without Distinction have the Spirit of God to profit withal 63 69. R. W. pag. 182 183 Swearing Paul Swore after Christ and the Angel Swore c. So the Quakers Light that denies Swearing is of Satan and not the Light of Christ. Giles Fermin pag. 119 120 Why may not Paul call God to Record 122. R. W. pag. 121 Sword The Sword of the Spirit the Word of God 161 155-157 159. pag. 158 Saints see Christ. Savor of the Spirit 183. Scriptures the Gospel 174. A Written Pardon ib. Separation see Gospel Jews Serpents 106. Sight 74 79 90. Sight of Sin 145 146. Sinai 197. Sinful see Spirit Sorceries 168. The Spirit the Leader 182. The Reprover 182 183. Supper within 33 94 118 pag. 126 128 T. TEacher They need no Scriptures no Teacher 154. R.W. pag. 69 Teaching We must not look for an Immediate Extra-ordinary Miraculous Teaching from the Lord. 202. R. Sherlock pag. 153 G. F. affirms That the Teachings of the Lord are not Mediate but Immediate and This great Wrester of Holy Scriptures saith They shall be all Taught of God 63 100 R. W. pag. 153 154 Teeth There is a Generation whose Teeth are as Swords pag. Id. 163 THEE and THOV They can Thee and Thou and Disrespect all Superiors c. 43 44 69. pag. Id. 36 Tindal W. Without the Spirit it is impossible to Vnderstand the Scriptures pag. 95 Tongues The Scriptures may be Vnderstood by the Help of Tongues Fol. p. 84. 96 97. Helps 149. M Bine pag. 93 If no Knowledge of Tongues then no Preaching Translating Reading c. which the Devil aims at with all his Might 98 99. R. W. pag. 94 95 Turk Their going to the Turk and Pope as they pretend pag. Id. 99 Sol. Temple 53. Titles 113. Rabbi 115. Father 116. Tongues Helps 149. Trembling 197. See Kingdom Trial pag. 130 160 V. VOice I dare these Self-Confidents to particularize any Scripture where the Spirit of God directs any poor Soul to Listen and Hearken to a Light and Voice within him affirming that this is the Hearing by which Faith is wrought 68 85-88 107 108 184 198 206. R. W. pag. 86 87 W. WEapons They prate against Carnal Weapons 45 137 139. New-England Weapons 31 32. R.W. pag. 34 Wolf When he turns the Wolf into a Lamb then we are Meek c. 111 152 189. pag. Id. 75 Woman The Woman is the Weaker Vessel and not so fitted for Manly Actions c. 57. pag. Id. 58 Women to pretend to be Preachers in Publick Assemblies 154. pag. Id. 59 Women to have no Commission by Christ to Preach c. are forbidden c. Vnnatural Boldness pag. Id. Ib. Womens Vailing to make much more for their Silence in Praying and Preaching pag. Id. 60 They to Instruct other Women as Occasion calls them from Home pag. Id. 61 Word There is more Words than one 30 88 94 147 150. Ellis Bradshaw pag. 149 God is no more a Word than he is a Man or a Spirit 84 94 156. R. W. pag. Ib. Whether the Written Word of the Prophets of which Peter speaketh be not a more Sure Word of Command and Comfort to us 74 155. pag. Id. 54 55 God calls his Mind his Word his Writings his Word c. pag. Id. Ib. Words Surely there shall be no other Words in their Mouths than what were the First Messengers c. 40 41 73. pag. Id. 47 World I find not that ever any Man or Men by all their Natural Light or Wit or Christ within could find out how the World or himself Man or Woman were Created 126. pag. Id. 62 63 Plato grants a Creation c. Aristotle asserts the World to have no Beginning nor Ending pag. Id. 51 52 The World in Men 's Hearts 67. Worldly Advantages pag. 152 153 Worship Worshipping God in Spirit and Truth they say no Body in the World doth but they 31 33 36 37 93 111 112 130 166. pag. Id. 68 They Worship a Dumb Devil in their Dumb Meetings c. and Listen pag. Id. 132 Writing What Fancy is it to Hearken ta a Pardon to a Writing within c. 19. pag. Id. 56 57 His End is To destroy the Coming of God 's Holy Records and Writings to poor lost Men to their Salvation 22. see Scriptures pag. Id. 94 Woods 143 189. Works 198 200 see Duty False Worships 63 64 121 122 130 147 148. Wrath 78 pag. 100 101 Y. YEA Yea Yea Nay Nay pag. 120 Z. ZION The CHVRCH of CHRIST is come to Mount ZION the City of the Living GOD c. pag. 13 14 A New-England Fire-brand Quenched OR An Answer to a Lying Slanderous Book Printed at Boston in the Year 1676. by one Roger Williams of Providence in New-England which he Dedicateth to the KING with Desires That if the most-High please Old and New-England may flourish when the Pope and Mahomet Rome and Constantinople are in their Ashes c. R. W. ANd in his Title-Page he begins thus George Fox digged out of his Burrowes Or an Offer of a Skirmish upon R. W 's 14 Proposals made this last Summer 1672. unto G. F. present on Rode-Island and that G. F. slily departing the Disputation went on as aforesaid And in his Narration of the Conference or Dispute he again asserts that he challenged G. F. by writing and all his Friends then met at Rode-Island and that then G. F. withdrew And farther in his second Page says he sent his Paper of Proposals unto G. F. at Newport And in the 4 and 5 pages he says he sent his Paper to Capt. Cranston Deputy Governour of Rode Island And further scornfully says The old Fox thought it best to run for it and leave the work to his Journey-men and Chaplains c. And in the 22 and 23 Pages he further says Within some few days after the Deputy Governour had delivered his Paper to them the strange Quakers as was agreed with G. Fox c. Answ. How dare R. W. to Dedicate such palpable Lies to the King For this R. W. never spoke to G. F. nor did G. F. receive any Letter from this R. W. and yet he impudently says p. 23 As was agreed with G. F. Nor did G. F. receive any of these 14 Proposals from him though he says These 14 Proposals were made last Summer unto G. F. and that he digged him out of his Burroughs Which Proposals G. F. not only never received but never saw nor so much as knew of them though R. W. scornfully and falsly says G. F. slily departed and that G. F. hath pluckt in his Horns as J. T. did c. But in this doth R. W.'s wickedness farther appear in that J. T. might have received Letters from him but G. F. never received any from him nor knew R. W. farther says He sent his Proposals to G. F. to Newport and yet pag. 4 says He sent them to the Deputy Governour Cranston But G. F. never so much as received or saw
Darkness to Light turn People to the God of the World what Blasphemy is this R. W. But thou say'st The Scripture is but a Dead Letter the true Christ is within thee he will turn thee from thy Sins and make thee Perfect as he is and he is come in us Ten Thousand of his Saints c. Thus thou mockest Answ. R. W. hath not proved that the Letter of the Scripture is Living for Christ saith Search or Ye search the Scriptures but ye will not come unto me that you may have Life for they are they that Testifie of me they Testifie of the Life but Christ doth not say They are Life or Living And doth not Christ shew People their Sin else how doth he Convince them of their ungodly Deâ—ds And doth not Christ say to his Apostles Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect and what dost thou kick against this Doctrine We do confess that Christ Liveth in our Hearts and if he live not in your Hearts you are Roprobates the Apostle saith R. W. And whereas he scoffingly saith He within thee is the Word of God the Christ of God the Light of God the Spirit of God God himself and He seeks Worshippers in Spirit and Truth And then thou say'st What is in all this but the noise of Fenny Bitter in Hollow Canes c what is here but that two Common Businesses may reach to 1. The Conscience of Good and Evil which every Savage Indian in the world hath 2. The Whisperings the Blindings and Cheatings of the Devil in Samuel's Mantle Answ. Here the Reader may see that R. W's Words are nothing in Answer to G. F's Assertion But what must we infer from R. W's Words but that the Preaching of the Word of God in the Heart and Christ within People except they be Reprobates and God Walking and Tabernacling in his Saints and the Spirit of God to lead his Saints into all Truth that they may be his Sons and the Light that shineth in their Hearts that giveth them the Knowledge of the Glory of God in the Face of Christ Jesus and the Worship of God that is in the Spirit in which he seeketh People to worship him These Doctrines saith R. W. are such a Conscience of Good and Evil as every Savage Indian in the world hath And further he saith These Doctrines are the Whisperings Blindings and Cheatings of the Devil pretending saith R. W. Vowing and Swearing to be the Word of the Lord to be Jesus Christ yea and that to your Feeling c. This is an Horrid Lie he knoweth it in his own Conscience for we neither Vow nor Swear but Christ Jesus the Word we feel to our Comfort and Salvation but what Comfort in this Doctrine hath he to poor Sinners And after this thou Contradictest thy self and say'st That Christ Jesus is the Door of Hope to poor Sinners here thou grantest what G. F. asserts and what thou hast been Cavilling against and so Contradictest thy self which is frequent with thee But Roger is the Worship of God in Spirit and Truth a Temporal and Visible thing prove this by Scripture and prove to us by Scripture That God and Christ and his Spirit is called a Conscience of Good and Evil and whisperings and blindings and cheatings in Samuel's Mantle Also pag. 74. he saith to this purpose Natural Men until Chang'd and Born again do but prate as the Devils do but in Contradiction to that he saith pag. 79. That it is by Outward hearing or reading and inward Convictions of Natural Conscience God hath passed Sentence of Eternal Death R. W. must this then be an Inward or Spiritual Hearing of this Sentence And when People come to see their Sins by the Light of Christ then People Cry out to Christ the Saviour the Gospel the Good News for Salvation from him they Receive this Gospel their Healing and Setteth them out of Prison and free from their Sin and with his Light it is they see themselves Blind and with his Light they see his Spiritual Eye-Salve and his precious Blood which Cleanseth from all Sin But these are too good and soft Words for thy foul Spirit and full Stomack who hast cast out so many Lies against God's People R. W. And thou bringest-in Ellis Bradshaw Fol. G. F. 224. saying There is more Words than one G. F. Answ. God is the Word and the Scriptures are the Words which Christ fulfilleth And R. W. replyeth As the Design of the Bloody Pope and Jesuites are to kindle Wars between the Protestants that the Protestants may do the Papists work so deals the Devil the old Serpent with Christ Jesus and the Holy Scripture which are but one in a Sense as the Sun and the Sun-Dial his end is to tear down the Sun-Dial c. under pretence that the Sun is within them and they need no Dials or Clocks no Visible thing that is Temporal c. and so to destroy the Person and Commands of Christ as Visible and Fleshly pretending all to be Light and Spirit Answ. Reader what is this to G. F's Answer But R. W. have not the New-England Priests and Professors done the BLOODY Pope's work as thou call'st him and art not thou a doing it and would they be so careful of the Scripture but that they make a Trade of it and under a pretence of Scripture and Dials without do the Devil's work to throw at the Spirit and Christ in Peoples Hearts and tear him out there if you could But I must tell thee R. W. that as to Christ himself and his Person though he was Dead yet he is Alive and Dies no more and he is out of your Reach and you cannot persecute him any more though they and thou may persecute him in his Members that keep the Commands of Jesus And as to Visible and Fleshly pretending and the Visible and Temporal things thy Clocks and Dials which are thy Helps to know the Invisible know this thou may'st pore on them till thy Eyes rot in their Holes and never know the Lord Jesus Christ but by Revelation R. W. Thou say'st The word Dabar in Hebrew and Logos in Greek signifie the Word c. and that it is a Metaphor to say God is the Word for God is no more a Word than he is a Man or a Spirit c. Answ. Dost thou not here gain-say John's Doctrine who saith The Word was God and wilt thou give Christ the Lie that saith God is a Spirit Joh. 4. but prove this by Scripture that John did say That it is a Metaphor to call God the Word Then dost not thou Contradict thy self and say'st The Man Christ Jesus is called the Word but was not he called the Word that was called God and did not this Word take Flesh did Christ suffer and die as he was God or according to the Flesh since 't is said The Word liveth and abideth and endureth for ever Thou say'st That G. F. confesseth that
such thing Who Rules in our Hearts by Faith and in his Grace and Light Power and Spirit and Truth that comes by him That in the Spirit we come to sit down in him as the Saints did of Old our REST yea in Heavenly Places in Christ Jesus And so can praise God through IESUS Christ YEA and AMEN the First and the Last G. F. I. B. AN INDEX OF THE Priests Professors false Principles Assertions which R. W. bringeth in his Book from G. F.'s Fol. with his own Replies and other Matters contained in the FIRST PART A ABraham They could discern and see in those Days that Abraham's Command to kill his Child was the Command of God which we cannot now in these days R. W. pag. 32 Alienation They be Alienated from God and Enemies until Faith Joseph Kellet pag. 218 Angel He makes the Angels protection a Ground of Christ's flinging himself down from the Pinnacle of the Temple R. W. pag. 114 Shall we say the Angels too are Quakers and that Christ hath enlightned them pag. Id. 106 Apostates Whom do these Whorish Brood thus brand for Apostates pag. Id. 122 Anointing p. 33.80 81 83 88 Apparel see Garments B. BE of good Chear thy Sins are forgiven thee How to obtain this sound from the Mouth of the Mediator is the great dispute c. Baptism see Supper R. W. pag. 6 7 Bewitched many at Providence with his Sorceries c. pag. Id. 17 C. CArving They condemn Carving Embroidering Painting commended by God himself in Scripture Cain 231 R.W. pag. 158 CHRIST The Son of Mary God-Man is Absent from his Church John Bunyan pag. 40 Christ was not in his Disciples when he said I am the Light of the World pag. Id. Ib. That that Man that was Crucified his Body is now in the Presence of the Father and Absent from his People as touching his Bodily Presence 60 123 John Burton pag. 49 Those Believers that are in the Body at this Day are Absent from the Lord. pag. Id. 50 They say he is Absent from them as touching his Flesh. pag. Id. Ib. Christ is Absent from us while we are in this Mortal Body Thomas Moor. 60 pag. 53 They mean such a Christ as hath no Individual Bodily Presence as we and all Men have 41 R. W. pag. 122 123 They cry up a false and Hellish Christ. pag. Id. 123 They rob him Christ the King of Kings of his Crown and Life and all pag. Id. 61 A false Christ hath a new false Faith to apprehend this Crucified Christ within 36 Jo. Burton pag. 51 It is a Scripture of the Devil 's making to apprehend this Crucified Christ within 52 pag. Id. Ib. That their Christ is not the true Lord Jesus Christ. pag. Id. 36 The Lord Jesus is a far in his Bodily Presence John Bunyan pag. 39 The Saints have not Christ in the Flesh. 34 Sam. Eaton pag. 38 They have juggled away the Flesh of Christ. 41 R. W. pag. 134 There is not any Heaven within into which the Man Christ is ascended or can any Man contain a Man four foot long John Burton pag. 51 It is blasphemy to say that Christ is in Man as God Man E. Howet pag. 42 Christ God-Man R. W. pag. 57 The Saints do not see Christ the Heavens contain him S. Eaton pag. 39 Christ went away into Heaven from his Disciples and so not within them John Burton pag. 50 If the very Christ of God be within those that are called Quakers he cannot come down from Heaven Thomas Collier pag. 57 Christ's Humane Nature c. 43 56. Franc. Higginson pag. 55 To talk of this Immediate Christ without the Scriptures and Means is Anti-Christian R. W. pag. 102 That he did believe in a Christ that died at Jerusalem but not in a Christ within 47 56. Richard Mayo pag. 45 Let any of these Iugglers answer if they speak honestly and bona fide if there was really such a Man called Jesus at Jerusalem c. 34 35 44 47-49 54-56 117 R. W. pag. 113 Where is the Man Christ Jesus now pag. Id. 160 The Protestants cry up Christ in the Scriptures pag. Id. 189 We shall not see Christ until he come to Iudgment then and not before we shall see him 106 Daniel Gawdry pag. 43 The Body of Christ is out of the Sight of all his Saints J. Bunyan pag. 40 Christ that is themselves c. 156 166 135 R. W. pag. 153 They make Christ a Type an Example c. pag. Id. 155 What is more Common with them then Christ in you the Hope of Glory pag. Id. 237 They c. to run through the heart and bowels of Christ. pag. Id. 99 To say Christ within is never to mention Christ without They deny Christ without R. W. 55 Quakers Cause pag. 48 Christ is without his Saints in Respect of his Bodily Presence Christ distinct see Distinct. 47. Hosanna c. pag. 121 Confession see Sin Congregation They deny the Gathering of the Saints into Visible Congregations see Ministers R. W. pag. 127 Conversion pag. 77 Commands of God Since the deadly Fall not one being able pag. Id. 148 Contradictions R. W's p. 1.17.38.737.137 pag. 144 177 Church They deny any Church but that Invisible pag. Id. 117 D Desire R. W's unchristian Mind and Desires pag. 12 Devil What Light hath the Devil c. 19 R. W. pag. 108 Distinct That God the Creator is distinct from all Creatures that Christ being God only in one person remeineth distinct from all Men and Angels 61 Ralph Farmer pag. 218 It is an Expression af a dark deluded Mind to say that God is not distinguished from his Saints Enoch Howet pag. ib. That Christ the Father and the Holy Ghost are not one but Three and distinct 85 86 Priest Fergison pag. 167 Christ is distinct from every one of us and without us in our particular persons Discern 32 Thomas Moor. pag. 53 E Eating Is the Eating of the Flesh of Christ c. corporal or Spiritual â—2 38 R. W. pag. 121 EAGLE Their Eagle's Lions and Fox's Skin c. pag. Id. 180 Effects The Merchants desire to see Effects c. pag. Id. 99 Election A certain Number of God's Elect chosen by Mercy pag. Id. 154 Enlighten p. 14 15. see Light lt Angel 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 within pag. 205 Equal That one should say he was Equal with God 220 Francis Higginson pag. 165 F FAITH is a receiving of Christ as only King Priest and Prophet c. 115 132 138 150 R. W. pag. 134 Iustified by Faith alone without good works 142 G. Willingt pag. 141 Fallings away from Grace and Desertions c. 200 R. W. pag. 147 Farewell Some of them will say Farewell pag. Id. 157 Fast That James Parnel fasted 40 days c. 200 pag. Id. 229 Fire Their painted Fire and Hammer that never breaks nor burns up Sin pag. Id. 202 First-Day Why they did not proceed on the First-Day pag. Id.
Prophetesses to the Nation as many Sober Men have confessed since though thou and the Old Persecuting Priests in New-England remain in your Blindness and Nakedness But it is as it was of old The Prophet is a Fool and the Spiritual Man is Mad. R. W. And whereas thou say'st It is hard to perswade a Fox or a Woolf that he is so Ans. Now this is thine and the New-England Priests and Professors condition For we grant you that you have the Sheeps-Cloathing but you have shewed the Wâ—lfs Nature in Worrying the Lambs and sucking their blood and tearing their Fleece And are in your filthy Dreams that thou tellest us of and that thou art more acquainted with such Dreams that thou tells us of then thou art with Christ Jesus for thy words savour not of his Spirit R. W. And then thou say'st All that I can hope for without Gods wonderful mercy is to give my Testimony in my Generation for as Solon on speaks of the Whore Few or None of you will return Ans. Nay Roger We see where thou and the New-England Priests and Professors are the Lord has called us from among you your Wolfish Nature who feed upon the husk like the Prodigal and it is the Wonderful Mercy of God who hath called us by his Grace to hear and follow his Son And so it is not like for us To turn to you but as the Lord saith to his Prophet Turn not thou to them but let them turn to thee and therefore we cannot forsake the Living Mercies and turn to your broken Cisterns that cannot bold water And as for Solomon's speaking of the Whore apply that at home Roger. For dost not thou after all thy Lies wipe thy mouth and did not all your Persecuting Priests and Professors after they had Hanged and Cut off Ears and Banisht the Lords Servants wipe their mouths too and is not this the Mark and Die of the Red Whore But God seeth your hearts and mouths and so doth his Holy People which are built upon the foundation of the Prophets and Apostles to wit Christ Jesus and we know what your foundation is and your building too they are Lyes and Bloody R. W. And thou say'st I have proved and will prove if God please that Spiritual Pride about Spiritual matters is the Root and Branch of your whole Religion and that the King Eternal who did cast out proud Angels out of his Palace will hardly open his Gates to Proud and Scornful Dust and Ashes Ans. Roger This is as I said before thy own Condition and the New-England Priests and Professors Oh! that your eyes were open that you might see it And so what thou measurest to others it will be measured to thee again pressed down and running over and the God of the World will fail thee in thy proof and hath failed thee and deceived thee as he did thy Mother Eve and thy Father Adam For this is the Mouth of the Pit that thou speakest of and Lucifers boast in thee against the Children of the Lord that are daily in Jeopardy of their Lives and some of them have lost their Lives amongst you in New-England in Obedience to the Command of Christ their Saviour But now since the Indians have risen upon them they have confessed how greatly they have fallen as you may see in the Declaration 1675. but it is well if it prove better then Pharaoh's Confession But the Lord God hath opeâ—ed his Gates of Life and Mercy to us that obey his voice and Christ has opened the Book to us which you cannot shut Glory to his Name forever And though we have the same Portion from thee and such as thou art as the Prophets Christ and the Apostles had the will of the Lord be done and as Christ said If they did so unto the green Tree what would they do unto the dry and we know they hated Christ our Lord and Master without a Cause and so you do us But R. W. may say He doth not Persecute with his hands But let him read p. 200. of his Book wherein he declares himself That a due and moderate Restraint and Punishment he would have inflicted upon us yea though pretending Conscience and he would not have this called Persecution But would R. W. be so served himself No but now he lives in a Peaceable Government where he cannot Exercise his Cruelty and he hath not the Sword in his hand but is in a Restless spirit who grudgeth at the Liberty of others and cannot be content with his own short of the Royal Law of God That would do unto all as they would have others do unto them R. W. And then thou begins with a Flattering Epistle to R. Baxter and J. Owen our Old Persecutors and tells them of G. F.'s silly and scornful Answers Ans. Scornfulness we deny and thou may'st look at home for that in whose Chair thou sittest And as for Silliness Truth was always so called by that Spirit thou art of R. W. And thou say'st Through your sides to wit R. B. and J. O. the Devil by his Claws of this Wily Fox hath tore at the heart of the Son of God it is no wonder then if he tear at the heart of his Love-Letters and the true Professors of his Name who are Innumerable in Abraham's bosom and the rest travailing uprightly thither As to the matters in difference betwixt your selves and me I willingly omitted them c. Ans. Here you may see though there is and hath been great Difference betwixt R. W. R. B. and J. O. yet all these have written against Gods People that are in the Truth And as for the Devils Claws and Tearing at the heart of the Son of God and Tearing at the heart of his Love-Letters and the true Professors of his Name that are in Abrahams bosom and them that are travailing up thitherwards I say all these are Lyes and come from an Eâ—vious Spirit For the Son of God is our Life and all that profess him in Truth and are his followers and all his Love-Letters that he and his holy Prophets and Apostles have given forth we esteem them more then such as thee that make a Trade of them For is it not well known what sufferings the People of God had in Oxford in the days of J. O. are they not upon Record and was not Thomas Goodayr cast into Prison through R. B's means when he was railing against the People of God and T G. said but hum But it 's well if they come to Repentance for what they have done for Imprisoning and Persecuting us and the rest of their Tribe in the day of their Power when they had both the Sword and the Bag. And so R.W. and the rest of the New-England Priests have been One with them in the Spirit of Envy and Malice against the People of God like the Wily Foxes whose Blood lyeth at all your dores R. W. And after thou hast flattered R. B. and
Fancy and an Idol and would'st have the Magistrates to punish us and the Magistrates and Priests in New-England their Persecutions instead of Loving Enemies doing unto all Men as they would have them to do unto them have declared it So 't is plainly proved that ye are neither in the Royal Law nor in the Gospel nor do not Really own the Scriptures that do not practise them Love thy Neighbour as thy sâ—lf Love one another Love Enemies Are the Commands of Christ but thou callest the Lord Christ Jesus his Light a Fancy and an Idol and therefore thou art not nor canst not be in his Spirit that callest his Light an Idol and so None of his but a Ravening Woolf. And we always did own the Scriptures and have said We and the Priests would be tried by the Scriptures and to see which was in the Practice of Christ and his Apostles by the Fruits And so we are Faithful Witnesses for Christ and his Light as John was for we are Come for Witnesses and do bear a True Witness for Christ and his Light which enlighteth every Man that cometh in the World which is the Light of the World And the Occasion that we must speak this over and over is because thou bring'st it so often R. W. And thou tell'st us of an Irish Papist that flung the Bible in the Kennel and kickt it saying The Plague take this Book And what 's this to us is it not a shame to print such Fruits of a Wicked Spirit over and over which we abhor And thou say'st That John Burnyeat took a Bible and râ—ad publickly Luke 1. How the Scripture was a Declaration and yet thou say'st and Contradictest thy self that we would not endure the searching of the Scripture as pag. 78. See his Margent And thou goest on to no Purpose and say'st Still they sied to this Borrow The Spirit that gave forth Scripture is greater than the Scripture Answ. Why R. W. and the New-England-Priests is not the Spirit above the Scripture Cannot the Devil get Scripture and the Wolves and Anti-Christ but can they get the Spirit of God would ye have the Spirit less than the Scriptures which was before they were written and gave them forth R. W. thou say'st Thou maintainest the Inward Breathing of the Holy Spirit more than we Answ. But where is it R. W dost not thou say pag. 83. There is no Voice or Motion within Man that is to be hearken'd unto turn'd to or lissen'd to in Heavenly and Supernatural Light And R. W. Thou say'st We ought in all our Preaching Hearing and Reading c. beg the Help of the Spirit c. Answ. But R. W. Are ye to Preach and Pray of Heavenly Things without the Spirit of God or a Motion in you and can a Man Hear or Read the Scriptures with understanding without the Spirit of God which we affirm They cannot truly And if the Spirit of God then must be a Motion within hearken'd to and so R. W. overthroweth his own Assertion and proveth himself a Doter Then R. W. Telleth a Story of Babilonian Assyrian and Popish Tyrants Devils c. Answ. What are all these he might have kept them at home to prove The Quakers do not own Scriptures R. W. And thou say'st This Record is the Outward and External Light Lanthorn Judge and Guide and Rule c. Answ. Now but can an External Rule and Judge and Guide guide the Eternal Spirit of God doth not the Spirit of God Lead into all Truth of it But R. W. that seemest to own the Scriptures and ye New England-Priests where is it written that the Scriptures are called an External Judge and Guide let us see Chapter and Verse for it do not tell us of a Gall'd-back-Horse but give us Chapter and Verse and abide the Search But are not ye New-England-Priests and Professors gone beside this External Judge Rule and Guide so that ye neither walk according to the Light of the External Guide as thou callest it the Scriptures nor according to the Light of Christ for the Light of Christ thou call'st a Fancy and an Idol And thou art made to confess That God and Christ were before Scripture and then why wouldst thou set the Scriptures above his Spirit And then thou tell'st us in a Way of Preaching of John Baptist what he said of Christ All this we own and the Scriptures that speak of him but how can'st thou own the Scriptures and not John's Tâ—stimony who came for a Witness to bear Witness of the true Light And we also can say God sent us amongst you R. W. And thou tell'st us of Prating of the Light and say'st If they slight the Outward Standing Record and Witnesses of God in them there is no Light in them Answ. That is thy own Condition thou slightest both Scriptures and Light which John bore Witness to as the Scriptures testify R. W. saith telling us of subscribing to the Papists or else he saith ye must study the Scriptures and search the Originals c. Answ. R. W. may subscribe to the Papists How can he search the Scriptures and study the Originals without the Light of Christ no more than They can see without the Light of Christ than a Blind-Man can see to read the Writings And so without the Heavenly Light of Christ thou can'st not Judge of pretending Christs Prophets Doctrines Churches and Spirits nor see what is in thy self R. W. Thou say'st That the Quakers do affirm that the Scripture is within them and What is the English of that but that the Light which they and every Man in the World hath within them the Christ the Spirit which every one hath is the Scripture Answ. Who did ever hear any of the Quakers say or in G. F.'s Book here That Christ the Light and Spirit in Man was Scripture to wit Writings or Paper and Ink Though this we must needs tell R. W. That is Scripture within when God writeth his Law in the Heart that is Heavenly Scripture that is the Table in the Heart that every true Christian readeth that is Law there And every one that hath the King's Declaration he hath not the King in his House so every one that hath the Scripture hath not Christ but he that hath the Word hath Christ the Scripture declareth of so that he hath both the Declaration and the Word it self to wit Christ in his Heart then he hath the Comfort of Scriptures And we own the Scriptures to be Love-Letters and can bless the Lord God for them and have the Comfort of them though thou may'st say what thou wilt R. W. And then thou say'st The Light Christ which enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World and the Spirit the Holy Ghost the Spirit of Truth which leadeth into all Truth which proceedeth from the Father and from the Son which we have received from the Lord Jesus Christ this Light this Spirit thou say'st thou hast proved
this Good by plain Scripture and give us Chapter and Verse and a Rule for it either And Secondly tell us Where is this Dark Place and what it is that this Written Word or Prophecies of the Prophets shine in seeing he saith That the Scripture availeth nothing without the Spirit and yet they are more and then how can they Shine when they avail nothing And whether he doth not now oppose Peter's Doctrine who calleth it a Light that shineth in a dark place and the Day-dawning which shineth in the heart so if the Light be the Written Word that shineth in a dark place whether or no the Day-dawning and Day-star be the Written-Word And this Light that shineth in a dark place which we are to take heed unto until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in our hearts this Light and Day-star doth own all the Prophets from the Beginning of the World concerning the Lord Christ who fulfilleth them And R. W. thou say'st How sure is the Quakers Light their Word of Prophecy a Sober Mind cannot but admire that Face and Fore-head of Brass and Adamant c. So that they blush not to prefer such a simple Image a meer Baby and Child's Puppet of their Immediate Word of Prophecy before the Word the Mind and Will of God by the Mouth of all the Prophets c. And dost not thou say What Cursed Opinions horrible Vncleannesses Bloody Murthers and Slaughters have been conceived and brought forth from the Spirit within and Revelations from Devilish Lights and Spirits c. Answ. Let all the Moderate and Sober Christians Judge here of R. W.'s words and what work he hath made against Peter's Doctrine who saith That they have a More sure Word of Prophecy which they do well to take heed unto as unto a Light till the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in their hearts which we do own and stand unto Now he calleth this a Simple Image a Meer Baby a Child's Puppet and he would make this Light and Spirit the Author of Murther and Blood-shed and Cursed Opinions and likewise the Author of Devilish Lights and Spirits see how he blasphemeth Peter's Doctrine with Devilish Lights and Spirits Murthers Slaughters he might have applied it at home to his own Spirit and the New-England-Priests and Professors as in pag. 98. And thou bringest Rev. 19. The Testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of Prophecy and then in the Margent thou say'st The workings of Satan by his Spirit and Inspirations in all Ages but not by the Testimony of Jesus the Testimony of Prophecy R. W. but by such a Spirit as thou art in And thou say'st R. W. Doth not the Angel forbid John Worshipping of him c. Answ. But hath R. W. and his New-England-Priests forbidden this Worship and art not thou offended in speaking the Word Thee and Thou to every Body and for want of the Hat and Knee c. and thou hast publickly declared thy self that we might be punished for not doing these things But would'st not thou and the New-England-priests and Professors be honoured with Hat and Knee and yet John was not to bow down to the Angel R. W. And thou goest on Railing and say'st And shall we say that the Angels too are Quakers and Christ hath Enlightned them also as well as every Man c. Answ. where did ever we say the Angels were Quakers is there any such thing in G. F.'s Reply to Hosanna let the Reader see But were not all things made by Christ Jesus and did not Christ who is God who made them enlighten them if not how should they see their Work they are to do who are called Ministring Spirits Flames of Fire c. Hebr. R. W. And then thou tellest G. F. mentions Cain and Balaam and Koâ—e Answ. And very well he may Vse it to thee and to our Old Persecutors and such as thou and the New-England-Priests who gain-say the Light of Christ and the Law of the Spirit which maketh us free from Sin and Death as Core did the Law of Moses And we have not mist you for you are worse then Core who did not call the Law of God an Idol and a Fancy as thou hast called the Light of Christ over and over in thy Book And all the Prophets of God from the Beginning of the World they spoke from an Inward Sight and Light of God in their hearts which is heard known and seen by the Light and Spirit of God in the heart which leadeth into the Truth of them and thou that would'st not hear the Light within and take heed unto in the dark place thou would'st not hear the Prophets and Christ Jesus from whence it cometh And so Remember Dives And R. W. goeth on Railing and saith G. F. is so used to Cursing c. Answ. But let the Reader see Whether there be any such words of Cursing in G. F.'s Answer in page 97 And so as for Horrible Wickedness their Lying Father Vgly Spiders Poison and blind Dreamer thou might'st have applied to thy self And R. W. thou say'st What a madness is it for this Blind Dreamer to ask Whether the Scripture shineth in a dark place until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in the heart c. and then thou say'st All the suttle Foxes in the World must know that if they attend unto Whisperings and Peepings and leave the Written Law c. and other Prophecies of Scripture c. for all their Childish Vapourings and Prating of their Light the Eternal Father of Lights proclaimeth them to be Children of howling Darkness and that there is no Light within them And thou say'st He that shall find a spark of true Light c. in this their Fantastick Light he shall find the Living among the Dead and prove the Prophets of God and God whose Word was Spoken to be Liars for saying There is no Light within them Answ. All this Blasphemy and Railing is not so much against the Quakers but against Peter's Doctrine to wit the Light which the Saints did and were to Take heed unto until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise in their hearts And R. W. goeth about to give Peter the Lie and would seem to prove it by the Law of God and his Prophets but by this he hath prov'd himself a Liar and one that hateth the Light And he bringeth Esa 8 but let him see it is said in the Margent there And there is no Morning in them if they speak not according to the Law and Prophets so we may speak to him And R. W. this is not in him who speaketh not according to the Law and Prophets Christ and his Apostles for the Light that Peter speaketh of that shineth in Darkness which they are to take heed unto until the Day dawn and the Day-star arise this was afore the Morning they were come to the Morning And so he giveth Peter the Lie and John the Lie and abuseth Esaiah's Words what John saith
as ever we could meet withal did believe that the Grace of God which bringeth Salvation hath appeared to all men and is not that Saving which bringeth Salvation which the Wicked turn into Wantonness and walk despitefully against the Spirit of Grace But what doth R. W. say of them that had tasted of the good Word of God Heb. 6 I do not believe that ever he or the New-England-Priests came so far And how can R. W. talk of Falling away from Grace and Light and is yet in the Fall and calleth Christ's Light an Idol and so not come to it R. W. And thou sayst Thou told'st us that the Papists and we were Confederates in their Endeavours to raze the Heavenly Records and to rob the Saints of the Holy Scriptures This is a false Charge for we esteem of the Scriptures more then thou and the New-England-Priests and they And thou sayst The Papists own the Snriptures to be the Word or Will of God c. but the Quakers will not vouchsafe it the Name of the Word of God Answ. Here then the Papists differ and are one with thee and the New-England-Priests and are Contrary to the Prophets and the Apostles who call the Scriptures WORDS and Christ Jesus who saith they are Words and his Name is called the Word of God and not scoffingly as thou call'st it our Simple Pretence but really he is so And thou that givest the Title to the Scripture which belongeth to Christ which the holy Men of God did not art degenerated from both Spirit and Speech R. W. And thou sayst The Papists horribly abuse the Scripâ—ures and call it a Nose of Wax c. and so do the Quakers â—riumphing over it c. as over a Dead Letter a Carkass c. Answ. R. W. These are thy own forg'd Words Where did ever the Quakers call it a Dead Carcass and triumph over the Scriptures for thou sayst thy self The Letter profiteth nothing without the Spirit And the Apostle saith The Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life and was he therefore a Papist R. W. And thou sayst The Papists prefer the Vulgar Latin Copies before the Hebrew and sayst Do not the Quakers simply and brutishly bind themselves to the bare Letter of the Common English Answ. Here the Quakers and the Papists Dis-agree And dost not thou say That the Scriptures are the Word of God which we say are Words And must not we own Scriptures as they call themselves for dost not thou say They are the Touchstone and if the English Copies be not true why dost thou tell us The Scriptures are the Touchstone and the Rule and the Word of God and why hast not thou and the New-England-Priests mended them all this time And dost not thou say That Ravius proclaimes above a Thousand Faults to be in our Last Translation How now R. W. and yet are they the Touch-stone and the Rule and the Word of God how darest thou say they are the Word of God if there be a Thousand Faults in them And how darest thou say They are the Touch-stone the Ground of Christ's Faith and the Saints as in thy Book pag. 102. and the Priest saith They are the Means of Faith yet thou dost extol this Man calling him a most-Famous Hebraician â—hat saith There be above a Thousand Faults in the last Translation of them And R. W. saith The Papists set up a Judge in Controversy above the Holy Scriptures c. and the Quakers say the same of their Spirit c. Answ. But how canst thou call it the Holy Scriptures if thou sayst There be a Thousand Faults in them And is not the Spirit aâ—ove the Scriptures that gave them forth and the Word of God which was afore they were as thou hast confest But the Quakers are not agreed with the Papists here but the Papists are agreed with you If the Spirit of God be not the Judge and not to be set above the Scriptures ye and the Papists are of one Spirit but not in that that gave forth the Scriptures and the Word of Wisdom which was afore they were Written R. W. And thou sayst The Papists will not deny to make the Scriptures the Rule to be tried by it yet their Church and Pope must Interpret it Answ. That is like to you that do Interpret them and give Meanings and find Fault with us for taking it Literally so ye and the Papists are agreed And then thou fall'st a-railing But we tell you both that the Holy Ghost proceedeth from the Father and the Son the Spirit of Truth is that which leadeth into all Truth R. W. And thou sayst The Papists generally use not the Scriptures in their Devotions in their Mother-Tongue but in Latin which thou callest the Whore's Tongue of Italy And then thou tellest a long Story of Luther and sayst The Papists and Quakers slight the Holy Scriptures Answ. But here thou canst not Join the Quakers with the Papists for we do not use in our Devotion to speak the Scriptures out of our own Language Neither do we justify the Papists in â—o doing R. W. And thou sayst The Quakers at first took off themselves Families and Assemblies from any use of it to wit the Scriptures Answ. This is altogether false all people knoweth it is that knows both our Families and Assemblies R. W. And thou sayst The Papists and Quakers say If the Scriptures were consumed and quite taken out of the World there would be no Loss c. Answ. This also is false the Quakers never said so they never had such a Thought in their Hearts that we know of But No man knoweth the things of God in the Scriptures but by the Spirit of God and the Spirit of God leadeth us into all Truth of the Scriptures both to the Comforting of our Assemblies and Families R. W. And thou sayst The Quakers and Papists love the Scriptures no better then Goliah loved David's Stone Answ. And we may say to thee Thou lovest the Scriptures no more then thou lovest the Light of Christ who callest it a Fancy and an Idol But by the Scriptures and the Spirit of God that gave them forth we have proved thee That thou neither lovest the Scriptures nor the Spirit of God which gave them forth which we love and esteem R. W. Thou sayst The Papists and Quakers Shake hands in the most Hellish Doctrine of Justification by what Christ worketh within us Answ. Is the Apostles Doctrine Hellish and Popish who are Justified by Faith and doth not Christ work Faith within how doth it purify the Heart And this Faith within owneth Christ it doth not deny that he died without the Gates of Jerusalem for all men And where do we put Justification for Sanctification and is not this Sanctification wrought within Men And where do either ye or the Papists confess that Christ is the Author and Finisher of Faith for thou wrongst the Papists For if they confess that that
Changed from Glory to Glory till they came into the Image of God And the Apostle saw c. And so ye may read at large in G. F.'s Fol which is to large to be set down here but R. W. hath taken about three lines of it and left out the rest And R. W. replieth As the Swinish Epicures and Dives's of this World what-ever they formally and loosly profess have no solid Hope of Peace and Joy to come after this Life and therefore like Brute Beasts practically confess it saying in their Hearts and Lives Let us eat and drink for to morrow we must die c. Answ. What is this to the purpose for G. F.'s Answer R. W. might have put himself amongst his Company and Judged himself as well as others for it 's his own Condition R. W. thou sayst Thou knowest that same of the Quakers will not believe that G. F. and others of them deny the Resurrection c. Answ. And why should they believe a Lie as thou dost and why should not we stand by G. F.'s words when he speaketh Scripture and thou that dost not deniest Scripture and the Light of Christ and call'st it a Fancy And the Resurrection we own according to Scripture R. W. And here thou bringest the Ninth false Charge viz All that the Quakers Religion requireth externally and internally to make Converts or Prâ—selytes amounts to no more then what a Reprobate easily may attain to and perform Answ. This is false for Reprobates do not believe in the Light and become not Children of Light and recâ—ive not Christ in them from whence the Light cometh R. W. And thou hopest many of us will come to Abraham's Bosom But then why dost thou rail at us And how can we come to Abraham's Bosom and Attain to no further then to what a Reprobate may And then thou sayst Thousands may have gotten all their Religion requires or performs yea all that their Principles call for outwardly or Inwardly and yet not be accepted but rejected from the holy presence of God Answ. How now Roger and yet come to Abraham's Bosom O Roger thy Darkness cannot comprehend the Light that seest not our Condition no more then thou seest the Saints in the Apotles Days thou would'st have said the same of them had'st thou been in their Day We know our Assurance of God and our Acceptation through Jesus Christ his Beloved Son through whom we have peace with God and we do know the Son by Revelation and God that sent him which is Eternal Life Blessed be his Name for Ever And are grafted into him and built upon him the Rock and Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and thy words are but Chaff R. W. And then thou tell'st a story of Perkins and appliest that to us which he spoke of the Papists But thou hadst better to have applied this to thy self And thou fall'st a Judging the Common Protestants and Quakers and tell'st of their Great Reformations and Joys c. their enduring great persecution and burning of their bodies c. and yet be far from the true Protestant Religion either in the true Dâ—ctrine and Principles or in the true Life and Practice of it Answ. How can Roger Williams tell why doth he Judge such that they were not in the true Religion Who was this Protestant not in New-England nor R. W he never felt the Flame nor was BRANDED with an HOT IRON his Religion will not lead him to undergo such suffering for why did he not stand but go in the Woods when he was tried in Boston-Colony But R. W. would make people believe he was a High Protestant beyond all these but plainly he is nothing but a Railer as his Book doth make manifeâ—t But let the Reader see how he hath lost himself and gone from G. F.'s Answer And R. W. Tearmes our Faith to Rotten Nature c and our Prayyers and Fastings and Sufferings to Womens filâ—hy Clouts and dung of Men and Beasts put into the Ballance of God's Infinite Justice instead of the Infinite Righteousness and Satisfaction of the Son of God c. Answ. As for the Papists they may Answer for themselves but our FAITH Jesus Christ is the Author and Finisher of we had it not from Men nor Rotten Nature And we Pray as we are moved by the Spirit of God and â—ast as we are ordered by his Divine Wisdom And our Sufferings amongst the New-England-Professors have been for the Truth and the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ's sake in whom our Poor Souls have had Satisfaction And we know Christ's words to be true Blessed are they that Suffer for Righteousness sake for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven Matth. 5. And for all thy Vngratious Words the Lord will rebuke thee in one Day and in that Day of thy Torment remember thou hast wronged us R. W. And thou scoffingly sayst That if a Notorious Drunkard be convinced and come to hearken to a Spirit within to say Thee and Thou and thinks himself Equal and above all his former Superiors c. he is Justified Sanctified c. and so holy that he cannot sin in Thoughts and Words c. Thus they pretend Repentance Faith and a Change of Heart because they have changed their Talk and Garments Answ. The Spirit of God within leadeth to no such Sudden Thing neither is the Work so easily done as R. W. here would foist into the minds of the World to make them load the Truth neither shall he find it so easy himself if ever he should see a Day of Repentance And the Spirit of the Lord leadeth to Humility and that is a good Spirit that Leadeth to Modesty in Apparel and to True Words and from Evil Thoughts and from Drunkenness For after a Man is restrained from Actual Sins without him then he cometh to know the putting off the Body of it within and crieth as Paul did to Christ for no Man can help him then but He that did help Paul who Thanks God in Victory in the end But why should R. W. be so against the Spirit within in saying THEE and THOV and putting off our needless Apparel seeing it was the Practice of the holy Men of God in the Scripture hath not he proved himself that he is degenerated from the Spirit Life and Practice of the Primitive Church R. W. And thou say'st John Bradford said unto God Lord thou art Heaven and I am Hell Answ. And was not this Hell within him think'st thou and if so why dost thou find Fault with the Quakers R. W. Then thou fallest on a preaching but to no purpose to thy Position nor G. F.'s answer And dost thou not say The Blood of God doth Cleanse and Redeem thee Answ. And yet dost thou not find Fault with the Quakers for mentioning the Blood of God And the 2 Cor 7. doth not evidence thy True Repentance from a Pharisee's And R. W. Thou say'st That no Papist nor Quaker by
unto therefore he Judgeth that ours Attaineth no higher than his own And poor Man how can he do otherwise when he blasphemeth against the Light of Christ which We are commanded by Christ to believe in and to receive him in us and so no Reprobates R. W. Bringeth forth his Tenth Position That the Popes of Rome do not swell with and exercise a greater Pride then the Quakers have express'd and would aspire unto although many truly humble Souls may be Captivated amongst them And R. W. Thou say'st Thou hast a spacious Field to walk in the Pride of Christ Jesus his pretended Triple-Crowned Vicar and the Pride of the New Papists pretending to be Christ himself and under the Papists he means us Answ. As for the Papists as we have often said let them Answer for themselves And where did ever any of the Quakers pretend to be Christ Jesus we charge R. W. that he shew it there is no such thing in G. F.'s Answer which he quoteth to prove his false Charges But as for his calling us New Papists truly this hits himself and his New-England-persecutors whose Image they have born their BLOODY HANDS and their Laws declare it they be in the Spirit of the Old Papists and not we who suffered Death by both of them both in Rome in France and in New-England and we may very well call it NEW ROME R. W. And thou tell'st us of the Devil's Pride and Condemnation in Spiritual Gifts Priviledges and Excellencies this was the Devil's Break neck and will be of the Pope's and Quakers c. Answ. R. W. and dost not thou say pag. 154. Thy Hope is that many of us may come to Abraham's Bosom and now dost number us with the Devil's Pride and our Necks must be broken with him and the Pope And under the Devil's Condemnation R. W. might have applied this at home better and to many of the New-England-Church then to the Quakers But R W. and the New-England-Priests we would have you make good by Scripture what Spiritual Knowledge the Devil hath and Spiritual Gifts and Priviledges and Spiritual Excellencies For Christ saith There is no Truth in him the Devil and then what spiritual Knowledge spiritual Gifts spiritual Priviledges and spiritual Excellencies hath the Devil describe them and let us see where they be written in the Scriptures that Christ and the Apostles said so much of the Devil as thou hast done R. W. Thou say'st As to the Quakers they know it is not yet time to put on the Eagle's and the Lion's but the Sheep's and Foxe's Skin and say'st But if let loose the Quakers Spirit would scorn to come behind the Pope Answ. Thou and the New-England-priests might very well have applied this at home who have gotten the Sheep's-Skin but have been the Wolves and Foxes devouring the Lambs But it is the Pope's Spirit and not the Quakers who have shed the Blood of Christ's Martyrs So have the New-England-People SHED our BLOOD for the Testimony of Jesus But we and the Reader may understand that their Guilty Consciences are afraid of an Eagle to be let loose upon them And is not the Fourth Angel pouring out his Vial upon your Head that maketh thee to Blaspheme and the Fifth upon the Seat of the Beast that you Gnaw your Tongues so and Blaspheme the God of Heaven So it 's clear that ye are not Come behind the Pope's Spirit who have SHED the BLOOD of the Lambs of Christ And so the Comparison is true between you and the Pope and not the Quakers whom thou wickedly slanderest And W. Edmond saying That thou had'st slandered many people both in Old England c Did this fright thee This was not a Boasting of our Numbers as thou scoffingly say'st W. Edmond was a fit Man to make a Bonifacius or a Hildebrand and J. S. also c. and all of them are ready to cry up Diana whom all Asia and the World worshippeth Answ. Now let the Reader see whether R. W. speak Truth or no Do All call Christ the Light with which he Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World and God whom we worship in Spirit and Truth as Christ commanded above Sixteen hundred Years since Diana whom the World worshippeth What an Enmity is in R. W. against Christ his Light and the Worship of God! as John 4. And as for his Saying Bonifacius and Hildebrand which W. Edmond and J. S. is so fit to make This he might have very well applied at home to his New-England-Priests and see his Boniface there and BLOODY persâ—cution ready made J. S. they cast him in the Goal and Nicholas Alexander a Justice of Peace of Jamaica when they came to visit their Friends they cast him in the Goal And this was their Entertainment in New-England R. W. And thou say'st In their first Creeping like Hercules out of the Cradle how doth this Spirit dare the Spirits of Kings c. to Thou and Thee to the Faces of Mighty Monarchs with what â—râ—zen Faces c. Answ. The Reader may see what a plague the word THEE and THOV is to R. W yet was the Language of Christ and the holy Men of God both to Superior and Inferior And R. W. who calleth himself an Orator what hath he not read his Accidence and Grammar Plural and Singular Is the Practice of this called Brazen Face by R. W Then why do they teach the Children Plural and Singular AND for their First Creeping like Hercules c. Plainly this might the New England-priests and professors very well applied to themselves What Protestations of Religion have they made in their First Creeping out And how at last they threw it all down and turn'd it into Persecution both among themselves and Strangers R. W. And thou art offended because we do not Bow our Knee and Vncover our Heads which thou call'st Reverence c. Answ. Is not R W. worse then the Turk here and more fonder of his superstitious Honor For doth not the Turk say The Christian spends most of his time in shewing of his Bare Head But where did the Apostles or Christ command that the Christians should Put off their Hats one to another and Bow their Knee and say YOV to a Single Person We do charge R. W. and the New-England-priests to give some Scripture for it seeing they make so much to do about it And W. Edmond saying Whist Whist upon this thou scoffingly call'st him Pope Edmondson Nicholas Easton the Governour was not offended at it and what should R. W but only proud Pharisee-like seeking the honour one of another and is offâ—nded because he hath it not And if the Honor was sought which cometh down from above this would be laid into the Dust. BVT hath not R. W. who looketh so much at Putting off the Hat and Bowing the Knee proved himself to be Like the Pope here and not the Quakers who Put off the Hat and Bow their Knee neither to him nor the
read the Fourth Charge as willing to be out of Pain Answ. R. W. thou appearest to be Light Frothy Scoffing and Scornful and not like an Aged Man that should be a Good Example to the Younger And so thou hast plainly proved thy self and the New-England Priests to be the Swellers thou speakest of in the Third false Charge at Providence exercised with Pride and that your Religion Principles and Practice rise no higher than what a Reprobate may attain unto Who hatest and scoffest at the Light of Christ and callest it an Idol which thou must believe in before thou art a true Christian or else it will be thy Condemnation R. W.'s Eleventh False Charge The Religion of the Quakers is more Obstructive and Destructive to the Conversion of Souls and People than most Religions that are at this Day extant in the World Answ. Our Religion is the pure Religion and undefiled which was in the Apostles Days and thy Religion and the New-England-Priests that callest the Light of Christ a Fancy which John was a Witness to and Christ said Believe in is Destructive to people both to Conversion and Salvation For how can they see Christ their Salvation without the Light of Christ And how can they see the True Religion from the False without the Light of Christ And therefore we tell thee without the Light of Christ thou knowest neither our Religion nor thy own nor others in the World which in thy Darkness thou would'st seem to be a Judge of AND then to prove thy false Charges thou bring'st us a great Story and Tale of the Pagans and the Pope's and Mahomâ—ts Worship and the Jews Who art as Ignorant of theirs as thou art of the true Worship Christ set up above Sixteen Hundred Years since R. W. And thou tellest How the Protestants have revolted and separated themselves from the Papists and have cried up the Lord Jesus in the Scriptures Answ. But how is R. W. and the New England-Priests revolted and separated from the Popes when they are found in their Envious BLOODY Spirit And how doth R. W. cry up Christ in the Scriptures Is Christ in the Scriptures to wit in the Writings Christ saith They testify of him and what Sense is this to say Ye cry up Christ in the Scriptures The Apostles and the Quakers Preach Christ at the Right Hand of God which the Scriptures testify of And Christ saith And it is Written of me he doth not say He is in the Scriptures And the Apostle doth not say Christ is in the Scriptures if he doth let us see where it is Written and keep to the Form of sound VVords R. W. And then thou tell'st us a Story of the Episcopalians and Presbyterians and Independants c. Answ. As though R. W. was a Judge of all these and many others and yet denieth any Voice or Motion of Heavenly things within himself and calleth the Light of Christ an Idol Yet in all this he hath not discovered his own Religion and what he is of himself for we do not understand that he is setled or joined with any of these Protestants Religion in any way of VVorship except by his Slanderous Book he may get into Favour with some Loose and Persecuting Spirits R. W. And thou say'st Those Religions differ each from the other as the Quakers do from the Papists Answ. And doth not R. W. himself differ with them all And R. W. if the Papists and the Quakers differ dost thou say so which wa st making us one all this while R. W. And thou say'st That we are more Destructive to the Souls of Men than the Papists who wildly profess all Ordinances and Ministers to be Invisible and yet are found to be as Visible and Open as any Answ. Here is a false Charge we never profess'd but the Bodies of the Saints and Ministers were Visible but being Able Ministers of the Spirit the Spirit is Invisible And we do believe thou hast more Love to the Papists than to us and that we are more Destructive to thine and your Hypocritical VVay and VVorship than the Papists But as for Destructive to the true Religion and the Souls of People this the New-England-professors and thou might have applied at home who call'st the Light an Idol by which Light they should see their Sins and know their Saviour that died for their Sins and saveth them AND it is in vain for thee to tell of Repentance and Faith and Saving of Souls and the VVorship of God in the Spirit and Truth and knowest of no Voice nor Motion of Heavenly things within thee to be hearken'd unto All thy Religion and thy VVorship and Profession hath been but from the Lips and the Mouth not from the Heart And we never Crack't of Quaking and Trembling as thou scoffingly say'st but we do VVork out our Salvation with Fear and Trembling It is God that worketh in us both to will and to do according to his pleasure And all that come to VVorship God in Spirit and in Truth they must come to the Truth in their Hearts the Spirit of God there to mortify their Evil Nature c. and this they will not find Easie. R. W. And then thou say'st The Turks and Papists to thy knowledge take more pains in their Religion than the Common Protestants and thou Confessest they do all but paint and gild over Nature's old and rotten Posts Answ. This is thine and New-England's Condition far of a true Faith and Repentance and that thou and you cannot see that callest the Light of Christ a Frantick Light and a Fancy And did Paul that turned people from Darkness to Light c. turn them to a Fancy And R. W. Thou say'st The Quakers come not near that Care of New-England I am sure at first for the personal true Repentance and Holiness of their Churches and Congregations and in the Margent thou say'st That the Quakers Conversion is not comparable to the VVay of New-England Answ. What ever their Conversion was at the first this we know that the Church in New-England are not now true Converts they are not turned from dead Works to serve the Living God Nay they are not turned from the Cruelty Persecution and Envy of the Vnconverted Jews and Heathens as their Fruits at large have manifested it Then they are degenerated from what they were at first Therefore the Comparison will not hold between the Quakers Conversion who like Lambs have suffered even unto DEATH and yours who Cruelly have persecuted even unto DEATH Therefore their Conversion is made no Conversion R. W. And then thou fall'st a-Railing again at our speaking THEE and THOV c. and bowing down to a dumb Image and Worship c. and that we say we are God and Christ. Answ. Which is Answered over and over and thy false Charge denied for we never of our selves said any such thing but God and Christ dwelleth in us AND why art thou angry so much at THEE and
heareth the Words of this Prophesie if any man shall take away from the Words of this Book So were all these Audacious and blockish in a foul Spirit and a mad wild fancy that called them words and not the Word For the Scripture saith In the Beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and God was the Word and Christ his Name is called the Word of God Joh. 1. Rev. 19. therefore let God and Christ have their Due and the Scriptures have its due which are recorded by the holy men of God and are profitable c. And the Saints that have Christ have the comfort of them And doth not the Apostle say That they were made able Ministers not of the Letter but of the Spirit for the Letter killeth but the Spirit giveth Life and doth not the Apostle say If the Ministration of Death written graven in stones c. and further the Apostle saith For as much as ye are manifestly declared to be the Epistles of Christ written not with Ink but with the Spirit of the Living God not in Tables of Stone but in the â—â—eshly Tables of the heart and dost thou call those Blockish Expressions which we have often used Poor man thou knowest little of the Saints Conditions And we have an Esteem of the Scriptures blessed be the Lord for all his Mercies R. W. And thou say'st They dare not though what dares not theiâ— Hellish Spirit against the King of Heaven c and many words thou usest to prove the Scriptures to be the words and usest the Kings Name and Declarations c and then thou say'st The bottom and the truth is the Spirit by which the Quakers are acted would be glad that there were not such a Person called the Word of God nor such a writing declaring so sweetly so plainly so fully and so Heavenly of him Answ. These be all Lyes of thy own forging And as for Hellish Spirit against the King of Heaven it 's within thy own breast for we can praise the King of Heaven who is King of Kings and Lord of Lords and own the Person of Christ by the Spirit of Christ that he hath given us as fully and plainly and as Heavenly as the Scriptures declare him whose Name is called the Word of God but not the Scriptures Rev. 19. And we are built upon him who was the Foundation of the Prophets and Apostles and all Believers praises to the Lord for ever R. W. And thou say'st G. F. is in his burrough of the various sense of the word Form Answ. Because G. F. saith The Apostles work was to bring People off the Form to wit the Jews to the Substance Christ and they that keep People in the Form without the power was an Error and was not in the Apostles work Which is true And as for thy various sense of the word Form which hath respect to Nature to Arts to Civil Natural and Divine matters G. F. mentions not such things and the Apostle would have them to live in the power of the Form of Divine Matters R. W. And thou say'st Shall I now like a Fool or a Mad Man cry down all Natural Civil and Divine beings are not all the Internal and External Forms Shapes and Beings of the Creation in Heaven and Earth and Sea of Angels Sun and Moon Men Birds Beasts and Fishes c. glorious Answ. Doth G. F. cry down any of these Forms or Shapes I say thou art a Mad Man if thou do'st And what is all this to the Apostle's saying who saith Having the Form of Godliness but denying the Power from such turn away that they might live in the Substance Christ Jesus And yet the Form of Godliness the Apostle doth not bid them turn away from R. W. Thou say'st G. F. runs to the Picture or Forms of these forms and saith Childishly That the Form or Picture without the Life is nothing And then thou say'st Who knoweth not that Answ. And then thou hast answered thyself Childishly as thou Scoffingly confesses But doth G. F. mention Picture in his Answer R. W. Thou say'st But to come to worship was there not a Form or manner of Circumcision the Pass-over the Tabernacle the Temple Answ. Yes among the Jews But do'st thou follow that Form and must the Christians follow that Form or Christ and doth not the Apostle say If you be Circumcised Christ shall profit you nothing Gal. 5 and is not the Jews Temple and Tabernacle abolished by Christ R. W. And whereas thou say'st Did ever the Servants of God when they inveighed against the Customarinesâ— the Carelesness the Pictures and the meer formality of the worshippers Jews or Christians inveigh against the worship it self and the Appointments of God and of his Son Jesus Christ Answ. The true Prophets judged the Jews when they lived in the Form without the Power and told them their Service was no more then Cutting off a Dogs neck though the Prophets owned their worship till Christ came And then the Believers in Christ denyed the Jews worship and Altars which they offered upon when Christ was offered up once for all and denyed the Circumcision though it was death to a man that was not Circumcised among the Jews And they that have the Form of Christianity and deny the power though they turn away from them they do not turn away from Christ Jesus nor from the worship which Christ hath set up in Spirit and in Truth nor from the Christians Form of Godliness And it was the Labour of Gods Servants to bring People to the worship of God it self and to bring them off their dead and meer formalizing of them without the power and their Pictures R. W. And thou say'st What a shameless falshood is it that any of Gods Messengers brought Gods people off from those Heavenly Fabricks which God erected by their Ministry or Service all the world over Answ. Those Services and Offerings in the time of the Law it was no Shame nor falshood to bring them off them to Christ the substance And it is no Shame nor Falshood to turn away from them that have the Form of Godliness and deny the power now among Christians as the Apostle commandeth R. W. And thou say'st May not Gods Messengers now cry out against the Apish Imitations and the Formalities of the Papists so horribly and bloodily abusing Prayer and Preaching and Baptisme and the Lords Supper c. but like the Assyrians or Babilonians all these Christian Appointments must be broken and tumbled down with Axes and Hammers c. Answ. The Axes and Hammers as thou speakest of are the New-England Priests and Professors Weapons with their Whips and Goales and Gallowses For have the Papists been more bloody in this Age then you have been or the Babilonians or Assyrians and though you cry against the Papists yet you use their Weapons which you call Apish Imitations and Formalities But God's Messengers Weapons are Spiritual who
declare against the vain Formalities either in Prayer or Preaching yet they own the true Preachers which are able Ministers in the Spirit and true Prayâ—ng in the Spirit and the One Baptisme Ephes. 4. And as the Apostle saith to the Corinthians They were Baptized by one Spirit into one body 1 Cor. 12 13. R. W. And thou say'st This is Treason and Rebellion in any Atheists or whomsoever but more abominable Hypocritical in these Pharisaical Quakers who cry out against the Apish Imitatours and yet themselves practise Preaching Praying Congregations Singings Conventings and Addings to Castings out c. full well as the Lord Jesus speaks abrogating the word and appointments of God that they may set up and establish their own Traditions c. Answ. Thou hast not told the Reader what our Traditions are which Christ told the Jews But here of all thy Abusive Expressions we are clear of thy Treason and Rebellion and abominâ—ble Hypocritical and Pharisaical which words suit thy own Spirit and thou may'st apply them at home And our Religion and Way and Preaching and Praying and Singing is according to Scripture and we are gathered in the Name of Jesus Christ where we find him in the mid'st of us a Prophet a Priest and a Bishop and a King to rule in our hearts who exerciseth his Offices in his Church And if any professes the Truth and doth not walk in it such we deny and the Believers are Added to Christs Church daily praised be the Lord. And why dost thou and you Priests of New-England separate your selves from the Papists and call her the bloody Whore of Rome when you are found in her Spirit and not in the Spirit of the First Primitive Christians R. W. And whereas thou say'st G. F. crys out against all Scriptures and common Sense and against all Forms Answ. These are more of thy Vntruths For he owns all Holy Scripture and doth not cry against all Forms but such as have the Form of Godliness and deny the power turn away from such And he and the Quakers own God's ways and manners of Gods worship in Spirit and Truth R. W. And thou say'st G. F. cryes up a Christ within a Scripture within and a Church within and Ministers within and Baptism and Supper within yet practises the most of these so many as their Idol requires will serve his turn as outwardly visibly as any in the world Answ. Is not Baptism of the Spirit within that burneth up the Chaff within how dark art thou and have not the Ministers of the Spirit the Spirit within And doth not the Apostle Preach Christ within the Saints and doth not Christ say I stand at the door knock and if any man will hear my voice and open the door I will come in to him and will Sup with him and he with me Revel 3 But where did ever the Quakers say in any of their books that the Church or Congregation was within them and these are thy own forged words not ours and is not the Spirit and the Truth within in which God is worshipped R. W. After thou hast commended R. Baxtâ—r our old Persecutor thou say'st It hath been his Observation viz. that the Churches of the Independents and Baptists have been the source and spring whence have flown the Generation of the Quakers And then thou contradicts him and say'st For my self I have observed the contrary in these parts Answ. Nay the Quakers spring is from that Fountain of Life which the Primitive Church was in Glory to the Lord God for ever who are built upon the Rock and Foundation Christ Jesus And R. W. do'st thou say That the Quakers sprung from the Ranters and Grindletonians what Babel is this R. W. And whereas thou say'st Although some rotten Professors or weak souls though true have been bewitched by these Soul-Witches yet generally where they have any Liberty the National Church fills up their numbers Answ Here thou judgest others as well as the Quakers but it is best to pply it to thy own Spirit and to see thy self first and your own Rotten profession at home And where they have any Liberty thou say'st but we know thy Spirit and the New-England Priests and Professors that call Light Darkness and persecute the Truth that is it you would not have to Have Liberty and call it the Soul-witches and therefore the Soul-witches thou may apply at home R. W. And thou say'st W. Edmonson boasted of their Numbers viz. their Religion is so Easiâ— never coming near the Roots of Rotten Nature but so wonderfully agreing with it and changing one Devil for another Answ. If the Quakers have Changed one Devil for another as thou say'st they are changed from your Religion of New-England and them that upheld it and from thee then thou do'st acknowledge that thou and the New-England Profession was a Devil and the Independents and the Baptists according to Baxter but thy Fore fathers the Jews said That Christ Jesus our Lord and Master whom we are Changed to that he had a Devil and by the Prince of Devils cast out Devils And as for the Roots of Rotten Nature that thou and you may apply to your selves which your Religion is made up of which thou would'st accuse the People of God withall which are in the pure Religion James 1 26 27. but thou hast manifested thy Religion with thy Unbridled Tongue And W. Edm. did not boast of our Numbers for that is the Abuses of thy Tongue but we can praise the Lord through Jesus Christ who adds to his Church daily R. W. And then thou say'st Thou adorest the Infinite power c. that they were not ten thousand-fold more c. then they are and then thou say'st I can demonstrate that if G. F. for all their Hypocritical prating against Carnal Weapons get a Sword as Mahomet did most of the Popish and Protestant and Pagan world will easily be brought to dance after him Answ. This is from thy Evil Thoughts and Cains Fear G. F. and the Quakers abhor thy words But this is your Condition in New-England and because the People of God will not dance after them therefore they have Hanged them and Banished them and Spoiled their goods For the Lord and his Son knoweth that Our Weapons are Spiritual that he hath armed us withall and if ever thou had'st set foot in the pure Religion which the Primitive Church and the Quakers walked and walk in thou would'st not say It is so easie But thou speakest Evil of that which thou knowest not and utterest forth the malice and envy of thy heart And we do pray to the Father to send forth Labourers into his Vineyard and that is his Work and not Mens and can praise the Lord at the Conversion of Sinners And as for Hypocritical prating that is thy own R. W. And thou say'st to M. B. Was there ever a Child of God in this world but he was a Nazarite separate from worldly
Nay Roger they must be such as thou and the New-England Professors are that Judge us and not the Modest nor Sober persons neither in Old England nor New and thy Judgment and the Persecutors Judgment toucheth us not And the Apostle tells thee The Saints shall Judge the World 1 Cor. 6 3. R. W. On G. F's Answer to T. C. If God please to appoint the Words the Apostles used to be still the Means of Conversion to the end of the World that then he hath thrown out himself c. Answ. What! can any come to Conversion with the words of the Apostles without the Spirit may not all the Wolves in the World false Prophets and Anti-Christs get the Sheeps-Cloathing on the Outside and use their tongue and say Thus saith the Lord and the Apostle like R. W. and those that would have cast out Devils in Christ's and Paul's Name But doth not the Apostle say He that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his Rom. 8 9. and therefore how can any Convert any person with the Apostles words and they having not the Spirit of Christ are none of his I confess R. W. and the New-England-Priests may bring them into a Form without the power from such People are to turn away as the Apostle saith to Timothy R. W. Thou say'st Is not this God's Covenant with Christ and all Christians that his Word and Spirit should be in their Mouths to all Generations Wo be to all these wild frantick Inferences which disjoyn and separate what the Most-powerful and Wise and Holy hath joyned together Answ. We witness that the Word and Spirit was and is and shall be in the mouths and hearts which thou hast left out and can'st not endure to hear of it there of all true Christians to all Generations but what is this to Convert People with a Means without the Spirit and the power of Christ in their hearts to Salvation But thou thinkest to joyn the holy Men of God's words with thy dark Spirit which were not given forth from it and wild frantick Inferences thou may'st keep at home And we do not Dis-joyn the Word nor the Spirit from the Scriptures for it will own its own Words and hath Unity with them as thou falsly chargest us to Dis-joyn or separate and all your Converting of people with the Saints words without the Spirit of Christ in their hearts is but to make Proselites like Parishes R. W. And thou say'st May there not be many Agents imployed by one glorious Efficient as in Moses building the Tabernacle c. and Abraham sending his Servant to Espouse a Bride to his Son c. Doth not rather this mad Soul throw out Abraham and Solomon c. yea his own brains in a mad proud frolick all over-board together Answ. Because Moses builded the Tabernacle and Solomon builded the Temple and Abraham did such and such things and Circumcised therefore must all Christians do the same yea and without the Spirit as Moses and Abraham and Solomon was in and thou that art without this Spirit that they were in art in thy Mad frolicks thou speakest of and Throwest thy own Brains over-board and not the Quakers that would have people to be led with the Spirit of Christ to Conversion who is the End of Solomâ—n's Temple and Moses Tabernacle and maketh his People his Temple c. R. W. And as for that of Paul telling the Corinthians that they were Gods Husbandry and Building c. and as thou say'st That Paul was a prime Husband-man and a Master-builder c. and that they were Messengers and Co-workers and Labourers together with God Answ. We know this but it was not without the Spirit of Christ this was not Saul when he was a Literal Professor like you R. W. And Paul Preaching the Lord opened Lydia's heart and Philip Preaching and the Lord opened the Eunuch's heart and thou quotest John 14. for Barnabas that a great Multitude of Jews and Greeks believed Answ. What is all this to the purpose All that have been are or shall be Converted since the Gospel's Ministration are Converted by the Apostle's Words without his Spirit as thou seemest to say are they for we know that Philip Paul and Barnabas were in the power and Spirit of God and able Ministers of the Spirit And thou bringest John 14. and Barnabas that A great Multitude both of Jews and Greeks believed and there is no such saying in John 14. for if G. F. had done so thou would'st have cryed Lame Silly and Non-sense but if the Fault was in the Printer we have so much Charity as to over-look it And then thou say'st The Lord opened Lydia's heart Then it is not the Apostles words without the Spirit And then thou bringest Paul planting Apollo watering which we do believe with the Spirit of God and wrought those Miracles by the power of Jesus but what is this to Plant or Water with the Apostles words without the Spirit of Christ for God giveth increase to them that are in his Spirit R. W. And thou say'st G. F ' s. his throwing God over-board and his own Reason and Sense Answ. Thou hast not proved G. F throwing out God this is Blasphemy to say That God can be thrown over-board who hast over-thrown thy self But thou and the Priests that would Convert people with the Apostles words and leave out the power and Spirit of God do but beget people into a Form without the power and because G. F. saith That they cannot Convert people without the power and Spirit of God c. though they may have the words of the Apostles and the Priest saith That they are Converted by the Words of the Apostles and G. F. saith In this they throw out the Spirit and power of God by which the Apostles did Convert and about this thou makest a great Rail against G. F. and say'st G. F. is throwing out God over-board and his own Reason and Sense and yet thou confessest The Lord opened Lydia's heart and the Lord opened the Eunuch's heart so here thou Contradicts thy self And we own God and Christ and use their Words and the Apostles by the Spirit that leadeth into all Truth and do succeed them in the Spirit and so are the Living Stones and built up together in the Church of God which Christ is the Head of R. W. Thou say'st There have been many Conversions to the Christian Name in these parts of the world called Christendom and then thou Instancest These Conversions the Papists brag to have effected in all the 4. parts of the world and how these were broughtâ— in sometimes by the Sword and sometimes by Marriages c. Answ. How is it you N. England Priests Professors would Convert the Quakers is it not by the same Bloody Way as Instance Whips and Stocks and Swords and are not these the Beast's Horns and the Whore from the true Church and not Christs Wife R. W. Thou tell'st
up his Cross and deny himself he that will be his Disciple and they must Die with Christ if they Live with him and suffer with him if they Reign with him and his Spirit teacheth Temperance Patience and Holiness yea to deny that which is Unholy both in Word and in Thought And the Righteousness of Christ Jesus is our Fine Linnen and it is God and Christ that doth justifie by the Spirit who art thou that dost Condemn And where did we say that Our Holiness is Christ and God though we cannot deny Christ to be Our Holiness c. who deny Self-holiness R. W. And thou say'st I know the Writers of the Quakers make this high Obedience to be the Crown of some high Saints among them as the Papists do and that others come not so high are taken by the fleshly Spirit and Repent and Confess and be more watchful as they say in a Contradiction of J. Naylor Answ. These are most horrid Lyes and Reader see if G. F. speaketh any of these words in his Answer to T. H. as to the Crowning of high Saints like the Papists for their Obedience or Making their Obedience a Crown for it is the Lord Jesus Christ that Crowneth his Saints that believe in his Name and grow up in his Grace and Truth And as for a Fleshly Spirit and Repent and Confess this you may apply at home for we own no Repentance nor Confession but what is made by the Spirit of God in which we have Unity and for Exhorting to the watchful that is Christ's Doctrine And it is no Contradiction to say He that is born of God cannot sin for the Apostle John explaineth this in his Epistles better than thou can'st which the Quakers own which thou makest a great Jumble about For the Apostle saith He that believeth is born of God and overcometh the world and is not that the world in mens hearts and he writeth to Young-men and Fathers which had Overcome the Wicked one and to Little Children that they sin not and if any man sinneth we have an Advocate with the Father Jesus Christ the Righteous and he is a Propitiation for our sins and not for our sins only but for the sins of the whole World 1 Joh. 2. R. W. Thou say'st Yet again in a horrible Mystery of Iniquity they exclaim against the Protestants for saying A Child of God cannot fall from the true Grace Finally or Totally Answ. Here are no such words in G. F.'s Answer to T. H. Or how hangeth this together thou say'st They say He that is born of God cannot sin then how Can they Fall from the true Grace But what say'st thou to them that Crucifie the Son of God afresh and do despite against the Spirit of Grace and turn it into Wantonness and these are such as do not Own the True Grace of God which is their Teacher though it hath appeared to them nor do not Believe in the Light of Christ Jesus but hate it And If the Righteous Fall they rise again but the Wicked Fall into Mischief R. W. And thou say'st 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 Ascension yet upon the point by a Devilish Chymistry evaporate all these and leave nothing but a Christ within as God and Man whose Name is now Light c. Motions within Answ. As for Hellish Mystery of Iniquity and Devilish Chymistry thou may'st keep at home for according to the Scriptures of Truth we do believe Christ Jesus his Birth Sufferings Resurrection and Ascension who fulfilled the Prophets and the Types and Shadows of him And what must we not call God and Christ as the Scriptures call them for God is called the Light and Christ saith I am the Light And though Christ is Risen and Sitteth at the Right hand of God yet he doth dwell In his Saints his Temple according to the Apostle's Doctrine as you may see 1 Cor. 6. and 2 Cor. 6. And what must not God's people Obey the Motions of the Spirit of Christ and his Light and to take heed to it by which they may see Christ their Saviour and Justification and Salvation and the Lord their Righteousness and the Apostle stirred up to Perfection and to Holiness which all the Saints are to follow R W. And thou say'st It is a Hellish Mystery of the Devil to Cosen poor souls with a Notion of the Difficulty and Hight of their profession and of Worshipping God in Spirit and Truth which they say no body in the world doth but they Spirit within Answ. Our good Profession which we make is of Christ Jesus our Lord and Saviour who hath enlightned us to follow him and his Worship that he hath set up in Spirit and Truth and they that quench the Spirit and hate the Light and will not come to Truth cannot worship God in Spirit and Truth John 3.4 And this Truth and Spirit of God is Within people and thou or they that draw people from the Truth in the Inward parts and Spirit within you draw them into the Hellish Mystery and Cosen poor souls as thou speakest of for coming to Christ and his Worship And whereas thou say'st Thou toldest them of an Image in the Bed but David was gone c. but this is thy own Condition And then thou say'st That their Religion is one of the Easiest in the world Nay thou never trod the Path thou do'st not know what it is the Gallowses and Goals and Whip-Stocks manifest whether Our Religion be Easie. R. W And whereas thou tellest us What will delight our Ears and Minds to wit various Tunes of Musick c. Answ. But that which Delighteth Vs is the Lord Jesus Christ and his Holy Ghost and the Joy of the Lord is our Strength And that which thou applyest to Us thou may'st keep at home it 's thy own and none of ours R. W. And thou say'st If a poor soul give way an Inch and lets in one thought of yielding to the Voice of a Spirit within they are filled and ravished with Curious Notions of Justification Holiness and Righteousness God and Christ and the Spirit within them Answ. How endlesly do'st thou speak against the Voice of the Spirit of God in his People And the Apostle exhorteth Not to walk after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8 1 2 5 6 9 10 11 13 16 26 27. Rom. 12 11. and 1 Cor. 6 20 34. 1 Cor. 12 13. Gal. 5 5 16 18 25. Eph. 4 3 5 9. Phil. 1 27 That you stand fast in one Spirit Phil. 2 1 If any fellowship of the Spirit c and those are the Poor souls that do not hear what the Spirit saith to the Churches And they that Obey the Voice of God and Christ must Obey the motions of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit leadeth to Holiness
Doth G. F. speak these Words in his Answer did ever G. F. or any called Quakers deny but the Scripture was given forth by Inspiration and was Revealed from God and Christ to his Prophets and Apostles which were the VVords of God and Christ and he the VVord And Thou shalt not kill and steal c. was not that Revealed to Moses and the VVords of God for Christ saith I am the Door and I am the Bread of Life he doth not say That he is an outward Door or outward Bread that is made of Corn. And was not the Promise of God Revealed and his Commands and must they not be known by the same Spirit to answer them in Man c R. W. And thou say'st I observe the end of G. F. and especially of the old Fox and Serpent that acts him is to destroy the coming of God's Holy Records and Writings to poor lost Men to their Salvation Answ. Are the VVritings to Salvation to lost Men is not Christ their Salvation May not the Devil and the Pharisees have the VVritings and yet be Enemies to Christ the Salvation did not the Jews think to have Life in the Scriptures which testifyed of Christ and would not come to him that they might have Life and Salvation And dost not thou say in the same Page That G. F. confesses how all Scripture was given forth and now dost thou Contradict thy self and say'st His end is to destroy the Scriptures No no We love the Scriptures and thou mightst have kept all thy bad Words at Home And thou say'st He may foist and whisp in what his Hellish Malice pleaseth to their Damnation Roger this is thy own Condition and not the Quakers as thy Lyes have manifested R. W. And whereas thou say'st If no Knowledge of the Tongues in which the Most-wise Holy Lord pen'd his Letters or Writings to us then no Preaching of the Doctrine in them to the world without some New miraculous way then no Translating and Reading of them which is that the Devil in all Ages and at this day aims at with all his might Answ. Doth G. F. deny Tongues in themselves here which are natural things and what must be inferred from thy Words but that Men may understand the Scriptures with Natural Tongues then I query How was it that the Pharisees and the Grecians and all other Languages did not understand them and how is it that Christ saith He thanketh the Father that he hath revealed these things unto Babes And the Apostle saith No Man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit and G. F's Answer is That all Scripture was given forth by Inspiration so without the same Inspiration it is not known and if this be to deny the Scripture let the Righteous judge And as for all thy bad Words here against us thou mightst have kept them at home R. W. And whereas thou say'st I charge upon this proud Ignoramus and all his blind Disciples c. the horrible Crime of Unthankfulness and Ingratitude for were it not for Tindal burnt to Ashes and other Heavenly Spirits set on work from Heaven to dig out the Knowledge of Hebrew and Greek and turn it into French Dutch and English c how should these Seraphical Doctors know whether there were such a Creation of Heaven and Earth and a Man and his VVife which we talk of Answ. Dost thou not Contradict thy self in thy 22 Page when Plato granteth a Creation and a kind of Father and Son where thou settest up the Heathen-Philosophers and dost thou not say what Aristotle confesseth of the God-head and what Scripture had they and dost thou not say Thou findest in all Mankind a Conviction of the Eternal Power and God-head And doth not the Apostle say He understood by Faith the World was made or framed by the Word of God Heb. 11 and doth not John say the same Joh. 1 And is not God the same now to his People in Christ as he was to Moses and doth he teach his People in the New-Covenant short of Moses And as for thy Charge of Vnthankfulness c. keep it to thy self for we can praise the Lord for the Scriptures and such as honest Tindal that did translate them who was burnt and persecuted by the same Bloody Murdering Spirit of New-England that kill'd our Friends But what hast thou to do with W. Tindal hear him in our Defence against thee and thy Brethren saying It is impossible to understand in the Scriptures more than a Turk for who-so-ever hath not the Law of God writ in his Heart to fulfil it Again VVithout the Spirit it is Impossible to understand them W. Tindal's Works p. 319 p. 80 What is this if People have the Scriptures in all the Languages and yet oppose that which must lead them into the Truth of them or inspire them to know them and though they have the Scriptures in all Languages can any know Adam and Eve's State in Paradise except they be brought thither by Christ And it 's true they may have an outward Knowledge by reading of Adam and Eve but in this thou confoundest thy self and say'st A Parrot may talk of Heaven and Hell and the Grace and so may not a Parrot be taught to talk of Adam and Eve read thy 33 Page And then R. W. telleth of a Question put to a Soul and the dreadful end of that Party but he hath particularized no body so it is like the rest of his Stories R. W. And then thou chargest the Quakers with Laziness because they do not study the Original Language themselves saying It is a shameful Trade and deceitful when Persons have money in their hands to take up all on Trust. And further thou say'st I never knew any of these Foxians so inclined but according to the Lazy Fool under the Fig-tree c. Answ. R. W. Contradicteth himself he saith pag. 43. John Stubs vapour'd and said He understood as many Languages as I and in another place That he understood the Greek Hebrew and Latine And the Quakers have their Schools that teach all these Naturals but what is all this to know Christ and the things of God which are Revealed by his Spirit And Christ saith Flesh and Blood had not revealed him to Peter but his Father and was not Peter's and the Jews Language Hebrew that opposed Christ And as for all thy foul Words thou mightst have kept them at Home for they are not worth Answering But we challenge R. W. and all the New-England Priests to prove by Scripture where-ever Christ or his Apostles charged one of their Believers with the Horrible Crime of Laziness for not studying the Original Languages as the means by which they might know the Scriptures and Christ without the Revelation of Christ and his Spirit R. W. And thou say'st I judge that G. F. with his Wild Spirit cannot prove that Pilate had the Hebrew Greek and Latine Answ. That is not the Matter in hand for
Spirit as literally and properly as the Scripture declareth him And thou say'st again That W. Edm. shewed but little Philosophy and Divinity Doth not the Apostle bid the Saints Beware of Philosophy and if they had known God and Divinity by it the Apostle would not have bidden them beware of it surely And thou say'st That W. Edm. affirmed that properly and really that Scripture of Wolves coming in Sheeps-Cloathing was to be understood Literally without Meaning And what meaning wilt thou give to Christ's Words are not Men called Wolves really that worry Christ's Sheep about Religion for Christ doth not say They are Wolves with four Feet and when Christ spoke Parables he said He that hath an Ear let him hear and sometimes he expounded them to his Disciples And the Scripture calling God a Father and a Husband and Christ a Rock and Christ's Believers are called a Body a House a Flock are they not really so for it doth not say They are a Flock of Sheep as outwardly or other Creatures nor an outward House c. And then thou goest on with a great Tale and tell'st What the Papists hold and what is amongst them Roger though thou and you of New-England are separated from the Church of Rome yet you are found in the same Old Spirit of Persecution R. W. And whereas thou say'st By God's holy and wise Permission the Devil sends out his old known Spirit of pure Invisibles and pure Immediate and pure Worshippers in Spirit and Truth Answ. Roger do not Blaspheme against the Holy Spirit of God For is not God's Spirit and Truth Holy and Pure in which he is Worshipped and is not God's Holy Spirit Invisible or is it Mediate R. W. And thou say'st This Spirit to wit of the Quakers being Cozen German to or Sworn Brother in Hellish Equivocation with the Jesuites c. Answ. These are thine and the New-England Priests Conditions as your Fruits have declared it for the Quakers obey the Commands of Christ who saith Swear not at all R. W. For thou say'st The Quakers Churches they are as they Childishly vapour Bodies without Wants or Distempers c. Answ. Reader see if there be any such Words in G. F's Answer for G. F. speaketh of the Mystical or Spiritual Body he doth not speak of Naturals nor Bodies of outward Families or Bodies of Nations and Cities or Armies Nor Visible Churches nor the Body of Visible Churches but the Spiritual Body For doth not the Apostle speak of a Spiritual Body and a Natural Body and so it is God that doth supply both And G. F. doth not speak of the outward Bodies of the Saints for is that Mystical R. W. And then thou say'st What known Divisions and Passions about J. Naylor's and others Cases what Envyings Cursings Apostasies and Moral Idolatry as that of Covetousness in this Colony known notoriously Answ. Thou hast not particulariz'd who they be and what is their Covetousness who is known so notoriously as thou say'st in that Colony therefore we look upon this as a Slandering of thy Neighbours for we question whether thou hast admonished them if it was so before thou told the World And as for Cursings and Envyings and Divisions thou mightst have kept that amongst you New-England Professors but if any one do not walk as becometh the Gospel we do Admonish them And if there be any Difference about outward Matters according to the Apostle's Doctrine we do end it amongst our selves according to Truth and Righteousness 1 Cor. 6 and God hath given us Judgment in such Matters as well as Spiritual R. W. And thou say'st I have fairly Collected that the Spirit of the Quakers tends to Incivility and Barbarisme and to suddain Assassinations Murthers and Persecutions Answ. This is thine and the New-England Spirits whose Persecution is known for you have proved it already And thou wouldst have us punished and yet thou wouldst not have it called Persecution as in thy 200 page Is not your Law standing by which you Murdered God's People and do not your Laws and thy stirring up to Punishment Collect or declare your own Spirit not to be the Spirit of Christ for where would it have any to be punished for Matters of Religion and Conscience towards God And so as for thy Lies and abusive Speeches we can say The Lord forgive thee if it be his Will R. W. And thou say'st I believe that I have and can further make it good that the Eternal Father of Mercies stops millions of Mischiefs in the world daily which the Natures Grounds and Principles of Men and the Quakers Spirit also now to turn and overwhelme the world withal Answ. Here thou hast manifested thy self to be of the Spirit of them that opposed Paul who said he was a Pestilent Fellow and a Turner of the World upside down And as for the Principles of Men beside the Quakers they may answer for themselves and thy Slanders may serve such as are given up to believe Lies but sober People that know us will not receive nor believe thy Lies but it will make more to believe the Truth which thou canst not stop But let the Reader see if R. W. in all his Rambling Reply hath said any thing to the Spiritual or Mystical Body which was G. F's Question R. W. And thou bringst J. Clapham his saying Men may be called of Men Masters and it is but a Cavel to deny it and they may deny to be called Father as well as Master And G. F. Ans. Thou hast in this denyed the Doctrine of Christ and slighted it who saith Be not ye called of Men Master for ye have all one Master which is Christ and ye are all Brethren and thou hast shewed thy self out of that Brotherhood And there is a Birth to be born which calls no Man Father upon Earth which thou art ignorant of And R. W. replyeth and falleth a Railing and calleth it G. Foxs's lame Answer Answ. Let the Reader see if it be not Christ's Doctrine which he might as well have called Christ's Doctrine Lame which he Preached to his Disciples R. W. And thou say'st Among other Foolish Passions and Affections haunting all Men and the Quakers especially these two are notorious viz. Pride and a lazy Ignorance these two are the Sir and Dame of most of these Wild Monsters Answ. R. W. might have kept this at home for it is his own Condition who kicketh at Christ's Doctrine that G. F. brings who saith Neither be ye called of Men Master for one is your Master even Christ and ye are all Brethren And he manifests himself to be in the steps of the Pharisees who love to be called of Men Rabbi And so for his Foolish Passion and Pride c. and Lazy Ignorance and wild Monstrous Spirit he may apply at home who doth not obey Christ's Doctrine And we know that those Opposites have written against Christ's Doctrine who love to be called of Men Masters and against us
word Lye and is it Civil for thee with the Mittins And we know that Christ after his Resurrection appeared unto his Disciples and that the Holy Ghost came to his Disciples after his Ascension but what is all this to the purpose to disprove G. F's Answer That Christ doth not dwell in his Saints now and that the Holy Ghost is not in them now And we do believe of Christ's birth sufferings Death and Resurrection and Manifest in people who will Judge the world in Righteousness R. W. And thou say'st That we maintain Christ's Second Coming to be Spiritual And doth R. W. maintain his coming to be Carnal And thou say'st They count all gazing fools that look after a man for Christ is come unto them in Spirit and in them he maintains his great Assizes and now passeth Judgment upon men by them c. Answ. Doth not Christ dwell in his peoples hearts by his Spirit and doth not he there Judge down Sin Evil that is in the hearts of Men and doth not he give a Judgement to his Saints to Judge the Evil of the world read 1 Cor. 5 And must the Saints deny this Judgement that he giveth his people because Christ will Judge the world in Righteousness and reward every man according to his works Nay Roger thou must feel it for belying and vilifying his people And if you look after Christ as a Carnal Man may they not call you Fools who is called the Second Adam THE LORD FROM HEAVEN R. W. And thou say'st If these poor filthy dreamers lived without food and Physick c. without procreation c. Answ. We may say to thee as Christ said to the Devil Man liveth not by bread alone but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God And as for thy saying VVithout procreation and bringing forth of Children without the Stinks of Nature c. and a great deal of such Rambling stuff which thou hast filled thy book up withall thou may'st keep at home and where did ever the Prophets or Apostles use such Language concerning Marriage which is an Ordinance of God or of Nature which is good in it self And as for thy speaking of Eating of the flesh of Christ until they bâ—come Christ himself which thou say'st is Simple Monstrous and Blasphemous c. let the Reader see if there be any such words in G. F's Answer or if they be not words of his own forging and Lyes But we cannot deny our bread from Heaven for all R. W's Lyes and Slanders for which we can praise God for it as the Apostles did who are flesh of his flesh and bone of his bone And thou tell'st of Manicheans and of a Frantick Spirit As for the Manicheans these thou might'st have kept at home R. W. And thou say'st This Frantick Spirit saith Is not Christ in us how is he distinct from us what need you ask me how I do can Christ be sick can Christ do but well speaking of themselves And thou Observest God's wonderful Stroke in this world upon three sorts of persons c. Answ. It were well if R. W. did see the Stroke of God upon himself and let others alone to stand or fall to their own Master And Reader is there any of these Expressions in G. F's Answer to Tho. Moor for he hath not named any that hath spoken such words as he hath forged here And was that a Frantick Spirit in the Apostle who said Christ is in you except ye be Reprobates but doth not Christ say I was thirsty hungry naked in prison a stranger and sick c. whether this was not Christ in his members and if so then whether R. W. and the New-England-Professors have not been persecuting him all this while as the persecuting Jews did who looked on him as a Deceiver And as for the other Scoffing words we leave them they are not worth mentioning as in the 62 63 64 pages may be seen R. W. And thou bring'st S. Hamond Fol. 186 who saith What Warrant have you to go out to the Quakers shall a Man go hear the Jews and Popish Mass because Paul bids Try all things No no. And G. F. answereth Paul biddeth us Quench not the Spirit and where the Spirit is not quenched they may try Papists Jews Protestants who quench not the Spirit But who quench the Spirit and draw People from the Light within they draw them from that they should See withal then you stuff them up with Old Authors and Lying Stories as you Print abroad R. W. instead of Replying he asketh Questions Whether the Jews Papists or Idolaters have the Holy Spirit and whether they may go to hear God speaking in his Holy Promise among them c. Answ. Have not the Jews the Old Testament and the Papists the Old and New as well as thou to speak of And do not they hate the Light of Christ and quench the Spirit as well as thou and persecute them that believe and walk in it and I ask R. W Whether he can judge of them without hearing of them or reading of their Books And doth not the Lord say He would pour out of his Spirit upon all Flesh as well as thee though they grieve it and lighteth all as well as thee though they and thou hate it R. W. And thou say'st May I hear a Papist a Jew or an Idolater a False Worshipper c. when I am convinced that they speak not from the Holy Spirit c. Or May I go to worship God with them when thou believest they worship a False God Answ. If thou wast convinced with the Holy Spirit of God as we are then thou couldst not join with any false Worship nor hear them to uphold them in it for with the Spirit they are tryed and not followed in which Spirit of Truth God is worshipped But is it not Sam. Hamond's and R. William's Intent here that they would not have the People to hear the Quakers and to worship God in the Spirit and Truth Though the Apostles went up and down into all Nations to Preach the Gospel yet they did not join with their VVorships and hold them up and they that are convinced of the Falseness of them they have tryed them R. W. And thou say'st May I hear a False Prophet or be present at any False Worship but with Actual Reproving of them and labouring to reduce them c. Answ. If thou werest in the true Spirit out of the false lying slandering Spirit thou mightst Admonish and Reprove if thou wast in the Spirit of God as the Apostles were in but how cometh it to pass that the New-England Professors who are the Pesecutors and False Prophets cannot bear such as Actually reprove them And why do the New-England Professors make the Quakers pay Five shillings a day that do not go to hear them when they are convinced and have proved them and tryed them that they do not speak from the Spirit of God
shameful Lie And then concludes That they were his Witnesses that he had long said with David and he humbly hoped he should make it good that he hates and abhors Lying Providence in New-England Richard Scot. SOME TESTIMONIES of Ancient and Modern Authors concerning the LIGHT SCRIPTURES RULE and the SOUL of Man Testimonies concerning the LIGHT within MVnsterus Castalio Vatablus Drusius Clarius Codurus upon Iob 24 13 and Chap. 25 3. They â—re of those who rebel against the Light Vpon whom doth not his Light arise say That this Light is of the Divine Wisdom and Fountain of Light Alluding to the Psalmist 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and Mat. 4 19. The People that sate in Darkness saw great Light Also see Erasmus and Camerar upon Ioh. 1 4 9. Orpheus His Hand reacheth to the end of the Sea his right Hand is every where then within Of him alone are all things Clem. Alexandr Strom lib. 5. Thales thus There is but one God he is Glorious forever he knows Hearts and tells Thoughts He maketh the Teller of his Thoughts God as in Amos 4.13 Pythagoras thus GOD resembleth Light and Truth he is One He is not out of the World he is the Salt of all Ages ONE HEAVENLY LIGHT and Father of all things only Wise Invisible yet Intelligible Jambl. Iust. Mart. Heraclitus thus God is not made with Hands Pythagoras What things are agreeable to God cannot be known unless a man HEAR GOD himself Again Having overcome thy rebellious Appetites thou shalt know the Cohabitation of the Immortal God and mortal Men whose work is Immortality Eternal Life Trin. de Animâ Mundi Sophocles speaking of the Precepts written in Man's Heart saith God is their Father not Mortal Nature neither shall they ever be abrogated for there is in them a great God that never waxeth old Again saith he This is with respect to Man's Conscience a Divine a Sacred Good God the Overseer Oedip. Tyr. Clem. Alex. Str. l. 5. Socrates had the Guide of his Life within him and preached as he was moved by it even in the Streets and died for reproving the Corruptions of the Athenians in Manners and Religion Plotin taught That Man had a Divine Principle in him which maketh a True and Good Man Hierom called it a Domestick God The Good said Socrates shall be united to God in an In accessible place the Wicked in convenient places suffer due Puniâ—â—ment Iustin. Martyr in his Apology saith God hath built to himself a natural Temple in the Consciences of Men. Clem. Alex. Admon ad Gent. It is the Voice of Truth that Light will shine out of Darkness Therefore doth it shine in the Hidden Part of Mankind Strom. l. 5. Man cannot be void of Divine Knowledge who naturally partakes of Divine Inspirations Lactan. de Cult Ver. The Law of God is made known to us The Law is pure and unspotted Reason diffused through all the World Athanasius contr gent. The way to attain to the knowledge of God is within us which is proved from Moses who saith The Word of God is within thy heart and from this Saying of Christ The Faith and Kingdom of God is within you Minutius Felix saith God is every where not only very near us but infused As is observed by Grotius Crit. Tom. 7. on Acts 17 27. Testimonies concerning the SCRIPTURES LVther taught That the Spirit is required to the understanding of the whole Scripture and of every part thereof Again The Scriptures are not to be understood but by that very Spirit by which they were wrote Tom. 3. fol. 169. Iohn Bradford thus answered the Arch-Bishop of York We do believe and know the Scriptures as Christ's Sheep not because the Church saith they are the Scriptures but because they be so being thereof assured by the same Spirit that wrote and spake them Book of Mart. Vol. 3. p. 298. W. Tindal a faithful Martyr in Hen. 8. his time writes thus It is impossible to understand the Scriptures more then a Turk for him that hath not the Law of God written in his Heart to fulfil it Again Without the Spirit it is impossible to understand them W. Tindal's Works p. 319 and p. 80. B. Iewel against the Papists hath this Passage Flesh and Blood is not able to understand the Holy Will of God without special Revelation therefore Christ gave Thanks to his Father and likewise opened the Hearts of his Disciples that they might understand the Scriptures Without this special Help and Prompting of God's holy Spirit the Scriptures are unto the Reader be he never so Wise or well Learned as the Vision of a Sealed Book Calvin saith It is necessary that the same Spirit that spake by the Mouth of the Prophets should pierce into our Hearts to perswade us of the Truth of what they delivered Instit. lib. 1. cap. 8. Beza saith That the understanding of the Scriptures should be fetch'd from the same Spirit that dictated them Beza in Nov. Test. 2 Pet. 1.19 Peter Martyr taught That the Spirit is the Arbiter by whom we must assure our selves for understanding of the Scriptures that thereby we must discern between Christ's words and a Stranger 's Quoting Christ's words My Sheep know my voice and follow not a Stranger And among other Scriptures he quotâ—s these The Spirit searcheth out the deep things of God The Comforter shall declare all things that I have said unto you The spiritual Unction shall shew you all things Com. Loc. part 1. pag. 6. Again The Spirit of God reveals the truth in the holy Scriptures Com. loc p. 2. cap. 18. Again in an Oration to the Vniversity of Strasburgh concerning the Scriptures he expresseth himself thus The School of this Philosophy is Heaven Again We must remember that the Teacher hereof is the Holy Ghost Doct. Ames a Great Father of the Independents upon 1 Ioh 2. saith We require no more the Anointing of the holy Spirit doth teach the faitâ—ful to understand those things which they received of the Apostles there from to understand those things which are necessary to Salvation for these things those Believers had received of the Apostles With more to the same purpose in that Chapter lib. 1. c. 5. Thes. 32. contr Bellarm. H. Bullinger asserts in his 4 Decas and 8. Serm. dedicated to K. Edw. 6. That Men fetch'd the understanding of heavenly things and knowledge of the holy Ghost from no where else then from the same Spirit Doct. Owen saith The only publick Authentick and infallible Interpreter of the Holy Scriptures is he who is the Author of them from the breathing of whose Spirit it derives all its Verity Perspicuity and Authority Exerc. 2.7.9 T. C. an Antient and Considerable Baptist saith There is the Law and Testimony in the Spirit as well as in the Letter The Law of God is in the Heart there it is written and there it testifieth the Truth of God and if any Man speak not according to this Rule it
Heart and Bowels of Christ be run through with a Sword who can but tremble to hear those Words We do charge R. W. and the New-England-Priests that say The Scripture is their Rule to give us Chapter and Verse for these Words that we may see where they be written that we may Search for them Is the Incomprehensible God and Christ his Son whom he hath given all Power in Heaven and Earth unto and at the Rigâ—t Hand of God so light unto you and of so low a Value doth R. W. own any God or Christ but whose Bowels and Heart may be run through with a Sword and is not that a false God and Christ We tell him the true Christ and the living God is far above his Reach and Sword and his unholy Hands And is not this Blasphemy to say The Living God and his Son Christ Jesus who is at the Right Hand of God can be run through with a Sword we tell him He dieth no more but such as thou art Crucify him to themselves a fresh Imprison and Persecute him in his people as Christ saith in Matth. And we own the Scriptures and the Saints and the true Christianity and not for this wicked End as thou wickedly speakest And as for thy Ladders and Scaffolds and a many such Ill favour'd Comparisons that thou hast in thy Book might'â—t have kept them for thy self with all the rest of thy Vngracious Expressions R. W. The Merchants desire to see Effects c. the Jews Pharisees the Papists and the Quakers do not own the Perfection Answ. But R. W. where are thy Effects of thy Religion and the rest of the Priests where are the Effects of true Christianity where are the Effects of the Fruits of a Good Spirit for this is not the Language of the Spirit of God but of the Evil Spirit is but of the Effects of the Pharisees and Papists thou speakest of which are Envy Bloodshed and Murther And ye persecuting his Servants with Tongue and Hand and HANGING his people these are not the Effects of the Good Spirit but of the Evil One as the Apostle hath described it in the Scriptures And as for the Effects in the Practice of Religion in any Duty that may appear for with whom dost thou Meet and Pray and Preach or whether or no thou art not found in the Manner of them whom the Apostle condemneth and exhorteth the Saints not to have Fellowship withal Heb. 10 25. we think thou may'st forbear to upbraid any thy self bringing forth so little Effects but Effects of an Evil Heart and Vnbelief according to the Apostle's words And is not the Authority of the Scripture the Holy Ghost that moved the Holy Men of God that spoke them forth which lead the Disciples in all Truth of them which we witness For dost not thou say They are of no Value without the Spirit of God set them home to the Heart as in Append. p. 94. And so if they be of No Value then that which maketh them Valuable is the Power and Spirit of God and then that must be the Authority of them R. W. But thou say'st The Quakers and Papists call the Scriptures a Dead Letter and say'st They are of no Value c. as before Answ. And as for the Papists thou had'st better join'd them to thy self they are nearer thee then we are And where did we ever Throw Dirt at the Holy Scripture and said It was a Nose of Wax and a Leaden Rule let the Reader see if there be any such words in G. F' s Answer or any other Books And truly if any make a Nose of Wax of them twisting them up and down it is thy own Condition thou giving Meanings of them this Way and that Way and findest fault with us because we take them Literally And 2 Cor. 3. that is nothing to the purpose If the King giveth a Pardon for Death in Writing this cometh to a Man and preventeth his Execution But what must we infer from R. W.'s Words here That every Man that hath the Writings of the Scripture hath the Pardon of Eternal Death and why doth he cry against Papists then and all others for they have the Scriptures therefore they have the Pardon So in this R. W. stoppeth his own Mouth and shutteth out Revelation of the Son of God which Scripture speaketh of and Revelation of Faith Revelation of Grace Revelation of the Gospel Revelation of the Spirit which is the Seal of all Believers of the Pardon from Eternal Death by the Blood of Jesus Christ and the Witness with themselves by which they can set to their Seal that God is True in all his Promises and Figures and Shaddows of his Son Christ Jesus Blessed forever R. W. Bringeth G. F. Fol. p. 47. Joshuah Miller saying It is an Error if not Damnable to say Christ is the Means and that there is no other Means of Salvation G. F. Answ. And Christ saith No man can come to the Father but by me and he is Able to save to the uttermost and He shall be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth saith the Lord. And saith the Apostle God is in Christ reconciling the World to himself And He that hath the Son hath Life the Father and Son are one and there is no Salvation in any other And R. W. replieth and saith His Adversaries would not Suffer him to meddle with the Sense of G. F.'s words But G. F.'s words are Plain enough and what doth he give a Sense of that where is your Nose of Wax now Yet he thinketh not that a man of Wisdom would call it an Error to say That Christ is the Means to Salvation Then he falleth a-railing and saith For this Wretched Juggler to wit G. F. subtily confounds the Instrumental Causes of Salvation with the Efficient in God the Father the Meritorious in God the Son Christ Jesus Answ. How can this be when G. F. saith God was in Christ reconciling the World to himself and God saith He shall be my Salvation to the Ends of the Earth And the Apostle saith Eph. 1 17. In whom we have Redemption through his Blood Forgiveness of Sin according to the Riches of his Grace And R. W. saith I know this Juggler meaneth not a Christ nor his Blood nor his Death as we mean but an Imaginary Christ c. Answ. This Knowledge of thine and this Meanes of thine is false the Lord knoweth it and the Imaginary is in thyself But R. W. saith Christ's Messengers are said to Save Answ. And what then is not this through Christ R. W. Secondly Thou say'st The Scriptures are said to make Wise to Salvation Answ. But why will not R. W. put in THROVGH FAITH as though the Scriptures can Make Wise to Salvation without Faith Thou say'st R. W. A Man may be God's Means to Save his Wife and she her Husband Answ. And is not this Means FAITH which Christ is the Author of And thou
Apostles did And the Ministers of Christ are Ministers of the Spirit though their Bodies be Visible while they be upon Earth And we never said That Outward Assemblies or Outward Men which did eat Outward Bread and Wine which is Visible were Invisible this is a Lying Charge from a Lying Spirit But the Baptism with the Holy Ghost and with the Spirit which is the Baptism of Christ we charge R. W. and his New-England-Priests to prove that Visible and by Scripture But whom hath R. W. Converted in New-England who are his Assembly if he cannot shew them his Epistles as the Apostles could then he is gone away from the Institutions of the Lord Jesus Christ and his Messengers c. and cometh under his own Charge and not we And where is the Assembly of R. W.'s and with whom And we tell R. W. that he must come to Repentance from his Dead Works and Faith towards God before he cometh to know the Christians true Religion And whereas R. W. speaketh of the Two Doctrines of Laying on of Hands and of Baptismes concerning the Circumstances of which God is pleased to permit his Children lovingly differing and discussing c. Answ. If these things Baptism Laying on of Hands c. Anointing with Oil and Washing the Saints Feet be laid aside and practised not by R. W. and his New-England-Priests and if that were Institutions and delivered by Christ and his Apostles for practice in worship or doctrine to be held up in the Church Then if you be gone from the practice of these things then are you fallen and gone away from the Institutions of the Lord Jesus Christ delivered by him his Apostles and Messengers and so fallen into that which thou chargest the Quakers with and so proved thy self a HYPOCRITE to Charge others with Neglect of that which thou dost not practise thy self R. W. Thou say'st Repentance it was an Heavenly and Saving Work of God upon the Soul c. and it was preach'd by Moses and the Prophets by John Baptist by Christ Jesus and his Apostles Luke 24. And Christ sent his Apostles to preach the Gospel to all Nations c. Answ. This disproveth R. W.'s Charges against us For as the Lord hath commanded us to preach Repentance yea in New-England as the people well knoweth yea and to himself as he hath confest and to other Nations but he and his New-England Priests like a Company of Hard-hearted Jews stopped their Ears to it But doth R. W. and the New-England-Priests go into all Nations and preach Repentance and the Gospel according to his own Charge if not he and the New-England-Priests are gone away from the First Institution of Christ his Apostles and Messengers and your Repentance is no more than the Papists thou speakest on who remain in your Persecuting Spirit Vnrepented of So it 's no true Repentance and your principle and profession is no sound principle or profession whilst thou wouldst have God's people PVNISHED and the New-England Priests Persecute them Those Christians that are come to true Repentance they Love one another and they Love Enemies and their Repentance is beyond yours and the Scribes and Pharisees which do Persecute So it 's clear that thine and the New-England Professor's Repentance is no true Repentance whose Hands are full of BLOOD and Cruelty and whose Tongue is full of Persecution And R. W. Thou say'st The Protestants protested against this Repentance of the Papists and Quakers Answ. And why against the Papists but is it not clear that R. W.'s and his New-England-Priests and Professors Repentance is but like the Papists Saul's Ahab's and Pharaoh's and the Philistians and Judas's For have not ye Protestants in Newâ—England manifested your Swords and Staves against the people of God call'd Quakers that have warn'd you to Repent and HANG'D BVRNT with an HOT IRON CVT OFF EARS and SPOIL'D the GOODS of the people of God and your Repentance is not come so far as Judas's was to make Restitution of the GOODS you have SPOIL'D And because R. W. liveth under a Government where he cannot have the Magistrates to punish us yet he saith he desireth that we might be punisht So it seemeth he wanteth Magistrates yet we must be Punisht though it be in Matter of Conscience But Christ and the Apostles give him no such Command and therefore his Repentance is a false Repentance and he is out of the Spirit that Christ and the Apostles were in which was to Love Enemies Overcome Evil with Good if there were such a thing And it 's plain and true that the Church of New-England is the Whore because the BLOOD of the Saints is found in her But God will reward her and them that are in her and cry her up And R. W. Thou say'st For all their Craking of Fear and Trembling c. there hath appeaâ—ed no Sense of Godly sorrow c. and Brokenness of Heart in them for their Sinful Nature c. but immediately upon their Bowing down to Satan and Owning him as a Light and Christ and Spirit within c. Answ. R. W. Thou in the Spirit of Horrid Blasphemy against Christ his Spirit and Light within art not like to be Sensible of our Sorrows and Brokenness of Heart And here hast not thou manifest thy self an Vn-repented Man worse than Judas For did ever Judas or the Papists nay the Turks call the Lord Jesus Christ the Only-Begotten Son of the Father who is full of Grace and Truth who saith himself he is the Light of the World did they ever call Christ and his Light and his Spirit Satan and they that Bowed down to Christ a Bowing down to Satan O Blasphemer what an Age of Darkness and Blasphemy are the New-England-Priests come into that hold â—orth such a Doctrine And here is it not clear let all that fear God see how R. W. is Degenerated and his New-England-Priests if this be their Doctrine from the Doctrine of the Apostle as he falsly chargeth the Quakers For the Apostle turn'd people from Darkness to Light c. this he confessed in his Examination as may be seen in the Acts and open'd the Eyes of the Blind c. and after that he had preach'd Christ's Death and Resurrection and at the Right Hand of God and many come to believe he preach'd Christ within them except they be Reprobates and told them that the Light that shined in their Hearts gave them Knowledge And so thou goest on with many false Accusations which are Answered in other places And R. W. Thou say'st VVhy should they say Thee and Thou to the Aged Learned Holy and High Ans. This R. W. bringeth that we are gone from the Institutions of Christ and his Apostles as in pag. 114 but we Charge R. W. and the New-England-priests where Christ and the Apostles instituted that we should say YOV to a Single person But who are these Learned Holy and High Is it R. W. and his New-England-priests that
Blood And so our Doctrine of true Repentance and Faith Love Hope Joy and Peace is according to Scripture and the Primitive Church and not R. W.'s nor his New-England-Priests And we have Examin'd Our selves and prov'd ourselves by the Light of Christ Jesus found him within us and he is come and we are no Reprobates and hath given us an Understanding and we are in him Glory to God for ever And as for Counterfeit Christ painted Faith and Hope and dolefully Counterfeited perishing Salvation c. R. W. might have kept at home for it will fail him in the End which he speaketh of And this is thy own Condition that thou speakest of the others such as believe Lies for Heavenly Truths R. W. And thou sayst Thou hadst purpos'd to have shewed how the Quakers have followed the Cerdonians the Priscillians and Valentinians the Old Gnosticks and Manicheans Answ. R. W. might have kept these for himself who calleth the Light of Christ Jesus a Fancy and an Idol but where did any of those call it so for we follow Christ Jesus and neither him nor them And R. W. thou sayst Thou confinedst thy self to the Terms of thy Position and declaredst the Quakers to be Down-right Papists in many points Answ. Well we shall see what Points they are and see whether he and his New-England-Priests are not nearer to the Papists then the Quakers are R. W. Bringeth from G. F.'s Fol. p. 214. the Elders and Messengers of the Churches saying We are conceived in Sin and brought forth in Iniquity And G. F. Answ. David doth not say YE who are conceived in sin but I and R. W. saith John was sanctified from the Womb and the Scripture speaketh of such as were Sanctified from the Womb and Children that were Clean c. and this is fully answered in Answ. to App. pag. 134 135 And R. W. saith That the Protestants say that their natural Births and Conceptions are all defiled with Sin Answ. And so say the Papists But what doth R. W. and his New-England-Priests say to Paul For the Believing Husband is sanctified by the believing Wife and the unbelieving Wife is Sanctified by the believing Husband For else were their Children Vnclean but now are they Holy I ask R. W. and his New-England-Priests Whether or no there be any such Believers in New-England or Whether they believe this Doctrine of the Apostle or preach this if not then are they degenerated And this doth not deny the New Creating of the Soul and Spirit in Everlasting Vnchangeable Holiness and Righteousness after the Image of him that Createth him after him c. But R. W. if the Papists confess They are born in sin and Paul saith The Believers Children are Holy How do the Quakers and the Believers and the Apostle here Jump into one thing with the Papists R. W. thou sayst The Quakers are in one step with the Papists as to the power of Nature in spirituals and that every Man c. in the World hath a Sufficient Light within him to see God and Christ c. Contrary to the Protestants who from the Holy Scripture maintain Natural Blindness and Darkness and Man's Natural Deadness and that our Wisdom cannot discern any Spiritual thing c. and that our Wisdom is Enmity to God Answ. Did ever the Quakers say to the Contrary but that ye and the New England-Professors were in this Condition and ye might have taken the Papists with you and not to have join'd them with the Quakers And in this Condition and Birth ye are still though ye may make a Profession of God and Christ the Fruits of that Birth show it self forth And indeed how can ye be any other ways who call the Light of Christ Jesus a Fancy and an Idol which John bear witness to and Christ said Believe in the Light that ye may become Children of the Light So here it 's clear that your Birth is not Changed but as thou sayst your Wisdom is Enmity and ye are in Natural Blindness and Deadness as to Spiritual things But we never heard that the Papists did own the Heavenly Light of Christ Jesus that lighteth every one that cometh into the World the Life in the Word for they persecuted us for preaching of it as the New-England-Professors have done And whatever Christ hath profer'd you still how can ye see it except ye believe in the Light And thou comparing us with the Papists thou hast but manifest thy own Folly for thou say'st R. W. The Papists speak more like Men and yield that Men and Women have left them since Adam fell power to listen to c. and sayst The Quakers talk like Brutes of no Means but Immediate Revelation of the Spirit and the Protestants affirm that we have not a good Thought but from God c. Answ. Let the Reader Judge who speaketh like Brutes for if the Papists listen to that which is left them in Adam as thou sayst and ye say ye have not a good Thought but what ye have from God how have ye any thing that is Good from God but by that which Revealeth it from God which thou grantest is the Quakers Means For the Apostle saith No man knoweth the things of God but by the Spirit of God 2 Cor. 3. Phil. 2. Rom. 10. 1 Cor. 4. And so now thou that deniest the Immediate Revelation of the Spirit of God to be the Means and the New-England Professors ye are as dark as the Papists and so thou hast prov'd thy self a Nearer kin to them then the Quakers And thou confessest That God open'd Lydia's Heart Act. 16. Was not this by his Immediate Spirit and Revelation by which she received the Gospel And this is the Quakers Means but not R. W.'s it seemeth who saith There is no Voice to Motion within to be lissen'd to as often hath been quoted And dost thou and the New-England-Priests believe There was no Motion nor Voice in Lydia's Heart when the Lord open'd it by which she gave Attention to the Gospel and received it from Paul R. W. Thou sayst The Papists and Quakers maintain a Falling away from Grace Answ. And yet thou sayst The Truth is none of them seemeth to know it experimentally Then how canst thou maintain They fall away from that they do not know Experimentally But as for the Papists let them Answer for themselves R. W. And thou sayst of the Protestants Though they grant great Fallings and Desertions of the Children of God yet they hold the holy Seed of God the Holy Spirit and Word of God that Incorruptible and Eternal Seed of which they are begotten never finally and totally to be Eclipsed Answ. Where did ever Quakers say that the Holy Spirit of God or his Eternal Seed ever fell away of which his people are begotten or that they fell away that came to that State for I tell thee If the Righteous fall they shall rise again But neither the Papists nor thou
of your Father the Devil and the lusts of your Father ye will do he was a Murderer from the beginning and abode not in the truth because there is no truth in him mark no truth in him to wit the Devil when he speaketh a lye he speaketh of his own for he is a Lyar and the Father of it Mark this R W. Christ saith there is No Truth in him to wit the Devil and God is the God of truth and that which is of him or of his power and wisdom is True which thou say'st There is something of God that is from the power and wisdom of God c. in the fallen Spirits and the Devils themselves mark in them and Christ plainly saith There is no truth in the Devil Is not something of God to wit his power and wisdom Truth so do'st thou not here oppose Christ's doctrine as well as ours and we charge him and the N. England Priests to make this good by Scripture R W. And whereas thou say'st G F. meanes God himself pressed down as a Cart with sheaves the holy Seed Christ Jesus under the clods the holy Spirit in Prison for the Soul is a part of the Essence or being of God himself But that there is here a word or title of colour to any of this dirt and filth flung in the face of the Majesty of Heaven Ans. Here R. W. surely wants matter when he gives his meanings to G F's words and when he has done he says This dirt and filth flung in the face of the Majesty of Heaven R W This is thy own dirt and filth but in the face of the Majesty of God in Heaven thou cannot fling it he is too high above thee or any one else to fling so far dirt and filth in his face Oh R W that ever thou professing thy self to be a Christian should'st utter forth such words And it may be seen Amos 2 13 how the Lord said to the transgressing Jews I am prest under you as a Cart is pressed that is full of Shâ—aves and this was not Flinging dirt in the face of the Most High and may not the same be said to the Christians and to you Priests professors in N. England that rebell against Gods Spirit that they press it and quench it And doth not Christ say I was in Prison and ye visited me not to wit in his members and what must not these Scriptures be owned And doth not Christ say he is the Seeds-man thas Sowes the good Seed in all grounds and is not the same Seed Sown upon the Thorny ground c. as well as the Good and doth not this spring through the gooâ— Earth and bring forth 30 50 c And did not God breath into Man the breath of life and he became a Living Soul and is not that part of his breath c. R W. And thou say'st This Scripture Rom. 1 2. speaks of the works or working of the written Law in their hearts here thou art made to confess the truth But thou say'st What is this to the second writing or the holy Scriptures or writing inspired into the hearts by the most Holy Spirit yea or what is this to a third writing of their names in Heaven in the Lambs book of Life and what is this to a fourth writing of the New Covenant consisting of sin and a new heart a heart of flesh in which the Law was written as formerly in tables of stone Ans. The New Covenant doth exceed the Old for the one was in Tables of Stone and they had their Offerings and Sacrifices c. and the Priests Lips were to preserve the peoples knowledge But Christ is come our High-Priest which ends the Priesthood of Aron and so he is the New-Covenant promised Heb. 8 And the Lord saith Jer. 31 33. I will put my Laws in their minds and write them in their hearts and I will be to them a God and they shall be to me a People and this writing is with the Spirit or Finger of God And they shall not teach every man his Neighbour and every man his Brother saying know the Lord for all shall know me from the least to the greatest And I will be merciful to their Vnrighteousness and their Sins and Iniquities I will remember no more So the First Covenant waxeth old and decayes but this is an Everlasting Covenant the New Covenant and Christ is an unchangable Priest who is holy harmless separate from Sinners and made higher then the Heavens And so they that know Christ to be their High-Priest know him to be a more greater and perfect Tabernacle then that made with hands all the true believers in him can say he is the Treasure of Wisdom and Knowledge And such as be in Christ Jesus are New Creatures and the old things passe away whether they be Jewes oâ— Gentiles And the Church of Christ which is in the New Covenant the true Believers is come to Mount Sion and unto the City of the Living God and to New Jerusalem and to Jesus the Mediator of the New Covenant and to the blood of Sprinkling c. and to the general Assembly and Church of the First born which are written in Heaven and here the Saints did and do know the Heavenly Genealogies and their Names written in the Lambs book of Life before the foundation of the World glory to his Name for ever And such can say that the Blood of Christ ends the blood of Bulls and Goates and he the offering ends the offerings in the times of the Law and so Christ is the end of the Law for Righteousness sake to them that believe And the work of the Law written in the hearts which doth the work of the Law is not opposite to the written Law for it Judged them that had the written Law and did not live in it And the Children of the New Covenant can say If the Ministration of death written and graven in stone was glorious c. how shall not the Ministration of the Spirit be rather glorious for if the Ministration of Condemnation be glorious much more doth the Ministration of Righteousness exceed in glory for even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect by reason of the glory that excells it c. 2 Cor. 3. So we can praise the Lord through Jesus Christ who is come and has ended the Priesthood of Aaron and his Temple and Tythes and his Services who said to his Disciplâ—s and Ministers Freely ye have received freely give And Christ is our New and Living Way to the Father praises be given to the Lord God for ever And what dost thou talk of these 4. Writings and hast No motion in Heavenly things within thee R W And then thou tells us of a New Covenant consisting of Sin and a new heart and a heart of flesh Answ. All the Believers in the New Covenant have a new heart and a heart of flesh and Christ
birth and Esau was the first birth hated and let R W. look into himself and see if there be not the Nature of Esau and Pharaoh in him that is hardned And how must God be all in all and invite them to his Supper if he doth not enlighten All R W. And then thou tell'st of God walking in the midst of his Creation with his two feet of Mercy and Justice and how he wrote the Covenant of Justice in Tables of Stone c. and how he writes with the fingers of his Mercy and Grace his Mind and Will in the Tables of flesh and hearts of his Chosen And Many offers of Bargains and Marriages are made which never are embraced c. but in the New Covenant God gives a new heart to his Chosen and gives not and is not the Covenant to any but his Chosen all the world over even to the ends of the Earth Answ. If God walketh in the mid'st of his Creation where is it if it be not in the mid'st of the hearts of people in his Light doing Justice upon the Unrighteous and if he writes his will in the Tables of the fleshly hearts then therein they do know his will and then that Scripture or writing must be in them according to thy Assertion which I question whether thou wilt own thy own words again or no. And thou say'st Many Offers of Bargains and Marriages are made but never embraced With what are they made with the Spirit of God and never Embraced Thou say'st A Marriage may be between a man and a woman when they are absent each from other But can a Marriage be made with Christ without his Spirit and belief in him and he that believeth is grafted into Christ and he that hath not the Spirit of Christ is none of his and then how is he Marryed And we know that God hath given a New Heart to his Children in the New Covenant of Light but they that hate the Light hate the Covenant R W. And thou say'st It is a monstrous dream of the Quakers to say That God and Christ Spirit and Covenant is in All Mankind Answ. And yet thou say'st that God is All in All. And thou say'st God walks in the mid'st of his Creation with his two feet of Mercy and Justice and therefore I query where it is that God walks whether it be not in the hearts of the Creation to wit his people and if so who is the Monstrous Dreamer is it not R W And we must tell him and them That hate the Light of Christ hate Christ though he stands at their doors and knocks And thou abusest the Doctrine of the Prophets and the Apostles who say'st Christ is not the New Covenant of Light given to none but the Chosen who enlighteneth every Man that cometh into the world to the Condemnation of them that hate it and the Salvation of them that believe in it R W. Thou say'st It 's true if G F. mean that the knowledge of God in a sense is offered to each mans Conscience in the world though more expresly and gloriously where he sends his Messengers Wisdoms Virgins c. Answ. G.F. means as he saith according to the Scripture as he brings But if it be profered to each mans Conscience in the world by his Messengers is not there then the Light of Christ in the Conscience for them to understand Wisdoms Virgins or his Messengers that be full of the power and Spirit of God or else how will God judge the world in Righteousness according to the Gospel the power of God And dost not thou contradict thy self here again that say'st He giveth none the New Covenant but to the Chosen R W. And then thou say'st But to say the Covenant or Bargain and the Mediator of a New Bargain and the Applyer of it the holy Spirit is in every of Man-kind and if they will turn to it c. and yet persons know no such thing nor never heard of it and none never had it so as to be saved by it but these Foxians c. Answ. How now R W. had none never the New Covenant but we whom thou scornfully calls Foxians as to be saved by it I cannot believe thee but that Christ sent his Disciples into all Nations to Preach the Gospel and the New Covenant and yet thou say'st That none never had it so as to be saved by it but we And again thou say'st Yet persons know no such thing nor never heard of it and before thou say'st That the knowledge of God in a sence is offered to each mans Conscience in the world and what never heard of it R W But is not the Mediator of the New Covenant Christ which thou call'st New Bargain were not the Disciples to Preach him to all Nations and to every Creature who dyed for their Sins and was risen again for their Justification who enlightens every man that cometh into the world that they might see him their Mediator R W. And then thou tell'st a story of a man having fits of the Gout and a woman having the pangs of Child-bearing yet neither of them knowing any such matter or how she had any such Marriage Covenant or Husband c. Answ. And truly thou might very well applyed this at home And why should not every man that cometh into the world be enlightned with Christ the New Covenant or Bridegroom according to John 1 And the Lord saith speaking of Christ I have called thee in Righteousness and I will hold thine hand and will keep thee and will give thee for a Covenant of the people for a Light of the Gentiles c. and they that love the Light of Christ that shines in their hearts it will give them the knowledge of Christ their Husband and become Children of Light and do know how they are Marryed to him in truth and righteousness But they that hate this Light which lighteth every man c. they are not like to come into the New Covenant nor to the Marriage of Christ. R W. And thou say'st G F. cares not for the Jews nor Gentiles no more than the Fox careth for the Lambs and Chickens but to make a prey of them though he pretends Love to all Mankind and tells them they have Christ and the New Covenant and the Spirit within them c. and he means not the Covenant of works but of grace c. he means that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem c. but when it comes too they mean no other Christ but a Spirit this Spirit will be found to be an Evil Spirit c. as one saith upon them Answ. Here thou hast published more of thy Lyes and Slanders against us to the world the Lord God knowes For our Love to Jews and our Love to Gentiles hath been manifest and our labour in the Lord has been much for them and to them and to all Mankind and not pretence as thou scoffingly say'st but in real
Reveal the things of God doth make them Overseers R. W. And thou say'st The Christian Profession and Professours how-ever they were wrought and prepared and by divers Means by God's Spirit yet c. Answ. But what these divers Means are R. W. hath not told the World But what is this in opposition that the Holy Ghost made not Overseers in the Church in the Apostles days it is nothing to that R. W. And thou say'st Yet the Lord Jesus Christ compareth them to the most Visible Conspicuous and Glorious Things and Persons to the Sun and Moon in the Heavens and the Heavens and Stars also to Mountains and Cities c. and to Kings their Houses and Palaces c. R. W. What is all this to oppose the Apostle's Doctrine and say The Holy Ghost did not make them Overseers which is the Consequence of R. W's Jangling For we do grant what the Lord Jesus Christ doth compare his Holy People to in Scriptures but that 's not thy State R. W. And thou say'st Although the Lord Mayor of London and the several Officers of the City are not made and ordained in the publick Streets nor Generals c. are they not therefore Visible c. Answ. What a Story is this who opposeth thee in this who saith They are not Visible But what is this to oppose the Apostle's Doctrine still who said The Holy Ghost that is Invisible made them Overseers Will R. W. say It is the Holy Ghost that maketh all Mayors and Generals and Officers which are Visible Officers by Visible Commissioners else what doth he bring this Comparison for The Work of Christ's Overseers is Spiritual it is with a Spiritual Eye and a Spiritual Discerning and by a Spiritual Power and to watch over the Invisible Spirits of People the Souls of Men and Women R. W. It is most true c. that the Church is in God and then thou Contradictest thy self and say'st And is it not also true in one Sense that is thy Sense not the Apostle's 1 Thess. We live in God and move in God and have our being in God c. Answ. What Roger one while a Church and not in God and yet Live in him and move in him as thou confessest Thou say'st The whole Creation is Gloriously Visible Who saith to the contrary of that which is Outward R. W. And thou say'st The Saints their Assemblies and Officers are in God Visible to the world c. though in an Heavenly Spiritual Sense transcending the being of the Creation Answ. And yet R. W. bringeth J. M. to Contradict himself in his Append. pag. 21. and saith The Wise Heathen Philosophers had a greater measure of Light in them which is the first Adam than any I can find now And R. W. opposeth G. F. for setting up Christ the Second Adam and his New Covenant and his New Creatures above the First Adam and the Heathen-Philosophers and now in his 42 Page he confesseth This transcends the being of the First Creation Why didst thou oppose G. F. then in thy 21 Page and there Contradict what thou say'st in page 42 But where doth the Scripture say That the Saints and their Assemblies and Officers are in God Visible for God is a Spirit and they that are joined to the Lord and are in the Lord it must be by the Spirit for none knoweth his things but by his Spirit that is Invisible And G. F. never denyed that the Bodies of the Saints and Officers and Assemblies were Visible now and in the Apostles dayes and they were and are to be seen with Visible Eyes or else how could they have been persecuted in the Apostles days and in New-England if you had not seen Quakers there you could not have Hanged them And thou say'st It is most true and most sweet that the Church is in God yet again G. F's Reason is notoriously Silly and Impudent because he saith to the Priest R. W. defendeth that the Church is in God So Roger put thy Words together and see what Sense thou canst make of them R. W. Thou say'st Yea G. F. and his c. for all their being in God and some of their proud and silly Answerings in Courts that they Live in God and Dwell in God c. Answ. See R. W's Contradiction before in the same page where he saith We live in God and move in God and have our Being in God c we must not now confess this that he just now owned without being called Proud and Silly But why must not we tell where our Living and Being is before your Courts and are not they Silly and Proud as thou speakest and live not in God that cannot endure to hear People tell you where their Living and Being is And yet thou say'st They disown not their own Visible Congregations c. Why should they disown their Visible Assemblies or Teachers or Overseers which are gathered together in the Name of Jesus and are Ministers of the Spirit and are made Overseers by the Holy Ghost that is Invisible and their Singing and Praying in the Spirit they own As for those Audible Performances thou speakest of the Saints perform their Worship Praying Preaching c. by the Spirit is the Spirit and Truth Visible in which God is worshipped let R. W. and all the Priests prove that by Scripture if they can R. W. And thou say'st VVhy doth this poor notoriously Visible Cheater thus prate of Invisibilities especially in times of Peace and not in Elias his Case Answ. What! must they not talk of Faith by which the Invisible God is seen nor the VVord of God which was made Flesh by which all things were made nor talk of the Holy Ghost which made Overseers And did not the Apostle say Ye are not in the Flesh but in the Spirit Rom. 8 9. and yet all these were upon the Earth but thou art dark not knowing the things of God But you Professors that prate so much of Visibility are Invisible enough at Times running away and flying your Testimony but the things that are seen that are Temporal your striving is in and so thou pleadst for Visibility And though we are for God's Invisible things against your Carnal envious Minds yet have we not been visible in Tryals and Persecutions did we hide from you R. W. And thou bringst M. Bine which saith The Scriptures may be understood by the Help of Tongues And G. F. Answ. All Scriptures were given forth by Inspiration and so without the same Inspiration it is not understood Again Pilate had the Scriptures and Tongues and yet did not understand the Scriptures nor Christ the Substance of them and this you have set up since the Apostacy your Tongues you Raveners from the Spirit R. W. replyeth and saith That G. F. confesseth that every Syllable or Title in the Scripture is the Word or immediately revealed VVill of God against his and the Quakers common Song hath God any more Words than one Answ.
falleth in Corse R. W. Next thou say'st I know the Foxians turn Christ yea his Blood also into a Spirit a God Answ. Where and when did they so speak or write this also is one of thy Calumnies and Lies Christ's Blood on the Cross for the World we own and Christ's Blood and Life we own and partake of by which we have Life Eternal but what hast thou to do with Christ's Blood that art not washt from thy Lies nor so much as Repentest of them that I hear of R. W. Thou say'st I have heard also the Foolish Blasphemy of one of my own Neighbours saying That the Blood of the Quakers and by Name of W. B. was Saving and Salvation to the World Answ. This is a General Charge and therefore no Charge for it 's a Charge against No Body he nameth not his Neighbour nor have we any Evidence of it and if he will both add to take from and wrest our Words yea invent Lies against us as he hath done we have Cause to suspect that this is a Slander also R. W. Again thou say'st What a Proud Frenzy is it in the Quakers to cry out We are the Conduit it self we are the Well-head Fountain and Spring and as this Frantick Fox once and again affirms no Distinction between God and Christ and his Saints Answ. O Roger Williams that ever thou shouldst at this Age and after so long a Profession of Religion so Irreligiously abuse my Book and me and those that read thee there is nothing I have ever writ to any such purpose as thou wouldst have the Lord Rebuke thee Nay thou confessest a little further that I call Christ the Author and Finisher of Faith yea that I often acknowledge Christ to be so how then are we the Well-head Spring and Fountain if Christ be so if he be our Alpha and Omega our Author and Finisher in Faith and Salvation Thus thou gropest in the Dark and â—ontradicts thy self as all Babilons-Builders do which endeth in Confusion and Destruction R. W. Bringeth the same Author saying The Light which discovers Sin and Iniquity in Man's Heart is not Christ the Door G. F. Answereth The First Adam was the Door where all Sin and Transgression entred and Christ the Light the Second Adam which doth Enlighten every Man c. saith I am the Door the Way the Truth and the Life c. which finisheth Sin and Transgression and bringeth in Everlasting Righteousness and the Way of Life out of Death which Light discovereth Sin R. W. Replyeth and after he hath rambled a while he saith What then do these poor deluded Souls tell us of a Light and Christ within every Man in the World discovering his Pure Estate his Foul Estate and his Raised Estate which no Man or Woman in this world that I ever read or heard of by Nature had any Spark or Shine of such a Light c. but they have read or heard of such things from the Holy Scriptures c. Then thou Contradicts thy self and say'st in the same Page It is granted that Nature's Light discovers a God some Sins a Judgment as we see in Indians Answ. But what Scriptures had Nabuchadnezar and Darius who spoke of the Kingdom of God and of Christ and when he had cast the Three Children into the Fiery Furnace what Scripture had Nebuchadnezar for saying That he saw Four and one like the Son of God And what must we observe from R. W's Words that he can see his Pure Estate and his Foul Estate and his Raised Estate without the Light of Christ within him And thou may'st say John was a Deluded Soul that came for a Witness to bear witness to that Light that lighteth every Man that cometh into the world which he calleth the Light in the Word Joh. 1. R. W. And thou say'st Yea doubtless Nature's Light is able in Self-Deceitfulness wonderfully to counterfeit true Heavenly Light and the Devil seem an Angel or Messenger of Light from Heaven Answ. Roger thou might'st very well have applyed this at home for these are none of my Words for the Light which I speak of that Lighteth every Man that cometh into world is Life in the Word Christ Jesus and Christ saith Believe in the Light and he that believeth in it shall be saved therefore it is Saving And could the Goaler and his Company have seen their Sins without the Light of Christ to shew them their Sins with which they might see Christ their Saviour Physitian and Redeemer who fed them with his Heavenly Bread Water Wine and Oil but all this is needless and loathsom to thy full foul Soul and Stomack And can any see Christ that pardoneth Sin but by his Light by which they see their sins but thou and all thy Race would see Christ and not see your sins but that cannot be therefore you hate the Light because YOVR DEEDS ARE EVIL R. W. Thou say'st How poor a Plea is this Adam was a Door to Sin therefore Christ is the Door to the Discovery of Sin Answ. Have not all dyed in Adam and doth not Christ enlighten very Man that cometh into the world that they might see their Sin and evil Deeds and him their Saviour and Door and Way again to God and with the same Light to see how their Deeds are wrought in God and is this Natural and is it not Christ that saith He is the Light of the World the Promised Seed And as for Adam's mincing and excusing his Sin R. W. saith All this is Revealed to us and not a word yet of Christ the Promised Seed or a Light Christ to Convince of Sin as R W. saith But by what Means was this Doctrine Revealed to R. W. and the New-England-Professors to wit the State of the Fall of Adam c. if it was not Revealed by Christ and his Light R. W. Thou say'st I know the Song of this great Deluder is Turn to the Light and Hearken to the Light thou seest it chideth thee for thy Lying for thy Stealing c. is not this the Christ c. obey him and he will teach thee and save thee But the bottom is â—he English and Meaning is to hearken to Satan the God of this World Answ. Was it not the Apostle's Doctrine To turn People from Darkness to Light and are they not such as steal and lie that will not come to the Light because their Deeds are Evil such as thou art with thy Bottom and Meaning to hearken to Satan the God of this World to be ruled and guided by him and not by the Light of Christ nor to walk in it how canst thou and the New-England-Priests be saved by Christ and cleansed from all Sin and not walk in his Light And is it now become with thee and the New-England-Priests matter of Delusion to turn People from Darkness to Light to walk in it and take heed to it and did the Apostle that turned People from