everlasting life through faith in him The other evil is it makes men listen to the false imaginations and deceitful perswasions of their own hearts which hath been the cause of all Idolatry superstition and disobedience to the Law of faith that hath been for men leaving the spiritual teaching and commands of Christ in the Scripture and following their own Invensions and heart Imaginations run themselves into several false practises and bould disobedience of which this of yours is not the least for the greater pretence of light in disobedience the greater evil And this bouldness of thy heart by following its Imaginations is further manifested in thy saying how should the seed of the woman break the Serpents head if the seed of the woman the unction or Christ within and the seed of the Serpent the man of sin be not within By which all may plainly see who are in the light thy denyal of the death of Christ who by his death and blood-shed in that once suffering at Jerusalem did break the Serpents head according to Gods decree and appointment but thou in denyal of that and to give him a plaister for his his broken head tellest the world or unbelievers that their light within which is their heart imaginations and vain fancies without that which is preached by Christ and his Apostles to give light is the seed of the woman that breaks the Serpents head no other breaking of his head wouldest thou have them to believe and thus wouldest thou if thou could save the breaking of the sepents head and give him a hellmet rather Thou runest on with a many words some stollen from Scripture and some thy own Imagination and to conclude what sayest but this is a mystery Answ To which I answer 't is a mystery indeed but it is the mystery of Iniquity for it denyeth Christ Jesus and setteth up false devices in his room but the righteous desires not to know the deepness of Satan as thou speaks in thy former paper thou saist to me poor man how hath thy father befooled thee hath not the God of this world blinded thy mind 't is so or else thou wouldst see thy nakedness and be ashamed of thy ignorance with more such big words And this was because I had said the light of Christ is manifested by the preaching of Christ and his Apostles hearing and receiving of which said I is the inlet to the Spirit of promise and for proof I alledged Gal. 3.2 Acts. 2.38 the truth of which thou not being able to gainsay smitest me thus with thy tongue for reveng in thy offence at truth but when thy passion was somewhat over and thou hadst forgot why thou wast angry thou saidst the very same thy self which thou condemnest in me thy words were these Did not the Galatians receive the Spirit by the hearing of faith that is sayst thou by believin that Christ which Paul preached also thou saidst that is the word of faith which we preach saith Paul and hearing of the word of faith the light in the conscience is the inlet to the Spirit of promise In answer to all which I said what cause hast thou thus to complain against me when thou art forced to say the same thing with me thou hast in this disarmed thy self and yeilded the victory 't is in vain for thee to take up for another charg Let the wise Reader now judge if there were not just cause for thee to lay thy hand upon thy mouth in silence or confess thy folly for exclaming against me for saying what the Scripture saith when thou sayest the very same with me and with the text of Scripture alledged save only thy addition the light in the conscience which is to be thrown to thee being thy own Idol and not belonging to the text But thou for want of a gracious humbled Spirit to acknowledg the truth when it is so plainly laid before thee continuest thy old corrupt language like Balaam to curse where thou knoweth the Lord hath blessed but thy mouth is ordered contrary to the desires of thy heart Be it remembred saist thou that thou hast owned the light of the conscience to be the inlet to the Spirit of promise There is no cause Martin to forget that being remembred that thou sayest with me that light is by the hearing of faith preached by the Apostles Then in thy former paper touldst me of Juggling the which I called upon thee to prove but thou not being able returnest to ask me if I have not saved thee some labour and done it my self Answ Martin this is just like thee to shew so little cause for so large accusation thy labour hath been great enough were it known to prove that thou cannot but I will shew how with male labour I have opened Martin Masons Juggling Box who cried condemnation against me for that which I found he himself had and I also found that when he had called the people together pretending to shew them Christ the Saviour and light and truth there I discovered all to be nothing but a crucifix and false fained lights and tryfels of self-dinying Thou mayst have spared the labour of telling me I one while own the Letter to be the inlet to the Spirit of promise and another time own the light of the Conscience to be the inlet sometime calling the Letter sometime the Spirit the Rule Answ For I never owned to thee any light of Conscience but that which is the preaching of Faith in the Scriptures which Light or enlightning thy self hath before owned though fore against thy will and for thy pretended light that hath not ' its original from that faithpreaching power of the Apostles I deny it as a deadly darkness where hast thou that word Letter from me calling it the inlet or rule is it not a word of thy own divising against the Apostles preaching or to use thy own termes a Brat of thy own begetting why wilt thou father it upon me charge it not upon me but chalenge thy own Is not thy foundation saist thou built upon the Letter dost not thou account that for the word of God Which Paul and Petter preacheed Answ I do account that for the Word of God which Paul and Peter preached and I am built upon that foundation which they have laid which is Christ Jesus as 1 Cor. 3.10 11. And this is denyed by none but the raiging Heathen and disobedient denyers of Christ to be come in the flesh the Apostles Paul saith to the Thesselonians 1 Thes 2.13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing that when ye received of us the word of the preaching of God ye received it not as the word of men but as it is indeed the word of God which also worketh in you that believe let this be compared with thy denyal of that to be the word of God which Paul preached and those who hear thee will account thee as Paul wileth Gal. 1.8 Art thou not
then we say both one thing by thy own acknowledgment But I say the dead Letter is the Quakers Books therefore thou saist the same with me repent thou of thy error in calling the Scriptures dead Letter Thou saist thou never readest grosser contradictions to thy knowledg then hath dropt from the pen of this Painted Pagan as thou callest me Answ I believe Martin the Painter is mistaken and spoiles his work for want of color this surrilous way of thine with all the falseness of thy alegations will discover thee to all that read the Papers Loud accusation and little proof layes open folly it is a small matter for a man of thy language to be larg upon charging evil upon others but very scant in making good what you charg Thou saist in the next place that for all my folly and confusion I must give thee another rotten reed of Egypt as it were for a farewel in an argument which for substance thou saist is thus c. Answ I will leave thy substance and bring the whole substance it self the argument as it was given to thee by me They who by an infallible Spirit were Master Builders and layers of the foundation of the Saints Religion and who are heard of all who are of God and who have the Spirit of truth and who accounts all accursed who preach any other Doctrine then they have already preached must needs be the true touch-stone and infallible tryal of Spirits whether they be of God or no and denyal to be tryed by them is a plain testimony of an evil cause and that the Spirit is the Spirit of error and lyer But the Apostles were they who by an infallible Spirit were Master Builders c. As these Scriptures testifie 1 Cor. 3.9 10 11. 1 John 4.6 John 8.47 Acts 2.4 2 Thes 2.13 14 15. 1 Thes 2.13 Gal. 1.8 9 10. 2 John 7.8 9 10. And Martin Mason denyeth their tryal and calls it dead Letter Therefore his Spirit is not of God he is guided by the Spirit of error Thou for want of an answer to this callest me forgetful willful lying Beast Did not he even now saist thou a litle before in his other argument say that he desired to be tryed by the light in the Saints conscience and not by the dead Letter and yet taxeth me O blush and be a shamed Answ I am neither Beast or Lyer nor forgetful of what I have said before I have laid down the plain truth to thee which is that the Apostles teachings or Scriptures is the true touch-stone and tryal of Spirits I have not in any place called them dead Letter but have alwayes told thee that the light in the Saints consciences is received from thence therefore I have no cause to blush or be ashamed at the truth the manifestation of which makes thee be wrathful out of which thou brings the Beast and Lyer and blush and be ashamed there not being a word in thy tongue to answer of which if thou cold be ashamed there would be hopes of thy repentance and good cause hast thou to blush and be a shamed of this proclaming thy folly for 't is a low disgrace to one pretending such high things to be so discovered as thou art in such want of answer and in evil words corrupting thy good manners According to the grace of God given to me saist thou as a wise Master builder I have laid the foundation saith Paul 1. Cor. 1.10 he builded upon the rock other foundation then that is laid can no man lay which is Jesus Christ in all Jew and Greek Barbarian Scithian bond and free Luke 3.11 to this unction within did Paul direct the People Answ Whosoever rules and observes thee will see thy desire to set up thy self for a wise Master builder for which read thy motto Pro. 26.12 16. Thou joynes several declerations of the Apostle together to pervet them if thou cold from his Gospel order of teaching to thy own corrupt sence and foysts in thy own words amongst to make fit a lye the Apostle in neither of these places or any where else doth direct the people to the unction within them till first they have heard the preaching of the Apostles in the doctrine of faith and believing thou tellest me of a brat of my own begeting but if this be not of thy begeting 'tis the begeting of some of thy generation from whom thou hast received it to nurse do not think to Father such prodigious birth upon the Apostles their begeting men to the faith was by preaching Christ Jesus who was not in those before to whom they preached that is your false invension to oppose the truth the Apostle saith he laid the foundation thou saist it was laid in them before a flat contradiction to the Apostles teaching and the Scripture thou quotes Col. 3.11 Doth not say Christ is in all Jew and Greek before they received him by faith through the Apostles preaching but plainly telleth thee if thy ears cold hear verse 10. where Christ is in all which is in all them who have put on the new man which is renued in knowledg after the Image of him who hath created him by which is manifest according to the whole teaching of the Apostles that Christ is in all who are in the faith but in those in whom faith is not the Apostles have not any where said that Christ is there Therefore thy opposition to the Apostles and that Christ which they preached is made plain and that thou and thy fellows would set up your own heart-Imaginations and false deceiveings in the place of Christ And would perswade men of a Christ in all before or without the preaching of faith by the Apostles that they may deny the Apostles preaching and that Christ which they preached to those who before were without him Ephes 2.12 And where Christ was not named Rom. 15.30 That which lay dead saist thou did at the hearing of the voyce of the Son of God live Answ That which hear thou saist lay dead is that which before thou callest the Christ in all the royal seed the unction the Lord of glory crucified in them so that by thy doctrine the royal seed the unction the Lord of glory and Christ in all lay dead till it did at the hearing of the voyce of the Son of God live what greater confused nonsence can be delivered then to say Christ the Son of God lyeth dead till he hear the voyce of Christ the Son of God and live can such babling be without blaspemy those who knew and in whom Christ the hope of glory is will see this thy dead Image that thou would set up to deny the Lord that bought thee After thy complaint of allmost weariness thou follows with somthing to the poor hears as thou callest them whom thou saist are wedded to their water and counts no Saints who submit not to their ceremonies thou bidest them answer thee in good earnest can
to Wound and to Dismount Doth shew thy shallownesse all men account But night ey'd bats thy railing Pamphlet foolish And thy hot zeal to true Religion coolish Vain are thy thoughts thinking to strike Truth down With railing words it never yet was known That Truth was overcome by railing foes Tho' many times she in her Covers goes With bloudy face and Martered sore by such As ather beautious hold appears think much Leave thou these bould assaults ' gainst Truths rich Palis Think not that Truth can be ore ' come by Malis The more thou strivest the more thou'lt have the foyle And sorrow'l be thy wages for thy toyle Shut not thy windows at the glorious light Which in the Gospels day doth shine so bright Were it not madnesse in the brightest day To light a candle to shew men their way What use for candles where the Sun doth shine As little use for that dull light of thine Thy light within more sit for secret place Then where the sacred Sonlight shews his face It must in Dungeons be and caves below Where Heavens bright Lamp his face doth never show There where the nightly dancing Satyrs dwell Who likes no light but what 's within their Cell Pleas'd with the light themselves there kindled have And will no Son light let into their grave Happy for thee if thou couldst thrust away That darkning skreen which hides thee from the ray Of Gospel Son light which would let thee see Those glorious things which from thee hidden be Leave thou those foolish fancies of self-teaching And ope ' thy ear to Scriptures sacred preaching Obey those truths that therein written be 'T will make thee of Gods holy City free And bring thee to a right regenerate mind And let thee know that now th' art deaf and blind J. J. THE QUAKER QUASH AND HIS QUARREL QUELLED IN An Answer to a Railing Pamphlet written by MARTIN MASON of Lincoln c. Martin THOU canst not leave thy old way of boasting as in thy former Paper so in this thou criest up thy self a man of valour strength it seems thou fearest thy own Works or Neighbours will not praise thee therefore thou contrary to Wisdoms advice Pro. 27.2 wilt praise thy self I told thee in my former Paper That wise men will not boast till the putting off their Armour but thou notwithstanding wilt cry Victory before Conquest or touching thy Adversaries with any blow to give the cause of encouragement thou Bragadotio like saiest thou wilt not give one intch of ground or turn thy back on the uncircumcised Philistine by which thou wouldest have the world to think thy Davids heart and engagement will conclude in Victory But if David had taken thy way of railing and boysterous braging the room of combate or without blow he had never overcome May not I fitly compare thee to a whore taken in her whordome yet rails on those who take her and cryes whore first I took thee in thy Boasting as is witnessed in our former papers thou runest out into the world and cryes me for the boaster But I am so far from Boasting that knowing my own infirmities and weakness I would rather keep silence let thee spend thy breath in vain the wage words to maintain any such right but I knowing that thy railing is against the Truth which thou serest thy self to oppose I am mooved through mindfulness of the Lord not to keep silence But to declare against thy deeds of darkness presumptious words against the most High his Saints let this my engagement be compared with David and thypresumptions words with Goliah and it will make known who is the uncircumcised Philistine The more thou strivest the more thy weakness within is manifested and thy strokes throws thee backward Thou saist the weapons of your warfare are not carnal yet all thy defence or offence is by carnal foul and filthy words of which but disposesse thee and thou wilt be left without either words or shields And though thou talk of the conquering Sword of the Spirit saying it is thy weapon it is little manifested in thy denial of the word of God for the conquering Sword of the Spirit is the Word of God Ephes 6.17 Therefore although thou steal these words of weapons not being carnal and Sword of the Spirit that which thou callest the dead Letter yet art thou far from the exercise of spiritual weapons or knowledge of them for if thou wert not thou woulest testifie more purity and peace If thou say thou hadest these words the Sword of the Spirit or Spiritual weapons from the light within thee without the Scriptures which thou callest dead Letters all that hears thee Impartialy will say thou speakest not Truly And so will thy own conscience if thou open that Book And will also let thee see how asuredly evil it is for thee to call the Scriptures dead Letter and yet fetch those words which thou deliverest for spiritual Declarations from thence Thou saiest among other things thou askest me hath every one that comes into the world heard and read the preaching of Christ and his Apostles as they are transcribed in the Bible and thou saiest I answer they have all heard thou replyest must the Lyer in thee be received for the Oracle of God Answ Thou hear dealest falsely with my answer not delivering as I did I said have they not all heard thy error in this is because thou knowest not the Scriptures which will tell thee Mat. 28.20 Mark 16. 15. Act. 2 5 6. Rom. 10.18 Whether this be my Lye or the Scriptures speaking let the hearers Judge as also who is the Lyer whether I for alledging plain Testimonies of Scriptures or thou for delivering my Answer otherwise then thou receivest it may not Millions of Men and Women saiest thou who dwell in those parts of the world not counted Christendom wittness against thee if an Egyptian mist had not blinded thee thou couldst not have been so besotted as to back thy Lye with those places of the Letter Mat. 28.19 20. Mark 16.15 Which in effect prove Christs Command to his Disciples when they were upon earth to go preach the glad tydings of the Gospel to the generations they lived in Answ Couldst thou fetch those Millions thou speakest of for thy defence yet could they not witness against me the Word of the Lord is a sure witness against thee and all opposers of the universal precahing of faith or sound of the Gospel of Christ in all the world and to every creature therefore as formerly so I say now as the Apostle doth demand Rom. 10.18 Have they not all heard but they have not all obeyed as verse the 16. Therefore those Milions which thou saiest are not counted Christians if they be not Christians 't is not because they have not heard but because they have not obeyed read Act. 1.8 and Luke 24.27 Which tells thee the Apostles shall be witnesses of Christ Jesus to the
Scriptures and following their own Inventions which they call light And of this Martin Mason and his fellows do manifest themselves to be as guilty as the former and so with them denyers of Christ to be come in the flesh for whosoever are denyers of that Christ Jesus who died at Jerusalem for mans redemption and his teachings and commands given forth by him and his Apostles while they were personally upon Earth amongst men must needs be found guilty of the Apostle Johns brand upon them 1 John â—3 2 John 7. Your Evasion of Christ coming in your flesh will not cover your deceit but more discovers your opposition to Christ Jesus for your telling men of Christ coming in their flesh or your flesh is to make them deny Christ come in his own flesh or the flesh which was the onely flesh or body that God came in to give his Law or Testament of faith to men and was appointed to suffer and seal his Testament with his blood Thou often talkest of the light within telling men and women in secret of every sin they commit yet thy light doth not tell thee or them of your sins of unbelief against that Saviour who tells thee in his Gospel that the world shall be condemned for sin because they believe not in him Thou wilt not open thy window to let this light of righteousness shine into thy dark heart but only light thy self and others with the nightly Torches of your own kindling which at the best let you but fee that evil and that righteousness which is onely in relation to the Law of works by which Law none shall be justified or condemned thy light is a Popish light and had its kindling from that fire and not from the Alter Christ Jesus and therefore is a strange fire and so an abomination from which fire hath been the kindling of mens minds in way of merit by their own works against the Justification that is by faith only according to the Scriptures in the maintaining of which faith in Christ Jesus many thousand who have washt their long robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb and have not loved their lives unto the death but have laid down their lives in witness of that truth in which they have been such overcomers that one would think there should have been no more rising up of that beaten down falshood in the accuser of the Saints yet here appears the same Spirit moving from below which though it hath not the horns and teeth and clawes of the beast to kill and rend the Saints as the former did yet it hath the mouth or voyce of the Dragon to accuse and curse and smite with the tongue those who deny to receive their false devices by which voyce thou callest it blalphemy in me to say the Spirit is received by the hearing and receiving of faith preached and so accuseth the Apostles also of blasphemie of whom I received it Gal. 3.2 Ephes 1.13 Act. 2.38 because it denies the Spirit is received by thy dark works Thou biddest Jonathan tell thee was the bearing of faith Gal. 3.2 hearing the Prophets and Apostles or hearing that Christ which Paul preached to be in all Jew and Greek Barbarian Scithian bond and free Answ If Martins eyes had a Christian opening he would see that either he must deny Paul to be an Apostle and the Apostles to preach all one Christ or say these are both one and if Martin should tell me that the Christ which Paul preached and the Christ which Matthew Mark Luke and John and others of the Apostles preached was not all one Christ all that hears him tell me so will say he speaks not truth and for Barbarians Scithians c. the Apostle in that place names them not and where he doth namethem as in Col. 11. He doth not name them as having Christ without or before faith in him but that as to the Jewes so to all others Christ is the same both in the offer of himself to all by his preaching as also his indwelling with them in receiving him by faith but neither in Col. 11. or any where else doth the Apostles preach Christ to be or dwell in any either Jew or Greek but by faith only quite contrary to your teaching without which faith wrought by the Apostles preaching thy pretended Christ unction and light within is all vanity and deceit Thou askest what shal be the condemnation of all man-kind who never heard of the name of Christ at Jerusalem if not the light of Christ placed in the conscience and wherefore is the light of Jesus left there in the heart of every man and woman if not to lead men and women out of sin into holiness and whether any thing without can redeem a Soul from sin but that Jesus who is the light of the world and shines in the conscience of every man and woman in the world Answer these queriers without any Serpentine evasion conjuring consequence or Antichristian falicies saist thou Answ The condemnation of the condemned shall be for not believing in the name of that Christ who dyed at Jerusalem as the Scriptures lively and abundantly stand up to witness though the dark generation calls them dead John 16.8 9. and 12.48 Mat. 16.16 Mark 25.41 42 48. And thy saying they have not heard of the Name of that Christ that dyed at Jerusalem is of no value for it is but thy false witness in the maintenance of thy own evil cause and therefore to be rejected being a neggative against the Scriptures affirmative besides thy own words the light of Christ placed in the conscience is against thee for how shall the conscience be enlightned by Christ that never heard of him Rom. 10.14 15. Here thou hast Ensnared thy self now thou must either acknowledge with me that the enlightning of all consciences is by the preaching of the faith in that Christ who suffered for sin at Jerusalem or plainly deny him to be the Christ whom thou denying art in sin as the same Christ tells thee John 8.48 and till thou hear the voyceof that Christ who calls thee out of the State of sin or unbelief to believe in his Name and wash away thy sins in his blood thou art not in the State of Holiness but in uncleanness what ever thy heart Imaginations and false fancy may sooth thee up withall for there is no State of cleanness or holiness spiritual but by faith only in that Christ Jesus who suffered at Jerusalem Which Christ Jesus the light of the world in his sufferings at Jerusalem did without them redeem Souls from sins thy Queries denying this doth manifest thy denyal of that Christ who died for sinners whose redemption doth work faith and light in men but not any thing in man doth work his redemption for as formerly I have told thee and others of thy generation at which you have been so wrathful but never gave any answer that redemption is the cause
Pagan-like to frame right reason or deny it without reason let thy friends judge Thou biddest me consider in the cool of the day that which is born of the flesh is flesh but that which is born of the Spirit is Spirit Answ In the cool of the day I do consider and in that coolness tell thee that this is sufficient to discover that notwithstanding all thy hot words against me about perfection in the mind through faith but not perfection in the flesh till Mortal have put on Immortality that outward man is born of the flesh and is flesh therefore not perfect the inward man or mind in the state of faith is born of the Spirit and therefore perfect in which perfection of the mind Paul saith he serves the Law of God but in his imperfect flesh the Law of sin Rom. 7.25 All thy following words about perfection at the end of which thou writes the word Queries is a repetition not proving any thing for thee for the Tabernacle of God with men and dwelling in them and walking in them and the like is all included in that afore alledged of the Apostle Paul his having the holy Ghost in him yet the same Apostle saith that in his flesh dwells no good thing this thou shouldst answer too and prove perfection in that which Panl denyeth or acknowledg thy error or speak plainly that all may hear thee as one of thy generation did to me alledging that Scripture to him who adorning his speech with thy manner of language of beast and lyer and filthie creature and such like Said Paul was no Christian when he wrote that thou askest me why I deny that to be the true Spirit or true unction which is not received by the letter Answ That Spirit which denyeth the Apostles teaching in the Scriptures and is not received by the hearing and believing their preaching of faith I deny because 't is a lying Spirit and cometh but to deceive Had not saist thou Abraham Isaac and the rest of the holy men of God who lived before Moses writ the Letter had not they the Spirit of truth within them were there not many deceitful Serpents and filthy Spirits like thine in their dayes and had they any outward writing given them c. Answ What though Abrabam and the rest thou speakest of in their time had the Spirit of truth within them before the Law written by Moses doth that give cause to any in time of the Law to deny the writing by Moses or thee or any now to deny the writings of Christ and his Apostles if there were such Serpents and filthy Spirits as thou speakest of who opposed the cammand of God yet that doth not excuse the deceitful Serpents and filthy Spirits that now deny the written verities as thou and thy generation do that Spirit which led men to obey the commandements of God or Law of faith before Moses writ the Law which if it were not by writing yet it was by voyce which is all one for that which was given to Abraham by voyce was written for our learning and what was given to the Apostles by voyce was also written for our learning Rom. 15.4 That we through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope that Spirit I say that led men before the Law written to obey did also lead men to obey the Law written by Moses and whosoever denyed and despised that Law was led by an evil Spirit and it was death without mercy Heb. 10.28 Even so now that Spirit that led men before the Law and in the Law to obey the commandements of God by faith the same Spirit now doth lead men to obey all the commandements and teachings of Christ Jesus in the Law of the Gospel preached and written by the Apostles as 1 Cor. 14.37 But whosoever denyeth obedience and would trample that down as thou and thy fellows they are led by an evil Spirit and their sorer punishment is told them Heb. 10.29 did Paul and the rest of the Apostles saist thou receive the Spirit of truth by vertue of reading or hearing any writing or book without them Answ All the Apostles did first hear the voice of Christ who was their Book or Writing without them before they received the Spirit of Truth within them Produce if thou canst any of the Apostles who had the Spirit of Promise within them before Christ had first called them with his voyce without them Thou saist That which thou broughtest out of 1 John 2. as to the annointing stands unshaken and cannot be removed by all the Brats of Babylon Answ That which thou broughtest is not like to be shaken by the brats of Babylon except against their wills as the foolish woman destroyes her own house for 't is their own bringing but if that 1 John 2. and all other declarations of the holy Ghost in the Scriptures could be shaken they had been ere now for thou and thy generation lay all your bones and sinews to shake it but it is grounded on a Rock and hath its being and protection from the Lord of Power and therefore is it that like your predecessors you are so marvelously beaten back in your assaults against it what hast thou to do with the annointing spoken of 1 John 2. it doth not belong nor is it in the denyers of Christ 't is onely the Saints Seal and Assurance of the love and favour of God to them which those know not who are in the state of disobedience against the Law of Faith for without Faith no promise or sealing in the New Covenant And no Faith where no Obedience to that Teaching is denied Thou publishest this to the World to make them think thou hadst said something but it is a plain testimony to all that hear thy former Paper with my Answer of thy conviction here not being a word in answer to any thing said to thee but Repetitions weakly as well as in thy amazement thou couldst Thou talkest of the Pope but thou canst not free thy self with all the skill and strength thou hast of the comparison I made betwixt you You both boast of Christ to be come in the flesh and both deny that Christ who came in his own flesh for you both deny his teachings and commands given while he was here in the flesh and set up your own inventions against him and therefore are alike Antichristian and so as is Prophesied of you in Daniel though you seem to war and contend one against another yet you talk of deceit at one Table talking of Christ come in the flesh by which he cals himself Christs Vicar or Christ on Earth and thou and thy generation so many as there are of you would be so many Christs like another of your Predecessours Henry Nicolas the Father of the Familists whose breath some years agon hath blown these swarms that thus darken the Sun and infect the Air He denied Salvation by Christ who died at Jerusalem as
The Quaker Quasht AND HIS QUARREL QUELLED IN An ANSWER to a Railing Pamphlet written by MARTIN MASON of Lincoln INTITULED THE Boasting Baptist DISMOUNTED AND The BEAST DISARMED and Sorely WOUNDED Without any CARNAL WEAPON Whereunto is added Eighteen several MEDITATIONS usually Received by the QVAKERS at their first Enterance into that Delusion By JONATHAN JOHNSON a Servant of Jesus Christ To the Law and to the Testimony if they speak not according to this word it is because there is no light in them Isa 8.20 But there were false Prophets also among the people even as there shall be false Teachers among you which privily shall bring in damnable heresies even denying the Lord that hath bought them and bring upon themselves swift damnation 2. Pet. 2.1 There be some that trouble you intend to pervert the Gospel of Christ but though that we or an angel from heaven preach unto you otherwise then that which we have preached unto you let him be accursed Gal. 1.7 8. LONDON Printed for Francis Smith in Flying-Horse-Court in Fleet Street near Chancery Lane End 1659. TO THE READER AS Books are censured according to the judgement of the Reader so I expect no other from thee whomsoever thou art it is my satisfaction within my self that I have no other end in sending this forth into the world but to maintain that which I know to be truth against those who grossly and absurdly do oppose it as I hope will be plainly seen and manifested to right Judgement As for Martin Mason the man whose railings slanders and unparaleld evil speakings against me are sounded abroad in the Nation and for no other cause that I know of for my love to the truth of Christ Jesus his Gospel and for desiring to draw him from that thick cloud of darkness under which I see him lie by the deceiveableness of unrighteousness suggested into him by that power that darkens the Son and the Air and which a long time have striven to hide that light and Spirit of truth which is received by the hearing of faith preached and believing according to the Scriptures and now as much as ever so farr as their power serves in this generation called Quakers who bouldy and audatiously deny Christ and his Apostles teaching to be the Word of God or Rule of righteousness or power of God to Salvation contrary to the plain testimony of the Scripture and calling the Scriptures teachings dead letter and lifeless book with innumerable suchlike wicked reproachful tearms as in the Pamphlet that I am now to deal with is manifested and in many others and as they are in their writings so they are in their words as I can witness and have others to witness with me the one of their generation to my face told me I was a filthie creature a lyer and a beast with more such foul words for saying Christ had a body was like unto us in althings save only sin for said he Christ had not a body of substance but the form only of a body And when I alledged the Apostle Pauls complaint of his infirmity in the flesh against their pretended perfection he using the same language of Beast and Lyar and like tould me Paul was no Christian when he wrote that But I say as for Martin Mason I did expect to hear of his acknoledgment in his evil in what he had written agaist me for declaring the truth which would have stayed me from sending this into the world which I have had allmost two years by me but failing of my expectation I sent to him now at least to know if he were come to a sight of his follie and evil therein and if he were that he would acknowledge it if not I must send into the world to vindicate the truth against him for said I many blind ones boast of thy folly and my silence and many who clearly see thy ignorance and evil therein wonder why I will let such stuff pass unrebuked but no retnrn had I from him but persisting in the same mind using his old language without any acknowledgment at all I therefore thought my self further engaged to send this forth which I had written The Scriptures do abundantly foretel of the coming of these who in the name of Christ shall deceive many As there is no Name given under heaven whereby men shal be saved but by the Name of Jesus Christ Acts 4.12 So the Enemy of the Salvation knows there is no Name but that only to take up to deceive by and under pretence of that to bring in his low devices which are destructive to the Soul there is no other way then to be sure of safety in these dangers when truth and falshood hath taken both one name but to look only to the Sriptures where the Name of Christ is fully made known with power and by which whomsoever comes to right knowledge shall deserue all false cryars of lot here and loe there and truly know the Name and voyce of Christ from strangers who take up that name to deceive by and will not stand to the true tryal of the Scripture but by false glosses and evil interpretations pervert the plain and manifest truth and when all that will not serve bouldly deny the life and authority of Scripture and labour to pull them from mens hearts and minds that their own falshood may be set above them as is plainly seen in this generation called Quakers like to their predicessors the Papists all which are alike denyers of Christ as he hath revealed himself in the Scriptures Therefore whomsoever thou art that truly desirest to bear the Name of Christian weigh what thou readest in the right balance and whatsoever thou findest to hold weight with the Truth approve and receive it and if any thing fall shorte of that impute it to my weakness for my desires are unfainedly to own the Truth although it be found against me To the true tryal I comit my writing who am a lover of all those who love the Lord Jesus in sincerity Ionathan Iohnson Truth Triumphing NOT yet dismounted Martin from that Station That dwelling place of Gods beloved Nation Nor sorely wounded with the windy push Of Martin Mason with his quaking Rush It is no Satyrs Apish Babel-frown Can pull the least of Gods beloved down How canst thou think thy Scrith-Owl nightly skriking Can from Gods Truth take any Saints good-liking Can those who in old Babels ruine dwell Reach up to Sion or her Towers tell Can Owls and Bats that flutter here below Mount up like Eagles Sions strength to know Or there dismount from of the Fort so strong The Lambs Beloved singing Sions Song The more thou strivest those sacred walls to scale Greater thy losse the more thy strength will fail Martin keep thou below reach not too high Till thou be cleans'd from thy impurity Thy false conceited Wisdom void of Light Lays op'e thy folly unto wise mens Sight Thy boasting brags
uttermost part of the earth and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached to all Nations Now let all who have ears to hear judge whether an Egyptian mist and besottedness be not rather in thy self to aledge these whom thou never sawest or heard but by the report of others to be thy witness against me and the Scriptures There is two many nearor hand who if their non obedience must witness against the Scriptures that they have not heard the preaching of Christ and his Apostles do witness fully of which namely Martin Mason is one who is too full of fury and wrath against the preaching of the Gospel by Christ and his Apostles to yeild obedience thereunto Thy saying that Mat. 28.19 20. Mark 16.15 In effect proves Christ command to his Disciples when they were on earth to go preach the glad tydings of the Gospel to the generation they lived in Dothplainly shew how desirous thou art to out short the Commission of Christ and stop the mouths of his Apostles in their preaching by that Commission in these times whose power and promise with that Commission as it was to all the world and every creature so it is to the worlds end as is manifested in the Scriptures verse the 20. By which is discovered what relation thou hast to Christ or love or aquaintance with his truth If thou didest know Christ as the truth is in Jesus thou wouldst know that though the Apostles be not personaly upon earth yet their word by which beleif in Christ is wrought John 47.20 and by which the world shall be judged John 12 48. Rom. 2.16 and by which the word of God is manifest Tit. 1.3 and which is a witness to all Nations through the whole world Mat. 24.14 yet remaineth notwithstanding thine and Millions of opposers and denyers thereof And thus that Egypian mist and sottishness which thou saiest is in me is manifested in thy self who as thou goest about by London way to speak with me who lives by thee in Lincolne so thou runest to the unchristianed world as thou callest them who live many thousands of Myles from thee to be thy witness against me that the Gospel is not preached by Christ and his Apostles and against the Scriptures also And our own knowledge who have their preaching sounding in our ears continually Would any but a misted blind man bring a candle to witness against the Light of the Sun Thy confusion is further manifested In thy acknowledging the Scriptures in effect proves Christ command to his Disciples to go preach the glad tydings of the Gospel For thou denyst and opposest that Christ which they preached and also in his Ordinances and therefore most miserable is thy condition in that to acknowledge it the Command of Christ and the glad tydings of the Gospel and yet fight against it Thou saiest thou never questionedst Christs Comission or their execution thereof yet thou thy self denyst obedience thereunto and wouldest bring Millions of non Christians to witness against it what greater question can be against that Commistion to all the world and every Creature in the world or the execution thereof then to say Millions of people in the world have never heard of that Christ Thou bidest me see my foolishness and be ashamed but if that blend which befottes all sences that oppose the Truth were not it thee thou wouldest see thy self amongst these Owls and Batts whose nightly noyse is heard in the ruines of Babylon But that wine being in thee 't is hid from thy Eyes Thou repeatest thy question How is the Gospel preached to every Creature under Heaven if not by the Principal of light in the Conscience Answ And I answer thee again In the preaching of Christ and his Apostles which worketh the principle of light in the Conscience which is the light of Christ that lighteth every man that cometh into the World And whatsoever pretended light in the Conscience that is not enlightned from thence and leads not to the obedience of that preaching 't is darkness and not light it is two secret and desart for the Saints and Diseiples of Christ to go out to it Mat. 24.26 and lead but where the foolish Woman brings her dead guests Prov. 9.18 Take away thy Letter saiest thou and by this mans Doctrine there would be no principal of light arising in thy Conscience Answ Take away the preaching of Christ in the Scriptures which thou callest dead Letter there would be the same in the Conscience in relation to light that would be in thy tongue for hadest thou not their speakings to still thy mouth with what Name of Christ or Spirit or Spiritual weapon or Gospel or Conscience or Light it self wouldst thou have all that hear thee knows that thou hast none of these expressions but from thence Those who spake by thy Spirit when Christ was personally upon earth might likewise say take away this Carpinter Marys Son and there is no Mesias or Son of God or Light and Saviour of the world for as they contemned and despised Christ Jesus because of his seeming meanness or outward manly estate so thou dost contemne and dispise his Word therefore his Word shall judge the in the lay day John 12.48 Shall men despise the way and means that God hath given for teaching and correcting in righteousness and which is able to make men wise unto Salvation 2 Tim. 3.16 17. Because 't is brought home to them in words and writing such dispisers shall wonder and vanish away at the beholding the work of God by that which they so dispise Martin take this further with thee to consider of in way of answer that whosoever takes away or denys that which thou callest dead Letter shall find no light of Conscience but what leads to distruction the Scriptures are either the voyce or speaking of God or nothing or worse if they be nothing or worse why dost thou sometimes say thou ownst them or why dost thou speak by them and steal their word to fill thy mouth with and aledge them And if they be the voyce and speaking of God as even they are thou that wouldest take them away and callest them Dead and Life-less wouldst take away the voyce and speaking of God and call it Dead and Life-less and so art a plain opposer and set enemy against God which manifesteth thy dead and dark mind Thy swelling words against me of gross darkness and calling me Babylonian and Lyer and shame cover thy face and the like I slight them as Big words of wrath for want of matter Thou askest me If there was not a Principal of Light in people before Moses writ the Letter Answ There was the preaching of the Gospel the word of Faith which is the sure Principle of Light before Moses writ the Letter witness Abels offering and Abrahams believing compared with Gal. 3.8 and Heb. 11.4 As also the preaching of the Gospel or righteousness by Noah to the
of mans belief not belief the cause of mans redemption for so should men deny Christ and be his own redeemer but Christ is a redeemer before man be a believer for what should man believe if not redemption and who should he believe if not the redeemer As a man cannot own Christ the Saviour and deny his redemption so a man cannot own redemption and deny the Saviour But thy Queries plainly testify thee to be a denyer of both In the next place thou hast broken in thy blindness thy fore-head against a rock that lay full in thy way for thou art forced to confess that I say something to the proof of Baptisme of Repentance in alledging Acts 7.59 If I and my freinds can witness such a condition as those convicts did in the four last verses Answ My freinds and I witnessing the condition required verse the 38. do manifest conversion which is more then conviction which conversion doth not only witness by the gift promised thereunto that condition in the four last verses upon the like or any Gospel occasion requiring but the condition Acts 7.59 60. Rom. 12.11 Heb. 10.34 For my freinds and I do witness against thee and all who deny to follow Christ in the Regeneration or Baptisme of Repentance that if we follow not that conversion to do as Gospel need requireth to the loss of what we here enjoy and life and all if we be thereunto called for Christ and his Gospel sake we violate our Baptisme and destroy our faith but to leave any of these and not for the Gospel sake or it requiring and calling thereunto but presently from an idle notion to seem to have what is not within 't is a denyal of faith and is hypocrisie turn thy eyes to those of thy own generation and see if thou can spie none who are so far from parting from their own estates that although convinced yet are not converted to restore that which others complain against them for as taken from them by Exaction and Violence while garments will not cover Extortion the righteousness of the Saints is the cloathing of the regeneration If my freinds and I could not witness the condition of the four last verses or the 38. verse of which thou canst not accuse us in a Gospel language is it right therefore for thee to deny Baptisme call the wise in heart to Judge if this be from a conscience rightly enlightened and they will tell thee that rather thou ought to stand up in the right use and practice thereof according to its faithful institution and not deny Baptisme because others who profess it are not rightly qualified for it and when the Hypocrite hath cast out the beam in his own eye he will see more clearly any mote that is in ours till when if thou make use of thy own words let the babler be silent it will be more wisedome and that lying pride and passion which here and so often thou would perswade the world of against me would not so plainly appear in thy self and then blindly boldly callit perfection Thou tellest me water sprinkling is not once named there Acts 2.32 To which I answer that neither would it be named here but that thy low light looks thee out that bubble to prevent thy obedience to that baptisme which is named there after thy forced confession of the truth thereof as afore is manifested and for a further occasion against that truth thou askest me if Christs Baptisme consist of outward water I answer if it did Martin Mason were a Baptized man for he hath had outward water but wanting in ward repentance and faith in that Christ whose ordinance Baptisme is therefore he is not Baptised but denyeth that council of God against himself as his predecessors in denyal thereof did Luke 7. I also will ask thee a question whose Baptisme was it that Philip Baptized the Eunuch with Acts 8.38 And that Peter commanded Cornelius to be Baptized with Acts 10.47 48. If thou acknowledg it Christs Baptisme thy fable is answered If thou say it was not Christs Baptisme whose seavants were they in the doing and commanding it to be done lay by thy lewd language and let me have an answer to this who never receivest answer from thee yet to any thing that I desired an answer to in meekness and moderation but in unreasonable railings and when thou knowest what the Baptisme of repentance is by a right conversion wrought in thy self thou wilt know what it is to suffer with Christ and what the Baptisme of the holy Ghost is till when the Serpent that is so quick in thy mouth stops it from confession to Salvation Thou should answer Ephes 1.13 Which thou callest my last proof and was brought to prove that the Spirit of promise is received by believing as also Gal. 3.2 was alledged to prove the same but thou having no mind to acknowledg the truth though so plainly appearing before thee and wanting answer against it asks me what was this word of truth if not Jesus the word of God the sure word of Prophesie which shined in the Ephesians dark hearts which they knew not Answ Is there any thing in this worthy to be called an answer to defend thee in thy denyall of the Spirit to be received by the hearing of the faith preached and believing the word of truth and Jesus the word of God being alone the Apostles preached that word of truth and Jesus the word of God to work faith in men by which faith the Spirit of promise was received what help for thee in this but to throw thee backward that word of truth and Jesus the word of God did not shine in the Ephesians dark hearts before the Apostles preached to them as thou falsly and ignorantly would perswade but after the Apostles preaching they believed and after they believed they were sealed with the holy Spirit of promise as that text saith Ephes 1.13 but thou thrusts away the word after which the text delivers that thy darkness might be placed before the Apostles preaching of Christ Jesus but Christ telleth thee John the 10.8 that all such forecomers are thieves and robbers compare this thy saying with the sure word of Prophesie which shined in their dark hearts which they knew not with what thou sayest before that the unction the womans seed the Christ within is that light which is in all consciences before faith and without before the Apostles preaching so that by thy Doctrine the Apostle preaching the word of truth or Jesus the word of God brought nothing to the Ephesians but what they had before for if they had the unction the Christ within which is the Spirit of promise before then were they Sealed before but the Apostle telleth them Ephes 2.12 that before they believed they were without Christ so that I must either deny the Ephesians conversion by the Apostles preaching of faith and the Apostles saying that after they believed they were Sealed
and that before they were without Christ and so make the Apostle a lyer which God forbid or tell Martin Mason he cannot escape being the lyer and therefore by the sentence of his own mouth must have his mouth stopped a many foul and wicked words proceed from thee in the next place which I will leave to all who have learned to let their words be few and gratious to see by what Spirit thou art led and to Judge whether such expressions to avoyd answer be the new tongue speaking of a Saint or speaking like the Dragons Thou asks me if I shame not to tell thee with my false tongue that thou contemns the faith in the sufferings of Christ Answ I would thou wert repentantly ashamed at thy contempt of the sufferings of the Lord Christ that dyed at Jerusalem which contempt of thine is manifested in these words in thy paper But thou speaking to me and the drunkard and scum of the earth who fed your selves with the meer froathy verbal faith in the sufferings of that single man Christ Jesus at Jerusalem and yet wallow in your wickedness are not saved or redeemed from your sins And in the same Raper alledged 1 John 4.2 Saist thou did the Apostle here signifie that every one that confesseth Christ come in the flesh of the single person at Ierusalem that every one confessing this is of God why then the Pope will say he believes this Now let the honest hearted in the Nation whom thou calls upon to Judge let them I say Judge whether this language be not a contemptuous speaking Thou as the manner of thy generation is when thou calleth others to Judge leaveth out that which thou knowest will most evidence thy contempt as here thou leaves out the word single man and single person which were thy words to me but here thou leaves them out and then callest to the wise in heart to Judge will not thy light within let thee see this to be falshood and dissimulation Christ Jesus was the Son of Mary according to the flesh but thy brethren who called him the Carpinter Maries Son Mar. 6.3 speak that in despising contempt against him So he was the Man Christ and a person like unto us in all things save only sin but thy calling him single man and single person at Jerusalem is from the same spirit of despising contempt as the honest hearted will tell thee Martin thy light leading thee in wayes contrary to the way of faith only in that Christ that suffered at Jerusalem leadest thee from the true and everlasting light life to the place of death darkness for there is no life or light leading to Salvation but by faith in that Christ only who suffered at Jerusalem which thou plainly dost deny and ragest so against me for discovering thy flying to any whose faith thou callest meerly froathy and verbal will not help thee in thy denyal of faith to Salvation for such is no faith the Scripture tells thee there is one faith Ephes 4.5 which faith Justifieth saveth Gal. 2.16 Ephes 2.8 but whence hast thou thy frothy verbal faith that is the device of thy Spirit of delusion which as it would have many Christs to deny that one Christ who suffered at Jerusalem so it would have many faiths to deny that faith which is to Salvation according to the Gospel thy telling me of wallowing in my wickedness with the drunkards and scum of the earth is but thy raging at rebuke for thy bold Blasphemie against the Lord that bought thee Now Judge saist thou O ye wise in heart is the Scripture 1 Tim. 2.5 call not him who suffered at Jerusalem the man Christ Jesus and may not I use the language of the Apostle Answ The wise in heart are no formal Quakers will tell thee thy language is quite contrary to that of the Apostles for the Apostle in that Scripture calls the man Christ Jesus the Mediatour betwixt God and man But thou calls him the single man and single person in contempt of faith in him and to make men deny his Mediatour-ship the Apostles language is a confirmation of their belief in that Christ Jesus who believe in God thy language is to destroy their belief in that Christ Jesus who beleeve in God and so thou art manifested to deny both the Father and the Son 2 John 9. Thou bids me peruse thy paper again and see if thou saidst not no other Jesus do I own but the Lamb of God which was slain from the beginning of the world Answ Thy expressions in that is but the liberty thou takes for occasion and to deceive thereby those who hear thee for the name of Christ or Lamb slain or Redeemer or Annointed thou dost but use them words to exalt thy pretended light within that so thou mayst bring down and deny that Christ whom thy fellows slew at Jerusalem and this all may see who have but half an eye of discerning to be the whole drift of thee the rest with thee hadst thou said no other Jesus do I own but the man Christ who dyed at Jerusalem and faith in him only to be Salvation thou hadst some cause to bid me peruse thy paper but whoever peruseth thy paper or thee shal not find that and that not being in thee all thy expressions of Christ and light or unction or womans seed and the like are falsely applyed to thy secret invention Thou saist I tell thee in two several places that thou crucifies Christ again and that I break forth into rage because thou tells me he is slain in me Answ I told thee thou would crucifie the Son of God again and good cause had I when thou told me not only that he is slain in me as thou here saist but also that he is still slain for me which here thou saist not which is the continuance of thy deceit to leave out that which thou knows will most discover thy falshood is not this plain lying and dissembling in thee to tell the world I said that which I said not and to cry out against me and dissemble the cause But thou art ashamed truly to declare to the world what I said to thee and the occasion because thou knew it would confound thee that which thou calls my raging was my alledging the Scriptures against thy false affirming Christ to be still slain for me which Scriptures prove that Christ the Lamb that was slain is alive for evermore Rev. 18. and that he once sufferered for sins the just for the unjust 1 Pet. 3.18 and that he was once offered to take away the sin of man Heb. 9.25 26 28. But thou said I dares say is still slain for me was his first death insufficient and shall Christ from his immortal and glorifyed being be brought down to die and suffer again let the Reader now judge what breaking forth into rage is in this he who affirms Christ Jesus to be still slain for sinners must
or worthy of thename of suffering for Christ or Gospel Humilation for you deny both Gospel and Christ and all your Humiliation and pretended valiantness in suffering is from self desire to maintain your own divices and therefore as Scripture tells you will not be known worthy of reward The poor hearts obedience to the teaching of Christ in his ordinances as in the Baptisme of repentance doth manifest their love excluding fear in taking up the Crose of Christ by which they stand Armed with strength from God to undergo what ever they shall be called to in witness of his truth and if they fall in that day of tryal their streng this small And then they violate make void as to themselves he Baptisme of rapentance they so much plead for denyal of which Baptisme as hath been said is device to keep men from the Cross of Christ for that baptisme brings a man to the lowest estare of self denyal and Humility and to be raised up in the acknowledging their State of life to be only in the love and power of God in which warrfare the Saints have alwayes got the victory and so shall those whom thou callest the poor hearts continuing faithful in the Lords truth an promise not giving ear to those pretended lights of mens consciences that deny the commandments of God and obedience to the Law of faith And though such come forth like Giants with big and furious words railing against the host of living God yet the Lord will subdue them with Sling stones and cut them off with their own Weapons Zeek 9 15. 1 Sam. 17.49 50 51. For what is not of God shall fall and none can stay the consumation determined to be powered upon the desolate Dan 9.27 Ionathan Ionson MARTINS MEDITATIONS MARTIN one day sat musing in his mind Of things which are and things which after follow And studied sore to see if he could find Who Truth enjoys and who in falshood wallow And as he thus sat musing all alone Attendance strait came to him many a one There first came in a messenger of light And told him all things lodged in his heart And of the Truth gave him a glorious sight And from false fained things wil'd him depart He let him see the ill of their estate Who make Religion nothing but a prate They in obedience to the royall Law No Faith produce but self-inventions frame From love of heavenly truth mens mindes to draw And keep them from the ever saving Name And what they practice hath no Gospel warrant And thus this Messenger began his Errant And further told him if he would be sure To walk aright and work the work of God And for himself Salvation would procure Then must he follow in the holy trod Which the Apostles of our Lord did walk in And not believe the vainnesse of mens talking He must the Scriptures hear in what they teach him And yeeld himself unto the gracious will Which those Apostles of our Master preach him And they will surely teach him Christian skill And bring him to a right regenerate frame To know the Lord and call upon his Name Repent and be baptized saith this Message And God will seal his Covenant in thy heart Deny not Martin to receive th'Embassage Which God by his doth to thee thus impart And it will bring assurance to thy soul Of heavenly favour and of sins controul But if thou wilt not hear this voice of life And shew thy self obedient to this call Then severall cries ' mongst which there is such strife Will thee assail and round about thee fall And with their evil Charmes and strong delusions Inthral thy mind in severall sad confusions That thou mayst hear and do thou knowst not what And follow men and leave the Lord thy Saviour Therefore saith he in time be ware of that If thou wilt gain an everlasting favour So shall thy soul continually be at rest and not with fear and vain device opprest Martin at this being troubled in his mind This sacred counsel to deny or do A love to what was told him could not find But from this admonition soon did go For this good seed was stoln by those that flie About the world betwixt the earth and skie And now a many quickly enter in Some on this manner saying some on that At last a whited black one did begin To talk and to delude him by his chat Humble he seem'd with coat and visage trim To hide his foul deformity most grim Believe not thou quoth he that voice that spake And told thee Stories of the Scriptures preaching Hear me who am sent hit her for thy sake To let thee know the Conscience secret teaching's The Light within to which thou must take heed Not that which thou dost in the Scripture read The Scripture's a dead Letter void of Life That Christ no Saviour who at ' Salem died Thy Saviour is within thee form and strife 's amongst men who in Scripture rules abide Let Scripture rules alone what light 's within thee Let that sure light in all thy works begin thee What 's Baptisme with water but a toy What 's Bread and wine receiv'd with faith in Jesus A fruitlesse form the hid light will destroy These outward things which too too much displease us Who do deny the precepts of that Preacher Whom men call Jesus Christ the Gospel Teacher That outward Christ who at Jerusalem died And all those outward things from him profes't Are of no worth but to be laid aside The Inward light will make thee these detest And though men think through Faith to have Salvation In Mary's Son it 's a vain Imagination None are redeemed or are saved by him Redemption's not by any thing without The light within the womans seed espy him That 's thy Redeemer of which have no doubt Mind that within thee and obey its teaching Beleeve not Christ or Scriptures preaching It is a Doctrine damnable and vild To say the Spirit is received by preaching Of the Apostles faith in Mary's child And hearing and obeying to their teaching They 'r filthy creatures serpents dogs and swine That so to Scriptures teachings do incline Without the Apostles preaching in the Letter The Spirit is received and Christ within Look but within thee there thou l't find him better Then by th' Apostles t is the man of sin That bids thee hear the Apostles for salvation All that lock there for Christ find desolation Thus have I told thee where thou Christ shalt find Even in thy self thy teacher there doth dwell Those who seck Christ within the Scripture's blind With such false teachers see thou do not me'll Obey the light within so shalt thou be A perfect man and from deceivers free This voice so well did Martins pallet please That he himself himself might onely teach That he could be a Christian now with ease And ne'r submit to what the Scriptures Preach The Doctrines of regeneration taught Are now by him esteemd a thing of naught He 'd always Christ within be ne'r was lost So Christ the Saviour needs not come to save him His Christ within saves him without that cost But that false Christ will even of life bereave him This light that thus in Martin doth arise Is even the light of the old Pharisees They would have life denying Marys Son And of the Heavenly kingdom would be free Without Christ Jesus and would headlong run In self-ish lights against Christs verity Hating the Doctrine taught them by the Saviour ' thout whom there is no everlasting favour So Martin by his meritorious works ' thout faith in Jesus thinks to gain Salvation But that 's the enemy which in him lurks And fills him with a vain Imagination To look for life where life he cannot find Thus strang Delusions make deceivers blind J. J. FINIS