pretending to be Christs and saying Loe here he is c. and a Command of Christ Jesus goe not into the Wilderness goe not into the private Chambers There is a time when Christ Iesus his Doves and Loves cry out to him O thou whome my Soul loveth tell me where thou feedest where thou makest thy Flock to rest at noon for why should I be as one that turns aside to the Flocks of my Companions I doe not remember that any Reply was made to this by any of my Opposites nor heard I any more of this Objection I now praied there patience to hear me a few words I said we had spent two whole dayes from morning to night and had proceeded no further then the Debates of the two first Positions I told them if they were free I would attend them again in the Morning being the first of the week to fall upon the proof of my other five positions remaining for Newport or if they were not willing to that I would if God permitted attend them there on the second day called Munday in the Morning to proceed upon the rest W. Edmundson said they had spent so much time already upon but two of them and both he and Iohn Stubs said they had other business in hand then to attend unto my false Charges which in all 67 this time I could not make out they said they must go about the work of the Lord to which he had called them I told them I had used all diligence I failed not to meet them about the exact hour appointed and alwayes before the audience was come I never withdrew nor absented a Minute but put my old Carcase to constant pursuit of my promise which lay on me to fulfil and to make out my proofs although they had spoke never a word until I had finished I used all possible brevetie and oft times suppressed my thoughts pressing in upon me for Utterance and Audience I rather chose thus to Apologize for my self then down right to blame them on whom they saw well enough I laid the blame of our long proceeding I told them I had spoken nothing to them but the Eternal truth of God which sooner or later would arrest them and using aloud the words of the Lord Jesus viz. The words that I have spoken shall judge you at the last day I withdrew Within a quarter of an hour they sent one to me to desire my coming in again to them and William Edmondson commonly their proud mouth told me that I had deeply charged them and laid many false Accusations upon them and some of them dangerous both as they were Christians and as they were men they had used long patience in hearing of me and yet because it should be seen that they were willing to hear the utmost that I had to say they would meet and spend a few hours with me on the second Day following at nine in the Morning only they would not endure any long and tedious Discourses I answered that their own souls knew and the Auditors knew I used to be brief and if they had pleased to have given me leave I would have finished the whole seven by noon the first day and I would now promise them by Gods help to finish what I had to say to the other five remaining in a quarter of an hour so that in five quarters of an hour I would present them with what I had to say W. Edmundson said they would expect I should so do and all of them seemed well pleased that I offered to dispatch each Position in a quarter of an hour I said they must not count me false a Promise-breaker if I was not exact to a quarter of an hour possible I might be within a quarter possible I might something exceed it but I hoped not to exceed above a quarter W. Edmundson replied Nay Roger thou must be punctual if 68 thou wilt be a Christian and indeed afterward at Providence he unjustly more then once upbraided me saying Is this your quarter of an hour I answered that Christians nor any prudent man would be so curious and critical as to raise Censures and Accusations upon the nicityes and uncertaintyes of a few Minutes for unless we had Clocks and Watches and quarter-Glasses as in some Ships it was impossible to be exactly punctual however by Gods help I said I would study such Exactness that I would rather omit much I had to say then fail in my promise to them After this as I heard W Hitchcock of Newport held dispute with them about Water-Baptisme I was withdrawn being evening and weary I was told by many of Providence that I knew them they would not stand a Disputation or if they did they would not continue without great Advantages and be as slippery as Eeles and break off abruptly as their spirit hurried them I therefore studiously endeavoured to tole and drive them to the finishing of my remaining five at Newport and the other seven at Providence And thus by the most wise and gracious hand of God we came to the end of the second dayes work and the second Position and the end of the Week It was queried by some why at Newport and Providence afterward they appointed the end of the weeks for the Disputation and why since it was not finished they would not proceed on the first day It is not immaginable that they cordially owne that day for the Quakers work upon it but they wisely resolved to have the whole first day with the People to make up their Breaches stop Leakes dress wounds that might be in the foregoing Agitations against their Consciences Credits It is dolefull that men of excellent parts and of great knowledge in the Scripture should yet so ly under a Sentence of Gospel justice that they cannot but deceive as they are deceived that they cannot but believe Lyes and tell Lyes horrible and blasphemous Lyes as confidently as the Purest Truths and suck in and powre out the poyson of Dragons the great red Dragon the Father of Lyes instead of the sweet Milk and Wine from the Breasts of the Way the Truth and the Life the son of God Christ Iesus 69 THe third day of our Conference being come being the second of the Week as was appointed W. Edmundson began and said to this effect Roger we have waited upon thee two dayes already to hear what thou hadst to say to prove thy false Charges against us we are here according to promise to spend some hours about the rest of the seven which yet remain we must tel thee that we will not give thee leave to make a long work of it if according to thy promise thou wilt dispatch each af the other five in a quarter of an hour we will keep our promise and hear thee I knew it was in vain as in the other two dayes past I found it to insist upon
Ministeryes or Offices 3. Operations Works or Successes all wrought in the Saints by the holy Spirit for the Glory of the same Father Lord and Spirit the mutual comfort and edifing of the Saints yea and for the Convicting and drawing of other poor Sinners out of the World to God The Lord mercifully awaken your Souls to the Love of God and the Love of his holy Truth for the not beleiving of which but the profane playing with it the most high and righteous Judge of the whole world in a way of Iudicial Sentence delivers up poor Souls to believe Lyes and that so strongly as to give their bodyes to be burned for them The Papists catch hold upon a Letter This is my body You as simply as doe the Generalists catch hold upon the Letter All every man that comes into the world .c. whereas the Scope and Connection in all writings and in all matters in the world are rationally to be minded The Sence and Meaning is in all Speech and Writing in our own and other Languages the very Speech or Writing it self These Words All and every one in our own and other Tongues 9 are often used figuratively it is so all the Scripture over and thrice in one verse Colloss 1. 28. where Reason cannot imagine that Paul did literally and individually admonish every man teach every man and present every man that comes into the world perfect in Christ Jesus which could not cannot possibly be true without another Sence and Exposition then the words literally hold out 4 Again you are dangerously bold to say that you write from the Spirit of Truth wherein you Father these your childish Irrationalityes your profaning of the holy Majesty of God his holy Scriptures and writings and your rash Judging and Examining of others upon the holy Spirit of God But I do humbly hope to evince that the Spirit you boast of is so far from the Spirit of God that it falls beneath the foot of a sober and well grounded Humanity At present I only Instance in that whorish and monstrous act of your Women and Maidens stripping themselves stark naked by your Spirit and with a face of brass coming into the open streets and publick Congregations of Men and Youths This Spirit though defended by G. Fox and others is such a piece of unnaturall and bruitish Impudence that I cannot hear of the like amongst Jews or Gentiles yea not amongst the most Savage Base and Barbarous of them all all Circumstances considered 5. In the last place I observe your Fickleness and Inconstancy what and how often have I heard you speak of the Chief of the Quakers now at Newport How lately and how much have you uttered of John Crosman his Cross and froward spirit even since he pretended the Spirit yea how inhumane and injurious to your self in the way of his Calling now all on a sudden for I heard but little untill I saw your Lines you are got up into the lofty Chair of Judging and ready to say God I thank thee I am not as this Publican I beseech the Lord to make you savingly to remember that Word God resisteth that is sets himself in Hostility against the Proud but he giveth Grace unto the Lowly so prayes your old unworthy Friend R. W. Providence 18th 5th 72. I had hoped that I had Conjur'd down at least for the present that Waspish spirit but he flyes out against me within a few dayes in this second Letter following 10 Providence 23. 5. 75. ANcient Friend and Acquaintance I read thy Note four dayes after the subscribing it that so thy Councellors might throughly be informed of thy continued Zeal in a dangerous Case What I write to thee in Love hath a contrary effect in thy Spirit being so prejudiced against us according to the Proverb Nothing is well spoken that is not well taken Upon Discourse thou didst say the Quakers could not be believed on their Words or Writings having a secret Reservation within them which gives me to conclude that wee are Iudged before wee Speak For my charging upon thee Slanders and Lyes Examine but thy Positions which will make manifest what I say As for the Terror which thou speakest of c. I leave it to thee to consider what thou art about least thou be called to Account for it before thou art ready As for charging me with Irrationality for not alleadging Scripture for what I write yet I alleadged three Scriptures one of which thou wrestest adding what I wrote not so that if I had urged more I should have had the like Catching But we both must come to give an Account of what is done in the Body In this my Letter thou mayest see my witnessing against most of thy Slanderous Propositions Concerning the Spirits manifestations 1 Cor. 12. 13. I freely consent that they were the Saints by Calling who are there Considered As thou alleadgest the Papists Catch at a word This is my body so we catch at a word All and misapply Scripture so that I perceive thou hast not a Guide to thy mind but utterest thine own Conceivings John 3. 16. The Promise is to them that Believe and not to All. Again Thou findest fault with my rash judging thee and abusing Scripture Take it to thy self for the word Damning thou foistest in thy self neither dare I pass Sentence of Damnation upon any For Iudgment belongeth to the Lord and we must stand or fall to our own Master As for my Fickleness and Inconstancy Lay thy hand upon thy mouth and Consider thy Windings and Turnings in thy Iudgment and Practice how thankfull thou wast to J. Burnet whome thou highly commendest after thou camest home and now reproachest the Truth which then thou assentest to and in thy 14 Positions thou hintest by thy wicked Surmises what the sudden spirit of the Quakers is to take away the Lives of Kings .c. but I told thee in my first Letter thou art a stranger to that holy Spirit we act by But further thy Malice appeareth in going to one thou saidst that 11 if the spirit of the Governour were to cut of his head he must doe it Call to mind what thou didst to thy peaceable Neighbours seeking their Blood crying out Treason when the Court discerned thy Blood-thirsty spirit which thy friends at Newport were ashamed of and thy Accusations proved Invalid How childish didst thou act to swear against One when another told thee of somewhat spoken to allay thy fury against William Harris Call to mind thy Books written and see thy Fickleness wanting a Guid to thy mind being for and against Persecution Thou chargest me to have gotten into the Chair of Iudging thy two Scripts I return upon thy self Physitian heal thy self The Wisdom of man puffeth up but the Wisdom of God humbleth that God may be all in all I desire thee to look back to thy Lines and where thou mentionest the Satisfaction of infinite
Before I come to Transactions between those three left behind him Iohn Stubs Iohn Burnet William Edmundson and my self I think fit to tell the Reader what a preparatory Conflict the most holy and only Wise Lord was pleased to exercise me with before I came to the Publick My former antient Neighbour and friend I. T. being bit by such infectious Teeth himself fell on me as a man would fall upon a Toad or Serpent and sent me this following Letter notwithstanding he was but newly bitten by them and for forty yeares pretended no small love and respect to God and me He first gave fire upon me in this following Letter Providence 18. 5. 72. Roger Williams THy Scurrilous Paper in thy Propositions to G. Fox and others who in scorn are called Quakers I advise thee to refrain any further publishing thereof and as it is written keep thee far from an evill matter thy paper being full fraught with impudent Lyes and Slanders with high flown airy imaginations which if thou shouldst live the dayes of Methuselah thou couldst not perform In Love to thy Person and Name 6 which ought to be precious I advise thee not upon a sudden motion as thou termest us to act by but from the spirit of Truth and tender love unto thy soul which Spirit by thy writing appears thou art a stranger to Consider thy latter end least with Cardinal Mazarin thou cry out in a dying hour Oh my poor Soul what will become of thee whither art thou a going And said if he should longer have lived he would leave the Court and be a Capuchin Time is precious Repent Repent and mind the manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every one to profit withall and knocks at the door of thy Heart for entrance which being rejected will be thy Condemation If thou rejectest this my faithfull witness for the Lord I then say with John in the Revelation let him that is filthy be be filthy still and so remaines thy friend and Neighbour I. T. Having read this Letter and knowing this my Neighbour of late to have declined much from his former profession of Godli ness and many wayes by his Loosness had grieved my Soul I wondered not much at his Lines though now much unexpected of him as knowing the Quakers spirit to be a ready Ditch or Gulfe that readily sucks and draws into it Soules afrighted easily to skin over their Sores Proud and Self-conceited ones who gladly close with the Spirit of and Children of Pride and Loose fading Professors of which sort the Quakers Meetings do much consist as not being able to walk close with God not daring to turn wholy Profane or Atheists and so daube up the breach with untempered Morter the wild and foolish notions of the Devils Whisperings under the cloak of the immediate Inspirations of Gods holy and heavenly Spirit Many thoughts I had to pass by his Affronts and Insultations But considering that it was not my Name not worth the while but the most High Eternall Majesty and his most holy Spirit thus fouly pierced and debased I return'd this Answer following My ancient loving Friend IF you pluck out the eyes of your Understanding Profession and Experience yet through the mercy of the Father of Lights and Mercyes I cannot do so with mine You tell me my Paper to G. Fox is Scurrilous c. full fraught with 7 Impudent Lyes and Slanders c. And you say you write in Love from the Spirit of Truth to which you say I am a stranger You mind mee of Death c. and bid me Repent Repent or else be filthy still and be damned To which I will not Answer as G. Fox answered H. Wrights Paper with a scornfull and shamefull Silence Thus I say in generall you are my Witness that I have long said with David and I humbly hope have made it good I hate and abhor Lying but thy Law do I love for which I have lost in my time something c If I had not loved his Law and abhorred Lyes I had long ere this bowed down against my Conscience yea I had fired the Countrey ahout this barbarous Land as some in this Colony have done I had murthered the Indians and English by the Powder and Liquor trade to which you know I had Temptation as much as your self or any others in N. England but I loved the Name of God For your self if the God of heaven have terrified your Soul which I believe is the case of most Quakers and of the Devils themselves and made it tremble at the Wrath to come you must not think to run from his flaming Eyes and Hand as Adam amongst the Thickets you cannot talk of Mercy without a way of Satisfaction to an insinite Justice Who payes the Old Score It is impossible that all created Powers in Heaven or Earth can discharge for one sinfull Thought There must be an Equivalent discharge not by filthy Rags and menstruous Clouts of our own Holiness which must he thought of before we can say We can sin no more against God than he can sin against us as you know who Blasphemously and Horribly maintain it In your lines I pray you to Consider First Your Irrationality for how can you imagine that a serious Christian in humble Considence of the of the mercifull Presence and gracious Assistance of Gods holy Spirit and of no little Afsliction and Suffering should be so easily stird as a Rock with a Feather by your bare crying Repent Repent or be Damned hearken to the Light within thee c. 2. Can Reason imagine that after much strugling within my self and the Birth of my Propositions and Resolutions that I can so suddenly strike Sail and bear up and immediately 8 Stifle and Smother and Burn my Conceptions and Resolutions as soon as I hear your simple and childish spirit Countermand me 3. Is it not unmanly Childish and effeminate to cry out a Scurrilous paper Lyes Lyes impudent Slanders .c. and yet give me not one Reason or one Scripture against any one of them Is it not too like the irrationall and brutish Answer of Humphrey Norton to a sober and Sollid Paper of Thomas Olnys sen. crying out Lyes Lyes 224 Lyes without any serious Examination of Particulars 2. I charge your Lines with Impiety where you infer that the most holy Spirit from that Scripture The manifestation of the Spirit .c. is poured forth upon every Individuall person in the World Did the Oyl most precious and holy the holy Ointments and the Blood in the Law respect the whole world or the Messiah the anointed and his Members Christians or anointed also Was not 1. Cor. 12. written to the Christians or Saints gathered into the Christian slock or Congregation at Corinth unto whome the Father of Spirits as in that place vouchsafeth those three heavenly Favours 1. Gifts which he shews there to be different 2. Administrations
patiently suffered for the true Lord Iesus sake the murthering Stones to lay him down to sleep 42 THE second day of our Spiritual Contest Battle being come being the tenth of the sixth Moneth August so called I heartily wished that I might rather have kept my Bed then have gone forth to a whole dayes fresh Dispute with such reputed able and noted Champions Not that the most high Lord Iesus whose cause and Name I was that day to manage for the next point was about the true Lord Iesus Christ not that I say he faild me in my Resolution to march on against Men and Devils for his Name sake nor that he faild me in my cheerfull Confidence that he would carry me in the everlasting armes of his Power and Goodness through that dayes Conflict as he had done the day before but that he was pleased to try me with more than ordinary Weakness and mouldring of my house of Clay that so my strength might be in a great respect immediately from Heaven considering my great unfitness for this dayes Service for thus it was My continued loud Speech all the day before had left an impression of Hoarsness upon me and much rain falling that afternoon after the Eclipse I took some wet in my feet that evening so that my Hoarseness increased and all that day my Head was afflicted with pain and my voice with a painfull Hoarsnefs I lookt up to heaven and desired to wait as a Begger at the Gate and as a Dog under the table of Mercy and my Spirit was chearfully resolved not to give occasion of Reproaching the name of God to them who I knew waited and watched for it nor any Disappointment to such as were resolved to attend the Meeting This day I chose a middle Seat neerer to the Seat of my three Antagonists I. Stubs I. Burnet W. Edmondson that so I might be heard the better with less straining of my Voice and Breast I began and stood up and said the holy Scriptures by the Prophet Ieremiah told us of certain Bow-men some that bent their Tongues as Bowes for Lyes and complain'd that none were Valiant for the Truth I told my opposites that they and I were met as Bow men and I could heartily desire that all our Arrowes might fly one way to wit in the defence of the true Lord Iesus Christ against the false But since I had charged them in my second Position to have set up a false Christ in stead of the true Lord Iesus I should address my self to make probation of my second Position Yet before I enter upon it I pray the Readers Patience to be acquainted with some Particulars 43 First Though my head was ill and my voice speech hoarse and painfull yet the Lord graciously carried me through the the whole day with little hindrance in my self and little disadvantage to the understanding of the Auditors Secondly This dayes Discourse was but accidental and additional for they and I desired to have finished the the whole first seven Positions in one day at Newport only in my paper I added that if the whole seven were not finished in one day the Conference might continue some few hours the next day following on this second day therefore was a great Assembly the Governour Magistrates Inhabitants and strangers Men and Women c. And this dayes Contest also held unto the Evening Thirdly As I had beg'd of God a Spirit of Patience to bear all their Censures Reproachings Revilings Vapourings and Insultings so it pleased God to exercise me with one notorious though private That I was Drunk and could not speak that day as I had done the day before But my Daughter Hart at whose house I lodged and Iohn Trip sen. who lodged with me can testifie that I complained of Illness and eat but a few spoonfulls of milk with Mr. Trip at Breakfast and though my daughter kindly offered me a Dram for my Illness but I refused it knowing it might curdle the milk I had taken and so increase my cold and Obstruction this the most holy God knowes and these Witnesses know was all I took that morning which might conduce to that foul Slander of being so Drunk that I could not speak plainly that day Fourthly This day also I encountred with that Disadvantage of all the three aforesaid Disputants at once with all their might fighting for their Idolls and Images against me I spake of it and so did others again and again But W. Edmundson still bruitishly pleaded that it was mine own Offer to undertake all Comers I answered as before that I took them to be rational Men and by all Comers not to understand ten or twenty or an hundred confusedly at once but in a fair and equal way one after an other it was grievous often exprest by some of the Audience But as beâ—ore on the first day I resolved not to lose time or suffer a Breach and the Lord was pleased to make my Yoke easie and Burthen light Now to the proof of my second Position which was That their Christ was not the true Lord Iesus Christ. 44 Here I prayed their patience to suffer me to tell them that they were not Christians nor Professors of Christian Religion They might with Iewes Turks Papists profess one God yet Christians they could not be but as the true Lord Jesus told us many false Christ and false Prophets should come who like Mountebanks instead of true Physitians and false and counterfeit Money instead of true should with Satans power and policy pass up and down and deceive Peoples and Nations so I must affirm and declare that for their parts they had cut of the head of the Christian Religion the true Lord Iesus Christ and they had set up a false Christ a false King an Usurper in his stead they had like Michal put a wooden Image upon a pillow of goats hair in Davids bed but David himself was gone the true David the true Lord Jesus Christ was not to be found amongst them this I spake expresly and they did hear me awhile My proof was First Because the Description and Character which the holy Scripture gives to the true Lord Iesus no way agrees with the Image which they have set up I told them that it was known that the word Christ was a greek word signifiing anointed as the word Messiah in the Hebrew did I said this true Lord Iesus was one Person made up of two Natures God and Man united into one person I said one Individual person whatever S Fisher blasphemously utters against it That as to his humane Nature or being Man all the Figures and Ceremonyes al the Priests and Sacrifices pointed to him as the great Prophet the great anointed King and Governour c. 2. As to his humane Nature and being a man and One Man Moses and the Prophets wrote of
Scriptures they produce as Christ in you except ye be Reprobates c. concern an inward invisible and Spiritual presence and yet they bruitishly cry out contrary to the Prophets Christ the Apostles 61 It comes to my mind that in reading urging some of these Passages concerning these Foxians denying the Humane Nature and Person of the Lord Iesus one of my Opposites Iohn Stubs insisted upon that 9. of Isaiah where Christ is called the Everlasting Father and yet he said He was the Son of Man born of a Woman c. I Answered the Hebrew word rendred by our Transâ—ators the Everlasting Father is Translated by some the Father of an age or the Father of Ages alluding to the great increase and spreading of Christs Name and the mighty increase of his Spiritual Seed as the Lord promised to Abraham and Isaac as the Stars of Heaven Iohn Stubs said the Hebrew word was Abi Haad c. and it was rendred Pater Eternitatis I replied that it was rendred and that more near the Hebrew Pater seculi or seculorum But I told him it was not a seasonable time and place for him and me to spend much time about the Translation of the word he said he had brought the Hebrew Bible with him and it may be he understood the Hebrew and the Greek and other Languages as well as my self and better too I was about to say that they were wonderfully altered and changed from their former principles and practises for heretofore they have professed to me that they had no need of Books no not of the Scripture it self for they had the Teacher within them that gave forth Scripture c. if now they were perswaded to study the Holy Scripture and the Translation of it and to examine the Translations and the Copies of them then they did err and sin before which they say the Saints cannot in so wonderfully neglecting and slighting them as useless and needless things Yea the truth is if their Light be so Alsufficient as they make it to bring them to Heaven to guide them immediately and infallibly c. what simplicity is it in them to stoop to Pen and Ink and mens fallible Translations yea many wayes charged with many failings I know their Pretences of becoming All to All to win the more and of removing the offence and stumbling block viz. as if they denied the Scriptures but the truth is they look at the Holy Scriptures still but as the Ceremonies which the Apostles dispensed with for a season they care no more for the Scriptures then the Papists do they are forced to make use of them for an end but all their hope is in their Interpretations which both Papists and Qua 62 kers bend their utmost to secure viz. the Priviledge of Interpretation and chair of Infallibility to themselves or else down they tumble for most sure it is the Holy Scriptures and both Papists and Quakers are at irreconcilable difference if the one stand the other must fall for ever Although I desired to finish all the first seven Positions that day and offered once or twice to proceed yet W. Edmundson especially upbraided me that I kept them long and that I proved nothing and upon a sudden a violent tumultuous disorderly Wind or Spirit filled all his Sails so that he rose up and fell into a downright Speech or Sermon to the People and Auditory and first he declared how notoriously I had wronged them in laying and publishing so many false and some of them dangerous Charges against them 2 And how they had been so long patient towards me and suffer me to produce so many Allegations out of G. Fox his Book and yet they speak nothing for me but G. Fox his words cleared him from all my unjust challenges and charges 3. He Appealed to the People how willing they had shewed themselves to own the Scriptures and to have all their Teaâ—hings and Differences tried by the Scriptures 4. He fell upon the two Hinges of all the Quakers common Discourses First An Invective against the Priests False Teacher False Apostles who had got on the Sheeps cloathing and sold the words of Scripture for their Game and Lucre and he amplified this much how all their care and study was to get a good Living or Benifice of 50. 6â— 100. or 200 pounds a year more or less and he that complained how I took up time now tediously made us all to hear a Story which he said he knew himself of one of the Priests that lived not many miles from the place where W. Edmund lived who told with his own Mouth unto William Edmund viz. how that having a good Benefice another Priest of his acquaintance came to visit him whom he entertained kindly and this his Guest told him that he was going to the Bishop of Dublin who was his Friend and the Priest the Host was afterward informed that this treacherous and ungrateful Guest did use all the art he could with the Bishop of Durham or Dublin to get his Friends that had entertained him his Living from him 2. The second part of his Sermon was as usually it is of all their Sermons an extolling and magnifying of that Light which 63 he said had appeared to him which he advanced as the Principle and the Foundation the Light c. he added how they had left all the Glory and Pleasures of the World for this Light and how they had endured and suffered much for Preaching this Light to ungodly and ungrateful men who had ill requited them for their Message and Work was only to bring good News unto them to tell them that they should be free from sin and have Christ Jesus live and dwell in them I kept silence until this famous Apostle and Preacher of Christ Iesus had done this Speech or Sermon which he said he was moved in his heart to make unto them as he often said to give an account of his Faith which he performed with very great zeal and fervency both of mind and body I had thought then to have spoke but immediately Io. Stubs stood up being moved as he said to Declare his mind and Thoughts unto the people also and so he began a large Oration Speech or Sermon also though not so long as William Edmundsons he declared how pleasant a thing the Light was and how pleasant a thing it was to behold it And he said are you angry because we bring you the Tidings of the Light This was the principle this was the Foundation of all the Light c. He added for Iohn Stubs his was but a Repetition of William Edmundsons his Sermon that they had forsaken all the Glory of Honours and Pleasures of this World for this Light and they had left their Wives and Children and exposed themselves to hard Travels and to many Hardships and Sufferings for the Light sake I heard him also patiently and gave him no
he brings in the Author of Hosannah to the Son of David saying The sure Word of Prophesie the Apostle speaks of is the Prophesie of Scriptures He Answers Doth the Scripture shine in a dark place until the Day dawne Are they them them that must be taken heed unto as to a Light Can any see the Scripture and know the Scripture but with the Light within Can not a Cain a Baalam a Core bring Scripture that is gone from the Spirit of Prophesie within and then put the Letter for it 98 I Reply 1. I know that Fox makes their Idol within called Light to be the more sure word of Prophesie and his usual proof is The Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie But first why must all the Prophets or Messengers of God who from the beginning of the world were Gods mouth and Pens Concerning the Birth Life Death Burial Resurrection Ascention and coming to Judgement of the Lord Jesus be here cast out from the Word of Prophesie Is it nothing Luk. 1 that God spake surely Gods speaking is his word God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which have been since the World began And Heb. 1. God spake sundry times and in divers manners in Time past unto the Fathers but how did God thus speake or utter his word but by the Prophets And Rom. 16. But now is made manifest and by the Scriptures of the Prophets according to the Commandment c. Therefore how oft is it written concerning the Lord Jesus These things were done that the Scriptures might be Fulfilled in which regard as to our satisfaction and belief the written word of Prophesie of the Prophets are a more sure Word and Evidence to us concerning the Lord Jesus then the Miraculous Appearance from Heaven of Moses and Elias and the voice from Heaven of which Peter here speaketh though in it self a true Testimony yet not so sure so firm and pregnant as the Word that God spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets from the beginning of the World c. Hence the Answer of Abraham and indeed of Christ Jesus If they hear not Moses and the Prophets neither will they believe though one should rise from the Dead 2. How sure is the Quakers Light their Word of Prophesie A sober mind can not but admire that Face and Forehead of Brass and Adamant with which God the Righteous Judge of the whole hath plauged Satan and his Followers so that they blush not to prefer such a simple Image a meer Babie and Childs Puppet of their Immediate Word of Prophesie before the Word the mind and will of God by the mouth of all the Prophets For is it not known in the holy Scripture in all Histories in all Ages in all Nations what Cursed Opinions horrible Uncleannesses Bloody Murthers and Slaughters have been Conceived and brought forth from the Spirit within and Revelati 99 on s from Divilish Lights and Spirits and the horrible End that generally the Authors and Promoters of such Spirits and Inspirations have come to 3. This Scripture Revel 19. The Testimony of Iesus is the Spirit of Prophesie what is it but Goliahs Sword to fetch off the head of this proud Philistin for doth not the Angels forbid Iohn worshipping of him upon this ground viz. that the Angel was his Fellow Broker Fellow Servant Fellow Worshipper Fellow Witness Is not this the Argument whereby he prohibits him viz. that one Testimony of Jesus was the work of Gods Spirit in the Angels in their way as well as in Iohns and Peters in theirs c. and shall we say that the Angels too are Quakers and Christ hath enlightened them also as well as every man that comes c And Revel 22. Doth not Christ threaten the Adders to and Diminishers from the word of this Book of this Prophesie what Affinity hath a written Book a written Prophesie with Immediate whisperings and Inspirations 2. Why should G. Fox here mention Cain Balaam Core what Scriptures could they bring what Scriptures were written in their times I think it no breach of Charity to guess that the Quakers and G. Fox are so used to Cursing and Censuring their Opposites at the first dash for Cains Baalams Cores that they could not well tell how to miss them Such persons no question and the Foxians and the lying Spirit the Old Fox and Serpent bring Scripture But doth the Divel cordially prize and love the word of Prophesie the Testimony and Witnesses of Jesus However he plainly here Confesseth that the holy Scripture is so powerful that the very Counterfeit the picture and Name of it will do him good Service with such whom he desires to cheat and Ruine And yet secondly this shews the Quakers horrible wickedness that although they love the holy Scripture for the general of them as well as doth their lying Father yet turn they the Truth of God into a lye and with the ugly Spider sucks that which he turns into poyson even from the same Flowers of Paradice the holy Scriptures from whence the hony Bees the true Believers suck the pure hony of Eternal Truth and Comfort 3. Again what madness is it for this blind Dreamer to ask his Opposite whether the Scripture shines in a dark place until the 100 dawne whether they must be taken heed unto as to a Light For how often is the holy Scripture even the very Law before the Gospel or glad News was preached adorn'd and beautified with the Illustrious Title of Light and all the subtle Foxes in the world must know that if they attend unto whisperings and peepings Isai. 8. and leave the written Law the Word and other Prophesies of Scripture or written Prophesies Words and Oracles of God! For all their Childish Vapourings and pratings of their Light the Eternal Father of Lights proclaims them to be Children of howling darkness and that there is no Light within them I speak it with horrour and Amazement and also with sorrowful Confidence that he that shall find a spark of true Light either of the knowledge or grace of the true Lord Jesus in this their Fantastick Light he shall find the Living among the Dead he shall prove the Prophets that spake and the Lord God of the Prophets whose word was spoke to be Lyars for saying there is no Light within them But Fox again demands Can any know the Scripture but with the Light within And I ask him what Light have the Papists and Iews and the Divel himself when they and he bring Scripture to Christ himself I know very well what he means in his Iesuitical Diabolical Reservations by the Light within and by knowing the Scripture his meaning is known and Common viz. except he be one of those dark Souls called Quakers But did not the Devil bring a pertinent Scripture and promise to Christ Jesus as ever Papist or Quaker could have alleadged though pointed and directed
ground it comes from thy own Knowledge which is Earthly And Christ took upon him the seed of Abraham and David according to the slesh and this is Scripture-Language 151 I reply in the former part of this Narrative I have shewn how simple irrational G. F. his clamour is against that word Humane and that the bottome is their impious unchristian and hypocritical denying of Christ Jesus to be a man one individual person as every man is therefore Humph. Norton G. Fox his Corrival is more plain and down right saying is not Christ God and is not God a Spirit and chiding us for gazing after a man c. I ad to the former page 293. where G. Fox brings in one Fergison saying that Christ and the Father and the Spirit are not one but are distinct c. G. Fox answers this is a denying of Christs Doctrine who saith I and my Father are one and the Holy Ghost proceeds from the Father and the Son and he was conceived by the Holy Ghost and they are all one and not distinct but one in unity that which comes out from him leads the Saints into all Truth that ever was given them from the Spirit of truth and so up unto God the Father of truth and so goes back again from whence it came Again the same Author saith it is Blasphemy to say the Son is not distinct from the Father c. G. Fox Answers the Father and the Son are one the Father in the Son and the Son in the Father so that which is in him is not distinct from him and they Blaspheme which say the Son is not in the Father and deny Christs Doctrine I reply G. Fox all along his Book calls that blasphemy which the most holy and eternal Lord calls heavenly Truth He hath like some Witches and other notorious wretches so inur'd himself to poyson that it is all one to him to swallow down the most sensual and sensless Dreames even concerning the fearfull mysteryes of the Father Son and Holy Spirit when the holy Scripture tels us concerning these Mysteryes that in this life we know but in part as through a glass darkly c. 2. For his Proof it is the Childs song in the streets they are one and therfore not distinct I fear he knows but will not know the nature of several respects and accounts viz. that in one respect Christ Iesus saith I and my Father are one and in another respect my Father is greater then I thus in one sence a Father is one with his Children an Husband with his Wife a Captain with his Souldiers a Skipper with his Sea-men a King with his Subjects And yet in another respect the Son is not the Father the Wife is 152 not the Husband the Master is not his Servants the Captain is not his Souldiers the Master is not his Sea-men and the King is not his subjects And thus though GF and MF be one in mariage and one in a spirit of notorious railing yet she her self will not say but she is the Woman and he is the Man she the wife and he the husband and this Distinction God in Nature the Law of our Countrey and all Nations will force them will they nill they to acknowledge otherwise like the man possessed in the Gospel I fear no Chains of Humility nor Modesty would hold them from throwing off all Chains of Conscience and from flinging all upon heaps of confusion without all due respective respects and distinctions There are four great points of the Christian Belief 1. The Doctrine of the Father Son and Spirit and these they will not distinguish but make all one and all to be in man 2. The Doctrine of the Fall Redemption Justification Sanctification c. and these are all in man by their Tenents 3. The Doctrine of the Church the Officers Baptisme the Lords Supper and these say they are all invisible and within man 4. The Resurrect on eternal Judgement Eternal Life Heaven and Hell Angels Devils these their Professions and Printings proclaim to be in Man also yea so within him that they are only within him and that without there is no God no Christ no Heaven nor hell c. In Page 38. G. Fox brings in Tho. Collier saying The Kingdome is not come nor the refreshing from the Spirit of the Lord. G. F. Answers which shews they are unconverted gadding here and there And Christ tells them the Kingdome was in them And they that are not turned to the Light which comes from Christ the Refresher whereby refreshing might come and so are not come to Repentance yet Reply Who sees not that G. F. speaks not here of the Kingdome of Christ so often promised in the future and to come and the time of refreshing Act. 3. but that he cuts off all future hopes and expectations to come and appropriates aud confines and fixeth and stakes down all to the present moment of this vanishing life and to what is in this moment in the minds of Men and Women 153 The Holy Scripture tells us and Experience tells us that Hypocrites have no solid peace and joy here nor solid hope of joy or glory to come and yet to still the deen and clamour of Conscience abhorring the thought of a judgement and reckoning to come they foolishly and atheistically please themselves with a childish Dream of no Heaven nor refreshing no Hell nor torment but what is now within us Pag. 101 he brings in Iohn Clapham saying To witness Heaven and Hell and Resurrection within is the Mystery of iniquity G. Fox Answers which shews thou never knew Heaven in thy self nor hell there nor Christ the Resurrection and the Life which they are blessed that are made partakers of the first Resurrection on them the second Death shall have no power and the Scriptures do witness Heaven within and if Christ that was offered up the Resurrection and the life be not within thee thou art a Reprobate I Reply If G. Fox would speak of Heaven and Angels and Hell and Devils and of the Resurrection and Life to come by way of allusion and similitude or by way of first Fruits or Tast of them he might profitably do it but to speak of them in opposition to a rising again an Heaven an Hell c. to come what is it I say what is it but to proclaim their Revolt from and their Rebellion against all the Christian Faith and Religion and their wonderful hardening against whatever is yet to come either here or in the eternal State approaching Pag. 214. He brings in some nameless saying To say Heaven and Glory is in man which was before man was they are sottish and blinde He Answers There 's none have a Glory and a Heaven but within them which was before man had a Being Unto this I adde Thomas Pollard saying for a perfection of Glory to be attained to on
So saith G. Fox and all our Fantasticks out of weakness and madness not weighing what a person the holy Records describe Christ Jesus to be but as foolish Children and Anticks in the Lord Mayors shews they cry out Christ and the Spirit only for a shew and colour I know it that the true Lord Jesus his holy Father and Holy Spirit is as odious both to Iesuits and most Papists Quakers as the Devil yea infinitely more then the Devil himself as with Gods help I have and shall make it as clear as the Noon dayes Sun O you considering Protestants see you not how the Devil would rob you of that Sword with which Christ Jesus overcame him The Holy Scripture under the colour and cloak of the Spirit in the mouths of the Quakers how if the Holy writings must yet live why he hath Fisher and Stubs and Pennington and Bishop and others that skill Tongues and yet own the blockish Spirit of the Quakers how if you blame the Popish Devil for a Blockhead he can puff up his Bladders the Iesuites to a late wonderful swelling of Tongues and Histories and all kinds of Knowledge as in Bellarmine and his Associate and Followers and of late in those great Writers Petavius and Morinus The eternal Word and Son and Sun of God the true Lord Jesus will more and more discover who are his true friends his true Loves that love Alexander more than the King that are true Christians true Iesuites and that truly love and pity poor Souls he will discover who are the great Farmers who having a minde to the Farm themselves consult and say come this is the Heir that is Christ Jesus in his true Messengers let us kill him kill him with Tongue and Pen and Sword c. the Inheritance of Heavenly and Earthly Glory shall then be ours c. and to this end only they talk of Souls c. We now descended to the fifth and sorrowful point of suffering which they read viz. That the sufferings of the Quakers are no true evidence of the Truth of their Religion At the reading of this they told me that although their Sufferings were great in all places whither the Lord had sent them yet they made not their Suffering an Evidence of the truth of their Religion therefore I might have been better advised then to 175 put this in among the rest of my Lyes and Slanders as not considerable and now not worth the mentioning c. I Answered that I understood what they said and I undestood mine own affirmation also and desired their patience also while I offered my Proofs to two Particulars 1. That in their Books and Writings c. they do make their Sufferings a great Evidence to themselves and others of the truth of their Way and Spirit 2. This their Suffering is not valid as to the proof of their Religion Way and Spirit to be of God So then they bid me prove it if I could I told them that I could find no Iewes no Papists no Protestants that did so magnifie and so exactly insist upon their Sufferings as the Quakers did T is â—rue that Paul did more particularize his Sufferings then other Saints in Scripture but it was also true that they were so exceeding great that Paul seemed a None-Such but beside that it was upon some great Insultings of the False Apostles against not only himself but against the Truth of Christ Jesus neither of which is the Quakers case Beside the Quakers Sufferings generally were not to be compar'd with Pauls and yet they set down such exact accounts of every hour in prison every Stripe in Whipping every pound lost and this published to the world in print as if it were a Sign hung out with this Inscription Loe people these are the Evidences of Gods holy Truths and Gods holy Spirit of our Persecutors wickedness and our Christian Faith and Patience who for his Truths sake can endure all this I said it was not rational to think that men professing such high Wisdome and Conscience should declare such Lysts and Catalogues of Sufferings as G. Bishop doth to the world of the Quakers Sufferings in N. England in his first and second History only in a childish Vapour Ostentation and Vain-Glory much less in hopes of Reparation or any worldly advantage either in England old or new Scotland or Virginia c. and therfore Reason perswades that these Sufferings are held forth as the holy Spirit speaks of the Sufferings of the Thessalonians 2. Thess. 2. as a manifest Token of the righteous judgment of God rendering Tribulation to their Persecutors and Rest to themselves suffering for the Kingdome of God As I remember Iohn Stubs said they did not boast of their 176 Sufferings but bare them patiently for the Truths sake which they preached and professed I said I did not charge them to say in express terms We have lost so much outward Gain Favour Friendship Worldly Advantage for the Name of Christ within us can you say the like for the Christ without you We have endured Imprisonments Whippings c. have you done the like only this I say that as all Religios Iewes Papists Protestants c. are confirmed in their Perswations by their Sufferings and do predicate them to others as Arguments and Signs of the truth of their Doctrines and of Gods presence and Assistance with them so do the Quakers and that with more Particular and exact Accounts then most of all the rest have done I told them I had observed much to this purpose in G. Fox E. Burrowes in the Book by me They bid me alleadge what I could out of them I took up the Book and they theirs I directed them to the 12th Page of Ed. Burrowes his large Epistle to G. Fox his Book in Folio where I read this passage viz. And this we did with no small opposition and Danger yea oftentimes we were in danger of our Lives through beating abusing punishing haling casting over walls striking with staves Cudgels and knocking down to the ground Beside Reproaching Scorning Revilings Hooting at Scornings and Slanderings and all abuse that could be thought or acted by evil hands and tongues and oft carried before Magistrates with grievous Threats and sometimes put in the Stocks and whipped and often imprisoned and many hard dealings against us the worst that tongues or hands could execute sparing life Of this all the North Countreys can witness And all these things are sustained and suffered from People and Rulers because of our Faithfulness to the Lord and for declaring against the false Deceivers For nothing save only the hand of the Lord and his power could have preserved us and carried us through all this neither for any Reward outward whatsoever or advantage to our selves would we have exposed our selves to suffrings violence and dangers which befel us daily But the Lord was our exceeding great reward
c. and the Bargain of flying out of our selves and only to Gods mercy in the Mediation of Christ Jesus And then again to render our selves to be so holy so righteous so obedient so loving so Chast so meek so patient so Temperate that in thought word or deed we Sin not and this our Holiness is Christ and God and Spirit and Justification c. I know the writers of the Quakers make this high Obedience to be the Crown of some high Saints amongst them as the Papists do and that others come not so high are taken by the sleshly Spirit and repent and Confess and be more watchful as they say in a Contradiction of I. Naylor but this is Contradiction to their general grant viz that every Saint every one even the least that is born again he can not Sin and I know also that they have a foolish Salve or plaister for this sore too and Contradict their denying of meanings given to the Scripture and come to the meanings of the Protestants saying they cannot Sin willingly and so and so And yet again in a horrible Mystery of 31 Iniquity they exclaim against the Protestants for saying a Child of God can not fall from true grace Finally or Totally 4. Here is a Mystery of hellish Iniquity in that they Confess such a man Christ to have been and his blood shedding the Types and real predictions and figures of him a real Death Resurrection and Assention and yet upon the point by a Devilish Chymistry evaporate all these and leave nothing but a Christ within as God and as Man whose Name is now Light and our Obedience to the motions of this Light within this is Justification Righteousness Salvation God Christ Perfection perfect holiness c. 5. It is a Hellish Mystery of the Devil to Cozen poor Souls with a Notion of the Difficulty and height of their Profession and of worshipping God in Spirit and Truth which they say no Body in the World do but they c. and yet the Truth is as I told them in publick there is an Image in the Bed but David was gone yea and that their Religion was one of the easiest Religions in the world For as I have seen pluck but forth a small pin or peg in a Harpsycon and that wonderful Instrument will delight your Ear and mind with curious and various Tunes of Musick So if once a poor Soul gives way an Inch and sets in one thought of yielding to the voice of a Spirit within them they are filled and ravished with curious Notions of Justification Holiness God and Christ and Spirit within them they can now Thou the King himself they need no Scriptures nor Teachers and thus as in a dream their great Debts of Thousands and Millions are paid and discharged The Cage door flies open and they are delivered as a Bird c. from Sin and Devil and Hell c. yea Rapt up into Paradice and see and hear and speak unutterable Ioyes c. I Confess as I said in the Case of the two hundred following Absolom I hope there is many a precious Soul sincerely aiming at God and as precious Diamonds and Jewels fallen in the dirt c. As I hope in the Parishes of Protestants and Papists also who being only ignorant as the Disciples were of main points of Christianity yet aim uprightly at God truly love him and labour to increase in the knowledge and grace of Christ Iesus A 17th Inst. is in ag 63. where G. Fox brings in his Adversary Ieremiah Ives saying There may be a Light to Convince of Sin and yet not within man He Answers there is no people 32 Convinced of Sin but they are Convinced within themselves and with the Light within them It is the Light which makes manifest to a man when he is Convinced It Answers to something and reacheth to something in their particulars though the words be spoken without them from the Light I Reply First it is a doleful Business to read and hear how Satan in his Chains of Darkness yet hath Liberty to appear abroad as an Angel of Light from Heaven thus vapouring and swaggering under the Cloak and Colours of Light the Light which is Christ the Light by which all things were made the Light that was glorified with the Father before the World was the Light that enlightens every man that comes into the World the Light within you c. the Light which will guide you up to God up to Christ up to Salvation and Eternal Life and yet all this vapourings and Crakings are but Cheatings from the God of this World whose eyes being beat out by Gods most righteous Sentence he labours to keep all in blindness or to beat out the eyes of those whom God hath truly enlightned 2. As I have said before and I said truly the word Light is a Similitude from Light and darkness though my Opposites in the dispute affirmed that God was Light in a proper and not figurative Sense and it signifies and intends Truth of all Sorts whether Natural Moral or Heavenly The natural Truth or Light is received within by a natural Light or understandings The Civil and moral Light or Truth suits and agrees with those moral and Civil Convictions of the natural Light and understanding Hither to Natures Light will reach But when we mount up to Divine and Supernatural Truth here these very Foxians Confess that the Natural Man perceiveth not the things of God Only they say that beside Natural Light Natural Reason c. there is the holy Seed God and Christ c. within every Son and to this Spirit and Seed in Prison they preach and Fox in our discourses alleadgeth and affirmeth God in every man to be a Cart loaden with sheaves prest under and as it were in Prison c. blasphemous wretches if they keep not but go beyond Similitudes and Comparative Expressions to make â—s poor worms creep up to Heaven 3. All Light or Truth Natural Civil or Divine it comes from without and is received by the Internal Faculty according 33 to the Capacity Nature and measure of it All Truth or falshood Light or darkness is first espied by the watch or Sentinel Fancy or Comprehension c. From thence it is conveyed to the Court of Guard where Captain Reason or his Lieutenant common Sense and Experience taketh Examination and Memory keeps a Record of proceedings which go on by degreen to Actions c. 4. When I say it comes from without I intend not that Truth or Light comes any other way from without as by force and ravishment c. I say any other way then there is a door Room and Receptive Faculty within willing to receive and to make it welcome This G. Fox urgeth there must be a receiver and something that Answers I Answer Natural Truth or morals Civil matters are soon
do believe from many Reasons which I have to shew they were from Satan yet I know also that Ignorance is shameful and that it pleased God miraculously to infuse the knowledge of Tongues to his first Apostles or Messengers to the Nations and what he will further do in this kind 45 before this Worlds glass is out who can tell only I am sure these Foxians talk like little Children in their grave Consultations without the least knowledge at all genrally of any thing but their mother English and yet as proudly and imperiously vapouring and triumphing c. like Theora Iohn proclaming to the World his mad Quaking Revelations Inspirations writing of Languages many which he Confest he understood not but Mysteries Mysteries 8. G. Fox is no wiser in affirming that Tongues came in place of the Spirit since the Apostacy For before the Apostacy the Lord furnished his Servants with understanding of several Languages miraculously with the Apostasie those heavenly miraculous gifts ceased In the Apostacy the Father of Spirits gave to his two witnesses power Authority Ability to prophesy preach declare witness to the Truths of Jesus against the Popish Inventions with the rising of Luther Calvin c. The Lord raised up the study of the Hebrew and Greek Tongues in many heavenly Witnesses who brought to Light the truth of the first Copies in Opposition to the Corrupt Latin Translation bruitishly settled under a Curse by the Counsel at Trent This mighty work of the Lord in his Protestant Witnâ—sses drove the Popish Foxes into their holes and hath driven for shame the Iesuits to study the Hebrew and Greek and by a new Stratagem partly made up of the pretence of their Spirit and partly of the pretence of Corruptions and Variations in the Copies to assault the Camp of the Protestant Witnesses 9. I despise not yea I praise God for and honour the helps and helpers we have in English yea I would not discourage the weakest English man or woman in Christian humility to sound forth the praises of God in writing speaking and printing in English what they have Experimented of the Son of God No though they should not write or print or speak true English as G Fox hath not done But when they lift up their Horns on high or their bruitish Ears as Foxes do in stead of Horns then I must tell G. Fox that although he prat le amongst the English and they be cheated with his dying Spirit yet if he go to other Nations as they simply pretend to do to Turks and Pope they must either be furnished with the Gift of Tongues miraculously or they must fling of their lazie Devil and study the Tongues of those Nations to whom they carry their pretended glad News or Gospel 46 The 23. Instance G. Fox in pag. 86. brings in the same Author saying Notwithstanding thy passing through the first and second Resurrection as thou saith there remains a Torment so thee at the last day and Woe He Answers They are blessed that have part in the first Resurrection The second Death have no power over them but are made free from Wrath that is to come and are passed from Death to Life and are translated into the Kingdome of the Son of God and are in union with the Son of God and the Father both and so thou utterest forth Lies I Reply G. Fox here Arrogates to himself and his Foxians 1. A Passing through the first and second Resurrection 2. He triumpheth in their Blessedness pronounced to their first Resurrection viz. of Communion with God and Freedome from Wrath to come 1. The Truth is G. Fox is in his Burrough of Words of divers â—ignifications He wrests and winds what is for his wicked ends but you shall never take him in Distinguishing and Defineing what the first and second Death is and what is the first and second Resurrection 2. The Truth is as soon as they hearken to this familiar Spirit they are so Elevated that they be in the heavenly glory the Resurrection is past and with K. Agags dream the Bitterness of Death and Wrath is past for ever with them 3. But no such grapes will be gathered of these Thorns nor Figs of these Thistles For if we talk of escaping wrath to come and of enjoying Blessedness we must prove to others as well as to our selves that the Expectation of the Iews and Mahumetans expecting a Carnal Blessedness to come is false We mâ—st prove the Papists and Common Protestants for all their Prayers and Alms c. are under that Sentence Depart from me ye workers of Iniquity 4. The Lord Jesus being questioned about the great point of Salvation he seems to Answer two things 1. That the most will hang their Souls upon the Hedge and venture like the high ways and hedges 2. Others will fear and look after Redemption Deliverance Salvation c. and of these two sorts First Some that will endeavour and seek to enter I Judge both 47 of Pagans and Mahumetans and Iews and Papists and Protestants and shall not be able The second is of such as sensible of the Narrowness of the way straightness of the dore and the Infinite necessity incumbing and the Infinite Excellency inviting fling away Preferments Profits and Pleasures and choose to enjoy the Mediator as lost and damned in our selves and follow him from his Cradle and Manger to his Cross and Gallows and labouring to draw other poor drowning Souls out of the pit of Eternal Rottenness howling with us 5. The Spirit of God tells us of three sorts of perisht Souls First Those without Law of which are Millions of Millions innumerable Secondly Such as had the Law or Word or will of God revealed to them in the Covenant of works Obedience or Iustice of which sort were Millions of Millions also A third is of such to whom Infinite pity hath vouchsafed the joyful Tidings of the Son of God his Mediation Interposition and Intercession Amongst these the Papists and the Protesters against the Papists are chief of the Papists the Iesuits of the Protestant thereso called Puritans run for it of these the Quakers pretend the highest but no otherwise then O thou Capernaum which art Exalted Exaltest thy self unto Heaven thou shalt be brought down to Hell c. For Tyre and Sidon Sodom and Gomorrah c. the poor Iews and Mahumetans yea the Papists and common Protestants shall have an easier Cup to drink off then the Foxians c that are so high pure and lofty and yet abound with Luciferian filthiness The 24. Instance is in pag. 89. where G. Fox brings in the same Author saying The Saints are neither in the Fulness of the Godhead nor in part Away with this Blasphemy that saith this is He Answers The work of the Ministry was to bring people to the knowledge of the Son of God to
c. 6. Yea as to those three whom G. Fox boasts of Iohn Paul and Peter Doth not Iohn cry out 1 Iohn 2. If we Confess our â—ins he is Faithful and just to forgive us and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness Doth not Paul Confess and bewail his coming short when he cries out that the good he would do he did not but did the Evil he would not and with his flesh did serve the Law of sin though it was not Paul that sinned but sin that dwelled in him A Mistery which I more then fear the most High hath hidden from this poor Foxes Eye And as to Peter to say nothing of his stupendious failing of his 116 Master c. even after his awakening after the Lords rising and Peters seeing and talking with him his bold profession and preaching of him to the Conversion of hundreds and thousands yet how is he charged by Paul for coming short of his Duty for Gross Weakness and in a kind Hipocrisy and Dissimulation so that such a cloud of witnesses o'rewhelming these new Gods Papists and Quakers how Righteous is it with God to make their Faces ashamed with the filth of their own nakedness in the highth of the pride of their conceited Deities The 60 Instance of G. Fox his lame Answer is in pag. 372. where he brings in Thomas Hodges saying The Scripture speaks of God after the manner of men He Answers The Scripture speaks of God after the manner of the Spirit and to the Spirit whereby men may receive him and know him by the Spirit which natural men can not 1. I Reply This bewitched and bewitching Soul hath all along his Book been picking out sweet Flowers out of his Opposites Gardens from whence he hath suckt turned the sweet juice of Heavenly Truths into the poyson and Venome of his proud Conceits So here he denies this Heavenly Mystery of Gods revealing himself to us after the way and manner of men having Head and Hair and Eyes and mouth c. wherein his Incomprehensible Goodness is pleased to stoop to us even the highest and proudest Souls as Nurses do to Children or as Physitians to weak and Crazy and distempered persons 2. But what shall we say to all those holy Scriptures which not only liken God to a man a man of war a Sheepherd a Warfaring man an Husband man c. but also to a Shield and other Insensibles Natural or Artificial as a Sun a Tree a Rock an House a Fort a High Tower c. When God revealed himself to Abraham Gen. 15. I am thy Shield c. will this foul mouth say that this similitude of a Shield was not a Familiar Metaphor or Figure wherein God speaks to Abrahams weak Capacity Or will he say that God speaking so to Abraham spake not also in the way the Spirit Or that God is Literally a Shield 3. It was a late Speech of one of the best Philosophers and of the best Christians that Old England or New ever had Then shall we know to wit in the next life in the Heavenly State to 117 Come how to answer that great Question What is God But this poor wild Asses Colt G. Fox he can resolve the Question he can gather up the Ocean in the hollow of his hand he can weigh the Everlasting Mountains and Winds in Scales and Inclose not only the Sun c. but also the Incomprehensible Sun of Glory and Purity within his Iuglers Box c. 4. For what would this little Thief and Fox or the great Thief and Fox the Devil have but blow out the Candle and Torch and Sun of the holy Books and Records that so the Father of Lies and Murthers may be heard as he hath been heard in the Grecian Oracles in Mahomet and the Mahumetans in the Pope and the Papists so by his whisperings in the Foxians as if he were the most holy Spirit of the Eternal God himself Immortal Invisible and only Wise. 5. For is it not the Devils Trade to play the subtle Hunter as do also his Iourney-men who ly in wait to catch men and to trim his Pits and Gins and Snares with green leaves and Boughs and Twigs viz fair pretences of the Spirit the Spirit the Immediate Spirit the Infallible Spirit the Teachings of the Spirit the manner of the Spirit speaking to the Spirit and Christ within you Christ within you except you be Reprobates Christ within you the hope of Glory c. These are fair Leaves and sweet heavenly green Boughs on which the Old Serpent twineth and from whence he uttereth even Scripture it self and the sweet Names God and Christ and Spirit in a frantick purpose to stab for he knows he can not the holy Scriptures and God and Christ and Spirit also 6. More particularly what doth he mean that God speaks not to us after the manner of men but by the way of the Spirit after the manner of the Spirit He grants that the holy Scriptures were given forth from the Immediate Inspâ—ration of the Spirit He knows that we maintain from Isai. 59. the great Promise of the Word and Spirit together to the mouth of Christ Jesus and his Seed and his Seeds Seed And also that we affirme that no Reading no Hearing no Meditation no Afflictions c. can do a Soul any good until God by the Power or Finger of his own self or Spirit makes the means Powerful and Effectual All this serves not but that which Sathan drives at and which alone must serve his Ends is Immediate Immediate Inspiration with a damning or changing the means by the most Holy and only Wise God Appointed 118 7. It is one of the Proverbs of the Ancients Sus Minervam docet The Sow teacheth the Goddess of Wisdome It is most Infallibly true here this filthy Sow that seems to be washt from Common vices and yet wallows in the mud Dunghils of Mystical Filthiness He must teach wisdome it self how to speak and appoint him his way and by wresting and racing out what he can the Holy Records how to reveal himself unto the Sons of men 8. It is pertinent to Consider the ground of this his only owning the manner of the Spirit viz. This Immediate Spirit speaks to the Spirit within What is the English of this Ridle The Immediate Spirit within speaks to the Spirit within But their Spirit will tell us that God and Christ and Spirit and Light and New Covenant and Faith and Holiness c. are all in prison within in every man until the Immediate Spirit without means perswade a person to hearken within to him as to Christ Light and Spirit which will bring him to God and Christ round in a Conjuring Circle Christ brings to Christ the Spirit brings to the Spirit which though it be true after Conversion and in growth and Increase of the Grace and Knowledge of Christ by the use of
The tongue of the Quakers is the Vipers what will their hand be The Quakers common language The cheating of mans heart Capt Green his 2 points with my Antagonist Pardon Tillinghast his discourse with my Opposite The Conclusion was ordered by the Father of Mercies with much peace and quietness which had not been if I had ininsulted upbraided as W Edm. did More Proofs of the Quakers lame writings 1 John 2. You know all things About knowing all things The Quakers proud of knowledge yet knowing nothing Pag. 11. Joh Bunyan Conscience condemning not Justifying The Quakers confest their light to be Conscience The great Tryal of the 3 greatest actual Sinners that ever were The excusing of Conscience A fit Simlitude used before Q. Elizâ—beth concerning pardon of sin or Justification which I had from one that heard it being near the Queen Conscience the greatest Friend or Foe Pag. 2. Jo. Bunyan c. The various meanings of the word Light Rom. 1. 2 Nor favouring Christ in all mankind Four writings considered Several Expositions of the Light in Jhon 1. 1 Insert W. R. W. Ms. Ann. The World All Men And Every Man 1 3 times R. W. Ms. Ann. Christ as Mediator enlightens none but the Elect. Henoch Howet Jews Gentiles The two great Bargains of God with mankind Scripture language God offers the Gospel divers wayes Two Feet and 2 Fingers of God 1 Air not Fire R. W. Ms. Ann. The Quakers monstrous Marriages G. Fox and the Quakers pretences of Soul kindness are Soul cruelties Pag. 24. Joseph Kellet God is glorious in the means appointeth The Quakers simple and wild boldness with the eterna power Godhead The wonderfulâ— Revelations of in the Script Wonderful Guids Wonderful faith of the Quakers Gods several wayes of revealing himself The mad fancies of the Quakers as to the Holy Scriptures The word of a King and the word of God Pag. 25. Joseph Kellet c. The word Form debated Gods Ordiances and Institutions The Quakers gross Hypocrisie A passage of Mr. Baxters weighed Whence the Quakers Proselites do arife 1 Add the saviour of the separate R. W. Ms. Ann. Consideration touching separate Churches The Quakers Converts N. E. glory the very top bough of it Ellis Bradshaw The two pretended last witnesses Reves and Muggleton The Jugling of the Quakers to make themselves eternal Judgs A dangerous counterfeit Court Two great Bars to the Quakers high Court of eternal Judgâ— P. 38. T. Collier G. Fox his throwing God overboard and his own Reason and Sense also The Harmony between God and his Messengers 1 Acts not Joh. 14. R. W. Ms. Ann. God doth all yet his meanes must be used by which he is pleased to work The Papists brag of their Conversions The Protestant Conversions The Jeâ—uits and Puritans the two great Corrivals The two great Corrivals in Christs time The Jesuits and the Quakers the two great Corrivals abroad 1 plague not plough R. W. Ms. Ann. 1 yea not yet R. W. Ms. Ann. False Apostles figured by Absolom The holy Scriptures the great Box both to Jesuits and Quakers Great Conversion of Jews and Gentiles yet expected The true Apostles and Fox and his lying ones Compared I. Deacon The Quakers dream about not dying or Immortality The Doctrine of Immortality A Charitable hope of some Quakers 1 Put as some did with Absolom in parenthesis R. W. Ms. Ann. Joseph Miller The Ancient Philosophers Considered The madâ—ness of George Fox his Fancy about them The failing of the highest Reason in this world in many especially in two particulars The drep knowledge of some The greater depth of the Creator himself the Trinity the Fall Redemption Incarnation Resurrection c. The Excellent Gifts of Nature reach not heavenly and Spiritual things Spiritually 1 Simple not single R. W. Ms. Ann. Joseph Miller The Prophets witness of Christ how stronger then the Apostles their own Speeches were Bebaioteron Iogon a more sure Word The Word of God Considered The Sripture or written Testimonie Much more their feigned Spirit of Prophecy the Quakers prate of 1 Erase is in all Religions R. W. Ms. Ann. The Quakers Sandy Quicksauds P. 47. Preaching of Women Ralph Hall The light of Nature discussed 1 Insert there is R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Erase Super. R. W. Ms. Ann. Male and Female Men and Women compared The kindness of God to women Womens unfitness for manly employments And for being Preachers and postles especially 1 Change the period to R. W. Ms. Ann. A memorable and doleful story What teaching the Lord requires of Women Tho. Higginson The knowledge of God by nature The convictions of nature which the 4 Quakers so foolishly talk of The loss of all men as to God hravenly things Men naturally frame a God as the Devils do but cannot love him Babilonian Jugling Egyptian canting Christs Name horribly prophaned The Old and new Bargain to Love The great Delusion of Quakers as to pardon of Sin and Righteousness The Quakers bewildred as to Perfection The Quakerr devilish Chimistry 1 Insert according to R. W. Ms. Ann. The feined â—ardness but the real easiness of the Quakers Spirit The wonderful Harpsicon The vain dreams of the Quakers and their fools Paradice Jeremiah Jves The Devil in Samuels Mantle An Angel of Light but a Dragon and Devil of darkness Truth and Light the same thing 1 Insert used by the Lord. R. W. Ms. Ann. The way of Truth or Lights goings Where no Receiver no Thief 1 Change any to no. R. W. Ms. Ann. Natural Understanding in Men and Beasts An Instance of a meerly Rational and an heavenly Power and Faculty 1 Change too to to R. W. Ms. Ann. A close Companion between all Faculties and Objects Nothing truly Spiritual in Nature as now degenerate About the light shining in darkness 1 Adds is after Spirit R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Insert it R. W. Ms. Ann. Gods grrcious workings with and in the Souls of men A wonderful Parrots Religion Jeremiah Ives 1 Infert so did R. W. Ms. Ann. Heaven and Hell to come Fox his Hell and Heaven 2 Erase thirst R. W. Ms. Ann. The Papists Queries about Hell The Scripture Hell and Heaven but Fables with G. Fox and other Popish Foxes The Heaven and Hell to come 1 Erase of necessity R. W. Ms. Ann. The Foxes mad Fancy of the Soul and next Life The Protestants Faith as to the Life to come 2 Erase k in seek R. W. Ms. Ann. Three Sorts will find Hell above others 1 Erase Ars. potenter R. W. Ms. Ann. 2 Erase potenter R. W. Ms. Ann. 3 Change is in to yn. R. W. Ms. Ann. 4 Erase where R. W. Ms. Ann. Jeremiah Ives The Kingdom of God signifying divers things 5 Erase the parenthesis and insert a. R. W. Ms. Ann. The false and true Messiah The Kingdome of God within you Three Expositions The Quakers Exposition The Light shining in darkness The grace of God is offered