The Quaker Converted to Christianity, Title page – Letter
THE Quaker Converted to Chriſtianity, RE-ESTABLISHED, Upon the ſame, ſure, ſafe, and only Foundation, Jeſus Chriſt crucified, and his Righteouſneſs imputed for Juſtification: Having yet no mind to change the ſweet and eaſie Yoke of CHRIST's GOSPEL, for the Old Covenant-Yoke of QUAKERISM, which he found ſo burdenſome and intolerable: OR, A full REPLY to a Book entituled, Rebellion rebuked, written by John Crook and William Baily, both in the Miniſtry among the QUAKERS.
Written by WILLIAM HAWORTH, a Contender for the Faith once delivered to the Saints.
With an Account from WILLIAM DIMSDALE, the Perſon ſo frequently mentioned in this Treatiſe.
Acts 13.8.
But Elymas the Sorcerer withſtood them, ſeeking to turn away the Deputy from the Faith.
Mat. 23.13.
But wo unto you Scribes and Phariſees, hypocrites; for you ſhut up the Kingdom of Heaven againſt men: for ye neither go in your ſelves, neither ſuffer ye them that are entring to go in.
LONDON, Printed for Jonathan Robinſon, at the Golden-Lion in Pauls Churchyard, Anno Dom. 1674.
AN EPISTLE TO JOHN CROOKE, Wherein his EPISTLE is Anſwered.
JOHN CROOKE,
MY firſt coming to Hartford was ſoon after ſome ſharp and long Buffetings that I had been exerciſed withal, (as my Chriſtian Friends know.) The Lord was but then rebuking Satan, taking the Lyon off me, and delivering me, and reſtoring Comfort to me, there did remain many impreſſions of thoſe Buffetings upon my Spirit, which the Lord in rich Mercy hath ſince healed, and taken away the ſmart and pain, by giving me Faith in the Blood of ſprinkling; much Guilt and Filth was left upon my Conſcience contracted by that long Combate, Satan finding ſo much in me to work upon; but there hath been a waſhing, and pardoning, and reconciling and Sanctifying ſince that time.
Coming to Hartford, I found many of the People called Quakers, Inhabiting there, was glad in this reſpect that I might thereby have occaſion to try their Spirit, Way, and Doctrine farther, which at London and elſewhere, I had been frequently ſearching into. Hereupon I refuſed no Converſe or Society with them, and my behaviour towards them, was with Love and ſweetneſs; inſomuch that I have in my publick Preaching given offence to ſome of …r bearers, in that what was commendable in the Quakers practice, I have reckoned up and praiſed, at ſuch times as I have Preached Truths againſt their Opinions. My carriage was ſuch towards you that it was frequently reported that I was not far from you, that I was coming to you. I was very willing to entertain diſcourſe with any of you, and with thee, when it was deſired by ſome, which was effected, & it appears thou haſt not forgotten it, in that thou mentioneſt it in this Epiſtle, that it was in ſome freedom from Heat and Paſſion: That Meeting was beneficial to us by reaſon of a Conceſſion from thee at that time, viz. That the New Creature was an higher thing than the Light within, and that you did but point out people to the Light, in order to the New Creature. Remember this, John, of which there are many Witneſſes.
Within two days I had another diſcourſe with thee in the Town, and I dare appeal to all the Light thou haſt in thy Conſcience, if there were not much extravagant Heat that day in thy ſelf and Friends. Thou may'ſt John to this day hear it that ſome of thy own party ſaid; that John Crooke was not in a right Spirit that day: Pray forget not John, what a good and wholeſome Truth thou oppoſedſt that day: viz. the everlaſtingneſs of the Covenant of Grace, ſaying, that David was out of Covenant when under his Temptation; This thou knoweſt Arminius is for, and all the Jeſuits, viz. a Total falling from Grace. In that diſpute I dare not ſay I had no itch after applauſe or vain Glory ſtirring in me, nor any anger, but I can ſay through Grace my main deſign was for the defence of the Truth, for the prevention of errours. Not long after this, God's providence ordered a Priſon for me, where there were many of thy Brethren, forty or fifty, ſome of them were Teachers, and had been for ſome conſiderable time. Here I had a fair opportunity of making inquiry and informing my ſelf, whether the things I had heard reported of this people were true as to their Opinions, & whether I had ſuch cauſe to be ſo jealous of them as I was, having diſcourſed them before, the Lord keeping up this Principle ſtill in me, that I would follow Truth in whomſoever I found it. Here many days did I engage in debates with them touching many great things in Religion: viz. Touching Original Sin: againſt this, that any ſuch thing was upon Children when they come into the World, they did contend, viz. Chriſtopher Taylor, Lewis Lacondy with others of them: The laſt named, aſſerted, that a Child when born is as innocent as Adam in Paradiſe was before he ſinned: Chriſtopher Taylor diſputed very much againſt the Reſurrection of the Body with me. This ſame Chriſtopher called the Doctrine of Election a Deviliſh damnable and Blaſphemous Doctrine. How often did I be… this Man repeat this in his Preachings, do this and Live, which is the voit of the Law in oppoſition to the Goſpel, Rom. 10. Thomas Bur of Ware, did at that time acknowledge in my Chamber, that be apprehended nothing in the point of Juſtification that we talked of. Theſe are Teachers in your Iſrael. And how many times have I heard this Man run in his ſpeaking among the people, into moſt ſtrange, uncouth, dark, unintelligible nonſenſical Allegories upon the Scriptures! The Lord lay not this to ſome of your Charge, that are greatly guilty of a dreadful abuſe of the Holy Scripture this way: and you do ſtill up and down the Countries confound the poor people, that muſt ſtand and wonder at that which neither they nor the Teachers themſelves underſtand. Thomas Moſs of Balwick did argue this with me ſo long that I durſt talk no longer, leſt I ſhould have been an occaſion of his Blaſpheming, viz. That Chriſt could not be born of the Virgin Mary, in caſe ſhe was a Sinner, without ſin.
Thus was I trained up with them eleven Months, heard their Prayers made many a time, and was glad to hear them in the ſeeming fervency and Zeal; but theſe Prayers were not to me, like the Prayers of the Holy Men of God, Ezra, Daniel, &c. Not with Confeſſions, neither did I ever …ear ſuch an expreſſion as this which Daniel bad, viz. For the Lord's ſake. I could not diſcern that any uſe of Faith was made of Jeſus as a Mediator now without, while the Spirit did ſeem to ſtir up ſighs within. I underſtand withal this to be one of the firſt-born of your errours (which Thomas Bur would not deny,) viz. that every one of your Teachers is equal to the Prophets and Apoſtles, and ſo their writings equal with the Scripture: I told Chriſtopher Taylor what William Penn ſaid to a friend of mine, viz. that George Fox was as good a Prophet as Iſaiah; and he did affirm it likewiſe. I can truly ſay, ſo much ignorance and confidence did I find amongſt this people there, and ſo much errour and darkneſs, and withal ſo much of a worldly Spirit in their Converſe together, that had I had ſtronger inclinations to them than thou thinkeſt I had, I ſhould have been alienated, and at a greater diſtance from them: my ſoul was grieved many a time, by hearing what I did; and I call the Lord to witneſs, that I wrong them not, but ſpeak the Truth. Since this J. Bolton made a diſturbance in our Meeting, and diſcourſing with him in the hearing of many, he queſtioned my attributing an humane Nature to Chriſt, be there would grant Chriſt to appear in a Body, and that was all, he would not anſwer to me, asking him whether that Body of his (taking hold of his hand) roſe again. Lately from Green, a Teacher among you, I could have no anſwer, where be believed the Man Chriſt was, More lately in diſcourſe with ſome, That it was the Light within that was Crucified without the Gates of Jeruſalem, That the Mediator was in Heaven, but that Heaven was any where out of him: where the Mediator was, I could not get him to Anſwer: this was Thomas Prior of Stanſtead, and his Wife would not tell me whether ſhe worſhipped Chriſt within, or Chriſt without. I call to mind the Original of this people in the North, I have been told by ſome that have ſeen them, that they were extraordinarily acted by a Spirit, being ſome of them thrown down upon the ground in foamings and tremblings; and then would ſpeak ſomething in a ſtrange way. I have been told by one that was in the Room at Cambridge at the firſt Riſe of them, how in a Chamber where he was, every thing in the Room, Table, Bedſtead, Stools, &c. and every perſon there (being many) trembled and ſhook, himſelf excepted. I my ſelf did ſee Ann Blackling acted more than ordinarlily, who now is no Quaker (as I ſuppoſe thou knoweſt). Now be not angry if for my own ſouls ſake, I enquire whether this Spirit be the ſame Spirit wherewith all the Holy Men of God were acted, the Spirit of Jeſus Chriſt the ſon, that is in all Chriſt's people, and how ſhould I know but by examining the fruits of it. I can never forget James Naylor, whom I ſaw ſuffer, and what was the fruit of that Spirit by which he was acted; was he not ſtrangely lifted up in Pride, to make himſelf the Meſſiah, and take divine worſhip to himſelf? John Bolton told me that he ſtood by and ſaw three Women one after another fall down and worſhip him, and one of them in her Bowings, had theſe words, viz. thy Name is no more James, but, I am. And James Naylor told John Bolton, that if he worſhipped his Body, he ſhould refuſe it, but if that within, he would accept it: now by what Spirit was this Man acted? Likewiſe I have called to mind all thoſe extravagant things that ſome of you have been put upon, contrary to all the Light of Reaſon and Nature, beyond all the bounds of Civility and Modeſty, viz. the beſmearing your naked Bodies with Dung, and in that manner going naked into the Chriſtian Aſſemblies; how ſome of you have been put upon Voiages beyond Sea to Preach (as I have heard) and yet have been cut off by Death, before you have come there. But it is more than all this to me, that this Spirit hath carried you forth moſt eſpecially in Reviling and oppoſing the beſt people in the World, the Godly in this Nation, and the faithful Miniſters of the Goſpel, and what Truth is there that you in your Writings and Preachings have not oppoſed at times, of which our Brethren have given a late faithful account out of your own Brethrens Writings. Now John, blame me not if I have been wary and watchful, leaſt I ſhould be poſſeſſed by a Spirit that leads to ſuch things as theſe; there is nothing more plain to me than this, that immediately upon the entrance into your way there is in your Proſelytes not ſuch an attending to vocal Prayer as before, nor ſuch a diligent ſearch of the Holy Scriptures, nor ſuch high thoughts of the perſon of Jeſus, and mighty ſlighting thought of his Goſpel-Inſtitutions, viz. the Supper of the Lord, &c. By what thou ſayeſt unto me in this Epiſtle that thou wondereſt at the Fruit brought forth after ſuch exerciſes of Spirit, and ſuch travels as thou haſt ſeen me in, I can collect nothing but this, viz. that there is not one truly converted and born again, but every one miſcarrieth in this work, and it proves abortive in caſe it doth not end in Quakeriſm, a harſh cenſure John. The Law in the hand of the Spirit hath been at work in my Soul, and I have known the killing power of it, it hath ſlain me; but is there no life unleſs I turn Quaker? nor any deliverance but a concluſion that I have licked my ſelf whole by ſome proud and ungrounded preſumption? is not this enough, John, that by the Spirit of Bondage ſin hath been made bitter to me, and thereupon Chriſt precious? And whereas thou ſpeakeſt of flying, I have fled for refuge to the Hope ſet before me, and that Spirit of burning that was in me, hath conſumed in ſome meaſure thoſe proud Phariſaical, ſelf conceited thoughts that I had of my own Righteouſneſs. This being a great work that the Lord hath to do in the Souls of his people, which I preſume if thou hadſt known, thou wouldſt not have been a Patron for it, and endeavour to make it ſtand, which thy Brother Bayly fairly owns, pag. 37.
In the Epiſtle thou apprehendeſt, it was with me as with Demas, that imbraced this preſent World, and fell in with thoſe large preferments that are to be reaped amongſt my Non-Conforming Brethren in the Miniſtry: This it was that allured me to ſtay, otherwiſe I had turned Quaker thou thinkeſt. I thank thee for thy Charity ſtill; Love thinketh no evil. Doſt thou think it might not have fared better with me as to outward maintain…ce if I had conformed? why did I not chuſe that? Why, John, ſhouldſt tho… be angry that my Family hath a little dayly Bread? I have had it from your Brethren, viz. That we may have the milk of the Flock, why John did not ſome of you roundly tempt me, as ſome Quakers did a ſick-Maid not long ſince, promiſing her ſhe ſhould be taken care of, if ſhe would become one of them, and be againſt all others? I know your care for your Proſelytes this way hath been very much: And whereas thou ſayeſt, that I once ſpake ſo reſpectfully of the Light and Spirit within. I do ſo ſtill both publickly and privately, and God forbid I ſhould be an oppoſer of it, or an Enemy to it: Let my Tongue firſt cleave to the Roof of my Mouth, let me firſt be dumb, and never ſpeak any more: but the Lord hath learned me to diſtinguiſh of things, not to confound them as thou doſt, which ſhall be more plainly ſhewn thee in the Anſwer which follows. I Believe and ſpeak, that Light which every Child of wrath hath as he cometh into this world, is not the Spirit as he is ſpoke of in the New Teſtament, the Spirit of Regeneration, Adoption, the Spirit of the Son; nay, whatever thou wilt call it, it is but Fleſh, whatſoever is born of the Fleſh (i.e.) what ever Man is in his firſt-Birth, he is but Fleſh, John 3. and in the 1 Pet. 1. All Fleſh is Graſs, all called Fleſh till the New-Birth of the incorruptible Seed which every Man hath not; yet I have given and will give this Light its due, and ſay it is from Chriſt, he is the Author of it, that gave Man his Rational Soul, and created all Lights, and had not the Lord preſerved this Light, Mankind had not been, the Species would have been extinct, and we like bruits, and hereby is Man made fit for humane Society and Common-Wealths; and through the reſtraining-Grace of God joined with this (for I attribute it to that indeed chiefly, as in the caſe of Abimelech, Gen. 20. I kept thee, &c. elſe the Light within would not have done it) Man is preſerved from many groſs outward evils. One can diſtinguiſh between many things that are good and evil, by this Light, but to ſay as thou and others do, that it is the Spirit, Chriſt, Regenerating Grace, God, as thou doſt in thy words in this Epiſtle (as I underſtand it), let others judg of it) calleth it the Son of God, King of Zion, applying that of the ſecond Pſalm to this Light, therefore it is the Rule, the Life, the Blood, the Principle, ſuch horrid Blaſphemies as theſe, dethroning Chriſt's perſon, turning the God-Man into the Reaſon, Conſcience or Soul of Man, making them all one, and God, the Spirit the ſame with this which is in every Murtherer, Robber, was in them, Job. 21. goes with the damned to Hell, remains with them there, Hear ye Heavens, and give ear O Earth, and be horribly aſhamed of ſuch Tenents as theſe! my Soul through the Grace of God utterly abhors and deteſts them, and I am and will be a profeſſed Enemy to them as long as I have being in this world, and doubts not in the leaſt but Chriſt will ſtand by me in this his cauſe. Oh how doth this puff up poor proud fallen Man that there is ſomething left in him yet that will reſtore him, when all the Light he had before, could not preſerve him from falling: This thou haſt heard at leaſt was the old rotten gangrene of the Pelagians pleading for Nature. O ceaſe John, ceaſe perverting the right ways of God, pleading for Nature in oppoſition to the Grace of God. As for the Bands which thou mentioneſt of Chriſt the Son, ſpoken of in the ſecond Pſalm. and for his cords, they are welcome to me, I embrace them, and it is my Liberty to be his Captive and Priſoner. It's freedom from my luſts, I have found it ſo, and do. But no falſe Prophets (as thou and others, while you maintain theſe Doctrines) ſhall ever bring me into bondage again, to the curſing Law and the works of it, looking for Life that way. Yet do I wholly ſtoop to this King of Zion, Jeſus Chriſt, as my Lord, as he that hath ſubdued all my Enemies virtually already, and will actually in time, which I wait for, and hath given out Rules how he will be ſerved and worſhipped, which according to my Light I deſire to be found in, deſiring this glorious King by the power of his Spirit to ſubdue all evil in my Soul. But let me entreat thee, John, to uſe plain words when thou ſpeakeſt of the works of God in the heart of Man by the Spirit, at leaſt ſay no more than what is ſaid of it in the Holy Scriptures, and do not uſe to ſtrain Scripture and wreſt it from its proper literal meaning when there is no need ſo to do but the doing of it takes off from the Glory of it and the Authority of the Truth contained in it. Here thou turneſt that great Scripture in Zachary into an Allegory, which is a Prophecy of the Meſſias, coming for the comfort of his people, and was fulfilled in the Letter which was very glorious, and beſpake him to be the true Meſſias, the ground of all Comfort to his people; and he came in this low and mean way to ſhew his contempt of the World, who could have commanded all the Glory of the Creation, to attend him in this Triumph and State, and yet this he did to ſhew forth ſomething of his Authority and Majeſty, being really a King. Now, John, why wilt thou go this way to work to uſe theſe uncouth Allegories, is it not for want of plain and ſubſtantial knowledge in the Scriptures? Doſt thou not know what miſchief this way of ſpeaking hath done? The evil one hath made uſe of this way in the World in falſe Teachers, to take off from the Authority of the Scriptures. I pray God this be not your intent in going this way: if many ſenſes of the Scripture, then no one ſence is certain, for I have heard thee my ſelf ſay this, viz. He brought his Son out of Egypt, i.e. out of the Egyptian darkneſs of our hearts. Why doth not this take off from the Hiſtory, as if that were nothing, as if ſuch a thing had never been, the Man Chriſt brought from that Country ſo called really and truely: but as if this was the great intendment of the Holy-Ghoſt in it, as to the work of God upon Mans heart: now this was groſs, thick darkneſs, ſuch as might be felt; why then ſurely there is no Light before Chriſt be brought forth; and yet you call the Light Chriſt: John, it ſavours not right, to ſay God brought his Son out of Egyptian darkneſs. That work of the Spirit in our hearts is not God's Son, and to ſay God's Son is brought out of darkneſs, Egyptian darkneſs, who was with God from Eternity, and was God, and was Light, the Light of the world as Mediator, and ſo the Author of all ſaving Light, it is abſurd. But this is not ſo bad, as that which thou ſpakeſt in Sarah Whites Chamber in London, in my hearing and the hearing of others of my friends, viz. the only begotten Son, begotten in us. Now John, whereas thou chargeſt me with Blaſphemy which ſhall be examined, who now is guilty? thou bluſheſt ſurely to think on it, you often ſpeak of my tenderneſs how hard are your hearts, that you can hear and ſpeak ſuch things as theſe and no ſhame upon you, whereas at that time I was ſo tender that I couldnot but interrupt you by my Friend. Oh! John, how hath thy Pride and Itch to be a Teacher of Allegorical Myſteries, Tranſported thee to be accounted a profound Doctor. Some things thou ſpakeſt there that were true, but Oh, what a deadly poyſon didſt tho… throw preſently into the Pot! What the Son, only Son, begotten Son, begotten within us? them … he have a beginning, and original, and ſo many as there are works of Sanctification, and the Spirit muſt be the Father which proceeded from the Father and the Son according to the Scriptures. Now John, who is the Blaſp…emer? Repent for this I Beſeech thee that it may be forgiven thee. Another was; Bebeaded for the Teſtimony of Jeſus, i. e. ſaid'ſt thou, to part with all Carnal Wiſdom and Reaſonings, that is beheading. Now who would not think John, but that thou art beheaded? And yet thou haſt loſt all thy u… derſtanding and judgment, thus to abuſe the Scriptures. Like unto thi…, is thy applying this in Zachary, to the work of the Lord in my Conſcience. I would not ſubmit thou ſayeſt, t… the King of Zion, but would be ſaved without having him Rule in and over me, that came meek and low, Riding on that Wild Aſſes Colt, on which Man never Rode; now I ſuppoſe, that thou meaneſt by Chriſt's Riding on the Aſſes Col…, ſubduing that Wildneſs tha… was in me, that no huma…e power could do: now it would be very difficult for thee to hold on the Allegory, and tell us, if the wild Nature … was the Aſſes Colt, what was the Aſs that this was the Fole of, for … are mentioned in Matthew: What was the Village from whence this … came, and what is to be denoted by the owner; what were thoſe Cloths that were ſpread upon the Aſſes, and in the way, and what thoſe Branches, and what by thoſe that cryed Hoſanna, what thoſe Sto…es tha… would cry bu… in eaſe the Diſciples had held their tong…e, and what that Jeruſalem … which Chriſt Rode. All theſe muſt be diſtinct things in Man.
I will give thee a taſte of this way of Allegorizing the Scripture from … Author that writ againſt thy Brethren, Crellius and S…cinus, who … wont thus to interpret Scripture, ſee hereby how eaſie it is, to the meak … taking, how dangerous.— When Moſes delivers to us the Hiſtory of Creation, why may we not underſtand, In the beginning, for the beginning of the Moſaical Diſpenſation: God Created the Heavens and the Earth i. e. erected the Jewiſh Polity: by new Heavens and new Earth, wherein dwelleth Righteouſneſs &c. ſpoke of in the Epiſtle of Peter is meant a new State of things under the Goſpel: And the Earth was without Form, and void, and Darkneſs was upon the face of the Deep i. e. The World was in a State of Darkneſs and Ignorance before the Law of Moſes, v. 3. God ſaid …et there be Light and v. 5. And God called the Light Day, this was the firſt tendencies to the Doctrine of Moſes, v. 16. God made two great Lights, the greater Light to Rule the Day, the leſſer … the Night, i.e. This Law which at firſt was divided and ſcattered, was united afterwards in one great Body of Laws, which was called the Sun, becauſe it was the great director of the Jewiſh Natio…, and therefore ſaid to rule the Day, that people that had Light; the leſs conſiderable Laws of other Nations are the Moon, to govern thoſe that were yet under the Night of ignorance, v. 6. God ſaid, let there be a Firmament in the midſt of the Waters, i. e. The Jewiſh State was to be erected in the midſt of a great deal of trouble: Waters are often taken for troubles and afflictions. v. 9. Let dry Land appear, (the Waters being gathered together,) i.e. The Jewiſh State was to be ſetled after all theſe troubles: but more particularly, this was to done after the paſſage through the Sea, v. 12. And the Earth brought forth Graſs and herbs, &c. i. e. There was a great increaſe of the people, ſome of the meaner ſort, thoſe are called Herbs and Fruits: But v. 24. The Earth brought forth the Living-Creature (i. e.) Theſe were an higher ſort and Rank of people, that were to live upon the other and trample upon them: that there were ſeveral days in the Creation of making things one after another, which denoteth that the increaſe of the Church was not all at once, but by Steps and degrees. By Gods making the Man and the Woman, and then placing them in Paradiſe, is meant the flouriſhing of the Jewiſh State and Church after all this, and an enjoying reſt and pleaſure. The Church in the Re…lation is ſet forth by a Woman, and a perfect Man ſignifieth an high degree of perfection; ſo it is the Church of the Jews being brought up to an high degree of perfection. There was a forbidden Tree that was not to be …aten of, i. e. The cuſtoms of other Nations, their eating was the Jewiſh Church falling into thoſe Cuſtoms. Their being turned out of Paradiſe, was the loſs of their own Country, the Curſe was the loſs of their ſettlement and State, and being in ſlavery and captivity to other Nations.
This may help thee as a pattern to turn this and other Scriptures into an … or Metaphor applying them to the Light within and your Quakers, as this to the Law of Moſes and the Jews, which is already your way if you could but hit thus happily upon it.
Thou ſpeakeſt of thy tenderneſs to me in the conference, Apoſtle-like now … comes with a Rod, well, I muſt be thankful to thee that thou didſt not … Chaſtiſe me then, Thou hadſt I perceive an high Spirit of diſcerning in thee, and I know (thou ſayeſt) the good and honeſty in thee anſwered to my Love, &c. Thy Love muſt either be very little, and ſo the good and honeſty very little that anſwered, or elſe it was not good and honeſty of the right kind; or elſe thy diſcerning eyes very dim, if thou hadſt not quite loſt the faculty; for in two days time all this good and honeſty was gone, See what thou ſayeſt, viz. Ʋntil the next diſcourſe which was within two days, then nothing but heat and paſſion, and eying reputation: this is like thy Brother J. Bolton in London, that told me that I had a double portion of the Light, a fortnight after comes to Hartford, and tells me when I oppoſed his Error… that I had not one dram of the Spirit. Such is thy diſcerning Faculty and I thank thee in the cloſe now that thou haſt reckoned me up among the wicked ones, in the latter days in Daniel ſpoke of, viz. to grow worſe and worſe, and how proves thou it? Becauſe of my oppoſition to the Quakers, and likewiſe, my deportment ſhews it, having turned my wonted Gravity into a Light, Vain, &c. Lofty, Confident and Preſumptuous Carriage. Had I been told ſo much by my Chriſtian Friends whom I converſe with, it had concerned me much, whom I have asked ſince this Epiſtle came forth, whether ſuch a carriage is uſed by me, and I do ſtill appeal to them, and a… willing to fall under any juſt reproof for this thing: A Vain, Light, Lofty, Preſumptuous Carriage, being unbecoming the Miniſtry. But ſurely thou judgeſt the Deportment and Carriage of all the Godly in the Nation to be Light, Vain, Confident and Lofty, becauſe they are not found in thoſe mimied punctilio's of denying the Hat in Salutation, and giving the Hand which the Quakers uſe: if this Turkiſh mode which you have taken up of late, in not ſtirring the Turbant be the thing, and that affected demureneſs, I am then Guilty, my Light being not for it. Be not angry John, if Chriſt having made me free, and reſtoring Comfort to my Spirit more of late the… formerly, the Spirit of Adoption enlarging my Soul; I expreſs it in my Carriage in a more chearful Gravity, walking as one that doth Believe in Chriſt, whom be hath delivered from Mount Sinai, to Mount Zion. We are not Children of Hagar the Bondwoman, but of Sarah, not Iſhmaels, but Iſaac's, whoſe name is laughter! I am to manifeſt my rejoycing in Chriſt, and that I have received not the Spirit of Fear and Bondage, but of power Love and a ſound mind. And this is for the honour of my Lord, and his Doctrine. Thou doſt but bewray in this the ſame Spirit of the Phariſees, who were angry with Chriſt, that be kept Company with Publicans and Sinners, and becauſe he came eating and drinking, they called him a …lutton, and Wine-Bibber. I place not my Chriſtian Religion John, in denying the Civil ſalute of the Hat, or any Courteous behaviour towards my Neighbour, whereby I expr…ſs my Love and Friendſhip as you do, making if eſſential to your way, and a ſignal Character of your Proſelytes as appears by thy Brother Baylies Anſwer.
But I have well nigh done rejoycing, that the little Book we writ, hath ext…rted from thee ſome good words of Confeſſion, which how thou underſtandeſt them ſhall be ſcanned afterwards, and how thou agrees with thy Brethren thou ſhalt ſee wh…n things are compared. It's well if the Body at Devonſhire-Houſe, and your Metropolitan George Fox, approve of this Confeſſion: Though thou art infallible John, yet thy infallibility muſt vail and ſtrike Sail to the infallibilty of the Body; If thou Believeſt as thou ſpeakeſt in ſome things, why didſt thou rent from Chriſtians, if thou wouldeſt return John, it would be better with thee than it is now: If thou underſtandeſt ſome Truths as thou writeſt them, and all of you aſſent, never were people Guilty of ſuch uncharitableneſs as you in your Railings againſt all other ſorts, of ſeparation and diviſion in keeping your Meetings diſtinct, not in the leaſt owning our Worſhip; as appears by your irreverent Behaviours, when you come into our Meetings: But I am greatly jealous of thee, and not without ground, having converſed with you ſo long, and knowing how frequently you are found in Jeſuitical equivocations, and mental reſervations, that thou haſt but covered Poiſon in guilded words, and wrapt thy ſelf in a Cloud: Falſe Prophets muſt come in Sheeps Cloathing, elſe no deceiving.
It was a Golden Cup that Antichriſts Poiſon was in. I pray God I may find it otherwiſe. Thy Brother Penn is plain and honeſt down-right in his aſſertions, againſt Chriſt and the Scriptures, and ſatisfaction by the Death of Chriſt, &c. In the cloſe, let me ſay that I am thoroughly ſatisfyed, that I am defending the nobleſt Cauſe under Heaven, and call God, Men and Angels to Witneſs: That if I were convinced you were in the Truth, I would not for a Million of Worlds in the leaſt oppoſe you. Lately at Hartford Bigg, and Martin, confeſſed that our Principles were directly contrary: Let it then be tried who is in the Truth, by the Holy Scriptures: and the Lord be Judg betwixt you and us in this Matter I can heartily ſay appealing to him that ſearcheth the hearts and tryeth the Reins, that as you are my Country-Men you are dear to me, and I could wiſh my ſelf deprived for ſome time of the Love of the Saints, (which is highly valued by me) and no pains or travel of Body or Soul, Night or Day, ſhould ſeem great to me, to reduce any of you from that dreadful …poſtacy, which you are fallen into, through the cunning Craftineſs of ſome Deceivers. There is a Woe upon you, I am ſatisfied, becauſe that Offences have been given by ſome Carnal Goſpellers, and Libertines in our day, that have turned God's bleſſed Grace into wantonneſs, and have not walked worthy of this Glorious Doctrine. I have heard ſome of your way that lately have acknowledged this, viz, no reaſon in Doctrine but in Practice, for your departure. Now bleſſed are thoſe that are not offended in Chriſt: A … to them that ſtumble … this ſtumbling stone. I my ſelf through weakneſs have been …ear to this, but his Grace hath kept me and the Truth is dear to me ſtill, and Jeſus Chriſt though many that profeſſeth the Faith adorn it not in their Converſation. And now you are multiplied, me ſee you are a people of the like infirmities and paſſions, therefore may you that are tender, … in again to the Truth, by the ſame Reaſonings. But oh! how ſtrong is intereſt and faction when once ingaged. Well my Prayer to the Lord hath been and yet is, that thoſe among you that have not ſinned unto death, by a wilful oppoſing in hatred and emnity the Glorious perſon of the Mediator. may be brought back, that whoever of you belongs to the Election of Grace may be undeceived, as this young Man was. My labour in this kind, in other places hath not been in vain, and I will not ceaſe but hold on, Believing firmly that I do ſervice to Jeſus Chriſt therein: And I am the hold…r … this work in that I can ſay (the Lord knows) I have been an hundred times hurried into your way and Opinions like a Child toſſed to and fro with every Wind of Doctrine; but I am brought now into a conſiſtency and fixedneſs through electing Love, influencing of me, and have my ſenſes exerciſed … diſcerne of things and Perſons, and in Chriſt's ſtrength, fear not the Gates of Hell. Oh that this contention and Tryal of Truth might by the effectual working of the Holy Ghoſt upon thy mind, beget ſome thoughts of returning to thy firſt Husband the God-Man Chriſt. Thou art the Dearer to us John, in that thou haſt been a Stone once in Chriſt's Buildings, and Oh that the calls of God's people to thee, from thy Apoſtacy might be bleſſed to thee, that thou mayſt Blaſpheme no more. All knowledge that Men are apt to be puffed up withal, and ſoaring into, is but Air, Wind and Fancy, but the knowledge of Chriſt. Take heed of that Spirit in the falſe Apoſtles, that diſdained Pauls Doctrine as low and Carnal; ſo hath Henry Nicholas, Swenkfeldius, and Beheman: and ſurely you do, and your People ſpeak it, Believing that you come forth with a new Prophecy, as ſome of old pretended, they were ſent to Preach the everlaſting Goſpel in oppoſition to the old Goſpel. In the Revelation ſome are ſpoke of, that talked of the depths, which John adds Satan to. This hath been my temptation, and I am confident is thins now. Oh! be ſober-minded, and be not aſhamed of the Croſs of Chriſt, him I mean Crucified in ſinners room and ſtead. The Spirit of Wiſdom and Revelation be upon thee, while thou are reading theſe following Lines, that thou mayeſt ſee the myſtery and cleave to the ſingleneſs of Chriſt.
Thy Friend to reduce Thee from thy Apoſtacy, WILL. HAWORTH.