over in his Book who remaineth still in his Envious spirit Which some in New-England have done the same and have gone as a SIGN and a Shame of your Nakedness of that which ye professed yet in the Innocency of God's holy Spirit Which they rather had chosen Death in their own Wills then to have gone as they have done And God Almighty will Judge R. W. for his Hard Speeches against them AND yet for all these Sufferings and Persecution Pharaoh â— like as the Jews Outward did grow so the Jews Inward do grow for all the Persecutions of the Spiritual Pharaohs And Christ Jesus the Captain of their Salvation doth lead them in the Land of the Living whose Praise is of God and not of Man And we would have all the VVorld to know and all the New-England-Professors with R. W. that we seek not the Praise of Men and do expect no other but that they should speak all manner of Evil of us that they might fulfil Christ's words R. W. But we do perceive that R. W. is troubled That we should print our Sufferings and give forth such a Catalogue of them Answ. To evidence God's supporting Power and Hand that doth support them and to manifest New-England's BLOODY Hands though we Appealed Three-Times to England but ye BLODY Persecutors regarded it not although R. W. now in his Epistle seemeth to Flatter the KING yet in time ye may be reckon'd withal when ye have fill'd up your Measure the Al-seeing God will Reward you And the LORD GOD alone who hath been our Protector and Helper and Supporter and we had none in the Earth to help us but him and HE is the Revenger of our Cause And so we leave it to him And Deut 13 The false Prophets with the Signs and VVonders R. W. with his New-England-Priests may keep at home with all the rest that is got up since Yet the Christians were not to do unto the false Prophets and Blasphemers as they did in the time of the Law which was To run them through and Stone them to Death If so Christ and the Apostles might have Run many false Prophets and Blasphemers through that blasphemed against him But he told them the Judgements and Condemnation and the Misery that would come upon all them that sin against the Holy Ghost as R. W. is found in Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost and the Light of Christ and calleth it an Idol Christ came not to destroy mens Lives but to save them And R. W. Bringeth G. F. fol. p. 64 Jerem Ives saying The Writings of the Scriptures may be burned but the Word of God contained in them may not bâ— burned G. F.'s Answ If he had said The Word that it speaketh of or testifieth of he had spoken proper like Scripture but to say The Word of God is contained in the Writings and the VVritings say It testifieth of Christ the Word there is a Proof to thee that the Quakers are sent of God who speak to thee of the Scriptures right as they are So R. W. hath taken a few of G. F.'s words and left out the Ground and Reason of the Matter And R. W. bringeth his words to no purpose meaning to maintain his false Position by And then thou tellest a Story of the Jews Papists Manasse Ben-Israel and Paul in his mad Conscience c. p. 178. Answ. And in Paul's mad Conscience thou and the Priests and Professors in New England and the Papists are in who belâ—eve not in the Light of Christ that ye may become Children of Light And so ye are in the Vnconverted State like Saul R. W. And then thou tell'st a great Story of David slaying Uriah and the best Kings of Judah suffering the High-places and Asa's Imprisoning the Prophet c. Answ. But did not that Prophet Suffer truly for the sake of the VVord of God And so did the Apostles And have not we amongst you Yet we tell you the VVord of God is not Bound R. W. And then thou tellest us of Peter's rash Vsing the Sword to wit the Outward Answ. But Peter did not Vse it always it hath been the Devil's Aim in you all To Afflict to Punish one another to Death and Destroy about Religion which was not the Practice of Christ and his Disciples And how can we slight the Saints or Fellow-sufferers in all Ages when our Brethren Souls cry under the Altar as the Martyrs of IESVS did of Old whom ye have HANGED and put to Death And R. W. bringeth G. F.'s Fol. p. 51 253 99. Who forbids to receive into their Houses Answ. Such as bring not the Doctrine of Christ as John saith Who-so-ever transgresseth and abideth not in the Doctrine of Christ hath not God Therefore if any come unto you and bring not this Doctrine receive him not into your Houses neither bid him God speed Now how can we Bid R. W. and the New-England-priests GOD SPEED in their Persecutions with Pen Tongue and Hand Yet we can receive them as Men but not as Christians in the Doctrine of Christ nor his Believers in the Light as Christ commandeth for that he calleth an Idol And how canst thou be Received in our Houses as a Christian And how can we Receive any of the New-England-Persecutors as Christians which have so persecuted with the Sword which thou say'st are no true Christians nor Followers of Jesus yet as Men we can but not as Ministers of Christ. And had'st thou been in the Days of the Sufferings of the Martyrs thou would'st have spoken then as much against John Fox and the Martyrs as thou dost against us as the Papists now speak against them and would not look upon them then as true Sufferers no more then thou and the New-England-priests and professors look upon Us now as true Sufferers R. W. And whereas thou say'st As it is possible for God's own Children to hold and that obstinately false Principles so it is possible for other of God's Children as obstinately to afflict and punish those others to Death c. Answ. This is contrary to Scripture to affirm That any of God's Children who are born of the Spirit can be found in such a Practice as to punish God's Children and true Christians with Death according to thy own Assertion or any other upon a Religious Account For though the Apostle saith He that was born after the Flesh persecuted him that was born after the Spirit yet we never read that he that was born of the Spirit did persecute him that was born of the Spirit that was a Child of God And so in this thou hast affirmed a false Assertion And so our Sufferings differ from the Persecutors as Light from Darkness For we maintain the Purity of the holy Scriptures and the Words of God there against all the vain Traditions vain Meanings and vain Imaginations of Men and say They are plain to all that have an Understanding of them by the Spirit of God And we have
come into the World and the Believers witnessed it to Shine in their Hearts And Abraham saw his Light or Day and in it David saw more Light which was before Christ came in the Flesh. John saith In the Word which was in the Beginning was Life and the Life was the Light of Men. This in Answer to what followeth in the same page R. W. He again Compareth us with the Papists Common Protestants Jews Mahometans and Pagans and beginneth again to upbraid us with our Men and Women's going Naked as if it were a thing Ordinarily or Commonly allowed amongst us in their Wills without the Motion of God and would bring this as his Main Proof to prove us No True Quakers Answ. I have already answered to this and in his own Book it may be seen how that we own no such Practice unless the Lord upon an Occasion should call for it as a Sign as before said as may be read in our Answers to him quoted by himself pag. 39. But this Way is to Charge and Accuse us with all his Might as if that were the Way to prove his Charge against us And he telleth of Our being on High in our Desk pag. 37 when as the people there at Rode-Island that was at the Dispute know that it was but upon a Common Seat as was at the other End where he sat and on both Sides R. W. He also chargeth us with Exalting Cursed Nature Answ. Now I desire the Serious Reader to weigh well when thou readest his Book whether by all that he hath said he hath Proved his Charge or whether in stead of Proving this One he hath not Charged many more and left both it and them Vnproved and so gone off as a false Accuser And as for Exalting Cursed Nature R. W. with the New-England Priests had better to have kept it at home Now further observe that in the Conclusion of the First Day we having a Discourse upon the Commands of God upon the aforesaid Occasion as Of Abraham's Offering his Son R. W. said 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 do We asked what they Discerned by was it not the Spirit of Revelation that they Tried and Discerned by He confest It was but said We have it not so Now nor is it to be Expected Then we desired seeing the same Spirit was not to be Expected with what did he Try our Spirits and how did he know Ours not to be the same as theirs was seeing he had so Charged and Condemned us he said again They had that Way of Discerning of Spirits which none hath now But as he saith in his Book We must attend to the Scripture Only and to use the Weapon It 's Written It 's Written against Satans Immediate Inspirations and Temptations and this he calleth Christ's Weapons by which he resisted the Devil and so biddeth us Follow his Example and to use the Weapon of It 's Written It 's Written If this be All or the Only Weapon It 's Written the Devil when he cometh to tempt may Vse the same for he did use it to Christ as Matth. 4 6. he said It 's Written he hath given his Angels Charge over thee c. So all may see R. W. is not for the Apostle's Weapons his Helmet his Shield his Breast-plate his Sword of the Spirit which is the Word of God which he said was Nâ—gh in the Heart c. A Question was put to him Whether the Anointing which the Apostle John directed the Saints unto to Try the Spirits by was not the same that Abraham understood and knew the Mind of God by But this Question he never would answer although he promised that he would Answer it the Next Day yet though it was often urged he still evaded and would not answer for if he had and confessed then he knew it must follow That the Saint's being directed to the same that was Abraham's Guide Discoverer and that by which he tried the True from the False it could not be the Scripture but that which was before the Scripture was written And yet though he could not deny it not would not grant it the thing is True Abraham saw his Day whom the Apostle saith the Saints were in and they that had him to wit the Son of God had Life And thou and the New-England Priests that have not the same Discerning as Abraham had are out of the Faith of Abraham and so no Children of Abraham but of that Father that Christ told the Jews they were of The Second Day of the Dispute the Question afore-said was put again to him and he was desired to answer according as he promised the Evening before but would not and so evaded and made a great Narration and began to tell us of Certain Bow-men that bent their Tongues like Bows So the Discourse upon this afore-said Matter he hath let fall in his Relation as he hath done a great part of the Dispute and instead thereof hath put in his own Guessings Conceits Imaginations and Inventions divised in Secret when there was none to oppose him and brought forth at last as a Monster to reproach belie and slander the Innocent As all may see that read his Book how Invective and Bitter he is and whether he is not one of that Generation which Jeremiah speaketh of That bend their Tongues like Bows for Lies I leave the Sober Reader to Judge that doth read his Book And so take some few Observations of his Manner and Way of Proving his Second Position viz. That the CHRIST we profess is not the TRUE LORD Jesus CHRIST R. W. He telleth us We were not Christians nor Professors of the Christian Religion We might with Jews Turks and Papists profess One God yet Christians we could not be And to prove it he saith That the Description and Character which the Holy Scriptures give to the True Lord Jesus no way agreeth with the Image which we have set up Answ. Which Image and Idol as he calleth it is Christ the Light his Spiritual Appearance in Man so that we find he laboureth to set up Christ in his Appearing in that Body which was prepared for him wherein he suffered without the Gates at Jerusalem in Opposition to Christ Spiritually dwelling in his people As if it could not be Consistant with his then Appearing in that Body and taking that Flesh upon him and becoming a Sacrifice therein for Sin that he should afterwards Appear in his people and be in them the Hope of Glory and be their Life and they to become his House or Temple and he to dwell in them and to be their Head and they to be his Body and Members in particular and of his Flesh and of his Bone and they to Eat his Flesh and Drink his Blood which he said All must do or they had No Life
there are which thou would'st not have us to take as Charges in thy Paper which indeed is not Worthy to be taken Notice of but let the Vn-prejudic'd people in Rode-Island that was there Judge whether thou hast not wronged us And did not a stranger speak aloud there and said I am no Quaker yet I see that Mr. Williams hath rather proved against himself and not for himself R. W. And doth not R. W. say The Spirits of Just Men made Perfect the Quakers say Here and we say In the Life to come Answ. And doth not the Apostle say to the Heb. YE ARE COME to the Spirits of Just Men and was it not HERE while they were upon the Earth And Isa. 11. 1 Thes. 2. Rom. 8. and Act. 8 19.10.14.16 what are all these Scriptures who denieth them And Gal. 5. Joh. 3. what 's all this to the Purpose for here thou goest on in way of Preaching And all these Scriptures do not prove thy false Chorge For thou say'st R. W. The Holy Spirit of God was given forth by Means but the Quakers pretend in G. F.'s Book and other Books That their Spirit was without Means And thou bringest The Lord open'd Lydia's heart c. and Christ's Breathing upon his Apostles c. Answ. Did not the Apostles receive the Holy Ghost by his Breath and what was that Mediate and were not the Apostles Able Ministers of the Spirit and was that Mediate And that which Open'd Lydia's Heart was that Mediate And did not Peter Preach Christ Jesus and his Light and the Holy Ghost fell upon them and was not the Light of Christ within them that received it And was that Mediate or Immediate that bid Cornelius send to Joppa And what was that when the Apostle which was a Minister of the Spirit was Preaching Christ Jesus was it not something within them that answered to the Apostle's Preaching that pricked the Heart that made them cry out What they should do was not this the Light Within that lets them see that they had Done Evil according to the Apostle's words Whatsoever doth reprove and make manifest is Light and if they turn at the Reproof this is Repentance And what was that that Saul Kikt against when he was a Professor like R. W. and the New-England-Priests and Professors and Persecuted God's people and is not R. W. and all his New-England Persecuting Priests and Professors kicking against it now and therefore they will not receive Christ Jesus But we never denied the Means of the Spirit of God to work withal but your Means which are without the Immediate Spirit of God and the Light of Christ Jesus which thou Blasphemously callest an Idol And goest about to prove that the Spirit of Christ is not the Spirit of Christ which Leadeth us and Mortisieth us and Circumciseth in which we Worship the Living God as Christ commandeth and this Spirit thou goest about to prove a False Spirit which will prove thy own Destruction if thou repentest not And so our Assertions are no Contradictions to the Spirit of God they are thy own R. W. And thou bringst pag. 6. in G. F.'s folio Samuel Eaton's Saying The Prophets and Apostles drew people to an Outward Word G. F.'s Answ. Now is that which Liveth and Endureth for Ever Outward Did they not bring them to Christ and the Power of God which is the End of Words which is Immediate And in the same page Samuel Eaton Is not the Gospel an External Way G. F. Answ. No The Gospel is a Living Way which is revealed within and is the Power of God to Salvation And in the same page S. E. Are not these seduced who are drawn off from the External Means by which the Spirit is given and Faith wrought to wait for the Receiving of the Spirit without any Word to convey it to them he means External which Spirit when they have it is not the Spirit of Truth but of Delusion G. F. Answ. The Spirit and Faith is not conveighed to any Man without the Word to wit Christ and they are seduced which rest in the External from the Eternal And the Spirit is not given by External Means it is God and Christ that giveth it Neither is Faith wrought by External Means R. W. Replieth I Observe how the Wisdom of men is Enmity against God and how witty this Fox is to catch himself and others in the Traps of Eternal Howling how doth he here confound the Audible Words or Preachings of God's Mercy in Christ Jesus with the Inaudible Invisible Mystical and Metaphorical Word Christ Jesus himself 2ly Who sees not his gross and impudent Denying of the Spirit and Faith to be conveighed by Means from God unto us Answ. Let the Reader see R. W.'s Reply here if there be any thing in it to prove That we have not the Spirit and That the Spirit by which we are acted is not the Spirit of God And what must we infer from R. W.'s words here and S. Eaton the Priest That the Spirit is given by External Means and That the Faith is wrought by External Means and The Gospel the Power of God is an External Way and That the Apostle directed people to an Outward Word and not to God Christ the Eternal Word the Word that liveth and abideth and endureth for ever but then how is God the Giver of the Spirit and how is Christ the Author and Finisher of their Faith And how is the Gospel the Power of God which was Revealed to the Apostles an External Way and doth any know the Gospel the Power of God but by Revelation And was it not the Wisdom of Man which was Enmity against God that with-stood the Preaching of the Revealed Faith and Gospel and called it foolishness then and now And as for Traps and Eternal Howling Gross Impudency c. R. W. might have applied and kept at home R. W. Bringeth Enoch Howet G. F. Fol. 15 saying There is nothing in Man to be Ministred unto but Man G. F. Answ. How then Ministred the Apostles to the Spirit or sowed as to that and Christ Spake to the Spirits in prison And Timothy was to stir up the Gift that was in him and the Spirit of the Father speaketh within them and the Light that shineth in the heart and giveth Knowledge c. And The Son of God is Revealed in me saith the Apostle Here the Scriptures are for Correction of thee and Reproof of thee who say'st There is nothing to speak to in Man but Man When the Apostle saith That which may be known of God is manifest in Man for God hath shewn it to them Rom. 1. And the Apostle was manifest to Every Man's Conscience in the sight of God and that was of God which the Children disobeyed And R. W. replieth saying I was forc'd to omit the Allegations out of G. F.'s Book then by me and ready And why so R. W Why could'st not thou have
the Ground of the Saints Faith and yet he saith The Scripture availeth nothing is of no value without the Spirit c Append. p. 94. And further we say If the Scripture was the Ground of the Saints Faith and the Scripture availeth nothing without the Spirit How was it that the Pharisees and the Papists whom thou mentionest so often had not Faith from that Ground for they all say they believe Scripture But what must we Observe from R. VV.'s Words here That the Scripture is the Ground of Christ's Faith and yet he will acknowledge Christ was before Scripture and Abraham Isaac and Jacob Abel Enoch and Noah had Faith before Scripture was written And now if Christ be the Author and Finisher of the Saints Faith and they are to look unto him I query Whether he be Scripture if it be the Ground of the Saints Faith And the Spirit of God which lead his Saints to give forth Scriptures leadeth into all Truth of them And the Spirit and the Scriptures are not at Odds one with another neither did we ever set them so as thou us in Effect chargest neither can the Children of God know the Scriptures given forth by the Spirit of God but by the Spirit of God within which thou scoffingly callest a Secret Whispering Voice within contrary to Scriptures And the Voice that owneth not the Scripture is not the Voice of the Spirit of God that gave them forth both before Christ's Coming in the Flesh and since And R. W. As to the Spirit 's Leading into all Truth the Sons of God thou answerest and say'st Is not Fox here in his Burrough not distinguishing betwixt the Extra-ordinary Leading of the Holy Apostles appointed to be the Eye-witnesses of Christ's Death and Resurrection c. Answ. What must we Infer from R. W's Words That because the Leading of the Apostles and Preaching the Resurrection of Christ Jesus by the Holy Ghost that others therefore were not reproved by the holy Ghost and must not every Son of God be led into all Truth to know Christ and his Resurrection but G. F. doth not say that all were Messengers and Apostles c. 1. Cor. 12. And thou â—urther sayst Yet all God's Children are Regenerated and Sanctified and dost thou not say in another place They must have a Combate all their Life and thou sayst That God's Children are Guided and Built up together an Habitation c. And then R. W. must not the Spirit of God be within and if so then thou ownest the Quakers Principle and confessest that which thou all this while hast been fighting against And as for what David said if he had been in thy Day thou wouldst have cried against him as thou dost against us who said I have hid thy Word in my Heart R. W. And this is the Devil's the Old Fox his Devilish Subtlety to make the Cloak of the Spirit 's extra-ordinary Assistance c. and the Angels Extra-ordinary Protection a Ground of Christ Jesus and his Servants flinging themselves down from the Pinnacle of the Temple and thou pretendest to tell us from God that this will be the Break-neck of the People called Quakers without Repentance every Soul of them Answ. How now R. W hast thou not here given rash Judgement against the Assistance and Protection and Sufficiency of the Spirit of Christ and his Grace which God saith is Sufficient to Paul in his Trouble And hast not thou broken thy own Neck here and falln down from the Pinnacle who dost not look at the Grace of God and his Light and Spirit to be Sufficient Is it sufficient to condemn them that Erre from the Spirit and turn the Grace of God into Wantonness And God sent an Angel and brought the Children of Israel out of Egypt and Exod. 23 20. Behold I send an Angel before thee to keep thee in the Way vers 23. For my Angel shall go before thee and bring thee c. and Chap. 22 24 And behold my Angel shall go before thee And was not this Angel sufficient to bring them into the Land of Canaan if they hearkened unto him and is not Christ Sufficient by his Light Power and Spirit to bring us out of Spiritual Egypt and Christ saith to his Sheep that hear his Voice I give unto them Eternal Life and they shaâ—l never perish neither shall any man pluck them out of my Hand John 10 28. But R. W. how canst thou say Thou passest thy false Judgement upon us from the God of Truth and yet sayst There is no Voice nor Motion within to be lissen'd or hearken'd unto in Heavenly Things in Matters that are Super natural pag. 83. R W. Thou say'st Our Principles and Practices are fâ—ll of Contradiction and Hypocrisy Answ. Our Principles and Professiâ—n are Holy and Pure and Contradictions and Hyppocrisy thou might'st have kept at Home for we Profess the Lord Jesus Christ and all the Prophecies and Things in the Law that Figured them forth and the Things in the Law as truly as the Prophets and the Apostles did Profess him and own all that is Written in the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation And we own the Worship in the Spirit and Truth and are in it that Christ set up Sixteen-hundred Years since and the Religion that the Apostle describeth above Sixteen-hundred Years since which is Pure and Vndefiled before God And the One Faith which Chriâ—t is the Author of and the One Baptism and the One Spirit into One Body and One God and Father of All who is above All and through All and in you All as the Apostle speaketh And the Lord Jesus Christ who was Born of the Virgin Conceived by the Holy Ghost c. and Preach'd and Suffered under Pontius Pilate before whom he made a Good Confession and Died and Rose again and is at the Right Hand of God and remaineth in the Heavens till all things are Restored c. who will Judge the World in Righteousness and Reward every Man according to his Works and therefore no Salvation in any other Name but in the Name of Jesus c. And let New-England-Professors see if our Principles and Practice Life and Doctrine hath not Out-stript theirs let the Witness of God in them Answer And R. W. saith He told us of False Gods and Worships and Prophets c. but this is nothing to the Purpose to prove his False Charge for we are Not to Believe thee and the False Prophets but to Try them but thou say'st We must Try them with Fire it self Answ. Yea R. W. Ye and the New-England-Priests did Try us God's True Prophets with FIRE whom ye Tried with your HOT IRON when ye BRANDED them and your GALLOWS when you HANGED them And so ye are TRIED not to be in the true Principles and Profession of the Apostles and of Christ. And didst not thou say afore That the Scripture was to Try and what R. W is the Scripture now become a FIRE where
Faith Worketh by Envy Malice Persecution Bloodshed and Murther And so Poor Bancrupts ye may apply to yourselves And if ye were in the Grace which cometh by Jesus your Practice and thy Words would have been more Gratious which testifieth you are not in the Grace of God which the Apostle was in but have turn'd it into Wantonness R. W. Bringeth Joseph Miller's Saying It 's an Error to say we are Justified by that which Christ doth in us G. F. Fol. p. 47. Answ. Contrary to the Apostle who saith We are Justified by Faith in his Blood And the Faith is in the Heart and the Blood is in the Heart that purifieth it And the Mystery of Faith is held in a pure Conscience And the Word of Faith is within Rom. 10 and Faith giveth Victory over the World and that which giveth Victory Justifieth and Christ is within who is Justification Sanctification c. and if either of them is found within thou art in an Error and not fit to talk of these things thou understandest not R. W. Replieth and saith Grant that in a true Respect and Sense Faith is within and the Blood c. And then he saith Will it therefore follow twice over Answ. And doth G. F. say that they were not Without before they were Within or else how should they come Within and doth G. F. say any such word that they are one in his Answer So as for thy Babilonish Mystery Jumbling and Blending thou might'st have kept at home who hast confest to the Truth and canst not own it R. W. And thou sayst It 's true Christ dwelleth in our hearts by believing the Apostle saith by Faith Ephes. 3. and thou sayst Consequently his Cross his Manger his Grave his Literal Bloodshed are Within c. and his Spear Soldiers High-priests Scribes Pharisees Pilate Romans Jerusalem are literally within us Answ. This is thy own Brutish Fancy as thou callest it to talk at this Rate which neither we nor the Apostle preach'd such a false Doctrine and therefore thou mayst take it home again as a Forging by thy own spirit And cannot Christ be preach'd by the Apostles and his Servants now in the Hearts of his Saints without all these Outward Things as thou Maliciously bringest here And the Reader may see there is nothing in G. F.'s Answer for him to bring these Words For we own the Man Christ Jesus really shedding his Blood without the Gates of outward Jerusalem c. And a many Vnsavoury Words thou hast here which thou mayst take home again But can Christ Jesus be blown up and Vanish together with the Scriptures as thou affirmest and according to thy Consequence here O no he is Ascended far above thy Blowing up But thy Antichrist may be blown up who callest the Light of the true Christ an Idol and a Fancy And R. W. bringeth John Bunyan G. F. Fol. 10. saying It is not Faith and Works that Justifieth a Man before God but it is Faith and Good Works which justify in the Sight of Men only and such Works will not justify in the Sight of God And he saith That Works are only to justify their Faith to be true before Men. G. F. Answereth Abraham was not justified only to Men by his Obedience but to God and where is Faith there is Justification which worketh by Love And the Saints Faith and Works were not only to justify them in the Sight of Men For the Work of God is to do what he saith and his Will which who doth not are not justified in so doing but are to be beaten with stripes Who seek to be justified by their Faith and Works in the Sight of Men are in a Dead Faith and Works both for such seek to please Men more than God And R. W. Replieth and falleth a-railing and saith G. F. maintaineth a Covenant of Works Answ. But there is no such thing as the Reader may see but the Faith which worketh by Love as the Apostle speaketh of the New Covenant and this R. W. who is so Envious cannot see But he maintaineth the Faith of Christ Jesus and also the Faith of Abraham and the Apostle saith They are of Abraham who walk in the Steps of the Faith of Abraham who is the Father of the Faithful R. W. And thou sayst The Work of God according to Christ's Doctrine is to believe in him whom God hath sent It is true it is the Command of God to keep his Commands but since the Deadly Fall of Man none not one being able c. Answ. What! None can keep the Commands of God neither in the Old Testament nor in the New that cometh to Christ and doth the Work of God To believe in his Son whom God hath sent then None loveth God nor believeth For is not this the Command and Work of God to believe in his Son What! are the Commands of God in the New Testament only to be talked of because they did not keep them in the Old Now doth not the Apostle say The Law is fulfill'd in one Word Love God and thy Neighbour as thy self We know R. W. and his New-England-Priests c. have not kept this Command for if they had Loved God they would not have kill'd his people for Love doth not kill nor Envy And also R. W. if he had Loved God and kept in his Love we should not have had this Envious Evil Work brought forth And R. W. saith They that do not God's Will are not justified in so doing And therefore R. W. concludeth They that do God's will are justified in so doing and that their Sins are pardon'd as Paul and David by pardon of Sin describe justification And thou sayst That there is divers Significations of this Latin Word Justification Answ. What is this to the Purpose as to Christ's words They that do not the Will of God are un-justified in so doing And wa not Paul's c. Sin pardon'd by Christ through Faith who Justified him But dost thou justify the Papists and the New-England Priests and Professors Drinking the Blood of the Saints and thy self who would'st have us to be punisht so thou wouldst have us Beaten and the New-England Men did Beat us because we did not do your Wills But you cry Pardon of Sin by Christ Jesus and are doing the Devil's Work and not Christ's Will and Command which is To love one another and to love Enemies Thou sayst R. W. Doth it follow therefore that they that do not Steal Whore Murther c. by this abstaining from Sin and by this their Work they obtain their Pardon and stand by this their Work Legally right and justified in the Court of Heaven Answ. R. W. Are they Justified that Run on in their Sin Stealing Whoredom and Murther which the true Faith that Christ is the Author of leadeth from purifieth from and giveth Victory over such Evils and seeth Christ the Author of their Faith whom he hath bought with his
which are thy own words not ours And G. F. asketh you the question concerning the Soul but why doth not R. W. Answer it and tell what the Soul is as the Reader may see in pag. 147 in the Book And then thou tell'st a Story of the Manichees when this is nothing to the purpose to prove thy Charge but to fill up the Book and Time And the Apostle saith Beware of Dogs and Cantâ— 2 Beware of Foxes which thou bringest Then the Lambs must beware of such as thou and of the New-England-Persecutors R. W. And thou say'st You are to fly c. from these brutish Fancies brutish Barkings and Blasphemies against the infinitely Glorious and Inconceivable Excellencies of God c. Answ. Then they must Fly from such as thou who callest Christ's Light an Idol and a Fancy and therefore thou art not able to know neither Christ nor his Godhead R. W. And thou qoutest G. F.'s Fol. p. 67 Fran. Higginson saying That one should say He was Equal with God G. F. Answ. And in the Catechism of the Assembly of the Priests called Divines which they have put forth to the Nation in which they have laid down for young Children and old Men and all to Learn That the Holy Ghost and the Son are Equal in Power and Glory with the Father Yet if any one come to witness the Son of God to by Revealed in him or any come to witness the Holy Ghost in them as they did that gave forth the Scriptures or witness the Mind of Christ or witness that Equal with the Father that Equality which you speak of ye Priests destroy that which ye have put forth to the Nation and cry out Horrible Blasphemy c. R. W. Replieth and beginneth with Raiâ—ing and saith The Quakers say that they are Equal in Power and Glory with the Father the Son and Holy Spirit c. Answ. Now let the Reader but read G. F.'s Answer and see how horribly he abuseth it doth he mention WE but only the Holy Ghost and Christ and the Son of God to be Equal with the Father according as the Priests said and yet they are against this Son and the Holy Ghost to be in Man and Woman And the Reader may see how he hath changed a many words in G. F.'s Answer to instead of or and Equality for Equal and so hath changed the sence and crieth out Horrible Blasphemy as ye may see in G. F.'s Answer And besides he hath left out many of his words Anâ— how can they who are Witnesses of the Holy Ghost and Witnesses of the Son how can it be meant they be Equal when they are but the Witnesses of it The Reader may see if R. W. hath not doâ—e this on purpose to wrong G. F.'s words R. W. Bringeth G. F.'s Fol. p. 282. Daâ— Gawdry saying Surely they cannot be Perfect here or hereafter in Equality but only in Quality G. F.'s Answ. Christ maketh no distinction in his words but saith Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect and be ye Merciful as He is Merciful and as He is so are we in this World And that which is Perfect and Merciful as he is Perfect and Merciful is one in Quality with the same thing And R. W. Replieth and saith The Quakers challenge an Equality with God and crieth Horrible Blasphemy Answ. But let the Reader see if there be any such thing in G. F.'s words in his Answer but using Christ's words Be ye Perfect as your Heavenly Father is Perfect and Be ye Merciful as He is Merciful and as He is so are we in this present World Now if these words be Blasphemy then R. W. may as well call John's and Christ's words Blasphemy But none of those Stories proveth his Assertion And there is not the word Equality in G. F.'s Answer which R. W. hath basely thrust in And R. W. Bringeth G. F.'s Fol. p. 248. To say that God is substantially c. Thou bringest Names and there is no such thing in that page as the Reader may see in G. F.'s Folio aforesaid And then thou sayst That the Quakers make themselves Father Son and Holy Ghost Answ. All people may see we have need of great patience to hear all thy Lies and false Charges for it 's thy own Confession Thou say'st that G. F. Answereth That God will dwell in Man and the Saints had Vnity with the Father and the Son and this is Scripture as in John 1. And how darest thou enviously say upon these words of G. F.'s They make themselves Father Son and Holy Ghost And thou sayst We make no Distinction between Christ Jesus himself and his Saints or Believers in him when often we declared Christ in us the hope of Glory and Christ in you except ye be Reprobates And how did the Apostles make the Saints the Father Son and Holy Ghost who preached this Doctrine R. W. might as well charge the Apostles as the Quakers R. W. And thou sayst We make no other work of Redemption and Justification but what is wrought in our Spirits Minds and Fancies called within them Answ. R. W. we say Christ is made unto us Redemption and Sanctification we make him not God has made him so to us For we know him so by his Light within and dost thou pervert our words And thou might'st as well have Charged the Apostle with such sayings as us who saith 1 Cor. 1 30. But of him are ye in Christ Jesus who of God is made unto us Wisdom and Righteousness and Sanctification and Redemption This we witness Glory to God for ever And R. W. Bringeth Christopher Wade G. F.'s Fol. p. 246 saying God the Father never took upon him Humane Nature G. F.'s Answ. Contrary to Scripture who saith GOD was in CHRIST reconciling the World to himself And art Ignorant of the great Mystery GOD manifest in the FLESH and his Name is called the Everlasting Father As for the word HVMANE which is From the Ground it comes from thy own Knowledge which is Earthly and Christ took upon him the Seed of Abraham and David according to the Flesh and this is Scripture-Language R. W. Replieth and saith The Bottom of this is to deny the Lord Jesus to be a Man c. Answ. Let the Reader see and read G. F.'s words how he wrongeth him for G. F. speaketh no such thing And doth not Christ say to his Disciples when they asked him Shew us the Father and he Answered them and said Believest not thou that I am in the Father and the Father in me the words that I speak unto you I speak not of my self but the Father that dwelleth in me c. John 14. And R. W. Bringeth in Priest Fâ—rgison G. F.'s fol. p. 293. saying That Christ the Father and the Holy Ghost are not one but they are Three therefore Distinct. G. F.'s Answ. This is a denying of Christ's Doctrine who saith I and my Father are One
which are Greek words Answ. But where doth thou read in the Scripture the word Humane and Trinity Let 's see where it is written for thou say'st It 's the Rule and Touch-Stone give us Chapter and Verse that we may Touch it And so it 's thou that hast Catched here and there G. F.'s Sentences like a wild Indian as thou speakest of but in all thou hast done thou hast not proved thy false Assertions And R. VV. saith Any sober Soul may read in most of their Books and in G. F.'s Book such Tautologies and needless Repetitions that may even turn the Stomach and make him abâ—or to touch a Quakers Book Answ. Truly R. VV. of all the Books that ever we have read we did never read so much of Tautologies over and over the same thing and so much of false English whether it be the Ignorance of R. Williams the Orator or the Printer we shall leave it and therefore we are fain to Answer thee over and over the same thing as we were to Answer the priests in Oliver's Days the same thing over and over And therefore in this if any one is to be found Fault withal it is the priests and R. VV. But R. W. saith G. F. had many Bullets flying about his Ears c. Answ. But none of those Persecutors Bullets nor thine touched him nor us neither â—ot we were and are Arm'd with the Breast-plate of Righteousness and with the Armor of Light and the Shield of Faith and the Helmet of Salvation and the Sword of the Spirit the WORD of GOD and the Armor of Light which thou say'st is simply called Light R. VV. can scarcely speak of the Light of Christ without scoffing at it R. VV. saith He cannot but observe that all along he notoriously nibbles ar words and quarrels at words p. 185. Answ. Now R. VV. Is this good English Nibbles aâ— words And so R. VV. might have applied this at home This proud Bladder is big with Simon Magus And High and Haughty R. VV. might very well have applied this at home also who is Puffed up and Swell'd up against the true Lord Jesus Christ and his Light and his people in whom Christ ruleth And R. VV. bringeth Henry Haggar G. F. fol. p. 253. saying You call all Men Dead and Carnal in the Serpent's Nature in what Form soever they differ from you G. F. Answereth All that are not in the Light to wit of Christ that Lighteth every Man that cometh into the World which is the Way to the Father Differ from us such be Dead such be Carnal in the Serpent's Nature For none cometh to the Life but who cometh to the Light in what Form soever they be And such as Differ from us Differ from Christ For none cometh from under the Serpent's Head and Nature but who cometh to the Light to wit of Christ. For how can they be in Vnity with God and his People and hate the Light and call it an Idol as R. VV. doth But R. VV. falleth a railing and saith This proud Soul What Julian the Apostate what Duke D' Alva what Wolsey could have spoken more Imperiously Insultingly and Bloodily then this Wild Fox hath done against all the true Servants and Witnesses of the Most-High c. Answ. Let the Reader see the Railing of this Orator But who are these Witnesses that R. W. speaketh of Such as are not in the Light of Christ Jesus which enlightens every Man that cometh in the World They are not in the Way to the Father which is CHRIST the Light then they must be such as Differ from Christ and his Saints in the Light and how can these be True Witnesses but must be like R. W. that saith The Light of Christ and the Light within is a Fancy a simple Light a frantick Light an Idol So R. VV. might have kept his Flood of Fire and Brimstone at home for it toucheth us not And G. F. plainly maketh a Distinction of such as hate the Light hate Christ that have Errred from the Light and quenched the Spirit They have the Name and Titles that Christ gave to them And 1 Cor 6 1 Tim 9. are owned as they speak And the Dreadful Voice of God in Job hath not knock'd out our brains but opened our Understandings And we do not make a Noise about our Bibs and Aprons and Muckingers These words thou might'st have kept at home who findest Fault with us because we own the Apostle's Doctrine and so thou might'st as well have found Fault with him who taught the Saints Concerning Apparel but this Doctrine R. VV. slighteth R. VV. And thou say'st again God is not properly a Spirit no more then he is Light Answ. Yet Christ saith The Father is a Spirit Joh. 4. And that Message the Apostles bore of God they said In him was Light and no Darkness In this thou art Erred from Christ and his Doctrine Joh. 1. R. VV. And 1. Cor 6 Eph. 2. These we own as they speak And thou confessest That God dwelled in his Temple of Old as a Man in his House and a King in his Palace Answ. And doth not he Dwell now in his Saints by his Light and Spirit But the Quakers never said That the House the outward Man is God But how canst thou say That God or Christ dwelleth in Man when thou call'st his Light an IDOL But Henry Haggar is fully Answered in the Answer to the Appendix p. 163 c. where he bringeth him And R. VV. bringeth Sam. Eaton G. F. Fol p. 2. saying That the Scripture is to Judge of Doctrines and Manners G. F. Answ. The Jews had not an Infallible Judgement that had Scriptures but stood against Christ the Light and Judged him to be a Devil and that Judgement was not Infallible And that Doctrine and Manners of theirs was not Right which stood against Christ the Light And R. VV. thou bring'st David's Saying The Word is a Light to our feet and a Lanthorn to our paths Answ. But R. VV. was the New Testament written then and many of the Prophets And if not What Word was it then that was a Lanthorn and a Light to David Was it not the same Word that came to Jacob before Scripture was written Why doth Christ say Search the Scriptures for in them ye think to have Eternal Life and they testify of me but ye will not come to me that ye might have Eternal Life And were not the Jews in the Ditch and are still with R. VV. and the rest of Persecutors of Christ the WORD that became Flesh And did not the Apostles preach the Word that was made Flesh to the Jews and Heathen And were not the Jews mad against the Apostles that preached the Word and had Scriptures and against Christ the Word And did they not say Christ was a Deceiver as thou say'st now his Light is a Fancy and a Whimsical Christ within SO we may see through all Scriptures of
us of the Waldenses and Wicklevists and Hussires in Bohemia and Lutherans and Calvinists c. that came out from this Bloody Romish Whore 144000. Virgin Protestants thirsting after the Blood of Christ only for Salvation Answ. What is all this to R. W's purpose That people should be Converted with the Apostles words and leave out the power and Spirit of Christ according to G. F's words to T. C And Roger why do'st thou cry out against the Romish Bloody Whore when thou and the New-England-Spirits that thou Commendest are the same for where did ever Wicklâ—ff and Husâ— Hang any or Cut off the Ears of any as your N. England Professors have done And you that would have us punished are you like Virgin-Protestants who thirst after the Blood of Christ for Salvation what can you both thirst after the Blood of Christ and after the Blood of his people as the New-England Priests have done R. W. And thou say'st The Father of Spirits has stirred up some Witnesses in all Protestant-Nations to Preach against Formal National Conversions and against the Formality and Prophaneness of the common Protestants Answ. Then why art thou against G. F's declaring against Conversions without the Spirit of Christ and power of God as he doth to T. C hast not thou all along been Contradicting thy self and fightest against that which thou here professest like a blind Man or one that doteth And wast not thou Bragging a little before of the Church in New-England and now thou tell'st of the Papists bragging and are not all these thou speakest of Formal Conversions brought into the words without the Spirit and power for there is no true Conversion nor Translation but from Death to Life and that is by the same power and Spirit of Christ that the Apostles were in and the Church in the Primitive Times R. W. And thou say'st The Formality and Prophaneness of the Common Protestants all one in Life and sometimes worse than the Papists c. Answ. Roger thou and the New-England-Priests Professors may take it and apply it at home and see if you can find a place of Repentance for yet you hate to be Reproved And as for the One hundred-forty-four-thousand spoken of in the Revel that sung the New Song c. which no man could learn c. which were Vndefiled c. which were Redeemed from the Earth and which followed the Lamb c. is R. W. and the New-England-Priests and our Opposites that he bringeth like unto these in the Lamb's Spirit no such matter for if they were they would not Persecute Imprison us Cut off our Ears for Visiting our Friends in the Prisons and not bowing the Knee and the Hat and saying You to them and Persecute us because we could not put in their mouths and give them Maintenance So here they manifest that they are of the Earth and of the Bloody Whore that R. W. speaketh of so they are not of their Purity which is spoken of in Revelations neither in Life nor Doctrine nor Worship nor Church nor follow not the Lamb who saith Freely ye have Received freely Give R. W. Thou say'st after thou hast told a Story of the Jesuites The Pharisees who by Land and Sea sent forth their Emissaries to make Converts to God c. Answ. Is not this your own Work seeing that G.F. saith Th. Coll. hath thrown out the Spirit and power of Christ which is to Regenerate and Convert and say'st That you can no more Convert by the Apostles Words then the Pharisees without the Spirit of God and Power of Christ that the Apostles were in and yet thou railest against G. F. for saying so But hast not thou Contradicted thy self in saying How the Pharisees Converted when they in their Conversion opposed Christ the Light R. W. Thou say'st That Christ sent forth his Messengers with Glad News of a New Bargain or Covenant of God with the Sons of men viz. It pleased the God of Heaven not to be thrown out as this Fox frantickly barks c. Answ. Where doth G. F. say if it be him thou meanest That God did throw out his Apostles or Messengers with the New Covenant and Glad Tydings which Christ sent forth And hast not thou been barking against Papists and Pharisees and Formal Professors Converts and are not they brought into a Form of the Apostles words without the power and into a Profession of Christ without the Possession of him like you Priests and Professors of New-England And G. F. saith The true Conversion is by the power and Spirit of Christ which T. C. leaves out and so do'st thou not see how thou Contradicts thy self for were these Virgins thou speakest of Converted with the Apostles words without the Spirit and power of Christ Dare any of the New-England-Priests or professors or R. W. say That you are sent out Immediately by Christ as the Apostles were nay Priests will say They have No Call to this work to go Freely but they would find a Call to great Benefices R. W. And thou say'st For slighting of this Pearl of this Glad News or Gospel pubâ—ished by God to the world by Writing or Preaching Professing Suffering c. Answ. This is from a false Birth for we slight not the writings of the Gospel c. nor the Preaching Professing and Sufferings of the Apostles but receive them with Joy in the Spirit of God c. But it is you that slight them that do not Obey them and persecute with Tongue and Hand them that do obey them R. W. And thou say'st It hath pleased his Infinite Justice to Plough the world with Popery a Religion a Bastard-Christianity suited c. Answ. Look thou and the New England-Priests at home and shake hands with them Roger and let New-England read their Laws and read thy Book and theirs and see if you have not Ploughed worse then they these late years R. W. And as for thy saying A Bastard-Christianity suited as the Quakers is to Rotten Nature and sit to carry the world after them as Mahomet and the Pope have done Answ. Nay Roger you in New-England have the Weapons as the Pope and Mahomet have in your Rotten Nature your practice plainly declareth it For the Quakers Weapons are Spiritual and not Carnal and therefore thou do'st abuse them though it doth not touch them R. W. And thou tells of Two great Worders in the world pretending to be Christs Messengers to the Nations the Jesuites and the Quakers their faces look divers but they both carry Fire-brands in ther Tails to burn up the holy Scripture all truly holy Christians c. and thou say'st We are like Absolom Beautiful and fit to play Soul-Thieves and steal the hearts c. from the true David the Lord Jesus Christ. Answ. Thou might'st have kept a great part of this at home for we do abhor thy Lyes For whom have we wronged or whom have we Burnt except it be the Fire of God's Word
or came to Jerusalem and doth not the Apostle bid the Saints Beware of Philosophy c. And the Apostle saith also Certain of your Poets have said that we are of his Off-spring to wit God's and Act. 17. Then certain Philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountred with Paul and some said What will this Babler say and others said He seemeth to be a Setter-forth of strange Gods because he preached Christ Jesus and his Resurrection Now if R. W. and I. M. have no more Knowledge of Christ then these Philosophers c. in their Light of their Carnal Reasoning which was Darkness to the Light of Christ they may give over talking of Christ. And these knew not God nor Christ as King and Mediator which is known by his own Light and such Philosophers or others if they did Know God or Christ it was by his own Light For that which G. F. doth affirm is true as concerning of Christ and their Knowledge in the New-Covenant and Christ Enlightneth every man that cometh into the world as he is the Word God And the Spirit of man being the Candle of the Lord he Enlightneth their Spirit their Candle by which they might see him as he is and as Christ saith No man knoweth the Father but the Son and he to whom the Son Revealeth him c. R. W. Thou say'st The utmost Reason of these Excellent Men to wit the Philosophers it is known I say that the Activity of the highest Reason in this world falleth short in two grand particulars And thou say'st 1. As to the Creatures for some of them must needs fall short when Plato granted a Creation and a kind of Father Son and Holy Spirit in the Creation of it Aristotle pretendeth to see further then Plato and all his Arguments and Asserteth The World to have no Beginning nor Ending Answ. What must we Infer from this but that thou settest up the Knowledge of the Philosophers above thy own and others and maintainest I. M's Principles and his Doctrine That the wise Heathen Philosophers had a greater measure of Light in them which is the first Adam then I can think any man hath now saith I.M. And are not these Philosophers contrary to Moses in Genesis who said In the Beginning God Created the Heavens and the Earth and thy Philosophers that thou bringest say That the World had No Beginning nor Ending c. and doth not this oppose Christ's words and 2 Tim. 9. Before the World began and Tit. 1 2. Before the World began And Christ saith The Harvest is the End of the World Math. 13 39 40. Math. 24 21. Since the World began Now let R. W. and the Philosophers read these Scriptures and see what work they are making about their great Knowledge but if any of them did know the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit they knew it by the Spirit and had it by Revelation as some of the Heathen had but it 's very like that Many of the Heathen Philosophers had more knowledge in the Creation then R. Williams And then thou goest on tellest what the Philosophers say of the Sun and of the Globe c. but we tell thee the Scriptures are a better Book then their Books concerning God and his Son and his Creation R. W. And that which Paul speaketh Rom. 1. thou say'st That by the Creation some come to know there is an Eternal Power and God-head and thou say'st that Paul tells us the World by wisdom knew not God which must he Expounded or else swallow a Contradiction as the Quakers guise is c. Answ. Thou can'st hardly speak without Railing For these Scriptures 1 Cor. 1. and Rom. 1 need no Expounding for they are plain as they speak for its true That the world by their wisdom knew not God Some knew the Eternal Power and God-head for the Apostle saith Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them for God hath shewed it unto them though they glorified not God c so with This of God in them which God had shewed unto them they knew Him and his God head and his Creation Rom 1 19 20. So the Guise thou may'st apply to thy self who hast lest out That of God which he hath shewed unto people who was their Teacher Are these the wise Philosophers of R. W. and I. M. that have more Light then any man now that say The world hath No Beginning nor Ending and is this your Court and Palace furnished with such Heavenly guests c. but to know God and Jesus Christ that he hath sent is Eternal Life And then thou confesseth That a Natural man cannot perceive the things of God and yet The Philosophers had a greater measure of Light then any man now R. W. And thou say'st Yet this Foolish man maketh every mans heart in the world a Court of Heaven a thing which all men may abhor to think of and yet thou confessest That there is that of God in the Children of Disobedience and Reprobates Appen p. 5 Answ. But let the Reader see if there be any such words in G. F's Answer to I. M. as The Court of Heaven is in every mans heart But for all R. W's Railing we cannot deny Christ's Doctrine who said The Kingdom of Heaven was in the Pharisees and Christ enligteth every man that cometh into the world Joh 1. And it 's very like thou do'st Abhor to hear or think of this whose Foolish heart is darkned and thy Wisdom is Enmity hating God himself as the Scripture concludes which thou may'st apply to thy self Yet we believe Christ hath enlightned thee which will to be the Condemnation of them that hate it R. W. Thou say'st Moses built the Tabernacle and Noah the Ark and Solomon the Temple c. which thou confessest were the gifts of God to them Then thou callest them the Excellent gifts of Nature that reach not Heavenly and Spiritual things and say'st What are all these to the Enlightning of my soul with my Natural Vndone and Damned Condition to a sight of Sin as Sin c. Answ. Noah by Faith builded the Ark as in Hebrews and Moses saw Christ the great Prophet and God spake to Solomon and David who saw Christ and called him Lord and if thou do'st confess that this was a Knowledge beyond the Heathen Philosophers yea and such as said The world had neither Beginning nor Ending then thou hast overthrown thy own words which thou hast been opposing G. F. withall And was it by a Natural gift that Noah built the Ark and Moses the Tabernacle and Solomon the Temple was it not by the Faith and Command of God were these done with Natural parts and good Education as thou speakest of how dark art thou in the Scripture And the Temple and the Ark c. were Figures of the things of the Law which Christ is the substance of who enlighâ—â—eth every man that cometh into the world
the Scriptures are the Words of God so here thou yieldest to G. F's Answer though thou makest a great Smoak with words to no purpose R. W. Thou say'st I do affirm the Sun and the Moon and the Stars are the Words of God c. and the Rain and the Hail and the Grasâ— and the Corn and the Sand c. Answ. These R. W. calls the Words of God but where doth R. W. find in the Scriptures that they are called the Words of God give us Chap. and Verse And as for David Psal. 107.110 and Job 33. Luk. 1. what 's all this to the purpose these Words are owned but not R. W's Imaginations R. W. Thou say'st They rob the Scriptures of their Heavenly Title of the Word of God c. and also turn this Word of God and Christ into a Spirit without any Body c. and part him his God head from his Man-hood into a Fancy a Dream a meer Whimsy and Devilish Imagination Answ. We Rob not the Scriptures of their Title thou pretendest thy self a Scholar and dost not thou know that Scriptures signifie Writings and are called so by Christ and his Apostles and we charge R. W. to shew where the Scriptures do give themselves the Heavenly Title of the Word of God And these are Words of thy own Inventing as to say Christ is a Spirit without any Body and our Parting his God head from his Man-hood this is thy own Fancy or Dream Whimsy or Devilish Imagination thou speakest of as the Reader may see there is no Ground for R. W's Words in my Answer And as for thy saying we would Run the Scriptures out of the world and by seeming to embrace it destroy and kill it These are more false words of thy own Inventing the Lord knoweth we esteem of the Scriptures more than thou by the Spirit that gave them forth R. W. And thou bringest Tho. Weld G. F. Fol. 228. saying There lies a Mystery of Iniquity for to say The World calls them so by such and such Names or gives them their Christian Names G. F. Answ. There are Names given by the Heathen the Heathen outwardly by which Men are called there is a New Name written in the Book of Life which the World knoweth not here is the New Man known after God in Righteousness Created unto true Holiness Now who is this New Man and this New Name the World may call him by the Old So it is not a Mystery of Iniquity to say The World calls him so R. W. Replyeth As to Christian Names or things bearing or pretending to bear the Name Authority or Vniting of Christ Jesus as we know the word Christian signifieth c. and thou say'st Every Christian Soul should search into the Rise and Practice and Warrant of them with holy Fear and Trembling in the Presence of God Answ. What is this to the New Name written in the Book of Life to tell us what a Christian signifieth but if thou werest united to Christ thou wouldst not persecute him in his People Neither if thou werest in the Practice of that holy Fear and Trembling in the Presence of God thou wouldst not have uttered forth so many Lies and Scorns against them that be in his Holy Fear and Tremble at his Word R. W. Thou say'st Is it not a proud Trick of a Pharisee thus to scorn the poor Heathens and Publicans as not worthy to know the Quakers high Names or to take up such Sacred Names and Mysteries upon their Lips yea is it not a Ridiculous Fancy thus to prate and like Pharisees to scold about washing of Hands and Pots and Cups therein placing invented Holiness c. Who are G. F's Heathen c. Answ. Such as thou R. W. that knowest not this New Name written in Heaven who callest it a Ridiculous Fancy and comparest it to the Pharisees washing of Hands Pots and Cups and invented Holiness and this is an Invented Lie of thy own to say That we scorn the poor Heathens and Publicans And R. W. why dost thou so rage against me because I tell thee The New Man hath a New Name And then thou tellest us of the Jew and Gentile and how that Lea and Rachel did give Names that were signâ—ficant unto the Twelve Patriarch's and R. W. who knoweth not this or who opposeth it what is this to G. F's Answer R W. Thou say'st Doth Christian Regeneration or New Birth destroy Natural Births or Marriages or Names and Educations Answ. Where did ever any of the Quakers say they did or G. F. in his Answer destroy or slighted any of these things so it is a vain Question And thou say'st They quarrel about Straws when it is thy self that settest them up and dost it R. W. And thou say'st What is this New Creature and New Name they speak of how shall the World call them by it if they know it not Answ. Why is this because thou and the World hate this Light by which it is seen and known R W. Saith Such are their Non-sensical Fancies of giving no Repect to any in Word or Gestures such are their Fantastical Conceited Answers who being asked where they dwell they answer they dwell in God and where they live they answer they live in God Answ. And what must we observe from R. W. here but that he would have his Honour and Respect Pharisee-like which Christ forbad and cryed Wo against and Christ saith How can you believe that seâ—k Honour one of another and seek not the Honour that cometh from God only And R. W. what is it a Fantastical Answer to say That God's People dwelleth in God and liveth in God and doth not the Apostle say In him we Live and move and have our Being as the Poet saith for we are his Off-spring R. W. Thou say'st Are not They to the Popes a Kin because they sling to the World their Old Names Answ. Nay we say That Thou and the New-England-Professors are a Kin to the Pope both in Nature and Spirit and your Nature of Dogs and Swine Wolves and Lyons is not turned into Sheep and Lambs and Doves And here thou grantest that as the Nature is chang'd the Name is changed but thy Teâ—th and your Fruits have manifested you to be the Dogs and Wolves R. W. Saith That G. F. having attained a great Marriage and a new Carriage and Civility and his own former Rigidity Answ. R. W. hath manifested his own Ignorance of G. F. and he is busie about that which doth not concern him for G. F. is of the same Carriage Civility and Courtesie as he was at the First R. W. Thou say'st I am sure they will do most them for worldly Advantages for as they abuse the Scripture Eccles. 11 The World is in their Heart I may truly use it and affirm it the World and the Pride and the Advantage of it though they deny it as the Pope and Cardinals do is in their
too Low to the Holy Spirit and God to be here in this Similitude Answ. Stay Roger to the First If the Written Word be the Sword of the Spirit then before the Written Word was it seemeth the Spirit had never a Sword which is false it had as good a Sword before as since To the next It is not a distinct Gift though a distinct Name but a distinct Operation and that thou shalt know Yet if the Spirit be God notwithstanding it proceedeth from the Father and Son and the Spirit of God be God as thou confessest so may the Sword of God be God and the Sword of the Spirit be the Spirit To thy Second Particular Why not a Shield as well as a Sword Right and it is so This sheweth thy Ignorance of God his Spirit Scripture and Experiences of the Holy Men of God of Old Was not God David's Buckler and Shield and was not God's Name a Tower of Defence and is that distinct and separate from God Again is not God's Word as a Fire and is not the Holy One of Israel a Flame yea Everlasting Burnings that will consume thy Chaff and Stubble and therefore is that Word not God or is that Fire or Flame not the Word To thy Third Allegation That it is below God's Spirit to be so called or resembled this still sheweth thy Ignorance Why not to a Sword as well as to a Lyon a Rock a Door a Man of War a Captain a Stone c and is not a Sword the Emblem of Justice God's great Attribute R. W. But thou goest on saying 4 This was the Sword the Only Sword is called a Sword with which the Lord Jesus fought and vanquisht the Devil It 's Written it 's Written and we may well say of it as David of the Sword of Goliah by which David cut of his Head There is none to that c. Answ. O Roger thy great Stupidity was the Written Word Christ's Sword yea his Only Sword the Spirit and Power of God is excluded then And if it be what had Christ that the Devil had not for he us'd the Written Words and therefore Christ said It 's Written it 's Written and so said the Devil because Satan began with him with a Scripture in his Mouth And so according to R. W. the Devil had the same Only Sword that Christ had But consider what thou say'st The Scripture is the Only Sword Roger what Scripture had Christ â—or his saying Get thee hence Satan Did not he with these Words rebuke the Devil and by his Power resisted him and over-came him because thou say'st The Scripture is the only Sword with which the Lord Jesus fought and vanquished the Devil shew us that Scripture from which Christ had that Rebuking Resisting Sword when he said Get thee hence Satan But what became of poor Abraham Enoch Lot and the Patriachs if the Written Word be the Only Shield Sword c. that had no Written Word But dost thou not commit Idolatry consider it well to say There is none like to the Written word What was that Word when it was never written or spoken that Burnt as a Fire in the Prophets that which came to them before Writings were and of which Writings do but declare that was an Ax an Hammer a Sword a Fire c is the Written Word more powerful than that yea than the Word in the Heart the Word of Regeneration and Reconciliation the Word that was God that made all things O Idolatry O Blasphemy against God Christ and Holy Spirit Besides Roger did Christ the Lord of the New Covenant make the Old-Testament-Writings his Only Sword for there were no New-Testament-Writings then if so then either the New-Testament-Writings are none of the Sword or the Sword was Imperfect how say'st thou to that But Roger remember 'T was not principally Goliah's Sword that Kill'd Goliah but the Stone so the Stone cut out of the Mountain without Hands which the Written Word was not is that which smiteth the Image and bringeth it down and will bring down thy Images and Imaginations with which thou puffest up thy self in the Pride of thy Airy and Luciferian Mind against God his Truth and People Again the Sword that cut off Goliah's Head was that which Goliah used as well as David but the Stone was that which slew him that he despised as thou dost the Light and Spirit of Christ and which Goliah could never use which may be called a Figure of Christ and not of the Scriptures that wicked Men use as well as good R. W. But go on The Holy Spirit Christ and God are Authors of all those Heavenly Gifts and Graces the Beginner and Finisher of Faith and therefore not Faith nor Hope Answ. Here thou prevaricatest and abusest me Did I say the Spirit was Faith or Hope or Faith or Hope the Spirit read my words again even as thou lay'st them down But why may not Faith and Hope be called the Spirit that begetteth them as well as Christ is called Sanctification and Redemption but thou art blind Again the Question is about the Spirit 's power being its own Sword the Sword the Spirit the Spirit the Sword of God and not Faith or Hope the Spirit But that the Word of God Ephes. 6 17 which the Apostle calleth the Sword of the Spirit is the Spirit and not the Letter is clear from the Greek which is thus 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 where the Article 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being in the Neuter Gender is relative to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which is also in the Neuter whereas 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 is Foeminine and therefore the true English Translation of these words is thus And the Sword of the Spirit which Spirit is the Word of God And so doth Clarius one of the Criticks understand them as may be seen Tom. 7. Crit. p. 3480. and he doth observe that the words are an Hebraism The Sword of the Spirit that is to say the Spiritual Sword or the Sword of the Spirit it self or the Sword which is the Spirit and that is the Word of God for Christ whose Name is the Word of God is the Quickning Spirit Even as when he saith the Breast-plate of Righteousness he understandeth the Breast-plate which is Righteousness and the Sheild of Faith that is the Sheild which is Faith so the Sword of the Spirit that is the Sword which is the Spirit Thou talkest of thy Learning and Experience and either can'st not or else deceitfully wilt not distinguish between Gifts and Operations Faith and Hope are Gifts to us that believe but the Sword Fire Ax Hammer Iron Rod Honey Balm c. are names for the divers Operations of the same Power R. W. But thou say'st Christ and the Sword with Two Edges which cometh forth of his mouth are distinct and cannot be the same Answ. But where is thy Reason for this or where is thy boasted Experience What! is that which goeth out
and other Blasphemers and the Devils themselves may have the Scripture the Word of God in their Hands and Mouths For may not a true Sword a choice Sword be in a Mad-Man's Hand whereby he may mischief and wound and kill himself and others hence Men make Merchandize of it Sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie c. Answ. The Strength of this Argument is That as a Mad-Man may have a Sure and Choice Sword in his Hand so may a Bad or Wicked Man have the Sword of God's Spirit in his Hand O Blindness O thick Darkness how art thou be nighted that thou shouldst thus grosly write When did the Word of God come to Wicked Men how often did Wicked Men receive God's Word for the one is a Fire the other is Stubble the one a Sword or Ax and the other an Old Rotten Tree But Roger is it not a saying of Wonder amongst Mens What! put a Sword in a Mad-Man's Hand and doth God put his Sword into Mad or Bad Mens Hands what dost thou make of the Lord one like unto thy self tremble at thy Presumption and Wickedness What! can Wicked Carnal and Devilish Men handle God's Heavenly Spiritual and New-Covenant-Weapons But Roger can Wicked Men handle the Fire and wound and kill with this Spiritual Sword what do they kill not the Good for God's Sword will wound and kill nothing but Wickedness so this is no Mischief And when did Wicked Men war against and kill Wickedness with God's Sword whil'st they remained wicked themselves A Kingdom divided against it self cannot stand So that though Mad-Men may do Mischief with a Sword yet Bad Men cannot with the Word of God wherefore Bad Men are as good Servants and Souldiers as Good Men for they Fight with the same Weapon it seems against the same Wickedness But Roger when did the Scriptures kill any Body or do any Mischief for so thy Folly has driven thee to say Again is God's Sword so common hath he no more Care of his Weapons than to arm his Enemies with them But every Sword must have an Edge God's hath Two which be they And since a Sword can do no Execution without a Hand the Scripture is unable unless it hath a Hand to use it what Hand is this not the Spirit R. W. affirms who then Wicked Men as well as Good Men. This is the Doctrine of R. W. Dedicated to the King R. Baxter and J. Owen as the New-England-Priests Oratour against the People of God called Quakers But what is his Reason for this bâ—cause saith he Men make Merchandize of it Sophisticate and Adulterate and turn it into a Lie Roger These are the truest Words thou hast said yet you New-England-Priests have made Merchandize of the Scripture we know very well you have Sophisticated and Adulterated them with your Inventions and turned them into a Lie and made them to speak or mean what they do not mean and yet call this the Mind and Sense of Scripture being dark in your Imaginations and rebelling against the Light that should enlighten you But none can sell the Lord's Sword nor Sophisticate nor Adulterate nor turn a Sword into a Lie Nor can God's Sword be lost broken torn burnt drown'd moulder'd or any otherwise perish as the Scriptures have by Carelesness Age in Fires in Ship-wracks or on purpose by some Wicked Men. And hadst thou known that Word that is a Fire an Ax a Sword c. thou wouldst not have writ such Blind Stuff as thou hast done which shall be thy Burthen one day Nor is this to slight the Holy Scriptures but such unholy ones as thou art that war against God's Spirit under pretence of standing for the Scripture that came from it which thou understandest not but we dearly own and love and honour them and they are good for Instruction Doctrine and Reproof that the Man of God may be Perfect through the Faith that is in Jesus But do not you New-England-Priests make Merchandize both of Scripture that you call the Word and Christ and his Blood and Miracles Death Resurrection and Ascension that have so much a Year for telling Stories and your Imaginations of him did the Apostles so And R. W. as Nathan said to David Thou art the Man as they that read thy Former and Latter Writings may see for thou hast Sophisticated Corrupted and Adulterated the Scriptures of Truth which thou callst the Word of God by mixing and adding of thy Imaginations with God's Openings and Discoveries which thou mightest have formerly had in thy younger Years when there was some Simplicity in thee and thou werest under Sufferings for thy Conscience But now thou say'st There is neither Motion nor Voice within to hearken to to turn to to listen to in Heavenly things in matter of Super-natural Light Though again thou say'st pag. 28. I find in all Mankind a Conviction that God is Again I find there is generally in all Mankind in the World a Conviction of an Invisible Omnipotent and Eternal Power and God-head And Roger is not this in all Mankind to be lissen'd unto R. W. Thou bringest Henry Hagger G. F. Fol. 253. saying You call all Men Dead and Carnal in the Serpent's Nature in what Form soever if they differ from you G. F. Answ. All that be not in the Light that enlightneth every Man that cometh into the World which is the Way to the Father differ from us such be Dead such be Carnal in the Serpent's Nature for none cometh to the Life but who cometh to the Light in what Form soever they be And such as differ from us differ from Christ for none cometh from under the Serpent's Head and Nature but who cometh to the Light R. W. replyeth and saith The Quakers and Papists are of a Damning and Damned Spirit as David saith of some whose Teeth were as Swords and Solomon saith There is a Generation whose Teeth are as Swords Answ. And these are R. W.'s and the New-England-Priests Teeth as they have sufficiently manifested to the World for they have out-stript many of the Papists And as for Damning and Damn'd Spirit this is thy own Portion R. W. and God's Elect thou canst not charge whom he justifieth nor Damn R. W. And thou say'st If ever there were a Generation of such in the World the Papists and We are the Generations intended Answ. This is thine and your own Condition For did we ever desire that any should be punisht in matter of Conscionce as thou dost although formerly thou hast writ largely against Persecution for Conscience-sake Did we ever WHIP BANISH or HANG or SPOIL the Goods of any for Religion as your New-England-Professors have done unto which thou hast joined thy self And thou say'st It is in vain to tell us of Christ the Foundation and of Building Hay Wood and Stubble That is thy own Condition R. W. who hatest the Light which cometh from Christ in which the Saints Build upon Christ the Foundation