and Hear and Read and Expound and boast of the Scripture and yet break them and name the Name of Christ without his Nature But what doings there are in other Nations and the Preaching places and Nurseries thereof to which these of our Nation are not inferiour in silth I shall say no more here but let them passe as matters which being Extra nos are parum or nihil or miaus ad nos of lesse moment to us then our own Concluding my Return to this particular Challenge of I.O. with his own words mutatis mutandis additis addendis a little amplified and the Subjects or Persons of whom they are Spoken Altered and Substituting our Modern Academies and their Masters Doctors Divines and other Students and the whole Rabble of Rabbies there in the room of that University at Tiberias which I O. talks against in the words of one Dr. Lightfoot together with his own and the Iewish Rabbies Gemarists and Massorites pertaining thereunto as they are to be read in the 240 241 242 245 246 247 pages of I. O's English part the Censure he passes upon them being no other then what exactly accrews to the Universities universally throughout Christendom from whence come the whole Crew of Clergy-men that count themselves and are counted to be the Clearers of Christs Truth to all other Christian Creatures And what I. O. sayes of the Massorites of that Accademy is a clear Character of these corrupted and earth corrupting Coveats I. O Chap. 4. S. 13. Whilst they keep the Scriptures we shall never want Weapons out of their own Armoury for their destruction like the Philistine they carry the Weapon that will serve to cut off their own Heads Let us then a little without prejudice or passion consider who or what these men are who are the supposed Authors of all Knowledge and Godlinesse 1. Men they are who have not the Word of God committed to them in a pecullar manner as their Forefathers Prophets and Apostles had of old and many have now being no part of his Church or People but are only outwardly Professors and Possessors of the Letter without just Right or Title to it utterly uninteressed in the Promise of the Communication of the Spirit while they so have it which is the Great Charter of the Churches preservation of Truth Isa. 59.21 2. Men so remote from a right understanding of the Word or the Mind and Will of God therein that they are desperately engaged to oppose his Truth in the Books which themselves enjoy in all matters of importance unto the Glory of God or the good of their own Souls from the beginning to the ending Scuffling for the Book itself but persecuting the Life in them where it is The foundation of whose Religion is Infidelity and one of their chief Fundamentals an Opposition to the Gospel in the Quakers whom they glory to fight against and think they serve God in opposing with what spite they can 3. Men under the special Curse of God and his Vengeance upon the account of the blood of his dear Son in his Saints 4. Men all their dayes feeding themselves with vain Fables and mischievous Devices against the Gospel labouring to set up a New Religion under the Name of the Old when the Old they hate as Ier. 6. in despight of God so striving to wrestle it out with his Curse to the utmost 5. Men of a profound Ignorance in all manner of Learning Knowledge but only what concerns their own dunghil Traditions as appears in their stories filled with innumerable sopperies 6. Men so addicted to such monstrous Figments as appears in their Talmuds as their Successors of after Ages will be ashamed of yea for the most part Idolaters Now I dare leave it to the Iudgement of any Godly prudent person not addicted to Parties and Names who is at all acquainted with the importance not of the Hebrew Vowels and Accents but the Light and Spirit the Quakers call to unto the right understanding of the Scripture with whatever influence their present Fixation hath into the literal sense they not knowing the Spiritual embrace whether we have not very clear Evidence and Testimony yea undeniable and unquestionable to cast the rise and spring of all the Irreligion in the Nations upon this sort of men so far are they from bettering things by their Interpretations S. 16. Recount I pray from the first Foundation of Universities throw CHRISTENDOM and what do you find but a sort of Men being made Mad with or above the Pharisees bewitching and bewitched with Traditions blind crafty raging pardon me not for I shall ask none if I say Magical if Simon Magus was so in thinking the holy Ghost of God is to be bought with Money Monstrous what Fools what Sots as to such a divine Work as the Gospel Read and Consider how to every good Work voyd of Iudgement the great Doctors among them do behave themselves how seriously they do of nothing how childish they are in serious things how much deceitfulnesse froth venome smoke nothing is in their Disputations Insomuch that I may say truly of these as I.O. sayes of all men Pag. 104. Those whose Lips should keep Knowledge that is University-men and Clergy-men as much as any are by Nature so vain foolish malicious such Lyars adders detracters have spirits and minds so unsuited to spiritual things so lyable to Alteration in themselves and to Contradiction one to another are so given to Impostures and are so apt to be imposed upon have been so shuffled and driven up and down the World in every Generation have for the most part so utterly lost the Remembrance of what themselves are whence they come or whether they are to go that I can give very little Credit to what I have nothing but their Authority to rely upon for without any Evidence from the nature of the thing its self CHAP. III. Having Cleared the Quakers from sundry of those Calumnies thou falsly castest upon-them as concerning their Carriage toward the Scriptures as if they were Enemies Haters and Reproachers of it and such-like who in Truth are its truest Friends in the former Chapter I come on to Consider some of thy Cloudy Conjectures and Conceits concerning the Bounds of the Canon as ye call it thereof the Hebrew Punctation and thy Asserted Integrity of both that and the Greek Texts of it without any variation to a very Title Concerning the Canon of which thou Writest as follows JOhn Owen Pag. 3. God spake of Old or formerly in the Prophets From the dayes of Moses and downwards unto the Bounding and Consignation of the Canon delivered to the Judaical Church in the dayes of Ezra and his Companions the men of the great Congregation Reply 1. Why sayest thou from Moses downward c. as if he
it from what is suggested to his own Thoughts from Hear-say and other mens Talk to and fro and Tradition and as he Confesses all along â— heap of Vncertainties and Conjectures so that all the tumblings and tossings snapings and snarlings of even the Protestant Divines about their Scriptmre is but about their remote Transcribed I cannot say well neither for most Transcribed Copies too are out of the way since Printing came up but Printed Copies of the Text which are all not more lyable in any thing to be then in many things they are already falsified which since the Primitive Copies are concluded to be gone and the infallible guidance of the Spirit by I. O. T. D. and all Divines excluded out of the World also though they tell us Translations must be Rectified by their Transcriptions yet if they happen to be as an hundred to one they are and none knows in how many in any things crooked or various from the first there 's no means of Rectifying or Reducing their supposed Rule to Conformity to the first literal Rule nor of amending it any otherwise then uncertainly for ever But suppose I say ye had the Primitive Copies could you make more ado in Adoring them then ye Doctors and your People that dote on you do about your various respective Transcripts and more various Translations out of them into sundry Tongues and Languages which Translations yet are all in somethings not more several in their sorts then the Tongues into wch they are translated and divided into as many Senses as the many men that Translated them thereinto which said numerous untrue Translations also are as to the Letter if they look not to the Light within and live not by that all that the poor blindly guided mis-led Priest-befoolled People who ken not Hebrew and Greek many of whom can't read English neither have to trust to whose Faith about the Scripture it self which thou callst pag. 155. the Foundation of that Faith and Obedience God requireth at their hands and whose belief of the Truth or untruth of this or that Translation is as much pin'd upon the Priests sleeve here in England still as it is at Rome it self in this and some other matters for there they Believe as their Church alias Clergy believes and take things on Trust being not suffered if they were able as here though suffered they are not able to try the Truth hereof and by meer Tradition from their illiterate Purblind Priesthood and no otherwise do they here as to their Tratslâ—tions then upon Traâ—iâ—ion â—rusting to the fidelity and to that infalible certaines of their supposed learned leaders the Serâ—â—es then whom no men are more humpered in a heap 〈◊〉 uncertainties about the Scriptures What would ye do more to the very writing that was inscribed with Gods own finger if you had it in way of homage then ye are doing to your respective doted on derived copies Do you not dance about them as Israel about their Calf saying these are thy Gods O England that brought thee out of bondage to thy sin to which yet they committing it they remain servants to this day Iob. 8 and must save thee and lead thee into life and are perfectly sufficient without the light and spirit within the Quakers talk of as that which the letter came from and alone can do it to instruct thee in the knowledge and worship of God and thy obtaining of everlasting Redemption Do you not Canonize and crown them with the Titles of the only Perfect Rule Foundation Light Witnesse Living Word of God the Lydius Lapis Unaltered Unalterable Standard Touchstone immediately come forth from God to us without the least interueniency of Wayes or Mediums obnoxious to fallibility or capable to giue Change to the least â—ota or Syllable Are not these as high Titles as ye could give to the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 if they were here Do you not say and do this and much more to your 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And the People to no more then their meer Translation Yea do the Iewes say or do more in way of Adoration to their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in their Synagogues then beautifie adore guild lift up in their hands exâ—al them with high Applauses Hugge and Kisse them as ye do when ye Swear upon a Book and such like outward magnifyings and makings honourable of them which is the utmost that I have seen them do in their Synagogues throw many Nations without living that substantial Holy Life the letter calls for And do you do any lesse as to outward Adoration or any more as to inward and real Observation towards your Bibles Yea do ye not all as well the People that have no better then their uncertain yet certainly untrue Translations from you as so many of you of the Clergy as can read the Copies of the Originals for many cannot read the Hebrew Text at all and some the Greek as â—etle as that as necessary as these Tongues were made a while since to the very esse or being of Christs Ministers who have no better â—hen your uncertain Transcriptions cry up your several Transcribed and Translated Copies respectively that best like you and every one hugge his own at least as most insallible however crying down others as corrupted And how beit if any one of them were so as none of them at all are yet all of them can't be right as each one faith that is that he takes toâ— Are ye not all noysing it out as the Iewes at â—eâ—usaâ—em and the Gentiles at Ephesus Jer. 7. Act. 19. of their Respective broken Reeds the Temple and Diana to which they trusted Great is Diana The Temple of the Lord The Word of God The Word of God Inspired The insallible Word oâ— God are these The perfect Living Liâ—e giving Soul saving Word the very Power of Gâ—d unto Salvation Are the Iewes more mad upon their 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 theâ— People are upon their untruly Translated and you Divines upon your untruly Transcribed and both on the more Kreanously yet Trans-printed Sculptures Talking and Treating up your Respective Texts into the Throne where Christ the Light and Living Word alone should sit making little lesse of your Copies then some 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or Cornu-Còpia Deo forsan quapiam melius For what are all the Ephesian like Glamours eager Out-cryes loud Noises of the people here for against the Quakers Are they not for the bare Bulk of that Book called the Bible the out-side of which they are at great Care and Cost to Paint and Guild and Bind and Beautifie and Adorn and Adore while the Truth exhibited in the Writing or Text thereof lyes trampled under their feet Saying the Ruâ—e the Foundation the infallible Standard the Word of God of no more then their by the self Conâ—essed in many things corrupted Translations counting the Quakers not fit to live in the Land any otherwise then Out-law'd because they can't
lesse you have no sound assurance what ground ye stand on for the stresse of all sacred Truth is by I. O. put upon the true Transcription or mis-transcription of the Greek and Hebrew Text which if not entire to a Tittle and Iota p. 17.18 19. upon any corruption supposed in the writing and that may very well not to say must be supposed if all the Transcribers even the first as well as the latter cannot be supposed to be as infallibly guided in Transcribing as the holy men were in the first writing there is no means of rectifying or recovering or of discovering or determining or judging of Truth any other way And so thou givest upon a matter thy whole cause in granting the whole Series of Transcribers and Race of writers to this day to be but fallibly guided and thy most perfect infallible stable and to a Tittle true Touch-stone Rule Standard Foundation falls all to the ground as a mere falible uncertain questionable Basis to build so mighty a bulk upon as thou dost according to not others knowledge onely but also thy own acknowledgements and confessions I. O. Religious care and diligence in their work with a due Reverence of him with whom they had to do is all we ascribe unto them Not to acknowledge these freely in them without clear and unquestionable Evidence to the contrary is high uncharitablenesse impiety and ingratitude This care and diligence we say in a subserviency to the Promise and Providence of God hath produced the effect contended for Nor is any thing further necessary thereunto On this account to argue as some do from the miscarriages and mistakes of men their Oscitancy and negligence in transcribing the old Heathen Authors Homer Aristotle Tully we think it not tollerable in a Christian or any one that hath the least sense of the nature and importance of the Word or care of God towards his Church Shall we think that men who wrote out Books wherein themselves and others were no more concerned then it is possible for men to be in the writings of the Persons mentioned and others like them had as much reason to be careful and diligent in that they did as those who knew and considered that every Letter and Tittle that they were Transcribing was part of the Word of the great God wherein the eternal concerament of their own souls and the Souls of others did lye Certainly whatever may be looked for from the Religious care and diligence of men lying under a loving and careful Aspect from the Promise and Providence of God may be justly expected from them who undertook that work Rep. Of the loving and careful Aspect and Promise and Providence of God and how little he stands by any promise engaged to preserve outward Tittles as thou â—atlest I have spoken not a little before but if that were as true as thou sayest it is and as it is indeed most false that God were so engaged in order to the safe guarding his word and Church to save every Tittle of your Priests Transcribed Texts does not his love and care of his word and Church as strictly call for his careful Aspect over the peoples translated Texts and bind him in his providence according to the supposed promise to watch over and direct the Translators in Translating for the use of his Church but few of which can Read your Original Texts as well as the Transcribers in Transcribing which Translators if they happen to be one the Church saâ—ing that she must take some of her Clergies words for infallible Truth and as the sole foundation of her divine forth about the integrity of the Text is out also and hath nothing but uncertainty it self even the uncertain fallible conjectures of spiritually unskilful Scholars to trust to about the foundation of her salvation Neverthelesse thou wilt by no means allow that the Translators lay under the same loving Aspect who had as much to do with God and as religious a care and diligence in their work as Transcribers had in theirs with a due Reverence of him with whom they had to do yea not to acknowledge these freely in them which is the utmost thou darest ascribe to the others without clear and unquestionable Evidence to the contrary is as high uncharitablenesse and ingratitude by how much their pains was the greater of the two as not to acknowledge the same in the Transcribers the care and diligence of which said Translators yet who must be supposed to be as much in a subserviency to that thy supposed promise and providence of God I say hath no more produced the effect thou contendest for i. e the entire agreement of their Copies to a Tittle with the first Originals thou that of the Transcribers hath done which hath not produced the said effect so exactly as thou dreamest It is enough to make a wise man wonder but that Sapiens miratur â—ibil because he expects no other then solly to proceed from the foolish wisemen of this world to see how thou settest thy Transcribers up on high yet grantest them not to be infallibly guided of God neither who if he had no higher way to expresse his love to his word and Church then by saving every Tittle of thy Transcripts from alteration or corruption could as easily have guided the Transcribers infallibly as fallibly and more easily too since his Spirit guides none fallibly so far as I know and statest thy Transcribers under the loving and careful Aspect promise and providence of God in all they did in their work about thy Greek and Hebrew Copies from whom yet no more may be expected justly then from Translators in the undertaking of their work for Translators did consider what every Letter and Tittle that they were Translating was as well as Transcribers did what every Letter and Tittle and Iota was they were Transcribing and to argue them to be as Oscitant Neglective and mis-carrying and mistaking as those that translated Heathen Authors is as intolerable ad â—ominem I speak this for else I own it tolerable enough so to argue of both Transcribers and Translatoâ—s of Scripture for such as Transcribed and Translated Heathen Authors and their work as well as they could and such as Transcribed and Translated Scripture could do no more and were thy self confessing no more infallible nor infallibly guided then they onely a kind of care in them and in God over them which amounts not to his special spiritual guidance thou tellest â— I say as intollerable as thou sillyly sayest it would be to argue from the â—citancy and Negligence miscarriages and mistakes of Transcribers of Heathen Authors to the like in the Scripture Transcribers But as for Translators thou pullest them down and depressest them into a condition of as great carelesness and negligence and under as carelesse neglect of God toward them in their work as thou statedst the other in great care and diligence and under a careful Aspect and
their feet are swift to shed blood that wasting and misery are in their wayes and the way to true peace they know not yet this one thing I must say too and of our Vniversity Scriblers pro Scripturis that as there are no men in the world more up to the ears in strife about the Scripture and their own Fancies on it as to matter and letter than the Scribes are so there is no one thing that the Scribes are striving scuffling and scolding at each other more about than about their Scriptures That light or word within and not the letter is the Foundation First I shall take account of what thou falsely assertest concerning the Scriptures being a Foundation Thou affirmest the Scriptures to be the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles spoken of Eph. 2.20 pag 33. saying of them that men may quietly repose their souls upon them in beleeving and obedience and of your selves thus are we built 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and calling them Page 48. The Foundation of that world which he hath set up in this world as a Wheel within a Wheel his Church And page 154. The Foundation of faith hope and obedience And page 155. The Foundation of all that faith and obedience which he requires at our hands And page 316. The great and blessed Foundation of Truth All this I own to be very true of the Word of God of which the Scripture speaks but it is utterly false as uttered by thee of the Scriptures The falsehood of which appears plainly by this Argument 1. Argument That which is the great and blessed Foundation of all that truth faith hope and obedience that God requires at mens hands and of the Church and of the Apostles and Prophets must be something which was in being before any of these things were for the Foundation on which these are built must have a being before they can be built thereupon every Foundation being before the building can stand upon it But though the Word of God be so yet the Scripture is not before but long after that truth faith hope and obedience which God requires at mens hands and long after the Church and long after the Apostles and Prophets were yea after those Apostles and Prophets were Respectively who were the Respective pen-men thereof Therefore the Scripture the Writing the Letter the Greek and Hebrew Text is not the Foundation of any of these things The first Proposition is so true that it were no less then disparagement to I. O's wisdom to suppose him to be mentis inops to go about to prove it to him sith as he builds Castles in the air as easily thrown down as erected upon no better Foundation then his own fancy thoughts conjectures and imaginations yet he cannot be so senceless as to think that that Foundation be it what it will firm or brittle on which any thing is built must be before the building can stand thereon And as for the minor in every part thereof it 's as undeniably true to any save such as having once turn'd their backs upon the Truth are resolved to render themselves devoid of eithet Sense or Reason in their Reasonings against it then to own it For none else can deny but the Church and the Truth Faith Hope and Obedience of it and the Messengers Apostles Prophets Preachers of Righteousnesse such as were Enoch Noah Abraham Lot and others were in the Truth Faith Hope Obedience of the Gospel and also built upon Christ the Light the Word of God the Rock of Ages before Moses dayes who is unversally supposed at our Vniversities to have been the first Pen-man of the Scriptures The grand Master-place of Scripture that is us'd in proof hereof that the Scriptures are the Foundation is Ephes. 2.20 where it 's said by Paul to the Ephesians Ye are built on the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets Iesus Christ himself being the chief Corner-Stone Hence it is strenuously stickled for and as confidently as cloudily concluded by our doting Doctors and dreaming Divines that the Church of God as to all her Faith Hope Obedience Knowledge of the Truth is built upon the Apostles and Prophets Writings as that which is there called the Foundaeion whereas were they but at leisure from that lesser and lower literature wherein they are lost from the Lord and the Light and Life of God and the Letter also which issued forth from thence to look into the Light and by it into the Letter it self they more blindly labour for then truly learn by they would soon see that the Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets there spoken of is not the Apostles and Prophets themselves much less uncertain transcribed Copies of those few Fragments of their Letters and some other honest mens true stories of what was done in their times good instructions memorandums and litteral recommendations of wholsome Laws and Statutes most of which as laid down in the Letter saving that they remain in the truth and substance whereof they were the types figures and shadows are above 1600-years since cancelled and abolished Promises Prophesies Psalms Proverbs Parables occasional Letters Epistles and other Writings which such as fell into a foolish following and falling down before outward Images and from the infallible Spirit it self that their Scriptures were written to keepe men to found and fardelled together and fram'd in their own fancies into a Foundation of the Faith and of all the whole Fabrick of Religion to be for ever framed and founded upon But Christ Iesus himself who is there also called the chief Corner-stone and 1 Pet. 2.4 that living Stone disallowed indeed of men but chosen of God and precious on whom the Saints even all together with the Apostles and Prophets and the whole Houshold of God as Fellow-Citizens and lively Stones are built up a spiritual House to offer spiritual sacrifices yea all into one holy Temple or Habitation of God through the spirit This is the true and sole Foundation of all the matters before mentioned Christ Iesus the Rock of Ages on whom whoever believes shall not be ashamed Christ the living Word of God that also quickneth whose words are spirit and life to the hearers of his voice whose words uttered in the heart do good to those that walk uprightly this is the Stone that you Babel-builders refuse which God hath made the very head stone in the Corner Psal. 118.22 Matt 21.42 This verbum lumen internum Christ the eternal internal Word in the heart and Light of the World given a Light to the Nations and as such Gods salvation to the ends of the earth and the precious sanctuary to such as believe in his light is that stone of stumbling and Rock of offence to such as thee I.O. that stumble at the Word in their wrestlings for the Letter being disobedient unto both whereunto also they are appointed and a Gin and a Snare to the
his liberty to make his choice ex dieabus malis of those two evils seems to chuse the latter saying pag. 7. that as far as their personal concernments as Saints and beleevers lay in the Scriptures and in order to their saving knowledge of the truth they studied the Writings and Prophesies of one another I conclude then against I.O. that by that clause the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles is not intended their Writings as if they laid their own Scriptures for the Foundation of the Church and her faith hope obedience but that which the Apostles themselves were built upon together with the whole Church or houshold of God which could not be nor was their own Writings but Christ the Light The Letter indeed is the foundation laid by I.O. and men of his mould of old for his Wheel in a Wheel as he speaks or his false Church whose works like his own run round on and are found to have in them Wheel within Wheel but as for the true Church of the living God which is the Wheel that will turn the worlds Wheels upside down it never did doth nor ever will acknowledge any fallible letter or meer transcribed Text or any other thing to be the true great and blessed foundation of Truth Faith Hope or Obedience then Christ Iesus the same yesterday and to day and for ever who was before it now is and ever will be when the letter shall be no more at all 2. Argument whatsoever the Scripture it self layes down and testifies to be the only true Foundation of the Apostles and Prophets and of the whole Church of God and of her Faith Hope and Obedience and of all Truth that is the only true foundation of all these things But the Scripture it self layes down and testifies Christ alone the Light the living Word and not it self to be the only true Foundation of the things aforesaid therefore Christ alone the Light Spirit and inward living Word that is nigh in the heart and not the Scripture it self is the only true Foundation of them The first and affirmative part of the minor is not denied by thee as the major cannot be and if thou deny the second part of the minor which is negative and denies the Scripture to testifie of it self in any place that its the Foundation then assign where the Scripture calls it self the Foundation or else own that it doth not and so that it is not the Foundation at all much less the truest or the only one as thou often intimatest either expresly or in terms equivalent it is Ep. p. 25 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 not any means of standing out of utter uncertainty about all sacred truth if the Heb punctation be invention also p. 64 65. not a truer Foundation for for faith to repose it self upon 3. Argument if the Scripture be the foundation for the Church and all her Faith and Repentance to be founded and grounded upon then either there was no Foundation for it before the Scripture or else they who lived before the Scripture had one Foundation for their faith and we another and so consequently there hath been two Foundations for the one faith or the one Church or body of Christ but there was a Foundation before the Scripture and there are not two Foundations of faith one to that part of the body of Christ and of Gods building that was before the Scripture and another for that part that is built since the Scripture therefore the Scripture is not the Foundation Argument 4. The Foundation of the faith must be something that is infallible firm fixt certain stable sure and inalterable as the light Spirit and Word within onely is and Gods Foundation 2 Tim. 2 19. the Foundation of God sure to a Tittle for Error minimus in principio for major in medio maximus in fine the least fault or errour and deviation in the principle or Foundation of any building grows greater toward the middle and is greatest at the top as it is seen in a very Tower if the bottome or basis stands never so little awry as is discernable it is discerned more in the middle and much more still as it ascends higher But the Scripture letter Hebrew and Greek Texts how ever I.O. pleads their integrity in every Apex point tittle and iota yet are as I have shewed above more at large in answer to his long Tattle about the Tittles and points and indentity of Lections of the letter by his own confession mistaken and mistranscribed in small things yea and in some matters of more moment and importance in the best transcribed Copies of the Original Text therefore the Text or letter of the Scripture cannot be a fit Foundation for the Churches faith but the spirit and Word within is onely so Psal. 75.3 The earth and all the inhabitants thereof are dissolved faith Christ the Word of God I bear up the Pillars of it and that is the reason why the earth is so shaken as it is and reels to and fro that it is removed as a cottage and all helpers and healers avail nothing because they reject the corner stone Christ the Word for if the Foundations be destroyed what can the righteous do Psal. 11.3 Isa. 24. 18 19. Each of which Arguments hold good against the letters being the Rule the light the witness of God the Gospel the power of God to salvation the only means or way of coming to the saving knowledge of God Word of God and what ever other high Titles I. O. intitles it by as appears in their order That the Light or Word within and not the Scriptures are the Rule or Canon Another thing thou assertest of the Scripture is that it is the only Rule of the faith and obedience of Gods Church p. 173. that it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that more sure word of Prophesie to be attended to 2 Pet. 1.18 19 20. not in its self for so it was as sure as sure could be but in its giving out its evidence to us then that great miracle of miracles greater than which the Apostles of Christ never did behold or hear viz. That voice which came from the most excellent glory This is my beloved Son which we have greater security from and by according to Peter then they had in and by that miraculous voice That Moses and the Prophets which who so will not hear will not be perswaded to repent though one arise to them from the dead Luke 16.31 That Word Law and Testimony mentioned Isa. 8.20 according to which who speaks not are said to be in the dark so that there is no light in them by which what every one sayes be it what or whom it will Church or person if it be in and about the things of God concerning his will or worship or our obedience to him is to be tried That which we are sent to that which is and is asserted to be the
is not shewed by any thing but it self and rectum is ever mensura sui obliqui that which is infallibly right is the Rule and measure of manifestation of it self and of all the wrong and not retro any wrong darke crooked doubtful or fallible thing the Rule of that so the Spirit and Light of God by and from which and that but remotely too through mens hands the Letter had at first and now through fallible mens hands hath all its being is the Rule of trial for it self and of the Letter and of all false Spirits Prophets Doctrines c. yea it self and all things are made manifest by the Light whether approveable or reprovable works of flesh or fruits of the Spirit as the Letter sayes of it Gal. 5. Eph. 5. yea what ever doth make manifest as the Letter never doth or can without the Light and the Light doth often and did thousands of years without the Letter and before it was it is the Light And if any other should yet of all men I.O. cannot charge this on me as an Idem per Idem to say by the Spirit of God and the Light alone we must Try the true Light and Spirit and the false Spirits and pretences to the names of Light also for I say no more in it then the truth of the true light and spirit which himself sayes most falsely of the Letter when p. 51. he asserts it to be the Rule and Standard the Touchstone of all speakings whatsoever that that must speak alone for itself which must try the speaking of all but it self yea it s own also I.Os. 6. Argument to prove the Scripture and nothing else the only most perfect Rule and Standard is this viz. Ea omnia quae examinari probari debent c. All those things which ought to be examined and tried yea which we are commanded to try tanquam ad lydium lapidem as 't were by some infallible Touchstone by the Scripture whether they are true and agreeable to divine verity or not with free liberty yea absâ—lute necessity of rejecting them if not consentaneous to Scriptures those neither apart nor joyntly considered can be the Rules or Directories of Gods worship our faith and obedience nor are upon their own account at all to be credited But all Revelations Visions Spirits Dreams Enthusiasms we are commanded so to try examine and prove Therefore those are no Rules that are of themselves to be credited Rep. That Argument the minor of which is most false and supposes that infallible Spirit of God to bee now subjected as some underling to a fallible Letter now transcribed by weak men is founded on this Text 1 Iob. 4.1 and two more only beside those above spoken to viz. 1 Cor. 14.21 and 1 Thess. 5.21 The first of which I know nor why I.O. cites it it proving nothing to his purpose because Paul there quotes a Text out of the Law or Letter saying In the Law it s written with men of other tongues and lips will I speak to this people i.e. to the Drunkards of Ephraim yet they will not hear which first part hath not a tittle for him but the latter part of it much more against him then he is ware of being not wise enough well to weigh it And the second Text with the two verses before viz. Quench not the Spirit despise not Prophesyings prove all things rather against him that the Spirit which is there mentioned and not the Letter at all is that by which all things are to be proved What is said above to that Text in Iohn shall as well it may stand as answer to the said sixth Argument with this only addition that if we must go to the Scripture for the trial of all spirits even Gods as well as others then le ts go no further at first however then that in hand which tells us that the true Church who is written to in that verse wherein nor in any about it there 's not the least hint about the Letter had a secret taken whereby to know the Spirit of truth and the Spirit of errour versâ— 6. which the world and its Priests and people have not vers 2â— Every Spirit quoth he that confesseth Iesus Christ to be come in the flesh is of God and every Spirit that confesseth not this is not of God and this is the Spirit of Antichrist whereof ye have heard it should come and even now is iâ— already in the world Riddle me I. O. if it be within thy reach and from thence tell me which are the true which the false Spirits which Christs and Gods which Antichrists they that confess Christ Jesus to be come in the flesh as the â—uardo or they that deny the Saviour the Anointed to be come in the flesh as from the Pope to the least outside or nominal Christian and meer literal beleiver and professor among the most reformed Protestants save they who beleeve and live in the internal light and Spirit with one accord all do Looking at talking of belâ—eving the History of expecting justification sanctification righteousness salvation all from Christ only as he was made a man of outwaâ—d flesh and blood without them And if I. O. say in vindication of himself in this that that is the confession of Jesus Christ to be come in flesh which every spirit that makes is of God to beleeve the story of the Incarnation Life Suffering Death Resurrection c that is all truly related in the Letter without as 't was done in a figure of what was to be further and more spiritually and mystically transacted in his true body the Church whereof he is the head with a confident application of him and of the benefit of all the righteousness he did in that person by every man to himself as by way of computation and imputation before he hath it indeed imparted or conveyed into himself for this is T.Ds. and the whole brood of the back side beleevers and the Bastard Christians saith and confession of Christ to be come in the fleâ—h on the account of which they hope they are of God and shall be saved though they are far from witnessing or confessing the same Christ who is the Wisdome Righteousness Light Power Salvation and Image of God to be begotten conceived formed born brought serth incarnated risen from the dead living and dwelling within themselves where he hath lyen slain as an innocent Lamb from the foundation of the world in their hearts which therefore is to perish with the lust thereof which inward witness of the Words incarnation and dwelling in themselves they that were of God of old had Iob. 1.14 The Word was made flesh and dwels in us and we saw his glory and all now have who are of God and have not the vain hope of the hypocrite only which is as the giving up the Ghost when God comes to take aâ—â—y his soul Job but that hope 1 Iob. 3.3 which is
David even when he was guilty mark that of adultery and murder such sins as for which the Scripture when he lay impenitent under them denotes and excepts him as a man not upright a despiser of God and his Commandemenes A doer of evil in his sight 2 Sam 12. whom God also had not mercy on but did both condemn and severely judge with no lesse then Hellish horrors for his filth blood-guiltinesse till he had repented for it and was throwly purged from it Psalm 51. was not in a condemned but in a justified estate So that the sum of T.D. and those Doctors Doctrine that side with him therein is this viz to begin the dance right David while he commited adultery and murder not repenting was guilty before God and consequently not just nor justified but condemned for whom God holds not guiltlesse but guilty they are not justified accepted acquitted absolved approved but which is all one accused reproved condemned in his sight Yet to go round again David while he committed adultery and murder not yet repenting was not guilty before God but held guiltlesse not condemned nor reprobated or reproved but cleared acquitted absolved excused approved For between the two slates of guilty and not guilty non datur medium Contradictions Confusions and Rounds about Liberty of Conscience II. As to the Doctrine for Liberty of Conscience and against persecution for cause of Conscience in matters of Religion One while they tell the world the doctrine and practice of rigid imposing upon any sub penâ or persecuting any tender Consciences for beleeving and living according to their conviction or denying to beleeve or live contrary thereunto is a Bloody Tenet a way to make more hypocrites that for fear will conform to what they beleeve not to be truth then true Christians an evident note of a false Church and Antichristian Ministry that is degenerate and apostatized from the true pure Primitive Church of Christ which never did compel any by force and violence to be Christians but rather suffered all sorts of sorrowes and bare all manner of abuses from the whole world of false Worshippers whether Heathens or Nominal Christians barely for confessing to the truth of Christ and testifying against the evil lives of all Christs enemies whether such as hated the very outward name of Christ or such as named his Name and yet departed not from iniquity and were every where cursed yet blessed the cursers of them prayed for such as persecuted them intreated those that desamed and ill-intreated them and were patient silent when reviled and buffeted beaten banished as Vagabonds because for truths sake they often left their own Homes and had no certain dwelling place as seditious tumultuous disturbers of the peace because they peaceably went into Synagogues to reason and preach the Gospel of peace as turners of the world upside down because they sought to change men from their evill manners foolish customs vain inventions and wicked wayes that were abominable to God and to bring them to repentance from their dead works and worships in which their souls could never live to worship the living God who is a Spirit and not tyed to places in Spirit and in truth in the inner parts and to turn all men from the darknesse wherein they lived in the world without to the Light of Christ within themselves and from the power of Satan unto God Sometimes I say our great Gamaliels not only grant these things but also give them out for truth to the Civill Powers of the Earth most especially then and that with no small greedinesse when the Clergy of one kind feel themselves begin to be griped under the greedy clutches of the Clergy of another colour when they are likely to be imposed upon by others and to be clapped down under hatches by the Clerical cruelties of each other respectively As for example where ever the Papal or Roman or else the Presbiterian Primacy keeps the Keys spreads their Black Eagles clams over all others hath the power of permitting or poenal imposing there the Prelatick Pastoralty pleads his priviledge to have the liberty of his Liturgy he behaving himselfe no otherwise then peaceably among them Where the Episcopal Priesthood holds his Hierarchy and is Supream there as the Papal would willingly have his liberty and I blame none neither Iews Turks nor Heathens for desiring the like to walk every one in the Name of his God Mich 4. Soth that Right-rigid Scottish Presbiterian Race and that Mongrill seed of loose IndependentPresbiters are more loud for liberty then any other sort of Sectaries so called whatsoever who do all no lesse rationally then they they demeaning themselves peaceably as the very Principle of the Quakers binds them to do to all men require each the peaceable enjoyment of his Religion Church-Ministry fellowship faith and way of Worship under them When the Rabbies are ready to be Ridden one by another witnesse the Outcries once of New-England against Old when under the heat of far lesse Persecution from the Bishops then they have acted since themselves Old England it self was too hot to hold them also the present pleadings not only for their Directorian Liberties but Turpe et miserabile their very Livings Tythes Preferments and their Places now the Common Prayer Book Priesthood whom they unhorsed hath his foot in the Stirrup again and may not unlikely push the Presbiter besides the Saddle then Oh then what Hue and Cry against the bloody Tenet of Persecution and grievous groans for this desire of all Nations and People Liberty of Conscience Liberty of Conscience do we dayly hear from Smectimnuus his own as well as others mouthes Otherwhiles again yea ever when the Clergy of any one colour hath by either craft or conquest catcht the Keyes of the Kingdome and atchieved the Holy chaire they straightway clap their cruell clawes upon them to the keeping down by force of Armes more then Arguments all Liberty for any consciences but their own Then to go round again come let us sing a new Song Behold cry the Counsellers of Egypt the People of the children of Israell are more c. Exod. 1.9 10 11. As Pharoah said unto his people Behold the people of the children of Israel are more and mightier then we Come on let us deal wisely with them lest they multiply and it come to passe that when there falls out any war they joyn also unto our enemies and fight against us and so get them up out of the Land Therefore they did set over them Taskmasters to afflict them with their burdens and they built for Pharoah Treasure cities Pithom and Raamses Then they set Taskmasters Then say the Sanballats and Tobiasses the Ammonites and Ashdodite as they Neh. 4.1 2 7 8 11. But it came to passe that when Sanballat heard that we builded the wall he was wroth and took great indignation and mocked the Iews And he spake before his brethren and the
RVSTICVS Ad ACADEMICOS IN Exercitationibus Expostulatoriis Apologeticis Quatuor The Rustick's ALARM to the Rabbies OR The Country Correcting the Vniversity and Clergy And not without good cause Contesting for the Truth Against the Nursing-Mothers and their Children In four Apologeticall and Expostulatory Exercitations Wherein is Contained as well A General Account to All Enquirers As A General Answer to All Opposers Of the most truly Catholike and most truly Christ-like Christians called QVAKERS and of the true Divinity of their Doctrine By way of Entire Entercourse held in special with Four of the Clergies Chieftanes viz. John Owen D D. late Dean of Christ's Church Coll. Oxon. Tho. Danson M.A. once Fellow of Magd. Coll. Oxon since one of the Seers for the Town of Sandwich in Kent Iohn Tombes B.D. once of Bewdly since of Lemster Rich. Baxter Minister at Kederminster Another Eminent Master in this English-Israel Which Four Fore-men hold forth the sense and senseless Faith of the whole Fry and write out the Sum of what is or is to be said by the whole Fraternity of Fiery Fighters against the True Light of Christ and its True Children Alias An Universal Vindication or General Iustification of the Sincere Practices and sound Principles of That faithfull People in such Points as the Priests oppose them in hinted in the Epistle and handled in the Book ensuing against the Collegian Calumnies and Clerical Cavils of All who Causelesly Quarrel with them By Samuel Fisher Who sometimes went astray as a lost Sheep among the many Shepheards but is now returned to the Great Shepheard and Overseer of the Soul I Kings 18.27 And Elijah Mocked them and said Cry aloud for he is a God c. Numb 25.17 18. Vex the Midianites and smite them for they vex you with their Wiles c. Isa. 57.3 4. Against whom do you sport your selves Against whom do you make a wide Mouth c. Ethnici non Credendo Credunt Christiani Credendo non Credunt Error Minimus in Principio fit Major in Medio Maximus in Fine LONDON Printed for Robert Wilson in Martins near Aldersgate 1660 TO THE READER TO premise nothing at all to such a Bulk as seems to promise by its Great Quantity to have something of weight worth or Good Quality in it were to erect a spatious City with no Gate into it an extream on the other hand well-nigh as absurd as that of his who building the little City Mindus is said to have made it's Gates bigger then the City To praefix a prolix Epistle to a large Book may prove as Cumbersome to a Conscientious as 't is Ridiculous to a Rationall Reader to make many long Proaemiums to a short one As therefore I shall forbear lashing out into any long or loud Proclamations of what profit may accrue to an unprejudic'd Peruser of the following Fabrick Vino vendibili non opus est Haederâ So shall I yet not for custom but convenience not altogether omit in way of Initiation or Introduction to premise First some words more generally to All sorts of Readers 2 dly more particularly some to All plain Country People 3 dly 2. or 3. words to All proud-Spirited Priests and Scholastick Rabbies 4 thly some few to the presenâ— Powers of these poor Priest-ridden Brittish Nations Ifâ— Then as for the Book it self in the 4. parts thereof which this relates to Know All people that herein ye have the tall Academicall Sons of Anak to whom the Seed of Jacob seem but as Grashoppers uncapable to grapple with their greatnesse taken down or that Great Goliah's head cut off with his own Sword by the Power of God in the heart and hand of a despised Country Stripling who coming from following the Ewes great with young and perceiving him in pride to disdain and defy Gods Armies in the name of the living God went forth to meet him in answer to his Arrogant challenge with a Stone Sling in his hand brought down the uncircumcised Philistine to the ground For herein By way of plain Reply to sundry Books of those four men aforesaid viz. I. I. O's Two English Treatises which Treat pretendedly For but in very deed Against the Scriptures as to That very Authority and Integrity of their Hebrew and Greek Texts he pretends to plead for together with his third Tractacle of Latine Theses Pro Scripturis Contra Fanaticos in which not without a Legend of as loud Lyes of the Quakers as Lewd Laughings at the Lords Spirit and Light within in opposition unto both he as vainly adventures to evince it that the Scripture Alias the outward Letter is the Trueâ—t Light the only most firm Foundation and perfect Rule of all saving belief and holy Life that it is in Esse both Reali and Cognoscibili yea properly as to Name and Thing no lesse than the very Living word of the Living God II. T. D's Two Trifting Tractacles Term'd 1. The Quakers Folly manifested c. 2. The Quakers Wisdom not from Above c. occasioned Originally by 2. or 3. Publick Disputes at Sandwich held with him and his Adherents by three of them viz. R. H. G. W. S. F. III. I. T 's Nine Sermons Truâ—t into one Treatise untruly Term'd True Old Light Exalted c. and not only Back't but Thrust out also by R. Baxter in his Blind Zeal against that same unblinded People To which said Reply is Annexed an Appendicular Postscript Abridging into a closer compasse many of those Absurdities Self-Contradictions Confusions Riddles and Rounds the Rabbies run into unawares in their unwary wrestlings against the Quakers And a Positive true Testimony according to the Externall Letter to the Internal and Eternal Light both in Latine wherein it was first written and also in English whereunto it is for further service Translated Herein I say is the Dimnâ—s of the Divines and meer Humanity of the Doctrines of the Academicall Doctors discovered Also the Qâ—a with the Innocency of their cause cleared against the Insolency of the choicest Champions that contemn them and the Divinity of their Doctrines vindicated from their clamours in the points hereunder specified viz. Anti-Papism Liberty of Conscience Having the faith of God without respect to the persons of men Iustification by the righteousness of Christ alone The Scripture and what it is as to Name and Thing The Word of God and what as to Name and Thing The Light of Christ in the conscience as to its universality and sufficiency and bow It and not the External Text or Letter is the only firm Foundation of the Churches Faith the only true Touch-stone of all Doctrines the only Right Rule of all saving Beliefe and holy Life The Infallible Spirits Infallible guidance of all that follow him as their Guide at this very day The generall Grace and Love of God in Christ to the whole World every Individual in it and how it is Great Universall True and Unfained notwithstanding through each perishings-man own fault very
thereunto that he is comparatively to such â— one but as the â—east of the field that perisheth yet in the Fall he hath all that is Essential to him as a man and flowing ex principirs naturae But and this may be an Addition to the other Arguments in the Book if it be not touch't upon therein already Gods Law or Light in the consciences of all men which we call them to though given of God in some not the same measure at first to All so that universally every Individual or hath or hath had somthing of it yet through mans not using it well may he yet remaining Essentially a man be totally taken from him as the Talent from the sâ—othfull and darkness come upon him and be left to walk in utter darkness and to stumble in that dismall night of which its said then and of that time he that walketh in it knows not whether he goes and to stumble not only because he hates the Light as he did before while yet he had it but because now he hath it 〈◊〉 and because now there is no light left in him Of which Light and of its universality and sufficiency to save such as seek God in it and how it 's a supernatural spirituall gift and grace of God to all men where it is and not the naturall faculty of mans understanding only as our Opponents pittifulâ—y praâ—â—e to prove it is is most plainâ—y proved in the 4th Exeâ—citation from p. 49 to p. 194. and made more apparent in the Appendix also And when we assert the Ministry of Christ to be an infallible Ministry and the Spirit of God by which his Ministers are ever guided in the work of his Ministry for they are out of his Ministry or Service and in the Devils at that time who ever are at any time guided by any other is an infallible Spirit for God hath no fallible Spirit that we know of and that all the directions leadings and guidances of that Spirit are infallible which Spirit hath no fallible guidance as J. O. little lesse then seems to intimate he has that we know of and consequently that All who are led by that Light or Spirit are so far infallibly led and that all and only they are the Sons of God that are led by that Spirit of God and that God hath Children at this day in the world and so consequently that at this day his Ministers and Children who are all â—aught of God are infallibly taught as they attend to that Anointing that 's given to be their Teacher that leads into all truth which Spirit of Christ also whoever hath not as his teacher is none of Christ's Then they bely us as saying of our selves that we as of our selves as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 as J.O. flouts are infallible Whereas we say no such thing at all of our selves nor of any men but that All men as in themselves and in the Fall are no more then fallible But because men in the Fall are fallible liable of themselves to erre still as they are erred already to their own ruine Therefore God in his love hath sent his Son a Light into the Nations So to be his Salvation to the ends of the earth to lighten them that sit in darkness and to guide their feet in the way of peace out of the crooked paths they are in in which who walks can never know peace and that the Light and Spirit of him who is the Light of the world the Lord that Spirit which is Truth it self and no Lye is lent as the Letter speaks of it to every man even that True Light that enlightneth every man that comes into the world given to lead him back infallibly unto God from whom it comes who can be known out of that no more then the Sun can be seen by any other Light then what shines from it self in which Light wherein he looks after the Lost whoever look after him are not 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and shall find that Salvation of which he says Look ye unto me and be ye saved All ye ends of the earth Of the Infallibility of which Light and Spirit and of its guidance of all Christ's Ministers and Children and of all men also so far only and no further then as they are led by it as of old so at this day there is much said in answer to those Ignes fatuos that fain the contrary in the 4 Exercitation from p. 1. to p. 47. And because we call on men as the Scripture does to perfect holiness in Gods fear and to cleanse themselves from all uncleannesse of Flesh and Spirit then which there is no more as a thing attainable by Christs grace and Power only improved as a thing not only Possible to be done here as God requires who calls not for Impossibilities from his People on pain of Eternall Punishment if they Perform it not but also needfull and necessary to be done here if they mean to do it at all sith as Themselves say with Vs against the Pope there 's no Purgatory in the World to come They commonly accuse Vs of saying in A Self-Vaunting Proud Disdainfull Vain-glorious Boasting Way over all other men of our selves that we are perfect and as J. O. impudently intimates that we impudently Glory in it that we are free from not only Hypocrisyes Fraud Wickedness Lyes which it seems he can't Glory yet that by the Grace of God he is yet free from but even from all other even the very least evils and so would have us have Punitiones Incarrationes Punishments Prisons c. for so saying Whereas we use not to bear Testimony to our selves but to the Truth of Carist and though by the Grace of God only We are what We are and His Grace to whom alone therefore We give the Glory and not to our selves who have nothing but what we have received and Glory not as some do in Sin and Shame nor boast as they do in evill doing of anything that 's Good As if we had not received it is not in vain so but that our walking is such that they can't accuse some of us Justly of the least Evills yet we Testify the Truth rather as a Doctrine to all Teaching not what our selves are what ere we are so much as what both We and All men should be and also may be by the Grace of God who is not wanting to us if we be not wanting to our selves and must be also viz. Deniers of all Ungodliness and worldly Lusts and Godly Righteous Sober Livers in this present world or else it had been better men had never been born seeing for them that loose their day for it here it 's too late to begin that life in the world to come where there is no Purgatory nor place for Repentance though it shall be then sought carefully with Teares Pro. 1. Math. 25. Luke 13. In this Doctrine
no sooner though for shame they say not so much in words because they would seem at least to be at odds with the Pope about that Point then in some certain Purgatory in the world to come not mattering to be Holy here as God is Holy Merciful as he is Merciful to walk as Christ walked to be as he is in this world in whom there is no Sin to be pure as he is pure as men are required to be and till they are 't is Condemnation because of sin and as such as sing with him on Mount Sion Rev. 14.1 2 3. are and must be but contenting themselves to be as ever learning and teaching never learned nor taught so ever purifying though never purifyed And if the work were as truly doing too as 't is pretended to there were then according to 1 John 3.3 some true hope because a hope that it would once be done therefore we own the leaâ—t weakling that is waiting on in his measure of the Light of Christ in his own Conscience as one that is in a truly hopeful way in which keeping he will once come to something though a little child who if he do sin as he knows he should not knows he suffers for it yet is not without an Advocate 1 Iohn 2.1 2. But Alas what hope that the work of purging from sin shall ever be done where its never rightly doing as it is not among the Priests and their people who are not only out of the Light in which alone life comes but also out of the love of it and so at odds and falling out with it as to Blaspheme it by the Names of Figment Fancy Fanaticism c. as J.O. does and out of the faith of the thing also The work is not so far as in Fierâ— yet while men in their Fiery Spirits are fiercely Fighting against the Light which only can do it and believe not it is Possibly to be done What hope then is there that ever it should come forth in Facto esse Having 1st given this Generall Account to All Sorts of the Work hereafter following and of what Points are therein Principally propounded to Publick View and how We hold them a Word or Two more Particularly to Some sorts of Readers Know then 2dly All ye Honest Minded Well-meaning Persons who possibly may conceive your selves not much concern'd in Viewing over such a Volumn as Relates so Directly and Immediately as this mostly seems to do to the Learned Linguists and Academical Scholastick Rabbies who get as much Skill as their Skulls can Scrape together in Scrawling and Scribling against each other about their Hebrew and Greek Texts and Transcripts of the Scripture the very Literal Sense of which ye who may know the Truth nigher hand can Ken no otherwise then by their confessedly untrue Translations Know I say that howbeit this is intended mainly as an Alarm to All Sleepy Shepheards that lye down to Sleep loving to Slumber and so consists of Various matter much of which may Run beyond their Reach who are neither by Nature nor their Nursing Mothers meer Natural Nurture Skil'd any further then their Mother Tongue nor yet by the Spirit in the things of the Spirit neither yet here is some matter and that not a little of such a Nature as is no lesse plain to be understood then Profitable not to say necessary to be Learn't by the Lost Sheep that have long Slept with their Drowsy Shepheards in the Dream of their Night Visions in the Dark and Cloudy day of their dimm Divinations have bin Scattered from their own Border and driven to and fro from Mountain to Hill from Form to Form Profession to Profession Tradition to Tradition and from one outward Observation to another and caused to Erre after them and wander together with them up and down in dry and parched places in the Thick Wood of their own Thoughts in the Wilderness of their own Wretched Wisdom where they have found no Sound Health nor Reall Rest or Refreshment but rather more Wounds and Weariness to their Restlesly Wounded and Wearied Souls Be not therefore bolted out by the fight of sundry passages of it that are pend on purpâ—se to the Pecular Purpose of others from beholding that in it which if Perused by you in as much purity as it was pen'd in pitty to you may be of pretious use to your selves For herein also is an hand lent in love to the lost to lead you in O poor Perishing Parish people by the dore above which you and your Clergy have been long Climbing up as high as Heaven with Capernaum in your self-conceived Luke-warm Laodiceau Literature but are so far from obtaining entrance into that Pure Pasture which Christs Sheep partake of who hear his voice that in stead thereof except ye yet Repent from your Powerless Profession of what ye are out of the true way to the true Possession of ye shall all as assuredly as Shee was of old be brought down to Hell Yea herein all along throughout the whole work lyes as it were a little line before all save such as love to look beside it laid for any that will lay hold on it to lead them not from but to and by and together with the Letter of the Scripture to the Light of him in the heart which the Letter came from who is the only Light that leads throughly to the Life even his Own Life and to Himself who is the Truth Way Door Light and Life it self of the Sheep and looks after them that have gone astray from Him to gather them back to look after himself alone for Salvation in his own and to learn of him alone who alone hath the Words of the Eternal Life which all the foresaid Word-stealers and Truth-sellers while refusing to stand in his COUNCEL and to receive the Word from his own mouth are so living so dying Vniversally shut out from for ever Moreover if any either through Mis-understanding of my honest meaning or Male Construction of my good Intention therein shall be offended at my medling so much as I have done specially toward the latter part of the second Excercitation in matters that seem to any who are more seriously addicted then most Schollars are whose life is wholly lost in looking after littles so Immomentary to the Life of God as the meer External Text of that Eternal Truth that 's therein talk't on and those Hebrew Points Tittles Vowels Accents Letters and Syllables of it are which I am in not a few pages together well-nigh totally taken up in and for a time taken off by from Points of more Immediate Pertinency and truer tendency to Salvation Their unjust Offence at me shall not so far Offend me but that for their sakes I can and shall here stoop so low to take that Stumbling Block out of their way as to tell them and the whole world the Naked Truth how it was with me in that particular and the Real
Slaughter and Eternal Slavery for you not to Try their Talk First Who tell it you for Truth that there is now no Guidance of Christs Own Ministers by Christs Own Infallible Spirit They that Teach that their own Teaching is but Falible may easily draw all their Implicit Followers together with themselves into the Ditch Secondly Talk for Liberty of Conscience while they are under the Lash of others and for Persecution as soon as they can Climb to be Lords over all Thirdly That Affirm Christ's Righteousness Wrought in his Saints Persons by his Power and Spirit Serving to Sanctifie them too to fit them for Heaven to be of no other worth and worth no better Name and worse they cannot give it then that of unclean Dung Losse and Filthy Rags which Doctrine is Necessarily Deducible from T. D's Writing against the Quakers who yet sayes David even while Guilty of Adultery and Murder was not in a Condemned but in a Justified Estate Fourthly That where and while God Tenders Salvation Openly and Universally to All Men He Secretly Intends it but Particularly only to a Few Fifthly That that Light the Quakers Testify to which in Truth is no other then the True Light which the Life is which their own Rule of Scripture sayes John 1.9 Enlightens every man that cometh into the World Enlightens not every one but very few And is an Horrible Figment of the Quakers an Imaginary Christ as to Salvation in all Divine Matters Darkness Blindness it self and many more sayings of that sort under which they Scorn it as J. O. does and other Divines viz. R. B. and J. T. little lesse Sixthly 1. That the Letter of the Scripture is the only Sure Foundation and Rule of all Faith 2. That the said Letter is Variable and Varied and yet 3. That A thing that is Variable can be no Rule neither which is one of the many Rounds the Rabbies Run in Seventhly That Preaching of Perfect Purging and full Freedom from Sin in this world is a Doctrine of Devills so T. D. and Punishable With Prisons and other Paines so I. O. that there 's no Purgatory for purging away the Remnants of it as the Pope Falsly sayes there is in the world to come neither which Perfection of Holiness so far as to deny of all Unholiness and Salvation of Souls from Sinning is the meer End of Christs coming Matth. 1.21 the end of all Ministry that 's of his giving Eph. 4.11 12 13. the end of all the Apostles Writing willings of men to walk in the Light 2 Cor. 7 1. 1 Iohn 1.6 7 8. 1 Iohn 2.1 and of all true Faith or Beleiving 1 Pet. 1.5 And as it 's no Treachery in us to you nor others nor yet in you and us and all men to our selves to Try what 's Truth before we Trust Take and Talk for it much more Obtrude it as that Truth which must Subpaena as so be believed by Ali So it 's no lesse then time for us to Ask and put it to the Question among you Sith both cannot be so who are so Contradictory and if they be Right wee l own our selves to be wrong when once they prove it whether those who in Christs Name Minister the abovesaid Messes for Truth or the Qua. who in their Ministry Minister the very contrary and no less then the Infallible Truth it self be Christs Ministers So having in my time Born my Testimony as a Friend to the Truth against such as Tread and Trample it under Feet and Aâ—k'â— an Answer from that of God in All Consciences to which I Appeal to Judg between the Clergy and the Quakers who are in Truth I Sit down Satisfied in my Own Conscience in the Sight of God holding Love to All Mens Persons and Warr with nothing but Mens Wicked Works not knowing whether this may be the Last Time of Asking After which as to this way of Appearing in Print against the Pervertures of the Parish Priesthood I may for ought I know for Ever possibly hold my Peace Sam. Fisher. A Lamentation over Lost-Souls With a Word of Warning to All Kings Princes Parliaments Powers And People to Beware of Such Priests aâ— Uphold the Devils Kingdome by Pleading Contrary to the Scriptures of Truth A Continuance of Iniquity for Term of this Life A Necessity of Mens Transgressing of Gods Law while they Liâ—e in the World Or have any Abode in the Body IN th' Snare You Are Dear Souls I truly Know it And Wot I't Not yet there is That doth Shew it For First that 's Worst You are Beset with Sin Next Those are Foes without for That 's With in Who Preach yea Teach Yee cannot Live with out it Who Hint Live In 't yet shall Yee Live ne'r Doubt it Such Watchmen Catch men in Sins Snares not Out By Such how Much to take Sin lies at Scout Yâ—u In its Gin You 'l know when th' Light is Heeded Know'â— Now and How Christ Iesus is not Needed To Win from Sin if in it Souls can Thrive To Save from th' Grave if there Souls are Alive I Trow You 'l Know You Cannot Live in Sin When All Dy Shall who Live and Dy there in Wherefore before you Live You ought t' Eschew it Then Must I Trust even whilst you Live or Rue it Read This for 't is a Riddâ—e else in th' Light Heart Read for th' Head herein obtains no Sight It s Wis-dom Is too Dim this Depth to Enter Vn lesse you Guesse by th' Spirit which Dives to th' Center Give Ore no More your selves with Vain Hopes Cherish For Lie and Die in Sin who doth doth Perish But Lay Away all Weights Sins which be set you Abandon And shake off such Priests as Let you And Shun that Run you may with Saints that Race Which Brings with Wings from Sin to th' Holy Place To th' Place where Grace is Perfect Holy Sion The Mount where Count upon 't there comes no Lyon Nor Man that Can work Evil where the Pure In Heart leave Part Alone and their Right 's Sure For While You Stile those Saints who plead for Evil And Them Christ's Members who still Serve the Devil Nor Leave but Cleave to Them the Light ye Flee And Sure ye Pure as Christ is cannot Be. For Hire They Tire You out with Talk â—ut Know Their Words are Swords which will Souls Over throw Their Eyes toward Lyes are set Truth They Be spatter Time Serving Swerving still from God They Scatter They Sooth speak Smooth Charm Dawb Sow Pillowes Flatter Cry Peace where Peace is Not So ends this Matter Sam Fisher. A List of some of the Typographicall Mistakes THough in I. O's blind judgement it seems to Border on Atheism to say the same Fate as to Mistakes hath attended the Hebrew and Greek Text of Scripture in it's Transcribing as hath done other Books yet it seems to me upon that but Running Review I have yet taken thereof that the
in the like lame cause who belabouring your selves in talk about the Letter against the Light live and walk more by the false fire and twinkling flash of your own thred-bare thoughts and infatuated imaginations then either by the Letter or the Light I come now 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 without much Preamble or more ado ad rem substratam to the businesse and work it self as it lies before me And howbeit I shall not regard any External form order or methodical manner of proceeding with you so much as words and matter of profit and truth it self yet as there is a Quaternity of you or rather a Fraternity of four angry Fighters or Quarrellers with the Quakers and the truths told by them viz. I. O. T. D. I. T. R. Baxter all whom first or last one where or other more or lesse I shall have to do with So though not therefore I shall divide my ensuing undertakings against you in the Name and Power of God on their behalf in such wise as thou I. O. dost thy Doctor-like Divinity Disputations or Latine-labours against them viz. into four Apologetical Exercitations or Earnest Expostulations with you The first whereof is to be more down-rightly directed to thee T.D. the rest who are of the same misty mind with thee not excluded in way of Examination of that Legend of Lyes which thou like some great Benefactor to it bestowest on the Clergies Cause against the Truth and its Children and as concerning the point of Iustification in special which thou makest thy self a main Mannager of against us for all the rest who say little of it and in which thou by thy lies about it in both Doctrine and matter of fact most basely abusest both thy self and the Truth and my self in particular and all the Qua. in general also The second is to be most peculiarly directed to thee I. O. in Examination of sundry of thy base belyings and misreportings of the Qua. as to their mis-behaviour toward the Scripture about which T. D. who sides with three therein doth but give us a short snap and away and as concerning the very formal being nature Text or Letter or the Scripture it self ye call your Canon the Bâ—unds or measure of that your supposed Canon the Hebrew Punctaâ—ion Integrity of the Text to a Tittle without Various â—ection and such like passages which thou more preheminently pratest on then all thy Fellows The third is to relate though partly to T. D. and partly to I. T. and R. B. alâ—o as being all three in some sort tampering together with thee in the same muddy manner about at least some of the same mistaken matters yet principally to thee I. O. who in the dark dream of thy night Vision drivest on more down rightly as the Prime Promoter of these Principles viz. that the Scripture and every sylâ—â—â—le and Iota thereof is the Word of the Great God the most efficacious powerful all-sufficient all-perfecting heart-searching soul-saving living life-giving Word of the living God that it even that outward writing Letter External Text and not any such thing as an Internal Word of God Spirit or Light within is the only Infallible Guide Incorruptible Canon perfect Rule of all Faith holy life saving Spiritual Knowledge or Worship the most certain Sanctuary for the preservation of all Sacred Truth the most sure Touch-stone stable standard firm Foundation true Witness of God the most invariable inviolable way of safety and security to all Divine Verity the most absolutely necessary means of Spiritual and Eternal life cum multis aliis quae nunc praescribere longum est with much more id genus of the same soure leven too long to be reckon'd up here sith they are all to be elsewhere reckon'd with in due time and place The fourth will be promiscuously and interchangeably carried on by way of entercourse with you both I. O. and T. D. which two only were intended to be by me so much as medled with when I first was throughly resolv'd on some Reply to your rude reproachings of the Truth As concerning your denial of the universality and sufficiency to save such as heed it of the Light and Grace of God in all mens hearts of modern immediate Divine Inspiration of Perfection as to the purging away of sin in this life and as concerning your Dream of a peremptory Election and Reprobation of persons unborn viz. of very few to life and of many to one as unchangeably to damnation without respect to their doing good or evil in their life about all which as occasion is I must have in a few words a round reckoning with you both I. T. R. B. and all the rest of that self-reverencing black-mouth'd Brotherhood as blindly banding in one body in the self-same mist of darkness not excluded for the Rounds ye run in as to those particulars at the latter end i. e. in the said fourth and last part of these foresaid Presents in which as occasion is ye four aforesaid Fellow-Fighters for your own follies against Gods Wisdome are likely little or more to be all bespoken in one or other of the Chapters into which also I shall subdivide the fore named four divisions If ye four Foxes that spoil the Vine and her tender Grapes whereof inter-scribendum one successively still started out afresh upon me as I was pursuing the sent and chasing the other had like those of Sampsons turned tail to tail in all points as in some ye do and took several wayes ye could not so well have been caught altogether as now ye may notwithstanding all your Majestical craft but sith ye face all one way and joyntly steer your course in general to one Cave running parallel into the same Wood of your own wisdome there housing your selves in the same holeÌ„ dreaming altogether of no danger neer you in one Den of Darkness there needs no more but to set something to the Mouth of that bottomless Pit ye all belong to out of which the Fox-like strong sent and stinking savour of your erroneous Tenets vents it self to the poysoning of poor peoples Souls throughout the whole Countryes where your respective beings are and so digging you out of your foresaid Dens put you altogether into a Bag. S.F. The First Apologetical and Expostulatory Exercitation CHAP. I. FIrst then though they came out last and began to fly abroad some while after I. Owens yet I shall begin with thy two Butterflyes T.D. which have flown up and down the World not only upon the wind of their own wings but also as fast and far as they could carry them upon the light chaffy leaves of the whiffling News-books for some few moneths together to the frightning of all such folk as are befool'd into an Implicit Faith of thy folly to be wisdome out of that little wisdome they have by that fearful flutter they have made thorowout as well the Cities as Vniversities and Countryes with that falâ—e flashy and fair-flourishing
and shine forth more and more as the morning light to the perfect day so that ye may to as much purpose forbid the Sun from rising in its time as busie your selves as ye do to blind honest-minded men as ye have done T. D. That Repentance is now too late and perhaps unmeet for God can serve himself by the meanest Instruments among which thou rankest thy self Rep. Not too late yet much less unmeet so be thou come back by a true Repentance as is most meet thou shouldst not only for but from thy inconsiderate opposition for the Lord will receive thee through Judgement done upon thy lyes to mercy for all that 's past in and by the same Light thou art yet an hater of if yet thou wilt unfeignedly look back to it and follow on to know him in it while he strives with thee by it in thy own conscience and convinces thee of all thy evil deeds thou hast done and that he requires thee to depart from who can and doth serve himself by meaner Instruments then thou mayst be made as meanly as thou truly enough confessest thou hast serv'd him hitherto in case thou quit thy old Master the Devil whose now falling Kingdome thou art helping hard to uphold while thou Pleadst so strictly as thou dost to little purpose the necessity of all mens sinning while they live and serve the Lord as strictly and sincerely against sin and Satan in thy self first and then in others otherwise Repentance it self may prove too late indeed and will too if thou turn not at the reproof of Wisdome that as far as thou art from it is nigh thee in thy heart till it scorneth the scorners of it In love therefore to thy Soul the sin whereof I hate as it is the Enemy of it as late as it is be adviâ—ed in time qui non ante cavet post dolebit better late then never T. D. Thou sayest Thou hopest thy Reader will see the Qua. out of their disguise Rep. I hope so too out of that wherewith T.D. and I.O. have both disguis'd and disfigur'd them by then he hath read what R.H.G.W. L.H. have written to thee before and what hereafter follows or elâ—e he is one of those Readers of us I.O. complains of P. 29. of his Epistle whose interest compels him to chuse rather to be ignorant of Truth and us then to be taught truth by us and if any will either let our books alone or rejectingly read them and will needs be ignorant let him be ignorant as we cannot make such a one better so what ere he does we are never the worse T. D. That he will find cause to speak of the Qua. with pitty and compassion Rep. So I hope too when he shall see how miserably the men call'd Ministers do misrepresent them and by their lyes abuse and wrong them to the world T. D. And of their Opinions with hatred and detestation Rep. With hatred and detestation of those Opinionists who being but in their meer thoughts of the things of God themselves deem the Qua. who are past Opinions and know him that is true and are in him that is true and the Truth it self knowing also themselves to be of God and that the whole world lyes in wickedness 1 Ioh. 5.19 20. to be but where themselves are namely in their own vain Imaginations and Opinions and damn down also to hell it self those our Opinions as they call them which are the only plain pure infallible way to Eternal life as that deformed Monster so he calls it too which T.D. in the next page of this Epistle and in his first Narrative sprinkles into the name of Quakerisme and I.O. ore and ore and ore again in his Contra Fanaticos into those of Enthusiasme Fanaticisme nescio quid and as many more as come at last to vere nihil or truly nothing T. D. Next thou promisest thy Reader and no more then thou sayst also shall be performed viz. A true Account of the Discourses so much of them as was Argumentative and pertinent to the Questions under Debate or as 't is in thy Title page A true Relation of what passed in three Disputations Apr. 12. 13. 19. 1659. between thy self and three Qua. G.W.R.H. S.F. Rep. Hadst thou entitled thy True Account True Relation thus viz. A false Account A false Relation thou hadst sav'd thy self the labour of one lye at least for then thy Title had been as true an Account of thy Book as thy Book is not a True but a meer counterfeit Account of the Disputations but as 't is thou hast told a lye more then ordinary which hath its being as a lye from no other clause so much as from that term of True thy work being as will appear not only a very broken and decrepid but also a very untrue and false Relation of those affairs it pretends to relate to so that by saying True here thou hast spoken falsly whereas hadst thou in stead of True said False thou hadst in so doing said no other then the very truth In which true Relation of those Discourses as thou falsly callest it how well thou hast quitted thy self as to such an honest and true Account as is here so faithfully promis'd any honest man that was then present may see When as 1. Set aside thy own large and lax Answers 2. Set aside thy own confessed Enlargements of the said Lax and still as mouldy though new-mouled Answers with thy often long let me Add's p. 5. 14. 17. 19. 23. 27. the whole of what passed from all us three in all three of the Discourses which lasted about seven or eight houres apiece is Anatomiz'd well nigh all away or at least Epitomiz'd into so small a pittance as may be read over if set close together in less space then the seventh or eighth part of one And howbeit thou wast dealt with and measured back to from us more by weight then by multitude of words wherewith for the ignorance sake of common people as thou sayst whereby thou mayst see what a people thou hast whose life lies more in thy words then in Christs works thou chosest to out-word us as seeing thou must say somewhat as thou sayst and no matter what say I or let us have all the talk to the prejudice of the cause thou defendest yet were we not so far behind thee as to number as thou seemest to set us in thy curtail'd Account or else the more shame still to thy self and thine who cried out so often to us that we had all the talk and took up all the time nevertheless thou therein takest about nine parts of talk to thy self and allowest us the Tythe then which thou knowst the Qua. had rather have just nothing insomuch that such as are more ready to believe thee then Truth may well think by thy crowding us all up into such a corner of thy Account thy other Tales to be true thou so often tellest
that are laid down theâ—ein are already laid open to the view of all in his Reply thereunto stiled the Devil 〈◊〉 i gâ—d by L.H. who together with my self and others by name as well as all the people called Qua. are most Egregiously abused and belied therein Nevertheless since thou art so impudently obstinate in that course of prating printing out of lyes as to this day rather to justifie thy self then which would farr more become thee to judge thy self as an evill doer in so doing that all such as have not devoâ—ed themselves to be deluded by thy deceitfull doings rather then to know the truth concerning the Qua. in such matters wherein thou as falsly as fâ—wly accusest them may beware of beleiving thee any more as many do by implicit Faith I shall give the world a further tast of that Light Treacherous and lying Spirit which speaks in thee as it did in the false Prophets of old who blinded the peoples eyes with their many mis-reports from receiving the truth the true Prophets told them which lying Spirit proves them sufficiently in whom it is how ere they may stile themselves so as thou T. D. dost to be no true Ministers of the Gospell Report said the old lyars of Ieremie and we will Report it raise but a lye and wee 'l send it abroad farr and neer So T. D. fee p. 1. of his second Narrative appeares to have certain Emissaries and Earewigs that go out and gather what unsavoury materiall's they can rake out of the Excrements of the Qua. and such dunghilly stuff and lyes and bad Constructions of good actions c as are either made by himself or made ready to his hand by his Agents he layes by him and trussing his tales together into two Tractacles or nasty Narratives as Antickly Annexes them as Appendicular at the fagg-end of his other fancies Bagg and Baggage fit for nothing more indeed then to sollow in the Reare of such pittifull Polemicalls as the two pieces are they are annexed to T. D. Thou stil'st the materialls of thy two Narratives Remarkable passages and matters of undoubted Credit Rep. Remarkable they are indeed and so much the more by how much they are for the most part either apparently foolish or flatly false and where true as some few of them are either miserably mis-represented wrested and perverted to wicked ends or untruly used as premises from whence to inferr thy most abominably false Conclusions and to confirm other men in bad opinions of the Qua whereupon for the truths sake which thouseekest thereby to bring into contempt I shall here Remarke the most Remarkable of them and the rather first because in thy second title page thou so malepertly Challengest any to disprove thee in the words of Iob saying if it be not so now who will make me a Lyar and make my speech nothing worth 2. Because even in this very 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 or nick of time wherein my Enervation or discovery of the Nakedness of thy two Narratives is but now newly come under my hand and pen in order to its passage through the press whereat I write this I am presented with a third printed Toy of thine T.D. to the same Tone stiled the Lye Returned to Luke Hâ—ward or a Vindication of Thomas Danson Minister of Sandâ—iâ—h from the Imputation of belying the Quakers wherein thou sayst L. H. in his called the Devils Bow unstringed is impudent in denying severall matters of fact charg'd upon himself and others of his perswasion in thy two Naratives and in representing thee the Publisher thereof as a Forger of Lyes in which shuffling Trifle or sorry shift of halfe a sheet for 't is nor more nor better of meer wast paper as closely as thou conceivest thou hast lapt and laid thy self up as in a bed of Lavender and in thy Vipeâ—ous hissings and Lyings against the Light Lyest hid velut Anguis in herba among such silly Seers as See with thy eyes yet thy new Bed of Lyes is too short for thee to Lye long at ease upon and that half sheet of thine is a covering too narrow for thee to wrap thy self in from the wrath of God as well as too ragged and tottered and torn and thin if 't were a whole one to shelter thy shame from the sight of such as see by the Light of Christ who view thee in all thy venomous ventings of thy malice through the thickest Vail thou seekest to shrowd thy self under nor will thy certificates obtained procured by thy self published under the hands of thy pair of Iohns viz. Io. Laigneile and Io. Davis of Dover one of which I love so well as to tell him that if as the Proverb is he play not Iack on both sides 't will be the better for him nor of thy pair of Unminister like Mr. Williams Russelâ— and Wingfield who will never Win the Field with lyes against the Children of the Truth nor oft' other Thomas viz. thy part-Taker Tâ—omas Morris who is as very an Infidell toward Christ Disciples till he see and feel our Testimonies to be undeniably true as thy self and all the three other Thomasses that are so ready to sweare what ere thou sayst nor the self contradicting Testimony of thy Trustee Mr. Vinter Minister of Couewold nor any other of thy despicable disproofs so moderate the matter but that thou wilt appear to be a Foster-Father to those Forgers of Lyes who have brought thee into the praemunire of publishing to thy own shame what their heads have hatched and their pates prepared for thy pen and put upon thee to pâ—int and publsh in thy folly to all the world as will by and by appear in the examination of each of thy Lyes as thy Lye laid down in thy last Narrative T. D. As to thy Tale of L. Hs. Sending his Horse and Man for me to be aâ— a dâ—scouâ—se appointed between him and W. Russell a Priest and that his man was seen to come out of Dover on his Horse overnight and myself sâ—â—n to Ride into the Town the next morning upon the same Horse which story thou tellest for truth with such Confidence too that besides that forementioned common Epethite thou givest to all thy lyes viz they are of undoubted Credit thou here addest that it was manifest I was seâ—t for on purpose and that in denying it we Lyâ— and have not so much morall honesty as to speak Truth in matters of Fact and such like Rep. I here as L. H. hath also done declare against that manifold piece of Naâ—raâ—ive so Pâ—mpuâ—ly predicated as a most Aâ—rand manifest Lye in every inch of it as having no truth in it from the Head to the Tâ—yl that I can find fâ—om one end thereof even to the other for neither did L. H. send his Horse or Man at all for me o're night nor did I â—ide into Dâ—ver on L. Hs. Horse next morning but on a Black Hâ—â—se plain enough if
these Lyaâ—s had not been blind to be diâ—cerned from L. Hs. White one and that in the afternoon too neither was the discourse between or appointed between L. H. and W. R. but E. B. and W. R. nor did E.B. send for me but a letter to me only not knowing of my comming but desiring my answer only neither did I know at all that any discourâ—e at all was to be till I came into the Town nor was there such a word spoken by L. H. in my heaâ—ing that he would now leave the discourse to me nor did L. H. so much as by desire engage me in that diâ—course though some few things I said in it any more then he engaged me to come to those disputes at Sandwich which saving thy lyes in that particular ore and ore againe repeated was just no way at all though hearing of a dispute to be there I was there with other friends By all which Remarkable Passages whether thou hast not marked out thy self and thy Talâ—-bearers more then the Qua. to be men that have not somuch morall honesty or to speak truth in matters of fact let all true men Iudge nor is all that in thy last half sheet of any Validity to disprove this which I say and averr to be the truth as in the sight of God who will Judge between you Lyaâ—â— and us who as little Conâ—cience as thou sayst we make of Lying have herein said the very Truth and shall be beleived against thy Tattle notwithstanding the sleeveless Testimonyes of Wâ—lliam Russell and Thâ—mas Morris whose Certificate which thou â—ettest to put an end to the contest conclude nothing to the contradicting of what 's here said by me And thus into the pit of thy own digging for us art thou fallen thy self and in the same Labo iâ—uh of lyes wherein he lay turking for the Innocent hath the Lyar lost and left him elf not a little in the Lurch T. D. Thou tellest a Tale that a dying Qua. at Dover said He expâ—cted Salvation onely by his good works and not from Christ in witness of which thou bringest Io. Davis Minister of Dover Rep. Thou hadst abused Io. Davis as grosly as thou dost thy self but that I see by his Vnderhand Testimony inserted in thy half sheet and his non-complaining of thee he is willing enough to be so abused by thee and so I am the less willing to vindicate him sith volenti non fiâ— iâ—iâ—â—ia by offering in thy Narrative to Summon him in Print as a witness of that which he himself had no otherwise than by hear-say from another for hereby thou expoâ—est I. Da. together with thy self to the iust censure of Ignoramus whilst it s well known to all save such as either are or else in enmity to the Truth are free to be counted Idiots that as in fâ—o Dei verae Ecclesiae he is no true Minister or Witness of the Word of God who stealing his Testimony and the words he speaks out of the writings of the true Prophets declares what himself never saw felt nor handled of the word of life so vel in foro hominum even before men in their earthly Courts of Iudicature that man would be deservedly cast forth with shame as no lawfull Witness against a living man there pâ—esent much less against a dead man not capable to speak for himself who should testifie it as an undoubted truth that he spake Treason and from thence accuse all that mans Kindred also to be Traytors and yet confess he was no Eaâ—ewitness of his words but only heard a Third man say somewhat to such a purpose And how Iohn Davis can be such a competent witness to the world of the words spoken by the dying Quaker as thou set'st him down for or any more then a presumptuous Intruder into or Talker of what he hath not heard but only heard of my eyes which are not so dim but that I can Divine the Divines to be in the dark to Divine lyes to each other do not fee howbeit let every one see not with my eyes but with his own as to the case in hand But I. D when he was backbiting the Qua. to thee in that Tale and tickling and scratching thy Itching ears which as false tongues do love lying words and feed on meer Fables more then truth thought perhaps as little as thou did'st of the likeliness of the Quakers Printing to be brought so openly on the Stage about it as now he is and that with so much the more shame by how much he seemes to have play'd Bâ—-peep between both partyes and by that his second hand Testimony to have â—erved two contrary turns at once viz. L. Hs. and thine too or else its like he would have kept his heaâ— say to himself but now he is justly left of the Lord to manifest himself to be one that would fain seem to hold with the Hare though he runs with the Hâ—und open mouth at her to devoure her having since he seemed to side with L. H. against thee in his last testimony obtained by thee and obtruded upon the world made himself obvious to the view of all to be a Sidesman with thee in thy viperous spirit against us and one who would Balaam-like Divine us into the denomination of Papists if he could tell how but as such Concurrâ—rs as shew their teeth much Seldome bite very deep so 't is now the curst Cow's have short Hornes and your uncertain Certificate can stand but for a Cypher at most that signifies nothing but that ye would â—ay something in disparagement of the Qua. if ye could tell what Something it seems was affirmed by some body yea by the Qua. Brother who as their own-Brethren usually do Isa. 66. for Christs name sake hated thoâ—e that hear Gods word and tremble at it and are therefore in scorn called Qua. to such an effect as if the dying Qua. had said he look'd for Saâ—vation by his own works and not by Christ wherein if he doth not as many in Dâ—veâ— and Sandwich have done as bad puâ—posely bely his Decreased Brother for the sake of his own malice to the Qua. yet I know he did at best as much mistake him as T. D. mistakes either blindly or maliciously mis eprâ—sents me to the world as a looker for Iustification without Christ by my own works which I have long since denyed as dung for those that Christ works in me for howbeit I shall not here meddle point blank to prove a Negative yet thus much I can say in disproof of your hasty Affirmaâ—ve I my self who know his principles to have been no other then to expect Salvation by Christs works in him only and not his own was with that said dying Qua. in the time of that sickness whereof he died and in as deep dâ—scourse with him I believe as that his meer fleshly Brother was who hath so abused him yet I heard him utter as nothing at all
they cant see over if but a Mot it s sooner seen in a Brothers ey then a Beame by them in their own if it be but some pittifull passage not fit to be Printed a Narrative must be made of it as of some Remarkable Passage that can't be omitted if but as Ridiculous a thing to Relate as Serious in it self it must be related to move Fools to Laugh at it but Wise men will Laugh most at its Relator T.D. As to thy Conclusion of thy second Narrative which is a desire of thy Reader to peruse the Qua. Answer to the Questions thereto annexed which were proposed to and Answered by Ioseph Fuce whereto thou settest both his name and answers to them Rep. I say thus much to thee that howbeit thou hast set down so much of I. Fs. return as neither thy silly self nor Io. Corbet the Priest who put forth the Queries and was accordingly answered above two years ago by Io. F. will ever be able to render any Reasonable Reply to for if ye could have refuted them the Press was as open for your Reply to them as your bare Narration of them and so much as will stand over your heads for ever as a Testimony of the Duncicall Darkness and Groaâ—able Blindness of you both in the Misteries of the Gospell of which for silthy lucres sake ye do but fancy your selves to be the Ministers yet either one or both of you two V pers have done the best or rather the worst ye could to abuse both Io. F. and the Qua. and the truth by that Cut-short Counterfeit Account thou T.D. givest the world of those Queries and Answers that passed between Priest Corbet and Ioseph Fuce For there were 17 Queries put by thy Couzen Corbet every one of which were at large and as to any likelihood of their being answered by you unanswerably Replyed to by Io. F. of which 17 thou bring'st out but eight 2. As thou bringest out not one half of Corbets Queries so I judge I may safely say not so much as the 20th part of I.F. his Answers but only here and there some such broken bits and pieces of them as ye thought would represent them as weak and naked to mens aspect though indeed as piece-meal as ye have rendred them they may well be left to stand against all your Priestly Prate and pedling pelting at them Why did ye not seeing ye had a Quarrell at them publish every inch of all I. F. his Answers to the 8 Queries ye have set down yea why not all the 17 Queries and the whole of his returns to each of them together with your own Replyes to those his Returns that men might be undeceived by you that call your selves their Ministers and take on you to be their Masters so as to teach them truth since ye deem them to be deceived by I.F. his Doctrines and then ye had saved your selves from the guilt and censure of that guile and deceit that now ye are found in while ye are found shuffling and cutting picking and culling out here and there a â—aying leaving out such adjoyning sentences yea somtimes that half of the same sentence which being set down would have shew'd his true sence of the whole which ye scrue and wrest as far as ye can tell how into another then that intended by him Expertus loquor I speak what I know having whether I shall Print it or no I yet know not the whole entire Copy by me of those Queries and Answers amounting in all to two sheets thy Cutted Account whereof comes not neer to the 8th part of one Surely either one or both of you two Brethren in iniquity T.D. I. Corb saw ye could not Reply to them and so had made a swinging Rod for your Tayls and slasht your selves as foundly therewith also had ye put forth the whole truth which ye have not told the Tithe of whereupon ye have thrust out only some meer fragments of it with as much manglement of them too as ye well durst make and with no other then this dribling answer of thine T.D. p. 6 of thy second Narrative viz Surely by these Principles in Conjunction with the rest in the Book to which this Narrative is annexed though the said Principles remain as unrefuted as impossible to be refuted by T.D. the Qua. have for ever forfeited the name of Christians and are to be reputed Heathens T.D. Thou tel'st and that twice over viz. in thy Narrative and in thy Witness W. W's reinforcing Reply to L. H. a Tale of L. H s saying The Priests shall be destroyed by the people called Qua. Rep. But L. H. hath already so sufficiently disproved that in his Reply to thy 〈◊〉 styled the Devils how unstringed by three persons who as I laid above testifie his words to have been otherwise and so prov'd thy Witness Will Winâ—field Minister of Word to be no Minister of the Word of truth nor such a Godly Minister as thou printest him out for who can joyn so cordially with thee in printing lyes that I need say nothing yet that the Preists shall be destroyed by the Qua. though L. H's words were not so is true enough I here affirm it yet not by outward Gan Sword or carnal Weapon but by the Sword of the Spirit or Word of God in their mouths Not by might nor by power but by my Spirit saith the Lord Zach. 3. T. D. Thou sayst in the second page of E. B's Book or word of Advice to the Souldiers he bids them give the Ministers or Priests blood to drink for they are worthy Rep. True enough that the Priests will have as much blood as they are worthy of from the Lord though the Qua. desire the salvation of their souls and bodies too if yet it may be and the destruction of nothing but that sin blindness and darkness which destroyeth them in both Howbeit in the second page of E Bill's book unless there be another of his or of E. Bur's so stiled I find no such words as thou artes est to be there on thy own personal knowledge and so all thy proofs of thy Grand Lye for ought I see fail thee and Lie in the Lake together with it Many more absurd and foolish frivolous tales thou tellest that â— omit but two more of thy lying accusations of the Qua. more Remarkable then all the rest of those Remarkable passages of thy two for nothing more then the many lies thereof most Renowned Narratives remain yet to be Remarked that all may see how thou and thy heard of hearers and drove of ear-wigs have not so much me al honesty as to speak truth in matters of fact which is the very fault thou chargest us with and the worse in thee sith Turpe est Doctori cum culpa red arguit ipsum And then I shall be at liberty to take a view of the many Lyes of thy Doctrine Thoâ—e two one whereof is prosecuted in thy last
Narrative only and the other more wickedly then wisely made and drove on very devoutly in both but especially in thy first without either care or good councâ—l consideration or conscience Truth or Righteousness sense or reason fear or wit are these T. D. That the Qua. intend to prosecute the promotion of their Principles by that bloody way of persecution with the outward sword 2. That the Qua. are doubtlesly acted by the Antichristian or Romish faction and do drive on the Popish work and Papistical design and of Qua. become Papists and further for this Lye splits it self into two parts one concerning the Qua. in generall the other concerning my self in particular that I.S.F. am probably and appear to be not only a Rank Papist but also 〈◊〉 Iesuit holding complyance with the Pope serving the Sea of Rome such like of which more at large by and by Rep. As to the first of these thy two Lyes of the Qua. it lies thus palpably ayerred in thy own words T. D. The truth is the Qua. now declare their intentions to propagate their perswasions by the sword whereas they were want to pretend to so much meekness or peaceableness that they would hold neither speaâ— nor sword Rep. Here 's the charge An Arrand Lye yet a Truth if four or five more Lyes will Serve to prove it if not men must take it for truth on no other Acconuâ— then this because T.D. who tels so many Lyes that he deserves not to be believed when he speaks the truth doth falsly Say so for thy pieces of proof which are too piteous to prove thy main false Charge were they all true are as to the truest information that I can get thereof every of them false Charges and a pack of Lyâ—s like to that they are brought in proof of The first Proof is this slender Story At a Late Meeting of the Qua. in Hurst Pierpoint in Suffex He that undertook to be Speaker called out to the Priest who accidentally pasled by saying we will have you all down for now our day is come The second this Tale. And a oâ—her Qua. in the Parish â—f Nuthurst in the same Counâ—y did say to a Godly person of good quality in that Parish that he no more cared to kill one of the Priests as he styled the Ministers then he would to kill a Dog The Third This Wicked Lye And another Qua. Way-laid the Minister of Covehould a very worthy Reverend man at his return from a Fast and justled him upon the high way as he kept it haviâ—g his Wife behind him and drew out his Sword which he had by his side about half way which was a shrewd presumption that he intended the Minister mischiâ—f but that some neighbours that came from the Fast Coming up to them prevented it and they do usually give oâ—t threatning speeches against the Ministry aâ—d their Friends Rep. In answer to these three I here subscribe such information as came from the mouths or hands of sundry Sâ—ssex men living in and about these Parishes or Places T.D. Relates these matters of a truth to have been done and spoken in three or four of which are it seems members of those two Parishes of Nuthurst and Covewold in such wiâ—e as follows These three Charges or slanderous Accusations as they appear to us Coming to our hands we who are Inhabitants in the County of Sussex near adjoyning to these places where the Author saith these things were done one of us dwelling in one of these Parishes which he makes mention of have a good and perfect knowledge of these men who are called Quakers and that They are men of better Qualifications then to offer such violence or to give out such terms as is here Charged upon them Therefore for better satisfaction to ourselves as also for the sake of others who may be deceived in believing such things by giving Credit unto them without a surer ground then because they are come forth in Print to a publike view also from such A hand whom they might think would not be so dishonest as to be the Author of things that are not true Upon these Considerations and others which might be mentioned we undertook to search out the matter with some diligence that all who desire may be truly informed and who have prejudice in themselves neither against one sort of people nor another because of names or differing in judgment as we have not our selves who are now about to satisfie of this matter that truth may appear and that every action may be tryed by it in and among all sorts of people Bryan Wilkinson Humphery Killingbeck So for the first accusation which the Author makes mention to be spoken at Hurst he hath caused a lie to be printed as also the other two for there were no such words spoke nonly the friend that did speak some words from whence this report might arise might ask the Priest of Hurst what they would do if the powers of the earth should for sake them these words its like were spoken And as for the second accusation and slanderous lie which he saith was spoken by a Quakeâ—s in the Parish of Nuthurst we whose names are here under written did go unto the man whom the Author calls godly and of good qualitie unto whom he said these words were spoken to know the truth of this thing And his answer to us was as he and some others were drinking together there was one amongst them did say that it was no more sin for to kill a wicked man then a Swine Thomas Wyly Nicolas Manard Though there was one who went under the name of a Quaker who did dwell in Nuthurst Parish whom the man which the Author calls godly and of good qualitie did say was the man that spoke these words above mentioned which are otherwiâ—e then what is Printed Yet this man he caâ—ls Quaker that should say these words hath not dwelt in the Parish of Nuthurst neither in the County of Sussex this two year and half and above neither hath he been in these parts of so long time as can be sufficiently proved and the cause of this might arise above a year before he went a way And as for the third slanderous accusation the Minister of Cavehold which the Author of this scandalous Book calls a very reverend man we whose names are here under mentioned did go unto this Minister of Cavehold in Sussex the 16th day of this eleventh month 59. For to have him to set his hand against this Scandal Because we knew that there was no such thing offered by them from which this slander might arise And his Answer to us was that there was three Caveholds in Englaâ—d and that it might be at some of them But he said that he knew the man T.D. that set forth the Book and that he had one of them himself and he said he would send to the man to enquire of him and if he meant Cavehold
for to say the Truth it s but a meer Trinity of Tales and not of Truths 1. whether it be better or worse the more honour or the more shame for me that I so have it best concerns my self to examine for as it was best of all with him who while the Foxes had holes and fowls of the Aire nests had not where to lay his head so t' was well enough with them that had and may be with such as now have if they find their call is so to leave all and follow Christ neither scrip nor shâ—s nor mony in their purses and no more then the Cloaths to their backs for they lacked nothing yet so it is and well known to my selfe and some as well known as 't is to T.D. and his Earewigs that I have none that though my estate lyes much more in invisibles then in visibles I have some visible estate and that to the full as much for my self and mine as I either need or much desire and how beit I have not perhaps so much as T.D. nor as I.O. who besides that rich possession he counts upon in his Hebrew Punctation of which more anon had lately but now I hear he is turned out of it a Deanry of many hundreds per annum yet est mihi far modicum purum et sine labe Salinum humilique loco sed certa cedet sordida parvae fortunae domus And that I have no more then I have it is under God at my own choice having long since for a good Conscience sake laid down twice more then that which comes in to thee T.D. by preaching and refufed the profer of much more since both of that and of another nature and if I had none at all I need not run to Rome having were I so mindfull of such outward estate as I came out of an opportunity still to return and being if I could make shipwrack of the Faith for it as many do were as much given to Climbing Clambering as most of you are as capable to receive in England either that Popish pay and preferment ye still stand in and I freely fell from as ye yet are or as my self ever have been in dayes of old or that of another sort that is in no wise of the Pope which yet I trust I shall chuse pulse and water rather then forgo the truth as some self-seekers do to partake in Secondly How Credible â—oever it is here asserted by thee for truth as a thing received from veâ—y goâ—d Hâ—rds yet 't is not true that is here related for I had no Bill of Exchange at all with me when I went out of England neither had I ever any Bill of Exchange from any place at all to Constantinople nor any at all from Constantinople to Rome and this I leave to thoâ—e very good hands from whence thou had it this false report to make it good I partly guess what ground this guilty goodly geere grew up from but I am not minded at this time to help Lyars in their Lyes while â—â—ee they love them let them help one another and wrestle themselves out from the mists of their own misreporting from the fâ—gge of this piece of fâ—lshood if they can I fâ—nd no more to do at preâ—ent then to deny it to be truth as it s told by them Thirdly How credibly soever the same witnesses T. F. T. B. whom thou callest Honest and Credible men were Credibly infâ—rmed at Dunkirk that I have yet I neither had at Dâ—nkirk nor have had since nor yet have what I may have lawfully enough if need be is another case but nothing to thee nor thy ill cause nor to any man elâ—e but those that as little Estate as I have being conâ—â—dent of my faithfullness dare trust me so farr any bill of Exchange at all by which to â—ake up 400 â— or 400 pence either at my will which faltering of thy so Gâ—â—d Honest and Credible Witnessâ—s in each Tittle of their Testimony that is exhibited to the world in this Tripple piece of Tittle Tartle from which yet thou concludest the things they testifie to be ipso facto well known I notifie to the world so much the rather as I have done here or else I should for my own part have pay'd it with thinking only and let it pass that men may know the better how to beleive thee and them in other things when ye shall happen with lyes to wrong the truth another time But since I have taken on me to take â—o much notice of it let 's examine what to the utmost can be made thereof which is just nothing at all towards T. Ds. purpose in propounding it in omuch that I may truly say of this his Treble conference of which his confidence is that it s so credible that it gives neither leâ—s nor more then almost an incredible and inconceiveable influence towards the inference of his most confident and almost as incredible conclusion so that no wise men can yea the most wise men are the leâ—s they can from T. Ds. premiâ—es give credit to it or conceive it or not conceive rather the contrary to be true for as from such matters as are false as I said above no thing that is true can be concluded in which respect alone these lyes and lying Fables can be of no possible force to inferr my living upon the Pâ—pes Pâ—nsâ—on to be a Truth so if they were all as undoubted and certaine Truths as 't is most certain they are all but sigmâ—nts or at the best but mâ—sâ— eports they could none of them at all inferr that but some of them would inferr the very contrary to that which T.D. with so much confidence concludeth from them to the deluding of all people that are given over to delusion to beleive lyes to beleive that lye of me that I am in pay from the Pope as the Iews by the like unlikely and silly inference of the Souldiers whom the Priests so to Argue against it were deluded from believing that Truth concerning Christ viz that he arose from the dead Oh how Wonderfully Michievous are misreports unto the Truth when men who receive not the love of it that they may be â—aved are given over of God to give heed to them that they may be damned because they take pleasure in unrighteousness and have no pleasure in the Truth His Diâ—ciples say they came and stole him away while we slept here is the fictitious and forcible Antecedent therefore he arose not from the dead here is the crooked conclusion which that other was so cogent to make the people close with in their Consciences and take for Truth Piteous Premisâ—â— plain enough to be â—een by men whose eyes were not out to be meerly forged and of little force For if they were awake and on their watch as 't was fit for a Court of Guard to be they might have rescued him from his Disciple that were unarmed
urge thus viz. the Parish Priestshood of England pleads for Ordinances yea for the Parliments Ordinances the Popes Ordinances for Tribes and other things pertaining to their divine service and their worldly Sanctuary as the Pope and his Priesthood doth therefore they smell so much of Popery still that its suspitious they side too much with them still As for me and the Quakers if any but meere partiall and unreasonable minded men who had thought we had utterly denyed Ordinances as yee judge we doe would have argued any thing at all from those thoughts of his concerning us he would however minded to bely us in other matters have clear'd us from that censure of Popery at least by concluding from T. D's premises the very contrary to what he infers and instead of urging with him he â—aith he is above Ordinances and denies the use of them therefore I can assure the Reader of the likelyhood of his complyance with the Antichristian saection would have urged thus viz. he saith he is above Ordinances denyeth the use of them viz. Baptisme and the Supper therefore I may assure the Reader that there 's little or no likelihood at all of his Complyance with the Pope and his Antichristian faction for they are not above those Ordinances but under the use of them Yea I adde they are so far under indeed that is below and beneath the true use of Gods Ordinances that they are not yet as neither are yee got above the traditionary Ordinances of man but are all groping together in the dark for the wall like them that have no eyes and tumbling to and fro in that fogg of forefathers figments walking and wandring to wearinesse in that as superstiâ—ous as superfluous and meere unprofitable usefulnesse of your owne And as to that other piece of thy sâ—anty Scripture which as thou saist p. 12 of my urging a proof that was to purpose out of the Scriptures of truth o I of that methinks T.D. thou usherest and bringest it in with Pomp and Ceremony attended with the Testimony of hundreds of people as if it would be irresistable and would not onely hit the naile but knock it up in the head Io. Boys Ch Nicol T. Focton an Esq a Minister a Magistrate one of a sort set down with an c. As representatives of the rest may wave their witnesse if they will in this for I freely subscribe to every whit of it as a truth sith it s told yet will it not doe at all as to T. D's designe which he there drives on against me but will doe not a little as to my defence T is true when at the dispute thou offeredst to read something out of Amesius against Bellarmine I replyed as sleighting such a contemptible peice of businesse and since thou wilt so set it down for thy reasoning is ridiculous enough in all reason and conscience with a gesture of derision such as that of him who sits in heaven and smiles to see the silly shifts and vain imaginations of those that plot and set themâ—elves against him and his anointed or that of him that said Cry aloud for he is God perhaps he is asleep and must be awakened or that of Sion who shook her head at hers and 〈…〉 preachers that 〈◊〉 held many truths which must not be rejected 〈…〉 of God at which thou wast ut Bellarminus enervatus as one that had no more to say as to that matter for thy mouth was stopt from reading what thou intendedst as well it might for it would have been of as little effect to convict me of Popery with which thou confessest I was then charged as t is for me to say No when lyers and unbeleivers charge me with it which avails no more as the Proverb is then for one to â—ay Bo to a Goose. And now thou hast after thy silence by which it was then taken for granted that thou hadst quitted me thereupon from thy rash charging me with Popery here raked it up again among thy rest of thy remarkable folly what meanst thou by thy new mention thereof Hast thou any more then before thou hadst Did not Cardinall Bellarmine hold some truths which thou holdest as well as some that I hold against thee and that Christ is the Son God which we both hold where lyes the consequence of thy Argument to mine more then to thy own complyance with that Popish Cardinall Thou ownst some false Apostaticall Tenets that he own'd namely that of Tithes when I own no other then his Apostolicall truths is he not so far thy Brother Bellarmine more then mine Moreover as light and little as I made of thy charge of Popery I shall make so much of my making little of it then as now to make a weighty argument against thee from it and conclude contrarily to thy conclusion of me from thence to bein pay from the Pope for that is not so light a matter as the case stands here in England that any man that 's well in his wits and knowes himselfe to be guilty thereof had need make light and little of seeing his neck lyes at stake and his life is not a little concern'd in 't if it can be proved Whereas therefore T. D. concludes thus of me viz. S.F. before hundreds of people made light of the charge of Popery Therefore in all likelihood he is guilty of what he is charg'd with viz. complying with and receiving a Pension from the Pope I conclude thus viz. S. F. Before hundreds of people made light of his being charg'd of complying with and taking pay from the Pope which were a matter of very dangerous consequence if he were conseâ—ous to himselfe of it that any one of those hundreds who wanted no will to it could possibly prove it therefore in all likelihood there is no such matter And as to two others of the mean Mediums which T. D. makes what use he can of to make men mistake me to be such a complyer with the Roman Antichrist viz. that I said at Dunkirk I looked upon the Iesuits and Friars there to be sounder in Doctrine then those he and his call the reformed Churchen â— that the doctrines which I broach are theirs and a fair In-let to their Bag and Baggage for this last of which as I here expresse it T.D. affords the world no more proof then his own single say so but for the other to advance the faith of his saint hearted Reader into a full assurance of the truth thereof that thick and threefold Testimony viz. that of his single folded self and his old pair of Double 〈◊〉 ' d Trustees T. Fox's ton T. Burâ—â—â—â— who saving T. D's commendation of their honesty and credibility which that single hearted friend of truth E. Burrough with whom I went and was at Dunkirk hath seen as little of as my selfe have dealt more Fox-like and Barbarian like then like honest and credible men or conscientious Christians with â—e whom yet as
I look for no more satisfaction from then their submâ—ssion to God nor amends then their amendment so I wish no worse to the worst of them for the worst evill they have done to me and the truth then that God would grant them both true repentance to the acknowledgement thereof that the lake of judgement and condemnation which must come upon all lyes and all deceit may not throw their continuance in impenitency therein be the portion of their persons for ever I say as to the two Assertions above whence he infers the foresaid charge I deny them both as false for I did not tell it in those termes that the Iesuits and Friars are â—ounder in Doctrine in grosse and in the lump as is here falsely witnessed and related then the reformed Churches as yee call them but to this effect viz. that setting aside their â—ordid and â—ottish superstitions in matters of their outward worship and service in which I acknowledged them though T.F. and T.B. or else thy selfe being minded to wrong me would not vouchsafe the world an acknowledgment of all my words to be far more full of manifest foolery and manifold Idolatry then the other the Jesuits Friars were sounder in some doctrines then some of the men cal'd Ministers in the said reformed but in many things still too much dâ—formed Churches and now with the nominations of thy self T.D. whom I then named not as one of those Ministers then whom excepting ever their gross superstition some Iesuits and Fryars in some points of doctrine are more Reformed I here give thee the advantage of my saying the same ore ' again and make the best use of it thou canst to draw from hence an assurance to thy self and others of my probable complyance with the Popish Faction I am sure thou canst draw no more then this with the best piece of twist that the best of thy Brain-pan affords that in some points I agree with them wherein thou dissentest from them though in most things I differ from them and to their faces appear more against them then thy self and if thou wilt have no nay but that this must be compliance then shake ye hands with them and be friends who in Tithes and twenty things more pertaining to the Parish Churches wherein we contradict you both do comply with them and if they that renounce them in twenty things to one shall be counted one with them if they agree in any thing at all then according to the Rule of Quae conveniunt in aliquo Tertio c. by my consent Qui conveniunt in aliquo uno erunt Idem such as are disjoyned in a thousand things and yet happen to jump together in some one shall not only in that one respect be counted one but in all respects whatsoever be joyned and jumbled together as all one As to the other saying if by Broaching thou mean no other than Preaching some doctrines I so Bâ—oach are owned by them though if by Broaching thou mean bringing any new Doctrine that was not held or heard of hitherto or in these days till I declared it de novo I deny thy talke of my Broaching it is untrue for as I declare no other message or doctrine then what was from the beginning before the Letter was about the Light and some other things which the Letter tells of even the good old way wherein the Saints walked with God from Abell Enoch Noah and so downwards unto this day which way hath been much Ecclipsed by the dark divinity of Divines in ages past so the first and new venting of that old way of the Light which is new as by the passing of the darknesse it begins anew to shine was not from this Earthen vessel of mine but other vessels of Honour Sanctified and fitted for the masters use and chosen to bear his Name from whom I received it through Gods mercy in their Ministry which thou de pisest the new wine of Gods wisdom which now vents it self and flowes forth of the new bottles into which God puts it which only are capable of it for yee old bottles cannot contain nor comprehend it in the blindnesse of your hearts as the darknesse comprehendeth not the true light that shineth in it nor bear the infusion of any of it into your souls without bursting to pieces at the very lent thereof was both broach't and tapr and tasted of by others who came into the Vinyard before me 't is enough for me who am lesse then the least among the lovers of it and was once not the least of the Drunkards of Ephraim that are over-charged intoxicated and infatuated with that strong drink and old wine of their own wâ—sdome till they know neither where they are nor what they say that I have tasted it from the first hands that in these dayes have fill'd it forth much more that to me this grace should be given to follow in the free filling it forth to others and to preach out among the Gentiles in such measure as I am enrich't therewith by the free gift of God the unsearchable riches of Christ Iesus And if this be to Breach I Breach not onely many true Doctrines but some true ones which peradventure the Papists do not deny yet I deny my Broaching of any any where that are a fair In-let to their Bag and Baggage or any part of their dark and dead Devotions Trumpical Traditions and Total Transformations of themselves and all things as to the outward form of Religion from the truth it self into at best a mear empty Apish imitation of it But the doctrines ye teach in contradiction to what the Qua. preach in most things are not only a fair In let to it but also so fairly and fully bearing the very likenesse of it that howbeit they that are of the night see it not yet the Children of the Light and of the day see them to be no other then some broken bits and parts of that Popery that stood here more perfectly and in gross once which our Priests being loath to part with more of then they are forced to have since parcelled for their own ends among themselves some Chips that flew off that Old Block which fled beyond Sea when 't was hewed away hence some Stumps of the old Tree under the shadow of which all England fate as other people yet do out of the sight of the Sun of Righteousnesse some Fragments of the Fryars faith some shreds odde ends old Remnants Rotten Rags and Re ikes of the old Whores Skirts which Rome left behind her for hast when she ran a way hence which our English Princes Priests and People so ran a whoring after that they could never find in their hearts to send them away after her to this very day and in a word no other then the very Fag end of her Bag and Baggage First our Doctrine of perfect purging from Sin in this life is no In-let to it for the
trebble turne through their Teeth and that of laughing mocking scoffing scorning â—â—uring houting holding haling beating kicking diâ—ring stocking stoning pumping prisoning Bocardoâ—ng Fining banishing bridling bridewelling branding boring pilloring gaâ—ging eare marking nose flitting scourging cutting slashing hanging and such like which have been used of late yet I must needs say not altogether so much conniv'd at and countenanced by the Magistracy that is supream corrective as caused and encouraged to by the Ministry which takes upon it still in such matters to be supream directive in these which ye call the Reformed Churches I say the doctrine and practice of such inhumanity as this which some Teachers and Doctors in Divinity the dark places of whose earthly hearts are too full of the habitations of Cruelty as well in Old and specially New-England as in Italy France and Spain both have and yet do plead and in some part practice against the truly tender conscientious Lambs of Christ whereby we may as ex pede Herculem ex ungue leonem ee what kind of wild Beasts of the Forrest they yet are that love Christs little Flock not to feed but to feed on with all their hearts are a fair inlet to the Marian Baggage of Fire and Faggot for not owning the Roman Faith if the Magistrates do not save their longing and forbid the Marching of it in more then the Ministers that are ever and anon facing about and Marching the old way being indeed but the Dragons Tayle the Sâ—ing whereof reaches still as far as England though his head he as far off as Rome a little of Leviaâ—han that crooked Serpent which he left when he went away to let in himself by into these Nations at his return again and the Tayle or some gentle shatterings of that sharp shour and sturdy storm which fell down in greater drops of blood and Flakes of Fiâ—e in the days of her dominion here and not only so but a fair pretence for Papists to bolster themselves up by in their persecutings of such as go now to tell the Truth to them in their own Countryes for to my knowledge it s none of the least Pleas they now have in other Nations both Protestant and Popish for the groslest abuses they can do to the Qua. in whom else they see no harm but as from hence they are made to suspect it to say Thus and Thus they do to you in your own Country of England where you are well known therefore no marveil if we do thus unto you here And that the Divines old and young not only have been in the darker but are even in these brighter times of Protestanism it self so deeply accessary to and guilty of the aforesaid sufferings witnesse the Barbarous Basenesse Acted and Inflicted on the witnesses to the Lords Truth not onely in all other quarters of this Nation to say nothing of New-England Scotland Ireland but also at the two Eyes and Well heads of divinity and Nurseries of learning and true Religion as they are call'd as well Oxford as Cambridge as they stand extant to the view of all the world as most of that of other places and Cities do in sundry printed Relations and Testimonies thereof the reading whereof may well take hold on all tender hearts and draw Tears from their eyes to see the lamentable injuries and abominable iniquities done to the Saints by those painted Sepulchers in a land of such godlinesse as this pretends to Witnesse also that Divine Doctrine of that Divine Doctor Owen with whom I have here to doe in the dayes of whose Vice Chancellorship what influence was given by him toward the Oxford persecutions he knows as well as others and what influence his doctrine might have upon the Powers to whom he often preached to the stirring them up to more persecution then they were free for if God had not made them wiser then their Teachers all may see that can read it from his hand in his Latine Divine dâ—sputation which I am to talk with where p. 89. his own words in the margin above truly Englished he Teacheth thus though no men could ever yet Tax them with stirring against the State viz that the Qua. are not perfect nor come to Christ in Glory their lyes deceits wickednesses hypocrisy are evident Testimony unto us But indeed those punishments and imprisonments which they voluntarily pull upon themselves by their tumultuousnesse of which they â—â—manishly complain ought of right to be inflicted upon them who impudently glory that they are free from all these and other sins even the least So far forth as this peice containes I. O's false accusation of the Qua. and pertaines to the point of perfection it may possibly come to account again in other places more proper for it then this it s here related as to that relation that it bears onely to the point of persecution in which capacity who so is capable to see it may perceive by the Paw he here puts forth what prey I. Owen lack and how like them of old who cloathd Christians with wilde Beasts skins that they might seem to the dogs to be such and so expos'd-them to dogs to be baited or covered them all ore with draff and swillings and then threw them to the Swine to be devoured so he first fortiter accuset loads the Quakers with calumny and layes lyingly heavy things to their charge and then Magistraliter satis Ministerialiter magis as Authoritatively as that whole Tribe which must ever be in such Supremacy as to direct till they come to correction themselves gives out what ought to be done with them by such as were onely us'd to correct Hereticks at their appointment The Doctrine then of persecution as taught and learnt too much to this day by our English Reformadoes from Ramish Rubbish is not onely a retaining of much of but an open dore for the rest of the Popes Baggage to return by as the times turn but our innocent tender Tenet of liberty of conscience is so averse to and inconsistent with it as that it turns it all up by the very Roots And whereas it may be objected that a pleading the universality of liberty may seem to be an In-let to Popery very much for if you would have Toleration for all then how will you keep out the Papists Bag and Baggage Rep. I answer not with the carnall weapons of your warfare but with a sharper Sword then that whereby you and they seek to keep out the truth even that with 2 edges the light and spirit of the living God which goeth out of his mouth who is call'd the Word of God who will go on conquering and to conquer all the vain imaginations in the hearts and consciences of men to cast down the strong hold of the Prince of darknesse in the might and power of God and captivate every high thing that exalts in selfe against the knowledge of God and every thought to the obedience of himselfe
thus p. 14 15. there is not Par Ratio for the merit of good and evil works and that they are not absâ—lute contraries because our evil works are perfectly evil but our Good works â—aist thou are but impeâ—fectly good yea Isa. 64.6 all our Righteousnesses not our unrighteousnesses onely are as filthy Rags Rep. To this I retuâ—n as followes viz. If by that Teâ—m OVR Good Works thou intendest no other then those of your own which ye call good when thou sayest of them that they are but imperfectly good I yield to it as Truth indeed that your good works and your evil works are not absolute contraries one to another but rather both alike of one and the same sort stamp and general kind that is to say both of them evil works for your evil works being by your own confession perfâ—ctly evil your good works as ye stile them for good they are not while done by the evil-doer that hates the light being alâ—o by confession but imperfectly good and for so far from being truly good that what ever they are in your own in Gods Account they are no better then evil they are really evil too yeaâ— as to the nature done in though not as to their meaâ—ure â—as realy evil as the other and not your unrighteousnes onely but also your own Righteousness being by the like true concession but filthy Rags they are not absolute Contraâ—ies but Con-naturals as your best good and worst evil is for as two evil spirits may be both Devils though not Devils both of one Hair but one a little bâ—nâ—ker t'other respectively somewhat whiter then the other so your two sorts of works whereof ye call one good the other evil one your Righteousness t'other unrighteousness are both alike evil and wickedness though one carries a fairer face before it than the other Neither did I as thou dost pag. 54 that the Gospel gives life upon imperfect obedience then affirm and so G.W. tells thee p. 20. of his Reply to thee who either didst or would'st not it seems understand me so well as he others that imperfect works and the Righteousness which is as filthy Rags do deserve Iustification neither did I ever nor shall I now go about to prove by the Rule of Contraries a contrary desert of your unrighteousness or evil works and of such Righteousness and Good Works as yours are which both you and I acknowledge are but imperfect and so no better then evil unrighteousness and filthy Rags so as to conclude from thence that as your evil merits damnation so your good merits Iustification nay in stead of Arguing about these from Contraâ—iorum Câ—ntraâ—ia est Ratiâ— of contraâ—ies there 's contraâ—y consequence I must say rather Paâ—ium Par est Raâ—iâ— Similium Similis consequentia things that are alike are of a like desert therefore your evil and your good in name differing yet in kind agreeing being evil and filthy Rags both alike do both alike as truely deserve condemnation from him as they are both alike abâ—minaâ—ion before the Lord. But if by that Term OVR Good Wâ—rks of which thou â—ayest they are but impâ—fectly good thou intendest those of Christâ— own woâ—king in and by us and all his Saints of which he beâ—ng the Authour though we in and under him the Actours thereof I said before Vix ea nostra voco I deny any of these to be as thou callest them but imperfectly good and both affirm and shall prove them all to be really good and as so truly contrary to both your confessed evil and but conceited good works which yet really are but evil and not onely so but perfectly good also and in that respect more absolutely contrary to all your own both worst and best workâ— the best of which though cal'd by you at least imperfectly gâ—od are yet at best no better in kind then as perfectly evil as the other saving the baldness of that Phrase perfectly evil which yet being thy own thou maist the better and must however bear it from me In proof of which though it seem but a mad mans mad Divinity to you more mad Divines and possibly a meer Paradox to many more then meer Parish Priests yet let it be considered That every thing that can be truly according to God not after the manner of erring men onely said to be good or Righteousness though so but in part yet is as perfectly so as it is truly said so to be for howbeit all that which is but in part is by our Academical Rabbies who count all plain Countrey Russet-Coats but Rusticks in comparison of themselves counted but imperfect and commonly so called as if in paâ—t and imperfect were ever Synonomous and all one so that in their benighted minds they oft render that place 1 Cor. 13. as T. D. till he was corrected did at the Dispute thus viz. when that which is perfect is come then that which is imperfect whereas that which is in part and but aliqualiter not yet aequaliter or so perfect as the other is is opposed to that which is more perfect to its degree only yet as to its nature which different degrees do never alter for that gradus non variant naturam Rei is received for truth by all that which is truly good Righteousness Light Uprightness Holiness Truth though but some part of that fuller measure that once shall be yet is not onely Really the same but as perfectly the same in suo genere as that which is perfect in degree also is in its kind that is to say as perfectly Good as perfectly Righteousnâ—â—s c. as Good Righteousness Light Grace Uprightness Holiness Truth is in the highest measure Every dâ—am of Grace is perfectly Grace every degree of true Good perfectly Good every grain of Holiness perfectly Holiness as every spark of fire is perfectly fire and perfect fire and every drop of water perfect water as well as the whole Ocean as every Babe as to the nature is perfectly a man and a perfect man as he is that is a man in stature Holiness in the least measure of it is the gift of God and I know no imperfect gift that he giveth who is the Giver of every good and peâ—fect gift and every one of whose gifts is perfect all that is perfect is of God and all that is perfect which is of God from whom no imperfect thing can come and all true Good and Holiness is of God and all Sin Unholiness Unrighteousness Imperfection is of the Devil and all that is imperfect whic his of the Devil from whom no thing that 's good or truly perfect can come and all sin is properly nothing but 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 transgression defect and imperfection it self and whoever sinneth is born of the Devil and he that is of the Dâ—vil while so is not born of God nor in a state of Salvation nor in the Election but in the Reprobation and Rejection and what is born
from the sight of how 't is at home he might see us perfectly clear and himself onely deeply guilty in part yea wholly of the self same Errour for verily we say of all Our own good works done by us out of him and not by him in us which onely are usually by God and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 also properly Term'd Our own they are as man himself in the fall who does them is altogether become unprofitable either to iustifie sanctifie save entitle to or fit us for Gods Kingdom yea what God himself doth Isa. 57. we do and will declare of Our own Righteousness that it cannot profit us of our Companies we are gone to and Congregatings with them c. in our own wills and thoughts these cannot deliver us the wind will take all these away and as it hath done some already so will all those that truth therein we say as Eph. 2. by Grace we are saved justified not in as you look to be but from our sins in which we were once dead together with you in which we sometime walked with you who cannot believe that ye can he perfectly purged from them while you live but that ye must live in some and some in you till you die after the course of this world the Prince of the air the spirit that still lives in you children of disobedience and in the rich mercy and great love of God wherewith he hath loved us made accepted in his beloved quicknâ—d raised up and made to sit together not in fleshly lusts and eartly Pallaces with painted Professors of him but in Heavenly places in Christ Iesus and all this through Faith not of our selves for its the gift of God nor yet of self works so as that any of us can boast for we are not our own but his workmanship in all this created in Christ Iesus whose new Creatures we are unto the good works we now do in the Light and Movings of his Spirit in a cross to the will of our flesh till it and the lust thereof be wholly crucified and we to the woâ—ld and the world to us which God hath of old ordained in order to the Eternal Life he hath that way ordained us to that we should walk in them yea Tit. 3. we were formerly for all our forms of Religion which yet were to the full as powerful as the best of your or the most Reformed Formalists empty Profession without the Possession of that Godliness ye prate of foolâ—sh disobedient serving diverse lusts and pleasures as ye still do and yet vainly hope to do well enough living in every malice hateful and hating But since the Goodness and Love of God our Saviour to mankind in Christ the Light appeared to us we are from these sins justified and loved for which judgment without mercy wrath without remedy will come on you that judge your selves justified in them yet not by any works in the Righteousnes that we have wrought but according to his own mercy he haâ—h saved us which saves to the uttermost and not by the halves as ye dream he does who Reckon without your Host who will Reckon otherwise with you when he comes nigh to you to Judgement and ye come to Account by the Light that all the sins past and to come of you Elect and peculiarly priviledged unsanctified Saints are Remitted while they are as hourly they are yea and long too before they are committed and that you while as unjust and guilty as David in his very acts of Adultery and Murder are yet acquitted accounted just and held guiltless by him who is of purer eyes then to behold iniquity and not abhor it and call that good that does evil and who will by no means clear the guilty in his guilt nor accept the filthy in his filth I say according to his mercy he hath saved us by the washing Mark of Regeneration and the Renewing of the Holy Spirit which he hath shed on us abundantly by Iesus Christ our Saviour to this end Mark that we being justified by his Grace viz. shed on us freely by Christ not inhaerent in him onely as the Subject might be made Heirs according to the Hope of Eternal Life This and not thine T.D. is the faithful Word and these are the Truths about our Iustification or Salvation that they of old were enjoined stedfastly to Teach that those that believed in God might be careful to maintain good works of this sort as useful good and profitable unto men counting all their own which yet T.D. sayes are necessary to sanctifie and make meet as dung loss imperfect impertinent unprofitable and useless as filthy Rags Yea Finally as Paul said of his own Worships Works Righteousness and Services while he was a proud puft up Pharisee as most of our Formal Scribes and Modern Ministers are for he calls not that his own as T.D. does but Christs which he was after clothed in and by Faith had received from him and by him was enabled to perform and abound in so say the Qua. of theirs and I of mine If any man think he hath whereof to glory in the flâ—sh of flâ—shâ—y wisdom self-righteousness outward performances Well-worships inward workings of the mind in earnest Imaginations and of mans will in zealous hastings willings runnings strivings after God and Righteousness and Good in which yet the Kingdom comes not nor the Righteousness of it I could say more then I am here minded to do but since I came in the Light to feel the Circumcision of the heart to the Lord by himself not made by the hands of man and to witness the worth of the true Worship of God in Spirit and Truth in the inner part which his own witness within onely leads to what good works of mine I once counted gain I am now made by Christ to count loss for those of Christ yea for the excellency of the true knowledge of Christ to be my Lord whom I once so called but did not all that he said for whom I have lost all that and what more he hath yet called me to suffer the loss of and do esteem all but as dung that I may win hâ—m and be found in him not clothed with the old Righteousness of my own which was once Pauls and called by me and T.D. both but as filthy Rags so I know no Righteousness of Christ is called by any besides T.D. but with that Righteousness which is by Faith in his Light in which onely he is known Revealed and Received from him and in the way of that Faith by which God purifies the heart which overcomes the world in it and works by that Love that fulfils the Law in working no ill to the Neighbour wrought in me by him even that Righteousness which through Faith in the Light is of God not as our devising Diviners both Devise and Divine to the making of the wicked ones seem just and good before God when they are nothing
truth but must needs condemn it as delusion and deceit for none of Pauls meer own righteousnesse no dung and losse no imperfectly good works nor imperfect obedience nor such as that of the Iews establishing nor any nor all our righteousnesses which T.D. and I together with our unrighteousnesse dare denominate no otherwise then as filthy Rags doth so much as fit for that pure possession neithe can such as this entitle as a Cause thereunto yea if the righteousnesse of Christ within us wrought by him and received from him were indeed no better then T.D. makes it who makes it no better then mans own I should then acknowledge the who'e sentence to be true which T.D. once utterd and sincâ— acknowledges the truth of p. 38. which seeing he intends it of that true righteousnesse of Christ in his Saints which we testifie to that it s not that which Paul calls his own and dung but Christs own indeed who is the only Author of it is somewhat more then a meer lye and little lesse then bâ—astly blasphemy as T.D. affirms it viz. that any man that holds that principle of being justified by a righteousnesse within us living and dying in that principle caâ—nâ—t be saved But indeed Christs righteousnesse within us only is that by which souls can be saved as I shall shew anon for that without which is in kind the same never iustifies makes just righteous holy cleane nor saves from the sin till some of the same be in us every measure of the gift of which though but a part of the whole is as perfect as the 1 st fruit and the meer earnest of the spirit is a perfect gift and as perfectly good in its kind according to its meaâ—ure as the whole lump and fulnesse out of which it is given and is that which is by T.D. though but a part but improperly called imperfectly good and imperfect obedience p. 45. For no obedience nor good that 's of Christ noâ— gift of the heavenly Father in him is any other in nature then they both are i. perfect as they are peâ—fect and as the fulnesse of good that dwels in and flows from them is perfect without any imperfection And 't is only perfect obedience as only that of Christ whether in the head or in the mâ—mbers of his body is not any mans own upon or for which the Gospell gives life and justification Yet Oh the Rounds that T.D. runs in which there 's no way out of but by the Dore that is the Light which all Theâ—ves and Robbers are climbing above T.D. tells us another untrue tale p. 45. which overturns that untrue tale he told before for p. 38. He said no salvation is of any by a righteousnesse within for any that bâ—leive it must come that way for what 's within us though recâ—ved from and wrought by Christ is but imperfâ—ctly good p. 14.15 and Rags But p. 54. he sayes the Gospell gives life mark upon impâ—fect obedience So according to T.D. who sometimes rejects all righteousnesse within us as imperfect as refuse and as uselesse as filthy Rags which are good for noâ—hing sometimes again allowes that which Paul calls his own and dung to be called Christs and good for sâ—mthing viz. though not to justifie and entitle as a Cause or that upon which which term upon though T D would in p. 21 of his 2 Pamphlet shuffle into a more moderate sense then its properly taken in which is as much as to say for as the Cause of he therein doth but more manifest his folly to all men the Gospell gives the inheritance of life yet at least to sanctify and make meet for p. 14.15.22 but then this righteousnesse within whether Christs or our own which is dung and Christs also by gift to him must take heed however of creeping too high for if it aspire so as to assume to it selfe to be own'd us advantagious to justifie and entitle as that upon which the life is given it must be huâ—l'd down again to â—ary Hell for T.D. p. 28. Do 〈◊〉 all them to Damnation by whole â—ale below all possibility of Salvation that dare so much as hold that principle of being saved by it but for fear his damnation should be damned again as too damnable a Doctrine if he should not moderate it as to the legall rigidity thereof seeing he sayes the Law gives life upon perfect obedience and not without it and can't beleive any obedience that Christ can work in his Saints in this life can be perfect but all that he here works within men imperfect and none perfect but that he wrought without them as far off as Ierusalem as long as 1600. years since and hath now inherent in himself no neerer to them then heaven is to the earth he bethinks himselfe or else forgets himself again so far its not matter which as to cut off the entail of eternall life which the Law gives upon no other then absolutely perfect obedience and â—ntaâ—lâ—s the promise of it under the Gospell whether Christs or ours or both I know not which and I think he knows not well himselfe unto an imperfect obedience as that upon which mark life is given under the Gospell and contrary to Christ who tells us Math. 5. That the Gospell righteousnesse which reaches to the thoughts must exceed and be more perfect if more perfect can be but more then perfect cannot be then that of the Pharisees