George Fox Digged Out of His Burrows, Account of dispute 1 · Letter 4
To this Second Letter I Replied in this following.
NEighbour, in this your second Letter (misdated as well as mine) you pass by many Particulars which I wrote concerning G. Fox, Hump. Norton, your self, and the stripping your Women Stark naked in publick, &c. you insist upon my Irrationall dealing.
2. For your charging my Positions to be Lyes, and Impudent Slanders, without giving me one Scripture or Reason to prove them so;Unreasonable kind▪ of Reasoning. and here you say [For my charging upon thee Lyes and Slanders, examine but thy Positions, which will make manifest what I say] But is this any more Rationall or Manlike? or is it not bruitish to say, you are a Lyar because you are a Lyar; [12] Or you are a Lyar because you say these Positions are true, and offer to prove them. It is a Man-like spirit to lead a Beast with an Halter, but a Man with Reason; but to lead or drive a Man with an Halter or Cudgel, and not with a Reason, (in Naturalls and Rationalls, most of all in Spirittalls) is not the Spirit of God nor of Humanity: For what will my Chargings, and Censures and Clamors, and Cursings, and Damnings effect and beget upon a rationall Soul, without a proof of Reason, but an Opinion of my wicked false bruitish and irrationall spirit?
3. Tis true in your Exhortation to me, you bid me hearken to the Manifestation of the Spirit which is given to every man &c. This I acknowledg Scripture. You say I wrested and added to an other Scripture, but you mention it not, so I am in the dark what you mean. And for this of the Manifestation of the Spirit, your self now consent to me, that it was spoken to the Saints or Christians at Corinth, and therefore I spake true in saying, that as to my Positions (by you call'd Impudent Lyes and Slanders) you gave me not then, nor now any one Scripture or Reason to prove any one of my Positions to be so.
4. As to Iohn Burnet, I said before him and afterwards, that he delivered many Truths: yet withall,I can give many Instances of their abusing the Ordinance and Name of the Spirit of Prayer for a sudden Silencing of their Opposites. I then at the same time (in their Publick Assembly at Newport) I told them, that it lay upon them to manifest to their own Souls and others, 1. That their Christ was true 2. That their Spirit was Gods, and the rather because they were charged with denying the Institutions of Christ Iesus, and with the setting up of many Will-worships, as Preaching of Women &c. And I went on purpose to Discourse of these matters (this being the time of their Generall Assembly, and a great Concourse) I was stopt by the sudden praying of the Governour's Wife, who also told me of her asking her husband at home (meaning Christ which I had toucht upon) I rose up and said, if a man had so alleadged, I would have answered him: But I would not Countenance so much the violation of Gods Order in making a Reply to a Woman in Publick: Hereupon I. Nicols stood up and said [In Christ Iesus neither male or female &c.] I was Replying to him and to I. Burnets Speech also concerning their Spirit, but I was stopt by Iohn Burnets sudden falling to Prayer, and dismissing the Assembly. I resolved (with Gods help) to be Patient and Civill, and so I ceased, not seing a willingness in them for me to proceed; which experience made me not to trouble [13] G. Fox and the Assembly at Providence, but rather to make a fair and Solemn offer of Dispute about these matters: so that it is notorioufly false, that I Owned or Countenanced any of their Opinions.
5 You tell me of my foisting in that word Damning, and I tell you that those words of Condemnation and Damnation are all one in your Greek and Latine and English and other Languages: So that in your telling me if I hearken not to you, it will be my Condemnation, you (all one) tell mee it will be my Damnation.
There are two Damnations, one which all Mankind is under, (He that believeth not is condemned already) the other, that finall Sentence [Goe ye Cursed] my Charity bids judge that you meant not the latter: But my Knowledg tells me amongst Iews and Turks, Papists and Protestants and Pagans (with all of which I have conversed) I never met with such a Judging Censuring Reviling spirit as is the spirit of the Quakers.
6. As to my saying in my 14th Position, that the spirit of the Quakers tends to a sudden Cutting off of people, yea Kings and Princes: It lyes upon me to prove it, and you do only upbraid me with it but offer no disproof, nor can you or any other evade it, when the Roots of Affairs and Actions are dig'd up and examined.
7. Next you cry out against my Blood-thirsty spirit in William Harris his Case: and I answer that it is not the sign nor the part of Loyall and gratefull subjects having received such wonderfull Favours and Priviledges from so mighty a Monarch, so to Slight and damn, to Null and make void such Royall Grace and Favour.W. Harris his late Case of denying that the King hath power to dispence with his Subjects in Religious matters. Is it not high and monstrous abominable Presumption for any man to quarrel with Soveraign Majesty for granting Favour and Mercy to the Souls and Bodyes of their Subjects (which he ought to doe, even in Conscience to God) and for dispensing with Laws made for Superstitions and Oppressions. I think you have been an Officer your self in a Corporation in England: I question how you durst then (or durst now) omit to take Cognizance of such Actings, against your Corporations safety, and the Honour and royall supream Authority of his Majesty.
I was in place and ingaged more than others to maintain the righteous splendor of the Kings Crown and Majesty and Prerogative, and the Colonyes safety peace and Liberty, and yet I acted not without the Counsel and Concurrence of all the rest of the 14] Magistrates who did no more but what belonged to our Duty and Alleagiance as faithfull Officers to his Majesty and this Colony under him: nor did we any more then Necessity and common Prudence compeld us to, for who knoweth what after Reckonings may befall us? Did not W. Harris (when in place) more than justifie us, by judging himself bound to hurry your self, and about twenty more to Newport, to answer for Contempt of the Kings Authority, though but in an accidentall, peaceable, and (by his Covetous violence) occasioned Meeting. Was not Mr Clark (though favourable to W. H.) so amazed at W. Harris his desperate Presumptions, that he readily acted with us in Examination and Commitment? Yea did not W. Harris (upon the point) Confess that we could not but Commit him, and therefore provided beforehand his Bedding, and other Conveniences for a Prison?
8. It is not true that either in Word or Writing I cryed out Treason against him. But it is notoriously known, that he and his Complices lay in Wait, and at Catch at every word as Foxes and Lyons for Mr Greens Blood and mine, as Traitors against King Charles for our pleading the Colonyes proceeding against W Harris in the time of the Parliament, and Oliver Cromwell.
Oh Friend, whither will thy poor Soul next be hurried?His Majestyes Declaration against W. Haris his presumptious Attempt Is not the Gap and Gate now left open for W. Harris or any man to Dispute openly against the Kings Prerogative, and tell him that he knowes not, nor his Councill nor Iudges the Laws? that he cannot dispence with penall Laws on the Consciences of his Subjects, Papists or Protestants, at Home or Abroad? But see the Finger of the most High! the Kings Majesty (as if he knew all our proceedings against W. Harris his presumptions, debasing the Kings Power and Prerogative) in the present juncture of these Affairs, sent forth his Royall Declaration to the World, asserting his Supream Power and Authority in such matters, and by virtue of many Statutes and Acts of Parliament.
9. In the last place, that your self and others may admire your new spirit, how much, and how often, and how long hath your own Mouth and Hand (and Capt. Fenner and diverse with you) declared and remonstranced to the Generall Assembly against W. Harris (which Assembly therefore fined him and outed him) as the restless Fire-brand of Town and Colony and who hath with all his power now kindled and blown this Fire between [15] Conecticut Colony and our selves. Yet now in your, and the Quakers bosom, must W. Harris be hug'd, as an innocent and peaceable Soul, and the Kings faithfull Officers reproached and threatned as Bloodthirsty and cruel Oppressors.
10. You bid me mind my Books, and my being for and against Persecution: But through Gods mercy I can look at them with humble Thanksgiving and peace, without any recoiling thought to Persecution (as you falsly intimate) from them.
11. As to G. Fox his Armour, Sword, and Cuttings with which you threaten me; I desire to think as low of my self, &.c. as you or G. Fox can think high of himself. It is infinite mercy that I live, and as a Living Dog may wait for Crums of mercy, clearly to See, dearly to Love, uprightly to Follow, and constantly to Maintain the eternall Crown and Glory of the true Lord Iesus Christ, and his most holy Spirit and Scriptures, with whose gracious Assistanee I hope to prove that the Quakers spirit, and Christ have no Communion.
Roger Williams.
THe Ingenious and upright Reader might now well suppose that the Contest were over: but it is not the Light of Truth or Reason or Scripture or Experience, or the Testimony of the Prudent or their own Consciences that will satisfie this white Devill of this pretended Light and Spirit within them, and therefore must I crave the Readers Patience while I produce I. T. his third and last Letter to me and my Answer to it.