Wo from the Lord God to every one that settles therein For I testifie in the Name of Jehovah that made the Heavens and the Earth and all that is in them That the True Name of this CANAAN is SODOM and EGYPT and that our Lord is daily Crucified therein And now William Dimsdale if there be a Day for thee to Repent in Repent of this thy great Wickedness in calling Christ Pharoah and his holy Burdens the Egyptian-Tasks and those Tastes of Comfort which thou hast felt to Encourage thee in thy Obedience to be like the Peace with the Egyptians when the Tale of Brick was delivered Oh Miserable Man if thou Perish thy Blood is upon thine own Head God never Required any thing of thee by his Light that was Unreasonable never to make Brick and find Straw but he gave thee a Measure of his Grace in which thou foundst Power to deliver thee and hadst thou kept Faithful to it thou hadst known Salvation by it But now thou hast cast off Christ's Yoak and Burden and endeavourest to betray him into the Hands of the Priests and Pharisees Oh Repent and Pray if it be possible that this thy Wickedness may be forgiven thee for if not the Weightof it will sink thee into Everlasting Misery S. Crisp AN ACCOUNT FROM HARTFORD HAving taken notice of a late Pamphlet set forth one part by William Haworth and the other part by W. D. the Title thereof A Quaker Converted to Christianity and that it was in Hartford We whose Names are under written being Inhabitants of the said Place could not but admire that such a thing should be in that Place and we wholely Strangers to it And One so Eminent as W. H. doth describe him that he need not fear to Encounter any Quaker in England in Discourse This set some of us on Enquiring who it should be upon which Enquiry it was found to be One who had been Apprentice and now is Servant to one Thomas Grigson of Hartford who by Trade is a Weaver and with his Wife hath belonged to our Meeting these many years They being asked concerning their Man Whether he was in any wise accounted a Quaker say They know nothing that be was ever so much as Convinced of that Blessed Truth owned by the Quakers so as to be in Society with them or Conformable to their Testimony And further They know not that he was ever looked upon by any Person whatsoever to be a Quaker in the least but only that he behaved himself soberly towards them And further his Master and Dame with whom he lived sayes He might come to the Meetings many years ago among the Boys somtimes but so that they never understood that he had any Convincement upon his Mind And so they with us do think strange that any Man or Men dare be so Impudent as to set forth in Print a thing so notoriously False and in it further to affirm That He to wit the said W. D. was fully of their Way Spirit Faith and Principle meaning the Quakers Now do but mind what the Lad saith of himself in his Part of the Pamphlet p. 7. First As to Silent Meetings he was not satisfied 2dly That he used to salute his Friends and others with Pulling off his Hat How now William Haworth Was this to be Fully of our Way Spirit Faith and Principle one with us Let them that know us judge For he that comes not to know a Benefit in Silent Meeting knows little of the Quakers Faith or Principle although we appoint none with the Limitation before-hand as to be Silent Meetings but if any have any thing to speak from the Lord is as much at Liberty as at other times But however a Benefit we know by them though no Words be spoken we whose Minds are gathered Inwards * Hab. 2. 1 2 3. James 5. 7. Acts 3. 19. to wait upon the Lord in the Silence of all Flesh or Fleshly Thoughts and to have an inward Ear open to hear what the Spirit saith and have and do blessed be the Lord often at such Meetings feel the Times of Refreshing which come from his Presence And here is the True Worship known which is in Spirit and in Truth and such the Lord seeks to worship him And so the Intent of the True Ministry * Acts 26. 17 18. is to direct the Minds of Men and Women to God's Spirit manifest in their Hearts and there to worship and not as W. H. saith That those Gifts and Vertues wrought by the Spirit of God in our Minds are a Man 's own Righteousness to wit that which Paul calls his own Phil. 3. 9. but the Righteousness of meer man which is as Gross a Contradiction and Corrupt Doctrine as if he should tell us That Paul in his desiring to be found in Christ not having his own Righteousness which was of the Law desired to be found in Christ not having those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds Oh wonderful Darkness but this is answer'd else-where And then as to the World They can know a Quaker by his not pulling off his Hat which this Lad by his own Confession used to do Now William Haworth where is this Great Goliah Quaker that was thus Converted and yet was never known by us nor by the World to be a Quaker But rather then W. H. will want a Prodigy or a Wonder to the World he will call him a Quaker No doubt William thou deservest the Right-hand of Fellowship of Tho. Hicks for he only forges a silly Quaker and then makes him speak what he pleases but thou hast Converted a Quaker O Wonder if this had been true William the next time thou writest things of this kind lay them a little closer together and remember the old Proverb That it is Old Men and far Travellers that Lye without Controle So far we were willing to let the World know the Truth of the Matter believing that at times something of God hath been stirring both in William Haworth and the Young-Man which we desire they may Return to and Repent before it be too late We have subscribed our Names as followeth William Faireman Thoman Grigson Thomas Chalkley Henry Sweeting Nathaniel Gerrard Abraham Rutt Richard Martin Richard Thomas Edward Plumsted Henry Stout Nicholas Lucas AH William Haworth what is become of that Tenderness that once was upon thy Heart Then wast thou little in thy own Eyes then didst thou confess to the Truth and the Quakers were Honest People in thy Account How well had it been for thee if thou hadst grown in that Tenderness But it is just with the Lord that all who Rebel against the Light of his Son should be Hardned It would be well for thee to consider where thou art and what thou art doing for doubtless thou art now found fighting against the Lord and his Glorious Work which he hath begun in the Earth but it is all in vain and to no purpose for it will Prosper And if thou canst stop the Sun in its Course and set Bounds and Limits to the Sea then mayst thou accomplish thy Desire For the Lord hath Blessed us yea and we shall be Blessed and there is no Inchantment against us And thy Printing Books and spreading them and Preaching so much against the Quakers and Villifying them as thou dost doth but manifest that Spirit of Envy and Bitterness which is not of God and so is a Diâ—advantage to thy self and will be turned unto Advantage to us and all sober People and such as are of an Honest Upright Heart will soon discover thee For what is the Chaff to the Wheat And although thy Understanding be so darkened that thou canst not see the Dawning of the Day of God yet 't is not in thy Power to shut the Eyes of others from seeing the Glory of it nor to stop their Ears from hearing and knowing the True Shepherd's Voice from the Voice of the Stranger It is too late for thee to begin thy VVork at this time of the Day for the Son of God is come and hath given us an Understanding to know him that is True and many are in him and do know the Elect Seed born that cannot be Deceived And thy terming the Quakers Spirit to be Delusion and their Doctrine Antichristian these words if ever thy Eyes come to be opened will be a Burden too heavy for thee to bear For it is no less then Reviling the Light of the Son of God which he hath given for a Leader to his People to lead out of all Evil into all Truth and those who have followed the Lord fully and faithfully therein have found Life and Salvation according to that Promise He shall save his People from their Sins not in their Sins and of this there are Thousands of Living VVitnesses And therefore come down out of that high and lofty spirit and bow unto that which convinceth thee of Sin for all that will not bow thereunto will be broken thereby There is not an easier way unto Life for thee then there was for us and yet we have no Cause to complain of a Burdensom Yoak or that the Lord is a Hard Master for the Yoak of Christ is easie and his Burden is light And do not flatter thy self with vain Hopes of our Fall for the Eyes that look for that will perish in their Holes for we are built upon the Rock of Ages and though the Storms of Affliction beat on the one hand and the Raging Sea which casts up Mire and Dirt on the other yet shall we stand for our Foundation is unmovable and the Gates of Hell shall not prevail against us And this is my Testimony for the Lord to thee and all who joyn with thee in this VVork Cease striving against the Lord in his People and Repent of your Evil else you and your VVork will fall together For no Weapon that is formed against them shall prosper Mary Stout ERRATA PAge 3. line 22. for banes read â—ands Page 4. line 13. for which read with P. 31. L. 38. for ontrary r. contrary P. 37. L. 31. for Babe r. Babel P. 39. L. 14. for withou twith r. without with P. 41. L. 36. for Burthen r. Burthensom And where any other Faults or Defects are escaped the Press the Unbyassed Reader is desired to Correct them according to the Sense of the Matter and none to impute them to the Authors THE END
Rebellion Rebuked IN AN ANSWER TO A Scandalous Pamphlet ENTITLED The Quaker Converted to Christianity c. WRITTEN By one WILLIAM HAWORTH an Independent-Preacher in HARTFORD-SHIRE AND WILLIAM DIMSDALE a Young-man in the Town of HARTFORD a Professor and a Hearer of the said W. H. By the Friends of Truth who wish its Prosperity in True Love to the Souls of all People John Crook William Bayly They are of those that Rebel against the Light they know not the Wayes thereof nor abide in the Path thereof Job 24. 13. Printed in the Year 1673. William Haworth WHen I call to mind how I have seen thee some time since exercised in thy Spirit I cannot but admire the Fruit now brought forth after those weary Travels yet no other then what I lookt for in case thou abodest not in the Judgment which began to take hold of thy Fleshly Part the Father of Spirits then began in measure to work in thee but his Furnace proving so hot and there being so much Fewel in thee the Bryars and Thorns mustering up themselves in Battel against his Righteous Appearance as a Consuming Fire unto them all here thou escapedst fleeing for thy Self ish and Fleshly Life and thereby became unworthy of his Gospel and that Life and Immortallity that otherwise might have been brought to Light and manifest in and unto thee how far the Fleshly Reasonings about an outward Maintenance for thy self and Family influenced thy mind to retard and hinder this Inward Work of God by his Grace in and upon thee let his Witness in thy Conscience speak as also how the deadly Wound on thy Corruptible Part by the Sword of his Spirit came to be healed and thou that once was so low should now be climb'd up so high and thou that was once so broken and shattered should now become so whole and Righteous and thou which once spake so respectfully of the Light and Spirit within both publickly and privately should now become such an Enemy to it and Opposer of it Surely it is because thou hast broken his Banes and cast his Cords from thee by imagining a vain thing That thou shalt be saved without having the King of Zion to Rule in and over thee that came meek and low riding on that Wild Ass's Colt on which Man never rods Oh! how is thy Goard withered and thy Anger kindled because thy Will is crossed by the Lord and thou canst not accomplish thy own Ends by God's Wayes and Methods of proceeding against thee concluding that those Wayes are not Good nor those Dealings of his Righteous with his People because thy self could not measure them nor thy fleshly â—â—ll indure to be restrain'd by them taking thy Measures from thy own Conceivings of holy Scriptures weighing them in the false Ballance of thy natural Wisdom and Vnderstanding by which way the Apostacy first entred and doth still continue in and over all that have declined from and entertained distrustful Thoughts of the Light of Christ within which thy Epistle to the Book entituled the Quaker Converted is every where fraighted withal of which for thy own sake I am sorry having had Conference with thee and true Love in my Heart springing towards thee when thou wert little in thy own Eyes thou mayst remember how tender I was towards thee and I know the Good and Honesty in thee in that Day answered to my Love until my last Discourse with thee at Hartford where thou as well as others exceeded those Bounds of Coolness and Meekness which before in measure I found in thee the Cause of which I would have thee search out in thy self and possibly thou mayst find Interest and Reputation which thy Hearers had no small share with thee in that Heat and Distemper upon thy Mind at that time since which thou hast not only grown worse and worse towards the People of God called Quakers but also in thy own inward Condition having changed that wonted Gravity and Solidity in thy Deportment into a light vain lofty confident and presumptuous Carriage which divers have observed in thee and this thy Epistle abundantly proves to which I shall now Reply more particularly desiring that what I have written may be taken in true Love to thy immortal Soul as God bears me witness I intend it But if thou wilt yet more count me thy Enemy because I tell thee the Truth I shall commit the open Decision of the matter to him that judgeth Righteously and remain A Lover of the Immortal Souls of all Men John Crook A REPLY TO THY EPISTLE c. WHat thou meanest by the Church of Christ at Hartford whom thou call'st Well-beloved in the Lord I know not except those the Young-man pag. 6. of his Book calls most of them A Loose Wanton and Proud People that Adorn their Bodies more then their Souls At the very Entrance thou discover'st thy spirit to be fill'd with the sower Leaven of the Pharisees saying In this Relation which follows you may see some of the Quakers Rotten Opinions c. Answer In common Understanding then their Opinions must once have been Sound but now are decay'd Thy following words taste of the same Leaven still like those Pharisees that said Christ was a Sinner when he had opened the Blind Man's Eyes let God have the Glory so say'st thou Let Christ have the Glory for bringing the Young-man amongst you Again thy words are None of those that went out from you were properly of you had received the Gospel that you believe no it is not possible for any to receive it truly and forsake it Answ What that Gospel is which you believe it concerns you to search that it be not another Gospel Gal. 1. 6. then the Apostles preached for there were those that perverted the True Gospel and turned it up-side down and wrested their Sayings to their own Destruction and others departed from that Faith which Paul exhorts Timothy to hold fast 1 Tim. 1. 19. And is not the Gospel call'd the Power of God Rom. 1. 16. and the being led away by Sin and Lust a Departure from or Denyal of the Power as 2 Pet. 3. 17. where the Apostle exhors the Beloved that knew the Truth of the Gospel to beware lest they also should be led away with the Error of the Wicked The Young-man was fully of the Quakers Way Spirit Faith and Principle Answ Thy Mistake also in this is very gross as may appear by the Answer to the Young-man's Book in this Particular Thou say'st The Young-man was an Honest Quaker true to his Perswasion as Luther said of himself before his Conversion c. Answ Then what are they either Converted from or to that are not true to their Perswasion Examine thy self and thy People whether you in all things are true to your Perswasion If nay then you are not yet come so far as the Honest Quaker by thy own Confession Thou sayest The little time he hath had for Proficiency in
Righteousness is Perfect and Compleat the other is Faulty Imperfect Incompleat as to degree Answ Thou wouldst make them two in Nature and Kind the one from Heaven the other on Earth the one Christ's the other ours and yet say'st its incompleat as to degree then they must be one in Kind for degrees varies not Kind or Nature So 't is manifest thou knowst not what thou say'd such is thy Confusion No marvel while thou errest from the Form of sound words calling it A Righteousness Contrived Where findest thou such a word in Scripture Sometimes calling Faith our own Righteousness And again saying Without Faith it is impossible to please God as if Man could please God by Man's Righteousness c. Thou say'st The Quaker goes about to make his own Righteousness to stand c. Answ Thou art the Man that goest about to make thy own Conceivings as thou speakest of God and Christ and his Righteousness by using Unscriptural Words to make good that Righteousness which thy self saith is not real Must not thou needs wonder and perish for want of the True Righteousness of Christ Thou sayest The Young-man may now engage without any Peril any Quaker in England Answ This is like Goliah's Boast but let not him that putteth on the Harness boast as he that putteth it off I suppose others if not thy self will be of another mind when you have impartially perused the Reply to the Young-man's Book to which I refer the Reader to judge of his great Ability or rather his Confused Indigested Thoughts concerning the Mysteries of God and Christ Thou writest to thy Brethren to be greatly Incouraged c. in reducing others in the same manner Answ How can any be Encouraged to Reduce others by their own Righteousness which thou sayest the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds are And if it be but in the same manner that the Young-man is reduced such Confusion will never turn to your Reputation among the Sober-minded Whereas thou sayest The Quakers keep people in perfect Popish Slavery Answ The Quakers knew no Bondage and Slavery like the Bondage and Slavery of Sin which you believe all men must continue in term of Life But I refer the Reader to the Reply to the Young-man's Book for a farther Answer to this Particular Thou sayest As high as Heaven is above the Earth so far is that Spirit of the Faith of Jesus in you above the spirit of Antâ—christ that is in them viz. Quakers Answ How now Is your own Righteousness grown so mightily Hast thou forgotten that thou calledst the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in your Minds is but your own Righteousness And what good can your own Righteousness do you But take heed of the Blasphemy of the Holy Ghost lest Francis Spira's Condition become thine or Madness and Distraction befall thee My Soul could even pitty thee because if thou Repent not of these and like Passages as that the Quakers Spirit is a Spirit of Delusion and their Doctrine Antichristian c. God's Displeasure will kindle as a Fire to burn thee up amongst the Bryars and Thorns that muster up themselves in Battel against him and his ever-blessed Appearance in Spirit and Power in the Hearts of that Poor Despised People For I testifie in the Amen that God hath and doth bless the Faithful amongst them and they shall be blessed And in Vain do the Heathen Rage and such foolish Imaginary Back-sliding People as thy self Imagine a Vain Thing For their Redeemer lives and the Shout of a King is amongst them even the King of Sion sitting upon his Holy Hill Halelujah for evermore Postscript William Haworth OH that these Smitings may be as Balm for they are the Words of a Friend to thy Poor Lost Soul as at present thou art Oh! feel them feel them and be not Wrath because of them lest the Gate of Mercy forever be shut against thee I. C. AN Additional Postscript THE Enemy of Man's Soul knowing how Destructive the Inward and Experimental Knowledge of Christ is unto his Kingdom and Government hath in these late times stirred up many Instruments both in their Preaching and Printing to prejudice the Minds of the Simple-Hearted against it as the Pharisees of old stirred up the Devout Women against the Apostles our Enemies suggesting therefore that the Quakers must needs deny the Man Christ c. For Prevention of his Wiles and Information of all that desire to know the Truth as it is in Jesus I have published this short Testimony Concerning Jesus of Nazareth that was born at Bethlehem c. I know not any of us that ever so much as questioned the Truth of the History as recorded in Holy Scripture concerning Jesus of Nazareth c. But setting aside the Envy of our Adversaries their Mistakes about us arise from our affirming That the bare Historical Knowledge of this Jesus of Nazareth will not save the Soul of any Man without the Light of the Spirit of Christ opening Man's Vnderstanding that he may know the Mystery of God the Father and of Christ as the Apostle saith Col. 2. 2. and Ephes 3. 4. That ye may know mine Understanding in the Mystery of Christ and 1 Tim. 3. 16. Without controversie great is the Mystery of Godliness God manifest in the Flesh c. Mark 4. 11. Christ said to his Disciples viz. To you it is given to know the Mysteries of the Kingdom of God but unto them that are without all things be done in Parables Therefore we declare a Necessity for the Light to be first turned to and received before this Jesus can be savingly know Which Doctrine is also confirmed to us by Experience in that we had as others now have while in that Nature by which all are Children of VVrath the Historical Knowledge and Belief of Jesus of Nazareth yet we wanted the Light of the Knowledge as the Apostle excellently calls it 2 Cor. 4. 6. Bare Historical Knowledge being a dark dead Thing until the Light give Life to that Knowledge Concerning the Righteousness of this Jesus of Nazareth c. We believe and testifie That this Jesus of Nazareth wrought out or fulfilled all Righteousness in his Obedience both in Doing and Suffering the Holy Law and Will of God and that this Righteousness so wrought out and fulfilled was not for himself but for or because of all such as truly seeing they have no Covering or Righteousness of their own flee unto and lay hold of him and his Everlasting Righteousness by a True and Living Faith And do further testifie That this Choice Rayment of Christ's Righteousness is not brought forth and put upon the Back of any Prodigal while he remains in the Far Country feeding amongst the Swine but at or upon his Return to his Father's House Luke 15. 22. And such Poor Naked Starved Undone Sinners as in themselves seeing their own Righteousness to be as a Menstruous and Filthy
Young-man did not knowing he Offended God c. 2dly Whether it be the Quakers Way Faith Spirit and Principle to Assent to things without Ground or are they of that Frame of Spirit to be ready to assent to every thing another of them doth whether they have Ground for it or not as this Young-man was 4thly And whether it be the Quakers Way Faith Spirit and Principle to say You to a Single Person and to call Men Master as this Young-man did who confesseth He could not agree with them in all things So take notice what the things are he did dislike and could not agree with them in which kept him back as he hath said And now see if he were fully of the Quakers Way Faith Spirit and Principle and went faâ—ther then most of them towards that they call Perfection as W. H. hath affirmed and published to his own Shame who is so blind through his Envy that he did not see the same Young-man giving him the Lye in several places in the aforesaid Pamphlet to which he wrote the Epistle And how may the whole Nation of England and many in other Countries and such as have been their Persecutors give this Envious Man the Lye and rebuke him for his Folly and Wickedness who hath made such Notorious Lyes and Slanders against an Innocent Suffering People as will more appear in what followeth It is well known to many yet living what a Stir and Stumbling there was about their Meeting in Silence their Keeping on their Hats and Speaking plain Language without Respect of Persons according to the Scriptures of Truth denying their former needleâ—s Words and vain Complements being come to know a Bridle to their Tongues Iam. 1. 26. and their Salvation wrought out with Fear and Trembling which was a strange Work and Wonder to Professor and Prophane though plentifully testified of in the Scriptures which they call their Rule but know them not as is manifest And what Great and Cruel Sufferings did many of them sustain because of their Faithfulness to God in these things which were Contemptible in the Eyes of the Wise and Prudent Men of this VVorld who scornfully reproached them by the Name Quaker because they were such as Trembled at the VVord of the Lord Isa 66. Now these are the things that kept this Young-man back which he did not like nor find Ground in himself to do them as he hath said But the Quakâ—rs do still find Ground in the Truth to do what the Lord requireth and their Way Faith Spirit and Principle is the same and not changed Now wherein this Young-man was fully of their Way Faith Spirit and Principlâ— who knows And wherein his Perfection did consist no Body knows except in perfectly denying the Truth and Power of God and fleeing the Cross with W. H. who also did stumble at the same Stâ—mbling Stone which became as a Rock of Offence unto him as the Witneâ—s of God in him shall shortly bring to his Remembrance though at present his Pride and Envy hath blinded him and hath made Lyes his Refuge to Oppose and Villifie the People of the Lord. For this Young-man hath sufficiently confessed his Ignorance concerning the Work and Way of the Lord who did dislike and stumble at Silent Meetings which the Quakers do not dislike but do prize as a Means through which they came to know the Lord and his Salvation as their Brethren did in Ages past who waited for him in the Way of his Judgments Isa 26. 8. as may be plentifully seen in the Scriptures of Truth where the Lord commanded Silence and Stilness c. of which I may mention something at present for the sake of the Ignorant as Isa 41. Keep Silence before me O Islands and let the People renew their Strength let them come near then let them speak But this is hid from the vultures Eye and from all who Disobey the Light which they be lighted withal And Ezek. 2. 13. Be Silent O all Flesh before the Lord c. And Hab. 2. 20. But the Lord is in his Holy Temple let all the Earth keep Silence before him Hear this ye Earthly-minded who use your Tongues and the Lord never sent you And there was Silence in Heaven Rev. 8. But this is out of your Reach who cry Revelations are Ceased Be Still and know that I am God c. Psal 46. Tremble and Sin not Examine your own Hearts and be Still Psal 4. Therefore will I wait upon the Lord Isa 8. But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their Strength Chap. 40. 31. And Christ Jesus the Lord bid his Disciples wait till they were indued with Power or Strength from on High Much more might be mentioned but this may serve to let you see your Ignorance of the Work and Way of the Lord among his People who did not dislike nor stumble at such things as you do For he that loveth his Brother abideth in the Light and there is no Occasion of Stumbling in him 1 John 2. 10. So here ye may read and see the Cause and Ground of your disliking and stumbling at these things which the Holy Men of God were acquainted with in all Ages And what was the Cause why the Name Qâ—â—kâ—r was first given this People in Reproach at that day But only for witnessing the States and Conditions of the Holy Men of God recorded in the Scriptures of Truth whose Salvation was wrought out with Fear and Trembling who would have been called Quâ—kâ—rs had they been in your dayes of which much miâ—ht be spoken So this Young-man W. H. cryes up for such a Perfect Quaker is so far from being such a one that he is ignorant of those things and dislikes them for which that Name was given them as he confessed the same to me and could not own that Refuge of Lyes W. H. hath made concerning him And I do not understand from his Master or any in Hartford that he was ever Ten Times at the Quakers Meetings but went sometimes as other Boyes did as he hath said and may be further seen in that Account from Hartford here inserted So let the Reader observe and take notice what a thing of nought or rather Scandalous Lyes which W. H. hath heaped up he reâ—oyces in and makes his vain Oration and Boast of as in his Epistle And see some of this poor beâ—â—â—der'd Lad's Câ—ntradictions and Confusions in speaking about the Light wherein he hath shewed his Weakness and Blindness â—nd not his Perfection nor Ability to engage any Quaker â—â— â—word as W. H. hath foolishly boasted like a Foolish Child of a Feather or like a Distracted Man that fights with the Air. Now here are some of the Young-man's own words as he hath set them down in the aforesaid Pamphlet by way of Question and Answer In pag. 15. Quest Was that Light by which I was convinced of Sin and by Obedience thereunto thought I should be brought into the Image of
all Arm-Holes The Lord is against you and he will break down your Wall and rent your Pillows from you as in dayes past Ezek. 13. who have turned away your Ears from the Truth Christ Jesus the true Light which lighteth every Man that cometh into the VVorld and cause the People to Err by your Lyes and by your Lightness like your Brethren the False Prophets of old Was there ever such a Doctrine preached by any of the Holy Men of God as this since the beginning of the World Search the Scriptures and see which you call your Rule where ever they preached That the Faith that justified them and their Salvation was wrought out by a Righteousness or Person wholy without them as you do Did they not say Their Faith workt by Love and purified their Hearts Acts 15. 9. And that the Righteousness of the Law was fulfilled In them who walkt not after the Flesh but after the Spirit Rom. 8. 4. And that the Anointing was In them and was their Teacher and that it was Truth and no Lye And is not Christ the Truth who lighteth every Man And was not he their Righteousness Sanctification and Redemption And much more might be declared of their Testimony how their Salvation was wrought out with Fear and Trembling and that it was God that workt in them to Will and to Do of his own Good Pleasure And yet again thou W. H. saith in thy foresaid Epistle viz. Jesus Christ is amongst us we eat his Flesh and drink his Blood he dwelleth in us and we in him we have both Christ Within and Without we have both Word and Spirit and so we have the better of them that divide these Now if Jesus Christ dwelleth IN you as you say doth not the Saviour dwell in you And if you eat and drink his Flesh and Blood is it not then IN you O William Haworth Dost thou not yet see thy Darkness thy Confusion Contradictions and False Doctrine Hath thy Envy so far blinded thee to cry one while wholely without you and then again he dwelleth in you How will this hold together in the Day of thy Account which hastens And then thou sayest in thy Epistle pag. 9. viz. Our own Righteousness is within us inhering in our Souls it confists in those Vertues and Gifts that the Spirit of God works in our Minds And pag. 10. calls it The Righteousness of meer Man So then the Gifts and Vertues the Spirit of God works in our Minds is but of meer Man by thy Account and as Filthy Rags for so said the Prophet concerning their own Righteousness Isa 64. 6. Would not this be Blasphemy to call the Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in our Minds Filthy Rags Consider it And would not this be Madness and Folly for Paul to say I count all Loss and Dung that I may win Christ and that I may be found in him not having those Gifts and Vertues which the Spirit of God's work in my Mind Oh Heap of Confusion how hath thy Envy and Pride blinded and befooled thee And then in page 11. thou sayst viz. The Quaker goes about to make his own Righteousness to stand Yes and blame him not if it consists in those Gifts and Vertues that the Spirit of God works in his Mind as thou sayst it doth how is any one a true Christian without these O Will. Haworth How is the wise foolish man taken in his own Envy and Craftiness against the poor honest Quaker The Lord hath found thee out and rebuked thy Madness thou back-sliding treacherous Man And thou art even proclaiming thy Folly like Jannes and Jambres who withstood Moses which is now made manifest And be it known to thee and all the World that the Quaker owns no other Righteousness to be justified by but the Righteousness of Jesus Christ the Righteousness which is of God by Faith in him according to the Scriptures of Truth nor no other Name under Heaven by which Men can be saved whatever any of you dream of them and yet they desire those Gifts and Vertues the Spirit of God works in their Minds may stand and be increased according to that good Exhortation 2 Pet. 1. 5. Add to your Faith Vertue and to Vertue Knowledge and to Knowledge Temperance c. for he that lacketh these things is blind c. Had not Gamaliel more Wisdom Patience and Understanding then thee and thy Companion in this Work who said If the Work were of God it would stand and they could not overthrow it And you call the Work of God the Righteousness of meer Man and say its rotten and must fall as in the last page of your Book Who is Anti-christ now W. H. the Quaker or thee Read 1 Joh. 4. 2 3 4. and consider your Babel where God is confounding your Language and the Language of all the Earth whole Weapons shall not prosper against his Truth and People but he will condemn every Tongue that rises up against them as he hath thine And why dost thou call the Quakers Spirit a Spirit of Delusion and say their Doctrine is Anti-christian in diametrical Opposition to the Doctrine delivered by the Apostles of Jesus Christ which Way wilt thou go about to prove this false envious Charge against us thou canst never prove it while thou livest but it shall turn upon thy own slandering Head for we can prove our Doctrine to be parrellel with the Doctrine of the Apostles and of Christ himself by the Scriptures of Truth and we are made manifest in mens Consciences as the true Ministers of the Gospel were and we witness that in Truth which thou hast stole the Words of for we do eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink his Blood c. which didst thou really witness thou wouâ—dst have Fellowship with us and not revile and belie us as thou dost But whose Doctrine is yours like think you who cry wholy without and the Devil had Cards to pâ—ay against Satisfaction from wholy without for all your Sins past present and to come and that the Father hath poured forth all his Wrath upon his Son Jesus Christ Oh ye Blasphemers who blaspheme God and his Tabernacle and them that dwell in Heaven for I testifie for God ye call his true and faithful Witness in you the Devil and the Hour is coming in which you shall feel his heavy Stroaks for these things and he will play you such Cards as you call them as all your Skill Wit and Strength will not be able to prevail against and then your false Hope Joy and Peace will perish It s the Word of the Lord God unto you all who deny his pure Light wherewith he hath lighted you and call his Gifts and Vertues but of meer Man And then you shall know there is Wrath left enough to punish the Hypocrite Lyar and Slanderer and that God is angry with the wicked every Day Psal 7. And thou W. H. â—ayst
with Fear and Trembling Phil. 2. 12. and Exhorted Servants to obey their Masters with Fear and Trembling Ephes 6. 5. and the true Christians received Titus with Fear and Trembling 2 Cor. 7. 15. and much more might be mentioned of them Therefore let not thy Envy blind thee any longer nor go not about to shut up the Way to the Kingdom of Heaven against People as thou hast done though the Enterance thereof thou knowest not who art found without among the Biters at the Heels of the True Woman the King's Daughter whose Glory is within Psal 45. 13. And as for thy many Ten Thousands thou boastest of we know them For Every one that doth Evil hates the Light c. which are very many and so every Evil-doer is on thy side and is one with thee as thou hast said And so the Unclean Spirits may now cry as formerly Our Name is Legion for we are many But remember thou that true Saying of old viz. That though the Wicked joyn Haâ—d in Hand yet shall they not go unpunished but the Seed of the Righteous shall be delivered Prov. 11. 21. And now try thy own Spirit and thy Fruits by the Scriptures which many of you call the Touch-Stone who saith Christ dwells In you and you In him and that you eat his Flesh and drink his Blood For it is written If Christ be in you the Body is Dead because of â—in Rom. 8. And if any Man be in Christ he is a New Creature old things are passed away all things are become new 2 Cor. 5. 17. Is thy Body dead Is not Lying and Slandering and Envy and False-Accusing Sin Are not these Sins alive in thee in thy Body Let all that know thee judge Art thou 〈◊〉 Creature Let them judge if all old things be 〈…〉 iâ— thee And did not the Blood of Christ cleanse them 〈…〉 it from all Sin Dost thou witness the same â—â—â—â—ct thereof 〈◊〉 they did who walked in the Light 1 John 1. 7. Dost thou wâ—â—ness it to cleanse thee from all Sin who art in thy dark Conâ—usion Blasphemy and false Doctrine Belying and Reviling God and hiâ— People saying He hath poured forth all his Wrath upon his Son Jesus Christ What kind of Christianity is it that thou art endeavouring to Convert People to Where is one Scripture will bear thee out in this Saying of thine Though thou hast quoted Isa 50. that will not do it nor all the Coverings thou canst make will not hide thee from the Wrath to come which will overtake thee speedily and then thou shalt know that there is some left for thee and all Lyars and Evil-Speakers and that the Quakers are no Seducers as thou hast belyed them But such are Seducers as draw People from the Anointing in them which is the Truth as may by read 1 Joh. 2. 26 27. And not them that turn People from Darkness to the Light Acts 26. 18. the Anointing in them whom thou hast wickedly reproached as the Righteous God is Witness for us and against thee whose Innocent Cause he will assuredly plead with thee and all that oppose them And no Weapon formed against his blessed Truth and People shall ever prosper The Lord of Heaven and Earth hath spoken it This is written by a Labourer in the Lord's Harvest in true Love to his Blessed Truth and People and to the Souls of all People I am a Frieâ—â— bearing Testimony against the Works of the World that are Evil And I have â—â—â—â—ed to forgive Enemies and yet can truly say in this Concern in the behalf of the Lord and his Holy Name The Reproaches of them that Reproached thee fell on me WilliamBayly Southâ—ark the 17th of the 11th Moneth 1673. Postscript I Having seen a Book called The Quaker Converted have considered divers things therein mentioned but I find the main Scope of that Book is concerning a Young-man that had been sometimes at the Quakers Meetings and is now gone again to William Haworth's Meeting and declares of a State of Bondage he hath been in and how he is now come to Liberty The Book is sufficiently answered with the Epistle thereunto My Purpose is only to Animadvert briefly upon one Passage mentioned in the 18th page of the said Book where this William Dimsdale hath summed up the whole Discourse in a Metaphor or Comparison of the Children of Israel's being in Egypt and in Canaan the one was the House of Bondage the other the House of Freedom to which he compares his being engaged in Faith and Judgment to obey the Light in his Conscience as his Bondage and his being delivered from that Faith and Judgment and from that Obedience to be his being delivered from Pharoah and his grievous Tasks and Burdens and his being brought into the Land of Canaan where no such Burden is laid upon him as before was said Behold here a Cloud of Gross Darkness and Ignorance which would amaze any man that is not steddy in his right Senses that ever any one should become so Blind as thus to manifest his own Shame and the great Corruption and Wickedness of his Principles and Way he professeth Mark what his Tasks were that were laid upon him when he was under this Pharoah in this Egypt viz. First Not to Lye 2dly Not to speak Idle Words 3dly Not to be among other Boys in their Sports and Pastimes though he had Oportunity thereunto 4thly Not to Wrong his Neighbour 5thly Not to Steal Hâ—rrings though he loved them well and was tempted to them and was also sent to the Barrel alone 6thly not to sink under Hissings and Reproaches which happened to him for doing well and divers more such like Burdens which when he did observe he had Peace he saith But now he hath greater Peace in his Canaan where none of these Burdens are laid on him Oh horrible Canaan Such a Canaan sure God never led his People into nor never will where these Tasks are not laid upon them This is a Canaan for the Sons of Belial who are without a Yoak and not for Christians who must be yoaked from Lying from Idle-speaking from Stealing Herrings or any thing else and all things before-mentioned But now he is free from that Pharoah as he calls the Pure Light of Christ had not Men need take heed how they Believe him in his Words how they Trust him in his Actions or how they have to do with him seeing the Latitude of his Canaan is to have none of these Burdens laid upon him and the Latitude of his Judgment and Faith is to believe that if he doth Lye Steal Speak Idly or any other such things there is no VVrath left in God to be poured out upon him for it Nay that it was forgiven before it was done and Himself not a whit the less approved of God for doing it Nay that there is no Danger of his Salvation to Miscarry how great soever his Miscarriages may be Here is a CANAAN so called